Part 8

      "So, how'd it go?" Amy questioned as soon as she saw Willow returning to
the town.  She and Hermoine had been busy trying to make sure that none of
the teachers that were in Hogsmeade with the students noticed Willow
missing, but both girls had been anxious while waiting for her return from
her visit with Spike and Drusilla.
      "They're going to leave as soon as night falls," Willow answered, looking
around to make sure that no one was eavesdropping on their conversation.
"They said that they'll head to Sunnydale and tell Angel where we are and
how to find us."  Amy gave Hermoine a high five at the news that the rescue
of the two Sunnydale witches looked to be coming soon.
      "How did you convince them that you needed their help?" Hermoine asked.
"From what Professor Lupin told us in class, they don't exactly seem the
type to ask questions before killing someone."
      "That's the weird part," Willow told them.  "Drusilla said that she knew
who I was and that her "daddy" was sad because I was missing.   She said
that the stars told her about me and that she and Spike had to help us."
      "Professor Lupin did say that Drusilla was psychic when he talked about
them," Amy pointed out, remembering the lecture that the Dark Arts teacher
had given about Angel's vampire family.  Hermoine and Willow nodded, also
remembering what they had been told.
      "So, she probably had a vision or something," Hermoine continued, thinking
of something.  "Do you think that's why they were here.  I mean, it seems
like a really big coincidence that two of Angel's childre, let alone his two
favorite, happen to be in Hogsmeade the same day that you got to visit the
town."
      "Well, she did say something to Spike about a reason for them coming here,"
Willow thought.  "Hogsmeade isn't exactly on the beaten path, and I doubt
many vampires would risk coming to a town full of witches and warlocks,
knowing that they tended to hunt vamps as a hobby."
      "So, maybe this was fates way of getting you and Angel back together," Amy
concluded.  "Told you that the two of you were made for each other."
      "Hey, it could also mean that you and Xander were meant to be together
too," Willow pointed out.  "I'm not the only one missing their boyfriend."
      "Yeah, but you are the only one dating a master vampire that happens to
have a soul," Amy teased.  She noticed Willow and Hermoine tense at
something behind her.  She turned and frowned when she saw some of the
students from Slytherin coming towards the girls.
      "Just what I so didn't want to see," Willow muttered, seeing who was in the
group of boys, who stopped and leered at the witches.
      "Well, well, well, look what we have here," Marcus Flint, the captain of
the Slytherin Quadditch team said.  "A group of young innocent Gryffindors
all alone."  Willow, Amy and Hermoine all rolled their eyes at the older
boy.  "And why don't you ladies have an escort?  Didn't you hear that there
were some vampires hanging around town?"
      "Well, considering it's daylight, we kinda figured that we didn't have all
that much too worry about," Amy replied sweetly.  "You know, that whole
sunburn thing really does tend to keep them inside during the day.  Or
didn't you remember?"  Flint glared at the brunette witch, before returning
his gaze to Willow, who pointedly tried to ignore him.
      "So, Willow, who are you going to the Quidditch match with?  A pretty girl
like you shouldn't go alone."  He asked as he came to her side.  Willow
shivered when he took her hand in his.  Flint had been trying to get Willow
to go out with him since the second week in school, refusing to take her
no's as a legitimate response.  The fact that she was a Gryffindor and he
was a Slytherin, complete rival houses, didn't seem to phase the young
warlock from giving her his complete, and undivided, attention.  Something
that she wished desperately he would stop.  She glanced over at Amy and
Hermoine and could see the looks of disgust on their faces at the way that
Flint was trying to butter Willow up.  "Especially with all the nastiness
that's been going around because of Potter."
      "Harry has nothing to do with anything that is happening in the school and
you know it," Hermoine defended her absent friend.  Flint just sneered at
her outburst.
      "I wasn't talking to you, Grainger," he barked.  "I believe I was having a
conversation with Willow here."
      "Actually I agree with Hermoine," Willow told him, finally breaking free
from his grasp and joining her two friends.  "Whatever trouble you seem to
think the school is having isn't because of Harry."
      "Please, that boy is nothing but trouble.  Don't let his reputation fool
you," Flint snickered as he thought of something.  "He's weak.  He can't
even hold up against the dementors.  Passing out in their presence is just
plain childish."
      "Considering that the dementors love to make people relive their worst
moments, and what those moments are to Harry, I think him passing out would
be apropros," Willow returned as she remembered the story that she had been
told earlier about Harry's first encounter with the guards that ran Azkaban
prison.  "Then again, considering how much you love to torture and bully
people, I guess that wouldn't mean a thing to you, would it Flint?"
      "Willow, Willow, Willow," he drawled.  "Why do you find the need to defend
Potter?  You are so much better than him.  You should have been in
Slytherin, you know.  It's only because you came during the summer that you
are in Gryffindor."
      "She's in Gryffindor because that's where the sorting hat thought she was
best suited for," Hermoine blurted out, angered and hurt at the way the
other boys were making fun of her missing friend.  "She's nothing like the
Slytherins."
      "That's where you're wrong, Grainger," another of the boys joined in, Draco
Malfoy.  He was in the same year as Hermoine and Harry and had been
tormenting them since their first year.  "Willow, and Amy, are both exactly
what Slytherin represents.  The fact that they have caught up so quickly
proves that fact.  They have the drive and ambition, not to mention, the
looks that it takes to be one of us."
      "Oh, lucky s," Amy feinted, putting her hand over her heart and batting her
eyelashes., before making a gagging noise.  "Excuse me while I throw up
now."
      "Amy, you know what I'm saying is true," Draco argued, not understanding
how the two newest students could be so ignorant of what he believed to be
the truth.  "You and Willow should be one of us."
      "I so don't think so," Amy retorted.  "We're not even supposed to be
students here.  The only thing I'm supposed to be is Xander Harris'
girlfriend first and a Slayerette second."
      "Same here, but replace Xander's name with Angel," Willow seconded.  Flint
approached Willow and she backed away from the anger in his eyes.
      "You are no one's girl, but mine, do you hear me?" He threatened darkly.
Willow's green eyes took on a darker shade as her own anger rose.
      "I am, nor will I ever be, you're anything, Marcus Flint, so just accept it
and move on," she told him in a voice that didn't leave any room for
arguing.  "The only man I will ever belong to goes by the name of Angel, and
heaven help you if you ever do anything to make him angry, because Goddess
knows I certainly won't.  Now, if you'll excuse us, I need to pick up a few
things for my boyfriend that I think he'll like.  Good day."  With that
said, Willow turned and started walking away from the stunned boys.
Hermoine and Amy joined her, both grinning wildly at the look of
astonishment they had seen cross the faces of the two boys that had just
been told off, enjoying it for all they could.
      "Way to go, Wills," Amy commented once they were sure that they were out of
earshot of the others.  "Man, I knew you had a temper, just never thought I
would get to see it in action."
      "Trust me, that was nothing," Willow replied.  "Especially if Angel doesn't
get his cute vampire butt here soon and take me home.  There will be some
serious fireworks if I don't see him soon."
      "Then in that case, since I actually like the school, let's hope that Spike
and Drusilla don't get caught before they get to Sunnydale and tell Angel
where you are."  Willow and Amy nodded their head as they headed into a
little shop that sold pewter figurines.  Willow had seen something in there
that had reminded her of a story Angel had once told her of his past and she
wanted to get it for him.  Before long, they were all happily chatting about
things that only girls understood, never realizing that they had been
watched and followed by Harry in his father's invisible cloak and that he
now understood why the three girls had suddenly seemed to bond over Willow
and Amy getting back home.  He just hoped that whatever was going to happen,
wouldn't be blamed on him.  Somehow.
 

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