A/N: I'm updating! Y'all can quit yelling now! I love reviews…

Shdurrani: Um….recessive genes? Yeah, that's it….recessive genes. Or she colors it, take your pick.

Tiger Tiger2: Yeah, they were vampires. I think the explanation is in chapter 4.

Everyone asking about ships: I don't write ships shock, gasp Seriously….I'm no good at them, and personally, I find stories that center around ships boring shrugs It's just not my thing.

Everyone asking about how long/why Harry won't accept Buffy—I'll never tell singsong voice Bwahahaha.

Chapter 8

"Why should we believe you?" Harry demanded. "I knew you were sent by Voldemort."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Look, if I was sent to kill you, you'd be dead by now."

The two stepped back and Buffy mentally hit herself. That was probably not the best thing to say. She tried a different tact. "Have I tried to hurt you yet?"

"You could be getting us to trust you so that you can get close," Hermione said swiftly.

"Someone reads mysteries," Buffy muttered. "Is there anyway for you to believe me?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, Harry's questioning, Hermione's thoughtful. They finally looked back at her. "No."

Buffy threw her hands up in exasperation. "Fine. I'll go downstairs and talk to the werewolf. At least he believes me."

She turned and headed out.

"Wait—werewolf?"

Buffy glanced back at Harry.

"Lupin's here?"

"Uh huh."

Harry bolted past her and down the stairs.

"You're welcome," Buffy murmured.

"Have you found any remaining Blacks?" Dumbledore inquired of Arthur and Lupin.

The pair glanced at each other then Arthur said, "It's difficult. Most of them are in Azkaban or dead. There is one lead we're following…an American squib."

"A squib?" Molly repeated.

"It's better than nothing," Dumbledore said quietly. "Perhaps we can convince them to sell it to us, for use as the Order headquarters again."

"Er…I'm sorry, what is going on?" Giles asked.

Arthur glanced at him, slightly suspicious as he was a friend of Buffy's. Dumbledore said in a low voice, "The house belonged to Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. He was killed in battle at the end of last year."

Giles looked surprised, then sympathetic. "That is what you meant when you said Harry has had a hard year?"

"Yes."

Giles removed his glasses and polished them. "Well, I'm sure he and Buffy will have quite a bit to talk about once he actually starts talking to her," he remarked, almost to himself.

Before the wizards could ask about that, Harry leapt the last few steps of the staircase. "Lupin!"

"Hello Harry," Lupin said with a smile. "How are you doing?"

Harry shrugged, walking up to the group of adults. He ignored Giles, his attention on Lupin and Dumbledore. "Were—were you talking about Sirius?"

Saying his name was hard, but Harry wanted to know what they had been talking about—he had heard something about an American squib on his way down.

Buffy entered the room, Hermione following a safe distance behind, and sat down next to Giles.

Dumbledore looked between Buffy and Harry, his eyebrows raised slightly. Buffy just rolled her eyes.

"Yes, we were," Lupin said in response to Harry's question. He glanced at Dumbledore. "We are still trying to find members of the Black family."

"Black?" Buffy asked curiously. Harry shot her a look that could have fried a vampire, and she looked at Dumbledore for an explanation. He did not oblige, merely asking, "You will continue searching I trust, Arthur?"

"Of course," Arthur Weasley said.

"Why should they get his house?" Harry demanded shortly. "They never liked him."

"It's how things work Harry," Lupin said gently. "We don't have a choice in the matter."

"They don't know about him yet," Harry pointed out. "So just don't tell them."

"Harry," Lupin reproved. Harry sulked.

Buffy looked at Giles. "I'm confused."

Harry just snorted. Buffy rolled her eyes. This kid was a piece of work. It was time to change the subject. "Hey, Giles."

"Hmm?" Giles looked at Buffy.

"Harry's girlfriend says she read something about Slayers in a book. They write books about me, isn't that cool?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Harry snapped.

Giles looked to Hermione. "What book did you read?"

"Er…Dark Arts Through History," Hermione said, a little nervous. Who was he? The latest in a string of Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers?

Giles frowned. "I don't believe I've ever heard of that book. What did it say about Slayers?"

Lupin looked at Dumbledore, lost at the sudden change in topic. Dumbledore just smiled a little.

"Er…it outlines the history of the Slayer, and talks about an incident several centuries ago in which the Slayer at the time killed several wizards…" Hermione trailed off, realizing that Giles was hiding a smile, as was Dumbledore. "Professor?"

"What the book failed to point out," Giles said, "was that the wizards in question were vampires attempting to bring about the apocalypse."

"The what?" Harry asked. That didn't sound good either.

"End of the world," Buffy offered. "Hell on earth, demons rule the world, etcetera, ad nauseum."

Giles gave Buffy an amused look. "Correct, but the commentary was not exactly necessary Buffy."

"But it's true," Buffy complained. "I mean, we've averted—what—eight or nine apocalypses?"

Lupin choked on his drink. Harry and Hermione's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Dumbledore asked mildly, "That many?"

"Unfortunately," Giles agreed.

"You've averted the apocalypse 8 or 9 times?" Hermione squeaked. "But—but the apocalypse isn't supposed to be avertable!"

Buffy looked at Giles. "Is that even a word?"

"Actually, yes."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Now that we've established that Miss Potter is, in fact, a good guy I should hope—"

He looked at Harry, who didn't react.

"Perhaps I can go and get some rest and possibly take care of some business. Miss Potter, Mr. Potter, Mr. Giles, Remus, Molly, Arthur."

He nodded and vanished with a pop.

Willow hung up the phone and looked at Xander, Tara, and Dawn, who were trying to pretend they weren't eavesdropping. "That was Buffy."

Instantly she had the attention of all three.

"What'd she say?"

"How is she?"

"Did she find her family?"

"Plenty, fine, and yes, in that order," Willow said, sitting down beside Tara. "She says she's going to stay over for a couple more days. She'll call again tomorrow."

Tara smiled. "That's good, right? She's getting to know her family?"

Willow nodded. Dawn asked, "So when am I meeting them? I mean, technically they're my family too, right?"

"Technically," Willow agreed. "And you will—she just wasn't sure when. Apparently there are some complications."

"What kind?" Xander asked.

Willow shook her head. "She didn't say."

Buffy lay in bed, all that had happened recently rolling about in her head. Coming back to life, Harry, the whole wizarding world thing, a new big bad to fight—joy—how was she expected to deal with all this when, at night, all she wanted to do was go back to heaven? She had fought the good fight, she had won, she had known her friends and family were safe, and she had been finished. And here she was for an encore performance. During the day, dealing with the wizards, she could forget, but at night—at night she was alone with her thoughts, her memories. The girl who died twice—well, maybe the third time would be a charm. But it wouldn't be soon.

Why not?

Because of Harry.

What about him? He can't stand you.

Doesn't matter. Kid needs protection—he's apparently got a wizard after him.

Is that really my problem? He's got a cadre of wizards watching out for him.

Okay girl, now you're starting to scare me.

Buffy growled and punched her pillow, trying to get comfortable. She hated having the Slayer conscience—the one that said "Help people you don't even know".

She needed to talk to someone. She checked the clock—it was only 7 in California. She dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hey Tara."

"Oh, hi Buffy. What's up? Willow said you were going to call again tomorrow," Tara said.

"Well, it's tomorrow over here, does that count?" Buffy asked.

Tara heard something in her voice. "What's wrong?"

Buffy resettle herself on the bed, cross-legged. "Can't sleep. Too much activity in my head."

Tara smiled slightly. "What kind?"

"The kind that happens when you've got a little brother that thinks you're evil?"

Tara started. "What? You have a little brother?"

"Yeah." Buffy ran her fingers through her hair. "A yr older than Dawn. And of course, he comes complete with a friend who told him I'm evil and a bad wizard that's after him. Welcome to the story of my life."

"Wait—wizard?"

"Yeah. Apparently, my parents were wizards. They were killed by the very same wizard who, coincidentally, is after my new brother."

"Wow," Tara murmured. "You never get a break, do you?"

"Doesn't seem like it," Buffy grumbled.

"Why does he think you're evil?" Tara asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "The wizarding world—there's a wizarding world by the way—is convinced that Slayers are evil, manic killers because one dusted a couple of wizard vampires who, by the way, were trying to bring about the apocalypse. And did the wizards say thank you?"

"I take it the didn't," Tara said with a smile.

Willow walked in and frowned, mouthing, "Who is it?"

"Buffy," Tara mouthed back. "Hey Willow."

"Willow's there?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah."

Willow hit the speakerphone button. "Hey Buffy."

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"Couldn't sleep."

Willow glanced at Tara. "Why not?"

"Well—"

A tapping at her window made Buffy look up, and she stared at the owl. "Hang on a sec," she murmured and went and opened the window.

The owl hopped onto the window sill, a letter clutched in its beak. Buffy blinked and took it. The owl flew off.

"Buffy?" Willow asked.

"An owl just delivered a letter," Buffy said, staring at the letter.

"Oh…did you open it?"

"Not yet…"

Buffy found a small knife and slit it open, taking out the parchment.

Buffy,

Come to the Burrow immediately. There is a lid in the envelope that, when you touch it, will transport you there.

Albus Dumbledore

Buffy stared at it.

"Buffy?"

"I'll call you guys back," Buffy said, and hung up. She threw some clothes on, then knocked on the door to Giles' room. "Giles."

Giles opened the door, looking bleary eyed. "Yes?"

"We gotta go. Get dressed," Buffy said.

"Buffy—" Giles check his watch. "It's three in the morning."

Buffy showed him the letter. "Come on."

She went back to her room and collected a few stakes, the knife, and a vial of holy water—just to make sure—then returned to Giles' door, just as he came out. She upended the letter…

They landed directly in front of the Burrow. Buffy looked around, stake in hand. "Dumbledore?"

The door opened and Dumbledore motioned them in, his face strained.

Buffy asked immediately, "What is it?"

Dumbledore led them in to where Lupin, Arthur, Molly, Ron, and Hermione were, then looked at her gravely. "Harry's missing."