CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE SHACK

The house was silent as they approached.  Dumbledore aimed his wand at the boarded up front door.  "Diffindo!"  The boards covering the door split apart, and the Headmaster and Student walked into the dark front entrance of the house, the floorboards creaking with every step. 

The green guiding light flew up the stairs, and Harry and Draco followed, carefully watching the steps to make sure they didn't fall through the rotted wooden boards.  Giles walked quickly behind, desperately worried about the girl he considered a daughter.  He'd known that she'd been upset for the past week, and hearing from Professor Dumbledore and Harry about the fact that Buffy had been seeing ghosts was not comforting to him.  Buffy hadn't told him of any of it, and he couldn't understand why he'd been left in the dark about it.  Then again, after hearing Harry say Jenny Calendar's name, he somewhat understood Buffy's desire for a little caution. 

The light led them up to a locked room.  Dumbledore muttered another spell and the door came off its hinges and dropped to the floor.  Harry wasted no time in entering, racing into the darkened room.

He saw his girlfriend curled on the bed, her body shaking.  He couldn't see well enough to work out if it was from cold, or from tears.  Dumbledore lit the room with a spell, and Harry gasped loudly as he finally saw his girlfriend properly.

Her white shirt was covered in grime, her hands still encrusted with the dried blood.  She was gripping onto a stake that was covered in blood, and Harry could see the tear tracks that ran across her face.

Harry moved his hand, about to shake his girlfriend, but Giles caught Harry's wrist before he could touch her.  Harry looked questioningly at the Professor, but Giles just shook his head in a warning.

Dumbledore pointed his wand at the sleeping girl.  "Enervate," he murmured.

Buffy stirred, her eyes taking in her surroundings.  She jumped to her feet, stake raised, ready to attack anyone who came at her.  Harry looked at her with wide and frightened eyes.  He'd never seen Buffy go into Slayer mode so quickly, and it was a frightening sight to see.

"Buffy, you must calm yourself," Dumbledore said, his voice soft and melodic.  "We're not here to harm you."

"That's all they've ever done," a silky and sinister voice whispered.  "They've only ever caused trouble.  Wasn't it easier before you met them?  Wasn't it easier when none of them were in your life?"

Buffy shook her head, trying to get rid of the voices.  They'd plagued her all night long, invading her dreams and terrorising her at every waking moment.

"Buffy," Giles whispered.  "Whatever you're hearing…they're not real."

"We are though, aren't we?" the voice asked.  "We're always here.  We know what you're thinking…what you're feeling.  We can make things better for you…those measly humans…what do they know?"

"Buffy, please," Harry said, a single tear sliding down his cheek.  He'd never seen his girlfriend looking so completely forlorn.  He was reminded of a skittish cat.  "Please, you have to trust us."

Buffy's eyes widened as she saw Lily and James Potter appear behind Harry, each of them resting a hand on the boy's shoulder. 

"Wasn't it enough that your father killed Lily and I?" James whispered.  "Why are you going to kill my son as well?"

"Going to?" Buffy whispered.

Within the blink of an eye, Buffy saw a spitting image of herself ram a stake through Harry's heart.  It was the exact same move, footing, speed, accuracy as what Buffy herself had done to the man in the alley the evening before.

"Buffy come with us," Draco said softly.

But Buffy was more concerned with the image of herself trying to attack Harry.

"No!"

She lunged at Harry, trying to protect him from…herself really.  But she went straight through her doppelganger and into Harry, her fist striking Harry's cheek.  Harry fell to the ground with the force of the blow, and he clutched at his cheek, thankful that Buffy hadn't broken his jaw.

Dumbledore aimed his wand at Buffy.

"Stupefy!"

The spell did nothing to the Slayer, the jet of light that shot from Dumbledore's wand touched Buffy, before seeping into her skin, but having no effect whatsoever. 

"He'll never forgive you," Jenny Calendar's ghost whispered, standing behind Giles who looked as though he was itching to grab Buffy, trying to restrain her.  The Professor knew however that he had no chance against Buffy and would end up being injured.

The ghost disappeared only to reappear with Angelus on the other side of the room.  Angelus grabbed Jenny by the throat and quickly twisted her neck, Jenny dropping to the ground with a sick thump.

"No!"

"He'll never love you like I love you," Angelus whispered.

The ghostly vampire began stalking forward, stopping in front of Giles, but keeping his attention on Buffy, his back to the Professor.  Harry stood up, moving to stand about two feet away from Giles, keeping his eye on his girlfriend the entire time.  Draco had absolutely no clue what was happening to his cousin, but the sight of her with unfocused eyes, and looking so unkempt was enough to make him incredibly worried.

"Just like you'll never love him like you love me."

Buffy reached behind her to grab her spare stake.  In her hand, it transfigured into a loaded crossbow, and Buffy pointed it squarely at Angelus' heart.

Dumbledore was beginning to get worried about what he could sense from the Slayer in front of him.  He'd often been able to sense the power that she possessed, but never before had it been so dark…so tainted.  It was worrying him, and he could only wonder what it was that had caused such a drastic change in the girl. 

"I don't love you," Buffy whispered softly.

Giles was frozen in his tracks, thinking the words were meant for him.  His whole world seemed to collapse with those few words. 

"Rupert," Dumbledore warned.

Before Giles could move, Buffy's finger pulled the trigger and the crossbow bolt went flying.  Dumbledore aimed his wand at the DADA Professor and cast a protective barrier around the man. 

What Dumbledore failed to foresee though, was that the protective barrier shouldn't have been cast at the Professor at all.

Harry, with reflexes that he'd honed from years of Quidditch, saw the flight of the arrow and shoved Giles out of the way, the Professor falling to the ground.  The bolt hit Harry's shoulder, and the Boy-Who-Lived went crashing to the dusty floor.

Buffy's eyes went wide as she saw the exact same scene that she'd seen in her dream only a week before.  Harry, lying on the ground, with a crossbow bolt embedded in his shoulder.  Blood was pouring from the wound and Harry was reaching towards her with a bloodied and trembling hand.

She dropped to her knees at his side, her fingers touching the bolt that protruded from Harry's chest.  Buffy felt a shiver run down her spine and she turned to look up at the proud smile of a twenty-year-old Voldemort.

"You've done me proud."

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Ooo, short chapter.  Glad you guys are still reading this little epic *grins*.  Many thanks for all your feedback and support.

Toodles.

DKG.