Blood Ties
Part 14
Rating, summary and such are same as before.

Note 1: Thank you Joahn for beta-reading the story!
Note 2: Thanks for all the reviews (thanks Teresa!). I'm sorry it took a bit longer for this chapter. Joahn had sent me the 'beta-ed' version a week ago but I only got time to post it now. SORRY!
Note 3: Welcome back IsiwaruOfCkaloatia! I was so worried that the story had bored u to death (cos frankly, sometimes even I found myself boring, not to mention my stories...). I can tell u now that the story is getting more and more AU, as for that little evil rodent... let's just say I've a little something in store for him... hehe...

...

Harry sat at the huge desk in the Gryffindor common room, a paper lying right in front of him. He held up his quill, prepared to write something, but stopped before the tip reached the paper. Sighing, he put down his quill, his elbows pressing against the desk and his head on his palms, looking out at the window.

"Harry!" The dark haired boy jumped at the voice and quickly picked up couple of books and put them on top of the paper, covering the two words he had written since this morning. "We've been looking all over for-" Buffy smiled dropped a bit when she saw the balls of papers all over the place. "Wow. Paper-fight?" The blond asked. "I think snow-fight is more fun."

Harry blushed and quickly changed the subject. "What's up?"

Buffy raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. "Ron and Xander and I are heading for Hagrid's. Coming?"

"S-sure." Harry stood, trying to act as casual as he could while picking up the pile of books on the table. "Let me just clean these up first."

"Nah." Buffy said, pulling Harry's arm. "Leave it. We can come back and grab them later." She then let go of Harry and narrowed her eyes. "Unless there's something you don't want people to see..."

"No! Nothing!" Harry answered just a little bit too quickly. "I mean, ah..."

"Well, if there's nothing to see..." Buffy smirked, quickly bent down and picked up a paper ball from the floor. Harry's eyes widened and quickly rushed forward, grabbing it before Buffy could read the paper. "Ah-uh! I knew it! You're hiding something from me!"

"Nothing! Really!" Harry blushed.

"Then..." Buffy grabbed another ball of paper before Harry could react and rushed towards the exit. "You won't mind me showing this to Ron and Xand, will you?"

"No! No Buffy!" Harry shouted. "Don't!"

Buffy stopped at the door and spun around, grinning. "Then tell me!"

"I... ah..."

"I'm waiting..." Buffy crossed her arms, tapping her foot.

"I was writing a letter..."

"Yeah...?"

"To Willow." The dark haired boy sighed. "I didn't catch her on the train back to London."

Buffy frowned in confusion. "But she is coming back soon enough..." She paused, the frown slowly disappeared and replaced by a smirk. "You have a crush! On Willow! Harry Potter has a crush on Will-"

"SHHH!" Harry looked around in horror. "Someone may hear!"

"Oh c'mon. It's no big deal!" Buffy paused. "Okay, so she's a Slytherin. This may cause some problems but..." The young witch then smiled and hit Harry in his chest with her elbow playfully. "So, have you two...?" She made some kissing sounds, and Harry's eyes immediately widened.

"Of course not! I mean, we did hold hands..." Harry blushed deeper.

"Wow! Go Harry!"

"But I think it's more like a comfort thing. I reckon she didn't even remember..."

"Well, did you ask her?" Harry shook his head. "Had she said anything that might hint something..." The black haired boy shook his head again. "Um," Buffy thought for a moment. "It's kinda hard to know unless you ask her..."

"But what if she doesn't feel the same way?" Harry asked.

"I get that. It'll pretty awkward..." Buffy frowned harder. "What are you going to do?"

Harry sighed. "I don't know."

"May be I can-"

"Don't!" Harry shouted. "Don't do anything, please..." He pleaded.

Buffy stared at her friend for a second. "Okay. But at least talk to Hermione? Between us she spent the most time with Willow. May be she can go and see if Willow's interested."

Harry sighed again. "We'll see."

...

Willow set down the empty glass on the table before continued reading the books she had found in the room that Zuerst had settled her in - the room that once belonged to her mother. "Thanks." She said as Zuerst appeared with a new jug of soda and poured some into her glass. "Zuerst?" She put down her book and looked up at the house-elf.

"Yes, Miss Willow?"

"Why is your name 'first'?" Willow frowned. "'Zuerst' means 'first' in German, right? Not that it can't be a good name but..."

Zuerst nodded. "My lines have been serving the Rosenberg family for generations. Each of us is called depending on state we hold in the household."

"So you're called Zuerst because you are the head of the house-elves?"

"Yes Miss Willow."

"But what about your name? Your real name? You can't be born to be the Zuerst, right? Like the old Zuerst retired and you got his position?"

"This is my real name now, Miss Willow. We forgo our old names once our positions in the household changed." Zuerst said. "But yes. There's an old Zuerst. He died 40 years ago."

"Oh. Okay." Willow sketched her head a little. "So, um, you worked for my mother?"

"Yes Miss Willow. Since my birth."

"What... what was she like? I mean, when she was younger?"

"House-elf should not judge one he serves, Miss Willow." He said seriously.

"Oh." Willow's face dropped a bit. "Sorry."

"Miss Willow does not have to give apology to her servant."

"Still..." Willow took a deep breath. "And thank you. For everything." She smiled at the house-elf. "Taking care of the house, taking care of me..." Paused. "Taking care of my family. Thank you."

"This is what I born for, Miss Willow." Zuerst said. "If there's nothing else."

"Yeah." Willow nodded. "Thank you. Again."

The house-elf nodded and made his way out of the room. But before he left, he stopped and turned towards Willow. "Miss Willow?"

"Um?" Willow looked up from her book once again.

"To pick a rose you cannot avoid the thorns." He said. "That's why roses are red. It is all about the blood." He bowed and left the room, leaving Willow there, confused.

...

Christmas finally arrived, and Harry joined Buffy, Hermione, Ron and Xander in the Great Hall for the noon feast. He smiled when he saw Xander driving into the food once he reached the table.

"You eat like a pig, Xand." Buffy commented, making a face at her friend.

"Oh why thank you, milady." Xander smiled, shoving a muffin into his mouth. "Comparing me to such intelligent animal."

"Intelligent?" Harry blinked.

"Think about it: all pigs do is sit there, opening their mouths and wait for someone to shove food into them. They don't even have to get up and find food, you know, just eat and sleep."

"That's lazy, not smart." Hermione frowned.

"For you, may be." Ron rumbled, and immediately earned a smack from Buffy.

"Let's compare them to cows. Cows have to stand all day just to be milked. They live in the ranch where there's no cover, not to mention being ridden on by cowboys. Then, at the end? They get eaten like pigs." Xander shook his head. "Tragedy."

"How can you say that?" Hermione cried.

"I bet they made their legs shorter so that wouldn't have to do anything!"

"Pigs made their legs shorter on purpose?" Hermione blinked. "Are you crazy or something?"

Buffy thought for a moment, before turning towards Hermione. "Hate to say this but... Xander got a point there."

"See! Buffy support me!" Xander grinned.

"On the side note: I also support the argument that you're crazy."

Xander pouted, and the others laughed. Suddenly, Xander's eyes widened. "Wow! Deja vu! Third year in a row!" Everyone looked up, and found a school owl flying into the Great Hall with a huge parcel in claws. The gang watched as it flew above them and let lose the parcel into Harry's hands.

"Open it! Open it!" Ron stood and started jumping up and down, feeling excited.

Harry smiled at his friend's childish reaction and ripped away the wrapping paper. "I don't believe it!" His eyes widened when he saw his dream broom in front of him.

"Firebolt!" Xander shouted. "Who sent it to you?"

Buffy looked around, trying to see if there was a card or something, but couldn't find any. "There's no card." She frowned.

"Blimey, who'd spend that much on you?" Ron asked, drooling over the broom.

"Who cares?" Xander rolled his eyes. "C'mon. Let's try it-"

"No." Hermione said suddenly. Ron and Xander immediately glared at her. "I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Who'd send Harry something as expensive as that, and not even tell him they'd sent it?" Hermione reasoned. "It probably costs more that all the Slytherins' brooms put together. You would think someone would at least leave a card or something."

"You're crazy." Ron shook his head at Hermione before turning towards Harry. "Let's go check it out after the feast."

"But-"

"I think you are overreacting a bit, 'Mione." Harry smiled at Hermione. "Once you've seen me ride the broom you'll know there's nothing you need to worry about."

Hermione frowned. "I'll be right back." She then stood up and quickly ran away.

"She's crazy." Ron shook his head, before turning back towards Harry. "Don't listen to her, Harry."

"Let's finish out food so we can go and have a test." Xander said, and the three boys immediately drove into their meals, earning a frown from Buffy.

After several minutes, Hermione came back with Professor McGonagall. "Harry."

"Professor."

"I have heard you've received a new broom." Ron and Xander immediately looked at each other, before turning towards Hermione, glaring at her.

"Y-yes professor." Harry swallowed. "Why professor?"

"It will need to be checked for jinxes." Professor McGonagall said. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I dare say Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick can strip it down-"

"Strip it down!" Ron repeated, staring at the professor as if she was mad.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks." Professor McGonagall smiled apology at Harry when she saw the horror on his face. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."

"But there's nothing wrong with it!" Harry protested, his voice shaking slightly. "Honestly Professor-"

"You can't know that, Potter, not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with." The professor picked up the new broom. "I shall keep you informed."

The gang watched quietly as the professor left the Great Hall, carrying the Firebolt with her. After she left, Ron turned towards Hermione angrily. "What did you go running to McGonagall for!"

"You should have left it alone, 'Mione." Xander shook his head at his friend. He turned towards Harry, and found him standing there, glaring at Hermione.

Hermione looked towards Buffy, and found the same disappointment on Buffy's face. "I'm just trying to... I thought..." She said defensively. "And Professor McGonagall agrees with me... that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

...