Faith approached the school from the rear, waving to Hagrid as she went by. As she was walking up the stairs, she heard some muffled crying. Looking to the left, Faith saw a student with her back up against the building with her head resting on her arms.
"Lana, what's wrong kiddo?"
Lana looked up suddenly rubbing her reddened eyes. She started to get up, but Faith put a hand on her shoulder, and then kneeled down in front of her." Well Lana I'm not good at this, but if you wanna talk at me, I'll listen…five by five?"
"Faith, right, Xander's friend. I'm… having trouble with my studies, it looks like I'm going to fail, but I don't know what to do. I've studied real hard, know the material, but I can't seem to do the magic." She started crying more loudly. "I ask for help but I know the material, I just can't do the magic."
"Which class is this honey, maybe we can…?"
"Its all the classes!!!"
"I see, hey, lets go see Mr. D. He'll help you out."
Faith got up then gave Lana a hand up, she picked up her books and they headed to the Headmaster's office. Walking down the hall, they almost bumped into Xander working on a window.
"Hey, everything o'k guys?"
"Everything's five by five Xan man, just taking a trip to see the big guy with my friend, Lana, catch ya'."
Lana suddenly smiled put her head down and turned her head to say hi to Xander. "Xander is so cool."
"What was that?" Faith said with a smile.
"Faith, do you think he's hot. I …mean good looking, charming, funny…I really never saw a guy in that good of shape before. Oh, he's got a washboard stomach, that's the term. His eyes are so dreamy, but he won't even talk to me…not that I've tried. He's to busy and the other girls they won't let me get near him."
"Whoa, first off you related to the Red Wit…Willow, you're babblin' like a pro.
Secondly, Xander will talk to anyone, trust me I know. One more thing Xander's been workin' out. How'd ya know, you see him naked?"
Blushing, Lana replied "He goes swimming in the school pool on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. He doesn't wear much except a little Speedo that says
Sunnydale swim team."
"When?"
"Around 8:00 at night, all the girls know, they go swimming too. They won't let me go. Why?"
"You out of school?" Lana nodded. "Good, were going to go get some Victoria Secret swimsuits." They left in a hurry telling Hagrid where they were off too.
Two hours later Xander was just rising out of the pool to try another dive, with water cascading from his chiseled physique, when some female students and a few female teachers wandered in. As he rounded the curve of the pool, eyes followed every move he made. When he mounted the diving board, he waved to all the girls and teachers then dived in. Most of the girls were wearing their house colors with a little ruffled skirts around their waist. Some of the girls were lounging around the pool, some in the pool, but all eyes were on him. He didn't notice.
After the first time Xander told some of the female teachers that they looked good, Nurse Pomfrey and Prof. Trelawney made a habit of showing up too.
Xander was just getting out of the pool when the two doors opened before him. Standing there was Faith wearing only a black string bikini talking to Lana wearing a red string bikini. "Now Lana why didn't you tell me about the pool in the first place? You also didn't tell me it had a simulated sun to give you that much needed tan during the Winter. Oh, hi Xand. Come on slow poke, there's a spot over here."
Meanwhile Xander was having a heart attack and was considering jumping back in the water to keep from getting embarrassed. He did manage a feeble hi and attempted to walk around the pool, past Faith without staring to badly. Faith for her part played it pretty cool, she thought…but couldn't take her eyes off his body much, even if she tried. She also was afraid that Lana would get upset, but Lana was giggling. "I didn't know you liked him?"
"Wow, has he filled out in more places than one…Wha…what did you say?"
"Nothing." She smiled.
The other girls kept looking at Lana and Faith's bikinis, then at their own, frowning. Ginny and Luna walked over and started asking them where they got the suits. The four girls started laughing when some Slytherin girls showed up started talking down on Lana. Faith noticed that the two girls were standing on her fallen towel. She asked nicely if they could move. They laughed, so she pulled the towel, both ended up in the pool.
As they were laughing, Xander walked up and said hello to the girls. Lana beamed that he knew her name. He then complimented the girls on their suits, without staring too much at Faiths other accessories (without much luck). She made the other females look so much like boys. Then he started talking about how he used to come down here and the pool was empty, now it seemed like Ladies Night at the Strip…er, the Magic Box. After about an hour he gathered his stuff and left bidding the girls ado.
After he left, the girls were talking, when Professor Snape walked in. Went to the diving board, smirked, dropped his robe, turned … and all the girls had left.
Buffy returned early from her visitation with Giles. It was morning when she walked in, taking the early train, she was dog tired, but she needed to talk with the group. As she started breakfast, Xander appeared shirtless with the sword he found, thinking she was an intruder. He was dressed in a pair of jean shorts and nothing much else.
" Oh, hi Buffy," as he lowered the sword and hugged her in the morning. "We didn't expect you till tonight."
"Whoa Xander, you keep walking around like that and I'll begin having second thoughts about our agreement six months ago." She said admiring the muscle tone on his bod. They both laughed, as he helped her get breakfast ready.
Soon Willow, Faith and Dawn showed up. All were up instantly when they spied Buffy in the corner, but they're eyes bugged out when they saw Xander. Dawn kept on losing track of the conversation going on, because she was watching the play in Xanders back and arms (she wasn't the only one). When breakfast was ready, everybody realized that they were one chair short, so Xander surprised everybody by sitting in Dawn's lap.
She blushed so bad that Buffy almost threw a glass of water in her face to cool her off.
After eating, Buffy told everyone what was discussed with Giles. She told them that after she told him they changed what the store was selling, he almost blew a gasket. Then she gave him the check from this months taking, he was definitely pleased. She also discussed sponsoring a Christmas dance in early December for the students, and faculty at Hogwarts. He was in complete agreement. She then retrieved the information on the sword Xander found.
Willow opened the envelope, then asked Xander to tell her what happened if he could recall. He told her that when the Dementors were after him he raced around the stone and started securing his arm so it wouldn't hurt so much, when he jumped in the lake. Then he turned and found this sword buried in the rock, so taking a chance he pulled it free and used it on the evil creatures. When he pulled it out it was a broad sword, but now it was a Japanese katana, how?
"Well Xander, after long hours of researching, the only sword that has those requirements was King Arthur's sword Excalibur." All the girls just stared at the sword in awe.
"You're joking Will,… Aren't You? … Will?"
"No Xander you are looking at the one and only Excalibur."
"C'mon Will, Excalibur was fitted with jewels and had a hilt threaded with gold and silver."
"Sorry Dawn, that's a myth, you didn't take that kind of sword to a battle, this is the type of sword you take to a battle!" She said as she hefted the sword. Buffy and Faith nodded in agreement.
"And just to be sure she looked along the blade and found a mark that matched the one in the picture on the table. The mark of King Arthur."
Faith looked up and said " tha…that explains the scabbard." They all looked at her "when I first looked at Xander, it wasn't behind him, but then Buffy ran over to pick it up. Don't you get it! It appeared there magically!"
"Congratulations Xander", Willow said. "You are the proud owner of Excalibur. Obviously some higher authority found you worthwhile!" The other girls hugged and kissed Xander, who was basically in shock.
"Do we know what powers it has?"
"Not yet, but we will!"
"Hey Dawn, what ya' doin'?"
"Printin' announcements for the dance, Faith, if we can get the hall at Hogwarts."
"Oh…Dawn how are you printing?" As she lifted the power plug from the computer, that was not connected to any power source.
"Wiccan magic, it supplies electricity for the whole place."
"Never mind."
After the announcements were made and the hall secured by Xander, students of all sorts went to The Magic Shop to pick up some merchandise. Including some teachers.
A short woman with red hair identified herself as Molly Weasley to Faith. Faith asked if she could help her. Molly then told her that it was her husband's birthday tomorrow and she wanted to surprise him with a gift. Faith smirked and asked, "for you or for him?"
"Wha…what?"
"C'mon I'll show you what I mean," as Faith grinned evilly.
Xander walked up to Faith and asked, Hey Faith I have something I wanted to ask you."
"Shoot Boytoy."
"It's about the dance in two weeks, I was wondering if …"
Before he could finish she looked down and said "sure I'll set it up so B could go with you. But you'll have to wait till tomorrow morning, o'k," as she quickly left the room, with her head down and shaking slightly.
"No, you don't understand … Faith!
