Blood of Enemies, Blood of Friends
Chapter 4 - Summer Days
Harry spent another summer with the Dursleys. Dumbledore had explained to Harry the necessity of living with his mother's sister long enough each year to make Privet Drive his home. The blood that his Aunt Petunia shared with his mother kept him safe. Harry now understood why he must live with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and horrid cousin Dudley. Harry understood, but that did not make him any happier with the situation. The Dursleys were the worst kind of muggles. They hated magic, and they hated Harry for possessing it.
Harry's one saving grace was that his relatives also feared magic and the wizards who practice it. Fortunately for Harry, he was under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry returned from Hogwarts at the end of term, Mad Eye Moody threatened Uncle Vernon. The threat ensured Harry access to his schoolbooks and supplies and permission to send and receive letters to his friends. He had also subscribed to the Daily Prophet. Now that the wizarding world had acknowledged Voldemort's return, articles were regularly published about events surrounding the current war.
Harry spent most of the early summer months in his room, studying his schoolbooks. Studying had become Harry's primary focus. He had decided that he wanted to become an Auror. To be accepted into Auror training after completing Hogwarts, he would have to score very high on his N.E.W.T.'s in Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Studying had become a distraction from the pain Harry had been feeling over Sirius' death. It also gave Harry an excuse to avoid his muggle relatives.
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The Scoobies spent the early months of the summer in Los Angeles at the Hyperion. The new Slayers had been away from their families for months and so returned to their homes for the remainder of the summer. Shannon, however, did not have any family to return to; so, she remained at the Hyperion. She spent her evenings patrolling the streets of Los Angeles with Buffy and Faith.
During the day, Shannon spent her time with Dawn and Andrew. The three teens became inseparable. Dawn was thrilled to have two close friends of her own. She loved the Scoobies like family, but they were Buffy's friends, not hers. Dawn loved having Shannon to talk to about girl stuff, though Dawn did note that her friend refused to talk about her family. Dawn and Shannon were both amazed to find how comfortable it was to have Andrew around.
The three teens spent countless hours debating what to expect at Hogwarts. Dawn regularly pestered Giles and Wesley with questions about the school. Wesley finally lent Dawn a copy of Hogwarts: A History. During the afternoons, Dawn would read, while Shannon trained and Andrew just hung out. Dawn would then explain to her friends what she thought they should expect.
Giles took notice of the teens budding friendship. He was amused by the similarities between this group and the original Scoobies when they were in high school. Of course, these three had the advantage of a vast support network of people who were in the know, whereas the original Scoobies were in a world alone. Giles once mentioned the similarities to Buffy, Willow, and Xander. Willow was flattered. Buffy did not see it. Xander was insulted at being compared to Andrew.
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Draco Malfoy was having a truly miserable summer. His father, Lucius, has been sent to Azkaban shortly before Draco had returned home from Hogwarts. His mother, Narcissa, had disappeared into her suite of rooms on the day of Lucius' trial. She had not yet reappeared. Of course, for all Draco knew, she could be apparating around the country.
Draco honestly did not know how he was supposed to feel about the whole situation. Draco had hated his father. Lucius was controlling and abusive. Draco also thought that his father was an idiot. Draco could not understand why anyone would pledge allegiance to a dark wizard, who regularly tortured his own followers. Draco took pride in being a pureblood wizard, but he had never wanted to become a Death Eater. They had a nasty habit of winding up dead.
Draco had hoped to avoid being initiated into the Death Eaters until after he finished Hogwarts. He was taking all the classes necessary for a career as a curse breaker. Draco had hoped to get a foreign position with Gringotts and get away from his father, the Dark Lord, and the Death Eaters. Draco wanted to start his own life. Now that his father was in prison, Draco would be able to follow his chosen career path without having to worry about his father getting in the way. And yet, Draco could not help but hate Harry Potter for destroying the Malfoy family.
More than anything, Draco wished that he had someone to talk to about his feelings. His closest friends were Crabbe and Goyle, but men did not discuss their feelings with each other. Besides, Draco figured that the two teens were too dense to understand what he was talking about. Draco debated sending an owl to Pansy Parkinson, but he was worried that she would just use the opportunity to try to get together with him. Ever since they had attended the Yule Ball together in their fourth year, she was convinced that they were destined to be together. No matter what he did or said, she could never seem to take the hint that he was not interested in her.
Draco was envying Harry Potter and the friendship that he shared with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. These feelings of jealously only added to Draco's hatred of Harry Potter and Draco's own misery about his current lot in life.
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The Scoobies and their friends tried to spend as much time as possible together during the summer. It had been a very long time since they could just enjoy each other's company. The battle with the First and the events leading up to it had been hard on them all.
Giles made a point of spending some quality time with Buffy. They had decided that they both wanted to repair their relationship. Neither could take back the things that were said before the battle, but they could work through them together. Their relationship was not as close as it had been in the past, but it was improving.
Buffy and Willow began spending a lot of time together, discussing their love life issues. Buffy was still trying to figure out how she would know, when she was ready for a relationship, or if she would ever be ready. Willow debated whether it was possible to salvage a relationship with Kennedy. Willow was beginning to wonder if they were meant to be together, or if they had only gotten together because of the life and death atmosphere leading up to the battle with the First. The argument in the mall about control of power was only the first of many long heated discussions. After a couple of weeks, Kennedy had decided to visit her family and some friends on the East Coast.
Willow and Xander were also spending a lot of time together. She understood exactly what he was going through. Early in the summer, they spent a lot of their time talking about Tara and Anya. As the summer progressed, they spent more time talking about their days together as children and teenagers and what the future held in store. It had been a long time since the two friends just enjoyed each other's company without it being a foursome.
Faith and Robin were rarely seen out of each other's company. Buffy swore that Robin was the only thing keeping Faith from going crazy. She had to limit excursions away from the hotel for fear that she would be recognized as an escaped prison inmate.
The Scoobies began to open their group to Faith and Robin. Faith would never admit it to them, but it was exactly what she had wished for, when she had first arrived in Sunnydale years ago. Even a few short months ago, Faith would not have believed that it was possible for her to redeem herself.
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Ron had never experienced such a boring summer. It was the first time in his life that he felt truly alone. For safety reasons, his parents had moved Ginny and himself into the Order's headquarters at the start of the summer. His parents spent almost all of their free time working on Order business, and his siblings, when not participating in the Order, were engrossed in their own lives.
Bill had recently relocated to London in preparation for the war with Voldemort. He spent his days working for Gringotts, the wizarding bank. He spent most of his nights with his new girlfriend, Fleur Delacour.
Charlie had not returned from Romania in months. He was still working with dragons, but was also involved in negotiations with foreign wizards for aid in the fight against Voldemort.
Percy was still living in London and working for the ministry. He was still not speaking to the rest of the Weasley family. The consensus was that Percy was more embarrassed than angry. During the previous year, he had sided with the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge in his vehement denial of Voldemort's rising.
George and Fred had taken up residence in a flat above their newly formed joke shop, Weasley Wizard Wheezes, in Diagon Alley. When the twins were not working on new items for their shop, Fred was spending a lot of time with Angelina Johnson, former Gryffindor chaser. George would simply disappear during his free time. No one was entirely sure, who he was with.
Even Ginny seemed constantly busy. She spent hours each day in her room and was constantly borrowing Ron's owl, Pig, to send letters. Ron suspected that she was regularly corresponding with several boys from Hogwarts, a fact that irritated him to no end. Ron never thought that he would miss the days when Ginny worshipped Harry from afar.
Ron was also missing his two best friends. He found himself counting down the days until Hermione would come to stay at the Order's headquarters in the beginning of August. She was spending the entire month of July on holiday with her parents, touring the United States. He couldn't wait to see her again. Though he would never admit it, Ron was looking forward to seeing Hermione again even more than seeing Harry. Ron and Hermione would spend two weeks together before Harry was permitted to join them. The three teens would then have two more weeks together to relax before they returned to Hogwarts for their sixth year.
The one highlight of Ron's summer vacation was a letter from Hermione during the third week of July. He had not expected to hear from her until she returned to England in August.
Dear Ron,
I am having a fabulous time touring the United States with my parents. We have traveled from New York City to Los Angeles, California. The reason that I am writing is that I saw something very peculiar in Los Angeles that made me think about the conversation we had last term concerning our future careers.
Ron remembered that conversation well. One night before their O.W.L.'s, Ron and Hermione had had a serious conversation about their future career plans. Ron had tried to explain his situation to Hermione. He had seriously considered studying to be an auror, but he knew that Harry wanted to be an Auror. Ron wanted to make a name for himself apart from his family, and becoming an Auror would accomplish this. However, Ron had never been the hero; he was the sidekick. If he and Harry both became Aurors, Ron would inevitably continue to be the sidekick. Ron wanted to fight evil, but in a way that would set him apart from the famous Boy Who Lived.
Ron had not expected Hermione to understand. She was smart enough to get any job she wanted, and she knew exactly what she wanted. Her greatest hope was to get enough N.E.W.T.'s to be recruited by the Department of Mysteries. But she did understand what Ron was looking for, though she did not have any idea where he would find it. She had promised to research possible careers for him, but then they were all sidetracked by their O.W.L. exams and the fight at the Ministry of Magic against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Ron should have known that Hermione would not forget her promise. She just needed some time to find an answer.
We were returning from a late dinner and walking back to our hotel. Across the street from us, a group of vampires started to attack some tourists. I thought about using a spell, even though we aren't allowed to practice magic outside of Hogwarts. But I never got the chance. Three girls saw what was happening and attacked the vampires, physically not with magic. I have never seen anything like it. The vampires all turned to dust, and then the girls just walked away.
Ron could not help but wonder how girls attacking vampires could relate to a possible career.
The first thing I did was to research it. (Don't roll your eyes at me.)
Ron laughed. She knew him so well.
I found information about the Slayer. Supposedly there is one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to fight vampires and prevent the swell of their numbers. Apparently, she also fights many other types of demons as well. She is always in her teens, when she is called, and rarely lives very long. When she dies, another is called to take her place.
I know that since there is only one Slayer that could not be what I saw. However, what made me think of you was that each Slayer and each girl with the potential to become the Slayer has a Watcher. Watchers are on the front line fighting evil. They prepare the Slayer, training them to fight and providing them with the knowledge necessary for each battle. Many Watchers are wizards, and those who are not apparently have full knowledge of the wizarding world. So, the point is, have you ever thought about becoming a Watcher?
Think about it. We can talk, when I see you in August.
Love,
Hermione
Ron could always count on Hermione. Becoming a Watcher was a definite possibility for him. Ron even mentioned the idea in passing to his father.
Arthur Weasley howled with laughter, when his youngest son asked if he knew anything about Watchers and Slayers. With a twinkle in his eye, Arthur explained to his son, "In a few short weeks, you will be meeting the Watcher to one of the longest lived Slayers. I do believe that he is also currently the senior member of the Watchers Council. He is also an old friend of mine."
At first, Ron was shocked by his father's revelation. Ron then realized that maybe things were coming together for him for a reason. Though Ron never believed in Divination, the imminent arrival of the head of the Watchers Council seemed like a sign he could not ignore. Ron Weasley now knew what his future held.
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Giles and Wesley spent the early summer exhaustively researching the spell that Willow performed with the scythe and following-up with newly activated Slayers around the world. Apparently, only potentials who were eleven years of age or older were activated. Giles discovered that two ten- year-old potentials, who had not been initially activated, received their Slayer strength on their eleventh birthdays. Giles and Wesley concluded that all young potentials would most likely be fully activated on their eleventh birthdays as well.
Buffy was highly upset by this revelation. "You cannot send an eleven year old child out to fight vampires," she yelled at Giles.
"I wasn't suggesting that we do that," Giles replied. "However, we cannot just leave these girls with no knowledge of their destiny."
"So, we train them," suggested Faith. "Let them go to Hogwarts for a few years, until they are ready to fight."
Giles and Wesley just stared at Faith for a moment. She had the perfect solution. "Faith, that is a brilliant idea. Dumbledore told us that Hogwarts was available to the Slayers for as long as it was needed. Apparently, it will be needed for many years to come."
"So, at what age do these girls suddenly become old enough to die?" questioned Buffy. "Because I have to tell you, at sixteen, I was not ready to die." There was frustration in her voice.
"Eighteen," said Faith. "At eighteen, you are an adult and able to make the adult decision to fight."
"But can the world be without a Slayer for that long?" questioned Wesley.
"The world would never be without several Slayers. There would constantly be a new class of them," replied Giles.
"I like this," said Buffy. "A Slayer comes of age at eleven. She spends the next seven years training at Hogwarts, learning fighting techniques as well as magic. At eighteen, she goes on active duty. Then what? If she fights and lives, does she ever get to go on to other things?"
Faith smiled. She was really getting into this. "Yeah, at twenty- five she gets to retired - seven years of training and seven years of active service. Then she gets to decide what she wants to do with the rest of her life. If she wants to stay and continue to fight, she is immediately hired by the Watcher's Council. If not, she can go on to do whatever she wants - college, get married and have a bunch of kids, whatever."
"You know, I do believe this could work," commented Wesley, "though it flies in the face of all our history."
"And that is what makes it so bloody brilliant," added Giles.
"There are a few other things that need to be done. No more of that horrible strength-sapping test at age eighteen," said Buffy.
"I agree," Giles concurred.
"Oh, and the active duty Slayers, should get paid," added Faith.
"There is something quite wrong about paying someone to fulfill a sacred duty," commented Wesley.
"I get that, but have you ever tried to keep up with Slaying and working at some fast food joint to put food on the table?" Buffy was livid. "I have, and it was damn near impossible."
Giles was willing to negotiate this point, having seen the difficulties that Buffy had faced after her mother's death. "We could provide the active Slayers with living quarters and a stipend for personal expenses and supplies. It would not be a salary per say, but it would allow them to focus on their duty."
"Fair enough," said Faith. "We should also assign the active duty Slayers in groups of three or four. They have a much better chance of surviving if they are not fighting alone." Giles, Buffy, and Wesley agreed.
"Oh and lastly, we need Guardians to keep an eye on the Watchers Council. We have the best intentions now, but there is no guarantee that someone like Travers won't be in charge fifty years from now," Buffy added.
"Guardians?" questioned Giles and Wesley.
"You mean like that spooky lady who gave you the scythe?" asked Faith.
"Exactly. There should be a group of women, who officially watch over the Council," said Buffy.
"It is not a bad notion, but the Guardians should have limited terms to ensure that they do not become corrupted," commented Wesley.
"So what about a three women, who serve as Guardians for a term of seven years, just like the Slayers," Giles added.
"Ok, but at least one should be a retired Slayer and one should be a witch," Buffy added.
Giles and Wesley spent the next week drafting a new charter and bylaws for the Watcher's Council, which included all the suggestions made by Buffy and Faith. Giles sent off copies to the few remaining Watchers throughout the world. Those who remained had been assigned potential Slayers before the Bringer attacks and were therefore sympathetic to the Slayers' needs. The remaining Watchers approved of the changes to be made to the council. They agreed to elect the two oldest Slayers and the witch who had activated the potentials to be the first Guardians of the Watcher's Council.
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Ron was up very early on the morning of Hermione's arrival at the Order's headquarters. He had been waiting for her arrival since they had said their 'goodbyes' at Kings Cross Station. Ron was in such a good mood that he even ignored Ginny's taunting, as he took extra time fixing his hair and making himself presentable.
At 10:00am sharp, Ron was waiting in front of the large fireplace in the kitchen. Hermione appeared with a very large trunk and a carrier containing her cat, Crookshanks. She stepped out of the fireplace and without thinking threw her arms around Ron. "Ron, it is so good to see you," she exclaimed.
Ron felt the tips of his ears burning red, as he clumsily placed his arms around her. "It is really good to see you too," he stuttered.
Ginny entered the kitchen, and seeing Ron embracing Hermione, Ginny could not help but giggle. At the sound Ron and Hermione abruptly jumped apart. While Ron tried to control his blush, Hermione moved toward Ginny to give her a quick hug. The girls talked for a few moments, until Ginny mentioned that she had promised her mother to help with some housework. Hermione turned back to Ron, as Ginny left the kitchen.
"So, um, why don't I help you take your stuff up to your room," Ron offered.
"Thanks," Hermione replied, picking up Crookshanks' carrier while Ron hefted her trunk. The two teens quietly ascended the stairs. They did not want to start the portrait of Mrs. Black screaming. They entered the bedroom that Hermione was sharing with Ginny. Ron placed Hermione's trunk next too her bed, while she released her cat to prowl the house.
Hermione sat down on her bed and patted the spot beside her, indicating that Ron should take a seat as well. "So how has your summer been?" she asked cheerfully.
"Kinda boring actually," he replied.
"And have you heard from Harry?" she asked.
"No," replied Ron. "I have sent him a couple of letters, but he has not replied to any of them. Mad Eye assured me that Harry is safe and receiving his mail. I think he is having trouble coping with Sirius' death.
"I think you are right," replied Hermione. "I am worried about him. He should be able to talk to us about it."
"Mione, guys aren't really comfortable talking about their feelings, especially to other guys." She did not look convinced; so, Ron added, "But I will make sure that Harry knows that if he wants to talk, I will be here for him." Ron was happy to see Hermione smile at him.
"Did you get your O.W.L. scores?" Hermione asked.
Ron pulled a folded piece of parchment from his pocket and handed it to her. "I knew you would want to see this. I did really badly in Divination, but pretty good in my other subjects."
Hermione scanned his scores. "Ron, you did really well."
"See, I am not as stupid as you always thought," he commented.
Hermione was taken aback. "I have never thought you were stupid - lazy, but never stupid. No one who plays chess as well as you do could be stupid." Ron began to blush again; so, she changed topics. "Did you get my letter?" she asked.
"Yes, and thank you, the Watcher thing seems like a great idea," he replied.
"Well, have you done any research on what is required to become a Watcher?" she asked.
"You are just full of questions today," he kidded her. "Actually, I mentioned it to my dad. Turns out, an old friend of his is a high-ranking Watcher and will be here with his Slayer tomorrow to meet with the Order."
"I wonder why they are coming here," Hermione mused.
Ron replied with a shrug.
Chapter 4 - Summer Days
Harry spent another summer with the Dursleys. Dumbledore had explained to Harry the necessity of living with his mother's sister long enough each year to make Privet Drive his home. The blood that his Aunt Petunia shared with his mother kept him safe. Harry now understood why he must live with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and horrid cousin Dudley. Harry understood, but that did not make him any happier with the situation. The Dursleys were the worst kind of muggles. They hated magic, and they hated Harry for possessing it.
Harry's one saving grace was that his relatives also feared magic and the wizards who practice it. Fortunately for Harry, he was under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry returned from Hogwarts at the end of term, Mad Eye Moody threatened Uncle Vernon. The threat ensured Harry access to his schoolbooks and supplies and permission to send and receive letters to his friends. He had also subscribed to the Daily Prophet. Now that the wizarding world had acknowledged Voldemort's return, articles were regularly published about events surrounding the current war.
Harry spent most of the early summer months in his room, studying his schoolbooks. Studying had become Harry's primary focus. He had decided that he wanted to become an Auror. To be accepted into Auror training after completing Hogwarts, he would have to score very high on his N.E.W.T.'s in Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Studying had become a distraction from the pain Harry had been feeling over Sirius' death. It also gave Harry an excuse to avoid his muggle relatives.
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The Scoobies spent the early months of the summer in Los Angeles at the Hyperion. The new Slayers had been away from their families for months and so returned to their homes for the remainder of the summer. Shannon, however, did not have any family to return to; so, she remained at the Hyperion. She spent her evenings patrolling the streets of Los Angeles with Buffy and Faith.
During the day, Shannon spent her time with Dawn and Andrew. The three teens became inseparable. Dawn was thrilled to have two close friends of her own. She loved the Scoobies like family, but they were Buffy's friends, not hers. Dawn loved having Shannon to talk to about girl stuff, though Dawn did note that her friend refused to talk about her family. Dawn and Shannon were both amazed to find how comfortable it was to have Andrew around.
The three teens spent countless hours debating what to expect at Hogwarts. Dawn regularly pestered Giles and Wesley with questions about the school. Wesley finally lent Dawn a copy of Hogwarts: A History. During the afternoons, Dawn would read, while Shannon trained and Andrew just hung out. Dawn would then explain to her friends what she thought they should expect.
Giles took notice of the teens budding friendship. He was amused by the similarities between this group and the original Scoobies when they were in high school. Of course, these three had the advantage of a vast support network of people who were in the know, whereas the original Scoobies were in a world alone. Giles once mentioned the similarities to Buffy, Willow, and Xander. Willow was flattered. Buffy did not see it. Xander was insulted at being compared to Andrew.
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Draco Malfoy was having a truly miserable summer. His father, Lucius, has been sent to Azkaban shortly before Draco had returned home from Hogwarts. His mother, Narcissa, had disappeared into her suite of rooms on the day of Lucius' trial. She had not yet reappeared. Of course, for all Draco knew, she could be apparating around the country.
Draco honestly did not know how he was supposed to feel about the whole situation. Draco had hated his father. Lucius was controlling and abusive. Draco also thought that his father was an idiot. Draco could not understand why anyone would pledge allegiance to a dark wizard, who regularly tortured his own followers. Draco took pride in being a pureblood wizard, but he had never wanted to become a Death Eater. They had a nasty habit of winding up dead.
Draco had hoped to avoid being initiated into the Death Eaters until after he finished Hogwarts. He was taking all the classes necessary for a career as a curse breaker. Draco had hoped to get a foreign position with Gringotts and get away from his father, the Dark Lord, and the Death Eaters. Draco wanted to start his own life. Now that his father was in prison, Draco would be able to follow his chosen career path without having to worry about his father getting in the way. And yet, Draco could not help but hate Harry Potter for destroying the Malfoy family.
More than anything, Draco wished that he had someone to talk to about his feelings. His closest friends were Crabbe and Goyle, but men did not discuss their feelings with each other. Besides, Draco figured that the two teens were too dense to understand what he was talking about. Draco debated sending an owl to Pansy Parkinson, but he was worried that she would just use the opportunity to try to get together with him. Ever since they had attended the Yule Ball together in their fourth year, she was convinced that they were destined to be together. No matter what he did or said, she could never seem to take the hint that he was not interested in her.
Draco was envying Harry Potter and the friendship that he shared with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. These feelings of jealously only added to Draco's hatred of Harry Potter and Draco's own misery about his current lot in life.
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The Scoobies and their friends tried to spend as much time as possible together during the summer. It had been a very long time since they could just enjoy each other's company. The battle with the First and the events leading up to it had been hard on them all.
Giles made a point of spending some quality time with Buffy. They had decided that they both wanted to repair their relationship. Neither could take back the things that were said before the battle, but they could work through them together. Their relationship was not as close as it had been in the past, but it was improving.
Buffy and Willow began spending a lot of time together, discussing their love life issues. Buffy was still trying to figure out how she would know, when she was ready for a relationship, or if she would ever be ready. Willow debated whether it was possible to salvage a relationship with Kennedy. Willow was beginning to wonder if they were meant to be together, or if they had only gotten together because of the life and death atmosphere leading up to the battle with the First. The argument in the mall about control of power was only the first of many long heated discussions. After a couple of weeks, Kennedy had decided to visit her family and some friends on the East Coast.
Willow and Xander were also spending a lot of time together. She understood exactly what he was going through. Early in the summer, they spent a lot of their time talking about Tara and Anya. As the summer progressed, they spent more time talking about their days together as children and teenagers and what the future held in store. It had been a long time since the two friends just enjoyed each other's company without it being a foursome.
Faith and Robin were rarely seen out of each other's company. Buffy swore that Robin was the only thing keeping Faith from going crazy. She had to limit excursions away from the hotel for fear that she would be recognized as an escaped prison inmate.
The Scoobies began to open their group to Faith and Robin. Faith would never admit it to them, but it was exactly what she had wished for, when she had first arrived in Sunnydale years ago. Even a few short months ago, Faith would not have believed that it was possible for her to redeem herself.
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Ron had never experienced such a boring summer. It was the first time in his life that he felt truly alone. For safety reasons, his parents had moved Ginny and himself into the Order's headquarters at the start of the summer. His parents spent almost all of their free time working on Order business, and his siblings, when not participating in the Order, were engrossed in their own lives.
Bill had recently relocated to London in preparation for the war with Voldemort. He spent his days working for Gringotts, the wizarding bank. He spent most of his nights with his new girlfriend, Fleur Delacour.
Charlie had not returned from Romania in months. He was still working with dragons, but was also involved in negotiations with foreign wizards for aid in the fight against Voldemort.
Percy was still living in London and working for the ministry. He was still not speaking to the rest of the Weasley family. The consensus was that Percy was more embarrassed than angry. During the previous year, he had sided with the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge in his vehement denial of Voldemort's rising.
George and Fred had taken up residence in a flat above their newly formed joke shop, Weasley Wizard Wheezes, in Diagon Alley. When the twins were not working on new items for their shop, Fred was spending a lot of time with Angelina Johnson, former Gryffindor chaser. George would simply disappear during his free time. No one was entirely sure, who he was with.
Even Ginny seemed constantly busy. She spent hours each day in her room and was constantly borrowing Ron's owl, Pig, to send letters. Ron suspected that she was regularly corresponding with several boys from Hogwarts, a fact that irritated him to no end. Ron never thought that he would miss the days when Ginny worshipped Harry from afar.
Ron was also missing his two best friends. He found himself counting down the days until Hermione would come to stay at the Order's headquarters in the beginning of August. She was spending the entire month of July on holiday with her parents, touring the United States. He couldn't wait to see her again. Though he would never admit it, Ron was looking forward to seeing Hermione again even more than seeing Harry. Ron and Hermione would spend two weeks together before Harry was permitted to join them. The three teens would then have two more weeks together to relax before they returned to Hogwarts for their sixth year.
The one highlight of Ron's summer vacation was a letter from Hermione during the third week of July. He had not expected to hear from her until she returned to England in August.
Dear Ron,
I am having a fabulous time touring the United States with my parents. We have traveled from New York City to Los Angeles, California. The reason that I am writing is that I saw something very peculiar in Los Angeles that made me think about the conversation we had last term concerning our future careers.
Ron remembered that conversation well. One night before their O.W.L.'s, Ron and Hermione had had a serious conversation about their future career plans. Ron had tried to explain his situation to Hermione. He had seriously considered studying to be an auror, but he knew that Harry wanted to be an Auror. Ron wanted to make a name for himself apart from his family, and becoming an Auror would accomplish this. However, Ron had never been the hero; he was the sidekick. If he and Harry both became Aurors, Ron would inevitably continue to be the sidekick. Ron wanted to fight evil, but in a way that would set him apart from the famous Boy Who Lived.
Ron had not expected Hermione to understand. She was smart enough to get any job she wanted, and she knew exactly what she wanted. Her greatest hope was to get enough N.E.W.T.'s to be recruited by the Department of Mysteries. But she did understand what Ron was looking for, though she did not have any idea where he would find it. She had promised to research possible careers for him, but then they were all sidetracked by their O.W.L. exams and the fight at the Ministry of Magic against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Ron should have known that Hermione would not forget her promise. She just needed some time to find an answer.
We were returning from a late dinner and walking back to our hotel. Across the street from us, a group of vampires started to attack some tourists. I thought about using a spell, even though we aren't allowed to practice magic outside of Hogwarts. But I never got the chance. Three girls saw what was happening and attacked the vampires, physically not with magic. I have never seen anything like it. The vampires all turned to dust, and then the girls just walked away.
Ron could not help but wonder how girls attacking vampires could relate to a possible career.
The first thing I did was to research it. (Don't roll your eyes at me.)
Ron laughed. She knew him so well.
I found information about the Slayer. Supposedly there is one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to fight vampires and prevent the swell of their numbers. Apparently, she also fights many other types of demons as well. She is always in her teens, when she is called, and rarely lives very long. When she dies, another is called to take her place.
I know that since there is only one Slayer that could not be what I saw. However, what made me think of you was that each Slayer and each girl with the potential to become the Slayer has a Watcher. Watchers are on the front line fighting evil. They prepare the Slayer, training them to fight and providing them with the knowledge necessary for each battle. Many Watchers are wizards, and those who are not apparently have full knowledge of the wizarding world. So, the point is, have you ever thought about becoming a Watcher?
Think about it. We can talk, when I see you in August.
Love,
Hermione
Ron could always count on Hermione. Becoming a Watcher was a definite possibility for him. Ron even mentioned the idea in passing to his father.
Arthur Weasley howled with laughter, when his youngest son asked if he knew anything about Watchers and Slayers. With a twinkle in his eye, Arthur explained to his son, "In a few short weeks, you will be meeting the Watcher to one of the longest lived Slayers. I do believe that he is also currently the senior member of the Watchers Council. He is also an old friend of mine."
At first, Ron was shocked by his father's revelation. Ron then realized that maybe things were coming together for him for a reason. Though Ron never believed in Divination, the imminent arrival of the head of the Watchers Council seemed like a sign he could not ignore. Ron Weasley now knew what his future held.
****************
Giles and Wesley spent the early summer exhaustively researching the spell that Willow performed with the scythe and following-up with newly activated Slayers around the world. Apparently, only potentials who were eleven years of age or older were activated. Giles discovered that two ten- year-old potentials, who had not been initially activated, received their Slayer strength on their eleventh birthdays. Giles and Wesley concluded that all young potentials would most likely be fully activated on their eleventh birthdays as well.
Buffy was highly upset by this revelation. "You cannot send an eleven year old child out to fight vampires," she yelled at Giles.
"I wasn't suggesting that we do that," Giles replied. "However, we cannot just leave these girls with no knowledge of their destiny."
"So, we train them," suggested Faith. "Let them go to Hogwarts for a few years, until they are ready to fight."
Giles and Wesley just stared at Faith for a moment. She had the perfect solution. "Faith, that is a brilliant idea. Dumbledore told us that Hogwarts was available to the Slayers for as long as it was needed. Apparently, it will be needed for many years to come."
"So, at what age do these girls suddenly become old enough to die?" questioned Buffy. "Because I have to tell you, at sixteen, I was not ready to die." There was frustration in her voice.
"Eighteen," said Faith. "At eighteen, you are an adult and able to make the adult decision to fight."
"But can the world be without a Slayer for that long?" questioned Wesley.
"The world would never be without several Slayers. There would constantly be a new class of them," replied Giles.
"I like this," said Buffy. "A Slayer comes of age at eleven. She spends the next seven years training at Hogwarts, learning fighting techniques as well as magic. At eighteen, she goes on active duty. Then what? If she fights and lives, does she ever get to go on to other things?"
Faith smiled. She was really getting into this. "Yeah, at twenty- five she gets to retired - seven years of training and seven years of active service. Then she gets to decide what she wants to do with the rest of her life. If she wants to stay and continue to fight, she is immediately hired by the Watcher's Council. If not, she can go on to do whatever she wants - college, get married and have a bunch of kids, whatever."
"You know, I do believe this could work," commented Wesley, "though it flies in the face of all our history."
"And that is what makes it so bloody brilliant," added Giles.
"There are a few other things that need to be done. No more of that horrible strength-sapping test at age eighteen," said Buffy.
"I agree," Giles concurred.
"Oh, and the active duty Slayers, should get paid," added Faith.
"There is something quite wrong about paying someone to fulfill a sacred duty," commented Wesley.
"I get that, but have you ever tried to keep up with Slaying and working at some fast food joint to put food on the table?" Buffy was livid. "I have, and it was damn near impossible."
Giles was willing to negotiate this point, having seen the difficulties that Buffy had faced after her mother's death. "We could provide the active Slayers with living quarters and a stipend for personal expenses and supplies. It would not be a salary per say, but it would allow them to focus on their duty."
"Fair enough," said Faith. "We should also assign the active duty Slayers in groups of three or four. They have a much better chance of surviving if they are not fighting alone." Giles, Buffy, and Wesley agreed.
"Oh and lastly, we need Guardians to keep an eye on the Watchers Council. We have the best intentions now, but there is no guarantee that someone like Travers won't be in charge fifty years from now," Buffy added.
"Guardians?" questioned Giles and Wesley.
"You mean like that spooky lady who gave you the scythe?" asked Faith.
"Exactly. There should be a group of women, who officially watch over the Council," said Buffy.
"It is not a bad notion, but the Guardians should have limited terms to ensure that they do not become corrupted," commented Wesley.
"So what about a three women, who serve as Guardians for a term of seven years, just like the Slayers," Giles added.
"Ok, but at least one should be a retired Slayer and one should be a witch," Buffy added.
Giles and Wesley spent the next week drafting a new charter and bylaws for the Watcher's Council, which included all the suggestions made by Buffy and Faith. Giles sent off copies to the few remaining Watchers throughout the world. Those who remained had been assigned potential Slayers before the Bringer attacks and were therefore sympathetic to the Slayers' needs. The remaining Watchers approved of the changes to be made to the council. They agreed to elect the two oldest Slayers and the witch who had activated the potentials to be the first Guardians of the Watcher's Council.
****************
Ron was up very early on the morning of Hermione's arrival at the Order's headquarters. He had been waiting for her arrival since they had said their 'goodbyes' at Kings Cross Station. Ron was in such a good mood that he even ignored Ginny's taunting, as he took extra time fixing his hair and making himself presentable.
At 10:00am sharp, Ron was waiting in front of the large fireplace in the kitchen. Hermione appeared with a very large trunk and a carrier containing her cat, Crookshanks. She stepped out of the fireplace and without thinking threw her arms around Ron. "Ron, it is so good to see you," she exclaimed.
Ron felt the tips of his ears burning red, as he clumsily placed his arms around her. "It is really good to see you too," he stuttered.
Ginny entered the kitchen, and seeing Ron embracing Hermione, Ginny could not help but giggle. At the sound Ron and Hermione abruptly jumped apart. While Ron tried to control his blush, Hermione moved toward Ginny to give her a quick hug. The girls talked for a few moments, until Ginny mentioned that she had promised her mother to help with some housework. Hermione turned back to Ron, as Ginny left the kitchen.
"So, um, why don't I help you take your stuff up to your room," Ron offered.
"Thanks," Hermione replied, picking up Crookshanks' carrier while Ron hefted her trunk. The two teens quietly ascended the stairs. They did not want to start the portrait of Mrs. Black screaming. They entered the bedroom that Hermione was sharing with Ginny. Ron placed Hermione's trunk next too her bed, while she released her cat to prowl the house.
Hermione sat down on her bed and patted the spot beside her, indicating that Ron should take a seat as well. "So how has your summer been?" she asked cheerfully.
"Kinda boring actually," he replied.
"And have you heard from Harry?" she asked.
"No," replied Ron. "I have sent him a couple of letters, but he has not replied to any of them. Mad Eye assured me that Harry is safe and receiving his mail. I think he is having trouble coping with Sirius' death.
"I think you are right," replied Hermione. "I am worried about him. He should be able to talk to us about it."
"Mione, guys aren't really comfortable talking about their feelings, especially to other guys." She did not look convinced; so, Ron added, "But I will make sure that Harry knows that if he wants to talk, I will be here for him." Ron was happy to see Hermione smile at him.
"Did you get your O.W.L. scores?" Hermione asked.
Ron pulled a folded piece of parchment from his pocket and handed it to her. "I knew you would want to see this. I did really badly in Divination, but pretty good in my other subjects."
Hermione scanned his scores. "Ron, you did really well."
"See, I am not as stupid as you always thought," he commented.
Hermione was taken aback. "I have never thought you were stupid - lazy, but never stupid. No one who plays chess as well as you do could be stupid." Ron began to blush again; so, she changed topics. "Did you get my letter?" she asked.
"Yes, and thank you, the Watcher thing seems like a great idea," he replied.
"Well, have you done any research on what is required to become a Watcher?" she asked.
"You are just full of questions today," he kidded her. "Actually, I mentioned it to my dad. Turns out, an old friend of his is a high-ranking Watcher and will be here with his Slayer tomorrow to meet with the Order."
"I wonder why they are coming here," Hermione mused.
Ron replied with a shrug.