"Dawn, you can come out from under there now." Xander says pulling into a rest stop a half-hour after they've left Sunnydale a couple weeks later.

"How long have you known?"

"Since I got in the car."

She gets in the front seat when it doesn't look like Xander's going to turn around and take her back to Sunnydale.

"I can't stay with her, she's . . .she's. . . "

"Out of her fucking mind and Willow's 'I'm better than everybody else because I'm a girl isn't helping any?" Xander says dryly. "That's why I'm leaving. . .with Giles blessing because she feels she doesn't need anybody. And that's going to get her killed."

"Exactly. That's one of the reasons Giles was given custody of me and not Buffy. Her attitude and not having a real job or plans for the future. Because we both know Buffy was just playing at going to school."

"So was Willow for all that she claimed she had plans for the future. Spike?"

"He packed up his stuff and left before I did, Giles just waited to get a couple orders of stuff and he's heading off. He's keeping an eye on Sunnydale and will come back after it's . . .over since he's got power of attorney over Buffy's stuff."

"You're going to have to attend school instead of skipping."

"Wherever we'll going will be a real school right? Not just a holding pen until they get eaten like Sunnydale's?"

"It is, in fact I've been taking some classes because Sunnydale's system was so bad."

"Where are we going?"

"Do you have anything?"

"Yes, Giles put my personal belongings in the trailer while you were at work. Though most of it is clothes I'm outgrowing."

"We can stop at a couple of stores. You'll need winter clothes anyway."

"Where are we going?"

"A small town in Oregon, I've been offered places in New York and Miami but the cost of living there is outrageous."

"Oregon?" she moans. "But Miami. . ."

"Would be two thousand dollars rent without utilities for an apartment. Houses are millions of dollars. And not for mansions." He pulls out a folder. "This is areas I was looking at and what I can expect to make doing construction or other menial work." She reads through all the printouts and shakes her head. "And Oregon?"

"Small town called Eureka. It's a company town, the big employer is a DoD company with it's fingers in a lot of pies." Dawn looks worried a second. "Not the NID, they loathe the NID and people like that. I've not only got a good job lined up. . ." He grabs a cell phone and dials a number.

"Blake."

"Dr. Blake, it's Xander Harris."

"Yes Xander, is there any problems?" She looks across the room at Nathan. She listens a few minutes. "Not a problem, do you need to talk to a lawyer about custody paperwork?" He repeats that question and she grins. "We'll have an apartment waiting for the both of you and I'll talk to her when she arrives about her schooling. She might be like Harry and be tutored for the rest of the school year and attend regular classes this fall."

"Allie?" Nathan asks when she hangs up the phone.

"Buffy's sister Dawn sneaked into his car before he left Sunnydale, she's got the paperwork giving him temporary custody while Giles is busy. Giles got permanent custody of her and not her sister because she's a flake and doesn't have a job. He's got a job and stable home environment."

"He'll need a bigger apartment or even a house." She nods and gets on the phone with people. "He'll be delayed a couple days, they've got to go shopping for clothes. Not only does she not have any winter clothes, she's at the stage where she's outgrowing the clothes she does have."

"Does he need money?"

"Giles gave her some since he'd seen she was going to need clothes. Something the Slayer never thought about since she had so many clothes and wasn't a growing teenage girl."

"Okay, we will stop in the next town and hit a couple stores. Basic clothes, we can buy more when we're settled." Dawn nods. "Dr. Blake, the woman I just talked with will see about getting you enrolled at the school when we arrive, they've worked with me over the last year and already *know* how bad Sunnydale's school is."

"Why are they working with you?"

"Do you remember the owl that arrived?" Dawn sniggers. "It was about a meeting Giles, Spike, and I attended. It seems that an old bastard in the wizarding world in England has been going around getting young girls at the school he was principal at pregnant. He's been doing it for decades, I was the youngest kid there who was out of school. One of the old bastard's grandkids lives in this town, he's actually the town sheriff, a former US Marshal and an auror in the wizarding world, the aurors are their police. We've all kept in touch over the last year, one of my sisters was in legal trouble and pregnant, her boyfriend got custody of their daughter when she was born. Another of my sisters has been in a mental hospital for years, she's got a son a couple years older than I am who works with the FBI as a profiler."

"Damn. But school?"

"I have a nephew who's about your age, his parents were killed when he was a baby and he was raised by his abusive aunt and her husband. He went to a school for magic where my father, his grandfather was the princ. .. err headmaster. Some moron who used to be in charge of the magical government over there had a fit about him being away for Christmas Day visiting family and friends. He demanded Harry come back or he'd remove him from the school."

"Dickwad."

"Dawn, language. Just because I talk like that doesn't mean you can. And yeah, he is. The new principal . . .no headmistress, they're called headmasters and headmistresses over there called his bluff and knew he would be welcomed at Eureka's school."

"And down he goes." Dawn smirks.

"Yeah, but since his school was being held back by Dumbledore he spent months being tutored so he could join kids his own age. Since I'm the youngest of the older kids, they talked to me about Sunnydale. They really want me to start university this fall."

"As what?"

"I'm still trying to narrow down my choices, I'll be working with people at various labs to see what I want to do while I'm taking my basic classes."

"They've got a university there?"

"No, but I can take my classes online. Those classes I'd need a lab or other equipment for I can take at Global Dynamics. Now somebody like you. . .you'd qualify for a full four year scholarship to university when you graduated. Every student who attends their school is guaranteed one."

"I . . .I never expected to go on to university."

"Neither did I. You can do the same thing I am, working with various people until you find something you like. Giles can talk to you about it too."

"Wait. You said there's magical schools?"

"Yes, the school in Eureka teaches magical and non-magical classes. I know you want to learn magic but Willow doesn't want you learning because it wouldn't make her special girl anymore." Dawn sighs and nods. "Giles went to the same school Harry attended but left before he graduated since his father wanted him to be a Watcher. He can't complain if you learn magic from a school."

"Willow won't agree."

"Willow's a spoiled little brat who's going to get herself killed one day. Growing up with her parents made her think she's sooooo much better than everybody else. She's got problems. She learned magic from stealing Giles books. Which is soooo much better than going to school for it. Not. Both Buffy and Willow need a major intervention."

"Which will never happen in Sunnydale."

"Nope. Or in the European wizarding world since they're stuck in the 1800s both technologically and in attitude." Dawn shudders as they pull into the parking lot of a mall.

"Family?" Dawn asks several hours later when they've settled in a rest stop for a few hours sleep.

Xander brings out a photo album.

"Sheriff Jack Carter of Eureka, Auror and former US Marshal. His daughter Zoe and Harry Potter, formerly of Little Whinging England and Hogwarts in Scotland. He had a 'destiny', he was supposed to defeat a Dark Lord, the same one that had killed his parents thanks to a prophecy." Dawn moans. "Yep, the wizarding world over there would rather a kid fight their battles without any training rather than get off their asses and take him out themselves. I'm sure my father is rotting in hell whining because his games are over. Once the others found out what was going on, he was quickly taken out with extreme prejudice."

"Good, that's too much like the Watchers controlling the Slayer."

"Yep. Like Buffy all he saw for his future was battles, now he's got his entire life ahead of him." He flips a page. "The felony crew of CSI from New York and the cop they work with. Mac Taylor, Stella Bonasera, and Lindsay McDonald are my half-siblings. Lindsay is the one who had the baby last year and is prison for trying to blackmail her boyfriend's parents at the 'horror' of having a baby out of wedlock. She didn't know they'd cast him out of the family because he didn't want to be a thug like them. Danny's the new father, all the others are gathering around him to help. While most of the mothers were young girls with stars in their eyes who were stunned that the great Albus Dumbledore was showing them some attention, there were some who sought him out for the power or influence they could get. Lindsay's mother was one of those."

"Apple didn't fall far from the tree then." She snorts.

"This is Generals Jack O'Neill and Jacob Carter."

"Carter?" She points at the other page.

"His father. Jack's also got two half-siblings from Jacob's second marriage. The girl is part of the team O'Neill used to lead before he got a promotion. Jack O'Neill was the one who took charge of taking out the Dark Lord instead of letting Harry do it like Dumbledore would have wanted."

"Good."

"He's had a rough life. He had a son who he thought died when he was ten, it turns out the old bastard stole the kid, put a golem in his place, and put him in another family after giving him a new set of memories and appearance. Last year they found out the truth and they're slowly getting reacquainted."

"Bastard. How did he get away with that?"

"He's the great Albus Dumbledore, the hero of the wizarding world. And he did it again." He turns another page. "Timothy Speedle, formerly of Miami's felony lab. His former boss Horatio Caine, Alexx Woods, the medical Examiner, Jarod, and Evan Gilligan. Speed is another brother, he was thought to have been shot in a jewelry store a few years ago, Dumbledore had snatched him and kept him drugged. When we were all called to Scotland Mac found out that Speed was alive and told Alexx and Horatio, they immediately came to Hogwarts to see him. Jarod is a grandson, stolen from his family at an extremely young age and kept prisoner by a corporation who wanted his brains for their own uses. He escaped and the aurors got him to safety at Hogwarts. He's currently living in Eureka while they're taking out the corporation that took him and trying to find his famiy." Dawn shakes her head. "Evan is a grandson, he's got a good heart but he's a klutz and Dumbledore arranged for the boat he and some friends were on to be stranded on a deserted island. He kept them from escaping by thwarting their attempts but was called away and they managed to get away. The others thought all the problems were caused by him . . ."

"Awww, Mommy would have given him such a hug then knocked the others upside the head until they saw reason."

Xander sniggers despite himself.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Timothy McGee, and Abby Sciuto." He turns to a new picture. "Nobody calls Gibbs by his first name. Like Jacob Carter, Jack O'Neill, and Jack Carter he always knew Dumbledore was his father. McGee is another one of his kids, while Abby is the product of a breeding experiment Dumbledore had with a teacher at the school and Harry's aunt. He'd also pretended to be Harry's grandfather and had sex with their grandmother. Petunia was born without magic so he disguised himself again and they created Lily, Harry's mother."

"Christ, what a bastard. You got screwed in the father department."

"Yep, the town drunk or a manipulative old goat who did whatever he wanted for the 'greater good'." Xander sneers. "Thankfully most of the kids turned out better than the old bastard. Anyway, he kidnapped Petunia and knocked her up by Severus Snape. . .whose family had already been victims of his manipulations. Potions turned the pregnancy from nine months to a couple days and a time turner was used to send the baby away when she turned out non-magical . . .or so he thought. She's a nature witch, not a wizarding world witch."

"Asshole."

"Yeah. This is Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Harry, and a couple friends of his parents. Rodney is the older brother of Severus Snape, the teacher at the school Dumbledore bred Harry's aunt to, their parents were having marital troubles. . ."

"Oh gee, let's have a kid and hope it brings us together?" Dawn sneers.

"Yep, Dumbledore stole the baby and made everybody forget him. he went to a family in Canada where he was a 'first-generation magical' in school and a few years they had another baby but it still didn't save the marriage. This is Jonathon Sheppard, Harry's uncle on his father's side. Like McKay he was kidnapped and the family made to forget he'd ever existed."

"God what a bastard."

"Yep, he'd have been able to trot out the long-lost Potter heir in case anything happened to Harry and would be the Savior of the wizarding world again. This is Sirius Black and he's Harry's godfather but he was sent to the wizarding world prison without a trial when Harry was a baby, because otherwise he'd have taken Harry in and Dumbledore couldn't have that. He wanted a pliable boy who lived who was in awe of the wizarding world and would do everything he told him to do, including sacrificing himself for the 'greater good'. This is Remus Lupin, a former teacher at the school who's been helping tutor students at the school in their new classes this year since Hogwarts is so far behind thanks to Dumbledore controlling what the students could learn."

"Sounds familiar." Dawn snorts.

"This is Shawn Spencer and his father. Shawn is a 'psychic' private eye in Santa Barbera. he's a grandson." Another picture. "This is Spencer Reid and his team. They work out of the BAU in DC, a branch of the FBI that deals with violent crimes. He's a grandson. His coworkers don't know he's magical or about the rest of us."

"This is. . ."

"Oh my god, Doc Savage?" Dawn squeals.

"Yep, Dumbledore has been having kids for years. Spike is the oldest, the youngest is a baby who is turning one this summer. His mother is a schoolmate of Harry's, one of those kids who thought Dumbledore was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Until she learned the facts of life. The baby was adopted by Sheriff Carter and she had to repeat her year of school, she's trying to do two in one to save her parents the additional tuition since the cost of school skyrocketed once Harry left Hogwarts. Being forced to leave the school broke a fund that helped pay down the cost of tuition. As long as their was one heir to the families attending the school it was okay. Thanks to dark lords and the wars, only Harry was left. If he'd left on his own the fund would have been fine. But the former head of the ministry just had to be a big shot. . ."

"And fucked it all up to hell and back?"

"Yup. This is another brother. . .and another Doctor. Gregory House, he lives and works in New Jersey, and he's a character. Brash, abrasive, cranky. . ." Dawn shakes her head.

"This is a family that are friends of Harry's, the youngest boy was his best friend at Hogwarts, the twins live in Eureka. . .they're working at GD and taking university classes while saving money for a prank shop. The family has been a victim of Dumbledore's manipulations, the second son is Jack O'Neill's son that he thought had died while Horatio Caine is actually Arthur's brother, taken from the family and again made to forget they had a son to give new blood to another branch of the family that had been sent away."

Dawn shakes her head at everything Dumbledore had done in the name of the greater good.

"Yeah. We've been talking for the last year. It's still a lot to get my head wrapped around sometimes."

"Is this all your new family?"

"No, this is just the ones who were able to get away for that meeting. There's another brother who is some sort of undercover government agent. Besides him, Spike, and G-man there's another brother who's a squib, a non-magical child born to magical parents. He's a miserable old man who worked at the school as a caretaker and hated the students for having magic while he didn't. There's still more children out there, some were magically adopted so they didn't show up on the family tree parchment anymore. And the old bastard had things hidden magically, thankfully the parchment is continually updating every time the spells he used to hide something are broken. Harry and his mother and aunt didn't show up on Dumbledore's tapestry until they found a scroll."

"Christ if this wasn't real . .."

"Yeah, I'd laugh at it because it sounds like a bad soap opera."

"Eureka?"

"We should be there day after tomorrow early morning. That will give us all day to get everything in our new place."

"Do you have a place already?"

"Yeah, GD supplies most of the housing. They'll either find us a larger apartment since you're living with me or a house."

A couple days later Dawn looks around as they park on a street across from a cafe. "Come on, you need food, I need food, and the news that we're in town will bring somebody over in a few minutes."

Dawn looks around town, still not really convinced that New York or Miami wouldn't have been a better idea. She follows Xander into the cafe and they head to a table, food arriving in front of them a few minutes later.

"We didn't even order."

"Vincent knows what everybody wants." a woman says as she walks over.

"Dr. Blake."

"Xander, and this must be Dawn. Welcome to Eureka." She hands over envelopes. "Xander, your new bank account. . both yours and Dawn's have been transferred from Sunnydale. Maps of Eureka so you can find your way around. Dawn we'll get you enrolled in Tesla by the end of the week, you'll want a few days to get settled." After they eat she takes them to their house and Dawn sighs later that night when she settles in her new room, looking at the picture of her mother before she turns off the light to go to sleep.