Thankee to Lucy, who reviewed the DAY that I updated. You absolutely ROCK! You may most definitely have a chappie, just not this one, since obviously I've already written it. And sorry about the no Andrew thing. YET! He will come. Don't worry, I've got him planned in, and I think I can get him into the this chapter. Are you sure he has blue eyes? Because I have some pictures of him with blue eyes and some with brown. I'm not sure. Also thank you to Elenrod. I'm really sorry you don't watch Buffy. It's my new obsession, so I just kind of stuck it in without thinking that some people might not watch it. I'm going to be focusing more on the newbies for now, but I'll try and get the old people in as much as I possibly can for you. Um, since you don't know the people I'll give you the basics-Buffy is the Slayer. She kills vampires, demons, evil stuff. There is one in each generation. She has died twice. The first time she died a girl named Kendra became Slayer. Second time she died, nobody became Slayer. Faith became Slayer after Kendra died. Ok, you really didn't need to know all that, but it explains Linnea a tad bit more. She's an OC. Anyway, a Watcher is the person who teaches a Slayer. Spike is a vampire. He was evil, he got a chip stuck in his brain so that he couldn't hurt people, and he kinda went good and fell in love with Buffy. Andrew is some random dude who tried to take over Sunnydale (the town they live in) and ended up killing his best friend. He repented and went good, or something along those lines. I'm not sure. I think that's everyone. So, this one goes out to my lovely reviewers and to DaVinci's notebook for being really funny. Anyway, on with the show!
"Yeah, it was interesting. I met Buffy." Linnea commented as she and Hermione made their way from Transfiguration to Herbology.
"Buffy? Isn't she that new girl who's a whole lot older than any of us?" Hermione asked, dodging a group of first years.
"Ah yeah. She's not actually a witch, I don't think, but she knows about us and needs to learn more. I think she has a really weird job or something."
"Oh. Well we'll get to know her better soon. Most of the classes she's sitting in on are ours. I guess she already knows most of the basics."
"Really. This could be interesting."
Spike stood before the strange old man, feeling acutely uncomfortable. Filch hunched next to him.
"I found him in one of the second floor corridors. Asked him what he was doing and he didn't answer. Wouldn't say anything to me, but he did come quietly when I brought him up here," The caretaker explained.
Couldn't very well eat him with two Slayers hovering over me, he thought to himself.
"Well thank you Filch," the headmaster dismissed him with a nod. When Filch had closed the door the man turned to Spike.
"It's Spike isn't it?" he asked.
"How does everyone in this bloody school know my bloody name?" Spike demanded, unnerved.
"Well Buffy warned my that you might show up. I just didn't expect you so soon. I'm Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster. Now, I don't mind you staying here, I've got so many random people running around now that one more wouldn't make much of a difference. I only have two rules for you. 1-You may not hurt any of my students. If you do, you will be kicked out of here before you can say 'bloody' again. 2-You may not stalk Buffy. You can try and get her to date you again, go ahead, but anything beyond ordinary courtship is not permissible. Clear?"
"Most definitely. I wouldn't be trying anything with two Slayers around anyway," Spike muttered.
"Two? I knew Linnea was special, but are you sure she's a Slayer? It would explain a lot of things, but when did Faith die?"
"She-wait how do you know so much about Slayers?" Spike challenged.
"I like to keep up to date on what's going on in various parts of the magical world. I could tell you all about Nita and Kit for example."
"What?"
"Nevermind. Anyway, I spoke with Buffy about Slayers and so on before you came. Are you sure Linnea's a Slayer?"
"I have firsthand experience of it," Spike replied, rubbing one of his many bruises. "She said it happened when Buffy died the second time. No one expected there to be another Slayer, so no one looked for her,"
"I see. I'll have to look into that. The Watcher's Council is going to get it if they knew about this. Anyway, what are you going to do while staying here?"
"Any interesting jobs open?"
"I'm afraid not."
"I guess I could take classes. I don't know too much about magic."
"Ah. I'll need to get something, but I'll be back in a moment and then we can figure out which house and year you would be most suited to,"
Dumbledore disappeared into the back of his office and returned a few seconds later holding a tattered old hat.
"A hat? Do you really think I need the uniform? It's a little odd, especially for someone my age,"
"It's the Sorting Hat."
"Yes you imbissil, how on earth could you not know it was the Sorting Hat? I mean, everyone knows about the Sorting Hat!" the Narrator had showed up again.
"SHUT UP! Bloody stupid narrators. Poking their noses into other people's business."
"I don't have a nose."
"Go away."
"Both of you be quiet. Spike, put the hat on, we'll discuss the uniform later," Spike looked suspiciously at Dumbledore, but snatched the hat out of his hand and stuffed it on his head. A tiny voice blossomed in his ear.
What do we have here?" it asked.
"BLOODY HELL!" Spike screamed, throwing the hat halfway across the room.
"Oh, I'm sorry if that startled you. The Sorting Hat will be placing you in the correct house. It may seem as though it is speaking to you. Nothing to worry about, it's merely looking to see where you're best suited," Dumbledore flicked his hand and the hat flew back to him. He brushed it off and handed it to Spike, who took it again, far more cautiously this time, and placed it gingerly on his head.
"Very violent. Rather a Slytherin quality. Although that's not exactly your fault, more part of your nature isn't it?" the voice seemed to grin at him. Spike growled slightly. "Sorry. But very brave and extremely loyal. Unnaturally so at times. Although someone seems to have shaken your loyalty to a certain Slayer," Spike grunted slightly in confusion; he seemed temporarily incapable of speech. "However you are a creature of the darkness. Cunning, tricky. Perhaps Slytherin?" Which house was Buffy in? Spike wondered. Let me be in her house, please, whatever you are! "In Buffy's hosue? Well, if you're really that loyal then Gryffindor!" the hat spoke the final word aloud in a confident voice. For a moment Spike felt as though someone was digging through his brain, then the voice spoke again.
"Fourth year," Spike removed the hat.
"You'll fit right in. You're going to be in a class with both the Slayers. You can start classes tomorrow. I'm sure we'll be able to find something slightly less Matrix, but not the uniform for you,"
"Thank you," Spike smiled and turned to leave, but his face contorted to a grimace the moment his back was turned.
Buffy cast a knowing look around the busy common room.
"We can't talk now, someone will definitely overhear us. We'll have to wait till everyone goes to bed. And I'd rather we talk down here, it just seems so much like the library back at Sunnydale. But I would like to talk to you about something else right now. Something more personal. Do you want to come to my room?"
"You get your own room?"
"The privileges of age. Come on," Buffy led Linnea up the stairs and past all the dorms to the very top floor. There was a single door which opened into a small room containing a kitchenette, a living area with a couch and a bed in an area partitioned off from the rest of the room by a bead curtain. An open door revealed a tastefully decorated bathroom off the living area.
Buffy motioned Linnea to sit on the couch and took a spot next to her.
"So what's up?"
"Well, there's a couple of things, but most importantly I need you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, especially about Slayer stuff, I'm here. I actually wouldn't mind having someone to talk to, and I'm a trained counselor. I could be like your mini-Watcher. I've picked up so much from Giles I could probably pull it off anyway."
"Well thank God for that, I've got my own personal shrink," Linnea grinned, but suddenly the smile faded.
"What?"
"Nothing. I-it's just that one of my friends used to talk about shrinks all the time. She hated them. We had a counselor at my old school named Mr. Flanders. Everyone thought that was really funny. And, well, I'd rather you be less of a Watcher. I really don't think anyone could replace Henry. He was my best friend after I found out. I mean, I didn't really have any friends after I started being a Slayer. It's really hard to come up with excuses, and I can't exactly tell them that I'm going vampire hunting."
"I know how you feel. I mean, I know I've got friends now who know about it, but I lived in LA when I first found out and I burned down my school gym. I had to move to an entirely different town. It's really harsh being Slayer sometimes, but if you weigh it against what you're doing, you know why you can't stop,"
"You sound so counselor-ish. So what else did you want?"
"Actually I uh, I wanted to talk to you about Spike,"
"Spike? What on earth about Spike?"
"Well I don't mean to sound mean, I did dump him after all, but I suggest you stay away from him,"
"Huh?"
"I saw the way you acted around him. Don't worry, I won't tell. But at the risk of sounding like your mother, Spike is not a good person. I know Spike, rather more than I would like to. He doesn't fall for just anyone, but he also doesn't mind exploiting people. Remember he has no soul."
"Well he didn't seem to mind helping you stop a couple of apocalypses."
"That was when the chip was in. He did get it out though. He managed to get his hands on a whole lot of money, and amazingly he didn't spend it on cigarettes and blood, he used it to get the chip surgically removed. Anyway, what I'm saying is this-if you try for Spike, you will most likely get your heart broken. First, he's far too old for you. Second, even if he wasn't, he is NOT a good person, and even if you had a chance with him I would say that you deserve better than him. Third, I don't want to sound like a snob, but I don't think he's going to fall for you. He gets really attached to one person at a time, and he currently has a rather scary, stalkerish obsession with me. Fourth, don't trust him. He may pretend to like you, just because he'd like to say he dated a Slayer. You can never tell with Spike,"
Linnea swallowed visibly and nodded. "Was I really that obvious? I mean, I wasn't even sure I liked him."
"NO! Oh no, Linnea, I just happen to know what to look for since it's happened to me. Just be careful. I like you. Spike isn't one to move on too easily,"
"I thought I'd never get over Buffy, but she was amazing! Like a mini Buffy, except smarter and prettier and SO much cooler. I think she might just be a lot more agreeable too. I doubt she'll beat me up as much as Buffy does. I don't know what it is, I've never felt like this before. Even with Buffy it was just an obsession. It wasn't like a I really needed her, I just wanted her so much because I couldn't have her. And I couldn't get my mind off her. This, it's scary!" Spike took a pull at the bottle in his hand and looked across the table at Jack. The two were sharing a room as Dumbledore only had so many extras.
"Sounds bat mate. But I know how you feel. The exact same thing happened to me with Hermione."
Really?"
"Yeah. What you just described is exactly what I feel. Couldn't have put it better myself." Jack raised his own bottle and took a swig.
"Oh good. I was starting to think I was crazy. Does it go away?"
"Well, I've been like this for a few months, and it hasn't done anything, except maybe get worse. And I'm not one who likes to settle with one person mind you."
"It's just, I thought I had the real deal so many times before, but then I find out that there's something even more, and I've barely even been able to sort out what I was feeling before. I-I just need to know. Is it real?"
"It's real mate. It's the most real feeling you're ever going to get…"
Andrew stood at the front of the Hogwarts grounds, staring up at the gates in terror.
"They want me to go in there? And find Spike? And get him to come back? I'd have to be, like Bond or something to do that." He took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Like Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, going bravely into enemy territory," he stepped forward, his eyes closed, waiting for something to happen.
"Boo,"
"AGGGGHHHHHHH!" Andrew shrieked and ran back the way he had come, screaming incoherently.
"Ah, I love it when they're new. Especially when they're wussy. It makes life so much fun." The Narrator chuckled to herself.
Ok, sorry to stop there, I meant to write more, but I have to practice piano, and my fingers are starting to hurt. So, the next chapter will be by Lucy, and I might possibly just edit it if she lets me. So, review and I'll post it really soon. Or at least as soon as I get it.
