Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Harry Potter. The honours go to J.K. Rowling, and Joss Wheaton.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update, I hadn't typed this story, I had written it in class by hand. It's really long now, but I thought that I could give you all chapter two. Enjoy. R&R!

SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Buffy used the key that Giles had given hre to unlock the door to his apartment. She had been sleeping on the couch at his place since he had brought her back to Sunnydale.

Sure she had left, but her watcher had hunted for her and eventually found her working as a waitress in L.A. He had brought her home immediately.

That was two-weeks ago. She'd been to see her mother of course, but nothing had changed. When Buffy had left her home to go save Giles from Angelus, and eventually sent Angel to hell mother told her not to come back. Apparently she had meant it.

That evening she had been patrolling with Willow and Xander. She'd seen them home safely and then returned to Giles place. She had gone to great efforts to sneak in, and was almost disappointed that Giles was sitting on the couch apparently waiting for her. There were two people waiting there with him.

"Giles?" She asked raising his eyebrows.

"Hello Buffy." The two men looked up at her.

"What's with the solomn voice? Hey are you two from the watchers council, 'cause if you are you can turn around and leave." She told the two.

"I'm sorry Miss Summers. I don't believe that I know who the 'Watchers council' is." The taller man said.

*Stupid Buffy* she mentally scolded herself. "Sorry, just an annoying on going joke between myself and some friends at school. No big." She lied. "So you here to speak to Giles? You want me to dissapear?"

"Actually, they are here to see you." Giles told her. "Come here and sit down." She did as she was told.

"Giles your starting to scare me."

"Miss Summers? I am Dectective Baker and this is Constable Drill."

"Police?" She asked incredulous.

"Yes ma'am. I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"What's happened?"

"Eairlier this evening your mother was involved in a head on car collision with a drunk driver." Buffy paled.

"Oh my god! Is she okay? Is she in the hospital? Giles we need to see her!" She exclaimed. Giles only paled furthur and placed her hand on her arm.

"I'm afraid that she was killed on impact. I'm sorry Miss Summers."

Buffy froze. She couldn't take this in. She searched Giles eyes franticly for a clue there was no truth to it. He looked at her sadly.

"No." She whispered and pulled away from them.

"I'm so sorry Buffy." Giles said.

"NO!" She yelled and bolted from the apartment.

She ran frantically with-out focus down the street, to the main road in town and around a corner to the art gallery that her mother worked in. There was glass and car parts scatteren across the road out the front of the Gallery. Buffy shook.

She fled from that place and the next thing that she knew she was out the front of Willow's house. She knocked on the door.

"Buffy? It's a little late to be stopping by isn't it?" Willow's mother said when the door was answered.

"Sorry. Can I please see Willow?"

"I suppose. She is in her room."

"Thanks." Buffy ran up the stairs and knocked on the door. "Willow?"

"Buffy? Come in!"

"Hey."

"Hey, Buffy- what's happened?" Buffy burst into tears. Willow was at her side getting her to sit down.

"It's mom."

"What happened?"

"She.She.oh Wills, she was killed in a car crash today, tonight." Buffy sobbed.

Willow was horrified but let her friend cry.

Buffy was dimly aware when Xander came in, Willow must have called him. Then she heard Giles come in the down stairs door. Buffy remained curled in a ball on Willows bed. She was frozen in time. She had stopped crying and was just stuck there. Xander had leaned against the bed head and wrapped his arm was around Buffy's shoulders. Willow had obviously told her mother, as she was hovering nervously at the door. Willow her self was curled up on the bed facing Buffy, their knees were touching, as were their foreheads.

This was the sight that Giles walked in on. He too was devastated by the news that he had been deleivered first that night, but looking at the three, he knew that it was his turn to be strong for his slayer. Buffy had been strong for them all for a long time.

He saw her now as the frightened girl she had always been, and felt the need to protect her.