Red Horizon
Chapter4 – First hand experience.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…
RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.
TIMELINE: Takes place after season two in BTVS, and after the marauders last year at Hogwarts. Sequel to "Out of the Blue."
SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. After Graduation, Buffy's life takes another turn once again. She finds herself being thrown into war against Voldemort along with her friends, and not everyone will make it out alive...and not everyone is loyal to the light. But who is a friend and who is an enemy? Who can you trust in a time of darkness?
CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus
OTHER PAIRINGS: James/Lily, Sirius/Eliza
Special Thanks to: My Beta - CharmedChick
"Lily, honey, I've got to go!" James called, from where he was standing in the hallway. "Sirius is waiting - and it wouldn't look good if we're late for our first day!"
Lily hurried out from the kitchen and gave her husband a quick kiss.
"Alright - have fun," she said. "And I'll see you tonight."
James nodded.
"Yep, you will. When do you start in the Department of Mysteries?"
Lily sighed.
"Not until next week - I can't wait - it's going to be so exciting," she said, smiling.
"I'm sure it will be." James gave her another kiss, before walking out of the door, and apparating away.
Sirius was standing outside an old, red phone box, waiting for James to appear.
"What in Merlin's name is taking him so long!" He muttered to himself. Suddenly, he heard a small crack, and where no one had been a second ago, James Potter appeared.
"Finally!" Sirius exclaimed. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited?"
"Sorry," James said, as he stepped into the phone box, Sirius right behind him. He lifted the receiver and dialed in a number - six, two, four, four, two.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic, please state your name and business," a voice sounded inside the telephone box.
"James Potter and Sirius Black, here to enter the Auror Academy," James rambled.
"Thank you," the voice said. "Please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes."
There was a click and a rattle, and two square silver badges fell out of the metal chute where returned coins usually appeared. James took one of the badges and gave the other to Sirius, before attaching it to his robe. Sirius did the same thing. On the badges, you could read:
'James Potter - Auror Academy.'
'Sirius Black - Auror Academy.'
The floor of the telephone box shuddered, and James and Sirius sank down slowly into the ground. After about minute, a chink of golden light illuminated their feet and, widening, rose up their bodies until it hit them in the face and they had to blink to stop their eyes from watering.
"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day," the voice said, and the door to the telephone box sprang open, and they stepped out, walking quickly down the long hall with a polished, dark wood floor.
Soon, they arrived in front of a golden gate, and they stepped through and came to a smaller hall beyond, where at least twenty lifts stood behind wrought golden grilles. They hastily entered one of the lifts, and the grilles slid shut with a crash and the lift ascended slowly, chains rattling. It stopped on every level, until it finally came to the second floor.
"Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services."
They hurried out of the lift, and down a corridor lined with doors, turned a corner, walked through a pair of heavy oak doors and emerged in a cluttered open area filled divided into cubicles. A lopsided sign on the nearest one read: 'Auror Headquarters'.
They walked down to the cubicle furthest from the entrance, where a very familiar person sat.
"Mr. Moody," James said. "We were told to go here and be escorted by you to the Academy."
Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody looked up, and his magical eye started spinning around wildly as he watched them.
"That's right," he said gruffly, and got up from his chair. "Just follow me - and lay off with the 'Mr. Moody', will you, boy? It's Alastor, or even Mad-Eye if you'd like - Mr. Moody makes me feel old." He said this with a rough chuckle, as if it was incredibly funny, and James and Sirius forced out a laugh.
Mad-Eye led them down to the wall, and just walked through it, like there was nothing there, just like at platform nine and three-quarters. James and Sirius shrugged, and followed him.
When they came through, they saw nothing - everything was pitch black. Sirius' eyes narrowed. What was going on? Suddenly, he saw a red light coming from the left, and his eyes widened as he ducked, wand out in less than a second. Behind him, James was doing the same.
Another beam of light - a white one - came from their right, and James pointed his wand from where it had come.
"Expelliarmus!" He screamed, but nothing happened, so he guessed it hadn't hit.
"Lumos Maxima!" Sirius screamed, and the area was suddenly filled with light. James blinked, to get rid of the dancing spots that were fogging his vision, and soon saw the area was filled with wizards and witches, who were all blinking against the sudden light. James and Sirius wasted no time - they got up back to back, covering each other, and started shooting spells left and right. Soon, the air was filled with spells, coming from every direction. James and Sirius noted with satisfaction (although they didn't pause to ponder on it) that several of their spells had hit their targets, and the floor was littered with wizards and witches, either stunned, or out of action in other ways.
Suddenly, a loud voice boomed over the action.
"Hold your fire!" It screamed, and suddenly, all the spells stopped coming. James and Sirius lifted their wands slowly, prepared for anything, as they weren't sure whether it was a trap or not.
A man, quite old looking, slowly stepped up to them, and started clapping. James and Sirius stared at him in shock, but still kept their wands trailed at him, in case he tried something.
"Excellent," he said. "Bravo. I'm very impressed." He smiled. "You can put the wands down now, boys - the test is over."
Sirius blinked.
"Test?" He asked incredulously. "What do you mean, test!"
The man grinned.
"The test to see if you had what it takes to become an Auror - I know you boys did tests like that earlier, before you got accepted into the program, but then you were prepared. This is something all recruits have to go through when they first arrive here, to test their reactions in a possible enemy attack. You passed - and admirably." He stuck out a hand for them to take, still grinning.
"Don Blake," he introduced himself. "Head of the Auror Academy. I have to say I'm very impressed - all the people in here, most you defeated, are people who are exiting the program this year." He grinned again. "Maybe we will have to train them better."
James and Sirius grinned back, and shook his hand.
"You probably will," Sirius agreed. "I mean - this was easy."
Don burst out laughing.
"I like you, kid! You've got attitude - just don't go get too cocky - it has been many good Auror's fall. I guess you're Sirius Black, huh?"
"Yep - heard of me?" Sirius smirked.
"Well, no, but you don't look like Harold Potter's son, so I made a wild guess." He turned to James.
"Your father says hello, and wishes you good luck - I think he's out on a mission right now - I'm not entirely sure, it's not my area to know. I only train the bastards, I don't keep tabs on them. Although ithas beena while since I trained your father, I remember he was an excellent dueler when he came here, still is. And from what I've witnessed, you're at least just as good - probably better." Don grinned, and James almost beamed at the praise, but got a hold on himself in the last second - he didn't want to seem childish. Instead, he nodded with a small smile on his face.
"Well, from what I've heard, you, Sirius, wish to live here in one of the dorms available for the trainees?"
Sirius nodded.
"If it's possible?"
"Of course! We already have a dorm ready for you and - here comes the best part - you don't have to share. Just don't drag in any of the lady apprentices and everything should work out splendidly."
James snorted, and Sirius gave him a glare, before turning back to Don, grinning.
"Not a problem - I already have a girlfriend, and she doesn't like to share."
Don burst out laughing again.
"I think you two will fit in just fine."
In an apartment in the outskirts of London, Buffy had just gotten out of bed - Eliza was still sleeping, as she wasn't beginning her training for the Magical Law Enforcement until next week, the same day as Lily. Remus would take off to Hogwarts tomorrow morning, and Peter had gone off to 'explore the world' yesterday. Buffy yawned, as she put on a cup of coffee, and sat down to read the days Daily Prophet.
"Anything interesting...? She mumbled to herself. "Apparently not," she then added, as she saw the headline - 'Splinched wizard stuck in muggle areas - went crazy.'
She slowly shook her head, as she started to read the story - apparently the wizard in question, Sam Reynolds, or something, had been awfully drunk, and when attempting to apparate home, he had splinched himself and left body parts in several different places. A hand in Surrey, a foot in London, head in Wales... the wizard (and his body parts) had been taken to St. Mungos, but he had already gone insanefrom shock, and when attempting to put him together, his body parts had gone wild with fright, and had tried to get away on their own.
"People are weird," she muttered to herself, and then sank into thought. She wondered if she would be able to see the man at St. Mungos today - it would certainly be an interesting experience. But then again, the poor man probably wasn't on display for the world to see.
Buffy arrived outside St. Mungos an hour later, and walked up to the desk.
"Hello," she said. "I'm Buffy Summers - the new apprentice under Healer Jones."
"Sit down, and she should be here to pick you up soon," the witch behind the desk said, barely looking up.
Buffy sat down, and about ten minutes later, a blonde witch came up to her.
"Buffy Summers?" She asked, and Buffy nodded, standing up.
"I'm Healer Jones, and I'm going to be responsible for your education in the years to come. I will give you books and parchments to read about things you will need to learn, and from time to time, I will give you a test - sometimes you will be prepared for it, sometimes not - to see if you've learned and understood the material.
'I will also let you follow me around while working, so you can get some first hand experience and see what it's like to work like a Healer, and with time, you will get to help and assist me, and later, you will get your own cases to work on. Of course, there are different kinds of 'damage' you will see, and you will get to try and learn about all of them, before deciding on which area you want to be specialized in.
'You will also get to work with my co-workers, not only me, since I'm not specialized in every area. When your education here is finished, you will get a written confirmation - a diploma of sorts -stating that you are educated, along with recommendations from me, and other workers here - if you deserve it of course, and you can apply for a job, here, outside the country or somewhere else. Maybe you even open a smaller practice, what do I know? But all that is for later.
'Today, I'm just going to show you around, and ask you a few questions and you get to ask me a few questions so we both get to know each other a little better - it's always easier if you know who you work with." She smiled. "And, I want you to call me Marion - only my patients call me Healer Jones."
Buffy grinned. She liked Marion already, and suddenly, she was absolutely sure this was what she wanted to do - become a Healer, to be able help people, in a non slaying capacity.
"So, Buffy - can I call you Buffy?" As Buffy nodded, she continued. "What made you want to become a Healer?"
On September first, Remus Lupin stepped onto the Hogwarts express along with all the other students. Some sixth years - or seventh years to be - said hello, as he walked past, and he nodded at them. He settled down in an empty compartment at the end of the train, and tried to get some sleep, which was hard because of the bad weather outside, but finally, he managed to fall into a slumber. He was very tired, since he had been with Buffy on patrol last night - she hadn't been able to stop talking about her first day at St. Mungos - apparently, she was enjoying herself like a fish in the water, and the workers she'd met had been fantastic. She had also got a glimpse of that poor man who'd splinched himself - he'd looked awful, and Buffy had made a hasty exit.
As the train stopped at the Hogsmeade station, he took a carriage up to the school along with a few second years, who he didn't recognize.
When he arrived at the doors, his old head of house greeted him, and told him to join the teachers at the staff table. As he sat down, and looked out over all the students, he felt like he was in the wrong place - he was supposed to be down there, with them, not up here, with the teachers.
He suddenly felt a hand on his arm, and he looked up in the eyes of Poppy Pomfrey.
"Poppy," he said, surprised. She smiled.
"Hello, Remus. I know I'm supposed to be up in the Hospital wing to take care of ill students from the train ride, but I just had to come and say hello. When Albus told me you would be joining us this year again, on the staff as a DADA apprentice, I was so happy! I was so sure I would miss you terribly this year, without your monthly visits, but it seems like it will happen for another year after all. Maybe you could come up and join me for a cup of tea later tonight, or some other day - it would be nice to meet with you without having to tend to your wounds."
Remus smiled at her.
"Of course, Poppy," he said. "I'd like that."
Poppy nodded, and left. Remus grinned as he suddenly saw the first years - the very wet first years - step in through the big doors, looking terrified. Maybe it wasn't so bad to sit up here after all...
Peter Pettigrew stood, confused, among a big crowd of people in Tokyo. His grades hadn't been very good, and so he couldn't get into where he wanted to be...sure, he'd passed everything, but still... he felt likeso much less than the others, who'd all gotten fantastic grades - even Buffy had gotten better grades than him, and she'd only been in the wizarding world for a year. It wasn't fair.
He sighed, and wondered not for the first time why he was here. He'd said he wanted to explore the world, gain some first hand experience with life and other communities - it had all sounded very great and honorable in his head, but now, when he was experiencing it for real, he wasn't so sure anymore. When he left, he hadn't taken all the different languages into consideration - what the people here were speaking - Japanese, it all sounded rubbish to him, and apparently, they didn't understand English, because he had asked a small girl about the way to a place to eat, but she had only given him a weird look. It didn't hit him that maybe she didn't understand him because she was too small to have learned any language other than Japanese.
He sighed again, and apparated away with a loud crack, not caring if the muggles saw - after all, they were just stupid mudbloods - what could they do?
Eliza de Mort knocked on the Potter's home, waiting for Lily to arrive. They would go together to the Ministry, where they would be going to their respective areas. Lily would go to the Department of Mysteries and Eliza to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
She was very anxious, as she wanted to make a good impression. She had no idea if the Magical Law Enforcement was something for her, but it sounded all right. She knew she wanted to work with the law, to bring justice (this was something she had wanted ever since she realized just how evil her father was - her goal was to put him behind bars. Or make sure he wouldn't be able hurt anyone anymore in some other way - she knew the world would be much happier if he was out of the picture, one way or another), and the Law Enforcement sounded good.
She could have become an Auror, but if she became a part of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad also, then she would be able to get a part of both occupations, even though the Squad worked in a much smaller scale - hunting Dark Wizards wasn't the top priority.
Lily opened the door with a smile. She looked just as nervous as Eliza did, if not worse.
"Shall we leave?" Eliza asked, and Lily nodded. They apparated away with a slight crack.
After they'd gone through the procedure with the phone box, just like James and Sirius had, they departed into different directions.
Lily stepped out of her lift into the Department of Mysteries, and went down the corridor with lit torches, to a black door. As she stepped through, she arrived in a large circular room, and a mancame towards her.
"Hello. You're the new one?" He didn't wait for her answer, but just nodded.
"Excellent. As I'm sure you're aware of, not many know what an Unspeakable does, in fact, only they do. It is so secret and so very important, and who knows what could happen if the information gets into the wrong hands? Being an Unspeakable is a very hard job, but very honorable, not many get offered the chance, and many who do, quit and have their memory erased because of some things they might find out and can't handle, or they simply aren't comfortable. I'll tell you now, we in the Department of Mysteries have no time for slackers, and if you think you can be on a holiday while working here, you should leave right now."
When Lily made no movement, he continued.
"You will meet many workers here, but you will probably not talk with anyone for any longer moments, except with me. Being an Unspeakable is very lonely - it is a private job, and you almost never - if at all - work with others. And if you do, you may not even find out their names, because of the risks it means if it would leak out exactly who works with what down here. If you tell people what you work as, you risk more lives than your own, and that's why you aren't allowed to.
So what do we do? Well, it's different. There are many areas, and you will not even get to see all of them. Each person does something different, and many come up with theirown things to explore, and work with. Some things down here can be deadly, or highly dangerous, and I will not let you out of my sightfor several months or after I feelthat I can trust you. Do you feel like you know what you're getting yourself into?"
"No, sir," Lily said. "But I think I will find out with time."
The man nodded.
"Good answer. Now, you may call me Ed - I'm not saying if it's my real name or not, that could be dangerous - call me paranoid if you want, but after working here foras long as I have, that can happen." He gave her a wry grin.
"I don't want to know your name - I don't want to put you at risk - come up with something to call yourself." He paused for a short moment. "Have you?"
Lily nodded.
"Good, good...so what can I call you?"
"Marie," Lily said. It was her middle name, so it should be easy to remember, and it wouldn't feel weird to be called that either.
Ed nodded.
"Hello, Marie, and welcome to the Department of Mysteries, and your training to become an Unspeakable..."
As Eliza stepped out of the lift, a stern looking witch met her.
"Miss de Mort?"
"Yes," Eliza said.
"I thought so. Follow me." The witch led her down several corridors and Eliza almost had to run to keep up. After the witch had introduced herself as Sheila Thorne, she started to speak.
"Being a part of the Magical Law Enforcement - the MLE - is an honorable, respectable and admirable job, and if you later decide to join our Squad as well, you will find yourself in danger. Being a member of the MLE Squad is a little like being an Auror or a Hit Wizard - or witch, in your case - and will mean putting your life on the line, although being a part of the Squad is, in my point of view, a much better and a more noble occupation than being a simple Auror, as members of the Squad do important work on the side as well, while the Auror apartment and the Hit wizards are slacking off."
Here, Eliza wanted to snap at Sheila as she obviously had no idea what she was talking about - Eliza had considered becoming an Auror or Hit witch herself, she knew the occupation meant so much more than just fighting. It also meant a lot of desk work, and surveillance, espionage and investigations - and both her boyfriend and one of her best friend’s husband were going into that line of work - plus, she knew that while the Aurors and Hit wizards or witches dealt with the 'very bad guys' and bigger cases, the Magical law Enforcement Squad dealt with the smaller and more trivial ones - but she kept her mouth shut - if this was her boss, it wouldn't be a good idea to get on her wrong side if that was the case...but inside she was fuming.
"The Squad relies on its members a lot, which means no showing off during missions - it may cost yours and your comrades lives. While the Aurors and Hit wizards or witches work a lot on their own, and therefore, likes to brag and get themselves into situations which are hard to get out of, and could have been avoided with more care and planning - and without a person's hero-complex and need to prove themselves better than everyone - the Squad works together, as a group."
Eliza rolled her eyes. She was seriously considering entering the Auror academy instead - this was ridiculous! The woman was practically spitting down on everything else but being in the MLE, and considered herself above everyone else...not the motivational speaker anyone would have chosen for their education - unless you liked people like that.
"You will also study a lot of laws, which is obvious, and you will learn to question them, and investigate some of them in deeper analysis. I'm telling you now, that if you're not willing to put your very soul and spirit into this part of the job, you won't be getting anywhere. It means a lot of hard work, intelligence and will to learn. I will not be in charge of your education - "
At this, Eliza almost let out a sigh of relief, but got a hold of herself at the last second. Hopefully, the one in charge of her education wouldn't be as bad, because then she was sure she would quit. In fact, she would quit if she met anyone else in the MLE with opinions like Sheila.
" - But Julia Lane will be. She will be here by tomorrow, and will help you with the more significant things. I am just here to explain what being a part of the MLE means, and show you around so you won't get lost."
Eliza raised an eyebrow. Not get lost? This place was worse than Hogwarts! She was lost already!
Sheila finally stopped walking, and Eliza saw she was standing in front of a blue door with a sign that said Julia Lane - MLE Educator, TIC (Third in Command) of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad.
"Here is where Miss Lane works. I trust you will be here at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. Have a nice day."
Sheila turned on her heel and started to walk back, leaving Eliza looking confused and lost. Wasn't she supposed to show her around? Then she realized the walk here had been the 'show around'. She sighed, and proceeded to find her own way back - she had until lunch, and what better way to learn than self-education? After all, how hard could it be to find the entrance?
Five hours later.
Eliza looked around with a groan - hadn't she been here already? This place was like a big labyrinth, or a nightmare that would never end! She had asked for the way lots of times, but either the person she asked was too busy to stay and help her, or the directions were foggy or so not understandable - Eliza started to get the impression that not even those who worked here knew how to get around without any problems.
She groaned again as her stomach let out a loud grumble. She was hungry! No, starved. She hadn't had breakfast since six in the morning, and now, the clock was showing that it was pastone, and she had promised to meet Lily for lunch around twelve thirty - she doubted her friend was waiting anymore. She looked around, hoping that she would get a glimpse of anything but doors, doors, and endless corridors.
Finally, she got a glimpse of a dark haired male who was on his way into what she presumed was his office.
"Excuse me!" Eliza called.
"Excuse me," she called again. "Can you show me the way to an entrance, or a lift or anything that will get me out of here? I am hungry, and tired and grumpy and - "
The man turned around with a big grin on his face.
"Eliza?"
Eliza gaped at him.
"Sirius? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, just leaving some papers for Don - our boss - he's great! You?"
"Well, I'm lost."
Sirius grinned, and gave her a kiss.
"So it seems. By the way, Lily came looking for you over at the Auror Headquarters - she was quite worried since you hadn't shown up."
"Oh, so she wasn't mad? I've been looking for a way out for five hours!"
Sirius raised an eyebrow, and let out a small whistle.
"Five hours? Damn...anyway, no worries. James took her out - I'm supposed to meet them at the Leaky Cauldron after leaving this stuff, and keep an eye out for you - and here you are!"
Eliza laughed.
"Yes, here I am. And thank Merlin you're here as well. I was just on my way to fall down and die on the spot."
Sirius shook his head in wonder.
"How did you manage to get lost? I mean, why didn't you follow the arrow-signs?"
Eliza blinked.
"Arrow-signs?"
"Yeah." Sirius pointed upwards, and there, hanging right under the roof, were signs formed like arrows in different colors. One said 'Auror Headquarters', another 'lifts', a third 'exit' and then there were several others pointing in the direction of different corridors.
Eliza took a deep breath to keep herself from screaming out loud in frustration.
Sirius smirked at her.
"I guess you didn't think of looking up, huh?"
Eliza just shook her head in defeat.
"Nope. And no one was bothering to tell me either. I was trying to follow the way Sheila - my guide - not that she was much of a guide, let me tell you - lead me, just backwards, you know? I should have known it was impossible..."
Sirius laughed, and slung an arm around Eliza's shoulder.
"Come on, let's get some food, huh?"
A/N: And the first day on the job is over! Hope you liked it! REVIEW!
/Ida
