WARNING: IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPOLIERS THEN SKIP THIS BIT BELOW:
Loads of people have been asking about Sirius and getting mad at me for killing him so I decided to say that yes he will be making a return, but not for a while yet. Happy now?!
Read and review please!
Thanks to:
Draco-FutureBF
Becks89 – here's my update, now you owe me one! Lol, as for the American authors making English people mean, I'm hardly gonna do that being English myself!
Dannii
Midnight – there's no way Buffy's gonna get with Remus, she's too much still in love with Sirius and he's totally not her type. They will be friends though. As for your other questions, see above!
Nobody… – Lol I am liking Pedro so much I might make a cameo for him somewhere. No promises though!
Caribear
Miz
Jess S1 – ah see I was a big fan of OotP. I know a lot of people weren't but I really felt able to relate to Harry with the whole angry thing. But don't worry, things will cheer up.
ScruffyWes
Sammi
SPASH Panther
C@rMeiNa
Erak
Dreamer Child- lol there you go, I hope that made you happy.
Susan
SlayerGirl
Anne-Marie
Chapter 4 – Weird Mojo
Buffy was
awake early the next morning, her sleep had been troubled again. Perhaps she
would never sleep soundly again. She dressed, black
tailored and a simple white shirt, and applied a little make up in the attempt
to attract away from the dark hollows under her eyes.
She pulled on a pair of boots and a black leather coat and sat on her bed,
taking a few deep breaths to clear her head and prepare herself.
She knew that leaving her room now would open up the world that she had left
behind her. It would mean facing Sirius' death every single day, dealing with
not only her grief but his friends' grief and seeing things that they had
shared and would never shared again. She closed her eyes against the outside
world, retreating into her head to find some solace. Then she opened them, got
up and walked out of her room.
Buffy sat
down at a table in the pub and ordered another cherry syrup soda. She had spent
the morning wandering aimlessly around Diagon Alley, waiting for three o clock.
She was a little worried that Lupin wouldn't show because he hadn't got her
letter in time, but she needn't have worried because he showed up, exactly on
time.
Remus Lupin had had a difficult life and it showed in the wrinkles that graced
his face. His hair was peppered with grey and Buffy could hardly believe that
this man was the same age as Sirius.
"Before I sit down," Remus Lupin said. "What is Sirius' nickname?"
"Padfoot," Buffy replied immediately and Remus
Lupin looked satisfied.
"Sorry just had to check you were Buffy,"
Remus Lupin said apologetically, sitting down. "You can never be sure theses
days, its dark times we're living in."
They shared
an awkward silence in which Buffy realised she had no idea what to say.
"Well, I'm Remus Lupin, Miss Summers,"
Lupin began awkwardly.
"Oh, it's Buffy," Buffy said quickly.
"Then you must call me Remus," Remus
Lupin replied and the awkwardness was finished.
"I suppose you know why I'm here," Buffy
said and Remus smiled kindly.
"I thought you would come," he admitted.
"After it- happened I didn't know what to do. Sirius didn't tell many people
about you, I think he was worried for your safety, but of course I knew, Harry,
Ron, Hermione and I expect Dumbledore knew. So I had to write. I'm sorry you
heard like that." Buffy looked down at her hands which were pale and clenched.
"Did Sirius ever speak about me?" she
asked quietly.
"He did to me," Remus replied and Buffy
thought that he had the kindest eyes she'd ever seen. "He told me about the two
of you in England and a bit about America, but not much. Not to
many other people. He didn't ever fully trust anyone again, after what happened
with Peter. He worried that if people knew about you, they would use you to get
to him." Buffy nodded slowly, realising that Remus didn't know about her being
a slayer.
"Just wondered," she said in a tiny
voice and a silence fell between them, filled with sadness, a sadness which
couldn't be communicated.
"Where are you staying?" he inquired and
Buffy pointed upwards.
"Here," she supplied.
"Not any more," Remus said, getting up.
"Sirius would never have forgiven me if I'd left you here. Besides Dumbledore
expected me to bring you back. I think he knew more than he let on, but then he
often does." Buffy's mind was whirling.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"I'll tell you when we get there," Remus
replied cryptically. "Fetch your things, we'll go right away."
Buffy found
herself following Remus Lupin through London and she was reminded painfully of
the time she has followed Sirius through the London streets. They walked for a
long way, Lupin carrying Buffy's suitcase despite her insists that she could
manage fine. Gradually their surroundings became increasingly shabby and grim.
They walked down a street littered with rubbish and Buffy caught sight of a
street sign which bore the title 'Grimmauld Place.' When they reached number
10, Lupin stopped and placed Buffy's suitcase down on the pavement. He fished
in his pocket while Buffy looked around in confusion, and pulled out a slip of
paper.
"Read this," he instructed. "And think
about what you just read and look at the houses." Buffy read the scrap of
parchment:
The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is found at 12 Grimmauld Place
Buffy looked up at the houses in front of her and was astonished to see number
twelve gradually squeezing itself in between number ten and number fourteen.
"That's some weird mojo," she muttered
and followed Lupin up the stone steps quickly to the black door. He pushed it
open, ushering her inside quickly and closing it quickly behind them.
"What is this place?" Buffy asked,
looking around at the dilapidated wallpaper, and musty carpets with dark stains
she didn't wish to know the origin of.
"Sirius' family home," Remus replied
with a sardonic smile. "Where he was brought up and he hated the place. It was
left to him in a will and he gave it up for the Order Headquarters. Imagine his
joy at being left here all last year." Buffy nodded, remembering the stories
Sirius had told her of his family and of this house.
"Do you know about the Order?" Remus
asked suddenly and Buffy nodded. "Good. I expect Sirius told you that, he said
once that he told you everything." Buffy bit her lip and looked away as her
eyes burned with tears. Remus allowed her time to compose herself before
leading her deeper into the hallway.
"Who else lives here?" she asked,
looking around her at her less than pleasant surroundings.
"Well me for one," Lupin said. "The
Weasleys, their son Ron is Harry's best friend and they're staying here for the
summer again, Hermione Granger is coming soon, she's Harry's other best friend,
you met both of them before. And then other members of the Order always pass
through. You can never tell who might show up."
"What about Harry?" Buffy asked and
Remus sighed.
"He has to stay at his Uncle and Aunts,
they're muggles and the worse kind – no offence," Remus said quickly and Buffy
smiled. "We want him to come here as soon as possible but Dumbledore keeps
putting it off." Buffy nodded slowly.
"Come through to the kitchen," Remus
offered. "I can introduce you." Buffy followed him along the hallway towards a
small staircase that disappeared downwards.
The kitchen was cavernous with a huge wooden table in the centre surrounded by
chairs. There was no one in there except for a red haired woman bustling
around, tidying up. She looked up as they came in and her eyes settled on
Buffy.
"Molly, this is Buffy Summers," Remus
introduced. "Buffy, this is Molly Weasley." They shook hands.
"Nice to meet you dear," Molly said
pleasantly. Buffy saw that she didn't look too surprised to see Buffy, and she
realised gratefully that Remus had probably filled them all in on who she was
to prevent any awkward and upsetting questions.
"Are you going to be staying here?"
Molly asked kindly and Buffy nodded, looking at Remus for assurance. "I'll have
one of the boys make up a room for you. FRED, GEORGE!"
Buffy
jumped as a loud crack sounded from upstairs. The source of the noise was
apparently two identical twins, Fred and George Buffy supposed, who appeared in
front of Buffy, making her jump again.
"What the-?" she said, confused. Fred
and George eyed her warily.
"Fred, George, this is Buffy," Molly
supplied and they nodded, confirming what Buffy had supposed about them being warned.
"Buffy, my third oldest boys, Fred and George."
She pointed them out, and Buffy couldn't help but grin.
"There's no way I'm gonna be able to
remember which is which," she said with a laugh.
"I'm the better looking one," the one
pointed out as Fred said, moving forward. George elbowed him out the way and
grabbed Buffy's hand. He bent low and kissed it which made Buffy giggle.
"But I'm the charming one," he supplied
and their mother shooed them out of the way.
"Can you make
the bed in the spare room up for her please?" she asked them.
"No can do mum," Fred replied. "Dung
showed up late last night. He's in the spare room, sleeping off the effects of
Firewhisky."
"He sends his regards," the other twin
added and they both wore identical grins. Molly frowned.
"Well the only other room is…" she
trailed off and looked at Buffy. "Well, it's Sirius'."
"Oh," Buffy said, losing her smile and
looking at the floor. "I don't mind staying in there."
"Are you sure?" Molly said looking at
her closely, something Buffy didn't want or need at that point. "Alright then.
Fred, George?"
With two more loud cracks the boys disappeared from the kitchen.
"Apparating," Remus supplied, seeing
Buffy's confused look. He pulled out a chair for her at the kitchen table and
she sat down, somewhat reluctantly. She half-wished she hadn't come, the
rational side of her brain that told her that she wouldn't know anyone, would
be a stranger and would have to face being hit with the memory of Sirius ten times
a minute hadn't been working when she had decided to come here. She sighed
deeply.
"You look thirsty," Molly said cheerily.
She placed a cup of tea in front of Buffy. Buffy smiled at her gratefully and
then felt a wave of sadness as she remembered the way her own mother had always
taken care of her like this. She sipped at the tea and actually liked the
taste, making a mental note not to tell Xander. As she was finishing up, two
more red heads walked into the kitchen.
"Cup of tea mum?" a boy Buffy recognised
as Ron Weasley said, and a younger girl, apparently his sister followed him to
the table. Ron threw her a half smile and Buffy figured that they'd come down
here to check her out. Both of them sat down at the table.
"Ron, Ginny this is Buffy Summers," Mrs
Weasley said, making tea with her wand at the stove.
"Yeah, we've met," Ron said and Buffy
grinned at him. "How are you?"
Buffy shrugged.
"Been better," she admitted. "A lot
better."
"I bet," Ron said quietly and there was
silence.
"The last time I saw you, you had a
broken leg," Buffy said quickly, not wanting the silence to linger. "How'd that
work out for you?"
"It was okay once we got into Hogwarts,"
Ron replied with a chuckle. "Madame Pomfrey fixed it and it was right as rain."
Buffy nodded, digesting this information. She turned her attention to the red
headed girl sitting next to Ron.
"Ginny right?" she said and the girl
nodded. "How many of you are there anyway?"
"There's me, the youngest and then Ron," Ginny
supplied. "Fred and George, who are next oldest, then Percy, then Charlie and
then Bill." Buffy raised her eyebrows in amazement.
"Wow, from an only child's point of
view, that's a lot of kids." Both Ron and Ginny smiled.
Another crack alerted them to the return
of Fred and George.
"All done," one said, and Buffy thought it was Fred. They sat down at the table, along with the others and Molly passed out tea and put a plate of biscuits on the table which they all helped themselves to.
"Are you a muggle?" George asked loudly and
his mother shushed him. Buffy laughed again, something which she hadn't done a
lot lately.
"You could say that," she said smiling.
"Don't worry, we won't hold it against
you," Fred joked. Buffy smiled.
"Well, I'm not a witch though I have
done a few spells," she said slowly. "But I'm not technically a muggle either."
They all looked at her in confusion.
"I'm a slayer," she elaborated and a
collective gasp sounded.
"The vampire slayer?" Ginny said in awe
and Buffy nodded. Remus whistled.
"I knew there was something different
about you," he said. "Some of the stuff Sirius said was a little off, like he'd
changed it a bit. And there was the time you punched Wormtail. And I always
thought I had this vague memory of you knocking me out." Buffy smiled
sheepishly.
"Sorry about that," she said but Remus
waved off the apology.
"Wow," George murmured. "Does that mean
you fight demons and vampires and stuff? Did you ever fight a Polgara demon?
And how many vampires have you ever taken at once?"
"Umm, yes, yes, and I can't recall," she said,
feeling a little embarrassed at the attention and half wishing she hadn't
revealed who she was. Molly picked up on this and stood up.
"Stop giving Buffy the third degree,"
she commanded. "I'm sure she wants to go unpack and get settled into her room."
Buffy smiled at her gratefully.
"Top floor but one," Molly explained.
"Be careful of the top floor, Buckbeak's up there and he hasn't been the same
without Sirius." She broke off looking embarrassed. "Dinner's at seven."
Buffy nodded, smiled at them all and stood up and walked out of the kitchen
"Who's coming for dinner mum?" Ron asked
after Buffy had gone.
"Well, Mundungus if he's awake," Molly
said with a touch of displeasure. "Of course your father, and Bill and Charlie.
Alastor said he would be in, Kingsley, Tonks and Dumbledore said he would stop
by to meet Buffy."
****
Not the most natural cut off point but I wanted to leave it there for this chapter and start a new one. Read and review!
