Title: Good-bye Hellmouth, pt 16
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The room instantly quieted down when the door opened revealing Severus Snape and Faith McRae, whom none of the occupants had seen in a very long while. It was obvious when they noticed her rounded stomach showing she was several months pregnant.
"Faith." James began moving towards her, but stopped when he noticed she moved into herself. "I'm not going to hurt you." He began a bit troubled that she'd shy away from him. "I'd just like to say thank you."
Faith looked to Severus who replied, "You're welcome."
"Can't she –" He faltered looking between the two. "Can't she talk for herself?"
"The Dark Lord prevents her from speaking." Severus answered softly, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder. "Even with those that are his trusted associates."
"Why is she with you?"
"Because he is convinced that she has something that He cannot get from her." Severus answered. "It infuriates Him that he cannot find all the secrets she hides within and has decided to go another means."
"I think it's time for her to go into hiding." Albus spoke for the first time since before they entered the room. The response was instantaneous and various. Most agreed, some argued that it was playing in Voldemort's hands, while Faith fearfully shook her head before burring it in Severus' robes.
"If we put her into hiding, she will die." Severus' tone stopped the room dead.
"What?" Gasped Molly Weasley, a motherly figure that Faith got along well with.
"What are you saying, Snape?" Grunted Moody.
Severus felt Faith reaching for his hand and curled his fingers around her cold hand. "He is testing her loyalty." He began softly. "If she should disappear His suspicions about her would be correct. Because of His bond with her, and his ability over her speech, he could find her faster than one could say the Killing Curse. And then He'd have to find another means of immortality."
"That's disgusting!" Sirius exclaimed. "Just what exactly does he want with my child."
"Listen here, Black –" Severus began, but stopped when Faith lightly squeezed his hand. Glancing down at her, he saw her eyes. The eyes that spoke directly to his soul without using Occlumency. "He plans to inhabit the child should anything ruin his plans so that He may live again." He answered, whispering an apology to Faith within her mind.
Buffy stepped forward, her sister slayer turning when she felt her stand closer. Hazel met brown, before Faith stepped forward and hugged Buffy. "Be careful my sister." Buffy whispered. "You're stronger than I."
Faith pulled back and shook her head. Mouthing, 'You are strong, I am weak.'
'No.' Buffy mouthed. 'You are protecting a world that isn't even ours.'
Faith bowed her head. 'And look what it's gotten me.' She mouthed locking eyes with Buffy, grabbing her hand and placing it on the tiny swell of her stomach. 'An evil child.'
"Never." Buffy said with conviction, scaring the room full of wizards who hadn't heard a word from either mouth. "Don't you ever think that, Faith. Your child will be strong, pure and everything we couldn't be."
'Jacalyn?'
"She's here." Lily said seeing her lips move. She moved forward with the tiny baby who had a sprinkling of red hair. Passing her over, Jacalyn smiled happily, showing Faith her bright hazel eyes, as she giggled joyfully. As if sensing Faith's dampened and troubled spirits, Jacalyn opened her arms, and reached forward and wrapped them around Faith's neck.
Buffy stepped forward, everyone noticed that Faith didn't move away from the blond slayer, but rather moved closer. Buffy placed her arm around her sister slayer, gazing at the baby girl that was being held close to the brunette's chest. "You are amazing." She whispered.
Faith looked up at her. 'Don't know what you're talking about.' She mouthed. 'You're the oldest slayer in history.'
"Oldest, maybe." Buffy agreed softly. "But not the strongest, that tile belongs to you."
'I'm not strong.' Faith sighed. 'I'm a follower of the dark Lord and pregnant.'
"Aye, but you're saving this world." Buffy reminded. "You've done so much good in this world."
Faith shrugged at the complement not knowing what to say, noticing that Jacalyn had began to cry, knowing why seconds later when the dark mark started to burn. Hissing she passed the now screaming baby to Buffy, who fruitlessly tried to calm her as the slayer and Potions Master exited the office.
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Faith was sitting in the library of Riddle's manor. She was staring off into space while doodling on a piece of parchment when Severus approached her. She'd been restricted to the manor, which left the whole world left untouched. He noticed she'd written some words, like a poem.
"What are you writing?" He asked when he knew that she knew he was there.
"A song."
"Song?" He encouraged her to talk about the things she remembered, which was becoming less and less as she became a more vital member of this society.
"A muggle song, that's creped into my head the past couple of days." She answered, handing him the parchment.
Hey, I'm your life
I'm the one who takes you there
Hey, I'm your life
I'm the one who cares
They, they betray
I'm your only true friend now
They, they'll betray
I'm forever there
I'm your dream, make you real
I'm your eyes when you must steal
I'm your pain when you can't feel
Sad but true
I'm your dream, mind astray
I'm your eyes while you're away
I'm your pain while you repay
You know it's sad but true
You, You're my mask
You're my cover, my shelter
You, you're my mask
You're the one who's blamed
Do
Do my work
Do my dirty work, scapegoat
Do, do my deeds
For you're the one who's shamed
I'm your dream, make you real
I'm your eyes when you must steal
I'm your pain when you can't feel
Sad but true
I'm your dream, mind astray
I'm your eyes while you're away
I'm your pain while you repay
You know it's sad but true
Hate, I'm your hate
I'm your hate when you want love
Pay, pay the price
Pay, for nothing's fair
Hey, I'm your life
I'm the one who took you here
Hey, I'm your life
And I no longer care
He looked up from the parchment amazed at the similarity of the song and their situation with the dark Lord. It amazed him that she seemed to be so insightful about these kinds of things, and yet she's in the thick of the war. He then noticed she was asleep causing him to wonder how much sleep she actually received. Sighing softly he picked her up and carried her into the room that she was forced to sleep in.
As he was preparing to leave, she grabbed his wrist causing him to take a seat next to the bed. He was her comfort, he knew that, and it was a bonus that the dark Lord allowed him to be in her constant presence as that was a rare thing. He didn't think she'd seen Lucius or Bellatrix or any of the death eaters that she was friends with during their Hogwarts' years for several months now, and he knew that saddened her.
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It was several months later that a very pregnant Faith rushed into Albus Dumbledore's office. "I know how to defeat Voldemort."
Shocked blue eyes met brown as he said, "You can speak."
"Yes, but not without pain." She waved off his statement because of the importance of what she had to say. "I know how to defeat Voldemort." She repeated, handing a sheet of parchment to him and watched as he read the contents of the paper twice through before looking up at her.
"How did you find this?"
"Slayer dream lead me to it." She answered. "I had nearly given up, but it came to me over a period of nights and this is what I found out."
"How do you know it was a slayer dream?"
"Because I had it too." A new voice, belonging to Buffy, said entering the room. "He may have a hold over her, but there wouldn't be any way to send it to both of us."
"I see." Dumbledore said glancing down at the parchment, making a copy of the words written upon it. He handed the original back to Faith. He watched the slayers say good-bye in their own way – Faith telling Buffy that she needed to protect everyone while she was gone – before turning to the old headmaster. He softly spoke the words, watching as she disappeared from sight.
Faith could have sworn she heard Dumbledore say 'good luck' but couldn't be sure as her world started spinning around her in a hazy mass of colors. She suddenly landed in a room she hadn't seen in a very long time. "James?" She whispered hoarsely. "It didn't work." She began mumbling before she felt queasy. "Now I'm going to faint."
With speed he hadn't used since playing on the Quidditch team he caught the distressed woman before calling, "Class dismissed." He then rushed her to the infirmary. "Madam Pomfrey!" He called.
"Yes?" She asked coming into the large room. "Oh my, what happened?" She asked rushing to the pregnant woman's side and began whispering spells to check her vitals.
"She appeared in my classroom." He answered. "She – she called me James."
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She woke up to see Lily's emerald green eyes looking down at her. "Harry?" She asked seeing the messy black hair that reminded her so much of James.
"You called me James earlier." He said softly.
"I did." She nodded. "Harry, you have to understand how much you truly look like your father."
"And he's dead."
"Not in my world."
"What?"
"You think this is the only world?" She asked rhetorically before saying, "Anyways, that's not the reason I'm here."
"And that is?" He prodded, unable to not be curious.
"Voldemort." She answered seeing his green eyes darken nearly to black.
"I can't help you." He said coldly, turning to exit the hospital wing.
"I understand, Harry." Her words halted his carefully placed steps, but he didn't turn around. "The last two years, maybe three, have been filled with betrayal, terror, and death."
Harry turned to face her. "All seven years of my Hogwarts schooling Voldemort has tried to kill me. My third year I found out about my godfather only to lose him in my fifth year."
"What foolish thing did Black do?" Her words lacked bite, like they once had.
"He was framed for killing my parents." At this she laughed harshly. "He escaped Azkaban, was in hiding and then he heard I was in trouble and came to save me." His eyes were haunted. "His cousin sent a curse his direction, sending him through the veil."
"The veil." She repeated. She'd heard about it, but the memory of why or when was avoiding her.
"The veil of mysteries."
"For lost souls." She finished. "I can get you Sirius Black back, if you can save my world."
"That's impossible!" Harry exclaimed outraged by her claims. "It's been at least fifteen years and Dumbledore said he couldn't do it." (Author's Note: This is NOT HBP CAPATIABLE!)
"Aye." She agreed. "He's not tied to the dog." She added, placing a hand on her swelled stomach. "But I am."
End pt 16
Author's Note: The lyrics in the middle belong to Metallica and is called Sad but True off their "Black Album". I thought the song was very fitting in regards to Voldemort and his followers and having Faith remember the song was pure chance.
General Mac: Don't worry, I like Faith a bit too much to let her die. 'side's there's a lot planned for my favorite slayer. I think if she disappeared, it would be very cowardly. Not saying that there wasn't consideration for it, but I don't believe Faith, as I've portrayed her would - unless absolutely necessary – would. :-) Thanks for the great review, hope you liked the updated chapter.
jrfan81: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I'm not sure I was expecting Voldie to do it either. Too true, I think I kinda like how I'm portraying him - though I don't know if it's up to JK's standards. Thanks for your support with this story and its interesting plot that keeps weaving Faith in deeper as we speak, I hope you'll like the outcome.
Angel-love-buffy: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it. I am trying to update as quickly as I can.
Queen Of the Emo's: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm not sure who Faith's ol' man is, though I did harbor thoughts of him being a prominent (or not so prominent) wizard but my muse changed her mind. I do know that it isn't Voldie, as much as he wishes it was. She's the child he wished he could get, so he kind of claims her in another way outside of her being his "loyal" death eater. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, hope you liked this chapter!