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Guardian Councils, Cleveland, Ohio.
Willow Harry and Hermione appeared in the darkness. Less then a second later, there was light. They found themselves in a circular room about eight or nine feet in diameter, two faux Greek pillars were split down the middle. They lined the walls evenly which broke up the mural of a peaceful glade. Gold tile lined the floor with an inlay of a cobalt blue five pointed star surrounded by a circle. An eight foot high dome ceiling supported a golden electric chandelier with its infrared sensor monitoring movement in the room. One side of the room had a large white chest with a red cross on its front. It obviously held medical supplies. On top of the chest laid a red pale. Next to it was a shelf with towels. The opposite wall had an aluminum framed glass door - the type you might go through to enter a department store. Through the window they were able to see a desk. A woman sat at it watching them curiously.
"Where are we? What is this place?" Hermione asked.
"This is the Guardian Council's teleport receiving room. This room is always to be kept clear to insure anyone teleporting in doesn't become part of some object someone would leave lying around."
"Yes, we call that splinching, and to be splinched isn't very pleasant. I haven't had it happen to me personally but Harry and I had a friend that did. We couldn't take him to a med witch at the time because of the war. We were wanted criminals at the time. All we had was a healing potion but even with essence of Dittany it took weeks for him to heal properly."
"Essence of Dittany? Can you show me how to mix it?"
Hermione looked to Harry before saying. "Well, umm..."
"We'll have to get back to you on that." Harry replied not yet sure enough to put his trust into Willow and her people.
"I understand you still have your doubts. We only just met and everything."
"Is that why you have a first aid chest in here, in case of splinching?"
"Yeah that, but mostly for the times I'm bringing in injured slayers. We have a couple of doctors and a medical wing. The chest is for trying to stop the blood flow enough till the doctor can get here."
"And the bucket?" Harry asked.
"Some people don't travel well and get sick. Come on; let's get to the map room and do the location spell; so we can find this chaotic gargoyle."
They exited the teleport room into what might be considered a reception area where the woman at the desk was still watching them.
"Dina, these are some new friends of mine, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. They're magic users."
With that Dina began typing.
"Dina is part of our front desk security. Give her your name and who you're here to see whenever you come here. It's better if you make an appointment first."
Dina handed Hermione and Harry visitor badges.
"Dina, can you have Kim and Bobby Ann meet us in the map room?"
"Sure thing, Willow."
With that Dina buzzed them into the rest of the facility. They went through a set of large wooden doors and entered a large stair well.
"This place used to be a public school. It closed when a newer bigger school was built. We moved in and remodeled it. Publicly, we're known as an international boarding school for gifted girls with branches in different countries. But, it's really a school for slayers and their future watchers; not to mention the smaller magic user groups."
As they moved down the hallway, Harry noted how thick the carpeting was and how it silenced their footsteps. Harry thought to himself that a herd of centaurs could gallop down this hall and no one would hear them. They came to door which actually said 'Map room'." As they walked in they saw pigeon holes lining two of the walls. They assumed it held maps. In the center of the room was a raised platform with a banister around it. A large table was in the center. Next to the platform there was a desk with a phone and laptop. Two women were there waiting for them.
"Bobby Ann, Kim, how did you get here before us?" Willow asked.
"We were already here running battle movement scenarios on some of the local maps."
"Leave it to slayers to think of something like that to pass the time." Willow replied. "Anyway, these are some new friends. We're here to do a location spell. We'll first need a world map."
Willow stepped up onto the platform as Bobby Ann reached into one of the pigeon holes. She pulled the requested map and handed it to Willow who unrolled it on the table. She then opened the table drawer and pulled out several crystals and a few candles with holders. Willow reached into the drawer once more and removed a bowl of powder.
After arranging the items around the map, Willow pulled out the broken peace of talisman. She began waving it around the map while murmuring something to herself. Harry looked to Hermione who only shrugged. After ten minutes of this, Willows shoulders suddenly sagged.
"It looks like this is going to take a while." She said.
"Why what's wrong?" asked Hermione.
"Well," Willow began, "First, Bok's essence is kind of stale. I don't think he's touched it in a couple of weeks. which would be the last time any of us actually saw him with it. There's also the fact that the talisman isn't totally devoid of magic. That's what is interfering with the results of the locator spell. I'm going to have to use the excess magic of the talisman to bring out Bok's essence more. This should burn off the extra magic that's causing the interference. But, it's going to be a bit of a slow process."
"You can do that?" Hermione asked in amazement.
"Sure, unless you have an easer way to do it. Do either of you know any other type of scrying spells for locating someone or thing?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other and winced.
"Actually the only thing we know is a point-me spell and that only makes your wand act like a compass, only pointing north"
"Yeah, because that would have been too easy." Willow responded.
"Pardon?" Harry asked.
"Sorry, I just meant that we never catch a break around here. When we try to achieve something; it always has to be done the long hard way. Listen, it looks like I'm going to be here a while and it should be getting close to dinner time back in jolly old England. If you guys want Kim will show you to the dinning area for something to eat."
"Umm, actually, I'm a bit peckish but I'd like to stay here and watch you work. I've never seen magic done like this before." Hermione replied.
Harry just rolled his eyes. he sighed while giving her a smirk which Willow saw.
"Kim, I think Harry is going to be bored to tears if he stays here. Could you give him the cook's tour and get him something to eat if he's hungry? Also, tell Andrew to send up a couple of plates for Hermione and me."
"Sure thing, Willow. Come on Harry, you're going to love this place." Kim said.
Harry followed Kim to the door. He looked back at Hermione.
"Just don't get so involved that you forget to come up for air." He told her.
"Don't worry, I won't. I'm just observing." She replied watching him walk out the door. Her eyes lingered on the exit for a few seconds longer when Willow spoke.
"Don't worry we won't break him." She said.
Hermione shook her gaze from the door and said.
"It's nothing like that. I'm sorry for the way he acted earlier. That wasn't like him at all." Hermione explained.
"It's alright. Once we got out of that demon pub he seemed to realize that we weren't telling stories, crazy or conning anyone." Willow replied.
"Well, it's been bothering me since it started. I'm going to need to talk to him in private, when we leave here."
"Hermione, its fine, lots of people don't get what we do because it would rip them away from the comfortable blinders they wear. Finding out that monsters under the bed are real can really freak a person out."
"I really don't think that was it. Harry just isn't the type to start calling people crazy without provocation."
"Well, whatever it is, I hope you work it out. You make a nice couple."
"Oh, we aren't together - not in that way." Hermione stated shocked by the assumption. "We're more like brother and sister. He's already married. Although, they're having a bit of a spat right now. Also, I just found out that my boyfriend has been cheating on me. And why am I telling you all this…? I'm sorry, I'm unloading my baggage on you and we've only just met."
"It's fine Hermione. I think you just needed to talk to an impartial third party. Sometimes, talking to a total stranger helps."
"I suppose. Maybe subconsciously, but it's all just a mess."
"I know how it feels. I have a friend who's like a brother to me, I worry for his well being more than my own. Espsally when he or any of my friends act out of character. I usually do get to the bottom of it."
"Thank Willow…umm. I think we should get on with the spell."
"You're absolutely right: On with the spell,"
Harry was impressed with the whole dinning experience at the Guardian Council Academy. After leaving the dinning hall, Harry and Kim walked down the hallway. Kim explained what went on in different rooms. Harry noticed a large cabinet or first aid chest just inside the doors. Kim explained that slayers had to be ready in a moments notice when they get word of a Demon gang attacking the city or any impending apocalypse. So, the cabinet held a multitude of weapons. They passed the auditorium. Kim explained that like normal schools; they put on plays and sometimes had karaoke or talent night. Harry smiled. He thought that that might have been fun to do at Hogwarts but that was not the kind of school it was known for.
"So what's up stairs? He asked."
"The upper floors are living quarters, a few offices and conference rooms. It's the first floor and basement where all the good stuff happens. Most of us like the basement. It's where the gym is, that's where slayers train and spar."
"I've seen a slayer in action earlier today. It was impressive. But how do you do it? You people just seem to rush right into the teeth and claws without a plan and only a stake or dagger. I mean, Sarah had a battle ax but she wasn't a slayer. She offered it up to her charges leaving herself defenseless."
"First, there's always a plan of attack. Sometimes, it's made on the spot given the situation It's in our training to have planned out our attack at least five moves ahead but our watchers like ten to fifteen."
"Like chess."
"Yes, as far as the lack of weapons, I'd like to ask you a question. How many weapons do you think I'm carrying right now?"
Harry looked at her. He thought she may be having him on but she didn't seem to be looking for a laugh. "Umm….One maybe?" He asked.
"I have five on me right now. Not including the improvised ones or my deadliest one. I have four daggers plus a stake. The improvised ones are my belt, shoe laces, and the pencil in my pocket."
"What about the main one?"
"That would be me, Harry. I'm the deadliest weapon in my arsenal. Slayers are trained weapons. We see everything as a potential weapon as well, like that fire extinguisher, or the glass in that door. So you see, Sarah didn't leave herself defenseless; she just offered to put the weapon in the hands of the person where it would do the most good. And that is in no way insulting Dame Sarah's prowess with a weapon." Kim hurriedly added, worried that she may have made her mentor sound weak.
"I'll remember that". Harry replied with a smile.
Just then Kim's cell phone rang, so she answered it. "Hello…Okay, we'll be right there. It was Willow; she's ready to try the spell again. The rest of the tour will have to wait. Let's go."
Back at the map room Harry and Kim walked in on the spell already in progress.
"How's it going?" Harry whispered to Hermione.
"Well, she just started the actual locator spell but I know if you were here you might have been bored. She enhanced Bok's essence but to me it's been incredibly fascinating. If we knew this type of magic during the war we might have been better equipped in following Voldamorts movements."
Harry nodded but secretly wondered if Dumbledore didn't know some Wicca spells. He had seen him do some amazing things. Things he'd never seen another wizard do. Then, there was the coven Mr. Giles spoke of. They seemed to know who Dumbledore was and that he could help with magical problems. This was something to think about later. Willow seemed to be at the crescendo of her spell.
As Willow once again threw the powder onto the world map the lower part or England started to glow. Upon seeing this, Bobby Ann grabbed a map of England. Still in a magical fog, Willow cast more powder and found South Wales start to glow. Bobby Ann grabbed the corresponding map. More powder was cast as Cardiff began to glow. Once again, Bobby Ann grabbed a map from the correct pigeon hole and set it in front of Willow one more cast showed a slow moving glob of light around the Millennium center. Willow broke out of her magical trance.
"I know it's a big area but that's as clear as I can see it. It could be the chaos energy or he could be using a spell to defuse his essence but he's definitely in that area. She said and looked toward Kim who was typing the information into the computer.
"What would Bok be doing in Cardiff? What do we know about that area Kim?" Willow asked.
"It used to be the sight of a Hell mouth centuries ago but it stopped almost as long ago as the slayer line has been active. It's been reduced to a hell whole." She replied.
"What's the difference between a hell whole and a hell mouth, or are they the same thing?" Harry asked.
"A Hell mouth is active all the time but a Hell hole periodically burps mystical energy causing chaos in one form or another."
"What kind of chaos?"
"Chaos like people disappearing, monsters appearing, even time jumps." Bobby Ann replied.
"There's a notation to the book of Garbershmoke." Kim announced.
"Then, we're off to the library everyone." Willow announced.
They headed out of the map room and down the hall to the library. Upon entering Hermione stopped cold. There were so many books. Not as may as the G.L.E. or even Hogwarts had. These books would have information about magic that the magical world had been ignoring for centuries because it was muggle magic. Kim went to the section of the library where the book could be found. She disappeared into the stacks; A moment later, she came back to the table and opening it to the page that spoke of the Cardiff hell whole.
"Ut-oh." Kim said before laying the book down on the table before Willow.
"Ut-oh." Willow agreed, picking up the book.
"What does it say?" Hermione asked.
"It seems a long time ago some wizards (probably the shadow men who were the most powerful of that time.) trapped a demon within the hell mouth. And of course, it's an apocalyptic scale demon."
"How bad is it Will?" Bobby Ann asked.
Willow began reading. "Abaddon; from out of the darkness he will come,
Song of the great beast, cast out before time, chained in rock, and imprisoned beneath the hell mouth. All hale, Abaddon, the great devourer -
Embodiment of the seventh deadly sin of man - 'Gluttony' who's hunger knows no bounds and who feasts upon life itself. The whole world shall die beneath his shadow."
Kim had gone back into the stacks again only to come out with another book.
"I found another reference to Old Abby in here." Kim announced. "It gives his stats. That line about dying beneath his shadow is literal. If his shadow touches you your dead. And there is another problem, a big one. When last seen he was almost two hundred feet tall. I don't think we'll be able to hide this from the public."
Willow looked a little stunned by this new information. Before saying "Bok has just become public enemy number one." She then moved to the phone on the wall. She picked it up and dialed the number for the internal public address system and spoke. "Code alpha red, apocalypse season has come early this year people. All hands on deck and in the gym in five minutes." She then hung up and turned to everyone in the room. "Best we get down there before the stampede starts." She said.
They went down the hall to the stairwell and proceeded to the basement. As they got to the gym, they found some of the girls already heading in. They were able to hear more coming down the stairs as they made their way across the large entrance hall to the gym. Xander caught up with Willows group.
"Hey, Wills who are your new friends? New watchers maybe?" He said.
"Oh Hi Xander, this is Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger. They're magic users. Harry, Hermione, meet Xander Harris. This is the man I consider 'my' brother."
It's a pleasure to meet you. Hermione said while Harry just nodded am affirmative greeting.
Buffy came up behind the group after hearing the introductions. She interjected. "I'm Buffy Summers, head slayer and last of the chosen two.
"Chosen two?" Harry asked.
"Buffy died, Xander brought her back using C.P.R. but it was long enough to call the next slayer. Since then, there have been two called slayers. The rest were activated by the spell." Willow supplied.
"Summers… Is Dawn your sister?" Hermione wondered.
"Yes… you know Dawn?" She replied.
"We just met today at the library." Hermione stated.
"Wait a minute. Granger… You're the librarian Giles said he'd like to recruit as a watcher." Buffy acknowledged.
Hermione blushed at that, correctly believing it was high praise from a man that she now had more respect for than she did before knowing about this very important organization.
"Speaking of which, I better call Giles and let him know what's been happening." Willow realized.
"Don't you think you should tell us what's happening first?" Xander asked.
"I'm putting him on speaker phone. He needs to be in on this announcement."
Willow dialed the number. Giles picked it up after a couple of rings.
"Willow" Giles said recognizing her name on the caller ID. "Thank heavens your all right."
Just then she heard Dawn interrupt. "You guys didn't become part of a public toilet did you?"
"No Dawny, no splinching for us this time."
"Splinching?" She asked.
"That's what we're calling it from now on." Willow replied.
"Is everything cool with that Potter guy now?" Dawn prodded.
"Hunky and dory. I'll explain later but right now we have a code alpha red and I'm putting you on speaker to address the troops."
She put the phone on speaker and turned to everyone. She opened her mouth and realized what she was doing. Public speaking was so incredibly hard for Willow that the only way she was ever able to do it before was when she had been terribly angry or not thinking about it.
Once she got started she could sometimes keep it going but right now she froze. All she could do was just stand there wide eyed and nervous in front of thirty seven slayers, fourteen watchers, two Wicca practitioners as well as her friends.
Hermione looked at her confused for a moment before realizing what was wrong. She walked up to Willow and took her hand. This made Willow jump a bit but one look from Hermione and she was able to draw strength from her. Not magically, but just friendly support. Even so, Hermione began the meeting.
"May we have your attention please? This is very important." She then looked to Willow who took over.
"You all know how we have been tracking that slippery gargoyle demon Bok for the past fourteen months. Recently, we caught a couple of breaks this past month. We now know that he's learned a bit of magic and is using a glamour spell to make himself look human. He goes by the name Bilis Manager. You all need to memorize the composite sketch from our eyewitnesses before we head out. We also know of one of the places he calls a home. We have a team of slayers waiting for him. Should he get away from us after striking, again and heads there to hide. Well, we believe we got a bead on him and know what he's up to. This time, he's not pulling any punches. He's going to try opening a hell mouth by prying out a long forgotten demon wedged within it known as Abaddon."
"Good lord! Willow, are you certain? I thought Abaddon to be mostly myth. I mean, for what he is believed to be, I couldn't believe it to be true." Giles announced.
"Why, what's he suppose to be?" Buffy asked.
"Big." Harry replied.
"How big?" Xander asked.
"The books say two hundred feet high." Hermione replied.
"Oi." Xander replied. "This won't cover well."
"What else do we know about this Abaddon character in case Boc succeeds in breaking him out? It doesn't have any special defenses like razor quills or shoots poison gas does it?" Rona one of the Sunnydale slayers inquired.
"Its shadow kills. We believe its shadow sucks the life out of people. However, the hell mouth is in Cardiff and at the moment the sun has just set."
"Cardiff… as in England? How are we going to get there in time? She paused, As if I didn't already know." Rona asked irritated, as she hated traveling by magic.
"Yes, we'll have to go by magic. We'll need the combine forces of both Guardian house Cleveland and Guardian house London. Giles, how many magic users do you have there."
"Five at the moment, I can call the coven if you think it's necessary."
"It's necessary Giles. I know how some of them don't like to get their hands dirty. So tell them if they decide not to help; we can't guaranty that everything in England won't be dead by noon tomorrow. But, if by some miracle we win, they'll probably have an active hell mouth in their back yard in the morning."
"Yes Willow, I have dealt with them before you know. I do know how to handle them. Incidentally, how many magic users can we count on, on your end?"
Willow looked to Hermione. Harry knowing Giles was asking about them.
"Not that I wouldn't help otherwise; but I have family that live just outside of Wales which gives me more incentive." Hermione replied.
"Then count me in as well. Harry added, not willing to let his friend face such danger without him."
"Including me, that would be five." He said to Giles. "
Just then, Buffy interrupted.
"Giles, we need to make a plan of attack. We'll get ourselves organized here. You can expect to start receiving small groups of us in about thirty minutes."
"I'll make the other slayers aware to expect you." He said and hung up.
"Alright, everyone get dressed and geared up for battling a Giant. Axes and swords should be your weapons of choice for this job. Meet back here in twenty. Xander grabbed some extra weapons as replacements should we need them. Play it safe and make them the silver or thrice blessed variety. Vi, Rona you two will be in charge of climbing gear, that means lots of rope. I'll get the scythe."
"We're going to climb a Giant?" Vi asked.
"I think rope could come in handy on this job."
Everyone left the gym to get ready except Willow, Hermione and Harry.
"Willow, why did Buffy say that we'll be going in small groups?"
"Because of the transportation spell I use. The spell needs to be worked out depending on how many people I'm transporting. It's a numbers thing. Wicca calculations are more difficult than algebra and calculus combined."
"I see, maybe we can help. I mean apparation would be hard for us too when it comes to more than three people but then, we have portkeys."
"Portkeys? How do they work?"
"Well…."
Half an hour later everyone came back to the gym. Harry was wide eyed; seeing these women come back with and array of different battle axes and swords. Some swords he noticed were actually machetes and Nepalese Kukri blades. While a couple of the axes were of a lumberjack style; another was something you might see in a fire brigade. It may have been a bit hodgepodge but one uses what one has or is comfortable with. Either way, this group looked extremely dangerous. Just then, Buffy walked up to Willow.
"Okay Wills, I think we're ready to go."
"Yeah about that, Hermione has been explaining to me her magical way of travel. It sound much better than what I can do and it will take us all in one shot. I've given her the address. She knows the wooded park across the street."
"Well, that sounds handy. Do you need us to do anything?" Buffy asked Hermione.
"I just need something we can all hold on to or at least lay a finger on." Hermione replied
"Upon hearing this Xander went to the room where some of the gym equipment was kept. he brought out a couple of hula hoops."
"Will this do?" He asked.
"That's, perfect thank you, Mr. Harris."
"Hey, none of that Mr. Harris stuff. That was my father; the rat bastard that he was; besides. any friend of Willows is a friend of mine. You can call me Xander."
Harry knew that feeling well. He was just thankful he wasn't saddled with the name Dursley.
Buffy looked Harry's way. She asked Hermione loud enough for everyone to hear. "Your friend doesn't talk much does he?"
Without skipping a beat, loud enough for everyone to hear, Hermione deadpanned saying. "He's not usually this quiet. I think it might have something to do with being in a room full of beautiful women."
Harry stood there, with his mouth open, not believing what Hermione said about him. Then, the rest of the women gave a along 'awe' sound that got higher in pitch toward, the end. They smiled at him. A few even batted their eyelashes his way. Harry turned so red, blushing into deep purple. Upon looking at him, Hermione could no longer keep a straight face.
"Hermione, this is very serious. Don't you think we should stay focused?" He tried.
"Actually, we slayers take our laughs when we can." Buffy replied. "You never know when or if you'll get the chance later."
Hermione was still smiling, as she took the hula hoops and taped each with her wand while saying "Portus.".
"That's it?" Buffy asked.
"That's it. Now, everybody needs to gather around them place and at least, one finger on them. The spell activates when I say a specially picked word."
Buffy looked at Willow for conformation. Willow looked back saying. "The magic is sound. She knows what she's doing."
Hermione told everyone to touch the hoops. They all complied. Harry made sure he was next to Hermione. He smiled and said. "I'll get you back for that someday."
She smiled back at him. "That day is a long way away Harry. You know you've never been able to pull anything over on me." She then said the word "sugar quill" to which everyone who wasn't Hermione or Harry gave a little yelp. They felt what could only be described as a hook; grab them from behind their navels pulling them on a wild ride towards England.
A.N. I like reviews.