Chapter 7 - Return to Hogwarts

Hermione and Ron came to stay with Harry shortly, and the house was now very full. Harry liked it though, the people he was happiest with were all in one place. They wasted their time playing Quidditch in the garden and generally doing nothing. It was by far the best summer that Harry had ever had. He didn't see much of Sirius and he saw even less of the Scoobies, since they were constantly going by Floo to Hogwarts to look at the Slayer Academy and to check out the building work. Xander insisted on being a part of building it, even though it was being built by magic.

A week before they were due to return to Hogwarts, their letters arrived. Hermione ripped hers opened eagerly and scanned it quickly.
"Couple of new books," she said absently, "We need bigger cauldrons. And I got Head Girl! And you're Head Boy Ron, good!." Harry found this no longer bothered him in the slightest.

Hermione frowned and looked closer at the letter.
"Hey it says on the main letter that they are offering new classes," she said bemusedly, "Practical Defence classes, History of the Slayer and Vampire, Demon Lore, and Watcher classes. Guess they must be at the Slayer Academy. Says we are supposed to owl them if we want to take them, and get the extra books it says on the letter."

"I'm going to," Harry decided, "It'll be extra work, but we don't have to take a NEWT in it, we get a different qualification from the Academy, Buffy said. It'd be interesting." They all agreed they were going to take all the classes.
"I'm definitely going to do it," Dawn announced, "I want to be a watcher after Hogwarts so I've got to have all three classes. It should be ok anyway, I've got loads of experience in that stuff."

"You're going to be tutoring us then," Harry said, "Since we have no idea!"

The final week of the holidays passed quickly, with a visit to Diagon Alley to pick up supplies. This year

was a lot more comfortable, after Arthur Weasley fighting in the battle at Hogwarts, he had been given a

raise by Fudge, and the Weasley money situation was not such a difficult subject. In fact Ron was happy to talk about it.

"We're talking about moving," he announced, "To somewhere a little bigger. Mum's over the moon, can't stop talking about it." Harry was pleased for the family, he couldn't think of anyone who deserved it more.


On the 1st September, Harry, Dawn, Ron and Hermione were taken to Kings Cross by Giles who was the only Scooby free that day. Harry had seen Sirius at breakfast that morning, but he was not too worried since he was to be teaching at Hogwarts again, this time alone, and so Harry would see him everyday. They waved goodbye to Giles from the train window, though they would see him at the Academy, and the train chugged out of the platform.

"Well if it isn't the mudblood parade," a cold voice drawled. Harry looked up to see Draco Malfoy enter the carriage, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Bet you're not sitting so comfortably this year," Malfoy continued, "You're a marked man Potter. Looks like you haven't even got your little Slayer to protect you." He looked back down the corridor of the train, then pulled his wand out. Harry laughed in Malfoys face.

"You don't want to bother with that," Harry said, still laughing. Malfoys eyes narrowed. He lifted his wand.
"Tarrantellegra," he muttered, and a red light shot at harry. Harry lifted his hand, and the light appeared to melt into the air. Malfoy's face turned bright red, then paled more than usual.
"What…the?" he sputtered. He turned to leave.
"The dark lord will teach you a lesson, potter," he scowled at Harry before leaving the carriage.
"It's kind of a shame he left," Dawn commented, "I wanted to see how many shades his face could go through." They all laughed.
"His face was great," Ron agreed, "But you'd better watch it, Harry, you know he won't let it lie."

Harry shrugged.
"I'm not worried," Harry said, "Voldemort bothers me, but Malfoy doesn't. He's nothing, and I'm going to make sure that his dad gets a long jail sentence when they catch him again."

It was well into the trip when Ron brought up something Harry hadn't thought about in a long time.

"Did I tell you about Percy?" he asked,. Harry shook his head, sitting up at the mention of the third oldest Weasley brother.

"Well you know he didn't bother to get in touch, even after Voldemort turned up in the Ministry? Well a couple of weeks ago, he wrote to us, and then came round and he made up with mum and dad, and apologised and all that. The rest of the family aren't that keen, but we're going along with it for mum's sake. He says to apologise to you." Harry looked away.
"I know," Ron said, "I feel the same, but he's my brother so there's not much I can do about it. And he is trying, I mean Fred and George have been trying out all their new products on him and he hasn't said a word. It's quite funny actually, one morning he came to breakfast with green hair and a tail, and just acted like nothing was wrong….."
"It's ok," harry said reasonably, "It was just at the time, it felt like the whole world was against me, and then your brother, who I stayed in the same house as, acting like I was a total stranger."

They arrived at Hogwarts late that evening, and unlike past arrivals, the night was actually balmy and hot. Hagrid waved wildly at them as they moved towards the carriages, and he took the first years to the harbour. The four of them settled in a carriage pulled by thestrals, and it trundled up to the school. When they got out of the carriage, the change to the scenery was apparent. Just behind Hogwarts, but still visible from the front, on the left, was a smaller castle, which looked like an extension of Hogwarts, and it effectively was, since Harry could see where the two buildings linked. He entered the entrance hall, and went into the Great Hall, where more changes had taken place. The hall had been enlarged over the summer, to accommodate for a lengthened staff table which the Scoobies running the Academy sat at. It also had another table, alongside the other house table, filled with girls, Slayers. The hall was filled with whispering as people wondered about the addition of the castle and the table, fearing that war was again coming to Hogwarts. Dumbledore rose from his seat and the room fell silent as the first years filed in behind Professor McGonagall.
"Before we begin with the sorting, I would like to satisfy the burning curiosity which I am sure possesses all of you," he announced, his moustache twitching. "The new building that you may have seen is The Slayer Academy. It is a new school, to be run by Ms Black, Mr Giles, and Miss , erm Faith. Also teaching there will be Mr. Harris and Miss Rosenburg, plus various guests. There is no cause for alarm, we aren't preparing for another war, it is simply a new school where the Slayers will be taught as they are called. The new classes, talked about on your letters, will also be taken there with the teachers. The schools will cross over at meal times, as the Academy students will be having meals with us.

Now lets commence with the sorting."

"Ms Black," Buffy mused, "I like the sound of that."

"Me too," Sirius agreed, "But what's with the Ms? Why not Mrs?"

"Because Mrs sounds old," Buffy shivered, "Ms is cool and modern." Sirius laughed a tickled her ribs.

"You're going to have to get old sometime, Mrs Black," he said, "But don't worry I'll carry you upstairs when you can't walk anymore."

"I think I'll be the one carrying you upstairs, Mr Black," Buffy declared, helping herself to the food that had just appeared in front of them, "Slayer strength and all, y'know."

Buffy and Sirius had decided that although it would've been ok, since they were working at the same place, they were not going to live at the Castle. They were going to commute from Grimmauld Place everyday by Floo, so they could have a little privacy and alone time in their own home. Buffy had had a room put in for them in the Academy, just in case they had to stay there. That night however they went home to London.
"here you go Mrs black, you little old lady," Sirius said picking Buffy up, and making her shriek. "I'll carry you upstairs." Buffy wriggled out of his arms, and picked him up instead.

"You know what your arthritis is like," she said, mock serious, and she carried him up the grand staircase.