The Difference in Reality: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

by LeavenGreenleaf

Willow Guerrero: a bold, brilliant, bilingual Gryffindor idiot that, at times, can be a living hazard sign. She hardly makes it to Hogwarts when an old family blood curse starts tearing her life apart. Now, with her loved ones' lives in danger, it's up to her to navigate the dueling realities that have become her life. Will she succumb to them, or will she survive? (Years 1-7)

23. Year 2: Chapter 2

"Why am I driving across London again?"

"Take a right turn up here. I already told you, Dad, this is important to Oliver, and I have to be there for him."

"But on the morning you leave for Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

Carlos sighed in the front seat as he swung the car onto another road. "May I ask why we're taking him to Kings Cross Station?"

"Oliver's grandparents are awful to him. He won't tell me why, exactly, or even what they do to him that's so awful, but they hate the fact that he can do magic. They suddenly decided this morning that they won't take him to Platform Nine and Three Quarters."

"So...why are we meeting him in a cemetery?"

"Because he needs my help with something."

Willow stared out the window at the passing countryside. Although it didn't appear that way, she was over-the-moon excited about returning to Hogwarts. The last time she had seen her friends was at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, where everyone went home, shaken from the brawl between Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy. Willow made sure Ginny knew that her standing up for Harry was definitely a good first step in becoming his friend. She had shown her the bowtruckle, too, and the first year could barely contain her excitement when she got to hold it. Thankfully, Mrs. Weasley never found out about their excursion to Knockturn Alley.

Now, Willow and her dad were racing to meet Oliver. He had contacted them with an emergency letter explaining that he needed her help getting to Kings Cross Station. Also in the letter was a request that she helped him with something he hadn't gotten a chance to do all summer- transplant the tree she had given him over the Holidays at Hogwarts. He had included a picture of himself with it, all smiles, saying "The leaves are still the same!" Willow pulled it out of her pocket and couldn't help reflecting the grin. It was good to see Oliver happy.

Carlos pulled into the cemetery, driving slowly and carefully along the one-way road. Willow stared in wonder at the rolling green hills that stretched out for at least a mile. Trees with leaves of every color dotted the hillsides, casting a peaceful shade over much of the landscape. It was one of the most beautiful cemeteries she had ever seen. As horrible as Oliver's grandparents sounded, at least they had the decency to bury Oliver's parents in a wonderful setting.

"Stop," Willow ordered. "Wait here. He's not too far."

Carlos stopped the car, letting his daughter out with a hesitant smile. She gave him the most winning smile she could pull off and jogged over the nearest hill. A familiar tall, skinny, dark-haired boy was sitting by a pair of headstones in the valley below. He stood up when he saw her and half-grinned.

"Hi, Willow," Oliver said.

"Still as shy as ever, are you?" Willow chuckled. "Come here, you. You're not getting out of this without a hug."

Oliver reluctantly wrapped his arms around her, then pulled back, returning his melancholy gaze to the engraved stones. "I'm sorry this was so last-minute, but my grandparents are in one of their moods again, and this is probably the only chance I'll get to do this."

"Don't worry about it." Willow took one of Oliver's hands in her own. "I wouldn't miss being here for you if someone offered me all of the money in the world."

"Thanks."

Oliver pointed to the shovel and the bright foliage of his eternally fall-colored tree. "Let's get started, then."

Willow picked up the shovel and started digging a hole directly in between the headstones. Oliver stood by and started loosening the soil around the base of his tree. By the time Willow was done, Oliver had managed to get the tree out of its pot, completely intact. She set the shovel away from the graves and grasped the roots of the tree. Catching Oliver's gaze, they hoisted the tree into its final resting place, filled in the soil around it, and stepped back to admire their work. The tree's magical leaves were already beginning to shimmer and turn different warm colors, responding to the new environment. It cast a beautiful yellow-tinted shade onto the graves, lighting up the headstones and making it seem like happiness itself had come down from the Heavens. Oliver's hand found Willow's, and they stood there together, silently supporting each other. She didn't know whether it was her imagination or not, but Willow could have sworn that she heard the faint whispers of the fallen, the singing of the angels that ascended from the graveyard. The warm breeze carried their voices into her mind and filled it with a peace she had not felt in a long time.

"It's beautiful," Oliver breathed, a tear tracing its way down his cheek. He turned to Willow. "I've always wanted to plant something special over their graves. They deserve so much more than they got in life. At least- at least they can have a beautiful place to rest."

Willow squeezed his hand. "I know they're proud of you, Oliver. They know how much you care about the world around you. Even if they didn't have this cemetery as a final resting place, they'd still be just as happy, because they have the best son in the world to watch over."

Oliver wiped his eyes. "I can only hope."

Willow watched the sun rise through the gaps in the leaves of the little tree. Oliver simply stared at his parents' graves, lost in thoughts that he needed this time to sort out. Willow had her own thoughts to sort through, too, like whether she should tell her out-of-house friends about her powers or not. There were plenty of people who knew in Gryffindor- too many, actually- and it might make her friends mad at her for God-knows-how-long, but they deserved to know, and right now, as Willow realized while subtly played with the tree's leaf colors, she needed their support more than ever. Her powers were growing to the brink of being out-of-control. If they suddenly saw her using them by accident, how would they react? What's more, they could be allies in helping her keep them a secret. She needed their help.

Oliver took a deep breath and wiped his eyes. "I think I'm ready to go to Hogwarts now. Thanks for staying here."

"There's no need to thank me," Willow said. "Do you have everything?"

"Yeah, everything's in that trunk over there," he said, pointing at the top of the hill. "You almost tripped over it on your way here."

"And I thought I was observant," Willow chuckled. She was glad for the change in mood. "Come on, we don't want to miss the train. Mandy would go ballistic."

Oliver dragged his trunk into the back of the Guerrero's car, got buckled in, and they were off. Willow tried her best to make it look like her dad's stories weren't embarrassing her, but it was nearly impossible. Carlos made Oliver laugh at her expense more than one time. She merely threatened to hex him once they got out of the car.

When they got to Kings Cross Station, it was nearly quarter to eleven. Willow's dad hurriedly stacked their trunks into a trolley and they set off towards the platform. Loads of witches and wizards casually gathered around the brick barrier, every now and then rushing through when the Muggles weren't looking. There was no way to pick out anyone in the crowd, and Willow couldn't see any of her friends. She shrugged. No one had ever been late to the train, as far as she'd been told. Everyone would be on the train in no time. Their turn came up shortly and the three of them rushed through the barrier.

A loud whistle came from a familiar bright red steam engine, and the Hogwarts Express came into view. Witches and wizards rushed here and there, handing forgotten items through compartment windows, hugging their children goodbye, catching up with an old friend or two. A few kittens chased some very scared rats through the crowd. Neville was frantically trying to catch Trevor again, and owls hooted in agitation inside their cages. Willow's stomach flipped with excitement. She was finally going back to her second home.

"Hurry up, go find a compartment before they're all full!" Carlos urged.

Willow and Oliver darted onto the train, found the nearest empty compartment, set their stuff down, and wandered back outside. Oliver caught sight of a familiar face and headed away. Willow returned to her dad, slowly recognizing how long she would be away again. He seemed to be in the same boat, his eyes glistening, barely able to hold his daughter's gaze without crying. Willow ran up to him and jumped into his arms, holding him tight in a desperate hug.

"I'll try to make sure you can come home for Christmas," Carlos promised. "I couldn't stand spending the Holidays without you."

"Me neither," Willow sniffled. "I'll miss you so much, Dad. I promise I'll study hard. Please stay safe."

"I will. I love you so much, Pumpkin."

"I love you too."

The last call whistled throughout the platform. Willow plopped down onto her own two feet, letting go of her dad. She looked one more time into his warm, familiar brown eyes, smiled sadly, and hopped back on the train. Willow made her way into her compartment and sat down, staring out the window to try and calm herself. She fanned her face to try and get the redness out of it before Oliver got back. Thankfully, her emotional control prevailed. She would be able to see her dad again soon. It wasn't like she was going off to war or anything.

Oliver appeared at the front of the compartment, eyes alight with excitement.

"Guess who I found?" he asked.

Lisa, Mandy, Sue, and the Smith twins appeared behind him. They rushed the compartment and tackled Willow in a hug.

"I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN FOREVER!" Mandy exclaimed. "You got my letters, right? I have loads to tell you, especially if you didn't read them, you wouldn't believe what happened this summer- "

"Mandy, at least give her a chance to breathe!" Sue chuckled.

Her friends got settled into the compartment, then all tried to talk at once, bombarding Willow with so many questions that she thought her head would explode.

"Whoa, whoa, one at a time, please!" she begged. Something bright caught her eye. "Mandy, since when did you die your hair bright pink? I thought it was naturally red- "

"Oh, shoot, did I never tell you guys?" Mandy gasped. "I probably didn't. You must be completely confused! I'm a metamorphagus. No, Lisa, I didn't lie to you, I'm naturally a redhead, but it's not naturally as bright as I make it. Sometimes my hair will change colors when I'm overexcited, super angry, etcetera."

Willow's jaw dropped as Mandy changed her hair back to it's normal shade of red. "That's so cool!"

"I know, right?"

Willow switched her attention to the Smith twins. Their skin looked much less taught over their bones, their eyes were brighter, and their shirts didn't look like they were full of air anymore. "Wow, you guys look amazing! Is Sarah Brown really that good of a cook?"

Sally and Sam laughed. "Yeah, she's amazing," Sam said. "She knows her pudding really well. I may have eaten a few too many of those, but Sarah wouldn't have it any other way. She's the nurturing, caring mum we never had."

"That's awesome!" Willow turned to Lisa and Sue. "And how was your guys's summers?"

"Pretty regular," Sue said, and Lisa nodded in agreement. "Nothing exciting, but nothing boring, either, which is completely the opposite of yours, from what I've heard."

Willow shook her head. "Just a day in the life of Willow Guerrero. What's life without a crazy, mind-blowing experience every weekend? I mean, it's going to be hard to keep me entertained after last year at Hogwarts, and now my summer. You're going to have to keep me chained to my common room, or trouble's going to find me one way or another."

"Please don't have another near-death experience," Oliver said.

"Yes, don't you ever do that again, or I'm going to make Lisa and Sue help me in personally building a magic-proof cage to keep you in," Mandy said. "You are not allowed to die on me!"

"Why do you get into so much trouble, anyway?" Lisa asked. "You never go looking for it."

Willow smiled, her decision from earlier made. "You're really smart, do you know that, Lisa? You always are a step ahead of me in wizarding chess; I should know this by now."

"Wait...what are you trying to say?" Sally said.

All of her friends stared at her, and Willow got up to lock their compartment. She stood in front of them. "This might come as a shock to most of you, but Sally and Sam have come really close to seeing it. I have magical powers outside of the ones every witch and wizard receives."

"What?" everyone exclaimed.

"It's complicated," Willow said. "But I can't really show you right now, as I'm not in a place where they can take effect, so I'll have to try and explain them to you."

Willow went on and on and on, telling the story of her powers from the very beginning. Her friends sat especially quiet, listening intently, eyes wide, imaginations running wild. They could barely believe what they were hearing. Willow sincerely hoped that they wouldn't think it was a joke, and thankfully, they seemed to believe her. She finished her story at the present moment.

"The reason I've kept this from you guys for so long is because I wasn't supposed to tell anyone at first, and the more people that know about it, the greater chance someone could invade your minds and figure it out," Willow explained. "But I've weighed it out, and I think that you guys deserve to know. At this point, half of Gryffindor knows, and you guys are my best friends! I was sick and tired of hiding it. It's only going to get harder for me to hide my powers from the world, and I need your help. If something goes wrong, it's easier when you have friends to help redirect attention instead of just yourself. You don't have to help me, exactly, but I need you to keep this a secret."

"I knew it!" Sally said. "I could have sworn I remembered you healing me on more than one occasion, but I thought it was a figment of my imagination. This is really cool, Willow! I hope you can show us sometime!"

Willow blinked a few times. "Wait...you're not mad that I kept this from you?"

Sam scoffed. "Why would we be? It's not like you had much of a choice at first. Besides, I trust you enough to know the right time to tell people about these things. You have a right to keep a secret."

"Yeah, especially a secret that might affect the fate of the world," Sue said. "I don't like this 'impending war' stuff, but I have a feeling that you will figure it out."

"Mandy? You're making a face," Lisa observed.

"I wonder why," Mandy said sarcastically.

Willow sighed. "Mandy, I won't hide anything from you ever again. I promise. Cross my heart, swear to die."

"Mandy, please don't stay mad at her," Oliver begged. "You're scary when you're mad."

Mandy smirked. "I know." She looked at Willow. "Fine. I forgive you. But you owe me an entire show of all your powers, and I mean all of them. It better be epic."

"It will be," Willow promised.

"Ooh, Willow, is that your camera?" Sue asked, pulling it out of her bag. "Can we go through your pictures?"

"Seeing as you've already got it out, I don't think I've got a choice."

Sue turned Willow's camera on as the rest of her friends gathered in a tight circle, clamoring for the best view of the tiny screen. Willow's cheeks were scarlet and pink within seconds. First, there were the ridiculous photos of her with her dad the day she was leaving for Hogwarts. Then, it moved onto random pictures of places within Hogwarts, thirty different shots of the Forbidden Forest, and a few of the giant squid in the Black Lake. Before she knew it, they were scrolling through Christmas, which contained picture after picture of the whole gang. Ron, Harry, and Hermione popped up a few times, then the twins, Lee, and Paige. When the photo of Snape in his ugly Christmas sweater came on, the entire compartment erupted into laughter, suggesting that she should make copies to torment him with during the upcoming Holidays. Willow was definitely marking that on her calendar.

More photographs yet of the spring months passed by. The trolley witch came, and Willow made sure to treat each of her friends to pumpkin juice. Finally, they got to the summer pictures. The few quick photos Willow had snapped at the magical part of the London Zoo were apparently fascinating. Lisa seemed really interested in visiting it all of a sudden. Mandy howled with laughter at the captured moments of Willow with the gypsy wedding dress on while the rest of her friends politely admired the rest of George's and Paige's choices. Finally, the last few pictures flashed by, and Willow wanted to hide herself under the table. Harry's cheery face shined despite its gaunt paleness. For some reason, she had thought to bring her camera with her when she went to visit Harry and took a few fun pictures with him to pass the time- and capture the moment. She hadn't realized it before, but the photo reminded her of a similar one she had taken years before. The same goofy, undefeated smile was on his face, his broken leg all wrapped up on the couch. Willow could barely hold back the tide of memories that threatened to rush forth. She couldn't let anyone know how much that hurt her.

"Wow, Willow, you should print these out," Sally suggested. "These are amazing! I had no idea you were a good photographer."

"Well, I wouldn't call myself 'good' yet, but thanks," she said.

"Willow!" Mandy shouted. "How many times to I have to remind you that you don't have to be modest about everything? You know we've been over this before, and you're obviously letting it go in one ear and out the other-"

"Whoa, guys! Look here!" Sam interrupted, rushing to the window. "There's something flying out here! I think- Wow, it's a flying blue car! Are you guys seeing this, too?"

Willow turned around and stood on her knees to get a better view. She looked up, and sure enough, a blue car was flying just above the train, peeking out from above the clouds every now and then. Something was oddly familiar about it...It took a second to place it, but suddenly Willow knew exactly whose Ford Angelina that was.

"Oh my God," she breathed. "What did they do this time? They're absolutely insane!"

"What do you mean? Do you know who that is?" Sally asked.

Willow fished her map out of her pocket. Placing it in the center of the table, she tapped the corner, and it expanded to cover the entire thing. Her friends watched in awe as she placed her finger in the middle of the starry cheat-sheet. A handful of small images popped up. Thankfully, she had played with the map enough since Cebba had talked with her to better understand how it works. Willow double tapped the image of Harry. His image covered the entire screen, a telltale car interior in the background.

"Merlin's beard! What are Ron and Harry even thinking, flying the car all the way to Hogwarts? Don't tell me they missed the train, that would make them the first in ages, and to fly a car instead of relax and ask for Mrs. Weasley to make arrangements..."

"Okay, I have two immediate questions that need answering now, or I'm going to explode," Mandy said impatiently. "One, why in the heck haven't you shown me this map before? I could have used it on my Astronomy exam! Two, don't go bashing Harry and Ron, you would have done the same thing, you crazy Gryffindor."

"The second one wasn't even a question," Lisa pointed out.

"Well?" Mandy asked, her eyebrows raised, ignoring Lisa's comment.

"Remember the map I told you about?" Willow said, looking at all of her friends. "This is it. For some reason, I haven't completely earned your guys's trust yet. That just means we have to spend more time together before you all appear on here and can see what's on it. No big deal." She shrugged. "I haven't shown you guys this map yet for the exact reason you want to use it, Mandy. None of you are going to cheat on my watch. I don't even use it to cheat. It's basically a big, beautiful, completely comprehensive and accurate study guide that I might let you use every once in a while if your notes are awful."

"My notes suck, so I might be using that a lot more than intended," Sam chortled.

"No you will not!" Sally said, playfully slapping him with a book. "Your notes are plenty good, you cheating idiot!"

"So are Lisa's, so I'm going to copy hers," Mandy said. "She's the smartest one here."

"Oh, stop it, all of you guys are smart," Willow insisted. "The only reason I'd say you weren't is because you can't seem to see how many braniacs are in this room! You all passed your exams! That means you're all perfectly smart. There's no need to get down on yourself."

"Look who's talking," Sue said, shooting her a knowing look.

"You caught me, but I'm serious, remember that whenever you think getting an E is bad." Willow caught sight of Oliver staring at her side with a weird expression. "Did I get a grass stain on my shirt or something?"

Oliver blinked a few times, shaking his head. "I thought so. But that's a bowtruckle, not a grass stain."

Mandy nearly spit out her pumpkin juice. "What?"

"Oh my goodness, he's right!" Sue exclaimed. "Look, Sam, do you see it?"

"I see it, alright," Sam said, staring at the bowtruckle with wide eyes. "Am I dreaming? Sally, pinch me! Ouch, not that hard! But that means I must not be dreaming! That's really a real, live bowtruckle! Sally and I haven't seen one of those since Dad passed away!"

Willow blushed, taking out the bowtruckle that was hiding in her pocket. "This little guy is named Fidget. I rescued him over the summer in Knockturn Alley, where he was being sold on the black market. He seems to have some attachment issues, so I'm sorry if he's wary of you, he doesn't take well to strangers. I can try to coax him onto the table..."

With a little bit of encouragement, Willow got Fidget to detach his tiny little claws from her shirt and stand on the table. He shook a little at the knees as he glanced at each of her friends, his figure a bright green blur. Willow giggled as he timidly crawled back up her arm and onto her shoulder, peering nervously at Mandy in particular.

"Sorry, Fidget doesn't like warm colors, I've found," Willow apologized. "He must have had a bad experience with a person with red hair or something. Now that I think about it, the man I stole him from did have red hair...I may have to pay him an extra visit..."

"Showing off your highly illegal creature, are you?"

Willow grinned as she looked up at the open compartment door. "Hey, Blonde. You're still not touching him."

"I'll find a way to make him like me, you'll see."

Willow was painfully reminded of how unwelcome Draco was here as her friends glared daggers at him. He had hurt each of them in some way or form over the last year, whether he intended to or not. She couldn't forget that. Her stomach dropped as she remembered all the times Sue had come crying to her because of Draco's friends, sometimes even Draco himself. He was a horrible person to everyone around her, and no matter how abnormally nice he was to her, she couldn't ignore that side of him. Willow set her jaw.

"You'll have to wait until we get to Hogwarts," she said. "I'm booked for the next few hours, and Fidget is staying right here."

"Figures. I'll make sure I pay you a visit." Draco smirked. "See you at school, Wisp."

"Catch you later, Blonde."

Willow lost sight of Draco within seconds and quickly redirected her attention on her friends. They were all smiling knowingly at her, sending a silent message that they all understood. Just then, Mandy yawned, and it sent a domino effect throughout the compartment. Sam grumbled that she was purposely casting a sleeping spell on him, then yawned again. Soon, Sally and Sam had fallen asleep on each other's shoulders, Mandy had stretched herself across Sue and Lisa, who were also fast asleep, and Oliver was laying his head on Willow's lap. He grinned wistfully as he drifted off to sleep.

"You're a great person, you know that?" he whispered.

"I'll never be as great as you," Willow breathed. "Sweet dreams."

Oliver softly snored away. Willow noticed how thin he was looking as his shirt rested against his stomach, revealing a few of his ribs. She shook her head. It was going to be a long year trying to keep up with all of her friends, but in the end, it was worth it. Willow couldn't imagine a better role in life than the one she was in as she finally drifted off to sleep.

---

"The train will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Have a good year, students."

Willow's eyes fluttered open as the announcement bounced around in her foggy brain. The sky outside had darkened considerably since they'd fallen asleep. Outlined in the distance by the last rays of sun was a familiar forest, vast and darker than a nighttime stroll on a new moon. As Willow's brain finally caught up to her ears, she shot to her feet, accidentally throwing Oliver into the seat, where he was jolted awake. Everyone's eyes snapped open when she rapidly knocked on the table.

"Merlin's beard, Willow, isn't there a more humane way to wake us up?" Mandy groaned.

"Not when we have five minutes to get changed into our wizarding robes!"

"Shoot! Oliver, we gotta go, pronto!" Sam exclaimed. As he quickly located his robes, he paused. "Hey, that rhymes! Maybe I'm a poet and I don't know it, or I just rhyme all the t- "

"Shut up and get going already!" Sally interrupted, shoving her brother out the compartment, Oliver close behind. She grabbed her robes dashed off to the restroom. Willow and the rest of the girls chased after her. Exactly five minutes later, the train screeched to a stop, just as five second year girls burst out of the restroom, their hats on crooked, wands sticking out of their pockets, and goofy grins on their faces. Fidget was slightly disgruntled by the sudden change in garments, but otherwise appeared fine to Willow. Achelous and Iris were thankfully nestled away in their shared cage. The last ones off the train, the girls nearly crashed into the horde of students waiting to get into a carriage.

"Whoa! That was close!" Sue yelped as she nearly bulldozed a third year.

"Is it just me, or did you get taller?" Mandy asked. "I mean, it might be the robes, but you definitely look taller."

Willow peered at Sue, noticing the change as well. Mandy was right. She did look taller, carrying herself differently from the previous year. Sue's muscle tone had grown, too. Had she been working out all summer?

"Oh, I only grew an inch," Sue said sheepishly.

"Some people look taller when they are confident in themselves after a long period of being self-conscious," Lisa said, sounding like an informational textbook on human physcology. "Maybe it's that? You have gotten quite confident. It suites you."

Sue's cheeks glowed red. "Thanks."

"You look a lot stronger, too," Willow observed. "I don't remember you saying that you did any sports...Wait, didn't you say something about doing martial arts? I could have sworn you did."

"Yeah, I do taekwando. It's excruciating, really, but I'm trying to get to my green belt, and it seems to be eluding me."

"That's amazing!" Sally said. "I can see it now- Slytherin boys trying to bully you, then bam! Bang! Crack! They won't even know what hit them! Sue will be on their list of 'Do Not Approach'!"

"Aw, guys, you're making me blush!" Sue complained.

"Don't go ruddy in the cheeks! Own that praise, girl! You're awesome, and everyone needs to know that!" Mandy scolded.

Sue covered her face as Oliver and Sam finally fought their way through the crowd to get to them. Slowly, carriage by carriage, the throng of students thinned until it was their turn. Willow recognized the creatures pulling them. It took her a moment, thinking back to when she had finally asked Hagrid about them, and remembered that they were called thestrals. They neighed softly when they saw Willow, flicking their tails over their bony backs. She smiled, still not fazed by their appearance. They were unique, like her, and there was no shame in that. Willow climbed up into the carriage and stared lovingly at the thestrals.

"I can see them too," Oliver whispered, materializing behind her.

Willow choked on her own air. Trying to hide her surprise, she said, "You saw your parents die?"

Oliver nodded. "They were killed in a car accident. I was waiting with my grandparents for them to come pick me up, and just down the street, someone ran a red light and hit them at over one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour. By the time we got to their side, they were beyond help, and they died right in front of me."

"Oh my God, Oliver," Willow breathed. "How did you cope with that?"

"The same way everyone does, I'm sure."

"You never got mad at the person who hit them?"

"No," Oliver said decisively, his eyes glazed over as he pictured his memories. "The girl was thrown through the windshield of her car and was in a wheelchair for the longest time. She was trying to get away from her abusive parents. I visited her often, and she would cry and say she was sorry every time. She never saw my parents coming."

"That's awful," Willow croaked, tapping into her mental strength to hold herself together. If she broke down on Oliver now, he would stop opening up. This was a rare occasion. "You're an amazing person, Oliver, just like I told you. You have a heart of gold. To comfort the person responsible for the death of your parents, without jumping to conclusions in the first place...I don't think anyone else could do that."

Oliver half-smiled at Willow. "I'm sure she would have done the same for me if our positions were reversed. There are a lot of good people left in this world; I just haven't found all of them yet."

Willow wrapped her arm around Oliver. "I hope I can be one of those people. Thanks for sharing that with me, Oliver. I know how painful it is to hold things in- and how conflicted you feel letting it out."

Something flickered in Oliver's emerald eyes, then disappeared. But Willow had seen it. That was all she needed.

"Hey, where did your smiles go? Get excited! We're going back to Hogwarts!" Mandy yelled at them.

"Heck yeah!" Sam said. "I'm going to start the biggest party Gryffindor has ever seen once we get settled tonight! Sally, you're helping whether you like it or not! Wait, you like parties now- nevermind, just lend a hand!"

"Since when are you two excited about partying?" Lisa asked. "Usually you'd help me scope out the best place to sit back and watch people from...I guess that's Oliver's job now."

"We've always been party animals. It was just a bad year last term, so this one we've got to make it double fun," Sam explained. "I'm talking smuggling in butterbeer, competitive house-wide games, the whole shebang!"

"Are we invited?" Sue asked.

"I will personally escort you to our parties to make sure you get there," Sally promised. "You guys are the special guests!"

"I like where this is going," Mandy said, smirking. "Oliver is going to be thrown into the mayhem- courtesy of me, of course- and we'll get to see what kind of party-goer he really is. Meanwhile, Sue and Lisa and going to be shoved onto the middle of the dance floor so we can see their moves, and Willow is definitely going to be in the middle of it all. I'm sure your Weasley boyfriend will do all the hard work for us!"

Willow lost the ability to speak English for a second, stuttering to death in Spanish, then coughed and told them off. "Excuse me? We've been over this, I don't have a boyfriend, and Fred and George are just my friends. They'll swear on it for me."

"You're blushing," Oliver quietly observed, smiling giddily. "You're lying!"

"Oh my God, Willow likes one of the Weasleys?" Sally gasped. "We need to get them together, pronto!"

"No, no, I don't like them as any more than friends!" Willow tried to tell them, though she enjoyed their enthusiasm. "They're just awesome guys that I enjoy hanging out and causing trouble with. If anything, it's Neville that I might fancy..."

"WHAT!" Mandy screeched. "Willow is openly admitting that she fancies someone? Merlin's beard, we have to act fast! Change of plan, guys! Operation Get-Willow-Together-With-Neville commence!"

"What- no, I said might, please pay attention to my word choice- " Willow begged, her cheeks scarlet.

"Nope! No way," Lisa giggled. "We're doing this thing."

"Guys, shush, Neville is in the carriage right in front of us!" Sue warned. "He might hear us!"

"Thank you!" Willow hissed. "Now, if you'd all listen, I'd like to announced that I will not be dating anyone until at least fourth year, since it's distracting and all, and that's beside the fact that I would refuse to make extra time for anyone- I do love my free time, as you know- and I can't possibly jeopardize our friendship for the rest of my life by acting on an ickle, silly little crush!"

"Aw, fine," Sam pouted. Sally slumped with her arms crossed nearby.

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" Willow protested.

"Guys...you're gonna want to see this," Oliver whispered.

Everyone in the carriage turned to look where Oliver's eyes were trained, and they were glad they did. They had arrived home. Hogwarts towered above them, tiny bits of candlelight flickering in every window. The night sky illuminated the castle in a soft glow, as if it knew what day it was, that it was welcoming all the students back. A long line of carriages wove its way up the hill, reminding Willow of an army returning home after a successful battle. She spotted the Astronomy tower, the Ravenclaw Tower, the charms hallway, the several courtyards, and at last, the Gryffindor Tower came into view. Her heart warmed within her chest as her eyes detected the faint traces of red in the windows of the common room. She missed being surrounded by swarms of fellow quick-tempered, stubborn, true, over-protective Gryffindors. Willow could still remember the ever-present smell of oak wood in the fire, the cushions squishing underneath her as she jumped onto the couch, the fulfilling laughter of older students. She missed Hogwarts much more than she could put into words.

"It's even more beautiful than last year," Lisa breathed.

"I've heard of other students describing their first look at Hogwarts, but it can't compare to the real thing," Sam said. "It's even more amazing than they say. I can't begin to put it into words."

"This is technically your first look, isn't it?" Willow remembered, her first memories of the twins replaying in her mind. "You didn't get to ride the train here. I bet this is really special for you."

"More special than you'd be able to comprehend," Sally agreed.

The rest of the way up to the castle, the seven stared, stars shining in their eyes as they looked upon their awe-inspiring home. They were almost sad when they got to the front gates, their fleeting view from afar replaced with the more familiar close-up one. Willow found herself being ushered along with the rest of her friends into the Great Hall by older students. Several joyous squeals and many a happy shout were to be heard from the students mingling among each other, reuniting with old friends, meeting with newer ones. Soon, Willow was separated from her out-of-house friends, and she sadly said goodbye, having to be dragged by Sam and Sally to the Gryffindor table. She sighed as she sat down, but her emotions changed so fast it hurt when Fred, George, Lee, and Paige surrounded her on either side.

"There you are!"

"We've been looking all over for you!"

"Thought you'd gone off with Harry and Ron, the buggers."

"They're in big trouble, you know. Saw them land in the Whomping Willow."

"Guys!" Willow exclaimed, hugging all four of them at once. "Did you really see Harry and Ron crash into a tree? I knew they'd gone off and done something stupid, but I didn't know it was that serious."

"Oh, it's bad," Lee chortled. "Snape will be advocating for their expulsion, just you wait. It's going to be a fun night for Dumbledore. I wouldn't want to be in between McGonagall and Snape while they're arguing about Harry."

"Fred and George are still jealous that Harry and Ron didn't invite them on the flight," Paige remarked, smirking at the slightly put-off redheads. "We'll have quite the job keeping them out of their hair later."

"Shut it! We'll behave!" Fred protested.

"Yeah, we'll just come up with something else to upstage them later. We are smarter than them, you know."

"Sit down already!" Willow ordered, though a smile was playing on her lips. "You're going to cause a scene! How would that make Ginny feel? Oh look, they're coming in now! Hurry up, get down!"

Willow shoved the twins into a seated position before finding a place on the bench next to them. Professor McGonagall pushed open the doors with a big BOOM, then lead a long line of terrified first years up the middle of the Hall and onto the raised platform where the teachers sat. Willow remembered that day from last year- shaking in her boots, hoping against hope that she'd make it into Gryffindor, then the absolute relief as it washed over her that she was in the same house as the Weasleys. She spotted Ginny in the crowd and gave her a thumbs up. Poor Ginny shakily nodded in response, probably trying not to throw up.

The Weasley Twins' eyes were locked on their little sister, fidgeting more than she was. Willow realized then just how important this moment was. Ginny was the very last of the Weasley children to reach her first year at Hogwarts, and the first female born into the family for decades. If she didn't make Gryffindor, it would still be okay, but she would disrupt generations upon generations of her family's getting into the same house. Willow's face returned to its usual neutral expression. She barely heard the Hat as it sang its usual Sorting Song. All she could think about was how poor Ginny must be feeling, with everything riding on her making it into Gryffindor. Willow suppressed the urge to march up to the Sorting Hat and force it to place Ginny into Gryffindor.

"Creevy, Colin."

With a jolt in her stomach, Willow watched the Sorting begin. A mousy-haired boy with a camera dangling around his neck nearly tripped over the stool as he sprinted to it to sit down. His excitement written all over his face, he patiently awaited the Sorting Hat's decision, lighting up even further when it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" and running to an empty spot further along down Willow's bench. She clapped with the rest of her house, but much less enthusiastically than usual, more worried about her best friend standing white-faced only meters away.

At a snail's pace, it seemed, the Sorting continued, placing students into their proper houses whether they approved or not. Quite a few bubbly, friendly-looking girls were sorted into Slytherin, which prompted the rest of the houses to stay silent instead of booing like they usually did. Willow was still holding out hope that the upcoming House Exchange would work, and judging by the positive reaction to the Slytherin Sortings, there was still a chance of the houses coming together. Her expression darkened as she wondered what Fred and George would think of her signing up. She shook her head, leaving that for later thought. Right now, Ginny needed her full attention and support, and it was nearly her turn.

Finally, at long last, "Weasley, Ginny," was called. She swallowed nervously and moved in slow motion to the stool. Then, as she lowered herself onto the seat, Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head, and the Great Hall fell dead silent. Beads of sweat trickled down Ginny's face as she screwed it up in concentration. Willow could practically hear her screaming Gryffindor, Gryffindor! to the Hat. After only thirty seconds, the hat screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Ginny's eyes snapped open, alight with excitement. Willow, Fred, George, Paige, and Lee were the first ones on their feet, screaming happily and cheering on Ginny as she made her way towards them, her face matching the shade of her hair. All of Gryffindor had exploded into hooting and hollering. Ginny was bombarded with high-fives, claps on the back, and congratulations as she sat down. Willow couldn't bring herself to stop hugging her friend until Dumbledore called for silence.

"I'd like to say a few words," he said. Pausing to let the last of the chatter die down, he continued. "The separation between houses these past few years has been affirmatively pronounced. The gap has never been greater between Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Let this be a reminder to you that not all friendships have boundaries. House unity is one of the most important accomplishments this school can achieve, and only you can initiate it! Let the feast begin!"

Ginny's eyes lit up, as did all other other first years', when piles of every food imaginable appeared on the table. Fred and George good-spiritedly placed a sample of every food on their sister's plate, making sure to point out everything she should eat seconds of, then dug in themselves. Willow found herself suddenly not that hungry, mulling Dumbledore's words over in her mind. The houses were extremely isolated last year. She was one of the only ones who constantly kept up her friendships with out-of-house friends throughout the year. The hope that had recently risen in her heart fell off a cliff as she remembered the hostilities between Gryffindor and Slytherin on and off the quidditch pitch; how could they ever come together as one?

"Are Harry and Ron still missing?" Ginny asked, her mouth full of food.

"Unfortunately, yes," Willow sighed. She took a small bite of roast beef. "I really hope they didn't get expelled."

"You really think McGonagall would let them get expelled?" Paige scoffed. "Harry's one of their best quidditch players, and he's one of the most famous wizards to ever live. It would look awful if Harry was kicked out of Hogwarts for something as simple as flying a car to school. And Ron is related to these two- " She poked Fred and George in their arms- "which grants him automatic immunity from being expelled. The only way Ron would get removed from Hogwarts is his own mother pulling him out."

"That's too true," Fred snickered. "Mum wouldn't hesitate to do that if he so much as sneezes a wrong way now."

"Dad will still try to congratulate him for making it all the way here."

"Well, as long as they don't get expelled, I guess it's going to be okay," Ginny concluded, turning back to her mashed potatoes. "Ron promised he'd help me when you guys are too busy pranking. I think Mum threatened him into agreeing to it."

"Don't forget, I've got plenty of people willing to sell their notes for you, so just ask any time you need them," Lee offered. "Willow unknowingly made me a fortune last year, though I'm not sure she really agreed to it."

"I stopped caring after the first time," Willow said. "Besides, how else would all those people pass their exams at the end of term? I wouldn't want to disappoint."

"You're technically participating in Hogwarts' black market, yet you don't care?" Ginny squealed, trying to keep her voice down. "Who are you and what have you done to Willow Guerrero?"

"I do have a bowtruckle, do I not?"

With flawless timing, Fidget poked his head out of Willow's robes and playfully blew raspberries at Ginny. Everyone burst out laughing. They could have cared less about all the weird looks they received from other students. It was the first time they had all been together in a long time, and it was the best way Willow could have asked for to return to Hogwarts. Dessert was soon served, and long after everyone had finished their fourth helpings, Dumbledore rose to take his place at the podium once more.

"Students!" he boomed, quieting everyone at once. "I have an announcement I'd like to make before I send you off to bed. There is a reason I left you a few words of wisdom before the feast. A new program called a House Exchange will be implemented this year to promote house unity. During the last week of each month, students that choose to participate in this program will be staying in the house of their choosing. Students may sign up beginning tomorrow morning. Only two students per year may sign up, so make your decision quickly! Now, off to your common rooms, all of you!"

An excited whisper broke out among the students as they marched out of the Great Hall and to their dormitories. As Willow listened, she figured out that students were either totally against the House Exchange or super excited for it. She knew exactly where she stood on the matter- and no one was going to stop her.

The Prefects were already gone with the first years by the time Willow fought her way through the crowd to her Ravenclaw friends. They were standing in the Entrance Hall, impatiently waiting for her. She happily skipped over to them.

"Where's Oliver?" Willow asked.

"Right here," he said, materializing from behind her.

"Merlin's beard, don't scare me like that!" Willow gasped, jumping into the wall. "Oh well. I guess I have no choice except to punish you by dragging you to the party Sam is starting."

"He's really doing that?" Sue questioned.

Willow nodded to where Sam was speaking in hushed tones with Fred and George. "What does that look like?"

"The beginning of a memorable night," Mandy said. She grabbed Oliver and Lisa by their sleeves. "Come on, let's get this party started! You guys are not missing out on this! You're not getting out of this either, Sue! Willow will make sure we get back safe."

Rolling her eyes, Willow lead her friends to Gryffindor Tower. By the time they got there, Fred, George, and Sam were running all over the common room, barking orders to Paige, Lee, and a few older students. Willow's friends got some odd looks from the Gryffindors, but they didn't seem to notice. Her out-of-house friends had never seen the Gryffindor common room before. Their eyes glimmered as they gazed at all the comfy furniture, taking in the completely different atmosphere from their own common rooms. Willow guided them to where Sally sat on the couch, watching her brother put together a party, clearly in a food coma.

"Sally? Earth to Sally," Mandy said, waving a hand in front of her friend's face. "Are you petrified or something?"

Sally sat bolt upright. "Oh my goodness, hi guys!" she exclaimed. "Sorry! I may have eaten one too many dinner rolls...or five too many...But that's beside the point! I heard that they're bringing in some butterbeer for this party! Can you believe it?"

"What's butter beer?" Lisa asked.

"Only the greatest drink ever invented!" Mandy exclaimed. "I've had a few bottles before, when my dad finally agreed to bring them home. He tried butterbeer in, like, six different taverns. 'Said they all tasted great, but the best is from Hogsmede."

"Is it strong enough to make me dance on a table in front of everyone?" Willow asked.

"Only if you make it enchanting enough."

"Perfect, because now I know not to accept a single drink from Fred or George. They're going to try and get me to do something stupid all night long, and I am not about to be embarrassed in front of my entire house."

"Willow, that's what parties are for!" Sally squealed. "Please, please, please let them convince you to do one thing? Or at least let me get you to do something?"

Willow sighed. "Fine, bring on the butterbeer, because it's going to take a lot of convincing."

"Ooh, I wonder what would happen if we gave a bunch to Lisa and Oliver..." Sue trailed off, mischievously glancing in their direction. "Would they suddenly become the life of the party?"

"Not a good idea!" Lisa squeaked.

"I'll pass," Oliver said.

"Oh, leave them alone," Willow said. "Aren't I enough for one night?"

"Not getting full of yourself, are you?" Mandy questioned.

"Ladies and gentleman!" Lee announced from the top of the stairs. The entire common room went silent, gazing up at him. "It's my great honor to announce that we'll be having a festive celebration to honor Harry and Ron's spectacular arrival for the start of term. If you could all place yourselves around the portrait hole, we'll be kicking off as soon as they arrive. There will be butterbeer! Now, get in position, everyone! They'll be here any minute!"

Willow stood up and motioned for her friends to join her. They stood on the couch, well above the human tunnel forming around the portrait hole. A lot of hushing and shushing went about, then, after only a few minutes, Harry and Ron appeared, followed by an angry-looking Hermione. There was a chorus of cheering and applause, dominated by the twins and Willow, of course, and they were congratulated all the way to the other side of the room. The minute they disappeared, Hermione went to join Percy in the corner of the room to commiserate about how irresponsible and ridiculously stupid it was for the boys to fly a car to school. Lee popped open a bottle of butterbeer on the other side of the room and turned on some music.

"Let's get this party started!" the twins and Lee chorused.

The entire common room shouted together in an uproar of celebration, then swarmed forward to attack the cups of butterbeer. Willow was planning to wait back until every had gotten their share when someone scooped her up from behind and hung her upside down.

"Hey! What- " Willow recognized the person suspending her from her ankles. "Nice to see you too, Paige."

Paige smirked and dropped her to the floor, who was thankfully expecting that. Willow stood up and brushed herself off, her friends staring at her open-mouthed, not sure whether to be concerned or laugh.

"Is that...typical Gryffindor greetings?" Sue asked.

"I dunno, there's some pretty wild handshakes a few seventh years have come up with already. They might involve some back flips, fighting moves, you know, the usual." Paige shrugged. "You might as well consider us a separate species at this point. Would you like some butter beer? I've hoarded at least fifteen bottle for myself."

"Heck yeah!" Sally said. Paige waved her wand, and a bottle came zooming out of nowhere. Sally caught it, popped it open, and took a few sips, sitting back and sighing. "That's the stuff. We might need three more of those- for the rest of us, I mean."

Paige summoned three more bottle of butterbeer. Mandy immediately took two of them, opened them up, and shoved one into Willow's hands. Sue, Lisa, and Oliver refused any party favors, opting to sit back and enjoy it from afar. Willow took a sip of her butterbeer. A smile slowly spread across her face. The warm, buttery flavor mixed perfectly with the cold bit of a tang in it- probably from whatever special ingredient made the drinker intoxicated. She downed half of her bottle in another go. Willow was already dropping her barriers, thinking more on edge, looking for an opportunity to mix in with the crowd. She was fighting it, of course, but she had always wondered what it felt like to be an outgoing party girl, and this was her chance. Willow was just finishing her drink when Sam bounced over, Fred and George on his tail.

"Can you believe the turnout for this? So many people like the party! They're getting into it, look!" he said, talking like a rabbit with it's tail on fire. "And this butterbeer is sooo much better than the one Mum gave us, isn't it, Sally?"

Sally nodded in agreement, still working on her drink. "Ten times better. Where'd you get it?"

"A favor from Lee's friend," George said. His eyes were on the crowd of people gathered in the middle of the common room. "That looks like trouble in the making."

"Look who's talking! Speaking of trouble, Sam, are you already drunk?" Willow asked, a knowing smile on her face.

"I've only had...one or two."

"You're such a liar!"

"Okay, you're right, I've had three before the party started," Sam admitted. He wore a goofy grin on his face. "But I'm fine! Sally's always kept an eye on me." Sam's eyes lit up as he looked back at the throng of Gryffindors. "Hey! Aren't those your roommates dancing?"

Willow caught sight of her roommates jumping onto a makeshift dance floor made out of a few tables. They didn't even show any signs of drinking butterbeer- they were just tearing it up, like they always said they would at a party. Mia and Fay were spinning each other in circles so fast it made Willow dizzy just watching them. Lavender was rocking out her own solo, and Parvati was trying her best to mimic the moves of Lavender. Hermione was still glowering from the corner of the room. Deciding to leave her alone, Willow dragged both Sally and Mandy to their feet, seeing an opportunity to put herself out there.

"We have to join them!" Willow said. "I don't know why, I think I must be a lightweight or something, but we have to go for it! Come on, Sue! Everyone would love to have you out there!"

"Who are you and what have you done with Willow Guerrero?" Fred laughed. "I like it!"

"Don't worry, I'll have another butterbeer waiting for her when she gets back," Paige said, winking. Fred looked horrified.

Willow left the rest of their conversation- or argument- behind as she ran through the crowd, springing onto the dance floor. Her friends screamed and hugged her tight, then Sally, too. Mandy and Sue started dancing beside them as they all broke out into rapid freestyle moves, earning hearty cheering from the crowd.

"Oh my God! We haven't seen you two in forever!" Lavender squealed. "What are you doing awake at this time?"

"Dancing, obviously!" Willow giggled, in a happy stupor.

"You're dancing, and in front of people!" Fay shrilled. "What happened to you over the summer?"

"And your hair! It's even more flawless, if that's possible!" Mia added.

"A few near-death experiences will definitely teach you to live life on the edge, won't they?" Willow chuckled. "I've never been happier in my life! I can't stop moving my feet! And look at you guys go!"

Willow's roommates burst out laughing. They could easily tell what had gotten into her. "We need to give Willow butterbeer more often!"

"Wow, look at that girl go!" a girl shrieked from the crowd below them. "She's amazing! Whoa, watch that jump! Does she take dance or something? She's amazing!"

Willow turned around to see something she never thought was possible. Sue had her eyes closed, hair pinned back, feet bare. She dipped backwards, then sprung forward in a complicated front flip, landing perfectly. The crowd roared as she opened her eyes and smiled, dancing furiously in a series of quick moves Willow had never seen before. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She yelped in pain. Nope, not dreaming. Sue continued to dance in a beautiful, practiced fashion. When the song ended, she struck a final pose, and Willow clapped along with the rest of the crowd. The Ravenclaw's cheeks turned bright pink as she stepped off the dance floor. Lisa sprinted up to her and gave her a bone-crushing hug as Willow and Mandy chased after her to do the same.

"That was blood brilliant!" Lisa squeaked. "You never told us you took dance! What other awesome things do you do without us knowing? Marathons? Computer coding? With you, it could be anything!"

"Our family friends taught me dance back in Japan," Sue said, beaming shyly. "I still practice often."

"Well, you should teach me sometime, because I'm awful at anything that requires physical exertion," Mandy laughed. She flopped back down on the couch where Oliver, Paige, Sam, and the Weasley twins were waiting. "In fact, I think I might need another butterbeer- "

"How about no," Oliver interrupted, taking the drink out of Mandy's hand and replacing it with a cup of water. "You've already had two. You'll regret it tomorrow morning."

"Aw, man!" Mandy groaned.

"That goes for you too, Sam," Lisa said, pointedly staring at him until he put his butterbeer down.

"Wow, you already have your medical team set for parties," Fred noted. "I would have thought you would take up that roll, Willow, but I think Oliver and Lisa have beat you to it."

Willow yawned and fell into the couch. "I'm only responsible when I choose to be."

"Speaking of responsibility, you have to make sure we get back to our common rooms without getting caught, remember?" Mandy said, a sly grin on her face. "You're not getting out of this, even drunk on butterbeer."

"I'm not drunk, just out of it," Willow insisted. She tried to stand up and fell over. "And exhausted. I swear."

"Yeah, you and everyone else here," Paige snickered.

"Are you guys ready to go now? I bet your roommates are missing you," Willow said. She glanced at her watch. "Merlin's beard! It's already half past midnight! When did it get that late? And don't give me a snarky answer."

"I won't. I think we're ready," Mandy sighed. "Thanks for the party, guys. I should recruit you to plan some of Ravenclaw's, but the others might kill me. They have a habit of making them very exclusive."

"You're welcome anytime," George said. "Do us a favor and give Mrs. Norris a good kick when you see her, will you?"

"Don't worry, we all will," Willow promised. "Let's head out while I'm still conscious."

After exiting the portrait hole, Willow transformed into a dog and lead them through the corridors, having to take the long route to the Ravenclaw Tower because Filch was prowling in all the right spots. She bade goodbye to Mandy, Lisa, and Sue, then sniffed her way to the kitchens to drop Oliver off. He gave Willow one last grateful hug before silently slipping into the Hufflepuff common room. Staggering through the corridors as a human, then a dog, then a cat, Willow made it back to Gryffindor Tower without being caught. She drank two bottle of water before she even thought about going to bed, still conscious enough to know that she would feel the butterbeer tomorrow. The party was dying down, so she said good night to Fred, George, Paige, and Lee, and headed up to her dorm. Her roommates were already snoring. Willow couldn't help the grin that spread over her face as she drifted off. There were no words to describe how much she missed falling asleep surrounded by her friends.