Unfortunately, Willow and Oliver arrived too late.

Harry was already descending from Dumbledore's office by the time they reached him. He appeared thoroughly troubled, but appeared better than Willow had expected. His mind was clouded with a lot of both light and dark thoughts.

"Harry! Wait up!" Willow called.

Harry jumped. "Merlin's beard, Willow, you scared me half to death! What are you doing here?"

"We heard you were at the scene of the attack! What is it with you and awful luck lately? First accidentally speaking Parseltongue, and now this...I'd swear someone's trying to set you up."

"You don't think I did it?" Harry asked. He shook his head. "Sorry, that was a dumb question. I've got a lot on my mind."

"I'd expect you to!" Willow stepped to the side to let Oliver walk in between them. "Harry, this is Oliver. Oliver, Harry. I don't think you two have met before. Oliver's the best Hufflepuff of them all."

"Nice to meet you," Harry said.

Oliver tried to clam up, but Willow shot him a look and gestured towards Harry, and he finally said, "Nice to meet you too."

"Oliver's the friend I've been talking about that looks almost just like you, Harry," Willow explained. "He definitely doesn't have the taste for danger you do, though, and hopefully we can keep it that way."

Harry took in Oliver's similarly coloured hair and eyes. "Huh. You could almost pass as a sibling of mine. It's a good thing you're not, though. You don't need every single student taking aim at you, too."

Oliver sheepishly smiled. "Thanks."

"So, what happened up in Dumbledore's office?" Willow asked, steering the conversation back on track. "Did he give you some sort of punishment? You don't look devastated, so I'm assuming you didn't get expelled."

"No, none at all," Harry said. "Just extra suspicion and a lot of questions."

"Good," Willow sighed. "I would have raised heck if you got punishment. You've never hurt a fly. Anyone with a brain can see that. Unfortunately, half the school has no brain."

"They do say wizards don't have a ounce of logic."

"I'm living proof of that," Willow chuckled. "Don't count that against me, Oliver, it was just a joke! I'm still following Sally's challenge, promise!"

They rounded a corner and entered the Great Hall, where everyone was gathering for lunch. At the sight of Harry, students that were on their feet practically sprinted out of his way, clearing a path to the Gryffindor table. Younger students cowered in fear. Some older students brandished their wands from under their tables, and a good number of people slid down farther on the benches to get away. Willow wanted to scream at them all for being so stupid. Harry had done nothing! They were all acting upon an unfounded fear! She forced it down, though, and with Oliver in tow, she followed Harry to their usual spot at the end of the Gryffindor table. None of their other friends were there yet.

"So, Oliver, I know you're shy, but are you willing to talk?" Harry asked. "I don't get to meet many new people anymore, especially with this new Chamber of Secrets thing."

Oliver paused, momentary fear flickering through his eyes. Then, after glancing at Willow for support, he forced it down and nodded, somehow managing to look Harry right in the eyes.

"I can talk."

Harry smiled gratefully. "Thanks. Um...what do you like to do during the summer?"

"Mostly reading at the library or helping out at the local animal shelter," Oliver replied. "I like to get out as much as possible."

"I've heard you live your grandparents, and they aren't the nicest of people, right?" Oliver nodded. "I know what that's like. My aunt and uncle are the meanest Muggles you'll ever meet, and Dudley- he's the worst sort of Muggle kid. He's always been a sort of bully to me, but it never will compare to Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. They're downright foul. I have to clean the house all the time. Thankfully, having magical powers scares them into giving me some space, but before, it was like they thought I was their slave or something."

"That makes me almost thankful to live with my grandparents," Oliver said. "They've never done anything like that to me."

"Did you know nothing about Hogwarts before you got your letter as well?" Harry asked. "My aunt and uncle lied to me and said my parents had died in a car crash, and they completely denied the existence of magic. Somehow I never noticed weird things happening because they would always cover it up."

"Yeah, I'm a Muggleborn," Oliver said. "That's odd, because my parents actually died in a car crash."

Harry's eyes flashed. "I'm sorry if that dug up old memories- I didn't mean to upset you- "

"Oh, no, it was a long time ago, you're fine," Oliver said. "I got over it for the most part. It is an odd coincidence, though."

"Merlin's beard, if I find out you're my long-lost twin, I'm going to have to hex my aunt and uncle," Harry groaned. "I cannot handle any more family drama or secrets."

"Don't worry, I'm definitely not your long-lost twin," Oliver reassured him. "Our voices aren't anything like each other's."

"Is it just me, or are Hufflepuffs extremely intuitive?" Harry said.

"Definitely more intuitive than me. I'm straight up block-headed most of the time," Willow said.

"Oh, I just notice things," Oliver explained, blushing a little. "I learned to pick up small things because I don't like talking to everyone I meet. It still works while I talk to people, I discovered."

"Well, thanks for talking to me," Harry said, sending more colour into Oliver's cheeks. "I needed it."

"See, Oliver? You survived!" Willow laughed. "Look at that! You talked to a new person and didn't die!"

"Harry is nicer than most people," Oliver said.

"I wish everyone thought that..." Harry muttered. He suddenly glanced in the direction of the bulletin board, trying to read the calendar. "What day is it? December...Ninth? Tenth? It's the tenth, right? It doesn't matter! Your birthday's coming up this week, Willow!"

"Merlin's beard, I've forgotten all about it!" Willow gasped. "With everything going on, I just didn't remember it sneaking up on me." Her eyes widened. "Oh crap. I'm going to be a teenager. God help us."

"You'll be fine," Harry assured her. "A single day doesn't make that much of a difference- unless you're battling a mountain troll, that is. Or confronting an evil teacher. Or- "

"Okay, now you've crossed the line," Willow said. "Fidget, attack!"

The tiny bowtruckle leaped out of her pocket and onto Harry's shoulder, pretending to use his tiny claws as weapons. He barely even nicked Harry's ear before he gave up and hung out on his head. They all laughed when Fidget fell and had to cling onto a tuft of Harry's hair for dear life. Harry helped him back onto his head.

"Fidget's still happy as ever, I see."

"Yep, he's my wingman," Willow said. "Don't know what I'd do without him."

"Take care of countless injured creatures and end up adopting them all even though you could get expelled from school for it," Harry teased. He dodged an empty water goblet. "Hey, no need to throw things at me!"

"I know, I know, the truth hurts," Willow said.

"We should plan a party for you," Oliver suggested. "Your thirteenth birthday is pretty special."

"Yeah! I'm sure Fred and George would be happy to plan it," Harry said. "And Lee's made a killing off of the protective device rage. I guess at least someone is benefiting from all of this. Anyway, we should go ask them."

"Ask us what?" Fred and George chorused.

Before she could stop him, Harry turned around and said, "Perfect timing! We need to plan a party."

"You couldn't have picked a better time! We've just finished a new line of fireworks."

"Lee's already ordered a boatload of butterbeer with his sales from the past week. We can use it right away."

"Who's the party for, anyway?"

Willow sighed and raised her hand. There was no getting out of it now. "Me, for my birthday. Harry and Oliver think it's necessary for a thirteenth birthday party."

"Well, we've got to welcome you to the teenager club somehow!"

"What better way than a party?"

"I guess you're right..." Willow trailed off. "Just, don't go overboard, okay? I don't want you guys going broke over me. My birthday isn't that special, after all. It comes every year."

"Don't be a downer! Besides, George here- "

George elbowed Fred sharply in the gut. "- wouldn't mind spending extra money on you. All of Gryffindor is always looking for an excuse to party, so you might as well give it to them. Come on, Harry, Oliver, we've got a surprise to plan!"

"I'm included in this?" Oliver asked, eyes wide.

"Why not? You and Harry had the idea in the first place." Fred and George pulled him to his feet. "Come on, then! We don't have that much time! And you stay here, Willow, we can't have you ruining the surprise!"

"Alright, if you say so. Please don't damage Oliver for me!"

"He'll be fine, don't you worry," Fred promised. "We'll return him in one piece. Off to Gryffindor Tower!"

Oliver cast one last wary glance at Willow, earning him a thumbs up, then he was escorted away, Harry and the twins already going back and forth about the party. As much as she dreaded the embarrassment to come, if this was the way to take everyone's mind off the Chamber of Secrets- especially Harry's- then she could endure it. Besides, maybe she wouldn't really mind a surprise birthday party. It made her feel special to have friends that cared so much.

Over the course of the next few days, the twins, Harry, and Oliver were constantly shushing themselves and giggling around her. They all seemed to be having a blast planning her party. The day after they began, Neville, Sam, Dean, and Seamus could also be spotted with them. Apparently they hired some extra help. How big is this party going to be, Willow wondered?

Whenever Fred and George could, they joked around with Harry by pretending to clear the way for the "Heir of Slytherin" and even warding him off with random objects. Harry confided in her that it was relieving to know at least a few people thought the whole thing was ridiculous. He was also getting along better with Oliver, too, and it seemed like the latter was beginning to talk with the other Gryffindor boys as well. They would always seek each other out in a crowd and get to chatting right away. Willow was glad Oliver had Harry and company to talk to. They were some of the few boys that didn't talk about girls half the night.

A day before her birthday, Willow's powers were getting so antsy that vines would literally pop up wherever she stepped. Sue, Lisa, and Mandy followed her footprints in a panic and let her know. Willow quickly rushed them out to the Forbidden Forest with her.

"Merlin's beard, thanks for letting me know!" she panted. "That could have been catastrophic. Sorry if I made you guys worry, but I had to leave right away, and I don't trust myself without a few people to talk to at the moment."

"You're fine. We've never been out here before, anyway," Mandy said. She glanced up at the canopy. "This place is beautiful! Why is it forbidden?"

"Because there's loads of lethal magical creatures that are waiting for an easy snack," Sue said. When Lisa and Mandy shot her panicked looks, she added, "They're mainly nocturnal, of course, so we're fine. Besides, Willow has been here at night for hours and never ran into anything, and if it comes to it, I can use taekwando. There's a few specific moves that would work on animals."

"As long as you're sure…" Lisa trailed off.

"Alright, what do you suggest I do?" Willow asked. "I mean, I can do my normal routine, but you guys could probably come up with a workout that would make my powers rest easy for a month, especially our taekwando master here."

"I'm not a master or anything, but I could try to help you out," Sue said, her cheeks reddening. "You should start slow, of course, since you haven't used them in forever."

Not willingly, anyway, Willow thought. She took Fidget out of her pocket and put him on Sue, who allowed the bowtruckle to bury himself in her pockets. "He might get worked up about me. Just let him do whatever and let me know where he runs off to. Fidget's a quick little bowtruckle."

"Got it." Sue tapped her foot while she thought. "Okay, I've got something. See that hill, not too far from here? Fly there and back without slowing down."

"Oh, and change into several creatures while you're at it. For our entertainment and your training, of course," Mandy said.

Willow smiled. The humor was already helping. "Okay, step back. I don't want to run you guys over."

Mandy, Lisa, and Sue took several paces back. Willow transformed into a winged horse- something she'd barely accomplished before- and got a running start, then took off into the sky. She stumbled a bit, but for the most part, she smoothly sailed. Her powers were so impatient to be used that they were causing her to actually be good at them. She changed into a falcon, a Peruvian Vipertooth, a vulture, and touched down as a jobberknoll. Willow felt the warm-up in her heavy breathing.

"Wow, I need to make myself a practice schedule," she panted. "Nevermind that. What next?"

"Hm...well, you can't practice healing...oh! You're got super senses, right?" Sue asked. Willow nodded. "Okay, Lisa, Mandy, come with me. We won't go far, just far enough that you'll have to stretch yourself to find us. Wait five minutes!"

"Hold on, are you sure this is safe?" Lisa questioned.

"Positive. If we need help, I know how to shoot up red sparks," Mandy said. Lisa's eyebrows shot up. "What? I've had to do a search and rescue once...with Padma...nothing you should be concerned about..."

"You lost Padma?!"

"Lisa! Be quiet! We don't want to give Willow a head start," Sue shushed. "Come on, this way!"

Willow turned her back and temporarily blocked out her senses. The bickering was gone, leaving her with silence. It was peaceful, but for once, she missed the sound of several voices. She didn't like being alone now that she had shared the Forest with her friends.

Willow's watch went off. She turned on her powers again. Her ears picked up the crinkling of undergrowth, the snapping of a twig, the creaking of branches, and a chorus of far-off random forest noises. So far, nothing that led her towards her friends. She took a few steps in the direction where they had walked off. Nothing. Willow peered at the ground, enhancing her eyes as she did so. There were the faintest tracks in the soil. Willow triumphantly followed the tracks, but soon her expression dropped, because they all but vanished when a strong gust of wind blew leaves over the path, moving the soil with it. She'd have to rely on her other senses, then.

Willow inhaled a deep breath of air. She'd never really attempted to use her sense of smell, but she quickly realized why. Willow's head went nuts with information overload. She could pick out so many different scents- bird's nest, squirrel fur, starling blood, herbs, oak leaves- that electrical signals pulsed in their own individual heartbeats within her brain. Willow's eyes watered as she tried to pick out a single trail. Now she knew why it was so hard to train a dog to smell a certain scent; she would have a rough time separating it from everything else, too.

The faintest smell of paper and ink lead her deeper into the Forbidden Forest, where the canopy began to open up. More light than usual spilled into this clearing. Willow could tell she was getting close. Sue was smart enough to choose a safe place like this for everyone's safety. Using her ears, she tried to listen for her friends, but came up with nothing. The wind had picked up enough to drown out a lot of the quieter sounds. She tried to look for her friends, but also found nothing. Frustrated, Willow stomped her foot into the ground.

She was glad she did. Willow recoiled from the shock wave it sent back up her leg. She momentarily saw an image in her mind's eye, then it was gone. Willow blinked. What? She stomped her foot again. The same thing happened, this time the wave of energy more clear and powerful than the last. She could piece together the position of the trees immediately around her. Willow gasped when she realized just what was happening.

I have sonar? she yelped. Cebba, why didn't you tell me? This would have been nice to know!

How am I supposed to know what your powers are? They're never the same from person to person! Cebba retorted. Besides, it's not my place to give everything to you. You'll have to learn this on your own eventually.

Thanks. I appreciate all the help.

You're very welcome. I'm glad you already see the merit in struggling during the early stages.

That was sarcasm, Cebba.

Was I not being sarcastic back?

Willow shook her head. Cebba was back to playing games with her. That was good, but she had something more important to focus on in the meantime. Willow got down on her hands and knees. She dug her palms into the soil, then focused on sending her energy outwards. Suddenly, a wave of power coursed through her body and rocketed out of her fingertips. It quickly ricocheted off of the objects around her and bounced back into her system, filling her mind's eye with a detailed image of her surroundings. Willow used the sonar three more times until it finally reached a good distance. She glanced around at the image, and, at long last, made out three human-like shapes moving behind a small patch of trees. Willow dispersed the image and marched right over to her friends. Sue, Mandy, and Lisa applauded her.

"Great work! That was amazing!" Lisa exclaimed.

"We were like, a half-mile away by the time you got to us!" Mandy said.

"How did you find us? What senses did you use?" Sue asked.

"Oh, well, first, I used my hearing, but that didn't get me anywhere," Willow began. "Then I discovered that my sense of smell is way too overpowering, then I tried to see you guys- imagine how well that worked- and something crazy happened. Apparently, I have sonar. That's why I was crouching down and looking like a weirdo."

"Whoa, really?" Mandy said. "As in, bat sonar, whale sonar, getting images out of sound waves, that sort of thing?"

"Yeah, it's kind of creepy how well it works, but hey, I'll take it." Willow looked at her watch. "Wow, it's already been a while out here. How about I fly you guys back to the other clearing so I can get a couple more things in?"

"Has anyone flown on your back before, Willow?" Lisa nervously asked.

"I'm pretty sure, at some point. Well, I'm always careful anyway, and I'm sure you guys have enough magical training to stop a fall. Let's get going before we run out of time."

Willow transformed into a winged horse again. Mandy was the first to hop up, then Sue, and finally, a wavering Lisa. The latter screamed as Willow flapped her wings and pushed off from the ground. Mandy and Sue laughed at her expense. Lisa held onto poor Sue for dear life. Mandy spread her arms out and pretended she was flying with Willow, the wind catching her robes and making it appear so. The redhead was almost sad when they touched down again.

"Aw, man, that was fun," Mandy said. "Come on, Lisa, unhook your fingernails from Willow's back."

Lisa, still shaking from the ordeal, happily let Mandy and Sue get her down. She sat down on a log, trying to steady her breathing. Willow shape-shifted back into a human. She smiled, about to say something, then promptly fell over.

"Whoa!" Willow landed hard on her side, temporarily blacked out, then came to within seconds to find Mandy, Sue, and Lisa standing over her. She jumped to her feet- a mistake, as more black dots danced in front of her eyes- and brushed herself off.

"I'm fine, I swear!" Willow proclaimed. "Just a little tired from all this stuff. This isn't the first time, though it seems to be getting harder instead of easier to use my powers. I think Cebba said that was going to happen, though, so don't worry. If I'm not worried, than you guys- "

"Definitely should be!" Sue interrupted. "We all know you can't seem to worry about yourself!"

"Seriously, I'm fine, I just need to practice more, this is supposed to happen- "

"I'm not sure 'passing out after flying' qualifies as fine, Willow," Mandy said. "You need to take this a little more seriously."

"I am taking this seriously, that's why I'm practicing!"

"I thought it was because you put it off so long your powers literally began escaping you?" Mandy said, raising an eyebrow. Willow tried to speak, but Mandy cut her off. "Look, I know you're this strong, bull-headed Gryffindor, but just like muscles, you have to rest your powers when you've had enough, alright? You're not going to work yourself to death one day only to wake up the next and be a superhero. From what I've gathered, this takes time. You are going to rest. That doesn't mean you're going to quit, though. Sue, Lisa, and I will come up with a daily regimen for you to do, and the only thing you can do from there is slowly progress."

Willow opened her mouth to protest, then shut it, conceding the point. Mandy was one hundred percent correct. There was no fighting it this time. Sighing, Willow resigned herself and put away her powers for the time being.

"Don't worry, you'll get better," Lisa said. "I hope you don't need me to fly with you again anytime soon, but you'll still get better if you skip that part."

Willow chuckled. "Thanks, Lisa. I promise, no more horseback flying."

"Let's get back up to the castle before we get caught, shall we?" Sue proposed.

They all thought that was a good idea. Willow, Mandy, Lisa, and Sue snuck into the corridors, one by one, and caught back up with each other in the Great Hall. They all decided to sit at the Gryffindor table with Harry and the rest of the party planners. Harry appeared to grow happier with each passing day that more and more people were supporting him. He and Oliver were deep in conversation when she and her friends sat on either side of them.

"Discussing the greatest party of all time, are you?" Mandy asked.

Oliver jumped. "No, not at all!"

"Oliver, you're such a terrible liar," Sue giggled. "Not that it needs working on."

"We weren't discussing the party for once, actually," Harry explained. "It was actually about whether or not it's okay for Lee to bring in spiked butterbeer. Nothing's happened yet, but I have a feeling alcohol is still illegal for underage wizards."

"I don't think anyone's ever paid very close attention to wizarding laws, Harry," Willow laughed. "Lee would have been arrested for five different things right now if that was the case. Just don't worry about it. We've never had a problem with alcohol, and as much as there's been in our common room, I'd say there's some sort of system working."

"Yeah, Percy and a few other suck-ups keeping an eye on everyone," Mandy said.

"Hey! You're not talking about Oliver and I, are you?" Lisa exclaimed. "We always make sure you guys stay conscious!"

"Okay, you guys are the exceptions, and maybe Willow, though she always manages to be mysteriously tipsy by the end of every party...Does Lee insist on doing that to you every time?"

"Yes, no matter how much I protest," Willow sighed. "He always goes easy on me, though, so I'm okay."

"I still don't like it," Harry and Oliver said at the same time. They glanced at one another, cheeks burning, and accidentally chorused, "Sorry." Their difference in voice was the only thing keeping Willow from freaking out.

"Whoa, are you sure you guys aren't twins or something? You're already almost identical, and now you're speaking at the same time!" Mandy said. "I'm not sure I can handle another set of twins."

"No, I'm fairly certain I'm an only child," Harry said. "Thank Merlin for that, too, so they don't have to deal with Dudley."

"Who's Dudley?" Lisa asked.

"His evil cousin," Oliver said. "He's awful."

"Oh. I'm sorry you have to deal with an awful family. Lisa and I are lucky," Sue said.

Harry shrugged. "It's getting a lot better now. I just pull out my wand and threaten them, and they act like I'm going to blast them off the face of the Earth with nonsense words."

"Ooh, I should use that on my mum!" Mandy exclaimed. "She'd never force me to do laundry again!"

Harry watched, fascinated, as Mandy's hair seemed to ripple, alternating with pink and orange stripes. She noticed him staring and smiled, turning her hair bright green, then back to its usual red.

"I forgot to mention, I'm a metamorphagus," Mandy said. "Everyone's always so surprised. How can you not tell that my hair is an abnormally bright shade of red?"

"I have no idea; for all I knew, you could have been using magical conditioner that brightened the colour," Harry said.

Mandy shrugged. "Fair point."

As Harry, Mandy, and the rest of the crew dissolved into conversation, Willow felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find an excited George standing there, practically bouncing on his toes.

"You have to come see this! Fred and I have designed the perfect prank for your birthday!"

Willow jumped to her feet and raced after George as he ran through the corridors. "Awesome! Who are we playing it on?"

"Take a wild guess!"

Willow put a hand to her mouth and stifled a laugh. "Oh my God, you didn't!"

"We did! Now hurry up! We've got to show it to you before lunch ends!"

Willow and George arrived in the pranking room. Instead of being in its usual empty state, there was supplies piled everywhere, from fireworks to biting teacups to frog-spawn soap. The twins had expanded their operations. Willow found the chalkboard covered in dust and complicated drawings. George magically erased the board and hovered a piece of chalk on it.

"Getting fancier, I see?" Willow teased.

"Oh, shut it, it's easier this way," George said. "Now, onto the plan: you have to make sure you're positioned perfectly, or the whole thing will come crumbling down."

"Why? Am I really that important to you?"

George snickered. "You could say that, Willow, you could say that," he said jokingly. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, back to the board. So this is the plan..."

A few minutes later, Willow was jumping up and down in excitement. "I can't wait to embarrass him in front of all those students! Merlin's beard, he's going to be the laughing stock of the school for months after this! No one will be able to take him seriously after that. You and Fred are bloody brilliant!"

"So we've been told. And it was mainly me, Fred just made sure we had everything in place."

"Oh, here we go," Willow said. "What else did the great George Weasley do that Fred totally didn't do?"

"Okay, enough sarcasm, it was only a joke."

"Is everything you say a joke, George?" Willow asked.

"No, but pretty close," he said.

"So when you say I'm special or important..."

"Don't make me play a prank at your expense, Willow!" George threatened playfully. "And I promise, it will be embarrassing!" He erased the board just as the bell rang. "And that was not a joke, actually!"

"Oh, I'm shaking in my boots already," Willow said sarcastically. "Come on, I'll walk you to your class to make sure you're not skipping out. Don't give me that look! I don't care how much you hate Astronomy, you've got to take it!"

Willow walked George all the way up to the Astronomy Tower, where Fred finally met up with them. He gave George a suggestive wink, which was met with immediate retaliation in the form of a small jinx, which magically pinched Fred on the arm. Fred stuck out his tongue at his twin, which earned him an eye roll. Willow wished she had a twin to tease. Or any sibling, for that matter.

"Our preparations are complete for tomorrow. All you've got to do is be out of the common room from five to six, and we'll be waiting for you right at six o'clock," Fred said. "You have no idea how much Lee decided to spice it up."

"Just make sure he doesn't spike my butterbeer, okay?" Willow said.

"Not even a tiny bit? The smallest amount?" George pleaded. "Not even enough to make you step out of your comfort zone?"

Willow sighed. "Fine, but beyond that, and Lee won't wake up for another week."

"You're the best, Willow."

"Is that another one of your jokes?"

"I'm pretty sure you can tell the difference between a joke and seriousness at this point!"

Willow was about to counter when Professor Sinistra called for the class to convene. Fred saluted her goodbye, and George mouthed, "I'll make sure there's plenty of butterbeer!" Willow rolled her eyes and descended the staircase. She made her way to the Gryffindor common room, where several of her friends were hanging out, and Ginny was speaking with Percy.

"...furious about it. Mum won't go easy on them for chores this summer, promise," Percy said.

"You didn't have to do that, Percy," Ginny said. "Fred and George are just trying to liven me up a bit, that's all. They simply don't know any other way."

"Still, you'd think they'd consider..." Percy trailed off. He shook his head. "They're only concerned with pranking, Ginny. Don't worry about them. Just focus on school and earning house points."

"Thanks, Percy. I'll try."

"Hey, Ginny, wait a second," Percy said before his sister could leave. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Ginny paused a moment, her expression visibly darkening and eyes flashing with pain. "Yes. I'll see you later, Percy."

Willow stared after her as she went to her dormitory to do her homework. Her heart sank as Ginny's eyes filled with frustrated tears. If Percy couldn't even get anything out of her, how was she supposed to do anything?

"Close your eyes, Willow!"

"No using your powers, either!"

"I know, I know, I'm powered down."

Fred and George each guided her by a single arm through the corridor to the Fat Lady's Portrait. She happily swung open when she saw them, fortunately not singing. Willow felt the cool rush of air from the common room brush by. An array of smells that weren't normally present in Gryffindor Tower happily greeted her. Willow heard hushed whispers go up all around her, then complete and total silence. She was about to peek when the entire common room erupted.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLOW!"

Willow opened her eyes and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. All of her closest friends surrounded her in hugs and congratulations. Other Gryffindors cheered and whooped (mostly because of the party, not for her birthday). The common room had been completely redecorated with beautiful combinations of red, green, and blue. She thought George had been joking about the theme being mainly green, but he wasn't. Her favourite colour was everywhere, from the floor to the ceiling. Bits of red and blue broke it up to form some Christmas-esk designs, but she was surrounded in green. Willow saw a mound of gifts piled neatly in the corner. Lee was directly across the room from it, serving butterbeer as fast as people could take it. There was a giant cake already cut into slices on a table (Ron and Harry were helping themselves), and an enchanted rug was used as a dance floor. Willow could have cried. Was all this really for her?

"Well? Do you like it?" Fred asked giddily.

"I love it!" Willow exclaimed. She hugged Fred, then George. "I can't believe you guys put all this together for me! How on Earth did you manage it?"

"We called in a few favors, spent Lee's money, threatened some pranks on people...you know, the usual."

"Like we said, it was an excuse for everyone to party, so they all were happy to chip in."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Willow cried. "You guys are the best!"

"Hey, what about us?" Seamus asked. "You didn't give all the credit to yourselves, did you, Fred, George?"

"No, we were going to mention you, don't worry," Fred promised. "Come on, George, I think Lee needs our help. He's already flirting with the fifth years."

As Fred and George left, Harry, Ron, Cypress, and Oliver finally appeared. The boys and she had a nice, fun, light-hearted conversation together. They made a game of judging the performances on the dance floor. Of course, the only ones that got good scores were the ones who they didn't know. Everyone else got trash-talked behind their back. Willow was having the time of her life. She never knew how fun it would be to hang out with all of the Gryffindor boys and Oliver and Cypress.

"WILLOW! YOU NEED TO DRINK THIS RIGHT NOW!" Mia demanded, shoving a butterbeer into her hand. "IT'S THE MOST AMAZING THING I'VE EVER TASTED IN MY LIFE!"

"Okay, okay, I will, Mia," Willow chortled, setting the drink down. "Who gave you yours?"

"Lee made sure to personally deliver our butterbeers!" Lavender said, appearing beside Mia. "He said we deserved some special drinks. Why can't everyone understand us like Lee?"

"Ah, that would explain a lot," Dean said quietly. Seamus and Neville burst out laughing.

"Hey, you need to make sure you enjoy yourselves!" Fay slurred, putting an arm around both Mia and Lavender. The Patil twins, Sally, and Hermione appeared behind them. "Trust me, butterbeer is the fastest way to do that! I'm having the time of my life, and I don't even know what I'm doing half the time!"

"Parvati, Padma, Hermione, make sure Fay doesn't drink any more butterbeers," Willow said.

"What about me?" Sally asked.

"Sally, when's the last time you partied without touching alcohol?" Sally opened her mouth to protest, then shut it, her eyes widening in realization. "Yep, that's what I thought. You're fine. Let other people be responsible. Go have fun!"

"Thank you for having birthdays, Willow!" Fay called over her shoulder as the Patil twins and Hermione, thoroughly entertained, guided her and the rest of the second-year girls back to the dance floor. As soon as they were gone, the boys and Willow took one glance at each other, then burst out laughing.

"They are entertaining, aren't they?" Paige said, sitting on the edge of the couch next to Willow. "Don't worry, Lee only gave them small amounts. They won't have a hangover, just a really good time tonight."

"Paige! There you are!" Willow exclaimed, hugging her. "Thanks for monitoring Lee." Her eyes sparkled. "I was wondering where you'd gotten off to! You were in on this too, weren't you?"

"Of course I was! Have you ever known me to miss out on a party? I was the one that got these guys in on it, too."

"It's true, she threatened us with bodily harm if we didn't help," Neville said.

"Paige!"

Paige threw up her hands in a gesture of innocence. "I didn't hurt them, did I? They helped us, I didn't jinx them. It was a very fair trade, if you ask me."

Willow rolled her eyes. "I'm never going to get to you, am I?"

"Nope, but I will continue to get to you until you loosen up." Paige shoved the butterbeer Fay had given her into Willow's hand. "Come on, you've got a lot of partying ahead of you. Don't give me that look! There's barely any in it, just enough to make you exceedingly happy- and willing to dance. I've got your back, go ahead!"

Harry and Oliver appeared very disapproving, but Willow, for once was plenty happy to entertain everyone. She drank the whole butterbeer within five minutes and instantly felt the little, almost imperceptible urge to let loose. Paige smiled, almost knowingly, and dragged her out onto the dance floor. She may or may not have forced the boys to come, too. Oliver, Ron, and Neville instantly attempted to stray towards the edge, but Cypress, Harry, Dean, and Seamus caught them and returned them to the center of action. Paige danced with Willow for at least a half hour before taking a break to show the boys how to actually dance.

"Hey, while I'm teaching these tontos, you should open some of your gifts," Paige suggested. "That pile looks pretty big. It might take you a while. You should open mine first," she added with a wink.

Willow grinned. "I will. Good luck with Ron and Neville, they both have two left feet. And I'm liking the Spanish."

"Thanks. You know what I think about the Spanish." Paige winked. "Good luck unburying my gift."

Willow shook her head. Of course Paige would make her dig for her gift. Dodging some flying projectiles and a few sporadic dancers, Willow made her way to the pile of presents. She had to shift half of it to the side to find Paige's. When she finally retrieved it, Willow carefully undid the wrapping paper and opened the box inside. Her hand flew to her mouth.

Paige knew her far too well. There was a pair of the nicest soccer cleats she had ever seen sitting on her lap. They were a beautiful shade of light green, almost electrical. Willow could already see herself playing soccer in them, sprinting so fast and moving so quick that her feet were simply blurs. She hugged them to her chest. This was the best gift she had ever gotten for her birthday, by far. Willow found a new soccer jersey and a pair of shorts inside, too. A small card fell from in between the folds of the jersey when she moved it.

Willow,

Welcome to the world of teenagers. Doom and gloom. Darkness. Blah blah blah. Yeah, it's not nearly as bad as people tell you it is. It's pretty much just more freedom at the price of responsibility. Oh no, responsibility! It's honestly not that bad. Witches and wizards tend to skip over that responsibility thing anyway.

Sorry if you were expecting a sappy card, but you know me. I don't do that. It's useless.

Happy birthday, and I hope you love your gift. You're going to love what we've planned for tonight- and I might have something special for you if I've got the courage.

Paige

Willow smiled. Leave it to Paige to give her the best birthday gift ever, then write the perfect card to match it. She immediately ditched her robes for the soccer jersey and put on the Gryffindor headband Neville had given her last year. From what she gathered, it matched, though she didn't have a clue how to match clothing. She went with it anyway. She loved the gifts.

Willow continued to open more presents. Lavender and Mia each gave her a special potion for her hair, both of which looked fairly expensive, and Fay gave her a book on love advice written by a wizard. (Fay had made all sorts of changes to it. Willow couldn't have been more proud). Sally and Sam found her a magical bookshelf that defied that laws of all sciences by containing at least fifty books more than its apparent capacity. Hermione, Ron, and Harry had each given her chocolates and desserts of all kinds, mainly because she couldn't choose a favorite, and Dean, Seamus, and Neville had worked together to make a nice art piece of the Forbidden Forest for her. Mandy got her a magical pocket knife, Sue gave her a book on dragons, and Lisa decided to give her a self-defense guide. Padma and Parvati gave her a woven blanket with a traditional Indian elephant design centered on it. Cypress and Oliver's gift was quite possibly the most thoughtful, being an enchanted glass griffin made out of potion bottles. It reminded her of a lava lamp as it changed colour every fifteen seconds.

"Wow, that's a lot of friends," Fred commented.

"Are you sure you're still considered shy, Willow?" George asked.

"I'm absolutely certain," Willow chuckled. "How's Lee doing? Still trying to ask out one of the fifth years?"

"Oh, he's doing wonderfully. He already has a few falling over him. Might be the butterbeer, of course, but it still counts." Fred clapped his hands together. "It's almost time for the prank, Willow. Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be!" Willow exclaimed. "Let's do this!"

Fred, George, and Paige led her out of the common room and through the corridors. They checked the time constantly. This operation had to be completely on the dot or it would fail. Willow followed closely behind the fourth years as they set up their stations one by one. Paige was the first to drop off, then Fred, and finally George. Willow continued to her station, giddy with excitement, and settled down for an agonizing wait, struggling to keep quiet so she could hear the signal.

"Everyone ready?" Fred whispered through his name tag. "Remember, we cannot screw this up. Don't mess up! We're a go in three...two...one...Paige, you're on!"

Willow listened through her name tag as Paige quietly knocked in a fancy pattern on McGonagall's door. Moments later, there was an announcement for Professor Lockhart to make his way to the Great Hall. Willow barely managed to contain her snickering. How they had gotten Professor McGonagall in on this, she didn't know, but it was going to be worth it for the look on Lockhart's face.

Fred initiated phase two. He transfigured an armored knight into a hairy beast, then positioned it so that its shadow was lengthened just so. Fred levitated it and left the scene as quickly as he could. George was right behind him, setting up their trap in record time. He spread the potion across it as evenly as he could. Phase three was finished.

"It's all you now, Willow," George whispered.

"Phase four, starting now. Target's footsteps within earshot."

Willow tapped her wand to her name tag to turn it off. Professor Lockhart sleepily made his way through the corridor. Willow could hear him getting closer and closer and closer. In a few moments, he would be there! Willow perfectly positioned her body so that it was hidden behind the shadow of the transfigured knight. Lockhart was almost there...just a few more steps...

"What on Earth am I supposed to be doing at this hour?" he grumbled. "I'll have to have a word with Professor McGonagall about beauty rest. I wouldn't want to disappoint my fans."

Willow seized the chance. Transforming into a small lion, she roared as loud as she possibly could, shattering the near-silence. Lockhart screamed and started running directly towards their trap. Willow quickly took control of the situation. She sent the transfigured knight racing after Lockhart, causing him to yelp and scream louder. He glanced over his should once, twice, three times, each time longer than before, until he wasn't paying attention to what was in front of him. Lockhart crashed into their web with a shriek.

"Re-reducto!" he stuttered, pointing his wand at the knight.

The spell failed, only throwing it into disarray. It clattered to the ground in a mess of metallic, furry parts. Lockhart's mouth dropped open when he saw it return to the knight's regular armor.

"Wha- what?"

Suddenly, he couldn't speak anymore. His lips swelled up to three times their normal size. His nose expanded and drooped with its new weight. His head was now the biggest part of his body- not that it was a change from before. Lockhart tried to call for help, but it was no use. The little bit of Swelling Solution was doing a great job.

"And here, folks, we have Exhibit A, a professor running from a fake monster," Fred said.

"Some Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, isn't he?" George asked.

Fits of laughter erupted from behind Lockhart. As expected, a small crowd of curious students had shown up to tail Lockhart. Willow snapped photo after photo of Lockhart attempting to untangle himself from the web they'd built in the corridor. His head was so big, he couldn't even see what he was doing anymore. The students were crying they were laughing so hard by that point. Professor Snape eventually showed up and returned the situation to normal, though from the acidic glare he shot Professor Lockhart, he appeared as though he would rather get rid of the useless professor altogether. The students were sent back to their beds, but not before Fred and George could make the most of the situation, selling their very own portable spider-web. They capitalized big time.

"That was the most successful prank we've ever done! Everything went according to plan!"

"Wait until Lockhart sees those photos all over the school tomorrow! He'll never recover from it!"

"I can't wait, either!" Willow exclaimed. "I've been waiting for an opportunity to embarrass him for months now. How much did you guys sell of your spider-web thing? It looks like you're empty-handed."

"Every last bit. We might actually have funds to do some more experimenting with it, now."

"Might be richer than Mum and Dad at the moment."

Willow laughed. "Okay, that's a stretch. Come on, let's get back to that party before everyone wonders where we've gone off to. Lee might need some help with the refreshments by now."

The four happily made their way back to the party, where everything was still in full swing. The butterbeer's effects were still in Willow's system, so she jumped right into the fray, dancing with Fred, George, and Lee while Paige recruited Oliver and Lisa to give all the tipsy students large glasses of water. They danced for God knows how long, burning off the butterbeer. Willow was having a dance competition with Mandy and Sue, in which Sue was winning by a long shot, when Paige tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned around, Willow noticed that her usually smug, confident expression was gone, replaced by uncertainty. "Come on. I've got something to show you."

Willow said goodbye to her friends and followed Paige. She walked over to the edge of the common room, right next to the window that overlooked the Forbidden Forest. The Thestrals were beginning to settle down for the night already. Paige smiled wistfully, staring out the window, her eyes locked on a faraway place. She eventually pointed to a mountain in the distance.

"See that peak? The one covered in snow?" Paige asked. Willow nodded. "If you wait for the perfect moment, the moon strikes it just right, and…it creates a shadow image."

Just as she finished her sentence, the moon moved into position, and Willow gasped as the shadows lined up perfectly to create a bright heart. It was crudely shaped, a little rough around the edges, but there it was. Willow grinned. Even nature was full of love.

"I discovered that a few nights ago. It was pretty amazing to watch, really," Paige explained. "I love the way it doesn't care how long it takes, and it doesn't form into a perfect shape…it kind of represents my love life."

Willow stared at Paige. "You're struggling with your love life? Care to open up? I don't have the best advice, but you can always tell me about it."

There was a momentary flicker of fear in Paige's eyes. Willow's heart throbbed for the older girl. Was someone trampling on hers? If they were, she and Fay would have another boy to harass.

"I- I've been dealing with it, to say the least. Pretty well, actually." Paige swallowed. "God, why is this so hard? Opening up is so easy for other people…."

"I get it. Talking about feelings is not my favourite hobby. It's probably more stressful to let it out than keep it in."

Paige sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't keep you all hung up like this. It's just…really hard to admit."

Willow put an arm around Paige for support, feeling her fluttering heartbeat. "However long it takes, I can wait. I have more patience than the average Gryffindor."

Paige half-heartedly laughed. "You've got that right, don't you?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay, I think I'm going to say it. You can't tell anyone, though. Promise me you won't."

"Cross my heart and swear to die."

"Willow, I- I- "

"Hey, Willow!" Fred called. "We're going to set off some fireworks! Come help us choose which ones!"

"Do you have a preference between relatively dangerous and safe ones? We've got a team on standby to put out any fires!"

"Just a minute! And no, dangerous is fine!" Willow called. She turned back to Paige. "You were say- "

Paige was no longer there. She had simply vanished when Willow wasn't looking. She furrowed her brow. Strange. Paige was never one to literally run away from her feelings. What was going on with her? Who was hurting her? Whoever it was, she was going to make sure they never hurt a girl ever again.

"Willow, we don't have much time! Filch will be in the corridors any minute now!"

"Jeez, I'm coming!" Willow ran to the opposite side of the common room, where a pile of fireworks with scribbled labels was being sorted through by the twins that tampered with them. "Okay, where's your special-effects firework? That would be cool to have as a main one and some smaller explosions in the background."

After picking out all the best ones, Willow, Fred, and George headed up to the secret hideout. They pulled out their wands, one by one, and lit the fireworks, setting off a volley of pretty explosions. Boom after boom echoed into the night and lit up the sky in an array of Christmas colours (mainly green, of course). When the finale finally arrived, they set off an enormous firework that stayed in the sky and spelled out "Merry Christmas!" Fred, George, and Willow high-fived each other.

"Wow, I can't believe that actually worked!" Fred cried. "I thought for sure they'd go rogue on us!"

"Must be Willow. She's lucky." George winked at her. "Your favourite colour is the colour of luck, too."

"Whatever it is, thank you so, so, so much!" Willow said. "This was so much more than I'd ever dreamed of. You guys couldn't have made this party any better for me."

"I'm sure George could make it better," Fred said, earning him an exasperated look from his twin. "You know it's true! Don't deny it, even Ronniekins can see it!"

"See what?" Willow asked.

"Oh, Willow, I can't believe I thought you were observant," Fred said, shaking is head. "I hope you notice."

"Ah, so it's a secret," Willow said slowly. She smirked. "That's alright. I'll just send Cypress after you. He's gotten me loads of helpful information since I've met him. I bet he could tell me your secret right now."

"Is that the other Slytherin fellow you've been hanging out with? Oliver talks about him a lot."

"Are you absolutely certain he's trustworthy?"

"Yes, George, he's perfectly trustworthy. I could probably stop him from taking over the world at this point- not that he would try yet, anyway."

"Don't worry about Cypress, George," Fred said. "He might help us out in the potions department if we're lucky. Willow says he's like a mad scientist for hire."

"I did not say he's for hire!"

"That's always implied, if Lee has taught us anything."

Willow sighed. "You two are going to be the death of me! You are not going to use Cypress to prank people! No, Fred, you can't bribe him, either!"

"Aw, how did you know?"

"I always know what you're thinking, Fred."

George's eyes widened. "Don't tell me you have mind-reading abilities now, too!"

"No, of course n- Hang on." Willow raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Do you have something to hide from me, George? Anything you should tell me before I force it out of you?"

"No, we're open books," George said. Willow could tell there was some sort of double meaning behind that statement, but she didn't understand it. "Are you ready to head back yet? It's getting close to Filch's pacing time."

"Did you seriously memorize Filch's schedule?" Willow questioned as they descended.

"It never hurts to know!"

The three made their way back to the common room. A few people had dropped off at this point, but for the most part, the party was still raging on. Lee was definitely tipsy. He was playfully teasing a group of fifth years as they passed by. Willow went straight for the cake, of which there was plenty left. She found a strawberry and vanilla piece and dug in, Fred and George teasing her about how large the piece was. Paige was still nowhere to be found. She found it odd, but it wasn't unusual for the fourth year to dart off after she exposed her soft side. Willow would probably do the same thing in her shoes.

"Merlin's beard, I better go help Lee," Fred suddenly said. "I think he's about to make a big mistake. I'll find you two later."

Fred went to check on Lee, leaving Willow and George alone. She was confused as to why Fred suddenly left his twin so often now. Were they struggling to get along for some reason? It didn't appear so, but then again, the twins seemed to be immune to serious issues. Willow hoped they would work it out soon.

"Hey, I got something for you," George said, tossing her a present. "It's from Fred, too, but only because I used some of his money."

"George, you didn't have to do this!" Willow said, despite her beaming face.

"Well, we didn't have to throw this party, either, but we did it anyway," George countered. "It was all our choice. You got to benefit from it. We're happy if you're happy."

"Aw, don't go getting sappy on me now," Willow teased. She opened up the gift, which promptly incited small, green fireworks to explode without burning her. The wrappings melted away to reveal a gorgeous notebook with a magical quill. Its front cover was decorated with a collage of Gryffindor symbols, moving green forest pictures, and a few animated photos of wild magical creatures. The quill's feather was red and white with beautiful streaks of emerald green in it.

"Oh my God, where- how on Earth did you manage this?" Willow gasped.

"I bought the notebook and quill, but I decorated it myself. The fireworks were an added touch." George smiled. "The quill will write whatever you tell it to, whether that's out loud or mentally. Be warned, though, if you yell at it, it's going to write jokes relevant to your shouting until you feel better. It may or may not also write jokes on you that won't go away until you laugh."

"Your added touch, I'm sure," Willow chuckled. She hugged George tight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is the best gift ever! I've been dying to write lately, and this might actually give me the time. I hand-write so slow."

"I thought it might make you stop complaining about having no time to write."

"Oh, I've never complained that loud about it, be nice to me," Willow said playfully. "Thanks for this, though. It means a lot."

"Don't go getting sappy on me now!"

"Did you just repeat- Of course you did!"

The magical quill sprang into action. It wrote on Willow's arm in a black, permanent-looking ink, "Did you just repeat- Of course you did!" George and Willow burst out laughing, making the ink automatically fade until it was no longer there. Willow already loved the gift almost as much as Paige's. She needed a little more laughter in her life.

Willow and George and eventually Fred sat around, drinking a little more butterbeer, eating more cake at one point, and mostly light-heartedly talking and joking around with each other. The party began to wind down around them. Hermione, Parvati, and Padma escorted their roommates upstairs before they could drink any more butterbeer. The Gryffindor boys, Cypress, and Oliver collapsed on the couch in a laughing heap, teasing each other about how awful their dancing was. Lee was still flirting. Mandy, Lisa, and Sue thanked the twins for the party, bade Willow a happy birthday, and left, Mandy being the only tipsy one. As everyone headed off to bed, Fred, George, and Willow started to clean up, though it was fairly easy with magic. The only ones left in the common room by the time they were done cleaning up was Oliver, Cypress, and Harry. They had all fallen asleep on the couch. Willow went to wake them up, but stopped herself. Oliver had fallen asleep on Cypress's shoulder, all cuddled up in Cypress's fancy winter robes. They both appeared to be smiling in their sleep. She decided to simply wake up Harry instead and leave the other two for morning.

"What time is it?" Harry whispered groggily. "I didn't drink any butterbeer, I swear."

"I have no idea, but everyone else has gone off to bed," Willow said. "Do you want to fall asleep here?"

"Sure..." Harry trailed off, falling back asleep almost instantly. Willow shook her head. If he couldn't stay up, at least the couch was comfy. She would wake him up in the morning, too.

After bidding goodnight to Fred and George, Willow went to bed, thinking over the party. So much good had happened to her in one night, she didn't know where to put all the happiness. She had so many more friends that truly cared about her than she'd ever thought was possible. How did she get so lucky? Willow placed Fidget on the her nightstand, wondering if she had been wrong to think magical creatures were the truest friends she could have. She didn't wonder much longer. She knew.

Her friends were the best thing to ever happen to her.