Hello all! Sorry this chapter is a little late. But my car of eleven years died and I had to go through the process of buying a new one since my husband and I had no other means of transportation. Then there was a migraine that knocked me on my ass for an entire day and of course work is crazy cause we have a show coming up in a few weeks which means I'm working overtime. This means the next chapter won't be up until Feb. 29. Sorry, but I'm swamped. Plus, I'm having a little bit of writer's block. I can write entire scenes in my head on my way to work, but as soon as I sit down to write I can't seem to get the damn words onto paper. Weird huh?

A/N: I'm not British some I'm not entirely sure how the prefect system works, but I picked a way cause it did what I needed it to do. So please don't get mad at me for not getting it right.

A/N2: There are tons of typos cause I just finished writing the chapter this morning and then typed it. Sorry.

A/N3: Don't forget I have an update list. Those who were on it got an email last week letting them know I wasn't updating. If you want to be on it, just let me know.

A/N4: (Damn I've got a lot to say) There has been no evidence yet as to whether Blaise Zabini is a boy or a girl and I've read stories where they are both. I've decided that Blaise is a girl. Just so you guys know.

Review Responses:

John, no connection between the two wars just yet, it will be a while. The exposition was in part for you and for Buffy, cause after all, they don't know it either.

Calex, you will see more of the LOTR characters, but not for a while. I have a couple of other things to set up first. And I did warn you guys that there was something wrong with the last chapter that I couldn't seem to fix, sorry. I still haven't figured out what to do with it. I may just have to wait a while and then come back to it. And there is a specific reason why I didn't have Buffy show off her strength, but you won't understand until farther down the line.

Pandoras Box1, I totally understand the computer crashing thing so there's no need to apologize for the delay in reviewing. I'm glad you enjoyed the little bit between Legolas, Dawn and Gimli. I had to do something different from her fawning over him.

PuNKyCoWGiRL, did you get my email about the beta thing? If not, email me so I can be sure I sent the message to the right address. And yes, they had to leave cause of their own war against Voldemort. But I promise there will be more interaction in the future, trust me.

luvin-echo16, there will be more LOTR action later on, I'm not finished with them yet.

dancetdplc, yeah, I thought things were rushed too in the last chapter, but I honestly haven't figured out how to fix it just yet. Like I said, I have this weird writers block thing going on and it's really driving me nuts. Course, that could just be the psycodelic painting we're doing for the set....

My reviewers are just the best!!!

Chapter Six

Back To Hogwarts

The scoobies felt strangely rested and relaxed after spending two weeks in the peaceful forests of Lothlórien. They were ready to start another year of Hogwarts.

"Is it me, or does the air smell funny?" Draco asked.

"It's the pollution," Giles explained. "The elves and men of Middle Earth take better care of their world. Of course, they haven't invented engines and machines so that could all change."

"I hope they complete their quest," Willow said as they headed inside Buffy's house.

"Aragorn will take care of them," Buffy said solemnly.

They were surprised to see two familiar figures sitting in their living room. Both of them stood when the group entered.

"Clem? Snape? What are you two doin here?" Spike asked.

"What are we doing here?" Snape asked incredulously. "You have the nerve to ask us that after you've been gone for an entire bloody month? We've been worried sick!"

"Sevie, what are you talking about?" Anya asked, moving to stand next to him. "We were only gone for two weeks."

"No, you've been gone for a month," he said slowly. 'You are all due back to the school tomorrow. Classes start in a week."

"That's impossible!" Xander said.

"Not really," Tara said. "It's possible that time moves slower in their dimension than ours."

"Is that possible?" Buffy asked.

"Oh yes. No two dimensions run on the exact same time," Anya said cheerfully.

"Then why didn't you mention that before we left?" Spike growled.

"You didn't ask," she answered simply. "I would have that you would, though. After all, I travel to different dimensions all the time. I've even created some alternate universes." She turned to Snape. "And what are you doing here? I thought you were off spying somewhere."

A shadow fell over Snape's face. 'I was exposed shortly after you left. Voldemort finally put all of the pieces together. I am unable to stay at my home so I've been staying at Hogwarts. I thought I would surprise you by being here when you got back so I apparated here on that day. However, all I found was this demon."

Clem smiled and waved. "I've been taping your shows for ya. I was starting to get a little worried."

"Thanks Clem," Buffy said.

"I guess we should just wash our clothes and then repack them, huh?" Willow said.

"I suppose we had better," Giles said.

The scoobies began filing out the door. "We'll be back in the morning," Xander said as he left.

"You Hogwarts' letters are on the dining room table," Snape told Draco and Dawn before leaving with Anya.

"Snape didn't try to hurt you, did he?" Dawn asked Clem.

"Nope, said he recognized me from Anya's description," he answered cheerfully.

"Has he been here the whole time?"

"For the past two weeks."
"Did you tape everything?" Draco asked.

"Yes. You'll get to see every episode of Fear Factor."

"Thanks!"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I guess we'd better get started then."
"I'll see you guys later," Clem said as he left.

The two students walked into the dining room and saw their letters. Dawn frowned slightly as she picked hers up.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

"It seems awfully heavy for just a note with our supplies listed on it."
"Maybe your list is extra long," Draco suggested with a shrug. His eyes sparkled as he said, "You'll never know until you open it."

She opened the envelope and pulled out her letter. Her mouth dropped open in surprise as something else fell out. She bent down and picked it up off the floor. "I don't understand. It's a prefect badge."

"Read the letter," he said as he opened his own.

Dear Miss Summers,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as seventh year prefect for Gryffindor. The position was left vacant when Miss Granger was promoted to Head Girl. We expect to see you Monday night, August 25 at seven for the first prefect meeting.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Dawn could only gape in amazement. "I'm a prefect. Hermione is Head Girl. I wonder who the Head Boy is."

"Give you three guesses," Draco said.

She looked up at his smiling face. "You?" At his nod, she threw her arms around him. "Congratulations!"

"Same to you."

*********

Early the next morning they used a port-key to get to Diagon Alley. It took them several moments to adjust to the change in light.

"Damn. Forgot about the time difference again," Buffy mumbled.

"It's what, four o'clock here?" Willow asked as she looked around.

"Yeah. We'd better get moving if we want to be on time for that meeting," Spike said.

After checking to make sure Dawn and Draco had enough money, the group split to do their shopping.

Dawn couldn't help but giggle as she and Draco walked by Ollivander's. She could see, what were obviously first years, who were trying out their wands.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked.

"I was just remembering the ladder that went flying across the room when I was trying out wands."

"Why'd that happen?"

"Wrong wand."

"Oh. He gave me the right wand right from the start. He said something that didn't make sense at the time, but does now."

"What did he say?" Dawn asked curiously. She remembered that she had been told that she was a powerful witch, which she hadn't believed at the time.

"He said something like, 'Ah, Mr. Malfoy. I've been waiting for you. I believe this combination will work as well for you as it did your ancestor.' Then he gave me my wand and it fit."
"So? What's in your wand?"

"It's a twelve-inch willow with slayer's blood in the core."

"That's Spike's wand! Which slayer?"
"Kendra, I think."

"Oh my god! You so have to tell Buffy."

"Why?"

"She knew Kendra. She was the one who was called after Buffy died the first time."

"I thought that was Faith."
"No," Dawn said with a shake of her head. "Faith was called after Kendra was killed by Druscilla."

"Oh. It would be kind of nice to know about whose blood I'm carrying."

They continued on until they reached their destination, Flourish and Blotts. They browsed through the shelves looking for their schoolbooks and other interesting titles.

"Hello Draco," came a female voice from behind him.

He turned to see Blaise Zabini smiling uncertainly at him. After Draco's brief stint as a spy the previous year, she was the one housemate who still confused him. She didn't have the dark mark, but she had hung close to those who had. She never antagonized any muggle borns in the school, yet she would verbally denounce them when around her housemates. Therefore, he had no clue where her loyalties lied.

"Blaise," he said cooling.

"We need to talk, but not here. Too many unknown eyes and ears."

"Are you still a prefect?" At her nod her said, "Then after the meeting tonight, Slytherin common room."

"Not there, somewhere else."

"Muggle defense room. Buffy had wards put up."

Blaise nodded. "I'll see you there." Then she turned around and left.

"That was interesting," Dawn said, stepping out from behind a stack. "Any idea what she wants?"

"Not a clue. You gonna come with me to the meeting?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "You really think I'd let you go alone? Silly boy."
"Hey!"

*********

Willow coughed as she stepped out of the fireplace in Dumbledore's office. "Couldn't we have used one of those port-key thingies? I mean, they're not much better with the nausea and what-not, but at least there wouldn't be anything choking me."

"Can't port-key onto school grounds because of the wards, remember Red?" Spike said as he dusted himself off.

"We could've port-keyed to Hogsmeade," Tara pointed out.

"Then why didn't you suggest it earlier?" Spike asked.

Tara grinned sheepishly. "Just thought of it."

"Welcome back," came a voice they all knew.

"Albus," Spike said. "How are ya doin'?"

"I'm doing well, William. How was your trip? Severus sent word about the differences in time passage."

"A beautiful world. They've got some problems of their own, though."

"Really?"

"Same old, same old. Some big bad wanting to rule the world," Buffy said. She rolled her eyes. "You'd think they'd come up with something new to rule for once."

Dumbledore chuckled. "They do seem to have one-track minds, don't they." He turned to Dawn and Draco. "Why don't you two get ready for the meeting? Your things will be sent to your rooms."

"Trying to get rid of us?" Dawn asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I doubt we could hide anything from you for long. The meeting starts in half an hour. I thought you would like to get settled first."
"Oh my gosh! Is it really that late?" Dawn cried. "I'd better go!" Then she rushed out the door.

"Guess I should go, too," Draco said as he turned to leave.

**********

Dawn knew that the prefects had their own room in the Gryffindor Tower so she went to the room Ginny and Hermione had shared the year before. It didn't take her long to find it and soon she was hugging Ginny.

"Dawn! We were so worried!"

"That's what I hear. Sorry. We had no clue."

"It's ok. I'm just glad you're okay."

"How was your visit to Harry's?" Dawn asked as she noticed her belongings and started unpacking.

"Wonderful. He's much happier now that he's not staying with the Dursley's. He came up here with me and Ron."

"Where's Hermione?" Dawn asked suddenly. She noticed there was another bed in the room that had already been made up.

"The Head Boy and Girl share an apartment-like room."
"Then whose stuff?"

"Alicia Bronson, fifth year prefect. She's so excited that she left for the meeting fifteen minutes before you got here."

"She went to the meeting forty-five minutes early?" Dawn asked incredulously.

"I said she was excited," Ginny answered with a shrug.

"So what kind of an apartment?" Dawn asked after a few minutes.

"Separated bedrooms and bathrooms, but they share a living room space."

Dawn's eyes lit up. "A private room?"

"You can forget about it. I once heard Bill say that there are wards preventing those of the opposite sex into the bedroom. They can only have guests in their living area."

"Damn."

"We'd better head to the meeting."

********

Two hours later they emerged from their meeting.

~Are they always that boring?~ Dawn asked.

~Usually they're worse. Ready to meet with Blaise?~

~As I'll ever be.~

The two let their friends know they would catch up with each other later, then they headed to the arranged meeting place. Blaise was already there waiting for them.

Draco waited until Dawn closed the door, then asked, "What did you want?"

Blaise tucked a strand of her shoulder-length blond hair behind her ear. "I wanted to explain some things and then ask for a favor."
"Go ahead," he said coolly.

"I wanted to start by telling you that I've never been a death eater, nor have I ever planned on being one."
"Then why didn't you step forward last year with the other Slytherins? I know your parents are death eaters."
"No. They're not."

"What?"

"They're spies, aren't they?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah. I had them to think about. I wanted to make sure that they could handle the repercussions of my declaring a side. Of course, I had to wait until I was home for the summer to talk to them cause..."
"An owl could have been intercepted," Dawn finished for her.

"It's a good story, not sure if I believe it though," Draco said thoughtfully as he studied his housemate.

Blaise just shrugged. "You can ask Dumbledore, he knows."

"What's the favor?" Dawn asked.

"I want to join the training sessions with you guys in the evenings. Can you arrange it?" Blaise watched as the couple seemed to communicate with each other.

Draco was the one who looked back at her and said, "We'll talk to Buffy for you."

A smile worked its way across her face. "Thanks."

**********

Draco wasn't surprised to see that Hermione wasn't in their rooms. He figured she was with the rest of the Gryffindors. He knew he could have joined them, but he honestly didn't feel like it, so he had told Dawn to hang out with her friends and not worry about him.

But that was the real problem. They were her friends, not his, with the exception of Ginny. She was the only one who accepted his love for Dawn from the beginning. While he and Potter had been able to put aside their differences during the last Christmas they had returned to just tolerating each other after the whole fake dark mark fiasco.

So he never really felt comfortable hanging out with the other Gryffindors. And the gathering that evening would be even worse since they hadn't seen each other over most of the summer.

Therefore, Draco had decided to curl up with a book instead. He had just gotten situated on a sofa in front of the fire when there was a knock at the door. With a small frown he got up to open it. Needless to say he was surprised by who was on the other side of the door. "Potter? Weasley? What are you doing here?"

The two Gryffindors fidgeted until Ron straightened his shoulders and said, "Mal - Draco, can we come in?"

Draco opened the door wider to let them by. "Guess so. Why aren't you with the girls?" He asked as they sat down.

"We decided to hang out with you Mal - Draco," Harry said haltingly.

"Why?" He asked suspiciously.

"Harry and I talked about it earlier today and we've realized that we haven't exactly been the nicest to you since you started dating Dawn."
"And since our girlfriends are the best of friends it might be a good idea if we were better friends."
"Not to mention it would help if any of the girls decided to gang up on us," Ron said.

Draco stared at them in amazement for several moments before shaking himself out of it. "Let me see it I understand this. You two want to be my friends?"

Harry nodded and held out his hand. "What do you say?"

The blond thought it over. Their friendship could have its merits, like no longer feeling like an outsider wit his girlfriend's friends. He was being offered a chance to have friends who wanted to be around him because of himself and not because of his family name.

With a smile, he shook Harry's hand, "I think I can accept that, Harry."