Harry Potter and the Vampire Slayers

Chapter 42 - The Ritual.

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. There are always 'what ifs', and what 'could've happened'. What if the supposedly dead James and Lily Potter find themselves lyingbeside a shattered hellmouth? What if Buffy Summers and the rest of the Scoobies had found them? Surprised the couple was when they found out that they had unknowingly traveled forward into the future and that they would finally get a chance to see their now grown son. With the Scoobies following them, they have no idea of the impact of what they will find out when they step foot into the Wizarding World after many years of absence. War, love, death, betrayal, happiness, and despair are just six of the many things they will stumble upon.

PAIRINGS: Buffy/Charlie, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Dawn, James/Lily, Oliver/Vi, Faith/Remus, Willow/Tara, Sirius/Amy, etc.

Reviews respond:

gabrieldarke: -blink- okay... LOL.

Zantac the Barbarian: -Raise of eyebrow- You feeling well? LOL.

Thanks to:

SiriusSpikeLover

Chailyn Cole Runewood

Nixinox

Unseen Moon

Sterling-Ag (for ch 6, 8)

...and my beta - Charmed Chick

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Giles and Andrew sat in the Hogwarts library. Ever since Snape had come back from the Death Eater meeting, talking about a ritual that could be used to bring back the dead three times, they had been researching day and night. Andrew yawned and let his head fall down on the table.

"I'm bored."

Giles gave him a glare.

"This is important, Andrew!" He said.

Andrew looked up.

"Not as important as Star Trek, episode - "

" - Andrew, please, be quiet," Giles said, taking off his glasses.

"This is boring enough without your stupid comments."

Andrew gave Giles a glare.

"Star Trek is not boring, it is - "

" - Andrew!"

Andrew crossed his arms over his chest, and sulked.

"Hi, what are you doing?"

Andrew looked up, and immediately, his sulky face was gone and he grinned.

"Luna! What brings you to the library?"

"Studying for my OWL's," Luna said dreamily. "Personally, I think the Crumple-Horned Snorcack is much more interesting..."

Giles raised his eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"...What are you looking for?"

"Rituals to bring back the dead," Andrew rambled on.

"Andrew!" Giles hissed, giving Luna a worried look. Students were not supposed to know this... But...

"...Oh," Luna said. "You won't find anything here - not even in the restricted section."

Giles looked shocked. How did she know that?

"I know, trust me," Luna said dreamily, like she had read Giles' mind.

"You should go to the Room of Requirement," she said airily. "Bye."

She gave Andrew a kiss on the cheek, making him stare dreamily after her, as she went towards a table further down.

Giles stared after the girl.

"Andrew...who was that?"

"Luna...the only thing better than Star Trek..."

Giles sighed.

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Later that afternoon, Giles went to Dumbledore to leave a report on their non-existence success.

When he was done, Dumbledore frowned.

"This is not good...we need to know what kind of ritual Voldemort uses..."

Giles frowned as well, thinking deeply. Sure, the girl had acted kind of crazy...but what could it hurt?

"Have you ever heard of a place called the Room of Requirement?"

Suddenly, Dumbledore's eyes started to twinkle.

"Yes, indeed. Yes, yes...I believe the Room of Requirement is exactly what you need...talk to young Harry, he will help you."

Giles gave Dumbledore a confused look, but the Headmaster just smiled, and popped a lemon-drop in his mouth.

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Giles walked into the almost empty Gryffindor common room to find the boy he was looking for busy in a snog-fest with...

"Dawn!"

Dawn squealed, and hastily turned around.

"Giles!" She said nervously. "What are you doing here...?"

Giles gave her a glare.

"Actually, I want a word with Harry."

Dawn's eyes widened.

"Giles, please! We were just - "

" - Not about that," Giles said. "Mr Potter, I need your help."

Harry got up, wiping his mouth, trying to get rid of Dawn's lipstick.

"Professor Dumbledore told me you could help me find the Room of Requirement?"

"Oh, right," Harry said. "Follow me."

The walk was filled with uncomfortable silence. Every now and then, Giles would sneak a look at the young man walking beside him. So this was the savior of the Wizarding World? A young man with teenage hormones. But then again, maybe he shouldn't judge. When he had first met Buffy he had thought the same about her - but she had surprised him, and had proved to be a true hero. Maybe this boy could be as well.

What Giles didn't know was that the boy didn't feel like a hero. Far from it. Since Dawn's talk with him, Harry had done his best to act normal, and it seemed to work - no one pushed him anymore, and Dawn didn't seem to suspect anything. Dawn. Harry liked her, a lot, but he also knew that when he took off to face Voldemort...their time together would be over. So when Dawn suddenly took the first step and kissed him, Harry had responded. And then Giles had stepped in.

"Right." Harry stopped outside the tapestry of Barnabas the Balmy. "Walk back and forth alongside this wall three times, thinking about what you need, and then a door will appear."

He started to walk away.

"Wait!" Giles called. "That's it?" 'Is he making fun of me?'

"Uh-hu." Harry kept walking. Giles sighed and as soon as Harry was out of sight, he turned to stare at the wall. He really hoped no one could see him...

He started to walk past the wall three times.

'I need to find information on rituals to bring back the dead...' 'I need to find information on rituals to bring back the dead...' 'I need to find information on rituals to bring back the dead...'

He felt incredibly stupid when he looked up assuming that nothing hadhappened. His eyes widened though when a door suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the wall. Giles opened it and stepped inside.

The room looked like a small library, with one single bookcase filled with books on rituals to bring back the dead. Giles could only stare. Then, he jumped into action.

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Giles ran into Dumbledore's office, excitement written over his face.

"I have it! I have the information!"

Dumbledore's eyes started twinkle again.

"Excellent. Round up the 'Scoobies' and we will meet in Professors Evans' and Lupins' office," he said.

Giles nodded, and ran out.

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"All right," Giles said. "I have managed to find all the information we need on the ritual Voldemort used to bring Tara and Mayor Wilkins back. It is an ancient ritual, and is only possible to use when there is a grave time ofdarkness threatening the world," Giles explained.

"In this case, this darkness, is Voldemort. During this time, this ritual can be used to bring back three people, three people, warriors, to aid in the fight, either for the side of light, or the side of dark."

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Voldemort has already used this ritual twice, once to bring back Tara, and the second time to bring back Mayor Wilkins, both warriors, in different ways. The ritual is very complicated, and once it has been started, it cannot be stopped nor reversed. It craves someone incredibly powerful to perform it, someone who pours energy and magic into it. As I see it, we only know of four people alive who are able to perform it. Willow, Dumbledore, Voldemort or Dawn, since she is the key. It also needs twelve witnesses, who work as stabilizers of the magic to focus it - almost like a wand does - these twelve could be anyone, as long as they have some kind of connection to each other. It could be love, friendship, a debt, blood etc. Voldemort probably used his Death Eaters - they are all connected through the Dark Mark.
Lastly, you need a sacrifice - willing or unwilling, although a willing one would boost the ritual better - one life for another."

Silence.

"But..." Tara said. "Doesn't this mean that even...if...Harry defeats Voldemort...the Death Eaters will be able to bring him back?"

Outside the room, a boy with a lightning-bolt scar and glasses listened, his fear growing every second. He felt tears burn in his eyes. So it really was hopeless. He would never be able to defeat him. It was useless. He turned around, and ran. Inside the room, the conversation continued, every occupant unaware of the young man who had been listening outside their door less than five seconds ago.

"Wait a minute!" Xander snapped his fingers. "That's not true!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous Harris," Snape sneered. "It's obvious. Even if the brat does defeat the Dark Lord, his Death Eaters will be able to bring him back."

James had been on his way to stand up as Snape called his son a brat, but Lily put a hand on his arm, stopping him, although she did send a glare in Snape's direction.

"No they won't," Xander said, a grin spreading on his face. "It's impossible. They don't have anyone to perform the ritual." He started laughing. "I doubt even one of his Death Eaters are even half as powerful as Voldemort, and I also doubt Dumbledore, Dawn or Willow would perform the ritual for them! The only one powerful enough in their ranks is Voldemort - and he can't perform a ritual to bring himself back to the living!"

Slowly, the room's occupant's lips started to twitch upwards, and soon, everyone was laughing. No one knew that in another end of the castle, the boy-who-lived was crying silently into his pillow.

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A/N: Hope you liked...updates are coming faster now, eh? (Although the chapters are very short...)

/Ida