Title: Good-bye Hellmouth, pt 17
888
Previously:
"Aye." She agreed. "He's not tied to the dog." She added, placing a hand on her swelled stomach. "But I am."
And now:
888
Severus entered the hospital wing next to Albus Dumbledore walking behind Harry Potter and Remus Lupin who had already stopped by the second row of beds. They saw the woman; her back was to them, as she stared out the window at the new moon.
"Hello Remus." She greeted softly not turning around to face them. "Albus, Harry and –" She paused before taking a sharp breath. "Severus."
"Harry informs me that you are from a different world." Albus began, his voice soft but there was no hiding the power he held silent. "And of your offer."
She turned to them, showing her pregnant state to the three unaware men – or at least confirming one's suspicion. "In my position, I find the option of dying of my own choice, rather than at the hand of the person who made it possible for me to become pregnant, refreshing."
"And who would be?" Severus sneered.
"Voldemort." She stated, sneering back at him. "Unless, of course you mean the father." She continued a scowl coming to her normally pretty face. "Sirius black."
"You say his name with distastes." Remus began feeling something powerful about her. "Why?"
She scoffed. "Why indeed." She repeated. "I'm a Slytherin, need I say more?"
Remus looked down, before meeting her gaze. "I'm sorry for whatever he did to you, but why are you so willing to bring him back?"
"Because –" Faith began, hugging herself trying to comfort herself from whatever was haunting her while glancing out the window. "Its what Lily would do."
"Lily." Albus repeated. "Lily Potter?"
"Let me simplify my life for you." Faith stated, allowing them to interrogate her. "There are four people who have cared – or care – for me. One risked her life and died for me, as she was my watcher. Number two set me on the path I'm on now. Three is my Anam Cara. And the fourth is Lily." She ticked the people with her fingers. "All three are on the way to possible or sure death and I can't let anymore people die on my hands."
"So you would like Potter to remove the dark Lord –"
"Voldemort, Severus." Faith interrupted. "He's apparently dead in this world, you're no longer in his employ." She wasn't sure if she was envious or jealous of this Severus because he no longer had to serve Voldemort.
"From your world in exchange for Black." He finished as if she'd never interrupted him, but he caught the hint of bitterness that she couldn't hide in her voice. "How is that fair?"
"Severus!" Several voice cried in shock as Faith began to laugh. Hard.
"Miss. McRae!" Poppy cried, appearing out of nowhere. "You need to calm down or you'll set off early labor." She continued, nearly forcing the laughing brunette onto the bed.
"Oh, Cara." Faith laughed, her laughter subsiding a bit. "Too funny." She breathed in deeply wiping a tear from her eye before looking back up at them. "What?" She asked, color draining from her face as she realized what she said causing her to curse silently.
"You said your 'Anam Cara', correct?" Severus queried, seeing her nod he continued, "That means, soul friend, unless I'm mistaken."
"No, your right." She answered standing in front of the bed she'd had been seated on. "In my world, you and I are close friends – soul friends. No words are needed between us when He is not pleased."
Severus took a tentative step forward. "He hasn't been pleased has He?" He rhetorically asked noticing, upon closer inspection, the bruises and the brunt marks that are generally physical effects of a number of dark curses.
She turned away from his speculating eyes as he pealed away the layers she'd carefully reconstructed, knowing he wasn't doing it on purpose it was just something Severus was good at. She began to feel a prickle at the back of her mind causing her to force all her thoughts, memories and fears behind the wall she recreated. "Stop trying to read my mind, Albus." She warned. "I learned from the best about blocking my thoughts and I hate to see what would happen if you pushed past my rebuilt walls."
"Rebuilt." Harry inquired, fear interlaced with his words.
"Surely you recall your bouts with the dark Lord, Potter." Severus sneered, not taking his eyes off of Faith. "He's come close to braking her."
"Do we have a deal?" She questioned with a shaky tone of voice wanting to talk about something else, anything else. "In order to save your family – or your would be parents and sister I need your help."
"Sister."
"Yes." Faith nodded. "Jacalyn."
"Jacalyn Potter." Harry sounded the name. "Alright. What do you need?"
"A book." She answered. "From Riddle's manor." She looked to Severus and he nodded, not needing to voice the answer she needed to hear somehow knowing that she'd understand, just as he had understood her unasked question. "I'll be right back." Minutes later she floo-ed back into Hogwarts with the book in her hands and just before she said anything a voice haltered her steps.
"Thank Merlyn I found you." The familiar voice said rushing into the room.
"Cara." She greeted paling at the noticeable burnt marks present upon his pale skin. She moved to touch his face, but he flinched and she murmured an apology realizing that they were fresh.
"No time for that, Anam." Severus breathed. "He's coming."
"What?" She exclaimed. "But how?"
"His link." He said gesturing towards her left arm. "Granted it's going to take him a while, but he's getting closer."
"We're going to bring back Sirius."
"What?"
"Oh, he's dead in this world."
"Why?" Severus grunted, clearly unconcerned if the mutt stayed dead so long as he didn't have to deal with him in another reality.
"A trade."
"Black for Voldemort?" Severus guessed and nodded understanding perfectly. Then he noticed the book in her hands. "Faith –"
"Severus, are you in or out?" She cut in. "I can't do this without you." She pleaded.
His voice dropped as he looked over her shoulder and saw himself standing with Remus, Albus and whom he assumed was Harry Potter. "Do they know the consequences?"
"Of course not." She said. "They'd have to think about their choice and it took me long enough to get Harry's agreement."
"Fine." He nodded. "Take us to the veil."
888
"Are you sure about this?" Severus whispered to Faith – unaware that Severus was also imploring the same thoughts to Albus and Harry.
"I've got to." She whispered back. "It's apparent that he cares deeply for the mutt, and in order for things to be fair there has to be a trade."
"You and your Hufflepuff values." Severus mused.
"It's an end to our suffering." She said. "It's worth it." Just then they stopped in the lower part of the Ministry, having to sneak in to not confuse the Aurors or Ministry workers, the veil was standing vacantly against the wall.
"Ready?" Anam Cara questioned.
"Yes, set it up." She requested. Once they were nearly ready to begin she approached Harry, Remus and Albus. "Whatever happens in there nothing matters, but defeating Voldemort." Harry was about to say something so she continued, "Good luck, kiddo." She added, turning and approaching her Severus once more.
"Ready?" He inquired.
"As ready as I'll ever be." She answered. "Cara, thank you."
Severus just nodded and began the chants. Just as the winds were picking up Faith prepared herself, her friend giving her the clearance to enter began her walk towards the veil when Voldemort entered the lower ministry room.
"Faith!" His voice rang with power and authority through the room.
She paused just outside of the veil, one more step and she would be in the outer regions of the universe. She turned hundred-eighty degrees to face the man she'd served under for four out of five of the years she'd been in this world. Smirking she took a step backwards, hearing a whooshing sound along with the shrieks from both sides of the veil.
Darkness was the first thing she noticed once the shrieking became bearable. Her eyes began to adjust, though not to the extent of a vampire's because she's still human, but enough to make out a doorway. She carefully walked through the doorway; a blinding light appeared suddenly as if announcing her presence, and even though she quickly looked away there were still black spots in her vision.
"Who goes there?" A booming voice questioned.
"Faith, the Vampire Slayer." She introduced. "I'm here for a lost soul."
"A trade is needed."
Faith nodded. "I am prepared to trade." She stated. "Give me Sirius Black."
"The one that traveled in here blindly." The voice mused. "Why would ye trade something for he?"
"There is someone close that needs him." She answered truthfully. "A means to an end."
There was a long pause; so long Faith began to wonder if he'd left and began to harbor the thought that she'd be stuck in this middle ground. "Honesty is such a rare trait in those that come here, but needed for a place such as this." The voice finally said. "Follow the path before ye and ye shall find who ye seek."
She nodded and followed the shadowy path leading her out of the bright room and into a dimly lit hall. She walked for what seemed hours until she came upon a figure hunched in the shadows, murmuring about something or other.
"Sirius Black?" She questioned, noticing that the shadow had stopped and disappeared. He looked different than the Sirius she'd known for the past five years. His black hair was longer, his skin more sallow and his eyes appeared to be more sunken into his eye sockets. She could she that he was rather thin, though he was seated with his knees to his chest staring off into the nothingness of the veil.
Black eyes met brown. "Who are you?" He rasped.
"Faith McRae." She answered, now more aware of his changes as his eyes were dark gray in her world but here they were coal black, not to mention haunted. "I'm here to get you out of here."
"I cannot leave." He rasped hopelessly looking away from her.
"But you can." She hissed. "Come with me."
Sirius shook his head, his long hair limply swinging with his gaunt face. "You're not here, even if you are here to get me out."
"Don't be stupid, Black." She hissed angrily, unknowingly echoing Severus' words. "Though I know it's a favorite pastime of yours, please do pay attention."
"Now you sound like Snivellus." Sirius retorted, earning him a swift kick to his lower body causing him to yelp. "Ouch! What'd you do that for?"
"Obviously, you felt that so you know I'm not a fabrication of your mind." She mused. "Now get up and come with me, your godson needs you."
"Harry?"
"No, Voldemort!" She cried. "Of course, Harry!" She snapped.
Sirius stood up, his lankly body towering over her a good three or four heads. "Say I do believe you, how do I know you're here for Harry?"
"I'm not here for Harry." She answered plainly. "I'm here for the sake of my world."
"And you expect me to believe that nonsense?" He asked incredulously.
"You really don't have a choice do you?" She sneered at him. "You can either pretend to trust me or stick here for the rest of existence."
"How are you going to get me out?"
She noticed that he was genuinely curious so she briefly explained to him about how the spell works, how the judgment works and the after product.
"So you're sacrificing our child to this hell?" He snapped outraged.
"Not our child." She said oozing with a condescending tone. "My child that happens to have the Black blood flowing through its veins."
"I will not allow that."
"You're going to have to." She snipped. "Because it's the only way we're getting out of here."
"I can't believe you're going to take away our child's choice at life like that." Sirius replied livid at the mere thought of it.
"It's not your choice to make." She bit, her bite against the mutt returning with a vengeance. "Besides you don't care, in either world whether or not this child is born. Not that you'd be a good father to the child."
Sirius felt the sting from that comment. His family hadn't been the greatest, he'd never tried to hide that fact, but he vowed that he'd never be like his parents. "Don't ask me to accept your gift, because I won't."
"Too bad." She retorted. "Your selfish enough to return to the living no matter the cost."
Sirius shook his head. "Not at the expense of my child."
"Good because it isn't yours." She repeated grasping his arm in her tight grip and dragging him back the way she came. Neither noticed the tingling that they felt, nor did they notice anything remarkably different until they reached the room.
"Have ye chosen what will be your sacrifice?" The voice inquired.
"We have." Faith answered.
"And what'll that be?" The voice inquired.
Faith took a deep breath, feeling the child kick within her stomach before answering, "I choose to stay, let my child and Sirius go."
"So it be done." The voice boomed, the doorway opening and a gust of wind blowing their hair around.
"Take care of him." She whispered, over the wind knowing that he could hear her. "I like the name Donovan." She grinned looking at the child that appeared in her arms with his sparse coffee brown colored hair, knowing he was a good mix between herself and Sirius. "Tell Buffy and Lily to live and learn."
"What?" He questioned as he was presented with the baby, who was crying softly.
"Tell him I love him and that I sacrificed my life for him and his father though I'm not sure why. Keep him out of danger."
"I'm not leaving without you!" He yelled over the rising wind.
"Get out of here!" She bellowed, punching him and pushing him through the doorway.
"AVADA KADARVA!" Harry's voice boomed within both worlds.
In a last ditch effort of revenge Voldemort soared into the veil causing the storm to rise up again within the room. Everyone within the room ran away from the veil in hopes of remaining on the side of the living.
Just as the veil was going to close another figure was force through, landing hard on the ground as the wind stopped. The only sound heard was the ringing in their ears, the soft crying of the baby and the body's harsh breathing.
Severus, drained from the use of the complex magic stumbled towards the body, realizing instantly who it was and fell to his knees. "Anam!" He called. "Anam, can you hear me?"
No sound emerged from the fallen slayer, except for the sounds of her deep breaths. "Cara?" She grunted. "What – what happened?"
"You did it." He smirked. "You survived the veil because of the dark Lord."
"What do you mean?"
"He was so angry with your blatant betrayal of him, when Harry was saying the final curse he rushed towards the veil." Severus explained. "I guess he thought he could spend the rest of eternity torturing you, but the veil took it as a trade."
Faith lifted up her sleeve, seeing that the dark mark was only a faint scar of what it used to be and knowing it was over.
888
"Thank you, Harry." She said, grinning holding Donovan.
"Your welcome." Harry smiled faintly.
"Albus, Remus, Severus, Black." She listed next. "Thank you."
"Thank you." Remus and Sirius said.
She nodded, turning to face her Anam Cara. "Let's go home, Cara." She requested and both disappeared in a swirl of magic.
888
"He's dead." Faith announced to the members of the Order, of which she and Severus appeared in front of.
"You're sure."
She exchanged a look with Severus both saying, "Positive."
"I'd like you to meet Donovan Xavier McRae." She continued holding the child up for the members of the Order. "The hero of both worlds."
THE END!!!!
Customheroine: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. I don't think I've had anyone say that they are on the edge of their seat! I hope that what comes next will be as enjoyable as the chapters before it. blush Thanks! I'm glad that you've stepped out of your norm to read my (possibly) over used plot. I'm wondering what it is that has you confused, perhaps you can personally message me and I can answer any questions you may have? Thank you for reading and reviewing. It makes me feel better when I have (dare I say it?) proof that there are people who are reading and enjoying this fic.
Suzy87: Thanks for reviewing, I had a lot of fun toiling with the idea that if Faith and Buffy were supposed to be in rival houses how would they react considering their rocky past. grins I'm rather fond of the Slytherins, they're definitely the underdogs in my opinion, laughs, but I'm glad you're liking how I've portrayed them. Sirius and Faith just flew out of no where, gotta tell you, but her being pregers was a surprise to me. You'd think my muse wasn't talking to me as I'm writing this story, laughs. I'm glad you're enjoying all the throws of my story and thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me! Hope you like what's to come. (Insert evil laugh)
Author's Note: Stay tuned for the Alternant Ending of 'Good-bye Hellmouth', in which we'll finally (?) meet Spike again! I am sorry he didn't make an appearance, he was supposed to as I had the perfect opportunity, but he decided he wanted to sit this story out when I revealed my intentions of creating an alternate ending deciding that it fit him a bit better than his entry scene with the slayers and vampire army (chapter 12 if you were all curious).
Regardless of Spike's decision to sit out, I hope you've enjoyed this story, I enjoyed writing it and am content with how it's turned out and believe me when I started writing this story it was going to end a lot differently.
Kudos,
Faith16