Mischief Managed.
previously...
A subtle change had come over his cousin. The amused expression had gone, replaced by something much darker, and her eyes had become sharper, almost predatory. As he watched, Buffy pulled something sharp and pointy from her pocket, and Lovell saw that it was a stake.
"What's happening?"
"By the pricking of my thumbs, something freaky this way comes."
Lovell, unaware of the mangled Macbeth, cast a confused look at her hands. "What?"
"We've incoming." With one graceful move she was on her feet, no longer caring about being spotted by Walburga.
Lovell stayed where he was. He felt disorientated, as if he had the beginnings of a fever. "Vampires, coming here?" His voice was croaky with anxiety.
"Uh-hu. And please don't tell me to put my stake away. I don't think these are gonna be the Ministry approved versions."
Lovell rose awkwardly to his feet. "Alright, I won't. But promise me, you'll keep the stake out of sight and not use it unless you have to."
*...*
Walburga pulled herself from the man's arms. She looked across to where Lovell and Buffy were standing and her pale face darkened with fury.
"You!" she screeched. Frightened pigeons took off from the broken rooftop behind her. "You followed me here!"
The man she'd met touched her arm. "Walburga, do you know these people?"
Walburga swung around angrily and then lost the edge of her anger. In a much gentler voice, she said, "Just go, Howard."
He hesitated, shooting Buffy and Lovell a wary look. "What's this about? Will you be alright?"
"They aren't family," Walburga explained. "They're just stupid kids from school. I'll deal with them and owl you tomorrow." She touched his cheek. "Go on, Howard. I'll be fine."
Giving a final glance over at Buffy and Lovell, Howard nodded.
The moment he'd Disapparated, Walburga strode over with magic crackling around her. "Are you planning to blackmail me?"
"No," yelped Lovell.
"Not you, you pathetic idiot!" Walburga snapped. She pointed at Buffy. "Her!"
"Don't speak to my cousin like that!" Buffy replied, gripping her stake tightly. "And neither of us are gonna blackmail you."
"Ha! I know!" She tossed her head imperiously and sneered. "A Black knows to cover their tracks."
Buffy snorted a laugh. "You failed there, Walburga. We tracked you here."
Walburga's face flushed.
Not wanting a fight breaking out, Lovell stepped between Walburga and Buffy. "Walburga," he said, "you passed your Apparition exam last year. Any chance of a side-along and taking us back to Grimmauld Place?"
Walburga's jaw went slack. "What?"
"Like, let's go now," said Buffy, scanning the area around them. The prickling along her spine had gotten stronger, a sign the vampires were closer. She didn't want to run away, but since slaying was illegal she didn't want an audience or to put Lovell in danger.
"You're asking me to take you back to my uncle's? What? So it's easier for you to blackmail me?" Walburga glared at Buffy. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
Despite the snarky reply on the tip of her tongue, Buffy didn't answer. Her attention was on the shadows further down the street.
Walburga pouted pettishly. "I'm not helping you. Why should I? You followed here. Find your own way back."
"We didn't come here to blackmail you!" Lovell's eyes darted to Buffy and then the direction she was looking in. "Walburga, you need to take us out of here. Right now, before something bad happens!"
"Don't order me around, Lovegood!" snapped Walburga, rounding on him. "The Ministry's Trace might have gone from my wand, but I can't Apparate out of here. Arcturus is going to check our wands in the morning to see what magic we've been using. I had to-," she broke off, examining their faces. " What is going on with you two?"
To their right, two vampires dressed in fashions from a quarter of a century ago emerged from the shadows. One with a severely burnt face, the other was an older man wearing the rough clothing of a dock worker.
Buffy moved, revealing the stake she'd been hiding in the folds of her robe.
Walburga eyes narrowed and then widened with surprise. "That... that isn't a wand. What are you doing with a stick? And why are you both looking at me as if I'm one ingredient short of a cauldron explosion?"
Lovell swallowed nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down in his throat. "It isn't you. It's what's behind you."
Walburga took a look over her shoulder, saw the vampires, and darted behind Lovell and Buffy, crouching down and hiding. Lovell straightened his shoulders. His face set grimly he reached inside his robe and pulled out a slim wooden rod, sharpened to a point at one end.
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "You have a stake?"
He shrugged, trying to make light of it. "It was the handle off my old butterfly net," he explained. "It seemed a shame not to put it to good use."
"No." Buffy pushed Lovell aside. "While I'm all for upcycling and saving the planet, I want you staying fray-adjacent."
Annoyed, Lovell pushed her back and stepped around her. "It isn't going to happen."
"I have this great idea," said Walburga. "Less pushing, more running!"
She sprinted off, Buffy and Lovell right behind her. The vampires whooped and hollered and gave chase.
"You know, this isn't a great idea," Buffy called out to Walburga. Vampires were faster, stronger and had more stamina than humans. It was obvious they were being toyed with. They were the cats playing with a mouse before killing it. "Draw your wand and blast them with a shoe sticking charm or something."
"Sod that!" Walburga called back. "I'd rather outrun vampires than face Uncle Arcturus's interrogation and risk losing my freedom."
At the crossroads, another vampire appeared to their right. They skidded, turning left and heading back to the park.
"Stop!" yelled Buffy.
Walburga continued running, and Buffy had no option but to reach out and grab her hood. There was the sound of tearing fabric and, dragged off-balance, Walburga fell.
"You imbecile!" Walburga screamed. "Do you have any idea how much this cost? It's Acromantula silk!"
Lovell held out a hand, offering to help Walburga to her feet. The older girl slapped his hand away and scrabbled up by herself.
"Look," said Buffy.
Walburga continued examining her robe for damage. Feeling frustrated, Buffy put a hand onto Walburga's shoulder, gave her a small shake, and pointed her towards the broken park gate. "Look."
More vampires lingered by the gate. These two were young and wore a matching set of arrogant smirks.
"They were herding us down here," Buffy explained. She gave Walburga a hard look. "Use your wand on them."
"Use your own!" the girl barked. She scowled at the tear that went right across the length of her hood.
"We'll be expelled." Lovell said patiently. "You know that the Trace will alert the Ministry."
"Ha! You think I care?"
"You'll care if I tell Arcturus about Howard!" Buffy snapped.
Walburga glowered.
"They'll kill us, Walburga! Please Apparate us out of here," begged Lovell.
The vampires who'd chased them came to a halt at the end of the road. The one with the burnt face at the centre, his two companions veering off to either side to block their escape.
"Three blind mice," jeered the central vampire. "See, how dey run. Cut off your heads wiv a carving knife, run, run, run."
Buffy couldn't take any more. "Hey!" She began walking towards them. "Freddie Krueger ! Is this Elm Street? Because your humour is a total nightmare."
The vampires looked at each other in perplexed silence. Walburga's brow wrinkled. She shot a sidelong look at Lovell, who shrugged.
Buffy dropped her shoulders in defeat. "And the power of a different world's pop culture is totally wasted here." She leapt at the centre vampire.
Infuriatingly, he laughed and side-stepped, at the same time kicking out at her hand. The stake jumped in her grip. Buffy swore softly and grabbed at it, only to lose her grip completely when the older vampire punched her in the back of her head. She staggered, barely keeping her feet as the stake hit the road with a clatter and rolled away into the gutter.
In the middle of the vampires, Buffy corkscrewed her upper body, evading a haymaker from the older vampire, and swinging a front kick to Freddie Krueger's groin. Freddie groaned, doubling over in agony. Grabbing his hair with one hand, Buffy slammed a punch into his face.
"Arghh!" Droplets of saliva and blood sprayed from his mouth along with shards of teeth.
"Bitch!" growled the older vampire. He took another swing. Buffy dropped into a roll, snatched up her stake, and springing to her feet jabbed at the man's chest. He exploded into a swirling column of dust.
"You killed Eddie!" snarled Freddie, blood flecking his lips. "And you broke me teef!"
"That's what you get," Buffy replied primly, "for forgetting to floss between kills."
Vamp face curling into a snarl, he jumped to his feet. Buffy kicked out, catching him behind the knees and sending him sprawling into a pile of brickwork. Before she had the chance to use the stake, there was a piercing scream.
Looking in the direction of the park, Buffy saw two vampires circling Lovell and Walburga. One feinted a grab at Walburga while Lovell jabbed at him with his make-do stake. Walburga still hadn't drawn her wand. She was holding onto the back of Lovell's robe and shrieking abuse.
"You Filthy, Muggle vampires!" she screamed. "Who gave you the right to an undead life!"
"Walburga, hex them!" Buffy yelled.
Something heavy collided with her from behind. Unable to save herself, Buffy fell, landing awkwardly with her stake trapped beneath her and her chin slamming into the road's surface. She let out an involuntary whimper as white stars danced in her eyes, and a red hot poker of pain went down her neck and spine. This was her own fault. She'd made stupid rookie mistakes – letting herself become distracted and forgetful.
The vampire straddled her, using his weight to keep her body on the ground, his forearm pressing into her neck. Blood trickled from the cut on her chin. Scenting it, the vampire tugged on her hair, forcing her head around so that he could lick at the blood. Buffy felt his tongue pressing into the wound, sharp fangs grazing her cheek and his fetid breath making her heave. A Slayer rage burned through her, sending magic dancing to her fingertips.
From close by, came the sound of a car backfiring. Startled, the vampire lifted his head. Taking advantage of the loosening grip and shift of weight, Buffy arched her spine and bucked him off. Lightly flipping to her feet, Buffy landed squarely with her stake at the ready.
There was a lot of screaming coming from behind her. She caught the whiff of burn and the crackle of flames. Not daring to check on Lovell and Walburga, Buffy concentrated on the vampire she'd thrown off her. He'd rolled to his feet and was standing a few feet to the side, staring over at the person screaming. Not wanting to lose an easy target, Buffy threw the stake at his chest. He half-turned in surprise and then exploded. Before the dust had even settled, Buffy had turned to run for her friends.
Once again her Slaydar screamed a warning. In one smooth movement, she spun on her heel and thrust out. The yew wand in her hand stabbing Freddie's chest and piercing his heart. Buffy withdrew it quickly.
The vampire stared down at her wand. "You're a witch?"
"So they tell me," replied Buffy. The vampire exploded, dust flying everywhere.
Shaking the ash from her clothing, Buffy went over to stand by Lovell and Walburga. The pair were gazing at two piles of clothing burning on the ground. Buffy realised that they were all that was left of the two vampires who'd taunted them. They stood watching the magical flames burn away the last of the clothing until nothing remained but dark smears on the ground.
"That's one terrifyingly-tastic spell, Walburga," Buffy said, impressed. "Does it only work only on undead flesh or does it work on..." she couldn't say demons, "other things?"
"I don't know," replied Walburga.
"Can you teach it to me when we get back to Hogwarts?" Buffy asked. It would be a useful spell to have in her arsenal. Her inner Slayer was dying to try it out on a nest of vampires.
"It wasn't me who cast it," admitted Walburga.
"Seriously?"
Walburga shook her head and then curled her face into a sour expression. "I'd have made them suffer for much longer."
Confused, Buffy looked to Lovell. "It wasn't me either."
"Then... who did?"
"That... would be me," a laughing male voice called from beyond the park railings.
"Who's me?" Buffy asked, trying to pinpoint where the voice had come from. She knew he was standing beneath the trees, but which tree?
"What are you?" she asked, not liking the fact she couldn't see him. "Some kind of park creeper?"
"Perhaps," the laughing voice replied.
Buffy glowered. "You know, being called a creeper isn't a compliment."
"Who are you?" Lovell asked, stepping towards the place he thought the Wizard stood. "Are you from the Ministry? If so, why don't you show yourself? The vampires attacked us, we acted in self-defence and didn't use any magic."
"I know," the man replied, still sounding amused. "They gave you no choice but to fight. And no, I am not one of your Ministry puppets. I am a simply an independent observer who came to your aid."
Buffy had managed to pinpoint his location. He was standing in the shadow of a tall tree and he'd also cast a strong Disillusionment spell. Buffy knew it must be a powerful spell because her eyes kept wanting to slide away from him.
"Do I know you?" she asked, tilting her head and running her eyes over his silhouette. He wasn't young, but he wasn't old either. "Have we met?"
"Perhaps." He shifted, turning a little to directly face her. When he next spoke, all the humour had left his voice. "You're injured."
"Ugh, yeah." Self-consciously, Buffy wiped at her chin with the back of her hand. The bleeding had stopped and already there was a scab forming. She shrugged, knowing all signs of it would be gone in the morning. "It comes with having my face slammed into the concrete." She felt embarrassed, knowing she'd let her training slide and feeling annoyed with herself.
The Wizard in the shadows tensed and the atmosphere changed. There was a heavy sense of static and magic in the air, as if they were about to be struck by a magical storm. Walburga hid behind Lovell. Lovell gripped his stake more firmly, and Buffy readied herself for a fight.
"My apologies, Buffy, for not aiding you first. It was most remiss," said the Wizard with polite civility.
Buffy could still hear the undercurrent of anger in his voice and regarded him warily.
"In my defence," he continued, "I believed you had the situation under control. I also thought by setting fire to these two it would serve as a warning and send the others scurrying away." He crooked a finger at Buffy, beckoning her. "Come closer. I know of a charm that prevents scarring, and takes away pain. A beauty such as yours, princess, should not bear scars from such an uncouth encounter."
He was calling her beautiful and a princess? Her Slytherin side thought it suspicious. Buffy met his eyes and refused to look away.
"Don't go near him, Buffy!" yelped Lovell, who didn't trust the unknown Wizard either. "He hasn't told us who he is and that fire spell was dark. Merlin only knows what he'll cast on you!"
Buffy remembered the noises she'd heard several times after leaving the Black's house. That must have been shadow guy following them. Why? Who washe? Suddenly, she felt pressure in her head and her inner Slayer freaked. Someone had gained access to her head and was attempting to rifle through her thoughts. Mental shutters came down, hiding every thought and memory, leaving behind only the red hot flames of righteous indignation.
She stepped forward. "Take your slimy, prying mind out of my head," she hissed.
Next to her, Lovell had raised his wand, the point quivering in his hand. "You heard her," he shouted in a shaky voice. "Leave her alone, or else."
The presence in her mind retreated, leaving behind the hint of an apology.
Buffy reached out and lowered Lovell's trembling wand arm. She appreciated the gesture but he was not only going to get himself killed, he was pointing it at the wrong place.
"I'm fine," she said. "Me and Shadow-guy are just establishing mental boundaries. He won't do it again." She looked over to the Wizard in the park. "Will you?"
"I apologise," the Wizard replied sounding a little ashamed. "I find you interesting. I want to know what makes you tick."
"He's worse than Dumbledore," Buffy grumbled.
"Ha! Dum-bul-dore," the voice drawled from the shadows. "The great, the magnificent Dumble-dore. He has managed to pull the wool over the eyes of so many. If only they knew what dark secrets he harbours inside him?"
Buffy tilted her head, curious. Whoever this was, he knew and disliked Professor Dumbledore. 'Or maybe,' whispered her Slytherin side, 'he's only pretending to?'
"It does not surprise me that Professor Dumbledore," the Wizard went on, "has an interest in you. Do you know what it is that intrigues him?"
"My ability to shop?" she quipped back.
"It is your magic. It is your blood. It is your... charisma," continued the Wizard, not letting her put him off his stride. "He will feed you lies, distort the truth, and train you to be his poppet to fight battles for him..."
"Sounds like the Watchers Council," muttered Buffy under her breath.
"...have you the strength and wit to defy him?" went on the Wizard. "Will you see through the facade of a helpful professor to the manipulator that lies beyond? Or will he convert you to his cause?"
Guessing that this was a monologue and she didn't need to provide answers, Buffy's eyes flicked to Lovell. Her cousin was peering in the shadows further along than where the Wizard stood. Walburga, too, was looking in the wrong direction.
"Ask him, Buffy, daughter of Joyce," went on the Shadowy Wizard. "Ask him - why a rose should bloom late in the season when it promised to unfurl its petals in the spring?"
"A rose?" repeated Buffy, wondering how he knew her mother's name and what horticulture had to do with it.
"Dumbledore has many secrets..." The Shadow Wizard paused as if listening to something she couldn't hear. "I must go."
"Wait!" Buffy took a step closer to him. "How do you know my Mom's name and what's Dumbledore to you?"
She caught a gleam of teeth and the smile was back in his voice when he next spoke. "You have the intelligence to ask the correct questions, but am I the right person to ask?"
Buffy wrinkled her nose. "Can you vague that up for me?" When he didn't answer, she tried a different question. "Okay, what do you want from me?"
"From you? Nothing. For you? Everything. Until we meet again, my princess." There was a snap, a swirl of magic, and he was gone.
Buffy ran to where he'd been. Her eyes scouring the weed choked, paving slabs, hoping to find a clue to his identity. There was nothing to show he'd been there, just the faint hum of magic still hovering in the air. Buffy passed a hand through the spot he'd Disapparated from. The magical residue tingled across her palm, and her fingers closed around it in reflex. She recognised this magic. She'd met him before.
3 3 3
Author's note.
A reviewer asked if there were any remnants of the Watchers Council left. The answer is yes. Travers is from the Watchers line. More on that to come.
Another reviewer asked about Buffy's magic and her not using it. The answer is that the Ministry have a Trace on all wands on those under 17 years old. Remember Harry had to answer to the Ministry when he used his wand on the Dementors? So Buffy will need to rely on her Slayer abilities while out of school until she turns 17.
To all those who have reviewed. Thank you!
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