Chapter 32
It's Just The Way It Is
x.0.x.0.x
Buffy felt a cool wind in her hair. She wanted it to stop. She wanted the cold to go away.
Her eyelids fluttered open and she glanced up. She was looking at the night sky.
"What?" she gasped, her head feeling slightly cloudy. She tried to sit up, only to grow dizzy and fall back on her elbows. "Gods," she muttered, bringing a stunned hand to her fuzzy hair. "What happened?"
After a few minutes, her head started to clear. She tried sitting up again. Once she was up, she looked around. And she gasped.
She was perched on the edge of what appeared to be a rocky wall extended twenty feet in the air. "What is this place?" she asked in a hushed, fearful voice. The last thing she remembered was seeing Katie Bell collapsing to the floor before the figure had suddenly appeared behind her.
A shadow fell across her face, cutting off the light from the nearly full moon. Buffy spun around and saw a dark, cloaked figure towering above her. "What are you?" Buffy muttered angrily.
"A friend."
A slim hand reached up and removed the hood. Dark hair tumbled out. Obsidian eyes glimmered in the darkness. And a familiar half-smirk was clearly visible, even though it was pitch black.
"Faith?"
x.0.x.0.x
Faith stood there, still smirking in the darkness.
"Hello, Buffy," Faith said in a warm voice, dropping down next to the other girl, who was still staring at her, taken aback at what she'd just seen.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked in a hushed voice.
"I wanted to talk," Faith replied with a chuckle.
"How did you get in the castle?" Buffy asked, feeling slightly confused.
"I knocked," Faith said simply. "Some cranky-looking older man let me in. I charmed him with my stunning good looks and he told me where your Common Room was. Simple as that."
"It must have been Filch," Buffy muttered, running a hand through her hair before she touched her aching head. "What did you do to me?"
"Chloroform," Faith said with a breezy smile. "Worked like a charm. Sorry I had to hit the other girl, but I had to get you alone. If you hadn't started screaming and had those three little kids not come running, we would have been able to stay put. Luckily, though, I had this." She pulled out an old gym shoe and set it down between them. "I've spent a week in this world and I like it already. I think the Wizard I talked to called this a portkey. It's unauthorized, of course, but it's nice to have around, especially when you've taken a hostage."
But Buffy was thinking about the three little kids Faith had seen. "Faith... did you get a good look at the three little kids?"
"Not really," Faith said, shrugging. "One was kind of tall with red hair. I think there was a girl next to him. And a wicked-looking boy with black... Where are you going?"
Buffy had just stood up on the narrow ledge and was looking around wildly, as though trying to figure out how to jump down to the ground. "Nowhere," she muttered, walking back and forth.
"B, just sit down," Faith said sternly. Buffy glared at her a moment and sat back down. "What is it?"
"You saw my brother," Buffy said, feeling the cold return. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and watched her feet dangle over the side. "You saw Harry."
"And could you look less miserable about it?" Faith asked, glancing at Buffy with a hint of concern in her eyes. "What is it?" she repeated testily.
"We had a fight this morning," Buffy said sadly. "It was brutal... someone overheard me talking to someone else about how I... I died and the prophecy."
"Whoa," Faith said, turning away, her eyes wide. "It sucks to be you."
"Tell me about it," Buffy said quietly, keeping her gaze on her feet. "I just didn't think I could feel this bad about the truth getting out, you know? And the person who found out and told Harry was Harry's biggest rival. He just looked like... he wanted to die or kill me, I couldn't figure out which one it was. I just... I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't. He's had such a hard life... and now..." She closed her eyes. She could tell Faith about his prophecy.
"Harry had a prophecy told about him before he was born. This is why our parents died. This is why Harry's been a marked man since birth. A Dark Lord has risen and his ultimate goal is to kill my brother. And only Harry can defeat him. There was a bit about neither one can live if one doesn't die, blah blah blah. So basically Harry has to kill or be killed. I think he went ballistic when he found out that I had been dead once before... it was sort of a reality check for both of us."
"Wow," Faith muttered quietly. "That's just... intense."
"It gets worse," Buffy said sourly. "That prophecy that you and I had, Sirius Black... he was Harry's godfather. He was the one man Harry loved more than anything and would have given anything for. Harry was tricked into going into the Ministry of Magic to get the prophecy for the Dark Lord under the impression Sirius was being tortured. He wasn't. It was a trap. Harry and his friends fought bravely but in the end, Sirius was killed. Or so we thought."
"No wonder your brother is so upset," Faith said quietly. "Did you find out anything about my parentage?"
"No," Buffy said, shaking her head. "But I found out Sirius had a house, apparently a Black family home. I've been there, it's quite nice. Maybe you can find something there." She looked up at the stars twinkling so close to them in their elevated state. "It's gorgeous out here tonight."
"I've spent a few nights out here," Faith admitted. "It's just so peaceful. It reminds me of home."
"I am home, Faith," Buffy said softly. "This is home for me now, no matter how hostile it is." She turned to the other girl, who was staring back at her. "Where do we go from here?"
"I was hoping we could stay out here tonight," Faith said. "I know that you'll be missed back at that stuffy castle, but for one night I was hoping we could figure things out."
"Maybe," Buffy said, feeling relieved. It was better than having to go back and face the music over what she had done. Things were easier when they could be approached from a different angle. "Just tonight, though. I need to get back soon before people start to worry."
"Fair enough," Faith said, standing up. She offered the other Slayer a hand. "Let's get down from here. I'm starting to wig out a little from all the heights."
x.0.x.0.x
Harry was pacing Professor Dumbledore's study, feeling as though he were about to burst out of his skin. Ron and Hermione were sitting down, watching him. Hermione had tears in her eyes.
It had been nearly four hours since Buffy had disappeared. She was gone, as Professor Dumbledore had said.
Gone, Harry thought numbly to himself. His sister, the one he'd been able to count on, was gone. The sister he had spoken to so heatedly had been taken by someone unknown.
After consulting with the Ministry, Harry didn't bother hiding his dislike as three Ministry representatives came out of the fireplace and the Floo system, talking about how there had been an unauthorized portkey used to transport a figure and Buffy away from Hogwarts.
When Percy Weasley stepped out of Dumbledore's fireplace, Harry just glared at him. He didn't have enough energy to start yelling. Percy looked as irate and panic-stricken as Ron had ever seen him. He kept throwing his arms in the air and raising his voice to an authority figure, something Ron had always assured them was quite un-Percy like.
There was a knock on the door and Professor Pryce strolled in, looking pleasantly surprised to see the Headmaster's office was full of people at this hour of night. It was nearly ten o'clock.
The fireplace came to life again, and with a feel of cooling relief, Harry saw Lupin step through.
"The Order has been contacted," he said in a low voice to Professor Dumbledore, who nodded before turning back to Harry.
"It may be a good idea for you to return to your Common Room and get some rest," he said quietly. Harry turned bereaved eyes to his Headmaster, who shook his head slightly at him before continuing. "It would not be wise for you to remain here, Harry. All that would happen is your anger would get the best of you and you would attempt something you should never have to think about in the first place."
"He's right," Ron said from beside him. "Let's go."
"No," Harry said angrily, jumping to his feet. "I don't want to be told I'm no longer wanted here."
"Harry, please, please," Hermione said, walking over to him. There were still tears in her eyes as she placed a comforting hand on his back. "Don't do anything foolish. That's the kind of thing--"
"I know," he said, walking away from her. Suddenly he was starting to feel crowded in this small space. With both Professors smiling benignly at him, and Percy and the rest of the Ministry people glaring at him, and Lupin giving him an understanding smile... "I'm going to bed," he said coolly, walking out of the office, brushing rudely past Professor Pryce.
His friends exchanged a glance behind him and made to go, except Professor Pryce moved and closed the door and stood in front of it, blocking their exit.
"What is this?" Hermione asked, turning to regard Professor Dumbledore warily.
"Give him time," Professor Dumbledore said astutely.
"He is so angry with her," Hermione said in a troubled voice as she sat back down in her chair. "I've never seen him like that..."
"I have," Professor Dumbledore replied. "Just be patient with him. He's lost someone very dear to him tonight."
"Sir, about the prophecy," Ron said, turning to regard the Headmaster curiously. "Do you think it could be true?"
"What prophecy?" Lupin asked, looking from Ron to Hermione. There was a genuine curiosity in his eyes.
"We should probably let Harry or Buffy tell it," Hermione said quickly, but that was before Percy cut in.
"The Slayers have a prophecy regarding Sirius Black," he said boldly.
Lupin turned to the younger man in surprise. "And how would you know about this?"
"Because Elizabeth is one of my dear friends," Percy replied blithely. "She doesn't keep a lot from me."
"You're her friend?" Ron asked Percy in an amazed voice. "Because whenever you're at the castle, you are always with her."
"Kindly be quiet, brother," Percy said, giving Ron a stern look. "I should probably inform another one of her... friends... that she has disappeared. Excuse me."
He disappeared from the office back into the fireplace. Ron was shaking his head as Percy disappeared in the green flames. "He's mad," he muttered. "Mad, I tell you."
"You may go now, but say nothing to Harry," Professor Dumbledore said with a small sigh. "In the morning, we will figure something out."
"It's just the way it is," Ron muttered as he and Hermione made their way back to Gryffindor Tower. "Blimey, no wonder Harry's upset. He finds out the truth about her and suddenly she's kidnapped."
"If it's someone associated with the Dark Arts, we're in real trouble," Hermione said, biting her lip. "And so is Buffy."
"Poor Harry," Ron said as they came to a stop in front of the sleeping portrait. It took them five minutes to wake her up with their yelling before she grumpily let them inside.
"Yeah," Hermione said, glancing around the few people remaining in the Common Room before her eyes fluttered towards the doorway of the boy's dormitory. "Poor Harry."
x.0.x.0.x
"Do you love him?"
"Oh, get real, Faith! I barely know him."
"But you've got the look of someone who's in love."
"I do not!"
"What about 'I'm-so-tortured-because-I'm-dead' Angel?"
"He's of the past. I really like this guy, Faith. I'm not going to blow it."
"He must be a swell little Prince Charming or you wouldn't be telling me this."
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"You sure have gotten more vague since I got here."
"I've been vague since I first woke up here."
"You've been having to play secret-life girl and all... must be boring."
"Not really. I've been learning things."
"Like magic?"
"How did you know?"
"You're inside a magical school, B. It's not that hard to figure out."
"What about that Gimmolt house you were talking about?"
"Grimmauld Place? It's nice, although it looks like it belongs to dark Wizards."
"Dark wizards? What are those?"
"You know... evil?"
"Oh, right. As in we're the antithesis of evil."
"Antithesis?"
"Haven't you been learning anything from this school?"
"Well, yeah. I can make a pretty good Potion now."
"You're learning how to cook things? Oh, God, B. Maybe you should have gone back to Sunny-D. You would have had much more fun."
"I like where I am now."
"Oh, right. With a brother that hates your guts and a faculty that thinks you're nuts because you hurt your brother. I can feel the love there."
"Kindly shut up."
"Ooh, so polite, yet so fiesty."
"Faith..."
"That's my girl."
Buffy leaned back, her back to Faith's. They had been sitting in the grass for the past hour, talking in what seemed like riddles. "Sometimes, it's just the way it is, Faith. I can't go back to my old life. Not like this."
"What, you expect your brother to just run up, forgive you, hug you and make the pain go away?"
"Nothing's ever that easy. You told me that once, before I left. Remember?"
"I do. But what about your Mom?"
"Joyce Summers isn't my Mom, Faith. She has to get over that. I've had to."
"You don't get it, B, do you? She's gone down since you left. She's been depressed and even got a bit catatonic. With all of the meds she's been on, she's about to crack under the strain. Not to mention the fact that she has Anya, the ex-demon-girl-with-the-human-spirit running her Galleria now because she can't look at art without remembering a single memory the two of you went through. So before you tell me you've forgotten her, just know what she's going through, okay?"
Buffy couldn't talk for a moment. She just tipped her head and stared at the moon sparkling overhead. "You're right."
"I know I am," Faith said in a huffy voice.
"This is so hard, Faith."
"It doesn't have to be."
"I have connections here now. I just can't turn back."
"Sure, you can."
"No, I can't. Not with Harry. And... and..."
"Your new boy?"
"Especially him! Do you have any idea how I feel when I'm around him?"
"Probably something like I felt when I was with Xander."
There was a pause as Buffy's eyes widened. "Oh. Xander? XANDER? My Xander?"
"The one and only," Faith said with a smirk.
"Oh."
"It's getting near sunrise, B."
Indeed, it was. There was a faint hint of blue along the horizon. Buffy stared at it a moment before smiling. "So, it is."
"You wanna go back or do you wanna camp out here for awhile?"
"I think it's time I brought you to Hogwarts, Faith. It isn't that bad of a place. You might actually like it."
"Yeah, right. Me, like a place like that? I highly doubt it."
"This'll help you find out who your family is, Faith. I found my bloodline. I think it's high time you found yours."
"All right. But if you don't mind, I'd like to use the portkey. We can stop off in this village you've been so amped about."
"Oh, Faith..."
"How is your head?" Faith asked as she stood up, turning to offer the older girl a hand up.
Buffy's hand touched the deep cut over her forehead, which was already healing. "It hurts, but I'm not seeing in quadruplets anymore."
"I'm sorry you fell," Faith replied, taking Buffy's arm and dragging the girl to her feet. "I'd love to stay and chat, but my senses are picking up some wicked energy around here."
Buffy took a deep breath and looked casually behind her. "Yeah," she said slowly. "You're right. Someone's definitely around."
"Let's go," Faith said, tapping Buffy's shoulder and gesturing towards the wall in the distance. Buffy narrowed her eyes and saw people appearing out of thin air, just as Mr. Weasley had done that one day a month before.
"Crap," Buffy muttered under her breath, realizing Faith had already started walking towards the woods. She was holding the odd-looking object which Buffy supposed was a portkey. It looked like an old shoe.
"Grab on," Faith ordered, offering Buffy the shoe.
Buffy reached forward and hesitantly put her hand underneath the tongue. "Eugh... it's all icky."
"You don't want to know where I got it from," Faith replied, glancing at the horizon. There were figures moving around, and voices were starting to cry out.
"Hurry!" Buffy said under her breath. "We'll be spotted."
"Too late," Faith gasped, realizing that people were running towards them. Reaching to her side, she threw her arm over Buffy's shoulder to prevent her from running away.
A feeling of moving irresistably onward took Buffy by surprise. Everything turned into one scarlet blur and soon faded to black. She let out one scream.
And then they were gone.
x.0.x.0.x
It was eight o'clock when Harry knocked on the Headmaster's office door. He didn't hear the steps below him revolve again, and it wasn't until he heard the voice say, "Harry?" did he acknowledge it.
"Wood, hello," Harry said, reaching over and shaking the other boy's hand. It was then he noticed Oliver's face. It was strained, much like his own. "You're worried about her, aren't you?"
"When Percy showed up at my house at midnight, I didn't know what to think," Oliver said, shaking his head as the office door in front of them opened, revealing Professor Dumbledore, in the same robes he'd been wearing hours earlier. Percy Weasley and another Ministry official were seated inside, along with Professor Pryce, who had deep rings of purple under his eyes.
"They haven't been able to find her," Percy said in a dry, cracked voice. He put a hand over his eyes, as to erase whatever he was feeling, but Harry just stared hard at him. Could Percy, a git who normally cared about nobody but himself, truly care for Buffy the way it looked like he did?
Oliver took the last chair and glanced at Professor Dumbledore. "I hope you don't mind I'm here, sir."
"I have been made rather aware of your... relationship with Miss Potter," the Headmaster said, his eyes twinkling slightly. "I had no doubt in my mind whatsoever that you wouldn't want to be here."
"Thank you, sir."
Percy gave Oliver a tense smile before returning to his previous pose.
"Has anyone tried finding her?" Harry asked in a voice of underlying anger.
"The Order and the Ministry traced her portkey to an area about 15 kilometers north. They did find signs of a struggle."
Oh, dear Merlin, Harry thought. She had been fighting to get back, even after all those things he'd said. "What else was there?"
"Blood, Harry," said Professor Pryce, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. "They found blood. Not a lot of it, but they found some."
Harry felt his heart stop beating. He turned frightened eyes to Professor Dumbledore. "D-Do you think Y-You-know-who has h-her?" he asked in a shaking voice.
"That remains to be seen."
Fawkes, the Phoenix, sang a reassuring note in the corner.
Time seemed to stand still until Professor Pryce checked the clock. "We'd best be heading down to breakfast, Harry. If we should find out anything--"
The fireplace suddenly came to life and Lupin stepped through, looking shaky and out of breath.
"We found them."
"Them?" Harry asked, glancing at Lupin anxiously.
"There were two of them. One seemed to have your sister hostage. There was blood around a rock wall. We heard voices and doubled back towards the edge of the forest. And then they disappeared again."
Harry felt something like a scream of pain welling from within him.
Someone was holding his sister hostage, far away from him. And there was nothing he could do to bring her back.
"The closest thing we could figure was that the woman who had her hostage was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange."
"What?" Harry whispered, his voice full of horror as he turned to stare at Lupin with wide, terrified eyes. "Do you mean to tell me that the person who killed my godfather took my sister?"
This was worse than even he had expected. Falling back into his chair, he felt a numb sort of cold settle over him.
He didn't notice that Professor Pryce had suddenly jumped to his feet, his eyes narrowed.
"Sir?" Percy asked softly. Harry turned to look behind him.
"There's just... something..." the older man murmured. "Excuse me." He bowed his head respectfully before backing out of the office.
"What was that about?" Harry asked curiously.
Near the front gates of Hogwarts, two women suddenly appeared, falling onto their backsides and groaning as they slowly got back to their feet.
"Never again," Buffy muttered, getting up from her knees, her fingers probing her bruised forehead. "Never, ever again."
"That was a little too intense for even me," Faith moaned, brushing bits of twig and grass from her hair. "Uh oh."
Buffy turned in the direction Faith was looking and saw a robed figure striding down the path. "Oh, no," she muttered.
"A friend of yours?"
"More of a Professor," Buffy replied.
Faith saw that the other girl appeared to be worried. "And this is a bad thing?"
"You'll see," Buffy said, taking a few steps forward and wrapping her hands around the iron bars of the Hogwarts gates. "Good morning, Professor."
He obviously hadn't expected her to say that. "Miss... Potter and..." His eyes flickered over to Faith, who immediately bristled.
"Faith, stop," Buffy said, holding up her dirty, trembling hand. "I've had enough of this." She turned towards Professor Pryce. "This is Faith, the other vampire Slayer. Faith, meet Professor Lincoln Pryce. He's Wesley's Father."
"I... what?" Faith demanded, pushing Buffy aside and staring at the older man standing behind the iron gate. "I should have seen it coming. You do resemble him."
"He does?" Buffy asked, turning to stare at her Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Clearly uncomfortable under such scrutiny, he pulled the gate open and invited them both back onto Hogwarts grounds.
"Your brother has been waiting for you all night," he said sternly, glaring at her. "Where were you?"
"I had to talk to her," Faith explained vaguely.
"We could have you arrested and thrown into jail for arresting her," Professor Pryce said with a frown.
"My God, you are Wesley's father," Faith groaned as she followed them up into the castle.
"Where are we going?" Buffy asked hesitantly. Surely lessons would have started by now.
"To the Headmaster's office," Professor Pryce replied.
"Oh, good," Buffy said, wincing noticeably. "Because that makes it seem like I'm in trouble."
"You aren't," Professor Pryce replied coolly. "You were taken from the castle in front of your brother and his two friends. It's the other Slayer here who appears to be in trouble."
"Oh, come on!" Faith said in an angst-ridden voice. "I can't believe how unfun it is around here!"
"So not the right thing to say, Faith," Buffy said under her breath as they reached the gargoyle. "Let's hear what good old Dumbledore has to say."
"Very well," said Professor Pryce, giving the password and taking a step back, nearly knocking over Faith, who was looking around the castle with interest.
"Are you coming, Faith?" Buffy asked her friend curiously as Faith snapped her attention back to her. Her jaw dropped. The gargoyle was moving.
"I was just watching that painting move," Faith said, walking onto the step behind Buffy as they moved up. Buffy was glad to see that Professor Pryce hadn't followed them.
When they reached the top, instead of falling into the door, she walked over and knocked loudly on it.
"Wow," Faith whispered from behind her. "Where are we?"
"Headmaster's office," Buffy whispered back as the door swung open.
Both women walked into the room.
"Elizabeth!" came an excited, deep male voice. Buffy was suddenly thrown backwards as she felt someone hugging her tightly. Faith leapt to the side, her face mangled with horror as she noticed a redheaded someone hugging Buffy as though the world depended on it. "We thought you were hurt! We thought you were-- oh, dear God! Your face, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Percy," she said, pushing his hands away. "Really, really... I'm okay."
There was a figure standing behind Percy. Buffy's face suddenly unleashed into a beautiful smile as another male darted from a small throng of them, wrapping her in a hug that Faith could feel from her position in front of a painting.
Faith noticed there were a lot of paintings in this room. And they were all moving. Her eyes glanced upon each and every one, trying to ignore the tearful, whispered conversation between Buffy and the guy that had to be her new beau. Her eyes finally landed on one portrait. The painting was staring at her as though he'd never seen anything like her before.
"Perhaps," the dark-haired man in the painting said, stroking his goatee with a pale hand, "perhaps..."
"Are you okay?" Oliver asked, his voice filled with concern as his fingers gingerly touched the deep cut on her head.
"I'll be fine, really," she said in a reassuring voice. He bent over and kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms tightly around her again.
"After what happened last night, I am not letting you go again," he said firmly.
"Excuse me," said a nagging, drawling voice from the portrait behind them. Oliver moved quickly, Buffy going with him, since she was still wrapped in his arms.
Faith now had a clear view of the portrait. There was a memory of him from somewhere, she realized.
And then she understood. On the mantle of the first house she and her mother had ever lived in. There had been a picture of this man above their fireplace. Faith remembered asking about it when she was six. Her mother had thrown it away when they'd moved from the house into the apartment across town in Boston.
"Mister Weasley, could you please run down to the forest and let Harry know his sister has returned safely? I believe he has class with Hagrid now."
Percy nodded and walked out, passing by Faith with an angry glare. "I don't know who you think you are," he said coldly. "But you had no right to do what you did and the Ministry will make you pay." Giving her a pompous look, he stalked out, the door slamming hard behind him.
"Miss Potter?"
"Oh," Buffy said, pulling herself away from Oliver and pasting a shaky smile on her face as she turned to look at the Headmaster.
"Potter, eh?" the portrait sniggered softly. "It's making more sense now, yes it is. One is a Potter and the other is of my own dear house, the lost daughter of the ages, the little Delita Black."
"Delita?" Buffy gasped, turning to look at Faith, who looked rooted to the floor. There was a conversation going through her head, one she had heard a decade ago.
My little shining star, oh my little Delia... such a sweet and pure loving child, my little darling Lita...
"Oh, my God," Faith realized out loud as she turned and saw the strangest person to see yet. A very tall but very old man was standing behind a desk strewn with what Faith would call junk. He was wearing ridiculously long robes and his beard more than likely reached his navel. His gaze was cool, yet thoughtful and, Faith realized, probing. He was trying to decipher who she was.
"I'm Faith, the vampire Slayer," she said, introducing herself and tearing her gaze away from the portrait.
"Mister Wood, would you please escort Miss Potter to the hospital wing? I wish to have a word with Miss... err, Faith myself."
"Of course," Oliver said, glancing at Buffy, who looked as though she were about to protest. Swallowing her words, she let Oliver pull her from the room.
Faith was now stuck alone in a strange office with a strange man giving her a strange look.
"Have a seat, Faith," he said, gesturing towards the chair Percy had been sitting in.
Faith sat down.
"I think we should start from the beginning," Professor Dumbledore replied. "My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster here at Hogwarts. I wish to welcome you to the school, except for the fact that you kidnapped one of my students and for this--"
"I'm really, really sorry about that," Faith said, interrupting him. "I had to get her away from civilization so we could talk about things, you know, like the prophecy and my lineage..." She glanced down at her fingernails and was surprised, as always, to find the amount of earth jammed inside of them. "Who is Delita Black?"
"It would appear that you are."
That's what Faith was afraid of. "And who is that man that talks in his own painting."
"Phineas Nigelus... he might be an ancestor of yours. There is one way to tell for certain."
"And that would be..." Faith started until the door opened behind them.
"Ah, Professor Lupin. You may call off the search now. Miss Potter has been returned to us," Professor Dumbledore said.
Faith immediately felt something prickling in her senses. She turned to casually glance at the man who walked around her to talk to the Headmaster. The man wasn't human. She was getting the sensation there was another Oz in the room... only...
"You're not human," Faith blurted in true Cordelia-like style.
The man Dumbledore had called Lupin pulled back, blinking at her in surprise. "I am a human," he said, giving her a suspicious look. "But I am also an animagi."
"You're a werewolf," Faith pressed on, arching one eyebrow in surprise. She had no idea what the hell an animagi was, nor did she care.
"She got it in one," Lupin murmured to himself, crossing his arms. "I assume, sir, that this is the culprit."
"This is Faith, Lupin. She is the other Vampire Slayer that Buffy spoke of. Faith, this is Remus Lupin. You'll learn more about him the longer you stay in England."
A look of realization crossed Lupin's face. "Oh."
"She needs to go to Grimmauld Place, Remus. It may seem that the portrait of Phineas here has deciphered her to be Delita Black."
"But she was killed when she was only..."
"I can assure you I am not dead!" Faith said hotly, getting back to her feet. "And before we go off on some adventure, I want to see B and make sure she's all right." She jerked her thumb towards the heavy door. "That way, right? I suppose I can ask one of those talking portraits for help unless you're going to show me how to get to the hospital wing."
"She wishes to see Elizabeth," Professor Dumbledore said, smiling at her benignly. Faith only fought the urge to leap over his desk and throttle him painfully.
"Right," the man called Lupin said, moving around the Headmaster's desk and walking across the office, pulling the door open. "This way, please, Faith."
"You have one hour."
Faith just sighed and walked back onto the turning gargoyle, ignoring the conversation that Lupin was trying to strike up with her.
She wasn't interested in making friends. She was interested in finding her family.
And that, for now, was all that mattered.
x.0.x.0.x
Chapter 33... Quidditch.
Chapter 34... Faith's history is explained... in FULL :)
To the Readers / Reviewers:
This chapter was a bit longer, and it resolved the whole high horse thing. Both siblings have now fallen down to Earth and Faith is about to learn a lesson on why kidnapping a Potter in a world that reveres them isn't exactly the smartest thing to do.
Just my random thoughts. Have a fantastic Wednesday :) Next update, and the last tri-weekly update, is Friday.