Out of the Blue
Chapter 18 – Lily-kins.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…
RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.
TIMELINE: Takes place after season two in BTVS, and during the marauders last year at Hogwarts.
SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Life sucked for Buffy Summers. After taking her refuge to LA, she had hoped she would finally have some of that peace the Hellmouth couldn't provide. She should have known she was hoping for the impossible. When she gets propelled into another dimension, her life changes forever - but is it for the better or for worse?
CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus
OTHER PAIRINGS: James/Lily, Sirius/OC
Special Thanks to: My Beta - CharmedChick
Hogsmeade weekend. Only someone mentioning it made the tension run high in the air. Wherever you were going, you could hear someone talking about who had dates, where to shop, Honeydukes new chocolate... Buffy didn't understand the big deal. Sure, Diagon Alley had been impressive...but seriously, Hogsmeade couldn't be better than that, or all the huge shopping centers America had provided...right? Whenever Sirius or James tried to explain to her that the wonder wasn't so much in the village as in the freedom of being outside of school, she would just shake her head, claiming you could be outside the school all the time. Still, she couldn't stop that thrill of excitement she felt whenever it was mentioned...what was it with Hogsmeade that made the spirit rise so quickly?
"Okay, so first we go to this Honeypukes place, right?" Buffy started, trying to make sure she'd gotten their plans for the day right.
"Honeydukes, Buffy! Honeydukes! Not Honeypukes!" James looked horrified. "You can't go around calling Honeydukes, Honeypukes! It's just...wrong!"
Sirius agreed.
"Yeah, Honeydukes does not make you want to throw up...unless you've had too many of those Jelly Slugs," he finished with a shudder.
James immediately turned green.
"Oh, yeah, those were nasty...how many did you eat again, Padfoot?"
"Too many. I remember McGonagall wasn't too pleased when I threw up all over her shoes."
"Eew!" Lily said. "Sirius!"
"What! It wasn't my fault! That woman can never keep her nose out of other people's business! She just had to see if I was feeling alright!"
"Well, your face had turned a very interesting shade of green," Remus pointed out.
"Exactly! That, if anything, should have made her stay away! I mean, when I see a bloke all green in the face, apparently ready to puke, I certainly don't go up to them asking if they're alright!"
"Well, I seem to recall that time with..."
"Don't bring it up!" Sirius interrupted. "It took forever to get the...stuff...out of my hair."
Both Buffy, Lily and Eliza were looking slightly green by now.
"I ate several of those Slugs, but I didn't throw up!" Peter piped up.
"No, but you wouldn't, would you, Wormtail? You can eat anything," James stated.
"Almost. I couldn't get down that last piece of those Slimy Spider-legs they served at Halloween last year," Peter said, looking regretful.
"YOU ATE THOSE?" Both James, Sirius and Remus exclaimed.
On Saturday morning, Buffy, Eliza and Lily were standing outside of Hogwarts, waiting for McGonagall to arrive, so they could leave for Hogsmeade. It was cold, as it had rained the night before, and they had trouble keeping up the warmth.
Suddenly, they heard a weird noise coming from one of the bushes.
"Psst!"
Buffy, Eliza and Lily gave each other a quick look, before making their way over to the bush where the noise came from.
"What are you doing!" Lily hissed, as she saw James hooked down behind it.
"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade? And where are the others?" She asked, frantically looking around, as if she was expecting the others jumping out from another bush screaming 'BOO.'
"Calm down, Lily-kins, I'll show you...but first...one question...are you cold?"
Lily's eyes narrowed, as she heard James new nickname on her, but decided not to comment.
"Of course!"
"Then what are you waiting for? Follow me!" James sprinted up tothe castle. The girls gave each other a look.
"What do you think is up?" Eliza asked.
Lily snorted.
"Knowing the marauders, it's probably something bad."
"Well, if it includes warmth, then I don't care," Buffy shrugged.
They gave each other another look, before sprinting up after him.
James was waiting in the entrance.
"What took you so long?" He said, irritated.
"Well, sor-ry, if we're not as fast as you!" Eliza panted.
Buffy had to bite her tongue to keep herself from mentioning she was more than double as fast as James was, and could out-do him in a second. It seemed Lily had the same thought.
"Anyway, where are you taking us? We're going to miss them leaving!"
James grinned.
"You'll see, Lily-kins."
"Don't call me that!"
James led them to the third floor, and a statue of a one-eyed witch. There, he turned around, and gave them serious looks.
"Swear to me, that what you are about to see will not be told to anyone."
"I swear," Buffy said, growing more curious and curious for every second.
"Me too," Eliza added. Lily looked uncertain, but finally gave in.
"Fine."
James grinned, snuck in behind the statue and whispered something as he gave it a tap with his wand. Suddenly, the statue opened up, revealing an opening big enough to let one person in.
"Come on!" James wave at them to follow him, as he walked into the opening, Eliza right behind him.
When Buffy stepped in, she rushed down something feeling like a slide of stone. However, she wasn't prepared when her feet met the cold, slightly wet ground, and therefore stumbled forwards a bit. Luckily enough, someone caught her by the shoulders, keeping her from falling.
"Woah, easy!" The person said.
"Remus!" Buffy hissed. It was pitch-black, and she couldn't see a thing, no matter her enhanced eye-sight. "Is that you?" The only answer she got was a small peck on her lips.
"I take that as a yes," Buffy mumbled.
Suddenly, somebody stumbled down behind her, crashing into Buffy's back, making her loose her balance, falling in Remus embrace. Remus stumbled backwards, and found himself flat on his back on the wet ground, Buffy laying on top of him.
"Sorry, Buffy!" Lily said. "Why the heck is it so dark? Lumos!"
Lily's wand lit up, revealing a small, low, dirty passage. James, Sirius, Eliza and Lily were smirking and giggling at the sight of Remus flat on his back, and Buffy on top.
They both blushed, and Buffy hastily got up, wiping away somemud from her clothes.
"We don't have time for dirty stuff, Buffy, but if you really can't contain yourself, then there's a bathroom at the Three Broomsticks," Sirius smirked. Buffy glared, and stuck out her tongue.
"Haha, really funny," she said, and helped Remus up.
"Where are we?" Eliza asked, looking around.
"In asecret passage - it's a shortcut from Hogwarts to Honeydukes basement," James said. Lily raised her eyebrows.
"Really? And how did you find out about it?" She said suspiciously."Never mind, I don't want to know," she then added. James looked relieved.
"So you won't tell on us, then, Lily-kins?"
"Well, no, I did promise I wouldn't didn't I? But if you keep calling me 'Lily-kins', I just might change my mind." Lily said. "I guess this is why you never seem to run short of candy or Butterbeer- you simply run down this passage, and get some from Hogsmeade between classes?"
"Will you hit me if I say yes?" James asked worriedly. Lily smacked him in the back of his head.
"I take that as a yes," James winced.
It felt like it took forever to get there, but suddenly, the passage started to lead upwards. Buffy, Lily and Eliza were all starting to loose the feeling in their toes, but said nothing, as they didn't want the marauders to think they were being wimps. They couldn't know the boys weren't better off.
"It's never been this cold down here before," James muttered to Sirius.
"Well, lighten up, Prongs. We're there soon. Just think about you and ickle Lily-kins sharing a Butterbear at Madame Puddifoot's."
James' eyes immediately started to glaze over, and he almost stopped.
Sirius hit him.
"I wasn't serious!"
James glared, and rubbed his head.
"Well, yes, you are, remember?"
Sirius rolled his eyes.
"That pun is growing old."
"You say it all the time!" James protested.
"Well, yeah, it's funny when I say it!" Sirius countered.
The two best friends continued to bicker, and Eliza and Lily who were walking behind them, rolled their eyes. Boys!
Buffy and Remus were walking a bit behind the others, holding hands. It was almost dark, the only light coming from Lily's wand a couple of meters in front of them.
"So...when do you think we'll be there?" Buffy asked, whispering.
"In a couple of minutes," Remus said in a hushed tone. "We will get to a staircase soon, and then it's just a couple of hundreds steps..."
"...A hundred steps?" Buffy hissed. "My feet are gonna freeze to death before that!"
"Well, actually, I think it's a bit over three hundred all in all..." he quieted down, as he saw Buffy giving him a glare.
"This Hugsmead place better be worth it..." she muttered. Remus gave her hand a quick reassuring squeeze.
"It will be," he promised. "And it's Hogsmeade, not Hugsmeade. Although I wouldn't mind a hug..." He trailed off, looking at Buffy from the corner of his eye to see her reaction.
Buffy blushed, but grinned.
"You can have one later," she promised. Suddenly, Lily stopped, and turned around, the light from the tip of her wand moving dangerously close to Remus and Buffy's entwined hands. They hastily let go of each other, trying not to look guilty. However, Lily wasn't looking at them.
"Peter! Are you there? James asked me to check if you were keeping up?"
Remus and Buffy almost froze in their tracks. Had Peter been behind them all the time?
However, they didn't have to worry, because it took quite awhile before a panting, red faced, disheveled Peter caught up with them - he'd been far behind.
"I'm...alright," he panted. "Don't...worry..."
Lily looked concerned.
"You sure?"
Peter nodded. Suddenly, a voice were heard.
"Hey, Wormtail! Get your ass over here!"
Peter went past Lily and Eliza to James and Sirius, taking the lead. As soon as Lily turned around again, Buffy and Remus took each other's hands for the second time.
"Why do they want Peter up front?" She asked. Remus smirked.
"Oh, that. After the stairs, there's a closed door in the roof. The one going first always has this habit of hitting his head."
Buffy laughed.
"And let me guess: Neither James or Sirius fancy getting a bump?"
Remus nodded, and Buffy laughed again. About three hundred steps later, they heard someone letting out a squeak of pain.
"That was the door," Remus stated, and sure enough:
"We're there!"
As they got out of the passage, Buffy had to blink a few times, letting her eyes get used to the light. They were standing in a basement filled with wooden boxes and big packages.
They snuck towards the stair leading up to the first floor, when suddenly someone came stomping down. Buffy gulped. They were busted.
"Well, hello," an unfamiliar voice said. "So you're back again? Is it a Hogsmeade weekend this time, or are you just sneaking out?"
Buffy looked up, and saw the one coming down was a woman. The marauders were all grinning.
"Hogsmeade weekend, Mrs. Flume."
"Oh, yes, I almost forgot!" The woman, who seemed to be one of the owners of the shop said, slapping her forehead.
"I swear this old lady is getting more and more forgetful everyday," she smiled, and winked at James and Sirius, who were all halos and flirtatious smiles.
"Oh, no, Mrs. Flume, not at all!" They chorused. "You're not old!"
Buffy blinked. She could hardly believe it - was Mrs. Flume...blushing? Obviously, neither could Lily or Eliza, from the looks of it. Remus, however, were just rolling his eyes. Obviously, he was used to this.
"'Oh, no, Mrs. Flume, you're not old!'" Buffy imitated James and Sirius with high-pitched voices, as they got up into the shop. She snorted. "Please!"
"Well," James said. "You've got to have contacts to get around in the world! Do you really think we would be half as successful if we didn't have allies in every corner?"
Lily rolled her eyes.
"Allies? Yeah, right...more like people you can wrap around your little fingers, and use them to do whatever you want. Am I right in assuming you get to shop here for half the price?"
James put his hand over his heart, looking shocked.
"Lily-kins! How can you believe something like that about us!" He asked, sounding wounded.
"Yeah," Sirius added. "We don't get a fifty percent discount...only thirty!"
"Plus, it's only because we come here so often!"
"Yeah, I'm sure...and don't call me 'Lily-kins', James!"
Eliza, Buffy and Remus rolled their eyes.
After hours of shopping, shopping and, surprise - more shopping, the group made their way to the Three Broomsticks, laughing, and teasing. They took a seat near a window, and ordered a butterbeer each (although James and Sirius ordered two).
When the butterbeer arrived, they sat there talking about light subjects, such as Quidditch (Lily tried to bring up the essay about animagus transformations they had to write for McGonagall, in hopes ofhaving the marauders admit they were animagi, but was quickly stopped by James, who refused to discuss something as horrible as school on weekends. Oddly enough, Lily didn't care to argue.)
Suddenly, the door opened, and someone with a pale white blonde long hair and pale face stepped in. The marauders and Lily immediately quieted down, looking murderous.
"Who's that?" Buffy whispered to Remus.
"Isn't that Lucius Malfoy?" Eliza asked, looking interested. "My father used to talk ab..." she suddenly stopped herself.
Sirius turned to look at her.
"What were you going to say?"
Eliza shook her head.
"Nothing. Forget it."
Sirius frowned, and gave her a weird look, but didn't say anything else.
"Who is Lucius Malfoy?" Buffy asked again.
"Lucius Malfoy," Remus said slowly, with something very much alike to hate in is eyes. "Is a Death Eater."
"It's never been proved..." Lily cut in, "but it's obvious."
"And...what is a Death Eater?"
"A Death Eater is a supporter of...Voldemort," Remus said quietly. Peter squeaked, and fell of his chair. James and Sirius both gave him glares, as Lucius turned his head towards where the sound had come from, and made his way over.
"Great work, Wormtail," Sirius muttered.
"I'm sorry!" Peter piped up. "But it was Remus' fault!"
"You were the one falling off of the chair!"
"Shh!" James hissed. "He's coming."
They hastily quieted down, and James put on a quick, plastered, very fake smile.
"Mr. Malfoy," he said stiffly.
"Potter." Lucius nodded in greeting. "I trust all is well with your family?"
"Oh, yes, very. Dad is quite busy at the ministry...many Death Eaters to catch," he said, hoping to see a reaction, but Lucius just smiled.
"Yes, yes, he would be, wouldn't he?" he said. "Now when you-know-who is gathering more and more followers, it is important you don't mix with the...wrong crowd." He gave Lily a look out of the corner of his eyes, and James'eyes narrowed.
Lucius then turned to Buffy.
"I don't believe I've seen you around here before?" He said.
"No, you wouldn't," Buffy said through gritted teeth. Her Slayer-sense told her this man was all trouble, and Buffy trusted her senses.
"Where are you from?"
"I transferred from Salem this autumn," Buffy said, being careful not leaving out too much information.
"Really? Salem...I hear it's a very good school. Why did you leave?"
"Well," Buffy picked her words carefully. "I didn't like the atmosphere...too boring. The principal was an old cow."
Lucius smiled again.
"I see...and what do your parents do?"
"Nothing, since they're both dead," Buffy lied, hoping to wipe that arrogant smirk out of his face. She succeeded.
"Hmph. What about you?" He turned to Eliza.
Eliza blinked, unsure of what to say.
"I'm El...isabeth," she finished lamely. The others gave her weird looks, but Eliza could care less. If Lucuis heard her real name, it wouldn't take long before he put two and two together, and then it would only be a matter of time before her father...no...that was too horrible to think about.
"Elisabeth? Really? Are you sure we haven't met? I could swear I have seen you somewhere...?"
"Well," Eliza said nervously. "Everyone is supposed to have at least one Doppelganger in the world...isn't that right?"
"True, true," Lucius said in agreement, but still lingered on Eliza's face for a few moments, before turning to Remus.
"Mr. Lupin," he said with a court nod. "I trust you are well?"
"Very well, thank you", Remus said with an over exaggerated politeness. "And you?"
"The same, the same. How are things with your mother? I've heard she is ill quite often?"
Remus felt himself growing worried. Saying his mother was ill had been his excuse many times for his repeated absence...he could only hope Lucius didn't know about the true reasons...with him, you could never be sure about how much he knew.
"She's better, thank you. How is your wife?"
"Narcissa? Oh, she's fine, fine. I hope your father doesn't have trouble with his economy? I've heard he has quite much trouble in keeping his job?"
Remus wanted to hit him. Hard. He knew his family wasn't well off, and he blamed himself for it. They had had to move around a lot, while he was younger, as their neighbors were always complaining about the sounds coming from their house during the nights of the full moon, and therefore, his father had to switch jobs very often. However, the more new jobs his father had to take, his employers became more and more curious as to why he was always moving around. They demanded an explanation, and as soon as his father told them the reason...they didn't want him anymore.
"Oh, he's quite well," Remus said. "He's working in a bookstore for the moment."
Lucius smiled. "Wish him well." He turned back to James.
"Good day, Mr. Potter," he said. "Please tell your father hello...and warn him to keep himself out of trouble while hunting down all the Death Eaters...we wouldn't want him to get himself killed," he finished, before turning around, and leaving.
As soon as he was out of sight, James flew up, and both Sirius and Remus had to hold him down from following, and doing something stupid.
"That bastard!" He swore. "If that last sentence wasn't a threat, then I promise I will run naked in the Great Hall!"
"Calm down, Prongs," Sirius said.
"Calm down? CALM DOWN! Easy for you to say, I didn't hear your family being threatened..." James muttered, but sat down nonetheless.
"No, but they wouldn't, would they?" Sirius said. "After all, everyone knows which side the Black family is on...and it's not Dumbledore's, that's for sure. Besides, if Lucius Malfoy threatened my family, I'd be gladly letting him do it."
"Anyway, what was that all about Remus?" Eliza asked. "Is your mum ill? You've never mentioned it before?"
Remus looked embarrassed, so Sirius hastily cut in.
"She was ill a lot when Remus were younger- he used to visit her all the time once a month. She's better now, though, right, Remus?"
"Yeah, lots," Remus nodded. Eliza seemed pleased with this explanation, but still wasn't finished.
"Well, what about your father? Does he...you know...get fired a lot? I'm sorry," she hastily added, when she saw Remus face darken.
"No, don't be, it's alright. We used to move around a lot, because of my mother's illness, trying to find someone with a cure. That's why my father quit his job so often - he wasn't fired." Remus lied.
"Oh, alright. What about you, Buffy? I didn't know your parents were dead...I'm sorry."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Buffy shrugged. "They're not."
"They're not? But..."
"...I know, then why did I say so? Well, if this Lucy guy is a supporter of Vollymort, then it wouldn't be the best to say I'm muggle born right?" Buffy explained (she couldn't really say they were both in another dimension). "So I said they were dead to keep him from asking questions about them...and to wipe that arrogant smirkoff of his face. What's your deal?" She asked Eliza. "Your name isn't Elisabeth, right?"
Eliza looked uncomfortable.
"Well...no...I just...he knows my father...and..."
"...And what?" Sirius prompted, but Eliza refused to say anything else.
"Nothing. Just...let it go...please..."
The others nodded, but Sirius didn't look like he wanted to let it go just yet. However, he refrained from saying anything else.
'I'll find out your secret, Eliza...I know I will...'
A/N: There! hope you like!Please REVIEW!
/Ida
