Ancestry 37 - Indications of Future Problems. by Voracity2

Ancestry 37 - Indications of Future Problems.

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Ancestry 37 - Indications of Future Problems.

Xander walked past the auror who had helped Harry, dragging him off. "We gotta talk about a few things."

"I'm busy," he complained.

Xander looked at him. "There's a vision involved in one topic. The other means that the US could cause problems for magicals." He grinned. "Still too busy?"

"I'm supposed to go on a raid in a few minutes. We were grouping for that." He pointed at the group.

Xander looked then at him. "Ask if you need me to break something over a drug dealer," he said dryly. "But we gotta talk *today*."

"Okay, when I get back and shower. I'll show up at the Hyperion?"

"That'll let others know there's a problem. Though, some of them are the problem....." He walked off again. "Harry said hi by the way."

"That's great." He nodded, going back to the group. "He's found a few problems coming up."

The other aurors just nodded. Cursebreakers were like that. They all knew he was a Dumass, who were all cursebreakers. Even if they didn't know which one he was.

A few hours later, the auror showed up at Xander's room at the Hyperion, walking in and shutting the door before flopping down on the chair beside the bed. "They really hate those guys downstairs."

"I know. And that's partially my fault. But they are people traffickers who treat the girls like shit." He sat up, looking at him. "Two visions, earlier, by the one who oversees cursebreakers." The auror winced. "Plus a topic over dinner came up that's going to get people bitten hard."

"All right. Shoot with the visions first."

"First, they're both from ones who aren't fully correct but they were strong enough to hit our overseer. Made him drink some of dinner. I hypothesized a few minutes earlier about that problem. Willow is still drawing on the hellmouth. Even from over there." The auror grimaced. "She changed to suck on my hellmouth taint instead." Someone knocked. "Yeah, Buffy. Or Cordelia," he said when she and Buffy came in and closed the door again.

"They're super pissed you still exist," Buffy told him. "But I agree, they treat the girls like shit." She sat beisde him. "What's up with Willow now?"

"She's still in control of the hellmouth." She winced.

Cordelia nodded. "One of the visions I had last night was her calling on that one and Cleveland during our upcoming invasion in a few years."

"Which is what those other visions were," Xander agreed. "Plus a hypothetical that she could rip all the way between them at the worst case." He looked at her. "How far did you see ripping?"

"I saw the Sunnydale hellmouth start to glow and rebuild some area. I saw Cleveland shrivel and a lot of land dying." She sat on the foot of the bed to look at them.

"Hypothetically she can rip the whole way between them to join them," Xander said. "That's worst case scenario. Best case, she just stretches the openings. All the visions have shown rips, at least small ones in Sunnydale and larger ones leaning this way from Cleveland. And Cleveland's a real city."

"Yes it is," the auror said. "I feel the need for Tums. A lot of Tums."

"They make a great orange flavor," Cordelia quipped. "The visions upset my stomach so I take a lot myself." She looked at Xander. "You're still carrying hellmouth taint?"

"When they stuck me there, they linked me to it. If I had to I could probably block Willow somewhat but she's in full control of the hole of doom up there. She gets PMS and it starts to get flashy lights at night. I actually tracked it before I went over for the battle and she got sent to detox."

Buffy grimaced but nodded. "Yeah, some of our busiest nights were her having a cycle." She slumped, leaning her elbows on her knees and her chin on her fists. "Okay, so that's a huge problem."

"Willow can't come back until she's dropped that," Xander told her. Cordelia nodded. "It's dangerous, Buffy. If she's calling on the hellmouth from Scotland...."

"Oh, I didn't think about that."

"Tara agreed earlier." He looked at the auror. "So that's one problem." He smiled.

"That's a huge problem. I need to see if we have ways to help her with her magic addiction over here and see if we have people who can seal the holes easier."

"There's a closing spell. That's why she tied herself into it," Buffy said. "So she could close it next time easier."

The auror rubbed his forehead. "Okay, that's going to take a lot of talking between people."

"But if she's not there, the invasion's in three years," Cordelia said. "Some of the visions had multiple called slayers but we sidestepped it."

"Which means we'll need others who can fall in when Wolfram and Hart open a portal to have LA made snacks," Buffy agreed, looking at her. "Has that changed any?"

"No. The last one seen had fewer slayers called but more people."

"Which is the second point," Xander said, staring at the auror. "We have tech that can see magic. The US is consciously ignoring that. For now. When are they going to snap?"

The auror considered it. "Magical areas are protected."

"The entry into Diagon is an alley. Like in the books. Satellites can see the opening but not inside. Yet. We know there's filters that can see magic and vampires. We have digital filters that can take pictures of vamps."

"So the US has proof that there's magic," the auror said, considering that. "And so do others."

"I figure they're ignoring it for now. How long will that last? And how soon before tech overcomes the magical protections? I checked the ones at the castle, the protections can be seen through in a weak way. Not fully but a ghostly image on film sort."

"Oh. The castle has ancient protections." Xander nodded with a grin. "Can you up them?"

"Of course. I'm already working on that. But what about Diagon? What about the local shopping areas? The ones in New York. The ones in Qatar near that school or Saudi near that school? What about London's other areas? What happens when we get some reactionary higher ups who hate magic because of religion? Are we looking at the foundations of a purge?"

"Yes, we could be," he decided, leaning forward. "All right, so that's both really big problems that'll take more than me to fix. It might even take someone in Gringotts to call a tech summit."

"Which someone can ask them to do. It's not my area. I can craft but not that way."

"Point." He considered both points. "That's very bad news. I'll get on the subject of finding her a better rehab this week if possible." He stood up. "How did you come up with that problem?"

"I used my sat phone in Hogwarts. Used a here and there tunnel to move the signal somewhere less noticeable. Then it started a talk at the table. Also, Willow was sucking up magic because she made a floating spell and others end without realizing it."

"Hell. If she's unconsciously sucking at it, it'll make it worse."

"And her parents do know she's got problems. One of the Banes saw her mother at some conference and said hi for Willow. Which I agree with, they needed to hear how badly they screwed her up."

The auror sighed, nodding, pacing a bit. "They do. Hopefully they'll never get to screw up another child." He looked at Cordelia. "Do you have yours written down?"

"Of course. They're in the desk. Or in Angel's desk if not."

"How correct are yours?"

"I'm the seer that the Powers That Be gave to Angel," she said bluntly. "Doyle passed his over to me." She looked at Xander. "Have a harem."

"I've been avoiding that."

"Uh-huh. You'll have to protect the blond one and the curly haired one. Though she'll make a fine doctor." She looked at the auror again. Then she smiled. "What happens if there is a rush to gather magic users?"

"We all flee to Canada and Mexico," Xander quipped. "Which means the schools get looked at and we find out that Chicago's had problems. I overheard that thanks to Professor Armwrench."

The auror looked at him. "Which professor is that?"

"He's over cursebreakers." He grinned. "He also teaches life science stuff." The auror looked confused so Xander leaned over to hiss in his ear, getting a moan and a nod. "That way he can find us all. He found a son Gringotts missed too."

"Fuck," he chirped. "Okay, so huge problems. He's agreed both are problems?"

"Yeah, those visions hit him over dinner after I hypothesized. Do we need a hellmouth opening that goes from here to Cleveland?"

"I hope not!" He cleared his throat to bring the pitch back down. "I'll get people onto that. It is bigger problems we all have to look at. And stop in case a purge starts. Can you tell the ones in England?"

"Yeah, I can go deliver a letter." He held it up for him, letting him copy it. "Have a better night?"

"After I get others into it. Hopefully we can at least solve Rosenburg easily enough. Before she lashes out."

"No, then you call," Xander said firmly. That got a nod and the auror left form there. He looked at the girls, who shrugged. "I can probably contain her if she's going spastic."

"That'll help," Buffy said. "I had a slayer dream about the invasion and her walking through flowers casting spells like a goddess. But they're interpretive."

"Yeah, those flowers were probably dead people," Xander said with a nod. "Casting at that level would take both hellmouths."

"Can we rip the one in Sunnydale from her?"

"She'll fight," he said. "It could hurt others."

"Okay. Does Giles know?"

"Probably. He and Wes have been listening in with another watcher who went to the same school." Cordelia reached over to open the door. "So how do we solve a problem like Willow, guys?"

"We make her give up control," Giles said, coming in to sit down. "She couldn't...."

"Giles, she's pulling on it from Scotland," he said. "It's stretched the opening already. I can tell you that from here. It's more open than it had been. Like a well used button hole." He shrugged.

"Crap." He looked at the other two, who just nodded it was a huge problem. "How bad, worst case, could it become?"

"She joins the two by ripping them toward each other. I'd say away but if she's drawing them both towards LA to help her they could meet somewhere. Here, there, wherever but one of them will have a huge opening the width of the country. We'd best hope it's Cleveland's since it's in more control and quiet because it was never used."

Wesley leaned on the door frame. "That's possible or it could create a channel and grow from there but not meet."

"They'd meet wherever she was standing," Xander said. "Or be very thinly kept apart."

"So one hellmouth channeled opening across the country," the other watcher agreed. "That is a worst case. The US couldn't ignore that then."

"They're barely ignoring satellite images now," Xander said, making that guy stiffen. He nodded. "We know some filters can see magic. We have cameras that can take pictures of vampires. There's GPS and mapping satellites in space and they're only getting better. Have they missed us walking through barriers and disappearing?"

"Oh, bloody hell," he admitted, thinking about that. "But they haven't acted on it yet."

"We haven't had someone super religious in there since Regan was pandering to those sorts either," Buffy said, looking at him. Cordelia nodded, shifting. "So yeah, we get one of those, and instant witch hunting."

"There's nineteen schools in the US that I know of."

"Shyte," the other watcher complained quietly. "That's true. By the way we do hate you for pointing out that we're people trafficking to the police in London."

"Then be better to the girls," he shot back. Then he shrugged. "That's your choice. You *chose* to be bad to the pre-called girls. You *chose* to take them from their families instead of training them in person there so they grew up normally. You guys *chose* to use them as disposable weapons. Did you expect people not to try to protect the minis?"

"No, I've kicked some hiney over that myself," Buffy said. "So has Mom." She looked at him. "Can you ask someone if there's something that can help her?"

"Ask the auror guy. He'd know about magical healers. I have no idea if we even have mediwitches over here or they're just integrated into normal medical practices. Cursebreakers, especially gifted ones, tend to be really destructive so we don't go near medical stuff. We'll get bored and the building will fall around our ears."

"Oh." She nodded. "I can ask the next time I see him." She looked at the other watcher again. "I agree. You guys are crappy to the minis. And to me. You guys chose that path and we're fighting back. Because we're not warrior slaves and this isn't Gladiator or Ancient Rome."

"I can see that point but it'll never get better if we're in jail. Also, many of the girls can't really go home. Their parents turned them over."

"There's foster parents, who'd treat them like humans at least," Cordelia said. "Which most of you don't. Even if they're bad foster parents, is that worse than Grinning guy?"

"I'm so happy I broke his face with my fist," Buffy said dryly. "I should do it again once he's got it fixed."

Giles patted her on the knee. "Let me next time." He looked at the watcher. "We've said for years that Travers' methods with the girls was heinous. It's come home to roost that we did nothing about that. Yes, he told others. As have others of us who were fired.

"Which is why there's a list of places they can't hide the girls without interference. Culture changes and we must change with it. The girls are not dependent on us any longer. The way they're treated is wrong. We must do better if we're to have slayers in the future. The girls deserve a better life and a supported one so if they survive they'll have a future as well."

"It'll be a while before Faith dies," Buffy pointed out. "Or me, even though I won't call a new one. We lasted the longest yet. I would've went about fourth longest before Xander did simple CPR to save me. If they're lasting longer then the girls can age out and then what?"

"I suppose, but it'll ruin what the Council has built."

"Then it's time to rip that sucker down," she said bluntly. "We're not cows to be sent to slaughter." He winced at that. "Which is the way we're treated. Oh, there's always another one," she mimicked with a hand wave like one of the guys downstairs. "No, there may not be. They can fire you guys just like I did." He grimaced.

"They'll find out that life exists outside the Council's ways and go to it because that'll keep them healthier and happier. Kendra did when she found out. I did, and I had one before then. Faith did. Though she went bad because the Mayor treated her better than her watcher had."

"No one's going to let you guys go back to the twelve hundreds and toss away the girls like they're trash if they're over age," Cordelia agreed. "You've got the chance to fix it. The governments are watching you to see if you fix it before they stop it.

"It's up to you guys to fix yourselves instead of us. We can point it out to the girls. We can be supportive and teach them about free will and having a future. And we have." She smirked. "I had a lot of fun explaining that when they're eighteen it's their choice about what they do. Called or not."

"I waxed poetic about college," Buffy agreed. "Then I assigned schoolwork."

"There's Amish and pureblood British magicals that are better prepared to handle the outside world than some of those girls are," Xander added.

"They could still die of doing their duty."

"You're not sending out girls who aren't called," Buffy said, standing up to stare at him. "I didn't like Xander or Cordy going out because they were normal." Xander snorted at that. "You are."

"Bite me before I turn you into a pomeranian."

"Oh, well, still, normal." She looked at him. "You're not sending out the minis that have no calling, no special skills, and barely any training because you guys suck at it. Wes couldn't even stake when he got to Sunnydale. The minis have no ability to fight properly. The download doesn't hit them until they're officially called." He winced at that, stepping back.

"So no, the minis are not going anywhere but training. They need the training in case they are called. It can only help them if they are called. But they're not going on patrol or anything else until they're called. And if it's the eight-year-old again, I'm going to lose my shit and rip out someone's brains to donate to my mother for anything the cancer ate of hers. She said she'd help."

"I can do that," Xander quipped with a smirk for him. "Not that hard!"

The other watcher looked at him. "Yes it would be."

"Dude, I'm a Dumass cursebreaker," he said bluntly. "I've seen and handled worse and learned how to do it to undo it." He gave him a pointed look. "Did you think Grandma Des didn't teach a single one of us anything?" The watcher whined and shook his head with a sigh. "I may have to make up a binding solution, or pay to have someone make it, but I have recently met a brilliant potions master who works here in ths US. He went to Hoggy too."

"Then why is he working over here?"

"Because the US had a school implode so a bunch of foreign exchange students went," Rupert said happily. "Most of them are absolutely charming people." He looked at Xander. "One was a potions master?"

"Yeah. Draco's cousin's mate? Him."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about that. Yes, Gregory was, wasn't he?" He nodded. "I'm sure he could create the potion to bind the new cells."

"It actually isn't that hard. The making the DNA match would be hardest," Xander said. "Otherwise it's basically copying and pasting it into the cells. That's how we do amputated and replacement limbs." He looked at the watcher. Who was still wincing. "That's how they bind them to the bodies."

"Oh dear. All right, I'll talk to them about it." Xander grinned. "But you're still in deep with us, lad, for turning us in."

"I'm not one of you. I just know how bad you are. Seen it up close and personal." He said something in Latin that made the guy heave and huff off. He grinned at Wesley. "You at least learned better."

"Yes I did," he agreed patiently. "And I hope I can prove that to Faith when she wakes up."

"She'll wake up sometime. The slayer spirit is pushing on her healing," Buffy said. "I've had a few dreams with her in it. We talked once. She tried to attack me a few times until I got through to her, but we did chat a few times that way."

"The slayer spirit connects all of you," Giles said, standing up. He patted her on the cheek with a smile. "It's good you can help her with the minis and help Faith heal, Buffy. But do calm down. We're working to help the girls too."

"I know you and Wes are. Angel is so they're not stalking him."

"As long as they don't want to date him," Xander quipped.

"Hey!" Buffy complained.

"Eww, cold, dead penis," he shot back. She scowled. He stared at her. "You and your mortal enemy? Gross."

"Fine. Whatever."

"And you and Spike? At least he's supportive, kinda, and understands. Still gross."

She nodded with a sigh. "It's not my fault I'm drawn to dangerous guys, Xander."

"Yeah, that's probably the calling. Gathering your helpers. Using sex to forge a bond...." He smirked a bit. "The dead should still stay dead. And the dead should not be putting their penises near young women who were of age, but still, that age gap?" He gave her a pointed look.

"Not your choice," she shot back.

"You're a role model now," he said dryly. "Is that what you want the minis to see?"

"I want them to find happy relationships."

"The only way to teach that is to show them one."

"I get both sides," Cordelia said. "And it is gross that she slept with the Dark and Brooding Penis but it's her life, Xander."

"Point. But she's still a role model. Is that what she wants to show the minis? If not, she could probably be more discreet while they're nearby."

"Yes, she can," Giles said with a nod. "I agree with that point. Because I do not want to see her unhappy or date Spike, which I believe will make her unhappy in the long run." She huffed. "I'd rather she have good relationships with people who'll help her with her duty." He stared at her.

"Which Spike may as long as it amuses him. Though if you take up with Angel again I'm going to stake him for what happened when he lost his soul." She pouted but nodded. "I do wish you'd find a good relationship, one that would be supportive of you, and one that your mother would appreciate."

"I'm trying."

"Then look at ones that aren't on your duty roster," Xander said. "The aurors. Military guys who had nothing to do with that problem in Sunnydale. Officers." He shrugged. "Ask that auror guy to see if he knows someone who wants introduced. Hell, go to a matchmaker!"

"I didn't think about asking them," she sighed. "I'll try, guys."

"Please. It'd be great. I hate barfing," Cordelia quipped. "Spike's nice enough I guess, when he wants to be, but he's all flash and show. Is there anything underneath that?"

"Yeah, he's actually really deep," Buffy said. "He used to be a poet."

Xander shook his head with a sigh. "You need a guy like Joxer, Buffy. One who'll stand beside you."

"Eww, now I'm having Xena/Joxer ideas," she complained. "Gross, Xander!"

He stared at her. "That sort of loyalty. See if some of the watchers have decent sons around your age?"

"Oh, yes, some do," Wesley agreed, straightening up. "I know a few do. I'll see if they'd like introduced even though they don't want to join the Council to be a watcher. Being a spouse or at least a boyfriend would be easier on them." He went to talk to that group. It might encourage some of those young ones to really join the Council. It could use the new, fresh thinking blood.

Giles nodded. "I've asked a few who I know have children. They're not exactly happy with the duty but one said his son's best friend is nice enough and if they're in the same area they can be introduced." He patted Buffy on the shoulder. "We'll help you figure it out."

"Thanks." She looked at Cordelia.

"All I know are shallow guys," she admitted with a grimace. "I would've dragged you with me to the places actors go to hang out otherwise."

"There's that fight ring," Xander said. "It has some humans who fight there. They're really hard to beat. I can't do it without a weapon. Porgess runs it."

She blinked. "I've been there. That might be pretty cool. Thanks for the caring stuff, guys." She went to her room to think about that. She could go find that fight club again and see if she could flirt with some of the fighters who were more human than not.

Giles looked at Xander. "They would have the skills."

"They'd be alive. Because that urge to eat her will someday win out for a taste and then what? Angel said that slayer blood is addictive and healing."

"True." He went to talk to the other watchers. Cordelia and Xander got to go to bed for the night. Angel had heard and was pouty but agreed Buffy deserved to be happy with someone who wouldn't torture her friends if they lost their souls again. Or maybe even Spike.

***

Xander looked at the remains of the former house then at Harry. "So we have to get to an agreement on some construction stuff."

"Why ask me?" he asked.

"I figured you'd want to live here? Maybe?"

"Well...." He considered it. "I know there's a Potter house, I've been there, but it's really lonely there. And it's not that far away." He considered it. "It would be easier to get to."

"You can do whatever you want, Harry. I won't force you to live with me or near me. If you want to live at one of the Potter houses, go for it." He clapped him on the back. "Should I rebuild the family home?"

"A home, probably. Because that way you could meet people here instead of at the Castle." He stared at the wreck. "But it'll cost a lot."

"Yeah. Less if we use the same plans we had. Which means a lot of auntie bedrooms." He sighed. "Which I'd probably make special topic library rooms for a bit. Because I'm not having more kids. Kids are creepy." Harry grinned at him for that. "They are!"

"They are not. You're just scared of them," he said then smiled. "They're just two footed foals."

"Not really. They won't horn you if you swear around them." He looked around then at him. "If you swear near a unicorn it'll try to horn your ass," he said quietly. He heard a loud neigh. "That's what I was warning him about!" The mare didn't appear and didn't neigh again. "See?" Harry giggled, nodding a bit. "Okay. So we should probably rebuild the house," he sighed. He called the people to do that, getting the smiling man there. "Hey."

"Finally figured some stuff out?"

"We should rebuild the family home," Xander admitted. "Even though it held a lot of suites for aunts. I might turn them into the new library." That house elf appeared, staring at him. "Talking about turning the old house here into a bigger library to store stuff, Library." He petted her.

She looked at the contractor. "Would need to be much bigger. Have thousands of boxes of books without shelves."

"I've heard that." He looked at the remains, going to examine them. "I can do it the easy way, with repair spells. It means that some of the furniture might come back too or I can rebuild it properly."

"Will restoring be a lot cheaper?" Harry asked. "And will it be sound in case of a huge storm? I have no idea how that works," he admitted quickly.

"In most places, the structure's there and there's a repair charm built into it. My great-grandfather built this house, Mr. Potter." Harry grinned and nodded at that. He looked at Xander.

"Restoring sounds great. I can put new protections on it to keep out any future lightening storms, caused or not. How much and how long?"

"Few weeks," he admitted. "Few good sized checks too." He worked up the estimate and handed it over. Xander sighed but nodded, writing out an authorization for him to draw directly from the vault for that amount. "I'll let you know if we go under or over."

"Thank you. Then we'll see if we still need another library turret at the castle."

"You have that many books?"

"Yeah. Every book we ran into, most of the cursebreakers had copied and then translated." He grinned. "Library's had nightmares about all the boxes of books. So have I. Making all those cards for the card catalog."

The guy nodded. "I can see that then." He called his people to come clean up the area and start the restoration. The bank came through within minutes with the fees to his account. The fees for that came out of Xander's account, as was standard. Xander and Harry settled down to watch it going on as they played with a few unicorns, a cat, and Library.

***

Library looked at Xander, sighing deeply. He grinned at that bit of theatrics. She had learned well from his sister. "What's wrong, Library?" He petted over her head. They were in the former house, which was now fully redone. The barn was back so the unicorns could live inside it. Some of the furniture had survived and been found to be restored. Like the big dining room table. That the family probably wouldn't ever need again as there was only two of them and the thing seated fifty-four.

"Library have too much work."

"Okay. Do you want to call back the ones from the little houses? Do we have some that've taken up with other families? I know one's put himself into stasis inside the family tomb to guard them. Which I thought was pretty weird."

"Wese let Grimoire do that. His hand-holdy one in there too. She got stomped on." Xander grimaced. "By dragon."

"Why was there a dragon?"

"They be at beach house, Master Alexander."

"Oh, yeah, wild dragons down there." He nodded. "Do we want to adopt some or call some back? What do you want me to help you do?"

"Library want this house. Castle...sad."

"Yeah it is." He nodded. "I've felt that too. With so few of us and me being so off due to all that curse, I'm not the same guy I was. My magic directly affects the castle."

She nodded. "Library understand that but Master Alexander needs a mate."

"Yeah, some day soon, Library. When I find one." She huffed at that. He grinned. "I told them to come flirt with me if they actually wanted me. They haven't."

She nodded. "Library want babies some year."

"Then Library should have a few more," he shot back. "Babies are weird."

"True. Still, we need babies."

"I have two living kids and one has grandkids. The other's single and has a problem with a bonded family trio going on." He shrugged. "They'll figure it out."

She sighed again. "Library wants Me back."

"Where is he?"

"Me is being in Sandcastle."

"Is that ours? Did he go to another family?"

"Went with Mistress Maribelle's husband's family."

"Didn't they die out?"

"Yes."

"Then by all means, get our elves back here. Especially if they'll take care of the unicorns when we're not here. If you can get Me back, he can come to the castle to head the house elves there." She cheered and went to find them to talk to them. "Take them to a healer so we know if they're sick," he called after her. An old elf showed up and he nodded to him. "Hey, Serge. Library's getting some of our former elves back. Including Me hopefully."

"Serge would like that. Serge is old."

He leaned over to stare at him. "You're only as old as you pretend to be, Serge. Unless the curse on me is affecting you?" Serge shook his head, kissing his ring hand. "If you're sure." He leaned back. "We're going to move a lot of the library here. Before I have to add onto the castle."

"Will still have to add onto castle, Master Alexander. Many artifacts. No good work area."

"True." He nodded. "I do need to start using the work area here to deal with some of the stuff I got from Sunnydale." An elf, not real old but pretty weak, appeared. "Me!" He hugged him. "Oh, you need the healer, little man." Library popped in to grab him and take him with her. "Healers, Library."

"Will!"

"Thank you." He looked at Serge again. "There's some kids at least. The grandkids are kinda neat."

"Master Harry is, but is confused."

"Yeah, that happens sometimes." He grinned. "But the daughter has kids. She actually has a grandkid."

Serge smiled. "Will watch over her."

"Thank you. And take care of the unicorns if I'm not here?" He nodded. "The barn's rebuilt."

"We will take care of the family's prizes."

"Thank you." He petted over his head. "Harry's at the Potter house. They've got a few elves so coordinate with them?"

"Serge will tell Library that. Will Master Alexander do what the bank wants and clean up his messiness?" He handed over the letter.

Xander read it with a snort. "If I clean up that mess it's mine." He grinned at him. "I didn't make that mess. Not my job to clean it up. But if I do I'll claim it." Serge walked off happier. "Go see the healer, Serge. You should not be limping that way. Even with the way the unicorn used to kick your knee all the time." Xander popped his neck and called Blackrock, waving the note. "If I clean up someone else's mess, I'm keeping it."

Blackrock sighed. "You could sell it."

"I could sell a ton of stuff, Blackrock. Why make people happy?"

"You'll need to set up things again, like the family accounts."

"I have ones set aside for the kids." He grinned. "Including the new great-grandchild I have."

"Fine." He waved a hand. "If you want to go clean things up, go clean things up. But do get a new broom first. It's in the middle of nowhere and from a demonic problem. We don't want to deal with it. The cursebreaker who had accidentally let it out died and was gathered remotely so they didn't piss it off."

"I can do that I guess. The house is rebuilt. We're moving the library around soon." He hung up and went to look up that area in the library section for that. That way he knew what it was like down there for weather.

***

Harry showed up at the new house a few days later, looking around. "Xander?" he called.

Library popped in with another elf. "Master Alexander doing the bank's bidding and cleaning up demonic mess," she told him. "Library here, head here now, Master Harry." She grinned. "You eat?"

"I ate at home. I came to check on Xander since I hadn't heard from him in days. Is he okay?"

She led him to the health charms tapestry. It had everyone in the family, mostly grayed out as they had died. Some were in white showing they were in stasis. It had a side-attached one that included all the house elves. Harry smiled at that, touching a few of them. "His name shows injured," she said with a point at the red name. "But alive. Probably mad again. Master Alexander be very angry sometimes. Even before the curse." She looked at him. "Master Harry helps with that?"

"I try. Does he need or want my help?" He nodded at the staring elf. "I haven't met you yet. I'm Harry. Alex is my grandfather. Though we admit to cousins."

"Library is getting Me back. Me is head house elf at castle," she said proudly.

"Thank you for coming back, Me. I know someone needs to help Xander there and he's still a bit upset about that curse."

Me smiled. "Me will like Master Harry." He nodded and looked at Library. "Still so many boxes!"

She nodded with a sigh. "Library needs to be redone there too. We move some to rooms here. Still need another tower."

"Can we do that?" Harry asked. "Without telling him?"

"Any heir could. Would then need humans to write cards and get new card catalog. Plus hiding boxes."

"Okay, can I do that?" She squealed, bringing him to talk to the contractor about what they needed. She and Me had drawn up plans. They had full plans for everything that was needed. Harry just shrugged and paid for it out of the family accounts. Xander would be happier if things weren't always in a box somewhere and Library wasn't crying about it.

He got them up there to build onto the castle, a second tower section for the library, and expanded inside because they'd need it. It was still full. Only two shelves had any real room left for new things. He got Hermione up there to help him with the card catalog things, watching as she sighed in pleasure when she walked into the new library section.

"Oh, this is wonderful, Harry," she praised. She smiled at him. "What are we needing done?"

"We have to fill out the card catalog cards and I need to find a new card catalog system." She giggled, coming over to see things. Me and Library showed them that some had cards already and would shelve themselves within a few hours. They got some food in them and a look at that old pirate ship out back then came back in to do that.

Even she got tired of it and called the school's library to see if they knew where they could find a new card catalog. She had one that was older and out of use there so Harry went to grab it and bring it back. It was better and the charms Library put on it worked great. By the time Xander got back two days later, all the ones that were done would be shelved. That left hundreds of boxes of books to do though.

He looked at her. Then at Library. "Is there an easier way to do this?"

"Have many friends?" she suggested. "Elves can't write."

"Point." He sighed, looking at Hermione, who grinned at the mean idea she could see brewing. "Library, can you get me the stuff I need to formally invite the headmaster and Professor Methos up here? That way they may want to help us a bit?"

She giggled and got it then they moved the rest of the boxes into the rooms to be sorted out. Harry sent the invitations and they went to get a new snack in the gardens. Me was working on it. Harry got Ron invited over to gnome it for them because he said he was 'super bored'. It helped a lot.

***

Xander finally got back, staring at the extra tower as he walked from the floo port. He sighed, going to find Harry to ask him what he had done. He walked into the library, finding some people actually reading. He blinked a few times. "Hey, Professor Methos," he said with a grin.

Methos smirked back. "I'm borrowing a few of these. I had no idea you had some very early works, Xander."

"Yeah, I have." He looked around then at Hermione, who smiled and waved. "What did he do?"

"He made Library quit crying about all the boxes. Everything's unpacked. Me handled the garden. Ron was bored and came up to gnome for you." She smiled. "Neville showed up for a few hours to plant some flowers. Harry had to go bring him in." Xander looked confused. "You needed it to be more like home. So it is. It made Library and Me quit being upset for you."

She closed the book she had, putting it onto the library cart and hitting the shelving rune. It worked and she walked over to stare up at him. "It's all done so you're more at ease," she said more quietly. "The elves quit being upset. Me is happy that the kitchen's free of books." She shrugged. "Harry was being sweet."

"I don't doubt that. How did he pay for it?"

"Family accounts," Harry said as he walked in a tea tray to put down on the table. Methos got his, Hermione got a cup as well and sat down to properly have tea. He looked at him. "Library helped a lot. She was very upset."

"I'm sure she was." He nodded, looking around. "It looks a bit weird."

"But it works! You have two shelves that have room leftover."

"Two?" he asked dryly. "Even with the new house?"

"Xander, they found another three thousand boxes with books in the catacombs from the old library being moved. They found a lot of the furniture too actually." He sighed, sitting down. "It all went to the catacombs out under your tree house that was blocked off. The castle let them into it and they found all sorts of stuff.

"Including the other set for the unicorns. I switched out the one at the school for that one." He gave him a hug around the head. "Everything's nicely cleaned and ready to be lived in." He stared at him. "Including them doing the laundry that you had left in LA. They said that's mostly back here but they expected you to go back and forth a few times."

"I probably need to," he agreed. An organ crashed and he sighed. "I hate that thing. It tried to bite someone."

"That's Me. He found spider webs," Hermione said. "He's got a duster and is fighting off the elf nibbling pipe organ."

"I unraveled the curse but I think it came back," Harry offered.

"It's got two artifacts stashed in the back. There was a battle during a family wedding and they got tossed in there but no one's ever thought to get them out." He sighed as he stood up, going to save his elf. "Hey, Me, let me handle the artifacts."

"Master Alexander is home!" he cheered, grinning at him. "Roomsies is done! Shower and tubs is clean! Clothes is done! Even found old clothes!" He stared at him. "Linky ring is on desk. Mail is on desk. Owl came from bank earlier, Me put it on deskies." Xander smiled, patting him on the head. "Master Alexander punish bad organ!" He pointed his duster.

"I can do that." He opened the top then sighed as he had to partially climb in to get the artifacts out. One got thrown and the other got carried. The thrown one got kicked down the stairs. It yelped a few times but quit being such a bad influence. They were both put into a case in the office for now.

It locked. It kept an artifact from attacking. He went to look at the gardens then around the house. It was...pretty. They had done a great job restoring the castle. It wasn't exactly like it had been, but it was...pretty. And serene again. The castle still felt sad because he was but it felt closer to home.

He had missed that feeling.

He stood there, staring at the back of the castle then sighed. The curse was still battling at him. He couldn't fully remove the last of it. He had no idea how to do that. He went back inside, giving Me a pat on the way past him. He went back to the library to look up that sort of curse.

It was dark as anything and he had a lot on those sort of curses. But Dumbledore had healer tilted skills so it was one of theirs. Methos showed up with Philip to take him outside to the caverns to do the spell cleaning and remove that stupid thing for him. Xander sighed as the magic filled him properly again. "Thank you," he said quietly, staring at them.

They smiled at him. "We're still borrowing the library," Philip assured him.

"I don't mind that. The danger's mostly past so I'll issue some temporary passes to the floo. A permanent one can only be done if you're wearing heir markings. It's been set that way for centuries."

"That happens," Methos agreed. He did that and set it to let in a few others. "Put Malfoy in there. He's had to hide twice recently. Some that drooled on Emilia have tried to come after him."

Xander looked at him. "I told everyone to quit pushing about him and if he wanted me he could come to me."

"Seriously, we've had him at the school twice due ta idiots who wanted Emilia," Philip told him. "Even his mother had to run from one."

"Eww."

"Yes, that's a good word for them," Methos said dryly. Xander did set Malfoy a temporary pass as well. "Good boy. Everything has a card, it's all shelved. Everything is set for you to go clean up after wherever and just rest for a bit." He patted him on the obviously injured shoulder. "Go bathe."

"Yes, Professor. Thanks, guys." He went in to his suite to take a long, hot bath. Treat his shoulder and leg wounds. Fall asleep in the tub but be woken up by Me showing up with a meal for him. He sat up to rerun the water and eat then went back to resting in there. He had sand ground into his skin again, it needed to come out.

***

Draco hurried into the bank, wand in hand. "I need to go hide in the family's vault," he told the guard. "Please."

"Sheathe the wand, wizard."

Draco looked back then did that. "Please?" They took him to Blackrock to make that decision. "Oh, Blackrock. May I go hide in the family vault?"

"You probably could but they're airless. You'd die within minutes, Mr. Malfoy." He heard someone get demanding and looked out there then sighed. "Yours?"

"Showed up at the house to get Mother," he said. "I nearly crucio'd him to make him leave her be. She's in hiding. He tried to come after me, and he has hench wizards. Or at least minions. I can handle a few, but he apparently has a private army."

Xander walked in with a bag, handing it to Blackrock. "Since you wanted me to go clean up that mess so much, that one left his camp stuff there. That's his pack and things that had pictures. And the one for the dverger who was with him." He looked at Draco. "Who's the putz?"

"Wanted my mother."

"Oh, one of them." He nodded. "Sit in here for a minute. I'm used to taking duels for people." He went out there to stare at the demanding asshole. "Hey, cunt!" The man glared at him. He grinned at him. "You're disturbing the business. Do you mind leaving it?"

"You are not one of them."

"No, I'm not. Though at one time I was named a protector of the bank." A few of the guards gasped. He looked at one. "Did you forget about that?" He smirked a bit then looked at the guy. "You're not going to get what or who you want. We don't believe in people selling around here. *Ours* have gotten beyond that."

The man pulled a gun and Xander threw a knife at him, catching him in the throat. The man screamed and the gun went off, damaging a ceiling but sticking in it. Xander took the gun to put the safety on and put aside then kicked the guy a few times. "That is not polite. We're in England. Even in a snotty fit like yours, we believe in manners being used," he said firmly.

The guard coughed. "How did you do that?"

Xander grinned. "Practice. And an aiming charm on the dagger." He looked at the guy again. "I'm going to ruin your life. I really am because I hate entitled little pricks like you." He pulled out something from his pocket and poured it on him, making the idiot scream as it infected him and changed him. He grinned. "Have fun with that.

"I'm sure you'll *adore* the primal changes you're going to have. It'll make you so much *better* of a being." He wiggled his fingers with a grin. "Have fun now!" He kicked him to knock him out. "I hate people like that." He walked off cleaning off his dagger then handed Blackrock the vial with a smirk. "He's having a bad incarnation but now he'll have a better one as one of the ape demons' kids."

Draco looked horrified. "You infected him with demon blood? Over me?"

"Not just over you. I know about him. He's a wannabe warlord who causes so many problems and hates people who aren't him. So now he's not him." He smirked at him. "I hate guys like that. You can't always punch them in the nose but infecting them with demon poisons or bloods, that's more doable. What's he going to do, charge me with assault? He was attacking the bank."

Blackrock looked at him oddly. "You were named a guardian of the bank?"

"Yeah." He walked him out to point at the announcement plaque. "That one's me."

Draco walked over to look. "You ...saved the bank from ruin by figuring out Case Two?" He looked at him. Blackrock was pale and looked at Xander like he was scared of him.

"People finding a unique and dangerous way to steal from the bank," Xander said with a slight nod. "I figured it out while I was in training one day. It wasn't hard, they were using some arithmancy stuff that was weirdly twisted."

Blackrock looked at it then at him. "I...did not know that."

Xander stared at him but shrugged. "Others did. You weren't with this branch then, Blackrock." He grinned at the guard stomping over. "Yes?"

"You pulled a weapon in the bank."

"He defended us," Blackrock said firmly. The guard glared at him so he pointed at the plague. "He is allowed." The guard looked and then let out a loud whine. "Exactly." He looked at Xander again. "What did you bring beyond those?"

"Just those. I told you if I was going to clean up that mess I was keeping it."

"You could start to liquidate some of what you've found."

"Yes, I probably should hold an auction," he said dryly. "A rather large one. But..." He grinned. "I've got to train Harry and maybe Ron. I've got to train the granddaughter. Maybe that son you guys missed finding because he's part of a trio family bond." Blackrock moaned at that. He grinned. "He's an agent too!"

He smirked at Draco. "So anyway, we did get you a temporary pass to the castle in case you had to run there. The headmaster and Professor Methos are both sucked into the library. Granger remembered to go home a few days ago. Her parents were thrilled she's back from her trip already. Then she told them why and showed them a picture. They were thrilled she was safe and it didn't cost her anything."

"Your family has a large library?"

"Yeah. We have a huge library. Harry had another library tower added onto the castle while I was gone so the house elves could quit crying about it. The former house was rebuilt and it's got a library too."

Draco licked his lips. "May I come see?"

"Sure. That's why we gave you the safety pass, Draco."

"Thank you." He looked at Blackrock. "Thank you for allowing me the protection."

"That was not a problem, Mr. Malfoy. Go with him. He is said to be a book nerd. His family's library is extensive by college library standards."

Xander grinned at them. "I had everything I ran into copied and then translated so we have both copies." Draco moaned at that. "Granger made that same sound." He walked Draco out past the guy who was slowly changing into an ape. "Bye, dude," he said with a grin and a finger wiggle. "Have fun with your new domain."

Draco looked Xander over. He was in jeans, slightly dirty jeans, and a t-shirt but he looked good in them at least. The overshirt was plain, the boots were clearly used and dusty but probably comfortably broken in. "I need to tell my mother I'm safe."

"We can floo her." Draco nodded, pausing by a public floo to do that then heading back with Xander. He moaned as he felt the castle welcome him. "I adore the feeling of this place."

Xander grinned. "It's been in the family for generations. Almost since we first came over. The third generation here in the islands built the castle. His mother had picked the spot and had it blessed." He walked him toward the castle. "That's Harry's tower."

"It doesn't look too odd. It does match. Putting it on the other front side probably would've meant a problem for the split library." Xander nodded. "It looks nice enough." He got let in and stared in the library, walking in to stare up then around. "Oh, Professor, my mother's at your house hiding from the idiot."

"Wannabe magical warlord," Xander snorted. "He hated the demonic blood I poured on him." He let Draco go look around. The moans were pretty but he knew about the curse on Draco's life. Methos looked at the boy's back then at him. "I know," he said quietly. "But he's my current potential age."

"He is," Methos agreed. "Mr. Malfoy, if you should get off in front of us, that's rather rude and suggesting we could share you," he said at the next moan.

Draco came back to look at him. "I would never do such in public for that very reason. Why do I need someone critiquing my skills there?" He walked off again to go back to looking around. Fondling the scrolls. A few cases with things. Including one obviously cursed necklace. It tried to talk to him, it was cursed.

A few things were just holding power. Those made him moan some more. He nearly did get off from one but he knew that was rude of him. He found a bathroom to take a moment in then came back out to look around some more. He ran into Potter on a back couch. "You did a nice job with the extra tower."

"Thanks. We're officially all shelved but have no more room for anything else." Draco looked around then at him. Harry shrugged. "He likes finding books."

"I can see why." He went back to looking around then back to Xander to stare at him. "Do you lend?"

"Sometimes. Usually it'll allow a two week loan then it'll summon it back."

"That's wonderful." He went to find a book he had noticed and came back to sit and read it. It was safe here, he could get lost in a decent book. Xander looked at Methos, who looked smug. Xander walked off rolling his eyes to tell Me they had another temporary guest. It made Me very happy to have guests to take care of.

***

Me looked at Draco that night. "Mister Malfoy is in the Green Suite," he told him quietly. "Room has good locks and nice view of the water."

"Thank you," Draco said quietly. Methos was asleep just a few feet away and Philip a few more chairs over. "I'll go up soon."

"Me not allow most people to nap in library but they be grumps." He left.

Draco laughed to himself and went up to his room, settling in. He wrote his mother a letter so she wouldn't worry. She was somewhere being safe and a happier widow since Methos was here. It turned out, by her letter in the morning, written yesterday morning, that she was entertaining Duncan Mcleod. For some reason. He looked over as the grumbling came up the hallway. "I believe they're up, Me."

"Me heard," he said. He put coffee down on the table, staring at the headmaster. "Tea or coffee, Headmaster?" he asked politely.

"Coffee," he grunted, sitting down to inhale some. He blinked at Draco. Who smiled at him. "Where's the host?"

"Master Alexander be napping in his tub like silly puppy dog," Me said, coming back with food. Methos groaned as he walked in. "Me will get him up soon. You two slurp." He went to do that. Surely the sand was soaked out by now. Though it was nice he had eaten his full dinner for a change.

Draco stared at Methos until he got glared at. "My mother's still at your house. Hosting Duncan?" He handed over the letter at the hotter glare.

Methos read it and groaned. "I need to behead him," he muttered. "Your mother's a busybody."

"Yes, she can be when she's bored or worried but at least she's not magically knitting to have something to watch." Methos sighed at that, shaking his head. "Thankfully I believe that one problem won't be one again." Xander walked in shaking his head. "Anything on your agenda today?"

"Not yet. As far as I know I was just going to go look at the catacombs to see what I wanted to work on." He blinked a few times. "To see if Harry wanted to learn it too."

"He's got tryouts today," Philip said. "Said so last night when he went to bed." He got more coffee and poured Methos some too when he held out his cup. "You, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I'm nearly finished with the theoretical work I'm reading so I was going to see if it's actually probable."

Xander blinked at him. "That book the purple one with the idea about the tree?" Draco nodded. "Yes and no. The tree, yes. But you can't have it permanently producing. Faster producing but not permanently. That'll take someone great in herbology to do though."

"Hmm. Well, that would be something to see done." Xander nodded, digging into his breakfast. "Your guest rooms are very nice. Thank you for hosting me for a few days, Xander."

"Welcome." He blinked at him. "Where did Me put you?"

"Green suite?"

"Yeah, that was Mel's former room. Sorry if you found her trashy novels or something in there. Or evil cooties." He ate another bite.

Philip shook his head. "I doubt she left them here. They're probably where she's living now."

"If she's living probably." Philip stared at him. "She and Justy tried to attack the castle to take it over. I got a bit peeved." He shrugged but stared at him as he chewed his next bite.

Philip patted him on the arm. "Fighting evil sometimes takes patience."

"Or blasting curses to take down mountains," he quipped.

Draco stared at him. "You can use those on people?"

"It does make a mess," Methos said dryly. "Which was probably good in the case of his brother. Who is still an annoying ass of a chaos mage."

"Ethan called him the same." He dug in again, looking back at Me. "Anything going on today?"

"No, Master Alexander. Lady Tara said that unicorns are indexed and noted. Have names to be cooed at. She noted who's pregnant and not."

"That's sweet of her. Thank her for me if I don't see her soon?"

"Me will tell Library," he promised. "She like Lady Tara."

"I adore Tara. She's like my sister. Any sign of the redhead?"

"No, Master Alexander. She in LA at hotel with blonde one."

"Great," he muttered. "Maybe they'll help her with the rehab stuff." Philip stared at him. "She never gave up the hellmouth. We had visions of her calling on Sunnydale and Cleveland together during that invasion in a few years. Then rips." Methos spluttered while drinking his coffee. "Exactly."

Draco considered it. "That's rather horrifying to consider. How far apart are they?"

"Across the US from each other," Methos said, looking at Xander. "Full rips?"

"Partial from the visions. Worst case would be them merging."

Methos considered it. "We can knock her out."

"We tried," Philip said. "Snape tried." Draco nodded once at that. "They had to detox the black magic she took up to clean her from the taint."

"We spent a week with shielded classrooms and everywhere we could," Draco told him. "Everything but the Great Hall was shielded. Some kids decided that it was a weird attack and had panic attacks so we had to clean them up and calm them down."

Xander nodded. "Whenever she got near me she sucked on mine instead of there because it's a long way from Scotland to Sunnydale." He grimaced. "The link to the hellmouth is mostly closed but I'm probably the only one that could block her doing that." He sighed. "I hope Cleveland has a guardian over it too."

Philip shook his head. "Doesn't that I know of."

"Shit."

"Yes indeed," Methos agreed. "We'll see how it happens. If worst comes to worst, she can be talked down and put down if we must."

Xander looked at him. "Which will destroy Buffy."

"True," he agreed.

"And Oz because his wolf considers her a mate."

"Also possible."

"He's a wolf?" Draco asked.

"His two-year-old nephew bit him one day and changed him to a werewolf. He's in Tibet learning how to gain control over the change. He's good at it though. Has almost total control."

"You can do that instead of wolfsbane?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. There's meditative forms that you can learn. There's a whole temple in Tibet that teaches it. Most magicals won't deal with that because it's no-mag."

"Oh. I didn't realize that. Does Potter know?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"We had a professor who was changed," Draco said. "I know they were close. Some sort of family friend."

Xander hummed. "I'll let him know so he can pass it on."

"He may like that." He dug in again, shaking his head. "Are they like ours?"

Xander nodded. "Yeah. Werewolves are werewolves, Draco. They don't change just because non magical people are sufferers of that virus."

"Huh." He dug in again, thinking about that. He had no idea that non-magical could be infected with magical diseases. It was something to study later on he supposed.

Methos looked at him then at Philip. "School probably starts in a few weeks."

"I went to the staff meeting last week. We have one tomorrow. I was gonna remind you."

"Thank you. I'll probably try to miss it. I did hate teaching. Too many early mornings with chattering or giggling girls."

"You wore tight pants," Xander said dryly, staring at him. "The girls in the year you were with my classes, they all stared, not giggled. They only giggled when you wore the pants tight enough to see that you had a dick." Methos smirked at that. "Which was probably on purpose but a few of the girls had to hex the hell out of Ravenclaw for trying to pounce you into a closet. You might thank McGonagall for that too. She got a number of students, including the few gay boys."

Draco shook his head. "I'm glad we didn't have one of those. Lockhart was bad enough."

Xander snorted. "I would've ripped him a new one asking questions that he had no idea how to answer." He smirked a bit. "On the creatures he supposedly fought or the area around there." Draco snickered.

"NEWTs are next week," Philip said.

Draco shook his head. "I took mine at the normal time and got my full nine. How many did Granger end up taking?"

"Another three during that testing time, two more off time, and the original twelve," Philip said, smiling a bit. "She beat my number by one. Got a low score on an additional though."

Draco looked at him. "You took fourteen NEWTs?"

Philip nodded. "I took everything. I didn't pass two."

Draco blinked a few times. "Wow."

Methos snickered, nodding. "He was quite the book nerd. How many did you take, Dumass?"

"I actually missed the NEWTs and had to do a retake session. I was out for the bank doing something huge but quiet. I came back and took ten total. All that I attempted." He shrugged at Draco's stare. "It had to be done. I had the right skills to unravel that problem. And hey, no invasion of England."

"Oh, dear." He nodded. "At least you managed it."

"I did." He dug in again. "More than once over the years."

"Do others know about that plaque on the bank's wall?" Draco asked.

Xander shrugged. "Supposedly but apparently a lot forgot or ignored it." He stared at him as he chewed. "That's their own doing."

Draco smiled at him. "You do incredible things."

"A lot of it's very normal things. I'm just flashy when I need to be." He grinned. "Which contributed to my hobby at night." He dug in again, scraping his plate. Me walked over and refilled it then went back to the stove to get food for the other three too.

"Are we hungry?" Methos asked him.

"Yes. Mister Methos is hungry because has to deal with broody one later. Yous elf called to say he very broody but likes Mistress Narcissa."

"Mother would never date a muggle," Draco said.

"We're not exactly standard humans," Methos said smugly.

"He's one of the sort that still uses a sword in this day and age," Xander agreed. "Can I spar later, Professor?"

"Please. I need to before I use sparring to take Mcleod's head."

"You could find someone for him to brood over. Ask him to go brood over Buffy. She likes broody guys who're dangerous." Xander grinned at him. "He'd be shittons better than Angel."

"Tryin' ta eat," Philip complained.

"She's dating Spike now," he told him.

Philip stared at him. "I wanted to eat, Xander."

"Sorry." He grinned at him. "Not my doing though. Just sharing news."

"Uh-huh. I wonder if Duncan would date her," Methos said, considering it. "She's not like Tessa, who was an artist. Though she is blonde.... Perhaps I'll suggest it." He stuffed his mouth with the last of the food. "No," he told Me. Who pouted. "I'm full. We're going to spar later." Me huffed, giving Draco some more then more to Philip. Xander took a single piece of bacon so that was good of him.

They broke up, cleaned up, and went to spar on the lawn. Draco watched, staring in awe. Then Xander switched to his axe, which was newer training for him. He wasn't quite as agile as with the sword. But he still did very good against Methos. Draco hissed and found his wand to heal the new cut Methos had. Then it healed. Draco blinked a few times. "Is he immortal?" he asked Philip.

"Yes." He looked at him. "He is."

"Wow. I didn't realize that. I thought he just had wizard aging things. Or a really professional level glamour."

Methos shot a smirk at him. "No, I'm immortal." He tripped Xander, but he threw something at his feet, making Methos dance away from it and fall on his ass. "Well!" he huffed.

Xander grinned as he got up, bowing to him. "Thank you for the workout, Professor."

"Welcome, lad." He stared at him. "Your swing is awkward with the axe."

"I know but it works well on patrol."

"I can see that point." He wiped his sword down and put it back. Xander did the same with his weapons. "Let me go run Duncan from my house. Maybe I'll introduce him to Minerva. They're both Scottish from clans." He left to do that. Philip was snickering at that idea. Draco was looking stunned at Xander, who smirked as he walked past them.

"Can you usually do that?"

"I was known for fencing and sword fighting," Xander said happily. "Took me a bit to get back there after the shield over me was removed."

Draco blinked a few times at Philip, who nodded. "Was that a course we used to have?"

"No. He learned at home. His grandmother was a top defense person."

"Huh." He nodded. "I should learn that to make me more slinky. And to use when someone tries to own me next time."

Philip patted him on the back. "You can solve that by picking someone good soon."

Draco nodded. "I should. Though I'm wondering if Granger drools on him too."

"She drools on the library and the family things," he admitted quietly, staring at him. "Perhaps not him for himself. I can see them having a fiery sexual fling but not for good. She'd have to settle down and just do research stuff. Not healing."

"She could probably learn healing potions," Draco said. "She's good enough in there. As I was." He sighed. "Do I want to go on to law school now that I'm not obligated?"

"I have no idea. Only you can say that, Draco." He patted him on the back before getting up. "Let me go clean up so I can go check on the school. He's planning on going into the catacombs if'n you wanted to learn some about that stuff."

"I have no idea." He got up, wiping his pants off on the way inside. Xander was getting more coffee. "Is working with artifacts interesting?"

"That depends on what you find interesting and what's going on. Right now I'll be doing an inventory, which are inherently boring." He stared at him. "If you wanted to come take notes you can."

"I may. It's not something I'm used to. I should learn how to handle the ones around the house that I managed to save." Xander nodded, taking him down to the cave area to go into the nearest catacomb, which was covered with boxes, cobwebs, and dusty tarps. "Can we clean this?"

"No magic near the artifacts," he warned. "It could set them off."

"Oh, all right." He watched what he was doing, and how carefully he was handling the things in the first box. Including the one he threw at a wall to make it shut up since it was whining about being in a box. Draco frowned, coming over to look at it. "It's possessed?"

"Yeah. Not that uncommon. Usually the more demanding they are, the more people wanted them to go away so stuffed them into something then put it in a safe to ignore." He smirked. "Like that one, which was stuffed in a closet." He went back to that box, holding up something to look at. "That's blessed not cursed." He put it aside. Draco came over to look at it too, being confused. "It's blessed to a Goddess of fertility." He showed him those marks. "It was probably worn during rituals."

"Oh. I had no idea that you wore jewelry to those."

"Depends on the religion." He felt the wards be hit then the problem disappeared. He looked up then outside. "I think Willow just tried to visit. So I should warn Tara." He lit a fireplace out of the way of the boxes. "Incoming," he told her when she showed up. "Just hit the wards here then bounced."

"Oh, okay. I got the index done." He beamed at her for that. "Harry's been here but he's off for try outs today. He flies really good."

"He does," Xander agreed happily. "I'm doing a slight inventory." He held up something, making her gasp. He handed it over. "Fertility," he warned.

"It's from the Goddess' hands." She stroked over it. "Can I put this in a show box?"

"Yeah, if you want. It's blessed."

"Thank you, Xander." She grinned and left to that, finding Willow surrounded by unicorn mares. She found a pretty place to show that off before going out to save her last girlfriend. "She's fine. Thank you, unicorns." She petted a few, making them happier. Willow stared at her. She smiled back. "Xander found a blessed necklace to a Goddess of fertility. I was just putting it somewhere pretty."

"Oh. Okay." She nodded a bit. "I tried to see him but it's warded somehow."

"The castle is highly warded. It's family land and it's got a lot of protections. Especially since so many had been cursebreakers. They had to protect artifacts to rid them of problems."

"I didn't know that. Is that what they do?"

"It's kind of like Indian Jones but they don't hoard it. They can make it safe for others."

"Sure, I get that." She moved closer to get a kiss, getting one on the cheek. Willow huffed. "Can we talk?"

"We can. I usually sit on the hill to watch over the unicorns while they lounge in the pond. The foals are always funny and a few try to fall in."

"They like to swim?"

"It's a bit warm so they wade out to wet their hair." She led her off to do that. It was away from both houses, most of the unicorns, and their cat. Miss Kitty was with a few foals, napping in the center of them. Willow went 'awww' when she saw it, taking a picture that didn't want to come out. She huffed but sat down on the grass with her. Tara counted then looked around at the mares.

"We have an extra foal. That's sweet of someone to have their foal." She counted then sighed. "I don't spot the mother." She stood up, going to check on the foals, finding one shivering. "Oh, dear. Stallion?" she called. The herd stallion lifted his head to look at her. "Is this one an orphan?" He snorted at that. "I can get him a bottle. Xander knew how." The stallion pawed and let her handle it.

She found the recipe she had copied on her phone, hurrying off to do that. "I'll be right back." She hurried off then came back with the bottle, picking up the foal to bring back to their spot. She settled in with the foal on her lap to nurse on the bottle. "There you go. Eat little girl," she cooed quietly. "You're safe with me."

"But...." Willow started.

Tara stared at her. "It's an orphan. It has no mother to nurse from. If it can't eat it won't live."

"I guess that's nice. But it's grabbed your magic."

"Unicorn foals need to absorb some magic at the same time. They do it with their mothers too." She went back to letting the poor thing feed. Hermione showed up and handed her a few things. "Thank you, Hermione."

"Welcome." She looked down. "It's a sweet looking filly." She sat down on Tara's other side. "I'd help but I'm not pure enough to pet, especially not a foal."

Tara smiled. "I'm glad I am." She went back to petting it and letting it feed, then nap beside her. "You'll be okay. I hope." She straightened out the mane and tail hairs, letting the foal nap. "What's up?"

"The school hates that I went to Hogwarts. They can't get proper records and they hate it. I had to take the test to get in and I passed, of course, but they still look at me funny. They're against all small, private boarding schools that may teach weird things." She grimaced. "I want to help people and my second choice college is better. But also in country."

"You can stay in the country," Tara reminded her. "All the problems looked like they're stopped."

"Some things aren't, Tara. They're still a lot of backward things because of blood status and a lot of problems."

She nodded. "I get that. It's hard. It'll keep you strong no matter where you go because you're the girl you are." Hermione nodded. "What did your parents think?"

"My mother's pouting that her and Dad's college was being a butt about Hogwarts too. So I'll go later on." She looked at the mares gathering near one. "Is that normal? They're hovering."

Tara looked then nodded. "She's pregnant. I hope it's not a problem birth. Can you call Xander?"

"Yeah, let me do that." She created a small fire and used the emergency feature to do that. She carried emergency floo powder. She pointed. "Tara's found an orphaned foal and the mares are massing around one, nosing her stomach."

Xander looked then sighed. "She's having problems with the birth. Be right there." He disappeared and appeared there in person, Draco coming with him in case he could help. He cast on himself then took a potion as he walked down there. "Hey, mares. Big problems or little ones?" He felt along her side and stomach then nodded. "The foal's turned. Damn it."

He considered it, looking at the mare. "We can help if you want. I had to be trained how to do that way long ago. Tara doesn't know how yet. Tara, come learn this." She came down to help with Hermione and Draco. "Okay, we're going to have to turn the foal and possibly pull the foal. It's curled weirdly."

They nodded. He talked them through it and how to feel the foal in there and get the hocks out. They had silver chains and hooks to do that in the unicorn gear. He got the foal out quickly and it was able to live. Mama unicorn was safe and healthy. She licked her foal then nuzzled his stomach.

"I'm glad I could help, dear. Let us know if you have more problems or another does. Okay? I'll teach Tara how to pull one if we need her to." They nosed them all and went with the mother to watch over the newborn. They sat down on the hillside, watching for it to get up. Which it did after about a half-hour of being cleaned up. Wobbly legs, spread pretty far, but on the hooves. Nursing a few minutes after that. So it was good. He checked the orphan too, teaching Tara how to do what the foal needed.

Willow pouted. "How do you know?" she asked him.

"I learned as a kid, Willow. I grew up with a unicorn herd taking shelter here. I used to crawl out to nurse on the mares with the foals and I used to bottle feed the orphaned ones." He looked at her. "It's what I was doing anytime I was at home from school."

Draco looked at him. "That was a bit nasty."

Xander nodded. "If the foal won't come out, you gotta get it out somehow. Manually is safer and easier than magically. Which could rip the mare's uterus and kill her."

"Still a bit nasty."

Xander grinned. "It can be. You wash up afterward. Unlike with dragons, where you sometimes have to crawl up there to get a stuck egg." Draco shuddered. "Welcome to veterinary medicine," he quipped.

"I think I may like law," he said dryly. He looked at Granger. "You like animals."

"I do but doing that is a lot harder than healing humans. Humans only have one body system. Animals have a lot of various ones to learn. Cows have four stomachs."

Draco shook his head. "That's very weird."

"Yes but you have to know all their systems to treat them for illnesses or injuries." She grimaced. "I may like that after all. I have no idea. I'm keeping it open." She looked at Xander. "The schools are mad about Hogwarts not having proper records like normal schools."

He nodded. "Yeah they expect you to go in-community and stay there."

"Theirs hated me for being a female and not pureblooded."

"Yup," he said with a nod. "They do that a lot." He grinned at her. "They're assholes that way. Every damn last one of them." She giggled but nodded. "But you put up with it for your few years so you get where you want to go. Or you go to Canada or Australia's schools because they understand but aren't behind technologically."

"I hadn't thought about Canada's. I thought about Australia's. My mother pouted."

"If you gotta do it, she can show up for vacations. It's a nice place to do that."

"True." She sighed, looking up the schools in Canada. "Oh, their magical one is very nice looking." She put in her application. "Their deadline means I'll need my full gap year instead of starting in the spring. That'll be fine." She filled out the paperwork while they sat there. She had most of it on her phone anyway. Xander let her do it because it was making her happier. She'd find her place and figure it out.

Draco stared at the foal then tipped his head. "It's ... is it okay?"

Xander looked. "Foals can be orphaned if they're sick." He checked it over, nodding. "It's weak but not too bad." He considered it. "They're going to take a lot of work. Tara, I can take her with me." She looked at him. "Every two hours, Tara. Foals are why I think kids are weird."

"They are weird," Tara agreed. She let him have the bottle and the foal. He got more made and came back to let it nurse some more. The magic was closer to what it needed and it was stronger afterwards. "There, you eat," she soothed, petting its ear. "You're a good filly, sweetheart." Miss Kitty strolled over and sat on the foal's side, settling in for a nap. "Okay, you do that if the foal doesn't mind."

"Apparently not." He let it nap with him after wiping under the tail to make sure it peed. That helped it be more normal too.

"I forgot the wiping the tail," Tara admitted.

"I've had to do that when I helped feed some abandoned kittens at the shelter," Hermione said, looking at her. "They're cuddly and so adorable and helpless but I know I can't bring them home. They take a lot of work. They go to foster families faster to get it. But the young animals always get adopted faster."

"People like cute, young things," Xander agreed, patting her on the knee. "It's the way of humans."

"I know." She looked at the foal. "How are you petting them? That potion?"

"No, they can tell I've been exposed to unicorn blood once upon a time very long ago. So they kinda read me as an offshoot I guess. I've always been able to. The foals used to be my responsibility." He grinned at her. "I got yelled at *so* often for bringing them into the house. The aunts used to hate it when I brought a unicorn into the house to nurse him."

"Wow, but I can see that. They'd make a mess," Hermione said, looking at him. He grinned and nodded. "Probably scratch the floors too."

"Yeah. Sometimes. There are hoof covers for that though. The unicorns used to show up for all family events. Grandma hated it. So many were interrupted by some horse poop." He grinned. "Kayta demanded one of her birthdays was to be held somewhere else because of it. Though when she was courting someone, she demanded they hold it with the unicorns allowed. It drove him off because he couldn't stand how many there were and how special they are."

"Wow," Hermione said, then giggled. "I guess that would drive someone off."

"A unicorn crapping next to me would do that too," Draco agreed. He looked at the foal then at Xander. Then at the mother coming over. "Hello there."

She nosed Hermione then Xander. Then the foal. Who woke up to stare at her. She nosed it again. "Are you going to adopt him?" Xander asked. "We don't mind if you want to." He let her have the foal. She let it nuzzle her and lay next to her but she had no milk. "We can make sure she gets bottles while you mom it if you want." She nuzzled Tara then let the foal get cuddly. "Thanks, mama."

Tara smiled. "It's good she's partially adopted her. It'll do her good to learn the way of unicorns." She looked at Xander. "I can handle her bottles."

"Okay, if you're sure." She nodded. "If you want." He handed her back the bottle.

"It's a boy, not a girl?" Hermione asked. "I thought it was a girl."

"No, that little bit under the belly was a penis sheathe. Fillies have two holes under the tail." She nodded she understood that.

"A few times a day will be okay," Willow said. "Not a lot of work."

"Every two hours," Xander told her. She scowled. "They nurse every two hours," he assured her. "Every time. Which is why I used to bring them into the house so I didn't have to run down to the barn a few times a night."

"That's really intrusive when I want to spend time with my girlfriend."

Tara looked at her. "Did you do what I demanded?"

"I'm clean!"

"You're still attached to the hellmouth," she said simply. "Your body's still being eaten by the bad magic, Willow." She pointed at her wrist. "That's magic damage." Willow huffed and disappeared. She looked at Xander, who nodded. "Am I in the wrong?"

"No. This is a problem other addicts have too, Tara." He gave her a hug. "If she tries to hurt you, you summon my ass," he told her, getting a dirty look from the mare. "Willow's got problems and would try to hurt Tara." He looked at her again. "Promise me, Tara." She nodded she would. "Okay. I'll check a few times a day just in case. Or have the house elves do it if I can't. Library?" She showed up, staring at the foal. "Willow's about to snap. Watch over Tara."

"Mistress Tara will be safe. We will smite red one if she hurts her."

"Good! Because Willow did bad things to Tara in the past. That's why I helped her get here." He gave her a pointed look.

"Library will sit her father to help Mistress Tara. He will make sure she safe." She got her father to come help Tara for now. It'd be safer for her. He could blast a bad witch.

Hermione cuddled Tara, making her feel better. If she had to she could punch Willow just like she would an auror.

***

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