Part 7 First Day
Willow walked into her first class of the day; they were sixth year Gryfindors and Slytherins. This meant Harry Potter, his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who were the people they were there to protect, were here. Draco Malfoy would also be in this class.
"My name is Willow Rosenberg," Willow said when she reached the front of the room, "I met some of you last night and for those of you that don't know yet, I'm not only American but I was raised a muggle. That however does not mean I don't know anything about dark arts."
"I don't see what you could know about it," A Slytherin said.
"Okay then let me tell you some things about me and we'll go from there," Willow decided not to let herself be baited by a student, "Does anyone know what a Hellmouth is?"
Hermione Granger's hand immediately shot up. Everyone else simply sat quietly waiting for her to continue.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Well, a Hellmouth is exactly what it sounds like right? An opening to Hell," she smiled, "There are several of them throughout the world. I also think I read something last spring about one being closed."
"That's right, the one in Sunnydale California, where I grew up," Willow was impressed with the girl, who very much seemed a more confident version of herself at that age, "Now does anyone know what happens on a Hellmouth?"
This time Harry raised his hand willing to venture a guess. Willow smiled and motioned for him to answer.
"I would imagine that a lot of bad things would be attracted to it right? I mean if it's the way to hell."
"Yes, vampires, werewolves, assorted demons, and monsters are drawn to the Hellmouth," Willow smiled, "Not making it a really pleasant place to grow up. When I was your age I watched one of my best friends since we were small, kill another of my friends because he was a vampire."
Willow stopped talking for a moment and looked at the class who was mostly staring at her now. She definitely had their attention.
"I've spent the last seven years working with the Slayer and her Watcher. I have seen more demons and evil things than you can imagine. Hermione," She turned to look at the bushy haired, but pretty girl, "You said you read that the Sunnydale Hellmouth closed. I was one of the many people that were fighting on the Hellmouth that day. I lost two more of my close friends. One died protecting another person, the other gave his life to permanently close it."
"And how did you do that?" Draco said from his seat between Crabbe and Goyle.
"How did I help fight?" Willow asked, "Or how did my friend die to close the Hellmouth?"
"Both I suppose."
"I did a spell to activate every potential slayer in the world. Overriding magics that have been around for thousands of years," Willow explained, "And Spike died because he wore a magical amulet that would give a champion the power to close the Hellmouth. What he didn't know when he put it on was it would kill the super vamps we were fighting with sunlight, and being a vampire himself well.He stayed behind to be exposed to the light he knew would kill him so the rest of us could get out."
"What is a Slayer exactly?" Lavender Brown asked quietly.
"Giles explained it to us as, Giles would so proud of me to remember this, into each generation there is a chosen one. One girl in all the world with the strength, speed, and skill to fight the forces of darkness."
"So she has super human powers?" A Slytherin girl asked.
"Yes. She's stronger, and faster than most people, she also heals very quickly. Of course, now the work is spread more evenly. Less pressure on Buffy and Faith that way."
"Faith's a slayer?" Ron asked.
"Yes. That's why she's teaching that fighting class."
Willow glanced at her watch,"It's almost time to end class, so why don't you guys go early. Tomorrow we'll start reviewing what you've already learned and decide what you'd like to study next."
"Do you really know a vampire?" Ron asked, "That would be cool, but aren't they dangerous?"
"Normally yes, very dangerous," Willow replied, "There was a time I would have been terrified of Spike but he had his soul when he died, like Angel he was working toward redemption."
"Angel?" Hermione asked, the name was familiar, "Angelus? I think I read about him."
"Of course you have Granger," Malfoy replied.
"Yes Angelus," Willow said, "Tell you what; we'll discuss Angel and Angelus next time okay. If you're lucky maybe we can get him to pay a visit before the end of the term."
"Did you really flay and incinerate someone?" Malfoy asked as everyone began gathering their books.
"Yes."
I don't believe you."
"If you'd like maybe we can get Professor Snape to offer himself for me to demonstrate," Willow said causing a lot of outright laughter from the Gryffindors and a few Slytherins to cover their mouths trying to hide their laughter.
**********
After the class filed out of the room, Willow made her way to the headmaster's office looking for Professor Mcgonagall. Bringing Angel, and even Buffy, Wesley, and Giles wouldn't be a bad idea. But she wasn't sure how the school would feel about bringing a vampire, even a souled one, into the school.
When she entered the office, she saw the older witch sitting at the desk with a large stone bowl sitting in front of her. She was holding her wand near her temple and moving it toward the bowl pulling a silvery strand with it and dropping it into the bowl
"Hello Miss Rosenberg, can I help you?"
"I uh, didn't mean to interrupt," Willow, muttered, "Okay gotta ask, what is that?"
"It's a pensieve, it holds thoughts. It makes it easier to sort through them. I was hoping to find something that might help us locate the Headmaster."
"Cool. I can come back later if you'd like."
"No that's fine what was it that you wanted?
**********
Willow met Fred and Faith in the staff room after her last class. Faith only had one class a day. Enough students had signed up that Professor Mcgonagall had decided to have the first and second years work together, third and fourth, and then fifth, sixth, and seventh would each have a separate class.
The three women were discussing their students. Fred had not yet had a chance to speak to Ron Weasley or Harry Potter they were not in her class, but she liked Hermione Granger a great deal.
Like Willow, Faith had met all three, she had worked with sixth years today. Hermione and Harry both were already at least aware of how to fight, whereas the other's primarily seemed baffled by the idea of not using a wand.
There was a knock on the door and Willow called an invitation without thought.
"Damn Red, think growing up on the Hellmouth you wouldn't issue an invitation so quickly," Faith, said watching the door open slowly.
"Hi, uh, we just wanted to talk to you Professor Rosenberg," Harry said as he entered the room followed by Hermione, and Ron.
"Sure, what's up?"
"Did you really do the things you said, you know the Hellmouth and stuff?" Ron asked.
"Yep."
"Last year I read about a powerful witch destroying Sunnydale? Did you know her?" Hermione asked.
At that question Faith and Fred both started laughing, making all three teenagers look at them.
"Know her?" Willow smiled, "I was her."
"You tried to. Professor Mcgonagall said Dumbledore said to bring you here," Harry was trying to find a way to ask his question without being rude.
"Why?" Ron asked for him.
"I don't think that's something."
"We know he's missing," Hermione blurted out, "But we don't understand, Voldemort's dead."
"Maybe not," Faith answered for Willow, "From what we understand Dumbledore had a reason to believe he wasn't and went in search of him."
"He left word to bring us here, if he didn't return," Willow finished, "He wasn't clear on why though, just that we were to keep the three of you safe."
"Mind if I join you?" Charlie Weasley poked his head through the door.
"Hi," Fred smiled at him.
Charlie quickly greeted everyone and took a seat next to Fred.
"When's Quidditch practice start Harry, Ron?"
"Next week," Ron said, "Hopefully it'll be better than last year."
"Okay I've gotta know, what's Quidditch?" Willow asked, "I brought a broom in a shop that said it sold supplies but I still don't know what it is."
Once Ron, Harry, and Charlie got over the girls not knowing anything about the game the quickly explained the rules, Harry commented that Faith, with her super strength would make a great beater. All three women said they would love to learn to play the game but didn't know how to fly.
The group quickly arranged to give flying and Quidditch lessons for the weekend and everyone returned their rooms to get ready for dinner.
**********
Willow and Fred sat on their beds writing letters, Willow to Xander, Buffy, and Dawn, and one to Giles to find out what he knew about Lord Voldemort. Fred was writing to Angel and Wesley telling them about the school and how much she liked teaching here. As she finished her letter, she looked up at the slayer who was pacing the room and had been since they had entered it an hour ago.
"How long are you going to pace?"
"I don't like it. If this Voldemort guy has Dumbledore to try and get to Harry why hasn't he made a move?" Faith asked, "Or done anything to let us know he even has this guy?"
"You've got a point Faith," Willow sealed her letters and wrote the names on each, "A quiet big bad is never a good thing."
Fred handed Willow her letter, Willow quickly attached all three to her owl's leg and watched it fly out the window.
"You know this really is better than having to know an address and pay postage and stuff," Willow turned back to her friends, "I wrote Giles for more information, but Fred are you up to some research tomorrow. We can talk to the kids, they've dealt with him before, and we can see what we can find out from the other teachers."
"Sounds good, after classes tomorrow?"
"Meet you in the library."
"You two don't mind if I don't join you, I have no problem talking to the teachers and kids but I don't want to do the book thing," Faith finally sat on the edge of her bed, at least they had some sort of plan now.
Willow walked into her first class of the day; they were sixth year Gryfindors and Slytherins. This meant Harry Potter, his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who were the people they were there to protect, were here. Draco Malfoy would also be in this class.
"My name is Willow Rosenberg," Willow said when she reached the front of the room, "I met some of you last night and for those of you that don't know yet, I'm not only American but I was raised a muggle. That however does not mean I don't know anything about dark arts."
"I don't see what you could know about it," A Slytherin said.
"Okay then let me tell you some things about me and we'll go from there," Willow decided not to let herself be baited by a student, "Does anyone know what a Hellmouth is?"
Hermione Granger's hand immediately shot up. Everyone else simply sat quietly waiting for her to continue.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Well, a Hellmouth is exactly what it sounds like right? An opening to Hell," she smiled, "There are several of them throughout the world. I also think I read something last spring about one being closed."
"That's right, the one in Sunnydale California, where I grew up," Willow was impressed with the girl, who very much seemed a more confident version of herself at that age, "Now does anyone know what happens on a Hellmouth?"
This time Harry raised his hand willing to venture a guess. Willow smiled and motioned for him to answer.
"I would imagine that a lot of bad things would be attracted to it right? I mean if it's the way to hell."
"Yes, vampires, werewolves, assorted demons, and monsters are drawn to the Hellmouth," Willow smiled, "Not making it a really pleasant place to grow up. When I was your age I watched one of my best friends since we were small, kill another of my friends because he was a vampire."
Willow stopped talking for a moment and looked at the class who was mostly staring at her now. She definitely had their attention.
"I've spent the last seven years working with the Slayer and her Watcher. I have seen more demons and evil things than you can imagine. Hermione," She turned to look at the bushy haired, but pretty girl, "You said you read that the Sunnydale Hellmouth closed. I was one of the many people that were fighting on the Hellmouth that day. I lost two more of my close friends. One died protecting another person, the other gave his life to permanently close it."
"And how did you do that?" Draco said from his seat between Crabbe and Goyle.
"How did I help fight?" Willow asked, "Or how did my friend die to close the Hellmouth?"
"Both I suppose."
"I did a spell to activate every potential slayer in the world. Overriding magics that have been around for thousands of years," Willow explained, "And Spike died because he wore a magical amulet that would give a champion the power to close the Hellmouth. What he didn't know when he put it on was it would kill the super vamps we were fighting with sunlight, and being a vampire himself well.He stayed behind to be exposed to the light he knew would kill him so the rest of us could get out."
"What is a Slayer exactly?" Lavender Brown asked quietly.
"Giles explained it to us as, Giles would so proud of me to remember this, into each generation there is a chosen one. One girl in all the world with the strength, speed, and skill to fight the forces of darkness."
"So she has super human powers?" A Slytherin girl asked.
"Yes. She's stronger, and faster than most people, she also heals very quickly. Of course, now the work is spread more evenly. Less pressure on Buffy and Faith that way."
"Faith's a slayer?" Ron asked.
"Yes. That's why she's teaching that fighting class."
Willow glanced at her watch,"It's almost time to end class, so why don't you guys go early. Tomorrow we'll start reviewing what you've already learned and decide what you'd like to study next."
"Do you really know a vampire?" Ron asked, "That would be cool, but aren't they dangerous?"
"Normally yes, very dangerous," Willow replied, "There was a time I would have been terrified of Spike but he had his soul when he died, like Angel he was working toward redemption."
"Angel?" Hermione asked, the name was familiar, "Angelus? I think I read about him."
"Of course you have Granger," Malfoy replied.
"Yes Angelus," Willow said, "Tell you what; we'll discuss Angel and Angelus next time okay. If you're lucky maybe we can get him to pay a visit before the end of the term."
"Did you really flay and incinerate someone?" Malfoy asked as everyone began gathering their books.
"Yes."
I don't believe you."
"If you'd like maybe we can get Professor Snape to offer himself for me to demonstrate," Willow said causing a lot of outright laughter from the Gryffindors and a few Slytherins to cover their mouths trying to hide their laughter.
**********
After the class filed out of the room, Willow made her way to the headmaster's office looking for Professor Mcgonagall. Bringing Angel, and even Buffy, Wesley, and Giles wouldn't be a bad idea. But she wasn't sure how the school would feel about bringing a vampire, even a souled one, into the school.
When she entered the office, she saw the older witch sitting at the desk with a large stone bowl sitting in front of her. She was holding her wand near her temple and moving it toward the bowl pulling a silvery strand with it and dropping it into the bowl
"Hello Miss Rosenberg, can I help you?"
"I uh, didn't mean to interrupt," Willow, muttered, "Okay gotta ask, what is that?"
"It's a pensieve, it holds thoughts. It makes it easier to sort through them. I was hoping to find something that might help us locate the Headmaster."
"Cool. I can come back later if you'd like."
"No that's fine what was it that you wanted?
**********
Willow met Fred and Faith in the staff room after her last class. Faith only had one class a day. Enough students had signed up that Professor Mcgonagall had decided to have the first and second years work together, third and fourth, and then fifth, sixth, and seventh would each have a separate class.
The three women were discussing their students. Fred had not yet had a chance to speak to Ron Weasley or Harry Potter they were not in her class, but she liked Hermione Granger a great deal.
Like Willow, Faith had met all three, she had worked with sixth years today. Hermione and Harry both were already at least aware of how to fight, whereas the other's primarily seemed baffled by the idea of not using a wand.
There was a knock on the door and Willow called an invitation without thought.
"Damn Red, think growing up on the Hellmouth you wouldn't issue an invitation so quickly," Faith, said watching the door open slowly.
"Hi, uh, we just wanted to talk to you Professor Rosenberg," Harry said as he entered the room followed by Hermione, and Ron.
"Sure, what's up?"
"Did you really do the things you said, you know the Hellmouth and stuff?" Ron asked.
"Yep."
"Last year I read about a powerful witch destroying Sunnydale? Did you know her?" Hermione asked.
At that question Faith and Fred both started laughing, making all three teenagers look at them.
"Know her?" Willow smiled, "I was her."
"You tried to. Professor Mcgonagall said Dumbledore said to bring you here," Harry was trying to find a way to ask his question without being rude.
"Why?" Ron asked for him.
"I don't think that's something."
"We know he's missing," Hermione blurted out, "But we don't understand, Voldemort's dead."
"Maybe not," Faith answered for Willow, "From what we understand Dumbledore had a reason to believe he wasn't and went in search of him."
"He left word to bring us here, if he didn't return," Willow finished, "He wasn't clear on why though, just that we were to keep the three of you safe."
"Mind if I join you?" Charlie Weasley poked his head through the door.
"Hi," Fred smiled at him.
Charlie quickly greeted everyone and took a seat next to Fred.
"When's Quidditch practice start Harry, Ron?"
"Next week," Ron said, "Hopefully it'll be better than last year."
"Okay I've gotta know, what's Quidditch?" Willow asked, "I brought a broom in a shop that said it sold supplies but I still don't know what it is."
Once Ron, Harry, and Charlie got over the girls not knowing anything about the game the quickly explained the rules, Harry commented that Faith, with her super strength would make a great beater. All three women said they would love to learn to play the game but didn't know how to fly.
The group quickly arranged to give flying and Quidditch lessons for the weekend and everyone returned their rooms to get ready for dinner.
**********
Willow and Fred sat on their beds writing letters, Willow to Xander, Buffy, and Dawn, and one to Giles to find out what he knew about Lord Voldemort. Fred was writing to Angel and Wesley telling them about the school and how much she liked teaching here. As she finished her letter, she looked up at the slayer who was pacing the room and had been since they had entered it an hour ago.
"How long are you going to pace?"
"I don't like it. If this Voldemort guy has Dumbledore to try and get to Harry why hasn't he made a move?" Faith asked, "Or done anything to let us know he even has this guy?"
"You've got a point Faith," Willow sealed her letters and wrote the names on each, "A quiet big bad is never a good thing."
Fred handed Willow her letter, Willow quickly attached all three to her owl's leg and watched it fly out the window.
"You know this really is better than having to know an address and pay postage and stuff," Willow turned back to her friends, "I wrote Giles for more information, but Fred are you up to some research tomorrow. We can talk to the kids, they've dealt with him before, and we can see what we can find out from the other teachers."
"Sounds good, after classes tomorrow?"
"Meet you in the library."
"You two don't mind if I don't join you, I have no problem talking to the teachers and kids but I don't want to do the book thing," Faith finally sat on the edge of her bed, at least they had some sort of plan now.