Disclaimer – I don't own Buffy, Angel, or Harry Potter.
Chapter Three – A New Truth
Dawn was sitting at the main table in the Hyperion's dining room. Sitting around the table was Buffy (who was looking irritatedly at Spike), Spike (who was currently talking), Giles (who was looking very intrigued), Xander (who was looking confused), Willow (who was looking pissed at Kennedy), Kennedy (who was looking pissed at Willow), Andrew (who was looking excited that he was involved), Faith (who was looking bored), Illyria (well, who really knows what she was thinking), Shannon, Michelle, Rona, and Sara (who were all just sitting waiting for their orders).
"Okay," Buffy started as calmly as she could. "Let me get this straight. You were in England, doing 'your thing,'" she said, adding air quotes for emphasis, "when you heard a group of vamps talking about how they were being extended an offer to join the most powerful wizard ever? Is that right?"
"That's right, love."
"And there is a world. One that none of us know about with witches and wizards and magic, that you have known about for year, decades, hell maybe even centuries, and never thought to tell us about!" Buffy's voice was progressively growing louder and angrier. "A world that has MAGIC! With healing spells and shit. How could you not tell us? Do you know how much this could have come in handy?"
"Listen love," Spike was getting angry now too. "I've lived a long time, I haven't even heard of this world in decades. Last I heard there was an evil wizard and he was killing everybody off. After hearing nothing about it for long enough I just assumed they killed themselves off. As for why I didn't tell you, it didn't concern you! It had nothing to do with you! You aren't pissed about the healing potions, you're mad because I knew something you didn't."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Buffy shouted, pushing her chair back as she stood up. "I am mad because this could have helped us. I don't care if you knew about it first. You should have told me."
"Okay, okay," Dawn stood up knowing there was no end in sight for the fight that was about to unfold. "Lets all calm down. No one is at fault here. We know of this world now and that's all that matters. Now we need to decide what to do with this information."
No sooner than Dawn had finished this sentence, there was a loud CRACK in the lobby. Buffy and Faith jumped from their seats and rushed into the lobby to investigate.
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The sight that lay before Buffy and Faith in the lobby was a very unexpected one. There were four people, dressed strangely, standing in the middle of the lobby shouting spells, while the slayers dodged the spells and fought back. Buffy ran in first, kicking a young man with red hair in the chest (he flew back against the wall).
"Petrificus Totalus!" Buffy heard a female voice to her left yell, before she could do anything her arms and legs snapped together and she fell over unable to move. At this Faith jumped into the fight. A red light flew past her as she made her way to the man who looked like Merlin.
"FREEZE!" Willow shouted as she entered the room. The entire room froze; no one was able to move. That was when everyone behind Willow entered the lobby. There were slayers bleeding on the ground, a large black man about to be kicked in the jaw, a strange looking man was pointing a small stake at one of the slayers, a young woman was pointing a stake a Buffy (who was on the ground), a redheaded young man starting to stand up, and Merlin looked quite confused. Willow's hair flickered black as she walked into the middle of the room (straight for Merlin). She looked at him and waved her hand past him. Slowly he was able to move again.
"I am terribly sorry, but however did you do that?" he started, but Willow silenced him.
"We will be the ones to ask the questions," Willow began; her voice was slightly lower than normal. "Who the hell do you think you are barging in here attacking our girls?"
The old man began to answer, but no noise came out. Willow waved her hand again and nodded for him to continue.
"I am so sorry," he began again. "We meant to Apparate just outside your establishment, not inside. Apparently our calculations were a bit off." He chuckled. Giles stepped forward, obviously not amused.
"Tell us what you are doing here or I will let her kill you all with the blink of her eyes," Giles warned in a very stern tone.
"Yes, yes, of course." He responded, a twinkle in his eyes. "My name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. I am the headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I recently stumbled upon information of your Watchers' Council and the Hellmouth and I wanted to come here to speak with the head of the Council."
Giles glanced at Willow and with the nod of her head, all of the slayers were unfrozen. Dawn, Sara, and Shannon rushed forward to check on the wounded. Buffy walked up to Dumbledore.
"The Council is dead," Buffy plainly stated. "So go back to wherever it is you've come from. I don't help people who attack my friends."
"Actually love," Spike began, "you do that quite often. Why don't we hear Merlin out and see what it is he has to say."
Buffy scowled at Spike. However, before she could say anything Dumbledore spoke.
"Would it be possible to free my comrades?" He respectfully asked. "I've heard some about what happened to the old Council and I understand that you are not them. I would greatly love to speak to each of you. I am very interested to learn what the life of a Slayer is like. Actually, you've recently helped out a comrade of mine."
Everyone in the room froze. No one knew about Slayers. No one except those who wanted to start trouble. How did they help one of these strange people without noticing? Dawn was the one to approach Dumbledore. He looked at her quite interested.
"Tim?" Dawn asked. Everyone looked at her in confusion. Dumbledore nodded, so Dawn continued. "You guys remember Tim don't you? Don't tell me all of your memories are that bad . . . A couple days ago, dressed weird. You,' she said to Buffy, 'told Spike he was my new boyfriend."
That seemed to trigger people memories. Buffy approached Dumbledore.
"Explain who you are and fast," Buffy said. "Then, maybe, we'll let your people free."
"Very well, as I said," Dumbledore began again. "I am Albus Dumbledore. I am Headmaster at Hogwarts. I was intrigued when Charlie told me -"
"Who's Charlie?" Dawn interrupted quickly.
"Charlie Weasley is the young man you met," Dumbledore said as he pointed to the young man frozen in a rather awkward position. "I know he looks different than the last time you saw him." Dawn approached Charlie and looked at him closely. His eyes were the only thing that could move. He followed her every move. Did he have red hair? Dawn thought, I can't remember. But I remember those eyes, that is definitely Tim.
"So why didn't he have the hair before?" Dawn asked. "I mean it's rather noticeable."
"He did," Dumbledore explained. "He changed to a different color before you noticed. Our world is not the most pleasant world at the moment. Certain families are well known, the Weasleys is one of them. There are times we must all go undercover. Now where was I? Oh right, Charlie told me of his encounter with you. The people of our world know of the Vampire Slayer as a myth. Something that people make up to, help them sleep better at night. I have always been skeptical over the idea the Slayer was a myth and when Charlie said that there was a group of girls with super powers, I called upon a few favors and found out about your old Council and what happened. My condolences for your loss."
"No loss there," Faith said flatly. Off Dumbledore's confused look she continued. "We've all had many bad encounters with the old Watchers' Council. Let's just say they weren't five-by-five."
"Muggles?" Giles asked trying to change the subject. But to be quite honest he was rather curious.
"Non-magic folk," Dumbledore explained freely. Giles looked from Buffy to Willow.
What do you think? Buffy asked Giles.
He seems sincere. Willow thought.
Let them go, Giles decided. Dumbledore watched the exchange with much interest. He could feel the power emitting through the air as they talked. They can speak to each other through their minds? Interesting… He thought. Willow waved her hand and all of Dumbledore's people were free. Every slayer tensed as the strangers began to move. Charlie was the first to speak.
"This is awkward," Charlie, laughed nervously. "Sorry I about being so rude last time I was here. I was undercover as an American wizard." Charlie quickly stopped explaining when he was hit sharply with a cane by the strange looking man. Charlie turned to Willow and asked, "How did you do that? I didn't even see your wand. Where is your wand?"
"Wand?" Willow asked. "What are you talking about? I don't have a wand."
"Don't have a wand?" The strange looking man asked. "What are you?"
"Ummm, last time I checked," Willow answered poking her cheeks and arm, "I was still human."
"I can already tell this is going to take a long time," Giles said. "Why don't we go to the dining room to straighten this all out?"
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The strange group entered the dining room. Buffy and Giles sat at the head of the table. Dumbledore sat on the far side across from Buffy and Giles. The others filled in on either side of the table. Dawn sat between Sara and Shannon, eyeing Charlie warily. What we're just supposed to trust these people who can change their look at a moments notice? Dawn thought. She was brought out of her thought as the group began to talk.
"So are you the most powerful wizard the vampires wanna join?" Spike bluntly asked.
"Vampires?" The tall black man asked. "What do you mean?"
"Oh God," Kennedy wailed. "You don't know what vampires are!"
"Kennedy!" Willow hissed, "Don't be so freakin' rude. Let me explain. Long ago, the world was not a paradise like many think it was. It was filled with demons, but they lost control and were forced to leave this realm. The last demon to leave this earth mixed his blood with a mortal and that is how vampires came into existence. I know it's shocking, they're real."
"Fascinating," the strange looking man answered. Willow looked very proud. "We know that vampires exist," at this comment Willows face fell slightly, "but we've never been able to figure out their whole history. Where is it you learned that lassie?"
"Oh, um, Giles really." Willow answered truthfully. Giles stood at hearing his name.
"I say we start with introductions around the room," Giles suggested. "I am Rupert Giles and I am Watcher to the oldest living Slayer on record."
"I am Buffy Summers," was all Buffy said. Faith, Willow, Xander, Kennedy, Spike, Illyria (as Fred), Andrew, Dawn, Shannon, Michelle, Rona, and Sara all introduced themselves much the same way as Buffy did. The Scoobies looked towards the strangers waiting for their introductions.
"I will start then. I am Alastor Moody," Moody said plainly. "I am a retired Auror."
"Nymphadora Tonks, but please call me Tonks." A young woman said with a bright smile. "I am an Auror for the Ministry of Magic."
"Kingsley Shacklebot, I am also an Auror for the Ministry of Magic."
"I'm Charlie Weasley," Charlie said slowly and rather nervous. "I work with dragons in Romania."
"And as I've said I'm Albus Dumbledore. It worries me that vampires are speaking of joining a powerful wizard. You see these are very dark times for our world. Just like muggles, wizards can go either good or bad. We currently have a dark wizard threatening our world." Dumbledore went on to tell the Sunnydale crew everything about their world and all the problems it was currently having. Every occasionally someone would ask a question to clarify something, but mostly everyone was listening intently hanging onto his every word. When he was finished, he explained why it was he was here.
"Now," Dumbledore chuckled, "that's not even the reason we are here. I didn't intend on telling you about our world because it is our world and, as such, it is our problem. The reason I am here is much happier. Ever since I found out about the Slayer, I've wondered if she could perform magic. Now let me explain, technically she is a magical creature and because of this, with a wand she should be able to channel a fraction of her power through a wand. This may or may not be the case with all Slayers though. Some people are naturally more magical, it's in their blood. Therefore, if someone has any potential to be magical, if they were a Slayer as well, that potential would be amplified to where she may be able to use a wand. I came to you, the new Council, because I would love the opportunity to train or help to get this generation's Slayer training in a magical way, that is if any possess the potential for magic."
When Dumbledore was finished Buffy looked between Faith, Xander, Willow, Giles, and Dawn, unsure of what to do.
Should we trust him? Buffy asked the said group.
He seems to be on the up and up, Xander noted.
On the up and up? Dawn asked, when on earth did you start saying that?
Hey, I can say that if I want, Xander said offended.
Do focus please, Giles interjected. I think we should tell them, but it's a group decision, it affects every Slayer.
Let's do it, to everyone's surprise it was Faith who said this. The group quickly agreed and they began to tell their story. Of course, certain parts were left out, Faith killing a man, Giles killing people, Willow killing someone and trying to end the world, Andrew killing someone, but they did tell the majority of their story. Ending with how every potential was now a Slayer.
"And you did this?" Moody asked Willow. Willow gave a small nod. "Fascinating. I've never met a Wicca with so much power. You are very rare indeed."
"Would you be interested in learning magic?" Dumbledore asked the group.
"We will have to discuss it at length on our own." Buffy responded. "It will be up to each girl whether she wants to be tested for magic or not. It will take a couple of days for us to contact all of our people. How can we reach you?"
"Just send us a note saying the time and the place," Dumbledore said. He conjured an owl out of thin air. The Sunnydale crew all gasped and leaned back. "Just tie the note to one of his legs and tell him to bring it to me and I will get it within the day."
"Not to be rude or anything," Shannon said, "but exactly why would we ever tie anything to the foot of an owl and expect it to go anywhere?"
"Owls are our form of postal service," Charlie explained, glancing towards Buffy. "They can get a letter anywhere in the world at record time."
"So we can expect a response in two day, as to whether you want us to return?" Dumbledore asked Buffy and Giles.
"Yes," Giles answered. The group stood up and bid each other farewell. There was a loud CRACK as the group of wizards disapparated. The whole Sunnydale crew jumped back at the noise. Everyone began to filter out of the room talking excitedly about what had just happened.
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Author's Note: I HATE Kennedy, I'm sorry but I couldn't ever stand her when she was on the show. So she will be leaving this story very soon never to return, well, she may return once to cause trouble (or maybe I'll have her die really badly, don't know yet). So that's my warning if you like Kennedy I wouldn't read this for a story about her. Secondly attached to the next chapter I will have minor outlines about then "new" slayers that I will be focusing on. Not everything but some. I realized that I didn't say much and I may see them in my head, but you guys can't. So that's it for now.
