Title: A Broken Beginning Ch 12

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.  Oh! but the cab driver's all mine!

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

Feedback: I used to think that I didn't need it and it wasn't very important, but then I got some and I really liked it, in fact the more feedback I got the more I wanted. I think you get the idea.

Thank Yous

Alienbeing- I've said it once and I'll say it again.  You Rock! Thank you.

Skiwisej- Thanks, I'm glad you like it.  Here's the first of the introductions.

Adb- Ohh I've got another new reader.  Thank you

Joyclene- First of all I'm incredibly honored to be on your favorite author's list. I really liked your review, I thought about printing it out and hanging it.  But my brother thought that maybe that was a bit much.  I looked at your author page and you don't have any of your fics listed.  Is there somewhere where I can read them?  I always like to check out the stories of the people who review me.

Steph- I promise it'll be worth the wait

Hecatonchires- I thought Canada was an excellent place to hide.  Who would look for the "Dark Lord" in Saskatchewan or Quebec?

WhiteWolf 3- No, that's not it.  But nice catch there knowing Harry was looking up her name. 

Ladyicondraco- thank you, and I hope your computer's feeling better.

Dark Comet- For some reason I'm a Lucius fan, sad as that is.  Probably the same reason I'm a Legolas fan.  The hair, I love the hair.

         Buffy, Giles, Xander and Dawn sat in the living room of their home on Revello Drive.  Once they'd gotten Giles' things settled into the house, a pregnant silence had permiated the group.  For a few minutes they each pretended to be doing something or interested in something, but eventually all activity had stopped as the dread again overtook them.  Each afraid to talk about it.  Afraid to make it seem more real; afraid that if they spoke the words they'd be etched in stone. 

Giles sighed and then spoke "Well, I suppose we should go over the clues we have."

Buffy started to answer him "Alright so far…" But she was stopped by a knock on the door.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Dumbledore unfolded his lean body from the cab, looking at the two-story home. It seemed so normal, like something out of a muggle picture book.  The whole street was lined with houses that looked ordinary.  If one didn't know better it'd be hard to convince them that this place was a Hellmouth.  For a moment the elderly wizard stopped, thought about what he was about to do.  Yes, he'd bring relief and good news about the witch.  But anyone could do that, and his visit held much more purpose.  He was about to go in there and upset their whole world, tell them things that they'd never known to be true and ask them to fight a fight that for all intents and purposes wasn't theirs.  Yes, in the bigger picture the slayer was designed to fight evil, but long ago the line had been drawn between the muggle world and the wizarding world.  And the Vampire Slayer was the Muggle's champion. Now he was going to go into this ordinary little house and cross boundaries that been in place for thousands of years, and he wasn't a fool, he knew there were reasons, very good reasons that the two worlds were separate.  But he was afraid, afraid for Harry, afraid for the School, and ashamedly afraid for himself.  Not only was he afraid, but a little desperate too.  He was at the end of his knowledge, he could remember being younger and pompously thinking that there was no end.  But now there was more at stake, keeping Harry safe was the most important thing and he couldn't do it by himself anymore, he'd more than proved that watching Sirius die. So here he was, the Champion of the Wizarding world, here to beg and if need be bargain with the Muggle Champion in order to save his world.

"You know here in America, we pay cab drivers!" The little man who sat behind the driver's seat of the cab that Dumbledore had gotten out of yelled at him.   This outburst shook Dumbledore out of his thoughts.  He pulled out what he thought would be a sufficient amount of American money out of his robes and handed the wad to the driver.  The Cab Driver smiled greedily at the twenties in his hand and sped away without another word.  And at that Dumbledore walked onto the front porch and knocked on the door.

Buffy looked through the peephole (it was Sunnydale after all) before answering the door to a rather strangely dressed gray-haired man.  Drawing upon reserves she didn't know she had; she smiled at the man before speaking. "I'm sorry sir, I'm sure whatever you're selling is brilliant but now just isn't the time for it."  She turned to shut the door but before she could the man stepped inside, holding the door open in the process.

"Miss Summers if you would please allow me to introduce myself, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  Buffy watched the man force himself into her home and normally that kind of action would put her on guard, but for some reason he didn't register with as the dangerous type.  And at the same moment Buffy was realizing this; Giles was remembering the incident outside of the airport with the man who had now firmly planted himself in the entryway. 

Buffy again smiled gently at the man, and spoke "I'm sorry sir, we really don't have anyone who'd be interesting in joining a correspondence course right now.  Why don't you come back in a few weeks?"  He'd known her name and for some reason she had used her best manners speaking to this man.  She decided she analyze both of those facts later when she had time.  And perhaps Willow had been interested in this school, but thoughts of Willow brought back to the fact that this stranger in her home was hindering whatever it was that they were supposed to be doing to save her.  That thought was interrupted however as the Mr. Dumbledore spoke again. 

"Miss Summers, please allow me to explain myself."  Seeing that she wasn't going to get the man out of her house short of physically removing him (and she didn't really want to do that) she decided to listen to what he had to say.

The man reached into the case that he was carrying and pulled out a jacket, handing it to Buffy he asked her if she recognized it.  But before Buffy could look at it too closely Xander grabbed it out his hands and moved menacingly toward the old man. 

"That's Willow's jacket, where the hell did you get it?"  The usually non-violent Xander penned Dumbledore against the wall.  And just as suddenly as it all happened Xander was thrown away from him.  At this movement Buffy pulled a stake out of her pocket, Dawn unclothed a dagger, Giles picked up a pix-axe from the coffee table and Xander grabbed a sword that had been lying propped up against the fireplace. All four stood in fighting stance staring at the strange man.

Dumbledore couldn't believe it, one minute he was removing the overzealous young man from his robes and the next there were four heavily armed people staring him down.  They'd moved so quickly towards the weapons, fluidity in all of their movements; not just the slayers.  He'd have to hand it to them; they were just as amazing as all the stories had claimed.  He couldn't help but smile in awe before speaking.

"I got the jacket from Miss Rosenberg, she was wearing it when I found her." 

 They started to speak, bombarding him with questions in quick order, almost like it'd been rehearsed.  That was how well they knew each other

"You found her?" Buffy asked not moving an inch and feeling betrayed by the man she had instinctively trusted upon his arrival at the door. 

"What does that mean? Is she safe?"  Dawn asked

"Where is she at?" Xander demanded in voice that was altogether rougher than normal.

And then before any of the questions could be answered Giles asked the one question the others were afraid to.  "Is she alive?"

Dumbledore couldn't help but brood before answering.  If any of the member's of the Order of the Phoenix worked as well together as these four, he wouldn't have to be here.  "Yes, she's alive.  Barely, but alive. And she safer, probably safer than she's ever been before. However before interrupting me again could you please give a chance to explain who I am?"

He paused as he stared at each of them.

"As I said before my name is Albus Dumbledore and I am Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I'm also a member of the International Confederation of Wizards and the recently re-instated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot."

"Wizenwhat?" Dawn blurted out before Buffy could shush her.

Dumbledore continued ignoring the interruption "Now that you know who I am, I'll try to explain to you as best I can why I'm here.  You see a very powerful wizard hurt Miss Rosenberg very badly; and somebody left her outside of our gates, for whatever reason I'm not sure.  It doesn't do to guess to soon the motivation of your enemies." 

He was going to wait a moment before going into any more detail but Xander spoke "Well, we know why he did it." 

Giles gave the younger man a reprimanding look that clearly said, "Shut your trap."  But before Giles could actually say the words Dumbledore started speaking again. 

"I know what you are Miss Summers, and what you three are to her.  I've heard stories of your group of friends.  It's something of a legend where I come from.  The slayer who-died-twice, the white knight, the watcher, the key, and the redheaded witch.  Not to mention the others who make appearances in the tales told about you, a werewolf, a souled vampire, a neutered vampire, and an ex-demon."

"People tell stories about us?" Buffy asked with almost a look of pride on her face.

"Well not stories exactly.  It's more like reports, it's important for the people in the Wizarding world to know what's going on outside of it.  And you make for an amazing story over a glass of cognac.  And I'm sure I've only heard the stories of your biggest battles."  Dumbledore explained.

Buffy looked at him for a moment listening to the information he'd given her, mulling it over in her head and fighting with the conflicting emotions she felt.  Elation at knowing Willow was alive, worry about how alive she was, and a slight irritation with the explanation the older wizard had just given.

"If you've heard of us, why in all of our research have we never heard of you?"

"Because your not supposed to.  We have a whole legion of wizards and witches who make it their life's work to keep Muggles from finding out about us…" He was going to continue speaking but he was interrupted yet again.

This interruption was courtesy of Xander who had been paying close attention to the words of the robed gentleman "Who are Muggles?"

"Muggles would be any non-magical person, i.e. you.  And as I was saying you're not supposed to.  The Wizarding world is kept in great secret for both our protection and your own good."

"But yet you people have been watching us the whole time" And this was the part that was really getting to Buffy.  "And you never did anything, you knew that the world almost ended several times and you never tried to help?  All those times that it was almost the end and we would have done anything for a little extra help, all those times I died.  Your world knew?"  She thought about continuing to rant, but for once decided to shut her mouth, this man had Willow and she was the bottom line, she'd fight with him after Willow was safe, well at least that's what she thought until Dumbledore spoke again, replying to her tirade.

"Well I can't give you an excuse, but I can try and explain our reasons.  A large part of it is that most Wizards and Witches see anything having to do with Demons as being a "muggle problem".  Therefore not for them to worry about. And as I said before it's not an excuse, but it is a fact.  And we've been busy with a lot of problems of our own.  A Hellmouth is the least of our worries, especially when we know a capable slayer and her friends are there.  We could go back and forth with this until next week, but in the end it comes down to this.  You fought the evil, and lived to tell about it. Everything else is just details.  And details can be discussed later."  Dumbledore almost fumbled for the words to make everything right, he'd never felt more inadequate at explaining something in his life. And he knew it was because there was no way to explain it easily.  There just weren't excuses for some actions and all the talking in the world couldn't make it better. 

Buffy listened to the man try and explain it, and as much as she wanted to sit and discuss this and rage against the bitterness that was already consuming her, some of what he said did make since but it still left a lot of things unanswered for.  But now wasn't the time for answers; now was the time for action. 

"So if you know who's doing this tell us. So we can go and kick some major ass." Buffy demanded of the man.

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple Miss Summer's, if a simple..." Dumbledore cleared his throat, "ass kicking was all he needed it would have been done along time ago."

"Well along time ago you didn't have a slayer, now you do." Buffy was getting impatient with the man, he never seemed to give complete answers and the need for revenge was flowing through her.  "Now if you'll just let us bring Willow back, tell us where this big bad is and who he is you can be on your way.  We've faced worse before without your kind's help and we'll do it again."

At the end of these instructions Dumbledore spoke again, but this time his voice wasn't calm or collected.  And as though gathering himself up he appeared taller and more imposing than he had before "Miss Summers you have a very small view of what you refer to as my kind, a view that can't be more than ten minutes old, so don't assume things that may not be true, because I assure that Voldemort is above and beyond anything you've ever faced before."  As he spoke the room seemed to get darker, and Buffy could swear she felt a chilling breeze blow against her face. 

As Dumbledore finished things in the room seemed to fall back to normal and it seemed once again that they were only talking to an elderly gentleman.  And at this Dawn seemed to finally collect her wits and spoke.  "Well, what now?"

"Although it may seem contrite after everything we've just discussed and I understand if you refuse, I came here for more than one reason…."  Dumbledore was going to continue but yet again the slayer interrupted him.

"You came here for help."

"Well, Yes.  You see…" again an interruption

"No explanation's right now, I don't care.  Take us to Willow, then we'll help.  It's what we do."