Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor Harry Potter. All of the characters, settings, themes, books, show, titles, worlds, names, demons, witches, slayers, creation, references, and basic gist of the two fantasy worlds all belong the Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Warner Bros., and of course, J.K. Rowling. All rights reserved.
Timeline: Story is set 1 year after Season 7 and five days before Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban. Just for possible future references, the story will be happening during Angel's Season 5.
Author's Note: Thanks for the greatly appreciated review, guys! Up next: some sisterly bonding and the letter from Hogwarts! Read on to find out some more!
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Chapter 2—You've Got Mail
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The Slayers came in from their opening pep-talk from the oldest slayer, their gloomy mood showing through their dark faces. It made everyone who passed them suddenly less cheerful. One by one, they went to their rooms to decide which choice to make.
To be or not to be?
All of them were so deep in their thoughts that they didn't notice Buffy's hardened gaze change into a pitiful one as she looked at them.
A choice…a choice she never had…
Buffy shook her lingering thoughts away and went back outside. Her sister came out a minute later and sat right next to her. She turned to look at Dawn's smiling face and couldn't keep an eyebrow from rising up.
"What got you in a good mood?"
If it was even possible, Dawn's smile broadened even more. "I got accepted in Oxford University!" she squealed happily. Dawn took out a letter addressed to her and gave it Buffy. "Giles gave me this awhile ago, says he's really proud that I got accepted in his old school. I'm starting this September, isn't this great, Buff!"
Buffy gaped at the letter Dawn received.
Although extremely proud of Dawn to be accepted at what she heard to be one of the best colleges in England, she was sorely disappointed that she'd be leaving their new home in a couple of months. "This is great, Dawn! I mean, wow…"
Dawn must've seen her disappointed face. "You don't like it?" the look on Dawn's face was heartbreaking to see.
"No! I mean…not that I doubted that you'd get in, but God, I'm just a little surprised is all…," Buffy trailed off, still looking at the letter as if checking to see if it was real.
Her sister nodded slowly. "But, you're happy right? You'll be okay with me going to live in a dormitory and not here being Watcher-in-Training?"
Buffy pushed away the thoughts of keeping her sister in their new home. It was selfish of her to do so! Dawn was moving on with her life while she was stuck here training the future Slayers; she should be happy for her.
Buffy looked up to face Dawn and flashed a reassuring smile. "Of course! I mean, I WILL miss you and all that sisterly love, but you're moving on…going to college, meeting new people, and learning new stuff. Why wouldn't I be okay?"
Dawn still didn't look convinced. "I could always stay you know. Come back here if any thing big and bad is happening," Dawn told her.
Buffy waved her hand as if to brush the idea away.
"No, Dawnie. You've got a chance to live a normal life; take it," said Buffy, unable to keep the slight bitterness from her tone.
Dawn placed her head on Buffy's shoulder to comfort her. "It's a little bit too late for that, sis. I will never be normal, being a Key to open dimensions and all, and I'm okay with that. And honestly? I'd rather be fighting the fight than slink off in a dormitory smoking pot. Totally kidding!" she added quickly at Buffy's mortified face.
Buffy shook her head at her sister's antics. "You know you have a choice, Dawn. You can still get away from…this if you just go and stay in Oxford." She waved her hands to point out her meaning.
To her surprise, Dawn chuckled under her chin. "I know that Buff. You've given the same choice to those Slayers at their first day in training. And let me tell you, you've done a pretty good job of making them look like someone died." Buffy cringed at the comment but Dawn patted her reassuringly. "No pun intended by the way. But I already chose, Buff. I'll always be here no matter what, okay?"
Buffy smiled down at her sister before wrapping her arm around her to give Dawn a hug. "Look at you; my little Dawnie all grown up."
"Oh, so the height factor didn't give it away, huh?" Dawn retorted cockily before dissolving to a fit of giggles at her pointed stare.
"Thanks Dawn," Buffy said a bit sarcastically afterwards.
Dawn merely nodded her head and the Summers sisters stayed in a comfortable silence; a comfortable silence they have sorely missed for a long time. A moment later, Buffy saw something that caught her eye.
Dawn seemed to notice this as well since she sat up straighter and looked at the bird flying towards them.
"Is that an…owl?" asked Dawn incredulously.
Her question was soon answered when the tawny bird flew over Buffy, dropped down a letter on her lap and quickly perched on a branch next to them. Dawn looked at the owl with disbelief before turning to Buffy to look at what the owl dropped off.
Buffy picked up the envelope warily and read the words written in emerald ink out loud:
To: Miss Buffy Anne Summers
Backyard of Home Base Bath, England
Dawn let out a slow whistle. "Well, somebody has been doing their research."
Buffy suddenly stood up and looked around frantically. Somebody must have been watching them to get the exact address on where she was.
But it couldn't be possible.
Willow had placed a powerful, and by that, she meant powerful, protection spell and a few other charms on their house so that no one could trespass their grounds without any of them noticing.
It was like ADT® on steroids.
Realizing what she was thinking, Dawn shook her head at Buffy and told her, "Nobody could be there Buffy. If there was, we would notice it."
"Would we?" she asked, a look of determination glinted in her eyes. She turned to look at Dawn who looked uncertain at her question. "How would this person know where I am exactly unless they've been watching me all this time?"
Before Dawn could make up an answer, the owl suddenly hooted behind them.
The sisters turned to look at it and nearly jumped when the owl hooted again louder than before. It cocked its head and looked at the letter and then back at Buffy and at the letter again.
The Slayer raised her eyebrow and brought up the letter to the owl. "You want me to open this?"
Dawn looked at Buffy as if she completely lost her marbles—which truthfully, she already had a long time ago, but that was besides to point. To both their utter surprise, the owl hooted again and bobbed its head up and down as if to say yes.
Cautiously, Dawn slowly asked the owl, "Is the person who sent that letter watching us?"
The bird cocked its head thoughtfully, before it fluttered its wings and shook its head.
"Guess that's a no," the Slayer said before she turned the small envelope around and saw a seal on the opening of the letter.
It was a red crest with a big 'H' in the middle of four animals. Shrugging off her curiosity at what the animals represented, she took out the letter and began reading the same emerald words out loud:
HogwartsSchool
of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Conf. of Wizards)
"Well someone sounds pretty full of himself," Dawn bit out sarcastically, though wasn't entirely sure of what a 'Mugwump' was. Buffy rolled her eyes but said nothing and continued to read:
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Dear Miss Buffy Anne Summers,
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Please do not be alarmed at the strange delivery of this letter. I understand that sending this would've been less startling if it was done the Muggle way, but this was an easier and faster way to get in touch with you. I would also dearly appreciate it if you give Albert (the owl) some water before you send him back with your response to this message.
Speaking of which, I have a great favor to ask of you. I am in dire need of your help in my school this upcoming term. A growing danger has been growing in the Wizard World for the past couple of years, and I fear for the safety of my students. It would be easier to talk to you about this in person rather than in a letter, so if you are interested and are available to give us assistance via teaching in my school, please return Albert with your answer.
If you do agree or at least interested in what I have to say, meet me in downtown Muggle London between the Quagmire's Bookstore and the Pullman Records in 19th St at 9:00 tomorrow morning.
I dearly hope that you'd consider my request.
Respectfully,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster
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Buffy stared at it with awe, reading and rereading it again. A favor? She doesn't even know this…Dumbledore and yet he was asking her for one. Nevertheless, a growing curiosity started in the back of her mind.
Growing danger, huh?
If what he said was true, then they better be prepared for the worst. No matter who said it. Buffy was so deep in her thought that she didn't notice Dawn snatch the letter away so she too could read it again.
The Slayer sat back down. A teaching position? The notion of her teaching students was completely laughable. Sure, she taught the Slayers how to patrol, handle weaponry, and those sort of things, but that was training…and they were slayers. Not students.
But still—she was stopped out of her reverie when Dawn sat down next to her.
"Are you going?" it was a simple question yet it held so many other questions.
Was she going to help the Wizard World, a world they now only knew existed? Was she going to leave Home Base (and everyone in it) to teach in this Hogwarts School? Was she going to meet this Dumbledore guy tomorrow? Was she going to leave the place they just started to call home?
Buffy took a moment to look at Dawn and sighed. "I…don't know. I'll probably come to this place if this Bumblebee—" the owl suddenly hooted indignantly but Buffy and Dawn ignored it, "-guy is for real. Better safe than sorry, I guess."
"And if it is?" Dawn asked.
The Slayer merely shrugged again. "I still have a lot of stuff to do here. Train the Slayers and all that jazz. But if it IS real, I might…," Buffy trailed off.
"Help them?" her sister finished, though it was more of a question than a statement. Buffy nodded in response.
They lapsed into another moment of silence, although it was more awkward than before. The owl hooted loudly, clearly annoyed at having to wait for its service for so long. They both looked at the bird before Dawn stood up and went inside to get a bowl of water for the owl.
Buffy looked down at the letter, still trying to decide on what to do. Oh, what the hell? She took out a pen and wrote out her response on a strip of paper she tore out.
Dawn came back outside with Albert's water and gave it to him. The Slayer rolled the small paper and awkwardly gave it to Albert after he finished drinking, unsure of what to do next. He looked at the minute scroll with incredulous eyes before he snatched it with its claws and took flight.
The Summers sisters look at the flying owl.
"Guess we'll know tomorrow then," Dawn told her flippantly.
"Guess so," Buffy agreed before they went inside.
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A/N: So here's the second chapter. It's more of a filler, but at least I've gotten started on Buffy's decision on going to Hogwarts. Review as always!
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Special Thanks to:
buffyfan363 awwww…thanks so much! I will continue on Pandora's Box so keep an eye out for it!
DevilsTears blushes thanks! Although…I will admit that I have grammar errors that still needs to be fixed, but I try to improve my writing. Its comments like these that keeps me going! Thanks again!
Jay lol! I don't have any plans on making a shipper in the story. Many have been telling me to do a Sirius/ Buffy one, but I am not sure. I'll try to keep an open mind though and if something for Remus clicks, I might go on that road…but I'm not making any promises.
sonofgloin thanks! And I WILL be expecting the reviews…just kidding! Again, thank you so much for your review!
And to spike-is-a-hottie-4-ever, Dreamer Child, RE16, justblue, and alien thank you so much for the reviews! Some of you have said to turn this fic into a Sirius/ Buffy shipper, but I am not even remotely sure of doing a shipper. But like I said on Jay's review, I'll keep an open mind for everything, and if something clicks I might go on that road…but I'm not making any promises.
REVIEW some more!
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edited on 8-17-05