TITLE: New Teacher on the Block

AUTHOR: Kayla Shay

DISCLAIMER: BtVS is owned by Joss Whedon and respective parties while all things Harry Potter are JK Rowling's.

Chapter 3: Interview Without the Vampire

"Why hasn't he assigned any homework yet? It's been one week and not even a 'describe your summer to me' essay!" Hermione ranted as they exited their Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "He has to be the most inept…" she was cut off as she ran straight into Harry's back.

"Harry, what did you stop for?"

Harry pointed a finger down the corridor and hissed, "What is she doing here?"

Hermione and Ron looked down the hall to see Rita Skeeter walking briskly toward them. "Come on Harry, let's leave before she gets here and if she so much as opens her mouth near you, I'll remind her of our 'deal'." Hermione was actually looking forward to a confrontation when Rita walked right past them and strode into the classroom, shutting the door behind her.

The trio stood in the corridor with dumbstruck expressions while staring at the closed door. "What do you suppose she wants with him?" Hermione questioned, as if puzzled why anyone would want to speak with the inept professor.

"I don't know, but it can't be good," Ron replied as the three started toward the dormitories. They did not notice Snape in the corner with something resembling a smile inching across his face.

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Xander looked up at the sound of the door closing to see a blond woman in scarlet robes weaving through the vacant desks toward him. She was carrying a crocodile-skin bag and Xander swore he saw the tail swishing off the end of it. Focusing back on the mystery woman, he spoke up, "Uh, can I help you?"

"If you are Professor Alexander Harris, then yes you can," she gave him an appraising look from top to bottom before repeating in a slightly deeper tone, "yes you can…" Then straitening her robes as if just realizing where she was, she continued, "I'm Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter. I am here to interview of Hogwarts newest sensation."

"Uh, okay," Xander stuttered, unsure what to say. He watched as she pulled out parchment and a quill that began to hover over the parchment while she turned back to him.

"Now, let's get down to business. You are a muggle, are you not?"

"Well, I guess so. I mean I don't do magic. At least not with a wand like everyone here does," Xander responded and to his amazement the quill was working across the parchment on its own volition.

"I see. So you do use magic," she paused to glance at the quill that was scratching away furiously.

"Uh, no, not really. Magic and I are like," he stopped, trying to think of a good analogy. "Let's just say that we don't mix well. Bad things tend to happen when I'm involved in the mojo working."

Rita's face lit up like Christmas had come early. "You admit to working dark magic then?"

Xander knocked a book off the desk he was sitting at; the thud reverberated on the stone walls. "That's not what I said! I just meant that things don't work as intended when I'm involved in spells. What is that quill writing anyway?" He tried to lean over to get a glimpse, but was blocked by Rita.

"It's writing only what it hears Professor Harris. Now, you said that spells backfire when you are around, but you do not deny the fact that you have worked dark magic." Before Xander could interrupt her, Rita continued, "Now moving on to your time spent on the Sunnydale Hellmouth, you worked with current slayer, Buffy Summers, correct?"

Too stunned at the sudden turn of questioning, Xander could only nod.

"Ah, so you valiantly fought as a demon hunter along side the vampire slayer. How noble."

"Well, I was more of the donut fetcher. Buffy did the slaying, Giles did the reading, Willow did the mojo and I brought the sugar filled food," Xander spoke quickly. If the girls or Giles read an article where it looked like he bragged about being a demon hunter, he would never live it down.

"Oh, I see, so you were the slayer's servant," her quill scratched across the quickly filling parchment while she made clicking sounds.

"No! That's not what I was saying," Xander screeched. "I was not Buffy's servant!" Just the thought sounded ludicrous to him.

"So you were resentful about serving the slayer?" Rita was practically glowing at the direction her interview was going.

"I did not serve Buffy," Xander said through clenched teeth. "We were, I mean are, friends."

Rita seized the opening, "You didn't always see eye to eye with slayer then. Why was that?"

"What?" Xander questioned. He was becoming more confused by the minute. "Friends have arguments, but it doesn't mean we don't get along. I even put up with rooming with Spike when she told me to." At that moment Xander realized he had said too much.

"Spike?" Rita flipped through some pages of notes in front of her. "Ah, the vampire, William the Bloody. You actually allowed one of the most notorious vampires in recent history to remain alive and live with you?" She swapped the full parchment for a new one as the quill kept scratching. Rita was mumbling in low tones while leaning over the quill, "Known associations with vampires, works dark magic and resentful of the slayer."

"Look," Xander practically shouted, "you're taking everything I say out of context. Spike was, well, at the time anyway, he was good. Soul having and everything." He crossed his arms and gave what he hoped was a menacing stare.

Rita looked up with a glow in her eyes. "In that case Professor Harris, I have one final question for you. Were you aware that Harry Potter was in attendance at Hogwarts when you agreed to Dumbledore's request?"

"Uh, yes. Him and this Voldemort dark wizard guy were the first things the new slayer council was told about when we were informed of the existence of the wizarding world." Xander looked up with hope that this was the first thing he had said during the whole interview that could not be misconstrued.

"So you came to Hogwarts with full knowledge of Mr. Potter and his connection to He Who Must Not Be Named. Good. Thank you for your time Professor Harris." Rita proceeded to collect her items and walk back the way she had come.

Xander watched her retreating form and a sense of dread settled in the pit of his stomach. Channeling Giles, he spoke out to the empty room, "Oh dear lord…"

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As seen on the front page of the Daily Prophet:

A Daily Prophet Exclusive

Our Youth in Peril

From the Hellmouth to Hogwarts, this reporter's meeting with Professor Alexander Harris.

by Rita Skeeter

Before taking the position as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, muggle Alexander Harris lived on the Sunnydale Hellmouth. During his time there, he was in the employ of the active slayer. His main duty was catering all strategic planning sessions.

After the collapse of the Hellmouth, Professor Albus Dumbledore, approached the active slayer to inform her of the existence of the wizarding world. Upon learning this information, the slayer, Buffy Summers, agreed to send one of her people to serve as a liaison and professor at Hogwarts. She had this to say when approached about her decision to send Professor Harris, "Well, I was needed to train the new slayers, Dawn was too young, Giles is too busy and Willow is still finishing her recovery from her walk on the dark side, so Professor Harris was the only choice."

Upon meeting Professor Harris, his classroom seemed in disarray. Books were left lying on the floor. When answering questions asked by this reporter, Professor Harris often stuttered and retracted what had been said.

Most notably, Professor Harris admitted to using dark magic before, as well as harboring the vampire Spike, known also as William the Bloody. When questioned of his motives for agreeing to teach at Hogwarts, Professor Harris said he was aware that Harry Potter was in attendance… cont. on page 5