Harry Potter and the Vampire Slayer: Chapter 7
by MindyMouse
“Hold on, everyone. We won’t accomplish anything if everyone’s talking over each other,” Andrew said, showing a moment of maturity, shocking them all into silence.
“That was freaky, but he’s right,” Willow agreed. “Who wants to go first? Or rather, who would you like to hear first?” She asked the Council.
“It makes no difference to us who speaks first,” Minister Weasley said. “Do you have any questions before you make suggestions?”
“I do. You’ve tried magic on this demon, but have you tried force?” Faith asked.
“I don’t understand.”
“You know, beat it with things - Slayer strength and all that?”
“No we have not.”
“Then I propose we beat it with things and use our Slayer strength,” she replied as if she was stating the obvious.
“I agree, that’s at least a start,” Buffy chimed in, much to the annoyance of both of her former Watchers.
“Have I taught you nothing?” Giles demanded. “You don’t just rush into a fight without knowing about your opponent.”
“Knowing that he has this ability to transform magic does not qualify as ‘knowing your opponent’ - you must research strengths and weaknesses,” Wesley added, also perturbed at the oldest Slayers’ lack of foresight.
“We faced and fought the First without knowing much at all. I think we can handle this one little demon, right, B?”
Buffy ignored her and turned to the Council. “They’re right, do you know anything else about this thing?”
“I can fill you in later, Buffy,” Tonks said, knowing that the others were eager to the other problem.
“Okay. Fair enough. When we know more, Faith and Angel and I will try to take it down. If that doesn’t work, we’ll try something else. We’re used to this sort of thing.”
“I can help too,” Gunn added, hurt that they excluded him based on his lack of supernatural abilities.
“Cool. So, moving onto the other thing - the one that we caused but I still don’t know what to do about. Let’s ask the book people,” Buffy half-joked, knowing magic was not one of her strong suits.
“I think we just need a way to channel the excess evil,” Xander said, stating the obvious, but opening up the discussion. “I don’t know how we would do that, but it’s a start.”
“There has to be some way we can harness it. Maybe not,” Willow said, shuddering with the memories of what dark power did to her.
“Maybe there is a way we can use it for good. You know, like turning the energy into a source of power for the Muggle families in areas where it’s really bad,” Fred offered, clearly in scientific mode. “Wolfram and Hart was working on this machine that would transform the energy from their competitors into power for their offices. I bet I can tweak it with some help from the magic side of things to make it work with the excess evil energy. The only problem is it might upset the balance further by tipping the scales in the other direction. It would probably only work for a while before it collapsed the cosmos or something.”
“An interesting concept,” Dumbledore said.
The other members of the Council of the Phoenix didn’t have much to say. They had been debating over how to address these problems for weeks now. The gypsies had been discussing solutions with Dumbledore as well, though they had never actually attended a Council meeting before. The only new ideas were coming from the Americans, and Wesley and Giles.
After discussing Fred’s idea for another hour, it became clear that they were at an impasse until they determined whether or not the machine would work. The meeting was adjourned quickly thereafter.
“Willow, Professor Dumbledore asked me to take you back to his office so he can talk with you,” Hermione said, drawing the other witch away from her friends and leading her towards the office.
They moved past the gargoyle and up the stairs where they waited for Professor Dumbledore. Hermione began talking again.
“To be completely honest, Professor Dumbledore asked me to try to prepare you for what’s coming, but I don’t know what to say at all that will make this any easier. If you want, I can go get Buffy and she and I can wait outside the door until you’re done with your meeting for moral support, or I can just stay here and do the same thing.”
Willow looked at the other witch in confusion before her gaze softened.
“If you’re all concerned about me and trying to prepare me, I think it would help more if someone was in the room with me, rather than waiting outside. Even if I only met you yesterday, I feel like I’ve known you for a long time and I really like you. Leave Buffy out of it - she has enough to deal with without having to help me all the time.”
“She doesn’t mind it, you know? Doing the best friend stuff makes her feel normal.”
“How do you know that?”
“I don’t, I just made an assumption based on Harry and my experiences with him. He would rather spend time helping Ron degnome Mrs. Weasley’s garden than fight with Lord Voldemort any day.”
“Oh. Thanks for telling me. I always feel like Slayers shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of mundane stuff.”
“I’m sure it’s a welcome break,” Hermione replied as Dumbledore entered the room, effectively ending their conversation and bonding.
“I hope you found the meeting as insightful as I did,” he said to Hermione, reluctant to share his troubling tale with Willow.
“Yes, sir. But I think you had better begin soon,” she replied gently, knowing how hard it was going to be on everyone involved.
“I think you are right as usual. Willow, you asked me earlier why you were never invited to wizarding school.”
“Yes, sir.”
“There is a very long story about this. It may be painful. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“Yes, sir. I need to know the truth.”
“Very well. Twenty five years ago, I met your parents. I’m sure you don’t know this, but your mother is a witch. She attended the premier wizarding school in America where she excelled. Your father is a Muggle, but he accepted your mother for who she is and they married, obviously. When I met them, they were trying to set up an exchange student program between Hogwarts and Zimalts, which is the wizarding school in California. The teaching staff, myself included, decided that this was a wonderful idea and the program was established soon after our meeting. About a year and a half later, your parents returned to Hogwarts for another meeting about the state of the program. At that time your mother was pregnant with you. Of course, all of us were very happy for your parents, as they wanted a child very badly.
They left with our blessings and planned to settle in a town near the school in California where they would raise the baby. Four months later, the elders of the Romani tribe contacted me with a warning. The seer had a vision she did not understand involving a red haired witch from a mixed family who was destined to destroy the world. She was to born in California over a mystical convergence. Based on the knowledge of where your parents lived and that most of your mother’s family had red hair, we notified your parents at once about the prophecy. They were devastated of course, but they quickly decided to raise you as a Muggle. Your mother left the school and severed her ties to the magical world to try to keep you from it, trying to prevent anything from happening.”
Willow was very hurt that her parents never told her any of this. As she blinked back tears, a thought occurred to her.
“But, when I was in high school, my mom started a group called Mothers Opposed to the Occult. She lead witch hunts. That doesn’t make any sense.”
“First of all, that was a spell. Your mother did not know what she was doing. Second of all, your mother was ready to do anything in her power to keep you away from magic. She didn’t want you to destroy yourself or the world. There’s more to this story, but you look very confused and upset. Do you want to continue, or discuss it another time?”
“I might as well know the whole story now, sir,” she replied, unsure of herself.
“I need to go and get someone. Please wait here for me. I shall be back presently,” Dumbledore said as he left the room through a door hidden behind the shelves in the back.
“Are you alright?” Hermione asked.
“Yes, I’m fine. This is a little strange, but I understand now why I was left out.”
“This next part will be even harder for you to hear. I can go right now and ask Dumbledore to wait if you’d like.”
“No, I’d rather get it all over with now.”
“I’m here for you. And I can always go get Buffy or Xander.”
“I know, and I appreciate it.”
Dumbledore returned with someone, but the person remained obscured by the shadows, instead of joining them.
“When it became clear that you had found magic on your own without any formal training, it became necessary to send someone to watch over you. Your mother felt like she had failed and once you left for college, she could not be with you all the time. So the members of the Order of the Phoenix, despite having to deal with Lord Voldemort decided it was vital that we send someone. The American Ministry of Magic was distracted by their own bureaucratic problems and had not done anything of significance for many years, so they could not be trusted to handle the situation. So we chose an American girl about your age who was to befriend you and make sure you did not step over the edge.”
Willow stiffened, knowing immediately who Dumbledore was talking about.
“I know it must seem cruel,” he continued, seeing she was distressed by his revelation, “but things were not supposed to turn out this way. Your love complicated the matter, but we felt that the situation was not compromised. I hoped that she would be able to keep you from turning if she stayed close to you. It must seem like you were toyed with, but that was not our intention, was not her intention. She was as much a victim of our foolishness as you were. Once it became clear that you were spiraling out of control, Tara felt she had to return to England to speak with me and the rest of the Order. She sought our counsel, but feared what might happen while she was not there with you. So Olivia Newbury, one of the newest members of the Order, traveled to California to switch places with her using the Polyjuice potion. Olivia decided she needed to get closer to you in order to watch you, which is why she returned to you while Tara was away. Olivia was the one who was killed, not Tara. In all the confusion after her death, no one noticed that the girl who died was not Tara.
“When everything calmed down and Xander managed to save you and the world, you were sent to us because technically, you were a witch. You just lacked the proper training. We were permitted to semi-reveal ourselves to you because it didn’t compromise the secrecy of the wizarding world. Tara wanted very much to see you then, but she knew it would endanger you again. So she waited.”
Dumbledore watched as Willow rose from her seat, clearly doing her very best not to sob. She walked behind his desk to the figure standing in the shadows and threw herself into her love’s waiting arms. Hermione and Dumbledore crept out the front door of the office, doing their best not to disturb the tearful reunion, not wanting to intrude.
Tara hugged Willow close, not willing to separate from her any time soon. Not that Willow objected in the least. She clung to the other girl, her face buried in Tara’s shoulder, her tears soaking them both.
“Tara. I... I thought I’d lost you forever. I tried to bring you back, I really tried, but you died in my arms. I missed you so much,” Willow rambled and stammered as she spoke.
“I know, I know sweetie. It was destiny. I know you tried to change, I know you tried your best. I should never have left you,” Tara whispered while smoothing her hair.
The girls hugged each other for a long time before reluctantly stepping away. Tara smiled at her love, resisting the urge to pull her in for yet another embrace. Willow smiled back for a moment before dark thoughts clouded reality, making it hard for her to breathe. The initial ecstasy that bubbled up upon seeing her long lost love was quickly overshadowed as the shock and pain of betrayal washed over her. The good memories, the connection they shared, their love for each other
She betrayed me! Oh. Oh God - I think I’m going to be sick. She never really loved me at all - it was all just to try to prevent me from going all evil which happened because she died. If she hadn’t met me, I wouldn’t have tried to end the world.
“A..are you okay?” Tara asked, slipping back into her stutter in her concern for Willow, who had begun violently shaking.
“You... you betrayed me. You lied to me. You... used me,” she whispered harshly, backing away, right into Dumbledore’s desk. Willow hissed in pain before skirting the heavy furniture in order to get further away.
Oh God - I’m losing it! Willow thought as she felt the carefully constructed barriers begin shatter under the stress. Tara watched as Willow collapsed into a corner, clearly struggling to maintain control of something. She stood rooted to the floor, not wanting to make it any more difficult, but not knowing what to do. So she waited out the storm.
******
Hermione paced outside of Dumbledore’s office while Harry watched her. Ron had one of Fred and George’s Extendable Ears out, listening to what was going on behind the thick door.
“In case something goes wrong,” he claimed when he pulled it out. Hermione was too distracted to care that her friend was violating the girls privacy. Dumbledore had disappeared somewhere after leaving his office a few minutes earlier.
Harry let her pace for a while before he grabbed her arms and held her still.
“Honey, you have got to slow down. I don’t know why you’re so upset about this.”
“You aren’t a woman. It doesn’t feel right. Something’s going to go wrong. It’s just a feeling I have. You weren’t sitting in there with her. Do you remember how freaked out you were after Dumbledore told you about your prophecy?” Hermione was near hysteria now, unsure of what to do for once.
“It’s okay. Shhh,” Harry hugged her for a moment before holding her forearms and looking into her eyes. “Would it help if we got Buffy and Xander?”
“Were Ron and I able to help you that summer?”
“A little. It would have been a lot worse if I had been alone.”
“Then yes. We need to get them here.”
“I’ll go. I’m not getting much from in there,” Ron offered as he began walking down the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower.
“It’ll be okay,” Harry said as he hugged her tightly. “Everything will turn out all right in the end.”
“I’m just being silly, I know. But I can’t help it,” Hermione admitted when he released her.
“You’re not silly, you’re concerned. It’s good to be concerned.”
“Thanks.”
Within a few moments, Ron had returned with Buffy and Xander in tow looking worried.
“What’s going on?” Buffy asked.
Hermione filled them in on the situation, leaving them both gaping at her.
“Tara’s not dead - and she was affiliated with the Ministry of Magic?” Xander looked at them incredulously.
“And you just told Willow this? How did she take it?” Buffy demanded.
“We don’t really know,” Hermione said. “She seemed thrilled at first, but since I left them alone, we haven’t heard anything.”
Xander looked at Buffy. Buffy looked at Xander.
“This isn’t good,” he said grimly.
“Can she handle this?” she asked.
“I don’t know. It’s a big shock.”
“Agreed, but she might just be thrilled.”
“Or, if she feels betrayed, she might fall apart. I don’t want to interrupt them if she’s okay...”
“But we need to do something if she’s not,” Buffy finished his thought, understanding completely. She turned to Hermione, Harry and Ron who were watching their conversation intently, waiting to act.
“Is there any way we can find out what’s happening in there?” she asked.
They thought for a moment with Buffy and Xander looking on anxiously.
“Do you both have a weird feeling too?” Hermione asked in response.
They nodded in unison.
“Then we should just go up there. I’ve learned to trust feelings like that.”
“Something’s definitely wrong,” Xander said as they hurried up the stairs to the office above.
They opened the door slowly to find themselves face to face with a terrified looking Tara Maclay. She was staring, unmoving at Willow who was curled up in a corner rocking back and forth, clearly trying to control her emotions. Xander noticed right away that her roots were beginning to darken alarmingly. He walked over and put himself between Willow and everyone else, placing one hand on her shoulder and tipping her chin up with the other.
“Willow. Willow it’s okay.”
Buffy watched them, knowing she wasn’t needed at the moment. Harry, Hermione and Ron stood watching everyone, not knowing how to help.
Finally, Willow looked up at Xander, drawing emotional strength from her friend, she took control of herself, her hair turning back to normal.
“Willow, no one betrayed you on purpose. No one used you. Don’t let the darkness cloud the truth,” he whispered, somehow knowing what she was thinking.
“Thanks, that could have been very bad,” she told him as she struggled to stop shaking. “Is Tara really behind you?”
“Do you want her to be? Can you handle it?”
“Yes, the bad thoughts are all gone. I want very much for her to be there.”
“Then yes, she is. She’s a little freaked, I think.”
“Oh, Goddess,” she whispered as Xander helped her stand up. “Tara. I’m sorry.”
“F..for wh..what?” the other girl asked, still shaken by what had just happened.
“For doubting you,” Willow said as she covered the distance between them. “Are we okay?”
Tara smiled tentatively, “I think so. Are you okay?”
“I will be,” Willow smiled back.
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