Sam seemed to avoid Willow the next day, but whether that was because he had been avoiding everyone or specifically her, she didn't know. What she did know is that she would have to corner to shady Gryffindor, and fast. Draco was acting increasingly subdued, which could only mean the return of the Death Eaters' reign of terror was growing even closer. Willow had to figure out what Sam was up to before Molly rose to power and stole him away to the darker side of the wizarding world.
Sally, meanwhile, was beginning to lighten up after her astonishingly quick bout with her cold. She actually spent more time hanging out with the Gryffindor Sisters of Sunday than she'd spent with them all year. Although she still had her odd habit of talking with Professor Moody, learning some extra defensive spells and the like, she remained the same bright, overbearing Gryffindor she'd always been. Willow was glad to see the positive change in her friend. It had been so long since Sally looked genuinely happy.
That Sunday evening, after dinner, Harry caught up to Willow on her way to the common room. He mumbled something about needing to talk about Snuffles. Willow grinned knowingly. They elected to head to the Owlery, where they wouldn't be overheard. They waited patiently for a Ravenclaw boy to finish sending a message to his grandfather, then entered, finding the coast completely clear.
"You talked to Sirius too, then," Willow assumed.
"I still don't know what he's thinking, coming so close to Hogsmeade, let alone Hogwarts," Harry said, shaking his head. "I'm terrified he'll get caught this time. He seems more careless than usual."
"He's desperate, that's all," Willow said.
"I guess that's understandable, after what's been coming to light," Harry grumbled.
"What do you mean?"
Harry launched into an explanation of his conversation with Sirius. Apparently, the organizer of the Triwizard Tournament, Barty Crouch, had been stricken with a horrible sickness lately. He hadn't been into the Ministry for weeks. Even Percy Weasley, his personal assistant, hadn't heard from him. Yet he'd been sneaking around Hogwarts, hardly something a person would do that was too sick to attend his own International Tournament. And Mr. Crouch had a rather dramatic past: he'd been an iron-fisted auror that paved the way for the usage of immense force, including the Unforgivable Curses, to bring in Death Eaters during the peak of Voldemort's power. Many wizards applauded his efforts, which succeeded after years of chaos and Ministry failure, so he was poised to become the next Minister of Magic. But right before he could get the job, it came out that his son was a Death Eater himself. Mr. Crouch threw his own son in Azkaban, who later died, and the grief drove his wife to her grave, too. Crouch lost everything at the height of his career. People began to question how his poor boy had gone so wrong at only nineteen years of age. They blamed it on his ambition for his career; he should have spent more time at home. So he got shoved aside into the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
Willow sat back, stunned. "That man...with that questionable background...started this Tournament from Hell? And now he's mysteriously missing in action? I'm starting to think he's behind this plot to get you into the Tournament, Harry."
"Me too," Harry admitted. "Though it might not be him acting alone. Ludo Bagman has been really making an effort to help me win, even though that's breaking the rules."
"That's not concerning at all," Willow said sarcastically.
"I know. It's all starting to come together, but we don't have all the pieces."
"I'm not sure I want to have all the pieces. If we figure it out, the person behind this just might make sure you die for the sake of their career."
"Unfortunately, I think you're right." Harry rubbed his hands together. "I've never seen Sirius this worried before. He's been stealing thrown-out copies of the Daily Prophet, and it's not looking good. The disappearance of that Ministry witch, Mr. Crouch's illness, Mad-Eye Moody keeping an eye on things...it's shaping up to be a dark picture."
"I'll keep an eye out for you, Harry," Willow promised. "Sirius and I have got your back. Lots of people do, actually. We're all doing our best to keep you safe, but you've got to be careful, too."
"That's the pot calling the kettle black," Harry snorted.
Willow rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. Just don't do anything irrelevantly stupid, like wandering into the Forbidden Forest for no good reason. Don't give me that look! I only go to certain safe place in there!"
"Yeah, sure." Harry dodged a kick to the shins. "Alright, alright, I'll try not to do anything extremely stupid."
"That's better."
Willow walked with him back to the common room. Harry ran off to catch up on homework he'd procrastinated doing, so Willow headed to the circular window, staring out at the setting sun above the Forbidden Forest. She imagined the thestrals just beginning to wake in their clearing, the foals and colts already beginning to nibble at their parents' ears. Willow wished the peaceful image would drive away the festering worry gnawing away at her insides. The news of Mr. Crouch was astonishing at best. It was downright detrimental to Harry's survival at worst. What if he was working with someone, or several someones, at that, inside the Ministry? What if they were all Death Eaters? What if they were plotting the demise of the Boy Who Lived, just in time to clear the way for the return of Voldemort? What if it all came crashing down at once, and she was powerless to stop it?
Willow sharply sucked in a breath when her powers punished her swift change in emotions. She forcefully drew in slow, controlled breaths until her mind was clear. The flare of pain faded away. Willow let out an exhausted sigh; she was so fed up with her powers hurting her at every emotional turn. She just wanted to be able to feel without having it physically hurt. In fact, she didn't want to feel at all.
What have I done to myself?
"What in the hell — ?" Willow gasped.
Owl after owl swooped down to where Hermione sat. Across the Gryffindor table, her roommates, including Willow, stared curiously. Hermione opened the first letter only to declare it complete rubbish. The second, third, fourth, and so on, however, didn't seem to be rubbish, as her face flushed a deep hue of scarlet.
"Let me see that," Willow said, taking one of the letters.
"Oh, no, I wouldn't do that — " Hermione began.
"Try me," Willow cut her off firmly.
She opened the letter, only to discover that it was the most pitiful form of hate mail she'd ever seen. Willow crunched it up and immediately set it on fire. The Friday before, Rita Skeeter had published an article in Witch Weekly about Hermione being Harry's girlfriend, then flirting with Krum, toying with both boys' hearts, and a bunch of other complete rubbish. Hermione had brushed it off like the queen she was, but she was furious that Skeeter had gotten inside information when she shouldn't have been able to access Hogwarts for it in the first place. Willow seconded her motion to find out how Skeeter was doing it, but first, she had this hate mail to attend to.
"Merlin, look at all this!" Lavender growled. "I can't believe they actually believe that vile woman!"
"All she writes is drama that her stupid quill makes up! And it isn't even good drama!" Mia added in disgust.
"Guys, it's honestly alright — " Hermione tried to cut in.
Just then, the mail pouch she was holding opened, and undiluted bubotuber pus oozed out, covering Hermione's hands. The poor girl desperately tried to scrape it off, but it was too late. Her hands swelled painfully and became covered in boils. Willow rushed around the table to wipe the rest of the pus away before it could get on anyone else. Ron and Harry suggested that Hermione go to the hospital wing, so that's exactly what she did. Willow stared sadly after her friend.
"That's it, I've had enough of this," Fay declared. "Gather up all that mail!"
The Gryffindor Sisters gladly obliged. When it was all in a pile, Sally set fire to the hideous letters, sending her roommates up in cheers. The Professors and Dumbledore looked on with carefully guarded expressions, but Willow could have sworn she saw the Headmaster and McGonagall crack a smile.
The day had to continue, unfortunately, so the Gryffindor Sisters left their plans to burn all of Rita Skeeter's articles out of the Witch Weekly's in the school for later. They headed down to the greenhouse for Herbology, where Neville, Oliver, and a very disoriented Sam were waiting for her. Willow was about to ask Sam what in Merlin's name had happened to him, but Professor Sprout began the lesson, cutting her off. She saved her questioning for later and went to work repotting some venomous plant that she neglected to remember the name of.
"Aw, it's sort of cute, isn't it?" Oliver said, gently petting one of the more agitated plants.
"They're cuter when they calm down," Neville remarked. His plant lashed out at him, but he thankfully sidestepped. "Is the way you're petting it calming it down?"
"It appears so," Oliver observed. Willow noted that the plant was, indeed, more mellow. "Try stroking the stem. There's no barbs there."
Willow followed his suggestion, and to her surprise, her previously finicky plant practically purred. She shook her head. Leave it to Oliver to love on highly venomous magical fauna and get it to cooperate. The group repotted the rest of the plants with ease after that. All except Sam, of course, who was looking rather wobbly on his feet.
"Sam? What's up with you today?" Willow asked as she placed her gloves in the wash bin. "Are you drunk or something?"
Sam smiled giddily. "I'm fine...Everything's great...These plants are cool..." He let out a small giggle as his plant tickled him.
"Did he just...giggle?" Neville asked.
"Yeah, that was definitely a giggle," Willow sighed. She put her hands on Sam's shoulders. "Look at me, Sam. Eye contact, please. I need to know if you're okay."
"Samuel Brown, reporting for duty, Sir!" Sam laughed, giving Willow a fake salute.
"At least he made eye contact?" Oliver offered.
"Alright, Sam, fess up. What potion did you take?" Willow demanded. When Sam gave her a confused look, Willow deadpanned. "Sam. You're not fooling anyone. What. Potion. Did. You. Take."
"I didn't take any potion," Sam slurred. "I just woke up really happy..."
He tipped over sideways. Willow lunged forward and righted him, but Sam was still leaning heavily on her. She suddenly recognized the particular effects of the potion. "Oh God, not Euphoria Potion."
"Who's Euphoria? She sounds lovely," Sam said.
"You've already met her." Willow turned to a dumbfounded Neville and Oliver. "Any idea who would slip this potion into his pumpkin juice last night? Because I'm past due for another detention."
"Don't do anything rash, Willow," Oliver pleaded. "I'm sure it was just another Slytherin prank. For all we know, Cypress could have been testing a component to his latest potion."
Willow wasn't so sure. Cypress always told Oliver exactly when, where, what, and how he was experimenting. He wouldn't test potions on anyone except Willow without telling them, either. When they left the greenhouse and met up with the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins at Care of Magical Creatures, Cypress confirmed that he had definitely not tested a potion on Sam, let alone brewed a Euphoria Potion in the last year. Miranda was particularly concerned by Sam's odd behaviour.
"Who wanted him to act like a fool?" she asked. "It's not making a spectacle, it's just annoying to those close to him."
"Then it wasn't a prank, because Slytherins always make sure to create spectacles out of them," Cypress said.
"So someone was just trying to annoy us and make a ditz of Sam. Bloody wonderful."
Willow's eyes widened. "Guys, therein lies the answer! Someone wasn't trying to get at us, they were trying to distract Sam! Why else would they give him a potion that impairs his ability to string two thoughts together?"
"Merlin's beard, you're right," Dean gasped.
"But who would do such a thing?" Seamus asked. Sam leaned on his shoulder, and he shoved him off. "Merlin, I don't know if I'm going to be able to stand him like this much longer."
"I'll brew the antidote during lunch, don't worry," Cypress offered. "As for your other question...it had to have been someone in the castle."
"That's not very comforting," Neville whimpered.
"Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of this, Neville," Willow promised, rubbing the boy's back. "No one messes with my friends without receiving justice." Neville smiled gratefully.
Just then, Hagrid emerged from behind his hut, toting an enormous box in his arms. For a moment, the class worried that it was another skrewt hatching, but when Hagrid opened the box, multiple girls squealed. The Professor gently took a jet-black, furry little creature in his hands. Its platypus-like beak nuzzled Hagrid's ear when he brought it close to his chest. Willow felt like she knew this creature. Her father had mentioned it countless times. A nuisance animal. Noggle? No...Narfler? No...it was a—
"That's a niffler!" Willow exclaimed.
"Very good, Willow!" Hagrid cheered.
He went on the explain that nifflers were great treasure detectors, and they were mostly found in mines. They adored all things shiny. Then Hagrid pointed to his garden, where the earth had been overturned very recently. He told the class he had buried gold coins there, and that they were each to choose a niffler to find them. The person whose niffler brought back the most gold coins would win a prize from Honeydukes. Hagrid warned them as an afterthought to put away all shiny watches, jewelry, etcetera.
Cypress was one of the first to take a niffler. He stared at the furry creature as if it was the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. Willow nudged his shoulder.
"What, you think you're going to train it to take down the Ministry?" she chuckled.
"Willow, it finds shiny things. This thing could make me rich enough to buy the world, if I trained it for a while."
"Keep dreaming, Cypress."
The Slytherin stuck out his tongue at Willow. She laughed as she went to pick up her own niffler. The creature was infinitely softer than she'd expected, and nearly as friendly as it looked. Willow couldn't help to laugh that escaped her as the niffler cuddled into her bicep. She could already tell that this creature could cute its way out of any trouble it got into. Its black, mischievous eyes almost begged Willow to set it down and let it run. She couldn't wait to let it do so.
"On your mark...get set...go!" Hagrid yelled.
Chaos erupted almost immediately. The nifflers took off into the garden, digging like they had shovels for paws. Dirt flew everywhere as more than twenty nifflers scrambled to find the shiny gold coins buried in the earth. Before long, they started to find them, and then they were finding them left and right, stuffing them in their magically expandable hip pouches. Willow's niffler was doing particularly well, but so was Ron's and Lavender's. Willow didn't care if she won, though; she saw that Draco's niffler was doing terribly, and it gave her a sort of satisfying joy that she couldn't quite understand.
In the end, Ron's niffler won, so he got a slab of Honeyduke's chocolate to enjoy for at least a week...or a few days, knowing the appetite of that redhead. It had been one of the most fun Care of Magical Creatures classes to date. Willow let everyone put their nifflers back first, then went to place hers back in the bin, but it suddenly latched onto her arm for dear life. She tried to coax it into the bin to no avail. If anything, it squeezed her forearm tighter. She glanced to Hagrid for help.
"I think she's staying with ya," Hagrid said.
"Wait — you don't mean I'm keeping her, by chance?" Willow clarified.
"If a niffler gets attached ter someone, even briefly, they get awful lonely without 'em."
"Ah. So you're saying if one niffler just happens to go missing, you have no idea what happened to them. And I have no idea that it's in the castle, hanging out with my other creatures."
Hagrid shot her a wink. Willow beamed from ear to ear. She ran to catch up to her friends, who were already returning to the castle. They noticed the niffler and immediately clambered for its attention. The little creature soaked it up, appearing to enjoy the attention. By the time they got to the Great Hall, the niffler had climbed all over Willow's friends, acquainting herself with her new family. Willow hid the energetic little girl in her robe pocket as she, Cypress, Sam, Miranda, and Oliver passed through the Entrance Hall and went down the stairs, but the moment she got to the Potions classroom, the niffler was out again, scrambling all over her friends in a bliss of joy.
"She really seems to like Cypress and Oliver," Miranda noted.
"And I really like her," Cypress remarked over his shoulder as he gathered supplies for Sam's antidote. "She can bring me galleons whenever she feels like it."
"She's really fluffy," Oliver laughed, the niffler sniffing at his ear once again.
"What do you think we should name her?" Willow asked. When Oliver opened his mouth, she interrupted him. "Besides Fluffy."
"What about Gemma?" Miranda suggested. "You know, since she likes precious metals, gems, all of that. You could call her Gem for short."
"I like that," Willow said.
Miranda, Oliver, and Willow practiced calling Gemma by her name while Cypress brewed the Euphoria Potion antidote. Sam, meanwhile, meandered around the Potions classroom, seeming to forget where he was about every five seconds. He even ran into a desk. The moment Cypress declared the antidote was finished, Willow tipped Sam's head back and poured it down his throat. The poor kid blinked slowly, like he was awakening from anesthesia, then suddenly came to his senses. He glanced around the Potions classroom in a slight panic.
"How did I get here? What time is it?" he blabbered.
"Lunch is almost over. We brought you here after Care of Magical Creatures," Willow explained. "Someone slipped a Euphoria Potion into your drink last night. We don't know who. Cypress thankfully knew how to brew the antidote."
Sam nodded gratefully at Cypress. "Thank you. I've never felt more disoriented in my life."
"Not a problem. Just don't make it a habit, because that took some rare ingredients."
"Sorry about that." Sam brushed his fingers through his hair. "Why would Sally do such a thing?"
"Did you say Sally did this to you?" Miranda clarified.
Sam furrowed his brow. "Of course. Who else? She was the only one near me in the Great Hall last night. We were actually talking like we used to for once. It was kind of nice..." Sam's expression drooped. "But apparently it was a ruse just to catch me off guard."
"Why would your twin purposely give you Euphoria Potion?" Oliver asked.
"So that I couldn't stop her."
"Stop her from what?"
"I don't know, but it must have been something she knows I wouldn't approve of." Sam sat down at a desk, holding his head in his hands. "I thought we were getting better. I thought our relationship was back to normal. But now...I'm not sure if we'll ever be back to normal."
Willow shuffled uncomfortably as Oliver stepped in with some comforting words. She thanked God that her adoptive brother knew how to console people, because this was definitely one of those times where she was at a loss for words. Sally hadn't just tricked Sam; she'd tricked all of them into thinking she was coming around. Heck, the other day, she wingwomaned for Lavender and almost managed to get her a boyfriend. Sally hadn't done that in over a year.
She's getting better at lying. Her manipulation skills are improving rapidly. And her deceit is growing bigger by the day. Willow wanted to punch through a wall in her frustration. How could I not see this happening? It's my job to defend the group, and that includes defending them from themselves! I'm failing!
The bell rang, which forced the friends to split up and head to their next classes. Willow, Sam, and Oliver headed to Charms, a disquieting silence lingering between them. The idea of Sally betraying them yet again was an absolute shock. They never thought she would be capable of such a thing.
I mean, slipping a potion into her own twin's drink, just to get away with something? Willow scoffed to herself. That's the lowest of low. Sam can disagree with her behaviour, but he can't excuse her refusal to own up to what she's doing.
Sally was in her usual seat when they entered the Charms classroom, chatting away with the Gryffindor Sisters. Willow, Oliver, and Sam sat across from her, the latter practically glaring daggers. Professor Flitwick glanced between the twins while taking attendance, clearly noting the stark, literal distance between them, but marking their presence nonetheless. Willow would have marked them as physically here, but definitely not present mentally. Neither twin had anything Charms-related on their mind.
The class was practicing banishing charms once again. Pillows zoomed across the room, some hitting their targets, others taking down unaware students. Willow and Oliver finally got the hang of it about halfway through class. The siblings catch each other's eye, then inconspicuously stepped close enough to talk, but not be overheard.
"Sally's distracting herself," Oliver whispered. "She looked over at Sam once, and she appeared rather distraught. I think she's feeling the guilt already."
"At least she's still got a conscience. We can work with that," Willow remarked.
"Please tell me you're going to question her?" Oliver begged. "Sally scares me sometimes."
Willow chuckled quietly. "Sure, I can do that."
When Professor Flitwick had his back turned, Willow quickly made her way to the other side of the room. Sally banished her pillow to a nearby cabinet just as she arrived. Willow tried to speak, but Sally interrupted her.
"You're going to ask about Sam. I'm not going to talk about it," Sally declared, not even looking at her.
"Yes, you are. What the hell was all that about?" Willow demanded.
"I told you, I'm not — "
"I've had enough of you sneaking around, lying, and manipulating your own twin," Willow cut in. "I should be making you spill the whole truth from top to bottom, but I'm going to be nice. Tell me exactly why you potioned Sam's drink, now."
Sally's face darkened. "You're not going to believe me."
"Like hell I won't. I always take my friends' sides until they're proven wrong. Fire away."
Sally gulped. She finally stepped down from her practice stance to face Willow. Her hands immediately went to her pockets as she spoke. "I...I was trying to stop Sam from contacting our mum."
For the longest moment, Willow stood there looking at Sally very stupidly. When she finally regained her wits, she spluttered, "He was going to do what?"
"Sam was trying to contact our old mum, Molly. I caught him sneaking out to the Owlery a few times, and I finally snapped last night. He's torturing himself, thinking he'll ever get an honest response out of that vile woman. All he ever wanted was Molly's love, and when she wouldn't give it to him, he thought it was his fault. He's got it in his head now that if he continues demonstrating his care for her that she'll come around."
Willow rubbed her ears. "I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly, that Sam is pining for Molly's love?"
"Right on."
Willow puffed out a long breath. She put her hands on her hips. "Alright. Wow. I did not see that one coming."
"Sam probably lied to you about me, then," Sally muttered. "Covering his own sorry arse. I understand why he's doing it, and he's embarrassed to be caught, but he can't just bring down his own sister like that. I thought we were closer than that."
"Huh. I did, too." Willow shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sally, I didn't mean to accuse you so harshly. I should probably question both of you before making judgements next time."
"It's alright, we're going through a...rough patch," Sally sighed. "Thank you for talking to me, though. I really appreciate it."
"No problem. I'll see you at the Sister Scheming tonight."
"See you then!"
Willow hopped back to her original side of the room. Oliver raised his brows in question. After making sure Sam was fully distracted, she quickly explained everything Sally had told her. Oliver agreed that it was a complete mess. The poor twins were both losing it as their former mother slowly rose to power behind the scenes. It was only a matter of time before one of them cracked. Oliver suggested that they try and get Sam some help, or some form of therapy, to help him cope better. He needed to learn that Molly was not the source of familial love he was looking for, and that it was okay to wish things had ended up differently.
The bell rang a few minutes later, signaling the end of the day for the Gryffindors. They headed back to the common room as a single group. The Gryffindor Sisters had their Scheming Session, and Willow couldn't escape this time. After a little while, though, she just couldn't handle the drama, as Fay and Mia were fighting over the same boy, so she snuck out when they were busy arguing. Willow escaped to the Hufflepuff common room just as the last round of classes were ending. Oliver and Cypress were pleasantly surprised to see her waiting for them when they arrived.
"Wow, long time no see," Oliver chuckled.
"Yeah, it's been ages, hasn't it?" Willow joked.
Cypress gasped. "Girl, what in Merlin's name were you thinking, wearing those two colours together?" When Willow shot him a confused look, he exasperatedly pulled out the sleeve of Willow's shirt to compare it to her pants. "Dark green and purple? Have I taught you anything these last three years?"
"I may or may not have thrown on whatever was on top in my drawer," Willow admitted.
Cypress pinched the bridge of his nose. "We have so much work to do with your wardrobe. You just need outfits at this point. There's no need to match those..."
"Oh, give her a break!" Oliver laughed. "She's gotten better! She knows not to wear black socks with grey shoes now!"
"She didn't know that before?"
"Not all of use can have common sense, let alone a fashion sense," Willow said, shrugging. "Anyway, I'm escaping my roommates' drama, so please distract me."
"I think you brought the distraction, actually," Oliver said, giddily pointing to Gemma as she scrambled out of Willow's pocket. "Can we play with her? Please?"
"Of course!"
"YES! Gemma! Here girl!" Oliver called.
The niffler scrambled across the couch to the Hufflepuff. Oliver giggled as Gemma climbed all around his shoulders, tickling him in the process. He gave her head pats in appreciation.
"Gemma! Come!" Cypress said.
The niffler clambered over the cushions once more to return to Cypress's side. The blonde doted on the creature with all the love and affection one would give a small child. Willow burst out laughing when Gemma bopped Cypress on the nose.
"She is too cute," the Gryffindor sighed.
"She's the greatest companion a future world ruler could ask for, actually," Cypress corrected her. "She's going to make me rich someday."
"You better get started now, then," Willow suggested. "Gemma's got a long way to go if she's going to accompany you to the throne."
"Oh, don't encourage him, his ego's bigger than anything lately," Oliver chuckled.
Cypress feigned getting shot. "Ouch! Did you see that? He shot me through the heart!"
"Somebody, get a medic, please," Willow monotoned.
Cypress threw a cushion at her. "You would totally run for help if I was actually hurt. You'd grovel at Pomfrey's feet if you had to."
"I'm pretty sure I'd just heal you myself, actually. I have a habit of being the hero."
"Right, I forgot, our resident Gryffindor is here. Heart of a lion, brain of a kitten on catnip."
"Oliver! Did you hear what your boyfriend just said?"
"Yes, and I'm enjoying it," Oliver said, making himself comfortable on Cypress's lap. Gemma jumped down and curled up on his chest. "Oh. My. God. She's literally the cutest thing on Earth."
"False. You're the cutest thing on Earth," Cypress corrected him. He leaned down and gave Oliver a sweet kiss. "But she's a close second."
"Gemma sure does seem to love you guys," Willow remarked, watching as the niffler fell fast asleep.
"And I love her," Oliver said.
"You know what? I think you should keep her."
Oliver and Cypress glanced in the Gryffindor's direction. "You're serious?"
"I hardly doubt she'd leave you anyway. Look how comfortable she is." As if to prove her point, Gemma wrapped herself around Oliver's neck and sighed contentedly. "See? She loves you guys. And there's no way I'd find the time to keep her out of trouble with everything going on in my life."
"What do you think, Olive?" Cypress asked. "Ready to adopt a treasure-seeking fluffball together?"
"Why not? She's too cute to resist!" Oliver laughed.
"It's settled then. You two are now niffler dads," Willow confirmed. "Gemma's all yours."
"Yes! Gemma, you're staying with us!" Oliver cheered.
Sensing the excitement in his voice, Gemma perked up and ran circles around the couch. Cypress and Oliver laughed together as they welcomed their first pet into their life. Willow couldn't stop grinning at the sight.
They are so meant for each other.
Willow sipped on yet another cup of coffee. So far, the caffeine had not kicked in, as she'd nodded off at least a dozen times in the last hour. She had to stay up late for an Astronomy class, however, so she had no choice but to wake up. Willow longed for the little coffee shop in London that her family used to visit; she could wrap herself in the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee, drink a straight-up espresso shot or two, have a casual conversation with her uncles...
God, I need a break from life.
You think? Cebba chuckled.
Willow cracked a smile. Shut up.
Neville, Dean, and Seamus dragged her off the couch at quarter to eleven. Willow groggily followed her classmates out of the common room, through the corridors, and up the stairs of the Astronomy Tower. Professor Sinistra was there, bright-eyed and bushy tailed as ever, encouraging the students to wake up and see the stars. Willow fought sleep more than anything as she sloppily traced the constellations on her worksheet. She vaguely remembered she was supposed to be naming them, so she scribbled down the names that came to mind, even if she knew for a fact they were wrong. She just wanted to sleep. Even the stony floor she was laying on seemed inviting after 36 hours of no sleep.
"Merlin's beard, Wisp, I knew you were a morning person, but this is just pathetic," Draco chortled quietly.
"Shut it, I'm too tired to deal with you right now," Willow mumbled.
"What was that? You said you're tired enough to deal with me?" Draco smirked as Willow dropped her head to the floor. "Why are you so tired, Wisp, hm? Sneaking off with your girlfriend after curfew?"
"And snogging in dark corners, too," Willow shot back. "But that's not what you wanted to ask me."
"No, obviously. I wouldn't be talking to you unless it was important."
"I feel like such a valued friend."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Wisp, just work with me for one bloody second, would you? I need to know if anything new has turned up."
"You think I would be here if something has?" Willow groaned. "Aside from my mum's Christmas present, nothing new has happened in the last four months. But you already knew about that."
"No, I didn't know about that, actually. What was it?"
"Oh. My mum sent me a weird sort of carving. It was like a combination of a hydra, a tiger, and a runespoor. She found it in the basement and thought I should see it or something. She included a detail about my locket being able to block the Killing Curse three times, too."
Draco sat bolt upright. "You're barking mad. She didn't say that." He pointed to the diamond-encrusted locket. "This thing? A Curse-blocker?"
"That's exactly what the note said, Blondie. Don't make me go get it for proof."
"I've never heard of a family heirloom blocking Unforgivable Curses before," Draco breathed. "That's extremely powerful stuff, Willow. Old magic. Dark magic. Be careful with that." He frowned. "This carving you're talking about, though...I don't have a clue how that might be useful. It sounds like something an old nutter would make. But if the detail about your locket is anything to go by, this carving might also turn out to be extremely important."
"Maybe we should take a look at it," Willow suggested.
Draco glanced at her warily. "You're taking me into the Gryffindor common room?"
"Not exactly. Follow me."
Willow and Draco flashed their completed constellation maps to Professor Sinistra, who collected them and bade the pair goodnight. After double-checking that the rest of the Gryffindors were still hard at work, Willow motioned for Draco to hurry after her. They made it to the Gryffindor common room in record time. Draco froze when the Fat Lady revealed the portrait hole.
"What are you waiting for? An invitation? Come on!" Willow hissed.
"You just...said the password. Right in front of me."
"Yeah? So? I listen to the Slytherin password all the time."
Draco shook his head. "It's nothing. After you, Wisp."
Willow shrugged off Draco's odd behaviour and pushed forward. The Slytherin took in the Gryffindor common room's entirely different atmosphere with wide eyes. He was so starstruck by the appearance of the enemy house that he didn't even notice Willow dive into her dormitory to retrieve the token. Draco jumped violently when Willow hit the bottom of the stairs with a quiet thump!
"Bloody hell, Wisp, give me a warning!" he barked.
"It's not my fault you were staring at my common room like it was the Mona Lisa," Willow retorted.
Ignoring Draco's annoyed muttering, the Gryffindor made her way to the side of the common room, where the familiar blank part of the wall welcomed her like an old friend. Willow placed her hand on the area, and the magical door shimmered to life. Draco's jaw dropped. Smirking, Willow shoved him inside the doorframe, then shut it behind them. Draco peered curiously as she flicked on the lightswitch on the opposite wall. He yelped rather loudly when she shoved him toward the wall.
"Wisp, what the hell are you — ?"
His outburst was cut off as he passed through the wall. Willow passed through herself, revealing a very disgruntled Draco.
"What was that?" he demanded. "It's a common courtesy to at least explain what's going on before you go shoving me into magical doorways and secret rooms!"
"You're welcome. I just let you in on one of my closest-guarded secrets," Willow said. She scoffed at his dumbfounded expression. "Look around you, dumbarse!"
Draco did, and his eyes went wide as saucers. He took in the art station, the plant collection, and the few biomes spread out across the back of the massive room. Griffin and Phoebe both perked up at the sight of the new person. They crept toward Draco, cautious and curious all at once. The Slytherin slowly backed away at the sight of the baby griffin.
"T-That isn't a h-hippogriff, is it?" Draco squeaked.
"No, Blondie, he's not a hippogriff, but he's just as capable of slicing open your arm, so watch yourself." Willow couldn't deny she enjoyed the way Draco's face paled. "Oh, quit your worrying, he's not going to eat you. That's Griffin, my baby griffin, and Phoebe, my demiguise."
Phoebe shimmered in and out of visibility as Draco gazed at her. "Ah. Aren't they dangerous, too?"
"Only if you give them enough bananas." Willow ignored Draco's puzzled look. "Want to meet the rest of my creatures?"
"You have more?"
"Duh, I'm practically a hoarder."
Willow whistled, and moments later, V, Patch, Felicity, and the fire-dwelling salamander came running. Draco stood stock still as they sized him up, their beady little eyes searching for any signs of hostility. Eventually, the creatures seemed satisfied that Draco wasn't a threat, so they clambored to climb all over Willow instead. She lowered herself to the ground to make it easier on them. Draco watched open-mouthed as the jobberknoll, knarl, salamander, and jarvey attached themselves to Willow's shoulders.
"What? You've never seen someone treat magical creatures with respect?" she asked. Griffin and Phoebe nudged her for more pets.
"No, it's just...I've never seen anyone other than Hagrid treat magical creatures with anything, really," Draco admitted, watching fascinatedly as Griffin rolled onto his back for belly rubs. "It's...new."
"Well, get used to it, because this is the only safe place I have from the rest of the student body, so we'll talk about Death Eater stuff and Voldemort in here."
"DON'T say his name," Draco snapped, wincing.
Willow put her hands up. "Whatever. Come on, we'll use Dean's art table, he finally cleaned it off."
"Dean uses this room too?" Draco questioned, following her at a distance to avoid Griffin and Phoebe.
"He, Seamus, and Neville, mainly, though the rest of our year's Gryffindors know about it. My other friends visit from time to time as well. Don't give me that look, it's still a well-kept secret. Hardly anyone other than me uses it frequently, and my friends know I'll hex their mouths shut permanently if they speak about it."
Draco raised his brows. "So you treat all your friends harshly. It's a wonder they stick around."
"No, it's a wonder I keep you around." Willow placed the carving on the table, taking in Draco's reaction as he studied it. "Well? What do you think? Useless or useless?"
"Neither. In fact...this might be extremely important."
At that moment, Draco nearly vaulted three feet in the air. Griffin and Phoebe appeared on either side of him, so close their fur and feathers brushed his robes. The Slytherin held his chest like he was recovering from a heart attack.
"Keep those bloody beasts away from me!" he seethed.
"No, wait, I think they're onto something," Willow protested.
She was right. Griffin and Phoebe stepped forward, their eyes locked on the carving. They sniffed it for a few minutes, seeming to try and understand it, then they suddenly backed away, voicing their concern. The hair stood up on Phoebe's neck. Griffin's feathers were clearly ruffled. Both creatures couldn't seem to get away from the token fast enough. Willow shot a look at Draco.
"Must be important, then," Draco concluded.
"Only one way to find out," Willow said.
Taking the token in hand, Willow raised it above her head, and, amid cries from Draco to stop, she smashed it against the table. The carving shattered instantly. A sort of clatter alerted Willow to something falling out of it. She brushed aside the shards as Draco looked at her like she was the craziest witch he'd ever laid eyes on. His expression swiftly changed, however, when Willow drew three potion vials out of the mess. The strange-coloured liquids swirled and moved threateningly, almost like they had minds of their own.
"What in Merlin's name did you do?" Draco whispered.
"I...don't know," Willow admitted. "But these potion vials look pretty sweet."
"Sweet? Merlin, I need to stop associating with you. You smash potentially dangerous things against the floor and rescue dangerous beasts like it's a pastime."
"But you have to admit, it's pretty fun," Willow pointed out. She held up the potion vials to the light, peering at them from different angles. "What do you suppose these are for? They look pretty cool."
"I don't know, but..." Draco grimaced. "...Cypress might."
"Great! Let's go find him."
"What? Wisp! It's nearly midnight, the professors will be patrolling the corridors like crazy!"
"You just don't want to speak to Cypress. And you've got to go back to the Slytherin common room anyway, remember?" Willow took on a mocking tone. "Merlin, I need to stop associating with you. You're interfering with my superior brain cells."
Draco scoffed. "As if you'd ever get higher marks than me."
"Don't insult my rule-breaking abilities, and I won't insult your brainiac marks."
Willow successfully got Draco across the castle and into the dungeons. He paused before the boulder, but to Willow's surprise, he gave the password in full earshot of her, though he grumbled something about needing to ask the prefects to change it now. He quietly slipped into the boys' dormitory, then returned moments later with a very confused Cypress. His face lightened when he saw Willow.
"Ah. So this isn't another one of the prick's dumb pranks."
"I heard that," Draco said.
Cypress ignored him. "I hear you've got three potentially very interesting potions? Can I see them?"
Willow handed the potions to Cypress, who set to work examining them. After a few moments, he disappeared into his dormitory without a word, leaving Draco and Willow in a stunned silence, then returned with a small testing kit. Cypress poked and prodded and swirled and all-around messed with the potions. At long last, he sat up with a victorious smile.
"You are in possession of three very cool potions, Willow. I've labeled them for you, see — one trait for each of the creatures. One gives you the fast healing of a hydra, one gives you the strength of a tiger, and one gives you the mental agility of a runespoor. They're very powerful mixtures, probably undefined by any textbooks. They remind me of some of my more ambitious prototypes."
"Arrogant jerk," Draco scoffed quietly.
Cypress shot him a glare. "I can hardly believe you, of all people, would accuse me of arrogance."
"You literally strut around like you own the place!"
"It's called confidence, honey," Cypress corrected, flicking his hair fashionably.
"Cut it out, both of you!" Willow scolded. The boys clamped their mouths shut. "Thank you for labeling the potions, Cypress. This still doesn't explain why my mum would give them to me."
"She didn't know the potions were in there, but she had a feeling the carving was important," Cypress said. "She could tell you needed protection from something, something big enough to require potent magical defense such as these potions."
"It's a warning, then," Draco realized.
"Wow, did you figure that out all by yourself?" Cypress said sarcastically.
"A warning...about what?" Willow questioned.
"The Fawleys," Draco whispered. "They must be on the move again."
"Oh God," Cypress breathed.
"Merlin help us..." Willow trailed off. She paled a few shades. Her stomach felt rather queasy, and her head spun. Willow took several deep breaths to keep herself from spiraling out of control. "I'll definitely save these potions for emergency, then. In the meantime, I'm going to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary in the papers, especially in the area of England the Fawleys live in."
"Stay safe, Willow," Cypress said.
"I'll try. Goodnight, guys. Thank you...for your help."
For once, Draco and Cypress didn't bicker as Willow exited the Slytherin common room.
Willow did her best not to think about the Fawleys over Easter holidays. Thankfully, she was drowning in mountains of homework, so she really couldn't devote her attention anywhere else. From March through May, Willow's life became a blur of wake up, eat, drag self to class, complete homework, maybe eat again, hang out with Luna in the Thestral Clearing for a whole thirty minutes, then collapse back in bed until the next morning.
Hey, at least she didn't have to knock herself out with the Sleep Potion every night.
Willow had come to enjoy the dreamlessness effect of the Sleep Potion, but she didn't miss relying on the dang thing every time she needed to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. She wanted to at least sleep without needing help. She buried the potion deep in her wardrobe beneath the skirt that she would never wear in a million years. Now, she only relied on the Suppression Potion every once in a while, and Willow could accept needing that, because it, you know, kept her alive.
Even with her homework load as heavy as it was, Willow spent as much time as possible with the twins, Lee, and especially Paige. They'd made some good headway on her emotional release work. She could now feel rather intense happiness without seizing up in pain. That was the easiest emotion to wear with pride, though; happiness couldn't really be judged, whereas fear, anger, and sadness could. Willow knew that she didn't care about others' judgement, but she honestly judged herself worse than anyone when it came to displaying her feelings. It was hard to convince herself it was okay to wear her heart on her sleeve. She's spent so long hiding it in fear that others would dig into her past that she never learned how to deal with it.
The last week of May, Paige invited Willow to a soccer date. The younger Gryffindor could have cried with how happy she was to play soccer against another human being. She laced on her cleats so fast that she nearly tripped when she stood up. Paige put on her goalie gloves and hopped into the makeshift goal that Willow had been using since first year. The younger Gryffindor had the time of her life, running at Paige, dribbling up and down the field, showing off her fancy footskills, and taking shot after shot after shot. Paige got the workout of her life. Her abs were done about halfway through, but Willow kept shooting anyway.
"I — regret — everything," Paige panted.
"I'm giving you hot abs, now shush," Willow said.
They one v one'd for another ten minutes, then at long last, Willow had tired out. She tackled her girlfriend, and they laid in the soft grass together, a laughing, beaming, sweaty mess. Willow thought that this was the happiest she'd been all year, just laying on a soccer field, her girlfriend beneath her, both exhausted yet filled with joy. Paige was the best thing to happen in her life since she'd arrived at Hogwarts.
"You know, you've gotten a lot better since that pickup game with Dean in London," Paige remarked.
"You should have seen me in Uganda. That was one of my best performances."
Paige chuckled. "You were so flustered that whole trip. I will never forget the look on your face when your abuela asked for an invitation to our wedding."
"Stop it, you'll make me start blushing again," Willow said.
"Good thing we got your happiness to stop killing you," Paige teased. "I can fluster you as much as I want, and you can't do anything to stop me now."
"Hm, what if I, you know — " Willow leaned down and kissed Paige — "fluster you first?"
Paige grinned shyly from ear to ear. "You might win that way, yeah."
"Don't I always win?"
Paige rolled her eyes. Willow leaned in for another kiss, but at the last moment, she pulled away. Paige scoffed and tossed the younger Gryffindor off of her. "You're such a tease!"
"You gotta catch me if you want a real kiss!" Willow challenged.
The younger Gryffindor took off running. Paige was on her feet and after her in a heartbeat. Willow forgot how powerful Paige's legs were, and nearly got caught in the first few seconds to pay for it. She began to widen the distance between them after the first twenty meters, though, and she all but pulled away after fifty. Paige eventually collapsed with her hands on her knees.
"Alright, showoff, get your fast arse back here!" She put her hands above her head. "God, you're fast over a distance. I forgot you run pretty much every day."
"No days off for the athletes," Willow said, smirking. She stood over Paige's crouching form. "Why are you breathing so hard? You getting fat or something?"
Paige playfully swiped at her legs. "Says the one who ate seven rolls for breakfast."
"Yeah? And?"
Paige suddenly yanked Willow toward her by the front of her shirt, and their lips were pressed together. Willow enjoyed the taste of Paige's mouth once more. For some reason, the displays of affection never got old. Willow thought her feelings would falter by now, but she'd gotten lucky. They were holding steady. She thought she would screw up massively by now, but she somehow hadn't. For her first relationship, this was going 1000% better than she thought it would.
I thought you would mess up too, but for the record, you've pleasantly surprised me, Cebba said.
You're such an encouraging, fulfilling person to talk to, you know that? Willow said sarcastically.
I know, you just couldn't get on without me.
Willow smiled against Paige's lips. She was about to say something particularly snarky back to her mentor when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Paige saw it at the same time. Both girls parted and stood up, shielding their eyes against the setting sun to get a better view. Willow saw Ludo Bagman leading the four Champions along the path that led to the quidditch pitch. She suddenly realized that he was about to tell them about the next task. Paige glanced at her, having come to the same conclusion.
"What do you think it is?" she whispered.
"I don't know. Should we follow them and find out?" Willow asked.
"Bad idea. We don't want to get Harry and Cedric disqualified for something as dumb as us sneaking around. Let's wait here until they get back."
So that was exactly what the girls did. They waited in an anticipatory silence, watching the path like a hawk for any sign of movement. Not long afterwards, the Champions returned, heading back to the Entrance Hall with their cloaks drawn closely around them. Harry and Krum, however, broke off from the group and made their way to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They spoke to each other for a while with much shuffling of the feet and brushing of fingers through their hair. Willow and Paige exchanged intrigued expressions.
"They're probably talking about Hermione," Willow noted. "Krum's been sulking ever since Hermione ignored him during the Second Task. He probably thinks Harry's really been dating her, after Rita Skeeter's rubbish article."
"Good thing they're clearing the air. I'd hate to see an angry Krum go after Harry during the next task," Paige remarked. "We need our Champion to win, not end up on the front page for being mangled by the youngest professional Seeker in the world."
"I'm never getting that image out of my head now," Willow chortled.
Just then, Harry's hand shot out to grab hold of Krum's. They both whirled around to look at something in the Forest. Willow's hair stood on end as a figure emerged from the trees. He swayed as though drunk, or loopy, or both. He didn't look at anything in particular, even when Harry made a movement toward him. Paige's hand flew to Willow's when the figure lurched for Harry. He desperately groveled at the Chosen One's feet, but for what reason, there was no telling.
"Should we go help them?" Willow questioned.
"We might provoke that guy. We should keep our distance until we know it's safe," Paige suggested.
"But he could attack Harry and Krum at any moment!" Willow protested. "Four on one is better odds than two on one!"
Paige groaned. "If we die, I blame you."
The girls began jogging toward the boys just as Harry took off toward the castle for help. Krum watched disgustedly as the man twirled around and talked to trees. The closer Willow got, the more she could discern on the man. He appeared to have crawled out of a very dirty prison in his current state. His torn robes, glassy eyes, and wreck of hair made him look almost homeless. Willow would have felt bad for the guy if she knew whether he was friendly or not.
Paige jabbed Willow in the arm out of nowhere. "Willow, that's Mr. Crouch!"
"What?" She tried to see the old auror's face beneath the coat of dirt, but she just couldn't make the connection. "Are you sure?"
"Willow, I'm one hundred and ten percent certain. Once you know what Crouch looks like, it's hard to forget his face, and especially his eyes. That's him."
"What the heck is he doing out here? I thought he was sick!"
Just then, a flash of light struck Krum square in the back. Paige and Willow instinctively hit the ground, hiding themselves in the tall grass. Krum collapsed to the forest floor with a familiar glazed expression. He'd been hit with the stunning spell. Willow put a protective arm around Paige to keep her low as a lone figure tramped out of the trees.
"Who the hell is that?" Willow whispered.
The figure's straw-coloured hair was nearly as messy as Mr. Crouch's. His fair skin looked like it hadn't seen the sun for years. Willow only caught a glimpse of his eyes before they turned to glare at Mr. Crouch — lighter than grey, but darker than blue. Paige clapped a hand to her mouth when the man kicked Mr. Crouch into the dirt. The auror didn't put up a fight as the man dragged him away; in fact, he kept laughing hysterically to himself, not seeming to understand he was being kidnapped. Willow tried to get up and follow, but Paige yanked her back down.
"Are you crazy? That guy looks like a classic serial killer!" Paige hissed.
"I can't let him kill Mr. Crouch!"
All of a sudden, a flash of green light illuminated the Forbidden Forest. Willow stifled a yelp. Paige's face drained of all colour.
"Too late," Paige choked out.
Willow swallowed her fear. "I have to go after him now. He just killed a very high Ministry official in cold blood."
Paige snatched her wrist with an iron grip. "No! I'm not letting you run off and get yourself killed!"
"Let me go, Paige."
"I can't."
Willow stared Paige hard in the face. She'd already made up her mind; she just hoped her girlfriend would forgive her. Quick as an adder, Willow tackled Paige to the ground, then pulled her wand on her. Paige gawked at her.
"You wouldn't."
"Paige, go back to the castle. Find Professor Dumbledore and tell him what happened. Don't come after me yourself, send one of the other Professors."
"Willow, don't do this, please," Paige begged.
"I'm not asking for permission."
Paige's eyes glistened with tears. "I'm never gave it to you in the first place."
"I will use the Banishing Charm on you if I don't see you running toward the castle. Got it?"
"Willow, please — "
"Paige."
Paige's shoulders slumped. Willow stood up, shoving the older girl towards the castle as she did. When she was sure Paige was genuinely heading for the Entrance Hall, she took off in the direction the figure had gone. Willow silently weaved through the trees, her heart hammering against her ribs, all senses on high alert. She desperately wished her powers were cooperating to give her echolocation abilities. But they weren't, which meant the figure could be around any corner. Willow held her wand in a white-knuckled grip as she prowled through the trees.
She didn't find the man in the initial direction he'd gone, so she doubled back and tried heading west instead. This time, she found broken twigs, trampled undergrowth, and slide tracks in the mud, telltale signs of someone dragging a heavy object through the forest. Willow followed with extreme caution, her wand tight to her chest. She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of movement.
After five minutes, Willow could hear the unsteady footfalls of the man. Her heart sped up. She was close. Willow quickened her pace, careful not to make any unnecessary noise. The man grunted and huffed and puffed as he dragged poor Mr. Crouch through the trees. He was sure making a lot of noise for someone trying to cover up a murder. Maybe he'd gone mad.
Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. Willow instinctively darted behind a tree. She glanced every which way, hoping against hope that she hadn't been caught. After a few moments, the man resumed his non-rhythmic pace. Willow waited a few heartbeats before following again. The man was really struggling now, what with his labored breathing and his heavy footballs. He would have to rest soon, and that was when Willow would step in, stun him, and run to Professor Dumbledore. She just had to make in until he rested. Just stay hidden a little longer...
The man unexpectedly threw Crouch's body down only seconds later. Willow ducked for cover again. This time, the man didn't stay where he was. His footsteps approached Willow's hiding place. The blood roared in her ears. She hardly dared to breathe. The man came within two meters of where she lay, covered by undergrowth. He paused for the longest moment. This was Willow's chance; it was now or never. She was just beginning to draw her wand when the man spoke.
"The Dark Lord does not reward rats," he spat.
Willow yanked out her wand, but it was too late. With a flash of bright green, Willow's world went black.
