Chapter 4
After the incident involving Harry proving exactly what he can do, Joyce was actually very mellow around him. She especially enjoyed what he could do with the cleaning and cooking charms that Mrs. Weasley had been showing him for a number of years. The explanation on what and how his trunk worked actually took a little bit longer than he had expected; however, the explanation on his past and his own adventures is what took most of the night and into the next morning. It was a good thing the next day was Saturday.
FlashbackWhen Joyce was awakened and everyone was in the Summers' living room, Harry started his tale. He didn't go into any unnecessary detail about his life before Hogwarts, but he did explain that he didn't grow up in the optimum circumstances.
He explained his first year of Hogwarts, and how he had to protect the Philosopher's Stone from Voldemort's clutches. From the confused expressions on everyone's faces, he knew he also needed to explain the importance of the stone. When he described the effects the stone had on a person, everyone's confusion vanished. 'I could almost see the light bulb turn on over all of their heads,' thought Harry with a tiny smirk.
His second year took a little longer to explain. He had to explain to everyone why his ability to speak with snakes wasn't considered a light art. He also explained because of this talent, he was considered to be Slytherin's heir by most of the student body. After he described the poly juice potion and its effects, a lot of the gang looked kind of ill. 'Can't blame them really, since I nearly lost it after I drank the bloody thing!' Harry thought to himself. The Chamber of Secrets and what it contained, had Willow hanging onto Oz for dear life. He enlightened them on the basics of the basilisk and how he defeated it. The part of Tom Riddle possessing a friend of his, Harry noticed some looks of sympathy going through the group. 'Hmm…they left a few things out when explaining their lives.'
Third year Harry described with as little detail as possible. He did let on about the Wolfsbane and that he would make it for Oz for the next full moon. He gave them the basics where Wormtail and Sirius were concerned. Even if it had been over a year since his death, Harry still missed his Godfather as much as when it first happened.
Fourth year got a little more attention due to the fact that Voldemort returned during that school year. He went into further detail describing the TriWizard Tournament, and how it was only supposed to have three champions from the three European schools of magic. He went on to tell how someone then charmed the Goblet to also select a fourth champion from a made up school. Of course, the fourth champion it selected was Harry. He then portrayed the tasks that he needed to complete with the other champions. The group gasped aloud when he described the situations he found himself in. Harry, of course, kept the part about the Yule Ball to himself. 'I don't need to embarrass myself any further than needs to be done.'
When he described the last challenge and how Voldemort regained his body, the group was at the edge of their seats wondering how he survived his encounter with Voldemort once again. He tried to portray the setting in which he found himself in after the portkey dropped Cedric and himself in the graveyard. The rebirthing ceremony wasn't described in detail, but his escape was. He couldn't help but feel he was telling a story to a bunch of kids at bedtime. He could almost assume that his story was just that…a story; however, since he did live it, he knew otherwise.
His fifth year was just as eventful as the others. He told them how the Ministry had ridiculed him for supposedly lying about the return of Voldemort, and about the trial he received for protecting himself and his cousin from dementors. When he got to the point that the Ministry was even willing to influence them by hiring an incompetent teacher, he received some looks of understanding from them. 'That's right, they've had some interesting teachers in the past as well.' He then got into the "illegal" club that Hermione and Ron had thought up and made him lead. He was also showing them the scars he received from the detentions he had with Umbridge.
Here, Harry had to pause to drink some tea that he had conjured earlier. He also noticed that no one else, besides Giles and himself, had tried the tea. When he was looking at the almost full pot, Buffy explained that they didn't particularly like the bitter liquid. Harry just shrugged his shoulders and went on to explain the ending to his fifth year.
The department of mysteries was an interesting place to describe, not to mention trying to describe how they got there in the first place. He described most of the rooms as well as he could, and he also let them know exactly how many prophesies that were held in the extremely large room. The fight between the death eaters and the students weren't explained in much detail besides what Harry witnessed and did himself. 'Can't really explain how everyone else's battles went since I wasn't there.'
The battle at the veil was described in a lot more detail then was actually necessary, but no one took notice of this fact. Harry told them that when Dumbledore had arrived to help turn the tide of the battle, his Godfather had become distracted when his cousin shot him in the chest and sent him through the veil. He had chased Bellatrix to the entrance of the Ministry and had tried to cast the Cruciatus Curse at her. He explained the significance of the curse, and its consequences if caught using it. Of course, it hadn't worked because Harry didn't feel true hatred for the woman that stole his Godfather away.
The fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort still stood out in his mind. The magic that both were using were incredible, to say the least. When Voldemort possessed him, he described the intense pain that had circulated throughout his body until he thought about his loved ones, specifically his Godfather. The explanation of the prophesy was short as Harry didn't want to burden his new friends, though he did notice Buffy flinch when he mentioned there was a prophesy concerning himself and Voldemort.
He then went on to explain his sixth year. How he had a new Potion's professor that he himself had to convince to come and teach for the year. He told them the stresses that came from being Quidditch Captain; trying to pass Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape being the teacher, and the private lessons that Dumbledore was giving him about Voldemort's life as Tom Riddle. His awkward start to his relationship with Ginny. When he said that, it looked like Buffy deflated a little bit in disappointment. 'Hmm…wonder why?'
The information about the horcruxes made everyone gasp with shock and horror that someone would willingly split their soul to stay alive. He went on to say that Dumbledore and himself had already destroyed two, the Ring of Slytherin and Tom Riddle's diary; however, with the information that there was a total of seven, things didn't seem to be getting any better. He described how Malfoy had been acting strange all year and no one could find him at all. He then told them about Dumbledore inviting him to come and retrieve another of Voldemort's horcruxes. That description was very short due to the feelings it brought up about Harry's former headmaster.
The Scooby gang did notice that Harry's mood during this part of his tale seemed a bit down and wondered what might have happened. When he next explained that after they returned from retrieving the locket, they had found out that the school had the Dark Mark, in all its horrid glory, above the highest roof. Harry's eyes had a light mist to them when he finally dredged up the courage and told them about his headmaster's fate after they had landed on the roof. He went into a more detailed description after that, explaining the chase through the school after Snape had killed Dumbledore, and the confrontation that occurred when Harry had caught up with Snape at the gates before he disappeared.
The funeral and the time after were also described in as much detail as Harry could bring to mind. He then started to go over the weeks after he had left the school and his friends behind. His little shopping adventure in Diagon Alley and the numerous adventures since, were also described in detail since he wanted everyone up to date with everything that had occurred. Of course, after the explanation on the trunk, everyone had to have a tour. Harry said he'd be more than happy to oblige their curiosity in the morning, since the hour was growing later by the second. He finished his tale with his decision to find another Slayer to help him improve his skills, and to also offer his own assistance in any problems that she may need assistance in.
During Harry's long life story and explanation, Giles was silently thinking over everything he had learned the past few hours. He, like Wesley, had learned the history of every slayer that had ever lived, it was required reading of course! He was just glad that Wesley was privileged to learn of the information that Harry was granting them with, since Giles knew that Wesley would report it straight back to the Council. Giles was glad of one thing, however. He knew that with Faith turning on them, and Angel's decision to leave Sunnydale, Buffy was losing herself to a mild case of depression. Harry's appearance, and proposal to assist her in anything she may need, had lessened those blows considerably. Giles also thought he noticed a glint of attraction forming in her eyes, and he silently groaned to himself. 'Not again!' After his silent declaration, everyone decided that was all that needed to be discussed at this time, and everyone decided that it would be wise if everyone slept at the Summers' residence due to the late hour.
End FlashbackThe morning after his arrival in Sunnydale, Harry was awake and warming up for his daily routine of jogging, stretching, strength training, more stretching, a long ride on a stationary bike, and again more stretching. He had learned his lesson about the stretching after the first day he decided to start exercising heavily. He still winced at the memory. Of course, taking a leisurely shower afterwards, was always a great way to help loosen the muscles up further, and to get rid of the body odor that had started to develop from the heavy workout.
He looked at the clock on the wall after drying off and figured everyone should be getting out of bed soon. He dressed in some comfortable black jeans, white t-shirt over his dragon hide vest, and to finish his ensemble, he pulled on his black dragon hide boots and belt. He climbed out of his trunk and made his way towards the kitchen. Just a short distance from the kitchen door, he heard the tale-tale sounds of a person quietly making breakfast, and he decided to offer some assistance to, he assumed, Mrs. Summers. He entered the kitchen as quietly as he could, and he just stopped and stared for a few moments at the woman moving about the kitchen with ease.
Joyce Summers was a person that normally didn't wake up after only a few hours of rest, just full of energy and wanting to tackle the daily tasks that needed completing. However, after the revelation that there was another person out there capable of amazing things that wanted to help her daughter, she couldn't help it! She was happy that someone had decided to watch over her daughter, since she knew that the past while hadn't been the easiest on her only daughter. She figured she'd help out the nice British teen and her daughter start the day right and decided to make a traditional American breakfast: homemade pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. She hadn't decided whether to just make coffee or tea, so she made both, and the tea was made to the specifications that Mr. Giles had given to her before. As she was just putting the finishing touches on the breakfast fit for a small army, 'Teenagers are always hungry, especially growing male teenagers…I should have made more pancakes,' Joyce never noticed the arrival of said male, British teenager.
Harry had watched Mrs. Summers going about making a breakfast that would put Mrs. Weasley to shame. He just watched her, drinking in the details, and wondering if that is how his own mother would have been, if she'd been given the opportunity to live to make a breakfast of this magnitude. He shook his head of these depressing thoughts, and made his way silently to the bar to pour himself a cup of the steaming tea Mrs. Summers had placed on the counter just a moment before.
As he was taking his first sip, Joyce was balancing another plateful of pancakes along with a pan of scrambled eggs, and turning to the bar to set them on some hot pads. At the sight of Harry sipping some tea, she let out a startled yelp and dropped the items she was holding. With Harry's instincts still on high alert from the training he had received thus far, he was able to bring out his wand, and a flick and swish later, all the pancakes and eggs were settled on the aforementioned hot pads that Joyce was working towards.
Harry looked up to Mrs. Summers, as he put his wand away, and with a sheepish look, muttered, "Sorry."
Joyce shook her head from her shock at seeing more magic performed and stated as calmly as possible with her still beating heart, "It's alright Harry. Just not used to having another person up and about this time of day, with Buffy staying up into the early morning hours patrolling, I've gotten used to the fact I am the only one up at this time of morning. Speaking of which, why are you up and sneaking around the house? Aren't you tired?"
Joyce, when listening to Harry's tale, had been horrified of the stunts and danger Harry had faced in his short life. She felt her mother's instincts coming out again for the young man that hadn't had a very happy life thus far. She couldn't help but compare his life with her daughter's, and was surprised with the amount of similarities that both had experienced in their lives.
Harry was surprised at the worry in Mrs. Summers' voice when she spoke about his short rest the night before. "Don't worry about me. I slept just fine, and I always wake up this early to complete my morning workout to start my day," Harry stated as he took another sip at his cup of tea.
Joyce was still eyeing him with concern, when the rest of the gang arrived with all still in their sleep wear and sporting the lovely morning, bed hair. All, except Giles, reached for the pot of coffee that Joyce had made to see if the caffeine might be able to jump-start their systems into normalcy and full consciousness. After everyone had a sufficient amount of their choice of warm beverage in their system, everyone tucked into the breakfast that Mrs. Summers had prepared for them.
In between bites, Giles was asking Harry questions on what they should work on today: research or training. Buffy was staring at her watcher in horror, 'Research!? On a Saturday, when I have access to the new weapons that Harry brought with him!? No way!' Several similar thoughts were going through everyone else's minds, except for Willow and Giles who wanted to know if they could start looking through Harry's considerably sized library for more information concerning the mayor's plans for graduation. They finally decided on a fair trade, after Harry took them on a tour of his trunk, Giles and Willow could pick out ten books each, each being emphasized with the lift of Harry's eyebrows and the slight change of voice tone, and they would then accompany the others to the training compartment to oversee the training and do research at the same time.
With those important matters discussed and decided upon, everyone went back to eating the rest of the quickly disappearing breakfast. When the last of the bacon, eggs, and pancakes had been ingested, Harry noticed that Mrs. Summers was looking at the dishes as if the end of the world was upon her. Taking pity on the woman that had fed them and offered him a roof for his trunk, Harry brought out his wand again while murmuring a few words under his breath, and the dirtied dishes were on their way to the sink that was quickly filling with hot, soapy water. Mrs. Summers and the rest just watched the display with wide eyes. Harry nodded in satisfaction that Mrs. Weasley's charm was doing what it was intended to do, and he once again put his wand away.
Joyce and Willow couldn't believe what Harry had just done. Joyce was happy that she didn't have to do the dishes as she watched them wash, rinse, dry, and stack nicely in their respective places in the cupboards. Willow was watching the action critically wondering if she might be able to match that type of charm using her Wicca magic.
After the dishes had been completed, Harry stood up and stretched for a brief moment, before looking around at the rest of his new acquaintances, and raising his left eyebrow and smirking at their amazed face, and in a mocking way said, "What? It's just magic!"
AN: Oh my goodness! I am so, so, so, so sorry! Life has decided that it hates me. Working 10 hours of overtime in one week is just not funny at all. I do hope that I haven't lost any readers. I have read the reviews you have been leaving me, and it makes me giddy inside to know people do enjoy reading my story. It seems though that most like the third chapter rather than my second, if someone can let me know why, I'd appreciate it! Like I said in my profile though, I enjoy getting reviews, especially the ones that give me great advice and the ones that let me know what I can improve. And the thing about reviews is, the more I get, the quicker and more frequent my updates will be in the future. Now that my life has settled, somewhat, I am hoping to post once a week, if not more so. So, keep the reviews coming and I'll keep the chapters coming. 'Til next time!
