Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel belong to Joss Wheldon,The Phantom Of The Opera belongs to Joel Schmacher, Gaston Leroux and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charmed belongs to the WB, Gargoyles belongs to Disney, The Mummy belongs to Steven Sommers and Harry Potter belongs to the wickedly amazing J.K Rowling. The songs in this story belong to the songwriters who wrote these amazing songs. Please don't sue me, I'm completely and utterly broke and it's for entertainment purposes only.
Timeline: Post-season seven, Buffy. AU: post-season four, Angel. After the movie The Phantom Of The Opera. AU: post-OOTP, Harry Potter, post-The Mummy Returns, AU: post-season five, Charmed and AU: post-season two, Gargoyles
Pairing(s): Buffy/Erik, Dawn/Erik (friendship), Dawn/Draco, Willow/Erik (friendship), Willow/Snape (friendship), Willow/Imhotep, Angel/Cordelia, Wesley/Fred, Piper/Leo (a little bit), Piper/Cole, Piper/Erik (friendship), Raoul/Christine (a little bit), Snape/Christine (friendship), Snape/Phoebe (?), Paige/Sirius, Elisa/Goliath, Harry/Christine (?), Ron/Hermione, Xander/Anya, Giles/Narcissa
Author's Note: This is the long awaited sequel to The Other Side Of Compassion that takes place a few weeks after the end of the story. If you haven't read it yet, I strongly recommend you read it before you read this story. Also, this is my first attempt at writing a Gargoyles fan fic so please don't flame me. Anyway, I have some things to announce to avoid any confusion.
-- This is an alternate universe story for Angel. I'm ignoring the whole-Cordelia-turned-evil-and-fell-into-a-coma thing. In this story, it never happened. But the part about Angel taking over Wolfram and Hart, that's in the story.
-- Season three of Gargoyles a.k.a The Goliath Chronicles doesn't exist in this story. But it will pick up where season two left off.
-- In the Harry Potter universe, Sirius DID NOT die at the end of OOTP. He made it and has cleared his name.
-- Season six of Charmed never happened. Although, Chris is in the story, the entire sixth season never happened.
-- The story will contain some elements from the book Phantom: The Novel Of His Life and the Angel episode I Will Remember You.
Anyway, enjoy and remember no flames! I will ignore them and I don't have the patience for them.
Summary: Three months after meeting Buffy, Dawn and Willow and a few weeks after returning with them to the twenty-first century, Erik has adjusted to life in the future and is still with his beloved Buffy. Their new life together is intruptted when a dark wizard (Voldemort) plans to destroy the world and rid it of all non-magic folk. To help his new friends and love save the world, Erik has to confront his darkest fears and with the help of a certain boy wizard (Harry) and his friends, a trio of sister witches (Piper, Phoebe and Paige) and a certain lavender gargoyle (Goliath), he learns of the true meaning of courage and what it means to be a hero.
The Other Side Of Courage
By RaeAngel
A few weeks after marrying the orginal Chosen One, Buffy Summers, the man known as the Phantom Of The Opera but known to the Slayer and her friends as Erik has adjusted to life in the twenty-first century and life of fighting the forces of darkness. But now a new enemy will now test Erik's courage and strength harder than ever. This new enemy is threatening to destroy the world and rid it of those who were not born with magic. He is also set out to kill a young boy known as the Boy Who Lived. The one who defeated him as a baby. To save the world, the Slayer and Erik will have to protect the Boy Who Lived or everything will be lost but first Erik must confront the things he fears the most in order to help the Slayer and her allies save the world. Erik's journey has now just begun …
July 4, 1871
London, England
Christine Daae sat in a carriage not saying a word and with tears in her eyes. It had been nearly three weeks since the night of the Opera House disaster and since she witnessed her former music tutor leave one timeline for another just to be with the woman he loved. Three days after that night, she and her then fiance Raoul de Chagey had married and they fled France for England so that Raoul would begin training to become a Watcher. For the last three months, life was perfect for the young couple.
But then it happened.
Four days earlier, a man who claimed to be a dark wizard from the future broke into the de Chagey mansion and murdered everyone inside the house including Raoul as he fought with the man to allow Christine to flee the house. It was a long journey back to London but Christine knew it to be necessary. That didn't stop her from mourning the loss of her husband and for the lost chance for her unborn daughter to grow up with both of her parents.
My poor, sweet baby. She will never know her father at all. But it is best that she is raised in the twenty-first century so that she will be safe and become what she is destined to be away from the evil that is threatening us.
After a few moments, Christine gathered her wits and in a whisper said "To the British Museum, please."
As the driver nodded and drove the carriage away from the train station, Christine looked out the window toward the station house and once it was out of sight, she broke down crying. She sobbed all the way to her final destination which was the British Museum. When the carriage came to a complete stop, she stepped out of the carriage and walked inside the museum. Ignoring the crowds of people around her, Christine looked around for someone in particular. After twenty minutes, she finally found who she was looking for. A man dressed in nineteenth century clothing. His bald head covered with a turban and with a gentle smile on his face.
"Imhotep." Christine called out softly.
The former High Priest kept his gaze on her. "Hello, Christine." He greeted her. "It is time."
"I know." Christine replied with a resigned look on her face. "But must I …?"
"It is no longer safe here in this century." Imhotep said softly. "The one who killed your husband will try again but you and your baby will be protected better in the twenty-first century than you will be in this century. The time has come to fullfill your destiny. Take my hand, Christine."
Christine took the former High Priest's hand and together, they walked to the far, deserted part of the museum where the Egyptian exabit was still being built. Once he was satisfated that they were alone, Imhotep quietly began to chant something that Christine couldn't understand. Then suddenly, a portal opened a few feet away from them. Imhotep stepped inside first but before he went in fully, he turned to Christine.
"Come." He said. "Your destiny awaits."
Despite feeling afraid, Christine took the former High Priest's hand and stepped inside the portal. The last thing Christine remembered before everything went back was the gentle, reasurring smile on Imhotep's face.
July 4, 2003
Los Angeles, California
"Buffy, are you sure Erik is okay with this?" Dawn Summers asked as she helped one of her friends Xander pull suitcases out of the van in front of the Hyperion Hotel. It had been close to a month since she, her sister and their friend Willow along with Buffy's new love Erik also known as the Phantom Of The Opera returned to the twenty-first century from 1870 Paris. It had taken Erik time to adjust to life with the Scoobies and the Slayers and he even helped with some of the training. Despite his fear of humanity, Erik received support and guidance in the unlikely form of Giles, a former Watcher and one of Buffy's closest friends. To him, the former Watcher was the father he never had in the short time that he had known him. The brother-sister relationship between Erik and Dawn grew stronger in the month since they returned to the twenty-first century.
Dawn smiled when she remembered the first time she and Willow showed Erik how to use a computer a few days after they returned. He only had a few minor problems but he was able to use it on his own once Willow explained to him about the Internet and e-mail. She even taught him how to type.
Who would've known that he would become one of us in a few short weeks?
Dawn was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't hear her sister's answer to her question.
"No, but he'll do it anyway." Buffy replied refering to the meeting she and the Scoobies arranged with Angel and his crew. The meeting was arranged when Angel found out about Erik and included him despite Giles's concerns that he might not be to able to handle it. Once it was set up, the former Watcher insisted to be there. Buffy, Willow and Dawn also had their concerns but were reasurred that Erik would be treated like he was part of the Scooby Gang which Dawn would point out that he had been part of for the past few weeks.
Dawn was again pulled out of her thoughts when she heard Xander speak up.
"Erik would've been okay if Deadboy hadn't decided to include him in this little get-together." He said.
Buffy glared at him. "Hey. Be nice." She said warningly.
"What? It's true." Xander protested. "Come on, Buffy! How long has Erik been here? A month? He's not ready for this." Xander wasn't willing to admit it but he and Erik developed a understanding friendship. At first, Xander kept his distance from Erik out of jealousy and distrust but once he got the full story of his life via Buffy, Willow and Dawn, he screwed the nerve to talk to him and before long the one-eyed carpetner and the former Phantom became fast friends. Erik regarded all of the Scoobies as his family and Xander became the brother that he never had and wished that he had in his former life.
"Xander's right, Buffy." Giles piped up. "Erik is not ready for this yet. He needs time to adjust to everything."
Buffy sighed. "I know. But you know Erik. Once he makes up his mind about something that concerns me or us, he won't change it."
"That, I'm afraid, is what worries me." Giles replied.
"Speaking of Erik. Where is he?" Dawn asked. "I thought he and Willow would be here by now."
Buffy looked at her watch and then glanced back at her sister and friends. "They're proabably got caught in traffic or something. Don't worry, they'll be here."
Meanwhile …
Why the hell did I eat that thing?
That was the one thought that rang in Willow Rosenberg's mind as she threw up all of that was left of her lunch in the bathroom toliet with Erik standing behind her with concern and worry in his golden eyes. They had stopped for lunch on the way to the Hyperion Hotel. Willow settled for a hamburger and fries while Erik had a salad and water. Now she was wishing she had ordered the same thing had she learned that her hamburger wasn't cooked properly. When she began feeling sick, she had to pull over to a gas station to throw up. She coughed and she spat the bile out of her mouth. Erik took a cloth out of his pocket and handed it to her.
"It's not too clean but it will do." He said in a gentle voice.
Willow nodded her thanks and took the cloth to wipe her mouth. "Why did I eat that thing?" she groaned.
Erik smirked. "You should have had the same lunch I ordered." He said.
"My thinking also." Willow said. "I don't think I'll go back to that resturant again ever."
Erik nodded his head in agreement. "That place was horrid." He said with a look of disgust on his face.
Willow also made a face. "You're right. I should have picked a better resturant. You know the funny thing is. When Buffy worked at the DoubleMeat Palace back in Sunnydale, she often said that it was the worst place to eat. We had to eat in the most horrible resturant on the planet to debunk that theory."
Erik burst into pearls of laughter at her comment. Willow looked at him and then exploded into giggles and then she laughed with him. After a few minutes, Willow struggled to keep her laughter under control and she coughed in a effort to stop laughing. Erik had already stopped laughing and had a grin on his face when the redheaded witch stopped her laughter. She gave her friend a cheeky grin.
"We better get going." She said.
"Of course." Erik agreed. "Elizabeth and the others are proably wondering what is keeping us."
"Just do me a favor and don't tell Buffy about this." Willow said. "Or I'll never hear the end of it from her."
Erik chuckled and grinned at her. "I won't." he promised her. At that, he and Willow walked slowly toward to their car for the ride to the Hyperion Hotel.
Hyperion Hotel
Two hours later …
"Oh, come on, Angel! Do you really think that he's ready for that?"
"How long has he been here? A month? I think that he's ready."
"Well, I don't!"
"Hello, people! Erik's standing right here! Would you please stop talking like he's not here?"
"Buffy's right, Peaches!"
"Who asked you?"
"Shut your gob!"
"Would you stop your cursed bickering!"
Angel, Spike, Giles and Buffy all turned to look at Erik who was looking furious at the two vampires and the ex-Watcher. For the last two hours, Angel and Giles were arguing over whether or not Erik was ready for more responisblities in the rebuilding of the Watcher's Council. While Angel believed that the former Phantom was ready, Giles believed otherwise and the Scoobies agreed that Erik was not yet ready for the responisblity of locating Slayers. Even Buffy agreed that her new husband was not ready for it yet and was defending him.
Angel's eyes flashed sympathetically. "Erik, I understand …"
"You understand nothing!" Erik snapped at the vampire angrily. "I am still trying to adjust to life here and you are treating me no better than the people in my life. All because I'm with Elizabeth."
Spike spared a sympathetic look at Erik and then glared at Angel. "Erik's right, Peaches." He said. "Ever since you found out about Phantom Boy, the only thing you thought of was how you can make his life miserable all because he's with Buffy. Do you see me bitchin' and moanin' because she found someone who could love her as much I did? No!"
Angel looked at his grandchilde with a incredous look. "You think that I'm jealous of Erik because he's with Buffy?"
"Oh, come on, Peaches. Don't deny it!" Spike snapped. "You hate the idea of Erik being with Buffy almost as much as you hated the thought of her being with me. You have that look in your eyes when Erik is mentioned. That jealous look. You're jealous that she found someone who loves her very much."
Angel was about to say something when the door to the conference room opened and Cordelia Chase's face popped in.
"Sorry to interrupt your pissing contest." She said rolling her eyes in disgust at him. "But Cole said that there's something in your office that you and Buffy should see.
Angel sighed. "I'll be right there." He said and as he said it, he threw a writhing glance at Spike.
"We'll discuss this later." He said as he walked out of the room. Spike rolled his eyes as he followed. Buffy, Erik and Giles followed suit. The Slayer ran to catch up with Angel.
"Cole?" she said asking for a clarfication.
"Cole Turner." Angel replied. "He was a demon vaniquished by a trio of witches called the Charmed Ones but he was brought back by the Powers That Be because he made a deal with them."
"What kind of deal?" Buffy asked.
"That just in case, he went evil again and got vaniqiushed, they can do whatever they want with him. Send him to Hell or back to Earth to fight on the side of good. When he got vanqiushed by the Charmed Ones, the Powers decided that he would be put into good use by working with me, Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn and Fred and he's been with us ever since."
"That's answers that question." Buffy replied. Then she walked backwards and nearly crashed into Erik sending him to the ground.
"Oh, God" Buffy exclaimed. "Erik, I'm sorry!"
"That's quite all right, Elizabeth." Erik said with a chuckle. "You should be careful, though."
"Right." Buffy muttered as she helped Erik to his feet and they walked quickly to catch up with Angel, Spike, Giles and Cordelia on the way to the conference room where Wesley, Fred, Gunn and a man with dark hair and blue eyes the Slayer assumed to be Cole were standing.
"What is it, Cole?" Angel asked.
"This." Cole said and he stepped aside. On Angel's desk chair perched on it was what looked like to Buffy were two barn owls. She turned to Erik and saw the surprised look on his face that she was sure was mirrored on her own. What the hell are two barn owls doing here in Los Angeles and how did they get inside the hotel?
"Good Lord! How did they get in here?" Giles exclaimed.
Cole shook his head. "I have no idea." He said. "I was coming in Angel's office to drop off some papers when I saw them fly in the room and landed on his chair. They must've come in through an open window."
Fred noticed that something tied to the owl's leg. "There's something tied to it's leg." She said. At that point, she came closer and saw that it was an envelope.
"The other one has something tied to it's leg as well." Giles said as he removed an envelope from one of the owls. "And it's addressed to you and Erik, Buffy."
"Us?" Buffy and Erik both said sounding very bewildered . The Slayer took the envelope from Giles and opened it to reveal a letter. She cleared her throat and read it out loud.
Dear Miss Summers and Mr. Destler,
I am pleased to inform you of an offer to the both of you and your companions to teach at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But I'm sorry to say that the circumstances surrounding the offer haven't come at a better time. A dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort has been terrorizing the wizarding world for quite some time and he has targetted one of our students . It is my wish and the wishes of my staff that while you and Mr. Destler are teaching here, the both of you could aid in the protection of the students and the rest of the staff.
I will come to meet with the both of you and your companions tomorrow night in the Wolfram and Hart building to discuss the sort of classes you and Mr. Destler would be teaching as well as the rest of your companions and more of the story surrounding Lord Voldemort.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry
P.S: If youcome across anyone from our worldwho recognizesMr. Destler,please don't be alarmed for his exploits asthe Phantom Of The Opera are quite famous in the wizarding world.
Buffy looked up at Giles with a confused look on her face while Erik looked startled and slightly angry.
"Who's Albus Dumbledore, Giles?" She asked.
"And how did he know about me?" Erik demanded sounding furious.
"And what is Hogwarts?" Angel asked with a curious expression on his face.
Giles sighed before answering their questions. "Albus Dumbledore is the Headmaster Of Hogwarts as it was indicated in his letter. He is also a good friend of my family's. Hogwarts is a school for witches and wizards who practise wand magic."
The ex-Watcher barely looked at Erik in the eyes when he answered the former Phantom's question. "To answer your question, Erik, like Albus mentioned in his letter, your exploits as the Phantom are quite famous in their world. Your story has thrilled and frightened people, young and old, for many years."
"Although, I'm not sure how he knew that you are here." Giles confessed.
"Maybe when Erik stepped through the portal with Buffy, Red and the Nibblet, it created some kind of a magical ripple." Spike spoke up. "Wizards are known to sense things like that."
Angel glanced at Spike in surprise. "And how did you know that?"
"Simple, Peaches. I visited the wizarding world years ago just before I went on that bloody rampage with Dru during World War II."
Erik glanced at Buffy with a confused look on his face. "Dru?"
"Druscilla." Buffy replied in a whisper. "Spike's sire and one of the vampires Angel sired as Angelus."
The confused look on the former Phantom's face vanished at her explaination and he nodded. "Of course." Then he turned back to face Angel, Spike and Giles.
"What about this Lord Voldemort? Who is he?" Erik asked and as he asked his question, he saw that the ex-Watcher now had a grim look on his face and the two vampires growled at the mere mention of the dark wizard's name.
Spike answered the former Phantom's questions first. "Lord Voldemort is the wizarding world's version of Hitler only more vicious, more sadistic and as bloody mad as a hatter. His ultimate goal is to exterminate the world of all non-magic people. People like you and the Slayer."
"Monstrous." Erik whispered in horror.
"It gets worse, mate." Spike continued. "In his first reign of terror, Voldemort gathered some followers and led them to the dark side. Death Eaters, they called themselves. Wizards and witches who share his vision. Most of his followers also consist of giants, vampires, demons and other evil forces. I know because he tried to recuit me and Dru long ago."
"I'm surprised that you and Druscilla didn't join with him when he tried to recuit you two." Angel said with a glare.
Spike snorted in disgust. "Let's just say Snake Face and I didn't really see eye to eye with the whole conquest thing." He replied. "Besides, Dru was afraid of the chit for some bloody reason. She actually advised against joining up with him. Glad I told him to piss off when I did."
"Okay, people! Back to the subject at hand." Buffy piped up. "Dumbledore said that he'd be at the Wolfram & Hart building tomorrow night so I think we should all …"
But before Buffy could finish her sentence, the door to Angel's office opened and Harmony's face peeked in through the door with a nervous look on her face.
"Uh, boss." She said quite nervously.
"Not now, Harmony." Angel snapped. "We're in the middle of a …"
"There's someone in the hotel lobby who wants to see Buffy and Erik." Harmony said cutting him off. Then she glanced at both the Slayer and the former Phantom nervously.
"She said that you two know her." She said.
Buffy and Erik glanced at each other with confused looks before they followed Harmony out of the office with Angel, Spike, Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn, Fred, Cole and Giles close behind them. As they entered the lobby, they stopped dead in their tracks. Buffy's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as she recognized the pregnant young woman standing in the middle of the lobby wearing what looked like a nineteenth century dress and her curly brown hair went down her shoulders. Her brown eyes filled with emotion.
"C-C-Christine?" Buffy stuttered in a shocked voice.
Spike's eyes widened as he also recgonized her but for a different reason. "Bloody hell!" He exclaimed softly.
"My God!" Erik whispered in disbelief. "How is this possible?"
Christine Daae glanced at the Slayer and the former Phantom and smiled slightly in greeting. "Hello, Elizabeth. Hello, Erik." She said softly. Buffy ran down to her and threw her arms around her in an embrace. After close to a minute, the two women pulled away and glanced at each other.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked. "How did you ..?"
"I was brought here." Christine replied softly.
"By whom?" Erik asked.
"By me."
The Scoobies and the Fang Gang all turned to see a man appearing in the lobby. He looked relatively handsome with a bald head and dressed in Ancient Egyptian robes and clothing. Buffy's face paled as she recongized the man from head to toe and from the accent he was speaking. The man who helped her, Dawn and Willow protect Christine from the evil that wanted her dead. The man who was Dawn's friend in a past life before she was the Key.
"Imhotep." Buffy whispered not believing what she was seeing.
"Hello, Slayer." Imhotep said softly. "It is a pleasure to see you again."
Buffy tried hard not to stutter. "L-L-Likewise." She said. Then she turned to see that everyone else was looking either confused or distrustful of the former High Priest including Giles.
Oh, boy. This is going to be fun to explain this to everyone.
After a moment, Erik spoke up. "I think it's best if we go to the office and explain what is going on." He said.
Buffy stared at her husband. "You read my mind."
Later …
"Okay, let me get this straight." Xander said in a disbelieving voice. "While you, Dawn and Willow were in the nineteenth century, you had to protect her from a demon sent to kill her," The one eyed carpetner jerked his thumb at Christine as he spoke. "And our friend here was working with you guys but not against you?" Xander glanced at Imhotep as he said his words.
Buffy gave her best friend an even stare. "Yep." She replied. "It was because of him that Christine is alive. There's something else too."
"What?" Giles asked.
The Slayer hesitated then she spoke. "Imhotep was the one who created the Key three thousand years ago."
Now everyone except Erik was shocked and looked at the Slayer with shocked looks on their faces.
"What the Slayer has told you is the truth." Imhotep said. "When I was still the High Priest for Pharaoh Seti, I was once very good friends with his youngest daughter, Geti. Of course, we had to keep our friendship a secret from everyone out of fears that I could get excuted for treason except from one person whom Geti trusted with our secret. Her older sister, Nefertiri. But then a dark lord from another world came into Egypt to conquer it and he had chosen Geti to be his queen. When I was told about what would happen to her if she fell into the dark lord's hands, I knew that the only way to save her from a terrible fate was to turn Geti into a ball of energy."
"The Key." Wesley said softly.
Imhotep nodded his head. "Yes. Before my priests and I began the ritual to turn Geti into the Key, I told her that if she ever retained human form, I would come for her when the time is right. Once the ritual was completed and she was completely transformed into the Key, I sent it as far away from Egypt as I could so that the Dark Lord would not be able to find it. I never saw it again after that night."
"Wait a minute." Spike said. "The Key was made into human form two years ago back in Sunnydale. So why did you come for Dawn then?"
"I was still cursed so I could not come for her like I promised." The former High Priest said. "When the Slayer and the Key were sent to the nineteenth century, I was given a chance by the Gods to undo the sins I committed against them by helping them protect Christine and save the Chosen Line. If I had not agreed to do it, the world would have destroyed by now and we would not be standing before you."
"Which bring me to my question." Giles said evenly. "Why are you and Christine here and how did you get here?"
Imhotep gave everyone a grim expression as he spoke. "After the Slayer and the Key returned to this century, something terrible happened in the nineteenth century. Christine had become pregnant with the daughter I spoke of before. However, her husband was attacked and murdered by a wizard who was trying to finish what the Alga demon had started. Christine had no choice but to flee the nineteenth century."
"Imhotep came to me three days afterit happened." Christine finally said. "He told me that my time had come to face my destiny and to help Elizabeth and the rest of you fight this new threat. He created a portal and you know the rest of the story."
"But Christne will not be the only one who is to assist you in this fight." Imhotep replied. "There are others as well."
Everyone was confused. "Others?" Erik asked.
"Who else is going to help us?" Angel asked.
Inside Castle Wyven
New York City, New York
As he was reading a dignotics report in his office, David Xanatos stopped when he heard a sound. After a few moments, he shook his head and went back to reading the report that had been on his desk all week. Then, he heard it again louder this time and he got up from his desk. He followed the sound out of his office till he entered one of the oldest rooms of the castle. What he saw shocked him beyond belief. Two barn owls perched on two of the chairs on the table. Both owls looked like they had something tied to their legs. Shocked, confused and curious, Xanatos carefully approached them and as he got closer, he saw that the thing that was tied to one of the owls' leg was an evelope.
"Curiouser and curiouser." Xanatos muttered as he untied the evelope from the owl. To his surprise, he saw that the enevlope was addressed to him. He opened it to reveal a letter and read it to himself quietly realizing that the letter was meant for Goliath.
Dear Goliath
Please don't be alarmed. I am not an enemy out to destroy or capture you or any members of your clan. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm writing to you to offer you and your clan protection in return for your help. A dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort has been terrorizing the wizarding world for some time and is targetting one of our students. Your clans's exploits are quite famous in our world and many of us consider you to be heroes. Any how, it is my wish and the wishes of members of my staff that you and your clan aid the protection of the students and the rest of the staff as well as others who will assist you in this task. I will be at the Hyperion Hotel in Los Angeles tomorrow night meeting the others who will be helping you as well as the rest of the story surrounding Lord Voldemort and the student who is targetted by him.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"I better tell Goliath about this." Xanatos said as he turned and rushed out of the room with the letter stil in his hand.
Halliwell Manor
San Francisco, California
Piper Halliwell woke up to the sound of her son Wyatt crying via a baby monitor. With a groan, she got up and walked straight to the nursery. Once she entered the room, she walked to her son's crib and lifted him out of it. Then suddenly she heard a soft sound coming from downstairs. Carrying her crying son in her arms, Piper carefully went down the stairs to find the source of the sound despite her son's cries. Then suddenly and mysteriously, Wyatt's cries ceased and as Piper turned around toward the living room, she saw why and it stunned her beyond belief. Two barn owls perched on the living room couch and they both looked like that they had something tied to each of their legs. Shocked and curious, Piper approached them carefully trying not to frighten them and as she got closer, she saw what it looked like to be an evenlope tied to one of the owl's leg.
"This is getting wierder every minute." Piper said softly to herself as she untied the elevenlope from the owl. To her surprise and shock, she saw that the enevlope was addressed to her, Phoebe and Paige. She opened it to reveal a letter and she read it to herself quietly with her son still in her arms.
Dear Miss Halliwell,
I am pleased to inform you of an offer to you and your sisters to teach at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, I'm sad to say that the circumstances surrounding the offer haven't come at a better time. A dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort has been terrorizing the wizarding world for quite some time and he has targetted one of our students who goes by the name Harry Potter. It is my wish and the wishes of my staff that while you and your sisters are teaching here, the three of you could aid in the protection of the students and the rest of the staff. However, I should warn you that yours and your sisters' exploits as the Charmed Ones are quite famous in our world and you will be easily recognized so please do not be alarmed when you come across anyone from our world.
There will be others who will assist you in the task of providing protection for the students and staff. I will be at the Hyperion Hotel in Los Angeles tomorrow night meeting the others who will be helping you and to discuss the sort of classes you and your sisters would be teaching. If you want to know more of the story surrounding Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter, ask your husband. He and I are very well acquainted and will tell you and your sisters more than I will. Netherless, I will see you and your sister tomorrow night at the Hyperion Hotel.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"You have got to be kidding me." Piper said in shock and disbelief. Then she turned around toward the stairs and yelled out.
"Phoebe, Paige, Leo! Get your asses down here!"
At her shout, her sisters came down the stairs and Leo orbed in. The two sisters looked tired, irritated and confused while Leo looked a little worried and confused.
"What is it, Piper?" Leo asked.
"This." Piper sholved the letter in her husband's hands. The Elder and the other two Halliwell sisters read it and as they did, a grim look etched on Leo's face while Phoebe and Paige looked worried and confused. Then he looked up at his wife wearing the same expression on his face.
"What is it, Leo?" Piper asked fearing that she already knew the answer.
"What's going on?" Phoebe asked with a concerned look on her face and in her voice. "And who is Lord Voldemort?"
Leo took a deep breath before he spoke. "Lord Voldemort is a dark wizard. The most feared in the wizarding community in England."
"Wizarding community?" Paige said. "You mean, there's actually a separate community for witches and wizards?"
The Elder nodded. "There has been for centuries but they don't show themselves to non-magic people. Anyway, Voldemort has an intense hatred for humanity. His hate for non-magic people is so strong that he wants to exterminate them all and create a world of all wizards and witches who are of pure-blood."
The Halliwell sisters glanced at Leo in utter horror. "That's just sick!" Paige exclaimed.
"Not to mention crazy." Phoebe agreed. "I mean, he's like Hitler only more vicious with a touch of insanity."
Leo nodded his head with agreement. "That is why the Elders are worried." He said. "They know what Voldemort is like and what he will do to achieve his goal. But he's not alone. During his first reign of terror, he gathered some followers and led them to the dark side. They call themselves Death Eaters. Wizards and witches who share his vision and his beliefs. When he returned just a few years ago, some of his old followers returned to him to finish what they had started."
Piper rolled her eyes in disgust and anger. "That's just lovely." She said. "Another bad guy who wants to destroy the world. What could be worse?"
"What about Hogwarts?" Paige asked in a curious voice. "What exactly is it?"
Leo paused before he spoke. "Hogwarts is a school of witchcraft and wizardry in England. But they teach only wand witches and wizards and not Wiccas like you three."
"And Albus Dumbledore? Who is he?" Phoebe asked.
"Albus Dumbledore, as he mentioned in the letter, is the Headmaster of Hogwarts." Leo answered. "He was famous for defeating a Dark Wizard in the mid-1940s. Albus has had dealings with the Elders during that time and kept in touch with them. One of his students who goes to Hogwarts was one of my charges when I was still a Whitelighter. A young boy. Harry Potter."
Piper's eyes popped at the revelation. "Harry Potter?"
"That's right." Leo replied. "The wizarding community calls him 'The Boy Who Lived' because he surivived an attack by Voldemort as a child. Harry and his parents were marked for death and they went into hiding. Unfortnately, one of their friends betrayed them to Voldemort and they were attacked in their home. Voldemort killed Harry's father first and then his mother when she refused to step aside. As he killed her, she gave Harry the ultimate protection. Love. So when Voldemort tried to kill Harry, it backfired on him and he was hit with the curse he used to try to kill him. The only evidence Harry has of his experience is a lightening-shaped scar on his forehead."
"After that." Leo continued. "Harry was sent to live with his aunt and uncle who, unfortnately, hate magic and has made his life a living nightmare. When the Elders saw this, they knew that Harry would need guidence to survive out into the world so they assigned me to be his Whitelighter to guide him to the right path. When I became an Elder, I told them that I wanted to continue to watch out for Harry and they agreed to allow me to do so."
Tears welled in Piper's eyes. "Poor kid." She said quietly. "He's been through so much. Too much."
"He has." Leo agreed.
"What a minute." Phoebe piped up. "The letter mentioned others who will help us defeat Voldemort. Who are the others?"
A knowing look crossed over Leo's face as he spoke. "I think I know." He said.
I actually started this just before I finished writing the final chapter of The Other Side Of Compassion and it took several rewrites to make it to my satisfaction. I alsohad a rather difficult time trying to upload this on this siteso sorry for the long wait. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Remember, no flames! I will ignore them and I have no patience for them.