In the Phoenix's Eyes
Author's Notes: Thanks again to all the reviews I love them! Brutal2003: You caught me. I simply adore the Malfoy family. They intrigue me...quite a bit, actually. However, this will not be a Draco-centric fic because I have no use for him other than...well, you'll see. S.M: Is this soon enough? Rachel: You said quite a mouthful. A mouthful that I didn't even care to finish reading because I stated quite clearly that this is AU in both verses. Some things are obviously cut because they don't work. Get over it. Everyone else has. Sacred-soul: What on Earth does 'SQUE!' mean?! LOL!
Also: I only buy lotion at Bath and Body Works. My signature scent is the red currant and thyme tea. Good Lord how I love that stuff. Just thought you all might want to know. -shrugs-
No smacking yet? Excellent. But WAIT!!! Okay, just to let you know, this fanfic follows with the storyline in Order of the Phoenix.
---Airwave---
Tara awoke suddenly in her bed. She caught her breath and listened to any sound. She had been sure she heard something and that's what had woken her. After half a minute she released the air in her lungs and passed the noise off as something from her imagination.
She opened the curtains that surrounded her in her bed and stood up. Through the window, the sun was setting and the sky was streaked with orange light and pink clouds. The brunette noticed that her luggage had been brought up to the room and stacked neatly to the side of the door.
She jumped suddenly when a knock interrupted the silence. Tara glanced at herself in the mirror, fixed her bed head and opened the door expecting to see a house elf or perhaps Narcissa. Instead her father stood at the door dressed in a navy colored robe with his hair tied back with a ribbon of the same shade as his clothes.
Tara noticed he looked different than he had five years ago. He looked as though he were not to be crossed. Colder, Tara thought just as she involuntarily shivered.
Lucius studied her for a moment. "Welcome home."
Tara smiled softly and ignored the mystery that surrounded him. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Hey Dad. This place really hasn't changed."
The blonde wizard looked around. "No, I suppose it hasn't. Although you certainly have."
She ignored Lucius' comment and moved back to look out the window. "I didn't think I'd actually fall asleep. I'm sorry I missed lunch."
"Not at all. I missed your arrival, and you missed mine. Let's call it even and have dinner."
Tara grinned. "Deal. But I think I'm going to take a shower first and change. Is this a formal thing?"
"No. Dinner will be ready in half an hour. Would you like a house elf sent up so that you don't get lost?" Lucius asked.
"I think I'm getting the hang of this place again. But thanks. So I'll see you downstairs in half an hour."
She smiled again and closed the door. After a minute of looking out the window at the quickly disappearing light, she mumbled a spell and a light appeared floating around her, illuminating the suitcases. Tara grabbed some nice pants and a nice red blouse, then disappeared into the bathroom followed by the floating ball of light.
***
Anya let the curtains return to their original spots and turned around to find her fiancée. He stood in the closet hanging his cloths.
"Xander! It's dark, so I'd say it's about-"
Xander glanced at the clock. "Six o'clock in the evening?"
"Exactly! Do you want dinner?" Anya smiled. "There used to be this fabulous restaurant downtown. Maybe it's still there!"
"I doubt it." Xander replied. "How about we go downstairs, make some dinner and eat in tonight. Then we could just do the hot tub thing afterwards, okay An?"
Xander could practically see Anya's thoughts formulating. She smiled after a minute or so and took Xander's hand, leading him out of the room. "Let's do the hot tub thing. That way, afterwards we'll have-"
"An, honey, I love you but I'm really tired." Xander interrupted as they began making their way down the stairs.
"So you don't want to?"
"We'll do the dinner, and then hot tub. Then I'm going to sleep. Feel free to join me in that."
Anya sighed from ahead of him but didn't let his hand go and continued leading the way through the mansion. They got to the Entrance Hall, but crossed it and after passing through the elaborately decorated game room they ended up in the dining room, which already had two plates set and more food appeared at the table every minute.
"This is magick." Xander whispered.
"Of course it is." Anya gave the man a look that taunted him with the name, 'Captain Obvious.' She took a seat and Xander followed. "This was at one point the home of Merlin."
Xander rolled his eyes and cut himself a piece of the honey ham that had appeared at the table. "Merlin is a myth. He existed in stories like The Sword and the Stone, which is a Norse myth."
"Merlin really did exist." Anya replied with a dreamy look. "He was terribly handsome. I remember when we first met."
"He's told as the greatest wizard of all time in the myths, so why did he die then?" Xander demanded piling some mashed potatoes onto him plate beside the ham.
"Immortality isn't a wizard trait. The only people with immortality are vampires, demons, Gods, and elves from the Lord of the Rings stories."
"Well Disney's Sword In The Stone was-"
"Walt Disney, who was also a wizard, made the movie because non-magick people can't now the truth! Just like people can't know about Buffy, they can't know about magick because they'll start panicking!" Anya rolled her eyes and grabbed a bowl of salad that had appeared in front of her. "Hand me the Bleu Cheese dressing, please."
The construction worker looked up at Anya with a look of disgust. "I cannot believe you like that kind."
Anya shrugged and waved her hand impatiently for the dressing. "You should try it."
Xander gave her a bottle of dressing and shook his head. "I'd rather not die of mold digestion before I have to."
***
Tara sat at the dinner table with Narcissa and Lucius. They had already run through a handful of subjects and finished dinner. Now tea had been served and their conversation had moved to center on her.
"Well, finished my second year at UC Sunnydale, and then I decided that I'd visit here. After all, I haven't seen you guys for a couple of years." Tara explained at the end of her story that led to why she came back to England.
"It's great to see you again, dear." Narcissa commented taking a sip of her steaming tea. "Do you know how long you will be staying?"
"Until you get bored of me?" Tara joked.
Lucius smiled a little. "Well, we've put with Draco for over fifteen years now so unless you have the intellectual capacity of a rock, I do believe we'll be interested for a while."
Tara laughed at that and Narcissa, trying to hide a smile, whacked Lucius on the shoulder reprovingly.
"Cissa, darling, I was just answering my daughter's question!" Lucius replied still smiling at his wife.
"Well speaking of, how is Draco?" Tara asked with interest.
"He's doing fabulously in school." Narcissa exclaimed, "He's in fifth year and a Slytherin prefect."
"So he's got good grades?"
"Of course, he's the top student in his house." Lucius nodded. "He has the potential for top of the school, but that Hermione Granger seems to be taking every class that the school offers, which gives her a higher grade average."
Narcissa's smile appeared again and she looked from her husband to her step-daughter with a mysterious glint in her eyes. "Lucius, why don't you take Tara up to Hogwarts next time you're there? She could perhaps see Draco and they could talk while you take care of your own business."
The blonde man paused for a second and studied the table before elegantly looking up at his daughter. "I would have no problems taking you, if you would like to speak with Draco."
"That- yeah. I think that would be nice." Tara smiled at her Dad.
"I will pick you up here at noon, after my meeting with the Minister. We will be apparating to Hogsmeade. Draco informed me that tomorrow is a day when the students will be in Hogsmeade, so I will owl him tonight you two can meet at the Auberge Savoureuse. We own it."
Tara almost snorted into her tea but quickly covered it up with a coughing fit. After calming down enough, she looked at the other two occupants at the table with a questioning look. "Tasty Inn?"
"I thought up the name!" Narcissa commented with a look in Lucius' direction. He just rolled his eyes.
"Thankfully, most people do not speak French, nor do they know it is own by this family." Lucius said smiling.
"Right, the reputation would suffer a little if a name like 'Tasty Inn' came up I nthe same sentence as 'Malfoy.' Got it." Tara laughed and poured a spoonful of sugar into her tea before takes a sip.
Yes, I know it's short. And yes, I know it's taken me forever to update! I'm sorry! I promise it'll be longer, more interesting and sooner updated next time! -hides behind Draco-
By the way- If anyone guesses what each of my chapter titles have in common, they'll get the chance to change an even in Order of the Phoenix that I will include in my fanfic. Or, they can choose another character to appear in the fanfic. They can even have a small cameo in the story if they would like. Up to you, but only the first person that figures out how every chapter name is tied into one group. Good luck!