Welcome to The Hellmouth Harry Potter!

Chapter 5

"Before we continue, please, stand up, Spike," Lord Voldemort told the wheelchair bound vampire courtly.

"Are you bloody blind?" Spike said as he wheeled himself closer to the dark lord.

Lord Voldemort placed a boney hand with unnaturally long fingers on Spike's shoulder. "Trust me," the dark lord whispered. Voldemort muttered a few words under his breath and made a few movements with his wand. Them he moved away from Spike, looking arrogant. "Stand up, William."

This time it was a command. Slowly, Spike stood up. When he noticed his legs held him he began walking around the room. Drusilla begin clapping. Angel had a disgruntled look on his face, as he eyed Lord Voldemort. He looked like a dog, whose territory had been invaded by a Rottweiler.

*********

The group was walking to the school. Hermione cast a water repelling spell so they wouldn't get soaking wet. Harry and Buffy were leading the group.

"So, what do you mean you died?" Harry asked Buffy as they walked to the school.

"I mean I died. In the "not breathing" sense. I was attacked by a vampire, a strong one and then I drowned. Luckily Xander came and gave me CPR. So I'm still here," Buffy answered.

Harry didn't exactly know what to say.

"It was harsh," Buffy said. She had a somber pause. "What about you? I understand you had your share of dark adventures."

"I didn't die," Harry said. "Not yet anyway."

"Hey, don't let me bring you down," Buffy tried to make Harry feel better. "Anyway, why should you die?"

Harry gave a sad laugh.

"Well..." Harry tried to decide whether or not to tell Buffy.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"There's this prophecy," Harry began.

"Ahhh yes. The good ol' prophecy," Buffy said wisely, "that one will scare ya every time."

"Can I finish?" Harry asked with a smile.

"Sorry. Go ahead."

"Anyway, remember that evil wizard I talked about?"

"Yeah. Lord Oldywart or something," Buffy said.

"Lord Voldemort," Harry corrected her. "You know, it's funny. Almost everyone in the wizard world is afraid to say his name. The way you make fun of it... It would drive the death eaters crazy."

Buffy had a confused look. "I just forgot his name, Harry..."

Hermione and Ron caught up with them. "Harry, can I talk to you?" Hermione asked.

Harry gave Buffy a look that made it clear he wanted to keep talking with her. Buffy just smiled. "Go ahead. But you're going to finish that prophecy later!"

"What is it, Hermione?"

"I wanted the three of us to talk. What do you think, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking worried.

"I think we can trust them. Apparently Buffy saved Ginny's life."

"I think so too," Hermione said.

"Same here," Ron added.

"But what is going on?" Harry asked Hermione. She usually had answers.

"I think V-V..." Hermione paused, took a deep breath and continued, "Voldemort is here. I don't think his snake would be here without him, nor could it find it's way to Dean's house without precise direction. But why?"

"He wants that artifact," Ron suggested.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Are you going to put your faith in Luna's theory? The girl who believes that the American government has an underground facility that experiments with demons? I don't think she's very reliable..."

Ron shrugged.

"Malfoy looked as if he knew something. Maybe if -" Hermione began to say. Harry's eyes became cold.

"Don't ever mention that name again. I swear if I ever see him or his father again I'll kill them," Harry said in an equally cold voice.

Hermione and Ron exchanged worried looks. "Harry," Hermione said in a soothing voice, "I think you need to... calm down a bit."

"Yeah, mate," Ron said, "just take things easier. Don't let that Mal - that git get to you," Ron finished with a forced smile.

Harry shifted his glance away from his friends. "This doesn't matter. Just work on that portkey," Harry said and walked away.

*********

Ginny was walking alone. Well, Luna was walking next to her, but as usual her face was glued to The Quibbler. Once in a while Luna would look up from it to make sure she wasn't about to walk straight into a streetlamp.

Ginny sighed, lost in her thoughts. It was all just too much. And unexpected. With Buffy being a slayer, and the vampires, and now Malfoy...Ginny really thought her fifth year would be different - for once none of her friends were in mortal peril. Until now, that is. This trip was supposed to be a chance to relax, to unwind, to have fun... But, like almost every year, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wanted Harry dead. Ginny made a mental note of trying to say his name next time. Then she remembered the prophecy Dumbledore told her, Ron and Hermione about at the beginning of the year. The one about Harry and, and, Voldemort. Ginny shivered.

"Are you cold?" Xander asked her, as he suddenly showed up by her side.

"No, I'm fine," Ginny answered with a smile. For a second the cloud of depressing thoughts disappeared. She only thought about how cute this Xander guy was. Neither of them said anything for a second.

"You know, you don't seem very surprised by this whole 'let's go to war' plan"," Ginny observed.

"Well, that's what we do around here. You guys probably have a whole 'let's turn people into toads game'. We play with axes," Xander answered.

Ginny laughed.

"From what Buffy told me you weren't surprised at all when you fought the vamps," Xander answered.

"Well, I was. I was also terrified. A little. I never actually saw a vampire, but they teach them at school so..."

"They teach you about vampires at school?" Xander asked, surprised.

"Actually it makes sense. They really should start teaching them in Sunnydale."

Ginny smiled. "You're very nice Xander," Ginny said in a warm voice.

She moved closer to him. Xander was surprised. He wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"Maybe after all this will end, if we will still get to stay here a while, we could meet or go somewhere or something."

Luna lifted her head from The Quibbler and looked at Ginny.

Xander stopped walking and turned to face Ginny. "Yeah, I'd love that. Only that, um, I mean we could be friends-"

Ginny's face fell.

"It's just that, I'm with Cordelia," Xander said.

Ginny turned tomato-read. "Oh, I'm sorry. I mean it seemed there was something between... But I didn't think..." Ginny mumbled apologetically. "I'll go find Hermione," she said and departed from Xander.

A couple of steps behind them Dean and Cho were walking. "You must think I'm a horrible coward," she told him as they walked. Her eyes were puffy. The whole scene at Buffy's house made her quite emotional. As if that was a hard task.

"Cho, you passed a test that allows you to disappear from one place and reappear at another," Dean answered her with a smile, "I'm mostly thinking about how much my driver's license is NOT going impress you."

She smiled back at him.

Walking behind the group, Cordelia was venting her frustrations to a somewhat indifferent Giles.

"I mean, did you hear him? Talking to me like that? Who does he think he is?" Cordelia said.

Giles didn't say anything.

"I know! I mean he used to be all puppy dog and adored me, but if this is his attitude..." Cordelia let out an irritated grunt, "did you see him looking at those girls?"

"Well, I only saw him looking at the attractive red haired one," Giles answered in a helpful tone.

Cordelia flashed Giles an extremely annoyed look. "I need a girl," she said and searched the group for a suitable girl. "Hey, Luna!"

*********

A couple of minutes alter they reached the school. Buffy led them to the library. Giles immediately went into his office and Willow turned to the computer. Cordelia sat down on the stairs looking bored. Hermione began searching the stacks for the books she needed. Xander began organizing the library's arsenal on the table. Luna took a book and opened it. She placed The Quibbler open next to it and looked at them, comparing.

Willow looked at the empty cage. "Where's Oz?"

"Don't worry Will. The chess club needed the library so we moved him to the basement," Buffy answered. Then she rolled open the blueprints of the school in front of Harry, Ron, Xander, Dean, Cho, and Ginny, all of which were standing next to her.

"Okay, basically, what were going to do is research the portkey thingy and that artifact she mentioned," Buffy motioned towards Luna, "but we need to make sure no own is going to attack us. Some of us should patrol."

Buffy felt uneasy saying this. Ginny managed to hold her own against three vampires, which meant they had some skill. But if someone decided to attack could they face it? Cho looked pretty delicate, Xander only fought when Buffy was nearby and Dean didn't know anything about what was going on. Buffy couldn't help thinking she was putting them in enormous risk. But she couldn't guard all the exits by herself.

"I'll be by the main entrance; you guys should be around the other exits. I think each group should have one of us and one wizard," Buffy said.

"Agreed," Harry said, "I'm with you."

"No. I'll be alone. The point of being in pairs is safety. And, well, I can hold my own," Buffy explained.

"Buffy we don't know what we're dealing with, maybe you should -" Xander tried to tell her, but she cut him off.

"Xander, I'll deal. It's more important you guys are alright," Buffy said, sounding very final.

"But there's a problem. Only you, Xander and I know the school,"

Dean said.

"Cho, you should stay and research," Harry said, "Ravenclaws are naturally good at this stuff."

"Its okay, Harry, we have enough researchers," Cho said. Harry didn't understand she was giving him a chance to let the topic go.

"I think it's better if you stay here, where it's safer."

Cho's eyes narrowed, even more than usual. "Harry, do I have to remind you that even though you fought some dark wizards, I still am a year above you and know some spells you don't," Cho said. Then she turned to Ginny. "I'm beginning to understand why you're cross with these guys so often. I'm surprised they don't make you stay near the cave and collect berries while they go out and hunt!"

Ginny and Buffy smiled. Harry, Ron, Xander and Dean looked at Cho, shocked. And quite a bit turned on. Harry recovered first. "Judging by what you said at Buffy's I just figured you -" Harry stopped mid sentence, as he realized he was not making things better.

"I didn't want to apparate from Los Angeles to England! However, I think I can walk around a school for a while," Cho said, her brown eyes shining with angry determination.

"Whatever. Xander, team up with Ginny ok?" Buffy said. Ginny went red, but after the previous arguments she didn't want to delay Buffy's plan. Furthermore, even though most of Ginny's mind was busy being embarrassed, the other part of her was looking forward to spending time with Xander.

Xander was aware to the awkwardness of the pairing as well, but, like Ginny, he didn't want to cause more difficulties.

"Harry, Cho, can you work together?" Buffy asked and gave them a serious look.

Harry nodded. "Sure," Cho answered.

"Ron, you can patrol with me, I guess," Buffy said.

Dean stood there waiting. When Buffy didn't say anything he decided to take action.

"What about me?" Dean asked.

"Listen, Dean," Buffy tried to find a way to say what she wanted to say, without hurting Dean's fragile masculine ego, "maybe you should help with the research."

Dean looked at her incredulously. "You're kidding, right? What makes you think I can be more useful in research? I have no idea what creatures or magic or whatever we're looking for!"

"Exactly, you're green in this whole thing, you should be safe."

"Look, Buffy I can hold my own," Dean looked at Xander and remembered something, "hey, I kicked Xander's ass in eighth grade! If he's going I can go!"

Xander looked indignant. "Hey! Mrs. Clarckson separated us in the middle!" Xander exclaimed.

Dean was about to answer when Buffy stood between them. "Let's just try and lower the testosterone level here?" Buffy saw that they let the subject go. She turned to Dean. "Fine. Join Harry and Cho."

"No, Buffy," Harry began to protest, but stopped immediately when Buffy gave him a very impatient look.

Cho began to feel her face getting read. She really would have preferred facing vampires alone instead of hanging around with Dean and Harry for an hour. The vampires were just easier to deal with.

**************

Giles adjusted the position of the violet amethyst. He checked that the ruby, the topaz and the sapphire were in their right places. They created some kind of rectangle.

"I call thee, wise spirits. I beseech you to share your wisdom," Giles chanted. He reached into a small bag he held in his hand and then,

**************

On the other side of the town, Lord Voldemort sprinkled grinded owl claws on the magic rectangle he made. "Show me what I seek. Guide me towards my goal. I implore thee, reveal the location, where my future,"

**************

"Awaits me," Giles finished the spell. He looked at the rectangle before him. A golden cloud appeared near the center of it. Giles looked at it carefully.

"Dear Lord," he muttered unbelievingly.

**************

"Tell me," Lord Voldemort turned to the vamps, "if this was a map of the town, what would be located where the golden cloud is."

Angelus examined the rectangle carefully. Then he began to chuckle. Then he was laughing. Spike looked at the cloud and realized what was so funny.

"What is it, Angelus?" Voldemort said, as he began to grow impatient.

"It's exactly where the high school should be," Spike said, "and where all the little evil fighters are probably based right now."

Lord Voldemort smiled. "I didn't plan for us to attack them so soon, but since they are guarding what I need... Well, round up your friends. They are eating out tonight."

*********

"I think I found it," Hermione said, as she lifted a book and showed it to Willow.

"But it doesn't say how you control the destination," Willow said, as she looked at the page Hermione showed her.

"Well like most spells it's based on concentration and experience. The problem is you have no way of knowing if you did it right, but trying it," Hermione said, sounding worried.

"I trust you," Willow said.

*********

"It really isn't that complicated. A stake to the heart will do it every time," Buffy told Ron, "if you have to, I guess you could decapitate them. Crosses and holy water can hold them at bay, but they won't help you kill them."

Buffy and Ron were walking near the cafeteria. She was holding a stake and he was holding his wand as a flashlight. "Although, you don't strike as the decapitating type."

"I don't think I can shove a wooden stake into someone's heart either," Ron said, looking nervous by the mere thought of that.

"You'll be surprised what you find yourself doing when someone's trying to kill you," Buffy said and then she had a puzzled look on her face, "you guys never fought with anyone?"

"Yes. With wands. Not swords and stuff," Ron explained.

"Well, you're sister handled the vamps pretty well," Buffy said.

"I'm not surprised. My brothers were the troublemakers, but Ginny was the one mum tried not to fight with."

Buffy laughed. "Thank god I don't have a little sister."

*********

Harry held his wand, which was in "Lumos" mode, before him. Cho had hers aimed towards the darkness before her. Dean was only holding a flashlight, but a cross and a stake were visible from his pockets.

Harry didn't feel like talking. He was still pissed at Cho because of what she said on the bus. But that was okay. Harry figured she really didn't want to get into emotional issues or talk about relationships. But Harry couldn't help but noticing a certain tension between Dean and Cho. Because Harry was a male teenager, the hint of something going on between the two, made him angry and moody. But, he couldn't stay angry at her, as he still liked her. However, he could defiantly stay angry at Dean.

"So, do you guys do this kind of stuff a lot?" Cho asked Dean.

Why is she addressing him and not me? Harry thought, as he felt the anger in him rise.

"I'm not really that close to Buffy and the gang. I mean, I know them. We hanged a couple of times but nothing more. I think they do this stuff a lot. Kind of like their hobby," Dean said, "I'm new to this gig."

Cho nodded. Things were quiet again.

"But I understand you two are experienced, especially you, Harry," Dean said, hoping a conversation will start.

"Now I'll shut this asshole up," Harry thought maliciously.

"Yes actually. When I was eleven I fought with Voldemort for the first time. When I was twelve I killed a basilisk -"

"Is that some kind of mosquito?" Dean asked.

"No dummy," Harry emphasized the second word, "it's a snake the size of a dinosaur with poisonous fangs that anyone who sees it dies. Oh, it's about ten, twenty hundred times bigger then Nagini," Harry finished in a tone of poisonous sweetness that would make Umbridge proud.

"Are you finished, Harry?" Cho said through clenched teeth.

"No, I haven't even gotten to the triwizard tournament and the dragons. Oh, and did I mention I'm the youngest seeker in a hundred years?"

"You sound like someone in front of a Veela!" Cho told Harry, even more irritated then before.

Even while she was annoyed at Harry's impersonation of a sod, Cho couldn't help but feel flattered. He was jealous. Boys can be so transparent sometimes.

"Are you trying to get into my pants?" Dean asked Harry, suspicious.

"Or maybe not," Cho thought.

Harry stopped talking, a dumbfounded look on his face. "What do you mean?"

Cho understood and began to smile. She turned to look at the hilarious train wreck about to take place.

"It's okay, don't be shy. I don't mind. But, I mean I'm not the one you should try to impress - "Harry cut in.

"I am not trying to impress you," Harry said, irritated.

"Its okay, Harry, really. I'm impressed as it is. But I just, well, play for the other team," Dean explained as he begun to feel a bit awkward, "Cho's team."

Cho began laughing.

"What. Is. He. Talking. About," Harry asked Cho.

"Look Harry, I'm flattered," Dean said when something occurred to him, "hey! I know a guy, Larry. I'm not sure if you guys fit, but maybe you should talk to him..."

Harry finally realized what Dean was thinking. He really wished he didn't. Harry's face got so red, Cho thought all his blood rushed to that area.

"What are you talking...? I'm not...! Damn muggle!!" Harry screamed.

"Is that some kind of new slang for us heteros?" Dean asked.

Harry was about to retort when Cho hit them both on the shoulders. They both turned to the direction she was looking at. Spike and four other vampires were standing in front of them.

"I hope we're not disturbing anything," Spike said, his face already in killing mode.

*********

Xander and Ginny were walking silently through one of the high school halls. Ginny held her wand out as a flashlight. Xander was holding an axe. Both felt the awkwardness between them.

Ginny sighed. "Look, Xander, since I'm going to be here for a while, let's just erase that little sentence from history?" Ginny asked tentatively.

"What sentence?" Xander said with a smile.

"I'm talking about when I told you-" Ginny began saying, but stopped when she saw the amusement on Xander's face. "Oh."

There were a few more silent minutes.

Ginny looked back at her night so far. She hit on a taken guy, she saw Harry rehash some of his, and hers, worse memories, she hurt someone, her teacher has disappeared and she was nearly killed by vampires. If Buffy hadn't showed up when she did...

Ginny stopped walking as she realized something. Xander walked a few steps more before noticing Ginny paused.

"What's the matter Gin?" Xander figured it wasn't a good idea to give girls who liked him and that he was attracted to, pet names when he had a girlfriend. "-ny?" he added.

"Why does Buffy know vampires?" Ginny asked, her suspicion growing with each second.

"She's the slayer," Xander answered.

"No. I mean personally. She talked to one of them as if they were... dating."

"That was probably Angel," Xander said.

"Why did she talk to him like that?"

"Because they did date. He was our friend," Xander said, "well, their friend."

Ginny pointed her wand at Xander. "You were friends with a -" Ginny looked over Xander's shoulder, "duck!"

The light from her wand illuminated Lucius Malfoy's face, and the bolt of light that came out of his wand towards Xander. Xander fell to the floor.

"Hello, Weasel," Lucius said in his smug voice, "an old friend of yours would like to meet you again."

*********

Giles emerged out of his office. "Luna? Could you come in here for a minute?"

"Of course," Luna said and walked into Giles' office. She closed the door behind her.

"I was wondering... How does the artifact you talked about earlier look like?"

"It's a blue cross, with silver snakes on it. There is an inscription on it in Latin, I don't remember what, though," Luna said.

"I think you were right. We should tell the others to keep an eye out for it. Have you told them how to recognize it?" Giles asked Luna as he took a step towards her.

"No. I can tell them now," Luna said and took a step towards the door.

Giles smiled. "That would be great, Luna. You're a good girl," Giles said in a warm voice. Then he punched her in the face and pulled her unconscious body into a cabinet.