Over the Rainbow

by Lady Jesca

Buffy has just died...again. Dawn is left without a sister or a mother. Her friends are trying to take care of her and the Hellmouth. Suddenly she gets accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. What wonders will she find there?

10. Revelations

Author's Notes: This is the tenth chapter in my HP/BtVS crossover. The series is called 'Over The Rainbow' and the chapter is entitled 'Revelations'. 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, Anya isn't a demon and is with Xander, Tara is alive, Spike is NOT souled, and Giles is still around. The most visible change I'm making is that Willow is bisexual rather than lesbian.which I always thought was a more fair accounting anyway, seeing as she still had feelings for and attraction to Oz when he came back after she met Tara. So she's not "switching sides" she just bisexual.

For those who like to see the disclaimer, I'm not Joss and I'm no Rowling, so the world and characters unfortunately do not belong to me.

If you're interested in receiving a copy of this story with a header for posting on a website, email me at Jesca@comcast.net.

A few notes on the fic:

It's getting long!! It's only 10 parts now, but this one is like 34 pages all on it's own! But a lot is happening!

I'm already working on part 11 of this story. I've got all sorts of ideas swimming in my head. I can hardly think of anything else at the moment!! Happy reading!

And heeeeeeeeeere's the story!

*~*~*

Snape roughly wiped the hair out of his eyes as he heard the pounding on his door again. He near growled as he flung the warmth of his covers off of him and quickly donned a robe over his bare body. He stuffed his feet into black house shoes and trudged to the door, still tying his robe's belt.

"This had better be a bloody emergency!" he growled as he opened the door. Lucius Malfoy smiled serenely from the other side, immaculately dressed in black robes trimmed in green and silver.

"Severus," he said with a small smile. "Still in bed at this hour?" He made a tsk sound, looking at Snape in mock reproach.

Snape looked over to the grandfather clock and noted that it was four in the morning. He turned his dangerously hostile eyes back to Lucius who was looking very amused.

"What do you want, Lucius?" he asked plainly.

"Hm. I had hoped for a more welcoming greeting, but I suppose you are right. We should get to business." He paused and watched Snape as the other man started to grow even more impatient as he watched him silently. "Would you have me conduct business in the hallway, Severus?" he asked, faintly annoyed.

Snape sighed and moved back from the doorway, giving the only invitation Lucius Malfoy needed as he pressed into the dark room. He looked around, and smiled. The man lived in the dungeons of Hogwarts but from the inside of his room you'd never know it. The room was done in dark mahogany wood and deep green colors. It was very masculine and very richly done.

"It is refreshing to see that public service hasn't taken from you your refined taste in decorations," Lucius said approvingly. He looked over at the empty bed. "But I had begun to wonder if the reason you kept me in the hallway was to hide a lady-friend."

Snape bristled a little and then swallowed back his initial remark in favor of another. "I keep her in the closet. Chained and gagged, naturally."

Lucius turned to look at him, his eyebrows raised almost in question. There seemed to be the little light of hope in his eyes. Snape almost laughed. Only Lucius Malfoy would be looking at him as if to hope for some truth in that statement.

"What is it you came for at this early hour, Lucius?"

"Ah," he smiled and sat down while Snape put some water to boil. "It is business as I said." He paused for dramatic effect. "Dark business."

Snape paused only a fraction of a second in his work but then continued readying a tray with the necessary tea items. "Go on."

"I'll wait."

Snape ground his teeth together and made quick work of bringing tea to the table, pouring for himself and Lucius as the blond man watched on, ominously.

Once the tea was poured, Snape looked at Lucius and his eyebrows raised. "Now, what is this work?"

"Tonight I will feed to our Master the energy he needs to be restored."

Snape very carefully masked his inner emotions and smiled a little darkly, reflecting the twinkle in Lucius' eyes. "Really? How?"

"The Key."

Snape nodded. Dumbledore had told him about Dawn Summers and so he didn't need to inquire as to the meaning of that cryptic answer. Still, he waited to see if Lucius would go on.

"I need to perform the Ritual of Disolutum."

Snape frowned thoughtfully. "I've never heard of it."

Lucius gave him a look as though Snape was Goyle, even though he had only just learned of the Ritual himself. "Nevertheless, you could still be of assistance. Your generous contribution will not go unnoticed by the Dark Lord." Snape felt his tattoo tingle a bit and he nodded, taking a drink of his tea before answering.

"Of course it will. Along with all my faithful service here at the school."

"Naturally," Lucius said, pleased with the answer.

"What is needed?"

"A potion."

"Obviously," Snape said with some sarcasm.

Lucius' eyes narrowed. He pulled out of the breast of his robes a scroll and passed it to Snape. Snape opened it and let his eyes travel over the intricate instructions and the rare ingredients.

"This will take some time, Lucius," he said honestly.

"I will need it around mid-day."

Snape laughed. "This requires ingredients that would be dangerous to keep in a school, Lucius. Dumbledore watches me very closely. It would take a week at least to go about collecting and creating this potion!"

Lucius was not laughing. His eyes held only a dangerous glint. His voice, when he spoke, was a bit higher and just a tad sing-song like it always got when he was angry. "You will do this potion by mid-day, Severus because the Dark Lord commands it of you. I know you to be a resourceful man when you want to be. The question really is, whether or not you want to be."

Snape's eyes narrowed. It would not do to have Lucius Malfoy doubting his allegiance. "Because you do great work for the Master I will let that comment go, once!" he said, nearly yelling the word 'once'. "But you question my allegiance once more, Malfoy and it will be your last time." His tone gave no room for argument. His eyes were locked on the other man's electric blue eyes, nearly crackling with the threat. Snape was not going to back down. To do so now would do more to tip Lucius off than anything else. In the end it was Lucius who looked away, standing up and nodding curtly.

"I'll send my son after it this afternoon."

"You do that," Snape said as he slammed the door behind Lucius.

He walked back over to the table and looked at the scroll. Hurriedly he went to his bathroom to get ready for the day, he had a lot of work to do.

*~*~*

"Transconlisum Potion," Dumbledore said sadly. He sat with the scroll open in front of him, dressed still in his bedclothes. "So it has come."

Snape just stood rigidly in front of the Headmaster, waiting for some sort of answer to the dilemma. He did not find the last sentence very comforting.

"Certainly something can be done," Snape said, quietly.

"Oh yes. Many things can be done, Severus. For one, you could make this potion for Lucius Malfoy to turn that dear girl into a sort of battery for Voldemort. Or you could choose not to do so, therefore uncovering all that we have fought to cover."

"I meant besides the obvious," Snape said evenly, trying desperately to keep his inner turmoil from bubbling out on the plain spoken professor. He was very fond of Dumbledore, but he found the man's sense of humor somewhat inappropriate at times. This was very serious. Lucius had given him the decision that would shape his life, whether he knew it or not. Snape was not convinced that Lucius didn't know this, though.

"You will make the potion."

Snape jumped, almost as if he had been swung at. "But Headmaster, they will do this ritual on Miss Summers and she will cease to exist in any form we will be able to understand!" He had not expected that answer, especially after Dumbledore had explained the Ritual of Disolutum to him.

Dumbledore's hand rose to silence Snape. "You will exclude the salamander blood."

Snape's eyebrows shot up as he thought about how the potion would function without the key ingredient. "If I put fire root instead the potion would have the same ruddy color," he said aloud to no one in particular. "It would fail to do what Lucius intends for it and would hopefully stop the ritual," he said to Dumbledore. "But what of the ritual. Headmaster, if they somehow succeed.it would be a great triumph for Voldemort."

"Yes, it would," Dumbledore said with an edge to his voice. "Will you be there?"

"I assume so but nothing has been said one way or the other."

"Nevertheless, I will be," Dumbledore promised.

*~*~*

When her eyes opened all she saw was pure darkness. Her hair was in her face and she moved to wipe it away from her face when she realized that her hands were tied behind her back. Panic flooded her as she started to fight against her bonds and the unmistakable smell of the burlap bag let her know why she was thrown in such darkness.

It was a dream. It had to be a dream. She could feel two voices in her head. One was Dawn, the girl who attended Hogwarts and the other voice was Aurora a girl who resembled Dawn so uncannily that they could be sisters. But it was a dream. Dawn faintly remembered waking up after the burlap bag was thrust over her head. But, she was here again. Was this real or was Hogwarts real? She wasn't altogether sure. Was she Dawn, or was she Aurora? Dawn shook the thoughts from her head. This had to be a dream. She renewed her struggles to get free from the bondage.

"She's awake," snarled a raspy voice from beside her.

"I can see that," a clear and smooth voice answered.

"Quiet down, you," the raspy voiced man snarled and punctuated the order with a kick to the side. Pain shot down Dawn's body, making her question if this was really a dream again.

"Don't." The smooth voice was edged with warning. "You haven't a clue what power this one has. You wouldn't want to anger her, now would you?"

Dawn heard a grunt from the raspy one. Power? If she had so much power she'd zap herself out of these bonds and get free. What power did she have? Was the smooth man just idly threatening the raspy one, or did she really have this power? In any case, it worked. There was no further kicking from the raspy man.

Struggling wasn't helping her at all so Dawn quieted down. She closed her eyes because it was too disturbing for them to be open and be able to see nothing. She forced her breathing to go to normal.

"See, she's out again. You probably frightened the poor girl into fainting."

Dawn fought to keep her breathing normal and give the men no reason to believe she wasn't passed out. Perhaps they would talk if they didn't know she could hear. She took in the swaying and jerky motions of what she was riding in. It seemed like a cart or a wagon pulled by horses. She could hear the clop clopping of the horses' hooves hitting what sounded like cobblestone. Aurora seemed to agree. Dawn frowned at the weirdness of having another voice of someone who wasn't her in her head.

"I don't like this Mikel. I don't like being back here with her."

"Never fear, Rach. I won't let her hurt you," Mikel said dryly.

"Now I ain't saying I'm scared, now."

"Parish the thought, my old friend," Mikel said with only a trace of mockery. Rach didn't seem to catch on to the mocking tone because he grunted in satisfaction.

"Once we get her to the monastery we can perform the Ritual of Disolutum and then all will be put to right."

The Ritual of Disolutum? Dawn didn't like the sound of that. She traced in her brain the Latin word to its translated meaning. Dissolution, closing, disbanding, to dissolve. Well she was pretty certain she didn't want to be dissolved! Aurora shrank in fear from the thought.

The rest of the traveling was done in silence as Dawn lay there, still pretending to be out. She tried to use the time she was given wisely, using it to explore Aurora's life.

As far as Aurora knew, she was a successful fisherman's daughter who lived in a sea-side town. Her family was fairly well off due to her father's inventive techniques and sixth-sense about where that day's prey would be. He hunted fish of all kinds and boasted that no sea animal was too large or small. He had one daughter. His wife had died of a sickness a few years after the baby was born. He spent all his time and efforts doting on his daughter, whom he loved more than life itself. She was educated, which was rare for women, although she was also expected to know protocol, sewing, and stitching. She was sharp of mind and found the women's work to be insipid, but she did it because her father wanted her to be lady.

There was nothing to indicate what these men would want with her from the information Dawn got. And she didn't think the Ritual of Disolutum was necessary for extorting money, so that was out. She felt some sadness for the father who would be left with nothing. She felt sadness in herself and longing for that man. It was all very odd to Dawn. She wasn't particularly close to her own father and all of this was new ground for her.

Voices from outside the cart brought Dawn to attention. She had to focus on her breathing again, in case any of the men were watching her. She couldn't understand the muffled voices, but they sounded welcoming.

The cart jostled from side to side as they made their way onto wooden planks of some kind. Dawn couldn't help but be thrown around a little. When the cart came to a jarring stop, Dawn jumped.

She opened her eyes and the brightness of her room blinded her by comparison to the darkness she had been in. She looked around, confused for a moment. When she moved aside her veils and saw Hermione stretching, preparing to get up, she laid back on her bed with a sigh. She was back. Dawn tried to replay the dream in her head so that she could recall facts and tell the guys about it, but her mind kept wandering until she couldn't place her events in order. When she came back from brushing her teeth, only faint traces of emotion could be called forth.

"You ok?" Hermione asked.

She looked up and smiled, realizing she had been walking around with a frown on her face.

"I'm good. I'm just trying to remember what I dreamt." Dawn frowned and tried one last time to recall it, but when she couldn't she smiled again and shook her head. She noted Hermione's worried look.

"Hey, I'm great. It's Saturday, so no classes. I've got most of my homework done, thanks to you," she grinned. "And the best part about the weekend is upon me."

Hermione rolled her eyes and plopped down on Dawn's bed.

"Ok, so what are you going to wear?"

Dawn grinned. She couldn't believe how much she missed "civvies" as she had come to call them. Her suitcase full of clothing that she brought to Hogwarts had at first seemed as if it would go to waste, sitting all year in the cases waiting to make the creases in the clothes permanent. The uniforms weren't bad, but they were uniforms. But on the weekends, she was allowed to wear her regular clothes. "As long as it's tasteful," McGonagall had said, wrinkling her nose. Obviously she had been warned about the colonials' new dressing habits.

Dawn went to the trunk at the end of her bed, where she kept her clothes and opened it like a child at Christmas. Hermione couldn't help but smile as Dawn's love for clothes infected her.

"Something with color in it," Dawn mused. Dawn pulled out various shirts when she smiled into her trunk Hermione knew she found the shirt she'd be wearing. Dawn pulled out a red shirt that at first glance looked like it would be way too small for her. It looked like it had been shrunk in the wash. Hermione almost said something about it but Dawn seemed so happy, she figured Dawn would find out soon enough that her shirt was shrunk. Hermione thought maybe she might know a spell to help.

Next, Dawn pulled out a pair of denim pants that looked faded in spots. The front of them looked horribly faded, but the rest of them were less so. It looked a little deliberate, so again Hermione said nothing. Stockings were thrown on the bed along with lacy underthings. Dawn slid a large wooden box out of the trunk before closing it. She set the box on the bed and then opened it up her eyes alight. Of course Hermione had seen Dawn go through this ritual before; she was always amazed at how much make-up the girl had, especially considering that she didn't wear very much and sometimes none at all.

Dawn pulled out some bright red nail polish and all of the accessories she needed to give herself a quick manicure and pedicure. Hermione just sat, cross-legged and still in her pajamas, watching Dawn with fascination.

Dawn started by stuffing a spongy thing in between her toes, separating them. Then she started to get to work on clipping, filing, shaping, and painting them. When they were perfectly painted, Dawn smiled up at Hermione. The other girl looked a little worried when a light bulb seemed to go off over Dawn's head.

"Let me fix you up too?" Dawn asked excitedly.

"Oh.I don't think so, Dawn. I do better without." she faded off, looking at all of the stuff Dawn had laid out. She grabbed the stockings and frowned. "Are you going to wear these?" she asked.

"Yeah, why? Is there a run in them?" Dawn frowned and held her hand out for the stockings. Hermione tossed them to her but shook her head.

"No, they're fine." She watched Dawn inspect the black sheer stockings. "It's just.you just spent twenty minutes painting your toes. You're going to cover them?"

Dawn smiled as she realized what Hermione was so perplexed about. "Yeah." Dawn shrugged. "In California you never know when you're going to be invited to a pool party or a beach thing. You have to keep your toes painted so that you don't have to spend time doing it when you are rushed to get ready. Besides, it's fun to paint and they look nice, even if you are the only one who sees them." She took the spongy things out from between her toes.

"Your turn."

"Oh, no, that's ok. You go ahead."

"No, I insist. Mione, you're a doll. Let me dress you up!" she smiled insanely and Hermione giggled.

"I'll look foolish."

Dawn gave a mock frown. "You think I look foolish?"

Hermione smiled. "Of course not, it's just that you're." she tried to fish for the word.

"American?"

"Exactly!" Hermione said in agreement. "You can get away with these sorts of things."

"What, women in Europe don't paint their toes? Please." She motioned for Hermione to give over a foot. Hermione hesitated but then sat with her bare feet sticking out. Dawn set upon her like a vulture and quickly got to work. It took a little while because Hermione was very ticklish, but eventually Hermione had shiny red toenails. She smiled and wiggled her toes.

"That does look kind of cool."

"Ok, now fingers." Hermione protested a little more because she new other people would see her painted nails, but Dawn won her over and she let them be painted as well. After the paint was good and dry, the girls set about to taking their showers and drying their hair. It was a simple thing to dry hair with charms and Hermione taught her charms that would compensate for not having a curling iron or hair dryer. Dawn knew she would need to get to the library to learn more techniques that Hermione probably hadn't bothered learning.

Dawn carefully recited the spell that Hermione taught her that would add curl to her hair and smiled when her hair curled into fat rings. She reversed the spell on Hermione's hair and brushed it until it feathered back prettily. Hermione just watched as her bushy hair became tame and manageable. Dawn parted her own hair down the center, like she normally wore it, but then pulled the front of her hair in a loose tail behind her head, letting the rest just fall naturally down.

Next she set about putting make-up on the both of them. Hermione resisted the urge to stare at the mirror the whole time, but was very pleased when she saw the results of Dawn's work. Her lips were glossed and her eyes were lightly outlined and glittery powders in natural colors accented her coloring and features. Her cheeks had a very natural looking blush to them. Dawn outlined her own eyes a little darker but her eye shadow was lighter. She added a faint blush to her cheeks and glossed her lips with a red tinted gloss. She took a fine pinch of glitter and put just a bit on her shoulders and chest and urged Hermione to do the same. She did, but looked unsure.

Dawn went back to her trunk and looked through it for an outfit that would be good for Hermione. Instead of arguing, Hermione just fidgeted beside Dawn. She wondered what people would think of this. Most of the kids would be wearing their weekend clothes and some of the girls did put on make-up and dress a little fancier on the weekends. But she had never participated in that before. She wondered if she was making a mistake in trying.

"Luckily you're tall for a girl, like me. Here, try these on," she said, handing Hermione a pair of faded jeans. Hermione nodded and started to put them on. Dawn set to dressing herself, changing out of her night things and putting on her lacy underwear and stockings. She quickly, because it was chilly, put scented lotion on her stomach and arms before she slipped her long legs into her tight jeans. They were hip hugging, button fly jeans that flared out nicely at the calf. She turned around and saw Hermione starting to take off the jeans.

"They don't fit?" Dawn asked with a frown.

"I.I'm not sure."

"Here, wait," Dawn said and shooed Hermione's hands away from the fasteners. The jeans fit snuggly over the girl's hips and the top of the jeans rested below her belly button. Her thighs were encased in the material but they loosened up a little lower. "They look great, what's the problem?"

Hermione looked a little surprised. "Are they supposed to be this tight or low cut?"

Dawn nodded. "Yep, that's the point. Here, see if these fit," she tossed Hermione a pair of open-toed sandals.

"My feet will freeze!" Hermione squealed.

"They won't. You'll see."

Hermione sighed and put them on and smiled a little as she wiggled her toes again. Dawn gave her a button down shirt that was silky and black with red trim. At Dawn's instruction she left the top two buttons undone and the bottom three undone as well. Her belly button played peek-a-boo from behind the shirt, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Dawn gave Hermione a thin gold band to string through the loops in her pants. It had a tail that hung down to her thigh. After Dawn put her own curve hugging shirt on and accented the two girls with earrings and other jewelry, they were finally finished. It had only taken them two hours. Both were glad they had gotten up early when they realized what time it was.

Dawn hurriedly put her things away and Hermione noticed the way the other girl's shirt crept up her body a little, allowing just a slight patch of skin to show between the shirt and the pants. Hermione started to fidget again. Dawn smiled and took her hand.

"You look fabulous. Ron's going to pee his pants."

"That's because he'll be laughing so hard," she mumbled.

Dawn smiled and walked out of the room, arm in arm, with Hermione. Hermione wasn't the only person in Hogwarts that looked forward to seeing what new outfit Dawn was going to wear. Her fashion sense was trend setting in Hogwarts. Dawn knew that most of it was just the shock of seeing something other than uniforms. But this morning, the expectant few that had held back from going to breakfast to see what had taken Dawn so long to put together was stunned into silence when they saw Hermione. Dawn could tell that many of the girls wore jealous looks in their eyes and the few boys that were still in the commons room went slack-jawed. Dawn looked over to Ron and smiled as she noticed the way his eyes seemed to bulge. All eyes were on Hermione, even Harry's. But Dawn didn't mind.

Where Dawn saw jealousy and appreciation, Hermione sensed the kind of shock that would lead to much teasing. She took a step backwards, but Dawn held on firmly to her arm. Eventually, she headed down the stairs with Dawn.

"What happened?" Ron asked in awe.

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

Ron just gestured to Hermione. His eyes took it the red painted toes and matching fingers as well as the tight-hipped pants and belly button. He didn't miss the hints of glitter or the wispy way in which her hair bounced.

"She looks, great, doesn't she?" Dawn smiled and looked at Harry who was also staring at Hermione. Dawn would have been offended if she didn't know that this was the first time Hermione had been so dolled up.

"You do," Harry said finally and smiled to her before looking at Dawn. "And you look great," he blushed a little and held out his hand for her. Dawn smiled and took it, leaving Hermione's side.

"Well, you guys ready for breakfast?" Dawn asked cheerfully. The others nodded and they headed out, Ron standing beside Hermione.

Although Hermione was very nervous about how people were going to receive her new look, she started to feel empowered by the way Ron and some of the other guys they passed by were staring at her. Plus, it was one thing to let her fellow Gryffindor's see her nervous and flustered, but it was an entirely other thing to be less than composed in front of the other houses, especially Slytherin House. Hermione's shoulders had straightened and her hips took an unconscious sway to them due to the unfamiliar sandals she wore.

When they reached the crowded Great Hall, Hermione did indeed make quite a scene. A few people giggled and pointed but for the most part girls were seething in jealousy or looking on in appreciation while guys were left wondering how come Hermione had skipped their notice before. Hermione tried hard to keep her composure and walked over to where she normally sat. Her eyes traveled to the professors' table and she noticed Spike was watching her, but his look was unreadable. She flushed a little but managed to keep her composure.

As she sat down she heard a loud laughter from the Slytherin table, and Hermione couldn't help but look over there. Pansy Parkinson was looking right at her and laughing flipping her hair around as if the little curls she gave herself was anything compared to Hermione's transformation. Hermione pulled a face at the girl and inadvertently looked to Pansy's right, where Draco sat. He too had seemed to notice Hermione and his eyebrows were raised a bit.

Hermione wasn't the only person to notice Parkinson's raucous laughter, nor Draco's look. Dawn's eyes narrowed a little bit and a twisted feeling welled up in her gut as Draco actually checked Hermione out.

"What's wrong with you two?" Ron asked, breaking the trance like look on Hermione's face and forcing Dawn to look away from Draco's gaping face.

"Nothing," they both answered at the same time. Dawn and Hermione looked at each other and smiled but Dawn's smile didn't reach to her eyes.

"You don't miss anything, do you?" Willow asked Spike as she watched him watch the scene.

"Can't afford to."

"I think she likes him."

"You think?" Spike said giving her a sarcastic look. Willow just rolled her eyes.

"What about Harry, though?"

"What about Potter?" Snape's voice came through the din as he sat down beside Willow. "What has the boy done this time?"

"Nothing," Willow said with a frown. "We were just talking about Dawn and- ouch!" she squealed as Spike roughly kicked her leg.

"Something amiss?" Snape asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Ah.leg cramp," Willow said and started massaging her leg.

"Here, love, let me help you with that," Spike purred and placed his large hands on Willow's thigh, making her eyes widen as she shoved his hands away. Spike smiled evilly as Snape's hand whitened from gripping his fork so tightly.

"What about Miss Summers?" Snape gritted out.

"Ah.oh.Dawn and Harry. We were just talking about what a cute couple they are." Willow glared at Spike who looked like a cat with a canary.

"Is that really proper?" Snape asked with a sigh. "Do you always make it a habit to discuss the fleeting love lives of your students?"

"Fleeting?" she asked, suspicious. "What do you know?"

"I know that they are but children. How could it be anything but fleeting?" he asked with some disdain.

"Oh. Well, for your information, I don't think it's improper for me to talk about Dawnie. She's been like a little sister to me for a long time. And I don't always talk about my students' love lives because I haven't had students for more than a week. Besides, what's wrong with taking an interest in them outside of the classroom? You know it's not like they go home to their parents everyday. We are kind of like their parents. I mean we teach them in class, but also out of class. We teach right and wrong and how to behave. I think we should take an interest."

Snape looked at her as if she had just said they should introduce purple spiked hair-dos into the dress code.

"Forget it," Willow said dryly and went back to watching the kids. She noticed Hermione's glances to Spike. She knew Spike wasn't missing those as well. That was something she was going to have to talk to him about. It seemed wrong. Of course Buffy was fifteen when she and Angel got together. And, Angel is much older than Spike, she knew. But it still seemed very wrong to entertain the girl's crush. Willow suspected that Spike was just giving Hermione those looks to be a bit rebellious and mysterious. He probably liked Hermione's attentions, but Willow did not want a confrontation between Dumbledore and Spike. That could be disastrous.

Spike smiled a little to himself when he felt eyes on him again. It was nice. For the last year he had nothing but one Buffy Summers on the brain. It was nice to think about someone else. It was also nice to get 'the look' once in a while. Not that anything would come of it, he thought to himself. She was pretty enough, but he knew that all she was feeling was a crush. He could tell by the way her eyes lit up when they touched the red- headed boy she hung around with.

His eyes touched hers and he tilted his head to one side before he felt Willow shift to kick the foot he moved just in time. He grinned at the redhead and then looked up innocently when he noticed Snape was watching the two of them. At this rate, the prat was going to think he and Red were hitting the sack. Let him, Spike decided. It was fun to watch him squirm and pretend he wasn't hot for the little witch. Spike leaned back in his chair, resting his arm around the back of Willow's seat. She frowned and turned to him in question.

"If you don't mind," came Snape's voice, brittled by anger, "I would be most appreciative if you would both at least try to act like professors here."

"Yeah, well, mate, I'm not a professor, now am I?" Spike said with a smile.

Willow pushed Spike's arm off the chair, nearly making the blond man tumble to the floor he was leaning so far back in his seat to see Snape's expressions. Spike gave a playful glare to Willow. She almost giggled, but was able to suppress it for Severus' sake. He already looked like he was going to explode. For some reason, his neck was all flushed red and his usually pale face was starting to flush with angry color.

"Look at Professor Snape," Dawn said in awe from the Gryffindor table. Giles, Buffy, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all looked towards the teachers.

"I shan't be surprised if he and Spike don't get into a fist fight before the year is over."

Hermione gasped and then swallowed a little trying to compose herself as Ron stared at her suspiciously. "Surely Professor Snape wouldn't fist fight," she said, trying to make the others believe that this is what shocked her and not the idea of Spike in a fight. Ron didn't look like he bought it.

"Well, Spike does have a way of pushing people's buttons," Giles said as he continued eating.

Hermione forced herself to say nothing and continue eating.

*~*~*

The breakfast crowd filed out of the Great Hall and they all separated to do their own things. Some students went to study and catch up on their homework. Some went to practice Quidditch. Some separated with their parents in order to spend the last day with them.

Draco was heading off to Professor Snape's office. At breakfast his father had slipped him a note. He saw similar notes passed to Crabbe and Goyle by their fathers. The boys dumbly read their notices at the table, making Draco roll his eyes slightly. He snuck a look over at Dawn, only to see her icily avoiding looking at him. He rolled his eyes again, feeling a bit angry. He knew she was mad because he looked at Granger. But damn and double damn, he never pictured Granger looking like that! He couldn't help but notice her new look, especially since Pansy was so kind to point and nearly shout in his ear. Although the girl was his steady girlfriend, he was starting to try to find ways to avoid being near her. She never really bothered him much until lately.

They'd begun dating over the summer time. It was whom his father was hoping he would end up with. She was definitely black-hearted and nearly brainless. These were two things his father loved in his women. The only real break from that tradition was Draco's mother who was in no way brainless and the jury wasn't in on the black-hearted part. In any case, Pansy seemed to be everything that his father was looking for in a daughter- in-law. This summer that wasn't looking to be a problem. Pansy was starting to grow out of the pug face she had when she was younger, and her limbs were lengthening. Her legs were becoming quite sexy. And she was easy. Too easy, Draco was beginning to think now. But during the summer, it hadn't bothered him. And he used to find her little whine cute. Now it grated on his every single nerve. What had changed? It had to be Dawn.

Dawn. The thought of her brought tingles to his spine. He loved the weekends when she would dress up. At first, he just teased her along side Pansy for the way she dressed and the difference it made in her look. But after a while, although he would only barely admit it to himself, he started to look forward to what she would be wearing on the weekends. Her outfits always seemed slightly provocative without being in the least bit smutty. Of course he had noticed Dawn, but Granger had surprised him. It was just surprise. He knew she had caught him looking at Granger and was jealous over it. That thought made him smile a little. If she was jealous then perhaps she did care, even though she was now Potter's girlfriend.

Potter's girlfriend. The thought made him feel tight and inexplicably angry. He'd hated Perfect St. Potter ever since he'd known him. He tried to befriend him, or rather, subjugate him, that first day of their first year in Hogwarts at his father's behest. But he had always hated him. Now this boy that he had always hated had just one more thing that Draco wanted. Best not to think too much on that, he thought to himself. But he couldn't help seething. Everything had been handed to Potter. His fame, his fortune, and now Dawn. The only difference was Draco was handing him Dawn. The realization of that made him feel.unexplainable. Best to keep his mind on his task.

The note his father had handed to him ordered him to go to the Potions Master and ask for 'the component'. Draco had no idea what 'the component' was, but it sounded a bit ominous. But it wasn't 'the component' that had Draco so worried. No, he didn't really care what it was. What concerned him is what it would be used for. Draco couldn't help but remember the plans his father made with Voldemort. He had the feeling that time was up.

Draco looked up from the note in time to slam into a black clad chest. He opened his mouth to protest when he was shoved into the open classroom beside him. The door was closed and blocked before Draco realized who had dragged him in.

Spike smiled at the fear the boy had in his blue eyes. It was nice to feel that someone feared him.

"When my father hears of this-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll pay," Spike interrupted. He watched the boy through narrowed eyes. Malfoy glared back at him. He wasn't sure why this maniac had dragged him into the room, but he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of fear. If Spike hadn't known the fear was there before, he wouldn't think the boy afraid now. He was impressed by his bravery.

"She likes you," Spike said simply, sitting on a nearby desk. His face betrayed nothing, but his eyes seemed to be searching for something.

Draco frowned. He didn't have to ask who 'she' was, but he wondered why Spike was telling him this. So he asked.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because she won't. I don't know what you did to her the other day, mate, but she was turning on the waterworks. We had a talk and she decided not to waste her time on you." He watched as a faint tinge of hurt entered the boy's eyes. "But the bird's still hung up on you."

"Funny, it looked to me like she was with Potter," Draco said scornfully.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Don't be a dolt. Are you telling me you were too busy ogling Granger to see the death glare that Dawn was shooting you?" Draco said nothing, but it was clear he had seen the glare. "She doesn't look at Potter like that. Why would she care if you looked at Granger if she were as hung up on Lightning Boy?"

A hint of a smile touched Draco's lips.

"And I can tell you're sweet on her too." Spike expected some sort of resistance to this idea, but he got none. He watched as Draco just looked at him, not denying or admitting to anything. Smart move, the vampire thought. "I see the way you two steal looks at each other in class and in the Great Hall."

Draco took a deep breath. "It's complicated. My life is complicated and there is no room for her in it."

"Right you are," Spike agreed. "That's what I'm here to talk to you about."

Draco frowned. "Explain."

"I know who your father is. I've been becoming acquainted with history, if you will. You look like a picture of history repeating itself. I won't have that for Dawn. The way your life is going now I would turn you to a blood stain before I would see her with a git like you."

Draco looked shocked. He had thought the other man was trying to convince him to give Dawn a shot. Instead he was warning Draco to stay away from Dawn. His eyes narrowed, unknowingly imitating his father.

"Listen here, my father-"

"-will be going home tomorrow. I will not." Spike gave Draco a menacing look and advanced on him, slowly. Draco backed up a little, his eyes widening. "I will be watching you both. If I even smell you on her, I will end you." His face vamped out a little bit and Draco had to swallow back a small yelp.

Spike gave a small shake of his head and his human visage was back. His eyebrows rose a moment before he turned and sauntered out of the room, leaving Draco alone to compose himself.

*~*~*

"There you are," Willow said as she rounded the corner and found Spike smoking a cigarette while leaned against a stone column, shaded by the covered hallway and the cloudy day.

"Here I am," he said as he took a long drag and blew it out slowly.

"I wanted to talk to you about breakfast."

Spike looked down at her and his eyebrows rose. "I didn't cook it."

"I mean about Dawn and Malfoy."

Spike nodded faintly and looked back out onto the courtyard. Willow frowned.

"Why did you stop me from talking about this in front of Professor Snape?"

Spike took a small drag. "Because we still don't know what side that greasy git is on."

Willow looked offended. "If Professor Snape wasn't on our side, he wouldn't be working here."

"The way I hear tell, the professor that had your position during Potter's first year was corrupted by Voldemort. Why not Snape? It isn't as if he isn't the type."

"Well.you're the type too, you know," Willow said testily.

Spike chuckled. "Except for the fact that I work for myself, love. I don't follow some mystical guru."

"No, you just follow the Slayer," Willow said nastily. She blinked as she realized what she had just said.

Spike looked at Willow with admiration. "Nice to see you grew a pair."

Willow rolled her eyes at him. He offered her a cigarette and she wrinkled her nose at it. He shrugged and took another out, lighting it with the near finished butt of the other.

"You like him."

"Who?"

Spike snorted.

"Professor Snape?"

"No, Dumbledore. Don't be half-witted, Red."

Willow blushed a little. No one called her Red except for Spike. Deep down she really liked the pet name.

"He's been nothing but nasty to me."

"That's because he likes you too."

"What is this, first grade? I thought boys were supposed to grow out of that phase where you torment the girl you like?"

"Boys never grow out of that stage. Anyway, you hurt the ones you love," Spike said sarcastically. "I thought you were supposed to be gay?"

Willow raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm bisexual, Spike."

"Not the song you were humming when you were with Tara."

Willow's eyes shaded a bit at the mention of Tara. "I know. But it's true. I mean part of me still loves Oz. And there is definitely attraction there. It just.wasn't right I guess."

"You guess?" Spike watched her.

"Could we not talk about this?" She looked away from Spike and focused on a spot on the ground. Spike decided to let it go.

"Where is the Lil' Bit?"

"She's with Buffy, Giles, and Harry. Last full day of being here."

Spike nodded.

"So, this was about Dawn and Malfoy," Spike said, reminding her that the conversation wasn't all about Snape. Willow flushed a little, catching the look in his eyes.

"Do you think he likes her back?"

"I'm positive of it."

"But his father."

"Wouldn't be the first time someone defied their parents to be with a slip of a girl," Spike blew a large puff of smoke in the air as Willow sat down on the short wall beside the stone pillar where Spike was leaned.

"Do you think he will? Defy his father, I mean."

"Actually, I just saw to it."

"What do you mean?" Willow looked faintly worried. "And what about Harry?"

"There's a fire there, Red. There's no fire between Potter and Dawn. She can force it all she wants, but it just isn't there. Sooner or late she'll miss the fire she feels with Malfoy. You can see it in their eyes. They burn for each other. I just added a bit of fuel to it, is all."

"Describe the fuel," Willow said as she looked at Spike disapprovingly. She didn't trust Spike in this.

"I told the boy I'd see him dead if he touched Dawn."

Willow gasped. "You didn't!"

"The hell I didn't," he said with a chuckle. "He'll be forsaking all things connected to his father and begging Dawn to be with him before the year is out."

"Or, he'll be running to tell his father how you threatened him and his father will have you thrown out of Hogwarts. Or worse," she added.

"Piffle."

Willow scowled at Spike and then got a small smile to her face. "You know.Draco is kind of like you."

Spike looked down at Willow as if she were daft.

"Seriously. The resemblances go farther than appearances too."

"Bite your tongue," Spike said with a glare. "I look nothing like him."

Willow giggled. "I'm just saying. You could help put the boy on the right path."

"I just did!" he said, exasperated.

"Not just about Dawn. I mean about life."

Spike looked down for a moment and then his eyes touched Willow's. Willow saw something very real and very sincere there. Suddenly he wasn't the posturing man he normally was and walls were brought down.

"What do I know about life, Red?" He swallowed. His voice was low and sorrowful.

Willow was astonished. It took her a while to respond to him, but when she did she was very careful not to tromp on any raw feelings.

"You can be a good man, Spike. I've seen it."

Spike shook his head a little. "Apparently not good enough."

Understanding washed over Willow. "It'll take her a while." Willow reached up and put her hand on Spike's arm. "I know she really appreciates that you're here for Dawn."

Spike's eyes bore into Willow's for a moment and then he nodded and looked away and it was as if a spell had been broken. Willow quietly put her hands into her lap and searched for something to say. She looked up at Spike and saw his attention was elsewhere. She followed his line of sight to Hermione Granger. The girl wasn't looking at Spike but she was blushing as if she had just been caught watching. She was walking away from where Spike and Willow was, her parents with her.

"Spike, you need to stop whatever this is between you and Hermione. Dumbledore will have a fit!"

"Let him."

"No, I mean it. Spike she's fifteen!"

Spike snorted as he put out the cigarette he was smoking. "I can't help it if the girl's got a bit of a thing for me, Red."

"Well you don't have to stare during meal times. I'm serious about Dumbledore, and if you want to stay here to protect Dawn you'll need to behave."

Spike sighed. "Look, you know it's harmless. I'm just teasing the girl. It's fun."

"Yeah but that might not be what Dumbledore will think when he looks down the table and sees you making eyes at her."

"Ordinarily I would agree with the girl," the aging voice sounded behind the two. Willow jumped and made eye contact with the Headmaster. "But as I just overheard his intentions, I'll overlook the staring." Dumbledore smiled at the two.

Spike stood up straight and turned to look at Dumbledore but remained quiet. He watched the older man intensely.

"Was something the matter, Professor Dumbledore?" Willow asked, trying to break the awkward moment. She glanced at Spike and frowned further by his strange look directed to Dumbledore. Dumbledore didn't seem to mind, though.

"Yes, actually. I need to speak to you, Professor Rosenberg."

Willow flushed a little. "Please, call me Willow."

"Albus, then."

Willow nodded and smiled. She stood up to go with him but turned her attention to Spike for a moment. "You'll be ok?"

He took his eyes from Dumbledore slowly and focused on her. He nodded, an uncharacteristic look in his eyes. She frowned a little but nodded in return and followed Dumbledore, who gave a slight bow to Spike before he left.

Spike watched the pair until they turned the corner and took out another cigarette.

*~*~*

Willow was walking behind and to the left of Dumbledore, trying to show the man the respect she felt, but soon after they left Spike he slowed his walk. She slowed as well. He seemed to slow down more and then so did she. Finally they were stopped and she looked to Professor Dumbledore inquisitively.

"What's wrong?" she said, her voice just above a whisper. She looked around for the problem.

"Dear girl, you don't have to walk a step behind me. I'm not royalty," he said, his eyes smiling as he looked over to her. She blushed a little and took a step to walk beside him and they continued to his office.

Willow smiled at the large Phoenix statue that guarded Dumbledore's office and waited.

"Gummy Bears."

Willow looked at Dumbledore, almost in alarm as the giant stone Phoenix moved. Then she burst out laughing. He smiled to her and guided her onto the steps that were revealed.

When they reached his office Willow's humor evaporated as she looked on with wonder at all of the magical and mystical gadgets and gizmos that were strewn around the large office. She smiled a bit as she noticed all the sleeping pictures and she could scarcely take a few steps before something else fascinated her into stopping to stare.

Dumbledore let her make her own way to his desk and eventually Willow did make it there. Then she saw Fawkes.

"Oh my," she breathed as her wide green eyes slowly caressed the beautiful bird before her.

"This is Fawkes. He's friendly enough. You may pet him, if you like."

Willow tentatively held her hand out and touched the feathers that were like crushed velvet under her fingers. "He's lovely."

"And quite vain, I'm sure he'll enjoy your visits," Dumbledore said dryly. The bird squawked a bit at Dumbledore's comment and then leaned into Willow's light pet. She smiled and pet him a moment more and then stood before Dumbledore's massive desk.

"Please, take a seat," he said and gestured for her too. She sat down and tucked her robes around her a bit.

"You said something was wrong, Professor Dumbledore?"

"Ah, ah. Albus, remember?" He smiled kindly.

"Albus. Sorry."

Dumbledore's face grew serous. "Actually something is very much wrong. I have just been informed that there is a plot afoot to kidnap Miss Summers."

"Dawn?" she said, her eyes wide.

He nodded.

"When? How?" she said breathlessly. Then her eyes narrowed and her voice hardened. "Who?"

"Tonight, it's a long story, and Lucius Malfoy."

So many emotions seemed to cross her face that for a moment she looked blank. "Tell me the story."

"As you know, Miss Summers is The Key. The Key has ever been known as a power source of some kind. Many have sought to find her, even before Glorificus. There have been other times the Keepers of The Key has seen fit to hide all her power in the form of a person." Dumbledore peered at her over his crescent glasses.

Willow blinked in astonishment. "Other times?" she asked.

"Many times," he confirmed with a nod. "Not always as a young girl, either, but oftentimes. See, they don't choose what she looks like, the power chooses that. As best as we can tell, the power most often identified itself as a young teenage girl. Giving life to the thought that The Key is not a mere power source, but-"

"-but a living being," Willow breathed.

"Quite." Dumbledore went to a cabinet where a snifter and some shallow glasses sat. "Drink?"

Willow nodded, dazed. Dumbledore slipped the crystal stopper from the bottle and poured each of them a healthy sized drink. He set Willow's in her hands and then walked along to the other side of his desk to sit down.

Willow let her mind wander to what it must be like for Dawn. So many lives that she didn't remember. But maybe part of her did remember her former lives. Her captors. Her saviors. Her friends. Old family. Lives she was given and then yanked away from. Lives that were destroyed by the greed of so many who sought to harness her. That greed had interrupted innocent lives. Willow knew that it would be hard to place the blame on that greed and all too easy to keep that blame and selfishly keep it all inside. It was sad. Willow's eyes touched Dumbledore's. He was looking at her oddly. She gave him a sad little smile before she knocked back the entire glass of root beer.

Willow's eyes widened and her nose fizzled with the bubbles. Her throat burned with the sensation of so much forced carbonation. She gasped for breath when she was able to swallow it all and Dumbledore chuckled in obvious delight.

"Oh I don't drink alcohol. It dims the mind, you know," he said with mirth.

Willow couldn't help but giggle and soon she was laughing outright at the silly man who even in these times would play a practical joke on her, and for what? To see her smile, no doubt.

Willow got up with new resolve. "I'll get Buffy. This man, Lucius Malfoy, won't know what hit him!" She turned to the door but was stopped by Dumbledore's voice.

"You cannot tell the Slayer."

Willow turned around, puzzled. "We should tell the, uh, Buffy. Besides, she has a right to know. Dawn's her sister!"

"You know that isn't true."

"No.I know Buffy. I know exactly what Buffy would say. She'd say that Dawn is her sister, whether born into the family or not. Dawn was given to her to protect and take care of and she will do that even to her own death." She paused. "Maybe with not so many words. But you get my drift."

"Yes, and she's done a wonderful job in taking care of Dawn. Dawn feels love and while her life isn't what some would call normal, she is well adjusted and cared for. But Buffy can oftentimes be irrational and reckless. She has a very indelicate way of.how to put this so it won't be construed as offensive.barging in and beating the life out of whatever gets in her way." Dumbledore smiled. "And while I can respect her spirit, I need a little more caution and quiet in this matter. Lucius Malfoy is one of many Death Eaters. Secretly I am very certain that he and many of the parents of my Slytherins are Death Eaters. I just can't prove it, yet."

"So you're afraid if Buffy got involved she'd mess up your undercover operation?" Willow asked. Her eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Buffy would never do that! She can be." Willow paused and in an instant every broken wall, bruised person, dead demon, and reckless mistake did a retake in her mind. "Ok. So what are we going to do then?" she asked, settling herself back into her seat. "Who told you about this?"

"Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Willow." She couldn't help herself, she smiled when he said her name. She looked at Dumbledore, waiting for his secret, when from out behind his desk came first the head and then the body of Severus Snape.

"I guess I would be the secret," Snape said dryly. He walked over, close to the seat beside Willow, but he didn't sit. Instead he leaned against an in table. He wasn't as stiff as he normally was. He was almost relaxed. And he was looking at her in an odd way.

She looked to Dumbledore. "I don't understand."

"Severus used to be a Death Eater."

"I still am, by their accounts," Snape said smoothly. He stood up straight, rolling up his sleeve and showing her the dark mark. His hand balled up into a fist making the veins pop around and through the tattoo. Willow's eyes were riveted to the mark. The magic radiated from it. Her eyes hooded and her fingers trembled as they inched out to touch the evil marking. Snape looked slightly alarmed and shot a questioning look over to Dumbledore who just nodded and watched on with rapt attention.

Willow's fingers were so close to the enspelled ink that she could feel magical electricity nearly crackle between her and Severus' skin. It was like when you touched someone and received an electrical shock only it was like drawing out that electrical shock. It wasn't painful, but it was very intense.

She traced the lines and the bends of the dark mark, her fingers still in the air above Snape's arm. Her eyes flickered up to his and they locked with his as her hand made the connection she had been resisting until now. A powerful jolt shot through her and bile rose in her throat. Great sweeping waves of energy radiated towards her and washed over her, making her tingly and cold. She saw the flickering of thousands of dead and dying faces before her, all writhing in their own special pain. She smelt smoke and the tips of her hair started to singe black. Screams of fear and the shrieks of the insane filled her ears all mingling in some rhythm that was just too fast for her to grasp. Her eyes, still locked on Snape's were now jet black and huge, her breathes coming out in great gasps.

Snape yanked his arm away from her, breaking contact. Willow's eyes fluttered closed and she leaned back in her chair. "I think I may need something stronger than root beer."

Dumbledore gave a distracted chuckle at her humor but was watching her with great interest. "What did you see?"

"Death. Destruction. Total evil." She tried to calm her breathing, faintly aware that Snape was very quickly fastening his clothing back over his arm. "In short, the essence of Voldemort."

Dumbledore nodded. "It is very interesting that you had such a reaction. I'd like to study that further, but it will have to wait."

Willow nodded, but Snape seemed pensive at that thought.

"For time's sake, I will make this quick. Lucius believes that Dawn is the power source that Voldemort needs to be a full strength. In order to be able to get past the human exterior to the energy core, he plans to do the Ritual of Desolutum. He has asked Severus for a potion that will complete what he needs for the ritual and we have given Lucius a defective potion. Tonight he intends to do this ritual and I need you to locate him while he is doing the ritual and break through whatever magical barrier they will have, and then I will get us there. Together the two of us will catch, in the act, some of the most dangerous of Voldemort's followers, weakening him considerably and putting away some very deserving people. Severus will be going to the ritual. He has made it clear to Lucius that he will see it through to make sure that it is done with the utmost care. Lucius will be insulted, but he will likely concede. Severus will carry with him a talisman. If you can find the talisman, you can lead us right to them."

Willow nodded as she soaked up the plan. She felt a twinge of pride that she was being chosen to fight alongside Dumbledore. Especially since she knew there were so many capable people here at Hogwarts who might do this thing better. But she trusted Dumbledore to have his reasons and left it at that. She looked over at Snape who was avoiding her eyes, almost looking ashamed. Willow puzzled over this for a moment.

"I will do the best I can," she said finally.

"Of that I have no doubt, child."

*~*~*

Draco sat in his room, puzzling over the things that had transpired today, from the smallest thing to the biggest. This morning, before he had headed to the Great Hall for breakfast he had come to the commons room to find Goyle and Crabbe. But this morning their slow wits, dull humor, and bullying nature grated on his nerves. Pansy couldn't keep her slippery hands off of him, and her touch nearly made him shiver in disgust. He was sure it was nerves, though. He knew that soon, it would be time for his father's plan to be put to revelation and that made him very nervous. Then Granger with her new sense of fashion, Dawn's jealousy, his father's request that he visit Snape for 'the component', and Spike's conversation. He reflected on the coldness of Professor Snape when he handed Draco a box, heavily padded so the 'the component' couldn't be shook, and a note with strict orders to be read by Lucius only. Naturally, when he was out of sight, Draco read the note.

I will be joining you for the ritual. I don't want any slip-ups. This time we have to do it right. I will meet with you after supper. And do not think to leave me behind, as I have the last component needed to complete the potion with me. I will see you about seven o'clock then. -- Severus

Draco smiled a little bit. Very smart, Professor Snape was. His father was not very pleased. He hissed to himself after he read the letter and then his eyes darkened and he looked positively menacing. Still he had a bit of a smile on his face and Draco could tell, he was impressed by Professor Snape's insurance.

Draco's bedroom door opened and Lucius stood there. "Ah, there you are." He closed the door behind him, but before it was closed, Draco glimpsed Crabbe and Goyle taking up defensive positions outside. Draco sat up straighter in his chair and waited until his father had sat down in a nearby chair.

"We are to talk about tonight," Lucius announced. "You will lure Dawn to the empty classroom that has been prepared for the ritual. And you will accompany me, as will Crabbe and Goyle and their parents. Together we will complete the ritual and restore the Dark Lord to his rightful state." Lucius' eyes were alight with some flame. Draco felt a sense of dread wash over him but he nodded his agreement, knowing that to do anything else would be intolerable.

Before dinner he had spotted Dawn but she was with her sister and some of her friends. And Potter was never far from the girl. He narrowed his eyes as he watched her. Then a movement was caught from the corner of his eye and across the courtyard, hidden somewhat in the shadows was Spike, smoking and looking right at him with a warning in his eyes. He just tried to hold onto the fact that the vampire was neutered when Spike tried his intimidation. It did work some, but he couldn't help but feel a bit shaken by the undead creature.

How was he going to get to Dawn with all of these barriers? Of course, he could just have her meet him. But what if she wouldn't meet with him? He remembered the confrontation when he had found out that she was dating Potter. Why would she meet with him?

But it was worth a shot and the best idea he could think of at the moment. She just seemed to be very heavily guarded at the moment. He was banking on her sense of curiosity. Curiosity killed the cat. Would it kill her too? Draco couldn't process the emotions that came over him when he thought those words, so he pushed them away and focused on the task at hand. How was this girl so easily able to make him lose his focus? It seemed to be happening more and more lately.

Draco walked briskly to his room and prepared the parchment. When the note was written, he smiled sadly at the brilliant manipulation. He was his father's son after all. Quickly, he went to the owlery and sent the message using a school bird so as not to be easily traced. As he watched the bird fly towards the school, he couldn't help but wish he could snatch that note back up and not lead Dawn to her fate. But fate being what it was, if he didn't do it, someone would.

*~*~*

Dawn smiled as Harry and Buffy traded stories, each fascinating the other in some way. She just watched, letting her mind wander a bit and just enjoying this time together. They were sitting outside, the wind was becoming more brisk and soon it would be smart to go indoors, but she didn't want to break the spell of calmness, so she said nothing.

Suddenly she saw a flicker of shadow above her and she looked up, seeing an owl in a decent, heading toward them. Dawn sat up straighter and put her arm out, allowing the bird to drop onto her arm, being surprisingly careful about its deadly claws. Buffy and Harry stopped talking to stare. Dawn took the note, seeing it was addressed to her.

Dawn, I need to talk to you. You were right. I don't have to be like him. I don't have to put up with his abuse. But I can't do this alone. I need help. Please meet me in our place of comfort after supper. D.

Dawn's throat went completely dry and she had to re-read the note.

"Dawn?"

What was she going to say to Harry? I'm sorry, Harry, but I have to go have a secret tryst with Draco Malfoy in order to try to turn him good? That probably wouldn't cut it.

"Dawn?"

What about Buffy? She'd be suspicious too.

She smiled to Buffy and Harry. "It's Xander. He sends love and hope that you won't be upset when you notice the missing vase." She grinned, hoping she wasn't too transparent.

Buffy's face went back into a state of relaxation and she rolled her eyes. "When you get back to the castle tell Xander "You broke it, you bought it, I'll put it on your tab."

Dawn giggled and smiled at Harry, sending the owl away and folding the parchment up and putting it in her pocket. She tried to get back the serene feeling of visiting she had before the note came, but her mind kept wandering to Draco. And his somewhat cryptic note. She knew 'him' was his father. But their 'place of comfort'? She didn't have a clue what he meant by that. But then it donned on her. The place in between statues where she comforted him after the dueling incident. She had comforted him there.

"Dawn?" Buffy said, looking worried.

She realized that everyone was watching her. "Oh! What?" She looked from person to person. "What did I miss?"

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Sure," Dawn said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno.you just seem distracted."

"Oh.well I have some homework I probably should get to, but I think I'm going to save it until after dinner. I was just thinking about what I needed to do, that's all." She smiled.

"Oh. Ok," Buffy said, frowning a bit. Dawn smiled cheerily at her and tried very hard to stay focused on the here and now, because Buffy was giving her odd looks for a while after that line of questioning, but nothing more was said on the subject. And when dinner came and went, she excused herself to go to the library and walked towards where she was to meet Draco.

He was there, but he seemed very nervous. He also seemed a tad relieved to see her. Dawn fought the urge to pull him into her arms and give him a reassuring hug. She didn't dare do that in the hallways so close to Slytherin Commons.

"Let's go somewhere more private," Draco said and Dawn nodded. They moved quietly through the halls, avoiding people if they could and acting as if they were passing each other in the halls when they couldn't. Things seemed to be moving along smoothly when suddenly Dawn heard someone call her name. She stopped and turned but Draco kept going.

It was Hermione. She was looking towards Draco's slowly receding presence. "What's going on?" she asked Dawn.

"Nothing. I'm going to the library."

"You're headed towards Snape's room."

"Yeah. I think I left some parchment, my notes, there and so I'm going to look for them before I go to the library."

"Why were you walking with Malfoy?"

"I wasn't. He just was going the way I was. We didn't talk or anything." She saw Draco slip into Snape's classroom but she knew Hermione hadn't seen. "Anyway, I should get to it."

"Why are you going to the library?"

"Uh? Oh. Studying."

"Oh." Hermione looked disappointed.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, if I hadn't of promised my dad that we'd play wizards chess, I would come with you. My dad loves chess and he's never really had a chance to play with a wizard set. So I'm going to try to play the game with him. Otherwise I'd go with you. I could use some studying as well."

Dawn felt a flood of relief but tried to hide it with false disappointment. "That's too bad. Well I better let you get back to your father. I've got to go see Snape and then I'm off to the library."

Hermione nodded. "I'll see you later in the commons, right?"

"Yep," she promised and headed towards Snape's door. When Hermione was out of sight, she went in and found Draco there waiting for her.

"I got rid of her."

He just nodded at her. His eyes seemed to be searching hers and she noticed how dark it was in Snape's classroom without him here. And then she frowned. Why wasn't he here? He usually was.

"Come on," Draco said, breaking into her thoughts and making her forget Snape when he brushed beside her causing sensation over the arm that was touched.

With little trouble, Draco was able to get Dawn to the classroom where the preparations had taken place. He swallowed back a lump in his throat and hesitated when he put his hand to the door. He couldn't do this, could he? Maybe it was best this way. If he could get Dawn out of his mind, he could go back to the way he was.when life was a bit simpler. He wasn't totally convinced, but he opened the door anyway. Darkness peered at them for a moment as Dawn walked in slowly. Draco let the door close behind him, feeling more and more shut in as it slid closed. A voice rang out, magically lighting the room. Dawn gasped as she saw Lucius Malfoy, Professor Snape, Crabbe, Goyle, and their parents in the room.

She whirled around to look at Draco and her eyes held this intense disbelief and hurt. She opened her mouth to speak but she seemed to be senseless with the realization that Draco had betrayed her and lead her into a trap.

"I would have helped you," she whispered so that only he could hear. He swallowed back a lump and looked to his father, trying to erase the accusing look in her eyes.

"Welcome, Miss Summers. Won't you join us?" she heard Lucius say from behind her.

Dawn turned around slowly to the room. She looked to Professor Snape for help but he seemed completely cold and shut off, more so than she had ever seen him. She looked to Lucius. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," Lucius said with a falsely pleasant smile.

The older Crabbe and Goyle closed in on her, grabbing her roughly as she struggled to get away. She kicked the elder Crabbe in the shin and yanked away from his counterpart, but she stumbled right back into Crabbe's arms and was roughly shoved towards Lucius. Next to him was a table. He smiled as he took her from Crabbe's arms, but his smile held only danger for her. He flipped her around so that she was facing away from him and she imprisoned her arms with his.

"It's time," he said.

"Time for what?" Snape said suddenly.

"We're leaving this place for a more secure one."

"No one said anything about leaving, Snape said with a frown."

"I know." Lucius smiled. "Is there a problem, Severus?"

"No. No problem. I just don't see the need, but if you think it is important, by all means," he said gesturing towards Lucius. Lucius gave him a mock bow in acceptance.

Everyone gathered around the table and all at the same moment they touched the table, Dawn's hand being forced down by one of Lucius'. An odd feeling of being jerked forward by an invisible chain made her feel a little bit queasy. But suddenly she found herself in a large abandoned room. She swallowed back her fear and jerked out of Lucius' arms, and he let her go easily.

*~*~*

Willow sat in the circle of sand with candles pointing towards the four directions. She started to chant her spell to locate the talisman that Snape wore. She was quickly able to get a visual as she could feel that he was reaching out to her as well.

"I think I have them." Willow remained on the ground with her eyes closed and her hands poised. She tried to concentrate, to deepen her sight so that they could be sure of what room they were in.

Suddenly she felt a great whoosh and a wind came up in the office and started to blow papers off of Dumbledore's desk. Sand blew away from the circle and the wind put out the candles. Once the candles were out, the wind stopped and Dumbledore looked at Willow who looked near tears.

"They aren't in the school."

*~*~*

"Where have you taken me?" Her eyes were flashing with anger.

"That is really of no importance," Lucius said, ignoring her as he started performing the first few parts of the ritual. He put a ceremonial cloak around his shoulders and painted his face with a sweet smelling cream so that he had a spot above each eye and on each eyelid. After he chanted the necessary words he looked over to Dawn and could see the energy radiating out of her! It was as if she was transparent and her energy was reaching out to him. He had to get that; had to bring that to his Master.

He pointed to the elder Crabbe and Goyle while their sons watched on, chuckling with good humor. Their parents started for Dawn, being cautious of her long limbs should she start kicking again.

Dawn tried to dart away from them, but wherever she went she was running towards someone and she was very aware of the fact that she had no allies in this place. She looked to Draco, feeling helpless and alone and he couldn't help but look away from her pleading eyes. His heart was thumping wildly and he was so antsy he wondered if he'd jump out of his skin at the slightest noise.

Inevitably, the bigger men grabbed Dawn and started to pull her to a circle created by a red liquid mixture. She was nearly to the circle when she jumped, picking up her feet all together and letting herself fall on her back, but effectively upsetting the balance of the two men, making the older Goyle fall onto the floor and let go of her. Wiggling free from Crabbe she ran for the table, trying to reach it before anyone did, knowing that if she could touch it, it would take her back to the school. She was sure she wasn't at the school now.

Her first clue that something was not as it seemed was when Lucius did not stop her. She reached the table and slapped her hand down on it hard. Nothing happened. Snape chuckled.

"It was a one way portkey, Miss Summers. But nice try." He laughed a cruel laugh that most of the people in the room took part in. He hoped he was being convincing, but part of him wished that she would at least question his motives. She seemed to give imploring looks to Draco as if he might save her. Secretly he wished, even though he'd have to be cruel to her for doing so, that she'd consider him as someone who might help her. He watched on as she was being grabbed again and pulled to the circle. Once in the circle her hands were secured into iron manacles that were suspended from the ceiling.

Once she was in the circle, the chanting started. Everyone chanted except Draco. Draco just stood there. At first, some part of Dawn hoped that now he was beginning to regret this and that he'd save her and together the two of them would fight their way out. But her heart sank low into her stomach when she saw Lucius start to paint Draco's fingers with the same stuff he put on his own eyes. Every motion looked like part of a ritual, and she was sure that it was just that. After Draco's hands were painted, Lucius rejoined the circle and the chanting rose to a fevered pitch, their voices ringing in her ear so that she heard nothing else.

When Draco started to slowly advance on her, moving in time with the rhythm of the chant, she got a flash in her mind of Aurora and suddenly she remembered going through this ritual before with Aurora. She started to struggle wildly, and Draco paused his step. Lucius looked sharply to Draco, but didn't stop chanting. Draco started towards Dawn again. He tried to convey sorrow to her for what he was about to do, but she wasn't looking into his eyes. He couldn't tell if she knew he was sorry or not.

His hands trembled as he neared her. He held his arms out in front of him, reaching for her midsection. When he was touching her, he whispered sadly, "Goodbye," and plunged his hands forward, hitting her squarely in the belly. The chanting stopped all at once.

"No!" Lucius said in astonishment.

"What happened now, Malfoy?" Snape said in annoyance.

Lucius just stood stock still, looking perplexed. He was mentally going over every detail to see where his mess up could be. He couldn't find it.

"No matter," Lucius said, trying to sound confident. "We'll just portkey her to Voldemort."

Draco's eyes got wide and he glanced over at Dawn, who was just watching him. He could see her fear, but he also saw her resolve and her bravery. He suddenly had never wanted to disobey his father like he did now and he wished for her bravery. If he had it, she wouldn't be in this mess because of him. And now his father was going to send her directly to the Dark Lord.

"Do you think that wise, Malfoy?" Snape said scathingly.

"If I did not, I would not have suggested it, Snape," he said just as nastily.

"You've already done enough to mess up this ritual, lets leave it at that."

"No!" Lucius shouted. "Voldemort will not be denied his prize!"

"We don't even know that Voldemort could extract the power, Malfoy. If you and your capable goons couldn't do it, it is possible that neither could Voldemort in his present state. Your son lead Miss Summers here, undoubtedly someone will have seen them in the hall together. If that is so, they will trace Miss Summers to you when they notice she is missing. Then you will have blown it all for the Master. Not only would you have failed in this task, but you would also bring to light the identities of many of the Masters most faithful servants."

Lucius frowned as he thought of this. He had another portkey he could use to get her to Voldemort, but Severus was right. Voldemort couldn't get the energy from her in the state he's in now. If Lucius couldn't do it, Voldemort probably couldn't as well. Finally, he nodded his agreement.

Angrily he walked over to Dawn and took out his wand. After a few moments and a memory charm, she went blissfully into the black.

*~*~*

Draco watched his father pace back and forth. They were in Lucius' bedroom and the scrying globe in which Lucius had to communicate with Voldemort was between them. Finally, Lucius went to the globe and activated it.

"Well, what of your good news," Voldemort's voice floated out into the room. It chilled Draco.

"We've had some complications."

"Complications?"

"Yes, my Lord Voldemort. But I am looking into the problem and perhaps we will still be able to use this plan. But there is something we are missing. Something we overlooked."

"Something you overlooked," Voldemort's voice rang out coldly.

"Yes my Lord," Lucius said in submissively.

"Come see me. I do not wish to discuss your failure while you are so far from me." The cold voice faded away and the face of Voldemort could no longer be seen. Lucius took a deep breath and kicked over the table that held the globe, shattering it. He turned to Draco.

"Leave me."

*~*~*

Dawn frowned and looked around herself. She was in the library. She must have fallen asleep while studying. She looked down at what she was studying and found the libraries copy of her astronomy book. She frowned. Why didn't she grab her own version?

She pushed the book away and headed for her bedroom. She felt like she had run a marathon and her arms and legs ached. Her head rang with a small headache.