Lol 'emasculating' was my attempt at being smart, but it completely backfired. Thanks for letting me know, I have gone back and changed it so it now makes sense. By any chance, does anyone know the opposite of emasculating?
Chapter 16
Sunday came,
and Joyce cooked a huge meal for all of the guests. Moody sent his apologies
and was not present. Buffy did not know where he went, but she knew he was busy
doing something important for the cause. The meal was successful, Buffy glad to
be home once again, but at the same time in a state of anticipation to be
returning to Hogwarts, and Angel. The afternoon drew to its end and Moody
arrived back at the Summers household, furtively avoiding Buffy and Harry's
curious glances. Dumbledore received an old sock from Joyce, and he charmed it
into a portkey.
"Goodbye," Buffy said, hugging her
mother gently. "I'll miss you. But I promise I'll
write and I'll visit again." She brushed away her mother's tears. "It's better
this way." She hugged her again, and then turned to Giles.
"Call me if anything happens," she said
seriously. "I'll come back if you need me in a second." She hugged him too, and
then opened her arms to Willow and Xander. The three hugged for a
long time, and when they pulled apart, Buffy was crying.
"I'll be back soon," she sniffled.
"Promise you'll write to me, and take care of yourselves."
"We'll miss you Buff," Xander said, now
wiping away her tears. "Do good at this school, kay?" He nodded to Harry, Moody
and Dumbledore. "Nice to meet you." They shook his hands, and finally, they were
ready to leave. For a moment they stood still, Buffy unable to leave.
"Okay, I have to go," she said, as if
she were convincing herself. She pulled herself together, shifting the bag of
clothes she had collected from her room, not having taken enough with her when
she went to LA. She took hold of the sock that Dumbledore held out, and waved
at her friends as she was lifted from the ground once again.
She landed hard in Dumbledore's Office, but this time managed to keep on her
feet. Immediately as they arrived, Moody left the office, saying his goodbyes
and explaining that he was wanted at the Ministry. Buffy watched his departing
back, wondering just what he had got up to while he was in Sunnydale.
"You two can return to your common
room," Dumbledore said kindly. "It is eleven o clock UK time, and I'm sure you want to get
some sleep." Buffy and Harry carried their bags down the moving staircase and
once again found themselves in the familiar stone corridors of Hogwarts.
"Harry," Buffy began. He looked round at
her.
"It's okay, I'll take them back to the
dormitory," Harry said before she could continue. "Go and see him." Buffy
smiled at him, dropped her bags and ran down the corridor. She skipped down the
steps to the dungeons and found herself in the dark dampness of the dungeons.
Travelling down into the darkest parts of the dungeons, where Buffy knew Angel
to be, she could hardly contain her excitement. Turning a corner into the area
that was never used, Buffy saw a door that was ajar and had soft candlelight
seeping out of it. She entered the room, and then stopped dead.
Professor Snape stood in front of her, his back to her, wand raised and pointed
at Angle who stood before him.
"I'll ask again," Snape murmured
angrily. "Who are you and what are you doing in this castle?" Angel's eyes
flickered towards Buffy, but knowing what the wand could do, he did not speak.
Snape backed up so that Buffy was in his eye line.
"Ah Miss Summers," he said nastily. "I
believe this is your line of work, or so I am told. This vampire has infiltrated
the castle, and not wanting to show doubt in your abilities, I think it is time
for you to do what you are meant to do." Buffy scrutinized Snape.
"He's not dangerous," she said quietly. "Angle isn't going to harm any one."
"Angelus?" Snape said quickly. "The scourge of
Europe not harming anyone, I do believe
Potter has rubbed off his story telling skills on you, Miss Summers."
"Look back off, okay?" Buffy said
heatedly. "Dumbledore sent him here."
"I seriously doubt that," Snape said. "Dumbledore
would not have sent a killer here, much less a vampire."
"People change," Buffy said bluntly. "You did,
and Dumbledore trusted you, harry told me. Show something that will make the
rest of us believe you actually were being sincere. Back off." She crouched
very slightly, something Snape didn't notice, but Angel did.
"Don't talk about things you don't
understand," Snape said furiously, his pale face flushed with rage. "You come
here, and all of a sudden you are the expert on our lives. You know nothing
about me, nothing about anything. You are a common muggle, given powers she is
too immature to wield. Go back to California, maybe you can actually be some use
there."
Buffy
sprang at him, knocking him back against the wall, and causing his wand to
clatter to the floor. She held him to the wall, just as she had done Malfoy.
"I know nothing?" she hissed. "I know
more about you than you think. I know that you were a death eater and the only
one who trusts you is Dumbledore. I know that it is your fault that Harry lost
his Godfather, because of a childish grudge. And you call me immature? You're mistaken;
it's you that knows nothing." Buffy was incensed with rage, but a hand on her
shoulder caused her to relax slightly.
"Buffy," Angel said softly. "Save it for
someone more worthwhile." Buffy reluctantly released Snape who dived for the
floor and picked up his wand, and once again raised it.
"Oh please," Buffy said scornfully. "Between
us, you would be floored before you could draw breath to say an incantation."
She stared at Snape, and the door flew open, to reveal Dumbledore outlined in
the door frame.
"Severus," he greeted him calmly. "I see
you have met our new guest." Snape glanced sideways in disbelief at Dumbledore.
"He will be staying in this dungeon for
an undecided amount of time," Dumbledore continued calmly. "I trust you to make
him welcome; he will be living in your department." Buffy and Angel exchanged
amused glances at the look of horror on Snapes face.
"Professor
you can't expect me to harbour…this?" he said with mingled distaste and horror.
"A known killer and a vampire at that?"
"I believe his name is Angel," Dumbledore
said, as serene as ever. "A killer he may be, but as I think you know well,
what matters is a man's future and what he wants to make of that, not his past."
Snape stared unfalteringly at Dumbledore for a few seconds, and then strode out
of the room.
Dumbledore
looked at Angel and Buffy, and Buffy could've sworn she saw a glint of
happiness in his eye.
"As I said, you are welcome to stay
here," Dumbledore said. "A long time ago I took an interest in you Angel, some
would call it foolish but I try to see the good in people. And what you
accomplished after that made me feel my hopes for you were founded. I'll leave
you now, but tomorrow I will visit, and we can see about making your quarters more
comfortable." He smiled at them again, and then left the dungeon room.
