Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot (and maybe a few made up characters here and there). Buffy characters are the property of Mr. Whedon. Harry Potter characters are the property of Ms. Rowling. For the love of all things purple... I'm a broke college kid. Don't sue.
Through the Looking Glass
Author's Note: The only reason why I had hockey in the last chapter was due to the sheer fact of hockey withdrawal. It really served no purpose except my own (and perhaps for the few readers also going through some withdrawal). Hehehehe. Though there is a clue/hint in the hockey madness, like everything else, pretty much! Chapter 11 is where you will learn mostly everything you need to know for the story to make sense. Until then, sit through the little side adventures.
Chapter 8
Basking in the Hero Glory
"Miss Summers."
Buffy knew that voice and wished that she were able to break through her chains. She'd give anything to poke both of his eyes out.
"Are you ready to have another talk?" Snape's dark figure emerged from the shadows by the door.
"Why not?" Buffy stood up and brushed her hands together. "Always time to kick your butt again."
"How very endearing," Snape's voice dripped with sarcasm. "However, it won't be myself who you will be talking to, Miss Summers."
Buffy was about to fly another comment his way, but Snape had whipped out his wand. Buffy ducked as the first spell hit the wall.
"You can't run."
"Duh."
"Funis!" Snape bellowed as ropes shot out from his wand.
Buffy's wrist was caught in one rope; and with her chains on, it was quite a chore to dodge the others and release herself from the rope on her wrist.
"I'm impressed."
"Please," Buffy huffed. "I've had so much worse. And from much better looking... er.. things... too!"
"Petrificus Totalus!" That time, Buffy didn't move quick enough. Her body stiffened and she fell right to the floor.
Damn, Buffy thought.
x x x x x
"Again, we apologize for having to put you under another spell."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yet, you have no problems with putting me in a cage?"
"For safety reasons... no."
"Look, Minerva, the only reason why I beat the pulp outta Snape," Buffy clasped her hands around the bars, "was because he was rummaging around in my brain. And, I got a lot of crap that he doesn't need to know about, thanks very much."
"I understand, but you are, indeed, a strong adversary."
"Look!" Buffy slapped her hand to her forehead. She was getting no where with these... weirdos.
"No, you look!" Snape stepped up. "She is the Headmistress here and you WILL respect her, or I will hex you into oblivion, and don't think I can't. I'm not all peppermints and biscuits like other wizards."
Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Severus," McGonagall put a hand on his shoulder, Buffy wondered why on God's green earth she would have done such a thing, "I'm perfectly capable of continuing our conversation without your help."
"Yeah, be a good boy, Snape." Buffy batted her eyelashes.
"Severus, you have other skills." McGonagall turned her attention back to Buffy. "Now, I would like your complete and utter attention, Miss Summers. I need you to be completely honest and-"
"I've been honest!"
"Please, Buffy," McGonagall held up one hand. "Now, please tell me how you dropped in on Professor Lupin's class."
Buffy sighed and sat down on her small chair. She would have broken it by now and threw all the mini-stakes she had made at Snape, but she didn't like the thought of being hexed again.
"Well, my friend Xander, he had gone to Egypt." Buffy paused, but saw that McGonagall was still intently listening. "So, we were all in Paris, France when-"
"That's not funny, Buffy." McGonagall's face grew stern.
"What?" Buffy was shocked.
"Headmistress, let her continue," Snape's voice came from somewhere in the room, but Buffy was still worried about that look that Minerva had on her face.
"While we were waiting for him there, he came back with these three rocks." Buffy paused waiting for another outburst. None came. "These Egyptian rocks had a lot of heiroglyphs and my friend Willow must have touched one, because she was gone. Then I touched one, and I disappeared too. Next thing I knew... poof... I was here."
No sound came from either McGonagall or Snape for about a minute, however Snape did step forward. Buffy felt it would be nice of her to not say anything evil for the moment, since he'd gotten her out of the evil-glare from McGonagall.
"What were you doing in Paris?" He was looking at the floor, with his hand at his chin.
Buffy thought long and hard as to what her answer should be. She didn't know if telling these people about her Slayer abilities would be a good thing or a bad thing.
"Tell the truth," Snape's voice was serious, and they locked eyes.
"Killing... vam-monsters."
"Vamonsters?"
"Monsters."
"Monsters?"
"Yeah." Buffy nodded her head.
"I see it, she's completely telling the truth." Snape's gaze moved from Buffy to Minerva's. Buffy blinked. He had gone into her brain again. The bastard.
"But, Paris?"
Buffy didn't know if she should tell them about her Slayer hearing or not. Whispering really didn't do much in the entire - 'let's-be-discreet' area.
"I know, but I see it. It's in all of its glory in her mind."
"Perhaps, she's insane?"
"HEY!" Buffy's mouth dropped open. "I haven't called you any names yet Minerva, but boy could I. You just wait until I have a field day with your name!"
They both looked at her, like she was indeed insane. Buffy crossed her arms and leaned back against the back bars of her cage. She looked over her shoulder and saw a bright orb in the sky. The full moon had just emerged from behind a wall of clouds.
x x x x x
"I AM SO SORRY!"
Buffy awoke quickly from her sleeping (which in a cage - she had gotten a slight crick in her neck) when the loud bangs erupted around her.
Buffy's eyes adjusted quickly and she saw what was causing the racket. A woman with emblazoned yellow hair was picking herself up off the ground. Her yellow hair was also splotched with green, which Buffy realized were leaves. Above her head, a rather large broom was hovering, and on that broom a very familiar looking figure was clutching the broom.
"Xander?"
"Buffy?"
"XANDER!" Buffy flew to the side of the cage and tried to break the sides. No use, of course, but she at least had to try.
"What is the meaning of this Nymphadora?" Buffy rolled her eyes as Snape swept passed the cage and the yellow-haired lady to Xander.
"Oh... my... God." Xander fell off the broom and stood up quickly. Buffy saw him brush out twigs and leaves from his hair. "Buffy!"
"Hold it." Snape whipped out his wand and pointed it at Xander.
"Holy flyin' circus monkeys," Xander held up his hands and looked at the wand.
"Severus!" The lady bumbled over to Snape and lowered the wand. "You leave him alone."
"Who is he?"
"Xander."
"You bring a stranger to Hogwarts? Nymphadora Tonks! What has gotten into your head, girl?" Snape was trying to keep his calm, but he was nearly about to lose it.
"He's a muggle."
"MUGGLE!"
"Uh, can we not talk about me like I'm not here?" Xander butted in.
"Shut up!" Snape whirled the wand back on him again.
"You leave him alone!" Buffy was yanking on the bars so hard, that her hands were beginning to hurt.
"Like you're going to do anything about it." As soon as Snape turned back around, he was knocked back onto the floor.
"Don't you talk to Buffy that way." Xander rubbed his fist and looked to Tonks, whose mouth was gaping open. "Sorry."
"Oh, no, he probably deserved it." Tonks said as she began to move towards Buffy in the cage. "You know her."
Buffy thought it odd that the yellow haired woman seemed very nonchalant about Xander just punching out Snape. Hell, Buffy wished she'd have done it.
Xander bounded to the cage. They tried to hug, but the best thing they found that they could do was hold hands.
"Xander - I am so glad to see you."
"Same here, Buff."
x x x x x
"You don't think ol' Sev is gonna attack me in the night, do ya?" Xander fluffed a pillow and collapsed onto the bed.
"Neh. He's scared of me." Buffy laughed.
After a long talk with McGonagall, Snape, Tonks, and a few other teachers - which Buffy did notice that Remus wasn't one of those invited - had all come to the conclusion that Buffy and Xander were not ...
Oh, what did they call us?
Letum Essum. The muggle type.
Oh, yeah.
Buffy figured it was Latin, but had absolutely no idea what the words meant. In fact, when she had asked, Snape had told her it was of no concern to her. Also, McGonagall had called the rocks a type of portkey, but it still didn't explain why she had been so upset when Buffy had mentioned Paris. Buffy made a mental note to talk to Remus whenever she saw him again.
"Buff - you haven't seen Will have you?"
Buffy automatically felt bad, after seeing Xander, she had totally forgotten about Willow. "No."
At seeing Buffy's sad face, Xander perked up; "We'll see her soon. She can take good care of herself."
"I know," Buffy paused and then threw a pillow at Xander. "Hey, thanks for saving me, I'd probably still be in that cage were it not for you."
"All in a day's work," Xander grabbed the pillow in midair and fluffed it too. He threw his head back onto his pile of pillows and threw his hands out. "Continue the praises while I bask in all of my heroic glory."
x x x x x
x chapter's end x
Well, there it is. This chapter gave me a lot of problems - on many different levels. So, please, for the love of all things, don't run away after this chapter. I had to bring Buffy and Xander together... or else nothing else could happen in the story. Read and review, please and thanks.
Look forward to Ch. 9 entitled:
Whimsical Visionary Expertise
Cordelia searches and finds.
This chapter is coming along fantastically. It's my favorite so far.
