Thanks to Taeniaea for reviewing. Everyone else, please review! The more people who review, the faster I update. Hope you do like this

Edit: Thanks to for reminding that it's the Beast, not the Judge. Sorry, just a mental slip - I watched series 2 most recetnly so the Judge is what springs to mind when you mention Angelus.


Turning up at Umbridge's office that evening, Harry was surprised to find Dawn there.

"You got a detention too?"

"Yeah. She started being snarky about my sister's friends so I told her that the worst part of her lessons was staring at her toady old face."

"You didn't!" Harry chuckled.

"She didn't take it too well. Guess she doesn't own a mirror."

The two teens laughed together, but hushed suddenly when they heard two people coming.

"I just thought you should be made aware of the situation, Professor Summers. Your sister has been undeniably rude to myself and indeed to her class."

"Right."

"She has a detention with me tonight, but if you feel any further reprimand is in order…"

"Definitely. In fact, I think I'd rather she served her detention with me."

"What? Oh no, that's not necessary. I have another student in detention anyway."

"Let me take them both. I need some help, uh, with the Magical Creatures.

"No, no."

"Really, you have to let me."

The two of them came round the corner.

"See, Professor Umbridge. Wouldn't it be better if they did detention with me? I'm sure you have better things to do."

"I really don't mind."

"But I insist. You have to at least let me discipline my own sister."

"Very well. I am adamant that Mr. Potter will benefit from a detention with me, though."

"Arte you sure? It would really be no trouble."

"Quite certain. Miss Summers, you will be serving your detention with your sister. Mr Potter, into my office please."

"Follow me Dawn." Buffy commanded, turning on her heel.

Deeply confused at her sister's sudden change of character and accent, Dawn followed, with a half-sympathetic, half-nervous glance at Harry.

As soon as they had got round the corner, though, Buffy stopped and leaned against a wall.

"What was all that about?" Dawn asked uneasily.

Buffy looked over at her and grinned. "Shows how much British you can pick up from spending half your life with Giles, doesn't it."

"That was an act?"

"Yeah! There've been rumours about that woman round the staff. I wasn't putting you through a detention with her, when I wanted to catch up about your day. Besides, the way she came up all smug, saying that 'my sister had displayed a woeful lack of manners' annoyed me. She was trying to imply Mum and I'd done a rubbish job in raising you. I'm just sorry I couldn't rescue Harry."

"Oh, you should've seen him in the lesson. He just kicked aside his chair and yelled out that Cedric Diggory was murdered."

"Yeah, I've heard all about that. Apparently last year, Harry and Cedric were competing in this competition, with a cup as the prize. Harry was meant to get there first and touch the cup, cos then it would take him to where Lord Dollyhort was waiting to be resurrected or whatever, but Cedric got to the cup at the same time and Harry insisted they take it together. 'Course, Cedric got murdered by the Lord guy and Harry feels pretty guilty about it. Not to mention, nobody believes that Harry saw the truth apart from Dumbledore and a couple of others."

"Uh-huh, I pretty much got that from my lesson, and how people were acting last night and at all the meals." Dawn said, filling Buffy in on all the stuff that had happened since they had seen each other before the feast.

The pair talked until they reached the Scooby Common Room. When they did reach it, they found Giles and Xander there waiting for them.

"So what's up with Willow then?" asked Dawn as they clambered through the portrait hole.

"That's what I'm wondering," Buffy agreed, before turning to look at Giles. "Don't suppose you feel like sharing?"

"Buffy, I'm afraid Willow had to go to LA. It seems there was a problem with a creature called the Judge, so it was decided that Angelus, with whom the Judge has a history, should put in an appearance. However, unsurprisingly, complications arose, and although Angelus is now secured, Angel Investigations needed Willow to restore his soul."

"And you know all this how…"

"When Willow left by Floo, Wesley and I had a brief conversation."

Buffy looked less than happy, as did Xander. Dawn thought for a second, then asked,

"How long will she be gone?"

Buffy interrupted. "Never mind that, what if Angelus escapes? There isn't even a slayer there to protect her!"

Giles coughed. "Actually, there is. Wesley thought it a good idea to break Faith out of prison to help with the problem. It was Faith who actually brought Angel in."

Not looking remotely reassured by this, Buffy collapsed irritably into a chair, not looking or sounding even remotely reassured. "Oh, because if that mad murderess is there, then there's nothing to worry about."

Aiming to distract them from the problem, though she agreed wholeheartedly with her sister, Dawn launched into a complaint about Umbridge, which they gratefully joined into.


Like the previous night, Dawn crept down to the lake, not even trying to get to sleep. She knew she probably could have managed sleep if she tried, but, truth be told, she kind of wanted to go down there, though she would have denied fervently that it had anything to do with Sasesi. Still, when she got there, she was relieved to hear his voice from under the tree.

"So, not scared away by the monster by the lake then Ella?"

She laughed. "Monster? Please, I've met monsters that would eat you for a snack."

"Oh yeah? Did they actually notice you were there?"

Falling easily into the odd teasing conversation, Dawn relaxed.


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