Death Is Our Gift

VI

"Dinner With The Marauders"

"Never thought of myself as a magical creature," said Liam as they left Ollivander's.

"Yeah, Mister One-Of-A-Kind," added Willow, still looking at her wand in awe. She could feel the magic flowing through her body again, only this time it was being channeled to her wand and not her spirit. It felt... strange. "And to think, someone will get that wand one of these days and Ollivander will creep them out by saying 'It came from the hair of Liam Summers'."

Liam laughed at that. His pre-teen ego needed to be fed, as did his stomach. "So, what's to eat?"

Giles seemed to have awaken from his self imposed silence. "I told Tom that we'd have dinner in the pub tonight. Tomorrow night, I'll take you on a tour of London, if you would like."

"Actually I want to check out that ice cream shop over there," inserted Liam. Liam looked to Giles and Willow, both with stern parent faces on. "Or, maybe after dinner." He smiled that famous Summers' smile.

They came back in the Leaky Cauldron, where Tom escorted them to a private dinning room. There were a few tables scattered around the room. They took one and Tom handed them all menus. "Right, what can I get for you?" he asked.

Liam looked over the menu and remembered something that he had learned from his mother: English food stinks. He didn't know what half the things on the menu were and the other half didn't really appeal to him. "Any way I could get a taco?" he asked.

"Sorry, don' think the elves know how to make ta-kos," said Tom.

"You mean like, house-elves?" asked Willow, who had apparently read about the house-elves from their book.

"Blimey, don' tell me you read about 'em in Granger-Weasley's book too! Look, I pay 'em right enuff. They're happy, so please don't go-"

"No," said Giles, "they've just never seen a house-elf."

"And," added Liam, trying to make the innkeeper a little less weary, "I think that I'll have the 'fish 'n chips' since I know what that is."

"Merlin's Beard, that woman has caused me no end of problems. I've had Muggles coming in here with 'Free Dobby' signs for the last four years. Little bint doesn't even work here."

Giles took off his glasses, preparing for a long-winded speech. "Yes, well, you have to understand that in Muggle culture-"

"Fish 'n chips for me too," said Willow, cutting Giles off before he could get started. She elbowed him to order, which he did.

"Tripe!" exclaimed Liam. "You ordered stomach?"

"It is an acquired taste. And now that you will be living in England, I suggest that you try to expand your culinary horizons."

Willow placed her hand on Giles. "Giles, nothing personal, but stomach is not a delicacy, it's a vital organ."

"Quite right," said a voice standing at the entrance to the dinning room. There were two gentlemen there, both a little younger than Giles. Both were rather scruffy looking, one with brown and grey hair, and the other with black hair. Neither had shaved in quite a while and each wore well-worn robes. However, they smiled greatly at entering the room. The one with the black hair continued, "English food is terrible. We're the only country that could take something good like a pizza and boil it."

The brown haired man looked sharply at the other. "Excuse me, aren't you Irish? Your addition to international cuisine is the stew."

Giles stood. "Remus," he said as he shook the brown haired man's hand. "Sirius," he said as he shook the others.

"Good to see you, Rupert," said Sirius. "And who are our fine gourmets?"

Giles said, "This is Willow Rosenberg and Liam Summers. Willow is to be the new librarian at Hogwarts and Liam will be starting this year. Willow, Liam, this is-"

"Sirius Black and Remus Lupin," interrupted Liam. "The only known living escapee of Azkaban and the only werewolf to be recognized as a 'non-Dark creature' by the Ministry of Magic."

Sirius laughed while Remus just sat dumfounded. "Let me guess, Hermione's book?"

Liam nodded.

"Remind me to actually read that book one of these days," said Remus. "I would like to know if I need to have words with Mrs. Granger-Weasley."

"That's all it says about you," said Liam. "It mentions Sirius in relation to Harry Potter-"

"Who has an entire chapter devoted to him," added Sirius. "He was furious with her, but when she showed him that he originally got two volumes-"

"Volumes?" asked Remus. "Hermione does certainly have a way with words."

"Would you two care to join us?" asked Giles.

"What do you say, Moony," Sirius said looking to Remus. "Should we try to be civilized for an hour or so?"

"I suppose it can't hurt our reputations too much, being seen with a respected professor, a librarian, and a young impressionable youth." They took seats across from Willow and Liam. "So how do you two know Giles?" asked Sirius.

"From Sunnydale," said Willow taking a sip of water.

"The Hellmouth?" Remus said in awe. "You two were on the Hellmouth?"

"Born and raised," said Liam.

"Willow, in fact, has closed the Hellmouth," Giles said with a sense of pride. "And Liam is the son of my Slayer."

Remus and Sirius just stared at the two Americans. "Bloody hell," was all Sirius could say, getting a smack for his comment. "Watch your mouth, Padfoot."

Sirius nodded. "Sorry. I have no manners, but at least I'm housebroken. Well, Moony, be thankful you don't teach anymore, cause Mrs. Rosenberg-"

"Just 'Miss'," said Willow blushing. "No Mrs. Anything. And please call me 'Willow'."

"Willow, then," said Sirius, a devilish look in his eye. "Willow could give you a run for the DADA position."

Willow shook her head. "Nope, I've still got my training wheels on. Just found out today that I can do magic again."

"Again?" asked Remus.

"Long story," said Willow, "and one that I look very bad in."

"Willow had a problem with magic addiction," said Giles in a sympathetic tone.

"No worries, Willow," said Sirius. "It happens to a lot of Muggle-borns. More than you 'd think, actually."

Willow smiled. "Well, now that I have my wand, I'm good to go." She pulled her wand out, proudly showing it to the table. Remus sniffed the air and laughed. "Ollivander finally found someone to pawn that thing off on, did he?"

"You mean," said Willow, "you're the werewolf?"

Remus smiled. "Yes, he bribed me into giving up some bits of me when we got Sirius fitted for a new wand. Of course, I told him he'd have to come and collect them himself, which didn't put him off in the least. Granted, the man has taken bits off of dragons, trolls, unicorns, griffins, demons, vampires, and stuff a lot worse."

"Yeah, but he had to get near your feet," said Sirius.

Willow pointed to Tom coming in with the food. "Ah, soups on."

Tom placed the dishes down on the table and smiled a toothless smile at the additions to the table. "Well, two o' the Ministry's finest. What'll it be tonight, gents?"

"Chicken soup," said Remus. "Full moon still has me feeling a bit weak."

"Roast beef, as bloody as you can get it," Sirius licked his lips. "It's the animal in me, sorry."

Tom chuckled. "Coming right up." He left back to the kitchen.

"So, what's new in the world of the Aurors?" asked Giles, taking a bite of tripe.

"What's the last you heard?" asked Sirius, taking a swig off his butterbeer.

"Well, I've been in States for a fortnight, so I'm a bit off right now. Any news on the escapees from Blackrock?"

"Nope, still in hiding," said Remus. "Six of them got away, so we're thinking that maybe the goblins helped out. Or maybe something that looked like goblins. They're being very protective of the whole ordeal. Ministry's trying to find someplace to put the rest of the prisoners, but so far the only place we could put them is a prison in the south of France."

"Plus, tell him about the Library," said Sirius.

"Ah, you and Miss Willow should like to hear about this. Apparently, someone broke into the British Library and stole a bunch of Ministry scrolls that were being kept there. It looks like an inside job, because only a few historians knew that they were kept there."

"Why were they there and not at the Ministry's library?" asked Giles.

"Because, the scrolls were prophecies that concerned wizards and Muggles, and they were being guarded by your former employers, The Watcher's Council." Liam's fork dropped onto the plate. He took a deep breath and looked around the table. Everyone looked concerned for him, except for Remus, who was looking puzzled.

"Are you-" began Remus, before Liam nodded. "Ah," said Remus. "Now it makes sense. I've been feeling-" but stopped before finishing the thought.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate it when you do that, Moony?" said Sirius taking another swig of his beer.

"Countless times. Pay better attention then," Remus said, winking at Liam. He knew, but would never say anything.

"So," Willow jumped in, realizing what was going on here, "how many other werewolves work for the Ministry?" she asked.

"Let's see," said Remus, who began to count on his fingers. "Me... and me."

"Why no others?" asked Willow.

"Because most others either live in the mountains in Tibet or are notoriously nasty tempered."

"I knew a werewolf who lived in Tibet once," said Willow, her eyes drifting to the past.

Remus sniffed the air. "Daniel?" he asked.

Willow's jaw dropped. "How do you know Oz?"

Remus smiled. "Oz is in Tibet still. I've been there a few times, trying to control the 'wolf'. He's better at it than I am, but he still struggles."

"Do you know how I can reach him?" asked Willow. Liam knew that Oz was an old boyfriend of hers, but something seemed to come to life inside her when she said that.

"Sorry," said Remus. "The only way to communicate with there is to go there. But, if you would like, maybe I can take you next summer."

Willow came back down to reality. "No, it's alright. Just wanted to say 'hi' to him and stuff. I'm okay now." She tried to look interested in eating again, but Liam could tell she wasn't feeling up to it anymore.

Or maybe it was just watching Giles eat stomach.

Dinner put away, Liam and Willow retired upstairs while Giles, Black, and Lupin discussed other things. Willow was lying in bed, reading her book when there was a slight knock at her door. "Willow, you still up?" asked Liam through the door.

"Sure kiddo, come on it." Liam opened the door, dressed in one of Xander's old sweatshirts and a pair of boxers.

"What's on your mind?" said Willow.

"I wanted to ask you something, because I saw your face at dinner, when you were talking about your old boyfriend-"

"Oz?" questioned Willow, her green eyes sparkling at Liam.

"Yeah." Liam's eyes shifted to the wooden floors. "Uh... do you regret not, uh... do you regret raising me and not a family of your own?"

Willow was shocked by the question. "Liam Orlando Summers! How dare you ask me that question! I most certainly do not regret anything. Raising you has been a pleasure and I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Liam looked up at his 'aunt'. "Really?"

"Liam, come sit down here," she said, patting the bed. Liam followed orders and sat on the bed. Willow took his hands.

"When you were born, I was in the hospital with your mother. I promised Buffy that if anything were to happen to her, I would take care of you. I have never once regretted that promise. You are my family, Liam. If I were going to have a son, I would want him to be you."
Liam looked into Willow's eyes. She still held onto her childhood, one that was wrought with pain and suffering. She had the same look that Xander and Dawn had. The same look, he could remember, his mother had. But beyond that look was a happiness that said she was better for all those things.

"But, don't you want to be with someone?"

Willow smiled. "Yeah, practically every day. But then I think about those who I've had around me and I've lost. Jesse... Oz... Buffy..." Her eyes glazed over for a moment. "Tara..." She wiped the impending tear from her eye. "But, when you came into my life, I knew that I had to put that aside. Not forget about it, but wait until you were a bit older."

Liam smiled. "Think I'm a bit older now?"

Willow straightened up. "Yep, definitely a bit older. But not so old that I want to be hearing stories around the school about you and loose women."

"Ditto," Liam said jokingly.

"Hey mister," Willow said with a slightly annoyed tone, "stop being so... cheeky." She nodded at that.

"I think you've been around Giles too much," said Liam, shaking his head.

"Well, get used to it, because we're in England now. And when in Rome-"

"Get used to eating boiled pizza," finished Liam.