Chapter 36
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I claim no rights to any television show, movie, or book. I write for fun not profit. All television show, movie, and book characters are owned by their production studios, television stations, and authors. No copyright infringement is intended. Again, I write for fun not profit. I am not getting paid for this. This goes for all chapters past, present, and future.
Harry and Xander were getting ready to see another place of interest this morning. Xander had noted the change for the better in the real-estate agent since Harry arrived. He felt that they were now getting something done. In the past few weeks since Harry returned they drove out to many different places. None had been good enough for the G.C. but the agent was getting the idea of what they were looking for. Today they were to look at a large hotel which Xander was excited about because that was what Giles had wanted. He asked Harry to hit him with his daily dose of protection spells over his Kevlar vest before they headed out to meet the agent. Xander had impressed upon Harry how dangerous Africa could be. It wasn't just the animals you had to watch out for but the people as well. More bullets fly around here than in Los Angeles and New York combined. Today they were going to travel by a single engine airplane but Xander wasn't willing to take any chances. Harry couldn't blame him, on his third day here he found himself in the middle of a fire fight. A man with some kind of a machine gun had open fire in a shopping district for no apparent reason. From that day on Harry also wore protection spells over a Kevlar shirt as well.
"Where are we supposed to be going today?" Harry asked Xander.
"Our plane takes off from a little Algerian airport to fly us to the northern tip of Chad."
"I don't like the sound of the name. It's a good name for a person but for a place it sounds like a death knell." Harry said.
"To tell you the truth I don't remember anything of interest out there. Sure there were some small villages but very little in the way of structurally sound buildings. I think he just talked us into looking at some useless land he hopes we'll develop."
"Oh I hope not. I've only been here a few weeks and I've seen enough desert land with people trying to survive on it to last me a lifetime. It's sickening and depressing. Why do they take us to these places when they know it's not what we want? I think we should try another real-estate agent. "
"I think they're required to show us a desert every third quality location." Xander joked. At least he hoped he was.
"It's too bad about that school we looked at being so small and useless. I kind of liked the area. It was near the magical community of Klimic."
"Yeah, that was a nice community but the anti muggle propaganda was a bit thick. I just couldn't get comfortable there." Xander replied.
"Yeah, that's the trouble with most magical communities. But the place we create will be different, with muggle and magical living in one place as a micro community."
"Now that document zero has been destroyed and knowing Willow as I do, I'm sure she will be trying to bridge the gap between science and magic the way it was suppose to be."
"Well, I don't know if that will work most wizards didn't pay attention in muggle studies, but everyone needs a hobby I suppose."
"Speaking of hobbies what's the word on your friend Draco?"
"Nothing yet, my guess is that his father being the coward that he is will stay in hiding until the main event. After that he'll feel safe enough to walk in public."
"How can he avoid being found? Even Willow couldn't find him and she can find anybody when she puts her mind to it."
"Yes, she was so mad she was a bit scary when she couldn't find even the slightest trace even though she had one of Lucius's old hair brushes. That's when Hermione told her about the Fidelius Charm and unplotable land. She didn't like it but it calmed her down."
"I think the word unplotable speaks for itself but what is this Fidelius Charm?"
"It a charm put on a property that not only makes it invisible but take the location and address out of everyone's memory but that of the secret keeper which is usually the person who owns it but it doesn't have to be. Only the secret keeper can tell someone it's location but anyone he tells won't be able to divulge the information nor will they be able to take anyone there." Harry explained.
"I can see why Willow would be mad. She hates cheaters." Xander replied.
"Lucius Malfoy is a bit more than a cheater." Harry said knowing Xander knew Lucius's story.
"Yeah, we've handled worse than him but the guy being human complicates things."
Harry looked at him confused.
"Slayers slay, they don't kill. Demon's get slain but this wizard will be a challenge. Since he's human we can't and won't kill him."
"I didn't realize that your people had the same code the aurors live by. I always wanted to ask but didn't know how. All I've seen was how casually the slayers ki… slay and move on. 'Not killing' is a load off my mind. I just hope Draco can live up to that as well when he catches up to Lucius."
/Scene Break/
General O'Neill and President Henry Hayes sat in the confrence room waiting to debrief Colonel Carter now that she was back from her latest assignment. They didn't have to wait long as Carter had always been prompt. She walked trough the door saluted and was told to have a seat.
"So Sam you've been gone nearly a month. What did you find out?" O'Neill asked.
"Sirs, Dr. Samuel Beckett was an idol I looked up to when I was growing up. It was an honor to be the one to help identify him and hear the story of why he wasn't heard from in so long that the world believed him to be dead. Once we did all the tests and knew it was him he started to tell us of the time travel experiment he was trying to achieve that went haywire."
"Haywire?" President Hayes wondered.
"Well the word he used was a little caw-caw." Sam clarified.
"I kind of like this guy already but really time travel, didn't he know any better? It's always dangerous when you mess around with time, especially if there's a chance of meeting yourself." General O'Neill stated.
"Yes Sir, but that was the beauty of his project. He would go back and leap into himself at other points in time throughout his own personal timeline to fix the things that went wrong the first time while his past self would come to a nondescript waiting room in the present. At least that was the way it was supposed to work."
"What went wrong?" President Hayes asked.
"He found himself in other people's timeline. And the only way to move on was to fix the mistakes of their past. When that was done he would leap out of that timeline only to find himself in someone else's that he had to fix."
"Oh boy. Both President Hayes and General O'Neill said in unison."
"How would he know what to fix?" O'Neill asked.
"He had an observer from the present run down the subjects history to find out what went wrong in that period of their time. More often than not he was there to prevent somone from dieing. But then there were times when he used his future knowlage amd his many degrees to help in other ways."
"So there was someone from the present that could communicate with him while he was in the past?" President Hayes inquired.
"There used to be. He wanted to request that Admiral Calivicci and his family be upon our list of military recruits."
"The astronaut?" O'Neill asked.
"Yes sir. It turns out that the Admiral was his first observer. He appeared as a mental hologram that only Dr. Beckett could see and hear but if you keep changing the time line something has got to give and so he changed something in the past to the point that Admiral Calivicci never joined the Star Bright project so he and Dr. Beckett never met. But Sam made sure he never forgot him and kept reminding himself."
"If Admiral Calivicci wasn't there anymore how was he then getting the information?" O'Neill asked.
"Since he never met the Admiral when he started project quantum leap he had to create a direct link to the computer he named Ziggy or Alpha depending on who you ask. Even the computer seemed to have an identity crisis. It finally said it would respond to ether name and boy can that thing hold a conversation it's knowledge spans the planet. If it knew about what goes on here or at area fifty-one it could be on par with the Asgard computers."
"Is that how he found out about the stargate through his computer?" President Hayes asked.
"No sir, it would seem he came across one of the ancients. The last of the rebel ancients we know of."
"Oh crap, which one is it this time?" O'Neill asked.
"Janus sir." She announced.
"Janus? Isn't that name connected to a god or something?" President Hayes inquired.
"Yes sir, according to Daniel, he was the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, of gates, doors, portals, endings and time. In later years he'd be seen as a god of chaos, but he only gave Dr. Beckett very specific information, nothing that can really hurt us without proof. He did tell him to ask for me specifically because as he put it I'm the one in charge of packing everything up. Sir it's my guess that Janus wants Dr. Beckett saved for some reason. I know I do. He's a very brilliant man on a level close to mine if not higher. If he started to work here it wouldn't be any time at all before he was caught up enough to take over for me when necessary."
"Just out of curiosity, he wouldn't be related to Dr. Carson Beckett from Atlantis would he?" O'Neill asked
"No sir, But he has brother Admiral Tomas Beckett former Navy Seal." Sam confirmed.
"Oh boy." O'Neill sighed.
"Your opinion of Dr. Beckett carries a lot of weight Sam that's why we gave you the go ahead to pack up his equipment. How close to finished are you on that front?" President Hayes asked.
"We did all we could do for now. At the moment he needs to keep Ziggy in one peace to record his memories of his leaps as they are fading fast now that he's back and he's fighting to hang on to them as it is. Ziggy's direct link to Sam is helping with that. He said ready or not he'll let us pack up the rest in a couple of months."
"He better hope we have that long." President Hayes said.
/Scene Break/
Today was the day Rose was going to face her mother. Buffy had stopped coming around and there wasn't any sign of any other Guardian Council employee coming around. She was going to have Mickey break the news to soften the shock of just popping in and say surprise I'm still alive. They were just about to leave the apartment to walk across the parking lot of the Powell estate to Jackie's apartment since she lived on the estate as well. As Rose went to get her jacket Mickey moved the curtain to look out the window.
"Hey Rose, we may have a problem. There's a cop car in the parking lot and a woman police officer headed for your mums door."
"What?" She said as she walked over to the window. "Now what the hell is she doing here?"
As the woman knocked on her mothers door Rose said. "You better get over there and see what's going on."
"What about you?" Mickey asked.
"I can't go over there. I can't let the police know I'm alive." Rose said.
"Yeah, but what about breaking the news to your mother today?" He wondered.
"I still plan on it. But you'll have to see what this is about first. Call me when she leaves and you've got Jackie settled and ready."
"Right see you soon." He said grabbing the care package he had planned on taking as an excuse to drop by. He opened the door and left.
He made his way across the parking lot and made a mental note of the police cars number and license plate before continuing on to Jackie's apartment. He came up to and knocked on Jackie's door going right in as was his nature.
"Hey Jackie, I did a little shopping and picked up something I thought you would want." He said as he made his way from the foyer to the living room only to stop dead upon seeing the police woman there like he knew nothing about her being there.
"What's this? What's going on Jackie?" He said.
"Hello" the police woman said. "I'm detective Gwen Cooper. And you are?"
"The detective is here to ask routine questions about Rose's death Mickey."
"Ask? What could you know about it that the police and the school didn't tell you, especially since it happened in America?"
"It's this school I'm interested in. I'd like to know more about it. Why was she in America in the first place?"
"The school is a school for gifted girls. My Rose was well gifted."
"That she was." Mickey agreed.
"Not according to her primary school grades. Her grades were either average or a small amount higher. And she should have graduated shouldn't she."
"That's what happens when you have someone so smart, they get bored of what is being taught. That's when the G.C. stepped in to test her and found out she was smarter than most." Jackie said keeping her daughters and the G.C.'s cover.
"And the Guardian Council Academy gave her opportunities to grow to be more. It was better than what the regular schools offered. She was happy to put in a couple of extra years if need be to have a well rounded education." Mickey added.
"And she was in America because she asked to go there for the experience." Jackie continued.
"It was an offer we knew she wouldn't pass up because she's wanted to go there since she was ten maybe even younger." Mickey said.
"So I take it you've known her a long time?" Gwen asked.
"I was born right here on the Powell estate, so was Rose. We were best friends. Now why are you so interested in the Guardian Council?"
"It's just that I think there are some irregularities. The young women come and go at all hours dressed to party like they don't care about grades and don't have to study."
"As Gwen was talking he'd been trying to put his finger on what it was that was bothering him about this woman. She looked like a cop and talked like a cop but there was something off. Maybe it was the welsh accent."
"You make it sound like the Guardian Council Academy is some sort of brothel and my Rose was a prostitute." Jackie said becoming furious.
"No, I didn't mean to imply anything like that." Gwen said but was thinking the opposite.
"My Rose was a good girl she would never even think of doing anything like that. And for your information my little girl died a virgin."
"Are you sure?" Gwen said and knew she made a mistake as soon as the words left her mouth.
Jackie was appalled and that was Mickey's queue to make a call. As Jackie started crying and screaming at Gwen, Mickey excused himself to move into the bedroom.
"How dare you come to a grieving mother and make acquisitions about my little girl." Jackie screamed.
But Gwen wasn't listening anymore. She watched Mickey closed himself off in the bedroom where she couldn't see him. What was he doing in there? Well, there was only one thing he could be doing that he would need the privacy of the bedroom. He was using the phone. But who could he be calling at a time like this… of course the Guardian Council Academy. He's warning them that she's on to them. Completely ignoring Jackie's hissy fit she walked over to the door. Before opening it she tried listening to what was being said beyond the door.
"Yeah that's right Detective Gwen Cooper. She's here right now." Gwen heard Mickey say. She forced her way into the room by shouldering the door and breaking it open.
"Just who do you think you're calling Mr. Mickey" she said never getting his last name. You wouldn't be trying to warn the Guardian Council about this investigation would you?
Mickey showed Gwen his phone. The display showed he called nine-nine-nine the emergency phone number for the police in the U.K. then she heard a voice on the other end say. "We will send a car out to you right away."
Gwen shook her head in confusion "why would you call the police?"
"They've never heard of you in London. But when I gave them your cars license and car number they said you're from Whales and out of your jurisdiction. What the hell is a cop from whales doing at the home of a grieving mother? There isn't even a Guardian Council school anywhere near there. I think once the local cops get here you'll be the one answering questions. And another thing, the bedroom door doesn't even have a lock on it. You owe Jackie for a new door."
Five minuets later, Rose became concerned at the sight of two more police cars pulling into the parking lot. Three of the four police ran up to her mother's apartment while the fourth took down the information of the other police car. When the apartment door opened Gwen stepped out and the police were attacking her with questions about what interest she had in Mrs. Tyler with many more uncomfortable questions to follow as they took her to their station. Jackie and Mickey watched them take her away from the balcony. Mickey stayed on the balcony a little longer knowing that Rose was watching him from across the estate and would call shortly. Sure enough his phone rang.
"What the hell happened?" She asked.
"A Police officer from Whales was trying to open an investigation into the Guardian Council because she thought they were a prostitution ring or something. It was really weird. She upset your mother a lot. I think we are going to have to put off your coming back until later."
"But she needs me now more than ever Mickey." Rose said.
"That may be but we're going to have to call the G.C. and tell them Detective Gwen Cooper is looking their way. That means they could start coming around again. Jackie may not like the slayer right now but she won't have the police saying that her daughter was a prostitute especially with how you praised the place."
"Yeah, you're right. I can't come back from the grave just yet. But for every day I wait I'm afraid she might do something stupid like killing herself."
"Jackie's not that stupid, besides she wouldn't kill herself with someone bad mouthing her daughter. It would be far too important that Jackie made Gwen Cooper eat her words."
"Yeah, you're right. She would see it that way." Rose said with a smile.
"Just then Jackie came out on the balcony very excited."
"Mickey, tell me. Tell me where my daughter is. Where's Rose?"
"What? WHAT?" He replied in shock and confusion.
"This care package, it not only has rocky road ice cream and Jammy dodgers it also has cream cheese. Those comfort foods Rose and I would eat on our mother daughter gossip slash heart to heart talks. No one else knew that, so Rose had to do the shopping because I doubt you would just pick up this combination at random. Now, where is she Mickey? Where's Rose."
Not knowing what to say, Mickey handed Jackie the phone. She looked at him strangely but put the phone to her ear and hesitantly said "Hello?"
"Mum…it me…it's Rose."
"Is it really you? Where are you?" Jackie implored.
"Before she could answer Mickey pointed across the estate to his apartment where Rose could be seen in the window waving at her."
"It's me Mum. It's really me."
"Upon seeing her daughter, Jackie was overcome with emotion and promptly fainted."
"Mickey picked up the phone from the floor and put it to his ear to see if it still worked more than anything else."
"Are you still there?" He asked.
"Yeah," she said as she put on her jacket to walk over to him. "Not the way I wanted to break it to her and I have no doubt we'll be yelled at for weeks to come."
"That was going to happen no matter how we broke it to her. Hurry up and get over here and put those slayer muscles to use. Help me get Jackie back inside." Mickey said.
"You're such a wimp." She said with a smile in her voice.
"She's your mother."
"Such chivalry, you're so gallant." Rose giggled.
"I prefer to think I'm secure in my masculinity to let the girl with the super powers do the heavy lifting." He stated.
"More like lazy." She replied still giggling.
"That too." He replied.
/Scene Break/
A week had passed since Peter Caine and Kermit Griffin were brought to the Guardian Council to be filled in on the things that go bump in the night. Peter offered to stay and help the women to train but Kermit made it clear that he wanted to leave. He got the information he came there for and more that he didn't want to know. Besides he had to get back to his job as a Detective. It worried Willow a bit thinking that he may have already alerted the government to his tampering on there classified internet sites but then she realize two things. One was that this was Kermit, the hacker she learned from and two he only got as far as following the manifests to their destinations. Knowing where the cargo was going didn't mean he knew what it was for and therefore shouldn't worry anyone in authority. She offered to send a couple of slayers to watch over him which he declined. He didn't know it but he would be getting them anyway. Kermit wasn't worried ether way. Even if he was found out he knew it would be quick. A bullet to the back of the head and it would be all over. He was never afraid of dieing. Oz went into Giles office to retrieve a file folder when the chair on the other side of the room lit up. The same chair that Tru Davies mother's ghost occupied the first time he entered this room. He watched as Mrs. Elise Davies took a seat and looked to Oz.
"Daniel Osbourne."
"Yes ma'am." He replied.
"You've done well in bringing the chosen together. The powers still have need of you as they have considered another. They are still debating on others as well but it's more like they almost overlooked this one. There was no doubt in my mind that she should be saved. But I've since heard from others she doesn't actually fight the darkness and that the things she had done were for her own gain."
"What kind of things?"
"As a witch she uses magic to get what she wants, such as acceptance, a husband, a family, and a job."
"You mean she brainwashes them or some other spell."
"No. She uses luck magic as well as serendipity magic."
"As I remember the three fold rule doesn't apply to those magic's." Oz replied.
"That's correct, but if it did she would be in deep trouble by now for the personal gain alone. But as it is she has improved herself, her family, and everyone around her. The town she lives in prospers greatly. Not in wealth but in well being. She has however put wards up to generate peace, tranquility and prosperity upon her home and business that extends to the town. She also has some bastardized version on the sanctuary spell around the perimeter of the town."
"You mean there is no violence in the whole town? Don't the other citizens notice?"
"No, there is violence. But she has changed the spell somehow and we aren't sure what it does exactly or if it even affects the town's people at all. We just know that it's there."
"Alright as long as you think she's on our side or at least neutral I don't see how we can say no. If you guys want her we'll go and talk to her. Where are we going and what's her name?"
"She lives in the town of Middleton that lies around Lake, Ontario. She has made herself mayor but runs a shop called Bell, Book and Candle; her name is Cassandra Russell nee Nightingale. Her husband is the sheriff so you might want to make a pleasant first impression."
"Canada. Better make sure we pack our passports." He said as he wrote down the information.
"And one more thing before I go, I found that my old friend Davis has joined us on this plain. Since I only have a limited time to be here at this time I'd like to request a favor of you to give my daughter a message from him? He says it wasn't her fault, he doesn't blame her and it was an honor to have been her friend."
"I can do that." He replied.
"Thank you Mr. Osbourne and thank your companions as well."
"I will and call me Oz. "
"Thank you Oz goodbye." And with that she disappeared.
Oz shrugged and left the room.
/Scene Break/
Something was burning her senses. It was a chemical smell. It was terribly strong. It was replacing the air with every breath. She began coughing and making her way back to consciousness to find out what was going on. When she finally opened her eyes she saw Mickey holding smelling salts under her nose.
"Get that away from me you big twit." Jackie coughed. And then realized what it was that brought her to this situation.
"Where is she, where's Rose?" She said urgently.
"I'm right her Mum." She said coming out of the bathroom the toilet flushing behind her.
"Oh sweetheart." Jackie said running the short distance across the room to embrace the daughter she was led to believe was dead. She held her tight more to make sure she wasn't dreaming than anything else.
"They told me you were dead."
"Yeah I know." Rose replied
That's when Jackie backed up a step and whacked her on the shoulder. "And knowing this you didn't think to call me and tell me you're alright. And come to think of it why the hell did you go to Mickey's before coming to me." She screeched.
"That's where it gets complicated." Rose said with a wince.
"Well before you explain it to me we should get together with your school and you can tell us all at once." Jackie said walking over to the phone.
"No!" Rose and Mickey yelled in unison.
"What? Why not?" She asked.
"Because I faked my death to make them believe I'm dead and it has to stay that way."
"Oh, this doesn't sound good." Jackie said. "Is this a demon thing? Are they making you do something against the Guardian Council?" She asked worried.
"Umm no."
"Is the Guardian Council doing something illegal like that police woman said and you're trying to stay out of it?" Jackie asked even more worried.
"No Mum. Please listen to me. It's nothing like that. The G.C. are the good guys. What I'm going to tell you might upset you but it needs to stay between us. It can't leave this apartment."
"Honey, I'm just so relived that you're alive that you couldn't upset me if you told me the world was coming to and end."
"Rose and Mickey were shocked as they looked at her."
"What?" Jackie asked.
"Are you in anyway joking?" Rose asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the world is coming to an end. How did you know?" Rose asked shock still written on her face.
Jackie paused as she looked at her daughter hoping that there was a punch line. When she decided that there wasn't one coming she said. "Don't be stupid."
"She's telling the truth. The governments know about it and Rose stumbled upon it. We spent the last few days researching it on the computer at my place."
"You mean for several days you've been right across the parking lot and you didn't tell me? Do you even know what I was going through? How much I cried thinking you were dead. Why would you put me through this?"
"Well to be fair once we explain you'll see why she decided to do it this way." Mickey said.
"And as I needed the G.C. to believe I'm dead I needed you to believe it because… well to tell you the truth…I'm sorry Mum but you can't act to save your life. I just thought it would be better this way."
"You hid from me because you think I can't act? That's the reason you put me in a spiraling tail spin into depression?" Jackie screeched in shock.
"I'm really sorry Mum I…." just then the phone rang. The caller I.D. showed it was the Guardian Council.
"I'll just show you how good my acting ability is." Jackie said as she picked up the phone.
"Yes?" she said answering the phone.
"Mrs. Tyler, This is Rupert Giles. I understand there was a police woman bothering you this morning."
"Yes. She said some things that were very distressing. She thought that the Guardian Council were some sort of brothel and were using the girls to sell drugs. She basically implied my daughter died as a prostitute killed by a junkie." Jackie whaled.
"I am terribly sorry you had to go through that. Detective Cooper has got it into her head that the Guardian Council was into something nefarious after she witnessed our slayers slay a demon. But she suffered memory loss after the event. We think she's jumped to a conclusion based on the fragments she can vaguely remember that our people are up to no good. And again I am really sorry that you had to go through that. Would you like me to send someone to you for Counseling?"
"No, that's all right but I would appreciate it if you could make sure she doesn't come back. I just might be arrested for trying to scratch her eyes out if she does. And I don't need any more of your people here either. I need to move on with my life and I just can't do that with the reminder that your people represent when they show up. I want to remember my daughter the way she was before she became a slayer and I don't want to remember all the violence she became a part of …that she died of…"
"You have my condolences Mrs. Tyler and you have my word this is the last time we will bother you. Goodbye."
After Jackie hug up the phone she turned to Rose and Mickey and said. "How was that for acting ability?"
They were both stunned but Rose ran the short distance across the room to embrace Jackie and said in her ear. "I so sorry I put you through that Mum."
/Scene Break/
Dragging themselves into their hotel room Xander flopped into the wingback chair looking very uncomfortable as he was deeply slouching. Harry face planted himself into the couch. He turned his head to look at Xander and said.
"I hate the desert." his shirt soaked with sweat and clinging to his body.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I'd like to go down stairs and jump in the pool but the way the sun was beating down on us all day just took all my energy away. Do you want to hit the shower first?" Xander asked.
"No you can go ahead. You stink." Harry teased.
"Ha ha, like you smell any better." Xander said.
"I will after a few charms. Not that I'm not going to take a shower
But I can't perform magic in front of you without the Auror's showing up to erase your memory and reprimand me.
I thought Willow took care of that. Xander wondered.
As far as I know she only took off the trace that the ministry put on. Something I'm greatly thankful for.
Alright, I'll be out in a few minuets. Xander said getting up from his chair.
"Save me some cold water." Harry said fanning himself with a book he picked up from the stack in his extendable briefcase. Xander smirked and went to take a shower.
Twenty minuets later Xander came back into the living room and saw that Harry seemed to be engrossed in the book he had been fanning himself with earlier.
"Is the book any good?" Xander asked.
"No matter how many times I read it nothing seems to sink in."
"Maybe you'd do better with a book on tape. No wait, in this day and age they're called audio-books."
"Yeah that would be great if the wizards knew about them. I wonder if there's a spell for that."
"What's the book about?" Xander asked.
"It's actually a book on the mind arts called Occlumency. Improving your memory and protecting your mind that sort of thing. It was given to me in my fifth year of school and I still haven't got the hang of it. I even bought the companion book but that didn't help since you have to learn the stuff in this book first."
"Do you need to be a wizard to use it?" Xander wondered.
Harry paused as he thought about it. "From what I've read there is nothing to suggest that magic is needed at all for occlumency but you would definitely need it for legilimency. That's the art of reading minds."
Well let me take a look maybe I'll figure it out. What else did you bring to read that a non wizared can try. Harry surprised Xander by pulling out a large stack of books from his small breifcase."
"And that doesn't count as doing magic in front of me?" Xander wondered.
"The Auror's only show up if you see me use my wand. Do you like gardening?" Harry asked sorting through his old school books.
"Yes actually I haven't had time since…well since I met Buffy. Wow, it's hard to believe it's been that long. I use to be heavily into it too."
"Well you might like herbology. Let's see, you wouldn't need magic to brew most potions. The history of magic is mostly about the goblin wars you'd do better with the European history book of magic. Do you have any interest in astronomy?"
"I don't think so." Xander said giving it a pass.
"Then there's, ancient runes, and arithmancy which is wizard math. The numbers we use to make spells. I never took them myself but I've been meaning to look into them. And then there's Care of magical creatures. Besides my old school books there's only a book on wizarding etiquette, and wizarding economics. I have a much bigger library trunk but it's in my vault in Egypt. I only brought these to read as a refresher."
"Well I'll give this mind arts one a whirl and see how that goes." Xander said.
"If you figure it out explain it to me, will you?" Harry begged.
"Sure, in the mean time the showers free and you still stink. I guarantee you feel a lot better."
"Yeah, yeah I'm on my way." Harry said as he dragged himself from the couch and headed into the bathroom.
Xander was engrossed in the book Harry had been reading when there was a knock at the door. He put the book down and went to the door to see who was calling. When he opened the door there was a short white man in a white suit wiping his head with a handkerchief.
"Is ether Mr. Potter or Mr. Harris in?" The man asked in an English accent.
"I'm Mr. Harris." Xander said not willing to give his fist name to a person he just met without know if he was friend or foe.
"I'm Mr. Theodore Billings, you can call me Ted. I'm in real estate and I've been hearing some of the things you've been looking for. I may be able to help. I have properties all over Africa with lots of space that I think you'll really like. And I have some of the biggest building in the continent."
"Well we just got back from the desert Ted and we really couldn't be bothered to see anything today."
"Well rest assured the properties I'd show you wouldn't be in a bloody desert and we could start looking as early as tomorrow if you like."
No more deserts sounded just fine to Xander. "Well you can call me Xander and tomorrow sounds fine."
A.N. Cassandra Russell nee Nightingale is from 'The Good Witch'.
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