Chapter Four

The Tour

Before the group stood a huge castle. It seemed to go on forever. Some of it looked newer then others, and some parts looked like it had been built in different time periods. All Buffy could see was wall after wall and window after window. The castle seemed to have a thousand or more turrets pointing towards the starlit sky. Candles lit every single window.

The grounds seemed to stretch on forever also, as far as the eye could see, there were fields of green and forest.

"You'll see it better come morning," said Hagrid in a cheery tone of voice. "I'll give you a tour of the grounds myself - some of you anyway! I'll show you the quidditch pitch and everything!"

Buffy didn't even ask what Quidditch was. She was too stunned to speak anyway.

"We'd better get you inside now," said Minerva. "Professor Dumbledore and the other teachers are waiting. He wants to have a few words with you before the tour of the castle begins".

They all walked up the wide stone steps that led into the castle, a nervous but excited chatter had started up. Wesley and Giles were having quiet words, Dawn was talking a mile a minute with the Halliwells, who were listening to her stories of the Hellmouth with kind patience. Cordelia was talking to Willow and trying hard to ignore Xander, which left her and Angel in an awkward silence at the back of the group.

She could see him scanning the area behind them, before realising that she herself was doing the exact same thing. Bad habit Buffy, she scolded herself. Relax and have some fun before the real work starts. After all you've been through, you deserve it.

"I feel like I'm on my first school trip or something," she murmured to Angel, who smiled and nodded.

"I know," he agreed. "Excited and nervous all at once?"

Professor Mcgonagall led the way into the great hall. It was huge. At the back was a long table with chairs around it. The rest of the hall had long tables - she assumed these were meant for the children.

The table at the back had various people sitting around it. Buffy knew instantly they were teachers. When she looked up at the ceiling as she walked, she had a shock. It was obviously enchanted. It had silver sparkling stars scattered across it and in one corner was a crescent moon, just like outside. Golden candles seemed to hang in the air above their heads, lighting their way.

The entire group came to a halt and became quiet out of respect. A man who was seated at the middle of the table rose in greeting.

"Welcome," he said with a kind smile. "I am Albus Dumbledore. Please, be seated and then I will introduce everyone". The group obliged.

"And this is professor Snape," he finished. Snape turned and smiled coldly at them. Buffy could tell straight away they weren't going to get on.

"I believe I have met some of your party before," said Snape. "Mr Giles and Mr Price have been in our world before now. Illegally, may I add. They should have been immediately sent to Askaban!"

"Come now Snape. I told you that was an accident and they were no ordinary people, by any means. And we need all the help we can get. Now, shall we begin the tour?" said Dumbledore.

He took them all through the castle and soon Buffy was utterly speechless. She walked by Willow's side, pointing out things to her best friend as if she were a kid.

She gasped when they walked on the moving stairs and nearly jumped when they passed a moving picture on the wall. She was astonished to learn that you needed passwords to get into the common rooms and that each house had a different password each term.

They were shown all the classrooms and she shivered slightly when they went down to the dungeons to see where Snape taught potions. How anyone could concentrate down here was beyond her, what with the chill and the sounds of rats and dripping water.

By the time they came back to the great hall, Buffy felt as if she had walked several hundred miles. When they all sat down, she was about to ask for a drink, when Dumbledore waved a wand over the table and plates filled with beautiful dinners and cups of ice cold drinks appeared before them.

"Nothing like a bit of magic!" said Cordelia.

"Yeah, where'd you learn to do that? We're witches and even we can't do that!" said Phoebe.

"It'd make things easier at home," agreed Buffy, helping herself.

Dumbledore let out a laugh and the feast began.

After their delicious meal, Buffy and the others were shown to their rooms.

Thank god, she thought. If I have to do anymore walking, I'd collapse!

"Night," she called as they went their separate ways. She was sharing a room with her sister and Willow for the moment, but Dawn would soon be enrolling as a student.

As soon as Buffy's head hit the pillow, her eyes closed.

She was having a strange dream. She was running through trees. A forest it looked like. But then everything seemed to blur together and all she saw was shadow. The sounds of the night surrounded her and she felt terrified. Something is coming, said a voice in her head. Something you will not be able to stop. Be warned and be careful. Time is running out. The voice was a whisper. It sounded childlike, but she couldn't tell if it was male or female. Let me out, she screamed. Everything seemed to be spinning around her. Her screams…and those of her friends were echoing in her head.

Buffy sat up and looked wildly around her, afraid to go back to sleep.