Title: The Curse Breaker's Daughter

Author: Kate R.

abelard950@aol.com

Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be.

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: none yet, mentions of Giles/Ethan though, in the past Bill/Buffy

Notes: Post season 5, set during Chamber of Secrets. The monks made Dawn of a wizard boy and a slayer girl: Bill Weasley and Buffy Summers. Bill had her until the key energy had to be housed, when it was done, through a complicated spell, Dawn reverted to her true age of ten and a half. Giles then had to call Bill after Buffy's death. This is what happened after.

Summary: Read the notes



The Curse Breaker's Daughter
By Kate R.

Giles was not surprised the man he'd summoned apparated in.

Dawn's comment about her Daddy being a Curse Breaker had been the tip off it was a wizard he was waiting for. He saw the long red hair and pierced ear and he saw the dragon hide vest and boots that screamed rebel but in the eyes he saw a deep and abiding love for the daughter that was waiting in the house. No one had been more surprised than he was when Dawn had suddenly reverted to a ten year old. When Willow said she'd fix her, Dawn had said the spell already did. She'd then gone on to explain that she was only ten and a half and that she would be starting school in the fall. She said the spell the monks used to give her the Key Energy was no longer needed so she went back to her real age. Then, she'd kissed Buffy's forehead and whispered quietly: "Goodbye, Mommy."

Xander had been making stupid comments ever since.

Dawn was getting upset with how he was talking to Spike and was near tars when Giles led the wizard into the house.

"Xander, if you don't shut up about Angel and Spike and Wesley, I swear I'll...I'll...I'll tell my daddy."

"And he'll do what?" Xander asked in that jackass tone of his.

"He'll Hex the living shit out of you!" Dawn cried. Her blue eyes were starting to overflow with tears and the wizard was suddenly mad.

"Dawn, one, do not repeat what your uncle Charlie says. And Two, why are you upset?"

"He wont shut up about Buffy dating Angel because he's a vampire but Xander's dating Anya whose an Ex-vengeance demon who still acts like one and he dated an Inca mummy monster and a preying mantis lady."

"Oh," the wizard said to Xander. "So, let me get this straight. You can date anyone or anything you want but no one else can huh? Gee, try growing up. Come on, baby. Go get your stuff ready. We have the summer in an flat in England I've bought and then we'll get your school supplies okay?"

"Can Spike come too? He promised mom that he'd take care of me till the end of the world."

"Yes, he can. Both of you go get ready. We're port key-ing to Gringotts.

"Okay," Dawn said. And she and Spike went off to pack.

The Wizard then looked at Giles. "Bill Weasley," he introduced himself. "You're one of my dad's friends from school, Ripper right?"

"Yes," Giles said. "I suppose I'll see you around?"

"Mmmhmmm," Bill said. "Ready Dawn?"

She nodded and carried her backpack and suitcase over to where he was waiting. Spike rejoined them a moment later with his duffle bag and Bill pulled a book from the inside pocket of his vest.

"Spike, Dawn, grab a hold and do not let go, okay?" he asked.

Dawn nodded and grabbed the book, the same as Spike did. They felt the tugging sensation and found themselves in Gringotts, London branch, leaving the Summers house and all it's painful memories behind.

It was time to begin anew. And Dawn was as ready as she was going to be.




Part 1: Family Meetings

Two months of relative peace before he decided to take her to meet the family. Her letter had come and she wanted to show Uncle Percy. Bill knew she'd always wanted to show him first. Well, him or Uncle Charlie. But Bill was not about to port key to Romania. If he were lucky, he could call Charlie from the house.

"You sure you want me there, Bill?" Spike asked. "I mean, hello, Vampire."

"Hello, Family," Bill replied using Dawn speak.

Spike chuckled but nodded a he looked at the ten year old moppet who was at this moment giggling as she held her letter. "Right pet," he said to her as she smiled at him. "Lets go. We port keying again?"

"Yep," Bill said as he picked one up. "Time to go."

Dawn and Spike each grabbed the book Bill was holding and the pulling sensation was felt and they were suddenly outside a house that looking like a patchwork quilt.

"Welcome to The Burrow," he said as he led them up to the front door. "Come in, Spike."

They all made their way inside to where a group was sitting around the living room. Dawn's eyes lit up when she saw the boy with the horned-rimed glasses reading the book.

"Uncle Percy!" She shrieked as she ran at him. "It came!"

To everyone in the house's surprise, he dropped the book he was reading, not caring that it hit the floor, and caught her in a hug as she launched herself at him.

"Hi Dawn," he said with a smile. "Let's see what we have here."

And he looked at her letter a she was bouncing with excitement. He could feel and he knew Bill could see their mother staring at the girl in his lap who'd called him uncle Percy and he knew she wanted to know.

"Call Charlie, Bill," he said. "I think it's about time they knew anyway."

And Dawn watched as her father went to the fire and summoned his younger by a year brother. Charlie apparated in after a few minutes and smiled when Dawn immediately ran to hug him. The same as she had Percy he could tell because she'd been in his lap when he arrived.

"What have we got here, baby?" he asked.

"My letter came!" She said excitedly. Charlie looked at Percy who was full on grinning at how excited Dawn was.

"William, Charles, Percival," their mother said finally. "Who is this?"

"Don't yell, you'll upset her and get her protector on you," Bill said. "And to answer your question, this is my daughter Dawn. Yes, she was born while I was at school. No, I don't remember making her. Rom what the Goblins told me The Monks of the Sacred Order of the Key needed her to have magic so they chose a wizard and a Slayer. Her mother, and me Buffy Summers. She's our little girl. Our Dawn. And she's starting Hogwarts this year so I figured she should meet everyone."

"Why didn't you introduce us earlier?" his mother asked.

Dawn backed away from her though.

"Dawn can sense things mom. You scare her with your all your kids do perfect in school. Dawn told me Percy has an ulcer from trying to meet your expectations. I don't know how she knows but I've never had reason to doubt her. I'm afraid what you would do to her."

"Is that true, Percy?" Molly asked.

He looked up at her and shrugged which was as close as he ever came to saying yes. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Like you care?" he said before he could stop the words. "All you care about are my grades. Well, I'm sorry. I can't be and am not Perfect. I'd love to be able to cut two of my electives this year but gods forbid your son not be an overachiever. Excuse me, I have homework to finish."

He walked out of the room and Dawn followed him.

Bill looked at his mother then. "He isn't me, mom," he said as gently as he could. "And he never will be. Pushing him like that...it's going to end badly. And Dad, try being interested in him. Maybe if you'd cared about your third son more you'd have seen it too but since you went off to the war you have no connection to him. Everything he's ever done is to get your approval. And you don't even notice him. You ignore him and you let those three brats abuse him with their extremely un-funny jokes. Do you know how often he cries? He wants you to like him. Not necessarily even love him but just like him. Now, excuse me, I have some things to do before dinner. If I'm still welcome anyway. Spike? You want to stay and maybe de-gnome the garden tonight?"

"You are always welcome to stay, Bill," Molly said. She was looking to where her third eldest son had gone and then looked back at her oldest boys were standing together. Bill saw she was finally thinking so he and Charlie went up to check on Percy and Dawn. Ginny followed them; happy someone had finally said something. Spike stayed between the younger three boys and their parents while they talked. He knew what they were discussing and it really was no business of the younger ones. He was guarding their parents' privacy.

"You three wanna see how a real de-gnoming is done?" he asked as he saw the sun set.

They were eating late for Bill's request and he walked out the boor with the three boys following him. His vampire speed and strength would let him catch and toss the gnomes with more accuracy and distance and it would give the parents a chance to talk.

It was an hour later that dinner was served and everyone took a seat at the table. Bill saw Dawn choose to sit between Spike and Percy and he thanked whatever gods there were that Spike ate human food. He was also thankful Spike could spot one of the twins' prank things because he stopped Percy from getting hit twice. On the third one, he caught it and hurled it back and them and they stared. He was aware his eyes were glowing gold but he really did not care.

"Listen to me you little brats," he growled. "And listen good. This one here matters to The Bit so he matters to me. You do anything to hurt him again and you'll be facing not Spike but William the Bloody. You take my meaning? She means the world to me, same as her mum and grand mum did. You hurt her in anyway and you piss me off. You piss me off, you pay for it."

And Spike returned his attention to the meal. The twins noticed that no one was laughing at their attempted pranks on their older brother. No one thought it was funny or amusing or anything. And Spike's glare kept them from even thinking of trying anything else. It was clear that he was not amused and deadly serious about his threat. The meal progressed peacefully after that.

"Bill, Spike, Dawn," Molly said after dinner. "Would you three and Percy please join us in the kitchen? The rest of you stay out here. It has nothing to do with any of you."

Everyone else stared but watched as the group went into the kitchen with their parents. Silencing Charms were suddenly pulled up so the others could not hear what was said.

Inside the kitchen, everyone was waiting.

"Percy," Molly Weasley began. 'Your father and I...that is to say... we know we hurt you and we were trying to think of a way to make amends. We thought if Bill has no objections, you could stay with him. And maybe...maybe he could fix the mess we made out of your life. We didn't realize what we were doing and if we tried to change now we'd make a bigger mess but Bill...Bill loves you. He doesn't expect you to be like him and we think... your father and I.... that maybe it would be better if you were in a place where you were not expected to be anything but yourself. What do you think?"

Percy looked at Bill then. There was hope in his eyes and Bill knew he had more than enough room.

"I think we can do that. How about you, Dawn?" He asked.

"I'd love it," the little girl said. "Spike?"

"Easier to watch over him if he's where I can see him," the vampire said. "I got no problem with it."

"Percy?" Molly asked.

"Would Bill have custody of me?" he asked nervously.

"Yes," Arthur said. "Percy, we don't know how to balance your mind with the fact that you are a teenage boy. I think Bill could. So, do you want to go with him?"

"I-if you're sure it's okay," he whispered. Arthur nodded and watched as Molly pulled him into a hug.

"We'll miss you but you'll be better off with him," Arthur said.

"You need to be Percy and for that, you need to be someplace where you aren't expected to be anyone else."

"I'll miss you too," Percy whispered. "But I...I want to go."

"Then go up and pack. Bill, can you stay the night so he has time to take his time?"

"Yes," Bill said. "Dawn can room with Ginny. Pike needs a windowless room and I'm afraid he'd kill the ghoul."

"Got this bauble, Bill" Spike said. "Sire sent it to me. Makes me invulnerable. I'll be fine wherever."

Bill nodded and watched as everyone was soon called in an informed of the changes. Percy went up to pack and Spike followed him, standing guard to be sure nothing was added and he caught anything that had been planted.

Afterwards, they had dessert and then everyone went to bed.

Spike woke up hearing movement and saw the twins and the boy Ron sneaking out.

"Where are you going?" Spike asked.

"To rescue Harry," Ron said. Spike sighed and rolled to his feet.

"Well, let's be off then, pets," Spike said. "And by the way, we're taking my car."



END PART 1