Thanks for all that reviewed. I got some superlong ones too, i must be doing something right.
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. I wish they were but they just haven't come true. JK Rowling and Joss Whedon still own them.
And We're Off (5/?)
Summary: Post- Chosen, Willow and Xander have been invited to teach at Hogwarts. The two best friends on a new mission to teach teenage witches and wizards the finer points of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Xander discovers something important about his past. (won't be for a while and i don't want to give it away)
Spoilers: Harry Potter books 1-5, Buffy 1-7 and maybe a couple of Angel references (sorry just happens).
Parings: Willow/?, Xander/?
Rated: PG-13, still not sure yet, may get higher. It's only 13 for my tendency for having people curse and drink a lot.
Chapter Comments: Well this chapter ran away from me, so much so that I'm extending it for another chapter. Once it hit about 20 pages i desided to spilt it up. Once again i remind everyone i'm slightly evil, so expect some plot movement to start when the students arrive. This chapter is kind of a big fluff. It's just alot of fun to write. Oh and the title is a spoof of Doctor Strangelove if anyone cares.
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Chapter 5: Hogwarts or "How Willow and Xander Learned to Live Without Technology and Love the MagicNot!"
Hagrid led them into the station and down to the entrance to platform nine and three quarters. "Wow, I'm getting used to this." Xander said, as the reach brick pillar, he was almost a little disappointed.
"Yeah, I know." She matched his tone. It was beginning to get old hat. Yes, solid walls could be magical doors, it in its sense lost its magic. No pun intended.
"Well, 'ere ya go." Hagrid said handing the tickets to Willow and then the bag and cage over to Xander. Xander took the bag first then reached out and held the cage far away from him as he could manage.
"Don't be such a baby." Willow said taking it away from him. "CB won't hurt anyone."
"I don't like birds." Xander said firmly. Willow just laughed.
"I'd love to take ya folks further, but I got business back in town." Said Hagrid, "It was a pleasure to meet the both of ya. See ya again real soon."
"Thank you, Hagrid." Willow said, looked down on her watch. "We need to go." She linked arms with Xander. They gave Hagrid a wave and walked through the wall.
"All aboard!" Shouted a man on the platform. Someone came over to Xander and Willow and checked their tickets. "I'll show you to you're cabin." He said helping them with their things.
Willow sat down in the cabin facing where they were going, Xander opposite of her. She let the cage sit next to her on the bench and looked out the window. They were quiet for a long time. Willow was lost in distant thought only broken when the train began to move. She smiled wide and looked at Xander. He hand fallen asleep, he looked so sweet. She got up and pulled a blanket off the cabin shelf and covered him up, careful not to wake him. They had stayed up late doing charms, he needed more sleep. She went back to her seat and continued to look out the window.
Her lunch with Tensipia and Megan had gone fairly well. They we're proud of the progress she made and wished her well at the school. That only worried her more. She didn't know what to expect from the school. She didn't know what kind of role model she's make to the kids. Hey, she tried to end the world. And never said it but she was worried about Xander too. He was never the school type. But when she came back to the room last night and saw that he had started to learn magic on his own, she knew he'd be okay.
It occurred to her now that he was probably trying not to think about Anya. She knew how he felt. She closed her eyes and couldn't help but think of Tara. She had been fighting it since she got to England, the memories of mourning Tara had risen to the surface of her mind. They had since she stopped having to worry so much about Xander. Willow let her head rest against window. She missed her terribly, she bit back her tears. I must be tired, she thought, trying to let herself drift into sleep.
They both woke up with a start. CB had squeaked in her cage and woke both of them up. "What time is it?" Xander asked, sleepily.
"Oh." She fought her own confusion, she looked at her watch. It wasn't even ten yet.
Xander pushed the blanket to his side. "Well, I think I want to work on the transfer thing."
"Transfiguration." She corrected, she went into the backpack. She left the book they had been working through last night, un-shrunk. "Well we left off with living objects." She took her place next to him, so he could see the books too.
"Okay, I don't mean to be picky but why would I need to turn a mouse into a snuff box?"
Willow thought hard for a second. "I don't know the Wizarding world is weird."
Xander laughed. "Sure, but it seems kind of pointless."
"Well this part is just practice. Later Transfiguration is person based, like you can turn yourself into a duck or something."
"Duck?" Offended.
"Or a Bear. Ooh, like that indigenous person that gave you syphilis."
"Thank you for bring that up at every possible moment." Then he thought. "Does that mean I can give syphilis to someone else? I mean hex them or curse them?" he sounded excited.
Willow burst out laughing. "I'm sure you can, but that would be wrong." Then she paused. "Who?"
"Not sure yet."
Twelve failed attempts to turn CB into wooden box. "I almost got it this time. There were only a couple feathers visible." Xander laughed. They were on the floor of the cabin.
Willow was laughing too, with a wave of her hand CB had been restored to her natural owl form. "She needs her rest." Willow said petting her.
"I guess." Xander said disappointed. Willow let the owl go back to her cage to sleep. She and Xander remained on the floor. Xander was leaning against the bench, Willow moved next to him. He put his arm around her so she could cuddle into him.
"We'll be there soon." She muttered.
"Yep."
"We can do this, right?"
"Hey, I just turned an owl into a box covered in feathers, we can do anything."
---
An older witch in long green flowing robes was waiting for them on the platform at Hogsmeade. Willow and Xander were very easy to spot in their Muggle clothes. Willow was wearing jeans, a white button up shirt and a tan jacket. Xander was dressed almost the same way except his jacket was black. They were laughing and falling over each other, big smiles on their faces. "Hey, it's your fault!" Laughed the boy.
"No, that was Buffy's!" The girl laughed back, leaning onto him for support.
Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall gawked at them, Albus must be out of his mind, She thought as they walked to her, they're just children. She had read in the Daily Prophet about the team that destroyed the Hellmouth. The American Ministry was protecting their privacy by protecting their identities. Even though she had been given warning, she was not expecting to be so young and carefree. She wasn't sure what to expect, she had met some Watchers in her time, maybe she was expecting them to be like them.
McGonagall recovered from her surprised and met them halfway. When Willow and Xander saw her approaching they settled down and calmed themselves. They didn't mean for they're first impression to be giggling idiots but as they approached the station they had started talking about stuff from high school and started laughing so hard they couldn't stop.
"Professor's Rosenberg and Harris?" The older witch asked.
"Yep, that's us." Willow said then remembered herself straightened up and answered again. "Yes, Willow Rosenberg." She stretched out her hand.
"Minerva McGonagall. Deputy Headmistress." She shook Willow's hand and turned to Xander. "Alexander Harris." She shook his hand. "I'd like to welcome you both. If you just follow me I'll take you up to the school."
"Thank you." Willow said getting a better grip on the cage. Xander put his arm around her back, to keep them together as they walk.
"I've heard you had quite an exciting year." Minerva said to make conversation as she walked next to Willow.
"Seven years actually." Xander said.
"Yes. Hogwarts might not be a Hellmouth but we have our own excitement." She said in a way that was neither happy nor exciting.
"We've heard that you've got your own Big Bad."
McGonagall stopped. "I've never heard of him referred to by that named before."
Willow and Xander just shrugged and continued on. "We talk funny." Willow replied.
They exited the station and the pair froze. They were staring across the lake at the majestic castle. "That's the school." Xander said completely awestruck.
"Yes, Mr. Harris." Minerva smiled at him. "Now if you continue to follow me."
They took a carriage up to the school. Xander was quiet but Willow and McGonagall began to talk. McGonagall thanked her for getting the book list in on time. Willow asked her about teaching transfigurations and told her what she was able to do. They hit it off nicely; it reminded Xander of how Willow got along with Ms. Calendar. Xander didn't feel comfortable talking about his magical ability, yet but he listened, even though they didn't think he was.
"The Headmaster wishes to see you, right away. He wishes to fill you both in better about our 'Big Bad' as you call it." She said as they approached the front door. There was a little grey elf, wearing mismatch clothing and a couple of socks on his head, waiting for them.
"Welcome, Professors, me is Dobby. Me take your things for you." Willow smiled and thanks him.
McGonagall took them quickly up to the Gargoyle on the second floor. They didn't really have a change to look at anything, every time they would get distracted by the portraits or statues McGonagall would urge them along. "I wish I could give you more of a tour, but I have lots to do this afternoon. Letters need to go out." She turned to the Gargoyle, "Snickers Bar." She called out to it and the gargoyle began to open. "I'll see you both at dinner." She walked off and disappeared down the hall.
They stepped onto the stair case revealed by the gargoyle and road it like an escalator to the top. "This is kinda cool." Xander said.
"Totally. I can't believe I'm really here. We're really here." She was very excited she was about to jump out of her skin. "I like her," Willow continued on, "she's busy but she's nice." The reached top and knocked on the door.
"Come in." said the familiar voice. Dumbledore came to the door to greet them. "Oh I'm so glad you've arrived. And I trust your time in London went well." He looked at Xander, his eyes twinkling. "Well it seems they've fixed up that eye." He gave him a smile. "And you've been working on your magic." He seemed rather proud.
The room was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat. "Come on both of you, sit down." They took a seat and looked around the round office. "I supposed now that I have gotten you here I must tell you the whole truth." He took a seat across from them. He waited for them to react but they didn't. "You're not surprised.
"We've kind of been waiting for the other shoe to drop." Xander replied.
"Giles told us to trust you and that if you needed our help, you really needed our help." Willow continued.
"You think we'd jump off a cliff if he asked us." Xander turned to Willow, talking with all levels seriousness.
Dumbledore chuckled and continued on. "I believe Rupert told you about Voldemort." The two nodded. "We'll what you might not know is" Them everything they needed to know about Voldemort's activities over the past five years and a teenage boy named Harry Potter.
"What is it with the bad guys and the month of May?" Xander breathed. He needed to lighten the mood after hearing the story. "Sorry." He apologized.
"No, no it's alright. It was getting thick in here." Dumbledore said standing up; he grabbed a tin from his desk. "Lemon drop?" He held the tin out to them, they each took one. "I know you are used to these situations." They nodded. "There is also a prophecy" "...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..."
"So it's not about how we defeat him, it's about how we make sure Harry Potter wins." Xander clarified with a heavy sigh.
"Yes, but we are also heading for a war. It's already started and these children need to learn to fight. How to take care of themselves from Death Eater attacks."
"That's what we do, now." Willow told him, "That's why we're here."
"Good." He said standing up, "You must be tired from your journey and all this unpleasantness. Hagrid will be waiting at the bottom of the stairs to show you to your rooms." They got up instinctively and were willing to be ushered out. "We are having a welcoming dinner for you tonight at seven. We'll send someone to take you there."
"Thank you." They started to head out the door.
"One more thing:" They turned back, "Welcome to Hogwarts." He smiled widely.
---
There Hagrid was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. "Welcome. I hope you're trip, wasn't too bad." He greeted them warmly.
"Oh, the train ride was lots of fun." Xander smile.
"I hope you weren't too hard on that owl of yours. I hope you don't mind I set her free to fly around. The cages get all stuffy." Hagrid smiled at them. "Well you must be tired, let's get you straight up to your rooms then get the grand tour another time." He said taking them up another staircase and across a couple hallways.
"Alright, I'm already lost, Will. How did we get up here again?" Xander said.
"I'm sure we can get a map." Willow responded.
"Sure we'd get you a map, Xande'." Hagrid told him, "Or you can just ask the portraits. They are helpful too." Hagrid stopped at a crossroads. "I know it's around 'ere somewhere." He made a full circle and pointed. "Ah! That way." He made a left and they followed him. "I don't get up here to much."
He stopped them in front of a portrait of a women baring resemblance of the First Slayer. "Arg!" Xander jumped back.
"Oh, we thought you'd enjoy the portrait, seeing as how you folks are watchers and all."
"She tried to kill us," Willow winced at the picture of the woman snarling with stake in her hand, "in our dreams a few years ago. Wasn't pretty."
"Oh we'll I'm sure we can find you another door really soon, but for now just choose a password."
Willow and Xander shared a look and a smile. "Yellow Crayon".
Their rooms turned out to actually be like a small apartment. They shared a living room complete with a sitting area, fireplace and two offices spaces in the back. They're rooms where on either side of the entrance portal, Willow took the room to the left and Xander the one to the right. A bathroom they would both share ran from one room to the other. Skylights over the living room, provided the light, Hagrid assured them that it was only one way.
Hagrid left them to unpack. Willow made sure everything was in the right room before de-shrinking it. Willow unpacked her cloths first. She liked her room, there was a big canopy bed decorated in deep blues and lavenders that contrasted with the dark wood. There was plenty of room in her wardrobe for all her clothes and she was excited to have her own talking mirror. So far it seemed to like her taste in clothes.
"Hey, Will!" Xander running in from the bathroom door, scaring her.
She jumped. "Don't do that." She muttered as she folded up her empty duffle and placed it under her bed.
"Sorry." He looked around. "Cool, mine's different, green and, um, light green." He looked around another second. "Wanna start unpacking the books and stuff, I don't wanna do it without you 'cause you might have a system I don't understand." He led her out of the room.
"I thought we'd just use the alphabet." She laughed at him. "Too quiet for you too?" she asked.
"Yeah and there's no TV in here either." She started to unpack her office stuff and Xander put the books in the shelves. Willow opened her trunk; she smiled when she saw it, her laptop. She hadn't used her friend in quite sometime. She put it on her desk and pulled out the power cords, printer and the generator she had bought on purpose. She knew there was no electricity at Hogwarts so she got it to tide her over till she figured out how to make her computer run off the magical energy of the school. She read that was possible somewhere and she just needed to learn some more about it. The generator should work in the meantime. She arranged everything on the desk and dropped the cords down behind it blindly plugging everything in as Xander talked to her about one of the jobs he had with Giles.
"Finally." She said getting up from under the desk.
"All in?"
"Yep." She smiled sitting down in front of the desk. "Now I just to press the power button and my other best friend will be with us." Xander coughed. "I said other." She pressed the button and nothing. "What the-"
Xander left the books down by the bookcase. And went to her. "What's going on?"
She was checking the plugs above the table. "It won't turn on." She said, "Can you check the generator for me?"
Xander dived under the desk, it was dark but after only a moment he could see. "Um, I think your problem is the generator isn't on." He flicked the switch but still nothing.
"We'll worry about it later. We need to get ready for dinner." She said checking the clock. She quickly head off to her room. Xander stood up and looked down at his outfit, he thought they where find. He decided he should at least wash up so he went off to the bathroom.
Xander was refreshed and clean, lounging in the living room when there was a knock on the door. He called to Willow as he went to go get it. He opened the portal on a very short wizard with stark white hair. "Professor Harris, I'm Filius Flitwick." He held out a hand Xander shook it gently and let him in.
"Nice to me, ya. Make yourself at home, Willow will be right out." Xander looked around the room trying to think of something to say, beside for him commenting on his shortness. "Sorry, we haven't had a chance to finish unpacking."
"Quite alright. I know what it's like on your first day here, on mine, things where flying everywhere and I couldn't find my lucky quill. But by the time the classes started everything fell into place." He was cheery and nice.
"What class do you teach?"
"Charms." He smiled widely.
"Oh, I've just been learning a few myself. Willow, she's the real expert."
"Expert at what?" Willow said coming back in the room. Xander was pleasantly surprised that she had not changed her cloths only brushed her hair. He had been glad a couple weeks ago when he noticed she cut it back to her shoulders, had always felt she had kept it too long the past year.
"Charms, Professor Rosenberg."
"Oh." She blushed. "You must be Professor Flitwick." She moved over and shook his hand. "I'm really not an expert."
"You're probably too modest, my dear. Well we should be off to the Great Hall. Albus didn't want you to get lost on your first night."
They walked down together, Xander still got distracted by everything around him, and he could tell Willow was too, they really should be watching where they were going. They finally made it down to the ground floor and walked through the double doors to the Great Hall.
"Wow." They said together, looking up at the ceiling of the hall. "It's charmed to look like the night's sky." Willow whispered to him.
"I figured that out on my own." Xander said and looked up at the head table; all conversation had stopped as they entered. "Willow," he turned to her casually. "I'm I not wearing any pants?"
Willow giggled as they made there way up to the table. There were two empty seats together on Dumbledore's right. He introduced the staff to them and vise versa. "We'll Professor Binns doesn't eat and Firenze don't eat in the Great Hall, but you'll meet them another time. Professor Trelawney also doesn't often leave her tower." Dumbledore gave the table look over once more. "It also seems we are missing Professor Snape." There was a laugh from one of the female teachers, Hooch, if Xander remembered the name correctly. "But he'll be around. We should start the feast without him." He waved a hand a food appeared on the table and on their plates.
People began to talk and eat but not say much to the two newcomers. Xander and Willow just started to eat feeling a little isolated. Quickly the room went back to silence again. Willow and Xander looked up from there places and noticed everyone looking at them. They knew they all wanted to ask them some questions.
"If you have question just ask." Xander finally said trying to break the tension.
"You're so young." Exclaimed Professor Sprout, to which all anyone could do is laugh. "We'll I'm just saying and we've been reading all about you and your Hellmouth." She added. "You've done so much."
"Reading," they said in unison, "about us?" They turned and glared at each other. "We usually-" They stated talking in unison again but Xander dropped out, "don't talk like this."
"But you said: read about us?" Xander picked up.
"Yes in the Daily Prophet, they even added a new section to paper for it." Added Flitwick.
"I think I have a copy somewhere." Muttered Hagrid looking through his pockets.
"They're a few months behind on information, the American Ministry careful not to let too much out to the papers. They were able to keep you're identity's secret even, but Albus told us it was two of you."
"Along with many, many Slayers." Xander added pointedly. "And some others."
"Ah here it is," Hagrid handed them the paper. "It's from couple of weeks ago."
Xander took the paper and handed held it between Willow and himself. The section read 'Hellmouth News', there was a moving pictures of them, well their backs, staring out into the crater that used to be Sunnydale. "Wow."
"How did they get this picture without us seeing?" Xander asked.
"They have an invisible outpost to keep an eye, or used to keep an eye on Sunnydale." Said McGonagall.
They looked at the picture with a bit of sadness. Xander knew things were getting a bit to tense. "Oh and look they choose a picture where your girlfriend was groping your ass." Xander exclaimed taking the attention of the whole table.
"Xander!" She knocked him in the shoulder. "She was-oh." She looked at the picture and he was right. "Jerk." The table burst on in laughter. "We should send copies of these to Slayer-Central." Willow finally said.
"Dawn would love them for her scrapbook."
"Actually, I think she's calling it "The New Watcher Chronicles"."
"Who's Dawn?" asked Flitwick kindly.
"The Slayer's little sister or the lead Slayer, now, I guess. But she's pretty much like our little sister too." The Willow looked down the table to Dumbledore, "Actually we kind of invited her to come and stay with us for winter break, if that's alright?"
"That will be fine as well as visits from some more of your friends. I'm sure your students will jump at the chance to meet a Slayer." Dumbledore smiled at them.
"I think that's a hint for us to bring Buffy here."
"I don't know, Will, she might just scare them." Xander smiled. "But it shouldn't be too hard; once Dawn's school year starts she's off to find more Slayers."
They continued on talking and then Hooch asked the big question. "So how many apocalypses have you had a hand in stopping?"
"Um." They looked at each other. "Wanna count it out, Will?"
They were about to start when the Great Hall doors burst open. A tall man with greasy black, shoulder-length hair and a hooked nose marched up to the high table. "About time you got here, Severus." Dumbledore said stoically. "I wouldn't want to think you were avoiding our new arrivals."
"Nothing of the sort." He came up right behind Willow's seat. "I didn't think the arrival of new teachers merits a staff dinner. It hasn't for the others. I had work to do."
"This is quite different. We've never had new teachers from so far away." He gave Willow and Xander a smile. "This is Severus Snape. He teaches potions." Willow and Xander just nodded towards him.
Willow shifted uncomfortably in her chair, as he stared down at her. Xander look over and look up at him. "Can we help you?"
"Miss Rosenberg is in my seat." He snarled down at her. Willow looked up at him with innocent eyes.
"I'm sure you don't mind, taking a seat down the table for now." McGonagall intercepted, pointing to the chair one the other side.
"Yes, please do." Said Dumbledore. "The pair were about to regale the table with how many times they have saved the world." He gave a big smile. "I think it would be disruptive to spilt them up now after all they've been paired for the past 21 years."
Snape stared at him then looked down at the two then scoffed off to the empty seat. Several of the teachers held back a laugh. Snape was muttering something about children.
"Please continue"
"Um, I'm not quiet sure." Willow looked at Xander.
"Well there was the Harvest." Xander offered.
"No," Willow said taking a bite of food, Xander looked at her confused. "Massacre, it would have been a massacre. Remember the alternate universe, Vampire me. The town was overrun by vampires 'cause Buffy wasn't there to stop it. But it was still standing."
"Your right, and if the world ended there would be no Vamp you." He laughed. "But the second time he rose?"
"Hellmouth was opened. So there's one." She smiled. Down the table people where staring. "A Vampire calling himself The Master was trap between this world and the Hellmouth and got lose by drinking the blood of the Slayer. Buffy died, drowned for a couple of minutes, but thanks to Xander's knowledge of CPR revived her and well the Hellmouth started to open and well to make a long story short we won." She gave a smile.
"The Judge?" Xander supplied, hoping.
"Turning people with souls to ashes by will? Apocalypse." With certainly.
"Angelus and Ac-" Xander fumbled with the name.
"Acathla." She helped.
"Apocalypse and you're first really successful spell." Xander reminded with a smile.
"Oh what was that?" Asked Sinistra, who was quite interested.
"Re-ensouling a Vampire."
"You re-ensouled a vampire. Angelus the Vampire." Said Snape shocked.
"Yep, when I was seventeen. And then again like a few months ago. Angel, his souled self, was kind of a friend of ours."
"They should have just staked him once and for all." Muttered Xander.
"Well then there were these creatures are senior that nearly completely opened the Hellmouth." She continued on.
"Wait when was that?" Xander asked confused.
"Oh," embarrassed, "we didn't tell you." Laugh.
"Oh that one, when I had the car and oh it makes sense why" he faded out.
"The Mayor's ascension to demon hood would have been a massacre." Willow went on, not wanting to hear the other thing Xander 'did' that night. "But there was that thing after the Gentleman. So that bring the count up too five. Adam?"
"Massacre."
"Massacre." She agreed. "Glory the Hell Goddess, apocalypse. So that's six, and then"
"The one I stopped from just talking." Xander said proudly, skipping over the important stuff of the situation. "Yeah we're all even then. I can't believe you didn't tell me about the other one."
"We didn't want you to get hurt." She explained weakly. "And the last one. First Evil. Battle of the Hellmouth. Activation of the Slayers. Town implodes. So in total 8?" She took a couple more bites of her food as did Xander. After a moment of a feeling of being watched the looked up and down the rest of the table. The staff was staring at them with open mouths. Except of Dumbledore who was just amused. "Maybe all this goes with a little more explanation."
"Which would probably should be another time when we are not eating." Xander said. "The gross factor."
"Of course." McGonagall agreed and changed the subject. "How are you finding your rooms?"
"Very nice. Better than our last apartment." Willow shrugged. "But I've been having some trouble with my computer, though." She took a bite of her mash potatoes. "I brought my own generator but I wasn't able to turn it on."
"Yeah, as do you have a television around her like in one of the lounges or would I just go out and buy my own." Again they both got stares. "Willow, I sense a disturbance in the force." He whispered.
"I'm sorry but I don't believe that any of your muggle technology will work here." Said Professor Kalnins, Professor of Muggle studies. "I've tried many times without success. My students would benefit so much if I could get those devices to work but the Magical field around Hogwarts is to strong for electricity to flow. Also television signals can't even get through."
Willow reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Damn it."
"Are cells don't work either?!" asked Xander, Willow shook her head.
"I knew the cells thing might happen, and frankly the TV." She admitted, hoping he wouldn't be too upset with her. "Well, I'll find away around it." Willow said putting it away her mood changing from disappointment to denial.
"I don't know if that will be possible." Dumbledore told her honestly.
"I don't accept that my computer won't work here." She said with full confidence, taking a drink.
"Will-" Xander started.
"Hey, I activated all the wanna-be's, I can work around this magical 'field' issue." Xander opened his mouth. "Look at my face." She point and went back on about her meal.
"Resolve face, I know." He shrugged, and then turned to the rest of the table. "You may turn a computer geek into a witch, but don't ever expect to stop her from being computer geek."
"Computer scientist." She muttered to him. "Plus, I have my-our lesson plans work out on there along with the syllabus for each class."
"Wait when do you do that?"
"Well I started back in Cleveland." She admitted embarrassedly.
"You know you're a little scary sometimes but I'm not complaining. And I don't doubt you, Will. Knowing you as long as I have has taught me: where there's a Will there's a spill spell." There were chuckles from the table. "But remind me to write Andrew with the list."
"List?"
"Shows to record for me. I haven't missed an episode of Star Trek yet, I'm not gonna stop now."
"You sound like a bunch of Muggles." Snape griped.
"Why do I always feel like that word is used in a derogatory manner?" Willow spoke up. "What's wrong with that?"
"You're talking like children. Do all American's act like this?"
"Oh that has nothing to do with being American, and for now I'm going to forget you insulted our country, we're Californian's. That's why we act this way."
"You can ask Giles, he blames it on all the sun shine and blue skies." Xander added.
"Giles?"
"Rupert Giles, the Slayer's watcher."
"Ripper." Snape stopped dead.
"You know him?"
"Yes." He said that in a tone that invoked a sense that he wish to speak no further on the subject, it didn't matter they could ask Giles themselves.
Some conversation went on from there. Professor Kalnins was very interested it Willow's idea about electricity. Xander just tried to stay quiet. He'd settle in just not yet, but he knew he would.
---
When the meal was over Willow and Xander took a walk around the school and told some of the interested Professors the details of their glory days. They had only gotten to a full explanation of the Judge, when they decided to call it a night. Professor Snape had not come along and left the table as quickly has he could without being overly rude. Hooch and Flitwick escorted them back up to there room after they gathering broke up.
"Don't worry about, Severus," reassured Flitwick, "he's that way with everyone."
"It's okay; we're used to dealing with the difficult." Xander said. "I'm thinking Snyder-like."
"Our second high school principle err... headmaster, I guess you would call it." The reached their door. "Thank you for walking us back, Rolanda, Filius. This place is so big."
"You'll get the hang of it." Dumbledore said coming out of nowhere. "This came for you just after you left." He held out a letter.
"Thank you." Willow took it and expression immediately changed. "It's from Mom?"
"Does she even know where we are?" Xander asked.
"I told her something," Willow admitted, "bald-face lie. This was sent to us via Cleveland."
"Oh, how are they enjoying Washington?"
"Alright I guess. I haven't talked to them too much."
"Well at least yours listened to you when you said 'you know with the 50% mortality rate increase maybe you should move.'"
"Yeah, actually I also threatened to make my mother remember the 'incident'." Xander started to laugh.
"Incident?" Asked Rolanda.
"Oh, ours parents don't know about all this stuff, vampires, demons, witches. But living on the Hellmouth they were exposed to most of it so when they get struck my some occurrence they develop a slight case of amnesia. To get them to leave, I almost had to bring a rather unpleasant incident when she and a couple other parents tried to burn me and two other girls at the stake."
"Oh." Rolanda said not knowing what else to say to that. "Like an old fashioned witch hunt?"
"Sort of. There was this Hansel and Gretel daemon, no biggy. I'm far from over it now." She turned to Dumbledore. "Thank you, again." But he was gone again. "He does that often I take it?"
"Quite."
---
Xander half asleep, it was two in the morning, he was exhausted but was to excited to be able to fall asleep. He was currently mourning the loss of television, but he'd cope. It would probably get easier as they had more to do, as they had students to teach. He felt himself finally drifting when the soft creak of his door opening brought him back.
"Xander." Willow called softly from his door.
"Hmm?" He said into his pillow.
"I can't sleep." She said moving more into the room. "I think I'm used to hearing you breathe."
Xander took a deep breath and rolled from the middle of the bed to one side. She smiled and closed the door and took the empty side of the bed. "Thank you."
"Less talk, more sleep." He muttered as she made herself more comfortable. Maybe that's what he was missing too. They both fell right to sleep.
---
The next week went on pretty well. They unpacked all there belongings and began setting up their classroom. Xander was working with some of the professors to prefect his magic, while Willow was working on her Techno-Magic project. The only trouble they were finding was they were never able to sleep well with out the other in the room. They either slept on one room or the other. Actually it became kind of a game, who would break first and come stumbling into the others room at two in the morning.
Xander, however, to Willow's surprise actually started a small fitness program. Every morning he'd get up and take a run around the school and do a small workout on the lawn. He wanted to be in shape when the students arrived and also while the weather was still good.
When he was done he started to head back to his room. He was finally getting the hang of his way around the school. As he was running up one of the staircases it started to shake. He stopped and held onto the railing, his mind telling him it was an earthquake. The staircases move, he reminded himself as he realized it was swinging around and the minute he stopped he ran up to the nearest platform. "I'm never gonna get used to that." He said as he tried to figure out another way to get up his room. He was on the fourth floor, he looked around. There was no way off this floor from this staircase now. He decided to go find another staircase; he walked down the hall trying to remember what was on this floor. It didn't take him long to realize it was the library. He decided, while he was here he might as well take a look around.
Willow came marching down the stairs. She was about to have a break through, she knew it. She just needed to find the right book on magic repellants. She had made many trips to the library and knew her way around by now. When she had first seen it she had gotten all giddy. One this trip she wasn't prepared for what she saw. Xander was sitting at one of the tables with a pile of newspapers and books.
"Xander?" She said and rushed off over too him.
"Hey, Will," he looked up.
"I didn't expect to find you in here, alone." She was excited to see what he was doing.
"I kinda got lost and decided to take a look around. I found all these past copies of the Daily Prophet. All the Hellmouth news. I thought we could use them to decorate the classroom, but there's no Xerox so I need to look up a way to make copies so I looked it up. Madam Pince was very helpful in helping me find these things." He pointed to the books.
Willow hugged him even giddier than before. "I'm so proud of you. Books." She said as she looked at the copies. She noticed he made doubles. "Oh some for Dawn."
"Yep." He handed her one of the papers. "You know they're thinking of removing Cleveland like they did Sunnydale."
"Oh, that will be such a big help." Willow said sarcastically. "Maybe Giles can go talk to them, try to convince them that it won't be a good idea."
"Yeah." He waved his wand over the sheets of clean parchments and a copy of the article and the pictures appear. "I don't even need to use my wand." He smiled.
"Cool," She went patted him on the shoulder, while you're doing that I'm gonna go find the books I need."
"So how is that going?" He called to her as she went into the stacks.
"I'm going to have a break through any minute." She called back to him.
---
Later that night
"This should be working!" Willow screech through the room.
"Maybe you just need to take a break. You're just stressed out."
"Well what do you suggest I do everything that would make me stressed out isn't here." He pulled her off the floor. "Is it weird that I have the urge to Slayer a vampire?"
"No, I miss it too. Got all our energy out." Xander smiled. "But I got an idea." He ran into his room and came back with a nerf football. "Follow me." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room.
"Where are we going to play? Outside?" Disbelief.
"No, there's a place I found." Before she knew it, they were in big room with nothing in it, surrounded by big window. Xander said a spell and the room lit up. "Don't think this room is used very often." It was big and seemed to be a vowed of anything.
"So what are we going to do? Playing catch is gonna get old real fast." She said
"Not if we don't use are hands." Xander tossed the ball up in the air and it froze. "Ready."
It wasn't long before they ended up taking the game into the rest of the school, It happened when Xander accidentally directed the ball in the hall and they decided dropping it meant losing. It was after midnight and the school was empty so as long as they stayed away from the staff rooms and didn't break anything. Actually that became part of the game. Make sure to stop the ball before it collided with anything there were a couple of close calls. They even added an extra part to the game. They needed to quote movie lines and the other while catching it; with there mind would have to say the movie. Xander might have dropped the ball twice but got all his quotes right. Willow, who never missed the ball, missed a 'Mission Impossible' quote and an "Apocalypse Now" quote, so they were even.
"She's a heartbeat away from tattooing your name to her ass." Willow called out.
"UmUm." Xander didn't know it and he was making sure he caught the ball. Willow was laughing at him.
"What is going on out here?" A voice snapped at them from behind them. They were on the ground floor and just passed the dungeon stairs.
Xander and Willow froze, like two kids who just got caught. The ball dropped to the ground. They turned around and saw Snape glaring at them, complete in his black robe but his hair look like he had just come from bed. Together they burst out in laughter. He really did remind them of Snyder, except there was one difference; he had no power of them. "Sorry, we woke you. We didn't think anyone slept down here." Willow laughed.
"Are you two drunk?" He asked with distain.
They only laughed harder. "Absolutely not!" Willow said.
"I can't, the doctor said it would kill me, adrenaline rush." He managed to say, then turned Willow, "What movie was that from?"
"'Center Stage'." Willow said and then summoned the fallen ball back to her.
"How the hell was I supposed to know that?"
"You lived in a house with 50 girls; we watched it four times that I remember." Willow threw the ball at him.
He caught it. "Like I actually-"
"Enough! I will not stand for you making a disturbance in the halls!"
Snape scolded them.
"What are you going to do give us detention?" Willow said sarcastically, and Xander burst out laughing again. He had been avoiding them at every chance and making rude comments. He even refused to help Xander with potions.
Snape glared at them, thinking of a possible punishment. "You are Professors. You should act accordingly."
"Well, we don't become Professors until September 1st." Xander offered. "But join in the game you might have fun." He through the ball up in the air and froze it. "Be gone before somebody drops a house on you too."
The ball went flying towards Snape, he simply caught it. "I will not play your games." He scoffed off taking the ball with him.
The duo was too amused to be upset, they burst out laughing again. "We really should go to bed." Willow said, "We'll get the ball back tomorrow."
---
They needed to wait until Xander was no longer on any potions before Hooch would allow him on a broom. The first day he was clear, the lessons began. They were off the ground with very little trouble. "It's usually harder for the older ones that don't have much experience with wandless magic; it's why we teach flying so young." Madam Hooch said as she rose up next to them in the air. "Tell me when you get comfortable and we'll start."
"Willow, if I die, I'm blaming this all on you." Xander said barely keeping control.
"I know, I know." Willow was doing a little better keeping the broom steady.
"Just relax, Xander," Madam Hooch assured him.
"Couldn't we start a little closer to the ground?" He asked the instructor.
"Come on, if you stop worrying about it will come naturally." Hooch was satisfied they were ready, "just follow me and everything should be fine. Just remember what I told you."
"This is sorta fun." Willow said getting a good grip on her broom.
"You know, Will, I never thought I'd see the day that you'd be driving stick, again."
---
Less than an hour later Xander was carrying Willow into the infirmary. Madam Hooch was calling for Pomfrey when Xander laid her down on one of the nearest beds. "I'm fine, Xander, I just hurt my ankle that's all. Well I fell on my ass pretty hard too but I'm fine."
"Taking no chances." He said as he held her remove her shoe. "How did you fall off anyway?"
"My cellphone beeped."
"You're still carrying it with you?"
"It's fused to my hip-" She tried to joke but Xander interrupted.
"Your phone beeped, like in had power?"
"Yep, which gives me a idea about-"
"It will have to wait, until you're done here." Said Madam Pomfrey, she patted Xander's shoulder. "Go sit down on that bed and wait for me." She pointed just over to the next bed "and eat this." She handed him a piece of chocolate.
"But I didn't get hurt." Xander did as told.
"Yes but as long as you're here I want to check on yours eye."
Xander rolled his eyes and sat back on the bed, placing the chocolate next to him. Xander looked over and saw Willow being handed a piece of chocolate as well. He wouldn't eat his piece he was on his little diet. "What is it with the candy?" He mouthed to her; he had been offered sweets almost everywhere he turned.
Willow rolled her eyes. "I'm fine really."
"Yes, yes, everyone falls from a broom and is perfectly fine." The healer mocked and did something with her wand. "And see you have a facture, I want you to stay off of it for the rest of the day. I'll get you something for it and when I'm done checking on Alexander; he can gallantly carry you back to your rooms." She went back to her office.
"Well we'll try this again some other time." Madam Hooch shook her head. She looked to Willow. "And because of you I lost a bet to Professor Kalnins." She played, then walked out of the room.
"I knew Mike would believe in me." Xander smiled, and looked over at Willow. "I can believe you're the one that fell."
"Hey, want me start telling everyone all the Xander gets knocked on his ass stories. I think that would take up all the time between now and when school starts."
Pomfrey came back and handed Willow a vial. "Be sure to drink it all down in one big gulp. I'm sure I don't have to watch you like the students." Willow shook her head and the Healer moved on to Xander. "Any dizziness?"
Willow gulped down the potion and it almost came back up. Xander laughed at her then turned to the Healer. "Nope."
"Disorientation?" She took out her wand.
"Some. A little more since I got here."
"You didn't tell me that!" Willow said annoyed from the next bed.
"It was nothing, like when I first wake up and stuff like that." He explained to her.
"Well that's normal." Said Pomfrey. "It seems to have adjusted properly. The bruising is all gone." She made him follow her wand around. "If there are any problems come and see me immediately." She stressed.
"Don't worry he will." Willow assured her, with clenched teeth.
Great, Willow was in mom mode again.
Luckily for him, Willow listened to Madam Pomfrey and stayed off her ankle and he was able to help her for once. He carried her back up to the staff hall and got her things around the room. The only time he regretted being so helpful was when he had to carry her and the computer all the way up the Astronomy Tower. She told him it was good exercise.
"Wow, I forgot there were this many stars." Xander said as looked out into the night sky. "What are we doing up here anyway?"
Willow was sitting on the floor setting up her computer, printer and the generator. "So, while we were flying power came back to my phone, and we were still on Hogwarts grounds. It gave me an idea, maybe the reason my repelling spell didn't work was because we where to close to the heart of all that power. The phones worked cause we where high up. This is the highest spot in the school, if my theory is right the spell should work here." She was almost finished. "Once I'm able to turn it on, I can figure out a way for it to run off magic. I can't believe no one has ever written a book on Muggle/Wizarding Fusion, yet."
"We'll maybe you will be the first and you can get rich." He smile then turned back to the stars.
"Ready." She said. "Help me make a circle and take out your wand." She told him and he obeyed. "Repello veneficium." She told him.
"Repello veneficium." He repeated, getting it correct. And took out his wand and copied her motions. As the words rolled off their tongues, the familiar hum of the generator started up.
"YES!" Willow screamed and pressed the on button to her computer. "Oh my Goddess, it's working!" She couldn't take her eyes off her computer.
"So I'm not your best friend anymore, I can handle that. I'm being replaced by the computer." He played with her.
"I can have to best friends." She assured him.
Xander took his phone out of his pocket and saw that it was working. "Cells are working but have no signal what so ever."
"I expected that." Willow said concentrating on her computer. "I'm just printing out a couple of copies of each syllabus and we can copy ones for the students later." He agreed and she started to print out the copies.
With lovely screeching sound of the printer, Willow and Xander sat together watching the stars. "I'm tired," Willow complained.
"You're telling me, I have to carry everything back."
"You could just levitate everything down."
"Nah, staying away from it taking over everything. I have two hands, I can still carry things, why use magic."
"Good, best thing to do. Don't want you to" she faded out nervously.
He kissed the top of her head. "You're not gonna fly off the handle again and besides that's why I'm here right? We have a deal, I'll watch out for you, you watch out for me. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
End Chapter 5.
Next Chapter: Part Two of Hogwarts. Expect some more run ins with Snape
and hmm...whatever else I throw in.