Beyond Good and Evil

Two days after the Dark Marked burned itself into Justine Hala Potter’s flesh, she and Willow were at King’s Cross Station with Giles, waiting for the Hogwarts Express to take them to the elder witch’s alma mater. There had been little deliberation on the matter. Voldemort’s exploits were well documented--even in the Muggle world. If one such Muggle knew where to procure said documentation, and Rupert Giles was. If going to Hogwarts would keep this woman who was so much like a daughter to him safe, then so be it.

“Justine Potter is one of the greatest women I’ve ever had the honor of working with, Willow,” he’d said to Willow after they had left Hala to write back to Dumbledore. “I’ve told you what my life was like before I joined the Council. To see that someone could turn their life around after committing truly heinous acts gave me great courage to fight my own demons. It was meeting her that gave me the strength to become the man I am today. That was why I brought you here. If anyone could teach you what I ultimately could not, it is she. I can only hope, knowing what you know now, doesn’t change your view of her or regret anything that she’s taught you.”

She had looked up at Giles with a small smile and shook her head. “I don’t respect her any less, Giles. In fact, this makes me admire her more. Not knowing that she was once a killer, because that’s no the the good, but knowing that she had the discipline and determination to change. Do you think she’s right?” she asked, briskly changing the subject. “Will this evil guy want to come after me?”

“As much as it pains me to say so, yes, I do believe he will. Since Hala’s days as a Death Eater, there hasn’t been another to show the strength that you have. If I’ve learned anything about Voldemort, it’s that he’s attracted to power. And that you have in spades, dear girl.”

That was all that had to be said to convince Willow to go with Hala. If she and Giles thought it were best, she’d trust them. She hadn’t been able to tell her friends, though. That was still too difficult. The only contact she’d had with them that summer had been through letters from Xander, Buffy, and Dawn. She knew that she had their forgiveness and that they wanted what was best for her, but she just couldn’t bring herself to explain that the woman teaching her how to control her magic was once a disciple of a homicidal darzardzard that may or may not want to try and brainwash her into joining forces with him.

She’d let Giles do that. Giles, who was chuckling at her at that moment because she admanantly refused to walk through a brick column separating platforms nine and ten.

“You want me to what?”

“You heard me, love,” Hala replied with a smirk. “Just beyond those bricks is platform nine and three quarters, which is where we need to be. And since the train leaves in ten minutes, I suggest you get to walking.”

“Fine. Fine. When I get a concussion, you know who I’ll be blaming it on.”

Hesitantly, the redhead began pushing her luggage cart toward the column, her pace a quick jog as she slipped through the magical barrier with no problems. Hala’s bright blue eyes met those of her friend as they shared a smile. “With everything the girl’s seen and done, what makes walking into a brick wall all that odd?”

~*~*~

Tears formed in both Willow’s and Hala’s eyes when the conductor informed them that the train was ready to depart. They turned to Giles, who in turn was just as verklempt. He swept them both into his arms and just about squeezed the life right out of them with his fierce hug. The goodbyes were due to begin and they weren’t looking forward to them. Over the summer the three had formed a strong bond, one that only someone who had been to the dark side and back could understand.

“Are you sure you won’t come with, Rupert?” Hala managed to whisper despite the lump in her throat. “I know you’d love Hogwarts. They have this amazing library--”

Giles shut her up as he brushed his lips gently across hers in a slightly more than platonic kiss. He loved the little witch in truly unique way that could only apply to her. She brought him love, comfort, and sunshine. It had been years since he’d been able to spend so much time with her and it pained him to see her go. Greatly. As it did to leave Willow once more.

“I’m sure I would, lovey,” he whispered against her lips as her tears began to fall, “and I’m sure they do, but this is my place right now. Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t be along to visit.”

“I know you ridiculous prat,” she grumbled. “Be expecting frequent owls from us, though.” After a kiss of her own to the watcher, she turned and left mentor and protege alone for their farewell.

“You’ve made me very proud, Willow,” Giles murmured against her red hair. “I want you to know that.”

Willow pulled back and smiled at him through her tears, her emerald eyes sparkling with a hope and happiness Giles hadn’t seen in ages. “Then I can’t be too much of a lost cause then, eh?”

“Never. There’s far too much love and light in you, darling.” Hearing praises she never thought she’d hear again, the little witch had broken down in his arms, knowing that Giles never said anything he didn’t mean. After everything she’d done, he could still take pride in her.

Redemption really *wasn’t* beyond her reach.

The Hogwarts Express horn sounded then, letting Willow know that if she were to leave, it was now or never. She reluctantly left the safely of her friend’s arms and slowly backed away. “Thank you, Giles. You’ve been more a father to me than my own has.” The shared one last smile before she hopped on the train.

The Watcher stood there as the train began its departure and stayed until it was out of sight. With a sad little smile he crossed back into the Muggle world, thanking the Powers That Be for the two darling women he’d just bid farewell.

Great things were to come from them. He had never more sure of anything else.

~*~*~

“Hala?”

“Hmm?”

The two witches were quietly ensconced in their compartment, the only passengers in the train. Conversation had been little; both women pretty wrapped up in their own thoughts about their expedition to the capital of Britain’s wizarding empire. Hala was pretty close to petrified. She’d lived as a (somewhat) Muggle for the last fourteen years. She drove a car, she cooked from scratch, sent mail via the post office, had become addicted her comr, sr, smoked cigarettes like a fiend, wore Muggle clothes everyday (she hated the thought of wearing robes again) one of her favorite past-times was dying her hair obnoxious colors (it was now her natural black, though) and another was going to rock concerts. Just after her move to one of the Council’s estates in Reading, she’d discovered heavy metal and classic rock, the latter due to Giles’ influence. She enjoyed her Muggle life, but her magical one called to her.

That same magic called out to her companion. Willow was surprisingly calm about the entire situation. She was being thrust into a world, one that fairy tales were made of, and possibly being pursued by one of the darkest wizards in history. And that she was something called a Muggle, or rather a Muggle-born witch. But none of that phased her. It was Hala she worried about. Her friend had been practically exiled and after several years called back into a world that she had wreaked total havoc upon. On top of that, not everyone knew that she was one of the good guys now.

And that made some questions come to mind.

“When we get there, should I call you Hala or Justine or something totally different?”

With her eyes still closed from the on and off napping she’d indulged in on their journey, she smirked as she gave her answer. “I hadn’t thought of that yet. The name Justine Potter probably still strikes fear into the hearts of many wizard folk, I’d suppose, but it‘s all I‘ve ever been known by here. Very few people knew that I’d changed sides before Voldemort vanished.”

“Why *did* you become a spy? I mean, something fierce must have made you give up all that power after so long.”

Hala visibly tensed at the question and Willow immediately wished she could take it back. The elder witch sensed her guilt and took her hand. “Ask me anything, Willow. I’ll either answer you truthfully or not at all--just be prepared to hear what I have to say. And all I have to say about on that topic is that I fell in love. Love has the power to make you do anything, even give up the world.” She paused a moment and took in Willow’s bewildered expression with a grin. “And call me what ever you want. Hala is my name now, as much as Justine was then--in fact, it‘s my middle name so I’ll go by both.”

~*~*~

“I think I’m gonna barf.”

“You’re not gonna barf, Hala.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Am.”

“Not.”

The Hogwarts Express had just come to a complete stop and Hala had no intention of leaving the safety of the compartment. The reality of her situation was finally striking her and anxiety was setting in. Not only was she returning to the scene of her past crimes, but there was also the teaching gig and the possibility of coming face to face with Voldemort again. And then there was Harry. What if he hated her? What if he blamed her for his parents’ death? If he did, she couldn’t very well hold it against him.

Her panicked thoughts were put on hold once she felt Willow’s warm hand cupping her cheek. Tears gathered in her eyes as she made herself look at the woman she had come to consider not just a student, but as a close friend. “Red, I’m scared,” she whispered.

“I know, Hala, but remember you were given this chance for a reason. You’re the only person your friend Albus trusts to teach his students how *not* to walk in the shoes we’ve outgrown. And you were the only one Giles trusted to teach me,” the redhead added in hushed tones before a beatific smile crossed her lips. “And look what a great job you did! I’m not even all that worried about being around all this magic twenty-four seven. That was all you, Hala.”

A smile returned to Hala’s face as she shook her head. “Nope, Will. That was *you.* I taught you the technique, but it was you that did all the work.”

“Okey-dokey, then we’re *both* badass witches. Now it’s time to get off this train and give something back to the people who’ve been hurt by folks like us, well, how we used to be,*” she corrected.

Hand in hand Willow and Hala stepped onto the platform, immediately faced with the glowering self of one William the Bloody.

~*~*~

Spike had known that this was a bad idea, but he’d had no where else to go. After his last ‘altercation’ with Buffy, he couldn’t stand the thought of remaining on the Hellmouth. Actually, he couldn’t stand the thought of being anywhere near Buffy. He had no idea what had possessed him the night he tried to rape the Slayer. Never in his entire existence had he forced himself on a woman. Buffy had consumed him, turned him into something that he wasn’t--a sniveling wanker. But then, in addition to all of insane things he had done in his unlife, he had his soul restored.

“For Buffy,” he’d told himself. ‘Once I have my soul, she’ll love me like she did the poof.’

It wasn’t until the painful restoration that everything had begun to make sense. That soul, his conscience demanded that he make amends for his wrongs and the Hellmouth was not the place to do so. The Slayer could have no more opportunities to blind him.

After that realization, he knew where he was needed. At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Albus Dumbledore had been a friend of his family--his mortal family-- for years before he’d been turned. His sister Emma had been a Muggle-born witch. But Emma was a sickly child and it was believed that she wouldn’t be able to attend a school so far away from home. That was until the then Transfiguration professor had personally visited the Edwards family and given the sick witch a potion that managed to heal her. After her graduation, Emma had gone on to a lucrative career in the Ministry of Magic liv lived a rather fulfilling life. The family felt that they had Hogwarts to thank for that.

Albus had heard about his turning and tracking him down fifteen years ago in hopes of the vampire joining the fight against Voldemort. Spike may have lacked a soul, but he had a hell of a memory and remembered everything the headmaster had done for his little sister. So he had had a merry time dismantling Death Eaters--Dumbledore remained ignorant of Spike’s methods for his own sake. er Ver Voldemort had been thought to be destroyed, the vampire left the school and Spike hadn’t been in contact with Albus since.

Now that the blonde vamp was in dire need for a second chance, he knew that his old friend wouldn’t turn him away. And he hadn’t. It was as if the old wizard had known Spike would come to him. Needless to say, the vampire’s timing thrilled him, as he would be needed to fight Voldemort yet again.

He had been given a comfortable room in the dungeons and free reign of the Forbidden Forest. Only two days had passed since his return when the Headmaster had asked for a small favor. He was to escort the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and a guest to the school.

~*~*~

“No bloody fucking way! I can‘t believe this!”

Due to the language, Willow thought her companion was going to attack the vampire. And in a way she did. With a huge smile and a girlie-sounding squeal, she jumped off of the train and threw herself into his arms. Spike received her happily, swinging her in a circle before letting her feet touch the ground. “I’ve missed you too, love,” he purred before placing a not so chaste kiss on her full red lips. Not letting Hala out of his arms, he grinned at Willow. “Nice to see you too, Red,” he voiced sincerely.”

“Um, yeah, same here, Spike,” she replied awkwardly. “Anyone care to tell me what the frilly heck’s going on?”

Finally loosing herself from the blonde’s embrace, Hala turned to the redhead. “William and I go back to the war, pet. Helped me out when I changed sides.”

“First time I ever helped someone become non-evil,” the vamp admitted, but then amended the statement. “Well, except for meself, that is.” Two sets of jaws dropped and the witches gaped at him for a moment before it registered. There was something in his eyes that they had never seen before. Behind the delight to see his old friend, genuine sorrow and guilt lurked in those deep blue eyes. He looked like Angel.

“Your soul,” whispered Willow. “You have your soul.”

“Yeah.” The vampire’s voice was so quiet he could barely be heard. “But let’s get on our way, dears,” he stated with more enthusiasm. “Albus is expecting us for dinner. Our carriage awaits--I’ll elaborate on the way to the castle.

And he did. Once he told them of his altercation with the Slayer and the reasoning behind his newly souled status, he and Hala told Willow his growing up with his sister/witch and of the friendship during the war. Needless to say, the entire encounter was indeed surprising, but she was ultimately happy to know that the vampire would belingling for them during these uncertain times.

When the trio reached the castle, Willow was awed, Hala was petrified, and Spike just wanted to get inside and annoy Professor Snape.

~*~*~