Author's Notes: This is the fifth chapter in my new HP/BtVS crossover.
The series is called 'Over The Rainbow' and the chapter is entitled 'Cat's
Out of the Bag'. The rating for this chapter is PG. As far as 'spoilers'
go, this story takes place after Goblet of Fire and after Season 5 of BtVS.
In my world they correspond at the same time. So, Buffy is dead, Tara is
alive and with Willow, Spike is NOT souled. Giles is still around.
If you're interested in receiving a copy of this story with a header for posting on a website, email me at jesca10@attbi.com.
I have chapter six of this story nearly done. I'm kind of swamped with homework right now so it's taking a bit longer to get out, but hopefully you'll enjoy 1-5 and get six soon. Enjoy!
*~*~*
Halloween was just around the corner, and still there was no sign of a new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Things were getting desperate for Dawn, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Still Snape seemed fixated on vampires. She heard the history of how they came to be. She listened to Snape drone on about vampires until she was sure she never wanted to hear about another vampire ever again.
Dawn still hadn't told her friends the truth about her past. She had started to a few times, but she just didn't know how to tell them. She worried that they would treat her like a freak, and she knew she couldn't handle that.
School was becoming more fun than Dawn knew possible. She finally got through all her special tests thanks to, in no small part, Hermione. Dawn was glad to be on an even playing field with all her fifth year friends. Although she wasn't as practiced as they were, she now understood a lot more about the surroundings she lived in.
With the extra tutoring sessions over, Dawn had plenty of time to practice Quidditch with her team and study some of the subjects she'd be expected to know when she came home. But when she opened the Mathematics book and peered into the American History book she just couldn't get into it. She knew she'd have two months when she got home to be bored out of her skull about Thomas Jefferson and Algebra. But for now, she didn't want to mix her home life with her Hogwarts life. But that was not meant to be.
"Angelus."
Dawn's head snapped up and her shocked eyes met Snape's narrowed black eyes. He seemed pleased by her reaction. There was a twinkle in his eyes when he addressed her.
"Tell me, Miss Summers, who is Angelus?" He sat on the edge of his desk and peered down the row of desks and into her face.
Dawn looked around her for a moment and considered lying. But she knew it would make her look more suspicious.
"She doesn't know," she heard Malfoy whisper and soon after she heard the distinct snickers of Crabbe and Goyle.
"No, no, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said smoothly. "I think she does."
Dawn looked over at Draco and saw his smirk. She looked at Snape. "H-he's a vampire."
"Yes. He is." He seemed to be waiting for more, but Dawn didn't elaborate. "Go on." He said, his voice deceptively friendly.
"W-well. He's a vampire who got a." she looked around before looking at Snape, "soul."
There were murmurs around the classroom and Snape looked positively giddy. It was like he had uncovered her in front of everyone. She almost felt that way too. Her friends were all looking at her, and she started to feel that their stares were attempts to figure her out. She started to feel like the freak she thought she'd turn into if her friends knew the truth about her.
"Tell me, what do you know of Angelus?"
Dawn couldn't take it anymore. Everyone was staring at her. She couldn't look Harry in the face. Draco and his pals were laughing and Snape seemed to be joining into the merriment that was her torture. Dawn's chin came up.
"He's got blue eyes and brown hair that sticks up all over the place," she started and the room fell silent. No one expected a physical description. "He's what many would think of as cute. He's got that whole silent tortured act going on." Her eyes were focused on Snape's. "He used to be this terror and he killed a lot of people, but he got a gypsy curse put on him which gave him his soul. He came to America and hid for a long time and then he went to Sunnydale, California and helped kill vampires and demons along side the Slayer." She stood up, grabbing her books. "Now, if you'll excuse me." And she stormed out of the classroom, crying.
The classroom seemed to explode. Whispers about how she knew all of that stuff circulated. Harry was looking out the door where she had left. The word 'slayer' resounded as people inquired as to what that meant. Crabbe and Goyle were laughing and congratulating Snape. Draco, however just sat there, intrigued. He had seen Snape badger this girl about vampires for over a month and she had never broken down like she just had. He wondered what it was about this particular vampire that made her crack.
"What's a Slayer?" Ron asked Hermione.
Not wanting to appear as if she didn't know, she changed the subject. "She looked really upset."
"Look at Snape," Harry said, finally. The other two peered at him as he sat there, gloating and looking at them. He let the noise continue for a moment and then raised his hand. The classroom fell silent.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor," he said while smiling.
*~*~*
Dawn threw her books onto the floor beside her bed and then threw herself onto her four-poster. She brought the curtains around so that she was secluded from anyone else who would come in. But she didn't think anyone would be here for a while. No one else would likely dare storm out of Severus Snape's class.
This afternoon she didn't have a class until her midnight Astronomy class, so she planned to stay in bed as long as she could. But when class let out and she started to hear people in the common room, she decided to go for a fly. She got out of bed, wiping the stray tears from her cheeks and grabbed her broom. She turned to go down the stairs when she saw Hermione watching her.
Dawn's eyes went to the floor and she started to walk away.
"You aren't going to even talk to me?" Hermione asked making Dawn freeze. She looked over at the bushy haired girl.
"I didn't know if you'd want to talk to me."
"Why?" Hermione said incredulously. "Because you walked out of class? We all want to do that as soon as we see Snape walk in. Just none of us are brave enough to," she smiled.
Dawn returned the smile, tentatively. "So.you don't think.I'm a freak?" Dawn asked hesitantly.
"Of course not. Actually I'm really intrigued. How do you know that stuff?"
Dawn looked down again. She knew she should tell her friends, but she was afraid of the consequences. Finally she just nodded and looked up at Hermione, who was waiting patiently. "Let's get Harry and Ron too. They'll want to know." Hermione nodded and held her hand out for Dawn. Dawn dropped the broomstick and took her hand, and they walked downstairs together.
After the four of them had crept into a classroom that was empty and where Peeves wasn't throwing trash all over, they settled into a corner. In the eerie surroundings, Dawn felt the need to quiet her voice to just above a whisper.
"I think the reason Snape is talking so much about vampires is because of me."
Ron eyed her suspiciously. "You're not a vampire, are you?" he said, holding his fingers into a cross. Dawn giggled a little and shook her head.
"No, silly, but." she hesitated a moment, "my sister was the Slayer."
No one seemed to know what that was so Dawn elaborated. She told them about how her sister was the Chosen One and how she had died protecting her. She told them about how she came to be and that she wasn't even a natural person. Their eyes were wide with shock but Dawn didn't see horror there. She told them about Giles, Spike, Angel, and she didn't stop talking until she had arrived at the train that would take her to Hogwarts in her story. The three were speechless and the silence became ominous to Dawn. The longer it took them to speak the more she worried about whether she should have told them or not. Finally the silence was broken.
"Snape is such a jerk," Harry said and Dawn smiled in relief. The others assured her that they didn't think she was a freak and just as if nothing had happened their friendship continued and solidified.
Dawn felt much happier after that. At first going to the Great Hall was a lesson in keeping the temper down. Pansy Parkinson, who sat on Malfoy's left and was enjoying the status as his girlfriend, would start to pretend to cry every time Dawn passed by. She would hand Dawn tissues and call her a crybaby. Dawn did her best to ignore her. But all in all, Dawn felt like a great weight had been taken off her shoulders. And really, not a moment too soon.
The night before Halloween, as supper was winding down, Professor Dumbledore stood up commanded silence with only the uprising of his hand.
"This year I am pleased to announce that we will be having a family open house." Murmurs rippled through the crowd. "We will be inviting your families to come and stay a week here at Hogwarts. We will be opening up our guest rooms, or if they prefer, the families are welcome to get rooms at Hogsmeade. They will be invited to the first Quidditch match of the season between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor." More excited whispers could now be heard. "There will be a restriction of three family members per student and they will be asked to RSVP. The invitations will be sent off tomorrow." He sat down and the talk around the Great Hall was an excited fervor.
"Oh no," Harry groaned.
"What?" Dawn said, not sure why Harry's face had gone three shades whiter.
"I hope the Dursleys don't come!" Harry put his head in his hands.
"Don't worry, Harry. They hate magic and everything to do with it. There's no way they'll come to Hogwarts!" Ron said, reassuringly.
"I hope you're right, Ron."
Dawn put her hand on Harry's arm, reassuringly. Harry's head snapped up and their eyes met for a moment and he swallowed hard. The touch was electrifying. For a moment, everything quieted down.
Then, like a rush of a strong wind, the sounds and sights of the Great Hall flooded back when Harry's eyes seemed to look over her and begin to follow something. Dawn turned around and saw Cho Chang, the girl who Harry had a crush on. It was pretty obvious that he did because every time she came within eyesight of him, his whole focus was brought to her. Dawn rolled her eyes and put her hand in her lap. She looked a little bit irritated. She took a drink of her pumpkin juice and her eyes met Hermione's. Hermione was looking at her oddly and she quickly averted her eyes.
"Just what we need," they all heard a snide voice say. "Muggles and Mudbloods. The school will be positively reeking with them." They all turned to see Malfoy. He was talking with Pansy Parkinson, and his back was to the group. Dawn glared into his back. Almost as if he could feel her, he started to turn around. Dawn looked surprised as his icy gray eyes made contact with her big blue eyes. He was looking at her intently and she just stared at him, unsure how to react.
"Draco? Are you listening to me?" Dawn heard Pansy say. Draco took a moment longer to look at her and then turned back to Pansy. Dawn took a drink to hide her thoughtful look.
That night when Dawn and Hermione went upstairs, the inquisition began.
"Do you like Harry?" Hermione asked, wonderingly.
"Sure, don't you?" Dawn said evasively. She ducked over to the other side of her bed, letting the curtains partially hide her face.
"You know what I mean," Hermione said, coming around the bed to stand besides Dawn, whose face was pinkened.
Dawn just looked at Hermione, dumbly. Hermione's face lightened and a huge smile creped across her face. "You do!" she said loudly and Dawn quickly shushed her. "Why don't you tell him?"
"Because! You just don't tell someone when you have a crush on them. You.you.sulk and give hints and. Well you see the way he looks at Cho."
Hermione smiled a little and nodded, but then her face became serious. "Dawn, you have to tell him. It doesn't make any sense not to. If I had a crush on someone I'd just tell him." She said, conveniently ignoring the fact that she didn't tell her friends about her date to the Yule Ball last year until the date had already started.
"Well, I can't do that. What if he tells me that he only thinks of me as a friend.or worse, as a sister." Dawn moved aside her bed curtains and sat down on the bed, Hermione sat beside her. "What if it was hard for us to be friends anymore if he knew?" She looked at Hermione. "At the moment I think I'd rather be friends and have him not know."
Hermione nodded a little and sighed. "Well I won't say anything, but I think you should." She patted her hand and got up to finish getting ready for bed.
Dawn slept fitfully that night; images of Harry and Draco swam in her head. The next morning she was left with a feeling of confusion.
*~*~*
Classes that day were a hurried affair as everyone's thoughts were aimed towards the Halloween feast. Even the Slytherins didn't seem so bad as the excitement of the holiday surrounded each student at Hogwarts. Sitting in Defense Against The Dark Arts waiting for Snape to get started, Dawn chatted with her friends.
Returning back to class and to Snape after she had ran out in tears was not something she had been looking forward to. But she just sat and class and although some of the Slytherins teased her in the beginning of the class, Snape didn't say a word about the last class.
Now, things were so festive that even the Slytherins forgot to tease her and call her names.
"The Slayer," Snape's voice rang clear in the classroom. Dawn and her friends all snapped their attention to Snape, who was for once, not looking at Dawn.
"Who besides Miss Summers, can tell me what the Slayer is?"
Hermione hesitantly raised her hand. She didn't want to betray a confidence, but it looked like they were all going to know what a Slayer was before the day was over. When Dawn didn't seem to react, Hermione held her hand up higher.
"Except for Miss Granger," Snape said nastily and Hermione's hand went down sullenly.
"No one?" Snape's eyes were narrowed as he was scanning the crowd.
Draco's hand rose.
"Mr. Malfoy, what is a Slayer?" Snape seemed almost pleased when a Slytherin's hand rose up.
"The Slayer is a girl who is chosen to kill vampires. She's given some powers and they usually don't last very long. Each Slayer that is killed spawns another." His slow drawl grated across Dawn's nerves as he finished his definition. The part about a Slayer not lasting long rang in her head.
"Very good. Ten points to Slytherin," Snape gave a half smile to his charge. "A Slayer is a fighting machine. Many are taken from their homes at a young age and not allowed to grow attachments. Day in and day out they train for killing vampires. The good ones last months after they're chosen." Dawn felt a twinge of pride. Her sister had lasted six years as a Slayer. "Of course it takes more than lasting a few months to be a good Slayer," Snape said, seeming to rain on her parade. "Each Slayer is assigned a Watcher. It's that Watchers duty to make sure the Slayer follows the rules, does her studies, and doesn't allow the outside world to cloud her judgment." Snape's eyes flickered to Dawn and she bristled. "A Watcher who cannot control his Slayer is a waste, and a Slayer who cannot be controlled should be exterminated to make room for a Slayer who can."
Dawn's eyes were wide with disbelief. As awful as Snape was, she couldn't believe he had just said what he did. She vaguely felt Harry's hand on her shoulder, from behind her, but she didn't register it as she started to see red. Her hand shot in the air, and she thought she heard Ron groan.
"You have something to add, Miss Summers? By all means, " Snape sat on the edge of his desk.
"How many Slayers have you known?" was her question and it seemed to throw Snape for a loop.
"I have known a few, but I hardly-"
"How many?" Dawn persisted, her eyes angry.
"Watch your tone, Miss Summers." Snape warned, his voice low. Draco looked over at Dawn and swore he could see steam rising off of her she was so angry looking. Something was definitely up.
"My guess is you haven't known many. Maybe one, maybe none?" she challenged. "Well I've known two. And let me just say, they last a lot longer when they aren't following stupid rules that stuffy old men dole out as they sit around congratulating themselves for being on the side of the winning team. The Slayer does all the work and the Council takes all the credit." She was fuming.
"Ten points from Gryffindor," Snape said, a dangerous glint in his eyes. From then on, Dawn kept quiet as Snape lectured about the Watcher's Council and the roll of Watchers. Although he seemed to be in a testy mood after Dawn correctly guessed that he didn't know a Slayer, he didn't touch on the subject of Slayers again, staying to the Watchers only.
After class Dawn gathered her things and stormed out, not waiting for Harry or anyone. But it wasn't long before Harry, Ron, and Hermione caught up with her. "That Snape.he knows something. I'd like to find out what," Dawn said as she marched through the courtyard.
"Well we can try to get into his office," Ron said.
"Ron! Is that really a good idea? If we get caught." Hermione let her voice trail off. She didn't need to say aloud what would happen if they got caught.
"You know what we should do?" Dawn asked brightly.
"What's that," Harry asked.
"We should play a good prank on Snape." Her smile was slightly evil. The other three looked a little bit shocked by this suggestion.
"What do you mean," Ron said, excitedly.
"I'm not sure this would be a good idea," Hermione worried.
"What did you have in mind?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure yet. But I will figure something out," Dawn said with a resolute look.
*~*~*
That night the meal was delicious and the decorations were wonderfully creative. But as much as Dawn had been looking forward to this night, she felt especially lonely for Sunnydale. Halloween was the night that the most interesting things seemed to happen on the Hellmouth, even though evil was supposed to be taking the night off. Dawn shoved her plate away, although she nibbled on some pumpkin bread every so often. She grabbed some parchment paper and she started to write. Her friends watched her for a moment and then, guessing she needed some time to herself, they continued conversation without her.
Dear Giles,
How is everyone doing in Sunnydale? I miss you all very much. I expect you have received an invitation to come to Hogwarts. I hope you do come. I would really like to spend some time with you guys. Since you can only three people can go, who are you bringing? I don't want to leave Sunnydale totally unprotected, but I wish I could see you all.
I haven't had any news from home in a long time. I wish you guys would write more. As far as news from here, my schooling is going good. I've already passed the tests needed to remain a fifth-year. I got on the Quidditch team. I'm a Keeper! It's kind of like hockey only no puck; there are four balls, and six hoops. Plus we're all flying around on brooms. I guess it sounds weird, but you'll have to see it when you get here.
I should go, but please let me know how things are going.
Love,
Dawn
PS Do you know someone named Severus Snape?
Dawn rolled up the parchment and smiled to her friends. "I'll be back." She got up and left the table.
"Dawn?" Harry came up behind her as she nearly reached the great doors of the hall. She turned to face him. "Do you want some company?" Harry asked.
"Oh.I don't want to take you from the celebration. You looked like you were having fun."
Dawn heard kissing noises from the Slytherin table, but she refused to look. Instead of getting mad, Harry smiled.
"Sounds like if I go we'll be giving a few people something to talk about," he said smiling.
Dawn stole a glance and saw Draco looking at her oddly. She didn't know what the look meant, but she made up her mind. "Come on," she smiled and nodded her head towards the direction she was going. She could feel eyes on her back until she turned the corner.
They walked in silence for a moment and then Dawn stopped. "Gosh, I guess it's a good thing you came with me. Where is the owlery?" She smiled sheepishly and he grinned and pointed her in the direction of the owlery.
"Is it weird?"
Dawn looked at him. "Is what weird?"
"Snape talking about vampires and Slayers and stuff like it was some tale out of a book when it was actually real life to you last year?"
Dawn smiled. "Yeah, I guess." She seemed to want to say more, so Harry waited. "I miss her, Harry." Dawn had told them how her sister had died, but that to the world she would be alive due to the Buffybot that was taking her place, temporarily. Dawn thought it was weird that the Buffybot was out there Slaying everyday, but it was oddly comforting to her.
"I miss my family too."
"What about the Dursleys?" Dawn asked. She knew that Harry didn't get along with them, but she didn't really know the whole story.
Harry snorted a little. "They wish I could stay here. They'd be happy if I never came back," he said.
"Doesn't that hurt?" Dawn asked, shocked that family would treat him like that.
After a long while all he said was, "Yeah." Dawn slipped her hand into his, and he looked over at her sharply. She just kept her face forward until they got to the owlery. She climbed up and Harry followed. She selected a pretty silver looking owl and attached the letter to him. When he was set on his way, Dawn looked at Harry. He was wearing a strange look on his face. Dawn just looked at him, really in no hurry, and he was blocking the way to leave. They watched each other for a moment and then Harry started to walk to her. Dawn didn't move. She wasn't sure what was about to happen. When Harry reached her he leaned in and very gently kissed Dawn. Dawn's eyes slowly closed and she kissed Harry back, but the kiss lasted only a short time. Abruptly it was over and Dawn blushed as her eyes opened. Harry was blushing a little as well and they both just smiled. Neither knew what to say, so neither tried to clutter the moment with words. They silently went back to the Great Hall and joined their friends for the rest of the meal.
*~*~*
Dawn lay in bed that night and thought about the kiss she shared with Harry. It was pleasant, that was true.but after the moment was over, he treated her just like he normally did. And she was afraid to admit that she kind of expected more.passion. Of course, Dawn argued to herself, that could have been his first kiss. Still, it seemed to lack something that she thought would be there.
Dawn mulled it over as she went to sleep. But she didn't dream about a boy with wild dark hair and a lightening scar. Her dreams were troubled by cold eyes and blonde hair. She couldn't help but feel drawn to the boy in her dreams. It both scared her and thrilled her.
If you're interested in receiving a copy of this story with a header for posting on a website, email me at jesca10@attbi.com.
I have chapter six of this story nearly done. I'm kind of swamped with homework right now so it's taking a bit longer to get out, but hopefully you'll enjoy 1-5 and get six soon. Enjoy!
*~*~*
Halloween was just around the corner, and still there was no sign of a new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Things were getting desperate for Dawn, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Still Snape seemed fixated on vampires. She heard the history of how they came to be. She listened to Snape drone on about vampires until she was sure she never wanted to hear about another vampire ever again.
Dawn still hadn't told her friends the truth about her past. She had started to a few times, but she just didn't know how to tell them. She worried that they would treat her like a freak, and she knew she couldn't handle that.
School was becoming more fun than Dawn knew possible. She finally got through all her special tests thanks to, in no small part, Hermione. Dawn was glad to be on an even playing field with all her fifth year friends. Although she wasn't as practiced as they were, she now understood a lot more about the surroundings she lived in.
With the extra tutoring sessions over, Dawn had plenty of time to practice Quidditch with her team and study some of the subjects she'd be expected to know when she came home. But when she opened the Mathematics book and peered into the American History book she just couldn't get into it. She knew she'd have two months when she got home to be bored out of her skull about Thomas Jefferson and Algebra. But for now, she didn't want to mix her home life with her Hogwarts life. But that was not meant to be.
"Angelus."
Dawn's head snapped up and her shocked eyes met Snape's narrowed black eyes. He seemed pleased by her reaction. There was a twinkle in his eyes when he addressed her.
"Tell me, Miss Summers, who is Angelus?" He sat on the edge of his desk and peered down the row of desks and into her face.
Dawn looked around her for a moment and considered lying. But she knew it would make her look more suspicious.
"She doesn't know," she heard Malfoy whisper and soon after she heard the distinct snickers of Crabbe and Goyle.
"No, no, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said smoothly. "I think she does."
Dawn looked over at Draco and saw his smirk. She looked at Snape. "H-he's a vampire."
"Yes. He is." He seemed to be waiting for more, but Dawn didn't elaborate. "Go on." He said, his voice deceptively friendly.
"W-well. He's a vampire who got a." she looked around before looking at Snape, "soul."
There were murmurs around the classroom and Snape looked positively giddy. It was like he had uncovered her in front of everyone. She almost felt that way too. Her friends were all looking at her, and she started to feel that their stares were attempts to figure her out. She started to feel like the freak she thought she'd turn into if her friends knew the truth about her.
"Tell me, what do you know of Angelus?"
Dawn couldn't take it anymore. Everyone was staring at her. She couldn't look Harry in the face. Draco and his pals were laughing and Snape seemed to be joining into the merriment that was her torture. Dawn's chin came up.
"He's got blue eyes and brown hair that sticks up all over the place," she started and the room fell silent. No one expected a physical description. "He's what many would think of as cute. He's got that whole silent tortured act going on." Her eyes were focused on Snape's. "He used to be this terror and he killed a lot of people, but he got a gypsy curse put on him which gave him his soul. He came to America and hid for a long time and then he went to Sunnydale, California and helped kill vampires and demons along side the Slayer." She stood up, grabbing her books. "Now, if you'll excuse me." And she stormed out of the classroom, crying.
The classroom seemed to explode. Whispers about how she knew all of that stuff circulated. Harry was looking out the door where she had left. The word 'slayer' resounded as people inquired as to what that meant. Crabbe and Goyle were laughing and congratulating Snape. Draco, however just sat there, intrigued. He had seen Snape badger this girl about vampires for over a month and she had never broken down like she just had. He wondered what it was about this particular vampire that made her crack.
"What's a Slayer?" Ron asked Hermione.
Not wanting to appear as if she didn't know, she changed the subject. "She looked really upset."
"Look at Snape," Harry said, finally. The other two peered at him as he sat there, gloating and looking at them. He let the noise continue for a moment and then raised his hand. The classroom fell silent.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor," he said while smiling.
*~*~*
Dawn threw her books onto the floor beside her bed and then threw herself onto her four-poster. She brought the curtains around so that she was secluded from anyone else who would come in. But she didn't think anyone would be here for a while. No one else would likely dare storm out of Severus Snape's class.
This afternoon she didn't have a class until her midnight Astronomy class, so she planned to stay in bed as long as she could. But when class let out and she started to hear people in the common room, she decided to go for a fly. She got out of bed, wiping the stray tears from her cheeks and grabbed her broom. She turned to go down the stairs when she saw Hermione watching her.
Dawn's eyes went to the floor and she started to walk away.
"You aren't going to even talk to me?" Hermione asked making Dawn freeze. She looked over at the bushy haired girl.
"I didn't know if you'd want to talk to me."
"Why?" Hermione said incredulously. "Because you walked out of class? We all want to do that as soon as we see Snape walk in. Just none of us are brave enough to," she smiled.
Dawn returned the smile, tentatively. "So.you don't think.I'm a freak?" Dawn asked hesitantly.
"Of course not. Actually I'm really intrigued. How do you know that stuff?"
Dawn looked down again. She knew she should tell her friends, but she was afraid of the consequences. Finally she just nodded and looked up at Hermione, who was waiting patiently. "Let's get Harry and Ron too. They'll want to know." Hermione nodded and held her hand out for Dawn. Dawn dropped the broomstick and took her hand, and they walked downstairs together.
After the four of them had crept into a classroom that was empty and where Peeves wasn't throwing trash all over, they settled into a corner. In the eerie surroundings, Dawn felt the need to quiet her voice to just above a whisper.
"I think the reason Snape is talking so much about vampires is because of me."
Ron eyed her suspiciously. "You're not a vampire, are you?" he said, holding his fingers into a cross. Dawn giggled a little and shook her head.
"No, silly, but." she hesitated a moment, "my sister was the Slayer."
No one seemed to know what that was so Dawn elaborated. She told them about how her sister was the Chosen One and how she had died protecting her. She told them about how she came to be and that she wasn't even a natural person. Their eyes were wide with shock but Dawn didn't see horror there. She told them about Giles, Spike, Angel, and she didn't stop talking until she had arrived at the train that would take her to Hogwarts in her story. The three were speechless and the silence became ominous to Dawn. The longer it took them to speak the more she worried about whether she should have told them or not. Finally the silence was broken.
"Snape is such a jerk," Harry said and Dawn smiled in relief. The others assured her that they didn't think she was a freak and just as if nothing had happened their friendship continued and solidified.
Dawn felt much happier after that. At first going to the Great Hall was a lesson in keeping the temper down. Pansy Parkinson, who sat on Malfoy's left and was enjoying the status as his girlfriend, would start to pretend to cry every time Dawn passed by. She would hand Dawn tissues and call her a crybaby. Dawn did her best to ignore her. But all in all, Dawn felt like a great weight had been taken off her shoulders. And really, not a moment too soon.
The night before Halloween, as supper was winding down, Professor Dumbledore stood up commanded silence with only the uprising of his hand.
"This year I am pleased to announce that we will be having a family open house." Murmurs rippled through the crowd. "We will be inviting your families to come and stay a week here at Hogwarts. We will be opening up our guest rooms, or if they prefer, the families are welcome to get rooms at Hogsmeade. They will be invited to the first Quidditch match of the season between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor." More excited whispers could now be heard. "There will be a restriction of three family members per student and they will be asked to RSVP. The invitations will be sent off tomorrow." He sat down and the talk around the Great Hall was an excited fervor.
"Oh no," Harry groaned.
"What?" Dawn said, not sure why Harry's face had gone three shades whiter.
"I hope the Dursleys don't come!" Harry put his head in his hands.
"Don't worry, Harry. They hate magic and everything to do with it. There's no way they'll come to Hogwarts!" Ron said, reassuringly.
"I hope you're right, Ron."
Dawn put her hand on Harry's arm, reassuringly. Harry's head snapped up and their eyes met for a moment and he swallowed hard. The touch was electrifying. For a moment, everything quieted down.
Then, like a rush of a strong wind, the sounds and sights of the Great Hall flooded back when Harry's eyes seemed to look over her and begin to follow something. Dawn turned around and saw Cho Chang, the girl who Harry had a crush on. It was pretty obvious that he did because every time she came within eyesight of him, his whole focus was brought to her. Dawn rolled her eyes and put her hand in her lap. She looked a little bit irritated. She took a drink of her pumpkin juice and her eyes met Hermione's. Hermione was looking at her oddly and she quickly averted her eyes.
"Just what we need," they all heard a snide voice say. "Muggles and Mudbloods. The school will be positively reeking with them." They all turned to see Malfoy. He was talking with Pansy Parkinson, and his back was to the group. Dawn glared into his back. Almost as if he could feel her, he started to turn around. Dawn looked surprised as his icy gray eyes made contact with her big blue eyes. He was looking at her intently and she just stared at him, unsure how to react.
"Draco? Are you listening to me?" Dawn heard Pansy say. Draco took a moment longer to look at her and then turned back to Pansy. Dawn took a drink to hide her thoughtful look.
That night when Dawn and Hermione went upstairs, the inquisition began.
"Do you like Harry?" Hermione asked, wonderingly.
"Sure, don't you?" Dawn said evasively. She ducked over to the other side of her bed, letting the curtains partially hide her face.
"You know what I mean," Hermione said, coming around the bed to stand besides Dawn, whose face was pinkened.
Dawn just looked at Hermione, dumbly. Hermione's face lightened and a huge smile creped across her face. "You do!" she said loudly and Dawn quickly shushed her. "Why don't you tell him?"
"Because! You just don't tell someone when you have a crush on them. You.you.sulk and give hints and. Well you see the way he looks at Cho."
Hermione smiled a little and nodded, but then her face became serious. "Dawn, you have to tell him. It doesn't make any sense not to. If I had a crush on someone I'd just tell him." She said, conveniently ignoring the fact that she didn't tell her friends about her date to the Yule Ball last year until the date had already started.
"Well, I can't do that. What if he tells me that he only thinks of me as a friend.or worse, as a sister." Dawn moved aside her bed curtains and sat down on the bed, Hermione sat beside her. "What if it was hard for us to be friends anymore if he knew?" She looked at Hermione. "At the moment I think I'd rather be friends and have him not know."
Hermione nodded a little and sighed. "Well I won't say anything, but I think you should." She patted her hand and got up to finish getting ready for bed.
Dawn slept fitfully that night; images of Harry and Draco swam in her head. The next morning she was left with a feeling of confusion.
*~*~*
Classes that day were a hurried affair as everyone's thoughts were aimed towards the Halloween feast. Even the Slytherins didn't seem so bad as the excitement of the holiday surrounded each student at Hogwarts. Sitting in Defense Against The Dark Arts waiting for Snape to get started, Dawn chatted with her friends.
Returning back to class and to Snape after she had ran out in tears was not something she had been looking forward to. But she just sat and class and although some of the Slytherins teased her in the beginning of the class, Snape didn't say a word about the last class.
Now, things were so festive that even the Slytherins forgot to tease her and call her names.
"The Slayer," Snape's voice rang clear in the classroom. Dawn and her friends all snapped their attention to Snape, who was for once, not looking at Dawn.
"Who besides Miss Summers, can tell me what the Slayer is?"
Hermione hesitantly raised her hand. She didn't want to betray a confidence, but it looked like they were all going to know what a Slayer was before the day was over. When Dawn didn't seem to react, Hermione held her hand up higher.
"Except for Miss Granger," Snape said nastily and Hermione's hand went down sullenly.
"No one?" Snape's eyes were narrowed as he was scanning the crowd.
Draco's hand rose.
"Mr. Malfoy, what is a Slayer?" Snape seemed almost pleased when a Slytherin's hand rose up.
"The Slayer is a girl who is chosen to kill vampires. She's given some powers and they usually don't last very long. Each Slayer that is killed spawns another." His slow drawl grated across Dawn's nerves as he finished his definition. The part about a Slayer not lasting long rang in her head.
"Very good. Ten points to Slytherin," Snape gave a half smile to his charge. "A Slayer is a fighting machine. Many are taken from their homes at a young age and not allowed to grow attachments. Day in and day out they train for killing vampires. The good ones last months after they're chosen." Dawn felt a twinge of pride. Her sister had lasted six years as a Slayer. "Of course it takes more than lasting a few months to be a good Slayer," Snape said, seeming to rain on her parade. "Each Slayer is assigned a Watcher. It's that Watchers duty to make sure the Slayer follows the rules, does her studies, and doesn't allow the outside world to cloud her judgment." Snape's eyes flickered to Dawn and she bristled. "A Watcher who cannot control his Slayer is a waste, and a Slayer who cannot be controlled should be exterminated to make room for a Slayer who can."
Dawn's eyes were wide with disbelief. As awful as Snape was, she couldn't believe he had just said what he did. She vaguely felt Harry's hand on her shoulder, from behind her, but she didn't register it as she started to see red. Her hand shot in the air, and she thought she heard Ron groan.
"You have something to add, Miss Summers? By all means, " Snape sat on the edge of his desk.
"How many Slayers have you known?" was her question and it seemed to throw Snape for a loop.
"I have known a few, but I hardly-"
"How many?" Dawn persisted, her eyes angry.
"Watch your tone, Miss Summers." Snape warned, his voice low. Draco looked over at Dawn and swore he could see steam rising off of her she was so angry looking. Something was definitely up.
"My guess is you haven't known many. Maybe one, maybe none?" she challenged. "Well I've known two. And let me just say, they last a lot longer when they aren't following stupid rules that stuffy old men dole out as they sit around congratulating themselves for being on the side of the winning team. The Slayer does all the work and the Council takes all the credit." She was fuming.
"Ten points from Gryffindor," Snape said, a dangerous glint in his eyes. From then on, Dawn kept quiet as Snape lectured about the Watcher's Council and the roll of Watchers. Although he seemed to be in a testy mood after Dawn correctly guessed that he didn't know a Slayer, he didn't touch on the subject of Slayers again, staying to the Watchers only.
After class Dawn gathered her things and stormed out, not waiting for Harry or anyone. But it wasn't long before Harry, Ron, and Hermione caught up with her. "That Snape.he knows something. I'd like to find out what," Dawn said as she marched through the courtyard.
"Well we can try to get into his office," Ron said.
"Ron! Is that really a good idea? If we get caught." Hermione let her voice trail off. She didn't need to say aloud what would happen if they got caught.
"You know what we should do?" Dawn asked brightly.
"What's that," Harry asked.
"We should play a good prank on Snape." Her smile was slightly evil. The other three looked a little bit shocked by this suggestion.
"What do you mean," Ron said, excitedly.
"I'm not sure this would be a good idea," Hermione worried.
"What did you have in mind?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure yet. But I will figure something out," Dawn said with a resolute look.
*~*~*
That night the meal was delicious and the decorations were wonderfully creative. But as much as Dawn had been looking forward to this night, she felt especially lonely for Sunnydale. Halloween was the night that the most interesting things seemed to happen on the Hellmouth, even though evil was supposed to be taking the night off. Dawn shoved her plate away, although she nibbled on some pumpkin bread every so often. She grabbed some parchment paper and she started to write. Her friends watched her for a moment and then, guessing she needed some time to herself, they continued conversation without her.
Dear Giles,
How is everyone doing in Sunnydale? I miss you all very much. I expect you have received an invitation to come to Hogwarts. I hope you do come. I would really like to spend some time with you guys. Since you can only three people can go, who are you bringing? I don't want to leave Sunnydale totally unprotected, but I wish I could see you all.
I haven't had any news from home in a long time. I wish you guys would write more. As far as news from here, my schooling is going good. I've already passed the tests needed to remain a fifth-year. I got on the Quidditch team. I'm a Keeper! It's kind of like hockey only no puck; there are four balls, and six hoops. Plus we're all flying around on brooms. I guess it sounds weird, but you'll have to see it when you get here.
I should go, but please let me know how things are going.
Love,
Dawn
PS Do you know someone named Severus Snape?
Dawn rolled up the parchment and smiled to her friends. "I'll be back." She got up and left the table.
"Dawn?" Harry came up behind her as she nearly reached the great doors of the hall. She turned to face him. "Do you want some company?" Harry asked.
"Oh.I don't want to take you from the celebration. You looked like you were having fun."
Dawn heard kissing noises from the Slytherin table, but she refused to look. Instead of getting mad, Harry smiled.
"Sounds like if I go we'll be giving a few people something to talk about," he said smiling.
Dawn stole a glance and saw Draco looking at her oddly. She didn't know what the look meant, but she made up her mind. "Come on," she smiled and nodded her head towards the direction she was going. She could feel eyes on her back until she turned the corner.
They walked in silence for a moment and then Dawn stopped. "Gosh, I guess it's a good thing you came with me. Where is the owlery?" She smiled sheepishly and he grinned and pointed her in the direction of the owlery.
"Is it weird?"
Dawn looked at him. "Is what weird?"
"Snape talking about vampires and Slayers and stuff like it was some tale out of a book when it was actually real life to you last year?"
Dawn smiled. "Yeah, I guess." She seemed to want to say more, so Harry waited. "I miss her, Harry." Dawn had told them how her sister had died, but that to the world she would be alive due to the Buffybot that was taking her place, temporarily. Dawn thought it was weird that the Buffybot was out there Slaying everyday, but it was oddly comforting to her.
"I miss my family too."
"What about the Dursleys?" Dawn asked. She knew that Harry didn't get along with them, but she didn't really know the whole story.
Harry snorted a little. "They wish I could stay here. They'd be happy if I never came back," he said.
"Doesn't that hurt?" Dawn asked, shocked that family would treat him like that.
After a long while all he said was, "Yeah." Dawn slipped her hand into his, and he looked over at her sharply. She just kept her face forward until they got to the owlery. She climbed up and Harry followed. She selected a pretty silver looking owl and attached the letter to him. When he was set on his way, Dawn looked at Harry. He was wearing a strange look on his face. Dawn just looked at him, really in no hurry, and he was blocking the way to leave. They watched each other for a moment and then Harry started to walk to her. Dawn didn't move. She wasn't sure what was about to happen. When Harry reached her he leaned in and very gently kissed Dawn. Dawn's eyes slowly closed and she kissed Harry back, but the kiss lasted only a short time. Abruptly it was over and Dawn blushed as her eyes opened. Harry was blushing a little as well and they both just smiled. Neither knew what to say, so neither tried to clutter the moment with words. They silently went back to the Great Hall and joined their friends for the rest of the meal.
*~*~*
Dawn lay in bed that night and thought about the kiss she shared with Harry. It was pleasant, that was true.but after the moment was over, he treated her just like he normally did. And she was afraid to admit that she kind of expected more.passion. Of course, Dawn argued to herself, that could have been his first kiss. Still, it seemed to lack something that she thought would be there.
Dawn mulled it over as she went to sleep. But she didn't dream about a boy with wild dark hair and a lightening scar. Her dreams were troubled by cold eyes and blonde hair. She couldn't help but feel drawn to the boy in her dreams. It both scared her and thrilled her.