Title: Wishes and Magic
Author: Shannon
Email: angels_soul_1@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: W/Snape
Disclaimer: BtVS stuff belongs to Joss Whedon, ME, UPN, WB, FOX; Harry Potter Stuff belongs to J.K. Rowling
Distribution: My site http://dr.shadesofgrey.us/ NHA, WLS, TtH
Spoilers: Through Season 4 “Something Blue” of BtVS, and OoTP of Harry Potter
Summary: Willow makes a wish, which we all know never goes well.
Author’s Notes: Don’t know when exactly Willow’s birthday is so we’re going to assume she is 18 during season 4.
Thanks to Emmy, Zoe, and Kris for beta-ing.

Part 11


Willow woke early Friday morning. She still had to tell her friends good-bye. She hated lying to them and pretending like she planned to still be around after the Quidditch game. She knew she would be gone, that was the plan, and she and Severus would sneak away from the school during the game and go to meet Voldemort. Dumbledore felt that was the best way to do it, no one would notice for some time that they were gone because the entire school would be at the game. She showered and dressed quickly and waited in the common room for the others to come down. She sat curled in a chair staring at the fire, absently petting someone’s cat that had jumped onto her lap.

“You’re up early?” Remus said coming down through the door leading to the boy’s dormitory.

“Yeah,” Willow smiled faintly, “I need to talk to all of you and wanted to do it here instead of the hall.”

“James and Sirius should be down soon,” he responded and sat on the couch. “You’re coming to the game tonight right?”

“Yeah, but I’m…um…going with Severus,” Willow offered, it was the best excuse to not sit with them. “We’ve agreed to sit in neutral territory.”

They talked for several more minutes about their classes and Willow’s progress since arriving at the school and Willow’s experiences on the Hellmouth. While they were talking about Oz and the ways he found to deal with his wolf the others joined them. “Ready for breakfast?” James asked as he approached the others near the fire.

“I need to talk to you guys first,” Willow frowned, “I’d rather do it here.”

“You’re leaving aren’t you?” Sirius asked.

“Yeah, we know it will be this weekend, but D’Hoffryn can’t give us a specific time. It could be anytime between now and Sunday.”

“So you could be gone before lunch?” Lily asked.

“What happens if you just vanish in the middle of a class?” Sirius asked. “That’ll be tough to explain.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t happen then,” Willow grinned. “I just wanted to make sure I had a chance to say good-bye to all of you before I left, but you are still going to write me later right? After I get home?”

“I still have the date written down in my room,” Lily assured her, “I’ll be sure to write on that day.”

“Great I’ll have to find an owl post in Sunnydale but I’ll write to all of you too.” Willow said when everyone agreed that they would write and keep in touch with each other.

“If you’re still here after the game tonight we can have a going away party along with the victory party,” James suggested.

“You know it is possible that Slytherin could beat you,” Willow pointed out. She quickly apologized and laughed at the horrified looks on the faces around her.

“Are you ready?” Severus asked after Gryffindor scored for the third time. It was starting to get dark and he didn’t want to watch his house’s team lose anymore than they already were.

“Yeah,” Willow sighed, “Let’s get this over with.”

Together they made their way away from the Quidditch pitch and toward the Forbidden Forest. Once they were in the forest and nearly to Hogsmeade Severus took her hand and pulled her closer to him. Before Willow could question him they were standing in a large clearing and she felt dizzy and nauseous. “Sorry about that.”

“What the hell happened?” Willow questioned holding her stomach.

“We apparated,” he explained.

“Yeah, not something I want to do again, ever,” Willow frowned, “You could’ve warned me. Where are we?”

“The meeting is just over there,” he pointed to an empty spot several feet away.

“Um… are we the first ones here?”

“No, you can’t see it because it’s hidden from strangers,” he took her hand and they began walking toward the spot he had indicated. “As we get closer you’ll be able to see it.”

“Wow, whole new meaning to secret meetings huh?” Willow said nervously as they moved closer and a large circle of hooded figures became visible. “They all work for him?”

“Yes.”

The pair joined the back part of the circle and waited. Willow could hear the hissing voice in the center of the circle asking questions and issuing orders. They seemed to be making plans of some kind but she couldn’t make out all of what was being said. Then suddenly the man’s attention turned toward her and Severus.

“Severus?”

“Yes Sir,” he responded squeezing her hand and stepping forward.

“Did you deliver the girl?”

“Yes I’m right here,” Willow responded for him stepping forward and ignoring the gasps from the crowd. Apparently she was the first person to speak to the man without being personally addressed.

“Do you understand why you are here?” The voice hissed.

“To destroy muggles and muggle-borns?” Willow questioned, “Don’t understand why you want me though; you do know I’m muggle-born right?”

Severus’ eyes widened, the girl was asking to be hurt if she continued challenging the Dark Lord this way. He knew she was confident her demon friends would get her out soon but there was no reason to antagonize the wizard until then.

“You’re very powerful,” Voldemort said stepping closer, “If we channel that power you will be an unstoppable force in this fight.”

“Right,” Willow frowned, “But I don’t belong here.”

“You can choose to stay here, finish attending Hogwarts then join me in the summer.”

“I’m not saying no, I mean the cool masks and robes and stuff,” Willow replied waving her hand in the direction of the Death Eaters behind her. “But Dumbledore’s already arranged for my return home.”

“You have the power to fight it,” Voldemort explained, “I will tell you how.”

“Well then I guess it’s an offer I can’t refuse huh?” Willow said.

“So you will join us?”

“Sure why not?” Willow smiled.

“You will return for meetings with Severus for the remainder of the school term. Then you will be trained by my best Death Eaters.”

“Ooh, what fun,” Willow said, “Will I get to ever actually see them?”

“In time,” came the response, “Together we will be an inescapable force.”

“Yeah,” Willow said slowly then she stopped and looked around her for a second. She could feel magic flowing through her. Her first instinct was that it was someone standing in the circle but as she glanced around she realized that no one had their wands out and as far as she could tell everyone here needed one to do anything with this kind of power. That meant it had to be D’Hoffryn, “You know what I changed my mind.”

“Changed your mind?”

“Yeah, kinda like being the good guy and most of my friends are muggles so uh no.”

Before Voldemort could respond she vanished from the circle. The older wizard turned on Severus, “Where did she go?”

“I don’t know Sir,” Snape said quietly, the mask hiding his smile, “As I said last week, I didn’t know exactly when she would be taken back.”

“Did you know about this?” Voldemort faced the man on the other side of him, “You said you would know when she would depart.”

“Just as I told you earlier Sir,” Peter responded quietly, “She told them this morning sometime between then and Sunday.”

“This will not go unpunished,” The angry wizard yelled.

Willow opened her eyes slowly and looked around. D’Hoffryn’s spell must have worked she was back in her dorm. The sun was starting to rise as she glanced out the window. He must have returned her to while she was sleeping. Sitting up she checked the small calendar next to the bed. This was the morning after she had left. She frowned at the un-slept in bed next to hers for a moment before remembering that Buffy had called and said she was going to be gone.

She got out of bed, relieved to feel the carpeting beneath her feet after the weeks of feeling cold stone every morning. She went to her closet and grabbed her clothes and a small bag from her dresser before heading down the hall to the showers. When she returned a little while later, feeling slightly relieved to be wearing her normal clothing again, she froze just inside the door as she heard a tapping coming from the window.

Walking over to the window she pulled the curtain further aside and smiled as she saw the large barn owl on the ledge. She raised the window enough for the bird to fly in. “Hey, Lily wasn’t kidding about writing right away was she?”

She removed the parchment envelope from the bird’s leg and set it on the bed. “Hang on, I’ll get you some water, don’t have owl treats though,” She grabbed a bottle of water from the small refrigerator in the corner and poured some into a small bowl. She smiled when she saw a box of crackers on Buffy’s table, “Will these do?”

She set the items in front of the bird and sat on the bed watching as it ate the offered cracker and finished it water. After it had flown out the window she picked up the envelope and examined the writing on the front. It wasn’t Lily’s writing. She was sure it belonged to one of the guys, she just wasn’t sure witch. Sighing she tore it open and pulled out the parchment. It was from Remus. “Odd,” she said quietly, “I would’ve expected it to be from Sirius first.”

Willow,

I hope this has reached you on the correct day.
If it was too soon, you probably believe you’re
Insane again.

Many things have happened in the years you’ve
Been gone. I realize you must have thought Lily
Kept her promise to write. That’s part of why I
Sent this today.

Severus took your leaving harder than any of
Us expected. He served Voldemort for many
Years before joining the fight against him.

James and Lily had a son, he is attending Hogwarts
Now.

Willow smiled. She knew they had planned to be married but she was happy to see they had done it. Her smile quickly changed to a frown as she continued to read.

Sirius is in Azkaban for murdering Peter Pettigrew
And several muggles after betraying the location
Of James and Lily to…

The end.