Chapter Twenty-Two

Research

Willow and Tara were giggling as they headed back to their room. They had dressed similarly that evening by wearing fads from the fifties, complete with poodle skirts and bouffont hair-dos.

"Can you believe Ron and Harry's costume?" Willow asked between giggles.

"I don't know what possessed them to wear tights. Honestly, you would think sixteen year old boys would be too embarrassed to even think about dressing like that!" Tara replied, fighting to keep her laughter at bay.

"I couldn't talk to them all night, every time I saw them I kept hearing that song from the Mel Brooks movie. We're men, we're men in tights."

"Tight tights!" Tara squealed out.

The two erupted into giggles again as they neared the portrait hiding the door to their section of the castle.

"Slayerettes," Willow said between giggles. The portrait swung open and the two entered while trying to catch their breath.

"Hi Mr. Giles," Tara said as she finally started to calm down.

"Giles, why didn't you go to the party?"

"Because I was researching. Which is something that all of you should have been concentrating on these past several days instead of playing."
Willow looked a little hurt by the outburst and said, "Gees Giles. Why not tell us how you really feel."

"I'm sorry Willow. It's just that Doyle had told Dawn to be ready and I want to make sure that we are."

"Well in all fairness, you did say that we would start after Halloween. We'll just dig in starting tomorrow."

"Which reminds me. I would like to have a meeting with everyone tomorrow after training so we can better organize our efforts."
"Everyone?"

"Yes, everyone. From what I understand Miss Granger knows the library very well and would be a great asset in finding our way around."

*********

The next morning, Dawn had just gotten dressed when there was a knock at her door. She quickly went over to answer it and smiled when she saw Ginny on the other side.

Ginny didn't wait for an invitation, she entered the room and sat on Dawn's bed. The redhead looked up at her friend expectantly, "So, what happened?"

Dawn squealed as she closed the door, "He kissed me!"

"Huh uh?"

The brunette nodded.

"And..." Ginny prodded.

"It was absolutely wonderful," Dawn said as she sat next to her friend on the bed. "But I noticed you were escorted back to the Tower. Anything happen with Seamus?"

Ginny blushed slightly. "No. We're just friends. We had seen you and Draco dancing and I told him that I'd was going to give you two some privacy at the end of your date. Then he offered to walk me back, that's all that happened."

"Uh huh," Dawn said teasingly. "So, are you ready for phase two?"

"I guess so, what's phase two?"

Dawn stood and crossed to her dresser where her make-up was kept. "Now that you have Harry's attention, you need to keep it."
"How do we know that I have Harry's attention?"

"Because he couldn't keep his eyes off you all night." Dawn replied simply. She began to search through her cosmetics. "We'll have to get Anya to pick up some make-up for you next time she goes out."

"Why do I need make-up?"
Dawn fought the urge to roll her eyes. "So you don't have to use mine."
"But, I don't wear any."

"You do now. Trust me, it won't be as elaborate as last night. I'll teach you how to just highlight your features; it won't even look like you're wearing make-up."

"Then why wear it?"

"Think of it as an accessory, or an accent to your outfit. Which reminds me, we have to work on your hair too. We can't do anything about clothes during classes since we're stuck with school uniforms, but we can work on your outfits outside of class."

Ginny just looked at her friend with a bit of trepidation.

******

Ron and Harry were already seated and eating by the time Hermione made it to the Great Hall that morning. "Where's Ginny?" She asked as she sat down across from them.

Ron looked at her curiously, "Isn't she with you? You two usually come down together."

"No, she left earlier. I figured she was already here." She turned to Harry but noticed that his attention was at the door. She looked in that direction to see Ginny and Dawn enter. Out of the corner of her eye she couldn't help but notice that Harry's eyes never left Ginny for a second. She resisted the urge to giggle as Harry glowered when the redhead who had his undivided attention stopped to talk to Seamus, and then even joined him at the table.

Hermione did let a small smile escape though as she noticed how confident her friend seemed. Even if Ginny never gained Harry's attention, the change would be worth it for the youngest Weasley suddenly seemed to blossom in front of their eyes.

"Hey guys!" Dawn chirped as she sat next to Hermione. "Did everyone have fun last night?"

Ron and Hermione just shrugged their shoulders, while Harry just continued to stare at Ginny.

An evil smirk crossed her face as she said, "Gin and I had a blast with Draco. He's so much fun."

This time both Hermione and Dawn tried to keep a straight face at the scowls that crossed Ron and Harry's faces. They exchanged knowing looks and began to eat.

~What are you up to over there?~ Draco's voice said.

~Nothing.~ Dawn replied innocently. ~Just giving Harry and Ron a hard time.~

~Oh, well keep it up then.~

Dawn just looked in his direction and rolled her eyes.

********

That evening, the entire group assembled in the scoobies common room for the meeting that Giles had called. After everyone was seated, Giles stood and began passing out pieces of paper.

"These are permission slips to allow you into the restricted section of the library. We are hoping to find information about the key there."

"Why are we researching the key?" Ginny asked.

"Because according to some information we received from a reliable source, something is coming and it will require the power of the key. Therefore, we need to discover all we can so we can be prepared."

"What reliable source?" Harry asked curiously.

"Dawn and Draco can tell you about it later. Everyone needs to spend as much time as they can researching."

"No problem, only where can I find the doughnuts?" Xander asked.

Giles just gave him a withering look. "Spike, did you find out anything about Saturday's attack?"

"Nah, nobody had seen the demons before or anybody suspicious. But whoever sent them knew we were going to be there."

~We should tell them about this telepathy thing now.~

~Please, Draco. Just one thing at a time. Let's find out about the key and then we'll talk about this.~

~Fine, but I just want you to know that I'm not happy about this.~

~I know, but I think this other stuff is more important.~

********

The next several days found the scoobies and the students buried in the library. Madam Pince would only tisk at them as they left very late every night, barely making it out in time for curfew.

It was Hermione who finally found a passage referring to the key in a tome called Unusual Magical Feats. "Everyone! I think I've got something!" She called out eagerly.

They all gathered around the table to hear what was written.

Hermione looked down at the passage and began reading aloud. "At the time of the forming of Hogwarts, Godric Gryffindor came into the possession of a green ball of energy. He claimed it was a key to dimensions and other powers, but he was sending it to an order of monks to protect it." She set the book down. "That's all it says."

"Well a lot of good that does us," Ron said crossly.

Everyone just sat back in their seats with glum looks on their faces. It had been a long week and they were all tired and grumpy. They were just about to resign themselves to more research when Hermione spoke up again.

"I believe that all the headmasters here at Hogwarts kept journals. I'd be willing to bet that Dumbledore would know where to find them."

They all looked at her in surprise.

"How would you know that 'Mione?" Harry asked.

"Simple," she said.

"Hogwarts: A History." Ron said with her.

"Isn't it rather odd that the key wasn't mentioned in that book?" Harry asked, knowing that she practically had the book memorized.

"Not necessarily. If it was something that had nothing to do with the school they wouldn't have written about it. This passage only said it was at the time of the founding of the school."

"Well, then we should visit the professor in the morning. I suggest we all get some rest before tomorrow," Giles said as he began cleaning up their papers and books that they had strewn across the tables.

*******

The following morning the group gathered in the scooby common room before heading to Dumbledore's office. As they were walking, Dawn felt a hand slide into hers and she looked up to see Draco next to her. She gave him a small smile and a slight squeeze of her hand.

They soon found themselves standing in front of the griffin statue hiding the staircase to Dumbledore's office. "Shocktarts," Giles stated and the statue moved to allow them upstairs.

"Well what brings all of you here this early on a Saturday morning?" Dumbledore asked when they reached his office.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Godric Gryffindor's journals are, would ya Albus?" Spike asked.

"Yes, but why do you ask?"

"Hermione found a passage claiming that Godric was the one who gave to key to the monks. We're hoping his journals will tell us more."

"Really?" Albus said with some surprise. "Did the book happen to say when this happened? For I fear he kept quite a few journals."

"Around the time Hogwarts was founded," Hermione replied.

"Actually, that was his most prolific time. He kept copious notes about the founding of the school. Just give me a moment to retrieve them." He went up the stairs and disappeared in the stacks.

"Great, more research and still no doughnuts," Xander muttered.

Dumbledore returned several minutes later with a dozen leather bound books of parchment. "Please be gentle with these," he said as he passed them out.

"Thanks Albus. We appreciate this; we'll let you know as soon as we find anything," Spike said as they headed back down the stairs.

Back in the scooby common room, Dawn and Draco picked a secluded corner to snuggle in while they read their respective journals. However, Dawn seemed to half-heartedly flip through the pages.

~What's wrong?~

~Nothing.~

~Don't lie to me, what's wrong?~

~I don't want to talk about it here, not with everybody around.~

~You can tell me this way.~

~No, I'd feel more comfortable if we talked out loud.~

~Let's find a way to take a break later and talk then.~

~O.K.~

The morning passed slowly, as it was difficult to read the handwriting and to sort through the writing style. Dawn had just finished deciphering her copy in time for lunch. She stood and stretched, then headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked absently as she turned a page.

"Lunch, besides, I finished mine."

Buffy just waved a hand in her direction and continued reading. Dawn rolled her eyes and sent a look in Draco's direction. He picked up on it and set his book down and quickly followed her out of the room.

Instead of the Great Hall, they went to what Dawn affectionately called Draco's secret lair. As soon as the door was shut, Draco enveloped her in a hug. Speaking softly into her hair, he asked, "So what's wrong?"

Dawn tried to pull away but her wouldn't let her. She gave up and said, "I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of what I might be."

"And what's that?"

"That I might be a massive weapon, here to destroy. You saw what I did to those demons that night. I did it without thinking, it could get worse once I know what I'm capable of!" Dawn began crying into his shoulder. "What if everyone finds out and hates me! What if you hate me?"

Draco pulled back and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Dawn, look at me. Look at me!" When she finally lifted her tear stained face to meet his gaze, he said, "nothing could make me hate you. And who cares what the key was created to do? It's who you are now that counts!" He gently wiped a tear off her cheek. "If you truly thought that the past is all that counted you wouldn't be with me now. And it would mean you misplaced your faith in me if I turned on you now."

She looked into his sincere gray eyes with incredulity. "Do you really mean that?"

"With all my heart," he whispered and then gently kissed her. He slowly pulled away and asked, "Was that all that was worrying you?"

She nodded shakily then pulled him down for another kiss. After they pulled away to breath, he pulled her into another tight hug.

"Let's get something to eat," Draco said as he felt his stomach rumble.

"Yeah, wouldn't want my sister to accuse me of lying," Dawn said with a slight chuckle.

"When this researching is over, remind me to find some time to do some serious snogging."

Dawn began to giggle.

"What?"

"You said snog. That's so British."

"If you haven't noticed lately, I am."

"Still, it sounds so weird." Dawn managed to say between giggles.

All Draco could do was roll his eyes.

********

It was shortly after dinner when Tara called out, "I found it!"

Everyone looked at her expectantly. Draco felt Dawn tense up next to him. He placed a reassuring arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"Well," Spike said anxiously.

Tara began reading from the volume in front of her. "The school has been open for one month today when there was a strange occurrence in my office. A blinding white light appeared in my room and two exquisite figures stepped through and then it vanished."

"A portal," Buffy whispered.

"The lady stepped forward and introduced herself as Galadriel and the man accompanying her as Elrond. She told of a great evil stirring in their world and asked me to find a place to protect a powerful ball of energy."
"Fascinating," Giles said to himself.

"Elrond stepped forward and told that the energy was a key between dimensions and that if it fell into the wrong hands all dimensional barriers could fall and evil would reign. He said that the key needed to be protected until its final transformation. When I asked what he meant, he waved the question aside and Galadriel presented me with a book covered with markings that I had never seen before."
"A book! I wonder where it is?" Hermione said excitedly.

"Galadriel bade me to hide it so that when the key returned to learn of the past that she could find it. I placed it behind a portrait of a small girl and then Galadriel spoke in a language I had never heard. She asked me to write this down," Tara stopped suddenly.

"What, write what down?" Anya asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen this language before. After that it says that all the key has to do is repeat that to the portrait and her past will be revealed."
"How did they know the key would be a she?" Hermione mused out loud.

"What?" Giles asked.

"Well, they keep referring to after the key's final transformation as she. How did they know that?"

"Don't know," Willow said. "But I bet the answer is in that book. But first we have to figure out how to pronounce this."

"Let Dawn try," Draco spoke up. Everyone turned to look at him curiously. "She's the key. It's obviously a message for her, let her try."

Giles nodded and pointed to the book, indicating for Dawn to try. She looked nervously at Draco who gave her a smile of encouragement.

She stood and walked slowly over, then peered at the words Tara was pointing to. She found that she could easily read and translate them. "It says, suriënye nyárënya. It means I seek my history."

"How did you know that?" Buffy asked.

Dawn just shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I just do."

Spike couldn't take it anymore. "Who cares how she did it? I bet you that the answers are in that other book. Let's go to Albus and get it."

********

For the second time that day, the group found themselves in Dumbledore's office.

"Are you sure it mentioned this painting?" Dumbledore was asking.

"Yeah, mate. Go ahead Dawn." Spike said gently.

Dawn nervously stepped up to the little girl in the portrait and said, "Suriënye nyárënya."

The little girl giggled softly and said, "About time someone asked." Then the picture moved to reveal a small opening in the wall. Dawn tentatively reached in and pulled out a dusty book with the following written in gold leaf.

Nerdanal's Tale

"Goodness," Albus said softly. "I never knew that was there."

Everyone could only stare in amazement at the book in Dawn's hands.

"I suggest waiting until tomorrow to start reading," Albus said softly. "I would like to be present and to have some of the other staff there as well. I think everyone needs a good night's rest before starting on something this momentous."

All but Dawn and Draco began to exit the room. Dumbledore walked over and gently took the book and set it on his desk. "You too dear. Have no fear, it will be here waiting for you in the morning."

Draco took her arm and led her out of the office.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for this," Dawn whispered when they reached the hallway.

"Don't worry. I'll be here for you. You won't have to go through this alone."