Xander was bone tired and had a number of scratches and bites as he stumbled out of the zoo. "The lions actually were the easiest part," he muttered.

"They're just cats," Horse said, "and cats are pretty easy to deal with as long as you don't look like prey."

"What was I supposed to learn from all of this?" Xander asked.

"Are you saying you didn't learn anything?" Horse asked with a grin.

"No, I'm just making sure I learned the right thing," Xander said as they walked across the nearly empty parking lot. "Generally there is supposed to be some big lesson all the small lessons are supposed to be tied together with."

Horse lit up a hand rolled cigarette and took a drag before saying, "I think that only applies to Saturday morning cartoons, real life is a bit messier."

An owl hooted as it swooped towards them and Xander instinctively held out his arm for it to land on.

"This is new," Xander said as the owl extended a leg with a roll of vellum attached. He untied it and the owl nodded once before launching itself into the early evening air and flying off.

"Wizards like to use owls to deliver mail," Horse replied, "I favor turtles myself."

"Turtles?" Xander asked as he unrolled the parchment and found it was a letter addressed to him with a set of keys attached. "Wouldn't that take forever?"

"If it's important you go in person," Horse waved it off. "You only send letters when there's no real rush."

"I suppose that works," Xander said absently as he read. "Huh, they actually bought me a house."

"I believe that was part of the deal they offered," Horse pointed out. "Not used to people keeping their word?"

"Not as much as I'd like and rarely when they were in positions of authority," Xander replied. "The address looks familiar."

"Considering it's your home town I think it'd be stranger if it wasn't," Horse offered with a grin.

"I mean I think I know this address as in I've been there, though I can't remember why," Xander explained, rolling his eyes.

Horse nodded and walked around to the passenger side of Xander's car. "Well, let's go take a look."

"What about your bike?"

Horse whistled and his motorcycle shifted into a large black steel and chrome horse. "Go graze, I'll be back later."

The horse whinnied and dashed off, his hooves striking sparks off the cement as he ran.

"Awesome, but kinda hard on the surroundings," Xander said, noting the hoofprints left behind.

"Being awesome usually is hard on your surrounding," Horse said pointedly.

Xander considered that. "I can't tell if you're trying to teach me something or it's just an excuse and you're feeding me bull."

"Good question," Horse said with a grin, "think on it and let me know what you decide."

Xander sighed and mentally cursed Giles once more before they got in the car and drove off. The house was only a couple of miles away and Xander instantly recognized it as they pulled into the driveway.

"This is Ted's old house," Xander said while grabbing his duffel bag from the back seat.

"Eaten by vampires?" Horse guessed as he looked the place over, finding it looked like it was taken from Suburban Life Monthly.

"No, my friend Buffy killed him," Xander replied. "He was a robot," he quickly added before his teacher could get the wrong idea.

"She killed him because he wasn't human?" Horse asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, she killed him because he was a serial killer who drugged everyone around him," Xander explained.

Horse nodded and followed Xander inside. "Looks like the living room from Happy Days if they updated the appliances," he said.

"Ted didn't change with the times," Xander said as he tossed his duffel bag on the bed in Ted's room and poked around the place.

"Unless it was electronics," Horse noted. "Wonder where his workshop was."

"Probably the garage," Xander guessed.

*Ding Dong*

"Door," Horse called out as he closed the bathroom door.

Xander answered the front door and found Tara standing there looking like she'd been through a house fire. "Tara!" he exclaimed, pulling her inside and checking her over, wincing at the blisters. "Let's get you fixed up."

Tara didn't have time to say anything before Xander had her in the master bathroom and was running a cold shower while he searched for a first aid kit, finding one under the sink that he set on the bathroom counter.

"What happened to you?" she asked as she took in his own battered appearance.

Xander sighed. "Nature training," he replied. "It's a bit rough, but I'm fine. What happened to you?"

"Dance lessons," Tara said, "very demanding dance lessons."

Xander just stared, trying to figure out what kind of dance training resulted in singed hair and blisters. "Disco inferno?"

Tara burst out laughing.

"You wash up, I'll see what I have that you can wear," he told her.

Tara grabbed his hand. "Wash my back?" she asked, knowing they both looked like they could use a shower and not wanting to let him out of her sight in case that witch was still around and made good on her threats towards him.

"Sure," Xander agreed.

After a quick shower and some bandaging…

Xander handed Tara one of his spare flannel shirts to wear before letting out a loud yawn and Tara copying him not a moment later. "It's eight o'clock and I'm already contemplating bed," he said in disbelief.

"Bed sounds good," Tara said pulling back the covers.

"We've got a spare room, though I don't recall if the bed is made," Xander offered, not wanting her to feel obligated to sleep with him.

"This bed is closer," Tara said climbing in and pulling him after her.

"It is," he agreed as she snuggled into his chest. After a few moments he relaxed, realizing she just wanted to sleep, which, while disappointing, was also a relief because he was exhausted. "Night Tara," he said and received a slight snore in reply that made him smile before he drifted off himself.

0o0o0o0o0o

"Do you think he'll allow you to go to Hogwarts or will he make you go to school in the states?" Ron asked, skipping a rock across the pond.

"I don't know," Harry said, suddenly worried. "I hope I don't have to change schools, Hogwarts is the best school in the world, everyone knows that."

Ron skipped another rock. "Guess we won't know until we meet him."

There was a loud crack as someone apparated in.

"Ginny's probably back," Ron said, trying to hide his concern.

Harry may have saved Ginny's life down in the Chamber of Secrets but she hadn't gotten away completely unscathed. She tired easily and had trouble sleeping, so Dumbledore had arranged for her to see a couple of specialists to help her recover.

Harry stood up and brushed off his pants. "Let's go see how it went and if there's any new information on my cousin."

Ron skipped one last rock before following Harry back to the house.

"- the mediwitch says she's well on her way to a full recovery," they heard Dumbledore assured Molly over a cup of tea.

"And the mind healer?" Molly asked hopefully.

Dumbledore shook his head and sighed. "They've given her a complete work up and found nothing, but while she's completely free of external influences it'll take her time to recover from what she's experienced. I'm afraid the only cure for that is family and time."

"Something we have in abundance," Molly said with a smile.

Dumbledore began to smile as he considered that. "Indeed you do."

"How are things going with Harry's guardianship?" Molly asked, pretending not to see the two boys listening at the door to the kitchen.

"As well as can be expected," the elder wizard said stroking his beard. "I can find no legal way to contest Harris' authority in this matter and a meeting has been arranged for later in the week. I'd like to hold it here after the hearing, if it wouldn't be too much trouble."

"Not at all, as we've said we'd like to meet the young man," Molly reminded him. "So the hearing is just a formality at this point?"

"I'm afraid so," Dumbledore said, "but I'm hoping to convince him that Hogwarts is the best place for Harry to learn magic, even if the commute is a bit of a distance."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Molly said, "there's no better place to learn magic than Hogwarts and I doubt he'd want to pull him away from his friends. Perhaps we should invite Hermione over so he can see them all together."

"That sounds like a marvelous idea," Dumbledore said. He turned to the two boys who had been listening quietly. "I hope I've answered all your questions as well," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Mostly, Headmaster," Harry said, happy that it not only looked like he'd never see the Dursleys again, but they had a plan to convince his cousin to let him stay at Hogwarts as well.

"Only mostly, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"I was wondering if you could leave your pensieve so I could show Alexander some of my memories of Hogwarts, to show him how great it is," Harry explained.

Dumbledore nodded. "That seems like a fine idea, my boy," he said with a smile. He stood up. "Molly, thank you for the tea, but I really must be going."

Molly stood up and saw him to the door. "It was a pleasure to have you, stop by any time."

"Let's go check on Ginny," Harry said.

"She's probably taking a nap," Ron warned, but followed him anyway.

0o0o0o0o0o

Xander and Tara stirred the movement of each waking the other.

"Morning," Xander said smiling at the woman in his arms.

"Morning," Tara replied, snuggled to his chest. They lay there quietly enjoying the moment before Tara asked, "I was kidnapped by a witch and taught to channel magic on the fly, how about you?"

"I was taken by the old fart to learn about all the animals in the zoo at tongue's length," Xander said. "I wasn't forced, but apparently I have to learn all of this so I can protect my orphaned cousin."

"Why do you need to protect your cousin?" Tara asked, curiously.

"The short story is, I just found out about him, I was told his parents were killed when he was a baby and people are basically setting him up to be killed for some reason," Xander said while running a hand through her hair and stroking her back.

"That's terrible, how could anyone plan on murdering a child?" Tara questioned, horrified at the idea, but enjoying his ministrations.

"I don't know, but the American Ministry of Magic is working with me to get custody of him, they got the old fart to teach me for some reason," Xander explained.

"I wonder how I'm involved then," Tara said.

"No idea, but I can't say I don't like having you around," Xander said giving her a squeeze.

Tara blushed and gave him a squeeze in return.

"How about I make us some breakfast and then we ask Horse how you're involved?" Xander asked.

"I'd like that," Tara said, surprised he'd volunteered to cook. She made no move to let go of him however as she laid there enjoying the warmth.

"I stocked the fridge, so we've got everything you need to make pancakes and eggs," Horse offered, sitting on a chair at the foot of the bed smoking a cigarette.

The two turned to stare at him.

"I'll just go turn on the stove," Horse said before taking a long drag off his cigarette and vanishing in a puff of smoke once more.

"That's not nearly as impressive a second time," Xander said.

"Yes it is," Tara disagreed.

"I know," Xander admitted with a sigh, "I'm just annoyed, we were having a moment there."

"Still are," Tara decided squeezing him.

Xander grinned and enjoyed the moment. "Does this moment include a kiss?" he asked.

"After we brush our teeth," Tara said, reluctantly letting him go so they could get up.

As they got up Xander remembered what had happened to her dress. "We need to get you some clothes."

"I have money set aside for that," Tara said, "I was planning on hitting some thrift stores."

"Same as me," Xander said, "the price they want for new clothes is ridiculous. We can handle that after we've got some food in us."

The two washed up and got dressed, Tara borrowing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, before heading for the kitchen only to find Horse already had everything laid out.

"You were taking too long so I did it myself," the old man said, eating a couple of pancakes and drinking a glass of milk.

"It's been what? Three minutes?" Xander asked in disbelief. "There's no way you made all this in three minutes."

"You just have to learn to use your time wisely," Horse said as they loaded up their plates.

Xander ignored that. "Any idea why some witch is training Tara against her will?"

"You don't want training?" Horse asked Tara sounding surprised.

"I… don't mind training, but I'm not sure having fireballs thrown at me while being told I need to move my hips more is really all that productive."

"Did you learn?" Horse asked with a grin.

"Yes," Tara grudgingly admitted.

"You get free food, bed, and board while training," Horse said, "and the training itself is something money can't buy."

"But… why am I getting training?" Tara asked.

Horse shrugged. "When I first saw you and voiced the thought of getting you some training Red decided that training you would pay off an old debt to me."

"How do I get her to stop?" Tara asked.

"Make me," the young Indonesian woman challenged, causing Xander and Tara to jump as she'd apparently been sitting at the table the entire time and they just hadn't noticed.

"How?" Tara demanded.

"By force of course," she replied with an evil grin.

"I don't think I know any spells powerful enough to force you to stop," Tara admitted.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you," she promised before snapping her fingers and vanishing in a burst of flames with Tara.

Typing by: fyrewolf5

TN: Of course the English Magicals would say their school is the best in the world, but I want some proof, they're ruled by isolationists who disdain and look down on non magicals, and think anyone who isn't magical is basically a trained monkey, kinda clever at best, but in the grand scheme of things pretty much worthless.

AN: Yep!