As Strong As We Are United
Chapter 20 – Fairytales and Foul Play
"That was a portal," replied Giles, as he removed his glasses and began to clean them. "Though to where, we cannot know for certain."
"What do you mean 'to where'?" asked Harry. He looked thoroughly confused, as did Ron, Neville, and Ginny.
"Honestly," huffed Hermione. "If you had taken Arithmancy instead of wasting your time with Divination, you would know all about portals."
Ron gave Hermione one of his trademark lopsided grins. He always thought that she was particularly attractive when she got that look of indignation. "But we have you to explain it to us."
Hermione rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, but could not help returning his smile. She explained further. "Portals are gateways or doors between dimensions." This explanation did not seem to lessen her friends' confusion.
"There are an infinite number of other worlds, other realities," explained Wesley. "The only way for a being to move between these worlds is through a portal."
"Are these other dimensions like our world?" asked Ginny.
"There are dimensions nearly identical to our own and others more different than any of us can imagine," replied Wesley.
"In both good ways and bad," added Buffy. "When I ran away to LA, I wound up in a hell dimension where demons used humans as slaves and literally worked them to death. Then when I died, I was in heaven where there was nothing but an overwhelming sense of peace. Oh yeah, and when we were gearing up for that battle against the First, I went to that freaky dimension with the Shadow Men."
"The Shadow Men weren't in a different dimension. They were in a different time," Giles gently corrected his Slayer.
"Yeah, and that dimension that we pulled my vamp self out of," added Willow. "That one was a different timeline from our own world."
"And didn't Anya once say there was a dimension with nothing but shrimp?" asked Buffy. She and Willow could not help laughing at this.
"What do you mean a different timeline?" asked Neville.
"Every event, no matter how insignificant, alters the world in some way," replied Hermione. "It's believed that a change in an event creates an alternate world. So, for instance, there's a reality where the Scoobies declined Dumbledore's offer to come to Hogwarts." Hermione glanced at Draco. "In that reality, Draco wouldn't have met Dawn and so probably wouldn't be fighting on our side. Harry would most likely be acting just as he is now, but it wouldn't be an act since the Scoobies wouldn't have been here to make him realize the importance of letting his friends fight by his side. Neville would probably still be dating Luna because Andrew and Ginny weren't together to sit with them at the Valentine's dance."
"Why wouldn't we be dating?" asked Andrew. He, Luna, Spike, and Genevieve had entered the common room unnoticed, while Hermione was speaking.
"Long story – we'll fill you in later," replied Wesley.
Cat rolled her eyes. One thing she had noticed was that Watchers did not seem to know the meaning of the word 'summarize.' Cat walked over to the four newly arrived members of the Scooby gang. Quickly and quietly, she explained the situation. "Dawn accidentally opened a portal while trying some wandless magic. Willow helped her close it. They've spent the last ten minutes or so discussing the definition of portals. You walked in while Hermione was giving an example of an alternate timeline in our world."
Spike and Andrew immediately walked over to Dawn to check on her. "And where have you four been?" Cat asked Genevieve and Luna.
Genevieve smiled and Luna blushed. "William and I heard the students returning to the castle and figured that the game was over. We were on our way up here to meet everyone, when we stumbled across Luna and Andrew catching up after their time apart."
Luna blushed deeper, making it obvious that she and Andrew were doing more than just talking. "I should check on Dawn too," she said quickly, before hurrying over to the rest of the group, who were still discussing portals.
"So what exactly does all this have to do with Arithmancy?" Ron was asking.
This time Draco answered instead of Hermione. "You can't just open a portal anywhere. You have to tap into the mystical energy of a place or an object. There are very complicated Arithmantic equations to determine mystical hot spots, which provide the energy to open a portal. Arithmancy is also used to create the incantations needed to open a portal to a specific location or to imbue an object with the power to create a portal to a specific time or place. It's the theoretical basis of portkeys."
"So, it's possible that Dawn creating a portal was a fluke," said Shannon, sounding as if she were trying to reassure both her best friend and herself. "She just happened to use the right words while standing on a hotspot. I mean, from what you all are saying, she couldn't have opened one up just with her own power."
"But I am the Key," said Dawn softly.
"But for Glory to use you, your blood had to be spilled at a specific time and place," replied Buffy. "So, it can't be just you." Buffy, like Shannon, sounded like she was trying to convince herself.
"No," said Luna in her usual dreamy voice. "There are five known keys to the dimensions. Whoever controls them all, controls the universe. Only one was hidden in our world. It is said whomever controls the Key can move between dimensions at will. If Dawn is that Key, then she is the one who has control over it. Without her consent, someone else trying to use it would only be able to do so by following the laws of the universe – being at a hotspot, knowing the correct incantation, and the like."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "There aren't five keys to control the universe. It's just a myth."
"There's a children's story about it," added Draco.
"It was your favorite as a child," said Narcissa quietly. "I used to read it to you often. Let me see if I remember it. The key that was hidden in our world surfaced during the Byzantine era, when it came into possession of King Dagonis. He believed that the Key could be used for good, but his brother, the highest-ranking knight in the kingdom's army, he believed that it would be used for evil. To protect the Key, King Dagonis created an order of monks from his most loyal servants. They took the Key and disappeared with it. His brother was greatly angered when he discovered that the Key was removed from the palace. A fight broke out between the brothers, and the king was slain. The general gathered his best knights. They departed the kingdom that evening, and it is said that to this day they roam the world in search of the Key. Their only purpose is to destroy it."
"Talk about a creepy bedtime story," commented Ron. "Figures that it was your favorite," he added under his breath to Draco.
Draco shrugged. "I was a kid. I used to have dreams that it was my destiny to protect the Key."
"Maybe it is," said Dawn quietly. "After all, I am the Key."
"But that is just a children's story," reiterated Hermione. "That story can't be about you. Can it?"
"Considering that it was the monks of Dagon, who hid me in the form of the Slayer's sister," said Dawn.
"Not to mention that we fought the Knights of Byzantium to keep them from killing the Bit," added Spike.
"It does all seem to fit," said Giles.
"So, what do we do now?" asked Buffy. "We can't have Dawn unintentionally opening portals to god only knows where."
"We should probably speak with Professor Dumbledore," suggested Wesley. "He might know how to help Dawn control this."
"Let's go then," said Willow. Everyone began to talk at once.
"No," said Dawn loudly, causing everyone to stop and stare at her. "I don't want to deal with this right now."
"Dawnie, you're going to have to deal with this sooner or later," said Buffy in a reassuring voice.
"I know that," replied Dawn indignantly. "I just don't want to deal with it right now. Right now, I just want to take a shower, change into clean clothes, have dinner, and go to Gryffindor Tower tonight to celebrate the match. This will keep until tomorrow. We can meet with Dumbledore then."
"Fair enough," said Buffy. "But we have to deal with this tomorrow."
"I know," replied Dawn, before rising from her seat and walking to the stairs to her room.
Draco's eyes followed her, as she left the room. "Don't worry," said Shannon, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll make sure she's okay." Hermione, Ginny, and Luna nodded, before following Shannon to the girls' quarters.
"I better head back to Gryffindor Tower. See you at dinner," said Neville, before exiting through the portrait hole.
"I got the shower first," called Ron, racing toward the steps to the boys' rooms.
"Damn," mumbled Harry, who was covered in mud from his fall with Dawn.
"You better not use all the hot water, Weasley," called Draco, as he made his way to their rooms, followed closely by Harry.
"So, what do we do now?" Oz asked the other adults who were standing around the common room.
"I still have the notes that the council provided about Glory. Maybe there's some information pertaining to the Key," replied Giles.
"I was thinking of taking a look in the Restricted Section," added Wesley.
"You know, Dawnie has a point. This can wait until tomorrow," interjected Buffy. "Can't we spend a Saturday night doing something fun for a change?"
"I'm up for a little fun," agreed Faith. "Why don't we do dinner at the Three Broomsticks?"
"I'll give Xander and Anya a call, if that's okay," said Willow.
Giles and Wesley looked as if they were about to argue, but both Narcissa and Cat agreed that dinner in Hogsmeade would be lovely.
"Do you mind if we have a late dinner?" asked Genevieve.
"As in one that begins after dark," added Spike.
"Why don't we all meet at the Three Broomsticks at seven?" suggested Willow. "Giles can tell us more about the Watchers Council ball then." They agreed before going their separate ways.
Shannon, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna entered the girls' rooms to find Dawn sitting on her bed, deep in thought. "So, I guess you aren't going to just forget about what happened until tomorrow, huh?" asked Shannon.
"That obvious?" replied Dawn.
Shannon and Hermione sat on either side of Dawn, while Ginny and Luna took seats on the floor in front of her. "Dawn, I'm sure we'll find a way to control your power," assured Hermione. "Professor Dumbledore must know something, and even if he doesn't, we'll research. You, Draco, Willow, and I can find anything we set our minds to."
"I know," replied Dawn quietly.
"Then what's wrong?" asked Ginny.
"I was just thinking about that story Narcissa told. How is it that wizarding children all over the world know more about where I come from than I do? Before Glory, we researched the Key, but we never found anything about others. And, it turns out that I was Draco's favorite bedtime story as a child. The whole thing is just too weird." Dawn ended her rant by falling backwards on her bed.
"Yeah, not to mention the part where Draco used to dream that his destiny was to protect you," added Shannon.
"I gotta say, that was the most romantic thing I've ever heard," mused Ginny, her voice taking on the same dreamy quality Luna's usually held.
Dawn sat up. "It was, wasn't it?" she asked, smiling for the first time since she had opened the portal. The other girls nodded. "Alright, enough portal talk," said Dawn authoritatively. "I really do need a shower."
"Hey, do you all have bathing suits?" asked Hermione. The other girls looked at her oddly, but then nodded. "We could go take a swim in the prefects bath," Hermione suggested.
"Isn't more than one person in there at a time, technically breaking the rules?" asked Ginny.
"Yes, but I'm in the mood to be a little rebellious," replied Hermione.
"Sounds like a plan," agreed Shannon.
"Sorry, but I promised to spend time with Andrew before he has to leave tonight," replied Luna. "But if you ever do it again, let me know." She stood to leave the room.
Ginny stood as well. "I'm going to Gryffindor Tower to grab my suit. I'll meet you outside the prefects' bath."
Twenty minutes later Dawn, Shannon, Hermione, and Ginny were happily swimming around the bubble-filled bath. "When I grow up, I have to have a bathtub like this in my house," commented Shannon, as she resurfaced after ducking out of the way of Dawn's splashing.
"Because you want a tub like this to relax in by yourself or because you're thinking about what you and Harry could get up to in a tub like this?" asked Ginny with a wink.
"Both actually," replied Shannon, matter-of-factly, as she tread water.
"When Harry first told us about the prefects' bath in forth year, I used to think about what it would be like if Ron and I both made prefect and I just happened to walk in on him here," Hermione confided to her friends.
"So, have you two ever fooled around in here?" asked Dawn.
"Of course not," replied Hermione.
"Because that would be breaking the rules," kidded Ginny.
"No, because Moaning Myrtle has a tendency to spy on people in here," Hermione informed the group. "In fact, Ron refuses to take a bath in here without wearing swimming trunks because of her."
"My brother can be such a prude," commented Ginny. "It's a wonder you two have done anything other than kiss. You have done more than kissing haven't you?"
Hermione blushed. "A bit more."
"So, am I the only one left who's a virgin?" asked Dawn.
"For now you aren't, but I don't think we'll be waiting much longer," replied Hermione, unconsciously playing with the promise ring on her finger.
"So, how much longer are we talking?" asked Ginny. "No, wait, maybe I don't want to know."
"I've been thinking about it seriously enough that I started taking the contraceptive potion the week before we came back to Hogwarts," admitted Hermione.
Ginny waved her hand in the air. "I've been taking it since the summer before fifth year, even though I didn't need it until this past summer."
"Why did you start taking it so long ago, and wait a minute, does that mean you and Neville?" asked Dawn.
Ginny blushed more deeply than any of them had ever seen, but she spoke matter-of-factly. "We did it the first time after he took me to visit his parents this summer. And as for starting the potion last year, once I started dating, my mum insisted."
"Your mum?" asked Hermione, the shock evident in her voice. "The same woman who warned Ron about 'scarlet women'?"
Ginny shrugged. "She figured that boys would be more eager about sex; so, she tried to warn them off a bit. With me, she was more realistic. I think it had something to do with Bill having been a nine pound premature baby."
It took a moment for the other girls to put together what Ginny was saying. Their eyes widened when they did. "Hey, Hermione, next time you make some of that potion, mind making a double batch of it so I can have some?" asked Dawn.
"Sure," replied Hermione. "Shannon?"
Shannon shook her head. "Nope. I'm still more trusting of muggle methods."
"So, does my brother know you've been taking the potion?" Ginny asked Hermione.
"So, does your brother know about you sleeping with Neville?" Hermione replied.
"Point taken," said Ginny, before splashing Hermione. The four girls dissolved into giggles, as a water fight broke out.
After dinner that evening, Dawn, Shannon, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco gathered in the Scooby common room. "When's the party supposed to start?" asked Dawn.
"Seamus and Dean said that we should be there by seven," replied Harry.
"Where is everyone?" asked Hermione, looking around the common room for any of the faculty members.
"They decided to all go to Hogsmeade for a late dinner," replied Dawn, who had spoken briefly with Buffy after the girls had returned from the prefects' bath that afternoon. "Didn't you notice that none of them were at the head table during dinner?"
"Must be nice to go to Hogsmeade," mumbled Harry. "I didn't realize how much I would miss it."
"Dumbledore is right about security though," replied Hermione tersely.
"I know," mumbled Harry. "But, it still sucks."
Shannon interrupted, thus preventing a possible Harry pity party. "We should get going."
"Yeah, but not all together," added Dawn. "Ron should go now. Shannon, Hermione, and I will follow soon. Harry, you should come in a little late."
"Sounds good," said Draco. "I'm off to the Slytherin party, though I don't see the point of celebrating a tie."
"Me neither," grumbled Harry.
Dawn gave Draco a quick kiss. "I'll see you later tonight then." Draco smiled and exited the portrait hole, followed closely by Ron.
Shannon turned on Harry. "Keep up that attitude and no one will doubt that none of us are speaking to you," she warned.
"Sorry," replied Harry. "I just can't believe that we didn't beat Slytherin."
Shannon kissed him. "They didn't beat us either," she reminded him, before following Dawn and Hermione out of the common room.
"Harry and Ron always complain that I just don't get quidditch, but I think that a tie isn't such a bad thing," mused Hermione, as the girls walked to Gryffindor Tower.
"I'm on the team and I agree," said Dawn. "But, that could be because my boyfriend is the other team's captain."
"You think?" replied Shannon sarcastically.
Dawn swatted at her best friend, before commenting. "I just wish that we didn't have to celebrate separately."
"So take off early from the party," suggested Shannon. "No one will notice."
The girls arrived in the Gryffindor common room to find it filled with students eating and talking. Hermione smiled to herself, when she spotted Ron leaning against a wall regaling some younger students with a replay of the match.
Shannon shook her head at Hermione. "You're mad at him, remember?" Shannon whispered. Hermione rolled her eyes and followed Shannon and Dawn to a sofa where Ginny was sitting with Neville.
"Let me get you some butterbeers," said Neville rising to make room for Dawn, Shannon, and Hermione. He walked off toward the refreshments that were piled on one of the study tables.
Dawn, Shannon, and Ginny talked about the game, while Hermione stared at Ron from across the room. "You still love him, don't you?" asked Lavender, as she and Parvati leaned against the back of the sofa.
"What?" asked Hermione. "No."
Lavender and Parvati gave each other knowing looks. "Hermione, we lived with you for six years," said Parvati. "We've always known how you felt about Ron Weasley."
"And, obviously those feelings haven't changed," added Lavender.
"Why don't you just go over there and talk to him," suggested Parvati.
"Because I have nothing to say to him," replied Hermione briskly.
"Just leave her alone," warned Shannon.
Lavender directed her attention to Dawn and Shannon. "We know that as her friends you want to protect her, but we've known Hermione longer." Hermione raised an eyebrow at this. "We might not have been very close, but Parvati and I have always known that you are destined to be with Ron. So, don't mess it up just because the two of you are too stubborn to admit you might just be wrong."
Neville returned with the butterbeers. Hermione stood. "What the hell," she said. Dawn, Shannon, and Ginny looked at her strangely. "Like I said earlier, I'm feeling a little rebellious today." Hermione chugged an entire bottle of butterbeer, burped, giggled, grabbed two other bottles from Neville, and then flounced off toward Ron.
"That was weird," said Shannon.
Lavender and Parvati looked very pleased with themselves. "Out work here is done," commented Parvati, as she and Lavender left in search of Seamus and Dean.
"I just hope Hermione knows what she's doing," muttered Dawn.
Ginny smiled. "She's probably off to stage a very loud row."
Neville handed Ginny his last butterbeer. "I'll go get more," he said
"Don't bother," replied Dawn, rising from her seat. "I think I'm going to head back. Draco won't stay at Slytherin for long."
"Yeah, and I'll grab my own," added Shannon, also rising.
Draco found himself sitting with the other seventh year Slytherins. He still was not on good terms with Nott, Crabbe, or Goyle, but surprisingly the seventh year girls were being relatively nice to him. Even Pansy was treating him respectfully without her usual flirting. Draco had the impression that something had changed among the seventh year girls after the lock-in the month before, but he was not sure what exactly had caused the change.
Finally tiring of the snotty comments from Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle, Draco walked away from the group to get himself another butterbeer. He was surprised, when Pansy followed him. "You don't look like you're having much fun," she commented.
"I think we can all agree that I don't belong here anymore," he replied, opening a bottle and taking a long pull on it.
"Do you know why Slytherin hated Muggleborns?" asked Pansy.
This was the last question that Draco expected. "Because he believed that they were undeserving of magic," he replied.
"Wrong," replied Pansy authoritatively. "Oh, that was his rhetoric. But the real reason was that he fell in love with a Muggleborn, and she rejected him because she was in love with Gryffindor."
"How do you know this?" asked Draco.
Pansy looked down at her feet. "You know what my father is. I needed to understand why he does what he does. So, I did some research."
"And, do you understand?" asked Draco.
"No," replied Pansy. "But, most of us don't have the courage to stand against it like you did. Look. The point is that you are a Slytherin. You're cunning and ambitious, and you go to extremes because of the love of a woman." Draco smiled for the first time since arriving in the Slytherin common room. "Go find her," Pansy ordered with a smile.
Draco leaned in and gave Pansy a quick friendly kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Pans," he called on his way out of the portrait hole.
"Where the hell is he going?" asked Nott.
Pansy rolled her eyes. "To find the Mudblood, where else?"
"It'll be funny as hell, when he does," grunted Goyle.
"What do you mean?" asked Blaise concernedly.
Draco found Dawn reading in the Scooby common room. "No one else is back?" he asked, surprised to find the common room deserted.
"Nope," replied Dawn. "So, how did your party go?" she asked.
Draco sat beside her. "It wasn't the same without you," he replied. "So what should we do here all alone?" They leaned toward each other and kissed deeply.
"Mmm," moaned Dawn, as she pulled away from Draco. "Why don't we go for a swim," she suggested.
"What?" asked Draco.
"Grab some swim trunks and meet me back here," replied Dawn, jumping up and running to her room.
"Wait," called Draco. "Where are we going to swim?"
"Prefects' bath," replied Dawn with a wink. Draco swallowed hard before racing to his room to find swim trunks.
Hermione walked up behind Ron and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, surprised to see her. She handed him a butterbeer, before opening another and taking a sip. Ron did the same, his eyes never leaving hers.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Lavender and Parvati seem to think that I should stop being so stubborn and talk to you," she replied, licking her lips seductively. Ron's eyes widened, and he took a long swallow from the bottle in his hand.
"So," Hermione continued. "Are you ready to apologize for being a prat?" She winked at him, indicating that she was hoping for another public row.
"Apologize? Me?" asked Ron incredulously and loudly enough for other students to hear.
"Well, you don't expect me to apologize," Hermione retorted.
"Of course, little miss perfect would never be the one to apologize," yelled Ron. 'Damn, she looks so good when we fight,' he thought.
"I'm not going to apologize because I'm not the one who's wrong?" 'Why is it that fighting with him is such a turn-on?'
"Neither am I," replied Ron, while thinking of the best way to get her alone.
"Fine," replied Hermione. She nodded slightly toward the portrait hole, before turning on her heal and storming out of the common room.
"Don't you dare walk away in the middle of an argument," ordered Ron, as he followed her out.
If Ron and Hermione had not been so involved in staging an argument, they might have noticed that an unusual amount of students were snogging, that Ginny had practically dragged Neville to the boys' dormitory, and that Harry and Shannon had exited the portrait hole together only moments earlier.
As the portrait hole closed behind them, Ron pushed Hermione against the hard stone wall and kissed her with an intensity neither had experienced before. As they kissed, Hermione wrapped her legs around Ron's waist, and he ground against her.
"Really, you two. Get a room," chastised the Fat Lady.
"Not a bad idea," said a breathless Hermione. "Mine or yours?"
"Yours," replied Ron, tearing himself away from her and setting her back on the ground. He grabbed her hand, and they raced back to the Scooby common room. They were fortunate to find it empty.
Ron lifted Hermione into his arms and carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom. As he laid her on her bed, she began tearing at his clothes, overwhelmed with the need to feel his bare skin against hers.
"I came up with a genius plan to bring Malfoy back to our side," bragged Nott.
"What kind of plan exactly?" asked Pansy.
"We put amorphous potion in the butterbeer that the Gryffindors are drinking at their party," replied Crabbe laughingly. "When the Mudblood drinks it, she'll practically jump the next bloke she sees."
"And, we all know Malfoy doesn't tolerate disloyalty," added Nott with a smirk.
"You put this in all the Gryffindor butterbeer?" asked Blaise nervously.
"Yeah," replied Goyle. "We figured they could all use a little loosening up."
"Loosening up?" shrieked Pansy. "Someone could wind up being assaulted."
"Don't even think about trying to stop this, Parkinson," warned Nott, pulling his wand on her, as Crabbe and Goyle stood up behind him menacingly. "Your first loyalty is to being a Slytherin."
"Stupefy," called three female voices. Blaise, Millicent, and Morag had stunned the three boys. "No, our first loyalty is to being women," spat Blaise.
"Now what?" asked Morag.
Pansy took charge. "You and Millicent go tell Snape what's going on. Blaise, you and I are going to go find McGonagall."
Without hesitation the four Slytherin girls ran from their common room.
An hour later everything appeared to be sorted out. Professor McGonagall had ordered all the Gryffindors to the common room. Professor Snape gave them each an antidote to the amorphous potion, before returning to his own house to deal with Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle.
The three guilty Slytherins lost fifty points each, were banned from finishing the quidditch season, and were given nightly detentions for the rest of the term.
After having their snogging session rudely interrupted by Moaning Myrtle, Dawn and Draco returned to the Scooby common room. After such a long day, they returned to their own rooms to sleep.
Draco found Shannon sleeping beside Harry. He woke her and convinced her to dress and return to her own room before she got caught. By the time he returned from the bathroom, she was gone. He lay down and fell asleep, not knowing that the next morning he would discover that those who were once his closest friends had attempted to ruin his relationship with Dawn.