Title: Good-bye Hellmouth, pt 9

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Faith awoke to the sounds of the infirmary and lay there listening to the movements of the room. She heard a pair of footsteps enter the room and the unmistakable voice of Severus and Lucius.

"Where is she?" Lucius growled angrily.

Severus must have seen her because she heard him ask, "Is she alright?" Then she heard footfalls coming closer to her bed, but remained 'sleeping'.

"She's fine." Faith heard Poppy answer. "She's just had a bit of a fall is all."

One of her friends touched her arm and Faith felt the burning sensation, but kept her features neutral. "Leave us alone with her." Severus ordered softly alerting Faith that he knew she was awake.

"But – " Poppy began, but sighed and left the room.

Once the door was firmly closed Faith opened her eyes and saw a pair of worried eyes ranging from icy blue to black hovering above her. "Hey guys." She greeted softly.

"What happened, Faith?" Lucius asked kneeling on one side of her bed and Severus the other.

"Not here." She stated firmly. She knew Poppy was listening and that Albus knew everything that happened in the castle and with Pettigrew in the other room – she could hear his whining – she didn't want her two friends to do anything severe.

The two wizards nodded and before either could move the door slammed opened and the blond slayer stormed in. "Where is he?" She growled her voice low and dangerous.

Faith shot up out of the bed, having heard this tone only once before and moved to soothe the irate blond slayer. "Not here." She repeated evenly earning her a violent glare from the blond.

"Faith, don't protect that son of a –"

"BUFFY!" Faith exclaimed. "You don't need to get involved. I'm fine, just a little sore but that's it." She stated in such a way to let Buffy know that she would hear the full story later and the two of them could extract safe, undamaging revenge.

Sirius, unknowingly, entered the room at the worst possible time and was thrown against the wall with the short blond glaring at him. "Bu…Buffy?" He choked out surprised at her reaction.

"You friggen git!" Buffy spat angrily. "Do you have any idea what you've done? You could have killed her!"

"Who cares?" Sirius spat back. "She's one of them! I told you she would betray you. She betrayed all of us, Buffy!"

Buffy slammed his body back into the wall. "She means more to me than anyone in this world and I'll be damned if I let a pathetic excuse for a wizard –"

She was cut short as Faith practically pulled her off the dark haired loser. "Buffy Anne Summers!" Faith hissed. "What the heck do you think you're doing? He's human, you can't kill him."

"Faith Ambrosia McRae!" Buffy hissed back. "I'm doing the world a favor."

"And for what?" Faith shot back. "A chance to join the insane people? You know what happens when a slayer kills those she's supposed to protect and I'm bloody proof of that."

Buffy remained silent, Sirius was held in the same spot entranced at what was going on. He'd never seen her react in this way and McRae, he never expected her to…save him? Sure she'd allowed him to warm up in they're flat a few weeks ago and healed him but nothing to the extent of this.

"And you." Faith rounded on Sirius. "Just because I hold some of the traits that Salazar Slytherin held dear doesn't mean I'm evil, you'd be surprised to know I could done well in Gryffindor. I did nothing to your Pettigrew so jumping to conclusions and trying to be the great hero doesn't suit you Black."

Lucius and Severus watched as she persuaded the Gryffindors into believing what she was saying and was amazing at the fact that she had the blond slayer backing her up. It was rather entertaining, though they were a bit surprised at the news that she could have been sorted into Gryffindor and were glad she was in Slytherin.

"I don't need to explain myself to you, Black, but the next time you raise your wand against me I swear I will not be responsible for what I do." She finished glaring at the shocked man. "Remember Black, I could kill you where you stand before you even realize what I'm doing." She added before exiting the hospital wing.

The two ex-Slytherins took another way out as to not attract negative attentions from the angry blond slayer and dark haired wizard. Sirius Black was as unpredictable as his family was, though he was more 'noble' to the side of light than the rest of his relatives.

"Faith!"

The brunette slayer turned to see Lucius and Severus saunter towards her. "Hey Lu, Sev." She greeted when they were close enough to her.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" She feigned innocent and noticed they dropped the discussion. The three comrades walked off Hogwarts grounds and to Hogs Head for a drink and to talk privately as no one really went to Hogs Head unless they were death eaters.

"Three firewhiskeys." Lucius ordered as Severus and Faith found a booth in the back corner. When they had Hogsmeade weekends the Slytherins usually resided here as the rest of the school went to the Three Broomsticks.

"What happened to you?" Severus asked once the drinks were on the table. He was sitting across the slayer and Lucius sat down next to the brunette.


"You guys don't want to know." Faith muttered taking a deep drink of the firewhiskey trying to calm her nerves before reaching into her pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up taking a deep drag. She needed to do some patrolling to burn off some of her frustrations. "Fine, I was thrown out of the window by Black."

The two wizards exchanged looks before gazing at the brunette who was calm and collected. It was as if she'd been thrown out windows before and it was normal, like talking about the weather.

"Don't look at me like that." Faith snipped playfully. "You know I enjoy being thrown out windows, having been thrown out of at least two in my entire life."

"Is that before tonight or after?" Severus questioned dryly.

"Before." Faith smirked. "Oh come now, you can't expect slaying to be clean fun. I've been stabbed, shot, bitten by a vampire, nearly made another vamps pet after he killed my watcher and chased across the continent." That last remark was made with quiet reflection as she raised her tankard again. It wasn't often that she spoke of Kakistos or her watcher, but it never failed to dampen her spirits. Shaking her head to clear the maudlin thoughts she asked, "So what are you fine gentlemen going to do tonight?"

The wizards exchanged another glance before Lucius answered; "We're going to spend the evening with a lovely and talented witch."

"How is Narcissa?" Faith inquired innocently, knowing they were referring to her but wanted to know about the blond witch.

Lucius scowled and Severus chuckled softly earning him a glare from the blond wizard. "She's fine." He remarked gruffly.

"Why are you guys here?" Faith questioned. "At Hogwarts, I mean."

"You've missed several meetings." Severus answered softly. "Our Lord feared for your safety and asked us to check your stomping grounds but more importantly Hogwarts."

Faith paled slightly. "How long have I been out?"

The wizards didn't answer for a long time, Faith was worried they weren't going to answer. Just as she was going to repeat the question, with more force, Lucius spoke up, "About a month and a half."

Faith nodded before finishing her drink and putting out her cigarette in the ashtray that was just sitting there. "If you'll excuse me, I've got things I need to finish." She replied in a clipped tone.

"Faith." Severus and Lucius began as Lucius was nudged from his seat so that she could stand.

"I'm fine." Faith assured them. "Just a few things I gotta take care of." She added before leaving the dank bar. Both wizards knew that when she spoke with her thick accent that she was upset and to just let her go.

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Faith apparated back to her and Buffy's flat before stripping out of her dirty robes and stepping into the shower. Fifteen minutes later she stepped out of the shower feeling a lot better wrapping the blue towel around her body after she dried off.

She dressed in a pair of muggle sweats and exited her room bumping into Buffy. "Sorry." Faith muttered looking into hazel eyes.

"S'okay." Buffy mumbled as they stepped out of the other's way so that Buffy could go to her room and Faith could go out towards the kitchen.

Faith walked into the kitchen just as the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey Faith." The other voice greeted.

"Hey Lils." Faith smiled moving towards the refrigerator. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes." The other woman said before amending, "No. I was worried about you, but James wouldn't let me go to the hospital wing without him and you know how he is when it comes to you…"

"Lily!" Faith laughed. "It's alright, I'm fine as you can tell."

"It's nice to hear you're okay, Faith." Lily said sullenly. "If I had known what he was going to do I would have stopped him."

"I know." Faith assured the other woman over the phone. "Is there something else?"

"Could you meet me?" Lily said after a long pause. "At the Three Broomsticks?"

"Sure." Faith agreed. "I'll be there in five minutes."

"Thanks, Faith." Lily said before quickly saying 'good-bye' and hanging up the phone.

Faith sighed hanging up the phone and taking a large gulp of water from the tap. Placing the glass in the sink she walked back into her room and changed into a pair of jeans, keeping her green tank top, adding a jade green robe and shoes. Once she was sure she was ready, she called her 'g-bye' to Buffy before apparating out of the flat.

"Thanks for coming so quickly." Lily said standing from her spot at one of the back tables of the surprisingly empty bar. The redhead was wearing baby blue robes that made her hair and eyes stand out.

"No problem." Faith assured Lily taking her seat on the opposite side. After Faith took her seat Madam Rosmerta approached them asking for their orders. "Firewhiskey and a sandwich if you can manage." Faith grinned with a teasing look.

Madam Rosmerta chuckled softly. "I'll see what I can do, Faith. What about for you Lily?"

"Butterbeer." Lily replied kindly. After their drinks and food was served Lily looked at Faith. "I've got a problem. Well two actually."

"And?"

"Sirius doesn't want to do the spell." Lily whispered. "Wants us to ask Peter."

"Do what you can to persuade James not to ask Peter to do it." Faith stated viciously.

"Why?" Lily asked but saw the expression on the brunettes face and said, "oh."

"So what's the other problem?" Faith asked uncomfortable with the angered expression. Faith could tell Lily was upset but there was a bit of disappointment hidden within the green depths of her eyes.

"I'm pregnant."

End pt 9