DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Harry Potter.

SUMMARY: Buffy was taken from her family, from her home, from her life. Now that her destiny has been fulfilled, she's being sent back. . . Marauder's Era.

Prologue

Nottinghamshire, England

Potter Manor

March 12th, 1971

The hall was quiet in its early morning hours as ten-year-old James Potter made his way to the last door on the right – right across from his own. He carried a large bucket of ice cold water that he struggled with all the way from the kitchen. Stopping in front of the designated door that held an engraving of the name 'Buffy' on the front, he glanced back at the small track of water he's left. He shrugged it off, vowing to get it cleaned up later.

Cautiously, he opened the door and peeked his head in to see his target still fast asleep. He grinned mischievously and picked the bucket back up before slowly entering the room. Pink and purple colored the walls with mahogany wood furniture and all sort of toys were scattered neatly along the dresser, shelves, and floor. He approached the bed where a young girl with angelic blond hair continued to sleep peacefully, unaware of his true intentions. While using all his strength he hefted the bucket higher and swiftly poured the entire contents of water out.

A shriek filled the air as his sister bolted up in bed soaking wet. He burst out laughing, which brought her attention to him with a glare that spoke murder. "JAMES!" she screamed. And he knew it was time to get out of there. He dropped the bucket and ran like his life depended on it. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" And by the sounds of it, it did.

He heard her pursuing him as he reached the stairs and ran down them, taking the last two in a jump. He ran down several hallways and went through the kitchen. "JAMES ANTHONY POTTER, YOU GET BACK HERE!" He only laughed while going through the dining room, then taking a few more turns that took him back to the stairs where their mother and father were coming down.

"What's all the commotion?" their mother, Rosalie questioned.

Their father, Harold grabbed him around the waist as he attempted to run past and lifted him up off the ground while their mother stopped his sister from pursuing him any further.

"Mummy, look what Jamie did," his sister whined, pulling at her soaked nightgown.

"Oh Elizabeth. . ." Rosalie said in what sounded like amusement. "You two fight as must as you get along."

Which was true. With them being twins – James born ten minutes before Buffy – they were naturally close and depended on each other, but on a spin of a hat they could easily be targeting each other for a prank or enacting a form of revenge. It caused the inhabitants of Potter Manor to be constantly on their toes, because no one knew when chaos would ensue.

James stuck his tongue out at Buffy, who returned the action. This caused their father to chuckle and say while placing James back down on his feet, "I think that's enough excitement for this morning. You two can definitely start the day right. Now why don't you both go get dressed for breakfast."

The glare that Buffy was giving him as they made their way back up the stairs only caused James to grin devilishly in retaliation. Although he could particularly see her calculating his demise, which he had to admit did make him a little nervous for what she would come up with to get her revenge. The ice cold water was tame compare to some of the pranks they had pulled on each other. Maybe she might keep that in mind. . .

"And no killing each other," Rosalie called after them. "At least not for the rest of the day. I would like to keep my two favorite children around just a little bit longer."

Buffy broke the glare she was giving him and turned back to their parents. "We're your only children."

Rosalie smiled affectionately. "Go on. Breakfast should be done by the time you get back down."

They proceeded up the stairs and through the several hallways to their rooms stationed on opposite sides of the hall. All the way there they bickered back and forth until he said a joke that had Buffy laughing hard enough she was clutching her sides. That's how they were. One second they argued in a way that it looked like they were about to kill each other, but then in the next second they were laughing together like an argument never took place. Some people – who actually witnessed this event – thought it was bizarre, but it was just them. And James loved it.

James was the first done getting ready for the day, and he waited outside of his sister's room for her. When a couple minutes past, he got impatience and banged his hand on her door, yelling in exasperation, "Come on, Buffy! I'm hungry!" There was no reply, but he could have sworn he heard some grumbling. After another minute past, he was just about to bang again when the door jerked open.

"You do know that it takes girls just a little bit longer to get ready than it does boys, right?" Buffy snapped, "We have to do more than just pull on our clothes."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, I forgot. . . you have to stuff that training bra of yours."

Her mouth dropped open while her face colored a deep shade of red. "I do not stuff anything," she said indignantly, her arms crossing over her chest and looking down at the floor.

"Ah. . . don't worry sis," he said as he threw his arm over her shoulders in hope of lessening the embarrassment he caused her. "I promise I won't tell anyone. Even when we get to Hogwarts my lips will always be sealed."

She opened her mouth in what looked like to argue his continue claim that she stuffed, but seemed to change her mind at the end. "You're a real prat, you know that Jamie."

"But you still love me," he said with a wide grin and a dramatic flutter of his lashes.

She sighed. "Unfortunately. I'm still questioning my sanity on that one." He could see the small smile playing at her lips, which caused him to grin even wider as they made their way down to the informal dining room.

Their parents were already sitting in their respective places; Harold at the head of the table reading the Daily Prophet while Rosalie sat to his left drinking a cup of tea. She smiled once they entered the room. "There you are darlings. What on earth took so long?"

He automatically turned his head to stare at his sister, making it quite clear it was all her fault. She glared right back at him. "What are you looking at? You just don't understand what it takes for girls to get ready," she said as he sat down at the table.

Harold chuckled and put the paper down. "Don't worry, son. You'll understand when you get older not to question a woman about her habits." He paused for a moment as his face morphed into one of contemplation. "Actually. . . you'll learn when you're older not to question a woman at all."

"Harold!" Rosalie yelled with a smile, her hand smacking his arm playfully.

James only stared at his father in confusion, then merely shook his head and sat down at the table next to his sister. He automatically snatched a piece of her syrup-drenched waffle she had on her plate with a fork and shoved the rather large piece in his mouth before she could fight for it back. She looked far more amused than upset when a large glob of syrup slipped down his chin and he made a face at the amount there was.

You'd think he would learn by now not to touch her breakfast, especially with the enormous sweet tooth she had. Once he managed to swallow what he could only describe as a pile of sugar, he said, "Sugar freak."

She laughed. "That's what you get for touching my food." Then she cut off a piece and deliberately made a production of eating it.

He made another disgusted face, which only caused her smile to widen. He cleaned off his chin before grabbing his own food of eggs, bacon, and biscuits.

"So your birthdays are in two weeks. . ." their mother began, "What would you like to do to celebrate?"

Both he and Buffy paused in their eating and looked to each other at the same time with twin smiles. Then they simultaneously turned back to face their parents and chorused, "Attend Puddlemere United vs Holyhead Harpies match."

They didn't really have any friends with their parents being a little over-protective of them. They mainly had each other, which truthfully kept them plenty entertained, and occasionally played with the house elves. The seclusion hadn't made them shy though, they were outgoing and more than willing to engage other children in conversation when they met them.

"See!" Harold exclaimed with a wide grin that was filled with pride. "I told you they would want to see a Quidditch match."

Rosalie rolled her eyes and shook her head with clear affection. "Yes dear, I believe you said that once or twice." Then she directed her next sentence to them. "If that's what you two want to do for your birthdays, then that is what you're going to do. It's not everyday that you turn eleven."

Buffy squealed next to him while he pumped his fist in the air, yelling, "Yes!"

Harold's grin slowly fell with a sigh and a faraway look on his face. "Then they'll be off to Hogwarts in September. . ." Rosalie placed her hand on his arm in a comforting manner.

"No offense Daddy, but I can't wait," Buffy said with tangible enthusiasm.

"Me neither," he agreed with his sister. "It's going to be so great. I just know we are going to be placed in Gryffindor." Looking at Buffy while he said that. Because they had to be in the same house, he wouldn't accept being separated from his sister.

She nodded her head in agreement as Harold said, "That doesn't mean being placed in another house is a bad thing."

"Unless it's Slytherin," Buffy said.

"Even if you're placed in Slytherin," Rosalie said, her voice soft and reassuring, "we will still love you, honey. Nothing will ever change that."

After breakfast they went outside to play with the familiar warning from their mother to stay inside the wards. James had always wonder why though? Why did they have to always stay inside the wards? Was there something dangerous living just beyond them? He was curious and feeling a little adventurous.

He led Buffy away from the manor without telling her where they were going no matter how much she asked. By the time they made it to the edge of wards he could tell his lack of information on their destination had put her in an irritable mood.

"What are we doing out here?" she asked, looking around.

"Ever wonder what's past the wards?"

His question had her head snapping to him, probably understanding where he was going with this. "You know I have," she spoke in a cautious manner.

"Don't you want to find out what's beyond them?" he questioned with a growing, mischievous grin.

Buffy's frown never wavered. "Mummy and Daddy said never to go past the wards." She was worried, he could see that. But the fear just underneath that was strange to see from her.

It wasn't like it would be the first time they would disobey their parents. They disobeyed them quite a bit actually. Although half the time their parents were unaware of it. They stuck together through thick and thin, uncaring of the consequences of their actions, because each knew the other had their backs. Some would consider them wild and at times uncontrollable in that sense, but they trusted each other explicitly and without reason. So he couldn't understand her fear.

"What?" he said in a taunting voice. "You scared?" There was no reason for her to be scared. There was no question about it, he would always keep her safe. From others at least. From himself. . . Well. . . his pranks were mostly harmless.

"No!" she said, her eyes narrowing at the unspoken challenge. She then jerked her head forward, marched past him, and went right through the wards. She turned back and stuck her tongue out at him before continuing on.

He laughed and followed after her through the wards. He slung his arm over her shoulders when he caught up with her. "See, there's nothing scary out here."

"I never said there was," she countered.

They explored the forest beyond the wards for twenty minutes before they came upon a pond. "Oh, wow," Buffy said as she got closer to the edge of the pond and bent down to gaze into the water. "Jamie, there's fish!" she exclaimed, looking back at him with excitement.

He stooped next to her and saw the fish she was talking about through the semi-clear water. It was then she grabbed his arm and pulled, causing him to lose his balance and fall right into the water. The pond was a lot deeper than it looked when he found himself getting submerged for several feet. He guessed he deserved this. Considering he had soaked Buffy that morning.

When he got back to the surface he planned on pulling her in the pond somehow, but she wasn't next to the water anymore. He looked around to try and find a glimpse of her, but she was nowhere in sight. "Buffy!" he called as he swam to the edge and pulled himself out. "Buffy! Where did you go?!" he called and looked around again, wondering where she hid so fast.

"Alright Buffy, ha ha, you got me!" he yelled out, figuring she was getting further revenge. But when she didn't pop out from behind a tree laughing, he felt a rise of worry begin. "Come on, Buffy! Mum and Dad are going to wonder where we are soon!"

Again, there was no sign of his sister.

She would never take it this far. He knew his sister like he knew how to breath, there was a point where enough was enough. And they both knew each others' limits. She would know by his face alone that limit was reached.

"Buffy!" The worry he felt was quickly turning into panic as he began to manually search the area and still not finding her. "Buffy!"

"BUFFY!"