Death Is Our Gift

III

"Mum's the World" Word?

Liam sat in front of his mother's grave. He came here when he got stressed out, no matter the time of day or night. There were wards on the grave to make it safe for him and the others to visit, especially at night. Demons had tried after she died to dig up the grave and do who knew what with the body. The "Scoobies" had put up protections around the grave. It was his safe place.

One of the few in the world.

"So," he continued with his talk to his mother, "they want me to be a wizard. And Willow will become the school librarian, which is kinda funny considering how much time you guys spent in the library as children, with Giles as the Librarian..." He trailed off thinking about Giles' role in his mother's life.

"I can't stop hating him for what he did," Liam said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I've been trying, but I can't."

"No one is asking you to forgive him, young Liam," came the voice from behind him. He whirled around to see Professor Dumbledore standing behind him.

"Can't you two leave me alone?" asked Liam.

"I am all alone, I assure you. I wished to speak with you and to give your mother a gift." He moved to the grave, took off his pointy hat, and placed his hand within. His hand seemed to disappear deep in the hat, from which he finally pulled out two chrysanthemums. He placed them on the grave. "Rest in peace, Miss Summers."

"You knew my mother?" asked Liam.

"I had the pleasure of making her acquaintance and spending time with her many years ago, before your birth. In fact, I believe somewhere you have an enchanted stuffed dragon which flew around the room."

"I remember that. It escaped." Liam laughed at the image of his stuffed dragon flying out of the window, and his 'Uncle' Xander trying to catch it with a tennis racket. "You got that for me?"

"Yes, I did, although I remember a quite vicious Howler from your mother concerning it. Something about it singeing her hair."

"What about Giles?"

"Liam, you must remember one thing: Rupert loved your mother. He was a surrogate father, protector, and Watcher." Dumbledore noticed Liam tensed up at the mention of 'Watcher'. "And while his priorities occasionally became confused, he never stopped loving your mother. He would never allow anything bad to happen to her, even if it was caused by her own son. What he failed to realize was that in trying to protect her from you, he was harming her.

"I know it's hard for you to believe, but she forgave him before she died. And I feel that you will eventually do the same, but no one is rushing you."

"What was she like?"

Dumbledore looked surprised. "Do you not remember her yourself?"

"No," Liam said, shaking his head. "I knew her as 'Mom', but not 'The Slayer'. Dawn and Will and Xander tell me all the stories, but they loved her. I haven't heard anyone else talk about her."

"I would be delighted to tell you about her stay at Hogwarts, but you would have to be attending in order for me to do that."

Liam shook his head. "You mean, I'll have to go back to England with Giles... again."

"You will go back with Rupert and your 'aunt' if you choose. If not, then you can stay here. It is our choices that make us who we are. Both your parents knew that, all too well in fact."

"Did you know... him?" Liam asked.

"I'm afraid I did not, although I know of his reputation. He fought the darkness within him for so very long and in his final hours, he did finally beat it. That is what is important."

Liam nodded. His father was someone who no one talked about. If the subject came up, Willow just started cooking something, Dawn suddenly had to go on patrol, and Xander would try doing 'guy stuff'. He knew what his father was, and how he came into this world. But he still had questions - questions no one wanted to answer.

"So, how does this work?" asked Liam.

"If you agree to come to Hogwarts, you will be escorted by Professor Giles to pick up your things and begin your acclimatization to 'our' world. I have found that it is easier for students from Muggle backgrounds to accept our world by spending a week or so in Diagon Alley."

"What's Diagon Alley?"

"It's the wizarding part of London. Hidden away from Muggles."

"Mister Dumbledore, sir... uh, am I a Muggle?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "No, dear boy. You are not a Muggle. You are an enigma, which is to say that you are not only unique in who you are, and in who your parents were, but also in becoming a wizard. You have carried great burdens thus far in your life, however you have survived them all. This will be yet another journey for you. One which you will enjoy."

"But how do I tell people what I am?"

Dumbledore looked into Liam's grey eyes. "You tell them you are Liam Summers from America. Anything else will be up to you. People reveal their secrets in their own time, but I must warn you that Hogwarts is known for producing some of the most resourceful and ingenious students who excel at solving mysteries."

"Who else will know?"

"The staff are the only ones who will know, in addition to our head house-elf. He is a remarkably eager creature who, should you need anything, will respond to your call with the utmost discretion."

Liam looked back at his mother's grave. "Do you think she would like it?"

"Your mother spent several weeks at Hogwarts. Once she realized that our Potions professor was not a vampire and that her bathroom mirror was of Irish descent and not prone to compliments, she seemed to love it."

Liam stood and dusted himself off, before bending over the grave. Dumbledore suddenly became interested in a bird that looked remarkably like a cousin of his. Liam kissed the headstone. "I'll see you soon. I love you."

He turned and walked out of the graveyard, leaving his mother behind:

BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS

1981-2010

LOVING MOTHER

BELOVED SISTER

DEVOTED FRIEND

SHE SAVED THE WORLD

A LOT

*****

"He's grown a lot since I last saw him," commented Giles, sipping his tea.

"That's him. Growing Boy Summers." Willow smiled, looking at her old mentor. "He's almost as tall as Buffy, and has her temper."

"Don't forget about his dad's moodiness," added Dawn. "He can get in these moods where you can't tell what is going on with him."

"Teenagers are like that, as I remember quite well," said Giles, looking at both Dawn and Willow.

"We weren't that bad," said Willow, pouting. "Were we?"

"No, you were all quite extraordinary. With you two as role models, Liam should have no problems growing up, aside from the ones that he has no control over." Again they were into dangerous territory. Dawn seized the opportunity.

"So, how did you get hooked up with Gandalf?"

Giles laughed. "It's Dumbledore. He laughs at the comparisons and makes comments about being either a brother or distant relative. He doesn't seem to mind that Gandalf is a fictional character.

"It started several years ago, when Buffy and I went over to England to the new Watchers' headquarters. The Watchers were noticing a large number of vampires and other demons gathering around a wizard whom everyone thought was dead. Wizards were to be handled by the Ministry of Magic, and the Watchers agreed to this. However, since the demons and vampires were firmly out of their league, Buffy and I were asked to assist a delegation of wizards, led by Professor Dumbledore.

"We were successful in defeating the vampires and demons, and the wizard fled. Since our work was done, we left. It was shortly after that...that..." Giles paused as decade-old memories flooded back into his head. Dawn and Willow knew what he was thinking.

"That Liam was conceived," finished Dawn.

Giles snapped back to reality. "Yes. Well, Liam was born and I... took him... to the Watchers. Buffy came for him and told me that she never wanted to see me again. I honored her wishes, but was cut off from her and from the Watchers. I sat in my flat feeling like dying.

"Then, Professor Dumbledore came to me. He offered me a position at the school and a quick study course in how to be a wizard. I had received some training as a child, but nothing more than the basics. I didn't even know where my wand was. So, as he would say, I left my world and entered his. I've been there ever since."

Willow took Giles' hand. "Did Buffy know-"

"Oh yes. I owled her and apologized for everything I had done. Shortly after Dawn was Called, I came here and spoke to her. She had forgiven me, but she didn't know if Liam ever would. I told her that she could soften anyone's edges, and she said that when he got a little older, she would try..." He trailed off with that thought.

She had never got the chance. She had died two years later and had left behind a family that needed her - especially her son.

Willow wiped her eye with a tissue. "So, I would go through the same quick study course?"

Giles nodded. "Yes, you will essentially learn what you don't already know. I'm sure you'll have no problems with most of the lessons. However, Charms and Transfiguration will be the ones to test your resolve. Are you sure you're up to it?"

Willow shook her head. "No. I've haven't done anything in so long, I've probably forgotten how. But what if I go overboard again?"

"Dumbledore has assured me that the release of the binding will move at your pace of comfort. Besides, you will have one of the most powerful wizards in the world looking over your training." Dawn looked at Giles, puzzled. "Not me," he added. "Dumbledore is regarded by many as the most powerful wizard since Merlin."

"Not that I would disagree," Dumbledore interrupted, entering the house with Liam. "But for the sake of my reputation, I feel I must. I am a wizard like any other."

Giles looked at Liam and then to Dumbledore. "Young Mister Summers has agreed to go to Hogwarts. Now, I think we need to hear Miss Rosenberg's decision."

Willow looked at the elder wizard. His kind face reassured her without him speaking a word. "Well, if it's good enough for Liam, it's good enough for me."

"Good show," added Dumbledore. "Now that is all settled, we must begin preparations. Rupert-" At this, Giles stood to attention, "I think that air travel would be best given the circumstances."

"What other ways are there?" asked Liam.

"Well," said Giles, "there is the conventional broomstick, Apparation, Floo powder and Portkeys."

"All of which you will learn about from this," Dumbledore said as he placed a hand into his pocket. He pulled out two books. He handed one copy to Willow and one to Liam. The title read:

A Muggle's Guide to the Wizarding World

By

Hermione Granger-Weasley

"Kinda like stereo instructions?" joked Willow.

"I know the author personally," said Dumbledore, "and convinced her to revise it down from sixteen volumes to the one. But I assure you it is very thorough and any questions that it does not answer, I'm sure Rupert can. But in that case, Mrs. Granger-Weasley will need to be informed that her book is missing something."

"Wait a minute," said Liam. "What about Dawn? She's coming too, right?"

Dawn put her arm around her nephew. "Sorry, kiddo. I've got the whole Slayer destiny thing going on right now. But I'll e-mail you, or whatever it is you wizards use."

"That would be via owl post," said Dumbledore. "And as you do not currently have an owl-" He reached into his pocket again and pulled out a large birdcage containing a real bird. It was a brown and white falcon. "This is Titus. He is a young one, but he has great speed, which is of the essence for trans-Atlantic communications. An owl would tire too quickly." He placed the birdcage on the table. "Just write your letter and give it to him. He will deliver it and await a reply."

"You are the coolest, Professor," said Dawn, in awe of the bird.

"I do my best. But, I must be going now. I have another stop to make. I must inform one of our new professors of his appointment and then calm him down, since I did not ask for permission first. Rupert, please owl me when you arrive in London and I will make arrangements for you at the Leaky Cauldron. Now, it has been a pleasure." He bowed to them all and winked at Liam. Then with a 'pop' he vanished.

"Where did he go?" asked Willow.

"He Disapparated. Essentially, he left this place and appeared in another instantly. Although, I'm not quite sure where he went to."

Liam began reading over the book. He was excited to be leaving the Hellmouth, but didn't want to leave his mother. He would have to talk to Dumbledore about that soon.