Title: Taming the Snake

Author: Serenity

Description: Voldemort comes back, but not in the way you’d expect. He involves Dawn, Willow, and Giles in his plot to create a superior race, and wipe out those
he believes to be inferior. (Harry & Co. in 6th year.)

Disclaimer: I am the great almighty... Aw who am I kidding? I do a sucky imitation of a J.K Rowling/Joss Whedon hybrid. I’m just me, and I don’t own ‘em.
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Prologue:

“Just go, I can’t look at you!”
Just go…

Willow sat in the small car, her emerald eyes staring blankly out the window.

“Willow, won’t you talk to me?” Giles inquired, hoping to get her to speak. She hadn’t since the day… Since the day she murdered Warren.

“Willow, one of my friends is going to help me help you. He’s… He’s a good man. If you let him help you, Willow, we can heal you. We can help you to deal with life with this connection you have to mother nature, and without…” He couldn’t continue, part for pity, part for his own pain at the loss of the young lady, and partly for fear of her reaction. He stopped talking, and continued to drive.

Giles pulled into the driveway, frowning at the intense heat of the glaring sun.

“Hello Ripper. So nice to see you again.” Severus said as he spotted the car. His eyes flashed with anger as he remembered when they last saw each other. Giles saw this, and sent him a look. “Severus, let us not dwell on the past. Help me get her inside. His breath caught in his throat when he really looked at her. She was so beautiful! Dark red hair and big green eyes filled with wisdom and pain. She looked so much like Lilly.

“Yes.” Severus said blankly, and took one of her arms. “Come now.” He said, motioning toward the door. Willow followed his hand, still not speaking.

Severus spent the next few weeks helping her cope, not realizing that his feelings went much deeper. It was as though Lilly Evans was once again alive, standing right in front of him. He never thought he’d feel this way again. His chance at love died with her.

One night, Willow as standing in her room, looking out the window and studying the stars. Suddenly, it felt as though the wind was caressing her skin. With a flash of light, a figure was standing before her, dressed in white.

“My Willow. My sweet darling Willow...” Tara’s honey voice said. “I am so sorry you are so sad. Please, don’t be so sad.”

“Tara?” She stuttered, that being the only thing she could say at this point.

“Oh, Willow. You have to move on!” She said, and kissed Willow’s cheek. In a flash, Tara was gone. Willow sank to the carpet and sobbed.

Severus awoke to the sound of crying. It was more than he could bear, and he walked into Willow’s room. She was sobbing into the carpet, and all he could do was hold her. She finished sobbing an hour later and looked into Severus’ eyes. Emerald met black, and fair met course as they shared a kiss which almost drew sparks.

“Tara. I have to do what she wants.” She whispered, and his eyes widened.

“You spoke.” He said, and crashed his lips to hers once again.

Chapter 1: Lover’s Walk
Five months later.

“DRACO MALFOY!” Willow yelled after finding a half eaten piece of pizza rotting beneath his bed. When Willow had moved in with her new “greasy git” boyfriend, Severus, she had become a surrogate mother to his god-child, who had nowhere else to go after his mother and father were arrested and sent to Azkaban.

“Sorry Willow. I meant to clean that up, honestly.” He said, sugar coating his lies in order to avoid punishment.

As the rotten food might reveal, she helped the two Slytherins discover the joy that was pizza. Draco had taken an instant liking to it (to put it bluntly, he had fallen in love with it) whereas Severus chose to ignore the muggle food. Willow and Draco had bonded not only over pizza, but their mutual love of books. Yes, Draco Salazar Malfoy had become, over the months he had lived with Severus and Willow, a bookworm. Sharing this fascination with not only one but two “Mudbloods” as Draco would have so loosely put it a few years ago.

“Not cool, Draco. You know that stuff attracts mice.” She grumbled, and stuffed some more of his clothes in his trunk. “No pizza till Christmas.” She said, even though they both knew she wouldn’t hold it up. “Draco, go get the floo powder out of the closet and put it in the dish. We have to leave early tomorrow and I don’t want to have to deal with it then. Oh, and could you tell that boyfriend of mine that he really should learn to drive just in case, cause you can’t always apparate and usually he has to have me drive him, and that just doesn’t always fit into my schedule .” Willow said, it all coming out in one string of sentences. He obliged, smirking at what he had dubbed ‘the tower of babble’.

“And don’t you smirk at me mister!” She joked, playfully swatting his retreating backside.

~~~~~~~~The Next Morning~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Severus Vultaine Snape, hurry your cute butt up!” The redheaded witch teased impatiently. Stepping into the living room, she grabbed a handful of the floo powder and threw it into the fireplace.

“Draco, you go to Diagon ally and Sev and I will apparate with the trunks.” She ordered, ushering him into the emerald fire. Coughing, he spoke as clearly as the smoke would allow.

“D-D-Diagon Alley.” Tucking his elbows in, the world around him began to whir. He landed with a thud, opening his eyes to find he was on the floor at none other than Olivanders.

“Ah, Draco Malfoy. I suppose Professor Snape will be after you in a moment?” His eyes twinkled with unfulfilled mischief.

“Yes.” He coughed from the smoke, catching his breath. Suddenly, the room was filled with a pop as Willow and Snape arrived.

“Ah, the wandless witch. Shall we not change that now my dear?” he said, nodding towards the boxes covering the walls.

“Of course.” She replied, her voice scarcely above a whisper. Walking over to the wall, Olivander pulled a long dusty box from a rack.

“Try this one.” Willow reached for it. As soon as it came into contact with her hand, it exploded, sending bits of wood everywhere. Blushing, Willow apologized.

“No apology necessary. Try this one.” He handed the wand to her. As it touched her fingertips, it shot straight into the wall, sticking there. Willow bit her lip in embarrassment. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Ollivander cut her off by shoving another wand into her hands. As soon as she touched it, she knew that this was the one. She waved it, gasping when blood red and emerald green sparks shot from the tip.

“Very interesting. That wand is one of a kind. There is no other wand like it. It is made from the wood of the Whomping Willow. The core is what makes it so unique though. It is vampire’s blood. Angelus is his name, I do believe.” Willow laughed in response.

“I know him.” The look on his face was one of utter shock.

“You do? And what of him? Is he well? What of William and Drusilla?” He asked quickly, his wrinkled face lighting up. “Oh, never mind.” He laughed. Willow grinned and fiddled around in her purse for some money.

“That won’t be necessary, Willow. Charge it to my account.” Severus interrupted, earning a beam from the petite redhead.

In a surprising action, she kissed him, ignoring the gagging noises from the blond wizard beside them.

"That was a nice thank you." He purred seductively.

"You aint seen nothin' yet, mister." She replied with a smile.

"Oh, honestly! Do you have to that in public?" Draco asked, in mock disgust. In truth, he was delighted at his god-father’s happiness.