Chapter Eleven: He Has a Name

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The night air slid across Harry's skin as he approached the King street cemetery where Buffy was waiting for him. Being the paranoid person that he was, Harry's gaze shifted around cautiously. In all actuality he could apparate to the graveyard, but he wanted a few minutes to relax after the conversation with his Uncle. Over the last few days he felt as if his emotions had been ripped out of his chest, squeezed and then shoved back in. It was chaotic, and Harry was looking forward to a much more peaceful time in Sunnydale, or as peaceful as a town invaded with darkness could be.

Speaking of darkness, Harry sidestepped another river of dark magic. He really should ask Giles what caused this. Surely it wasn't healthy to have this much darkness drifting through the air. Letting his eyes shift to their magical sight Harry tried to follow the lines of magic. They all seemed to flow from a single source, but Harry wasn't certain where.

Hearing a noise, Harry looked up his eyes still glazed over by magic. Judging by the soul light emitted, Harry determined two people were approaching. Harry frowned in concentration as he noticed that one of the figures had traces of a blood red magic still coursing through its body. Harry's eyes widened as he recognized the spell at work. He hadn't expected to see an Unforgivable here in Sunnydale. A chill run down his spine. So, there were other magic users here, and not very nice ones at that. He tensed wondering if the increased vampiric and demonic activity might be connected to a wizard's presence in Sunnydale.

Harry's eyes flickered, once again using his normal sight. The people approaching were still too far away to be seen in the darkness, but Harry knew where they were. He moved to the shadows watching for a visual sign of them. Suddenly a figure was highlighted in streetlight for a moment. It was just a brush of light, but the flash of blonde hair being carried in a man's arms made Harry's voice catch in his throat. Buffy.

Breaking into a sprint, Harry rushed toward the pair. His throat clenched as he realized that it had been Buffy's body that still suffered from the effects of the Cruciatus curse. His lips thinned into a tight line. He knew the effects of that curse better than most. She shouldn't have had to feel that...it must have been so terrifying to not even know what it was that caused the pain, not knowing if it would ever end. Bastard. Who had done that to her?

Harry skidded to a stop before Buffy, his hand reached out toward her hair. He felt a slight panic when he realized how unresponsive she was. How long had she been under, had it been too long? Images of the Longbottoms flashed through Harry's mind. Their drawn faces staring blankly. It was almost as if you could see how long they had been held under the Cruciatus curse by the deadness in their eyes. Please don't let that happen to Buffy, Harry prayed to whoever was listening.

As Harry's hand reached out, Angel jerked the slayer back. He held her protectively to his chest. Yet, he relaxed slightly seeing the pained look on the young man's face. He doubted the boy intended Buffy any harm.

"We need to hurry back to Giles's, in my trunk..." the boy's voice rambled nervously. Angel watched curiously as the young man shook his head and mumbled under his breath. "I'm such an idiot," he than suddenly began wriggling his fingers in the air. The vampire's eyes widened as a glass flask appeared in the boy's hand. A blue liquid rolled inside. Using his teeth the boy pulled the cork from the top and moved his hands raising the bottle to Buffy's lips.

"Hey. What are you doing," Angel growled. He pulled Buffy closer to him, she shifted painfully in his arms. Her pretty face drawing into a wince.

"Be careful!" the boy demanded furiously. Angel stared stonily at him, but relaxed his grip still keeping Buffy away from the mysterious young man. His opinion had changed. Earlier he had been positive he could best the scrawny child without effort, but he knew magic when he saw it.

"Who are you?" Angel requested, his voice cold. For the first time, the boy lifted his head and Angel saw a flash of emerald eyes. Angel watched as the stranger's shoulders tensed.

"You're a vampire," he stated, those emerald eyes opening a slightly, seeming to stare right into the vampire. Angel closed his eyes and released a sigh, preparing himself for the unavoidable. The boy would attack him and he'd have to defend himself, all while he tried to tell this do-gooder that he was vampire with a soul, that they were on the same side. It was all very tedious after awhile. He should just print cards. But, while he was without said cards, he'd have to explain. Angel opened his mouth...

"But, you have a soul," the boy said. Angel felt rather gobsmacked and couldn't help but look at the boy in surprise. He flinched away as he meet those vibrant eyes. Again he had the distict impression that those green irises could see right through him. Instead he lowered his head and stared into the boy's shoulder.

Harry stood limply for a moment trying to piece together the scene before him. A vampire with a soul, why did that sound familiar...and he seemed to be very protective of Buffy? Suddenly the pieces began to flow together. What was his name...?

"You're...Angel, right?" Harry asked. Again the vampire could only stand mute while he recovered from this unusual introduction. He'd grown accustomed to people hating or fearing him when they first met. Even Buffy hadn't seemed to really like him at their first meeting.

"Uh, yeah..." Angel said. "Who are you?" he questioned a little more forcibly this time. Harry's eyes flicked away from the vampire and focused on Buffy.

"I'm Harry," he stated simply. Angel felt his body unconsciously stiffen, his tongue contracted in his mouth.

So, this was Harry.

He couldn't help the way his lungs, which hadn't breathed in centuries, seemed to contract as if under some great pressure. Angel twitched slightly as he saw Harry rest his fingertips against Buffy's cheek. Harry's soft, alive hands brushed Buffy's pale face cautiously. She stirred in Angel's arms. Her lids fluttered softly and Harry drew a nervous breath.

"Harry?" she mumbled curiously. Her voice still contained the hopeful tone Angel had heard in the graveyard. Angel felt his arms stiffen. The boy next to him didn't seem to notice the tension in the vampire, instead he smiled and let out a breath of relief.

"Hey, Buffy." His words seemed choked as he looked down at the weakened Slayer. "You're okay...here, if you drink this it should help with the pain," Harry urged. Once again he lifted the small vile to the Slayer's lips. Angel didn't jerk her away this time, but he did glare at Harry as the blonde trustingly swallowed the liquid.

Buffy released a breath that she hadn't been aware she was holding. Suddenly the tightness in her muscles had relaxed. However, now that the throbbing pain was gone, her body felt slack. She hung limply. She glanced up slightly and realized exactly whose arms held her. Under ordinary circumstances, she would have been embarrassed at her current situation. There were many reasons why she didn't want to be cradled in anyone's arms, particularly Angel's. But right now she was just so relieved that the pain was gone and that she didn't have to stand alone.

"You're muscles might feel a little loose," Harry explained. Buffy's eyes seemed to blink at him. He could easily read her expression, a mixture of 'no kidding' and 'you tell me this now?'. Harry found it slightly amusing and combining this with his relief that Buffy was whole and sane he couldn't help the small snicker of laughter that issued from his mouth. Angel however did not find this situation funny.

"What was that?" the vampire demanded. Harry's eyes flickered up and met the taller man's gaze firmly.

"It's a potion, a mixture of muscle relaxants and pain relievers. I call it the post-cruciatus cure...although a Potion Master I know has told be many times that there is no 'cure' for the cruciatus cruse," Harry rambled. What could he say, relief made him giddy. Angel however did not seem to be content with an explanation which he couldn't fully understand. He growled at the young man. Harry however didn't seem particularly troubled by the vampire's reaction. Instead he focused on the slayer in Angel's arms. Her eyes had flicked shut.

"She needs sleep more than anything," Harry said to no one in particular. Harry ignored Angel for a moment as he considered his options. Her own bed would be best, but he knew Buffy wouldn't want her mother to see her like this. Nodding his head in decision, he decided the best place would be to take her to Giles. He returned his attention back to Angel.

"Sorry," Harry said only slightly apologetic. "I think Giles's place would be best, I don't think Mrs. Summers needs to worry," Harry stated, his word's answering Angel's confused look. Harry lifted his arms,

"I'll take her, it will be quicker." Harry nodded to the older vampire. Angel however showed no signs of relinquishing the young woman.

"How do you suppose that?" Angel inquired. He looked pointedly at Harry's smaller stature, in his mind also wondering how a human thought he could more faster than a vampire. A small line appeared in Harry's forehead, but he didn't appear otherwise offended by Angel's less than complimentary evaluation. Harry did however give the vampire a raised eyebrow and a somewhat predatory smile.

"Trust me," the younger man said. With a quick motion Harry's arms shot out and gripped Angel's elbows. The vampire moved to pull back from the surprisingly firm grip only to have his vision blur into blackness. The dark only lasted a moment before Angel's vision cleared, finding himself in Rupert Giles's apartment.

To say Angel was surprised would be an understatement. His shoulders bulked nervously at the sudden change in location. And, vampires didn't like to be surprised, especially not vampires who spent their evenings battling the forces of darkness. He quickly calmed himself, but he did know one thing, he certainly wouldn't be trusting the eerie Harry anytime soon.

It had been lucky for Buffy that Harry had been standing so close when they had arrived. Angel's reaction to the unexpected travel had resulted in her being bumped rather violently, and after Harry's potion she wasn't able to easily reposition herself. Harry seemed to realize this, and gently transferred the slayer from Angel's shaky arms to his own steady ones. Buffy found herself relaxing into the wizard's warm embrace. Angel had seemed cold...well vampire duh, Buffy scolded herself. Harry seemed to carry her with ease, he turned his back on the vampire and gently rested Buffy on the couch, propping a pillow behind her head. Buffy couldn't avoid the sigh of relief as her neck rested on the soft pillow. She blinked in surprise when a fluffy white blanket suddenly covered her. It had appeared out of nowhere. She snuggled into it, relishing the warmth that seemed infused into the cloth. Magic, she thought happily.

Buffy seemed to melt into the sofa, she soaked in the comfort. Yet, even as she enjoyed the current peace, the stark contrast only seemed to highlight her previous situation. Her face cringed as she recalled the prior pain. She'd never felt anything like that before. It had been so terrible. Coming from everywhere. She hadn't even been able to distinguish where the pain stopped and where it started.

"Buffy," a voice broke through her thoughts. She flickered her eyes open to see Harry kneeling at her side. Her thoughts must have shown on her face, as Harry's gaze was filled with worry. She tried to smile but had the opinion that it came off rather badly.

"I know it's hard but try not to think about it," Harry urged. "What you felt was call the Cruciatus curse. It's a terrible piece of magic, one of the three Unforgivables. Using it on another person guarantees the caster a life term in Azkaban, a wizarding prison. It's an ugly curse. It affects the nerves of the body, sending pain through everything. The potion I gave you should help with the residual pain, and make your body recover faster." Buffy nodded her head. Somehow Harry seemed to know exactly what she needed to know. Just hearing the information in a sort of clinical context made the mysterious pain easier to deal with.

"I...well, you still might feel a little sore tomorrow, but otherwise you'll be just fine." Harry's words seemed to the reassuring himself as much as her.

"How do you know all this?" Angel inquired. His calm exterior was fully restored and he stood perched behind Harry watching Buffy carefully.

"I learned about it at school," Harry responded cryptically. Angel was about to demand more, when a voice interrupted.

"Harry...back so soon?" a voice said from the upstairs.

"Yeah, hurry down here Uncle Rupert," Harry called. Angel's eyes shifted to Harry at the words 'Uncle Rupert' but he didn't give any other sign of emotion.

Rupert Giles emerged at the foot of the stairs. His eyes flickered behind his spectacles as he spotted Harry knelt beside Buffy with Angel leaning over his shoulder.

"What's going on? What are you doing here?" Giles asked. He stared hard at the vampire, a slight twist if disappointment on his face. Angel remained stonily silent. Yet, it didn't seem as if the Watcher expected a reply. Instead he joined Harry crouched on the floor.

"Buffy?" he asked concern filling his words. The Slayer tipped her head and offered a slight smile to Giles. "What's going on?" Giles repeated.

"Buffy was attacked by a wizard. Held under the Cruciatus curse," Harry stated quickly recapping the last few minutes.

"Cruciatus..." Giles frowned. The name sounded vaguely familiar.

"It's an Unforgivable, a torture curse." Harry's muffled voice supplied the needed information. Giles clenched his jaw and drew closer to the young woman resting on his sofa.

"Buffy are you alright?" Giles questioned. He shook his head realizing how stupid that sounded. Buffy however seemed used to this and merely nodded her head tiredly.

"I gave her a potion that will help with the pain," responded Harry. Giles watched at his nephew reached forward and began rubbing a hand along Buffy's fingers. It was an odd gesture, looking somewhat like a cross between a manicure and holding her hand. Buffy however seemed to relax completely under the touch. She rolled her head back and let her eyes close. Harry looked up and spotted both Giles and Angel sending him curious looks.

"The hands usually feel like the worse effected, almost as if your fingers were being tied into knots. I'm trying to work some of the stiffness out." Harry turned Buffy's hand over and began rubbing her palms. Giles suppressed a hiss when he recognized the crescent shaped gouges on Buffy's palms. She had been clenching her hands so tightly that her nails had drawn blood. Giles once again shot the two men a demanding glance, silently asking what had happened.

"I saw her in the graveyard, she was screaming," Angel's voice was slightly hollow. Giles suppressed the desire to send the vampire a sympathetic glance. He had never doubted Angel's love for Buffy. He had merely disagreed with the appropriateness of that love. And, he had to admit he didn't like the vampire much. Of course, Giles supposed it would be difficult to like a man who, while in his demon form, had enjoyed torturing him.

"There was a man standing over her, I knocked him away and he...disappeared." Angel had previously been doubting the accuracy of that event, but considering his own recent travel it seem much more likely. Harry looked at Angel curiously for a moment before switching to Buffy's other hand. Harry's jaw clenched. He had silently been hoping that Angel had splattered the man across the cemetery. Still, it was curious, why would a wizard capable of an Unforgivable run from a vampire? Harry knew vampires were strong, and against your average witch or wizard they might be a challenge, but for a wizard trained in dark magic there shouldn't be a problem. Of course, Harry didn't know much about the wizarding world in America.

"Any idea who it might be...did you get a good look at him," Harry voice echoed dangerously through the room. Angel continued to stare at the young wizard cautiously.

"Not really, but it might have something to do with why I came here. There are vampires recruiting in Los Angeles, it seems something with a lot of power is bringing them all to Sunnydale. I've heard whispers about reclaiming this city from the Light and returning it to Dark. L.A., is emptying out. Whoever is leading this is must have quite a bit of power to sway so many to his side." Angel paused pensively.

"Could it be a wizard who is leading this?" Giles asked cautiously. Harry sighed and let go of Buffy's hand. The Slayer opened her eyes.

"It's possible." Harry shook his head. "It is curious that they are gathering such large amounts of vampires. Most wizards, particularly the pureblood bunch, see vampires and demons as dark creatures. Most wizards don't even consider them sentient. No offense," Harry shot an apologetic look to Angel, who shrugged his shoulders in acceptance.

"He said he knew you," Buffy's voice rasped, hoarse from screaming.

"What?" Harry asked, his voice growing deep and harsh.

"He said he knew you...he met you, when you were...?" Buffy closed her eyes trying to remember the odd conversation she had experienced before the pain. When had the man said they'd met? She paled slightly as she remembered something else. "You've felt this," she stated. Giles shot his nephew a nervous look, which Harry ignored. Instead, he turned to Buffy and took her hand again.

"Many times," Harry's voice sighed. "You'll be okay," he assured her again.

"He said you did better than I did," Buffy rambled her eyes closing. Harry grew still next to her. That phrase. It sounded so familiar. Harry closed his eyes, grinding his teeth.

"Better, much better. But Surely you can do much better than this. You're a hero, aren't you Harry?"

The words came unbidden back into his mind. Of all the deatheaters he'd fought, few possessed the truly sadist urges that one man had. But he was dead, killed in the magical backlash of that night. Still Harry couldn't relax...those words. They were so familiar.

"Buffy," Harry whispered. "Did he say anything else...anything about being a hero perhaps?" Buffy seemed to jerk out of her sleep. Her eye's locked with Harry.

"Yes...he asked if Slayers were heros..." Buffy's words trailed away as Harry jerked to his feet.

Harry hadn't even needed her words. Perhaps his desperation had fueled it, but unbidden his legilimency had awoken, thrusting him into Buffy's mind. And there standing in the shadows, his eyes glittering, was the man Harry had thought to be dead. He had shaved his moustache. Harry could only assume that cad missed twirling it like a cartoon villain. It had been his trademark.

Harry jerked to his feet, his eyes raging with a green fire. He roared into the room, his voice releasing a storm of magic that flung about, shattering all the glass in the house.

He was still Alive.

How had that twisted bastard lived?

Why was he here?

Does this have to do with me?

The questions felt like they had knives and were cutting into his brain.

"Harry?" Giles asked tentatively. Angel had moved to block Buffy. Harry looked around and noticed that the fragments of glass were still floating, as if caught in a maelstrom. Harry sighed and let go of the power, the glass sounding like rain as it dropped to the ground. With a wave of his hand, everything repaired itself. He glared at the ground.

"What is it Harry?" Giles asked.

"His name is Walden Macnair," was all Harry said. Angel, Giles and Buffy still looked at Harry in confusion. The name meant nothing to them...but to Harry, the name Walden Macnair meant many things. Walden Macnair, the Ministry executioner. What a correct position for the man. How appropriate. His cruelty could lure the giants. He was also Voldemort's resident torturer, and he'd spent an hour showing Harry his skill. But all that was nothing. Walden Macnair had murdered Ron Weasley.

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Chapter slightly edited due to a brilliant catch by Nonjon. Thanks are not enough

A/N: Slightly shorter than last...but I wanted to update soon and many of you were wondering how Angel and Harry might react to each other. Expect another short interlude chapter soon.

Thanks to my Reviewers, as ever the more you review the more I write. I'm twisted like that. Smiles.

Cheers.

Della