Chapter Twelve – On a Dark and Stormy All Hallows Eve

On a dark and stormy night

On Halloween

I thought someone was following me

But no one could be seen

I looked to my left, I looked to my right

But no one was around

I looked in front, I looked in back

And then I heard a sound…

--Children’s Halloween Song (I learned it in Kindergarten…)

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

Buffy’s first day back was one she would remember for the rest of her life. She wished she had a camera because the looks on her student’s faces were ones that were worth remembering.

When everyone was seated, Buffy noticed that Harry and Hermione were sitting closer to each other then usual, and Harry was trying not-so-successfully to keep his hand on Hermione’s knee out of Buffy’s line of vision.

Buffy and Faith exchanged a knowing look, but neither said anything.

"Alright, everyone sit down." She was surprised at how fast they all responded. Nice. She thought smiling. Faith rolled her eyes.

"So, I take it that Faith stuck to her lesson plan, so you all know what, well, who I am." The class nodded knowingly.

"And I can also guess that now you want to know my story."

"Wouldn’t hurt," Draco quipped. Faith, who was perched on his desk, hit him in the arm. She smiled sweetly as he glared.

"Ah yes Draco, how I missed your sarcasm so." Some of the Gryffindors snickered. "You know, you really should meet Spike. You would probably be able to beat out even his bad attitude."

"I highly doubt that." Angel said, standing in the doorway.

Faith nodded approvingly. "Stealthy." And hot. Break me off a piece of that –

Don’t you dare finish that thought or I will have to kill you.

Faith held back the snort that was about to escape her throat. I’d like to see you try.

Buffy arched her eyebrow. Would you now? Well come on – let’s have a go at it. Right here, right now. I’ll wipe the floor with you right in front of all the students.

Saucy, good for you. Fine – let’s.

"Angel, be a dear and hand me the two swords on that wall." Buffy said, her eyes never leaving Faith. Angel handed them to Buffy and threw one to Faith, who caught it by the hilt.

Buffy pushed the desk out of the way and smiled.

The class was watching intrigued.

"What’s going on?"

"Why are they fighting?"

"Doesn’t she know that she’s the slayer?" Buffy had to smile at that one as the two began circling each other. "Your move F."

"Age before beauty."

"Brawn before brains."

"Attitude – I like that in a woman." Faith lunged and made the first strike, which Buffy countered efficiently. The class watched as the two fought, never losing eye contact. Angel watched from the doorway and smiled. Buffy told him all about their ability to talk to each other telepathically.

And he had no doubt that they were still bantering as they fought.

I’m impressed – I thought I’d have you flat on your back right about now.

Do you know how kinky that sounds? Honestly B, think before you speak.

Is that all you ever think about?

For the most part, yes. It’s all Draco’s fault. He’s corrupted my innocent little mind.

Ha! Innocent my eyeball.

Hey, see no evil, speak no evil –

Think no evil?

Well, I wouldn’t go that fa-"Ah!" Faith let out a bit of a scream as Buffy swept her legs from under her and she ended up on her back, her sword flung out of her hands across the room.

"And look at that – flat on your back." Buffy said smiling.

Faith glared. "Just give me your hand and help me up."

"Do you really think I’m stupid enough to fall for that? I haven’t been the slayer for three years for nothing. Get up."

Faith shrugged and got up on her own, and the class clapped. "Okay, so you have a few years on me. Gimme credit – it’s only been four months."

The room quieted at her announcement. "Four months – what do you mean it’s been four months?" Ron asked.

"Oh yeah that – well, you see children, there are two slayers in this room and hi, I’m Faith, one of the Chosen Two."

"B-but – the slayer has to die for another to be called!" Hermione said, completely confused.

"Yes this is true, and you see, B here did die."

"It was only for a minute!"

"But you still died! Ha!"

"She’s right you know." Angel said, coming out of the shadows to the front of the room.

"Angel, love, you’re supposed to be on my side."

"Yeah, well, I just love to see you embarrassed." Angel said leaning on the desk, a smile coming across his face.

Buffy, not knowing how to retort, just glared and said, "Oh shut up." She looked at the class, who were watching with surprised faces. "Oh yeah – and this is Angel, and I’m sure you know all about him."

"Not exactly – Professor Morgan stopped in 1996." Draco said smirking.

Buffy glanced at Angel. "Do you want to talk or should I?"

"Depends – how much longer do you have?"

"Ten minutes."

"Give them the abridged version."

Buffy looked at the class. "The abridged version? I came to Sunnydale, he came with me. Followed me around a while, found out he was a vampire after he kissed me for the first time, fell in love with him, gave him a moment of true happiness that cost him his soul, he became the Scourge of Europe and tried to kill my friends and end the world, I had to stop him and sent him to hell after my friend restored his soul, somehow he came back to Sunnydale, and now his soul is permanent and I can be happy." She took a breath. "Any questions?"

Every hand shot up in the air, including Faith’s, and Angel chuckled at Buffy’s look of annoyance. "Maybe you should have waited until tomorrow." He said laughing. Buffy just groaned and shook her head.

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

"Hermione, are you ready yet?" Harry called from outside her door. They had less then ten minutes to get to the Halloween Ball on time, and he couldn’t believe Hermione still wasn’t ready.

"She’ll be out in a moment – and tell Ron I’ll be down with her." Lavender said giggling.

Harry sighed and went down the steps to the Common Room where Ron was waiting on one of the couches. He stood up when he only saw Harry.

"Lavender said to give them a few more minutes."

Ron sighed frustrated. He asked Lavender to the ball earlier in the day and was shocked beyond belief when she said yes. "They’ve been saying that for the past half hour! What the – " He cut his rant short when he saw both Hermione and Lavender descending the stairs.

Harry’s breath hitched when he saw them, and for a moment he was rendered speechless. As it turned out, Hermione, Padma, Parvati, and Lavender decided to make their costumes a joint project. They each went as a different "spirit" - Parvati was water, Padma was earth. Lavender was wind, and the dress she was wearing was green, fringed at the bottom and fell right below her knees with a slit up the side to her mid-thigh. It was spaghetti strapped, moderately cut, and the multi-colored wings completed the outfit.

"Wow." Ron said, and Lavender blushed.

Harry, however, still hadn’t gained back the power of speech. "Harry – what do you think?" Hermione asked, looking nervous. Why is he just staring? Do I really look that bad? I knew I shouldn’t have listened to Padma about this dress… Hermione shifted uncomfortably under Harry’s gaze.

Hermione’s outfit was a whole other matter entirely. As fire, the girls wanted to make her look different for the night "to impress Harry" they said. "It’s come as you aren’t night Hermione – make the most of it." Lavender said, while Hermione tried on the dress that was causing Harry’s speechlessness. The top was orange, cut like a strapless corset (she insisted on not getting the v-neck, much to Parvati’s dismay) and the skirt was red, ankle length, fringed on the bottom, with a slit up both sides to the mid-thigh. Her hair was straight and fell to her mid-back, and Lavender used a spell she knew to put red streaks in it. Her red and orange wings completed the outfit.

"Harry, do I really look that bad?" Hermione asked, while Ron snickered in the background.

Harry snapped out of the stupor he had fallen into. "Bad? Hermione – you look amazing. Really." She blushed, but somewhere in the back of her mind she was thanking her friends for forcing the costume on her. Lavender winked in her direction, and Ron slipped his arm around her shoulders. Harry offered Hermione his arm, which she took with a smile, and the four of them walked out of the Common Room smiling.

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

The Great Hall was a sight to see. The usual floating pumpkins and live bats were around, but what really set the mood was the ceiling – the sky outside was dark and stormy – there was barely a star in sight. But the moon was full, surrounded by an orange-red ring.

Faith and Draco were standing by the stage where the Weird Sisters were performing. Neither were in costume – it seemed they both agreed to wear black for the evening. Faith caught Buffy’s eye and pointed upward towards the ceiling.

"Blood on the moon." Buffy said warily, as she stepped into the Great Hall with her "escort." Angel had opted to go out of costume, although his outfit fit the mood – he was wearing all black, except for his shirt, which was blood red. Buffy, on the other hand, came as a medieval princess. The blue, belle-sleeved gown was a gift from her grandmother a few years back, but she never had a chance to wear it.

Until now, that is.

"Don’t worry." Angel said, tightening his hold on her waist. "Everything is going to be fine."

As if on cue, the windows of the Great Hall broke, revealing a horde of vampires. Buffy shot Ethan a glance, but even he looked shocked.

Buffy and Faith ran over to the windows pushing everyone back when a familiar voice yelled, "I don’t care about the kiddies. Do whatever you have to – I just want the girls."

Buffy glared and walked over to the window where the voice sounded. "Spike."

Spike looked at her and smiled. "Hello lover."

:: Chapter Thirteen ::