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Guardian Council England
Later the same night.
As Harry and Xander apparated into the teleportation room of the England branch of the Guardian Council, Xander caught his breath and said. "I think I like the hula hoops better."
"I think you mean portkey, however, you do get use to apparition after a while."
As they exited the teleportation room, Xander showed their badges to the girl on security detail. They proceeded to follow the noise of young women excitedly chatting down in the gym. Upon entering, they heard Buffy yell that everyone going back to America should come forth and grab the portkey hoop. Xander and Harry made their way over to Buffy.
"Why are we in such a hurry to leave Buffy?" Xander asked.
"The slayers are hungry and I don't what to put a strain on G.C. England's food bill. But the scoobies are staying for a bit, Willow wants to have a meeting about you know what."
"About I know what, what? Oh, wait, never mind, I know what."
"Xander, some times I think you took to many hits to the head. But then, I remember that's Giles shtick and there's nothing wrong with his memory. So, I blame it on the Twinkies."
"No… not the Twinkies, never the Twinkies!" he said in mock horror.
Buffy smirked as she walked away. She told the both of them to be in Giles's office in ten minutes.
As Xander and Harry made their way through the crowd, Harry asked what a Twinkie was. He almost suspected it wasn't a demon of some sort.
Knowing this country didn't have his beloved snack cake, Xander began to explain.
"It's a delicious mass produced sponge cake with cream filling that could theoretically survive and apocalypse, And if enough of them could be brought together, you could use them as a floatation device as long as you keep them in the wrapper. Besides, did I mention how delicious they were?"
Harry chuckled, "No tell me more."
Ten minutes later Harry, Hermione and the Scoobies were together in Giles office.
"First of all, I'd like to say thank you to Miss Granger and Mr. Potter for their help with both Abaddon and those ghastly weeds." Giles announced.
"Yeah, the other witches didn't want to use magic that would create light because of Aboddon. And after he was dead, they still didn't want to use it because they thought it would make the vines grow faster." Willow explained.
"The vines were called devils snare. It dies in sunlight or any bright light for that matter." Hermione replied.
"Well, I'd like to thank you for saving Faith. I can't tell you how much it means to us that she's not dead." Dawn said.
"Yeah, I thought I was a goner at that point." Faith replied.
"We weren't going to let people fall to their deaths if we could help it." Harry replied.
"So, what's the meeting about Giles?" Xander asked already knowing but wanted to get the ball rolling.
"Just what Buffy told you it was Xander. We are just waiting for the available Sunnydale slayers to arrive. Several of them won't be here, they are on assignment to a different Council house."
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Xander will you let them in and lock the door afterwards please." Giles asked.
"Sure thing G-man." He replied.
The slayers entered and when the door was locked they were introduced to Harry and Hermione before taking seats.
"Now, Buffy has informed you all as to what's going to happen next year, yes?" Giles asked wanting to make sure.
"Yes sir," The girls said uncomfortably.
"Very well, Xander and Willow have dug up the underlying cause of the matter explaining why it will happen. They will now give us the explanation."
Willow directed their attention to the fifty inch plasma television.
"This video was found on an internet site run by a radio pirate named Charlie Frost. He's also on youtube which is where his videos are stored. He has a lot to say; so, there is a plethora of them. Now, the video I'm bringing up is a flash animation but it gets the point across."
Willow pressed play. The video told of solar flairs, neutrinos and earth crust displacement. The people in the room were shocked, they couldn't believe it. While most of the slayers were in some form of denial, one of them had a tear running down her cheek. Giles removed his glasses before speaking.
"Have you checked Mr. Frost's sources, and looked through his research?" He asked.
"Yes, I spent most of the day in the Cleveland library. It was all there, Giles." Xander replied.
"And now, that I know what I was looking for; I did the research online and was able to confirm from some government sites that the earth's core is heating up. It's noticeably hotter when compared to its temperature a year ago which doesn't just happen. Before you ask, I covered my tracks. no one knows I was in their computers." Willow announced.
"So, if all the continents are going to be moving, will there be a safe place to hold up till it's over?" Harry asked.
"We have to believe that the prophets know what they are talking about. More than one seer has seen it after all. But they've hidden the clues so well between different texts and different cultures that it can only be found by the most diligent of researchers. This is why I've called the Sunnydale slayers. We need some extra help in the research department. I'll be calling in the other Sunnydale slayers when their available. I can't just take them from the cases they put so much time in on; it would look suspicious and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate loosening all the time and effort they've put into trailing the demons they were assigned to." Giles explained.
"You use your slayers to trail demons?" asked Harry
"Only the slayers that have had extra training like the Sunnydale slayers. They've been at it slightly longer. And Sarah Jane runs a tight ship as far as the training of her slayers. But not all of the demons are like Boc, we found out that unlike the vampires and demons in Sunnydale the vampires work in clans and the demons work in something similar to terrorist cells. So basically, these slayers are working in groups along with there watchers, act as detectives. They are very capable of taking care of themselves. Most of the other slayers staying at the G.C. have basically been systematically raiding vampire nests and patrolling graveyards and night clubs." Giles continued to explain.
"Anyplace they think they can get a happy meal on legs." Buffy added.
"Yuk!" Hermione groaned looking at Buffy in disgust.
"Seriously, that's what they call us. The vamps do anyways."
Just then the slayer who had a tear stained face raised her hand.
"Mr. Giles, please tell me I can bring my mom." She whined.
Giles sighed. "Mindy your mother has a brother, yes?" he asked calmly.
"Yes," She answered.
"And he has a wife and child?"
"Yes,"
"And his wife has siblings who have family?" he continued asking.
"Yeah, but I only want to take my mom." She replied.
"But your mother won't want to leave without saving more of your family this will snowball out of proportion. We don't want to leave anyone behind but we won't even be able to save all the slayers. We just don't know what will be left in the end or how much resources we'll have. Will we have enough food and medicine? What if the safe zone ends up being in North Korea or the Middle East?"
"I can't live without trying to save my mom. I can't keep quiet about this." She cried.
Giles sighed thinking the secret was going to get out and there was nothing he could do to stop it. However, Xander noticed how everyone now looked at Mindy with uncomfortable worry and came to a decision.
"I have a suggestion. I think Harry can help Mindy with this." He said.
"Me?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, the same way you told me you helped that lady Gwen." Xander explained trying to clue him in on what he was thinking.
Harry knew what Xander was saying and to be honest he had been thinking it himself but wasn't sure how it would be received if he just started throwing spells at slayers.
"How can you help me?" Mindy asked.
Before he answered, he looked to Xander who shook his head indicating that he shouldn't tell her. Knowing she was a slayer and dangerous, Harry got up from his chair and circled around the room to come up behind her. She thought he was going to get something from the outer office. He came up behind her and pulled out his wand. He pointed it at her and said "Obliviate." Many people jumped out of their chairs outraged that Harry would attack one of them but Xander was already there with his hand up to visually show them that they should calm down and let Harry explain. They now looked at Mindy's face seeing she was slack jawed and dazed. Giles was the first to speak.
"What have you done?" asked Giles
"I've erased any memory of the cleansing she may have learned within the past twenty-four hours." Harry explained.
The people in the room thought about that and slowly looked relived.
"I saw him do it to that detective in Cardiff, it seemed to be the best way to handle this situation." Xander explained.
"She won't remember the past twenty-four hours you say?" Giles asked
"No, I said she won't remember anything about the cleansing that she learned in the past twenty-four hours." Harry corrected.
"You can be that precise to just take those specific memories?"
"Yes sir," Harry confirmed.
"I can imagine two circumstances in the past that, that could have been useful had we been able to do it." Giles said thoughtfully.
"Only two? I can think of dozens." Xander replied.
"And that would get us nowhere. It would be counter productive and irresponsible on our part. People are perfectly capable of forgetting on there own or even make up stories to convince themselves that what they saw or were told wasn't real. The people that don't are more likely to become our future allies. This however, was necessary. We can't have people running about telling everybody the sky is falling even if it is true. Because the government would come for us to find out what we know if one of us starts shouting it from the roof tops. Is there anyone here that doesn't feel they can keep quiet?" He finally asked not expecting an answer.
One of the other slayers raised her hand.
"Kathy? I must say this is unexpected."
"I'm sorry. I may not have any family that cares about me but I care about the other slayers. I'd rather die fighting monsters when the end comes like the rest of them."
Giles looked at her with sadness but granted her wishes not really having a choice. "I'll send you and Mindy off on an assignment tomorrow. Can you keep the secret or should I have Mr. Potter erase your mind as well?"
"I think it would be better to have Harry spell me. I don't want to know what's coming. The waiting would drive me out of my mind. Just ship me off with Mindy somewhere. Keep us busy so we don't start remembering that we forgot something."
This answer surprised Giles but he gave Harry a nod, to which Harry stood in front of her. She closed her eyes. The last thing she heard was Harry saying "Obliviate" and then she forgot.
"What will we do with them now?" Willow asked.
"We'll keep them busy. I'll have my assistant schedule them for duty away from here. I'd like to station a few slayers in Cardiff but I think that would be to close and to familiar. It just might trigger a memory or two. Xander, you said that Africa has a rather large Joga demon infestation, yes?"
"Yes, they're becoming a real problem too." Xander replied.
"Very well, we'll send them there."
"Why are you stationing slayers in Cardiff? I thought you closed the hell mouth for good." Hermione wondered.
"Oh heavens no, the one and only time a hell mouth has been closed; the city on top of it became a sinkhole. We were only able to cap it. Even so, Willow will need to go back once or twice a month to check and add more blocking spells to it." Giles explained.
Harry looked at his watch. "It's getting late and I have work in the morning. Mr. Giles, I'd like to say that your organization is incredible. It's been a real adventure helping you out." He said as he put his hand out. Giles shook the offered hand and replied.
"It' been a pleasure getting to know you. I hope you'll come back. I'm sure we both still have much to learn from each other. Do you believe we can get help from more people in your society before the up coming crisis hits?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other before Harry spoke. "Mr. Giles, Our society has closed itself off from the non magical. We live in a very secret society that has used the memory charms like I've just used to keep people from finding out about us since King Arthur's time." Harry explained.
"We don't plan on telling anyone about what went on here tonight without researching a few laws and finding out the personal views of certain friends of ours. At the moment, there are only two other people from our world that know anything about ourresearch and both are respected authority figures." Hermione added.
"I see," Giles said almost disappointed.
"Just give us some time, we'll figure out what our next steps should be." Hermione encouraged.
Willow walked over to them. She handed them a couple of cards each.
"This card is our contact information here at the guardian council. The other is my personal contact info, you can either phone us or email." She explained.
"Well, that's where I've got to envy you. You see we don't use either where we come from. A wizarding household being filled with all kinds of ambient magic plays havoc on non wizarding technologies. So, we don't use phones, unless, it's to call non magical family. Then, we have to find one outside magical influence. Plus, we never learned anything about computers, but I've been trying to teach myself at the library." Hermione said.
Willow and some of the others looked almost horror stricken. Willow asked, "Then how do you communicate with each other over long distances?"
"Well our fire places are hooked up to what's called a floo network which allows us to talk to each other. But, you won't be able to use that here. However, if you see an owl with a letter in its claw tapping on your window, do let it in to deliver its letter and perhaps give it something to eat or drink. If it stays, then, it will be waiting for you to write a reply to be sent with it." Hermione explained.
"Owl mail? Okay, that's wild." Dawn said.
"This will never work." Willow said suddenly "Giles, can I give them a council laptop?"
Giles thought about it and said, "Yes, yes of course."
Willow went to the storage cupboard. Hermione tried to re-explain.
"I've just told you technology doesn't work in a wizard's home."
"But this is a council laptop, watchers and slayers use them in the field. They're incredibly durable and spelled to work just about everywhere. This one, I've added even more to it so it could work inside a hell mouth. It should work wherever you take it; it's linked directly to the council e-mail"
"Okay, I'll give it a try in a couple of days once I've done my other research. I'm a bit tired tonight. I'll be busy tomorrow." Hermione said beginning to stick the computer into her tiny beaded bag. Eye brows rose at the sight of the laptop disappearing into it. All except for Xander and Faith were smiling at everybody else because they saw Hermione pull out a broom from the thing.
Well, we really need to be going; will I be seeing you tomorrow at the library, Mr. Giles?
"Yes, of course, there is still research to be done."
"Alright then, see you tomorrow, goodbye everyone."
Everyone said goodbye, Harry and Hermione left the room heading for the teleport room.
"Not that I don't trust them," Giles began. "But I think it would be wise to put our heads together and write down everything we've discovered about our new friend just in case one of their people come around and start using memory spells on us. This way we can put together some sort of picture of this wizarding society they come from."
The rest of the night everything they heard and saw was written down. They were trying to figure out what kind of people they were dealing with.
Harry was confused. He found that Hermione had Apparated them a few blocks from the ministry instead of at its doorstep. That was until Hermione spoke.
"Alright Harry, what the hell were all those outbursts about. I felt like we were eleven years old again and you were on your high horse about professor Snape being evil."
Harry didn't want to talk about it. He was ashamed. felt as childish as Hermione said he had been. But she deserved an explanation, So he bolstered his courage and tried to force out what he needed to say…but nothing came out. So, he tried a new approach and just let go; letting the words flow like water off a ducks back, which had much better results.
"I've never told anyone this; but when I lived with the Dursley's I used to have re-occurring nightmares about a demon I couldn't see… When I turned eleven, Hagrid told me it had a name. From that point on, I had no doubt… I believed that Voldemort was a demon who clawed his way out of hell to bring it to earth…to me. Even with the whole back-story we were told about Tom Riddle, I still believed he was a demon who took the form of a boy wizard. He grew to kill my parents and he died trying to kill me. When I was brought to the grave yard, I believed and still believed; I witnessed a demon being reenergized with my blood and the powers from hell itself. At that point, I knew, even before knowing anything about the prophecy. Because it was my blood in his veins; I knew that I would be the one needed to destroy him. And the day I did, I believed that he even died like a demon. His body just flaked apart and scattered into the four winds" There was a bit of a pause before Harry started again but Hermione waited it out. "When I found out that Mr. Giles and Willow believed in Demons, I was outraged that they would mock such a thing. They could never have seen anything more evil than the demon that had haunted me for so long. I felt they were mocking me personally by making up such a thing just to frighten others, probably, for profit… Then we walked into that bar and I realized that for as evil as Voldemort had been he was no demon, just extremely evil. I was scared more than I'd been since… well, I was scared more than I'd been in a long, long time. But when I'd seen those women beating them down; I realized that I wasn't alone. That there had always been someone that was chosen, like I was, to beat back the evil. They were so much better at it. Of course, they were given better tools for the job but I think the world is in good hands. At least, for the time it has left that is."
Hermione understood. She smirked and said. "I never thought of him that way before, but it makes a lot of sense. The problem was that I didn't believe in demons' till tonight. Still, I think you may have been right in your belief that Voldemort could have been one. As we've seen, they do come in all shapes and sizes, or at the very least Tom could have been replaced by a demon at a young age. After all, he did live and die like one."
Harry didn't know if Hermione actually felt that way or if she was just trying to make him feel better but he appreciated that she wasn't laughing at him. "Thanks, Hermione." He said as they walked into the ministry.
"No Harry, thank you, for being so honest with me. However, you really need to relax. You've done nothing but chase death eaters since the death of Voldemort. You've become obsessed and need a chance to live a proper life. You should have taken a part time Auror position like I have. At least, think about taking a vacation." She replied.
"Yeah, You may be right. I'll do that." He said, seriously considering her words.
As they walked down the corridor, Hermione stopped to make a quick search of the bulletin board leaving Harry to walk alone. A man at the far end of the hall approached him and called out Harry's name.
"Mr. Potter, may I have a word with you?"
"Umm, okay." He replied.
"I understand you were in Cardiff tonight."
"Yes, I was." Harry said looking directly at the man's nose -a practice he learned from the elder Auror. It was a cheat really. Harry was never any good at Occlumency (the art of shielding ones mind.) and he suspected this man may know a few things about Legilimency (reading minds). By not making eye contact, his mind couldn't be read. However, his peripheral vision allowed him to note how close the man's hand was to his wand.
"Did you umm…see anything interesting tonight?" His hand got even closer to his wand.
Harry decided that he should lie. Hell, he wasn't about to tell anyone what happen anyway. "Just kilometers of sewers really," He said.
"Sewers? What were you doing in the sewers."
"Got a lead that a death-eater was using them either as a base or an escape rout, however I think my informant just liked the idea of me chasing my tail in the sewers of Cardiff. But the muggels seemed to be having some sort of celebration. I heard fireworks and explosions all over the place but when I got to street level there was no body around. It was quite strange really."
The man's hand moved away from his wand. A smile grew on his face. "Yes, one never knows what goes through the minds of muggles."
"How did you know I was in Cardiff anyway?"
There was a pause before he answered. "My niece said she thought she saw you."
"Well, even if I knew her to see her, I probably wouldn't have noticed her. I get really focused on my work."
"Yes, well that's why you're such a good Auror Mr. Potter you're always on the job."
"Thanks, if you'll excuse me, I have a few things to take care of before I head home."
"Oh, of course Mr. Potter. Good night."
"Good night," Harry said and continued down the hall.
The man didn't notice Hermione watching him as he passed her. After he turned down the next corridor she ran to catch up with Harry.
"Harry do you know who that was?"
"Not a clue, but I know he's one of the unspeakables. You have any Idea why he was asking me about Cardiff?"
"It sounded like he thought he might have known what you might have seen.
Why did you lie?"
"Wouldn't you? Besides he was going for his wand, I think if I said anything about Abby he may have done any number of unpleasant things."
"Curiouser and Curiouser," She muttered. "You do realize that this means that they've been keeping some sort of trace on you."
"Yes, that has crossed my mind and it's quite unsettling. What do you think I should do about that if it's true?"
"First of all, we need to find out if it is true. If it is, you'll need to go to the minister and ask for it to be taken off. If he won't or tries giving you some excuse, then demand it because there is no excuse for it. It may even be illegal."
"I'll think about it. Well now, I have to write up a factitious report about scouring the depths of the Cardiff sewer system looking for an imaginary death-eater before I can get out of here."
"Yes, well, I want to take a look at a few scrolls before I leave, so, I'll meet with you and Mr. Weasley tomorrow evening."
"We won't be seeing Mr. Weasley for a several days, he just got a larger than normal work load. He said he'll be putting in long hours till it's done. He said he'll try to make time when he can but not to count on it. Whatever he's working on will have him running in and out of the office all week till it's completed."
"Alright then, see you later Harry."
"See you later Hermione."
AN: I know in the books Voldemort didn't die that way. But he did in the movie; I should mention now that when it comes to Harry Potter I blend the books and movies together. Taking the best of both that will best fit the story I'm trying to tell. And this just happens to go well with Harry's psychosis about Voldemort being a demon.
As long as Columbia-Sony Pictures leave it up, Charlie Frost youtube animation can be found at…
w w w . you tube .com/user/CharlieFrost2012
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