Connections: Twist of Fate

Summary: This takes place after 'Chosen' in BtVS and after Harry's school years. Voldemort was defeated at the end of Harry's Seventh-year and he is now a successful Auror, and is still nicknamed the Boy Who Lived (though to his friends it is 'The Boy Who Lived Too Many Times And Became The Man Who Kicked Voldemort's Ass'). Harry Potter timeline is slightly different – Harry was born a year later – 1981. Buffy's birthday has been moved from January (I figured that out because she once said that she's 'Capricorn on the cusp of Aquarius') to later on, but if I tell you I ruin the fic. Starts in 2003. That's all, I think.

Disclaimer: Nope, Buffy and Harry belong to Joss Whedon and Joanne Rowling respectively. Plot's mine. Don't think anyone's done this yet!

In commiseration of my first to sat exams!

Enjoy!

Lol, Tanydwr

Chapter 1

---New Watchers' HQ, London---

"This looks good." Was the Slayer's first comment as they entered the building that was now to serve as the Watchers' Council Headquarters, at least until they figured out a new name.

"I'm glad you approve. Xander got a good amount of work done on here, earned a good commission. The Watchers' Council conveniently left all the money to the last remaining member, which happened to be me." A tall, studious man explained.

"So, what're the facilities?" Another Slayer asked.

"There are several training rooms, the beginnings of libraries, and a considerable number of bedrooms. We should be able to fit all the new Slayers in there while we find more Watchers and sort the council. Also the assignments. There are still places in which demonic activity is high, and we don't want to leave those areas unprotected. The Cleveland Hellmouth is well covered by Willow and Kennedy's presence, we need to search out others. I believe the Coven will help me with that." He explained.

The first Slayer nodded, her blonde hair bouncing around her. "And there're things like kitchens, bathrooms and stuff?"

The man sighed, taking off his re-acquired glasses and polishing them. "Yes. There are two kitchens in the cellar, complete with appliances, and several bathrooms complete with bath and shower."

"Good, girls'd go crazy if they didn't have enough space." The second Slayer – dark haired – grinned.

"Can we come in yet?" A younger girl asked.

"Sure, sure. Girls, go upstairs and pick some bedrooms. This place is huge, so no fights." The blonde ordered.

A troop of at least thirty girls – new Slayers – entered, carrying some luggage, though not a lot. After all, most of them had lost their belongings when Sunnydale became a huge crater. Luckily the bank accounts of some of them were still working. And the last Watcher's was now especially huge.

"Buffy, where am I, or do I have a room with them?" A sixteen-year-old asked.

Buffy – the blonde Slayer – turned to look at her sister. "I don't know, do we get special accommodation, Giles? Being the original Slayers, the Key, the last Watcher and the Handyman." A dark-skinned man shot her a glare. "Not forgetting the ex-High School Principal."

She couldn't help but grin. It seemed Faith – the dark-haired and other original Slayer – had finally found a guy she couldn't just use and lose. Maybe it was the fact that he was about thirty to the other Slayer's twenty- two (A/N: Just making it up, but she did seem to be about the same age as Buffy.). In any case, Buffy had the feeling that Faith – the wild Slayer and ex-con – had actually found someone she could settle down with. The thought made her laugh.

"Yes, come with me." Giles ordered.

He took them up through what appeared to be a conference room of some sort. He pulled open a door hidden by a bookcase and motioned for them to go up. They followed a winding staircase that seemed to have several passages leading off. Finally, at the top, they split.

"Wow." Buffy commented. A long corridor revealed several doors. Each had a name inscribed on them. "How did this happen?"

Giles shrugged. "I don't know. I only noticed the bookcase when you arrived. It appears that some twist of fate or magic placed them here. But follow me, this is the strangest thing."

They walked down the corridor.

One door was inscribed 'Rupert Benjamin Giles'. The next 'Alexander Lavelle Harris'. The third 'Willow Elizabeth Rosenburg'. And then came 'Faith Helen Skye and Robin Jackson Wood'. But the last two doors on the right hand side were different. They read 'Buffy Anne ---' and 'Dawn Marie ---'.

"What, did they forget our surname?" Buffy wanted to know.

"It appears that the name is in question." Giles commented. "But, now, look at the names of the doors on the other side."

They did.

"'Harry James Potter'." Buffy read. "Who the hell is Harry Potter?"

Giles frowned. "I don't know. The name does ring a bell... but I can't place it. Next to him is 'Hermione Arin Granger'. I don't know that name. Or those of..."

"Neville Francis Longbottom and Ginevra Susan Weasley, Remus Murray Lupin, or Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Buffy recited the last name with amusement. (A/N: Oh, is someone missing? Fancy forgetting... nope, not forgotten. All part of a story. Read on!) "Plus a door without a name. Weird."

"Well, since these do appear to be our rooms, do you think we should enter?" Xander asked. "And how come Willow's got one?"

"Presumably she'll be here at some point." Buffy massaged her head, trying to ward off a headache.

Xander shrugged and turned the doorknob.

The panel of the door melted to show a female face.

"Whoa!" Xander stumbled back.

"Alexander Lavelle Harris?" The woman asked.

"Yes."

"Create a password to keep your door safe." She ordered.

"Oh, right, um, okay..." He began thinking and then whispered it to the woman.

"Acceptable. Each time you enter, you will be required to give a password." The panel returned back to wood.

Xander frowned, then murmured his password ("Matrix."), he flung open his door to be greeted with a strange but welcome site.

The room was lavishly decorated with rich oak, with a theme of navy blue and silver. A four-poster bed dominated one side, while the other side was more of a sitting and working area. A sofa and a couple of armchairs surrounded a fireplace. A desk was tucked in one corner with a high-backed leather chair. A bookcase sat next to it, a couple of books scattered on it. By the bed sat a bedside cabinet. There was a chest of drawers and two doors. One proved to lead into a walk-in wardrobe, the other to an en- suite bathroom.

"I swear this house is magic, Giles. It's the Tardis." Xander commented, after they had all discovered that their own rooms were similar, though there were a few differences.

It was then that a yell from Dawn's room called them all.

"What is it?" Buffy asked, anxious for something to fight.

The girl's almond-shaped, bright green eyes stared in shock. Soon Buffy's identical eyes did the same. On top of Dawn's mantelpiece (fireplace) were several pictures. One of their mother, Joyce Summers.

Xander frowned and re-entered his own room, sure enough there were pictures, the most striking one of Anya, who had died fighting the First's minions.

Buffy discovered the same – ones of all her friends, her mother, even one of Spike, and she couldn't work out whether she loved him or not. It didn't matter now.

Giles returned looking ashen. His picture proved to be that of Jenny Calendar, among others, the only woman he had ever loved. After five years, the pain had still not completely gone.

Robin Wood and Faith's proved to be of Robin's mother and her Watcher, and Faith's mother and her own first Watcher.

"Weird." Buffy commented. "I guess whatever magic there is on this house, it decided to be nice and give us something we lost."

Giles nodded.

"Wonder who all those others are." Robin frowned.

"We'll find out. I've a feeling there's a reason why this house was sold so cheaply." Giles frowned. "Fraction it should have been. Previous tenants claimed there was something wrong with it."

"Well, whatever it is, I like it." Buffy grinned. "Okay, I'm going to go and get acquainted with the British vamps. You coming, Faith?"

"Nuh-uh. Going to stay here and talk to the girls."

"Yeah, I hope they've got the right rooms and everything." Buffy bit her lip.

"I'm sure they have." Giles smiled warmly. "You go."

Buffy headed back into her new room and reappeared with a number of stakes in her hand, storing them in a new jacket.

The original, died-twice (thrice if you count when Warren shot her) Vampire Slayer headed to the end of the corridor. Then stopped.

"Giles, you seen this?" She asked.

"What?"

"This."

She pointed to a wooden plaque fixed to the end wall between the windows.

Giles came up and read it aloud.

"One fair as day,

One dark as night.

Brother, sister, with a sister of magic,

Born to be Champions of Light."

Buffy answered everyone's question. "What hell is that supposed to mean?"

###

Running. Chasing. Hunting.

He'd been after such creatures since they joined the army of the Dark Lord. Too many still lived, and London was their favourite area, especially through the parks, where people would come to seek solitude at night. Solitude in the busy city was rare.

It was trapped. Against a fence, with nowhere to hide.

"You cannot defeat me." It snarled.

"So why then, pray tell, were you running?" The hunter asked.

"I... I..."

A blonde burst in, several vampires chasing her.

"I was leading you into a trap." It snarled.

"Bloody hell." The hunter snarled.

He seized a stake from his belt and proceeded to fight the vampire.

It lunged unskilfully. He sidestepped and dealt it a cracking backfist to the head. It recovered quickly and feinted a kick to one side before axe kicking down in a blow that should have broken the human's collarbone. If only he had been there.

Seconds later the stake protruded from the vampire's chest.

The young man saw the blonde and observed that she was spectacularly skilled and strong. He grinned and proceeded onto the other vampires.

The blonde elbowed one vampire in the nose before ducking and rolling the punch of another, dealing it a sharp uppercut into the nose. She turned and kicked another in the head before back-kicking a fourth in the chest. It was mere minutes before her stake found all four. She turned to find that the rest of the vampires were either dead or regrouping, now staring at the young man and woman.

"She is the Slayer." One commented.

"She did not choose her fate. But the Hunter..."

"He chose his destiny."

The young man looked at them crossly. "Oh yes, I just decided that since there was a prophecy, I just had to fulfil it and get loads of people killed in the meantime." He snapped, his voice scathing.

"You do not have to hunt us."

"You are evil. You sided with Tom. You'll do the same should another Dark Lord rise." He retorted.

"Slayer, watch his kind, they are tricky." The vampire advised.

"Since when do vampires give advice about who to trust?" The blonde retorted. "Unless you're ensouled, and there's only one left now and he's in LA, I will not be trusting you."

"My kind is not tricky. We are human, just with a few differences." The young man commented.

"We know of you both." The vampire had to be older than most. It seemed almost wise. "Hunter, Slayer, Key. One kept, one given away, one created from given's blood. True parents known only to one. Who do you think you are?"

"How long have I been the Hunter to you guys?" The young man wanted to know.

"You always have been. The Hunter, a Champion of Light, just as the Slayer. You have not just been given your name, it is who you are." The vampires suddenly disappeared.

"Who are you?" The blonde demanded tartly of her fellow vampire-killer.

"Since you seem to be on alien soil, you answer me first." The young man ordered, his voice low as they moved to where they could have better light. "Who are you?"

"Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer." She replied, her arms akimbo. She took in the tall, lightly muscular body. He was by no means huge, but every inch seemed to be well-honed muscle. (A/N: Think somewhere in between Spike and Angel). He had messy dark hair and an arched, almost aristocratic nose. His chin was decisive and his mouth set in a firm line. But what startled her were his eyes. They were bright green, almond- shaped – identical to her own. (A/N: Got rid of Harry's glasses – they don't suit this.)

Meanwhile, he examined her. She was petite, slender, pretty. Long blonde hair was caught up in a ponytail. Her nose was small, shorter than his, but had the same arched, almost aristocratic air. Her chin was thoroughly stubborn. She had creamy, lightly tanned skin, much like his own. Again, what shocked him were her eyes. They were exactly like his.

"So, who are you?" Buffy asked again.

"Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived and apparently the Hunter." He gave her a friendly grin.

"Did you say Harry Potter?"

He groaned. "Uh huh."

"We need to go see Giles." She commented.

As she dragged him away, he replied, "And why can't I go see Dumbledore?"

###

A/N: Well, that's it, guys. Hope you like it.

You know what you have to do.

Review.

Think of it this way. You review me, I'll go and review you (if you write stories I read).

Thanks!

Lol, Tanydwr