Title: Seeing the Light (3/?)
Author: QueenC
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
******
Lucius stormed out the front doors, anger in his every step. How dare his son run off like this! Of all the times for Draco to revert to his selfish nature, now was not acceptable.
Frowning, the man paused at the walkway that led up to the house. Looking around, he tried to decide which way to go. To the left was the lake, shining brightly with the reflection of the afternoon sun. Beyond that were Narcissa's beloved gardens, virtually abandoned since her death. To the right were the stables, where the horses and carriages sat, waiting to be used. Just past those were acres of fields which were reserved for horseback riding, impromptu games of Quidditch, and flying practice.
Looking toward the sky, Lucius saw a black speck that was slowly making its way to the open fields. Ah. So his son had gone flying. He should have known. That had always been Draco's escape from the world. Just him, a broom, and the wind in his hair.
Snorting, Lucius turned to the right and began making his way toward his son. However, with each step he took, he felt his anger subsiding, slowly being replaced with mild irritation and a healthy dose of guilt. Here he was, thinking only of Cordelia and the twins, when it was quite obvious that his oldest son was having serious issues about the unexpected additions to the Malfoy line.
By the time he reached the field, Draco was only twenty feet off the ground. Stopping, he watched as his son spun in the air, looking as though he were going a graceful ballet to which only he could hear the music.
It never failed to amaze Lucius how graceful Draco was on a broom. Neither he nor Narcissa had ever been remarkable fliers, and he'd often wondered where the boy had gotten his skills from.
Of course, he'd never told Draco how impressed he was.
Frowning, he wondered where that thought had come from. So what if he didn't openly praise his son? Surely the boy, no *man*, knew that Lucius was proud of him, didn't he?
Before he could continue that line of thought any further, Draco finally landed a few feet away. Staring at his father, the young man looked almost uncertain of himself. After a few seconds though, his usual mask of indifference appeared.
"I take it Cordelia is ready to explain her being here?" he asked neutrally, forcing himself to keep the sneer out of his voice when he said her name.
Lucius nodded, an unreadable expression on his face. After a few seconds, he replied, "Yes. If you are quite finished with your sudden interest in testing out your old broom, we'll return inside." He let the unspoken statement of his irritation hang in the air.
Draco sighed, tipping his head. "Of course, father," he murmured. Holding his broom tightly, he followed behind Lucius as the two men headed back to the house. Through the entire walk, Lucius warred with himself over his recent discovery of his less than stellar parenting skills. He knew that his relationship with Draco was turbulent at best. During the boy's childhood, he'd only gotten involved when absolutely necessary, opting to leave the actual rearing to Narcissa. When Draco became old enough to enter Hogwarts, he had taken a mild interest, if only to make certain that the boy lived up to the Malfoy name.
However, in Draco's seventh year, all of that changed.
In a rare exhibit of emotion, Draco had refused to obey an order that Lucius had given him during Christmas break. The order had come directly from Voldemort, and had been simple. Lead Harry, alone, to the Forbidden Forest on a certain date and time.
To both he and Narcissa's shock, Draco chose that moment to become a typical, stubborn teenager and had told Lucius to his face that, if Voldemort wanted Harry dead, he could lead him away from Hogwarts himself. He had then proceeded to denounce the Dark Lord, claiming that he would *not* be taking the Mark after graduation, and nothing anyone said or did would change his mind.
To say that the remainder of Christmas break had been a dark time at Malfoy Manor would be an understatement. Lucius had been livid. First, he'd tried coercing his son, then once he realized that wasn't working, he'd began threatening him. While he'd never physically laid a hand on him, he had certainly used every other bit of arsenal he had against the boy, even going to so far as to vow he'd disown him.
Still, Draco was not to be swayed.
Shaking his head, Lucius pulled himself out of his thoughts. If he continued along that path, he would be forced to re-live the night that Narcissa died and his entire world changed. And that was something he wasn't willing to do at the moment.
Instead, he stopped just short of the walkway to the main house and turned to his son. Draco halted suddenly, his eyes widening slightly at this change in events. Looking him up and down, Lucius finally noticed the man that his child had become.
Peering into Draco's eyes, he noticed the anguish that his son was so obviously trying to hide. Finally, he decided that now was as good a time to start parenting as ever. Clearing his throat, he softly said, "Draco, I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. However, I want you to understand that, regardless of what may happen, you are still my son. While you may not be my only son, you are certainly the oldest. You are my legacy to the world, as well as my heir. And..."
Here he paused, searching for the right words. After a second, he managed, "I realize I may not say it, but I *am* proud of you, of the man you have become. Against all odds you have overcome severe obstacles, one of the larger ones being the beliefs I instilled upon you. You are no longer the son that I wished you to be when you were born, and for that I am extremely pleased and grateful. Please keep that in mind when conducting yourself around Cordelia and the children." Then, he turned around and entered the house.
Draco watched in silent shock as his father walked away. He had waited his entire life to hear those words. And now that Lucius had said them, he couldn't help but feel like an ass for making his earlier plans to send Cordelia packing. His father was proud of him, did care for him, and nothing would change that.
Now having a new outlook on the situation at hand, he swallowed down the lump of guilt and self-loathing that had formed in his throat and headed into the house.
******
"So then Ron looks at the guy and says 'I don't know who this Weasley fellow is, but if I see him, you'll be the first to know, mate'. Then, he turned around and practically *ran* from the pub!" Harry exclaimed, laughing at memory.
Ron scowled at his friend, then looked at an amused Cordelia. "The git was huge! Like Hagrid huge! And he was looking to pound me for something one of my brother's did years ago! What was I supposed to do? Pull out my wand and challenge him to a duel? He would have beaten me to death with it!" he tried explaining, only earning himself more laughter from the others. Sighing, he slumped back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Like any of you would have done any different," he muttered.
Cordelia chuckled, nodding her head. "Hey, I've been there. Of course, rather than running like a scared kid, I usually try to talk my way out. If that doesn't work, *then* I run as fast as I can to the nearest exit," she stated.
Hermione gave her a doubtful look, the smile never faltering. "Somehow I can't picture you running from or trying to avoid anything, Cordelia. Why, you even faced down Draco when he tried to curse you," she commented softly.
Cordelia shrugged. "Well, that's because I didn't know what he was doing," she admitted. Shaking her head, she continued. "There was this one time, in high school, when this idiot thought that I was one of the Slayers. So, he put me and Buffy, the *actual* Slayer, in the woods, and then let a bunch of vampires and demons try and kill us. He called it Slayerfest, I think. But anyway. By the end of the night, I was tired, scared to death, and my designer dress was *completely* ruined. And then, Buffy gets knocked out and I'm facing off with this ugly vamp with some serious hygiene issues, who apparently thinks he's the equivalent of the undead Jesse James. I know I can't defend myself. And there's no where for me to run to. So, I do the only thing I can."
"Scream bloody murder?" Ron quipped, his eyes wide and he listened to her story. Seeing the glares Harry and Hermione shot at him, he shrugged. "What? That's what I would have done if I were defenseless against a vampire."
Cordelia shook her head. "Not usually a good idea. They tend to enjoy the whole fear vibe. No, *I* look him in the eye, and admit to being the Slayer. I told him something to the effect of 'Buffy's second best compared to me. You thought she could kick your ass? Wait and see what *I* can do'. Of course, what I actually said sounded better, but anyway. The point is, he took one look at me, and ran from the room," she stated.
Harry gasped. "Really?" he asked in awe.
Cordelia nodded. "Yep. But, don't go getting any ideas. I was lucky that time. If he'd had any common sense he would have just killed me right then and there," she replied.
Hermione sighed. "Wow. That is so amazing. You've seen so much," she breathed.
The Seer shrugged. "Not any more than you three have. From what Wesley tells me, you guys have led some action packed lives yourselves."
"I feel I must ask. How does Wesley know anything about what goes on in the wizarding world?" a voice asked from the doorway. "From what I remember, he was most out of his element dealing with my...situation."
Turning her head, Cordelia smiled at Lucius as he entered the room. "Well, that's because he wasn't sure what to think of you. And he had to wait for the book store to finally get in his order of the books he needed. But, Wes isn't your typical Muggle. He was once a Watcher, of an active Slayer in fact," she explained.
Lucius nodded, the term sounding vaguely familiar to him. There was apparently an entire Counsel of Watchers, although they tended to avoid the wizarding world as much as possible. Sitting down in his chair, he watched as Draco entered the room.
Looking around, Draco finally moved to the couch, sitting down beside Hermione. Seeing the curious glance she shot his way, he gave her a small, reassuring smile. Then, he turned his attention to Cordelia. "I apologize for keeping you waiting," he said politely, refusing to elaborate any further.
Cordelia nodded, gracefully accepting his apology. "It's fine. I was just trading stories with the others." Clapping her hands, she stood up, moving to the fireplace. Facing the room, she smiled. "Okay, so I guess I should make with the explaining." Taking a deep breath, she tried to decide where to start. After a moment, she laughed. "All right. Let's see. Well, first, you all know that I'm a Seer for the PTB. Angel was my Champion, the one who was supposed to receive my visions."
"Was?" Hermione echoed, growing pale. "He wasn't..."
Cordelia quickly shook her head. "Dusted? No. In fact, exactly the opposite. He became human, as a reward from the PTB. He's living as normal of a life as he can, raising Connor and enjoying the sunshine without having to worry about bursting into flames. Of course, needless to say, after he became human, Angel Investigations closed down," she stated.
"Everyone went their own ways. Wesley moved to Cleveland with Faith, one of the Slayer's, and they're protecting the Hellmouth there."
Frowning, Hermione interrupted, her voice soft. "What do you mean *one* of the Slayers? There is only one. That's how it works, right?" she asked.
Harry nodded, also giving Cordelia a puzzled look. "Mione's right. I remember Professor Lupin telling us about Slayers in our third year. He said there was one girl in all the world..."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Who shall stand alone against the forces of darkness. Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I know the deal, okay? Except, Buffy was different. She made friends, and when she drowned one of her friends brought her back. But, since she'd technically been dead..."
Ron gasped, his eyes widening. "Another Slayer got made!" he exclaimed.
Cordelia nodded. "Yep. Except the term is 'called'. So, now there are two Slayers. Buffy and Faith. And, when Faith got released from prison...long story, *don't* ask, she and Wes went off to keep the world safe. Fred and Gunn got married a month ago and are currently on their honeymoon in Europe. And Lorne headed to Las Vegas. That just left me." Here she paused, taking a sip of her drink which she was holding tightly in her hands as she paced back and forth in front of everyone.
"Originally, I'd planned on just taking it easy. I'd saved up enough money to be able to live comfortably for a few years, and I just wanted to raise my kids and help Angel with Connor. Unfortunately, while Angel gets to retire, I, apparently, don't."
Standing still, she focused her gaze on Lucius. "I had a vision. And it was for you. *All* of you." Forcing a small smile, she exclaimed, "So I'm now officially a Seer for everyone in this room. Which reminds me. I know where that Pettigrew guy is, if anyone's interested."
******
Arabella silently sat up, her eyes locked on her brother. Making sure that he was actually asleep, she began to ease her way out of bed, biting her lip as she tried not to make any sound.
Once her feet were on the floor, she tiptoed barefoot across the room. Glancing at her shoes, which were lying by the closet door, she debated on whether or not to put them on. Realizing that they would make too much noise, she silently opened the door and slipped out of the room.
Standing in the hallway, she looked around with wide eyed wonder. Everything was so *big*! Shaking her head, she finally turned to the right, deciding that direction was as good as any other.
Giggling softly, she moved stealthily down the corridor, peering with wonder at the various paintings. She knew she was supposed to be in bed taking a nap, but she was far too excited to sleep. And she didn't feel like finding her mom and trying to explain it to her, because she just wouldn't get it. No, her mom would only tell her to go back upstairs and *try* to go to sleep. So, rather than be forced to lie in a room and listen to her bratty brother snore, she decided to go exploring.
She just hoped she didn't get lost.
Tiptoeing down the hallway, she stopped in front of a portrait of a pretty little girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Tilting her head to the side, Bella studied the strange clothing the girl was wearing. A big dress with lots of ruffles and bows. Crinkling her nose, she shook her head, deciding she wouldn't want to wear a dress like that at all.
Suddenly, the girl in the painting frowned, then her lower lip began to stick out. "Don't look at me like that!" she ordered in a bossy tone. "And it isn't polite to stare."
Bella gasped, taking a step back. Looking around, she slowly inched forward until she was close enough to touch the painting. "You can see me?" she whispered in disbelief.
The blonde girl rolled her eyes. "Well of *course* I can see you. Why wouldn't I be able to?" she asked in exasperation. "I'm not blind, you know."
Bella chose not to respond to that, instead shrugging and accepting that pictures here were very strange. "Is your dress itchy? It doesn't look very comfortable," she finally commented.
The painting scowled. "I'll have you know that this dress is one of a kind!" she screeched. "My mother had it made especially for me for my eight birthday party!"
Bella nodded quickly, wanting to quiet the loud girl. "Okay. Sorry. It's a pretty dress." Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. It was during that gesture that she paused, seeing something move out of the corner of her eye.
Turning her head toward the end of the hallway, she frowned. "Hello?" she called softly. "Is somebody there?"
The little girl in the painting gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Stop that!" she whispered fiercely. "You shouldn't be here. Go away!" Her tone went from bossy to desperate as fear filled her voice. "Go! Now! Run!"
Bella waved her hand at her, mimicking a move Cordelia did when she wanted someone to be quiet. Then, she began silently making her way toward the end of the corridor.
Just as she turned the corner, she heard the blonde girl whisper, "You can't find it, you know. No one can find the shadow. It has to find you."
Bella deliberately ignored her, staring closely at the darkness that covered the majority of this area of the hallway. Squinting, she saw a faint light in the corner and made her way toward it. Once she got closer, she realized it was a door that had been left open.
Walking up to it, she stepped inside and felt her hand along the wall, wondering where the light switch was. Not feeling anything, she finally peered up at the candle that was resting on a shelf a few feet above her head. Looking around, she didn't see anything she could step on to grab it.
Finally, she held out her hand and concentrated, watching with detachment as the candle, along with its holder, lifted in the air and floated down to her. Grasping it tightly, she smiled at it.
"We won't tell mommy that I did that," she whispered. Then, holding the light in front of her, she looked around. As the light began pushing back the darkness, she noticed that there was a large flight of stairs right in front of her that seemed to be going down even further into the castle.
Biting her lip, she tried to decide what to do. Glancing over her shoulder at the hallway she'd just come from, she debated on going back to bed. If she turned around right now, maybe her mom wouldn't know she'd been out exploring.
However, before she could decide, she heard a raspy voice from the bottom of the stairs.
"Help me, Bella."
Frowning, she listened again. This time, she heard it a little louder. "Help me! Please!" Gasping, she began moving down the stairs, her heart hammering in her chest. That was her brother's voice!
Moving so quickly that she almost stumbled a few times, she finally got to the bottom. However, once she was down there, she stopped, the tiniest bit of fear taking hold of her.
Korben wasn't anywhere to be seen.
Moving the candle first to the right, then to the left, she tried to see if he had somehow crawled away from the stairs. Seeing something move to the side of her, just inside the shadows, she spun in that direction.
"Korben?" she whispered, taking a step toward the person. However, before she could move any further, a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Not knowing what else to do, Bella did the only thing that she could think of, the one thing that came naturally to a frightened four year old girl.
She screamed.
******
A/N: Sorry about the slight delay on this one, folks. I wanted to get it out sooner, but I had to re-write this last part a few times before I felt I got it just right. And guess what? This fic is probably going to run longer than 'Shadows and Glimpses' and have an actual Big Bad and everything. Lol.
So, let me know what you think! Reviews make my muse happy and a happy muse is a productive, well-focused muse! *g*
Author: QueenC
Feedback: queenc@HotPOP.com
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Cordelia/Lucius. Mentions Draco/Hermione.
Disclaimer: AtS belongs to Joss Whedon and the Potterverse is J. K. Rowling's playground. Any original characters belong to my muse. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue me.
Distribution: Anywhere I send it. Anyone else wants it just let me know.
Spoilers: Goes way AU after 'Birthday' on AtS. All four HP books, although this takes place long after Harry and co. graduate from Hogwarts.
Summary: Five years later, the PTB decide to intervene once again. Sequel to 'Shadows and Glimpses'.
Author's Notes: Okay, as stated above in the summary, this fic takes place five years after 'Shadows and Glimpses'. If you haven't read that fic already, you might want to do so before reading this one. Otherwise, you'll probably be a little confused. The same basic changes apply here that did in that fic. No Cordelia/Angel romance, no Holtz, no Quor-toth, no ascension. I think that pretty much covers it for the Angelverse. Now, about the Potterverse. Basically, I'm making up everything after GoF. Anything you need to know between their fifth year and now, I'll explain in the fic. As always, Angel is Spike's sire. Words in *'s are emphasized, words in /'s are thoughts, words in ~'s are dreams, and words in ^^'s are flashbacks. Enjoy!
Dedicated: To Child for all the help. You rock my face off, hun!
Special Thanks: To the wonderful people who reviewed 'Shadows and Glimpses' and gave me the encouragement to continue. Especially to 'houses', who gave me one of the nicest reviews I've ever received. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
******
Lucius stormed out the front doors, anger in his every step. How dare his son run off like this! Of all the times for Draco to revert to his selfish nature, now was not acceptable.
Frowning, the man paused at the walkway that led up to the house. Looking around, he tried to decide which way to go. To the left was the lake, shining brightly with the reflection of the afternoon sun. Beyond that were Narcissa's beloved gardens, virtually abandoned since her death. To the right were the stables, where the horses and carriages sat, waiting to be used. Just past those were acres of fields which were reserved for horseback riding, impromptu games of Quidditch, and flying practice.
Looking toward the sky, Lucius saw a black speck that was slowly making its way to the open fields. Ah. So his son had gone flying. He should have known. That had always been Draco's escape from the world. Just him, a broom, and the wind in his hair.
Snorting, Lucius turned to the right and began making his way toward his son. However, with each step he took, he felt his anger subsiding, slowly being replaced with mild irritation and a healthy dose of guilt. Here he was, thinking only of Cordelia and the twins, when it was quite obvious that his oldest son was having serious issues about the unexpected additions to the Malfoy line.
By the time he reached the field, Draco was only twenty feet off the ground. Stopping, he watched as his son spun in the air, looking as though he were going a graceful ballet to which only he could hear the music.
It never failed to amaze Lucius how graceful Draco was on a broom. Neither he nor Narcissa had ever been remarkable fliers, and he'd often wondered where the boy had gotten his skills from.
Of course, he'd never told Draco how impressed he was.
Frowning, he wondered where that thought had come from. So what if he didn't openly praise his son? Surely the boy, no *man*, knew that Lucius was proud of him, didn't he?
Before he could continue that line of thought any further, Draco finally landed a few feet away. Staring at his father, the young man looked almost uncertain of himself. After a few seconds though, his usual mask of indifference appeared.
"I take it Cordelia is ready to explain her being here?" he asked neutrally, forcing himself to keep the sneer out of his voice when he said her name.
Lucius nodded, an unreadable expression on his face. After a few seconds, he replied, "Yes. If you are quite finished with your sudden interest in testing out your old broom, we'll return inside." He let the unspoken statement of his irritation hang in the air.
Draco sighed, tipping his head. "Of course, father," he murmured. Holding his broom tightly, he followed behind Lucius as the two men headed back to the house. Through the entire walk, Lucius warred with himself over his recent discovery of his less than stellar parenting skills. He knew that his relationship with Draco was turbulent at best. During the boy's childhood, he'd only gotten involved when absolutely necessary, opting to leave the actual rearing to Narcissa. When Draco became old enough to enter Hogwarts, he had taken a mild interest, if only to make certain that the boy lived up to the Malfoy name.
However, in Draco's seventh year, all of that changed.
In a rare exhibit of emotion, Draco had refused to obey an order that Lucius had given him during Christmas break. The order had come directly from Voldemort, and had been simple. Lead Harry, alone, to the Forbidden Forest on a certain date and time.
To both he and Narcissa's shock, Draco chose that moment to become a typical, stubborn teenager and had told Lucius to his face that, if Voldemort wanted Harry dead, he could lead him away from Hogwarts himself. He had then proceeded to denounce the Dark Lord, claiming that he would *not* be taking the Mark after graduation, and nothing anyone said or did would change his mind.
To say that the remainder of Christmas break had been a dark time at Malfoy Manor would be an understatement. Lucius had been livid. First, he'd tried coercing his son, then once he realized that wasn't working, he'd began threatening him. While he'd never physically laid a hand on him, he had certainly used every other bit of arsenal he had against the boy, even going to so far as to vow he'd disown him.
Still, Draco was not to be swayed.
Shaking his head, Lucius pulled himself out of his thoughts. If he continued along that path, he would be forced to re-live the night that Narcissa died and his entire world changed. And that was something he wasn't willing to do at the moment.
Instead, he stopped just short of the walkway to the main house and turned to his son. Draco halted suddenly, his eyes widening slightly at this change in events. Looking him up and down, Lucius finally noticed the man that his child had become.
Peering into Draco's eyes, he noticed the anguish that his son was so obviously trying to hide. Finally, he decided that now was as good a time to start parenting as ever. Clearing his throat, he softly said, "Draco, I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. However, I want you to understand that, regardless of what may happen, you are still my son. While you may not be my only son, you are certainly the oldest. You are my legacy to the world, as well as my heir. And..."
Here he paused, searching for the right words. After a second, he managed, "I realize I may not say it, but I *am* proud of you, of the man you have become. Against all odds you have overcome severe obstacles, one of the larger ones being the beliefs I instilled upon you. You are no longer the son that I wished you to be when you were born, and for that I am extremely pleased and grateful. Please keep that in mind when conducting yourself around Cordelia and the children." Then, he turned around and entered the house.
Draco watched in silent shock as his father walked away. He had waited his entire life to hear those words. And now that Lucius had said them, he couldn't help but feel like an ass for making his earlier plans to send Cordelia packing. His father was proud of him, did care for him, and nothing would change that.
Now having a new outlook on the situation at hand, he swallowed down the lump of guilt and self-loathing that had formed in his throat and headed into the house.
******
"So then Ron looks at the guy and says 'I don't know who this Weasley fellow is, but if I see him, you'll be the first to know, mate'. Then, he turned around and practically *ran* from the pub!" Harry exclaimed, laughing at memory.
Ron scowled at his friend, then looked at an amused Cordelia. "The git was huge! Like Hagrid huge! And he was looking to pound me for something one of my brother's did years ago! What was I supposed to do? Pull out my wand and challenge him to a duel? He would have beaten me to death with it!" he tried explaining, only earning himself more laughter from the others. Sighing, he slumped back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Like any of you would have done any different," he muttered.
Cordelia chuckled, nodding her head. "Hey, I've been there. Of course, rather than running like a scared kid, I usually try to talk my way out. If that doesn't work, *then* I run as fast as I can to the nearest exit," she stated.
Hermione gave her a doubtful look, the smile never faltering. "Somehow I can't picture you running from or trying to avoid anything, Cordelia. Why, you even faced down Draco when he tried to curse you," she commented softly.
Cordelia shrugged. "Well, that's because I didn't know what he was doing," she admitted. Shaking her head, she continued. "There was this one time, in high school, when this idiot thought that I was one of the Slayers. So, he put me and Buffy, the *actual* Slayer, in the woods, and then let a bunch of vampires and demons try and kill us. He called it Slayerfest, I think. But anyway. By the end of the night, I was tired, scared to death, and my designer dress was *completely* ruined. And then, Buffy gets knocked out and I'm facing off with this ugly vamp with some serious hygiene issues, who apparently thinks he's the equivalent of the undead Jesse James. I know I can't defend myself. And there's no where for me to run to. So, I do the only thing I can."
"Scream bloody murder?" Ron quipped, his eyes wide and he listened to her story. Seeing the glares Harry and Hermione shot at him, he shrugged. "What? That's what I would have done if I were defenseless against a vampire."
Cordelia shook her head. "Not usually a good idea. They tend to enjoy the whole fear vibe. No, *I* look him in the eye, and admit to being the Slayer. I told him something to the effect of 'Buffy's second best compared to me. You thought she could kick your ass? Wait and see what *I* can do'. Of course, what I actually said sounded better, but anyway. The point is, he took one look at me, and ran from the room," she stated.
Harry gasped. "Really?" he asked in awe.
Cordelia nodded. "Yep. But, don't go getting any ideas. I was lucky that time. If he'd had any common sense he would have just killed me right then and there," she replied.
Hermione sighed. "Wow. That is so amazing. You've seen so much," she breathed.
The Seer shrugged. "Not any more than you three have. From what Wesley tells me, you guys have led some action packed lives yourselves."
"I feel I must ask. How does Wesley know anything about what goes on in the wizarding world?" a voice asked from the doorway. "From what I remember, he was most out of his element dealing with my...situation."
Turning her head, Cordelia smiled at Lucius as he entered the room. "Well, that's because he wasn't sure what to think of you. And he had to wait for the book store to finally get in his order of the books he needed. But, Wes isn't your typical Muggle. He was once a Watcher, of an active Slayer in fact," she explained.
Lucius nodded, the term sounding vaguely familiar to him. There was apparently an entire Counsel of Watchers, although they tended to avoid the wizarding world as much as possible. Sitting down in his chair, he watched as Draco entered the room.
Looking around, Draco finally moved to the couch, sitting down beside Hermione. Seeing the curious glance she shot his way, he gave her a small, reassuring smile. Then, he turned his attention to Cordelia. "I apologize for keeping you waiting," he said politely, refusing to elaborate any further.
Cordelia nodded, gracefully accepting his apology. "It's fine. I was just trading stories with the others." Clapping her hands, she stood up, moving to the fireplace. Facing the room, she smiled. "Okay, so I guess I should make with the explaining." Taking a deep breath, she tried to decide where to start. After a moment, she laughed. "All right. Let's see. Well, first, you all know that I'm a Seer for the PTB. Angel was my Champion, the one who was supposed to receive my visions."
"Was?" Hermione echoed, growing pale. "He wasn't..."
Cordelia quickly shook her head. "Dusted? No. In fact, exactly the opposite. He became human, as a reward from the PTB. He's living as normal of a life as he can, raising Connor and enjoying the sunshine without having to worry about bursting into flames. Of course, needless to say, after he became human, Angel Investigations closed down," she stated.
"Everyone went their own ways. Wesley moved to Cleveland with Faith, one of the Slayer's, and they're protecting the Hellmouth there."
Frowning, Hermione interrupted, her voice soft. "What do you mean *one* of the Slayers? There is only one. That's how it works, right?" she asked.
Harry nodded, also giving Cordelia a puzzled look. "Mione's right. I remember Professor Lupin telling us about Slayers in our third year. He said there was one girl in all the world..."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Who shall stand alone against the forces of darkness. Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I know the deal, okay? Except, Buffy was different. She made friends, and when she drowned one of her friends brought her back. But, since she'd technically been dead..."
Ron gasped, his eyes widening. "Another Slayer got made!" he exclaimed.
Cordelia nodded. "Yep. Except the term is 'called'. So, now there are two Slayers. Buffy and Faith. And, when Faith got released from prison...long story, *don't* ask, she and Wes went off to keep the world safe. Fred and Gunn got married a month ago and are currently on their honeymoon in Europe. And Lorne headed to Las Vegas. That just left me." Here she paused, taking a sip of her drink which she was holding tightly in her hands as she paced back and forth in front of everyone.
"Originally, I'd planned on just taking it easy. I'd saved up enough money to be able to live comfortably for a few years, and I just wanted to raise my kids and help Angel with Connor. Unfortunately, while Angel gets to retire, I, apparently, don't."
Standing still, she focused her gaze on Lucius. "I had a vision. And it was for you. *All* of you." Forcing a small smile, she exclaimed, "So I'm now officially a Seer for everyone in this room. Which reminds me. I know where that Pettigrew guy is, if anyone's interested."
******
Arabella silently sat up, her eyes locked on her brother. Making sure that he was actually asleep, she began to ease her way out of bed, biting her lip as she tried not to make any sound.
Once her feet were on the floor, she tiptoed barefoot across the room. Glancing at her shoes, which were lying by the closet door, she debated on whether or not to put them on. Realizing that they would make too much noise, she silently opened the door and slipped out of the room.
Standing in the hallway, she looked around with wide eyed wonder. Everything was so *big*! Shaking her head, she finally turned to the right, deciding that direction was as good as any other.
Giggling softly, she moved stealthily down the corridor, peering with wonder at the various paintings. She knew she was supposed to be in bed taking a nap, but she was far too excited to sleep. And she didn't feel like finding her mom and trying to explain it to her, because she just wouldn't get it. No, her mom would only tell her to go back upstairs and *try* to go to sleep. So, rather than be forced to lie in a room and listen to her bratty brother snore, she decided to go exploring.
She just hoped she didn't get lost.
Tiptoeing down the hallway, she stopped in front of a portrait of a pretty little girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Tilting her head to the side, Bella studied the strange clothing the girl was wearing. A big dress with lots of ruffles and bows. Crinkling her nose, she shook her head, deciding she wouldn't want to wear a dress like that at all.
Suddenly, the girl in the painting frowned, then her lower lip began to stick out. "Don't look at me like that!" she ordered in a bossy tone. "And it isn't polite to stare."
Bella gasped, taking a step back. Looking around, she slowly inched forward until she was close enough to touch the painting. "You can see me?" she whispered in disbelief.
The blonde girl rolled her eyes. "Well of *course* I can see you. Why wouldn't I be able to?" she asked in exasperation. "I'm not blind, you know."
Bella chose not to respond to that, instead shrugging and accepting that pictures here were very strange. "Is your dress itchy? It doesn't look very comfortable," she finally commented.
The painting scowled. "I'll have you know that this dress is one of a kind!" she screeched. "My mother had it made especially for me for my eight birthday party!"
Bella nodded quickly, wanting to quiet the loud girl. "Okay. Sorry. It's a pretty dress." Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. It was during that gesture that she paused, seeing something move out of the corner of her eye.
Turning her head toward the end of the hallway, she frowned. "Hello?" she called softly. "Is somebody there?"
The little girl in the painting gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Stop that!" she whispered fiercely. "You shouldn't be here. Go away!" Her tone went from bossy to desperate as fear filled her voice. "Go! Now! Run!"
Bella waved her hand at her, mimicking a move Cordelia did when she wanted someone to be quiet. Then, she began silently making her way toward the end of the corridor.
Just as she turned the corner, she heard the blonde girl whisper, "You can't find it, you know. No one can find the shadow. It has to find you."
Bella deliberately ignored her, staring closely at the darkness that covered the majority of this area of the hallway. Squinting, she saw a faint light in the corner and made her way toward it. Once she got closer, she realized it was a door that had been left open.
Walking up to it, she stepped inside and felt her hand along the wall, wondering where the light switch was. Not feeling anything, she finally peered up at the candle that was resting on a shelf a few feet above her head. Looking around, she didn't see anything she could step on to grab it.
Finally, she held out her hand and concentrated, watching with detachment as the candle, along with its holder, lifted in the air and floated down to her. Grasping it tightly, she smiled at it.
"We won't tell mommy that I did that," she whispered. Then, holding the light in front of her, she looked around. As the light began pushing back the darkness, she noticed that there was a large flight of stairs right in front of her that seemed to be going down even further into the castle.
Biting her lip, she tried to decide what to do. Glancing over her shoulder at the hallway she'd just come from, she debated on going back to bed. If she turned around right now, maybe her mom wouldn't know she'd been out exploring.
However, before she could decide, she heard a raspy voice from the bottom of the stairs.
"Help me, Bella."
Frowning, she listened again. This time, she heard it a little louder. "Help me! Please!" Gasping, she began moving down the stairs, her heart hammering in her chest. That was her brother's voice!
Moving so quickly that she almost stumbled a few times, she finally got to the bottom. However, once she was down there, she stopped, the tiniest bit of fear taking hold of her.
Korben wasn't anywhere to be seen.
Moving the candle first to the right, then to the left, she tried to see if he had somehow crawled away from the stairs. Seeing something move to the side of her, just inside the shadows, she spun in that direction.
"Korben?" she whispered, taking a step toward the person. However, before she could move any further, a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Not knowing what else to do, Bella did the only thing that she could think of, the one thing that came naturally to a frightened four year old girl.
She screamed.
******
A/N: Sorry about the slight delay on this one, folks. I wanted to get it out sooner, but I had to re-write this last part a few times before I felt I got it just right. And guess what? This fic is probably going to run longer than 'Shadows and Glimpses' and have an actual Big Bad and everything. Lol.
So, let me know what you think! Reviews make my muse happy and a happy muse is a productive, well-focused muse! *g*
