The Pact of a Slytherin

Larger Summary: He was tired of living his life for his father, and when the opportunity became available he formed new loyalties. Now he must battle his seventh year and his father, but if that wasn't hard enough he must now battle his dreams. He must battle his future. She was tired of feeling like a void after the destruction she caused. Her punishment was to attend proper training in the most prestigious wizarding school known. Yet the dark power that coursed through her veins continued to resurface; beckoning her to join them. What happens when these two worlds collide? And what happens when the Slayer has no control over the outcome? In one world everything has depended on the Slayer, and in the other everything has always depended on the boy-who-lived. What happens when the future of the world resides in two people who are trying to redeem their ties to dark power? A story of friends, foes and fiascos.
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The Pact Of A Slytherin

Part 1: Lie to Me

By: Lady Mione

Chapter 1~ It Was Formed

May 23, The end of 6th year.

His father always lectured about the importance of loyalties. When he was a child he learned to honor, respect, and trust the words of fellow Slytherin comrades. Under the Malfoy roof, loyalties were always taken seriously. His father had also preached about the will of a Slytherin. From the beginning he was taught to cheat, lie and hate to all those who weren't associated with the Dark Lord. In the Malfoy house the will of a Slytherin was of utmost importance. Throughout his entire childhood, he was taught nothing of love or friendship; those words were foreign to his ears. He had learned at a young age that his father never loved his mother; he only used her to bear the son that he needed. His heir. There was no love between them; he was only the key to gaining the power Lucius wished to receive from the Dark Lord.

As a child he grew up cold, miserable and distraught. There were no fond childhood memories to dwell on. As for friendships, well, the only friend he had ever known was his mother. Crabbe and Goyle were brainless wastes of space that he only befriended because of their size. It wasn't exactly his choice that he was rather scrawny in his youth. Then of course there was Pansy, the one girl whom his father wanted him to marry. For the love of Merlin he was only eleven years old when his father informed him of their arranged marriage. It took him four years before he finally convinced his father to drop the wedding or the 'merger' as he called it.

He often felt like there was a void inside of him; something he couldn't quite place, but he knew was there. It had caused him to become distant from everyone; it had engulfed his trust, his love, his being. The void owned him to a certain degree.

He tried to fill that void many times, replacing it with cruelty and bitterness, but that only seemed to make things worse. The colder he was, the more his father clung to the fact that one day Draco himself would be a Death Eater. To Draco, the Malfoy Manor was never really home and his father was nothing but a selfish bastard.

Draco shook his head and glanced at the three faces across from him. He had never known what it felt like to possess true friendship, and to be honest, sometimes he wasn't sure if this was it either. To his right sat Blaise Zabini, a rather tall, bulky, brown headed ball of cunning capabilities. Yet despite his rather intimidating appearance Blaise was actually quite quiet. He took in his surroundings, studied people to such an intensity that sometimes Draco himself felt Blaise looking through him. To the group, he was known as the observer, but to Draco alone he was his best friend.

Across from him sat Lawrence Malevony, a transfer student from Germany. When Lawrence had first crossed his path, Draco took one look at his bleached blonde head and practically laughed in his face. He was an average height, probably around six foot even, and every feature that creased his face screamed weakness. Draco wasted no time in picking on him; even if he was in Slytherin. After all it was easier to pick on the weak to make yourself look superior. Then something happened one day during Christmas break. Lawrence approached Draco and stuck out his hand in a gesture of peace. At first Draco thought he was pulling some kind of joke, but after a few moments of staring Draco grasped Lawrence's hand. Lawrence was surprisingly quite strong, he shook Draco's hand with a fierce certainty, almost as if he was proving to Draco that there was no weakness inside of him. To the group he was known as the protector.

A quick glance to his left brought him to Armina Germaine, the only female with enough spunk and wit to actually win over the boys' hearts. Draco met Armina in his second year. She was a first year, and quite out going to say mildly. He had brushed her off many times, her attitude causing him to hex her once; by accident of course. Armina was an only child, very tiny, only 5 foot 1 to be exact. Her hair was long and dark, casting shadows across her face, but it was her eyes that captivated most people. Unlike so many, you could not read Armina's eyes, it was as if she had stopped feeling any sort of emotion. Draco had questioned her about it one day, wondering why her eyes seemed so lost inside of herself. She went silent for the first time and lifted the back of her shirt exposing her bare back. Her skin was covered in scars and bruises and in the very few words she spoke he found out that Armina's father beat her. Draco insisted that she let him help her but she was determined to get by in her own. She began meeting with the boys regularly , discussing different ways her father would beat her and the different ways she would retaliate. To the group she was known as the courage.

Their bond became solid as the term drifted on, each contributing forms of advice and comfort for one another. It was a feeling that sometimes made Draco feel uneasy. Yet he enjoyed the time they spent together, the topics often consisting on ways to avoid initiation to the Death Eaters. It wasn't until Lawrence had mentioned something about loyalty did Draco think of it. It came to him quickly, at first seeming a bit outlandish, but eventually sounding promising. They would form new loyalties. Commit themselves to each other and not to the their families. For they had each learned the same lessons from their parents; Loyalties are not to be broken.

Draco could see the look of concern on their faces, and he didn't blame them. What they were about to do was something he never dreamed of doing. Lawrence took a deep breath and grabbed the dagger from the floor. The silver blade glimmered in the candle light, causing Draco to smirk slightly. Closing his eyes Lawrence pierced his skin with the blade, the palm of his hand now bleeding rapidly. Draco took it next and in one swift motion he too pricked his palm. Passing the dagger to Armina he watched his own blood spill over his hand and to the floor. The crimson droplets pooling to the floor with slow drips. Armina squealed a bit as she cut herself, and then finally she tossed it to Blaise. He pierced himself quickly and now the four sat in silence staring at the blood that quickly filled the floor. Draco was the first to move his hand towards the center of the circle and doing this the others followed. Placing their palms together their blood swirled as one.

" So shall it be said. We stand as one; together we bind our blood creating a pact that if broken would break the Slytherin law. We rise together as the four and if one shall fall we all fall. So is the loyalty of a Slytherin." Armina whispered and slowly they retracted their hands from each other.

" Well it's done, " Lawrence stated. " So to you my brothers and sister, I drink. " He placed his palm to his mouth and began sucking the blood from his wound.

" You're disgusting. " Armina cringed and arose from the floor. " I'm heading back to the common room, are you coming?" She looked down at the boys who by now had taken the liberty to suck their own blood. " Ugh " She opened the door and rushed out.

"Mia, wait !" Blaise pushed himself up from the ground and headed for the door. Draco felt his lips curve into another smirk. Although Blaise denied it twenty four hours a day, both Draco and Lawrence knew he loved Mia. Draco blew out the candle that was on the front table, and looked back at the spot where his new family was born.

" You are no longer my loyalty father, nor is Voldemort. My loyalties lie in them and now nothing can change my future. " He looked at his wound and smiled. That night the Pact of the Slytherin's was formed.

September 1st - 7th year

In his dreams Draco always found himself running. He never actually saw what he was running from, but he would run just the same. All he ever wanted to do in his dreams was run. He didn't want to face whatever was chasing him; he never wanted to know. Resolution seemed so far from his grasp, and for some reason it made him feel safer. For if he didn't know, then he wasn't expected to do anything about it.

This time he was running through a forest. It was dark and cold and his feet crunched heavily on the frosted ground. He was deep within the forest. He could sense the presence of many creatures and he prayed that he wouldn't have to face any. The further he ran the darker it became. He stumbled only once, his foot catching a large root in the side of the path. Pausing abruptly, he checked his leg for any injuries, and then turned to run again, but stopped at the sight before him.

The forest had split completely into two paths. The path to his right emitted a deep red light in the far distance and the path to his left well, the path to his left caused him to blink twice. Standing in the middle of the path was a girl. He couldn't recall who she was, or if he had ever encountered her before, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She stood there silently, her image slightly wavering.

Draco narrowed his eyes, for he rarely had dreams involving other people. She reached out to him, and he felt the need to run to her, and so he ran. The faster he ran, the further away she seemed to be, the harder he tried to reach her, the more frantic he became, and then she was gone vanishing into the night. The path was now empty and dark.

Brushing past some low tree limbs, he saw a clearing up ahead. It struck him as odd because not once had his dreams ever resolved themselves. He ran harder now and soon pushed past the last few branches. Completely baffled by the situations he was facing he emerged from the forest and sighed. He stopped and stared at Hogwarts. The giant castle looked ghostly in the dark. No candles lit the windows, no music or yelling children, it looked deserted. A flicker of light caught his attention. Hagrid's hut was lit and smoke curled out of the chimney. Tossing aside his pride, he jogged over to the hut and gently knocked on the door.

" Hello? Hagrid? " There was silence, " Are you there? " More silence, then he heard a soft movement inside. " I'm coming in Hagrid." He pushed the door open and stuck his head inside.

A rather handsome looking man sat smug in the oversized chair. He was poised and calm and his silvery blonde hair fell softly on his face. His complexion was of ivory and there was a malicious smile planted on his face, and his eyes, they were so familiar.

" Who are you?" The words hissed from his mouth.

" I've wondered when you would finally get here Draco. " He rose from the chair. " Please come inside."

He proceeded with caution, he never liked strangers and something about this one irked him. The way he moved, the way he spoke, and the way his mouth twitched at the corners. It all seemed so familiar.

" Tell me, did you find me easily? I tried to pick a spot I figured you would dream about."

" Do you know who I am? I'm Draco Malfoy. You should cower under that name. I do not appreciate these games! Now explain yourself."

" Ah, Draco. I remember those days. It seems only yesterday that I was there, believing exactly what you do, but let me be honest, things don't always turn out the way you wish them to. " The man curled his lips even more, a spark developing in his eyes; an electricity that frightened Draco more then he would like to admit.

" I don't understand. "

" Draco, I have been sent here from the future. I'm here to inform you of your second chance. The future, your future in particular, holds a key to something that could have been stopped. The first time you didn't prevent it from occurring, instead you made poor choices, ones that had terrible consequences . I can not explain everything to you, for then the future would change entirely, but let me assure you that things can change, there are ways to avoid it from happening. You need to challenge each choice as if it may be your last."

" So, you're telling me my future? " Draco swallowed hard, the palms of his hands becoming sweaty.

" Yes and no...you see Draco many men would die for a second chance in life. They pray and pray for another chance, but their will is too weak to grant it. However your will is powerful, so powerful that the Powers That Be could not deny you of that second chance. The choice will eventually be yours when you come to face it. It is entirely yours and yours alone, and you may choose to follow the path that you have already failed or perhaps this time, you may choose right. Remember Draco where your loyalties lie..."

" But how will I know what I have chosen and what I have not?...You're being too vague..." his voice was frantic. He needed to know what to avoid and what to embrace. If there had ever been a time where he felt completely helpless, now would definitely be one of them.

" Remember your loyalties..."

" Draco... Sweetheart, you must get up, you begin your 7th year today. " Narcissa Malfoy gently nudged her son with her index finger, " Draco, please get up. " She shook him lightly and a soft moan escaped his mouth.

" Morning mother, " he grunted and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

" Aren't you excited Draco? This is your final year! " Narcissa beamed and kissed his forehead, " Now what would you like for breakfast? "

This was his favorite part about the first day of term. His mother always prepared a giant breakfast before he left. Last year he had consumed four eggs, two sunny side up, one scrambled and one hard boiled, twelve bacon strips, a bowl of oatmeal, three butterbeers, a ginger tea and mound of pancakes. It was by far the best breakfast he had ever eaten. Placing his finger to his head he thought about what he would like this year; after all it was a very important decision.

" All right I have decided, this year I would like... "His father opened his door with a loud bang and cut him off.

" There is no time for breakfast this year Draco. I want you to dress and then join me in my study. " Lucius walked briskly into the room; his body hovering over Draco's bed as though he were stalking his prey.

" But Lucius, the boy needs to eat, you can't expect him to leave on an emp... "

" This is not your concern Narcissa, please do what you do best and remain quiet. " His voice was curt and full of disgust.

Narcissa quickly dropped her head and bit her lip. The terror in her eyes was evident and Draco felt his anger brew deep inside of him. The way his father treated his mother was repulsive. There was absolutely no love between them and sometimes he wondered just how he managed to con her into marriage.

" I'll be with you momentarily father, " he muttered, walking towards his bathroom. He gave his mother a reassuring look and closed the door firmly behind him.

His bathroom was about the size of a small bedroom, complete with standing shower, swimming pool and a variety of plants. He loved his pool the best, basically because of the beautiful statue that sat on the edge. It was a tall slender figure of a woman and each time he swam by her she would wink devilishly. The first time he undressed before her he felt his face grow warm with embarrassment; after all he was only nine when she was installed.

Yet now being sixteen he felt no embarrassment and wasted no time in stripping off his clothes. In fact he was quite impressed with his naked body, and he was sure that many girls would be as well. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo he dove into the pool and resurfaced with a grin. If only his father hadn't spoiled his morning, he would have been in a better mood. Squirting a few drops of the sudsy liquid into his palm, he glanced at the scar that graced its surface. It brought back the memories of his friends. His friends, the word was still quite new to him. He couldn't recall at time where he was excited about seeing his friends, but now he was, and the first thing they would do was discuss the bizarre dream he had.

He closed his eyes and imagined the man who sat in Hagrid's chair. Was it wrong if he believed the dream was actually a message, or was he only a fool to think such things? Why had he given Draco a second chance when he didn't even know what he did wrong yet? There were questions burrowing deep into his skin, each one providing him with no answer.

He rubbed his forehead, trying to replay the dream slowly in his head. He could picture the trees, the dense dark that filled the forest, and the path that he had tried to run down. The girl. Who was the girl in the path, and why was he trying to reach her? Was she part of his future? Perhaps she knew something that he needed to find. Shrugging lightly, his thoughts turned back to the man in Hagrid's hut. The way he moved his hands as he spoke, the malicious glimmer in his eyes. Why did he look so bloody familiar? Then it dawned on him; the man in the dream wasn't a stranger at all, and in fact he knew the man quite well. It all made perfect sense. The reason the man seemed so familiar was because he had met him before.

" My God, that was me. " He leaned against the pool wall. " That was the future me..."

" Draco! " his mother pounded on the door, " You better hurry before your father gets angry. "

His mother's voice woke him from the daze he had fallen into and quickly he plunged under water to rinse his hair. Swimming over to the ladder, he winked at the statue who wore a huge grin. He dried himself quickly and picked out his clothes, black pants and a black sweater. He hated wearing Muggle clothes but he looked damn good in them. Slicking back his hair he took one more glance into his oval mirror. He was better looking as the days went by, but the look on his face could have killed a manticore. Reluctantly, he opened up his bathroom door and headed to his father's study.

The left wing of the Manor was always dark and cold; exactly like his father. As a child he never walked in the left wing alone for fear of his father. Now as he passed the many paintings of his ancestors, he felt nauseous. He knew why his father had called him to the study, he had been dreading this moment since his first year at Hogwarts. Today was the day his father would inform him of his Death Eater initiation, and he still had not devised a plan on how to tell him he didn't want it. His father had been waiting for this moment since Draco was born, and for him to completely obliterate his fathers dream would surely earn him a severe beating. Swallowing the lump in his throat he leaned against the outside of his father's study and listened. He wanted to be sure that he was alone. He wasn't in the mood for surprise visits from other Death Eaters. Knocking on the door with a firm fist, he heard his father's call to enter. Pushing in the large oak door he cursed under his breath. Peter Pettigrew sat smugly in the chair next to his father.

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The sun rose high over Sunnydale. It kissed the grounds with pure light, forcing the creatures of the night back to their nests. At least until the sun set again. The morning dew sparkled on the grass, giving off such a radiant beauty it was almost impossible to imagine that everything had almost been destroyed. Rupert Giles leaned back in his chair, his cup of tea resting on his knee. Had it been only a day ago where he thought the sun would never rise again? It seemed dreamlike when he thought about it, but the pain in his right arm reassured him that it did occur. It played over in his mind, the darkness the he had seen in Willow, frightening him to say the very least. .

Now this new situation. He had known one day the call would come, but he now regretted the reason. He had pleaded with the Ministry, tried countless times to explain the pain in which Willow endured. It was to no avail, they were set in their decision. Despite the fact she was avenging the life of her lover, Willow was a murderer, and her punishment was a sentence to Azkaban. The thought of Willow in Azkaban shot chills down his spine.

Bringing the small cup of tea to his lips, he felt his features ease a bit. He was glad that he kept in touch with Albus after all these years, for it was his idea that had saved Willow's life. Albus had advised the Ministry that Willow would be attending Hogwarts at the start of the new term. At first the Ministry downed the idea, insisting that Willow's actions clearly classified her as a murderer; not to mention the utter commotion she had caused the Misuse of Magic Dept. Yet Albus was persistent, and in less then twenty minutes he had convinced them to let Willow redeem herself by learning the correct way to perform magic. A way to conjure it through inner strength and control, and not emotion and erratic behavior.

Giles scratched his chin, a small yawn escaping his lips. The only trouble now was telling Willow she would be leaving for London in roughly six hours. He had devised a simple yet cunning plan just in case she put up a struggle; he was prepared to bribe her. There was a rustle of noise from upstairs and Giles tensed slightly. Footsteps clattered down the steps and he smiled as Dawn pushed into the kitchen.

"Good Morning Dawn, I trust you had a good night's rest."

She forced a smile to her face and shrugged. " Yeah I guess..." Her passive attitude surprised even herself, but she couldn't tell Giles the way she really felt. The way the horrific images haunted her at night. Instead she grabbed the cereal box from the counter and poured herself a small bowl.

"Is Willow awake yet?" He peered over his glasses taking note at how incredibly tired she looked.

Before Dawn could answer, Willow pushed into the kitchen. Her eyes seemed to sink low with misery as she glanced warily around the kitchen. Her eyes made contact with Giles for a brief moment, but she turned her head before he had a chance to say anything. The feeling inside of her was uneasy, after all it had only been a mere day ago she had almost destroyed the world.

"Morning Willow." Dawn tried to sound cheerful as she spooned some cereal into her mouth.

Willow flicked her gaze to Dawn, her voice strained lightly as she searched for a pleasant reply.

"Hey..." was all she managed to get out of her mouth.

Giles hesitated, she was so strong, but yet she was so fragile. He was certain that Hogwarts would help her, but a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach irked him.

"Willow..." He stammered his words, " Willow I'm afraid I have some good news, and then some slightly bad news. "

"Giles I ... " She cut herself off, trying to make excuses for her actions, becoming tired some. She knew the Counsel would eventually come after her, she had been expecting Giles to advise her of this for awhile now.

"Tell me the good news first, lord knows I could use some good news right about now. " She dropped into the chair next Dawn.

Giles ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes fixing on Dawn. Subtly he motioned for her to step out of the room. Dawn arched her eyebrow.

"Something in your eye Giles? " She nonchalantly took another spoonful of cereal. Giles shook his head and again motioned towards the door with his eyes. Dawn look at Willow and scrunched her face in confusion. " He's been making weird faces like that for the last day or so. " She chuckled and spooned some more cereal into her mouth.

Giles pounded his hand on the table causing both girls to jump in their seats. " Dawn, leave please. "

Dawn stood from her chair with a frustrated sigh. "Well geez, someone is a bit grouchy this morning. If you really wanted me to leave you just had to ask, but no, you had to do the whole weird eye thing and make me look like an idiot. " She placed one hand on her hip and the bowl in her free hand. " Just because I'm 16 doesn't mean you need to treat me like the average teenager. I don't always have to know the juicy information. " She rolled her eyes.

"Dawn, please not now. " Giles held his hand to his forehead and tried to remain calm. He motioned her to the door one last time before turning back to Willow.

"Willow, for quite some time I've regretted my mistake in not informing you about the other world that is magic. It's hard to explain really, but there is so much that you hardly even know. I... "

There was a clang behind him and he peered over his shoulder. Dawn froze in her place, her cereal spoon hanging slightly from her mouth. She looked between the two of them, her face turning a light shade of red.

"Right, um, sorry...I'll be leaving now. " Turning quickly on her heel she left the room.

" Now where was I...ah yes..."

Willow adjusted herself in the chair and sighed. " Not to be a stick in the mud Giles, but could you get to the point. I know this is about my punishment so please just cut to it. "

Giles shifted his gaze to the window, the sun creating shadows on the tall lamp posts outside. Five hours until she would have to leave.

"Its not really a punishment Willow, more of a redemption. You will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn the correct practice of magic. There you will learn about inner strength and control. I believe you will find the study quite fascinating. "

Willow blinked hard, her eyebrows furrowed into a very puzzled expression.

"I just tried to end the world and your sending me to a school to learn more about magic? That doesn't sound very logical...It's like hiring a recovering alcoholic at a brewery...just not the smartest idea. " She shook her head and ran her hand over her eyes.

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice Willow. Either you attend school at Hogwarts this term or you serve a life sentence in the Wizard prison of Azkaban. " He struggled with these last few words, knowing she was clueless about the serious nature of Azkaban.

"Well perhaps I deserve a life sentence. Giles I took someone's life and no magic, no matter how powerful, can change that. I'm not Willow, I don't deserve another chance. I'm nothing but a murderer. " She felt the corners of her eyes fill with tears. She didn't want to learn the correct ways or try to redeem herself. All she wanted to do was to die.

"Willow you don't understand. There are creatures in the Wizarding world you know nothing about. Demons that we have never faced...and these 'things' that reside in Azkaban, these Dementors, they feed off of you. It's as though they suck the energy right out of your soul and leave you with nothing. Willow, please, you will be attending Hogwarts this term."

"Now that sounds like a proper punishment, its what I deserve. " Rising from her chair she wandered over towards the window. " Its no use trying to persuade me Giles, I know that I have to pay for my actions. If this is how it must be done then so be it."

With one quick abrupt movement, Giles crossed the room towards Willow, his hand reaching out and grasping her by the elbow. He turned her to face him, rarely did he like to act fatherly. but as he searched Willow's vacant eyes his heart reached out to her.

"People make mistakes Willow. Not just scorned lovers or disturbed people but everyone...we all take actions we sometimes regret. Sometimes out actions speak louder then what we thought we are capable of. I recall when Jennie passed. Sometimes we do things we cant explain, things that we cant change...but the future is our own and if you choose to let guilt beat you, then I'm sorry to say that, yes, you are a murderer, but if you try to heal...try to redeem your ways, then the world can begin to grant forgiveness and you can eventually forgive yourself. " He waited with baited breath for her answer.

She lowered her eyes to the floor, ashamed of her actions, basically ashamed of herself all together. She stuck her index fingers in the belt loops of her jeans, a sigh escaping her lips.

"When do we leave?"

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" What the hell is he doing here?" Draco scowled and entered the room. Out of all his father's friends it had to be Peter. He never understood how such a slimy idiot became the right hand man of the Dark Lord. It made him wonder just exactly the type of wizard the Dark Lord might be, an idiot.

"Please don't begin with your antics Draco, I have little time to play silly games."

Peter shot Draco a satisfied smirk as if to egg him on further. Draco just brushed him off and sat in the large black leather chair across from his father. He was not going to begin another argument with Pettigrew, especially in front of his father.

Lucius sat back in his chair, his fingers curling around the skinny glass set in front of him. He brought it to his lips, drinking in the sweet taste of the Ginger Rum. Placing the glass back down on his desk he brought his eyes level with Draco's, a fierce strength burning within them.

"Now Draco, as you know your seventeenth birthday will be occurring this year. I am quite pleased to announce that the Dark Lord himself has begun to take interest in you. He seems quite satisfied with your capabilities and connections and once your birthday arrives you will receive a letter from me informing you of your initiation. Once you receive your mark your loyalty will be tied to the Dark Lord forever. "

Lucius smirked and motioned to Peter. With another sly smile Peter removed a small item from his pocket. He tossed it over to Draco, who caught it in a swift single motion. Opening his hand he stared down at the black crystal. It hung delicately from a silver chain, and Draco could sense it was expensive; the power he felt as he held it sent chills through his body.

"What's this?" he glanced between his father and Peter with uncertainty.

"You will learn soon enough. Just be sure to keep it around your neck at all times. Never go anywhere without it, and do not to let it fall into the wrong hands. " Lucius folded his hands together with a manly grace. " I will owl you soon Draco, you are free to leave."

Draco didn't hesitate; he jumped from the chair and headed quickly for the door. Escaping his father as soon as possible was important, the less he had to see him the better things were. He reached for the doorknob and turned it.

"Oh and Draco..."

He paused at the door, turning back to his father.

"Be sure to have a good first day at school."

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Willow clutched her bag tightly to her side as she trudged down the stairs. Giles informed her not to pack heavy because she would be receiving new belongings once she arrived at Hogwarts. Her stomach flopped as she entered the living room, Buffy, Dawn and Xander were sitting silently on the couch. They exchanged reassuring glances, each knowing the difficulty of this trip.

Xander placed his hands on his thighs and pushed himself up from the couch. He moved towards her, his steps slow and cautious but his eyes embracing the Willow he had grown up with for as long as he could remember. He inhaled every feature, every movement, every single breath, as though it would be the last time he saw her.

"You write to us...every chance you can..."

"Owling..." Giles chimed in from behind.

"Owl what?" Xander looked over Willows shoulder, his eyebrows arched in puzzlement.

Giles places his own bag on the floor, his hand absentmindedly moving to his glasses. "Owling, its what they call sending a letter. You don't write or send a letter, you owl a letter. "

"Well that's fascinating, I'd love to see how they travel. What do they call car rides?" Xander chuckled to himself, stopping abruptly as Buffy and Dawn flashed him confused faces. " Alright, so it was only funny to me..."

"Actually Xander they don't drive. There are many ways to travel in the Wizarding world. Riding a broom, Apparating, port keys, Flooing. We will be Flooing today. "

Willow swallowed hard. " How exactly do we...uh Floo?"

Giles chuckled under his breath. " Its quite simple really. " He moved passed Willow and Xander and paused in front of the fireplace. Shoving his hands in his pockets he brought out a small pouch. Pulling back the strings, he emptied a powdery substance into his hand, a small amount spilling to the floor. "You will first take this powder and stand in the fireplace. Then you will clearly yell where you wish to go and throw the powder at your feet. Once you do this you will be engulfed in a giant green flame and transported to your destination. Ready?" He held out his hand to Willow, opening his palm and sprinkling the powder in her hand.

"Geez, Giles you make it sound so exciting. Are you sure this isn't a cremation?" Xander rolled his eyes sarcastically, his head shaking the slightest.

"Could...could you go first Giles...just so I can see..." Willow felt her hands begin to shake.

"Why yes, of course. How silly of me. Just be sure to pronounce it correctly. We will be heading to Diagon Alley, and please hurry, we only have two hours before the train leaves. "

Giles stepped into the fire, his eyes twinkling with a childish delight. "Diagon Alley!" He threw the powder at his feet, and in a second he was devoured by a large green flame, and then he was gone. The four of them stood there with wide eyes, a bit too shocked to say anything. Willow looked at the powder in her hand. She knew she didn't have much time. After all Giles had already done so much for her, she couldn't make him wait around because she was scared.

She softened her smile and moved to Dawn, folding her arms around her like a delicate doll.

" You behave Dawnie, and let me know if you need anything. Thank you for being here for me when I truly needed you. Buffy is lucky to have a sister like you."

"I'm not just Buffy's Willow....I'm your sister too." Dawn pulled away from her, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes.

Willow smiled again at Xander, his comforting grin was all she really needed from him. It was Buffy that would be the hardest to leave behind. She had become such a pillar in her life that sometimes it made her wonder if Buffy ever knew how much Willow cared for her. Buffy didn't say a word, she moved to Willow, her eyes dark and sunken from the previous night's patrol. Yet here she was, awake and willing to smile for her friend. Willow felt the corners of her eyes tear. Buffy had given so much up for her, for her friends, for the world, and now with one single action Willow had almost crumbled everything. Still Buffy forgave her, invited her back into her life as though nothing had occurred. Buffy wasn't just the slayer, the chosen one, she was everything that Willow wished she could be.

Buffy brought her hands up to Willows face and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her actions were soft and delicate, the usual hard and calloused hands of the slayer vanishing as she comforted her friend.

"Buffy I..."

"You don't need to justify anything Will, just promise me that you will return to us as soon as possible. Look within yourself and find the things that you need, find the things that are important to you. Believe in yourself, and remember who you are and how loved you are....remember every memory, all good, and all bad. Remember to breathe, and think, and don't settle for anything less then what you're willing to settle for. I know you can do this Willow, Dawn knows, Xander knows....and now you need to know. You can win this fight, just believe. " Buffy stepped back and smiled.

Willow forced herself towards the fireplace. Every ounce of her wishing she could just stay another day. She stepped into the fireplace, the powder grinding in the palm of her hand. The beads of sweat dripped from her forehead, a small proof to her nervous nature. She smiled again, a smile wishing them goodbye. With one quick motion she tossed the powder to her feet.

"Diagon Alley!" With a flash of vibrant green light Willow was gone.

Giles waited patiently in the narrow alley. He was relieved, not many people used this fireplace entrance, He was sure Willow would be intimidated by the hype of Diagon Alley, and he wanted to ease her into the excitement as easily as possible. There was a flash behind him followed by a loud thud. He looked back over his shoulder and smirked as Willow tumbled from the fireplace.

"Need help?" Giles turned fully around and offered his hand to her. With a tight mouth she took his hand and pulled herself up from the street.

"That wasn't as 'simple' as you described it. I nearly missed the exit."

Brushing some loose soot from her clothes she looked around. They were in a dark narrow alley. A few scattered barrels leaned neatly against the wall. Willow sighed and absentmindedly played with the strap of her bag. She couldn't deny that she felt wrong here, or at least out of place. This wasn't her world or her type of magic. She was accustomed to practicing for herself, not for the likes of others.

Giles gently took her by the shoulder and began to guide her down the alley. He paused for a moment and then finally they emerged out into the long strip that was Diagon Alley. He heard Willow gasp lightly and he had expected as much. After all the sight was utterly amazing. People bustled happily along the street, some stopping in shops while others chatted with friends. A few large owls flew over head in the direction of The Daily Prophet, most likely carrying news articles or letters to the journalists.

It had been years since he last stepped down this road and he never realized how much he missed it until then. Giles himself had never actually gone to wizarding school, but he had befriended Albus Dumbledore almost 15 years ago, just as Voldemort was at the peak of his chaos to be exact. He smiled at a few passing witches and continued down the road.

'She will do alright here.'

he thought to himself. 'Alright indeed.'

Willow's eyes darted from store to store, her eyes trying to absorb as much information as she possibly could. It was a sight she surly would never forget. It was more then she could ever imagine. She followed closely behind Giles, knowing there was much to do with little time. They turned a slight curve and she followed closely as Giles pushed through a large wooden door, her mind so excited she didn't get a chance to read the name of the store.

She stepped into the dim lit store and almost gagged on the musty smell wafting through the air. It was a book store. Aisles and aisles of books shoved neatly into shelves that rose as high as the ceiling. She wasn't sure where to begin, but figured Giles knew where he was taking her. He led her over to a large table, the sign reading 'HOGWARTS STUDENTS' He browsed through the books as Willow continued to look around. Her eyes caught sight of a nearby book and she felt her eyes grow wider as the picture on the cover winked at her.

"Giles...." she whispered. " Is it normal for the pictures to be winking, or moving for that matter?" Without much thought she had grabbed lightly onto his jacket for sense of security.

"All the pictures here move. They don't own Muggle camera's, their cameras produce moving pictures." His eyes didn't stray from the table as he spoke.

"Oh..." her voice was weak, still unsure about this new place. " Giles...what's a Muggle?" Her eyebrow arched to some extent.

He grabbed a few more books and piled them in his arms. " I'm sorry Willow, I keep forgetting that you're new to all of this. Here." He handed her the top two books, the thicker one titled Hogwarts: A History, and the second titled, From A-Z: A Wizarding Encyclopedia. Willow placed both books down on the table and opened them. Giles had begun to head for the counter and Willow seized the moment. She placed one hand on each book and closed her eyes. Quickly she muttered a few words.

" Perbibo Cipere "

A sudden jolt jerked her body and she pressed her eyelids tighter. She felt the words rise through her body and begin to file themselves away in her head. Some of the knowledge was magnificent while other knowledge was awful. A soft cry escaped her throat as she began to learn the information about Voldemort. She felt her body shake as she read about the tormented families , and the terror that ran through her veins caused her to pull her hands quickly from the book. Her breathing was heavy as she flipped quickly through the pages, each of then blank of any information. She quickly looked over her shoulder at Giles and cringed. If he had realized what she had done he would most likely lose all hope in her, and she needed that hope more then she needed anything else. Moving towards the books again, she grabbed the same exact two that Giles had picked out for her and she ran over to the front counter. What he didn't know, wouldn't hurt him. Or so at least she hoped.

She reached the counter and watched as Giles paid for the books, recalling what the encyclopedia had said about sickels, knuts and galleons. Smiling slightly to herself, she followed Giles out of the store and they continued back down the crowded street. She faintly heard Giles mumbling something about power control, but she was to busy staring at the large tawny barn owl in the window of the menagerie.

Stepping up a small stoop she found herself entering another dark shop, the sign reading Ollivanders. Giles stepped to the side and let her walk by him, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the light. There were many thin narrow boxes that lined the walls. A low noise sounded to her right and she turned her attention to an elderly man with a genuine smile. He stared at her as she stood there, causing her to feel far to uncomfortable in the situation. Willow sighed and opened her mouth to speak, but he clapped his hands together and startled her instead.

"Oh Ms. Rosenberg, I've been waiting for your arrival. " His feet glided over to a stack of boxes and he removed one from its place. " Here, try this. Its 9 inches, willow with mermaid scale. "

Willow took the wand from the box and looked it over slowly. The encyclopedia had said that all witches and wizards used wands to focus their power and energy. To her it was just a lame excuse because they lacked real power. She twirled it once in her fingers and waved it. There was a large popping noise and she watched in horror as the front window shattered into pieces.

"No, that won't do. " Mr. Ollivander reached for another box and smiled. " This is 11 ½ Cedar with dragon heart string. "

Grasping the wand carefully in her hand, she waved it once. This time absolutely nothing happened, and Willow looked down on the wand as if it were broken.

"I think there is something wrong with this one Sir. "

Mr. Ollivander shook his head with a smile. " No my dear, it's just not for you."

Boxes of wands began to pile up around Willow, each wand she tried just not the wand to suit her. Time was running short, and Willow could see Giles begin to pace around the room. Mr. Ollivander sighed as he reached for the next box, the yellow stripe wrapping around the brown rectangle. He began to put it aside, knowing the wand it held was one generally used for darker families, but something held him back. He opened the box and handed Willow the wand.

" Here, This is Yew, 13 ¼ inches with a single unicorn hair. Give it a wave. "

Willow remained silent as she took the wand in her hand. The feel of the wood tingling her finger tips the slightest. A dark cloud of red filled the room, causing the three of them to tremble with uncertainty. Giles leaned against the door and watched as the cloud began to spin in circles around Willow. It grew larger and larger, the red color deepening with each second. A gust of wind raged through the room, knocking over Mr. Ollivander and Giles. Willow held tightly to the wand as the wind grew stronger. Then it came quick, a sudden rush towards the wand knocking Willow to the floor. The red cloud surrounded her, and grew darker. The tip of the wand began to glow, and then it stopped. The red cloud was sucked into the wand and disappeared in an instant.

"My...well I never thought that I would see that again. " Mr. Ollivander rose from the floor and brushed off his robes.

"See what? " Willow questioned as Giles helped her up from the floor.

" The Red Cloud of Peril. The last I saw it, times were quite different, and the people were quite impressionable. The Red Cloud of Peril comes around to those who hold strong inner power. Power that could be among the strongest power known. The last man who obtained the Cloud of Peril used it to cause much peril, and his name is as much a curse as the Unforgivable curses. "

Giles eyes widened at this. It wasn't possible that Willow held as much power as Tom Riddle, or was it? He ran his fingers through his hair and listened to the words that Ollivander provided Willow with.

" Yet you my dear, are much different then that man. I can see it in your eyes. You will be faced with many great challenges this year Ms. Rosenberg, and I must say, most of them will be terrible. But..." His eyes softened, and his voice remained calm. " I see great potential inside of you. Do not fear my dear, just believe in yourself, and great things will come to you. " He took the wand from her and placed it back in its long box. He calculated out the exact amount she owed and took the money from her without another word.

Willow shook lightly as she followed Giles out of the shop. The words that Mr. Ollivander spoke lingered in her head. The rest of their shopping was completed in silence.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Draco pulled his trunk along Platform 9 ¾, his eyes searching for any signs of his friends. There had been silent tension as he left his house, the pained expression on his mother's face followed by the stony expression of his father's. In all honesty he was glad to be out of there although he desperately wished he could help his mother. A tall skinny man limped over to him and offered to place his trunk in one of the empty compartments. Draco nodded a thank you, and allowed the man to lug his trunk away.

A group of timid first years moved passed him, and he shoved his hands in his pockets with a smirk. The terrified look on their faces always put him in a better mood. He slowly swaggered down the platform, his mind drifting off to another place. It wasn't until he bumped into another figure did he realize he had been daydreaming.

"Watch it Mal-Ferret!"

Draco adjusted his focus and glared at the figures before him. If his morning hadn't been bad enough, now he had to deal with confronting Potter, Weasley and Granger.

" Granger if I were you, I'd control that Weasel boyfriend of yours. His bloody large mouth is asking for it. "

"Sod off Malfoy." Harry stepped forward and glared evenly with Draco.

They stood their ground, neither moving an inch, even when Hermione hissed back at Draco. " he is not my boyfriend Malfoy." It was moments like these that Draco wanted to punch Harry square in the nose, prove to him that it wasn't just powerful magic he possessed, but a powerful punch as well.

" These losers bothering you Draco?" A deep voice sounded behind him. Draco smirked and looked over his shoulder at Blaise.

" No Blaise, I believe Potty, Weasel and the Mudblood were just about to leave. " He exchanged another glare with Harry and smiled in victory as the three turned and fled in the opposite direction.

Throwing his arm around Draco's shoulder, Blaise lead him down the platform. "Well that made for a pleasant morning. How are things going? " Blaise gave him a sideways glance and narrowed his eyes.

"Would you stop looking at me like that. You know I'm not going to lie to you. Stop studying me like I'm some floozy girl your trying to get with, " Draco sighed.

Blaise continued to study him. He didn't mean to do it, but it came naturally to him. Shrugging his shoulders he let go of Draco and turned to face him fully. " Rough morning I suppose. Did you get the speech as well? The git woke me up three hours early just to inform me that this was my year. I'd like to inform him that he is an arse, but I doubt he would appreciate that."

Draco chuckled under his breath. " Well at least you didn't have any surprise visitors. My father brought along Pettigrew for my little ditty. I wanted to hex that slimy prat to Scotland. "

"Quite understandable. I hate him just as much as I hate my own father."

For awhile they caught up on their summers, each exchanging small stories and bits of information. It felt good to be in the company of a friend, and Draco couldn't help but let off a genuine smile.

"Is that Draco Malfoy? Smiling? Oh what has this world come to?" A delicate voice approached them, and they both smiled at the two who neared them.

" How I missed you snide remarks Mia. " Draco smirked and turned his attention to Lawrence. " Good to see you Lawrence, how have you been?"

Lawrence sneezed. " I'm bloody sick and heading back to school, how do you think I am?"

Mia placed her hand on Lawrence's arm. " Oh don't be so down Lawrence, it could be worse. You could be a bloody sick Gryffindor and heading back to school. " Armina smirked.

"You're lucky I'm sick, and lucky you're a girl. " Lawrence glared at her and then broke into a smile.

"Uh excuse me, but if you two are done can we please go get some seats. I refuse to be stuck in a compartment with whiney first years again." Draco pushed through them and headed for the train.

He didn't like being stuck sharing a compartment. Last year he was forced to sit with a group of immature first year girls. Throughout the entire train ride he was forced to listen to their giggling and whispering. He had fought down every urge to turn around and perform a silencing charm on each of them.

Most of the compartments were full already and Draco could hear Blaise groan behind him. If they didn't find their own compartment, they wouldn't be able to talk about anything without some sniveling little eavesdropper listening in. Draco moved towards the last few compartments and silently prayed that one was empty. He squinted ahead through the small glass window of the next car and grinned. His eyes caught sight of short fiery red hair. She was alone, and he knew that his mere presence would frighten her out of the compartment. After all he had found out last year that she had an enormous crush on him. Pushing the compartment door open he smirked at the back of her head.

" If it isn't the baby Weasel..."

He heard Blaise chuckle behind him, and he waited for her to turn around and face him. The figure sat completely still, and Draco frowned.

"Are you deaf Weasel? "

He taunted her one more time hoping this time he would strike a nerve causing her to leave. Yet again she remained motionless. Draco cursed softly and stalked over to her still figure. Grasping her lightly on the shoulder he turned her to face him, and his features faltered.

"You're not the Weasel...who the hell are you?"