On Boxing Day, though the rest of the common room was full of sleepy and half-aware Gryffindors, the fourth-year girls dormitory was alive with chatter. Willow couldn't help but join in as her roommates practically grilled Hermione with questions about her night with Viktor Krum. The smart girl's typical curly hair had returned to its natural state, but she still appeared as radiant as before with a shy smile and rosy cheeks as she talked about Krum. It turned out that they were simply good friends. Krum had been hanging around the library for months, trying to summon the courage to ask Hermione to the Yule Ball, and when he finally had, they'd kindled a very cool friendship where both sides shared as much as they could about their totally different lives. Hermione even got the quidditch player to pronounce her name correctly, which was a highly commemorable achievement, considering the Durmstrang students had such thick accents.
Parvati, Lavender, Mia, and Fay had the time of their lives with boys from both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. In fact, both Parvati and her twin sister had secured dates with their dance partners for the next Hogsmeade visit. Lavender and Mia weren't as lucky in a dating respect, but they were becoming fast friends with a pair of Durmstrang boys that had talked their ears off all night. Willow could hardly believe there were people out there that could keep up with the pace of the talkative girls' conversations. She hoped those poor boys knew what a wild ride they were in for.
After a morning full of excitable chatter (and many squeals), the Gryffindor Sisters made their way to the Great Hall for lunch, where they met up with Ginny, Luna, and Colin. Luna and Colin were asking questions as fast as the poor redhead could answer them. Willow swooped in to save her, and before she knew it, she was practically being interrogated about her dance with Paige. Luna ended up having to prevent Colin and Ginny from losing their minds with excitement by removing them to the other end of the table, shooting a knowing smile at Willow. The older Gryffindor thanked God for a receptive friend like Luna.
"Where is Paige, anyway?" Hermione asked. "Shouldn't she be with the twins?"
"You would think, but knowing her, she's attempting to sleep the whole day away," Willow chuckled. "Don't worry, Lee's been employed as the wake-up call for years now. She'll be up as soon as he gets back from lunch."
"Wow, you guys really are polar opposites," Ron remarked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Trust me, we're more alike than you think," Willow said. "Not many people can say they've had a shared life experience like we've had. And both of us are now tied to a life-altering prophecy, so I'd say we're literally tied together by fate at this point."
"Good point."
All of a sudden, a commotion erupted in the Entrance Hall. At first, Willow ignored it, thinking it was just another squabble between mates, but when she recognized a pair of familiar voices, she immediately dropped her toast and ran out of the Hall. She wanted to throw her head through a wall at the sight of Sally and Sam tumbling across the floor.
"Guys, seriously?" Willow said.
"She's sneaking off to meet with someone at night!" Sam accused.
"He's doing exactly the same!" Sally shrilled.
Willow groaned. "Petrificus totalus."
Sally and Sam froze mid-tousle. Willow dragged them apart, then grabbed them by the hem of their robes and drug them through the doors of the Entrance Hall. She didn't stop until she was far enough outside that no one would hear them. She dumped the Smith twins in the snow, a good eight meters apart, then finally undid her incantation. The twins immediately sprang to their feet, aiming wands at one another.
"You're being so weird lately! Why won't you talk to me?" Sam yelled.
"I'm being weird? You're skiving off classes to do God-knows-what for no reason!" Sally fired back.
"HEY!" Willow shouted. The twins suddenly stopped to look at her. "Put your wands away. Now." The twins begrudgingly did so. "That's better. Now can you please talk about this at a decibel that won't destroy my eardrums?"
Sally crossed her arms. "You don't have to do this, Willow. This is a private matter between Sam and I."
"It's obviously not private enough to prevent you from yelling and fighting in the middle of a very public area," Willow retorted. "So out with it. This has been going on long enough. What in the hell is going on with you two lately?"
There was a long beat of silence. Willow tapped her foot impatiently. She was about to force them to take turns when Sam finally said, "I'm just worried about our Mum. Molly has been sending owls to her every week since term began, each one along the same lines of 'You can have my kids in the flesh, but their hearts and minds are mine.' It's really getting to me. I don't want Mum to deal with Molly all the time, especially since she took us in so willingly. We're the cause of so much pain to her on a daily basis. I guess...I didn't know how to cope, so I've been getting out of class when I can't stop thinking about it to do something to take my mind off of it."
Sally's face fell. "Sam...why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want you to worry about me, alright?" Sam snapped. "I'm already causing Mum worry, so I'm not going to cause you and all our friends to worry, too."
Willow's heart sank. "Sam, you know it's healthy to talk to other people about your stresses, right? We're all here for you. We'd rather you tell us what's bothering you, because by skiving off class and acting out of character, you cause us to worry much more than telling us would."
"This, coming from the girl who bottled up an entire freaking prophecy?" Sam fired back.
"Alright, I deserved that one. But seriously, you need to talk to us, because I know firsthand what bottling it up does to someone. I don't want anyone else to go through what I do."
Sam's features softened. He let out a pent-up sigh. "Fine. I'll talk to you guys whenever I need to — if I've got enough courage at the particular moment. But I'm definitely not going to say another word until Sally spills what's going on with her."
Willow turned to her friend. She raised her eyebrows to prompto her. "Sally? Care to share why you've been shady lately?"
"I'd rather not, but..." Sally turned incredibly red. "I've been...meeting with...Professor Moody...trying to...you know...learn some particular...spells. Just in case Molly...comes back."
Sam threw up his arms in exasperation. "And you couldn't tell us that why?"
"Because I'm — oh, Sam, you know how embarrassed I get about asking for help!" Sally exploded. Her cheeks were the darkest shade of red Willow had ever seen, and her eyes practically glimmered with tears. Did asking for help really upset her that much? Willow was one of those stubborn individuals that refused any sort of assistance unless it was absolutely necessary, so it embarrassed her when she actually asked for it, but this was a whole other level of embarrassment. Sally looked completely and utterly defeated.
"Sally...it's okay," Sam said. His green-hazel eyes shifted so that their sharpness melted away, replaced by a sad twinge of softness. "I know that you hate asking for help. You're more stubborn about it than Willow, and that's an accomplishment. But learning spells to fend off our biological, former-Death-Eater, abusive mother? That's something that you should ask for help with, and I don't know why you wouldn't tell me. I'd love to learn what you're learning if it's benefiting you."
"I'm sorry. I should have told you, but — " Sally looked at a loss for words. She hugged her arms around her middle, seeming to pull into herself as she threw her gaze to the ground. "It's not working. I'm not finding any spells that I can use yet. And it's — it's deeply personal for me that I can defend you, because...I couldn't last time, and...look at what's it's done for us."
Willow's heart broke for the twins. They still hadn't recovered from Molly's torturous rule over their young lives. The vile woman was still getting into their heads, wreaking havoc on all the progress they'd made with their mental health. Every time they thought they were over her, she'd reassert her position in their minds, driving them away from their friends and each other, whip in hand. Willow was sick of seeing the terror Molly instilled in her innocent children. What had these two beautiful souls done to deserve this absolute torture?
Sam took a few steps forward. "Sally. Sally, look at me." She finally lifted her eyes to meet Sam's. Two pairs of identical irises gazed at one another, dissecting the emotions they recognized so well, reading the feelings like they were words on a page, until they practically exchanged verbal words through the empty space between them. Then, Sam stepped forward, and he gently wrapped his arms around Sally. The girl crumbled in his arms like a faulty dam. Willow's heart burst with sadness as the twins embraced each other like they'd lose each other if they let go.
"You have to talk to me, okay?" Sam sniffled. "I'm not going to lose you, too."
"Same goes for you, dumbarse," Sally said shakily. "You're the only family I've got left."
Willow wanted to throw something at her alarm when she woke up on the first day after the Holidays. She could have sworn someone stole the time away. It barely felt like she'd gotten any rest, between the Yule Ball, testing out pranking products, teasing Paige to death, and a near-literal mountain of homework (the girls dormitory had been filled to the brim with teetering piles of books and parchment stacks). Willow sighed angrily and got ready for the day anyway. At least her first classes back were Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures.
Sam, Neville, and Oliver greeted her at the greenhouse. Oliver, per usual, was shivering violently from the cold, but today he had a bright smile between his wind-burnt cheeks.
"Is it just me, or does dating Cypress make you eternally happy?" Willow teased.
"It's definitely just you," Oliver said.
Willow rolled her eyes. She got out a giant pot full of little vibrating bulbs that they were using for today. "So I take it that you had a great time letting Cypress stay in the Hufflepuff common room last night?"
"It was awesome! Did you know Cypress can actually bake?" Oliver's eyes sparkled. "He made me a cherry pie, and he only needed to ask our Head Girl for help once, but he didn't even come close to burning the kitchen down!"
"Wow, Willow, you and Paige better step it up," Sam chuckled. "Oliver and Cypress are beating you in the cutest couple category."
"Like there was ever going to be competition," Willow snorted.
"How are you and Paige doing?" Neville asked. "You looked so happy at the Ball!"
"Oh, we're doing fine. Paige and I are the same as before. The only difference is we're officially girlfriends and spend a little more time together." Willow grinned mischievously. "I guess there is one more difference: I make her blush on purpose now."
"Why can't I have a girlfriend?" Sam sighed miserably.
"Because you're emotionally unavailable."
Sam scoffed. "Ouch. Not true. I'm totally emotionally available. Right, Neville, Oliver?"
"Well..." Neville trailed off.
"No comment," Oliver said quickly.
"Great support, guys, really. What supportive friends you are."
Willow tossed a spade at him. "Don't worry, Sam, at least the plants love you."
"Jerk."
The four dove into their work. Per usual, they finished early in their repotting of the odd, nervous-looking bulbs. They took up conversation around the Triwizard Tournament, speculating what the next task was and how it would go, what Harry's chances were, and more. Willow was just about to point out a connection when Dean and Seamus caught her eye. The boys were standing really close, cheeks rosy, but not from the cold. They'd finished their project, too, and were having a light-hearted conversation to pass the time. At one point, Dean's hand bumped Seamus's. The irish boy didn't brush him away. In fact, he slowly but surely took the English boy's hand in his own. Willow's mouth fell open.
"Is that...Dean and Seamus...holding hands?" Neville said. His expression brightened. "It took them long enough!"
"With the way they were dancing at the Ball? They should be an item by now," Sam said.
"You left before the night was halfway over," Willow pointed out. "You didn't even see the best part."
"Then they should really be together by now!"
Professor Sprout suddenly walked by. Dean and Seamus immediately sprang apart, but the moment she was gone, they quietly resumed their hand-holding and closeness. Willow sighed.
"They're shy about their relationship. I wish I could give them more confidence that no one's going to give them trouble about it."
"Oliver and Cypress and you and Paige are already together, and you're having no trouble," Neville said. "That should give them confidence!"
"Let them take their time," Oliver said. "They haven't even come out yet. Openly displaying their relationship, however on the down-low that would be, is still like two surprises in one. It scares them to take that big of a step."
"Oh. I never thought about it that way," Sam admitted. "That's a sensitivity lesson that I never thought I'd learn."
"As much as the Gryffindor Sisters have been pestering them to get together over the past two years, they deserve a break," Willow chortled. The bell rang. "Come on, let's see what crazy lesson Hagrid's got planned for us today."
The four walked down to Hagrid's hut, only to be met with an unfamiliar sight. An older witch with sharp features and beautiful grey hair stood on the hastily cleared path by the pumpkin patch. She pretended not to notice the curious whispers as the students arrived. Even when some more outspoken Gryffindors demanded to know what happened to Hagrid, she replied curtly that he was indisposed, as if she were dealing with nosy grade school children. Willow immediately disliked her.
"Who does she think she is, talking down to us like that?" she whispered to Miranda as he arrived.
"Who knows," he sighed. He glanced over Willow's shoulder. "Huh. Hagrid's blinds are even closed. I've never seen that before. What do you think happened to him? Skrewts finally got him?"
"Pomfrey would have fixed that right away," Oliver pointed out.
"I'm worried about him," Willow admitted. "Hagrid would never miss a class, even if he was on his deathbed. He loves magical creatures too much to not want to teach about them."
"Class, this way!" Grubbly-Plank called.
Willow continued to whisper theories with her friends as they made their way along the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A short way through the trees, they reached a small paddock that was practically swallowed by the underbrush. Professor Grubbly-Plank halted beside it, and before Willow hear her explanation, her ears were assaulted by a pair of squeals.
"Oh my gosh, it's magnificent!" Lavender shrilled.
As if the attention had summoned it, a shy creature peeked its head around a tall shrub. Its coat gleamed so pearly white that the snow looked grey in comparison. Oliver's bag slipped out of his hands and crashed to the ground.
"No way," he breathed. "That's a unicorn!"
Willow realized with a jolt that he was right. The horse-like magical creature looked exactly as it did in her textbook. Even its timid demeanor was spot-on. Cypress, Oliver, and Sam incidentally took a step closer, drawn in by the purity of the creature before them. The unicorn instantly pricked its ears in their direction and took a cautious step backward.
"Careful, now, they prefer the woman's touch!" Professor Grubbly-Plank warned. "Girls, this way! Come on Guerrero, Brocklehurst!"
Miranda turned an extreme shade of red. He looked like he was about to protest, but the professor didn't appear to be in the mood for a correction. She motioned hurriedly for the pair to join the group of girls. Willow put a calming hand on Miranda's arm, and he got the message. He took a deep breath and followed Willow to the edge of the paddock.
"Easy does it," Professor Grubbly-Plank encouraged them. "Approach him slowly now. Not so fast, Miss Brown! You'll scare him away!"
Willow and Miranda stuck to the back of the group. Mia and Fay were the first to reach the unicorn, and the moment they pet him, the unicorn seemed to relax. Professor Grubbly-Plank applauded their efforts. She began to spout off information about unicorns as she called them up in pairs. Willow had to admit, the woman was knowledgeable, but she was no Hagrid. She didn't have the practical experience and undying love for all magical creatures that the oversized man possessed.
"Guerrero, Brocklehurst! Come, now, don't make him wait! You're the last ones!"
Miranda bit his lip. Willow gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as they approached the unicorn. At first, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Willow found herself easily able to pet him. His fur had one of the softest, silkiest touches she'd ever felt. She lost herself in simply running her hands through the unicorn's mane.
Then, the unicorn let out a frightened neigh, and it quickly retreated behind its bush. The whole class looked to Miranda, who had frozen mid-pet, his face rather scrunched up and red.
"Sorry," he hissed.
Professor Grubbly-Plank blinked a few times. "Oh. You're a boy, aren't you?"
"At the current moment," Miranda admitted, wincing.
Professor Grubbly-Plank shook her head. "Ah, I should have known you were the one Hagrid mentioned. Miranda, isn't it? I'm sorry, my dear, I should have asked before I assumed. Next time holler at me so we don't scare the unicorn away, alright?"
Miranda stared at the older witch with wide eyes. "...Alright?"
The professor shot him a warm smile, then turned to usher the girls out of the paddock. Willow exchanged a surprised glance with Miranda. Did Professor Grubbly-Plank just...correct herself? Willow suddenly felt bad for assuming the older woman was transphobic; not every adult was going to argue over the genders of their students. In any case, Miranda smiled brilliantly as he and Willow returned to the boys.
"That's amazing! A unicorn is like nature's gender indicator!" Oliver exclaimed.
Willow nearly tripped. She broke down guffawing to the point that she was wheezing. Cypress and Miranda were practically rolling on the ground, they were laughing so hard.
"Oh, Oliver, you're too cute," Willow said.
"Laughing over the latest mistake that oaf's made, have you?" a familiar voice suddenly drawled.
Willow stopped laughing immediately. She shot a quizzical look at Draco, who was standing in front of Crabbe and Goyle, all three wearing suspiciously triumphant grins on their faces.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Haven't you read the Daily Prophet? It came out this morning!"
Draco tossed her a rolled-up copy of the magical newspaper. Feeling like a bomb was about to be dropped, Willow cautiously opened the paper, her eyes landing on a particular section. Her stomach tightened, then felt so queasy that she almost gagged. That awful woman Reeta Skeeter had been snooping around again, but this time, it had been around Hagrid. It turned out, Hagrid was half-giant — and now the entire wizarding community knew.
"What — How — I thought she couldn't get on Hogwarts grounds anymore!" Willow spluttered. She gripped her stomach. "Oh God...this is bad. Hagrid's got to be feeling awful. How did she even find out?"
"Keep reading," Draco urged.
Willow's eyes traveled further down the page. She thought she'd read the worst of it when Reeta continued on her destructive path — she kept denouncing Hagrid as "vicious" and "hazardous" because of his bloodthirsty-giant heritage — but there was something even more pitiful in that hellish article. Willow hardly read over the words "Draco Malfoy" and "Crabbe Vincent" when she tore the paper to shreds.
"Hey, my father paid good money for that — !" Draco protested.
Willow whipped out her wand and marched right for the blonde. Draco's eyes widened as the Gryffindor got in his face. He backed away as fast as he could, but Willow tripped him, effectively pinning him to the ground with her rage. She jabbed her wand into the Slytherin's chest.
"You absolute disgusting, vile, backstabbing arsehole!" Willow shrieked. "Bullying Muggleborns was one thing, but attempting to get Hagrid fired, and outing him to the whole wizarding community? This is a whole other level of treachery, you little rat!"
"Wisp — I — "
She dug her wand into the side of Draco's neck, cutting off some of his air supply. Willow's outrage practically radiated off of her. Her powers threatened to lash out. Everything felt so twisted, so backward, so wrong. She'd trusted him with her friendship. She'd given him a second chance. And this is the way he chose to use it? To throw it away, like her empathy didn't even matter?
"Wisp — please — I can explain — " Draco gasped.
"Don't even start," Willow threatened. "Why should I trust you? Hm? Give me one freaking reason why I should believe you even care about another human being. Because at this point, it's going to take one hell of an explanation to make me believe any word that comes out of your mouth."
"I didn't mean to — !"
"MISS GUERRERO!" Professor Grubbly-Plank shrieked.
Willow groaned. She pocketed her wand, then backed away from Draco, putting her hands in the air like a prisoner about to be arrested. She braced herself for the incoming onslaught of reprimands. She was right to do so, as a seemingly never-ending stream of scoldings and threats poured out of Grubbly-Plank's mouth. The whole class stared, but Willow hardly cared. In fact, she didn't even pay attention to what the professor was saying, let alone heard it. She was seething so intensely from Draco's betrayal that she could think of nothing else, feel nothing but pure anger, and taste nothing except the bitterness of heartbreak.
"...thirty points from Gryffindor, AND detention!" Professor Grubbly-Plank finished.
Willow rolled her eyes. The detention would probably be fun at this point. If Fred and George managed to cause trouble by the end of the day, they might be able to use it to plot their revenge against the Slytherin Prince. Draco tossed Willow a conflicted look before scurrying after the professor. They walked up to the castle in a tense silence, the only break in it a fervent whisper from Pansy to Draco about what happened. To Willow's satisfaction, Draco shoved Pansy aside and ignored her presence entirely.
It still didn't make her feel differently about the little ferret.
Willow was so angry at lunch that she couldn't bring herself to eat. She shoved her plate aside and stormed out of the Great Hall. She didn't know where her feet were taking her, but she didn't care. Even the biting wind outside couldn't put a damper on the fire brewing in her gut. She practically melted the snow beneath her feet. If steam came pouring out of her ears, she wouldn't have been surprised. It was shaping up to be one hell of a first day back...she was downright livid.
Why would I ever think I could trust him? Willow asked herself in disgust. What could have possibly changed him dramatically enough that he would stop cowering behind that bullying mask?
His parents could have disowned him, Cebba offered.
What? No! That was rhetorical, Cebba!
I knew that. I'm just trying to lighten the mood.
"Good luck with that," Willow muttered.
She found herself in the clearing by the Insomniac Shack not long afterwards. The thestrals were mostly napping by this time, but a few of the babies instantly perked up upon seeing the young Gryffindor. They seemed to sense her anger, because they approached her cautiously, though persistently, refusing to let her pace without at least patting them. Willow absent-mindedly stroked their bony necks, her head a chaotic vortex of raging thoughts.
You idiot!
You could have saved him!
He did this to himself!
Will you turn out like him?
Both of you are going to die!
You'll never be anything more than a Death Eater!
Cebba suddenly tugged herself out of Willow's mind and stood before her. Willow gasped at the chilling sensation, then shot a dirty look at her mentor. She hardly registered the concern etched into the older woman's face before she set off pacing again.
"Willow, you have to calm down," Cebba warned. "I can feel you breaking."
"Yeah? That tends to happen often when I've got Death Eaters for family and life-threatening prophecy hanging over my head," Willow spat.
"No, I mean something else is breaking, something more important — "
"Then let it!" Willow shouted, whipping around to glare at Cebba. "It might be good for me to start fresh!"
"Willow, I'm serious, this is not something you can fix. I'm afraid for you."
The Gryffindor turned away, crossing her arms so tightly that they dug into her ribs. "Don't be. I'm fine."
"You need to pay more attention to yourself. You've been suppressing your powers for so long, and with these extra emotional surges, something horrible is bound to happen! Look at me, Willow!" When she refused, Cebba grabbed her hands and whirled her around. "I said look at me! This is serious!"
"I'm fine!" Willow screeched.
Cebba eyed the saplings beginning to grow around the clearing. A note of panic entered her expression. "Willow, listen to me. You're collapsing. You're going to hurt yourself."
"I don't care if I hurt myself! It might teach me a lesson about trusting people like the Malfoys!"
The ground rumbled. The thestrals whinied frantically. A flock of birds shrieked and flew away. Willow didn't seem to notice, but Cebba was practically beside herself with fear. The younger Gryffindor ignored the enormous emotional input her senses were receiving.
"Willow, I'm begging you, just take a deep breath. Calm down. Why don't you practice with your powers? Now would be a good time to get rid of the excess ones. Find a better release for you anger than this, please!"
Willow wanted to listen to the woman. She wanted to lie down on the forest floor and cry. She wanted nothing more than to run to her friends and sob out everything that was hurting her. But she didn't. Her senses were on fire. Her mind was a wreck. Her whole body trembled with rage. The Forest around her hummed with a dangerous hint of power, and all life braced or took cover. Every little thing that had been bothering the young Gryffindor over the past several months — the revelation of Rion to her friends, the unfairness of Sirius's situation, Deandra and Frodi being on the run, her mother's warnings, the prophecy, everything — came crashing in at once. Willow balled up her fists so hard that she drew blood. Electricity crackled within her palms.
"I CAN'T!"
All of a sudden, Willow's world exploded. Fire incinerated her stomach. Her nerves electrocuted her spine. Her limbs seized up, her blood turned to lead, and her vision went white. Her lips parted in a silent scream. She'd never felt pain like this in her life.
And then it stopped.
Willow's eyelids fluttered open. She coughed out a lungful of ash. Her throat was raspy and sore, and her mouth tasted like soot. She thought for a moment that she'd broken her ribs, but when she sat up, her body was only vaguely sore and fatigued. Willow groaned as she heaved herself to her feet. She glanced around the clearing, peering interestedly at the damage she'd done. It looked like someone had taken a grenade full of grey paint and tossed it right where Willow was standing. The shockwave had caused a perfect set of concentric circles to radiate from the origin, like ripples on water after a stone was thrown into it. Willow would have called it beautiful if she hadn't felt so queasy.
"Willow? Are you okay?" Cebba asked.
"Just...give me a second..." Willow suddenly keeled over and vomited. Cebba yelped with fright. The younger Gryffindor wiped her mouth. "Sorry...I feel alright...my head's a little fuzzy though...and my whole body is sore...and kind of...vibrating..."
Cebba's face drained of all colour. In her halo of bluish light, she looked more ghostly than Willow had ever seen. "No. Don't tell me..."
"Don't tell you what?" Willow questioned.
"Take of your shirt."
Willow spluttered. "Excuse me?"
"Take of your shirt. Now."
Willow glanced around the clearing, her cheeks reddening. "Cebba, I don't understand how — "
"Just do it!"
Something in Cebba's voice got to the young Gryffindor. Willow peeled her shirt off, but wrapped it around her shoulders immediately afterward, feeling more self-conscious than ever in the chilly winter breeze. "There's literally no tree cover. Anyone could see me — "
Cebba shushed her. Willow peered at her mentor curiously. The older woman stepped closer to Willow, gently brushing her fingers across the Gryffindor's abdomen. Willow's face flushed.
"Cebba, what are you doing?"
"Oh my God," Cebba breathed.
"Uh, Cebba? You're kind of freaking me out," Willow said, her gut twisting painfully.
Cebba clapped a hand to her mouth. "No. No, no, no! You can't have...not again...you..." A tear leaked from the older woman's eye as she turned them mournfully to Willow. "I tried to warn you, but you didn't listen, and now look what you've done!"
Willow glanced down at her stomach, only to suck in a sharp breath in horror. There appeared to be a black stain just beneath her skin. It slowly reached for her veins, its movement almost imperceptible, but unmistakably there. Willow's nausea came back in an instant. She wasn't in pain, but she somehow knew that this thing was a silent killer.
"You've turned your powers on yourself," Cebba explained. "I've seen this happen before, with this particular blood curse. Instead of being able to manifest them outside of your body, they're now working their way through the inside of your body."
"So my powers...are killing me?" Willow rasped.
"Unfortunately, yes. Every time you try to use them, it's only going to accelerate the damage."
"I just won't use them, then, and it won't do anything, right?" Willow said hopefully.
Cebba shook her head. "It's hard to do, Willow. Your emotions are so out of control that any stress will activate them, just like before. It's going to be nearly impossible to stop their effects unless you keep yourself out of emotional pain entirely, which is not an option for you, so your only other route is to try and learn to control them, and for Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore to work on a suppression potion."
Willow paled considerably. "Oh. That's...wonderful."
Cebba shook her head. "I've been trying to get you to get help for years, Willow, but you refused, and now this is the result. I've seen this happen before, and I tried to steer you away, but you're so damn stubborn!"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Willow demanded. "I would have sought help if I knew my life was in danger!"
"Because I didn't want you to worry!"
"Well, look where that got us! I'm dying because of this stupid — !"
Willow gasped. She fell to her knees, the pain in her abdomen starting up again. She forced herself to breath deeply. Cebba rushed to her side, putting comforting hands on the Gryffindor's shoulders. She instructed her to inhale and exhale to certain counts. Soon, the pain went away entirely, and Willow was able to stand again. She threw a sickened glance at Cebba.
"I'm sorry, Willow," Cebba apologized. "I should have told you. But the past is in the past. I'm going to do everything I can to help you now. I'll go to Dumbledore and Pomfrey and explain the situation. You, in the meantime, have to get some books on learning to relax, because you'll have to do a lot of it soon."
Willow swallowed hard. "Is there any hope at all of me recovering and getting my powers, you know, out again?"
Cebba smiled sadly. "There's a ton of hope, Willow. It's entirely possible. But you have to believe it first. This is going to be one of your biggest challenges yet, because it's all a mental game from here. You either succumb to the pressure, or learn to let yourself feel again — in a healthy way."
Willow wanted to scream.
Tell Paige.
No.
TELL YOUR FREAKING GIRLFRIEND!
NO!
Willow threw a smile on her face and ignored Cebba's furious string of insults. She was too nervous to deal with the prospect of her newly self-destructive powers. It had been a couple weeks since she'd imploded, and she wasn't getting much better at controlling her emotions, but that was entirely due to the fact that she refused to do anything about it. Willow simply didn't care right now. It didn't hurt too badly, and she avoided Gryffindor Sister drama as much as possible. Every time she got worked up, she simply took a draught of the suppression potion Dumbledore and McGonagall had given her, then knocked herself out with a sleeping potion, and she'd wake up perfectly calm. No one had to know, and she didn't have to worry.
That's completely idiotic! Cebba yelled.
Yeah, well, you try telling Paige what happened, because I'm definitely not dealing with her explosion, Willow said.
Cebba sighed. You're impossible, Willow!
Hey, I'm not dead yet, right?
That's not the point — !
"Willow! There you are!" Oliver exclaimed.
Willow broke out into a grin. Cebba resigned herself to muttering in the back of her mind as the young Gryffindor approached her large group of friends. "I'm not late, am I?"
"Nope, you're actually here early for once," Cypress remarked.
"Perfect. I don't look horrible, do I? My clothes aren't going to warrant an hour's worth of teasing like last time?"
"No, you match," Lisa chuckled. "Seriously, Willow, how did you not know that navy blue and black don't go together?"
"It's not my fault that I was raised in a soccer uniform!" Willow protested.
Suddenly, she found herself flipped upside down. Everyone laughed hysterically as Willow hit the snow particularly hard. She rolled her eyes and shifted onto her knees, already knowing that Paige was standing behind her.
"What, you wanted me to fall for you? I've already done that," Willow chortled.
"I just wanted you to fall harder," Paige said. She tossed Willow onto her feet, then spun her around so that she was locked against her chest. "Did it work?"
Willow smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Paige rolled her eyes. "You're such a tease."
With the blink of an eye, Willow had escaped Paige's grasp, then spun the older girl around so that her back was against Willow, and her arms were folded behind Willow's. She glanced up at Willow with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"So we're fighting for who's the top now. I see."
Willow spluttered as Cypress laughed hysterically. "What — that's not what — Paige!"
"You know I'm right."
Willow sighed. She released Paige, then whirled her around to plant a quick kiss on her lips. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Take me on a date. Duh. That was the plan, wasn't it?"
"You are impossible."
Paige shot her a mischievous wink.
The walk to Hogsmeade was a blur of pure white snow, doubled-over laughter, friendly banter, and downright insults. Willow was careful not to let her heart get high off the elated mood, which was a shame, considering Hogsmeade visits were some on the only instances where she felt pure happiness. She again regretted her idiocy in ignoring Cebba's warning about her powers.
It is what it is, Willow thought.
Thankfully, Paige didn't seem to notice her careful balance of emotions, though whether that was because Willow was always trying to supress before her powers imploded, she had no idea. They arrived at Hogsmeade with glee-filled grins and pockets full of change. Willow didn't have to ask her friends where they wanted to go first; they'd discovered a pattern in their visits, beginning at Honeyduke's, moving on to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, then finally ending up at Madam Puddifoot's or The Three Broomsticks. Today, they roamed a little less than usual, so they had plenty of time to spend at the eating establishment of their choosing.
"Which one is more romantic?" Seamus whispered.
"Madam Puddifoot's, by far," Cypress replied.
"Madam Puddifoot's it is, then," Willow decided.
The servers kindly allowed them to push a few tables together in the back, where they all gathered as a single, large friend group. Couples sat across from one another, and Sue and the Smith twins crowded the end of the table. Willow ordered tea and sweet snacks for them all — no one else would have gotten it right in a million years, with as many different tastes as her friends had — then put it all on her own tab before they could protest. Paige gently kicked her under the table.
"You didn't have to do that, you know."
"I'm aware, but considering my family literally doesn't know what to do with our money, I'd rather spend it on you guys," Willow said.
"Rich kids," Paige scoffed.
"I'd give it all up for you if it comes to it."
"Alright, now that is just the cheesiest romantic thing you've ever said to me."
"Is it working?" Willow said mischievously.
Paige bit her lip to hold back a smile. "...No." When Willow shot her a look, she relented. "Damn you, Willow, you always know my soft spots. Why did I get stuck with an observant girlfriend?"
"Because you deserve someone who knows how to make you glow — more than you already do, that is."
"Willow, if you make one more flirtatious comment, I'm going to throw up," Sam remarked.
"Flirtatious comment."
The whole table roared with laughter. Their food and tea came shortly after that. Willow enjoyed the light-hearted conversation within her friend group. They'd grown to know each other so well. In fact, they'd come a very, very long way from their first year together. Willow could still remember Oliver's muteness, Sue's lack of self-esteem, Lisa's backward self-image, and Miranda's discomfort. Then they found each other, and it was like a light bulb switched on. The Smith twins opened up. Cypress came crashing in — quite literally. Dean and Seamus finally threw off the role of bystanders and joined in the fun. Now, here they were, most of them having become couples at last, and they were all even better friends for it. It was incredible, the way everyone's shining face somehow shone brighter in the presence of one another.
As much as Sam complained about the couples flirting, it really wasn't that horrible, in Willow's opinion. They weren't all over each other, verbally or physically. They simply took every opportunity to put a smile on their significant other's face, then rejoined the conversation, the overlapping relationships of friends and lovers fitting hand and glove with the rest of the friend group. No one made the others uncomfortable. They actually rooted for their friends who had grown into something more. They trusted each other, as good, genuine people, so there was no need to worry. No "bro code" had to apply in their situation.
It was honestly refreshing.
After their food was consumed, they broke off into smaller groups, each heading their own ways. Lisa, Miranda, and Sue ran off to look at the Shrieking Shack, while Dean, Seamus, Cypress, and Oliver made a beeline for Zonko's. The Smith twins decided to head back early, though Willow suspected they need some quality sibling time to strengthen their newly-repaired relationship. That left Willow and Paige alone.
Willow arched a brow at the older girl. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Willow, it's impossible to know what you're thinking most of the time," Paige chortled.
"Brilliant. It's a surprise, then."
Willow took Paige's hand and darted off toward the edge of the village. The older girl laughed as Willow dragged her along, weaving through alleys, dodging magical trash heaps, and finally emerging onto the mountain path. Paige questioned where they were going, but Willow continued to say it was a surprise. Up the trail they went, their boots crunching in the snow, wind whistling in their ears. It was sheer bliss. Willow could hardly contain her emotions from spilling over.
At long last, they reached the top. Willow rounded one more bend, then stopped, pointing to the village far down below. Paige gawked at the incredible sight.
"Hogsmeade is even more beautiful from this vantage point," she panted. "How did I not know this trail was here?"
"I found it over the Holiday. It's amazing, isn't it?"
"It's beautiful." Paige turned her head to smirk at Willow. "Just like you."
"Oh, now that's beyond cheesy, that's downright plagiarism," Willow chuckled.
"Hey, you were the one that started it."
The girls gazed at the village for a little while longer. Hogsmeade glittered beneath the bright January sun, practically blinding to stare at, but even more beautiful because of it. Little tufts of smoke emerged from chimneys every so often. Children ran between houses, and little old witches took nice, easy strolls together. Willow suddenly realized that no one could see her and Paige up here. They were utterly alone.
"Paige..." Willow whispered.
The older girl turned around, and their eyes met. Willow stepped forward until she was inches away from her girlfriend. Her arm encircled Paige's waist, almost subconsciously, and she brushed a thumb across the older girl's cheek. Willow's eyes flicked up in question. Paige glanced to her lips in answer. Willow instantly leaned forward and brushed her lips against Paige's.
At first, it was just a soft, intimate moment, but it was practically inevitable that it would grow into something more. Willow's hands instinctively trailed lower on Paige's body. Her touch electrified the older girl. Paige let Willow's hands roam lower and lower down her back. Their lips parted for a single moment for Paige to let out a content sigh. Willow looked to her for permission, and Paige instantly nodded.
It wasn't long before Willow's tongue slipped into Paige's mouth. She was terrified for a moment, thinking she'd gone to far, or it would make herself uncomfortable, but Paige reacted so ecstatically that she kept going. Willow realized she liked the taste of Paige's lips, the way her body moved when she touched her. She liked it a lot.
Willow's hands traveled down Paige's stomach, then brushed her hips. The older girl whined. Willow didn't know why she like that vulnerable little sound so much. Paige's arms found Willow's waist as well, and she fell victim to her entrancing touch. Then Willow was kissing Paige even more roughly, and suddenly the older girl was in Willow's arms, and they were in the snow.
Willow held Paige beneath her as she gently traced the older girl's body with her hands. She touched her waist, caressed her hips, and, with a touch of bravery, and a consenting glance from Paige, felt her chest. Willow felt Paige's body convulse with pleasure as she let out a shameless moan. It electrified Willow to her very core.
That was when her emotions tipped over the edge.
Willow froze. Her powers reacted with such force that it nearly knocked her unconscious. They fought back against her, tearing apart her insides, burning her to her very core. Paige sat up and was by her side immediately.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go so far — I hope I didn't upset you — " she fretted.
"It's not you," Willow said. The hoarseness in her voice shocked her. "It's just — "
Willow was overtaken by another wave of agony. Her powers attacked once more, punishing her for the instability. Willow gritted her teeth and fought off a visible wince.
"I understand, you know," Paige said. "You think you're ready to be passionate, then you suddenly regret it, not feeling ready at all — "
"It's not that, either," Willow coughed. Panic was setting in. How was she going to play this off to Paige? "It felt right."
"Then it's me."
"No, it's not you, I promise — "
Just then, Willow's entire body jolted. Her vision went white. Searing pain pierced her like a poisoned arrow, spreading so quickly on contact that her whole body was on fire within seconds. Willow fell back into the snow, unable to stop herself from crying out. Paige was there instantaneously. Her voice was pitched as she spoke.
"Willow, what's going on? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine," Willow wheezed. "I just need to — "
"Oh my God, what is that?" Paige gasped, brushing a strand of Willow's hair aside. "Is that...your veins? They're not supposed to be that dark. Something's gone horribly wrong."
Paige went to pull Willow's shirt down, but the younger Gryffindor snatched Paige's wrist, a pleading look in her eyes.
"Don't. Please," Willow begged.
"I refuse to grant that death wish," Paige said evenly.
With her strength against Willow's weaker arms, Paige managed to pull down the younger Gryffindor's neckline to reveal a concerning sight. Willow didn't need a mirror to know it looked bad; she'd learned that wherever it burned the most was where the dark stain concentrated itself. Paige clapped a hand to her mouth in horror.
"Willow — What — Is this — Are you poisoned?!"
"Paige, please, calm down," Willow coughed.
"Your veins — They're filled with something dark — You're going to die — "
"I'm not going to die, Paige."
"Then why do you like like it?!"
"Because...I technically am."
Paige glanced at her, an angry tear running down her face. "Tell. Me. The truth."
Willow let her head fall back against the snow. She was defeated. "I...accidentally...imploded. My powers are emotionally based, so when I get angry or sad, they lash out, right? Well, I was stuffing so many of them down at once that I may or may not have...turned them inward. I can't use them without hurting myself, and whenever my emotions get even slightly out of hand, they lash out at me."
"So...your powers are killing you?"
"Until I sort out this mess, and figure out how to deal with emotions separately from my powers, yeah."
Paige glared at her. "And you didn't think to tell your girlfriend because why?"
Told you she'd be mad, Cebba chided.
Willow couldn't meet Paige's eyes. "Because I didn't want you to worry. I haven't told anyone yet because I don't want anyone to worry. I'm fine for now. I'm still breathing, right? So I've still got a chance to sort it out."
"Willow, when are you going to realize we're here to help you?" Paige said. "You won't hurt any of us by confiding in us. Please, just let us help you, because there's no way you're going to figure out your emotions on your own."
Willow swallowed the lump in her throat. "You're probably right. But...just keep this between us for now, okay?"
"You'll have to tell the others at some point."
"I will, but for now, I just want to figure it out...together."
Paige brushed Willow's hair out of her face, her eyes searching her girlfriend's. She leaned forward and kissed Willow sweetly, her salty tears lingering on Willow's lips. The younger Gryffindor embraced her girlfriend with all the strength she possessed until her veins cleared. She let out a sigh.
This is going to be a lot harder than I thought, Willow admitted.
