A New Beginning – by NearlyHeadlessNic
Chapter Six --- Connections to the past.
Hermione ended up spending the whole day with Buffy, enjoying the down-to-earth female company after seven years of Harry and Ron's 'guy' talk. Buffy made Hermione feel liked and safe, unlike what she felt at Hogwarts with the constant threat of either death or uncertainty.
"So where was Harry?" Buffy asked as they walked in the late summer sun around campus, drinking their lattes.
Hermione shrugged, "I don't know,"
"That's a bit strange for friends as close knit as you two," Buffy remarked and Hermione looked at her, unsure what she meant. "Well, you two are really close, probably have known each other for a good couple of years-,"
"Seven actually," Hermione put in quickly
"Exactly," Buffy empathized, "I haven't even known Will and Xander for that long yet know that Xander is currently in his basement and Willow is at Wicker Group."
They walked a bit in silence, sipping their cardboard cups of milky coffee and enjoying the sun while it lasted in early September and treasuring their newfound friendship.
"I actually have no idea where Harry is though." Hermione said in wonderment.
"No idea at all?" Buffy asked, "You've known him for seven years and have no idea?"
Hermione just shook her head. It was true, Hermione had no idea as to where Harry was. It made it seem as if their friendship was being wasted away, as if they were drifting apart, and that was something Hermione did not want to consider.
---
Harry apparated to the countryside after leaving a well informed but hushed Ginny about his and Hermione's whereabouts uncomfortably. Harry, after failing four times, managed to scrape a pass on his apparition test, and still didn't like the lurching feeling in his abdomen as it was wrenched uneasily to another spot in the country. Harry looked up and saw the familiar uneven paving leading up to the small thatched cottage which he had gotten to know over his seventh year at Hogwarts so well. The memories still fresh in his mind as if they happened yesterday. Smiling, Harry reminisced one particular one that made him laugh so hard he pulled a stomach muscle at the time. It consisted of Hermione and Ron having an argument about Nifflers being compared to pumpkin juice.
Harry lifted his hood of his traveling cloak off his head and began to walk up the cracked stones. He lifted his hand and knocked on the door three times, distinctively.
From inside the house, Remus and Giles were having tea in the kitchen talking about a subject most peculiar, a witch and wizard hiding their magic to go to a muggle university, when the knock sounded through the hallway. Remus looked curiously at Giles, who gave the same look back. He got up and walked through to the hallway, when three distinctive knocks sounded once more.
Remus knew that knock. He had heard it so many times before but it couldn't be, could it? Remus reached out and turned the doorknob slowly, revealing a young man with unruly black hair and Remus' eyes widened with shock.
"Remus!" Harry greeted cheerfully and grinned.
"Ha-Harry?"
"Can I come in? I don't really want to be seen." Harry said quickly, stepping into the hallway.
"Err…" Remus began, "I have a friend here," He said as Harry passed him and walked into the kitchen.
"Tonks?" He asked, but stopped in the doorway looking into the kitchen, "Oh,"
Remus walked up quickly behind Harry, "Harry this is-,"
"I know," He said, cutting Remus off, "Giles, right?"
Giles nodded in response and Harry whirled round to face Remus, "Well I just called to have a chat, catch up and that. Tell you that me and Hermione are all right, but I guess you already know where I am."
Remus nodded, "Yes Harry I do. California, I have to say I admire your choice, very classy." He added.
Harry smiled, "Thanks. So how do you him?" He asked, turning round to look at the both Remus and Giles.
"If I could explain?" Giles said for the first time since Harry's arrival and taking over the conversation, "I told you that I went to Hogwarts, well I went to Hogwarts when the infamous Marauders and that's how I know Remus or Moony as they liked to call him back in the days, though we never knew why." Giles finished, laughing.
Remus joined in with a chuckle. "Yes those were the good old days." He said, mostly to himself.
Harry eyed him curiously and then turned back to Giles, "You knew the Marauders? Meaning you knew my-,"
"Dad?" Giles cut across, then slowly nodded, "Yes, I knew James, gave him and Sirius detentions every now and then for their hellish pranks."
"So you were in the same year?" Harry asked.
Remus answered this time, "No Harry, Ripper was in third year when me, your dad and Sirius began Hogwarts, and he was Head Boy when I was a prefect." He explained.
"Ripper…?"
"Old school nickname," Giles said and rolled his eyes as he took another sip of tea, "Marauders fault actually," He blamed, looking at Remus.
"Don't start blaming me!" Remus exclaimed, pointing at his chest, "You're the one who wanted to rip up The Marauder's Map!" He laughed.
Harry smiled as his eyes widened, "What? How could you?" He asked Giles, giving him an incredulous look.
"I didn't know it was a map!" Giles protested defending himself, "It was an old bit of parchment to me, and considering how you lot were hiding it, it not exactly inconspic-," He paused, looking at the faces of both Remus and Harry, then coming to the conclusion that he wasn't going to win he gave up on his argument.
"I don't mean to be unwelcome Harry," Remus began in a calm yet serious tone which he acquired whilst being a Professor at Hogwarts, "but why are you here?"
Harry thought, why was he here? He just came, on the spur of the moment and blown his hiding of being in California. He looked up at Remus, his old mentor and one of his Dad's best friends, and he was looking curiously at Harry, his amber eyes narrowed. Harry turned to Giles, a man he barely knew yet somehow trusted because if his Dad knew an trusted him, then Harry would too. He was also a Watcher, Buffy's Watcher and did research for Dumbledore, which just added to his reasons to hold confidence in this man, was looking enquiringly at him too. To answer Remus' question, Harry simply couldn't, for he did not know the answer.
"I-I don't know exactly."
Remus clapped Harry on the shoulder, "Thought so,"
---
Maggie Walsh was not all that she seemed. For many people of Sunnydale California, she was the harsh stern psychology professor in UC Sunnydale, but known to a select few she was one of the heads of the initiative, a secret government run operation to eliminate creatures that were not of the mortal world, hostel sub-terrestrials in fact.
Maggie was not happy as she sat down at her desk, a cup of coffee in her hand and a stack of her first years essay papers under her arm. They landed on the table thump as Maggie slumped into her comfortable chair and rubbed her eyes, it had been a long first week of the semester. There had been five captures of HSTs in three nights, too much work analyzing their behavior for records to do, with the addition of looking after the recruits.
She took a long sip of coffee and pulled the first paper from the top of the pile, her red pen in hand. The name read Hermione Granger and like always, Maggie tried to picture a face with the name. Of course, Hermione, the British girl who sits at the back and always sticks her hand up to answer questions. Maggie smiled inwardly as she began to read; at least her mood was lightening up.
Several hours past and a couple of more coffees were drunk and there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," She called, sitting up in her chair as the door opened to reveal one of her recruits, "Ah – Riley, I was wondering when you would come to report to me."
Riley smiled, "Yes, well here I am."
There was silence as Riley sat down on one of the chairs opposite the desk. Maggie relaxed a bit, though her insides were aching with anticipation, eagerly awaiting the report on Riley's last task.
"So?"
"Yes, well, he said no." Riley put bluntly, slightly ashamed.
"No?" Maggie asked, "Tell me Riley, did you try and persuade him?"
Riley paused and his cheeks heightened in colour, "No."
"Well, I think you should try again," Maggie commanded, "Persuade him."
Her eyes glared and her voice was stern, Riley retreated in slight fear of his boss.
"Yes, mam." Riley said and left, closing the door behind him.
Maggie sighed and got back to her marking. Her current mood was down again as she picked up her red pen and read the name on the paper. Harry Potter, the very same Harry Potter she wanted to persuade to recruit into the initiative. From seeing him in class, Maggie noticed that he was quite tall and burly looking, he also had a bit of muscle and with the right training, Maggie considered him a potentially great recruit.
---
Hermione and Buffy were sitting in room 214 of Stevenson Hall, in other words, Buffy's dorm. Drinking a can of diet coke they were chatted about their lives, Buffy seemed particularly interested in the magical world, and Hermione was welcome to quench that need.
"You mean there's a stone which makes anything gold?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, the Philosophers stone, it also produces the elixir of life, which basically makes you live forever." Hermione answered, sipping her coke, "Harry fought for it from this bad guy in our first year."
"Living forever, that's a nice guarantee." Buffy remarked, "After all, being 'the Chosen one' means I only live on average till I'm twenty five."
"You don't know -," Hermione started but there was a sounding crack that echoed through the wall.
---
After a chat with Remus, Harry left England and apparated rather uncomfortably straight back to his room and only had enough time to throw his traveling cloak off onto his bed before a knock sounded at the door.
With a quick look in the mirror to flatten his unflattable hair he rushed to the door and opened it to reveal a stern face that could beat McGonagall's. It was Hermione, obviously angered.
"And where were you this morning?"
"Out." Harry answered, walking back into his room, leaving the door open for Hermione to walk through. She took the silent offer and slammed the door behind her.
"Out?" she questioned. "What does that mean?"
Harry sighed and rolled his eyes as he sat down on his bed, "It just means out, Hermione, out."
Hermione frowned, "Harry," she began in a calmer voice, "we are in hiding and already have been found out. So I need to know where you have been." She said reasonably as she sat down next to Harry on his bed.
"I guess your right," Harry said, "I went back."
"Back?" Hermione inquired, dreading what the answer was.
"Back to England, I saw Ginny and Remus," Harry revealed, "and Ron."
Hermione sat there in disbelief. Harry went to visit Ron without her. Seems he really was the 'good' friend Hermione thought he was and their friendship was, actually, drifting.
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. Sorry this one was such a long time. Please review again!