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Morning came, and Buffy was reluctant to leave Giles’ office. She was nervous, plain and simple. If Harry, Hermione and Ron knew who she was, there was no guarantee that the rest of the school didn’t know as well. Rumours spread like wildfire in Hogwarts, the rumour-mill worse than Sunnydale High had ever been.

Giles touched Buffy’s shoulder gently.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

She breathed in slowly and nodded.

“I’ll be okay. I’m just…”

“Nervous?”

“Terrified is probably closer, but, yeah…nervous kinda covers it as well,” Buffy said.

Giles nodded, understanding her fear. He didn’t know how she handled everything that had been thrust at her in life. He still wasn’t sure how she managed to force herself to get out of bed when her lot in life had been so shattering for her. Now, to lose her friends at the most crucial stage in her life would be a crushing blow.

“We should go down to breakfast.” Giles said.

Buffy nodded, grateful that there wouldn’t be as many students at the school. Many students had gone home for Christmas, so she knew that the Hall would only be about an eighth full.

“I should probably change my clothes,” Buffy said, looking down at the white top and grey pants that were riddled with rips and tears, and the slightest speckling of blood. They’d been ruined in her flight through the forest, branches protruding out enough to tear small holes in her shirt.

“Of course,” Giles replied. “I’ll meet you down in the Great Hall?”

Buffy nodded, wondering whether she had the guts to actually go down to breakfast after she’d changed. In truth, she didn’t want to be anywhere near anyone at the moment. Over the last few days, she’d started scaring herself with the things that she could do. The power she held in her hands was immense, and she was only really just beginning to come to terms with it.

“Sure thing. I’ll be down in about twenty minutes.”

Giles let her out of the study that had been locked with magical barriers placed around it to keep out any unwelcome guests. She made her way out of the office and up towards the Gryffindor Common Room, grateful that it was silent and empty.

She quickly changed her clothing, opting for a pair of soft denim jeans and a white turtleneck sweater, covered with her trademark leather coat. She placed her wand in the inner pocket of her jacket and stared at herself intently in the mirror for a few moments.

“Here goes nothing.”

The Hall was fairly empty by the time that Buffy made her way down to breakfast. There were only about ten to twenty people at each of the long tables, everyone else home for the short break. Draco Malfoy caught Buffy’s eyes and he gave her what he’d hoped was an encouraging smile. The problem was, Buffy just wasn’t confident that she would be able to get through this fist meeting with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

The three friends were seated, in the middle of the table, purposefully away from the other students. They were talking quietly, their heads close together so that no one else could hear them.

Buffy walked towards them and it was Ron who was the first to notice her. His face froze and Buffy couldn’t help but feel incredibly disappointed. The fear that was showing on his face was just astounding. He looked as though he was caught between wanting to run for his life and wanting to stay and yell at her for lying to them all for so long.

Hermione and Harry caught their friend’s look and turned to see what he was staring at. They too, looked shocked and a little fearful when they saw the blonde girl enter the hall.

Hermione’s face mirrored Ron’s, fear and the urge to flee coming over her. Harry however, just looked profoundly hurt. Betrayal was stretched across his features, and Buffy knew that she wouldn’t be welcome to sit with them.

Giles saw Buffy’s dilemma, and stood up, meeting her before she could pass where Harry and the others sat. He ushered her up to the main table, Dumbledore giving her a small smile. She tried to return the gesture but couldn’t even muster up a fake smile for the headmaster.

“Giles…they’re terrified of me,” she whispered.

Giles sighed, knowing full well that Buffy’s friends were frightened of her. He didn’t know how to make them trust her again. This was one thing he couldn’t help her with.

Giles scanned the table of Gryffindors, looking for someone in her year. It seemed that only Harry and his two friends as well as Neville Longbottom had chosen to stay over the Christmas break.

“Go sit with Neville. Perhaps it would be best to just give your friends some time to adjust,” he suggested.

Buffy sighed, tempted to snap at the man and ask him what the recommended period of time to get over betrayal and complete fear was. She nodded and turned away, following his advice and seating herself opposite Neville. She forced herself to put on a cheery persona, not wanting to arouse suspicion.

“Heya Neville.”

Neville looked up, a little shocked. Hardly anyone ever greeted him with that much enthusiasm.

“Hi Buffy,” he replied. He shot a look down the table and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione looking at them curiously. The three of them turned away when they saw Neville watching them. “Did you and Harry have a fight or something?”

Buffy shrugged. “Just thought I’d give those three some space,” she replied. “They were pretty tight before I bumped my way into their group. They’re probably grateful for the break.”

Neville wasn’t too sure what to say, and instead he took a sip from his goblet.

“So, what are your plans for the holidays?” Buffy asked. “Anything special, or just school stuff?”

“School work mainly,” he replied. “We’ve still got all that homework even though it’s the holidays.”

Buffy wrinkled her nose at that. She thought it was incredibly cruel to give students homework over Christmas. It was just wrong.

“At least it gives us something to do. Keep us out of trouble,” she replied. “That and I think it amuses the teachers to see us try and actually finish all of the assignments. They need whatever laughs they can get. Snape especially.”

Neville laughed at that, causing Harry, Ron and Hermione to all turn and look at them. Buffy was having trouble keeping her attention away from her three friends, not wanting to see the looks on their faces. Instead, she just kept her eyes either on Neville or on her plate of food that she couldn’t bring herself to touch.

“Look at her!” Ron whispered quietly. “Trying to pretend like nothing’s the matter. She’s a real piece of work that girl.”

“I can’t believe she lied to us,” Hermione said quietly, feeling horribly betrayed. She’d never really had a close girl friend before, and to lose that friendship was a real blow.

“Do you reckon she was just trying to set us up?” Ron asked. “Give Harry over to You-Know-Who?”

Hermione shrugged, wondering whether or not Buffy’s confusion the first time they’d met had been genuine. Buffy had looked as though she hadn’t known who Harry was, but then again, it seemed that their blonde haired friend had a knack for lying.

Hermione turned and looked at her black-haired best friend. Harry was still staring at Buffy, unable to take his eyes off her. Even as angry and as betrayed as he felt, he still couldn’t help the tugging on his heart strings. She still had an effect on him, and she was still the most beautiful girl Harry had ever seen.

“Harry?” Hermione asked quietly.

Harry tore his eyes away from Buffy and looked at Hermione. “Yeah?”

“Are you alright?” she asked.

Harry sighed and shook his head. “No. I just…I can’t believe we never figured it out! We were talking about it for months and we never even considered that it could have been Buffy.”

“We were looking for a boy. And a Slytherin one at that,” Hermione replied.

Ron looked up at that. “Here’s a question,” he said. “Why isn’t she in Slytherin?”

Harry and Hermione thought about it for a moment, neither of them able to come up with the answers to that question. Harry couldn’t help but remember when he’d been sorted into the school houses. He’d never told Hermione or Ron about what the hat had told him, but something inside of him was telling him that it was important to admit to it now.

“When you were sorted,” Harry began, “did you ask the hat to put you in any particular house?”

Hermione and Ron both shook their heads. The hat had merely pointed out their best characteristics and had placed them both in Gryffindor straight away.

“Well…when I got sorted, the hat said that I would have made a good Slytherin,” Harry said.

Ron and Hermione looked at him with astonishment. Hermione couldn’t help but wonder how different everything would have been if Harry had been placed in Slytherin rather than in Gryffindor.

“So…why did it put you in Gryffindor?” Ron asked.

“Because I asked it to,” he replied. “I asked not to be in Slytherin. Anywhere but Slytherin.”

Hermione caught on quickly, though Ron was still a little confused. “You think that Buffy’s in Gryffindor because she asked not to go into Slytherin?”

Harry nodded.

“It’s just a theory,” he said. “How else could she not have been placed in there? If she is Voldemort’s daughter, then she’s an Heir of Slytherin as well.”

Ron paled even further at that. Their second year at Hogwarts had been terrifying. He could still remember the message that had been written on the walls in blood. Enemies of the Heir beware.

“Maybe she magicked the hat to make it think she was meant to be in Gryffindor all along? Maybe she just wanted to get into Gryffindor so she could kill you Harry.”

Hermione looked at Ron sceptically. “Ron, she had no idea who Harry was until I told her. She hadn’t learnt any magic before she was sorted. You want to tell us that she somehow enchanted the sorting hat, which sees through every corner of your mind, into believing that she really wasn’t meant to be in Slytherin.”

“But she’s You-Know-Who’s daughter,” Ron argued as though that would clear everything up.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” argued a new voice, who’s owner had come to stand behind Ron. “Just because she’s a murderer’s daughter, it doesn’t make her a murderer.”

Ron turned to look at Draco Malfoy, scowling angrily. “Did anyone ask you, Malfoy?”

Draco just rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know why she hung out with you lot,” Draco said contemptuously. “She’s so much better than all of you combined. You sit there and you judge her, and you don’t remember that she is the nicest girl anyone at this school has ever met.”

Draco walked away before anyone could argue against him. The trio looked at each other in shock and then turned to look at where Buffy had been seated. They only saw Neville. Buffy was gone.

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