Title: Good-bye Hellmouth, pt 5
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"What's up, Buff?" James asked as she looked directly at them even though the cloak had been concealing them.
"Is Faith alright?" She questioned slightly pale.
"Yeah." James said after the four friends exchanged a look. "She mentioned an 'Oz' character."
Buffy's color came back slowly. "Oz, huh?" She repeated before adding, "Most laconic person I've ever met. Even made Angel run for the laconic award for Sunnydale citizens."
"What's her deal anyways?" Sirius asked crossly.
"What do you mean?" Buffy questioned. "Oh she fed you one of her lines, which one this time?"
"All she needs is herself." Remus answered softly. He was still pale and looked almost sickly. He was upset at himself for allowing his friends to let him leave the Shrieking Shack to roam the grounds. She'd kept his secret before but now that she'd seen him in wolf form, what if she told someone? He guessed he would have to ask Buffy if she trusted the brunette Slytherin.
"Well it's the way of the slayers." Buffy shrugged. "All we have is ourselves. Life isn't easy when one has to keep fighting to stay alive, or even after dying." She whispered the last part.
"What do you mean 'dying'?"
Buffy shrugged. "I've died."
"You've died?" They exclaimed with hushed whispers of outrage. They almost looked comical to Buffy as they looked at her with wide, yet tired eyes. They were standing shoulder to shoulder and all were leaning slightly forward as if Buffy were whispering evil secrets to them.
"It's not like I'm proud of it." Buffy retorted crossing her arms, realizing they didn't hear their musings on when they first arrived. "I was sixteen when I was told that I was going to die." She explained before adding, "Then there was an evil hell goddess that wanted to gut my sister and I died plugging up the hole."
There was a long pause as the four friends watched Buffy stand there like she hadn't just told them that she'd died like it wasn't the biggest thing in the world. It wasn't anymore. She'd grown up the months prior to coming to Hogwarts after realizing what she was doing to her family and friends with her constant ignorance.
Willow had gone evil after someone possessed her body because she was depressed about Oz leaving. It'd taken her a long while to realize that if she'd tried a bit harder to see things from their point of view or to walk on the other side a lot might have been saved.
"You four should head to bed." Buffy finally said before turning to walk back to the room she shared with Lily. "You've only got a little while before Herbology." She added before disappearing into the girls tower.
The four trudged up the stairs but Remus found that he couldn't sleep. He needed to see and talk to Faith before he would be able to. Quietly he changed into a clean uniform and crept out the door.
He made it to the common room before he noticed the blond was sitting on the couch reading. "You can trust her." She said without looking up.
Remus felt a weight being lifted off his shoulders at Buffy's words because no matter how often he hung out with Buffy and Faith, he was still unsure when it came to the brunette. He walked around the couch and sat next to her. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Buffy shrugged. "Didn't need to." She answered still not looking up. "Your wolf already knew that I knew what you were and in return the wolf knew what I was. That's why you weren't comfortable around me."
Remus nodded. "I didn't upset you did I?"
At the tone of his voice she looked up. She saw fear and concern in his amber, but tired depths. "No. As you found out I knew a werewolf. He wasn't like you are in the fact that he didn't have any lasting symptoms."
"What do you mean?"
"Well after he changed he didn't feel tired." She started closing the book, marking the page with her finger. "He was perfectly normal, without being normal." She grinned. "He was naturally quiet and had very few expressions."
Remus watched her talk about her friend. She was smiling happily and her hazel eyes seemed to be slightly brighter. "How did you know something happened to Faith?" He asked after a short pause.
Buffy frowned. "I've known Faith for about five years and I can tell when something is wrong. I left her out there knowing you and dog boy were playing. I didn't think anything of it until I felt something odd when I was trying to sleep."
Remus chuckled at her nickname for Sirius. "You know he goes by Sirius, right?"
"Who?"
"Dog boy." He laughed at her confused face. "Do you remember in Transfiguration two weeks ago. McGonagall was talking about animagus, which gives a person the ability to change into an animal."
"Oh, so Sirius is a dog?" Buffy repeated. Then she laughed. "I can see it."
Time passed for the two as the sun rose steadily higher in the sky. Soon the students began to wake up causing Buffy and Remus to pretend to be doing schoolwork. Buffy was grateful of the help she'd get and was naturally excelling at dada along with Faith.
Faith seemed to excel at Potions and when asked about it she just shrugged and said it was natural talent. Both girls had a hard time with transfiguration, charms and especially had a hard time staying awake in History of Magic, with Professor Binns.
Herbology was entertaining, flying was a treat, divination was hysterical – as both girls had received many a death predictions. They of course laughed it off especially with Buffy's fate, seeing as she'd died twice already.
It was almost subtle; the changes at Hogwarts, and Faith wondered how she could have missed it. One evening while walking with Lucius and Buffy next to her and Crabbe and Goyle behind them she paused to look at the Great Hall.
The sight was nearly shocking to Lucius but he didn't say anything to Faith. It was like assigned seating had all of a suddenly changed. People were sitting with their friends of different houses, though most of the Slytherins were unchanged as were the marauders, but you could tell that they noticed it too.
"You joining me tonight?" Buffy asked mystified at the changes that had been made. They'd made it this far by sticking together. Buffy would sometimes join Faith at the Slytherin table, as neither cared about the house rivalry, and enjoyed Narcissa's company or Faith would join Buffy and Lily at the Gryffindor table. Sometimes they'd sit with people they knew at Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, it just depended on their mood.
Faith looked at Lucius before making up her mind. "Sure." She said before walking with her sister slayer to the Gryffindor table. That didn't shock them as it was a norm between the slayers but having Lucius Malfoy with his cronies Crabbe and Goyle following behind shocked the entire school.
"Potter, Black, Pettigrew, Lily and Remus." Faith greeted sitting next to Buffy with Lucius on the other side.
"Faith." Lily and Remus said.
"McRae." The rest of the marauders said.
The two slayers began eating until Faith remembered something that they'd forgotten to do. "Oh man!" She groaned dropping her fork onto her plate, causing Buffy to look at her with the questions in her hazel eyes. "'I hope shots of my ass will serve your viewers well.'" Faith quoted.
"NO!" Buffy replied appalled. "Tell me the second parter hasn't already played."
"Well technically the show hasn't started." Faith retorted dryly, taking a bite of her dinner. "And yes, we apparently missed it during the final battle. Do you suppose we could have rescheduled the end of the world?"
Buffy laughed before sighing. "Stupid hellmouth making us miss 'Stargate SG-1'!"
"And now we'll have wait for almost thirty years." Faith sighed miserably.
"Oh come on!" Buffy relented. "We saved the bloody world, don't you think it's only fair for us to at least get our weekly dose of 'Stargate'?" Buffy questioned before drinking her pumpkin juice.
"One would think." Faith jeered. "Though you understand this is all your fault, don't you?"
"My fault?" Buffy repeated. "What did I do?"
"You got me addicted to that sexy colonel O'Neill and Dr. J." She tried to sound angry about it but came out as more of a sigh. "And how about those arms on Master Teal'c."
"You can't tell me that you don't enjoy it." Buffy ventured hearing the change in her voice.
"Just about as much as you didn't enjoy my grunting." Faith laughed recalling the memory that felt almost a million years ago.
"Oh you're not going to start that again are you?" Buffy shuttered, but smiled at the memory. "That was when 'I've got a stake up my English Channel' Wesley showed up to Sunnydale."
Faith laughed. "Remember he was jonesing for Cordy?"
"That was funny." Buffy laughed. "Did you hear that they he practically slobbered all over her in the stacks?"
"No way!" Faith shook her head in disbelief. "Oh gross!" She shuttered in dismay. "Mental image." Laughing Buffy finished her dinner and made 'normal' conversation with the members of the table.
"Meet you in a couple hours." Buffy said standing with the other marauders that were curiously watching the two slayers.
"Can't." Faith said.
"What?"
"Sev and I are doing potions." Faith shrugged also standing with Lucius and the two dunderheads that were still piling food into their mouths. "And Black shut your mouth." She warned seeing him about to reply before leaving with Lucius, leaving Crabbe and Goyle following hastily behind.
Lily bounced into the library, receiving a dark look from the stern librarian, followed by Buffy. Both girls plunked into the two available seats next to Faith, who was studying her transfiguration notes. "Morning, Lils. B."
"Guess what Saturday is." Lily ordered.
"St. Patty's Day." Faith dryly retorted, earning a glare from the redhead and a smack to the back of her head from the blond.
"Be serious!" They scolded.
"Why would I do an awful thing like that?" Faith jeered. "God only knows the world only needs one Sirius."
"Hogsmeade weekend!" Both Gryffindor girls exclaimed, earning a 'sh-ing' noise from Madam Pince, while ignoring Faith's comment about the Gryffindor playboy.
"Goodie." Faith began with mock excitement. "Another weekend where Potter will continuously ask you out and where Ayden McGratie asks you." She finished gesturing to the two girls in question.
"It's a girl's only weekend." Buffy insisted making a face at the mentioning of Ayden, the seventh year Hufflepuff that had taken a liking to the blond slayer.
"I think I heard Remy was looking for you." Lily pondered thoughtfully, before both girls shrugged and left the brunette to study.
"Why would Remus Lupin, friend to the pains-in-my-arse-brothers Sirius Black and James Potter, be looking for me?" She asked herself.
"Wow McRae, you never cease to amaze me with your witty repartee."
"Speak of the arse brothers." She muttered turning to face Sirius. His gray orbs glittering humorously in the candle lit room. "You must be lonely, Black, your fellow arse brother seems to have left you for better company."
Sirius's eyes darkened, to a charcoal gray color, as his gaze narrowed, his hands clenching and unclenching as he was trying to control his anger. He watched mutely as she stood, straightening her black muggle shirt that fit snuggly over the waistband of a pair of dark colored jean pants.
"What's the matter?" She inquired stepping a bit closer a curious look in her honey brown colored eyes. "Vet got your tongue?" She stopped right in front of him, noticing that she was at least two heads shorter than he. "You're kind of cute when you're all growly."
Before he could stop himself, he bent down and pressed his lips against hers in a fiery and demanding kiss. One of his hands found its way into her hair, which was a glorious chocolate brown color and was silky to the touch. His other hand moved to rest on her hips, gripping her hipbone in an aggressive manor.
After getting over the initial shock, she pushed him away from her. With one last dark glare, she turned towards the table, packed her stuff and left the library without looking back.
Remus found Faith in the Ravenclaw stands watching the sun set. "Hey." She greeted as he stepped onto the platform leading to the bleachers.
"Hi." He echoed taking a seat near her and watched as her shoulder length hair blew in the wind behind her.
"I suppose you're here about "the talk"." She guessed glancing in his direction, part of her hair flying into her face but she didn't bother to move it.
"Which talk?"
Faith chuckled. "Your secret is safe with me."
"I know."
"Then why are you here?" She inquired gesturing to the pitch. "With a Slytherin, rather than your friends."
"You're my friend." He stated firmly. "Buffy asked me to come talk to you." He said after receiving an 'I know that's not why you're here' look.
"Ah."
"So?"
Another part of the castle, Buffy was talking to Lily. "Tell me what your life was like?" Lily requested after a few moments of silence. They never talked about what Buffy and Faith left behind, at least not directly, but rather what they were planning on doing.
"Not much to tell." Buffy tried. "It was hard, stressful and I hated it."
"Oh."
"I had-have a little sister named Dawn." Buffy grinned a bit. "She's a pain, but I love her and I actually miss her."
"I don't think I'd ever miss my sister Petunia." Lily commented making a face. "She thinks I'm a freak because I have magic."
"Gee, I'd hate to see her in my world for a day. Continuously fighting to stay alive."
"That doesn't sound very good." Lily remarked calmly. She'd seen how well the two slayers, yes she knew before the boys, did in DADA. It was remarkable to her.
"You get used to it." Buffy shrugged. "But here? I can actually have a semi-normal life."
End pt 5
Disclaimer: I took some dialog and barrowed characters from Stargate SG-1. I don't own Teal'c, Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson, though I wish I did.