Chapter 8- Ups and Downs

"Sorry." She replied letting go quickly but somehow she didn't seem apologetic at all. "So what do I owe this most unexpected but most welcome visit old friend." Giles settled into one of the other 'research chairs.' "Actually this is purely a social visit. School has ended until the Fall Semester and I seemed to have a little time on my hands. What better way to spend them then catching with old friends." Even Buffy could see the stress in the old wizards eyes. "Well its snowing outside Albus, and you know that you can't visit me in Russia, while its snowing, and not expect a snow fight." Albus just chuckled at the young girl's bounce-back. Together the foursome ventured back into the blistering cold. Each of the adults held their breath as they saw a true happiness beam on the young blonde's face. Something, if you watched Angelus and Giles's face, you knew didn't happened in a while. Immediately the young charge threw a rather large snowball at Angelus. Growling playfully he raced after the ten year old. The two raced around throwing snowballs at 2am, but laughing with a single care in the world. Suddenly, without taking her eyes off Angelus, she nailed Giles straight in the chest. The blonde girl tried to hold her laughter for as long as she could, but soon the young girl was on the ground with laughter.

"Who knew that a cold blooded killer could have such a normal offspring?" Remus commented. "She's a Slayer. So by definition a cold blooded killer. Raised by a vampire. Evil. Her father is the most evil person that had ever lived. The apple never falls far from the tree. I don't' care if she was a sweet child sometimes. Evil breeds evil." Sirius seethed, angry his previous idea of the child was being destroyed. The two marduars, the last of their circle, sat and just thought about the young girl that was only a few feet away. They thought about what they knew about her, what they thought, suspected, and hoped but in the end they were no closer to understanding a child that fought so hard, with such passion. "I remember that night." Buffy's sudden appearance startled the two older men. "How did you get in here?" Sirius demanded furious he hadn't noticed her. "I'm a slayer. Hunter of evil things that have awesome senses. Do you really think if I couldn't sneak up on you two undetected I would still be alive." She quipped with a smile. Sirius just muttered incoherently. "Those Canary Crème's were awesome." Her silver flecked eyes glazed over with the pleasant memory. "Angelus hated when Albus visited. He always brought me some wizard toy or candy. Some kind of goodie that any child, even a slayer child, can enjoy." Remus just smiled as the simple joy that any child her age should have in her eye shone through, just for a moment. Remembering where she was Buffy quickly composed herself. "I am going to be stuck here all summer. None of us are happy about this, most of all me." Sirius scoffed.

"Listen I am not going to spend the rest of the Summer defending myself to you. So I am going to simplify this for you. You're family, that you grew up with, was evil. But you aren't evil. You are a werewolf, so you have unnatural urges, abilities, that you control. You could easily be evil, but you're not. My father, who I have never met is evil. Not me. The Slayer inside me is a warrior for the light. I protect people. By definition not evil. Any questions? Good." with a flourish the tiny blonde walked out of the door with a grace only found in silent predators. "It doesn't matter if she's good or evil. I'm just glad she only our side." Remus muttered still staring at where she had stood only moments ago.

"I'm nice. They think I'm evil. My father is evil, so I must be to." Buffy scoffed to the empty bedroom. The loud crack alerted Buffy to her sudden company, Kretcher. "Why Mistress angry?" He patted a spot on the bed next to him. The teenage girl spite her rage crawled up into the arms of her best friend. "Why things be they way they used to be? You, Giles, Angelus, Me. Traveling around, defeating baddies. Always having each other. Instead….well this.. I hate everyone thinking I'm evil. I'm not." Buffy poured out to the aging house elf. Kretcher's heart broke when he couldn't help his mistress, like now. He just held her as he watched the memories of their past adventures flashed in front of her eyes, like they did so often nowadays.

After a few minutes Buffy pulled herself out of her self-pitying knowing that it wouldn't change her current situation or help her defeat her father. Just then a thought accord to her. 259? Pulling the calendar from under her bed, and started counting. Praying she was wrong. March 7. Her sixteenth birthday. Great. "Okay Kretcher We have, well I have, work to do. Spells to memorize. Potions to prefect, and tomes to devour. I do not have time to wallow." Kretcher watched as his mistress reined in her misery, doubt, and sadness and became the independent, fierce woman he knew. "Yes Mistress. Kretcher won't let anyone disturb you." Buffy giggled for she knew how effective he could be at doing just that. All those times he even kept Angelus at bay when she wanted privacy when she went through the very beginning of her "womanhood". "I'm sure you will. Now I am starved. Can you find me some lunch?" Eager to serve his mistress he readily agreed and disappeared.

"Really. Guarding her room like that. Honestly. Its been three weeks." Molly fumed in the kitchen while making dinner for the Order meetings. "Besides she needs to come to the meeting." She kept mashing the potatoes herself to release her stress. "Can't you order him to let one of us pass, Sirius?" Molly demanded slamming the masher down with such force. "Calm yourself Molly. Buffy is just fine." Dumbledore assured the red haired witch. "But what can she be doing locked away everyday. Its hardly healthy." Dumbledore smiled sadly at her. "Preparing for what is to come. The only way she knows how." His words did little to calm her fears, and doubts of the young slayer's self imposed imprisonment. "I've tied, Molly. After the first week. But he won't budge. To him she is his mistress." Sirius felt guilty for accusing her of being evil, and he was afraid it was because of him she locked her self away. "The Tiny Slayer is compiling some big power, Albus." Moody announced his electric blue eye trained on the ceiling. "I would keep to myself to if everyone believe I would turn evil at any moment. After everything being ripped away from me. Thrust in a new world, only to find you're not only not trusted except by a few people, but you no longer have your support system." All eyes turned to the bubble-gum pink haired member of this Order, Tonks. "What? You have to be thinking that too." She shrugged off their stares. Sirius's guilt swelled. Just then Kretcher hobbled into the kitchen, without his usual muttering. Without even looking at the other occupants of the kitchen the house elf scrambled around the kitchen fixing a sandwich for the young slayer.

Kretcher walked into the sunny room stepping over several tomes that had been scattered and discarded throughout the enlarged room. "Lunch Mistress." He called cheerfully, happy that his Mistress had finally come home to him. It was obvious she hadn't heard his arrival. He stared in awe as he watched as she picked up half a dozen throwing knives from the table and threw them with such deadly accuracy at the enchanted dummy without muttering a word. "Master Regules would be so proud." Kretcher praised. Buffy smiled sadly without moving her eyes from the target. "Oh food." Suddenly smelling the sandwich. "So what is Mistress reading today." "Well.." She took a rather large hungry bite. "I've been thinking. Everyone that went against old Voldy, always came at him with wand magic. So it makes me wonder how effective a windless attack would fare. So I have been bouncing around learning spells, jinxes, and curses and figuring out how I can use those along with my other teachings. Ya know." She had a faraway look, almost anguished. "What if it doesn't work?" Kretcher stared at his mistress in disbelief. Only a handful of times over all years had he seen her doubt her instincts. "Mistress do what mistress feels." Buffy gave the old elf a grateful hug before finishing the sandwich in two bites.