Hidden Truths
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Harry Potter Crossovers › General - Misc
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Adult +
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11
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Category:
Harry Potter Crossovers › General - Misc
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
11
Views:
3,551
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Truths Revealed
Truths Revealed
Hello all. Here is a new chapter. Keep in mind that Io hao have a yahoogroup. Here is the URL:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/firegoddessHPBtVSfanfiction/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"No," Willow replied adamantly as Harry gave her yet another reason why he "“and not her- was better equipped to go after Voldemort.
Indeed, they had been passively arguing for the past two months after Sirius and Remus had told them of Voldemort's return. This passivity however was rapidly deteriorating into full-fledged warfare as both spouses dug their heels in. And now, as they apparated into the Burrow's kitchen for Sunday dinner, two months of classes and Halloween successfully behind Willow, she wondered how long she'd have to hold her temper before she exploded. She just hoped it wasn't tonight, especially in light of the fact that the entire Weasely family, Remus, minus his new girlfriend Tonks who had been sent on a mission for the Order, as well as Sirius would be joining the group for dinner. Molly had insisted. Indeed, the only reason why she hadn't also invited Severus, Minerva and Albus was because of the increased security measures at Hogwarts that they continued to enforce.
"Willow, it's the only way. You know the prophecy as well as anyone. One of us has to die for the other to live." Harry continued, absentmindedly shifting a sleeping James in his arms.
"We're not talking about this now," Willow said neutrally, desperately trying to keep her emotions in check as they walked into the kitchen. Sensing that he was someplace he knew, and the prospect of a visit with Grandma Molly, James stirred in his father's arms and began to fuss.
"Not talking about what?" Remus asked from his spot at the table, chatting with Sirius.
Willow smiled painfully. "The usual."
"Oh," Remus nodded in understanding. He knew that Harry and Willow had been having troubles with the Voldemort issue, especially as they hadn't really discussed properly the events that occurred after their wedding and up to the point that Harry had "˜died.' He also knew for a fact that Willow had felt deeply betrayed, trust only growing back when she had had several months to think about it. Harry on the other hand, had STILL not heard of these feelings that lay dormant in his wife, believing instead that she had forgiven him and that the subject had passed. From what he could see, it hadn't, and if he and Sirius had guessed correctly, Willow was due to share her true feelings any day now. Probably loudly if Harry kept on goading her the way he was. "Have you heard the news then?"
Willow sat down at the table, eager for Remus's calming influence to soothe her temper. Indeed, in those first 3 months after Harry had died, he and Severus had been the only ones to be able to calm her anger at what had been done to her, the betrayal of her trust and of her heart becoming too much. "No. What's happened?" She asked, watching as Harry sat down next to her with James. Silently, she reached over and took her squirming and fussy son from Harry.
Remus's expression softened as he took in the baby in Willow's arms. "May I?" He gestured to Willow. She nodded, handing him James. The baby instantly quieted, his hands going to Remus's face to touch his beard, something that never failed to fascinate James.
"It was Lucius Malfoy that got Voldemort out of the Veil. He broke out of Azkaban two weeks ago,"ius ius broke in, finishing Remus's news and sneaking a peek at the baby that was now in the former lycanthropes arms, lightly grabbing at his facial hair.
"What?" Harry broke into the conversation. "It was Lucius?"
Sirius nodded. "Yep. According to Arthur, they've got a special elite section of your office working on the case right now."
"The M.I.A.?" He said in a shocked voice, referring to the higher ranking and internal aurors that the ministry hired for more difficult and dangerous missions. Sirius nodded in acknowledgement of Harry's correct assumption.
"The M.I.A.?" Willow said in an amused voice, knowing full well who they were but playing dumb. After all, she had worked with them all summer. "What are they, a rip-off of the C.I.A.?"
Harry paused, knowing that Willow would naturally be unaware of such a higher up organization. Indeed, only select individuals were aware of their existence at all, generally only being used as intelligence gatherers. Not in this case however. No, if the Ministry had seen fit to send out this elite task force, things must be really bad. Generally they only sent out Aurors, the wizarding equivalent of the police officer. "Kind of. They're an elite task force. Only the best are recruited, but you've got to do your time as an auror first. I only know about them because of our fight with Voldemort." He looked up at his wife and shrugged. "They're looking into recruiting Ron, Draco and I because of it."
Willow's eyebrow rose. "Really?" She knew of course, she had been the one to recommend them, a week after James' birth when the head of the M.I.A. had brought flowers by the Burrow to congratulate her. Indeed, through a bizarre twist, it had turned out to be Giles' cousin on his mothers' side, coincidentally the one he had been close to, William. Once Bill, as Willow had come to call the attractive over 50 man that bore a striking resemblance to Sean Connery, had realized that she was THAT Willow Rosenberg, now Rosenberg-Potter, he had immediately tried to recruit her. Willow had simply laughed, informed him that she was happy teaching at Hogwarts, and that was that. Maybe when the baby was a little older"¦ She was torn out of her thoughts however, by the sound of James' fussy cries getting louder. Turning to Remus, she accepted the baby and brought him to her chest, rocking him. "Oh sweetie, it's okay," she murmured to the baby, who quieted slightly before rooting around in the region of her breasts, obviously hungry. "Just like your father," she said under her breath, rolling her eyes at James' antics.
"Excuse me?" Harry retorted in an amused voice as Sirius and Remus started laughing. Her words had been louder than she had thought.
Willow stood, deciding that she and the baby would go out to the living room, before turning to back to her husband and smirking slightly. "You know exactly what I mean Harry Potter," before taking her leave, placing a smouldering kiss on Harry's lips in her wake and returning to cooing softly to the baby that still lay in her arms rooting for a breast.
"All's well in paradise then?" Remus smiled, a knowing look on his face.
"Yeah, I think it is." Harry smiled back wistfully, remembering that morning. He had made her late for class and he had happily been late for work. A cloud drifted into his otherwise sunny thoughts though and he suddenly frowned. "But the Voldemort thing is beginning to wear on us."
"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked quietly. Indeed, he was concerned for his godson's marriage. Willow and Harry were both stubborn people. He couldn't begin to fathom how they were going to resolve the fact that Harry was going to have to kill the Dark Lord in order to be able to continue his existence untainted and alive, let alone without Willow, a feat Sirius was willing to bet wouldn't be happening and would cause many arguments between the two before it was resolved.
"I don't know. Wait I guess. I'm not sure that's the smartest idea in the world however, not when Voldemort is out there somewhere."
"No, no it's not," a new voice entered the room.
"Albus," Remus said in a startled voice, "what are you doing here?"
"I do hate to break up the family get together but Severus was summoned this afternoon. We're calling an emergency meeting of the Order to deal with the repercussions of the meeting." Dumbledore said wearily, the twinkle that was always present in his eye fading momentarily. Harry silently groaned. Why couldn't he try being normal for once? He stood up wearily, motioning for Sirius and Remus to stay seated before going into the living room to inform his wife that the waiting they had talked about in their current scenario about Voldemort was about to end.
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The atmosphere in the room was sombre, heavy with the weight of Dumbledore's news. The members of the Order had adjourned to the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts for their meeting, only to be informed by their esteemed leader, Albus Dumbledore, that Voldemort was feeble from his stay in the Veil, both mentally and physically, but was gathering his forces rather quickly in an act of protection of his weakened state.
This however, while comforting many of the group, providing precious time to plan for what would be the final battle, was not a comfort for Harry and Willow. No, as soon as Dumbledore had broken the news, the internal argument that they had been putting off for a month had broken forth in a torrent of bottled-up emotions, concern for the other and the real concern that one of them was going to do something rash getting the better of them.
How they had managed to hold off confronting the other until the end of the meeting though was a mystery, after most of the members of the Order had left, but the Weasleys, Draco, Sirius, Remus, Severus, Minerva and Dumbledore were unfortunately still present for the fireworks.
Ron, as Harry's best friend, would later reflect to his wife, Harry's other best friend, that it was entirely Harry's fault that the argument had happened in the first place. Indeed, Harry had questioned Dumbledore about how exactly the Order, and ultimately he, could go about removing Voldemort's spirit, the force that kept him emerging in the wizarding world. Willow had presented a solution: using an orb of thesulah or even a human vessel if one that could handle the power of the dark magic could be found. Of course this would require large spells that she coincidentally had performed in the past. Harry, in a typically Harry move and being fully aware of her dangerous past, had immediately shot down this idea because of the risk it posed to his wife. Willow had responded in kind, with a snide remark that it was not dangerous, just draining, and she would be doing it to help him so it would be worth it. And that had been the end of civil conversation between the two of them.
"Are they always like this?" Sirius leaned over and whispered into Ron's ear. Ron didn't get to answer though as Draco, who had been watching the heated argument in front of him in amusement, responded.
"Not since they first met," he smirked, listening as Willow landed a particularly harsh verbal assault on the state of Harry's overly large hero complex. Suddenly, the importance of this argument hit him, remembering from the conversation he had had with Willow just 2 weeks ago that she and Harry hadn't properly sat down and discussed the events that had occurred in the past year. "Bloody hell, this is the first time they've talked about this isn't it?"
From his spot at the table, Remus paled and nodded. "They haven't even talked about what happened prior to Harry's disappearance."
"Perhaps we should leave then?" Minerva broke in awkwardly, sensing the importance of the heated conversation before her, and remembering one that she had had with Dumbledore over the Grindelwald incident. She had only been his friend at the time and so she could only imagine the complications that being married would add to the dynamics of the argument.
"Minerva, do shut up," Severus broke in dryly, "I'm missing Willow's verbal dressing down of Potter here."
"But this is a private conversation"¦" she continued weakly, secretly wanting to stay as well.
Dumbledore himself shushed her this time.
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"I don't know why you of all people should be talking to me about the "˜danger' in my actions," Willow sneered. She had never been this angry in her entire life, concern for Harry's disregard for his own life annoying her to no end. She couldn't believe the attitude that he was taking toward this whole Voldemort business. Apparently, it was not acceptable for her to even step onto the proverbial battlefield, let alone orchestrate a spell from afar that might end up being the Dark Lord's downfall. No, apparently Harry Potter knew everything and according to him (as Willow was reluctant to admit) he WAS the one in the prophecy that could ultimately kill Voldemort. This didn't mean that she couldn't help though. Willow was just confused- and extremely angered- by Harry's definition of help. According to him, this meant staying at Hogwarts like a good little wife, taking care of James, and staying out of trouble. This was not Willow's idea of a good plan though. Indeed, she had already gone to Harry's funeral once and damned if she was going to attend another anytime soon.
"Oh really?" Harry drawled, his voice drawing Willow out of her inner thought. "Must we go back to Sunnydale and examine the careless actions you did?"
"If you'll recall correctly, all my actions were to help my friends so that they wouldn't DIE!" Willow retorted angrily.
"But not at the expense of your own well-being"¦."Harry responded heavily.
"But if the risk is worth it, if your friends are in danger," Willow spat back. "Then the risk is justified as you very well know"¦"
"And what of yourself?" Harry said pointedly, ignoring her insinuation that he was as bad as she was when it came to having a hero complex and angry at the lack of concern Willow had for her own well-being. "We have a son now Willow"¦"
Willow's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe Harry would go so low as to imply what she thought he was implying. "Are you calling me a bad mother?" Harry, realizing that he had stepped into an area better left alone, hastily tried to retract his statement but it was too late, the damage was already done. Willow continued to rail at him, narrowing her eyes angrily as she did so. "Well aren't we just the potlingling the kettle black?" She paused, pursing her lips, her anger pooling into a dark ball of verbal rage. Indeed, she hadn't discussed her feelings of betrayal with him yet, instead telling herself that when the proper time and place arose, then she would let him know exactly how she felt. Harry was making the decision for her unfortunately as to the where and when. He didn't understand. She would change that.
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Harry stepped back from his wife, crossing his arms in offence.
"Just what it sounds like," she smirked at him. "You left me Harry, the morning after we got MARRIED," Willow's voice got steadily louder at this point, "WITHOUT consultation of either me or the Order, got yourself thrown into the Veil where I thought you'd DIED and now you expect me to just sit back and do nothing while you go off and get yourself killed for real this time." She paused and looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry Harry, but I'm not doing that again."
Harry was silent at these last words. He knew that this had been the case but to hear her verbalize her thoughts, her feelings about what he had done, it suddenly made it more real and the the guilt that he had let ease over the past two months came back full force. Willow wasn't done though.
"Do you have any idea of what it's like to stand over your spouses grave, and KNOW that they're never coming back? That the person you thought you'd grow old with is not going to be there? That the child that you just found out you're going to have in seven months is never going to know his father?" She paused, pursing her lips to stem the tears that were gathering in her eyes. "I do and you don't seem to get that." A tear silently fell from her eyes and she sighed. "I love you Harry, but I can't go through that again."
Harry was silent at this revelation, weighing his words carefully before he spoke. Willow beat him to it though.
"So you see why you can't go up against him"¦"
And that was that. His carefully weighed words were thrown immediately out the window and whatever guilt Harry had been feeling was immediately replaced again by anger at Ww's w's selfishness. She had heard the prophecy"¦she knew what it meant"¦
"No, I don't think YOU get it," he spat out angrily. "I'm it. No matter what happens with this battle, whether I'm there alone, or with you, I'm the one that ultimately has to kill him." He silently seethed for a moment. "I'm not going to apologize for wanting to keep you and James safe when there is a Dark Lord just itching to get to every last member of my family. Now I know you understand this, but you need to also understand my point of view. I CAN'T LOSE YOU EITHER. You're it. My everything. If I lose you, there's nothing worth living for and Voldemort might as well have killed me for all the good I'll be. So you, and your spells that generally come close to killing you can just stay away because I won't let you risk yourself for me, or our son."
The room was still, shocked by Harry's violent and uncharacteristic outburst of emotion. Indeed, it had been awhile since any of the people in the room had seen Harry this passionate about something. They watched in anticipation of the couple's next actions, as they watched Harry tremble in cathartic rage at the woman he cared for so deeply, and the woman in question tremble in equal anger as the tears she had been fighting won their battle, and shenly nly and silently cried. The silence was broken once again though, by Willow.
"Excuse me?!" she exclaimed in a shocked and betrayed voice, the tears still falling down her cheeks. "My spells are perfectly safe. And you know what Harry Potter? FUCK YOU! Go ahead and get yourself killed then. Just don't expect tears from me at your funeral because I've already done thand ynd you want to know something else"¦..oomph!" She was cut off as Harry did what he always wanted to do when she got angry and wouldn't listen to reason: he kissed her. Hard.
Sitting at the table, Hermione's eyes went huge as she watched her best friend sweep his wife up into a fiery kiss that seemed to go on forever. Truth be told, she was concerned. Their argument hadn't solved anything, but she felt that it probably cleared the air dramatically for both Harry and for Willow. Suddenly, Harry broke apart from Willow, breathing hard and, without pausing for a breath, swept his dazed wife over his shoulder, not giving her time to come to her senses and start arguing with him again.
"Would you keep James for the night?" Harry turned to Hermione and Ron as he stood in the doorway. Hermione nodded and watched as the couple left the room, the door slamming shut in their wake, cutting off the already loud argument that continued to go on as Harry refused to let the now struggling Willow go. Hermione smiled. Cathartic indeed. Maybe more than just demons would be purged tonight. She smirked at her witty double entendre. Good for them.
Hello all. Here is a new chapter. Keep in mind that Io hao have a yahoogroup. Here is the URL:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/firegoddessHPBtVSfanfiction/
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"No," Willow replied adamantly as Harry gave her yet another reason why he "“and not her- was better equipped to go after Voldemort.
Indeed, they had been passively arguing for the past two months after Sirius and Remus had told them of Voldemort's return. This passivity however was rapidly deteriorating into full-fledged warfare as both spouses dug their heels in. And now, as they apparated into the Burrow's kitchen for Sunday dinner, two months of classes and Halloween successfully behind Willow, she wondered how long she'd have to hold her temper before she exploded. She just hoped it wasn't tonight, especially in light of the fact that the entire Weasely family, Remus, minus his new girlfriend Tonks who had been sent on a mission for the Order, as well as Sirius would be joining the group for dinner. Molly had insisted. Indeed, the only reason why she hadn't also invited Severus, Minerva and Albus was because of the increased security measures at Hogwarts that they continued to enforce.
"Willow, it's the only way. You know the prophecy as well as anyone. One of us has to die for the other to live." Harry continued, absentmindedly shifting a sleeping James in his arms.
"We're not talking about this now," Willow said neutrally, desperately trying to keep her emotions in check as they walked into the kitchen. Sensing that he was someplace he knew, and the prospect of a visit with Grandma Molly, James stirred in his father's arms and began to fuss.
"Not talking about what?" Remus asked from his spot at the table, chatting with Sirius.
Willow smiled painfully. "The usual."
"Oh," Remus nodded in understanding. He knew that Harry and Willow had been having troubles with the Voldemort issue, especially as they hadn't really discussed properly the events that occurred after their wedding and up to the point that Harry had "˜died.' He also knew for a fact that Willow had felt deeply betrayed, trust only growing back when she had had several months to think about it. Harry on the other hand, had STILL not heard of these feelings that lay dormant in his wife, believing instead that she had forgiven him and that the subject had passed. From what he could see, it hadn't, and if he and Sirius had guessed correctly, Willow was due to share her true feelings any day now. Probably loudly if Harry kept on goading her the way he was. "Have you heard the news then?"
Willow sat down at the table, eager for Remus's calming influence to soothe her temper. Indeed, in those first 3 months after Harry had died, he and Severus had been the only ones to be able to calm her anger at what had been done to her, the betrayal of her trust and of her heart becoming too much. "No. What's happened?" She asked, watching as Harry sat down next to her with James. Silently, she reached over and took her squirming and fussy son from Harry.
Remus's expression softened as he took in the baby in Willow's arms. "May I?" He gestured to Willow. She nodded, handing him James. The baby instantly quieted, his hands going to Remus's face to touch his beard, something that never failed to fascinate James.
"It was Lucius Malfoy that got Voldemort out of the Veil. He broke out of Azkaban two weeks ago,"ius ius broke in, finishing Remus's news and sneaking a peek at the baby that was now in the former lycanthropes arms, lightly grabbing at his facial hair.
"What?" Harry broke into the conversation. "It was Lucius?"
Sirius nodded. "Yep. According to Arthur, they've got a special elite section of your office working on the case right now."
"The M.I.A.?" He said in a shocked voice, referring to the higher ranking and internal aurors that the ministry hired for more difficult and dangerous missions. Sirius nodded in acknowledgement of Harry's correct assumption.
"The M.I.A.?" Willow said in an amused voice, knowing full well who they were but playing dumb. After all, she had worked with them all summer. "What are they, a rip-off of the C.I.A.?"
Harry paused, knowing that Willow would naturally be unaware of such a higher up organization. Indeed, only select individuals were aware of their existence at all, generally only being used as intelligence gatherers. Not in this case however. No, if the Ministry had seen fit to send out this elite task force, things must be really bad. Generally they only sent out Aurors, the wizarding equivalent of the police officer. "Kind of. They're an elite task force. Only the best are recruited, but you've got to do your time as an auror first. I only know about them because of our fight with Voldemort." He looked up at his wife and shrugged. "They're looking into recruiting Ron, Draco and I because of it."
Willow's eyebrow rose. "Really?" She knew of course, she had been the one to recommend them, a week after James' birth when the head of the M.I.A. had brought flowers by the Burrow to congratulate her. Indeed, through a bizarre twist, it had turned out to be Giles' cousin on his mothers' side, coincidentally the one he had been close to, William. Once Bill, as Willow had come to call the attractive over 50 man that bore a striking resemblance to Sean Connery, had realized that she was THAT Willow Rosenberg, now Rosenberg-Potter, he had immediately tried to recruit her. Willow had simply laughed, informed him that she was happy teaching at Hogwarts, and that was that. Maybe when the baby was a little older"¦ She was torn out of her thoughts however, by the sound of James' fussy cries getting louder. Turning to Remus, she accepted the baby and brought him to her chest, rocking him. "Oh sweetie, it's okay," she murmured to the baby, who quieted slightly before rooting around in the region of her breasts, obviously hungry. "Just like your father," she said under her breath, rolling her eyes at James' antics.
"Excuse me?" Harry retorted in an amused voice as Sirius and Remus started laughing. Her words had been louder than she had thought.
Willow stood, deciding that she and the baby would go out to the living room, before turning to back to her husband and smirking slightly. "You know exactly what I mean Harry Potter," before taking her leave, placing a smouldering kiss on Harry's lips in her wake and returning to cooing softly to the baby that still lay in her arms rooting for a breast.
"All's well in paradise then?" Remus smiled, a knowing look on his face.
"Yeah, I think it is." Harry smiled back wistfully, remembering that morning. He had made her late for class and he had happily been late for work. A cloud drifted into his otherwise sunny thoughts though and he suddenly frowned. "But the Voldemort thing is beginning to wear on us."
"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked quietly. Indeed, he was concerned for his godson's marriage. Willow and Harry were both stubborn people. He couldn't begin to fathom how they were going to resolve the fact that Harry was going to have to kill the Dark Lord in order to be able to continue his existence untainted and alive, let alone without Willow, a feat Sirius was willing to bet wouldn't be happening and would cause many arguments between the two before it was resolved.
"I don't know. Wait I guess. I'm not sure that's the smartest idea in the world however, not when Voldemort is out there somewhere."
"No, no it's not," a new voice entered the room.
"Albus," Remus said in a startled voice, "what are you doing here?"
"I do hate to break up the family get together but Severus was summoned this afternoon. We're calling an emergency meeting of the Order to deal with the repercussions of the meeting." Dumbledore said wearily, the twinkle that was always present in his eye fading momentarily. Harry silently groaned. Why couldn't he try being normal for once? He stood up wearily, motioning for Sirius and Remus to stay seated before going into the living room to inform his wife that the waiting they had talked about in their current scenario about Voldemort was about to end.
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The atmosphere in the room was sombre, heavy with the weight of Dumbledore's news. The members of the Order had adjourned to the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts for their meeting, only to be informed by their esteemed leader, Albus Dumbledore, that Voldemort was feeble from his stay in the Veil, both mentally and physically, but was gathering his forces rather quickly in an act of protection of his weakened state.
This however, while comforting many of the group, providing precious time to plan for what would be the final battle, was not a comfort for Harry and Willow. No, as soon as Dumbledore had broken the news, the internal argument that they had been putting off for a month had broken forth in a torrent of bottled-up emotions, concern for the other and the real concern that one of them was going to do something rash getting the better of them.
How they had managed to hold off confronting the other until the end of the meeting though was a mystery, after most of the members of the Order had left, but the Weasleys, Draco, Sirius, Remus, Severus, Minerva and Dumbledore were unfortunately still present for the fireworks.
Ron, as Harry's best friend, would later reflect to his wife, Harry's other best friend, that it was entirely Harry's fault that the argument had happened in the first place. Indeed, Harry had questioned Dumbledore about how exactly the Order, and ultimately he, could go about removing Voldemort's spirit, the force that kept him emerging in the wizarding world. Willow had presented a solution: using an orb of thesulah or even a human vessel if one that could handle the power of the dark magic could be found. Of course this would require large spells that she coincidentally had performed in the past. Harry, in a typically Harry move and being fully aware of her dangerous past, had immediately shot down this idea because of the risk it posed to his wife. Willow had responded in kind, with a snide remark that it was not dangerous, just draining, and she would be doing it to help him so it would be worth it. And that had been the end of civil conversation between the two of them.
"Are they always like this?" Sirius leaned over and whispered into Ron's ear. Ron didn't get to answer though as Draco, who had been watching the heated argument in front of him in amusement, responded.
"Not since they first met," he smirked, listening as Willow landed a particularly harsh verbal assault on the state of Harry's overly large hero complex. Suddenly, the importance of this argument hit him, remembering from the conversation he had had with Willow just 2 weeks ago that she and Harry hadn't properly sat down and discussed the events that had occurred in the past year. "Bloody hell, this is the first time they've talked about this isn't it?"
From his spot at the table, Remus paled and nodded. "They haven't even talked about what happened prior to Harry's disappearance."
"Perhaps we should leave then?" Minerva broke in awkwardly, sensing the importance of the heated conversation before her, and remembering one that she had had with Dumbledore over the Grindelwald incident. She had only been his friend at the time and so she could only imagine the complications that being married would add to the dynamics of the argument.
"Minerva, do shut up," Severus broke in dryly, "I'm missing Willow's verbal dressing down of Potter here."
"But this is a private conversation"¦" she continued weakly, secretly wanting to stay as well.
Dumbledore himself shushed her this time.
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"I don't know why you of all people should be talking to me about the "˜danger' in my actions," Willow sneered. She had never been this angry in her entire life, concern for Harry's disregard for his own life annoying her to no end. She couldn't believe the attitude that he was taking toward this whole Voldemort business. Apparently, it was not acceptable for her to even step onto the proverbial battlefield, let alone orchestrate a spell from afar that might end up being the Dark Lord's downfall. No, apparently Harry Potter knew everything and according to him (as Willow was reluctant to admit) he WAS the one in the prophecy that could ultimately kill Voldemort. This didn't mean that she couldn't help though. Willow was just confused- and extremely angered- by Harry's definition of help. According to him, this meant staying at Hogwarts like a good little wife, taking care of James, and staying out of trouble. This was not Willow's idea of a good plan though. Indeed, she had already gone to Harry's funeral once and damned if she was going to attend another anytime soon.
"Oh really?" Harry drawled, his voice drawing Willow out of her inner thought. "Must we go back to Sunnydale and examine the careless actions you did?"
"If you'll recall correctly, all my actions were to help my friends so that they wouldn't DIE!" Willow retorted angrily.
"But not at the expense of your own well-being"¦."Harry responded heavily.
"But if the risk is worth it, if your friends are in danger," Willow spat back. "Then the risk is justified as you very well know"¦"
"And what of yourself?" Harry said pointedly, ignoring her insinuation that he was as bad as she was when it came to having a hero complex and angry at the lack of concern Willow had for her own well-being. "We have a son now Willow"¦"
Willow's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe Harry would go so low as to imply what she thought he was implying. "Are you calling me a bad mother?" Harry, realizing that he had stepped into an area better left alone, hastily tried to retract his statement but it was too late, the damage was already done. Willow continued to rail at him, narrowing her eyes angrily as she did so. "Well aren't we just the potlingling the kettle black?" She paused, pursing her lips, her anger pooling into a dark ball of verbal rage. Indeed, she hadn't discussed her feelings of betrayal with him yet, instead telling herself that when the proper time and place arose, then she would let him know exactly how she felt. Harry was making the decision for her unfortunately as to the where and when. He didn't understand. She would change that.
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Harry stepped back from his wife, crossing his arms in offence.
"Just what it sounds like," she smirked at him. "You left me Harry, the morning after we got MARRIED," Willow's voice got steadily louder at this point, "WITHOUT consultation of either me or the Order, got yourself thrown into the Veil where I thought you'd DIED and now you expect me to just sit back and do nothing while you go off and get yourself killed for real this time." She paused and looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry Harry, but I'm not doing that again."
Harry was silent at these last words. He knew that this had been the case but to hear her verbalize her thoughts, her feelings about what he had done, it suddenly made it more real and the the guilt that he had let ease over the past two months came back full force. Willow wasn't done though.
"Do you have any idea of what it's like to stand over your spouses grave, and KNOW that they're never coming back? That the person you thought you'd grow old with is not going to be there? That the child that you just found out you're going to have in seven months is never going to know his father?" She paused, pursing her lips to stem the tears that were gathering in her eyes. "I do and you don't seem to get that." A tear silently fell from her eyes and she sighed. "I love you Harry, but I can't go through that again."
Harry was silent at this revelation, weighing his words carefully before he spoke. Willow beat him to it though.
"So you see why you can't go up against him"¦"
And that was that. His carefully weighed words were thrown immediately out the window and whatever guilt Harry had been feeling was immediately replaced again by anger at Ww's w's selfishness. She had heard the prophecy"¦she knew what it meant"¦
"No, I don't think YOU get it," he spat out angrily. "I'm it. No matter what happens with this battle, whether I'm there alone, or with you, I'm the one that ultimately has to kill him." He silently seethed for a moment. "I'm not going to apologize for wanting to keep you and James safe when there is a Dark Lord just itching to get to every last member of my family. Now I know you understand this, but you need to also understand my point of view. I CAN'T LOSE YOU EITHER. You're it. My everything. If I lose you, there's nothing worth living for and Voldemort might as well have killed me for all the good I'll be. So you, and your spells that generally come close to killing you can just stay away because I won't let you risk yourself for me, or our son."
The room was still, shocked by Harry's violent and uncharacteristic outburst of emotion. Indeed, it had been awhile since any of the people in the room had seen Harry this passionate about something. They watched in anticipation of the couple's next actions, as they watched Harry tremble in cathartic rage at the woman he cared for so deeply, and the woman in question tremble in equal anger as the tears she had been fighting won their battle, and shenly nly and silently cried. The silence was broken once again though, by Willow.
"Excuse me?!" she exclaimed in a shocked and betrayed voice, the tears still falling down her cheeks. "My spells are perfectly safe. And you know what Harry Potter? FUCK YOU! Go ahead and get yourself killed then. Just don't expect tears from me at your funeral because I've already done thand ynd you want to know something else"¦..oomph!" She was cut off as Harry did what he always wanted to do when she got angry and wouldn't listen to reason: he kissed her. Hard.
Sitting at the table, Hermione's eyes went huge as she watched her best friend sweep his wife up into a fiery kiss that seemed to go on forever. Truth be told, she was concerned. Their argument hadn't solved anything, but she felt that it probably cleared the air dramatically for both Harry and for Willow. Suddenly, Harry broke apart from Willow, breathing hard and, without pausing for a breath, swept his dazed wife over his shoulder, not giving her time to come to her senses and start arguing with him again.
"Would you keep James for the night?" Harry turned to Hermione and Ron as he stood in the doorway. Hermione nodded and watched as the couple left the room, the door slamming shut in their wake, cutting off the already loud argument that continued to go on as Harry refused to let the now struggling Willow go. Hermione smiled. Cathartic indeed. Maybe more than just demons would be purged tonight. She smirked at her witty double entendre. Good for them.