Chapter One - A Letter and an Owl

Buffy sat in the Magic Box with her chin on her hand. She sighed and tried to listen to the ongoing conversations around her. She smiled as Xander said something witty.

"So anyways, there I was, in the middle of Sunnydale Mall wearing nothing but an.AHH!"

Xander jumped up from his seat and pointed towards the doorway of the Magic Box.

"Xander, what are you screaming a- Oh" Willow backed up towards Tara.

"What are you guys" Buffy's voice trailed off as she looked towards the door. She walked over.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She said, not with malice, but concern.

"Thanks for the warm welcome B. Always knew I could count on you for that" Faith smiled wryly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"She's a killer! Anya, kill her!" Xander said frantically.

"What do I look like, a demon?" Everyone looked at her, blinking.

"Never mind"

"Buffy why are you just standing there? KILL HER!" Xander said loudly. Buffy held up her hand. "How did you get out?"

Faith grinned. "Favor from an old friend of mine. Oh, and that wasn't all he did" She pulled a letter out of her pocket.

"Ah! It's a bomb!"

"Xander, PLEASE!" Buffy said, annoyed.

She opened the letter and read the first few lines. Then she read them again. She sat down in a chair, shocked.

"Oh my - how.how"

"Like I said, a friend owed me a favor. And.I don't know. I figured that maybe I owed this to you"

Buffy looked at her and cocked her head. Faith just gazed back. Buffy nodded and pulled Faith into a hug.

"Whoa, hey, B. I never was the mushy type"

Buffy laughed a little. "Thank you"

Buffy looked at her shocked group of friends. "I'll explain later. Faith, why don't we go downstairs and talk"

Buffy put the letter on the table and walked Faith downstairs, knowing very well her friends would read it.

Just as she thought, her friends practically dove for it.

"I got it!" Willow yelled, snatching her hand away from Xander's grasp. She read it to herself and her eyes widened.

"Holy shit"

"Will, you mind sharing with the rest of the class?" Anya said annoyed.

Willow nodded and cleared her thraot.

Dear Buffy,

I don't know where to start. I don't quite understand why this happened, but it did. I wanted you to be the first to know. Well, besides Faith.

Buffy.I'm human. I don't.I'm not completely sure how. Faith attempted to explain but.I'm still unsure of it all.

I'm coming to Sunnydale in a few days, for reasons which I'm sure you'll be aware of soon. I just wanted you to know how much I still love you, and that, maybe, with this new development, we could be together again. I don't know what else I could say to you sway your opinion on this matter. I know what happened, and I'd like to talk to you about it. As it is, maybe we can identify with each other on a few things.

I don't know what else to say to you except.I love you, with all of my now beating heart and mortal soul.

Love, Angel

Willow closed the letter and put it back in the envelope.

"Wow." Tara said under her breath.

"Yeh. I hope she's ok with all this. Especially since she just - "

"Don't Will. Please, don't say it" Willow looked at Xander and put a hand on his shoulder.

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

"So you're saying this.Black owed you a favor?"

Faith nodded and pulled off her jacket. "He owed my mother a favor.long story there. Basically, she saved his life at one point and he never got to pay her back. So, he helped me out instead. He said he needed some protectoin for this kid in this school, his godson, and that if I would help him out, he would pay back that favor by helping me out"

"So he got you out of jail?"

"And cleaned my record. He said something about being able to identify with me, even though I heard him grumble something under his breath about 'being guilty.'" Faith sighed.

"So where does Angel come in on all this?" Buffy asked, sitting down on the floor.

"Well, Sirius said something about my mom helping him on more then one occasion. He never got a chance to explain though because Angel walked in. They both looked at each other and said 'You.' It was pretty funny now that I think about it" Faith smiled at the memory and Buffy arched an eyebrow.

Faith shrugged. "What?.ah, anyway, turns out Angel had helped him get out of a jam the night before with something called a Dementor. He explained to me what it was - this horrible creature that sucks out your soul. Imagine being a soulless creature? Can you think of how evil - "

Buffy just looked at her and Faith cut herself off. "Sorry. Didn't mean to tread on fragile ground"

"Skip to the end" Buffy said, annoyed.

"Right. Well, Sirius said he now owed Angel something , and was curious to know what he wanted. He said that he knew how bad debts could be, and he wanted to pay his off as soon as possible. So Angel said one word under his breath - 'Buffy'"

Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat. "Go on" She said quietly.

"So, Angel explained his situation to him, and how it just wasn't possible for you two to be with each other. And you know what Sirius did? He LAUGHED. We were shocked. "

~*Flashback*~

"I'm sorry!" Sirius said quickly. "It's just that.well, I can help you"

"You can?" Faith said, disbelieveing.

"Yes. I can. I know of a very complex spell that can be performed by only one wizard , who I happen to know. Angel.you can be human"

Angel just gaped at him. "I.I don't believe it. I.I" His voice trailed off.

"Don't mention it. And I mean that. I can have someone perform that spell, but you can't tell anyone what happened during the spell, not under ANY circumstances, or the whole spell will be reversed, and you'll be right back where you were before. Can you handle that?"

Angel stood there thinking. He came to a decision. "Yes. Yes I can"

~*End Flashback*~

"So he went off with Sirius for a few days and when he came back.well.it worked. He gave me this letter to give to you and said that he would meet me here in a couple of days. He said you would know why he was coming"

"But I don't!"

As Buffy said this, a single brown eagle owl flew down the stairs and into Buffy's lap.

"Hello bird. What have you got there?" She untied the letter from the owl's leg. The owl then ruffled his feathers and flew up to sit on one of the ledges in the ceiling.

"Should I open it?"

Faith nodded.

Buffy read the letter aloud.

"Dear Ms. Summers - "

"Formal much?"

"Faith" Buffy growled through clenched teeth.

"Sorry"

Buffy cleared her throat.

Dear Ms. Summers,

I hope this letter finds you well. I understand that you know about Angel and the spell cast on him. I ask that you not mention it to anyone but your four friends and your sister.

I have recently asked your fellow slayer if she would aid me this year at the school where I am headmaster. Now, I am asking you.

There is a boy here, a seventh year by the name of Harry Potter, who is in dire need of protection. I fear that this year he will be attacked, and that it will be far worse then any other times he has faced this certain opponent.

I am asking that you come here to teach a new class, Defense Against Muggle Attacks. Your friends may come here as well, and you may be surprised about one of our newest students.

Please send your response with Iris as soon as possible.

Hope to see you in September.

Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore - Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"So, you got the letter then?"

Buffy spun around in a fighting stance. "Tara. Jesus, don't do that"

"Sorry"

"No no wait, lemme guess. You guys not only read my letter, but you read this one as well"

"It was dropped into my lap. I couldn't help it"

"But why would she -"

"I used to go to Hogwarts. That's why. Iris recognized me because I used to send letters home all the time using her. She thought the letter was for me even though it was addressed to you. "

"YOU went to Hogwarts?" Faith asked confused.

"Well, why else do you think you never sw me in Sunnydale before college?"

Buffy and Faith shook their heads.

"Look, I know this is a lot to deal with right now. But I've heard stories about this kid, Harry, that they want you to protect. He needs your protection Buffy"

Buffy sighed.

"Faith hand me a pen. Looks like we're going to Hogwarts"