Chapter 38
Winter's Chill
x.0.x.0.x
"Buffy, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."
Buffy glanced up at Oliver as they strolled through the streets of Sunnydale. He was gazing at her with such intensity, it was taking her breath away.
"What is it?" she asked, feeling slightly nervous. It was almost as if this had been the moment she was waiting her entire life for. She glanced down at their intertwined fingers and grinned. Something about this moment seemed so right."
He paused suddenly and turned to regard her, wincing in the bright sunlight. "Buffy, I..."
"Just say it," she said quietly as he pulled her into his arms. "You can do it. I know you can..."
"Buffy...?"
"Yeah?" she asked, almost breathless with anticipation. It was this gesture perhaps that made him blink and turn away. Buffy sighed and ran to catch up with him. "Oliver! Oliver!"
She caught onto his arm and spun him around. But it wasn't Oliver anymore.
It was a vampire. Angelus.
Buffy screamed and released his arm, all thoughts of fluffy love and puppies gone from her mind as she stared at Angelus, in all his glory, in the sunlight. Above him, there was a large green symbol of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth in the sky.
"You'll always be mine," he hissed.
Buffy screamed. There was a bell ringing around her. Blinking, she glanced up and saw a white light above her.
"What?" she gasped, as the images from her dream faded away. She turned her head left and right, feeling very sore. She lifted up a bandaged hand and gasped again. She tried to sit up, but she felt an overwhelming stab of pain and found herself collapsing back onto the bed. "Hello? Anyone?"
A very white face appeared above hers. A pale, familiar face...
She found herself holding her breath as Harry swept her into a crushing embrace. "Oh, God, Harry," she moaned, clinging onto her brother for a moment before he gently pushed her back onto the bed.
"I never thought I'd see you alive again," Harry said, still looking very pale. "You've been unconscious for days..."
There were two other faces peering at her. She recognized Ron and Hermione immediately and smiled at them both. "Hi, guys."
Harry was sitting on the bed near her knees, staring at her unblinkingly from behind his glasses.
"I'm fine," she said, laying her bandaged hand on top of his. "Really."
He didn't look convinced as his eyes searched her face. "You kind of look like hell."
"What?" Buffy asked, lifting her bandaged hands and bringing them to her face. She knew she couldn't see it, but with the sharp bursts of pain every now and then, she knew she looked worse than she really felt. "How bad is it?"
"It's getting better," Harry said hesitantly. He moved to the nightstand and produced a small hand mirror. He set it into her cupped hands and she raised it, gasping.
"I look like a quilt," she said with a groan as she dropped the mirror in horror. Her face was covered in tiny scratches. A deep cut was evident below her right ear and extending down her neck and onto the back of her shoulder. There was bruising all along the right side of her face, too, as though she'd been punched there.
"You looked much worse the morning after they brought you in," Harry said steadily, trying to comfort his sister, who was looking at him with blank, disbelieving eyes. "What?"
"I look like a bloody quilt and you didn't tell me?" she whimpered in a whining voice. "Oh, God!"
"Buffy, calm down, you're going to put Madam Pomfrey back into hysterics," Harry said, pushing his sister back down onto the mattress with a bit of force behind his movements. "You look a hell of a lot better than you did a few days ago. I haven't let your shadow or your friends in here to see you at all. Before today, it's just been Faith and I. The only reason Ron and Hermione came in here today was to give you something."
"What's that?" Buffy asked in a shaky voice as Harry lifted the mirror and hid it well out of her reach. "And Harry, about me being so vain..."
"I can't help what you are," Harry said with a teasing grin. "But you know that to me, you'll always look beautiful... sort of like Dad. I think you have his eyes. But you definitely inherited Mum's temper."
Buffy snorted in spite of herself. "Thanks, Harry... you really know how to make me feel better."
"Well, as long as you're happy," Harry said, handing her a large, stuffed envelope. "This arrived from the states today."
Buffy ripped open the envelope and gasped as many items fell into her lap. She lifted up the first letter, feeling her heart leap into her throat. Hermione moved to stand next to Harry while Ron moved to sit on the other side of her bed, near her elbow.
"It's from Willow!" she exclaimed as she unfolded it, reading it with greatest anticipation.
Dear Buffy,
It was so fantastic to get your letter! When Giles told us he'd received a letter, he couldn't wait for us to get there; he read it right over the phone! I kid you not.
Things have definitely been different here. Xander and Cordelia are on and off again, currently on. At least, since he told Cordy about Faith, which I think was the best impression of a pissed off brunette I have ever seen. I'm doing all right, I suppose. Oz and I are taking some time apart from each other, as a lot of things have happened between us since you left. I feel like I've lost my best friend and really don't have anyone to talk to about all of this really weird life stuff. I miss my Buffy.
School is all right, I suppose. I'm thinking about transferring away to get some more life experience. I was hoping to go to Oxford so that I'd be closer to you, and I hope you wouldn't mind if I applied there. It'd be great to meet your brother in a real setting this time and not in the circumstance in which we're getting off one train and you're moving to another.
I'm glad to hear that Faith found you all right. It was something she was very determined to do.
I took it upon myself to accompany Cordelia to deliver your letter to your mother. It made her cry, it honestly did. She misses you so much, and she wrote a novel to send back to you. We received a letter from Faith about a day ago, and she asked for us to send some stuff over. I hope you don't mind.
I was so excited to hear that you have a new potential boyfriend. He must be pretty special if you're telling us about him. Part of me wants to come to England to meet your new boy. I'm quite excited to hear about your love life since mine has been of the down recently.
Lastly, Oz went down to Los Angeles to give Angel your letter. I don't remember what it was Oz said happened, but it was the closest thing he's ever seen to see a vampire cry. I think it was relief that you hadn't forgotten about him in your new life. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't.
I have also included some things in that other request you've sent. I'm sending the rest with Faith so it'll be there. I'm glad to hear you've made headway in your own prophecy. They can be such dicey things.
On the magic front, I'm getting better. I managed to summon water, except it caused a little flood and Professor Walsh, she teaches Psych, freaked out and called me a 'medieval wannabe'. Yeah. The next time I see her, I'm zapping her into the world of water. Or some other really painful world of unspeakable pain and torment, all because she gave me a C on my last Psych test. Do you know how long I studied for that? Me, Willow, a C!
I hope you're doing all right. I couldn't believe it when Giles said you were back in high school. I mean, you passed Sunnydale, right? I guess you're learning there (and Giles did mention something about magicks, right? We'll have to compare notes sometime!) And that's what is important.
Say hello to Harry for me. And to your other friends.
Love,
Willow
Buffy wiped a tear from her eye as she set the letter aside with a sigh. Upon further investigation of the package, she found a large sheaf of documents telling how to use the different folds of time for restorations. She set that aside until she could share that with Faith before turning to another thick letter.
It was from Joyce. She beckoned Harry closer to read it with her.
Dearest Buffy,
For the longest time, I have been thinking of what I should write to you. I could tell you about the weather, but you know what it's like, hot and dry, as California always was. I could tell you about the gallery, but I haven't been spending much time there lately. I have found a new manager, a young woman by the name of Anya Jenkins. I know that you were familiar with her in school, and she is very astute at capitalism. I mostly just spend my time with other dealers. I took a trip to Los Angeles most recently to meet up with your Father as we had much to discuss.
I believe you should know that I am considering moving back to Los Angeles with your... with Hank. I keep forgetting that he's just Hank to you, now. I guess with everything that's happened, we haven't had much of a chance to discuss what really happened. Hank didn't seem too surprised until he realized that you really had been taken from us and for the first time in three years, we've sat and had an actual conversation. He wants you to come back with us, Buffy. I know that you have a new life there. I know that you have friends that care about you. I know that you have a famous brother who outlived something dreadful. But know this: you have adoptive parents who love you as if you were our real blood child and no one can ever take that away from you. I understand that you're eighteen and old enough to make your own decisions and I respect that. But that Council had no right to banish you from California, no right whatsoever.
I hope that when all of this is over, you'll be able to come home again. Your friends miss you dearly. I miss you dearly. I hope to someday meet your brother. It would be a wonderful treat for him to see that his eldest sister grew up in a wonderful home full of love and caring support. He'd want to know that she had a great circle of friends who would walk through fire for her. Not to mention Mister Giles, whom I am sure by now you know is in England attending a conference. He didn't tell me what it was about, but he did say that it was something very serious and had something to do with Faith. I do hope she is all right. I have come to regard her as a daughter of my own.
She told me about her life before she left Boston. I never realized someone could live through so much agony, and then I realized I made you live through it every day of your life with my ignorance. I wonder sometimes that if your parents were still alive, would they have been as ignorant? Or would they have supported you in all of your decisions and not pushed you away? I know it's not my station anymore to think these thoughts, but sometimes I can't help it. I raised you as a Summers and you will always be my daughter in my own image, I guess.
The letter continued on for another four pages. It was mostly discussing the details about what Joyce and Hank had gone through. Joyce was writing up memories that Buffy thought had only happened just yesterday; Darla's appearance, Willow spending the night and showing up at the front door with a large cross in her hand the night Angelus had killed her goldfish, Joyce hugging her daughter for the very last time...
Buffy couldn't finish the letter. The tears were snaking down her cheeks and she gasped, looking up, but all she saw was the blurred ceiling above her.
Joyce was suffering, she realized. Joyce was suffering because of her.
Harry had finished the letter and set it gently in her lap. "Wow," he said softly.
Buffy glanced at him, trying to smile through her tears, but instead just shook her head in confusion. "Wow?" she managed to get out as she wiped at her streaming eyes.
"I never knew that this kind of love ever existed," Harry said softly, staring at the papers in his sister's lap. "Your Mother sounds incredible."
"She is," Buffy said with a heartbreaking smile as she turned back to the letter. The tears had finally stopped, but it was still hard to think about. Thousands of miles away was a world she had left behind. It was a world she had forgotten about. And in the four pages of her mother's letter, it had all come rushing back to her.
"She loved you more than anything," Harry said, feeling as though it was something he could never have. He had their Mother's love once, but it was never as powerful as the vibe he was getting from this.
"I loved her too," Buffy admitted. "I still do, you know. In my mind, she's the only person I've ever had that was close to being a Mother..."
"I want to meet her," Harry said quietly.
Buffy glanced at him in surprise. "You do?"
"Of course, silly," Harry said with a teasing grin. "She's your Mother, even if she's blood or not and I guess that makes her partly my Mother, too."
"We'll have to consider that as something we can do over the summer together," Buffy said, hastily folding the letter and stuffing it back into the envelope. As she did, one other object fell out, landing perfectly on top of the pale blue sheet.
Almost hesitantly, Buffy reached down and touched it. It was a simple message from Angel, there was no doubt about it. Her heart soared at the thought of him returning this to her.
In the palm of her hand, Harry saw that it was a ring. It looked old, but was very pretty. And Buffy was staring at it as though it were something so priceless, she couldn't put it down for fear it would break or waste away.
"What is that?" Harry asked her curiously. Buffy noticed that Ron was reaching for it, his fingers touching it lightly.
"It's beautiful," Ron replied, wondering who had given it to her.
Hermione sat quietly next to Harry, already knowing the truth, because Buffy had told her a lot about Angel.
"Isn't it though?" Buffy asked in a hushed voice. "It's a claddagh ring. It was created by the Irish as a sign of devotion. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty. And the heart represents love..."
Her mind was transporting her back to the time when she'd found Angel alive in the mansion. It was only nights after she'd put the ring back, knowing in her heart she had to get over him.
And she had. It had taken her over a year, but she was completely over him. And she was completely in love with someone else.
It took her a moment to realize what this meant. Angel had given her back the ring. It meant that he was all right with whatever decision she was going to make.
Tipping the envelope over to reveal any more secrets inside, but it didn't. With a smile, she placed the ring on her finger. She admired it in the soft light of the hospital ring.
"Buffy, who gave that to you?" Harry asked.
It was time, she decided, to tell him about Angel. Turning, she handed him the envelope and eased herself back into a resting position.
"I think it's time for us to leave," Ron said suddenly, getting to his feet and throwing Hermione a knowing glance.
"What?" Hermione snapped, but Ron had already taken her by the elbow, pulling her out of the enclave. "Well, good night, Buffy!"
Buffy paused a moment, her fingertip tracing the symbols on the ring. "When I was your age, Harry, I fell in love. I fell hard. And I loved someone so dark and powerful..." She took a deep breath. "He was a vampire. Well, a vampire with a soul."
Harry glanced at her incredulously. "A... a what?"
"His name was Angel. His vampire name was Angelus. I'm sure that's in some of the lore books around here." She turned and patted the place right next to her. Harry moved until they were sitting together, her head on his shoulder. Her arm threaded itself through his.
"Anyway, he gave me this ring on the night of my sixteenth birthday," Buffy whispered. "It was a night that I believed would be the last night I would ever see him again. I was so afraid to lose him... I was so scared of being alone. B-But something changed that night... we... we... well, you know..."
Harry's eyes suddenly widened when he realized what his sister was talking about.
"Oh," he said quietly, trying not to disrupt her train of thought.
"I didn't know that it would break the curse," Buffy said, her voice filling with a sort of sadness Harry didn't know it could possess. "He was cursed so that in his one true moment of bliss and happiness, he would turn into a soulless monster again. He was a vampire with a soul, Harry. He does exist. And it... he became lethal, stalking me, trying to hurt me, trying to kill me and my friends... only..."
There were tears in her eyes now and she brushed one aside. "I had to kill him first."
"Buffy..." Harry said, glancing down at his older sister, suddenly feeling very protective of her. She glanced up at him with eyes laced with grief not forgotten.
"It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. He had taken my Watcher and was planning on ending the world right then. We fought and my friends... they found the spell to restore his soul. In the last few moments before the world was sucked into Hell, it worked. He was Angel again. But it was too late. I had no choice but to kill him... and he disappeared."
"How can he be alive again?" Harry asked. Buffy smiled wearily at him and sighed.
"I was just getting to that part. I don't know why he came back but suddenly he was there. He was a monster. He'd been in a Hell dimension for decades undergoing torture and... death... and I... I didn't understand why he came back. I suppose we could have worked it out and we could have tried to be something... but that's when I realized... it could just happen again. It would be a vicious cycle repeating itself endlessly until one us would never come back." She smiled at the ring on her finger. "It's taken me a year to get over him. And that was when Oliver came into my life. He's made me feel things I never knew I could feel. He has taken me into the light."
"You love him, don't you?" Harry asked flatly.
Buffy nodded, grinning at him. "Duh. But don't worry, little brother. I can love you both. I just have a different sort of affection for him, if you catch my drift."
"Oh, drift well caught," Harry teased, wrinkling his nose.
Buffy laughed, the sound echoing through the wing as she relaxed her head back onto his shoulder. "Have I ever told you how lucky I am that you're my brother?" she asked softly. "Because I am."
"Damn straight," Harry chuckled as she sighed, closing her eyes. "I hear you're leaving tomorrow for Grimmauld Place to recover."
"I think I need it," Buffy replied as the memories of the destroyed Council came back to her. "I know that Christmas is coming..."
"Faith already told us we're all invited to the new place to spend Christmas with you guys," Harry said gently. "I told Ron to tell the Weasleys, and they're all for it."
"Really?" Buffy asked him, her face lighting up. "Oh, Harry! That'd be awesome!"
"And Grimmauld Place is certainly large enough," Harry chuckled. "It had something like twelve or thirteen bedrooms the last time I was there. If what Faith was telling us was true, she's redecorated the entire place."
"Really?" Buffy echoed her previous question, shaking her head in disbelief. "And here I thought Faith wasn't capable of banging two sticks together to make noise."
"She's a special girl, B," Harry said, mimicking Faith's language. "I never thought I'd like her until you told me to give her a chance."
"Don't you go and get all sweet on her," Buffy warned, seeing the look in Harry's eyes. "She's got this cunning charm... it's seductive. And besides, I thought you liked Granger."
"Hermione?" Harry gasped, trying not to laugh at the irony of the situation. "What would make you think I like her?"
"Just, I don't know, little things," Buffy replied with a grin. "The way you two keep looking at each other... it reminds me of when I first fell in love with Angel."
"I never had this many problems with Cho," Harry admitted. "We were the usual teenage couple. There was a lot of angst and for some reason, I kept hurting her."
"We all hurt the ones we love," Buffy said, laying her hand on top of Harry's. "But, I know it when I see it, Harry. You really adore--"
"No, I don't," he said, feeling his body tense, the dreamy feeling of avid anticipation leaving him. "I can't like her like that! She's my best friend, Buffy. I'm not willing to do something I'll regret later!"
It was like observing the tragic history of Willow and Xander all over again.
"You can't?" she asked archly. "Or won't?"
"Neither," Harry replied with a sigh, pulling away from her. "No matter how I feel about her, I'm not going to risk my friendship with her."
"What about what she wants? Did you ever think about asking her?" Buffy asked, her eyebrows lifting into her bruised scalp.
"It doesn't matter," Harry said coldly. "I've already made up my mind and I don't need you or anyone to tell me otherwise!"
"Okay, Harry, all right," she said, putting up her hands, admitting defeat. "I won't bring it up again."
"It's getting late," Harry replied, checking his watch. "I should probably get back to Gryffindor Tower."
"You probably should," she replied coolly. "Good night, Harry."
"Good night, B."
"Oh, don't call me that!"
x.0.x.0.x
Harry was halfway to Gryffindor Tower when he noticed a figure sitting on a window ledge. He shivered as an icy draft blew down the corridor and he wondered if the figure sitting above him was as cold as he felt down below.
"Like the view?" he asked Faith. She glanced down at him and smiled.
"I haven't seen anything like this since I was in Boston," Faith replied, ripping her attention away from the snow piling up on the Hogwarts grounds. She jumped down from her ledge, shivering slightly. "It's kind of cold."
"Weren't you staying in Percy's room?" Harry asked her curiously.
"Oh, right," Faith replied with a shallow laugh, waving that notion aside. "Would it really bug you if I said I honestly can't stand him?"
"I don't know anyone except my sister who can," Harry said, a look of pure dislike etched across his face. "For some odd reason, they get along a little too well."
Harry, recalling his previous conversation with Buffy, sighed and dropped onto the cold rocky floor, his back to the wall.
"Hey, now, what's this?" Faith asked, joining him. She was looking at him with eyes filled with concern.
"I was just thinking about what you said about friends that get along a little too well," Harry said slowly.
"So, you and Hermione, eh?" Faith asked, arching one eyebrow. Harry turned to give her a fierce glare, but she laughed, her head resting against the cold wall. "Oh, Harry, Harry... you have so much to learn about women."
"I probably do, but that's not the point," Harry argued. "If I were to get involved with my best friend--"
"Imagine what it would be like," Faith said, cutting him off. "There would be no awkward conversations because you two talk normally as it is. There wouldn't be any mind games because you two can't play each other if you're as close as I think you are. And the chemistry is just an extra bonus. I've seen the way you look at her, Harry. It's not the way a man looks at his best friend. It's the way a man looks when he realizes it's time to follow his heart."
"That was truly beautiful," he said, wrinkling his nose when he realized that this was Faith giving him advice. Faith, of all people, with her dark, mysterious good looks and that wicked sense of humor Buffy had been telling him about.
But since Buffy had been unconscious, Faith had been there for him. She had been telling him so many stories about the two Slayers. Most of them had been amusing, Harry realized. He was starting to picture Buffy's life in Sunnydale now, a place Faith assured him he'd hate.
"No snow," Faith said, pointing lamely at the window, which was littered with frosty snowflakes refusing to give up their hold on the warm pane of glass.
And then they had started talking about Christmas. Faith recalled the time when Joyce and Buffy had invited her over for Christmas. This was partially the reason why Faith wanted to return the favor for both Potter siblings. "It'd be nice if your friends could come too," she said with a smile. "They're cool, and they're my age."
"Would you ever come to Hogwarts?" Harry had asked her curiously.
"God, no," Faith said, a revolted look on her face. "Why would I want to come back to school for? I dropped out for a good reason. Me and learning anything that relates to bookish life, not my cup of tea. Of course, being raised on the streets of Boston gave me my life lessons, I'll tell you that much."
That led to more stories of Faith's dark history in Boston.
The night before, Harry had gone to bed with a strange feeling in his stomach. Hermione had been waiting for him by the fire, but he had told her good night and had brushed away. She looked after him, almost sadly.
He didn't know what he was feeling, except that he was attracted to the other Slayer.
He liked Faith.
He didn't know when it had happened, but it was there. Every time he sat in class, his thoughts dwelled back on when he would get to see her again.
And here she was, the next day, sitting next to him. Telling him in no uncertain terms what his sister had just said; he liked Hermione.
"What if I liked someone else?" he asked her curiously, staring at his hands. He couldn't bring himself to look at her, even when she threw him a sideways glance, smirking.
"Like who?" she shot back, hugging her knees to her chest in the valiant attempt to keep warm.
He wanted so desperately to say 'you' that he opened his mouth, but the words never came out. Faith seemed to tense next to him and jumped to her feet, turning around to face him, to look him in the eye.
"You were going to say 'you', weren't you?" she demanded.
"Yeah," Harry admitted, not pulling his gaze away. "Faith, I like you. I--"
"Oh, don't waste your breath on me," Faith chortled. The truth was, she liked the Potter boy too, but she wasn't about to let his friendship with Hermione Granger go to waste. Unbeknownst to the Potter boy, she had asked Hermione about Harry earlier that evening at dinner. Hermione had admitted she had very strong feelings towards Harry.
And for the first time, Faith felt as though it were time to do something right the first time. Her tryst with Xander had been dark, delicious and dangerous, but it hadn't been real. She wanted to feel the reality of being in love, and for as long as she could remember, she'd never felt love of any kind.
Until she met Harry. She knew they had a lot going for both of them. He was definitely charming, smart and enigmatic. The way his green eyes would look at her, so bright and beautiful, she would feel her breath catch in her throat and be forced to look away. She knew she was bloody gorgeous and strong, independent and very advanced for her age. They really did fit well together, because they had a lot they could teach one another. Faith could tell Harry about Buffy's old life. And Harry could entertain Faith with Sirius's.
But, Faith knew that it wasn't meant to be. His heart already belonged to someone else and Faith refused to hurt a potential friend just because she was feeling lusty over her friend's little brother.
Not to mention having to tell Buffy how she actually felt about him...
Despite her reservations, Faith felt her resolve soften as Harry's jade eyes found hers again and he rose to his feet, staring down at her. Feeling a strange flutter in her chest, Faith took a precarious step back. "We can't," she managed to say, her voice coming back strongly. "What about..."
"Are you saying that you don't...?" Harry asked her gently, watching her obsidian eyes for a reaction. He found it as she turned away, a light flush creeping onto her pale cheeks.
"It doesn't matter if I did," Faith said, folding her arms protectively over her chest. "There's already a girl who owns your heart and for once, I'm going to do the right thing."
"Hermione doesn't matter to me--" Harry began.
"Don't lie to me, Harry," Faith said, her eyes imploring his to understand her point of view. "She likes you so much and I can see in your eyes you like her, too. There's so much potential for you two, and so much hope..."
Harry looked hurt as he pulled his gaze away. Faith wanted to reach out for him, but her heart was telling her it was time to let whatever she had let grow between them fade away. No matter how much she was crushing on him, it was over now. It had to be.
There were footsteps echoing in the distance. Before Harry could walk away, disappointment etched in his face, Faith reached out and touched his arm.
He turned around and saw a flicker of the same want in her eyes, the same desire mirrored in his own. He knew in that instant that she was doing this for his best friend. He knew that she was doing this for Hermione.
Before he could think any other stupid thoughts, her arms were wrapped around his, her lips pressing onto his.
The kiss was already passionate and was beyond anything he had ever felt with Cho. His arms tightened around her as the kiss deepened.
He heard a shocked gasp from behind Faith and released the girl immediately. Faith whirled around and saw Hermione and Ron standing there. Ron was staring at Harry with a hurt expression on his face. It was nothing compared to the scandalized look of intense hurt on Hermione's.
Hermione instantly spun on her heel and disappeared quickly down the corridor.
Faith crossed her arms and stared at the ground, feeling the chill of the snow whirling outside seep back into her body. For one moment, for one fleeting moment, she had claimed what she wanted so very badly...
How stupid was she?
Ron was holding a box in his hands. He took a few steps forward and thrust it into Harry's hands. "It's from Fred and George for your sister," he said, not looking at Faith. "I... well..." He cocked his head back to the corridor and quickly followed Hermione's path.
"Damn," Faith muttered under her breath.
She felt Harry's arms wrap around her shoulders and for a moment she thought of melting into him before she pulled abruptly away. "No, Harry..." she said forcefully, turning around to glare at him coldly. "What we did never happened, do you hear me?"
There was a look of hurt on his face as he finally nodded. "It never happened," he echoed dully.
Faith turned on her heel and disappeared into the night, her long dark hair flying after her. She knew it was time to find Hermione and explain what had happened.
Or she would have, except that Percy was apparently roaming the icy corridors, looking for her.
"There you are!" he said in relief, capturing her arm and practically dragging her back into his room.
"What are you... I'm trying to... would you let go of me?"
"It's almost midnight, Faith! If Filch caught you, you'd be spending the night in the dungeons and believe me when I say that's almost as appealing as sleeping on top of the North Tower."
Faith sighed in resignation and stood before his fire, changing into a long nightshirt she was using. "For what it's worth Percy, thank you."
"No," he said, turning about to offer her a small smile. "Thank you. You finally got my name right."
The next morning came far too soon in Buffy's opinion. She dressed in a long, heavy cloak and was surprised as she left the hospital wing to see that it was snowing. She longed to stand still and watch, but Professor Pryce urged her onwards, towards the Great Hall, where she would have one last breakfast with her classmates, the last one before winter break.
Buffy felt odd walking into the Great Hall, but even as her friends greeted her, she found herself pulling away from them as she dropped in a seat next to Katie Bell, who grinned at her.
"Hey, Potter! You're looking better!"
"Thanks," Buffy said, offering her friend a weak smile. "I've felt better than this."
Harry entered the Great Hall then, his eyes searching for either Faith or his sister. He saw Buffy first and moved to sit on her other side. She turned to him, surprised to see him.
"Hey, you," she said, hugging him quickly.
"No hard feelings about last night?" he asked gingerly.
"None," she replied, seeing that he was carrying a small box. "Ooh, what's that?"
"A get-well gift from your favorite twins," he replied, handing her the box. "Cheers."
"I love those twins," she said with a dramatic sigh as she began undoing the paper wrapping the gift to protect it from the blizzard outside.
After a quick, satisfying breakfast, Buffy returned to her room, only to find that her trunk had already been packed for her. She was touched when she realized it had been Hermione who had done it. She found the girl sitting on Buffy's bed, a miserable look on her face.
"What is it?" Buffy asked her as she locked her trunk.
Hermione looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes, but shook her head. "It's nothing, really," she said, offering the girl a tumultuous smile. "Let's get you downstairs."
Hermione offered to help Buffy carry the trunk, which Buffy took up easily. But they stopped at the portrait hole. "I should get ready for Arithmancy," she said quickly, backing up and disappearing out of sight.
Faith was standing in the corridor. She sighed when she saw Hermione back away from her and practically run in the other direction.
"Is it just me or are there hormones running rampant?" Buffy asked as Faith took her trunk and the two women walked down the hall.
"We'll talk about it once we get you settled into your new bedroom," Faith replied darkly as they made their way towards the Headmaster's office.
They heard someone calling Buffy's name and stopped as Oliver ran to catch up with them. "I'll go on... catch up with me," Faith said, turning around and disappearing out of sight.
Students were walking around them and Buffy felt her face turn pink as she took Oliver's hand in hers and led him to a narrow corner in the shadows. They were out of the public eye, at least. "Oli..." she said softly.
His hand reached up and covered her mouth. "No, let me," he said quietly, pulling it away. "I haven't had a chance to see you in a few days and it's scared me beyond... well, anything, really. When I found out you'd been hurt..."
"Shhhh," she said softly, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm okay, see? I'm right here..."
"But you're leaving again," he said in protest.
"It's only for a few weeks, Oliver."
"I know, it's just that... when I... oh, it doesn't matter."
"Yes," she said, lifting her hand to caress his cheek. "Yes it does. What is it?"
"Well, Laurel told Mum that I had a new girlfriend who just happened to be the Potter girl," Oliver said, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "She's read about you, of course, in The Daily Prophet."
"Oh," Buffy said, her hand freezing as she dropped it back down to join her other hand. "And what does your mother think of me?"
"She wants to meet you," he said in a nervous voice, his eyes meeting hers. "At Christmas."
"Oh," she said, now completely taken by surprise. "I guess this is the point where things start to get more serious, huh?"
"I thought things already were," he said boldly. She smiled and leaned up so that she could whisper into his ear.
"They are," she said, grinning as she pulled back. "I haven't felt this way in a long time... and I don't want it to go away. Here, I feel safe. In your arms, everything disappears. I wouldn't trade it for all the gold in this world."
"I guess that makes you special," he said, tilting his head and appraising her.
"It makes me human," she replied softly. His head bent towards hers and they kissed softly.
She pulled back quickly. "So, your Mother really wants to meet me?"
"We have Christmas dinner at the Wood house," Oliver confided. "I-I really hope you can come. There's only so much Spence and Laurel can tell them about you. They should meet you in person. They deserve to meet the girl that I love."
This caught her attention as her eyes met his. "Th-The girl that you..." Tears filled her eyes as the realization of it all hit her. "Oh, Oli..."
"Hey," he said, giving her the curving smile she had found so hard to resist. "You only live once, right?"
"Do you know how wonderful this feels?" she asked him in a trembling tone.
"How wonderful what feels?" he asked her, his voice tinted with confusion.
"You, me, this moment," Buffy said, glancing back up at him. "I realized how extraordinary it was from the moment we met and started taking things to the next level until I saw that I loved you."
His eyes were shining in the darkness. "You... you do?"
"Of course, silly!" she said, grinning in the darkness. "How else could we make everyone gag in our presence?"
He leaned in and hugged her suddenly, and her ecstatic whoop filled the entire corridor, making students' heads turn. As he set her down, she kissed him, feeling as though it were sealing some sort of arrangement they had silently made. When she pulled back, she touched his cheek again. "So, Christmas, eh? I guess I'll be seeing you then."
"Around six," he said, his eyes sparkling as he pulled her to him one last time. "Don't be late; my Mother hates that."
"I promise," she said into his ear before she pulled back, smoothing her long robes. "What will I wear?"
"Something adorably Muggle," Oliver teased, leaning against the wall as she pulled away.
"You just want to mock me," she gasped indignantly as she swatted at him playfully. "Sometimes, I don't know why I bother."
"Maybe because you love me," he teased, pulling her back into their corner.
"I already do," she murmured, raising her face to his.
Fifteen minutes later, Buffy finally made it into Professor Dumbledore's office. Faith raised her eyebrows slightly at the older girl, who looked flushed, but was glowing despite her recent injuries.
"Took you long enough," Faith said, not looking at her.
Buffy smoothed her hair and didn't say anything. A moment later, Professor Pryce appeared behind them, looking mildly amused.
"All right, ladies, to the fireplace."
"If you were in here as much as I think we are," Faith muttered to Buffy, "I'd say we're in trouble a lot."
Buffy just grinned at her as the Headmaster approached from his living quarters above.
"Oh, Lincoln, excellent!" Professor Dumbledore said as he glanced at Elizabeth Potter, who gave him a serene smile, and Faith, who just stared at him oddly. "I see you are showing our guests out."
"I'll be back, Professor," Buffy said proudly. "Make no mistake about it."
"I realize that, Miss Potter, but you need to take care of yourself now and let your injury heal before you return. I am certain your studies will occupy most of your time."
Buffy watched as her trunk floated and shrunk before her very eyes and managed to zoom into the fireplace and disappear into the green flames.
"I will, sir. Have a merry Christmas."
Flashing him one last smile, she took a handful of Floo powder, stepped inside the fireplace as the green flames flickered around her. "Grimmauld Place," she said very clearly, disappearing.
Faith followed behind her, glancing back at the two men in this world she had found she could trust. "Thank you," she said earnestly to both of them. "Thank you so much."
"Watch over her, Faith," Professor Pryce said cautiously.
"I will," Faith promised with a smile. She threw in her handful, repeated Buffy's words, and found herself in a spinning green oblivion...
x.0.x.0.x
How the next nine days passed, Buffy didn't know. All she knew is that before long, it was Christmas Eve.
She had healed after only two days rest and instead of succumbing to boredom or else her studies, she had picked up on Faith's determination and helped her wage war on the house.
They still had a few bedrooms to finish before the others would arrive, Buffy realized. They worked on them diligently, making certain that everything matched and that the furniture behaved itself.
On their fourth day, Lupin came by, with two large boxes for Faith. This is what Buffy had been waiting for. After sorting through piles of what appeared to be plaques, Buffy found a black leather satchel and combed carefully through it.
This was exactly what they needed to bring Sirius back. She had to hand it to Faith. The girl knew what she was doing.
By the time the morning of Christmas Eve had arrived, the house was ready for guests. Harry sent Hedwig with a message that they would arrive for dinner that evening. Faith grew even more excited and Buffy had finally figured out why. She had asked Faith about it a few nights before as they were hanging curtains in Buffy's new bedroom.
"Is there something going on between you and my brother?" Buffy asked her.
Faith nearly dropped her end and turned an interesting shade of pink before shaking her head. "No, nothing."
"Faith, you don't have to cover some bullshit story with me... you're flushing. That's about the it," Buffy replied, the curtain rod now securely in place as she turned to look at Faith.
She was utterly surprised to see that Faith looked miserable.
"What happened? Did he do something to you?"
Faith shrugged, not meeting her gaze. "Something happened, and it's something I'm not proud of," Faith replied darkly. "It happened the night before we came back here. Harry and I were talking and suddenly... Ron and Hermione were there. They both looked like we'd stabbed them in the back..."
"Which wouldn't have happened unless you two were... oh," Buffy said, catching on. "Oh, Faith..."
"I knew Hermione liked him like that," Faith said miserably as she turned to admire their handiwork. "And I was really starting to think Little Red was cute, too..."
"Oh, Faith," Buffy repeated, walking over and folding the girl in her embrace.
"Why do you get to be so happy and I have to be so miserable for?" Faith asked sadly as Buffy led her back to her own bedroom.
Buffy hadn't been able to hide her joy the day they'd arrived. She'd spilled everything about four seconds after Faith had made it out of the fireplace still standing.
Faith was still miserable as Buffy returned to her own room and came back a moment later. Faith glanced up as Buffy had walked back inside.
"I have it," she said, handing Faith all of the papers. "This is it. The key to bringing your brother back."
This cheered Faith up immensely.
Giles arrived a few hours later that night, looking pleasantly surprised to see the large mansion hidden from many prying eyes. "It's... really beautiful," he said, knowing it would take some time to adapt to the talking frames on the walls and the mirror in his guest room that snickered at his British expressions. It sounded oddly like Buffy.
Buffy and Faith spent the entire evening explaining their spell to him. Giles looked stunned, but none more so than Percy Weasley, who arrived clutching Onyx, who flew shivering back onto her master's shoulder, glaring contemptuously at him.
"I just wanted to bring you the Minister's answer in person," he said, shaking the large amount of snow from his scarf. "I'm about to go on a secret mission for the Ministry and I don't know when I'll be back." He smiled apologetically at Faith and Buffy. "I might miss your Christmas meal."
"Don't look at me," Buffy scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "I can't cook."
Both girls turned expectantly to Giles, who had been introduced to the Ministry representative when Buffy had been unconscious. From what Giles could tell, this young red-haired man was Buffy's closest friend in England. Percy had called her his 'best' friend, which had to be true, considering the look they were now exchanging.
"I guess I'll be doing the cooking," Giles replied under his breath.
"Unless I can get Mum into the festive spirit," said Percy, glancing around the dining room; it was his very first visit into Grimmauld Place and he was eager for a tour. Buffy took him by the arm and pulled him into the Entrance Hall.
"How do you think he really feels about her?" Faith asked, leaning over the table to talk to Giles. "I mean, he can't take his eyes off of her."
"I believe he has a kind of love for the girl only a friend can share," Giles replied, and Faith felt her heart sink. This was the exact sort of feeling Faith had for Harry, one she just wanted to disappear into some smoldering oblivion.
"They're pretty tight," Faith admitted glumly.
"He called her his best friend," Giles confided. Faith turned to him in surprise.
"Well, I suppose that can be true," she said slowly, frowning.
Giles turned back to the fireplace, frowning slightly. "What did Percy mean by the fact he has permission from the Minister?"
"The spell here has to be performed where Sirius fell," Faith said with a sigh. "In this case, a place that looks like an assembly room from hell. It's all here, the incantations, the chants... everything."
"This is extraordinarily dangerous, Faith," Giles replied quietly. "Not to mention it requires someone with advanced magical skills."
"Buffy has great skills," Faith said, feeling her temper flare up. "Okay, so she couldn't kick Quentin's ass, but he made her fall and impale her body on the sodding doorway."
"True," Giles said, setting the papers down and pushing the stack back towards her. "I just think you need to consider this very carefully. These magicks are dangerous and are not to be meddled around with."
"Giles, this is my brother," Faith said coolly, her gaze meeting his boldly. "If it were yours, you'd be doing the exact same thing."
Buffy and Percy returned to the dining area then, laughing about something one of Percy's brothers had done. Buffy was clutching her stomach and wheezing from her giggles. "Oh, I cannot wait to see them again," she said, wiping the tears streaming from her eyes.
"I'm hoping to be back the morning of Christmas Eve," he told her pompously.
"Watch your back, Perce. We'll be here waiting for you," she said with her enigmatic smile. With a last wave, he disappeared from the same fireplace he'd climbed out of ten minutes earlier.
"So," she said, turning back to Faith and Giles, who were silently glaring at each other from across the surface of the brand-new dining room table. "What'd I miss?"
Christmas Eve proved to be a beautiful morning, Buffy realized. She dressed and had breakfast, courtesy of Giles. He was a fantastic cook, she realized.
After breakfast, she tidied her messy room while Faith set about, adding a few last strands of twinkle lights to make sure her guests would be impressed by her hard efforts to make this house stand out.
The window seat was comfortable, Buffy thought as she drew her knees to her chest, staring at the snow falling gently outside. It was truly beautiful, she thought, smiling affectionately as she thought of the first morning after her recovery. She had dragged Faith outside and they had erected a pair of shabby snowmen, decorated with various bits of garbage they'd found strewn in the yard. Faith had put a car tire on the top of hers, while Buffy managed to find an old pipe and stuck it from its mouth. It had been great fun, not to mention bonding time for both Slayers.
"Buffy?" a soft voice asked from behind her. She turned to the doorway. Faith stood there, her arms crossed, looking uneasy.
"What is it?" Buffy asked, her eyes filling with concern.
"It's... just... I want to do this spell, Buffy. Tonight. It's Christmas Eve."
Buffy felt her jaw clench and then drop at the reality of Faith's words. Tonight? Tonight, of all nights? Faith wanted to attempt the spell with a houseful of guests? Tonight?
"Buffy, please, we have to," Faith said urgently. "I have to do something... I have to. Please... I'm already full of guilt over what happened with Harry..."
"I..." Buffy started to say, but the snowflakes brought her attention back outside. "I don't know if I can..."
x.0.x.0.x
Across England at the Burrow, Hermione was staring outside at the same snow falling gently from the trees. She had been spending a lot of time in Ginny's room, smiling affectionately at all the time they had spent in here during the summer, listening to Buffy and her stories.
It was the only thing to break the silence of her broken heart. Ever since she'd seen Harry in the arms of the other Slayer, she felt as though her world had shattered and her very being was falling into a state of oblivion.
She sighed, staring out at the snow. She'd spent far too much time in here. Ginny had been trying to get Hermione into the Christmas spirit, but she wasn't in the mood. Not anymore, anyway.
She stared down at a small black box lying open at her feet. Inside were the bands of promise rings she'd purchased. She had intended on giving one to Harry and confessing her true feelings for him in time for Christmas, but if he really felt that way about Faith...
She kicked the box onto the floor and stared moodily out the window. Sooner or later, all of this drama had to end.
Upstairs, Ron and Harry were sitting on Ron's bed. Neither one of them had said a word. Hermione had barely spoken two words to Harry for the past three days at the Burrow.
"You need to talk to her, mate," Ron was trying to convince Harry, who shook his head and sighed.
"I don't know what to say to her," Harry said heavily. It was then he remembered the look on Ron's face. "What about you, Ron? You looked as though someone had stabbed your kitten."
Ron's face twisted into a bittersweet smile. "You have to admit there's something enticing about Faith," he said with a sigh as he rested his chin on his knees. "But I'll admit, I don't know anymore. She certainly looked as though she were into you." Ron stared moodily across the room. Harry knew he was thinking that Ron had always come second to Harry in everything. It wasn't a happy thought, Harry sighed. And apparently he had never noticed Ron's attraction to Faith at the time, either, considering both he and Ron had been spending time with her.
Harry sighed in frustration. He knew his heart had already been given away, and promising it to someone else had seemed like an incredibly foolish thing to do. He wanted more than anything to take their passionate kiss back, to stop feeling like such a moron around Hermione, and just talk to her.
Silently, the three teenagers sat, lost in their own thoughts, dwelling on painful memories, trapped in their own misery.
x.0.x.0.x
Chapter 39... the prophecy comes to life.
Chapter 40... Christmas Day.
To the Readers / Reviewers:
For those of you who were wondering or whatever, Travers was the name of a Death Eater described during Karkaroff's trial in The Pensieve chapter of The Goblet of Fire. Although another reviewer brought this to life, I have to say, kudos to J.K. for giving me something to work with.
Yeah, I know... leaving this chapter in a state of depressing, "why me" really didn't help ease the situation. It just set up a closed Christmas in a hidden house to be more delicious fun.
Kel -- Ahhhh! You're going to make me write a sex scene, aren't you? Ack... that'd be amusing... completely, totally. I'm laughing right now, I don't mean to, but the thought is just... weird. So, not right away! I don't want it to be another Angelship. I don't want it to be like Riley. I want it to be nice and fluffy and happy and, for a while, heart attack free! But I'll get there, eventually. I don't want to make you cry, really! Not my intention AT ALL. Maybe in some of the later chapters, but... until then... Just for curiosity's sake however, which song were you listening to?
Sorrow1 -- I know it's a bad thing, but it had a purpose. They could have easily taken him, BUT held back because he WANTED them to hurt him. It was all part of his master plan, really. He's an insane psycho who wanted to make his message known. It was mere accidental that Buffy was injured. Faith was stunned by magic she didn't know existed. I don't think it'll ever happen to them again, because it was a hard enough chapter to write.
PrecariousPersonata -- I think he was the boss... he was just cleaning up. I shudder to think what could have happened had his original plan gone through... scary. The snow was chosen for the purpose of 'washing' away bad things. I really wanted it to be here because such a terrifying thing just happened, and yet the surreality of it is, life goes on. And it did. I put that massacre here for that very reason. Their world isn't as light and fluffy as one would think. It can be dark and terrifying, too. And no need to apologize, dear. Your long reviews always cheer me up. Not to mention add inspiration.
StarBella -- looks around innocently Okay, fine. I hope this satisfied your "warm and fluffy" quota of the year. I had to do that chapter though. It had two small fluffy moments, right? Oi. Buffy will take care of Quentin, but it's going to be more trouble that it's worth. So, yeah. Fluffy kittens, right? As for Fred, there is absolutely nothing wrong with him! I just see Faith as either partnerless or elsewise. Or, really, really stupid with her decision-making skills. I know this chapter didn't end all 'happily ever after', but it sets up Christmas and the time for things to get 'better'. Really.
Goddessa39 -- I know, but there's time enough for more later, I suppose. She did crack a few ribs, if that makes you feel any better. And, yeah, I like your idea about Slayers possessing magic like that, sort of what they did in that one episode in Season 4 where they invoked the power of the first Slayer. I'm sort of using something like that in the prophecy chapter, but... I don't know. I'll definitely have to keep that one in mind for later. Faith/Lupin just gave me chills. They're not more like siblings when I think about it, but yeesh. Definitely not a pairing potential in this fic.
I think Buffy was smarter in 'Anne'. I fully intend on using that power here. Sort of like a waking-up-after-a-long-sleep thing. And yes, eventually, the motley crew will be brought back into her life. She did sort of promise Harry he could meet them, so they're taking a little trip once the year is all said and done, even though it's, what, only half over now. The only time I ever liked Quentin was when he was straight with Buffy at the end of Checkpoint. It gave me chills.
Ooops, sorry about the mixed Faith signals. Well, she won't be going to Hogwarts (I'm trying to give her the personality of a squib here) and she'll be returning to Sunnydale soon enough. Why? They can't leave the Hellmouth totally unguarded now. There's another reason too, but that would be spoiling things.
Giles will be in this fic through Christmas, so the next few chapters. He plays a really good yet confused father figure in my opinion. And I know that killing off Wesley's sister and Professor Pryce's daughter was a bad thing to do, but I had to do it. Professor Pryce needed something to get his blood riled and nothing compares to the death of a child.
Hee, long note. Please don't hurt me for it! You left me a super-mega-extra-long review, and I thank you muchly for it!
Adrie -- Neither can I. Oddly enough, I haven't much thought about what it would mean to bring him back, other than throw confusion into the mix. I HOPE to be writing around 80 chapters for this thing, the 50 I'm planning right now and the 30 (if it comes to being a sequel, it does) for the post-hiatus period. I don't think this story is anywhere near ending yet, but I know how I want it to end. I just have to make sure it gets there first.
wizathogwarts -- That's the one thing I knew was wrong with this chapter. Travers should have been beaten instantly BUT I couldn't do it. I still need him in the fic and, yeah. Faith and Buffy have been acting a little weak. Odd, isn't it? Besides, Quentin wanted them to hurt him. The actual Slayers will be returning now that their adversaries are, well, dead. The chapter was written for two reasons. One, it showed off who the "traitor" was, and he was named in GoF, so I just borrowed his name for one. And two, it was a sort of Caleb-like atmosphere with two Slayers against a fanatic. I'm just pushing another plot point that says the Slayers are more connected to this world than they thought.
BD Kitten -- I'm not going to end this story on a cliffhanger. I have written most of the last chapter I plan on doing BEFORE I take my break. That will be a slight little cliffhanger, only because it just ended so darned well. And more has been written. I was just waiting for my beta reader to hand it back to me. I was lucky I got back Chapters 37 and 38 when I did!
Nobody -- I don't know if I can make any promises concerning Cho. I really haven't thought THAT far ahead yet. But... as for Travers, I have.
John -- That was the first flame I have had in a long time. What really got to me was the fact you waited until you were through the thirty seventh chapter before you finally mentioned something. This is my fic, with my rules. I have artistic license, since this is fanfiction. What really bugged me is that Buffy didn't kill the humans she could have. She may have tried to, but she wouldn't. If it doesn't cleanse your palette, you are free to read whatever your heart desires. I won't waste any more of your time.
CharmedChick -- I so need to hire AST to do the voiceovers for "next time on... blah blah blah" for anything I write. He does it SO well. And thank you for your two positive comments :)
Lady Mione -- She can return to the states, yes. It'll be something she'll do once she's done figuring out what she wants to do. I'll probably address that issue more after the hiatus. The only watchers still alive (that haven't been fired) are Quentin and the dear Professor.
electric pancake -- I'll stop updating so fast when I finish 50 chapters. I'll probably take a few months to recover from this summer of planning and stuff, because right now writing is the one thing that keeps my mind off of Jamaica. Scary. As for the angsty chapter (the one I assume about Faith), the only reaction I was going for is "that's where she's coming from". I just wanted to explore Faith's history, since it was so beautifully ignored on the show. The only reaction I wanted was understanding, I guess. Onyx... I love writing that bloody bird. She reminds me of my little (understatement) macaw-wannabe, Rio. Moody to a tee, but damned loyal. Good bird, that one. I miss that bird... I suppose my cats could live without it though. I'm just waiting to see their reaction to the dog who doesn't like cats.
I would like to thank and cherish the other reviewers (and readers) who weren't mentioned by note, but I still adore all of you. Really! Thank you! ) It's taking my mind off the evil hurricane which is threatening my country!
Okay, the next update will probably be after I get back from the weekend. I don't know if I'll have two or three updates next week or not. I realize I'm now a month away (and it's beyond killing me) so I should probably get the boot in the bag, right?