The Life Of Brian

By Echo

Part Two: Marcia, Marcia, Marcia....

Dawn leaned against the wall in shock. They'd have to get back soon. Her step father would be worried. Anya had been turned into a fifteen year old witch... who was rather flat-chested.

Well, she had been made... like Dawn. Someone had remade Anya and inserted her into life. She had an older sister named Katie, and their parents had been killed around the time Buffy had died. The only difference was where Dawn did not remember her time as a non-corporeal key, Anya remembered every bit of her other life. But when anyone who knew her sister or her parents looked at her, she was Anya Bell. It was freakishly like the spell the monks had placed on Dawn from the sounds of things.

Anya Bell had been an exchange student at the Salem Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her elder sister Katie had attended Hogwarts and had graduated last term. Anya even had a picture of the two of them. It was a wizard picture, so Anya and Katie were moving a bit. Dawn was shocked that the girls didn't look unlike one another. Same honey hair, same brown eyes. Katie was just an inch or two taller. The picture reminded Dawn of every picture she had of herself and Buffy. You could see the love radiating off of it.

When their parents had been killed, Anya had to come home. There wasn't enough money for Katie to send her to school abroad anymore. It freaked Anya out. She had memories of these people. Yet she also had memories of her life in Sunnydale.

"What the fuck am I gonna do, Dawnie? Xander asked me to marry him. He's pretty kinky sometimes, but I doubt he's into child brides."

"First off, eww! So did not need to know about Kinky!Xander. Second, he asked you to marry him? Really?"

"Yeah." She said with a dreamy look on her face than changed to one of pain. "But like that's gonna happen now."

"Easy. There's more."

"More?"

"Yeah, a third thing.... Third, we'll figure it out. We'll get a hold of Giles as soon as we get to Hogwarts."

"What will we tell your step father? And who were those other people?"

"I'll think of something, and that was just Draco and his mom Narcissa Malfoy."

"Draco and Narcissa Malfoy?"

"What about it?"

"Weird names."

"Like Anyanka Bell is that normal."

"You have a point."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After doing a bit of girl time in front of the very small mirror before the sink in the loo, the two girls spilled out into the hallway laughing loudly. They received a few looks for coming out of the bathroom together.

"What? Like you all don't know girls go to the bathroom in groups."

"Anya."

Someone laughed though. A few someones actually. Dawn and Anya looked. There was a group of older boys and one girl looking their way. Dawn was instantly drawn to the two in front. One was impossibly tall with a shock of red hair. About the shade of Willow's, perhaps a bit darker. The redhead was also thick across the shoulders. If he were a muggle at Sunnydale High, Dawn would swear he played linebacker for the football team. He was looking downright amused. The boy next to him made Dawn's breath catch in her throat. He was not as tall or broad across the shoulders. He was sleek. It put Dawn to mind of a cat. His black hair stuck up at all angles, and there were glasses perched on the end on his nose.

The girl with them moved forward through everyone. She had huge brown eyes and a ton of curly brown hair. She wasn't much taller that Dawn or Anya. Her arms were folded across her chest.

"What are you?"

"Human." Anya answered a bit quickly and defensively.

The two boys laughed. As did the three standing behind them and several other people.

"No. What house?"

Dawn and Anya exchanged a confused glance.

"I'm Hermione Granger. I'm the sixth year Gryffindor prefect. What house do you to belong to?"

"Oh, I know this one." Dawn said with a smile. "We don't have one yet. We've been going to school in America. They didn't do houses at my school, and they're different at the Salem Institute, so Ahn's gonna have to be resorted."

Hermione blinked. The girl spoke fast. "Ahn?"

"Oh sorry." Dawn said. "I'm Dawn Summers, and this is Anya Bell."

The redheaded boy spoke up then. "You're Katie's little sister then? Do you play quidditch like her?"

Anya put her hands on her hips. "Chaser, like her, as a matter of fact."

He elbowed the dark haired boy next to him. "Looks like you won't have to go far to replace one of your chasers if she's sorted into Gryffindor, captain." He looked back to her. "You play as well as your sister?"

"So I'm told."

Hermione busted in on the conversation. "So Dawn, was it, you said they didn't do houses at your school. Where did you go?"

"Sunnydale Junior High."

There was some gasping.

"You haven't... this is your first magic school? How old are you?"

"I'm fifteen, and yeah this is magic school experience numero uno for the Dawnster."

"Your parents are muggles then?"

"Were. My mom.... uh... died, and my biological dad isn't around much. I'm here with my step dad. He's been tutoring me all summer."

"Your step father is a wizard?"

"Sure. He teaches at the school."

"Teaches? Really." Hermione was getting a weird feeling. "Teaches what?"

There were only about five men teaching that could possibly have gotten married. Hermione doubted seriously if it was Hagrid or Dumbledore, and Dumbledore didn't teach much unless another professor was taken ill, so that left Snape, Lupin, or Black. Hermione figured she'd know if it were Sirius or Remus. Harry would have told her for sure. So that left...

"Potions."

Everyone suddenly started looking at Dawn like she was spawn 'o' the devil.

"What?"

The redheaded boy was looking at her. "Snape's your father?"

"Step father, yeah."

"Disturbing."

"To YOU maybe. I happen to like him. What's your name anyway, Mister Judgmental?"

"Ron Weasley." He said as he folded his arms across his chest. He nodded at the dark haired boy next to him. "This is Harry Potter. And these three are Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnigan."

Things settled in Dawn's brain. Things her step father had mentioned offhandedly. She looked hard at Mr. Unruly Hair. "You're Harry."

"Yeah."

Dammit! "Well, I'm violating the twenty paces rule right now."

"Huh?"

"I'm supposed to keep twenty paces between myself and your person at all times."

Harry chuckled. "Snape really told you to keep away from me?"

"He said you were trouble."

Harry took a step forward. Dawn countered by pulling herself and Anya a step back. He stepped forward again. Dawn stepped back with Anya again.

"Your step father doesn't think for you, does he?" Harry took another step forward.

Dawn bristled as she pulled Anya another step back. "No. I think for myself."

"Then stop walking away." Harry said with a smile.

"Harry..." Hermione whispered.

Harry Potter had been downright playful since Voldemort had been defeated, and Sirius's name had been cleared, but Hermione doubted it very wise for him to be so playful with Professor Snape's step daughter. Snape already didn't like Harry because of his father and godfather. Why add fuel to the fire?

And Snape married. How odd was that? And what sort of a woman would put up with him?

Dawn stood stock still as Harry Potter shortened the distance between them, and damn, if he wasn't sort of cute up close.

"He's cute." Anya whispered.

"A big 'duh' on that."

He was taller. And oh, green eyes. Very green eyes, and a scar like a bolt of lightening was peering out from under his hair.

He held out his hand to her. Dawn shook it.

"Pleased to meet you, Dawn Summers."

"Likewise."

"See? Not so hard. Twenty pace rule aside and all."

Dawn grinned. Her step father had told her to avoid this boy, but oh, he was cute and charming. Or perhaps it was the fact that she wasn't supposed to be anywhere near him that made Harry Potter so darn cute and charming. Anya was grinning at her.

"Dawn!"

Dawn jumped. It had sounded an awful lot like Spike calling her when he was irritated. She turned and swore it was for a minute. Draco was shoving his way through people.

"Snape sent me looking for the both of you. Let's go."

He grabbed Dawn's arm with one hand and Anya's arm with the other and started dragging them off. Ron blocked his path.

"Leave off, Malfoy."

"Better watch out, big red. Draco's sulky boy today."

Draco glared at Dawn.

"Well, you are, pouty pants."

His lip actually curled back into a snarl.

Dawn got a very bored look on her face. "You know, if that look on Spike doesn't scare me, it's sure not gonna get any trembles coming from you, Junior."

Anya snickered.

"Spike?"

"He's my vampire."

Everyone in the hall exchanged glances. Draco just stormed past Ron and continued his dragging.

Dawn looked over her shoulder. "Nice to meet you, Harry."

Draco jerked her arm hard.

"Ouch! Pull my arm out of the socket, why don't you, you big bully!"

Draco yanked her arm again roughly. Harry moved after them, but Ron held up his arm to stop the boy who lived. Draco yanked again a third time, and Ron was rewarded for his patience. Dawn jerked her arm out of Malfoy's grip and boxed him in the nose.

"You're too rough!"

Draco snarled and pulled her off. They struggled the entire way with Anya giggling about it.

Dean walked up to stand next to Harry and Ron. "Did you see that? She doesn't hit like a girl."

"You think she's a sixth year like us?" Seamus asked.

"Fifth years. Both of them." Hermione said.

Ron gave her a look. "How do YOU know?"

"Because from what I remember about Katie telling me about her little sister, she was about Ginny's age. Ginny is a fifth year."

"You and Katie Bell talked?"

"Yes, Ron. I do talk to people besides you and Harry." She turned and stormed off.

"She's mad at you now." Harry said.

"But I didn't do anything." Ron sighed as he went after Hermione.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco howled as Dawn stomped on his foot. They started to struggle in earnest. Anya backed away from them. They both needed the fight, both of them a bit angry with their lot on life, both keeping things bottled up. Anya had seen enough people blow a gasket over the centuries to know what it looked like. Some things never changed. That was one of them.

Anya's eyebrow went up when Draco put Dawn in a headlock.

"Anya!"

That was all she had been waiting for. Anya ran and jumped on the older boy's back. She held on with one arm and stuck two fingers up Draco's nostrils and yanked up and back. He cried out in pain. The three of them stumbled forward and slammed into a closed compartment door.

"Get off!" Dawn yelled.

"Gods, I love to wrassle!" Anya growled playfully.

The compartment door slid open and the three of the toppled inside. Draco managed to keep himself from completely crushing Dawn... though he was pretty sure she could take it. She was one tough girl. He found he was liking her despite himself. Anya rolled off of his back laughing out loud. She landed on her back with her dress up around her waist, flashing pale pink knickers at everyone in the compartment.

Everyone being Colin Creevey and Ginny Weasley.

"Anya." Dawn hissed, nodding to her exposed lower half.

"Oh. Ooops." She smoothed her dress down.

Draco pulled Dawn to her feet then helped Anya up. He was feeling strange. Very undignified to engage in such a struggle with two little girls, but he felt a little lighter for it.

Dawn punched him in the shoulder. "You're too rough, you butthole."

"True love, Malfoy?" A voice sneered from behind them.

Dawn and Anya looked up. Draco turned slowly. Parkinson. With Crabbe and Goyle.

"Pansy. How nice to see you again." He said in a deadened tone that suggested it was anything but nice to lay eyes on her.

"Hanging out with fifth year Gryffs and accosting little girls?"

Anya arched a brow. "So this is what instant dislike feels like."

Dawn snickered.

"What's so funny?"

"Your face." Anya answered.

Draco sneered. Oh this was fun. Then again discord was always fun.

"Draco, Slytherins need to stick together more than ever right now. Especially those of us true to the cause."

"You want him? Have him." Dawn snapped as she took her foot and gave Draco a mighty shove in the ass that sent him stumbling into Pansy, and the two of them, in turn, into Crabbe and Goyle.

Anya slammed the door behind them. She and Dawn exchanged a look then busted out laughing. The girls high-fived one another.

"I hope we're sorted into the same house." Dawn said giggling.

"Yes. Thwarting Draco Malfoy isn't going to half as fun otherwise. What a little bastard. Although he does have quite the ass on him."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "You DID NOT cop a feel."

Anya just shrugged and smirked.

"Anya!"

"It was too good to resist. Spike Junior hides a lot under those robes. I give his ass an eleven on a scale of one to ten."

Someone coughed then, and the two former Sunnydale citizens realized they weren't alone. There was a redheaded girl and an effeminate-looking blonde boy sitting in the compartment.

"Oh!" Dawn said as she turned red. "We're really sorry. Draco was being all manhandle-y, so we had to attack him. Sorry to bust in on you guys."

"You attacked Malfoy?" The redheaded girl said in awe.

"He's a brute, but Anya and I have faced worse brutes before."

"Damn skippy." Anya agreed.

"You're Anya." The blonde boy said.

"Oh! Right!" Dawn said. "I'm Dawn Summers, and this is Anya Bell."

The redhead smiled. "Ginny Weasley and this is Colin Creevey."

"Weasley?" Dawn asked. "You have a brother that gives a fairly good impression of a redheaded gorilla?"

Ginny laughed loudly. Ron was shaping up to be the tallest and bulkiest Weasley of them all. "So you've met Ron then?"

"Yeah, we met Ron."

"Wait." Colin said. "Bell. You're Katie Bell's little sister?"

Anya smiled then looked at Dawn. "Why am I getting a 'Marcia, Marcia, Marcia' feeling from all this? If I buy a funny black afro and start wearing it, feel free to smack me around."

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