Disclaimer: Buffy characters are the property of Mr. Whedon. Harry Potter characters are the property of Ms. Rowling. I do own the story that I am writing, but I'm just borrowing the characters for a little while. So, yeah, if you decide to sue... I'm uber-broke.

Through the Looking Glass

Chapter 15

The Auror's Message

x x x x x

Xander looked up at the rather odd shaped clock on the ceiling. It had what Willow called 'runes' instead of normal numbers to tell the time... and Xander had been watching it for what seemed like hours. Well, there had been the few times when he had taken a nap from sheer boredom. A lot of the wizards were taking naps, considering that none of them wanted to get at the head of the table and talk without McGonagall or Harry.

"The Headmistress is returning!" Xander jumped as one of the paintings on the wall screamed into the room. The sound of snores subsided as the door opened, revealing Harry, McGonagall, and... Hagrid?

Xander had met Hagrid a few times, when he had went out onto the grounds strolling with Willow one time, they'd run smack into Hagrid. At that time, Xander nearly toppled over from a heart attack, because of the large man-eating plant that Hagrid was holding. Which had tried to eat him for dinner, thanks very much. It was a long story that Xander didn't want to relive, at least not at the present time.

"Hagrid, just tell them what you told us, okay?" Xander overheard Harry whisper to the rather large man.

"Er, alrigh'." Hagrid's voice boomed into the room. Xander looked over and saw his three girls... they all seemed really intent on what Hagrid had to say, so Xander turned right back around and decided that he, too, was going to be intent on what he had to say.

"I was feedin' Winston an'... well... I go' that feelin'... it was all un'appy-like." Hagrid paused and looked up at all the faces in the room. "I figured the wors' an' all, bein' that D-D-Dolohov..."

Xander saw Harry pat Hagrid on his elbow, since he obviously couldn't reach up to his shoulder.

"Well, I, er... wen' outside. Tha's when I saw 'em all... righ' at the gate. I ran quick t'the castle."

"Thank you, Hagrid." McGonagall's voice interrupted the silence that followed Hagrid's little speech. "Please, have a seat."

Hagrid pulled up a rather large chair, which Xander figured that he'd seen a lot of those around the castle. Almost like there was one in each room, in case Hagrid ever wanted to come in and have a sit down. Seemed like a nice gesture, Xander thought.

"As soon as Professor Flitwick told Sir Nantucket, his portrait is in the Great Hall, I was delivered the news instantly. I sent out a Phoenix message, a few Aurors apparated just outside the gates and did what they could." McGonagall took the seat at the head of the table, while Harry stayed beside Hagrid. "I sent out every teacher to hold back the onslaught of the Dementors, in the battle, we lost two. Sveena Sinistra and Clive Sharpeston were both given the Kiss by the Dementors."

Xander then faded out as he thought about Sharpeston. He had been really nice to him and he had wanted to know everything about his world... which Xander was all to willing to tell him about video games and why Pez was the greatest candy in the world. Xander blinked as he thought about their last meeting, it hadn't been that long ago.

x x x x x

After the meeting, Cordelia had tried to find Harry. She found Professor Flitwick who told her that he had quickly left afterwards to go back to where he had been before. Cordelia hated all of the secrets that surrounded Harry and "where he was." All she wanted was to tell him that she was having visions about a lot of crazy Magical World stuff. Couldn't a girl with visions ever get a break?

She figured the answer was a big fat no.

As she made her way to her room, Cordelia wished that she could tell somebody. Sure... Willow knew about her visions... there were those times when she had come to L.A. and helped out A.I. for a short time. But, she didn't want to burden Willow. Willow probably had enough to deal with, and Cordelia didn't want to burden her with her problems. Heck, she didn't want to burden Harry with her problems, but Harry seemed to be one of those 'helping the hopeless' people. Or was it 'helping the helpless' that she had made up? It didn't matter... she just knew that Harry was the one to tell. And when he was in an undisclosed location and he hardly ever showed up and what with her visions actually kind of not visionizing... it was a little on the hard side to actual do anything remotely helpful.

Cordelia finally made it to her bed; it seemed like she had been walking for hours. The Grey Lady had been following her, keeping silent, and leaving Cordelia to her thoughts. Cordelia turned around and nodded her thanks. The Lady smiled back and then went off into a wall. Cordelia was just thankful that Peeves hadn't decided on following her. She hated that moron.

As Cordelia collapsed on her bed, she exhaled deeply and wished she had a teddy bear.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Cordelia wanted to ignore whoever it was at the door, but it could be something important. And, being that she was indeed the Ravenclaw Guardian, she figured she better open the damn door. No matter how much she hated it right now for allowing someone to knock on it. The first thing tomorrow morning, she was asking Flitwick for a charm to ward everyone away from knocking on her door...

"What!" Cordelia screamed at the top of her lungs as she leapt from the bed and jerked open the door.

Severus Snape... again. He held up a small, furry, brown looking thing that Cordelia took no notice of.

"I know of some muggle comforts and since the potion is slowly wearing off, I know-"

"Are you some sort of mind reader?" Cordelia finally noticed the small, furry, brown looking thing. It was a teddy bear. She stared at the bear; it had a small green and silver scarf tied around its neck. She rolled her eyes, there had to be Slytherin colors on the teddy bear. She automatically thought that Willow might like it better, since Willow was the Slytherin Guardian.

Snape blinked, which Cordelia thought odd. He actually looked startled at something. "No, I just thought that this would make sleep easier for you."

Cordelia nodded and then took the small bear. "Uh, thanks."

"My pleasure," he nodded his head and gave her a really weird look. Cordelia couldn't quite tell what kind of look it was. It wasn't menacing or evil... nor was it kind or happy. It was... weird. He then took a step back and bowed his head. "Sleep well."

Cordelia caught the slightest sneer in his tone. She watched as he walked away... leaving her completely in awe. She shut the door and decided that it was time for bed. As she pulled the covers up to her chin, she snuggled with the bear, thankful that there was something worth snuggling with in this castle.

It was a lot easier to go to sleep than she had thought it would be... a small cloud fogged up her mind as she breathed in the soft peppermint smell of the bear's fur.

x x x x x

"WAKE UP!"

Cordelia blinked and yawned. It was way too early to think about getting up.

"Cordy! Get up!"

Cordelia snuggled up with her teddy bear as she slowly felt sleep begin to take her again. It was at that moment when someone yanked off the covers... taking her teddy bear with the covers. Cordelia wanted to scream.

"It's three o'clock in the afternoon;" Buffy shook her head as she tossed Cordelia a muffin. Cordelia caught it and blinked again.

"What?"

"You heard me;" Buffy huffed as she sat down on a chair in front of Cordelia's mirror. "Remus wants to meet us all, and here you are sleeping all damn day." Buffy tossed Cordelia the teddy bear. "Who gave you that, by the way?"

Cordelia caught the bear and leaned back down on the bed, sleep calling to her again.

"Oh, my God!" Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'm going to kick your ass all over Hogwarts if you don't get up!"

Cordelia sat up and threw a pillow at Buffy, which was so badly aimed that Buffy had to walk almost six feet to pick it back up and throw it back at Queen C.

x x x x x

"Ministry's orders," Lupin said, as he took in a deep breath. He was looking even more tired, which Cordelia was well aware of. She knew that the full moon had one more night, and then everything would be okay until next month. Lupin was definitely a trooper; when he should be getting as much rest as possible he was up and about. "I have to show you what a Phoenix Orb is and why it's important in the fight against Dolohov."

There was a pause where Xander kind of nodded his head, but before he could speak, Lupin continued on.

"If you ever see a message being sent, you are not to interfere. And if you are on the receiving end, you are to aid the Auror in any way possible." He said, matter-of-factly.

"I've seen a Phoenix Orb before," Xander spoke up as Cordelia, Willow, and Buffy all looked at him.

"Yes, Nymphadora told me about your little excursion together in Godric's Hollow." Lupin winked at Xander.

Xander laughed but then suddenly sobered up, "She didn't tell you about the Nerks... did she?"

Lupin shook his head, and Xander automatically wished that he hadn't said anything. He knew now that he'd have to spill the proverbial Nerk beans to everybody sooner or later.

"I am actually, the only male who can send messages in Hogwarts." Lupin motioned for the four Guardians to sit as he uncovered a small red orb from behind a curtain. The orb floated to a round table, and as soon as it touched the table cloth, the cloth turned from purple to a dark red. "I'm going to show you what sending a message looks like... I'm going to send a message to Harry Potter and Nigel Isler."

"Who is Nigel I-I-" Willow had trouble pronounced the last name.

"Isler?"

"Yes." Willow nodded.

"Nigel Isler, Harry, and myself are the only three wizards who can send a message through the Phoenix orb. Minerva McGonagall and Hermione Granger are the only witches who can send messages. Five in all." Lupin concluded as he stepped towards the orb.

"Why can't we see your orb?" Buffy asked. Xander snickered and Cordelia hit him on the arm.

"My orb isn't on Hogwarts' grounds. The five orbs that can send messages are hidden, except for this one. Dolohov knows that McGonagall's orb is here, and she's the only one that he knows can send a message." He paused and looked at the orb. "Though we have a sneaking suspicion that he believes Harry is also a Phoenix Message Sender."

Cordelia realized that a Phoenix Message Sender could be shortened to PMS. She smiled slightly, but didn't want to interrupt Lupin.

"Will we see the other orbs?" Buffy was looking intently at the red orb. She didn't see how a small little orb could send an actual message.

"Perhaps," Lupin smiled at Buffy and Buffy batted her eyelashes almost instinctively. "But, until you are ready to know where the other orbs are, you will only know of this one."

There was another pause, while Lupin let the information sink in.

"To send a message through the orb, the sender has to link their mind with the orb." Lupin stood beside the orb and then looked back at the four. "I'm going to tell you what happens, and then I'll show you. So first, they must connect. The connection is hard to obtain, that's why so very few wizards are able to send messages. Once the connection is made, it looks as if the sender has gone into a fit. During that time, the sender is thinking of the message. It can't be too long, or the sender won't be able to hold the link. Using their mind, they must write the text in the air, then they slowly detach their mind away from the orb, and banish the text with their wand to the other orbs."

They all stared at him and he nodded his head. "Now, I shall show you. Please, don't worry when I look like I'm in trouble." He smiled and then touched the orb. Lupin's eyes closed and he slowly began to shake, but before it looked as if he were about to faint bright red words began to display above the orb.

Potter and Isler. Showing the Protectors the orb.

Xander noticed as Lupin waves his wand and the text hurriedly dived into the orb, that the sentence was actually normal. He remembered seeing the first sentence being contorted.

"What about the first sentence?" Xander pointed as the words appeared in the orb again and then flashed into oblivion.

"One of the greatest wizards of all time created the orbs and worked out in exact detail how they work. His name was Albus Dumbledore, though that really is of no importance. After he sent the first message, he realized that no matter how you send it, the first sentence is always bungled. He thought it rather funny and never fixed it. It's just a glitch we all know now."

As Lupin spoke, he turned his attention to the orb as two message began to scribble themselves into thin air.

Loo C. Isler.

Lupin smiled. "Isler received the message rather quickly."

Ru Of-net. Potter.

"OOH! TEN-FOUR!" Xander squealed as the second message began to scribble below Isler's message.

"He always likes to send back muggle phrases." Lupin muttered.

A small creak was heard behind Lupin as another door, which seemed to appear out of nowhere, opened revealing McGonagall. She nodded at Lupin who then placed the Phoenix Orb up and then exited the room.

Cordelia knew he was off to get some much needed and deserved sleep. She glanced at Buffy, who looked as if she wanted to follow him. Cordelia smiled at the obvious crush that Buffy had. Though, Cordelia highly doubted the Lupin actually noticed it.

"I need to speak to Miss Rosenberg alone, if you three don't mind."

x chapter's end x

After Thoughts: If you read, I'd love to know what you thought about the chapter. Review and I shall love you for forever and always! And... I want to thank ALL of my reviewers, I love reading each and every review that each of you leave. They make me happy!

The Lethifold is a creature in the Harry Potter world. Look in your Care of Magical Creatures book that the lovely JKR wrote for her fans.

The Cordy/Snape stuff... gah... it's so funny when I write it, because... hahaha! You'll have to wait until around January in the Potter-world. LOL (btw - it's almost Halloween).

Look forward to Ch. 16 entitled:

No Longer Empowered

Buffy learns something the hard way.