Tales From the Broom Closet

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The next night, in the Gryffindor Common room…

“She had sex with… a swan?”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “It was Zeus, disguised as a swan!”

“But she still shagged a swan,” Harry commented.

Hermione and Ron were cuddled on the couch together in front of the fire, Hermione holding The Iliad. Harry sat on the floor next to Evelyn as they listened to, and argued with Hermione.

“Anyways, Lida managed to give birth to the most beautiful woman the world has ever known,” Hermione went on. “Helen of Sparta.”

“Then how come they call her Helen of Argos?” Evelyn asked.

“I’m coming to that,” Hermione replied.

Torianna walked in, and sat down next to Evelyn. “What’re we talkin about?”

“Sex with swans,” Harry replied.

Torianna blinked, and glanced at Hermione.

“Why can’t you drop it?!” Hermione cried. “It was Zeus, disguised as a swan. And it’s a myth!”

“But she shagged a swan,” Ron replied innocently.

She started swatting him.

At that moment, Remus came shooting through the Portrait hole. He spotted them. He was smiling wildly.

Torianna hopped to her feet. “You got it?!”

“We got it!”

Torianna hugged him.

Harry blinked. “Got what?”

“Sirius a trial,” Remus told them all. “Two days to prove his innocence.”

Harry got to his feet, almost not believing his ears. “Really?”

“Really,” Remus replied. “It’s next week. I’ve got to travel to Azkaban to tell him. I’m leaving Saturday morning.”

Evelyn got to her feet behind Harry. “Azkaban, huh?”

Remus nodded. “Not the happiest place on earth, but at least I’ll go bearing good news.”

Torianna and Evelyn glanced at each other, and then looked back at Remus. “Can we come?”

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Remus stared at them in shock.



“I cannot allow you to take them.”

“Torianna and Evelyn are my charges,” Remus replied.

“And what about Harry?” Dumbledore asked.

Remus sighed. “Weather Harry comes is your choice, seeing as the Dursleys would let him go just to see if it would finally kill him.”

“It might, Remus.”

“Talk to Harry,” Remus said, getting to his feet. “Work it out. We leave Saturday night.”

“Remus, why are you doing this?” Dumbledore asked.

Remus sighed. “Because it’s important. It’s important for Evelyn to see her father, and it’s important for them to see what can come of taking the wrong path.”


Oliver Wood smiled at the two newest additions to the Gryffindor Quidditch team on October first. “Welcome aboard. Hope you survive the experience.”

Torianna Lupin rolled her eyes.

Ron Weasley leaned toward Torianna. “I didn’t know Americans had Quidditch?”

Torianna sighed. “We don’t. We have snitch ball,” she replied. “Same idea, with a few differences.”

“Oh.”

“What about you?” Torianna asked. “What about the visions?”

Ron shrugged. “Gonna go talk to my parents this weekend,” he told her. “If things go well, the visions shouldn’t be that much of a problem anymore.”

Torianna smiled. “Good f’ you.”

“When’s the next practice?” Ron asked Wood.

Oliver looked down at his watch. “Now.”



After class the next day, Professor Dumbledore sat in his office, across from Harry Potter in silence for several minutes before finally deciding to speak up.

“Remus is taking Evelyn and Torianna to see Sirius.”

Harry paled. “He said yes?”

Dumbledore nodded. “The girls want to go. Sirius has very little hope if we do not find Petigrew. This is a start, but a small one. Remus wants to try and give him a little hope. It’s something Emily would have done, but I don’t think she would have let the girls go with her.”

Harry shrugged. “Evelyn saw Sirius for the first time, and that lasted about three seconds,” Harry said. “They need to talk a little.”

“And what of you?”

“Me?”

“Yes, Harry. Remus wanted me to ask if you’d like to accompany them.”

Harry sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I’d like to go and see Sirius, but the Dementors…”

“So you won’t be going?”

Harry paused for a moment, before nodding his head. “I have to go. I can’t be afraid anymore. I have to face them, and, like I said, I want to see Sirius. After all, I am the progeny of a Marauder.” He smirked at this.

Dumbledore sighed. “I expected as much.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Quite frankly, yes,” Dumbledore replied. “But this is your decision. I cannot make it for you.” He sighed. “Meet Remus in the library Saturday morning. I know you have a Quidditch game the night before, but get lots of rest.”

Harry’s eyes widened, and he hopped to his feet. “Oh, hell! Quidditch! Practice! Now! Oliver’s gonna kill me!”

With that, Harry bolted out of Dumbledore’s office.

Against his better judgment, Dumbledore snickered.


“YOU’RE WHAT?!”

“Ron, don’t yell,” Harry told him. “And don’t pop a vein, either.”

They were standing on the Quidditch pitch after practice, and Ron looked as if he might spontaneously combust.

“After all you went through in third year with those damned Dementors, and you’re going to Azkaban?”

He’d put the emphasis on “going” and “Azkaban.”

“I know it seems strange,” Harry began.

“No, not strange,” Ron told him. “Stupid.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “Ron, this is something I have to do. I have to go, okay? My parents woulda gone.”

Ron sighed. “And you’re worried about me getting killed?”

Harry sighed and turned to Ron, putting his hands on his shoulders. “Ron. I’ll be fine. You, on the other hand, better not have one of your bloody visions while I’m gone.”

“I’m going to talk to parents about the half-demon thing this weekend. I’m leaving with Charlie Saturday evening.”

Harry smiled. “They’ll say yes.”

“I hope say,” Ron replied, gravely. “I they don’t, I’m as good as kicked off the Quidditch team.”

Harry glared. “You freakish prat.”

Ron smiled triumphantly. “Thank you!”


“You have to be kidding.”

Harry sighed. “Nope. Going to Azkaban, Hermione.”

“Why?”

“To see Sirius.”

“You can see him at the trial!” Hermione cried. She paced back and forth in the Library, where Harry had found her after talking to Ron.

“Not soon enough,” Harry replied. “And he doesn’t know there is a trial yet.”

“Those Dementors could kill you!”

Madame Pince gave them a withering glare. “Shh.”

“You can’t go to Azkaban,” Hermione hissed. “You’ll be mentally eaten alive.”

Harry shrugged. “Least I’ll be in good company.”

“Please, don’t go,” Hermione said. “Please? This is madness.”

“I have to go, Hermione,” Harry replied. “There are a list of things I just don’t want to live in fear of anymore. Dementors are very near the top of that list. Along with the Dursleys.”

“Just… just don’t die, will you?” Hermione asked. She smirked wryly at him. “Things might get boring without you.”

Harry snickered. “Make sure Ron doesn’t die, either,” he said. “We won’t have anyone to argue with otherwise.”

“He argues because he cares,” Hermione smiled. “And what kind of girlfriend do you think I am? Of course I’ll make sure he doesn’t die.”

Harry smiled. “Yeah. I should let you get back to studying.”

Hermione smiled. “Thanks. Maybe I’ll be able to get something done before Ron shows up.”

Harry snickered. “The ultimate distraction.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Right… y’know… Cho… I see her giving you some interesting looks during chorus.”

He turned slightly red. “That’s… nice… speaking of chorus-”

“No. I’m not singing,” Hermione cut him off. “I don’t have the time.”

“You can’t sing, can you?”

Hermione sighed. “I’m not like you and Ron. I don’t have that kind of talent.”

“I’m sure if you asked Professor Maclay to-”

Hermione sighed. “Bye, Harry.”

He rolled his eyes and left the library.


It had been an hour since Angel had sent the owl to Cordelia. For that entire hour, he’d been looking out the window of the owlery.

“Angel?”

He turned around and smiled. “Buffy.”

“What are you doing up here?”

“Nothing. I just sent an owl to Cordelia about Oliver.” He turned back to the window.

Buffy sighed and walked to stand next to him. “Doyle never mentioned anything, did he?”

Angel shook his head. “Not one word. I only knew he was married once. He didn’t lie, really. He just kept it away from us.”

“Did it really matter?” Buffy asked. “I mean, in the big scheme of your relationship, was it that important that yu know about what he thought to be a dead wife and son? That’d be like… him bringing up your parents and sister. It had to be really painful.”

“But he knew what happened to my parents and sister,” Angel replied. “He, Cordelia and I made a promise to keep no more secrets. I kinda figured he’d come clean about everything, but… I guess not.”

“Angel…”

“I just feel like he didn’t trust us… it hurts. I told him everything, even when it did hurt.”

Buffy put an arm around him. “It’s just something you and Cordelia will have to live with… have you talked to Oliver yet?”

“What do I say?” Angel asked. “Hi, I’m a friend of your dead biological father who was accused of being a death eater? I can’t answer any questions, I can’t reassure the kid that his father loved him, he never mentioned him. I just… I don’t think I can.”

Buffy sighed, and then a look of confusion fell upon her face. “Angel?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you see Faith after classes today?”

Angel blinked. “I don’t think so. That’s odd. She’s usually around.”

“Majorly weird,” Buffy muttered. “Maybe we should look for her?”

Angel sighed. “Well, if you were Faith, where would you be?”

“New Faith of Old Faith?” Buffy asked.

“Take in a little of both,” Angel replied.

“Then she’s either taking a jog around the grounds, or she’s making out with a random guy in the broom closet.”

“There really isn’t anyone to make out with here, is there?” Angel asked.

Buffy thought for a moment. “Well… Dumbledore’d be gross. Flitwick… no… Snape… ugh… Hagrid… not Faith’s type… She doesn’t go for cradle-robbing, so we can pretty much rule out the students… I hope.”

“What about Charlie Weasley?” Angel asked.

She blinked. “To the broom closet.”


“So, you’re gonna teach me how to fly?”

Oliver nodded. “Definitely. Just gotta get you a broom.”

Willow Rosenberg smiled. It didn’t matter that Oliver was younger than she was. He was a cutie. The little head in her voice had mentioned something about liking girls the
minute he’d smiled at her. She was quite conflicted about her feelings, but she could at least make a new friend, right?

He led her through the halls of Hogwarts just before dinner that night to a small-looking closet. He took out the key that Madam Hooch had suspiciously lent him and unlocked the door. He opened it, turned pale, and then shut it again.

Willow raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothin,” Oliver replied. “Not a thing.”

Willow walked up and opened the door to find Faith Morgan and Charlie Weasley standing there. Charlie’s red hair was mused, and Faith’s was nearly as bad.

“What’s up, red?”

“Me?” Willow asked. “W-what about him? He’s the one with the red hair and face.”

Faith smirked. “Hate to break it to you, honey, but your face is so damned red-”

“I knew it!”

Buffy was now standing next to Willow. “I knew you were having your way with some random guy.”

“He’s not some random guy,” Faith replied. “He’s Charlie. Charlie, you’ve met Professors Summers and Rosenberg, right?”

He sighed. “Hello, again.”

“And I wasn’t ’having my way.’ Jeez, we were just kissing,” Faith told them. “And the word around the teacher’s lounge is that you were in here with Soul Boy last night, B, so cut the hypocrisy.”

“We were in here after-hours.”

“And got caught, anyways,” Willow pointed out. “No… wait… You were making out with Angel?! Since when are you and Angel back together? How come I wasn’t informed of Buffy-Angelness?!”

“Wills, I… I…”

Angel sighed. “Maybe you should let them out of the closet.” He glanced at Oliver, who was no longer pale, but turning red from embarrassment “You okay?”

Oliver nodded. “Oh, yeah. Fine. Real good. Just never caught teachers in the broom closet before.”

“And what were you doing in the broom closet anyways, Willow?” Buffy shot.

“Helloo, getting a broom.”

And then someone cleared their throat.

The whole group stopped talking and turned to see Giles standing there looking quite annoyed.

“Heya, Giles,” Willow said nervously. “What’s up?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Faith, bring that poor, clueless boy out of the broom closet please.”

“Hey, now…” Charlie started, getting somewhat offended.

“Faith? Buffy? Willow? A word in my office, please?”

“Nice going, B,” Faith muttered.

“Grow up, Faith.”

They followed Giles away from the broom closet.

Tara walked up to the boys with a curious look plastered on her face as she watched the girls being led away by Giles. “Hey, guys. What’s going on?”

“Buffy, Faith and Willow got into trouble,” Oliver replied.

“Why am I clueless?” Charlie asked.

Angel sighed. “Because you’re getting attached to Faith.”

“How does that make me clueless?”

“You’ll see.”


“So, why are we in trouble again?” Buffy asked.

“You cannot have make-out sessions in broom closets,” Giles told them. “You’re setting a bad example for the children. You‘re no longer students, you have to be role models for these children”

“Hey, I haven’t ever made out in a broom closet.” Willow said. “Can I go, and be away from Miss ‘I’m back with my ex and didn’t wanna tell my best friend?’”

“I knew you would take it like this!” Buffy cried, getting up.

“I’m only taking it like this because you never told me!” Willow said, getting to her feet. “If you’d have told me right off the bat, instead of leaving me in the dark, I’d probably be happy for you! But, no, y-you had to be all secret-keeping. I thought you were done with Angel secrets! You promised no more Angel secrets! You lied! A lot!”

“Oh, good lord,” Giles muttered. “I feel like I’m in an episode of Passions.”

Faith sighed. “Hey, have I gotten my slap on the wrist?” she asked. “Can I go, now?”

Giles groaned. “Buffy, Willow, sit down, and stop fighting. Now.”

They sat down, and turned away from each other.

Giles sighed. “Buffy, I don’t appreciate being left in the dark either. You‘ve done it once, and it wasn‘t good for anyone.”

“You guys woulda gone ballistic,” Buffy replied. “I know you guys have your reservations about Angel-”

“Which we woulda gotten over!” Willow cried.

“I’m sorry, okay?!” Buffy cried. “I’m sorry!”

“Can I go now?” Faith asked.

“No!” they cried in unison.


Giles kept the girls in his office until they finally worked out their differences. Faith sat in her chair, bored an annoyed, and complaining that she’d been in the middle of a very nice make-out session when Oliver had opened the door, but she was made to stay anyways.

Charlie met up with her when she’d finally been set free from the office.

Charlie put an arm around her. “Let’s go get some dinner.”

“Sure. Got any cheeseburgers?”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

She rolled her eyes. “Wizards. Let’s just go.”


Willow sighed. “Okay, okay… I’m sorry I yelled… I shouldn’t have… it’s your life.”

Buffy sighed. “You’re right. I should have told you. I’m sorry.”

They hugged, and Giles groaned.

“Finally.”


Meanwhile, Angel had marched himself back up to the owlery.


Dear, Cordelia,
I should have told you when you were here, or at least in my owl. Buffy and I are back together. I know you don’t like her, which is a bit of an understatement, but I love her. I love you, too, which is why I’m telling. Better late than never, I suppose. Hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Angel


He attached the letter to a large, strong-looking owl, and let it fly.

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