Xander sat in the Library of the Sanctum Sanctorum, staring at the books on the shelves, which included the now blank book that the transformation spell had temporarily made real. He'd opted not to tell Giles about this place, he knew Giles would tell his bosses, the Watchers Council, that the vampires had accidentally been wiped out and how and if he knew about this place, he'd probably tell them about it too. And Xander wasn't sure they could be trusted with the knowledge of what this place really was and what it contained.

The Sanctum could grow and change, it housed one of the largest collections of magical knowledge and artifacts ever. Artifacts that earlier tonight existed only in comics, but now were real. Their Magic now was as real as the Magic of the real world and consequently both priceless and dangerous.

Could the Watchers Council be trusted? Right now Xander wasn't sure Giles could be trusted. What exactly was the Watchers Council's relationship with the Slayer and by what authority did they 'guide' them?

On the surface Giles looked like a good person, but he insisted on secrecy for Buffy's status as the Slayer. So yeah, the general public didn't need to know, but her mother? How did Giles justify keeping Buffy's status, not to mention his relationship with Buffy, such as it was, from her?

And why had he allowed Angel to hang around Buffy? Both Angel's circumstances, unverified circumstances until tonight, as well as the age he appeared to be, made letting him hang around wrong on so many levels. All of which should have been ringing alarm bells with Giles, so why hadn't they? Especially after the fiasco with the Pergamon Codex, something Angel just happened to know the location of? Everything about both Angel and his actions screamed 'untrustworthy!' So why trust him?

Another thought occured to him, Dr. Strange had cast several protection spells on the Sanctum, had the transformation spell brought those into being too? Only one way to find out. Xander looked at the Eye of Agamotto and activated it. "Still works! Yes, I can levitate and I can see Magic!"

After realizing the protections were in place 'Holy crap, that's a boatload of Magic. No wonder Ethan burned out channeling it!" Remembering Giles' explaination of what and who, he and Willow had found at the costume shop. After studying the protections spells in place he added one of his own that he remembered reading in one of Dr. Strange's comics.

'Satannish, Watoomb and Raggadorr

Ikonn, the Seraphim and Cyttorak

Agamotto, Oshtur and Muniporr

Hoggoth, the Faltine, Valtorr and Denak!'

'Those whom I named plus others I've omitted,

those who threaten my cherished liberty

hark to this irrevocable decree:

such enslavement will not be permitted!

Your claims on my person I now reject

all demands of servitude I must deny,

for your wisdom and might I've the utmost respect,

but the price for its use is far too high!

Better the path I walk be mine alone

hear now these words: Let my fate be my own!'

The Enchantment of Emancipation, to make and keep himself free. 'Wonder if it includes legal emancipation too?' He thought, because he had no intention of ever going back to that house with Tony and Jessica Harris in it. This was his home now. The knowledge currently in his head was slipping away, but with all this knowledge available to him, he could and would learn it all for himself. He sighed and went to find a bedroom in his new home to sleep in.

In his apartment Angel stared at his reflection in the window. For the first time in centuries, he had a reflection. He'd told Rupert Giles when they'd been dealing with the invisible girl, that having no reflection was an overrated pleasure. He had a reflection. He also had no strength, well not in comparison to what he'd had as a vampire. His stomach growled and he realized he needed to eat. But eat what? He had some money, he used it to buy blood, which he no longer needed. The only place open at this time of night was Willy's Bar and that was not a good place for a former vampire turned human, someone the local demons knew had helped the Slayer a time or two. Shopping would have to wait until morning. He sighed and went to bed.

Rupert Giles sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. Explaining Ethan Rayne's transformation spell and its results to the Watchers Council had not been easy, they hadn't wanted to believe a boy turned into a costumed superhero had somehow managed to cast a spell that wiped out all the vampires and really, who could blame them? With one act the purpose of the Watchers Council almost ceased to be. Of what use was a Vampire Slayer when there were no vampires for her to fight? And what about all the Potentials, was there any purpose for them anymore? Would another Slayer even be Called when the current one died? These and other questions were currently being debated by the Watchers Council. With another sigh of his own, Rupert Giles went to bed.

Buffy lay staring at her ceiling, her sister had been afraid tonight. Knowing that upset Buffy, she remembered the day her parents brought Dawn home and the first time she'd held her, she asked if she could look after her sometimes and she'd vowed to protect her, the way a big sister should. Dawn knew she had secrets and Dawn thought those secrets were part of why she was afraid. Was she right? Were Buffy's secrets endangering her, rather than protecting her? She sighed and tried to get some sleep, it was a restless night.

For all of them.