Wordcount:- 74,734

A/N:- Yay, so even more done! And no one guessed where I was going with what happened in the lib... which might be good or bad... not entirely sure yet =D Despite being back at work... and kinda busy in general I still seem to find time to write more of this (whether I want to or not) which is probably a good thing. I've also been editing/formatting some of the earlier chapters a bit, hopefully those updates will get up here by the weekend... or something. It depends how much time I spend doing other things. To be honest do you want me to update old chapters or produce new ones?

Allen Pitt – yep Buffy definitely has a lot on her plate, she won't be visiting Sunnydale over xmas. Though I will be addressing the home issue as it is out of character for her to have gone quite so long without thinking too much of contacting them. Remember that this is now kinda mid-late Oct, not much more than a month after when she went home in S3... and she had been a lot busier in my 'verse than she was in LA. It was actually pointed out to me in another review of the last chapter (on tth) that the timeline of hiding Slayers from the Wizarding world is near to when Angel was called. This is actually a coincidence, though if I bring him back it might be interesting to see these events through the eyes of the demon/vampire population.

Hermit Hideaway – thanks again for pointing out the formatting error to me, I went back to edit something and stupidly enough copy-pasted from word... not a good idea it seems.

Tommy14 – The explanation for the laws will come... I promise! I've had all the reasons and plans for this story written for a while (say 3/4years) so I know where I'm headed, I just have to get all the in between stuff done.

Sparky24 – lol yeah whenever I get going on this it seems I just can't stop, though they are short updates I know as that's about the amount I seem to like getting out at a time. It is quite convenient I guess about the Slayers at Hogwarts (how many implausible plot devices am I allowed?), my thoughts on it was that unless there had been some close relationship between wizards and slayers that went wrong in some way then the wizards would know about slayers (and the council about wizards... though not necessarily so much). For it to make sense to me that wizards didn't know about slayers (even in the 'something Hermione claims isn't real' way that some writers use) they had to have a connection at some point that caused them to deliberately step away from them. They have too close a connection with the mystic to never have known...just my thoughts about it anyway... from there this plot line developed.

Curius – reading this again... wow that's an epic task ;) hope it didn't disappoint.

i-hate-mornings – I do try to avoid aimless blubber... though I occasionally get distracted by interesting plot twists =D btw. Love the name... me too (especially after I finish writing at 1am and have to get up for work).

Frost Merry Darkness Luver – Sorry, as I've said there will definitely not be more than a B/A friendship if he does come back. And that I haven't decided upon yet.

DABraning – there will be more on my mythos of slayers and their abilities... lots more. And eventually I will have less distant interactions between the Gryffindor trio and Buffy, I just like to approach these things at a pace I find believable =D which seems to mean really slow... ah well. Dumbledore won't be informed in this manner... don't worry all will be revealed eventually.

Gyreflight – Thanks for the well-wishes, I'm so happy when people enjoy the pacing of this. I don't seem to know how to write anything else... not that I really try. I always find crossovers where both worlds are immediately best friends a bit odd... unless they meet under extreme circumstances it doesn't usually feel right.

Getuie – Thanks a lot for your comments, unfortunately some of them will not always be the case. moving her into the HP world and having her constantly unconnected to the fight against Voldemort would seem (to me) like some odd anti-mary-sue where she was friends with no one and had no effect on the world (as a pose to everyone loving her and her fixing everything in the stories with her superpowers)... but I'll try not to turn her into an unnecessary addition to a fight... or a real mary-sue when the time comes. I have a while to go for that anyway.

XinnLajgin, enchantedlight, invisible-gurl – thanks for your comments, glad you like it.

God epic review replies... sorry... I think you can see why I didn't manage to update here last night as well as tth...

No House to Call Home

The hour rang out, signalling the end of that day's final lesson, and so Buffy packed up the books she had open on the library table during her free period before dinner, and headed towards the great hall. On her way down from the fourth floor she met up with many other students, joining the steady streams flowing out of the classrooms and all heading towards the same destination. As she came up to the D.A.D.A classroom on the first floor two of the best known Gryffindors walked out, looking anxiously behind them into the classroom before a voice determinedly dismissed them. Hermione was forced to drag Ron away before he irritated the High Inquisitor, who was already staring intently at the dark haired boy she had kept behind when Buffy glanced in the room on her way past.

And so it just happened that Buffy entered the great hall just a few steps behind the pair, who seemed almost lopsided without their third, and walked straight into Ron when they suddenly halted upon entering the room. They weren't the only ones. Almost all the school was milling about just inside the entrance to the hall, unsure of what to do with themselves.

Instead of the huge house tables which usually ran from the end of the hall all the way up to the top table where the teachers' sat, the hall was filled with small tables, each with one or two chairs. The only area which seemed unaffected by this change was the teachers' table itself where the entire staff, barring Professor Umbridge were seated, mostly looking about as baffled by the situation as the students.

The exceptions to this rule were Professor Snape, who only ever got more annoyed by anything he couldn't entirely understand, and Professor McGonagall, who looked bizarrely pleased about the situation, her obvious understanding and enjoyment of whatever was going on only adding to the Potions Masters ire, his glares alternating between the Headmaster and the Deputy Headmistress. Professor Dumbledore himself looked as calm as ever, the twinkle in his eye if possible increased as more students arrived, having to look over or make their way through their compatriots to discover what the problem was.

The noise level in the hall had been slowly been rising as more students arrived to find the hall in its current state and added their voices to the discussions as to why their house tables had been split in this manner. Some of the students sat themselves down at the tables, generally sticking to the ones in the area where their house usually sat, but most stayed still near the doorway, unsure of what to do.

When the normal time for dinner to commence arrived, Dumbledore rose to his feet and slowly, some who hadn't seen hushed by friends who noticed the man stand, the students quieted until only the sound of breathing permeated the huge space.

"It has been brought to my attention that this school has been supporting, encouraging even, organisations which place the continuing education of all students at risk. In accordance with Educational Decree #24 the four Houses are herby disbanded." Dumbledore paused, waiting for the wave of complaint which followed not just from the students, but from the Professors also. He stood uncaring in the midst of the noise without making any attempt to quiet them, it was McGonagall who out stared all the teachers, forcing their silence through sheer willpower before quieting the students with a gesture and a glare. "They will remain so until the former Heads of House submit a request and receive approval to reform." The headmaster continued.

As if this announcement itself wasn't enough he added, almost as an afterthought "I have also been reminded that an organisation is 'a regular meeting of three or more students', not necessarily a gathering for any specific purpose, and so would like to encourage students to make the High Inquisitor aware of any such meetings." He sat and began murmuring to the Deputy Headmistress on his left before she indicated in front of them and, looking up to find the still stationary students, he gestured about the room "Please take a seat anywhere in the hall."

"McGonagall really took what I said seriously..." Hermione mused after Dumbledore had finished.

"You did this?" Ron's shouted words echoed through the great hall, silencing the worried chatter which had started to rebuild after Dumbledore's announcement.

"Could you keep your voice down?" Hermione begged, looking about at the now very silent and interested students around them before dragging Ron off to a two-person table at a mostly unoccupied area of the room. Buffy sat down at a table near some other Ravenclaw students, far enough from the pair of Gryffindors to make them feel free to talk but close enough that her Slayer hearing could pick up most of what they said.

"I just checked with McGonagall whether we had to get permission for our friendships… I might have commented that as the communal tables and House common rooms were regular meeting places; that the Houses themselves could be considered an 'organisation'."

"But 'mione... you've got rid of Gryffindor. This is worse than losing 200 points in first year!" He whined, looking warily about the hall and flinching away when he saw there were still students looking at the pair, interested in his outburst. "Everyone'll hate us."

"Don't be silly. How long do you seriously think they'll let this stand?" She sighed, exasperated at the still worried expression on Ron's face. "It's one thing the new rules stopping a club or two, no parents are going to be worried about hearing that. Think about what'll happen when all the students write home saying they have to ask permission to meet their friends, that the Houses have been disbanded."

"You think we'll be allowed to..." Ron started excitedly.

"No." She cut him off. "I know they'll make sure that is still banned... but anything that makes people look closer at what the Ministry is doing at Hogwarts can't be a bad thing." Hermione directed her attention to the plate filled with food, these had appeared where necessary on every table when Dumbledore finished his speech.

Seeing that they were done talking for now, and anyway with the tables fast gaining occupants most of whom were chatting loudly about the events of the evening and preventing Buffy from hearing the pair, she opted to ignore them and concentrated on her own meal. Glancing up at the teachers table she saw most of them in animated conversations, Snape was arguing with McGonagall and Professor Flitwick was talking to Dumbledore, leaning so far over the chair usually occupied by the D.A.D.A Master that he looked as if he may fall off his own.

At that moment the doors of the great hall swung open to reveal the High Inquisitor herself, storming ahead of a deflated looking Harry Potter. The crash of the door, though not needed to gain the silence of the students, many of whom were eagerly discussing what Umbridge's reaction, did manage to make the small Charms Master jump, causing him to tumble to the floor.

The D.A.D.A Professor swept into the room in the same manner which she always seemed to adopt; a bizarre blend of complete distain and a sense of ownership. She knew she was in control, had power over all those here. This could be the only reason it took her so long to notice, striding through the hall with no reason to glance at the students; they weren't worthy of such attention. When she had gotten about half way down the hall she finally took stock of her surroundings.

She turned, for the first time an expression forming on her face not of pleasure, forced or otherwise, but of complete bewilderment. Her cold calculating eyes swept about the hall, taking in the situation in the hall before alighting on the Headmaster, her face contorting into one of polite curiosity.

"I assume there is a good reason for this, Dumbledore?" She asked in her jarring high pitched gasps, the sound unnecessarily cutting across the quiet room as everyone present waited to hear what followed.

"I would think it was obvious Delores" Dumbledore merely sat smiling amiably, even as Professor Umbridge puffed herself up to her full height at the insinuation that she had ignored some simple reason. "We are merely endeavouring to follow the most recent Educational Decree."

"What... but... nothing in Educational Decree #24 says that..."

"I believe you're wrong Professor." Dumbledore interrupted her, never raising his voice above that of a friendly chat but somehow audible throughout the hall. "It states that a regular gathering of three or more students must gain permission to reform. I have, sadly, been remiss in allowing the school houses to continue as before. I did not appreciate at first that mealtime and common-room meetings would clearly place them in this category."

She stood in silence for a moment, obviously coming to the same conclusion as Hermione about what the potential ramifications of this might be "I don't know what gave you that idea." Her lips pressed tightly together between words the only thing that displayed her anger at the situation "The houses are regulated by their Heads, and therefore are not a student organisation which is all that the Decree affects."

"But Delores, you were very adamant that teacher run clubs such as Professor Flitwick's Charms Club were included within the Decree, I understand you required lengthy discussions about the nature of spells which were to be discussed before the club was allowed to be reinstated." At these words the usually cheery countenance of the Charms Master decidedly drooped as the small man no doubt remembered whatever form of inquisition he had needed to undergo to reform his friendly club. "The Houses of Hogwarts are in many ways less closely supervised than many of the organisations you have inspected."

It was almost amusing to watch the woman's jaw work as she attempted to hide her anger. Somehow the terrible smile, so forced it almost looked like a grimace, stayed on her face; but her eyes betrayed her, her anger causing them to bulge further out from her face.

"Very well." Her voice had taken on a clipped note, trying desperately to hold onto her image in the face of what had happening "As High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, I grant Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and..." she paused for a moment turning slightly so she could lock eyes with Harry Potter who after following her in had moved quietly between the tables during the discussion to take a seat near his two friends.

The hatred flowed off her, the path of her gaze making it clear to all in the room just why she had paused. Why she would grasp at an excuse to reinstate only three houses. But the reasons that she couldn't allow word of this to escape still existed, there were powerful alumni from all the houses. "And Gryffindor permission to re-form."

"Wonderful!" Dumbledore exclaimed "I'm sure all the Students will be pleased to hear that. We will rearrange the hall and resume usage of the common rooms and dormitories once the Heads of House all have the appropriate paperwork."

"Of course..." Her entire frame seemed to sag, no doubt realising that there was no way for her to sweep this event under the rug and forget that Dumbledore had noticed this terrible inclusion in the law. The amount of paperwork required, no doubt all created and enforced by the High Inquisitor herself, must have been horrendous for it to have such an effect on her.

"Do not feel you have to rush Delores, we all know this is a complex decision to make requiring a detailed examination of the facts before you can give your approval." The sentence sounded too much like a quote from the pompous woman to be Dumbledore's own wording "To this end the Heads of the former Houses will obviously make themselves available to answer your questions. Until then" Dumbledore continued with the twinkle in his eye showing his enjoyment of the situation "all students will sleep in the Great Hall. I hope you will help us monitor for prohibited gatherings after the meal."

But Umbridge didn't have time to monitor anything after the meal. After quick whispered words between the three Gryffindors, Hermione began moving about the hall. Seemingly accidentally she would meet friends one by one, have a whispered conversation and then move on, leaving the person to whom she had spoken to move off and find another person who needed the Decree explained.

It was Anthony who, in this odd game of Chinese whispers, passed the message on to Buffy, though she had largely worked out Hermione's plan from what she had overheard earlier.

"If we all tell Umbridge about our meetings with friends we'll overload her with things to do... hopefully that and writing home about it will get rid of the stupid law."

Buffy nodded, but failed to move either towards any others or, where many students were now headed no doubt as they slipped out of the hall, to the Owlery. He stood looking at her for a moment confused before he seemed to realise his blunder. Buffy rarely hung out with anyone but him, and on occasion Neville, never in a group of more than two... and she had no one to write to. No one in the country anyway.

"Oh... uh. Sorry" He smiled apologetically, and was obviously about to make some boyish attempt at diffusing any tension his comment had caused when something distracted him.

At that point the redheaded Gryffindor twins, well known enough throughout the school for even Buffy to know one was Fred Weasley and the other was George, though even those who knew the pair well could rarely tell which was which, and a boy they often hung out with approached Umbridge where she was seated at the teachers table.

At their loud request for permission to continue their 'never ending' meeting, the hall quietened slightly once more before resuming an even louder volume at Umbridge's flustered response. Following the Weasley's example, other students started to move in groups towards the Inquisitor.

Anthony nudged Buffy indicating the line now forming with a smile and a wink. "Trust Hermione to be the only person in the school, including Umbridge, who reads all the fine-print."