Chapter Nine…A Talk With Harry

"OK, OK, I can get this, I can get this." Buffy held two outfits, one in each hand. She was getting ready to accompany Harry and his friends to the train station, along with Albus, and then they were going to go out to lunch. Only problem? She was having one of the worst crises ever; she had no idea what to wear.

Buffy looked at them. OK, so what do I want to look like? Smart and sophisticated…? Smart and sexy…? Hell, you're just going to the station for Christ's sake! Then lunch, though…She tossed one down, and began pulling on the other, a long-sleeved white blouse over a short tan skirt and brown boots. Pulling her hair back and securing it with a clippie, she rolled a light glossy tint over her lips. Standing back, she looked at her reflection. Satisfied, she grabbed her purse and headed down the stairs.

The rest of the house was buzzing with noise and movement, people running this way and that. Buffy watched one of the twins, Fred maybe, run past with Ron's trunk. Ron followed close behind.

Buffy stalked into the kitchen, spotting Molly, and her husband Arthur. "Hiya', guys! Busy, ain't it?"

"It always is when school starts," Arthur agreed. He smiled at her, motioning towards the plates of eggs, toast, bacon, ham, and sausage. "Eat! You're too thin. But I suppose that's how everyone in America wants to be, nowadays."

"Arthur!" Molly admonished.

"What?" he asked, genuinely confused.

Buffy smiled, helping herself to a piece of bacon. Biting into the meaty goodness, she turned to Molly. "When are we leaving?"

"Oh," Molly glanced at the clock. "In about twenty minutes, if everyone's ready by then. But you and Albus can just aparate there. No need for us all to get into those metal deathtraps muggles use…"

"Cars?"

"Yes!" Molly shook her head. "Dangerous, those are. I'm always hearing about them getting crashed and killing their passengers."

"But their mighty interesting," Arthur added.

Molly turned to glare at him. "Don't you dare ever bring one home again. Do you remember what happened last time? They flew it into the Whomping Willow, for goodness sakes!"

"Flew?" Buffy frowned. "Your car flew?"

Arthur nodded, eager to talk of this. "Yes, I enchanted it. It went invisible too, when you needed it. Quite a lovely piece of work, it was." Off Molly's look he added, "But terribly dangerous. Quite unsafe." But the look in his eyes told her he believed different.

"Good morning, all!" Sirius shuffled in, moving straight for the food.

"Mornin'," Buffy replied. She grabbed another piece of bacon. "You coming with us?" As soon as the words were from her mouth, she regretted them. Of course he couldn't come. He was, as of now, still believed to be a murderer. "I'm sorry," she said. "I…I didn't mean…I mean…"

He smiled weakly. "It's all right. I don't mind it anymore. Being cooped up in this place all day. I'm used to it by now."

Buffy nodded awkwardly. "Right." She popped the last bite into her mouth, and reached for another.

"Jeez, however do you stay so thin, eating like that?"

Buffy glowered at Sirius. "Hey! Are you calling me fat?"

He grinned. "No, I'm saying that's what you're gonna be if you keep that up."

"Hmmm." Buffy turned away from him. "Well if that's all you have to say…" She looked up when Albus entered. "Good morning Molly. Arthur, Sirius, Buffy," he greeted. "Buffy, I trust you are still going to come with us? Good. Would you mind terribly getting Harry for me?"

She nodded. "Of course." She moved out of the room, going up the stairs to the room Harry shared with Ron. She peeked her head inside. "Hey Harry Albus wanted…oh."

Harry sat on his bed, back turned towards her. He didn't move, or acknowledge her presence.

Buffy slowly went towards him. As she came closer, she saw he was holding a picture, with two people Buffy instantly knew, though she'd never seen or met them.

James and Lily Potter.

Buffy sat down beside him. He finally glanced at her, seeming unsure. They hadn't really talked much since she'd come here. Hardly at all, truthfully. "Are…are you OK?"

He wouldn't meet her eyes.

She touched his shoulder.

He dragged his green gaze up to meet her own hazel orbs. "Did you…did you…know them?"

Buffy shook her head. "No, no I didn't. but I've heard some great things about them. Really great things. I almost kinda' wished I'd gone to Hogwarts with them, after hearing everything Remus told me."

"Remus told you about them?"

She nodded. "Yep."

They sat in silence again.

Finally, after a minute, Harry looked at her. "Yours died too, didn't they?"

For a moment, Buffy didn't understand the question. "Wha…? Oh." She nodded. "Yeah, yeah they did. Sad, isn't it? Voldemort killed them, with his own wand, I've heard."

"Do you want to kill him?"

Buffy paused. "I've wanted nothing else as much as that in my whole life. I want to kill him myself, make him suffer, as my parents suffered. I want…" Realizing who she was talking to, she faltered.

Harry smiled weakly. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

She watched him, considering. Happy with what she saw, she said, "I want to go out, and find him, kill him myself. I want him, and every one of his followers, dead for good. I've wanted nothing more, for all my life."

He nodded. "Yeah."

Buffy smiled. "But I was supposed to come up here to get you. Albus wants you."

Harry nodded again. "All right. I'm done up here anyways."

Standing, they both walked out the door.