Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. I wish they were but it just hasn't come true. JK Rowling and Joss Whedon still own them.
And We're Off… (13/?)
Summary: Quickie Recap: Neville is Xander's cousin. Willow and Xander have gotten really close again. Harry tired to raise Sirius from the dead under the encouragement of the First Evil. Well, that all I can think of that's important.
Spoilers: Harry Potter books 1-5, Buffy 1-7 and maybe a couple of Angel references (sorry just happens) up to season 5.
Parings: Willow/Tonks, Xander/?
Rated: PG-13, still not sure yet, may get higher. It's only 13 for my tendency for having people curse and drink a lot.
Chapter Notes: Yay, summer, I'm hoping to do a ton more writing. Sorry about the delays I get writers block, plus I had to write an episode for my TV writing class. But I'm done now so another "YAY"!
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Chapter Comments: Chapter 13: Let's Get this Party Started
Sweets everywhere, jackal lanterns floating up above their heads. Snape was off hiding in his rooms. It was all very Disney Halloweenish. Buffy was surprised at the lack of costumes and she was surprised by the major absence of dancing. When she mentioned it to Dumbledore he laughed. Hooch leaned forward , "Your schools ware so fond of dancing. When I see the films there is always so much of it."
"Well it's to keep us off the streets," Buffy smiled. "It just fun, music helps set the mood."
"Well this is a feast, not a dance or a party." Willow reminded her.
"It should be a dance. These kids deserve some fun...besides it will help them burn off all that junk they're eating." Willow looked down at Buffy's plate, it was over flowing with desserts. Xander was having very little to eat, Willow did the same to make him feel more comfortable about his diet. "I'm the Slayer, I can get away with it. They're just mini-Wizards, they need more exercise."
"I think your quite right, Miss Summers." Dumbledore agreed. He stood up and got the attention of the student body. "Everybody, everybody. As a special treat our guest of honor Miss Summers has suggested we turn this feast into a dance." There were cheers and he took out his wand. Rock music started to fill the room, the tables seemed to shrink and move away from the center of the room creating a dance floor.
When Buffy made her way to the dance floor, many of the older male students asked her to dance, the first and winner of the honor was Draco Malfoy. Xander, who had planned to have his first dance with Willow was cornered by Ginny and found it very hard to refuse. Willow didn't mind though, she took Neville as her partner.
From here everything was going well and this was a party that Buffy understood a lot better. No one seemed to be bored but the unorganized nature of the party was making it easier for the students to sneak out for a twist so all doors were kept closed.
Just as the music changed to a rock song there was a loud bang as the Main doors of the Great hall where pushed opened forcefully, hitting against the stonewalls. Three women, three vampires, dressed in sleazy muggle clothes were in the doorway. The student screamed and Dumbledore ordered them to the far side of the hall.
Buffy sighed heavily and just stared at them annoyed. Her friends went to her side to back her up. "Only three?" she asked them moving forward slowly, "you got to be kidding me. Can we just do this the easy way? You stand there as I stake you or do you really just wanna make me fight first? Cause it's my day off and I really want to keep it that way." The vampire in the middle hissed and started towards her. "The hard way, I guess."
She took on the center on as Willow and Xander distracted the other two away from the students. Willow used her magic to fend one of them off, she froze her vampie and Willow was now looking around for something to kill her with. Xander attempted to use magic but was not as effective as Willow. He was pulling her up by levitating her jacket. He too was looking for something to kill her with. Buffy fought her vampire to the ground but stopped just short of staking her. "I didn't bring a stake." She told her friends.
Buffy looked around. She needed to win but it was more important to make sure the students weren't being harmed. There may have only been three vamps but there were plenty of potential victims. To Buffy, losing even one was not acceptable, not this time. She looked around for anything wood, but everything that was, didn't look easily breakable
Xander had given up on magic and was now wrestling with his vamp, trying very hard to keep an upper hand. Willow was concentrating really hard, no doubt to perform a spell, but Buffy couldn't imagine what.
Out of the corner of her eye she found something. She threw her vamp down on one of the tables and reach for one of the caramel apples. Pinning the vamp to the table she ripped the stick out of the apple then plugged it into the vamps heart. The vampire exploded into dust on the table.
Buffy paused a minute to regroup before finishing off the fight. After a deep breath she turned around to help her friends. She was surprised to see her friends already taking care of themselves. Xander grabbed an axe out of the hands of one of the suites of armor, and cut his vamps head off with it. Why didn't I think of that, Buffy thought. Willow, also, was holding her own. She conjured up a fire spell and burn the demon inside out. There was nothing left to do.
Seeing a big gap in space between her two friends Buffy went up and took place. They posed like heroes and the students and faculty started clapping. They couldn't think of what to do, they were confused by what had just transpired. Buffy, however, took a bow. Willow and Xander shrugged and did the same. "Was this planned?" Buffy whispers.
Dumbledore, who had watched on without fear, was now coming to them. "What a wonderful demonstration."
Buffy had to smile. "No, problem. Now the kids know all three ways to kill a vampire." She lifts her head and talks loud enough for all the students to hear. "Let this be a lesson, kids. Wood," She held the candy apple stick, "fire," Willow raised her hand, "and decapitation." Xander raised the axe over his head in triumph. "Happy Halloween, everyone."
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The party was soon over and the trio just believed that their vampire incident was just a planned demonstration from Dumbledore. There was however still a sinking suspicion that it was more that that but it would have to wait until tomorrow, tonight the Scoobie gang was going out.
Buffy didn't know what to expect from the party tonight, she only knew it would be much more what she was used to, compared to the school feast. She looked through her luggage and pulled out her best clubbing halter and put her jean jacket over it. She looked in the mirror. "Ay, another Muggle." it scolded disapprovingly. She was about to try and change but Willow called for her.
Buffy was relieved when she saw her friends dressing in the same kind of way. Xander in his normal t-shirt and jean and Willow in what Buffy thought looked hot. It was only a white-button down, leather jacket and jeans but Willow seemed to be glowing or maybe the fact the Willow had it buttoned low, really low. Buffy couldn't help herself from giving a small chuckle when she noticed Xander couldn't stop staring at Willow's chest. Xander turned away embarrassed and Buffy said it just felt like old times.
"So how are we getting there?" Buffy asked, "I don't see any cars around here."
"Brooms." Willow supplied as they head outside to go get them.
"Really? Awesome."
"You'll ride with Xander." She smiled. "Brooms and I don't like each other too much."
"Yeah, the girl's got no balance." Xander joked.
"Wait, Xander is better at something magic than you?" she glared at Willow.
"Yes." Willow smiled. "I have no trouble admitting it, but he can't even make a simple Homicadian potion."
Xander rolled his eyes. "It's like math, when will I ever use that in real life."
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They touched down in the parking lot of an abandoned warehouse a short time later.
Buffy looked around, suspicious. "You sure you too got the address right?" She saw her friends who were looking off at something and she turned to look at what they were seeing. There was nothing of interest just an abandoned warehouse, she turned back to them.
"Guys?"
"What you don't hear the music?" Xander asked with disbelief, "or see the lights?" now worried. He kept walking to the door.
Buffy was getting even more confused. She had this deep seeded feeling she never wanted to go in there, but her friends were urging her on.
"Oh, I forgot!" Willow had an epiphany. She pulled out a small vial from her jacket pocket and handed it to her friend.
"Oh, that's right," Xander remembered. "Anti- Muggle spells."
"It's a potion?" Buffy asked, Willow nodded. "Snape didn't make it, did he?" Buffy ask before drinking.
"It's perfectly safe." Willow told her.
"That didn't answer my question." She glared.
"Just drink it." Buffy's glare didn't changed. "I was there the entire time. Now drink it or no party."
Buffy rolled her eyes "Sound like my mother much?" She took it in one swing and gagged. "He's trying to kill me, I swear."
"Wimp." Xander scoffed and started walking to the warehouse again. Willow followed but Buffy still not going forward.
Buffy turned and watched them walk off to the building when she started to feel a little dizzy. The background was changing, like she was watching it on a movie screen. Lights started to fade up in the windows and she could slowly hear the music start to creep in. She closed her eyes and shook her head, when she opened them, her vision was clear and the abandoned building was now hopping with people. Buffy ran to catch up with her friends. "Wow." Buffy was awestruck.
"Yeah." Willow mocked her friend.
Xander put his arm around both of his friends escorting them in. They checked their brooms and went into the main party room. When they walked inside they felt like they had come home. The lights were low, the furnishings were colorful and the music was loud. It was like the Bronze's British sister. It even had the young adults rubbing up against each other pretending it was dancing.
They stood there, the three of them together, in shock and remembrance. They were left in their quiet reflection for only a few minutes.
"Willow!" called a raven haired girl from the crowd. She looked like a punk rocker. There was no doubt who she was, especially when she ran over to Willow and started making out with her. Willow seemed very pleased.
Buffy was surprised by the way she looked, Tara had been shy and Kennedy had been seductive, but she never expected Willow with someone so loud. Well it was Halloween, Buffy mentally explained to herself.
"Enough, It's only been one week." Xander remarked and the girls broke off the kiss and laughed. Tonks put her arm across Willow shoulders. Xander forced a smile.
"Xander," Tonks smiled, "as always, glad you came." she meant it sincerely, Xander knew, it was hard not to like her. He tried his best to seem pleasant.
Buffy watched on confused. She wasn't sure why Xander seemed so upset. Willow didn't notice, she wouldn't. She had that "I'm at least in Lust" look in her eyes and couldn't keep them off Tonks.
"And Buffy," Tonks shook her hand, "I've heard so much about you. Will talks about you… a lot."
"You too," Buffy said, "well no, mostly Xander has been."
"Really?" surprised and excited.
"Well, you know..." Xander stammered. Tonks smiled.
They went and got drinks at the bar and sat down at booth near the dance floor. They had several rounds of drinks before the foursome broke up. When Will and Tonks got up to go dance, Buffy asked the question that had been bugging her all night. "Are you in love with Willow?"
It took a few moments for the question to register with him. "What?"
"Are you in love with Willow?"
"Buffy, how can you ask me that?" Even though he knew there was no chance of getting out of this conversation.
"Xander." He was caught.
Xander shrugs, "Is it that obvious?"
"Yeah. To me anyway. You've been looking at her the same way you used to look at me."
Xander got embarrassed and turned away. "I don't know if I'm in love with her, though." He took a moment to think. He was happy he could finally talk about it. "I mean, I love her, she's my best friend and the sickening thought is that we're like brother and sister." He looked out to the dance floor and watched Willow dance with Tanks.
"Well Luke and Leia." Buffy jokes.
Xander looks up at her confused. "Huh?"
"You know in Empire, they had that little make-out thing." Xander gave her a smile. "You made me watch it once."
"Yeah." He paused then continued on it, "but I mean I've been very suspicious of it, the crush, because I didn't realize any of it until Tonks came along."
"Worried it's just jealousy and not 'love'." She concluded.
"I mean, we're with each other everyday, we have the bathroom sharing down to a science, and sharing a bed- I didn't say that… But then Tonks comes along and 'she's taking my best friend away' issue is still a worry… Plus you know she's a lesbian." He said a little to loudly.
Buffy started to laugh. "I've missed you."
Xander gave her a hug. It lasted a minute. He pulled back to look at her face again "For the record, Buff, I still look at you that way… and that sounded like a lot more serious a come on then I intended."
She smiled. "It wouldn't be too bad if you did." She said coyly surprising him. "You miss being chased when you're not anymore."
He smiled wide and stood up. "Would you like to dance?"
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Xander woke up on a couch. It took him a few minutes to get his bearings and realize it was not his couch. He couldn't actually remember where he was and why exactly Buffy was sleeping on top of him in his arms.
'Oi, I must have drunk to much.' He thought trying to think straight. First check was that both he and Buffy were fully dressed. Good. Not that he was opposed to the idea, but didn't want it to be part of a blackout. He tried looking around without waking her up but couldn't see anything to help him. It was a small apartment and the back of the couch blocked most of the view. The was however a bunch of photo's on the coffee table.
Xander reached out his hand and whispered. A few of the pictures flew into his hand. He felt better when the picture told them that this was Tonks' place. He sent the picture back, almost missing the table, and fell back asleep.
A little while later he woke up to the smell of coffee, breakfast and Buffy's elbow in his ribs.
"Sorry." Buffy winced as she got up.
"It's alright," Xander said holding his now tender ribs. "Just avoid the eyes."
Xander sat up finally getting a better view of the apartment. Willow, Tonks and now Buffy sat around the small table halfway between what could be called the living room and the kitchen. He didn't realizes how small the apartment was until he saw that Tonk's bed was on the other side of the couch just blocked off by a sheet. He always assumed all wizards lived in luxury. He slowly stood up and waddled over.
"Coffee?" Willow asked. Xander grunted yes, he felt stiff and very hung-over. All the girls seemed way to chipper. "Looks like someone forgot to take his anti-hangover potion." Willow said, then handed him the vial. "It should work now, just not the same way."
"Thanks." He drank it down.
"Yeah that stuff really worked." Buffy said taking a big heap of omelet.
The girls talked about the night. Things that Xander didn't remember, something about karaoke and some kind a dance contest. Xander couldn't tell if it was real or they were messing with him.
Slowly Xander started to feel better and grabbed a heap of food and put it on his plate. The girls around him started to laugh, probably some inside joke about him or guys in general about eating a lot. He rolls his eyes. "It's starting...all over again."
"Hmm?" asked Willow.
"I'm out numbered." He said simply.
"Well maybe you should get a girlfriend."
"Still be out numbered, even more so. Buffy, here, needs to find herself a new boy toy...hopefully who's still alive and not evil.
"Hey!" Buffy shouts and throw a sausage link at him, it hit him in the forehead and he threw it back. Tonks lets out a big honking laugh.
"Well maybe you should start taking care of it yourself and get yourself a boyfriend." Tonks said to be playful. "Even up the numbers."
"Good idea," Xander started. "Willow, you gonna give me any of those being gay tips?"
Willow grumbled.
"I still think you'd just attract male demons." Buffy added.
"Willow keeps saying your a demon magnet." said Tonks.
"Or with your record" Willow paused, "it could be Snape."
The entire table erupted with laughter. Xander had a great time through the rest of breakfast, he liked Tonks, she was fun and interesting but still in his mind he got upset when he thought about her being with Willow. But he did notice as the breakfast went on Buffy was flirting with him.
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By the afternoon, the three were back at the school, Buffy would be leaving in the morning to go back to Italy so they were planning a slow day. They were worried when they found McGonagall waiting for them at the entrance when they returned.
"Did something happen?"
"Yes," she said hurrying them up to the headmasters office.
"It's hard to forget we only get the one night off." Buffy sighs.
"Can you tell us what's going on?" Willow asked.
"I rather not in the middle of the halls."
Without hesitation they talked into the headmasters office. Dumbledore was there as was Hagrid. Dumbledore's mood was hard to read but there was no doubt that the half-giant was crying. "We have a matter we need to acknowledge immediately. Last night-"
"Is this about that vampire thing last night?" Buffy asked, "Cause if you're looking for suspects Snape is high on my list."
"It was not Severus. However, I believe it was someone else you know." Dumbledore turned kindly to the distressed Hagrid. "Will you please enlighten them?"
Hagrid wiped is eyes with his hands and cleared his throat. "W'll it happened 'bout a week ago. I was in town at Bangles and Bolt's, to get a new singing fence for Fluffy- and this nice young lady about your age starts chatting with me nice and friendly. American too. She needed help buying a leash for her Fury Cat. W'll she invited me to tea with a few of her friends, four of them.. She told me she had friends here, you guys at the school. Said she was a watcher too and that her friends were her slayers. they proved it too, they were strong proved it to me…well they seem to know all about you…I thought they were really friends of yours-"
"They were the vampires from last night, weren't they?" Xander asked.
Hargrid continued, "I invited them to come by anytime to visit you. I didn't know they were vampyrs."
Willow, Xander and Buffy shared concerned looks. "Wait, who were the other girls?" Willow rsided he had mentioned there were five girls in all.
Hargrid thought. "I can't remember, but I know one of them. she was in some of those pictures you have, that one didn't talk much."
"Who's up there besides us?" Buffy asked her friends.
"Cordy." Willow said, "She's the only one that's still-"
"It was one of the blond girls," Hagrid added. "Bigger, kinda shy…"
"Tara?" Willow offered.
"Ye' that was it."
Willow bit her lip, not to cry or react. Xander in a gesture of support, put his hands on her shoulders. Dumbledore and Minerva could feel the pain the name caused.
Buffy stepped in, breaking the death tone. "The First is just trying to get to them." Referring to her friends. "It knew we would be able to defend against the attack and knew we find out who it was. It's all about power. The First is flaunting it.
"Then…then we must-" Minerva's voice sounded nervous.
"We do nothing." Dumbledore said firmly. "Miss Summers is very right. Nothing has changed, accept our new enemy is trying to get our attention, we just need to make sure it never falters again.
"But what should the student be told, about the vampires?"
"Exactly what they thought it was, a special demonstration by the Slayer. But we will be gathering Snape and Binns during evening meal to cast a de-invitation on any vampire that may still be invited into this school."
"Sorry." Hargid sobbed again.
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Sunday morning came too fast for Buffy and her friends. It was time for her to go back to Italy and continue to train the slayers she had there. "I'm gonna miss you guys, again." She gave them a big group hug just outside the gates of the school.
"And Xander," Buffy started, "I'm sure that thing will go away." She leans forward and gives him a kiss on the check. "And you, write me too, I hate only hearing one side of what's going on." Buffy looks at her watch and picks up the small lawn statue next to the school. "Well, I guess this is it. 5… 4….3… 2…" Buff had miss counted and started to dissolve around number two. Xander couldn't help but feel sad to let her go.
Willow and Xander start back to the castle. "What did she mean by problem?" Willow asked.
Xander stalled in speaking and was saved by the bell or in truth: Hagrid. He came running to them with what seemed like important information. "What is it?"
"I remember her name, the other one, the friendly one, 'er name was: Amy."
----End chapter 13---