Summary: Dawn meets the Golden Three.
AN: This is my fic. What I want goes. So there.
Kidding - it's just that JKR's Harry disappointed me in OftP.
============================================================
~*~ Reactions - Hogwarts ~*~
Dawn watched and listened with a mixture of awe and veiled sophistication to Luna Lovegoods quick tour of Hogsmeade. Most of the students ignored Dawn, they assumed she was a relative visiting a Hogsmeade resident.
"That's pretty dumb." Dawn commented after the umpteenth person asked who Lunas friend was visiting in Hogsmeade.
Luna shrugged. "That's the only explanation they can think of so that's the only explanation they'll believe."
Dawn absorbed the words.
"Where do we go now?" She asked Luna.
"We should try to find a teacher." Luna suggested. "There should be a few in Hogsmeade. They will know where Professor Dumbledore is. He'll be able to talk to your guardian and help you get back to London."
"I hope so. Willow gets worried about me."
"Why?"
Dawn squirmed as she explained. "Bad things happen around me. Like what happened now, getting chased by weird men and falling through a fireplace." She confessed. "My sister died protecting me from a crazy woman. Willow and Giles worry that someone will succeed in killing me."
"There is nothing wrong in that." Luna murmured. "You are lucky they care about you."
"Yeah. I know." Dawn sighed. "But sometimes I wish she didn't."
"But not always." Luna noted pointedly.
"Not always." Dawn confirmed.
"That's good." Luna smiled brightly. "Professor McGonogall is here. She will know where to find the Headmaster."
Luna grabbed her new friends hand and pulled her towards an older woman dressed in a tailored Edwardian gown complete with bustle underneath a long black cloak. The only items off were the wand she held and the narrow bifocals she wore. She was talking to three teens: a boy with messy black hair and round glasses dressed as a cowboy, a girl with bushy brown hair in a long medeival gown, a boy with bright red hair dressed as a knight in chain mail.
"Professor McGonogall! I need to talk to you!"
* * * * *
Minerva McGonogall sighed as she lectured the three Gryffindor students on the evils of starting fights with other House members. She was just about ready to assign detention to the three when her lecture was interrupted.
"Professor McGonogall! I need to talk to you!"
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger heaved a collective sigh of relief at this narrow escape and turned to look at their saviours.
Loony Luna Lovegood dressed in a white Greek chiton and a teenage stranger dressed in a Muggle witch costume – long black dress and pointy hat. The girl was gorgeous in a flamboyantly defiant way with her full mouth, hazel eyes and brown hair twisted into a knot secured by a…wand?
Luna ignored the Gryffindor trio. This really did not concern them. She looked at the Transfiguration Teacher squarely.
"Professor McGonogall, this is Dawn Summers. She was chased by some wizards in Diagon Alley. She managed to use the Floo system to escape."
Minerva McGonogall frowned at this information and studied the stranger. A witch who bought a Muggle costume of a witch for fun. Using her wand as a hair ornament?
Luna noted the questions and spoke.
"Dawn is a Muggle. She doesn't know anything about wizards. But she managed to activate the Floo system."
The four Gryffindors stiffened in shock. Dawn decided to expand on that.
"I know about magic and the supernatural. My guardian is a witch, but we didn't know anything about a wizarding society."
Minerva nodded thoughtfully. "It happens. Sometimes Muggleborns slip through the cracks, they don't get a letter, or their parents refuse to let them attend a wizarding school. Or if they were a late bloomer--."
"Willow is a late bloomer." Dawn interrupted brightly. "Miss Calender started teaching Willow when she was fifteen before she died. Luna tells me you start teaching your kids when they turn eleven?"
"Why yes." Minerva nodded intrigued by this Muggle who accepted the situation without hysterics or denial. What a pleasant child.
Dawn wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't seem like enough time to learn."
"It isn't." Minerva explained pleased that this teenager noticed the flaw in their educational system. "Most students are simply taught the basics, the foundations they need to function in our society. They are given further training by the Masters, or their supervisors in their place of employment."
"Like attending trade school, or an apprenticeship system."
"Very similar. There are a few universities but only students who enjoy the pursuit of knowledge attend them." Minerva added with a small smile.
Dawn absorbed the information. "Willow would love that. She practically had to teach herself everything from old books and stuff."
"She sounds like a witch I would be proud of meeting and even teaching myself Miss Summers." Minerva spoke in brisk tones.
Dawn grinned. "That's what Giles says whenever she--." Dawn remembered. "Oh fuck! I need to call Willow! She'll be worried sick."
Minerva was about to scold the teen about inappropriate language but held her tongue. The girl was clearly distraught, worrying her family, this witch Willow.
"Very true. And we must find out how you managed to use the Floo system." The teacher frowned. "The fireplaces were especially put out so the students could visit Hogsmeade without too much concern for their safety."
Luna glanced at her new friend.
Dawn shrugged. "I'm more worried about Willow."
Minerva allowed that to slide. Dumbledore could get the answers they needed to know out of the child. She sighed. She couldn't abandon her supervising duties in Hogsmeade.
"Harry, Hermione, Ron, take Miss Summers to the Headmaster's Office, I believe you know the password?"
"I want Luna to come too." Dawn interrupted firmly.
"And Miss Lovegood." Minerva McGonogall conceded. "Use one of the passages to get to Hogwarts as quickly as possible." She added firmly.
The three students agreed quickly and led the two girls off.
"My name is Hermione Granger, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley." Hermione spoke briskly. "Are you an American? You sound like one."
Dawn grinned. "California girl, born and bred."
"Then what are you doing in England?"
"My sister died recently." Dawn explained briefly as old memories surged to life. "She made Willow and Giles my guardians. Giles is British, he had things to do so Willow and I went with him."
"But what about school?" Hermione asked horrified.
Dawn giggled. "Willow is a genius. She completed the courses needed to teach me everything I need to know to sit for the SATs when we go back to America."
Hermione nodded.
The group walked in silence for sometime and entered the castle.
Dawn studied the stone lined corridor, moving paintings and armor with unabashed awe.
"This is so neat. You guys are so lucky to go to a school like this." She commented.
"Oh yes." Harry spoke for the first time. "I was raised by my aunt as a Muggle, I didn't know anything like Hogwarts existed until I got my letter."
A pensive light came into Dawn's eyes. "I wonder how things would have happened if Willow got a letter." Hurt and old memories came to life and dimmed the vivacious liveliness in the American teen.
Seeing the change the four Hogwarts students settled for simply walking with her to the Headmasters Office.
* * * * *
In the Headmasters Office Severus Snape paced. A mixture of fear and apprehension sang in his veins as he waited. He had informed Albus Dumbledore on recent events and was waiting for further instructions. What would Albus want him to do?
"We must find the Key." The Headmaster spoke after sometime. There was a solemn gleam in his bright blue eyes. "But Tom cannot know."
"How?" Severus asked bluntly as he waved at the Compass Orb sitting on Dumbledores desk. "When it reacts to the Key He knows. He knew every time Lucius lost track of the Key before finding it."
Dumbledore glanced at the glass orb stroking his beard. "I could probably make a similar device to track the Key." He murmured his mind considering the possibilities.
A soft chime interrupted their privacy.
The Potion Master stiffened before retreating into a shadowed corner.
"Come in."
The door opened. Five teenagers walked into the room. Three Gryffindors, one Ravenclaw, and a complete stranger.
The Compass Orb on the desk went wild. The obsidian shard spun about glowing silver before settling down and pointing straight at the female teen who watched wide eyed with a hint of fear and apprehension.
Dumbledore blinked mildly in astonishment.
"Merlins robes! This is an unexpected development!"
Severus stiffened filled with a mixture of anger and exasperation. The Orb had reacted. Voldemort knew the Key was near Snape. If he didn't deliver it he would be punished. Of course the Golden Trio Had to be involved in this mess.
"Mr. Potter!"
The four Hogwarts students cringed in collective fear though they stood their grounds. Dawn stifled a shriek as a large black clad figure loomed out of the shadows. Shades of Batman. He was dressed in black robes over black pants and shirt that did nothing for his sallow pale complexion and limp, greasy black hair. He needed a good conditioner and a complete wardrobe makeover; even Angel had a better fashion sense. Like any American teen Dawn blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.
"Are you a vampire?"
Severus Snape stopped. He knew many people thought him to be one but no one had ever questioned him so brazenly to his face. Veiling his appreciation of her open courage he sneered.
"And why would you think so? Have you seen one?"
Dawn bristled. She knew when she was being condescended to. She had been condescended to by the Masters of Condescension.
"As a matter of fact I have."
Everyone including the Headmaster looked at her.
Severus raised a brow intrigued. A teenage witch facing a vampire.
"Really?"
"Yes really." Dawn bit out sharply. "You certainly dress like one, from the last century. Drusilla loved wearing these Victorian lace dresses." Black eyes widened at the mention of the infamous vampire Seeress. "You love black. Angel and Spike favour black though they tend to mix and match red and black with leather and silk. Doesn't show blood stains as much and is easier to clean." She explained saccharinely. "In case you don't know Angel is better known as Angelus and Spike used to go by William the Bloody. Both of them have better hair than you, though Angel uses too much gel. You certainly have Angel's broody pallor and oversized nose down to a tee."
Albus Dumbledore couldn't restrain the snort of laughter that escaped his lips at his Potions Professors shocked expression at the response to his rhetorical question before bursting into guffaws of laughter.
The four students watched torn between the urge to snicker and the impulse to hide from Severus Snapes angry visage.
Dawn stood her ground, crossing her arms under her breast, unrepentant.
After several tense minutes the Headmaster collected enough composure to speak.
"That was fun Miss…?"
"Summers. Dawn Summers."
Dumbledore frowned. "Summers? Aren't you--."
"I'm not the Slayer." Dawn bit out violently. "My sister died a few months back."
Dumbledore nodded with a sad smile. "My condolences Miss Summers."
"Dawn. Please." Hazel eyes brimmed with tears. "Buffy is Miss Summers."
"The Slayer?" Everyone apart from the Headmaster and Dawn were confused. Neither of them were in any mood to educate the others.
"Dawn, do you know of the Key?" He asked her gently.
Dawn took a deep breath and dropped the bombshell.
"I am the Key."
Fifteen minutes later Dawn had given the Headmaster a highly sanitised personal history. There were references to artifacts, incidents, and individuals the students were thoroughly ignorant of though they terrified the Potions Master into allocating her respect despite her Muggle background and status.
"How did you survive?" Hermione asked the question in hushed tones.
"I don't know." Dawn admitted. "We fought. We refused to give in despite whatever the odds. We didn't always win, some of us died, but we survived." There was a haunted light in the American teens eyes as she remembered her last glimpse of Sunnydale, the nearly empty town being evacuated even as it collapsed into a Void.
While everyone considered the heavy burden the girl and her friends had borne for so long one individual worried about something else.
"Headmaster, what do we do? He knows about the Key." Severus waved at the Compass Orb that had moved and shifted always to settle pointing at one Dawn Summers.
"He?" Dawn didn't like the sound of that. "He as in your personal Big Bad?"
That was enough to prompt a quick lesson in recent history of the wizarding world, one Tom Riddle, and one Harry Potter who blushed and fidgeted throughout the explanation.
Dawn frowned at the end of it.
"So what is the big deal?"
Severus frowned at the unconcerned teen.
"Have you listened girl?! There is no way to stop him! The Death Curse failed! According to the Prophecy only Potter can kill him. The boy is no where close to being ready to duel someone as powerful as the Dark Lord."
Dawn glared at him aggrieved. "Yeah? So what? Prophecies can always be circumvented you know. One said Buffy had to die and the Master would be freed to open the Hellmouth. Guess what happened? The Master drowned her and escaped, Xander revived her using CPR, the Master started opening the Hellmouth and Buffy closed it by interrupting the ritual. Besides why do you have to use a curse to kill him? Can't you cut off his head and chop off his limbs? The Judge was disassembled like that you know. No weapon forged by man may destroy him and all that crap." A moue of distaste wrinkled her nose. "You know what Buffy said? That was then, this is now. She used a rocket launcher to fire a SCUD missile at him. Bye-bye Mr Judge."
Six faces stared at her stunned.
"So what do you suggest?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"Easy." Dawn responded briskly. "Get the bastard out using bait onto ground that is in your favour." She explained whimsically before expanding. "Pin the bastard down using any kind of ward or spell to keep him from getting loose. You don't want the guy to teleport out once he finds out it is a trap. Buffy is very fond of old abandoned warehouses that no one will miss if they happens to blow up." She noted with a small reminiscent smile. "Then weaken him using multiple attacks. You have plenty of wizards don't you? Policemen? Cast curses to weaken his concentration, his defences, his resources."
"What do we use as bait?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
Dawn smiled wryly. "I am so good at doing the bait thing you know, every single demon around wants a piece of me." She frowned. "Though I'm not going to agree to anything until Willow and Giles comes. I'm sure you guys are good and all but I trust Willow and Giles more."
Dumbledore smiled benignly. "Of course dear. Who do you want to send this owl--."
A shrill siren tore through the castle. The Headmaster turned to a mirror hanging on the wall behind his desk.
"What's wrong?" Dawn asked the other students.
"The Death Eaters are attacking." A long pause as the older wizard murmured some phrases to scry more details. "It seems as though Tom has decided to lead this move in person."
Snape hissed and clenched at his forearm as the Dark Mark burned.
"The Orb reacted. He knows the Key is in Hogwarts. He knows I am near it. He wants it." Severus stated bluntly.
"We aren't ready!" Hermione whispered. "There are students in Hogsmeade."
Dawn paled. This was so not of the good.
* * * * *
TBC...
============================================================
Please read and review. (sarhea1980@yahoo.ca)
Raves and constructive criticism please.
Flames will be ignored.
Cheers!
Sarhea
AN: This is my fic. What I want goes. So there.
Kidding - it's just that JKR's Harry disappointed me in OftP.
============================================================
~*~ Reactions - Hogwarts ~*~
Dawn watched and listened with a mixture of awe and veiled sophistication to Luna Lovegoods quick tour of Hogsmeade. Most of the students ignored Dawn, they assumed she was a relative visiting a Hogsmeade resident.
"That's pretty dumb." Dawn commented after the umpteenth person asked who Lunas friend was visiting in Hogsmeade.
Luna shrugged. "That's the only explanation they can think of so that's the only explanation they'll believe."
Dawn absorbed the words.
"Where do we go now?" She asked Luna.
"We should try to find a teacher." Luna suggested. "There should be a few in Hogsmeade. They will know where Professor Dumbledore is. He'll be able to talk to your guardian and help you get back to London."
"I hope so. Willow gets worried about me."
"Why?"
Dawn squirmed as she explained. "Bad things happen around me. Like what happened now, getting chased by weird men and falling through a fireplace." She confessed. "My sister died protecting me from a crazy woman. Willow and Giles worry that someone will succeed in killing me."
"There is nothing wrong in that." Luna murmured. "You are lucky they care about you."
"Yeah. I know." Dawn sighed. "But sometimes I wish she didn't."
"But not always." Luna noted pointedly.
"Not always." Dawn confirmed.
"That's good." Luna smiled brightly. "Professor McGonogall is here. She will know where to find the Headmaster."
Luna grabbed her new friends hand and pulled her towards an older woman dressed in a tailored Edwardian gown complete with bustle underneath a long black cloak. The only items off were the wand she held and the narrow bifocals she wore. She was talking to three teens: a boy with messy black hair and round glasses dressed as a cowboy, a girl with bushy brown hair in a long medeival gown, a boy with bright red hair dressed as a knight in chain mail.
"Professor McGonogall! I need to talk to you!"
* * * * *
Minerva McGonogall sighed as she lectured the three Gryffindor students on the evils of starting fights with other House members. She was just about ready to assign detention to the three when her lecture was interrupted.
"Professor McGonogall! I need to talk to you!"
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger heaved a collective sigh of relief at this narrow escape and turned to look at their saviours.
Loony Luna Lovegood dressed in a white Greek chiton and a teenage stranger dressed in a Muggle witch costume – long black dress and pointy hat. The girl was gorgeous in a flamboyantly defiant way with her full mouth, hazel eyes and brown hair twisted into a knot secured by a…wand?
Luna ignored the Gryffindor trio. This really did not concern them. She looked at the Transfiguration Teacher squarely.
"Professor McGonogall, this is Dawn Summers. She was chased by some wizards in Diagon Alley. She managed to use the Floo system to escape."
Minerva McGonogall frowned at this information and studied the stranger. A witch who bought a Muggle costume of a witch for fun. Using her wand as a hair ornament?
Luna noted the questions and spoke.
"Dawn is a Muggle. She doesn't know anything about wizards. But she managed to activate the Floo system."
The four Gryffindors stiffened in shock. Dawn decided to expand on that.
"I know about magic and the supernatural. My guardian is a witch, but we didn't know anything about a wizarding society."
Minerva nodded thoughtfully. "It happens. Sometimes Muggleborns slip through the cracks, they don't get a letter, or their parents refuse to let them attend a wizarding school. Or if they were a late bloomer--."
"Willow is a late bloomer." Dawn interrupted brightly. "Miss Calender started teaching Willow when she was fifteen before she died. Luna tells me you start teaching your kids when they turn eleven?"
"Why yes." Minerva nodded intrigued by this Muggle who accepted the situation without hysterics or denial. What a pleasant child.
Dawn wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't seem like enough time to learn."
"It isn't." Minerva explained pleased that this teenager noticed the flaw in their educational system. "Most students are simply taught the basics, the foundations they need to function in our society. They are given further training by the Masters, or their supervisors in their place of employment."
"Like attending trade school, or an apprenticeship system."
"Very similar. There are a few universities but only students who enjoy the pursuit of knowledge attend them." Minerva added with a small smile.
Dawn absorbed the information. "Willow would love that. She practically had to teach herself everything from old books and stuff."
"She sounds like a witch I would be proud of meeting and even teaching myself Miss Summers." Minerva spoke in brisk tones.
Dawn grinned. "That's what Giles says whenever she--." Dawn remembered. "Oh fuck! I need to call Willow! She'll be worried sick."
Minerva was about to scold the teen about inappropriate language but held her tongue. The girl was clearly distraught, worrying her family, this witch Willow.
"Very true. And we must find out how you managed to use the Floo system." The teacher frowned. "The fireplaces were especially put out so the students could visit Hogsmeade without too much concern for their safety."
Luna glanced at her new friend.
Dawn shrugged. "I'm more worried about Willow."
Minerva allowed that to slide. Dumbledore could get the answers they needed to know out of the child. She sighed. She couldn't abandon her supervising duties in Hogsmeade.
"Harry, Hermione, Ron, take Miss Summers to the Headmaster's Office, I believe you know the password?"
"I want Luna to come too." Dawn interrupted firmly.
"And Miss Lovegood." Minerva McGonogall conceded. "Use one of the passages to get to Hogwarts as quickly as possible." She added firmly.
The three students agreed quickly and led the two girls off.
"My name is Hermione Granger, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley." Hermione spoke briskly. "Are you an American? You sound like one."
Dawn grinned. "California girl, born and bred."
"Then what are you doing in England?"
"My sister died recently." Dawn explained briefly as old memories surged to life. "She made Willow and Giles my guardians. Giles is British, he had things to do so Willow and I went with him."
"But what about school?" Hermione asked horrified.
Dawn giggled. "Willow is a genius. She completed the courses needed to teach me everything I need to know to sit for the SATs when we go back to America."
Hermione nodded.
The group walked in silence for sometime and entered the castle.
Dawn studied the stone lined corridor, moving paintings and armor with unabashed awe.
"This is so neat. You guys are so lucky to go to a school like this." She commented.
"Oh yes." Harry spoke for the first time. "I was raised by my aunt as a Muggle, I didn't know anything like Hogwarts existed until I got my letter."
A pensive light came into Dawn's eyes. "I wonder how things would have happened if Willow got a letter." Hurt and old memories came to life and dimmed the vivacious liveliness in the American teen.
Seeing the change the four Hogwarts students settled for simply walking with her to the Headmasters Office.
* * * * *
In the Headmasters Office Severus Snape paced. A mixture of fear and apprehension sang in his veins as he waited. He had informed Albus Dumbledore on recent events and was waiting for further instructions. What would Albus want him to do?
"We must find the Key." The Headmaster spoke after sometime. There was a solemn gleam in his bright blue eyes. "But Tom cannot know."
"How?" Severus asked bluntly as he waved at the Compass Orb sitting on Dumbledores desk. "When it reacts to the Key He knows. He knew every time Lucius lost track of the Key before finding it."
Dumbledore glanced at the glass orb stroking his beard. "I could probably make a similar device to track the Key." He murmured his mind considering the possibilities.
A soft chime interrupted their privacy.
The Potion Master stiffened before retreating into a shadowed corner.
"Come in."
The door opened. Five teenagers walked into the room. Three Gryffindors, one Ravenclaw, and a complete stranger.
The Compass Orb on the desk went wild. The obsidian shard spun about glowing silver before settling down and pointing straight at the female teen who watched wide eyed with a hint of fear and apprehension.
Dumbledore blinked mildly in astonishment.
"Merlins robes! This is an unexpected development!"
Severus stiffened filled with a mixture of anger and exasperation. The Orb had reacted. Voldemort knew the Key was near Snape. If he didn't deliver it he would be punished. Of course the Golden Trio Had to be involved in this mess.
"Mr. Potter!"
The four Hogwarts students cringed in collective fear though they stood their grounds. Dawn stifled a shriek as a large black clad figure loomed out of the shadows. Shades of Batman. He was dressed in black robes over black pants and shirt that did nothing for his sallow pale complexion and limp, greasy black hair. He needed a good conditioner and a complete wardrobe makeover; even Angel had a better fashion sense. Like any American teen Dawn blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.
"Are you a vampire?"
Severus Snape stopped. He knew many people thought him to be one but no one had ever questioned him so brazenly to his face. Veiling his appreciation of her open courage he sneered.
"And why would you think so? Have you seen one?"
Dawn bristled. She knew when she was being condescended to. She had been condescended to by the Masters of Condescension.
"As a matter of fact I have."
Everyone including the Headmaster looked at her.
Severus raised a brow intrigued. A teenage witch facing a vampire.
"Really?"
"Yes really." Dawn bit out sharply. "You certainly dress like one, from the last century. Drusilla loved wearing these Victorian lace dresses." Black eyes widened at the mention of the infamous vampire Seeress. "You love black. Angel and Spike favour black though they tend to mix and match red and black with leather and silk. Doesn't show blood stains as much and is easier to clean." She explained saccharinely. "In case you don't know Angel is better known as Angelus and Spike used to go by William the Bloody. Both of them have better hair than you, though Angel uses too much gel. You certainly have Angel's broody pallor and oversized nose down to a tee."
Albus Dumbledore couldn't restrain the snort of laughter that escaped his lips at his Potions Professors shocked expression at the response to his rhetorical question before bursting into guffaws of laughter.
The four students watched torn between the urge to snicker and the impulse to hide from Severus Snapes angry visage.
Dawn stood her ground, crossing her arms under her breast, unrepentant.
After several tense minutes the Headmaster collected enough composure to speak.
"That was fun Miss…?"
"Summers. Dawn Summers."
Dumbledore frowned. "Summers? Aren't you--."
"I'm not the Slayer." Dawn bit out violently. "My sister died a few months back."
Dumbledore nodded with a sad smile. "My condolences Miss Summers."
"Dawn. Please." Hazel eyes brimmed with tears. "Buffy is Miss Summers."
"The Slayer?" Everyone apart from the Headmaster and Dawn were confused. Neither of them were in any mood to educate the others.
"Dawn, do you know of the Key?" He asked her gently.
Dawn took a deep breath and dropped the bombshell.
"I am the Key."
Fifteen minutes later Dawn had given the Headmaster a highly sanitised personal history. There were references to artifacts, incidents, and individuals the students were thoroughly ignorant of though they terrified the Potions Master into allocating her respect despite her Muggle background and status.
"How did you survive?" Hermione asked the question in hushed tones.
"I don't know." Dawn admitted. "We fought. We refused to give in despite whatever the odds. We didn't always win, some of us died, but we survived." There was a haunted light in the American teens eyes as she remembered her last glimpse of Sunnydale, the nearly empty town being evacuated even as it collapsed into a Void.
While everyone considered the heavy burden the girl and her friends had borne for so long one individual worried about something else.
"Headmaster, what do we do? He knows about the Key." Severus waved at the Compass Orb that had moved and shifted always to settle pointing at one Dawn Summers.
"He?" Dawn didn't like the sound of that. "He as in your personal Big Bad?"
That was enough to prompt a quick lesson in recent history of the wizarding world, one Tom Riddle, and one Harry Potter who blushed and fidgeted throughout the explanation.
Dawn frowned at the end of it.
"So what is the big deal?"
Severus frowned at the unconcerned teen.
"Have you listened girl?! There is no way to stop him! The Death Curse failed! According to the Prophecy only Potter can kill him. The boy is no where close to being ready to duel someone as powerful as the Dark Lord."
Dawn glared at him aggrieved. "Yeah? So what? Prophecies can always be circumvented you know. One said Buffy had to die and the Master would be freed to open the Hellmouth. Guess what happened? The Master drowned her and escaped, Xander revived her using CPR, the Master started opening the Hellmouth and Buffy closed it by interrupting the ritual. Besides why do you have to use a curse to kill him? Can't you cut off his head and chop off his limbs? The Judge was disassembled like that you know. No weapon forged by man may destroy him and all that crap." A moue of distaste wrinkled her nose. "You know what Buffy said? That was then, this is now. She used a rocket launcher to fire a SCUD missile at him. Bye-bye Mr Judge."
Six faces stared at her stunned.
"So what do you suggest?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"Easy." Dawn responded briskly. "Get the bastard out using bait onto ground that is in your favour." She explained whimsically before expanding. "Pin the bastard down using any kind of ward or spell to keep him from getting loose. You don't want the guy to teleport out once he finds out it is a trap. Buffy is very fond of old abandoned warehouses that no one will miss if they happens to blow up." She noted with a small reminiscent smile. "Then weaken him using multiple attacks. You have plenty of wizards don't you? Policemen? Cast curses to weaken his concentration, his defences, his resources."
"What do we use as bait?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
Dawn smiled wryly. "I am so good at doing the bait thing you know, every single demon around wants a piece of me." She frowned. "Though I'm not going to agree to anything until Willow and Giles comes. I'm sure you guys are good and all but I trust Willow and Giles more."
Dumbledore smiled benignly. "Of course dear. Who do you want to send this owl--."
A shrill siren tore through the castle. The Headmaster turned to a mirror hanging on the wall behind his desk.
"What's wrong?" Dawn asked the other students.
"The Death Eaters are attacking." A long pause as the older wizard murmured some phrases to scry more details. "It seems as though Tom has decided to lead this move in person."
Snape hissed and clenched at his forearm as the Dark Mark burned.
"The Orb reacted. He knows the Key is in Hogwarts. He knows I am near it. He wants it." Severus stated bluntly.
"We aren't ready!" Hermione whispered. "There are students in Hogsmeade."
Dawn paled. This was so not of the good.
* * * * *
TBC...
============================================================
Please read and review. (sarhea1980@yahoo.ca)
Raves and constructive criticism please.
Flames will be ignored.
Cheers!
Sarhea