Magick Moste Evile.

The magic inside Hogwarts' library sent Buffy's Slayer senses haywire. Feeling disorientated, she paused at the first row of stacks, taking a moment to look around and get her bearings. The library was deceptively large, with rows and rows of shelving, desks for students to work at, and over to one side were the carrels, the small enclosed cubicles for the older students or teachers. The entire place pulsed with magic, from the books on the shelves to the stones in the walls.

Once her senses had begun to settle, Buffy moved further into the library. She passed the librarian, Professor Boar, who was sat at the main desk writing out a long list. He was an elderly, squat-looking wizard with an angry mouth and the look he gave Buffy was one of suspicion and disapproval. Buffy pretended not to notice. She continued until she found an empty table near the back, and dropped down into one of the chairs.

Her spidey senses tingled again. It wasn't the spine-tingling reaction to a demon, this felt more like an invisible animal brushing up against her. She scanned the surrounding area seeking the source. There was nothing around but books.

A rope hung across the aisle of a Restricted section, dividing the area from the rest of the library. Buffy gave it a suspicious look. Was that the source of the strange vibe, or did it come from the books lying beyond it? She remembered Giles working with her to increase her ability to sense vampires and other creepies. Would that ability transfer to magic? When she'd shaken hands with wizards she'd felt their individual magical signatures. Were her abilities sensitive enough to distinguish between wards and other types of magic?

After checking that no one was nearby, Buffy raised a hand. With her palm facing the Restricted section, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the sensation. Immediately magic pressed into her senses from all sides. It poured off the books, the students, the charmed artefacts, and even the castle itself. Buffy slowed her breathing and began to sift through each magical vibration. Setting to aside the side the vibrations from the students, the castle and the books to concentrate on the rope. She wasn't sensing anything, but she was learning. She could learn from the experience and gain valuable knowledge that would help her -.

"You know, its behaviour like that which gives the Lovegood family a bad name," a teasing voice called from the opposite side of the table.

Buffy spluttered out a laugh. Opening her eyes, she grinned over at her cousin. "Yep. I guess it would. I was using my Slayer senses to check for magic wards attached to that rope." She pointed to the rope slung across the entrance to the restricted area.

Lovell dropped down into the empty seat next to her. "There aren't any. It's just an old rope."

"That kinda sucks," replied Buffy. "I made a fool of myself with the Vulcan hand sign."

Lovell pulled a book from his bag. "Vulcan hand sign?" he asked, laying the book on the table. "Is that a Muggle thing?

"Sort of, I guess." Buffy followed his lead and took an Arithmancy book out of her bag. She shot another look at the Restricted section. "I might sneak in there later and see what's making me get the weird tingles."

Her cousin tutted. "What is it with you and breaking rules? You'll need a permission slip from a teacher to go in there, that's why it's restricted access. And don't be thinking you can sneak in and steal one either. Most of the darker books are chained to their shelves."

"Chained? I'm guessing they have been naughty?" Buffy eyed him and grinned slyly. "Or are they kinky and into things like that?"

Lovell blushed a fiery red from his collar to the tips of his ears. "We're talking seriously Dark Magic and Evil, not..." his words trailed away, and he looked as if he might explode with embarrassment rather than say the words 'kink' or 'sex'.

"Whoa! Dark Magic AND Evil with capitalisation. You make sneaking in there so tempting!" she chirped, kindly not mentioning his red face and trying to distract him.

It worked. The colour in his cheeks faded. "Buffy!" A Hufflepuff boy passed their table, and Lovell lowered his voice, "Dark magic is a temptation, it also comes with serious consequences."

The Hufflepuff boy halted not far from them and began browsing the shelves. Both Buffy and Lovell watched him, waiting for him to move on. When he didn't, Lovell edged his chair closer to Buffy, leaned in and whispered, "What did the Sorting hat tell you?"

"Cliff notes or expanded book version?" Buffy asked, still eyeing the Hufflepuff boy. He glanced over, caught her eye, and smiled. Buffy dimpled in response.

"Concentrate, Buffy," Lovell chided. "Sorting hat discussion first, flirting later. Give me as much detail as you want and I'll ask questions later."

"Okay, the hat thinks I died in another dimension and came back as me in this one." Her cousin stared at her blankly. Buffy guessed not everyone knew about parallel world theories and doppelgängers. She explained it as well as she could, and thankfully, Lovell was not only an open-minded and accepting Lovegood, he was a smart Ravenclaw as well.

"Another version of Buffy jumped from a tower into a magical portal and died. Her soul then crossed over to this world and was reborn again?"

"Yep, death is Buffy's next big adventure," she replied. "The hat also thinks Von Kendrick's dark spell caused me to lose this life's memories and regain some of my past ones."

Lovell glanced over at the Hufflepuff who'd moved closer to Buffy and frowned at him. He whispered, "Dark Magic has consequences."

"Yeah, something like that." Her mom was still suffering from the effects of Von Kendrick's spell. It would make sense he'd used something equally as nasty on her as well.

With a final look at Buffy, the Hufflepuff moved on, and Lovell visibly relaxed. "And what did the hat say about Slayers?"

"Not that much." Buffy recounted the conversation, finishing off with the headmaster's conversation.

Lovell gazed off into space, thinking over what she'd told him, and Buffy gave him time to process. After a minute or so, he said, "I wonder why a witch was called when the rest of the Slayers were Muggles? And also, what exactly the Headmaster meant when he said it wouldn't happen again? Did he mean she was the last witch who'd be called as a Slayer or that the witch was the last Slayer?"

Buffy shrugged a shoulder. "Honestly? I don't know... Oh! Remember the vampire I killed in London?"

"Shh!" Lovell's eyes swivelled around, making sure no one had overheard her. The Hufflepuff had disappeared and the nearest student was by the main desk. "The last one? The one I blinded with my moth and you staked her while she stumbled around, blind and defenceless?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "No, not her. And sheesh, Lovell, you make me sound like a mad axe murderer. Vampires are never defenceless." She thought for a second and added, "Although... I guess if you chopped off all their limbs, tied their bodies to a stake and set them on fire they might be."

Lovell shuddered. "Witches and wizards are never keen on hearing tales of burning. So which... 'slayee' are we talking about?"

Buffy beamed. She loved it when Lovell spoke Slayer speak. "The guy in the opera cloak I met in the bombed out building."

"Merlin's saggy ba-, underpants! What guy in an opera cloak in a bombed out building?"

"I told you all about him." Buffy pouted. "He was my first victim."

Lovell looked at her askance.

"Um, and when I say victim, I mean 'the thing of evil that should die'." Her cousin still looked horrified, and she added, "Honestly, I haven't killed that many. Not even a handful."

Buffy was sure she'd confessed to him about slaying the opera-cloak guy. In case she hadn't, she explained, "He was just about to bite this unconscious woman and I stopped him. We fought, he called me a Slayer and then said I couldn't be, as Slayers were long gone."

"And then you dusted him?" Lovell asked, worrying again about her being caught, added sharply, "You didn't leave any evidence behind, did you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just my ID card with my photo, name, and date of birth."

"It isn't funny," hissed Lovell. "Azkaban!"

"Nah, I didn't." She didn't think so. "Just a pile of dust in much larger piles of dust."

He gave a small, doubtful nod, anxious about the Ministry finding evidence linking her to the vampire's disappearance. Lovell thought she was far too blasé about these deaths.

His attitude gave her an idea. "I wonder if the Ministry got involved when a Witch was activated, and they stopped her from slaying?" If vampires were protected, they wouldn't be happy to see a witch breaking their rules. Buffy went on, "Slayers were originally created by magic and, I guess, the spell could be broken – somehow. That doesn't explain me becoming a Slayer though."

"Dark magic has consequences," Lovell repeated, sagely.

"Yeah..." Buffy replied slowly. Aware her cousin was waiting for an intelligent reply, she said, "Okay, I give up. I have no idea what you're talking about. Pretend my brain was hit by a bus and make with the 'splainy.

"Dark Magic often has unforeseen consequences," he repeated. "Sometimes spells can cross or clash with another." Seeing she had no idea what he was getting at, he elaborated his theory. "What if the way you died in your last dimension combined with Von Kendrick's spell and re-activated you as a Slayer? Two sets of dark and powerful spells coming together would have unexpected consequences."

Buffy thought it over. It sounded reasonable and better than any of her ideas. "And it also activated my magical core." Von Kendrick's spell had been a catalyst, sparking off a strange chain of events.

Lovell nudged Buffy. She looked up. The Librarian was heading towards the Restricted aisle. They both dipped their head, pretending to study their books and waited until he was out of sight before speaking again.

"Who was the Headmaster who knew about the Witch Slayer?" Lovell asked.

"It wasn't Dippet," Buffy replied straight off. "I'm guessing it was someone from the last century. Not that it matters." She rubbed at her forehead tiredly. The Grindylows had congregated around the bedroom window early that morning and woken her. "Dippet is an ancient relic and whoever he took over from must be long dead."

"We can still ask him," Lovell said.

"Dippet?"

"The dead Headmaster!"

Buffy cocked her head, considering this. "Cool. Have you ever conducted a séance? Do we need a Ouija board? Or should we dig up his corpse for a quick-fire question-and-answer session?"

Lovell regarded her with a frown. "If I wasn't your cousin I'd have deep misgivings about you. I was thinking more along the lines of asking his painting."

"Oh." Buffy had forgotten that people in magical paintings often spoke. She should have remembered. Several of them had shouted disapproving comments at her when she'd been wandering the corridors after curfew. "I'll need to speak to the Sorting Hat again and ask if it knows the Headmaster's name."

It would mean asking Slughorn to ask Dippet if she could have another counselling session. Dippet had given the job to the deputy Headmaster and would probably do so again. "Dumbledore might be difficult. I always get the feeling he thinks I'm up to something -."

"He's right," Lovell pointed out, not very helpfully.

"Why do you think I told the hat I didn't wan to be a Gryffindor? He'd such a brain prier. If he can't dig the answer from my thoughts, he's bound to start asking uncomfortable questions."

"A single name is all we need," Lovell pressed. Buffy brightened until he added repressively, "The only problem is that the portrait will hang in the Headmasters office along with the rest of the previous Headmasters."

"So... I'd need to break into the Headmaster's office to speak to it?" There were bound to be wards in place and shrieking alarm systems.

"A gargoyle guards the stairs leading to his office." Lovell threw his quill down. "It can't be done. Even if you gained access, the portraits would inform the Headmaster there'd been an intruder, tell him what you'd asked, and they'd identify you. We can't risk you being exposed."

"Guess we're stumped then," Buffy replied. It had been a good idea, but there were just too many things that could go wrong.

Tom Riddle trailed his fingers across the old leather bindings and breathed in the smell of leather, old parchment, ink, and magic. Once again, he had the Restricted section to himself since few students ventured here due to rumours of the books being possessed or having bad luck after reading them. The professors helped in fuelling this rumour with their reluctance to hand out passes. Only Slughorn and Merrythought handed out passes regularly, believing an intelligent student should broaden their knowledge and could be trusted not to look at the darker books.

The official reason for Tom's visit to this section was to search for books mentioning the use of Billywig stings in potions. It was a well-known fact that anyone stung by a Billywig suffered from instant levitation. Tom had claimed to be curious if anyone in the past had added these stings to a potion in a search for unaided flight. In reality, the Billywig research was just a cover. Tom was interested in much darker subjects. He wanted information on blood magic, soul splitting, and rituals to create inferi.

He spent a peaceful hour, happily browsing the stacks by himself, and finally selected a book that mentioned Billywigs. He moved on, sliding a copy of Magick Moste Evile from the shelves, when a group of sixth-form students entered the Restricted area. Tom tensed, wary in case they queried his choice of reading, but they stayed away, talking to each other as they browsed the shelves.

Tom sat at a table and watched them surreptitiously from the corner of his eye. After a while, he concluded they were DADA students since they were looking for antidotes to dark hexes. Annoyed at being disturbed, Tom shifted in his chair, angling his body so that his back was to them and trying to tune out their chatter.

"Buffy Summers? Isn't she a Squib's brat?" jeered one of the boys.

Tom shot a look over his shoulder.

There was a beat of silence, and then Caradoc Dearborn said, "So?"

"I heard she's almost a Squib herself. She couldn't do the simplest spell until recently." The boy, a Ravenclaw, laughed scornfully. "I'm surprised the Sorting Hat didn't send her packing. I guess putting her in Slytherin was the next best thing."

Tom stiffened. 'How dare he insult Slytherin!' Between Tom's fingers, Magick Moste Evile began to vibrate angrily at the way he was crushing its pages. Placing it onto the desk, Tom slid his hands back toward him, leaving them resting on the edge of the table. He stared down at his long, slender fingers and breathed in deeply.His yew wand was in his pocket, and that's where it had to stay.

The third boy, another Gryffindor, joined the conversation. "Is this the transfer girl you're talking about? The one who saved a first year from drowning in the lake?"

Dearborn replied softly, his words too low to decipher.

The Gryffindor laughed. "Davis, how can you say she's a Squib? According to Merrythought she cast a Patronus after only just one lesson. There's all sorts of rumours flying around Hogwarts about her. Some say her father is a powerful Pureblood who has a high up job in the Ministry. He had a fling with the girl's mother and was forced to abandon her when his family found out she was a Squib. They say he either doesn't know about his daughter or he only found out when she arrived back in Britain."

"I heard her father is a Muggle," Davis added sourly. "He walked out on them because... because that's what Muggles like to do. They've no sense of family obligations."

"Does it matter who her father is or what her blood status is?" Dearborn asked. "I like her."

"She's pretty enough, I grant you." The Ravenclaw sneered, "Got a nice figure too. Slim but well rounded in the right places, if you know what I mean."

Tom sneaked a glance over at him. He didn't know who this Davis was, but he wanted to remember his face.

"But have you seen her cousin?" Davis asked. "Lovell Lovegood, the friendless freak who sits in the corner and no one talks to."

"He is shy," Dearborn said firmly. "I travelled to Hogwarts with them both and found them to be honest, uncomplicated people. After spending time at Durmstrang you appreciate people like that. In fact, I shall go to her now, and study with her otherwise I might hex you."

Tom heard the sound of retreating footsteps. He shot a fast look over his shoulder and confirmed it was Dearborn who'd left. Gently closing Magick Moste Evile, the book would scream if roughly handled, Tom placed it back onto the shelf and followed Caradoc Dearborn out of the Restricted section.

…...

Thanks to those who left a review last chapter.

Blarghmonkeys – thanks for creating an account!

Dai5ycake – hopefully more to come

Nerdalertwarning – it will take her a while to put two and two together as people are hiding things from her. Too many secrets.

CallaRose4ever – McGonagall is teaching a different subject as Dumbledore teaches Transfiguration.

Guest – I am glad you liked Buffy's new theme song ;-) And yes, Joyce confessed to Peregrine who Buffy's real father is.