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 3


Willow slid silently through the door to the Potions classroom. She had found out from Dobby that Severus had an advanced potions class that morning so she had left Spike to explore the castle on his own, promising a tour after their meeting with Dumbledore.

As far as she knew Severus still didn’t know she was here. The Headmaster had sent breakfast and blood to her room this morning with a note that he assumed she and Spike were not up to attending breakfast in the hall with the students. It was a good assumption; since breakfast was over long before she woke and it had still been another hour before Spike woke.

She positioned herself so that a large cabinet in the corner concealed her. The class was working silently on a healing potion from what she could see of the board in the front of the room. She watched as he slid from table to table examining and commenting on each student’s potion as he passed. From the looks of the students this was a class of Slytherins and Gryffindors. She briefly wondered if Harry was in here, the thought didn’t last long as Severus’ voice cut through her thoughts. He was berating someone.

It took her a moment to locate him again, because of the odd angle of her hiding place. She also noted a Gryffindor girl that kept frowning over at her Professor and occasionally glancing her way. Obviously the girl was curious about who she was, as well as being unhappy about the events unfolding at the front table. Willow sighed and moved to sit in the empty chair next to the girl. “Hi,” she smiled.

“Oh, um, hello.”

“What’s happening up there?” Willow whispered.

“Neville’s potion is wrong again,” the girl sighed, “Professor Snape said he couldn’t sit back here today.”

“You help him right?” Willow grinned, remembering the number of times she had been separated from Buffy and Xander in chemistry for the same reason. The girl nodded, obviously not wanting to draw the Professor’s wrath. “Right, Severus needs to be stopped.”

“How he’s…” Before the girl could get the rest of her comment out Willow made a small gesture with her right hand and a quill flew from the hand of a blonde boy sitting on the other side of the room and it hit the back of Severus’ head. “Oh…” the girl’s hand flew to her mouth.

Willow stifled a giggle as Severus spun around in a circle, Neville forgotten. “Who is responsible for…?” Willow made another small gesture and several books fell to the floor, causing him to turn again.

Willow frowned as she watched Severus’ face turning several shades of red in anger. She had succeeded in distracting him from the poor kid he had been yelling at, but his anger was now focused on the rest of the class. She had only really had contact with him in letters for the last few years, while she knew his temper wasn’t good, she hadn’t realized it was this bad.

“When I find the person…,” he was now stalking down the center of the room eyeing each table in his search for someone with a wand out. Willow couldn’t hide the small grin that spread across her face as his eyes widened when he spotted her at the last table. “Willow?”

“Surprise,” she shrugged, standing.

“Class dismissed,” he scowled.

Willow raised an eyebrow slightly at the speed in which the class cleaned their cauldrons and cleared out of the room. They obviously weren’t waiting for their professor to realize what he hadn’t said and change his mind. “You shouldn’t yell at that boy like that,” she scolded.

“That boy is incompetent, and shouldn’t be anywhere near even the simplest potions. I don’t know how he scored high enough on his OWLs to get in this class,” Severus replied moving closer to her, “What are you doing here?”

“Not happy to see me?”

“On the contrary,” he replied, “I’m very happy to see you; however, I didn’t know you would be visiting.”

“It was kind of last minute,” Willow shrugged, “Remus wrote and said that Sirius…”

“Of course, you came because of him.” Severus interrupted frowning, and stalked back toward the front of the classroom.

“Oh god, it’s been more than twenty years you can’t still be jealous,” Willow followed behind him, not completely believing he was still this insecure about Sirius Black. “Not to mention he’s dead. I came back because he died, yes, but I’m here because I don’t want to lose anyone else to Voldemort.”

Willow ignored the slight wince that crossed Severus’ face at the wizard’s name. She was aware that most of the wizarding world did not use his name but she couldn’t see following that rule. After battling a Hell-God and the First Evil she found it difficult to work up that much fear over a wizard who had been at least temporarily defeated by an infant.

“What do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know yet, what ever I can,” Willow explained, “I brought Spike with me and we can stay as long as necessary. I don’t have to run this time Severus. I can take anything he can throw at me.”

“Who is Spike?” Severus asked suspiciously.

“Vampire, friend.”

“The Dark Lord has been trying to recruit vampires…”

“Spike is fine, he has a soul.”

“So do most of the Death Eaters as I understand it,” Severus commented, “Although I believe there may be some question about Bellatrix.”

“You made a joke,” Willow grinned, “Bet your students wouldn’t believe that.”

“Probably not,” he scowled. “So you and…Spike are staying at the school indefinitely then?”

“Yep,” Willow replied, “I’m supposed to meet with Dumbledore after lunch to discuss what I can do to help.”

“Be careful Willow,” he warned, “The Dark Lord may have forgotten about you by the time you were old enough to be of any use to him, but you’re here again, it may be all he needs to remember.”

“I will,” Willow gave him a quick hug as several students started to walk into the room, “I’ll go so I don’t ruin that scary reputation you’ve worked so hard for.”

“It may be too late,” Severus muttered as she walked out to the whispering of the few students seated at the long tables already.

“You’re making this up to make us regret skiving Potions,” Ron insisted as he and Harry followed Hermione into the Hall for lunch.

“Really Ron, if I was angry that you weren’t in Potions I’d tell you,” Hermione frowned at her friend as they found their seats at the Gryffindor table.

“She has a point Ron,” Harry said pulling out the chair next to Hermione.

“I’m telling you she knew him,” Hermione repeated, “And liked him. He was even happy to see her.”

“No one is ever happy to see Snape,” Ron insisted.

“She’s right,” Neville said pulling out a chair across from Ron. “He was happy to see her.”

Before Ron could respond Dumbledore rose from his chair and motioned for everyone’s attention. He waited patiently for the noise to die down before he spoke, “As some of you may already be aware, we have visitors. I’d like to introduce Willow Rosenberg and Spike. They will be staying with us for some time.”

Harry’s eyes widened at the introductions. He knew that name, she was a friend of Sirius’ and Professor Lupin’s although they said she attended school with them and she certainly didn’t look old enough for that. Hermione was smirking at Ron with a definite ‘I told you so’ expression as Ron’s mouth gaped open.

Harry’s eyes followed the direction of Ron’s stare and realized that the woman Dumbledore had just introduced was leaning close to Snape whispering something. He swore for a second he almost saw a smile on the Potion Master’s face before the more familiar scowl returned and he gestured toward the Gryffindor table, then toward the Slytherins.

“What could you possibly have against Harry?” Willow asked Severus, “He’s just a child.”

“He’s arrogant like his father,” Severus sighed, “Must we discuss the boy and ruin my lunch?”

“You really should lighten up,” Willow sighed, she had no desire to ruin her first day here arguing with him about a twenty-year-old grudge. “Are you coming to the meeting with Dumbledore?”

“I’ve been told too, yes,” Severus nodded.

Willow frowned again; obviously asking about Harry had irritated him. She knew enough about him to realize that trying to talk to him now was pointless so she turned her attention to Spike who was also in the making his way through a large plate of food. “That’s a lot of food for someone who doesn’t need it.”

“I don’t need it, but I like it Red,” Spike smirked, “Also been a long time since I had anything like this.”

Willow nodded; she didn’t understand the vampire and probably never would so there was little point in trying. She was just glad he was content here; she had found him flirting with several of the older female students after she had left Severus this morning.

She had taken him on a short tour of the castle. Unfortunately she hadn’t really been at the school long enough to give him anywhere near a complete tour and was hoping to get Severus to give them both one soon. Of course, if he remained in the mood he was in now for too long that probably wouldn’t happen. She was pulled from her thoughts when she realized the students were starting to finish and drift outside to study.

“I’ll be right back,” she said to Spike, “I want to find Harry.”

“Harry it can’t be the same girl,” Hermione insisted, “I mean she’s not much older than us, and Sirius and Professor Snape are…”

“Hi,” Willow said from behind Hermione causing the younger girl to jump. “Sirius and Professor Snape are what?”

“Hello, I’m…It’s just that…”

“They’re old,” Ron supplied for the now embarrassed Hermione who was glaring at him.

“They kinda are,” Willow grinned, then turned her attention to Harry, “You’re Harry Potter right?”

“Yeah,” Harry replied, “Did you really go to school with Sirius?”

Willow nodded, “And your parents. You look just…”

“Like my dad,” Harry finished.

“Sorry, heard it before then?” Harry nodded.

“Did you really hit Snape in the head with a quill?” Ron asked.

“Yeah, kinda fun really,” Willow pulled out a chair next to Ron, “You must be Ron, and you’re Hermione right?”

“How did you…?”

“I’ve been writing to Remus for years, Severus and Sirius occasionally too,” Willow smiled, “I know all about all of you.”

“I don’t mean to be rude Miss Rosenberg but why did you come back?” Hermione asked. Willow had to be safer at home than walking into the middle of a war.

“Call me Willow. Remus told me Sirius was killed,” Willow replied, “I’m very sorry Harry. Anyway I wanted to see if I could help in any way.”

“Are you going to join the Order then?” Ron asked.

“I don’t know. I’m meeting with Dumbledore and Severus in a few minutes to discuss it.”

“So you’ll be here a while then?” Harry asked. Willow nodded her agreement, “Can I ask you some questions about my dad and Sirius if you have time? I…saw…something’s that don’t fit with what I thought I knew and I don’t know who to talk to about it.”

“Sure,” Willow grinned, “I didn’t know your dad very long but I’ll try to answer what I can. Have you asked Remus?”

“No,” Harry replied, he hesitated to ask the former professor because he didn’t want to put the man in a position to have to say things he didn’t want to about his friends, “I’m not sure Professor Lupin is the most objective source of information.”

“Red, the broody guy says we should get to the headmaster’s office,” Spike said coming up behind her.

“Right,” Willow said standing, “Harry why don’t you come to my rooms after dinner and I’ll answer whatever I can. Oh, do any of you happen to know Narcissa Black’s son? I think her last name is Malfoy now?”

“Why would you want to know about ferret boy?” Ron asked, the first to speak after all three had let out loud groans.

“So you’re not friends then?” Willow grinned, “So then is he here?”

Hermione pointed to the blonde boy Willow had seen earlier in the Potions class. Severus had tried to point him out earlier but the table had been to crowded for her to pinpoint who he was indicating. “Did you know his parents then?”

“His mother yes,” Willow replied, “I never met his father but I’ve heard many things.”

“None of it kind I assume?” Spike asked noticing the scowls on the kids’ faces.

“No, he’s a Voldemort supporter correct?” Willow asked.

“Miss Rosenberg,” Severus said angrily from the end of the table, “The headmaster is waiting.”

“Sorry guys,” Willow grinned ignoring Severus, “Gotta go, come see me later, all of you.”




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