Please Come to Hogwarts.

****

"You wanna put young, impressionable minds in my hands? Wesley, did you get hit on the head, or something?"

Wesley sighed at Faith from behind his desk in the Hyperian Hotel’s main office.

"It’s not just teaching," Sirius explained. "It’s for protection as well"

Angel sighed. "And you’re telling me Voldemort is back?"

"Who’s that?" Cordelia asked.

"Dark wizard who went around slaughtering normal humans and normal human-loving wizards," Angel replied. "Spike and Dru loved him if I recall correctly"

"So. how’d he die?" Fred asked.

"He didn’t," Sirius replied. "His body did. My godson, Harry, destroyed it. Voldemort killed Harry’s parents. His mother died protecting him, and her love for the boy made him untouchable to Voldemort. The curse he cast bounced off Harry and onto him. He’s spent about 14 years trying to come back to power and finally succeeded a month ago"

"So, we go fight him, right?" Gunn asked. "Kick his butt an everything?"

Sirius shook his head. "No. No, you can’t do it that way. He’s got power beyond your wildest dreams, and he’s got followers. Death Eaters. No weapon will protect you from them"

"So how do you expect us to fight them?" Faith asked.

"We don’t," Sirius replied. "We just need you to protect the children"

Wesley sighed and looked to Angel. "They want Buffy, Willow, Tara and Giles, as well"

Angel looked down. "Well. we’ll just have to call them"

"You’re all right with that?" Cordelia asked doubtfully.

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"She’s your ex"

Professor Dumbledore walked into the hotel, looking around him. "What a marvelous city. I swear, the Ministry doesn’t give you Muggles enough credit"

**

*RING*

Angel sighed as her voice came through the phone.

"Hello?"

"Buffy. It’s Angel"

"Hi," She said. "What’s up?"

Angel sighed. "How do you feel about teaching abroad?"

**

That night, Angel was stuffing his belongings into two over-night bags. One for clothing and the other for weapons and books.

Cordelia sighed. "I still don’t see why Fred, Gunn and I have to stay here"

Angel sighed back. "Someone’s gotta help the hopeless, right? You guys could come visit for holiday break in December"

Cordelia shrugged. "I guess so. have you called Buffy?"

"Yeah," Angel replied shortly. "She, Giles, Willow and Tara are gonna come"

Cordelia sighed. "I wish I was going"

"Someone’s gotta help the hopeless," Angel repeated. "You guys’ll do fine. They really need our help up there"

"I know," Cordelia replied. "Just.don’t get killed"

Angel smirked. "You always ruin my fun"

"Ha, ha, mister funny-pants"

A few days later, they had apparated to King’s Cross in England.

Wesley felt like he was in his First year of Hogwarts again. Without a word to his companions, he went through the pillar that led to Platform 9 and ¾.

Angel sighed and followed, shaking his head, followed by a large black dog.

Buffy blinked. "I think I speak for all of us when I say. huh?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Platform 9 and ¾ is through that pillar. Just walk through"

Buffy blinked and glanced at her friends. "Okay. Willow, you’re going with me"

They hooked arms, and walked right through, followed by the rest of their group.

Giles sighed tiredly, and brushed his jacket off. Faith turned to see that there was a door in place of the pillar on the other side.

"Okay. This just might be the weirdest thing I’ve ever done," she commented.

"You mean besides Xander?" Angel asked, looking back.

"Oh, suddenly you’re all human so you have the quickest wit ever?" Faith snapped. "Shut your mouth"

Angel smirked, and hopped on the train with his two suitcases.

Buffy stared after him with a curious glance.

Angel. alive. in the sun. making silly jokes.

It was new.

It was. attractive.

"Someone’s having lusty wrong-thoughts"

Buffy snapped her attention to Willow. "So not!"

Willow snickered. "Whatever you say. Come on. Let’s get on the train"

The two girls walked on the train, and sat in a booth with Tara and Faith.

"What do you think this will be like?" Tara asked.

"I don’t know," Willow replied. "Fun, I hope"

"Me, too"

**

"So, Rupert. It’s good to see you again"

Giles smiled at Dumbledore. "You, too. I hope you’re well"

"I am"

"Good"

Wesley stared from one man to the other, and blinked. "Y-you know each other?"

"Don’t be thick, Wesley," Giles snapped. "I was a seventh-year at Hogwarts when you were in your first. All future watchers are sent to Hogwarts"

Dumbledore smirked. "You forget, Rupert, that you dropped out in the middle of your seventh-year. That, and first and seventh-years barely give each other the time of day"

Giles cleared his throat. "Yes, well. I did know a few first years. James Potter and Sirius Black"

"Who didn’t?" Wesley muttered, patting the black dog next to him on the head.

**

When they arrived off the Hogwarts express there were a few small boats waiting for it, one with an incredibly large man standing in it. He had long black hair with an equally long beard.

"‘Lo, Professor. These the new acquisition?"

"Yes, Hagrid," Dumbledore replied. "These are the new teachers. Everyone, this is Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures Professor"

"By Merlin," Hagrid said in astonishment. "Issat Wesley Wyndham- Pryce?"

"Hullo, Hagrid," Wesley smirked. "It’s good to see you"

Hagrid smiled, and patted the younger man on the shoulder as he boarded. "You, too, Wesley. How’s life treated ya?"

"Same as everyone else, I guess," Wesley smirked. "You’ve become a professor. That’s wonderful"

Hagrid nodded. "Thanks. I’m always excited about startin a new year"

They boarded the boats, and started their journey to the Castle.

Faith stared down at the water, and then at the people she was riding with. Wesley was keeping up a good conversation with Hagrid, Dumbledore was speaking with Giles, who in the other boat, and Angel was staring at. Buffy.

Heh, heh, heh.

Silently, she moved behind her zoned-out friend, and flipped him off the boat.

"FAITH!"

Wesley shook his head. "Faith. Why did you do that?"

Faith shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea at the time"

Hagrid grinned, and stopped rowing the boat. He grasped Angel by the shirt and lifted him back onto the boat. He smirked at Faith. "You’ll fit in well wi’ yer students. Specially if ya wind up with the Weasley twins"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Don’t get Professor Morgan ideas, Hagrid. That could end badly. for a Slytherin"

Angel shook out his head and glared at Faith, he glanced at Buffy, who was giggling along with Willow and Tara.

She was so beautiful when she laughed.

He’d forgotten that.

Although with the relationship they’d had, it was easy to forget.

Faith rolled her eyes. She was about to flip Angel off the boat again, but her hand was grabbed by Wesley.

"Once is enough, don’t you think?"

Faith rolled her eyes again and slumped back, grumbling to herself.

They finally made their way to the school, and Dumbledore led them inside, where all the other teachers were lined up, waiting for their arrival. They were introduced to Professor MacGonagall, Madame Hooch, Madame Pomfrey, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Sprout, and a host of others.

And then there was the greasy-looking one in black.

Wesley glared.

"What the hell is he doing here?" He said to Dumbledore. "You didn’t tell me he was going to be here"

"Now, Wesley," Dumbledore said. "He’s our potions teacher. and Remus can deal with him-"

"Remus has an infinite supply of patience that the rest of us could never have. You honestly expect me to deal with Snape?"

"Yes"

Wesley shook his head. "Fine. Merlin help me, but fine"

Snape glared at Wesley. "The feeling is mutual, Pryce. Believe me"

"Stop it, both of you, or I’ll-"

Both turned to stare at Professor MacGonagall.

"Just. try and get along," she told them.

Dumbledore sighed at his new group of teachers, as they took their seats in his office. "Unfortunately, there aren’t enough rooms in the teacher’s wing to accommodate all of you. You may have to double and triple up"

The group turned to each other, as Dumbledore waited expectantly.

"Okay," Buffy said. "This is how it’s going to work. Angel and I will share a room. Willow, Tara and Faith. Giles and Wesley"

Giles gave his slayer a stern look. "You and Angel are not rooming together. You’ll room with Faith, Buffy. Angel, you’ll room with Willow and Tara"

Buffy rolled her eyes.

Dumbledore smiled at the scene. He’d heard tell of the famous Slayer/Vampire forbidden romance. He’d also heard that said vampire was now human.

"Don’t roll your eyes at me, Buffy Anne Summers," Giles said calmly. "This is a school, not a cheep motel"

"Who said anything about cheep?" she asked.

"Yeah, really," Faith added on. "It’s pretty swanky for a school. But I’m sure B and A could turn it into the sight for a sleazy pornography in no time"

Buffy glared at her sister slayer.

Angel sat between the two girls, reading a hefty book entitled: "Hogwarts: A History" He was completely oblivious to the conversation. He put it down, and looked curiously at Dumbledore. "I thought Riddle went to Durmstrang?"

Dumbledore became grave and sighed. "Oh, no. Thomas Riddle was a student at Hogwarts. One of the finest. I was only a teacher at the time, though"

Angel nodded and went back to reading.

Tara became curious. "Who’s Thomas Riddle?"

Dumbledore pursed his lips. "An ex-student. Very powerful"

"And dangerous, and evil," Wesley added. "He turned into one of the darkest wizards the world has ever seen. He went around killing Muggle-born wizards, and anyone who got in his way"

"Who was this guy?" Faith asked.

"Thomas Riddle," Giles replied. "Otherwise known as Voldemort"

The Buffy and the two witches blinked at them.

Dumbledore sighed. "Another time. It’s quite late. Why don’t you all go settle in. Tomorrow is a big day. And a word of advice, while you’re here. Be aware of your students. they’re not all. well. innocent"

On The Fast Track.
****

Buffy opened the door, and was about to leave, before Angel pulled her back into his grasp and kissed her softly. "See you tomorrow"

She nodded with a satisfied smirk. "I love you"

He sighed, resting his forehead against hers. "I love you, too"

And that’s when they heard a throat clear.

They looked out the door slowly to see Severus Snape glaring in at them.

"Professor Snape," Angel said nervously. "What brings you about this early?"

"I was on my way back from a discussion with Professor Dumbledore," he replied. "And your door was open"

Buffy sighed and looked from one man to the other. "Actually, I was just about to go back to my room, which is why the door’s open"

Snape just stared.

"We were. discussing" Angel stammered. "How defense against the dark arts and. physical defense class could combine for maybe a crossover"

Buffy nodded vigorously. "I. gotta go back to my room. Thanks, Angel. You’re views were. helpful. We’ll talk again soon" With that, she rushed out of the room and down the hall.

Snape glared at Buffy’s back, and then turned his glare on Angel, who could only think to shrug, and shut his door.

"Severus?"

Snape turned around to be faced with the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. "Headmaster," Snape greeted.

"What’s going on?" Dumbledore asked. "Why are you outside of Professor O’Brien’s room?"

Snape sighed. "There’s something strange going on with them"

Albus sighed. "Well, they’re adults. I’m sure they can handle it"

"They don’t act like adults," Snape pointed out. "They act more like sixth-years"

Dumbledore smiled. "I find it quite refreshing to see two young people who haven’t lost their flare for life. Now, I’m off to bed. Goodnight, Severus"

"Goodnight, Headmaster" With that, Snape walked in the other direction.

Dumbledore tapped lightly on Angel’s door. He opened it slowly. "Professor Dumbledore," he greeted. "Top o’ th’" he looked at his watch. "Mornin"

Albus smiled. "Hello, Angel. I hear you’ve just had a bit of a run-in with Professor Snape"

Angel sighed. "Wasn’t anything"

"He’s a wonderful teacher, Angel," Albus replied. "He tends to terrorize his students a bit though. I’m off to bed" He smiled. "Big day tomorrow. The students arrive. I suggest you get some rest, yourself"

:: On to Chapter Two ::