Title: A Kind of Magick

Author: DhampyrX2

Genre: X-over w/ Harry Potter

Series: none...yet

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe

Summary: Xander accompanied Giles and Willow to England to make sure she settled in well with the Devon coven after her Darth Willow episode, and has a chance to check in with some of his lesser discussed relations.

Timeframe: Between seasons 6 & 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Don't sue me, I'm poor.

Author's Notes: People have been wondering just where in the HP timeline this story is set. Going by things I found to match it up in a timeline at the Harry Potter Lexicon, the story is set at the end of the fifth year (mostly because the sixth book isn't being released until July, and I'm too lazy to come up with potential filler for a full year). As of right now, Draco and Hermione are 17 because they're a few months older than Ron or Harry but are still in the same year with them, Ron and Harry are 16, Ginny is 15, Dumbledore is 152 and so on and so on. Sirius Black was killed weeks ago by his cousin Bellatrix (sort of, it was more manslaughter or negligent homicide than murder from the way I read it) in the battle at the Department of Mysteries; which I'm moving from the June date it was in the books to early May for the sake of my own story. I hope that clears up a few things for temporal purists (even if the end of fifth year was supposed to be in 1996 which would make them all a year or two older than Buffy, Xander, and Willow. ' )

"...and over here we have the Great Hall where we have the major campus wide feasts, including the greeting and year end speeches to all the students," Hermione explained as she showed Xander the huge room with a tone reminiscent of a tour guide.

"You're muggle-born, aren't you?" he asked with a smile.

Hermione looked startled as she gave him a wide eyed stare and asked, "How ever did you know? I mean is it that obvious? I try hard to study well and fit in, but people like Malfoy and his cronies still pester me over it. I just never imagined..."

Xander interrupted her fretful tired with a gesture of his hand as he replied, "You sounded like a typical muggle tour guide is all. I wasn't picking on you or anything. Remember I'm here from the Watcher's Council, the 'we work to fight against demons in the non-wizarding world' Watcher's Council. I didn't mean to upset you. It was just an observation."

"Oh," Hermione responded with a little blush at how she had acted. She was all but ready to go into a tirade about bigotry and picking on 'mudbloods' before he said that. She only felt worse when he continued his thoughts.

"Besides, I'm a 'mudblood' too," Xander added with sarcastic air quotes that made Hermione giggle. "Even my cousin calls me that, but he's been raised to be a jerk by my uncle, and I know he doesn't mean to be too cruel with it. It's just the kind of crap he was force fed growing up. Your Mr. Malfoy might be in the same boat," he continued, even as he thought, or he might be the same person.

After a bit of awkward silence, Hermione asked, "Are you a Wizard then? I mean, I know you're aware of the wizarding world, obviously, but Headmaster Dumbledore never mentioned you were a wizard as well."

Xander shrugged and smiled affably as he replied, "I'm sort of a grey area. My dad was a muggle and my mom was a squib who was disowned for being such...so I wasn't too up with joining the ranks of the wizarding world. Only two of my three aunts will even acknowledge I exist, hence my knowing my cousins at all. I have a wand and I'm passingly familiar with magick in general, but I live more like a muggle than a wizard."

"That's horrible! They disowned your mum?" Hermione declared, as her eyes developed a glint that would make Harry and Ron think of her crusade to emancipate all House Elves, and reminded Xander of Willow's channeling of her mother during the Thanksgiving of her first year of college.

"It's not anything to get worked up over any more," Xander dismissed in a tone he had used most of his life to try to talk his best friend out of her crusades. "I'm comfortable where I am in life, and my mom seems satisfied with her life," he explained, even as he thought, yeah, her life at the bottom of a bottle with Dad. "I found stuff with the Watchers and the Slayer that makes me feel like I'm making a difference. As for all of this," Xander said as he moved his arms to indicate the school and the wizarding world in general, "it isn't my world. I'm happy to have it be nothing more than an archive subject. Heck, I /turned down/ a chance to come here as a kid. Still, with my coming from a Wizard's family, I was the best choice to take the tour and give my opinions of your Academy."

He had to admit, he was rather proud of how well he was hiding in plain sight with only a half-assed story from Dumbledore that was not discussed with him before hand to guide him. His mixture of truth and fiction was perfectly plausible and easy to stick to because it was mostly true. Hell, he might even take some notes down to give to Giles just to make the cover story totally true...Nah. That wasn't going to happen. Maybe an interview where someone else did the writing, though.

"Well then, let's continue the tour then, shall we?" Hermione finally asked, although it was clear she was still bothered by what the obviously nice Mr. Harris had revealed to her.

Their steps were immediately halted as a grouchy and spiteful voice called out. "Hold on there! What are you up to wanderin' around like that, Ms. Granger? And who's he? You're not supposed to be fraternizin' with strangers on campus like this during the session! I'll see you in detention for this for sure!" Argus Filch snapped irritably, his cat Mrs. Norris on his shoulder.

Xander's friendly demeanor immediately turned cold as he looked at the caretaker of Hogwarts castle. This guy reminded him way too much of a fatter, British, Snyder. His tone was clipped and professional as he replied, "Actually Headmaster Dumbledore asked Miss Granger here to show me around the school since all the staff was so busy. I would assume that meant you are busy too, unless you're a trespasser that needs reporting, mister...?"

"Trespasser?" Filch snapped angrily, which made Mrs. Norris jump down in agitation at her master's actions. "I'm Argus Filch the caretaker here. I'm not a trespasser. Who do you think you are to accuse me?"

Xander's tone was that of a man who had faced things far scarier than this little man before him (including a little man named Snyder that was his high school principal), as he coldly replied, "I'm Alexander Harris with the Watcher's Council, here to compile a report and historical archive on Hogwarts in the modern area. As I said before, your Headmaster, as in your /boss/ asked this polite and kind young lady to show me around the campus so I don't get lost. I somehow doubt that's a detentionable offense. Now, if you don't mind, you're interrupting her attempt to do as the Headmaster asked. You want to harass someone? Bother him instead."

Ironically, as Xander was dressing down her master with both words and glare, Mrs. Norris had decided she liked this human and was rubbing back and forth across his legs and purring as she clamored for attention. A fact that shocked Hermione as she thought that cursed beast liked no one but Mr. Filch.

"I will take this up with the Headmaster, and if I find out you're lying to me..." Argus threatened as he began to storm off to hide the fear that had been building in his gut in the presence of this man who was not intimidated by him in the least.

"You do that," Xander returned condescendingly in a voice that reminded Hermione a bit of Draco Malfoy of all people. His voice turned flinty as he added, "And if you groundlessly threaten me or one of these students again, I'll see to it you're fired. Spiteful trolls like you have no place in a school full of impressionable kids. And believe me; I'm speaking from personal experience."

Xander glared hatefully at Filch the whole way until he was out of sight. Once the Snyder-man was gone, he finally bothered to look down at the cat at his feet and pick her up. "Hey there kitty. Look at you, you look like that jerkweed never even feeds you," he said gently as he pet the purring cat that seemed totally different than the regular Mrs. Norris. "Ms. Granger?" he asked idly as he looked up from the cat to the stunned Hermione.

"Huh?" she asked flustered. As she realized how stupid that sounded, Hermione gave her head a little shake to clear it and clarified, "Yes, Mr. Harris? Oh, and please, call me Hermione." Any man that could glare away Filch and tame Mrs. Norris in the same breath was someone she wanted as a friend.

"Then feel free to call me Xander, Hermione" the carpenter replied easily as he continued to scratch Mrs. Norris behind her ears. "Anyway, are the kitchens near here? Because this cat looks completely starved, and I though we might get her a snack before we head out for more of the tour," he explained.

"Oh, well the kitchens are just below the Great Hall. I'm sure one of the House Elves working there would be happy to part with a bit of fish or cream for Mrs. Norris," Ms. Granger responded.

"Who?" Xander asked in confusion. When had a married woman named Norris come into the conversation?

"Mr. Filch's cat. Her name is 'Mrs. Norris'," Hermione explained with a grin.

"Weird," Xander explained with Oz-like Zen.

A couple of hours later Harry and Ron were meandering through the hall of the castle half-heartedly. Well, Harry was trying to mope over the loss of his godfather, and Ron was trying to lift his best mate's spirits and get him out of his dorm room, but the result was half hearted meandering. "I still can't believe they haven't bothered to lift your Quidditch ban yet!" Ron exclaimed hotly. "We need you out there, mate. Sodding Ferret-boy has been practicing like the Quidditch cup this year will decide the fate of the world," Ron continued in the derisive tones that always sprang up whenever he thought about the Slytherin Seeker Draco Malfoy.

Harry had had just about enough of Ron's complaining. All he wanted to do was go back to his room and lie down, and here his friend was bringing up things Harry had no way to change (rather ironically ignoring the fact the same could be said for his godfather's death that had him brooding like a large foreheaded vampire). "The ban still stands Ron. That's the end of is. Besides, we'll do alright without me. You're a great Keeper, and Ginny's a right smashing Seeker. I know you'll do well," Harry assured him.

"But it's not the same, man! You should be out there! You've been our bloody Seeker since first year. I just can't see how Headmaster Dumbledore hasn't managed to lift the ban yet," Ron replied in agitation.

"It's probably for the best, Ron. I don't feel much up to playing right now, anyway," Harry admitted morosely.

Ron looked like someone had punched him in the stomach as he commented, "Oh god, I'm sorry Harry. Here I am rambling on like this and I didn't even think about how you must be feeling. I'm a right royal arse, aren't I?" the redhead asked rhetorically.

Any reply Harry might have made to confirm or deny that rhetorical question died on his lips as the pair walked past the Library doors and saw Hermione in there. Now seeing Hermione in the library was no shock to anyone. The fact she was talking to a young man in his early twenties and laughing happily at some joke he had made, however, was. She just wasn't the type to cause such a disturbance outside of the library, and she usually reserved her joviality for when she was with Ron and Harry.

"Who's that 'Mione is talking to?" Ron asked with more urgency than was really needed.

"I don't know. I've never seen him before. Judging by his robes, though, he's not a student. Maybe he's going to be a new teacher next term. We're going to need a new DADA and a new Muggle Studies professor," Harry suggested reasonably as he saw the pair walk further into the library after a small conversation with Mz. Pince, the librarian. A conversation that had the old vulture like woman smiling and blushing at something the mystery man said. It was clear to Harry Hermione was giving the man some kind of guided tour.

Ron's eyes and mind were nowhere near as clear as he darkly muttered, "That guy seems to be getting a little too friendly with Hermione. And he's way too young to be a teacher! I mean look at him, he can't be more than a few years older than she is."

Harry fought and failed to keep his eyes from rolling as he reminded Ron, "Professor Snape had only been out of Hogwarts for less than five years before he began teaching here from what Hermione told us after reading Hogwarts: A History."

"What has that greasy git got to do with anything?" Ron asked as he missed the point entirely in favor of glaring at Xander from the doorway.

"It points out that the man isn't too old to be a teacher," Harry explained.

"Yeah, well, until I know who this wanker is, I'm not assuming anything," Ron declared in an uncertain tone of voice.

"God you're paranoid," Harry muttered as he shook his head in mock dismay.

"Who's the redhead in the Gryffindor at the doorway trying to glare me into spontaneously combusting anyway, 'Mione?" Xander asked idly as Hermione pointed out some of the hest part of the library, in her humble opinion.

Hermione looked over her shoulder at Harry and Ron, whom she smiled and waved to. Harry waved back, even as Ron blushed and dragged him off down the corridor. "That's Ron, my fellow prefect. He gets a bit...overprotective of me. And that was our friend Harry with him that waved to us." she explained with a roll of her eyes at Ron's actions.

"Ah, teenage angst at the thought I'm trying to steal away his girl. I understand completely. I never thought I'd be the target of it, but I understand it," Xander replied knowingly as he remembered his dark thoughts about Wesley even after he and Cordy had broken up.

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing like that! Ron and I are, I mean we aren't, I mean it's just that it's..." Hermione began to protest with a growing ," Xander finished with a fond grin. "I understand how that is all over. Teenage life is full of stuff like that. Of course my teenage life was also full of demons trying to eat me, so maybe my perspective is skewed," he joked with a wink.

Hermione laughed at his quip even as she watched him with the rapt attention reserved for teachers as she asked, "So you've really met three different Slayers personally?"

"Yep. I was kind of a helper to the Watcher for two of the three. And by helper I mean I kept getting myself involved in the fight after I lost one of my best buds to vampires the week the first Slayer I met, Buffy, enrolled in my high school. It became a case of let me help research, and keep an eye on me, or have me get turned or killed patrolling alone. I also met Buffy's successor Kendra twice when she came to join our merry band due to prophesy, and the last Slayer came to us after her Watcher was killed by a master vampire named Kakistos," Xander recounted, as his eyes grew darker from the associated memories attached to the life and three deaths (two of which were Buffy's) of each Slayer. The memories associated to his perceived failure to help Faith back from the brink weren't fondly remembered, either.

Hermione saw her guest's demeanor begin to fall, and assumed she knew why. After all, to meet three different Slayers meant you knew two who had died. That couldn't be pleasant for the young Watcher to deal with. "It must have been hard to deal with such things. Doubly so without magick," Hermione commented respectfully.

Xander seemed to shake the memories off physically at her words. With most outsiders, he would have considered Hermione's obvious sympathy as a form of pity and been resentful of it. But somehow, this girl was just too Willow-like to get mad at. So instead of anger, he smiled wanly as he replied, "I learned to roll with the punches. The Slayers I've worked with have got at least four confirmed dead master vamps(Darla, the Master, Kakistos, Mr. Trick), a Hellgoddess, the Judge, a demon ascended mage, and a damned government funded Frankenstein demon cyborg all bagged and tagged that say we've been doing something right helping them."

"It is an impressive list," Hermione agreed.

After a bit of a pause to lighten the mood, Xander smiled and asked, "So where to next?"

Hermione's answer was cut off as another voice interjected, "The dungeon areas and potions room will suffice."

"Professor Snape, good to see you again," Xander responded amicably with a little wave.

"Indeed," Shape intoned coolly as he looked down his nose at the pair before him. "Headmaster Dumbledore noted that Miss Granger has Transfiguration lessons in twenty minutes, and asked if I would continue your tour, Watcher Harris."

"Sounds fun," Xander responded with a friendly air that seemed an anathema to Snape's cool detachment.

"Fun. Yes, I'm sure it will be," Snape replied in a tone that made the word fun seem like the vilest of curses. His disgust only mounted as he ground out, "I've also been...asked...to award fifty points to Gryffindor in recognition of your assistance Miss Granger. I suggest you make it to class soon before I'm inclined to remove them."

"Yes Professor Snape. Bye Xander, it was nice talking to you. Maybe I'll see you around campus as you do your research," Hermione said as she made her way out to head quickly toward her transfiguration class. Just wait until she told Ron and Harry that Snape was forced to give them fifty points! Oh how she wished she had something to capture the look on his face as he announced that!

"Well, then shall we head to the dungeons? I'm certain all you need to know about the noble tradition of the Slytherin house and our potions department will be something you will want to add to whatever Gryffindor propaganda Miss Granger fed you," Snape sneered.

"Lead the way, Gunga Din," Xander shot back cheekily as he gestured graciously toward the door to the library.

Snape stalked off muttering darkly to himself with Xander in tow. Irma Pince made certain they were both well out of earshot before her normally quiet library was filled with her chuckles. She had never seen anyone goad the Potions Master like that other than Dumbledore and McGonagall, both of whom had taught Severus at Hogwarts when he was a student. It was refreshing to see the nice young man wasn't intimidated or put off by Snape's brooding manner.

END PART 7