Author: opalrose81
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Harry Potter. If I did, I'd be a very wealthy person and not in college (oh, how I wish). Buffy belongs to Joss Whedon, while Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Summary: This starts off using the events of season 2, episode 22 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Becoming II). I've changed the ending obviously, but here's the general idea: Angelus never gets his soul back, forcing Buffy to send him to Hell, not Angel. However, he takes her on his little journey. Instead of ending up in Hell, Buffy finds herself in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, among others, are beginning their seventh year.
Standard Author's Note: See earlier chapters. Also, I'm sorry. School officially sucks! It seems all of my professors decided to pile up the assignments-I mean, it's only been 3 weeks!! Then, I've been enjoying my downtime with GH (I'm addicted again-it's so sad). If anybody is reading this, then please please please accept my apologies.
Side Note: Okay, I've been reading fan fiction here for a few years and this has been bothering me for a while, but after I read a certain review…I just had to write this down. *Danielle stands on soapbox* Some people seem to enjoy "reviewing" other's stories with words such as "You suck" and "loser". While I'm sure those may be viable critiques to some, I think it's a little harsh and, dare I say, immature. If you don't like a story…DON'T read it. Just leave it at that. Don't pass GO, don't collect $200. If you have something positive to write or a helpful suggestion…that's another thing entirely. If you get your jollies by trashing someone's fic, then I think you have some issues. You may not agree with me, but I don't believe in flaming for fun…Well, I feel better now that I got that out. *Danielle steps down and breathes*
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Chapter 2
Hogwarts
Professor Dumbledore's Office
"Well Miss Summers, I am pleased to see you are able to begin your studies. Now I assume you are curious about everyone here at Hogwarts," began Professor Dumbledore standing in front of the seated Buffy.
After getting a full night's rest, Madame Pomfrey cleared Buffy to leave the medical wing. The medi-witch was astounded by the girl's healing capabilities, but after a curious look from the headmaster, dropped the subject. After dressing in her now clean and repaired clothes, the slayer made her way to Dumbledore's office. As she stepped through the doorway, she prepared herself for the new direction her life was about to take.
From an explanation of the house system to the subjects offered, Buffy was becoming familiar with her new school. Professor Dumbledore also mentioned about that while the faculty and student body were aware of her attending, they were not to be informed about her 'other' skills, at least not at the present time. Still feeling somewhat uncomfortable and unprepared for the barrage of questions she would undoubtedly receive, Buffy did not object. After his speech, the old wizard sat across from her.
"Most everything else, I am certain, you will adapt to shortly. Now, all that needs to be resolved are your school supplies and your particular house," he began.
"Accio hat," he said, as a weathered cap came forth from a shelf from behind Buffy. "If you would put this on Miss Summers," he continued as he handed the object to her.
Raising her eyebrow in skepticism, Buffy gingerly placed the cap on her head. As her doubt started to grow, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Most interesting…Another student? And a seventh year….Most interesting. I sense a great power in you…The slayer? I do believe that's a first here at Hogwarts. Great sacrifice, the past as well as the future, I see. Such selflessness and bravery can only belong in one place, Gryffindor!"
The last word, Buffy could tell, was spoken not in her head, but out loud. After nearly three years of slaying, a talking hat was probably the least weird thing she had encountered, so Buffy allowed any confusion to slide. Upon Dumbledore's nod, Buffy took off the weathered hat and handed it back to the headmaster. A strange sound was suddenly heard from behind her and upon turning around, Buffy saw another adult in the doorway.
"Ah, Professor McGonagall. May I introduce you to our newest addition to Hogwarts: Miss Buffy Summers. Miss Summers, this is Professor McGonagall, professor of Transfiguration and head of Gryffindor House."
The stern looking woman nodded to Buffy and gave a brief smile. Her gaze narrowed, however, in response to the girl's condition. Opening her mouth to speak, the professor was interrupted by Dumbledore.
"Minerva, if you would be so kind. Buffy here has already been sorted into Gryffindor, however, it seems she is lacking in the necessary supplies to attend classes. I must ask you if it would be possible to accompany her to Diagon Alley to acquire all that is required?"
Realizing that the request was mostly for show, Professor McGonagall nodded her head in reply.
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Diagon Alley
London, England
Diagon Alley was a strange place, even for Buffy. Walking alongside the stern-looking Professor McGonagall, Buffy looked around her in wonderment. The pair entered a grand looking building with the name of Gringotts.
"Where are we," asked Buffy.
"This is Gringotts Wizarding Bank. We shall need to take out money from your vault to purchase your supplies."
"My vault? I don't have a vault."
Professor McGonagall walked up to one of the tellers.
"We shall need to extract some funds from Vault 134," she stated briskly.
The creature, goblin assumed Buffy, peered over his glasses and quickly nodded. Stepping down from his perch, he walked from behind the long counter and escorted the two down the hall. Climbing into the rickety cart, Professor McGonagall explained her previous statement.
"Professor Dumbledore has informed me concerning your predicament. Many years ago, the Council of Watchers worked closely with the Ministry of Magic. Over time, the relationship has become strained. However, there were arrangements made for any person connected to the council to be provided for. More specifically-the slayer."
As she finished, their transportation stopped in front of a large and old set of double doors. Their guide instructed them to step aside and ran one long finger down the center, unlocking the doors. Once opened fully, a large fortune came into view. Professor McGonagall handed Buffy a red pouch and allowed her to fill it with the interesting coins. Securing the tie, Buffy looked back at the Professor and stepped back into the cart that would take them back to the main hall of Gringotts.
Upon leaving the massive building, Professor McGonagall lead Buffy to a small shop not too far away. The sign over the door read Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The dumpy Madame Malkin seemed to recognize her companion.
"Why, Professor McGonagall! What a pleasure to see you here. Who is this with you? A student at Hogwarts, perhaps?"
"Yes, Madame Malkin. This is Buffy Summers. Buffy is new to Hogwarts and needs to be fitted into her robes immediately."
With a smile and nod, the witch motioned for Buffy to step onto the nearest footstool. Madame Malkin placed the customary black robe over her head and began to pin it to the correct length. Understanding that her charge would be in good care, Professor McGonagall explained to Buffy that she would purchase her textbooks.
In a short manner of time, Madame Malkin had fitted the robes for Buffy as well as pretty set of dress robes. Paying the kind and chatty witch, Buffy exited the shop at the moment Professor McGonagall appeared again with Buffy's other school supplies.
"Now, it seems all you need is a wand. Ollivanders is just right down here," she said, with a slight point of her finger.
Upon entering the small shop, Buffy began to take in her surroundings. The room was filled with boxes, cluttered around haphazardly.
"May I help you," asked a voice, startling the Slayer. Turning in the sound's direction, Buffy came face to face with an aged man. What threw her off about him though were his mysterious eyes. So lost in her thoughts, Professor McGonagall began to speak to the shopkeeper.
"Mr. Ollivander. This is Buffy Summers. She shall be attending Hogwarts as a 7th year student. However, she is without a wand…"
"Ah yes! Well, then, your wand arm please," he asked expectantly.
Her confusion growing, Buffy hesitantly extended her right arm. A flurry of activity surrounded her as a tape measure began to…well, measure almost every part of her body. Resisting the urge to swat the offending item away, Buffy tried to listen to the elderly man's comments. Finally, he seemed to decide upon a box and handed the item within to her.
"Mahogany and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Well, go on…Wave it," he said exasperatedly.
Feeling stupid, Buffy half-heartedly waved the wand in front of her. However, the wand was not in her hand and, instead, another one was being offered.
The next one resulted in the stack of boxes behind her to fly across the room, which she guessed wasn't supposed to happen. This process seemed to continue until a flow of power encompassed her. Buffy looked up expectantly toward Mr. Ollivander.
"Willow and unicorn hair. Eleven and a half inches. The pure soul of a unicorn, yes, I believe the Wizarding world shall expect great things from you, Miss Summers," he replied, looking at Buffy with understanding.
Thanking the man politely and paying for her item, Buffy and Professor McGonagall made their way out of Ollivanders, and as such, out of Diagon Alley. Traveling back to Hogwarts, again by Floo Powder, was quite harrowing as she kept replaying the events from earlier.
'Great things? Why can't I just be a regular girl,' Buffy thought to herself. Snorting at the stupidity of her thoughts, she was met by the questioning look of Professor McGonagall.
"Professor McGonagall. Professor Dumbledore informed me earlier that I was to meet you here," spoke a girl with long red hair and green eyes.
"Miss Evans…Good, I'd like to meet Buffy Summers. Miss Summers is to be the newest addition to Gryffindor House. I expect you to help her get accustomed to our school. Miss Summers, Miss Evans will now lead you to your House and, from there, your room. If there are any questions, do not hesitate to ask me or any of the other Professors here at Hogwarts. Before I forget, this is your class schedule. Professor Dumbledore as well as myself shall be aiding you in the evenings, but we shall discuss that tomorrow. Goodnight Miss Summers, Miss Evans."
The two girls murmured in reply and looked at each other awkwardly. Desperately wanting to break the ice, Buffy extended her hand towards the other girl.
"Hi. I'm Buffy…and, you already know that…"
"Lily Evans. I'm Head Girl, but I'm also in Gryffindor, so you'll be staying with me. Can I help you with those bags," she asked looking down towards the objects littering the space around Buffy's feet.
"Huh? Oh, yeah…that'd be great."
As the two made their way up the flights of stairs towards Gryffindor Tower, Buffy tried to listen to the other girl.
'Wow…Not only does she look like Willow, but she babbles like her too…'
Thinking of her best friend, Buffy's shoulder slumped in sadness. As much as she missed all her friends in Sunnydale, she knew she wasn't ready to go back; the pain was too fresh. Clearing her depressing thoughts, Buffy managed to hear Lily mention the password to the large portrait. Professor Dumbledore had previously explained about the portraits and their ability to move and speak, so she wasn't as surprised to actually witness it. Stepping through the large hole, Buffy looked around her in awe.
The room gave off a feeling of comfort and peacefulness, with its large and rich armchairs. The fireplace wasn't lit, but Buffy could tell that if so, it would add to the warmth. Just then, she heard a voice interrupt her thoughts.
"Shouldn't you be studying? I find it hard to believe that you've already written your report for DADA," Lily said, looking pointedly at the four boys surrounding the small, central table.
One of them-James, Buffy remembered-only smirked in reply, much to Lily's annoyance.
"Fine then. If you're all going to be so nosy then I'll introduce you-"
"We go way back, don't we Buffy? Hey Buffy! This is Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. You already know Sirius," said James with a wave of his hand towards his companions.
Buffy smiled at the group and whispered a polite greeting in response. As an argument seemed to ensue between Lily and James, Buffy began to feel tired. Looking down to the light brown haired boy previously identified as Remus, Buffy asked the direction of the girl's dormitories.
"Well, the boys aren't allowed up there, but I think if you take those stairs to the top, you'll be with the other seventh years," he quietly responded pointing his finger to one of the staircases.
As Buffy began to make her way up the staircase, she heard footsteps behind her.
"He can be so aggravating! Here, I'll show you where you'll sleep," Lily muttered, trying to cool down by stomping on the stairs.
With a soft smile, Buffy followed behind the girl to the round room containing five four-poster beds.
"Here. This one across from mine is yours. Do you need any help unpacking?"
Nodding her head, Buffy allowed Lily to help her unpack her bags and then pack them into the large trunk in front of her bed. Listening to the chattering, Buffy shared some small comfort in knowing that she was safe. Changing into a pair of pajamas and climbing into bed, Buffy smiled to herself.
'I think I'm gonna like it here.'
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Sunnydale, California
"Nighthawk? Come in Nighthawk," he heard over his small walkie-talkie. Bringing the device up to his mouth, the young man was suddenly attacked from behind.
As Xander tried to fend off his attacker and reach for his stake, he registered the sound of footsteps further down the alley.
"Well well well…What do we have here? Shouldn't little children be in bed," the vampire sneered as he leaned closer to his victim.
He was stopped, though as he was grabbed from behind and flung into the fence across the way. Kicking him in the chest, the dark haired girl landed a solid punch to the vampires jaw. Running up behind her, Willow, Cordelia, and Oz helped Xander to his feet and stare at the strong newcomer.
"It's okay, I got it. The name's Faith," she replied in between her assault on the vampire.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there's a new Slayer in town," whispered Oz to Willow as the gang watched Faith drive a stake through the vampire's heart.
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Sunnydale, California
"Hey Will! Did you study for the Chem. test," asked Xander as he ran to catch up with his best friend.
"You mean the one you were supposed to come over for last night," Willow responded, turning around with her boyfriend, Oz.
"Huh, yeah…Um, I got caught up with something else," Xander laughed, putting his arm around Cordelia.
"You wish," was the response.
"Hey guys. What's up," asked Faith as she walked out of the library.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just about ready to take a test…I won't even make it into Clown College after this. Are you sure that Cookie-guy is really dead, 'cause if he could finish me off…"
"Kakistos. And yes, he's dead…Why didn't I just drop out," finished the Slayer as the group entered the classroom to face their doom.
Faith had come a long way in the few weeks since coming to Sunnydale. Running from Kakistos after he killed her first Watcher, she was scared and lonely. The remaining Scoobies befriending her, watched as the wild and carefree manner slowly ebbed. The Council had been contacted and it was decided that Giles would be Faith's acting Watcher…Unless Buffy was found.
The Scoobies weren't the only ones who welcomed Faith. Mrs. Summers had also taken the girl under her wing, one could only suspect as a favor to Buffy. Willow and Giles were the only ones who knew what the woman last said to her daughter, as well as how distraught she was over her words.
As life for the gang continued, they all could hope that Buffy was safe and happy, wherever she was.
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Hogwarts
Happy and safe, that was Buffy. Lily and she had become fast friends, Lily even tutoring Buffy in certain subjects. The two only had Charms class together though, with Professor Flitwick. The students Buffy saw the most were Remus, James, Peter, and Sirius. The four were inseparable, reminding her of the group of friends she left behind.
Buffy had also just finished her private lessons with Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. The two adults were impressed with her skill and capacity for knowledge. Buffy just assumed it was her abilities as the Slayer that helped her to quickly learn all the previous years' teachings. Surprise surprise though, her favorite and best subject was Defense Against the Dark Arts. The other students in her class were shocked by her aptitude. Who would have thought she would enjoy school? Or even, be good at it?
Another bright spot in Buffy's life was the news she had received from Professor Dumbledore earlier that week. It seemed the wise headmaster had realized Buffy's uneasiness during the night hours. He had permitted Buffy to resume her patrolling, however she was only limited to a certain area of the Forbidden Forrest. Much to Buffy's disappointment, though, vampires and demons hardly ran rampant. She spent more time reciting the various spells she was learning and having tea with Hagrid. Sometimes Hagrid would accompany her on her patrols, occasionally pointing out the numerous occupants within the wooded area.
Friends were kind of limited for the blonde Slayer. Most students seemed scared of her, probably remembering her strange arrival. The few classmates who tried to befriend her were Lily and the Marauders, as Buffy came to know. Her entire schedule was the same as the four boys and the five got along pretty well. Every time Buffy thought that maybe all would okay, she remembered her friends in Sunnydale. Were they okay? Was Giles disappointed in her? Was her mom wondering where she was?
As Buffy was strolling along the edges of the Forbidden Forrest that night, she glanced up at the sky. A full moon. With that knowledge, she resumed her walk, paying extra attention to any strange noises she heard. Seeing the Whomping Willow in the distance, Buffy began to turn around and head back towards Hagrid's hut. A rustling amongst the leaves suddenly stopped that action. Standing still, Buffy eyed where the noise seemed to come from. Upon hearing more of the same sound, however louder, she slowly stepped closer to the trees lined in front of her.
"Alright," she said. "Whoever's there better come out now, 'cause I kinda want to get back to my bed. So let's make this simple and you just come out already."
As if she was heard, a large animal charged towards her, knocking her onto her back. Punching the creature in what she assumed to be it's jaw, she managed to toss it over her. The animal-werewolf, Buffy recognized-was momentarily stunned. Mentally cursing herself for not having a tranquilizer gun, Buffy used the only weapon she had that wouldn't kill the creature: her wand.
"Stupify," she yelled. Remembering her lesson concerning the strength of certain magical creatures and spells, Buffy repeated the spell three more times for good measure.
As the werewolf lay in front of her, Buffy had the distinct impression of being watched. Looking behind her, she noticed a rather large dog, accompanied by a stag. Peering closer, she could make out a rat sitting atop the stag's horns. Remembering her sacred duty, Buffy glanced back down at the prone werewolf.
"Well, now what am I gonna do with you? I'm sure you're someone, a lucky someone at that. 'Cause if you messed up this shirt, well…" she trailed off as she noticed three people behind her.
"Sirius? James? Peter? What are you guys doing out here? And where did those things go behind me?"
"I'd ask the same of you, Buffy. You know, you could get yourself killed out here," responded Sirius as he stepped closer to the Slayer.
"Hey scowly-boy! I asked first here. What's going on," she asked as she crossed her arms.
Before Sirius could open his mouth in some response, James decided to intervene.
"Let's continue this discussion as we get Moony back to the Whomping Willow. He could wake up any minute."
"Moony? You know this werewolf? Oh my God…Remus," Buffy gasped in realization.
The other three nodded, and began to lift the unconscious figure. Seeing their struggles, Buffy easily grasped one of Remus's arms (or legs-she wasn't sure) and walked with them to the Whomping Willow. Watching as an entrance among the tree's roots came into focus, Buffy, along with her companions, continued until they arrived inside a dark and dusty room. They gently placed the slumbering werewolf on the dilapidated bed, Buffy, covering the figure with a blanket. Looking around, she placed her hands on her hips and faced the three boys standing in front of her.
"Okay. What the HELL is going on?"
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Sunnydale, California
"So, did Giles say where he was going," asked Xander as he took a seat next to Cordelia in the library after school.
"He said some friend of his mentioned this girl fighting a gang of vamps around Chicago. He'll be back sometime tomorrow," answered Willow as she looked up from one of her textbooks.
"That's how many times he's left? Eleven? Twelve? You would think he'd given up by now. It's not as if we don't have a slayer here. Of course, Buffy did dress better, I'll give her that," Cordelia stated, looking up from her fashion magazine.
"Well, thanks Cordy. I do so try to imitate your super-rich-slut look," was the response from Faith, as she tried to finish her French homework.
"Cordelia has a point. How many times will it take for Giles to give up? If Buffy wants to be found, then she'll be found. If not…"
With Oz's last comment, the emotions in the room took a downturn. Each person resumed their original pastimes, lost in their own thoughts.
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Shrieking Shack
"Okay, so…you guys are Animagi? Peter, you're a rat. James, a stag, and Sirius, a dog. And you all learned to help out Remus? I remember what McGonagall told me earlier. Isn't that, like, really advanced," asked Buffy, trying to comprehend the story that the boys were telling her.
"Yeah…Wormtail, Prongs, Padfoot, and you know, Moony. Took us a few years to figure it out, but we managed," said James with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Cool. I take it Dumbledore doesn't know about this," she asked, pointing to Remus and the three others.
Confirming her suspicions, the boys looked down at the floor and shuffled their feet.
"Hey! That doesn't explain what you were doing out here. So, Buffy…Spill," interrupted Sirius, crossing his arms over his chest, hoping to intimidate the girl.
"Well, I thought it would be obvious. Girl walking alone in the dark. Attacked, by some supernatural creature, yet unharmed. Super-human strength. I'm the Slayer."
At their confused faces, Buffy became frustrated.
"Don't you guys pay attention in class at all," she replied, resulting in what sounded like a snort from James and a 'no' from Sirius.
"You know…The Slayer. The Chosen One…One girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires…blah blah blah," she continued, waving her hand in a carefree manner.
"Bloody hell! The Slayer?! That's real," exclaimed Sirius in disbelief.
"What? You mean vamps and other baddies are real, but a girl who can fight them can't be," Buffy remarked, raising her eyebrow and smirking.
"So…you're this slayer," asked Peter.
"More like THE Slayer…well no, not really," she said, earning more confused looks. "There's another one…I guess. She kinda died, but I assume another was Called."
"How did you become the Slayer," asked James.
Noticing that the sun was beginning to rise, the four looked at the unconscious Remus, still covered in a blanket. As the group witnessed his transformation back to a human, Buffy decided it was time to let go of her past; to 'come clean', so to speak.
"Uh….Guys? What happened? Buffy?! What are you doing here," Remus murmured as he groggily awoke from slumber.
"I guess Secret Identity Girl is over. Get dressed and I'll answer all of your questions," she responded as she turned around to face the covered window. Thinking about James's question, Buffy could only smile to herself.
'Just how did I become the Slayer? God…Why me?'
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Hogwarts
Time seemed to go by slowly as Buffy told her story about being the Slayer. Her four companions listened intently, asking questions here and there, some more personal than others. When it seemed like she was talked-out, Buffy looked around at the room.
"Eeww…this place looks so worse in the light. Calling Martha Stewart, anyone," she asked, scrunching her nose in disgust.
"Sorry it doesn't meet your approval," Sirius began. "Oh great and powerful Slayer."
"Yeah, well…What I've just told you guys. It's private. Just between us."
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it, huh? I guess you're just gonna have to make us," challenged James, a twinkle in his eyes.
"Right. I think that's more Lily's area," was Buffy's response, causing snickers from Remus, Sirius, and Peter.
"What are you talking about?"
Rolling her eyes in disgust, Buffy made a comment about the stupidity of boys as she began to walk to the exit.
"Come on guys," she stated. "I think breakfast is soon, and I wanna get out of these clothes. Don't you dare Sirius Black! Now you know my secret…and I know yours…This might be a fun school year after all."
As the four boys followed her out of the Shrieking Shack and back to Hogwart's grounds, they looked at each other and wondered if being friends with Buffy was a good thing. One's thoughts, in particular, were interrupted by Buffy's earlier comments.
'How did she know what I was gonna say?'
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As the five settled down for breakfast in the Great Hall, Buffy looked over at Lily sitting next to her. The red haired girl glared at the late group as she took a sip of her juice.
"So…Where have you been? I thought you all were studying in the common room, but when I checked…Empty. Just, please tell me: you weren't caught doing whatever…Well, whatever it was you were doing?"
Looking down at her plate of food, Buffy tried to quickly come up with a lie. Looking across the table at Sirius, she could see the boy doing the same.
"Can't you stay out of trouble? You're seventh years, you should be somewhat responsible…And now you've gotten Buffy into your mess…" Lily continued, looking between Sirius and James.
Glancing mischievously at the girl next to her Lily then let a smile grace her lips.
"So Buffy. Did you have a nice patrol," she whispered loud enough for the other five to hear.
"What-How did you-Huh," was the stunned slayer's response.
"Oh come on…I'm not stupid. Besides, I noticed you've been out of the dormitory every night for the past week…And I kinda saw the stash of stakes in your trunk," Lily responded.
"Great. It's high school all over again," Buffy grumbled.
As the boys grinned to themselves over the ongoing conversation, Lily gave a pointed stare in their direction.
"I know everything," she continued. "Like I said, I'm hardly stupid."
Before anyone could comment, Severus Snape walked towards the table. With his greasy hair and perpetual sneer, Buffy felt that her distaste could only grow for the Slytherin. Standing behind James and Remus, he narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth.
"Did you have a pleasant evening? Such a nice full moon, right Remus," Severus said, quirking his eyebrow.
"As a matter of fact, we did enjoy ourselves Snivellus," hissed James, erupting a laugh from the other three boys.
Before Severus could open his mouth in response, Lucius Malfoy appeared from behind. Quickly eyeing Lily and the four boys, he peered down at Buffy, allowing his inspection to last far too long for Buffy's comfort.
"Well well well… If it isn't Potter and his friends. Getting ready for Quidditch, Potter? I'm looking forward to personally beating you and your ridiculous House…full of Mudbloods," he hissed, leading Severus back to the Slytherin table.
Watching the pair strut back to their table, James and Sirius slowly lowered themselves down to the bench. Remus removed his hand from Sirius's robes, assured that his friend was not going to do anything rash. Buffy glanced back at the Slytherin table, Lucius and Severus whispering with Regulus Black and Rodolphus Lestrange. As if sensing eyes upon him, Lucius calmly met the stare of the blonde, his lips rising in an undeniable smirk. Not allowing herself to be intimidated, Buffy met his stare with equal ferocity. Down the table, Buffy couldn't help but notice Narcissa and Bellatrix Black look at her and laugh amongst themselves. Turning around, she rolled her eyes at her companions.
"Ugh! And I thought Cordelia and Harmony were annoying," Buffy commented as she ate some toast. "There's definitely something wiggy about all of them, though."
Looking up, Buffy noticed the tempers around her recede. Of course, she could only imagine what would be in store for the two Slytherins. Peter was the first to speak.
"Why don't you beat them up, Buffy?"
"They're hardly worth it. Besides, it wouldn't be much of a fair fight. For them…" she happily replied.
"Come on guys, we're gonna be late for Charms," mentioned Lily as she began to stand up from the bench.
As the rest of the group cleared the table, Sirius looked across at Buffy. He noticed her discreetly pick up two oranges and tuck them into her robes. Eyeing her carefully as they walked to the door leading out of the Great Hall, he noticed her pause and look around. Nudging James, he saw her raise her arm, the two oranges held high. In a flash, the fruit flew out of her hand, landing with a loud 'smack' to the backs of Lucius and Severus. Quickly turning around and rushing out of the hall, Buffy held a triumphant grin upon her face. Looking back at her shocked companions she could only widen her eyes in mock innocence.
"What? I only said I wouldn't beat them up…never mentioned fruit"
************************************************
After a long and arduous day of classes, the group resigned themselves to settle in the common room to relax. It seemed over the course of the day, the five teenagers had become quite close; secrets now out in the open. Lily and Remus were the first of the gang to open their books and begin schoolwork. Buffy, smiling slightly at the sight, propped her feet on the small table in front of her and sighed.
"So, guys. What's the what with this Hog's Head," she began, stunning her companions.
"You mean Dumbledore didn't tell you about Hogsmeade? Figures…It's only the best part here at Hogwarts. Well, besides Quidditch."
James and Sirius, with a few words from Peter, began to describe all the wonders of the tiny magic village. From Zonko's Joke Shop and Honeyduke's to The Three Broomstick's, Buffy was fascinated by every detail.
"Don't worry, just stick with us. We'll show you everything," promised Sirius. "You game, Evans?"
"Shopping? So count me in," was Buffy's delighted response.
"Of course, none of us will be able to go tomorrow if we don't finish this essay for Transfiguration. Mine's still two inches too short," Lily growled frustratingly.
"We're dawdling…Besides, I never feel study-like right after class," retorted Buffy, eliciting a grin from James as he slung his arm around the Slayer's shoulders.
"See, Buffy…Buff. I knew you'd fit in well with us," he said. "Some people need to loosen up…enjoy life."
"I'm gonna ignore that…And I enjoy life just fine, thank you. Actually, Buffy we can go to Gladrags Wizardwear-"
"Clothes," Buffy interrupted. "They have clothes?! I hope I have enough money….Do they have Calvin Klein?"
All the boys groaned as Buffy and Lily began to giggle. Fashion and shopping-never a good combination.
"So Buff…You gonna patrol tonight," asked Sirius conversationally.
"Definitely of the negative…This assignment is majorly bad. Besides, I'm gonna hang with my friends."
With that said, the group continued their jovial conversation, with the occasional schoolwork.
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Next Day
With a little bit of luck, and whole lot of group work, the five were able to complete their Transfiguration essay. With the constant conversation, they were up later than anyone else, but enjoyed themselves immensely. Lily had quickly awoken Buffy and the two rushed to be ready to meet the boys downstairs. As Buffy looked at herself in the mirror, she thanked Professor McGonagall for allowing Lily and her to go shopping in muggle-London. Wearing her dark jeans and black tank, Buffy looked normal. She could remember all the times she stood in front of her mirror at home, prepping to go slaying and then meeting up at the Bronze. No, she wouldn't think about them now-not when she was doing so well. Slipping on her brand new black leather boots, she chastised herself for remembering the old gang. They were better off without her…or so she thought.
"Buffy? You're coming, aren't you," asked Lily as she slipped on her green sweater.
"Huh," Buffy asked, turning towards her friend. "Oh yeah…just-uh-trying to look somewhat good. Bed hair and all."
"You look fine. It's just, well…Don't you think you might be cold with that on," the other girl asked as she looked at her attire.
"I'm gonna wear a jacket over it, Mom," retorted Buffy, quickly looking away as she remembered her mother…and her last words.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Buffy stepped back to her bed and grabbed her black leather jacket. It was perfect for the British weather-not too hot, not too cool. Slipping her wand and some money into the inner pocket with one hand and grabbing her dark Gucci sunglasses with the other, she walked towards the door. She felt bad spending so much money on clothes and whatnot…well, almost. The money may have been from the Council, but Buffy liked to think of it as a salary for all the slayage she had done over the years.
As the two girls walked down the stairs, they noticed their four companions already waiting for them. They each were in a various style of jeans and sweater, casually standing in the common room. Buffy noticed Sirius glancing at her as she and Lily approached them, Lily nudging her friend as she noticed as well.
"Buff, looking good," whistled James appreciatively. "Oh-you too Evans."
"Gee-thanks James. You sure know how to make a girl blush," Lily responded, rolling her eyes at the young man.
The group stood there in silence for a few more seconds, looking at each other.
"Well," Remus said, as he clapped his hands together. "Are we gonna go or what?"
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Hogsmeade
It seemed like the gang had been walking along for hours. First they had enjoyed a Butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks, as Buffy looked around it reminded her of Willy's place. Except it wasn't full of baddies-she hoped. After there, the guys had dragged her into Honeyduke's and Zonko's, the latter resulting in Lily rolling her eyes and making comments at the boys' antics. The two girls had left the joke shop and wandered over to Gladrags, promising to meet the guys later…much later. Buffy had already been shopping with Lily and knew the two of them would be awhile.
Lily reminded Buffy of Willow. The hair was kinda close, they were both super smart, they were nice…but there, the comparisons stopped. Sure, she could talk equally to both girls, but with Willow, she was still the Slayer. In Sunnydale, when it came to fighting, Buffy did what she had to do, alone. With Lily and the rest of Hogwarts, she was a witch. Like everyone else. It was nice to feel normal again…almost like her days at Hemery.
As Buffy and Lily exited the store, bags in tow, they noticed the others waiting outside.
"Bloody hell! What? You two buy the whole store," Peter asked, astonished by the size of the bags the girls, mostly Buffy, were lugging.
Laughing at the joke, Buffy turned around and noticed a small sign diagonally from her. The lettering was too hard to read, but what caught her attention was the gleaming sword in the window. Curious, Buffy walked towards it, stopping in front of the door.
"A weapon's shop! Now this is my kind of place," she remarked, looking back at her friends. Opening the door, she stepped inside.
The small shop was empty, well almost empty. Buffy could faintly make out a wrapped figure in the back, but was distracted by the sound of the door opening again behind her.
"Cool! How come we've never seen this place before," asked Remus, looking at the others with him.
"Well, we never come this way. We don't need to go shopping for clothes every week," snickered Sirius in response.
As the five looked around at the assortment of weaponry, voices were heard from the far end. Sirius glanced back towards the noise, however the sight of Buffy caught his eye. Over the short time they had known each other, Sirius couldn't help but be fascinated by the girl. She was pretty, nice, funny…and the Slayer. After Buffy described her experiences, he couldn't help but feel more towards the blonde. It wasn't just admiration…it was what? Sure, he'd been attracted to other girls at Hogwarts, but this felt different. James noticed his friend's actions and teased him mercilessly. Of course, James was one to talk. He was head-over-heels in love with Lily Evans; Sirius could only assumed that she felt the same. They argued far too much with each other to be just friends. No, if Lily Evans and James Potter didn't get married and live 'happily ever after', he'd…well, he'd might scrounge up the courage and ask Buffy out. 'Go talk to her', his inner voice told him. 'What are you afraid of? She's only…the Slayer,' he reminded himself. Clearing his thoughts he made his way over to the girl, she too wrapped up in the dagger she was holding.
"Oh," he said as he bumped into a robed figure. "Excuse me."
Looking in front of him, he noticed the face of a man not much older than himself. His face and hands were pale, especially compared to the black pants and bright red shirt he was wearing. With a blanket clutched around him, Sirius could make out black nail polish on the tips of his fingers and blonde hair. 'No, bleached blonde hair,' he corrected. Whoever this guy was, he didn't dress like any normal wizard.
"Maybe you should watch where ya' goin' next time, mate," he drawled out. "Aren't ya' bit young to be around here?"
As the man smirked and inched closer, a hand came into view and grasped the blonde's neck.
"Spike," Buffy hissed as she backed him into a wall. "What are you doing here?"
The noise had brought the rest of the group out of their own conversations, as they walked over to stand beside Sirius. Looking from Buffy to the man she was strangling, Sirius was the first to speak.
"Buffy? You know this guy?"
"Know me," the man-Spike huffed. "The Slayer and I go way back, right pet?"
"I asked you once already, Spike. Don't make me ask a third time. What the HELL are you doing here," was the only response.
"Just doin' a bit of travelin'," he wheezed out as the grip around his throat tightened. "Is this any way to treat an old friend?"
"Friend," Buffy scoffed as she let him go. Pulling out her wand, she aimed it in front of her.
"So, where's the deranged ball-and-chain," she asked conversationally.
At the question, Spike couldn't help but look dejected. Trying his best to cover it up he looked down and noticed the slender object held in the Slayer's hand.
"Hey! That a wand? Don' tell me…Slayer's a bloody witch!"
"What if I am," Buffy said, narrowing her eyes.
"Wait a minute! What's going on here? How do you know each other," Lily interrupted, looking between the two adversaries.
Buffy looked at her friends, each confused as they glanced warily at a smirking Spike.
"Guys, this is Spike," she grumbled. "Spike's an annoying vamp, who thinks he's a big bad. More like a big pain in my ass."
"Hey! Quite evil here."
"Vamp? Wait…vampire? You know him…and you're gonna make with the slayage, when," questioned Sirius, turning to Buffy.
"Hey! How 'bout that? Better late than never…Of course, why stake you? Still have that pesky allergy to the sun," she asked Spike, as she stepped closer to the platinum haired vampire.
Inching back a few step, Spike raised both his hands in surrender.
"Whoa whoa whoa, Slayer. Now, I'm not meanin' to cause any trouble. Just came pokin' around here for some witchy mojo," he began. Noticing the disbelief in the Slayer's eyes, he continued
"Dru left me…a bloody Chaos Demon! Said I was weak," Spike ranted as he pushed his way towards the center of the shop. "I need a love spell to get her back."
"This is disturbing on so many levels," Buffy said in reply.
"So! You wizardy-types…yeah, you'll do. What'd ya' say, Slayer? Ya' owe me," Spike whispered, raising one eyebrow and shoving his hands into his black leather duster.
"Owe you? I let you and that insane girlfriend of yours go," she scoffed in annoyance. "I'm seriously regretting that decision now."
"Of course, I could always kill your friends," he challenged.
At this last statement, Buffy narrowed her eyes and squared her shoulders.
"I'll make you a deal Spike. Out of the kindness of my heart. You get outta here and don't come back. And in return, I'll let you make it out of here undusty. So, what do ya' say?"
"Okay! I know where I'm not wanted. Bloody wizards here won't help anyway," he grumbled as he picked up his discarded blanket. Covering himself, he sauntered over towards the exit and turned around.
"Feisty…Yeah, Angelus was right about ya'. Shame he had to go…Little Slayer all alone, without her White Knight. Well…maybe not," Spike remarked as he pushed open the door and stepped out onto the street.
With Spike's last words ringing in her head, Buffy felt her eyes well up. Looking around her, she could get as far way from the cramped surroundings, the cries of her friends growing fainter behind her.
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Walking around the small village, none of the other Gryffindors could find their lost companion. Each splitting up, Remus slowly walked around the perimeter of the Shrieking Shack. Hearing faint sniffles, the small figure of Buffy, huddled on the ground came into focus. Her hair hanging down covered her face, but Remus knew if tearstains would be present. He didn't understand what the vampire had said that could upset her so, but whatever it was…it seemed pretty bad. Quietly approaching her, he reached his hand out in comfort.
"Buffy," Remus whispered.
Hearing a soft voice, Buffy looked up in surprise. She couldn't figure out why she was so upset about Angelus. After all this time, she had thought she was over all the events in Sunnydale, but she was obviously wrong. Maybe it was that of all the people from her home, Spike was the first one she would see. She just didn't know.
"Sorry Remus," she said quietly, wiping the tears running down her cheeks. "I shouldn't have run off."
"It's okay, Buff. That's not the problem. Are you okay? What happened? Is it what Spike said…about Angelus?"
At the mention of her former foe's name, Buffy hissed, seemingly in pain. Furiously shaking her head, she tried to explain her feelings.
"No…it's just, you know when I mentioned about him earlier? About how we fought," she began, deciding to divulge everything about Angelus and Angel.
After Buffy finished her tale, Remus, who was sitting beside her against the dilapidated shack, placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently.
"You loved him," he softly asked.
"No…that's just the thing. I don't think I did. I mean, I think I had my head filled with Romeo and Juliet…I liked feeling cared about, loved. It would never have worked anyway, though. We were too different."
"You mean, him being a vampire and you the Slayer," joked Remus.
"Yeah that," she chuckled to herself.
It was nice to talk to someone, without worrying about what they were going to say. 'I should have done this earlier,' she thought to herself. Remus then placed his arm around her slender shoulders, guiding her head to rest on his left shoulder. She closed her eyes, seemingly at peace. Some time later, she lifted her head and faced the young man.
"Thanks Remus. For listening. I really appreciate it," Buffy smiled as she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.
Sirius had been standing around the other side of where the two were, listening to their conversation. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but listening to Buffy talk about the suffering she had endured, he was captivated. Watching his friend's attempts to comfort the saddened girl he could envy his position. 'I should be the one with my arm around her,' he thought to himself. Was he jealous? Of what? Remus and Buffy were just friends-nothing more. However, seeing the blonde girl softly sweep her lips against the other boy's cheek, he wasn't too sure.
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Next Chapter:
Buffy-Scooby Reunion
Nightmares?
Love is all around
Okay…So there's Chapter 2 all together. I'm working on Chapter 3, but I have to go to class…When I get back I'm going to sit myself down and finish it. It should be up sometime tonight. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed!