Disclaimers, etc, see part one.

… … …

Fudge opened the door into his office to let Professor Umbridge in. Giles stood up as she entered and offered his hand. She shook, her hand limp, but he smiled pleasantly.

"Glad you could make it, Dolores," he said.

"Rupert was telling me about how he came to be in England," Fudge began, happily.

"Yes, unfortunate business, that," Umbridge said, with a grimace.

"Let's have lunch," Fudge said. He rang one of the little bells on his desk. There was a loud crack and a house elf appeared, dressed in a purple tea towel draped like a toga.

"Please sirs and ma'am, who may Twinky serve.?" he asked with a bow.

Umbridge sneered at the creature said that she would like Steak and Kidney pie. Giles ordered Toad in the Hole with relish, it was not something that he was able to cook himself. Fudge ordered 'whatever was good,' and dismissed the elf with a wave.

They sat around the meeting table in one corner of the plush office.

"Now, Rupert, has Dolores been able to give you an account of how things are at Hogwarts at the moment?" Fudge asked.

"Yes, a little," Giles said. "We've spoken a little about what has happened over the year. I understand what her job consists of."

"Keeping those little rodents in line," Umbridge muttered.

"Yes, that, too," Giles agreed with a sigh.

The food arrived and he was able to hide behind his eating. It really was good Yorkshire pudding.

"I would like to have you back in office," Fudge told Umbridge. "Weasley's good, and dedicated, but he doesn't have your experience."

Umbridge chewed her pie crust carefully before answering.

"Those kids are getting on my nerves. And that Harry, Merlin, Fudge, he's even worse than I thought he would be from your reports."

She shivered eloquently.

"I have dealt with worse from some of the children in America," Giles said. "At least Hogwarts teaches wizards. I had to deal with Muggles."

"This is what I suggest," Fudge began. "Dolores, you return here to help me and the Ministry. Giles can teach Defence at Hogwarts and keep an eye on Dumbledore."

Umbridge ran a beady eye over Giles. She looked questioning at Fudge while Giles concentrated on not holding his breath.

Fudge shrugged, "Oh, we can trust him," he said, completely unconcerned by the fact that Giles was there. "He's my cousin."

"Really," Umbridge asked, with something between polite curiosity and indignant surprise.

There wasn't a lot of family resemblance between the two men. But she accepted their word, or at least Fudge's, and agreed to the swap; anything to get away from those kids if there was someone competent keeping Harry Potter in check.

…

Giles arrived back at Hogwarts with Professor Umbridge at the end of lunch. He didn't get to see any of the Sunnydale people until dinner. He spent the time sitting in on Umbridge's classes, ostensibly to learn how the course was to be taught. He hoped the second year Hufflepuffs weren't too traumatised by the experience. Dawn followed Ron to Herbology and met up with Buffy and Spike for Care of Magical Creatures. Anya and Xander had returned in time to catch Willow and Tara and they had gone back to their rooms to teach Xander the charms they had learnt while Anya described the Ministry.

When they arrived in the entrance hall before dinner, there was a crowd around the notice board, blocking the doors.

"Read it out," someone called.

Lee Jordan was somewhere near the front and raised his voice.

"Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five," he read.

There were general groans from the crowd.

"As per Educational Decrees Twenty Two and Twenty Three the positions of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and Hogwarts High Inquisitor were filled by the Ministry."

"We knew that," Seamus said.

"Hang on, there's more. 'These positions are now to be filled by Rupert Giles. Professor Giles will replace Professor Umbridge as of the Second of November. By order of the Minister of Magic and Dolores Jane Umbridge.'"

Many whispered conversations sprung up immediately, but no one moved. The Sunnydale group, with Ron, Harry and Hermione were stuck near the stairs with no where to go.

"So, you aren't hungry?" a curious voice asked.

They all spun to face Snape, who was staring over the milling crowd.

"Perhaps I'd better ask the elves to forgo dinner tonight."

"Please, Professor," Hermione said, sure that Snape would do just that. "Professor Umbridge is to be replaced by Professor Giles."

Snape tried to hide a smirk. "Hardly cause for excitement, wouldn't you say, Miss Summers?"

Dawn had heard enough about Snape to take a step back into someone. But the potions master had turned the full force of his oily glare onto Buffy. She stared back at him. They stood glaring at each for a few moments before Snape broke the spell. He leant forward and whispered in Buffy's ear so no one else could hear.

"You're hiding something, girl. If it poses any threat to these students, I will know what it is."

"And how do you think to manage that, hey?" Spike asked, just as quietly.

Snape eyed the man sideways. No one could have hearing that good. From the annoyed look he had earned from Buffy, she knew how he came by his skills. Another secrets to win from her, but at a different time.

"This is an entrance hall, not a social gathering," Snape snapped at the crowd. The students quickly began to file into the Hall, but were careful to clear a path through the middle for Snape as well. Spike took advantage of it to lead Buffy through the crowd. Dawn followed them, as did Tara and Willow, and all the whole Sunnydale group were seated together at the Teacher's table again, except Giles who was between Sprout and Umbridge.

"How was your day, Will?" Buffy asked.

She'd opened the flood gates as Willow described all the spells they'd learnt, and theory behind them, and Willow's own thoughts on how wands worked and whether Anya had enough magic to use a wand herself, and how much Spike really needed to begin to learn.

"Hagrid's a good bloke," Spike said. "I'd be perfectly happy helping him out."

"That's cause you get to be outside," Dawn said. "Do you have a tan yet?"

"It'll take a few days, bit. Always tried to avoid one, growing up."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Well, only the workers have tans, love. It wouldn't do for William Marmot look like a peasant now, would it. Strange how those things change."

Spike served himself some stew before passing the ladle to Dawn and began eating.

"Well, I made friends with Harry and his friends," Dawn said.

"You like him?" Xander asked.

"Yeah," Dawn said. "They're a strange group, but they get along well. He's annoyed about something."

"He's a fifteen year old boy," Xander said.

"I think so," Dawn said. "But that doesn't mean that there's not something going on."

"When you say like," Anya added, "do you mean in a special way?"

"No," Dawn said. "Although his friend, Ron, is very nice."

Buffy gave her a sharp look.

"And he has a pulse," Dawn said defensively.

"Well, we're meeting them all after dinner," Tara reminded them. "Except Giles, I think. Is the Ministry really so bad that we're going to have to pretend that we don't like him?"

Xander and Anya shared a look. It certainly seemed like that from their meetings with Ministry people. They nodded. Buffy sighed loudly. Spike was going to talk to her, but she was staring at the food on her plate with an intensity edible food did not normally deserve.

When they'd finished dinner they retreated to the privacy of their own rooms, Giles was finally able to talk to them. He didn't have a choice, they accosted him as he came through the door.

"So you'll be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Dawn asked, sweetly.

"Yes," Giles said. He was wary of her tone of voice.

"Will you actually teach it, or will you just make the students read a theoretical text book?"

"I'll do the best I can," Giles said.

He tried to get to the painting on his door, but Buffy stood blocking the way.

"Buffy…"

"You're supposed to be helping this kid, and instead you've joined the Ministry, who refuse to believe that he's in danger?"

"I got Umbridge out of Hogwarts. I have to play the part or Lucius Malfoy's son will tell his father that I was bluffing, and you'll have Umbridge back, and probably extra controls as well. I really shouldn't be here when Harry and his friends arrive, I've no way of knowing how well they can act."

The two men in the painting stopped their argument long enough to listen to his.

"He's right," one of them said.

"Anything to keep Hogwarts free of the Ministry," the other one added.

"You're only saying that because I did," the first one said.

"Since when have I agreed with you?"

"That's what I mean."

Buffy stepped aside and Giles opened his door. He began putting his clothes into a pile to be carried over to the Defence Professor's quarters.

"If you ever need to talk to me, Buffy," he said, as he left again, "You only have to come and ask. But you're well able to look after yourself now."

Buffy gave a look which said quiet clearly he had no earthly idea what he was talking about. Giles sighed, but he still left.

"Okay, so we hate Giles," Xander said. "But we can still look after Harry. And we know that Giles is doing all he can to help."

Buffy snorted. Spike moved quickly to put both hands on her shoulders and stare her in the eyes. Buffy looked decidedly uncomfortable, but she didn't try to move away. Dawn smiled. They'd obviously gotten on well at Hagrid's.

Willow insisted that Spike at least learn to make different coloured sparks with his wand. Tara worked Anya through some basic Wiccan control exercises. Buffy and Dawn were left out of the magic group, but Dawn managed to bully Buffy into teaching her some basic defence moves. And so they passed the time until their guests arrived.