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Chapter Text

Black hair and blue eyes, sharp and intelligent looked up from an angular teenage face. He was dressed in a business suit and standing outside of Wayne Enterprise getting ready to head back to the family Manor. The family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, was supposed to be picking him up at the butler's own insistence but he was unaccountably late. It had only been fifteen minutes so the teenager, Timothy Drake-Wayne, hadn't reached for the panic button yet.

The Wayne family members got kidnapped a lot in Gotham City on top of their night time extras. Unknown to the people walking past Tim on the street he was a member of the Gotham Vigilantes most commonly referred to as the Bats and Birds or the Bat Clan. Between the famous and rich civilian personas and the vigilante personas all of them had extensive training for when they were some how captured or kidnapped.

Alfred was late. Alfred was never late without some sort of emergency happening either before or after he arrived. It put Tim on edge.

When Alfred pulled up to the curb Tim quickly slid into the back of the car only to come face to face with a gun aimed right at him. The ugly mug of the idiot holding that gun grinned fiercely at him and leaned over without letting the gun waver. Doing so silently revealed a second gunman in the front seat holding a gun on Alfred.

"One word to anyone, even trigging one of the panic buttons you rich bastards tend to have, and you're both dead," the man said in a low growl. "You aren't our only pick up today with a very insistent invitation by our current boss. Who knows you might even get out of this unhurt if you play along."

"I understand," Tim growled, handing over his phone and watch only to observe the thug putting them both into a small lead lined box.

"Master Timothy, please do try to avoid getting injured. Master Richard is waiting for us with young Master Damian," Alfred informed him stiffly, pointedly ignoring the gun men.

"Just drive old man and be glad that we didn't have to take you out of the manor front door," the thug chuckled evilly. "Oh and the boss said to tell you both that if you get uppity then at least three schools get hit with a new mix of Joker gas. Play along and only the specially invited guests need to worry about the meeting. The gas gets neutralized when everyone's at the party in their proper place."

"Yes, Alfred, I understand," Tim said tightly.

Alfred gave a curt nod and started to drive.

Tim ran through everything he knew about the situation. He mentally cursed that most of the extended Bat Clan was either out of town or out of contact for various reasons. Duke was on a week long field trip so Signal wouldn't be showing up to help them. Damian and Dick were both already captured according to Alfred so neither Robin or Nightwing could show up. Tim's alter ego, Red Robin, couldn't do anything. Cassandra Cain, Black Bat, and Stephanie Brown, Spoiler, were out of town at a concert in Berlin of all places. That pretty much left Jason, the Red Hood but also the second Robin, and Bruce, Batman himself, to come to the rescue. Barbra Gordon, first Batwoman but was now known as Oracle, was part of the team but couldn't physically help due to how the Joker had paralyzed her.

This, whatever this was, was building up into being a nightmare for the entire Bat Clan and it wasn't even clear who had set this up yet. Tim hoped it wasn't going to be Ra's Al Ghul, Damian's grandfather, but the bastard had come back to life too many times after dying to really be sure he was actually dead this time. One of the Gotham Rogues could have set this up but the pointed comments about playing along and not trying to get away meant that this was definitely a move on the Bat Clan.

Tim fervently hoped that the clue of the Joker gas meant that some idiot had snagged some off of a shipment and tried to use it instead of Joker being the one to orchestrate all of this. Unfortunately, he knew the luck of the Bat Clan was never that good.

Alfred continued to drive.

~~~

Barbra Gordon sipped at her coffee as she logged in some of the library returns. The library had just closed for the day and she was doing this last stack of book returns before clocking out and rolling her wheelchair out to catch her ride to her other job as part of the night life. As Oracle she was the electronic eyes and ears of the Bat Clan and she did her absolute best to keep them alive or give them vital intel as they moved through Gotham defending her citizens.

The group of obvious career Goons that walked in through the employee's entrance ended her plans for the night. All thoughts of hot chocolate and a nice evening running the comms while reading a romance novel fled as she watched them approach.

"Can I help you people or are you just lost?" Barbra asked smoothly, brushing her brilliant red hair back behind one ear absently. "We just closed."

"I'm afraid we're your ride tonight, Lady," the lead thug said sympathetically. "The boss wants you at a little party he's throwing. He even sent along a party dress for you."

The thug motioned a few of the women in the group forwards to show Barbra a knock off version of a very familiar uniform. A uniform she once wore before the Joker paralyzed her with a bullet to her spine. Barbra went pale and met the eyes of the leader.

"We can do this the nice way or the hard way," the leader said sympathetically. "As far as we're concerned we just happen to be picking you up for a costume party. Goonion rules and all that. Anyone running in masks gets official ID split with no crossover barring something like the end of the world. The catch is that masks are the responsibility of the ones wearing it and only old hands find out about the rule. Sanity and confidentiality reasons. Bosses don't normally get told either but I'm trying to make this easier on all of us. I got telling you cleared and yeah, you can tell the Big Bat. It's mostly just an extension of reasonable deniability anyway."

"I see... Can I ask who tonight's boss is?" Barbra asked with an obviously forced neutrality.

"Not if any of us want to survive tonight," one of the women offered with a wince. "Sorry, hun. We also can't let you alert the big Bat. He's got his own special invitation and we don't know who else is supposed to be the bait, just that you aren't the only one getting a ride."

"Then let's get this over with," Barbra said quietly as she rolled towards the handicap friendly family bathroom.

The two women minions helped her into the Batwoman costume and mask before rolling her out to the van they had arrived in. Batwoman didn't fight or fuss as she was loaded inside and care was taken to load her wheelchair in the back. Barbra grimly reflected that this was not going to be a fun night no matter what anyone said.

~~~

Red Hood was stalking along his turf on one of his rare daylight rounds. He had gotten some worrying news after a near thirty-six hours of no sleep and no coffee. He was wired from lack of sleep and the Pit Rage left over from the Lazarus Pits screaming at him from the back of his skull making his head throb. The stupid pits were driving him closer and closer to murder again and he wasn't sure he would be able to stop them from just killing anyone who got in range. He was fighting back another surge of murderous green rage when they ambushed him. He was out cold before they dragged him into the dingy white kidnapper van.

~~~

Bruce knew something was wrong when Alfred never came back after supposedly picking up Tim and Damian. Unfortunately, no one else was answering his calls either. Or rather the first response wasn't from one of his family.

"Batsy! How nice of you to call. Unfortunately, your birdies are all a bit indisposed at the moment," Joker cackled from the speaker on the phone.

"Joker!" Bruce growled falling immediately into his Batman persona in the privacy of his currently empty home. The mad man was calling from the phone of one of Bruce's son's. Which meant that the bastard had Richard!

"Don't worry about it, Batsy! I made sure they are all dressed up nice for the party. The quality might not be what you are used to for their party suits but what can you do with only a few terrified tailors? Their work still turned out rather stunning if I do say so myself. You have one hour to show up to the party and I'll even leave one of the little birdy's phones on for you to track," the Joker cackled. "Come in your best party suit! I'm afraid I forgot to get you one special but we should still have quite the bang tonight."

Batman heard the phone hang up on the other end and immediately headed for the Bat Cave, phone in hand and ready to track down this party. He would get his family back and make Joker pay.

The Batmobile shot out of the cave, Batman behind the wheel, less than ten minutes later.

Upstairs in the Manor several people quietly broke in. Half of them were ninjas and half of them were in question themed uniforms.

"What is Joker even doing to get Wayne Manor so empty?" Riddler asked with a frown. "Our tests for the bats should be easy enough to set up but something is very wrong with all of this."

"Agreed," Talia Al Ghul said with a frown of her own as she joined the man who was one of the more clever Gotham Rogues. "This makes little sense. My beloved would never leave his home this vulnerable without a very good reason."

"I'm starting to think we might be on the wrong side in this particular game with the Bats," Riddler scowled. "What do you think about taking them from the Joker later? We can always play our games afterwards but it would do no good if they aren't physically or mentally up to playing."

"It is an interesting thought and one I am not adverse to," Talia said thoughtfully.

"Perhaps we should force them to rest," Riddler frowned again. "If we set it up right... Perhaps a week of an involuntary vacation? Organizing the others to step in for the bats might even work as well."

"No, my father would be pleased to have our men step in," Talia corrected. "A test in a different way for my beloved."

"You aren't from Gotham. It won't work," Riddler denying it with a shake of his head before briefly explaining. "The regular mobsters still don't get it and occasionally have to be corrected. Matching the Bats is not a simple thing and there is something of an unwritten code by this point between most of us and the Bats. The Joker doesn't play by any of the rules the rest of us do. Most of the time Harley is the one to give the rest of us a heads up or organize stuff with people for him."

"Odd, that wasn't in any of the briefings," Talia said with a frown.

"Part of that would probably be from the fact that once Bats figured out we were organizing certain unwritten rules he laid out some of his own," Riddler said dryly as he checked through a doorway to one of the parlors. "The League of Assassins and more specifically you Al Ghul's were to be referred to him. The rest of us just extended that to the fact that you aren't from Gotham and can't be treated as part of Gotham even if we occasionally work with you. It made an unofficial ban of sorts on giving your group certain information, especially since his warning to try to stay away from all of you indicated he had some sort of connection to your League."

"...My father, the Demon Head, considered him for his heir and was the one to approve Batman as my lover and eventual husband. That was before he left us after refusing to participate in one of the final tests. He still refuses to kill," Talia explained carefully. "If he would simply drop this ridiculous resistance to killing his enemies father would welcome him home with open arms. Instead he insists on trying to save this city instead of simply burning it to the ground to end the blight of corruption and evil."

"...I see," Riddler said very carefully. He had a horrible feeling that he had just learned one of the possible consequences of not having the Big Bat around.

"It is clear that you only wish for proper opponents so perhaps you can get through to my beloved where my father and I have failed," Talia huffed. "Now, where is my son's room? I have gifts to leave behind for him. The others my Beloved has adopted have proven themselves to be good choices but my father ensured that my son would only consider blood to be important in family bonds. I do hope that my Beloved has been successful in showing him differently."

"When we take the Bats back from Joker we can always find out," Riddler suggested very carefully. He knew full well that it was a weak cover for getting her to go along with the double cross of the insane clown.

"Perhaps," Talia said thoughtfully.

Then an idea struck as Edward Nygma, the Riddler, remembered overhearing one of Joker's goons talking about part of the plans for tonight.

"...Please tell me that your son is not the current stabby Robin?" Riddler asked in existential dread.

"Yes, he is rather fond of using blades," Talia mused. "Why? You were already aware of their identities as being here proves."

"Joker plans to whip Robin bloody to force the Bat into answering questions about something. I only remember it because I heard some of his goons talk about what might happen to force Batman into cooperating before he goes to execute them, starting from the youngest. Joker's not happy about having other people get between him and Batman with whatever games he sets up and decided to take some pieces off the board. I was trying to get you onside specifically so that we could show up before he killed another one of the Bat Clan since most of the outliers are unavailable or out of town so he only set up to capture the core of the Bat Clan," Riddler admitted in a rush. "Even if the Robin Joker killed came back as Red Hood we can't handle Batman going basically suicidal again."

Talia stared at him in shock and quickly building protective fury.

"Perhaps we should leave this part of the plans for later and gather allies?" Riddler suggested quickly. "We can show up in force and pull the Bats out before anything is done if we move fast enough and abandon setting anything up here."

Talia nodded shortly and started barking out commands in their unique version of Arabic. Riddler took that and started ordering his own goons back to the vehicles. He also pulled out his phone and started dialing numbers of some of the other Rogues.

Taking a different car than Talia Al Ghul the Riddler got the word out. If the Bat and the stabby Robin died then Gotham would burn under the hands of the League of Assassins. He had seen that clearly enough in Talia Al Ghul's expression before Edward had managed to suggest abandoning setting up their presents for the Bats. The Big Bat had refused membership in the League after all and still lived. If any of the Bats died tonight there was a good chance Batman would reprise his suicidal rampage from after Joker killed the second Robin. No one wanted to see that Batman again.

Chapter Text

"Danny, we need you to clean the lab! There's pizza money in the kitchen while we are away on our ghost hunt, okay?" A cheerful female voice called up the stairs.

A skinny twig of a teenager with blue eyes, black hair, and bags under his eyes to rival any college student studying for some truly vicious finals looked up from his homework with a sigh.

"Alright, Mom!" Danny called back tiredly. "Have fun."

"Oh we will, Danny boy!" A loud male voice boomed back up the stairs.

"Your sister should be back from tutoring by five. Behave for her and Vlad will check in on you both regularly," Mom called back cheerfully.

A few minutes later Danny heard the front door slam shut and the GAV raced out onto the street. The GAV was a converted camper outfitted like a tank but with Ghosts as the target and was officially called the Fenton Family Ghost Assault Vehicle. Most of Amity Park just considered it a monstrosity and a terror on the road considering how Jack Fenton, Danny's Dad, treated it like an actual souped up tank and everything to be off road wilderness. The local weather report even had a section on if Jack and the GAV were likely to be on the road that day. Of course with reports on Ghost attacks and the damage from them in their own section on the local news reports that wasn't exactly surprising either.

A light blue icy mist expanded in Danny's chest and escaped his lips after twenty minutes of doing homework. Danny groaned in annoyance and resignation before setting aside his work. He stood up and checked something before bracing himself for something.

"Going Ghost," Danny said firmly, triggering the magical girl transformation he had received when he got his powers.

White rings appeared around Danny's waist and split, running along his body in either direction as his form shifted from human teenager to ghostly Phantom. His eyes turned bright glowing green and his hair turned bright white while his skin went even more pale from the original pale shade. His clothes shifted from the original jeans, sneakers, and white plus red NASA logo t-shirt he always wore into a Hazmat suit without the helmet and mask. The Hazmat suit was primarily black with a white stylized DP logo on his chest. The gloves, boots, and belt along with the area around his neck were white.

"I hope it isn't one of my tougher regulars or a new one," Danny muttered as he allowed gravity to stop mattering in favor of floating up into the air. Sighing he phased through the outside wall of his room to float in the air just outside his second story bedroom window and look around for the ghost his misty breath had indicated was nearby.

"Daniel," an unwelcome male voice greeted.

Danny turned to face the other floating form. The male ghostly form had pale blue skin, red eyes, and a very vampire look about him. His hair was black with two horn shapes from the hair, one to either side, and a streak of silver grey down the center from his forehead to the back of his head. His white outfit wouldn't be out of place on the Emperor from Flash Gordon or some other fictional supervillain. From the white, nearly above his head, high necked cape with a red lining to the the white pull over long sleeve shirt with a black upsidedown triangle on the chest to the white slacks and boots it still gave off a very supervillain vibe matched with his red eyes and death toned blue-grey skin. The black gloves, belt, and boots gave the only other color contrast in his wardrobe. He even had pointed ears, a small black beard, and tiny fangs in his mouth but none of that distracted Danny who had seen it all before.

"Vlad," Danny greeted in pure teenage annoyance.

"I thought I should check in sooner rather than later," Vlad explained neutrally as he floated nearby. "We aren't normally on the best of terms but given the circumstances and the fact that I had absolutely no influence on your parent's trip, much to my annoyance, I thought it wise. I actually would have preferred if they stayed in Amity this month but I have had to scramble to adjust or scrap various plans, including anything you might term evil plans for you."

"Uh, okay? This is really weird but appreciated?" Danny said warily.

"I just don't understand why you won't renounce Jack and accept me as your mentor," Vlad grumbled.

"You want to kill my dad and marry my mom on top of making me your evil apprentice/son. That's just really wrong in my book and a bit too out there when we first met," Danny pointed out archly. "Yeah, we are both halfa's and I've now seen weirder connected to the Ghost Zone but I just can't get past the ick factor, plus, ya know, the evil factor. You used your ghost powers to pretty much steal money and companies and whatever from anyone you thought was worth the effort. I don't want to learn that or go that route. At all, Vlad. Frostbite says I'm a Protector Spirit and warned me that if I get hurt bad enough I have to figure out something that lets me rest while I protect."

"Frostbite?" Vlad asked with a frown.

"My ghost doctor. He's a Yeti in the Far Frozen Kingdom in the Ghost Zone," Danny explained with a sigh. "My point is that you repeatedly told me to stop being a hero and be your evil son/apprentice instead. I literally can't if I don't want to let my own core kill me to my second death. I have to protect. It isn't negotiable. I'm only telling you this because of the fact you are my nominal guardian while my parents are out of town and because of the whole clone mess with Danielle. I got her to not melt on her last visit but she still thinks you're a fruit loop as much as I do. How did you even get a girl clone from my weird DNA anyway?"

"She was the only one I mixed some of my own DNA with. I was born a chimera and apparently absorbed my twin sister in the womb," Vlad admitted. "The clones weren't supposed to be that... alive. I wasn't going to actually throw her away the way you both thought after that first fight but I didn't have a way to save her from melting like the others. Even if I had gotten your mid-morph DNA it would have taken me weeks to analyze it well enough for another set of clone attempts. I was hoping to either get a new more stable clone out of things that might actually survive or, however unlikely, get you to stick around if only to protect the clones from me."

"Why? Why did you even try to clone me in the first place?!" Danny demanded angrily.

"We are the only halfa's in existence from what I can tell, dear boy. I am increasingly aware that my obsession over your mother is... less than ideal. Unfortunately, it was a core part of me when I was exposed to the proto type portal accident in college," Vlad admitted with difficulty. "You also were changed with more normal genetics than mine."

"Who blackmailed you into actually explaining things to me?" Danny asked with a frown. "You haven't threatened me or attacked me or anything."

"You are aware that our type of ghost requires a certain amount of combat just for basic health? That the play fights you have been engaging in all over town since your parents portal was activated have been the equivalent of saying hello or minor disagreements?" Vlad asked with a frown. "Discounting the fights with various Ancients and Pariah Dark."

"No... I, uh, wasn't aware of that," Danny said nervously.

"...No one explained anything to you?! At all?!" Vlad demanded incredulously. "None of your ghost friends? Or even this Frostbite? Or the Ancient Spirit of Time that you seem to be on good terms with?"

"Uh, no," Danny said uncomfortably.

"Good lord, no wonder you keep meeting literally everyone who shows up and fighting them," Vlad groaned. "You are allowed to tell them no and if you do it the right way they will respect it unless they are actually around to cause trouble. If done right you can even probably get the true troublemakers to wait until after school."

"Not if it requires seriously hurting them like you did those animal ghosts, Vlad," Danny said stubbornly. "You maimed them and forced them into freaky amalgamations! They fit some sort of Horror movie pretty much perfectly once they were ghosts! Not cool, dude! You're like... like Lex Luthor to my Superman. Except I am in no way as good as Superman and you're my godfather..."

"I think you are vastly underestimating yourself but what do I know about teenage superheroes?" Vlad said sarcastically. They both heard a beep and Vlad checked something at his waist before returning it to the pocket he had pulled it from. "Butter biscuits. I have a meeting as Mayor to get to. Here, stop wrecking the credit cards I keep giving you and make sure you actually eat this week. If your parents are going to be out of town for longer I'll make arrangements for you and your sister to at least have another week's worth of clothes and food. You are both old enough to be left alone but I would really rather you both out of that death trap of a house. So since neither of you trust me please see if your friends will let you sleep over as much as possible this week or I can get you both a hotel room."

"Just this once," Danny warned, accepting the credit card.

"As for my obsession over Madeline... I don't know if you've noticed but when I focus on having some sort of close relationship with you it and my drive to kill Jack are... reduced. I believe part of it is knowing actually succeeding with them might lose me you completely. Since you don't know about certain health things for ghosts like us I need to inform you that our fights? They count as training in one way and enrichment activities in another. You are a baby ghost and I'm.... technically I count as something like a toddler," Vlad admitted with a grimace. "Compared to the effective life span of the others in the Ghost Zone it makes sense even if it is rather galling."

"If focusing on me stops you from going after my parents as much... Could we use that to shift your obsession?" Danny asked curiously.

"I don't know," Vlad said, spreading his hands helplessly. "If it lets me keep you... I'm willing to consider trying it but I would probably hyper focus on keeping you safe or something if we manage to shift it."

"I should drag you to Frostbite. Did you ever get checked by one of the Doctors in the Zone? Or just the human ones after the accident?" Danny asked thoughtfully.

"Just the human ones," Vlad admitted. "I did a lot of the study on ghost physiology myself and there were a fair number of things that didn't match between us as Halfa's and that of full Ghosts. You have to account for the human still living side of things as well as the ghostly side or you're in trouble. None of that is important right now though. We've gotten off topic for what else I wanted to discuss with you."

"What was that?" Danny asked suspiciously.

"The Ghost Investigation Ward is not happy at the Anti-Ecto Acts being repealed in the next months and losing their test bed of sorts. The Acts didn't pass muster when they came up for official review after being passed and since I slipped in the clause that they had to be ratified again every year for twenty years before they could become permanent and as such it was repealed. The Ghost Investigation Ward was not happy to discover that while they are still a Federal Agency they lost the right to officially go after and experiment or exterminate on anything involving Ectoplasm. That is they lost it except where they had managed to bully states and other local governments into putting in laws more favorable to them and reiterating the Acts as legal," Vlad explained.

"Like Amity," Danny said moodily, kicking at the air he was floating in as if he were standing on solid ground.

"Like Amity. Thankfully, nowhere else seems to be maintaining the laws making Amity Park a blind spot to the rest of the world in yet another way," Vlad said in agreement. "Unfortunately, the GIW noticed a pattern. They noticed that you, as Phantom, are heavily focused on your school and that many of the ghosts go straight there to face you."

"What did they do?" Danny asked in dread.

"They have legally ordered the entire high school to report to one of their larger bases for testing and have formally locked down the town," Vlad explained heavily. "Your parents were allowed to leave specifically so that they would be out of the splash zone as it were to be called on in an emergency while trapping you and Jasmine here as motivation. That leads me to believe that if nothing happens from the ghosts then they will make something happen to excuse what they are doing and justify anything... out of line or excessive they may attempt. I regret ever funding them to mess with you."

"Most of the town is too Liminal to pass their tests," Danny said in open horror. "That's not even counting what might happen if they check you, me, Jazz, Sam, or Tucker and we will all be at the top of their lists. You because of being Mayor, me and Jazz because we literally live on top of the stupid portal, with my friends being seen around Phantom all the time.... If they get Valerie too with her being Red Huntress and the weird way the ghost hunting gear you gave her was bonded to her by Technus.... It won't matter if I'm in Phantom or Fenton form and it won't matter if you are in Plasmius or Masters form. Human or ghost if they catch us and have any idea that we might fall under those Acts we are so dead."

"Exactly my concern," Vlad said grimly. "Just as a precaution I want your permission to potentially hire a number of ghosts to either fight the GIW or kidnap the town into the Ghost Zone. By being able to say that I have your permission more of them will take this seriously instead of another plan to play with you or cause trouble. Technically the entire town is your Haunt and I just live here under your sufferance according to Ghost custom because you are probably stronger than me even if right now we are roughly close in actual power if not experience."

"I don't think we are going to have any choice," Danny agreed with a slump of his shoulders. "Make sure they understand the humans are under my protection and I will fight for them if I have to."

"Not the GIW," Vlad warned. "If we do this they will be subject to Ghost justice. That's the part I was most worried about you having problems with. According to Ghost custom claiming the town as your haunt officially puts the residents as under your direct authority but they are also yours to punish if they do something to another Ghost. You would be held responsible for them. Officially, it's like having a pet but they are in a weird grey area because technically the living are not supposed to have official influence among the dead. We also can't claim or protect Jack or Maddie with their association with the GIW. Your link as blood family and the fact that the rest of the ghosts don't realize your situation with them is the only thing keeping them safe."

"Crud, okay," Danny agreed reluctantly. "What about you and any of the local ghosts that don't cause trouble?"

"Depends on age and power level," Vlad explained. "You are technically too young to have permanent subordinates but a lot of the blob ghosts stick around for your protection even with the risks from the GIW and other Ghost Hunters, like your parents. The fact that you protect the Ghosts as much as the humans has been getting around and some of the weaker ghosts have started talking about asking you to accept them as subordinates when they can. I only know about it because Skulker was very annoyed at getting trapped into explaining some things about Amity instead of coming back to hunt you again. He complained about it for a good half hour before we got around to our normal bartering for his services to mess with you at the time."

"Alright, I officially authorize you to get help from the zone," Danny said reluctantly. "No human deaths if possible. We can clean up the mess afterwards."

Chapter Text

Alexander "Xander" Harris hastily darted back around the corner as he listened to Principal Snyder harangue one of the school staff members.

"... deplorable lack of respect and you encourage them!" Snyder accused whoever it was.

"Hardly," the British voice of Rupert Giles, the school librarian and adult member of their little demon hunting group, responded. "You have no idea how often I need to remind them there are better ways to deal with something than finding some fool to burn the town down. They are far from stupid but harassing them when I give them less destructive options doesn't help. They are regularly harassed by the so called gangs on drugs that frequently kill many in the community. I think that it's a miracle they aren't dead yet and are actually willing to listen to any adult. The after school study group I use to keep an eye on them is working. I also refuse to censure them for defending themselves and the incidents you find most troublesome I do investigate. They are rarely the cause and in fact have stopped problems from becoming dangerous to the staff and students numerous times."

"I don't believe you!" Snyder practically screeched.

This, Xander decided, needed back up.

"What are you doing dork?" The voice of Cordelia Chase demanded, making him just slightly as he yelped in surprise while twisting around to face her.

The adult voices went quiet, obviously listening to them.

"Herr Snyder signed us up for kiddy duty," Xander answered a bit louder than he needed to. A look warned the narrow-eyed cheerleader not to comment on his volume. "I was going to complain to Giles and see if I could do a job for him so that I have money for the required costume. My parents drank away the food and rent money again so I have to scrounge."

Cordelia immediately clocked that whatever this was had to be serious for Xander to actually admit to parts of his home life so publicly.

"Like you'll make anything look good that you pick out, you dork," Cordelia shot back with a scoff. "I've got mine reserved at Party Town.

"Good for you," Xander growled. "I'm going to have to check out the new shop in town even if Giles does let me work for the costume money. Care to join us just to see what the competition is?"

"As if," Cordelia retorted. "I suppose you plan for some geeky He-man get up to not show off your abs. Pick something with decent coverage instead. Maybe try to get Rosenberg into something more daring than a sack or a lame ghost sheet."

"Look, I get that you're angry we wrecked your date last week but that guy was from out of town and had rap a sheet for rape, murder, and lots of other stuff. It was not worth walking away just to find you dead the next morning!" Xander scowled. "We didn't even know that he was going to be your date. He tried something with Willow's parents but they are out of town and found Willow at home. That's why we were out watching him. His creep factor had us scrambling to see if we needed to have a sleepover at Buffy's just so that he didn't get Willow alone. We had no idea he was anywhere near anyone else. I thought he had hired one of the hookers from down near the docks with the way he talked about his date before he picked you up."

"He... shit," Cordelia said as she put the pieces together with a scowl. "Alright, just for that I'll buy you a costume for the candy run tonight. Warn me the next time some serial killer or whatever starts hunting the students! If nothing else I can get the popular ones to start running everyone in groups and you guys can talk the losers into something similar. I get really sick of finding out only after cornering one of you dweebs once we've got the adults off our backs."

"Our cobbled together training is crappy compared to someone who deals with this stuff professionally but we can't get professionals in to handle it and when we lay things out the adults don't listen. If you can get the jocks to let us start adding to their training more of us might live to see graduation," Xander argued. "Look, we get how it looks but we're handling what we can with what we have while trying to pass school. Most people just don't see the threat. Buffy is the only one who hasn't lived in Sunnydale her whole life that's still alive after some of this stuff. It's like we are living in a special Monster Dinner or something with us being on the menu if they can catch us. We don't like it but keeping people alive trumps ignoring it to stay in anyone's good books."

"Wow, you really are upset. Just because everyone knows it doesn't mean you say it out loud!" Cordelia hissed angrily. "Why do you think some of us go for sports at all? It gives us a chance out of here and helps us to be able to run. We know, damnit! We just don't have another way to deal with it."

"Sorry," Xander apologized with a grimace. "It's been stressful lately and some idiots have been acting up since Halloween is an unofficial official day off for the monsters in the dark. Apparently the rest of us have made it too... tacky and Snyder just took away one of our only off days. We were originally going to head to Buffy's and have a movie night."

"Get your stuff from the library," Cordelia sighed. "I'll spring for some chocolate with the costume."

"Thanks, Cordelia," Xander said gratefully. He fetched his stuff and pointedly ignored Snyder and Giles standing where they could hear every word before leaving with the cheerleader.

~~~

Ethan's Costume shop was packed with students drafted for the trick or treating that night. Xander had no qualms about elbowing his way through the crowd and hunting down appropriate costumes for his group. It had taken a little convincing but Cordelia was willing to spring for costumes for most of their group in exchange for veto rights. Willow was back at the school helping the computer teacher, Miss. Calendar, and Buffy had split from them once they got to the shop.

"Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation when you entered my shop," a man said approaching the pair of them. "Was the Giles you spoke of Rupert Giles?"

"Yeah. He's the school librarian, why?" Xander asked warily.

"I knew him when we were younger. My name is Ethan and I am the owner of the shop. You wouldn't happen to be willing to deliver something from me when you see him next?" Ethan explained with a slimy smile.

"Dweeb hangs out with him after school in their little club. I seriously don't see what is so interesting about old monk records or the Spanish Inquisition stuff they have in the back," Cordelia scoffed, both complaining and trying to throw the creep off.

"I sit through the chant stuff so that I can look at the gear they worked with," Xander corrected. "Price of admission to see how they made the swords and armor."

"Ah, that does make more sense for a young man," Ethan said with a sagely nod. "Perhaps I can help you find the costume you must be after?"

"It has to be kid friendly," Xander explained mournfully. "We got drafted to escort the rug rats from the elementary school. Giles is playing chaperone if you really want to talk to him."

"Well that explains why a fair number of the normally less popular selections were picked up," Ethan said thoughtfully. "How many people?"

"Let's see Buffy is getting her own and she seems to be stuck on that stupid victorian dress you have over there," Xander noted.

"No ghost costume for Willow," Cordelia reminded him sternly. "If Larry is going to pick a fight with you again I don't want the costume wrecked so pick something that might actually survive him shoving you into a locker... again. I'm not buying you a second one."

Xander winced but saw the look of understanding and the sympathetic wince pass over Ethan's face before being quickly hidden behind the professional smile.

"If I throw in one for Giles for free will you consider something I suggest?" Ethan asked cheerfully. "Think of it as a prank on an old friend."

"We get veto rights because something too embarrassing is going to get us in trouble," Cordelia bargained.

"Of course, of course, of course," Ethan waved the concern away. "I won't even pull something out of storage or that isn't something he might not pick up somewhere else entirely in a pinch."

"What did you have in mind then?" Xander asked, intrigued.

"A character that might be a bit too on the nose from what I remember of him. Giles is obviously reformed from our wild youth running around London together but once he makes the connection I think he will either scowl or be amused," Ethan explained as he led them toward the popular fiction section of costumes.

"What is it?" Xander asked again.

"Well you look like you might make a good Harry Potter and having Giles dressed up as Professor Snape would just be amusing from my view point," Ethan laughed, pulling the costumes off of the rack and presenting it to the teenagers.

"No cost for Giles' costume?" Cordelia checked again.

"None," Ethan confirmed.

"Alright, we can deliver that," Cordelia agreed before Xander could ask a few more questions.

"One second," Xander said before darting over to Buffy and dragging her over.

"What Xander?" Buffy demanded, her eyes still glued to the victorian dress.

"I bet your Mom would be less upset with the dress to impress dead boy if you got something for her and your sister," Xander pointed out. We found some Harry Potter stuff and Dawn us obsessed with those books right now."

That got Buffy's attention as she turned to examine the costumes.

"Dweeb gave me veto rights in trade for help with the costumes," Cordelia warned.

"Gotcha," Buffy said, distracted. She quickly found a Gryffindor costume in Dawn's size and when she looked at the adult ones she clearly got stuck.

"There aren't a lot of specific ones for adults," Xander conceded. "Wouldn't she work with a young McGonagall? Or a Professor Sprout? I might even go for a Professor Flitwick if the guy wasn't so short from being part goblin. He's not bad."

"I still believe that you would make an excellent Harry Potter," Ethan assured Xander. "I will also bundle everything for you."

"We should put you in a Hufflepuff costume," Buffy teased.

Xander huffed and rolled his eyes but didn't exactly object. There was nothing wrong with hard working Hufflepuff after all.

Chapter Text

Xander huffed and rolled his eyes but didn't exactly object. There was nothing wrong with hard working Hufflepuff after all.

"Willow would work as a Ravenclaw," Cordelia said thoughtfully. "The only good one though is probably Luna even if she is whacky because of the seer stuff. She's blond so it would fit for you, Buffy, if you want to join the Hogwarts theme."

"Nah, she's too stuck on impressing Angel without doing her research so there's no way she would give up the dress monstrosity over there," Xander countered, waving towards the victorian dress.

"Xander!" Buffy said in outrage. "You know what maybe making you wear the Harry Potter costume will have you thinking about just how bad prophecies can screw with your life."

"Hey, now, wait a minute! I wasn't dissing the suck you've been dealing with," Xander protested with open alarm. "I just have a personal problem with a guy willing to look at someone who is more than twenty years younger than them without actually being an adult yet. If he weren't eying you and sometimes Willow I would have less of a problem with the guy."

"But not no problem?" Cordelia asked with a frown.

"His Sire killed Jesse," Xander said bluntly, knowing that anyone unaware of the dangerous part of the night life wouldn't get all of the context but the main message would still get across. "I couldn't get her before she left town and no one but us Scoobies believe it."

"Wait, he didn't run away... Oh, yeah, okay. At least you know for sure what happened to him and don't have to worry about the window visits?" Cordelia offered awkwardly.

Window visits were what the students called one of their friends being killed and rising as a vampire only to visit after dark and try to talk someone into letting them inside. It wasn't usually talked about but it was how some families just simply disappeared after a family member or friend died in Sunnydale.

"He tried," Xander said painfully. "I... stopped it that night at the Bronze."

"You.... Did you know about this?!" Cordelia demanded rounding on Buffy.

Ethan was obviously clueless as to what they were talking about as Cordelia and Buffy quietly argued about Xander dusting Jesse's vampire body in code and slang. Unfortunately, Xander could also see the flashes of recognition that the man quickly hid. This guy might not be as much of a civilian as he pretended to be.

"I don't care what freaky stuff you had to do that night!" Cordelia growled, distracting Xander from his shop owner watching. "You don't let someone stay alone with window visits being an option! You don't let them sleep at their own house for at least a week! Window visits are a valid reason for anyone to call for a night over with their friends or even one of the popular crowd in a pinch."

"Chill out, Cordy," Xander told her. "It didn't get that far. That's just how I got into the weapon research."

"Right, I'll make sure the rest of the school knows you found a way to deal with the window visits," Cordelia grumbled but backed off.

"It will make finding them easier," Xander agreed.

In the end they left with the dress, and five Harry Potter character costumes.

~~~

Xander happily ushered his minions along. Joyce, Buffy's mom, had dropped them all off at the school when it was time as a thank you for the costumes. She was going to the Mayor's Halloween party as McGonagall and had even put on the wig. Willow had decided to go as a version herself who had replaced Ron as Harry's friend. Dawn had opted for Hermione to Xander's Harry Potter. When Giles had been ceremonially presented his costume he had pretended to be offended but had accepted it anyway and put it on at their urging. Snyder had caught them and told Giles he expected better behavior if the man was going to be Severus Snape. That basically cemented Giles going as Snape for the evening.

"Earth to Xander!" Dawn said playfully, bringing him back to earth and his current task.

"Right! So, Munchkins! We have covered the first half of the chocolate route and you have done well," Xander declared dramatically. "You may now voice ideas on what else we should be hunting for!"

"Suckers!"

"Caramel!"

"Something that isn't candy!"

The voices overlapped but the one who asked for something other than candy got weird looks from basically everyone. Xander was only half amused to find the kid had dressed up as a real if tiny demon.

"At least you know better than to ask for actual blood or fresh meat. Humans don't usually eat raw meat and this is the night for hunting sugary goodness for small humans dressed as anything they desire. I don't know what clan you are from little imp but if you are going to play with humans on this night you need to stick with human manners," Xander scolded teasingly.

Dawn looked at the kid more closely and laughed when she realized that the mask was a little too accurate even if it really was a human kid under it.

"Onwards to Mrs. Mac's house!" Xander declared before leading them to the next house.

Ten minutes later Xander was distracted by the wave of magic that washed over the town. He turned, wand raised, as he heard the nice old lady scream. Xander and Harry weren't quite separate the way the magic was obviously supposed to work but they were both protectors. Mentally they shoved aside the brief wish to fight for dominance and moved.

"Stupify!" The teenager intoned, knocking out the small demon who had attacked and scattering the rest of the small beings in the group.

Old Mrs. Mac stared at him in open shock as she finally got the door shut.

"Wait until at least dawn before trying to come out again Mrs. Mac. I'll see what I can do to fix this," Xan-Harry called out with Hyena laughter cackling in the back of his mind from it's cage.

Xan-Harry ignored the shouts to go away long enough to put a temporary shield over the door and the windows he could see. It wouldn't be enough against anything even mildly determined to get in since he couldn't cover everything in twenty minutes without a major ward being placed. Thankfully it should only need to last long enough for him to hunt down whatever caused this. Turning he came face to face with a familiar yet unfamiliar witch in Hogwarts robes.

"Who are yo... Harry?" The witch asked, astonished.

"I'm Harry but also Xander, the magic didn't work quite right on me. I don't know if that's because of our Harry side or our Xander side but we have to get moving anyway. Who are you?" Xan-Harry asked as they started moving.

"Hermione, this is going to be a nightmare to fix," Hermione in this other girl's body said with a grimace.

"We can worry about the side effects afterwards. For now lets find who we can and try to stop this," Xan-Harry said firmly.

"Harry, your patronous might help!" Hermione suggested excitedly. "They are guardians but Dementors aren't the only thing that needs to be guarded against."

"Good idea, 'Mione," Xan-Harry said with a grin before casting. "Expecto Patronum!"

Three patroni appeared, Harry's Stag, a Dragon, and a Hyena.

"Oh dear," Hermione said, glancing at her friend. "Harry's normal one, the Dragon is for good leadership with fear and respect from enemies, and the Hyena stands for loyalty and cleverness with a sense of humor."

"Huh, it sees us as both connected and separate," Xan-Harry said. "That's probably a good sign. We are merged right now but we might be able to un-merge later. Let's head for the High School since that's where Xander's friends hang out and decide what monster they have to fight each week."

"Please tell me that you are joking?!" Hermione demanded even as she rushed to catch up with him.

"Nope," Xan-Harry said cheerfully.

The three partoni acted as the guardians they were as the pair moved through the town. The first sign that they weren't the only people from Hogwarts around was the cat patronous that ran right up to them and looked exactly like Professor McGonagall in cat form. Almost right afterwards they heard swearing in a heavy scottish brogue and saw the lady that must have dressed up as McGonagall.

"Students! Come here! This no time or place to a wandering!" The witch called, quickly approaching them.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked warily, wand raised.

"Who the bleed'n hells do you think I am child?" The woman demanded.

"Professor McGonagall possessing the body of our friend's mom, Mrs. Summers," Xan-Harry said calmly only for the two women to turn towards him for an explanation. "The magic didn't work right on me so I have access to most of both sets of current memories. After making sure that Dawn had really become Hermione it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. We're headed for the High School to regroup with anyone who can think to head there. If this happened to Giles then he probably thinks that he is Professor Snape and got pranked. If it didn't kick in with him then he is the local adult that helps with magic and demon fighting stuff. We can't assume anything we come across isn't a transformed person in a costume right now unless I remember them as a problem from my Xander memories. I've been sticking with stunners and the patroni, Professor."

"Aye, I can see that," McGonagall said thoughtfully. "Clever of you and glad I am that you were able to summon yours Mr. Potter... Or is it some other name for the night?"

"I will respond to Xander or Harry. Potter is fine and I would disown my Harris parents if I could," Xan-Harry said simply before he got them moving in the right direction again.

By the time they hit the High School they had a collection of people they had either rescued or had helped to fight various transformed people. Xan-Harry had kept leadership of the group by the virtue of knowing how to actually fight the monsters, how to adapt when standard counters didn't work, and an idea of what was actually going on. The rest of it came from Xander's experience with military type video games that his Uncle Rory let him play to keep him out of the way when his Uncle had to watch Xander but also run his business.

"Starfleet, you get to play guards along with the others that have military like costumes," Xan-Harry ordered. "I get that this is weird but main defenders have to have something like training for obvious reasons. Remember, go for a disable if possible but don't be stupid about it, kill if you have to. Magic users you are effectively glass cannons. If you are helping to defend then listen to whatever military type is commanding your area. Special Forces or equivalent, clear the way when we get to the high school, our target area to hunker down is the library. There is a sewer access tunnel and an external door as well as the main door into the library area. The weapons cage can be ignored unless we have to start pulling stuff from it as an armory. When we get there we expect at least one potential ally to already be present in the library. Try not to shoot him even if he curses you, figuratively and literally. We are probably going to need him for the next part of this mess."

"I'll send my patronous ahead to warn Severus," McGonagall chimed in, matching words to action. "It will reduce how likely he is to curse first and question later."

"Thank you, Professor," Xan-Harry acknowledged. "I gotta say it's weird that all my zombie apocalypse training plans are working."

"You're the only one here who can fight and knows where everything is, Dweeb!" Cordelia huffed in her ruined cat-girl costume. "Just be glad that you made Summers where some sort of dagger or she would be Lady Useless. Besides you got those two acting as your seconds."

Xan-Harry ignored that and had McGonagall charm the outside door to the library open.

"Severus Snape!" McGonagall snapped as she dodged a spell that looked nasty.

"Minerva?" Came a male voice from inside.

"Everybody in!" McGonagall called out, causing Snape to swear viciously but hold off on trying to curse anyone else.

Two Starfleet in Security uniforms, someone dressed as army, and another dressed as navy took point. The civilians or what passed for those unable to fight went next. McGonagall made sure that Hermione and Xan-Harry entered after that as she got the remaining military costumes to pull back into the library through the door in a careful orderly retreat. A sticking charm sealed the door for the moment as the group sorted itself out and McGonagall moved to talk to Professor Snape in Giles' body.

"Xander!" A familiar voice cried out and suddenly Xan-Harry had Willow shaped witchling in his arms crying.

"Calm down Wills," Xan-Harry chuckled. "The magic went the weird around me like usual before you ask so I'm both me versions."

Chapter Text

Fortifying the library took a good half an hour despite what they had available to do it. The magic users helped mostly in moving physical objects to re-enforce pre-existing walls and furniture or for moving things that were delicate. The magical re-enforcements only came after the fact.

"Look, we don't know what specifically was affected and in what way it was by the magic. I can tell you what my Xander side remembers but that will only help if the item was left unaffected by the change magics. So we are using what we have that was obviously here before this Halloween magic was triggered. That way we can be reasonably sure that if the magic suddenly stops it won't collapse or explode or something. The magic cast on it afterwards by any of us may stop working the moment the possession aspect of the magics stop or it might not. If it sticks around afterwards then is needs to be useful to the non-magicals left behind or easy enough to dismantle somehow that it isn't going to be a danger," Xan-Harry explained to everyone. "For those in Starfleet the best way to take this is that some of this is a form of hologram but most of the physical objects are real and we don't want the unidentified holograms supporting something important when they turn off. For those not familiar with holograms think along the lines of solid illusions. For now it is real enough but we don't know if it is going to stay real later or if what was done by whatever was permanently real is going to stick around."

"There is a potential solution to part of that," someone dressed up like Commander Data from Star Trek The Next Generation commented.

"Data, as much as I would love to have blueprints and copies of tech and how to do maintenance and build more this is late 20th century Earth on an alternate version of the world. Not only that but we are fighting a hidden Interdimensional War with things that tend to change the laws of physics," Xan-Harry said rather bluntly. "We could probably use the stuff from the Harry Potter universe more easily if only because the magics are actually working when we cast something. Which implies that their magic system is accessible here and we aren't violating some of the magical laws properties which affect things. The higher level stuff needed to work with what you might give us is not suitable for what amounts to an away team holding off a major invasion practically on their own at a dimensional gateway to a very hostile dimension!"

"Please tell me you are joking?!" Snape demanded.

"Professor, Voldemort would be a very weak opponent here except for his followers and political power," Xan-Harry said with a sigh. "Our world is a set of children's stories to the locals here. Our combined prospective is... Well let's just say that even if we all stayed transformed and threw it all in to support the group holding the gateway shut most if not all of us would probably be dead within six months. There is a reason why this school has an obituary column in their school newspaper and that's with what is snacking on them staying mostly discrete."

"If my main body receives my memories of being here I will have to report the situation," Data informed them.

"Good! The Bloody Bastards supposedly in charge of the fight are pulling Dumbledore's Greater Good idiocy while happily using Voldemort's methods whenever they feel like it! No one is even bothering to ask for whose Greater Good they are doing all of it. I have no doubt they are twisting the support to keep them in secret power and lining their pockets even when the entire bloody world is on the line," Xan-Harry scowled. "It could also spill into other universes. Our changes show that, nevermind other timelines on top of all this. If you can try to get Q to back you up so that someone doesn't suggest that your mind was adjusted or something."

"Noted," Data answered before moving over to one of the computers and started inputting something that Xan-Harry didn't even try to see or decipher.

"That goes for anyone else who remembers when they get back," Xan-Harry said more loudly so that everyone could hear. "If you want to share out that the threat exists and everything go right ahead. Just make sure that you are taken seriously about it because if it's just going to wreck your reputation don't bother. It isn't likely to be anyone's problem unless we fail or you somehow get some sort of support back here to this team. Leaving behind information is fine but make sure it is suitable to this time on this Earth and remember solving this so you go home is a current priority not just to get you home but to get you away from threats you are not trained for. Anything left behind or sent to us later is a bonus."

"They understand Xander," Ravenclaw Willow reassured him.

"Contact!" Came from the hallway entrance as one of the people dressed as a soldier shouted and started shooting.

Xan-Harry started to rush over only to be grabbed by Professor Snape.

"I'll not see you risk that neck of yours when you are the best option for keeping as many people on both sides of this alive " Snape growled. "Not only that you are still one of my students. Rosenberg, get over here. Once we are back you are both reporting to me for additional training. If anyone asks it will be a detention. Minerva?"

"I quite agree, Severus," McGonagall said with grim satisfaction as the gunfire died off without further trouble reported. "Albus doesn't need to hear about it either since if he asks the detentions are for something expulsion worthy and I talked you into grueling detentions instead after they begged."

"I can make that work," Xan-Harry agreed. "You didn't take points because you didn't think it would make the right impact after I had to fight a Basilisk at the end of Second Year."

"We never reported it to anyone but Dumbledore," Ravenclaw Willow said, mortified at the horrified looks both staff members gave Xan-Harry.

"Par for the fucking course," Xan-Harry growled. "Right, make sure we report everything to both of you after the fact each time if only to make sure that there is at least one sane adult aware of the danger our group has been dealing with. I really want to avoid getting punished for it but someone who people will actually listen to needs to know this stuff even if we don't get help from anyone else."

"Oh, yeah, okay, that makes sense," Ravenclaw Willow said contritely.

"You said earlier that this is linked to the costumes. Where did you get them?" Snape asked suspiciously.

"A new costume shop... The shop worker actually convinced us to bring you Professor Snape's costume as a joke so I think Giles actually knows the guy. Or at least he claimed to know Giles and he knew enough for his story about being old friends to be believable," Xan-Harry answered thoughtfully. "It was actually really weird how he pretty much bribed us to give you that specific costume."

"Then there might be something important or a bit too on the nose for Professor Snape possessing Mr. Giles," Ravenclaw Willow said with a scowl. "It might even make the magic stronger."

"There is no help for it, lass," McGonagall scowled. "Mr. Potter will need to lead us to this shop. You will need to wait here with the others. Only Professor Snape and I will likely have the knowledge to end this enchantment safely and Mr. Potter is the only one of us who remembers enough of the local conditions to be helpful getting there."

"Data, you guys have a time limit to record anything you're leaving behind," Xan-Harry called out. "I'm taking the Professors to hunt down whoever was stupid enough to start this in the first place. You have command until I get back or the spell ends."

"I believe the term is Good Hunting," Data responded without turning around.

"Let's go," Xan-Harry ordered as the three of them slipped back out the side door past the posted sentries from the group.

Xan-Harry almost wished they hadn't made such good time when they finally arrived at Ethan's Costume shop... Almost.

Chapter Text

Ethan considered if gifting Giles that costume, assuming it actually made it to the old chap, had been a good idea. Yes, it was in good fun and a bit on the nose from their more reckless days but it also stopped his old friend from coming to visit. Granted, actually being visited during this particular prank might result in a beating depending on how stodgy Giles had become under his bastard of a father. That didn't change the fact that Ethan really did want to see good old Ripper again.

The sound of the front door of the shop opening had Ethan moving to either turn away the visitor or welcome his old friend. The fact that they stepped on glass broken by an earlier visitor that Ethan had needed to run off just told the Chaos Mage where they were exactly. Rounding one of the remaining costume displays he was delighted to find the boy from before, a Lady in the Hogwarts costume, and good old Ripper. The fact that they were all dressed as if they had stepped straight out of Harry Potter was both delightful and interesting.

"How may I help you chaps?" Ethan said ingenuously, startling the boy and the woman slightly. He took note of the prop wands aimed at him and tried to remember if he had enchanted them or not.

"Where is the set up for this spell?" The lady demanded.

"In the back room but I think you don't need to be worrying about that just yet," Ethan smirked.

"What's it called anyway and why did you do it?" The boy asked curiously.

Ethan narrowed his eyes as it finally registered that something wasn't quite right with the enchantment on the boy.

"That's odd... You don't seem to be as affected by the Night of Masks as your friends," Ethan mused, taking a step forwards to check the boy over. He ignored the wands aimed at him, figuring that they probably weren't going to be a problem.

"Magic tends to go wonky around me," the boys said dryly. "The fact that you got me to go as Harry Potter just sort of sent it more sideways. Although, it might be interesting to find out if mixing the subject of a prophecy, Harry, and me, someone who has broken at least one prophecy, might do something to the magics when this is over."

"Lad, you should have mentioned that sooner," the lady said in complete exasperation.

"What has happened to your tattoo, old bean?" Ethan asked the possessed Ripper intently. "Did it become the Dark Mark or did it remain what we used as teenagers?"

"Okay, if you're trying break something like the Dark Mark I can see why you might try something this stupid on a Hellmouth," the boy admitted with a grimace.

Ripper slowly exposed his left forearm and they all looked at it. It wasn't the Dark Mark but neither was it the demon possession mark they had used to get high as teenagers. Ethan breathed in relief and excitement as he quick stepped over to the group and grabbed his friend's arm before anyone could react.

"The two are interfering with each other. Brilliant!" Ethan said gleefully.

"So was that the whole point of this?" The boy asked with a frown.

"Of course not," Ethan waved away the conclusion. "You can hit more than one bird with a single stone. It's called multitasking my boy. The ritual honors Janus, gives people a bit more along the lines of be careful what you wish for, and causes a bit of fun on Halloween. Seeing if the Dark Mark interfered with our old tattoos was a bit of a long shot and I only thought of it when you were getting your costumes. Even if the magic hadn't taken hold having old Ripper dressed up as Professor Snape is more than enough of a prank in itself."

Ethan didn't notice the boy step up behind him. He did notice the blow to the back of his knee and the arm suddenly around his throat as he unwillingly knelt. The blade the boy put in front of his eye though is what had him freeze. The knife was fairly small all things considered but if it went into his eye he would be lucky to only lose the one eye and not get stabbed in the brain.

"Mr. Potter!" The lady scolded.

"We might not have the time to play his games Professor," the boy said seriously. "I was the least threatening out of the three of us and he isn't exactly as hard to take down as a Vampire fledgling especially since he was distracted. From the way he reacted to our wands there's no guarantee that he didn't do something to make sure our magic wouldn't work on him while we possessed these people."

"Reasonable," the lady huffed. "Don't think we won't be discussing this when we get back in any case."

"You are rather young to be a demon hunter," Ethan said warily. "Although it does explain why Ripper was willing to accept the costume without checking it. I presume that you didn't tell him where you got it?"

"The principal demanded everyone in our group participate in tonight's escorting of the rug rats," the boy retorted. "Magic goes really weird around me so I remembered both sides and started doing damage control. Besides, Halloween was supposed to be basically dead supernatural wise because of how everyone has commercialized it."

"That... Huh," Ethan said, baffled. "Alright, see if you can dispell the mark on Ripper's arm and I will tell you how to end the ritual early, normally it ends at dawn on its own. I sincerely doubt you would be willing to look at my own tattoo."

"Looking at an uncorrupted version may be necessary," the lady said with a growl that reminded Ethan of an angry cat.

"Then by all means, have at it," Ethan said graciously.

The next twenty minutes were used to look over both marks. Ethan had to wonder at just how competent these two were if only because the woman claiming to have been an Unspeakable at one point shut up Ripper in short order over at least one vicious argument. Ripper's mark, both of them, were dissolved into nothing not long afterwards.

"The bust in the center of the ritual circle in the back room, smash it and all of this ends," Ethan said in satisfaction as he greedily stared at Ripper's clear skin.

A spell of some kind hitting Ethan in the back knocked him out.

~~~

Minerva McGonagall took one look at the ritual set up and cursed the fool out viciously. She knew when Severus saw the parts of extreme concern when he started cursing too. Apparently, that was a good thing since it caused Potter to hesitate. He had already moved to smash the bust and hastily backed off at the sound of their cursing.

"I'm missing something here," Xan-Harry said warily.

"The fool used Janus as the power source to be petitioned," Severus snarled. "Janus is the patron of Change but his primary domain is Portals, Doorways, and Keys. This fool used him as a source of Chaos and set it up as if he were the High Priest!"

"Aye, and not only that it's clear that he didn't have the complementary High Priest indicating Order to balance his Chaos into true change," Minerva growled. "They would have needed to do the rites together and it is usually done between couples if the duties are to be split to prevent them going separate ways but to hide deliberately going separate ways is not unheard of. There also could have been prior commitments but Janus would only allow for dealing with that for so long before stepping in since Greek and Roman Godlings tend to be jealous and possessive of their few true followers. The lack of the balance disrupts the Change aspect and makes it temporary. It is also incredibly reckless and dangerous considering if it's forced it can cause untold damage in general and run wild."

Severus went still as he considered that.

"What?" Xan-Harry demanded.

"What if this Giles is the counterpart?" Severus asked slowly. "Even if he lapsed in his duties, perhaps especially if he lapsed in his duties, this could have been allowed to call him back. The fact that I am overtaking him could be seen as punishment or a rather sharp wake up call. The marks we removed could have been a reclaiming from some others that had a weaker or contesting claim."

"I think we just need to know if smashing the bust will do what the guy said," Xan-Harry pointed out.

"Aye, it will but with side effects," Minerva grumbled. "We are too close to it so there will be extra leftovers for us and if we are lucky it will only translate to memories granted to both sides. If we are truly just a story here that shouldn't be too much of a problem. The real risk is that the people we are possessing might gain our magic. We can't afford to let them do that without our memories to balance things more safely."

"So, what? Smash it? Don't smash it?" Xan-Harry asked.

"Enter the circle and then smash it at our feet. It will ensure the greatest amount of stabilizing change," Minerva instructed with a sigh. "God help me but this is going to be a nightmare to write up and anything left behind is going to have to hold to our agreement that we stick together."

"Mom!" A voice called out, scared.

"Dawn McGonagall! What on earth are you doing here?!" Minerva demanded, whirling to find her daughter in the grip of some monster of an obviously reanimated corpse.

Elizabeth was knocked out on the floor next to her sister being menaced by the blond fool and a different corpse that unpleasantly reminded her of Trelawny on a bender with herbs and sherry. At least they didn't stink of alcohol but the smokes the male corpse was nursing weren't much better scent wise. They must have had a concealment enchantment up that covered smell and sound considering neither Minerva nor Severus had been aware of them until Dawn had called out.

"Spike," Xan-Harry growled.

"Well now, isn't this lovely," Spike said with clear menace.

Minerva wasn't sure they could do anything considering the active magics and how it was likely to interact with fighting the corpses.

"Give the shining Key back to the Slayer's mother, Watcher, and White Knight my Spike. Gently," the woman corpse giggled.

"And what are we doing with the Slayer, love?" Spike asked with a smirk as he let Dawn go to run to Minerva.

"Poor Spike. The kitten has grown claws. He remembers what will be, has been, and is but only for now," the woman said airily. "If we stay we can get Daddy back but he would insist on breaking the Slayer and her protectors then we all fall down to dust."

"And to avoid getting dusted?" Spike asked, suddenly neutral.

"But that means we don't get Daddy back," the woman pouted. "The Slayer is going to bring him back and the streets will run red."

"How about we go visiting somewhere a bit less likely for us to get dusted, Dru?" Spike suggested dryly.

"New York does have enough fun for a decade or two," Dru said, considering. "But then we need to leave now and we can't touch the Slayer further. Maybe when more Slayers are born maybe not."

"Let us go and we'll pretend that none of this ever happened," Spike offered.

"If you're still in Sunnydale by the time this mess is cleaned up then I am going to start hunting you both down," Xan-Harry said confidently. "We're a bit busy with fixing this ritual to chase you right now."

"Tah, fair enough," Spike agreed before turning and sweeping Dru up into his arms and walking straight out the back door.

"We so lucked out on that one," Xan-Harry said with relief. "Fighting two Master Vampires on their level without us actually knowing what we can do and what's even safe to use is going to be giving me nightmares for a very long time."

Minerva helplessly watched as Dawn reached out from her arms to send the bust of Janus smashing to the floor at their feet. The flash of light and magic was blinding. Then they all knew no more.

Chapter Text

Janus grunted as he took the brunt of the breaking of his bust and, with the unexpected help of a sane version of Kronos, froze the two worlds in time.

"Well that went a whole lot better than expected," Eris said, thoroughly entertained from off to one side.

"You interfered so you're going to help stabilize this mess," Janus growled at her. "The Key arrived early and all of them joined with wizards on a Hades be damned Hellmouth! Not to mention pushing the Prophecy Breaker into dressing as the Chosen One of a prophecy that already had blood spilled further empowering it! You are lucky it didn't rip the Hellmouth open!"

"Chill out, Janus," Eris sighed. "I don't get to indulge all that often anymore and your idiot High Priest Chaos half called for something that could truly cause Change and Chaos. We both got tapped whether he intended to do it or not. You got to scold your Order Priest and rip him away from the demon Eyghon. You still have to free your Chaos Priest but we can use a merge to solve most of the official issues. If we take too long then the Busy Body Powers are going to try to muscle in."

"We might as well tweak some stuff and give Artemis some help for her Slayers," Apollo said reasonably. "That was a nasty trick they pulled on my sister. If we can fix it she might ease up a bit."

"Then get her and Artemis in here. If we work fast we might just have a better chance at keeping more intact," Janus ordered, the strain clearly affecting his good humor.

The orderly scramble to get people in place and distract other people while they fixed the side effects from the Halloween spell commenced.

"The White Knight is still going to need the knowledge of how to blow up the Mayor during his shift," Athen pointed out. "I will grant the boy the knowledge of a solider as a gift for helping to revive the Golden Slayer and his choice to enter battle against the Darkness."

"He is loyal to my line of warriors but especially to our current reluctant matriarch," Artemis said thoughtfully. "The Key carries the bloodline but not the demonic taint that was forced on the line."

"Or we could present this as a sacrifice to close the Hellmouth," Eris suggested thoughtfully. "Those things are only good for death and destruction, but magical children are always good for Chaos and Change."

"You want to rework it so they are related to those they went as for Halloween," Apollo said thoughtfully, using his clairvoyance and ability to grant prophecy as a check on what they planned to do. "That might work but all of them would have to have the memories from the original untainted timelines at least through what would have been graduation. The altered ones for these timelines where they remember the Night of Masks would also be present. That solves the memories and lets them settle safely. Sunnydale can continue on and just not have a Hellmouth anymore since we can use the closing of it to help power this especially with the set up that Wilkens has in place for his own ascension. Hecate? Your thoughts on granting them Wizard magic?"

"Things will still go odd around Alexander but most of them had potential for Mage craft before the Night of Masks was invoked," Hecate said thoughtfully. "Hades? You insisted on being present while Poseidon is distracting Zeus. What are your thoughts on the Slayer's group?"

"More than a few of us have taken note of the boy," Hades pointed out. "He hunts the Undead that I loathe and has offered his loyalty to the Slayers rather than the Watchers or rather to his chosen Pack."

"Right, we do need to deal with whatever is left of that Hyena Primal spirit," Artemis grimaced. "I'm inclined to just turn him into a Hyena and be done with it but he is one male that has yet to earn my ire properly. Were he female I would gladly welcome Alexander among my hunters without reservation."

"And you have good reasons for that, Sister," Apollo pointed out. "But think of the young man not as male but only as mortal."

"Why don't we honor his heart's wish that his pack become his family?" Eris offered. "If we extend it to the Wizards that will satisfy my need for Chaos on top of the merge. Even if we just dump Sunnydale onto the Wizard's Earth... Actually, that might be ideal between draining the last of that Hellmouth, solving this, and not wasting too much energy or time before the Powers butt in."

"If we mix a third Earth... Hm, there are options," Hades said thoughtfully. "How many birds do we want to kill with this one stone anyway?"

"You just want them to help deal with the Stargate universe," Janus scoffed. "Granted, I have more power there because of the portal network which would make it easier overall but that entire prison planet is a direct insult to you."

"I mean we can't exactly merge it with some of the more anime oriented universes, the laws of reality would warp too far," Kronos pointed out. "Besides, my help is costing you all each a favor and I intend to collect."

"This century?" Hecate asked with interest.

"You will have to wait and see," Kronos retorted.

"We can't hold this stasis forever you know," Janus growled. "Get on with it!"

They all agreed and began to pool their power, allowing the new world to take shape as time was adjusted as needed by Kronos. A flash of blast and soul searing screams echoed around the room as they each collapsed in turn, insensate as time and Prophecy re-wrote across an entire newly merged world.

"What once was will now be again in different form; Golden Slayer, Sister Key, White Knight, Red Willow Witch, High Priest of Order sworn to Change, Fierce Mother Lion; Once separated by lack of blood and Prophecy now re-made as blood-kin; Champions all sent to the new blood-kin and in this sacrifice of being remade forever closing the Mouth of Hell; Memories of world once was and would have been gifted to this new line of Champions," Apollo said blindly into the silence of exhaustion.

"...That was a shit prophecy, brother," Artemis groaned.

"But accurate and also vague enough to explain without giving idiots disastrous ideas, which is all it needs to be," Hades pointed out tiredly.

There was general muttered agreement as they all fell asleep where they had collapsed. They were due for a nice long nap as the worlds return to motion.

Chapter Text

Minerva McGonagall woke with a start as new memories flooded into her mind. She breathed deeply until they finally started to settle and started looking for signs they were false or had only been hidden. Everything hit as unnervingly real even when they were echoes of two different people or of being in two different places simultaneously. It scared her or rather it did until she hit upon the Prophecy spoken by Apollo that overlaid the memories of watching the bust crash to the ground.

"Oh sweet, Merlin," Minerva whispered, going white as she put part of the pieces together.

Minerva McGonagall sat for another hour in bed as she painfully went through every memory of her lives as both Minerva, Joyce, and Minerva older sister to Joyce.

"That ruddy bastard knows I was set to watch him," Minerva growled as she came across each instance when Dumbledore altered or erased her memory if he didn't just outright compelled her with his magic. "Joyce at least is hidden with the girls but that won't last much longer. They will have to come here and quickly. A memory charm to help hide her during the war with Grindelwald will be answer enough for things. Willow is mine which is why I didn't remember sooner because we reapplied it after sending her near Joyce with a nice adoptive couple for hiding. At least I finally have a proper claim on Severus with the legal hidden adoption and it came with a brother and children for him as well. Rupert will be able to help Severus balance things and if he needs to spy again they can claim he was deliberately unmarked unless the mark carried over. That will give them both extra support. Alexander... Well, I doubt that he will object to being Harry's brother although they both might find it a touch disconcerting to be blood adopted by James with Rupert and Severus being their true fathers. It will give them better protection against Albus bloody Dumbledore in any case."

The fireplace flared and Severus staggered into her living room. Minerva sighed and got out of bed to greet her son properly. Severus didn't wait to be spoken to, he just stepped into her hug like a child and held her back desperately.

"Were Rupert's memories so terrible, my lad?" Minerva asked with deep sympathy. She was going to be having nightmares about the Blood Demon type Vampires for ages on her own.

Severus didn't speak, only shuddered in her arms.

"I refuse to become a parody of those things," Severus finally whispered horsely in the quiet of her rooms.

Minerva knew he was equating his time with the Death Eaters to what the Vampires and Demons Rupert fought did. He wasn't exactly wrong.

"I understand and we now have a living family to protect. Were you asked before the Potter boys were made yours and Rupert's with that retroactive ritual?" Minerva asked softly.

"I was told it was being seen as an extension to my vow and scolded for letting Albus turn me into a weapon against Harry," Severus admitted quietly. "Filius will notice immediately."

"Aye, just as he did when I magically adopted you without the blood adoption so that you kept your Mother's blood claim," Minerva agreed cheerfully. "Be glad we get a do-over of sorts or this would be far worse."

"I will have to discuss what we remember with Rupert, Alexander, and Harry... There were pieces only Harry and I were allowed knowledge of because Albus ensured that we would die afterwards," Severus admitted softly.

"That bastard has some serious explaining to do if we can ever corner him properly," Minerva growled.

"When Albus asks?" Severus asked quietly.

"A memory charm from the war broke on both of us," Minerva shrugged, unconcerned. "It's true enough and will explain our changes as well as the sudden new family. We are going to be pulling quite the rug out from under him."

"Quirrell..." Severus grumbled.

"Aye, he will need to be dealt with," Minerva sighed.

"If they are on board we can always inform him that Harry is one of his soul anchors. It will distract him from killing the boys and, if presented right, make it seem like I and Rupert are all the more loyal," Severus offered hesitantly.

"... Reckless but no worse than what happened in the before in both cases," Minerva murmured. "I could have potentially recognized his particular teaching style in some complaining from a few Gryffindors. We went to school together, Riddle and I, plus giving him a link to the light will aide us in rallying help if his soul can not be healed. Buffy will likely insist on trying judging by the way she tried to save Angel in the untouched memories of Sunnydale."

"It won't stop what happened in his other years but it might cause the Dark Lord to be more gentle," Severus muttered.

They were both startled when the door portrait to the external hallway swung open. When they turned to look they watched speechlessly as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger entered without a word, sliding out from underneath the invisibility cloak before they quickly closed the door. When the two children turned to face them they knew that it hadn't only been the adults who remembered. The two adults separated from their hug only to open their arms to the eleven year olds who broke and rushed into their arms sobbing.

"Shush, we remember and we will get the rest of our family back," Severus soothed.

"Do you have to keep being mean and evil?" Harry asked tearfully.

"Unfortunately, he is mostly that way for the same reason that I am," Minerva explained. "Our cover and because our subjects are honestly dangerous if not paid attention to properly."

"If I share my time with the Dursleys in the open would that help for reasons?" Harry asked quietly. "I don't think that Xander or I will survive if we go back."

"It wouldn't be hard to get Ron to say something insensitive then we could at least reform our friendship on more equal ground after exploding at him," Hermione said softly. "He didn't get the memories. We checked, Aunty."

"I could admit that the Hat wanted me in Slytherin, very loudly, and argue that surviving the Dursleys required more Cunning than Bravery. It would look like I lost my temper and it all just came pouring out," Harry offered, tears slowing as he switched to strategizing.

"That might lose him forever," Hermione whispered. "He can't see past the houses yet. He's heard too many nasty things from his mum."

"We can call for a general resort or one of the others can by openly challenging the Hat," Severus offered. "It triggers a required check up by Goblins on both the Hat and the School wards covered by both the school and the family that triggered it. The check up ensures a lack of tampering and if any tampering is found in either place then the entire school is resorted. No one can argue with their new placement either. It was put in place by Helga Hufflepuff or rather she influenced the fair resorting part of it. Slytherin was the one to define the trigger for the check up. Gryffindor provided the sorting Hat as well as the agreement with the Goblins. Ravenclaw was the one to work with the Goblins on most of the enchantments but all of them contributed to allow for identifying and protecting their heirs."

"Neither Severus nor I can trigger it without severe consequences," Minerva warned. "It has to look accidental... Or like Potter luck struck again. Come to think of it that might be exactly why Alexander has so many interesting things happen to him."

"Buffy didn't get magic the same way," Hermione warned softly. "She's still the Slayer."

Both adults grimaced at that and nodded in understanding.

"Don't bother trying to control this," Harry pointed out quickly. "You know it won't work. Potter luck complicated by Xander luck and all that."

"At least you will have fairly competent back up in your antics this time," Severus grumbled. "You will take your brother with you every time. Understood?"

"Yes, Tad!" Harry said cheekily, causing both children to giggle.

"We understand better now that you couldn't always get adult help," Minerva said softly. "We still want you to be as safe as possible and to know that at least our family is safe to get help from. That includes several adults this time."

"We understand, Aunty!" Hermione said happily.

"How did the family spell interact with you and Dawn in any case, Hermione?" Minerva asked, puzzled. "Not that I mind but we might need to address the Goblins to sort out the paperwork to make it official is all and I will have to discuss things with your parents."

"I'm adopted so I really don't know," Hermione admitted. "That might be why I did so well matching Dawn. She's sort of adopted as the Key but still real."

"Ah, yes, that does make some sense," Minerva mused. "We still have to sort out everyone's parchment work and get things officially changed when the others get here. Heaven knows we would be hunting them down already if we could risk leaving Hogwarts for long enough without drawing suspicion from Dumbledore's wrinkly long nose."

The children both giggled again and relaxed a bit more.

"Let's get you both back to bed," Severus said softly. "If anyone asks there was an accident when something old broke and the four of us got trapped in a nightmare together. If they press ask them if they wouldn't try to check on the people they saw murdered in case it was real. There is no reason to share exact specifics if you care to get creative with the retelling and those memories could easily be classified as nightmares so it is the truth in a way."

"Yes, Tad," Harry said softly.

The two eleven year olds were put back to bed with many weird looks from the still awake upper years. Minerva was amused when she noticed that Severus had quietly pocketed the invisibility cloak but let it be. There would be time later for anything like that.

The next morning all hell broke loose.

Chapter Text

Xander knew something was going to go majorly wrong before he even properly woke up. The flush of new memories and change in physical age just seamed to confirm it. The blow of the thrown beer bottle from his parental units landing against his ribs just made him bolt towards school faster. He was three blocks away before he registered what had been screamed at him.

"Wasted bag of flesh! You can't even die properly! We never should have taken you from that old man wanting to be rid of your carcass," Tony Harris had roared. "You ruin almost every deal we've made with the demons in this city! I should rip out your heart and eat it! At least then the redhead can be sold off to pay for the mess you've made!"

Xander's breath caught in his chest in sudden cold fear. His so called parents weren't his parents and they were working with the Demons! The only redhead they knew was Willow!

Oh shit! Xander had to get to Willow! He needed to get everyone together and warn them! If the side effects and memories had stuck on all of them then they had new options and it was time to use them!

...Man the street was really dusty today with a lot of random purses and stuff that obviously got dropped. There must have been a major party in the streets that he slept through especially since it was still way dark out. The only other reason for this sort of mix was Buffy going on a very effective vampire extermination spree against a lot of vampires.... Maybe the Halloween spell did it? There was enough candy mixed in with the random Halloween props after all.

Xander saw Dawn running down the street in determined terror towards where Willow was walking towards Giles' place. On the other hand, Giles was running with swords slung over his back from around the corner and Xander could see down both. He cursed and got each of their attention by the simple expedient of shouting. All three of them immediately veered towards him with Willow realizing something was really wrong immediately and dropping into a run.

"We have to leave town," Xander said urgently, only then registering that all of them had been changed by the Halloween spell which just doubled up on the need to get out.

"Something broke in and it's fighting Buffy and Mom," Dawn said quickly. "It said something about the humans being fair game now!"

"I summoned and shrunk nearly everything into this bag which has a connected pocket dimension. Extremely expensive but worth it now," Giles said quickly. "We will get the others and leave. I confirmed the Hellmouth is closed. I don't know what will break lose in reaction and we can't stay to help anyone, not now. I will pay for new wardrobes when we arrive. If anyone asks stick to the new memories and for those who remembered my original name only you all are Watchers in Training, off the books due to age."

"Then let's go," Willow said urgently. "My house is empty, we can regroup there if Buffy's house is wrecked. I'm just glad I kept my old clothes and shoes so I had something to wear."

Xander became very conscious of the fact that he was wearing his old favorite superhero clothes set. One that Willow had bullied him into keeping when he grew out of it. Being Willow she had insisted that he keep a set of socks, shoes, and underwear that would fit size wise with the outfit, all of it clean. In his dirty teenage room before he was properly awake he had mistaken literally everything else as belonging to his apparently adoptive dad.... He also realized that it was Saturday and that he had left for school.

"Who else thought we had school today? Even though it's like four am?" Xander asked with a groan as they got moving quickly back towards Buffy's house.

The silence was telling if only by the lack of teasing until Giles pipped up.

"It might be a lesser side effect of the spell last night and the adjustments made," Giles offered. "You'll forgive me if I don't feel like checking at the moment."

The sounds of a fight put the discussion on hold as they ran faster only to watch a reptilian demon of some kind that was bleeding bright blue get tossed out of the front windows of Buffy's house. The way the head separated from the body under the still lit street lights told them they could ignore that one for a moment as they approached the house. The sound of a very definitive thud cutting off a deep bellow of pain that sounded shortly before it had them approaching cautiously.

"Buffy?" Willow called worriedly only for the front door to swing open.

Both Buffy and her mom, Joyce, walked out of the house. They were disheveled, battered, and bruised but whole. Buffy had a long dagger in hand soaked in three different types of demon blood while Joyce had a fire axe that showed signs of recent bloody use against something with an acrid yellow blood.

"Mom! Buffy!" Dawn and Willow called out rushing over to check them.

"We need to get replacement wands immediately," Joyce panted, spitting hair and demon blood out of her mouth. She had been caught in a large spray of it and they would have to get cleaned up as soon as they were safe.

"I remembered a few quick packing and quick travel Mage spells so I have everything packed," Giles said, motioning to the stuffed bag over his shoulder. "They don't normally last anywhere near as long as the wizard version but the bag was purchased already enchanted which helps. Destination?"

"Hogwarts of course," Joyce said sternly. "We might as well arrive in the Great Hall. Even if it's full there will be a safe landing spot."

"Buffy, I need the mop or a towel or something that will let me drag the blood of your fresh kill into the correct design, quickly! Before it all drains away or dries too much!" Giles ordered.

"Anyone get a good look at the calendar?" Xander asked as they hurriedly set up the transport spell under Giles' direction.

"November 5th, Guy Fawkes Day, 1991," Willow reported quickly.

"Ah, I can work that in somewhat," Giles muttered. "Best be careful though, no reason to send us through time again or whatever the bloody hell really happened."

They were done ten minutes later and all quickly stood in the travel circle as Giles began to chant. He brought the magic and chant to a crescendo just as a new group of demons rounded the corner, obviously heading for Buffy's house with violence in mind. They were treated to a flash of power and the group's disappearance. In the silence that followed afterwards a ward snapped up over the city, trapping everyone inside.

Then the screams started in earnest.

~~~

Harry and Hermione huddled together over breakfast, the new memories still bothering them from the night before. They picked at their food and sent furtive looks towards the staff table, eyes landing on one of four people, McGonagall, Snape, Quirrell, and Dumbledore. They weren't quite sure what they should do about any of it really only that they knew things had to change. Repeating first year exactly as they remembered the untainted timeline was not an option.

A flash and a blast had most everyone screaming in fright or surprise as a group of people landed suddenly in the Great Hall. Everyone turned to stare at them in open shock. Harry and Hermione though recognized the group and both shouted in recognition.

"Scoobies!" Harry and Hermione cried, scrambling up to meet them and dodging any of the weak attempts to stop them.

They both rushed into the arms of the relieved and welcoming new arrivals as the group relaxed just a bit.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Dumbledore thundered.

"Sunnydale moved. It is no longer a small port south of Los Angeles bordered by desert. The demons weren't exactly happy about that or about the Hellmouth closing," Giles explained tiredly, cradling the children close. "We had to evacuate as quickly as possible. This was the safest place we could think of."

"You closed a Hellmouth?!" Dumbledore demanded sharply.

Xander snorted in amusement and shook his head no.

"Like, are you for real? If we could have we would have done it a lot sooner!" Fourteen year old Buffy said angrily.

"Young lady," Dumbledore started only to be interrupted.

"Slayer to you!" Buffy snarled. She was quick to pull back out a long dagger soaked in multiple bright colors of blood and brandish it defensively as she openly guarded them. It had clearly only been hidden because she didn't see anyone other than civilians to fight but Dumbledore had proven to be a potential threat.

"That must have been what broke the memory enchantment," McGonagall groaned. "Niece, put the dagger away."

"Aunty, he's..." Buffy protested only to be cut off.

"Currently my boss and the Headmaster of this school," McGonagall said pointedly. "Aye, he shouldn't have tried to be condescending when he spoke but he gets all high and mighty when people don't take his word as gospel or pretend that his word is law. Now, are ya done with your battle high, lass? Can I send my friend, Filius Flitwick, over to collect that dagger without him getting gutted? Or are you still liable to instinctively kill Anything that isn't human for awhile yet?"

"...the Slayer Spirit ate my magic when it woke up, Aunty," Buffy pouted. "It didn't highjack my brain.... Well, not all the way. Prophecy dreams are annoyingly cryptic."

"We'll take you to Gringotts later to see about getting the paperwork sorted for everyone's move back over here," McGonagall sighed. "That blade has clearly seen better days and unless Rupert, Severus, or I come over to collect it you will have to settle for handing it off to my part Goblin friend. No one else here knows how to handle a blade soaked in demon blood safely."

"The blade will be ruined by the time we get it into a proper solvent, mum," Giles said ruefully. "Unless my brother has one on hand and we can get it into the potion before the blood mixture starts to eat the metal we might be better off giving it to Severus as a potion ingredient."

"Now see here!" Dumbledore started to splutter.

"Mum, may I?" Willow asked with large Bambi eyes.

"Oh, put those away," McGonagall scoffed. "Yes, you might as well. This completely blows my cover and I have no doubt that the Headmaster found out at some point considering I was completely against leaving Harry with the Dursleys yet I still somehow did. We will have to confirm that with the Goblins by the way, my boys. It is clear that Dumbledore has no qualms about dropping babies on people not even related to the child who also hate magic. I have no idea how my grandson isn't dead but I couldn't get near him after that one night. I couldn't remember things clearly before the memory charms on all of you broke last night."

"Yes, Mum," Giles and Snape answered in unison, smirking.

"Oh goody," Willow squealed happily before turning to the Headmaster and officiously clearing her voice before speaking to him sternly. "Any questions about this you need to take to the Department of Mysteries. For specific complaining you need to send them to the Demon and Reality Breach fighting Departments in the Department of Mysteries. Talking about reality breaking is a bad thing and you are not cleared to ask us questions or tell us no if we think what we are doing will protect reality from breaking."

Willow gave a serious nod after her speech before breaking down in giggles and letting Dawn pull her into the hug being given by Joyce.

"What she said," Joyce smirked. "Sister, dear, where are your quarters? We need to clean up and talk about enrolling most of the children now that we're off the Hellmouth."

"So, did it close, open, or break?" McGonagall asked curiously as she and Severus stood up to help sort the new arrivals out.

"Closed!" Xander answered happily. "Lots of dusty vampires! The fire and blood from the angry demons we had to fight afterwards was less fun. The de-aging, or maybe it was a time shift? Either way it was weird but remembering we had siblings here and that we were actually related instead of family to those evil people willing to feed humans to demons was way better!"

"The Harris couple did what?!" Giles growled.

"They were working with the Rosenberg's," Xander admitted with a wince. "Willow and me weren't exactly supposed to make it to High school and then we showed that we were good at knowing how to avoid getting eaten so they had to keep pretending to just be our parents. The Rosenberg's were the out of town contacts and the Harris' worked through the bars and stuff when they weren't drunk at home or dealing with their minimal day jobs. I didn't figure it out until just before the demons found us and we had to fight before bolting."

"That explains why my luck was weaker until I got here," Harry said thoughtfully. "The backlash always resulted in less food and beatings but if the Potter Luck was keeping you alive.... Yeah, I'm okay with that."

"It also explains why we spent a lot of time at my house with no one around," Willow admitted. "We were lucky but if it was Xander's Potter weird magic luck keeping us safe that makes a whole lot of sense... And it explains why regular mage magics or demon magics like going weird around him."

"Well demons trying to snack on us is not happening anymore," Dawn declared. "Buffy is older than all of us so she is Big Sister. Hermione gets to Willow talk Willow until they actually get to competing and we have to risk making them sleep and eat again to get it out of their systems. Xander and Harry are brothers anyway but I think they count as twins now even if they weren't before. Time weirdness is weird."

"Children," Snape said sternly while radiating tired energy.

"Let them work it out of their systems, Severus. It's safer," Giles advised ruefully.

The Great Hall watched them leave en masse with three of the Heads of House, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger leaving behind stunned shock at their general arrival. The news of so many new family to those specific school residents and the four actually being related on top of that was mind blowing to practically everyone. One old man watched helplessly while his plans started collapsing before they could truly begin. One corrupted wraith watched through the eyes of his host in fascination and renewed determination, not yet corrupted further by Unicorn Deaths and cursed Unicorn Blood,

Chapter Text

Severus helped Minerva hustle their family to Minerva's quarters for the moment. He called for some of the house elves to gather a change of clothes for everyone and bring food and extra towels as they moved. Minerva helped cajole the group into moving quickly since they had to get the Scoobies out of the open until they were recovered enough to not accidentally gut someone. Filius was simply swept up in things as they went along but the small Charms Professor was happily discussing more mundane combat techniques with Buffy while Rupert occasionally chimed in.

A change in the patterns of the castle stone next to Minerva's quarters told them that the castle had expanded things for them. It was a good thing too since the staff quarters weren't normally quite as roomy as needed for such a group. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to split anyone up any time soon. Knowing Dumbledore's meddling that was a fool's hope so they would have to keep moving quickly.

"Will you let me act as guard for yourself and your family while you recover from your battle?" Filius asked almost as soon as they got into Minerva's quarters.

Severus and Minerva couldn't stop the gasp of surprise from leaving their lips as they waited on tender hooks for Buffy to answer. Buffy looked Filius over slowly before considering the still dirty and basically ruined blade in her hand. She offered it to the part Goblin with sharp eyes and waited for him to take it. When Filius took it without hesitation and gave her a bow that exposed the back of his neck she nodded sharply.

"Battle kin," Buffy said decisively.

"We will have to give him the full story," Rupert sighed, rueful but happy for the children. He seemed to be just rueful over everything since they arrived but his acceptance of their co-worker earned him a small smile from his new brother.

"I will warn my cousin at Gringotts that we will need a private meeting room when we arrive," Filius promised. "Let me put this away and sort out everything while everyone eats breakfast and gets cleaned up and into different clothes."

"I appreciate it, Filius," Minerva said gratefully. "Joyce can borrow some of my clothes and we can shrink something for Buffy as well as Dawn unless Hermione is willing to share more than just over robes. The others seem to be dressed so just borrowing an over robe from their siblings should work with a couple of refreshing charms."

"I don't mind!" Hermione agreed eagerly.

Severus took another look at what they were all wearing and had to silently agree. Joyce, Buffy, and Dawn were all in some sort of modest sleep wear with shoes on while the others had apparently gotten time to dress properly in muggle attire. Rupert looked like he had stuffed everything he needed as a Watcher into an expanded bag with a pocket link. It wasn't the best quality but it also wasn't horrible quality at a glance. He would have to get his brother a proper bag for everything, possibly a mokeskin pouch even if those were horribly expensive. A trunk might work but Rupert would probably want something more portable in case of the need to move around with Buffy for her Slayer duties. It wasn't ideal but they could work on it.

The women all moved off to the much expanded bathing area to start sorting themselves out leaving the five men behind.

"I think I might have been clipped by a thrown beer bottle and my ribs hurt so the hit to my ribs from the drunk bastard might not have been healed by the change," Xander admitted, embarrassed to potentially be a problem.

"That's okay," Harry said reassuringly. "Uncle Vernon gave me the same going away present and my ribs almost don't hurt anymore. I think our magic helps them get better faster."

The adults exchanged despairing looks and moved to check the boys over. Between the scars and still present injuries on the now eleven year olds the older men were not happy. Thankfully, as a Potions Master Severus was only separated from being a Healer by the final vows and had several appropriate potions on hand. An elf was sent to get the other two from his stores. Both boys were given a nutrition potion and required to eat breakfast in front of them but neither objected even if they didn't exactly eat a full plate of food. A quick exchange of glances confirmed that all if the children were going to be checked by a healer and gotten as healthy as they could manage. Before the agreement could be voiced they heard a knock on the door.

"I'll handle it," Severus said softly.

"If it's Quirrell tell him we need to have a meeting with him as a family," Harry said insistently. "Make up something Defense related since you have a Defense Mastery too."

"Do yu intend for us to try to heal Him then?" Severus asked carefully.

"I want to try," Harry said honestly. "If he needs stopping after that then I will step up but until we prove that death is the only way I want to avoid it escalating. If we can prove he wasn't in his right mind it makes it all a whole lot easier in both cases."

Xander nodded his head in firm agreement. Rupert just shrugged and waved at the boys, reminding his brother that it truly was up to them.

"Alright," Severus agreed with a sigh. "Keeping Albus out of it is going to be a nightmare but it might save lives in the long run. Filius we will bring you up to date when we are secured at Gringotts. It will be necessary for your cousins at the bank to help us sort out the paperwork for this mess if nothing else and it might get more gold moving or permanently into Goblin hands."

"That will please my cousins if nothing else," Filius smirked. "We have to file the paperwork for the Battle kin acknowledgement in any case and that acceptance also places you as part of my family among the Goblins. Quite the honor at that."

Severus shook his head and went to answer the door as a second set of knocks sounded. Things weren't going to settle down any time soon.

Chapter Text

Albus Dumbledore waited impatiently outside of Minerva's rooms to be let in. He had Nurse Poppy Pomphrey, Professor Quirrell, and Professor Pamona Sprout with him. Their unexpected visitors might be hurt or cursed and having the four Heads of House with them along with the Sorting Hat would help sort out some of the school requirements quickly. If these people really were related to two of his staff and connected to young Mr. Potter then he couldn't afford to let them wander too far. The woman's remark about getting the children enrolled in Hogwarts was the perfect opening to ensure they stayed in reach and thus under his control until he decided how useful they could be.

Severus opened the door and looked at them, waiting for a reason to let them in. Irritating but a reasonable precaution both from the view of propriety and from a security point of view. Thankfully, Dumbledore's authority over the school was absolute and Severus was obviously aware of that.

"Are you going to invite us in, dear boy?" Albus prompted.

"Not while the women are getting washed," Severus said rather bluntly. "Then again this is also Minerva's quarters, not mine. I wouldn't presume to invite you into her home while she is so indisposed even with her adopting me."

Albus felt his brain freeze at the new information and confirmation of what had been said in the Great Hall. He hurried to correct his blunder and keep control of the situation.

"Ah, yes, of course. I brought Poppy in case anyone was hurt," Albus said quickly.

"I can treat them just fine and right now they aren't likely to trust Poppy to check them over," Severus reminded him. "It was a miracle Buffy allowed Filius to come with us without trying to kill him even once. That girl has gotten ridiculously good at keeping the Slayer Spirit inside her from attacking allies so long as her human pack clears them. It makes me wonder if the fools who created the slayers broke a pack oriented demon for the power up and denied it any further pack as part of controlling it. I know they don't care about the girl that inherits it since they typically arrange for them to die before being declared an adult if they survive long enough to reach adulthood."

"That's an interesting idea. Do you know if her Watcher will be following through with that tradition?" Quirrell asked, interested clearly from the Defense perspective.

"Not a chance in hell," the new man shouted from inside the rooms, proving they could hear the conversation.

"You heard my brother," Severus smirked. "No, even if there are reasons he couldn't formalize it before Buffy is as much his daughter as Alexander is his son and Harry Potter is mine by blood. We just couldn't remember that because of the protective memory charms on all of us. Explaining this to the Dark Lord if he returns the way you keep insisting is going to be a nightmare. Thankfully, it should also help protect the children in more ways."

Albus felt a migraine building as he tried to sort out what to do next. He definitely couldn't afford to let them leave now.

"Well if you need help arranging things or sorting out paperwork or the like do let me know. I also will need to be kept informed if only because of the involved students," Albus said jovially.

"That's fine," Severus agreed before turning to Quirrell. "I need to talk to you later and the rest of my family wants to meet you for different reasons. I know that you are under contract as the Defense Professor for at least the year so I didn't think it would be a problem to tell them we had to meet you as a group. It's nothing malicious but I will warn you that most of the children know I have a Defense Mastery. They will want to question you on your knowledge because the Headmaster insists on hiring someone other than me for the post."

"Now, Severus, you know you are far more valuable as a Potions Master and Potions Instructor," Albus scolded lightly. He couldn't have his pet Potions Master thinking he was allowed to stop making whatever Potions Albus needed after all.

"Albus, if you would just hire someone to take over the lower years where I'm always frustrated at the idiocy displayed and lose my temper I would have fewer issues in general. Do I want to teach Defense? Yes, but I have no problem also teaching the upper years Potions since they have usually decided they actually want to learn the art," Severus pointed out tiredly. "I want to strangle most of the younger years regularly. You don't need to have more than a decent OWL and a teaching certificate to teach the younger years. Hell, you could do the same for all of our subjects or let us take on Apprentices and we can set them to doing at least the first few years. It isn't like the Apprentices would get paid by you beyond room and board being provided."

Albus felt his irritation spike as he fought to keep his temper. The man in front of him was to be his spy. Severus was not to question his orders or working conditions!

"Perhaps this discussion should continue another time," Professor Sprout hastily stepped in. "You've had this argument before. Besides the point is moot this year so let's see to our guests."

"Family and new students," Severus corrected. "The only reason the information isn't public knowledge is because most of them were hidden due to the war with the Dark Lord and prior to that World War II with the complications with Grindelwald. There were very important reasons for the hidden connections and it protected the Magical World as a whole from at least three demonic attempts to slaughter us in an attempt at using our magic to end the world."

Albus felt his gut freeze as he re-evaluated yet again. Things were far more dangerous than he imagined. Yes, keeping the group was the best choice. Trying to integrate them and give them some rest was going to be paramount. As was ensuring they stayed around for when Tom resurfaced as the Dark Lord Voldemort. They would be vital for the upcoming war.

Albus only vaguely remembered agreeing and taking his leave with the others, leaving the new residents to settle in. He was going to have to expand both Minerva's quarters and those Severus had claimed to accommodate the entire family as needed. The children would mostly be in their house dormitories until summer but allowing them to stay with the adult family staff members over the weekend wasn't out of line. It wasn't until he got back to his rooms that he realized Severus had claimed Harry Potter as his son.

Oh dear.

Chapter Text

Xander watched his new Wizard parent come back into the room. They all knew what he had done except perhaps Flitwick. Still giving away that much directly to both the Dark Lord's spirit inside Quirrell and to the Light Lord would only give them so much buffer room. The bonus to that was they were deliberately screwing up the known timelines. Part of that was breaking the plans of too many powerful people and doing their best to take advantage of that breaking.

"I think the only thing that might draw him in more is the Parselmouth thing... Which we have to test us for now since I bet it requires something physical as part of your body to actually speak in the right ranges," Xander pointed out as Snape rejoined them.

"If we are now parselmouths then I will need to figure out why I didn't have it before," Snape warned. "The Dark Lord will latch onto the discrepancy. While it could technically make us more valuable to him we also need to make sure he doesn't hide us away as personal trophies or decide that having his family's gift makes us a threat."

"Not if something else made it dormant until now," Xander pointed out. "By the way, what do you and Giles want me to call you? Father is too formal and I am pretty sure that the magic made you both our Dads with James blood adopting both of us. There was a weird vision thingy for me when I was asked if I was okay getting more than just Giles as my Dad, Harry as my brother, and the Girls as somehow related. They forgot I was there when they argued over how to make us both born Potters. They said something about a ritual you both did with Lily and using brothers making it more powerful so that James could have a kid since someone hit him with an infertility spell when he was eight or something."

"That explains a few things," Giles said slowly. "We both knew immediately that you were both our sons by blood once we woke up but we weren't sure how without a blood adoption or similar. Creating the cause to happen before birth is far safer and more effective. I vaguely remember James insisting on keeping both of you so I have no earthly idea how Alexander landed in Sunnydale. Willow.... I don't know either."

"I can answer that," Minerva said from the doorway to the expanded bathroom as the women rejoined them. "I put Willow up for adoption and was pleased with her showing no signs of magic at seven when the Rosenberg's let her meet me. There were special conditions on that meeting which, had I known she was on the Hellmouth, would have allowed me to reclaim her. The lack of magic actually was something I took as allowing her to stay protected and with her loving adoptive family among the muggles."

"Willow has magic," Xander assured her. "I just make it a point to cover up things that people would look at her wrong for. In Sunnyhell being special in that way was a death sentence and classmates disappeared a lot that had weird things happen around them. I wasn't letting the monsters take Willow. We used to play magic when we were little and dream of a big magic school castle even if we had never heard of it before."

"Both of you will need to be tested for Divination potential," Snape groaned. "I have come to greatly dislike that discipline. Buffy will be required to take it due to her Slayer dreams. Incidentally, Buffy, Minerva and I will have to specialize your schedule due to the way your magic has refocused on the Slayer Spirit and keeping you alive as you fight demons and hunt vampires."

"Meaning?" Buffy asked.

"You don't get a wand and wand wavey stuff like the rest of us have to study but learning plants, magic creatures, what dark magic can do and how to stop it will help you still," Xander translated. "I don't know if the astronomy stuff will help though or what potions you could make or use so the adults have to go over what will keep you alive versus what you can't actually learn because of the Slayer Spirit. Like getting exempt from Gym class or Transfiguration because all you need is a five minute lecture and a demonstration for Transfiguration or an obstacle course to play on whenever for gym. The rest of us have to actually work at it or might be able to use the detail stuff."

"Oh," Buffy said.

Dawn and Willow snickered, knowing that Buffy played dumb a fair amount. Hermione scowled at Buffy for a minute before deciding the affront of Buffy not wanting to learn everything could be ignored for her new sister.

"I'm calling Snape, Tad and Giles, Dad," Harry informed Xander firmly. "James can be Father. Pops, Pop, Papa, Pa, and stuff doesn't feel right. Besides, Snape is still going to be scary to people and being Tad helps me remember that he's ours. That's going to be important if we really can try to fix Voldy."

The reminder of the Dark Lord immediately sobered the girls up.

"You sure?" Buffy asked with compassion.

"I'm the Chosen One on this one," Harry said firmly. "I need to know if he can be saved or if there is nothing to save. I need to know if I can afford to keep my hands clean or if I let them make me a murderer. I have to make sure it's my choice or I will break and always be their puppet weapon."

"I get it," Buffy said softly. "It's easier against demons and monsters because they aren't human. Your baddy at least started out human and you need to know if he can still be human to be saved. Just remember sometimes they don't want to be saved and you just have to stop them however you can with what you can live with. Never let someone convince you that their actions are your fault. They choose to act and can choose different. Refusing to break at their demand is not your fault, it's theirs for trying to break you to their command. When they threaten they are telling you the consequences of your choice. Not because you told them no but because they are choosing to try to force you to act in a way they want by telling you what they will do depending on what you do. It took a long time after something happened for me to figure that out. Your actions and choices are your own. Your responsibility is for that, not for what someone else does miles away unless they are following your orders. Orders are different, that's choosing to share responsibility and authority as well as representing people."

"Yes, Buffy," Harry said, thankfully.

"Good, good, good," Filius said happily. "I hope you don't mind, Minerva, I used your floo to warn Gringotts we would be arriving shortly for updating records, medical check ups, and other parchment work. Severus handled Dumbledore's visit and kept his group out of your quarters while you were all washing up and getting dressed. The food the house elves delivered is fairly portable, as you can see so we can leave whenever you are ready."

Minerva gave him the stink eye before conjuring a food basket and sweeping the food into it. The drinks went into conjured bottles and the empty tray was disappeared by the elves. Xander snickered at Minerva's choice in conjured designs of kittens and puppies before accepting a slice of buttered toast to munch on as they walked down towards the gates of Hogwarts.

Things were looking up.

Chapter Text

Voldemort was shocked at the most recent news. Between what had happened in the Great Hall and the confrontation outside McGonagall's quarters he had a lot to think about. Severus' loyalty was now in question but the fact he was willing to try to explain to Voldemort despite the implications of doing so was heartening. The private meeting was going to be interesting even if he had to, grudgingly, acknowledge that hiding all of this originally had been a smart move.

"Master?" Quirrell asked softly, obviously unwilling to interrupt Voldemort's review of this new information.

"Do not move against them, this will need to be investigated. You have permission to approach Severus for help in healing from the damage hosting me is doing," Voldemort instructed. "If you must reveal me in pursuit of that then you will insist on an unbreakable vow. For now we will watch and wait. The Stone is unlikely to be easily accessible no matter what show Dumbledore is putting on. We will act within our contract as teachers and no more."

"Understood," Quirrell said firmly.

"And find an excuse to get rid of the stutter, it gives us both a headache. You can also use scents other than garlic so long as the reason for the garlic can be brought bak if it becomes necessary," Voldemort grumbled.

"Thank you, Master," Quirrell said in clear relief.

Voldemort went back to contemplating the dunghill that had been dropped on everyone's heads. They would have to investigate carefully to see if there was silver or gold mixed in with the mess and decide what to do with it if there was. Potter was not what he appeared to be and neither were these new arrivals. The corrected information, once gathered, would go a long way towards helping him form new plans. If he was lucky there would be no further need to treat the boy as a threat on par with Dumbledore. Magical children were precious and it had galled him to treat a baby as a threat. He had clearly been out of his mind when he had attacked the Potters but something had shifted on Halloween and his mind was slowly clearing. Voldemort couldn't help but feel relief as his mind slowly returned to him. He needed to investigate that as well but figuring out the boy so that he would avoid going after the child if he went insane again unless it was actually necessary was still important.

That night Voldemort actually slept and was pulled into a dream. The fact that he appeared in a room with a distinctly Greek or Roman style was somewhat odd. It wasn't as odd as some of the people waiting for him there.

"Oh dear, no wonder you were so concerned," one woman tutted, looking him over in both wary concern and with an eye towards fixing something.

"I told you the boy would need the boost. I just didn't think it would affect his Dark Lord or make him more reasonable," a man said. "The fact that some of the healing is spilling over across the connection means that healing is actually an option although definitely a labor intensive one."

"Who are all of you?" Voldemort asked warily.

"My idiot brother, Apollo," a different young lady introduced the man sarcastically before shifting to a more neutral tone of voice. "My name is Artemis. That's Hera, then there is Hecate, Janus, Poseidon, Hades, Thanatos, and Athena. You responded to something we did to Harry Potter which also automatically includes you with our changes. You don't have access to the appropriate memories yet because of your fractured state. We weren't intending to include you at all but you now share a soul link with the new Potter twins. Bonus for you, if you play your cards right they will actually help you fix your movement and join you as friends instead of destroy you."

That was extremely good news.

"I can tell you flat out that the version of the prophecy Dumbledore allowed young Severus to partially overhear was altered. The wording of the original is close but it doesn't actually speak of destroying you unless there is no other choice," Apollo offered. "Before we did what we did the rest of the original spoke of destroying you but also of your survival if you looked at it correctly. You were the one to choose destruction."

"In what way?" Voldemort demanded.

"You are going to remember the timeline where we didn't interfere, just like the new family we have forged around Potter. In the first timeline Potter could have become your greatest defender and an anchor against death. The line neither can live while the other survives should have been taken as if one of you is only surviving the other cannot live properly. I am willing to allow what you have done to pass for now," Hades said with distaste. "My condition is that no more Horcruxes be made by you, you destroy all reference to such abominations, and that you reabsorb all of them except for two. When you discover the things about the Potter twins know that they are exempt from the requirements we set down on you until you attempt to harm them. This is meant as further protection for them and if you breech that a punishment for you."

"If you can get them to adopt you and accept you with no masks as family, which is actively possible if you work at it, then your past soul transgressions will be forgiven," Hera pointed out. "This will require a great deal of work and healing but we have agreed jointly to give you a chance."

"If you accept this you will become Sword and Shield to the Potter twins," Poseidon added. "The Slayer can not always guard them but the boys will be drawn to problem spots no matter their own choice on the matter. Their magic practically drags them to it and demands they fix the issue. It will get stronger as they grow older and it will have them drawn to threats that could engulf the world or breeches in reality. Which is why we are taking the risk of offering you a second chance. You would become the ruthlessness they can not bring themselves to be while they help you hold back from becoming a true monster again."

"If you do become little more than a rabid dog or a monster caring only for blood they will deal with you personally," Hecate warned. "I favored you as a child but when you botched the first Horcrux ritual you went where I could not follow without corrupting all of magic and consuming the world. Those things are an abomination. Soul anchors like that should never have been invented."

"I botched it?" Voldemort asked carefully.

"You didn't make the kill yourself," Hecate explained with a sigh. "I wouldn't have been happy had you successfully performed the ritual but I could have stepped in and helped reverse it later if it had been done right."

"Using an accidental death changed the shaping of the magic and the interactions drastically," Voldemort said, going pale as he realized what had happened.

"It broke your mind," Athena said bluntly. "You have not been yourself since before that ritual. The others were affected by the leftovers of the first ritual. Fix it."

"I thank you for this offer and the insight," Voldemort sighed. "May I think on things or must I give my answer now?"

"Now," Thanatos growled.

"Then I swear that I will do my best to fulfill your requirements and accept the offered second chance," Voldemort said promptly.

"See that you do," Hera said firmly. "Your oath has been witnessed and sealed by half the Gods of Olympus. Don't break it!"

Voldemort felt himself shoved and fell back into the blackness of true slumber.

~~~

Harry figured out that they were using the floo at the Three Broomsticks pretty quickly. He also figured out that it was to avoid letting Dumbledore's authority stop them from leaving through the school floo. The fact that it gave them a nice walk in the sunshine was just a bonus. That it also allowed them to avoid the narrow floo access at the school in the staff room or going to Dumbledore's office to leave as a group was just as nice.

Chapter Text

Harry figured out that they were using the floo at the Three Broomsticks pretty quickly. He also figured out that it was to avoid letting Dumbledore's authority stop them from leaving through the school floo. The fact that it gave them a nice walk in the sunshine was just a bonus. That it also allowed them to avoid the narrow floo access at the school in the staff room or going to Dumbledore's office to leave as a group was just as nice.

The trip through the floo was hilarious since only the adults really knew how to step through correctly. One after another each of the children were practically launched from the fireplace into the Gringotts receiving room. Buffy used the launch through to bounce off the opposite wall and flip, landing on her feet ready to fight. The rest of them had to be caught by the adults and cushioning charms. Buffy's landing was treated to sounds of appreciation by the goblins waiting for them.

"Show off," Xander accused jokingly.

Buffy smirked but did help them get up off the floor. One of the attending Goblins said something nasty to Professor Flitwick only to get a stake embedded in the stone wall in front of his face. The goblins looked at Buffy, Buffy looked back and gave an angelic smile.

"Be respectful of my Battle Kin," Buffy told them sweetly.

"She's going to gut them if they push," Willow observed. "They must show up on her slaydar as potential prey."

"Normally she goes for sass over cute," Xander agreed. "Either this is a dominance thing with the Slayer Spirit or she really did accept the Professor as Pack. That was almost the response she would give for threatening Dawn or one of us. The kind that comes with casual disregard like I can break your plate but it's just a plate sort of thing except that we aren't plates."

"Very good," Giles approved. "You've both gotten better at reading her cues."

"If we don't then we are out of position on patrol or in a fight. You taught us that," Xander pointed out with a roll of his eyeballs.

"Apparently I will definitely need that full explanation you promised me," Flitwick said, bemused.

The looks exchanged between the Goblins caused Harry to grin with cheerful viciousness. The Goblins took note. The Goblins cleared a respectful path to the meeting room and refreshments were quickly provided. A very pointedly large serving plate of meats of different kinds were placed very firmly near Buffy. Xander and Harry were given a smaller one to share. The two Potter boys exchanged a look, shrugged, and sampled the offering.

"Not the spices we would normally pick but not bad," Xander said thoughtfully. "Definitely something that would let us run on it for a few days in an emergency... Or let Buffy run a very active patrol without needing to raid the pizza place for anything they had on hand plus a double large. Pretty sure its got magic soaked into it but it doesn't taste like some of the curses that liter Sunnyhell. Just enough to make the Hyena hungry but still settle it like she's been gorged on a kill."

"And when exactly were you going to tell us the Primal Hyena Spirit wasn't properly removed?" Giles asked with a put upon sigh.

"Uh, never? Giles she was the freaking Alpha not just any old Primal Spirit," Xander pointed out. "I got lucky she was willing to play along with your banishing attempt while weakened or she would have absolutely ripped my mind and spirit apart to stick around properly. When she saw what I normally hunt she was more willing to work with me once the Halloween mess hit."

"She sort of adopted both of us," Harry admitted. "That's part of why the twins thing happened. There was an argument among a few of the Primals while the big powers were sorting a few snags out. They had to sort it out quick so they decided to share... Then the magical creatures stuck their noses in. Hyena couldn't be taken away from Xander so there was sort of a minor competition to see who got us with one of his slots filled and who trumped who in order of things."

"Dare I ask?" Snape asked with a groan.

"Quetzalcoatl, Occamy, and Hawk for me," Harry offered. "Xander got Panther, Dire Wolf, and Saber Tooth Tiger. We each got a total of four with Hyena being first. Dragon tried to sneak in and so did Phoenix and Basilisk. I'm pretty sure those three are still fighting and will try to insert themselves later once they realize that they got bypassed."

"Hyena is the only one currently active right now anyway," Xander pointed out. "The others are more potential with a higher chance of actually working if we try reaching for them. We had to point out pretty firmly that a major power up right away was a good way to get us killed."

"Yeah, no way the past weirdness wasn't Potter and Xander luck," Hermione, Dawn, and Willow deadpanned in unison before dissolving into giggles.

"They aren't wrong," Joyce pointed out ruefully. "I have heard them complaining about some of the stranger situations without context. Now that I have at least some context? Well, Rupert would probably know of more incidents."

"Nope, Willow knows more," Xander corrected. "Harry doesn't count because of the brain sharing we did."

Harry was amused by the long suffering looks exchanged by the four adults affected by the Halloween spell.

"Perhaps we should move on to getting an overview of the situation and discuss what Gringotts can do for you. Time is money and wasting it is anathema," one of the Goblins said pointedly.

"Ah, but we are not wasting it. We are dropping hints and drawing it out to give you time to brace and avoid shock," Xander told them. "Sending you into shock is more wasteful than giving you lead up time with random hints as to just how bad this is going to be. Remember we don't actually know what you are aware of but we are forced to trust you completely for safety reasons. The fact that the lead up also gives us a gauge on how much we can trust you is a bonus. This isn't wasting time, this is multi tasking while allowing people to bring certain senses to bear in case of a double cross and just telling you that only makes the effect stronger."

"Are you sure you argued the Kitsune into leaving you alone or did they just decide you create enough chaos without their help?" Harry asked curiously.

Giles and Snape shuddered in quickly suppressed fear at Xander and possibly Harry being teamed up with a Kitsune. The fox trickster spirits were notorious for causing chaos.

"Stop it, both of you," Willow scolded. "You know better than to scare the adults who are actually trying to help."

"Sorry Willow!" The boys chorused.

"And this is why Xander earned a title from Angelus while facing him down defenceless but still scaring the bastard off," Dawn muttered.

"Hey! I was defending Buffy while she was sick," Xander countered indignantly. "She even killed that thing at the hospital that could only be seen while sick that kept eating the kids."

"That's rather the point, son," Giles said dryly.

With that out of the way the group as a whole started recounting things for the Goblins in attendance starting with the untainted timelines. The Hellmouth one went first if only to cover the Halloween spell then they covered the Harry Potter one with both timelines ending at graduation and just after the final battle respectively,

"Sorry about breaking in but we really didn't have any choice and you could look at it as me reclaiming a piece of the soul I was already connected to... Still am honestly," Harry pointed out. "He's less angry for some reason but I can still feel him through my scar. We probably won't break in this time. There shouldn't be a need to unless he gets resurrected and is still kill everyone insane. The timeline rewind sort of erased everything anyway so we have a chance to fix things."

"What has happened in this timeline that is different?" Filius Flitwick asked, shakily accepting a fresh cup of tea. "I presume due to the very clear adoptions that it might not necessarily be adoption so much as changed history and bloodline parentage."

"Harry and I were more aware of what was happening among the big wigs making changes. This is partly because magic doesn't usually work quite right around me and his Potter Luck tends to rear it's head," Xander said, studying his audience. "We got to keep more of what we would have had if things hadn't needed the timeline merge. Part of that was because of the Primal Hyena Spirit I had gotten possessed by a week or two before the Halloween mess and part of it was the fact that I break prophecies while Harry is the main subject of one. Between the two of us we represent a really odd balance of things but it is still a balance of sorts."

"There was a lot of scrambling to fix stuff before the Powers That Be stuck their long noses in and talk about killing more than one bird with one stone," Harry offered. "We weren't the only timelines merged into one universe. What we were set up as is a family of Champions. Buffy isn't going to be the only one dragged into stuff any more and neither am I. It applies to all of us but we aren't expected to handle it without the rest of our family. I say that's a major step up. Most of us didn't really have family worthy of the name so we got family out of this."

"Did they actually call us a family of Champions?" Giles asked intently.

"Yeah, they did," Xander confirmed.

"Well that explains the very deliberately distributed blood ties," Snape groaned.

They all felt a snap of magic in the air and Giles clutched at his chest as he breathed through whatever had just happened. Giles closed his eyes in grief as he slumped in his chair.

"G-man?" Xander asked cautiously.

"Ethan is dead. I don't think he got out of Sunnydale in time," Giles said sadly. "At one point he was a brother to me and we both performed the priesthood ceremony for Janus. We were drunk and only the fact that the magic of it settling on us sobered us up had us realize that it had worked. My father, the Watcher, forced me back home soon after that and forced me to become a proper Watcher. The changed memories have me finding adoption paperwork with a note that I was a squib with Severus as my fraternal twin just as Xander and Harry are fraternal twins. I still learned magic, just not wizarding magic. I suspect but can not prove the Halloween spell gave me the same wizarding magic as Severus just as Joyce appears to have gained the same from Minerva."

"You felt the bond snap just now," Snape muttered and dug a potion out of the kit he kept in a pocket. He forced his brother to drink it and Giles recovered a bit despite his clear grief.

"Will Rupert need more than an anti-shock potion, Severus?" McGonagall asked worriedly.

"Not if we monitor him," Snape said simply. "Since we don't plan to separate at all that shouldn't be a problem."

"Due to the nature of your stories Gringotts must insist on both a blood test and any necessary healing before allowing access to any accounts," a high ranked goblin declared officiously. "Gringotts will cover the cost of both as well as new wardrobes in appreciation for the important information you have provided to the bank, the Gringotts clan, and the Goblin Nation as a whole. The... Future break-in will be classed as a no longer necessary possiblity as you have correctly reported it for the flaw to be fixed in a timely manner."

"Good, we wouldn't have needed to the first time if the Goblins involved at the time had held to their word and been willing to actually help us retrieve my rightful property. I found out a little later that since it was in Bellatrix's vault I should have been granted access anyway as the new Lord of the House of Black," Harry said pointedly. "I was more than happy to pay for the damages we did with the dragon once I could get at my accounts but trying to demand my public execution for protecting everyone and sacrificing my life to make it work was pushing it. Nevermind the way it would have gotten the entire Goblin Nation declared as beasts with an extermination order. Hermione had one hell of a time killing that law and I nearly lost.... Well, I didn't lose it so it doesn't really matter."

That got a very interesting reaction as the Goblins and adults stared at Harry, Xander, Hermione, and Dawn in open shock.

"You asked up to the last major event. We each got a bit of the fallout as well. It's not our fault if you adults didn't get it too," Xander said reasonably.

"Medical check ups first I think," the high ranked goblin said firmly.

No one objected so they were ushered deeper into the bank to the Hospital area used for clients. It wasn't long before a number of the Healers were cursing.

Chapter Text

Healer Blood-Knife stormed out of the healer's ward only to find her target waiting outside. Her snarl of challenge was answered and she immediately attacked the account manager responsible for her charge. He fought back hard but the healer's fury was unabated once she had him down. A guard stepped forward to continue the fight until the healer finally slowed and took a step back, the fury eased somewhat by the brief combat.

"What has triggered your wrath, Healer?" The account manager she had beaten asked from where he now leaned against one wall.

"Even if those younglings never pick up a blade they are warriors," Healer Blood-Knife grumbled. "The two boys have ancient Basilisk venom and Phoenix tears in their blood as well as a fang mark on their arms. They were surprised that the magic had left them their battle scars so long as it caused no loss of ability. The adults have different marks but both men are warriors as is the older girl. Even if we hadn't detected time magics on all of them, which is fading and wouldn't be detectable after tonight, they would likely be up for clan consideration."

"Does that account for their identities or was that disregarded in favor of seeing them checked and healed?" The account manager asked warily.

"Disregarded... What do you know?" Healer Blood-Knife growled.

"Do an identity check. I realize that normally wizard patients are treated blind as a security service but Gringotts is footing the bill and we are the ones who insisted on the check up and healing. They have already agreed to an identity check next," the account manager informed her.

Healer Blood-Knife blinked at the assembled goblins slowly and actually took in the group waiting on her patients. Three separate Generals, two Royal functionaries, an account manager, and Wand-Warrior Flitwick stood as one for her patients. She considered that, considered her duty as a healer and as an adult member of the Goblin Nation.

"You suspect that the Nation owes them debt," Healer Blood-Knife grumbled softly.

"No, we know the Nation owes them Blood Debt for services rendered in a time unraveled," Wand-Warrior Flitwick corrected firmly. "They have claimed me as Battle Kin."

Healer Blood-Knife felt the information like a blow to the gut. To render such service and still claim one of the Nation as Battle Kin no matter how hard won the place due to Flitwick's impure blood... Well, that changed a number of things including the necessary basic check ups.

"Are they under consideration for clan testing?" Healer Blood-Knife growled.

"The information has yet to be presented," the account manager said carefully.

Which meant that even if they said no when told about the option they had more than earned the right to the consideration. What in all the Deeps did they do?!

"They will be granted all due care," Healer Blood-Knife promised before turning around and stalking right back into the Healer's ward. Apparently, her job wasn't done yet.

~~~

Xander groaned awake as the soreness from rapidly repairing what the Harris couple had done to him growing up the first time hit him like a truck. He vaguely remembered agreeing to the repair ritual to get Harry to agree to his own ritual. He had also blackmailed Giles and Snape into their own healing rituals for different reasons. None of the girls needed that sort of overpowered general healing, which was a relief. The fact that they had caught a problem in Joyce's brain and fixed it had just given Xander more to work with in getting his family generally healthy.

"Stop plotting world domination," Willow scolded him playfully as he finally pried his eyes open.

"Too much paperwork and assholes. Pack is more important," Xander grumbled earning some light laughter from his family.

"You know, I just realized that I haven't been thinking about Angel at all and... I think he's incredibly creepy now. I thought he was just mysterious and hot before Halloween," Buffy said, puzzled.

"That sounds like bad brain magic that got wrecked," Xander said suspiciously before turning to the nearby goblin healer, Blood-Knife?

"We will check for that but it should have come up on one of the more generic tests for control magics," Blood-Knife scowled as she turned to fetch something and check Buffy over again.

"The Powers That Be have been known to force their will upon their champion but make it look like a choice," Giles admitted with a grimace. "They aren't supposed to interfere with free will. Unfortunately it is fairly common for people in power to manipulate people into thinking they don't have certain options."

"And the Powers don't care about the collateral. Just their precious balance which doesn't even work right," Xander growled.

Just then the item in the healer's hands lit up with several distinct colors which caused Healer Blood-Knife to make complicated faces.

"There was a rather subtle and powerful love spell on her, one which was slowly re-writing her choice in potential partners. The Slayer essence was fighting it to a degree as it tried to enforce its own preferences. The love spell is gone and the Slayer influence has changed from a bludgeon over the head to more of a proper merge as one gets naturally with Ani-magi. Which is good as it smoothed over some of the raw edges where the preferences connected. It looks like the Slayer Spirit opted to just fill in what parts didn't yet have a strong preference. There should be some general aversions you can probably pin point for a given value but there is no longer an overwhelming need to be with one specific person," Healer Blood-Knife outlined. "If I ever locate the bastard who cast the original spell on you, however, I will most certainly gut them."

"Well that's nice blood thirsty news," Xander said cheerfully. "Buffy is still Buffy."

The pillow to the face was honestly expected but the gold mine was the giggles from the girls.

Chapter Text

The pillow to the face was honestly expected but the gold mine was the giggles from the girls.

"At this point it might be simpler to proceed with the full identity check," Healer Blood-Knife muttered darkly. "If nothing else it will let me check for family inherited magics and bloodline curses."

The group exchanged looks and immediately agreed. Something which caused the Healer to look at them in suspicious disbelief at how easily they agreed.

"Just run with it," Giles advised. "Normally we would heavily resist but we are all curious as to what has changed considering we have more than one set of memories of living our lives. If nothing else the confirmation will tell us which memory set needs to take precedence for the time being."

"Ah, that does make some sense," Healer Blood-Knife muttered.

The healer promptly arranged for the most extensive identity checks possible. Checks that included but were not limited to a full family bloodline check and rendition of family trees back at least five generations.

"So, what do you think it's going to say?" Xander asked the adults curiously while they waited for each parchment to cure with the potion mixed with their blood.

"You're my twin," Harry said confidently. "Somehow both Giles and Snape are our dad's by birth and James blood adopted us. Lily is probably still mum though unless the magic somehow made Joyce mum. Actually it could have just decided that she was also mum. I'm not sure about anyone else except that magic, blood, or something else they are still family."

"Actually going off of the new memories Professor McGonagall is my adoptive mum now with Giles as my brother. We are closer in age now but we will have to check the tests to see if we are actually twins like the pair of you," Snape outlined.

"I remember that you are twins, my lad," McGonagall smirked. "Joyce is my sister and you agonized over the ritual you both helped with for the boys to be born. I was quite surprised that you named me Godparent and that you both were dragged to me by James and Lily before they told us about the ritual they wanted. Dumbledore never heard a word from me about it but I do wonder what he did with Alexander to get him to Sunnydale since I know both boys were at home with James and Lily that night. I was supposed to come visit the next day only I somehow forgot that just like I forgot how to get to the blasted Dursleys after Harry was dropped off and that there were twins."

"Mama cat is not happy with the old goat," Xander smirked. "As for getting me to Sunnyhell... Old man Harris complained about accepting me as a deal or a gift from an old man wanting to get rid of me as a baby when I ran out of the house like this. I was focused on getting to the rest of you and didn't pay much attention to it beyond the complaints that me and Willow were supposed to get eaten years ago. I'm also kinda annoyed that we basically lost a few days between the Halloween mess and waking up like this but I'm putting it down to the time monkeying they probably had to do to set this up. Viewed like that we probably got really lucky that we only lost around two days overall."

"That is an exceptionally good point," Giles scowled.

"Well some of your observations are correct," Healer Blood-Knife harrumphed. "I need permission to allow your account managers and your new Battle Kin to visit you and to see the tests. It will likely be simpler to do this as a group as if it were being assessed for a family tapestry."

"You have it," Snape said simply and the rest of them nodded in agreement.

"Then, as you are all largely healthy beyond needing to complete a potions regime for a few of you, this should be moved to a conference room," Healer Blood-Knife said pointedly. "Apprentice Willowbark will guide you to the room where the other interested parties are waiting. Oh, in case no one has told you yet you have been in our care for three days. Gringotts has waived the fee for everything done in our care. Try not to need our healing again any time soon."

The spluttering from the adults at the extra time lost while getting everyone healed amused the kids. Everyone still willingly moved to the assigned conference room without more than a bit of teasing among themselves. The assembled goblins waiting for them gave the group some pause but what really had them tense was the fact that Professor Quirrell was also present.

"Before anything else happens you should be aware that several Greek Gods offered a deal as some of the power provided to change you spilled over into me," Quirrell offered and dropped a glamour revealing Ruby red eyes.

"Did Professor Quirrell survive the process?" Xander asked warily.

"Not really," the man sighed. "I can give an unbreakable vow that I am no longer an enemy and that steps are being taken to correct past errors."

"What happened?" Snape asked cautiously.

"Come now, Severus. I thought you had been brought up to date," the man said lightly.

"That does not change the fact that I am now likely a parent with Rupert to the boys," Snape said carefully.

"Ah, yes, that is a pickle. Very well. Quirrell is... No longer with us. I was actually rather surprised that he chose to use a merge ritual on us without my encouragement or input. I had been planning on something else but had to take a bit of a nap after the unexpected meeting with some of your patrons. By the time I woke up again he had started the ritual. On the one hand it has granted me a certain amount of mind healing and a great deal of clarity. On the other it was rather disconcerting to suddenly be the proper owner of this body and realize that it was gifted rather than taken," the man shrugged. "Dumbledore is also displeased that you all absconded off of the grounds. I covered for you as best I could but he will still have questions. Officially, I am here to check up on you since you came here for healing after getting hit by an old cursed object. We both recognized that Pomphrey couldn't do anything and that your group had limited time to get to the curse breakers. Unofficially, I needed to sort out my paperwork and make you all aware of the change, preferably away from Dumbledore's crooked beak."

"And what name are you going by now?" Harry asked boldly.

"Marvolo," The man answered levelly. "Officially, I am still Quirrell since I can't afford to change it without a great deal of paperwork until after the contract for the year is complete. I also thought you might prefer the safety net of myself still being under contract as a professor since you are all present or future students or fellow staff members in the same vein."

"It does rather limit the amount of damage you could cause to the children without consequences, Riddle," McGonagall said dryly.

"I have very good reasons for hating my birth name, McGonagall. Please stick to Marvolo for the time being. I did officially change my middle name since that was possible without disrupting the teaching contract," Marvolo said tightly. "I take it your entire group is fully aware of at least the broad strokes of our previous relationships?"

"You don't get to say anything about Angel even if we just proved there was some sort of love spell involved," Buffy accused pointing at Xander and Harry. "You're both bringing home a Dark Lord. He easily trumps Angel for damage done."

"Now Buffy," Xander started only to stop when Harry put his hand on his brother's arm.

"No slayage unless he proves he needs it and then its my job," Harry said firmly.

"...okay," Buffy conceded.

"We were planning on claiming myself as an unmarked and loyal due to Severus rather than the set cause," Giles said cautiously. "The initial message was something I could somewhat agree with. I do however have problems with what the movement became. We also will not be letting you harm or sacrifice either of the boys."

"Granted," Marvolo said easily. "I will take the blame for the mislaid memories of everyone and other discrepancies. I have already reabsorbed the Diadem, the cup, and the ring as the easiest to access with the help of Gringotts. I arrived yesterday and will claim that the curse which affected the rest of you brushed me as well and had to be contained. The wait in treatment will be used to explain the eye color change."

"Which leaves the necklace, the diary, and Harry's scar since you didn't make Nagini one yet," Xander said thoughtfully.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure we sort of shared that, Xander," Harry said carefully. "You spoke in Parseltongue in your sleep the other night."

"You.... Well, that explains the conditions your patrons placed and the fact they were willing to give me the chance to fix this," Marvolo groaned. "We will have to check all four of you for the trait to see if you have the necessary speaker bloodline or if the boys simply gained some side effects from our link. Something was very wrong with our reactions to that fragment of prophecy but I was also clearly mad at the time and needed to be stopped."

"This is all working out just a bit too well," Xander grumbled. "It's giving me the Wiggins."

"We have to make it work out well if we don't want Dumbledore's meddling to split us up and break our family," Snape said grimly. "For that, yes, I will work with the Dark Lord again."

"Would you prefer the Potters to have stolen Harry or for you to have been in a secret four way relationship?" Marvolo asked with a look of calculation. "It would not be unheard of for a witch to accept multiple lovers for a family coven. I am aware that the other Marauders would have reacted rather unfavorably to Severus and as a spy for either side he would have been in a precarious position. I could have arrived to collect Harry that night believing that James and Lily betrayed me in some fashion. Something which could also explain away part of my vicious need to find them at the time. It would also explain Severus begging for Lily's life. If he didn't believe I was an actual threat to the baby he wouldn't have bothered asking to protect the child. A miscalculation on his part with how mad I was but one that could be understandable to my forces if he knew I was interested in the babe only as his son."

"I think Dumbledore or one of his people might have placed me on the Hellmouth with the Harris'," Xander said carefully. "Mr. Harris claimed I was given to him as part of a deal by an old man. I know that doesn't prove anything but the only reasonable way the link would also be connected to me was if I was somehow there that night."

"Perhaps you were," Marvolo acknowledged. "My recall of that night is somewhat fragmented. If memories were modified prior to that you could have been taken earlier. We are going to excuse things with sealed memories in any case I believe and if the caster or the one who was supposed to trigger the release was dead then a traumatic release would excuse the current chaos."

"We can excuse a great deal by pointing out that we are still piecing things together ourselves," Giles pointed out. "Our Gringotts test can be used to explain a few things, provided the goblins are willing to give us each a limited version once this is done to avoid sharing anything but our family relationship."

"In that vein I was allowed to attend mostly because I showed up on the tests for the boys," Marvolo admitted. "I just thought we should clear the air first."

The Goblins took that as their cue to unroll to combined family tree and pull out the stack of test results. Everyone could immediately see why they had just combined everything. They were all closely related now.

"Alphard Black?" Xander mused as he looked over the family tree.

"No, well yes but see here its showing him as having changed his name in the muggle world," Willow pointed out. "Hank Summers. So he was Buffy and Dawn's dad.... Oh my gosh, I got Professor McGonagall for my mom!"

"Congratulations Willow," Buffy said with a teasing grin. "We're apparently cousins."

"And Severus as well as Rupert are your older brothers," McGonagall smirked. "Alexander and Harrison are your nephews and cousins to Buffy and Dawn. Miss. Granger.... Oh dear."

"Stolen from the hospital," Joyce said firmly, daring anyone to correct her or object. "I had to give birth in a mundane hospital for both pregnancies in any case."

"I get a twin! Awesome!" Dawn cheered. "I wonder if we get shared custody or if we have to take you away from them all the way. There is no way you can keep them if they can't deal with weird and you know that they really can't."

"This might be a problem if it shows up on most tests," Marvolo said, tapping on the line connecting him to the boys as a soul parent. It certainly explained why he had been allowed into the review if everything.

"You realize that this is a family thing now, right?" Xander demanded. "So are you going to be family or another Dark Lord we have to take down?"

"Family.... You do realize there is a great deal I am willing to do to see you and Harry safe now that I know about this, correct?" Marvolo asked curiously.

"Yeah but it's loads easier if you treat us like humans instead of precious objects to be sealed away," Xander said reasonably. "We can learn to protect ourselves and we are going to be the last place anyone thinks is linked to your soul. How could we be as children and having our own souls after all?"

"Sword and Shield for a family of Champions," Marvolo murmured. "I already agreed to try to fix this and become a part of your family with some of your patrons. As one of your parents I will be insisting you learn certain things."

"There are some things they should not be taught or they should not learn as children," Giles warned in full on Ripper mode.

"So long as they learn it or good reasons are presented to waive those lessons," Marvolo insisted firmly. "It will not likely be a true issue for some years in any case as they are currently eleven."

"Granted," Giles agreed softly, dangerously, as he relaxed but gave off the air of a big hunting cat.

Marvolo chuckled but inclined his head in acknowledgement of the silent threat and the promise to speak more on the issue later.

"We have a problem. We are still going to need to play Dumbledore's game and go after the Stone this year," Hermione reminded everyone. In response both boys groaned in misery and slumped in their chairs.

"Severus, continue protecting our sons and you will only have an initial punishment for misplacing the boys until they got to Hogwarts at the next meeting," Marvolo told them. "I will confirm your status as one of my trusted but in private you may treat me as a family member instead of your sworn Lord. You may tell Dumbledore that the memories were sealed by me and that if you don't regain custody of the boys then you might as well not return. If I know the old fool like I believe I do he will risk allowing you to have custody to ensure that you are still well placed as a spy. I expect he will move our entire family permanently into Hogwarts year round once the rest of you have gotten done flaying him if only to feel like he still has control. Boys, as my soul sons you are rightfully Heirs of Slytherin. Find a way to be moved into Slytherin even if your only claim is rooms in Severus' Quarters. I expect you each to amass a group of loyal followers. I do not care if you share but I want you to train your own group so that you have support among the students. If they would fight me to protect you then even better. As far as they are concerned I will do many Dark Lord things to get to you both so as a test of loyalty it isn't exactly a bad one."

"Stolen... Yes, but we weren't aware they hadn't planned on giving the boys back to us until the Fidelius spell hid where they were staying," Giles said softly. "We were in a relationship and Minerva... Mum helped us sort out the ritual to have the boys. James didn't like us but tolerated us for Lily and because he was infertile. I was trained as a Chaos Mage instead of attending Hogwarts but family tradition between separated twins is to magically share memories at set times. Something which was suppressed by us until later on but the boys did naturally recently. That will explain some of the consistency for what we remember when we were children and the inconsistency of everyone else at the time. You could have attacked to get the boys back but something went wrong. What it was no one knows considering your fragmented memories."

"Agreed," Marvolo said, humming in approval. "You were an unmarked supporter but you found the twisting of things as we moved forward disenchanted you. However, you are loyal to your twin. That should cover both sides for any loyalty issues and why you are only known now should it come to that. You are also proof enough that the squibs only need to be taught different magics. An unexpected experiment between the Chaos magic and your training from whatever muggle family raised you. It will sooth some ruffled feathers and make Dumbledore believe that you are more for his side than mine. If the boys manage to create a third faction... Well at leat they will be getting some practice."

"Then we need only certify the parchment work and have a few backdated agreements drawn up," the highest ranking goblin said with a toothy smile. "It is going to be satisfying getting a hit on Dumbledore. It is equally pleasant that Magic's Lord is no longer insane and willing to work with the family of Champions."

"I'm afraid I didn't catch any of your names. I am sorry, that was terribly rude of me,"Hermione apologized. "Can I know your name so that I can address you properly?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. We were kind a focused on the possible enemy in the room," Xander agreed cheerfully.

"That is understandable," the goblin smirked. "I am Chief Bloody-Axe in charge of the Affairs of Honor for Gringotts. Your situation has been deemed to be a mark against our honor so it falls to me to rectify it in whatever way is feasible. The fact that you offer a blow against the Thief is simply a bonus. The debt we owe you seems to keep growing so I will see to your assets being handled by more qualified attendants. Battle Kin Flitwick was recalled to his post at Hogwarts while you healed in case you had simply not gotten around to inquiring after him."

"I was wondering about that but I figured if we were with the Healers overnight at least once that he had gone home to bed," Xander admitted. "Besides we should probably look over any inheritance stuff really closely but I don't think we can get away with doing now. We've been out of Hogwarts for almost a week and we need to get around Dumbledore's meddling which means either getting him to help without meddling or coming back to do it another time. I bet the Goblins would have more info for us if we asked them to do a deep audit with the understanding that it's against meddling idiots and not against the Goblins as a whole."

"Indeed we would and with various things which showed up on the health scans we have justification to go hunting," Chief Bloody-Axe agreed with a feral grin. "Is this speculation or an active request from the Heir and Lords of wizard families?"

"An active request," Marvolo said quickly. "And an invitation to join our hunt against those who would see magic die."

"I can get behind that but remember if the world doesn't exist then magic surviving may be a moot point," Xander pointed out quickly. "World saving is a good thing but the people are what make up a home. Destroying ourselves to save the physical planet is stupid and magic can be re-birthed later if necessary. It might be a horrendous undertaking to do involving getting a seeding of magic from a different world but like a planet we can probably get it back eventually. Lives are a bit harder to manage."

"Count the cost," Chief Bloody-Axe translated. "Acceptable. You have invited us on your hunt and we have accepted a place in this war. You bring us much honor and we have much debt to your Clan."

"We acknowledge the honor bestowed by the Horde and accept Clan status," Marvolo said firmly. "Debt was not our goal but we acknowledge that the Horde claims a debt exists and we will not stand in the way of the Horde choosing how to honor it."

"Did we just adopt the Goblin Nation?" Willow asked Xander with no little disbelief.

"Uh, maybe?" Xander said as he tried to translate what just happened in his head. "They sort of adopted us first, I think? They liked being asked to help go after the assholes though. I'm missing context but I vaguely remember some references to them being Klingons crossed with Ferengi on Star Trek... I think we managed the Honor side over the money hungry side this time if that description was right."

"What is a Klingon or a Ferengi?" One of the goblins asked.

"Eh, I don't know if I can explain that right beyond the first one is a warrior race that values Honor greatly. The other values wealth to the point of teaching their children to abandon friends and family for a single piece of gold. Not the best people to work with," Xander shrugged. "I don't even know if the TV series exists in this universe or if it does if we are too early in the timelines yet."

The paperwork was promptly sorted out after that and set to be filed with the ministry immediately. Something which satisfied the goblins nicely but lead to the ambush of tailors, weapon smiths, and a Wand Crafter to sort out what had been deemed their necessities. Marvolo was invited to stick around and help which he accepted much to everyone's surprise. They were still back at Hogwarts in time for supper.

Chapter Text

Severus shrank the last package they had and tried not to be stunned at the gifts his brats had earned from the Goblin Nation. Their entire family, bar Marvolo, had been gifted entire new wardrobes with specialty robes for Severus due to his potion brewing. Specialty robes that he had never been quite able to afford with everything that had happened over the years. Robes that would be delivered in person by a goblin to his quarters at Hogwarts once they were completed. The wands for those who needed them and back up wands for all of them hadn't compared to the goblin silver blades they had each been gifted.

"Our honor demands no less, Potions Master Snape," one of the goblins he had asked discretely why had answered. "Your young have preserved our Nation not only the lives of our people but who we are as a people. They did it without aid and without being asked. They saved us before we even knew the danger. That doesn't even cover how many world ending events those who lived on the Hellgate stopped. It matters not that some of it was unraveled. The debt remains and we will honor it."

Taken in that light it made sense. It also made the way they had been adopted by the Goblins a lot more understandable. To the Goblins becoming an Honored member of the Horde was incredibly important and an even greater reward for an outsider.

"Severus?" Minerva asked in quiet concern.

"We have been given charge of little monsters who just happen to be champions," Severus remarked ruefully, earning a quiet laugh from his mother.

"Would you have it any other way?" Minerva asked with quiet amusement. "We were already parenting them this just gives us the rights as well."

"True," Severus conceded. "We also now have the family we missed out on before."

"Aye and a fine family it is," Minerva agreed. "We will do our best to let the children be children but I suspect they will still insist on training for war. After all they have lived through I find that denying them that comfort, of knowing they can fight, is impossible for all that they have only been truly ours for a short time."

"Then, when they wish to prepare for war, we insist they also prepare for peace," Severus said quietly. "A new family tradition."

"Aye," Minerva agreed sadly. "Now knowing their luck Albus won't be the last thing they need to battle."

"Then we make sure they are ready for that too," Severus said quietly. "We gather allies and supplies. We get them trained both individually and as a group. We listen for warnings and quiet whispers."

"At least you aren't being stupid about being given charge of Champions," Chief Bloody-Axe grunted from directly behind them, startling both adults. "I sent the rest of them down to talk to one of the armor crafters. Nothing will be ready to go back with you today but it gives the younglings something to look forward to even if it's only training armor to get their body's ready for the real thing."

"Stick with things that allow for speed and flexibility," Severus warned the goblin. "A fraction of a second in speed can mean the difference between a painful death and a close miss."

"With young Alexander's fondness for battle axes I would think he would prefer something more solid," Chief Bloody-Axe commented thoughtfully.

"Most Vampires of the type they normally fight are three to four times a human in strength and at least three times as fast from a dead start, pun not intended," Severus corrected ruefully. "That's the baseline for a newly risen fledgling. Personal speed, mobility, clever tactics, and ruthlessly taking advantage of whatever comes to hand including insults and quips have kept them alive. They have been relatively successful in hunting anything that hunts humans but they were anchored in place both to attend school and to guard the Sunnydale Hellmouth. Only one of those concerns has changed. Battle axes are good for a variety of things and for large scale engagements, not for quiet vampire hunting. It's more likely to hand your enemy a weapon that way."

"I see," Chief Bloody-Axe said softly. "Thank you for the clarification. The knives that are returning with each of you are for your personal defense, not full combat. Proper weapons and appropriate training can be arranged later. You are a fully fledged Gringotts Clan and we will be covering the costs associated with sorting out that status as well as any necessary training."

Severus snd Minerva quietly expressed their gratitude. The group as a whole finished up soon after that and the four adults exchanged grim looks before entering the floo. They had a Headmaster to face and child warriors to protect.

Chapter Text

The group stepped through the floo as a whole happily chatting only to find Dumbledore waiting on them. Granted, they had to use the floo into his office partly because of the lock down the man had established so it really shouldn't have been a surprise. The adults had arrived last as a way to limit how long Dumbledore could interrogate them upon arrival but also as a defensive line for the children while Buffy and Xander has arrived first. This resulted in a rather pointed stare down until everyone had arrived.

"No, Albus, we will not be answering your every question. Yes, going to Gringotts was very necessary not only to ensure that our finances and identities were officially confirmed but also to see what the devil was actually established by the magics in the first place. The goblins are filing the appropriate parchment work on our behalf partly because we were not willing to pay the exorbitant fees needed to falsifying things back to what was originally in place," Severus listed off tiredly.

"I won't be going back to the Dursleys," Harry said firmly. "Both Professor Snape and Giles registered as my Dads and Alexander is my twin. Although, it's weird to have Professor McGonagall as my grandma and my best friend as my cousin with Willow as my aunt."

"Aye and I need to talk with the Grangers about all of this. I suspect we will simply have joint custody," Minerva grumbled. "Not that I mind the new family but the politics is going to be annoying."

"I can handle that for you," Dumbledore said quickly.

"Quirrell got caught in some of the spillover but he is still working out what happened to his own status the last I checked," Giles noted. "I think you will have to ask him for his part of this puzzle. The children are all in good health but there are signs that both boys hadn't been fed well enough for years. It was starting to hurt them and could have crippled them outright. The Girls are all mostly fine aside from Buffy not realizing that as the Slayer she needs to double or triple how much she eats for safety reasons. Her body needs the extra energy and resources from the additional food."

"The Dursleys were never my family, never my home, and they made bloody sure I knew it," Harry warned cutting off Dumbledore's building protest.

They all felt the magic snap as Harry and Xander went to their knees with a groan of pain. Snape and Giles immediately swooped down to gather their tiny eleven year old bodies up into their arms. All four of them ignored the way they suddenly glowed and focused on the pain immediately going away.

"You transfered the protective enchantments," Dumbledore noted weakly. "Well some of them. The extra ones I was able to lay down appear to have collapsed."

"Do you have room for us to move in, Sev?" Giles asked ruefully. "I don't think separating us any time soon is a good idea."

"If I don't then I will figure out how to make room or move us to some of the larger family quarters elsewhere in the castle," Snape grumbled. "Knowing that we are now twin brothers and the boys are definitely ours I refuse to see us separated for at least a month before everything settled. We can sort out schooling and the like later if we must. I know both of us need to teach them family magics and traditions but we can work on that more heavily over the holidays."

"How did that manifest might I ask?" Dumbledore inquired, jumping on the tidbit that would definitely robe him of Harry if he wasn't careful.

"James approached the boys for help getting a child. They agreed on an old ritual that Lily found in one of the family libraries. I'm not sure which one or how she got into whichever library. They brought it to me along with several others and the four of them decided on going through with it. James adopted the boys afterwards since some miscast magic hit him before Hogwarts that took away his ability to sire children," Minerva answered with a shrug. "The memory charms across the board were because of the war. The ones that had me forget Joyce is my sister and her family were from the Grindelwald one because of at least three recruitment attempts on his part. It was simply reapplied during the last war for similar reasons. Willow and Hermione are my children."

"Ah, I see," Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

"We may discover more later," Snape cautioned, to the others clearly laying the ground work for needing to use Voldemort's excuse later. "The removal of the memory charms was not clean so there might be things we have still forgotten."

"We all need to be sorted and Harry and Hermione need a resort," Xander chimed in. "We have wands now and I bet we could terrorize the hat into sorting us right if you say no."

"Oi! I know better that that!" The Sorting Hat protested from his shelf. "Both of them do need a resort since someone hit them with spells that forced them into Gryffindor. I just couldn't counter it safely or report it safely. They were brave enough for the house so it wasn't the most pressing issue. Besides, Harry Potter has the Heir rights of both Slytherin and Gryffindor. He can swap between those two houses whenever he pleases and those are also the best houses for him. I took his request as choosing to Honor his Gryffindor inheritance for now."

"Oh dear," Dumbledore muttered.

"That... Actually that fits," Xander said thoughtfully from Giles' arms. "We could claim that a family inheritance requirement put us in both houses or the School reverts to being a private residence."

"Ah! Wait a moment," Giles said, fumbling at one of the bags with parchment records they had to go over later. Triumphantly he pulled one particular page of parchment out and checked it without putting down Xander.

"Oh, yeah, okay. That must be what my brain was picking up on," Xander said with a firm nod as he read the parchment.

"This is your copy, Headmaster," Giles said smugly, handing it over to Dumbledore.

"Ah... I see. Yes, as heirs of Hogwarts both young Mr. Potter's are to be counted in both houses," Dumbledore nodded going over the parchment.

They all watched as the magic of the castle changed the school uniform both boys were wearing to show them as members of both Gryffindor and Slytherin.

"I think I can wait in Gryffindor if one of the other girls joins me?" Hermione offered uncertainly.

"Just a sec," Dawn giggled and extended a hand to wandlessly summon the Sorting Hat.

"Oi!" The Hat protested as he was ver firmly plopped on top of Willow's head. They waited and watched until he announced her new house. "Ravenclaw!"

Dawn snatched up the hat and put it on her own head only for the har to announce her house immediately. "Gryffindor!"

Dawn next tried to ambush Buffy but Buffy dodged. They chased each other around for a good few minutes until Joyce snatched up the hat from Dawn's hand as they ran past. Buffy didn't manage to dodge Joyce placing the hat but she did pout as the hat evaluated her.

"Gryffindor," the Hat snickered before long.

In revenge Buffy dropped the hat onto Hermione's head.

"Nope, still Gryffindor," the hat announced cheerfully to much laughter from the children.

"We can explain to our houses in private," McGonagall said cheerfully. "Our Scooby children can get caught up over the weekends and the like. Buffy will need a specialized lesson plan with her Slayer duties."

"I will handle that," Giles put in quickly. "When we need to be off hunting things for her Slayer aspects to deal with Severus will have custody of the boys while Joyce and Minerva will be back ups. We agreed at the Bank to share custody equally with only the boys and Joyce's girls having primary and secondary Guardians. Mostly due to unique past experiences. Legally we are all the parents to all of our children with some variation for specialties when certain things come up."

"We still wish to formally enroll the children," Severus pointed out. "The only downside you will probably find is that due to the magics involved we can't leave any of the children alone with you specifically. There is a risk of the family magic attacking you due to the effects from the Hellmouth saturating so many of our family. It isn't as strong in some ways for others and no, we don't know why it is a problem yet at all."

"Very well," Dumbledore sighed. "I will let you get settled and you may have a week to sort everything else out."

"Thanks!" Dawn said cheerfully. She quickly used her accidental magic to very deliberately send them sliding backwards out of the office and down into the hallway like they were on a moving walkway. A twist of her wrist had the door sealed behind them, trapping the Headmaster in his office for the next hour.

"Nice choice, Dawnie!" Xander smirked.

"Children," McGonagall scolding in half amused exasperation.

"He said we could go," Dawn said virtuously.

The adults just rolled their eyes and opted to sort out the housing situation with a quick stop to introduce Willow to her new house and head of house.

~~~

The next weeks were a rollercoaster of introductions and getting used to being in school along with lots of rumors and speculation. Overall they had fun messing with the rumor mill, much to the amusement of the staff and other adults. Adults who had been given the same story by Dumbledore in a meeting and had expressed their congratulations on recovering their family. The shock of the previously hidden family relationships, however, sent most of the school and their families reeling.

Thus a meeting was had with most of the free upper class Death Eaters that Severus and Rupert were required to attend and present Voldemort's version of the story. To say that the others had been upset was mildly understanding it. Their story, however, was overshadowed by fear when they were informed that their Lord was back but choosing to remain in hiding because of how close to Dumbledore he had been trapped during his resurrection. Lucius Malfoy was the only one able to enter Hogwarts freely to get confirmation. Marvolo was annoyed by this but used it to confirm what Severus and Rupert had told his other followers while demanding his diary back. Lucius returned it within a fortnight.

"This is unprecedented, you understand," Lucius Malfoy said to his long time friend Severus Snape.

"Oh, we know," Severus agreed with a tired smirk. "It took the memory charms falling for us to realize that the Dark Lord was practically in front of us and then we found that he might have been affected by something that broke in reaction. Not that we were stupid enough to tell him that. Rupert and I agreed we much preferred a sane Lord who has decided the mess at the Potter's cottage accidentally adopted the boys to him over what happened before. One of the children made a point of threatening him over his past insanity. Thankfully, he took it with good humor and agreed that he would try to do better. That's part of why we agreed to acknowledge his claim. Unfortunately, if Dumbledore's overly long nose sniffs such a thing out we will all be having problems."

"What do you think of allowing the children to know that approaching your twins is safe?" Lucius asked thoughtfully.

"It might earn you a few points as they both somehow gained a very clear memory of you throwing an AK at them," Severus said archly. "They are aware that it technically hasn't happened but both of them are ruthless enough not to care if they decide to submit it to the Aurors. I got them to agree to give you another chance to avoid becoming their enemy. I suggest you take that very seriously because even if Harry has yet to kill Alexander has already slain a number of vampires and it perfectly willing to kill humans. If they decide you pose a threat it will not be if they can get a hit on you but when and how badly you have pissed them off. This is my warning to you as a friend. The Dark Lord was also very pleased to find out how vicious Alexander can be and that Harry shows similar signs if pushed sufficiently far."

"They are eleven!" Lucius protested incredulously.

"Indeed, with memories of someone like them far older and far more used to fighting a war against demons while on the back foot with practically no resources to speak of," Severus said sardonically. "Knowing that won't help you but it might save your sanity and your life if you act rashly against my sons or those they choose to protect. As a favor I will sort out the feud that Draco seems to have stumbled into with Harry."

"What did the Dark Lord mean when he said they were to grow as they willed?" Lucius asked quietly.

"The boys have been instructed to start their own following," Severus explained carefully. "Any at Hogwarts who swear to one of them are excused from later swearing their allegiance to the Dark Lord. He wants them to prove that individually or together they can stand without him as support if necessary. He is allowing them to work as one if they choose in deference to their twin status just as he did with myself and Rupert. There are magical complications for us and the boys which makes more traditional service problematic and this is our Lord's solution to it."

"If they succeed?" Lucius asked with sharp eyes.

"Then fewer will be swayed into Dumbledore's camp," Severus said softly. "The boys have a very good reason to play the long game against Dumbledore. However, speaking of it is likely to draw his attention. Something we wish to avoid. I am only being this free about any of this because the Dark Lord wants a safety net for the boys and the rest of our new family. If Dumbledore starts making the Light especially confining or inhospitable..."

"I see," Lucius grimaced. "I can completely understand where you are coming from. I would request that you make the ending of the feud at least look like your twins are dragging Draco out of the certainty of swearing to our Lord. It will give him just as much additional protection as his association will give them a safer link to the Dark faction."

"Agreed," Severus murmured.