Author's Note: This is the sequel to my story Blood of Enemies, Blood of Friends. I highly suggest you read it first. I am trying to include the necessary background in this story, but if you have not read the first one, this may be difficult to follow.
Spoilers: All seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, up to and including the series finale, and through Harry Potter and the Order or the Phoenix (book five).
Disclaimer: All that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, UPN, and a whole host of others who are not I. All that is Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and a whole host of others who are not I. I am merely playing with their characters and settings for my own amusement.
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As Strong As We Are United
Chapter 1 – Licenses
Harry Potter was having one of the best summers yet at Number 4, Privet Drive. He and the Dursleys had struck a truce of sorts. They finally decided to simply ignore each other. Uncle Vernon no longer bellowed at Harry. Aunt Petunia did not require him to do any chores. Even Dudley chose silence over his usual insults. For his part, the young wizard kept to himself. If he was not out wandering the neighborhood, he was locked in his bedroom studying or writing to his friends. The only time of day Harry saw his relatives was during meals. If he turned up, he was fed. If not, Harry would fend for himself, usually by digging into his stash of snacks and sweets provided by his best friend Ron Weasley via owl post.
At the start of his third week of vacation, Harry was sprawled on his bed with various magic texts around him and a large piece of parchment in front of him. He was working diligently on a potions essay. It was the class he hated the most because of the teacher, but he needed to do well in it if he would have a chance at pursuing his chosen career. Harry was hoping that at the end of the school year, he would be accepted into Auror training.
Harry was distracted from his train of thought, when a dark brown owl tapped at his window. He immediately recognized the owl as Cocoa, who was shared between his girlfriend Shannon and her best friend Dawn. The two girls were currently vacationing in Las Vegas with Dawn's sister Buffy and her boyfriend Charlie Weasley, who happened to be one of Ron's five older brothers.
Harry took the letter from Cocoa and as the owl settled herself next to his own owl Hedwig, Harry began reading.
Dear Harry,
I miss you so much and can't wait to see you again. I'm still counting down the days until we return to England and I can see you again.
Harry could not wait either. He was still absolutely amazed that Shannon was his girlfriend. They had met the previous year, when the newly activated Slayers began training at Hogwarts. At first, he simply thought that she was beautiful, but as they had gotten to know each other, he found that they had a lot in common. She loved all things sports and had picked up Quidditch quickly, becoming a Beater, along with Dawn, on the Gryffindor house team where Harry was the Seeker. She also had a destiny that she could not escape just like Harry. Both teens had lost their parents to their destiny, and both had become part of new extended families of friends.
We are going to LA next week for a few days to visit the Angel Investigations crew, but then we are taking a portkey back to England. Charlie is going back to Romania, and Dawn, Buffy, and I are going to stay with Giles until school starts.
Harry wished that he knew where he was going to be staying for the rest of the summer. He was stuck with the Dursleys for at least a month because by living in his mother's sister's home, he received the same protection placed on him by his mother, when she gave up her life to protect him as a baby. However, Harry usually spent a few weeks with his friends either at Ron's parents house, also known as the Burrow, or at Order of the Phoenix headquarters. Harry knew that he would most likely do the same at the end of this summer and, for a change, was patiently waiting to be told when he was going.
Vegas has been fun. Dawn and I go out most nights with some of my old friends, but we both agree that it was much more fun the last time, when you and Draco were here with us. I really can't wait to see you again. (I know I already said that, but I wanted to say it again.)
Harry laughed. His school enemy, Draco Malfoy, was dating Dawn. Though the two boys still disliked each other immensely, they had succeeded in working together to sneak out of school and meet their girlfriends in Las Vegas the previous year. The four teens had fun together until they were caught by Professor Bolgya, the muggle studies teacher and daughter of Harry's biggest enemy, Lord Voldemort. Fortunately, she was busy trying to obtain the gemma sanguinis, a powerful stone that allowed them to all combine their powers to prevent Voldemort's most recent plan from succeeding. She had let them go with a warning to return immediately to Hogwarts, which they did.
Buffy, Dawn, and I got our Apparation permits from the American Ministry of Magic. Charlie has been teaching us how to do it, though from what he says, he failed his own Apparation test the first time. Anyway, we are going to take the test for our licenses at the end of this week. So, when I am back in England, I can Apparate to see you. (Again, I can't wait.)
Harry reread this paragraph twice. He had completely forgotten that he would be able to get his Apparation license as soon as he turned seventeen, which was in two weeks. He would be of age, and that also meant that Harry would be allowed to legally perform magic outside of school.
He wondered briefly if Ron had gotten his license yet, having turned seventeen the previous March. Ron had not mentioned it in his letters, but then again, Ron had only rambled on about how much he was missing Hermione, his girlfriend and Harry's other best friend, who was currently on holiday with her parents in Greece.
I hope everything is good with you. I was surprised when you said in your last letter that you were spending a lot of time studying, but I guess you need to do it to get into Auror training. I'm a Slayer whether I study or not. Of course, Dawn has made sure that we both have all of our assignments already done, so they won't get in the way of us spending time with everyone back in England.
Well, I have to go and get ready. We are going to see a show on the strip tonight.
Write back soon.
I love you.
--Shannon
"I love you too," Harry whispered, when he finished the letter.
"You love who too?" said a deep voice. "Got a letter there from your boyfriend?"
Harry had been so engrossed in his letter from Shannon that he had not noticed his cousin Dudley standing in the doorway. This was the most that Dudley had said to him since Harry's return from Hogwarts. Harry snorted in reply. "My girlfriend." He tossed a picture of Shannon to Dudley.
Dudley looked at the picture, the initial shock evident on his face before he sneered at Harry. "She's probably a freak just like you."
Harry smiled. As a child, Dudley calling him a freak might have been painful, but ever since Harry had found out that he was a wizard on his eleventh birthday, he took the word freak as a compliment from his relatives. "Actually, she's even more of a freak than me. Not only can she do magic, but she could also kick your arse with her bare fists."
Dudley snorted, "Yeah, right." He was a large teen and had won several awards for boxing in the past three years. However, he did not know the kind of strength possessed by a Slayer or that Shannon was a Slayer.
"What did you want anyway?" asked Harry.
"Dad wants you in the kitchen. Says he has something to tell you," replied Dudley. Harry walked out of his room and down the stairs with Dudley following close behind. Harry knew that Dudley was hoping to see his cousin reprimanded by Uncle Vernon for something.
Harry walked into the kitchen. Without bothering to take a seat, he looked down his nose at his uncle. "You wanted something," he stated.
"Sit down, boy," bellowed Uncle Vernon. "At least try to act civilized for a change." Harry sighed and sat. It was not worth starting an argument with his uncle, when things had been going so well.
"Your Aunt Petunia and I are going to be vacationing for two weeks in Majorca at the end of the month. Dudley will be staying here, since he has social commitments."
'Yeah right,' thought Harry. Dudley's social commitments consisted of hanging out with his gang, vandalizing the play park, and beating up anyone who had the misfortune of crossing their path.
Uncle Vernon continued speaking. "You will be staying here as well. Dudley will be in charge, and you will do whatever he tells you." Dudley smirked at his cousin. Harry had never been so glad that he would soon be able to legally use magic outside of school and that his cousin was too stupid to know about it.
"Hopefully, those freaks who come for you will take you away before we return from our holiday." Harry was not sure if his uncle was referring to the Weasley family or the Order members. Either way, Harry would be thrilled to get away from Privet Drive.
Harry's thoughts were interrupted by his uncle's next statement. "And, since you will be finishing school this year, there is no reason for you to return here next summer. We are finished with you. Never darken our doorway again. Understood?"
"Perfectly," said Harry. For as happy as Uncle Vernon was to be rid of his nephew, it did not compare to the happiness Harry felt about being rid of the Dursleys, who had made the past sixteen years of his life miserable. He only wished that he had an Apparation license now so that he could leave immediately with a loud crack.
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Ron Weasley was usually one to sleep in during his summer vacation. However, on this particular morning he was the first one awake at the Burrow. Today was the day of the test for his Apparation license. Though he had been practicing around the Burrow for the past two weeks, he was nervous. Four of his older brothers had passed the test on their first try. Though if he failed at least he would not be the only one. Charlie had failed his first attempt, when he Apparated five miles South of his intended target and landed on into some poor woman doing her shopping.
As he sat eating his breakfast, Ron reread his last letter from Hermione.
Dearest Ron,
I am sure that you will do fine on your Apparation test and pass, as Fred and George would say, with distinction. I know you have been studying hard, and I am so proud of you for working so hard. Now you just need to put that kind of focus into studying for your school lessons. (Just kidding.)
Ron groaned. Hermione was the smartest witch in their year. She had been working hard at everything since before beginning at Hogwarts. Ron, however, had only begun to focus on school during the past year. He wanted to become a Watcher, and once he had a career goal, his studies suddenly gained a new found importance.
Sometimes I hate having a late birthday. Though I'll be seventeen in September, I won't have a chance to take the test until our Christmas holiday. Well, once I am back in England, you will just have to be the one to visit me.
Ron smiled. He could not wait until she was back in England and he could Apparate to see her. The past weeks had seemed to drag on without her.
Greece is beautiful, but it would be better if you were here with me. I am hoping that next year, you and I can find a way to go on holiday together.
Ron smiled even more broadly at these words. Once they were out of school, he had no intention of being apart from Hermione again.
I miss you so much and cannot wait to see you again.
All my love,
Hermione
PS Good luck on your test. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed (not that you need it).
As his parents descended the stairs, Ron folded the letter and stuck it in his pocket. It would be his good luck charm for the test.
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Draco Malfoy paced the hallway of the small cottage in Hogsmeade, where he and his mother Narcissa now lived. He was taking his Apparation test that day, and he had to pass, especially since across the ocean in America, his girlfriend Dawn was taking hers. "You are going to pass," he kept chanting to himself.
"Of course you are, dear," said Narcissa, who had been watching her son. Draco was so nervous that he had not noticed his mother, and the sound of her voice now made him jump.
"Relax," said Narcissa as she placed her arms around her son and pulled him into a hug. "My baby is growing up. I can't believe that after today you are going to be able to Apparate away from me." Draco squirmed uncomfortably in his mother's grasp. As a child, she had not shown him physical affection very often because his father had frowned upon the idea of coddling him in any way. Since his father's death the previous year though, Narcissa hugged her son whenever she had an excuse.
Draco felt a chill go through him at the thought of his father. Lucius Malfoy had tried to kill his own son, but had died himself when Dawn threw herself in front of the Avada Kedavra curse. Her sister had died for her years earlier, instilling the same protection that Harry's mother had left on him. The curse hit Dawn and then rebounded on its castor, killing Lucius Malfoy instantly.
"Don't think about him," said Narcissa. Draco nodded then pulled away from his mother's embrace. "Are you ready to go to the Ministry?" she asked. Draco again nodded.
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Charlie, Buffy, Dawn, and Shannon stood in front of the large stone hearth in the kitchen of their vacation house in Las Vegas. The house had been lent to them by Genevieve, a 300 year old Slayer turned vampire with a soul who had helped them prevent Voldemort from gaining the power of the First Evil during the previous year. She was currently staying in Los Angeles, helping Angel Investigations run Wolfram and Hart and, much to everyone's amusement, dating Spike.
"Everyone ready?" asked Buffy. The group nodded. Buffy was the first to depart. She took a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fire. "American Ministry of Magic," she said clearly, before disappearing in a whoosh of green flames. The others quickly did the same.
The American Ministry of Magic, which housed all government offices for the wizarding world of the United States and Canada, was located in Salem, Massachusetts a few blocks in from the harbor and literally in the middle of the many witch museums frequented by muggle tourists. Buffy had initially asked if the location was some sort of joke, but Charlie explained that with all the strange locals and volume of tourists, muggles easily overlooked the Ministry offices.
The group found themselves in the lobby of the American Ministry. They submitted their wands at the security booth for inspection and then walked to the elevator that would take them to the Department of Magical Transportation, where Buffy, Dawn, and Shannon would take their Apparation licensing test.
When they entered the department, an annoyed looking witch told them to stand in line. "This is as bad as motor vehicles," Buffy moaned to her sister, who giggled in response.
They filled out numerous forms and were told to sit and wait for their names to be called. Shannon was called first, while Buffy and Dawn sat in a nervous silence waiting their turn, which came before Shannon had returned.
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Arthur Weasley led his youngest son to the Department of Magical Transportation in the British Ministry of Magic. They stepped off the elevator to see Draco Malfoy sitting quietly beside his mother. "I'll just let them know that you're here," Arthur told his son and walked over to the witch sitting at the desk in the corner of the waiting room.
Ron sat beside Draco. "Hey, didn't know you were taking your test today," Ron said quietly.
Draco, who had been reading his most recent letter from Dawn, looked up at Ron's voice. "Hey, Weasley – I mean Ron – didn't know you would be here either."
Ron and Draco, who had hated each other throughout their first five years at Hogwarts, had actually become friends during the previous year. Draco had been around the Gryffindor's a lot because of dating Dawn. Initially, Ron and Draco had simply begun to tolerate each other, but after Draco saved Hermione during a battle with Death Eaters, Ron's opinion of the Slytherin had changed. The two teens decided to start over and now considered each other friends.
"So what're you reading?" Ron asked.
Draco's pale cheeks flushed slightly. "A letter from Dawn. She sent it to wish me luck on my test. She's taking hers today at the American Ministry."
Ron laughed softly and pulled his own letter from his pocket. "Hermione wished me luck too," he said in explanation. "She won't be seventeen until September though. So, she has to wait until the Christmas holiday to get her license." Draco nodded.
Arthur Weasley took the seat beside his son. "Nervous?" he asked. Ron eyed Draco, before shaking his head. "Nothing to be ashamed of if you are," added Arthur.
"You're father's right," said Narcissa to Ron. "Draco has been pacing around the house all morning worrying about the test."
"Mum," said Draco in a warning voice, but she ignored him.
"Ron here has been up since the crack of dawn," Arthur explained to Narcissa. "Too nervous to sleep."
Ron glared at his father, who did not seem to notice, before hanging his head and shaking it slowly. Draco tapped his arm and motioned for the two of them to take seats across the room from there parents. Ron happily obliged.
"Why do parents insist on doing that?" Draco asked to no one in particular.
"No clue," replied Ron. "So, have you heard a lot from Dawn?" he asked to change the subject.
Draco smiled. Ron still found it disturbing to see Draco with a genuine smile on his face instead of a sneer. "Yeah, she's written a bunch of times. Keeps saying that she can't wait to get back to England."
Ron grinned. "Hermione says the same. It'll be nice to have everyone back together. The last couple of weeks have been totally boring without anyone around."
"I know the feeling," agreed Draco. "I don't exactly talk to Crabbe and Goyle anymore, and my mother is always off with Giles doing Watcher business and I don't want to know what else."
"Are you okay with them dating?" asked Ron curiously. "I don't think I could handle my mum dating if something happened to my dad."
"Yeah but your parents actually love each other. Mine didn't even like each other," explained Draco. "I'm actually happy for her, and Giles is great. They are supposedly taking it slow, but they are together all the time, and I just don't want to know what they're doing." Draco made a disgusted face.
Ron briefly thought of his parents together before making a face as if he were going to be sick. "I see your point," he said softly.
"So, anyway," said Draco, "my summer has probably been more boring than yours. At least you have your sister and brothers around."
"Not really. Ginny is always with Neville – either he floos to the Burrow, or she floos to his grandmother's house. And, all my brothers are working all the time. Well, except Charlie, but he's on vacation with Buffy, which you know."
"Once we can both Apparate, maybe we can hang out until everyone comes back," suggested Draco.
Ron smiled. "That would be cool. You're welcome to come to the Burrow anytime."
Draco smiled, but before he could say anything, a wizard stepped out from behind the closed door at the end of the room and called both teen's names. "Here goes," said Draco.
"Good luck," Ron wished him.
"You too," replied Draco.
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Charlie sat patiently beside a very excited Shannon. She had passed her Apparation test and was scrutinizing her new license. "This is so cool," she kept saying. "As soon as we are back in England, I can visit Harry."
"I'm sure, he'll be happy to see you," replied Charlie for what felt like the hundredth time. To his great relief, Dawn came flying out the door a minute later, preventing Shannon from reflecting on the coolness of her license yet again.
"Well?" questioned Shannon, who had leapt out of her seat.
Dawn held up her license. "I passed," she shouted happily. The two girls hugged briefly. "Where's Buffy?" Dawn asked Charlie. "She went in before me."
"She hasn't come back out," replied Charlie.
"I hope this isn't like her driver's test. She didn't pass that on the first try." Dawn began to explain Buffy's disastrous road test, but was interrupted by the appearance of her sister. Buffy looked completely disheartened, as she walked toward the group.
"I failed," Buffy stated flatly. "What is it with me and licenses? I'm going to be known as the Slayer who walked everywhere. I can accept that Willow passed on her first try because she's Miss Magic, but Faith even passed when she took the test back in England last week." Buffy saw the small cards in Dawn's and Shannon's hands. "Even my baby sister and her best friend passed."
Charlie wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry about it. I didn't pass the first time either," he assured her.
She turned her attention to him. "This is all your fault, you know." Charlie looked taken aback. "You kept telling me about how you Apparated on that poor woman shopping, and I couldn't stop thinking that whatever I do, it can't be that bad. So, I had shopping on the brain and instead of winding up in the building on the right, I wound up in the middle of that road of shops on the left. Fortunately, the tourists thought I was part of some street show and applauded my sudden appearance."
Charlie was really making an effort not to laugh at his girlfriend, as he assured her that everything would be fine and that she would pass the next time.
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Ron and Draco finished their tests at the same time. They had both passed. After receiving their licenses, they returned to the waiting room to show Arthur and Narcissa, who were both very pleased for their sons.
Since the adults had to return to work, Ron and Draco decided to Apparate to Diagon Alley and spend the afternoon wandering around. Ron especially wanted Draco to see his brothers' shop, Weasley Wizard Wheezes.