The Eighth Weasley

Notes: This should be a nice, short chapter for once. I've just found several files which are half-finished chapters of the sequel to this. *stares* When the heck did I write sections of six chapters? Bloody hell... I told myself one stand-alone series of this would be enough (see 75 chapters for details), but meh! The sequel is just lying there. Ready. Waiting for the plot. Mind you, it is a way-into-the-future follow-up, which is mildly amusing ;) And I giggle over it already. Me like!

Anyway, back to this chapter. Not much happening. Thank God! (Meh!)

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On entry to the Great Hall at breakfast through the side door behind the staff table, the day after Dawn's return, Buffy Summers couldn't shake the distinct feeling that she was being watched.

Perhaps, she pondered, that was because every single face of every single pupil was directed at her.

Sliding into a seat next to Giles, she flashed a half-smile at him. "Hey." Green eyes turned to her and she was surprised to see that he looked strangely worried. "What? Is there some demon attack on the way?"

"I have some rather bad news for you," he replied, leaning closer to her. "Many of the pupils who witnessed your mode of defence against the two demons in your class have spread the word and the student body became rather curious about why you were deemed qualified to be a Professor when you clearly have no magical ability, but do have an abundance of strength."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that they do not class the Ravenclaws as intelligent because they always carry books everywhere," her Watcher said tersely. He looked out at the hall. "When they wish to find something out..."

"Researchers, huh?" Buffy murmured, a headache rapidly building as she started to understand what he was saying. Rubbing her forehead, she grimaced. "How many of them know?"

"I-I'm afraid it is very hard to keep such a thing secret for a long period, when one person discovers something of interest about a Professor. As you might recall, you and your friends used to delight in speculating about Principal Snyder. Pupil speculation about teachers seems to be an ageless tradition."

"Great," Buffy groaned. "So basically, they all know I'm slaygal?"

"Actually," a voice cut in from her other side, one of Lorne's green-skinned hands patting her arm. "There's a little group who seem to think you're Wonder Woman and that you'd look cute in the outfit."

Shooting a look at the demon, who grinned at her, Buffy groaned. "Lorne! I so did not need to hear that, thank you! Horny boys are bad enough! Horny boys with comic book women fetishes I do not need to know about!"

"Would you prefer Xena, sweets?" he offered, sipping his coffee, a wicked twinkle in his scarlet eyes.

"I would prefer if you would stop telling me what my students think of me, Lorne!"

Red eyes darted across the staff table, then looked back at Buffy. "Who said anything about students, hon?"

Buffy followed the direction he had looked in and immediately, colour flooded up her face at the sight of Snape. Whipping back around to face Lorne, she pointed at him in warning. "Lorne, I do NOT want to know what he's thinking either!"

"Not even if it..."

"Lorne!" Leaning closer to him, she yanked him towards her by the front of his suit, trying to ignore the grin on his face. Lowering her voice to a pitch and tone, which she hoped sounded more threatening than pleading. "You keep talking and I'm going to show you just how I managed to live on a Hellmouth for five consecutive years."

"And lose old bright-eyes another Professor?" He winked, his own voice equally low. "Your secret is safe with me, sweets."

Buffy glowered at him, blushing furiously, and turned her attention back to Giles, forcing a wan smile on her face. "So, Giles, they all know?"

"Unless you-you-you wish to strategically deny it?"

"Giles, at least twenty of them saw me kick a super-big demon across a classroom and kill another one with a sword and my bare hands," she said, a note of impatience in her voice. "You better have a very good denial lined up for me."

"I'm astounded by your trust in me," Giles muttered, receiving a smirk from her. "I-I believe that maintaining secrecy would be somewhat pointless at this juncture. After all, their world is already concealed, so normal humans would still be oblivious."

The Slayer nodded pensively, turning her attention to breakfast, trying to ignore the hundreds of faces staring at her.

"I guess it would be kinda easier to tell 'em the truth and you never know," A grin crossed her lips. "It might scare some of 'em into handing their work in on time. Or at least give better excuses." Giles directed a sceptical look at her as she jabbed her knife into the butter dish. "Or not."

"You overestimate the fear you would inspire," he said, reaching for his cup of tea and taking a deep gulp of it.

"What about Faith? Do they know she's a Slayer too?"

Giles shook his head. "Not that we are aware of."

"Maybe they should be told about it," she remarked, taking a bite of the roll she had just buttered. "I mean, yeah, it'll look kinda weird to have two Slayers in the school, but it would be like the full set, since we have the demons and vampires already."

Giles removed his glasses, wiping them on his tie. "I suppose it might warn them that caution is recommended," he agreed pensively. "After all, all of them have been made aware of the demon attacks. They may feel safer as well."

"And Faith and I have been kinda outta condition..." she added innocently, tapping the edge of her knife against the side of her plate. "Maybe we could show 'em just how two Slayers do the work?"

Green eyes met hazel. "You have been planning this for some time, haven't you?"

"Only since Faith showed up," Buffy grinned at him. "We've only been one-on-one a couple of times and she's the best sparring partner I've had. I think it'll help if we can both get back in shape together. Having an audience'll only make it more fun."

"And does Faith know about this?"

Looking down at the table where the American group were sitting, chatting with one another, Buffy smiled. "Not yet," she replied. "But she will and I'm betting that she'll think it's a great idea."

***

"Think D is copin'?"

The American group seated at the table shared a communal look in the direction of Dawn, who was - once again - sitting with Duncan and his classmates, talking animatedly about something, a smile on her face.

"She looks like she has recovered well," Wesley said, then added, with a self-depreciating smile, "Although, if I recall correctly, I was never an expert on the way the mind of a teenage girl worked."

Willow grinned at him. "I'll say," she retorted. "You were way worse than Giles and that's saying something."

"Word of advice for you on the way a man's mind works, Red," Gunn muttered, leaning towards her. "Don't mention a guy's bad points in front of him, even he's talkin' about them himself."

Wesley flashed a wounded look at his friend. "I can take criticism," he said.

"You're a lousy kisser?" Cordelia offered from beside Xander, a grin on her face. It had come as a great relief when a potion had been provided, which allowed her some measure of control over her visions, at least for the time she was at Hogwarts.

Since then, her mood had improved a great deal.

"Aside from that."

"Hold on a second," Xander interrupted. "You? Him? Kissed?"

"Yeah," Cordelia flashed an impish look at him. "Twice. Why?"

"Twice?" Xander echoed, staring at her, the look of increasing horror spreading on his face. "TWICE? When? What? How? What? And ew! Take a moment to deal with the age gap!"

"Take a pill, already!" Cordelia swatted him on the leg. "Once, because, hello! End of the world impending and the two of us were alone! That's always kinda sexy... or it is until you have mind-splitting visions about it... but anyway! Yeah! He was there, I was there, it happened. And then once, in L.A. I was trying to get rid of my visions."

Xander looked at Wesley, who had a lop-sided grin on his face, then back at Cordelia. "So you two never really had a thing? Not that I care, but it's just you... and him... ew!"

"He still gets that way, huh?" Faith remarked with a grin, both elbows propped on the table, as she popped a piece of bagel into her mouth. "Xander, you gotta deal with it, Cordelia is a big girl now. She probably got all kinds of smoochies from all kindsa gorgeous, hunky actors."

Xander turned helpless puppy eyes to Cordelia. "Um..."

"Faith, that was just mean," the Seer chastised, resting her head on Xander's shoulder.

The Slayer grinned. "Yeah," she admitted. "But it was fun."

"And for your information, no, there have been no hot actor-smoochies. The only smoochies I really had lead to big old demon pregnancy," The horrified look only got worse. "And I probably shouldn't have mentioned that. Can we please change the subject to... anything else?"

"How about you, Red? How's that girl-on-girl action workin' for ya?"

Willow almost choked on the piece of toast she was chewing. "Faith!"

"What?"

"I think she wishes to discuss sex because she isn't getting any," Anya offered, sipping from a large mug of black coffee. "I don't see why she should be allowed to, as I'm not allowed to discuss sex in front of the children."

"I second the motion," Wesley agreed immediately. "Sexual behaviour is a topic best left somewhere that is not the breakfast table."

"C'mon, Wes," Faith grinned at him. "Where's your sense of fun? Any news on how you're gettin' on with that cute little Flitwick guy? He was checkin' you out in a big way in London."

Wesley made an incoherent squeaking sound in his throat, while Willow really did choke on her mouthful of food. Gunn slapped her on the back, shaking his head at the beaming Faith.

"You are one crazy girl," he remarked, grinning.

"I get this way when I'm in withdrawal," she replied with a shrug. "You get me laid with someone - and I'm willin' to take anythin' at this point, with the exception of vampires, cos that would be B's territory - and I'll be back to my usual, charmin' self." All eyes went to Wesley and Gunn. "Except them."

"What about tall, dark and cranky, then? He'd be a challenge, but I think he needs it." Willow suggested with a nod and grin in Snape's direction. "Maybe if he got laid, he wouldn't be such a jerk all the time."

"Well, he's gotta be hidin' somethin' special under all those robes..." Faith agreed, appraising the Potions Professor.

Anya almost sprayed a mouthful of coffee all over the table. "Oh no! You can't have sex with Professor Snape!" she exclaimed shrilly. Unfortunately, it was loud enough for much of the High Table and at least twenty students to hear.

"Nice goin', An," Faith smirked, as Cordelia moaned and Xander hid his face in his hand. Gunn and Wesley both looked like they were pretending to be strategically deaf, while Willow was having a staring match with her toast. "Looks like old Cranky-Britches is kinda peeved you think he's unbonable."

Indeed, Snape was staring across at the table, his expression a combination of amusement, surprise and downright bewilderment. Shaking his head, he turned back to his own breakfast.

Meanwhile, Giles was smothering his laughter with a hand, Buffy was staring at Anya in horror and Lorne was taking a very intense and close interest in the mug in his hand.

"Well, I was simply thinking that you would not be compatible with him," Anya said determinedly, tilting her chin. "After all, he... well, he is not interested in you. And Albus is not interested in you either!"

Faith smirked. "Don't worry, Anya, I wouldn't dream of takin' Dumbledore for a ride." Pitiable moans went up from those within hearing range, which made her grin even more widely. "As for Cranky-Britches... I do like a challenge."

"Oh no, you don't," Anya corrected. "You really, really don't."

"So you get two and I get none? That's kinda unfair..."

Anya leaned towards the Slayer, across the table. "I'm not interested in Snape. I just know that you would not be... compatible with him. He prefers people with..." The ex-demon looked around wildly. "Smaller breasts! Your breasts are too large!"

"Never had complaints before."

Shaking her head, Anya sighed. "Very well," she said. "Try to make him have sex with you. He won't."

Faith grinned. "Is that a challenge, An?"

"No," Anya replied bluntly. "It's me saying that I know for a fact that he won't have sex with you."

"We'll see," the Slayer said, looking towards her target. It was way beyond time to have a little fun and if he was gonna be a challenge, all the better. She hadn't had a real challenge in a long time.

***

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Blue eyes rose from the book on the table. "Hmm?"

Minerva McGonagall, armed with scrolls and textbooks, looked down at the vampire who had taken up residence in her chambers since his own room had been practically torn asunder by his Sire. "May I know what is so interesting?"

"Would you believe me if I said Playboy?" A dark eyebrow rose. "And I'm guessing that would be a no."

"Billy, if you dared to bring such a thing into my rooms..."

"To add to your already extensive collection," he added, innocently, looking back down at the book, ignoring her harrumph of righteous indignation. "Don't worry about it, Minnie. I won't breathe a word."

Snorting, Minerva walked across the room to pull the curtains open, allowing a spill of sunlight in, which sent the vampire scrambling off the chair, yowling obscenities at her, his book clutched to his chest.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Billy," she said unapologetically. "Did the nasty sunlight hurt you?"

"You're a bitch, Minnie."

Turning to face him, she smirked. "It took you so long to realise?"

Holding his book against his chest with his left arm, the vampire looked at his right hand, as if considering something important. "I can't decide which is ruder, Minnie," he said. "This," He raised his middle finger. "Or this." He raised two fingers with a polite smile.

"Such a tame response," Professor McGonagall laughed. "What a disappointment."

Spike pulled a face at her. "Well, if you'd given me more warning that you were planning on trying to turn me into a crispy critter, then I would have had more time to come up with a decent insult... and I'm working on an empty stomach here, so gimme a bloody break!"

"Bloody break... did you come up with that all by yourself, Billy?"

Blue eyes twinkled, but the vampire twisted his face into a scowl. "And people think I'm evil one in this relationship," he grumbled, skirting the patch of sunlight on the floor to fling himself down on the couch.

"Just because you have bad teeth does not mean you're an evil fiend," Minerva said in a sage tone. "After all, everyone knows you're nothing but a big fluffy puppy."

"Minnie..."

She flashed a wicked look at him. "What are you going to do, Billy? Bite me?"

His face rippled into his vampire planes. "I might well do that," he retorted.

"Promises, promises," McGonagall tossed back at him, rolling her eyes at the snarl he directed at her, then smiled at him. "So, are you actually going to tell me what that is you're reading?"

Sniffing in an indignant fashion, the vampire looked down at the book. "It's my Welcome to Hogwarts present from Twinkle," he replied. "Not that you would know anything about it."

Approaching the couch, the Deputy Head Mistress looked down at the book, a look of astonishment crossing her face. "Billy... do you know what that is?"

"Yeah, Min," he replied with exaggerated slowness. "It's a book, innit?"

"Cocky twit," she snapped without malice, sitting down beside him and leaning beside him to study the pages. "I had heard rumours that Albus had discovered it, but I didn't realise that... well..."

"That he would give it to a known blood-sucking fiend?" Spike suggested dryly, raising flaming golden eyes to green with a quizzical expression. "It's not like I'm exactly the vampire I was..."

"But were you ever really that vampire, Billy?"

"What are you on about? Of course I..."

"Billy," Minerva gave him a measured look that felt like it penetrated to his heart, frightening in its intensity. "Really?"

Spike looked down at the book pensively. Yes, he had cultivated the personality of the railroad-spike- and torture-loving vampire, but his initial nature had been that of his human self.

It had only initially been to please Drusilla that he had turned to torture.

Of course, then he had discovered the purgative effect of torturing people who reminded him so very much of the people who had mercilessly tormented him while he had been human and it had been so very addictive and empowering.

"Minnie, you have just reminded me why I don't like you," he said firmly.

"And why is that, my dear blood-sucker?"

The vampire scowled. "Because," he said, clapping the book shut and dropping it onto the floor with a weighty thump. "You make me think and everyone knows that's a dangerous thing to do."

"Yes," she agreed seriously, as the vampire laid his head on her shoulder. "Perish the thought you might actual produce a coherent sentence." Raising a hand, she ran her fingertips across the vampiric ridges of his face.

A low growl escaped Spike's throat, his face smoothing into its more familiar, human planes. "One of these days, I'm gonna bite you, Min," he cautioned, snapping at her fingers. "I'm gonna kill you all dead."

"Of course you are, Billy," she agreed amiably. "And, as you can tell, I'm quivering in absolute terror."

"You could at least pretend to be a little bit scared..."

Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, his head still resting on hers, Minerva smiled. "And spoil my fun?" she said, laughing. "Oh no, Billy. I prefer to be able to ritually humiliate you."

"Daft cow."

"And proud of it."

***

"Oh bloody marvellous!"

Reclining against the arm of the couch in her husband's study, her legs tucked up beneath her, Narcissa raised her eyes from the ancient book of dark magics that she was studying. "Problem, darling?" she inquired.

According to what her pose told her husband's eyes, she was aiding him and his precious Goddess as much as possible. To the eyes of anyone else, she was pretending to read with such intensity it was nigh convincing.

Throwing down a scroll of parchment on his desk, Lucius savagely pushed his chair out from the wide structure, sending it crashing onto the dark wood of the floor. "I do not believe this!"

Marking the page of the book with her fingertip, Narcissa twisted where she sat to look across at him. "Lucius?"

A strained smile was flashed in her direction. "Nothing for you to worry about, my dear," he said, although the paleness of his face belied his words. "It is just that we had a... high quality weapon on special order. It seems that it has been... acquisitioned by someone else."

"Oh dear," Narcissa murmured, lowering her eyes to hide the glitter of amusement, her lips twitching inexorably upwards. "Do you know who would do such a thing?"

Scowling at the parchment, Lucius stalked over to the window, pressing a gloved hand against the frame and looking out on the morning light spreading across the winter-glazed grounds of the Manor.

"I have a suspicion," he replied, his hand clenching into a fist. "Flitwick was with them, so it would apparently be Dumbledore's envoy. Three Muggles, two of whom were last seen in Los Angeles."

"Friends of your Slaughterer?"

"Slayer, dearest."

"Of course," Narcissa made a dismissive gesture with her hand, shaking her head at him. "Slayer, Slaughter, it's all the same to me. She's just a silly little girl without even a wand to defend herself."

"You mustn't forget that she had supernatural powers, dear."

Narcissa sniffed, returning to her book, smoothing a page with one hand. "Strange," she murmured, certain her husband was listening to every word. "That you and your Goddess are both so intimidated by a girl. Are you so certain of Glory's power?"

"I have witnessed her power, dear," Lucius' tone hardened and Narcissa glanced at him, rounding her eyes in innocence, knowing it would be unwise to have him angry with her. "The Slayer has aid that we did not expect."

"But you should have, my husband," Turning to face him again, Narcissa drew a patient, yet disappointed look to her face. "Your Goddess poses a threat to wizard and Muggle-world alike. Surely you didn't think Dumbledore could resist poking that overly long nose of his in."

"True enough," Lucius agreed slowly, approaching the couch. "You have a gift for viewing the grander picture, my dear, as always." Sitting down on the couch, facing her, he raised his hands to cup her face. His fingertips brushed her temples. "Are there any plots brewing inside?"

"Nothing of interest, Lucius," she replied, her eyes closing as he nuzzled her jawline, one hand moving down her body. "Just a curiosity about just who you might be facing along with the Slayer. You said Rupert was present... what of the infants who were by his side?"

Lucius pulled back abruptly, eyes widening. "The little witch... Weasley! The eighth Weasley brat! She was in attendance..." Pushing back off the couch, he rose and made his way back to the desk. "Damnit!"

"Dearest?" Narcissa hoped she sounded as innocent as she hoped.

"I had my previous issues of the Daily Prophet destroyed only a few weeks ago, because they were taking up too much space."

"Oh dear. You mean you won't be able to find your information?" How she said it convincingly, Narcissa never knew, but apparently it did seem appropriately realistic and Lucius sighed, bowing his head over the desk, hands spread on the surface.

"If only you had mentioned the Weasley brat earlier, darling," he said, shaking his head grimly. "I would have had no trouble in acquiring information about her from the back issues of the paper."

Narcissa shook her head seriously. "If you had only asked for my aid sooner, dear Lucius," she sighed. "Alas, you have been distracted."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed grimly. "And I am beginning to believe that the distraction is more trouble than she is worth."

Turning back to her book, Narcissa couldn't help but smile coldly.

***

Snape hated that class.

Oh, how he despised them.

It was almost as if the fates had conspired to get every single one of his worst pupils, then placed them all in one class combining Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, all of whom hated each other with a passion.

Every time they attended one of his classes, at least two or three would end up in the Medical wing, due to some potion that had somehow gone awry, uncaring about the housepoints being lost.

It always was a blessing to have the hour-long respite of lunchtime after the class, wherein he could retire to his office and resist the urge to introduce his skull to the wall, while the house elves cleared up the classroom.

Making his way across to the hidden doorway in the wall, he opened it and stepped into the room, leaving it slightly open as always so he could keep tabs on what the house elves were doing.

A large pile of scrolls on the desk demanded his attention and he sighed, sitting down and drawing them towards him, faint fingers of light poking through the narrow windows along the top of the wall, not much but sufficient for him to work.

In his classroom, he could hear the crackle of House Elf magic and glanced that way occasionally, as the desks - eaten away by potions - were replaced and repaired, the floor and walls cleaned up.

"Good afternoon, Miss!"

Snape groaned at the House Elf's words, wondering who would have the damnable timing to visit during his one brief respite for the day. Turning his eyes towards the door, he couldn't help being a little surprised to see the dark slayer there.

Jerking his chin down in a brief nod of acknowledgement, he tried to contain his confusion. "Good afternoon."

Faith leaned against the doorframe of the office, eyeing him in a way that made him shift uncomfortably. He had tried to avoid her after their first encounter, her attitude, her utter... dominance rather unsettling. "How's'it hangin', Sev?"

It had the effect of a thousand nails scraped over a thousand blackboards.

"I do not recall granting you permission to call me by my name," he said coolly, confusion rapidly being overwritten by irritation. "I am somewhat busy at present. I would be greatly obliged if you would depart."

"And leave you all on your lonesome in the dark here?" She pushed off from the doorframe and closed the door behind her. "You sure you don't want me to keep you company for a while?"

Glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes, Snape pressed his lips together, then forced his voice into a civil tone. "I prefer solitude," he said grimly. "Now, if you would depart, I would be most grateful."

Strolling towards him, she grinned in a way that gave Severus the distinct feeling of being a rabbit in the sights of a wolf. "You sure that's what you want, Sev?"

"I am certain it is," he replied, glaring at her as she perched herself on the edge of his desk, right beside him. "I do have a good deal of work to be done. I do not have time for casual..."

His words were cut off when she smashed her mouth against his, his eyes widening in shock.

Frozen in a combination of horror and panic, he did nothing to stop the dark Slayer hopping into his lap, her small yet terrifyingly strong hands pressing his shoulder back against the chair.

Pulling back, she smirked at him, her eyes glittering between dark lashes. "You gonna just sit there or do I gotta do something to get a reaction?"

A strangled sound of protest escaped Snape's throat when she started to gyrate her lower body against his, ululating with the flexibility of a serpent. His hands snapped up, trying to force her back.

It went without saying that the girl knew what she was doing with her body, the wriggling stimulating in a way that he would rather it wasn't.

"Desist!"

Dark brown eyes studied him, a smirk still in place on her lips. "Uh huh?"

She ground her hips down on his. Severus tried to push her back, but she had the advantage and his hands slipped to the arms of the chair, his face tightening in a glare, his hands locking around the arms of the seat.

"I said," he growled out, his tone savage. "Desist!"

Looming over him, her hands gripping his shoulders, she smirked again. "Is that what you really want, Sev?" she demanded, pushing her hair back from her face with one hand.

"Yes, damn you," he spat. "I am not interested in your games."

Genuine surprise crossed the Slayer's face and she sat down on his legs, cocking her head and studying him. "Weird," she observed, shaking her head. "You're the first guy who's said no."

His hands still fastened around the end of the chair arms, Severus' cheek muscles tightened in a humourless smile. "As much as I am fascinated by this, remove yourself from my person. Immediately."

"You're really not interested, huh?" Faith swung off, rolling lightly onto her feet and gave him a curious look. "Gotta say I didn't think Demon-Girl was gonna be right about you, but there ya go."

Nodding stiffly, he turned his attention back to the scrolls. "I would suggest that you depart hence," he said quietly, his voice shaking slightly, hoping and praying that she would take the hint and leave him to his work. "And if you see Summers, might you inform her that I have a remedy she may be interested in."

With a mock-salute, the Slayer touched her fingers to her brow. "I'll let her know you're lookin' for her, Sev," she replied, then strolled out of the office, leaving the door to the classroom hanging open.

Whatever thoughts he had had, in regards to work, were shot to pieces and he was still sitting and staring blindly at the scrolls when he heard another set of footsteps enter the classroom, his head whipping around as a small, slender figure appeared in the doorway.

"You wanted to see me?"

His throat tight, Severus nodded, making a jerky motion with one hand, indicating that she ought to approach her. "Your... friend paid me a visit, Summers," he said, surprised by how calm his voice was.

"Faith?" The small blonde woman approached him, pausing by the arm of his chair, a concerned look filtering onto her face. "Oh God... what did she do, Snapey?" A muffled sound escaped Snape's throat and Summers extended a hand, touching his shoulder cautiously. "Severus?"

Severus' eyes snapped to her face, widening. He had never heard her speak his name before. Catching the hand on his shoulder, he pulled once, catching her off-balance and jerking her straight into his arms.

The heat instigated by Faith was far from used and he claimed her mouth in a hungry kiss, one hand threading through her hair. An arm locked around him, her body twisting to straddle his thighs as she returned the kiss.

One of Summers' hands reached behind her, a sweeping motion, sending the scrolls, ink bottles and quills flying from the broad surface of the desk, glass shattering on the stone of the floor.

Outer robes rapidly dispatched, Summers' fingers rapidly tugged at the front of his robes, buttons tearing off, her muttered apologies ignored as she pulled him up, sitting on the edge of the desk, her mouth trailing off his, his hands everywhere.

"No!"

Hazel eyes, dark with need, stared at him. "What is it?"

He shook his head, panting hard, his hands braced beside her thighs on the surface of the desk. "We should not do this, Summers."

"No," she agreed, a slow grin crossing her lips, as she caught him by the front of his ripped robes and pulled him closer to her, her face inches from his. "We shouldn't. We really, really shouldn't."

***

"Knock knock! Anyone mind if the tall, dark stranger pays a visit?"

"Sirius Black!" Giles was on his feet in a heartbeat, more than happy to push aside the papers he was working through. Hurrying over to the door of the staff room, he let the younger man in. "Thank you!"

Sirius raised a brow at the other man, then looked around the deserted staff room with a sigh. "Was hoping to catch Flitwick off guard," he commented, a wicked twinkle in his blue eyes. "But you... didn't know you swung that way, old man."

"If it means I get a break from marking the most imbecilic essays I have ever read, I do believe it's safe to say I would swing whichever way was necessary! And don't you give me old, you rogue." Gesturing Sirius towards the chairs, he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "What brings you back here?"

"The usual. Bringing word to Dumbledore. I was just up at the office and he's ordered a meeting in about an hour, during dinner," Sirius threw himself down on the couch in front of the empty grate, stretching out his legs. "Plus, I have some messages that have to be passed around, while I'm here."

"And you simply thought you would remain and irritate me until then?" Giles suggested mildly, replacing his glasses.

"Irritate? Me? I can't imagine what gave you that idea!"

Giles merely smiled a knowing smile. "Well, once you are on the teaching staff, it is very difficult to prevent Professor Flitwick and Minerva from informing all of us of your school-time escapades."

"Can't trust them to keep that to themselves, can I?" Sirius sighed, then grinned. "I heard you were quite the mischief maker yourself."

Taking one of the seats near the couch, Giles sank into it, letting himself relax, aches spreading down his body.

"I don't know who would be spreading such dreadful rumours about me," he sniffed primly, smoothing down his shirt. "Although..." A mischievous glimmer shone in his green eyes. "I don't suppose you know about the passage behind the statue of some man called Randolph the Mad?"

"Password being revolucius?" Sirius responded with a knowing look, which spread into a grin when the older man rolled his eyes. "What about the one behind the hump-backed witch?"

"Found it in first year," Giles replied. "I suppose you know all about the second floor corridor on the way to Gryffindor tower..."

"Wait a second... would that be the one behind the painting of Ingelbert the Wonky?"

Giles frowned, scratching his head thoughtfully. "Not unless they actually changed paintings in the thirty years since I left. Would it lead from the corridor, beyond the lavatories on the sixth floor, and come out by the Hufflepuff common room?"

"You actually wanted to go near the Hufflepuff Common room?" Sirius stared at him in shock. "You really were a trouble-maker, weren't you?"

"It was sheer fate that lead us there," Giles said, his expression serious. "And how a handful of dungbombs happened to fall in the door when it was half-open I will never ever know."

"I'm sure," Sirius grinned boyishly. "You say this corridor was in the second floor corridor?" Giles nodded. "We must have missed it and hit another one that lead out onto the grounds."

"One would almost think that Professor Dumbledore wanted his well-behaved young Gryffindors to go roaming at night, wouldn't you say?" Giles suggested, unable to refrain from grinning himself.

"Perish the thought!" Sirius gasped, then sat up a little, his expression suggesting that he was wracking his brains. "What about West Wing, eighth floor, through the walls of the fifth toilet cubicle on the left?"

Giles smirked. "Leads to the chamberpot room in the basement. You'll have to do better than that," he countered. "Top of astronomy tower, third stone down under the sixth window along from the door, counting in a clockwise direction?"

"Damnit!"

"You're playing with the big boys now, Black," the former Watcher grinned. "Let me see what you've got."

***

Arm-in-arm, Willow and Hermione had just been on a walk around the lake with Xander and Cordelia, leaving the dark-haired pair to go and seek out Hagrid, who had invited them for dinner.

Their faces rosy from the winter chill that still clung to the air, scarves bound around their necks and woolly hats on their heads, they were both laughing as they hurried up the staircase towards the entrance hall.

With help from her lover, Willow had finally gained some control of her wandless magic and had spent the afternoon showing off tricks, sending balls of light dancing around her friends and shaping their misted breath.

Unfortunately, it had left grossly misshapen ice-statues littering the grounds. Willow was the first to admit that her idea of what a duck looked like was radically different from a normal interpretation, which had reduced Xander to laughing at her attempts, for which he had received a magically-directed snowball down his neck.

All in all, it had been a pleasant afternoon, Xander-squealing notwithstanding.

Hurrying across the floor of the Entrance hall, still chatting, both of them stopped short at the sight of two figures walking down the staircase, one of them talking nineteen to the dozen and the other grinning a little.

"Buffy! Dawnie!"

"Willow!" Dawn exclaimed, disengaging from her sister, who smile indulgently as Dawn bound towards the two young witches. "Willow, Professor Dumbledore's called a meeting and he said Sirius is gonna be there!"

"Sirius?"

"You know? Dog-guy?"

Willow cuffed her playfully across the head, Dawn ducking with a broad grin back at the witch. "I know who he is, doofus," she said with a tone of mock-reprimand in her voice. "What's he doing here?"

"Being all sexy and stuff?"

"Dawn Summers!" Willow exclaimed, scandalised.

Pouting, the teen barely managed to mask her grin. "Well he is!"

"Buffy, did you hear what your sister just said?"

"Hmm?" Buffy blinked, apparently coming out of a very pleasant daze. "Huh?"

Hermione nudged her lover. "Looks like someone's head is in the clouds," she said in an undertone. "Do we dare to think that someone may have been rubbing Buffy up the right way?"

"Hermione!" Buffy squeaked, going scarlet.

"And who," Willow added, grinning naughtily. "Has just arrived and is just good enough to eat?"

"Willow! I'm not doing anything! I didn't! With Sirius? No!" Three pairs of eyes exchanged knowing looks. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Buffy!" Dawn grinned at her sister. "You're all goofy and daydreamy and you only get that like when you've had major face-suckage and snuggles with your hunny and Sirius is the only way cute guy to show up here today."

A mortified look crossed the Slayer's face. "But I didn't!"

"Didn't Sirius or didn't anybody?"

"Summers," a male voice spoke from the shadows near the stairs. "I do believe the Head Master insisted on you assembling your motley crew of friends immediately and bringing them all to the staff room. I do not recall him mentioning anything about loitering in the corridors."

Buffy shot a grateful look in the direction of the darkness, from which Severus Snape emerged, robes flaring around him. "Snapey, you have no idea just how grateful I am that you showed up right now!"

Glittering black eyes scanned over the two witches and Dawn. "Did I interrupt some form of ritual humiliation?" There was a faint, barely even noticeable lift on one side of his thin lips. "How very... unfortunate."

Even Dawn looked slightly disturbed by the suggestion of a smile. "O... kay... you're being all creepy and stuff!" A dark brow rose. "More than usual! Stop it! Stop it or I'll sic Buffy on you!"

"I quiver in fear," the sneer returned to his voice and he pivoted on heel. Pausing briefly, he shot a look at the Slayer. "The meeting, Summers, if you would get a move on. I do believe it is all because of you, once again. Most... irritating. Some of us do have more interesting work to be getting on with."

Buffy pulled a face at him as he strode off. "Cranky bastard."

His voice floated back. "You have no idea."

***

"Seventh staircase down from the Ravenclaw Common Room?"

"It leads to the other side of the block. The wooden panel beneath the portrait of Uric the Oddball moves and lets you into the wall. For some reason, there's a statue of a badger in there. Could never figure that out. How about short cuts to Dumbledore's office from the Great Hall?"

"I thought this was supposed to be difficult, Black. Third painting from the left, behind the staff door, has a staircase, which leads directly to a hidden door, which opens just beside the gargoyle. How about the dungeons, between the Potions class and the storage chambers at the far end?"

"How long has this been going on?" Wesley inquired, looking across one of the tables at Gunn, who was watching the two men in front of the fire.

"I've been here ten minutes and they've been goin' since then," Charles Gunn replied, half-grinning. Giles and Black were practically in one another's faces, each trying to outdo the other's knowledge of Hogwarts. "Don't know how they know so much, but I'd bet it'd be real useful."

"Poke the third stone along from the fourth door on the left, five stones up. It should squeak and open a doorway." Black smirked, leaning back on the couch. "That the best you can do, old man?"

"Oh dear God, this is ridiculous!" Wesley moaned, dropping heavily onto the seat by the table and burying his head in his arms. "And to think that once, I might have even respected him."

"Pfft, right, Wes!"

Wesley didn't even look up. "Good afternoon, Faith," he mumbled around his shirt sleeves, the Slayer patting him on the head as she swung up to sit on the table, then appeared to take notice of Sirius Black, who had just been challenged with another puzzle of Hogwarts. "Who's the cutie?"

"I'm assuming that you aren't referring to Giles," her former Watcher muttered.

"Sure, Wes," Faith laughed, mussing his hair again, grinning at Gunn. "I mean, he's got the sexy mid-life-crisis thing goin' on for him. And I'm bettin' he knows a few tricks with his wand..."

"For the love of..." Giles spluttered, turning towards her. "Faith, do you mind? We are trying to hold a civilised conversation here!"

"You threatened to pull his hair when he almost got you, G," Charles grinned, the former Watcher glowering at him. "I dunno about you, but that don't class as a civilised conversation where I come from."

Giles sniffed. "Cretin."

Sirius, though, had noticed the distraction. "And aren't you going to introduce me to the charming young lady?"

"Lady? Charming?" Faith beamed at him. "Buddy, I like you already." Pushing off the table, she approached the couch and stuck out a hand, which Sirius leaned over and shook. "Faith."

"Sirius Black."

A slow grin spread across the dark-haired Slayer's face. "Ah, the cookie," she noted, looking him up and down. "Gotta say I'm agreein' with the vote we got goin' here," She squeezed his hand. "Nice to finally put a name to the salty goodness."

Blue eyes flicked sideways. "Giles, mind translating any of that?" The Watcher merely snorted and Sirius winced as Faith tightened her grip slightly. "Holy... ow! And again! Ouch! Grip!"

Yanking him up by his hand, bringing her face close to his, she gave him a sensual grin. "You want a translation, buddy," she murmured, deep brown eyes boring into bright blue. "All you gotta do is ask."

"Would I get one with my hand intact?" he asked, flashing his best debonair and I'm-not-in-pain-really smile at her.

"Guess I could deal with that," she replied with a laugh, releasing his fingers and climbing easily over the back of the couch to drop down next to him. "So, you're Sirius, huh? The girls have told me all about ya. Spiderman boxers, huh?"

Giles, Wesley and Charles all choked back bursts of laughter at the expletive that slipped past Sirius' lips.

Faith only served to make it worse, though, leaning closer to the black-haired man and adding, "Don't worry, buddy. Everyone has their own taste. I'm the kinda girl who likes to go commando, if you get my meanin'."

Blue eyes blinked at her.

"Sirius," Everyone in the room nigh yelled in surprise at Dumbledore's voice, a heartbeat before the Head Master slid through a hole that appeared in the wall beside the fireplace, landing on his feet. "I doubt you have ever met a young lady like Faith before."

Sirius nodded, blinked, then pointed at Giles. "Did you know about that one?"

"No. You?"

"Bugger! He wins!"

Dumbledore beamed at them, stepping aside as Anya catapulted out of the hole he had just emerged from, landing in a heap on the floor, padded from head to foot with pillows and cushions.

"I do have the slight advantage of teaching here for almost seventy years as well as once being a student, Mr. Black," he added, helping Anya to her feet. "It does give one a slight advantage."

"And don't you worry about it, cutie," A small, strong hand was laid on Sirius' thigh sending his thoughts skittering to anywhere but the castle's hidden passages. "I'll be your consolation prize."

"Bloody hell! She moves fast! Got yourself a shag-monkey, then?"

"Shagmonkey?" Sirius echoed in a somewhat subdued tone, the hand moving further up his thigh and making it very, very difficult to think straight.

"Billy, language!"

Spike, in the doorway, rolled his eyes at the Deputy Head Mistress. "Whatever you say, Minnie," he drawled, strolling across the room to take the third chair by the fireplace, pausing briefly to stare at Anya. "Nice look, Demon-Girl."

"With Albus, they are necessary," Anya replied with a smug smirk, which set Giles and Wesley groaning.

Spike, though, grinned at her. "Yeah, bet you get a lot of problems with his old joints needing padding."

"Billy!"

"You never said I had to behave, Min!" he whined in a wounded tone.

"Like that would ever happen!" Dawn exclaimed as she barged into the room ahead of Snape, Buffy, Willow and Hermione, her eyes falling instantly on Sirius and Faith on the couch, her eyes flicking to Buffy. "Uh, you guys?"

"Hey, B!" Faith mock-saluted the blonde Slayer. "Cookies, huh?"

Buffy just shook her head. "Faith, you're crazy." She turned to Dumbledore. "Where are Cordy and Xander? I figured they'd be here."

"Dinner. Hagrid's," Willow put in, shuddering. "Better them than me. Hagrid's uber-sweet, but he has no idea that when you cook something, you don't just throw it right into the fire."

"K," Buffy acknowledged, then looked at Sirius. "So, what's the what?"

Sirius blinked, then seemed to realise he had missed his cue. "Oh!" Leaping to his feet, he looked around a wildly, then seemed to recall his purpose. "Right! Messages! I have messages! For people!"

"Ain't he talented, B?" Faith grinned lasciviously, running the toe of one boot up the back of Sirius' leg. "Gotta say I'm likin' the short sentence thing he has goin' on. No chance of him bein' a Mini-Wes."

"Faith," Buffy chastised, laughing. "Let him be for a minute. We do actually want to know what he's talking about."

With a grateful look in Buffy's direction, Sirius started to speak, "I got an owl from Remus the other day. Apparently your Angel bloke showed up over there and the three of them are on their way back to help, picking up a few friends on the way."

"Wait up, sweeti..." Lorne stopped short as soon as he crossed the thresh hold, then beamed at Sirius. "Well, isn't this a fine day for the tall, dark and cute quota! And who might this be?"

"Urckle?"

"Sirius, Lorne. Lorne, Sirius," Buffy gestured from one to the other impatiently.

"Demon?" Sirius blinked.

"Hey!" Lorne protested, an injured tone in his voice. "Do I walk in and say 'human'? I don't think so! Sweetie, you gotta do something about these insensitive guys you keep on hauling up! Angel was just as bad, but he's a greenophobic, the big sap! Bet he wouldn't have made so big a deal if I was black or red and scaly or somethin'! It's not fair to live in a world where people are jealous because you look good in gre..." He seemed to realise that every eye was on him. "And I should just shut up and let Mr Tact get on with what he was saying, huh?"

"We do need to know what is going on," Dumbledore agreed calmly. "Sirius, if you don't mind?"

"Um... yeah... right..." Tearing his attention from both the green demon in front of him and the dark-haired girl tracing the back of his leg with her foot, Sirius cleared his throat. "Yeah... Remus, Daniel and Angel-bloke are on their way. They would portkey, but Remus and Daniel think it might knock out their control of the wolf a bit, so they have to do it the Muggle way."

"Daniel?" Willow gasped, sitting down heavily by one of the tables, Hermione immediately kneeling down beside her and clasping the red head's hands between her own. "Oz? Oz is coming back? Back here?"

"Oz?" Sirius looked to Dumbledore for counsel.

"Daniel Osbourne, Remus' companion, was Willow's partner for nearly three years," the Head Master said, looking down at Willow with concern. "Do you believe this may prove problematic, Miss Weasley?"

"I-I dunno," she replied, chewing on her lower lip. "I mean, I kinda figured we would see each other again, but not so soon... what if he gets way mad at me because I'm already..." She looked at Hermione. "I don't want to make him mad."

Rising on her knees, Hermione kissed her lover's forehead. "Don't worry," she said softly, lifting Willow's face between her hands and looking into the red head's eyes with a reassuring smile. "This is what he wanted you to find, remember."

Willow nodded, although still looked doubtful.

"Love you, baby," she whispered, sliding her arms around Hermione. Her lover wasn't the only one to see tears sliding down her face and pulled Willow closer, kissing the side of her neck and embracing her tightly, protectively.

Dumbledore looked away from them to allow them a moment. Buffy moved closer and placed a hand on Willow's shoulder for comfort, one of Willow's rising to grasp it, squeezing her friend's fingers.

"Do we have any idea of what time frame we are looking at, Sirius?"

"Remus said perhaps a week or two at most. They would travel by plane, but he mentioned something about Angel having problems there."

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore agreed. "Sunlight. I suppose it is safer for a vampire to travel in Daniel's van than it would be to... Sirius? Sirius, are you all right?"

"Vampire? Bloody hell..."

"Actually, mate," Spike waggled his fingers. "That's two vampires. One's a froofy ponce with bad hair."

"And the other one is Angel," Minerva McGonagall cut in smartly.

"Oi! Minnie! You cow!"

"How well you know me, Billy," Minerva smirked, then looked back at Sirius who looked like he had just walked in on an episode of the Twilight Zone. "And you have just been fondled by a Vampire Slayer."

"Another one?"

"You got me, baby," Faith blew a kiss up at him, grinning. Sirius looked from her to Buffy, then back.

"I do believe we've confused him enough," Giles chuckled, shaking his head. "So, Sirius, will you be remaining shortly? At least for the grand battle."

"Battle?" Sirius echoed dubiously.

"Do I dare to ask what might be going on?" Snape spoke from near the door.

Dawn beamed at him. "Buffy and Faith are gonna kick each other's asses! It's gonna be so cool!"

"D, we're only gonna spar. No ass-kickin'." Dawn gave the dark-haired Slayer a knowing look and Faith relented and grinned. "Okay, maybe a bit of the ass-kickin', if B asks for it."

"Albus," Snape said conversationally, turning to Dumbledore. "Is it too late to market tickets and produce merchandise for this event? I do believe we could make a considerable profit from it."

Everyone in the staff room, bar Anya, Dumbledore and Buffy, stared at the Potions Professor as if he had grown a second head.

"Buffy," Dawn whimpered. "He's making funnies. Make him stop. It's creepy!"

Severus simply tilted his chin and smirked, as if he had just succeeded in reducing a whole class of Gryffindors to tears.

***

"You sure you're okay with this?"

Rolling her eyes at the blonde, Faith nodded, hefting her own choices of weapons: a quarterstaff in one hand and sword in the other. "How many times do I gotta tell you, B? I'm lookin' forward to kickin' your ass again."

"Again? What again?" Buffy gave the brunette a look.

"Okay, maybe just kickin' your ass, then," Faith retorted, swinging the sword experimentally, checking the balance. "And hopefully, we're gonna finish without the knife-in-gut thing because that was pretty in a way that's not."

"No blood this time, k?"

"I can so work with that."

Armed with a quarterstaff of her own, Buffy's other weapon of choice was an axe, held loosely in her right hand.

Both of the young women were standing in the middle of the Great Hall, the students filtering in through the doors and taking up positions around them both, muttering and edging around to line the sides of the Hall.

"Any more coming, Head Master?"

"It appears not, Professor Summers," Dumbledore said from the dais, where he was sitting with a large contingent of the staff body, many of whom were curious about the chance to see two Slayers battle.

Nodding, Buffy shouldered her axe and looked around the hall, as Giles and Xander closed the doors.

"You guys know what we are. Faith and I are Vampire Slayers, which means we're stronger and faster than any Muggle," she spoke loudly enough for everyone in the Hall to hear. "And you have to know how dangerous we can be. There's a line marked around our fighting ground," She motioned to the white line Dumbledore had applied. "It'll stop things coming out, but you don't wanna be getting in here. Am I making myself clear?"

A wave of murmurs went around the hall.

"Get the feelin' they're not takin' you seriously, B?" Faith commented dryly.

Buffy smirked, looking around the hall. "Only a few of them have seen me fighting and I'm guessing most of the boys showed because we're wearing tight clothes," she said quietly. "I think this is going to be a shock for quite a few of them."

"My kinda shock," Faith said with a broad grin. "Wanna dance?"

"You bet."

Before the words had even left her lips, Faith's two weapons swung in from opposite directions, Buffy diving into a tuck and roll, coming up onto her feet, her own staff slashing out at Faith's legs, the Slayer jumping into a handless backflip.

She landed, only for Buffy's back swing to catch her ankles, knocking her flat, her body bouncing back with the momentum, Faith using her forearms as a quazi-springboard and flipping back onto her feet.

"Nice," she said, grinning and blocking an overhand swing with her staff, then a low blow with her sword, the force of the blow from Buffy's axe leaving the sword vibrating in her grasp.

Weapons locked, Buffy jerked her foot up between them, kicking Faith under the chin, the dark girl crashing back with the impact, but rolling and scissoring her legs out when Buffy moved in, sweeping the blonde's feet from beneath her, a swift slash of her sword sending Buffy's axe hurtling up into the air.

Reversing the blow, her sword met staff, which was whirled around in a sweeping blow, sending her blade skittering across the floor, as the axe clattered down on the other side of the hall.

"Good shot, B," Faith hissed between her teeth, as both of the Slayers rolled back onto their feet again, circling one another warily, armed only with their staffs.

"You know me," Buffy shrugged, grinning, then launched a series of rapid attack shots, which Faith blocked with accuracy to match the blonde. "Gotta get the shots when you know you can."

"Yeah," Faith acknowledged, allowing the attack, as it drove her backwards.

"You're trying to get to my axe, huh?"

"Am I that obvious?"

Buffy laughed, ducking a savage block that would have decapitated a demon, the speed of the fight both exhilarating and liberating, so rare was it to find an enemy that proved a real challenge. "Well you have been out of the game a while."

"You sayin' I'm gettin' sloppy?"

"Getting?" Buffy's blow darted beneath Faith's defences, catching the dark-haired woman in the ribs, knocking her back a step. "You're already there!"

"I may be sloppy, B," Faith countered, grinning widely, as she returned the blow, catching Buffy under the jaw, forcing her into a flip. "But at least my roots aren't showing."

"And I so know you did not insult the hair!"

"Whatcha gonna do about it, B?" Faith laughed. "Never gonna get a guy with roots like that!"

"Hand-to-hand good enough for you?"

"You bet!"

The rapidity of blows and verbal attacks matched ideally, almost every inch of the floor covered at some moment or other, both girls panting and breathless, but grinning wildly at one another, the adrenalin surging through them.

As one, both of them tossed aside their staffs, moving into closer range for a fight that could easily rival the battle they had fought with one another only a couple of years earlier, only without the hatred spurring them.

"So... the hair..."

"Who's to say I can't get a guy with it looking like this?" Buffy caught Faith by the arm, giving her wrist a hard twist. Backing into the motion, Faith reversed it, flipping Buffy with her own body as leverage.

Crashing down on their backs on the stone floor, Faith tilted her head back to look at Buffy. "You're tellin' me you got someone?" she demanded, doing a handspring back onto her feet and twisting in the motion so she came up facing Buffy.

"Not exactly," Buffy's foot caught Faith in the middle of the chest, the impact enough to send a demon hurtling across the room, but the dark girl didn't flinch, grabbing Buffy's ankle and twisting, tossing Buffy back onto her back.

"How not exactly?" Dodging a straddle kick with a flip over the blonde, Faith aimed a punch at Buffy's lower back, only for her wrist to be caught in a vice-like grip and to find herself on her back again. "How exactly is exactly anyway?"

"Faith, now is really not the time!" Swivelling, Faith slammed the edge of her rigid hand against the back of Buffy's knee, sending the blonde to her knees, catching her in a headlock as she dropped.

"What time could be better, B? Everyone's distracted!"

Slamming her head back against Faith's face, the launching the other girl over her shoulder, Buffy leapt back to her feet. "Yeah, but I don't want everyone hearing about it right this second!"

"So it's an it, then?" Faith was on her feet in a blink, both fists clenched in front of her chest. "You gettin' some deep down action?"

"Faith! The kids!"

"They can't hear, B," the dark Slayer laughed dodging a flurry of punches in a style that could only be compared to Neo in the Matrix, bending backwards and in the same moment thrusting the heel of her hand up under Buffy's breasts, sending the blonde careening backwards. "Old D didn't wanna risk me sayin' somethin' that might screw with the kids' heads."

Panting, pushing her hair back with one hand, Buffy shook her head. "I don't blame him," she said. "I'd wanna shut you up too."

"So I'm takin' that as a hell yes!" Diving at the blonde, they fell in a tangle, Faith's legs tangling around Buffy's to hold her still. "How was it, B? He get you squirmin' for him? Or is it a she? Red's changed teams... you got something you wanna tell?"

It was punctuated with a raw lick up her neck and Buffy yelled, tossing Faith off her body with a jerk of hips and shoulders. "Faith!"

"So that's a big no on girlie action, huh?"

"Way big no!"

Both of them scrambled back onto their feet, circling each other, fists raised almost in a pugilist's stance.

"So... I'm guessin' a big not on the Sirius guy, because you gave me the A-OK on him..." Her words were punctuated with a scatter of punches and kicks which Buffy dodged and wove between, both of them peppering each other with blows.

"Can we just fight?"

"What's the fun in that, B? Gotta have the banter!" A punch on her nose silenced her for a heartbeat. "Oh, c'mon, B! I know it can't be old D. Demon-gal would kill you and I know no one can get in Cranky's pants..."

"What?!?"

Faith grinned. "An and I had a lil bet on," she dodged another blow, catching Buffy's fist in her own hand and twisting. "She said cranky wasn't interested. I said he was. Paid him a little visit and she was right."

"So it was you that got him all crazy!" Buffy let the momentum of Faith's twist on her arm carry her and smacked down on the ground, her feet kicking upwards and catching Faith under the chin.

"How would you know about..." Scrambling to her feet, Faith stared at the blonde, dawning on her face. "Holy shit, B! Check you out! Always with the broody, glarin' sons of bitches, huh?"

Unable to hide a grin, Buffy shrugged. "It's the flaring coat thing, I guess," she replied, in fighting stance. "You won't tell anyone, right?"

"Not a word to a soul or soulless, B," Faith returned the grin, both of the Slayers straightening up. "And I get the feelin' this fight would have been a whole lot messier if I had screwed with your boy."

"Damn straight," Buffy nodded, then looked up at Dumbledore, who raised his wand, the barrier around the floor shimmering away into nothing, leaving nothing but an awed silence hanging in the air.

Faith looked around with a smirk, hands on her hips. "Think we scared 'em?"

"I think so," Buffy laughed, shooting a half-glance towards Severus who, much to her amusement, looked utterly dumbstruck by what he - and the rest of the people in the Great Hall had witnessed. "Wanna go get something to eat?"

Looping her arm through Buffy's, Faith said, "Sure. Your ugly little elf-guy'll bring us anything we want..." Her eyes drifted to Sirius as they strolled towards the door of the Hall, the pupils parting before them. "Or anyone," she added with a lecherous grin.

"God, Faith," Buffy exclaimed, laughing. "Is that all you think about?"

Faith beamed at her. "Pretty much."

***

"Anything?"

"Sorry, darling," Narcissa replied with sorrow that was frighteningly convincing. She raised her eyes to Lucius on the other side of the room, where he was surveying the book shelves. "I doubt we'll find anything of use in these tomes."

What she failed to mention to her beloved husband was that she had already read the necessary spell six times over and had manipulated the page, simply shifting a few pages around, although it had taken a painful amount of dark magic to do so.

"I'm gettin' bored, poodle," Glory groused. "I wanna get into that school and suck 'em all dry."

"We're working on it, my dear lady," Lucius' voice was rigid and crisp. He sounded very much like he wanted to hit her over the head with something hard or strangle her or both. "If you could give us even a suggestion..."

"Luce," Blue-green eyes darkened in caution. "Don't you get ratty with me. I'm so over you and I need results. If I don't get my key real soon, I'm not gonna be happy and you know how cranky I can be when I'm not happy."

Narcissa flashed a look up at Lucius, who looked paler than usual. Sweat was beading his upper lip and he swallowed hard, licking his lips. "We are doing the best we can, my dear, but as we do not yet know what we are looking for..."

"Hello, dumbass? A spell! A spell to get past the security and let me squish every one of those puny mortals like ants!"

Lucius' thin lips tightened in a line, his eyes flashing. "Of course, my dear," he said coldly and precisely. "But, for now, why don't you entertain yourself by taking Narcissa shopping and I will search further?"

"Are you sure you would not be better at shopping, dearest?" Narcissa suggested in a sweet voice. "After all, I know every book in this library and will be able to search out the better ones."

Lucius cast a malevolent yet comprehending look at her. "Very well, my dear. Good luck," Turning to Glory, he extended a hand towards her. "And now, my Goddess, will you accompany me?"

Apparently Glory's bad attitude didn't extend to potential shopping sprees and she beamed at him. "Sure, hon!" Looping her arm through his, they both departed the room and as soon as Narcissa was certain they had left the house, she dropped the book she was reading.

Running to the desk, she picked up a sheet of parchment and hastily jotted down the details of the spell that Glory and Lucius intended to use to bring down the barriers around the school, if they found it, and added some details about the series of counterspells for such an attack.

Signing with her initials only, she placed the parchment in an envelope and wrote the address of the recipient on the front in a delicate sweeping script, before hurrying to the family owlery, to find her own owl.

The open-windowed chamber was large and chilly, wind whistling through it and Narcissa clutched her shivering hands into her thick pullover.

"Hecate?"

An Eagle owl swooped down from the rafters, landing with a clatter on the nearest window ledge, uttering a curious hoot. Narcissa could understand why. It was rare for her to send letters and rarer still for her to use her private owl.

"Take this to him, my Princess," she whispered, tying the letter to the bird's leg and placing a kiss on its head. "And stay there." Hecate hooted indignantly. "It's for your own safety and mine, Princess."

Hecate nipped her finger affectionately, turning with the graceless walking waddle of an owl, peering out of the window into the late afternoon light. Ruffling her feathers, the owl shuffled forward and with a last hoot, launched herself and her letter out of the window and into the sky.

Leaning on the window ledge until she could no longer see the owl, Narcissa exhaled a sigh of relief, knowing that she had provided at least a little aid. "She is in your hands now, Albus," she whispered, turning and departing from the owlery.