Thanks to all the reviewers:
Lightdemondarkangel: 1) your welcome, 2) thanks blushes 3) you'll find out soon enough 4) Wahoo Giles!
Vld: Another wild card, they're fun! Maybe Faith, maybe not. You'll find out at the end of this chapter.
Tituba: Thanks for reviewing; I wasn't sure if the language would upload correctly, but I'll just say it's my own specially invented language! I'm glad you like the story, I love you fic 'Where do we go from here', it's so cute!
Matt: The suggestion was definitely good awkward, not bad. A sequel? I don't know, maybe. Do you want Faith and Xander to hook up, because I want something good and happy to be at the end and I thought maybe a pairing of sorts? I'm glad you like the story.
saevus maena: Another point for Draco... You'll find out towards the end of this chapter. Thanks for reviewing.
Chrios: I think toenails are pretty gross too! I'm glad you found the chap shiver-sum! You'll find out soon enough.
Buffster3000: This chap has some fluff in it, I think everyone loves a good bit of fluff every now and again and the last chap (when I write it) will be full of it! Thanks for reviewing.
Jazzy Punker (x3): I've changed the Huddle to Huffle! Thanks for pointing that out. Xander's great, isn't he! Draco = angst = good, got it!
WaterNaiad13: Thanks for reviewing.
Silver Warrior: Voldermort wanted the key because it would give him more power and the prophecy said that it would help Harry to destroy him. Thanks for reviewing.
Kev: Willow will have a fight scene towards the end, but it might not be what you expect. Sorry about the cliffie :-) I agree that my writing has got better, but could it have got much worse?
Buffy the Slayer: I'll consider anything really! It didn't really have a point except to let Buffy know about Spike as a poss traitor and for them to consider Faith. Thanks for reviewing!
Vogue Act: I'm really glad you like the story and I've taken marks off the Draco column for you. Jaden isn't going to be the traitor; she's only just got good again! La Rose Minuit: I'm reeeallly sorry, but there has to be a traitor!!! Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I hope you aren't disappointed by the ending!
Bunny Kat: Again, really sorry but someone has to be the traitor, I hope you like the way I've decided to go with it. Glad you like the story...so far!
A/N: These chapters keep getting longer, ahh! This one is twice the size of chapter one! Anyway point being I'm trying to get them out quick quickly cause we're nearly at the end now, but it might take a while.
CHAPTER 22- THE END IS NIGH
10:30 AM
"Hey there sleepy head." Buffy cooed. "You've been out for ten hours. How do you feel?"
Dawn groaned. "Like I had my life essence pulled out and dangled in front of me."
"See, B, nothing wrong with her." Faith chirped.
"Faith?" Dawn looked around the side room of the hospital wing for the slayer.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks, for getting me out."
"Anytime, kid." She punched Dawn lightly on the shoulder.
Dawn shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. "Is Harry ok? And everyone else?"
"Everyone's fine. And Harry's tougher than he looks. I gotta say, he's a bit weedy."
"Hey!" Harry's annoyed exclamation came from the bed next to Dawn where he was sitting. Much to Madam Pomfrey's annoyance, he had refused to go to sleep until Dawn woke up and now was dead on his feet (not literally).
Dawn struggled to sit up. "Can I go now?"
"No way! You nearly died Dawn...Again! What is it with you two? Other kids can go weeks without nearly getting themselves killed!" Buffy said sternly.
"I'm sorry." Dawn replied meekly.
Buffy sighed. "Me too, I just worry about you. But be careful, ok?"
About a half hour later, Madam Pomfrey came in and shooed all the visitors out so that Dawn and Harry could rest. Dawn feel fast asleep the minute their company left leaving Harry alone with his thoughts until he too fell asleep.
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11:15 AM
"Spike, we need to talk. In here."
Spike was surprised at the harsh tone in the slayers voice.
"Did you do it?" she demanded.
"Do what, pet?"
"Betray Dawn to Voldermort."
"You really think that I would do that to Niblet?" He asked hurt.
"Did you do it Spike? Xander said that he saw you the other day coming back from somewhere in broad daylight and you wouldn't tell him where."
"Of course he did; he couldn't have bloody trusted me! Come here."
Spike grabbed Buffy and dragged her outside. Right into the sunshine.
"I was with Dumbledore. He's been performing these spells on me and the poofter so that we can help you if the fight's during the day."
"He did?"
"Ask him if you don't believe me."
"Spike, I'm sorry. I do believe you, it's just that I was worried about Dawn and I didn't know...she might die, Spike." Buffy looked up at Spike with tear filled eyes.
He pulled her to him in a tight hug and they stood there in the sunlight; a vampire slayer and a vampire, together in their worry.
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12:45 PM
"This better be good Dumbledore, I was just having lunch!" Buffy grumbled.
"Miss Summers; this is Percy Weasly. He is an employee of the ministry of magic."
"It's very nice to meet you." Percy said, slightly pompously.
"Yea, same to you."
"Whilst Mr Fudge was minister," Percy rolled his eyes at this point and Dumbledore smirked; "Mr Weasly was his assistant and relayed information to the order. It made him quite unpopular with his family."
"Ohh!" Buffy warmed up to the stiff Englishman. "So you're one of Ginny's brothers? She's a good kid, so is Ron for that matter."
Percy smiled broadly at the praise of his family. "They're great. But the reason I am here is that we received word from one of our informants that he-who-must-not-be-named is planning his final strike soon.
"The ministry told your sister that we would help in the fight against you- know-who and I am here to tell her that the aurors and any other resources that the ministry has are willing to help in any way possible."
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12:55 PM
"Madam Pomfrey, is Dawn awake?"
The school matron nodded. "Yes I have just given her lunch."
"Can I go and see her? It's really important" Buffy pleaded.
Madam Pomfrey frowned. "Very well, but only for a couple of minutes. And be quiet; Harry's still sleeping."
Buffy pushed open the door quietly. "Hiya."
"Hey."
"Madam Pomfrey only gave me a minute."
Dawn nodded, pushing her empty tray aside.
"How you feeling?" Buffy enquired.
"Tired, but ok. How are things going out there?"
"Fine. Giles and Willow are going to figure out the kinks in the scythe plan and Emily and Luna are training with Faith. Ginny's brother, Percy, visited earlier. He gave you an army, isn't that sweet?"
"An army?"
"Yup. He works at the ministry, had to be a total ass and a double agent for the order for a while. He said that, and I quote: the aurors and any other resources that the ministry has are willing to help in any way possible end quote."
"Really? Good, that means we have some wizards on our side. We need to-"
"You don't need to do anything. You need to rest. We have to have you at full strength for whenever Voldermort decided to fight."
Dawn lay back down in her bed. "Ok. Stay with me until I fall asleep?"
Buffy nodded and lay down beside her sister. She stroked her hair as Dawn started to drift off to sleep. She was only seventeen, how was it fair that she was thinking about war tactics when she should be recovering?
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2:00 PM
Willow and Giles found themselves in the room of requirement once again.
Everyone was certain that Voldermort would make his final move soon and they still had a few bugs to work out in their plan with the scythe.
"Have you thought about what you'll do?" Giles asked, engrossed in his task. He looked up and saw Willow's confused face. "If Dawn dies, what will you do? Will you bring her back?"
Willow sighed. "No. That was serious dark magic and I don't want to get into that again. And I couldn't do that to Dawnie, bring her back from heaven I mean; Buffy will never forget what it was like there and I wouldn't pull anyone out ever again." She turned back to the scythe. "Plus, we smashed the last urn of osiris."
Giles nodded thankfully. He didn't have the power to stop Willow if she really wanted to bring Dawn back, so he was very glad she wasn't planning on it.
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3:00 PM
"...So what's the plan?" Buffy had called every active slayer to Hogwarts and the Wolfram and Hart crew (Angel, Illyria, Gunn, Wes and Lorne) had arrived at the same time.
"You guys fight the baddies while Harry, Dawn, Giles, Spike and I go after Voldermort."
"Spike?! And Harry and Dawn are just kids!" He protested.
"You've heard the prophecy. Spike's a good fighter, he cares for Dawn and he won't let her down."
"Neither would I."
"I know you wouldn't; but I still need people to run the fight with the death eaters, and that's you, Xander and, oddly enough, Faith."
Angel grumbled, but agreed. "How are we going to fight them? They'll slaughter us with magic on their side."
"Willow and Giles are working on it." She assured him. "Right, I better go greet the masses."
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3:15 PM
"...We've been waiting for this; for the final battle. Us vs. the death eaters and we're going to win. We have no choice. If we lost then the world ends. Right now, we have the biggest army that we've ever had; two vampires, a Wicca, Illyria, a couple of demons, three very special civilians, hundreds of slayers and over a thousand wizards."
All the active slayers were sitting in the great hall listening to the longest living of their kind. Buffy had called in all the slayers from Cleveland and from every corner of the planet to help fight Voldermort. All the LA crew and the Scoobies except for Giles and Willow were also present.
"Here's the plan; you kill the death eaters. Angel, Xander and Faith will be with you, they will be leading the fight. We don't really know how many there are, but, until Willow can finish her spell, they have magic and you don't. They won't hesitate to kill you, so don't hesitate to kill them.
"There is one who you don't touch; Voldermort, the ring leader. Leave him to Harry, Dawn, Giles, Spike and me. Got it? Good. I don't know how long we have; maybe hours, maybe days; but the end in coming and you have to be ready."
Buffy climbed off the dais, followed by Faith, Xander, Spike and 'the fang gang'. The slayers sitting at the house tables also started moving; whether it was to train, to sleep or to ask the witch-slayers for information they were preparing.
When the time came ,they would be ready.
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4:30 PM
Willow rushed into the Scooby common room closely followed by Giles.
"We've done it, we've done it!" She cried.
"Calm down Will; done what?"
"The scythe! I have to program in Spike, Angel and Lorne or it'll do something to their energy as well and might overload, but I can do that tonight. All we had to do was change the way that the power was formed and then key in a few magic dimensions and then focus the scythe on the dark energy and then-"
"Whoa, Willow;" Xander interrupted, "we don't have a clue what you're talking about."
"Sorry." Willow blushed. "The scythe works; it only draws upon dark magic and all I have to do is work in a few more magic spells and I'll be ready by tonight. I've practiced and I should be able to control it during the battle."
"You're sure?" Buffy checked.
"Absolutely."
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6:30 PM
Buffy walked out into the grounds where Faith was sparring with Jaden, Skye and a dozen of the slayers from Cleveland.
"Faith; can I have a word?"
"Sure; keep it going you guys."
Faith gestured to a patch of grass and they both sat down.
"What do you think that was about?" Skye asked Jade.
"Dunno; if we go a bit closer we could hear..." Jaden suggested and the two slayers flopped down near enough to overhear their conversation.
"Faith, you know about Dawn being kidnapped."
"Yeah; came as a bit of a shock, I mean sure take Harry, but why Dawn?"
"Because of the prophecy" Buffy said slowly.
"Huh?" Faith was confused. "If Harry's the only guy who can defeat Voldermort, then why take Dawn?"
"The other prophecy. Don't you know?" Faith shook her head. "It says they Harry will be helped by Dawn to defeat Voldermort and that they can only win together and that one of them will die."
Faith looked shocked. "She's gonna die?" She stammered hoarsely.
"You didn't know? But I though Angel told you about the prophecy?"
"Not that one."
"But then, you couldn't have..."
"I couldn't have what?"
"Nothing." Buffy said quickly. "It doesn't matter."
"B; Buffy; what couldn't I have done?"
Buffy sighed. "Someone told Voldermort about the prophecy. The only people who knew and were in England at the time and not accounted for were you and Spike."
"You thought I would do that?" Faith asked, hurt.
"Not really, no, I know you wouldn't, you're practically a Scooby and so is Spike; but who could it be, Faith? No-one knows!"
About three meters away two slayers were listening. One in interest and the other in alarm.
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10:55 PM
Willow yawned loudly, drawing all the attention in the room to her. "Sorry!"
Everyone was crammed in the Scooby Common Room, everyone being the Scoobies (including Faith), the Fang Gang, Dumbledore and three officials from the ministry. For the last three and a half hours they had been discussing battle plans in great detail.
Willow's part in the fight was easy; sit quite a way away and perform the spell with two fairly experienced slayers guarding her, just in case. In case of what, Willow didn't know; if she was attacked, if something went wrong with the spell, if she went evil, you know, just the usual.
Willow stood up and excused herself. She was no use at that moment and she needed all the rest she could get if she were to perform the spell properly tomorrow.
She lay in her bed, willing herself to sleep. Finally she closed her eyes, but when she opened them again she wasn't in her bedroom.
She was in Sunnydale Park, standing on the wooden bridge that went over the little stream.
"Willow!" A familiar voice called.
"Who's there?" Years spent fighting with the slayer had taught her to get strait to the point.
"Don't you remember?" The person said sadly.
"Tara?"
Suddenly Tara was standing next to her on the bridge. "Hey baby."
"No, this isn't real, you're-"
"Dead. Yes; I'm still dead. You're dreaming." Tara sort of explained. "The powers that be sent me to prepare you."
"Prepare me? What for?"
Willow's heart ached as Tara gave her that smile that she would never forget. "For tomorrow of course! You're going to be doing some powerful magic."
"I know."
"You have to be careful. You'll be different afterwards."
"Different? Evil different?" Willow panicked.
"I don't know; the prophecy isn't clear."
"Prophecy? Another prophecy? This isn't happening." The red head groaned.
"You're going to have to face your inner self, so will Buffy." Tara said.
"My inner self? And what about Buffy?" Willow questioned.
"The Wicca will perform the spell. She will fight against herself to become more powerful than before. She will change her nature and never be the same again. As for Buffy, her prophecy is even less clear and you can't tell her about it, she doesn't need to know. All we know is that she will face her inner self once again; but this time she will do it alone and she will triumph." Tara recited.
"So Buffy's going to be ok?" Tara nodded and Willow sighed with relief. "Thank God! Right, about me: more powerful than before? When I was most powerful, I was evil. I'm going to be evil again."
"Not if you don't let it happen. I believe in you Willow." Tara said before Willow was pulled out of the sunlight and into the dark.
She sat bolt upright in her sleep. "Tara!"
Willow looked around; she was back in her bedroom, three prophecies to be fulfilled sometime in the next twenty four hours. Buffy would be fine, she didn't even need to know about her role, but what was she going to do now?
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11:15 PM
"Harry?" Dawn whispered.
"Yes?" He whispered back.
"Are you awake?"
Harry raised his head to give Dawn a look.
"Buffy visited me earlier, "she told him in a whisper; "Percy Weasly came to Hogwarts and practically gave us the ministry to work into the war."
"Really? But he's such a git! I would've thought he would have run off crying when Fudge resigned."
"Apparently he had to act like that to gain Fudge's trust and then he could relay info back to the order."
"Oh." Harry started feeling guilty.
Dawn sighed. "I'm not tired."
"Me neither- wait, why are we whispering? We are in a room to ourselves!"
"Oh, yeah." Dawn returned to her normal voice. "Wonder why they did that, I mean they go to all that trouble of putting the girls and boys dorms separate, but then they go ahead and put us in the same hospital room." Dawn mused.
"Probably figured we'd be too tired to, you know, or it just didn't occur to them."
"Right. So are you tired?"
"No." He looked at his watch and strained to read the numbers in the dark. "No wonder; we've been sleeping for over twelve hours."
Dawn swung out of bed and padded over to Harry. She got into his bed and he wrapped his arms around her. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all."
"I was thinking," Dawn said tracing little circles on his arm; "the final fight is coming...really, really soon... and one of us isn't going to make it."
Harry didn't say anything; he just waited for Dawn to continue.
She turned so she was facing him. "I don't want to die without being with you."
"You are with me."
"Not like that. OK, there's loads of stuff I want to do if we make it, but the chances are we won't... And, before we die, I want to make love to you." Dawn finally said, her cheeks going bright red; she had never been this forward before.
"Dawn, I-"
"It's ok if you don't want to." She said quickly, still blushing. "I know I kinda sprang it on you. I just-"
Harry put his finger to her lips to quiet her. "I want to."
"Really?"
"Really."
Harry started kissing her. He moved so that he was lying on top of her and moved his hands to the hem of her t-shirt. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Dawn nodded with a slight smile on her features. "Positive."
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11:30 PM
Jaden had been wondering around for hours, ever since she heard Buffy and Faith's conversation. She had finally reached her decision.
"It was you, wasn't it?" She confronted Draco.
Draco jumped round at the sound of his housemate's voice.
"W-what are you talking about?"
"Stop playing games, Draco; I know it was you." Jaden said sadly.
Draco dropped his head. "I'm sorry." His voice cracked.
Jade sat down opposite him. This wasn't the prince of Slytherin that everyone knew. His hair was a mess, his robes were crumpled, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"What happened to you?" Jaden said in a kinder tone.
"I didn't want to do it, I swear! He made me!"
"Who did?" Jaden asked confused.
"My Father." Draco spat. "This Christmas he demanded I work as Voldermort's spy at Hogwarts. When I refused, he went crazy. He did the imperious charm; I didn't want to tell him anything, I didn't have a choice! Please believe me!"
"I do." Jaden assured him, and she really did. She could always tell if someone was lying, and she was sure Draco wasn't.
Draco shot a quick look at her eyes, was she really believing him? It seemed she was, so he decided to continue.
"The other night, when I heard about Dawn, I broke the spell, I don't know how. It was like I couldn't do it; I'd rather die than hurt anyone else. My father-"Draco cleared his throat and forced back tears. "I told him I wouldn't do it anymore, h-he told me that I would never be part of the family again."
Jade hugged her friend, no doubt in her mind that he was telling the truth. She didn't see the smug look he sent over her shoulder to someone standing in the shadows. "I knew something was wrong with you."
Ideas whirled in her head. "You have to tell Dawn and Buffy."
"I can't; they'll kill me." There was no pretending there; they really would kill him. They wouldn't be as easy to convince as Jaden.
"They know someone told Voldermort," Draco flinched, "and they'll figure it out. If you tell them then you can help fight Voldermort...if you want to fight him that is."
"I really do." He lied.
"Then tell him."
Draco nodded. "Not yet. After Dawn gets out of the hospital wing."
"Ok. Wait a sec, how did you keep getting home? You can't have apperated every time you had a new bit of news."
"No; my father gave me a sort of port key to outside Malfoy Manor. Voldermort's army gathers in the caves underneath so he could easily tell him what I found out."
"His army?"
"Yeah the death eaters, a few vampires and about a hundred demons; didn't you know?" He asked innocently.
"No." Jaden said, already halfway out of the common room.
Draco smirked when he was sure she had left. "That was almost too easy."
"An Oscar winning performance Draco." Pansy Parkinson came out from the shadows grinning smugly. "Does that mean we don't need her anymore? Can I stop pretending to like her?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes Pansy, you can stop pretending...An Oscar what?" He shook his head. "I don't even care. Come on we've got to go or we'll be late for the meeting. War is coming Pansy, and I don't want to miss a minute of it."
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"...Now, we prepare for battle. Tomorrow afternoon some shall fight and the rest of my army shall join us at nightfall; dark wizards and demons united! We shall crush the half breeds that have taken over our world and claim what is rightfully ours!"
A loud roar greeted him. Voldermort looked around the underground cave at the thousands of demons, vampires and death eaters that looked up at him.
"We will crush them!"
Again, a roaring frenzy answered him and a cold smirk slid across his face as he thought about his army ripping Harry Potter to shreds. "He doesn't stand a chance."
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Next Chapter: Draco 'comes clean', Battle-mania and we find out who dies.
I'M SORRY for everyone who didn't want Draco to be the traitor; but it's a dirty job and someone had to do it!
A/N: I know nothing about battle techniques! However the next two chapters are going to revolve very heavily around fighting. So I was wondering if there was anyone who does know what is realistic who could read the chaps before I 'publish' them and tell me if it makes sense. Please send an email or a review if you would be willing to help.
Three chapters left and three prophecies to fulfil; I think I've got my work cut out for me. Why did I have to add more prophecies?
Please review! All you people on Author Alert and Story Favourites lists, please review! All you guys who haven't reviewed yet, please review! Everyone who has reviewed: please review again!
Lightdemondarkangel: 1) your welcome, 2) thanks blushes 3) you'll find out soon enough 4) Wahoo Giles!
Vld: Another wild card, they're fun! Maybe Faith, maybe not. You'll find out at the end of this chapter.
Tituba: Thanks for reviewing; I wasn't sure if the language would upload correctly, but I'll just say it's my own specially invented language! I'm glad you like the story, I love you fic 'Where do we go from here', it's so cute!
Matt: The suggestion was definitely good awkward, not bad. A sequel? I don't know, maybe. Do you want Faith and Xander to hook up, because I want something good and happy to be at the end and I thought maybe a pairing of sorts? I'm glad you like the story.
saevus maena: Another point for Draco... You'll find out towards the end of this chapter. Thanks for reviewing.
Chrios: I think toenails are pretty gross too! I'm glad you found the chap shiver-sum! You'll find out soon enough.
Buffster3000: This chap has some fluff in it, I think everyone loves a good bit of fluff every now and again and the last chap (when I write it) will be full of it! Thanks for reviewing.
Jazzy Punker (x3): I've changed the Huddle to Huffle! Thanks for pointing that out. Xander's great, isn't he! Draco = angst = good, got it!
WaterNaiad13: Thanks for reviewing.
Silver Warrior: Voldermort wanted the key because it would give him more power and the prophecy said that it would help Harry to destroy him. Thanks for reviewing.
Kev: Willow will have a fight scene towards the end, but it might not be what you expect. Sorry about the cliffie :-) I agree that my writing has got better, but could it have got much worse?
Buffy the Slayer: I'll consider anything really! It didn't really have a point except to let Buffy know about Spike as a poss traitor and for them to consider Faith. Thanks for reviewing!
Vogue Act: I'm really glad you like the story and I've taken marks off the Draco column for you. Jaden isn't going to be the traitor; she's only just got good again! La Rose Minuit: I'm reeeallly sorry, but there has to be a traitor!!! Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I hope you aren't disappointed by the ending!
Bunny Kat: Again, really sorry but someone has to be the traitor, I hope you like the way I've decided to go with it. Glad you like the story...so far!
A/N: These chapters keep getting longer, ahh! This one is twice the size of chapter one! Anyway point being I'm trying to get them out quick quickly cause we're nearly at the end now, but it might take a while.
CHAPTER 22- THE END IS NIGH
10:30 AM
"Hey there sleepy head." Buffy cooed. "You've been out for ten hours. How do you feel?"
Dawn groaned. "Like I had my life essence pulled out and dangled in front of me."
"See, B, nothing wrong with her." Faith chirped.
"Faith?" Dawn looked around the side room of the hospital wing for the slayer.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks, for getting me out."
"Anytime, kid." She punched Dawn lightly on the shoulder.
Dawn shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. "Is Harry ok? And everyone else?"
"Everyone's fine. And Harry's tougher than he looks. I gotta say, he's a bit weedy."
"Hey!" Harry's annoyed exclamation came from the bed next to Dawn where he was sitting. Much to Madam Pomfrey's annoyance, he had refused to go to sleep until Dawn woke up and now was dead on his feet (not literally).
Dawn struggled to sit up. "Can I go now?"
"No way! You nearly died Dawn...Again! What is it with you two? Other kids can go weeks without nearly getting themselves killed!" Buffy said sternly.
"I'm sorry." Dawn replied meekly.
Buffy sighed. "Me too, I just worry about you. But be careful, ok?"
About a half hour later, Madam Pomfrey came in and shooed all the visitors out so that Dawn and Harry could rest. Dawn feel fast asleep the minute their company left leaving Harry alone with his thoughts until he too fell asleep.
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11:15 AM
"Spike, we need to talk. In here."
Spike was surprised at the harsh tone in the slayers voice.
"Did you do it?" she demanded.
"Do what, pet?"
"Betray Dawn to Voldermort."
"You really think that I would do that to Niblet?" He asked hurt.
"Did you do it Spike? Xander said that he saw you the other day coming back from somewhere in broad daylight and you wouldn't tell him where."
"Of course he did; he couldn't have bloody trusted me! Come here."
Spike grabbed Buffy and dragged her outside. Right into the sunshine.
"I was with Dumbledore. He's been performing these spells on me and the poofter so that we can help you if the fight's during the day."
"He did?"
"Ask him if you don't believe me."
"Spike, I'm sorry. I do believe you, it's just that I was worried about Dawn and I didn't know...she might die, Spike." Buffy looked up at Spike with tear filled eyes.
He pulled her to him in a tight hug and they stood there in the sunlight; a vampire slayer and a vampire, together in their worry.
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12:45 PM
"This better be good Dumbledore, I was just having lunch!" Buffy grumbled.
"Miss Summers; this is Percy Weasly. He is an employee of the ministry of magic."
"It's very nice to meet you." Percy said, slightly pompously.
"Yea, same to you."
"Whilst Mr Fudge was minister," Percy rolled his eyes at this point and Dumbledore smirked; "Mr Weasly was his assistant and relayed information to the order. It made him quite unpopular with his family."
"Ohh!" Buffy warmed up to the stiff Englishman. "So you're one of Ginny's brothers? She's a good kid, so is Ron for that matter."
Percy smiled broadly at the praise of his family. "They're great. But the reason I am here is that we received word from one of our informants that he-who-must-not-be-named is planning his final strike soon.
"The ministry told your sister that we would help in the fight against you- know-who and I am here to tell her that the aurors and any other resources that the ministry has are willing to help in any way possible."
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12:55 PM
"Madam Pomfrey, is Dawn awake?"
The school matron nodded. "Yes I have just given her lunch."
"Can I go and see her? It's really important" Buffy pleaded.
Madam Pomfrey frowned. "Very well, but only for a couple of minutes. And be quiet; Harry's still sleeping."
Buffy pushed open the door quietly. "Hiya."
"Hey."
"Madam Pomfrey only gave me a minute."
Dawn nodded, pushing her empty tray aside.
"How you feeling?" Buffy enquired.
"Tired, but ok. How are things going out there?"
"Fine. Giles and Willow are going to figure out the kinks in the scythe plan and Emily and Luna are training with Faith. Ginny's brother, Percy, visited earlier. He gave you an army, isn't that sweet?"
"An army?"
"Yup. He works at the ministry, had to be a total ass and a double agent for the order for a while. He said that, and I quote: the aurors and any other resources that the ministry has are willing to help in any way possible end quote."
"Really? Good, that means we have some wizards on our side. We need to-"
"You don't need to do anything. You need to rest. We have to have you at full strength for whenever Voldermort decided to fight."
Dawn lay back down in her bed. "Ok. Stay with me until I fall asleep?"
Buffy nodded and lay down beside her sister. She stroked her hair as Dawn started to drift off to sleep. She was only seventeen, how was it fair that she was thinking about war tactics when she should be recovering?
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2:00 PM
Willow and Giles found themselves in the room of requirement once again.
Everyone was certain that Voldermort would make his final move soon and they still had a few bugs to work out in their plan with the scythe.
"Have you thought about what you'll do?" Giles asked, engrossed in his task. He looked up and saw Willow's confused face. "If Dawn dies, what will you do? Will you bring her back?"
Willow sighed. "No. That was serious dark magic and I don't want to get into that again. And I couldn't do that to Dawnie, bring her back from heaven I mean; Buffy will never forget what it was like there and I wouldn't pull anyone out ever again." She turned back to the scythe. "Plus, we smashed the last urn of osiris."
Giles nodded thankfully. He didn't have the power to stop Willow if she really wanted to bring Dawn back, so he was very glad she wasn't planning on it.
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3:00 PM
"...So what's the plan?" Buffy had called every active slayer to Hogwarts and the Wolfram and Hart crew (Angel, Illyria, Gunn, Wes and Lorne) had arrived at the same time.
"You guys fight the baddies while Harry, Dawn, Giles, Spike and I go after Voldermort."
"Spike?! And Harry and Dawn are just kids!" He protested.
"You've heard the prophecy. Spike's a good fighter, he cares for Dawn and he won't let her down."
"Neither would I."
"I know you wouldn't; but I still need people to run the fight with the death eaters, and that's you, Xander and, oddly enough, Faith."
Angel grumbled, but agreed. "How are we going to fight them? They'll slaughter us with magic on their side."
"Willow and Giles are working on it." She assured him. "Right, I better go greet the masses."
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3:15 PM
"...We've been waiting for this; for the final battle. Us vs. the death eaters and we're going to win. We have no choice. If we lost then the world ends. Right now, we have the biggest army that we've ever had; two vampires, a Wicca, Illyria, a couple of demons, three very special civilians, hundreds of slayers and over a thousand wizards."
All the active slayers were sitting in the great hall listening to the longest living of their kind. Buffy had called in all the slayers from Cleveland and from every corner of the planet to help fight Voldermort. All the LA crew and the Scoobies except for Giles and Willow were also present.
"Here's the plan; you kill the death eaters. Angel, Xander and Faith will be with you, they will be leading the fight. We don't really know how many there are, but, until Willow can finish her spell, they have magic and you don't. They won't hesitate to kill you, so don't hesitate to kill them.
"There is one who you don't touch; Voldermort, the ring leader. Leave him to Harry, Dawn, Giles, Spike and me. Got it? Good. I don't know how long we have; maybe hours, maybe days; but the end in coming and you have to be ready."
Buffy climbed off the dais, followed by Faith, Xander, Spike and 'the fang gang'. The slayers sitting at the house tables also started moving; whether it was to train, to sleep or to ask the witch-slayers for information they were preparing.
When the time came ,they would be ready.
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4:30 PM
Willow rushed into the Scooby common room closely followed by Giles.
"We've done it, we've done it!" She cried.
"Calm down Will; done what?"
"The scythe! I have to program in Spike, Angel and Lorne or it'll do something to their energy as well and might overload, but I can do that tonight. All we had to do was change the way that the power was formed and then key in a few magic dimensions and then focus the scythe on the dark energy and then-"
"Whoa, Willow;" Xander interrupted, "we don't have a clue what you're talking about."
"Sorry." Willow blushed. "The scythe works; it only draws upon dark magic and all I have to do is work in a few more magic spells and I'll be ready by tonight. I've practiced and I should be able to control it during the battle."
"You're sure?" Buffy checked.
"Absolutely."
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6:30 PM
Buffy walked out into the grounds where Faith was sparring with Jaden, Skye and a dozen of the slayers from Cleveland.
"Faith; can I have a word?"
"Sure; keep it going you guys."
Faith gestured to a patch of grass and they both sat down.
"What do you think that was about?" Skye asked Jade.
"Dunno; if we go a bit closer we could hear..." Jaden suggested and the two slayers flopped down near enough to overhear their conversation.
"Faith, you know about Dawn being kidnapped."
"Yeah; came as a bit of a shock, I mean sure take Harry, but why Dawn?"
"Because of the prophecy" Buffy said slowly.
"Huh?" Faith was confused. "If Harry's the only guy who can defeat Voldermort, then why take Dawn?"
"The other prophecy. Don't you know?" Faith shook her head. "It says they Harry will be helped by Dawn to defeat Voldermort and that they can only win together and that one of them will die."
Faith looked shocked. "She's gonna die?" She stammered hoarsely.
"You didn't know? But I though Angel told you about the prophecy?"
"Not that one."
"But then, you couldn't have..."
"I couldn't have what?"
"Nothing." Buffy said quickly. "It doesn't matter."
"B; Buffy; what couldn't I have done?"
Buffy sighed. "Someone told Voldermort about the prophecy. The only people who knew and were in England at the time and not accounted for were you and Spike."
"You thought I would do that?" Faith asked, hurt.
"Not really, no, I know you wouldn't, you're practically a Scooby and so is Spike; but who could it be, Faith? No-one knows!"
About three meters away two slayers were listening. One in interest and the other in alarm.
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10:55 PM
Willow yawned loudly, drawing all the attention in the room to her. "Sorry!"
Everyone was crammed in the Scooby Common Room, everyone being the Scoobies (including Faith), the Fang Gang, Dumbledore and three officials from the ministry. For the last three and a half hours they had been discussing battle plans in great detail.
Willow's part in the fight was easy; sit quite a way away and perform the spell with two fairly experienced slayers guarding her, just in case. In case of what, Willow didn't know; if she was attacked, if something went wrong with the spell, if she went evil, you know, just the usual.
Willow stood up and excused herself. She was no use at that moment and she needed all the rest she could get if she were to perform the spell properly tomorrow.
She lay in her bed, willing herself to sleep. Finally she closed her eyes, but when she opened them again she wasn't in her bedroom.
She was in Sunnydale Park, standing on the wooden bridge that went over the little stream.
"Willow!" A familiar voice called.
"Who's there?" Years spent fighting with the slayer had taught her to get strait to the point.
"Don't you remember?" The person said sadly.
"Tara?"
Suddenly Tara was standing next to her on the bridge. "Hey baby."
"No, this isn't real, you're-"
"Dead. Yes; I'm still dead. You're dreaming." Tara sort of explained. "The powers that be sent me to prepare you."
"Prepare me? What for?"
Willow's heart ached as Tara gave her that smile that she would never forget. "For tomorrow of course! You're going to be doing some powerful magic."
"I know."
"You have to be careful. You'll be different afterwards."
"Different? Evil different?" Willow panicked.
"I don't know; the prophecy isn't clear."
"Prophecy? Another prophecy? This isn't happening." The red head groaned.
"You're going to have to face your inner self, so will Buffy." Tara said.
"My inner self? And what about Buffy?" Willow questioned.
"The Wicca will perform the spell. She will fight against herself to become more powerful than before. She will change her nature and never be the same again. As for Buffy, her prophecy is even less clear and you can't tell her about it, she doesn't need to know. All we know is that she will face her inner self once again; but this time she will do it alone and she will triumph." Tara recited.
"So Buffy's going to be ok?" Tara nodded and Willow sighed with relief. "Thank God! Right, about me: more powerful than before? When I was most powerful, I was evil. I'm going to be evil again."
"Not if you don't let it happen. I believe in you Willow." Tara said before Willow was pulled out of the sunlight and into the dark.
She sat bolt upright in her sleep. "Tara!"
Willow looked around; she was back in her bedroom, three prophecies to be fulfilled sometime in the next twenty four hours. Buffy would be fine, she didn't even need to know about her role, but what was she going to do now?
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11:15 PM
"Harry?" Dawn whispered.
"Yes?" He whispered back.
"Are you awake?"
Harry raised his head to give Dawn a look.
"Buffy visited me earlier, "she told him in a whisper; "Percy Weasly came to Hogwarts and practically gave us the ministry to work into the war."
"Really? But he's such a git! I would've thought he would have run off crying when Fudge resigned."
"Apparently he had to act like that to gain Fudge's trust and then he could relay info back to the order."
"Oh." Harry started feeling guilty.
Dawn sighed. "I'm not tired."
"Me neither- wait, why are we whispering? We are in a room to ourselves!"
"Oh, yeah." Dawn returned to her normal voice. "Wonder why they did that, I mean they go to all that trouble of putting the girls and boys dorms separate, but then they go ahead and put us in the same hospital room." Dawn mused.
"Probably figured we'd be too tired to, you know, or it just didn't occur to them."
"Right. So are you tired?"
"No." He looked at his watch and strained to read the numbers in the dark. "No wonder; we've been sleeping for over twelve hours."
Dawn swung out of bed and padded over to Harry. She got into his bed and he wrapped his arms around her. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all."
"I was thinking," Dawn said tracing little circles on his arm; "the final fight is coming...really, really soon... and one of us isn't going to make it."
Harry didn't say anything; he just waited for Dawn to continue.
She turned so she was facing him. "I don't want to die without being with you."
"You are with me."
"Not like that. OK, there's loads of stuff I want to do if we make it, but the chances are we won't... And, before we die, I want to make love to you." Dawn finally said, her cheeks going bright red; she had never been this forward before.
"Dawn, I-"
"It's ok if you don't want to." She said quickly, still blushing. "I know I kinda sprang it on you. I just-"
Harry put his finger to her lips to quiet her. "I want to."
"Really?"
"Really."
Harry started kissing her. He moved so that he was lying on top of her and moved his hands to the hem of her t-shirt. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Dawn nodded with a slight smile on her features. "Positive."
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11:30 PM
Jaden had been wondering around for hours, ever since she heard Buffy and Faith's conversation. She had finally reached her decision.
"It was you, wasn't it?" She confronted Draco.
Draco jumped round at the sound of his housemate's voice.
"W-what are you talking about?"
"Stop playing games, Draco; I know it was you." Jaden said sadly.
Draco dropped his head. "I'm sorry." His voice cracked.
Jade sat down opposite him. This wasn't the prince of Slytherin that everyone knew. His hair was a mess, his robes were crumpled, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"What happened to you?" Jaden said in a kinder tone.
"I didn't want to do it, I swear! He made me!"
"Who did?" Jaden asked confused.
"My Father." Draco spat. "This Christmas he demanded I work as Voldermort's spy at Hogwarts. When I refused, he went crazy. He did the imperious charm; I didn't want to tell him anything, I didn't have a choice! Please believe me!"
"I do." Jaden assured him, and she really did. She could always tell if someone was lying, and she was sure Draco wasn't.
Draco shot a quick look at her eyes, was she really believing him? It seemed she was, so he decided to continue.
"The other night, when I heard about Dawn, I broke the spell, I don't know how. It was like I couldn't do it; I'd rather die than hurt anyone else. My father-"Draco cleared his throat and forced back tears. "I told him I wouldn't do it anymore, h-he told me that I would never be part of the family again."
Jade hugged her friend, no doubt in her mind that he was telling the truth. She didn't see the smug look he sent over her shoulder to someone standing in the shadows. "I knew something was wrong with you."
Ideas whirled in her head. "You have to tell Dawn and Buffy."
"I can't; they'll kill me." There was no pretending there; they really would kill him. They wouldn't be as easy to convince as Jaden.
"They know someone told Voldermort," Draco flinched, "and they'll figure it out. If you tell them then you can help fight Voldermort...if you want to fight him that is."
"I really do." He lied.
"Then tell him."
Draco nodded. "Not yet. After Dawn gets out of the hospital wing."
"Ok. Wait a sec, how did you keep getting home? You can't have apperated every time you had a new bit of news."
"No; my father gave me a sort of port key to outside Malfoy Manor. Voldermort's army gathers in the caves underneath so he could easily tell him what I found out."
"His army?"
"Yeah the death eaters, a few vampires and about a hundred demons; didn't you know?" He asked innocently.
"No." Jaden said, already halfway out of the common room.
Draco smirked when he was sure she had left. "That was almost too easy."
"An Oscar winning performance Draco." Pansy Parkinson came out from the shadows grinning smugly. "Does that mean we don't need her anymore? Can I stop pretending to like her?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes Pansy, you can stop pretending...An Oscar what?" He shook his head. "I don't even care. Come on we've got to go or we'll be late for the meeting. War is coming Pansy, and I don't want to miss a minute of it."
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"...Now, we prepare for battle. Tomorrow afternoon some shall fight and the rest of my army shall join us at nightfall; dark wizards and demons united! We shall crush the half breeds that have taken over our world and claim what is rightfully ours!"
A loud roar greeted him. Voldermort looked around the underground cave at the thousands of demons, vampires and death eaters that looked up at him.
"We will crush them!"
Again, a roaring frenzy answered him and a cold smirk slid across his face as he thought about his army ripping Harry Potter to shreds. "He doesn't stand a chance."
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Next Chapter: Draco 'comes clean', Battle-mania and we find out who dies.
I'M SORRY for everyone who didn't want Draco to be the traitor; but it's a dirty job and someone had to do it!
A/N: I know nothing about battle techniques! However the next two chapters are going to revolve very heavily around fighting. So I was wondering if there was anyone who does know what is realistic who could read the chaps before I 'publish' them and tell me if it makes sense. Please send an email or a review if you would be willing to help.
Three chapters left and three prophecies to fulfil; I think I've got my work cut out for me. Why did I have to add more prophecies?
Please review! All you people on Author Alert and Story Favourites lists, please review! All you guys who haven't reviewed yet, please review! Everyone who has reviewed: please review again!