Next round...

Who exactly is fighting whom?
It's a good question. One of the reasons why the Slayer is even at Hogwarts was to find the Hogwarts Slayer. And in doing so,
vampires are now the bad guys once again. So it is Slayers and certain members of the OoTP against the vampire army. The
Death Eaters are coming, but they won't strike that area, they'll go for the school, where Professors are waiting for them,
as is the DA in part because they're going to be in charge of evacuating the school should the need arise. It gets
confusing... but they'll blend together nicely.

You call this a crossover?
I'm very well aware of the timelines. However, someone asked if I could write something with a plot like this and pull it
off, and I'm trying. That's why it's called an Alternate Universe. There are many ficlets out there, just like this one. And
I'm sure their authors are pretty darn proud of what they've created.

Where are the Aurors in all of this?
The tunnel underneath the school. They're the "fallback" line in case the Slayers fail.

Why is she even teaching? Wasn't she a complete failure?
Alone, she is. She's irrational, rash and even illogical at times, but with the strength of her friends behind her, she has a
power few can rival.

We'll have more time for questions next Chapter. I'm aware that some of you question my "morals" in this story and I'll just
have to remind you that this IS a nice alternate universe story, no harsh feelings or anything intended. I wrote this after
an all-night "what if?" discussion a few days before Christmas with my roommates, who were all interested to see what would
become of the story. And that's basically your history lesson for today. I know some people who are especially close-minded
to anything anti-cannon might not like this... but as I've said before, to each his/her own.

- - - - -

Chapter 30
Falling

- - - - -

Willow glanced up as Harry flew around the corner, Hermione panting close behind him. "What is it?" she asked, tapping Tara's
shoulder as they both turned to give him their attention.

"The Death Eaters," he panted, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "They're coming."

Willow paused a moment. "I could feel something like this," she said, exchanging a grave look with Tara. "But I fear
something much darker is coming."

Harry looked puzzled until Hermione spoke up softly next to him. "You think that Voldemort will come tonight?"

"I have no doubt in mind that he won't," Willow replied, crossing her arms and staring out the open entrance doors into the
darkness. "He was probably not counting on the entirety of Slayers to be out there, charging the light brigade."

"The what?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Poetry," Hermione muttered into his ear. "What does that have anything to do with it?"

"He's already lost the Dementors," Tara replied quickly. "He's probably angry and knows that more will fall into his legions
once he can prove to the world that he will defeat the only one who he has ever feared. If the school were to fall, it would
mean that anyone who opposed him would suffer greatly. Many more would fall to him, and the end of your world as you know it
would stand."

Harry blinked, his eyes wide. "Oh."

"Which is why we're here with you," Willow said, indicating Tara and herself. "In case he does pull something like this."

"Aren't you used to fighting creatures like this?"

"The First was pure evil," Willow replied, a shadow falling over her face. "All I can tell you is that if you think this evil
is bad, you've never seen what we have..."

Tara glanced at her. "I could feel it, from over here, I could feel that power. So raw and cold and angry..."

"We destroyed that power," Willow said, a bit of pride in her voice.

"You did," Tara replied. "And that ma-magic to turn all of those potentials into Slayers? V-Very cool."

Willow smiled at Tara before turning back to Harry. "Just stand watch out of the school and keep away... we don't need you
getting hurt. Not that you need a sitter, just that... we do care what happens to you."

"I know," Harry grinned, tugging Hermione's hand and leading her away from the entrance.

Tara sighed and leaned against the doorway, her eyes still scanning for signs of movement in the darkness. "Do you think he
suspects anything?"

"He's very bright," Willow replied. "Reminds me of someone else that age."

"Buffy," Tara realized. Willow nodded.

"She was so innocent and yet she knew her place in the world," Willow said softly. "She knew her destiny and that's what
makes it so scary..."

"What?" Tara asked.

"She was so reluctant to go out and fight when she was that young. It was almost as if she didn't want to die."

"S-She didn't," Tara sighed, walking out onto the front staircase and glancing in a full view around them. "You told me that
she w-was w-willing to let it all be thrown away, because the price w-was too high."

"How do you think Harry feels?" Willow asked her, joining her outdoors. "He's lost his parents, his godfather, his best
friend was just dragged away kicking and screaming... if Hermione wasn't here, or his friends, I'd bet he'd be cowering, just
like she did."

"You underestimate him," Tara replied. "In the end before, his heart has saved him. He loves so much he aches at the thought
of an apocalypse... it's just... uncanny."

Willow suddenly caught movement toward the lake. "Not just uncanny, but unfathomable."

Tara had caught the same movement. It was just the tiniest flicker of light, but it was enough to show them that their fears
had been confirmed. "We need to s-see the Headmaster."

"You go," Willow replied, as they both backed indoors. "They'll be crossing into the grounds soon enough."

"I'm hoping that's what we saw," Tara blinked into the harsh light inside as Willow closed the door and put her back against
it. "What are you going to do?"

"What I can," Willow said, seeing Tara's apprehension at leaving her. "Are you okay?"

"Just sc-scared," Tara mumbled before turning away.

"Tara?" Willow called out. Tara paused, her back half turned. "It'll be okay... I'm not going to let anything happen to you.
Not again."

"Good to know," Tara said, beaming as she turned and quickly climbed the steps.

Willow let out a deep breath and grasped the door, opening the handle, and stepped back outside.

- - - - -

Buffy ducked a sharp blow as a vampire tumbled over her shoulder. Once it was down on the ground, she staked it, standing
quickly as a figure next to her tumbled over as a vampire hurled into her. Across the field she could see that vampires were
converging on the entrance to the tunnel. With a small cry out for the other Slayers to follow her, she ran forward and leapt
into a small ravine full of vampires trying to escape the other side.

Behind her, Kennedy lifted up the pole that Buffy had dropped the moment she'd thrown herself into battle. She used the pole
as a stake, not knowing whether or not it was made of wood, but realizing how flamey it had become, it proved to be
resourceful. "Cool," she grinned, watching as a small group of vampires exploded into ash. Turning, she spied the first
Slayer. "Here!" she shouted, running over with the burning rod. Together, the two managed to push it through the stomach of
one of the vampires, clipping others as they drove it deeper.

Buffy turned in time to see an arm swinging at her head. She ducked, bending down to kick out at the legs of her attacker.
After he went sprawling, she staked him and glanced around. Somehow, there seemed to be fewer vampires around. Angel and
Spike were off in the distance, visible only by the firelight, staking what remained of the vast group.

"So," Vi asked, stumbing toward Buffy. "Where did they go?"

Buffy shook her head, trying to listen for screams.

She heard one in the distance.

"Faith!" she cried out, taking a few steps forward. Why the vampire force would've gone to attack Faith and her smaller
group, Buffy didn't know. All she knew was that Faith and her small numbers were the only thing standing between vampires and
the Hogwarts grounds.

She turned back toward her own fighters. A few members of the Order stepped forward, wands at hand. Angel and Spike quickly
flanked her, both looking as though they were having the time of their lives. "We need to get down there."

"I'll signal to the others.. they'll..." Suddenly Remus' voice died off as a thundering sound was heard approaching in the
distance.

"Oh, my God," Vi gasped from behind them someplace.

Figures towered fifteen to twenty feet high, swooping down at them from the hills above.

"Fall back!" Buffy cried out, as the others made to get out of the ravine as quick as they could as a single line of giants
approached. "Fall back!"

A hand grabbed at her arm but she ignored it and soon they were back inside the old village, the giants slowly, stupidly
decending upon them. She turned toward the Order. "I think this is your spot. I think I know where mine is," she said,
cocking her head back toward the dark forest on the edge of the ruined village.

"Go," Remus said with a nod, lifting his wand.

Buffy signaled the Slayers and they all ran the opposite direction, past the tunnel leading toward safety, and toward the
opposite end of the battle, where for all she knew, the vampires were striking Hogwarts at this very second.

- - - - -

"The school is being evacuated! The school is being evacuated!"

Harry turned to see the large group of Gryffindors pouring down one of the back entrances to the castle, their arms clutching
their trunks, their broomsticks, anything they could carry in just two arms. As he stepped aside to let them pass by, he
caught Ginny's eye as she walked to stand next to Hermione, whispering urgently in her ear.

From somewhere in the distance, an explosion sounded. Several students gasped, others looked around wildly, and they all
hurried their pace toward the long line of carriages, waiting to take them into the mountains and away from the battle.

Another explosion sounded. It was a much closer explosion and seemed to tremble the ground. Harry clutched at the doorway and
saw Hermione sway, her eyes suddenly glancing into his in fear.

The Death Eaters had arrived.

He darted inside, past the other students, looking in vain for Tara or Willow at the entrance, but finding neither. It wasn't
until he heard an explosion that sounded as though it were coming from the vacinity of the lake did he run outside, looking
around, hoping desperately to find something he could fight. He despised all of this waiting.

He didn't know that just twenty feet ahead, Tara was running in the same direction he was looking. He didn't know that she
had suddenly stopped and covered her mouth to choke off a terrified scream.

Tara's eyes widened when she saw a red light simmer around a tip of a very elegant wand, lighting up onyx eyes belonging to
Bellatrix Lestrange. "You," she gasped.

"Maclay," Bellatrix said, her eyes glinting near demonic in the red light. "I do remember my husband talking of your mother's
death. Too bad he couldn't have taken you too."

Tara picked up her own wand and spun on her foot a bit as the two women circled each other. "Your husband killed my mother.
You ruined my life!"

"How would you like to go and meet her?" Bellatrix asked with an evil grin, lifting her wand to attack.

Tara dove as a red ribbon nearly missed her. Pointing her wand over her dropped shoulder, she shouted her own incantation
which knocked her own attacker from her feet. But as Tara turned to run, a sharp pain exploded in the center of her back.
From the triumphant scream of Bella to the darkness now closing in around her, Tara knew that this duel had been lost.

And blackness swept over her.

- - - - -

To be continued...

Chapter 31 -- The Hogwart's Slayer is uncovered at last... Harry moves into action. Dumbledore prepares to face Voldemort
for the last time.

- - - - -