"Are you ready?"
"Pfft, no, why would I ever be ready?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "Cypress, just do the mad scientist-potion-protege thing."
"You got it!"
From the corner of the Slytherin common room, Cypress rolled a potions vial towards Pansy Parkinson and a few other girls. They didn't happen to notice the little glass of bright green liquid clink against the leg of a coffee table. Willow waited with bated breath as Cypress pulled out his wand. He muttered the incantation for the severing charm. The vial cracked precisely down the middle, then a second later, Cypress magically lit it on fire. The potion suddenly exploded into a cloud of green smoke. Pansy screamed as her teeth dispositioned themselves, her ears enlarged, and her freckles turned into moles. The other girls' faces contorted with rather unpleasant changes as well. Willow and Cypress high-fived and made a beeline for the exit.
"CYPRESS!" Pansy shrieked.
"What was that? I can't hear you through your buck teeth!" Cypress called over his shoulder.
Willow nearly tripped over herself, she was laughing so hard. Cypress smirked at Pansy's ensuing rage fit. The pair dashed through the corridors, clambered up the stairs, and finally came to a stop in the Great Hall. They simply could not stop laughing; the prank had gone according to plan, and it couldn't happen to a better group of girls. When Rita Skeeter's article about the Triwizard Tournament had come out the day before, detailing a false love story between Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, the Slytherin girls had ruthlessly teased Hermione about it. Willow and the rest of her Gryffindor Sisters flaunted the better parts of the article, most of which described Hermione's "stunning" looks and "brilliant" mind, as Skeeter herself had claimed. Still, Willow had felt it was time to remind Pansy Parkinson that pureblood mania didn't make one any more beautiful, and Cypress had been more than willing to help, as he'd just created the perfect potion for the job. Willow thought her message couldn't be any clearer.
The Weasley twins, Paige, and Lee asked all about the prank, and Willow happily reported all the details. They boosted Cypress's ego with even more praise for his potions and asked him to create a specific one for a prank on Snape later that week. Willow thought the blonde would never get off his high horse now. She pulled Cypress out of the conversation before the Weasleys could say anything more and dropped him off at the Hufflepuff table with Oliver. Willow smiled to herself as Cypress instantly resorted to his usual mood and recounted a highly embellished story of their prank. She shook her head and returned to the Gryffindor table, where Paige and George were positively quivering with excitement.
"Willow, we have to show you something!"
"Finished it just last night!"
"We've been working on it for the last two weeks!"
"Ooh, another specialty pranking device?" Willow guessed. "One specifically made for Draco, I hope?"
"Nope! This one's for you!" George proudly handed Willow a small explosive device. She shot a quizzical look at the ginger. "We call it the Flashback Attack. It's like a grenade, but much less dangerous. If you detonate it, the pod blocks out all noise and sensory information for two minutes, giving you time to leave the situation. Since you refuse to believe you have panic attacks, we thought this would give you a chance to deal with the 'mystery emotional distressor' causing you to panic."
Willow turned the pod around in her hand, mouth slightly agape. "You made this...just to help me?"
"Duh, we had to pay you back for doing our Potions homework somehow," Paige snickered. At the look George shot her, she added, "But in all seriousness, this is our way of helping you out, since you won't go and get real help."
"I...I don't know what to say," Willow stammered.
"How about thank you?" Paige said.
Willow rolled her eyes. "I was getting to that part. Thank you, guys. This means a lot."
"You're welcome. Just make sure you use it, or we'll tell Miranda and Cypress that you're having panic attacks, and God knows they'll drag you to get help themselves," George reminded her.
"Trust me, I'm planning on using this." Willow smiled sheepishly. "Seriously, you're the best friends ever. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Probably pass out and die from lack of self-care."
"That's...probably true," Willow chuckled. Iris suddenly swooped in and dropped a letter on her lap. Willow quickly scanned it with George and Paige. "Huh. Hagrid needs me again. It looks like he wrote this in a hurry."
"You better get out to him right away, then. The skrewts might have blown up his hut. We'll see you later, Willow."
The young Gryffindor stuffed one last roll in her mouth and ran down the steps of the Entrance Hall. In the distance, Hagrid stood at his front door. He waved to Willow as she came running. There was an unmistakable sparkle in the gamekeeper's eye, one that told of a secret too exciting to keep hidden. Willow wondered what on Earth Hagrid wanted to show her this time; was it another crossbreed of his own creation? Was it a highly dangerous creature that posed a serious fire hazard? Or was it another creature he'd acquired while gambling, like Fluffy the three-headed dog or Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback?
"Hagrid, what's going on?" Willow questioned.
"Come on, follow me! Be real quiet, mind yeh!"
After a short trek through the Forbidden Forest, they came upon a clearing. At least thirty wizards Willow didn't recognize were bustling around, casting charms, and moving massive equipment. Hagrid moved her along until she was a little ways into the area, and with the clearer view, Willow could better see what was going on. That's when she saw them.
Dragons.
Four real, live dragons, all of varying sizes and colours, fought against their restraints. The witches and wizards running around their cages sported multiple bruises and burns already, and the dragons were only half-conscious, having recently come to after a round of stunning spells. An entire team of wizards had been set to work putting out fires from the feisty creatures. Their majestic patterns gleamed brilliantly in the setting sun, and their eyes reflected the blazing light. Willow could hardly contain her glee as the handlers magically positioned the dragon cages in equally spaced out areas within the clearing.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Hagrid sniffled, a tear running down his cheek.
Willow couldn't help but chuckle. "It is, Hagrid, it really is." She suddenly gasped. "Is that– Is that a Swedish Shortsnout?"
"It's good to know that someone's been teaching these young ones their dragon species!"
Willow whirled around to see a familiar shock of red hair. The man was unmistakably a Weasley, but this was one that she'd never met. His heavily freckled face and sun-darkened skin told of many days spent in the hot sun– or, quite possibly, in the burning in the heat of dragon flames. He had a friendly smile and a unique gait that was a cross between confident and muscular. There was a sort of mischievous twinkle in his eye that reminded Willow of Fred and George, though unlike the twins, he was toned like a true athlete. Willow had never seen such a cool person in her life.
"Ah, Willow, here he is!" Hagrid exclaimed. "This is Charlie Weasley."
"Charlie! That's the one!" Willow said, finally remembering Ron's stories about his older brother's work with dragons in Romania. She held out her hand, and Charlie shook it. "Willow Guerrero. It's nice to finally put a face to the name."
"The same goes for you!" Charlie said jovially. "You're the one Ginny has told me so much about! It's a shame Ron hasn't taken to you as well; I thought he'd be smitten by now."
"Well, he's got his hands full, what with Harry getting into trouble all hours of the day," Willow remarked.
"Ah, that's alright. George talks about you enough to make up for it," Charlie said, shooting her a wink. "I hope you're giving him hell?"
Willow smirked. "You know it."
Charlie grinned at Hagrid. "I like this one!" He turned and motioned for her to follow. "Come on, then! It's not every day you get a front-row seat to dragon handling!"
Willow bounced after him. Charlie, being younger than the majority of the handlers present, had been assigned to the Common Welsh Green, the smallest of the four dragons. This particular creature seemed to recognize the wizard as he approached. She stomped around and huffed, causing smoke to pour from her nostrils. Charlie talked to the dragon while he tended to her bonds. He reinforced all ten of them with magic as the dragon followed him with her eyes, never blinking as she stared him down. Charlie finished, and when he put his hands on his hips, the dragon sighed expectantly.
"Oh, alright, you have behaved rather well," Charlie relented.
He pulled a slab of meat out of a nearby cooler and tossed it into the cage. The dragon snapped it up in a single gobble, then, without warning, shot a jet of flames right at Charlie. He danced out of the way just in time to avoid being burnt to a crisp. Willow's eyebrows shot up as Charlie laughed all the way back to her and Hagrid.
"Dragonology is a fickle job, it is! Just when you think the beast is taking to you, it tries to make you dinner. Always on your toes around these beauties, always!"
"Untamable, but beautiful," Willow commented. "I should know. My family's worked with them off and on for generations."
"Have you ever considered becoming a dragonologist?" Charlie asked.
"Yes, but I'd rather be a magizoologist in general, and take care of all the creatures in the wizarding world," Willow admitted. "I've got a soft spot for dragons, of course, but they're not nearly as friendly as a demiguise and a griffin."
"You sound like you're speaking from experience."
Willow grinned. "Yeah, I am. I seem to have accidentally started a rescue for magical creatures. So far, I've got an adolescent griffin, a demiguise, a jarvey, a knarl, a jobberknoll, a fire-dwelling salamander, a bowtruckle, an owl, and a puffskein. McGonagall may or may not have given me a secret hideout off the Gryffindor common room where they stay all year."
"Really?" Charlie let out a puff of air. "Why didn't she let me have that?"
"Because you would have let a dragon into the castle and tried to raise it."
"Fair enough." Charlie shot Willow a sideways glance. "Mum tells me you've got these special animagus-like abilities. Would said ability allow you to transform into these creatures of yours?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
Willow grinned mischievously. She shape-shifted into a griffin, then a demiguise, and last but not least, a Chinese Fireball. She shot flames at a nearby bush, then stomped them out, enjoying the feel of the heat on her scales. Willow grunted at the Hungarian Horntail, and it chuffed response, communicating something along the lines of toleration. Charlie's face had gone slack by the time Willow was back to her original self.
"You – How – That's incredible!" Charlie exclaimed. "You just communicated with a magical creature! Do you have any idea what the implications of these abilities are? Years of research could be completed in moments with you in the field!"
"I never thought about it that way. I guess it would be cool."
"Cool is the understatement of the millenia! Newt Scamander would have killed for those kinds of abilities! To be able to connect with a creature, to possibly live among them for a period of time...it would enhance the research process a thousandfold! Someone needs to get Dumbledore and have him graduate you early!"
"I wish it were that simple," Willow sighed. "But there's kind of this...thing...that I've got to finish before my seventh year. It's pretty important."
"Ah, well, we can wait a few years, if that's what it takes." Charlie took another look at Willow. "Honestly, George needs to step it up. He's nowhere even close to deserving you!"
Willow hated the flush in her face. She cleared her throat. "So...is this what the first task involves? Fighting a dragon?"
"I suppose so. They never tell me anything, honestly. They asked for nesting mothers, and to switch out their eggs, but I have no idea why they would do such an awful thing to these poor creatures. I'm hoping the task is a little more doable than a duel against a dragon."
"Anything involving a dragon is still going to be tough."
"I suppose you have a point there. Hopefully someone will tip off Harry. I can't imagine how Mum would react if she knew he would be going up against one of these four. She'd probably fly all the way here just to stop the Tournament."
"I can't believe they're letting Harry compete," Willow sighed. "It feels...wrong."
"It does, but there's nothing they can do about it now. Right or not, Harry's a Champion, and as of Tuesday, he'll be hashing it out with a dragon."
"Merlin help him..."
Willow shut the door of the Three Broomsticks, sealing the chilly November wind on the other side. She found a table in a secluded corner and sat down, motioning for Benigno, Ginny, and Colin to do the same. She'd been showing the three around Hogsmeade all morning, as it was the first opportunity any of them had gotten to visit the wizarding village. Ginny and Colin bounced with excitement at every turn. They bought immeasurable amounts of candy at Honeydukes, and Willow had coerced them into purchasing a few pranks from Zonko's. Benigno was much more interested in the scenery than the shopping, though Willow had, inevitably, convinced him to buy a magical stationary that would make words appear and disappear according to the user's preference– in other words, a cheat sheet. Now, the young Gryffindor had brought them to the Three Broomsticks for a mug of the best butterbeer money could buy, and even when Benigno insisted on paying, she refused.
Willow tossed a menu his way, then handed two more to Ginny and Colin. The four enjoyed some of the heartiest beefsteak sandwiches they'd ever tasted. Madam Rosmerta graciously served them a bucket of fresh-cut fries, and Willow nearly ate herself into a food coma. The Gryffindor tipped Rosmerta very generously, and she was off again, already promising Ginny, Colin, and Benigno another exciting destination.
The post office was rather interesting to view. Owls of all shapes, sizes, and colours flew about in a chaotic yet orderly fashion. Tiny owls perched themselves below a sign that read, "Short Distances Only", while the enormous eagle-owls were permitted international travel. Ginny absolutely adored the smaller raptors. After several minutes, Willow managed to pull her away, and they were again exploring the nooks and crannies of the charming little village. They visited a few more sites, then Willow decided to show them the greatest destination of all: the Shrieking Shack.
They made their way to the edge of the village, then descended the winding, rocky slope to the thin pine forest below. Willow picked her way through the trees with ease. She found the well-worn path made by generations of students and followed it until the familiar rusted iron fence came into view. Benigno, Ginny, and Colin gasped upon seeing the vast, untamed property before them, and in the distance, a leaning, rickety, splintering, two-story house. Willow explained that it had been abandoned for years, but people still swore they heard howls echoing from the property every full moon.
"I thought you said no one lived here?" Benigno said, pointing into the distance.
Willow squinted against the harsh sunlight, and to her great surprise, a figure was moving within the house. He flashed by a few windows, then suddenly disappeared down the stairs, vanishing from sight. Willow caught a blur of strawberry blonde hair and instantly knew it was Sam. She furrowed her brow. Why was Sam, of all people, wandering through an abandoned house? He was terrified of ghost stories! Willow bit her lip in worry. Something weird was happening to the Smith twins, and it was only getting worse. She had to confront them, and soon.
"It's probably a ghoul still hanging around," Willow deflected. She motioned for her friends to follow her. "Come on, let's get going. We've got a lot to see yet!"
After another round of the candy store and a visit to the Hog's Head just for sightseeing, Ginny and Colin were exhausted. They opted to return to the castle while Willow and Beningo stayed behind. The pair struck up another conversation about the similarities between Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, especially considering their top-notch quidditch teams. The rivalries at Beauxbatons went all three ways, and apparently, it made for some interesting traditions during the matches. Willow was in the middle of explaining the Slytherin-Gryffindor beef when Draco suddenly made an appearance.
"Wisp, I need to talk to you, now," he hissed.
At that moment, Madame Maxime called for her students. Benigno said his goodbyes and hurried to catch up to his classmates. Willow exasperatedly sighed as Draco pulled her into a back alley.
"What do you want this time, Blondie?"
"My father is here."
"Your– wait, why is he here?" Willow questioned. "I thought he'd be busy doing cult things with his Death Eater buddies in the Ministry or something."
Draco made a face. "Being a Death Eater is not a full-time thing, Willow. He's here because the Minister of Magic is here, checking on the Tournament preparations."
"Perfect, so he'll stay away from me."
"Exactly the opposite, Wisp! He'll purposely search you out! You have to stay away from him, do you understand? You lie worse than a Hufflepuff! You'll give away your mother faster than you can say hello."
"Ouch. I'd like to think a little more highly of myself than that."
"It doesn't matter what you'd like to think, it's the truth, and the truth could get your mother killed," Draco said. "I'm actually helping you for once. Don't make me regret it."
"Got it, Blondie," Willow said, rolling her eyes. "Go back to whatever dark magic thing you were doing."
"I don't do dark magic!"
"And Cypress is a genius at Transfiguration. I'll keep your legacy cult secret, don't you worry."
"I'm not– ! Ugh, you're infuriating, Wisp!"
"Don't I know it!" Willow called over her shoulder.
Even though her words were teasing and playful, Willow was feeling exactly the opposite of what her tone conveyed. Her stomach was queasy and dizziness threatened to throw her off balance. Memories of Lucius and Molly roping Grace into their violence at the Ministry not once, but twice, tormented Willow's mental state. She kept to the shadows and made her way to the other edge of the village, where no respectable witch or wizard would dare travel with the Minister of Magic. Some trash heaps levitated around a too-full dumpster, and the pair of houses on the end were crumbling at their very foundations. Lucius would never find her here. Willow pulled out her watch and called Sirius before she was even aware of what she was doing.
"Willow? What's happening? Where are you?"
"Oh! Sirius!" Willow fumbled around with the screen until Sirius could properly see her face. "I – uh – I'm in Hogsmeade. Lucius Malfoy decided to tag along with the Minister, so...I'm hanging out away from him."
"Is that common sense I hear?"
"No, I wouldn't go that far," Willow chuckled. "Draco warned me against it."
"Draco? Lucius's son? I thought you wanted nothing to do with him?"
"Unfortunately, I'm known for forgiving, forgetting – kind of – and empathizing. We formed a half-friendship, half-alliance. thing. We're trying to watch each other's backs as the Death Eaters get more riled up."
Sirius's expression fell. "They are at it again, aren't they? This whole year is turning out to be suspicious so far. First, a Muggle family is scared to oblivion in front of thousands of wizarding families, then Harry gets entered into this God-forsaken Tournament, and now Lucius is making himself the Minister's pet. I see a pattern here."
"I wish more people would," Willow snorted. "Anyone with a pair of eyes would see Lucius for what he truly is."
"Wizards are renowned for their lack of logic and common sense, Willow," Sirius chortled. "You fit in perfectly."
"Rude. Well, in other news, the Smith twins are being suspicious again, and I'm honestly concerned if Molly has gotten into their heads again. They had a breakdown last year because of that horrible woman."
"Molly Smith has been extremely active lately. Reports of a short blonde woman sneaking around shady areas are coming in almost daily. McGonagall nearly convinced Dumbledore to send someone to track her down. They're both worried about her getting to their students, especially Sam and Sally. I'd keep a close eye on them, if I were you."
"I do that even when the wizarding world isn't in a slow-motion landslide towards war."
"That is true. You're awfully protective. You should start worrying about yourself, though. There's no telling what the Fawleys are scheming up in that hellhole of a mansion."
"I'll be fine. I'm always watching my back."
Sirius worriedly gazed at the screen. "I wish you'd have someone else watching your back, too. Manipulation and exploiting weaknesses is the Death Eater agenda. You might not see them coming."
"Neither will you. Stay safe, Sirius, please, and for the love of God, don't do anything stupid for me."
"I'll try. Now get together with Paige already, will you?"
Willow's face flushed. "Bye, Sirius."
The screen faded to black. Willow leaned back against a nearby wall and closed her eyes. She felt better after talking to Sirius, but nothing could truly relieve the pressure. The wind whipped through her robes like cutting sheets of ice. Winter was starting to rear its ugly head. Although it was freezing, Willow enjoyed the numbness that followed the breeze, like an ignorant bliss to the shifting tides around her. She wanted to forget, if only for a moment, about the looming threat on the horizon. She wanted to forget that Grace was no longer safe. She wanted to forget that Voldemort and the Death Eaters even existed.
I want to sleep, for like...eighteen hours, Willow thought, smiling.
But she didn't sleep. She found her unfailing strength once again. She got up, and she faced the world. Willow took a deep breath. She emerged from the alley, beaming, pushing all storm clouds out of her head. She could worry about the Death Eaters later. Right now, she was in Hogsmeade, and she was going to have a great time with her friends, Lucius Malfoy be damned. Willow found them right away and drug them to the outskirts of the village. They took a walk through the cobbled streets, chatting amiably.
"Have you guys been noticing Dean and Seamus acting strangely?" Lisa asked.
"Strange isn't the right word," Miranda snorted. "I'd say it's more 'gay panic' than anything. I wish they'd just get together already and stop dancing around the question."
"Hm, I know another couple that could use that advice..." Sue said, shooting a mischievous grin at Cypress and Oliver.
Oliver reddened. "Oh – um – I don't know what you're talking about– "
"It's okay, Oliver, we all know it's not you we're waiting on," Willow assured him, pointedly raising her eyebrows at a certain blonde Slytherin. Cypress made an indignant sound.
"Excuse me, but I have a certain dramatic flair that requires a considerable amount of planning to pull off."
"Yeah, yeah, we'll take the seven hundredth bullcrap excuse. We all know what's really going on here."
"If you're assuming I'm a scared, you're sorely mistaken."
"Yeah. Sure." Willow ignored Cypress's playful shove and turned to Padma. "How's the research going? I heard you were coming up with new healing methods for major injuries, and if I remember correctly, you are really good at charms."
Padma blushed, but a pure grin spread across her face. "It's going very well. Next time you go running off into battle, I'll be ready with my new coagulation spell. You won't bleed out on my watch."
"Good! I'd rather go out with a bang."
"I'd rather you not go out at all," Lisa said quickly.
"Lisa, it's a miracle I survived first year. I'm on borrowed time here. I might as well make the most of– "
"Excuse me, are you Miranda Brocklehurst?"
Willow whirled around with the rest of her friend group. Her jaw dropped to the ground. Standing behind them was a Durmstrang student, but not just any Durmstrang student. This was the girl rumored to have beaten Krum at arm wrestling. Willow could see why. The girl was rather tall, and more muscular than any teenage boy could hope to be. Her jawline was prominent, and her dark hair swept back into a restrictive braid, but despite her tough, disciplined first impression, Willow could see the easy-going smile in her deep brown eyes. Miranda blinked when the girl held out a hand.
"My name is Yrsa."
Miranda tripped over his words as he shook Yrsa's hand. "You– You know my name."
"One of your classmates said you were extremely interested in Ancient Runes, especially ones from Norway, where I am from."
"Oh, yeah! I've always loved Norse mythology, so studying their runes as an elective definitely sounded better than Divination."
"Norse mythology was all I wanted to read about growing up!" Yrsa exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "I adored those stories about the female viking warriors leading their own fleets!"
"Those were my favorite!"
"Really? That's amazing!" Yrsa drew her wand and showed it to Miranda. "I had the symbols for 'warrior' and 'strength' carved into my wand. They've honestly helped me with my spellwork."
"They must have helped you with your workouts, too. Not many people can boast about besting Krum."
Yrsa shyly beamed. "He started it. I told him to shut it, and he said to make him, so I did. He thought he'd beat me in arm wrestling. I was simply stronger."
"Look, Willow, it's another modest superhuman!" Miranda said. "You two have a lot in common!"
"I feel your pain," Willow commiserated.
"I'm heading back early," Lisa suddenly announced.
The whole group froze as the blonde Ravenclaw turned on her heel and stormed away. Willow and Miranda exchanged bewildered glances. Sue and Padma shot an apologetic look to their friends and took off after Lisa. Cypress and Oliver awkwardly shifted from foot to foot. What just happened?
"Did I say something?" Yrsa asked.
"What? No, I don't know what's wrong with Lisa," Miranda assured her. "She gets like this sometimes."
There was an excruciating silence. Willow couldn't stand it anymore and cleared her throat. "Have you seen the books on Nordic runes in the shops?"
Before they knew it, Willow had smoothed over the interruption, and the conversation was flowing normally again as they browsed the bookshelves of Hogsmeade's cozy little bookshop. Willow smiled to herself upon seeing Cypress and Oliver holding hands. They casually spoke in soft voices about books that they recognized from the Muggle world. Willow had to tear her eyes away before she could squeal; the pair was just so damn cute.
Miranda and Yrsa went back in forth in a very, very fast exchange about Nordic runes. Willow hardly understood rune magic to begin with, but this? She lost them after the second sentence. It was cool to watch Miranda open up to a new person so quickly. Normally, he despised meeting new people, fearing that when he came out as genderfluid, those formerly friendly people would turn tail and run out of his life. But now here he was, chatting it up with a total stranger. Willow could scarcely believe the amount of words Miranda was speaking to another human being that wasn't in his friend group. It was scary, how common interests could make an antisocial person bloom. If only Lisa had stuck around to see it...
Yrsa was eventually called back to the ship by her headmaster, and she parted ways with Miranda. He watched her go, then exhaled deeply, turning back to look at Willow, Cypress and Oliver.
"Wow. I don't think I've ever spoken that much in my life," Miranda remarked.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were preparing to start a Nordic Runes club with her," Cypress said.
"No, that sounds like a lot of work. It was just nice to have someone to spill my guts to about a very specific interest." Miranda's expression suddenly clouded. "Is Lisa still gone? What happened to her? Is she feeling okay?"
"I'm afraid she's not," Cypress sighed dramatically. "She's suffering from a terrible affliction called jealousy."
"Jealousy? Why would she– ?" Miranda's eyes widened. "Shit. She thought I was flirting, didn't she?"
"Is that what happened?" Willow questioned.
"You didn't know?" Oliver gasped. "Willow, we talked about emotional cues!"
"You didn't teach me anything about romantic emotional cues!"
"Either way, I messed up, big time," Miranda fretted. He paced back and forth between two front porches. "What if she hates me now? What if she stops fancying me? What if– ?"
"Oh, quit worrying, she'll come around," Cypress said.
Lisa most certainly did not come around. To their everlasting surprise, she had locked herself away in her dormitory by the time they got back to the castle. Sue and Padma couldn't get her to come out. Even when Miranda knocked on the door and apologized and explained over and over again, Lisa wouldn't budge. They decided to give her some space and went their separate ways to catch up on homework.
Willow had every intention to actually complete her Transfiguration assignment, but she didn't even make it to the common room before she was swept up by Fred, George, Lee, and Paige. They kidnapped her (though it wasn't exactly against her will) to the kitchens, where the house elves treated them like five-star resort guests. Willow ate every manner of dessert they sent her way and then some. For a moment, she forgot all about the drama happening between her friends.
Fred and Lee went off to plan some more pranks, but George and Paige weren't through with Willow yet. They drug her to the tower hideout and forcibly tested some new inventions on her. Paige particularly enjoyed throwing a highly flammable explosive in her vicinity and watching Willow's panicked reaction when her robes appeared to catch fire. The older Gryffindor assured Willow that it was fake fire, but the flames were very convincing. George simply tossed a puddle pod at her to put out any doubts.
At a ridiculously late hour, when Willow could hardly keep her eyes open, Paige finally gave in and took her back to the common room. George stayed behind to work on some more firework combos. Willow drug her exhausted body through the portrait hole and collapsed on the couch, refusing to take one more step. Paige laughed and sat on her.
"Get your fat ass off me."
"Make me."
"You asked for it!"
Willow suddenly flipped Paige over, pinning the older girl beneath her. After a few seconds, Paige smirked, and Willow realized what it looked like. The younger Gryffindor refused to blush.
"Damn, you really are a top," Paige teased.
"And you're such a bottom."
"God, you spend too much time with me. And false. Very false." At Willow's mischievous look, Paige added, "Don't you dare. Stop looking at me like that. You know I'm not able to prove it."
"And I'm entitled to my own beliefs."
"Just shut up and go to sleep already," Paige groaned.
Willow willingly granted her wish. She tossed a blanket over the older girl, then leaned back on the couch herself, covered with only her robes, but already feeling plenty warm. Willow's nerves fireworked when Paige touched her knee.
"I'm still stronger than you," Paige mumbled.
"Don't worry, that'll change."
Paige grinned and drifted off to sleep. Willow sighed contentedly and stared out the window at the stars. As tired as she was, she couldn't fall asleep. Everything felt restless, down to her very bone marrow. Too many things had been left unsaid today. Lisa and Miranda were fighting, Cypress and Oliver still weren't together – though that had remained an unfortunate fact for two years now – and now Willow's brain kept revolving between George and Paige, unable to figure out what her emotions were doing. Did she fancy one of them? Both of them? Neither?
Why can't you just not? Willow asked herself. Is it too much to ask to not fall in love?
Per usual, there was no response. Willow sighed agitatedly. Around one in the morning, she gave up on sleep and quietly tiptoed out of the common room. She headed to the grounds and found the familiar path at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Without even having to think about it, Willow's feet carried her to the thestral clearing, where the Insomniac Shack stood like a beacon of hope in the empty space. The young Gryffindor slipped inside only to find two people already there.
"Hello, Willow," Luna greeted mistily. "I was wondering if I would see you tonight. You tend to rest uneasily when the nargles gather in larger numbers."
"Uh...yeah. That might have something to do with it. What's Lisa doing here?"
The smaller Ravenclaw was silently fuming in the corner, her arms crossing her chest, her foot tapping impatiently. Willow had never seen Lisa so worked up in her life. She had wondered if the blonde was even capable of being angry like this. Now that she saw her, Willow was loathe to say it, but she was slightly terrified by the rage permeating Lisa's perfect shell.
"I noticed that Lisa was pacing alone in the common room. She looked very troubled, so I brought her here, hoping that the nargles would float away."
"It's not nargles, Luna, how many times do I have to tell you?" Lisa suddenly snapped. "It's Miranda."
"Lisa, he's not– " Willow began.
"–flirting with that Yrsa girl? Yeah, right. Anyone with eyes would be flirting with a girl like that. I don't care what you say; there's no way Miranda would pass her up for someone like me."
"He should fancy you. I think you are a treasure in most eyes," Luna said.
"Thanks, Luna, but it won't change what Miranda thinks." Lisa stood up with a huff. "He doesn't care about me. He'd rather have Miss Muscle. All that rubbish about runes? That was just to get Yrsa to talk to him."
"Actually, they're two nerds that just wanted to converse about Nordic Runes with someone other than themselves," Willow pointed out. "It's a pretty niche interest, Lisa, you've got to admit. All their talking was innocent."
"Yeah. Sure. Go ahead and try to make me feel better. I know the truth. Why would anyone want me? Why would anyone want a pathetic self-pitying anorexic when they could have all that muscle and beauty? I mean, he doesn't even have to say it, I just know, every time I have a relapse. I'm a hassle, and he would never admit it, but his eyes don't lie. Who would want a screwed-up-in-the-head girl with an eating disorder?"
Willow's frustration bubbled over. "Oh, for the love of God, Lisa, Miranda is not falling for Yrsa! He's head-over-heels for you!"
Lisa's mouth dropped open. "What...really?"
"Yes! You're not a burden in his eyes, or any of ours, for that matter! We all have different personal battles, it's just that yours can be seen on the surface. Miranda doesn't mind. He's there for you in an instant because he cares too deeply about you to let you hurt yourself. The way he was going on after you left, when he realized he upset you? He was downright petrified that he'd messed up his chances with you. Miranda thinks he's the luckiest person in the world simply because you fancy him!"
"What– then why – why didn't he say anything?" Lisa stammered.
"I don't know! What do you expect? This is Miranda we're talking about here, the most complicated person I've met, other than me!"
Lisa's face flushed. "I...didn't know he cared that much."
"He cares for you very deeply," Luna said. "I have seen it when you sit together in the common room. He is very gentle with you, even though his anger could easily get the best of him."
"He holds back his anger for me?"
"Every day, even when all he wants to do is take it out on the nearest person. He refuses to let you hurt because of him."
Lisa wrung her hands. "I guess I should have been paying more attention. He cared so much, this whole time, and I turned on him in half a second for some innocent ancient rune discussion. Now I feel like an idiot."
"Hey, you're not an idiot," Willow reassured her. "Just go talk to him. In the morning, preferably, when you're both cooled down. He'll understand. Hell, he'll probably be falling into your arms."
Lisa blushed. "I hope not. He's put on some muscle, and I'm not that strong."
"There's the cheeky Lisa Turpin I remember!" Willow said.
The next morning, Willow sprinted right to the Ravenclaw common room, if only to be emotional support and encouragement. Lisa got out of bed of her own accord and went right up to the boy's dormitory. She knocked softly, and Miranda immediately answered. Willow hid herself from sight so she wouldn't disturb them. Both Ravenclaws started babbling at the same time.
"Lisa, I'm an idiot, I shouldn't have been talking so much with Yrsa, it made you uncomfortable, it was so stupid– "
"Miranda, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that, I made you worry, it was all my fault– "
Both suddenly cut off, then tried to speak again, then finally dissolved into an apologetic silence. Lisa finally summoned the courage to continue.
"Look, you did nothing wrong. It was just a harmless conversation with a new friend that shares your interests. I see that now. I'm the one that should be sorry. I made you worry for nothing."
"But– you're sure? You're not mad?"
"Not at all. Just ashamed of myself for being so selfish."
"Hey, you're not selfish. Jealousy is natural. Having emotions is what makes us human, after all."
Lisa sighed and leaned her forehead on Miranda's shoulder. "I wish I could keep them under control. I'm a mess because I can't. The anorexia relapses, the constant anxiety, the paranoia at night– "
"–is a part of you, just like my past is part of mine." Miranda let out a chuckle. "You think I'd give up on you because a few little pieces are out of place? I've got enough family drama to fill nine seasons of reality TV, and that was before I came out as genderfluid and...whatever label suits my love orientation. Complicated?"
Lisa tipped her head up to look Miranda in the eyes. "It doesn't have to be."
He gazed down at Lisa, examining every inch of her face. There was a moment of anticipatory silence. Willow could feel the energy vibrating in her very bones. Lisa glanced at Miranda's lips.
Oh my God, just kiss already! Willow screamed silently.
Lisa averted her gaze and blushed. "You don't have to if you don't want– "
Miranda cut her off with his lips. Lisa suddenly embraced him and kissed back with all the passion she'd been holding back all along. Willow pumped her fist in the air and silently celebrated. She internally shrieked YES! so loudly that she was certain it would wake up the whole castle. But it didn't, and more importantly, it didn't disturb her friends. Lisa gripped Miranda's waist and panted against his chest.
"Damn, if I'd known you were that good of a kisser, I wouldn't have waited so long," Lisa laughed.
"I guess I just have a talent for it," Miranda said cheekily.
Lisa backed up a pace and brushed herself off, redder than she'd been in her whole life. "I should – uh – go get properly dressed – breakfast will start soon– "
"Oh, right, breakfast," Miranda said. He cleared his throat. "I guess I'll see you– at breakfast."
"Um...bye!"
"Bye!"
Willow waited until Lisa had disappeared into her dormitory, then she clambered up the stairs, only to find Miranda silently celebrating. They quietly jumped around together and noiselessly screamed with elation.
"Mirlisa is a thing! It's finally a thing!" Willow whispered.
"You seriously have a ship name for us already?" Miranda hissed.
"Of course I do! I've been rooting for you for months now!"
Miranda ran a hand through his hair. "What do I do now?"
Willow grinned. "Sweep her off her feet."
