The staff of Troy - Part 1

The blonde girl spoke up for the first time. "Excuse me, what's a Muggle?"

Professor McGonagal smiled awkwardly. "Muggle is our word for people who have no magical ability. It's not meant unkindly, but you understand that we do need a name for your people, and that's the one that has happened to stick. Please don't be offended by it."

Professor Dumbledore spoke up. "Actually, it would seem to me that only one of you is a true Muggle. Miss Rosenberg, I believe you are an apprentice witch yourself?"

"Please, call me Willow," the red-haired girl said. "I started getting involved about two or three years ago. I'm not doing anything special, just some spells and potions and stuff."

"Don't denigrate your talent, however immature it is, my dear young lady. Of course, while you're here, we can help you expand your abilities." Turning to the blonde girl with Mr. Giles, "And Miss Buffy Summers. Who in the magical world could possibly call the Slayer a Muggle."

Professor McGonagal's eyes grew wide. "My dear girl, my humblest apologies. I had no idea you were this generation's Chosen One."

"No big deal. It's not as famous a role as you might expect. Doesn't even get me a table at Maxine's" Buffy smiled wryly back.

"Mr Giles, I actually think you may be benefit to the school. As I said we are in need of a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this term. As a former member of the Watcher's Council, your experience will be invaluable. You have, performed some magic havn't you"

"Well, the occasional spell needed to assist Buffy."

"Have you ever destroyed a dark artifact?"

"I don't suppose you've heard of the Glove of Armagon.", Giles said with only the slightest trace of irony.

"You'll do," said Professor McGonagal, shuddering visibly.

After a few moment's thought, Professor Dumbledore nodded his head. "It will do our students some good to learn defenses that don't strictly require magic. At the least they won't be defenseless if they're hit with a blanketing spell. We will have to find some way for you to perform magic in class to keep the students from getting suspicious."

"Willow, you will be assigned to Professor Flitwick, our Charms Master, as a teaching assistant. Your current abilities should do you well there."

"Now Miss Summers, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do with you, but I think I have a glimmer of an idea. A previous professor started a rather short lived dueling club. I think it should begin again, and you will be in charge of it. We'll work out some way to help you with the magic also."

The cuckoo clock in the corner barked five and a half times. "Ah, the dinner bell. Let's go meet the students."

Harry and Ron dropped noisily onto the bench at the Gryffindor table as Hermione, sitting across from them pursed her lips in disapproval. "Can't you two ever be on time?"

Harry stifled a rude noise while Ron rolled his eyes. "Sorry mother, it won't happen again," blurted Ron to Hermione's glare.

"We were trying to get Neville out. Fred thought it'd be funny to put an octopus charm on his bed. Neville was wrapped up so tightly in his blankets he could barely breathe."

"So I guess Fred's shooting for George's most detentions in a single term record?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, but if he breaks it too badly he'll need that old hourglass of yours to serve them all."

At this moment, Professor Dumbledore stood and looked around the dining hall as his spoon banged on his glass (of its own accord.) "I have some good news. We are fortunate enough to have found a replacement for Professor Wiggle while he's on his alternity leave. Allow me to introduce Professor Rupert Giles, the acting professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Curious applause followed as Giles stood and nervously bowed to the students.

"We also have two other faculty members to introduce. Professor Flitwick has a new assistant, an American witch named Willow Rosenberg." All eyes moved to Willow, who was staring at the ceiling image of the night sky above. Buffy elbowed her, then glanced up to see what she was looking at. After a few seconds, both of them jumped a little when Giles cleared his throat. Willow reddened once again, then waved at the students. With a smile on his face Dumbledore continued, "She will be addressed by you as Instructor. And finally, for those of you who joined our Dueling club two years ago, we have a new instructor for the club, Miss Buffy Summers." Buffy waved tentatively at the students.

"Harry, get a load of Malfoy," Ron whispered. Harry glanced at the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy, Harry's worst enemy (at least of his own age) was staring quite noticeably at the new dueling instructor. He was so entranced that he didn't even notice Goyle stealing the sausages off his plate. "Draco in love! I bet he's quivering inside at the unfamiliarity of it."

"That is too funny. Maybe we can use this to get him off my back about Ginny." Ron almost spilled his milk because he started laughing. "Oh, are you gonna go on about it too?"

"I can't help it, Harry, it's too funny. Even Percy grinned a little when he saw her looking at you."



Willow and Buffy plopped down on the beds in their room. "So, what do you think? Isn't this too cool?" Willow asked.

"I'm very overwhelmed right now. When Giles told me about this school, he didn't exactly make it sound so organized or official. I guess I expected a couple of witches teaching kids in the kitchen. This is, amazing."

"I know, the idea of a whole world just outside our view is just freaky. I thought we'd seen everything out there with our own little supernatural wonderland, but this is ..." Willow trailed off.

"Are you ready, ladies?" Professor McGonagal peeked in the door.

"Yes, ma'am, I can't wait to see the school." Willow jumped up. Both she and Buffy followed the professor out. At the end of the corridor, they stepped through the painting guarding the visiting faculty quarters as the lady in the burgundy dress waved goodbye.

"I'll only be showing you the classrooms and the main halls tonite, as it's so late. Tomorrow, we'll see about a more substantial tour. Oh and Willow, we have a trip to take tomorrow. I think you should take something special away from this venture." McGonagall said, winking cryptically.





Meanwhile, Professor Dumbledore was taking tea with Giles. "That is an beautiful bird you have there, Professor." Giles said as he admired Fawkes. "What breed is it?"

"A phoenix, one of the most faithful pets a person can have. She's currently at her prime of plumage."

"How extraordinary. I've never before seen one, but inside I have always suspected and hoped they really did exist."

"Even with your experience, you seem much less surprised than I expected at all this."

"Yes, of course. I've perhaps seen enough to keep me calm in about any situation, I expect. I guess living on a Hellmouth will do that to you."

Albus chuckled. "I remember my own visits as a youngster to places similar to that. Well, on to happier thoughts. Shall we take the tour?"

"By all means. I've not been in a castle since I left England for Sunnydale, and I'm a little homesick. By the way, you mentioned earlier that you'd need to find a way for me to do magic in class. How do you propose to disguise the fact that I'm a 'Muggle', " he said with some amount of humour.

Professor Dumbledore chuckled. "We'll think of something, I'm sure. Please, let me apologize again for the Muggle comments. Professor McGonagall meant no harm."

"Think nothing of it. We don't tell very many people about the Slayer, either. It does tend to have an adverse affect on our relations with the police department."

Chuckling, the two of them walked down the hall toward the classrooms.





The next morning, Willow, Buffy and Professor McGonagal were standing in front of the fireplace. "Tell me again what I'm supposed to do with this powder stuff?" Buffy said as she stared at the Floo powder in her hand.

"Throw it in the fireplace, jump in and say 'Diagon Alley.' Get out when you are at the right grate. You'll know."

Buffy shook her head, then threw it in. She jumped in and shouted 'Diagon Alley!' She was totally unprepared for what happened next.

"You can go next. I'll follow so I can check on you on the way." Professor McGonagall said. Willow nodded and imitated Buffy's actions. Moment's later, she was in Flourish and Blott's, coughing up soot. Professor Mcgonagall appeared behind her. "Are you okay, dear?"

"Cough. Yes, I think I'm fine. Where are we?"

"Diagon Alley, London. This is the main shopping district for magical folk"

Suddenly, Willow looked around in worry, "Where's Buffy? She should be right here, shouldn't she?"

Professor McGonagall already had her wand out and chanted "Locatamora lumiera." The end of the wand began to glow brightly, but only on one side. Professor McGonagall turned to the left and the glow moved to the tip. "Oh bother, let's go! She's in Knockturn Alley."

"What, where --" Willow didn't have time to finish as the professor pulled her out the door.



Buffy got to her feet and brushed off the dust. She looked around, and suddenly felt at home, in a very warped sense of the way. She was in a pub, much like the Bronze and she was surrounded by demons and vampires.





Notes:

Thanks for the good reviews for the prologue. I had already planned to make McGonagall lighten up , but thanks for the constructive criticism. Sorry for reusing the floo powder plot device, but I imagine it's pretty easy to misuse anyway, at least the first time.



Disclaimer

The characters of Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg and Buffy Summers are the property and sole creation of Joss Whedon. The characters of Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagal, Professors Flitwick and Binns, Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley are the property and creation of J.K. Rowling. My thanks and respect to both of these creative people.