by Ryan
E-mail:
willow.codex@virgin.net
Rating: 12 (Hey, I'm using the
system we use in England) other parts maybe higher or lower
Type: Crossover
Violence: Some.
Language: Mild.
Disclaimers:
1. Willow and co. are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN and WB.
2. All characters and places from the Harry Potter books are owned by J.
K. Rowling, Bloomsbury paperbacks and WB.
3. No copyright infringements intended.
Pairings: Willow/Tara, Dawn/? Hermione/Harry Draco/?
Summary: Set after 'The Gift.' and HP book 4. This is an AU
fic, Buffy did not return from the
dead, Tara did not die. Sequel to Decisions.
Flooing? Willow thought of only one way to describe it. A roll coaster you do not want to get on ever again and she loved roll coasters.
Professor Dumbledore had asked for the new Professors to floo straight to Hogwarts with their apprentices a week before the new school year started. "Erk!" Hermione yelped flying out of the fire place and into the back of Dawn.
"Oof!" Dawn gasped falling on her stomach.
"Sorry!" The girl spoke to Dawn.
"Professor Rosenberg and Professor Maclay." Dumbledore spoke to Willow and Tara, while the girls pulled themselves off the floor.
"I'm Tara Maclay." Tara spoke.
"Albus Dumbledore." They shook hands.
"Willow Rosenberg." Willow and Albus shook hands.
Hermione got a puzzled look on her face like she was trying to place a name and a face. "I think I should know you? Yet, I have no memory of you." She spoke.
"Miss Granger is that you?" The Headmaster asked.
"Know know me?" The young witch asked.
"Yes," the old wizard replied. "I was once your Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore"
"Sorry, I can't remember." Hermione tapped her finger on her chin. "Oh well, maybe I'll remember one day." Tears began to fill the girl's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Professor." Willow spoke. "Hermione finds it difficult to remember her life before someone tired to kill her. She suffered head injures. It's permanent memory loss, no magic or muggle knowledge can restore them."
Hermione was hiccupping now. "Easy." Dawn rubbed her friend's back.
"I'm terribly sorry." Albus spoke softly to Hermione. There was clearly a hint of sadness.
"Miss Summers." Albus and Dawn shook hands.
"How are you holding up?" Willow placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
"Just a shock being here again and not remembering." The witch sighed.
"Remember what I said take things, slow." The redhead spoke.
Hermione nodded.
"I'll show you to your rooms." The wizard spoke. "Then after you're freshened up you can meet the other Professors and discuss which classes your apprentices will be taking."
The group moved though the halls of Hogwarts. This took sometime, as Dawn kept giggling at the moving paintings. They finally came across a painting of an old witch. "These will be your rooms." Dumbledore announced as a portrait opened. "You have two double rooms, common room and a bathroom, as requested. I've leave you four to decide the password. Dinner will be in about hour in the main hall."
"Thank you Professor." Willow smiled, as Dawn and Hermione ran inside.
"Thanks." Tara grinned.
"I'll be seeing you later, then." The wizard nodding and walked back down the hall.
"Better think of a password my dears." The old witch in the portrait spoke.
"Err!" Tara thought out loud. "Cuddles."
"Cuddles it is then." The old witch nodded.
"Willow! Tara!" Dawn yelled. "We've got a four poster each."
Dumbledore was walking towards his office when Professor Snape approached him. "Headmaster, may I have a word."
"Of course my boy." Albus spoke. "What is the problem?"
"Peeves was yelling about there being bond apprentices with the two new Professors." Snape began. "One of them being Ms Granger."
"That quite true." The older wizard confirmed. "Professors Maclay and Rosenberg have brought their apprentices with them. Two very charming young ladies, Dawn Summers and Hermione Granger are."
"I believe Ms Granger can't be a bonded apprentice being a student of this school." Snape stated.
"She was exiled. Therefore, automatically expelled." Dumbledore sighed. "She was free to become someone's apprentice."
"I still don't like it. Bonded apprentices are trouble." The potions master complained.
"Cause the apprentice's mistress is constantly aware of what the apprentice is up to." Albus chuckled. "Or the apprentice's emotional state."
"They could blow my cover." Snape snarled.
"Then I suggest you treat them fairly when they attend your classes. Especially Ms Granger, since she has a case of permanent memory loss."
"What do you mean?" The younger wizard gasped.
"It appears she was attacked, while in exile." Albus face was serious. "She suffered head injuries. She didn't recognise me. She only appears to have vague memories of being here before."
Hermione lay on top of her bed. "It's strange being here again." She stated. "Being in the Hogwarts uniform again."
"You remembering things?" Dawn asked, sitting beside her room mate while messing with a school tie. "I'm glad they've changed the rules, since your first time here we get to wear pants."
"Trousers!" Hermione corrected. "And just some things are more defined."
"So what is Professor Snape like?" She flopped on the bed.
"He's not nice." Hermione grimace. "Likes to take house points away."
"Good job we're not in a house then." Dawn Summers giggled.
"I bet we get sorted. Well you anyway." Her friend rolled her eyes.
"You're on." A smile. "Five dollars."
"Done." Hermione laughed.
The girl's shook hands.
"Dawn! Mione! Time for dinner." Tara called.
Willow and Tara were waiting in the large common room for their apprentices. When they came out of their room.
Hermione's outer robe was flame red. Dawn's outer robe was lawn green. Willow's and Tara's colours.
"Come on you two." Willow shook her head. "It's not good to be late on your first day."
"Ladies are allowed to be fashionable late." Chimed both Hermione and Dawn together.
"Well," Tara chuckled stepping out in the hall. "That excludes you two."
"Hey!" The pair protested.
The four witches made their way though the hallways to the dinning hall. They reached the great hall at the same time as Professor McGonagall.
"Ms Granger." The older witch spoke.
"Professor," Hermione paused her mind matching face to name. "McGonagall." She smiled, she had put a name to a face.
"You two must be Professors Maclay and Rosenberg and this young lady must be Ms. Summers." The old witch smiled. "I'm Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor. Shall we go in."
"Please I'm hungry." Dawn grinned.
"You're always hungry at dinner times." Hermione sighed this caused a case of chuckling Professors.
The group entered the great hall. "Wow!" Dawn gasped.
There were two long tables each side of them. On one of them sat a lonely boy with blond hair he was toying with his food, more than eating it.
"Draco Malfoy." Hermione spoke in a whisper.
Dawn heard her. "Known you him?"
"Draco Malfoy." Hermione replied.
"The one who called that name you told me about." Dawn stated
"The same." Confirmation. "It looks like something's gone wrong with his life."
Draco looked towards the group. Must be the two new Professors and their Apprentices, he thought to himself. Hey isn't that. "Granger!" He yelped.
"Malfoy." Hermione acknowledged.
"Ms Granger, Ms Summers." McGonagall spoke. "I hope you don't mind sharing a table, with Mister Malfoy, while we and the the rest of the Professors discuss a few academic topics."
"Sure why not." Dawn spoke, she pulled her friend along.
"Dawn." Hermione whispered a half hearted protest.
"Why didn't you tell me, he was cute?" Dawn asked softly.
"Cos' last time I saw him, he wasn't cute." She replied. "He was a spoiled brat."
"A year is along time." Dawn chuckled.
The two girls reached the table. As they sat opposite the young wizard, food appeared in front of them.
Tara and Willow sat at the head table.
"So Professors," Snape spoke. "I heard you two are together?"
"What of it?" Tara frowned.
"Just seeking confirmation." Snape replied. "I'm just worried how some of the parents may react that's all."
"You mean some still think like its the middle ages." Willow chuckled.
"Well, we'll deal with that bridge as and well we have to cross it." Tara gave the potions master a stare that would scare a master vampire.
Dawn swallowed some food. "So Mister Malfoy. What's your story?" She asked.
"The edited version is my mother is dead and my father's gone insane." Draco put his knife and fork down.
"I'm sorry," Dawn responded. "My mom die not so long ago to."
"Sorry to hear that." Draco smiled sadly at her, he looked at Hermione. "I'm sorry about your parents, Hermione."
"Thank you." Hermione spoke. Did he just call me Hermione? He did. Maybe, he's changed. "Sorry, about your parents."
"It's in the past now." Draco sighed.
"I was wondering how to integrate the girls into school life." Minerva spoke to the Headmaster.
"Ms Summers could be sorted, and attend classes with the house she gets sort into." He replied.
"What's this sorting?" Tara asked.
"We have four houses that make up the student body. Each house represents the best of a certain trait and named after one of the four founders" Snape grinned.
"Gryffindor is where the bold usually go. Ravenclaw usually get the wiser ones. Hufflepuff get the hard workers and. . ." Professor Sprout explained.
"Slytherins are known for their cunning and sly." Severus cut in.
Willow stared at Severus. "That's the houses what about this sorting ceremony?" Willow asked.
"Didn't Ms Granger tell you?" Severus snarled.
"One of the memories that were destroyed." Willow replied.
Severus felt uncomfortable under both Tara's and Willow's glares.
"One must be sorted." Minerva spoke. "How else we'll know which classes the girls will be in and which they will be assisting in."
"How is this sorting done?" Tara asked the older witch.
"We have a sorting hat." The older witch smiled. "You just put it on and you're sorted."
"That's it." Willow chuckled.
"You want to try it?" Minerva asked Willow.
"Sure why not?" Willow grinned. "I would like to know the house I would have been part of."
"Then it good thing I brought the hat down." Albus spoke standing and picking up the old wizard hat. He walked over to Willow and put the old wizard hat on her head. Hermione, Dawn and Draco watched
"My, my." The hat spoke.
"You speak." Willow stated.
"Of course." The hat confirmed. "Lets see what you have. Courage, lots of it. Tempered with a cautious thoughtful approach to doing battle. A sharp mind. I see magically blood in your bloodline many generations ago."
"Well," the redhead wanted to hear the result.
"This might upset a few people, but the best house for you is. . . " The hat paused.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Snape almost choked on his pumpkin juice.
Dumbledore grinned and placed the hat on Tara's head.
"Well Tara." The hat whispered into her ears. "Softly does it with you I see. Wisdom and caution. Bold to a point. Courage like your lover by the mountain full. The best place for you is . . ." The hat seemed to take a breath.
"RAVENCLAW!"
Albus lifted the hat off Tara's head. "There's two more. Two students still to sort." The hat called out.
"One." Minerva corrected.
"TWO!" The hat shouted at full volume.
"Ms Summers. Ms Granger." The headmaster called to Dawn and Hermione. "Please step up to the head table."
The two young witches stood and walked up to the head table. Dumbledore placed the hat on Dawn's head.
"Hi," the hat greeted. "Let's see what you'll got then. A puzzle you are. So much of this, so much of that. A sense of needing to belong. The need of loyal friends."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Dumbledore lifted the hat and placed it on top of Hermione's head.
"Hello again," the hat spoke. "I see changes in you. A great deal of changes. Still healing you are. Which house is best for you?"
"I used to be in Gryffindor." Hermione whispered.
"You've changed in your unjust exile. You have a great many more layers to you now. You're now much different. Gryffindor isn't you're house any more. . ." A pause
"RAVENCLAW!"
Dumbledore nodded and lifted the hat off Hermione's head. "Well," he smiled. "I believe that settles that then. I see you've finished you're dinners. Perhaps you would like a tour of the castle."
Dawn nodded. "Please."
"Ms Granger?" The headmaster asked. Hermione had a far away look on her face again.
"Sure, thank you sir." She came back to the hear and now.
"Mr Malfoy," Albus called to Draco. "Please take the young ladies on a tour of the castle."
"Certainly headmaster." Draco stood.
The trio left the great hall.
"I'm surprised that you would have been sorted into my house." Snape stated with a smirk. "Especially since your parents are muggle."
"My adopted parents." Willow chuckled.
Tara laughed.
"We're still trying to find out who my parents are or were." The redhead got a thoughtful expression on her face.
Draco had led the two girls into the dungeons. "This room is where potions class takes place."
The potions classroom was quiet and still.
"Me, Ron and Harry sat over there." Hermione pointed the places out to Dawn. "Draco and pals sat over there."
"Ron! Don't talk about that prat please." Draco muttered.
"Why?" Hermione was shocked.
"Look, okay what I'm about to tell you is know only by a handful of people. Look, how can I explain, Harry's cool by me, he always believed you were innocent." Draco held up his hands. "Ron and his twin brothers still refuse to believe Ginny. It's caused no end of arguments. I know I was the victim of several attacks."
Dawn's and Hermione's expressions were questions enough.
"What I did was back Ginny up when Ron and his gang got violent with her." He answered.
"He won't not Ron he's . . ."Hermione was distressed by this news.
Willow slipped lightly into Hermione's mind. Draco's body language told her he was being truthful with her apprentice.
Better make a note to watch out for the youngest member of Weasley family. Willow thought to herself and informed Tara with a quick mind flash.
"Changed." Draco sighed. "He's different now. Even before the trial he was gathering supporters in case they found you not guilt. He and Harry came to bows when he refused to accept the judgement. Something's going off inside his head. Dumbledore knows, he caste a protection spell on Ginny so Ron couldn't hit her any more. She's is too afraid to press charges and her parents wouldn't accept what's happening."
"I can't believe Ron would." Hermione sobbed.
Dawn was confused this was not the Ron that had been described to her by Hermione.
"Then come with me to the infirmary and see what he had done to Potter." Draco's expression was dark. "Then you'll understand."
"Harry's here?" Hermione gasped.
Draco nodded.
Hermione looked round. Dawn knew she was trying to work out her way to her friend. "Blast my memory!" Hermione was almost in tears. "How do I get . . ?"
"It's this way." Draco began to guide the girls towards the infirmary.
"What happened to put Harry Potter in the infirmary?" Willow asked all of a sudden.
Pumpkin juice sprayed around the head table.
"There was an accident I believe." Snape answered. "He got thrown from the Hogwarts' Express."
By accident or on purpose? The redhead frowned at her thoughts. "I believe my apprentice is on her way to the infirmary."
"Oh my." Minerva gasped. "Poppy isn't letting anyone see Harry."
"Are his injuries that serious?" Tara asked.
"They are quite serious." Dumbledore confirmed.
Draco stopped outside the doors of the infirmary. He knocked. Madam Pomfrey opened the room slightly and popped her head out.
"Mister Malfoy," she spoke then she saw Hermione standing next to him.
"I want to see Harry." Hermione pleaded. "Please."
The medi witch thought for a moment. "Only for a couple of minutes and if you're quiet." She replied and stepped aside.
Hermione rushed inside. Her eyes went wide. Harry was floating in a tank there were tubes everywhere. "His injuries," Madam Pomfrey spoke. "Broken ribs, shattered legs, stab wounds to the lower arms, and a large deal of internal injuries."
"How much longer will he be?" Hermione asked fighting back the tears.
"Another week before he can leave the floatation tank and several months before he can walk unaided." The nurse placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
Harry gave Hermione a thumbs up from inside the tank.
The witch placed her hand against the glass. Harry put his hand against the glass matching against Hermione's. Even though there was no words spoken. They understood when their eyes met.
To Dawn who was watching, it was similar to watching Tara and Willow when they thought, they where alone. Hermione and Harry's lips touched the glass.
Back in the great hall Willow smiled.
Over the next week Dawn, Hermione and Draco became friends. They laughed and cried. Hermione would visit Harry after the evening meal. The day before the start of term Willow and Tara took their apprentices to Diagon Alley. All four of them needed wands and other supplies.
The alley was busy. They kept stopping to look in windows and take in the sights. Willow giggled when a display in a window made Dawn and Hermione jump back.
"Come on we need to get our wands." Tara pulled Willow towards Ollivanders. The girls followed them Hermione trailing behind Dawn
Someone grabbed Hermione's arm and spun her round. "Silenco!" Hermione could not speak.
"Well, isn't the bitch." A wizard with red hair snarled. He pushed her into an empty door way and held her by the throat. "Don't worry no one can even notice us here."
"Ron, please." Hermione pleaded but her voice had volume "I didn't." She mouthed.
"You can't fool me slut." He smiled and punched her. He turned her and slammed her face against the door.
"I suggest you release my apprentice now!" Willow's voice boomed like thunder. Ron's enchantment had been dissolved. Every witch and wizard could see him.
Willow's eye's where black.
"Go to hell!" Ron slammed Hermione's head against the door again. The wizard was suddenly upside down and hanging in the air.
"Let me down bitch!" He screamed. He pointed his wand at Hermione, "or the slut dies."
"Enough!" His wand flew out of his hand and into Tara's.
"I'll take it from here, Miss." A man who's robe meant he was an Auror spoke. "Ronald Weasley, you are under arrest. The charge assault."
The Auror held out his hand for the wizard's wand, which Tara passed to him. He grabbed hold of Ron and apparated away.
Willow was checking Hermione's injuries while this was happening.
Rona and the Auror appeared in a room. "That was stupid Ron." The Auror's robes change and revealed Percy Weasley. "Our master will not be pleased. A few minutes and those two could have discovered the mark in public."
"Sorry," Ron sighed. "I saw the chance to remove the mudblood bitch from the game."
"Ron!" Percy snapped. "She's a flipping bonded apprentice. Her mistress's ability to locate her apprentice can not be block me or you. I've got a bit of paper work to cover you tracks at the ministry. I'll get the order members to write it up, as a temporary magically imbalance of the psionic nature so dad and mum stay under my control."
"Excellent idea," a voice spoke. "Little does they know that Voldemort is without any followers and that I'm using them."
"My Lord," Percy knelt. Ron followed suit.
Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows. "Arrange it, that Ron appears to be in isolation for a couple of days. Ron find the older Parkinson girl. She's a threat to our plans, if she manages to reach the Aurors outside of my control or any high ranking member of the watcher's council."
"And if I find her?" Ron asked.
"Make sure she does live to see the sunrise." Albus laughed.
Voldemort was ill. No shelter no food for the past couple of days. He had to walk. Dumbledore had gone dark. Dumbledore was working towards world domination. How? By playing the grandfather figure. The truth the old wizard was using the Philosopher's Stone and several enchantments to drain magical power from his students. Like a vampire drains blood he's draining magic. Potter was his to kill, not Dumbledore's. He never thought he would be seeking out Ethan Rayne, the Chaos Warlock or that he would need to call in the marker the Warlock called Rack held.
Times had changed. Tom had to swallow his pride now. He needed allies not followers. Malfoy was out of reach. He had seen Dumbledore drive him mad with an insanity enchantment.
"I wonder if his Order of the Phoenix knows their being played for fools?" Voldemort whispered.
tbc in Secrets and Allies
Page updated: 25/01/2004
Page created: 03/02/2003