Glamours

Dark Mirrors

Willow slumped down onto her bed in the room that Molly had brought her to and groaned. What had she been thinking? The answer was simple: she hadn't been. But, on the brighter side of things, she hadn't resorted to any forms of dark magic.

The threat of her dark side emerging was something that Willow was loath to admit, even to herself. It was true; even with all the training she had received and the white magic that now duelled for dominance in her blood stream since she had activated all the slayers, she was still sitting so close to the edge of reason sometimes that its cousin, insanity, threatened to drag her under its murky depths.

Suddenly, she felt the mattress dip next to her and a comforting arm draped itself across her shoulders. "You did good down there."

The corner of Willow's mouth rose into a smirk. "I threatened to turn him into a rat Molly. That is not good."

Molly gave a chuckle. "I didn't hear that part," she smiled softly. Maybe Dumbledore was right. Maybe Willow would be just the thing to turn the War around. But those were thoughts best left for later, when she was alone with her husband to discuss the odd remarks their former professor had said to them in passing when they took on the role of Lucy Emerson's fictional Aunt and Uncle. "Look, Harry can be a trial sometimes. He has a lot resting on his shoulders at the moment, what with you-know-who still out there and I'm sure that once he gets to know you that he'll be more than hospitable."

"You think? I don't think so." Willow shook her head. "I know his type. Hell, my best friend Buffy is his type." She rested her head on the shoulder of the woman that had become like a mother to her during the strenuous months she had spent rehabilitating herself after trying to destroy the world. " I spent a long time winning back my best friends' trust after my little bout with the dark side. It's incredibly humiliating to learn that even after all I've done to redeem myself in the eyes of the world, some people can totally disregard all the good and see only the bad. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm just asking for a little tolerance."

"I know dear, I know." Molly hugged Willow closer. "Just so you know though, I've never seen anyone put Harry in his place so well. Quite frankly, I think he deserved it."

"Molly!" Willow's head rose up from the woman's shoulder. Seeing the mischievous look on the older woman's face, she gave into the giggles that thenedened to spill from her mouth. It was going to be all right.

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"You shouldn't have done that Harry." Hermione scolded, sitting down at the table in the chair that Lucy had vacated, Ron taking the chair next to hers. She watched as Ginny and Draco took up seats at the end of the table, next to the twins, and Harry reluctantly sat down across from her.

"Well what should I have done then? She was just sitting here, dark magic all around her"¦.how was I to know that she wasn't someone that Voldemort sent to kill us all?" Harry grumbled, his pride stinging almost as painfully as his foot, which he was sure would have a stiletto bruise the next day.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Harry. To you, EVERYONE has the potential to "˜kill us all.' Yes, she's dark, even I felt that but you shouldn't have reacted the way you did."

"Well, I have to disagree with you Granger," Draco piped up from the end of the table. "How else were we to get a show to end this lovely evening?" Draco turned to Harry. "Personally, I think you'd make a lovely rat."

"You heard that?!" Harry exclaimed in horror.

"Oh Potter. I heard EVERY word of that clever exchange and quite frankly, I think you should continue to agitate the little witch. I could use a free show now and again." Draco said snidely before turning his attentions to the Weasely's that had been sitting at the kitchen table before their arrival. "Is it true then? Is she your cousin?"

Bill nodded his head. "Mm-hm. Apparently she is. Mum says so anyway."

"What's she doing here then?" Ginny asked, curiously.

"She's a new teacher for Hogwarts. Staying here for the weekend before taking the train on Sunday. Lucy used to work for the Watcher's Council in London but due to the war, Dumbledore needs his students to be able to protect themselves so he's employing her to teach a new class, "˜Advanced Prophecies, Glamour's, and Wandless Magic' I think Mum said he's calling it. Strictly for the upper years though. 6th and 7th years I would imagine. At any rate, she was only here for a half hour or so before you all showed up and Harry here tried to take a chunk out of her." Bill glared at the now sullen Harry. "She's a nice woman Harry. You'd like her if you gave her a chance."

"Uh-huh. Right. She's dark. That's all I need to know," he glared back at Ron's brother before once again wishing that he had stayed in bed that morning.

"Well it certainly wouldn't hurt your love life if you opened up a little on the Lucy subject," Fred, who had just woken up from his stupor, said. Harry looked incredulously at Fred. He could not believe the turn this conversation was taking. Fred, noticing the disbelieving look Harry was shooting him continued. "Are you blind mate? She's gorgeous and single."

Sitting next to his twin, George's brow furrowed. "Did she say she was single? I don't remember that"¦."

"No ring George. No ring. Harry here stands a chance, even if he is an incredible prat, if he digs his head out his arse and apologizes for his VERY rude behaviour."

Harry's hands flew up into the air in agitation. "What is it with you Weasely's and my love life? It's none of your business whether or not I am or will be involved with anyone. ESPECIALLY dark witches that could possibly be linked to Voldemort. I don't see why you care so much about this."

Ron's hand went to his friends shoulder. "Because it's you mate. And because we haven't seen you truly happy in years."

Harry's eyebrow rose ironically. "Maybe I'm not meant to be."