So it begins.

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Chapter 22
Checkpoint

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The next few weeks passed without abandon, unless you count the students walking around in agonizing fear or the Professors averting their conversation away from the students. Professor Summers in particular was snappy and waspish around all students and seemed to be channeling Professor Snape, who was seen to be speaking with her a great deal more as they walked quickly to and fro in the corridors.

The only Professor willing to speak was Hagrid and he did it on reluctant terms, like when Harry and Hermione cornered him at his cottage one day in early March. He had just put their latest Care of Magical Creatures project in the ground and turned to them. "What are you two doin' here?"

"We fancied a visit," Hermione said boldly.

"I've just buried the oniadgers," Hagrid said in his gruff voice, meaning to shoo them away, but they stood their ground. "What is it?"

"Hagrid, if I were to say that the Professors have been shutting us out for the past few weeks since Ron's attack, what would you say to that?"

Hagrid sighed. "All righ', you two... get inside."

Hermione beamed to Harry in triumph before they followed him in.

"Blimey, Harry, I knew maybe yeh shoulda thought farther ahead," Hagrid began after pouring them overflowing glasses of dandelion juice. "They're not shuttin' you out, they're protectin' yeh, ter whole lot of yeh."

"Professor Summers told me right after Ron woke up that the vampires are now customed to drinking," Hermione began, a look of sheer disgust crossing her face when she thought about what she'd said, "wizard's blood."

"That's not all," Hagrid said in a gloomy voice as he sat. For the first time that they could remember, they hadn't seen Hagrid looking so gloomy. He wasn't sad, he wasn't hopeless, but he was definitely moody. "It's pure blood. Vampires can feed offa it. They thrive on it. And they'll be wantin' more."

"So that's why Ron has been locked up!" Hermione burst out. "They've been keeping him in isolation in case he conforms to one of them, but he won't, will he? He wasn't dead when that vampire..." she cupped a hand over her mouth and looked away, shock shining in her eyes. "Hagrid, please, you have to tell us. Ron almost died. Our Ron! My Ron!"

He looked from one to the other before draining his juice. "I can't," he said simply as he rose.

"Hagrid," Harry said earnestly, "I'm the only one who can stop Voldemort. I'm the only one that can kill an immortal Lord. I need to know."

"It's not yer time," Hagrid finally said. "Vampires'll be breakin' ranks soon enough ter storm the castle. Voldemort is losin' control over teh darkes' creatures. They won't be comin' for you, Harry, or you, Hermione. They'll be comin' for those like Ron."

"Pure bloods," Hermione said, fear in her voice. "Oh my..."

"Voldemort's trap failed," Harry realized. "He wanted to show the wizarding world that he could strip everything we hold near and dear away. Professors, villages, a forest and its creatures. But he doesn't control the vampire world any longer. They're now roaming free."

Hagrid shook his head. "That's why Ron's isolated, Hermione."

"What about the other pure bloods, like Ginny?" Harry asked anxiously, realizing now more than ever his desire to protect her.

"Professor Summers 'll be teachin' 'em all she can about how ter protect themselves," Hagrid said in his weary voice as he rose again and stood for a while, squinting out the window.

"What about Voldemort?" Hermione asked in a soft voice. "Surely he'll want to regain control..."

Hagrid was still silent, but Harry knew the answer. "Those vampires will kill anything they touch. The next thing he knows, Voldemort will have a clear path to the end... and me."

Hermione gasped. "We have to do something! The DA -"

" - Can't help," Hagrid said, his voice muffled since his back was still turned. "You've been called on enough times ter fight this storm, Harry. It's time to stand back and let the Slayers do what they do best."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a nervous look as they stood to leave. "Hagrid... will you help us?"

His shoulders sagged slightly as he walked away. "This is out o' my hands now."

This was worse than a Hagrid admitting there was no hope, looking like a man who'd lost his mind or his ambition. This was a man that, for the first time in his life, had admitted defeat.

- - - - -

Buffy had just hung up the cellular phone when the fireplace to her left crackled to life, springing green flames and the figure of her other equal Slayer. "Faith."

"Buffy," she said, neatly stepping out of the fire and brushing the dust and ash from her leather jacket. "You called?"

"The latest Ministry intell," she said, dropping a file on the table between them.

Faith leaned over and picked it up. "Well, well. Vampires are overrunning the Dark Forest. The creatures that usually inhabit the woods are either dead or else running away as fast as they can..." She glanced up as soon as her eyes scanned another passage. "B?"

"You'd think the battle would start tomorrow," Buffy said softly, twisting her fingers in the soft fabric of her robes. "But they won't come. They'll wait until we're too afraid to admit we're scared. And we'll have nothing to defend ourselves with except a few kids who know how to use a stake and a Slayer."

"Not just you," said Faith with a grin, pulling out a slip of parchment, "but as of nine o'clock last night, we were pulled off the front lines. The Slayers are en route to the Ministry and should be available soon enough to Hogwarts when needed."

Buffy stared at the parchment in her hands. "But... Faith... how?"

"Voldemort's forces are slipping through his fingers. He has his full force of useful allies like the giants. But the Dementors are no longer in his service. It seems they've been mislead by the Dark Lord and have now retained their services to the Ministry."

"But..." Suddenly a smile curved her lips. "Lawyers."

"Best damn negotiators on the planet," Faith said with a chuckle.

Buffy let out a long breath as she finished reading the parchment. "I want the Slayers to be ready when the call is sounded, but I'd like you to stay here, Faith. I have a feeling you'll be needed here."

"Sure thing," Faith replied, removing her leather jacket. "Did you get any headway into finding out who our Hogwarts Slayer is?"

"We know one thing for certain," Buffy said with a sigh. "It isn't Millicent Bulstrode. As bright and strong as she may be... when Willow attacked her with a stake at one of our last classes, all she did was scream."

Faith chortled. "Where are Willow and Tara anyway?"

"Willow the cat is being our eyes and ears around the school and I believe Tara is still at the Ministry," Buffy said with a yawn, examining her watch. "I could use some sleep in their absense."

"We both could," Faith replied, standing up and tossing her jacket aside. "But I have a better idea."

Buffy stopped in midstretch. "You do?"

"Do you remember the good old days, when we were outnumbers ten to one, just you, me and a sword?"

"That was when I tried to kill you," Buffy said, her eyebrows raising slightly.

"Forget that," Faith said, waving her hands as she moved to the center of the room and began to spar in midair. "I haven't felt this free since Wesley bailed me out."

Buffy's mind suddenly followed her train of thought as she, too, stood up. "You want to go hunt."

"It crossed my mind," Faith replied, finishing her move with a solid kick. "Just a little payback, you know?"

Buffy nodded and glanced down at her robes. "I can't fight in these. Give me a minute, will you?"

She retreated to her quarters to change and returned a moment later to find Faith absolutely edgy, but strangely quiet. "What is it?"

Faith pointed toward the corner.

Buffy moved into the suite. "Cordelia?"

The brunette in the corner nodded. "It's me," she said in a mellow voice as she ran forward to hug Buffy enthusiastically. "I've missed you guys. Well," she continued, turning to Faith. "Not you. You tried to kill me."

"Fair enough," Faith said with a shrug."

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked, taking Cordelia's hand and leading her to one of the sofas. "Angel told me you were in a coma."

"I was," Cordelia admitted. "For about six months. I came out of it and Spike filled me in on everything happening here. He also said that an amulet was brought here to be worn by the boy."

"It was," Buffy told her. "But how..."

"The Powers That Be a pain in my eye socket," she sighed. "They told me I had to find it first. I know you are going to have superwicca Willow do some big mojo. I want to add my own." She suddenly noticed Buffy staring at her with something like wonder on her face. "What?"

"You are so different from the Cordelia Chase I used to know," Buffy said, standing up. "Not like that's a bad thing."

"Because it isn't," said Faith, who had been examining a drawer full of student-made stakes. "These are wicked, B."

"Grab some," Buffy said, grabbing Faith's jacket and tossing it back to her. "Cordy, we're going on patrol... you want to come, or do you just want to hang out till Willow gets back?"

Cordelia chuckled as she stood up. "I think I'll come... Willow might be a little testy around me, considering the last time I saw her, I wanted to kill her. Oh, and Buffy..."

Buffy's arm stopped in mid-air from where she was grabbing a sword from over the mantleplace. "Yeah?"

"Angel wanted me to give you a message."

"He did?"

"He wanted to say... you're no longer alone."

A look of confusion crossed Buffy's face. "Oh."

- - - - -

Dawn had just finished a complicated looking Rune chart for Arithmancy, while listening to Hermione Granger at her left talking about what the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Hagrid, had told her about the up and coming battle.

"... and then he was going on about how we won't be able to help and how it's out of his hands now," Hermione complained in a soft voice as she neatly rolled the parchment and tucked it lovingly inside her bag. "Ron is stuck inside that ward and the only way I can see him is to do his homework for him."

Dawn patted Hermione's arm comfortingly. "At least you know he'll survive the battle."

"So will I," Hermione said darkly. "They don't want any of us muggle-borns near that entrance when those vampires break through. No... they want Slayers and half-bloods."

"Don't you want to fight?" Dawn asked lightly.

"Of course I do," Hermione said crossly. "But there are some things that aren't worth dying for. Harry will need us, all of us before the end."

"What do you think is coming, Hermione? Pink roses and playful puppies? What do you think is going to break out of those woods and come right at us?" Dawn asked, finally losing her last ounce of control. "None of us will stand a chance without that Slayer line. We're not all safe, so don't even begin to think that. Vampires are killers. It's what the First made them to be. Walls and enchantments can't hold back the evil coming for us, Hermione. There are things worth dying for, because if those Vampires finish off Hogwarts, it will be the end. Of everything. Because Voldemort would get Harry's body and everything will be over. You think a burning village is bad? It's just the start. Do you think Ron's near-death experience is the only one that will come? I've seen vampires. I've seen what they do, who they hurt, what they kill... Harry doesn't need us. Not yet. But the Slayers do."

Hermione looked slightly taken aback but quietly closed her textbook. "I'm sorry, Dawn."

"Don't be," Dawn said in a sharp voice, standing up and grabbing her stacks of parchment off of the library table. "Be ready."

Hermione watched her go with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Across the room, Harry turned back to his own textbook, trying to ignore Ginny's inquisitive eyes staring at him from across the table. "What?"

"She's right," Ginny said, her eyes following Dawn's long walk across the library. Ginny wasn't the only one staring. Most of the fifth and sixth years were stunned by Dawn's words.
"We have to be ready."

"We will be," Harry muttered, throwing himself back into Charms.

Ginny's hand covered the book.

Harry looked up at her in surprise as she seized his text and closed it. "What are you doing?"

"Look at yourself, Harry," Ginny murmured, handing the closed textbook back to him. "You're sitting there, reading a book and absorbing words. But will they help when the time comes?"

"No," Harry muttered angrily as his temper rose. "But they help keep me occupied. And what about you? Don't you have the OWLs coming up?"

Ginny nodded. "They are. And I'll be ready for them. I just hope you know what you're about to face."

"I'm facing nothing," Harry said bitterly. "Absolutely nothing."

"Potter!" a sharp voice called out across the library. "The Headmaster would like to see you."

It was Professor Snape. Standing by his side was Professor Summers. Both looked grave as they lead him from the library and to the Headmasters office.

Harry was surprised to see that Moody, Tonks, Lupin and a strange brunette woman were standing inside with Willow and Tara. Professor Summers held the door open behind her as Professors McGonagall and Hagrid stepped inside.

The door finally closed when another dark-haired stranger, the one from Diagon Alley that day back in August, stepped through and locked it. She turned to Professor Summers. "It's time."

Buffy stepped forward, with Willow and both of the other women. "It's time, Harry. I know you've been apprehensive about what's coming and what you're about to face. It's time to find out what you have to do. You'd think you weren't facing this battle. You are."

She took a wooden box handed to her by Tara and opened it, removing a large amulet. "By the orders of the Ministry of Magic, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the workings of the Order of the Phoenix and The Powers That Be... here is your weapon. The last weapon."

As she handed it to him, he picked it up. "What does it do?"

"It's worn by a champion," Buffy said softly.

Harry handed it back to her. "You didn't answer my question."

"I know," Buffy said, closing the box and laying the amulet delicately on top. "Wil? Cordy?"

Willow and one of the strangers stepped forward, each taking half of the box. Within a second's glance, the box was alight in an eerie shade of white, and whispered seemed to be emanating from it.

Suddenly, a large white light shot down from the ceiling onto the box, lifting it from the hands of its bearers and twirling at a speed. Both women glanced up.

"Bring us the vessel," Willow whispered.

The white light disappeared and the box fell back into their hands, along with the amulet. Although its shape and appearance had not changed, something about it had. As Harry held the jewel in his hands, he could feel the power behind it. "What does it do?"

"Voldemort made you his equal," Dumbledore said, speaking for the first time. "He marked you as a man who he would have to face, not knowing it would cause his downfall. But he had no intentions of such powerful beings in our midst," he said, his eyes twinkling at Willow and Cordelia. "This stone was created in great evil but has been harnessed now by the powers of good. Every essence that was given to you has been bestowed upon this rather remarkable amulet. It is your tool, your last weapon and defense, against Voldemort and his forces."

"It is?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Wil?" Buffy said from her spot to Harry's right.

"The amulet was designed to fight the First Evil, which is the being that created evil. We believe that Voldemort is the tool evil is using to destroy the wizarding world. We stopped the real-world menace. Our tool was the Slayer. You're the key to saving the wizarding world. This amulet cleanses all that are evil. In effect, it kills everything it touches."

"It comes at a great price though," Buffy continued, crossing her arms. "It's meant to be worn by a champion, and then the champion becomes the hero, you see. You know why?"

Harry shook his head, too frightened to speak.

"Because the champion dies to become the hero."

- - - - -

A nice short intro to our next few chapter sequence...

Chapter 23 -- The Quidditch Cup.

In the next three pre-last-battle chapters, you'll see more romance, more visits from old friends and the first of the Slayer line to fall.