Okay, I will definitely need feedback for this chapter! The original chapter was written before HBP so I had to change like everything. I don't really know if it's as smooth as it was before now. So review! And P.S. Blaise is a girl in this, even though in HBP we find out Blaise is a guy. This is not following all of HBP cannon either. This is my story.
The creatures I used for Hagrid's class came from http/ Oh, and I have no clue how to do Hagrid speech. Sorry! Just go with it. And I took a quote from Snape (if his speech about the dark arts sounds familiar...) from mugglenet.
Chapter 7: Illusions
Buffy woke up the next morning and looked at her schedule. Potions first with Gryffindor. She also had Defense Against the Dark Arts with them but not until later. It was going to be a long day. Last night after dinner no one had talked to her still, although her slayer hearing did allow her to pick up they were talking about her, nothing good though. That, and everyone seemed to be buzzing about the new Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts. From what she gathered, The new DADA teacher had been the potions teacher and was not very well liked, except by the Slytherin House. Her house now.
Buffy longed for the comfort and familiarity of the Hellmouth, strange as that sounds, and her mom and Giles. Especially for her friends though. Being unliked by everyone was decidedly not cool she thought. And she knew she'd never learn her way around the castle. This was way worse than being a freshman again!
Buffy ate breakfast alone. This really sucked. Afterwards, she trailed some of the other Slytherins so that she'd find the Potions classroom. On her way out of the hall, she noticed Ginny giving her a tentative smile. Buffy smiled back. Maybe she could still be friends with Ginny.
"This is going to be great, at least for potions" Ron said. Slughorn actually liked Harry. Harry had met him earlier that summer, but had assumed he'd been the new DAD teacher. Slughorn also had invited him, Ginny, Hermione, and some others to talk with him last night. Ron had been a little upset that he had been left out, but was back in high spirits at the thought of a Potions without Snape.
Harry opened his used book and paid focused on the class. He would show that he was actually good at Potions, and that Snape was just a bad teacher! He got to work on the potion. His book was hard to read though. There were so many scribbles written on it. Harry frowned as he read the scribbles. They weren't scribbles, they were tips on how to make the potions...Harry smiled.
Buffy was concentrating on her potion. It was so similar to chemistry! She wasn't very good at chemistry, but at least it was a little bit familiar, and hey, no formulas! She was familiar with a few ingredients, but not many, from Giles attempts to teach her things like this. Even without her limited knowledge, all she had to do was follow the instructions and bam! Potion! She didn't understand the properties of some of the ingredients, but Draco was a big help. When Slughorn first forced her with Draco, it was miserable. He had to be the worst Slytherin of them all. He was cruel the first half of class, but after he realized she was more competent than she pretended, they slipped into silence and worked on the potion. That didn't mean he was nice, but clearly he had wanted to pass. Buffy skillfully chopped ingredients. Draco had decided she was best at that and the mixing, while he did the measuring and other work. Buffy was careless at measuring. They were going along quicker than anyone, as most people struggled to chop the thick something-root.
Draco was impressed. The new girl was decent enough, for a first timer at potions, despite her sloppiness at it. And she was pretty. But how did a mud blood get into Slytherin he wondered? She was a mystery Draco was determined to solve. Maybe she wasn't a mud blood. Slytherin would never take a mud blood! He watched her finish chopping.
"Okay, now add it into the cauldron- slowly! Don't mess up everything I've worked on."
"You've worked on? I helped too, you know," Buffy responded angrily.
"Is there a problem, you two?" Slughorn came up and asked when he noticed they were arguing.
"No, sir. I'm just trying to get Summers to listen to me and she won't." Draco lazily looked at Buffy. "I wouldn't want her to screw up our potion-"
"I can read the instructions! I don't need you and-"
"Miss Summers, from what Professor Snape has told me, Draco here is a fine potions maker and I expect you to listen to him. I know this is all new to you, so try to let Draco help you," Slughorn added with a friendly smile. She was a pretty one. She hadn't done too badly either, for being brand new at this. Maybe he'd have to invite her to his little parties. There was something about her that was intriguing.
Buffy's eyes flashed. They weren't being fair! She was trying and this was her first time doing potions and it was a hard class and... She stopped her in Willow style babbling. She smiled her sunniest smile. At least he was nice. She had overheard horror stories from the Gryffindors about the old Potions teacher. She would have him though for DADA. She smirked. That was a subject she was looking forward to.
Transfiguration didn't go as well for Buffy. They had it with the Ravenclaws, who were all it seemed to her experts at the subject. Buffy wasn't as good at Transfiguration. Potions didn't involve a wand. Transfiguration she just couldn't get the hang of! Either it didn't work at all or the object blew up or something. On the bright side, maybe she should try transfiguring a vampire into something and it would blow him up! After class McGonagall stopped to talk to her.
"Miss Summers, I know this is new to you and you're struggling, and don't interrupt," she said as she noticed Buffy open her mouth to say something. "But you have a lot of catching up to do and I expect you to work hard and put some effort in it. Is that clear?"
"Yeah, sure. Is that it?" Stupid Transfiguration. As if she didn't have enough work!
"If you need it I can arrange a tutor for you. Practice, now that you've seen what this class is all about, and come back next class prepared. Then we will see about getting you a tutor."
"Thanks." Buffy walked out. All the other Slytherins were gone and she didn't know how to get to her next class! Dumbledore has given her a map of the school (a normal map) but it didn't help much. She found a set of stair cases that she needed to take, but then they all of a sudden moved on her! Even Sunnydale High, which was right on top of the Hellmouth, didn't have moving staircases! Looking around to see if the coast was clear, Buffy hopped over the rail and landed easily a floor below. Much easier! Confident where she was going now, Buffy made her way outside for her Care of Magical Creatures class. It was taught by Hagrid, the really really big guy. Buffy had overheard several of the other Slytherins making fun of him and saying he was a dim-witted half giant. She recalled that the Gryffindors had liked him though, and she jogged the rest of the way to the class, which they had with the Hufflepuffs. She noticed the students were gathered around Hagrid and he was bringing out large, colorful snails. She joined her fellow Slytherins quietly, ignoring the not so nice looks she received from a few.
"Now, who can tell me what these little guys are?" Hagrid said. Several sniggers were heard at his description of little. They were very large snails. (AN: remember, I warned you I can't do Hagrid speak!)
A Hufflepuff spoke up, and began in a Hermione like fashion, "A streeler is a giant sized snail that changes color every hour. They're fairly harmless." A few students relaxed after that. Hagrid was not known for having fairly harmless creatures.
"Good! Tha's right. Do any of yeh know their uses?" Everyone was silent. So Hagrid continued, "Besides bein' right pretty to look at, their venom can be used to kill Horklumps. I want yeh all to separate into twos and each go over to a snail. I need 'em fed. It shouldn't bite yeh, but be careful anyways. It shouldn't hurt too bad even if it did, but its venom can sting a human a bit. Horklumps can be a bit of a nuisance as they breed faster then rabbits, so streeler venom is used to control their populations. Awful though, killin' harmless horklumps."
Buffy enjoyed the class and she worked with a Slytherin girl named Blaise. Blaise was actually nice to her, as nice as Blaise usually got anyways. There weren't too many Slytherin girls in their year, and Blaise decided that no matter what other people said, Buffy was a Slytherin and Slytherins had to stick together. Plus, Buffy and her shared a similar sense of style. They got along well. Blaise was a lot like Cordelia. While Buffy and Cordelia had never gotten along, Buffy liked Blaise, and the fact that Blaise was the only Slytherin who didn't mind her helped. The class went along quickly, with her and Blaise goofing off most of the time. Buffy had missed goofing off. It was a decidedly fun class and experience wasn't necessary, at least today, although she had heard stories that Hagrid sometimes brought dangerous creatures and had a soft spot for monsters. Buffy liked animals, but she lacked a soft spot for anything that she would consider a true monster. Some of what some people considered monsters though really weren't, and she was aware of that. Even some demons she didn't consider real monsters, as there were some good demons. She would have loved to see a griffin or a dragon!
"What class do we have next?" Buffy asked Blaise.
"Charms. It's a breeze really, my best class," answered Blaise. "If you need help just ask me. I'm the best at charms. Me or Draco. We're the top 6th year Slytherins. I can't help you in divination though, I don't take it. Maybe Pansy could, she's one of the few Slytherins in it. I doubt she'd help, it's a pointless class anyways, and she sucks at it. Plus she doesn't like you.
"Why not? I mean, I'm not saying everyone has to love Buffy but this is insane. All the other houses hate me because I'm Slytherin, and Slytherin hates me for God knows why," Buffy complained. Pansy and Draco came up, with his goons trailing behind. Buffy tried not to giggle. They reminded her of mindless vampire minions.
"Simple. We don't like mud bloods." Draco looked her up and down. "And you're a mud blood. An American one on top of that. Slytherin only is for those with the best blood, pure blood. Real wizards."
It was only the second day here, yet Buffy had had enough. "I happen, Draco Malfoy, to come from a very long line of very powerful women. And my blood is anything but muddy or whatever. You want pure blood? My blood has more power in it than you could imagine!" You're the one that sets me free! If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that! Her blood had been what freed the Master from his prison. Hers. She shuddered. He had opened the Hellmouth, and it had been her blood that gave him the power to do so. It's always the blood. She shuddered again inwardly. Then, she reminded herself how she had come back and kicked his ass and saved the world. Yay her. If only she could tell Draco that, it might wipe the smirk off his face.
"I doubt there's anything pure about you blood, or you for that matter," said Pansy snidely.
Buffy was tempted to punch Pansy's stupid little pug nose. She was not a slut! Blaise just rolled her eyes at the fighting, as it was expected, and then went on to examine her perfectly manicured nails.
"Oh that's rich, coming from you. I see the way you hang on Malfoy. And I see the way, or rather lack of the way, Draco hangs back on you." Pansy fumed, which gave Buffy extreme satisfaction. It wasn't quite the same as punching someone, but it was still fun. She bounced after Blaise to Charms.
"He's so adorable!" Buffy had squealed to Blaise one seeing their Professor. Soon though, Buffy's enthusiasm waned. Despite what the other girl told her, charms was hard for her. Buffy figured that she'd suck in all classes with direct magic usage until she got used to it, if ever. While everyone was working on harder stuff, Flitwick had her working on floating a book. It was harder than using a feather like the first years started with, but easier than what the other sixth years were doing. She was warned she'd have to learn more quickly than normal. The book refused to float.
"This sucks! Move, damnit. Wingardium leviosa, wingardium leviosa, wingar-"
"Yes, shouting at it repeatedly will get it to move," Draco said sarcastically. Blaise had tried to tell her how to do it, but Buffy would try once or twice, then go back to the method she was doing now.
"Well, the other way isn't working either," Buffy replied, annoyed. Stupid magic school. Stupid, pretty castle that was impossible to get around. And stupid people who didn't like her. Stupid magic. She really, really wished there was a vampire she could beat the crap out of right now. Kick, punch, stab, slice, stab, stab... "Wingardium leviosa!" The book flew up and slammed against the ceiling. Everyone stared. Draco raised his eyebrows. Buffy smiled triumphantly. "Cool."
Buffy was in a better mood by the time she got to Divination. This was her second class with the Hufflepuffs. By the time she would walk out of the class, Buffy's mood would be back to bad. Trelawney had been telling them how to start working with their tea leafs, that they would review tea leafs and crystal balls most of the week and then would go deeper into dreams than they did last year and by the end of the year visions and prophecies. Buffy was interested in the dreams, being that she had foretelling dreams all the time. She dreamed of the future often, but also of things that have happened to her and even of things that have happened to other slayers. The prophecy part she wasn't so keen on. She hated prophecies. Besides, prophecies only caused trouble. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They don't tell you everything. That was a lesson she had learned first hand. She hadn't liked that lesson.
"Oh, child! I see death! It surrounds you!" Trelawney had grabbed Buffy's hand and started proclaiming. Buffy looked around in fear. She couldn't know anything about her, could she? Buffy gazed back at Trelawney and remembered Ginny telling her that Trelawney does that type of thing al the time to Harry. Trelawney was a drama queen that way, even at her old age. Still, hearing what Trelawney said didn't sit well with her. It hit too close to home.
"Looks like Buffy's going to die. Pity," said Pansy. Pansy sat across from her and was her partner. She didn't have to like Buffy, but she was the only Slytherin girl in the class, and that made her the best choice. Pansy would never stoop so low as to be paired with a Hufflepuff. Normally, Millicent would be her partner but she was in the hospital wing after Goyle had accidentally hit her with some hex. What a moron. Besides, Buffy wasn't all that bad. She was a match for Pansy in trading insults at each other, and held her own against Draco too. Pansy had been talking to Blaise and had finally agreed she couldn't be a mud blood if she was a Slytherin. Still, she acted like one and up until now might as well have been muggle, so Pansy decided she's have to earn her way into acceptance. She'd have to prove her worth as a Slytherin.
None of the Hufflepuffs commented. The Slytherin's worst rivals may be the Gryffindors, but Slytherins tended to enjoy picking on the more gentle Hufflepuff students just as much. They gave Buffy and Pansy plenty of room.
"Die? I'm going to die?" Again, great. She already knew she was scheduled for an early untimely death but did her teacher have to rub it in? She had heard Trelawney was a phony and a nut case. Buffy changed tactics and played it cool. "That's some prediction. I'm human, of course I'm going to die eventually. In fact, I have a prediction for you. You're going to die. And Pansy's going to die and Hannah," she said, Hannah being the only Hufflepuff whose name she picked up. "Everyone in here is going to die at one point."
Pansy hid her snigger, she wasn't ready to play nice yet, and even if she was, Pansy wasn't really all that nice even to her best friends. Trelawney proclaimed, "Do not take death so lightly. It follows you. I have not seen such horrors forecasted for one since Harry Potter!" With that, she walked away, fearing the Slytherin girl slightly. Trelawney tended to be wary of all Slytherins. Especially the Malfoy boy.
One of the Hufflepuff girls, as this class was mostly female, looked towards the Slytherins. She too, was slightly afraid of them as they often picked on her since she was an easy target. The new girl had a strange aura.
The last class of the day was with the Gryffindors. Defense Against the Dark Arts. Buffy could do defense. Question was, could she do it with magic instead of her normal strategy? And how would Snape be? He favored her house she knew, so would he be nice or give her a hard time?
"The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible," Snape said silkily. Harry shuddered. Damn it, this had always been his favorite class. Now Snape was teaching it. At least Harry was good at this class. It would be more difficult for Snape to dock points, but he knew he'd still do it. He didn't like how Snape talked about the dark arts, with so much fascination it seemed.
Harry's eyes fell upon the new girl, Buffy. She was staring intently at Snape's speech. She startled though when Snape called on her.
"It seems, class, we have a new student. Miss Summers. You are not experienced in magic yet are you," Snape said managing to pack some maliciousness into the statement. Harry couldn't help frowning. Buffy couldn't help it, unless she was evil and it was all an act.
"Yeah," Buffy started, somewhat embarrassed by this attention. I-" She was cut off as her Professor shouted out and shot out a curse her way. She dived out of her chair, narrowly avoiding the curse. The curse hit a Gryffindor boy behind her, who was knocked down by the force of it.
"Ow," mumbled the boy, Neville Longbottom. Then, he spoke up in alarm, "I can't see! I can't see!" His skin was growing over his eyes. He clawed at his face in a panic.
"Bloody hell!" yelled Ron. "You cursed Neville!" Harry already had his wand gripped tight, ready to fire it at Snape. Buffy was getting back on her feet, staring incredulously at Snape. He lazily reversed the curse.
"It doesn't matter that you are behind and don't know magic. We are at war, and the Voldemort-" the class shuddered and some students gasped. Harry did not and neither did Buffy. "Yes, I said his name," continued Snape, "he will not care what your excuse is. He will kill you just the same. Same with any other dark wizard, evil creature, or demon. You must always be alert. Ten points for Slytherin for being prepared," Snape said, giving points and kudos to Slytherin for Buffy's quick actions without praising Buffy her self. He continued cruelly, "Longbottom, why am I not surprised? You seem as inept at defending against the dark arts as you were at potions. Even Summers managed not to get hit," he said with a distasteful glance at Buffy. "It makes no difference that I wasn't even aiming at you. Even innocent bystanders get killed. Always, always be prepared for anything. Excuses will get you killed, Longbottom," Snape said but looking at Harry as he said it. He scowled. "Like I said, we are at war. My job is to teach you how to defend yourselves. It seems I have a lot of work ahead of me .Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you all to pay attention, and try not to get yourselves killed, or worse. Ten points from Gryffindor for Longbottom's pathetic sluggishness. Class dismissed."
Harry couldn't help but storm out of the classroom. First day and already Snape is cursing students and taking points. How could he have expected Neville to defend against that curse so suddenly, he said refusing to acknowledge that Snape actually had a good point in that you must always be prepared. Buffy had done well, but hadn't used magic. Harry didn't know how to figure that in in his assessment of her.
Draco Malfoy was happy. Snape as their DADA teacher would be wonderful for the Slytherins and but stupid Potty in his place. He also was happy with the little demonstration. Buffy Summers had flung herself quite impressively out of the path of the curse and straight towards where he sat. He had had a very nice view. Also, he possibly had found a new quidditch player. She had excellent reflexes. If she turned out to be a good flyer, then she'd be perfect for the team.
Buffy smiled. She had a feeling she would like this class. Defending herself was one thing she knew how to do. She understood Snape perfectly. He was an ass, and she did not like the fact that he even temporarily curse a student, especially since it looked so eerily like what Amy's mom did to that one girl, where the skin grew over her mouth. She also did not like to tone he took with her. He clearly did not like her, but she was a Slytherin so he wasn't being too terrible to her anyways. Except for trying to curse her. Not cool. Still, he had a point and had demonstrated it effectively. And she did well. Giles would have been proud. All and all, the day didn't suck.
I finally updated! Now, please be good readers and review again and give me feedback. Oh, and I intend on introducing a familiar btvs character in. Any guesses on who it's gonna be? (Unless you remember from the first time I did the story. Don't tell if you do) It's NOT Angel though, I'm sorry to those of you who want him in. It's only after season one, and while they had a thing, it's nothing like they were in mid season two or anything. Oh, and I would love to try to work in Remus somehow later.
