I made Snape nicer in this chapter, dunno if I like it but let me know what you lot think!
Thanks to:
Lolly6- hehe you'll see when I'm gonna end it, but it won't go all the way to the first birthday
Charmedfanatic3000 – just wanted to say thanks, I think you've reviewed every chapter of this fic and I really appreciate it!
Dreamer Child
Lost angel92
Becks89 – lol lets talk about sadness and drama and your fic. At least I didn't kill Buffy! Still at least she will be back and hopefully you will update soon! Here's your update, hope you have a good holiday!
Stoic – your review made me realise a flaw in my storyline but I have fixed it and it will make sense in the next 2 chapters. Thanks.
Chrios
Wllw979 – lol sorry!
DeadRoseBlush - sorry I made you cry! Who's your sister?
RainyDay – your review really brightened up my day! Thank you
Kyra2
Anne-Marie
Chapter 33 – Support
"I know that this meeting has come as some of a surprise to all of you," Dumbledore intoned gravely, standing in the Drawing Room of Grimmauld Place, looking at the Order of the Phoenix who sat before him. "But I bring you together for a grave purpose."
Buffy looked around at the members of the Order and Sirius squeezed her and tightly. As soon as Dumbledore had received her letter he had called this meeting so he could get the Order behind Buffy and Sirius. But Buffy was afraid that many wouldn't be willing to help them, they had enough on their plates with Voldemort. Sirius and Remus had been hopeful.
Buffy looked over at Giles who wore a deeply sceptical look on his face. Faith's mirrored his, despite the fact that she was dating one of the Order members.
When they had discussed what they were going to do, both of them had been for leaving England and going back to Sunnydale to front their own battle in their own territory with Willow, Xander, Anya, Oz and Team Angel behind them. Both Faith and Giles wanted her to rely on their original team, not a bunch of strangers. But Buffy knew it was Sirius' decision too and he thought that the Order would back them so she had trusted him.
"A new
threat has been brought to our attention and the cause is not quite as simple
as fighting Voldemort," Dumbledore said, looking more serious than Buffy had
ever seen him. "For many of you, this will be something that you choose not to
involve yourself with, and that decision will be respected." He paced the front
of the room as he spoke and the room was filled with tension.
"Few of you know that two of our members
are expecting a daughter in seven months," Dumbledore said, and Buffy stared
straight ahead, aware that eyes had turned to her as a suspect. "Sirius and
Buffy are expecting their daughter in early June. However the situation is not
as joyous as it sounds." Faces that had previously been offering Buffy and
Sirius congratulatory smiles snapped back to look at Dumbledore.
"A prophecy has come to light, an ancient
prophecy pertaining to this child," Dumbledore said grimly. "The prophecy has
been written in the stars for thousands of years, prophesizing that a child
would come, born of a slayer and a wizard who have defied death, and that the
blood of that child would be potent, giving great power to whoever would drink
of her blood. However the blood only holds this power for the first year of the
child's life, after which the power is for her own." Dumbledore took a deep
breathe and continued. "The prophecy comes into play only after the child is
born, seven months from now. This child's coming has been forecast for
thousands of years, many dark forces have been waiting for her to come and now
the stars are aligned to tell them that she will arrive soon." Dumbledore
stopped in front of the group and spread his hands.
"This is not your fight," he said
solemnly. "Voldemort will make a play for this child, his interest in the
slayers will lead him to this prophecy, but I am not telling any of you that
you need involve yourself in this battle. But I ask you, those of you that
would protect this child, to stand alongside myself to protect this child."
He let the silence grow after his words, no one moved until Remus stood up.
"I'll protect you," he said hoarsely,
turning towards Buffy. "I'll do what I can to help you." Buffy smiled softly,
she had known Remus was going to help them but his public declaration truly
touched her.
Following
Remus Buffy and Sirius watched as Moody, Tonks and Kingsley stood up to join
Remus, followed shortly by Molly, Arthur, the twins and Bill. One by one the
Order members stood until they all stood, turned towards Sirius and Buffy.
Buffy could even see Snape through the crowd, standing next to Minerva
McGonagall.
"Thank you," Dumbledore said and they
all sat down with a shuffling of chairs. "Once again I am proud to be in the
company of such people. Our first object is to protect Buffy from now until she
gives birth. I ask you all to keep your eyes and ears open to anything
suspicious, any demons, or just people who look to be interested in this
child." He looked over to Hagrid.
"Hagrid, you must find Firenze," he said
gravely. "He told you an incomplete prophecy, and it is imperative that we know
whether the stars speak of her blood losing its power after a year."
The meeting broke up shortly after a few unrelated items. Buffy felt nervous as talk broke out among everyone, she felt oddly exposed by the fact that the all knew she was pregnant and they all knew the importance of her child.
The first to approach her was Molly Weasley
who did something she hadn't done before and hugged Buffy tightly, kissing her
on the cheek.
"Congratulations," she said, her kind
eyes reminding Buffy of her own mother. "People won't say that a lot but I
wanted to. If there's anything you need, any help you need, just ask. After
seven children, I'm used to babies." Buffy smiled warmly and for a moment
wished her mom was with her. She would've been happy to be a grandmother.
"Thank you," she said, clasping Molly's
hand. "To be honest the prophecy put all my baby fears out of my mind. I'll
probably take you up on that offer; I haven't got a clue what I'm doing." Many
other people came to talk to her, people she didn't know other than on sight,
congratulating her sometimes, hugging her and kissing her cheek, but on the
most part asking her where she'd be staying and what her plans were for the
next seven months so they could make sure they kept an eye out for her. Buffy
was touched at people's generosity.
She moved
through the crowds and finally she stood in front of Snape who looked at her
with a less sharp glance than usual.
"I suppose I should say
congratulations," he said looking down at her. Buffy smiled.
"I suppose you should," Buffy said lightly.
Snape's lips twisted into a sardonic smile.
"Well, congratulations," he said. "I
hope for all our sakes that we can take care of you." Buffy nodded distractedly
and Snape frowned.
"And congratulations on having a baby,"
he said grudgingly. "Even if it is Black's." Buffy smiled again and surprising
even herself, stood on tiptoe to kiss Snape on the cheek. Snape looked
astonished and Buffy was tempted to make a run for it, wondering what had
possessed her.
"You're too good for Black," Snape said
suddenly. Buffy chuckled.
"I've always thought the exact
opposite," she replied, eyes scanning the room to find Sirius. She met his eyes
and then blew him a kiss. Snape rolled his eyes.
"Maybe not," he said and Buffy smiled.
"Thank you," Buffy said finally. "You're
not the jerk I thought you were." She left him and made her way through the
crowd to find Sirius.
"Are my eyes deceiving me, or did you
just kiss Snape on the cheek?" Sirius said incredulously. Buffy snuggled into
his embrace.
"Nope your eyes are good," she said tiredly.
She tipped her head back to look at him.
"Don't even think about kissing me," he
warned. "You have Snape lips." Buffy grinned wickedly and planted a kiss on
Sirius' mouth.
"I'm just too damn irresistible to not
kiss," Buffy said firmly. "Besides, he's not that bad. Okay, he's a minor jerk
but deep down, there's a decent guy there." Sirius looked sceptical but
shrugged.
"I'll have to take your word for it," he
said doubtfully. "I just don't like the guy, I don't trust him."
Most of the Order left but as usual The Weasleys, Kingsley, Moody and Tonks
stayed for dinner. They passed a warm bright evening, in which Buffy could
forget about the prophecy for a short while, and concentrate on the fact that
she was in England with the man she loved, pregnant with a little girl and
surrounded by old friends and new.
"Looks like you were right," Giles said
to her quietly, mid-meal. "They supported you." Buffy shrugged and looked down.
"I wasn't sure they would," she
confessed. "I stayed because Sirius wanted to. If it had been my decision I
probably would've gone to Sunnydale, been around the people I really trust. But
they've backed us and they're all good fighters." Giles nodded pensively.
"I'm going to Floo to Sunnydale for a
short time soon," he informed her. "I need Willow and the guys there to
research. And I need them to get Team Angel onto it as well. We need to know
what's coming and when." Buffy nodded seriously.
"I feel like I'm on a really tall pile
of bricks," she said suddenly. "And it's all shaking and it might fall. But it
might not. It's been like that before I guess, there's just never been so much
at stake."
Buffy and Sirius curled up together on the living room sofa when all their guests had left. Giles had decided to Floo that evening, the time difference making it easy and Faith was upstairs with Kingsley.
"I know what it was like for James and Lily
now," Sirius murmured pensively. "They knew about the prophecy when Harry was
born, and it was so hard for them. James couldn't believe that his son was the
child destined to bring down Voldemort." Buffy looked up at him.
"What were they like?" she asked softly
and Sirius looked at her in surprise. Buffy had never directly asked about
James or Lily before; she had never wanted to broach the subject so bluntly.
But she wanted to know now, she wanted to know about a part of Sirius he hadn't
been able to touch before.
Sirius smiled wistfully.
"James was the best friend I could've
asked for," he said contemplatively. "When I went to Hogwarts I took with me a
name that was respected among dark wizards and despised among the good. But
James didn't judge me by my name, we became friends despite that. He's probably
the reason I didn't become a Death Eater, there was a lot of pressure on me,
Bellatrix, Narcissa and her boyfriend Lucius, my own brother. All Slytherins,
all Death Eaters. And they all disowned me when I became a Gryffindor; I ruined
the family line, nineteen generations of Slytherins." He laughed bitterly." Yep
I was a real disappointment. But I had friends, James and Remus and Peter." He
looked at Buffy and stroked her hair gently.
"You really want to know what James is
like, then just look at Harry," he said pensively. "He's the image of James,
could be his double expect for his eyes, Lily's eyes. And the way he is, I
watch him sometimes and think that he could be James. He's so much like him."
The door opened and they looked up to see Remus walk in.
"Oh sorry" he said, startled. "I didn't
think there was anyone in here." Buffy waved her hand frantically, beckoning
for him to sit down.
"Stay," she said quickly. Remus smiled
and sat down on an armchair.
"Buffy just asked what Lily and James
were like," Sirius said to Remus. "I was saying how much Harry is like James."
Remus nodded seriously.
"It's
almost uncanny," he admitted. "When I first met him at Hogwarts, it was so
hard. He didn't know who I was and for me it was like teaching James. He's got
James' determination, James' resourcefulness and James' trouble making
ability." Sirius grinned.
"He's better than us," he said. "We were
mad at Hogwarts, completely barking. Harry's more mature than us when we were
sixteen. When he saw what we were like at fifteen, he was disgusted. Rightly
so, I guess."
"What were you like?" Buffy asked curiously
and Remus and Sirius exchanged glances.
"Cocky," Sirius said finally. "To the
point of arrogance. The bit of our past that Harry saw was not one of our
finest moments. Me and James picking on Snape, Remus sitting by idly. We were
young and foolish but Harry never knew James, he never knew what he was really
like. He hated Snape but he saved his life. Like Harry saved Wormtail's."
"James would've worshipped Harry," Remus said wistfully. "He would've been so
proud to see what his son became, what he faced." He rubbed his temples.
"I remember the night they died," Sirius
said quietly. "I went to Godrics Hollow, I knew something was up. And the house
was destroyed, and so I climbed through the wreckage and their bodies were
there, dead, cold but like they'd just gone to sleep. And Hagrid was holding
Harry. And for a split second I wished that Harry had died with them so he
wouldn't have to live without them. He has had it so rough with them gone, I've
tried to fill his shoes but I'm not the father that he would've been." Buffy
rested her head against his shoulder.
What about Lily?" she asked quietly.
"What was she like?" Both Remus and Sirius smiled.
"The kindest person you could ever
meet," Remus said sadly. "Lily was always on the right side, always mature,
always clever. It was her that got us out of our terrible arrogant phase."
"She got James out of it," Sirius
corrected. "The rest of us just grew up." Remus nodded thoughtfully. There was
terrible sadness in the room, even though they could talk about Lily and James
fondly, remembering them just reminded them of the fact that they would never
see them again. Death was hard, harder on those left behind to mourn their
passing. Buffy took Sirius' hand and squeezed it lightly. He glanced down at
her with sad eyes.
"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't
want to upset you."
"It's okay," he said quietly. "I want to
remember. It was war and we knew people would die but deep down I never saw the
reality of that. I thought Lily and James would always be here." They sat in
silence for a moment, Buffy feeling guilty still for bringing up something that
made them so depressed.
"What was Sirius like at school?" she
asked Remus quickly, wanting to lighten the mood. Remus brightened and
exchanged an amused look with Sirius.
"I think
the American word for it is…a player?" he said amusedly. "Sirius always had
lots of girlfriends, and every one of them lasted about a week." Sirius
grimaced.
"I think that's enough Moony," he said.
Buffy sat up and looked at Remus.
"It's totally not," she exclaimed. "I
wanna hear about Sirius and his girlfriends." Sirius sighed loudly and Remus
smirked.
"He was a troublemaker too," he
commented. "The worst of us, worse even than James. The pranks you used to
pull."
"I don't recall you stopping me," Sirius
protested. "In fact I remember you coming up with the ideas for a lot of them."
"I'm sure I didn't, I was a prefect,"
Remus said smoothly and Buffy grinned. "Sirius and James could've given the
Weasleys a run for their money."
"They were good times," Sirius said reverently. "Stuff was simple back then. Right and wrong, good and evil, it was all right there in front of you. Now it's so hard to know what to do. But I suppose we can make it simple: I protect Buffy, I protect my daughter, I protect Harry and I protect my friends. That's all that matters anymore."
