Willow walked through the barrier and arrived on Platform 9 3/4, breathing a sigh of relief as she saw the steam pour out of the Hogwarts Express. She smiled for the first time in days, seeing the first years step onto the steam engine in awe, the upper years wave goodbye to their parents, and tiny children beg to go to Hogwarts with their siblings. Oliver and Carlos appeared behind Willow, and they set off toward the train together, keeping an eye out for the Weasleys. They found them before long and loaded their stuff into the same compartment as the twins.
"Willow, Oliver! Vamos aquĆ por un rato, por favor!" Carlos called.
Willow stepped down from the train, grabbing Oliver's wrist as she went. They found their dad in a secluded corner of the platform. He put his arms around his children and drew them in for a tight hug.
"Listen to me," Carlos whispered. "I don't know what's happening with Grace or her family, but keep an eye out this year, will you? Watch each other's backs, and have your friends be on guard, too. Death Eaters don't mess around when it comes to wreaking havoc. If there's any danger, anything at all that seems out of the ordinary, owl me. I'm not losing you guys, too."
Willow and Oliver nodded. "We'll be careful, promise."
"Good. Now go have fun; you're in for a special treat this year. You probably won't want to come home for Christmas."
"Is that why we had to pack dress robes?" Oliver questioned.
Carlos beamed deviously. "You'll see when you get there." He kissed Willow and Oliver on the forehead. "Have fun this year! See you next spring!"
"Nos vemos, Papa!" Willow called over her shoulder.
The pair of Guerreros boarded the train once more. Oliver found Cypress and greeted him enthusiastically, immediately launching into a conversation about each other's summer holiday. Willow grinned as they walked away and slipped into Fred and George's compartment, not an inch of space between them. She really hoped Oliver got what he wanted this year; the pair were so cute together!
Without warning, Willow felt someone grab her wrist, then yank her backwards. She fought against whoever it was, but only caused herself to fall to the floor. Willow grouchily rose to her feet and allowed herself to be thrown into a different compartment. She hardly needed to look up to know who it was. Only one person drug her all over the place without her permission.
"Hello, Blondie."
"Care to explain this to me, Wisp?" Draco said, producing a copy of the Daily Prophet. "What's this that I hear about you being a snot-nosed hero at the Quidditch World Cup?"
"Seeing as you were too busy laughing at your father's antics, someone had to save all those innocent families from burning to death in their tents," Willow shot back.
"I was not laughing about- " Draco suddenly cut himself off. "Nevermind. What made you think to save the Head Auror's kid? Thought you were going to get some kind of plaque to put up in your dormitory, did you?"
"What- no, I was just helping innocent victims, unlike you!" Willow retorted. "Their tent was on fire, so I got them out before it could collapse."
"And now you've earned yourself a hero name. How cute."
"Draco, if you've summoned me here to taunt me the whole way to Hogwarts, I'm leaving now. This is pointless."
"So you do appreciate your nickname?"
Willow raised her eyebrows. "I wonder how this would look to the Daily Prophet: the Fire Flier, saviour of the Head Auror and his daughter, alone in a compartment with a member of the very family that participated in the destruction of the campsite. Boy, would Rita Skeeter love to whip up a story about that."
Draco's nostrils flared. "You're sickeningly arrogant, you know that?"
"Oh, I'm arrogant? Take a look in the mirror, Draco."
"Wisp, your family was there too, and you know damn well that they were the ones that started it all!"
Willow went silent for a long time. She glared daggers at Draco, who mirrored her expression. Then, she finally whispered, deadly quiet, "I am not a Fawley. I am a Guerrero, and no matter how much they want to recruit me into their ranks, I'm not going. I'd rather run myself through with a spear than call myself a Fawley. I will never be a Death Eater."
Draco's eyes grew stormy. "You may not get the choice, Wisp. Remember that."
Willow watched with a stony expression as he stormed off to the Slytherin compartments. She wanted to throw up and scream at Draco all at once. Of course they had a choice! They always had a choice! Becoming a Death Eater was completely a choice, whether their lives were threatened for remaining on the opposing side or not. Willow had vowed long ago to never, ever join their ranks, even if it meant her death. Draco was wrong. They could never break her will that far that she would torture innocent people for simply existing.
She would never become her mother.
Willow got up and left the compartment, heading as far away as she possibly could from Draco and his band of goons. She ducked into the Weasley twins' compartment, only to find them in nearly as terrible a mood as she was. They were practically shouting to each other about something, causing Lee and Paige, who sat on either side of them, to press their hands to their ears. To Willow's left, Cypress and Oliver struggled to ignore the ranting. Willow slid the compartment door shut, then slapped her hand on the table.
"HEY! Could you be a little louder?" she shouted.
Fred and George crossed their arms, glumly casting their eyes to the floor. "Bloody Ludo Bagman."
"Should never have trusted him-"
"-the dirty, cheating scum- "
"Stole everything we've saved up- "
"Whoa, whoa, what did Ludo do?" Willow questioned.
"He paid his bets in leprechaun gold!" Fred exploded. "Didn't realize it at the time, of course, but a few hours later, all our earnings disappeared! Gone! He cheated us out everything we've saved up over the past several years!"
"He- what? How dare he!" Willow fumed. "You won fair and square! If you want me to write to my father and have him set a graphorn loose in Bagman's office, I'd be happy to do so!"
"Don't bother," George grumbled. "We'll get him some way or another."
"Might prank him- "
"-or blackmail him- "
"-but either way, he's paying up."
The twins finally fell silent, burning holes in their shoes with their eyes. Lee and Paige awkwardly shifted in their seats, while Cypress and Oliver mouthed words of thanks in her direction. Willow tapped her fingers on the table, trying to dredge up a conversation topic that wouldn't set the twins off, when she was suddenly struck with an idea.
"Paige! We never tested out your patronus after figuring out the prophecy lines!" she exclaimed.
"I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten," Paige chortled.
"Wait, you figured it out?" Oliver gasped. "You forgot to tell me! You've been home for weeks, and you forgot to mention a life-altering discovery to your own brother?"
Willow winced. "...Sorry?"
"Can we get on with the Patronus thing, please?" Paige requested. Willow nodded gratefully, and the older girl whispered, "Expecto Patronum!"
From the end of Paige's wand burst a gorgeous white mare, tossing its mane in an unseen wind. Although the compartment was rather cramped, the mare simply walked through the table and stood on Willow's feet. She was surprised to feel the weight of the corporeal Patronus; it was odd, like a ghost had placed one foot across Death's doorstep into the physical world of the living. Willow gently patted the mare's head, watching intently for any signs or symbols it would show her. But the mare simply touched its nose to Willow's chest, snorted, and galloped back into Paige's wand.
"Um...that's not a path," Cypress commented.
"No, but it was definitely trying to tell me something," Willow said. She tapped her chest where the mare had touched her, and she was surprised to feel the diamonds of her locket graze her fingers. "What...why would your patronus go for my locket, Paige? I thought it would lead us right to the next step!"
Paige shrugged. "I dunno. It was pretty clear, though: the next step has something to do with that locket."
"But...my Mum gave me this locket. Why on Earth would it be telling me to go to Grace? She's not even part of my family anymore! The house that once knew no lie...it doesn't make any sense! The Fawley house is where she lives now, and that house has known nothing but lies since its founding."
"So...we're back to square one?" Cypress said.
"Unfortunately, yes," Willow sighed. She massaged her throbbing temples. "The last thing I need right now is more reminders of the Fawley family. First they try and throw us in Azkaban, then they pull that Quidditch World Cup stunt, and now this...I don't want to think about them for the rest of the year."
"Well, you might not have to," Lee said, his eyes sparkling excitedly. "Forget about the prophecy for a while. You've got years to deal with that. I've heard that something special is happening at Hogwarts this year, and my parents wouldn't tell me anything, but they hinted that we're going to have some special visitors."
"Bill and Charlie were doing that to us, too!" Fred suddenly said. He and George appeared to have gotten over their sullen mood. "They dropped hints all summer, but whenever we asked about it, they hushed up before we could get a word out of them!"
"Huh. I wonder who these visitors are going to be?" Oliver said.
"Whoever they are, they better not mess with my potions," Cypress said. "Anyone except Oliver touches my cauldron, and I throw all the failed Delayed Detonators at them, and that was rather dangerous experiment."
"Warning heeded," Paige chuckled.
The rest of the way to Hogwarts, the group came up with wild and crazy theories about the event happening at Hogwarts. Would they be conducting a series of experiments for the Ministry of Magic? Or maybe they would have guest professors from around the world come to instruct them? Were these visitors human, or were they magical creatures? Willow personally hoped that they would get visited by the Magical Department of the London Zoo, but no one else seemed to think that was plausible. She still crossed her fingers.
The carriages that greeted them at Hogsmeade Station had their tops on, as the rain was coming down in buckets. Willow and her friends waded through the deluge to find an empty carriage. It warmed her heart to see the thestrals, who were still pulling the carriages, toss their heads and romp around in the fun weather. She and Oliver giggled when the thestrals let out a beautiful cry of glee upon stepping in a deep, muddy puddle.
"Have you two gone mad?" Lee asked. "What are you laughing at?"
"The thestrals, obviously," Willow said. When Paige and Cypress shot her a quizzical look, understanding dawned on her. "Oh! I forgot you guys can't see them...but how could you not know that something had to be pulling the carriages?"
"I thought it was a charm," Cypress admitted. He looked at the space in front of the carriage, his eyes lighting to an electric blue. "Thestrals only appear to those who have seen death, right?"
"Unfortunately, yeah, but I love them all the same," Willow replied.
"Hang on, who died?" Lee yelped.
Willow reddened. "My- uh- older brother. I don't talk about it, ever."
"Oh- sorry...I didn't mean to bring that up," Lee apologized.
"It's okay. I wasn't going to tell you guys, since it brings up bad memories and all, but Fudge had it his way this summer, so now everyone knows. I should probably have clarified before I ran off. Sorry about that."
"So that's why you left in a hurry," Cypress said.
"Hey, how did your vacation to America go this summer, Cypress?" Oliver suddenly said.
Willow shot him a grateful smile. The rest of the way to the castle, their chatter turned to more light-hearted matters. Willow almost forgot that Orion had been mentioned by the time they ran up the steps to the Entrance Hall. Peeves doused them with more water, which Fred and George thoroughly enjoyed, and Willow purposely ran back into the rain and gave Paige a watery hug. She slapped the younger girl and pulled her into a seat next to the twins and Lee. Oliver and Cypress parted ways and took seats at their respective house tables.
Before long, the Gryffindor table was filled with familiar faces. Dean and Seamus launched into a funny story about the Quidditch World cup. Across the table, Willow listened to Mia and Fay giggle about some sixth year boy that had just transferred to Hogwarts from Ilvermorny. Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione got into a discussion about classes they were looking forward to, and Sally and Sam greeted Neville enthusiastically. Willow breathed a sigh of relief to see Harry and Ron at the table, safe and sound, and actually in attendance for the Welcoming Feast. How they managed to miss it two years in a row, she had no idea.
At long last, two familiar, bubbly third years skipped through the Great Hall and took a seat beside Willow.
"Colin, Ginny! How were your Holidays?" she greeted.
"Incredible! Mum let me buy my own dress robes for this year!" Ginny exclaimed. "I don't know what they're for, but I'm so excited to find out!"
"My brother Dennis is starting this year!" Colin announced. His expression faltered for a moment, and he bit his lip. "I really hope he gets into Gryffindor. When I showed him around Diagon Alley, I may have convinced him to buy a few tokens of house pride."
"Don't worry, most families end up in the same house," Willow reassured. "Only Padma and Parvati managed to get into different houses, as far as I know. If anything, I'm sure the Sorting Hat will see his stubbornness to get into Gryffindor and place him there right away."
Colin grinned appreciatively. "He'll get into Gryffindor, I just know it!"
Not long afterwards, Professor McGonagall opened the doors to the Great Hall and led a line of soaking-wet first years into the room. Willow spotted a small boy with the same mousy hair as Colin and waved. Apparently, he had fallen into the lake, as he wore Hagrid's jumbo moleskin coat and was still dripping with excess moisture. Willow watched as Professor McGonagall got the first years in order, then pulled out the Sorting Hat. It sang its song, and before they knew it, the first student was sorted into Ravenclaw.
After a few students had been divided up into their houses, Colin pointed and squeaked, "Willow, Ginny, there he is! He's next!"
Professor McGonagall called out Dennis Creevey's name. The poor boy trembled, but bravely stepped up to the stool and placed the hat on his sopping head. Willow couldn't tell whether he was shaking from fear or cold, but either way, within seconds, Dennis Creevey was proclaimed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Willow, Ginny, and Colin stood up and clapped for the boy, who scrambled to his brother's side and took a seat. They showered him in congratulations and cheers, then Willow and Ginny got to introduce themselves. Dennis accepted all the chaos like a trooper. Willow knew then and there that Dennis would be another one of those unflinchingly true-to-themselves Gryffindors, just like her. He would fit in fell. She promised herself right then that she wouldn't let anything happen to Dennis, especially considering what she'd just put his older brother through. The young Gryffindor was officially in her circle of protection.
After cheering herself hoarse for all the first-year Gryffindors, Willow enjoyed a wonderful meal full of all of her favorite foods. She gave Dennis a few tips about school, then settled down to listen to Dumbledore's announcements. His first announcement about Filch's list of banned items was mostly overlooked, of course, but his second one sent the whole school into an uproar: quidditch would not take place at Hogwarts this year!
"THAT'S BULL!" Paige and Willow roared in unison.
Dumbledore simply smiled at the pair over his spectacles, then continued on, saying that an entirely different event would be taking place in October and continuing through the rest of the school year. Willow suddenly remembered what her father had said about something special happening at Hogwarts and wondered if this was it. Fred and George exchanged intrigued looks with her, apparently on the same brain wave. If Quidditch wasn't happening because of this event, did that mean there was a more exciting way to earn glory for Gryffindor?
Before Dumbledore could finish telling them what this event was, the doors to the Great Hall burst open, and a rough-hewn figure of a man lumbered through. Willow noticed his magical eye, his wooden leg, and the scars crisscrossing his face. When he flopped into a chair at the staff table, his magical eye roamed all over the place, quite unlike his natural one. At one point, the electric blue iris pointed directly at her, and her sinuses were assaulted by a massive headache. Ginny looked at her when Willow let out a small sigh.
"What's wrong? Are your powers bothering you again?" the redhead whispered.
"Yeah..." Willow mumbled. "I think they're just warning me about that guy."
"Mad-Eye Moody? Well, that makes sense. He used to be an auror, and now he's a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off. He's always glancing over his shoulder. Nearly went mad on the Ministry once."
"Great, now I'm going to have to take aspirin before every Defense Against the Dark Arts class," Willow grumbled.
Moody thankfully looked away, and the pain in her head receded. Willow tried not to make up her mind about the new professor so early, but with what Ginny told her, and the amount of electrical signals he was causing, she had a feeling he would not make her top ten list.
Dumbledore continued with his speech. He announced that a very special event called the Triwizard Tournament would take place at Hogwarts this year. Two other schools, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, would send a delegation of students to stay at Hogwarts and compete in the tournament. This was the first Tournament to take place in hundreds of years, as the death rate of the previous attempts had been rather alarming. Dumbledore said that they should be grateful to be a part of something so historic.
One champion would be selected from each school by an impartial judge, then those three would compete against each other in three separate tasks meant to test them in ways unimaginable. It would be dangerous, and once chosen, the champions would be bound to compete by a powerful magical contract. They would stand alone, but have the chance to bring glory not only to themselves and their house, but the whole school.
Willow elbowed Paige, her eyes lighting up in excitement. Glory? A chance to prove themselves? This was sounding like the chance of a lifetime! Fred and George expressed their interest, too, and the four feverishly whispered about what the tasks would entail. Dumbledore crushed their hopes, however, when a moment later, he announced that the Ministry had created a rule preventing underage wizards from entering the tournament, as they would not be knowledgeable enough, and the danger was possibly life-threatening.
Willow booed along with Fred, George, Paige, and pretty much the rest of the student body. Why shouldn't they get a chance at glory, too? Just because they were young didn't mean they were ignorant! Willow fumed, brooding over her lost chance. She was more than capable, probably a better candidate for a champion than half of the seventh years! And she wasn't the only one who should be allowed a chance! Heck, Paige was a descendent of Merlin! She could probably destroy the danger with a flick of her wrist!
Dumbledore waited for them to quiet down, then continued to finish his announcements by declaring Beauxbatons' and Dumstrang's arrival on October the 30th. They were sent off to bed shortly afterwards. Willow schemed with Fred, George, and Paige for a way to enter the tournament even though they were underaged. Maybe a bit of Aging Potion should do it. After all, when they were finished hoodwinking the judge, it wouldn't matter whether they were underaged, right?
Willow's wrist suddenly vibrated. She made a quick exit and slipped inside the secret room. Her creatures tackled her the moment she passed through the wall. She had a job of pushing them off so she could answer the call.
"Willow! How are you?" Sirius exclaimed, his image filling the watch screen.
"Pretty great! How are you doing?"
"Alright. Buckbeak's been digging up plenty of vermin for me. It's not ideal, but it's not horrible when I'm in my Animagus form. Dogs tend to love chasing after squirrels and rats and such."
"Sirius, you've lost weight again," Willow scolded. His shirt looked like it was filled with air instead of a torso. Patches of dirt covered half the fabric, and the other half was either frayed or torn. "I'll send Iris some food from the Great Hall. You're not going to starve to death. Not on my watch."
"Then take off the watch."
"Sirius! This is not a joke!" Willow said, though an inconvenient smile spread across her face. She gave up and let out a small chuckle. "Dang it, now you've gone and turned it into one!"
"A little humor never hurt anyone." Sirius left the frame for a moment, yelling at Buckbeak to stop crunching so loudly, then returned with an upbeat expression. "So, how was the first day back? Has anything life-threatening happened yet, or is that exclusively reserved for the end of the year?"
"Reserved for the end of the year. Fate values my education more than my life."
"Ah, yes, because that's not backwards at all," Sirius said. He chortled when Griffin and Phoebe nudged Willow out of the frame. "I see that your creatures successfully made it to Hogwarts. Have your other friends attacked you yet?"
"Nope, though I did talk to Paige and the twins, and they were kind enough not to bring up my disappearance. Miranda might be cooking up some scheme to get back at me, though. He hates it when I run away from my feelings." Willow let out a sigh. "That reminds me, though. Paige cast her patronus, and it didn't show us a path at all. It just touched my locket. What's that all about?"
Sirius paused in thought, then shook his head. "All I can think of is that you're supposed to go home, but you live in your mansion, so that doesn't seem likely, and the Fawley mansion is practically bursting at the seams with lies."
"That's what I said, too! And it gets me no closer to the truth than I was before!" Willow kicked a nearby tree root. "It's so frustrating! This stupid prophecy already has the audacity to threaten my friends' and family's lives, and then it won't come out and tell me what to do to fix it? Whoever came up with this crap better have suffered to bring it to life!"
"Well, all ranting aside, my suggestion is for you to have the audacity to defeat it," Sirius said. "You're a bloody headstrong Gryffindor, Willow. I know that you won't stop until this prophecy is conquered."
"I hope you're right..." Willow shook her head. "Look at me, bogging you down with more worries. Typical Willow Guerrero thing to do. I haven't even mentioned the big announcement Dumbledore made tonight! Sirius, have you heard of the Triwizard Tournament?"
Willow launched into an explanation of the Tournament, making it very clear how stupid she thought it was that she couldn't compete. Sirius contradicted her, though, reminding her that glory wasn't worth dying for; she still has a lot to do before she dies. The prophecy aside, she had magical creatures, a family, and friends to worry about, not to mention a future career in magical creature research & care. Willow conceded the point. It was probably better that she didn't compete after all...
Eventually, Willow yawned widely. "Sorry, I'm getting tired. I should go to bed before I pass out in here. You stay safe, Sirius, and I swear to God, if I find out you did anything that risks your capture- "
"-you'll see my beautiful face plastered on the front page of the Daily Prophet," Sirius teased, shooting her a wink. Willow gave him a look, and he relented. "Alright, I know, I'll be safe. Same goes for you, though. Keep yourself out of trouble. Don't you dare enter that tournament. And for the love of God, get with Paige, will you? I would like to have something more to smile about."
Willow blushed, but hid it well with an eye roll. "Got it. Good night, Sirius."
"Goodnight."
The screen went dark. The happiness that had previously lifted Willow up slowly let her down. Her neutral expression returned, and the optimism failed. She desperately wished that Sirius was only a light jog across the Hogwarts grounds, but that opportunity had passed. Sirius didn't need to put himself in danger day in and day out just because she was needy. She would get by with talking to him through her watch. She had to get by, because if she lost it, Sirius might, too.
Willow recreated a nest for her creatures and settled them in for the night, then discreetly stepped into the common room, which was slowly emptying of all students. Fred and George were still scheming by the fireplace when she walked up the spiral stairs to her dormitory. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her trunk sitting perfectly untouched on the bed, but her content mood was snatched away by the sound of cursing and arguing coming from the other side of the room.
"You're making a big deal out of nothing, Hermione!"
"You're not treating house elves like the thinking, feeling beings they are!"
"Hermione, they like serving wizards!"
"It's slave labor!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Willow said, stepping into the room. Everyone paused and turned to look at her. "What's going on? Why are we already arguing on the first night?"
"Hermione's spewing nonsense!" Lavender accused.
"I am simply defending the rights of house elves!" Hermione shot back.
Willow wanted to take a hammer to her own skull. Why were they always arguing about the most ridiculous of topics? Divination had come between the Gryffindor Sisters the year before, and now house elves were going to give her headaches? Willow vowed to dissolve the issue before it could blow up in all their faces.
"Look, Hermione, I understand what you're saying, but- " she began.
"Willow, do you have a house elf?" Hermione interrupted, cheeks flaring red.
"Uh...no?"
"And why is that?"
"I don't really know, actually, but I'm pretty sure my parents had something against owning a house elf," Willow said. "It's a personal choice. Really, Hermione, I don't see why- "
"See, see? Some people get it!" Hermione shrilled. "It's wrong! Owning house elves and forcing them to labor for you without pay is slavery!"
"No, it is not!" Fay argued.
"Yes, it is!"
Willow rubbed her hands down her face. "Everyone, shut it!" When everyone was finally quiet again, she looked at each one of them in turn. "We are not going to have a repeat of last year, okay? We call ourselves the Gryffindor Sisters for a reason. We're practically siblings to one another. Hermione, you're allowed to have your opinions on house elves, just as the rest of you are. It's not illegal to be a free thinker. I agree that some people really do abuse their house elves, and it's a shameful thing that should be pursued more persistently by the Ministry of Magic. I'm sure a lot of you feel that, too. We're entitled to our own opinions. But arguing over our own specific views won't change them, so keep your opinions to yourself unless you're informing someone nicely about a certain fact!"
Willow crossed her arms when she was finished. She tapped her foot to break up the silence that ensued after her speech. Finally, at long last, the girls broke off to rearrange their things, decorate their nightstands, or organize their toiletries in the bathroom. Friendly conversation resumed, and Hermione dropped her raging for the time being. Willow unpacked her trunk and placed Achelous on her bed. After a moment of hesitation, she took out a picture frame, adjusting it so that the image practically glowed in the lighting. She stared at it longingly for many minutes, lost in thought.
"Is that your brother?"
Willow fell off her bed and landed hard on the floor. "Merlin's beard, Sally, don't scare me like that!"
Sally reddened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to, I was just curious." She paused for a moment, then said, "Why did you never tell us about him? I'm guessing it's something bad, because you ran out on us this summer, so you can tell me to screw off if it's painful."
"Well, it's painful, but you should get an explanation. My brother doesn't deserve to be a secret anymore."
"You're talking about your brother?" Mia gasped.
"Can we hear, too?" Lavender pleaded.
"Yeah," Willow said, deciding it was time. "Come here, all of you, and I'll tell you a bit about Orion."
The Gryffindor Sisters seated themselves in an arch around Willow. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the picture frame, then handed it around to her roommates.
"Orion- I called him Rion- was two years older than me. He took great pride in being taller than me, all through childhood, so I got back at him by teasing him for being a 'dumb blonde' even though he was smart. We played soccer together, camped together, slept in the same room, and even read books together. We fought over who got to hold the book," Willow chuckled, a reminiscent twinkle in her eyes. "He was the best brother I could have asked for. I thought we were twins for a good three years before my dad pointed out our height difference, then different birthdays. I was a rather clueless little kid."
The light in Willow's eyes died, and she grimaced. "Rion was murdered when I was nine. He was eleven. My mum couldn't live with it, and it drove her crazy, and her family taking her in and brainwashing her didn't help. I basically lost half of my family in one night. It took a while to get over it, but I've mostly learned to deal with it now. I just don't like talking about Rion because...well, it's not fun to break down in front of your friends all the time, is it?"
Lavender's mouth had dropped open. "Willow...how have you lived with that?"
"My dad, mostly. He's stronger than anyone I know."
"I'm so sorry you lost Orion," Fay said, handing Willow back the photograph. "I can't even imagine losing my brother."
"Good. Don't imagine it, it sucks," Willow chuckled mirthlessly.
The Gryffindor Sisters buried her in a group hug, then backed away, murmuring their support as they each climbed into bed for the night. Sally was the last one to remain by her side, expression unreadable.
"If- if you ever need to talk, you know I'm here for you, right?" Sally said, her face oddly losing colour.
Willow nodded. "I know. Hey, are you okay? You're looking kind of pale there."
Sally forced an obvious fake smile onto her face. "Yeah, just fine! I'm- I'm going to bed now. Don't hesitate to wake me up if you need me."
"Thank you."
Willow turned the lights out, then climbed into bed, drawing the curtains over her four-poster bed. Sally's blanched face hovered in her mind's eye for many minutes. Willow laid awake, wondering if she'd scared the poor girl. Sally had lost her mother to insanity, after all, and the worry that she would lose Sam probably scared her half to death. If anything, Willow's low state probably scared Sally into thinking that she'd get too low. Willow knew that she'd never give into depression, but Sally probably wasn't as convinced. She promised to talk to Sally about it sometime soon.
Willow's breathing evened out and she began to drift off the sleep, watching the stars through the window.
Good night, Rion.
Willow, come quick!
Willow was running, following desperately after the sound of her brother's voice, but all she could see was darkness. She heard footsteps to her right, then her left, and suddenly Rion swept behind her.
Come on, you've got to see this!
Willow caught sight of Rion's blonde mop of hair. She darted after him, heart pounding, but her legs seemed to be made of cement. Rion skipped away, his image fading as he ran further into the darkness. Willow cried out for him to wait, but he only laughed, escaping her view even faster now.
Willow, what's wrong?
Without warning, the scenery changed, and Willow saw herself sitting on the back porch of her house. Nine-year-old Willow sniffled, defiantly wiping away tears as her older brother approached her. The present Willow tried to move closer, but her feet were rooted to the ground, and she could only watch the memory unfold.
Ashley shoved me into the mud again at practice, Young Willow spat. I chucked some mud at her for it, and coach said he'd kick me off the team if I ever do it again. Ashley didn't get a word for it!
Rion put his arm around his younger sister, and Present Willow could almost feel his touch, the memory so powerful it hurt. Don't worry about Ashley. She sucks, and if you keep playing the way you are, you'll take all her playing time anyway. Can payback get any better than that?
Young Willow cracked a smile. I guess not...but can I still kick a soccer ball at Ashley when the coach isn't looking?
Rion let out a laugh, and Present Willow's heart stopped. The joy that came from that sound was like a cool breeze on a hot summer day, the crackle of a fire in the depths of winter, the touch of sugar that made sweet tea just right; it was pure happiness. Willow felt her eyes mist up. Rion got that laugh from Grace. She missed hearing that laugh so much, in either of her family members, but now it could only be heard in dreams, such as this.
Willow cried out when the scene changed once again. She was once more a bystander to her own memory, helplessly watching the events unfold. She saw her nine-year-old self, sleeping peacefully in bed, the time barely past one in the morning. The moonlight streaming through the window cast a serene glow about Rion's face in the bed opposite her. Present Willow's heart seized when she recognized the memory.
No, no, no, not this again! she tried to scream.
But nothing could stop the time from passing. Willow frantically tried to wake herself up, pinching herself, kicking herself, even giving herself a nice shiner on the cheekbone. None of it worked. Willow heard footsteps in the hall just outside her door, then voices, hissing and cackling in all their glory. She could hear a woman's scream, and a man's followed. Willow felt herself suffocating beneath the weight of the moment, and as the door handle slowly turned, she lost it, her breath coming in panicked gasps.
When the door opened, she closed her eyes, but nothing could drive the memory from her head. She could see it all unfolding in her head. The woman, stepping close to Rion's bed; Young Willow opening her eyes, then freezing, too terrified to move; the woman pleading; then the man's screams, a whisper, and a single spell that wiped out the happiest part of Willow's life. Present Willow opened her eyes and saw the witches and wizards celebrating. She saw the woman hysterically sobbing. She saw the horror-stricken man on his knees.
She relived it all.
It wasn't the first time.
And it never got any easier.
Willow suddenly gasped awake, finding herself back in her dormitory. Cold sweat poured down her forehead. Her breathing was hitched and rattling. Panic had infused itself with every nerve in her body. Willow checked the time and discovered that it was half past four in the morning. Fidget sleepily peered up at her from her pocket, murmuring in a concerned manner. She took a few deep breaths and focused on feeling the duvet beneath her.
I'm fine, I'm fine...it was just a dream...yeah, it happened, but I'm fine now...I'm over it...
Willow finally regained control of her breathing. She repeated the reassuring monologue in her brain until her frayed nerves recovered. Recognizing that she'd never fall back asleep, she got up and quietly tiptoed out of the dormitory, sneaking down the stairs and into the common room. Willow got a flame going in the fireplace and settled herself in the large window overlooking the Forbidden Forest. She kept her mind busy with the scent of pine smoke and the sights the moonlit Forest provided.
Then, a thestral popped above the trees. Its massive wingspan dwarfed some of the treetops. Willow watched in awe as the beautiful creature swept above the leaves, rustling the canopy, then flapped its leathery wings and spiraled into the sky. A few more thestrals joined the other, and Willow realized the grey of dawn was approaching, their favorite time of day. She wondered what they did during the day, since she'd never seen them playing after the sun fully came up. Did they have a favorite spot to relax in the shade?
Suddenly, a flash of brilliant blonde hair caught Willow's eye. She stared in bewilderment at a figure loftily skipping toward the treeline, aloof entirely to the fact that it was super early in the morning, and that she was easily visible to a passing Professor. Willow wondered if the girl was unaware or if she simply didn't care about the danger of the Forbidden Forest. Either way, she wasn't about to let her run into the Forest alone, and before she knew it, Willow's feet were automatically carrying her to the nearest opening the the castle walls. She found an open window and launched herself outside, transforming into a hawk at the very last moment.
Willow spread her wings and glided to where she had last seen the girl. She found her almost immediately, the blonde hair startlingly distinct in the hazy dark grey morning. The girl had already passed the treeline by the time Willow landed. Concealed by a copse of trees, Willow shape-shifted once again into a black cat, keeping an eye on the girl. She bounded noiselessly after her without so much as cracking a twig. Willow thought this girl must have gone mad, skipping through the woods like she was. And what kind of crazy person got up this early?
You're crazy enough to love this time of morning, Cebba retorted.
Cebba! Not now! Willow hissed. This girl is walking into certain death!
You do it all the time, hypocrite.
I can literally transform myself into a dragon! It doesn't count as certain death to me!
Willow could almost see Cebba rolling her eyes. This girl seems capable enough. Where is she going, anyway? We've never been to this part of the Forest.
Probably straight into a trap, just our luck. Warn me if there's something coming, okay?
Cebba promised to do so, and Willow continued to track the blonde hair through the trees. The girl seemed to know where she was going, because she never once hesitated to turn right at a particular tree, or go straight when three half-worn paths forked off. Willow suddenly skidded to a stop when the girl reached the edge of a drop off. A wide bowl of underbrush opened beneath her. Smiling, the girl searched the skies, then let out a whistle.
To Willow's amazement, an otherworldly neigh glazed over her eardrums, and a group of thestrals landed in the clearing below. The girl carefully climbed down a series of rocky ledges, then landed on her feet only meters away from the thestrals. Willow's eyes widened in shock as the girl reached out a hand and stroked a baby thestral's mane.
She can see them too?
Willow moved a little closer to the girl, trying to get a good look at her face. But her right paw met empty space when she stepped forward, and gravity yanked her down, sending cat-Willow tumbling down the cliff face. She rolled head-over-heels into the clearing, letting out a loud yowl when she landed hard on her shoulder. By this time, the thestrals and the girl were looking at her, confusion written in their expressions.
Willow gave up the act. She was caught now. She transformed back into her human self and started towards the girl, who surprisingly showed no initial signs of shock.
"Hello, Willow," she greeted, her voice very airy and dream-like.
Willow stumbled over her own two feet. "What- you know my name?"
"The whole common room talked about you when you disappeared last term. Padma has mentioned you, too."
"You're friends with Padma?"
The girl nodded, smiling. "Padma was very kind to me when the other girls were not. She told me about your fight against the Ministry last year- and your bowtruckle friend," she added, gesturing to Fidget's surprise appearance.
Willow's nerves finally relaxed. "Oh." She shifted her weight onto her other hip. "Um...I'm sorry, but I don't know your name."
"Luna," the girl replied, patting a thestral as it rubbed up against her. Luna's silver-grey eyes intelligently scanned Willow's expression. "You can see the thestrals. You're wondering why I can, too."
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to..." Willow trailed off.
"It's okay. I don't remember it very well," Luna admitted. "My mum was a brilliant witch. She loved to experiment with spells, especially charms, but one day it went badly wrong. I was nine."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Luna. I was nine when I lost someone, too." Willow wondered why she was spilling out her secrets so quickly to a stranger, but remembered why she was awake in the first place, and decided that it was better if she talked it out. "My brother was murdered in front of me. I have nightmares about it sometimes, and it helps if I come to the Forbidden Forest when that happens."
Luna took Willow's hand in her own. "I'm sorry. That must have been very painful." She searched Willow's eyes. "You understand the thestrals, too. Is that because you can turn into one?"
"What? Oh, no, I've just- did Padma tell you about my powers?" Luna grinned. Willow sighed, hoping that she could trust Padma's judgement when it came to dolling out her secrets. "I only shape-shift to help me sneak out of the castle and defend my friends. Communicating with them gets rather...how do I put this, exasperating? No, I understand them because they're...well, because they're like me, beautiful only through a broken lense."
Luna looked at Willow with an understanding the Gryffindor had never known before. "That's a poetic way of putting it. I like them because even though they're made fun of all day long, they don't hear a word of it. They just wait for someone to see them as they are."
"That's...even more poetic."
Luna smiled, pulling a piece of chicken out of her pocket. She held it in her palm and patiently waited for the baby thestral to nibble it away. Willow watched with great wonder the way that Luna seemed to float across the ground, so aware of her surroundings, but effortlessly making herself aloof to all the world. It reminded her of Padma in a way, and she suddenly understood why the pair got on so well. She could see why some people would tease Luna instead of Padma, though; Luna didn't act quite as normal. But then again, was anyone actually normal, especially in Ravenclaw? Hogwarts was the biggest mix of personalities Willow had ever seen, and with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students coming, the diversity was only going to increase tenfold. Willow enjoyed Luna's presence, and she promised herself to find her bullies and give them a piece of her mind.
"What year are you in, Luna?" she asked.
"Third. Are you in the fourth year?"
"Yes. Do you know Ginny Weasley and Colin Creevey?" Luna shook her head no. "Well, I'll have to introduce you, because I have a feeling you'll get along with them pretty well. They're my only friends in your year."
"I'd love to meet them."
Willow paused in thought for a moment, letting the silence do its magic, then finally said, "Luna, do you come out here often?" When the blonde replied that she often sought the comfort of the Forest, Willow grinned from ear to ear. "I do, too. How would you like it if we- I dunno- turned this into a safe place? You know, for when we need some time away from the castle and being social."
Luna's eyes sparkled. "That would be the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me."
"It's done, then. Watch this!"
Willow stamped her foot into the ground, sending shockwaves in every direction. Then, at her command, a cluster of trees grew tightly together, concealing a small portion of the clearing from possible onlookers. Willow drew up her memories of the Power House, way on the other side of the Forest, and copied its design. Soon, she was standing at the door of a cozy little cabin, equipped with chairs and a couch and even a bookshelf just in case. Luna smiled appreciatively.
"You're a wonderful person, Willow. It's a surprise that you didn't end up in Hufflepuff." Luna patted the baby thestral once more, beaming at the Gryffindor girl. "You're a great friend."
Willow couldn't wipe the stupid smile off her face.
