Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They all belong to JKR and Joss Whedon.
A/N: HI! Thx for reading my fic..it means a lot to me. I would love a beta reader...would anyone like to edit for me?! I know I probably messed up a lot of the curses and such. Okay this is set during season 6 of Buffy and Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. He still lives with the Dursleys. Willow has left Sunnydale after she almost kills Dawn from using too much magic. In this fic Amy is still a rat. Okay enough with my notes...on with the fic!!
Harry Potter, now in his sixth year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was thankful that today was the first day of school. Most children detest their first day of school, but for Harry it was a godsend.
"Goodbye Uncle Vernon, goodbye Aunt Petunia!" said Harry brightly. His aunt and Uncle said nothing in return. This however, did not dampen Harry's spirits. He felt that today was going to be a good day.
He was about to cross onto platform 9¾ when he heard a voice next to him.
"Excuse me, but could you tell me where platform 9¾ is?" the voiced belonged to a pretty witch with auburn hair. She looked about 18 or so, and was carrying a large rat in a cage."It's right through there." Harry said, pointing between platform 9 and platform 10. The young witch wrinkled her brow.
"Through where?" she asked again.
"Look, I'll show you." Harry told the girl. He slid easily through the barrier. A minute later the red-haired girl followed him.
"Thank you very much." said the witch extending a hand "My name is Willow Rosenberg. I'll be your new defense against the arts teacher this year." Hogwarts had never held a defense against the arts teacher for more than a year. At least, as long as Harry had been there. He was surprised that a teacher would not know how to get to the school train. He shrugged and shook her hand.
"Harry. Harry Potter." Harry prepared himself for the familiar flick of her eyes towards his forehead, or the shock of hearing his name, but none came.
"Maybe I'll see you in one of my classes." she said turning to find a place to stow her luggage.
Soon afterwards Harry found his familiar friends, Ron and Hermione, and they found a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. A few minutes after the train began to move the new witch appeared.
"I'm sorry, but do you mind if I sit here?" she asked, "All the other seats are taken," she explained. "Oh hello Harry." she said recognizing the boy she had met a while earlier.
"Harry, you know this girl?" asked Ron incredulously. Why does he always get the pretty ones? He mentally asked
"Willow Rosenberg, your new defense against the Dark Arts Teacher." said Willow extending her hand towards Ron and then Hermione.
"I'm Ron." said Ron staring back at her. He had always been quite partial to redheads, especially ones that had such cool names.
"Hermione." said Hermione simply.She could already tell that Ron was pretty taken with this new female. Boys. She inwardly sighed.
"What's your rat's name?" asked Ron, noticing the cage sitting in Willow's lap.
"Amy." she said "I didn't want to leave her in the compartment with all the owls. I thought she would like it better up here." Ron nodded.
"You have to be careful about that. Stray owls and cats are all around." Ron had forgiven Hermione about the Scabbers and Crookshanks incident, but he still enjoyed teasing her about it.
"Amy." said Hermione coolly "What an interesting name for a rat."
"Well actually there's a pretty interesting story behind it-" began Willow
"I once had a rat!" interrupted Ron. "His name was Scabbers." 'Why oh why did I have to say that?' He mentally kicked himself. What am I eleven? Why do I always make a fool of myself in front of pretty girls? Just then the door of their compartment flew open. It was none other than Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"Malfoy." hissed Harry
"Well," said Malfoy "If it isn't mudblood Granger, poor 'ol Weasel, and Perfect Potter! What a surprise to see all of you sitting together here!" He grinned an evil nasty grin at them
"Shut up Malfoy!" growled Harry reaching for his wand.
"Ooh Potter said shut up to me! I'm so scared!" said Draco sarcastically as Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry was about to jinx Malfoy when the compartment door slammed shut knocking the three Slytherins backwards into their seats.
"No need to start any fights here." said Willow quietly as the three Gryffindors stared at her in amazement.
"That was so cool!" said Ron.
"How did you do that?" asked Harry.
"Where's your wand?" asked Hermione. Willow smiled secretly.
"You'll find out if you take my class this year." she said tightly sealing her lips.
"But what about-" began Ron, but just then the food cart appeared. Willow took piles of Wizard candy, because she had never tasted any before.
"You mean you've never tasted a chocolate frog?" asked Ron, his mouth agape.
"I've lived as an American muggle all my life." explained Willow. "I've never had any formal magical training, and have certainly never tasted candy like this."
"If you've never had any formal training, then how did you become a teacher?" asked Hermione contemptuously.
"Hermione!" said Harry, shocked. Hermione usually never dared to speak like that to a teacher. Somehow Harry wasn't very surprised. Hermione seemed to have had a cold attitude towards the professor from the start.
"No, no a very good question." said Willow tasting a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean. "I'm not exactly sure why Dumbledore chose me." she said with a careless shrug. "I guess he though I was the best one for the job. Especially since I teach such a unique aspect of the arts…I mean many wizards aren't trained in it."
"Trained in what?" Harry asked curiously. She gave him a sly wink.
"Ah, for the answer to that question, you will have to take my class." For the remainder of the journey Harry and Ron hung onto Willow's every word. They loved hearing about America; especially since neither one had ever been there. Oh honestly. Thought Hermione. She doesn't even have any formal training! What makes her so special anyway?
Hermione would learn the answer to her question very soon...