Red Horizon
Chapter 1 – Red Horizon.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…
RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.
TIMELINE: Takes place after season two in BTVS, and after the marauders last year at Hogwarts. Sequel to "Out of the Blue."
SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. After Graduation, Buffy's life takes another turn once again. She finds herself being thrown into war againt Voldemortalong with her friends, and not everyone will make it out alive...and not everyone is loyal to the light. Butwho is a friend and who is an enemy? Who can you trustin a time of darkness?
CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus
OTHER PAIRINGS: James/Lily, Sirius/Eliza
Special Thanks to: My Beta - CharmedChick
A/N: Well, this is the sequel to Out of the Blue, so you may want to read that one first unless you already have - otherwise some things may seem confusing.
"Congratulations, graduation class of 1978 - we made it!" Lily said, throwing up her hat in the air. The students all stood up, and followed her example.
James took Lily in his arms, kissing her hard. Students ran up to him, throwing themselves on top of the Head-boy and Head-girl, screaming, laughing and crying at the same time.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S OVER!" Buffy screamed, throwing herself at Remus, who kissed her.
"Oh, it's not over," he said, grinning happily, as he watched his friends around them, celebrating for all they were worth. "It has only just begun."
After the Graduation ceremony, all the graduates assembled on the Quidditch pitch. There, they all got photographed before they went over to their respective families.
"Lily, darling, we're over here!" A woman's voice said. Lily turned around from where she was standing with James, and went over to meet her mother.
"Mum," Lily said, smiling nervously. Mrs. Evans took Lily's arm and started to walk away with her, away from the worst crowd.
"Now, tell me everything! What was that display before your speech? Did he really propose?"
Lily blushed. Suddenly, a man stepped up beside them.
"Did he really?" He said. "I thought it was a joke."
"Dad!" Lily exclaimed happily, and stretched up on her toes to give her father a hug.
"I said you and James would eventually end up together, I told you so!" Mrs. Evans commented happily, making Lily sigh and roll her eyes.
"Well, he seemed like a nice enough bloke," Mr. Evans said. "But I would like to meet him in person before I make myself a real opinion."
"Of course, daddy," Lily agreed. "I thought I could invite him over for my birthday..."
"Excellent!" Then he'll meet Petunia as well!" Her mother said.
Lily groaned. "Great..." she muttered. Her mother gave her a disapproving look.
"Lily, she is your sister. She is with Vernon today, or I'm sure she would have shown up..."
Lily snorted. "Not bloody likely."
"Now, now," her father reprimanded her. "Don't be like that."
Lily just gave him a glare in response.
Peter stood with his mother a few meters away, hoping nobody saw the way his mother babied him.
"Oh, Pete, I am so proud of you!" She said, taking his face between her hands.
"It feels like it was just yesterday you were in nappies!"
Peter plastered on a smile.
"Well," he said. "Time goes fast when you have fun..."
"Yes, it truly does!" His mother cooed. "And now, you can finally come home! I will finally have a reason to cook all your favorite dinners again!"
Peter just sighed.
Buffy and Eliza were standing a bit away from everyone else, watching as their friends and boyfriends being taken care of by their families.
"All this really makes you wish you had somewhere to go home to," Eliza muttered. Buffy agreed.
"Yeah..." she sighed as she watched James and Sirius being hugged by James' parents, and a bit away, Remus stood talking with his.
"...That would be nice..."
"Miss Summers, Miss de Mort."
Eliza and Buffy turned around, and found themselves looking into the twinkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore.
"Headmaster," Eliza said, surprised.
Dumbledore chuckled.
"I am not your Headmaster anymore - call me Albus," he said.
"Right - Albus - check," Buffy said, making Dumbledore's eyes twinkle even more than usual.
"If you've got the time, I would be most pleased if you and your friends took a short trip to my office before you leave," he said. "The password is blood lollipop."
Buffy nodded in acknowledge.
"We'll be there."
As Albus left, Remus came up to them, giving Buffy a hug.
"My parents would like you to come and stay at my place for the first part of the summer, until you find an apartment or something on your own - I told them you didn't have anywhere to go."
Buffy did some kind of happy dance on the spot, drawing quite a lot attention to herself.
"Yes!" She exclaimed. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"
Remus laughed, before giving Eliza an apologetic look.
"I would have offered you the same thing, but we don't have place for more than one..."
"It's alright," Eliza said. "I'm sure I'll be able to come up with something."
"Like the Potter manor?" A voice said behind her. Eliza's heart quickly turned around in fright.
"Sirius! Don't scare me like that!"
"Sirius just smirked. "Sorry. Anyway, I talked to James parents, and they would gladly let you in to live with us."
Eliza squealed with happiness, and threw herself around Sirius' neck.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Sirius laughed. "You're welcome."
"Oh, I almost forgot," Buffy said, as she finally stopped her dancing. "Professor DD - Albus - wanted to meet us all in his office, so if you guys could gather the rest of us together - James, Lily and Peter - and we'll meet you there?"
"Sure." Remus gave Buffy a quick kiss before sprinting off along with Sirius.
"Blood lollipop." The gargoyle sprung open, and the gang walked up the stairs leading to Dumbledore's office.
After they'd been welcomed in by Albus, they say down in the chairs in front of his desk, waiting for him to speak.
"Lemon drop?" He offered. They all declined.
"Right. To business, then," he said. "In the beginning of the year, I came to you all - except Miss de Mort, who wasn't here at the time - with an offer to join a secret organization against Voldemort."
Peter squeaked at the mention of his name.
"Have you considered it?"
"I stand fast to what I said then - I'm in," James said, and everyone almost immediately agreed with him.
"Miss de Mort?"
"If it is against Voldemort, then there's no doubt about it," Eliza said. "I'm in as well."
"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, and picked up an a empty parchment from his desk.
"Now, after you've signed this, you will be official members of the Order. It worksas following - if you have good intentions, your name will sink into the parchment after you've signed. If you do not pass this - I guess you could call it a test of some sort - your name will still be fully visible. If that is the case, you cannot join us, and you will have your memory modified and nothing of this meeting will be mentioned to you again. Do you still agree?"
Again, they nodded - although Peter did so after a slight hesitation - and one after another, they all signed and watched their signatures disappear into the parchment. After they were done, Dumbledore stood up, and clasped his hands together. Fawkes flew up from his perch, and let out a shrilling tone, as he soared around the room.
"I welcome you all to the Order of the Phoenix!"
In another area, a meeting of another sort took place.
Severus Snape, newly graduated Slytherin student from Hogwarts, kneeled in front of the black form of lord Voldemort.
"Rise, Severus," he said. Snape looked up, and rose to his feet, bowing slightly.
"I offer you my services, my lord, in whichever way you find them useful."
Voldemort let out a dry chuckle.
"I am sure you will become a great asset to my ranks, Severus. We are missing a good potions maker, and I have heard you are supposed to be an adequate one."
"The best, my lord."
Voldemort laughed.
"I like you already!" He said. "You have something the rest of my followers miss - humor. And youlack what they all have too much of - humility. Yes...I think you and I will be able to cooperate with each other splendidly...after all, we have a lot in common, don't we?"
Snape nodded grimly. He was a Half-Blood, nothing he was proud of, just like the Dark Lord himself, and that was one of the reasons he had decided to join him. Snape admired him for what he had managed to become, despite his heritage, and wished to become just like Voldemort himself.
"Severus, your arm."
Snape stretched out his left arm towards Voldemort, who took his wand and moved it in complicated patterns over it, as he mumbled something in what Snape thought was Latin.
Suddenly, his arm started to burn with indescribable pain. It was almost unbearable! Snape bit his tongue so hard to keep from screaming, that it started to bleed.
Finally, the pain lessened, and Snape looked down on his arm where the new branded dark mark now had taken place.
"Welcome, to my Death Eater ranks, Severus Snape."
On July 9, James Potter apparated with an almost silent 'crack' to Privet Drive. He watched himself critically in one of the windows, and did his best to flatten his unruly hair. After several tries with no result, he had to give up. It was hopeless - useless.
He cleared his throat, and dried his suddenly sweaty hands off on his muggle-jeans, before knocking softly on the door. When no one opened, he knocked again, a little harder this time.
He frowned, and was just about to knock for a third time, when the door flew open, revealing a horse-faced woman with a very thin neck.
"Yes?" She snapped. James stared at her in shock.
"Uhh...I must have gotten the wrong house..." he cast a quick glance at the number by the door - number four. He was in the right place - unless Lily gave him the wrong address. But that was highly unlikely.
"Is this the Evans residence?" He asked hesitantly.
"Yes," the woman snapped again. "What do you want? Who are you?" All this was said very rudely. James came to the quick conclusion that he didn't like her.
"James Potter. Is Lily inside?"
The woman moved away from the door, leaving just enough place for James to be able to squeeze in.
"Lily! Your freakof afiancé is here!" She bellowed, making James wince. She had a horrible voice... She hastily shut the door with a loud bang, before turning around, leaving James alone in the hallway.
James looked around with interest as he waited for Lily to appear. On the walls, there were many paintings and photographs of Lily, the woman who had opened the door, and many others, which he guessed portrayed other family members or friends. He frowned, as he looked closer at one portraying Lily on a swing.It didn't move!
"Blimey..." he muttered. "This feels so strange..."
He was just about to check the other portraits as well, to see if they were the same, when he heard someone coming down the stairs. He hastily looked up, and saw Lily walking towards him, smiling, her red hair swept up in a ponytail.
"James! You made it!"
James gave Lily a hug and a quick kiss.
"The portraits..." he mumbled. Lily raised her eyebrows.
"Yes?"
"They don't move."
Lily laughed. "I know! And so should you! You did take muggle-studies, didn't you?"
"Well, yes. But it's one thing to read about it, another thing to actually see it! It's weird! It's...unnatural!"
Lily grinned.
"Well, I thought the same about moving portraits when I came to Hogwarts for the first time. But you get used to it."
"Right," James said skeptically. "Oh, by the way, who was that woman who opened the door? I thought I recognized her...hey, wasn't she your Boggart?"
Lily giggled.
"Yes, she was. That was Petunia."
James gawked at her, jaw hanging open.
"Your sister!" He exclaimed.
Lily laughed, and closed James' mouth with a gentle snap.
"Don't gawk," she reprimanded him. "It isn't nice."
James finally woke up from his shock.
"I feel bad for you...And it's obvious who got the good genes in your family," he muttered.
"Petunia?" Lily said innocently, making James growl.
"No. You." He kissed her on the nose tip. "Happy eighteenth."
"Thank you," Lily said, and pouted. "Don't I get a present?"
"Maybe," James said mysteriously. "If you're nice."
Lily smacked him lightly on the arm. James gave her his best puppy dog eyes.
"No hitting," he said. "That isn't nice."
Lily rolled her eyes at him.
"Come on, lover boy - my parents are dying to meet you," she said, and started to drag him with her to the living room.
"Oh," James said. "I would hope not. Ow!" He exclaimed, as Lily hit him again, a bit harder this time. She smirked, and stuck out her tongue.
"Your own fault for being a prat."
James glared.
"You're going to destroy my good looks if you keep hitting me!"
"What good looks?"
"Hey!"
"So, James," Lily's father said as they sat down for dinner. "What do you plan on doing now that you've graduated?"
James gulped. Here it came - the questioning - the nightmare of all bridegrooms to be.
"Well," he said. "If my grades are good enough, and I pass all the initiations tests, I'm going into the Auror academy."
"Auror?" Lily's mother said questioningly. "What is that?"
"It's the wizarding version of the police, mum," Lily said.
"Oh, really? Sounds like it is an important occupation. What kind of tests is it you have to pass exactly?"
"It is a lot of character and aptitude tests, including demonstrating the ability to react quickly under pressure, perseverance, dedication, and skills in practical defense."
"That sounds really difficult," Lily's father commented.
"Well, it is. The training is hard, I'd say harder than the first tests. It takes around three years to complete the training, which might seem short, but it's all a lot of hard work and almost no rest, and if you're not willing to sacrifice most of your free-time, and put your soul into it, then it isn't anything for you."
Lily's parents were staring at him now, making James feel a little uncomfortable. Finally, Lily's father broke the silence.
"You really seem to know what you're talking about," he said. "I'm sure you will do an admirable job."
"Thank you, sir."
"Say, what parts does the training include?"
"I'm not sure, but I do know two of the bigger parts are Concealment and Disguise, as well as Stealth and Tracking."
From the other end of the table, they heard a snort.
"How ridiculous," Petunia said. "Mother, can you pass the salt, please?"
Mrs. Evans gave her oldest daughter a disapproving look, but decided not to comment. Lily, however, did.
"Petunia!" She said. "James is a guest in our house - and my future husband! Maybe you could show at least a little respect? I don't act like that when you have Vernon over!"
'Go, Lils,' James thought, and grinned at Lily from across the table. Lily returned it with a small smile. Petunia just snorted.
"Lily is right, Petunia, dear," Mr. Evans said. "Maybe you should - "
Boom.
The table shook as Petunia hit her fist into it, and threw away her napkin.
"I knew it," she snapped. "I just knew it! You are always taking her side! It's always about 'perfect Lily', 'why can't you be more like Lily?' It's never 'why can't LILY be more like Petunia!' It's always Lily, Lily, Lily, Lily! What about me!"
"Petunia! That's enough!" Mrs. Evans said. "You are a grown woman, stop your childish behavior in this instant! We have a visitor!"
Petunia just glared at her mother.
"Her freak of a fiancé?"
"Petunia!"
"It's true!" Petunia said. "I don't understand why you didn't throw her out when you found out what she is - a freak! And guess what I found out? She LOVES all attention she gets. She LOVES to show me up! I got engaged to Vernon, and then, all of sudden SHE gets engaged as well! And it's immediately FANTASTIC! But when I got engaged, it was just 'congratulations, dear', and then you all just forgot about it! But when Lily does the same thing, it's the biggest thing that's happened since the Second World War! I think she can go back to her freaky world with her freaky husband-to-be. I don't want her here, and she doesn't want us either. She thinks she's above us," Petunia spat, her eyes blazing furiously at Lily, who sat frozen in her seat, too shocked to move.
As James saw how much Petunia's words hurt Lily, herealized he had hadenough.
"You have no right to talk like that!" He protested. "Lily is the sweetest person in the world, and I'm not going to let you treat her like she's something the cat dragged in! You are just a sad, jealous pathetic little girl - Lily might have special powers - that doesn't make her a freak. And just because the magic genes happened to skip your body doesn't give you any right to call Lily an attention seeker!"
James wanted to say much more than this, in uglier words, but he couldn't lash out on her too much in front Lily's parents...that didn't mean he wouldn't transfigure her into something nasty later...maybe a slug.
"Do you even know your sister?" James continued. "In school, she was always the one to stand up for the bullied - even if they didn't deserve it," James added, as he remembered the incident with Snape in their fifth year.
"She would never judge anyone based on their looks, or abilities, or blood. You should be proud of her, not the other way around. You have no right to call Lily a freak just because she has something you don't. If you even knew half of the crap Lily hashadto deal with during her years in school, just because she's a muggle-born without magical parents. But she never broke down. And she always stood up for her family - for you - and defended you! I think you should be grateful you have someone like Lily to call your sister - Merlin knows you don't deserve it," James finished.
For a long while, Petunia and James had some sort of staring contest, until Petunia rose from the table and left.
Lily's parents and Lily herself were too shocked to do anything else than stare at James, who took a deep breath to calm himself. Then Mr Evans cleared his throat.
"Well, dessert, anyone?"
As James got ready to apparate away later that evening, and Lily kissed him goodbye, she spoke.
"Thank you," she said.
James looked surprised.
"For what?"
"For standing up for me at the dinner table - no one has really done that before - not even my parents, because they are afraid Petunia will say they favor me over her. And I guess I've been too afraid that the gap between her and I would grow if I said something to my defense. So thank you."
"It was nothing. She had no right..."
"I know she didn't," Lily said hurriedly. "But thank you anyway." She smiled a little. "I think you really gave her something to think about." She let out a laugh.
"What?" James asked.
"For awhile, I was sure you were going to hex her or turn her into a frog or something."
James looked embarrassed.
"Well, the thought did cross my mind...but I didn't dare to do that in front of your parents - I don'tthink they wouldhave been too impressed if I had."
"Lily laughed again.
"Probably not. Just so you know, I know they like you. I swear, as soon as I step back into the house my father is going to start talking about you and never stop, while my mother will start asking all these embarrassing questions."
James looked honestly surprised.
"Really?"
Lily nodded.
"Uh-hu. I also think they were very impressed with the way you handled my sister - it showed maturity I'm sure they didn't know you had...and to be honest, I didn't either. I mean," she hurried to say, as she saw James' offended look. "I knew you had grown up...I just didn't know exactly how much. I'm proud of you," she said, making James lit up.
"Thank you," he said teasingly. "I'm just grateful I didn't make a complete ass of myself in there. I was sure I'd do something stupid, like spill sauce on myself, or trip over my own two feet."
Lily laughed.
"Never!" She exclaimed. "You'd never do that! And you're never nervous!"
James just raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, no? Do you have any idea how long I stood outside your door, trying to flatten my hair because I was too afraid to come inside?"
Lily grinned.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
She smiled.
"Well, at least it's over now...and you did great!" She kissed him slowly. Behind them, a red horizon was rising. Lily took it as a magical sign- the sky was red, and love was red - and she loved James. Shesighed doofily. They even had the Heaven's blessing.
"What are you sighing for?" James asked, frowning. Lily laughed.
"Nothing. I'll see you soon. Goodnight."
James looked Lily long in the eye before giving her a last kiss and apparaying away with a quiet 'crack'. Lily stood staring at the spot he'd disappeared at for along time, before turning around to walk back to Privet Drive.
A/N: How do you like? First chapter of the sequel - first chapter out of Hogwarts, first mention of Voldemort in person, first visit to Privit Drive... lots of firsts, so please REVIEW! I really love all your comments, compliments and critisism (the constructive one, that is), so keep it coming. (If you want your reviews answered, please leave a mail-adress along with your review as I don't know whether or not it is allowed to post review answers here anymore) And if you've read Out of the Blue before September 5 -05, then you might recognize the first six chapters as they were posted there before I decided to turn the story into two stories instead of one long (about eighty chapters) story.
/Ida