Chapter 3
Staying at the Burrow was definitely an experience to say the least. Everything worked by magic. The dishes, the cleaning, the knitting, hell basically everything in the house was run by magic and the few things that weren't were the children's chores. There was magic everywhere at school, but this was different. It was brilliant the way everything was done.
Staying there reminded me of the summer camps I went to when I was younger. Just having fun with everything no matter how simple it was. Half of the time we were just outside doing nothing and it was so much fun. We played a lot of quidditch, usually me, Ron, and Fred against Angel, George, and Harry. The actual players were purposely split up to make it more even and Ron turned out to be a decent player. Angel, not so much.
The three of us were still trying to teach Ron soccer or fútbol or whatever it was called. And eventually he got the hang of it but he still hated the game. Apparently there was no point in kicking a ball into a goal. Soccer wasn't my favorite sport, I'm a cheerleader, but it is fun to play. Ron was just crazy and didn't like it because it's a muggle sport. For someone who is interested in muggles and has nothing against them he really was closed minded some of the time.
For example we played a lot of chess, but he would only play wizard chess. The only difference was that the pieces moved and killed each other which was more entertaining but he wouldn't even attempt to play the normal way. On the flip side Mr. Weasley was with Harry, Angel, and me as much as possible to learn the strange ways of muggles. I loved the Weasley family so much.
Even Ginny warmed up to us. She was still very shy and barely said a word to Harry or Angel, but she talked to me. Well it was mostly at night when we were in her room but it was a start. And from listening to her it was obvious how huge of a crush she had on Harry. Personally I didn't understand it. I guess he was kind of attractive, I mean I didn't think so but he's like my brother and I can't see him that way, kind of like Xander. Plus he was 11, a 12 year old cannot be hot in my mind saying that I'm technically a college student now if I never went to hell and turned like 300 and then 11. The only kid our age now that I think is attractive is Angel and that's because he's Angel and really he's only cute not hot.
Breakfast is always a huge ordeal. Rolls and eggs and bacon and sausage and pancakes and pumpkin juice flying everywhere. The first few meals I ate at the Burrow were insane but I'm used to it now.
As I reach across the table to get another delicious muffin an owl suddenly hits the window and falls down. From what I've heard this must be Errol. Percy walks over to the fallen owl and picks up eight envelopes with the Hogwarts crest on them. He gives us each our letters. I'm really excited to get a letter this summer since last summer I didn't get a letter.
This one isn't the whole acceptance thing though, just explaining a few boring things and then giving us a list of supplies we need. Nothing exciting yet the letter itself is exciting. Thinking about how that works makes my head hurt and I decide just to drop it.
"Mum this is going to cost a lot," Percy says. Of course he has to point something like that out.
"We'll make it work," she smiles. "And there's only one place where we can get all this stuff. Diagon Ally."
With that we all scarf down the remainder of breakfast and rush upstairs to get dressed. Half an hour later I enter the living room to find that I'm the last one there and that everyone else has been ready for a while.
"We've been here for twenty minutes," Angel tells me.
"Sorry I had to do my hair and makeup," I roll my eyes.
"Okay," Mrs. Weasley interrupts our silent conversation. "Traveling by floo powder is simple. All you do is stand in the fire take the powder and drop it as you say where you want to go. Why don't you go first Percy and show them how it's done."
He walks into the fire place as if it is no big deal, insane in my opinion, and after saying Diagon Ally he disappears in flames. Angel goes next and then the twins and then Ron. Harry goes next and says it with a strange accent that sounded closer to diagonilly. Mrs. Weasley frowns.
"Did he just say what I think he said?"
"That's what I heard," Mrs. Weasley sighs.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that he went to the wrong place. Hopefully he's close and we can find him."
That sounds like a dumb idea to me and when I get my powder and step into the fire and repeat what Harry said and then I'm gone.
Traveling by floo is the weirdest sensation in the world. I can't even really describe it. It's like your being engulfed by flames, being in hell for centuries will teach you the true meaning of that, except even though it tickles you it doesn't hurt. You're being sucked up and down and side to side so fast that it's just a blur. Yet some of the time you can see the fireplaces your passing. Maybe that's just me though since I have super senses, I'll have to ask. Then finally you land and if it wasn't for my preternatural coordination I would have fallen on my ass and rolled over, from the looks of it Harry did.
He's looking around the store we have landed in and has dust all over him. I snap and he turns to me. "Buffy? What are you doing here?"
"You said the wrong thing so I just copied what you said so that I could save you. Speaking if which," I take out my wand. "Oculus reparo."
The glasses fix themselves and Harry smiles, "I really need to remember that spell."
I shudder, this place is setting my senses on fire. It's as if it reeks of evil. I hear footprints approaching and give Harry a warning glance. He takes the hint and we both go and hide. The footsteps get closer until they are right in front of us. But thankfully I'm hiding so well that there is no way they could see me unless they're looking.
"Do you have it," an icy cold voice asks.
"Of course Lucius," a familiar voice says but I cannot place who it is. "This must be your son."
"Yes this is my son Draco. Draco get over here, Lucius, Malfoy's father, calls. Malfoy comes running over from the demonic relic he was examining.
"Hello Mr. Rayne," he says and I'm pretty sure they shake hands.
Great so somehow Ethan Rayne is here and is working on something or other with the Malfoys, I cannot see a way that this can end well. With the three of them occupied Harry and I make our way outside. Personally I would have rather stayed inside though. The ally we enter is all dark and dreary and smells ridiculously bad. And don't get me started on the people. All of them make me feel as if I'm being bathed in evil and filth. Do wizards really have that bad of fashion sense?
"Buffy where are you?" Angel's worries voice says in my head.
"I don't know," I admit. "But it feels evil and looks like Diagon Ally if we were in a B rated horror movie."
There's a pause for a moment, "What am I supposed to tell them without showing that we have this connection?"
I didn't think about that and sigh, "I'll find our way back."
"Buffy have you ever heard of Knockturn Ally?'
"Nope," I pop the p.
A witch straight out of a kid's book comes over and sniffs us. Pissed off, I push her away with a little too much force and Harry laughs. A booming voice calls our names and we see Hagrid, not that you can miss him.
"What are you doing here Hagrid?"
"Buying supplies to get rid of the damn spiders around the school. You two?"
"Got lost in the floo network, nbd," I giggle.
"NBD?"
"No big deal," I explain and we all crack up. Hagrid leads us back to Diagon Ally which so happens to be about five feet away. We must have only landed one portal thingy away. Angel sees me when we approach them and gives me a giant hug and s kiss that was all but chaste.
I break away before people start to stare, "You do know that I can take care of myself when I get lost right?"
"Doesn't mean that I don't worry," he retorts and grabs my hand as we walk into the book store which is a little too crowded.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"Gilderoy Lockhart is what's going on," Ron snorts.
"Who?" Harry asks.
"Only the most accomplished wizard ever," Ron rolls his eyes. "Mum fancies him."
Just then some blonde hair guy comes up to the front of the store. If it wasn't for my superb eyesight I wouldn't be able t see him from where I am. "Welcome welcome," he gives us a fake smile. Before he continues he catches sight of Harry and brings him forward. "Smile big Harry," he whispers so that every other person couldn't hear it.
He goes on and on about how amazing it is that Harry is here and gives him a bunch of books that I don't understand why anyone would want to read. All in all I hate the guy and I haven't said a word to him.
Mrs. Weasley takes our books to get signed; we have a bunch of his books on our list anyway, and we make our way to the back of the store. Of course blocking our way has to be the Spike wannabee though. "What do you want Malfoy," Angel snarls and wraps a protective arm around my shoulder.
Malfoy ignores him, "Bet you loved that Potter, being in the limelight like that and everything. So famous that you can't even walk into a book store all because of a silly little scar. Oh sorry it's a little bit more than silly saying that it's so famous. Almost as famous as the one who gave it to you.";
"I'd rather not have it than not have my parents," Harry growls.
"Seriously Malfoy bugger off."
"I haven't gotten to you yet Summers, I still owe you for what you did last year."
"What did I do?" I ask innocently.
"I know you and your crew of misfits had something to do with the little earthquake stunt last year. I know of no spell that causes it but it was obviously you."
"Leave them alone," Ginny shouts.
"Another Weasley," he says with disgust.
"Now Draco," Lucius walks up and interrupts. "Who are your friends" Obviously he adds his disdain with the way he says friends. "I'm guessing the red heads are Arthur's children which means this must be the mudblood and the half-blood."
"Don't you dare disgrace our blood," I growl. "There's a lot more to a person than the blood running through their veins. You're so obsessed with it you may as well be a vampire."
Angel and I start cracking up as a stunned Lucius is silent. Ron comes over and high fives me "That was brilliant Buffy did you see his face?"
"I've said it once and I'll say it again no Spike wannabee is going to torment me."
"You just leave that to Spike himself," Angel laughs.
"I never let him get the best of me," I think about it for a moment. "Well there was that one time where he got you."
"Must we bring that up? I was sick for weeks."
"What are you talking about?" Harry asks.
"Long story," we say together and Angel groans in agony as if reliving the moment and knowing him he is.
With time to kill before our books are signed we decide to go and hang around Diagon ally. Angel had to basically drag us out of the quidditch store as we were ogling the nimbus 2001. Personally I love my broom and since it's unique for me there's nothing that can technically top it. Harry's broom on the other hand is no longer the newest and best model but he didn't seem to mind.
Then after a quick stop at a few random stores that we had fun messing around in and we bought all of our stuff we walk over to some little antique store. As soon as we walk through the door Iose control of my actions and am immediately drawn to the back of the store. The next thing I know I'm standing with my friends in line for ice cream.
"What happened?" I groan due to the throbbing in my head.
"You don't remember?" Ron asks incredulously. I shake my head no and immediately regret it. "We walked into that strange store and you touched some mirror or book, I couldn't see and then passed out."
"It was weird," Harry agrees. "It was as if you were possessed or something."
"Was I?" I turn towards Angel.
We order out ice cream before sitting down and returning to our conversation. "There were no obvious signs but it did seem like possession or at least manipulation. What's the last thing you remember?"
"Um…oh we walked into the store and I saw something I liked and wanted to see it."
"That doesn't sound like either of those," he muses. "I think I need to do some research on this." "Maybe it was a slayer thing," he adds to me.
"I don't remember to be honest," I blush before speaking out loud. "On a better note who agrees that Gilderoy Lockhart is a douchebag."
"Douchebag?" Ron asks and the rest of us chuckle.
"A git," Harry explains. "How come you weren't charmed by him and his accomplishments? Plus his dreamy good looks."
"That's abusing sarcasm Harry," I laugh.
"Okay but I'm serious."
I shrug, "For one thing he isn't attractive. His chin is too chiseled, his complexion is obviously like that due to makeup, and don't get me started on how fake his smile is and how much product he had to use to get his hair to look like that. And come on I've accomplished what he has in years in one month back in Sunnydale."
"Good," Ron pouts. "Because apparently all the girls cannot get over how amazing he is and he's all they talk about."
"Well don't worry about that from me," I assure him.
"Did you notice anything wrong about him?" Angel brings up.
"You mean besides being brought up to the front of the store and being mortified."
"It wasn't that bad Harry."
He snorts, "It was more than a little bad so don't even try to be nice about it Buffy. Malfoy has a point, even though I hate to say it, this stupid scar gets me too much attention."
"Agreeing with Malfoy?"
"Yes," he whines. "It's strange."
"Well it's something you have to deal with. I have red hair and freckles, Buffy's hot and Angel's forehead is insanely big."
"Keep your eyes off my girlfriend," Angel growls.
"Okay, okay," Ron puts his hands up in defense. "I was just stating a fact."
"I guess you're right," he sighs.
"But why the hell did he have to call Angel a mudblood! How rude!"
"It wasn't that big of a deal," Angel tells me. "Anyway did anyone notice that Lockhart was kind of off and I mean the non-human variety?"
"Non-human variety?"
"I've been listening to you for too long," Angel laughs. "But it's kind of true."
"I didn't notice anything. But talking about things of the non-human variety guess what harry and I saw when we were at some evil shop in Knockturn ally?"
Angel and Ron shrug, "We saw Malfoy and his Father," Harry says. "It looked like they wanted a dark relic fixed."
"And what was it?"
"I don't know," he admits.
"And guess who was fixing it?" More blank stares. "Ethan Rayne."
"Who?" Harry and Ron ask as Angel's face turns red.
"What the hell is he doing here! Is it him or the other him! And why is he still alive right now if you saw him."
"Long story?" Harry rolls his eyes.
I just nod and rub circles on Angel's hand to try and get him to calm down. Eyghon and now Ethan? The PTB's must really hate us but there's really nothing I can do about that.
Ginny and I sit on her bed later that night and she's staring dreamily at the signed Lockhart picture she managed to grab. I just roll my eyes at her but manage to keep my mouth shut before I start to badmouth him again. But what the hell he isn't even attractive!
I spill all of the crap I bought onto the bed. And really it isn't crap, just a few books and stuff like that. One plus side of working for the PTB's when they need us is that we have an unlimited supply of money at our disposal. Well technically that wasn't true, but since we buy so little it seems as if we have tons and tons of money.
"This is a pretty journal," Ginny comments as she picks up some leather bound one.
I frown, "Oh right I got that to use as a diary, but I could have sworn it looked different. Hey you didn't find a journal in your caldron did you?"
"No why?"
"Just wondering," I answer awkwardly. At least that was one less thing to worry about.
Next chapter is the return to Hogwarts