Grey spent the entire next day waiting for Dumbledore to return and give him his walking papers. Willow tried to persuade him otherwise, but he could tell she was just as convinced that he would be fired. Which, he admitted, he probably should be. One doesn't, he told Willow an hour before dinner in a poor imitation of Dumbledore, simply start a riot at dinner, threaten the faculty, and punch teenage girls without a bit of a comeback.

            Early in the afternoon he sought out Dawn and Xander, who were surprisingly understanding.

            "Everybody gets the wig once in awhile," Dawn told him. "Buffy tried to kill us once when she thought we weren't real. No big. Just … don't do it again, 'kay?"

            "Seriously," Xander added, "days like that? Not fun, but they happen. I may or may not have had a few like that with Angel once upon a time."

            "A few?" Dawn said skeptically. Grey had to grin at her raised eyebrow.

            "Well … hey, you don't know. You weren't there. I might have been totally justified."

            Her eyebrow didn't move.

            "Okay, so I wasn't totally justified. See?" He said to Grey. "Don't worry about it. But the next time one of our wicked witches turns you into the Hulk, I get to have a turn, too."

            Grey felt better after that, but on his way to dinner an anonymous voice called out "Dead man walking," and his stomach did a flip. He hoped they were talking about Spike and not him.

            With that preparation, the Headmaster's announcements took everyone by surprise, Grey included.

            "Good evening," Dumbledore said after McGonagall brought silence with a tap on her goblet. "I trust you are all more aware of last night's events than myself, as I, of course, was not here." He smiled, but for once the room did not pick up on his humor. No one knew quite how they should react to a brawl among the teachers at dinner.

"It seems, and I suppose this is a shocking turn of events in such a placid institution as Hogwarts usually is, that we had a spell go slightly awry yesterday. In her haste to come to the school's defense, Miss O'Brien accidentally spelled my overly-physical assistant. You all bore witness to the results."

The Gryffindor table breathed an audible sigh of relief.

            "Please be assured that this was a one-time occurrence, and the normal ban on spells in the dining hall remains in effect. Should I see any roasted chickens prancing about, I will be most displeased."

            That statement brought a laugh from all four tables, and Dumbledore's smile widened.

            "Now, on to happier news. We have a number of guests who will be joining us for a portion of the school year."

He gestured to the four new arrivals, each of whom had a seat at the head table except Dawn, who occupied a space between Hermione and Ginny at the Gryffindor table.

"As you will see them around and about, I thought a formal introduction might be in order. Many of you remember William the Bloody, also known as Spike." Spike rose to muted clapping that made him smile. No one had known quite what to make of him, and he loved that. "For those of you who are new or do not recall, Spike is in fact a vampire, though he will do you no harm." Several first-years gasped, and one Hufflepuff boy fainted. "Oh my. Hannah, could you take him to Madam Pomfrey please?"

            Hannah Abbott, one of the Hufflepuff prefects, nodded and used her wand to float the boy away.

            "Once again, let me assure you that Spike will not hurt anyone. He was here the whole of last year, as the older students can tell you. The dark-haired young lady next to him is Faith, the Vampire Slayer. As her name suggests, she can be counted on to keep Spike in check." Faith stood up and gave the student body a skeptical nod. The faculty table chuckled as a number of older students openly stared at her. "To her right is Mister Xander Harris, who is the guest and longtime friend of our Professor Rosenberg."

            When Xander stood and girls, especially the older ones, began cheering. Ginny leaned over to Dawn. "Is he as cute up close as he looks from here?"

            Harry looked back from the dais in alarm.

            "Cuter," Dawn said with a smile. "He's kinda taken, though."

            "Oh, me too. Just wondering," she said, grinning at Harry, whose eyes were wide.

            "Finally, some of you may remember Miss Dawn Summers, who visited us last Christmas. Dawn is also a guest of Professor Rosenberg." Dawn stood to a raucous ovation. "Miss Summers will be attending classes with the sixth-year Gryffindors. Please be patient, as this is her first experience with a wizarding school."

            "You're in class with us?" Hermione asked.

            Dawn nodded. "I'll explain after dinner."

            Above them, Dumbledore went on. "Now, I have one final announcement. As it does every eight years, the International Convention for Underage Wizardry is taking place this winter in Sydney, Australia."

            Seeing a number of confused looks, he elaborated.

"This conference allows groups from various schools to attend special lectures, lessons, and activities with faculty from all over the wizarding world. Hogwarts will be sending a delegation of ten students to the conference. Those of you who wish to participate will submit, in writing, an essay of no more than ten inches in length about the unique character of Hogwarts. The deadline for essay submission to Professor McGonagall will be one week from today. Please bear in mind that first years, prefects, Quidditch captains, and the Head Boy and Head Girl are ineligible for this trip. The members of the delegation will be selected and notified on November 1, as this will require a significant reduction in your holiday vacation and you will need time to plan accordingly."

            Grey was hardly surprised to see a note appear in front of him that Professor Dumbledore wanted a word in his office. He pushed his way through the post-dinner throng, listening to excited students chatter on about the conference. The competition for the ten spots promised to be fierce.

            When he reached the door to Dumbledore's office, he was surprised to find Jess, Ron, Harry, and Hermione already there.

            "You get a note, too?" Ron asked him.

            "Yeah. First time in awhile I've been called to the principle's office."

            The others laughed nervously.

            "I thought you were dead gone, Grey," Ron said. Hermione elbowed him. "Hey! Mione!"

            "Ronald Weasley! That was extremely rude."

            "It's okay, Hermione." To Ron, Grey said, "I thought so too. Do you guys…"

            "Willow told us," Harry affirmed.

            "Good. I hope you understand that besides jumping to conclusions, acting like an idiot, and wrongly accusing Faith, I made another big mistake because hitting people never solves anything."

            "I could not have said it better myself, David," Dumbledore said from the doorway. "Come in, please, all of you, and close the door firmly."

            They did so; the three Gryffindors saw the other occupants of the room and ran across to greet them.

            Grey recognized Sirius Black; they had been patrolling together since before school, and he liked the fugitive a great deal. His concern for Harry spilled into everything he did, and Grey could relate to that.

            The other man he didn't know. He had brown hair shot through with gray and very intense eyes of a color Grey couldn't quite place.

            "Professor Lupin? Are you back to stay?" Harry asked as he gripped the older man's hand.

            "Not just yet, Harry." He smiled at the boy. "Your father was one of my closest friends, you know, and I'm certainly no professor any longer. You'd better start calling me Remus. All of you."

            "Grey…" Jess whispered.

            "I know. Something's off about him." His hand dropped to his lightsaber.

            "Remus is a werewolf," Sirius said. "He's one of my oldest friends, Grey. He won't harm you."

            "Couldn't, at any rate. Wrong day of the month," he said, extending his hand. "Remus Lupin."

            "Dave Grey."

            "Jess O'Brien." They each shook his hand in turn.

            "Professor Lupin's one of the best Dark Arts teachers we've had, an' the only good one before Professor Giles," Ron said.

            "I'm glad you feel that way, Ron," Dumbledore said, drawing their attention back to him. "Sirius and Remus asked that I bring you here to speak with them, but there are a few other things I would like to address first. Perhaps if the three of you were to adjourn to Professor Giles' empty classroom, I could have them join you in a few minutes?"

The three Gryffindors nodded. "It shouldn't be terribly long."

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione had filed out, he turned to Grey. "I trust the issue between you and Faith is settled."

            "Dead and buried."

            "Need I remind you that should you ever lash out in such a manner again, you will be summarily dismissed?"

            "I understand, Professor. If you would prefer, I can depart now for personal reasons or something, and save you the trouble of retracting your statement."

            "I don't think that will be necessary, young man. If it were, you would already be gone." His piercing blue eyes dug into Grey. "I understand why you were angry, Grey, and I believe that it is an isolated incident. See that I am proven right."

            "Yes, sir," Grey said, his eyes downcast. Jess touched his arm briefly in support.

            "Jessica? I trust this lesson is not lost on you?"

            "I'd do the same thing again," she said defiantly.

            "Be that as it may, I can't condone that course of action."

            "Then you'd best toss me in Azkaban now, Professor." She held out her hands in front of her as if asking for shackles. Sirius and Remus chuckled softly.

            Dumbledore fought down his own laugh. Twelve years and the girl was exactly the same as the day she arrived. "I think that won't be necessary. You're welcome to come to Grey's defense, but do try and maintain some control on your temper when doing so? Professor McGonagall was most put out at the thought of trying to barrel through you."

            "Alright," she agreed grudgingly.

            "Excellent," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Now, happier things are afoot, as I said at dinner. I'm glad that you don't seem bothered by Remus' condition, Grey, because the two of you are leading our delegation to Australia."

            Grey's head shot up.

            "We're what?"

            "Leading the delegation. It should be interesting," he added, eyes twinkling, "to say the least."

            "A wizarding conference? Professor, I don't know if anyone has told you, but … I'm a squib. I can't exactly lecture on the proper use of summoning charms or something."

            The others laughed. "All is not as it seems," Remus intoned.

            "I'll be along as well. Man's best friend and all that," Sirius said.

            The information clicked in Jess's head. The conference was in Sydney. "You're goin' after the Zombie Master, yeah?" she asked.

            Sirius nodded. "With all the commotion in the city, I might have a shot at getting in and actually learning something this time."

            "You and I," Lupin said to Grey, "will be along as his backup. McGonagall will handle the actual lecturing."

            "Exactly right," Dumbledore agreed.

            "This sounds like something where we can expect to see the Death Eaters make some sort of appearance," Grey said thoughtfully.

            "It's a possibility," Dumbledore admitted. "I thought we might invite another minder or two to meet you there, just in case, and I'll allow you to select the delegation, if you wish. I believe Minerva already has some students in mind, but we would appreciate your input."

            "Those three," Grey said immediately, gesturing to the door behind him. "We need them there. If something goes wrong, they won't panic."

            "What about Malfoy?" Jess asked.

            "Draco Malfoy?" Lupin said.

            "They've taken to training him, Moony. Apparently he's come into the light." Sirius' comments were laced with scorn.

            "Are you serious?"

            "He had a rough fifth year," Grey said. "It changed his perspective a bit. He's committed to our side. Unfortunately, he's a prefect, so he's out of the running."

            "Oh, right," she said. "Forgot about that."

            "I'll take Longbottom instead," he told Dumbledore.

            "Neville Longbottom? I'm sorry to look such like a fish, but …" Lupin mimicked his jaw dropping. "Draco Malfoy on the side of right is hard enough to believe. Why on earth would you want Longbottom for a sensitive mission?"

            "He's different than you remember," Grey said, anger creeping into his tone. "I've been training him, for one, and for another, he's begun to find the bit of his parents that's buried in him."

            "He tried to go over the table to help you last night, Grey. Did you see?" Jess asked.

            "No, I didn't," he said with a smile. Looking back at Lupin, he added, "I'd let him watch my back anytime."

            "As would I," Dumbledore said, drawing another incredulous expression from Lupin. "Very well. Your three trainees and Neville."

            Lupin shook his head, then shrugged. "Longbottom. He's a nice boy, but … this I have to see."

            "We'll be out training tomorrow night, if you want to watch."

"I think I will." Lupin turned to Dumbledore, "Who would the other minders be?"

            "That will depend, I think, on who is available. Best that we wait until later to decide that. You are, however, amenable to going?"

            Lupin and Grey looked at each other. Grey shrugged, Lupin nodded, and it was decided.

            Hogwarts was heading Down Under.

            "Sirius and Remus both, along with Spike and Buffy and all those people," Harry said, his legs swinging in the empty air under the desk he had perched on, "something big must be happening."

            "Reckon so, mate." Ron popped a biscuit-flavored Every Flavor Bean into his mouth from a stash in the pocket of his robe. "I wonder why they came now? Didn't Sirius tell you Spike had gone off on some quest this spring?"

            Harry nodded, "Yeah. He wouldn't say what, though."

            They looked up as the door opened, expecting Remus and Sirius. Ginny and Dawn stepped into the room instead.

            "Hey, Harry."

            "Ginny!" Harry's face lit up as he pulled her into a hug. "Shouldn't you be patrolling?"

            "Escort duty," she said, her voice muffled by his chest. She tossed a thumb back at Dawn. "Once I get Dawn back, Neville takes over and I go out on my rounds."

            "Neville?"

            "Uh huh. Grey's orders." She shrugged. "Just 'til you guys get back, I guess."

            "Oh." Puzzled, Harry released her and greeted Dawn, who stood with Hermione and Ron watching the two of them hug. She and Hermione had large smiles on their faces. Ron looked like he wanted to gag.

            "D'you have to be so cutesy when I'm around, Harry? Makes me ill."

            Dawn laughed, but Ginny didn't.

            "Ron!"

            "Sorry, Gin."

            "You guys are a riot," she said to Hermione. "Is it always like this?"

            "Mostly. Ron seems to think he can be all mushy with me and then not have to tolerate it with everyone else."

            "'Least he's mushy with you."

            "Oh, definitely," Hermione said dreamily.

            "Y'know, we're still in the room," Ron broke in. Ginny and Harry were laughing, but he was not amused.

            "So Dawn, why exactly are you here?" Ginny asked, turning the conversation back on topic.

            The explanation took fifteen minutes of gasps, groans and squeals as Dawn gave a detailed account of the attacks. Hermione listened silently, trying to match Dawn's words with her research and Giles' earlier explanations. The Prince of Lust seemed to be acting solely through surrogates. Maybe he won't gain strength until he subjugates Buffy, she thought suddenly. If Buffy's his target, maybe her capture has something to do with his the interference of the Hellmouth. What, she wondered, would that mean for the world if he got free?

            "… and Hermione's not even listening to me anymore, is she?"

            "Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, Dawn."

            "What is it, Hermione?" Harry recognized the look on her face. He had seen it dozens of times, including when she had realized that the beast in the Chamber of Secrets was a basilisk.

            "Nothing, Harry." He raised an eyebrow. "Really, it's nothing. I was just thinking about Dawn's story. It's obvious why they would want you here. Dumbledore can protect you better than anyone."

            Dawn nodded. "That's the word on the street. I hate leaving Buffy, but dying? Not too high on my list, either."

            "We should get goin'," Ginny said, "speakin' of that. Neville's waiting for us, and McGonagall's waiting for me to walk the corridors."

            They said their goodbyes and Ginny and Dawn left, passing Remus and Sirius, in dog form, as they did. Harry's godfather changed back into his human appearance as they entered and shut the door.

            "You three are looking well," Lupin said. "Sorry it took so long, but we needed to iron some things out."

            "No problem, Pro – Remus." Harry wanted to return the compliment, but he felt a bit disingenuous. The truth was that Lupin looked as ill-used as ever. He settled for thanking their former Professor and asking him why he had come.

            "Dumbledore asked me to," Lupin replied simply. "He wants me to act as a chaperone on the Australia trip, and figured a few months here before that to gather my strength would help." Harry barely caught the flick of his eyes to Sirius, and realized that Lupin had more than one reason for returning. Having so little company probably wore very thin on Sirius' nerves. "Are you three going to apply?"

            The Gryffindors looked at each other. They had discussed it in passing, concluding their auror training would take them out of the running. They had no idea, though, if they could tell Lupin about that.

            "Um … Well, we have a lot of work, sixth year is a big year and all," Harry said carefully.

            "Loads," Hermione chimed in, "you should see how much lesson planning I need to do for these two."

            "It's a bugbear, this year is," Ron affirmed.

            Lupin nodded seriously, struggling to hold in laughter. "I imagine the auror training is time consuming too, especially with your normal work on top of it."

            Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked scandalized. Their horror brought the laughter out in full from Lupin, along with a healthy dose from Sirius.

"Padfoot filled me in while you were at dinner."

            The kids breathed a collective sigh of relief.

            "So we'd be able to go, then?"

            "Let me just say, Ron," Sirius intoned with mock gravity, "that we, Moony and I, feel it would be in your best interest to finish the essay as quickly as possible."

            "But shouldn't we take our time and …"

            "As quickly as possible," he told Hermione, looking her straight in the eye. "Let's just say it's the quality of the candidate more than the quality of the essay that determines who goes and leave it at that, alright?"

            "Oh," she said, her eyes wide.

Apparently, the three of them were headed for Australia as well.