Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Pairings: Everyone has figured out the Buffy/Snape thing, and Ron/Hermione are going to be here, but they probably won't appear that much. I haven't decided on Xander. He needs a cuddle-buddy, but I don't know. Maybe Tonks?
Chapter 10
Italics mean thoughts.
The days had passed and it was time for Xander to come to Hogwarts. Buffy had gotten a room for him near Gryffindor Tower. She had decided to let him choose the colors. Now they were a plain white and beige. Classes had passed marvelously for Buffy, and Severus estimated that he was about a month from completing a potion to help Poppy fix Buffy.
After classes on Friday, Buffy grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and headed to Giles's apartment. The Portkey she had gotten from Albus was stored safely in her pocket. She would give it to Xander. It was not one of those one-time-use-only Portkeys; it was a Portkey that could be used again and again as long as the password was known. "Bye, Sev, see ya in about half an hour," she said as she headed into the fireplace.
Severus nodded; he had agreed to get dinner for the three of them in their quarters when Buffy got back. Xander still stumbled over both his feet and his words a lot, so she didn't want him to go to the Great Hall on his first night at the school.
"Rupert Giles!" she called. With a poof, she was there.
Xander's cheery voice greeted her at the other end, "Hiya, Buffster. So, do I have to take that thingy?" He looked dubiously at the fireplace. A few duffle bags were piled up next to him. Giles stood off to the side.
Giles asked, "Could you stay for some lunch? Oh, wait, um, dinner?"
"I can't stay for very long today, Giles. I have to eat dinner before I teach a class in about an hour and a half. But I can come back tomorrow and spend the day with you," she offered.
Giles nodded, understanding the commitments that she had. "I would love to have you over. Why did you want Xander to go today if you are coming back tomorrow?"
"I wanted him to get used to the school before I have to go back to teaching on Monday. He won't start teaching until after Christmas, but he'll want the time to get to know the students and the castle. And learn to play Quidditch," Buffy said.
Xander opened his mouth to ask what that was, but his friend stopped him, "I'll explain it to you over dinner."
"Dinner? What kind of dinner?" he asked hopefully.
The blonde smiled and said, "Anything you want." A chuckle erupted from Xander that sounded very similar to the Emperor from Return of the Jedi. "Have you been watching too much Star Wars again, Xand?"
In response to a meek nodded from Giles, Buffy admonished, "Now Giles, what have we learned about letting Mr. Harris watch Star Wars eighteen hours a day?"
"Twenty," the Watched admitted.
Buffy glanced at her watch and said, "Time to go. See ya tomorrow Giles."
"Good bye, be careful," the father-figure called after the pair.
Xander announced, "May the Force Be with you!"
"Good riddance," Giles muttered as Buffy said, "Hindi soap operas with orange juice."
And then they were gone.
And then they appeared again. In England. In Buffy's bedroom to be precise. "Whoa, Buffy, who's with all the dark and blood?" her companion asked, noticing the colors.
"That would be me. Black and red go quite nicely together, don't you think?"
"Oh. So, where is my room?" Xander asked, trying to move past his error.
Then he looked at his best friend and his jaw dropped. "What happened?" he murmured as his shaking hands reached out to touch her face.
"Dammit," Buffy grumbled before yelling, "Severus Snape, get in here!"
The Potions Master appeared in the doorway moments later, "Yes Buffy?" he asked dryly.
"I told you that the Glamour should work in here! Now look what you've done!" she whined, tears in her eyes.
Severus led her over to her bed and had her sit in it. "You're Xander?" he asked briskly.
"Y-y-yes I am, now who are you? I mean--" he was cut off by Severus tossing a piece of candy at him.
The raven-haired man began talking, "Take that and say Buffy's middle name. Hold on to your bags, you'll be transported into your room. Call for Dobby and ask for some tea. Explore your room, drink some tea, Buffy will be with you in a few minutes."
"Why would I need to say Buffy's middle name?" Xander asked and he disappeared.
Buffy's jaw dropped and she asked, "Did you just make Xander disappear?"
"No, no, Buffy's middle name was the password," Severus told her as he gently wiped a tear that escaped her eye.
Buffy's face fell again as she whispered, "He saw them. He saw the scars. Only you and Albus have."
"He's your friend. Did you watch his face when he looked at you? He had only concern for you. Now you need to go take care of your friend, who I'm sure is quite distressed, seeing as how he's stuck in his room until I decide to release him," Severus said.
"You didn't?!"
The Potions Master's mouth curled into an evil smirk as he replied, "Oh yes I did. Wouldn't want him running around Hogwarts and scaring the students would we?"
"You would," Buffy shot back.
"You're right, I would. But, enough of this, go! Bring him back here. I set up a marvelous little buffet in the living room," he told her. His friend was through the fireplace in a flash.
And back seconds later with Xander, who was absolutely seething. "Your friend here was a dirty little sneak. He made me go to my room when I didn't want to," he raged, and then he stopped abruptly and muttered, "I just sounded like a five-year-old, didn't I?"
"Yep, but that's okay, someone has to be a five-year-old in this place, and it certainly can't always be Albus. But, how about we go back to my room for dinner? Sev here has ordered up a great buffet," Buffy said, smiling at her friend's antics. Xander agreed and she returned to her room.
"Can I change the colors in my room, Buff? The white is just too bright for me," he asked.
Buffy grinned at him and told him, "Severus will be happy to help you with that after dinner, while I am teaching my students."
"I will be happy to do what?" Severus's voice asked, his tone menacing on the top, but with a playful hint.
Xander saw his opening and moved in, slinging and arm around Sev's shoulders and saying, "Buffy was just telling me that you're going to help me decorate my room after dinner."
"Do you know much about decorating?" the Potions Master asked. Xander shook his head. "Then we are all doomed, because I know little as well."
Buffy seemed to breath a sigh of relief that her two closest friends seemed to be getting along well. Actually, she was just happy that Severus wasn't busy glaring daggers at Xander, as he did most people. "Come on you two, dinner is waiting and I have a class in an hour. I need to get Xander settled in a bit before I go," she said, leading her friend into the living room.
True to Severus's word, there was a buffet there that would have filled the bellies of all of Gryffindor tower. For three people. Xander dug into it, seeing his favorite foods. Severus ate with more restraint, but Buffy seemed back to her normal eating habits. Which meant that she was eating very little food.
Fortunately, Xander said very little. "I know why Buffy doesn't like to eat very much. If I was in Hell for six months, then she was visiting the Devil himself. God, looking at her face, I can remember how each scar was inflicted. He called me the White Knight and forced me to watch him torture her, so I realized how useless I am," he thought as he drank some of the orange-colored juice.
Meanwhile, Severus's mind was staying away from any deep thinking as he contemplated, "Hmm, should I have a s'more or Rocky Road for dessert? O Merlin what am I thinking? My flatmate has turned me into softie. A marshmallow. Oh, most definitely the s'more."
The Slayer herself turned her mind to more logical matters as she debated what exactly to teach her young students in their lesson. "Bladed weapons are of the good," she thought, "Uncomplicated, maximum damage short of a firearm. Hmm, scimitars are nice and sharp, easy to use. But so are daggers. Wait, keep them farther from harm. Definitely go with a good old short sword. It would teach them the basics. Then they could find their preferred weapon."
Once they were finished eating, Buffy offered to show Xander the proper way around the castle. "You're a good walk from my rooms, but once you learn the way, it's not that far. You're near Gryffindor Tower. That's the tower that houses my prize trio. They're like the Scoobies of Hogwarts. Except magical. And Sev doesn't particularly like them, but he tolerates them," she explained.
Xander smirked and asked teasingly, "So, are you and this Sev smoochy- pals?"
"No. Now, if you would watch the stairs, they like to move. And here we are. See, not that long of a walk unless you don't pay attention to the stairs. But I'm not going to leave you here. Albus wanted to see you while I was teaching. He's the Principal-guy, the Headmaster. But better than Snyder. Kinda like Giles," Buffy hurriedly said as they arrived at the entrance to Albus's office. "Milky Way." The door opened. "Well, go on in, I have to go get Remus to charm some swords so they don't kill my students."
With that she was gone. Xander hesitantly entered the office of his new boss. "Hello my boy. I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of this institution. And also a lover of Muggle candies," the elderly man greeted him, a smile on his face and his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses.
The young man immediately relaxed and took a seat in the chair in front of Albus's desk. "I can see that we'll get along wonderfully," he said.
"Buffy assured me of that. She also told me that you were a carpenter before your capture. The young lady indicated that you might find building things soothing and helpful until next semester begins. I have spoken with our Gamekeeper and the Caretaker and they both agree that there are many things that could be built around here. Would you enjoy that?"
"Love to. Just one question, may I call you D-Man?" Xander asked.
"If you like. Hagrid, one of our teachers, will talk with you tomorrow about some possible projects. Now, Buffy insisted that you find your own way back to your rooms. If you get quite lost, ask a painting," Albus told him.
With that, Xander left Albus's office and wandered around until he found his room. The painting covering it was strange. It depicted a familiar fairy tale character. Robin Hood. "Buffy, your sense of irony has sharpened, hasn't it?" he muttered as he entered his rooms. Severus was waiting inside.
"Buffy must be insane to have us do this," Xander remarked. Neither man had any idea of what to do.
Severus admitted, "I have no talent, and I don't know you very well. So bugger off." With that, he stalked over to the overstuffed white chair. He was annoyed. He had argued with the Head House Elf to get the huge buffet sent to his room for the three of them, then Buffy barely recognized it. Now she expected him to decorate.
Meanwhile, Buffy was busy in her own lesson. "Try to keep not just your hands, but also your feet working. Tripping over your own feet will be just as deadly as dropping your sword," she told the three Gryffindors. All three were trying their very best to please their instructor, but it seemed impossible.
"I can't even catch my breath, Professor Summers," Ron complained. Buffy halted and looked at the three.
The Slayer nodded and told them, "Next lesson, come ready to run. We need to get you guys into pro-athlete shape if you're gonna defeat Voldemort. So, running, lifting weights, martial arts until you're ready to drop. Sound like fun?"
"No," Hermione grumbled.
Harry's eyes brightened and he pointed out, "Okay, pain now, life later. I want to defeat the ones who made me an orphan."
"Ron, Hermione, you can go. Harry will be up in a few minutes," the teacher told them.
Once they had left, Buffy motioned Harry to sit down. "Harry, are you to return to your relatives at the end of the year?" she asked.
Harry nodded and replied, "As far as I know."
"You won't, I'll make sure of that. If no other arrangements are made, you are going to stay with me over summer. And over Christmas, if you wish. A trip to California may be in the cards for you," Buffy told him. A smile lit up on the boy's face. "I've talked to Albus, and he agrees that it would work out. You have a lot to learn, both magically and physically, before you take on Voldemort. He seems to think it might be best if you remained somewhere to continue your training."
"I'd be happy to stay with you, Professor Summers," he exclaimed.
Buffy grinned and then glanced at the time and told him, "You better get back to the tower. Though Professor Snape has softened a bit, I doubt he would pass up the chance to give you a detention. And call me Buffy."
Harry left, an expression of elation on his face, and Buffy was left alone in the DADA room. She moved quickly over to the weapons cabinet and unlocked it. The charmed swords were put away and she withdrew a gleaming blade. It was a long scimitar, her favorite. Giles had found it where a portal had closed. According to him, it was a magical weapon, but it didn't even feel powerful. It was just a beautifully engraved blade. But she loved it.
For over an hour, Buffy went through the familiar moves that had saved her life for years. It was comforting, to simply pretend to fight. It cleared her mind, as Tai Chi cleared the mind of Angel. Nothing really existed except her imaginary enemy.
~In Gryffindor Tower~
"Professor Summer told me that I won't have to return to the Dursleys' house this year. I can stay with her. She even offered to take me over the holidays!" Harry told Ron and Hermione, who had stayed up waiting to talk to him.
"That's great, Harry," Hermione yelled.
Ron grumbled, "Why can't you just stay here over the holidays with us? That's what we've always done."
"I will be here; I don't think she really has a home anymore. Her mother and sister are dead and her father is a deadbeat, so we might go to California to spend a day with her mentor," Harry assured his best friend.
Hermione looked at the clock and said, "It's late, Professor Summers seemed like she had a really hard lesson in for tomorrow, so I'm going to bed."
With that, the Golden Trio headed to their rooms.
~Near Gryffindor Tower~
"What do you think of blue walls?" Xander asked. Severus didn't answer, he was frustrated with Buffy. "Or green? Or yellow? Or black?"
Severus finally decided to shut his new 'friend' up and said, "Why don't you use wood paneling in the rooms and then navy blue for the furniture?"
"Great idea, Sevvy, you're good at this, much better than I. So, um, how do I order the paneling?" Xander asked.
The Potions Master pulled out his wand and waved it while casting a simple spell and the walls turned to fine wood paneling and the furniture turned blue.
"That was fast, I wonder where Buffy is."
Severus told him, "Her lesson should be over; she doesn't keep them for very long usually because it's already so late and they have homework. Would you like to come and find her?"
"Sure, what else am I going to do?" Xander shrugged and followed the caped figure.
Pairings: Everyone has figured out the Buffy/Snape thing, and Ron/Hermione are going to be here, but they probably won't appear that much. I haven't decided on Xander. He needs a cuddle-buddy, but I don't know. Maybe Tonks?
Chapter 10
Italics mean thoughts.
The days had passed and it was time for Xander to come to Hogwarts. Buffy had gotten a room for him near Gryffindor Tower. She had decided to let him choose the colors. Now they were a plain white and beige. Classes had passed marvelously for Buffy, and Severus estimated that he was about a month from completing a potion to help Poppy fix Buffy.
After classes on Friday, Buffy grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and headed to Giles's apartment. The Portkey she had gotten from Albus was stored safely in her pocket. She would give it to Xander. It was not one of those one-time-use-only Portkeys; it was a Portkey that could be used again and again as long as the password was known. "Bye, Sev, see ya in about half an hour," she said as she headed into the fireplace.
Severus nodded; he had agreed to get dinner for the three of them in their quarters when Buffy got back. Xander still stumbled over both his feet and his words a lot, so she didn't want him to go to the Great Hall on his first night at the school.
"Rupert Giles!" she called. With a poof, she was there.
Xander's cheery voice greeted her at the other end, "Hiya, Buffster. So, do I have to take that thingy?" He looked dubiously at the fireplace. A few duffle bags were piled up next to him. Giles stood off to the side.
Giles asked, "Could you stay for some lunch? Oh, wait, um, dinner?"
"I can't stay for very long today, Giles. I have to eat dinner before I teach a class in about an hour and a half. But I can come back tomorrow and spend the day with you," she offered.
Giles nodded, understanding the commitments that she had. "I would love to have you over. Why did you want Xander to go today if you are coming back tomorrow?"
"I wanted him to get used to the school before I have to go back to teaching on Monday. He won't start teaching until after Christmas, but he'll want the time to get to know the students and the castle. And learn to play Quidditch," Buffy said.
Xander opened his mouth to ask what that was, but his friend stopped him, "I'll explain it to you over dinner."
"Dinner? What kind of dinner?" he asked hopefully.
The blonde smiled and said, "Anything you want." A chuckle erupted from Xander that sounded very similar to the Emperor from Return of the Jedi. "Have you been watching too much Star Wars again, Xand?"
In response to a meek nodded from Giles, Buffy admonished, "Now Giles, what have we learned about letting Mr. Harris watch Star Wars eighteen hours a day?"
"Twenty," the Watched admitted.
Buffy glanced at her watch and said, "Time to go. See ya tomorrow Giles."
"Good bye, be careful," the father-figure called after the pair.
Xander announced, "May the Force Be with you!"
"Good riddance," Giles muttered as Buffy said, "Hindi soap operas with orange juice."
And then they were gone.
And then they appeared again. In England. In Buffy's bedroom to be precise. "Whoa, Buffy, who's with all the dark and blood?" her companion asked, noticing the colors.
"That would be me. Black and red go quite nicely together, don't you think?"
"Oh. So, where is my room?" Xander asked, trying to move past his error.
Then he looked at his best friend and his jaw dropped. "What happened?" he murmured as his shaking hands reached out to touch her face.
"Dammit," Buffy grumbled before yelling, "Severus Snape, get in here!"
The Potions Master appeared in the doorway moments later, "Yes Buffy?" he asked dryly.
"I told you that the Glamour should work in here! Now look what you've done!" she whined, tears in her eyes.
Severus led her over to her bed and had her sit in it. "You're Xander?" he asked briskly.
"Y-y-yes I am, now who are you? I mean--" he was cut off by Severus tossing a piece of candy at him.
The raven-haired man began talking, "Take that and say Buffy's middle name. Hold on to your bags, you'll be transported into your room. Call for Dobby and ask for some tea. Explore your room, drink some tea, Buffy will be with you in a few minutes."
"Why would I need to say Buffy's middle name?" Xander asked and he disappeared.
Buffy's jaw dropped and she asked, "Did you just make Xander disappear?"
"No, no, Buffy's middle name was the password," Severus told her as he gently wiped a tear that escaped her eye.
Buffy's face fell again as she whispered, "He saw them. He saw the scars. Only you and Albus have."
"He's your friend. Did you watch his face when he looked at you? He had only concern for you. Now you need to go take care of your friend, who I'm sure is quite distressed, seeing as how he's stuck in his room until I decide to release him," Severus said.
"You didn't?!"
The Potions Master's mouth curled into an evil smirk as he replied, "Oh yes I did. Wouldn't want him running around Hogwarts and scaring the students would we?"
"You would," Buffy shot back.
"You're right, I would. But, enough of this, go! Bring him back here. I set up a marvelous little buffet in the living room," he told her. His friend was through the fireplace in a flash.
And back seconds later with Xander, who was absolutely seething. "Your friend here was a dirty little sneak. He made me go to my room when I didn't want to," he raged, and then he stopped abruptly and muttered, "I just sounded like a five-year-old, didn't I?"
"Yep, but that's okay, someone has to be a five-year-old in this place, and it certainly can't always be Albus. But, how about we go back to my room for dinner? Sev here has ordered up a great buffet," Buffy said, smiling at her friend's antics. Xander agreed and she returned to her room.
"Can I change the colors in my room, Buff? The white is just too bright for me," he asked.
Buffy grinned at him and told him, "Severus will be happy to help you with that after dinner, while I am teaching my students."
"I will be happy to do what?" Severus's voice asked, his tone menacing on the top, but with a playful hint.
Xander saw his opening and moved in, slinging and arm around Sev's shoulders and saying, "Buffy was just telling me that you're going to help me decorate my room after dinner."
"Do you know much about decorating?" the Potions Master asked. Xander shook his head. "Then we are all doomed, because I know little as well."
Buffy seemed to breath a sigh of relief that her two closest friends seemed to be getting along well. Actually, she was just happy that Severus wasn't busy glaring daggers at Xander, as he did most people. "Come on you two, dinner is waiting and I have a class in an hour. I need to get Xander settled in a bit before I go," she said, leading her friend into the living room.
True to Severus's word, there was a buffet there that would have filled the bellies of all of Gryffindor tower. For three people. Xander dug into it, seeing his favorite foods. Severus ate with more restraint, but Buffy seemed back to her normal eating habits. Which meant that she was eating very little food.
Fortunately, Xander said very little. "I know why Buffy doesn't like to eat very much. If I was in Hell for six months, then she was visiting the Devil himself. God, looking at her face, I can remember how each scar was inflicted. He called me the White Knight and forced me to watch him torture her, so I realized how useless I am," he thought as he drank some of the orange-colored juice.
Meanwhile, Severus's mind was staying away from any deep thinking as he contemplated, "Hmm, should I have a s'more or Rocky Road for dessert? O Merlin what am I thinking? My flatmate has turned me into softie. A marshmallow. Oh, most definitely the s'more."
The Slayer herself turned her mind to more logical matters as she debated what exactly to teach her young students in their lesson. "Bladed weapons are of the good," she thought, "Uncomplicated, maximum damage short of a firearm. Hmm, scimitars are nice and sharp, easy to use. But so are daggers. Wait, keep them farther from harm. Definitely go with a good old short sword. It would teach them the basics. Then they could find their preferred weapon."
Once they were finished eating, Buffy offered to show Xander the proper way around the castle. "You're a good walk from my rooms, but once you learn the way, it's not that far. You're near Gryffindor Tower. That's the tower that houses my prize trio. They're like the Scoobies of Hogwarts. Except magical. And Sev doesn't particularly like them, but he tolerates them," she explained.
Xander smirked and asked teasingly, "So, are you and this Sev smoochy- pals?"
"No. Now, if you would watch the stairs, they like to move. And here we are. See, not that long of a walk unless you don't pay attention to the stairs. But I'm not going to leave you here. Albus wanted to see you while I was teaching. He's the Principal-guy, the Headmaster. But better than Snyder. Kinda like Giles," Buffy hurriedly said as they arrived at the entrance to Albus's office. "Milky Way." The door opened. "Well, go on in, I have to go get Remus to charm some swords so they don't kill my students."
With that she was gone. Xander hesitantly entered the office of his new boss. "Hello my boy. I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of this institution. And also a lover of Muggle candies," the elderly man greeted him, a smile on his face and his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses.
The young man immediately relaxed and took a seat in the chair in front of Albus's desk. "I can see that we'll get along wonderfully," he said.
"Buffy assured me of that. She also told me that you were a carpenter before your capture. The young lady indicated that you might find building things soothing and helpful until next semester begins. I have spoken with our Gamekeeper and the Caretaker and they both agree that there are many things that could be built around here. Would you enjoy that?"
"Love to. Just one question, may I call you D-Man?" Xander asked.
"If you like. Hagrid, one of our teachers, will talk with you tomorrow about some possible projects. Now, Buffy insisted that you find your own way back to your rooms. If you get quite lost, ask a painting," Albus told him.
With that, Xander left Albus's office and wandered around until he found his room. The painting covering it was strange. It depicted a familiar fairy tale character. Robin Hood. "Buffy, your sense of irony has sharpened, hasn't it?" he muttered as he entered his rooms. Severus was waiting inside.
"Buffy must be insane to have us do this," Xander remarked. Neither man had any idea of what to do.
Severus admitted, "I have no talent, and I don't know you very well. So bugger off." With that, he stalked over to the overstuffed white chair. He was annoyed. He had argued with the Head House Elf to get the huge buffet sent to his room for the three of them, then Buffy barely recognized it. Now she expected him to decorate.
Meanwhile, Buffy was busy in her own lesson. "Try to keep not just your hands, but also your feet working. Tripping over your own feet will be just as deadly as dropping your sword," she told the three Gryffindors. All three were trying their very best to please their instructor, but it seemed impossible.
"I can't even catch my breath, Professor Summers," Ron complained. Buffy halted and looked at the three.
The Slayer nodded and told them, "Next lesson, come ready to run. We need to get you guys into pro-athlete shape if you're gonna defeat Voldemort. So, running, lifting weights, martial arts until you're ready to drop. Sound like fun?"
"No," Hermione grumbled.
Harry's eyes brightened and he pointed out, "Okay, pain now, life later. I want to defeat the ones who made me an orphan."
"Ron, Hermione, you can go. Harry will be up in a few minutes," the teacher told them.
Once they had left, Buffy motioned Harry to sit down. "Harry, are you to return to your relatives at the end of the year?" she asked.
Harry nodded and replied, "As far as I know."
"You won't, I'll make sure of that. If no other arrangements are made, you are going to stay with me over summer. And over Christmas, if you wish. A trip to California may be in the cards for you," Buffy told him. A smile lit up on the boy's face. "I've talked to Albus, and he agrees that it would work out. You have a lot to learn, both magically and physically, before you take on Voldemort. He seems to think it might be best if you remained somewhere to continue your training."
"I'd be happy to stay with you, Professor Summers," he exclaimed.
Buffy grinned and then glanced at the time and told him, "You better get back to the tower. Though Professor Snape has softened a bit, I doubt he would pass up the chance to give you a detention. And call me Buffy."
Harry left, an expression of elation on his face, and Buffy was left alone in the DADA room. She moved quickly over to the weapons cabinet and unlocked it. The charmed swords were put away and she withdrew a gleaming blade. It was a long scimitar, her favorite. Giles had found it where a portal had closed. According to him, it was a magical weapon, but it didn't even feel powerful. It was just a beautifully engraved blade. But she loved it.
For over an hour, Buffy went through the familiar moves that had saved her life for years. It was comforting, to simply pretend to fight. It cleared her mind, as Tai Chi cleared the mind of Angel. Nothing really existed except her imaginary enemy.
~In Gryffindor Tower~
"Professor Summer told me that I won't have to return to the Dursleys' house this year. I can stay with her. She even offered to take me over the holidays!" Harry told Ron and Hermione, who had stayed up waiting to talk to him.
"That's great, Harry," Hermione yelled.
Ron grumbled, "Why can't you just stay here over the holidays with us? That's what we've always done."
"I will be here; I don't think she really has a home anymore. Her mother and sister are dead and her father is a deadbeat, so we might go to California to spend a day with her mentor," Harry assured his best friend.
Hermione looked at the clock and said, "It's late, Professor Summers seemed like she had a really hard lesson in for tomorrow, so I'm going to bed."
With that, the Golden Trio headed to their rooms.
~Near Gryffindor Tower~
"What do you think of blue walls?" Xander asked. Severus didn't answer, he was frustrated with Buffy. "Or green? Or yellow? Or black?"
Severus finally decided to shut his new 'friend' up and said, "Why don't you use wood paneling in the rooms and then navy blue for the furniture?"
"Great idea, Sevvy, you're good at this, much better than I. So, um, how do I order the paneling?" Xander asked.
The Potions Master pulled out his wand and waved it while casting a simple spell and the walls turned to fine wood paneling and the furniture turned blue.
"That was fast, I wonder where Buffy is."
Severus told him, "Her lesson should be over; she doesn't keep them for very long usually because it's already so late and they have homework. Would you like to come and find her?"
"Sure, what else am I going to do?" Xander shrugged and followed the caped figure.