A Second Chance
Chapter 9 – Potions, talking and fighting.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything.
TIMELINE: AU. Set ten years before (Around 1988) "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone", during and after Harry Potter book 5, "Order of the Phoenix"(2003). During and after BTVS season 7, "Chosen". Pretend HP book one happened in 1999 during Buffy season three )
SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. After James and Lily reappears, seemingly alive and well, mysterious things start to happen. New allies are made, prophecies revealed...and people keep rising from the dead. What's going on? And what has Voldemort got to do with it? Are the Scoobies and the Potter's second chance at life enough to stop the Dark Lord from spreading darkness across the country? Or is the world in need of more miracles?
PAIRINGS: Too many to count.
Thanks to my beta: Charmed Chick
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR NICE REVIEWS! OVER HUNDRED ALREADY, YOU GUYS REALLY MAKES ME HAPPY!
"Did you find what you needed?" Lily asked when they got back.
"Yeah...and more than that!" Buffy smiled.
"What's got you so happy?" James asked, and slung an arm around Harry's shoulders.
"Oh, nothing really..."
"She got to kick some serious ass, "Xander said. "Right, Buff?"
"Vampires? In the middle of the day?" Lily looked skeptical.
"Oh, not vampires! Even though he looked like one...It was a kid – a student here, I think. I don't know his name, though..."
"Malfoy," Harry said disgusted. "Draco Malfoy".
"He can't be the son of Lucius Malfoy, can he?" James asked, shocked.
"Oh, yes, that's him."
"He managed to get an offspring?"
"James!"
"Sorry Lils. Well, Buffy, I can't say he didn't deserve it. At least not if he's anything like his father."
"He is," Ron assured them. "And a slimy little git on top of that."
"I thought he was a bouncing ferret?" Harry said.
"A bouncing ferret? Did I miss something?" Vi asked curiously, a little confused.
"I guess we should call him the flying dragon now," Dawn spoke up.
"Malfoy, the flying dragon slash the bouncing ferret...I like that sound." Ron mused.
"Well, Miss Summers, since I guess you want to join the sixth year with Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, I think it would be a good idea if you studied extra over the summer to catch up," Professor McGonagall said.
"I will teach you in Transfiguration, professor Snape will teach you in Potions, professor Flitwick in Charms, professor Binns in History and professor Lupin in Defence against the Dark Arts along with Lily. I am sure Miss Granger would gladly help you catch up in the rest of the subjects, right, Miss Granger?"
"Of course!"
"As long it prevents her from bringing up S.P.E.W., I don't mind," Ron whispered to Harry, making his best friend let out a snort of backheld laughter.
"Very well, Miss Summers, I expect you to be in my office at four this afternoon for your first Transfiguration lesson. I will also bring you a schedule for the rest of your upcoming lessons." With that,McGonagall left.
"Dawnie's gonna learn magic? Well, it wouldn't hurt if the other Slayers got some catching up too," Buffy said."
"Professor McGonagall already spoke to us," Shannon said. "We're going to get lessons too."
Buffy smiled.
"Well then, looks like everything is turning out for the best."
Very well, Miss Summers, shall we get started?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn around Hogwarts," she said. "I don't think you will be able to catch up to a sixth year level in one summer, but if you have a talent for Transfiguration, maybe you can reach a fourth, or possibly, fifth year level." After that, she gave Dawn a match.
"Try to turn this into a needle. You'll need a lot of concentration..."
Dawn stared at the matchstick before pointing her wand at it, and imagined how it turned thinner and changed colour. To her frustration, she was only able to change the colour at the top a little bit, but professor McGonagall was impressed.
"Very good, Miss Summers. You seem to have a talent for this. Now, try again."
At the end of the lesson, her matchstick had a completely silvery colour, and was a bit pointy at the end.
Potions were one of the lessons Dawn wasn't afraid of. It seemed to be a bit like chemistry, and Dawn was pretty good at it, and thought she would enjoy the lesson. But oh, how wrong she was.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking,"Snape began.
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, I doubt you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses - I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - but I don't believe you will even be able to reach a third years level in one summer - "
" - Actually, I think I'll be pretty good at this stuff," Dawn said. "It seems to be a lot like chemistry, and I was kinda good at that..."
"Miss Summers! When I speak, I expect you to be quiet! And whatever...experience you've had before this, I doubt it will be to any help."
"But..."
"Silence! Now, since you believe you have a...talent...for Potions...we'll see what you can do. Open the textbook at page thirtythree and follow the instructions."
Dawn did as she was told, but inside she was boiling with anger. Who did he think he was?
'I'm going to show Mister-I-am-so-evil-so-I-think-I'm-scary.'
Dawn read through the text, before sorting the ingredients. After that, she started the potion, which was kind of hard to make. At the end of the lesson, Dawn had managed, in her eyes, to make a perfect potion in an ice-blue colour. Snape had to admit to himselfshe seemed to have a talent for this, but he wasn't going to tell her that.
"Sloppy. I wouldn't even give this an 'Acceptable'. The colour is not supposed to be greyish, and it has a thin consistency. Evanesco!"
With that, the potion was gone.
Dawn stared at him. He knew her potion had been almost perfect.
'Greyish? Thin? NOT!'
She raised from her chair so fast it fell backwards.
"You...greasy, slimy, vampire-look-alike! That potion was as good as perfect, and you know it! You can't just - "
" - How dare you question me, you silly little girl?"
"Oh, I dare! But how dare you! You think you are so high and mighty just because you look a little evil, so what? I have met creatures way more scary than you! Hell, even Andrew was scarier than you, and that's saying a lot!"
"That's enough! Fifty points from Gryffindor!"
"Oh, so you're taking points now? I'm shaking with fear - NOT! The term hasn't even started, you can't take points!"
"The points will be taken at the beginning at the term!"
"Oh, I see! Is that supposed to be scary? I think you have to practise more! Have I told you about the demon Gachnar? No? Well, he was a tiny little fear-demon...He was a lot scarier than that - Except that he wasn't scary - Buffy smashed him with her shoe at the end!"
"Miss Summers, get out of my classroom immediately!"
"My pleasure!" With that, she grabbed her books and left.
"And don't you dare show up here again!"
"You said WHAT to Snape?"
"I think the exact words was something like 'you greasy, slimy, vampire-look-alike', and 'even Andrew was scarier than you."
"And you are still alive!" Ron asked.
"Obviously. But I don't think he's going to let me study potions with him - and I think I lost our house fifty points..."
"...It doesn't matter. Dawn - you are a Goddess!" Harry exclaimed.
"Thank you, that's so sweet!" Dawn squeled and gave Harry a kiss at the cheek, which made him blush furiously.
The next evening, Faith sat down the lake, when someone sat down beside her.
"Hi."
"Whatever." Faith said.
"Whatever...Is that how you say hello in America?" He sounded amused.
"I do."
"I see...are you feeling okay?"
"I'm five by five. What are you doing here anyway? I came here to be alone."
"I thought you looked like you wanted company."
"Well, I don't, so screw you."
"Right. Screw the bad wolf."
Faith sighed.
"Look, Loopy, right now, I'm in a very bad mood, so I think it would be best if you leave, alright?"
"It's 'Lupin', not 'Loopy'. But you can call me Remus." Remus smiled.
"Fine! Remus. Now, leave." Faith exclaimed grumpily.
"Are you sure? Because I am a good person to talk to?"
"I don't wanna talk." The dark haired Slayer muttered.
"All right." Remus raised from the grass and started to leave.
"Wait!" Remus stopped.
"Did you say you wanted to talk?"
Remus smiled, and sat down.
It was quiet for awhile, before Faith spoke up.
"When I was called as a Slayer...I saw it as a chance to be something, y'know? Be someone that mattered. I could do something useful. I slayed, and I killed, and I loved it. I'd found my true calling...and then my Watcher was killed...and I was afraid. I'd never been afraid before, and I didn't know what to do with that feeling. I felt so lonely...and tried to escape it. I ran...and I met Buffy, and I had this idea that I wouldn't be alone anymore.
I had a sister-slayer. But the past caught up with me. And Buffy helped me face it. And I overcame my fear. And for awhile, it was all good, y'know? But still, something was missing. I still felt lonely. Buffy's friends...they weren't my friends. And then the accident came.
I was out, slaying with Buffy. And I killed a man. I thought he was a vampire, I didn't mean to. But I freaked. I didn't know what to do...so I dumped the body, and hoped it would go away. But it didn't. He hunted me in my dreams. And I wanted him to stop.
I thought that if I ignored him, he would go away. But he didn't. He came back. They found the body. And I freaked again. I thought that if I told myself that I wasn't responsible, it would stop. So I told Giles that Buffy killed him...but he didn't believe me.
I was the dark slayer, y'know? Why would thy trust me? Why would they believe me over Buffy? So they tried to help me. Had Angel have a little talk with me...and then the Watchers showed up to take me away. And I ran. I didn't know what to do.
Everything I touched...everything I saw...it just...became dark...evil. So I thought - what if I am? Evil. So I tried to escape again. Away from everything...so I couldn't destroy anything else. But then Buffy showed up...and we were attacked by vampires. I saved her life. I saved someone. I didn't destroy her. But it felt wrong. Like it wasn't me. I still felt dark. So, why not be dark? Why not be evil. That's what I was anyway. I didn't think I could be good. So I went to the big bad in town and joined him. He cared about me. I was like his daughter. And then the good slayer came out to play...she put me in a coma."
"When did you wake up?"
"'Bout a year later. And I found out that my 'father-figure' was dead. Buffy had saved the world. And I hated her. She had taken away the only one that I thought cared. So I switched bodies. I became her. Finally, I was someone. I slept with her boyfriend...and he cared. Nobody had cared before...and it felt so wrong, because I knew he didn't care about me, only about Buffy. I'd bought tickets out of the country...and when I was supposed to leave – I couldn't. A bunch of vampires had taken a hostage in the church. And I wanted to save them.
So I did. Or tried. And then Buffy came. We fought. I hit her. Hard...and a lot. I hit myself. My body...and I enjoyed it. I hated myself. And then she switched our bodies back. And I ran. Again. This time to LA, were I just happened to run into Angel. And he made me feel. I saw everything I'd done. And it wasn't pretty. I hated myself...I begged him to kill me. I wanted to die!" Faith cried openly now. Remus put an arm around her shoulder and let her cry against his for awhile, until she'd calmed herself.
Faith blinked away her tears.
"But he wouldn't let me. He took care of me, I guess. He made me turn myself in...do the redemption thing. It felt right. But still so wrong because when I had come to my senses – I was still in jail. But I was still the Slayer, but I couldn't do anything to save the world. I felt the pain from the people outside – I saw those who needed me in my Slayer dreams. But I couldn't help them. I felt so useless. I wanted to help. I wanted to be good."
"You were good, Faith."
"Yeah, right...I was still evil in everyone's eyes. And then the chance came whenIcould escape. Finally, I was out, and I could do something. Fight the good fight. Willow came and took me back to SunnyD where we fought the First. And we won. I was part of the 'gang'...part of the good guys. I am a part of the good guys. But I don't know what they really think about me. Sure, they're treating me like anyone, like I matter. But I don't know what they really think! What if they really hate me, but are afraid to say so because they feel sorry for me!"
Remus was quiet before speaking up.
"When I found out I was a werewolf – the whole world came crashing down on me. I didn't think I would have a future. I thought I was dark, evil. But then I was accepted to Hogwarts. And I made friends. But I was afraid they would hate me because I was what I am. But they didn't. They helped me...it brought us closer. And I think your friends love you, Faith. They trust you now. You are over the dark phase, you have moved on, done 'the redemption thing'. You are a good person."
"You're saying you understand how it feels being dark. But you didn't choose to be that way. I did."
"You did it under horrible circumstances. Do you really believe you would have turned...evil...if you hadn't killed that man by accident?"
"Yes! No...I don't know."
"I don't think you would have. You maybe were dark once, Faith, but you're not now. You've got out of that phase. And you chose to be good. And that's what matters – Our choices." Remus said.
They were quiet for awhile.
"Thank you," Faith finally said.
"For what?" Remus sounded confused.
"For listening. For being here. I think I needed that talk." She smiled a little embarrased. "I can't believe I started to cry like a silly - "
" - Crying isn't silly, Faith."
"Whatever. Y'know, for being a furry wolfmale, you're not too bad," Faith said with a smirk. "Anyway, thanks." She raised from the grass.
Remus sat quiet for awhile, before speaking up.
"You're welcome." He turned around, but Faith was already gone.
"Hey, watcha doin'?" Faith stepped up behind Buffy.
"God, Faith! Don't scare me like that!" Buffy exclaimed.
"Sorry B," Faith said although it didn't look like she was sorry at all.
"Were have you been all night? I thought we could go slaying."
"Out. And slaying? Count me in! Where?"
"Profesor Bubblebor showed me a forest – the forbidden one. It's supposed to have a lot of weird creatures we can slay. But we're not supposed to slay the unicorns, the centaurs, the thestrals, or too many giant spiders, because then...Hugg...Hag...argh! Someone will be sad." Buffy said, frustrated.
"All righty! What are we waiting for!"
"Are you sure BubbleD said there were vampires in here?"´Faith hissed.
"Well...I guess he didn't say vampires...but he said we could patrol," Buffy answered, shrugging.
"Right. Of course. 'Cause patroling without any slaying is so much fun." Faith said, sarcastic.
"Faith!"
"I know, I know, don't be a...umph!" Faith was suddenly thrown to the ground.
"No, I was gonna say that there's a vampire behind you."
"Right. I knew that."
Faith and Buffy started to fight the vampire. Kick, hit, hit, kick, dust.
"That was waaay to easy. Are all the vamps in England this lame?" Faith asked.
"Shh!"
"Fine...if you say..."
"SHH! I heard something..."
"...Why do we have to be here?"
"Because the Dark Lord told us!"
"I'm hungry! Why can't we go up to the school and put our teeth in a student or two?"
"Because the Dark Lord told us not to!"
"Well, maybe I don't want to follow the Dark Lord..."
"Are you mad! He could give us glory! Power! Blood!Everything we wish for!"
"But..."
"You think it's a nest?"
"Sounds like it."
"The Dark Lord...Vollymoll?" Faith asked.
"Probably. Can you see how many they are?"
"If I go closer..." Faith started to crawl closer the nest, Buffy slightly behind.
"How many?" Buffy wispered.
"...Nine...Ten...Eleven...think we can handle it?"
"No prob. One...two...three!"
They jumped down in the nest.
"Time to sleep guys! Say goodnight to your mummy!" Faith said, cheerily, stake high.
"Or should I do it for you?" Buffy said, staking one. "G'night, mummy dearest. I'm sorry I ate you."
"Slayers!"
"That's us!"
The fight started, Buffy and Faith managed to stake five together, which left five.
Buffy took three and Faith two.
"Hungry?" Faith asked.
"Starved." They began to leave when four other vamps showed up out of nowhere.
"Buffy!" Faith managed to stake one, but still had one to deal with. Buffy, who wasn't prepared, had been thrown down on the ground by one, she staked him, but wasn't able to get up. The other vamp moved his fangs down to her neck.
"Buff...!" Faith finished her vamp and started to move, but before she reach Buffy another man jumped over the vamp on Buffy.
"I got it, I got it!"
Faith blinked as the man threw away the vamp from Buffy, and staked him.
"Do you need a hand?" The man asked, and helped Buffy up.
"You shouldn't be out here, in the forest, at this time. You'll never know what kind of creatures..."
"...Actually, we knew," Faith said.
"You went out here even though you knew there were vampires here?" The man asked disbelievingly."Let me guess, you wanted to play the hero, and brag in front of your friends? I can't say I'm impressed, if it wasn't for..."
"...We were fine! We staked thirteen before you got here! We don't need your help!" Faith said.
"Thirteen? In your dreams maybe, but..."
"Hello? Have you ever heard the term 'vampire Slayers'? That's us. We-slay-the-vampires. That's our job," Buffy said, annoyed at the man that had showed up out of nowhere.
"Oh. You're the vampire Slayers? Huh. Professor Dumbledore said some of them were at the school but - "
" - We looked so defenseless that you thought we were idiotic tourists?" Buffy finished for him.
"Something like that, yeah." The man looked embarrased and gave the blonde a sheepish grin. "I'm Charlie."
"I'm Buffy, and that's Faith." Buffy took a closer look at him as she shook his hand.
"You wouldn't happen to be a Weasley, would you?" She said as she stared at his red hair.
"Yes, I am. How did you know?"
"I've met your little brothers. Ron, Fred and George?"
"Oh! A friend of theirs?"
"I don't know. The twins said I was their princess, their heroine and their cool professor, so I'm not sure."
"You're a professor?"
"Yeah. Faith too," Buffy said, nodding towards the dark haired Slayer.
"I'm sorry, you just doesn't seem like the professor type." Charlie smiled."What do you teach?"
"Fighting skills."
"Ah, of course."
"Of course," Buffy agreed.
A/N: So what do you think? Hope you'll like it!
/Ida