Chapter Two: The Letter
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters portrayed within this work. The situations portrayed wherein are fictional, and any original characters not owned by Joss Whedon or J.K. Rowling are owned by me. By using the characters of Mr. Whedon and Ms. Rowling, I am not getting paid, nor am I benefiting in any other way from use of their characters. Enjoy!
Dearest Buffy,
It is very difficult to write you, especially under the circumstances. I know that we didn't part on the best of terms, and I offer my sincerest apologies for my behaviour towards you. I know that you are grown enough to make your own decisions, and trying to force you to live a normal life as a normal girl when you are anything but that was horribly out of line, and I am sorry.
Willow told me about Angel, and again, I am sorry. It is difficult for me to sympathise with your love for Angel after what he did to me. Soul or no soul, he tortured me as though it were some sort of...sick entertainment. Let's put it this way: If you were to encounter Dracula again, after he tried to kill you, would you start a relationship with him just because he said he 'changed his ways'. Perhaps that's not the best scenario. However, I hope that you can understand why I do not trust Angelus. With that said, it is very sad to me to hear of how he broke your heart, and I hope he comes to his senses. Remember though: It was you who initially broke his heart, so don't expect too much.
I find it hard to believe that Faith is still alive. Before the Sunnydale incident, The Council said they found her dead. I sense some shoddy cover-ups on the Council's part. Perhaps she was helping them with something important, and 'killed her off' so that she would be protected from less traditional members of the Council's outer-circle me, you and ensure they got the job done. The Council was very corrupt; surely you knew this?
Willow also told me that you were happy to hear of her position at the school for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts is truly a fine institution; had I not been called on as a Watcher, I may have trained there to be an Auror. The school has turned out many fine Watchers. If you will recall Ms. Post, the nutter who was kicked out of the Council, she was both the last person expelled from the Watcher's Council and the only one not educated at Hogwarts School.
I myself am ashamed to say that I was expelled my fifth year for dabbling in the Dark Arts. After much discussion and pleading on my part, I was admitted again under the pretence that I be resorted. If I had been sorted back into Slytherin house, I would have been asked to leave and never return. I was, instead, sorted into Gryffindor. It was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. Sure, I was separated from all of my old friends it just wasn't the same without James, Sirius, and Remus but I met new people as well. The Longbottoms were quite good people. They got married shortly after school, and were damaged beyond repair by Lord Voldemort oh, how I shudder to write the name. He was the most vile, despicable wizard of all time. Mass killings abound wherever he is. Right now, he's making his comeback. It's scaring as many people as the Motley Crue comeback tour Pardon me for being so blunt. I've got a twisted sense of humour these days.
Willow will be taking over for Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master. I don't know why he is 'unable to fulfil his duties as professor' this year, but I am certain that his students will be ecstatic. He is a miserable human being. At school, he spent evenings performing Black Magic spells and rituals. His fascination with the Dark Arts was unnerving. I myself became fascinated in fifth year when he left a book on the grounds after some torture or another by James. i Darkness of a Thousand Nights: The Dark Arts Through the Years /i by Damien Darke. The way the book was written it just romanticised the Black Arts to me significantly. Expulsion opened my eyes and told me 'This is wrong!' From there, I got my head right on my shoulders, and there was no turning back. I became a Watcher. Still, a black smear remains on my resume.
I am not telling you this as a lecture oh, Heavens no. I am telling you this because I seldom ever speak of it. It just seems that you would want to know these things; I shouldn't have secrets from you, after all.
I heard of your discomfort regarding Lord Voldemort. That is perfectly understandable; do not be alarmed. As a Slayer, you possess 'magic blood'. This is to say that you are not a 'Muggle'. Willow is not a Muggle either, nor am I. They term us 'Witches' and 'Wizards', but really we are just people capable of performing magic. Not magic in terms of David Blaine or Harry Houdini of course those are merely optical illusions. We can perform magic with wands; magic with potions. Still, we can not stop Lord Voldemort, and you should not endanger your life to try. Many people far more qualified to defeat him have perished at his hands, and I urge you not to do anything 'stupid'.
I would like for you to come visit in London. I don't like that you are Slaying again. I have half a dozen new Slayers nearly trained to the point of action. You don't have to do this anymore; there are a surplus of Slayers now. If the other six are unable to fulfil their duties, sure, you can slay. If not, please don't endanger your life again.
Your nobility is charming, but I would really prefer that you cared a bit more about yourself. The world is quite heavy after all, and even you can not carry its weight on your shoulders. Please don't try to do this. Come to London and relax. Xander and Spike can ensure Dawn's safety; of this I am certain. If you come to London, I'm sure that the world will not fall apart. Do it for yourself, Buffy. You need a break.
I apologise for preaching to you, but we are on opposite sides of the pond so we don't get to converse on a daily basis. Most of what I do is worry about you I know, I told you to care about yourself before you concern yourself with everyone else but if you won't care for yourself, I will. I'm always here for you, and I look forward to seeing you in London.
Love,
Giles
