Title: The Hermione Chronicles: Danger Ahead pt. 3
Author: Hope
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Scholastic. Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FOX, and the WB. I do NOT own them.
"The truth will come out eventually. You can't keep pretending," the woman exclaimed.
The man gazed at her a moment before replying with his usual eerie confidence, "Lily, my dear, do you really think anyone will suspect me? I am one of the most highly respected wizards of our time. You of all people must know that."
Lily shifted uncomfortabley. She clutched her wand tighter while making sure it was out of his sight. "Why did you come to me, Tom? What could you possibly want from me?"
Tom stared at her viciously. He reached out and stroked her hair with his bony, cold hand. "The one girl in all the world with the strength to overcome any obstacles in her way. What could I possibly want from her?"
"It is not my job anymore. Catherine is the one you should be talking to."
"Catherine is an idiot. Always has been, always will be. Just as you are still the Slayer. The essence is still in you." He said in that wise tone he had always used when she was his Slayer.
"You are mad!" she exclaimed.
He chuckled calmly. "Perhaps I am. Mad with power. Has a certain ring to it, does it not?"
Lily eased her way toward the door. She had to get out before it was too late. "I won't do it."
"I haven't asked you to," Tom whispered. "You should be honored I would think of you, Lily. I have some of the most powerful in the land on my side. Without me you will die. Just as you would have back then…" his voice drifted off.
"I am not the same girl I was then. I know of your ways now. You have no power over me anymore," she insisted.
Tom turned away thoughtfully for a moment. Lily seized the oppurtunity and ran out the door. Tom stood in the doorway watching her run through the streets. Behind her, she heard Tom yell, "You can run, Lily Potter, but it will do you no good. My people are everywhere. You will be dead within the week." He paused. "Send my best to James and Harry."
From opposite ends of the earth, two Slayers stirred violently in their sleep.
* * *
The wind rustled harshly through the tree Spike was perched in and almost made him lose his balance. Spike had stayed at the Bronze until they closed and the manager kicked him out. He had then gone for a walk, only to end up standing outside Buffy's house. He had watched as she appeared out of nowhere clutching a small circular object.
After he was sure she was safely in bed, he climbed the tree outside her window and had been up there ever since. He loved watching her sleep. She seemed so peaceful.
Suddenly, the serenity of the moment was broken and Buffy starting thrashing around viciously in her covers. Spike didn't think twice before breaking the window open and jumping into the room.
The crash of him hitting the ground woke Buffy up. "Spike!" she screamed. "What the hell are you doing?"
He pulled himself up nervously. "Hi, Buffy," he whispered.
She stared at the broken glass and wood scattered around her floor. "What were you thinking?" she screeched.
"I was um passing by and I saw you were having a bad dream, so I thought I'd-"
"Burst in here like Batman and my big, brave white knight all rolled into one?"
"Well, yeah… I was only trying to help."
Buffy's face didn't soften even the slightest. "Help? I don't need *your* help."
"Right. I keep forgetting. You're a big girl now."
She pulled herself out of bed and started to pick up the pieces of wood, not even noticing the glass cutting her feet. "Get out of here." she ordered.
Spike watched her for a moment, then pulled himself back through the empty windowframe.
*What was I thinking?* Spike thought angrily as he walked back to his crypt. *She'll never care for me.*
Suddenly, a hand clasped his shoulder tightly. "Spike, old boy, long time no see."
* * *
The Great Hall buzzed with conversation as the students ate breakfast, but Hermione wasn't paying attention. Her eyes kept drooping and she felt like someone was hitting her head with a sledgehammer.
"Hey, Harry," Ron said. "Did you do the Divination homework?"
"The one about people's dreams? I just asked Hagrid about his. He had lots of strange ones to tell about." Harry answered while scooping some scrambled eggs onto his plate.
"I still need two more," Ron replied. He turned to everyone else at the table. "Anyone dream about anything last night?"
Lavender giggled and said, "Hermione did. She kept us-" she gestured to herself and the other 5th year girls "up all night."
Hermione lifted her head off the table at the sound of her head off the table at the sound of her name. "I did?"
Parvati nodded. "I heard you crying in your sleep."
Hermione felt her face heat up. "Did I say anything?" she asked cautiously.
"Hmm…" Parvati bunched her face up as though she was concentrating really hard. "I think you did, but I couldn't understand any of it."
Ron pulled out a roll of parchment and a pen. "So, Hermione, what was your dream about?"
"What do you need people's dreams for?" Hermione asked trying to stall for time.
"We're gonna decode 'em in clash," Harry answered through a mouthful of eggs.
"Eww! Harry you sprayed me!" Lavender shrieked, rubbing at a tiny fleck on her robe.
"Sorry," Harry said sheepishly.
"Hi everyone!" Ginny exclaimed as she walked over to the table with Fred and George.
"We were just having a debate," George said.
"We say Sirius Black is hiding in the Ministry of Magic," Fred told everyone.
"And I think he's probably dead," Ginny continued.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged an amused glance as everyone at the table started chattering about their theories of Sirius' location which included alien abduction, capture by pirates, and the possibility that he had never existed to begin with.
Hermione gathered her books up and stood up. "I'm going to the library," she told Harry and Ron. Then, before Ron could remember to ask about her dream, she hurried out of the Great Hall.
* * *
"My Lord!" Lucius Malfoy exclaimed as he bowed to Voldemort. "I have some news for you."
The shadowy figure in the corner stepped forward gracefully. "What is it?"
Malfoy looked startled for a moment at the sight of Voldemort. His strength was growing with everyday. Today, he looked particularly strong with a glowing face and eyes. "It's Wormtail, Sir. The police in California found his body today. His neck was snapped."
Voldemort's face grew colder all of the sudden. He looked past Malfoy almost as though he was seeing something no one else could see. "Wormtail was a good servant. Not the most faithful, but he did his best for our noble cause. He will be missed."
Lucius nodded and bowed his head in respect. "He will."
"Was there any news of Angelus?"
Lucius lifted his head and nodded. "They found Wormtail's wand. I apparated to California and retrieved it from the police this morning. The last spell done on it was the one you ordered."
Voldemort's face lightened a little. "Then, life will be more complicated for the Slayer I imagine. She will not pose a threat for us. Rather, with the help of Angelus she could be of great use. A Slayer's blood would greatly add to this potion." He gestered to a cauldron a few feet away from them.
"There is another Slayer-"
"Yes, but she is in a Muggle prision. She cannot do anything from there."
Lucius glanced around nervously. He hated delivering bad news to his Master. "There is a new Slayer. That one is dead."
Lucius studied Voldemort's face carefully. Part of him wanted to see a sign of nervousness. Something to prove he still had human emotions. Instead, the expression did not change even a little. "Who is she?" Voldemort asked coldly.
"We are not positive. But, they say she is either a young girl in Japan, Brazil, or the most popular rumor is she goes to Hogwarts."
Interest flickered through Voldemort's eyes. "Hogwarts?" he asked.
Lucius nodded eagerly. His Lord seemed almost happy at this idea. "In fact, some say she is a friend of Harry Potter's."
The interest in his eyes quickly changed to fury. "Then, we must kill her." he said simply.
"Sir, we are not positive. Our contact at the Watcher's Council did not even know a new Slayer had been called. Our only proof of a new Slayer is the death of the old one."
Voldemort spun around viciously. "We will kill this girl. Her death will cause pain for Harry and possibly will give us the blood we need. Find who she is and kill her."
Lucius stepped back slightly. He had never seen such determination in his Lord's eyes before. "Yes, My Lord." He whispered and turned to leave.
Oh, and Lucius," Voldemort called after him. "If she lives, you will die." Lucius nodded dimly. "This is a war we are fighting now. I will only keep those who are loyal, willing, and able." Lucius nodded again and hurried off. "May the combat begin." Voldemort said frostily before turning back to his potion.
* * *
The Birth and Death of a Sea Serpent, Transylvanian Myths through the Ages, How to Evolve- Yourself!
Hermione scanned the titles of several books in the library, hoping to find the one she was looking for. She had seen it several times before, but it had never stood out. Probably because it did not interest her to read The Vampire Slayers' Chronicles before now.
The dream Hermione had had the night before kept playing in her head. She had never believed in the reality of dreams, that was something someone like Professor Trelawney would do, but this dream had *felt* real. At last Hermione spotted the book she wanted and carried it over to an empty table.
She flopped it open to the back and was surprised to see a drawing of herself on it. The page said her name, when she became the Slayer, her location, and had blank spaces after the places for Watcher, Greatest Accomplishments, Weapon of Choice, and Weaknesses.
Her page and the others before it looked new in comparison to the first pages. Some looked ancient. Hermione guessed that a new page was added magically everytime a new Slayer was called.
Hermione flipped past the pages with previous Slayers, including Buffy's, Faith's, and Kendra's. She paused briefly to look at the page with Buffy on it. It had her birthdate, the date she had been "called", then it said Death and Rebirth. The date was the same in both of these places. Buffy's list of Greatest Accomplishments was significantly longer than the Faith or Kendra's. She also had a longer list of Weaknesses. Hermione made a mental note to tell Buffy about this.
After flipping through several more pages, Hermione came to the page she wanted- Lily Potter's, or as she was known then, Lily Thomas.
In a way, seeing the page made Hermione feel triumphant. She had discovered who the other Hogwarts Slayer had been and learned that dream did not mean she was going insane. But, it also caused more problems for her. More than anything, Hermione wanted to tell Harry about his mother. But, in doing so he'd want to know how she'd found out. She could say she was reading the book for fun, but then he'd want to see the part about his mother. And then he might see the part about her. It was too much of a risk to take.
Hermione scanned the page about Lily. As the dream had shown her, Tom Riddle had been Lily's Watcher. The book told about Lily's accomplishments during her time as a Slayer. She had saved the world once, killed 1,346 demons, and discovered a new technique of fighting. Hermione was about to close the book when she noticed a folded up piece of paper. She opened it and read an old article from the Daily Prophet:
Embarrassment at the Watcher's Council
"If ever there was a time for the Watcher's Council to be taken off their high throne, it is now." Says Margaret Myers, former member of the Council.
Rumors have been circulating the wizardry community since Friday's announcement from the Watcher's Council, a group based in England which monitors the happenings of the Vampire Slayer.
For those of you who have been living under a rock the last five days here is a recap of the pronouncement. About three months ago, suspicion began to be aroused about the current Watcher, Tom Riddle. Riddle was accused of practicing the Dark Arts and misusing the power of the Slayer. Riddle disappeared shortly after these accusations were made and has not been heard from since.
According to authorities, Riddle is not to be taken lightly. He has shown signs of great power in both the Dark Arts and in regular wizardry. He was top of his class while at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he was considered a model student. In fact, nearly everyone who knew Riddle then would not recognize him says an anonymous source. After leaving Hogwarts, Riddle traveled on his own for a few years before joining the Watcher's Council. It is believed he had an interest in the Dark Arts while at Hogwarts and pursued this interest after leaving the school, even while under the power of the Council. Being a Watcher brought several oppurtunities to Riddle. It gave him a good reputation with many of our community. It also allowed him to meet others like him, though he was supposed to help the Slayer fight them.
Reports show the Watcher's Council did not complete the testing of Tom Riddle for his position on the Council. Minerva McGonagall, currently a teacher at Hogwarts and former secretary for the Watcher's Council, remembers the day Riddle came for his testing. "I had heard of his great reputation within the wizarding community and was surprised he would want to become a Watcher," McGonagall states. "His tests did not take as long as other applicants' did. I was suspicious of this, but did not question it as it was not my place to decide."
Riddle's Slayer, Lily Thomas, has been stripped of her Slayer powers in a scandal which shocked our community and brought back an ancient ritual which has not been done for four thousand years since Khulya-Ghan used her strength to kill her family.
The ritual removes the strength and power of the Slayer to allow the next Slayer to be called. It is a dangerous procedure for all involved and is only used in extreme cases.
Quentin Travers, a member of the Council, states, "While Ms. Thomas has not shown any signs of following in the ways of her Watcher, we at the Council felt it would be safest for everyone to allow the next Slayer to be called. Riddle's influence must not be understimated. Anyone associated with him will be kept under close watch. Ms. Thomas has made a tremendous impact on our lives and has shown a well-above average talent for slaying. She will be greatly missed by the Watcher's Council."
Those who know Lily Thomas say she is a normal teenage girl who would never go to "the dark side". Her teachers claim she is a bright girl with a good imagination. Her fellow students, who were unaware of her destiny until the scandal came forward, did not suspect anything was different about her. "Lily is just like us," says James Potter, one of Lily's classmates. "It is ridiculous that anyone would think she could be in league with [Tom] Riddle."
In conclusion, we at the "Daily Prophet" would like to plead, along with the Watcher's Council, for anyone with the location of Tom Riddle to please come forward.
"Hey! Hermione!" Ron's voice called. Hermione looked up from the article to see Ron and Harry hurrying over to her. Quickly, Hermione shoved the article back in the book and snapped it shut, making sure to put her hand over the title.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked. "Not more S.P.E.W. stuff?"
Hermione place the book back on the shelf and said, "No. I was just um reading some things for extra credit."
"Well, you've been reading for awhile," Harry told her. "Transfiguration started thirty minutes ago. Professor McGonagall sent us to find you. We figured you might still be in here."
Hermione's mind snapped out of the stupor it had been in since she started reading. "It did?" she gasped. She had never been this late for a class before. She grabbed her books and ran out of the library before Harry or Ron could say another word.
From the corner of the library, Albus Dumbledore watched the three hurry out of the library, a look of triumph on his face.
* * *
The door to the Magic Box slammed shut as Buffy hurried inside. She had about an hour until she had to leave for England. "Giles?" she called, glancing around the unusally vacant shop. "Anya?"
Buffy wandered around the store searching for any sign of life, but no one was in sight.
She opened the door to her training room and gasped at what she saw. Giles, Anya, Willow, and about 12 customers were all lying unconscious across the back of the room.
Buffy pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed 911. The operator had just picked up when she heard the cold voice behind her- "Hello lover."
Buffy screamed in agony as Angelus' teeth sunk deeply into her neck.
To Be Continued...
Author: Hope
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Scholastic. Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, FOX, and the WB. I do NOT own them.
"The truth will come out eventually. You can't keep pretending," the woman exclaimed.
The man gazed at her a moment before replying with his usual eerie confidence, "Lily, my dear, do you really think anyone will suspect me? I am one of the most highly respected wizards of our time. You of all people must know that."
Lily shifted uncomfortabley. She clutched her wand tighter while making sure it was out of his sight. "Why did you come to me, Tom? What could you possibly want from me?"
Tom stared at her viciously. He reached out and stroked her hair with his bony, cold hand. "The one girl in all the world with the strength to overcome any obstacles in her way. What could I possibly want from her?"
"It is not my job anymore. Catherine is the one you should be talking to."
"Catherine is an idiot. Always has been, always will be. Just as you are still the Slayer. The essence is still in you." He said in that wise tone he had always used when she was his Slayer.
"You are mad!" she exclaimed.
He chuckled calmly. "Perhaps I am. Mad with power. Has a certain ring to it, does it not?"
Lily eased her way toward the door. She had to get out before it was too late. "I won't do it."
"I haven't asked you to," Tom whispered. "You should be honored I would think of you, Lily. I have some of the most powerful in the land on my side. Without me you will die. Just as you would have back then…" his voice drifted off.
"I am not the same girl I was then. I know of your ways now. You have no power over me anymore," she insisted.
Tom turned away thoughtfully for a moment. Lily seized the oppurtunity and ran out the door. Tom stood in the doorway watching her run through the streets. Behind her, she heard Tom yell, "You can run, Lily Potter, but it will do you no good. My people are everywhere. You will be dead within the week." He paused. "Send my best to James and Harry."
From opposite ends of the earth, two Slayers stirred violently in their sleep.
* * *
The wind rustled harshly through the tree Spike was perched in and almost made him lose his balance. Spike had stayed at the Bronze until they closed and the manager kicked him out. He had then gone for a walk, only to end up standing outside Buffy's house. He had watched as she appeared out of nowhere clutching a small circular object.
After he was sure she was safely in bed, he climbed the tree outside her window and had been up there ever since. He loved watching her sleep. She seemed so peaceful.
Suddenly, the serenity of the moment was broken and Buffy starting thrashing around viciously in her covers. Spike didn't think twice before breaking the window open and jumping into the room.
The crash of him hitting the ground woke Buffy up. "Spike!" she screamed. "What the hell are you doing?"
He pulled himself up nervously. "Hi, Buffy," he whispered.
She stared at the broken glass and wood scattered around her floor. "What were you thinking?" she screeched.
"I was um passing by and I saw you were having a bad dream, so I thought I'd-"
"Burst in here like Batman and my big, brave white knight all rolled into one?"
"Well, yeah… I was only trying to help."
Buffy's face didn't soften even the slightest. "Help? I don't need *your* help."
"Right. I keep forgetting. You're a big girl now."
She pulled herself out of bed and started to pick up the pieces of wood, not even noticing the glass cutting her feet. "Get out of here." she ordered.
Spike watched her for a moment, then pulled himself back through the empty windowframe.
*What was I thinking?* Spike thought angrily as he walked back to his crypt. *She'll never care for me.*
Suddenly, a hand clasped his shoulder tightly. "Spike, old boy, long time no see."
* * *
The Great Hall buzzed with conversation as the students ate breakfast, but Hermione wasn't paying attention. Her eyes kept drooping and she felt like someone was hitting her head with a sledgehammer.
"Hey, Harry," Ron said. "Did you do the Divination homework?"
"The one about people's dreams? I just asked Hagrid about his. He had lots of strange ones to tell about." Harry answered while scooping some scrambled eggs onto his plate.
"I still need two more," Ron replied. He turned to everyone else at the table. "Anyone dream about anything last night?"
Lavender giggled and said, "Hermione did. She kept us-" she gestured to herself and the other 5th year girls "up all night."
Hermione lifted her head off the table at the sound of her head off the table at the sound of her name. "I did?"
Parvati nodded. "I heard you crying in your sleep."
Hermione felt her face heat up. "Did I say anything?" she asked cautiously.
"Hmm…" Parvati bunched her face up as though she was concentrating really hard. "I think you did, but I couldn't understand any of it."
Ron pulled out a roll of parchment and a pen. "So, Hermione, what was your dream about?"
"What do you need people's dreams for?" Hermione asked trying to stall for time.
"We're gonna decode 'em in clash," Harry answered through a mouthful of eggs.
"Eww! Harry you sprayed me!" Lavender shrieked, rubbing at a tiny fleck on her robe.
"Sorry," Harry said sheepishly.
"Hi everyone!" Ginny exclaimed as she walked over to the table with Fred and George.
"We were just having a debate," George said.
"We say Sirius Black is hiding in the Ministry of Magic," Fred told everyone.
"And I think he's probably dead," Ginny continued.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged an amused glance as everyone at the table started chattering about their theories of Sirius' location which included alien abduction, capture by pirates, and the possibility that he had never existed to begin with.
Hermione gathered her books up and stood up. "I'm going to the library," she told Harry and Ron. Then, before Ron could remember to ask about her dream, she hurried out of the Great Hall.
* * *
"My Lord!" Lucius Malfoy exclaimed as he bowed to Voldemort. "I have some news for you."
The shadowy figure in the corner stepped forward gracefully. "What is it?"
Malfoy looked startled for a moment at the sight of Voldemort. His strength was growing with everyday. Today, he looked particularly strong with a glowing face and eyes. "It's Wormtail, Sir. The police in California found his body today. His neck was snapped."
Voldemort's face grew colder all of the sudden. He looked past Malfoy almost as though he was seeing something no one else could see. "Wormtail was a good servant. Not the most faithful, but he did his best for our noble cause. He will be missed."
Lucius nodded and bowed his head in respect. "He will."
"Was there any news of Angelus?"
Lucius lifted his head and nodded. "They found Wormtail's wand. I apparated to California and retrieved it from the police this morning. The last spell done on it was the one you ordered."
Voldemort's face lightened a little. "Then, life will be more complicated for the Slayer I imagine. She will not pose a threat for us. Rather, with the help of Angelus she could be of great use. A Slayer's blood would greatly add to this potion." He gestered to a cauldron a few feet away from them.
"There is another Slayer-"
"Yes, but she is in a Muggle prision. She cannot do anything from there."
Lucius glanced around nervously. He hated delivering bad news to his Master. "There is a new Slayer. That one is dead."
Lucius studied Voldemort's face carefully. Part of him wanted to see a sign of nervousness. Something to prove he still had human emotions. Instead, the expression did not change even a little. "Who is she?" Voldemort asked coldly.
"We are not positive. But, they say she is either a young girl in Japan, Brazil, or the most popular rumor is she goes to Hogwarts."
Interest flickered through Voldemort's eyes. "Hogwarts?" he asked.
Lucius nodded eagerly. His Lord seemed almost happy at this idea. "In fact, some say she is a friend of Harry Potter's."
The interest in his eyes quickly changed to fury. "Then, we must kill her." he said simply.
"Sir, we are not positive. Our contact at the Watcher's Council did not even know a new Slayer had been called. Our only proof of a new Slayer is the death of the old one."
Voldemort spun around viciously. "We will kill this girl. Her death will cause pain for Harry and possibly will give us the blood we need. Find who she is and kill her."
Lucius stepped back slightly. He had never seen such determination in his Lord's eyes before. "Yes, My Lord." He whispered and turned to leave.
Oh, and Lucius," Voldemort called after him. "If she lives, you will die." Lucius nodded dimly. "This is a war we are fighting now. I will only keep those who are loyal, willing, and able." Lucius nodded again and hurried off. "May the combat begin." Voldemort said frostily before turning back to his potion.
* * *
The Birth and Death of a Sea Serpent, Transylvanian Myths through the Ages, How to Evolve- Yourself!
Hermione scanned the titles of several books in the library, hoping to find the one she was looking for. She had seen it several times before, but it had never stood out. Probably because it did not interest her to read The Vampire Slayers' Chronicles before now.
The dream Hermione had had the night before kept playing in her head. She had never believed in the reality of dreams, that was something someone like Professor Trelawney would do, but this dream had *felt* real. At last Hermione spotted the book she wanted and carried it over to an empty table.
She flopped it open to the back and was surprised to see a drawing of herself on it. The page said her name, when she became the Slayer, her location, and had blank spaces after the places for Watcher, Greatest Accomplishments, Weapon of Choice, and Weaknesses.
Her page and the others before it looked new in comparison to the first pages. Some looked ancient. Hermione guessed that a new page was added magically everytime a new Slayer was called.
Hermione flipped past the pages with previous Slayers, including Buffy's, Faith's, and Kendra's. She paused briefly to look at the page with Buffy on it. It had her birthdate, the date she had been "called", then it said Death and Rebirth. The date was the same in both of these places. Buffy's list of Greatest Accomplishments was significantly longer than the Faith or Kendra's. She also had a longer list of Weaknesses. Hermione made a mental note to tell Buffy about this.
After flipping through several more pages, Hermione came to the page she wanted- Lily Potter's, or as she was known then, Lily Thomas.
In a way, seeing the page made Hermione feel triumphant. She had discovered who the other Hogwarts Slayer had been and learned that dream did not mean she was going insane. But, it also caused more problems for her. More than anything, Hermione wanted to tell Harry about his mother. But, in doing so he'd want to know how she'd found out. She could say she was reading the book for fun, but then he'd want to see the part about his mother. And then he might see the part about her. It was too much of a risk to take.
Hermione scanned the page about Lily. As the dream had shown her, Tom Riddle had been Lily's Watcher. The book told about Lily's accomplishments during her time as a Slayer. She had saved the world once, killed 1,346 demons, and discovered a new technique of fighting. Hermione was about to close the book when she noticed a folded up piece of paper. She opened it and read an old article from the Daily Prophet:
Embarrassment at the Watcher's Council
"If ever there was a time for the Watcher's Council to be taken off their high throne, it is now." Says Margaret Myers, former member of the Council.
Rumors have been circulating the wizardry community since Friday's announcement from the Watcher's Council, a group based in England which monitors the happenings of the Vampire Slayer.
For those of you who have been living under a rock the last five days here is a recap of the pronouncement. About three months ago, suspicion began to be aroused about the current Watcher, Tom Riddle. Riddle was accused of practicing the Dark Arts and misusing the power of the Slayer. Riddle disappeared shortly after these accusations were made and has not been heard from since.
According to authorities, Riddle is not to be taken lightly. He has shown signs of great power in both the Dark Arts and in regular wizardry. He was top of his class while at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he was considered a model student. In fact, nearly everyone who knew Riddle then would not recognize him says an anonymous source. After leaving Hogwarts, Riddle traveled on his own for a few years before joining the Watcher's Council. It is believed he had an interest in the Dark Arts while at Hogwarts and pursued this interest after leaving the school, even while under the power of the Council. Being a Watcher brought several oppurtunities to Riddle. It gave him a good reputation with many of our community. It also allowed him to meet others like him, though he was supposed to help the Slayer fight them.
Reports show the Watcher's Council did not complete the testing of Tom Riddle for his position on the Council. Minerva McGonagall, currently a teacher at Hogwarts and former secretary for the Watcher's Council, remembers the day Riddle came for his testing. "I had heard of his great reputation within the wizarding community and was surprised he would want to become a Watcher," McGonagall states. "His tests did not take as long as other applicants' did. I was suspicious of this, but did not question it as it was not my place to decide."
Riddle's Slayer, Lily Thomas, has been stripped of her Slayer powers in a scandal which shocked our community and brought back an ancient ritual which has not been done for four thousand years since Khulya-Ghan used her strength to kill her family.
The ritual removes the strength and power of the Slayer to allow the next Slayer to be called. It is a dangerous procedure for all involved and is only used in extreme cases.
Quentin Travers, a member of the Council, states, "While Ms. Thomas has not shown any signs of following in the ways of her Watcher, we at the Council felt it would be safest for everyone to allow the next Slayer to be called. Riddle's influence must not be understimated. Anyone associated with him will be kept under close watch. Ms. Thomas has made a tremendous impact on our lives and has shown a well-above average talent for slaying. She will be greatly missed by the Watcher's Council."
Those who know Lily Thomas say she is a normal teenage girl who would never go to "the dark side". Her teachers claim she is a bright girl with a good imagination. Her fellow students, who were unaware of her destiny until the scandal came forward, did not suspect anything was different about her. "Lily is just like us," says James Potter, one of Lily's classmates. "It is ridiculous that anyone would think she could be in league with [Tom] Riddle."
In conclusion, we at the "Daily Prophet" would like to plead, along with the Watcher's Council, for anyone with the location of Tom Riddle to please come forward.
"Hey! Hermione!" Ron's voice called. Hermione looked up from the article to see Ron and Harry hurrying over to her. Quickly, Hermione shoved the article back in the book and snapped it shut, making sure to put her hand over the title.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked. "Not more S.P.E.W. stuff?"
Hermione place the book back on the shelf and said, "No. I was just um reading some things for extra credit."
"Well, you've been reading for awhile," Harry told her. "Transfiguration started thirty minutes ago. Professor McGonagall sent us to find you. We figured you might still be in here."
Hermione's mind snapped out of the stupor it had been in since she started reading. "It did?" she gasped. She had never been this late for a class before. She grabbed her books and ran out of the library before Harry or Ron could say another word.
From the corner of the library, Albus Dumbledore watched the three hurry out of the library, a look of triumph on his face.
* * *
The door to the Magic Box slammed shut as Buffy hurried inside. She had about an hour until she had to leave for England. "Giles?" she called, glancing around the unusally vacant shop. "Anya?"
Buffy wandered around the store searching for any sign of life, but no one was in sight.
She opened the door to her training room and gasped at what she saw. Giles, Anya, Willow, and about 12 customers were all lying unconscious across the back of the room.
Buffy pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed 911. The operator had just picked up when she heard the cold voice behind her- "Hello lover."
Buffy screamed in agony as Angelus' teeth sunk deeply into her neck.
To Be Continued...