Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter is not mine and never will be, but the OC's are and so is the plot concept. I do not own any Buffy stuff either, cause if I did I wouldn't have ended it at season 7.
Notes: A crossover between BtVS & HP. Just an idea that has been pressing on my brain for what seems like forever. This story actually started out as a plain old HP fic, but when the idea to bring in the Buffy cast jumped into my head I couldn't resist. This fic takes place at the beginning of season 7, right after Willow was about to destroy the world. As for the HP time span, this takes place as though they were in their 7th year just to make things run smoothly plot wise. I apologize beforehand for any OOC scenes, and please feel free to critique and comment. I understand that many of you might not understand the story because you don't watch Buffy, but I do suggest you read the fic anyway. I will try my best to answer all sketchy areas, and if you would like to know more about the plot line please feel free to email me at .
Quick Summary: He was tired of living his life for his father, and when the opportunity became available he formed new loyalties. Now he must battle his seventh year and his father, but if that wasn't hard enough he must now battle his dreams. He must battle his future. She was tired of feeling like a void after the destruction she caused. Her punishment was to attend proper training in the most prestigious wizarding school known. Yet the dark power that coursed through her veins continued to resurface; beckoning her to join them. What happens when these two worlds collide? And what happens when the Slayer has no control over the outcome? In one world everything has depended on the Slayer, and in the other everything has always depended on the boy-who-lived. What happens when the future of the world resides in two people who are trying to redeem their ties to dark power? A story of friends, foes and fiascos.
Chapter 7 First Encounters
"I can't believe you're really here!" Willow's hand was entwined with Buffy's as the group of them were escorted through the corridors by Professor Dumbledore.
Breakfast had ended with a loud applause by the students, and after many of them introduced themselves to Buffy and the lot Dumbledore insisted they settle into their rooms for a few hours before they began their classes. Buffy was instructed that she'd be teaching years fourth and higher, and her first class would be this afternoon with the seventh years. Though she had personally hated all those years spent in Sunnydale High she was actually looking forward to teaching the little twerps a couple of fighting moves.
"Believe me, I cant even believe I'm here. It's like a land of mini Giles…" She cringed as they moved by a group of second years. " Mostly though we came cause Dumblie said it would help your transition…plus I hear there are some killer things out in the forest." Buffy grinned.
"Here we are everyone." Dumbledore stood in front of a large portrait. "When you want to go inside all you need to do is say 'Hellmouth'" He chuckled. " and the portrait will open."
"Um- question…." Xander moved his eyes to the various paintings around them. "Do uh well do these paintings always move?" He pointed to one in particular where a centaur galloped quickly back and forth across the canvas.
"Nothing here is what it seems Mr. Harris. I'd advise you to spend a little time with the young Ms. Summers. She'll be able to tell you a lot about this new world you have stepped into." Ushering the group of them inside Dumbledore flicked his hands towards the fireplace and ignited the wood. "Now, please settle in. I have left you all itineraries for the day. There are enough bedrooms for each of you, and I have personally set up a dungeon room for Spike if we should ever find him."
"Spike is here?" Willow quirked her eyebrow towards Buffy.
Rolling her eyes Buffy moved across to the large brown couch that rested in front of the fire. "Unfortunately. God he's been acting so weird lately, and I mean weirder than the usual Spike weirdness…"
"Albus…" Giles piped up as the girls continued to catch up on gossip. He caught wind of Willow explaining the recent events with her friends and Giles smiled. " I was wondering Albus is you'd be so kind as to show me where the library is now. I'd like to have a word with Madam Pince and hopefully catch up on some reading."
"Not a problem Rupert." Dumbledore gave a slight nod to the girls before slipping out the door with Giles.
"Now that the old guys are gone and Dawn is off in class lets really get down to business." Xander kicked off his shoes and reached for the parchment itineraries that Dumbledore had left for them. "Oh great merciful Zeus…it's my first day and I'm already late."
"What ya mean?" Buffy peered over the back of the couch and watched as Xander slipped his shoes back on in a hurry.
"I mean I'm supposed to be assisting the potions class now. I didn't know they had classes right after breakfast!" Grabbing his new robe, Xander gave the girls a wave before high tailing it out of the room.
"Well now that we're really alone we can really talk." Buffy leaned back and scooted over slightly to give Willow some room. "So getting back to things…you were friends with Harry but also friends with this Dragon kid?"
"Draco, Buffy…and yeah like I was saying Draco and I have sort of found this unique bond between us?"
"How unique is this bond?" Buffy ached her eyebrow as a smile curled to her lips.
"Oh nothing like that." Willow chuckled. " Gay remember.." She raised her hand as though admitting it to a group of strange people.
Buffy laughed. " Yeah I remember. So Will, all this stuff has been happening and you felt the need to hide it from me?"
Willow stood from the couch and began wringing her hands ever so slightly. She had wanted to keep Buffy and the others from worrying. She had wanted to pull through this on her own but all she had done was make it worse from the start. Pacing the room slowly Willow reached for the itinerary for Buffy and read it silently. Avoiding the questioning of her best friend was a rotten thing to do, but she just couldn't fess up to her problems.
"I know your avoiding it Will. Oh come on…" Buffy jumped from the couch and began pacing behind the red head. "Just tell me why you wanted to hide it all. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm tainted Buffy, ok. Is this what you want to hear?" Willow halted in her steps, her hands shaking with a mixture of anger and depression.
"What do you mean?"
"You all think I can come in here and learn to control what's inside of me. You all think its so bloody easy for me to become good old reserved bookworm Willow again. You tell me, and you tell me, and I cant stand to think about how awful I really am. I'm a murderer, a fake and a phony. People have placed their children in this school because it's safe but they don't know a murder eats breakfast, lunch and dinner with them! " The tears were rolling heavily down her cheeks and Buffy reached up to wipe them away. " I tried to be good Buffy…I did. I tried so hard but all I want is Tara back, and I'm so weak. He keeps telling me he can help me…in my dreams he tells me and each night I fight harder and harder to turn away. You wanted me to survive this and come back to you as the Willow I used to be, but I cant Buffy. That Willow is dead, and she can't be resurrected. All I can do is pray that I can pull through this hell."
"Willow." Buffy's voice was low. "Who tells you he can help you? Who has been visiting you in your sleep."
Willows body continued to tremble. "He does…the man in the black cloak."
Buffy ran her hand over her face. "Willow I've been having strange dreams too. I mean, really strange dreams. " Her mind settled upon the unnerving words the mysterious man had said in her dream. He is coming for her. He will take her, and when the time is right he will kill her. You will be needed to protect. Your greatest test will arise soon Buffy. Your greatest success and your greatest failure…"
"Look Buffy I don't think your dreams can compare to the ones I've been having." Willow wiped at her eyes again.
"I've been dreaming about this man. He, well he usually just tells me that he's missed me, and stupid silly stuff like that but recently…" She took a breath. "Will, recently he has been telling me that someone will take her. Someone I need to protect will be taken and it will prove to be my greatest success and my greatest failure. I dream about this guy all the time and he always warns me. Will…I thought he was talking about Dawn for the longest time and now. Will I think he was talking about you. I think the reason I'm here is to help you." Willow choked on her sobs. "Will you don't have to go through any of this alone any longer. We're all here, Xander and Dawnie…Giles is up in the library. Will, your fight is now our fight….you wont have to do any of this alone." Grasping her friend by the shoulders Buffy took Willow in her arms and squeezed. "No more scary aloneness…"
"But Buffy what if you can't protect me? What if these things we have been dreaming about are one of your slayer visions? If your greatest success will also be your greatest failure…oh Buffy I just don't know anymore." Shoving her hands into the pockets of her robe she sighed. "Everything was so much easier before I started magic. Maybe…maybe I was stupid from the beginning."
Buffy shook her head, "No. You're not stupid, Will. A little down right now, but definitely not of the stupid realm. You are the brightest person I know and even Dumblie knows that. He said you were doing well here. He said your teachers have been praising you-"
"Except for Snape." Willow cut her off.
"Come again?" Buffy questioned.
"Snape, the Potions Professor. Blasted man hates my guts cause Im in Gryffindor. He has given me hell since my first day here." She kicked at the floor with her toe.
"Well then it looks like I'll be paying a little visit to the man." Buffy grinned, stretching her arms up over her head. "Hey Will…"
"Yeah?" Willow tore her eyes from the clock, realizing she needed to get to Herbology.
"Since we've both been having these strange dreams I think we should revert to old times. Ya know, shack up with Giles in the library and do some old school research." she grabbed her itinerary and smiled. "It would definitely help us out and totally make us feel more at home. What ya say?"
Willow closed her eyes and imagined. She recalled all those nights spent researching hell beasties and apocalypses. Those nights, though horrid at the time, were memories of the way things were. They way life had been before she had committed murder, and before she was shipped off to study magic. They were the best of times and the worst of times and all together the reminded her of a place she longed to be again.
"Sounds like a plan to me." And for those few fleeting moments alone with Buffy, Willow felt like the high school nerd she had once been.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooSpike skulked through the castle dungeons with a sneer. In one breath he had agreed to attend this journey just to stay close to Buffy, in another he had done it to ease his mind of the ordeals that had recently past. He had loved her truly and unconditionally. It was the reason he went out and did exactly what he did in the first place. Now, his mind was beginning to regret that decision. All the pain and torment he had caused surged like lightening through his newly found soul and he cursed himself to hell. It was like the sunlight beat heavily upon him but as he gasped for air the sun didn't kill him….only burden him further with the pain.
It sucked.
He had wanted to tell her the night she came and found him in his crypt. He had every intention of spilling his heart out to her, apologizing for his actions, but he had caught himself. He had always thrived off peoples fear of him, and now he was fearful of what they thought. Like a vulnerable child he was caught in the chaos of walking the earth as a souled vamp and the only thing that would ease him would be taking her in his arms and having her again.
Pathetic.
The corridors down in the dungeons were cold and lonely. Spike actually found himself enjoying the feeling. He was cold and alone, and didn't need to bother explaining himself to anyone. Still the emotions inside of him ate at his flesh and made him itch for some activity. A fight of sorts. Any fight would do really though he doubted he would find one in a bloody schoolhouse.
"How the hell did she talk me into this?" He murmured, reaching into the pocket of his leather jacket and withdrawing a cigarette. Lighting the end he took a puff before settling his body against the wall.
"Smoking in here is illegal according to the Hogwarts rule. Plus it takes about ten years off your life." A girls voice came from the shadows and Spike cocked his head in the direction.
"Oh and who are you, some bleeding school marshal?" He took another drag and blew the smoke in her direction.
"Actually, yes I am." Hermione appeared in front of him, her arms folded firmly across her chest. "And if I'm not mistaken you are definitely not a student." Drawing her wand from her pocket she advanced on him. "There has been a lot of commotion here lately so tell me who you are and your business here before I call the Professors."
"Bloody hell." He flicked the cigarette against the wall and threw his hands in the air in mock surrender. "You can put the stick away little girl…I came in with the American lot this morning. I'm just keeping low profile is all."
"If you came with Buffy and her friends than why arent you with them now, and why do you sound British?" She took another step towards him, her wand firmly held in her hand.
"Because I didn't want to be seen with them you nosey twit." He scowled. " Interrogating me like a female Giles…who the hell are you?"
"Hermione Granger, Head Girl of the school, and you are?" She had yet to lower her wand.
"Put the stick down and I'll make nice."
For a moment she contemplated placing it away, but the look in his eyes had given off the aura of a neutered cat. He seemed perfectly harmless. "Its down, now tell me."
"Don't give up do you?" He stepped away from the wall. "Spike…"
"Spike what?" She tossed him a confused look.
"Oh you lot are bloody brilliant." He shook his head and pushed past her. "Spike, William the Bloody, The Big Bad….those names strike a bell?"
"Should they?"
"Argh!" He groaned in frustration. "I hate her! I hate her for bringing me here. I hate her for giving me this…" He pointed to his heart.
"Are you all right?" In her head she had confirmed that this bloke was crazy.
"No I'm not all right. I wont be until I can find a way to get rid of all this…" He grabbed at his head and sneered. "Damn!" Taking off down the corridor Hermione scratched her head.
" What a loon."
"I heard that you bushy haired pain in the arse." His voice echoed down the corridor.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"So sorry, so sorry…" Xander flew into the Potions classroom and up to the front of the room. "Dumbledore didn't tell me class was right after breakfast so I wasn't-"
"Well we will owe him a personal thanks since you have now disrupted my class." Snape drawled, his eyes steadily observing Xander. " Class this is Mr. Harris. He will no doubt be nothing but a bother in this classroom so please just make due with his presence and continue with your work."
Xander frowned. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" For the five seconds he had been in the room he could already taste the hatred in his mouth.
"It means you will do as I tell you and keep quiet. " He arched his eyebrow waiting for Xander challenge, but when he took a seat Snape continued. "Now as I was saying, the Revealing Draught is not too difficult to make so I would like to think a few of you wont receive failing grades. We will brew the potions and then towards the end of class we will cover you with a sheet. You will take the potion and if your name appears above your head then your potion was brewed correctly. If something else should happen, well I will deal with that accordingly. Pair off with the person next to you and begin. All materials are at the front of the room." Turning briskly Snape moved towards his large chair and took a seat.
"Well he certainly is a grouchy one." Dawn whispered to Terence, the Hufflepuff who told Hannah he'd show her around.
"That's Snape. Here…I'll go get the stuff." Terence slipped from his chair and followed a few other students towards the front of the room.
"So how goes it Dawnie?" Xander had taken the liberty of moving about the room and learning the students names. So far he only remembered a kid names Millard, mostly cause his name was ridiculous, and Luna, another weirdo name. The class seemed to be made up of sixth year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs and Xander wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He hadn't quite figured out this whole house jumbo yet.
"Oh things are great! Xander this is so exciting! I mean I'm finally learning real magic, and look…" She pulled out her wand. " Lumos." A light flickered at the tip. "I already know how to do things!"
"Excuse me Ms. Summers but I believe we are focusing on Potions not first year Charms work." Snape had appeared beside Xander.
"Oh Sorry sir, I was only showing…"
"You know I bit my tongue when Dumbledore suggested we teach your lot. I had every right to turn down his request but I didn't." He sneered, his greasy hair falling into his eyes. "Tell me Ms. Summers, how do you finish a Headache potion?"
"With munkroot of course." Dawn replied calmly.
His eyes narrowed. "And the Draught of Sleep, what is the key ingredient?"
"Diced flobberworm." She didn't miss a beat.
"And what about a acolate? What does it do?" His voice had climbed to a level that caused Xander to cringe.
"It- it's a a powder like substance found when scraping the scales of a salamander. It will extract the poison from various bites including spiders, Hilya plants and Doxies." Dawn grinned.
"Ten points from from…ten points from Hufflepuff since it seems as though Ms. Summers has taken to that house."
"That's not fair sir!" Terence cried as he placed the ingredients on the table.
"I think it is perfectly fair." Snape glared down at Dawn. "It's the price paid for being an insufferable know it all. Perhaps you'd be better off paling around with Ms. Granger."
"You cant just take house points away from her for knowing the right answer!" Xander stepped in front of Snape so he was cornered between his body and the table. "Besides she isn't even sorted into a house, you cant just pick and choose." Turning to Dawn Xander winked. "Ten points to Hufflepuff since Dawn knew all the answers…and she's super cute, and available to all you fine young men out there."
Dropping her head down on the table Dawn groaned.
"You do not have the authority to waltz in here and distribute house points!" Snape advanced on Xander.
"Oh yeah, well tell that to Dumblie. He said I have the right to issue all things that you Professors issue…including detention, house points and the occasional slide of homework, which all of you will get to witness tonight. There wont be any homework due for next class."
"This- this " Snape threw his eyes around the classroom. All students had stopped brewing their potions and settled back to watch the fireworks. "What are you all staring at, get back to work! These potions will be perfect and completed by the time class has ended." He tossed a final glare towards Xander and Dawn before leaving the classroom.
"Guess that means I'm in charge kiddos. Now complete the potion and don't worry about testing it. Vial it up and place it in the bin that Snapey has so graciously supplied us, then your free to go." He grinned and continued his rounds among the students.
"That was brilliant Dawn." Terence chuckled and began chopping up the Japanese beetles. "And your friend is wicked! I can't believe he just stepped above Snape! Brilliant!"
Dawn grinned, grabbing some sage and a knife, " You think Xander's cool….wait till you meet my sister."
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Buffy stood at the front of the classroom with her arms folded over her chest. The students had been given a brief break from their first lecture before heading over to the second half of their defense class. The room was bare except a few cushions and chairs that lined the back of the room. On her schedule it was clearly stated that she'd be teaching Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh years, and she knew that included Willow as well. Her heart raced with excitement as she watched a couple of kids enter the room. Their eyes never left her as they moved towards the back and sat down on a few of the cushions.
"It wont be so bad…" Willow had finally arrived followed by three other Gryffindors.
"I really hope not." Buffy grinned, "So Harry…Ron….and Hermione right?" Buffy pointed to each of them as she spoke their names.
"Pleasure Ms. Summers." Ron took Buffy's hand and bowed.
Hermione and Harry erupted in giggles and as they pried Ron away from Buffy Willow just smirked. Turning away from Buffy Willow followed the three towards the back of the room where they all took a seat on a set of cushions. To be brutally honest, Willow was still feeling a bit guilty around them. After all the night before both Harry and Ron had accused her of murder. Still Hermione had insisted that she join them on their walk to class, but Willow figured it was mostly because they were all intrigued with Buffy.
"I don't see why we have to learn this mudblood fighting form. Wands equal magic which equal power…" Pansy Parkinson huffed into class followed by Crabbe, Goyle and Millicent. Bullstrode. " Wretched thing Dumbledore is doing by having this American twit teach us."
It was obvious to Buffy that Pansy had said this loud enough for her to hear. Partially because as she finished her sentence she flickered her eyes up towards the front of the room and smirked at Buffy. Oh now Buffy had promised to remain level headed during these training sessions. Mostly because Giles had asked Dumbledore to grant Buffy an assistant to the class. He knew Buffy far to well, and knew that sometimes, well many times her temper just blew out of control. Dumblie had firm belief in Buffy, however, and said that the class was to prepare the students for war not tea time. So she had full range of the class, well without putting anyone in the hospital wing of course.
So as the snooty girl flung her braids over her shoulder Buffy moved. Getting a very brief running start she catapulted off the nearest chair, somersaulted over Pansy's head and as she landed with such accuracy she grabbed Pansy by the neck and removed her wand from her pocket.
"Now imagine you had said that to the wrong person. You know how easy it would be for them to AK you?" Buffy quirked an eyebrow at the quivering Pansy.
"What's AK, Professor?" Dropping Pansy's wand and ushering the shaking girl to her seat Buffy looked over her shoulder towards the four figures in the doorway. The blonde hair boy in the front looked thoroughly impressed, but it was the girl to the left of him that asked the question.
"First off, everyone is to call me Buffy, ok? I mean come on Professor makes me sound old…and that I am definitely not." She grinned, placing her hands on her hips, watching as the four stragglers entered the room. " Now you are, she pointed to Pansy.
" Pansy Parkinson." The girl answered meekly.
"Well Pansy sorry to have demonstrated on you, but the skeptical need to learn the hard way sometimes. And now you…next to mini Spike." She pointed to Armina who was seated next to Draco.
"Oh- uh Armina Germaine." She looked over at Draco and gave him a confused look, unsure of what she meant by 'mini spike'.
"Well Miss Germaine I for one don't like to joke around when dealing with something serious. AK, well you'd probably recognize it as Avada Kedavra, but the reason I abbreviate the curse is because who really wants to mumble the words that could claim a human life? Not I…" She began to pace the room, glad that she had caught the attention of the class.
"So what are we going to be learning then? I mean whats the point of learning these tactics?" Hermione voiced up from beside Willow.
"Oh there are many reasons, one being the handy dandyness they can give you when fighting with an enemy…" She smirked towards Pansy. " I mean, these skills are important to have when your defending yourself, these skills have saved my rear plenty of times."
"But weren't you born with the skills? I mean you didn't have to train for them, the power was given to you all along." Hermione piped up again, Willow smiling at her friends intelligence.
"How were you born with fighting skills, what are you some mystical creature?" Seamus chuckled as he elbowed Dean.
"Actually that's exactly what she is…I mean the Slayer is a mystical being isn't it?" Armina added from her side of the room, casting Hermione a satisfied smirk that she had said it before Hermione.
"Well well well seems as though my secret isn't so secretive after all. Eh, I was never good at keeping the slayer stuff a hush anyway. Ten points to your house Ms. Germaine….which is…"
"Slytherin. " She smirked again and Draco gave her a pat on the knee.
Hermione looked terribly defeated as Armina spilled the answer before her, but it didn't stop her from casting Ron and Harry an 'I told you so' look. "So Buffy, we learned about you in class last year. You're the oldest slayer in history, and have defeated some of the most horrific creatures known. What brings you here when I'm sure there are plenty of other things going on that are far more important?"
Buffy smiled at the girls genuine questioning. "Actually Hermione being here is the most important thing right now." Moving across t he classroom she couldn't help but chuckle at all the gawking stares, "You see even if you didn't know it, you are already in the middle of a war. A war that you definitely can not avoid. You see going through the trials and tribulations of school are one battle, but on the other side of that door…beyond these walls that protect you there is a world of fighting just itching to get a hold of the young ones. You need to be prepared."
"But what can we possibly do? I mean we're only kids really, and if your suggesting that we fight against You-Know-Who, which I'm sure that's who you are talking about, we'd be dead against his followers in minutes. We don't have the power that they possess…." Lavender Brown spoke from her cushion.
Buffy shook her head. "You really don't understand do you?" She moved across the floor, flickering her gaze between each of the students before landing directly on Harry. "Knowing how to fight, learning the game, knowing your enemy…it isn't about knowing the darkest magic, or having the quickest draw…it's not about the purity of the blood that courses through your veins. It's not about what's right and what's wrong, or whether you have the power to take out the opposing side. They key to winning…the key to surviving depends on this…." She clasped her hands together, shaking them up and down slowly. "…loyalty, friendship, knowing that despite it all the person watching your back is someone you can trust, someone you love. When you can run into battle and know that the person fighting beside you will risk all odds to keep you safe, help you out…well that's all the power and strength your really need. " She grinned. "And a couple of ass kicking moves wouldn't be to bad either."
The class remained quiet for a moment, each student nodding slowly as they took in her words. Willow couldn't help but feel her eyes tear at her friends strengthening words. These children really had no idea what they were in for. They had no idea that the world around them was at the point of disaster, but for now as they sat behind the walls of Hogwarts the least they could do was prepare. Which lead Willow to arch her eyebrow as she watched Buffy point towards Draco.
"You, up…what's you name?" She began walking towards the other end of the room as Draco stood.
"Draco Malfoy…" He stated firmly, his hands digging into his pocket and removing his wand.
"Well Mr. Malfoy please meet your first opponent….uh….you." She pointed towards the back. "What's your name?"
"Neville Longbottom." Neville's eyes had gone wide with horror as he quickly shook his head from left to right. "I - I wont fight him though….he'll kill me."
There were a few muffled chuckles that filtered through the room and Buffy murmured a 'quiet' before addressing Neville again. "Oh don't let him frighten you. Besides I'm going to teach you the moves you'll be doing." She waited as Neville continued to shake his head no, and Buffy sighed. " Ok, so lets do it this way, who would like to go?"
The only person in the room to raise their hand was the least likely person in the classroom. As soon as everyone noticed her hand, Hermione stood up with her hands on her hips. "Well if this was a real battle against an enemy whose to say that it wouldn't be a spar between the opposite sex?" She glared at Draco who had begun to rub his chin absentmindedly. Hermione grinned even wider. Oh he knew the taste of her punches, in fact by now he should have been used to them.
"This is true Hermione, very sickly oddly true…" Buffy scrunched her nose. " But for now, while we are learning I'd like to stick to the same sex action." She shook her head at her own words. The chuckling in the classroom rose again and she waited until they settled down. "So come on, who wants a shot with Dragon over here…"
"Draco." He corrected, giving Willow a smirk before leaning back against a chair.
"I'll go."
Heads spun in the direction of the voice and an eager rush of conversation spread throughout the students.
" Great, ten points to Gryffindor since Harry was the only brave one here to volunteer." She rolled her eyes slightly. "Ok both of you hand me your wands." She held out her hand and waited for the two to place them in her hand. Once they were both firmly in her grip she marched back up to the front of the room and placed them on the tiny desk she had set up for herself. "Ok…" Clapping her hands together she looked between the two. " First things first, this wont be a chance for you to work out some pent up petty squall you two might be in, and that goes for the rest of you too. All I want you to do Harry is let Draco advance on you. Once he is arms length of you I want you to reach out with your right hand, press all of your body weight down, give your knees a little bit and then toss him over your shoulder. Draco the floor is padded so don't worry about getting hurt. Once Harry had tossed you once you will switch and you can toss Harry." Stepping back she placed her hands on her hips. "Whenever your ready."
"I was hoping it'd come down to this." Draco hissed under his breath.
"What the hell are you talking about Malfoy I'm flipping you remember?" Harry took a stance, ready for Draco's first move.
"Yeah right Potter, like I'd let your filthy half-blood hands touch me." He smirked at Harry's frown. "Oh don't take offense Potter, you're a tad ahead of that mudblood over there." He charged.
Harry, instead of grabbing his arm, wound up and punched Draco in the nose in a fit of rage. "You bastard." He cursed, turning away as Draco squirmed on the floor.
"What was that about!" Buffy shouted, reaching out and grabbing Harry's shoulder. " I said you'd only do what I tell you to? Where do you get off not following the rules Harry?" But before Harry could answer Draco had managed to pull to his feet and charge at Harry's back. In the sudden movement it had knocked Buffy over as well, and she went careening into Seamus Finnigans lap.
Seamus seemed rather excited about the visit, and smirked like a madman when she finally pulled herself up off of him. Buffy started for the two her face filled with slayer fury. Yet as the two exchanged punch after punch, and kick after kick, Buffy stopped. Hell if they wanted to have it out with each other than that was fine with her.
"Professor…Buffy…please, do something!" Hermione had pushed herself up off the cushion, and desperately tried to stop the fight between the two. When she reached for her wand Buffy only snatched it away before anything was cast.
"Had enough yet Potter?" Draco smashed his fist into the side of Harry's face. The world spun for just a second, and wiping the blood from his lip Harry shook his head.
"I'd rather die fighting then submit…"
Buffy had to admit she was rather impressed at Harry's sweet uppercut. The boy could certainly pack a punch. After about five minutes of the boys sissy combat Buffy stepped in between the two and caught both their fists mid punch. "Happy now?" She let go of their hands and sent them to their seats. "Now what did that accomplish? Huh? You two fought like a couple of children just now. Letting yourself get carried away because he insulted you….Harry that's how people get killed. They try to act the man but all they end up is buried six feet down in the ground." She shook her head. "And you Draco, you think you're super slick by egging Harry on? You were itching to fight him, but I didn't see much fighting coming from your end. I just saw a lot of missed jabs and a lot of blood streaming from your nose."
Hermione had muttered a healing charm on Harry and his lip stopped bleeding, but that was the least of his concern at the moment. All he cared about was what Buffy was saying. Which was pretty much the idea of the entire class as all eyes remained glued to her figure. It was like the words that spilled from her lips were words of gold, and Willow grinned wildly up at her friend.
"But this is what you wanted right? A chance to duke it out and get the better of your enemy. A chance to prove that your some hero that the world should worship. Reality check…heroes don't act like five year olds. You want to learn how to fight, you want to become a hero, then be prepared to work for it. Be prepared to test every part of your body to a degree you didn't think you were capable of. And if you can handle that then you are welcome to stay in this class for the remainder of the school year. But if you'd rather toss around the insults, made asinine decisions and eventually get yourself killed because of your stupidity…then I suggest you leave." The entire class remained rooted to the floor. " Then lets begin for real this time…"
"Buffy that was amazing!" Willow stood at the front of the room next to her best friend. " I mean did you plan that the whole time? Did you know they'd fight like that?" Willow glanced over her shoulder towards Draco. Blaise was still trying to fix his bleeding nose with a charm.
"I had a semi clue. I'm pretty observant with those things. Saw the two of them eye each other down when Draco walked in late. So I figured I'd set them up, glad it worked out the way I planned. I just wanted them to know what they were in for before we really got going." Buffy packed up the shoulder bag that she had brought with her.
"Great class Buffy!" Hermione waved as Ron and Harry followed her out with a nod.
"See you guys." Buffy smiled. "Good kids." She nodded towards the trio, gathering up the last text before leaving the classroom with Willow.
Seamus Finnigan turned to Neville and smiled. "She totally wants me. Did you see how she just accidentally fell into my lap?"
"Malfoy knocked into Harry and Harry knocked her into you. It was a complete accident Seamus. Plus she's our teacher! " Dean Thomas added.
"You two are just jealous that the teacher has the hots for me and not you. And so what if she's our teacher! What is she like five years our senior? " Seamus waltzed up towards the front of the room, his fingers grabbing at the parchment that Buffy had left on the table. " I mean really now fellas, I cant help it that I'm such a hot commodity. Did you see the way she looked at me when she stood up? Swear she licked her lips like she was going to snog me or something."
"Who ya talking about Seamus?" Buffy had waltzed back into the classroom with a grin. Oh she had overheard everything they said, and Willow had remained outside the room hysterical laughing.
"Oh um Pro-Buff-I-here." He handed her the parchment.
"Thanks Seamus I don't know what I would have done if I lost this." She ruffled his hair with a smile. "See you guys."
"I told you she wants me." Seamus puffed out his chest.
"I'm standing in the doorway…" Buffy laughed, her voice dripping in a sing-song way. Shaking her head as Willow doubled over in laughter they began down the corridor, her eyes focused on the sheet of names in her hand. "So your friends seem…strange."
"Gee thanks." Willow took a breath, eased her laughter slightly and then sighed. "It's weird Buffy. I mean Harry and the lot are super great. They have been so nice to me these past few weeks, and I don't know if I would have made it at all if it weren't for them." They turned the corner, dodging some Hufflepuffs that sped down the corridor. " But Draco has been completely understanding of my problems. He know's what its like to feel lost. He's been in touch with all that darkness before so he knows how wretched I've been feeling."
"Maybe you should just focus on what makes you happy instead of worrying about what everyone else thinks." Buffy's eyes had caught sight of a familiar blonde head bobbing through the crowd.
"Your probably right. I guess I just don't-" She paused. "Buffy?"
"Oh hey sorry…Hey Will do me a favor and meet me in my room after dinner tonight. I just- I need to go see someone." She gave Willow's arm a rub and then in a blink she was off down the hall.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"So if you head back up these last three staircases, and follow the corridor all the way to the end you should be able to find the portrait to your room." Terence stood with Dawn outside the Hufflepuff dorms.
He had done a fairly good job showing her around the place, and Dawn had to admit that she could totally get used to living in a place as cool as Hogwarts. "Thanks a lot Terence. I'm just gonna head upstairs and drop off my books. Tell Hannah to save me a seat at dinner ok?"
"You got it. " He yawned.
Dawn took off up the staircase, her head fuzzy from the strenuous day. In all she had done fairly well in classes. The most interesting definitely being the Potions lesson with Snape and Xander. In Charms Flitwick had commented on her eagerness to learn Color Charms, and even Professor Trelawney had predicted that Dawn would do some miraculous things this term. Things were positively grand!
Turning onto the second staircase she took the steps two at a time as her eyes danced happily about the place. She waved casually to a younger looking Gryffindor as he went down the stairs, and she smiled broadly at the portrait of Dracula, recalling the time that Buffy- well no she really couldn't recall those times. She wasn't even real then. In a sense she still wasn't real at all.
"Ow!" At the top of the staircase she collided with another figure. Her head had been so caught up on being real that she hadn't even seen the person turn the corner.
"You should watch where you're going" She reached for his outstretched hand and got to her feet.
"Oh yeah, how bout you?" Her eyes rose to meet the eyes of the stranger before her.
"I was watching, twit! I just-" His eyes finally took in the girl that was standing before him.
"You!" These were the first words exchanged between Draco Malfoy and Dawn Summers.
Oh man! I had another seven pages of this chapter, but I figured I'd save it for Chapter 8. I'm dying over here! This is getting way to long! LOL. Anyway I want to thank you guys for all your kind reviews. A special thanks to The Last Hope. Your reviews have truly been wonderful and they totally help me get my stuff up quicker.
The action is totally going to start picking up now, and I promise that nothing is what it seems to be. SO please drop off a review cause it really helps me work faster. Thanks again! Love you guys!
Lady Mione