Wow 20 chapters and I'm still liking this story! Actually not too sure where I'm going with it right now, though I do have a vague idea. Keep reading and reviewing coz I haven't had any for ages and it makes me depressed!
Chapter 20
Angel and
Buffy kept Harry, Hermione and Ron in a group between them as they headed back
up to school after their jubilant success. The three were still buzzing from
their first slaying outing, and Angel and Buffy kept exchanging amused glances as
the three exchanged stories excitedly.
They reached the entrance hall, all glad to be inside and away from the
darkness. The five of them began to walk back towards the Gryffindor Common
room, Buffy and Angel hand in hand, when they were stopped, by the sudden
appearance of Professor Snape.
"What are you doing leaving the castle
at this time of night?" he demanded furiously. Buffy eyed him casually.
"Dumbledore sent us to break up a nest
of vamps," she answered breezily.
"A Slayer and a vampire needed the assistance
of three adolescent poor excuses for wizards?" Snape said, arching an eyebrow.
"They just bagged a vamp," Buffy
informed him. "Staked it themselves." Snape glared at Buffy, but was apparently
lost for words.
"Well, if that's all, we'll be off then,"
Buffy announced. "Better go see Dumbledore." The five pushed past Snape,
leaving him standing in the corridor wearing a very ugly expression. Once they
were out of earshot, Buffy addressed them.
"I think we'd better go and see
Dumbledore actually," Buffy said thoughtfully. "Give him a mission update."
They turned left, and travelled up to Dumbledore's
office, opening the door at his agreement. He was alone, reading through some papers,
with a delicate silver instrument puffing and whistling next to him.
"Good evening," he said politely, putting his papers down. "I trust you were successful."
"Seven vampires in the nest," Buffy told him. "Harry,
Ron and Hermione staked one." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.
"Very impressive," he commented.
"It is okay that we went, right Professor?"
asked Harry, suddenly feeling they should've asked first.
"Don't make it a regular habit,"
Dumbledore said. "But I see no reason why the three of you shouldn't see Buffy
and Angel at work. I expect it could be useful for your Defence Against the Dark
Arts."
"Professor, do you normally get this kind of
vampire activity around Hogwarts?" Angel asked thoughtfully.
"No we don't," said Dumbledore bluntly.
Buffy nodded.
"I thought so," she said, "the nest, it wasn't a feeding nest. It was almost as if they were….."
"Spies," Angel filled in.
"It's quite possible," Dumbledore said
gravely. "Vampires have been known to align themselves with Lord Voldemort. He could
provide them with food and power, that which they desired most."
"I think we should make out patrol a regular thing," Buffy said authoritavely. "Keep an eye on the forest and the grounds; make sure nothing is watching that shouldn't be."
"I agree totally," Dumbledore replied. "Report to me if anything turns up."
Angel
walked Buffy and the others back to the Common Room, then left for his room,
after kissing Buffy goodnight. The common room was deserted and so Buffy, Hermione,
Ron and Harry headed for their respective dormitories. When Hermione and Buffy
arrived in theirs, they found Lavender and Parvati waiting for them.
"Was that your boyfriend?" Lavender
asked in awe. "He was gorgeous! How old is he, he looked about twenty!" Buffy
and Hermione exchanged glances.
"Yeah, that's my boyfriend," Buffy said
cautiously. "He's come to visit me, from America." She looked at Hermione again, and
then busied herself with getting ready for bed, avoiding the questions that Lavender
and Parvati threw at her.
By the next
morning, when Buffy had got ready for breakfast, the news of her American boyfriend
had spread around Gryffindor and was beginning to spread to the other houses.
Indeed, Buffy noticed Draco Malfoy whispering to his friends and throwing
malicious looks at her. Buffy didn't care, and ate her breakfast nonchalantly.
