Racing With Destiny: Chapter 4
by Lisette

Legalese: See Chapter 1 for disclaimers and ratings.

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"In the real world as in dreams, nothing is quite what it seems."
-The Book of Counted Sorrows-

As the intense pulling sensation subsided, Buffy stumbled, slightly dizzy as she felt Giles' arm catch her around the waist. "Whoa there," she muttered, the bags dropping from her shoulders as she blinked rapidly, her body trying to adjust to the sudden changes that assaulted her form.

"Easy, Buffy," Giles soothed, noting his slayer's pale pallor. "Travel by portkey can take a little adjusting to," he murmured as Buffy finally fell still, large green eyes taking stock of their surroundings.

"What happened to the sun?" was her first question as Buffy's arms wrapped around her slim waist, shivering slightly in her thin shirt as her eyes skimmed the darkness that surrounded them, lessened only by the bright, full moon shining high above. They were standing on a simple gravel lane, tall trees towering on either side of the path that ended in two large brick pillars with an ornate arch connecting either side, the school name inscribed in the metal work. "And why is it so friggin' cold?" she demanded, eyes snapping back to her Watcher.

Chuckling slightly, Giles tilted his head back and took in the familiar gateway to the Hogwarts' grounds. It had been twenty-nine years since he had last stood before this gate - a long time in anyone's standards. He had never thought that he'd ever be granted the opportunity to see it again. He had never believed that he deserved that opportunity - not after what he had done to earn his banishment from this magical world. Even now old senses seemed to awaken as he could feel the old magics that inhabited this place - could almost taste the magic in the air. It was good to be home. "In answer to your first question," he replied, a small smile playing at his lips as he turned to his young slayer, "the time is eight hours ahead here, making it after six at night. And as for your second..." he trailed off, looking pointedly down upon the heavy sweater and jacket that he had changed into while waiting for Buffy's return from her final goodbye. As the girl's eyes widened in sudden understanding, he realized that she hadn't even noticed the change. "Well, you're not in southern California anymore," he murmured, pausing to inhale deeply, his eyes closing in contentment. "Britain's average temperature during Spring is around forty-five degrees."

"But that's like winter in Sunnydale!" Buffy whined, watching as her breath left her in an icy plume. "See!" she cried out, pointing at the fading wisps, "that's just not right!"

Smiling, Giles lifted his duffel and began towards the arch, pausing to allow his slayer to join him. "Come along, Buffy, I'm sure that the Headmaster is expecting us," he said, beckoning her forward.

Grumbling softly about the unfairness of just finishing with the cold, Buffy hefted a bag to each shoulder and stepped forward - only to freeze as the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end at the same time that two soft pops sounded behind her. Startled, Buffy dropped her bags and turned quickly, eyes taking in the two men that stood behind her when seconds before there had been no one. "What the-" she began, stumbling back against her watcher as her hand instinctively crept towards the side pocket on the leg of her carpenter overalls, slim fingers wrapping around the hilt of the wooden stake she kept there.

"It's alright, Buffy," Giles assured, his hand stilling hers and gently pushing it back to her side.

"But they just popped here outta nowhere," she protested as she inspected the two. At least they looked as startled as she assumed she did, both quickly pulling long, thin pieces of wood from within their voluminous robes - pieces of wood that she recognized as a couple of those magic wand-thingies that Mr. Fletcher used all those months ago. The two had to be related, the older man seeming to be about Giles' age, with thinning red hair and patched, tweed robes. Stifling a smile at this, she turned her head to the younger man, who couldn't be that much older than herself, dressed in swirling black robes. He looked to be in his early twenties, tall and thin with flaming red hair that curled over his forehead. He held himself straight and his eyes darted nervously from them to the man beside him. Not that she could blame them - after hearing from Mr. Fellows about the ongoing battle, a little uneasiness at strangers was justified.

"Dad?" the guy asked, a silent question in his eyes.

"Easy, Percy," the father cautioned, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Who are you and what's your business with Hogwarts?" he demanded, eyes taking in their unusual clothing. As odd as it seemed, the clothing seemed to indicate muggles, yet there was no way for muggles to find their way to Hogwarts.

"Hello," Giles began, beginning to push past his slayer, only to stop as their wands lifted slightly. "Right," he muttered, halting quickly. "My name is-"

"Wait, I recognize you," the man interrupted, his eyes narrowing as his lips turned down in a small frown. "You were a Ravenclaw - graduated two years ahead of me at Hogwarts," he said, eyes becoming pinched as they scoured over Giles' features. "I heard that you fell in with that group of Slytherins and began playing with the Dark Arts - killed one of your own group," he said, his son straightening at his words. "You were banished from our world close to thirty years ago."

"Which is a long, long time ago," Buffy interjected, bringing the man's attention to herself as she met his gaze defiantly. From the look on Giles' face, the guy's words were striking a sore spot. Not that she could blame him, she was only eighteen and already she had too many regrets. And even though they were most likely on the same side, anyone who caused that kind of pain to flash in her watcher's eyes instantly came on her bad side. "A lot can happen in thirty years. A lot can change," she insisted stubbornly, eyes darting from Giles' shadowed face to the two strangers... no, three. Cursing silently, Buffy bumped into Giles' as a third man appeared with a soft pop, arriving beside the other two when seconds before there was no one. "And would you guys stop with the freaky popping thing!?" she cried out, eyes flashing as she took in this new stranger. The man was taller than the others, slightly younger than the eldest redhead with a head of unruly black hair, startling blue eyes quickly assessing the group before yet another wand joined the others. "Anyone else planning on popping in or can I have the heart attack now?" she asked sarcastically as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Arthur, what's going on?" the new man asked, addressing the older redhead before his eyes turned on them. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice carrying a threatening note that Buffy recognized too easily. She was usually the one on the other side of the veiled threats.

But before they could answer, the younger guy, Percy, quickly spoke up. "Sirius, Dad said that the man was banished from the wizarding world for killing a man."

"He so did not say that!" Buffy retorted, feeling her frustration begin to melt under a wave of anger. "It was a mistake, and he's more than made amends!" she quickly protested, shooting her watcher a concerned glance. To think that she had willingly agreed to give up everything that she knew to come all the way to this bizarre place to help these people. There was one thing for certain and that was that they certainly weren't getting off to a good start with the Slayer.

"Leave it be, Buffy," Giles murmured, his hand landing firmly on her own.

Sighing, Buffy shook her head before acquiescing to her watcher's wishes. Fine, if he wanted her to play nice, she would. After all, they were just trying to protect their home. That was a feeling that she could relate with. "Whatever," she murmured, sighing as she quickly reclaimed her two bags and began walking towards the arch that led onto the school grounds. Yet the second her foot attempted to cross over the invisible barrier, she felt as though a powerful volt of electricity tore through her, catapulting her back and through the air until she landed on the hard ground a good twenty feet back in a tangle of limbs and bags. Groaning, she slowly opened her eyes to find Giles' worried gaze above her.

"Buffy, are you alright?" he asked, gently pulling the small girl to her feet.

"Except for that big ow," she muttered as she stood stiffly, gingerly testing sore muscles before nodding slightly, "yeah, everything seems to be in working order. Not like I haven't done the electricity bit before," she added darkly before pushing the horrible memories away before they could consume her. "What happened?" she asked as she began brushing the dirt from her jeans.

"The ward," the black-haired man, Sirius, responded, his voice a low growl, "prevents all from entering the grounds of Hogwarts save those who are completely loyal to Dumbledore."

"Dumble-Who?" Buffy retorted, wincing as she found a tender patch of skin, rubbed raw from her landing on the hard gravel.

But even as her words were leaving her mouth, the three men were forming a line between them and the grounds of Hogwarts, wands poised and ready. Apparently her question hadn't been the right one. "I didn't know that You-Know-Who had Yanks for Death Eaters!" Percy exclaimed, finally placing the girl's strange accent, his hand shaking slightly as he held his wand firmly, eyes skipping about and waiting for the other Death Eaters to abandon their hiding places in the nearby woods.

"We don't work for Voldemort," Giles quickly protested, the three men flinching at the name "We're here to help-"

"Dumbledore would never ask for help from the likes of you!" Sirius retorted as Buffy rolled her eyes at the man's dramatics.

"You don't know even anything about us or what you're talking about," she countered. "He has no idea what he's talking about!" she added, pointing an accusing finger at the guy who couldn't be more than a few years older than herself. Yet through her annoyance, Buffy still caught the way the men tightened their holds on their wands, eyes skipping over her and locking on Giles, as though they were automatically ignoring her as a threat and focusing on the real one. How wrong they were. Eyes narrowing, she slowly moved until she was standing between the men and her Watcher, hoping that Samuel wasn't incorrect in his estimation that their little hocus pocus stuff wouldn't affect her as it would him. "And besides," she added, arms crossing her chest as she eyed their wands skeptically, "I bet that I'm going to be able to do a bit more damage with my own pointy stick then you will be with yours," she said, her smile turning innocent for a brief moment as she referred to the stake that was within her reach. "So do you guys wanna drop your pointy sticks before I use one of my own?" she asked, her gaze turning cold as Giles' started behind her.

"No, you must listen-" Giles began, sending Buffy's golden head a harsh glare. Things were getting out of hand and Buffy's hot temper wasn't helping matters - a temper that hadn't been nearly this easy to fan into a bright flame a year ago. Another byproduct of the Centre's abuse of his Slayer.

Ignoring Giles, Sirius curtly shook his head. "I never would have expected a move like this so soon," he countered, his eyes narrowing on the tall man standing behind the girl.

"But we're unarmed-"

"Like hell we are!" Buffy retorted as she reached towards her side pocket. But before her hand even had a chance to graze the weapon, the dark-haired man was waving his little stick like it was a sparkler on Independence Day, his mouth muttering a few quiet words. And then it was as though Buffy could feel the magic moving around her before a brush of air fanned across her skin, sending a slight tingle through her body. Shivering, Buffy shook her head before she lifted her gaze to the man, his blue eyes wide with shock. "You tried to hocus pocus me!" she accused, eyes narrowing. Instantly she slipped low, one thought on her mind: disarming him before he managed to do something with that wand that could hurt Giles. "And you know what?" she continued, smiling innocently. "That kind of tickled," she said, a feral grin lifting her lips before she launched herself at him, moving faster than his eyes could follow. In seconds she was upon him, a closed hand knocking the wand from his grip as a roundhouse kick connected with the man's stomach, sending him flying back and through the gates of Hogwarts, landing in a groaning mass on the ground.

Smiling, Buffy straightened from her crouch and began to daintily wipe her small hands together, hearing her Watcher's muffled curse from behind her. "Hey, he tried to zap me!" she cried in her defense as he brushed past her, his gaze focused on the man - so focused that he never even saw the younger man move his wand before it was too late.

"Stupefy!" Percy cried, the simple spell sending the strange man to the ground in an unmoving heap.

Startled, time seemed to freeze for Buffy as her eyes locked on Giles' unmoving form, feeling as though her world was collapsing around her. In seconds Buffy's numb form was at her watcher's side, all color leaving her cheeks as she frantically began shaking him. "Giles? Giles!" she cried, her voice growing frantic. Gone was her mirth, her verbal spars... everything. In its place was a painful image of her mother's eyes, locked with her own as the bullets tore into her unresisting flesh. She had lost one already. She couldn't lose another. "Giles?" she asked again, desperately. But he never responded, and save for the rise and fall of his chest, she would have thought that she had lost him already.

Feeling herself lose control, Buffy tore her eyes away from her watcher and felt her gaze narrow on the young redhead, his eyes locking with her own. And then she was on him before he could do more than utter a startled gasp. "What did you do to him?" Buffy demanded as she seized Percy by the neck and shoved him back against the brick support of the arch, easily lifting him until his toes scrabbled at the dirt below. "What did you do to him?!" she screamed, her voice breaking as she felt someone tug at her arm. Without turning, Buffy sent that person flying with a hard shove, her eyes boring into the guy's wide hazel eyes.

"Y-you heard me," he stuttered, his eyes skipping between her cold green eyes and his father, climbing slowly to his feet from where the girl had thrown him as though he weighed no more than Ginny. "I-I stupefied him!"

"Well I'll stupid you if you don't undo it! Undo it!" she screamed, and before she had realized it the stake was out of her pocket and clenched in her hand, the point pressing tightly against the guy's exposed throat. "Undo it or so help me God-" she began, her words dying on her lips as her stake was pulled from her hand. Startled, Buffy felt control filter through her mind once more as she turned her head, watching as the guy's father caught the weapon in one trembling hand. His eyes were wide and panicked, his steps hesitant as he moved carefully to the other downed man, helping him to his feet.

"God, what's wrong with me?" she murmured, releasing her grip on her captive and slowly backing away, her hands shaking slightly as she looked down at the pale skin. Seeing Giles like that, so still and unmoving... it had awakened a rage in her that she had only felt once before - a rage that had resulted in her gutting the man who had murdered her mother. Then, it was justified. But now? This guy was just trying to protect his family. His home. And she had almost-

Shaking away the thought, unwilling to allow herself to finish that line of thinking, Buffy turned shadowed eyes to the older man. "Please tell your son to undo whatever he did to Giles," she murmured, her chin lifting slightly as the boy hurried to his father's side.

"What are you?" Sirius asked, his face tightening into a grimace as he wrapped one arm protectively around his waist.

"I'm a Vampire Slayer," Buffy returned, wincing at the hated word even as she watched as their eyes widened. Noting this, she slowly moved until she was kneeling beside her downed Watcher. "And this is my Watcher," she explained as she lifted his limp hand in her own.

"You're the Chosen One?" Percy asked, his tone incredulous as he looked the at the petite girl with wide eyes. She looked so small and delicate - so American. Then again, it definitely explained his bruised throat and Sirius' obviously pained state.

"One of them," Buffy admitted, slowly lifting her head to take in the wary trio. "And since you seem familiar with the term, then you should also realize that means that we're one of the good guys and not in league with your Moldy-Wart guy," she added, slaughtering the name in true Buffy fashion as her dark gaze settled on the one that had caused this. "And you should also know that if you don't undo whatever you did, you're going to see quick enough that I don't need my stake to finish this," she vowed, her expression turning deadly.

"But you weren't able to pass through the gate," Percy quickly protested, looking highly and ridiculously affronted by her threat. "You're obviously not loyal to Professor Dumbledore."

"Your Dumbledore was the guy who invited us here in the first place!" Buffy retorted, long since sick of this game. "Besides, recent events have taught me to trust only in my friends," she retorted, pain flashing across her young features. "I don't give it away freely anymore - people have to earn it first," she murmured before quickly shaking away the past. "Now are you really going to make me come over and prove that I wasn't kidding?" she asked, her muscles tensing.

"Oh for God's sake, Percy," Arthur cried, sending his son an exasperated glare, "just undo the damn curse already!"

Gulping at the tone in his father's voice, Percy quickly did as ordered, muttering ennervate beneath his breath and watching as his magic did its work.

As her Watcher's body twitched and then began to move, Buffy felt herself release a breath that she hadn't realized that she had been holding, her cold anger melting away. Sighing softly, she allowed a bright smile to lift her lips as Giles' green eyes focused on her own, extending a hand and helping him unsteadily to his feet. "Welcome back," she murmured before tentatively wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him close. "I couldn't have lost you," she whispered, her words muffled against the soft leather of his jacket. "Not you too," she murmured as Giles gently pushed her away, a frown pulling at his lips.

"You won't," he promised, hoping that he would always be able to keep that promise to his Slayer as his eyes took in the three men, huddled together just inside the gates of Hogwarts and eyeing them with a mix of confusion and shame. Sighing, his eyes took in the damage his slayer had caused while he had been out for the count - a little dirtier when they had arrived, one cradling his stomach while the other massaged a red throat. All in all, they came out lucky considering that they most likely just faced a very upset slayer, if her rushed words were any indication. He supposed that he should be thankful - especially since from the way he was feeling, he had only been hit by a very minor curse. It may have been over twenty years ago, but Giles would recognize the after effects of being stupefied anywhere.

As an uncomfortable silence fell over the group, Arthur's eyes continued to flicker back to the small girl that had displayed a strength that was staggering. When added to the fact that Sirius' powerful curse did little more than 'tickle' her, it was obvious to him, once again, that Dumbledore knew what he was doing. "Yes, well," he began, shifting slightly as he broke the heavy silence. "I do apologize for our uncalled for actions," Arthur murmured. "It seems that this was all a misunderstanding - on our part," he said, smiling timidly at the strangers. "So let's try this again - the right way, this time," he said as he stepped through the gates and extended a hand to the older man. "My name is Arthur Weasley, Gryffindor Class of '73," he said, shaking the man's hand firmly, nodding to the girl, before turning to indicate the two wizards behind him. "The lad with the bruised neck is my son, Percy - Gryffindor Class of '96, and the man with the broken ribs and gruff manners is Sirius Black, Gryffindor class of '75," he finished with a smile, watching as Black turned a good-natured glare on him.

Smiling in return, Giles released Arthur's hand, trying to place the balding redhead with the distant memories he had of his fellow students all those years ago at Hogwarts. "A pleasure," he returned as Buffy reclaimed their bags. "My name is Rupert Giles, Ravenclaw Class of '71, and this is Buffy Summers," he introduced, watching as Buffy nodded lightly to the trio. "And I apologize for Buffy's rough-handling," he added, pointedly glaring at the girl.

"Hey!" Buffy protested, returning her watcher's glare as she purposely dropped the weapons bag on his foot, enjoying his pained wince before turning accusing eyes on the two wizards behind Arthur. "They started it! The big guy tried to hocus pocus me and the other guy made you go all unconscious," she pouted, crossing her arms stubbornly across her chest.

Chuckling softly, Sirius slowly made his way to the trio, offering his hand to the girl. "My mistake," he murmured, blue eyes skimming over her dainty figure. "It's not often we get strangers here, and when we do... well, in these times it never hurts to curse first and ask questions later."

For a moment, Buffy seemed to consider his offer before slipping her cold hand in his warm, rough hand. "And here I always thought the British were all good manners and stuff," she said smiling softly. "My mother always taught me it was impolite to curse in public," she explained, not even realizing what she had said before the words had left her mouth. When the realization did kick in, Buffy felt her smile falter before crumbling altogether. Without a word she quickly withdrew her hand and reached for the bags.

"Here, allow me," Percy offered, feeling the need to apologize in his own way as he hurried over and attempted to take the larger of the two bags from the girl - only to have it drop at his feet with an impossibly heavy thump. "What do you have in this thing?" he asked, wincing as the bag barely missed hitting his own feet.

"Oh, the usual," Buffy smirked as she traded him bags. "Stakes, swords, crossbows, knives... an axe or two," she rambled as she lightly lifted the bag, smiling at the guy's astonishment.

"Yes, well," Arthur murmured, chuckling at the girl's words. She had a fire to her, a fire that seemed to flicker and flare in between interminable bouts of wearied sadness - a sadness and grief that was all too easy to recognize. Perhaps it took a loss of his own loved ones, the pain still so fresh and recent, for him to be able to recognize it in another. With the threat of Voldemort and the war that plagued their world, there wasn't a witch or wizard out there who didn't at least know someone who had lost someone already to the war. Whether they were a direct victim of the Dark Lord's brutality or merely someone who was caught in the crossfire. Sighing, Arthur shook his heavy thoughts away and forced a smile for the guests. "I would like to make it up to you and Miss Summers by having you join my family and I for dinner in the Great Hall," he said, his smile turning warm at the thought of what awaited them all in the castle. "It's evident that a lot has changed since we've seen each other last," he added, nodding to Giles as his eyes took in the strange muggle clothing. He knew that there would be no loss for conversation that night, just by the muggle-ness of the two.

"Of course," Giles replied as he followed the men through the gates and onto the path that would lead them to Hogwarts. "We would be honored. We should meet with Dumbledore first, but by the time we're finished, it will be close to lunch time, our time - I'm sure that Buffy will be..." he trailed off as he noted the one person their little group was missing. Stopping, he turned to find his Slayer still standing back beyond the Hogwarts' arch, her eyes warily tracing the curve of the iron above her head. "Buffy?" he asked, catching the others' attention as he slowly began to return to his slayer's side.

"Uh... maybe you can just send somebody out with a sandwich or something," Buffy offered with a small smile, pointedly gazing up at the arch and then back to where she had landed painfully only a few short minutes ago. "One jolt was enough, thank you very much," she added as understanding dawned on Giles' features.

"Of course, the barrier," he sighed, shaking his head as his eyes followed hers on the path of the tall arch. "Arthur?" he asked, turning back to the balding redhead who had obviously just reached the same conclusion. "Is there any way to lower the barrier, just for a moment?"

"I'm afraid that would be quite impossible," Arthur returned as Sirius joined them at the gate, "even for a moment."

"It took us quite a while to put up such a strong barrier on the day that Hogwarts closed its doors to the students," Sirius explained with a small frown, shrugging helplessly. "Only Dumbledore can remove the wards, and even then, it would leave Hogwarts unprotected for far too long."

Sighing, Giles slowly eyed his slayer.

"I prefer turkey, American cheese, lettuce - no mayo," Buffy joked, smiling wryly at her watcher before a sudden frown pulled at her lips. "Do they even have American cheese in England? And if so, do they call it American Cheese or something else? What do they call English muffins?"

"Buffy, you're not helping," he murmured, glaring softly at the girl.

"Well what do you expect me to do?" she retorted, dropping her bag to the ground with a heavy thud. "Get Bugs and ask him to dig me a hole under the gate for a little carrot?"

"I'm not sure who this Bugs fellow is," Percy broke in hesitantly from beside his father, "but I can tell you that digging a hole beneath the gate wouldn't help either. You see, the barrier-"

"I was kidding," Buffy sighed as she turned to her watcher with tired eyes. "And here I thought you were the only one with a defective funny bone - I didn't realize it was a cultural-"

"Buffy, do you trust me?" Giles interrupted, stilling his ward as she eyed him with suspicion.

"Of course."

"Then you'll have to trust me in this," he said, his tone firm. "You must believe me when I say that by being loyal to Dumbledore, you're being loyal to what's good in the wizarding world."

Sighing softly, Buffy lifted a cold hand to her forehead. "You're asking a lot from someone who's never even met the guy," she muttered before bending down to lift the duffle once again. "But if it'll get me out of this freaking cold weather and someplace warm," she amended before slowly straightening her shoulders, refusing to flinch. "I just hope that it's good enough," she added as she tentatively lifted one foot and stepped across the barrier. Instantly, her smile turned up a notch or two as she beamed at the waiting wizards and her watcher. "Hey, zap free!" she crowed, smiling impishly before pushing past the others and moving down the path... and freezing as the trees cleared before her and she got her first good look at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Breathing deeply, Giles stilled beside his slayer, his eyes tracing over the large castle, brightly lit from within and standing as an unyielding testament to everything good about the world that he had been forced from so long ago. It hadn't changed a bit, and to Giles it almost felt as though he had stepped back in time the moment he had crossed onto the grounds of Hogwarts. He truly did feel as though he had finally come home after years of being away. "Buffy, welcome to Hogwarts," he murmured as the others pushed on past them, talking quietly to themselves as they moved along the rutted path.

"This is a school?" Buffy breathed, minutes later as they approached the massive front doors to the school. For the entire duration of the walk to the school, her eyes had remained transfixed on the sight of the castle before her. "Why don't we have schools like these in California?" she demanded as they stepped through the doors and into the massive front hall of the castle.

"Shoddy craftsmanship?" Giles returned as his bag joined Buffy's on the stone floor.

"Percy, why don't you see that the house elves bring their bags to their rooms," Arthur instructed, "and then accompany Sirius to the hospital wing to see Madame Pomfrey. Molly will have my head if you got two go to dinner looking as you do," he said with a small smile. "In the meantime, I'll show our guests to Dumbledore's office," he continued before turning and beginning up the grand staircase. "Coming?" he asked, tilting his head to Giles and Buffy before disappearing into the brightly lit hallway beyond.

Continue to Chapter 5