Author's Note: Thanks everyone for the reviews and support, sorry that this took so long but I just landed a new job and got busy for no good reason. Chapter 3 (Because It's A Killer Snot Monster From Outer Space) should be along sooner than Chapter 2 came out. Also, just as a heads up there's currently a poll on my profile page on whether Riley will leave with the military or not in this story so if you're interested please vote. Here's chapter two for all of you, hope you enjoy.

Reviewer Responses:

0 Jordinio 0: In response to your questions, Harry's hand to hand skills will be negligible to start with but that leaves lots of room for improvement. Harry's animagus form (if he has one at all) will be a surprise, admittedly one that comes sooner rather than later. Harry in this story won't be a 'bitch' as you say but at the same time he won't be tossing around unforgiveables for masochistic pleasure. As for Harry being badass he more or less will be without being too out of character. However I'm of the opinion that fiendfyre isn't really a 'badass' spell and that it's more like a suicide bomb, sure it does lots of damage but it (in theory) always comes around and kills the caster. And in fan-fictions where the spell is used in a way where it doesn't kill the caster I think those authors are missing the point of how scary, deadly, and insane any use of that spell can be, rather than having it being an oversized and overpowered incendio.

dracoman: Just as a reassurance for you this will not be one of those stories where Harry blabs his whole back story right away without any qualms. However Harry will have to walk the tightrope of not telling the Scoobies enough for them to trust him and (over time) accept him into the fold. Also Harry will have truly strong back-story motivations for why he's helping on the Hellmouth that will get revealed later on (much later on).

ThwartAbyss54: As to whether Gloria/Ben are a Horcrux for one or the other the answer is no. I imagine that the splitting of a soul/essence is below Gloria, that and as a Hell god she has already achieved immortality or something similar to it thus making a Horcrux entirely unnecessary for her. And as for whether Avada Kedavra would work on Gloria/Ben I'm not certain, (re I haven't decided yet) but if it could work, would Harry be capable of doing it?

Guest: No pairings as of yet, other than those that are already underway in Buffy canon for this stage of the series. But all of Riley (who is already dating her), Spike and Harry are possible romantic interests for Buffy. But who knows maybe a monster will cause Harry to have a three way with Willow and Tara. Or perhaps Harry will swoop in with his accent and magic prowess to steal Anya from right under Xander's nose.

Disclaimer: Both Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to J. K. Rowling and Joss Whedon respectively, I'm merely playing in their sandbox with the amazing and distinct world and characters they have imagined.

Chapter 2: Prophecy And Coffee (hey a rhyme)

Blind stars of fortune, each have several rays

On the wings of maybe, down in birds of prey

Kind of makes me feel sometimes, didn't have to grow

But as the eagle leaves the nest, it's got so far to go

-Led Zeppelin

It was at the top penthouse of one of the most expensive and classiest condo complexes in Sunnydale that was the setting for a somewhat domestic dispute. The furniture and decor of the penthouse was of the most modern and exquisite style that money could buy, although with tasteful hints of a classical roman style. The young and most beautiful lady of the house was pacing back and forth in front of the couch, which was piled chest high with shoe boxes, in a towering rage. Her anger finally bursting forth as she flung a stack of shoe boxes at her brown robed scabby minion.

"Please, please; mistress. Most perturbed and ultimately merciful one." A few more shoe boxes pelted against the minions face. "Please no."

"What is taking so long Dreg? You told me snakey-wakey would find my key. Now why isn't he back here with a beautiful message for me?" By the end of the tirade that Glory had fired off at Dreg her violent pacing had led to her hopping up on to the couch and pacing now from on high above her minion. Dreg lowered his gaze from his mistress, his scabby rotten hands clutched in front of him in anxiousness.

"I grovel like a bug most silky and effervescent Glorificus." More boxes were haphazardly dashed from the couch in Dreg's direction for his use of her full name. Dreg bowing even lower quickly corrected himself. "Glory, Glory, your most fresh and cleanness. It's just a matter of time." The minion beseeched.

From on top of the couch Glory clenched her vibrating fists in front of her and growled in exacerbation. "Argh! Everything takes time! What about my time? Does anyone appreciate that I'm on schedule here." Glory stomped down from the couch in her sexy strappy leather heels. Rage propelled her forwards right up to Dreg's face, her neck veins were bulging in anger, she shouted at his ugly mug. "Tick-tock Dreg, tick-friggin-tock!"

But the snakey-wakey never made it back with its message for the most beautiful and shiny mistress.

Giles and Buffy continued to stare blankly at Harry in the park only a few blocks from Glory's penthouse. Giles was the first to regain his wits.

"You know of the Hellmouth. How?"

Harry ran his hands through his hair, considering his reply. "Well it's a long and rather involved story, but to put it simply I'm a wizard." Buffy smiled at Harry, her thoughts on her two witch friends who probably wouldn't mind swapping a few tricks of the trade with a fellow magician.

"So you're a practitioner of the wiccan arts?" Giles asked.

"Not exactly. I'm vaguely familiar with wicca but I'm a wand wielding wizard." At this Harry dropped the bike helmet he was carrying and flicked his wrist, brandishing his wand via a few twirls that gave off purple sparks before the Watcher and Slayer. "Actually I've recently finished my mastery in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms." Harry holstered his wand back into the leather strap-brace on his right wrist, bending down he picked his helmet back up.

Buffy's brows knit in confusion at the wand and the sparks, there's more than one type of witch or wizard? Huh. Giles however had his eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline and he swayed back onto his heels in astonishment; a wand wielder!

"Truly? I've heard of your kind but I've never actually met one of, well... you in person." Buffy glanced at Giles as he got that dreamy look that he gets when he talks about dusty old books and weighty tomes. Deciding that it probably wasn't the best idea to loiter around the park next to the dead Sobekian Cobra Buffy turned to Harry.

"Look Harry, I'm glad that you showed up when you did but I don't think we should really be hanging around." Harry nodded in agreement and Giles snapped out of his momentary stupor.

"Yes. Yes of course Buffy you're right, we shouldn't linger." Giles opened the passenger door for Buffy and she slid into the seat. "Come by the Magic Shop tomorrow Harry, I believe further introductions and a quid pro quo could be of use to both of us." Harry nodded as Giles went around to the driver side of the car.

"Alright, the Magic Shop it is. Is there any particular time that would be good for you?"

"No no, any time during store hours will be fine." The car engine rumbled to life as Giles nodded at Harry, Buffy then gave Harry a short small smile before the car pulled away in the direction of the park entrance. As the car pulled further away Harry could have swore that he heard Buffy turn to Giles and ask "What's a squid pro grow?", Harry tried but failed to suppress his snort.

Harry turned and walked over to his bike, lifting it up off the grass and observing the damage. Harry winced at the look of it before propping it up with the kickstand. Shooting a look over both shoulders Harry made sure there was no one nearby in the park before drawing his wand. Waving his wand over the dents and broken headlamp Harry mumbled under his breath "Reparo." The dents popped out and everything returned to pristine condition. Climbing on and turning the ignition, Harry let the bike roar and then idle for a moment while putting on his helmet before tearing off out of the park.

Buffy was standing next to her mother's hospital bed, the earlier events of the day involving Glory, a giant snake and the new wizard in town Harry Potter, easily pushed from her thoughts given the situation her mother was in. Doing her best to appear strong and together, especially in front of her mother, Buffy smiled down at her.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"No I'm fine. I- I think I should talk to Dawn alone."

"Okay." Buffy nodded.

"Do I have bed hair?" Joyce reached up into her hair looking questioningly at Buffy. "I don't look like scary mom do I?"

Buffy's face broke into a true smile with teeth showing for the first time in the hospital that day. "No." Buffy gently stroked a lock of her mother's hair. "You look beautiful."

Joyce held her daughters gaze for a moment showing a resigned and reluctant half smile before sighing heavily. "Okay, let's do this. Stay close."

Buffy grasped her mother's hand and replied. "I will." Then Buffy slipped out into the hallway as Dawn came into the room immediately wrapping her mother in a hug. Buffy watched silently at the door as her mother and sister hugged before slipping a little further from the door, giving them their privacy. From behind her Riley called out to Buffy.

"Buffy." She turned to Riley, her hands rubbing each of the opposite arm in a self hug to keep the internal chill in her heart away. Buffy gazed up into his eyes, her own beginning to water. "You okay? You look pretty beat up?" Riley asked.

Buffy nodded. "Minimal damage of the fighting kind." Riley reached out and stroked her cheek as she stepped a little closer. "It's all the other kind." Riley's hand dropped to her shoulder pulling her into a hug.

"Come here." Riley rested his chin on top of Buffy's head. "It's okay, just let it out. I'm right here." Against Riley's chest Buffy's eyebrows knit together into a frown and she drew a few quick shuddering breaths in, fighting to keep her emotions from escaping her control.

"I can't, not now." Buffy pulled away from Riley and out of his arms sniffling, her eyes still wet but her tears had yet to drop. "They need me. If I start now I won't be able to stop."

The couple stood there for a beat, Riley looking searchingly into Buffy's eyes while she tried to get herself together and remain strong.

From the hospital room Buffy's mother called out to her. "Buffy." Buffy turned from Riley on a dime and headed towards the room, her hands dashing the wetness from her eyes before entering. Riley stood rooted to the floor from where Buffy turned from him, wondering whether she would ever need him, whether she would ever let him in. The door to Joyce's hospital room closed with a somehow apathetic click.

Ring!

Harry's eyes shot open at the sound of the telephone, momentarily at a loss and not quite certain of where he was.

Ring!

Harry glanced about the hotel room things slowly trickling back to him as the morning light shone across the floor and onto his bead spread. Right... Sunnydale, Hellmouth, jumbo snake.

Ring!

Harry scooted across the bed to the other night stand where the hotel phone was located, grumbling about a stupid noisy phone and a stupid bright sun. Harry picked the receiver up and brought it to his ear. A raspy "Hello" escaped from his throat.

On the other end of the line was a bubbly valley-girl receptionist who sounded far to cheery at this hour of the morning. "Hello Mr. Potter this is your eight a.m. wake up call. Is there anything we can do for you this fine morning, maybe some breakfast?"

"No, just the call is fine."

Click.

Harry hung up the phone abruptly. After lying back down in bed for a few moments he thought that perhaps he was a tad rude to the receptionist. However after a while Harry decided it was too early to care about etiquette and he reluctantly dragged himself into the bathroom for a scalding hot shower.

The night before, especially after running into a giant snake demon only a few hours after arriving on the Hellmouth, Harry decided that he need a permanent residence with good wards sooner rather than later. Thus Harry had organized a list of possible apartments and condos to visit in the morning before meeting up with his new acquaintances at the magic shop, hence the early morning wake up call. Harry had narrowed down the list of places he was seeing to about ten that were in the price range he was looking for. The deaths of both his parents and his godfather Sirius had left Harry rather well off monetarily, however Harry wasn't so well off that he could live like a king hog for the rest of his life. But Harry was in many ways thrifty; after living with the Dursley's throughout his childhood and summer visits to the Burrow as well as tenting while searching for horcruxes, had left Harry content with living mostly modestly. From good food to nicer clothes than what he had as a child; his few indulgences hardly put a strain on his finances.

The door to the hotel bathroom swung open steam billowing out into the room as Harry emerged shirtless and slightly red in the face from the heat of the shower. After putting his shirt on and gathering a few of his things Harry strolled out into the warm bright Sunnydale morning.

In the mid Sunnydale afternoon Harry glanced down at his long list of apartments, basement suites and flats and noticed that after six hours he had nothing to show for his effort other than a list of places he didn't want to rent. He looked down at his wrist and noticed that the hour was getting late. So Harry decided (at the insistence of his stomach) that it was well past time to eat. Harry noticed that there was really nothing on this street other than a few shops and a cafe called The Espresso Pump, and with the expletive "cock it", he decided that a coffee and sandwich was better than nothing. A few short strides from the entrance of the cafe Harry recognised the sign above a shop tucked away into a corner of the street that said "Magic Shop". Harry then proceeded to use his late lunch at the Espresso Pump as an opportunity to mentally prepare for his meeting with the blonde girl Buffy and the older gentleman whose name Harry didn't catch. The food at the Espresso Pump was about what he expected, but the coffee was quite good.

Harry had been forced to develop a taste for coffee while studying in Salem for two reasons, the primary reason being the reason of many post secondary students, he desperately needed the caffeine. The other reason he had to develop a liking for coffee was because there was a complete lack of tea that was in the least bit passable, and after a few too many bad experiences he quit ordering tea of any variety whilst in America.

Having finished his lunch-supper (a meal that the Weasley twins had been known to dub as lupper), Harry crossed the street and entered the Magic Shop with a cheery jingle of the bell by the door ringing out his entrance. Harry's vigilant habits that he had yet to completely forgo had him noticing the exits, where people were, and places with cover right away with a quick yet steady gaze before he stepped further into the store. To Harry's right there was yellow tape covering up the broken main window, the damage looked recent. Harry saw Giles wandering along one of the shelves with a clipboard taking inventory and a rather attractive blonde counting money and mouthing the amounts as she went behind the register. Harry walked over to the shelf only a few steps away from Giles and gave a less than subtle cough, but Giles remained engrossed in his clipboard frowning and muttering under his breath. Harry then decided to take the liberty to be even more blunt.

"Your Newt eyes are overpriced."

Giles turned to the customer complaining about the price, thinking he looked familiar. "We here at the Magic Shop offer a lowest money guarantee, if you can show the advertisement of a competitor with a lower price we'll match it." Harry smirked at Giles hoping that he would clue in soon. Giles' frown deepened and he looked a little harder at the customer. "Do I know you? You look familiar."

"Yes, I'm Harry. We met last night in the Park when my bike skidded out on something slippery." Harry kept from mentioning the Cobra where there were unknown people who could overhear.

"Right, of course, I remember now. I don't believe I introduced myself," Giles struck out his hand which Harry shook firmly. "Rupert Giles, owner and proprietor of this shop." Giles stepped back smiling and gestured to the table further into the store. "Why don't you come sit down and we'll have that chat that I promised you about."

Harry followed Giles to the table and sat down across from him.

"So Harry, what brings a wizard like you to Sunnydale?"

"Well Rupert, to be honest I was hoping that you could point me in the direction of the Slayer." At Harry's request Giles' expression remained blank but the look in his eyes went icy with wariness, something that only Harry's budding skills in legilimency clued him into.

"And for what purpose are you seeking out the Slayer?" Giles tone remained even.

"I'd like to help."

"And I imagine that your reasons for helping the slayer are entirely altruistic?" Giles asked, sarcasm laced into his voice.

"Well at least mostly altruistic. The other reason I have for wanting to help her, whoever she might be, is because... because of the way she's chosen." Giles noticed Harry's voice take on a sympathetic lilt.

"And why does that matter?" At this question Harry let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged.

"Growing up I had a friend who was the target of a prophesy, a chosen one if you will, he survived the prophesy's conclusion but it was hard on him, on us all. If myself and others hadn't helped him it could have been much worse, and if we had more help I imagine that a few more of us would have survived." Harry's eyes were now downcast to his hands on the table his fingers fing-ing and fidgeting with one another. Giles took in the young man opposite's body language and empathised with him, as he well knew, prophesy's had a way of inflicting a whole host of terrible things onto its targets and those in close proximity.

"What was the prophecy regarding?" Harry looked heavenward pausing and considering his reply.

"The prophecy was about a dark wizard and a boy with the power to defeat him. It predicted that of the dark wizard and the chosen one, one would kill the other."

"Well I can infer from what you mentioned that the dark wizard was defeated and the boy survived."

"Just."

"Well I guess I understand why you would be inclined to help. But why the Hellmouth? Why the Slayer? Surely there are others that are in greater need of your talents." Giles asked Harry, the Watcher's bewilderment clear on his face.

"Perhaps, but a part of me knows that there is no greater challenge than the Hellmouth and the demons it attracts. Also, given the advanced schooling I've just finished, I'd like to see if that education has made me as prepared for the Hellmouth as their brochures would have me believe."

"I see." Giles removed his glasses and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and began working on cleaning his glasses, fogging the lenses with his breath first. "Well pointing you in the direction of Slayer is something I can quite easily do for you, as I am her Watcher." Harry's eyes bugged out at Rupert's declaration.

"Really? As in the Council of Watcher's kind of Watcher?"

"Indeed I am. And as for the ease of pointing you in her direction, here she comes now." Harry turned in his chair so quick at Giles' last statement that his magic might have sped up his about face as Buffy walked down the stairs and approached the table. Déjà-vu rushed over Harry as he remembered the blonde girl Buffy that he rescued just the night before. So that's what a Vampire Slayer looks like... I thought she'd be taller.

Buffy had spent most of the morning at the hospital with her mom. There wasn't much to do at the hospital and any conversation Buffy had with her mother was strained and stilted at best. However she did have plenty of school reading to do and that occupied most of her morning. But afternoon stretched out after lunch and Buffy decided that she should get out of the linoleum tiled, antiseptic smelling, emotionally torturous prison for an hour or two before picking Dawn up from school and heading back to the nurse and doctor filled big house.

Deciding that a high dose of caffeine and sugar was just the pick me up she needed to improve her thus so far lousy day, Buffy headed to the Espresso Pump. After ordering herself a large mocha hazelnut frappuccino with extra whip and extra syrup Buffy thought that now would be as good of time as any to pop in on Giles at the Magic Shop.

Upon entering the Magic Shop Buffy noticed Giles talking with someone at the main table whose back was turned to her. As Buffy came closer to the table the person across from Giles turned around and Buffy quickly recognized Harry from the bike/snake incident the night before.

Looking expectantly at Buffy Harry asked "So you're the Vampire Slayer eh?"

Cough. Hack. Cough.

Harry had timed his question with the exact moment she was slurping up some of her frappuccino and Buffy's coughing fit was a direct result. Buffy's fit continued for a beat or two until she thumped her chest lightly with her fist settling herself.

"What? How did you?" Giles you- " Buffy's face turned red and her fist clenched by her side as she began to berate Giles. But before Buffy could finish Harry cut across her.

"I thought you'd be taller."

Author's Note: Lots (maybe too much) exposition in this chapter. Next chapter will be less exposition and some more action courtesy of the monster of the week. Also writing Glory and her minions is one of the best writing experiences I've ever had, so many shiny words.