A Second Chance
Chapter 23 - Love is in the air.
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
Everyone ran down to the pitch to congratulate 'the Eagles' on their victory. James limped over from where he'd fallen, and was met by a kiss from Lily. Even Charlie had gotten up, looking pretty beaten up, and sore, but was smiling nonetheless.
"Good job, Harry," he said. "I guess you really are better than me."
Harry grinned. "Thanks. But I had to win, or Professor McGonagall would have kicked my ass for making her lose ten galleons."
Everyone laughed, except McGonagall, who scowled, and tried to put on a stern look, but was failing miserably.
"Well, it's obvious where you got your talents from," James said and grinned. "But you would have lost if it was only a matter of goals."
Dawn stuck out her tongue. "But it wasn't, now, was it!"
Oliver came down to them, looking slightly put out.
"We were the better team," he stated. "You only won thanks to Harry...amazing Wronskie feint by the way!"
"Thanks, Oliver! I've never tried it before - "
" - THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME?" Lily interrupted, screeching. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"
Harry an James rolled their eyes at the exactly same time, in the exact same way, and everyone laughed at the clear resemblance.
"Good commenting, Sirius," Remus said with a smirk. "Faith really enjoyed it."
"Oh, thanks!" Sirius grinned. "I did my best."
"So...time for a victory party up at the castle? Do you think I could floo Neville and ask him to come? I know the term hasn't started, but I really want to see him..." Ginny said excitedly, but innocently, as she looked at the twins from the corner of her eyes. The twins glared at her.
"Ginny..." They growled.
"Oh, well, I guess not," Ginny finished. "You coming Dawn?"
"Yep! Move out of the way for the winners!" Dawn laughed, andhooked arm with Ginny.
"Well, we were still the better team..." Oliver muttered, and the two girls looked at each other.
"Well, at least we didn't get distracted by a girl," Dawn smirked, and Oliver's face grew red.
"Now, lis'en up, I did not - "
" - Oh, stop it, Oli. It was cute," Vi said with a smile, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It was only a game. Right?"
"Right..." Oliver said dreamily, completely forgetting what he'd been saying, and everyone gave each other knowing looks.
"Exactly. It was only game, so stop looking so put out," Alicia told her boyfriend, who was still glaring at Ginny.
Buffy smirked as she looked at the two vampires before her. They were both red in the face from excitement, and Angel's hair was sticking up everywhere.
"So...still think Quidditch is stupid?" She asked innocently, and Spike turned to look at her sharply.
"Well...yeah!"
Buffy only smirked knowingly.
"Fine! It was okay..." Angel sighed. "But it's still stupid..."
Buffy rolled her eyes, and turned her eyes to Charlie. His face was a bit flushed from the wind, and his nose bled from the crash into the ground. But he looked incredibly sexy.
"Good game," she said. "Your team was better."
Charlie sighed.
"Maybe. But Harry was better than me."
"Oh, stop moping!" Buffy laughed. "It was only a game, and Harry was lucky. You were unlucky you fell for his trick. You'll win next time."
Charliebrightened at this.
"Yeah!"
It was at breakfast, the next day, when Dawn was eating, as something suddenly struck her.
"Ginny..." She said with a small frown.
"What did you tell Fred and George?"
Ginny choked on her pumpkin juice, and started laughing.
"Oh...that," she said and giggled.
"Well?" Ron now asked, also interested.
"I told them I've been sleeping with Neville Longbottom since last term."
Ron spat out his juice across the table, straight in Harry's face.
"YOU'RE DOING WHAT!"
Ginny laughed, as she watched from Ron's chocked look, to Harry's face, covered in liquid.
"Eew, Ron..." He muttered. "That was gross."
Ron paid him no attention, but turned to Ginny again, fury in his eyes.
"HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN - "
Ginny laughed again.
" - I don't actually do it," she said, still laughing. "I only said that to distract my dear brothers a bit."
Ron blinked, and then relaxed.
"Good..." he muttered. "You better not be...you deserve someone...better...yeah...better. And you shouldn't do...things like that...ever."
Ginny just shook her head, still amused.
"So...when do the students arrive?" Dawn asked casually.
"Oh, September first, as usual," Ginny said. "One week left now..." She sighed wistfully.
"I can't wait," Harry said and grinned. "I'm actually looking forward to my classes. At least DADA - my mum's gonna teach!"
They laughed at his excitement.
"Yeah...but so is Remus," Hermione reminded him.
"Even better," Harry said, and shrugged.
"Are you planning on continuing with the DA, Harry?" Ron asked, and Harry frowned.
"I don't know...if there is an interest, I guess I could consider it, but now we willhave two competent DADA teachers, so probably not."
Ron nodded, even though he looked a little disappointed.
"But as I said, I'll think about it," Harry promised, and Ron lit up, stuffing his mouth full with a sandwish. Hermione made a grimace.
"Ron - please!" She scolded. "Stop acting like a pig!"
Ron rolled his eyes.
"So...you'll be leaving?" Buffy asked.
Angel nodded.
"Yes. LA has been without me for far too long."
"I get it...so...will Spike go with you?" Buffy asked, and gave the vampire a hug.
Angel sighed, as he hugged her back.
"I honestly don't know. I haven't talked to him..."
"Well, good luck anyway."
"You too."
Buffy nodded, and turned around to leave.
"Buffy..."
"Yeah?" Buffy asked, without turning back.
"You have my blessing...you and Charlie. I hope you become really happy. You deserve that."
Buffy smiled.
"Thank you."
Willow was standing in front of her mirror, watching herself silently. Her red hair was matted slightly, and she had dark circles under her eyes, as a result of lack of sleep. Her eyes were also empty, hollow...and her face was pale, and her cheekbones were too sharp, too prominent. She was too thin, as she hadn't eaten since...since before her duel with Buffy, and she knew her ribs would be fully visible if she took off her sweater. She sighed, and bit her lip. It would have to do.
'I can't believe I'm actually going down there...can I face them? Can I do it?' Willow thought, and almost scowled at herself.
'Get a grip, Rosenberg...you need to go down there, face your fears...'
She sighed again.
'I don't know if I should thank Spike, or give him powerblast in the...' She stopped herself. 'No, no powerblast. No magic,' Willow decided. She was through. Dumbledore would be disappointed, though, as she now couldn't teach the wandless magic classes...but now that Tara was back, maybe she could?
'I'll ask Dumbledore to ask her...yeah...she'll do a better job than me...'
She started to leave her dorm.
'How can I face anyone? How can I face Buffy?'
Buffy laughed, as Charlie and Spike scowled at each other once more. Angel had left earlier that morning, and now only Spike was here. He would probably go back to LA sooner or later too, but for now, he was staying.
'Probably only to annoy Charlie,' Buffy thought with a smile.
She looked up the staff table, where Lily and James were talking to the Headmaster, but every now and then their hands would brush against each other's so slightly, and they would give each other a look full of love, caring and hope.
Remus was engrossed in a conversation with McGonagall - Faith was nowhere to be seen. Buffy frowned at this. She and Remus were rarely seen without one another. She hoped everything was alright. A second later, the door flew open, and Faith was revealed. Buffy saw how Remus' face lit up, and she smirked.
Everything seemed fine. Faith walked nonchalantly up to the staff table, trying not to look too obvious. Buffy knew very well that Faith was...well...possibly in love - with the handsome werewolf, but was trying hard not to show it, if only to keep her image.
Buffy turned her head again, to the Slayer table, where Vi was talking to Oliver, holding hands. Buffy grinned again. It seemed like a lot of people found their love in the wizarding world. There was a small squeal beside her, an Buffy turned her head, only to see Dawn throw some of her food at Harry, who laughed, and threw some back at her. Ron and Hermione laughed with them, and kissed each other ever so slowly.
'Yes...love is truly in the air', Buffy thought, and smiled again, as Charlie took her hand.
Suddenly, the doors flew open again, and revealed a pale looking person with red hair. Everyone quieted down, and stared silently at the figure, looking so small and fragile between the big doors. Willow was there.
A/N: Alright, a shorter chapter after the last, long one! Next will probaply be a bit longer too…I plan on actually starting the term! Yihaa!
Please REVIEW!
/Ida