Merging With Traffic
Disclaimer: All things Ats, BtVS, and Harry Potter belong to their respective owners, Joss Whedon and JK Rowling. However, the plot is mine as far as I can tell, so please ask if you want to use it.
Author's Note: I just found my little baby here in a C2 group called The Best Buffy Crossovers! Do you have any idea how good that makes a girl feel? Actually, I bet quite a few of you do. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to both the manager of the group, Victoria87, and whoever asked her to add me to the list. So, thanks!
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Cordelia sat under a tree out by the lake and watched the wind make patterns on the water. She had left the teenagers on their own after lunch, needing some time alone to contemplate the events of last night. Doyle had said they were taking her gift away, and, other than Harry, the only things she had that were worth taking were her visions. Obviously, she still had Harry, so that meant her visions were gone.
Five years ago that would have thrilled her. She would have gladly given them up if it meant she could have a normal life. Over time though, they had become as much a part of her as her blunt nature. She began to appreciate the responsibility that came with what she now called HER visions, not the visions. Began to be deeply honored that Doyle had chosen to bestow this gift upon her, this tool for saving people. She wouldn't willingly have traded her visions for anything, not even the chance to be with Angel. And now, in the blink of an eye, they were gone.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted her silent reverie. "Cordelia?" Harry said. "Sorry to interrupt, but Professor Dumbledore wants to see all of us in the Room of Requirement."
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"I assume you are all wondering why I have called you back to school a month early," Dumbledore said. "After the incident at the Ministry in June, I fear all of you will, if you have not all ready, move to the top of Voldemort's hit list."
To the Headmaster's great shock, not one of the six teenagers looked at all surprised at this very disturbing announcement. With a start he realized that they all knew this, indeed, had probably known this from the beginning, yet they had followed their friend to the Ministry anyway. He smiled fondly at them and was about to continue when Luna spoke spoke.
"I don't think one of us can say we weren't expecting to be in more danger after that night, but why is Cordelia here? She wasn't with us."
"Ms. Chase is here for several reasons, mainly because as a close associate of Harry's, she too will be in danger. Now, as to the reason you are here. I have decided that you will each take an extra defense course this year, to be taught by myself, with the occasional help of guest lecturers. We will have class every other day until school begins, then we will cut back to twice a week. This week, we learn about Boggarts, and day after tomorrow, we shall each face one."
"But sir," said Hermione, looking quite confused. "Professor Lupin all ready taught us how to fight a Boggart."
"Yes, I know, my dear," Dumbledore answered, smiling kindly. "However, such as is often the case in life, the lesson today has a hidden meaning. We are not facing the Boggarts to learn how to defeat them, but for another reason. A smart adversary, which Voldemort most certainly is, will exploit any and all weaknesses their opponent has. Every person in the world has two great weaknesses. Can anyone tell me what they are?"
After a moment, Neville volunteered, "Our greatest fear?"
"Very good. Five points to Gryffindor. We will be facing the Boggart, not to defeat IT per se, but to perhaps come a step closer to overcoming our greatest fears. Now, can anyone else tell me the other?"
"Our greatest love. Our greatest love is our greatest weakness," Cordelia whispered, staring at her lap. Then she looked up, and Dumbledore swore he saw tears reflected in her eyes. "But it's also our greatest strength."
"Precisely," Dumbledore said, after a moment. "Precisely. Everyone has something that they love. An opponent can use this against them, threaten that which they love to cripple them. However, the truly brave will use their love to give them strength. Their love is the reason they take a stand."
"V, Vol, You-Know-Who doesn't love anything though, does he?" Ginny asked, quietly.
"Yes, Ginny, he does," Dumbledore said, sadly. "Voldemort loves a great many things, none of them good. He loves power. He loves control. He loves fear. Now, that is enough for today. Tonight I would like you each to write two one foot essays. One about your greatest love, and the other about what form you think your Boggart will take. You will hand them in at the next class."
Dumbledore left first and then a few moments later everyone else filed out the door except for Hermione. She grabbed Harry by the sleeve and whispered, "I need to talk to you." She glanced at Cordelia's retreating back and added, "Alone."
Harry frowned. She had been acting strange ever since Cordelia returned from Diagon Alley and it was starting to annoy him. After all, what had his guardian ever done to her? Still, Hermione was his friend and if she wanted to talk to him, who was he to say no? So, he told the others they would meet them back in the tower and then turned back to Hermione who was now wringing her hands nervously. "What is it?"
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry. I know you love her, but I think Cordelia may be working with Voldemort!"
"WHAT?" Harry exploded. "How could you say that? Cordy has NEVER shown any sign of wanting anything but the best for me! You're just jealous because we spend so much time together!"
"Harry! How can YOU say that to ME? You know I'm not jealous. I'm only worried about you. Please, won't you at least listen to what I have to say?"
Harry narrowed his eyes. On one hand, he couldn't believe Hermione thought Cordelia was evil. On the other hand, Hermione was one of his best friends, and in the five years that he had known her, she had never once led him astray. In fact, he probably would have been dead several times over without her. "Okay. You have one minute."
"Oh, thank you Harry! Okay, so when Cordelia was telling us about what happened with the wand, I started thinking that I had heard about something like that somewhere before. So I went to the library and I checked out 'Wands Through the Ages-' "
"Wait a minute. Hermione, are you actually telling me that there is a book called 'Wands Through the Ages?' And that you've READ it?"
Hermione blushed. "Yes, but Harry, that's not the point. In the chapter about the most destructive wands in history, there was this story about a woman. In 1809, she bought a wand and tried to cast an inflation spell on her house. Something went wrong though, and the house blew up instead. She died in the explosion, and when the doctors at Saint Mungos performed an autopsy, they discovered that she wasn't human, she was demon. They theorized that when her own inborn magics were combined with that of the wand's core, the spell had too much power behind it and caused the explosion. The theory was never proven, but I think that's what happened with Cordelia. Harry, she's a demon!"
Harry couldn't help it. He burst out laughing.
"Harry! Demons are dangerous! SHE'S dangerous! It ISN'T funny!" Hermione yelled, flustered by her friends unexpected reaction.
"It is funny! Hermione, I KNOW she's a demon!"
"Excuse me? You knew? I can't believe you knew and you didn't tell anyone! Harry, how could you?"
"Look, Hermione I'll explain everything if you promise not to tell anyone, OK? Cordelia doesn't want anyone to know."
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After they left the Room of Requirement, everyone split up. Neville ran off to send an owl to his Gran about something, Luna went for a walk outside, and Ginny said she was going to visit Hagrid. Ron and Cordelia decided to head back to the common room.
"Unbelievable. I can't believe he gave us homework! It's SUMMER!" Ron moaned. Then he looked at Cordelia and grinned. "You're so lucky to be an adult. You don't have to write stupid essays."
"I'm going to do them," Cordelia said, looping her tail over her arm as she stood. "I think it's a great idea."
"You're nutters. Doing work when you don't have too."
Cordelia smiled slightly and shook her head. "When you're dealing with someone or something truly evil, there's nothing they won't do to win. Nothing. It's good to be as prepared as you possibly can, for anything. Especially when you're dealing with magic. ANYTHING can happen. Trust me."
Ron laughed. "You sound like Moody. To hear you talk you deal with evil on a daily basis."
"Um, right. Anyway, I think it's a good idea, and I'm going to do it."
Ron shook his head and smiled. "Whatever. Listen, let's get back into the common room and get this over with," he called, over his shoulder. Unfortunately, he wasn't looking where he was going, and as he rounded a corner he slammed right into something solid. Professor Snape. "Ow! Oh, um, sorry sir. Cordelia and I were just heading to the common room to work on an assignment for Professor Dumbledore."
"Perhaps next time you should look where you're going. Twenty points from Gryfinndor for carelessness."
"Twenty points!" Ron exclaimed. "That's not fair."
"Would you like to make it thirty?"
"Professor, don't you think you're being harsh? Have you never bumped into someone before. It was just an accident."
"Ah, Chase. I see you still have your tail. It's a good look for you. Goes with your horseish features," Snape said, a wicked gleam in his eye.
"My WHAT?" Cordelia's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Did you just call me a horse, you giant oil well? I mean, seriously. Have you EVER washed your hair?"
"You would do well not to speak to your betters in that way, young lady!"
"My better! You? Please."
"Cordelia," Ron whispered, nervously, eyes flicking back and forth between the imposing teacher and the increasingly incensed young woman. "Calm down. He's only trying to make you angry."
"Well, it's working!" she said. Ron forgotten in her anger, she began to stalk towards Snape, jabbing her finger at his chest, her voice getting increasingly louder. "You are NOT my better, in any way shape or form. You think you're the big scary bad, the meanest thing to ever walk the halls of high school? Well, I've got news for you buster. I'm Cordelia Chase. I've reduced nerds to tears with a LOOK! I take crap from no one. Least of all some pathetic ex-little bad of a Death Eater with who-the-hell knows how much blood on his hands!"
"If you do not desist this second I'll be forced to take drastic action. You're out of line, Chase!" Snape growled.
"Well, that's too damn bad, because I've barely gotten started! You've gotten away with a lot over the last five years, but I'm hear to tell you if you treat Harry, no, if you treat ANY of my kids, the way you've been doing again, and I find out about it, I'll have you out of hear faster than you can say 'Please forgive me, Professor Dumb Ass!' "
"I beg your pardon? You think you have that kind of power? My, your head is even bigger than it appears. Would you like to see what real power is? I can force you to relive the darkest times in your life, Chase. In fact, I think I shall, and then the next time we are forced to endure one another's company, perhaps you will remember your place. LEGILIMENS!"
Cordelia was in a dark building, up on a stage, surrounded by dead bodies and screaming people. A large vampire with a strange symbol on his head was holding her and about to bite her neck. Cordelia had burst into an abandoned warehouse with a young boy and was watching another boy with dark hair passionately kiss a redhead. She turned and ran up a flight of stairs, only to fall through them and find herself impaled on a spike. Cordelia and a tale, pale man with brown hair watched in horror as another man leapt from the balcony they were all standing on and landed on a glowing ball. His skin burned away quickly until there was nothing left. Cordelia was in a barn, barefoot; wearing a rucksack, and what looked like a metal collar. Cordelia was staring at a very blond, hugely pregnant woman, who was talking to the tale, pale man from before. Cordelia and the same man, standing in a room with an empty crib. She was crying softly and saying, "You should have called." Cordelia in bed with a boy, obviously younger than she, making love while the sky rained fire. Cordelia, letting the pale man out of a cage. Cordelia, stabbing a brunette woman through the neck with an odd knife. Cordelia, very pregnant and walking down a flight of steps. Cordelia, still pregnant, slitting the throat of a young blonde with tied hands. Cordelia kissing the tall man passionately, and then disappearing. Cordelia sitting stone-faced against the wall of the Gryffindor common room, as the man who had leapt from the balcony kissed her.
Snape held the woman in her worst memories until he was certain he had seen all there was to see, then he released her. Dumbledore had been right not to trust her. and his plan had worked brilliantly. Cordelia would be out of Hogwart's by nightfall. He smiled wickedly. "Looks as though I'm not the only one with blood on my hands, eh, Chase? Do you still think yourself better than me?" he asked softly, gleefully.
Cordelia was shaking. What in the HELL had that been? The worst moments in her entire life, and she had just relived them all. She felt as though she had been sent through a wringer. But why had it happened? Oh, my God. SNAPE! That smarmy bastard had done that on purpose!
"How dare you?" she said softly, dangerously. "You have no idea who you're dealing with. You son of a. . ." Her words trailed off as a sharp pain stabbed through her head. "Wha. . .?" she said, to herself. "I thought he took. . ."
However, Cordelia did not forget to finish her sentence before her entire head exploded in white hot pain and a series of images flashed through her head. "Aaaaaagh!" she screamed, startling both a shocked Snape and a terrified Ron.
"Aaaaagnh! Can't. Tell. Where. Need. . .clearer. Oh, no! REMUS!"
And before either of her companions could ask her what she was talking about Cordelia fell to the floor, unconcious.
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Ooh, an evil cliffhanger! I feel so Joss-like.
To Wickedmoemoe, sired-by-spike, Story book, Eternal Dragon 101, cyndur, The Lady Morgaine, The Cardboard Moon, warriorgoddesskasey, Tap Dancing Window (times 2), and rcaqua (times 2). Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. You know I love 'em. Anyway, a couple of you brought up some things that I'd like to address, so please be patient while I do that annoying take up space by responding to reviews thing.
sired-by-spike: Gaah! Dumbledore isn't supposed to be evil! He's just trying to rectify past mistakes by making sure cordy is who she says she is. Unfortunately, he's making several even bigger mistakes in the process.
Story Book: Cordelia doesn't want people to know she's part demon b/c people generally think demon evil (as evidenced by Hermione's reaction). Normally, she just set them straight in her own uniquely Cordy way, but she's got Harry to think about now. She can't risk being seperated from him.
cyndur: I would be more than happy to explain whatever it is you need explaining, if you'll just tell me what that is. Chances are though, it's something you're supposed to be confused about for now.
The Cardboard Moon: Don't worry, you're supposed to be confused :).
Tap Dancing Widow: Ooh, you're on the right track. The Buffy/Willow part is wrong, but everything else is going in the right direction. Good job. You're the only one who got anywhere close.
Now, everybody go read rcaqua's Once Upon A Time and bug her about updating.