Chapter 27
Normal Again
- - - - -
The rain was falling hard on the darkened streets of Sunnydale, California. Faith stared out the window moodily as she listened to the three-inch heels of her new Watcher's shoes clicking impatiently behind her.
"Faith? Faith? Are you paying attention to me? Faith?"
Faith sighed and turned back to stare at the woman's cold expression. She just knew she couldn't push this woman's buttons they way she had Wesleys', because this woman had a lot more power within the Council. Just looking at her made Faith cringe. She had a bitchy, conceited way of dealing with things. And she had spent the past two hours mocking Faith on her inadequate Slayer skills.
"Good," Caroline said again, sitting down in the smart leather recliner opposite Faith, her brand new Watcher's diary opened to its first page, a pen poised in her hand. "You patrolled tonight and I assume you killed something. Explain, in adequate details, your patrol tonight."
"Two vamps," Faith said in a bored voice. "I staked one and decapitated the other. There was a third, but the Initiative showed up and took it down to their secret lab."
"I beg your pardon?" Caroline asked, her voice adoping the icy tone she kept using on this unruly younger Slayer. "You were not to involve that secret government agency in a predestined fight to begin with. I thought you would know better by now, Faith. You are certainly not as dim as the other Slayer has proven herself to be--"
Faith took a deep breath, knowing what was coming. A dark look crossed her eyes and she found herself shouting. "Buffy Summers was not 'dim'," Faith snapped. "God, you bitch! How dare you treat me like I'm your dog just because you couldn't control the other Slayer? I think you'll find that I'm not easy to control."
"We have an initiative of our own," Caroline said with her cold, humorless smile.
"Good, deport me back to Pakistan for all I care!" Faith raged back, crossing her arms.
"Oh, no, my dear," Caroline said in a cool voice. "We were thinking more along the lines of scientific research. Since one Slayer already exists, there is a paradox. You surely do not want to spend the rest of your life in a laboratory in Antarctica being studied, poked and prodded now, do you?"
That bitch.
Faith looked away from her, sighing heavily. The clock on the table read eight thirty. Faith had three hours before her flight left for Los Angeles. And then she would be on her way to England.
Wesley had left earlier that day, trying to talk Faith out of going to England right away one last time. But Faith knew what she was doing. She had to. Buffy was depending on her.
She just had to ditch this woman first. Caroline had been keeping an annoying close watch on her since Wesley had been fired four measley days before. She had manaegd to say goodbye to him that morning at Giles' before he'd left for Los Angeles. Her former Watcher had actually given her some good advice.
"I know you're going to England to find Buffy and your Father, Faith," he told her as she walked him to his car. "But I want to warn you. Buffy's world is different now. I'm pretty sure that you won't understand it at first. Take all the time you need. I'm sure that's exactly what Buffy's doing. My Father is there right now, watching out for her. I'll just have to tell him there's two of you to watch out for."
"Thanks, Watcher Wes," she said, giving him a brief hug. "I really think I needed that."
Caroline had finally stopped talking and was glaring at Faith again. The Slayer turned with a soft look on her face. "Would you mind if I went home? I'm not supposed to leave Joyce for too long."
"Oh, and about your familiar connections, Faith," Caroline said slowly, standing up and going to her cabinet, rummaging around inside. Faith seized her chance. Opening a small box on the table, she pulled out a needle, grinning at the liquid swirling around the tiny vial inside. Before the Watcher could react, Faith tipped the needle into Caroline's neck, the woman groaning as the light died from her eyes.
"Sorry, Carrie," she said, watching as the Watcher dropped unceremoniously to the floor, finally resting awkwardly on her back. She then noticed what had fallen out of the cabinet.
They were Giles' watcher diaries.
She lifted them into her arms when an idea suddenly sprang into her head. Glancing around, she saw a bat lying near the door. Lifting it up, she walked around the small apartment, smashing furniture and glass. Lifting the vase from the coffee table, she tossed it out the front patio window. An alarm sounded somewhere above her and Faith dropped the bat, stepping away from it.
It was perfect, she realized, glancing around the apartment. It looked as though there had been a struggle and Caroline had been attacked.
Faith managed to get out the front door and slip into the darkness just as two police cruisers careened up onto the lawn.
The walk back to the Summers' house was hard. Joyce knew where Faith was going, but it was still hard for Joyce to admit it. Faith opened the front door and walked inside. Cordy was still in Los Angeles, having gone down with Wesley.
Joyce was sitting at the dining room table, going over her books for the gallery. She looked up as Faith walked in. "Hello, Faith. Are you all packed and ready to go?"
"I think so," Faith replied, sitting down across from the other woman. "Joyce, I have to be honest with you."
Joyce glanced up wearily. Her eyes were full of the same dull, haunted look they'd been carrying for nearly three months now. "What is it, Faith?"
"I don't know what I'm going to find over there," Faith said, her strong voice shaking for the first time. "My former Watcher said that the world is so different that I won't adjust right away. I'm quite scared now, because what if this world is dangerous? I can't do anything and neither can Buffy."
Joyce set down her pen and stood up, crossing the room and hugging Faith tightly. "I just hope you can find her," Joyce said sadly. "And you don't have to worry about me. I have Mister Giles and Cordelia around to watch over me. Just find my daughter... and bring her back home."
Faith didn't want to tell her that Buffy was already home. She was afraid the woman was going to react badly.
"Do you want a ride to the airport?" Joyce asked, closing her notebook and stretching slightly.
"Sure," Faith said, grinning. "That way you can impose more of your Mommy knowledge on me. I kinda missed it since my own Mom didn't give a damn."
"I'll pick you up at Mister Giles' in about an hour," Joyce said, reaching for an empty mug. "You might as well go say goodbye to your friends."
Faith left to do just that after loading her luggage into the trunk of Joyce's jeep. Giles was the only one home, since Willow and Oz were in class that night. Faith walked in and sat at her usual spot, trying to figure out when she'd next sit at the same spot. "I don't know what's going to happen, Giles. You've been to England before. Is it really different?"
"The country really is something you'll get used to easily enough," Giles said, cleaning his glasses before replacing them on the bridge of his nose. "As for finding Buffy... it'll be hard, Faith. I know Wesley gave you the name of a contact so you can hide out until you find her. I quite expect she'll be surprised to discover you came for her."
"I'm not going for her," Faith finally told him. "I mean, I am in the supportive sense, but I can't bring her home. She's already at home. She has her brother. She has people who obviously care about her... I'm not going to go there and take that away from her. I just want to be there for her in case that world is dangerous. And if it means sacrificing my Slayer abilities to do that... I'll do it."
"As for finding your Father..."
"It's my second priority," Faith assured him. "Really, it is. I want to find out who he is, even if he's dead... and then go from there."
"I do hope you find what you're looking for, Faith," Giles finally told her as they heard the sound of footsteps and a knock on his door. "That'll be Joyce."
"I wanted to give you something first," Faith said, opening her leather jacket. She pulled out the first Watcher diary that she'd taken from Caroline. "I, um... borrowed this tonight. I thought you'd like it back, considering she was your Slayer."
Giles took the book from her and cradled it in his hands. "Thank you, Faith, but I think you should keep it. Give it to Buffy. Let her remember where she came from." He didn't bother asking how Faith had borrowed it. He found it better that he didn't ask and pretended he didn't want to know.
After another knock and an awkward moment, Faith allowed Giles to hug her briefly. "Again, I'll say, I hope you find what you're looking for."
"I will," Faith said with a confident smile as she lightly punched the former Watcher on the shoulder. "I'll be seeing you, Rupert. Say goodbye to the rest of the gang for me."
As she left, he sat down again. The look in his eyes was mixed relief and sadness. He didn't want to lose the other Slayer. Both Slayers would now be in England in the world of magic, a world Giles had stayed away from.
But he knew in his heart that Buffy called it home. Her family had been from there.
He knew she would never come back.
As for Faith, he wasn't sure, but he knew the girl. He had a feeling she would do whatever Buffy did, no matter how much it hurt someone else. She was going to find out what she needed to know and then she was going to make the hardest decision of her life.
He knew, he just knew that he may never see either Slayer again.
- - - - -
There was almost an air of excitement in the air as Buffy walked down to the Quidditch pitch Sunday afternoon, feeling as though she were about to be doing something she'd never forget.
Katie Bell and Ron Weasley were standing in front of about twenty five students, both of them talking at the same time, their words running over the others, both stopping and throwing each other hasty smiles of apology.
Buffy joined the group on the pitch, setting her new broomstick down and clasping her arms around her knees. Harry and Ginny had already stood up to join Katie and Ron, and they seemed to be talking about which group to tryout first.
"All right!" Ron said, walking towards the group again. "We'll be trying out for Beaters first, since we need a pair of those. All of you wishing to tryout for the position of Beater, get yourselves in a line based on class. We'll take younger students first."
Harry joined him a moment later before the four teammates swept into the air. Harry winked a bit at Buffy's nonchalant expression as he soared into the air. If he knew her any better, he was going to say she appeared to be terrified.
Buffy turned and saw Spencer Wood sitting with two of his friends in the queue, his face alight with anticipation. "Hey, Wood!" she shouted. The younger boy turned to her. His eyes widened.
"Hello," he said shyly, walking over to where the older girl was sitting.
"Have a seat," she said, patting the grass next to her. "I didn't know you were trying out for Quidditch!"
"Word around the house has it that you're trying out for Chaser. Is it true?" Spencer fired back. Buffy grinned at him, surprised by his directness. Even Cordelia would have been proud of it.
"My brother talked me into it," she said in a joking voice.
"So did mine," Spencer said glumly. "I think he just wants me to play with his old teammates, you know? The famous Harry Potter, wonder Seeker and all-around ace student. That and the Weasleys... and Bell, of course."
"You don't want to try out?" Buffy asked, feeling slightly concerned now for the younger Wood boy.
"I love Quidditch," Spencer admitted. "I just don't like all this competition. Since when did competition between the different Houses get so bad?"
Buffy wondered this herself. The reason she had been late to tryouts was because Malfoy had pulled her aside as she was leaving lunch. He had told her that Professor Snape had spoken to him about tutoring her.
"Do you really expect me to listen to what that maggot has to say?" Buffy had asked him in an angry voice, nearly pelting him with her Nimbus broomstick.
Malfoy just sneered at her. "Language, Potter. And you will do what he says or else you'll be chucked out of here. I do recall you saying that you didn't care if you were."
"I didn't say that," Buffy retorted hotly. "I just said I've been through it before. There is a difference."
"Some difference, Potter," he snapped back. "We should probably arrange something or else Professor Snape will get suspicious."
"What is he, your deity?" Buffy replied in a grumpy voice. The last thing she needed right before humiliating herself on the Quidditch pitch was a confrontation with this annoying moron. "All right, fine. Just name a date and I'll be there."
"Sundays at four," Malfoy said at once. "My team doesn't practice Quidditch then. And hopefully you'll be so horrible you'll be rejected."
"Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically. "That's exactly what I needed to boost my confidence."
"Don't fall and die today, Potter," Malfoy said pointedly, before stalking off. She had just shaken her head after him, resisting the urge to throw him against the wall and attack him. With a sigh, she had just turned and walked down to the pitch, ten minutes late for the tryouts her brother had talked her into.
"I'll bet it has something to do with Harry and that Malfoy," Buffy said, glaring at her feet, a large trace of bitterness in her voice. "He isn't exactly the nicest brick in the block."
"Oliver didn't think so, either," Spencer said, as though this settled the matter. He turned and regarded the older girl again. "Oliver talked about you all summer, you know. He kept saying he'd met this amazing Yankee girl."
"At least he hasn't lost that nickname yet," Buffy said, scoffing as she dug her toe into the grass. Above them, Katie was yelling out instructions for the second years trying out for the position of Beater. Spencer looked slightly apprehensive as he stared moodily at the club in his hand before gazing upwards. "You don't have to do something just because your older brother wants you to," she said gently.
"He'll be famous someday," Spencer said, a light shining in his eyes as he turned to the girl his brother hadn't shut up about once his final month at home. "Oliver will be one of the best Quidditch players this century, you'll see. And Laurel is very clever. I bet she'll have the top marks of her year. I'll just be this little nobody because I'm not as smart or as clever as Laurel or as athletic as Oliver was. You'll see. I'll be the normal one. The one who didn't make anything of himself."
Buffy looked at the younger boy in surprise. "Spencer, what do you think you are? You're a Wizard, right? You got your letter because the Ministry saw something very special in you. It doesn't matter if you can play Quidditch or perform good on a test, what matters is how you feel about yourself. I know that playing Quidditch will appease your family, but I can see that it clearly isn't making you happy. And since when does normal factor into anything? I've never been normal... it doesn't exist!"
Spencer gave her a tight smile. "Maybe for you it doesn't, but to me, normal is mediocre. It's being less than I can be."
"Less than you can be of what?" Buffy asked him with a blank expression. "Look, Spencer, I'm not going to pretend I know you just because I really like your brother, but... you sound to me like you've given up trying."
"With a brother who's as good as Oliver and a sister as smart as Laurel in the house, you'd get used to it," Spencer snapped back.
She just put a comforting arm on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for someday, Spencer. You're what, fourteen?" The boy nodded. "When I was fourteen, I had problems deciding which clothes I was going to wear at school and whether or not I was having a good hair day. That was normal for me. If normal for you means that you force yourself to like a sport just because your family has a bloodline of talent in it... it doesn't mean you have to follow along."
"But Buffy," he said, smiling his first genuine smile at her, "I like your hair."
She laughed and swatted him on the arm just as the fourth years were called into the air. Spencer turned and saw his two friends beckoning him as they lifted into the air.
"Go ahead," Buffy said, urging the boy on a little. "I think you'll find that if you play hard, you can prove yourself to anyone."
Spencer nodded and stood up, turning around to look at the girl again. "I can see why Oliver likes you."
She just smiled at him as he soared into the air, joining his two friends, their clubs swinging menacingly in the air.
It took another hour to get through the Beater tryouts and the first three years of the chaser tryouts. Buffy was trying desperately to keep herself awake.
She had fallen asleep for just a few minutes before she felt someone pressing on her toes. She had sat up quickly to see Harry smirking at her. "Come on, seventh year," he said, offering her his hand. "Let's see you fly."
Buffy managed to stand up and grabbed her broomstick, lifting into the air with him. Those that had already tried out were waiting below. Katie and Ron were sitting above, discussing the two fifth years and the one sixth year, Lavender Brown, who had tried out. Buffy was surprised to see that Spencer was still standing below them. He waved up at her and with a shaking hand, Buffy waved back.
It was now or never.
"All right, Buffy," Katie said, flying over to meet her. "If you fly today, you're in with Weasley. She had an excellent tryout. Brown wouldn't have been so bad had she not hit out at every single quaffle we passed to her. Just act like you did Friday night when you flew at Malfoy, and you'll be brilliant."
Turning, she moved into position, telling Buffy where to go. Ron was positioning himself in front of the center goalpost. Harry was acting as the third Chaser, the quaffle in his arms. "You ready?" he asked his sister, a wide grin spreading across his face.
Buffy offered him a weak one in return.
He threw the quaffle at her and she caught it easily, moving forward. Seeing that Harry was flying far above her and Katie slightly below her and to the left, she saw Ron position himself for what would probably be an easy save.
But Buffy remembered a play she and Katie had practiced two nights ago. Instead of heading right at Ron, she flew wide, going around the back of the goalposts. Harry was looking at her in surprise until she passed the quaffle at Katie. Katie caught it and feinted, crossing back into her original path once she'd flown past Ron. The quaffle went through the left-side goalpost.
Buffy let out a small yelp of surprise as Katie held up her hand. Buffy quickly clapped her palm as both women turned to look at Harry, who had just flown down to recover the quaffle. He looked mildly impressed as soon as he joined them.
"That's a good start," said Ron, who was now flying in circles above them. "But let's see her try it the entire length of the Quidditch pitch."
Buffy turned her broomstick as Harry handed her the quaffle. She flew near the opposite goalposts and circled them once, trying to get the feel for the speed of the broomstick beneath her.
She then wished she hadn't looked down.
Gulping, she barely noticed that forty feet below her, students were cheering her on. Yet, it was forty feet. She looked up with weak eyes, her knees clutching the broomstick unsteadily.
Like a bullet, it shot out. She barely managed to hold onto the quaffle as she sped across the pitch, reaching the other end in a surprisingly short amount of time.
Ron was above the hoops now, staring at her, as though daring her to attack the center one.
It was just another challenge, she realized. Just another challenge for her to break her way through. She saw that both Katie and Harry were waiting for her to try something. She slowed slightly, sitting up straight. Her eyes met Ron's. He saw the challenge in her eyes and nodded, waiting for her to make her move.
She dove down, heading at such a sharp angle she felt slightly sick. She twisted up, circling both Harry and Katie. Ron looked so confused he didn't even bother defending the center hoop, which the quaffle sailed through once Buffy had tossed it through. Putting a hand to her throbbing head, she managed a weak grin at the Quidditch Captain. "Sorry about that," she said in a drained voice.
The torture lasted only ten minutes longer. When Buffy touched back down onto the ground, she collapsed on the grass, her broomstick slapping painfully on top of her. "That wasn't fun at all," she groaned, closing her eyes, still dizzy from her spinning.
"That was brilliant," Ginny said from above her. Buffy opened one eye and saw that both Ginny and Lavender were standing there, grinning down at her. "I think you confused Ron."
"Maybe that'll work against the other Keepers," Lavender said, giggling happily.
"Who knows?" Buffy moaned, pressing a hand over her eyes. She didn't notice Spencer staring at her, concern flashing in his cerulean eyes. Before she could get her thoughts together, there was a gentle thud as three others landed.
"All right, you lot!" Ron shouted out. "We've decided on the Chasers, but we'll take the Beater finalists up for another round." He turned to his own sister with a grin. "Ginny, congratulations. Lavender, I'm happy to inform you that you have not been chosen as a Chaser." He grinned as a look of relief fell across the other girl's pretty face. She beamed at him and Ron smiled back, his eyes twinkling. He then turned his gaze on the girl laying before him. "And Buffy..."
"I know, I know," she said angrily, not moving her hand to look at him. "I've always been the chosen one, remember?"
"Now we're the chosen two," Ginny said, grinning as she dropped down next to Buffy, who finally moved her hand.
"Just tell me when the world stops spinning, all right?" she asked weakly.
"She'll be fine with training," Katie assured Ron, who nodded.
Harry bent down next to his sister. "Are you all right?" he asked, watching as she looked at him with glazed and slightly unfocused eyes. "We kind of need you back in the air right now."
Buffy nodded and sat up, feeling, to her surprise, slightly better. "Okay," she said, grabbing her Nimbus and standing up again.
Buffy and Ginny rose in the air together, Katie already hovering thirty feet above them, beckoning to both women. "Get over here!" she said, laughing. "We've got some Beaters to find."
Buffy was happy to see that Spencer was included in the last group. Maybe, she thought to herself, maybe someday he'd see himself as something more than a shadow of extraordinary. He called himself normal, but in Buffy's limited vocabulary, there was no such word.
After all, she wasn't exactly normal herself.
Tryouts lasted until dinnertime. When the five players set down again, Katie and Ron went to talk to the seven Beater candidates left. Lavender was waiting for them too, much to Harry's surprise. But when he saw the looks she'd been giving Ron, hoping to catch his eye, Harry just sniggered and looked away. Whenever Lavender caught Ron's eye, she would smile and look away, blushing slightly.
"Well, we're a team of seven again!" Ron announced as the seven walked away, all of them looking excited. He stopped when Lavender stepped in front of him. "Why, hello Miss Brown."
"Mister Weasley," she said, arching one eyebrow in greeting as she looked at the two short women standing behind him. "I see you've got yourself a few new Chasers."
"I'm sorry I didn't pick you," he said, his gaze softening when he realized her reason for being there.
"No, Ron," she said, watching as he walked past her, a guilty flush creeping up his neck. "It isn't that... I'm glad you didn't pick me. I would have fallen hundreds of times a game... just because I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off of you."
Ron stopped dead. Ginny's eyes widened. Harry let out a snort of laughter, only to be stopped by Buffy who nudged him in the ribs. Even Katie looked stunned.
"Well," Ron stammered out, "I'm glad you liked the view."
"Just gives me more reasons to be a fan," Lavender said, smiling at the fact he wasn't looking away from her. "I'll see you all later, okay?"
She turned around and walked back towards the castle.
"She is the strangest girl," Ron said, blinking and walking away, shaking his head, followed by his sister and Harry.
Buffy pulled Katie aside, giggling. "It looks like I'm not the only one with a crush on a Quidditch Captain," she said, bemused.
"Looks that way," Katie replied with a nod.
The two girls started walking back towards the castle. "So, who did you and Ron pick for Beaters anyway?"
"Are you wondering if a certain sibling of your certain boyfriend was chosen?" Katie asked lightly.
"In a word," Buffy replied, "yes."
"He was," Katie replied. "Along with that friend of his. They both flew really well. I think they'll rival Fred and George in their talent, for sure."
"I hope so, because I've heard they were good," Buffy said, grinning.
"Just ask them," Katie said with a teasing smile.
As Buffy marched back upstairs and into the Great Hall with the rest of the team, she could hardly imagine the look on Malfoy's face when he discovered that the eldest Potter had indeed made the House Quidditch team.
- - - - -
Buffy had just finished her first Runes chart when the door to the classroom opened, admitting Professor McGonagall. "Excuse me, Professor, but can I see Miss Potter for a moment?"
Buffy exchanged a tense glance with Hermione before rising and gathering her things. Walking to where the other woman stood, waiting for her patiently by the door, Professor McGonagall put a hand on her shoulder and steered into the corridor.
"What is going on?" Buffy asked in a hushed whisper.
"Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you immediately," Professor McGonagall replied as both women marched quickly through the hallways, ignoring the looks other students were sending them. "The Minister of Magic has arrived and I am certain he does not have all day."
"Oh," Buffy said, remembering Percy's letter from earlier the previous week. "I understand. I think I need to speak with him, too..." her voice dropped off as she noticed they had stopped.
A large statue of some hideous winged creature stood mightily in front of them. Buffy stared at it, half expecting it to sing like the old sorting hat had done. Instead, Professor McGonagall pushed her a few steps forward until she was inside the statue.
"Fizzing Whizbee," Professor McGonagall said slowly, stepping in behind her Gryffindor student.
Buffy saw a whirl of colors until she realized the statue was actually moving, like an escalator. When it finally came to a stop, Buffy stumbled forward, pelting straight into the door. As if that wasn't bad enough, the door hadn't been properly closed. She crashed through it and landed hard on the floor, choking.
"Miss... err, Miss Potter?" a calm voice asked somewhere above her.
"I know," she said in frustration as she shook her head to clear it. "It know!"
Professor McGonagall stepped cleanly over her legs to join Professor Pryce by the fireplace. Cornelius Fudge was standing on Professor Pryce's opposite side with, Buffy realized, her face turning pink, his junior assistant. When Percy saw that she was staring at them with a look of awe in her eyes, he hustled forward and offered her his hand.
"It's good to see you again, Elizabeth," he said, releasing her hand as soon as she stood up. Realizing she was covered in dust from falling ever so gracefully to the floor, she brushed her robes off hastily.
"Hello, everyone," she said, uncomfortably aware that every single eye in the room was focused on her.
"Miss Potter, have a seat," Professor Dumbledore said from behind his desk. "Both Mister Fudge here and Professor Pryce have something to tell you about."
"Oh," Buffy said, turning to regard both men. "Tell away, I guess."
"Please try to understand that the Council and the Ministry of Magic have never been closely linked," the Minister of Magic began quickly, with an air of slight arrogance.
"What about the Council?" Buffy asked, interrupting him, her voice full of panic. She looked from one calm face to the other, feeling as though her heart would stop beating. "Are they coming for me?"
"No," Professor Pryce said, stepping forward. "They are not. What the Minister of Magic is trying to tell you is that the Watcher's Council has been fortifying its position in the upcoming war. He also believes there is a traitor there; someone has been letting Slayer secrets out to the Dark Lord and we are worried that your lineage will also be divulged."
Buffy could have swore her heart stopped beating as she fell back weakly in her chair. "Voldemort will know I exist," she whispered.
"It is entirely possible," the Minister of Magic said lightly. "But until we get proof, all I can say is that we do wish for you to keep your skills hidden. The last thing we need is for you to be discovered and put you and Harry in jeopardy."
"I know this," she said impatiently, burying her face in shaking hands. "I've been here, what, a week now? I've been a good little girl, never toeing the line. I haven't used my skills once, except to run to class one day. I don't think anything I have done could constitute as insurrection."
"My son has informed me that he has been fired from the Watcher's Council," Professor Pryce said in his distinguished voice. "Wesley has also informed me that the other Slayer has decided to come to England."
"She... she what?" Buffy gasped, horrified. If anything could shake her cold resolve, this could. "Oh, my God..." She turned away, now feeling that she would panic if she looked into the eyes of her would-be Watcher anymore. "You're telling me that Faith, who is now under the jurisdiction of another Watcher... is coming... here?"
"Quentin's very own pride and joy, one Miss Caroline Mann, will be taking over as Faith's Watcher," Professor Pryce replied bitterly. "I do believe you have met her."
"We've met," Buffy snapped bitterly. She felt Percy sit down next to her and found herself oddly comforted by his shadow falling across her body. "Damn it," she whispered, angrily burying her face again.
"Is there any way that this other Slayer can find out where Elizabeth Potter is?" Professor McGonagall asked, clearly upset that her own Gryffindor students was writhing in the chair she was sitting in, as though it were burning her.
"Yes," Professor Pryce said calmly. "I do believe that the Slayers can share emotions and even dreams. I believe they can... feel each other... even if they are a world away."
"It's true," Buffy said boldly, looking up. "It's definitely true. Faith and I had the same prophetic dream. Slayers definitely have a way of feeling each other out... except..." She glanced back at Professor Pryce. "You're going to tell her where I am, aren't you?"
"According to her former Watcher who is my son," Professor Pryce said blithely, "she was talking about coming to England to pursue her lineage."
"I knew it!" Buffy cried, her hand smacking the arm of her chair in frustration. "I knew she knew!"
"Elizabeth," Percy said in a hushed voice from the chair next to her, "what is going on?"
"The prophecy," Buffy said, glancing at Professor Dumbledore, who nodded and gave her the faintest of smiles. "I can't really tell you what it was about, but it started giving Faith an idea. She never knew who were birth father was. But after our prophetic dreams, she's almost obsessed about learning the lineage of Sirius Black."
"Is she the daughter of Sirius Black?" Professor McGonagall asked in a hushed voice.
"I have asked Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger to help me research it," Buffy said quickly, "but so far they haven't turned up anything too conclusive."
"If you are a Potter and if she is a Black, wouldn't it be safe to say that the Slayers and our world are more connected than we originally thought?" Professor Pryce asked suddenly.
Buffy felt herself nod. "Yeah," she said softly. "I really think it does."
"Then perhaps it would be wise to ask this other Slayer to stay in America for the time being," Professor Dumbledore said quietly to Professor Pryce, who nodded briskly.
"I'll speak to my son about it. He has, after all, been relocated to Los Angeles."
"Miss Potter," Professor McGonagall said after a few moments of silence, "you may return to class now. I don't believe there is much time left, but surely you can speak with your Professor and catch up on your assignment before dinner."
Buffy nodded and stood up, feeling numb. "Thank you," she muttered before walking out. She felt slightly strange standing here in such a beautiful place, wondering about her old life she'd left behind months before. As she walked back onto the moving statue, she felt it descend.
"Is it too much to hope for that all I want is to be normal again?" she whispered as the statue finally touched down and she stepped out, brushing the dust from her robes again.
She walked out into the corridor, feeling quite alone. She had been so caught up with this new world that everything which had once mattered to her had fallen into memory.
I'll never be normal again, she thought to herself, never.
"Elizabeth! Elizabeth!"
Percy was following her. His eyes widening in concern when he saw the grimace on her face. "What is it, Percy? I have to get back to Ancient Runes."
"Well, you... you forgot your bag," he said, handing her the bookbag. She gave him a quick smile and pulled it over her shoulder.
"Thanks."
"Elizabeth Anne Potter! Don't shut me out like this!" he said, his voice echoing darkly in the long hallway as he ran to catch up with her.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, turning back to look at him. He was startled to see the tears springing in her eyes. The bag fell limply from her shoulder and slipped across the floor. "You're so useful up there, standing with your authority figure!"
"Elizabeth..." he said, reaching for her, but she pulled away. He watched as she took two more steps before collapsing completely, falling against the cold wall, her eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Who am I kidding, Percy? I will never belong to this world..."
"Of course you do," he said quietly, seeing the hurt look on her face. "No matter what anyone tells you, Elizabeth, you belong here. This is where your parents came from. They died to protect your brother and now--"
"I'm just the next one in line," she said in a trembling voice, turning to stare at Percy coolly, "aren't I? I'm just someone else Voldemort can play with until his path to Harry is clear."
"You've got superpowers no one here could ever begin to understand, Buffy," Percy said quietly, touching her shoulder as a means to comfort her.
"What use are they?" she asked. "I can't ever use them. If anyone in Voldemort's circle was to find out that I'm a Potter and that I'm Harry's last remaining relative in this world... the results could be disastrous, Percy! I love my brother far too much for his life to be put in danger again like that. After Moody and all..."
"And Tom Riddle and the Sorcerer's Stone," Percy added darkly.
"I don't even know the whole truth about him, Perce. He's been shutting me out to protect me. I can't protect him until I know the whole truth. I just... I guess I feel alone. I feel like no one in this world can understand what I'm going through."
"I do," he said in a firm voice. She looked at him in surprise, a tear falling off her chin and into her lap.
"You do?" she asked in a mocking chuckle.
"I ran away from home out of anger," Percy said angrily. "I felt so alone and then... this war came... and the thought of losing one of them was like being placed in a torture chamber all over again. So don't you act all high and mighty superior, Elizabeth. I am not going to fall for that one. You are not the only person in this world who loves your brother. Both of my parents would gladly give their lives for him."
"But why?" she asked in a small voice. "Why are all of you so willing to sacrifice your own lives for Harry's? Why, Percy? Why?"
"Because Harry is the only one who can bring Voldemort down," Percy said quietly. "He has been a marked man all of his life. He, too, has been chosen to become someone he never expected he would be. He, too, is feeling the isolation and the anger settling in. But unlike you, he has found himself a relative he can believe in, one who happens to share the same blood as he does. He loves you, Elizabeth. He would never let anything happen to you."
"I'm not worth that," Buffy finally said, her chin trembling as she forced herself to look away. "I'm not worth dying for."
"Some things are," Percy said gently, touching her shoulder again. "If Harry would die for you, look at what he's been through. He lost the closest thing he had to a father last year. I am sure Harry is dying every night in his dreams to save his godfather's life."
Buffy closed her eyes as guilt washed over her. "Sirius Black meant so much to him," she said quietly. "If he were to come back..."
"We both know he's dead and never coming back, Elizabeth," Percy sighed as he stood up, offering her his hand. She took it, lifting the bookbag she'd thrown to the floor in frustration. "Harry is guilty enough over that. If you were to do something stupid that would cost you your own life, how do you think he'd feel? This is war, Elizabeth. People die in wars."
"I know," she said, remembering the look on Angel's face before she'd sent him to hell. "And... thank you, Percy. I think you're the one person who could have put these things into perspective for me. You truly are a good friend."
"I know," he said, echoing her words. "But maybe some day you and Harry will be able to look back on this war. You will be able to see your meeting as a way to be reborn, like a phoenix. And you can truly be normal again."
"That's all I ever wanted," she said sadly as they walked towards the Great Hall. The bell tolled somewhere far above them, signalling the end of class. "When I was first called as a Slayer, I was thrilled. Here I was with this fantastic Watcher and all I ever wanted was to stand out. I've spent four years standing out. I've spent four years of my life fighting for something I believed in. And now I find that my entire life has been one big lie, except that I was chosen. You can't be chosen twice, Percy. I was chosen to save the world. And now my little brother has to save his. This isn't normal anymore. This is insanity."
"We all live in a world of madness," he said as they reached the top of the stairs. "This just happens to be the one you were destined for."
"I guess was chosen for two separate evils," she said with an ironic smile toward the Weasley boy. "And here I thought the worst of my fears would be confirmed in Potions."
"You're lucky to have Professor Pryce looking out for you," Percy said carefully, watching her reaction. To his relief, she nodded and gave him her first genuine smile since he'd seen her.
"I really am. He's a brilliant man who knows a lot more than I ever expected a Watcher to know about," she said with a small sigh. "And he knows that when the time comes, I won't be able to stay out of the fight. It's in my blood. I was chosen to fight."
"So was Harry," Percy said, nodding in understanding. "And now you two are together to fight the same war."
Buffy felt slightly better now. "Has anything ever been normal here?"
"We're in a castle learning magic, Buffy," he said, using her nickname for the second time that afternoon. "You tell me."
She walked down a few steps until she realized he wasn't following her. "Aren't you coming down to dinner?" she asked him curiously.
"I have to get back to the Ministry," he said apologetically, gesturing to the corridors behind him. "I'm... sorry."
She climbed back up the steps. "You know, these ten minutes were completely worth missing the end of Ancient Runes," she said lightly. And then she did something that surprised both of them. She hugged him. "I'm more grateful to you than you'll ever know, you know."
"I never thought I'd have a friend quite like you," he laughed, seeing the look on her face as she turned away. "Watch your back, Potter!"
She turned and smiled lightly up at him. "And you watch yours, too, Weasley."
On the long walk back down to the Great Hall, Buffy felt considerably happier. Even when Hermione pulled her aside before she could walk into the Great Hall, Buffy still felt slightly melancholy at best.
"Was there something wrong?" Hermione asked her urgently after they'd let a group of fourth and fifth year Slytherins pass.
Buffy shook her head no. "I'll talk to you about it later, okay?" she asked, touching the other girl's shoulder, asking her to understand.
Hermione nodded and both women walked inside. Spying Harry, Buffy could hear Percy's words reflecting back on her. 'I was chosen to fight. So was Harry. And now you two are together to fight the same war.'
In order for this to happen, Harry had to know everything she could tell him about her, including her death. He had to know about Angel. He had to know about her first Watcher who'd been killed in the act of duty. Hell, she even had to tell him about the prophecy...
Her determination waned the instant she heard his voice rising above a few others as she sat on the opposite side of Katie Bell, between her new friend and her younger brother. He was sitting with Ron, Seamus, Dean and Ginny, with Hermione joining them, laughing at something their Potions professor had threatened them with that day. Apparently, Ron and Harry both had detention that evening.
He turned to look at her. "Is everything all right?" he asked, laughter silently dancing in his eyes.
She leaned forward and hugged him tightly. "Yes," she said warmly, although her eyes didn't reflect her cheerfulness. They were darker and full of a deeper emotion she couldn't identify. "Everything's just wonderful."
- - - - -
Chapter 28... Lupin visits.
Chapter 29... Hogsmeade. (All non-Buffy/Olivers lovers must retreat to the exits now - extreme fluff ahead); oh, and another couple gets serious.
And...
Chapter 30... Harry learns the truth about everything; a spy is nabbed.
To the Readers / Reviewers:
Just a few little notes before I answer questions. I like Percy as a friend material. He's a good cross between Xander and Giles and I think Buffy needs someone with that stability there. As for this chapter seeming a bit too dark or sappy or whatnot, it's just showing that Buffy and Faith really are on the same wavelength.
For those of you wondering how in the possible world Harry can get angry at his sister, well, it's like this: Harry just met her. All of a sudden she knows that Sirius is alive. While he's happy and everything, it's great and sunshine and kittens and all things fluffy until she confesses she's been dead, too. Add in his prophecy, and you have the boy-who-lived and the girl-who-died, and they just happen to be siblings. No, Harry's going to be mad also because someone found out that he didn't want to find out before he finally did. Make sense? Good. The feud'll last all of two chapters, so it really doesn't matter.
Things also move up in time about a month. They have to, since it's STILL the first actual "week" of school in this chapter and Hogsmeade is in chapter 29.
A few spoilers for the next few chapters... let's see: Faith returns with a bang and a twist; Oliver returns to help out the school; Buffy's first Quidditch game with much humor ahead; the Ministry starts to fall apart when the Goblins defect; Harry realized he really likes someone; a huge attack on Muggles. And that'll get us through Chapter 34 at least.
Beyond that, the prophecy will be reopened with both Faith and Buffy in England. Something bad will happen to Buffy that will make her question her choice to stay in this world. Voldemort will realize a second Potter exists. Buffy will see memories of her parents. Look for a wonderful Weasley Christmas until both a miracle and a tragedy strike. That's through Chapter 40.
mj -- The only reason why Harry would be angry is because she withheld it from him. And since Harry not only finds out about the Prophecy, it's also the fact she died. And I think he'd be a little miffed about that. Throw in his Prophecy and you get a Potter feud. A least in the way it should be. Imagine you had a sister you just met who told you she could make your life better in the wave of a wand and she died doing it.
kel -- Your wish is my command :) This is a double update so that Oliver will appear on Friday. I have been dying to post this chapter, but there were still two others ahead of it. I liked your long review. And maybe Malfoy has a crush and maybe he doesn't. He's been jealous of Harry for so long that in my opinion it's high time that Draco might want to keep something of Harry's to himself. I intend on keeping this Buffy/Oliver since my beta keeps reminding me that Buffy is worthy of it and in this fic, deserving that. I always wanted Katie to have more of a limelight. Now she finally has one! The only reason I didn't make her a Quidditch captain is because that's a little too much power for someone who really hasn't had a fair shot in the books. She's just... normal, again.
BD Kitten -- A sequel would be great, if I had the time. I'm not sure how I want to end this yet except I know it'll end before the end of their sixth year. Like in the Easter holidays or something. I don't know if I could handle another 50 chapters of a fic like this. It's already huge! As for my imagination, it has gotten me into trouble before. You don't want to know some of the ideas I came up with for this fic originally... they're scary.
lightdemondarkangel -- You'll find out. I have yet to see a story where poor Neville is given some secret... I'd fear what he would do with that information. Anyways, Neville will actually be a little more confident as we go through this fic. I loved the end of OoTP-Neville. I can't wait to see what she does with him in Book 6. The worst part for him I think would be finding out about Harry's prophecy.
MaLooLa -- Thank you, dear :) In response to your 'it's been done before' complaint, however, Faith will be returning to Sunnydale. I never really saw her as a girl to get tied down before. She just felt the need to disappear until the Council was taken care of. I just needed to bring her over for a few chapters so that the prophecy stuff could be taken care of. She'll be returned. I promise.
Double update coming up... stay tuned for Chapter 28 :)
Thank you readers, reviewers and your puppies, kittens and birdies. The rest of your questions will be answered in the next chapter. If you have more, kindly send them along!