Willow and Harry sat on the Hogwarts Express waiting for their friends to arrive. Today was the day the young girl would finally go to Hogwarts and she couldn't be more excited. She and her brother were some of the first to arrive that day and had already claimed a compartment. Snuggles was coiled up in the redhead's lap and Sr. Huggs had gone to the school the day before with Hagrid. The young Wizard told Willow that the Weasleys wouldn't arrive until the last minute like always.
The plan was for the Weasleys, Hermione, Dudley, Neville and Dawn to sit in the compartment with the Potters so as no one else could. Willow kind of wanted Pansy Parkinson to sit with them as well, but figured the girl would choose her social standing over possible friendship.
The young Wicca sat back in the seat and closed her eyes. A lot had happened sense the week Pansy had stayed over. The dinner wasn't so bad as Simon Parkinson sat with Victor on one end discussing politics. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had come over and eaten with the family but hadn't stayed the night. Both the Dursley's and Mr. Lupin had decided not to eat ate the manor. Pansy tried to flirt with Harry, but the boy politely shot down her attempts by acting clueless. Nothing truly happened until Simon left.
As he was leaving, he turned to say his fair wells to his daughter. He then turned to Victor and thanked him for allowing Pansy to stay over and how he hoped his daughter could show Willow how a proper Pureblood Witch was supposed to act. The insult against Hermione and Ginny did not go unnoticed by Harry and resulted in his Shadow Wolf familiar making a showing of power. The look of horror on Simon Parkinson's face was worth the mental effort it took Willow to restrain the beast as large claw marks appeared on the ground beside Harry, along with an unearthly growl from the invisible wolf. The racist fool left in a hurry.
The week itself went by smoothly. After the finalization of the marriage contract between Ginny and Harry, and the front-page article, Pansy backed off a little. Willow could tell the Pureblood Witch was still nervous about the situation but could do nothing about it. The Daily Prophet did a nice peace about how James and Lily Potter would have loved Ginny as a daughter in law, and not one family could honestly say anything bad about the union. There was one anonymous source that commented on the fact that Ginny would now be financially secured, but they were quickly shot down by the Prophet explaining all the good and charitable works of the Weasley family.
The following day after the article Harry and Victor went to Diagon Alley to retrieve promise rings from the Potter family vault. They had chosen the same ones Lily and James had worn during their engagement. Harry's was a silver band with a doe carved in the front and Ginny's was a silver band with a stag carved in the front. After that the little Wizard began spending much more time at the Burrow to avoid Pansy.
Willow had enjoyed her time with the Pureblood girl. She knew a lot about fashion and Wizarding Pop Culture that Willow wasn't really into, but still found interesting. They even went shopping at Witch's Dream in France for shoes and boots. Daphne Greengrass had also come by a couple of times and so had the idiot three that was Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. They only came with the girls though and Willow didn't tell them that they could use magic while at the manor.
The Wicca had also spent time at Longbottom Manor. Neville had come over twice to help with gardening, once when Pansy was staying and once after she left. Willow had then gone to his house as well and helped him garden. She was still put off a little with Augusta Longbottom trying to disparately match her and her grandson. The old Longbottom Matriarch had even gone as far as asking about Harry and Ginny and if Willow herself had thought about her future.
With so little attention given to her brother's match, Willow hoped hers would also be nothing but a small article and done. It was, however, not meant to be. The day of the school shopping trip to Diagon Alley, Victor and Drusilla met with Rigel and Irma Crabbe to go over and finalize her marriage contract to Vincent. The article in the Daily Prophet hadn't been as well received as Harry's. One more thing was the fact that somehow Rita Skeeter had learned about the charm used on Harry and Willow during their birthday. The fallowing front page of the prophet looked like this.
... Article Begins...
The Bewitchment of Willow Potter.
By Rita Skeeter
Special Correspondent
'Yesterday, as she walked the magical streets of Diagon Alley London, Willow Potter was unknowingly and forcibly placed into an atrocious marriage contract with one Vincent Crabbe. The young Wizard in question is the son and heir of suspected Death Eater Rigel Crabbe. One can only wonder what Lord Victor Whitehall must be thinking and what could possibly have been promised to the Vampiress Drusilla, the legal guardian of the Potters' Magical Rites.
During the birthday celebration of the Potter Twins, both Willow and Harry Potter where seen sporting a lovely butterfly hair clip and an immaculate ruby ring. What the pore unsuspecting children didn't know, according to rumors, was that both were enchanted to make them fall in love with children their grandfather, Lord Victor Whitehall, deemed acceptable for marriage. It was possibly Harry Potter's own immense power protected him from the ring's enchantment that would have made him fall for one Pansy Parkinson, the daughter of suspected Death Eater Simon Parkinson, but poor Willow, it would seem, did succumb to the hair clip's enchantment and fall for Vincent Crabbe.
I had a chance to talk with an expert on marriage contracts about the subject. According to the expert Marcus Maple not every contract requires the consent of the couple, just for both families to agree, but for those that do, love potions and charms will not work. The moment the enchanted individual signs their name to paper it will ignite and burn to ash. When I asked Mr. Maple if there was a way around this protection, he explained there was one known possibility.
According to Mr. Maple, the only way around such protections is the Love At First Sight Charm. This Dark Magic makes one fall in false love by instigating the physical effects the body has during moments of attraction. It will literally trick the brain to unnaturally become infatuated with a certain individual.
I asked Mr. Maple his personal opinion, and he had this to say. "The Charm itself is Dark Magic and illegal for a reason. Anyone who would use this on another, much less a child, should spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban."
As of yet, however, there remains no true proof of the allegations, but one does wonder if the Potters are in danger from their own grandfather. Several families that knew and supported the Potter family in many matters from politics to the war itself, are up in arms over the rumors.
When Augusta Longbottom, mother of famed Auror Frank Longbottom and member of the Wizengamot, heard the gossip she had this to say. "I am absolutely disgusted with the way this matter has been handled. I knew Lily Potter personally threw my daughter in law and know for a fact she would never have allowed this abomination of a union. Every male in the Potter line all the way to Godric himself must be turning in their graves. Me and every family that stood with the Potters plan to fight this all the way to court if we must."
No one knows for sure how this will play out but it's possible the Potter family will walk hand in hand with the Crabbe family soon.'
... Article Ends...
That article had graced the front page of the Prophet one week ago today and her grandfather was still fighting the truthful allegations. Victor had already been dragged in front of the Wizengamot and the American Magical Child Protection Comity to testify under Veritaserum that he didn't bewitch his grandchildren. Luckily, no one asked the right questions so he was able to bend the truth. Willow believed Malfoy had bribed the English Comity to ask only certain questions. As far as the American Comity went, Leon Vance, Director of Foreign Magical Affairs, asked the questions. As Vance was the superior that Gibbs reported to, Willow suspected the old Auror had supplied the questions asked to save face.
What really disturbed Willow most was how much Rita Skeeter had known. How did she find out about the enchantment and who Harry was supposed to marry? Everyone present that night, when Willow confronted her grandfather, had sworn they hadn't told a soul and the empath believed them. The Purebloods had been quick to assure Harry and Willow that no enchantment had ever been used. They still didn't know that their plan had been found out.
As the redhead looked out the train window, she saw Dudley walking up the platform looking around nervously. She stuck her hand out the glass and waved to him so he would know where they were setting. Harry didn't look happy but said nothing sense he and his sister had already had this argument. The Wicca was trying to bridge the giant river of past pain and rejection that separated the Potters and Dursleys.
The overweight boy squeezed through the compartment door and took a set by the entrance. He looked at his cousins and said hello. Harry still refused to talk to Dudley unless he absolutely had to, so Willow started the conversation. She asked her cousin if his parents were still fighting and was happy to hear that her Uncle Vernon had accepted Dudley as a Wizard. He still wasn't happy about it though, but he loved his son enough apparently to stop fighting. If anything, this angered Harry more than ever.
"So, your dad is finally excepting magic because you're a Wizard. Isn't that lovely. The two of you discussing wand movements threw the cupboard door, or was he nice enough to lock you in your room without food and water?" Harry asked coldly.
Dudley glared at Harry and said. "Don't talk bad about my dad Potter, or I'll hurt you."
Harry only smirked at Dudley before saying. "In the Wizarding World your size means nothing without the magic to back it up. Your little social club isn't here either, but mine is. Do you want to know what it's like being the one bullied and beaten up Dudley?"
"Enough, both of you. I get he made your life hell Harry but get over it. We need to stick together because there are worse things than bullies in this world, or have you forgotten Sirius Black?" Willow said.
That had been one of the more worrisome things both children had learned. Sirius Black, Harry's godfather who betrayed their parents to Voldemort, had escaped Azkaban weeks ago and the Ministry covered it up for as long as possible. They finally decided to release the information to the public after the investigation completely ran into a dead end. The American Aurors would be stationed in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts until the escaped convict was neutralized.
Both boys looked at Willow, then each other, sighed and shook hands. The Wicca just smiled and sat back in her set to wait for everyone else. She looked down at her left hand where her own promise ring sat on her finger. It was a silver snake with small diamond eyes that rapped around the appendage and bit its own tail. As the Crabbe family had a tradition of burying their dead with their jewelry, the rings were new. Vincent had one just like it.
It wasn't much longer before Hermione, Neville, and Dawn also arrived. Dawn was excited to be going to Hogwarts, and also getting away from her overbearing mother. Ever sense Joyce Summers had learned about magic, demons, and what her daughters had been doing behind her back, she had not let either out of her sight unless she had to. Ron and Ginny didn't show until the last minute. Ginny brought her friend Luna Lovegood with her making eight in the compartment.
Everyone waved goodbye to Molly Weasley, the only family member still on the platform, as they left the station. Willow sat back and tried to relax but kept felling uneasy. Looking down at her hand she realized that her uneasiness was coming from the connection her ring had to Vincent's. He was angry she was setting with other people and the ring was trying to guilt her into going to him. It was a powerful enchantment based on moods to allow the groom to mentally dominate the bride. Willow just found it annoying.
Dawn looked at Willow's promise ring and asked laughing? "So, how does it fill to be engaged to a rich heir and future Lord?"
Harry looked at Dawn angrily and said. "It's not funny. That little troll thinks Willow is nothing more than property that he now owns. How would you like to be promised to some murderer?"
Everyone in the compartment waited for Dawn's response. No one was expecting her to laugh in Harry's face. "What's your deal Harry?" She asked. "Do you really think so little of your sister to believe that she couldn't handle a little troll groom. I assure you the one in danger is Vincent Crabbe."
"According to Willow, Crabbe and his father murdered someone the night before they came to are birthday party. My sister danced with a murderer and then got engaged to him." Harry said getting madder.
"You do realize that the three vampires we know, one that is in fact your Magical Guardian, have murdered far more people than any one Death Eater, right?" The California Muggleborn asked.
"That's not really fair Dawn. Angel, Spike, and Drusilla didn't have their souls. It was more the demons that make them Vampires killed people, then the souls took their bodies back over and stopped the demons. The souls themselves are innocent of any crime committed by the demons." Willow said knowledgeably. Everyone else looked at them both like they were nuts.
Ron looked at Dawn shocked. "Hold on. Are you saying Willow being engaged to Crabbe is no big deal? That it is Ok for her to marry him."
Dawn looked confused for a moment, until she realized that it sounded like she had defended Crabbe to the group. "No, I wasn't. What I meant was that we know people worse than Vincent Crabbe so Willow being engaged to him is no big deal, because she can handle him if need be. She, however, will never walk down the aisle because that fool will do something to break the contract. He'll probably just expect Willow to do what she's told, sense that is how he was raised to understand girls." Dawn clarified.
Everyone had thoughtful faces until Luna broke the silence. "Well anyway, congratulations Ginny and Harry. I hope you have a wonderful life together. Do you plan on having kids soon, or are you going to wait?"
Ginny turned bright red and Harry began to sputter as he tried to answer. Hermione, Dawn, and Willow began laughing and Ron got angry. "What kind of question is that. The whole engagement is..."
Ron stopped talking as Willow hit him in the arm with her elbow. He quickly grabbed his bicep and yelped. "What did you do that for?" He asked shocked.
Willow didn't answer as she simply stared at the idiot. She gave Luna, Neville, and Dudley pointed looks and Ron got the message. Only the families and certain friends were to truly know that the engagement between Harry and Ginny was fake. Hermione and Dawn knew because they were close friend but no one else. The Purebloods probably suspected but had no honest way to confirm it.
Just then there was a knock on the door. Hermione opened it because she was closest and found the trolley lady. "Did you want anything from the trolley dears?" She asked.
Harry and Willow bought a little bit of everything to share with everyone. The trip began to go by quicker when Willow felt an alarming amount of anger from her promise ring. Soon after the door opened, without warning, to Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe. They looked around cautiously.
Seeing as no one was going to say anything, Willow spoke up. "Hey guys, what you doing?"
Draco looked at Willow. "We were wondering if you would like to finish the train ride with us in are compartment? Daphne and Pansy are there as well."
Harry looked at the Slytherins and said coldly. "I think my sister is fine where she is setting."
Dawn, Hermione, and Ginny just shook their heads as Willow said with a false sweet voice. "I think your sister can speak for herself, Harry." She turned to Malfoy and said nicely. "Not right now Draco as I did promise my brother I'd ride to Hogwarts with him. Will just see which house I'm in and go from there, Ok."
Vincent didn't like Willow's response and said in a less than friendly tone. "It would be best if you sat with us."
Dawn looked at the boy curiously. She never met someone so young that wished to die. "Trust me, I think she's happy right where she is."
The Slytherin three turned their eyes on Dawn curiously. Draco made the connection as to who she was. He had a superior look on his face as he asked. "You must be Summers, Willow's friend from America?"
"That's right." Dawn said. She didn't like his attitude.
"So what house are you hoping for? Gryffindor or perhaps Hufflepuff." Draco said still in his superior tone.
"Well, I'm not sure really. I'm brave enough for Gryffindor, smart enough for Ravenclaw, loyal enough for Hufflepuff, and cunning enough for Slytherin, so it's anyone's guess. Maybe I'll just be with my best friend Willow in whatever house she goes to." Dawn said dismissively.
The group of friends watched Malfoy's eyes narrow a bit. He didn't miss what the Muggleborn Witch was implying. 'A Mudblood in Slytherin, this American Witch is touched in the head.' Malfoy thought.
"Look guys, I'll walk back to your compartment and say hello to Pansy and Daphne, but then I'm coming back. Ok?" Willow said in compromise.
The young girl got up to leave and her brother stood as well. Willow looked at Harry with her patience growing thin. "I'll be fine Harry, stay with your friends." Harry, being able to fill Willow's anger, sat back down.
As Willow walked down the hall with the morons, she began to calm down, Harry did have every right to worry as he was her brother. She just wished he would stop fearing that he would loss her. At the Slytherin compartment, just three compartments down from where the Gryffindors sat, she met her other friends. The Slytherin girls where already wearing the Hogwarts' Uniforms, just like the boys, and seemed very animated and happy to see Willow. The redhead figured most of their conversation had been about her and why she wasn't clinging to Vincent's side.
After she talked with the Slytherins for a couple of minutes, manly about students and teachers to watch out for, Willow got up to leave. Crabbe was getting irritated as he was still trying to have a conversation with the witch and didn't want her to leave. She didn't really care about his funny stories involving some of the students at Hogwarts misfortunes, nor did she seem to care about Quidditch. Trying to talk with her was frustrating as they had nothing in common at all. He wanted the redhead to fawn over him like Pansy would Draco, but the girl didn't care about his family or money.
The Pureblood bigot tried to stand in hopes of convincing Willow to stay. The redhead placed her hand on his shoulder and said. "I'll more than likely see you after the sorting Vincent. Good day." The fact Willow held him down with more strength than he possessed convinced Crabbe to keep his mouth shut.
As Willow walked back towards the compartment Harry was in, the train came to a sudden stop. Willow was knocked of balance and had to catch herself on the wall. She looked around until the lights went out. Then suddenly, an unnatural chill filled the air.
Felling out with her powers, the Wicca knew something not human, but also not demon, was coming on the train. Before she could think of a course of action, she heard a familiar laugh in her head.
Suddenly, she was back in the living room of her old home in Sunnydale looking at the dead bodies of her adopted parents. Those responsible laughing as they stood over them. Then she was staring at their broken and mutilated bodies as the house around her burned. Soon after she was hunting demon after demon in the cemeteries of Sunnydale, stilling the powers and life force of Rack the dark magic broker, attacking her friends, and trying to end the world.
It was as the horrible memory of her darkest day began playing again, that Willow realized she wasn't alone in the hallway. Hovering in front of her was a creature in long black hooded robes, with dead looking hands that appeared to have been submerged in water for a long time. It seemed to be sucking in air with a raspy sound. The girl didn't know what the creature was, but it had to go before something bad happened.
Willow felt all the darkness in her gather as she unleashed an unearthly scream that shattered the monster into a million pieces. She heard glass shatter and doors open as she passed out.