Order of Things

Summery: It's been 5 years since Buffy Summers and co. fought the First Evil in Sunnydale. So, maybe it's high time she wound up in another adventure. But the rules have changed without her realizing it, and where once it was the slayer's job to save the world, it now falls to another. Buffy will have to find out just what her part in this apocalypse is, before it's too late. Btvs/HP

Pairings: Remus/Buffy (the only pairing going at the moment.)

Timeline: Set before the beginning (during the summer) of the 5th book for the Harry Potter universe and 5 years after the final episode of season seven for Buffy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Buffy belongs to someone other then me and even the plot of this Fic is intersected with actual dialogue and situations from the book "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." All I ask is that you don't sue me. Thank you.

Concerning the Buffy and Harry Potter Universes: Buffy is 27 years old, and Remus is (only just) 37, Sirius (who is the older of the two) is 37 as well. Buffy is spending the majority of her time in the Wizarding World, so the others (Willow, Xander, Giles, Dawn, ect.) aren't going to be around much. As for Harry, this fic takes place parallel to the fifth book, following the adventures of Remus and Buffy as they work for the order. At certain times the two 'stories' will connect and things will start sounding familiar as I start taking bits and bites out of book 5. Some things are going to change, others will stay the same. On an important note, I love Sirius Black, I love Remus Lupin, I love Buffy Summers and I love Harry Potter, these are my main characters. Lets all be clear on that from the start!  Now, finally, let's get on with the fic!

Note to my Beta Reader: I've been informed that I didn't give my 'fabulous' absolutely 'spiffing' beta reader any love. So here is her love. Kim, my sister is my beta reader. She is wonderful and I thank her very much. Even if she is an opinionated, bossy, stubborn bitca of a sister. So thanks.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 4

For a little over an hour Remus and Buffy walked in total silence. As they walked, they twisted down this street and that. Every once and a while Remus would glace in Buffy's direction but mostly his concentration seemed elsewhere.

Buffy cast a weary glance into the shadows between two houses, ever conscious that some shadows had the tendency to move, and in her line of business, bite. Unconsciously, she felt for the stake she'd stashed in the small of her back, for reassurance. While it was true that London didn't necessarily attract the same sort of heavy demonic activity that Sunnydale had in its heyday, it still got its fair share of evil, if you knew where to look. Actually, come to think about it, demon activity was up on all fronts. Usually she could go a week and only stake maybe 3 or 4 vamps, sometimes a demon or two, if she was lucky. The last week alone, though, she'd stacked up a slay-count of 16, 12 vampires and 4 demons. Of course it had struck her as odd at the time, but although it was uncommon, it wasn't really unheard of. Now though, with Lord Voldie on a rampage… Buffy would have to bring that up with Dumbledore.

When, at about ten minutes past one in the morning, Remus stopped in the middle of a residential street Buffy snapped out of her musing with a visible jolt. The street was lined by big old houses, it had the look of a place that had, perhaps, once been a wealthy neighbourhood, but had obviously fallen on hard times somewhere in the distant past. The houses were all in varying states of disrepair, and yard upkeep was obviously not high on anyone's to-do list…

"Nice place" Buffy commented dryly, Remus glanced over at her with a matching grim expression, but didn't comment.

A particular yard caught her attention and she snickered.

"The bath tub really adds a certain appeal, you know, it's classy."

Remus snorted but, again, didn't comment.

Buffy, who was used to more receptive audience, pouted.

"Okay, I'll bite…"

Remus, who looked a little flummoxed by that turn of phrase, handed her a small folded piece of paper in lue of actually answering.

"Err… thanks. You shouldn't have"

Buffy opened the paper with a suspicious glance at the grim faced Lupin, then read:

'The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve Grimmauld Place, London.'

"Ah," Buffy said, mystified. That's… intere- Holy Crap!"

Buffy jumped about 3 feet when she'd looked up and a house had suddenly popped up in front of her eyes. "That's just not normal…" Buffy uttered through her shock.

Remus chuckled in amusement, "Come," he said warmly "we can't talk here, it's not safe"

"I'm really not so sure 'safe' is in there either…"

Buffy shuddered. Okay so she had an issue with the house that spontaneously popped out of nowhere. She'd always been a little –iffy– about the whole 'magic thing,' which probably had something to do with the fact that her first encounter with a witch, her first year on the Hellmouth, she'd almost been killed by a blood stone vengeance spell.

The whole discipline, in her opinion, was fairly woolly. It was just so damn unpredictable and unnatural… Then again, who was she to talk about unnatural anyways; a magical creature given the strength and skill to hunt the Vampires and demons that threatened the humanity of earth… and of course she'd been resurrected from death twice.

She wasn't all that normal either.

But houses that disappeared?

No, not disappeared, ceased to freaking exist!

Buffy moved up the walk, for all the world acting like she was doing a death march toward certain doom. The house itself loomed largely above her; number 12 Grimmauld Place looked like one those houses that frequent horror movies -you know- the ones where all the occupants die horrible terrifying deaths.

The door swung open with a creak and a ploom of musty air. The inside of the house was, unfortunately, no better then the outside. Cobwebs hugged the corners and an old grubby chandelier hung in the entrance hall above their heads. Buffy could see that the wallpaper was peeling and the paint was cracking in several places on the walls.

Remus motioned for Buffy to remain silent and moved ahead of her deeper into the home. She moved silently after him, thinking that most the occupants of the home must have been sleeping by this time, but when they reached the kitchen Buffy was confronted by a gaggle of people of all different ages. There were quite a few redheads; an older motherly looking woman, two younger boys –who were absolutely identical- and an older man with a flushed, flustered face.

Besides the redheads, there was a woman with bright blue hair and a tall black haired man with intense grey eyes.

"Uh, hi." Buffy said uncomfortably.

"Hello dear, come in, sit down!" The older woman said kindly, "I'm Molly Weasley and this is my husband Arthur, and our children; Fred and George."

The Weasley twins both raised their hands confusingly so that Buffy couldn't tell which was George and which was Fred. Buffy sent a look of dazed confusion in Remus's direction before her attention was shifted to one of the Twins as they stepped forward.

"Blimy, you really a Slayer, then? We thought you'd be bigger or something. I'm Forge, and that's Gred. Please to meet you oh goddess of our hearts."

"Now boys! Leave her be, and for goodness sake, don't confuse the poor girl." Buffy blinked at them, stupefied, but grinned in amusement anyway.

"I think I'll just call you Tweedel-Dee and Tweedel-Dum if you don't mind."

Buffy turned to Remus, neither boy seemed to have understood the reference, but he was hiding an amused grin behind a steaming cup of coffee.

"Are you laughing at me, Mr. Lupin?" Remus shrugged noncommittally but there was a definite twinkle in his eye.

The woman with the Blue… Hot pink hair. Buffy did a double take and made a chocked sound of surprise. "Ah, how'd you…"

"I'm Tonks," the woman said with a giggle, "I'm a metamorphamagus"

"I'm sorry." Buffy said seriously.

The Black haired man chucked in a very strange, dog like, way. Buffy studied him through slitted eyes. She knew him from somewhere, that face- those eyes.

"Have we met before?" She asked cautiously. Something was screaming at the back of her mind, something telling her she should have known this mans face.

Remus made a sudden move to Buffy's side "Sirius" he warned cautiously. This was all the reminder Buffy needed. Sirius Black, escaped convict who had murdered 13 people some 14 years ago. 'Considered armed and dangerous' her subconscious reminded. Buffy pulled the stake from the small of her back and advanced on the escapee.

"Buffy wait!" Remus took hold of her arm in a light grip, both of them knowing that he could never hold her regardless, if she had wanted past him he wouldn't be able to stop her.

"Why?" She asked angrily, whiling on him. "Do you make habit of harbouring know felons often? Is it like, a hobby? Tell me why I shouldn't rip him limb from limb."

"He's human" Remus reminded her.

"He killed 13 people in cold blood! I think I can make an exception, just this once."

Remus shifted to stand in front of the Black haired man, who still hadn't said a word in his own defence. Sirius Black looked pale and drawn, with dark circles highlighting his wary, fearful eyes.

"He's innocent." Remus said firmly, his face pleading.

Buffy considered this carefully. She had some sympathy for the issue, obviously, as she'd been charged, or at least accused, of a murder or two in her time as well. And, quite honestly, Sirius wasn't striking her as the 'cold-blooded killer' type, though you never could tell for sure. But he wasn't boasting his innocence at all, just standing there, pale and quiet. Buffy looked hard into his eyes, and saw no anger or pride, just a haunted sort of guilt. With an almost imperceptible nod Buffy stepped back, tucking her stake away and out of sight again.

"Bloody Hell!"

"George!"

"Sorry mum."

It took a good five minutes to herd the gaggle of spectators out of the kitchen. The red headed twins –Fred and George- had moaned and groaned at the unfairness of it all, which had caused Buffy stifle a giggle behind a hand.

Alone at last, Buffy thought warily.

They sat around the kitchen table studying each other. Buffy stretched lazily, and let out a jaw-popping yawn. Sirius raised an eyebrow and Buffy grinned.

"It's past my bed time" She confided gravely.

Remus chuckled until Buffy turned her eyes on him.

"Something funny?" Remus smothered his grin and shook his head

"Not at all"

Buffy nodded and clapped her hands… "Okay then, explanation…. Anytime now!"

Both the men jumped to comply.

Buffy sat for a good 2 hours, silently listening to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin as they told her their story. She was regaled with a tragic tale, starting with the secret keeper debacle that was caused by, friend turned spy, Peter Pettigrew's horrifying betrayal. This had then led, not only to Blacks eventual framing, but the death of their mutual friends James and Lily Potter. They told her, in hushed tones, about the connection between the young boy Dumbledore had spoken of in the leaky Cauldron and the year old orphan the potters had left behind.

This part of their story Buffy grasped, but much of it flew over her pale blonde head. They kept throwing words like 'Animagus' and 'Fidelius' at her. And sometimes she'd figure she had them pegged, and then they'd throw in a 'Wormtail' or 'Dementor' for good measure and she'd be hopelessly lost again.

Two hours later her poor head was rested against the tabletop, aching.

"Stop," Buffy said, holding up a hand. "I believe you! There's no way you could have made this up."

Buffy gazed at the surprised men with desperation.

"My brain is going to dribble out my ears..." she complained. "I'm a helpless non witch-y sort of person... I just can't grasp the meaning of your wacky wizard words! I surrender, please."

Buffy extended her hands out to the men across the table from her, "What in the frilly heck is an Anamorphous and what does it have to do with you being demented in Alcatraz…"

For a moment there was total silence, and then a burst of laughter followed. The slayer tried to glare at the laughing wizards for a full minute before she succumbed to the helpless giggles escaping her.

"It occurs to me," Buffy said, when she could breathe again, the odd giggle still bursting out now and then. "That most of the funny is because, I'm exhausted."

Laughing, the two men each took hold of one arm and tugged her to her feet. Buffy squawked loudly in surprise before succumbing to another burst of giggles.

"Then to Bed!" Sirius declared loudly, only to be shushed by Remus a moment later.

"To bed!" Buffy repeated boldly (if softly) her brow wrinkled "I have a bed?" She asked confusedly.

"Molly made one up" the taller darker haired man informed her.

Buffy nodded thankfully "bless her"

Remus and Sirius, with Buffy squished between them, begun to make there way quietly up two flights of stairs. Outside one of the rooms Sirius pushed the door open with one foot. Buffy tried to take a step forwards but found that the two men hadn't let go as of yet.

"Good night" she said pointedly.

Remus grinned and let go, taking a step back.

"Uh… Sirius"

The wizard in question grinned wickedly down at the little slayer. "I believe a goodnight kiss is in order." He said.

Remus gaped behind them, but Buffy didn't turn to look at him.

"You wish." Buffy laughed. "Now le'go, or the only thing you'll be kissin' is your own ass goodbye." Sirius let out a loud bark like laugh but instantly let go.

"Goodnight gentlemen... good night Sirius"

And the door closed softly behind her.

Sirius Black turned to his best friend, a real smile on in lips.

"Well, I like her!"

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Note: Hey! Thanks to all the reviewers; you guys are making me totally hyper! Okay, from here on out posting is going to be slower. I hope I can do that. (I have an itchy trigger finger; if I could I'd post everything right now) I'm looking forward to talking to everyone! Oh, but before you go.

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