Series: 23 for 23
Title: Sixteen: Red-Headed Stepchild
Author: Jmaria
Rating: FR-15
Disclaimer: I own the World Walker, Joss Whedon owns BtVS, JK owns HP.
Spoilers: HBP and the series.
Series Summary: Twenty-three stories and crossings of worlds (read: insanity) to celebrate twenty-three years.
Part Summary: You get used to it, being treated like the red-headed stepchild.
Words: 914
A/N: First quote comes from the fourth into, second comes from Forever Yours by Nightwish. My oldest sister used to say that she was going to 'beat' me and our middle sister like red-headed stepchildren when we were little. (Okay, so we might have gotten into her make-up, jewelry or cassette - yes, cassette - collection. But we were 12 and six, and she was 18. She had cooler stuff. And I just rambled on while trying to explain the title. Ye gods.)
Also? Went completely pear-shaped from where I had it going. Damnit. I still like it though.

Dedication: To nsahdmdto for the fandoms and prompt.

23 for 23


Sixteen: Red-Headed Stepchild

The World shifted slightly to the left and it had nothing to do with the copious amount of liquor involved at all.

Whatever walks in my heart, will walk alone.

The Order of the Phoenix was fractured with the death of Albus Dumbledore, but then, so was most of the Wizarding world at the news of his death. Fudge was long gone, but Scrimgeour, like his predecessor knew how to use his assets. And like Fudge, he also overlooked the fact that Percy Weasley's defection from his family was an act. He'd been using his connections as an undersecretary to the Minister to gain connections to the Watchers Council. Because war was in the air, and with the death of Dumbledore, it was going to be a feeding frenzy.

Percy kept his head low as he slipped through the alleyways of Muggle London. He was supposed to have met his contact with the Council at midnight, but work had delayed him overlong. Three hours overlong.

"Merlin's balls," Percy cursed under his breath. "She won't have waited."

"Oh, but she did. You got some damn explainin' to do, Weatherby," a gruff female voice said behind him, and forcefully yanked him into a darkened doorway.

"Miss LaDeux, I bring bad news," Percy spoke her code name. She'd never revealed her true name, and he'd never revealed his own. They'd gone by Weatherby and LaDeux for the past year.

"Start talkin' Red," she snapped, pulling back as he used his magic to reveal the secret door to the small flat that Dumbledore had set up for these meetings. He'd been their Secret Keeper, and with his death, the secret fell to them. Not that Miss LaDeux knew that.

"Albus Dumbledore is dead," Percy rushed out as soon as he'd placed the protective wards on the flat.

"Damn. What's that do for your resistance movement?"

"It hinders them severely. He was killed by a man we assumed to be an ally," Percy said bitterly. "Severus Snape."

"What?" LaDeux gaped at him.

"He's since disappeared, but the Ministry now has to admit that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is back," Percy finished. "There should be a manhunt for him - but -"

"I know where Snape's chillin' at," LaDeux looked shaken. "G-man and Wills are cooing over him as we speak!"

"What?" It was Percy's turn to gape at her.

"Snape's a damned traitor, and they don't even know it!"

At her words, a portrait on the wall shook itself to the floor with a loud clatter. Both of them jumped at the unexpected noise, Percy pulling his wand out and LaDeux pulling a wicked looking blade. A piece of rolled parchment fluttered itself at them.

Percy recovered faster, and he raced to retrieve it. As only one other person knew of the secret flat, he rightly assumed that it was a missive from Dumbledore. His eyes widened as he read it aloud.

To Faith Lehane and Percy Weasley:

Of all the members of the Order of the Phoenix, you two know most intimately the reality of being labeled 'traitor'. If this missive has revealed itself, then I have died by the hand of Severus Snape. I tell you - and

Voldemort has put a most heinous task upon the young shoulders of one Draco Malfoy. Young Mr. Malfoy is charged with killing me and opening up Hogwarts to an attack in hopes of killing Harry Potter. Mrs. Malfoy, working out of fear for her son, has extracted an Unbreakable Vow from Severus: should Draco fail to carry out his mission, Severus is to carry it out in Draco's stead.

For reasons far too convoluted to explain here, my time is already drawing to a close. Severus is doing this as an act of kindness to both I and Draco. He is putting an old man out of his misery in a dignified manner, and he is sparing the soul of a young man from having to carry out such an act.

With my death, you two have become bound as the Secret Keepers of this flat in Muggle London. My final wish - or my final mission to you two brave defenders of the light, is to extend the secret to include Draco and Severus.

War is upon us, and there are enough secrets among our side to bog us down as it is. Severus would have gone to seek aide and refuge with Rupert Giles and Willow Rosenberg. Keep them secret, keep them safe. Good journey to you along your rocky roads.

- A. Dumbledore

only you two - in the strictest of confidences that he has not turned his back on the mission or the rest of the Order.

"So, your name's Percy?" Faith asked after he finished reading.

"Yes, Faith. Why LaDeux?" Percy frowned.

"Why Weatherby?" She countered.

"My first employer couldn't remember my name," Percy blushed as he gathered up the missive and watched as the flat began to expand itself to accommodate people actually living there. "He called me that."

"I'm technically the second slayer in charge," Faith shrugged. "I'm the last Chosen slayer. The rest are from the mass Calling."

"And Buffy Summers is the First Chosen," Percy nodded. "You're the one who went rogue."

"Yup. And you're the Deserter of Clan Weasley," Faith leveled her eyes on him.

"I am," He kept his eyes firmly on her.

"Guess that makes both of us the red-headed stepchildren of our organizations, don't it?"

"Hmm?"

"The damn obvious misfits, Weatherby," Faith grinned.

"I suppose so, LaDeux," Percy cleared his throat. "We need to go collect Snape and Malfoy before the Order realizes where they've slithered off to."

"Oh, joy."