Title: The Hermione Chronicles: The Chosen Path pt. 2
Author: Hope
Disclaimer:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FOX, and the WB.
Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Scholastic.
I do NOT own them.
The sun had just set as Spike made his way toward The Bronze. He hoped Buffy would be there.
He wanted to make sure she wasn't mad at him because of the other night with the troll.
Spike couldn't believe he actually cared what the Slayer thought of him, but he did despite his constant mental attempts not to.
"Oh well." he thought "She doesn't care enough to even notice I care about her."
* * *
"What?" Hermione asked. Her eyes widened slightly.
Buffy looked at her for a moment before replying, "A Vampire Slayer. One who slays vampires."
Hermione just looked at her.
"Into every generation, a Slayer is born.
One girl in all the world with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of evil."
Buffy recited. It was a speech she knew all too well.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked fearfully.
Buffy couldn't blame her. She'd been pretty freaked out when she had been informed of her destiny. "Buffy Summers. The other Slayer."
"I thought you said there was only one girl," Hermione replied. A slight smile crawled across her face.
"Ok, who set you up to this?"
"What-" Buffy started.
"It was Malfoy, right? Or maybe Ron and Harry. Nah, they wouldn't do this. Fred and George! It was them, right?"
"It was no one," Buffy replied calmly. "Do you know where"
She pulled out a small sheet of paper with the name Whistler had given her. "Professor McGonagall is?"
Hermione looked slightly startled at this. "She's probably in her office."
"Can you take me there?"
Hermione nodded and they left the room together.
* * *
A band was playing loudly on stage, but Spike didn't notice. He was too busy looking for Buffy to notice anything else around him.
"Spike!" a voice called. He turned around to see Xander and Anya standing a few feet behind him. "Twice in one week," Xander continued. "What are you doing here?"
"Thought I'd get a little snack," Spike said in his usual sarcastic way.
"But, you can't bight," Anya said so loudly several people turned to look at them. "Can you?" she continued a little quieter.
Spike just glared at her.
"Hey guys!" Willow exclaimed as she and Tara made their way over to the group.
Everyone greeted the girls and sat down at a vacant table.
"So, where's the Slayer?" Spike asked. "Not that I care or anything like that." He added hastily.
"You won't find her here." Whistler said as he glided up to the group.
"I sent her to England. She should be calling the new Slayer about now."
"New Slayer?" Tara asked, a note of confusion in her voice.
"That's what normally happens when another Slayer dies." Whistler replied.
"Buffy!" Spike exclaimed nervously. Everyone looked at him in shock.
"Faith," Whistler responded gravely.
Everyone sat in silence as this sunk in.
* * *
"Miss Granger!" the unmistakable voice of Professor Snape called from behind them. "Sneaking around after hours, are you?"
"Um, I was just going to see Professor McGonagall," Hermione said quietly.
"Been around Potter and Weasley too much," Snape continued, ignoring her comment. "Detention and 10 points from Gryffindor."
"But-" Hermione started.
"Let's make it 15 then," Snape paused as he suddenly saw Buffy standing uncomfortabley behind Hermione. "Do I know you?" He snarled.
"Oh. I don't go here," Buffy answered.
"Bringing in outsiders as well, Granger?" Snape exclaimed. "Well, I think Professor Dumbledore should hear about this."
Snape began to lead them toward Dumbledore's office, when a stern voice behind them said, "I'll take it from here, Severus."
Snape shrugged and Professor McGonagall motioned for Hermione and Buffy to follow her into her office.
Once she had closed the door, she exclaimed in an excited voice,
"A Slayer!" She looked at Hermione with pride in her eyes. "We haven't had a Slayer here since-"
The excitement faded from her face for a moment, but just as quickly came back. "Well, it has been awhile since our last Slayer."
"You mean, I really am a Slayer?" Hermione asked quietly.
Professor McGonagall looked confused for a moment, then turned to Buffy. "Whistler sent me an Owl saying you were going to tell her."
"I did," Buffy replied. "She didn't believe me."
The excitement vanished completely from Professor McGonagall's face and her normal stern expression came back.
Hermione gulped nervously. "Have a seat, Miss Granger. We have much to tell you."
* * *
The moon shown brightly in the sky as Drusilla danced around the room. Darla sat calmly in a chair thinking.
"Psst. Psst." Drusilla whispered to Darla. "I see destruction, death, and disaster."
"That's nice, Dru," Darla muttered. She was too deep in her thoughts to really care.
"The end. It is coming. Can't you feel it?"
"Of course," Darla said absentmindedly.
"I knew you could, Grandmother!" Drusilla exclaimed excitedly. "Can you feel the impending doom as well?"
Darla looked up. A wicked smile crossed her face. "Doom? Anything to do with my Angelus?"
* * *
Hermione glanced at the book Professor McGonagall had placed in front of her. It was called "The Slayer Handbook".
"That will tell you the basics of your destiny." Professor McGonagall told her.
"The rules, ways to fight, that sort of thing."
"Fight?" Hermione asked tensely. "I have to fight?"
"Slaying vampires requires a little fighting," Buffy said in an amused tone.
"I don't know how to fight." Hermione looked nervous at the idea.
"The Handbook will explain everything," Professor McGonagall said reassuringly. "Right, Buffy?"
"Well, actually, I've never used the handbook." Buffy said sheepishly.
Professor McGonagall stared at her in horror. A Slayer who didn't use the Handbook!
"I'm more of a learn from experience type of person," she continued.
"I like books," Hermione said as she flipped through the Handbook. It was all so confusing.
Not like the magic she was used to. Stakes, crossbows, demons, and-
"I can't tell anyone what I am?" She asked as she looked at the chapter on secret identity.
"Of course not," Professor McGonagall said. "Secrecy is one of the most sacred parts of being a Slayer."
"But, what about my friends?" She asked. "Can I tell them?"
"Not even Potter and Weasley can know," McGonagall replied as though she could read Hermione's mind.
Buffy smiled encouragingly at Hermione. "You can tell them if they get suspicious.
Like, my friends know 'cause I slayed in front of them.
People don't generally believe you when you say that guy you just drove a pointy stick through didn't really just explode."
"Explode?" Hermione said.
"Into dust," Buffy confirmed. "Vamps are really just walking corpses with a demon soul. Sunlight, beheading, wood to the heart will all dust 'em."
"Perhaps it would be best if you showed her what you mean," McGonagall said thoughtfully. She wasn't completely oblivious to the frightened expression on Hermione's face.
"You mean, like kill a vampire in front of her?" Buffy asked.
"Perhaps," McGonagall said. "Whistler said you got here by Floo powder. You will not be able to do that again.
I imagine the Gryffindor house has already been removed from the Floo Network. Hogwarts is not supposed to be on it at all."
Buffy nodded and said, "Whistler has a connection and they put the chimney on it for a day."
"I have a charm you can use to come back with." McGonagall reached into her desk and pulled out a small circular charm. "Just hold it and say Hogwarts when you want to come here. Or Sunnydale when you want to return home."
"But, I thought you couldn't enter Hogwarts that way," Hermione pointed out. "At least that's what "Hogwarts, A History" says."
"This is a Atosma Charm," the Professor stated. "It can be used to overcome the magical barriers if the user does not mean to cause any harm. It is not well-known because it can be misused very easily."
Buffy yawned and said, "I should go home. I'm exhausted."
"Come back tomorrow night. Around noon your time." McGonagall ordered.
"Yes, ma'am," Buffy said sarcastically. Professor McGonagall frowned. "I'm gonna go home." She yawned again.
She picked up the charm and said, "Sunnydale." A second later, she was gone.
Hermione turned to Professor McGonagall and asked, "Who was the other Slayer that went here?"
McGonagall looked startled for a moment, then absentmindedly said, "Oh, of course. I did mention her, didn't I?"
Hermione nodded eagerly.
"Well, it's of no real importance. You should be in bed now anyway. I will walk you back. Professor Snape is probably still lurking about somewhere."
Hermione's eyes widened slightly as she remembered something. "What about the detention he gave me? It wasn't my fault."
Professor McGonagall's face lit up vaguely. "A detention, eh? Yes, of course.
You will serve it with me tomorrow night around 8."
* * *
He moved through the darkness silently and swiftly like the demon within him.
It was time for Angel to meet up with an old friend.
"Angelus! Angelus, sir!" the weak, little wizard called from somewhere in the darkness.
"Wormtail," Angel growled. "Show yourself."
The man stepped calmly out of the shadows, his wand clutched behind his back.
Angel grabbed Wormtail by the neck and snarled, "Give me one reason I shouldn't snap you like the worthless rat you are."
"Angelus! Sir, please have mercy!" Wormtail cried out in pain as Angel gripped him harder.
"You think I don't know what you have done? You don't deserve to live."
"I know! I know I don't! That's why I came to you. I know what you do for a living. You help people. Well, I need help. I want to be good again. Like I was when you knew me."
Angel glared at him for a moment, then slowly put him down.
Wormtail seized his chance and pointed his wand directly at Angel. "Removo Soul"
Angel fell down in pain.
Wormtail squatted next to him and cautiously asked, "Angelus?"
Angel raised his head. A look of genuine fury in his eyes. He put his arm around Wormtail in a brotherly style.
"Thanks, man! I owe you my life! Actually, that would be my un-life."
Wormtail's face lit up. "The Master will be so happy to have you on board, Sir. We'll leave for England immediantly"
Crack Wormtail's neck snapped and he toppled to the ground.
Angelus stood up and glanced at the lifeless body of his "friend". "I've never been one for taking orders."
"Angelus!" A woman called from behind him.
Angelus walked over to Darla and Drusilla. He kissed Darla and smiled at Drusilla.
"Is it really you?" Darla asked uncertainly.
"It is! It is!" Drusilla cried. "I felt his pain. Poor, poor Angelus. That nasty soul is so very painful."
"Angelus?" Darla asked again.
"It's me," he replied huskily, taking Darla in his arms.
"The family's back together!" Drusilla exclaimed happily. "Daddy, Grandmother, and me. But, what about my Spike?"
"We'll get him for you, Dru," Angelus said slyly. "I've been wanting to get back to Sunnydale."
To Be Continued…
Author: Hope
Disclaimer:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FOX, and the WB.
Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Scholastic.
I do NOT own them.
The sun had just set as Spike made his way toward The Bronze. He hoped Buffy would be there.
He wanted to make sure she wasn't mad at him because of the other night with the troll.
Spike couldn't believe he actually cared what the Slayer thought of him, but he did despite his constant mental attempts not to.
"Oh well." he thought "She doesn't care enough to even notice I care about her."
* * *
"What?" Hermione asked. Her eyes widened slightly.
Buffy looked at her for a moment before replying, "A Vampire Slayer. One who slays vampires."
Hermione just looked at her.
"Into every generation, a Slayer is born.
One girl in all the world with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of evil."
Buffy recited. It was a speech she knew all too well.
"Who are you?" Hermione asked fearfully.
Buffy couldn't blame her. She'd been pretty freaked out when she had been informed of her destiny. "Buffy Summers. The other Slayer."
"I thought you said there was only one girl," Hermione replied. A slight smile crawled across her face.
"Ok, who set you up to this?"
"What-" Buffy started.
"It was Malfoy, right? Or maybe Ron and Harry. Nah, they wouldn't do this. Fred and George! It was them, right?"
"It was no one," Buffy replied calmly. "Do you know where"
She pulled out a small sheet of paper with the name Whistler had given her. "Professor McGonagall is?"
Hermione looked slightly startled at this. "She's probably in her office."
"Can you take me there?"
Hermione nodded and they left the room together.
* * *
A band was playing loudly on stage, but Spike didn't notice. He was too busy looking for Buffy to notice anything else around him.
"Spike!" a voice called. He turned around to see Xander and Anya standing a few feet behind him. "Twice in one week," Xander continued. "What are you doing here?"
"Thought I'd get a little snack," Spike said in his usual sarcastic way.
"But, you can't bight," Anya said so loudly several people turned to look at them. "Can you?" she continued a little quieter.
Spike just glared at her.
"Hey guys!" Willow exclaimed as she and Tara made their way over to the group.
Everyone greeted the girls and sat down at a vacant table.
"So, where's the Slayer?" Spike asked. "Not that I care or anything like that." He added hastily.
"You won't find her here." Whistler said as he glided up to the group.
"I sent her to England. She should be calling the new Slayer about now."
"New Slayer?" Tara asked, a note of confusion in her voice.
"That's what normally happens when another Slayer dies." Whistler replied.
"Buffy!" Spike exclaimed nervously. Everyone looked at him in shock.
"Faith," Whistler responded gravely.
Everyone sat in silence as this sunk in.
* * *
"Miss Granger!" the unmistakable voice of Professor Snape called from behind them. "Sneaking around after hours, are you?"
"Um, I was just going to see Professor McGonagall," Hermione said quietly.
"Been around Potter and Weasley too much," Snape continued, ignoring her comment. "Detention and 10 points from Gryffindor."
"But-" Hermione started.
"Let's make it 15 then," Snape paused as he suddenly saw Buffy standing uncomfortabley behind Hermione. "Do I know you?" He snarled.
"Oh. I don't go here," Buffy answered.
"Bringing in outsiders as well, Granger?" Snape exclaimed. "Well, I think Professor Dumbledore should hear about this."
Snape began to lead them toward Dumbledore's office, when a stern voice behind them said, "I'll take it from here, Severus."
Snape shrugged and Professor McGonagall motioned for Hermione and Buffy to follow her into her office.
Once she had closed the door, she exclaimed in an excited voice,
"A Slayer!" She looked at Hermione with pride in her eyes. "We haven't had a Slayer here since-"
The excitement faded from her face for a moment, but just as quickly came back. "Well, it has been awhile since our last Slayer."
"You mean, I really am a Slayer?" Hermione asked quietly.
Professor McGonagall looked confused for a moment, then turned to Buffy. "Whistler sent me an Owl saying you were going to tell her."
"I did," Buffy replied. "She didn't believe me."
The excitement vanished completely from Professor McGonagall's face and her normal stern expression came back.
Hermione gulped nervously. "Have a seat, Miss Granger. We have much to tell you."
* * *
The moon shown brightly in the sky as Drusilla danced around the room. Darla sat calmly in a chair thinking.
"Psst. Psst." Drusilla whispered to Darla. "I see destruction, death, and disaster."
"That's nice, Dru," Darla muttered. She was too deep in her thoughts to really care.
"The end. It is coming. Can't you feel it?"
"Of course," Darla said absentmindedly.
"I knew you could, Grandmother!" Drusilla exclaimed excitedly. "Can you feel the impending doom as well?"
Darla looked up. A wicked smile crossed her face. "Doom? Anything to do with my Angelus?"
* * *
Hermione glanced at the book Professor McGonagall had placed in front of her. It was called "The Slayer Handbook".
"That will tell you the basics of your destiny." Professor McGonagall told her.
"The rules, ways to fight, that sort of thing."
"Fight?" Hermione asked tensely. "I have to fight?"
"Slaying vampires requires a little fighting," Buffy said in an amused tone.
"I don't know how to fight." Hermione looked nervous at the idea.
"The Handbook will explain everything," Professor McGonagall said reassuringly. "Right, Buffy?"
"Well, actually, I've never used the handbook." Buffy said sheepishly.
Professor McGonagall stared at her in horror. A Slayer who didn't use the Handbook!
"I'm more of a learn from experience type of person," she continued.
"I like books," Hermione said as she flipped through the Handbook. It was all so confusing.
Not like the magic she was used to. Stakes, crossbows, demons, and-
"I can't tell anyone what I am?" She asked as she looked at the chapter on secret identity.
"Of course not," Professor McGonagall said. "Secrecy is one of the most sacred parts of being a Slayer."
"But, what about my friends?" She asked. "Can I tell them?"
"Not even Potter and Weasley can know," McGonagall replied as though she could read Hermione's mind.
Buffy smiled encouragingly at Hermione. "You can tell them if they get suspicious.
Like, my friends know 'cause I slayed in front of them.
People don't generally believe you when you say that guy you just drove a pointy stick through didn't really just explode."
"Explode?" Hermione said.
"Into dust," Buffy confirmed. "Vamps are really just walking corpses with a demon soul. Sunlight, beheading, wood to the heart will all dust 'em."
"Perhaps it would be best if you showed her what you mean," McGonagall said thoughtfully. She wasn't completely oblivious to the frightened expression on Hermione's face.
"You mean, like kill a vampire in front of her?" Buffy asked.
"Perhaps," McGonagall said. "Whistler said you got here by Floo powder. You will not be able to do that again.
I imagine the Gryffindor house has already been removed from the Floo Network. Hogwarts is not supposed to be on it at all."
Buffy nodded and said, "Whistler has a connection and they put the chimney on it for a day."
"I have a charm you can use to come back with." McGonagall reached into her desk and pulled out a small circular charm. "Just hold it and say Hogwarts when you want to come here. Or Sunnydale when you want to return home."
"But, I thought you couldn't enter Hogwarts that way," Hermione pointed out. "At least that's what "Hogwarts, A History" says."
"This is a Atosma Charm," the Professor stated. "It can be used to overcome the magical barriers if the user does not mean to cause any harm. It is not well-known because it can be misused very easily."
Buffy yawned and said, "I should go home. I'm exhausted."
"Come back tomorrow night. Around noon your time." McGonagall ordered.
"Yes, ma'am," Buffy said sarcastically. Professor McGonagall frowned. "I'm gonna go home." She yawned again.
She picked up the charm and said, "Sunnydale." A second later, she was gone.
Hermione turned to Professor McGonagall and asked, "Who was the other Slayer that went here?"
McGonagall looked startled for a moment, then absentmindedly said, "Oh, of course. I did mention her, didn't I?"
Hermione nodded eagerly.
"Well, it's of no real importance. You should be in bed now anyway. I will walk you back. Professor Snape is probably still lurking about somewhere."
Hermione's eyes widened slightly as she remembered something. "What about the detention he gave me? It wasn't my fault."
Professor McGonagall's face lit up vaguely. "A detention, eh? Yes, of course.
You will serve it with me tomorrow night around 8."
* * *
He moved through the darkness silently and swiftly like the demon within him.
It was time for Angel to meet up with an old friend.
"Angelus! Angelus, sir!" the weak, little wizard called from somewhere in the darkness.
"Wormtail," Angel growled. "Show yourself."
The man stepped calmly out of the shadows, his wand clutched behind his back.
Angel grabbed Wormtail by the neck and snarled, "Give me one reason I shouldn't snap you like the worthless rat you are."
"Angelus! Sir, please have mercy!" Wormtail cried out in pain as Angel gripped him harder.
"You think I don't know what you have done? You don't deserve to live."
"I know! I know I don't! That's why I came to you. I know what you do for a living. You help people. Well, I need help. I want to be good again. Like I was when you knew me."
Angel glared at him for a moment, then slowly put him down.
Wormtail seized his chance and pointed his wand directly at Angel. "Removo Soul"
Angel fell down in pain.
Wormtail squatted next to him and cautiously asked, "Angelus?"
Angel raised his head. A look of genuine fury in his eyes. He put his arm around Wormtail in a brotherly style.
"Thanks, man! I owe you my life! Actually, that would be my un-life."
Wormtail's face lit up. "The Master will be so happy to have you on board, Sir. We'll leave for England immediantly"
Crack Wormtail's neck snapped and he toppled to the ground.
Angelus stood up and glanced at the lifeless body of his "friend". "I've never been one for taking orders."
"Angelus!" A woman called from behind him.
Angelus walked over to Darla and Drusilla. He kissed Darla and smiled at Drusilla.
"Is it really you?" Darla asked uncertainly.
"It is! It is!" Drusilla cried. "I felt his pain. Poor, poor Angelus. That nasty soul is so very painful."
"Angelus?" Darla asked again.
"It's me," he replied huskily, taking Darla in his arms.
"The family's back together!" Drusilla exclaimed happily. "Daddy, Grandmother, and me. But, what about my Spike?"
"We'll get him for you, Dru," Angelus said slyly. "I've been wanting to get back to Sunnydale."
To Be Continued…