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 5


Spike leaned back in his chair. This was the third class he had followed Hermione to today; it was slightly more interesting than the first two. At least it was something he knew something about. Arithimancy and Transfiguration had left him very bored and restless, so he had been looking forward to this, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

He had been only half listening to the Professor, his attention mostly on the blonde kid sitting on the other side of the room. Hermione had pointed him out as being Draco Malfoy at breakfast. Without even speaking to him Spike could see why Snape considered the boy a threat. He had been in all three of Hermione’s classes and had spent a great deal of each class glaring at her. Harry and Ron had been in Transfiguration as well, but just as Snape had said, the boy’s attention was focused on the girl. Not that Spike blamed him, after spending last night and part of the morning with the three of them, there was no doubt in his mind, that to remove Hermione from the other two would leave them drastically weakened.

He had seen the girl at work though, and he doubted any attack would be magical, she was powerful; even he could feel the magic pouring off of the girl. Any attack would most likely be physical, which was good, sense Spike’s helpfulness in a magical attack would be slight, at best. Or maybe he was wrong, he thought as he picked up part of the class discussion again.

“Why do we need to learn any physical defense skills?” Draco asked, “As long as we have our wands, it’s not necessary or smart to attack physically.”

“Does anyone know why you can’t depend only on your wand?” The professor, Spike thought he had heard Hermione refer to as Tonks, asked. Hermione’s hand shot into the air, something Spike had noticed happened often, “Hermione?”

“You could drop it, or someone could use ‘Expelliarmus’,” She suggested.

“That’s right, 10 points for Gryffindor,” Tonks smiled, “Anything else?”

Spike listened as several students names spells that could cause them to lose their wands, “It could be taken from you,” he finally said.

“How so?” Draco sneered when the class’s attention was on the vampire.

“There are a lot of things in this world faster than that wand,” Spike shrugged, “Shouldn’t depend on it so much.”

“Such as?” Draco asked becoming irritated at the vampire’s suggestion that magic may not prevail. “Magic is faster than any human.”

“Magic yes,” Spike agreed, “But your magic is dependent on a wand, which means it’s reliant on human speed, your speed.”

“It’s still faster than any human physical attack.”

“I know at least two girls who could prove that wrong,” Spike smirked, “However I wasn’t talking about human attacks. Many things out there, that can move faster than you, without magic.”

“Can you give us an example?” Tonks asked, knowing he was correct and was happy to let him prove his point.

“Any decent vampire for one,” Spike suggested, and then continued to list several demons that were known for their speed.

“Would you care to prove your claim?” Tonks asked, seeing that a large number of students didn’t seem to believe his statement. “A demonstration might help to corroborate your statement.”

Spike nodded in agreement and walked to the front of the classroom as Tonks asked for volunteers, “Each house, pick your fastest student,” she instructed and the class broke into two groups and began talking quickly.

After several minutes everyone returned to his or her seat and Harry and Draco moved to the front of the room. As the two boys stood at one end of the room, Spike moved to the other, he was more than willing to give them every advantage before proving the point that he could be faster than they were. Of course, what he hadn’t pointed out to the class was that this would work in his favor only because they used a wand, his confidence in stopping Willow would’ve been far lower than with these students.

“Remember the goal is to stop Spike before he takes your wand from you,” Tonks was explaining to Harry and Draco, her eyes firmly on the Slytherin as she spoke, “You are not to injure him, nor will he injure you. Are you ready, Spike?”

Spike nodded his agreement and stood up straighter as Draco moved to stand across from him several feet away. “Ready when you are,” Spike told the boy, not taking his eyes from him. He had no illusions that this boy wouldn’t hesitate to attack when his back was turned.

Draco raised his wand, he pointed it at Spike, “Petr…” before he could finish speaking the spell Spike had moved across the room, and grabbed both the wand and Draco. He had his arm around the boy’s neck pressing his back against his chest.

He lowered his face closer to the boy’s ear. “You’re too slow, if I had wanted to you’d be dead now.”

Spike winked at Hermione as he let go of Malfoy. He smirked as the boy stumbled back to his seat, his face several shades paler than it had been just a few moments earlier. Hermione, as well as several other Gryffindor’s were openly laughing at the boy’s obvious discomfort.

“Do we want to see Harry’s attempt or can we all agree now?” Tonks asked. Everyone quickly agreed that another demonstration wasn’t necessary. “Then class dismissed, we’ll pick this back up next class.”

Spike sat on the edge of Hermione’s desk as she gathered her books and stuffed them into her backpack. He smirked at several girls who were whispering and glancing at him from near the door on their way out. Harry and Ron were grinning when they approached the desk.

“That was bloody brilliant,” Ron said cheerfully as Hermione stuffed the last book into the bag. “I’ve never seen him so embarrassed, well not since Ginny’s bat-bogey last term.”

“I didn’t realize vampires were that fast,” Harry said, relieved he wasn’t the one that had gone first.

“If you read…” Hermione began only to be interrupted by Ron.

“We know Hermione, if we had read the homework back in third year or whatever we would know all about vampires.”

“Second year,” Hermione muttered, causing Spike to laugh, “Spike classes after lunch are all outside. How are you going to do that?”

“I’m not,” Spike responded, he and Willow had discussed that problem when the schedule had arrived the previous night. “Willow will meet you after lunch.”

“Where is she now?” Ron asked.

“I don’t know,” Spike shrugged, “She said something about Snape.”

Willow sat behind the large desk in the front of the Potions classroom and watched Severus lecture the first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs on the properties of a healing potion. She had been reading through some of the essays they had turned in at the beginning of class but she had quickly understood why he was so impatient with them. Most of the papers seemed to have been copied directly from their textbook.

She noticed several students pale when he started asking questions of the class. The questions weren’t difficult and she was willing to bet that most of them knew the answers but were too nervous to answer anything. He was a brilliant wizard, Willow knew that, but he didn’t really have the patience for teaching children this young. He seemed much more patient when the advanced class had been in here right after breakfast.

She had decided to spend the morning in here, taking in some of the information he was teaching about potions. It was the one thing she hadn’t really kept up with when she left the school. Charms and Transfiguration were easy to practice at home and she never had a problem finding a way to keep up with her dark arts training. Potions, on the other hand, was harder to work on without instruction, and there hadn’t been anyone to ask for help. Severus had dismissed the class and was heading back toward the desk as the students filed out of the room.

“Are you going to be here all afternoon as well?” He asked sitting on the edge of the desk as she dropped her quill on the pile of essays.

“No, Hermione has Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures after lunch,” Willow said moving to stand in front of him and wrapping her arms around his neck, “Spike can’t really stand outside in the middle of the afternoon.”

Severus moved his hands to her hips and pulled her closer to him, as she leaned forward to kiss him. “I’m sorry Professor but we’re looking for… Oh I’m sorry we’ll…” a voice at the door interrupted.

“You’re destroying my reputation,” he whispered his head leaning against Willow’s. “What do you want Miss Weasley?”

“We were looking for Willow,” Ginny said blushing, as Hermione and Spike poked their heads through the door. “I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay Ginny,” Willow pulled away from Severus and smiled at the girls, choosing to ignore the smirk on Spike’s face. “What did you need?”

“We just wanted to see if you wanted to walk to lunch with us,” Hermione began her blush matching Ginny’s.

“You’re obviously busy,” Spike said, “So we’ll see you after lunch.”

“I’ll walk with you,” Willow grinned, and then turned to Severus, “Wanna come with?”

He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the two girls in the doorway. “Right, sorry wouldn’t want you to appear to actually like the Gryffindors. See you at lunch then.” She quickly kissed his cheek and walked out with the others.

Willow and Hermione followed Harry and Ron toward Hagrid’s hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Hermione was explaining what they had covered so far and what she thought Hagrid may plan for this lesson.

“Is Draco Malfoy in this class too?”

“No,” Hermione responded, “It’s not required after fifth year so he didn’t take it. He doesn’t think much of Hagrid.”

“I don’t imagine he would,” Willow responded, “Not after what Spike told me about your morning.”

“Right, I think Spike may have made him even angrier though,” Hermione grinned slightly. She knew it wasn’t good to have Malfoy even angrier than he already was but she had enjoyed his embarrassment. “He is in Herbology with us after this.”

“Spike does have a talent for pissing people off, but I’m sure between the two of us we can handle it.”

“So did you really choose Professor Snape over Sirius in school?” Hermione asked. She was still having trouble believing that anyone would make that choice; she didn’t imagine the potions master was much more pleasant when he was younger.

“It wasn’t really a choice,” Willow responded, “I love Sirius very much, but he never would’ve been more than a friend.”

“Sort of like Ron and me then,” Hermione said in understanding, “I don’t think I could ever see him as anything other than my friend or a brother.”

“Exactly,” Willow agreed as they stopped in at the back of the group of students gathered around a large clearing. “Professor Snape isn’t nearly as bad as he makes you all believe; he’s just been through a lot.”

Before Hermione could reply Hagrid approached the table and began talking about the newest creature he had found for the class to study. The hour passed quickly as Willow focused on the lesson the giant was teaching. When the class ended she headed off toward the green houses with Hermione as Ron and Harry made their way back to the castle for Divination.

“What happen to your vampire guard Granger?”

Willow sensed the other witch’s tension at the sound of the voice behind them and knew without turning that it had to be Draco Malfoy. The boy sounded every bit as arrogant as Severus had said the night before. She turned to face the boy who was switching between scowling at her and glaring at the younger girl. “Go away Malfoy?”

“Not so brave without your bodyguard are you?”

Willow sighed; this boy was already annoying her. She really didn’t appreciate the fact that he completely disregarded her presence. She decided to keep quiet for a few minutes and let Hermione handle it; she didn’t want to get involved if she didn’t have to. She knew Malfoy was a threat but she doubted he do much out in the open like this.

“I don’t need a body guard.”

“Then why is the vampire following you around?” He sneered.

“To annoy you,” Hermione suggested, her hand tightening on the wand in her pocket. Willow smiled when she realized that Hermione was prepared for the possible attack as she shifted her bag away from the hand gripping the wand.

“What do you want?” Draco turned his attention to Willow, as if this was the first time he’d noticed her.

“Just walking with Hermione to class,” Willow smiled. “Visiting some old friends.”

“Right I saw you talking to Potter, friends with his parents were you?” Draco sneered, “Or are you a Weasley?”

“Not a Weasley no, although do kinda look like them huh?” Willow grinned, “Yes I was a friend of James and Lily among others, which reminds me tell your mother I said hi when you write home again.”

“You know my parents?” Draco asked in disbelief.

“Your mother yes, not your father.”

“You’re a mudblood,” he said in confusion.

“Yeah, I guess I am, but I still knew your mother in school,” Willow responded, “And we’re going to be late.”

Hermione took Willow’s cue and turned her back on the Slytherin and headed toward the greenhouses. Willow caught up with her a few seconds later, smiling. She wanted to find out more about the youngest Malfoy later but for now she was going to concentrate on watching both Hermione’s back and her own. She didn’t trust the boy as far as she could throw him. Right now he didn’t know what to think of her, and probably didn’t think she was a threat to him but after he talked to his parents, he would know about her sudden departure twenty years before.