Harry Potter and the Vampire Slayer
Hallowe'en
Chapter Twelve
by: Miss Witch
Rated PG
Summary: The title pretty much sums it up.
Disclaimer: I know nothing, I own nothing. Blah, blah, blah. Don't sue!
Spoilers: This takes place before Season 4 of Buffy, and after -Goblet of Fire
Distribution: If you've had my permission before, knock yourself out. If you don't have my permission, you've just to ask.
Feedback: Want more? Then ya gotta feed the beast!!
Thanks to Kristin (who's name I CAN spell, thankyouverymuch) for this chapter's fabulous torture of Malfoy.
The morning of Halloween dawned bright and sunny. Buffy groaned as the sunlight streamed in through the curtains. She'd been out patrolling with Giles for the past several nights, trying unsuccessfully to hunt down the booger shooting demon. Giles hadn't been able to identify it yet, which concerned Buffy mostly because that meant they didn't know how to kill it yet.
"C'mon, Buffy, we're going to be late if you don't get up." Willow said, shaking Buffy's shoulder. "I want to eat breakfast before the quidditch match."
[Quidditch match.] Buffy's eyes popped open and she flung back the covers. Within thirty minutes, she was showered, dressed and ready for breakfast. Willow waited for her in the common room.
"How's Xander doing?" Buffy asked as they started for the Great Hall. Willow giggled as they walked down the stairs.
"He's pretty nervous." she told Buffy. "I'm pretty sure he would've gone down to breakfast in his pajamas if Harry hadn't caught him in time." Buffy snickered at the thought of Xander wandering around in his pj's.
"Poor Xander." she laughed.
"It was pretty funny." Willow admitted as they entered the Great Hall. Buffy's stomach twisted with hunger as the smell of the cooked food reached her nostrils. Up at the head table, Giles was already seated, eating his breakfast as he paged through a book. With a sixth sense reserved for her, he looked up as Buffy and Willow made their way between the tables. Buffy gave a soft sigh as he smiled at her. Willow giggled as Buffy gave him a little wave before sliding into a seat next to Xander. Buffy sat on Xander's other side and began to fill her plate with food.
"How ya feeling, Xand?" Buffy asked before taking a bite of food. Xander started at the sound of her voice.
"What? Oh, hey Buffy." he said. Buffy looked over and grinned at his distraction.
"You ready for the big game?" she asked. Xander swallowed audibly.
"Game? Yeah, I'm ready." he said, not sounding ready at all. Buffy patted his shoulder comfortingly.
"It'll be ok." she promised. "You'll do great." Xander turned and grabbed Buffy's robes in desperation.
"Are you insane? I'm going to get on a broom and people are going to throw things at me. Plus there are crazy insane-o balls whose only purpose is to knock me off my broom." he said, shaking Buffy with every word. Buffy gently pried his hands from her robes.
"So, it'll be just like Sunnydale." she pointed out. "You're used to it." Xander nodded rapidly.
"You're right. I can do this. I'm used to people throwing things at me. It doesn't matter that I'll be 50 feet in the air. At least it won't be sharp, pointy things aimed at my head."
"Xander." Willow said sharply. "Take a deep breath. You're beginning sound like Rain Man." Eyes wild, Xander breathed deeply, filling his lungs in an attempt to calm himself down.
Just then, Giles walked down the aisle towards them. Buffy smiled up at him sunnily. He smiled back, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder.
"Xander, could I have a word with you?" Giles requested softly. Xander nodded franticly and followed Giles out of the hall. Buffy and Willow watched them go curiously.
"What do you think he wanted to talk about?" Willow wondered aloud. Buffy smiled softly.
"Pep talk." she said with certainty. "I'm willing to bet he's getting Xander all confident about the game." Willow's mouth grew into a fond smile.
"That's so Gilesy." she said. Buffy nodded.
"That's my Giles." she whispered. Buffy smiled to herself in satisfaction. [Her Giles.] Buffy liked the sound of that statement.
Xander returned a few minutes later, looking calmer and more confident. Giles walked behind him, and Buffy sighed again. Giggling, Willow leaned over across the chair Xander had been in earlier.
"You have it so bad." she whispered to Buffy. Buffy nodded, never taking her eyes off Giles. It was moments like these that made Buffy wonder why it had taken her so long to realize what a hottie her Watcher was.
Xander was about to slide back into his seat when George stood and said it was time for the team to get ready. Xander nodded, and with one last glance at Giles, trailed along with the rest of the team. Giles gave Xander an encouraging nod to send him on his way. Buffy watched this exchange between the men. She waited until Xander had left the Great Hall before tugging on Giles' robes.
"What did you say to him?" Buffy asked Giles as he looked down curiously. Giles shook his head.
"Nothing really. Just some words of encouragement." he told her, before turning and heading for the door. Buffy mentally compared the spaz Xander was before the talk to how calm he'd been after, and knew that Giles wasn't telling her everything. Jumping out of her seat, Buffy chased after Giles. She caught up to him in the empty hallway.
"C'mon, Watcher-mine, spill." Buffy pouted prettily, grabbing his arm. Giles smiled as he faced her.
"Well, if you must know…" Giles trailed off reluctantly. Buffy crossed her arms over her chest.
"I must." she insisted. Giles slowly leaned toward Buffy. Buffy's breath caught in her chest.
"I merely told him…" Giles leaned even closer, so that his mouth was directly next to her ear. His hands came up to caress her shoulders. Buffy shuddered delicately at his touch. "…that I wouldn't tell you."
With a grin, Giles released Buffy's shoulders and moved off down the hallway before she could react. Speechless, Buffy watched him go. As he turned the corner, Buffy heard his laughter drift down the hallway. Frustrated, Buffy clenched her hands into fists.
"Giles!"
An hour later, Buffy found herself wandering an unfamiliar hallway, her frustration growing. Willow and Oz, along with Ron and Hermione had already left for the quidditch field. Buffy had been right behind them until Oz had mentioned it was too bad that Giles wasn't coming along. Buffy had frozen in her tracks, and demanded to know why not. Oz had merely shrugged.
"Too much research." he'd said. And so, having no clue where Giles' rooms were, Buffy had set off to find him and drag him to the game. Luckily, Buffy had run into the ghost of Sir Nicolas, and he'd been very helpful in directing her to the teacher's quarters.
"Ok," Buffy muttered, "first left, second right, seventh portrait on the right." Buffy made the second right and began counting off the portraits. "Seven." she said, stopping in front of a picture of a very stern looking older gentleman. "Um, is this Rupert Giles' room?" Buffy asked the portrait, hesitantly. The picture looked her up and down, clearly finding her wanting.
"Password?" it demanded in a haughty voice. Buffy blinked in surprise.
"Geez, get a little more British on me, will ya?" she mumbled. "I don't know the password." she explained to the picture. "Is this even his room?" The portrait eyed her suspiciously.
"Password?" it demanded again. Buffy sighed. Obviously, she wasn't going to get anywhere with this guy.
"Giles!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Giles!"
Inside his room, Giles stood at the window, watching the students filing towards the quidditch pitch. Smiling, he remembered many the Saturday spent the same way. Removing his glasses, Giles pinched the bridge of his nose, regretting the fact that he wouldn't be able to see Xander's first game. Unfortunately, until he'd identified the creature lumbering about in the Forbidden Forest, research took priority.
Sighing, Giles replaced his glasses, and moved away from the windows back towards the books sitting open on his desk. He was really quite frustrated by the lack of success in identifying the demon.
"Giles!" Giles stopped in his tracks at the sound of Buffy's voice calling him. Confused, he strode over to the entranceway as Buffy called again. "Giles!" Giles winced at the irritation in her voice. [This does not bode well.] he thought.
"Young lady," the portrait guarding the door began to scold, "one does not stand in the middle of a hallway shouting at the top of one's lungs. It's just not proper." Buffy glared at the picture.
"Giles, get out here!" she called. Sighing, Giles pushed open the portrait.
"Buffy, what are you doing here?" he asked, gesturing her inside. Buffy stuck her tongue out at the picture and flounced past Giles into his rooms.
Buffy looked with avid curiosity around Giles' living quarters. They were completely different from his apartment in Sunnydale, but yet, as Buffy looked around, it still fit him completely. Every available surface was covered in books, piles and piles of books. A teapot sat on the table, steam rising from it's spout. Buffy searched the room, but couldn't find a stove of any kind.
"How..?" she started to ask, placing her hand against the pot to test the heat. Giles picked up his wand and wiggled it. "Oh." Buffy said, nodding her understanding.
"Buffy, why aren't you on your way to the quidditch match?" Giles asked. Buffy grinned, picking up his tea and taking a sip. She made a face at the lack of sugar.
"I was actually going to ask you the same thing." she countered. Giles gestured at the books open on his desk.
"I need to research." he said defensively. Buffy shook her head.
"You've been researching." she said softly. "What you need is to relax for awhile, have some fun." Buffy slid her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. Giles held her close, resting his cheek on the top of her head.
"Buffy, with this demon on the loose…" he started. Buffy pulled away, and looked up at him.
"No, Giles. You need fun too." She smiled at him brightly. "Besides, everyone else is going with their honeys, even though Ron and Hermione don't know it yet. But that's not the point." Buffy said, shaking off the random thought. "You're my honey now. I want you to go." she said. Giles sighed in exasperation.
"Buffy, I'm your Watcher." he pointed out gently. Cocking her head, Buffy smiled.
"You're my friend, too." she said. "So what?" Buffy stood on her tiptoes and brushed her mouth over his. Closing his eyes, Giles tangled his hand in her hair as he deepened the kiss. As much as he wished otherwise, Giles just didn't seem to have the capability to resist her. Buffy made a happy murmur as his tongue flicked against her lips. She immediately parted them to allow him access, moving her hands to his shoulders. Giles tongue slid inside, dueling with hers. After a few minutes, Giles lifted his head, breaking the kiss. Breathless, Buffy dropped her head to his chest.
"I suppose I could take a couple hours off." he murmured. Buffy smiled.
"Good, then we need to go." she said, moving out of the comfort of his embrace. "Will's saving us seats." Giles couldn't help but give a little laugh as he shook his head in disbelief.
"You never doubted for I second that you'd convince me, did you?" he asked. Buffy beamed up at him.
"Nope. I know you, Giles." she said, taking his hand and lacing her fingers through his. "And I know if I let you, you'd wear yourself out until you found the demon."
"But…" Giles began. Buffy put her fingers on his lips to shush him.
"Quidditch now, research later." she ordered in a no nonsense tone. Giles grinned, resisting the urge to salute smartly at his Slayer.
"Yes, Buffy." he said with mock meekness. Buffy laughed.
"Good, now get your cloak and let's go."
The Halloween feast was a rowdy affair, the Gryffindor table the noisiest of all the tables. They were still celebrating their victory over Hufflepuff at the quidditch match.
"That was a great match!" Buffy exclaimed in excitement. Willow nodded in agreement as she buttered a roll.
"Wasn't Xander great?" she asked excitedly. Xander blushed at the praise. "Did you see the way he caught the quaffle at the same time he knocked the bludger away with his broom?" Willow was all but jumping up and down in her seat with enthusiasm. "And then, and then, oh did you see, did you see…" Reaching out, Oz removed the butter knife and gave Willow's hand a squeeze.
"Babe, you really need to take a deep breath and calm down." he said gently. Buffy smiled as Willow started taking deep calming breaths.
"Is Harry always that spectacular?" she asked Ron and Hermione. "That roll he made to catch the snitch was just amazing." Ron waved away Buffy's amazement.
"You should've seen the catch he made his first game. He almost swallowed it." Buffy stared at Ron in disbelief then at Harry.
"You're making that up." she insisted to Ron. Buffy looked at Harry. "He's making that up, right?" she asked. Ron shook his head.
"Nope." he said. "That's what happened."
Giles watched from the head table as Buffy and Ron continued their good-natured arguing with amusement.
Giles had to it admit it had been a spectacular match. Xander had performed admirably under the pressure, holding Hufflepuff scoreless for most of the game. Even Oz had stood and cheered when Xander had not only managed to catch the quaffle, preventing the Hufflepuff chaser from scoring, but had also managed to dodge the bludger flying straight for his head at the same time.
Watching Xander had filled Giles with pride. He couldn't help but remember the awkward, self conscious boy Xander had been when they first met three years before. [He's grown so much.] Giles thought. He looked over at Buffy, Willow and Oz, marveling at the changes all of them had gone through. [They've all grown so much.]
As loathe as he was to admit it, Giles was glad he'd allowed Buffy to drag him to the game. The bright sun and fresh, crisp air had gone a long way to clear out the cobwebs in his head. Once he'd gotten back to the castle, he'd been able to continue researching the mysterious demon with renewed vigor.
It was with no small amount of cursing that Giles had opened a book he'd looked at several times before, only to turn right to the demon he'd been searching for for days. Shaking his head in disgust, Giles had written down the pertinent information about the demon to share with Buffy after the feast. Giles had known she would be pleased that he'd identified what they were up against, he just hadn't seen the point in interrupting her celebration with Xander.
Just then, Buffy looked his way. Giles smiled as her eyes met his. [She was so beautiful.] he thought. [What did I do to deserve her?]
Buffy glanced up at Giles and found him watching her. [What is he thinking?] she wondered. She wished he'd joined them in the Gryffindor common room for the after-game celebration. Buffy didn't think any of the Gryffindors would've minded. Giles was a popular teacher. Buffy hated the fact that he seemed so isolated from the gang now. Especially now that she wanted nothing more than to spend every available moment with him.
The sound of deep growling roars jarred Buffy from her musings. Looking around, she realized with horror that a small army of the demon she'd fought in the Forbidden Forest was pouring into the Great Hall. Jumping out of her seat, Buffy leapt onto the table, running along it's surface toward the suits of armor along the wall. Her Slayer agility kept her from stepping on any of the plates of food as she leapt from table to table. Giles bounded out of his chair, watching Buffy move like lightning across the room.
Screams echoed through the hall as the students realized what was happening. There was a mad rush toward the exits as people scrambled over each other in panic. The gang bolted out of their seats, also jumping on the table in order to get out of the way of the stampede. Ron, Hermione and Harry, along with Fred and George followed them.
"Stop!" Professor Dumbledore's voice rang out through the hall. Everyone froze in their tracks. "Prefects, lead your houses back to the dormitories." he instructed. "Teachers, help them." he said, gesturing toward the students streaming from the room.
"They're Fyarl demons." Giles yelled as he ran towards Buffy. "They can be killed with silver."
"Ginny," Ron hissed. "go with Rowan to the dormitory. You'll be safe there." Ginny Weasley looked up at her brothers. Fred and George nodded their agreement with Ron.
"Go, Ginny." George encouraged. With one last look at them, she joined the Gryffindor group. Xander pointed at Buffy, who was furiously battling with the demons, keeping them at bay as the students made their escape.
"I think it's time we joined in the fray." Xander said. The group took one last look at each other before running in different directions. Willow and Hermione used a banishing spell to keep the demons away from the other students. Ron used the Jelly Legs jinx on one, causing it to topple into the ones next to it. Harry, Fred and George used the full-body binding spell.
"Giles, I can't kill it." Buffy panted as Giles skidded to a halt next to her.
"It's a Fyarl demon." Giles said, snatching a sword of his own from the wall. "They're killed by silver."
"Great." Buffy said. "Where am I going to find a silver sword?" Giles pulled out his wand.
"Tunica argentums." he said, tapping Buffy's sword. A silvery coating spread out from the tip of his wand, covering the sword. Buffy stabbed the demon through the heart. It howled in pain, and dropped to the floor, dead.
"Nice." she whispered. Turning, she gave Giles a grin. "Thanks, babe." Buffy smacked a kiss on Giles' cheek.
"Well, isn't that sweet?" a snide voice drawled from behind them. Buffy swung around to find Draco Malfoy sneering at her. "A teacher and a student having an affair. Wait until my father hears about this."
Buffy tramped down the urge to smack the sickly smile off Malfoy's face. Turning to Giles, Buffy opened her mouth to make a smart comment when she realized a Fyarl demon was looming behind them.
"Giles, duck." she yelled, shoving Giles away from her. Buffy dropped to the ground and covered her head, the demon making a strange snorting sound above her. Grabbing her sword from the floor, she rolled over, throwing it into the demon's chest.
Buffy scrambled to her feet as the demon collapsed to the floor. She yanked the sword out of it's chest and bent down to help Giles to his feet.
"Are you ok?" she asked, brushing his hair out of his face and straightening his glasses. Giles nodded.
"I'm fine. Go." he ordered. Buffy lingered a moment longer and then sprinted towards the other demons, who'd begun to circle Harry, despite the groups best efforts.
"Buffy!" Xander called in desperation as the Fyarl demons drew closer.
"Watch the snot!" Buffy yelled as one of the demons bent to take aim. Willow threw up a banishing charm just as a stream of viscous green mucus flew from the Fyarl demons nose.
"Ugh!" the group said in unison as the mucus flew back and covered the demon. Buffy impaled the demon from behind, tossing Xander the sword as the demon fell. She turned toward Giles, who was holding out another sword.
"Accio sword." she said, flicking her wand in his direction. The sword flew from Giles' hand to hers. Buffy twirled and decapitated a demon as it lunged for Harry. "Get a sword." she told Willow and Oz. Both turned and flicked their wands as Giles finished coating two more swords.
The swords flew to them, and they joined in the battle. Between the silver coated swords and the constant curses the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione were placing, the Fyarl demons were quickly defeated.
Chest heaving with exertion, Buffy surveyed the Great Hall, watching for any movement from the Fyarl demons. They appeared to be dead, but she wasn't ready to take any chances. Buffy looked at her friends. Aside from some minor scratches, they appeared to be fine. Exhausted from the battle, but fine.
A groan from behind her caused Buffy to whirl around, sword at the ready. The entire group snapped to attention as well. Buffy quickly clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter as Draco stood, covered with the viscous green demon mucus. The Weasley twins were not so subtle. Fred and George immediately began to guffaw as Draco attempted to wipe the slime from his body.
"That is the greatest thing I've ever seen." Ron whispered reverently. "Even better then the ferret." Harry had silent tears of laughter running down his face as he nodded in agreement. Willow and Hermione snickered behind their hands and even Oz had a smile on his face.
"Just wait until my father hears about this." Draco yelled angrily. He pointed accusingly at Buffy, flinging green mucus as he did. "He's going to make sure you and your mudblood friends are expelled. Especially when he finds out that you're sleeping with a professor!"
"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall's voice was shocked. "How dare you say such things. Five points from Slytherin." she admonished. She looked him up and down. "Get yourself up to the infirmary." the professor ordered. "Madame Pomfrey will help you clean up." With one final glare at Buffy and Giles, Draco stomped from the room, leaving a trail of slimy footprints behind.
"Oh my." said Professor Dumbledore as he entered the hall. "Mr. Filch is not going to be pleased." Dumbledore stared at the footprints for a moment, then turned his attention to the gang. "Once again, well done." he said to Buffy. "We've seem to be making a habit of rewarding Gryffindors for fighting."
"Sorry about the damage." Buffy said, looking around the hall. Dumbledore smiled and waved his wand. Almost instantly, the overturned chairs and tables righted themselves. "We'll take care of the demons in a bit." he said. He looked them all up and down. "I don't see any injuries, so it seems Mr. Malfoy is our only somewhat injured person." Buffy swore that Dumbledore was laughing silently as he said this. There was a twinkle in his eye that she couldn't explain. "Ten points to each of you." he said. "Now off to the dormitories."
Buffy jumped down off the table and laid down her sword.
"Works for me." she muttered. She waited until everyone had filed out of the room before she headed toward the door. Buffy paused in front of Giles. "Are you ok?" she asked in concern. Giles smiled and nodded.
"I'm fine, Buffy." he assured her. "I'll talk to you later."
"Professor Giles, a word if I may." Professor Dumbledore called. Buffy looked over her shoulder, then back at Giles, concern on her face.
"Did he hear what Malfoy…?" Giles gave a sharp shake of his head.
"We'll talk later." he repeated. Buffy nodded and with one final look at Dumbledore, followed the rest of the group out. Giles watched her go. Once he was sure Buffy was out of sight, he turned and walked toward Professor Dumbledore.
Buffy paced the floor of the room she and Willow shared. Willow sighed, watching her.
"Buffy, there's nothing you can do." she said. Buffy whirled to face her.
"He's going to get fired and it'll be my fault." she hissed angrily. "How much does he have to give up for me? It's not fair. To any of us." Buffy ran her hands through her blonde hair in aggravation. Willow's eyes softened in concern. She knew that it wasn't just Giles that Buffy was worried about it. It was all of them. If Giles was fired, they'd all be leaving Hogwarts.
"Buffy," Willow said softly. "it'll be ok." Climbing off the bed, Willow walked over to her best friend and put her arms around Buffy. Buffy laid her head on Willow's shoulder.
There was a soft tapping at the door, and Xander slowly poked his head in.
"You guys decent?" he asked, his eyes tightly closed. Moving away from Willow, Buffy gave a snuffly laugh.
"Yes, Xander." she said. "It safe for you to come in." Xander snapped his finger in mock disappointment as he came into the room. Oz was close on his heels. Xander sat on Buffy's bed, Oz on Willow's. Willow climbed next to him and snuggled close.
"So, Malfoy made a very interesting comment before he left." Xander said, getting straight to the point. Closing her eyes, Buffy shook her head in disgust.
"I'm not sleeping with Giles, if that's what you're wondering." she said defensively. Xander shook his head.
"I know you're not." he said. "What I want to know is how he knew there was something going on with the two of you in the first place." Xander pointed out. Buffy shrugged.
"I kissed Giles on the cheek in the hall." she said absently. Suddenly she froze, his words sinking in. "Wait a minute." Buffy said, turning slowly. "You don't seem the least bit wigged by what Malfoy said." Xander shrugged.
"With the way the two of have been all touchy feely lately, I figured you were more than Watcher and Slayer now." he said. Buffy gave a self-depreciative smile.
"And here I thought we were being all stealthy." she muttered. She flopped onto the bed next to Xander. "Are you ok with it?" she asked. "With me and Giles being more than just Watcher and Slayer?" Xander shrugged.
"Buffy, it's Giles." he said. "You two are actually pretty perfect for each other." Xander grinned, a goofy grin that Buffy couldn't help returning. "Besides, bonus points for not dating Dead-boy." Buffy blushed and grinned.
"I don't think anyone was surprised by what Malfoy said." Oz interjected softly. "Fred and George thought he was an idiot for not realizing it sooner." Oz shrugged. "Of course, they think Malfoy's an idiot simply on principle." he added.
Buffy jumped to her feet.
"I have to talk to Professor Dumbledore." she said, a note of desperation in her voice. "I need to make him understand that it's not Giles' fault." Xander clapped his hands over his ears.
"I don't want to hear that you seduced Giles." he declared. "That's not a mental image I need." Buffy gave a small smile, but didn't laugh.
"I'm serious." Buffy said, a note of determination in her voice. She grabbed her robe from the back of the chair. "I'm going to go find him." Buffy stuffed her arms into her robe and stormed out of the room.
About thirty seconds later she was back, looking somewhat sheepish.
"Does anyone know where Professor Dumbledore's office is?"
Buffy looked down at the piece of paper in her hands. Once again, she found herself wandering a previously unknown part of the castle. Luckily, Harry knew exactly where Dumbledore's office was and had given her directions. Buffy stopped in front of the ugliest stone gargoyle she'd ever seen. Buffy sighed and looked at the list of possible passwords. [Dumbledore must really like candy.] Buffy thought.
"Lemon drop, chocolate frogs, ice mice, fizzing whizbees…" The stone gargoyle suddenly came to life and jumped out of Buffy's way, revealing a doorway in the wall. A spiral staircase rose from the floor, twisting and turning. Buffy looked down at the list with raised eyebrows. "Wow." she muttered, walking through the door. "I wasn't even halfway through the list." Stepping onto the staircase, Buffy looked around curiously as it lifted her upward.
At the top of the stairs, Buffy hopped from the stairs, slightly dizzy. [Very cool concept.] she thought. [Not as cool in practice.] She found herself facing a heavy oak door with a brass griffin-shaped knocker.
Gathering her courage, Buffy lifted the knocker and let it come crashing down. The noise seemed to echo loudly in her ears. The door swung open silently.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Buffy called nervously, poking her head through the door. The huge circular room was unoccupied. Cautiously, Buffy moved into the room, looking around as she did. It was filled with interesting gadgets and instruments. A large red plumed bird sat on a gold perch set behind the door. Buffy approached it cautiously. "Aren't you a beauty?" she said to it admiringly.
"Buffy." Buffy jumped at the sound of her name. Whirling around, she found Professor Dumbledore watching her with a mixture of concern and amusement. "You, of all people, would find Fawkes history fascinating." he continued, as if he hadn't noticed Buffy's start. "He's a phoenix. He dies and is reborn from his own ashes." Buffy returned her gaze to the bird.
"We've got a lot in common, Fawkes." she murmured, before turning back to Dumbledore.
"What brings you to my office?" he asked gesturing for her to take a seat. Buffy sat in one of the heavy chairs as Dumbledore settled behind his desk.
"It's about Giles." Buffy said, leaning forward. "I need to know if you're going to fire him because of me." Professor Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers.
"Why would I fire Rupert?" he asked, cocking his head in puzzlement. Buffy swallowed, and waved her hands in the air as she tried to find the right words.
"Because we're… I mean, he and I… we're, you know…" Buffy floundered desperately, trying phase her sentence in away that didn't make her seem slutty or Giles a dirty old man.
"Are you concerned because of what Draco Malfoy said?" Dumbledore asked, rescuing her. Buffy nodded vigorously. Professor Dumbledore smiled at Buffy gently. "Don't be." he reassured her. "Whatever your relationship is with Rupert is between the two of you, even if the whole school does know about it." Buffy blushed at his words. She stared at the floor, unable to meet her eyes.
Professor Dumbledore leaned forward.
"Buffy." he said. Buffy looked up. Dumbledore's normally twinkling blue eyes were serious. "There is nothing wrong with your relationship with Rupert." he told her. "You are not a student. Not officially. The two of you had a relationship before you came here. No one will be fired or thrown out." Buffy closed her eyes and heaved a sigh of relief at his words.
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore." she said, climbing to her feet. Dumbledore shook his head.
"No, it is I who should thank you." he said, his eyes glimmering with anger. "Because we both know those demons were sent after Harry."