Hello All! Once again, thanks very much for your comments! I'm flattered that anyone would take interest in something that I'm just scribbling away.  Sorry about the wait, but I needed a short break to clear my head and to get some jobs done.  Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 10

Set in Motion…

Willow did not return to Grimmauld Place via the Knight Bus.  She was still very shaky after her experience in the Pensieve, and so Dumbledore had quickly walked over to his desk and picked up a shining turquoise inkpot.  After a quick tap of his wand, she was told to touch it and she would return to her temporary home.  She did so, feeling a great tug around her midriff, her hand still clinging to the tiny object. She flew past colours and shapes as if she was caught in a whirlwind…before collapsing on the kitchen floor back at Grimmauld Place.  Mrs. Weasley rushed to help her to her feet.

"Are you all right dear?" she enquired, a anxious expression upon her face as she faced her fellow redhead.  Willow nodded and mumbled something about needing to lie down.  She left the kitchen under the watchful gaze of Remus.  Once she was in her room, she lay on her bed, only now realising how drained she felt after her encounter in Dumbledore's office.  She soon fell asleep, and dreamt of sinister laughter…a glaring white sea in which she was drowning.  She flailed her arms, trying desperately to cry for help, but all she could hear smothering her pleas was the triumphant screech of the woman who had killed Sirius Black…

"Willow!"

Someone or something was grabbing hold of her arms...her eyes flew open.

"Willow you were dreaming…" Buffy was sat on the edge of the bed, gently gripping Willow's wrists to stop them from moving.  Willow groaned as she sat up.

"Sorry Buff, nightmare…"

Buffy produced a tiny smile.

"No biggie…as long as no primal slayers were coming to kill you…?" she raised an eyebrow questioningly. Willow shook her head.

"Have fun with Dumblebee?"  Asked the slayer as she stood up to leave.

"Dumbledore," amended Willow, "And…fun isn't the word I'd use..."

Buffy tilted her head and folded her arms as she stood in the doorway, waiting for more information.

"I saw how he died Buffy…I don't know anymore…he died so…" she looked at her friend, to see Buffy frowning back.

"That's gotta be tough on you Will…"

Willow paused, deep in thought, and then nodded to herself.

"Yeah… But I'm gonna do this."

They regarded each other for a moment, before Buffy smiled softly once more.

"OK…" she said, "Just as long as it's all OK…?" Buffy held off revealing the last of her thoughts.

Willow nodded once more to Buffy, an extremely solemn nod.  Then her face lightened slightly.

"Call me for dinner?"

"Sure."

"So this is the…" Xander put on a very exaggerated British accent, "draaawing room."

Tonks giggled, and he watched her, a smile creeping onto his lips.

"Did people actually draw in the…" again he put on his mock-Giles drawl, "draaawing room?"

Tonks shrugged.  Her hair was now a shoulder length brunette, and she'd offered to give Xander a proper tour of the Black's house before dinner.

"I don't know…I think it was sort of like…a room to chill out in…" she replied.

They both eyed the sinister looking gargoyle figures, which were being stored in the disgusting olive room.  There was very little light.  Cobwebs hung like banners in the high ceilings, and a number of grimy looking tapestries decorated the walls.  This place was used very much like a dumping ground for items people wouldn't want to see around the house.

"Or maybe not…" Xander said with a shuddering glance at a particularly nasty stuffed statue of a snake eating a bird, which sat on a desk nearby.  Again, Tonks laughed and their eyes met for a moment.  They moved closer to each other, and she opened her mouth to talk…when a noise at the door disturbed the pair.  Andrew peeked in.

"Ooo creepy…" he exclaimed, surveying the room. Spotting something that interested him; he shot across the room to view the article closer.  Xander rolled his eyes, whilst Tonks watched in amusement.

"What's this?" asked Andrew, picking up the festering item by a strand of what he apparently thought was string.  Xander had to turn away to stifle his choked laughter.  Tonks' eyes glittered mischievously and she grinned.  In his hand, Andrew held the rotted head of a decapitated house-elf, possibly a former worker of the Black's…but clearly he was not aware of this.

"Why that?!" began Tonks, stepping closer to Andrew, "Well that's a truly fascinating piece…that is…"

She gulped and had to cover her mouth.  His eager expression was just too much for her to take…

"It's what?" he chirruped, his eyes bright with child-like anticipation.

Xander had tears down his cheeks.

"That's the head of a house elf." She finished before bursting into hysterics, leaning against Xander for support.  Still, Andrew did not release the head.

"Oooo! What's one of those?"

Xander and Tonks left the room, half carrying each other; leaving poor Andrew alone in the dark.  After a few minutes they managed to contain themselves.  Again they looked at each other, smiling…

"Xander…" Tonks tried to begin again…

"Dinner!!!" came the sweet voice of Dawn from the floor below.  Tonks sighed exasperated. Xander headed downstairs.

"Come on," he cried, "Sit with me?"

She nodded.  As they were leaving, the resounding "EW!!!" from the drawing room reached their ears…and they were off again.

Dinner was pleasant enough…everyone chattering away to one another.  Andrew entered the room glowering at Tonks and Xander, holding his arms out as far away from his body as possible.  Fred and George, upon hearing of his incident with the body part, plotted to place something in his bed, much to Xander and Tonks' delight.

Willow sat at the far end of the table with Buffy as usual, and Remus cast her a searching look. She smiled genuinely at him; to receive what she thought might be a very genuine smile back. Remus' face didn't looks half as old as usual as he laughed and joked with the two women about Giles' past.

"Ripper?" he laughed, "Why yes, I believe I met him once during this so called 'Ripper-phase'…Rupert was closer to James, and he did know Sirius.  I think they all went out once…" he cast his mind back and his lips curled into a smile of remembrance.

"You know he slept with my Mom?" Buffy put in, poking her salad forcefully as she herself cast her mind back.  The look on Remus' face was enough to set her off chuckling again.  Once everything was cleared away, everyone headed off in their different directions to do whatever they did around the house.  Remus stopped Willow just as she was heading out and up to her room.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he queried, the worried look returning to his face…ageing him again.

"I'm fine…really. I am. Just gonna…chill out till…you know"…She trailed off smiling at him. He nodded back to her.

"Well we've got a few days to do any final plans, and I can go over everything with you…I just have one more thing to acquire…and I think perhaps the day before…we should visit the Ministry itself, just so you can see maybe where you'll be…"

"Sure," she beamed, "That'll be fine…not to mention interesting…" The inner geek still hadn't fully left her.

This provoked another chuckle from Remus.

"Yes I suppose it will…but we'll have to be inconspicuous.  Don't want people wondering what we are doing there…"

A few minutes later, the two headed off their separate ways.