Title: War Hero

Author: Kate R.

abelard950@aol.com

Disclaimer: Joss and JKR own them, not me.

Rating: PG-15 to R, for violence, descriptions of torture and Giles' potty mouth.

Pairings: Giles/Ethan (So far)

Summary: Xander does research on Giles and then he gets shown the reality of a War's Consequence


War Hero
by Kate R.

He knew he was dreaming. This only happened when he really needed to see something so he'd understand. It had happened when he saw Angel the first time, and Spike, because he'd needed to understand what was going on. Now, he was seeing the latest thing he absolutely Needed to See. And hey, this time, he even knew what he was seeing and why.

He'd been trying to find out why Giles got so quiet the day before he disappeared for a day. He'd wanted to understand so he knew why Giles was so snappish almost and why he refused to listen to anything they could say to try to guilt him into it. Something had to be big for Giles to walk away from his Slayer so Xander had begun to look.

His inquires had led to a bunch of books appearing in his room and he'd read them. They were all about this evil wizard dude, Voldemort or something, who'd wanted to take over the Wizarding world ad kill all Muggles.

Non-magic folk like him. He'd read a book-marked passage about Voldemort's final victims. One set were the Potter's whose son had stopped this evil dude but even Xander had a feeling he was going to rise again. No body usually meant not as dead as everyone wanted to believe. Still, the books hadn't told him enough. He knew Giles was one of the good guys and so was that Ethan guy Buffy hated so much. He wasn't sure which one of them got hurt because the book said they were both crippled on one day. Xander figured that day was the day Giles was just gone. He had wanted to see something tangible that would help him understand and now he was seeing it. He walked up to the big stone monument thing in front of him and looked at the three sides.

For Those Who Were Lost, one side read and there was a list, a long list of all those who'd died.

For Those Who Are Missing, another side read. The list there was not a long because most of them were presumed dead.

For Those Who Were injured, a third side read.

Xander read the names on each of the three sides and swallowed. So many hurt or dead or lost. But what...and then he saw it:

"Ethan Rayne," he read, "Last adult victim of Lord Voldemort. Strong in heart and soul, He gave his own safety for the sake of the Muggle born Children."

Xander looked at the name, etched in gold, like all the others but he saw another mark by it. He knew that symbol; Giles wore a pendant with that symbol engraved on it. "What happened to you, Ethan?" Xander asked quietly as he let his fingers trail over the name. "How did you get hurt? What did this to you?"

He heard his alarm go off in the real world and he looked one last time at the monument. He read what was written at the top: "For All Those Who Gave Of Themselves In the War Against Darkness, We Are Forever In Your Debt."

And Xander Harris woke up, looking one last time at the image in his mind and Ethan's name and that symbol carved into the stone by it. He knew who could tell him what happened and why that symbol was there. He knew and he knew if he got to school early enough, he could ask him in his office before Buffy and Willow got there. SO, he gathered his school stuff and headed out, going to the library where he knew Giles would be.



Part 2

He made it with time to spare. Giles was in his office, looking over a book and Xander slid in and had a seat.

"Yes, Xander?" Giles asked without looking up.

"What happened to Ethan?" Xander asked. He saw Giles just freeze and raise his head and look at him.

"How do you know anything happened to Ethan?" The librarian asked tensely.

"I looked you up," Xander said. "What did this Voldemort guy do to him?I saw the monument in my dreams last night. It just said Ethan Rayne, last adult victim of lord Voldemort and him giving his safety to protect some muggle-born kids."

"Ah," Giles said to himself as he sat back in his chair. "Close the door. This will take a bit of time."

Xander did and took a seat in the chair he had stood from to close the office door.

"Ethan," Giles began. "Well, I think you rather figured out we both fought in the War as it's still called in the Wizarding world. We were both as powerful without wands as we were with so we could go places where Voldemort was and not be seen. However, Ethan was a danger to him that I did not see. I did not see the danger Ethan would put himself in for others. You see, Ethan's life before Hogwarts was terrible. He was always hungry and cold, he was sick a lot and he was beaten daily. When he came to Hogwarts, he met me and I looked out for him. In his second year, he started looking out for everyone smaller and younger than he was. Ethan was a scrapper. He fought and he won more times than not because of his determination. And then...Then Voldemort rose. Evil was the man. And he wanted to kill children. All people who did not agree with him, all those not pure bred. Funny, because Voldemort himself was Muggle-born, but Ethan...Ethan refused to let him. When people started disappearing, Ethan revealed a hidden talent that until then only the two of us had known about. Ethan could find anyone. Ethan went out whenever someone vanished and if he could get what he needed fast enough, he saved them. He found many living people. Sadly, he found many bodies as well. We in the order believed that Voldemort was so threatened by Ethan's power, which dwarfed his, that he set a trap for him. He caught Ethan and he tortured him mercilessly for a week before I managed to get to him. Now, every year on the day I got Ethan back, he relives the torture. His body shows the wounds for 24 hours. Every year, I take him to St. Mungo's and I sit with him for 24 hours. The others who fought with us in the war, the others who know and understand what happened, and Ethan's own son who has never really known his father, they all come. They all come and stay with him and take care of him. This year, his son will be told. I pray the boy can handle finding this out but we found a way to cure Ethan. It requires his son's aid though."

"And you do this alone every year?" Xander asked. "Get him there I mean?"

"Normally he's waiting for me. He's waiting now. I think he wants to go now. I was about to leave a note for Buffy and Willow to tell them I'd be gone. I don't need to put your name on it though. You know I'm going."

"And I want to come with you," Xander said. "Whatever it takes, G-Man, you shouldn't have to carry this alone. So, let me come and help you. Please?"

Giles simply stared for a moment before he nodded gently. "If you want to we can go now," Giles said as he looked into Xander's eyes.

Xander nodded and watched as Giles pulled a long wooden stick from his bag. He took Xander's arm and then, after a second, Xander heard a popping noise and they were suddenly someplace else. He saw Ethan sitting in an armchair. He looked at Giles for a moment.

"I'm ready to go, Ripper," he said and Xander could hear the pain in his voice.

Giles moved to Ethan's side and helped him to his feet. Ethan staggered so Xander moved to his other side and took the weight from there. Ethan looked at him as if he were confused and uncertain but he seemed to trust Giles so he relaxed and let Xander support him while Giles again pulled his wand and seemed to concentrate and they were suddenly in a place that was a hospital like most any other except for the people in robes.

"You're early, Rupert," a voice said.

Xander turned, still holding Ethan, to where a woman in a nurse's hat seemed to be waiting for a response.

"It's starting early," Xander said coolly. "Get over yourself, pain doesn't run on a time table."

"Xander," Giles admonished.

"No," he said. "G-Man, you bring Ethan here when he needs to be here right?"

"Well, yes," Giles said.

"So, why is she bitching you out because you brought him when he's obviously hurting? He needs a doctor or something at the least."

"Of course," the woman said snapping back to professional attitude. That is was a boy who had told her, her duty was a slap in the face as to how callous she was becoming. She had a gurney brought over and Xander and Giles laid Ethan on it.

"You'll be okay, Eth,"� Xander heard Giles say as they both followed the stretcher down to a private room that was being made up as they watched.

Once it was ready, they shifted Ethan to the bed. Giles immediately took a chair at the bedside and Xander took another one and they sat to watch over him. Giles seemed glad someone was there that understood a little of this at least.

"Thank you," Giles said three hours into their vigil.

Xander looked at him as if to say 'Why thank me for doing what needed to be done?' but Giles shook his head. Xander sighed. He'd never understand Giles. Never. He watched as Ethan's hand suddenly tightened convulsively on Giles' and Xander's eyes suddenly shot to his face. Ethan was starting to twist and writhe on the bed and all Giles could do was hold his hand and cry through it. Noting could be done to this, Giles said. It was a curse, a vile curse, which was left so Ethan became a living reminder of the Dark Lord Voldemort.

"I'm here, Eth," Giles whispered. "The others will be here soon. You aren't alone."

"No," Xander said taking Ethan's other hand. "He's not alone. And neither are you, Giles. I'm here for you both and I'll support you."

And Giles looked up and Xander and his tears actually spilled over.

"It hurts," the normally stoic librarian whispered as he watched Ethan's face begin to bleed. "It hurts so much, Xander. He did this...he did this to protect others and it hurts. He doesn't know his own son even though he wants to. He's afraid the boy couldn't stand having a cripple for a father."

"He's a hero above all of that, Giles," Xander said as he brushed Ethan's blood soaked hair off his face. "I don't know about his blood son, but I'd love a father like him. I'd love to know he was a hero who saved lives in the war."

"I'd like to know that too," a young voice said.

Giles turned and looked and saw a boy with dark red hair standing in the doorway. He looked like he'd come here after traveling all night and he looked like he was alone.

"They were arguing about whether I was old enough," he told Giles and Xander as he came over to the side of the bed. "It's not their choice or decision anymore. He's my father and I've waited 15 � years to meet him."

"Well," Giles said. "I'm sure he'll be glad to meet you too. As soon s this is over at any rate."

And the boy whom Xander had not heard named nodded as he sat on the edge of the bed and placed his hand over his father's heart. "I'm here, father," he said. "I'm here."

And Giles and Xander both watched, as Ethan seemed to settle somewhat, just knowing that one thing. His son was there. His greatest wish had been granted.

This was truly a great day. For Giles and Ethan at any rate.

The room was silent for another hour before a loud, female voice suddenly screeched from the hallway: "PERCY! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Dammit," the boy muttered. "Not now, Mother."



Part 3

Xander had watched s all day people had filtered in and out. Most were around Gules' age, which Xander was realizing was a lot younger than he realized. Others, however, were older. And besides the by who called Ethan father, there were a few other kids. All had red hair. Two of them were identical and they seemed to be trying to prank Ethan's son. Although, something about being near the King of Pranks it seemed, protected him. He had accepted Ethan as his father so apparently, that afforded him something.

"We're coming up on the worst of it," Giles said as they neared midnight.

The woman who'd called Percy in the hallway tried to make him leave but he refused.

"I'm staying," he finally snapped. "You've kept me from him for almost 16 years. I am not leaving him now because you think you know best. I am a Rayne and we face bad things."

"But, Percy," she tried to cajole him.

"NO!" He yelled. "I am not leaving him. Not for you or anyone else!"

"You aren't a Rayne," she argued. "You've been raised a Weasley and we want you home."

"I AM home," he growled. "And you may have raised me a Weasley but I've never been one. I have always been different and now I know why. This is my father. His is the blood that gave me life. I wont leave him when he needs me. I won't leave him suffering anymore. Not even for you, Aunt Molly."

"I am your mother," she growled.

"No," a weak voice said from the bed.

And they all turned to look. Ethan's eyes were open. "You are Not his mother, molly. You may have raised him, you may have taken care of him and you may have called him your son. But he isn't. He's my son, my heir and my blood. Percy, come here"

The boy did. He sat on the edge of the bed and Ethan gripped his hand, seeming to summon something and when he released it, there was a signet ring on the boy's finger.

"You are now the Master of Rayne House," the sorcerer said. "You and I alone can open the vault that contains our family's wealth. Rupert can use the House when he needs it but he doesn't need our money. Molly, I swore to Elsabeth that I would watch over your family and I will. But, my son is not to be used as a target for your spoiled brats' unfunny jokes ever again or I will cut the allowance I had figured out in half. I will provide books and robes all of the best quality for the school, I will pay the mortgage on the burrow and have professional additions put on if you wish, but you will not hurt my son again. Any of you."

And that seemed to bring him to the end of his strength as he felt himself weakening and Percy, Giles and Xander lowered him to the bed.

"You...you don't have to stay, Percy," Ethan whispered. "I'll be fine in a few more hours. It's nearly done now."

"I've been here for 16," the boy said. "I'll stay for the last 4. I wont leave you, father. Not even for school. I'd gladly ail anything for today. You are more important."

He did not see the headmaster of his school standing in the doorway nod to himself before he apparated out. It was as if he'd just received confirmation of something he'd wanted to hear for a while.

Had Percy seen him and wondered why he was there, he would never have guessed it was because he was deciding who would be head Boy the next year. Percy's dedication to Ethan sealed his choice. He would offer the badge to the boy as he had once offered it to his father. It did indeed run in the family.

Back in the hospital room, Ethan was looking at the members of the Aurorer division that he and Giles had worked with and he was as confused by their presence as he was by the boy who was with Rupert.

"You're a hero, Ethan," Giles said. "Didn't you know that all these years? Everyone in our world knows who you are and what you sacrificed for the sake of the young."

"And the boy?" Ethan asked.

"I'm Xander Harris," Xander said. "I wanted to know what hurt Giles so much so I could help him. I was kind of shocked to find out both you and the G-Man here were War Heroes. That was a new one since Giles never said."

"You never asked," Giles returned gently. "Xander, you should get some rest. It's been a long day for all of us. A long day."

"Yeah," Xander said stifling a yawn. "Will he be okay now?"

"I'll be fine," Ethan said and Xander noticed he was healing now as he'd been mystically wounded earlier. "I just need some rest now. Just a little bit of rest."

Xander nodded and sacked out on the cot Giles normally slept on. He knew Giles would sleep only when Ethan was resting and he would not leave his side. Xander watched as the boy laid his head on the mattress near his father's hand and went to sleep as well. Yeah, it was time for all of them to rest. Because Xander was sure tomorrow would begin new lives for all of them: Scooby Gang Members, Wizards, Witches and War Heroes all.



END