Buffy, the witchy vampire slayer

Chapter 18 – The Rat.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…-sighs-

TIMELINE: AU. BTVS: After Buffy season three. HP: Before and after Harry's birth (Takes place during the marauders 19:s and up). The years follow the Buffy timeline.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Buffy leaves Sunnydale after Graduation to catch up with her past.

BIG SUMMARY: Buffy is an eleven year old witch and friends with the Hogwarts marauders (a year older), until her parents tells her they're moving to LA, because they wants to take her away from all the 'magic-stuff' (They don't want to accept the fact that she's a witch). Four years later, she's called as the slayer.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Sirius

OTHER PAIRINGS: James/Lily, Willow/Remus, Xander/Anya

Reviews respond:

IsiwaruOfCkaloatia: Thanks, yeah, broken comp sucks. But I might get another one (my older sisters old one) soon. I don't know if it's any good, but it would mean more updates anyway. And a bad comp is better than no one at all, right? Sorry about the grammar mistakes, hope it didn't matter!

Just Me: Hi! Glad you liked it, and I thought the stopping Peter from signing was quite clever as well, if I'm allowed to say that! I agree with you, the first task was by far the best. And the third one as well. (Great minds think alike. LOL.) Happy you liked the prank, and here's the next chap!

The Lady Morgaine: Hi Jules! Happy you liked them, the kiss was my favourite as well! Happy you liked the signing (or not-signing) - and I'm glad you don't think it seemed rushed. And I did leave some explanations, right? Hope they were enough. And I'm reading TtLG now as well (but I may not review every chapter. But I'll try!), and we did meet at MSN! Hope to talk to you there again soon!

bella-lover: Hi! Answer to your questions: 1 - Sirius/Buffy in this chap. Don't know if you can call it mushy-mush though. 2 - Eh...you'll see if you read the chap. 3 - Don't know yet. Possibly. The end will be such an end so it can be possible. But if I do decide to do a sequel, it will probaply have to wait until I'm finished with one of my other stories, 'caue three stories at once again...nah. And I think I'm gonna rewrite some things in this story as well. Make it more describing, put in more Buffy/Sirius...it hasn't been as focused on them as much I would have liked it to be. So keep an eye out for updates on this story even after it's finished. (Or a new story called Buffy the witchy vampire slayer rewritten. LOL.)
4 - After this, it's one more chap and one epilogue to go. 5 - Again, read this chap, and you'll see! Byes!

wackycavegirl: Hi! There's a bit more S/B in this chap (not very mushy though), but no W/R. I'll try to add some of both in next chap though! If you read my answer to "bella-lover"'s question 3, I might rewrite this story a bit so it can have more of B/S. And thanks, luck is always needed!

Thanks to:

PrudencePiperHalliwell
Dreamer Child
AnimeHanyou39
airyckah
123Michaelc
Chailyn Cole Runewood

...and special thanks to: My Beta - CharmedChick

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sirius Black, newly appointed Secret Keeper for James and Lily Potter,
stared out at the Quidditch pitch from one of Hogwart's many windows. He was
worried, and wore a slight frown on his face, lips pinched together in a
grim look. Suddenly, he felt a couple of arms around his waist. His frown
wore off, and he smiled and turned around.

"Buffy."

"Hey. What's up? You've been really tense today. Should I be worried?"

Sirius placed a kiss on her nose, and shook his head.

"No. Just...well...I think we should be laying low for awhile."

"Laying low? Sirius, we're practically hiding at Hogwarts already. How can we
be laying more low than that?" Buffy asked incredulously.

Sirius sighed.

"I know...I just..."

"Can't you tell me? I might be able to help?"

"Well...you know Lily and James went into hiding yesterday? With the Fidelius
charm?"

"Uh-hu."

"What if...Pretend I know who the Secret Keeper is...and I'm not sure this
person is the best choice."

"Why not? Are you doubting this person's loyalties?" 'Don't let it be Peter..."

"No," Sirius said hastily. "It's just...what if you thought the choice was
too...obvious. Too easy to find?"

Buffy blinked.

"Okay...Siri, I think I need a bit more than that. Do I know this person?"

Sirius sighed. Ever since he and Buffy were the only ones left in the castle
of the marauders, they'd grown closer for each day. Sirius would trust Buffy
with anything...he loved her.

"Well...yes. You do. Ehrm...you're actually standing beside him right now."

Buffy looked shocked for a moment.

"You?" She hissed, looking around for any signs of spies around them.

"You are Lily and James you-know-what?"

Sirius nodded slowly. Buffy suddenly took a hold of his arm, and dragged him
into an empty classroom. Once inside, she locked the door, and put
silencing charms on it. (Buffy's magic had improved greatly over the past
year, thanks to intense training. Not much else to do when you're locked up
in a castle.)

"Okay," Buffy said. "Spill."

Sirius looked bewildered for a moment, before he realized what she said.

"Oh. Of course. Well, I'm worried that I'm too obvious as a choice. You
don't have to be even a little smart to figure out the only Secret Keeper
Lily and James would even have in consideration would be me or Dumbledore.
When I think about it, I wish it had been Dumbledore! He wouldn't feel like
this, or sweat under pressure on the first day on his very Secret job! I..."

Buffy let Sirius carry on for several minutes, for each second, he strayed
further and further away from the subject until he was rambling something
about how he, in his first year, had happened to let it slip that James had
underwear with candy canes on them. Another minute later, he was talking
about how he really liked the newly opened shop in Hogsmeade, Honeydukes.

"Siri," Buffy said calmly. Sirius, who'd stopped to catch his breath, turned
to look at her.

"Yes?"

"I understand why you're worrying, but honestly, I can't think of a better
Secret Keeper than you. You're loyal, you're strong, you're James' best
friend. Even if you did get found out, you'd never crack under pressure, or
let anyone know anything willingly, which is, if I'm not mistaken, how the
spell works. You're safe, Siri. Lily and James are safe."

"But..."

"No 'buts', Siri. I know you. You'd die for Lily, you'd die for James, you'd
die for me, Remus, Peter, Willow. You'd die for what you think is right. And
you won't be found out. I mean, there are a lot more choices out there just
as obvious as you are. Dumbledore, as you mentioned. They'll probably try
him first. Remus..."

"Remus is a werewolf, his mind is split in two. The charm doesn't work on
him."

"Well, fine. Not Remus then. What about Willow?"

"James haven't known Willow for very long..."

"Oh, stop being so negative! Me then! Moody! Anyone loyal to the Order!
Peter!" Pause.

"Well, maybe not Peter, no one would ever use him as a Secret Keeper, that
would be nutters..."

Suddenly, Sirius head shot up.

"What did you say?"

"Huh? Oh, I said that no one withtheir right mind would use Peter as a Secret
Keeper..." Buffy repeated, confused.

A plan started to form in Sirius head, and he knew he was smiling like a
maniac.

"Thanks, Buffy. I feel so much better now!" He gave her a quick kiss, and
then hurried out of the room.

"Umm...you're welcome!" Buffy called after him, still confused. "Whatever it
was I did..."

If Buffy had known what Sirius was planning, she would have done anything to
stop him. But as she didn't know,she couldn't do anything. And when she
found out...well, then it would be too late...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, Sirius hurried down the street to Godric's Hollow, a slight
skip in his step. This was the solution to all their problems- how come he
hadn't thought of it before!

Soon, the cottage came into sight, and Sirius threw the door open, not
caring about knocking.

"Sirius?" James sounded surprised. "I didn't expect you to show upfor
a while!"

"You're not happy to see me?" Sirius said in a fake wounded tone.

"Of course we're happy to see you!" Lily exclaimed as she stepped into the
room, a newly changed Harry on her arm. "But you can't come over too often.
It would raise suspicion if you were seen around here too often, even if no
one can see the house..."

"Well, this is important."

James frowned.

"Is everything alright? Buffy is alright, right? Heard anything from Moony
and Willow in Italy? They're alright too, right?"

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"If you'd lay of with the 'rights' for a moment, Prongs, I'd tell you."

"Fine." James and Lily made themselves comfortable at a couch, letting Harry
play with one of the pillows.

"Well, Buffy is fine. Bored, but fine. As for Rem and Willow, they should be
back next week. Dumbledore needed them back in England. From what Buffy told
me, Willow wasn't too happy about that, and neither was Moony, from the
sound of it."

James laughed, and Lily smiled, although she was busy giving her son loving
looks, not really paying attention.

"So all is well, then?" James asked.

Sirius looked uncomfortable for a second.

"Well...not really well..."

Now both Lily and James gave him concerned look.

"Okay, Padfoot, get to the point. Is it the end of the world?" James said
jokingly, trying to ease up the tension.

"Well...not yet...but possibly the end of the marauders."

James frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm worried, Prongs. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before Voldemort
finds out I'm your Secret Keeper."

"So? You won't tell him anything, will you?"

"Of course I wouldn't! But...just in case...I would feel safer if someone else
took my place..."

"Sirius!" Lily looked shocked. "We performed the charm less than two days
ago, and then you were completely alright!"

"Iknow, I know! But I've been thinking a lot about this, and the more I
think about it... I'm getting less and less sure about this being the best
solution."

"So don't think about it then!" James said, hazel eyes blazing. "You can't
back out, Sirius!"

"I'm not! I just thought...maybe we can switch Secret Keepers to somebody
else...someone less...obvious."

"Like Dumbledore?" Lily asked faintly. Her head hurt, and her good mood from
earlier was as good as gone.

"No," Sirius snorted. "He would be an obvious choice as well, wouldn't he?"

"Then who are you suggesting?" James said tiredly. "Buffy?"

"No, not Buffy. I-I don't want to put her in that kind of danger..."

"Well, then who?" James snapped, growing more impatient for every second.

"Peter..."

For a second, the room was surrounded in a shocked silence...then...

"PETER!" James stood up, outraged.

"Are you out of your mind!"

Harry started crying, and Lily did her best to comfort him, although she
still was in a shock.

"No, James, just listen to me for a second..."

"I BLOODY WELL WILLNOT LISTEN!" James screamed. "Peter might be my friend, but he's as weak as toilet paper! You can't be serious!"

"Actually, I am..." Sirius said weakly.

"NO TIME FOR JOKES, PADFOOT!"

"I'm not!" Sirius protested. "I'm dead serious about this!"

"You can't be! If Voldemort gets hold of Peter, we're as good as dead! He
wouldn't be able to stand up to him!"

"Well, Voldemort won't get hold of him, now, will he? No one in their right
mind would ever believe Peter would be the Secret Keeper, it's the perfect
plan!"

"Somehow, I think you've had a lot better plans. You must be insane!"

"See? Not even you believe it." Sirius exclaimed. "Peter would never even be
considered as an option!"

"He's got a point, James," Lily said quietly, from where she was sitting
with a now quiet Harry.

James sat down, sighing.

"Let's say I do agree with this plan. Then what would you do? If it's true.
what you're saying, and Voldemort thinks you're the Secret Keeper, he will
go after you."

"Well, since I'm not the Secret Keeper, it won't matter if I get taken. I
wouldn't have anything to hide. I can still go into hiding, letting people
believe I am the Secret Keeper, when in fact, it's Peter. It would be even
more believable if Peter acted like normal, walking around the streets..."

James made a final sigh, and Sirius knew he'd been convinced.

"Fine...when do we do it?"

Two days later, the Secret Keepers were switched. Peter Pettigrew now wore
the secret. And everything was about to change.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I-I need t-to see m-my m-master," Peter Pettigrew whimpered, and stared up
at Voldemort's latest servants to his ranks.

"The stars are singing," one of them said, dark eyes glittering, body
swaying like the wind.

"Everything is changing...bells are ringing! Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong."

"Oh, stop the rambling, Dru," the other one said, lighting a cigarette.

The woman, Dru, stopped dancing, and turned her big, round innocently
widened eyes to the bleach blonde vampire.

"Spike..." she whispered, looking hurt. "Be careful, you naughty boy...or I might go back to..."

"Oh, not the fungus demon again!" Spike exclaimed. "We've already gone over this once, Dru." He paused. "Actually it was twice."

Dru turned her glittering eyes to Spike.

"I just want to make sure you won't go to the Slayer again, and be her puppy."

Spike sighed.

"I told you, it's no risk. The only reason I did that was to get rid of the poofter."

Dru gave him a last piercing glance, licking her fingers, beforer smiling. Her eyes roll back in her head, and she spinned around.

"The stars speak to me," she said. "They know. It will happen soon." She
walked towards a doll, sitting in a shelve, taking her down, lulling her in
her pale, thin arms.

"Even Miss Edith knows," Dru said in a whisper. "Things have changed. You
shouldn't have been listening in on my thoughts, you naughty girl."

The bleach blonde vamp snorted, and rolled his eyes.

"The doll can't hear you, Dru!"

"She can't?" The woman got a maniac smile on her face, and she turned to
the doll again, wringing its hair.

"You evil girl, tricking me into believing lies, and lies. I think you need
to be punished!" Dru threw the doll back into the shelf, making it land with
a thud, face down.

"So, love," the man said. "What do the stars tell you? That I'm going to
have a change of heart and go good?" He laughed.

Dru smiled. "No, Spike. The rat knows..." she turned her widened eyes towards
Wormtail, and he whimpered.

"...And he's going to tell our master..."

"What does he know?" Spike asked, snuggling his face down into the woman's
neck.

"Make sense, for once, Dru."

Dru moved away from Spike, looking hurt, weird noises coming from her
throat, almost like a wounded puppy.

"Oh, Dru, honey, my plum...you know I didn't mean it!” The man hurried to say.

The woman turned back to him, all signs of misery gone, and she was again
smiling.

"Shall we let the rat through the doors then?" She said. "He's bringing our
master news... and the clockswill ring, and ring, and ring, and ring..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"M-master," Wormtail squeaked. "I-I have news about the Potters..."

"It better be good, Wormtail!" Voldemort sneered. "I don't want to find
out that you are wasting my time again."

"N-no, m-master. T-the P-Potters...their S-secret Keeper..."

Voldemort lent forwards in his chair a bit.

"Yes?"

"U-until y-yesterday, i-it was Sirius B-Black, my lord."

"YESTERDAY?" Voldemort roared. "WHY ARE YOU BRINGING ME OLD NEWS, WORMTAIL? IF IT WAS BLACK YESTERDAY, THEN WHO IS IT TODAY!"

Wormtail whimpered.

"I think that what the rat is trying to tell you, master," a cocky voice
said. "Is that he knows who is the Secret Keeper today as well. Isn't that
right, m'darlin'?" Spike drawled.

Voldemort seemed to clam down, as the two vampires stepped into the light
from the shining half-moon outside.

"...The rat is scared...like a puppy. Can I get a puppy to eat?" Dru asked
Spike, a little pout on her pretty, yet maniac face.

"You can have the world," Spike promised. "So, who is it then, rat? Care to
tell us?"

Voldemort turned his red eyes to Wormtail again.

"Yes? Wormtail? Can you get to the point?"

Wormtail bowed again.

"M-master...they switched. I-I am the P-Potters S-secret K-Keeper." His voice
was dripping of fear, but yet something else. Proudness.

Voldemort was silent for five whole seconds, until he suddenly started to
laugh. The high pitched laughter grew and grew, until it was echoing of the
walls. Voldemort was happy.

"And the clocks shall ring, and ring, and ring..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

October 31.

Lily and James Potter were one happy couple. Today, they were celebrating
Halloween.

James laughed, as one of the pumpkins he was digging out, let out a high
sound, like a scream. Harry was watching googly-eyed from his chair, were he
was playing with a skeleton-like doll.

Lily smiled, from were she was making party hats.

"There!" She exclaimed, and put one at Harry's head. He gurgled happily as
it fell down over his eyes.

"It's a bit quiet, don't you think?" James suddenly spoke up. "Just you, me
and Harry. No one to visit us?"

"Well, Peter did say he would come tomorrow, didn't he? And Sirius might
show up later tonight...And I think it's kind of comfy. Just us."

"Yes, but...it's too quiet." James suddenly got up from his chair, and went to
the window, staring out at the darkened streets outside. The sky seemed to
be glowing in a strange green light...

Lily came up to stand beside him.

"What is it?"

"I just have this bad feeling...it's probably nothing." Was it his
imagination, or was the light growing stronger?

"James...?" Lily suddenly said, sounding worried. "Is the light...?"

James blinked. Now he knew he wasn't imagining it. Suddenly, all the color
drained from his face as he saw someone move closer and closer towards their
home. Their...invisible home.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off..."

"What? James! It can't be! He can't know!"

"He knows," James said gravely, his eyes leaving the window for a second to
look at his wife, knowing he might never see her again...probably never see
her again.

Lily was shaking her head. In her eyes, James could see love, worry...and a
hopelessness he'd hoped they would never feel. He knew he looked the same.

"No, James..."

"GO!"

Lily grabbed Harry, and ran up the stairs. James turned back to the window.
The shadows were close now.

"At least we got our visit," was his last thought before the door burst
open.

"But look who we have here..." Voldemort said, cackling madly.

'God, I hate him...'

"How did you find out it was Peter?" James spat. "What did you do to him!"

Voldemort raised an eyebrow...or he would have, if he had had one. His eyes
were glittering.

"Do? I didn't have to do anything...after all, he came to me willingly...didn't
you, Wormtail?"

James could only stare in shock as Peter poked out his head from behind
Voldemort's robes.

Voldemort was still laughing.

"You've got yourself a good friend in this one, Potter!" He laughed. "At
least he was intelligent enough to see your side couldn't win!"

James was shaking his head.

"No...Peter...You can't have...tell me it isn't true...?"

Peter's whimper was answer enough.

James swallowed, his eyes starting to blaze with anger.

'I'll kill you...'

"I'LL KILL YOU!" He bellowed.

Voldemort cackled again.

"No, Potter. I will kill you. AVADA KAD..."

James couldn't think. He was out of himself with rage. He barely registered
Voldemort's words as he threw himself onto the center of his
anger...Wormtail...hiding behind Voldemort's robes.

Whatever Voldemort was expecting it wasn't that. So when James suddenly
launched himself onto the top of Peter, he totally forgot what he'd been
about to say.

Peter and James rolled around in a heap at the floor.

With a squeak, Wormtail transformed, and James was now facing Voldemort
again, now over his shock.

"Thought that was funny, did you?" He sneered.

"AVA-"

James pointed his wand to the ceiling, and suddenly the roof started to fall
in.

"No, not really," James panted. "But this was," he added, as Voldemort got
buried under heaps of stones and wood.

However, it took about two seconds until Voldemort was up again, but by
then, James had jumped behind the couch. However, he was not prepared when
Peter, who'd formed back again, threw himself on the back of him, strangling
him slowly from behind. As James struggled to get rid of Peter, so he could
breathe, growing more red in the face from loss of air every second,
Voldemort emerged again.

"If it wasn't because Wormtail already seem to be doing a pretty good job, and because you aren't my top priority in my-to-kill-list tonight," Voldemort said sneering. "I would kill you right now."

"L-L-i-ly..." James got out, struggling for breath.

"Oh, yes...Lily. Your lovely wife. I might let some of my Death Eaters have a
go at her later...but it's Harry I want. But you already knew that, didn't
you?" Voldemort smiled cruelly, and walked up the stairs.

The thought of Lily in some Death Eaters claws made James furious. He
started struggling even more against Peter, still hanging form his neck, but
it was hard. Spots were already dancing in front of his eyes. From afar, he
hazily heard someone scream. Then there was no more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Lily had gotten up to the second floor, everything was a blur.
Tears were streaming down her face, and she hugged Harry close. She knew she
would die tonight...she knew James would die tonight. But she'd be damned if Harry
did. Suddenly, some of the floor in front of her fell down, and she faintly
heard her husband say something. She stared in shock, knowing she couldn't
get past that now. Not that it would have mattered. She knew the second
floor had no way out. No fireplace, nothing. And she had forgotten her wand
downstairs...

She turned back, running intohers and James bedroom. From afar, she heard
Voldemort speaking. And then, the sound of someone coming up the stairs.
Lily closed her eyes, and hoped for a miracle, praying it would be James
coming through that door. However, as soon as the door flew open, she knew
her prayers had been useless. There stood Voldemort, smiling.

"Please..." Lily begged, and backed into the corner.

Voldemort kept smiling.

"What d-did you do to James?"

"James? Oh, nothing. I believe Wormtail is strangling him right now."

It took awhile before his words sank in.

"PETER!"

Voldemort laughed.

"Yes. Peter. Your good friend Peter- did you know he has been a loyal
servant of mine ever since before your Graduation? No, of course you
didn't." He laughed again.

"Now, Lily," he said as Lily stared at him, wide eyed. "I think you know
what I want, don't you?"

"No," Lily spat. "I don't know what a maniac wants. Maybe a haircut? Oh, I
forgot, you've got no hair!" She said bravely, assembling up the last straw
of courage she had.

Voldemort's eyes were blazing dangerously now.

"Funny. Very funny," he drawled. "I see why you like Potter. Sorry, liked."
He added. Lily swallowed. 'James can take Peter. Don't worry. Don't worry...'
She tried to tell herself. Suddenly, there were steps hurrying up the
stairs. Voldemort turned around.

"Please, let it be James, let it be James..."

But it wasn't. It was Peter.

"Wormtail?" Voldemort sneered. "Where's Potter?"

"H-he's d-dead, master," Peter said, voice quivering with pride.

Lily's eyes widened. No. He couldn't be. Peter couldn't have...it was a trick.
James must have convinced Peter to tell Voldemort that...but she knew it
wasn't true.

Voldemort laughed.

"I bet you liked that, didn't you, Wormtail? To kill your best friend? With
your own hands? Finally you can count for something."

"Y-yes, m-master," Peter said, glowing with pride. Lily stared at him,
disgusted.

Lord Voldemort smiled again and reached out his, white, claw like hand
against her and Harry's form.

"Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Harry. Give him to me freely, Lily, and I will
spare your life."

"Never."

"Very well," he moved closer, and Lily found herself backed up against the
wall. Harry started crying.

"No...not Harry," Lily begged. "Not Harry."

"You have one more chance, Lily. Stand aside!" Voldemort said, a manic
smile lightening up his face.

"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please - I'll do anything- " Lily begged.

"I told you to stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

"Harry, not Harry... Please not Harry... Take me instead!..."

"Very well." Voldemort lifted his wand, and pointed it at the screaming
mother and child.

"Harry!"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Lily closed her eyes, holding Harry hard against her body. Even though her
eyes were closed, she saw the green light, moving towards them. It was
growing. She thought she saw Peter from behind her closed eyelids, his face
pale, and something bright...shining. Sparkling. So white...And then, there was
only darkness.


A/N: -Evil cackle- I bet you hate me now, don't you? Well, I also bet you're anxious to move onto next chapter, right? In fact, I think I will give this story another update before OotB and HP&tWVS, just not to let you wait for too long… And because I got the muse to finish it once and for all. Like I finished off Lily and James. –Another evil cackle- Ehrm. Sorry. Just watched Fushigi Yugi and a scene with Tomo. That's why all the cackling in this chapter. LOL. However, the story's not over yet! Two more chaps to go! Or actually, one more chap, and an epilogue, but who cares? By the way, I told you I'd add Spike, didn't I? LOL. And I did! Hehe.I think this is the chapter I'm most pleased with since the first three. PLEASE REVIEW! OR I WILL NOT ADD ANOTHER CHAPTER UNTIL AFTER SUMMERVACATION!
–Cackle-

/Ida