Chapter 2
Chapter 2
The following conversation is strange, but I’m only hearing one side. I’m feeling better about everything, but not being able to leave at night is going to be sad. Hopefully, I can know soon because not knowing is driving me to lunacy.
“Thank you. I believe I have found one such girl you informed us to keep an eye out for,” Professor Dumbledore says into the phone. “Yes, she is the only one in the two months since we’ve been notified.” Another pause. “Hermione Granger, age 11… Yes, she will be attending Hogwarts in September… 8 Bridgeway, Crawley, West Sussex, England… I can arrange a portkey for speedy travel… Yes, tomorrow at 9 am?... I will also be present so we can work out the details… Splendid! Thank you Mr.Giles I will see you and your associates tomorrow then. Have a good day… You as well.” The headmaster hangs up and turns to the room. “I have scheduled a meeting for 1 tomorrow afternoon here where things can be comfortable. Mr.Giles said he would be bringing four associates with him who will stay in town and help Miss Granger until she comes to Hogwarts." He moves to guide Professor McGonagall through the fireplace. “Minerva, I will meet you back at Hogwarts soon.”
“Have a good evening Miss Granger, Mr.Granger,” the professor says, slightly bewildered, and disappears with a green flame.
“I will set the wards and take my leave. Remember Miss Granger stay inside and do not leave the house.” After receiving a nod from myself headmaster Dumbledore exits through the front door and moments later is gone with a pop.
Somewhere in the US
Giles hung up the phone with a tired sigh on his face. “It appears we have found another slayer,” he says, turning to Buffy Summers, the Slayer he was assigned to in the beginning that started this mess.
“What’s with the frowny face? We go and pick her up, train her then send her on her merry way. No biggie,” Buffy replies.
“The big deal is, when Willow did her spell, it affected all potential slayers—”
Buffy cut him off, “That was kind of the point, Giles. Army of Slayers to defeat The First.”
“No Buffy. There is a select group of people that no Slayer is ever told about unless direct contact is made. When Willow performed the spell I did not expect it to affect this group of people, but I did notify them just in case because a potential slayer appears where they are needed. Like you on the Hellmouth for example. The fact that a slayer has appeared does not bode well for them at all. This would be putting your abilities to the test, but this slayer and her abilities, put her on a whole separate level from you.”
“What do you mean?”
Giles pulls off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose. “There are people who are born with magical abilities. They use wands and are inherently normal people, if a little bit behind the times, but normal nonetheless and not demonic whatsoever.”
Buffy looked at Giles incredulously, “You mean wands like Fairy Godmother bipiddy bopiddy boo?”
Giles rolls his eyes, “It’s much more complicated than that, but yes. In the late 1600s, relations between magicals and nonmagical were very high with the witch hunts. The magical community as a whole came together and created The International Statute of Secrecy. The magicals, or wizards, went into hiding for good, alienating themselves from the nonmagical world. They have their governments and laws and can handle business themselves. There are a whole slew of creatures that are magical in origin. The slayer deals with the demonic creatures and problems. I’m not going to go into the whole history because it’s too much to go over at the age of eleven if a child is magical, but born to nonmagical parents, they are told of the magical world and sent off to school to master their talents. They call them muggleborns— muggle being their word for nonmagicals. Now since the two worlds are separate that explains why a slayer has never been needed. They can handle their problems without assistance. Which is why I assumed they would not be impacted by Willow’s spell. What worries me is, why is a slayer needed in the magical world, and why an eleven-year-old muggle-born who is about to start her magical schooling? When a magical child is not properly taught they become… Oh, what is the word? An obscurus. Basically a dark parasite, but that’s why they must go to school.”
“Okay let’s put this into pieces. She can’t be left alone with no slayer training or it’s going to be fish in a barrel. Let’s go before she goes to school.”
“We have transportation arranged for tomorrow. I want you to assist with this personally. If a slayer is needed in the magical world she will be facing a lot of trouble.”
Back to Hermione
Following that it was a relatively uneventful night. Except when my mom, Emma Granger, came home and was told of the afternoon’s events by my dad. There was a bit of an uproar and lectures about impulsivity. I did run in front of a moving car. Once we moved past that we had dinner and went to bed. Well, I went to bed after reading some of my textbooks for Hogwarts.
The next day I stayed home while my parents were at work. I was able to read Newt Scammander’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I found some similarities to some texts I used to read about mythology. Like the Basilisk reminded me of Olvikan which is also a deadly snake. It’s very interesting to see similarities and differences in muggle mythology. I also read The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts. It talked about the rise and fall of the Dark Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter’s defeat of him. A baby defeats someone evil. I don’t think so. It was probably something else. I was starting to get a little antsy. I had a strange dream last night of a man with yellow eyes and a deformed face so sleep was troubling.
I was waiting at 12:55 in the living room and a few seconds after 1 the doorbell rang. I went to open the door and let in the guests which included Headmaster Dumbledore and five others. There are 3 women and two men. One of the women was a redhead in a pair of jeans with a flowy brown top with kind green eyes that had flecks of brown. She seemed excited with a slight bounce to her posture. The next had brown hair in jeans as well as a form-fitting blue top with blue eyes that had a slight green sheen to them. The last woman however had an air of danger, but also familiarity to her. She was eyeing me up and down and inspecting me. She had blonde hair and clear blue eyes and was wearing a jean jacket, black leather pants, and a red tank top. The youngest man was dressed simply in jeans and a flannel button-up, but he had an eye patch. The last man was older and a scholar with glasses and a nice brown day suit, a very intelligent air about him.
The blonde stepped forward and extended her hand. “You must be Hermione. I’m Buffy Summers. This is my sister, Dawn,” gesturing to the brown-haired girl after releasing my hand, “this is Willow Rosenburg,” the redhead, “Xander Harris,” eye patch, “and Giles. We're gonna hang around here til you go to school to help you get used to everything. Which I should probably be shutting up now to let Giles tell you what’s up.” Buffy says excitedly.
Giles steps forward and gives basic pleasantries till we move the assembly to the living room. “Now in this situation, we cannot inform your parents, because it is very difficult to know. I know what I will be explaining might be out there, but I assure you it is true. Into every generation, there is a chosen one. One girl in all the world. She alone will wield the strength and skill to stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. She is the slayer. This has been the case since ancient times. The most recent that this applied to was Buffy here,” Buffy gives a wave of her hand, and Giles continues, “Until May. Willow had cast a spell of a different kind from yours that changed the destiny of the slayers.”
Buffy picked up where he left off. “In every generation, one slayer is born because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. Willow is more powerful than all of them combined. So we changed the rule, I say my power should be our power. From now on every girl who might be a slayer, will be a slayer. Every girl who could have the power will have the power, can stand up will stand up. Slayers all around the world are waking up. So Hermione Granger, are you ready?”
“Give a nice pretty speech one time and now it’s on repeat,” Xander says from his spot beside Buffy.
“It’s a good speech.” Buffy snarks back.
“Wait. vampires and demons? None of this is in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” I say.“That, Miss Granger,” Professor Dumbledore starts, “is because it is something that has been confined to the muggle world. The story of the Slayer is a bedtime story to help children behave. Only people of the highest authority have this information. There has never been a witch who has been a slayer. In your capacity as a slayer, I understand that there will be things you need to know and learn.”
I nod, understanding the seriousness of my responsibility. I take a deep breath and remember that I am only human, and I will do my best. “What do I need to do?”
“First we need to go shopping!” Dawn shouts. Giles takes off his glasses and mutters “Good Lord,” Buffy is nodding and smiling and Xander says “Let’s get Baby Slayer new kicks.” Willow then pipes up, “Why don’t we work out details for Hermione first, and then we’ll get her a slayer wardrobe?”
“That would be nice Miss Rosenburg. I do need to get back and prepare for the incoming students. I propose someone stay and train Miss Granger during the school year. I do not believe she will have enough information in 3 weeks.” Professor Dumbledore states.
“I’ll do it,” Xander says with a raised hand. Buffy, Dawn, and Willow turn to look at him incredulously. “Guys, you know I can do this. Plus Anya… I need some distance. Training up Baby Slayer will be easy. I have you guys for the beginning and it’s a school. Wait, is your school on a Hellmouth?”
“No, Mr.Harris.” Professor Dumbledore replies calmly.
“See! No Hellmouth so no demons every week and I can keep contact if anything really bad happens. Let me do this.” Xander states.
Everything is moving a little too fast, but I’m able to keep up. I have so many questions, but this lot seems like a deal with it as it comes to the group. There is one thing, “What do I tell my parents?”
“I will handle that Miss Granger. Mr.Harris, I will have a suite of rooms prepared as well as a classroom prepared for you at Hogwarts. I will take my leave to speak to Miss Granger’s parents and let you get acquainted.” Professor Dumbledore leaves with a pop and everyone jumps.
“Am I the only one who got Gandalf vibes?” Xander asks.
“I was thinking Merlin, Disney style.” Dawn pipes.
“It was an impressive beard.” Willow comments. With that, I realize these people are just that. People. Sure they have more to deal with than others, but they have fun with it. That makes me relax much more about my future even if it is uncertain. “But I want to know about this book!” We’re going to get along fine.