A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out-I was really busy
this week-my English teacher gave us this really evil paper. I swear, I'm
going to kill the next person who says the word "MEAP"-they're not until
spring, and my teachers are already going crazy preparing us for them! For
those of you non-Michiganders (or should I say "Michiganians" as our new
governor would?), MEAPs are tests issued by the State of Michigan that
students take. I could go into more detail, but I doubt you want me to-and
I don't want to either. So, onto the fiction!
Disclaimer: Not mine. You know this.
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2: Of Days Passed
~~~~~~~~~~
RING.
"I'll be right there!" Buffy shouted as she discarded two pieces of charred toast from the toaster into a pile of other slices of blackened bread. "I've gotta get that toaster fixed," she mumbled, and decided to opt for a breakfast that had no chance of getting burnt, as she poured herself a bowl of Fruit Loops.
RING.
"I'm coming, I'm coming, just hold on!" she cried as she carefully made her way to the phone along with her cereal, trying not to spill the absurd amount of milk that she had poured onto it. Unfortunately for her, Dawn came bounding in out of nowhere, yelling 'Don't worry, I've got it!' and smashed right into her. While Buffy fell face first into a bowl of soggy cereal, splattering it all over the carpet, Dawn recovered from the impact and reached for the phone.
"Hello?. . .Oh, hey Giles."
"It's Giles? Give me the phone," Buffy hissed.
Dawn blatantly ignored Buffy, who was now trying to brush a multicolored mush that had once been her Fruit Loops off herself, and continued chatting with Giles. "Right, I'll be sure to tell Buffy, see you then!" was all Buffy was able to hear out of their conversation, which was followed by Dawn hanging up.
Buffy crossed her arms and gave her sister an appraising look. "Well, what did he want?" she asked.
"Scooby meeting at the Magic Shop tonight; tell everyone else, blah, blah, blah," she responded, crossing her arms as well.
"I should've known. What time?"
Dawn shifted uncomfortably, realizing that she didn't know, and glanced at her watch. "Speaking of time, I'm gonna be late for school!" she said, and promptly bolted out the door.
"Some help you are," Buffy grumbled, and picked up the phone to call Giles back.
~~~~~~~~~~
The Scooby Gang was gathered around a table at the Magic Box (along with Dawn and Spike, who was leaning against a wall), talking rather loudly. Giles, who was getting impatient, cleared his throat, and the din died down.
"So, G-man, you called us all here-what's the deal? New Big Bad in town?" Xander asked.
Giles sighed; he detested the nickname 'G-man'. "I'm afraid there is a new Big Bad, but he's not in town," Giles answered.
"If he's not in Sunnydale, then where is he?" Buffy asked.
"England," Giles replied shortly, removing his glasses and beginning to clean them, a sure sign that this new Big Bad was a little more than "bad".
"England?" Willow echoed. "What's he doing there? Who is this guy?"
"This guy," Giles began, "is only one of the most powerful and evil wizards of all time. This guy murdered hundreds of innocent people before he was seemingly defeated thirteen years ago. Now he's back." Giles put his glasses back on, and picked up the letter from Dumbledore. "I received an owl. . ."
"An owl?" Xander cut in, confused. "What does an owl have to do with all of this?"
"Owl Post," Spike snapped, annoyed. "He means he got a letter, you wanker."
"I could do without interruptions, thanks," Giles said, not bothering to ask Spike how he knew about Owl Post before continuing on. "Anyhow, I've been called back to England to assist in the fight, and been asked to bring along anyone who could be of service. They need all the help they can get over there, even with the return of the old gang. I'm afraid Voldemort is more powerful than ever, so we'll need to depart for Hogwarts right away- Dumbledore is expecting us."
At this last statement, Giles was met with many bewildered stares, and two surprised looks from Spike and Anya.
"So Old Tom Riddle is back in power, then?" Spike asked. "Of course, Dru and I followed him back before little Harry Potter put an end to him, but that's all in the past. If you ask me, it's damn smart of Albus to be gathering up forces, but I just don't see what that has to do with you. When did Albus start recruiting Watchers?"
"I did go to Hogwarts you know; I'm not just some bloody Muggle Watcher," Giles said, and then furrowed his eyebrows. "Since when have you been on a first name basis with the Headmaster of Hogwarts?" he questioned.
"Since I went to school, back in my Hogwarts days," Spike retorted, glaring at Giles. The angry stare slowly faded, however, as Spike began to reminisce. "I was in Ravenclaw, you know. Would've made Head Boy, too, if it hadn't been for Albus. Always was one step ahead of me, he was."
Giles snorted derisively. "You, Head Boy? That's a laugh, it really is, and I'm not too sure I buy that you were in Ravenclaw, either. I'd picture you as a Slytherin, personally."
It was Anya's turn to snort. "People change once they've been vamped; you know that. He could have very well been a Ravenclaw to begin with. Besides, he doesn't seem like Slytherin material to me. After all, I did go to Hogwarts, too. It opened the year I turned 11."
Giles rolled his eyes, but Spike seemed mildly interested. "Really? What house were you in?"
"Well, naturally I was in my older brother's house," she replied.
"If Hogwarts opened the year you turned 11, your brother can't have gone there unless he started late," Giles remarked dryly, folding his arms across his chest.
"Of course he didn't go there," Anya told him. "He was one of the founders."
Giles and Spike both stared at her in shock. While Spike opened and closed his mouth like a fish, unable to find something to say, Giles gathered his wits and managed to ask, "I take it that your real last name isn't 'Jenkins', then?"
"Oh, no," she responded, "It's Slytherin. My brother was none other than Salazar Slytherin," she said proudly. "It was a bit annoying, though, when he pulled me out of Hogwarts because of some disagreement he had with the other founders about letting Muggle-borns in the school."
"Well, that's interesting," Spike said, and then shook his head and turned to Giles. "So, while we're talking about it, where did the Sorting Hat put you?" he asked.
Giles pulled off his glasses to clean them again, and let out a sigh. He remembered the episode he'd had with the Sorting Hat back in his first year, and wasn't keen on thinking about it right now. Finally, he told them, "Gryffindor."
**********
As he entered the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts with Minerva, Rupert Giles drew in a breath at the spectacular sight before him. "Wow," he said, "This place is amazing!"
Minerva was eying the place with awe equal to Rupert's. "It sure is," she replied. "And this is only the Entrance Hall. They'll take us into the Great Hall in a moment for the Sorting. I've heard that the ceiling is enchanted-I bet it's beautiful."
"The Sorting, that's right," said Rupert. "I wonder what house I'll be in?"
"Oh, I don't know," said Minerva thoughtfully. "My mum was in Ravenclaw, but my dad was a Hufflepuff. Of course, it won't really matter to them where I am, though I don't know what they'd say if I was put in Slytherin." After a beat, her face contorted into a confused look, and she asked, "I thought you were a Muggle-how do you know about the houses?"
He smirked at her. "Oh, I may be a Muggle, but that doesn't mean that I don't know about the wizarding world. I've grown up knowing about it, although I didn't expect to actually be a wizard. My parents were very pleased when I got my letter. They knew that going here would help me more along the way than any Muggle school would. They're both Watchers, you see- members of the Council. They've got me lined up to be a Watcher, too, in fact-though I must say I'd rather do something else with my life."
She nodded. "Well, that explains a lot-and I must say, Watcher wouldn't be my top career choice, either," she added, smiling.
Their conversation came to a halt as a middle-aged witch emerged from the Great Hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts, first years. The Sorting will begin momentarily, but before it does I'd like to remind you not to be disruptive during the ceremony. Also, for those of you who don't know, the purpose of the ceremony is for you to be placed in your houses-Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin-which will be like your families for your next seven years at Hogwarts." She looked at her watch. "It's time. Come along, now," she said as she opened the doors to the Great Hall, which Rupert found was very magnificent indeed. He, along with the other first years walked to the front of the Hall where a very old and patched up hat was sitting on top of a stool. To his surprise, it began to sing.
Those four Hogwarts founders,
Were quite a different lot;
They all made their own houses,
And picked students for the talents that they'd got;
Old Gryffindor, he prized,
Those with bravery and courage;
And Hufflepuff was partial,
To all those just and loyal;
Still, clever Ravenclaw preferred,
Those of wit and knowledge;
While the fourth, Slytherin,
Chose those of aim and cunning;
I'm sure you're just dying asking,
"Where do I belong?"
Just try me on,
And you'll find out,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat!
The Hall burst into applause, and Rupert enthusiastically joined in. The applause died down rather quickly, though, as the same woman who had lead the first years into the Hall stepped up with a large scroll in hand.
"Aalbregtse, Benjamin," she called out, and a rather short boy with dirty blonde hair and glasses made his way from the middle of the crowd of first years to the stool.
"Who is that?" Rupert whispered out of the corner of his mouth, motioning to the witch with the scroll.
"The Deputy Headmistress, of course," Minerva hissed back. "The transfiguration professor, if I'm not mistaken, too. Professor Figg, I think her name is."
Suddenly, the hat yelled out, "RAVENCLAW!", and a relieved looking Benjamin Aalbregtse made his way to a cheering table situated underneath a blue banner with a silver raven depicted on it.
It didn't take long for Professor Figg to get into the F's, which meant it was only a matter of time before it was Rupert's turn to be sorted.
"Frost, Rebecca," a girl with two very long dark braids cascading down her back and a slight build but mischievous twinkle in her eye went to Gryffindor, and "Gardner, Ozella," who strutted up to the stool with a very smug look on her face was placed in Slytherin.
Rupert, who had sworn to himself that he wouldn't be afraid of the stupid little hat that was going to sort him, was now becoming very nervous. He was acutely aware of his heartbeat, which was now so loud he was sure that the whole Hall could hear it, and very quick indeed. He wiped his sweaty palms on his robes, and took a deep breath-he was sure he would be next-but let it out in relief as the Deputy Headmistress shouted, "Giffels, Wendell".
Wendell Giffels sat on the stool for quite a while, much to Rupert's pleasure, but when the Sorting Hat declared him a Hufflepuff, he knew it was his turn. Sure enough, Professor Figg called out, "Giles, Rupert," and he slowly made his way to the stool feeling very self-conscious. 'Everyone is watching me,' he thought as he surveyed the Great Hall, suddenly feeling very stupid. He began to feel even stupider when the hat said, "Well, what have we here?" in his ear, and he gave a violent jerk and toppled off the stool in surprise. He sheepishly pulled the brim of the hat above his eyes amidst giggles so he could make his way back to the stool. This time he situated himself upon it and stayed as the hat began to speak to him again.
"Scare you there did I?" it asked, and Rupert glowered under the hat in reply. "Well, well, it looks as though you actually do have a fair amount of bravery, a keen mind, yes, and a bit of a rebellious nature about you as well-not to mention a tendency to be a bit rash at times. Hmm, where should I put you then?"
'Well, that's for you to decide and me to find out, isn't it?' Rupert thought.
The hat chuckled. "Well, I suppose it is, but I just thought you'd like a little input. Besides, you're a particularly difficult one to place. Very tricky, but I think I've got it, you belong in SLY--" it started and then cut off, changing its mind halfway through to "GRYFFINDOR!"
As Rupert removed the hat and stepped down from the stool he was not met with the usual round of applause, but rather a stunned silence. The Sorting Hat had never once, in nearly a thousand years, stuttered. Nor would it ever again.
**********
"Giles! Giles!" Buffy shouted, waving her hand in front of Giles' face, effectively snapping him out of his rather unpleasant reverie.
"Yes?" he asked, warily.
"As much as we're all enjoying listening to you three," she motioned to Anya, Spike, and himself, "recount your 'Hogwarts days', we're a little bit in the dark about what's going on here," she said.
"Not to mention we only understand about every other word of what you're saying," Xander put in.
"Yes, well, I'll get Dumbledore to explain it all to you when we get to Hogwarts, which we really need to do right away."
"Giles?" Tara piped up, speaking for the first time since the meeting started. "If we're all leaving for Hogwarts, who's going to stay in Sunnydale to keep an eye on the Hellmouth? I mean, we can't have it opening or have any demons wreaking havoc on the city while we're half a world away in England, can we?"
Giles only stared at her. He had not considered this problem.
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: There you have it! Chapter Two! I hope you liked it-and again, I'm very sorry that it took so long for me to update. Anyway, thank you to all my reviewers thus far, and please keep reviewing!
Disclaimer: Not mine. You know this.
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2: Of Days Passed
~~~~~~~~~~
RING.
"I'll be right there!" Buffy shouted as she discarded two pieces of charred toast from the toaster into a pile of other slices of blackened bread. "I've gotta get that toaster fixed," she mumbled, and decided to opt for a breakfast that had no chance of getting burnt, as she poured herself a bowl of Fruit Loops.
RING.
"I'm coming, I'm coming, just hold on!" she cried as she carefully made her way to the phone along with her cereal, trying not to spill the absurd amount of milk that she had poured onto it. Unfortunately for her, Dawn came bounding in out of nowhere, yelling 'Don't worry, I've got it!' and smashed right into her. While Buffy fell face first into a bowl of soggy cereal, splattering it all over the carpet, Dawn recovered from the impact and reached for the phone.
"Hello?. . .Oh, hey Giles."
"It's Giles? Give me the phone," Buffy hissed.
Dawn blatantly ignored Buffy, who was now trying to brush a multicolored mush that had once been her Fruit Loops off herself, and continued chatting with Giles. "Right, I'll be sure to tell Buffy, see you then!" was all Buffy was able to hear out of their conversation, which was followed by Dawn hanging up.
Buffy crossed her arms and gave her sister an appraising look. "Well, what did he want?" she asked.
"Scooby meeting at the Magic Shop tonight; tell everyone else, blah, blah, blah," she responded, crossing her arms as well.
"I should've known. What time?"
Dawn shifted uncomfortably, realizing that she didn't know, and glanced at her watch. "Speaking of time, I'm gonna be late for school!" she said, and promptly bolted out the door.
"Some help you are," Buffy grumbled, and picked up the phone to call Giles back.
~~~~~~~~~~
The Scooby Gang was gathered around a table at the Magic Box (along with Dawn and Spike, who was leaning against a wall), talking rather loudly. Giles, who was getting impatient, cleared his throat, and the din died down.
"So, G-man, you called us all here-what's the deal? New Big Bad in town?" Xander asked.
Giles sighed; he detested the nickname 'G-man'. "I'm afraid there is a new Big Bad, but he's not in town," Giles answered.
"If he's not in Sunnydale, then where is he?" Buffy asked.
"England," Giles replied shortly, removing his glasses and beginning to clean them, a sure sign that this new Big Bad was a little more than "bad".
"England?" Willow echoed. "What's he doing there? Who is this guy?"
"This guy," Giles began, "is only one of the most powerful and evil wizards of all time. This guy murdered hundreds of innocent people before he was seemingly defeated thirteen years ago. Now he's back." Giles put his glasses back on, and picked up the letter from Dumbledore. "I received an owl. . ."
"An owl?" Xander cut in, confused. "What does an owl have to do with all of this?"
"Owl Post," Spike snapped, annoyed. "He means he got a letter, you wanker."
"I could do without interruptions, thanks," Giles said, not bothering to ask Spike how he knew about Owl Post before continuing on. "Anyhow, I've been called back to England to assist in the fight, and been asked to bring along anyone who could be of service. They need all the help they can get over there, even with the return of the old gang. I'm afraid Voldemort is more powerful than ever, so we'll need to depart for Hogwarts right away- Dumbledore is expecting us."
At this last statement, Giles was met with many bewildered stares, and two surprised looks from Spike and Anya.
"So Old Tom Riddle is back in power, then?" Spike asked. "Of course, Dru and I followed him back before little Harry Potter put an end to him, but that's all in the past. If you ask me, it's damn smart of Albus to be gathering up forces, but I just don't see what that has to do with you. When did Albus start recruiting Watchers?"
"I did go to Hogwarts you know; I'm not just some bloody Muggle Watcher," Giles said, and then furrowed his eyebrows. "Since when have you been on a first name basis with the Headmaster of Hogwarts?" he questioned.
"Since I went to school, back in my Hogwarts days," Spike retorted, glaring at Giles. The angry stare slowly faded, however, as Spike began to reminisce. "I was in Ravenclaw, you know. Would've made Head Boy, too, if it hadn't been for Albus. Always was one step ahead of me, he was."
Giles snorted derisively. "You, Head Boy? That's a laugh, it really is, and I'm not too sure I buy that you were in Ravenclaw, either. I'd picture you as a Slytherin, personally."
It was Anya's turn to snort. "People change once they've been vamped; you know that. He could have very well been a Ravenclaw to begin with. Besides, he doesn't seem like Slytherin material to me. After all, I did go to Hogwarts, too. It opened the year I turned 11."
Giles rolled his eyes, but Spike seemed mildly interested. "Really? What house were you in?"
"Well, naturally I was in my older brother's house," she replied.
"If Hogwarts opened the year you turned 11, your brother can't have gone there unless he started late," Giles remarked dryly, folding his arms across his chest.
"Of course he didn't go there," Anya told him. "He was one of the founders."
Giles and Spike both stared at her in shock. While Spike opened and closed his mouth like a fish, unable to find something to say, Giles gathered his wits and managed to ask, "I take it that your real last name isn't 'Jenkins', then?"
"Oh, no," she responded, "It's Slytherin. My brother was none other than Salazar Slytherin," she said proudly. "It was a bit annoying, though, when he pulled me out of Hogwarts because of some disagreement he had with the other founders about letting Muggle-borns in the school."
"Well, that's interesting," Spike said, and then shook his head and turned to Giles. "So, while we're talking about it, where did the Sorting Hat put you?" he asked.
Giles pulled off his glasses to clean them again, and let out a sigh. He remembered the episode he'd had with the Sorting Hat back in his first year, and wasn't keen on thinking about it right now. Finally, he told them, "Gryffindor."
**********
As he entered the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts with Minerva, Rupert Giles drew in a breath at the spectacular sight before him. "Wow," he said, "This place is amazing!"
Minerva was eying the place with awe equal to Rupert's. "It sure is," she replied. "And this is only the Entrance Hall. They'll take us into the Great Hall in a moment for the Sorting. I've heard that the ceiling is enchanted-I bet it's beautiful."
"The Sorting, that's right," said Rupert. "I wonder what house I'll be in?"
"Oh, I don't know," said Minerva thoughtfully. "My mum was in Ravenclaw, but my dad was a Hufflepuff. Of course, it won't really matter to them where I am, though I don't know what they'd say if I was put in Slytherin." After a beat, her face contorted into a confused look, and she asked, "I thought you were a Muggle-how do you know about the houses?"
He smirked at her. "Oh, I may be a Muggle, but that doesn't mean that I don't know about the wizarding world. I've grown up knowing about it, although I didn't expect to actually be a wizard. My parents were very pleased when I got my letter. They knew that going here would help me more along the way than any Muggle school would. They're both Watchers, you see- members of the Council. They've got me lined up to be a Watcher, too, in fact-though I must say I'd rather do something else with my life."
She nodded. "Well, that explains a lot-and I must say, Watcher wouldn't be my top career choice, either," she added, smiling.
Their conversation came to a halt as a middle-aged witch emerged from the Great Hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts, first years. The Sorting will begin momentarily, but before it does I'd like to remind you not to be disruptive during the ceremony. Also, for those of you who don't know, the purpose of the ceremony is for you to be placed in your houses-Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin-which will be like your families for your next seven years at Hogwarts." She looked at her watch. "It's time. Come along, now," she said as she opened the doors to the Great Hall, which Rupert found was very magnificent indeed. He, along with the other first years walked to the front of the Hall where a very old and patched up hat was sitting on top of a stool. To his surprise, it began to sing.
Those four Hogwarts founders,
Were quite a different lot;
They all made their own houses,
And picked students for the talents that they'd got;
Old Gryffindor, he prized,
Those with bravery and courage;
And Hufflepuff was partial,
To all those just and loyal;
Still, clever Ravenclaw preferred,
Those of wit and knowledge;
While the fourth, Slytherin,
Chose those of aim and cunning;
I'm sure you're just dying asking,
"Where do I belong?"
Just try me on,
And you'll find out,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat!
The Hall burst into applause, and Rupert enthusiastically joined in. The applause died down rather quickly, though, as the same woman who had lead the first years into the Hall stepped up with a large scroll in hand.
"Aalbregtse, Benjamin," she called out, and a rather short boy with dirty blonde hair and glasses made his way from the middle of the crowd of first years to the stool.
"Who is that?" Rupert whispered out of the corner of his mouth, motioning to the witch with the scroll.
"The Deputy Headmistress, of course," Minerva hissed back. "The transfiguration professor, if I'm not mistaken, too. Professor Figg, I think her name is."
Suddenly, the hat yelled out, "RAVENCLAW!", and a relieved looking Benjamin Aalbregtse made his way to a cheering table situated underneath a blue banner with a silver raven depicted on it.
It didn't take long for Professor Figg to get into the F's, which meant it was only a matter of time before it was Rupert's turn to be sorted.
"Frost, Rebecca," a girl with two very long dark braids cascading down her back and a slight build but mischievous twinkle in her eye went to Gryffindor, and "Gardner, Ozella," who strutted up to the stool with a very smug look on her face was placed in Slytherin.
Rupert, who had sworn to himself that he wouldn't be afraid of the stupid little hat that was going to sort him, was now becoming very nervous. He was acutely aware of his heartbeat, which was now so loud he was sure that the whole Hall could hear it, and very quick indeed. He wiped his sweaty palms on his robes, and took a deep breath-he was sure he would be next-but let it out in relief as the Deputy Headmistress shouted, "Giffels, Wendell".
Wendell Giffels sat on the stool for quite a while, much to Rupert's pleasure, but when the Sorting Hat declared him a Hufflepuff, he knew it was his turn. Sure enough, Professor Figg called out, "Giles, Rupert," and he slowly made his way to the stool feeling very self-conscious. 'Everyone is watching me,' he thought as he surveyed the Great Hall, suddenly feeling very stupid. He began to feel even stupider when the hat said, "Well, what have we here?" in his ear, and he gave a violent jerk and toppled off the stool in surprise. He sheepishly pulled the brim of the hat above his eyes amidst giggles so he could make his way back to the stool. This time he situated himself upon it and stayed as the hat began to speak to him again.
"Scare you there did I?" it asked, and Rupert glowered under the hat in reply. "Well, well, it looks as though you actually do have a fair amount of bravery, a keen mind, yes, and a bit of a rebellious nature about you as well-not to mention a tendency to be a bit rash at times. Hmm, where should I put you then?"
'Well, that's for you to decide and me to find out, isn't it?' Rupert thought.
The hat chuckled. "Well, I suppose it is, but I just thought you'd like a little input. Besides, you're a particularly difficult one to place. Very tricky, but I think I've got it, you belong in SLY--" it started and then cut off, changing its mind halfway through to "GRYFFINDOR!"
As Rupert removed the hat and stepped down from the stool he was not met with the usual round of applause, but rather a stunned silence. The Sorting Hat had never once, in nearly a thousand years, stuttered. Nor would it ever again.
**********
"Giles! Giles!" Buffy shouted, waving her hand in front of Giles' face, effectively snapping him out of his rather unpleasant reverie.
"Yes?" he asked, warily.
"As much as we're all enjoying listening to you three," she motioned to Anya, Spike, and himself, "recount your 'Hogwarts days', we're a little bit in the dark about what's going on here," she said.
"Not to mention we only understand about every other word of what you're saying," Xander put in.
"Yes, well, I'll get Dumbledore to explain it all to you when we get to Hogwarts, which we really need to do right away."
"Giles?" Tara piped up, speaking for the first time since the meeting started. "If we're all leaving for Hogwarts, who's going to stay in Sunnydale to keep an eye on the Hellmouth? I mean, we can't have it opening or have any demons wreaking havoc on the city while we're half a world away in England, can we?"
Giles only stared at her. He had not considered this problem.
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: There you have it! Chapter Two! I hope you liked it-and again, I'm very sorry that it took so long for me to update. Anyway, thank you to all my reviewers thus far, and please keep reviewing!