Disclaimer:I don't own anything you recognize.
Author's Note:This is AU. Canon through season seven of Buffy but AU for everything else. This was written before Deathly Hallows even came out. Angel canon is only screwy if you believe Gunn died in the final battle. I like to believe in miracles. (and fairies, and leprechauns, and...)
Timeline:after book five for Harry Potter. Three Years after the fall of Sunnydale for Buffy.


“What is your wish, Draco Malfoy? What do the five non-evil Slytherins want as their combined wish?” Bellaserra asked.

Draco looked from the demon’s beautiful human visage to the Golden Trio conversing with the Slayer’s posse of misfits before looking back. He and the other Slytherins knew they only had this wish because Dawn and Kit had caused a big stink over Bella denying them one since, to the Powers’ thinking, the Slytherins had joined the crusade for good a little late in the game. Bella’d only given in when Granger and the littlest Weasley stepped in and forced her hand.

He glanced at Zabini, Millie, Pansy, and Goyle before he said, “We wish our parents would disown us, along with Zabini’s little sister Briar, Bulstrode’s sister Magda, and Goyle’s little sister Gwen, and that we might be placed with people who understand redemption and are willing to overlook any wrongs we may have done so long as we strive to be good.” Malfoy looked hard at Bella during the last bit before glancing sharply over to where Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles stood arguing in a corner.

They’d come up with the idea when Spike had brought a young, pasty faced, raven-haired girl with a love of weapons named Wednesday to the Council, pointed her towards Dawn Summers, Kit Horvath, Carlos Vega, Jordan Osbourne, Daniel Doyle, and Connor Angel, and said, “Welcome to the Orphan’s Club, luv.”

Her family, down to her infant brother, had apparently been eaten by ghouls while she was at camp or some such thing. The girl was odd but fit into, as Spike had called it, “the Orphan’s Club.” Of course, not all of the members were really orphans, but most were and the rest had unique or odd parentage so they all fit anyway.

The Slytherins had watched as Wednesday was accepted into the group, into the entire Council, really. And they had decided to wish for freedom from their families. They’d included the three little girls because they all feared what would happen to the three innocents if they were left to their Death Eating parents.

Bella’s pretty face sagged in shock before she blinked over to the Slayer’s corner and held a brief conversation before turning back to them, calling, “Granted!” and disappearing.

Draco and the rest had hoped she wouldn’t mention their wish, would instead just make it happen. But, really, since the demon had been given the assignment of granting wishes without evil consequences for the champions who had stopped the latest apocalypse by the Powers That Be, he could understand her caution. That and Rupert Giles scared the piss out of everybody when he threatened to do the demon damage if things didn’t turn out satisfactorily.

Draco was startled out of his musings when a hand softly pushed a lock of wayward hair off his brow. He looked down into the pleased face of Buffy Summers. He still, even after seeing her chop a 10-foot demon into so much meat, had trouble seeing her as one of humanity’s greatest champions. She was just so…petite and fragile-looking.

“So, you want to come live in the madhouse, huh?” She quirked a grin at all of them, honestly wanting to know.

Millie blushed and ducked her head, having developed quite a case of hero worship for Summers. Goyle, not half as stupid as he pretended to be, nodded his head slowly. Pansy smirked her it-was-all-my-idea smirk and lifted her chin. Zabini couldn’t seem to stop himself from saying, “If we’re going to have to give up our evil ways, we may as well be in a place where we’re surrounded by nubile, young warriors of the light to inspire us.”

Fortunately, the Slayer had a sense of humor, rolled her eyes and only muttered, “Great. I’m adding two walking hormones, a brilliant boy who acts about as bright as a boulder, the magical equivalent of Queen C, and a shy one to my pack of hellions. Ya know, I know Dawn and I were difficult, but Mom, you didn’t have to curse us by saying that one day we’d have kids and would understand.” She stopped glaring at the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall and looked at them again. “So, it’s you five and three more girls. Don’t worry about your things or anything, we had Bella add in that clothing, possessions and pets were part of the package. OH! I’ve go to go ask Giles something.”

She darted away leaving five flabbergasted teens in her wake.

“Well, this is certainly going to be interesting,” Zabini remarked sarcastically.

…………………………………

The rest of the day passed in a blur, Bella not returning and their wish unfulfilled. Everyone had decided that, since the Slytherins only had one combined wish, it’d be best to let them go first. (Possibly so that any damage they had managed to do could be undone.) The five of them dwelled on their circumstances between classes until they were done for the day. They were sprawled around their common room when Snape billowed in.

“You five have been requested in the headmaster’s office. Your parents are causing quite a scene. The two oldest Slayers, their Watcher, Miss Rosenberg, Mr. Harris, and their lawyer probably aren’t helping matters, what with their being Muggles and their inability to keep their tongues behind their teeth,” Snape’s normally dour face was pinched, as though he wanted to grin at the Americans’ audacity but the muscles in his face wouldn’t support the function.

They followed him to the gargoyle outside the headmaster’s office where he winced then sighed, “Cherry flavored Blow Pops.”

When they reached the office, it was to be faced with five laughing Americans, one smirking Watcher and their parents cringing away from the show of mirth with shock and rage on their faces.

“Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Zabini, Mr. Goyle, Miss Parkinson, and Miss Bulstrode. Your parents are most upset at your behavior this week,” Dumbledore rasped, eyes twinkling.

The kids all shrugged except Goyle, who shifted to place Malfoy directly between himself and his glowering father.

“I will not have that child besmirching the Malfoy name. Either he stops his current behavior or he finds a new name to call his own,” Narcissa Malfoy shrilled.

“Yes. Blaise, I’m most upset at your behavior,” Mrs. Zabini said calmly, only the slightest crinkle between her eyebrows indicating how unpleased she was before that too smoothed out, leaving her face its usual impassive beauty.

“Is that an official declaration of intentions, Mother?” Zabini asked smoothly. His mother’s calm always made him seem liked he’d eaten sour apples.

Mrs. Zabini artfully arched one ebony brow and gave a tiny smirk. “I officially declare myself without heir. Both Blaise and Briar will no longer claim the protection of the Zabini name.”

Everyone could see her hoping her cruelty would cause her son to buckle, to beg. Blaise just became colder, his face freezing in a mask of unintelligible beauty. He nodded his acceptance and Mrs. Zabini’s calm slipped when she saw he wasn’t going to give her what she wanted. She snarled, becoming fierce in her beauty.

“No daughter of mine will hang about the likes of Harry Potter!” Byron Bulstrode roared.

Millie washed out, all color fading from her face. Buffy shifted and her face became stone. If looks could kill, Mr. Bulstrode would have died a fiery death.

“You’ve tainted the name, girl! I had thought if you were at least taught your place, I could stomach the thought of having only daughters! But not now! I declare Millicent and Magdalena no longer my daughters! I have no heirs!”

Millie’s panicked breathing was the only sound after Mr. Bulstrode stomped from the room. Pansy had her by one hand, Malfoy by the other arm, and Zabini and Goyle had a hand knotted in the back o her robes to keep her standing.

“I tried to beat this rebellion out of you, Gregory, but you won’t let go of it. So I’m declaring you no longer my son. And I won’t have a daughter for an heir, so Gwen is no longer my daughter. I have no heirs,” Goyle Senior rumbled menacingly before leaning back against the wall to watch the show.

“The Malfoys have no son, no heir, I so declare it on behalf of my falsely imprisoned husband,” Narcissa Malfoy said icily.

“The Parkinsons have no daughter who was never our heir,” Petrus Parkinson said gleefully.

“My, my, oh dear. What shall ever become of five Slytherins with no inheritance or protection?” Mrs. Zabini hissed.

“They’ll be coming home with me,” Buffy Summers grinned. “They’ll be under my protection.”

The four remaining adults watched the tiny blonde twirl one of her silken locks around her finger. The woman didn’t look bright enough or strong enough to swat a fly.

“Yes, I do believe they’ll make excellent additions to the Watchers’ Council,” Giles said, cleaning his glasses and forcing the smile to stay off his face. He always enjoyed when the girl acted like a ditz. It made things a little more interesting.

Goyle Senior paused before saying, “The Watchers’ Council? As in, the Slayer’s Watchers?”

“Yes, indeed, sir. This lovely woman,” motioning to the blonde, “is Buffy Summers. And this,” pulling Faith up to grin maliciously at the adults, “is Faith. They’re the Senior Slayers. They’re quite fond of those five children.”

“You can’t do that. You have no claim on them,” Mrs. Zabini hissed.

“Oh but they can,” Gunn stepped up. He was dressed thug but his mind flitted through his extensive internal law library to find the Wizarding laws. “You declared them no longer your children, opening the way for someone else to claim them. Your bad luck that the Council in general and Ms. Summers specifically have been cleared by the magical and Muggle courts alike as fit guardians to underage children and are willing to take on the eight that you’ve thrown away.”

The resulting explosion lasted until Faith ripped a heavy chest magicked to the wall down and threw it in a fit of peak.

“We’re taking them home with us. The three kids that ain’t here, we’ll be by to get as soon as you sign these papers,” Faith said, waving the papers Gunn had handed her. “They’ll be ours and any that come against them in vengeance will have the entire Council on their backs, yo.”

“I’m getting cranky,” Willow said, a pout flitting around her mouth. “Sign the papers and be done before I loose my temper.”

Mr. Parkinson opened his mouth but Willow looked him in the eye and let her own bleed from green to deep black. Instead, he held out his hand.

Willow told him before handing him his papers, “We’ll be by to get Pansy’s things. Don’t try anything funny.

Mr. Parkinson just nodded, his eyes still focused on her swirling ebony orbs.

The other remaining people in the room jumped when the door to Dumbledore’s office slammed open and Magnus Bulstrode stomped in carrying a blanket wrapped bundle. He carefully set the bundle down and said gruffly, “Their mother would like to know who’ll be keeping them, where they’ll be.”

“They’ll be going home with us, under the protection of the Watcher’s Council,” Buffy said calmly. “These papers need to be signed as proof for the Muggle authority that we didn’t just kidnap them or anything. And we’ll be coming around for Millie and Magda’s things after everyone signs the papers.”

Mr. Bulstrode nodded and said, “Their mother’s packing their things and gathering their papers.”

He signed the papers set before him and stomped out of the room, never once looking at either of his daughters.

Mr. Parkinson signed his papers, cackled maniacally and said, “Girl, I’ll have your mother pack your things and get your papers together. And you’ll be taking that blasted dog with you, too. I’ll not have it around to snap at Parker. Must keep my heir fit.”

He cackled again as he left.

Mrs. Malfoy sniffed, affronted, when handed the Muggle ink pen but finally signed the papers. She walked away, back straight, without speaking to or looking at her son.

Goyle Senior stepped up and said, “Your possessions, Gwen, and your pony will be waiting for you at the gates,” before signing the papers and marching out.

Mrs. Zabini signed the papers with a flourish and said, “I have a party to get to, you’ll have to pack your own things. I’ll leave Beaney to supervise.”

Gunn gathered the papers and nodded at Giles. “I’ll file these in the morning,” he said, then glanced at the shifting bundle on the couch. When the little girl’s face peered over the blankets to the crowd watching her, everyone saw that this girl couldn’t be more than four. The Scoobs were shocked.

“Ya know,” Xander murmured none-too-quietly, “Maybe we should’ve asked how old the sisters were.”

The others nodded. Millie finally whispered, “Magda’s three, Briar’s two, Gwenid’s four.”

Xander looked at the girl, then pushed the fall of dark hair back from her pale face. He felt for the girl. Actually, he felt for all of them. He more than most of the Scoobies understood that, sometimes it doesn’t how bad they are at times, they’re still your parents. Having them give up on you had to be rough.

“Shit,” Faith muttered. She’d just gotten used to having Jo and Izzy, the youngest two Slayers, six and nine respectively, around the Council. “What’re we gonna do with three kids that are gonna need that much attention.”

“Well, first, I suggest that we go get the other two girls and all the children’s things, then we’ll worry about how we’ll care for them,” Giles said, before turning to Dumbledore. “Albus, we need these five for tonight, and the weekend, if possible.”

Dumbledore nodded, eyes twinkling as he said, “I think that’s a fine idea. Get the children settled. These five need to be back for Monday lessons, though.”

Giles nodded and then made a circular motion with his finger, saying, “Gather round.”

And they all, with Millie holding Magda, disappeared from Dumbledore’s office to reappear in front of Malfoy Manner. A minuscule house elf stood holding an enormous trunk.

“This be yours, Master Malfoy. Mistress Malfoy tolds me to packs it and waits for yous here. I’s to go with yous because I’s part of yous inheritance from Madam Black.”

“I wasn’t aware I had a Black inheritance,” Draco said, eyebrow arched.

“Oh yes sir, Master Malfoy sir! Is small, just a bank vault and Ticky, a small one but yous, Master sir,” the squeaky voiced elf said.

Draco nodded as he said, “I wish to make sure everything was gotten. I want to make certain I have no need to ever return.”

“Of course, Master Malfoy, sir,” Ticky said.

Malfoy rifled through each trunk that had been minimized and stuffed in the larger trunk, checking each item against an inventory in his memory.

The things were packed neatly into the trunks again by Ticky when Draco nodded his head.

Willow did her teleportation trick again and they settled in front of the Parkinson abode. Pansy’s mother stood dully, holding the leash to a dainty pup, surrounded by trunks. She handed the leash off, spun on her heel and left without saying anything to her oldest child. Pansy repeated Draco’s act of rifling through her trunks, then minimized them and stuck them in her cloak pocket. She carefully shifted the little black dog in her arms and nodded, not saying a word. Xander managed to tuck her under his arm before Willow ‘ported them to Millie’s home.

There was a silently weeping woman standing at the gate. She watched as Millie went through her things, then Magda’s. Millie nodded, minimized the trunks and stuck them in her pocket. She stepped up and hugged her mother, who whispered something and smoothed her hair.

Mrs. Bulstrode turned to the Council members and said, “Take care of my girls. They are all that is good of either myself or my husband. They belong with you.” She turned and walked slowly back to her dismal home.

Willow brought them to stand in front of the Goyle house. If they didn’t know any better, the Scoobs would’ve thought the place was a haunted house. Even for them, the place was creepy. The little girl that stood holding the reigns to a huge black stallion looked totally out of place and nothing like Gregory Goyle. She was…cherubic, with a softly rounded face and black, gently curling hair. Her deep blue eyes welled with tears as she dropped the reigns and threw her fragile little body at her mountainous brother who caught her easily. He held her in one arm and minimized his trunks with the other, not bothering to go through them.

“Firstly, I honestly don’t care,” he said when asked. “And secondly, Mother packed them so everything will be where it should. That’s her way. All that’s really important is Gwen and Diablo, though.”

Willow was shaky but managed to teleport them to the Zabini mansion before deciding she needed a break.

“Don’t worry. I need time to pack mine and Briar’s things, so you’ll have plenty of time to rest. Mother was serious when she said she wouldn’t be here,” Zabini said, helping her to a settee in the sitting room that looked like it had never been sat on before.

Zabini sent Millie and Pansy to collect Briar and her things while he, Malfoy, and Goyle packed his. He declined any help from the Council members, asking them to instead watch over Magda and Gwen. Apparently, his mother had put several nasty hexes on things to keep her children out of her possessions. They all returned moments later, Briar sleeping in Pansy’s arms and Blaise looking more than a little stunned.

“Beaney packed all of our things for us,” Blaise said incredulously. “And Mother didn’t even tell him to.”

“Beaney wants the Master and little Mistress to be safe. Safe is nots here anymore, so Beaney packed for them sos they could leave quicker,” the ancient looking house elf said.

Blaise just nodded, his face a show of confusion. Having someone do something just to keep him safe was a relatively new concept.

“Time to go home,” Willow said softly.

She managed to get them just outside the wards of the Council and collapsed under the strain of using too much magic in non-life-threatening circumstances. Adrenaline usually helped push her along but this had been force of will only. Xander caught her as she wilted. Everybody began the long trek to the castle the Council called home.

They’d barely gotten through the front door when they were hit with a hail of questions. The Slytherins were sure they should be surprised to see the Golden Trio, plus the littlest Weasel, Longbottom, and Lovegood but they weren’t. The Good Six, as Bellaserra had dubbed them the instant she saw them all together, had become fixtures at the Council just as the five Slytherins had. No one, most probably especially the people at Hogwarts, managed to understand them as well as the people of the Council.

The two Weasleys and Lovegood had lost their parental figures, along with all of the Weasley siblings except Bill, in blitz raids made by Death Eaters. Bill had been attacked by Fenrir Greyback and left for dead in one of his pyramids in Egypt just days before his transfer to the England branch of Gringotts would have gone through. Bill had gone quite mad during his first full moon as a partial shapeshifter. He didn’t trust himself around anyone, especially the last of his family. Bella’d already said she couldn’t bring them, or Potter’s parents back, because that would shift their destiny. They could ask for Sirius Black or Remus Lupin back but they had to figure out for themselves how to word the request. The effort it had taken for them not to call down curses had been visible. So the Council, with its extensive band of bonded misfits, had become a welcome respite for all of them.

Giles calmly shooed everybody off, telling them, “They need to settle in, not answer so many blasted questions.”

They were shown to rooms just down the hall from the Orphan’s Club since, Spike decided, they were now members. The rooms were utilitarian but Giles promised that they would be allowed to decorate as they saw fit. Gwen, Magda, and Briar were tucked into the tiny guest room in Xander’s suite since Greg, Blaise, and Millie had to go back to Hogwarts on Monday.

It would be one of their more unusual weekends as they were more fully integrated into the Council. Before, they’d been on the perimeter. Now they had front row seats to every battle for good on Earth. And they had the common sense to be good and afraid.

……………………………….

Bella showed up on Sunday glowing, ready to take on more wishes. She chose the Good Six to go next. They huddled around her, everyone else waiting a respectful distance away.

“We’ll see where they take things,” she said. “We’ll go slowly and I’ll make sure to get each wish just right. First, you tell me what you wish for, then I’ll arrange the wishes in the easiest to manage order.”

Each told her their wish and she started to grey in the face. “Couldn’t any of you wish for anything easy? Anything that wouldn’t have me having to ask the Watcher if it’s alright, not going to upset him too badly?”

They all shrugged and she sighed. She blinked over to Giles’ corner and conversed quietly with him. He made very sure she was clear on what would be acceptable before waving her off. As she blinked back over to them, he waved Gunn and Buffy over to his corner.

“Neville’s first, then,” She said. “You can expect her not to react all that well. You may even want to ask the Council if they’re up for taking on more kids. Make your wish, Neville Longbottom.”

“I wish my Gran could understand that I need to help instead of hiding away,” he said after a moment’s hesitation.

Bella nodded and said, “Granted,” before she disappeared again.

Seconds passed before there was a loud crack and Neville’s grandmother was standing in the Council dining room. Her eyes welled when she met his gaze. “I understand. I truly do. But I can not support you in this endeavor. I lost your parents and I can not stand by and allow you to cast yourself into this corner. But I know I cannot truly stop you either. Therefore, you will need to find somewhere else to call home. The Longbottom home is no longer yours.” She disappeared with a loud crack and Neville shifted his shocked gaze from where she’d been to Mr. Giles.

“You’ll be welcome here for as long as you like. Charles will, with your say so, draw up the papers to make you a ward of the Council,” Giles said softly, soothingly. He’d grown too used to parents casting aside their children when they found they were heroes and would suffer thusly. He barely even got angry anymore.

Neville nodded. “She needed to know, to prepare herself. She didn’t for mum or dad and she almost died of shock,” he murmured. Hermione, Ginny, and Luna patted him soothingly.

Bella popped up, not looking altogether happy. “Luna Lovegood next. Your wish?”

Luna tilted her head, thinking and rethinking her decision before she nodded, accepting her original declaration. “I wish that our children be amazing and outstanding in whatever they choose to do.”

Bella’s mouth twisted as she said, “Granted,” then disappeared. She reappeared and handed Luna 30 crystals in a velvet bag. “These are nativitas crystals. Think of them as insta-babies. There’s one for each of you with your names inscribed on the side. All you have to do is add the blood of the person you want to share the child with and Ta Da! You’re pregnant. Your children were pretty much guaranteed to be Blessed anyway, this just assures that a.) you have a child and b.) they’ll be extraordinary.” She looked at Hermione and her face softened. “Hermione Granger, what is your wish?”

“I wish my parents were safe,” she whispered brokenly. She cursed the day she heard the prophecy foretelling her parents’ deaths should she not wish them safe.

Bella whispered “Granted” and disappeared.

“Granger, what the hell was that?” Malfoy asked. He had decided he didn’t like the broken look on the girl’s face. Anger was better, so much better.

She spun and gave him the anger he wanted, the broken look fading fast. “My parents are prophesied to die should I not wish them to safety and they in turn forsake me, in love, in life, in memory,” she spat, tears welling. She spun away and let the tears she’d been fighting fall. Willow pulled her into a tight embrace and she began to sob.

Bella returned, looking as unhappy as could be. “It’s done. They won’t remember they have a daughter that knows magic and no one besides those in this room shall remember that they exist. As far as the Wizarding and Muggle worlds know, you’re a ward of the Council,” she said glumly. “Ron Weasley, make your wish.”

“I wish to be the bearer of the scrolls of Ancestori,” he said, not altogether happily.

“Granted,” Bella said before disappearing.

“Bleedin’ hell, Weasley! Have you lost your bleedin’ mind!” Malfoy shouted. “Why don’t you just paint a fucking target on you chest!”

“Thanks, Malfoy, didn’t know you cared so,” Ron said sarcastically.

“I’m betting Mr. Giles is going to offer each and every one of you the guardianship of the Council. I happen to be a ward of the Council. I don’t fancy being blown to bits because you’re all special and shite,” Malfoy hissed.

“Watch you language,” Buffy said, wagging her finger. If one didn’t know her, it wouldn’t have been that threatening. Malfoy had the good sense to try to calm himself before he opened his mouth.

“They don’t have to take us in iffin’ they don’t want to. And I figure they know the risk,” Ron said wearily. “But we need the scrolls. Someone has to play bearer to them. Harry’s going to be busy trying to kill You-Know-Who and Hermione’s muggleborn. The scroll bearer has to come of Wizarding lineage. We agreed that I would be the one to do it.”

“Why do you need the scrolls?” Zabini asked suspiciously. There were only three things a wizard could do with the scrolls. One was to check their lineage, which could be done several other, safer ways. The second was to create a bond so thick there was no severing it, it followed the bearers into the afterlife. The last was what would interest Voldemort and make a target of Weasley: the ability to pull the magic from an entire family line of witches and wizards.

“We’re going to do something eternally stupid and try the bond,” Ginny said snidely. None of them actually thought it would work. To start with, they were a few members short. Plus, they may not be magically strong enough to forge the bond to start with.

“Fuckin’ hell,” Zabini whispered. “You’re all suicidal. There’s not been a Merlin’s Pact successfully formed in a millennium, you lot are the Wizarding world’s last hope, and you’re going to try some kind of kamikaze run at it.”

“We’re going to fucking well do what we have to plant the fucker that fucked up our lives irreparably into the ground for good,” Harry hissed. Since Sirius, Remus, and the Weasleys’ deaths, he’d taken to cursing as much as possible when upset. It was a better outlet than yelling at the others who were still reeling from their own losses.

Buffy smacked the table to get their attention and it crashed to the ground. “I asked you all to watch your language. There are young, impressionable people present and if you don’t watch what you say, you’ll be going one on one with me on the training mats. Without your wands,” she finished angrily.

Bella popped in at that moment, looked around and said, “If I’m interrupting something, I can come back later.”

“No,” Buffy said, flicking her eyes over the contrite bunch of witches and wizards in front of her. “I think it’d be best if we just kept going.”

Bella, with a bit of ceremony, handed Ron a fat tomb. The minute he touched it, his eyes began to glow. He sucked in air then let it out in a rush. The glow faded.

“The scrolls grant you the right to be their bearer,” Bella said, sounding relieved. “I couldn’t make you an appropriate bearer, by the way. Totally too much magic embedded in it. Too much history to try to change. It chose you on your own merit.”

“Wicked,” Ron breathed, looking down at the tomb. It disappeared, then reappeared. “Well, that’s handy,” he said.

“I take it that you’re making it do that,” Giles said dryly.

“I was thinking that it might be nice to be able to hide it sometimes,” Ron explained. “And it just disappeared. And, if I think about it, I know where it’s at.”

“Why, if they’re called the scrolls of Ancestori, are they one fat book?” Kit asked, puzzled, scratching an itch on her chin.

“Because they have magic all their own. They can choose the form they take. They usually choose whatever form the bearer is used to receiving written information in,” Hermione spouted off, recovered from her weeping fit.

“Oh,” Kit said sheepishly. “I probably should have guessed that.”

“Ginny Weasley, your wish?” Bella asked, relieved that she hadn’t damaged the Granger girl too badly.

Ginny sighed, then said, “I wish for the Book of Merlin that contains the bonds spells and potions.”

Malfoy let out a high pitched whine as Bella said, “Granted,” and disappeared.

“You lot are intent on getting yourselves killed, aren’t you?” he hissed.

“It does us a fat lot of good to have the scrolls and not the book,” Ginny hissed back. “One ingredient isn’t going to do us any good if we don’t have the instructions on how to make the bonds.”

Malfoy snapped his mouth shut as Bella popped back into the dining room and handed the young, slight girl an ancient book that staggered her with its weight. The damned book was two feet long, over half a foot wide, and a foot across. The Scrolls of Ancestori disappeared and Ron lifted the heavy burden from his sister.

“Last wish for the Good Six,” Bella said, reluctantly turning to Harry. “Harry Potter, name your wish.”

Harry sighed. He’d talked this over with the girl, but he still wasn’t sure he was going to get what he wanted from the wish. “I wish that Dawn Summers had brothers.”

“Dawn, Mr. Giles says I need your permission to grant this wish,” Bella said.

Dawn nodded, but still asked, “How many brothers are we talking about here? And how far back would they be in our memories?”

“I don’t know. For this one, I’d merely be acting as an avatar of the Powers. This would be Their way of bending the rules without breaking them,” Bella said, a little frustrated. “I’d bring them all back if I could, weave an entire new history. But the consequences, oh the consequences. You would reap so many bad consequences. So the Powers will act through me, deciding how many and which ones shall return at what age and how you remember them. Subtlety is what makes the difference between me and them. They play one game forever and I only stick to one game until the consequences run out.”

Dawn looked to Giles and Buffy and must have gotten some signal that no one else caught because she said, “I agree to have brothers.”

She barely got the words out of her mouth when wind and bright green glowing lights formed around her, pushing everyone away from her. The force of the wind and light grew until she couldn’t be seen. It finally began to wane and where there’d only been a girl, there was more. She was clutching the hands of two little redheaded boys and was flanked by two boys her own age, one with coal black hair and the other with light brown hair.

“You said we couldn’t wish for them back,” Ron said hoarsely, staring at two redheaded boys that had been his twin brothers Fred and George.

“And none of you did,” Bella said wearily. “The Powers sent back those that would not warp the balance too badly. And they’re not exactly your brothers anymore. They may have started their lives as Weasleys but now, they’re Summers’. Just like Remus and Sirius are Summers now. They still have the genetics that make them your brothers but they also have genetics that make them theirs. And you should be getting memories that say that they’re the Summers sisters’ brothers. You won’t forget that they were yours but you’ll also remember them as theirs.”

“This is one of those times that I really hate trying to understand the way magic users think,” Xander muttered. “I mean, I’ve heard some faulty logic before, but this has to take the cake. They’re theirs but they’re ours. They’re ours but they’re theirs. Where do they get this shit from?” He stopped when he noticed he was being glared at from several different directions. “What? You’re saying this makes sense to you?”

“They could not come back as they were,” Bella said angrily. “There had to be something different about them first. This will be their second chance at life. And before you ask, no, you cannot make a similar wish for your fallen to return. You would be changing not only the destiny you have all set into motion, but theirs as well.”

Everybody stopped when Sirius stepped in close to Harry. “I remember you,” he said, American accent where there had been British. “I remember you as my godson.” He turned slightly and looked at Dawn, who’d stepped up to his side. “But I remember you as my sister,” he said, obviously a little confused.

“Magic,” Dawn shrugged. “What’re you gonna do?”

Sirius smirked at her. When he looked at her, he remembered. He remembered stealing her dolls. He remembered their mother telling them bedtime stories. He remembered hitting boys for making her cry. When he looked back at Harry, he remembered him too. He remembered changing his diapers. He remembered loving his mother and father. He remembered seeing him on his broom for the first time. He couldn’t tell which memories were more precious to him. He just knew that, in some way, they were both his.

Remus stepped to Dawn’s other side. Sirius had, even in his past life, been as a brother to him. And Harry was to be loved and protected in both lives. But Dawn was new to him. He’d never had a sister in his other life. But he remembered having one in this one. She was part of his center in this life. He and Sirius boxed many a boy’s ears for just looking at her funny. And she reminded him so much of a girl from his past life that he’d loved in much the same way: Lily. Strong and resilient and independent, she didn’t really need her brothers to protect her. But she let them, anyway.

“Why did Sirius and Remus come back as teenagers and Fred and George come back as… how old are they?” Ginny asked, looking at the little boys that were sort of her brothers.

“Sirius and Remus are the same age as Dawn. Fred and George are six. And they came back this way to relive life again but still be partially who they were,” Bella answered.

Ginny nodded, still watching the two little boys who had yet to let go of Dawn. They spotted Buffy, shrieked and darted for her. She caught them like she’d been doing it her entire life, then realized what she’d done and froze. She sighed and cuddled the two little boys to her. “Will they still be wizards? Will Remus still be a werewolf?” Buffy asked.

Bella nodded, saying, “They’re all still wizards. Remus is still Moony and Sirius is still Padfoot. They may have some extra talents that comes along with being your brothers but they are still who they were.”

Buffy nodded. “Just checkin’.”

“I can do more wishes tonight, if you like. Or I can wait, let things settle,” Bella said.

Everybody looked to Giles, who looked thoughtfully around at everybody. “I believe it would be best to simply finish all the wishes you can do tonight. We’re not going to be truly settled until all the wishes are done,” he said.

Bella nodded. “The Orphan’s Club next, then.” She turned towards the largest cluster of them. “Despite their acceptance into the group, that does not include either the Good Six or the Slytherin five. Nor does it include any of the people that will be brought back. I wish to hear each of your wishes and to do them in the easiest order, so, if you will gather round?”

She listened as each spouted their wish, swallowed and finally popped over to Giles’ corner. He listened carefully, clarified a few things, and sent her back to the group. He spoke with Gunn, who was having his work cut out for him trying to keep up with all the added paperwork each new person created.

Bella stood facing the group of anxious kids. “Andrew Wells. What is your wish?”

“I wish that we had proof of the Powers’ favor and trust, like the ladies of old gave of their knights,” Andrew said pompously.

“Ya don’ think being given wishes is proof enough?” Spike asked.

“Granted!” Bella called over the ensuing argument and disappeared. She reappeared seconds later, sheet white and visibly shaken. Everyone stopped talking, stopped everything. “The Powers send the Council this, the last Zmeuzmey. It has been in the Upper Realms, as the Powers That Be will often collect the last of a species and keep it for all eternity. That they release this into your keeping speaks of great trust. As you, Andrew Wells, are still personally on a path of redemption, the Powers believe you should choose who the primary guardian of the being is. You may ask the Watcher what it is.”

Everybody looked at Giles who was studying the bundle of blankets in Bella’s arms. “The Council was never certain exactly what they were. Some would say it was a dragon. Others would say it was a man with wings that breathed fire. Others still said it was a man that changed into a dragon. Whatever they were, the Council always looked down upon them and ordered them to be given death sentences should we ever encounter one.”

“Yeah, but they said the same thing about vampires with souls and Slayers that took too long to heal,” Spike said derisively. “What the Old Council said weren’t always right and you know it better than most, Watcher.”

“Indeed I do, Spike,” Giles agreed calmly. “I was merely relating information. I would be interested, though, Bellaserra, to know why the Powers would hand over the last of anything to the Council, especially the last Zmeuzmey.”

“They knew you’d ask and They said to tell you that it was to show that They knew They could trust you to show mercy, to still your hand, whereas the Old Council would not have,” Bella said, obviously still a little overwhelmed. She seemed to be trying to hold the bundle without pulling it close to her, either afraid or appalled.

“Andrew, the lady asked you to choose a guardian. As it seems to be distressing to her, please choose quickly,” Giles said.

“Xander,” Andrew blurted, glancing at the now shocked man. “Xander should guard it.”

Bella quickly handed Xander the bundle and excused herself. The blankets fell away to show the face of a sleeping infant. The baby blinked awake and showed slitted pupils that rounded out as it looked at the face above him.

Most of the girls cooed at the tiny blue eyed, raven haired baby. Xander looked at Giles, panicked, and asked, “What do I do with it?”

“As Andrew named you guardian, you raise it,” Giles said. “I would suggest finding out if it’s a boy or a girl, then naming it.”

“Okay,” Xander said, confused. “How do I raise it? As a son or daughter or a potential enemy or what?”

Giles sighed. “I don’t believe the Powers would have given him to us if he would turn out evil. But all babies, human included, have the propensity of being good or evil. So raise the child as your child, Xander. It was a gift from the Powers That Be.”

A quick peek under the cloth diaper revealed that it was a boy. A loud and furious argument over what to name flowed until Xander called, “Jesse! Jesse Kellen Giles Harris. That’s his name.”

Bella popped in twenty minutes later surrounded by bags of things. “For the baby,” she said. “The Powers think it’s not a good idea to hand you the baby and leave you unprepared.” She appeared to be trying to put as much space between herself and the baby as she spoke.

“Bella,” Giles drawled smoothly. “Is there any particular reason why you keep backing away from the child?”

Bella gulped, then said, “His skin, it is poison to my kind. Even idly brushing past it may be deadly.”

“Ahh,” Giles said. “There’s nothing in the supplies you brought that could be harmful him, is there? He’s Council now. If he dies because of something you did or something you didn’t tell us, you’ll have the entire Council hunting your head.”

“The Powers were most clear on their position on things and they frighten me a bit more than you, Watcher,” Bella said. “You raise him as human and he’ll naturally learn the rest. And my skin is just as much poison to him as his is to me. I’m being wary for the both of us.”

Giles nodded. “Just making sure.”

Bella nodded before saying, “Now, Dawn Summers, what is your wish?”

Dawn took a deep breath then said in a rush, “I wish all the prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled and are still viable concerning my friends and family were here, in a single book in a language I have a chance at translating in a timely fashion.”

Bella nodded, said “Granted!” and disappeared.

Everyone wait quietly the minute and a half she was gone. She returned with a book with less than 100 pages. “These are all the prophecies that in any way mention you, your friends, or your family. Don’t expect it to be any great help. There are still apocalypses that will happen that don’t necessarily have any of you attached to them that’ll you’ll still be instrumental in stopping.”

Dawn nodded as she took the slim volume. She snorted as she flipped it opened to the first page. “I didn’t mean that it had to be English, ya know.”

Bella just shrugged. “If they were going to gather them all together, they may as well make them easily understood. Jordan Ozbourne, your wish?”

“I wish that Oz, Remus, and I could control ourselves when we change,” Jordy said.

Bella nodded, “Granted!” and pushed her hand into his chest, causing him to gasp. She repeated the action with Oz and Remus. “You will have control of yourselves when you are in wolf form. The Powers see fit to change you to a more pure wolf than to leave you as werewolves.”

“Ow,” Jordy complained, rubbing where her hand had met his chest. He could feel the difference in his beast now. Oz and Remus were nodding in agreement.

“A little warning,” Oz said.

“Connor Angel, your wish?” She said, ignoring all the whining.

“I wish my father could have another miracle child, one that he would be able to raise himself,” Connor said softly.

“Granted,” Bella said kindly. She walked towards Angel and smirked. “Going to have to get a little personal. Sorry.” She grabbed him by his jewels and sent a surge of electricity through them, causing him to yelp in pain.

“Chao-Ahn, your wish?” Bella asked after she’d finished gloating at the cringing man.

“I wish they could understand what I’m saying and I them,” she said in her native tongue.

“Granted,” Bella answered. She waved her hand and a circle of light emanated from around Chao-Ahn’s head.

“You can all understand me?” She asked.

Dawn squealed and swept the girl up into a hug. “Yes!”

Chao smiled. “Good.”

“Rona Indigo, your wish?” Bella asked, on a roll.

“I wish my grandmother would let my brother and sister come live with me under the guardianship of the Council,” She said reluctantly. What she wished most was that her grandmother could love her despite the fact that she was a slayer. But she could understand. Her grandmother had lost both of her children before they turned thirty and had to raise her three grandchildren. Watching another fight for a living wasn’t going to be easy on someone of such fragile health. But her grandma was sick and the state had taken the kids away. They would be safer here at the Council than in foster care.

“Granted,” Bella said calmly, disappearing.

Faith wrapped an arm around the younger girl’s shoulders. Bella returned, holding the hands of a seven year old girl and an eleven year old boy. They both threw themselves at their sister. Bella handed Giles a batch of papers. “She was so high on painkillers, she signed everything without a fight. She won’t live long enough to argue about it in court,” Bella said for his ears only.

Bella turned and faced the rest of the Orphan’s Club. “Half finished. Carlos Vega, are you ready to make your wish?”

Carlos nodded, saying, “I wish I was Carlos Vega Summers, adopted son of Joyce Summers and ward of Buffy Summers.”

Bella smiled and said, “Granted!” A poof and a stack of papers landed in Gunn’s lap. “All the paperwork’s been filled out properly. All you have to do is file your own copies and make the officials aware of the fact that you ‘found’ a copy of that which had been lost with the Sunnydale servers.” Gunn nodded his thanks and Bella said, “Wednesday Addams, your wish?”

“I wish Xander Harris was my cousin so that no one can make me leave the Council,” the grim girl said.

Bella popped behind Xander and pulled out a hair and, ignoring his yelp, popped behind Wednesday, pulled out another, called “Granted,” and disappeared.

Xander, massaging his head, said, “Wednesday, you know we’d never let anybody take you away if you didn’t want to go. And I figured if you’d want anybody for family, it would’ve been Faith or Spike. But I’m flattered and welcome to the non-glorious Harris clan.”

“Perhaps you are being welcomed to the Addams’ family, instead,” Wednesday said, giving her Mona Lisa smile.

Bella popped up and said, with some surprise, “It wasn’t actually that much of a stretch. He was your third cousin twice removed on your mother’s side, anyway.” She handed Gunn another stack of papers. “It was all in writing that the next of kin should support the Addams’ heir and that would be Xander Harris, what with all the other Addams’ being dead.” She shrugged when everyone glared at her. “Katherine Horvath, make your wish.”

“I wish that Hank Summers was my father so I could legally be the ward and sister of Buffy Summers,” she said quietly. Both she and Carlos had been staying, illegally, at the Council with no real ties to it. It had been a worry for them.

“Granted!” Bella called, snitching one of Kit’s hairs and disappearing. She reappeared seconds later, handing Gunn another stack of papers. He was beginning to give her the evil eye, knowing she could damn well file the things herself in less time but was choosing not to. “Daniel Doyle, what do you wish for?”

“I wish my sister Fiona was alive, healthy and the ward of Rupert Giles,” Danny said nervously. He was afraid that the others had only reacted as well to him because he was the son of one of their fallen. His sister was just as Other as he was and didn’t have the protection of being a Doyle.

“Granted,” Bella said quietly. She disappeared after glancing at Giles.

“Danny,” Giles said calmly. “We will accept your sister, Danny. You needn’t be afraid just because she’s not simply human.”

Danny nodded, looking him in the eye. “She’s half elven, a quarter human, and a quarter trichton, Mr. Giles. None of those components react well with the other. She’s lovely, but sometimes her temper can get the better of her,” Danny warned.

“I knew that before I agreed to have her here, in our home, Danny. Your mother told me before she asked if you could stay here what you were, that you had had a sister and what she had been,” Giles said, cleaning his glasses. He was worried about the girl, but only in the way he worried about all the younger children that came through his doors and were faced with lives of violence and death. It could warp the most innocent into the most blood thirsty.

Danny nodded, relief clearly on his face. Bella returned, carefully cradling a lovely little girl. She had curling auburn framing a delicately beautiful face. Even if he hadn’t known, Giles would’ve guessed she had fae blood running through her veins. Her eyes were the sharp, vibrant green of her brother’s. She couldn’t have been more than two, either.

She smiled and reached her chubby baby arms towards her brother. He swept her into his arms and squeezed her tight, making her giggle with glee.

Bella, smiling, turned and said, “Caridad Ramirez, your wish?”

“I wish my brothers Jaime and Felipe and my sister Pilar were alive and here under the guardianship of Rupert Giles,” the girl said, thrusting out her chin. She had asked Mr. Giles if he minded taking them in. He had patted her cheek and given her a look that said she’d just been particularly stupid and said of course not.

Bella sighed, nodded and said, “Granted,” and disappeared.

“Easy, Cari,” Buffy murmured to the tense girl as time passed. When Bella returned with the three little kids, Caridad pounced, sweeping them all into tight hugs and babbling Spanish, tears running down her face.

While Caridad celebrated, Bella turned to Vi and said, “Violet Day, what is your wish?”

Vi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, “I wish that Tobias and Eli were alive and here under the guardianship of Rupert Giles.” She had been raised by her Watcher. He had married, only to divorce a year later, but his wife had born him twin sons. He had gotten custody of them and they had been slaughtered along with her Watcher by the Bringers.

“Granted,” Bella nodded, and disappeared.

Vi tucked herself in close to Giles as she waited for Bella to bring the boys back to her. When Bella returned, holding each of the four-year-olds by a hand, Vi swept them up as they chortled with joy.

Around the merriment, Bella turned to Giles and asked, “More wishes tonight or waiting for another day?”

“Finish them,” he said quietly. “There aren’t that many left. You may as well finish and be done with the whole business.”

Bella nodded and called, “L.A. next.”

Spike went first, saying, “I wish to be able to create and raise a few of my own miracle children.”

Bella granted his wish and repeated the process for Spike that she had for Angel. She turned to Angel and asked, “Your wish, Champion of L.A.?”

“I wish the happiness clause be null in void,” he said, blushing a little.

Bella smiled flirtatiously as she smoothed her palm over his chest to settle it over his not beating heart. “Granted,” she fairly purred before he felt a blinding pain wash through him. He came back to reality on his knees, drawing deep, unneeded breathes.

“Ow,” he whined.

Bella, rolling her eyes, turned to Illyria. “Your wish, god-king?”

“As you have stated that I will not be given a vessel that can handle my powers, I wish that I had not torn Winifred Burkle’s soul to shreds, that I managed to force her out some other way,” Illyria said stiltedly.

Bella nodded, almost bowing. “Granted,” she said before disappearing.

Illyria sucked in air then blew it out, bright lights flowing out with it.

Bella returned and said, “Her soul is whole once again and spared the pain of remembering being ousted from its body.” She turned and smirked at Gunn. “And you, Charles Gunn? What is your wish?”

“I wish that my aim always be true,” he said, a glint in his eye.

Bella’s smirked faded and she nodded slowly, looking him in the eye. “Granted,” she said quietly and disappeared. Gunn gasped as he felt something twist in his chest. Bella reappeared. “You cannot miss now, Charles Gunn. Be careful what you aim at.” Bella cleared her throat then sighed, “And finally, the Scoobies.” She looked at Giles, “You first, Rupert Giles. What is your wish?”

“I wish that the Council be able to provide for and protect this and future generations of members,” he said, smirking a little.

Bella frowned but nodded. “Granted,” she said, then gasped and disappeared.

“What did you do, Giles?” Buffy asked, bewildered.

“I just got an emissary of the Powers That Be to agree to provide for us, the members of the Council until there is no Council, since there is no way to seek payment from the governments of the world,” Giles said happily.

Bella returned, looking chagrined. She handed Giles a silver ring signet ring with a twisting silver Celtic knot for a center. “Your wards have been boosted by the Powers Themselves. That is all the protection they can provide you without tipping the balance too badly. Should the Council move, any wards placed will be reinforced by the Powers, so They say, so shall it be,” Bella said quietly. “There will be a healthy monthly stipend in your bank account from the Powers for provisions. That is all they can provide for you without tipping the balance too badly. Should the Council move, the Powers will be obliged to find a way to provide at least the basics of food for the Council’s bellies, a roof over their head, and clothing for them to wear. So They say, so shall it be.”

Giles nodded, contemplating the phrasing Bella had used, the emphasis on moving. His glance kept Dawn from questioning the demon, though. He didn’t want to upset anyone just yet.

Bella turned to the rest and said, “Willow Rosenberg, what is your wish?”

“I wish for books with the knowledge of the Guardians in a language that I can understand,” Willow said, carefully watching Giles watch Bella.

“Granted,” Bella said and disappeared to return seconds later with three large trunks. “I wish you good luck in your endeavor to gain the knowledge of the Guardian.” Bella said honestly before turning to Oz. “Daniel Osbourne, your wish?”

Oz studied her for a moment then shrugged. “Wish I could play the guitar.”

Bella’s face went blank for a second and then she grinned, only slightly maliciously. “Granted.” She disappeared.

Oz hissed and tugged at his shirt sleeve, pulling it up to see a lyre resting in the middle of the sun. “Wow,” he mumbled. “That’s irony for you.”

“Huh?” Buffy said articulately.

“That’s the mark of Apollo, god of music, among other things,” Giles said, furiously cleaning his glasses. “The irony is that Apollo was also consider the god of the sun and Oz as a Werewolf would be more apt to worship Artemis, Apollo’s twin, goddess of the moon.”

Buffy nodded just as Bella popped back into view and handed Oz a guitar case, “A gift,” she said and turned to Xander. “Alexander Harris, your wish?”

He moved in close to her and asked her to mask his voice before saying, “I wish to know true love.”

He blinked and saw in his mind’s eye visions. Of yellow crayons and prom dresses. Of stuffed pigs and hair barrettes. Of guitar picks and cigarettes. Of leather jackets and eyeglasses. There was something that reminded him of almost every person in the room with him. A beautiful blonde was the last of the visions and she spoke. “You love them all, Xander, you love them true. Of course, you love them differently. Some you love like family while others you love with passion. You know true love, Alexander Harris. You’ve known true passion. There is no one girl in all the world, no one man that can fulfill you, though, that can make you truly happy. That is your gift and your curse. You were meant to love and be loved by many, the goddess of love, Aphrodite herself, so decrees it. You shall know eternal love. Just not with one person.”

Xander blinked, still looking down into Bella’s face. She smile softly at him and patted his cheek. “She’s something else, isn’t she? She showed you what you wanted to know, didn’t she?”

“Not exactly,” he said, mouth twisting wryly. “But I wasn’t that specific. And I got the point of the matter even if I didn’t get the details.”

“Oh,” Bella said, grinning widely. She leaned in close to him and whispered, “She’s playing with you. I’d look out for racy dreams if I were you.”

Xander blushed when he heard Spike choke off a snort. He turned to glare at him and was caught by the scent of cigarette smoke. He coughed and looked at his feet instead, blushing harder.

Bella, still smiling, turned to look at Faith. “You next, Faith Lehane. What is your wish?”

“But Xan didn’t get anything,” Faith said, a little confused.

“He did,” Bella said kindly. “He got the favor of an allusive goddess.”

“Oh,” Faith said, looking from Bella to the blushing Xander. “Must’ve been quick.”

Spike snorted with uncontrollable laughter as Xander rolled his eye up to the heavens.

“Make your wish,” Bella demanded, possibly not the brightest thing to do of the most volatile slayer.

Faith just arched one cool eyebrow, though. She mirrored Xander’s actions and walked in close to Bella and asked her for a little privacy. When Bella told her she had what she asked for, Faith said, “I wish the Powers would realize that our ‘Normals’ are just as good as their champions and act accordingly.”

“Accordingly was on a word of the day calendar, wasn’t it?” Bella asked before saying “Granted” and disappearing.

Faith sneered at thin air and clenched her fists. She turned to find a scarred man standing behind her. “They can’t see me or hear you,” he said calmly. “And we know. We do. We’re trying to make them Ours, We are. We just have to be careful how We go about these things. You know how it goes: Power corrupts. But to fulfill your wish, they will be getting something special. Something not for the Slayers or anyone else. You get to make sure everyone else keeps their hands off.”

He disappeared and Faith saw a box form in front of Giles, Gunn, Riley, Graham, and Xander each. “For you,” a voice that Faith recognized rang out. “For the Normals that choose to fight, a blessing from the Powers on behalf of the Dark Slayer.”

Faith blushed slightly even as she shrugged. “Don’t do you a whole lot of good to ask for privacy, apparently.”

Each of the men smirked and reached for their boxes. The steel lids hissed softly as they rose. Inside each box that was a beautifully crafted weapon that fit to each individual man. Xander’s was like the battle ax that he favored with a special sheath so that he might carry it on his back. The designs up the sides and across the blades breathed power. He gave it a spin and it sang for him, causing him to grin widely. Riley and Graham’s were daggers with leather wrist sheaths. Riley’s were made of silver with gold inlay, while Graham’s were made of some black metal. Giles reached into his box and pulled out a sword in an elaborately decorated scabbard. He studied the markings up the sides, grinning wildly. Gunn smoothed his fingers over the weapon laying in the box. He pulled out a bow made of wood but inlaid with silver. He pulled the taut string and it let out a wavering note.

“Buffy Summers, your wish?” Bella asked watching all the Slayers covet the weapons before them.

Buffy pulled her eyes from all the shiny, shiny weapons to focus on Bella’s face. “I wish that the First Slayer could Know, Understand, and Approve of my friends, my family, my life, and my deaths.”

“Granted,” Bella said quietly and disappeared. Everybody in the room gasped, lights flowing from their eyes and mouths. They gasped again and the lights faded. Bella reappeared, saying, “She Knows, she Understands, She Approves.”

Buffy nodded, rubbing her throat. She hated freaky light shows.

“Riley Finn, what do you wish for?” Bella asked knowingly.

“I wish I could do more to help,” Riley said warily. Demons made him nervous when they were sure they knew more than he did.

Bella smirked. “Graham Miller, your wish?”

Graham narrowed his eyes but said, “I wish I could help more in a fight.”

Bella smiled grandly, said “Granted,” and disappeared.

Graham and Riley fell to their knees gasping. They both clawed at their shirts, pulling at them to show a tattoo over their hearts of an owl, wings spread, perched on top of a helmet.

Giles hissed. “Athena has marked you as one of hers. She is your patron goddess,” he said warily. “She hasn’t chosen champions in…hundreds of years.”

“How’s this supposed to help us, though?” Graham gasped.

“She’s the goddess of war strategy, isn’t she?” Giles asked.

“Ow,” Riley complained, tentatively prodding the area around the tattoo and wincing.



Giles rolled his eyes and turned to face the new members of the Council. “We welcome those that were lost to us and are now found. And we offer the guardianship of the Council to any that might have need of it.”

He was speaking to the Good Six and they knew it. Ron looked at Ginny who looked at him pleadingly and nodded. Neville nodded gratefully. Luna smiled and her misty eyes sharpened, focusing on Giles as she nodded. Hermione nodded, saying, “The demon already assigned me to you. I have no arguments with staying here.”

Harry, looking at his feet, said, “Dumbledore may take issue with me staying here. There’s blood magic protecting me when I stay with the Dursleys.”

“Well, it’s piss poor magic,” Giles said, mildly affronted. Harry’s head shot up, his mouth hanging open. “It may well protect you from your dark wizard, but what’s to protect you from the Dursleys. No, if you wish to stay at the Council, I’ll make sure Albus understands that it was your choice to stay here and that he should respect that.”

Harry snapped his mouth shut and looked at Giles in wonder. He nodded, saying gruffly, “I think I should like staying here.”

Giles nodded, pleased. Harry reminded him far too much of some of his own children. Between the abandonment issues and the abuses, he covered some of their own hang ups quite well. “Wonderful,” he said, smiling.

Epilogue (a.k.a.: the Consequences)

Giles sat back in his chair, watching as the children, his children, laughed and squabbled. The new Council had faced many challenges in the past year since Bellaserra had granted them wishes. The Merlin’s Pact between the Good Six, the Slytherin five, Sirius and Remus had been a success, the first in a millennium. They had taken on the Wizarding World’s darkest witches and wizards under command of the Dark Lord and walked away victors. Voldemort was no more and the children, at the ripe ages of fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen, had fulfilled their destinies. The Wizarding World proclaimed them heroes. The only one they fought to take from the Council, however, was Harry, who had put an end to the notion by blowing a hole in the side of the Ministry in a fit of bad temper.

The two Senior Slayers were keeping secrets and everyone knew it. They were cranky and not sleeping well, leading Giles to believe that their Dreams of late were something especially upsetting. They would tell in good time, he knew. But still, he hoped they would hurry. Everyone around them was beginning to get cranky, too.

Last week, they’d stopped three minor apocalypses. The children had, as per usual, pulled several minor miracles out of their backsides and won the day. Now they were preparing for what was looking to be a calm, quiet summer.

Giles smirked. For all their whining about missing normality, they never did well during the season when the sun ruled and the dangers of the dark smoothed out to almost non existence. Funny that.