Title: A Broken Beginning Ch 15

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: 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.

A/N**It's a little shorter than the last chapter, but I had it written and I'm going to be gone this weekend so I thought I'd post it tonight.  Plus I think it fits as it's own chapter.

Thank you to everyone who emailed me and left reviews letting me know about the chapter mistake, honestly I noticed it about three minutes after I posted it.  Even though I fixed it right away it didn't show up until morning.

Thank you to my lone reviewer (sniff sniff)

Paz-54- I was really proud of that. It's something that sometimes bothers me about other Harry Potter crossover fics.  Both my brother proofreads this looking for plot holes and I'm very happy to add that he very rarely finds them.  Oh and if I tell you I'll give something away.  But nice catch there nonetheless.

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

"What do you mean stood Buffy up?" Xander turned to Dawn with the question, the rest of the people were silent as they heard the exchange between Buffy and Charlie.  But even as he was asking realization dawned on him.

Xander looked at Buffy then turned to Charlie.

"You're an idiot"

Charlie looked at the dark-haired man with Buffy, jealousy unexpectedly creeping up on him and replied.

"I know"

            Dumbledore looked at all of the young people, wondering like the rest of them, how Buffy and Charlie knew each other.  But he also knew there were more important things on hand than failed love affairs. 

"As interesting as this all is, there are other things we need to worry about right now." 

"Like Willow" Giles finished for him

"We need to see her now" Dawn insisted immediately

"Where is she?" Xander asked

"Oh God, Willow" Buffy said quietly.  She couldn't believe that for that brief moment when she'd first realized that it was Charlie standing across from her she'd forgotten about Willow. 

"We won't do anything else until we see her! Until we know she's safe."  Buffy mentally tried to make up for her forgetfulness by being fierce to Dumbledore.

"I didn't think you would." Dumbledore answered tiredly.  The girl really did take a lot of energy to handle.

"Well then take us too her." She insisted even though she knew she sounded foolish.

"Miss Summer's what does it look I'm doing" She was tiring his nerves.

Buffy could hear the edge in his voice, and even though a little voice in the back of her head told her to shut up, she couldn't help but try and have the last word.

"Than why are we stopped?"

Xander looked at Buffy and Dumbledore, the power radiating from both of them.  He was afraid they were broaching a full-fledged fight.  And as much as he wasn't sure about trusting Dumbledore completely, he was the man who had Willow, and therefore not one to alienate completely.  He had to do something to alleviate the tension.

"Buffy." Xander answered her by motioning to the group of strangers standing across from them.

"Oh, Yeah, that." Buffy answered somewhat sheepishly

But before anything else could be said Dawn spoke.

 "Ok, as much as I'm sure it was nice to meet all of you, can we save introductions and explanations until later?  Right now I want to see Willow" Dawn had had enough of all of this; she needed to see Willow, to know that she was OK.  She knew things would be better if they could just see her. 

With that, Dumbledore led the Scoobies to the Hospital Wing; Ron, Hermione, Harry, Charlie and Percy closely followed them.  As the new arrivals were toward the Wing ahead of them, Ron slowed the group and turned to his brothers to speak.

 "You're here because of that witch and the dark mark last night right?"

"How do you know about that?" Percy answered

"Doesn't much happen here that we don't know about. " Hermione interjected in their conversation

"You didn't know we were here" Charlie quipped

"We've been doing research all day" Harry joined the conversation

"What were you researching?" Percy asked

"The witch, the slayer, and the Hellmouth" Ron answered

"Did you find out anything interesting? Charlie eagerly asked

"Yeah, a couple of things" Hermione vaguely answered

"Like what?" Charlie nagged

"We'll tell you later" Harry answered appeasing the elder Weasley brothers for the moment.

They continued to follow the new arrivals until they reached the infirmary.  Again Ron stopped them.

"We should give them time to see her by themselves."

 "You're right Ron" Charlie agreed.

"Yeah, it's a private moment, it's not like we haven't seen her already." Harry commented

"I haven't" Hermione spoke but quickly added "But that's not important.  They're her friends."

"So what's with you and the slayer?"  Ron asked Charlie

"What slayer?" Charlie wasn't making the connection and didn't know who they were talking about.

"The blonde girl" Ron answered back

"You think Buffy's the slayer?" Percy interjected

"We know she is." Hermione answered him

"How?" Charlie asked

"The American Headmaster told us the Slayer's name" Harry informed them

"Dumbledore didn't mention a name, only that he was going to find her.  Otherwise I would have made the connection sooner." Percy informed them haughtily

"Yeah I had no idea that Buffy was the Slayer he went looking for" Charlie seemed shocked at the information

"He went looking for the slayer?" Harry asked, "He didn't mention that before"

"Yeah that's where he's been all day, and that's who those people are."  Charlie now acted like he was stating the obvious.

"The American Headmaster mentioned she worked with a group" Hermione commented

"Yeah, I've heard stories." A slow grin spread across Charlie's face

"Really, there are stories about the Slayer?" Ron asked excitedly

"Why haven't we heard them?" Harry immediately followed Ron's question with one of his own.

"You're too young" Percy and Charlie answered at the same time.

Ron grinned before speaking next.  "But you still didn't answer my question, what's going on with you and the Slayer?"  Charlie frowned at his brother before answering.  "Exactly what that girl said.  I stood Buffy up.  That's it."

"You Idiot" Harry repeated the man's words from earlier.  And with that exclamation Ron and Percy shook their heads in agreement.

"Listen it's not like I had a choice.  Remember, I'm a member of the Order of the Phoenix, you know how they like to send strange orders in the middle of lunch?  Does it ring a bell to anyone?"

"You're still an idiot;" Hermione spoke. 

"What? What could I have done?" Charlie impatiently asked her. 

Ron and Harry Grimaced.  They knew what was coming next.

"Oh I don't know, called?  Men can be so callus sometimes, I'm sure she was upset when you didn't show up.  Did it ever occur to you to think of her feelings?"

" Yes because I have so much experience with phones"

"Oh don't try that Charlie…" She was going to finish her tirade when Harry quickly pulled her aside and whispered in her ear.  "You've been to the Burrow right?  You know they don't have them there.  If he's anything as adept as his father with Muggle inventions it's a good thing he didn't call.  So just give him a break, we're all under a lot of stress here" 

"Alright" Hermione agreed but when she turned back to the group she gave Charlie a pointed glare.

"Should we go in now?" Harry asked the group

"I guess, it's been about 15 minutes, it should be ok."

            The group walked in to find their new arrivals around the witch's bed.  Huddled together with tears streaming down their faces, but there was something else there too, Relief.