Part 17 Change of Plans
"So he's calling you to him?" Willow said slowly, "What does it mean?"
"It can mean a couple things," Snape was pacing the room. "One option is that he has found out I've been spying for the Order. The other would be that he has found out that we have two very powerful new teachers. Who have both been lured to the dark before."
"Okay I'm guessing the first option can't be good," Willow said, her plate of sandwiches forgotten. "He'll kill you I assume. 'Cause usually Big Bads react that way when their minions turn on them."
"I'm not sure I like being called a 'minion'. What is a 'Big Bad' exactly?" Snape asked.
"Sorry about the minion thing, but that's what the Death Eaters are right? I mean, you just do what he wants done. And a Big Bad is the what ever is currently screwing up our lives. Am I right about the killing thing?"
"If I'm lucky, he'll kill me," Snape frowned and sat next to her, "More likely is that he'll torture me until I wish that I was dead."
"So we are definitely hoping that option one is not the reason," Willow picked up her sandwich, "So if he found out about us?"
"He would want me to recruit you."
"I thought he was all 'down with muggles', 'pure blood wizards only'" Willow turned so she was facing him.
"Normally yes," Snape sighed, "He makes exceptions though. To have a slayer and a witch capable of destroying the world on his side would."
"I get it. But shouldn't he be concerned that said witch, also activated all the slayers.kind of ultimate good magic there. Oh, and doesn't really like taking orders."
"He has a tendency to ignore what won't work to his advantage."
"Can you just ignore him?"
"No," that would have been the preferred option but it couldn't happen. "It will also give us a way to find out where he is. I may even be able to find out if Dumbledore is okay."
"Unless he's torturing you?"
"Well yes, I suppose checking on Dumbledore will be difficult if I'm under the Cruciatus curse."
"You don't have to go until after dinner tomorrow right?" Willow said.
"Yes, After curfew. Why?"
"Good. I have an idea. I'll need to look into it though. See me before you leave, 'kay?"
"Fine," he agreed, "Now we should finish our earlier discussion."
"What discussion was that?" Willow smiled and set her plate on the table barely noticing it disappear this time.
"You had done some thinking," He prompted.
"Right that, we really should discuss it in much more detail," She agreed as his lips moved against hers.
**********
"You got in late last night," Fred said coming out of the bathroom, just as Willow was getting out of bed. Both girls glanced over at Faith's unmade bed.
"Not as late as Faith," Willow smiled, "I figured you and Charlie were in no hurry for me to come back so I went for a snack."
"Never heard it called that before, it an English thing?" Faith smirked as she came through though the door in time to catch Willow's statement.
"What are you talking about? And I assume no 'damn kids' last night." Willow said searching through her trunk for fresh clothes.
"Ran into Peeves on the way up here, said the pretty red head teacher had a big argument with Professor 'Tight ass' his words not mine, and then went to the dungeons with him." Faith was grinning now, as she flopped back on her bed.
"Okay well that's true, sort of, but I did go for a snack first. And I only went with him because he said he needed to talk to me and Fred was up here with Charlie and I." she glared at Faith, ignoring the giggling Fred, "I did NOT sleep with him."
"Uh, huh," Faith smiled, "Me either, just talked to Remus all night."
"Really?" Fred turned her attention to the slayer.
"Hell no."
"Voldemort wants to see Severus," Willow said quickly ending the laughter.
She quickly recounted her conversation with Snape the night before. She also explained her idea, on how to keep him safe.
"It worked when I was after Warren. It's a fairly long acting spell. It should give him the whole night. What I don't know is if it can work for someone else. Can I do the spell for him?"
"I can look into it," Fred offered, "I have the morning free. As a matter of fact I think Hermione has a free class also."
"Great see if she can help you," Willow grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote the information about the spell on it before handing it to Fred. "We need the information by dinner."
**********
Fred talked to Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny at breakfast and they agreed to help with the research. Hermione did have a morning period free, the rest would help at lunch and before dinner.
"Don't see why we have to help save Snape from torture," Ron muttered as Fred walked away.
"Because we're helping Dumbledore too," Harry said, "Or I wouldn't be bothering. I'd rather be there to watch him suffer."
"And because Professor Rosenberg likes him," Ginny grinned as her brother and Harry both stared at her, "What you should have seen them last night."
"And Peeves said she went to the dungeons and didn't come back until really late," Hermione smiled.
"That's worse that seeing Charlie and Professor Burkle," Ron frowned then saw Harry and Dean pointing to Hermione then at him.
"Hermione," He said slowly, last time he had wanted her to go with him to a dance she had gotten angry, that was two years ago and he still didn't know why. "You know the Halloween party?"
"Yes," Hermione turned to look at him. She had spent almost an hour trying to fix her hair and add the color to her lips and cheeks this morning. It still wasn't as good as Professor Rosenberg had done but it wasn't bad. And she felt prettier and more confident just by wearing the new clothes they had given her.
"You don't want to go to the Party with me do you?" Ron finally managed to ask.
Ginny, Harry, and Dean all looked at her smiling. Everyone waiting for her to answer, it seems that everyone but Ron had known what last night had been about.
"I would love to Ron."
**********
Willow had been engrossed in watching the Gryffindor table and almost had her juice spilled on her when two owls dropped three letters in front of her. Willow picked them up, wiping the crumbs from her toast off of them. She had one from Giles, one from it, looked like Buffy's writing, and one from Angel. She tore Giles letter open first.
Willow,
I've enclosed the spell to find a magical imprint But I'm afraid you do have to be at the location For it to work. On the school grounds or near Hogsmeade it will be nearly impossible, both Places are covered in magic.
We have been researching anything that may Help you, we haven't had much luck I'm afraid. You mentioned that there was a prophecy Concerning Voldemort and Harry Potter. That this was the reason he was so intent on Finding the child. Can you send me the exact Wording of the prophecy, we can't find Anything here.
Giles.
Willow sighed; at least they had a different way of finding Voldemort's location. She picked up the letter from Buffy next. No one would ever guess they lived in the same house since they always sent separate letters.
Will,
Got your letter. Christmas is not good, sorry. Seems Dad has finally remembered that he Does have two children and wants us to visit him For Christmas.
But don't be too disappointed we discussed it, We being Me, Dawn, and Xander. Giles said just Let him know when we'd decided. And well, we Just don't care that much what Andrew thinks. Anyway, you guys are having that big Halloween Party right? We could come for that. Always up For the party thing.
We talked to Angel he says that's a good time For them too.
Let us know and how to get there. Buffy.
Willow smiled, she would have loved to spend Christmas with her friends, but being Jewish made that a little less important. And Faith and Fred would be here so she wouldn't be completely alone. And she would get to see Buffy and Xander even sooner. She passed the letter to Faith, and tore open the letter from Angel. He didn't have anything to add, just letting her know that Halloween was fine with him. She handed that letter over to Fred.
"Halloween okay with everybody?" Willow asked, as they walked out of the hall after breakfast. I have a few minutes before class to owl Angel and Buffy."
"Five by five," Faith said, "Off to teach eleven year olds how to fight."
"Sound fine to me too," Fred agreed.
Snape waited until Fred and Faith had both headed away from Willow to approach her. He had seen her reading her letters and she looked unhappy about the first one she had opened.
"Willow," He said coming up behind her.
"Hi," She smiled, "Seen Peeves today?"
"Why?" He asked, no one ever wanted to see Peeves.
"Can you flay a Poltergeist?"
"What did he do this time?"
"Well, um, I would expect your classes to be interesting today," She smiled, "He told Faith and I'm guessing everyone else in the school that I went to your rooms last night."
Snape muttered a few words that Willow couldn't understand. "Did you get bad news?" He finally asked there really wasn't anything they could do about Peeves now. He could talk to the Baron later and at see if he would put an end to it before it went further.
"Not really," She started walking toward her classroom, "Well, Giles said the magical imprint spell won't work unless I'm there. But even then it might not work, because of all the magic around here anyway."
"We'll know where he is tonight." Snape said as they stopped outside her classroom.
"Yeah, Fred and the students are looking up some stuff for me; I may have a way around that curse thing."
"I'd better be going," He glared at Hermione, Ron, and Harry as they stopped to watch him and Willow.
"See you later," Willow said quietly to his retreating back.
**********
"Willow, we found what you were looking for," Fred said walking into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom as Willow's last student made his way out.
"Is it good or bad?" Willow looked up from the desk.
"Depends, personally I like the idea of Snape being tortured," Ron smiled. They had decided to join Fred to tell Willow the news.
"He means you can perform the spell for him," Hermione glared at Ron.
"But if the curse doesn't affect him, Voldemort may decide to." Harry said quietly. It was what everyone else was thinking but didn't want to say.
"And we are all about positive thought, which means I do the spell and we hope that he doesn't even really need my help."
"Who doesn't need your help?"
"Severus," Willow smiled, "I didn't think I'd see you until dinner."
"Yes, well, I'll need to prepare."
"Come in," Willow motioned for him to take a seat ignoring the moans from the students. "Great news."
He sat across from her, and raised an eyebrow.
"Remember when you saw me in the pensieve all evil and out for revenge. Warren tried to kill me with that ax," She waited for him to nod, "I wasn't hurt because of this spell. The spell can be performed for other people. It won't protect you from the killing curse, but it'll work for everything else. So you would just need to get away before."
Snape looked at her for a moment; she had gone to a lot of effort to find something to protect him. He turned to look at Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny they had also helped him. It surprised him that these children would go to that much effort to help him.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," Willow smiled, "Them you should thank though. Thank me when the spell works and you come back alive."
"What do I need to do?" Snape asked.
Willow glanced at the list of ingredients. "Do you have these?" She handed him the list.
"In my office."
"I'll see you guys later," Willow said, "And if you see Peeves tell him I'm looking into blowing up poltergeists."
After everyone left Willow followed Snape to the dungeons so she could prepare the spell.
"So he's calling you to him?" Willow said slowly, "What does it mean?"
"It can mean a couple things," Snape was pacing the room. "One option is that he has found out I've been spying for the Order. The other would be that he has found out that we have two very powerful new teachers. Who have both been lured to the dark before."
"Okay I'm guessing the first option can't be good," Willow said, her plate of sandwiches forgotten. "He'll kill you I assume. 'Cause usually Big Bads react that way when their minions turn on them."
"I'm not sure I like being called a 'minion'. What is a 'Big Bad' exactly?" Snape asked.
"Sorry about the minion thing, but that's what the Death Eaters are right? I mean, you just do what he wants done. And a Big Bad is the what ever is currently screwing up our lives. Am I right about the killing thing?"
"If I'm lucky, he'll kill me," Snape frowned and sat next to her, "More likely is that he'll torture me until I wish that I was dead."
"So we are definitely hoping that option one is not the reason," Willow picked up her sandwich, "So if he found out about us?"
"He would want me to recruit you."
"I thought he was all 'down with muggles', 'pure blood wizards only'" Willow turned so she was facing him.
"Normally yes," Snape sighed, "He makes exceptions though. To have a slayer and a witch capable of destroying the world on his side would."
"I get it. But shouldn't he be concerned that said witch, also activated all the slayers.kind of ultimate good magic there. Oh, and doesn't really like taking orders."
"He has a tendency to ignore what won't work to his advantage."
"Can you just ignore him?"
"No," that would have been the preferred option but it couldn't happen. "It will also give us a way to find out where he is. I may even be able to find out if Dumbledore is okay."
"Unless he's torturing you?"
"Well yes, I suppose checking on Dumbledore will be difficult if I'm under the Cruciatus curse."
"You don't have to go until after dinner tomorrow right?" Willow said.
"Yes, After curfew. Why?"
"Good. I have an idea. I'll need to look into it though. See me before you leave, 'kay?"
"Fine," he agreed, "Now we should finish our earlier discussion."
"What discussion was that?" Willow smiled and set her plate on the table barely noticing it disappear this time.
"You had done some thinking," He prompted.
"Right that, we really should discuss it in much more detail," She agreed as his lips moved against hers.
**********
"You got in late last night," Fred said coming out of the bathroom, just as Willow was getting out of bed. Both girls glanced over at Faith's unmade bed.
"Not as late as Faith," Willow smiled, "I figured you and Charlie were in no hurry for me to come back so I went for a snack."
"Never heard it called that before, it an English thing?" Faith smirked as she came through though the door in time to catch Willow's statement.
"What are you talking about? And I assume no 'damn kids' last night." Willow said searching through her trunk for fresh clothes.
"Ran into Peeves on the way up here, said the pretty red head teacher had a big argument with Professor 'Tight ass' his words not mine, and then went to the dungeons with him." Faith was grinning now, as she flopped back on her bed.
"Okay well that's true, sort of, but I did go for a snack first. And I only went with him because he said he needed to talk to me and Fred was up here with Charlie and I." she glared at Faith, ignoring the giggling Fred, "I did NOT sleep with him."
"Uh, huh," Faith smiled, "Me either, just talked to Remus all night."
"Really?" Fred turned her attention to the slayer.
"Hell no."
"Voldemort wants to see Severus," Willow said quickly ending the laughter.
She quickly recounted her conversation with Snape the night before. She also explained her idea, on how to keep him safe.
"It worked when I was after Warren. It's a fairly long acting spell. It should give him the whole night. What I don't know is if it can work for someone else. Can I do the spell for him?"
"I can look into it," Fred offered, "I have the morning free. As a matter of fact I think Hermione has a free class also."
"Great see if she can help you," Willow grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote the information about the spell on it before handing it to Fred. "We need the information by dinner."
**********
Fred talked to Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny at breakfast and they agreed to help with the research. Hermione did have a morning period free, the rest would help at lunch and before dinner.
"Don't see why we have to help save Snape from torture," Ron muttered as Fred walked away.
"Because we're helping Dumbledore too," Harry said, "Or I wouldn't be bothering. I'd rather be there to watch him suffer."
"And because Professor Rosenberg likes him," Ginny grinned as her brother and Harry both stared at her, "What you should have seen them last night."
"And Peeves said she went to the dungeons and didn't come back until really late," Hermione smiled.
"That's worse that seeing Charlie and Professor Burkle," Ron frowned then saw Harry and Dean pointing to Hermione then at him.
"Hermione," He said slowly, last time he had wanted her to go with him to a dance she had gotten angry, that was two years ago and he still didn't know why. "You know the Halloween party?"
"Yes," Hermione turned to look at him. She had spent almost an hour trying to fix her hair and add the color to her lips and cheeks this morning. It still wasn't as good as Professor Rosenberg had done but it wasn't bad. And she felt prettier and more confident just by wearing the new clothes they had given her.
"You don't want to go to the Party with me do you?" Ron finally managed to ask.
Ginny, Harry, and Dean all looked at her smiling. Everyone waiting for her to answer, it seems that everyone but Ron had known what last night had been about.
"I would love to Ron."
**********
Willow had been engrossed in watching the Gryffindor table and almost had her juice spilled on her when two owls dropped three letters in front of her. Willow picked them up, wiping the crumbs from her toast off of them. She had one from Giles, one from it, looked like Buffy's writing, and one from Angel. She tore Giles letter open first.
Willow,
I've enclosed the spell to find a magical imprint But I'm afraid you do have to be at the location For it to work. On the school grounds or near Hogsmeade it will be nearly impossible, both Places are covered in magic.
We have been researching anything that may Help you, we haven't had much luck I'm afraid. You mentioned that there was a prophecy Concerning Voldemort and Harry Potter. That this was the reason he was so intent on Finding the child. Can you send me the exact Wording of the prophecy, we can't find Anything here.
Giles.
Willow sighed; at least they had a different way of finding Voldemort's location. She picked up the letter from Buffy next. No one would ever guess they lived in the same house since they always sent separate letters.
Will,
Got your letter. Christmas is not good, sorry. Seems Dad has finally remembered that he Does have two children and wants us to visit him For Christmas.
But don't be too disappointed we discussed it, We being Me, Dawn, and Xander. Giles said just Let him know when we'd decided. And well, we Just don't care that much what Andrew thinks. Anyway, you guys are having that big Halloween Party right? We could come for that. Always up For the party thing.
We talked to Angel he says that's a good time For them too.
Let us know and how to get there. Buffy.
Willow smiled, she would have loved to spend Christmas with her friends, but being Jewish made that a little less important. And Faith and Fred would be here so she wouldn't be completely alone. And she would get to see Buffy and Xander even sooner. She passed the letter to Faith, and tore open the letter from Angel. He didn't have anything to add, just letting her know that Halloween was fine with him. She handed that letter over to Fred.
"Halloween okay with everybody?" Willow asked, as they walked out of the hall after breakfast. I have a few minutes before class to owl Angel and Buffy."
"Five by five," Faith said, "Off to teach eleven year olds how to fight."
"Sound fine to me too," Fred agreed.
Snape waited until Fred and Faith had both headed away from Willow to approach her. He had seen her reading her letters and she looked unhappy about the first one she had opened.
"Willow," He said coming up behind her.
"Hi," She smiled, "Seen Peeves today?"
"Why?" He asked, no one ever wanted to see Peeves.
"Can you flay a Poltergeist?"
"What did he do this time?"
"Well, um, I would expect your classes to be interesting today," She smiled, "He told Faith and I'm guessing everyone else in the school that I went to your rooms last night."
Snape muttered a few words that Willow couldn't understand. "Did you get bad news?" He finally asked there really wasn't anything they could do about Peeves now. He could talk to the Baron later and at see if he would put an end to it before it went further.
"Not really," She started walking toward her classroom, "Well, Giles said the magical imprint spell won't work unless I'm there. But even then it might not work, because of all the magic around here anyway."
"We'll know where he is tonight." Snape said as they stopped outside her classroom.
"Yeah, Fred and the students are looking up some stuff for me; I may have a way around that curse thing."
"I'd better be going," He glared at Hermione, Ron, and Harry as they stopped to watch him and Willow.
"See you later," Willow said quietly to his retreating back.
**********
"Willow, we found what you were looking for," Fred said walking into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom as Willow's last student made his way out.
"Is it good or bad?" Willow looked up from the desk.
"Depends, personally I like the idea of Snape being tortured," Ron smiled. They had decided to join Fred to tell Willow the news.
"He means you can perform the spell for him," Hermione glared at Ron.
"But if the curse doesn't affect him, Voldemort may decide to." Harry said quietly. It was what everyone else was thinking but didn't want to say.
"And we are all about positive thought, which means I do the spell and we hope that he doesn't even really need my help."
"Who doesn't need your help?"
"Severus," Willow smiled, "I didn't think I'd see you until dinner."
"Yes, well, I'll need to prepare."
"Come in," Willow motioned for him to take a seat ignoring the moans from the students. "Great news."
He sat across from her, and raised an eyebrow.
"Remember when you saw me in the pensieve all evil and out for revenge. Warren tried to kill me with that ax," She waited for him to nod, "I wasn't hurt because of this spell. The spell can be performed for other people. It won't protect you from the killing curse, but it'll work for everything else. So you would just need to get away before."
Snape looked at her for a moment; she had gone to a lot of effort to find something to protect him. He turned to look at Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny they had also helped him. It surprised him that these children would go to that much effort to help him.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," Willow smiled, "Them you should thank though. Thank me when the spell works and you come back alive."
"What do I need to do?" Snape asked.
Willow glanced at the list of ingredients. "Do you have these?" She handed him the list.
"In my office."
"I'll see you guys later," Willow said, "And if you see Peeves tell him I'm looking into blowing up poltergeists."
After everyone left Willow followed Snape to the dungeons so she could prepare the spell.