Chapter 9:

Buffy entered the Gryffindor's Tower early in the morning. There were only a few students in the common room, she smiled and greeted them. They hesitantly responded back. Buffy stood in front of the boy's dormitory; she removed something from one of her pockets and lighted it with a silver lighter. She threw it in the dormitory and put her hands over her ears. After a few seconds a loud blast could be heard.

"Anybody who thinks they are in trouble, better come down." She yelled loud enough to be heard in London. "Now."

She repeated it at the girl's dormitory. She didn't have to wait long for the first students to arrive. The Weasley's twins were the first ones down. She pointed to a place on the floor. The twins understood it and stood like soldiers at the appointed point. Only their eyes showed a hint of amusement. After Lee Jordan, Harry, Ron, Neville and a few other boys. And from the girl's dormitory came Dawn, Hermione, Ginny and few other girls. They all stood to the left of the twins and mindlessly mimicked their pose.

They stood there a minute in silence. In the meantime a few more boys and girls came down, but they went behind Buffy to sit on the seats. They didn't think they had done anything to warrant this kind of attention from a Professor.

Buffy walked along the ranks and looked each one into his or hers eyes. She did it a few times before she stopped before Neville, who was holding his toad, which tried to escape.

"Mr. Longbottom." Neville startled and let his toad escape, he was too afraid to go after it. "Why are you in this line, Neville?" Buffy voice went softer and gentler.

Neville looked down ashamed. "I'm always in trouble, Professor."

Buffy fell sorry for the boy. "Go after your toad, Mr. Longbottom."Buffy smiled at him and he went after his toad.

Her next stop was Ginny. "And why are you here Miss. Weasley?"

Before Ginny could say anything, one of the twins stepped forward."That's our fault, Ma'am." The other one, stepped forward."And the strict regime of our mother."

Buffy understood it and smiled at Ginny. "You can go."

Ginny was relieved. "Thanks, Professor." And left the line.

Buffy stood in front of the twins. She was impressed. They kept in character. "Private Jester and private Joker, at ease."

They relaxed and both had identical grins on their faces. They took the'at ease' literal. Buffy almost had to laugh. "What can you two tell me about Harry's escapade yesterday?"

The boys looked confused. "Harry?" "Escapade?" "This is about Harry?" Both got it quickly that this wasn't about them, so they both stood in attention. "We know nothing but name, quidditch position and house, Ma'am?" They answered simultaneous.

"Dismissed."

"Yes, Ma'am." They saluted her and left the ranks.

Buffy face went serious again. "Anybody who knew about Harry'strip to grandmother's. One step forward."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dawn all took one-step forward. Ron didn't understand the reference, but he knew what it meant.

"Thanks for the assistance. You can leave." She gave the rest a warm smile. She turned to the terrible four. "My office, now!"

"Can we change first?" Hermione asked.

Buffy wanted to berate her, but when she noticed that they were wearing pyjamas and nightgowns. "You got five minutes after I arrived in my office."

She didn't have to wait the full five minutes. They stood in front of her; each of them had a different emotion showing on his face. Harry concern, Ron fear, Hermione timid and Dawn annoyance. Buffy let them fry in their own juice fora while, before she spoke.

"I hope you guys know, what Harry did last night was very dangerous."Buffy kept he voice low and disappointed. They gave her the proper response with the exception of Dawn. Buffy noticed.

"Do you have something to say, Dawn?"

"Oh Please. It wasn't that dangerous. You were around and you can't blame me, I expected you to catch him before he entered the woods." Dawn had an offended look on her face and crossed her arms defiant.

Buffy stood up and put her hands on the desk with a bump and leant toward Dawn. Buffy might scare demons, vampires, students and some Professors, but she could never scare Dawn, at least not with a glare.

"I could have been the one who could have hurt him." Buffy's voice went a degree up.

"Don't you think I know? How come you didn't notice him before you entered the forest?" Dawn voice was getting more annoyed by the second.

"Oh, I did notice him. But I thought he was one of those harmless critters, that like to follow me in the woods." Buffy responded back.

"Did you leave your brain in the castle? You should know that Harry and his Scooby Gang would follow you one of these days." Dawn was getting anger.

"Dawn." In Buffy's voice was enough warning.

Dawn wouldn't, couldn't stop. "You could have hurt him and I would have lost you again." Dawn anger turned into hurt and agony. She turned around and fled Buffy's office.

Before Buffy went after her she turned to the trio. "Stay here until I return." They looked confused but didn't move.

Buffy waited a second to orientate which way Dawn had run. She ran into Snape.

"Not now, Snape."

"There is no running in the halls. You should be an example to the students." He spoke down to her to bait her in an argument. In almost every argument between them Buffy had the upper hand.

Too much concerned about her sister Buffy ignored him and gave him something to distract him with.

"I don't have time for your torment. If you want to torment somebody, I got your favourite trio in my office. Be my guest." Buffy left him behind to go after her sister again.

Snape felt insulted again, but his mood changed after his thoughts went to the trio and what he might do to them. He had a nice smirk on his face and walked with a little bit of spunk in his pace to Buffy's office.

Buffy quickly caught up with Dawn and stopped her by grabbing her arm. Her eyes were full of tears and they were gliding down her cheeks. Buffy turned her toward her and grabbed both her arms firm, but gentle.

"Dawnie, what is wrong?" Buffy's voice was gentle and full off concern. Dawn turned her head away. "Dawnie."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't try to stop him, because I knew he would go another time and I thought you would catch him earlier." Dawn was babbling, it would have made Willow proud.

"I don't want you to leave." She opened her tear faucet.

Buffy held her in a close embrace, said comforting words and made with her right hand circle motions on her back while Dawn cried her eyes out. They were in this pose a minute long, but it seemed like an eternity.

They separated a bit and Buffy took Dawn's chin and made her look in her eyes. "Feeling, better?" Dawn nodded meekly. "What is this about?"

"Sorry, the thought, that you hurt Harry or even worse. I know how it would affect you. I would have lost you again and I just lost it." Dawn sniffed.

Buffy didn't know how to answer this. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you a normal life. A life without fear of losing your sister everyday." Buffy looked sad.

Dawn saw it.

"At least I got the coolest big sister ever, even if she acts like a mother hen." Dawn smiled at Buffy.

Buffy laughed. "And what did I get? The most annoying little sister in the world."

Dawn acted as if being insulted. "There are more annoying little sisters than me." Buffy looked at Dawn with a look that says 'really'."I bet there exist at least a dozen." Dawn hold her face straight.

Buffy almost laughed but kept it in. "Go wash your tears away. We better go back before Snape does something permanently to our three trouble makers."

"Snape?" Dawn looked startled.

"Oh, I bumped into him when I ran after him. To get rid of him I send him to my office." Buffy's eyes were twinkling and she had a small invisible smirk.

"Oh no, we have to rescue them." Dawn went off, but Buffy stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"There is no hurry. You have time to clean up in the girl's bathroom around the corner."

"But Buffy." Dawn begged.

"See it as extra punishment." Buffy was openly smiling at her."Now clean yourself up and I'll wait outside for you." Dawn did what Buffy told her and Buffy waited for her outside.

They entered Buffy's office with Snape sitting behind her desk and the trio against the wall facing it. Snape was going through a few of her scrolls and papers. He looked up and smirked at her.

"This isn't a way to kill a Digo demon."

First Buffy was confused, but then she remembered it was a part of her lesson plan for the 5th students. Buffy put her hand out, Snape handed her the parchment.

"So why are Harry and company inspecting the wall with such intensity." Buffy didn't look up from the parchment.

"When I entered your office I saw them going through your scrolls and parchment."

Buffy looked up. "And then you thought, if they can do it so can I."

Snape just gave her a smirk. "I saw your lesson plan and was curious about it. And it is good that I looked at it, otherwise you would have given your students wrong information." He was happy that he could point out a mistake that Buffy made.

Buffy just smiled, and put the lesson plan on her desk. "It is 'a' correct way to kill a Digo demon." Snape wanted to say something back, but Buffy interfered. "Ever met a Digo demon?"

Snape just shook his head.

"I fought a whole nest with my friends."

Snape was a little impressed, but he had heard enough of her stories to not be distracted by it. "Then you should know, that if you cut of the demon's head he grows a new one."

"Oh yeah, you should have seen my surprise, when I cut of his head and he grew a new head." Buffy turned to the trio."If you have trouble killing a demon or any other mystical creature, go for the head. It normally kills them or at least puts them temporally out of commission. There are a few exceptions like Pyleans, hydras, Duncan promise to show me one, and Digo demons."

"You just admitted it yourself, that it is a incorrect method." Snape had a triumph glance in his eyes.

Buffy sighed at Snape. "The normal way to kill a Digo demon is to cut out his heart or burn him to a crispy pile of ashes." This time Buffy smiled brightly. "The problem with these methods are; their hearts are very difficult to find. Plus it's gross."

Buffy made a 'eew' face. "And second, they have somewhat of a resistance to fire. It can take up to five fire spells to kill a Digo demon, or napalm."

Buffy made a strategic pause. "Now after my first beheading, he grew his head back in seconds. So I beheaded him again, the second time it took him twice as long to grow it back. Each time it took longer to grow it back. After the second time it was easy to behead him enough to kill him, it's very distracting for the demon to lose his head." Buffy smiled and Dawn giggled. Even Ron and Hermione made a snicker.

"Books are good, but experience is better." Buffy smiled at Snape and it irritated the hell out of him. Buffy turned to the trio and leant on her desk. "Turn around." They turned. "Was there any particular reason, why you three were going through my stuff?"

They had to come up with something better then just simple curiosity. Hermione came up with something with her quick thinking. "I wanted to find something useful on the Slayer."

From behind her she heard a huff from Snape. He clearly didn't believe her. "They probably sought out one of your test."

"I don't cheat!" Hermione was seething. "I would never cheat. And you know that very well. How? How can you just say that? Or even think about it?"

Hermione looked defiantly to Professor Snape. Snape was a little shocked. He didn't expect that from Hermione. But he recovered quickly and stood up. "Miss Ganger, watch the tone that you speak to me with."

"Not until you apologise." Hermione crossed her arms and looked defiant at him.

Snape had a scrawl on his face. "10 points from Gryffindor. For insolent behaviour toward a teacher."

"10 points for Gryffindor for standing up for injustice." Both Snape and Hermione had the same facial expression.

"Are you intentionally trying to undermined my authority?" Snape snarled at Buffy.

"Na, that's a bonus." Buffy grinned at him."You insulted her, big. It's like she called you a bad Potion Maker."

Snape wanted to protest, but Buffy looked at him with a blank face as if he was a student. He really hated that, especially if she was right.

He mumbled, barely audible. "Sorry."

Hermione took what she could get and accepted it. She took a step back to be in line with the boys again.

Snape scowled at Buffy and Dawn. "This is all your bad influence."

Buffy pointed innocently at herself. "Yes. You. A year ago she wouldn't even thought about standing up to me."

Buffy gave him a small smile. "I didn't know I was such a good teacher."

Snape snarled.

Buffy thought it was enough torture for Snape."Let's get back to business. Did you already give them any punishment?"

"No, I was busy going through your papers." He retorted back with a nice snarling tone.

Buffy could have gone on with the banter, but she had three students to punish. "Got any bright ideas?"

"What did they do?"

"Harry here followed me into the woods."

Snape eyes sparkled. "Expulsion."

Harry's heart stood almost still. Buffy saw it. "I need useful ideas and no fantasy dreams." Buffy gave Harry a reassuring smile.

"There is a torture chamber in the basement. It is a little rusty but still useable." Snape gave another suggestion.

"I think we're rubbing a little off on him." Dawn mentioned to Buffy, who simple smiled at Snape.

"Merlin, forbid." Snape rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry Sev, you're still a creep." Buffy reassured him.

"Thank you." Snape was very sarcastic.

"What am I going to do with you three?" Buffy crossed her arms.

"You aren't going to punish Dawn?"Before Ron noticed, it was already out of his mouth. "Sorry Dawn."

Dawn just shrugged.

"No I'm not going to punish her. Because she knew it was unenviable, that he would go after me."

Hermione wanted to say something but Buffy stopped her. "She also didn't want to go after me into the Forest." That shut up Hermione before she started.

"The punishment for to day is after breakfast you three are to carving me a 100 stakes. In silence." Buffy pointed toward some pile of woods in the corner. "And after dinner I'll tell you what's in store for you guys tomorrow." She turned to Hermione. "Plus I want to see your progress on the Slayer project."

"The Slayer project?" Snape was curious. "What Slayer project?"

"It is for extra credit." She turned to the kids. "You can go now and I want you waiting outside, after breakfast, for me. Dismiss."

They left the office quickly and left Buffy with Snape behind.

"You are way to lenient on them." Snape spitted out. "Especially on you sister. She can use some discipline."

Buffy didn't like Snape's tone or the comment about her sister. "I'm strict enough with my sister. She has suffered enough." Her tone was clear enough that she didn't want to discus it with him now or ever.

Snape got the hint and stood up. He snarled at her and walked away without saying anything

else. Buffy straightened things up and went after him to the Great Hall for breakfast.

After breakfast the trio was waiting for her outside her office. She put them to work, while she was writing some letters. They paused only for bathroom breaks and lunch. They finished before dinner. They were interrupted a few times by Duncan, by the other Professors and a few students who had some questions.

At lunch Buffy had a little conversation with Dawn about the dragon. Why it was here and if it was following them here from Sunnydale. Buffy told her that she was looking into it and would keep her informed.

Hermione went straight to the library after her punishment was over to meet with Dawn to discuss the progress of their Slayer project. Dawn confiscated a table. The table was covered with books and parchments rolls.

"Hi, Mione, it seems you survived the punishment." Dawn gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I think I'm getting blisters." Hermione showed Dawn her hands.

"Poor girl." Dawn mocked her with fake sympathy.

Hermione swung at her and missed, because Dawn moved out of the way. Hermione looked at the papers on the table. "Are you finished with analysing the Slayer fairytale?"

"I just finished." Dawn handed her a parchment.

Hermione read the parchment.

'

Slayer's name: Sara

Slayer's Watcher: Merlin (Advisor to the King)

Slayer's associates: Arthur (Brother with magical sword), Ursula (Friend/Witch), David (Lover), Marie (Mother), William (Father)

Slayer's enemies: Magnus (Dark Wizard), David (Ex-lover/Vampire), diversity of vampires and demons.

Slayer's abilities: Strength of a giant, fast like lightning, agility, weapon mastery, heightened senses, slayer visions in dreams

Events: Slayer's quest and meeting the Slayer spirit, Killed a vampire master called the Dragon, saving the world from hell. Saved a country from a vampire attack.

Oddities: the Slayer attracts or is attracted by demonic and magical creatures.

First edition 984. The story itself could have been recorded 5th, 6th century in low Anglo-Saxon, Celtic runes and old Viking runes.

'

Hermione looked form the parchment at Dawn. "This going to be hard to identify a witch and wizard before Hogwart's existence."

Dawn smiled. "Much harder if the witch is a Wicca."

"Wicca?"

"It is a wand-less witch." Dawn explained.

"Wand-less? You think she was that powerful?" Hermione didn't get the impression that the witch in the story was that strong.

"Oh, a Wicca isn't a witch like you or the others in the wizard world. A Wicca is a muggle."

"Muggles don't have magic!" Hermione expressed.

"Yes, they do. Willow and Giles explained it to me. Wizard magic comes from the inside and muggle magic from the outside. From entities; like gods, spirits and demons or even places and objects with magical energy. The most common known are wiccas, shamans and druids." Dawn explained. "It is like a religion."

Something dawned on Hermione. "Willow is a wicca?"

"Yeah, she worships the Goddess Heceta."

Hermione was confused. She looked around. "How come I never read about this?"

"I think the Ministry is doing its best to separate the muggle, demon and wizard world as much as possible." Dawn gave her as simple explanation. "Or the wizards ignore it like muggles ignore demons."

"Why would wizards want to ignore wiccas?" Hermione couldn't understand it.

"It would mean that they aren't as special as they think they are and wicca magic has a potential to be more dangerous than wizard magic."

"More dangerous?" There was a confused expression on Hermione's face.

"Your magic is like your hand. It is a part of you. If you misuse it, it will not turn on you." Hermione nodded. "Now if you abuse wicca magic, it will have grave consequences. It can turn on you like a mad-dog. For example if you dabble in black arts. It will mark you and taint you and the seduction you feel is from the power you get from it. If a wicca dabbles in the black magic, it will try to seduce her to the dark side. It will whisper in her ears to use more until it changed her until she is not fit to be call human anymore."

Hermione was in shock. It had to settle down in her head. "Why do you think it is a wicca kind of witch instead of wizard witch?"

"Because the Watcher of our Slayer didn't tell us about the wizarding world until we found out by our self. We only dealt with wicca kind of witches. We can assume that this Slayer has had the same experience." Dawn sounded very logical.

Hermione thought about it. "If you are right then we won't find anything in this library."

"Maybe, maybe not. I think Ursula was a wicca witch, but this Magnus guy used a death curse. I think he might be a wizard."

"No if he used the Avada Kedavra curse she would have died, there is no counter defence against the Avada Kedavra curse." Hermione said in a mater of fact voice. "Only Harry survived one."

"Not with a wand, but a magical sword or even a simple mirror to deflect the curse." Dawn sounded hopeful.

"A mirror couldn't deflect a curse certainly not the Avada Kedavra curse."

"What if it was somehow strengthened by the magic of the Slayer?" Dawn added. "And Buffy once deflected a spell with a mirror."

"Really." Dawn nodded. "This needs some research." Hermione thought about it. "So we've got one wizard. Doesn't give us a much of a lead."

Dawn took the parchment. "We know the country was overrun by vampires in the 5th or maybe even the 4th century and there was mentioned about a Vampire Master called the Dragon. There must be something in the History of Magic department."

Hermione looked at the parchment. "We can deduct by the language of the text she was on the British islands or on the other side of the Channel."

Dawn looked at it again and noticed something about the names Merlin and Arthur. "If I didn't know better I say this story was related to the King Arthur and the Round table story."

"In the wizarding world it is called the Wizard Merlin and the sword Excalibur. But it is a different Merlin from the Great Merlin. He is either his grandson or grandfather. There is conflicting data."

Dawn looked at it careful. "I feel the connection between these stories." She turned to Hermione. "We should research it."

"It couldn't hurt." But Hermione didn't sound very convincing. "So how are we going to find Sara?"

"Oh that could be easy. If Sara was her real name."

"Eh." Hermione had a 'how' expression.

"I know a guy who has access to Watcher's and Slayer's dairies." Dawn said brightly.

"You mean your Watcher Giles." Hermione was excited. "You think we can borrow them."

"I'm not sure, but I'm sure he will do some research on his own after Buffy sends him a copy of the Slayer: the Fairytale." Dawn grinned. "I'm sure he will give us the results and we don't even have to do the work our self."

"I don't mind the work." Hermione replied.

Dawn rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Well then, go to Madam Pince and ask her if she has a book about Vampire activity in the 4th and 5th century. Maybe we can narrow the dates."

Hermione nodded and walked off to Madam Pince, who handed her a piece of paper and Hermione went off to the bookracks. They were in the library until dinner and after dinner they showed Buffy a reviewed of the parchment, after dinner Buffy told Hermione about the punishment for tomorrow.

End Chapter 9.

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