"Please, don't take her. We love her." Buffy Summers stood with a tear stained face, begging The black demon that held her unconscious little sister in his arms.
"She must come with me Slayer it is the will of The Powers That Be." Truth be told Skip felt bad about taking the Slayers kid sister from her and her friends. "Look I'll make you a deal." He turned so that he was facing all the assembled Scoobies. "We can alter it so that you forget about her. We can lift the spell the Monks originally cast."
An instant "No" , came from all in the shop.
Skip blinked. He had thought that he had made an acceptable offer.
Spike spoke with a deadly calm, "You can't take the memories, the Bit wasn't made to be forgotten."
His words rang true as Skip looked upon all the faces. They loved this girl, who technically shouldn't have even existed. They would suffer because they loved her.
"I can allow two people to say goodbye, and I can assure you that she will be placed in a loving home." They all nodded mutely.
Buffy took a step forward gently stroking her sisters hair and placed a kiss on her forehead. Tears renewed their cycle down her face as she braced herself to say goodbye. "I love you Dawnie, and I promise I always will." Giving the girl one last longing glance she stepped into Giles' arms and wept.
Spike was the second and last to step up. Glaring fiercely at Skip he took Dawn into his arms. "Bit you jus' remember that the Big Bad'll always love you, that you won' ever be alone." Hugging her to him he kissed her cheek and gently handed her to back to skip.
Everyone in the Magic Box was in emotional turmoil. Xander an Anya held onto each other trying to calm one another. Willow and Tara each cried for the girl they considered their little sister. Giles stood with a heart broken Buffy trying to ease her pain as well as his own. And finally Spike looked upon the scene detached wanting only for his Platelet to stay.
Skip held onto Dawn firmly and said, "We'll find her a loving and protected home." Without another word he vanished
* * *
The girl looked down, blood. There was something important about the blood. Then bluish-green light exploded in her vision. It warmed her down to the very core of her soul. The sense of belonging screamed at her, then horror cracked across her emotions. She had to end it. End it. A terrifying image appeared. A woman with a blonde perm, and a sick sadistic smile.
* * *
"Dawn, Dawn wake up." Dawn Granger opened her eyes and focused them on her twin sister Hermione. "Thank Merlin I had thought you had gone catatonic."
"Sorry Mione, but I don't see why I couldn't have slept in" She rolled over and groaned. "Who ever invented morning should have been stopped."
"I didn't let you sleep in because we're going to the Burrow to meet the new teachers, remember?"
Dawn had leapt up at the mention of The Burrow, thinking one thing; Harry's going to be there. She raced to the closet and dug through her multitude of clothes.
Hermione watched her twin amused, "You do know Harry would worship you if you went in your pajamas and had bed hair, right?"
Dawn looked up and scowled at her sister then grinned, "I could say the exact same thing about Ron." That remark earned her a pillow to the face.
"Dawn Marie Granger how dare you say that when you know he'll never see me as anything but a friend." Hermione said looking a little down cast.
"Oh, please Mione, I'm not as smart as you, but I'm certainly not a blithering idiot. I swear you two are so hot for each other, Harry and I will have to smack the both of you if you don't hook up this year."
Hermione gave her a glare that would have stopped Voldemort in his tracks. "Okay moving away from the subject that can lead to your twin sister committing homicide, what classes will you be taking?"
"I think I'll do the same as you, take wandless magic and demonology. The teachers have to be amazing..."
Dawn let out a quiet sigh, yet another death averted by quick thinking. Looking to the door she saw her black cat. "Ripper, c'mere boy." They cat happily obeyed his mistress' wishes. Curling in her lap she stroked his head absently until Hermione had taken notice of a small owl pecking on the window.
"Pig!" Both girls shouted.
Racing to the window Dawn opened it and Hermione took the letter from the bird. Tearing it open they both read the letter-
Hey Mione, Dawnie,
Dad said he'll be round at 11. Dad said to get your stuff ready you'll be staying the week here!!
Love,
Ron
"C'mon are you just going to stand there? We need to get packing, and dressed, and we need to eat."
Hermione looked up and saw her sister pulling on vintage washed low riding hipster jeans and a hugging black t that said BITE ME in red.
She laughed, her sister had some of the oddest habits. She had become obsessed with vampires ever since she had gotten her wand. Willow, 14 inches ,core of the blood of a Slayer, and the blood of a vampire.
But nothing could make up for Dawn adeptness at fighting. She was already a black belt at age sixteen.
"Dear Merlin Dawn, no need to rush we've got... OH CRAP! We're leaving in half an hour!"
Both began a mad dash around the room pulling out their trunks gathering their books and finally Dawn got out her broomstick. It was called the Inferno, the best beaters broom on the market. Putting it away in it's case, she grabbed the service kit, and last but not least she put on her necklace. It had an intricate Celtic knot on the pendant.
She had gotten it from a pawn shop. It had apparently belonged to a Wicca in the states. All she knew was that the Wiccan witch had given it to a poor man so he could pawn it for some food. The shopkeeper had gone to California and bought it to sell in his shop.
Then she looked around her room and spotted her comic book stack. It was one of her guilty pleasures. Picking up the Green Lantern comics she stuffed them into her messenger bag. Her sister looked over to her and rolled her eyes. "How you could ever read that brain melting crap, I will never know."
Dawn the ever so immature one just stuck out her tongue and said, "You're just jealous 'cause I can appreciate good art." She busied herself with getting Ripper into his cage.
"Yes Dawn I'm sure that's it. Come on now lets go say bye to Mum and Dad." Hermione hauled her trunk and Crookshanks carrier behind her and down the stairs. Dawn followed her sister into the living room with her broom strapped carefully to her back. They made it down at 10:55 and joined their parents in the living room.
"Now make sure you owl us baby." Their mother was fretting over them as always.
Their father stepped up to Dawn and gave her a huge bear hug. "You take care of yourself, all right pumpkinbelly? And watch out for your sister."
"Always Dad." They smiled secretly, both knew it was Dawn who attracted trouble and not Hermione; although she was developing quite a knack for it.
Green fire erupted from the fire place and Arthur Weasly stepped out followed by Bill and Charlie.
"Well Hello Grangers wonderful to see you all again. Sorry to rush you but Ron is most urgent to start a game of Quidditch."
Dawn's eyes lit up brightly, while Hermione sighed in annoyance. Dawn gave an excited squeal and ran kissing her parents she dashed into the fireplace and shouted "The Burrow!"
Hermione gave a pained groan and kissed her parents repeating her sisters actions with much less enthusiasm.
* * *
Two days ago in Sunnydale...
Buffy sat at the table in the Magic Box. It had two weeks since Dawn had been taken from them, the Scoobies were still grieving. It had been hard on them. Especially Buffy, she had always wanted to show Dawn the world. But it seemed the only world she had shown her was one of violence and pain.
A hoot sounded from the over level. Startled Buffy, Giles, and Anya looked up. Two owls faced them. One was a small tawny brown the other was large golden brown. Giles got a water bowl and set it on the table while taking a letter from each.
He looked at the large letter first and gasped in surprise. In green ink it was addressed to : Ms. Buffy Summers, Ms. Anyanka Emerson, Ms. Willow Rosenburg, Ms. Tara MaClay, Mr. Alexander Harris, and Mr. Rupert Giles
Magic Box, Sunnydale, California, America
"Giles, What is it?" Buffy asked concerned. He had gone awfully pale.
"Buffy if you would be as kind to collect the rest of the group, please? I'll explain when they get here."
Half an hour later, the gang was all there. "So G-man what's this all about?" asked Xander confused.
"I have been contacted by an old mentor of mine." Opening the letter he read it aloud.
Dear Rupert,
I am writing to see if you would be willing to accept a position at Hogwarts. I would ask that you will help teach the Demonology course along with the help of Ms. Emerson. As for the class of Wandless Magic I offer the positions to Ms. Rosenburg and Ms. MaClay. As for Mr. Harris I offer a position of caretaker of the Hogwarts grounds. Finally Ms. Summers to you I extend an invitation to teach The Defense Against the Dark Arts, you would be one of the two teachers. Please send your reply as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
First Class of the order of Merlin
Headmaster of Hogwarts
Supreme Wizard of Mugwump
"So what does this mean?" Asked Willow. "Are we gonna go do the magic teachy thing?"
"Well, I have received word that the Hellmouth is closing. Permanently." Giles looked at the group. They were shocked to say the least. "There are some bad things going on in the wizarding world. A powerful wizard is gaining power. He is believed to be making pacts with vampires and demons, they need the Slayers help."
"So then we go." said Buffy seriously.
"Just like that? Buff, what about your house? Your stuff?" Xander asked. Buffy was the only one of them that really owned anything that tied her to the town.
"I have to get out of here. Everywhere I look I see what Dawn and I did there. What I used to have. I have to leave."
They all saw the truth in her words.
"Then we leave." said Willow. Her green eyes tearing slightly at the mention of the girl.
"Right, then it's been settled. Now lets move on to the next letter."
Reading it quickly he smiled in delight. "One of my old friends is offering a lunch to meet his family. Good old Arthur always looking out for me. What do we say?"
A simultaneous "Yes." came from all present.
"Good then I'll have Angel look after everything here. Then I'll get the floo powder ready while we pack."
"Uh, Giles how do we get there?" Asked a confused Anya.
"I'll take care of it just pack up."