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 to 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 reviews! Up next: Lupin finally reveals his not so secret identity to Buffy while she finally meets the Potions Master. Read to find out more!
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Chapter Nine—Of Warnings
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Sweat started to form around her brow, but Buffy still didn't wake up. She groaned and cringed and tossed around restlessly on her bed, the bed sheets twisting around her as she did. Buffy gasped at the intensity of the dream, but still didn't wake from her obviously restless slumber.
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Everything seemed to be in a haze. There was a fog everywhere and through it all, she saw flashes of lightning. It was as if she was inside a storm cloud. Buffy walked around endlessly, cringing at times when the clasps of thunder got too loud.
"Hello?" she yelled out uncertainly. A sudden flash of bright light occurred and it momentarily blinded Buffy. She was startled to see herself back in her old house in Sunnydale once her vision cleared. Everything was the way it was before the First came to town.
It had the same homey feeling; even the slight scent of air fresheners Mom sprayed around the house was there. Mom...Buffy quickly turned to the living room and saw something that made her gasp.
Her mother was lying down the couch unmoving, her beautiful blue eyes glazed and morbidly staring at nothing. Buffy's heart wrenched at the sight. In the back of her mind she knew that this already happened, that this was just a recurring memory, but it didn't stop her from rushing over and shaking her furiously.
"Mom? Mom! Mom wake up!" Buffy shook her, trying to snap her out of her stupor. Tears threatened to spill at the corner of her eyes, but she held them back. She can't show weakness, not now. Her skin felt so cold and her form was limp...lost of the life it once held.
She was so used to this cold body temperature when she dealt with the undead it felt sick to feel it on one so close to her heart as her mother. Sobbing pitifully as she shook her form once more, Buffy couldn't believe the thoughts everything led to. "Mom...don't, please...Mom!"
Flash.
Everything disappeared as if it had never had been there before. In fact, the only thing that kept Buffy from wondering if it even happened was the heavy sobs she was emitting and the chilly temperature on her chest. Before she could compose of herself again, another flash of light blinded her vision, only this time she could only hear anguished memories.
"You're going to die tonight..."
"If you walk out of this house, don't even THINK of coming back!"
"Hello lover."
"Every Slayer has a death wish..."
"In the end, we're always alone..."
"Death is your Gift."
"You came back wrong..."
"Death is on your heels, baby. It's only a matter of time when it finally catches up to you."
"From beneath you, it devours..."
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Buffy finally woke with a start, panting heavily from the dream. She touched her head and felt as sweaty as she usually would when she'd be training. The Slayer wiped her tear-strained face dry. Tired though she was, Buffy knew that sleep wouldn't come as easily as before.
I knew I should've taken that Sleeping Potion!
Glancing over at the small clock on the wall, she cursed at the dementors with vigor at how early it still was. With a huff, she grabbed a hair tie and went to the direction of her training room. Buffy started wrapping her hand and wrist with her wrist guards before punching out her anger and ironically, her fatigue, away on the poor punching bag.
It was several hours later when she finally managed to calm down. Panting heavily, she found a glass of water on her bed side table, left by one of the house-elves. Buffy suddenly realized that Gordo was back in her room, looking very much tired. She smiled pitifully at her brown owl, knowing exactly what made him fatigued.
"Nasty dementors hurt your game, Mister?" Buffy cooed and received a tired answer from the owl. "Guess I'll have to use the Owlery then." Gordo nodded and closed its eyes for a well-deserved rest. The Slayer felt the dementors faintly walking around the forest. It was almost eerie at how she could feel them so far away. Buffy shook her thoughts away, found the reply back from Bath, and eagerly opened the package.
A small necklace and a couple of letters came out. Buffy eyed the jewelry appraisingly; thankful it wasn't like the tacky necklace she received from Angel a year ago. She picked up the letters and began reading them:
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Buffy-
Willow managed to enhance this crystal that might protect you from these dementors. Surprisingly enough, there are books recorded of its existence. After some extensive research of finding what they are, Willow found the right spell to cast on the jewel.
The dementors are attracted to every human. It's the very emotions of a person that attracts them. They feel the doubt and fear of a person, and they take away the person's positive emotions, making them live through their worst moments.
The charm Willow found was easy enough. Like I've said before, dementors feed off from human emotions. The spell creates a small but effective barrier around you against them. However, I fear that even with its strength, too many dementors at a time will weaken the barrier. So do NOT push your luck with this.
You have a three feet radius around you before you start feeling the effects of the dementors. They cannot come near you at this distance, but again, too many at a time will weaken the spell. Wear the crystal all times! I highly suggest meditating for the time being as well. It might lessen the effects of the dementors though not enough that you can stay near them at a long presence of time.
Many Wishes,
Rupert Giles
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Buffy smiled at Willow's ingenuity. She wore the simple necklace and felt a whole damn lot better. The nagging Slayer part of her that was telling to kill the dementors finally settled down and the tingly sense of the dementors from far away also diminished.
Go Willow!
She picked up the next letter and realized it was Faith's:
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B
Everything's five by five. Couple of demons here and there, Slayers from around the world sent back their first records of their first week up in the front. Some rough and tumble in South Korea but nothing the Slayers couldn't handle. Dawn's getting her supplies for Oxford, and that's one hell of a book list. The rest sends their luck.
Faith.
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In spite of the bad situation, Buffy smiled. It was nice being kept in the loop of all things. With a sigh, she decided to write a response to Faith and a grateful note to Giles. After writing the letter, she went to the direction of the Owlery to send her mail. She came back to her room to change from her sweaty clothes.
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Snape glowered ominously at whatever direction he was facing. Damn that wolf. His mood hadn't been the best when Dumbledore turned him down YET AGAIN for the position of the Defense Against the Dark Arts and gave it to…him.
The quill he was holding nearly broke under pressure before he gained control over his mobility once more. That is, freeing himself from that spurt of anger released by the mere thought of that damnable werewolf. To think that Dumbledore chose Remus over him was…argh! Insufferable indeed!
Add the fact he now turned brewing one of the hardest potions known to wizard-kind into a chore—well, this year would really be tolling on him. Oh, and had he mention the arrival of a certain bubbly professor? Slayer or not, this twit looked like she could be broken in half by something simply…trivial.
Pfft. And he had fully hoped that she would dispose of his bane before he even reached Hogwarts. Ah, life was cruel indeed. She didn't even looked like she knew he was a werewolf for Merlin's sake! How can…
Wait. She didn't…
That's it! Could it have been possible that even the fabled warrior missed the fact that that werewolf was actually a werewolf!
A growing smirk startlingly appeared on his pale face.
Things might be looking up after all…
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The Slayer finally came out of her own private room some time later. Buffy finally decided on doing some of the tasks she listed on doing to set up her lesson. She stopped by the Great Hall to grab a quick breakfast (unable to spot Remus for a short greeting) before she decided to pay old Hagrid a visit first. Buffy took her time getting there, enjoying the free feeling of unable to feel the dementors around. Despite the recent dream she had, the Slayer couldn't help but whistle a merry tune while munching on the small muffin. It was some time later when Buffy finally arrived at Hagrid's hut.
She politely knocked on the wooden door and forced a smile to the person who opened the door. "'Morning Hagrid!"
"Well hello Professor. Do come in. To what do I owe tha pleasure o' meetin' yeh? Tea?" Hagrid offered as they settled down on his living room but didn't receive a response. Buffy couldn't help but stare at the odd assortment of trinkets and other objects that hung off his ceiling. She was suddenly broken out of her stupor when a huge, gray dog jumped on her and began liking her face.
"Eep!" she squealed, startled at the friendly assault. Buffy was pushed back to a huge chair where the grey dog kept on licking her, "Hagrid! A little...help...would be...nice!" she gasped out between laughter.
Hagrid roared out a laugh before he beckoned the dog with a whistle. "C'mere Fang. No sense of licking the Professor to death."
Buffy eyed the drool all over with distaste once the dog was off her. She didn't know what was worse; the inevitable dog breath all over her, or the drool. The Slayer wiped away all of the saliva but knew that her shirt was beyond repair. With a sigh, Buffy turned her attention to Hagrid. "Hmm, what? Oh, no thanks. I'm more of a coffee person," Buffy declined the offered tea.
"I was wondering if you could help me with something, Hagrid," she started after a pause. Hey, no sense for idle chit-chat…even if this was done for a favor.
Hagrid's eyebrow rose. "Wha' kind o' something?" he asked, slightly suspicious.
"Nothing much. Just moving in some illegal muggle drugs into the school," Buffy said deadpanned. Hagrid's eyebrows comically shot up and Buffy had to laugh at his reaction. "Don't worry, Hagrid. It's just for my subject and all. I already asked Dumbledore if I could do this and he gave me his permission."
"Well then. Wha' would this thing be?" Buffy grinned as she explained her need.
Several hours later, the task was complete. Hagrid said that it was charmed with an Anti-Cheating Spell so if any student decided to slack off his task, she would know. A protective barrier was also cast around it, so no harm will come to the students. Buffy left him a huge thanks, grateful for the help she received.
The Slayer stopped by Professor Flitwick's office and managed to get him to charm her weaponry cabinet. He reassured Buffy that only she would be able to open the glass cabinet and that it will never break under any circumstances. The professor was thanked as well before Buffy went off to lunch.
While walking towards the Great Hall, she was stopped by Professor McGonagall. "Buffy! Professor Dumbledore needs to talk to you."
The blond professor trotted up to the Headmaster's office. She gave the password to the gargoyle that suddenly twisted up and revealed the set of stairs. Buffy walked up the stairs and entered Dumbledore's office.
"What d'you want to talk about, Bumblebee?" Dumbledore raised his brow at her sudden cheerfulness. It was only yesterday when Buffy was finally released from the hospital wing; yet she was almost as happy as when she first arrived. The Headmaster never doubted Madam Pomfrey's skills at healing, but he could've sworn that the professor standing in front of him was still worn out from the dementor's presence.
Buffy caught his surprised look and took out the necklace under her shirt. "I told you I'd find a way," Buffy reminded him. "I have a friend who helped me out with this annoying situation. So, I'm up and ready for patrol."
"Of course," Dumbledore laughed. "Now, it has come to my attention that you and Remus haven't talked about each other's...current state." He said vaguely, thinking that she'd catch up to his meaning.
"What? With me being a Slayer and he a werewolf and I'm supposed to do my sacred duty of killing off all big bads that threaten mankind?" Dumbledore slowly nodded. Not exactly the reaction he expected, but hey, whatever, "Yeah...about that. We haven't talked about it," Buffy said flippantly as she took a seat on one of the chairs.
The Headmaster raised his eyebrow. "Would you care to elaborate that?"
"Hmm, I guess we never gotten to that round of conversation yet. I mean, what should a girl like me supposed to say? 'Hey, I'm a Slayer and you're werewolf. I'm supposed to hunt you down. But don't worry, I just want to be best friends?' I think not," Buffy replied dryly.
"Yes well, he had been rather confused with you. And with the full moon coming up, things are getting more complicated for him."
Buffy sighed. "Dumbledore, the reason why I didn't go all third degree on him is that everybody has a secret. It'll be up to him to tell me about his 'state' like you said and not to pry him. Speaking of which, you do have a way to contain a werewolf right?"
"Of course; Severus has been making him a potion that will let him have his current state of mind during his transformation. Not many wizards are able to create this type of potion, so we're very lucky to have Professor Snape doing this for us. It has just been recently discovered," Dumbledore explained. Buffy nodded, thinking about Oz.
"So, are we done here?"
"Not even close," the Headmaster smiled. "I need to tell you a system in the school..."
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The Slayer massaged her aching head as she got out of Dumbledore's office. Bloody school and its system... She sighed as she walked back towards her room, wondering if Hogwarts did anything remotely muggle-like. Buffy laughed at the absurd thought.
"People are considered to be demented when they laugh at nothing," a cold voice drawled behind the shadows. The Slayer bristled on instinct but immediately calmed down when she realized who it was.
"Hello, Severus," Buffy coolly greeted. Over the past week, she had never had the pleasure of meeting the Potions Professor, having been too busy touring Hogwarts. The only time they had actually met was during meals in the Great Hall and even then it was only a few times, and the first wasn't exactly the best, "and it's considered rude when someone interrupts one's thoughts. Now excuse me, I have to be somewhere." Buffy turned to leave, but Snape followed her. "You know, when I said 'I', I didn't mean 'we'," she told him pointedly.
Annoyance started to grow when he didn't stop following. She tried shaking him off several times, but he managed to find her one way or another, having better acquainted with the castle and all. "Do you need something, Severus?" she finally asked, exasperated. Buffy stopped walking and waited for a response.
Snape looked at her coldly before saying, "You haven't talked to Remus, have you?"
"Talked about what?"
Damn, this girl was clueless.
"You as the Slayer. Everyone in the staff knows what you are, and Lupin is no exception," Snape spat the name, ignoring the urge to roll his eyes.
Buffy on the other hand, rolled her eyes at his antics before started walking again. "Now what would make you think that?"
"He wouldn't be as relaxed around you as he is now," the Professor stated as if it was the most obvious thing. "You're a killer, Summers. You hunt down people like Remus and kill them. It is in your instincts."
The Slayer halted in front of her room. She rounded on Snape, eyes flashing angrily at his assumption. "I rather use the term 'slayer', Snape. As for the instincts part, it's true. I am supposed to destroy the demons out there that plan on hurting the innocent. But there are some creatures that don't intend on suddenly destroying the world and those are the creatures I don't 'kill', to borrow a few words. And since when did you started taking interest about Slayers?"
"Ever since Dumbledore announced that you are coming here and Remus came back in one piece," he sneered. His dark eyes narrowed to a leer. "You should watch who you befriend, Summers. You might only know them skin-deep." With that, he left for the other direction in the same fashion he did last time.
Buffy glared at Snape's retreating back. "And you should watch what you say!" she yelled, not letting him the final word. Jerk. With a final huff, she gave out her password to Lady Lyra and entered her room. All sense of annoyance was suddenly lost when she saw the old binder on her desk.
After changing her ruined shirt, the Slayer walked towards her table and grabbed the borrowed item. She sat down on her chair and opened the binder to the appropriate date and began researching.
Buffy began scanning for anything she might have missed several days ago. Unconsciously, she fiddled with the necklace Willow gave her just awhile back while she read. Several minutes later, Lady Lyra appeared behind her canvas, surprising Buffy.
"You could've told me you can do that," the Slayer chided at the sheepish English girl.
"I'm sorry Professor, but you have a visitor outside who wishes to speak to you," Lyra apologized. Buffy's eyebrow rose before she suddenly scowled in annoyance. She closed the binder and placed it aside before walking towards the portrait. I swear, if it's that Dracula wannabe...
But it wasn't the Potions professor that was on the other side of the painting. In fact, it was a very weary Lupin who was smiling forcibly at her despite his condition.
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Remus paced around his room nervously, trying to figure out if he should talk to Buffy about being a werewolf. He had been avoiding her ever since the day the dementors arrived several days before. Even though he had the nagging voice in his head that she knew what he was, Lupin couldn't bring himself to tell her out loud. Because actually saying it meant facing her with the whole truth about what he was along with her reaction.
But every time Lupin pushes the thought of talking to her away, it quickly comes back when he sees her smiling welcomingly at him. A thing few people ever did once they realize that he was a werewolf. Which is exactly why I can't tell her! Lupin reminded himself. Their friendship meant so much to him, that telling her might jeopardize it.
She would've already known what you are if she is indeed the Slayer, a rational voice wormed into his head. The werewolf groaned as the same round of thoughts came back again. And besides, the full moon is coming tonight. It's better if the truth came out from you, the voice added.
Lupin contemplated the thought. It might be better...there's only one way to find out, he thought determinedly. With a nervous sigh, Remus stopped pacing around and went to Buffy's room.
I hope Albus finds my remains…
Unconsciously, he clenched his sweaty palms inside his ragged robes as he walked towards her portrait. Lupin mentally practiced what he was about to say to the Slayer. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even realized that his feet stopped in front of Lady Lyra.
Someone cleared their throat loudly enough to bring Lupin out of his thoughts. "Would you like me to tell Professor Summers you need to talk to her or shall you stand there looking at nothing for the remainder of the day?" an amused portrait asked him.
The werewolf gave her a look. "Calling her will be preferable," he replied dryly. Lady Lyra chuckled before disappearing. There was a loud yelp from the other side of the painting, which Lupin assumed was Buffy. Finally the portrait swung open, revealing a surprised Slayer. Lupin forcibly smiled at her, his gut wrenching at the inevitable talk they were about to have.
"Hello Buffy," his voice was steady despite the feelings he was having. "Can I come in?"
"Sure, Rem," Buffy opened the painting wide enough for him to enter. Remus entered her room and nervously sat down on one of the blue couches. The Slayer followed suit and looked at him questioningly.
After a few minutes of waiting, Buffy finally started talking. "So, are you gonna tell me why you're here or am I supposed to guess?"
Before he could stop himself, Lupin suddenly blurted, "I'm a werewolf." Remus was tempted to smack his head at his lack of self-control but managed to stop the action. There was supposed to be a whole speech before the bomb for crying out loud! Instead, he forced himself to meet Buffy's amused eyes that were staring at him. Wait, amused? What in the blazes happened to the lunging to kill me out of instinct?
"I know," she replied back with an amused grin. Confusion instead of fear coursed through the disbelieving werewolf.
"Y-you knew? Since when?"
"Hmm...so today's Tuesday," Buffy looked up as if to ponder the answer, "Since ever," she finally said, "They don't call me a Slayer for nothing, Remus."
Buffy stood up and walked over to her desk as if the conversation was over. Lupin followed her, unwilling to let down the subject easily. A part of him told him that he should be happy that his head was still intact. But there was another part that was just screaming for an explanation. "So you've known. All this time."
"Isn't that what I just said?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Lupin snapped, suddenly annoyed at the blonde professor in front of him.
"What did you want me to do?" Buffy pointedly asked, eyes narrowing at his tone. "Proclaim I'm the Slayer and that I know you're a werewolf, let's be best buddies? Hardly the best line for meeting people, Lupin. Besides, I would have thought that it would be better if it was up to you to tell me what you are. Guess I was wrong."
Guilt came over him. So the girl was only thinking about his feelings, eh? "Sorry," he apologized, regretting for having snapped at her. Lupin sighed as the situation turned into a different, much unexpected, way. "But why aren't you on me? You know, on the hunt and going with your Slayer instinct?"
Buffy raised a perfect eyebrow at him. "You know, I got the same thing from Snape awhile ago and I'll say it again: there are creatures out there that don't have humans in their main menu and ending the world as their hobby. I expect that you don't fit in any of these categories since I doubt Dumbledore will let you teach if you were, so what's the point of slaying you? Unless of course, you want me to."
"No. That won't be necessary."
"So why the sudden interrogation of not killing you?"
"Isn't that what you're supposed to do? Kill demons?" Lupin asked bitterly as he classified himself as a 'demon'.
"I don't think you heard what I said before, Lupin. I don't slay every single demon out there just because they go bump in the night. Hell, I've befriended a couple of vamps, Clem, an ex-Vengeance demon, and a werewolf before. The world isn't all black and white, Remus. Although everything would be SO much easier if it was. Just because they're demons doesn't mean they're all bad. And look at humans. We have souls yet some of us still do murder, drugs, and all that jazz," Buffy told him.
Lupin looked at her surprisingly. "Never knew you were one to be so perceptive, Summers," he said, slightly mocking.
Buffy ignored the joke and took it as a compliment. "It comes with the package."
Remus suddenly remembered what she said. "Did you say you had a friend that was a werewolf?" The Slayer nodded. "What happened to him?"
"After a bit of some rough stuff relationship-wise with him and my friend, he went to Timbuktu for a 'searching for himself' thing. He came back for a visit but it was a short one," Buffy shrugged. "Haven't heard of him since then."
"How did you control him when he transformed?" Lupin asked eagerly.
"We usually caged him. But when he gets a little bit rougher, we use a tranquilizer gun. It's a thing muggles use that shoots this thing that injects a sedative that completely knocks him out," Buffy explained at his blank look. "Anyways, it's nothing compared to what you must be taking."
Lupin shrugged. "I wouldn't be able to tell," he sighed as he started walking around her room. Inside, he felt as if a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders and the annoying butterflies in his gut were finally gone. Finally, he could have his appetite back!
Buffy looked at him, amused at how he was handling the new revelation. "Feels good doesn't it?"
That got his attention. Lupin stopped walking and looked at her quizzically. "What does?"
"Getting it out in the open"
Remus gave out a laugh. "Very much." He did feel so much better now that he had it over with. "Thank you, Buffy."
"For which part?"
"Pardon?"
"For not killing you and going all 'all demons must die' on you or for answering your questions?"
Lupin laughed. "Both. How are you feeling by the way?" he asked, remembering that she was just released yesterday from the infirmary.
Buffy took out the necklace under her shirt. "Great. Got a friend back in Bath that gave me this after I told her what my situation was."
Lupin looked at the crystal with curiosity. It didn't look like it had anything special in it. "What does it do?"
Instead of answering him, Buffy took out the letter she received this morning and gave to him. Lupin's eyes widened after he finished reading it. "Ingenious," he muttered lowly, but Buffy heard it.
"That's Willow for you."
Lupin didn't look like he heard her. "It's just like a Patronus Spell."
"A patro-who?"
"A Patronus. It's a spell that creates a barrier out of the happiest memory a person has. Mind you, it IS a high leveled spell but it's the only thing that is known to drive the dementors off. Well, is, until now," Lupin answered back before he stopped examining the crystal. "Anyways, I should head back. Thank you once again, Buffy."
"Anytime."
Lupin smiled at her before leaving the room. Told you it would've been better, the voice in his head suddenly spoke up and the werewolf had to fight off a chuckle that was threatening to spill out.
Yes, it truly was better.
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A/N: So, you guys like? I know, its mostly about Lupin' spewing out his not-so-secret to Buffy...but I wanted a chapter for that. Anyways, reviewing should be a virtue. Say your thoughts by doing it. Remember guys, I'm still thinking about doing this as a series, so vote for your thoughts!
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Special Thanks To:
buffyfan363- lol. Your welcome! I appreciate every single reviews and hopefully this satisfies your curiosity on how Giles and Wills are helping good ol' Buff with her dementors dilemma.
Dawn- ...the chosen romance is posted up in the beginning of every chapter from the 4th one up. This story was about to become a Spuffy story, but I changed it into a neutral one. However, because of the fact that I am thinking of turning this into a series, there might/ will be a romance in the future, but NOT in THIS story. So you won't have to be disappointed.
sparky24- haha. Well, yay for me then. Okay, so that's two votes for a series thing. Thanks a lot!
spikeywolvie- thanks a lot! Um, with that investigation thing by the Trio, you'll hafta see for yourself in the future chapters. Expect the three of them to arrive around the next chapter, and for Buff to actually start teaching in around 12-13 chapters. So stick around!
And thanks to the rest who took their time to review this story!
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edited on 8-22-05