Chapter 37: Conversations with Dead People, Part II

Regulus had told him to take Buckbeak before anyone returned but as Sirius thought more on it seemed that to leave without saying good-bye was cowardly. Willow and everyone else had shown him such kindness that he couldn't in good conscience leave so abruptly without notice.

Of course, it may have been he also hated the idea of not seeing Willow just one last time.

Regardless, he would leave tonight as soon as he told her. Sirius quite honestly did not know if he had the willpower to leave if he did not do it tonight.

Opening the door softly, Sirius idly wondered if Dawn was still awake. As his eyes blinked to adjust to the darkness, is jaw dropped at the sight before him. The entire living room appeared to have been partially destroyed and the scene felt very wrong.

"Dawn?" he shouted in an alarmed voice.

After getting a ride home for the Campus Escort services – fellow students hired to take home people late at night, especially females who were afraid to walk home alone – Willow jogged up the steps to the Summers' household. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she flung the front door, deathly afraid that this 'from beneath you I devour' thing had attacked her friends. A destroyed living room – furniture ascrew, windows blown, and more – met her eyes.

"Dawn? Sirius?" she cried out in a panicked tone.

"Up here," answered Sirius' voice.

Willow ran up the steps and found Sirius cradling Dawn as they sat on her bed. The teenager's eyes were swollen and she was shivering, even as Sirius pulled a blanket over her bare arms.

"Dawnie?" Willow gasped.

Looking at her with grief-stricken eyes, Dawn spoke. "Mom was here. And so was something else. It… attacked me. Tried to prevent me from talking to her. But she did, for a moment." She shivered again and pressed her cheek against Sirius' chest.

"No, Dawnie, it wasn't your mom. I had Tara appear to me, but it wasn't her," explained softly – beyond angry that this thing had tried to mess with Dawn's mind.

Dawn jerked up, as did Sirius. "What?" she gasped. "Tara came back?"

Shaking her head furious, Willow told her no. "That thing, that 'from beneath you it devours' thing? It dressed as Tara – looked like her, talked like her, but it wasn't her. It was trying to trick me, Dawnie," she said sadly.

Sirius' eyebrows furrowed in thought, but he didn't speak up.

"Well it was mom," she said stubbornly. "I know it was."

Willow hesitated – she doubted that Dawn would change her mind if her opinion was so set. "Dawn, this thing wanted me to kill myself. It wasn't Tara and I bet it also chose to mess with you as well."

"No!" she countered vehemently, pulling away from Sirius. "She didn't say anything like that. She told me that she loved me and that she loved Buffy."

"Dawn," Willow sighed, unsure what to say.

"Just go," she ordered bitterly as she flung herself onto her bed. "I want to be alone."

Willow and Sirius exchanged a glance as they sat up and left the room.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a concerned tone.

Willow took a sharp intake of breath. "No. Not yet."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sirius fidget nervously and then something occurred to her. "Wait… Where were you when this thing was attacking Dawn?"

A guilty look passed over his face as he shifted to the side. "Ah, I went out for a night stroll," he muttered off-handedly.

"What?" she screeched as she glared at him. "Did you just say you left – even though those Gandalf spy wannabes are after you? And you left Dawn alone thereby having her get attacked by some creepy thing pretending to be her mom and destroying the living room?" Willow's temple pounded furiously, she was so upset with Sirius' careless behavior.

He held up his hands in defense. "Willow, I know. Believe me, when I came back I felt awful at seeing what happened to Dawn. But at the same time, how was I supposed to know Dawn would get attacked tonight? I'm going mad being stuck inside all the time and needed to get out."

She grabbed his arm and dragged him into her bedroom where Dawn couldn't hear them as well. "How were you supposed to know Dawn was going to get attacked if you left?" she hissed angrily. "Because it's Dawn, Sirius! That girl has worst luck than anyone!"

Eyes downcast, Sirius sighed heavily.

"Not to mention those guys are after you! Leaving – especially without telling us – was extremely reckless! What were you thinking?" she asked, her heart not even wanting to consider the possibilities of what could have happened.

Willow felt a change in the atmosphere as his icy eyes met her own. "Willow, I'm a bloody adult for Merlin's sake – I'm thirty five years old. You aren't my mother and I'm tired of being babied here – you can't keep me inside like I'm bloody grounded. On top of that, I'm already feeling enough guilt tonight without you laying more on me!" he snapped viciously.

Taking a step backwards in shock, her eyes began filling with tears at his angry tone.

As her tears fell, so did Sirius' stony façade. "Willow, please don't cry," he asked. His arms reached out for her but then he pulled back and muttered angrily at himself. He headed towards her dresser and pulled open the drawer she had given him. Yanking out his items, he conjured a bag and began piling in his belongings.

"Sirius?" she asked in a cautious voice. "What are you doing?" Hasty hands wiped away tears as she watched her boyfriend pack.

He turned to her with a distressed expression. "Willow, I can't stay here anymore. I have to leave."

"Why?" she gasped. First seeing Tara and now seeing Sirius trying to walk out on her was too much for this witch. "Because I yelled at you? That's hardly mature," she stated flatly, frustrated not just with Sirius, but her painful life in general at the moment.

Sirius ran his hand through his hair and avoided his eye contact. "No, it's not that. But you did remind me why I have to leave. I'm cursed, Willow. I screw everything up. And if I stay then the Unspeakables are going to come for me – and you're going to get caught in the cross-fire. I'm tired of people I lo- care about dying on me," he stated resolutely.

"Sirius, you aren't cursed," she whispered, her heart breaking a little at seeing the pain in his eyes.

"First Regulus, then Lily and James. It'll be you next, Willow. I have to leave – it's for your own good." Sirius brushed past her as he made her way down the stairs.

Willow stood there in shocked silence. Sirius really thought his presence was going to kill her? He had mentioned Lily and James, but she had no idea who Regulus was. The thought of him leaving hurt her deeply.

But then again… Maybe it was for the best. Maybe Willow had jumped into this new relationship too quickly. Seeing Tara tonight had reopened so many old wounds that had finally been healing. She had forgotten how much she had loved Tara – loved her so much there was a hole in her heart. Willow felt guilty that she had even forgotten in the first place –what kind of person did that make her? She didn't want Tara to think she had forgotten about her or thought their relationship was just some college sexual experimentation.

No, that wasn't right – those weren't her thoughts. Willow bit her lip in frustration as she tried to make sense of all her feelings. She had to forcibly remind herself that what had spoken to her tonight had not been Tara. Tara had loved her, deeply, and never would have said any of that. A sweet, kind, loving woman, Willow knew that Tara would want her happiness…

But even as she thought such things her heart was still conflicted. A part of her believed that Tara would want her to find happiness and another part thought it was bad of her to fall for Sirius.

A door slammed shut downstairs. Willow's heat sunk as she realized that Sirius was really leaving. He was leaving. Now. Maybe even forever. It's not like escaped convicts had a lot of easy mobility, after all.

Her chest tightened as she remembered how the last man she loved had left her – for apparently her, and his, own good as well.

Goddess help her, even after the incident with the fake-Tara toying with her heart, Willow realized she cared more for Sirius than she thought. The idea of him leaving her right now… It left her breathless. Willow didn't love him – she had only known him two months or so – but there was something about him that made her realize she could love him someday.

Yes, she could see herself loving Sirius Black.

And that realization was all she needed to bound down the stairs, praying that Sirius hadn't flown away on Buckbeak yet. Or, if he had, she would just do a locator spell. Heck, Willow still wasn't comfortable doing major spells but she would summon a portal to find him if she had to, darn it.

Her feet skidded to a stop as she reached the back door and jerked it open, causing it to bounce against the wall. Stepping outside she could see the faint outline of her favorite hippogriff and mounted on top of him was Sirius.

"Sirius! Wait!" she called rather desperately.

As she got closer she could tell that Sirius seemed surprised to see her. "Willow."

"Sirius, gosh darn it, don't you dare leave!" she ordered firmly, Resolve Face set in place.

She saw him smile – he did find her Resolve Face to be adorable – and then he quickly straightened his expression. "Willow, I have to. As soon as Buckbeak bloody gets up," he growled.

Buckbeak bristled and jerked himself underneath Sirius.

"Hey!" Sirius shouted. "Calm down, you damn hippogriff. I told you to go!" he ordered desperately, his eyes avoiding Willow's.

Willow smiled and patted Buckbeak's cheek. "Buckbeak's a smart fella – he knows you guys shouldn't leave."

"Or maybe you females have showered him with so many soddin' treats he's too fat to fly anymore," Sirius grumbled.

With an indignant screech, the hippogriff bucked his legs and Sirius flew off – but landed gently on the grass due to Willow's improv levitation spell.

"Sorry, Sirius. You can't go. I'm not going to let you," she stated with a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.

He eyed her warily, like a wounded animal, as he stood up. "Willow, please don't make this harder than it has to be. I can't stay knowing that I'll just put you in danger," he pleaded softly.

"Who said you'll put me in danger? I'm best friends with a Slayer and I'm a badass Wicca. I'm in danger every day, Sirius! You won't make it any worse than it already is."

"Yes!" he urged fervently. "It will, Regulus told me so – that if I stay you'll die!"

Comprehension dawned on her. "Who's Regulus?" she asked suspiciously.

"My brother," he responded hesitatingly.

Willow filed away that bit of information away for later.

"And he just decided to visit you tonight?" she asked archly.

"Ah, yes, in a manner of speaking."

Willow sighed. "Sirius, let me guess – Regulus is dead?"

Sirius hissed painfully. "Yes."

She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Sir! You know that both Dawn and I were attacked by this thing pretending to be a ghost of someone we loved!"

He grabbed her arms, but didn't move them. "Your person told you to commit suicide. Dawn's said she loved her. And what I saw? Didn't tell me to kill myself or anyone." He shrugged. "Gave me a hell of a well-deserved guilt trip, but that's it. And he was a ghost – non-corporeal and everything. That happens often in the Wizarding World, people lingering after death."

"But he told you to leave otherwise I might die?" she asked softly.

Her gave her a considering look and nodded abruptly.

"Sirius! Someone's playing us. Someone wants me dead and you to leave and who knows what they really said to Dawn," she explained.

He let out a shaky sigh. "You don't think I wondered that after you told us about your experience tonight? But regardless, Regulus – or whoever it was – has a point. You've got enough bad things happening here without me adding to it."

"But that's exactly why I do need you," she whispered as she ran one hand through his raven waves. "Sirius, I don't want you to leave me." Her eyes searched his hopefully.

"Willow," he sighed huskily. "So much has happened to people I was supposed to look out for before. I can't afford to have anything happen to you."

"We'll look out for each other," she promised. "It'll be okay as long as we're facing these monsters together." Willow meant the real monsters that were after them, but she also implied the figurative ones as well – Goddess only knew how damaged they both still were.

"Willow, I don't want to leave you, but-"

Pressing two fingers against his lips, she hushed him. "Then don't. You've heard the stories – we've faced a freaking hell goddess. We can so take this devouring beneath us thing," she said lightly with a smile.

He rolled her two fingers into his mouth and gently sucked on them, making her stomach suddenly tighten. Pulling back, he gave her a deep look. "I didn't very much so want to leave in the first place, Willow – and now you are making it much harder."

Sirius pulled her closer and cradled her cheek with his large palm. They shared a long look until he finally sighed heavily. "Perhaps you are right about Regulus and some demonic force is trying to get rid of me. I still suspect, in my heart, that there may be truth to the idea, but I suppose it would be easier for me to keep you safe if I stayed."

Willow swatted his arm. "We'll keep each other safe, 'kay? 'Cause hello feminism and all that, medieval wizard man," she said lightly with a roll of her eyes.

Raising his eyebrows in amusement, he smirked. "Ah, yes – feminism. I suppose that means I cannot gather you in my arms, carry you to your bedroom, throw you onto the bed, and shower you with kisses? That perhaps you would like to do the gathering and throwing" he asked teasingly with a wry smile.

Lips pursed, she glared at him. "Well, I could if I wanted to, you know… But I suppose I should let you do that – just this once. So you can feel manly and all," she offered congenially.

Chuckling, Sirius gathered her into his arms – enjoying her surprised squeak – and began carrying her into the house.

It was early afternoon and Lucius Malfoy levitated clothes into his suitcase as he packed for the journey to America. All his hard work lobbying Fudge had paid off in spades. The reconnaissance mission to Sunnydale, California had been approved and now Lucius would finally have an opportunity to kidnap Willow and turn her to the dark side. His reports had discovered that the witch was currently rehabilitating and struggling to turn good, but he would rip that recovery out of her hands and release her great power. Together, they would make the Wizarding World plead for their mercy – exactly as his life should have been if that Potter brat hadn't destroyed the Dark Lord.

"Hmm, packing your black underwear? Are you planning on getting lucky?" a female asked in a laughing tone.

Turning, he was surprised to see a young, tan, blond female smiling at him. Grabbing his wand he pointed it at the intruder. "Who are you and how did you break into the house wards?" he asked accusingly.

"Lucius, Lucius," she said disappointingly. "You really think your little stick is going to hurt me?"

"Trust me, Madam, I think it can hurt quite a lot," he threatened icily.

"Grr baby, grr. I do love that fire in you," she smirked as she sauntered over towards him.

"Who are you?" he asked again, slightly appalled at her arrogance but also quite turned on by her provocative walk and revealing clothing.

She winked at him. "That is definitely the question of the day, now isn't it?"

He stared at her flummoxed and debated on just tossing her onto the bed and ripping off her clothes – Narcissa had turned a blind eye to his 'indiscretions' for years anyways. After all, if a beautiful woman was going to walk into his bedroom, she better not be here to tease him.

"Does this body please you?" the woman asked sultrily as she spun in a slow circle, being sure to shake her firm bottom encased in leather pants.

"I- ahem," Lucius felt his body react to the sight of her and decided to do what a Malfoy did best – take what he wanted. He went to grabbed her and stumbled forward, landing on the floor of his bedroom.

Staring up in shock through tendrils of tossed platinum hair, he asked, "What are you?"

"Ding, ding, dong! Good question. Not who, but what. Although as for the 'who' I'll give you a clue as to whose body I'm wearing – it's one of the young ladies that you are so obsessed with."

"The Slayer?" he asked in surprised.

"That's right!" she giggled. "Bubbly personality, bouncy blond hair, and killer right hook, all squeezed into some very tight and revealing clothes. Likey?"

"Very much," he said in a very male voice as he admired the body.

"As for the what, just know that I'm the Big Bad – and not just of the year, either. The Big Bad of this world, of all time. The one that will turn humans into slaves and let chaos and evil run rampant."

Lucius took a seat at his desk and gave her – or It – an intrigued look. "And you are here because…?" he asked quick to the point. If this thing had power, Lucius wouldn't mind getting some of that. It was always beneficial to befriend those more powerful than him.

She smiled. "Straight to the point – That's why I like you Luci-boy. I've had my eye on you for a while and let me just say, your talents were wasted on that small-minded Tom Riddle," she scoffed.

Lucius tensed – few knew of his true past allegiances.

"Don't worry baby, I know everything about you. Your darkness calls to me like a siren and since I'm in need of some extra help suddenly, I thought I'd chat you up."

"You need help?" he asked warily. If this thing had power Lucius knew he wanted to use it to achieve his own ends but he knew to always be careful of what dark creatures asked of you.

Sighing, she lounged on his bed – or rather just appeared to since Lucius knew that she was non-corporeal. "Unfortunately my plans earlier today fell through and I'm recruiting you, you evil stud muffin you."

His brow raised in amusement at being called an 'evil stud muffin', which he took to be a compliment.

"Here's the deal. You want Willow Rosenberg aka the Dark One aka a huge to be pain in my ass – if that American seer was right. But your plan of heading over there with your Unspeakable pals to kidnap here is the stupidest thing ever I've ever heard. That girl's got power. If you want her, it'll take subtlety and finesse – not black ops nor the black arts."

Lucius sneered at her. "And I assume you have a better plan?"

"Oh, yes," she smiled sweetly with a hint of malevolence.

"And I should listen to you because…?"

"Because you'll get the girl, you'll get the power, and when my true form is released into this tiny world where I'll crush my enemies like gnats, you will be one of my top acolytes."

His lips curled up into a devilish smile. "I'm listening."