Authors Notes: This is not a new chapter. Well, it IS, but I wrote it 3 years ago, and apparently it was never posted. I'm rereading the two HP stories IP in hopes of being inspired to finish them, but I've been in the Marvel Verse for the last couple of years. I HAVE recruited Faith in a few of them, if anyone is interested. So, here's this one to the last of my writing. It has bunnies.

Chapter Eleven

A subdued Hermione met him on the couch, and they made their way up to the Hall. It was towards the end of breakfast, and only those planning on going to London were left. Faith, Neville, and Ron were engaged in a lively debate, the wizards explaining Quidditch to the Slayer. Ron took a moment to throw a knowing look at Hermione, after looking Wesley up and down. She responded in a mature manner, sticking her tongue out at him. He grinned back at her, and returned the chaste kiss she bestowed on his cheek as she sat beside him, before returning to defending the Harpies offensive strategies.

The group managed to get a decent breakfast down, and then made their way to the Apparition wards. Faith decided to do a lap around the school before joining them, and Neville and Wesley fell behind to discuss Slayers. Ron took advantage of the opportunity to speak with his friend.

"So… that's the guy you were snogging in the halls last night."

Hermione shoved him lightly. "Voyeur. Yes, that's Wesley, and he's a nice man. So you leave off, George already threatened him, I'm sure."

"Oh, he did, and he let the rest of us know that you had a bloke in your life that might need dismembering. I don't want to have to hurt him, if you like him well enough, but you're family, Hermione. He does anything out of line, including make you cry, and you just have to snap your fingers. We'll be there with Wheeze Bangs and blood quills."

"As long as there aren't plates with kittens painted on them."

"No one deserves that."

She hugged Ron. "I missed you. You were kind of a berk the last time I saw you, but I still missed you."

Ron turned a sort of fuchsia. "I was, I admit. It took a while to get why you were so upset, you know? Once I did, I felt bad about not feeling so bad at the time. But, we were young and just out of a war. We weren't all born mature, like you."

She snorted. "I had plenty of trouble adjusting. I think me doing a runner was a good chunk of my recovery process. I didn't have to think about the war, and what we lost, until I came back. I could just use the training I got from Severus to keep going."

"From… Snape? I thought you did some extra credit potions work."

Hermione explained all the extra apprenticeship work she'd done, and watched as Ron sent it through his chess master brain.

"So you're saying he trained you as an apprentice, even though he didn't tell you outright? No wonder you were so firmly on his side. Man was bloody fanatical about his potions."

Coming up shortly on the Apparition point, Ron tugged her aside. She saw Wesley and Neville both notice, and shook her head.

"It was Harry, wasn't it?"

"What? What do you-"

"You turned me down when I asked you to go to Hogsmede with me. You said you were into someone else. It was Harry," Ron declared firmly, daring her to look away.

"Yes," she admitted. "But that's long done with. Harry and Ginny are happy. I've moved on, and I think I have a good chance at being happy with Wesley. Are you okay with that?"

Ron looked at her for a moment, perplexed. "Am I okay with the fact that my sister is happy, my other sister has finally come back home, and I'm now on friendly terms with a woman that could tear apart a dark wizard with her pinky finger? Pinch me, whole being thrilled thing must be a dream."

She did, just to spite him. As Ron was shaking his arm in fake pain, she caught him up in a hug. "I DID miss you, you prat. And I'm glad Harry and Ginny are working on things, they really are great together. The rest will have to sort itself out. But I'm glad to know you're on my side, regardless."

He stopped his theatrics, and turned her light hug into a crushing embrace, swinging her around. "You're still one of my girls, 'Mione. I'm always on your side."

"Then, can we stop with the teary confessions? I think if you make me weepy one more time, Neville might try to hex you."

"Not your suitor?"

"No, he hasn't a wand yet. That's one reason for today's trip."

Ron turned speculative eyes on the Watcher.

"No, that's not fair. We get him a wand, and some training. Then, if he does anything untoward, you and Gred can turn him into a canary."

Making their way to London, it was a surprise that all of the wizards wanted to come to Gringott's with them. It took Hermione a few minutes to figure out that they really wanted to see a slayer react to a goblin. They were let down.

"I got a vault, and I need some money, or something. Got a key."

The goblins glanced at her and nodded towards a trolley. Hermione pulled Wesley right up after. "As do we and we are acquaintances of Slayer Faith. We'd like to go with her," she said, presenting both keys.

They were seated in together, and she warned them. "You'll either love this, or hate it. But try not to kill anything."

The trolley swooped down immediately after, and before she closed her eyes, she saw the sparkle in Faith's, and heard her whoop.

They came first to the Watcher vault, and she went with Wesley to explain the conversion from galleons to pounds. He was unhappy with taking money out, and she finally pointed out the separate 'Wyndham-Pryce' section within the main vault to make him take enough out to be comfortable.

When they came to the Slayer vault, Hermione had to go ahead for Faith. The amount left for the slayer was insulting. There was a larger amount of gold than there would have been in a politicians vault. They seemed to pile the money a slayer should have gotten, if she'd survived, since the 1300's. Hundreds of Slayers, fighting and dying, and not more than a handful received Ministry assistance.

Hermione took out a goodly amount from Faith's account, and the Watcher account. Once back top, she transferred them not only into galleons, but helped set up accounts for the Watcher and Slayer in the Muggle world.

The group meandered into Diagon Alley. Ron immediately suggested a trip to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and convinced Neville and Wesley to accompany him. The women let them go with only a slight hesitation on Faiths part. Once the men had wandered off, she turned to her friend.

"I wanted to go see George, man. I ain't seen his shop yet."

"I know, and I expect that we'll end up there before the day is out. But you and I have a couple of trips we need to make without the boys along, and Gred agreed to keep them busy."

They stopped in front of a rundown looking store front.

"This is where we're going? At least Red's place was all sparkly."

"It's important, Faith. And it's the most important shop in the Alley."

Hermione disappeared inside, and Faith took a long hard look before following cautiously after her.

"Shit, man, how are we supposed to find anything in here?"

"Don't worry, Faith, I've been corresponding with Mister Ollivander for a while."

"Great. So, dark and creepy is the usual for wizard shopping. That's awesome."

"Yes, it is, so either stop whining or leave."

"Jeez, Ne, what's the prob?"

Hermione sighed. "The 'prob' is that I sent Mr Ollivander new material to work with, and I don't know if he can or has worked with them. The man is a master of his art, Faith. And he's working to help your Watcher. Please try to at least show-"

A man emerges from the back of the room. "Miss Lehane. I've been waiting. Please stand up."

"The fuck for?"

She stood on her own at the looks that were sent to her from both sides. "Fine, I'm standing. Now what? I'm a Slayer, not a damned witch, so what's the point?" She swatted at the measuring tape that flew around her.

"The point, Miss, is that you willingly gave your blood as a Slayer to be made into a wand. There was another wand made from the same wood that was used to create the wand with your blood. It was cursed, to begin with. But once the cursed souls were freed, they offered the wood from their trap to only you two. The wands can only be used if you both agree."

"I don't know what the hell that means. Care to make with the explanations?"

Hermione sighed. "The wood to make the wands was taken from an enchanted box that contained trapped souls. When I freed them, I thought it would be a fitting memorial for them to have the box made into wands. That way, whatever witch or wizard they chose could help people in a way they were never able to in life."

"Shit, Ne. That's-" Faith sat down in her chair heavily. "That's wicked deep. So, my blood and the wood from a soul snatching box are going to help people?"

"Not just any people. That's what Mister Ollivander was saying. Your blood and the ash wood will only work in combination for one wizard. They'll only work for Wesley. But the wood will work with another medium to make one more wand, and one only. And that would be for you, if you're willing to try."

Faith jumped up from her chair. "Whoa, hell no. I ain't a witch, man, and I'm way not special enough to have something like that made for me. For Wes, if my blood's good enough for his wand, he can have a gallon of it. But I'm a killer, I don't deserve something like that. I'm not- I can't- Fuck, Mione, why would you think I could do that?"

Hermione and Ollivander exchanged a long look. He then walked back to the shelves, and selected a wand. He handed it to Faith.

"Give that a swish, if you would."

Glaring, she did. Three shelves exploded, and they all barely managed to dodge the shrapnel.

"No, definitely not."

"Oh, what the fu-," Faith managed, before her mouth was covered.

"We have a reason for it, Faith. Please, just give it a chance."

Rolling her eyes, Faith removed Hermione's hand from her mouth. "You know, I must like you. Normally I'd just lick your hand."

"Wonder how Neville would take that."

Faith snorted. "Nev's a sweetie, but a Faith/Hermione sandwich would give him heart failure. That's IF I could persuade my Watcher to share you."

"I think a Faith/Neville sandwich will give him heart failure, but at least he'll go happily."

"Fuck, I hope not. I got ideas. Speaking of, though, have you and the Watcher gotten down to the dirty yet?"

The blush that stole across Hermione's face said something. Faith couldn't quite tell what, though.

"Wesley and I have been… interrupted, quite a few times with some complicated issues. Like Slayers banging on the door at fuck-o-clock in the morning."

"So, I can't swear and you can?"

"I never said you couldn't. I just don't want you shouting expletives at an eighty four year old man."

As if summoned, the wizard returned with another wand to test. It sent a spark that ricocheted around the room until it smacked into the front counter. The top of the counter turned into a meadow, and from nowhere a bunny hopped up to nibble on the clover.

"Better, but not right," Ollivander said, as he slid away.

The two women spent a minute or two petting the bunny. Neither looked at the other.

"He's doing this on purpose, ain't he?"

"I think he is. I gave him the material a while ago. Either he's being dramatic, or he realizes that we have to talk."

"Okay," Faith said, turning from the table to face her friend. "Short version of the shovel speech. If you hurt him, I will kill you."

"Shorter version. Ditto."

They looked at each other for a moment. Hermione broke the silence. "The opposite works as well, you know. If he hurts you, I'll bury him."

Faith rolled her eyes and sniggered. "Thank god, I didn't want to start threatening Wes THIS early. And we can do that girly crap where we get toasted and talk shit about our idiot dudes, right?"

"Of course. But, do me a favor. Say Muffliato."

"Why"

"Because I asked."

When repeated, the charm didn't work, but there was a slight shimmer evident.

"Oh, Faith." Hermione shook her head.

"What? What'd I do wrong now?"

"The same thing you always do. You underestimate yourself. You are so strong, and you don't even see it."

"I got mad strongs, man. I can bench-"

"No, Faith. That's not what I mean. Sir, stop flitting about."

Ollivander materialized almost instantly. "So it is time."

"It is. Faith, the boys will be meeting us soon. Wes has to try his wand, to see if it works for him. I think you should try this last one."

"They just make things explode. I don't wanna blow anything else up."

"This one might be different. Please, just try."

Faith frowned, rolled her eyes, and grabbed the wand. No one expected the result.

There was an explosion. It focused on Faith, rent outward, and then snapped back into place around the slayer. She stood, panting, staring at the bit of wood in her hand. Her eyes eventually sought Hermione's.

"Faith. Concentrate on something happy. And say "Expecto Patronum."

The Slayer didn't hesitate. At her recitation, a blindingly bright unicorn appeared from the wand. It reared its head proudly, and then turned and nuzzled Faith's cheek.

The Patronus then pranced around the room as much as it was able, snorting at Ollivander and nosing Hermione. It then dissipated in a burst of silver cloud.

All three were left speechless. Faith dropped the wand on the counter. Ollivander stared at the spot the Patronus had dissipated. Hermione stumbled back into a chair.

"Holy shit."

Faith turned and stared at her, before sidling back and collapsing in a chair next to her.

"What the hell was that?"

"I don't know exactly, darling, but I think that was your wand choosing you. And you being the most powerful thing I've ever seen. Do you think, if you asked it, your wand would come to you from here?"

Raising her head, Faith looked at her wand. She tilted her head to the side. Then she started to hold up her hand.

Her wand was in front of her before she finished. When she took it in hand, it felt more comfortable than a stake. It was hers. And it knew that as well as she did.

"Give me another one. One of those easy things that won't blow crap up."

"Try 'Reparo'."

"Seriously?"

"It can't hurt."

"But it's called 'Reparo'? Like, there's nothing witchier to fix shit?"

With her fingers at her temples, Hermione replied. "I need to help gauge your wand, and Wesley's, and take you clothes shopping. And whatever the idiots decide is necessary for themselves and you and Wes. I had about two hours sleep-"

"On my Watcher."

"-And I grew up away from this world, just like you. Believe me, there are some ridiculous things in it. Please, just try."

Faith looked at her wand for a long minute. She then uttered the spell. Every broken item in the shop immediately returned to its best condition. The front windows gleamed, the shelves straightened themselves, and the floors were immaculate. The bunnies on the counter looked uninterested.

With wide eyes, Hermione looked around the store. Mister Ollivander was speechless. Even the boxes of wands had been straightened. She stood, wandered to the front counter, and picked up a bunny.

"Son of a bitch."