The quotes in the story, if they look familiar, should. They're from Jack London's "The Call of the Wild". I only rearranged the words to let it fit into the context.
Onto the show...
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Chapter 20
Call of the Wild
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Over the next few weeks, Dawn noticed a major change in the way people acted around her. She noticed it especially in her classes, with the Slytherins all treating her like royal dung. It was even more evident that every time she stepped into the Great Hall, she would have to endure Pansy Parkinson shrieking, "Hey, Mudblood! Harris! Over there!"
Dawn knew it was in her best interest to ignore them all, but it was so hard, considering how she really felt. It was most painful in Potions, since she and Draco shared the same table and the same text half of the time since Dawn had misplaced hers. He was still cold toward her, but he never joined in with the mocking. Whenever he glanced at her, his jaw would set and his gaze would avert all over.
Sick and tired of feeling miserable, Dawn poured her rage into Quidditch, making save after spectacular save as Ravenclaw rolled over Hufflepuff. Cho was especially pleased, saying that if Gryffindor beat Slytherin in the mid-February matchup by over a hundred and seventy points, Ravenclaw would be playing a rematch for last year's Quidditch Cup loss. That, and Hufflepuff beating Slytherin in the March game.
Dawn also redoubled her efforts in DA meetings, which were being held twice a week as though Professor Summers was holding a whip. Harry knew he'd lost control when Buffy would show up and take them through drill after drill. After one particularly painful night, after Terry Boot had accidently sent a stack of books at her, Dawn decided the time had come to talk with Buffy.
Buffy lead her to her suite, which was empty. Dawn stepped inside, twisting her hands. Finally, she turned to Buffy. But her sister spoke first.
"I know what this is about," Buffy said, taking her usual seat. "It's about that Malfoy boy, isn't it?"
Dawn nodded, not able to find her voice.
"What happened, Dawnie?"
Dawn took a deep breath. "Everyone kept telling me what sort of a boy he was. Evil, manipulative, cunning... but was he ever any of that to me? No. He was sweet, charming and so nice... he fooled me into liking him, to getting my heart involved." Her face twisted bitterly. "But nobody ever told me that he despised those muggle-borns."
Buffy's face softened and she moved to Dawn's side. "And you told him the truth?"
"I figured that if he found it out from me, he wouldn't have to hear it from anyone else," Dawn replied tearfully. "So I did it. I'm not sorry I did, because he has every right to hate me."
Buffy watched as Dawn dissolved back into tears before wrapping her arms tightly around her sister. "Shhhhh," she said soothingly. "Dawnie, listen to me. I know you're hurt and you're angry and you have every right to hate this boy. But you don't, do you? No matter how much he's hurt you, no matter how angry he's made you, you just can't seem to stop caring."
Dawn nodded, wiping her eyes and sniffling. "I guess you're right."
"I know I am. It's a big sister perrogative," Buffy said, grinning.
"I just don't know if I can stand there and watch him hate me," Dawn said in a tiny voice.
"He'll come around," Buffy said softly. "And if he doesn't, I can confine him to the greenhouses and make him squeeze bubotuber pus for the rest of term."
Dawn smiled in spite of herself. "Thanks, Buffy... you've always been there, no matter what."
"I always will be," Buffy said gently, tucking a lock of Dawn's hair behind her ear. "Hasn't my coming back to life taught you anything?"
"It tells me one thing," Dawn whispered, her face shining with tears. "Anything's possible."
Dawn smiled, remembering that conversation as she entered the library and handed Madame Pince a booklist and watched as the older witch scurried off to get the required books.
Over in the corner was Ginny Weasley with the rest of the fifth years, all huddled over library books, preparing to take on their OWLs. Dawn wanted to talk to her but held back, especially when she spied Harry entering the library with Ron and Hermione. Harry purposely avoided her, something that Ginny had been made well aware of, because her eyes narrowed and a look of sheer determination filled her expression.
But it came to her surprise the next day when Ron and Malfoy had a row in Double Potions. Snape, who was already full of bitterness for some reason or another, punished them both with detention after the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff sixth years protested Ron's punishment. And for some odd reason, Dawn felt satisfaction as Malfoy turned to her, a light dying in his clear silvery eyes.
That night at the Great Hall, Tara approached both tables and announced that Ron and Draco would be serving detention with her that evening on her patrol of the outer edges of the Forests. At the same time, Professor Summers approached Harry to discuss something with him. After arranging a meeting at Hagrids later that evening, she and Tara went out of the Great Hall, just as Professor McGonagall swooped down on them.
"We have an emergency," she said quickly. "The Headmaster wishes to see all of you in his Office, immediately."
Tara and Buffy, with Willow cat clutched in Tara's arms, ran up the stairs after Professor McGonagall until they reached the gargoyles.
The mood in Dumbledores office was grave. Hagrid and Professor Snape were already present, both looking as though the world was coming to an end. To their surprise, Faith stood by the fireplace, nursing a rather deep cut on her arm.
"Ambushed," Faith said in a dead voice. "That village had no chance..."
"You aren't saying..." Tara gasped. "Hogsmeade?"
"It's been pillaged and burnt," Professor Snape replied in his docile tone.
"And the Slayers?" Buffy asked wildly, turning to Faith. "Are they all right?"
"As far as we know, they're alive," Faith said, while Buffy nearly cried out with relief. "They've disappeared into the forest though. They're being hunted by vampires." Her voice shook with disgust as she glanced at her wound, lifting a bloody bedsheet she was using to slow the bleeding.
"Deep in the forest a call is sounding," Dumbledore said in a grave voice. "And as often as the call is heard, mysterious, thrilling and luring, they feel compelled to turn their backs upon the fire and the beaten earth around it, and to plunge into the forest, and on and on."
The room was eerily silent until Dumbledore removed his glasses and for the first time in a long while, the ancient lines showed his fatigue. "Voldemort is calling them. The students don't stand a chance if they are able to venture into the Forests at will."
"It was my detention, sir," Snape replied icily.
"You must pull your Slayers from the Forest," Dumbledore said quietly, turning to Buffy and Faith. "They are in danger and will not survive."
Willow almost leapt with indignation onto Dumbledore's desk.
"Professor Summers, I want my students to be safe," Dumbledore said, finally directing his intentions towards her. "I trust that you are teaching them what they need to know."
"Oh," Buffy said, a grim look of pride crossing her face, "they're learning."
"And what of Hogsmeade?" Hagrid asked suddenly.
Faith's face fell slightly as she turned to answer the question. "Most of the buildings have been looted, the people have been feasted upon..." A look of sheer disgust crossed her face as she continued. "Everything that had anything to do with magic within the town was torched at the center square... a few buildings remain and a few survivors are scattered... but the town, as we all have known it, is dead."
"B-But they're non-magic creatures!" Hagrid shouted out. "How could they have known what they were attacking?"
"Because they're not muggles," Tara replied quietly.
The entire room fell silent before all eyes turned back to Buffy. "They may have taken the entertainment out of this school, but they will take it's spirit." She turned fiercely to Tara. "Let's go."
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Ron had just finished his dinner when Ginny showed up, sitting down on his right side and digging into her dinner with gusto.
"You're in a good mood," Ron commented darkly as he drained his pumpkin juice.
Ginny grinned at him. "It's because I have a fabulous older brother always looking out for me," she said cheerfully.
"It's because Malfoy has detention, isn't it?" Ron asked, his voice turning gloomy. "We get to patrol the edges of forest. Yay."
Ginny seemed to look right past his sarcasm for her eyes had settled on another figure re-entering the Great Hall. It was Harry, with Professor Summers at his side, both of them talking quickly.
Harry finally stopped when he reached Ron's seat. His eyes glanced quickly towards Ginny before he directed his urgent words toward Ron and Hermione, who was seated on Ron's left. "We've got trouble," he muttered at last.
Ginny averted his eyes from him and glanced at her meat pie. It had suddenly lost its appeal. Harry hiding any valuable information from her was an insult at best. Hadn't she gone into the Ministry of Magic last year, risking her life for some wild plot of Harry's that had turned out to be a mere brainwashing?
Infuriated, she watched as Ron glanced apologetically at her before leaving with Harry and Hermione. "Shut me out all you want, Harry," she whispered bitterly as she flung her fork down onto her plate and stood up, meaning to follow them.
As she walked out, she saw Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall walk back in, both looking grave. Professor Summers and Hagrid were standing together at the entrance, waiting for Harry. As he left, she spied Ron and Hermione and ducked away slightly, trying to stay out of their sight.
A few feet ahead of them, Hermione had just taken Ron's hand. "Be careful out there, Ron."
"You don't think I can take care of myself?" he asked lightly, but his eyes seemed to speak what his words denied... he was scared.
"You can," Hermione said simply, "and that is what's scaring me to death."
"I'll be okay, Hermione," he said, squeezing her hand. "Really. I'll see you in a few hours, okay?" Without waiting for her response, he bent over and kissed her cheek before turning and disappearing out the great double doors. Hermione stood there for a moment, then crossed her arms and retreated back into the Great Hall.
A moment later, Draco joined Ron, looking miserable about something. But before he could say anything, Tara appeared and they all marched outside.
Ron was scared. He couldn't deny it, no matter how much he wanted to. Something was out there, hunting Slayers and burning innocent wizarding villages. His stomach simply expressed his disbelief, remaining twisted and tight. Next to him, Draco made huffing noises, muttering about his father and what he would do if he knew that Professor Snape had forced him into detention with a weird blonde witch.
It gave Ron some satisfaction to know that Lucius Malfoy was still behind bars.
A sudden noise pulled him from his reverie. In front of him, Tara trembled, the cat inside her arms scratching the air, making choking noises.
"What was that?" Draco demanded loudly.
Ron could have hit him. But his eyes were on the clump of bushes in front of them and slightly to their right.
"Must have been the wind," Ron said in relief.
No sooner had he spoken did the bushes move again, as though something were running parallel to them.
Tara had frozen completely now, wand in hand. "Ron? Draco?" she asked, pointing her wand toward the clearing slightly ahead. "I want you to go to that clearing. And wait for me." Both boys glanced at each other before running for the opening. "Willow? I need you to go and get Buffy," she whispered, nuzzling the cat before setting it down. "We're being hunted."
As Willow darted toward Hagrids as darkness fell across the field, Tara turned slowly toward Ron and Draco, not daring to believe what would happen next.
Draco was still muttering as he and Ron stopped, panting, in the clearing. But Ron suddenly held out his hand, his eyes alert. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Draco gasped, finally standing up straight and looking around.
The bush in front of them seemed to burst before their eyes. Draco took one look at what emerged and screamed, backing away before fleeing.
Ron just stood there, staring at it, not feeling as it took his body, or the impact the ground had on it as the vampire flung him to the ground. Behind him, he could still hear Draco's terrified cries.
Ron gasped as his body lifted again and two cold arms encircled around his chest. He could feel the gasp near his left ear as a sharp pain took his neck as vampire teeth penetrated his skin.
A sudden wave of dizziness came over him and he faded out, not knowing what was happening.
"Ron!" A voice seemed to scream from nowhere.
Ron had the gentle sensation of floating to the ground as his body dropped harshly. Through the fog in front of his face, he saw a whirl of blonde hair as the female in front of him began to fight his attacker.
"Buffy!" A voice shrieked in the distance, and suddenly there was dark hair.
Ron let out a tiny whimper as the pain suddenly caved in on him. His neck burned and his hands, his robes, his everything was covered in his blood, including dust now filtering down upon him.
"Faith! We need help!"
"On it!" the second voice cried, and footsteps bounded away back toward the castle. Nearby, he could hear Tara whimper.
"Stay with us, Ron," the figure said, and suddenly Professor Summers' face came into focus. "Ron? Are you okay? Ron?"
But he couldn't speak. Darkness was settling in. He wanted to tell her how dark it was getting and wanted to ask why he couldn't see her anymore. She was still talking, but her voice seemed to be fading away.
"Ron? Ron?!" she cried out as more footsteps approached at a distance. "Ron!"
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To be continued...
Sorry guys... I couldn't do it. I couldn't make Draco another villain. So now he's a coward.
I know this chapter is a LITTLE short... but the next one, the continuation to this chapter, will be much, MUCH longer.
Chapter 21 -- the fight to save Ron...