Disclaimer: I am not Joss, nor am I J.K. Rowlings.
Author's Note: Sorry that it took so long to update!!!
Chapter 13
Flashback
"You need to tell her about the school, Joyce. She isn't normal!" Hank shouted at his wife, wondering why he had married her, when she was a witch. "She needs to be somewhere where they know how to deal with someone like her."
"Like what?" Joyce asked, rage in her voice, she knew that Hank resented her being a witch, but she had hoped that, that would change when Buffy was born. "She's a witch! She doesn't have some contagious disease."
"She needs to leave!"
"Fine, we'll leave!" Joyce shouted, running to her rooms and beginning to back her belongings.
End flashback
"No, Dad!" she shouted out in her sleep, causing Oliver and Snape to jump. "I'm sorry! I won't do anymore magic. Don't send me and mommy away!" Snape growled, cursing the man that had raised her. Snape had just assumed that she hadn't been born with magical abilities and from the sounds of it, she stopped at such a young age that she didn't remember having them. He wondered briefly if she had ever gotten something that she had wished for and without realizing it used magic.
Flashback
"It states clearly." Giles said, "When Buffy goes to face the Master, she will die!" hearing hysterical laughter they turned around to look at Buffy.
End flashback
"Does it say how I'm gonna die?" she asked, voice full of tears. "Will it hurt? Were you going to tell me?" Snape and Oliver looked at each other, hearing from Buffy was different than listening to her relive the memory.
Flashback
"The tricky things about prophecies is that they only let you in on a little of it." the Master told her, "If you hadn't come down, I wouldn't rise, because I need your blood to rise." he grabbed Buffy by the neck, lowering his head and biting into her skin, drawing in her blood. When she was nearly drained he dropped her body, letting her fall into a pool, "nice dress."
Xander and Angel ran into the room, right after he left.
"She's not breathing." Angel said.
"We can give her CPR." Xander replied, his heart breaking for his friend.
"You're going to have to, I don't have a breath." Angel replied and Xander did, bringing her back.
"Buff you okay?"
End Flashback
"Ya." she murmured, "In fact I feel great. Let's go. Oh look a bad guy. Angel you might want to put on your gameface." Snape and Oliver raised their eyebrows at the mention of Angel, Buffy's ex, and Snape knew the Scourge of Europe.
"It's not your's yet." she said and then paused as though hearing something. "I may be dead, but at least I'm still pretty, which is more than I can say for you." Snape and Oliver looked at each other, they had just assumed that Buffy had won in the cave, but she had just admitted that she had died!
Flashback
"You're going to Hell!"
"Save me a seat." they began to fight in earnest as Acathla began to open his mouth, Angelus soon gaining the upper hand.
"Take away your friends and family and what's left?"
End Flashback
"Me!" she replied. Her body moving slightly as though she was locked in an intense battle.
Flashback
"Buffy?" Angel asked, confusion marring his eyes. "I don't remember anything, it's all so muddled."
End Flashback
"Shh." she whispered, "It's okay. Angel, I love you. Close your eyes." tears began to leak from Buffy's eyes as she relieved her lover dying by her hand. Gasping for breath, her eyes popped open and she looked frantically around, her body tense and ready to fight.
"Shh." Snape said, gathering his daughter close, "It's okay." He soothed his daughter as best he could, finally looking at Oliver and asking him to get Giles. Oliver took one last look at Buffy, before running out of the room and going to find Giles.
"Sorry, I cried all over you." she said, still sniffling. She could hear his muffled chuckle and she looked at him.
"I'll dry." he replied, "are you okay?" Buffy nodded, before burrowing back into his neck, hugging him tighter, careful not to use her full slayer strength. Snape sighed, hugging her back and thanking whoever sent her to him.
"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed, rushing her friend's bed, enveloping her in a hug, as soon as Snape had let her go. "Don't ever do that again!" she chastised, she wasn't sure that she would have been able to go on without her best friend.
"Your awake." was Oz's response, sending the slayer a smile. Giles shifted from foot to foot, before enveloping Buffy in a hug.
"Do I get a cookie?" she whispered to him as she hugged him back. Giles gave a snort of laughter and hugged her tighter.
"Always, dear girl." he promised, tears filling his eyes, he didn't want to let go of her, but realized that he would have to. Reluctantly, he let go of Buffy and took his place beside the bed.
"So, when can I leave?" she asked and everyone laughed.
"Not for a week." Madame Pompfrey said, then looked at Harry, "you either." she didn't get an argument out Harry, but Buffy put up a fight.
"No." she said stubbornly, "I'll stay the night, but that's it." she looked at Giles, "Tell her I'm the slayer and I'll heal all nice and fine within a couple of hours." Giles looked at his slayer and then at her father, who was glowering at them.
"Buffy, I think.."
"No!" she shouted, "I won't stay here!" she jumped out of the bed and ran across the room, "no, you can't make me." she backed herself in the corner, letting the slayer come to the forefront. Giles and the Scoobies took a step back, instantly realizing that, that wasn't Buffy.
The slayer eyed them as a threat, looking them over to find a weakness. Knowing that their magic wouldn't work on her, the slayer took off, navigating without bothering to look up.
"Well, that was new." Giles said, taking his glasses off and cleaning them.
The slayer stood outside of the Gryffindor Tower, when she felt something land behind her. Whirling around, she was ready for a strike, stopping immediately when she heard Buffy protest she let Buffy take control again.
"Anlon." Buffy said, running up and hugging her friend, she could feel his confusion.
"Buffy." he replied, "I thought you were in the hospital wing."
"They let me go." Buffy fibbed.
"Buffy, why would they just let you go?" he was confused, he realized that infused with the slayer allowed her to hell faster, but he was sure that a slayer had never healed that fast before, maybe the key abilities had fused with the slayer.
"I'm okay, Anlon, I just wanna rest." she assured him, hugging him, before looking back at Gryffindor tower and concentrating on Oliver, with a small pop, she joined him in his room.
"Buffy!" he exclaimed, glad that he hadn't gotten ready to go to bed and was still in his robes and everything. "What are you doing out of the medical wing?" Buffy looked sheepish and Oliver realized that she hadn't been let go, but had just left. "You didn't?" he asked, slightly frustrated.
"I wouldn't stay." she replied, "I don't like hospitals and they wanted to keep me for a week!" Oliver sighed, he was unsure why the slayer had come to him, but he wasn't complaining. Patting the bed, he motioned for her to join him, she did so immediately.
Buffy smiled when she realized that he wasn't going to try to send her back to the medical wing, it had been a risk, but she figured that he wouldn't. Snuggling up next to him, she placed her head on his chest and let the sound of his heart lull her to sleep.
Oliver smiled down at the small blonde sleeping on his chest and pulled the blanket over them. Wrapping his arms around her tiny form, he settled back to go to sleep, when he heard a knock on the door.
"Oliver!" he heard Oz on the other side of the door and sighed, "Buffy is missing."
"Come in." Oliver said back and knew that Oz's wolf hearing would pick it up. Opening the door, Oz took a deep breath, laying on Oliver's chest was Buffy.
"Never mind." he said, "She's been found." Oz turned around and went right back out the door, quickly locating Snape and Giles.
"Were is he?" Snape asked, annoyed that the boy wouldn't help look for Buffy.
"He's got his arms full." Oz replied and Giles looked at the usually quiet boy, reading into what hadn't been said.
"She's with him?" Giles asked and Snape looked at Oz.
"Yea, she's asleep." he replied, "She seemed pretty peaceful, too." Giles and Snape looked at each other, they wanted nothing more than to run up the stairs and rip Buffy out of Oliver's hands, but they both knew that the slayer would just run.
"Tea?" Giles asked, Snape nodded and followed Giles to his rooms.
Next Morning
Buffy yawned, stretching she winced when her sore muscles complained. She realized a couple of things as sleep left her mind, she was completly healed and she was laying on top of a warm body. Smiling, she leaned up on her elbows and looked at Oliver, he was cute while sleeping. Who was she kidding? He was cute when he was awake, too. She blushed slightly, before feeling guilty. She had just lost Angel and she was already starting to like Oliver, pausing she realized that she already liked Oliver and could very well be on her way to loving him.
Oliver traced her face, gently with his hand as he gazed up at her. He realized that she had been lost in thought and didn't want to startle her, in fear of getting hit by the slayer.
"What are you thinking?" he asked, smiling when she leaned into his touch.
"No where." she replied, she could hear people beginning to stir and gazed at Oliver, "I really need to go." Oliver looked at her and began to lean up, Buffy leaned down.
"Is it safe for me to come in?" Oz asked and the two jumped apart, blushing furiously. Taking one last look at Oliver, Buffy apparented to her room.
"You're back!" Willow said and Buffy was immediately gulfed in a hug. "We were so worried." she stepped back and looked at the slayer, realizing that Buffy was completely healed. "How did you heal so fast?"
"Dunno." Buffy replied, grabbing her stuff and heading off to the showers, not wanting to talk about her healing abilities. She showered quickly and headed off to the dining hall.
"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, when the slayer walked into the room. "Medical room." she replied, moving over so that Oliver could sit next to her. "So, what's going on?" Before anyone could answer, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.
"Despite the dementor's at yesterdays game, Gryffindor won the game." he said and the Gryffindor table cheered, Dumbledore raised his hand and they immediately quieted down. "Dementor's will be patrolling after dark, the Ministry seems to think it will help. We will be steeping up DADA with an extra class, lead by Miss Buffy Snape." Buffy looked up in alarm, "She will be teaching wandless defense, along with Miss Willow Rosenberg. Together they will teach you how to defend yourself without magic and without your wand, using magic." Dumbledore sat down and food immediately appeared in front of them.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked, looking at Willow and Buffy. Willow was still in shock, so she was unable to respond.
"We didn't know." Buffy told her, looking at Dumbledore and wondering what he was thinking. Buffy stewed over what Dumbledore could possibly be thinking in wanting Buffy and Willow to teach. Before they knew it breakfast was over and Dumbledore was pulling them aside to talk to them.
Dumbledore's Office
"So," Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his eyes, "what do you think of our new class?"
"Are you crazy?" Buffy asked, "you're going to trust me to teach students?"
"Why not?" Dumbledore asked, "You are both students, they will listen to you better than listening to me. You are both qualified for it, and it will help them." Willow and Buffy nodded at his statements, they knew that they would help, so they turned to go.
"Buffy, if you could stay for a moment." Dumbledore waited until Willow left before looking at Buffy.
"What's the sitch?" she asked and his eyes twinkled, this girl had so much life in her.
"I wanted to talk to you about the dementor's." he said carefully and Buffy tensed, "They are attracted to you, because of everything that you have seen in your life. I want you and Harry to take a class with Professor Lupin about a way to get rid of dementors."
"Sure." Buffy said quickly, "I wanted to ask you about my healing."
"Yes? What about it?"
"I have always healed fast, but now that I am off the Hellmouth, I seem to be healing faster." Buffy stuttered out, unsure of what his answer would be. "Well, as far as I can figure, the Hellmouth distorts the natural magic, so while you were on the Hellmouth, your slayer powers healed you, while your magic was dormant."
"Oh." Buffy said, she wasn't really sure what had been said to her, but she was sure Giles would translate for her. "Thanks." she got up to leave and was stopped by Dumbledore.
"I would like it if you took the day off and just rested. I heard about your excursion from the medical wing and I know that you stayed in Oliver's room, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that in the future."
"Sorry, sir." she said, ducking her head and blushing, quickly turning and leaving the room.
Buffy wandered the halls of the school, thinking of what had been said and what had happened in her dreams induced by the dementor. Making her way to the library, she started searching through the books for information about the key.
"This is the last place I thought I would find you." Giles said, making Buffy jump.
"Hey." she said, she had been in the library for over five hours and all that she could find on the Key was that Glorificus was after it in an attempt to go home. "What's up?"
"Haven't seen you all day and thought I would check up on you."
"I'm good." she said, "Dumbledore gave me the day off."
"So you thought you would spend it researching, what exactly?" he asked, indicating all the books in front of her.
"Me." she said and he looked at her. "Anlon told me that I was the key and I wanted to see what it was. All that I have found so far is that Glorificus wants the key to return to her dimension, having been banished from it." Giles looked at her, before silently going to the restricted section and pulling a couple of volumes out. Taking one, he handed another to Buffy.
"Where have you been? You've missed all of your classes." Willow said taking a seat next to Buffy in the library.
"Here." was Buffy's reply, before handing Willow a book. "We are looking for information on the key." Willow nodded and began to search through, filling Oz in when he joined the group and then later Oliver and Snape.
"I've found something." Willow yelled out, immediately shushed by the librain.
"Since when do you have to be quiet in a library?" Buffy asked.
"Since forever." Giles said and they laughed at the slayer's outraged expression. "Willow?"
"Yes?" she asked and then realized what he wanted. "Oh! It says that Glorificus was a hell goddess, who ruled with two other gods. They were all brutal, but she was the most brutal and the other gods fearing that she would take over, banished her from the realm and into a mortal body, so that when the vessel died, so would Glorificus." Willow said.
"What does that have to do with the key?"
"In order for her to return to her world she needs the key."
"We already knew that, Wills." Buffy said, getting up and pacing around the table.
"She needs to preform a ritual on a given day and the key will open the portal."
"So, what wrong with that?" Oliver asked and Oz shook his head, that was just something that you never asked.
"The portal will tear the walls of the dimension making them bleed into one another." Giles guessed and Willow nodded.
"Alright, the key is human," Snape said, looking at Buffy, "So what happens to her?"
"Glorificus would need to bleed her." Willow said and looked at Buffy, "it will only stop when the blood stops flowing." Buffy sat down in shock, looking around the table.
"What! It's not good enough that I'm the slayer?" she asked, rage in her voice, "But now this! What the hell did I ever do to deserve this?" she left the room and ran to Giles' room, where they had set up her training equipment, beginning to wail on it.
"Is that going to help?" Snape asked, carefully entering the room and taking in her flawless performance as she beat up the punching bag.
"No," she replied stopping to look at her father, "But it will make me feel better." When she didn't start hitting the bag again, Snape stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She turned into his embracing, throwing her arms around him and crying into his neck.
"I don't want to die." she said, having a flash of deja vu. Snape hugged her harder, not wanting to lose her either.
"I won't let you." he said, "I don't wanna lose you either." Snape held her as she cried, drying her tears and looking at her, "you ready to go face them?"
"Ya." she said and then looked at him, "Thank you." "For what?"
"Being a father." she replied, turning around and leaving the room. Snape followed her, confused at her statement and then remembered the "father" she had grown up with and growled at the thought. Maybe he could find Hank Summers and..
"Buffy!" Willow, Giles, and Oliver yelled at the same time. "Are you okay?" they all began to laugh, realizing that they had, indeed, spent many years together and where beginning to think alike.
"I'm good." she said, facing her demons and her second death looming on the horizon made her realize that she needed to have all of her friends here. "Thanks guys." she said, hugging everyone. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna turn in for the night." everyone nodded and said their goodnights. Buffy walked back to the girl's section of the tower, pulling out a pen and parchment.
Dear Xander,
Hey, how's it going? There is a couple of things that I wanted to get off of my chest. First I wanted to tell you that I sent Angel to Hell, not Angelus, my Angel. I had to thrust a sword into his gut and watch him get sucked into a portal to Hell. I spent weeks on my own, fighting my nightmares night after night, until Dumbledore came along. He offered me a chance to change my life and to help me overcome everything. I took that chance, I thought of you guys every day when I came to Hogwart's, and I couldn't think of writing to you guys, because it was still fresh.
A part of me will always love Angel, there is a part that will always be reserved only for him. A place that no one else could touch, but him. Oliver makes me forget, for the time that I am with him, my pain and everything, he makes me feel like a real girl. Not the slayer, not some freak, a girl.
It hurts that my friend can't understand that, but that's okay, because I will always love you. I forgive you and I have to ask for your apology. I was angry at you and I didn't want to talk to you and I was lashing out. Forgive me? I need my Xander shaped friend, here at Hogwart's with me.
Please think about it and write back to me. Willow misses you and I miss you.
Love always,
Buffy
Buffy went directly to the owerly and attached a message to his leg, watching the owl fly off and feeling lighter than she ever had. Going back to her room, she feel into a deep and peaceful sleep.
Author's Note: Sorry that it took so long to update!!!
Chapter 13
Flashback
"You need to tell her about the school, Joyce. She isn't normal!" Hank shouted at his wife, wondering why he had married her, when she was a witch. "She needs to be somewhere where they know how to deal with someone like her."
"Like what?" Joyce asked, rage in her voice, she knew that Hank resented her being a witch, but she had hoped that, that would change when Buffy was born. "She's a witch! She doesn't have some contagious disease."
"She needs to leave!"
"Fine, we'll leave!" Joyce shouted, running to her rooms and beginning to back her belongings.
End flashback
"No, Dad!" she shouted out in her sleep, causing Oliver and Snape to jump. "I'm sorry! I won't do anymore magic. Don't send me and mommy away!" Snape growled, cursing the man that had raised her. Snape had just assumed that she hadn't been born with magical abilities and from the sounds of it, she stopped at such a young age that she didn't remember having them. He wondered briefly if she had ever gotten something that she had wished for and without realizing it used magic.
Flashback
"It states clearly." Giles said, "When Buffy goes to face the Master, she will die!" hearing hysterical laughter they turned around to look at Buffy.
End flashback
"Does it say how I'm gonna die?" she asked, voice full of tears. "Will it hurt? Were you going to tell me?" Snape and Oliver looked at each other, hearing from Buffy was different than listening to her relive the memory.
Flashback
"The tricky things about prophecies is that they only let you in on a little of it." the Master told her, "If you hadn't come down, I wouldn't rise, because I need your blood to rise." he grabbed Buffy by the neck, lowering his head and biting into her skin, drawing in her blood. When she was nearly drained he dropped her body, letting her fall into a pool, "nice dress."
Xander and Angel ran into the room, right after he left.
"She's not breathing." Angel said.
"We can give her CPR." Xander replied, his heart breaking for his friend.
"You're going to have to, I don't have a breath." Angel replied and Xander did, bringing her back.
"Buff you okay?"
End Flashback
"Ya." she murmured, "In fact I feel great. Let's go. Oh look a bad guy. Angel you might want to put on your gameface." Snape and Oliver raised their eyebrows at the mention of Angel, Buffy's ex, and Snape knew the Scourge of Europe.
"It's not your's yet." she said and then paused as though hearing something. "I may be dead, but at least I'm still pretty, which is more than I can say for you." Snape and Oliver looked at each other, they had just assumed that Buffy had won in the cave, but she had just admitted that she had died!
Flashback
"You're going to Hell!"
"Save me a seat." they began to fight in earnest as Acathla began to open his mouth, Angelus soon gaining the upper hand.
"Take away your friends and family and what's left?"
End Flashback
"Me!" she replied. Her body moving slightly as though she was locked in an intense battle.
Flashback
"Buffy?" Angel asked, confusion marring his eyes. "I don't remember anything, it's all so muddled."
End Flashback
"Shh." she whispered, "It's okay. Angel, I love you. Close your eyes." tears began to leak from Buffy's eyes as she relieved her lover dying by her hand. Gasping for breath, her eyes popped open and she looked frantically around, her body tense and ready to fight.
"Shh." Snape said, gathering his daughter close, "It's okay." He soothed his daughter as best he could, finally looking at Oliver and asking him to get Giles. Oliver took one last look at Buffy, before running out of the room and going to find Giles.
"Sorry, I cried all over you." she said, still sniffling. She could hear his muffled chuckle and she looked at him.
"I'll dry." he replied, "are you okay?" Buffy nodded, before burrowing back into his neck, hugging him tighter, careful not to use her full slayer strength. Snape sighed, hugging her back and thanking whoever sent her to him.
"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed, rushing her friend's bed, enveloping her in a hug, as soon as Snape had let her go. "Don't ever do that again!" she chastised, she wasn't sure that she would have been able to go on without her best friend.
"Your awake." was Oz's response, sending the slayer a smile. Giles shifted from foot to foot, before enveloping Buffy in a hug.
"Do I get a cookie?" she whispered to him as she hugged him back. Giles gave a snort of laughter and hugged her tighter.
"Always, dear girl." he promised, tears filling his eyes, he didn't want to let go of her, but realized that he would have to. Reluctantly, he let go of Buffy and took his place beside the bed.
"So, when can I leave?" she asked and everyone laughed.
"Not for a week." Madame Pompfrey said, then looked at Harry, "you either." she didn't get an argument out Harry, but Buffy put up a fight.
"No." she said stubbornly, "I'll stay the night, but that's it." she looked at Giles, "Tell her I'm the slayer and I'll heal all nice and fine within a couple of hours." Giles looked at his slayer and then at her father, who was glowering at them.
"Buffy, I think.."
"No!" she shouted, "I won't stay here!" she jumped out of the bed and ran across the room, "no, you can't make me." she backed herself in the corner, letting the slayer come to the forefront. Giles and the Scoobies took a step back, instantly realizing that, that wasn't Buffy.
The slayer eyed them as a threat, looking them over to find a weakness. Knowing that their magic wouldn't work on her, the slayer took off, navigating without bothering to look up.
"Well, that was new." Giles said, taking his glasses off and cleaning them.
The slayer stood outside of the Gryffindor Tower, when she felt something land behind her. Whirling around, she was ready for a strike, stopping immediately when she heard Buffy protest she let Buffy take control again.
"Anlon." Buffy said, running up and hugging her friend, she could feel his confusion.
"Buffy." he replied, "I thought you were in the hospital wing."
"They let me go." Buffy fibbed.
"Buffy, why would they just let you go?" he was confused, he realized that infused with the slayer allowed her to hell faster, but he was sure that a slayer had never healed that fast before, maybe the key abilities had fused with the slayer.
"I'm okay, Anlon, I just wanna rest." she assured him, hugging him, before looking back at Gryffindor tower and concentrating on Oliver, with a small pop, she joined him in his room.
"Buffy!" he exclaimed, glad that he hadn't gotten ready to go to bed and was still in his robes and everything. "What are you doing out of the medical wing?" Buffy looked sheepish and Oliver realized that she hadn't been let go, but had just left. "You didn't?" he asked, slightly frustrated.
"I wouldn't stay." she replied, "I don't like hospitals and they wanted to keep me for a week!" Oliver sighed, he was unsure why the slayer had come to him, but he wasn't complaining. Patting the bed, he motioned for her to join him, she did so immediately.
Buffy smiled when she realized that he wasn't going to try to send her back to the medical wing, it had been a risk, but she figured that he wouldn't. Snuggling up next to him, she placed her head on his chest and let the sound of his heart lull her to sleep.
Oliver smiled down at the small blonde sleeping on his chest and pulled the blanket over them. Wrapping his arms around her tiny form, he settled back to go to sleep, when he heard a knock on the door.
"Oliver!" he heard Oz on the other side of the door and sighed, "Buffy is missing."
"Come in." Oliver said back and knew that Oz's wolf hearing would pick it up. Opening the door, Oz took a deep breath, laying on Oliver's chest was Buffy.
"Never mind." he said, "She's been found." Oz turned around and went right back out the door, quickly locating Snape and Giles.
"Were is he?" Snape asked, annoyed that the boy wouldn't help look for Buffy.
"He's got his arms full." Oz replied and Giles looked at the usually quiet boy, reading into what hadn't been said.
"She's with him?" Giles asked and Snape looked at Oz.
"Yea, she's asleep." he replied, "She seemed pretty peaceful, too." Giles and Snape looked at each other, they wanted nothing more than to run up the stairs and rip Buffy out of Oliver's hands, but they both knew that the slayer would just run.
"Tea?" Giles asked, Snape nodded and followed Giles to his rooms.
Next Morning
Buffy yawned, stretching she winced when her sore muscles complained. She realized a couple of things as sleep left her mind, she was completly healed and she was laying on top of a warm body. Smiling, she leaned up on her elbows and looked at Oliver, he was cute while sleeping. Who was she kidding? He was cute when he was awake, too. She blushed slightly, before feeling guilty. She had just lost Angel and she was already starting to like Oliver, pausing she realized that she already liked Oliver and could very well be on her way to loving him.
Oliver traced her face, gently with his hand as he gazed up at her. He realized that she had been lost in thought and didn't want to startle her, in fear of getting hit by the slayer.
"What are you thinking?" he asked, smiling when she leaned into his touch.
"No where." she replied, she could hear people beginning to stir and gazed at Oliver, "I really need to go." Oliver looked at her and began to lean up, Buffy leaned down.
"Is it safe for me to come in?" Oz asked and the two jumped apart, blushing furiously. Taking one last look at Oliver, Buffy apparented to her room.
"You're back!" Willow said and Buffy was immediately gulfed in a hug. "We were so worried." she stepped back and looked at the slayer, realizing that Buffy was completely healed. "How did you heal so fast?"
"Dunno." Buffy replied, grabbing her stuff and heading off to the showers, not wanting to talk about her healing abilities. She showered quickly and headed off to the dining hall.
"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, when the slayer walked into the room. "Medical room." she replied, moving over so that Oliver could sit next to her. "So, what's going on?" Before anyone could answer, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.
"Despite the dementor's at yesterdays game, Gryffindor won the game." he said and the Gryffindor table cheered, Dumbledore raised his hand and they immediately quieted down. "Dementor's will be patrolling after dark, the Ministry seems to think it will help. We will be steeping up DADA with an extra class, lead by Miss Buffy Snape." Buffy looked up in alarm, "She will be teaching wandless defense, along with Miss Willow Rosenberg. Together they will teach you how to defend yourself without magic and without your wand, using magic." Dumbledore sat down and food immediately appeared in front of them.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked, looking at Willow and Buffy. Willow was still in shock, so she was unable to respond.
"We didn't know." Buffy told her, looking at Dumbledore and wondering what he was thinking. Buffy stewed over what Dumbledore could possibly be thinking in wanting Buffy and Willow to teach. Before they knew it breakfast was over and Dumbledore was pulling them aside to talk to them.
Dumbledore's Office
"So," Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his eyes, "what do you think of our new class?"
"Are you crazy?" Buffy asked, "you're going to trust me to teach students?"
"Why not?" Dumbledore asked, "You are both students, they will listen to you better than listening to me. You are both qualified for it, and it will help them." Willow and Buffy nodded at his statements, they knew that they would help, so they turned to go.
"Buffy, if you could stay for a moment." Dumbledore waited until Willow left before looking at Buffy.
"What's the sitch?" she asked and his eyes twinkled, this girl had so much life in her.
"I wanted to talk to you about the dementor's." he said carefully and Buffy tensed, "They are attracted to you, because of everything that you have seen in your life. I want you and Harry to take a class with Professor Lupin about a way to get rid of dementors."
"Sure." Buffy said quickly, "I wanted to ask you about my healing."
"Yes? What about it?"
"I have always healed fast, but now that I am off the Hellmouth, I seem to be healing faster." Buffy stuttered out, unsure of what his answer would be. "Well, as far as I can figure, the Hellmouth distorts the natural magic, so while you were on the Hellmouth, your slayer powers healed you, while your magic was dormant."
"Oh." Buffy said, she wasn't really sure what had been said to her, but she was sure Giles would translate for her. "Thanks." she got up to leave and was stopped by Dumbledore.
"I would like it if you took the day off and just rested. I heard about your excursion from the medical wing and I know that you stayed in Oliver's room, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that in the future."
"Sorry, sir." she said, ducking her head and blushing, quickly turning and leaving the room.
Buffy wandered the halls of the school, thinking of what had been said and what had happened in her dreams induced by the dementor. Making her way to the library, she started searching through the books for information about the key.
"This is the last place I thought I would find you." Giles said, making Buffy jump.
"Hey." she said, she had been in the library for over five hours and all that she could find on the Key was that Glorificus was after it in an attempt to go home. "What's up?"
"Haven't seen you all day and thought I would check up on you."
"I'm good." she said, "Dumbledore gave me the day off."
"So you thought you would spend it researching, what exactly?" he asked, indicating all the books in front of her.
"Me." she said and he looked at her. "Anlon told me that I was the key and I wanted to see what it was. All that I have found so far is that Glorificus wants the key to return to her dimension, having been banished from it." Giles looked at her, before silently going to the restricted section and pulling a couple of volumes out. Taking one, he handed another to Buffy.
"Where have you been? You've missed all of your classes." Willow said taking a seat next to Buffy in the library.
"Here." was Buffy's reply, before handing Willow a book. "We are looking for information on the key." Willow nodded and began to search through, filling Oz in when he joined the group and then later Oliver and Snape.
"I've found something." Willow yelled out, immediately shushed by the librain.
"Since when do you have to be quiet in a library?" Buffy asked.
"Since forever." Giles said and they laughed at the slayer's outraged expression. "Willow?"
"Yes?" she asked and then realized what he wanted. "Oh! It says that Glorificus was a hell goddess, who ruled with two other gods. They were all brutal, but she was the most brutal and the other gods fearing that she would take over, banished her from the realm and into a mortal body, so that when the vessel died, so would Glorificus." Willow said.
"What does that have to do with the key?"
"In order for her to return to her world she needs the key."
"We already knew that, Wills." Buffy said, getting up and pacing around the table.
"She needs to preform a ritual on a given day and the key will open the portal."
"So, what wrong with that?" Oliver asked and Oz shook his head, that was just something that you never asked.
"The portal will tear the walls of the dimension making them bleed into one another." Giles guessed and Willow nodded.
"Alright, the key is human," Snape said, looking at Buffy, "So what happens to her?"
"Glorificus would need to bleed her." Willow said and looked at Buffy, "it will only stop when the blood stops flowing." Buffy sat down in shock, looking around the table.
"What! It's not good enough that I'm the slayer?" she asked, rage in her voice, "But now this! What the hell did I ever do to deserve this?" she left the room and ran to Giles' room, where they had set up her training equipment, beginning to wail on it.
"Is that going to help?" Snape asked, carefully entering the room and taking in her flawless performance as she beat up the punching bag.
"No," she replied stopping to look at her father, "But it will make me feel better." When she didn't start hitting the bag again, Snape stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She turned into his embracing, throwing her arms around him and crying into his neck.
"I don't want to die." she said, having a flash of deja vu. Snape hugged her harder, not wanting to lose her either.
"I won't let you." he said, "I don't wanna lose you either." Snape held her as she cried, drying her tears and looking at her, "you ready to go face them?"
"Ya." she said and then looked at him, "Thank you." "For what?"
"Being a father." she replied, turning around and leaving the room. Snape followed her, confused at her statement and then remembered the "father" she had grown up with and growled at the thought. Maybe he could find Hank Summers and..
"Buffy!" Willow, Giles, and Oliver yelled at the same time. "Are you okay?" they all began to laugh, realizing that they had, indeed, spent many years together and where beginning to think alike.
"I'm good." she said, facing her demons and her second death looming on the horizon made her realize that she needed to have all of her friends here. "Thanks guys." she said, hugging everyone. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna turn in for the night." everyone nodded and said their goodnights. Buffy walked back to the girl's section of the tower, pulling out a pen and parchment.
Dear Xander,
Hey, how's it going? There is a couple of things that I wanted to get off of my chest. First I wanted to tell you that I sent Angel to Hell, not Angelus, my Angel. I had to thrust a sword into his gut and watch him get sucked into a portal to Hell. I spent weeks on my own, fighting my nightmares night after night, until Dumbledore came along. He offered me a chance to change my life and to help me overcome everything. I took that chance, I thought of you guys every day when I came to Hogwart's, and I couldn't think of writing to you guys, because it was still fresh.
A part of me will always love Angel, there is a part that will always be reserved only for him. A place that no one else could touch, but him. Oliver makes me forget, for the time that I am with him, my pain and everything, he makes me feel like a real girl. Not the slayer, not some freak, a girl.
It hurts that my friend can't understand that, but that's okay, because I will always love you. I forgive you and I have to ask for your apology. I was angry at you and I didn't want to talk to you and I was lashing out. Forgive me? I need my Xander shaped friend, here at Hogwart's with me.
Please think about it and write back to me. Willow misses you and I miss you.
Love always,
Buffy
Buffy went directly to the owerly and attached a message to his leg, watching the owl fly off and feeling lighter than she ever had. Going back to her room, she feel into a deep and peaceful sleep.