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 8


James stood staring at the spot just vacated by Willow and Severus. Sirius hadn’t spoken yet, but James had no doubt it wouldn’t be pleasant when he did. Sirius was the only one who hadn’t figured out that Willow wasn’t interested in him. James had realized she had been spending a lot of time with the Slytherin but he hadn’t expected…

“What the bloody hell was that?”

Here it comes, the shock has worn off, James thought as he was pulled out of his thoughts by Sirius’ outburst.

“That slimy…he’ll pay for…”

“Pay for what?” James asked quietly leaning against the wall. Obviously they weren’t moving again any time soon. “It uh, looked like Willow…”

“He did something…a spell,” Sirius was pacing in front of James now.

“There wasn’t a spell,” while James couldn’t understand what the newest Gryffindor saw in Severus, he had seemed as surprised by the kiss as they had.

“There had to be, why else would she…its Severus Snape!”

“Yeah, I saw that,” James said calmly, which was only making Sirius angrier. “I don’t like him either, but it’s not our choice.”

“I can make him sorry he ever spoke to her,” Sirius had stopped pacing.

“Think carefully before you do anything,” James said pushing off the wall he started heading toward Gryffindor Tower again. “If she’s really interested in him, you may just make her angry, which won’t exactly drive her to you.”

“Severus?” Lily asked for the third time as she flopped back on the bed next to Willow. “You kissed Severus Snape?”

“Yeah,” Willow blushed, still in shock that she had done it. “I know you guys don’t like him but…”

“It’s not that I don’t like him,” Lily sat up and looked at her friend, “I really don’t know him all that well. I used to try to defend him when James and Sirius… But he usually just got angry with me so I started staying out of it.”

“Yeah, when he’s not being all evil, cranky guy he’s really very nice,” Willow grinned, “He’s even offered to tutor me but…”

“He volunteered to tutor you?” Lily asked surprised, he generally did his best to avoid everyone, including his own house so she hadn’t expected that development.

“Yeah, but Lily,” Willow decided to ask about what she had seen tonight she was sure that Lily wouldn’t say anything to anyone, “I think he’s… I think he’s in trouble.”

“What kind of trouble? More than the trouble of Sirius finding out I assume?”

“Um yeah,” Willow frowned, she hadn’t thought about Sirius. He was not going to react well if he found out that she had kissed Severus, and his reaction would be even worse if they actually began dating. “Damn, I hadn’t thought about him, but Severus… he was hurt when he came in tonight, he said he fell but unless he fell out a window or something. I don’t see how all those cuts and bruises came from a fall.”

“You said you saw something in the distance that you couldn’t make out earlier right, then he insisted you two come in?” Lily asked thinking about what she had told them earlier. “He went to that tower and snuck out shortly after?”

“Yeah, and he came back wearing a black hooded robe and changed back to his school robes in the tower.”

“Could you make out any of what you saw earlier?”

“No just smoke, but it was a shape I just couldn’t see it clearly.”

“Willow do you know anything about Vol…”

“Willow,” Sirius’ voice came from the bottom of the steps, “Lily?”

“Uh, Willow which tower was it again?” Lily asked when she heard the angry shouting.

“Why?”

“The guys were down at the kitchen and they may have…”

“If you two don’t come down, I don’t know if I can keep him from coming up,” this time it was James voice.

“They saw us?” Willow frowned.

“I think so,” Lily said, “Let’s go talk to him. Don’t worry he’s probably much more angry at Severus than you.”

“That’s silly,” Willow followed her to the door, “I kissed him, not the other way around.”

Severus paced the empty dorm room, the rest of his classmates were still in the common room. He had taken a potion for the pain and he was already starting to feel better. At least about the cuts and bruises, everything else was still a mess.

She had kissed him. What had possessed her to do that? Granted he had been nice, well less cruel anyway, to her the last few days but that didn’t explain the kiss. It was bad enough that he was finding himself liking the redheaded American, the last thing he needed right now was for her to feel the same way. The Dark Lord wanted her, for what he wasn’t sure, but there was no doubt in his mind it wasn’t for anything good.

If he allowed himself to feel anything for her, it would be harder to do what had to be done. Worse, she was the first person to show any real interest or kindness toward him, how was he supposed to just betray her that way? She needed to find a way home, away from Hogwarts and him before… he would deal with the punishment that was bound to come.

He could help her look for a way home, of course; first she needed to tell him that she was from another time. He wasn’t supposed to know that yet. As long as she didn’t tell anyone he was helping her it would be fine. He didn’t know whom exactly, but someone in Gryffindor Tower was also one of the Dark Lord’s followers. He had suspicions but nothing he was sure of, someone had been tipping them off for weeks. This person was careful to keep his face covered so he couldn’t be identified by anyone else at the meetings; only the Dark Lord knew their identity.

He sat at the small desk near his bed and pulled open his notes from potions. He had to find a way to get Willow to tell him where she was from their project might give him a way to do that. If he can read her mind he can claim he found out that way. They were supposed to start brewing their first attempt Monday so he wanted to make sure everything was right. If he could get that done tonight, he could go to the library tomorrow and see what he could find on time travel.

“How could you have kissed him?” Sirius shouted, “It was a spell right, you wouldn’t have done that on your own.”

“No spell, and don’t shout,” Willow said quietly. “I kissed him because I wanted to.”

“He’s Severus,” Sirius was no longer even attempting to hide his disgust. Lily and James had long since snuck out of the common room along with everyone else that didn’t want to listen to Sirius rant any longer.

“Yes he is,” Willow was becoming angrier the longer he yelled, “And I like him. A lot.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s kind of a nice guy if you actually take the time to look beyond his looks and attitude.”

“But why look beyond that attitude.”

“Did it ever occur to you that you and James and everyone else that has always given him a hard time is the reason he has that attitude?” Willow asked, “Do you know what being either ignored or picked on all the time can do to a person?”

Sirius started to speak then realized that Willow was very serious about it. This was obviously something very personal to her; he had sort of known that. She had been angry since the first day they met when he said anything even slightly unkind to the Slytherin.

“Why does this matter so much to you?” He asked flopping down next to her on the couch, “Severus doesn’t like me anymore than I like him.”

“I know that, but…” Willow frowned, “I don’t like people sometimes too, but being cruel… I was that picked on kid in school. Cordelia spent twelve years making my life hell, because I didn’t dress like her, wasn’t cool like her. It didn’t matter so much because I always had Xander and Jesse, then later Buffy and Giles too, but sometimes if you don’t have anyone at all it matters a lot.”

“Willow…”

“No listen to me, I went to school on a Hellmouth remember?” Willow continued, “I saw things that even in this world you could never imagine. Severus has never had anyone has he?”

“No I don’t think so, I mean his family but they’re…”

“Yeah, I know, or well guessed. I went to school with this girl, Marci she was ignored and picked on too. Then one day she was gone.”

“Gone how?” Sirius asked, “She left home?”

“No, disappeared quite literally,” Willow explained, “She became invisible, and psychotic, and eventually tried to kill everyone that had been cruel to her.”

“I don’t think Severus would be…”

“Invisible? Me either, but people can only take so much cruelty Sirius,” Willow answered, “Look you don’t have to like him, I can’t make you anymore than I can make him like you but I do like him, a lot, and for however long I’m here I want to be with him. If you can’t accept that then I’m going to end up making a choice you’re not going to like.”

“If he wasn’t around would we…”

“No,” Willow smiled slightly, “I’m sorry but you remind me so much of Xander. That’s a good thing really, but…”

“You’d never love Xander,” he said defeated.

“No I couldn’t. Thought I did for a long time but it never really was,” Willow hugged him, “Friends?”

“I don’t have to spend time with Snivellus do I?”

“Severus, and no you don’t.”

“Friends then,” Sirius said returning the hug. “So what are you doing tomorrow?”

“Research I think, on time travel. Wanna help?” Willow asked.

“Unassigned homework?” He moaned, “I guess. Are you going to Hogsmeade next week with Severus?”

“Hogsmeade?”

Sirius explained Hogsmeade and Willow assured him she would be going, it sounded like fun. Whether it would be with Severus remained to be seen though, she would have to talk to him about it on Monday.




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