And We're Off (9/?)
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: First off everybody thank Heiress for betaing! Thanks, again! Okay notes: Well it is surprising hard to write Willow babbling but it was fun. Hmm... Can't think of much else to say, keep getting distracted shiny things on TV so i'm gonna post. Enjoy.
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Chapter 9: Half of a Whole
Willow shooed the students from asking questions before class began. They were all asking about what happened at dinner the night before. She was able to calm all of them, even Hermione, by promising that she would address it all in class. She looked out at her 6th year Slytherin and Gryffindor class and wished (No she wasn't supposed to use that word) she had worked out what she was supposed to say last night. Well there was no time for that now, she needed to start class.
"Good morning, everyone. As I had promised everybody asking, we will spend at least part of this class talking about what happened at dinner last night. As you can see Professor Harris isn't here. He has gone away for the weekend. Which now I will try to explain." She stopped and took a deep breath. "So the demon last was called a Vengeance Demon. If you have your books with you please turn to page 596, I want to update some information. So Vengeance demons or Justice Demons as they liked to be called now are the minions of the Demon D'Hoffryn who rules over the dimension of Arashmaharr. Most of his demons were human and made into demons by him, they go around seeking vengeance or 'justice' for the scorned. They harness the power of the wish which is controlled by the power source, the amulet they wear around their necks. That's why Professor Harris removed the necklace before attacking." That was good, simple and she did not babble.
Of course there was a question. She knew that there would be, everyone in the Great Hall could hear what Valkyrie had shouted. "Why did she come here?"
"She came here hoping someone would make a wish against Professor Harris."
"Why?" asked Pansy.
"That's a longer story. I guess it all started back when we were in High School and he he was dating this girl, Cordelia." Willow walked over to the posted pictures and pointed out the brunette. "She was a really popular girl and when she started dating Xander it was looked at as a step down, so when he kissed m-someone else she wished vengeance on him. Well long story short the demon that came to help her, Anyanka, patron demon of women scorned was caught and lost her power source. She was trapped in the body of the 17-year-old persona she taken on." She walked over to another picture and pointed her out. "Well a few months later she was looking for a Prom date, Prom is this big party for seniors, she asked Xander to take her. Him being dateless said okay." She saw the shock expressions and stopped her babbling.
"He dated a demon?" Parvati exclaimed.
"She was an ex-demon. And after prom when they started dating, she helped us fight on the Hellmouth. The Demon thing was not a big deal for us. For two years my friend the slayer You kids all know about Angelus from history class? Well he got cursed with a soul about a hundred years back, started fighting for good and dating my friend. Of course it didn't work out because of the happiness clause in the curse and the whole vampire/vampire slayer thing. He went evil a couple of times because of it. Thanks to me and a little gypsy magic he's safely contained again." She gave a smile.
"You actually know Angelus?" Lavender said in awe, "Is he as attractive as the drawings of him?"
"Well, I never really" She walked over to the pictures on the wall. There was a group picture from the 'Spring Fling' dance, she took it off the wall and pointed him out to her. "Look for yourself." The giggled as they looked at the picture. "He and his group of demon hunters work out of LA. All the nonsense that happened last year was all their problem to deal with. Now they run an evil law firm they're trying to reform." She had one of her peppy smiles. She paused trying to think about what to say next.
"You were talking about Professor Harris and the demon." Hermione kindly prompted.
"Oh, right, I'm way off track. If any of you were wondering why Xander and I teach together- Harris and I," she quickly corrected, "this is it. Anya and he were together for a few years. There was nothing really demony about her except for one incident involving jealousy and a troll that I shouldn't really go into now. Anyway just before the Slayer died, the second time, they got engaged and less than a year later he left her at the altar. Before you past judgment, he was confronted by something that wanted revenge on Anya from her demon days and he showed Xander the worst possible future for them. Anyway before he realized how much of idiot he was, D'Hoffryn gave Anya her old job back. Well she didn't have a taste for it anymore and after a really bad wish wanted to get it taken back. She offered to give up her life but D'Hoffryn is not the leader of the vengeance world for nothing, he took the life of her best vengeance demon friend, Halfrek instead. Anya was made human again." Willow stopped talking and looked up with a pained expression. She went over to her copy of the text book. "For Anyanka, on page 559, where it says 'death: n/a" please change to 'May 20th 2003, fighting on the side of good during Battle of the Hellmouth'." Willow took the quill from next to her and changed the information inside her own book as well. She stopped and looked at the words she wrote down in her book. She couldn't think about that more, she didn't not want to start tearing up in the middle of class.
A question from a student helped break her thoughts. "So why did that demon-whatever her name was-" started Ron.
"Valkyrie." Hermione corrected.
"Val- blamed the Professor. It wasn't his fault?"
"Insane demon logic." Was all Willow could think to say.
"Why did you all date demons?" Ask Millicent sounding snobby.
"It just happens when you live on the Hellmouth. The Slayer falls for vampires and her little sister dated one once. Harris is kind of demon magnet. There was a She-mantis, an Inca mummy girl, almost got bled into the Hellmouth by his Valentines date this year." She laughed. "Even Cordelia ended up turning half demon, and gave birth to the thing that almost ate L.A. Hmm" She couldn't help but think there was something she was missing about her trip to L.A., like there was a gap in her memory. She quickly brushed it off. "Well he's not the only one, I dated a werewolf for a few years. Oz, he's a musician." The class gawked at her again. "Did I say something wrong?"
"A Werewolf?" said Dean in disbelief.
"Is there something wrong with that?" Almost sarcastically.
"He was a werewolf?" Crabbe asked again skeptically.
"You kids do know about werewolves, don't you?"
"Yes we do." Harry spoke up. "Professor Lupin, are DADA teacher 3rd year, was one."
"Then what's the big?"
"They are very much discriminated against." Said Hermione and she couldn't help but look over at her Slytherin classmates as she added, "Once his status was discovered he was forced to leave.
"That's horrible!" Willow was outrage. "Werewolves are normal people the majority of the month. I've noticed way too much discrimination in the Wizarding world."
"Then you must know about the treatment of the house elves, then" Hermione said excitedly hoping that Willow would help her with S.P.E.W.
Willow cut her off as the rest of the students sighed. "You know we should meet after class and discuss this further." Hermione nodded and agreed. "Well let's get back onto our schedule lesson, shall we." She went to check her notes. "Alright, any question about your paper?"
After class most students filed out, all but three. Hermione wanted to make a time to tell Willow about SPEW, she assumed Malfoy was hanging around to find something out about his detention from now on, and Neville had fallen asleep at his desk. Willow would wake him before her next class came in.
"Longbottom is such a baby. Can even stay awake in class. Probably forgot he was supposed to stay awake" Malfoy laughed. He thought no one else could hear him.
Willow dropped her conversation with Hermione when she heard the comment. "That's enough Draco. Just for that you're getting a make-up detention this weekend. Please leave my classroom." With respect for everyone well in her mind, her temper was much easier to reach. Draco sighed in annoyance and left.
"I heard Neville was waiting by the courtyard since 6 this morning." Afford Hermione as they both looked at the sleeping Neville.
"Why was he waiting there?"
"He said something about meeting Professor Harris."
Willow's eyes widened. "Oh, shit." She sighed, upset with herself. "Hermione, why don't you get going, we'll talk more tomorrow." Hermione said goodbye and left, leaving Willow to go wake Neville.
"Neville," she gently shook his arm.
"What?" he popped up. "Oh I feel asleep?" he looked around.
"Class is over." She said as kindly as possible.
"Oh." He was very embarrassed and started putting his books together.
"You still have about time to get to your next class." She sat down at the desk next to him. "I wanted to apologize, actually. I'm told you got up early and waited for Xander. I was supposed to take care of that, it's my fault."
"No, Ma'am, I didn't tell him I was going." Trying to take the blame that he was used too.
Willow gave him a big smile. "He should be back Monday morning, but I'm not sure, so if one of us doesn't tell you he'll be there, don't get up so early. I sure won't. I personally think he's crazy."
"Thank you." He said, surprised by how nice his new teachers really were. He got up and headed to the door, Willow got up and handed him a book he had left on the desk. He walked out just as her next class was coming in.
"Bye, Neville. Good morning, Professor Rosenberg." Said Ginny as she entered the classroom. She went to her desk and Luna followed after her. The rest of the 5th year Gryffindor/Ravenclaws filed in.
"Good morning." Willow went back to her desk in the front of the room.
"Is it true Professor Harris dated a demon and you dated a werewolf?"
Willow let herself a laugh. She knew that when she babbled to her first period, everyone would know everything she said by the end of the day. She did not, however expect everyone to know by the next class, she looked out at her eager class. She had a lot of explaining to do, again.
---
Willow sat and listened to Hermione's spiel about SPEW over tea in her
office Saturday afternoon. When Hermione finished speaking, Willow put
down her cup, "I agree with you completely. Forced servitude, no
rights, slavery in any form is wrong. But" she paused trying
to make what she wanted to say next come out well. "They don't seem
to want to be saved. You can't force someone to do something they don't
believe is true. It like drug addicts, they never do anything about it
they realize they have a problem, no matter if they have an intervention
or not."
"Well what do you suggest?" Hermione was very grateful to have
an adult conversation about this.
"Education. If they are educated they will learn about freedom and rights and my want to seek them out on there own."
"That's a good idea. I could educate the elves. I look for some books in the library."
"So have you chosen a subject for you paper yet?"
"Yes." She took a sip of her tea. "I was planning on doing research on mythical spells and charms associated with the dark arts.. There are so many that are rumored to be that are just folk legend and I'm going to determine why they are believe to be real."
"Interesting, such as?"
"Resurrection spells. There are so many get none of them are true and never work."
Willow looked surprised. "Who said that?"
"It was in our book from last year."
"That's not true."
"We'll they have brought people back," She continued, "But none have brought back the soul or have had major side effects. They all had to be killed."
"That's not true." Willow tried to choose her next words carefully, so not to scare her. "Very powerful witches and wizards are able to bring back the dead in full living order. I know, very well a successful resurrection. The Slayer friend of mine, that's how she came back the second time. She was a success, but of course there was psychological trauma."
"Oh well then maybe I should try a different subject. Most of my paper was based around that." She shrugged. "Any suggestions?"
---
Willow was feeling the effects of time without Xander. She didn't realize how lonely this place got without him. All the teachers where overly nice to her now and the students were always eager to talk to one of their new favorite teachers but there was no one she could just be herself with. She wondered how Xander was doing on his own. Was he sitting in his hotel wondering what she was doing, probably not but thinking it made her happy.
She was back in her office again, waiting on Draco for his detention. She couldn't figure out why he was so mean to everyone. She decided that his detention with her will to help her clean the office, which Xander had almost refused to do. It got surprisingly messy since they arrived, they're rooms maybe automatically cleaned but not the office. There papers where everywhere and out of order and now they had grades and papers to keep track of, they were always in a hurry or to tired to do anything. She might as well be productive as she gave Draco a lesson in 'Muggle Appreciation'. He would have to help without using any magic.
"If this wasn't my detention, would you still be doing this the muggle way?" Draco asked as dusted up one of the shelves.
"Yes." She answered, sorting papers at her desk. "I can't use magic for everything, makes you dependant and rather lazy. Though I really wish you kids could use computers, it would clear up all this paper clutter."
"Computer?"
"Um a machine to type papers and play games on. Also research, if you have the internet but you probably don't know anything about that. You might want to learn more about the Muggle world more before you judge." She went on, the office was looking better already.
Draco stopped what he was doing and turned to his teacher. "Why do you care so much?"
"About?"
"Me."
She put down what she was doing. "Well you're my student."
"But I insulted you in front of the whole class on the first day of classes."
Willow chuckled. "We'll we didn't think you where hopeless, just needed to learn respect and tolerance. Plus he really needed a running partner, he won't stop bugging me." Draco laughed. "You were almost in the clear too, after you handled the demon thing I was thinking of ending your detention then I heard you make fun of Neville."
"So if I just kept my mouth shut"
"Yep." She smiled. "You'd be free now." She smiled wide. "Get back to work." She laughed.
He sighed. "You're not like any teacher I ever had."
"Is that good or bad? Don't worry be honest, no detention will result as long as you're not intentionally hurtful."
"I don't know." He said honestly.
"See, still hope for you. Don't forget to organize the bookshelf." She reminded him.
"Can I ask you some questions?" She noticed he had been growing closer to her since the demon incident.
"Shoot."
"Why did you're eyes turn black the other night? The only time I heard of that happened was wizards that used dark magic."
Willow bit her lip. "I've done things I'm not proud of, did things I didn't know were wrong. But I actually just did it to scare her."
"Well that seemed to work."
"Yes it did." The conversation fell silent but Willow wanted it to continue. "So you're Wizarding World...Wizard, what's that like?"
---
Willow left the library, books in hand, to study in her own room. She was systemically trying to read anything that struck her fancy. It was Sunday night and she was beginning to wonder if Xander was coming back. The other teachers were concerned for her, they seemed to take Xander's leaving as some sort of break up. If this weekend proved anything is that they were not completely dependant on each other. However she really wanted to tell her friend and co-teacher about her progress with Draco.
As she was walking through the staff hall she heard a noise coming from the storage closet near the stairs. "Hello?" she called as she got closer to it. There was no response but there was still noise and movement within. She slowly and cautiously opened the closet door. "Oh my goddess!" She jumped back, frozen in fear.
It was herself: black haired, black eyed, all veiny coming out of the closet to her. She couldn't move, couldn't process what was happening, she could only stare into her own cold dark eyes that seemed to peer deep inside her.
"Willow!" She heard being called to, just before getting pushed to the ground and out of the way.
Xander had seen Willow open the closet door and the figure that came from it. When he saw the two Willows standing, he could see the dark version of his friend was not what it appeared to be, all he could think of was to get his Willow away. Now that she was no longer in the way, the figure that was once her was now Caleb. Now Xander was frozen in place, he could not see past the façade as he had before.
Willow, on the floor, regained her composure. "Boggart!" she said aloud and removed her wand. "Riddikulus!" She called out and the imposing figure of Caleb in black was now an absurd image of Caleb in a pink fur thong. Willow got up and pushed it back into the closet.
"Boggart?" Xander asked through heavy breaths.
"Yeah, turns into what you fear." She began to relax.
"Well I'll tell you now: Caleb is not longer my number one fear, Caleb in a thong is now my worst fear."
Willow laugh and wrapped her arms around him. "You're back!"
"Yep, I guess you missed me." He returned the hug.
She pushed back. "Like you didn't."
"Yeah, I guessed I missed my best bud, but I got news and a present."
"Really, what?" she was excited.
"You'll have to wait until we get home."
Willow sat down on the sofa, eyes closed as she waited for Xander to get her present from his room. She swore she heard a little whine coming from his room. "Keep 'em closed." He said sitting down next to her. "Hold out your arms."
She excitedly did as told. She was almost jumping with anticipation. Then he did it, he put a small, soft, hairy living creature into her arms.
"Open 'em."
She looked down and the cute little beagle puppy he had placed in her arms. "Oh, Xander, it's adorable." She cuddled the puppy, then hugged him again.
"Glad you like her. I got her for us."
"Oh, she's so cute." The puppy, that was small enough to fit in just her hands, started to sniff and lick her hand. "Where did you get her?"
"Diagon Alley."
"But they didn't have puppies."
"Well that's why I went back and talked to the manager. He told me that he would have a litter soon and he'd put one on hold for us."
"Cool." She was completely involved with playing with the puppy.
"He also gave me some training spells we can use once we chose a name. Like it will know to follow us around and come when we call it. There is also one for housebreaking." He played with the puppy's ear. "I was thinking we could name her Porthos."
"We are not naming our puppy after the dog from Star Trek!" she stood firm.
"Why not? He's a beagle too."
"We just aren't."
"Fine." He conceded quickly. "What's your idea?"
"Well we named the owl: Charlie Brown. I know of another famous beagle." They looked at each other and smiled. "Snoopy." They said together.
"Alright but I think we might be breaking some copyright laws."
"Who cares?" The puppy crawled out of Willow's arms and nuzzled her way between Willow and Xander on the couch.
"So what did you do this weekend?"
"Spent most of it eating, think I gained like fifteen pounds and spent the rest of it on the phone."
"Oh yeah? You had news, right?"
"Yeah, some stuff you're not gonna believe."
"Really?"
"Yep." He took a deep breath. "So I called my mom-"
"Yep, I don't believe it." She joked.
"Don't interrupt." Annoyed.
"Sorry."
"Anyway. Your mom says hi, by the way."
"My mom?"
"Yeah, she had the number for my parents, I didn'twhatever, doesn't matter. So I called her, told her I was in England and she brings up this cousin of hers from here."
"Really?"
"Yeah, she met her only once but they used to be pen-pals. She was my grandmother's sister's daughter, Alice. Alice Poole."
"Wait. I know that name." Trying to think.
"Yeah, she was a student here." He nodded.
She remembered the picture in the hall of students. "Oh, what did your mom say?"
"She didn't know anything about the magical school but she said that her dad used to call her mom's side of the family freaks and she wasn't allowed to see them."
"Isn't that the same thing your crazy grandpa said about his own son?" Willow tried to recall all she knew about Xander's family.
He nodded. "So, once I got off the phone with her I called up my uncle, Hector. You know my cousin Rigby's dad."
"Yeah I remember."
"Well the minute I said Hogwarts he goes completely nuts." Willow looks at him blankly. "Well he knows all about the school because well he and his whole family are a bunch of Wizards."
"What?"
"You heard me." Xander was stuck in a tone of shock and continuing incredulity. "That's the reason my grandparents divorced. He completely freaked when he found out Grams was a witch. He ran to the Hellmouth because he knew she wouldn't follow him. Uncle Hector said my mom was a squib, that's why she stayed with Grandpa and he stayed with Grams because he was a wizard."
"Wow, but that explains the weird divorce split."
"Yeah. It gets better."
"Really?"
"Uh huh. He starts getting all excited when he finds out I'm a wizard too, tells me all about our family history and stuff and all this stuff about someone that we know." He paused.
"Are you trying to make me die of suspense?"
"No just building it. Well my cousin Alice married a man named Frank Longbottom"
"Neville?" her mouth hung open. She couldn't believe that one of their students was Xander's cousin.
"Yep. My uncle told me all about him and what happened to Alice and Frank. They're permanent residents at St. Mungos."
"Okay, this is just plain scary." Realizing that they had meet his second cousin his first night in England.
"Yeah, again, I know. Oh wait, he sent me something." Xander quickly ran back to his room. Willow picked Snoopy up and put her on her lap again. Xander came out with a big scroll, he gave Willow one corner to help him roll it out. It was a family tree.
"Wow, this is awesome." There were different color-codes to show if they were magical, alive and dead and even their location. Xander had been marked as magical and at 'Work'. "Wait wouldn't you're uncle have known you were a wizard?"
"No he said while we were living on the Hellmouth the tree couldn't even get a read on if we were alive or dead. He feels bad he didn't check up on me more."
"Damn. Wow, your Uncle seems really nice now. I always remembering you saying he was rich and mean."
"Well his father called him a freak when he was ten and never spoke to him again." He defended. "Mom and uncle Hector did speak again until after Grandpa died."
"Probably didn't want his sister to find out the truth and reject him too."
"It's weird because he's like welcoming me into the family. He even invited me to stay with them for Christmas."
Willow laughed and then stopped. "Wow, Neville. In some ways he reminds me of you. Are you going to tell Neville?"
"I guess. I'm just not sure how to."
"Oh you also have to apologize to him on Friday. I forgot he might join you in the morning and he was waiting for a few hours for you."
He smacked his own head. "Oh, shit. I completely forgot when I left!"
"Maybe you should go talk to him now, Snoopy thinks so too. " Willow said gently moving the puppy to make it look like she was nodding.
"You know your becoming the crazy dog woman."
"As well it should be."
---
Willow was taking Xander to Gryffindor Tower and telling him about her day of teaching alone. "You babbled too much and told everyone way to much about our personal lives and it spread through the school like amnesia through Sunnydale?"
"Yep." She was still holding the puppy.
"Well it could be worse," He reached over and grabbed the beagle, "someone could steal my dog."
"It's our dog." Trying to get it back.
"Yes and you haven't let her go since you got here My turn."
Willow let him carry her until they arrived at the portrait of the fat-lady. "I'm going to go down to Slytherin dungeon to tell Draco he's got detention in the morning." She took the dog and walked down the hall, she was almost at the stairs when she realized he was standing outside the door. She quickly ran back and said the password for him.
"Thanks."
"No problem, it changed this morning. Good luck, I'll see you later."
Xander went through the open portal. He had never been in the Gryffindor tower before, he wasn't sure what to expect. "Professor Harris!" one of the students in the common room shouted out.
He looked around for the speaker, Ginny Weasley. "Hey, Ginny." She was at sitting at the table nearest him with her brother and Hermione. Because of her shout everyone was looking at him. "How was your weekend?" he asked trying to ignore it.
"Good, thank you."
He gave her a smile and looked around the room. "Do you know where Neville is?"
"Yeah, he's up in his dorm."
"Professor!" Xander turned immediately into a flash bulb, Denis snapped a picture of him.
"Ah!" Xander rubbed his eyes.
"Sorry." Denis cringed.
"It's alright." He said readjusting to the light. "Do me a favor and go get Neville."
"Alright." Denis said practically running up the stairs.
"Why did he do that?" he asked the table of students.
"He wanted to take a picture of the famous demon dater, I'd guess."
"What?"
"Oh, I'm so sorry." She apologized, realizing how cold she just sounded. "I just mean we know all about the demons you dated, not in anyway trying to be caviler about your late fiancé." She winced.
"Oh." Realizing. "Well that's Will, can't stop babbling for an instant. She told all you about the demons?"
She nodded as did Ron and Hermione.
"Don't worry about it you didn't say anything. Did she tell her about herself and the Werewolf?" They nodded. "Good. How about the demon computer?" trying to get even.
Before they could respond Neville had come down into the common room. Xander suggested the go for a walk.
---
Neville was confused. He wasn't sure why his Professor , after apologizing profusely, was showing him his own family tree. They were sitting in the library. It was late enough that it was empty. "Um"
"So, here is you." Xander pointed out, not knowing any other way to do this then this. "And this," he moved his finger, "is me."
Neville looked at the path Xander had traced. "Oh." It looked at it like it might disappear if he turned away. "Cousin."
"Yeah, just found out."
"How?"
"I called my mother when I was in town. She told me about a cousin she used to write too." He quickly retold his cell-phone journey. "So my Uncle sent me this right away. "
"You mother is Jessica Clarkson?"
"Yep. Well, Harris now. You know the name?"
"My mother has the letters in box she keeps with her-"
"I know all about your parents if that helps."
He nodded, "She keeps them with her at the hospital." The teenager zoned out for a moment "I'm sorry this is all just-"
"Unexpected, weird, freaky?"
"Yes." He finally turned away from the parchment. "What does this mean, Professor?"
"No too much, except when were not in a school setting like this one you can call me Xander. You have someone to come and talk to not as a teacher but as a family member. And that's an American family member not a repressed British one. And also get a Christmas present and probably a Chanukah gift from Will, err Ms Rosenberg. If you didn't guess Willow's Jewish and well we're family, so she'll think of you as family too. I mean I gave her the puppy like an hour ago and she's already treating like her own child."
"Puppy."
"I brought us a pet."
"Oh."
"That's not important now." Xander said, he checked his watch. "Well we better get you back to your dorm before curfew. Will I see you tomorrow morning?"
"Last time I got up, I was too tired later."
"Well we really are family, I fell asleep in class, well pretty much everyday."
-End Chapter 9-
Next Time (hopefully): Who doesn't love a beagle puppy? Will Draco's detention ever end? What does Grandma Longbottom have to say about are dear sweet Xander?