Tirer La Couture (Pull The Curtain Back)
folder
Harry Potter Crossovers › General - Misc
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
15
Views:
3,861
Reviews:
30
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter Crossovers › General - Misc
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
15
Views:
3,861
Reviews:
30
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Ch 8 - Help is Around the Corner
CHAPTER EIGHT - HELP IS AROUND THE CORNER
See Chapter one for disclaimer.
Oh my head just won\'t stop aching
I\'m sat here licking my wounds
I\'m shattered, but it really doesn\'t matter
\'Cause my rescue is going to be here soon
Help is Just Around the Corner - Coldplay
Sirius looked up at the building in front of him. It was just like all the others lined up along the river, large and white. He and Faith were both soaked to the skin, as luck always dictated they couldn't find a cab anywhere due to the bad weather.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" he asked, looking over it again, he had always imagined that the offices of the watchers council would be much grander, like a mansion or castle, like Hogwarts maybe. This dreary row of office blocks just didn't seemed to fit a top secret mystical organisation, just white brick and windows, no feeling, no history, no soul, like a good building should have. He was a little disappointed.
Faith was already standing in the porch of the building, desperate to get out of the freezing rain.
"Oh yeah this is the place all right," she said as she pointed to a small gold sign next to a numbered panel on the wall which simply read "˜Giles & Rosenberg'. "Not very stealthy of them but I guess it's better than putting "˜Watchers council, come and kill us all,' on it," she said with a snort
Sirius smiled at her, glad that she was in a better mood. He was starting to get really worried about her, but thought that she was probably as relieved as he was to be here. After all, surely the council was like her spiritual home? Somewhere she was always safe?
Faith punched the six-digit number that Willow had given her into the panel. The door clicked open quickly, which surprised Faith. She hadn't really expected it to work. She looked at Sirius shrugged her shoulders and stepped inside.
They found themselves in an 8' by 8' steel cage which surrounded the door and looked out to the lobby. Like any other lobby it was decorated inside the same as outside. Plain white. There was a black marble desk angled towards them but no one was sitting at it. The lobby opened up to two large staircases, one leading up and one leading down.
Sirius looked at Faith questioningly, but before he had a chance to say anything he saw a woman coming down one of the staircases. He gasped and stared at her.
Faith looked at him with a frown, "Problem?" she asked.
He shook his head and looked again. Just for one minute he could have sworn he was looking at a ghost, but as she got nearer he could see that he didn't know this woman at all, although she could have passed for Ginny Weasley's older sister. The woman chanted an incantation under her breath and he felt the hairs on the back of his head rise from the power of it. He looked into her face, which was focused on a point above the cage and saw the strength and potency of her magic. He looked at Faith, who just watched the other woman, expressionless.
Seconds later the cage disappeared, allowing them to walk into the lobby. Sirius looked behind him to see the cage reappear.
"Hey Will, nice place you got here" Faith said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
She had made her peace with the Scoobies when she returned to Sunnydale for the final battle, but she would never forget that once she had held a knife to the Wicca's throat and actually intended to kill her. Since then she heard and seen things about Willow Rosenberg that would make even a hot-headed slayer like Faith think twice about tackling her.
"Hi Faith," said Willow, smiling pleasantly. She had forgiven the slayer for the past when Giles had bought Willow to England for her recuperation after she killed Warren Mears. Her time there taught her that not everything was clear cut good or evil.
Willow turto Sto Sirius, looking him up and down, "And hi to you Mr. "˜Wizard on the run, everyone thinks I'm dead' Black. Why is there never anyone around to stop me when I start rambling?" said Willow with a friendly if not a little embarrassed smile on her face.
Sirius warmed to her instantly and had started to smile back at her, until he realised what she had said. His smile slowly turned to a look of horror. Willow frowned at him and then at Faith, who was staring at her,
"Wanna run that little intro past me again Will?" said Faith, her dark eyes passing between the two magical people.
Willow, realising that she had said something she shouldn't have quickly covered herself, "Oh, Giles is waiting to see you both in the library. You have to see it Faith, it's just like the old Sunnydale high library," said Willow leading them across the large lobby and down one of the large staircases, to the smaller one which led to the cellar. Faith frowned at Willows obvious attempt to change the subject and silently followed them.
Giles was sitting at the large table, and looked up as he heard them descend.
"Faith," he said by way of a greeting, standing and walking around the table to stand in front of them, "how are you?"
"You know me boss, five by five," she said, hopping up to sit on the large table, her legs hanging over the edge. Sirius watched her. She looked cool and calm, not a care in the world, but he could feel the tension coming off of her in waves and suddenly thought that maybe she wasn't so glad to be here after all.
"And Sirius Black?" Sirius's head shot up at the sound of his name and as he got a good look at Giles he frowned.
"Ripper, is that you?" he said in astonishment a moment later.
Faith raised her eyebrows at Sirius as he reached out and shook the watcher's hand, then released it quickly.
Sirius had never been as friendly with Giles as Lily, James and Remus had been. He had been jealous of someone new coming into the group and getting so much attention; he was used to being the leader, and didn't like the fact that someone else seemed to be taking over. It had been Sirius who had found out the sort of magics that Giles was getting into and warned the others, effectively protecting his friends and getting them back again.
There were footsteps on the stairs behind them and Sirius turned to see Albus and Remus halfway down them. The look on his face clearly showed his relief at finally seeing his friends followed by the worry about the last time he had seen them.
"Thank Merlin!" he said walking over to them, "Albus, Moony, where's Harry, is he alright, what happened to the Death Eaters, was Voldemort there?"
The two men just stared at him for a moment, then Albus walked slowly down the rest of the stairs towards him, as though he was sizing the younger wizard up.
Sirius looked at him in confusion, "What are you doing Albus?" he asked as the older wizard circled behind him, coming around to face him again.
"He is Sirius Black," he said with relief, to the rest of the room, who seemed to relax a little more at hearing that.
"Uh huh," said Faith, half smiling, half frowning, "So Giles, when did the council start hiring crazy old guys?"
Sirius laughed and looked over his shoulder at Faith, who just shrugged as if to say "˜what? You don't think he's crazy?'
"Faith, I'd like you to meet Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said, still chuckling and motioning with his head for her to join them.
She jumped down off of the table and walked over to stand next to Sirius. Giles and Willow exchanged a look. Faith had never been very good at taking or following orders, and was notoriously mistrustful and although this wasn't exactly an order, with one small gesture she had gone to Sirius, a man she had only just met.
Sirius looked down at her with a smile "Faith is.."
"A slayer, yes I know," said Albus; "Faith, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, I have heard a lot about you," he said, holding out his hand to her.
Faith looked surprised for a moment, and then took his hand in hers, "Believe every word," she said seriously.
"I do," he said, patting her hand and smiling gently at her. She drew her hand away, frowning, she still had trouble with peopleng kng kind to her and she could feel the kindness surrounding Albus.
Remus had watched it all from the stairs. He was overjoyed to see his oldest friend alive, but chose to hang back until Albus had confirmed that it was really he. He had been ready to come down but paused, when Sirius called Faith over. Sirius had been a notorious womaniser in their younger days and Remus was surprised to see the look that came over Sirius's face when he looked at the slayer. He, like Sirius, had been shocked to find out that vampire slayers were real and not mythical, but he had real trouble believing that this small brunette woman was a powerful warrior.
Sirius looked up at him and grinned, "Moony, come and meet Faith, she's a slayer, a real slayer."
Remus smiled and came to stand with them, as Sirius introduced them, "Faith, the vampire slayer, meet Remus Lupin, my oldest friend."
Faith looked into Remus's calm gentle face, "I've heard of you," she said with a smirk, "Sirius has been telling me all about you guys at school."
"Oh?" said Remus, backing away slowly, thinking that if she had known he was a werewolf she would have tried to kill him by now.
Faith frowned and looked around at the others. As if reading his thoughts Willow, who had been quiet until now said, "Remus, it's fine, Faith has been around werewolves before."
Faith raised her eyebrows, and looked Remus over from top to bottom, "Werewolf huh?" she said looking at Willow with a wink, "well, if anything's gonna turn you back to driving stick it's gonna be this one, huh Will?"
Willow's face turned as red as her hair and she quickly turned away and started arranging some books on the desk.
Remus watched the redhead with interest. He wondered what her past experience with werewolves had been, but from the blush on her face he probably could have guessed.
"Moony are you all right?" asked Sirius looking at him knowin Rem Remus had always been the quiet, studious one at school. Studying when everyone else was having fun, but Sirius knew him better than anyone and had caught the way his friend looked at the young witch.
Remus smiled gently and replied, "Just a little shocked to see you, Padfoot old friend," he took a deep breath, "Especially as we have all believed you dead for the last three months."
"Okay that's the second time someone's mentioned Sirius being dead, but as you can all see he is very much alive so what the fuck is going on here?" said Faith looking around the room.
"Couldn't have said it better myself Faith," said Sirius looking from Albus to Remus, "I'd like some answers please. Now."
See Chapter one for disclaimer.
Oh my head just won\'t stop aching
I\'m sat here licking my wounds
I\'m shattered, but it really doesn\'t matter
\'Cause my rescue is going to be here soon
Help is Just Around the Corner - Coldplay
Sirius looked up at the building in front of him. It was just like all the others lined up along the river, large and white. He and Faith were both soaked to the skin, as luck always dictated they couldn't find a cab anywhere due to the bad weather.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" he asked, looking over it again, he had always imagined that the offices of the watchers council would be much grander, like a mansion or castle, like Hogwarts maybe. This dreary row of office blocks just didn't seemed to fit a top secret mystical organisation, just white brick and windows, no feeling, no history, no soul, like a good building should have. He was a little disappointed.
Faith was already standing in the porch of the building, desperate to get out of the freezing rain.
"Oh yeah this is the place all right," she said as she pointed to a small gold sign next to a numbered panel on the wall which simply read "˜Giles & Rosenberg'. "Not very stealthy of them but I guess it's better than putting "˜Watchers council, come and kill us all,' on it," she said with a snort
Sirius smiled at her, glad that she was in a better mood. He was starting to get really worried about her, but thought that she was probably as relieved as he was to be here. After all, surely the council was like her spiritual home? Somewhere she was always safe?
Faith punched the six-digit number that Willow had given her into the panel. The door clicked open quickly, which surprised Faith. She hadn't really expected it to work. She looked at Sirius shrugged her shoulders and stepped inside.
They found themselves in an 8' by 8' steel cage which surrounded the door and looked out to the lobby. Like any other lobby it was decorated inside the same as outside. Plain white. There was a black marble desk angled towards them but no one was sitting at it. The lobby opened up to two large staircases, one leading up and one leading down.
Sirius looked at Faith questioningly, but before he had a chance to say anything he saw a woman coming down one of the staircases. He gasped and stared at her.
Faith looked at him with a frown, "Problem?" she asked.
He shook his head and looked again. Just for one minute he could have sworn he was looking at a ghost, but as she got nearer he could see that he didn't know this woman at all, although she could have passed for Ginny Weasley's older sister. The woman chanted an incantation under her breath and he felt the hairs on the back of his head rise from the power of it. He looked into her face, which was focused on a point above the cage and saw the strength and potency of her magic. He looked at Faith, who just watched the other woman, expressionless.
Seconds later the cage disappeared, allowing them to walk into the lobby. Sirius looked behind him to see the cage reappear.
"Hey Will, nice place you got here" Faith said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
She had made her peace with the Scoobies when she returned to Sunnydale for the final battle, but she would never forget that once she had held a knife to the Wicca's throat and actually intended to kill her. Since then she heard and seen things about Willow Rosenberg that would make even a hot-headed slayer like Faith think twice about tackling her.
"Hi Faith," said Willow, smiling pleasantly. She had forgiven the slayer for the past when Giles had bought Willow to England for her recuperation after she killed Warren Mears. Her time there taught her that not everything was clear cut good or evil.
Willow turto Sto Sirius, looking him up and down, "And hi to you Mr. "˜Wizard on the run, everyone thinks I'm dead' Black. Why is there never anyone around to stop me when I start rambling?" said Willow with a friendly if not a little embarrassed smile on her face.
Sirius warmed to her instantly and had started to smile back at her, until he realised what she had said. His smile slowly turned to a look of horror. Willow frowned at him and then at Faith, who was staring at her,
"Wanna run that little intro past me again Will?" said Faith, her dark eyes passing between the two magical people.
Willow, realising that she had said something she shouldn't have quickly covered herself, "Oh, Giles is waiting to see you both in the library. You have to see it Faith, it's just like the old Sunnydale high library," said Willow leading them across the large lobby and down one of the large staircases, to the smaller one which led to the cellar. Faith frowned at Willows obvious attempt to change the subject and silently followed them.
Giles was sitting at the large table, and looked up as he heard them descend.
"Faith," he said by way of a greeting, standing and walking around the table to stand in front of them, "how are you?"
"You know me boss, five by five," she said, hopping up to sit on the large table, her legs hanging over the edge. Sirius watched her. She looked cool and calm, not a care in the world, but he could feel the tension coming off of her in waves and suddenly thought that maybe she wasn't so glad to be here after all.
"And Sirius Black?" Sirius's head shot up at the sound of his name and as he got a good look at Giles he frowned.
"Ripper, is that you?" he said in astonishment a moment later.
Faith raised her eyebrows at Sirius as he reached out and shook the watcher's hand, then released it quickly.
Sirius had never been as friendly with Giles as Lily, James and Remus had been. He had been jealous of someone new coming into the group and getting so much attention; he was used to being the leader, and didn't like the fact that someone else seemed to be taking over. It had been Sirius who had found out the sort of magics that Giles was getting into and warned the others, effectively protecting his friends and getting them back again.
There were footsteps on the stairs behind them and Sirius turned to see Albus and Remus halfway down them. The look on his face clearly showed his relief at finally seeing his friends followed by the worry about the last time he had seen them.
"Thank Merlin!" he said walking over to them, "Albus, Moony, where's Harry, is he alright, what happened to the Death Eaters, was Voldemort there?"
The two men just stared at him for a moment, then Albus walked slowly down the rest of the stairs towards him, as though he was sizing the younger wizard up.
Sirius looked at him in confusion, "What are you doing Albus?" he asked as the older wizard circled behind him, coming around to face him again.
"He is Sirius Black," he said with relief, to the rest of the room, who seemed to relax a little more at hearing that.
"Uh huh," said Faith, half smiling, half frowning, "So Giles, when did the council start hiring crazy old guys?"
Sirius laughed and looked over his shoulder at Faith, who just shrugged as if to say "˜what? You don't think he's crazy?'
"Faith, I'd like you to meet Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said, still chuckling and motioning with his head for her to join them.
She jumped down off of the table and walked over to stand next to Sirius. Giles and Willow exchanged a look. Faith had never been very good at taking or following orders, and was notoriously mistrustful and although this wasn't exactly an order, with one small gesture she had gone to Sirius, a man she had only just met.
Sirius looked down at her with a smile "Faith is.."
"A slayer, yes I know," said Albus; "Faith, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, I have heard a lot about you," he said, holding out his hand to her.
Faith looked surprised for a moment, and then took his hand in hers, "Believe every word," she said seriously.
"I do," he said, patting her hand and smiling gently at her. She drew her hand away, frowning, she still had trouble with peopleng kng kind to her and she could feel the kindness surrounding Albus.
Remus had watched it all from the stairs. He was overjoyed to see his oldest friend alive, but chose to hang back until Albus had confirmed that it was really he. He had been ready to come down but paused, when Sirius called Faith over. Sirius had been a notorious womaniser in their younger days and Remus was surprised to see the look that came over Sirius's face when he looked at the slayer. He, like Sirius, had been shocked to find out that vampire slayers were real and not mythical, but he had real trouble believing that this small brunette woman was a powerful warrior.
Sirius looked up at him and grinned, "Moony, come and meet Faith, she's a slayer, a real slayer."
Remus smiled and came to stand with them, as Sirius introduced them, "Faith, the vampire slayer, meet Remus Lupin, my oldest friend."
Faith looked into Remus's calm gentle face, "I've heard of you," she said with a smirk, "Sirius has been telling me all about you guys at school."
"Oh?" said Remus, backing away slowly, thinking that if she had known he was a werewolf she would have tried to kill him by now.
Faith frowned and looked around at the others. As if reading his thoughts Willow, who had been quiet until now said, "Remus, it's fine, Faith has been around werewolves before."
Faith raised her eyebrows, and looked Remus over from top to bottom, "Werewolf huh?" she said looking at Willow with a wink, "well, if anything's gonna turn you back to driving stick it's gonna be this one, huh Will?"
Willow's face turned as red as her hair and she quickly turned away and started arranging some books on the desk.
Remus watched the redhead with interest. He wondered what her past experience with werewolves had been, but from the blush on her face he probably could have guessed.
"Moony are you all right?" asked Sirius looking at him knowin Rem Remus had always been the quiet, studious one at school. Studying when everyone else was having fun, but Sirius knew him better than anyone and had caught the way his friend looked at the young witch.
Remus smiled gently and replied, "Just a little shocked to see you, Padfoot old friend," he took a deep breath, "Especially as we have all believed you dead for the last three months."
"Okay that's the second time someone's mentioned Sirius being dead, but as you can all see he is very much alive so what the fuck is going on here?" said Faith looking around the room.
"Couldn't have said it better myself Faith," said Sirius looking from Albus to Remus, "I'd like some answers please. Now."