Blood Ties
Part 7
Rating, summary and such are same as before.
Note 1: Thanks Joahn for beta reading the story:)
Note 2: (May 23) Sorry IsiwaruOfCkaloatia about the whole 'guidance/guardian' thing. My brain just doesn't work like 99 of the time... forgive me:puppy eyes:
Harry froze at the front of the class, his eyes staring at the boggart-Dementor, watching it moving closer and closer.
Without second thought, Professor Lupin rushed forward and positioned himself between Harry and the boggart-Dementor. And as quickly as it appeared, the boggart changed again, this time as a bright moon in the night sky. "Riddikulus." The professor called lazily, and the moon quickly turned into a balloon and started shooting around the classroom like a loose rocket.
"Duck!" Buffy screamed as the balloon shot towards her and Hermione. The two Gryffindor ducked, and it crashed into the wall nearby and then dropped in front of Willow, who was standing behind them. As soon as the boggart-balloon touched the floor, it changed again. To everyone's confusion, it changed itself into another Willow Slytherin.
Willow stumbled back as she watched herself standing there with a smirk on her face. Slowly, the reddish hair of the boggart-Willow turned black, as were her eyes. Hermione quickly pulled the petrified student back as boggart-Willow took a step forward, ugly red energy dancing around her black orbs.
The blond and the redhead stumbled backward onto the ground, staring at the boggart-Willow. The shaking redhead drew out her wand and waved at the boggart, hard. "R-riddikulus." She whispered. But instead of changing shapes, boggart-Willow exploded, leaving nothing but a burn mark on the floor.
Every one, even the professor, froze in their spots as they stared at the redhead. The laugher that had once filled the room vanished, leaving only the sound of hard breathing from the young Slytherin in the air.
"Poor Willow." Hermione commented as she matched down the corridor with her friends after the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "She is shaken up so badly."
"I would rather say: poor boggart." Xander said from behind. "I mean, last year she killed a Cornish Pixie, this year a boggart, and the term's just started. Who knows what she gonna kill next?"
"I thought that was the point of having DADA class." Buffy frowned.
"Defense, Buffy. The key word is defense. Not blow whatever is in front of us the hell up."
"Xander. Don't swear." Hermione warned. "Though I really want to know how she did that."
"Who is that girl by the way?" Buffy frowned. "Her twin or something?"
"I don't know. But whoever it is, it scared her, a lot." Hermione turned towards Harry. "What do you think?"
Harry shrugged.
"Who cares?" Ron snorted, throwing up his hands. "I just hope Professor Lupin will let us practice the spell again next time."
"He would... wouldn't he?" Xander frowned. "I mean, half of the class didn't get a turn with the boggart..."
"I hope so. I want to have a turn with the boggart too." Hermione sighed.
"Right. And what would it have been for you?" Ron said sarcastically. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten- ouch!" The redhead boy immediately sent a glance at Buffy and rubbed his stomach where the blonde had just elbowed him.
"Serves you right." Buffy stuck her tongue at Ron. The others laughed, and continued their way back towards the Gryffindor Common Room.
"P-professor Lupin?"
The Defense Against the Dark Art professor turned around and found Willow standing in front of him nervously. "Yes, Ms Slytherin?"
"I'm really sorry about the boggart. I don't mean to... ah..."
"Kill it?"
Willow looked down at the floor, ashamed.
The professor studied Willow for a moment. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, Ms Slytherin. But I had to admit, it was rather... surprising. May I ask what spell you were using?"
"The Riddikulus spell you taught. I don't know what went wrong but... it wasn't supposed to do that... was it?"
Professor Lupin put down the book he was holding and leaned against the desk behind him. "Is that what you were thinking when you did the spell?" He asked carefully.
Willow thought for a moment. "I don't know. I wasn't really thinking... you know? I didn't even think she would appear."
"Oh?"
"I mean, I was excepting the boggart to turn into a frog, with all the icky skin and big eyes and big mouth that can swallow you whole..." Professor Lupin raised an eyebrow, amused. "I've got a frog fear." She said weakly.
"I see."
"I-I really don't know what had happened. One minute I was ducking the balloon and next minute..." Willow tailed off. "But I really didn't mean to kill it! I swear!"
"Ms Slytherin, one of the purposes of Defense Against the Dark Arts class is to learn how to defend ourselves against those Dark Creatures. What you did was... surprising, but I couldn't say it wasn't effective." He paused. "Though we may have to discuss the matter with the headmaster, to figure out how it happened?"
Willow nodded. "I-I am not in trouble, am I?"
Professor Lupin smiled. "Of course not." Willow sighed. "May I ask... who is she?"
"I... ah..."
Professor Lupin cocked his head a bit. "Secret?" Willow bitted her lips. "It is fine if you don't feel comfortable telling me. Everyone should get to keep their own secret, as long as it doesn't hurt other people, right?" He smiled a bit. "Why don't you go back to your dormitory? It is almost dinner time." Willow nodded, and left the room quietly.
The professor went back behind his desk and sat down, his eyes staring at the door Willow had just left, frowning.
Willow was walking back towards her dormitory when she saw Draco standing in front of the Slytherin Common Room portrait hole, staring at her. The two had not talked to each other since the night at the corridor outside the hospital wing. "Hey."
"Willow." Draco nodded. The two stood there and stared at each other, an awkward silence between them. Several seconds later, Willow sighed and stepped forward, fully excepting her classmate to let her pass - but he didn't. "Sorry."
The redhead Slytherin blinked at Draco's word, before slowly turning towards him, staring at him like he had grown a second head. "Huh?"
"I said, I'm sorry."
Willow's mouth hanged open, but no words came out. "What- what the- huh?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Do you have to make me repeat that again?"
"No. I just... You're apologizing... I never..." Willow frowned in confused. "I mean, you didn't..." She shook her head. "I just don't understand."
"I didn't mean to say those things to you." Draco said quietly, but only to receive a blank expression from the redhead. "That night? When we were arguing in the corridor after we left the hospital wing?"
"Oh." Willow blinked for a second before smiling. "Okay."
"I still don't get it why you were all cozy with the mudblood-"
"Draco." Willow sighed again, closing her eyes, rubbing her nose bridge. "They are my friends. I know you don't like them but... You know what? Why don't we just not talk about it anymore? You're the first one I knew from the wizarding world... well, except your dad, or my mum, or Dobbie when your dad went looking for me in the Sunnydale-" She paused and shook herself out from her babble. "The point is, you're the first wizard friend I have and I don't want anything to come between us... especially something that stupid."
Draco nodded in agreement. "No more discussion about mudblood and mudblood lovers."
Willow rolled her eyes. "C'mon." The redhead took Draco's hand and pulled him into the Common Room, missing the pink color that had appeared on the young Malfoy's face when their hands connected.
"Who is he?" Buffy asked Hermione as they stood outside the castle with other students waiting for their first school visit to Hogsmeade, the only entirely wizarding village in Britain. Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration professor and Argus Filch, the caretaker had already arrived and started gathering the permission sheets from the students.
"Who?"
"That man." Hermione followed Buffy's line of sight and found an unfamiliar black man standing behind Willow who was chatting with Draco excitingly. He was bald and tall, with a single gold hoop earring on his left ear.
"Don't know. Haven't seen him before." Hermione shrugged. "Where are Ron, Xander and Harry?"
"May be Xander overslept again." Buffy rolled her eyes when she saw three figures rushing towards them. "Finally."
"Sorry." Xander quickly handed his permission sheet to Filch and walked towards Buffy and Hermione. "Overslept."
Buffy smirked and turned towards Hermione. "Told you."
"Now remember." Professor McGonagall said to the students. "These visits to Hogsmeade are privilege. Should you not behave yourselves, these privileges shall not be extended again."
Harry moved in front of the professor with a permission form in hand. "No permission form signed, no visiting the village." Professor McGonagall said before Harry could even get a word out. "That's the rule."
Filch smirked at the look on Harry's face before started walking towards the gate with a pile of permission forms in hand. "All those with permission please follow me." He said. "Those without, stay put."
Harry looked at the group of students leaving and immediately turned towards the head of the Gryffindor House. "No professor. I was hoping you could sign it-"
"No I can't!" Professor McGonagall snapped. "Only a parent or guardian can sign. Since I'm neither it would be inappropriate." Seeing the disappointed look on Harry's face, the professor softened. "I'm sorry Potter. That's my final word." She sighed, and went to join Filch and other students.
Buffy, Xander, Hermione and Ron stood there, watching the display quietly. "We can stay with you if you want?" Buffy asked.
Harry shook his head. "No. You guys go. I'll see you later." He answered, before turning around and disappeared into the castle.
"We better go." Xander said, before following the groups of students towards the gate with Ron and Hermione. Buffy stared at where Harry had just disappeared for a moment, before following her friends towards Hogsmeade.