Title: A Broken Beginning Ch 3

Author: Nicki C.

Email: Nimacu@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: "It's all been done before"- Barenaked Ladies.  I don't own Buffy.   Nor do I own the world of Harry Potter.  They both belong to Joss and J.K.

Summery: Something happens that causes the Scoobies to head to England.

Feedback: Of Course I want it.

Setting:  Ok, this is set during the middle of September. Harry and the gang our in their sixth year and in the Buffy verse it's set after a couple of weeks after episode 7.3, after that it's AU.  Willow has been home recovering from the loss of blood.

AN* Ok big thanks go out to…

alienbein and Akalea - I'm glad you guys are interested, it keeps me inspired.

            "Has she shown up yet?" Xander asked as he entered the house.  But as soon as he saw the look on Buffy's face he knew the answer to the question.  Buffy stood up "We need a plan, we need to get out there and start looking, Xander and Dawn I want you two check out the Bronze and search the path between here and there.  I'll head out to the cemeteries.  Maybe she decided to go out hunting and forgot to let anybody know." As Buffy finished her instructions her brave façade started to fade.  She knew that Willow wouldn't do that, they knew that too.  But they needed hope.

 "Xander, do you think we can depend on Anya for a little help?"

"I'm not sure, she's gone all vengeance demon again. What about Spike?

"I'll talk to him, but he's a little whacky with this whole "I've got a soul" thing"

"So it's just us then?"

"Probably"

"Someone needs to talk to Willy."

"I'll do that after I'm through with the cemeteries."

            "All right. We've got a plan.  We can work with a plan, lets get out there."  Buffy was trying to sound hopeful, and she thought it worked.  That is until Xander wrapped his arms around her in support.  "It's going to be ok Buff, we'll find her. She's going to be ok."  "How can you be so sure?" She asked.  He turned to look at with grim determination on his face "Because if Willow was dead, I'd know it.  I'd be able to feel it deep inside." He spoke as if that ended all consideration and they headed out.

            Buffy started searching through the cemeteries.  "Willow, Willow?"  There was no sign of her in any of them.  Buffy wouldn't have thought it possible but the longer she looked the worse she felt.  It was getting late and she hoped the Xander and Dawn were having better luck.  She decided to go and talk to Willy before heading over to see if Spike knew anything.

            The seedy little bar where Willy worked was completely empty.  Now Buffy knew for sure that something was going on. "Where is she?" Buffy demanded before throwing the bartender up against the wall.  "I know that you know something, you always know what's going on in this town."  "I swa.. swear slayer, I gots no idea" Willy was shaking as he answered.  "I'm not convinced, I've never seen this place as empty as it is tonight.  Something's going on and I want you to tell me now."  With every word she spoke her grip on the bartender got tighter.   "Alright, alright I'll tell you the only thing I know.  Your witch's little stunt last spring really pissed somebody off.  I'm not sure who it is, but he's powerful.  His arrival last night got all the demons in town quaking in their boots.  Word is he doesn't just want to be the big bad, he wants to be the Only bad."  Buffy slammed him into the wall one last time for good measure before quickly heading out of the bar.  

            Buffy had one more stop before she headed back to the house to meet up with Xander and Dawn.  "Spike, Spike?  Are you down here?" She called as she entered he basement of the new high school. He looked absolutely horrible, the burns from the cross were still on his chest and he had a new cut, it was shaped like a skull.  "So he's getting artistic," Buffy thought. "Slayer's come to pay her respects for the dearly departed."  Spike was sounding more like Drusilla every time Buffy saw him.  "I don't have time for games Spike, Willow's missing and I need to know if you can help.   "Slayer's missing something, she is.  Little red's gone away with the big bad wolf and nobody can find them."  "What do you know Spike?"  "Snakes don't like competition, no they definitely don't… I had a pet snake once, named him Tommy.  Really was a cute little…"  Buffy could see that Spike wasn't going to be any more help and time could be running out.

Meanwhile…

            Xander and Dawn were heading back from the Bronze and checking out the alleyways up and down the main street in town.

 "Did you notice something odd tonight Dawn?"

 "Yeah, we didn't see a single vampire or demon."

"Everyone we saw was completely human.  In most towns that would be normal.  But in Sunnydale? There's always creatures of the dark lurking around here."

"Seems like too much of a coincidence for me, Willow disappears along with all of the Demons and Vampires in town?"

"We should see if Anya is still around town"

"Yeah, lets head over to her apartment."

About twenty minutes later the duo arrived.  "Is anybody there?" Xander was knocking furiously on the door.  He didn't want to admit it, but he was praying that Anya was in there and that she was ok.  There wasn't any answer so Xander knocked louder, suddenly a very frazzled and scared looking Anya opened the door and quickly pulled them inside.  "What in the hell are you two doing here right now?  Do you know you could get me killed if somebody saw me opening that door?"  "Willow's missing and so are all of the Demons in town" Xander rushed out and soon as Anya finished talking.  "Wait a minute what do you mean you could have been killed opening the door." 

"There's something out there and it's killing off all of the Demons, the word on the street is to stay in hiding."

 "Of course, it's Buffy. She's been doing it for years." Dawn said exasperatingly.

 "No this is something else and it's strong.  It's already gotten to D'Hoffryn."

"So something out there is killing off the bad things, this is of the good right?"

"No it's not out to kill the bad things, it's out there killing off the competition."

            "It's too dangerous for me to have you guys here, I need you to leave.  If you don't see me for awhile, it's because I'm in hiding."  Anya pushed the other two out the door and locked it behind them. 

"That was definitely weird, I've never seen Anya that scared." Xander murmured.

"We need to get home and tell Buffy what's going on and see if she's found anything."

            The two left the apartment building and headed home.