NOTES: First let me apologize for not updating sooner. I had test to study for and to go to. Then I got sick but I'm better now.

Second, thanks to all those who reviewed. They mean everything to me.

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!

Buffy felt so sorry for Neville. Professor McGonagall had refused to give Neville the new password and she forbade anyone to tell him. Neville had to wait outside the portrait until someone would let him in. Buffy had been feeling very awkward for the past couple of weeks. Giles had insisted on patrolling with her. They were in the Forbidden Forest when they were attacked by some kind of mucus chucking demon. The demon took them totally by surprise as it hit Buffy hard sending her into a nearby tree. Her head was pounding and some blood trickled into her left eye. She looked up to see Giles fighting the demon and winning. Drawing his sword Giles cut off the demon's head and rushed to Buffy's side.

"Buffy! Are you alright?"

"My strength is gone! I couldn't sense him. Giles, I'm scared. What's wrong with me?"

"I don't know Buffy. We'll figure it out. Once I get you to Pomfrey I start researching for the answer."

Giles said as he pressed his handkerchief to her forehead. Helping her to her feet they quickly made their way back to the castle.

Hogsmeade weekend had come. Giles had told Harry that he wouldn't be able to go this time. Ron had made such a big deal about going that he used his invisibility cloak and the Marauders map Buffy had given him for Christmas to sneak out. Buffy had only gotten worse. She was now only as strong as a regular human girl her age. Xander, Willow, Oliver, and Giles were researching anything and everything that could possibly be taking her slayerness away. To top off losing her slayer power, the time for Buckbeak's trial had come. Buffy had kept her promise and was now standing in the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures courtroom. A small crowd of mostly Slytherin parents were taking their seats. Buffy did see a few familiar faces of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the Granger's. She could tell that Hagrid was very nervous. He kept pacing the floor and wringing his hands.

"Hagrid sit down! You're not helping the situation. Buckbeak is watching you and can see your nervousness. I made a promise to you and I keep my promises. Now settle down."

Hagrid took the seat beside her. After several more minutes the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures finally entered.

"This trial will now come to order. We are here to discuss the fate of this Hippogriff. Are the complainants here?"

Buffy watched as several Slytherin parents stepped forward.

"And who is here for the defendant?"

"We are." Buffy said as she and Hagrid stood up. "This is Rubeus Hagrid, teacher of Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts, and I am Elizabeth Summers. Hogwarts resident Slayer."

A small gasp came from some of the people at seeing the Slayer before them. Most of them had only heard about her.

"You two may present your side of why this creature isn't dangerous."

"Thank you. First, let me say that Buckbeak had every right to be mad. Everyone gets upset when they get insulted. Draco Malfoy had insulted Buckbeak even after Hagrid had specifically said not to. Harry Potter successfully approached this creature, petted it, and even went for a ride. Being that we are all extremely busy, I'll make this as brief as possible. I have someone who would like to tell his story and he is here of his own free will."

Everyone watched as Buffy moved to one of the doors to the room and opened it. They all watched as she made a motioning gesture with her hands. Seconds later the Slytherin families gasped upon seeing Draco Malfoy entered.

"Let me introduce to those who don't know, this is Draco Malfoy."

"Mister Malfoy, please have a seat over there please." One of the council members pointed toward the stand. "Mr. Malfoy, tell us why you are here today?"

"I am here today because I have recently been shown just how badly my actions effect others. The Hippogriff only attacked because Crabbe, Goyle, and I were too busy talking and trying to find ways to ruin the class to heed Professor Hagrid's warning. I carelessly insulted Buckbeak."

"Thank you Mister Malfoy. You may go. Do you have anything else Ms. Summers?"

"Yes, I have a small demonstration." Buffy said moving to select a Slytherin parent. "I'd like to show that when approached properly a Hippogriff isn't dangerous. Mr. Goyle if you would be so kind."

While the trial was going on Ron, and Harry, in his invisibility cloak, enjoyed the sites of Hogsmeade. Ron had been shocked upon hearing Harry's voice. Buffy's eighteenth birthday was coming and Harry had wanted to get her a present. Once Harry had found her a present, Ron had suggested going up to the Shrieking Shack. Ron spoke to Harry as they looked at the creepy boarded up shack.

"Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it. I asked Nearly Headless Nick…he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in. Fred and George obviously tried, but all the entrances are sealed shut…"

Feeling hot from their climb Harry had considered taking off the cloak when they heard the distinct voices of Crabbe and Goyle coming up the hill.

"…should have an owl from my Father any time now. He had to go to that hearing to tell them how we were all almost killed." Goyle told Crabbe.

"I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself…that hippogriff's as good as dead."

"Oh look who it is," said Goyle. "What are you doing, Weasley?"

"Hate to break up your fun-no actually I'm going to enjoy this. You both know Buffy went with Hagrid. If anyone can get Buckbeak free, it's Buffy. Besides you know she took Malfoy with them to tell what happened."

Goyle and Crabbe seemed to frown at that. They had known Malfoy wasn't going to Hogsmeade but he wouldn't tell where he was going.

"So, Weasley, I heard all your family sleeps in one room-is that true?" Crabbe asked.

Ron was furious and was about to attack Crabbe. Harry quickly grabbed Ron's arm to hold him back. He whispered quietly and Ron nodded ever so slightly. Ron kept them distracted.

"I'd watch what you say. You know what Buffy would do if she found out."

SPLAT! A big, slimy, dirty mud pie hit Crabbe on the back of his head.

"What the-?"

Ron had almost lost it upon seeing Crabbe's face. Both Crabbe and Goyle turned swiftly with twin looks of stupidity on their faces.

"What was that? Who did that?" Goyle asked.

"Very haunted up here isn't it?"

Ron said lightly as if he were talking about the weather. Crabbe and Goyle were looking quite worried. Soon they were both splattered with mud.

"It came from over there."

Crabbe pointed toward the direction Harry had just been. Both boys were walking with their arms out trying to catch hold of some unknown. Harry had whacked Goyle in the back with a stick. At this point Ron could no longer keep his laughter in. Crabbe and Goyle turned and started heading toward the laughing Ron. They knew that somehow he must have been causing it. Before they could get anywhere Harry put a leg out and tripped them. They both fell in a huge mud puddle but not before Goyle and his big feet stepped on the edge of Harry's cloak pulling it down to expose Harry's head.

"AAARGH!"

Crabbe yelled having recovered quickly and pointing at Harry's head. Harry quickly recovered his head, but knew that the damage had been done. Ron ran over to the area Harry had been.

"Harry!" He whispered. "You'd better run for it! If they tell anyone-you'd better get back to the castle quick-"

"See you later."

Harry ran as fast as he could through the hidden tunnel. He had taken the cloak off as he was running. As he neared the tunnel entrance he dropped the cloak before tapping the witch's hump and peeked out. He quickly stepped out and no sooner had he done it than the sound of footsteps was heard coming toward him. It was Snape. Harry tried not to groan. Snape had almost caught him when he left this afternoon. He knew that Snape was already suspicious. Trying his best Harry put on his most innocent smile.

"Come with me Potter."

Snape had picked up on Harry's sweaty face and hands in his pocket. Harry had been taken to Snape's office.

"Sit!" Harry remained standing.

"Mr. Crabbe has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter. He tells me he and Mr. Goyle were up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley-apparently alone. Mr. Crabbe states that he was standing talking to Weasley when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?"

"I don't know Professor."

Harry tried not to blink as he stared into Snape's eyes.

"Mr. Crabbe then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?"

"No."

"It was your head, Potter. Floating in mid air."

"He probably ate too many sweets, which caused him to see things. Maybe he'd better go to Madame Pomfrey if he's see things like-"

"What would your head be doing in Hogsmeade, Potter? Your head was not allowed in Hogsmeade this weekend. No part of your body is allowed in Hogsmeade."

"I know that. It sounds like Crabbe is having hallucin-"

"Crabbe is not having hallucinations. If your head was in Hogsmeade so was the rest of you."

"I've been all over the school today sir."

"Can anyone confirm that?"

"Neville saw me."

"Turn out your pockets Potter! Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!"

Harry pulled out the contents of his pocket. He was glad that he had put the candy in the cloak pocket and the present with Ron. The only thing he was carrying besides his wand was the blank Marauders map. Snape began to look at it. His face rose in a questioning glare.

"It's a Christmas present from Buffy. I've been trying for months to figure out what it does and she won't tell me."

"Let me see, let me see…" Snape took out his wand and tapped the parchment. "Reveal your secrets."

It remained blank.

"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!"

This time something did appear on the map. Harry watched the map. His insides were trembling fearfully.

Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.

Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.

Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor.

Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slime ball.

Harry wasn't sure whether he should be mortified or falling on the floor laughing. Snape called into the fireplace.

"Lupin! I want a word!"

A few seconds later Professor Lupin appeared out of the fire. He brushed the ash from the fireplace off his clothes.

"You called Severus?"

"I certainly did. I just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this."

Lupin quickly squashed the smile that was bubbling inside him. The only words that remained on the map were Moony, Prongs, Padfoot, and Wormtail.

"Well," said Snape. Lupin didn't answer right away. "Well? This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Potter said that he got this from Buffy. I don't believe him. Do you know where he might have acquired this from?"

"Full of Dark Magic? Do you really think so, Severus? If it did indeed come from Buffy do you really think she would give him anything dangerous? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults the reader. Buffy probably got it from Zonko's."

"Indeed?" Snape said as his jaw went rigid from anger. "You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it's more likely that he got it directly from the manufactures?"

Before Lupin could answer there was a knock on Snape's door. Before he could say come in Buffy entered excitedly.

"Ms. Summers, it customary to wait for me to say, "come in" before entering." Buffy looked a little sheepish.

"I'm sorry Professor. I guess I'm a little excited. I just had to come and tell you the news. We won!"

"I am most happy for you my dear." He said giving Buffy a slight smile.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'm interrupting something aren't I?"

"Not at all my dear. Your timing is perfect. Did you give this parchment to Harry?" Lupin asked her.

"Yes I did. I bought it at the joke shop in Hogsmeade. It's a mood parchment. If you're in a good mood it compliments. If you're in a bad mood it insults. Watch. I Buffy Summers ask you to reveal your secrets to me."

The parchment began to fill with words again.

Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Buffy Summers, and bids her congratulations on a job well done in both slaying and the trial.

Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Buffy Summers is a beautiful woman.

Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that such a petite girl is the slayer.

Mr. Wormtail bids Buffy Summers a good day, and informs her that she looks absolutely magnificent in anything she wears.

"Well!" Lupin said clapping his hands together looking cheerful. "That seems to clear that up! I'll take this back shall I? Buffy, Harry, would you come with me? I would like to hear more about how you won the trial."

Buffy and Harry followed Lupin out of Snape's office and didn't say a word till they reached the DADA room.

"Thank you for covering for Harry."

"It was your impeccable timing that cinched it Buffy." Professor Lupin told her.

"How did you know Buffy?" Harry asked.

"I ran into Ron when I returned. He explained what happened. When I gave you this Harry it was strictly for the purpose of escaping should something really bad befall the castle; not for sneaking to Hogsmeade."

"Which brings up my question of how you got your hands on this map when I know Mr. Filch had it locked away many many years ago. No. Strike that. Don't tell me, but you won't be getting this back."

"Buffy, how did you get it write those things on it?" Harry asked.

"I told you once Harry that with enough power we can do almost anything. I simply put a spell on it incase something like this should happen."

"You're incredible Buffy."

"Thanks Professor. Come on Harry I have to tell the others about the trial and see if they found anything out about my problem."

Buffy and Harry began to leave the room when Lupin called out Buffy's name.

"Buffy! If there's anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask And Buffy get some rest, you're looking quite peaked."

"Thanks again Professor. I will."

The Quidditch Match I've waiting for is the next chapter. I should have it put Thursday.

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!