Disclaimer: I do not own BtVS or Harry Potter. Those belong to Josh Whedon and the lovely J.K. Rowling.
Summary: When Xander and Izzy were ten, Izzy learned that she needed to move back to England, the birthplace of her father, to learn to control her magic. So, reluctantly, she heads for Hogwarts, leaving her cousin behind. Now, six years later, she's back and Xander is pissed. She stopped writing him after the return of Voldemort, but according Xander, he hadn't gotten any of the ones she had written. Who was keeping Izzy's letters from Xander? And what's this about vampires? Watch as Isabella and Xander are thrown into the chaotic world of the Slayer, even as they try desperately to find the one behind the letter theft and why.
Xander felt his jaw drop when one of the two new students at Sunnydale High entered his History class. She was short, with a pixie-like frame and long, flaming red hair pulled up in a ponytail atop her head. She wore a dark red peasant blouse, an acid green gypsy skirt that fell to her ankles and a pair of sandals. Her crystal blue eyes darted around the room until they found his face. He could see the pleading there and nodded tightly, anger and, he thought, long resolved feelings of resentment and abandonment overtaking him. She returned the nod with a small one of her own before taking the only empty seat in the room. Directly behind him. Xander felt the overwhelming urge to turn around and wipe the downcast look off his cousin's face. However, he refrained. After all, the feeling of abandonment was not unfounded. She and her mother, his aunt Sarah had abandoned him. They'd left for England and never looked back. They'd never called, never written, never visited. Just left one afternoon and never came back. Until now. Half-way through the class, the teacher assigned a group project. All the boys in the class converged on the girl. His cousin. Xander saw red and quickly intercepted them all by turning around and asking himself. He grinned easily at her.
"Hey, Iz, you want to be my partner?"
She looked up and stared, too stunned to speak. His gut twisted at the shyly surprised expression on her pretty face as she smiled hesitantly and nodded.
"Thanks, Xan." she murmured lowly. He inclined his head, his grin now forced.
"No problem, Carrot Top."
She beamed before ducking her head and continuing to take notes. His task of keeping his perverted classmates away from his little cousin accomplished, Xander turned back to the front of the room, glaring at anyone who hovered hopefully near their desks. Behind him, he heard a quiet giggle from his cousin and turned to face her again, his eyes narrowed. Her eyes were wide and her hand covered her mouth.
Isabella Prewett nervously stepped into the History classroom, her eyes scanning the other students until they landed on the stunned face of Alexander Harris. Her heart clenched at the hurt in his usually warm chocolate eyes. He probably hated her. And he had every right to. She hadn't written to him since they were fourteen. She'd disappeared six years ago to England and hadn't written to him for one. But it had been too dangerous to write before then and it had been impossible to call because magic reacted badly with electricity. Hopefully she could get him to understand and they could be as close as they used to be. She, reluctantly, took the empty seat behind her cousin. Half-way through the class, she tensed when most of the boys in her class surged towards her after the teacher told them to pick a partner for their class project. She couldn't have been more relieved, if slightly shocked, when Xander turned around and asked her to work with him. She giggled quietly when he turned around and started glaring at the other boys. Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth, hoping desperately that Xander hadn't heard her. She knew her prayers weren't answered, however, when he turned to glare at her. He had heard her then. Oops. She wasn't reassured by the mischievous, playful look in his eyes. That look usually meant that she was going to be tickled. Mercilessly. She whimpered, causing him to smirk. Then he turned back around. Iz groaned softly and let her head hit the desk. She was doomed. She glared at her cousin's back when she heard him chuckle, but otherwise ignored him.
Willow glared at the new girl for stealing her Xander. She had wanted to work with Xander on the class project. She had hoped that if she spent enough time with him that he would eventually realize that she was the one for him and ask her out. But the new girl had interfered – and Xander knew her name! It was awful! She had to get him away from her. Talk him into switching partners before he fell for her. And why wouldn't he? She was stylish and pretty like Cordelia. She was probably just as snooty as Cordelia too. Huffing to herself, she angrily agreed to work with the boy next to her.
Iz anxiously followed Xander out of the room and down the hall. Suddenly, he grabbed her arm and jerked her into an empty classroom. He slammed the door, facing her with a frown and his arms crossed.
"Why didn't you write or call?"
She bit her lip, not sure how to explain.
"You remember how Mum told you I was going to England to learn magic?"
He nodded tightly, his expression blank.
"Well, when we tried to hook up a phone in the house were staying at – it exploded." she explained with a sheepish look on her face. He stared at her for a moment. Then snorted. Loudly. She stuck her tongue out at him. For a moment, it was like old times. Then he sobered and raised a brow at her.
"Why didn't you write then? Six years and not a single letter."
She gaped at him.
"I did write! We both did! Daily!"
"Then why didn't I get any of them?" he demanded angrily. Tears filled her eyes as she fought not to flinch. Her mum's last boyfriend had been rather fond of beating her or throwing her into walls when he was angry. She hadn't been around Xander since they were ten. She had no idea how he would handle his anger.
"I don't know! But I wrote them! I even copied all of them just in case they got lost on the way there or something! But you never wrote and told me you didn't get them so I thought you had and were too angry to respond!" she cried. Stunned by the admission, Xander froze.
"Show them to me." he commanded after a moment. She rolled her eyes.
"I didn't bring them to school with me Xander. I left them at home." when he said nothing, she took a step towards him, stretching her hand out beseechingly. He stepped back.
"Xander, I swear to you on my life, my magic, and my name – I wrote you as often as humanely possible up until a year ago."
They stood in silence for a moment, the bright light that had flared when she made her oath slowly fading.
"Why'd you stop?" he asked abruptly. She sighed, wringing her hands as an alternative to running one through her hair and messing it up.
"At the end of my fourth year, the man who killed my father was resurrected. They're still fighting him back in England. After he had risen again, Mum joined a group called the Order of the Flaming Chicken –" she blushed, "– I mean – the Order of the Phoenix and it became too dangerous to write to you without letting them know where you are. I didn't want them to hurt you and they would have had they known you exist. I'm so sorry Xander. You have no idea how sorry I am. I've wanted to come back since we left. Everyone in England is awful. I missed you like hell." she smiled faintly, "Though two of my cousins from over there a lot like you." she told him. He raised a brow.
"How do you mean?"
She grinned.
"Oh... a certain disregard for not only the rules but the teachers and their school work as well. And an uncanny ability to know when a situation is too serious and everyone needs a laugh to help them relax." She sighed sadly. "I wish you could meet them."
Finally, Xander seemed to forgive her – because he crossed the room and took her in his arms.
"God, Izzy, I've missed you." he breathed into her hair. She buried her face in his chest, taking a moment to breath in the musky scent that was purely Xander. She wound her arms around his waist, snuggling into his embrace. She was rather reluctant to let go, but the bell rang and she, regretfully, stepped out of his arms. She smiled ruefully at him.
"We need to get to class."
Groaning, he opened the door for her, snagging her around the waist and kissing the top of head as she passed. Izzy smiled. She had her Xander back. He grinned at her.
"C'mon. I'll show you to your next class and we can see how many people think we're dating before they realize that you're my cousin."
She wrinkled her nose in disgust, tricking a laugh from Xander. She had forgotten how annoying it could be to live in a small town like Sunnydale. Of course, rather few of the town's residents knew they were living on a Hellmouth, and therefore none of them knew all of the gossip and horrors the little town had to offer.
