Harry

Harry


Buffy was stunned, to say the least. Here, now, sitting in front of her was a boy almost half her age whose life was almost as screwed up as hers. Her brother.

Despite everything she had just heard, the words sounded nice in her mind. Her brother.

Harry James Potter. Her brother.

She frowned. Both Harry and Dumbledore had exposed so much to her. Harry had practically bared his soul to her. She had heard the pain in his voice when he talked about his godfather, the way his nostrils flared when he talked about Voldemort. And the overall sorrow in his eyes the whole time.

But it was nothing compared to the pain she felt. The bite in his voice didn’t compare to hers. The pain in his eyes was nothing against hers. The sorrow and hurt and loneliness he had felt the past year were just a glimmer of the way she felt every moment of every day.

She felt like she needed to tell him. The two wizards sitting across from her had opened up this world of magic to her, a world that differed from the one she lived in, and she felt bad for hiding her own magical aspects.

They sat across from her smiling, expecting.

She stared back.

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat.

“Miss Summers, what do you intend to do now?”

“Uh, I’m not sure. I think I need to go to bed soon.”

He chuckled, “I mean about young Harry here.”

She thought for a minute. “Giles told me that right now is summer for him. And I was thinking that maybe, I mean, if he wanted to, he could come and stay with us for a little while.”

Harry grinned. He turned to the professor. “Can I?”

Professor Dumbledore smiled. “I don’t see why not. After all, Miss Summers is your closest blood relative. You should be extremely safe with someone like her.” He turned to Buffy and winked at her.

Buffy started. That had been laced with double meaning, and the wink had not been lost on her. Dumbledore knew. He knew she was the Slayer and that Harry should be safe in her care. She resisted the urge to snort.

She grinned. “How soon can we leave?”

Dumbledore and Harry returned her grin. “Why as soon as possible. When do you think that would be?”

Buffy shrugged. “Whenever. This ticket of mine is round-trip. And I have enough money to buy Harry another one.”

“We can leave right now. Can’t we?” Harry turned to the professor.

“Of course Harry. I will escort you back to the Dursleys so that you can pack your things. We will meet you at the airport in say, two hours?”

Buffy nodded.

“Nifty.”

~Two Hours Later~

Buffy shifted nervously. She had called Giles and told him that she was coming. She had not mentioned Harry. In her head she had worked out an intricate floor plan. Six people, four bedrooms. Harry would make seven. Giles would stay in his room because he was Giles. Andrew would stay in his room, because no one wanted to room with him. Since Dawn was away at college, Buffy’s room was empty, so Willow would move in with her and Harry would take Willow’s empty bed in Xander’s room.

Maybe she should make Harry room with Andrew.

She laughed out loud.

“I see you’re in higher spirits.”

Buffy turned to face Dumbledore. “Where’s Harry?”

“He’s in the bathroom. Are all your affairs in order?”

Buffy blinked a few times before she comprehended the question. “Yeah. We’re boarding in about fifteen minutes.”

He nodded. “I understand if you’re not ready to tell Harry your secret. But I believe that he should know. Only you can help him understand”

Buffy stared thoughtfully.

Harry appeared at her elbow and set his bags down.

Buffy nearly jumped when she saw the large cage housing a snowy white owl at her feet.

She turned to speak to Dumbledore to find that he was gone.

She blinked. Harry smirked. “He does that sometimes.”

Buffy nodded.

The two of them wandered over to the seats to wait for their flight to board.

“So…that’s your owl, huh?”

Harry nodded. “Her name’s Hedwig. She was to fly as luggage.”

The owl hooted softly and fluffed her wings. She turned her bright yellow eyes on Buffy, vaguely reminding her of Tara. But then the moment passed and the owl was simply an owl again.

“I can’t wait to meet your friends.”

Buffy smiled. “From what I can tell, they’re quite like yours, just…mine.”

The woman over the PA spoke up calling Flight 28 to Cleveland, Ohio.

Buffy gestured for Harry to follow. She was good now. She was going home.

~

Willow Rosenberg was frantic. Buffy was coming back and she was bringing her brother. Well she hadn’t exactly said outright that she was bringing her brother but Willow knew that she would be. The Potter name was very well known in some of the circles Willow used to run in. She knew that the safest place for a kid like that was with Buffy, his sister.

She had been rushing around for the better part of the day making preparations. She had moved all her things into Buffy’s room leaving her half of Xander’s room empty. Xander had been pestering her with questions. But she knew that Harry was coming. Willow couldn’t wait.

Harry was a wizard. A real wizard. A real wizard with a wand and a hat and a robe and a broom. And Willow was just a Wicca. One who connected with the earth and didn’t believe in brooms. She could not wait until he got here. Maybe he could help her with Xander’s eye. It had been bugging her lately.

And she wanted to hear the story. The real story, the whole story from Harry. Not the ones in books or magazines or from the leader of a coven in England.

She practically squealed with excitement.

She checked her watch. Buffy and Harry would be at the door and in the house in approximately two hours and 14 minutes. That was enough time for Willow to bake cookies and brownies and make fudge.

Over the past couple of months, she had become very good at baking. She suspected it came from mixing potions, but she didn’t dwell on it.

Her magic skills had been improving and she was more comfortable performing bigger and more complicated spells.

Under Giles’ supervision and monthly visits from some of his friends, Willow believed that she had her magic under control now.

She fidgeted.

She paced.

She straightened the pictures on the wall.

“Willow. Calm down. It’s just Buffy.”

“No. It’s Buffy and Buffy’s brother.”

“What?” He shook his head. “She never said she was bringing her brother.”

“She is. I just know she is and-” The doorbell rang.

Willow squealed and ran to the door.

“Terribly sorry. I forgot my key. Thank you Willow.” Giles walked in, heavily laden with groceries and bags.

Willow sighed.

“I thought you were Buffy and Harry.”

Giles smiled and walked to the kitchen.

Willow turned to shut the door to fine it was already shut.

“You should really be more careful, Willow. Someone could just waltz right in.”

She squealed and attacked the Buffy sitting on her couch.

After two minutes of hugging, she leapt up. She ran behind the couch, looked under the couch, under the table, and around the room.

“Where is he!?”

She bounced on the balls of her feet.

“Who, Will?”

“HARRY!” She nearly exploded.

“How did you know?”

“Because he’s family. And you don’t let family fall through the cracks. Now where is he?”

“I made him wait outside.”

“Why?”

“Because I knew you’d get it. Did you move your stuff?”

“Of course.”

There was a knock on the door and a head poked in.

Willow sucked in her breath. His head was up higher than hers was, covered with black scraggly hair with glasses on the front of it. He was the spitting image of Buffy at 15.

“Can I come in now?”