Title: Power and Retribution (Sequel to Wishes and Magic)
Author: Shannon
Email: angels_soul_1@yahoo.com
Pairing: Willow/Severus
Rating: PG-13
Distribution: SoG (http://sog.magical-worlds.us/) WLS, NHA, TtH anyone else with previous permission. Anyone else that wants it just let me know first.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, ME, UPN, FOX, WB, and J.K. Rowling.
Spoilers: Through OotP for HP and through Chosen for BtVS and Not Fade Away for AtS.
Summary: Willow decides to she must return to Hogwarts to help her friends.
Author’s Notes: Sequel to Wishes and Magic. Wishes took place during BtVS season 4. Which for the purposes of this fic would have been Harry’s 1st year at Hogwarts. This is picking up after the finale of Angel (Harry’s 6th year.) You can read Wishes and Magic here (http://sog.magical-worlds.us/efiction/viewstory.php?sid=228)
Thanks to Emmy, Zoe, and Kris for beta-ing this for me.

Part 1


Willow stretched as she walked into the small kitchen. She was the first one up again today; she set her alarm early for that reason. She loved her friends and missed them terribly while they were all spread out around the world but the last two weeks with all of them living in the same small house again was too much togetherness. She had grown to enjoy her space and freedom. She especially felt crowded having to be here with everyone so soon after Kennedy had left.

She hadn’t really been surprised by the Slayer’s exit. She hadn’t been happy in Rio. She hadn’t been interested in locating and training new slayers. She missed her family and friends at home, and she wanted to keep up the adrenaline rush she had experienced during the months she had been in Sunnydale. Knowing it was coming however, didn’t mean she was completely prepared to be left alone again.

Then within days of Kennedy returning home, Faith had called, something big was happening in Cleveland. A conference call later and she, Buffy, Dawn, Giles, Andrew, and Xander were on their way to help Faith with the latest big bad.

To add to that she hadn’t heard from Remus, Sirius, or Severus in months and she was beginning to become worried, it wasn’t like regular mail. The owl would find her wherever she was. As if reading her mind there was a tapping on the window. Glancing over she saw a large white owl sitting in the empty flower box. She walked over and pushed the window open allowing the owl inside. It immediately flew onto her shoulder and she smiled.

“Lets see if we have anything for you,” Willow smiled and began opening cupboards. At home she always kept various crackers on hand for the owls. Finally locating a box of saltines she opened it and offered one to the owl. Setting the owl on the counter she found a small bowl and filled it with water before placing it near the bird. When the owl was finished she extended her leg out to Willow and she quickly untied the rolled piece of parchment. “Thanks.”

The bird gave a small hoot and flew back out the window as she examined the writing on the outside of the paper. It was from Remus. He was the one she had the most contact with now. Sirius rarely wrote because it was dangerous, he still hadn’t been cleared of the charges and couldn’t risk someone intercepting the owl, so he usually just attached a note when Remus wrote.

Severus didn’t write often because she had fallen from Voldemort’s radar in the years since she had left Hogwarts and now that the Wizard was back he didn’t want to risk attracting his attention to her again. She knew that the Wizard had regained his full power a little over a year ago but little else.

She hadn’t seen any of them since the time she spent in England after Tara died. Then she had seen Sirius and Severus briefly. Both not able to stay long for the same reasons they didn’t write often. Remus had been around a lot though. He had worked with the Coven and Giles to teach her to control her magic.

“What’s that?” Buffy asked coming into the kitchen and pulling Willow out of her thoughts. “Letter from England?”

“Yeah.”

“So what’s up in magic central?” Buffy walked over to the counter and began making coffee.

“Haven’t read it yet,” Willow broke the seal on the parchment and pulled it open and began to read quietly.


Willow,

I wish I didn’t have to tell you this in a letter.

I just can’t risk leaving now. I’m also sorry it’s

Taken so long to write you. I kept hoping

I would be able to leave and visit to tell you

In person.


Willow frowned, this certainly didn’t sound like it was going anywhere good. What could he possibly have to tell her that he would think he needed to come all the way to Rio or in this case Cleveland to tell her?


There was a battle with Death Eaters in the Ministry

Of Magic back in June. It was the first real battle

Since Voldemort’s return. We weren’t as prepared

As we should have been. It wasn’t expected the kids…


Willow loved Remus almost as much as she did Buffy and Xander but when he had something he didn’t want to say he took forever to make his point. All of this rambling was making her extremely nervous about what it was he didn’t want to say.


There’s no easy way to say this Willow.

Sirius was killed during the battle…


Willow dropped the paper on the table and stared at it for several minutes. Sirius was dead. Of all the things she had imagined this letter to say it hadn’t been that. How the hell had he been killed, last she heard he wasn’t even supposed to leave his house. First she had arrived back in her own time to the news that James and Lily were gone now Sirius was gone too. Buffy’s voice finally broke through her thoughts, “Willow are you okay? What was in that letter?” The last part was said to Dawn who had picked up the paper.

“Sirius is dead,” Willow said quietly. “He was killed.”

“Oh God Willow,” Buffy hugged her friend, “I’m so sorry.”

“What happened?” Dawn asked. Setting the letter back on the table.

“Voldemort, or well a Death Eater anyway. I don’t know Remus didn’t…” Willow said getting up and pacing the kitchen. “I have to go there.”

“Go where?” Xander asked as he walked in the room, “Big Bad gone already and no one told me?”

“No,” Buffy said to both Willow and Xander. Then facing Xander, “Big bads still around. Willow wants to go to England.”

“Why?” Xander grabbed a bowl and filled it with cereal. “Don’t you want to stay for the big fight? Doesn’t even seem to be an apocalypse this time.”

“It’s not that,” Willow answered, “Voldemort killed Sirius. I have to go and help them. You guys are fine here without me.”

“Willow last time he wanted you to join him, and you’re way more powerful now,” Dawn pointed out, “Won’t it be dangerous.”

“You can’t go alone,” Buffy said, “its suicide.”

“No it’s not. I am more powerful. I can fight him now, I couldn’t before.”

“Still to walk in alone Will,” Xander began.

“So who’s going with me then?” Willow asked angrily. “You’re all needed here and I am going.”

“Willow be reasonable.”

“I am,” she frowned at her friend. “When Faith called and needed help I didn’t hesitate to get on a plane and come here because my friend needed me. Why should this be any different?”

“Willow…”

“What about Angel or Spike?” Dawn asked quietly. She was aware of her sister and Giles feelings on the subject of the two vampires. She also knew that Willow didn’t share their point of view.

Willow had yelled and argued with Buffy and Giles more than Dawn had ever seen in all the years in Sunnydale when she heard about Fred and Wesley’s deaths and the vampires taking on that law firm alone because Giles and Buffy had decided they couldn’t be trusted anymore. She had been too late to help them fight but she had gone to Los Angeles and helped to ensure that Spike, Angel, Gunn, and Illyria all survived. They were now living in the Hyperion again and trying to rebuild Angel Investigations. Buffy had no idea that Dawn wrote to Spike regularly as did Willow.

“Dawn you know they…” Buffy began only to be interrupted by Willow.

“None of you can go and you don’t want me to go alone so I see no reason not to call them,” Willow said reaching for the phone over both Xander and Buffy’s protests. “Hey Angel, its Willow.”

Buffy and Xander both stopped talking at the look they received from the witch. They were both well aware the ‘resolve face’ and knew arguing further would get them nowhere. They both listened quietly to Willow’s side of the conversation. Buffy realizing immediately that her friend had been in touch with the vampires long before today.

“Great Angel,” Willow grinned. “I’ll make all the arrangements and call you back.”

“Angel’s going with you?” Buffy frowned as Willow hung up the phone. “No Spike is. Angel and Gunn have a case and Spike’s getting on their nerves anyway.”

Willow left the room to go find her laptop so she could begin finding a way to get both herself and the vampire to England without Spike becoming dust. “Are you just going to let her go?” Xander asked Buffy.

“How would you suggest we stop her?”

Spike greeted Willow with a hug as soon as she boarded the small private jet. Willow had once again silently thanked her parents for the rather large trust fund they had left her. She had gained control of it on her last birthday. She was far from wealthy but Giles was running the new Watcher’s Council and he paid very well. So she hadn’t touched much of the money and this was the only way she could find to get the vampire across the ocean without a problem. She had managed to locate a coven in Los Angeles that was willing to meet Spike at the airport and put a spell on the windows to keep the sunlight out. “Hey Red.”

“Hi,” Willow smiled and returned the hug. “Spell working okay?”

“It seems to be,” he replied, “Sorry about your friend.”

“Thanks. I owe you a lot for coming with me for this.”

“Don’t mention it,” he smirked, “Angel wanted me gone anyway.”

“I know but this is so different than fighting demons,” Willow frowned as she took her seat and buckled the seat belt so the plane could take off, “I’m not even sure you can help.”

“I’ll do what I can. Never been to a wizard school before.”

“It’s really great sometimes its like the castle is alive and the paintings move and talk and everything is done with magic. The great hall’s ceiling reflects the outside sky, oh, and Quidditch…”

“So you’re looking forward to it then Pet?” Spike asked, then at Willow’s grin he asked, “Why didn’t your slayer go with you?”

“Kennedy’s gone,” Willow said simply then at the look on Spike’s face, “Not dead, she left. Didn’t like the boring life of training slayers.”

“Sorry,” Spike said, “She probably didn’t deserve you anyway.”

“Thanks Spike,” Willow smiled he was the one person she knew wasn’t just saying things to make her feel better, “I’m really sorry about Fred and Wesley. I should’ve been there to help them. I know I could’ve saved Wes.”

“Not your fault,” Spike assured her, “Giles wouldn’t tell us how to find you.”

“I still feel…” Willow stopped not wanting to have this discussion anymore, “So maybe if this ends fast you can show me around England. I’ve been there twice now and haven’t seen a thing.”

“It’s a deal,” Spike agreed, “So what do you plan on doing once we’re there anyway?”

“Well I guess we can go right to Hogwarts, that’s where Dumbledore will be and we can’t do much until we know what’s happened already. Remus didn’t give me any details.”

“So if the schools hidden how do we get there?” Spike asked.

“Oh good question, I do know how to get to Diagon Alley I’m sure someone there can tell us,” Willow said. Then it occurred to Willow for the first time since she planned this trip that the school term had started and she would finally get to meet James and Lily’s son as well as Narcissa’s son. She had heard that the Slytherin had married Lucius Malfoy. Willow had never met him but had heard stories around the school while she was there. He had been a couple years ahead of them and from all accounts was not a nice person. She couldn’t imagine what the other woman had been thinking to marry him.

“What are you smiling about?”

“I finally get to meet Harry Potter… and Narcissa’s son.” Willow grinned.




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