UnExpected

Chapter 4

"Buffy, will you please hurry up? We're going to be late!" Joyce hollered from the entrance hall.

"I'm coming!" Buffy responded from somewhere upstairs.

"If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn that girl was making her clothes instead of changing them," she grumbled to Remus.

The werewolf was about to respond when loud screeches burst throughout the house.

Remus sighed. "Now you've done it."

"I've forgotten all about that old crone. Surprised she hasn't screamed a word since we've been here," said Joyce, throwing a disapproving glance up the stairs.

"To be fair we've been rather quiet the past weeks."

"Yeah."

Now that the sleeping dragon had awakened Joyce made no conscious attempt to not holler once more for her daughter. Her patience was wearing thin. They had a meeting with Dumbledore in twenty minutes, and Buffy was acting as though they had all the time in the world. And just as she was about to call out once more, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs, footsteps that came to a sudden stop. The next thing they heard were muffled words and shouting before the blood curling screeching came to a halt. The pair watching curiously as Buffy made her way to the foyer with a bright smile on her face.

"What?" she asked, wondering why they were looking at her as though she had grown wings.

"What did you say to her?" Remus inquired as he wasn't able to pick up Buffy's words clearly due to Mrs. Black's screaming.

"Words I'm not allowed to say in front of my mother."

Rolling her eyes at the maturity , Joyce made her way Buffy's side.

"Buffy, what in Merlin's name took you so long?" she asked as she analyzed her daughter's very simple attire of black on black.

"Didn't know what to wear."

Right, of course, a closet full of clothes could make that difficult for any girl.

"How long will you be gone?" asked Remus.

"As long as it takes I suppose, but I'm sure it won't be too long," answered Joyce.

Buffy turned to her mother. "How are we getting there?"

"I'm going to Apparate us just outside the wards and we'll walk the rest of the way. Are you ready?"

"All set." She nodded firmly, before she turned to Remus. "And tell Snuggles not to worry. We'll be back before he knows it."

"You are aware that he detests it when you call him that don't you?"

"I know. Hence the fun."

"Less than six weeks and they've already rubbed off on each other," Joyce mumbled under her breath, but quickly realized who she was in the presence of, and their supernatural advantages, so she cleared her throat and tried to ignore their teasing smiles. "Yes, well, I think it's time to go. We'll be back soon."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a mocking salute.

They waved before popping out of the house, followed by another pop announcing Kreacher's irritating presence.

"Where has Mistress Buffy gone?" his deep and hoarse voice demanded.

"To Hogwarts, she'll be back in a little while."

The house-elf glared at him in distaste one last time before popping off to places unknown. Remus had no clue as to how Buffy managed to get on the creature's good side, but if it got him out of everyone's hair Remus wasn't about to question it.