Disclaimer: I own nothing unfortunately (blah on life). It is all Joss's and Rowling's, I'm just messing around and putting my own spin on things. And the beginning and part of Buffy's dream is from "Prophecy Girl," as is the recap. Don't sue me I own nothing.

Redo of my discontinued original (A Different Life) because I just need to start over to get back in the swing of things! Same story line though, although I might decide to take it in a different direction. I really want to do this story. Sorry it's been like a year or something, but things happen. Don't give up on me!

This was/is my first fan fiction I've ever written and I have never written any stories ever actually but I love reading other fanfic so I wanna contribute! Critiques are welcome, as is anyone interested in beta-ing. No flaming though please, it is not constructive and it's pissy.

Timeline is after 1st season of Buffy and after 5th book HP world. Remember how Buffy is all bitchy after she dies? Well, Giles is concerned about her and her behavior and sends her to Hogwarts. I know Buffy at Hogwarts is really old, but I still like it, and it has been done well before and I have never seen her go after season 1! Oh, and Buffy and Angel aren't exactly serious-serious or anything at this point, so it will not be a BA shipper. I don't know what pairs I will be doing yet.

Recap

Buffy: So that's it, huh? I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, next one's called! Wonder who she is. (to Giles) Will you train her? Or will they send someone else?

Giles: Buffy, I...

Buffy: They say how he's gonna kill me? Do you think it'll hurt?

Tears are flowing freely from her eyes. Angel tries to hug her, but she puts up her hands and quickly steps away.

Buffy: Don't touch me! (to Giles) Were you even gonna tell me?

Giles: I was hoping that I wouldn't have to. That there was... some way around it. I...

Buffy: I've got a way around it. I quit!

Angel: It's not that simple.

Buffy: I'm making it that simple! I quit! I resign, I-I'm fired, you can find someone else to stop the Master from taking over!

Giles: I'm not sure that anyone else can. All the... the signs indicate...

Buffy: The signs? (throws a book at him) READ ME THE SIGNS! (throws another one) TELL ME MY FORTUNE! YOU'RE SO USEFUL SITTING HERE WITH ALL YOUR BOOKS! YOU'RE REALLY A LOTTA HELP!

Giles: No, I don't suppose I am.

Angel: I know this is hard.

Buffy: What do you know about this? You're never gonna die!

Angel: You think I want anything to happen to you? Do you think I could stand it? We just gotta figure out a way...

Buffy: I already did. I quit, remember? Pay attention!

Giles: Buffy, if the Master rises...

Buffy: (yanks the cross from her neck) I don't care! (calms down) I don't care. Giles, I'm sixteen years old. I don't wanna die.

Later, after the Master dies...

Buffy: We saved the world. I say we party! (looks down at her dress) I mean, I got all pretty.

Ms. Calendar: And what about him? (indicates the Master)

Buffy: (looks at the Master) He's not going anywhere. Loser.

Prologue: An Idea

Buffy woke up with a strangled gasp. She slowly crawled out of bed, trying to shake off yet another nightmare. Ever since the Master had killed her, she'd been living the night over and over in her dreams.

Buffy is in the Master's lair, frozen in fear as he has her by the neck and explains to her how she will die for nothing and his escape will be her fault. Her blood will free him. "But prophecies are tricky creatures. They don't tell you everything." The Master leans toward her and whispers, "You're the one that sets me free! If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that!" And she does as he bites her...

Buffy shivered. 'Get over it Buffy. You're alive. The Master is dead.' Still, she couldn't shake her fear, and she didn't exactly scare easily normally, she thought with a tinge of pride. She died though. It's not something you just get over.

"Honey, you'd better be awake! You don't wanna be late for school," Joyce shouted from downstairs.

"Coming mom!" Buffy shouted back. Ugh, she thought, forcing normal girl thoughts in her head as she focused on getting dressed, fixing her hair, and looking pretty- ready to go to school and face her friends and her watcher. She thought that maybe she would be happy to see them again. But really she was happier in LA. Where I can forget, no Hellmouth, no dying. Just shopping, sun, her Dad, and kicking the crap out of lame-ass city vamps she thought, a brief smile flitting across her face before disappearing. Seeing her friends last night felt so forced. Something was wrong with her maybe she thought. I mean, they were her friends and she loved them. They accepted her for her or who they thought she was. Still, she huffed mentally, why should she be happy to see them? She died saving the world and they act as if nothing happened. But it wasn;t liek the last apocalypse though. No nightmares or scares on that one. The Harvest. She snorted. How lame. Now, every night the nightmares come. She couldn't even go swimming in LA as she'd have flashbacks of her drowning, being face down in the shallow pool, the energy and blood draining out of her neck and not being able to breathe but being helpless to move. Dying. And she will die again for this world that doesn't care, no matter how hard she fought. Slayers die young. Buffy's mood darkened. She looked up from her dresser where she had been idley toying with her lipgloss. The girl that looked back at her in the mirror was not the flakey blonde she had been a second ago. This was an angry girl, and a Slayer at that.

At the Library the next day

Giles sighed and closed his book. He could not focus on reading. His Slayer had been acting unusual ever since she'd been back. She'd been, well, mean. He knew she was having a hard time facing things ever since her death. She had so much to deal with. Before, Buffy always seemed nonchalant about her calling half the time, relying on her natural aptitude and breezing through it with a grin, a pun, and a little bit of whining. He smiled ruefully. She couldn't kid herself any longer, that was part of the problem. Earlier, the Counsel called. They were sending the new slayer, a girl named Kendra, to the Hellmouth. Giles had been ready to protest but realized this might be the break Buffy needed. She could get away from the Hellmouth. Sunnydale would have Kendra and Buffy would have... what? Where could he send a jaded young Slayer, because for all her attempts at levity she was that- jaded and lost. An idea came to him. Yes, that would do. He picked up the phone.

What do ya think, to those of you who haven't read? And to those who have, a little better? Review! Is it worth starting over and continuing, or should I not bother?