A/N- Thanks for all the reviews on that last chapter. Okay, I've been wanting to use this particular chapter title since chapter 11, but I kept moving around the reason it was called this. Anyhow, finally, I can use it. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. I'm really looking forward to it.


Chapter 13- Another Blow

June had laid the letter on the table before the group, which had grown immensely. The Order of the Phoenix had arrived. Harry was the one to lift the letter and read it aloud to the others. When he had finished, he did tear the letter in two.

"Harry…" Hermione said sympathetically.

"What are we going to do now?" he asked exasperatedly, staring at his sister for an answer.

June shook her head. She looked around. Spike had his eyebrow raised. Angel had his large forehead resting in his hands. Illyria had her head cocked to one side.

"What's the plan, June?" Willow asked.

The Wandless Witch crossed her arms in front of her chest. She was the only one in the entire room that didn't look worried, and June knew why. Willow was used to Buffy, who could always pull her group out of trouble. Buffy always seemed to have a plan, and she always knew when and how to call it into action. However, June wasn't Buffy. Simply her second in command.

"I don't have a plan, Willow. Buffy and the rest of the Slayers were my plan," June said, looking down at the floor.

A collective gasp came from the Wizarding portion of the room. June had her hands on her knees, rubbing them in a nervous fashion. The Order was beginning to whisper now. They were whispering about her…about her duty…and if she could really be capable of it. June felt a hand on one of hers, stopping her from the nervous movement. She looked up. Snape had indiscreetly rested his hands on hers. Tears sprang back to her eyes. She was really grateful for him. How did he always understand her?

"That's it then. We're sunk," Draco said with a tone of finality.

Harry looked at June. She didn't look at him. However, he would not look away until his sister finally met his eyes.

"Surely you can think of something?" he asked hopefully.

One of those nasty little tears of June's slid down her cheek. She simply shook her head. She didn't want the others to hear the waver in her voice as she spoke.

"So much for the powerful Slayer," Karkaroff scoffed.

"Shut up, you imbecile. She's trying," Snape snapped.

Karkaroff's eyes widened at this, but he said nothing. June couldn't help but let a small smile escape. Snape told off a lot of people in a days time, but only those who deserved it, she had come to learn. She felt honored that he had come to her defense.

June stood, fully aware of all the eyes in the room being on her. She walked over to a nearby window and said nothing. Nobody interrupted her for what seemed like forever. Finally, Moody asked, "Any ideas coming to you, lassie?"

June turned and opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a knock on the staff room door.

"Enter," Dumbledore said, a slight confusion to his voice, which told June that he didn't know who was on the other side.

The door opened. The woman standing on the other side was very easily recognized. She was spitting image of her daughter, Pansy. Draco leapt to his feet.

"Mrs. Parkinson," he said, leading the woman to what was formerly his chair.

Mrs. Parkinson had obviously been sobbing earlier; her eyes were still red from it.

"What brings you here?" Draco asked, kneeling on the ground before her. He rested a sympathetic hand on hers. She let out a shuddering gasp, then sighed.

"My husband and I are going to get a divorce," she said, not only to Draco, but to the entire room.

"I'm sorry," Draco said. Mrs. Parkinson shook her head violently.

"No. Don't be. I can't live with him…not after…" she said, leaving off. She turned to June and said, "You're the Slayer, aren't you? I have something for you."

She laid before June a note, in handwriting that the young Slayer easily recognized. June all but dived for the note. She read it to herself, and when she looked back up at the group, she was in shock. She stared at Mrs. Parkinson and asked, "Where did you get this?"

"My husband showed it to me. I know what it means, and I know that you know what it means. Tell them what it says and what it means," Mrs. Parkinson said, gesturing at the surrounding group.

June cleared her throat and read, "Dear Pansy, you have made the right decision. I'll send someone for you. Do not show this letter to anyone, including your mother. You'll begin your training as soon as you arrive. Once again, you've made the right decision. Sincerely, Buffy Summers."

June looked around, waiting to see if anyone else had understood the letter's significance. Only four had. Spike, Angel, Illyria, and Willow. Willow even had a tear in her eye.

"Tell them what it means," Mrs. Parkinson moaned, as if in the greatest pain.

"It's a reply letter," June said.

"A reply to what?" Draco asked. He was standing now.

"I got one once. I already knew what it meant, as I know what this one means now. But what did Buffy mean by she 'had made the right choice'?" June asked, her attention upon Mrs. Parkinson.

The woman drew in her breath and answered, "My husband had found the first letter to Pansy. He had confronted my daughter with in and forbade her to respond or have any part with it. She disobeyed him. She was going to anyway. And that's why…"

She left off.

"Bloody hell, what does this all mean, Potter?" Draco asked.

Sniffling a bit herself, June answered.

"Pansy was…a Slayer."

A collective gasp, once again from the Wizarding portion of the room.

"What?" Draco asked in disbelief.

June turned away from the group, to hide her tears. "Pansy died, Draco, because she wanted to fight the good fight. She wanted to do the right thing. She knew, I bet, what her father would do if he found out. But she replied to the first letter anyway. She told Buffy that she wanted to be a Slayer."

"He sentenced her to death. Our only little girl. My baby…" Mrs. Parkinson sobbed.

The room was quiet, all except for the poor, heartbroken woman's sobs. June still had her back turned. The letter she was holding had had an impact on her, but she didn't know how. But, as she continued to think, it came to her. She whirled about.

"She was alone. And she fought anyhow. And that's what we're going to do. Guys, set up a perimeter. I want shields as strong as you can make them, Willow. Angel, Spike, and Illyria, I want you to brief the others on how to effectively kill an Ubervamp. Order, in turn, I want you to tell my people how to take care of Dark Wizards. Snape," June said, turning toward the professor.

He looked up at her. "Yes?"

"Let's train."


End Notes: How was that? I loved this! I hope you enjoyed it as well. Please R & R! Thanks!