Chapter Nine: Surprises
Buffy followed the headmaster to his office, unnerved by his unusually somber demeanor. His eyes didn't hold the ever-present twinkle that calmed her to no end, and he didn't give her the half smile he typically saved for hard news.
In his office, she grew even more worried for the pictures were empty, and even if it was common for the people to move, never had they all gone at one time. Fawkes too seemed to be missing, a fact that Buffy found odd but not unsettling. Dumbledore motioned for her to sit before him, trying unsuccessfully to do the little half smile thing.
"My dear, Cornelius Fudge came to visit me today. He was rather angry about…" Albus started but stopped seeing Buffy's panic stricken face.
"But I didn't do anything!" The slayer contested. She'd jumped from her seat, and paced across the floor. "McGonagall told me that the Ministry might have questions about me, especially after the whole Umbridge fiasco, but I figured they'd atleast wait until I'd done something wrong!"
"Buffy," he tried to soothe in vain.
"Not that I would have done anything wrong, because really this is the only place I have left and contrary to popular belief I'm not stupid enough to mess with the magical. I saw what happened to Wills, with the black and bad and all, and she was totally fine before then. So really what did he say that I did? I swear I didn't do it! It's like having another Snyder around, always making things up or twisting around the truth…"
"Buffy," Albus tried again, and this time she seemed to hear him.
"What? Am I really in trouble, Albus? I don't remember doing…" Buffy calmed enough to sound hesitant and self-conscious.
Dumbledore suddenly realized just how unsure the slayer felt about her life at Hogwarts. She felt as though if she did anything wrong that they would get rid of her, or worse send her to Azkaban. He shuddered to think just what the dementors would pull from her memories to torture her with. Albus felt guilty for not seeing this earlier and relieving her fears.
"No Buffy, you've done nothing wrong," he confirmed. "Fudge just happened to hear a human shouting about not being about to find you. He's angry with me for letting a muggle in the school. Obviously he knows nothing of your abilities and I'd like to keep it that way, but we have to find some way to justify you being here. That is for later however, because after finding out whom the muggle was, I felt that I should bring him here. This way you can explain about your position in person and make sure that they understand. I must admit I was quite taken aback finding out who it was. When I came to the funeral, you were by yourself and you did confirm having no one to go to… Nonetheless I'll go and convey him here."
Buffy racked her mind to think of anyone who would be worried about her. She could only think of few, and they were all buried six feet below the ground. Hearing approaching footsteps, she turned to the door just as it opened.
The slayer remained facing the door with unseeing eyes and unmoving feet because there in front of her stood the angry figure of Hank Summers.
