Chapter 27
After the shock of seeing the magnificent castle that is Hogwarts, Hermione managed to get the ladies moving forward to its entrance.
"Gosh. I never felt so intimidated by a building before let alone a school." Willow said.
"You should try approaching it from the point of view of an eleven year old." Hermione suggested.
Willow shivered. "I probably would have peed my pants."
"Well, I had the foreknowledge of what I was getting into before I got here because of all the research I did. But it was still a bit scary." Hermione replied.
It was then Dawn started laughing as they passed the entry doors.
"What's up with you Dawn?" Hermione asked.
"The inscription above the door, It reads don't tickle a sleeping dragon. It's always good advice but it just adds to the whole fairy tail motif."
Upon stepping into the entry hall they were met with an old man hobbling their way followed by a cat with eerie eyes. Dawn and Willow thought the man looked mean.
"Hello Mr. Filch, is Professor McGonagall in her office?" Hermione asked.
"Of curse not, its lunch time, she's in the great hall. He snapped. I don't have time to announce you, Myrtle flooded the bathroom again. Some days she's more of a pain in the arse than Peeves." he replied.
"Mr. Filch, language!" Hermione admonished.
"Ah! He growled. There aren't any kids here in the summer so I say what I want. So bugger off." He said as he hobbled away.
"Well I never." Hermione said appalled. "Well come on lets go and talk to the headmistress. Maybe we can get some lunch as well. The food here is rather good."
As they walked into the great hall Dawn and Willow were again stunned by the beauty of Hogwarts as they looked up at the enchanted ceiling that looked like the sky outside. They were both enamored with this kind of magic as the only magic they normally performed was ether protection or defensive. They never considered magic to be done merely for ecstatic reasons before. They both knew that this is what a magic school should be. As they approached the head table they noticed two people. One was a stern looking older woman at the center of the table and a very large man with a big black beard two places to her right.
Professor McGonagall looked their way as Hermione and her friend's approached the head table. She idly wondered if the red head was yet another Weasley.
"Hello Professor McGonagall, I'd like to introduce you to two of my newest friends. This is Willow Rosenberg and Dawn Summers. Willow, Dawn this is Professor Minerva McGonagall headmistress of Hogwarts." Hermione announced.
"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." Willow said shaking her hand.
"This place is freaking incredible." Dawn said as she too shook her hand.
Hagrid boomed with laughter.
Minerva had a hard time keeping the smile off her lips as she replied. "Why thank you, I've never heard it put quite so eloquently as that before."
Dawn blushed with embarrassment at her own proclamation as she winced and meekly said. "Sorry."
"Quite alright my dear," Minerva said. "Hogwarts has that kind of effect on people who see it for the first time. Allow me to introduce the grounds keeper and professor of the care of magical creatures Rubeus Hagrid."
"Oh, can you show me a unicorn." Dawn said excitedly.
"Dawn! Chill!" Willow said turning to Hagrid. "Sorry about my friends over enthusiasm. It's a pleasure to meet you… sir. Willow paused as she realized how small her hand looked within Hagrids whose palms alone were as big as frying pans."
Hagrid chuckled as he said. "Not to worry. I get that reaction from many of the first year students. The girls want to see unicorns and the boys want to see dragons. Although, it's illegal to have dragons here because they're so misunderstood."
"I believe it's more of a child safety issue Hagrid." Hermione said. "You've seen what almost happened to Harry in fourth year."
"Well what did you expect to happen when he took the egg from its nest?" Hagrid questioned. "And a Hungarian horntail nonetheless, one of the most ornery dragons there is."
"Yes, let's concede that you both have a point." Minerva said unwilling to listen to this old argument. "What can I do for you young ladies?"
"Well, Dawn and Willow recently found out that they're witches and need training." Hermione announced.
This shocked both teachers.
"How…how can that be?" Minerva stammered. "You're both well past the age majority. Your ministry should have informed you by the age of eleven."
"Actually I know why Willow wasn't notified which I'll explain in a moment but Dawn is a mystery. The only thing I could come up with was that it might have something to do with where they lived. Professor, is it possible for a place to have such strong naturally occurring mystical energies that it could hide a witch or wizard?" Hermione asked.
Minerva looked at her in bewilderment. "Perhaps if she were living in the center of Stonehenge or in a pyramid but I haven't heard of anyone taking up residence in ether location."
"But, is it possible in those locations to hide someone's magic?" Hermione asked again.
"Well yes, I suppose it could but I've never heard of such a thing." Minerva stated.
"What if they lived in Sunnydale California?" Hermione finally asked.
"Sunnydale…good heavens, I've heard tell of some strange goings on in that place. Many wizards and witches who went in never came back and the ones that did…well, their magical cores were never the same. They should have built a pyramid over the whole town long ago to cap off so much chaos energy like they did in Egypt and Peru." Minerva announced.
"Wait a moment, you mean the pyramids can cap off hellmouths?" Willow asked.
"Hellmouths?" Hagrid inquired.
"Um… yes, also known as 'Boca del Infierno'." Dawn explained.
"Yes, I believe that is what the Spanish called it. And yes that's the theory of why the pyramids were built." Minerva confirmed. "Such energy plays hell with everything. You're lucky to still have a working magical core if you really lived there."
"We did." Dawn admitted.
"You both came from that place?" Minerva asked. "Well, I suppose it is possible that it could have been responsible for the American ministry to overlook you. It's such a shame, really, to be so far behind I mean."
"Actually professor they only just realized they were witches a few months ago and have already completed a first year curriculum and are half way through second year." Hermione stated.
"That's… that's not possible. Even with shortcuts there's far too much to learn to be properly educated in such a short amount of time." Minerva nearly screeched.
"Well there is a reason for that, mostly because they're both really smart." Hermione said.
"Miss Granger, you were one of the brightest students to have ever passed through these halls if you recall. And it took you six years of education and a time turner to do so. The seventh was merely a formality. Are you saying these women are even more brilliant than you?" Minerva asked.
Hermione put on a sour puss at that question. But before she could answer Willow spoke up.
"Actually I believe the both of us are Hermione's equals. It's just that she had a few things holding her back at the time." She announced referring to Document zero.
"I can assure you we gave her every opportunity." Minerva said in a huff.
"I'm sure you did but what I'm referring to was something out of the schools control." Willow added.
"Ah yes, the war." Minerva said incorrectly understanding what Willow meant.
Hermione felt that this discussion was bordering on thing best left unsaid in present company and best held in a more private setting. She asked the headmistress if they could continue this discussion in her office or better yet someplace without portraits.
"Surely." She responded. "However I'd like to have some lunch first. Would you three like to join us?" Minerva asked.
"Yes please." Hermione replied.
During the course of their meal Minerva found out that the ladies were part of the same muggle school Mr. Giles worked for, the man who employed Hermione through the library she worked at. She also found that they were teachers themselves. It would be interesting to exchange teaching techniques. Perhaps having them stop by during the year as guest speakers. Their viewpoints should be very interesting in muggle studies at the least.
After a lovely meal the three women were led out of the Great hall by Hermione. Willow and Dawn were fascinated by the painting they passed in the halls and were awed to find that they not only moved but talked and responded to questions. They hoped to have conversations with them later on just for the fun of it. They got to the staircase and were too stunned to move for a couple of minutes as they watched the stair cases randomly move from one platform to the other. Hermione got the three to the seventh floor corridor with a tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet. This was the corridor which held the room of requirement. When Hermione began passing back and forth in deep thought Dawn and Willow wondered what she was doing and why they were waiting here in the middle of the hall when all of the sudden a door manifested in the wall. It didn't seem to concern ether of the other two women so they just accepted that it might just be normal for a magic school. When they walked in, they found an exact replica of the magic practicing room they had been using at the Guardian Council in England.
"How…" Dawn and Willow began in unison.
"This is the room of requirement. It becomes the room you need. All you have to do is think of the room you require as you pace back and forth until the door forms. Obviously I thought of the magic practicing room back at the G.C. so that you can not only see for yourselves; but, I figured it would make you both more comfortable." Hermione explained.
"This place rocks!" Dawn announced.
Hermione started giggling while Minerva tittered into her hand.
"Willow looked at Dawn with a shocked smile. She laughed a bit as she turned to the other two ladies and said. "I have to admit she's right, this place is amazing."
"Thank you; it's none of my doing of course. The founders built this place a long time ago." Minerva announced. "Umm"… Hermione indicated that "the story of why your magic went undetected by the American ministry is different than Miss Summers. May I ask what the circumstances were?"
"Umm…well yes. I suppose you can. You see I didn't become a wand witch until I was twenty-two when I did a huge spell." Willow began.
Minerva looked at her with confusion evident upon her face as she said.
"You mean you didn't know you were a witch until you were twenty-two."
"No, I knew I was a witch since I was eighteen I was actually doing small spells when I was sixteen but didn't consider myself a real witch until I was eighteen when I was able to levitate pencils with practiced ease." Willow continued.
"Now I'm confused. First you tell me that you were twenty-two then eighteen then you tell me you were doing spells at sixteen. You're not making much sense Miss Rosenberg." Minerva said beginning to wonder if the woman's mind was idled
"Oh I'm sorry, you see I started to learn magic at sixteen but I started to call myself a witch at eighteen but I didn't become a wanded witch until I was twenty-one. See?" Willow said triumphantly with a smile.
"I most certainly do not see. You make less sense than a goblin speaking in his native tongue." Minerva said bewildered.
"Umm… what Willow is trying to say is that she didn't have the ability to use a wand until she was twenty-one, she didn't have a magical core until then." Hermione said helpfully.
"What kind of nonsense is this? If she was doing magic at sixteen then she must have had a magical core." Minerva screeched.
"Actually, I was doing Wicca magic back then. It wasn't until I was twenty-one when I did a powerful Wicca spell that I grew a core enabling me to do wand magic." Willow explained.
"Wicca Magic? But that's muggle parlor tricks not real magic."
Un-offended, Willow took out her wand and placed it on the table in front of Professor McGonagall. Minerva looked at it wondering why she put it there. Willow got up out of her chair and stood back. She laced her fingers together and looked at the six wooden croquet balls she used to help other witches practice their magic. The balls floated upward. Willow then cocked her head sharply to the side and three balls circled around the room with the other three orbiting them. Minerva was bewildered she didn't understand how she was doing it. She looked to one of the other two women and found that they had put their wands on the table as well.
"Wandless magic? That's not possible." Minerva announced astonished.
"It's Wicca magic. Witches and wizards never thought it was possible so ignored it." Dawn said.
"The Wicca witch becomes the wand. The magic comes from the ambient magic around them. They can collect it, channel it, and focus it where they need it." Hermione explained.
As the six balls floated around the room Willow levitated a candelabra from a shelf to the center of the table and the candles lit themselves showing that Willow could control the element of fire. There was a pitcher of water on the table. Willow made a stream of water corkscrew out of the pitcher and into the air. She then made it freeze into an icicle. It broke in half in mid air. Half flew back into the pitcher while the other half immediately melted and turned to steam thus showing she also had control over water and to a lesser degree air and its temperature. Willow felt that the earth itself was in too much turmoil to try and affect that element and so she let it pass.
"In our world Magic isn't about being able to do household chores, it's about defense." Willow said.
"That was most impressive but, I don't understand what you meant by 'you grew a core." Minerva wondered.
"Mr. Ollivander the wand maker told us that Willow did such a powerful Wicca magic spell that it forced her to grow a magical core. She is what is called a first witch or family witch." Hermione explained.
"I've never heard of such a thing. Are you sure his mind wasn't idled at the time?" Minerva asked.
"He said that you don't see too many of them these days because the Wicca religion isn't practiced as it once was and I got to admit the books they publish on the subject are very poor. Plus there aren't many Wicca witches that want to go as far as Willow did with a spell. Having so much power moving through you at one time can be very dangerous and overwhelming." Dawn explained.
"I've been in contact with Mr. Ollivander recently and he has told me what books I might find information on first witches. The texts can be found in Hogwarts library." Hermione informed everyone.
"Then what are we doing up here? I should like to see these books." Minerva announced.
"Well, we wanted to come up here to talk more privately as we wish to discuses the end of the world prophecies with you." Hermione replied.
"I see, so you two are also part of the researchers looking for a safe place to ride out the storm. Have you any further proof that this apocalyptic event will happen?" Minerva asked.
"Actually the governments of the world already know its happening and are preparing to save what they can by building huge arks." Dawn replied.
"But how did they find out?" Minerva wondered.
"They knew probably before we did. Their scientist detected what is happing to the sun and then to the earth and are monitoring it even now." Willow explained.
"You mean it's happening now? How is happening? What exactly is going on?" Minerva asked with urgency.
Willow pulled out her laptop and opened it. Minerva recognized it as a muggle device.
"Im sorry dear, I know you grew up in the muggle world; but, muggle devices won't work here. There's just too much magic." Minerva said
"Actually I designed it to work anywhere." Willow said as she booted up the laptop with the unofficial Guardian Council symbol appearing on the screen. That of a devil in a red circle with a red stake slashed through it. Minerva and Hermione gasped in surprise when they saw that it did indeed work.
"Okay this is what the people of the non-magical government know. This information was received by a man that isn't part of any government and has illegally been trying to get the word out to whoever will listen. He put together a crude animation to explain it with humor to alleviate the seriousness of it." Willow explained as she hit the play button for the video to start.
Minerva watched and raised an eyebrow as a cartoon dinosaur said "oh not again." as the video finishes she looked to Willow and said. "And this is what is supposed to be happening right now?"
"Yes but we aren't feeling any effect yet. It's a gradual thing, the time table is anywhere between late winter two thousand twelve to late spring two thousand thirteen. The more information that comes in, the more it will be narrowed down." Dawn stated.
"And just how did you and your people stumble onto this?" Minerva wondered.
"Giles found it in some demon prophecies and we have been cross referencing it with any source we can. It turns out that almost all religions have some sort of prediction leading to it when you look for it. It's actually kind of spooky when you think about how they all point to the same event. But the scriptures we read didn't call it an apocalypse they call it a cleansing." Hermione explained.
"Well it's a wonder you stumbled upon it at all seeing that this all started with a bogus prophecy made by fairytale demons." Minerva scoffed.
Willow and Dawn looked to Hermione in confusion. Hermione just shook her head before saying. "Yes well, Mr. Giles seems to believe in demons and people just humor him."
"Yes, but why does he look for demons in the first place. Just what does his organization do?" Minerva asked.
"They prepare the slayer." Dawn announced.
"The what?" Minerva said cocking her head to the side like a dog reacting to a funny noise.
"The vampire slayer, one girl in the whole world chosen to stand against the vampires, she's a mystical warrior magically given the strength and ability to slay them." Willow explained.
"That's a dangerous job for a girl. How old are they usually." Minerva asked.
"The books say between twelve and twenty." Dawn answered.
"Good heavens, that's absurd, a twelve year old going to battle such beasts. Surly your people hold them back till they are a bit older and trained." Minerva hoped aloud.
"There usually isn't time for that. The vampires can spread their numbers quickly." Willow explained.
"But you don't hear of vampires to much these days." Minerva stated.
"Thanks to the slayer." Dawn corrected.
"Actually professor we in the wizarding world don't see to many vampires because lets face it we're too dangerous to them. We can set them on fire at twenty paces if they attacked us. In the muggle world however, they can be a much bigger problem." Hermione explained.
"These days we don't just prepare the slayer like our predecessors did, we actually go out into the field with her and help. And let me tell you there is very little else that can compare to the violence of leveling a vampire nest." Dawn explained.
It was then that Hermione gave Dawn and Willow a significant look that told them she wanted them to see or watch for something in the next few moments.
"Professor I was just wondering." Hermione began. "Isn't the legend of the vampire supposed to be that a demon mixes its blood with a human and a demon then possessing the corpse?"
"Umm well yes it is." Minerva said almost worriedly.
"But then wouldn't that verify the existents of demons?" Hermione asked.
"I … that would be ridiculous. That's just muggle lunacy." Minerva responded hotly.
"But it's in several of our older texts as well. I'm sure we can find them in the library." Hermione suggested.
"That's… that was a time when even the wizards were superstitious." Minerva said in almost an angry voice.
"But then what is it that occupies and animates the corpse. Perhaps if we captured one to find out we could co-author a thesis to present before the…"
"NO!" Minerva shouted. "That is something we will not be doing. The idea of demons is just poppycock and superstition. They're no more real than the Lovegood's nonexistent creatures. And I will not have my name associated with the likes of the Quibbler."
Hermione knew she didn't mean to offend. The enchantment of document zero was simply making her spout anything that would keep her from coming to terms with the existence of demons. Hermione tried to placate them with a look before they would voice their offence of their new friend Luna, fortunately it worked.
"Sorry professor it was just a thought. I really have too much on my plate to even think about it such as things are. We really should be thinking of what to do with the information we have." Hermione replied trying to change the subject.
"I should say so." Minerva said in a huff calming down a bit.
"Have you decided who and what you're going to save?" Asked Dawn.
"Well that's the thing, we don't know who because we don't know who to trust. The things we need to save in some cases need to be bought and I'm by no means rich enough to buy some of the things that I believe would be useful in rebuilding a wizarding colony." Minerva explained.
"Well the Guardian Council already knows that magic exists. I'm sure we can incorporate our groups." Willow said.
Hermione and Minerva looked thoughtful at that.
"Or is their something wrong with that idea." Dawn asked
"Well it's just that there are still a lot of prejudices left within the magical community that I couldn't tell how this proposed union would be received." Hermione stated.
"Unfortunately Miss Granger is correct, even though we went to war over those silly prejudices. Don't get me wrong we've come a long way since then, a lot of new legislation has made things more agreeable but there are still some diehard old school thinkers that believe that we should close off our community and not bring in any more muggleborn witches and wizards. It's an unending debate that in the end anyone can see would seal the destruction of the wizarding race." Minerva explained.
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Willow wondered.
"She's talking about inbreeding. Many of the magical purebloods have been marrying second and third cousins. Without the influx of new blood, magic in future generations will be nonexistent." Hermione explained.
"Eww!" Dawn exclaimed and shuttered in disgust and horror.
"I'll second that." Willow announced.
"And that's not to mention all the prejudices there are over magical creatures and half breeds." Minerva said.
"Half breeds?" Dawn asked
"Yes you see. Hagrid is half wizard and half giant. Then there's professor Flitwick whose half wizard and half goblin. There are other such people sprinkled throughout the community as well and they are all given a hard time by the ministry. Even half -blood wizards such as some of my former classmates are looked at as half -breeds. I'm muggle born and I had to get a job in the muggle world because the ministry won't let non-purebloods in seats of power within the ministry and I'm considered one of the magical world's bloody heroes." Hermione said with a bit of anger.
Minerva patted Hermione's arm in comfort as in the past this topic had made her quite emotional.
"If the war had gone the other way Voldemort's next order of business would have been the extermination of the muggle race." Minerva explained.
Willow and Dawn were stunned and then they snorted in laughter. "I think they would have underestimated the non-magical people of the world but most of all I think they would have found the Guardian Council a force to be reckoned with."
"One slayer and her colleagues would hardly be any kind of opposition." Minerva stated.
"Oh, didn't we say what the big spell was that Willow did to become a first witch?" Dawn asked.
"No. You didn't, why?" Minerva said looking at Willow who was now turning red with embarrassment.
"She activated all the potential slayers across the world. There are now thousand of slayers." Dawn said bluntly.
Minerva was in complete shock as she looked at Willow. A spell that would affect the whole planet was almost unheard of. The power needed could have killed her. To think of all the girls who are now imbued with powers that have made them mystical worriers.
"Why would you have done such a thing?" Minerva said trying to keep the horror out of her voice.
So Willow and Dawn tried to explain about an organization that was trying to kill all the potentials and a threat of an army of vampires ten thousand strong ready to be unleashed upon the world. All while trying not to convey the existence of demons because Minerva would just freak out again.
"Our organization has averted many apocalypses but that was the first time we had to call in reinforcements. There needed to be a second line of defense in case we fell. We've seen and done a lot of things in our time but that was the scariest time of our lives." Dawn stated.
"I can see where that would be a viable option but was this, your idea?" Minerva asked Willow.
"Umm… no that was the slayers idea. One of Buffy's last minute off the cuff save the day plays." Willow announced.
"Yeah. I have an amazing sister just don't tell her I said that." Dawn announced.
"Wait a moment, you mean to tell me you sister is one of the slayers?" Minerva asked.
"She was the last of the called slayer. It was her idea to share her power with all the potentials and Willow is the one who made it happen." Dawn replied.
"Good lord." Minerva exclaimed in bewilderment.
"You should meet them before passing judgment professor." Hermione calmed.
"I didn't mean to infer that I was passing judgment." Minerva assured them.
"Oh. Well you should still meet them. Perhaps after we're done here you can come along and meet some of them." Hermione suggested.
"Yes, you have an open invitation to come and visit any time." Willow said
"Well thank you. Maybe I'll take you up on that offer some time." Minerva said graciously.
"Anyway I think we should move on down to the library where we can research the answers to your many questions of you magical education." she continued.
/Scene Break/
Hog's Head Inn Hogsmeade
Ron Weasley was sitting at a table in the run down bar nursing his mead. He was already feeling a slight buzz and it was only three in the afternoon. He was hopping to be boomed by six and poured into his room by nine. Yes that should round out his day nicely. It should be kind of like yesterday and the day before, come to think of it. The only thing different was that he started earlier and earlier everyday and in bed earlier and earlier as well.
"Hey Aberforth, when did that article come out again?" he asked.
"Oh, not this again." Aberforth mumbled. "You're not going to ask me that every ten minutes like you've been doing every night this week are ya lad."
"Just checking is all." Ron replied.
"Well then just add another day to what I told you yesterday." Aberforth told him.
"Fine be that way." Ron sighed with no real malice in his voice. He knew he was being annoying and he knew Aberforth knew where he was coming from and wouldn't hold it against him. Those articles had hurt him the day they came out. One minuet he was on top of the world the next he was taking a nose dive and this was the result, living in the Hog's Head inn, drinking cheap booze, and just living under the radar from one day to the next. There would be no more endorsements no more sponsors those days were over. He was just lucky that they couldn't sue him. The idiots were so eager to get one of the golden trio to sign with them that they were tripping over themselves and bending over backwards to get them to do so. They had even waved their right to sue thinking that they had found people that could never be frowned upon in the future. Boy, were they mistaken.
The heavy curtains kept the daylight from penetrating the bar to any great degree. So when someone opened the door everyone in the bar squinted at the female shadow standing in the doorway. The shadow seemed to look around the bar. It stopped when its gaze fell upon Ron. He knew he was in trouble now. The shadow kicked the door closed and walked toward him.
"Ronald Weasley. Couldn't keep it in your paints could you? Had to whore around pissing off the only two people that cared enough to let you have some glory without truly deserving it and make your whole family look bad in the process." She said.
"A lovely afternoon to you too Ginevra. To what do I owe the honor of a visit from my sister, the Lady Potter?" he asked with feigned politeness.
"There's nothing I can do to save the family name nor can I influence father to disown you but I refuse to have you sully the Potter name by associating with Harry or I any longer. So I've personally come to tell you that I've gone to the ministry and filed an order of distance to be put in effect this Friday." She announced.
"For you information dear sister I filed mine yesterday also to be effective on Friday. Kind of makes yours look petty putting it in after the fact, mine being announced in the Profit before yours and all." Ron announced with superiority.
"You put in an order of distance against me? Why?" she asked.
"It was your husband that did this to me and I just don't trust ether of you to make my life even more miserable than it already is." Ron replied.
"Well that's not possible is it? Besides you did this to yourself." Ginny said.
"No! Harry knew it was the locket that made me do it. It prayed on your fears and insecurities. Mine were just more traumatic than most." he replied.
"More traumatic than the boy whose aunt and uncle abused him, more than having so many of the students suspicious of him in school that it felt like the whole of Hogwarts was against him? More than having so many enemies that it felt like the world was crashing down upon him? More traumatic than that, is that what you mean Ronald?" she asked nearly screeching.
"Hey! Harry has put up with that kind of abuse for a long time and that's the point." Ron began. "I don't have the tuff skin he's built up. I didn't have the same defenses he had to resist that damn locket. Not to mention that I had been injured at the time from being splinched. I don't think even you could have handled the damn thing. None of our family could have." Ron announced.
"Then how was Hermione able to? Besides the moderate teasing she got from her buck teeth and being a know-it-all she didn't have that kind of resistance." Ginny asked thinking he wouldn't have an answer for it.
"It's like she said in the paper. Her cleverness made her realize what was happening and so she was able to resist the attack on her mind by knowing which feelings were truly her own and chucking the negative ones that kept floating across her mind." Ron explained.
Ginny looked at Ron with a frown. She had forgotten that.
"It's the only reason I can afford to stay here." Ron continued. "Aberforth realized that resistance is measured differently in everybody. Unfortunately nobody else sees it that way."
"He's a Dumbledore. He's just being kind." she suggested.
This time it was Ron's turn to frown. "You know instead of worrying about me you should worry about your marriage."
"My marriage is just fine, thank you." she replied in a huff.
"Not from what I've heard. What has Harry been up to since he's been staying at the leaky caldron? What was Hermione doing there in the first place? I bet they're seeing each other behind our backs." Ron suggested.
"Nice try nitwit, but I already know that Hermione was there to meet Luna. You remember Luna being there don't you? She's the one who put you in the body bind that made you fall and break your wand and arm." she replied.
Ron was miffed that he couldn't get Ginny suspicious, so he pulled out the big guns. "You know, my sources tell me he has a new bank account."
"No he doesn't Ron, stop making things up." she scoffed.
"I only know this because I overheard two different shop owners complaining about Harry's payment not going through and that Harry promised them he'd talk to the bank because his new account was giving everyone problems. What do you suppose he's doing with all that money and all that time alone? Sounds like the makings of some pretty fine parties." Ron inferred.
"Shut-up! Just because you're a horn-dog doesn't mean Harry is. He's not like that." she replied but sounded uncertain to Ron.
"Isn't he? Well, even if he isn't I know one thing. He has a new bank account. He's off your leash and he won't be coming back to you." With that Ron took his bottle and headed for the stairs to his room. "Farewell gin-gin." He said over his shoulder before he disappeared up the staircase. He knew she hated that nickname but figured if this was the last time he was going to see her he should get the last of his digs in now before the magic of the order of distance kicked in on Friday.
Ginny sat there stewing in her anger at her brother and the suspicions brought on by their conversation. When did her brother become so confident? Come to think of it, hadn't Hermione mentioned something about his confidents during the battle of Hogwarts? Or maybe it was just because he had made it with so many women at the brothels. But, he did have a point. She had let Harry run free for far too long. They need to get back under the same roof for him to get back to his husbandly duties… but first maybe she should check into this supposed second bank account.
/Scene Break/
Hogwarts library.
"This place is so freaking awesome." Dawn quietly squealed to Willow.
Willow looked over to where Hermione and Professor McGonagall looking through the stacks on the other side of the room before answering. "I know when I walked into this room and saw all the book knowing that they all contained information on magic I swear I wet myself a little."
Dawn smirked knowing Willow meant that figuratively… at lest she hoped that's what she meant. Hogwarts was truly an amazing place.
"What do you suppose made Professor McGonagall spaz-out about demons?" Dawn wondered.
"Document zero obviously. She can't come to terms with there being demons in the world unless she sees them with her own eyes the document prevents it." Willow responded.
"I thought that might be it. We should do something. They can't have their friends doubting them at a time like this." Dawn said.
"I know. We'll have to talk to them about it to see how we can help." Willow replied
"You know what it is that we'll have to do already?" Dawn wondered.
"Yeah, we'll have to arrange something when both our groups are ready." Willow said.
"Huh?" Dawn replied with confusion.
"Hermione and Harry will have to consider some of the people they want to save, at least a few of their closest friends and we'll need a few slayers for protection. Only then should we take them on a field trip to a nightlife bar to break the enchantments because I don't see the two of them saving the world all by themselves." Willow said
"Actually, both of us being newly found wand wavers makes it our world as well." Dawn replied.
Willow looked at Dawn in shock as the realization hit her. "Great now we have two worlds to save." She said with a crooked smile, happy of belonging to something so new and yet so dear to her, even if it was a bit backwards.
Just then Hermione walked over. "Are you ladies ready for a break? We've been at it for a couple of hours now."
"Umm… okay if you feel we need to." Willow replied.
"Actually it was Professor McGonagall who suggested it. Like you, I'd be at it until I had lost consciousness. But she tends to be a mother hen about overworking ourselves." Hermione said.
"Oh, okay then. She does have a point." Willow replied
Just as they left the library Hagrid caught up with them.
"There you are. I've figured I'd find you all in the library. Listen, after finding out you two didn't have a proper magical education and the fact that you've never seen magical creatures before I thought I'd put together a few of the friendlier ones that I was able to lure out of the forbidden forest fer ya. Would you like to come see?" he asked.
"Sure!" They said excitedly in unison.
"Then follow me." he replied.
As they walk out the front door of the castle Hermione whispered to them. "Hagrid's idea of friendly creatures can turn out to be violent and dangerous."
"Don't sweat it Hermione, we're demon hunters remember." Willow reminded her.
"Oh yeah I forgot. This might not be so bad then." Hermione said.
As they got to a small clearing in the forest the girl stilled in stunned awe; in the clearing stood a unicorn.
"Now unicorns only let females approach them but go slow or it'll ether run away or gore you. As long as you're slow and gentle like, you should be able to go over and pet it." Hagrid explained.
Both approached and both got to pet the beautiful fabled creature. Tears started running down both of their eye as they started to cry tears of happiness.
"Here now, what's with the tears?" Hagrid asked.
"It's just that our lives can be so cruddy at times that finding such a gentle and legendary soul among all the fangs and gore reminds us of why we do it." Dawn replied.
"Fangs and gore? Just what kind of creatures have you been around?" He asked.
"Our family hunts vampires." Willow announced, seeing that vampires were at least deemed real in the magical world.
"Yeah, they're a real problem where we come from." Dawn added.
"You mean Sunnydale or the place you're living at now." Hagrid inquired.
"Both actually, once we started we realized if we stopped many of our friends who didn't know about them could end up on the menu. So, it became our family business." Willow explained.
"Well then, I can see why this is so special to the both of ya." He said pulling out a handkerchief the size of a small table cloth and blowing his own nose.
It was another few minutes before the unicorn moved away. And Hagrid moved them to another small clearing where they found a small heard of thestrals. Dawn was appalled.
"Hagrid, how can you starve these creatures?"
"Hagrid and Hermione began chuckling."
"Dawn, I don't think it's like that." Willow announced. "I think these are the thestrals we heard about."
"Oh, you mean they normally look like that?"
"Yep, and not to worry they eat well. They eat several pounds of meat a day."
"Oh, they're carnivores?" Dawn asked.
"That's right and they're very intelligent. Because they have such a good sense of direction all you have to do is tell them where you want to go and all you have to do is hold on." Hermione explained.
"You know once you get use to them they are kind of pretty." Dawn announced as she stroked its long main.
"Only you two could say that." Hermione replied.
"Sorry, I can't show ya a hippagriff but ol buckbeak is out hunting for his own food at the moment. Not that I don't feed him it's just that some critters like to hunt for themselves occasionally." Hagrid explained.
"That's okay we understand. The need to hunt is stronger in some creatures than it is in others. We see it in some de… I mean vampires." Willow replied.
"I think we've been away long enough. If you like we can get back to our studies now." Hermione announced.
"Okay then, I'll leave you to it. I got to get back to my ground keeping duties." he said.
"Thanks for the lesson Hagrid." Willow said.
"Yeah thanks Hagrid." Dawn agreed.
"Don't mention it. I love showing students magical creatures. Goodbye ladies." He said.
"Goodbye." They said in unison.
Hagrid walked back to his hut to retrieve some tools leaving the ladies to finish admiring the thestrals before moving on. As they started to leave they heard a velvety soft male voice say. "Excuse me." The group turned to face a centaur coming from the direction of the castle.
"Firenze. It's so good to see you." Hermione greeted.
"Hello Hermione Granger, it is good to see you looking well." he greeted.
"These are some friends of mine Willow Rosenberg and Dawn Summers." Hermione said.
"Whoa, you're… you're… you're a…a centaur." Dawn finally got out.
"Yes I am. And you two are very powerful witches who have just learned of their place in this world and as foretold by the stars you are here to save as much of it as you can from the cataclysmic changes to the earths surface." Firenze replied.
"Ummm. Okay…how?" Willow said bewildered looking at Firenze. She then turned to Hermione and said "How?"
"Oh, of course centaurs are born into divination. I must admit I've never been one to believe that just anyone can do it but centaur divination is usually quite accurate, so of course they would know what's coming. You can probably tell us where the safe land will be." Hermione gathered.
"Alas, that is the one thing we are blind to. The heavens themselves have been keeping it a mystery, giving us only hints night after night. I had hoped your new friends might have that answer and help us obtain passage to the land of safety." Firenze replied.
"Oh umm…it's very nice to meet you and well we'd love to help you I guess." Willow confirmed.
"But you've got to help us save the unicorns and all the magical beasts." Dawn announced.
"Dawn!" Willow admonished.
"What? All those creatures are important. The governments of the world are already making arrangements for animals, but no one will help the magical creatures if we don't."
"Yes, I understand that but you just don't give out an ultimatum to people you just met." Willow warned.
Dawn was shock as she said. "Is that what I did? ohmygosh I did. I'm so sorry I didn't mean it to come out like that. Forget what I said. We'll help you no matter what. You don't have to do anything. We'll handle all the arrangements. I'm sure we can find and collect the magical creatures." Dawn Babbled.
"Miss Summers Please. I hadn't been asking for just the centaurs but for many of the forest dwellers. I am pleased that you have thought of the others as well." Firenze comforted.
"Oh" Dawn said in a small shy voice.
"But Firenze weren't you banned from the forest and from the other centaurs?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, and I still am because I choose to teach the way of the stars to humans in a human school. But during the war Bain was injured and now spends his days in the position of elder as he can no longer run through the forest to hunt. This allows me to approach some of the like minded centaurs who understand what is to come. Together we are secretly preparing to save as many creatures as we can without alerting Bain and his inner circle of like minded hunters." Firenze explained.
"You mean you can't go back to your people without sneaking around behind your elders back. Well, that blows. If you need any more help let us know there may be something we can do." Willow announced.
"I will keep that in mind and thank you for your concern but you should be warned the forbidden forest is off limit to humans. Only those who have special permission from the centaur council are allowed to enter. Hagrid is one such person. Anyone else would be in great danger if found." Firenze warned.
"Right. We'll try to remember that." Willow said.
"We'll have to create a schedule for transportation of the creatures you can round up when both our groups are ready and we know where the safe land is. Maybe a once a week type thing. That way it won't tax our abilities too much." Hermione said.
Dawn and Willow glanced at each other but said nothing yet.
"The idea has merit. I must go as I have a rendezvous with several centaurs. They will be relived that I have been able to make contact with you so soon. Please take care of yourselves we have already seen that both of your people will go through many types of trials and tribulations before and during the end. You may have gone through some of them already." Firenze said.
"We'll keep that in mind." Hermione replied with a little worry in her voice.
"They said goodbye to one another before Firenze left them and he moved deeper into the forest."
"Well let's get back to the library." Hermione announced and she led the way.
Dawn turned to Willow and said. "I thought you were going to tell her."
"I am. I was just waiting for the right moment. I guess this seems as good a time as any." Willow replied.
She quickly hurried to catch up with Hermione.
"Umm Hermione we actually got some news this morning about the safe land today we think you'll be interested in." Willow announced.
"Really? What is it?" Hermione asked.
"We found it." Willow said flatly.
Hermione stopped in her tracks stunned at that proclamation. "What? Why didn't you say anything till now?"
"Well, I guess I just kind of got excited when you told us you wanted to bring us here and then I didn't want to mention it in front of your friends believing you should be the one to distribute the information to them at the time of your choosing." Willow explained.
Hermione thought about that and realized that she was grateful that Willow thought ahead. The information was very sensitive. In the wrong hand it could lead to panic in the streets and Willow had no way of knowing how Firenze or Professor McGonagall would have reacted after only just meeting them today.
"How did you come by the information? Is your source reliable?" She asked.
"It was the clue from Document zero that told us where to look. Remember it said the safe spot would be were the cradle of life was? Well Giles knew of an Archaeologist that had looked for it in the past but wasn't sure if she ever found it. After doing a security check on us she told me where it was." Willow explained.
"A security check?" Hermione wondered.
"Yes, she was very protective of the cradle. She didn't want any of us to go looking for it. We owe her alot so please don't even mention the cradle to anyone in relation to where it's located." Willow relpied.
"I may not know what it truly is but by the name alone I can surmise its importance and realize that control over it in the wrong hands could perhaps destroy everything. I promise you I won't be telling anyone anything about it." Hermione said.
"Thanks, that means a lot to me." Willow replied.
"Don't you mean it means a lot to your girlfriend?" Dawn teased.
"She's not my girlfriend. It was just a one time thing. Not that I wouldn't sleep with her again if she was so inclined." Willow said smiling at Dawn.
"Hermione stopped in her tracks at this. Willow, are you telling me you're a lesbian?"
"Umm… well yes, I guess I am…telling you that is. I mean I know I'm a lesbian but I guess we hung out so much that I thought it had already come up at some point. Umm... Are you okay with it?" Willow wondered.
"Umm… no…I mean no it's never come up before now but yes It's fine with me I suppose but…" Hermione said uncomfortably.
"But?…" Willow prompted.
"Let's talk about it once we're back at the G.C." Hermione said still seemingly uncomfortable.
"Alright." Willow said warily, and looked toward Dawn who looked disappointedly towards Hermione as she could tell that she now had some kind of issue with Willow. This didn't bode well for the remainder of their visit to the wonders of Hogwarts and would remain an issue until they got an explanation.