- Chapter 2 -

Settling In

It would have been an understatement to say that Willow was surprised. In shock would have been a better term for the state she was in. She managed to close her mouth though, after Snape had commented that she resembled a goldfish. Her eyes had narrowed at that for an instant, but then went back wide again as she took in her surroundings.

She was being led down an outside corridor to the school. Dumbledore had left them to return to his office, and had left Willow to Snape's care. Willow didn't think she liked that idea too much, but what choice did she have.

Snape was very much in the same frame of mind. His feelings toward his companion at the moment was sheer and utter annoyance. Which was pretty much how he had been feeling towards her since he had first lain eyes on her.

"So, what do you do here?"

Snape glanced at the girl, debating on whether or not to answer.

"If you really must know, I teach Potions."

"Potions. Really?" The sound in her voice indicated that she was not impressed.

Snape just gritted his teeth and continued to lead her down the hallway. Finally they reached the end of the corridor and he nodded toward a portrait to their left.

"This is to be your room."

Willow raised an eyebrow. "It's a picture."

Snape let out an exasperated breath. "Yes, you silly girl. The portrait covers the entrance. You speak the password and it will open."

Willow smirked. "Okay. So what's the password?"

"Albus said to let you decide."

Willow brightened a little. "Can it be anything?"

"That is the whole purpose for letting you decide."

"Boy, you sure are a cranky sucker, aren't you?"

"Just choose a password, Rosenberg."

"Alright Snape. I choose, um, Scoobies."

Snape rolled his eyes at the obviously Muggle term. "Very well." He ground out. Pointing his wand at the portrait he muttered a spell and then faced Willow again.

"I will return at 6:45 to escort you to the Great Hall for dinner. Then I would advise that you get some rest as you are to be taken to Diagon Alley first thing in the morning to get a wand as well as your other required materials."

With that said, Severus Snape spun on his heel and stalked off, robes billowing in a way that reminded Willow of Spike and his trademark duster.

"Well thank you to...cranky pants." Willow muttered. Then she smiled and entered through the doorway to her rooms to prepare for dinner.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Willow stepped hesitantly into the room that she would be residing in for her still undetermined amount of time at Hogwarts. She was quite happy with what she found.

The room was very spacy. She noted it was lighted in the same way as the rest of the castle, with sconces placed strategically on the walls. There was a comfortable looking full size bed set against one wall, and a wardrobe against the wall opposite it. Willow's gaze swept the room again and settled on a burgandy colored curtain hanging over what she assumed was a window.

Willow walked over and drew back the curtain. She gasped in surprise. It was a balcony, much like the one in her old bedroom in her parent's house back in Sunnydale.

She opened the balcony doors and instantly was bathed in a gently breeze that wafted over her, fanning her red hair lightly around her face. She took one step, then another until she was standing out on the balcony itself. Looking over the rail, she found she had a view of a beautiful landscape surrounding an equally beautiful lake.

Once more, Willow let the beauty of her surroundings lighten the burden her foolish actions had cast on her soul. To dull the pain of her failures.

Her failure to be able to control her magic. Her failure to Buffy and her friends at becoming addicted and commiting the sort of evil they strove to defeat. Her failure to Tara. That being her worst failure of all.

But Tara wouldn't want this. Willow thought. She would want me to get better. If it is at all possible.

A little time passed and Willow jerked out of the semi trance she had fallen into. She looked at her watch.

6:30

Oh, she had better hurry and get changed.

Don't want to keep Sir-Sneer-Alot waiting. Willow mused, then giggled a little.

She stepped back into her room and began unpacking some clothes from the bags that the kindly old wizard had brought her for her.

"Well Rosenberg," Willow said aloud to herself. "If anyone is going to be able to help you, you need to start helping yourself as well."

And with that, she set about getting ready for her first dinner at Hogwarts.

*~*~*

Severus Snape was in a high state of annoyance. Annoyed that for some insane reason, he felt drawn to the irritating redhead that he was now on his way to escort to the Great Hall.

Oh why does Albus subject me to such torture. Snape thought. Always ready to drop his charity cases into my lap.

His mind began to turn over what he knew of the Rosenberg girl. He had to admit that the girl was strong. Had to be to have pulled back from the dark like she had. He had no doubt in his mind that if the girl hadn't been strong, the world would have most definitely ended that night. He supposed that it was the darkness that resided within the girl that drew him to her, but for some reason he doubted it. There was something else about Willow Rosenberg, something that he felt not even Albus Dumbledore nor anyone else knew. Not even the girl herself.

Snape was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize he had reached the girl's portrait entrance. He paused for a moment to clear his brain of his idle thoughts and then knocked.

"Just a second." Came the response from inside the room.

A few seconds later the portrait opened to allow the redhead to slip out of her room. She was dressed in a pair of fashionable lowride blue jeans and an emerald green t-shirt. The words "Wanna be my pony?" in bold silver letters, were displayed across the front.

For a second all Snape could do was stare. She couldn't possibly know that those were his house colors...could she? No, just a coincidence. He quickly schooled his face back into his trademark sneer. He, of course being male, could not help but note how nice the girl's body was. But she didn't have to know that he approved. That would not do at all.

"You ready, Rosenberg?" He asked in his silky voice, not noticing the slight shiver that immenated from the redhead.

"Um, yeah, okay." Willow said, slightly taken aback by her reaction to the menacing man's voice. What the hell was that? Oh, this was not good.

"Fine. Then follow me." With that Snape turned and began to make his way to the Great Hall, the little redhead at his heels.

They walked in silence for a moment and then...

"Um, so who is going to take me to Diagonal Alley tomorrow?" Willow asked innocently.

Snape groaned inwardly. Could the little pixie be any more annoying?

"Cause, I don't take you for being the shop-a-holic type."

I had to ask. Snape shook his head in annoyance.

"First off, it's Diagon Alley. And second, I believe Minerva will be taking you, for I have a teacher's schedule to finish before the students return in two weeks." Snape replied icily.

Willow looked up at him in a huff. "You have a real attitude problem, you know?"

"I could give a damn, you know." Came the snappy reply.

At that moment they arrived outside the Great Hall entrance. Snape immediately pushed open the doors and stalked, for it couldn't be described as walking really, into the hall.

"You see, that's just what I mean! Why are you like that? You could be really nice looking if you would just remove the rod you have stuck up your butt. I mean, with those hands and that voice, your not...that.." Willow's voice trailed off as she realized exactly what she was saying. She also noticed where they were and that they had drew an audience with their amusing entrance. Willow started blushing and began wishing the floor would swallow her right then and there.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*