AN: see first part for disclaimer. Part 1D

Outside King's Cross

London, England

1 September

"Hmm, let's see… where am I going? Oh, yeah, platform nine and three-quarters for 11 o'clock. OK!" Xander just wandered through the station for about thirty minutes before he got frustrated and asked the nearest person where the platform was. "Excuse me sir, can you tell me where platform 9 and ¾ is?"

"What are you talking about boy? There is no such place," the old British man looked at him in disgust. "Damn Yanks," he muttered as he walked away.

"Great. Just great. Couldn't she just port me to the damn platform? Why outside?" He kept mumbling as he walked towards the intersection between platform 9 and 10. 'No Alexander, I couldn't. The platform is protected by magic and it would disturb too many people to break it. The alley was a much better place.' He actually fell over when he heard the voice in his head.

'What the hell? How can I hear you?' Xander thought back to his mentor.

'We are connected through the Akiri-ken,' the space-tree commented as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

'Ok, but please stay out of my head ok. It makes me uncomfortable,' Xander replied, getting up, and checking to see if he hadn't drawn too much attention to himself.

'Very well, Alexander.' It sounded as if Tsunami was not happy with his request.

Xander just stared at the big plastic number nine over one platform and the big number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle was nothing but a wall.

Then he noticed a group of people behind him and caught a few words of what they were saying.

"Harry, you go first, I hate platform 9 and ¾..."

Xander made a quick 180 spin and looked at the group. He noticed a boy with black hair and ragged old clothes on with a cart with an owl and a trunk run towards the walk between the two platforms. He was about to yell at the kid when the boy vanished.

"What…?" he stood there shocked. But then he remembered Tsunami mentioning magic and then it made sense.

"Oh great, a muggle," replied one of the red headed boys. Xander inspected the family closer and noticed that all of them had flaming red hair and freckles. "Mom, can I use the memory charm on him please?" the boy seemed to whine at his mother.

"Now Fred, be quiet, I'll do it." The plump older woman took out what appeared to be a wand, but was interrupted before she could do anything.

"Hold up, wait a second. What's a muggle? And maybe you can help me. I'm looking for platform 9 ¾. And please, no magic. I've had enough magic in my life," Xander asked the woman.

The family stood there, shocked. The older woman stepped up to him, "What do you want with platform 9 and ¾?" She asked, staring at him as if daring him to lie.

Running his hands through his hair, Xander replied, "Well, I am going to Hogwarts for some training. Look, I even have a train ticket." Xander pulled out his train ticket to prove his story.

"Oh well, why didn't you mention the school? Just follow my son Ron here," she motioned to a boy that seemed to be about 15 years old.

"Thanks. I thought I was lost," Xander replied honestly.

"Not a problem, dear. But aren't you a little old to be going to Hogwarts for the first time?" she asked, seemingly kinder to him after he mentioned Hogwarts.

He just shrugged as he waited for his turn to go through with the boy named Ron, when they noticed a couple of really beautiful girls walk up to the same wall. To Xander, and Ron, they looked like angels come down from heaven, their shoulder-long chestnut hair tied in a pony-tail, their tanned skin even and spotless, and both had a pair of the most intense curiously-green eyes Xander had ever seen.

"We walked all over the station," the first girl said to her companion, seemingly examining the wall. "Logic dictates that nine and three-quarters is through here."

"It's a wall, April," the second girl replied.

"Yes, but we are going to a magic-school, so…" the first girl, now known as April, said. She extended her arm, and it went right through the wall. "See? Holographic."

The second girl smiled, and shook her head. "You're something, Kawaii," the second girl, still nameless, said as she and her partner disappeared through the holographic wall.

Xander following his guide, and was awed at what he saw. He turned around and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. A scarlet engine, with the name Hogwarts Express plastered on the front, was waiting next to the platform, which was packed with people. He turned and watched as Ron's owl, 'What do they need owls for?' Xander asked himself, noticing that the animal began hopping up and down in its small cage and twittered madly when he saw all the people.

"Shut up, Pig," said Ron as he made his way towards one of the compartments.

'Why would anyone name an owl Pig?' Xander mentally chuckled.

***

Faith and Buffy had gotten back to speaking terms … a fact, which has confused Faith to no end. If she didn't know better, it seemed that Buffy didn't even blame her anymore and blamed Xander. 'Yeah, right. B loves him,' Faith thought to herself.

'It's a good thing she let me stay at her home; I was getting tired of those shitty motels.' She walked into the Summers' kitchen, and passed by Dawn. "Hey kiddo, how's it going? You start school this week right."

"Don't talk to me, you skank! You might have helped Buffy out of her funk but I don't want you here." Dawn turned red and quickly left the kitchen towards her room.

'Shit man, she is never going to get over what I did. I apologized, what else she want me to do. Well I am living here I guess I'll just confront her and at least try to be civil.' Faith then turned and made her way towards Dawn's room.

***

Dawn lay on her bed crying. She was still angry at Faith, 'Why should I be, it's not like any of the memories I have of her are real. But they hurt so much. I trusted her. I thought she was so cool. She betrayed me… us, why for some laughs. I bet the spell that put the memories in everyone else's minds didn't affect her, she just knows me as the fake sister.'

She popped in her Kittie CD and started to listen to Brackish when a knock was heard at her door. She ignored it and put the music louder. She fell back onto her bed, and closed her eyes. Then someone turned off the stereo, and Dawn's eyes flew open.

"Nice taste in music, I am glad to see you still have the CD I gave you." Faith made her way to the bed and sat next to where Dawn was laying.

"Faith, just leave me alone, ok? I'm not Buffy. You can't convince me that you're good." She regretted her words as soon as she saw the hurt in Faith's face. She was almost sure that a tear was threatening to fall, 'But Faith never cries.' "Look, I'm sorry, ok? What do you want?" She was not going to be nice, not mean but not nice either.

Faith looked around the room nervously and then steadied her nerves. "Look, Dawn, I am sorry for what I did in the past. I know I betrayed and hurt you, I didn't mean to, I had a lot of shit going on. You and Xander," Faith noticed Dawn cringe at the mention of the missing man in their lives. "I am sorry I knocked you and your mom out." The sorrow was evident in her eyes.

Dawn sat up quickly, shocked by what she heard, 'She doesn't know, she doesn't know.' Dawn didn't know if she should torture Faith or just tell her.

"Look Dawn, I know we won't be cool for a while, but I am not going anywhere and I am going to help you guys, ok?" Faith softened her voice, something that she had recently been trying to perfect. 'Being nice is harder than being mean. Argh.'

"Yeah, I understand, but I need time. Can you please go; I want to be left alone."

Faith got up and before walking out of the room, "Look, kid, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here and give your sis a chance too. She's trying to deal with all this, so don't take her distance as an insult."

Left alone in her room, Dawn pulled out her diary and started to write in it.

***

September 1st

Well, school will be starting again in a few days, what a bummer. Buffy is getting better, but she doesn't talk to anyone other than Faith. I am worried about my sister, but at least she's staying away from my Spike.

Speaking of Spike: he's been ignoring us, which has pissed me off. Another day without Xander, I am so over my crush. He left us, me.

Anyway, I had a talk with Faith, and I don't know if I trust her yet.

Magic Box

Willow was pissed to say the least, "Why the hell is Buffy letting Faith stay at her house? I don't get it! I know she doesn't blame Faith, but I still think it was her and not Xander. I mean, come on! There is no way he could have taken advantage of her." She kept babbling on how Faith was as evil as she was a bitch, while Tara just listened.

"But honey, we don't really know what happened." As always Tara was trying to be reasonable about what was going on. "He didn't leave you on purpose, Willow. He'll come back." Finally mentioning what was really bothering Willow, Tara braced herself for her girlfriend to explode. She got the exact opposite.

"Do you think it was because I was trying to convince him to bring back Buffy with dark magic? Tara, I need him, he's my best friend, it's so hard! And Buffy's ignoring me, I can't believe Faith, Faith was able to help her and I wasn't."

"Faith's a Slayer and it could be the reason. I don't know what went on with them, but all that matters is that Buffy is better, not who helped her get there, Willow," Tara's voice had a little hint of disappointment in it.

Willow collapsed on the couch and started to cry, "B… but she won't even talk to me about it, maybe I can look through one of the magic books."

"No Willow, no spells," the anger from Tara was evident in her slightly louder than usual voice.

"Fine, but what else am I suppose to do? I mean Faith sleeps with Xander again and Buffy's ok with it. Well I am not ok with it." Her resolve face made itself present.

Hogwarts Express

Seeing that most of the carriages were already packed with students, Xander opted to enter one of the last carriages. He sat himself at the end of the carriage and tried to conceal himself as best he could, not wanting to be interrupted by students. He instead chose to observe them and see how they interacted. His time with Tsunami gave him time to contemplate how different everyone was. There were aliens out there, wizards, witches, demons, both good and bad, and others. And to think that the power of the wizards is from another planet, yet it grew here instead of being suppressed, as on Jurai. Xander's mind boggled at all the new information.

He noticed that the boy Ron and his friends had sat at the front of the compartment, so he decided to watch them.

"Harry! How was your summer? You didn't respond to my letters. Did the Dursley's bother you again?" Ron sounded cheery and glad to be with his friends again.

"Summer was ok; Dursley's left me alone since I got permission to use magic at home. And Dumbledore kept me updated on Voldemort's actions." Harry seemed sad and depressed and just seemed to just want to get the conversation over.

Ron gasped at the mention of You Know Who's name. "Blimey Harry, please don't say his name."

A growl of anger was heard from Harry as he got up and started yelling, "I will not call him You Know Who, I'll use his name and honor the people that have fought against him!" Harry got up from his seat next to Ron and sat next a girl with brown hair that seemed like she took a lot of time maintaining it.

Xander was confused by the boy named Harry's reaction to his friend but chose to ignore it for now. "Hmm interesting, I wonder if they have any Twinkies." His hunger was finally catching up to him; trying his best to ignore it he turned his attention to the boy and girl in the front.

"Harry, how are you really doing? If you need someone to talk to I am here, ok? We're friends and I'll help you anyway I can," her voice was full of love and caring.

"Thanks Hermione, that means a lot to me. But for now I'm ok." Both of them just seemed to relax into their seats and look out the windows as the train started to move out of the station.

So wrapped up into the others, Xander didn't notice the boy that had asked him to sit next to him. "Excuse me, but can I sit here. The other carriages are really loud and I just want some quiet."

Xander turned to look at a tall young man that had long dreadlocks and a pair of glasses. "Sure no problem, by the way my name's Xander."

"My name is Pumpkin, Pumpkin Escobar," Pumpkin smiled at Xander and extended his hand.

Xander accepted the handshake and laughed, "You wouldn't happen to work in Los Angeles local 305." Xander was trying really hard not to laugh.

"Nah, but you want some crack, and get high?" Pumpkin laughed and waved his hands around in an excited way.

Pumpkin's actions only served to have Xander laugh and slide off his seat. "Cool man, that movie was great. So I take it you're from the states, you have no accent and you know a fun flick when you see it." Xander had a big smile and was relaxing for the first time since he left to train with Tsunami. Out of the corner of his eye Xander noticed that the others in the carriage had turned and stared at him for a couple of seconds. 'Yeah, me funny man. Well someone had to brighten up the gloomy atmosphere.'

"Yeah, I am from Jersey, but my parents moved to London 7 years ago. I still keep in touch with my pals there; I never did get an accent. Thank God. By the way I never seen you at Hogwarts, what year are you?"

"This is my first visit to Hogwarts; I am to meet with the headmaster. How about you, how many years have you been at Hogwarts?" Xander was starting to feel uncomfortable about all the questions but decided he needed a friend in the school and well he liked Pumpkin. Before Pumpkin could answer, "You wouldn't happen to have any Twinkies on you."

Pumpkin chuckled, "Nah dude, sorry. As to your other questions, it takes seven years to complete Hogwarts wizard training, and thank god it's my last year..."

'Fuck, I can't be here that long. Oh well got to do what I got to do,' Xander thought

Pumpkins eyes widen, "You mean your a first year, you must be the oldest first year ever. Not that it's a bad thing, wow."

"Yep. I'm a newbie," Xander chuckled. He turned towards the window and noticed that the train was taking them out of London. He gazed at the fields of sheep and cows. 'Well you don't see that those in Sunnydale,' he mentally chuckled. "Anyway so tell me about Hogwarts, I don't know much about it."

As they talked about the school and wizards in general, a smiling, dimpled woman slid next to them and "Anything off the cart, dears?" Xander raised an eyebrow at her question.

'Finally, food.' Xander got up immediately and was followed by Pumpkin as they went out into the corridor. "Finally Twinkies and more goodies. Hey, where are the Twinkies?"

Pumpkin just laughed, "Sorry only wizard goodies here, but they're just as good, if not better."

Xander looked at everything they had, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, 'ew, frogs,' Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and other strange things. "Damn I only have US currency."

"Don't worry dude, I have it covered. Just pick anything you want and when we get a chance to go to Goblin Bank in Hogsmeade we'll change your money to wizard currency."

Taking his new friends advice, Xander got some of everything and waited as Pumpkin paid.

After the duo had retaken their seats, and Xander had pried open his package of Blowing Gum, their conversation was interrupted.

"Excuse us for bothering," a velvety-soft vice said, making both Xander and Pumpkin look up. Before them stood the two beauties Xander had seen at the wall earlier. "Are those seats taken?" the first girl asked, the one who had figured out what the wall was all about.

"Eh…" Xander replied dumb, star struck.

"Not in the least," Pumpkin replied, motioning for the empty seats. "I've never seen you two before… and believe me when I say that I would never forget faces like yours."

The two girls smiled sweetly at him, causing Pumpkin's mind to blow into orbit.

"We're new," The first girl answered. "I'm April. This is Ariana."

"I'm Xander," Xander answered, finally managing to compose himself. "Alexander Lavelle Harris, at your service," he added theatrically. April and Ariana smiled at him. "I'm new as well," he heard himself say over the thumping of his heart and through the fog that turned his brain to cotton.

"Pumpkin. Pumpkin Escobar," Pumpkin said. "Last year, unfortunately… I will only be graced by your presence for one year."

April and Ariana seemed to enjoy that remark, because they chuckled slightly. Soon, Xander and Pumpkin resumed their earlier conversation, every now and then throwing a concerned look at the two girls, who had lapsed into silence and were looking sadly at the window.

*****

Faith ran around her room like a maniac, she was trying to stuff as many things in her duffle bag as she could. She had to get away from here as fast as she could, already having called the bus station she knew she had an hour before the last bus of the day left. She sat down in the kitchen table and started to write letters for Buffy and Dawn.

Just then Buffy walked in through the kitchen door. "Hey, Faith, how's it going? What's wrong?"

Buffy had never seen Faith showing so much emotion, she looked haunted and scared. The only time she had seen Faith this scared was when they talked about her night with Xander. "Is something bothering you," Buffy put in as much comforting emotion as she could. Things with Faith weren't perfect, but she promised herself that she wouldn't let Faith go back towards the darkness. "You can talk to me."

Buffy walked around the round table and moved a chair next to Faith; she did not fail to see the duffle bag full of Faith's things. She chose to ignore it for now. "Did something happen with Dawn or one of the others?"

Faith looked scared, even at the verge of tears and this puzzled and worried Buffy. In all the years of knowing Faith, she never showed her emotions especially if she was scared. "Go to the bathroom all your questions will be answered there."

Buffy got up and ran to the bathroom, expecting something terrible when she got there, but all she saw was a package and its contents. She studied the contents carefully, not hearing the door closing in the kitchen. "Oh my god," she quickly stated and ran towards the kitchen

"Faith!" she yelled as she noticed that Faith was gone. She ran outside and noticed Faith running at the end of the block.

Catching up to Faith, "Don't run Faith, I'm your friend. I'm here for you."

Faith was actually crying, "Shut up, B. I don't need your pity or your help. I am getting out of this hell hole and everyone that has brought me pain."

"You're not alone Faith, I'm here to help. Please don't run, you've helped me so much and I plan to help you through this. So is it true, is it his?" Buffy was confused she was happy and sad at the same time, but one emotion stood clear, confusion.

"Yeah, I am pregnant and it's Xander's. Jeeze Buffy I haven't been with anyone other than him in years."

Buffy felt shameful about asking her who the father was. "Let's go home and talk."

"No Buffy, I am leaving." Faith turned to leave but was stopped by a firm grip on her shoulder by Buffy. "Don't touch me B; I don't want to hurt you." She shrugged off the hand and continued on her way, until Buffy ran and blocked her way and got into a fighting stance.

"If you want a fight, then fine. We'll fight, but you're not leaving."

"Buffy I'm three months pregnant, I know it ain't showing but you can hurt the baby."

"I'm not letting you go Faith." Buffy put her hands on her hips and waited for Faith's reply.

"Why? I'm pregnant; I'll just be a burden on you. Not even the father of the baby wants me." Faith stared crying and almost fell as her knees gave out, but was caught by Buffy.

Buffy grabbed her into a hug and rocked her, "Look Faith we are working things out, and I want to help. I know Xander isn't here, but who needs him. I'll help you, I want to help you."

"I am scared B, I don't know what to do. I can't take care of myself, let alone a baby."

"Don't worry we'll figure this out together." They slowly got up and made their way to the house.