Harry Potter and the Vampire Slayers

Chapter 46 – No other way.

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), After Angel season 5.

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:

Naitch03: Yes, I just had to. LOL.

Katrina Marie Pace: I know, I truly am. -Big grin-

SiriusSpikeLover: Well, since you're begging so nicely...wish granted!

Buffy-CrazyaboutAngel (for ch 44 & 45): Nope, no Connor in this story. And why I killed Harry? Because I can! And you're not alone in wanting that. -Grin-

TTrunks: Thank you, thank you. I just love when people get upset. LOL. Happy you like it!

Just Me: Yep, I did. As for Snake face watching out...I'm sure he does - now when he's 'mortal' for everyone and all...but do you really think they can take him on? LOL. Well, see in this chap what they all do...

Thanks to my beta - Charmed Chick

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"HARRY!" Lily didn't recognize her own voice as she screamed. Beside her, James was standing, unmoving, unblinking. Just staring at their dead son lying on the ground.

Voldemort let out a scream of victory. All around him, everyone fighting for the light side was staring in disbelieving shock at the dead boy on the ground. Their friend, classmate, student, hero...family.

"AND NOW NOBODY HAS THE POWER TO DEFY ME!" Voldemort screamed and laughed. Then, right at that same moment, James woke up from his trance, and threw himself towards Voldemort,who activated a portkey and disappeared, along with all his followers.

"How could this happen?" Hermione said in despair. "He was supposed to win! We were supposed to win..."

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James stood and stared at his son's tombstone. They had buried Harry at a small cemetery outside of London, in the same place the memorials for himself and Lily had once stood.

He closed his eyes, and let a tear fall down his cheek. This was so unfair...no one should ever have to bury your own child... He opened his eyes and took another look at the white tombstone.

Harry James Potter
1980 - 1997

Beloved friend
Beloved son

May you rest in peace

"James..." Lily whispered, as she came up beside him.

"I can't believe he's gone...why? Why did it have to happen?" James said.

Lily had trouble keeping her tears at bay. Her husband was broken...she was broken...the light was fading...and darkness rising. Who would come to aid them? Who would step up and take Harry's place against Voldemort? She let out a sob. Harry...her son...he had just been a boy. Why did he have to be chosen? Why did he have to fight? It wasn't fair!

"Why didn't we see it?" Lily whispered. "He wasn't ready to face Voldemort... we should have known he was acting too cheery!"

James turned to look at her wife.

"Because we're idiots." He said bitterly. "We were brought back here to aid Harry in the fight...we, and 'the Scoobies'. What help have we really been? We weren't there for him when he needed us...and now he's - " He paused. He couldn't say it.

"- Beyond our reach," he finished lamely, and sank down to his knees on the wet ground.

Lily sank down beside him.

"It just isn't fair..." she whispered. "Not fair..."

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Six months later

'Britain is on fire. Burning. And from the ashes, darkness is rising.
Where is the hero everyone is so desperately looking for? Who will stand up against you-know-who?
A dark fog is laying over our world, threatening to devour it.
In the middle, a single group of people, called 'the Order of the Phoenix', are trying to keep the dark Lord at bay.
But what can they really do? Everyone brave enough to stand up to this dark force, has been killed, no mercy shown.
Red blood is spilling the ground every day. What can anyone do to stop it from falling?
Who will stand against He-who-must-not-be-named on his killing-spree through England? Will your home be next?
Wizards, witches, squibs and muggles are fleeing this country... But can they really escape?
There is no doubt that when you-know-who has burnt Britain to the ground, the rest of the world is next...
The world is in need of a hero. Someone to stand against the dark forces.
It was Dumbledore against Grindewald. Grindewald was defeated.
It was Harry Potter against you-know-who. But Harry Potter fell.
A lone boy, the world on his shoulders.
A martyr.
Who will take his place?
Britain is falling.
Who will come to our aid?

Rita Skeeter,
Reporter

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Dumbledore sat on his office at Hogwarts. Hogwarts. The last sanctuary. But how long would it stand? The ministry was already taken. St. Mungos as well. Even Gringotts and the rest of Diagon Alley. Hogsmeade had been burnt to the ground yesterday. It was only a matter of time before Voldemort turned his red eyes to the castle. He had once been close to conquer it, but had left, too happy from the death of his enemy to care about it at the moment... Harry.

Dumbledore sighed, and turned to Fawkes at his perch.

"How could I be so blind, Fawkes?" He said. "What shall an old fool do?"

Fawkes let out a drill that was supposed to be comforting, but Dumbledore felt nothing but despair. All hope was lost. He couldn't face Voldemort. He knew that if he did, Voldemort would win... and everyone would truly fall. No, he had to stay here.

Even if he couldn't do anything, knowing that he was alive was at least bringing some comfort to those who was still remaining in Britain. But he knew he would not live forever. One day, probably one day soon, Voldemort would arrive at Hogwart's doorstep. And he would conquer even this last place of peace...and when the castle fell...Dumbledore would fall with it. And with Dumbledore, the last line of desperate hope people clung to would be lost forever into the darkness.

Suddenly, Fawkes let out another trill.

"What are you trying to tell me, my friend?" Dumbledore mumbled. "I don't understand..."

Then, Fawkes burst into fire.

Dumbledore's eyes widened behind his glasses, as he watched the phoenix being reborn from the ashes.

"Of course..." he whispered. "From ashes to ashes...from ashes...to life..."

He stood up so quickly, his chair fell backwards, before he practically sprinted from the office.

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"It's madness," Buffy concluded.

"You tell me," Angel agreed.

"It's the only way," Dumbledore said. "We cannot face Voldemort. Only Harry- "

"Harry is DEAD, Dumbledore! DEAD!" Sirius exclaimed. "Do you understand that word? DEAD. BURIED. As in GONE."

"For the moment, yes. But he doesn't have to stay that way..."

"NO!" Buffy said sharply. "You can't even be considering this! It's just wrong! I was brought back- it wasn't the most happy experience in my life, let me tell you."

"She's right. It's wrong," Willow said quietly. "Bringing Buffy back from the dead was the worst thing I've ever done- lead me straight to the line of destruction."

"We can't do that- it's manipulative, selfish and worst of all- completely, and utterly CRAZY." Buffy continued. "We might need a hero- sure! But bringing Harry back to life with that ancient, probably very dark ritual, is a big nono. The kid is probably in Heaven! He was a hero for God's sake. Heroes belongs in Heaven- believe me, I know. Why? I'VE BEEN THERE!"

"I know," Dumbledore said quietly. "And I agree. But we cannot let Voldemort win. That's even more wrong. Darkness it's not supposed to rule the world. It is supposed to exist, sure, but in harmony with the light. And yes, Buffy being brought back was wrong- but was Lily and James coming back wrong? Or Tara?"

"Well, mayor Wilkins sure was wrong on so many different levels," Faith muttered.

"Okay, so those were the exceptions to the rule, right? But really, James and Lily don't count since they never really died, you know? And Tara wasn't supposed to die, so she was in that waiting place."

"And what's to say Harry is not there either?" Dumbledore said. "He was supposed to victorious. It might be wrong, yes. It might be selfish, yes. But it's our only hope."

"As much as I hate to admit it, long-beard is right," Xander said. "Sometimes we need to make tough choices for the best for everyone else."

"Everyone else?" James said. "Bringing our son back to life for everyone else? He is really just a toy for you people, isn't he? I might want him back, sure...but is it right? Is it fair? To him?"

"We don't really have a choice," Dumbledore said. This time, Lily opened her mouth to speak, but Dumbledore interrupted her.

"Just listen. I know bringing Harry back is wrong...and that if we had been there for him in the first place, it wouldn't be needed. But it is my belief that Harry was- and is- supposed to win this fight. And do you really believe Harry would be happy if everyone he cared about died? That we lost to Voldemort? To the dark? He wouldn't be. Think about this- it may not be fair to Harry- but are you sure he wouldn't want to be brought back to help?"

"Well, we won't know that, now, will we? He's dead," Anya stated.

"I-I hate the thought of-of bringing someone back like this," Dawn said tiredly. "B-but...Dumbledore's right. Harry would have wanted us to win...so...well..."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

"Yes. Sometimes, a sacrifice has to be made for the greater good."

"And speaking of sacrifices...who will sacrifice their life for Harry's in the ritual if we go through with it?" Charlie said quietly.

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A/N: There! See, do you see my insane plan? -Does the Snoopy dance- Do you think I'm crazy? REVIEW!

/Ida