3rd Person's POV

"Witchcraft. Blinding your enemy to disable and disorient them is a classic."

The gang sits at the table in the library as Giles holds a witchcraft text. On it is an engraving of scary witches in a sacred circle in the woods. 

"First vampires, now witches... no wonder you can still afford a house in Sunnydale." Xander says jokingly.

Laney frowns worried about her friend, "Why would someone want to harm Cordelia?"

"Maybe because... they met her."

Willow gulps as Laney looks over at her with a slight glare, "Did I say that?"

Giles frowns, "Then why was Amber set ablaze?"

Xander nods feeling confused, "Yeah, those guys don't hang."

"Well they're both cheerleaders." Laney says out of the blue, focusing on her newly painted nails.

Giles frown deepens, "Someone doesn't like cheerleading."

"Or likes it too much." Buffy replies feeling like she's into something.

Silence fills the library as everyone thinks.

Willow jumps up, "Amy."

"Amy." Buffy repeats with a nod.

"So you guys are leaning towards Amy."

Buffy nods looking at Xander, "She's desperate to get on that team... I get the feeling she'd do anything to make her mom's dream come true."

"Now I do want to make sure I've got this right. This witch is casting horrible, disfiguring spells so that she can be a cheerleader."

"Your point being?" Buffy asks as she stares at Giles with a blank emotion.

"Priorities. Really, if I had the power of the black mass I'd set my sights a little higher than making
the pep squad."

Laney frowns, "Uh I think you're underestimating the amount of pressure a parent can lay on you. If you're not a picture perfect carbon copy they tend to wig."

"Cheerleading was kind of her mom's last hurrah." Willow says with a fist pump to the sky.

"We still gotta stop Amy. We should grab her before-"

Giles interrupts Xander as he flips through the text, "Let's be certain she's the witch before we arouse her suspicions. She's capable of some fairly ugly things."

"All right, you're a high school girl, you're desperate to make the team and please your mom, you turn to witchcraft. What's the first thing you do?"

Willow snaps her finger at Buffy, "Check out the books on witchcraft!"

Willow moves to the computer at check-out desk, scanning records.

"No! That's the last thing you do! You don't leave a paper trail. Forget that-"

"It'll just take a minute-" Willow argues with Xander.

"We don't have a minute. Cheerleaders' lives are in
danger-- Buffy's in danger."

He grabs Buffy and tries to hustle her out, "You were the first alternate. You're on the team now that Cordelia's out-- you could be next, we have to get you to a safe house."

"Hey..." Laney whines with a pout, "I'm in danger too!"

"Hmm I guess that's true. But that's a risk I'm willing to take." Xander crosses his arms over his chest with a determined look.

Laney gets out her chair and walks up to him. She raises a hand and smacks him on the back of the head, "Again I say, screw you Alex."

"Um Xander..." Willow calls as she looks at something on the computer screen.

Xander looks over innocently, "Yes?"

"Witches- Historic Roots to Modern Practice checked out by Alexander Harris."

Buffy moves to computer, "The Pagan Rites, checked out by Alexander Harris."

"Alex Alex Alex... shame on you." Laney teases as she sits down and puts her legs up on the table.

Xander shakes his head holding his hands up, "All right, all right. It's not what you think."

Laney scoffs, "You like to look at the semi-nude
engravings?"

Xander looks over at her in awe then nods, "Oh. Well, then it is what you think."

Giles shakes his head, "We'll need a conclusive test
anyway. There should be one- yes! The ducking stool. We throw her in the pond. If she floats, she's a
witch; if she drowns, she's innocent."

The gang stares at him as if saying what in the world.

"... some of my texts are a bit outdated."

"You think?" Buffy says.

"I don't know that seems like a fun idea. I'm in." Laney replies with a smirk.

Giles opens another book, "Ah! Yes. This should work. You'll need some of her hair, a little quicksilver and aqua fortis."

"That's just mercury and nitric acid, we can get it in the science lab." Willow says as she moves away from the computer.

"Heat ingredients and apply to witch, if a spell has been cast in previous forty-eight hours witch's skin will turn blue. Oh, and you'll need some eye of newt."

"Ew and suddenly I'm out again." Laney stands up and leaves out the library without hesitation.

Everyone looks at the door as it closes. Xander chuckles looking at the gang's shocked faced.

"Well isn't she just a ray of sunshine?"

Laney walks down her stairs and to the kitchen where Willow sits eating a bowl of cereal.

"Morning."

"Hey."

Silence fills the room as Laney pours herself some orange juice. She puts a piece of bread in the toaster then turns back to Willow.

"So what's the dealio with Amy. She a witch or not?"

Willow shushes her pointing upstairs, "Yes she is but we don't know if she knows what she is doing. And mom is upstairs keep your voice down."

"Oh sorry. Why is she here?"

"She goes to work later today."

"Weird. So how's life?"

Willow frowns looking at Laney as she sips on her juice.

"You do realize how awkward this is. I mean I love you but small talk is not our thing."

Laney sighs in relief and slumps onto the counter jokingly, "Oh thank god! I thought I was gonna die."

Willow chuckles along with her then frowns again noticing blood running out of Laney's nose.

"Lane you're having a nose bleed."

Laney reaches up and dabs the blood. She pulls away her shaking hand and looks down at her fingers covered in blood. Out of nowhere, she starts coughing. She has a cough attack and notices blood in her hand. She looks up with wide eyes and sees Willow looking at her in surprise and worry.

"Are you okay?" Willow watches as Laney's eyes start to twitch then she falls to the ground.

"Laney!"

Willow runs to the other side of the island and helps Laney sit up. She looks into her eyes and sees that the same thing that happened to Cordelia is happening to Laney.

"I can't see. What's going on?"

Willow frowns at Laney's bloody hands and face then hurries over to the sink and grabs a rag. She wipes away all the blood then helps her stand up.

"We have to get you to Giles. If mom sees you she'll freak."

JUST FOR FUN

Laney's Outfit, Hair, and Nails