For disclaimer, rating etc. see Chapter 1.

Author's Note: Hey there to all you faboo people who are hanging on to my every word and author's note! I'm really sorry that this has taken me so long, and is so short, but there is so much going on, that when I finally manage to get five minutes on the internet, all I have the energy for is reading other people's fics. Forgive me! (Insert from a later date- Also, at the moment I really don't have the inspiration. I'm completely depressed by the lack of fab-worthy fics. Any suggestions?)

Wow. How pathetic am I? I just spend a bunch of time translating 'Voldemort' in my head, and it means 'theft of death' or 'flight of death' in French. Plus, although I always understood that Diagon Alley was a play on words, I never got until recently Knockturn Alley (nocturnally).

Geez. Sometimes I'm so slow.

The next day, the Scoobies woke bright and early with the haughty, Scottish autumn sunlight flooding their rooms. They had each been given one to themselves in their respective Houses, the Headmaster reasoning that although they could pass for ordinary students most of the time, they should be able to relax in their spare time

Buffy had dressed as quickly as possible, partly so that she didn't have to look at the unfashionable clothes she would be wearing for the next year or so, but mainly so that she could get down to breakfast early, and have a look around with the Scoobs. Knotting her tie loosely as she made her way out the door, Blaise joined her as she crossed the Common Room to reach the portrait hole, and smiled a greeting far friendlier than the one Buffy had been granted yesterday.

"Morning."

"Hey. So, you nervous?" Blaise asked, grinning.

Buffy grinned back, and acted offended. "Who, me? Shyeah, right! Watch out world. Or, you know, Hogwarts, I guess."

The girls laughed, and headed down to the Entrance Hall, where they found the Xander, Willow and Dawn talking excitedly all at once. They looked up as Buffy and Blaise approached, and the latter nodded to the former before proceeding through to the Great Hall on her own.

At last, Buffy felt a bit more relaxed. It was much more easy and comfortable with the Scoobs, and listening to Willow bubble effusively about everything calmed her nerves.

It was to be short-lived though. In the Main Hall, they had to separate, and although now she knew Blaise and could sit with her, she saw Draco Malfoy toying with a croissant across from her. Sighing, she made her way over and plopped down unashamedly, reaching for the basket of muffins as she listening to Blaise and Draco argue. He was vehemently arguing against 'half-breeds' such as Hagrid being allowed to teach, and once they had filled her in, Buffy was asked her own opinion.

"They're people, just like we are. They just have blood in them which isn't the same species. A cat is still a cat, whether its parents' fur was tortoiseshell or black."

Draco again started to dispute it, and Blaise responded. Buffy busied herself with eating her breakfast, but when she was done, she snapped, sick of having to hear the blond boy once again put forth his arrogant, racist views. "You know, I'm really trying to see your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my ass."

As she said this, the red-head and black haired boy Xander had been speaking of earlier passed with the pretty brunette that was always with them. They overheard the insult, and their eyes bulged comically at a Slytherin, and a new one at that, taunting the prince of that house. It was only when their brains had finally registered the words that they burst into boisterous laughter.

A pale pink flush rose in Draco's cheeks. "Yes, I suppose it can't get pass the stick that's in the way."

To his complete surprise and disconcertion, Buffy laughed, not a harsh, sarcastic one, but a friendly, almost open one. Shaking her head in amusement, she helped herself to a platter of sliced, assorted fruits as if the whole exchange never happened, and respect for the newcomer swelled rapidly.

The first lesson that she had was Transfigurations, which was taught in house classes with no pairs as it was one of the trickier subjects. Buffy took a seat next to Blaise, and was happy to find out that though Professor McGonagall was strict and moved over the topics quickly, she was an excellent teacher and made the subject interesting, if not fun. She was delighted to discover that she did well. They were concentrating on changing something not entirely, but slightly and precisely, which was much more difficult than shifting an object into something else. In this case, they had to take a plain, round shortbread biscuit and transfigure it so that a pattern decorated the top. The more complex the pattern, the better marks given. Buffy managed to bedeck her cookie, as she insisted on calling it, with a multitude of spirals and whorls that earned her full marks.

Linking arms with Blaise as they exited the classroom, she smiled at her new friend, who stiffened and was looking suitably British about the familiar contact. Making a jibe about it, Blaise replied and relaxed as they headed for their next class, Potions.

Buffy rolled her eyes. She'd been sitting through almost an hour of tense silence, other than the insults flickering between Malfoy and 'Harry Potter' whom she had learned was super-famous, blah, blah, blah from Xander, who was also in the class, being a Gryffindor. The Potions Master, Professor Snape, only encouraged them to snark at one another, and took points away from Gryffindor, giving them to Slytherin. He seemed to have it in for Xander and her especially, which vaguely confused the other students, seeing as she was a Slytherin. Luckily, she seemed to be good at this magic thing, and as much as he tried, he couldn't find anything really wrong with her. He coldly informed her not to be so infantile about the chicken livers they were dicing when she made a sound of disgust, and spend a good deal of time suspiciously pacing in front of her desk, watching her every move. His nerve and disdain annoyed her, and she resolved to do something about it.

Eventually the bell rang, and everybody eagerly piled out the door. Buffy ducked her head out the door, telling Blaise that she wanted to speak to Professor Snape about the curriculum, and a nod to Xander telling him her intentions were a little less than academic. He shepherded Draco Blaise away from the door and then followed her in, not noticing the blond boy listening still hanging about, listening intently and curiously to whatever he could hear.

Xander leaned against the uneven stone wall and chuckled as he watched Buffy angrily storm up to the Potions master.

All of a sudden she halted and smiled sweetly at him. "Severus."

He frowned sourly at her. "My name to you is Professor Snape."

Buffy's eyes gleamed. "You see, that's where you're wrong. Your name to me in public is Professor Snape. In private, I can call you anything I want, sweetie."

She confidently stepped forward. "Severus, it seems I need to remind you that I am twenty-two years old and you should treat me with the equality, respect and manners you show to all other adults. Or should I say the equality, respect and manners you should show all other adults. I am not a child, however much I might look like it, and you should not forget that when dealing with me and my friends."

She made a dismissive gesture with her hand, and strode towards the door. She paused, and gestured for Xander to follow, turning to call out a cheery "Bye!" to the livid and confused professor behind her.

Xander sheepishly pointed his thumb at Buffy's retreating back. "What she said."