I'm really sorry to all the Buffy/Charlie 'shippers, but I'm not going to do that. I love that pairing too, but it just didn't fit properly with my plot.
Thanks if you did review, please review more, I want to get at least 15 before I finish Chapter 5. Not sure if I'm accepting anonymous reviews but I think I am
Buffy, Dawn and Willow were up bright and early the next morning. Xander and Giles were considerably more reluctant, but still managed to drag themselves down to the Entrance Hall to meet Dumbledore.
"Good morning," McGonagall announced as she entered. "Dumbledore gives his apologies but a situation arose involving Mr. Potter and some dementors and he was needed elsewhere. He therefore asked myself and Tonks to guide you around Diagon Alley."
"Not a problem," Giles managed, looking considerably happier.
"Hi! So has McGonagall given you the new plans? I'm Tonks." A woman with short, spiky hair that was pillar-box red came through the doors.
"Yeah, sure." Xander, like Giles was suddenly looking happier as well.
"Let's get going then! We'll Floo to Diagon Alley, I think." She led the way out, Giles trailing behind.
"Come on, Giles." Buffy sighed. "I don't know what's between you and that McGonagall professor, but I don't think staring at her is going to improve the situation. Talk to her, I'm sure she doesn't bite."
"That's what you think," Giles mumbled, but took Buffy's advice anyway and sped up to walk next to McGonagall.
"What's Floo by the way?" Willow asked.
In front of the fireplace in McGonagall's office.
"Are you kidding? Stepping into a fire? Do you think I'm crazy?" Xander was nearly hyperventilating.
"Looks like Xander has dropped the brave-boy act, and is going into the questioning scaredy-cat one." Buffy muttered to Willow and both girls giggled.
"I don't even need to go. I mean, I don't really want wizardy robes like the rest of you. I'm teaching Muddle Studies after all – I'll dress like a Muddle."
"It's Muggle, Mr. Harris. And you still need to get your wand, not to mention pick out a set book for your classes." McGonagall was beginning to look impatient.
"A wand?" Xander had suddenly stopped being scared and was honestly telling the truth now. "I don't need a wand, do I? It's not like I have magic."
"Actually, I don't need a wand either." Buffy chipped in.
McGonagall stared at them. "Dumbledore didn't explain? Of course he didn't - what a stupid question. You all have magic. Living on the Hellmouth has imbued you with magic Mr. Harris, whereas her unique abilities qualify Professor Summers. The 'mystic energy' which Miss Summers is apparently formed from gives her a natural magic and of course, Professor Rosenberg is naturally magically gifted."
The Scoobies stared at her in shock. Buffy was the first to find her voice.
"We all get magic? Everyone?"
"Well of course. How did you expect to protect Mr. Potter in a wizarding war without magic? I know you are very strong, but a curse would stop you in your tracks."
"Hang on." Buffy said, with a quick glance at Tonks. "My 'strength' isn't going to be known by everyone is it? And no-one else can know Dawn's mystical energy."
Tonks cut in. "Don't worry, very few people know. I only know because not only am I in the organization that arranged for you to come here, but I'm an Auror, and my graduation thesis was on 'Magic in the Hellmouth.' I learned all about you and your sister."
Although she wasn't totally comfortable with the idea of being the subject of a thesis, Buffy nodded.
"So I'm gonna learn magic? What are we waiting for then? Let's get into that fireplace!"
Rolling her eyes at Xander's antics, Buffy stepped up to the fireplace and paused again. "Uh, what do I do?"
"I'll go first." McGonagall offered. "Ripp- I mean Mr. Giles- should follow me. Tonks, you go last."
She threw some glittering green powder into the fire and stepped in. Saying clearly "Diagon Alley," she vanished. Giles followed. With a shrug, Buffy went next.
"Diagon Alley!" she said, trying not to choke. It felt like a plug hole had opened beneath her and she was being twisted in its whirlpool. Grates spun past her and she hit her elbow on one of them. She tucked herself up tighter until she suddenly fell out, landing on her knees. Stumbling to her feet and trying in vain to brush the ash from her clothes, she glanced around her. There were wizards everywhere. Dressed in robes of all styles and colours, they were ambling along, looking for all the world like a normal group of people – apart from the distinctly abnormal surroundings. Owls fluttered in the window of one shop. There were cauldrons piled up in another, while outside a third, a demonstration of a broomstick was taking place. Wandering closer to the broomstick, she forgot about McGonagall and Giles, until she heard them having a whispered, but heated argument.
"It was years ago. I'm different now. I'm truly sorry for how awful I was"
"I don't believe you. It's not like you haven't put on an act before"
"It wasn't an act! I was being real, but then I changed, or rather my surroundings changed me."
"And that's your excuse? That-" The rest of the sentence was drowned out by Xander's cries as he landed in the street.
"That was terrifying! I thought I was gonna get burnt alive and instead I get all dizzied round till I knock myself out on some big fireplace." Buffy hurried over to get him to shut up, but it was too late. Giles and McGonagall had noticed the audience and had stopped their argument. Soon after, Dawn came shooting from the fireplace.
"I'm never, ever gonna complain about the bus again," she muttered, staggering unsteadily to her feet."
Willow came out next, and although she looked pale and shaken, her first response was to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Buffy asked uncertainly, wondering if this was what hysteria looked like.
"Buffy, have you seen yourself? You look like a panda with your little eyes blinking out from beneath the soot?"
Once they had all cleaned themselves up, and finished laughing at each other, they were ready to go.
"Where first then?" asked Buffy, eyeing the broomstick shop.
Giles noticed her interest and laughed but said firmly that Gringotts had to be the first stop. He also warned her not to slay anything, advice that confused Buffy – until she entered the bank. There were goblins everywhere, and if it hadn't been for the warning she might have started attacking.
"They aren't evil, just protective of what is theirs and what is placed in their care. That's why they make such good bankers," Giles explained.
The group approached a desk. "Numbers eleven hundred and five, six and seven, please." McGonagall supplied, laying down four gold keys. She explained. "Dumbledore thought it best if you two sisters shared a vault, as Dawn is underage, so 5 is for the Summers', 6 for Miss Rosenberg and 7 for Mr. Harris."
"And number two hundred and twenty for me," Giles added, also putting a key on the desk.
"Slashspear!" called the desk goblin. A goblin came hurrying out from the back and started to lead them away. Tonks hung back.
"I think I'll stay out here, if you don't mind. Those cart rides make me feel ill."
"Cart rides?" asked Dawn in confusion. "We're in a bank"
But it wasn't exactly an ordinary bank, as the Scoobies discovered when they were guided into a rickety-looking cart lying on some rails.
"Uh-oh." Said Buffy. "My Spidey sense is so tingling. This is not gonna be gooooooooooood." Her voice trailed off as the cart abruptly set off. After a while the gang discovered that it was actually a lot like a roller coaster ride. Still, they were glad to get off and gather up their money. The vaults were surprisingly full, considering they contained only a few months' wages.
"I thought teachers were paid next-to-nothing." Willow whispered to Buffy.
McGonagall overheard. "That's in the Muggle world. Besides, you're not just teaching, are you?"
One explanation of money and two cart rides later (after a trip to pick up money from Giles' vault, which was even more full, due to the interest rates it had been receiving), the Scoobies were unleashed on the wizarding shops. At Eeylops Owl Emporium, they decided to buy an owl jointly and decided on a little Eastern Screech Owl, naming it Joyce (Joy for short).
Although they knew they could pick up most of the books at the school library, Willow and Dawn couldn't resist buying lots of books, which they decided to have sent to Hogwarts rather than carry around.
Giles and Tonks went to Knockturn Alley, apparently a road with a Dark reputation (the Scoobies were all learning that in this world, 'Dark' was usually capitalized.) Tonks went as she could disguise herself, whereas Professor McGonagall wandering down an alley like that would certainly start unwanted rumours.
Meanwhile, at Madame Malkins, they all bought robes, mainly in the short summer style favoured by younger wizards, though McGonagall warned them that they would regret it once the British winter set in. They were trying to find any colour apart from black, until McGonagall explained that most robes were colour-changing with just an easy incantation.
When Giles returned, he looked relieved and could be heard muttering to himself. "At least I didn't run into anyone I knew."
"So, next stop, wands." Tonks announced, guiding the way to a small shop with 'Ollivanders' written across the door. Inside it was dark and dingy, with boxes piled up all around, as far as the eye could see.
An old, small, man with eerily luminescent eyes appeared from the back room. "Welcome," He said. "I assume you are here for wands."
"Ah yes."
"Rupert Giles. 12 ¾ inches, yew wood and Griffin scale. Quite the contrast, the courage of a Griffin – the name of Hogwarts' bravest founder is after all no coincidence – with that cunning and potential for darkness that the yew tree recognizes."
Looking uncomfortable, Giles tried to interrupt, but Ollivander turned his attention to McGonagall. "12 inches, a hair from the mane of a kelpie and mahogany wood, was it not? Not the best at divination I would think, but truly superb at transfiguration of all forms. That mahogany is very faithful wood – a loyal wand no doubt, despite the number of years that may have passed."
Giles looked at McGonagall. As far as he could tell in the dim light, she was blushing. However, Ollivander had passed on from them, although the Scoobies were watching with curiosity. "Nymphadora, yes?"
"No, actually it's Tonks"
Ollivander just raised an eyebrow. "As I was saying Nymphadora, I believe you were 10 inches, holly and billywig sting – an unusual core, for quite an unusual person. Perhaps, slightly excitable that core, but balanced by the sensibility of the wood. A hard-working, happy wand. And you, -" his eyes had alighted on the Scoobies huddled in the back. "Come forward my dears."
Buffy stepped forward. She had faced down scarier things than this old man saying her secrets. "I'm Buffy Summers"
"Yes, yes. Hmmmm." Ollivander darted into the back. "Try this – 10 inches, Rowan wood, and demiguise hair"
Buffy took it and lifted it, but no sooner had she done so than Ollivander snatched it from her.
"No, too long, too secretive – something rarer and more powerful for you. The wood, though, those psychic powers, the resistance to the Dark, perfect."
He brought out another "9 inches, still Rowan wood but a hippogriff talon"
She waved it around; it gave a sputtering sound but little else.
"Still not powerful enough? And still too long? How about this – Rowan, 8 inches, chimaera scale?"
Buffy lifted it and brought it down through the air. It gave off a stream of rainbow sparks.
"Excellent!" He cried. "That's one of the most powerful wands I make, you know. Rare too, one in a generation I might think. Good for attacking and protecting from the Dark and with just a smidge of psychic powers. Yes, I think it suits you very well, Miss Summers."
Buffy walked back, still examining her new wand. Dawn, with an air of someone going to the gallows, stepped forward.
"A sister, hmm? But more than that, a closer connection. Your wands will have a similar property somewhere…But what?" He considered then lifted a wand from a teetering pile near him. "11 inches, Rowan and unicorn tail?"
Dawn touched the wand but he yanked it away immediately. "No. Not a psychic power for you, and you prefer to think… Maple, instead of Rowan?"
She held this wand a little longer, but he took it away too. "Maple, yes. Transfiguration is definitely one of its properties, but what of the core. Not unicorn, no, something a little less wholesome but just as powerful. The very same as your sister's perhaps?"
Trying the maple and chimaera wand, Dawn was astonished to find an array of red and blue flames jet from the end, but the turned back and burned her hand. She yelped and dropped it.
"A knowledge-seeker then. Someone who perhaps comes late in life; a connection with transfiguration. Power definitely, and a closer link with your sister than most siblings. But it's not safe, it needs a coating….Aha!" He vanished back into his little room, and was gone for some time. Dawn glanced uncertainly at Giles but he smiled reassuringly and motioned to the door through which Ollivander was returning.
"Steeped in the blood of a god, this is. You don't want to know how difficult that was to achieve. So go on, give it a wave."
Dawn did so, and the same jet of red and blue spurted out, but instead of covering her hands, it flew around in a magnificent pinwheel.
The others clapped. "Amazing what difference a coating can make," Ollivander said happily, "I doubt the god would be happy if she knew what I had done with her blood though. Glory, her name was, and a violent piece of work she was too."
Entirely oblivious to the collective paling of the group, his gaze darted to Xander and he beckoned him forward. He came up reluctantly, not wishing any of his secrets to be revealed by this unsettling man.
"The holding-pin of your group I think. Something dependable, stable, perhaps slightly stubborn. But a joker on the outside, hiding that protectiveness and perhaps a touch of vulnerability deep." Shocked to be psychoanalysed like this, Xander took a step back.
"Try this – hawthorn, 13 inches with the hair of a leprechaun. Great jokers the leprechauns, so though you're not Irish I think it'll get on with you."
"Wonderful. Irish like Dead Boy," Xander muttered, reaching forward to take the wand. But the moment his fingers touched it, it let out a spark that burned them. "Ow!"
"What's wrong with it? The parts are all right, I'm sure of it. Of course!" He turned and disappeared. Reappearing moments later with a box in his hands, he smiled. "Difficult lot, you are, aren't you. Hope Miss Rosenberg over there isn't so challenging to place.
"Try this – same components, but specially reversed, so the good humour is on the outside."
Xander took it and waved it in the air. A cloud of little tweety birds erupted from it, before vanishing into smoke. "See! The leprechaun covers that hawthorn, but the dependability and protectiveness is always there, along with those flaws that makes it a hawthorn, not an oak, those fears, those childhood -"
"Okay! Enough inner-Xander talk!" Xander snapped, turning away and retreating to the back of the shop.
Willow stared at Ollivander, knowing she was the only one left, but really, really not wanting a wand, let alone having her inner self probed by this man. He beckoned her though, and slowly she walked forward.
"Now, what are you…." Trying not to flinch under his intrusive glare, Willow met his eyes nervously. "Vine? With a phoenix feather inside?"
10 wands later, they were still trying to find even one fitting part, although Ollivander didn't seem subdued by this setback, in fact the reverse. "Never fear, we'll find something for you. Haven't failed a customer yet, no matter how challenging they prove to be."
"Perhaps I just shouldn't have a wand." Willow ventured. "After all…"
"Nonsense!" Giles remonstrated. "You need a wand to develop and control your magic. Isn't that why we're here?"
Nodding weakly, Willow returned to the counter. Ollivander gazed at her. "There's purity in you for sure. But there's, oh, immeasurable potential for Darkness, and some haunting memories, not of other's acts, but your own. What your hands have done, death they have caused. And a need for balance, for understanding. You want to fight for what is right, but what is that?"
Ollivander reached slowly under his desk and took out a wand. "This wand is unique. Not to mention dangerous. I have never tested it on anyone. It may well kill those who attempt to wield it but are unworthy of it. Yet I feel you should try it all the same." Everyone gazed at the wand. It didn't look particularly remarkable, the wood marbled different colours and of an average length. Hands trembling, Willow reached out and touched the wand. That was all it needed. It jumped into her hand, feeling as if it was made to be there. A black shadow passed through her momentarily, shading her hair, eyes and veins black. But it was quickly followed by a white glow that faded but didn't leave.
Ollivander spoke reverently. "11 and ½ inches. A mix of woods - pine, symbolizing guilt, but also redemption, holly, a balancing, evaluating wood. Maple for a knowledge-seeking mind, and yew, a wood primarily of darkness and death. But though a mixture of woods is unusual, it is the core that makes this wand so dangerous. A twisting of two cores, unicorn tail, used for the pure of heart and basilisk fang, used for the Darkest of magic. These two are constantly warring, though the holly balances the wand somewhat. Only those with both Darkness and Light in their soul can possibly control it."
Willow said nothing. She was staring at this wand that had leapt into her hands. It seemed so ordinary, so innocent. Breaking her reverie came Giles' voice, slightly sharper than usual as he paid Ollivander for the wands.
Unsurprisingly, they were relieved to leave the shop, though an air of tension hung over them, which was why Buffy was astonished when Xander suddenly pointed at her wand and laughed.
"What?" she asked in confusion.
"It's so tiny!" he managed between gaps. "8 inches? The rest of us have 10 or more."
Willow grinned, almost shedding the pensive aura she'd been carrying since the shop. "He said the wand chooses the wizard, Buffy. Perhaps the wand recognized a shrimp like itself." Joking like this, they returned to Hogwarts, with not even the prospect of another Floo trip able to daunt them.
Yep, long chapter I know. I enjoyed writing all the wand properties though, so hope you enjoy reading them. I've changed McGonagall's age slightly so she's now a year younger than Giles. She's also a lot older than Snape
Please review!