(This chapter was betaed by KatieRebecca of Perfect Imagination.)
Echoes
Gingergirl
Summary: Buffy is sent back in time, to search for the lost 'Nephilim dagger' the only known weapon capable to kill her powerful new enemy. She has only 1 year to accomplish her task. Will she join the newly formed Order or the Phoenix or...
Disclaimer: The Buffyverse belongs Joss Whedon, the rest is the property of JK Rowling.
Time-line: Post Chosen & Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. (June 2003)
Enjoy and please review, it feeds my muse.
Chapter Two:
Buffy and Faith split, one took north and the other south. Patrolling the quiet streets of London, its excessive quietness felt very unusual, like the calm before the storm. Suddenly Buffy felt a tremor of apprehension slide up her spine. Abruptly stopping, she felt her muscles tense in defense as her eyes quickly scanned the darkness. Immediately, four hooded figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding her. Easing into posture she spontaneously switched into her battle self, ready and willing to fight them all. At the same time, all four pushed the black hoods away from their heads, revealing human faces. Red eyes blazed, while they opened their mouths to reveal sharp fangs.
"Vampires." Buffy's nose wrinkled in dislike.
"We are not vampires, slayer. We are the Nephilims." None of them moved. A high-pitched sound alerted Buffy to turn around before she felt a sharp pain in her neck. Her hand flew up and found a tiny lump. Pulling it out, she winced as she saw a needle. Her wary eyes flew to the Nephilims as their robes instantly slid off to reveal heavily muscled bodies, carrying a diversity of knives and axes. As her blood began to pump Buffy started to feel weak. It was evident that she was drugged.
Forcing herself to fight against the weakness, Buffy decided to go on the offense. Throwing her body towards the nearest Nephilim she landed several kicks to his chest before she heard the rest closing in on her. Pushing him in front of her, she used the Nephilim as a shield before taking one of the long knives from his belt. Pulling the head down, she reached around him and tried to sliced him into his throat. His skin was thick and the blade did not hurt him; she threw him towards the others. Watching the ranks continue to tighten against her, Buffy wished she had just chosen to run instead.
Quickly closing the distance, the stranger could see Buffy desperately fighting against four vampires. He also noticed that her movements were slowed and growing clumsier. It was obvious that she was going to lose, even though she was still fighting like crazy. Buffy felt her vision blur as her body slackened. She had already buried two knives deep into the chest of one Nephilim, but he wasn't even slightly hurt. They just kept coming, wearing her down. She felt someone was watching her. Looking across she saw a man, his body only a blur.
It was in that one moment that the leader lifted his ax. Before Buffy could move, the Nephilim ruthlessly swung. She managed to jump back, but it was too late. With a piercing scream Buffy fell into the ground.
"Avada Kedavra." The man shouted in rage. A flash of green light was seen and the four nephilims fell.
"Buffy!" Running to her, he crouched down and observed her. "It's really you!" the man whispered in her ear. "I followed you. I had to make sure!" Glancing around, he noticed her attackers were gone.
"Nephilims..." she croaked.
"Nephilims?" he gasped in surprise. "Stupid woman! Why didn't you used the dagger. You know it's the only way to kill them." He spat, nearly growling.
Blood oozed from her wounds, making her cry. "Aren't...they...d...dead?" Her words slurred.
"No. Don't you remember? The killing curse works only with humans. You need help, I'm taking you to St Mungo's." She hardly heard him. Darkness enveloped her as she fell into unconsciousness.
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Forcing her eyes open, Buffy found herself in an hospital room. "Extraordinary!" a young healer was saying. "You are conscious. Slayer healing is fascinating!"
"Where am I?"
"St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Your watcher is waiting outside, I let him in."
"Thanks." A concerned Giles entered her tiny room.
"What happened? Do you remember?"
"I was attacked by Nephilims. That's what they called themselves."
"Good Lord!" Giles took off his glasses and started to clean them absently.
"You always say that. Find a new catch phrase." Buffy admonished him lightly.
"This is serious, Buffy."
"It always is." Buffy said grimly. "Oh my God! Faith! We have to make sure she ok."
"Faith is fine. You were the only one attacked."
"Good. They were going to kill me, and I couldn't hurt them, Giles. A wizard saved me, he's the one that brought me here. Where is he, I want to thank him."
"Nobody knows who brought you here."
"That's strange, because he knew me."
"Maybe it was that cousin of yours."
"Could be. I didn't see his face, he was just a talking blur." She moved abruptly, trying to seat. "Ow. Anything on these Nephilims?"
"They are the offspring of fallen angels and mortal women, a cursed race...the first known vampires."
"My savior mentioned a dagger. Said it was the only way to kill them."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Giles, I was seriously distracted by my pain."
"Sorry. We need to consult our books."
"Goodie! Research party!" Buffy said sarcastically.
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"Here, I found the dagger," Willow said excitedly. "The Nephilim dagger, belongs to an old and prominent wizarding family, but it was reported stolen in 1987...16 years ago."
"The Nephilim dagger? What a lame name." Andrew grimaced.
"Evil tends to be unoriginal, remember the DuLac Cross?" Xander said remembering their first battles.
"Willow, which family?" Giles asked rolling his eyes.
"It doesn't say."
"We need to locate it, ASAP. Faith, lets hit demon bars and..."
"Buffy, if the Nephilim attack you again, you might not survive."
"We can use the Time-turner, we found with the books." Dawn yelled enthusiastically.
"No...time-turners are dangerous to use, besides we can only go back for a couple of hours." Giles informed them.
"How many hours?" Dawn asked twirling the device. Giles took the device from Dawn's hands.
"Don't play with it. You can turn back twelve hours at the most."
"It's not enough. Buffy spent two days in the hospital."
"What about a time machine! If wizards have time-turners, they probably..."
"Andrew this isn't an episode of Star Trek, this is real!" Faith admonished him.
"For your information I was thinking of Doctor Who. We are in London after all."
"Because Doctor Who is real?"
"Guys that's enough, Willow do you know a spell that can allow us to go back in time?" Buffy asked.
"I don't, but I can look it up...maybe Kronos."
"God, don't we know a time travelling demon besides Sahjhan?" Buffy whined.
"D'Hoffryn!"
"D'Hoffryn can travel in time?"
"Technically. We got nothing to lose... I'll summon him." She went to the far end of the library, kneeling down she draw a circle surrounding herself with a marker.
"Willow wait that's a permanent marker, you'll stain the floors." Willow ignored Buffy and started to chant.
"Blessed be, the name of D'Hoffryn. Let this space be now a gateway to the world of Arash Ma'har, where demons are spawned. We come in supplication..."
"Hey Giles, do you think this will work?" Buffy whispered.
"D'Hoffryn had a soft spot for Anya, she's no longer with us...I don't think he'll..."
"It makes you think, doesn't it? if he really can travel in time, why didn't he save Anya?"
"What makes you think I didn't, slayer?" D'Hoffryn said.
"You saved her?" Xander asked, hoping.
"No...I did not, it was her choice to die." Turning to Willow, he asked. "Why did you call witch, are you ready to join us?"
"Sorry, but no. We kind of need your assistance."
"My assistance? What do you need?"
"The Nephilim dagger. It was lost in 1987..."
"I can't help you. I don't retrieve lost treasures."
"Thank you, it was worth the shot."
"Wait!" Giles said. "Can you take me back to 1986, I'll have a year to find the dagger. Buffy's life is at stake."
"No."
"Why the hell not?"
"I can't take you back in time, it's too risky. It's not the same as travelling to an alternate dimension, if you encounter your doppelganger or change history, it'll create a rip and the world will end. Very dangerous. No, I will not take you."
"Will you take me?" Buffy asked D'Hoffryn. "I've been receiving some weird looks from different wizards and witches, like they know me. Maybe they do!"
"Very well, I'll take you. I have a soft spot for pretty girls. There are some rules you must follow. First you can't tell anybody you're from the future, secondly you can not interfere with history."
"No problem there. I don't know what happened in 1986, I was only six. Besides History is not my forte, you can ask Giles."
"In that case, you can act as you please, maybe it was meant to be. When you find the dagger just call my name and I'll pick you up."
"Here Buffy, I have written down some of the names of the oldest and distinguished, wizarding families of the time. You may need it."
"Thank you Will, I'll need some money too."
"I'll give you an hour, to prepare yourself for the trip. Be cautious, slayer, don't bring anything made after 1986."
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Tbc...
