Chapter 15: Manipulations

Dumbledore's Office

Dumbledore sat with a bemused smile on his face as he watched Giles pace. Finally giles stopped to face the headmaster, "Why? You know what he's like?"

Dumbledore gazed back, unflinchingly. "I know how you feel, but it's time to let the past go, don't you think?"

Giles' eyes grew dark with remembered pain. "No you don't" He growled, before taking a deep breath to center his shattered nerves. "My mother is dead, no thanks to him or the bloody council." He resumed pacing, daring Dumbledore to contradict him.

"Now, Rupert…" Dumbledore stood, blocking his path. "What's done, is done. You can't change it; all you can do is be mindful of his intentions and watch yourself."

Giles snorted, hardly believing his ears, but of course he had to concede the point. Dumbledore was right. The past couldn't be changed, but perhaps it could help form the future. "Your right, of course." Before he could finish his thought, he felt a shift in the air as if someone else were in the room with them. One look at Dumbledore and Giles knew that the wizened wizard felt it too.

Dumbledore motioned for silence as he surveyed the room. Sensing no threat he turned back to Giles, noticing that he too was circling the room. Giles caught Dumbledore's gaze and whispered, "Buffy…"

Dumbledore grinned in response and with a twinkle in his eye moved to leave. :I must meet with Sirius to discuss certain matters."

Gils should have known that buffy would follow them. Perhaps he should be more open with her about certain things, but Dumbledore was right, it had happened so long ago. Perhaps he should bury the memories…after all, who are they helping? Besides it's not like Buffy had ever really asked about his sordid past.

With that in mind he prepared to face Buffy only to hind himself alon, having discovered that she was gone.

Buffy couldn't believe her ears. She had never heard Giles talk like that before. She knew that now was not the time to waver in her trust of Giles. But he had sounded so angry that she worried he would turn that anger on her. Regardless of what happened that was something she could not bear.

Now she sat staring at the lake hoping its calm surface would give her the strength needed to face Giles.

"Hey, Slayer, fancy meeting you here."

Buffy's eyes darkened, "What do you want?" She growled as Spike sat down.

He smirked, "Tsk, tsk, Slayer. Is that any way to talk to a friend?"

"You attacked Ron." She accused, as if that explained everything.

Spike shrugged his shoulders, smirk still firmly in place. "Heym I was just following orders. Gotta keep up my end of the bargain."

"Bargain?" Spike seemed unlikely to make a deal with anyone; only ever looking after number one. Of course, she supposed, even the vampire could be bought, for the right price, of course.

Spike smirked, knowing he had peaked Buffy's interest. Now all he had to do was reel her in. "He went here, you know, all those years ago."

Buffy scrunched up her face, confused by the change in subject. "Who?"

"Your Watcher, of course." Spike glanced at Buffy, the smirk leaving his face when he saw her frown. "You didn't know?"

"Huh," Spike seemingly mumbled to himself, but just loud enough for Buffy to pick up. "I woulda thought that he'd of said something, what with you guys being together and all." He glanced at her to gauge her reaction. As expected, she looked a bit put out that he knew something about Giles that she did not.

"Oh well." He shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose he has his reasons." Before he could talk himself out of it, he leaned in and brushed his lips against Buffy's. He noticed with satisfaction that she didn't resist and he felt no spark at the emotional touch. Now he knew without a doubt that he could leave Buffy behind and move towards the future. His future.

Too stunned, Buffy just sat there not knowing how to react or even what to say. She watched, forlornly, as Spike, walked away. What am I going to do now? She had no idea, but did not relish the adventure.

Giles felt the unmistakable urge to find Buffy and explain things. She must think I'm a bloody pillock. Searching the castle, he knew, would take too long. He didn't have the time. Keeping his head down, he headed towards the hospital, wing. At least there was one good thing he could accomplish today.

"Watch it!" A boy snarled at him, when he nearly walked into him.

Giles looked up, blinking rapidly. The boy looked vaguely familiar, with blond hair slicked back to reveal a face whose eyes were squinting in anger. If only he could place it. Of course, he mentally slapped himself, this is Lucius Malfoy's son.

"Shouldn't you be in class, Draco?" Giles smirked, knowing he had caught the boy unawares.

Draco's face went from curious to suspicious in a split second; so fast you could hardly tell what happened. "How did you know my name?"

"I knew your father, Lucius." Giles stated almost to himself. "He was terribly talented, albeit a bit dim."

Draco scowled and shoved Giles as he tried to pass. "That's my father you're talking about!"

Giles chuckled at Draco's outburst. "Let's face it, anyone who sides with the Dark Lord is a tad senile."

Draco's face lit up, perhaps in understanding? Giles couldn't be sure, but what he said next froze him to the core. "Tell that to your girl."

With grin in place, Draco thought he had one up on the old man. "Excuse me?" Giles couldn't understand where this had come from. Was Draco just trying to throw him off balance or was he trying to achieve some other gain?

"Your girl…Buffy." Draco clarified, "I saw her by the lake convorting with the vampires. Nasty lot, they are."

Giles snorted derisively, "You must be mistaken. Buffy knows better than that."

Giles turned to walk away thinking he had the last word on the matter, when Draco's voice drifted by as if carried on the wind. "Sure, whatever you say."

Chapter 16: The Reluctant Watcher

Hogwarts: Hospital Wing

"What do you mean? Giles would never do that to Buffy." Dawn was quickly losing her patience. It seemed to her they were turning their backs on Giles. Even harry, Ron, and Hermione has an opinion on the matter, although they didn't know him that well. Giles was family. You don't turn your back on family…it's as simple as that.

Giles stopped when he heard the words coming from Willow's room. He knew it was perhaps, immoral, to listen in, but he couldn't seem to help himself. It became absolutely clear whom they were speaking of in the first few minutes.

"Don't be so naïve, Dawn." Xander scoffed clearly unimpressed with the teenager. "It's clear to me and everyone else here that Giles does not want to be Buffy's Watcher."

Willow watched silently, as her friends argued. She hated it when they argued. She knew that they had to stick together, now more than ever, besides this arguing wasn't helping anyone. Although, she had to admit that Giles was being a bit mysterious right now, but still they could really use his guidance. She just wished that Giles would talk to them. It was clear that something had happened in his past that was affecting his overall outlook.

Dawn narrowed her eyes and took a menacing step towards Xander, "Did it ever occur to you that this has nothing to do with Buffy and everything to do with the Council?"

Giles couldn't believe his ears. Dawn was a lot quicker than they gave her credit for. Before they could speculate any further, he thought it best to interrupt. He walked in with his head down, pretending to be oblivious. Although, truth be told, he wished that he was.

No one spoke as Giles entered and strode purposefully towards Willow. She watched, with bated breath, wondering what he was going to say or do. The tension was so strong, it was damn near suffocating.

Taking a deep breath, Willow centered herself. She hated confrontation, but knew that it had to be done. Whatever the consequences, this had to come out. All this angst was tiring, to say the least. "Dawn's right, isn't she?"

Buffy, of course, was about to storm through the doors, when she heard Willow's quietly spoken words. She was tempted to listen in, but quickly dismissed that thought. It seemed beneath her to do something that low, besides it was better to join the conversation. With that in mind, she opened the door and found everyone staring at her. "What about Dawn?"

Xander opened his mouth to respond, but one look at Buffy's face had him reconsidering. Giles cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him. "She made some observations…" he let the sentence drop, not really knowing how to finish it.

Xander snorted, "She's barking up the wrong tree, if you ask me."

"No one's asking you." Willow snapped, before once again facing Giles.

Giles sighed and removed his glasses. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes. He really did not want to have this conversation. With Buffy, yes, but not now. And certainly not with everyone else. Oh well, he supposed, it was time to pay the piper, as the saying goes.

He replaced his glasses and keeping his hands in his pockets, he spoke, almost as if to himself, although it was clear that he was addressing the room. "Being Buffy's Watcher may have, at times, been a trifle challenging. However, I can't just stop being her Watcher, regardless of what the Council says or does."

"This has nothing to do with Buffy…" Willow breathed, "It's the Council. You're mad at them. I mean, not just mad, but really mad. You're trying to hide it…but I can tell. It's like…like…" she was suddenly at a loss for words. "Giles, what did they do?"

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. No one spoke, perhaps they were too afraid, or maybe it was something else entirely. Giles stood apart from everyone else, just gazing at the floor. He was visibly shaken. Everyone could tell, even harry, Ron, and Hermione, who didn't know Giles all that well.

"Giles?" Buffy slowly approached her Watcher. She had never seen him like this before. He looked up at her and that look alone took her breath away. He looked so sad and lost. She knew the Council was responsible and someone was going to pay. But, right now, all she cared about was wiping the look of utter sadness off his face. She wrapped her arms around him, noticing that Giles stiffened slightly, before returning the hug. It didn't matter to Buffy, all that mattered was keeping Giles safe and happy. With that thought in mind, she released Giles and smiled up at him.

Giles was about to speak, but Buffy shook her head slightly, "We're getting off track here. The Council will pay for what they did. It's just a matter of time." Buffy could see the relief and gratitude in his eyes and knew that she had said the right thing.

Xander narrowed his eyes slightly, they were keeping secrets which, in his opinion, wasn't allowed. "You know?" He demanded.

A spark of anger flared in her eyes, before she calmly faced Xander, "Doesn't matter."

"Quite…" Giles cleared his throat and glanced at willow. "I propose one spell. We return Angel's soul permanently and, at the same time, we do the unbinding ritual."

His suggestion was met with silence. "Is that even possible?" Willow didn't think so, of course Giles was the expert, so he should know.

"I believe so." He smiled slightly, "Though there is one stipulation. The spell must be performed outside. Luckily, the full moon is tonight. That pwer will help enhance the spell and make it stronger.

Hogwarts Grounds

"Is this a good idea?" Ron whispered to Xander as they were all walking towards the lake.

Xander snorted, "With our luck? Not likely."

"Maybe," Willow agreed. "But Giles knows what he's doing."

"And you trust him? I mean, really trust him?"

"Ron!" Hermione smacked him in the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" He growled while rubbing his sore head.

"You know, they're talking about you?" Buffy grinned at giles, lacing her fingers through his.

"Yes, I thought as much. Can't really blame them though. That Ron chap doesn't seem particularly trusting."

"Yeah, but Hermione will put him in his place." They settled into silence as they reached the lake, but before joining the others, Buffy held Giles back.

"Buffy, Luv?" Looking down at her, Giles saw a girl who was frail and scared, two things he had never know Buffy to be. Whatever it was, he knew that for her, he could do anything. "What is it? You know you can ask me anything."

Squaring her shoulders, she looked up at him. She really was concerned about his reaction. "Is it true?"

Giles didn't need to be psychic to know what she was asking. Even though, he really didn't want to answer her, she did help him avert the others. If anything, she deserved an explanation. "It was a long time ago…" he paused as if gathering his thoughts, though Buffy knew, without a doubt that he was reliving past pain and she felt sad having put that look on his face. "I-I'm sorry, Buffy, It's still frightfully painful. I'm just not ready to discuss it…not right now, at any rate, but soon."

"Hey, it's ok. I'm just sorry I brought it up." Buffy smiled to show that she understood. Some things, no matter how long ago they happened, were still hard to deal with. Still, if Giles needed a friend to talk to… "Just…when you're ready, I'll always be here for you." Reaching up, she smoothed down his hair and made to lower his face for a kiss and he was only happy to comply.