Willow gasped awake. She sat bolt upright, grasping her chest, calming down her breathing. Willow noticed the different feel of the ground underneath her. It was much softer than the quidditch stands...

That's when she realized she wasn't in the quidditch stands.

Her surroundings gradually came into focus. She was laying on a couch, which had some soil trails on it. The walls were made of tree trunks, the furniture was carved from bark that had grown right out of the ground, and everything was decorated with live plants. Willow blinked hard and recognized some of the titles on the book shelf, such as Lord of the Rings and The Iliad and the Odyssey. Clarity slapped her in the face so hard so rolled over and fell right off the couch with a grunt of pain.

"Willow!" a voice exclaimed.

She groaned, her entire body shivering in the chilly breeze. She'd never felt so weak, so drained. Even moving her arms felt like she was attempting to pick up the world. She tried to push herself off the ground, but her muscles strained, then gave out, landing her back on the soft-soiled floor. To her surprise, a pair of arms wrapped around her, lifted her up, and set her back on the couch. She groggily rubbed her eyes, her arms burning with the effort. A person lethargically came into focus.

"...Sirius?" she whispered.

"Yes, it's me," Sirius said, eyes glimmering oddly as he felt her forehead. "You're still blazing hot, you must have a fever. Those damn dementors...Don't move, your body isn't going to support you right now."

Willow furrowed her brow as he whisked himself off towards a cabinet. "How did I get here?"

"I got you here, how else?" Sirius replied over his shoulder, the sound of water being poured trickling into Willow's ears. He returned moments later with a cold washcloth. Sirius gently placed it on her head, taking care to brush her extra strands of hair out of the way. Willow shivered at the initial cold shock. It soon became clear to her that the water was lukewarm, and she was simply that feverish.

"Merlin's beard, you almost look white in the face, you've lost all your colour," he fretted. Sirius grabbed a nearby blanket and cast it around her. Willow immediately felt warmer, the November chill no longer icing over her skin. "Better?"

Willow nodded. "Did you see what happened at the game?"

"I saw all of it. Nearly gave me a heart attack when those bloody dementors showed up. Then Harry falling off his broom, and you, Willow, chasing them away like that...it was bloody stupid of you, but stupidly brave, I'll admit. If you could stop trying to get yourself killed in the end, people might actually write stories about you someday."

Willow weakly smiled. "I do some pretty dumb stuff."

"But has anyone ever told you that your heart's in the absolute perfect spot?" Sirius said. Willow looked at him questioningly. "Even though you know the dementors affect you- Merlin knows why- you still jumped in front of them to protect your friends. There were enough of them there, they could easily have sucked out your soul. But you did it anyway. That's extremely selfless of you, Willow."

She sheepishly smiled. "Mandy would call it self-destructive, but I like the way you put it better."

Sirius sighed. "It's a shame you lost the match, but what's most important is the fact that everyone's okay."

Willow gasped. "I didn't even ask about that! Is Mandy okay? Is Sam okay? Is Sally alright? What happened to Oliver?" Her heart leapt into her mouth. "Sirius! You could have been attacked at the match, too! Oh my God, why did I let you go? You could have been hurt, you could have been imprisoned, they could have sucked your soul out- "

"Willow! Everyone's fine, it's okay! I'm here, nothing happened to me!"

"But anything could have happened!" Willow's stomach rolled over within her gut. "Did you have to fight off those dementors? They could have affected you! Merlin, you put yourself through so much trouble for me, I'm not worth that, don't ever do that again- "

"Hang on a second, did you just say you're not worth that?" Sirius said. Willow froze. "What absolute rubbish! Did I not just say you're incredibly selfless?"

"Yeah..."

"So you are absolutely worth that Willow, one hundred thousand percent worth it!" Sirius emphasized. "Sure, the dementors hurt, as they always do, but everyone felt them at that game, everyone! I've been around them for twelve years, Willow, and they will never hurt me like they did in Azkaban. They're not outside my cell door day and night anymore. They can't get so close that they drive me mad anymore. They can't hurt me anymore!"

Willow stared at Sirius. "They...they were really around you day and night in Azkaban?"

Sirius looked away. "Yes. They were bloody awful, always making me relive my worst memories..." He shuddered, then turned back to Willow. "I couldn't let them do the same to you any longer. So, yes, it was good I was at the match. I could save another innocent soul from falling victim to a crime they didn't commit."

Willow's heart throbbed with remorse as her worst memories lightly scraped the surface once more. She shoved them down, however, focusing in on Sirius. "I'm sorry that happened to you all those years. No one should have to go through that."

Sirius shrugged. "You're right, but it happened. I can't change the past."

"But...you lost all your friends. Then, on top of that, to relive your worst memories for twelve straight years, with no one to lean on...it has to hurt that they're gone."

"Not all of them are gone, but the ones that still live wish me dead." Sirius stared nostalgically out the window, then shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I went into that prison with no support, and I came out just as lonely. Then, without any good reason, you came along, Willow. You showed me kindness while the rest of the world still bared their teeth. Now I'm not alone, Willow, because you've been a good friend to me...and I hope to one day repay you as the friend I hope I've become."

Willow's heart skipped a beat. Friend was not allowed. The prophecy would never allow Sirius to live. But something deep down, something deep within her very soul was telling her that this was meant to be. Sirius, with his bedraggled hair, threadbare clothes, and mischievous, twinkling eyes, was meant to be her friend. His true colours shone so brightly through his appearance. He was really an incredible human being. His past was troubled, his present even more so, but in the end, it was not his fault. When Willow thought about it, she realized he was exactly like her. Her past sucked, and her present was weighing down on her like the mass of the world had been dropped on her shoulders, but nothing, not one bit of any of it, was her fault. As much as she wanted to blame herself and kick herself and tear herself down, she knew that what happened with her mum was not her fault. Willow swallowed her self-pity with a new resolve. She had to try to stop blaming herself. She had to, not only for herself, but for every other person in her life, too. They deserved to see her happy.

"You have become my friend, Sirius," Willow said. She gripped his hand. "Thanks for being here for me."

Sirius grinned, eyes clouding and sparkling all at once. "I wouldn't dream of running away."

Willow took a deep breath, settling her mind. "You know...since you shared something rather personal, I should, too." Sirius raised his eyebrows, about to interject, but Willow cut him off. "No, it's okay, I'm comfortable sharing this now. The whole reason I'm even out here every night is because of a weird prophecy I'm caught up in. You've noticed by now that I can shape-shift into multiple animals and mess with nature in general. I have these powers, and they're supposed to sway a coming war to one side or another, but that's beside the point." Sirius choked on his own air and looked like he was about to say they were most certainly not beside the point, but Willow pressed on. "Anyway, this prophecy is stating that the War Child- that's me- has a big huge quest to go on, or my friends, family, and even magical creatures are going to die. I've been hoping that I could bypass it all by cutting my friends out of my life, but I'm slowly realizing that it's not working. Besides, my family can't stop being my family, so how am I going to get around that?" Willow bit her lip, guilt pressing in on all sides, making her blanket suddenly seem suffocating. "I've been struggling with it over the past several weeks, and now this is all being dumped on you, since you're my friend, so I'm sorry that this might affect you. It's just...I can't stop caring about the people that care about me, you know? It seems selfish to turn my back now."

Sirius stared at her, his expression a mix between horror and curiosity. He blinked slowly, then said, "Let me get this straight: your friends, family, and magical creatures are going to die?"

Willow lowered her gaze. "I should have warned you sooner...I thought it might scare you off..."

Sirius hook his head. "You're right, you should have told me sooner, but it wouldn't have scared me off. Why on Earth have you been running from this for so long? Did you not say the other day that you would give anything to go on an adventure every single day for the rest of your life?" Willow nodded. "Then go on the quest! Figure everything out! There's another option, so why on Earth would you run away from it?"

Willow gasped. "Oh my God, that never even occurred to me before! I was so overwhelmed by the suddenness and the terrifying prospect of losing my loved ones, I never even bothered to think..." Her gaze saddened. "But it's no use. I can't figure out the first few lines of the prophecy."

Sirius sighed. "Well, if you ever need help, let me know, because I don't exactly have anything exciting to do around here."

Willow half-smiled. "Thanks, Sirius. I wish there were more I could do."

"It's not your fault, Willow. None of this is. You didn't ask to be cursed with these powers." Sirius took the washcloth off her forehead. "You're still burning up. It might do you good to visit Madam Pomfrey...but not right now. Wait until you've got some strength back."

Willow shook her head, struggling to her feet despite Sirius's exasperated protests. "I should go sooner rather than later."

"But you'll get there extremely late if you don't make it there at all!" he said.

"I'll be fine. It's just to the castle and eventually back, right?" Willow reasoned.

Sirius crossed his arms. "No. You'll make it worse. We don't have any chocolate, so it's going to be a while until your strength comes back. Just wait it out for an hour or two. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will still be there during dinner time."

Willow looked pleadingly at Sirius. "Please let me go? I can't stand feeling this crappy."

Sirius wrenched his gaze away from hers. "No, no, you will not convince me with those puppy eyes."

Willow batted her eyelashes. "Pretty please?"

Sirius snuck another glance at her, then threw up his arms. "Ugh, fine! Those damn puppy eyes get me every time..." He shook his head. "You're a piece of work, you know that? I'll take you up to the castle, but from there, you have to get yourself to the hospital wing. I swear to Merlin, if you get even worse, you are in so much trouble..."

Willow beamed. "Thank you!"

Sirius huffed dramatically, then transformed into a dog, patiently waiting on the floor. Willow focused her foggy brain. She found herself shrinking, fur covering her bare skin, and was suddenly a kitten. Sirius picked her up by the scruff of her neck and bounded out the door of the Power House. He carried her through the Forbidden Forest, across the grounds, and into the Entrance Hall. A few dementors neared their position, but didn't attack. Willow thanked Merlin that Dumbledore was able to keep them at bay. Sirius barked, then turned tail and fled, streaking towards the Forbidden Forest once more. Willow checked to make sure no one was around before transforming back into herself, the icy chill once again burning her skin. She drew her robes closer around her and marched at a slower pace than normal through the castle. Her muscled ached and her lungs were on fire, but she was able to make it to the hospital wing, if only through sheer force of steel will. Madam Pomfrey opened the door to her knock.

"Merlin's beard, you're alive!" she exclaimed, taking great, gasping breaths, placing her hand over her apparently palpitating heart. Willow's eyebrows shot up in question. "You disappeared for two hours! How dare you run off like that? Professor McGonagall was out of her mind because of you! Thought she was going to have to send a letter home, all ghostly white and shaking...You will surely be receiving detention for this!"

Willow winced. "Madam, I'm sorry, it's just- "

Without warning, Willow's legs gave out. She frantically grasped the door handle and caught herself in time. Madam Pomfrey appeared as though she were going to have a heart attack. She quickly grabbed Willow and hauled her into the nearest bed, forcing her to lay down.

"Do me a favor and stay put!" Madam Pomfrey shrilled, gathering supplies at the speed of light. She came back with a few potion vials and a familiar hunk of chocolate. "You've probably got a fever, going so long without chocolate after those horrid dementors attacked you...Maybe even something worse...I'd hope not though, your immune system is incredibly strong...Here, take this."

Madam Pomfrey handed Willow an acid-yellow vial. Staring at it suspiciously, Willow tipped the bottom up and nearly choked on the disgusting substance. It was almost like she was drinking a cross between urine and spoiled milk. Screwing up her face, Willow coughed and set the vial down on the bedside table. Madam Pomfrey thankfully left the other vials alone and simply hacked off a piece of chocolate. Willow gratefully savored the sugary-sweet segment of heaven. Her body gradually unfroze, warmth seeping into her very bone marrow. She smiled slightly as her happy memories returned to the forefront of her mind. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Willow's happiness was extinguished by the sight of the other patients in the hospital wing, however.

"Are they all okay?" she asked, eyes trained on Oliver's now skinny-looking frame.

Madam Pomfrey glanced in that direction. "Yes, they're all fine- thanks to you, I've heard."

Willow frowned, storm clouds crawling over the atmosphere. They would be perfectly fine had they not involved themselves with me. She hated how much danger she'd put all her friends in. She was an occupational hazard at best, yet she'd taken all her friends with her on this exciting, extremely dangerous journey that was her entire life, even at the worst times. She'd put them in unspeakably perilous positions without warning. What kind of friend was she for doing that? Willow's gut twisted sharply. The guilt was closing in once again. She could already hear the verses of the prophecy whispering in the back of her mind, teasing her relentlessly. Willow squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and opened them, forcing her mind to clear itself. She decided to focus on the glass of water on her bedside table. If she watched it closely enough, she could see it slightly sloshing from side to side from Madam Pomfrey's movement. Focusing on something else would help her forget her guilt, right?

That was not so. Every time Willow looked at her friends, she was swept up in a tide of shame. Sam's gaunt face reminded her of all the years of abuse she could have saved him from. Mandy's tangled hair told her of the familial issues she could have helped her solve. Sally's wind burnt cheeks spoke of all the times they could have set the world on fire together. And most of all, Oliver's angelic complexion, pure as could be, brought back in excruciating detail all the times she'd hurt him, all the times she could have welcomed him to her family, all the times she could have supported him when he needed her the most, if only to remind him that he was truly a Guerrero. Willow's heart slowly began to tortuously rip itself apart. She was so close to her friends, but so far. She could reach out and touch them, but she had to hold back. Willow blinked hard to drive the tears from her eyes. How much longer would she be able to hold on? How much longer would she be able to live with herself, knowing she could have done more?

"WILLOW GUERRERO!" a voice boomed.

"OH my God," Willow said, clutching her chest.

"How dare you leave that quidditch match?" McGonagall thundered. "How dare you leave without a trace? We sent out search parties for you, we looked up and down every corridor, and still found no trace of you, yet you have the audacity to show up here after two hours!" McGonagall's nostrils flared as she bore down on Willow, who sank further into the bed. "You could have been killed! You could have been hurt! You could have- "

"Professor, I'm fine! I was scared, so I ran, but I'm here now!" Willow said.

"Detention, Miss Guerrero! Twenty points from Gryffindor!" McGonagall continued, much to Willow's dismay. "You will be serving detention with me for an entire week starting Monday. Seven o'clock, on the dot. I will inform Wood of your reasoning for skipping quidditch practices in the evenings." Willow's heart sank. "You nearly caused me to send a letter home to your father! What if he'd lost his daughter tonight, Miss Guerrero? Do you have any idea how heartbroken he would be?"

"Yes, Professor, I do!" Willow said. Devastation was written in the creases on her forehead, her trembling lip, and her colorless face. "I'm sorry, Professor, I really am! It won't happen again!"

Professor McGonagall took a few soft, yet audible breaths, then seemed to finally calm down. "You're absolutely right. It will never happen again. Do I make myself clear?"

Willow nodded vigorously. "Crystal, Professor."

McGonagall sighed, then threw her hands up in the air. "You children and your running off to the next near-death experience! I will not have Gryffindor evolve into a bunch of blithering idiots. You will do everything Madam Pomfrey says, Miss Guerrero, and if I hear one peep, one single peep that you have crossed the line again, you will be serving detention for the remainder of the term."

"Yes, Professor."

McGonagall nodded shortly. "Poppy, how long will she be staying here?"

"The rest of this day and the next," Madam Pomfrey replied, casting a glance at Willow that dared her to argue. Willow wisely shut her mouth. "I'll keep a very close eye on her Minerva, don't you worry."

"I know you will, Poppy. Good evening to you."

"Get some rest, Minerva."

Professor McGonagall quietly walked out of the hospital wing, shutting the door behind her with a slight bit of force. Madam Pomfrey immediately found Willow's eyes.

"You may not move from that bed except to use the restroom, you hear?" she said. "You need rest. You need to recover after an incident like that."

"Madam, please, I have to get back, there's something urgent I need to do- " Willow pleaded.

"Nah, ah, ah! No ifs, ands, or buts about it!" Pomfrey tutted. "Now lie down and close your eyes. You need your rest. You look something dreadful."

"Madam, please, I'm never going to shut it if you don't let me go," Willow said. "If you would just give me a few hours, I'll spend the night here, I promise, you just have to let me go for a moment."

"There will be no such thing! You children never follow through on your check-ups, let alone promises to come back here for the night."

"Madam, I never break my promises. Even you must know that."

"There's a first time for everything, my dear. You have to stay here!"

Willow winced. "I'm sorry...I can't."

In one fluid motion, she threw off her covers, hit the floor, and sprinted towards the door. Madam Pomfrey yelped and fumbled for her wand. She easily caught up to the shaky-legged Willow, but Willow was stronger, both in muscle tone and in sheer force of will. She yanked open one of the doors and ducked out of Pomfrey's grip. Before she had a chance to intercept her, Willow took off in one direction, disappearing around the nearest bend just as a full-body bind curse came flying towards her. She tried to move her legs faster but was only able to proceed at an uncoordinated jog. Her legs were jelly, and her balance was thrown off by vertigo. The whole castle swayed when she continued to move. Willow couldn't remember what wing she was in. Had she seen that suit of armor before? What floor did that painting belong to? Was the Fat Lady somewhere around here? Willow was so confused, so very confused. At least her friends were okay. She knew that much.

Without warning, Willow's legs gave out again, and she tripped, falling hard onto the stone floor. She groaned and rolled over, kneecap throbbing. Willow wanted to get up, but she felt like gravity was pressing down on her, pushing her into the very floor. The room blurred in and out. She shook her head to clear it. Pomfrey and McGonagall were sure to be after her now, and she knew neither one of them was bound to give her a head start. Willow grabbed the brazier holding a torch, managed to pull herself up onto shaky legs, and continued running down the now maze-like Hogwarts corridors. She took multiple turns and staircases, hoping to throw off her pursuers. Willow finally couldn't run anymore somewhere close to the ground floor and collapsed in a heap next to a familiar-looking door. She couldn't place what room it was, though, and simply laid there, panting quietly. Willow rubbed her temples. Was this what it felt like to be drunk, she wondered?

"Willow? Merlin's beard, you look like you had a rough game," a raspy voice whispered.

Willow looked up to find herself staring at a familiar figure. "Professor Lupin?"

Lupin smiled kindly at her. His eyes appeared extremely bloodshot, and his clothes more baggy. He even had a scratch on his face. Willow wondered where he'd been to be reduced to this kind of state.

"How did the game go? Did Gryffindor win? Not that I'm supposed to take sides," he added quickly.

"I- I think we lost, actually," Willow said, slowly sitting up. "Harry was attacked by dementors and fell off his broom. Someone saved him, but I'm guessing Cedric Diggory got the snitch while Harry was out. The dementors...they attacked me, too, and some of my friends."

Lupin raised an eyebrow. "And Madam Pomfrey isn't keeping you in the hospital wing?"

"Why do you think I'm here, laying on the floor?"

Lupin chuckled to himself. "I'd get into all sorts of trouble for not turning you in, you know. But I understand. Not everyone wants to be watched like a hawk when they're ill."

He disappeared into his classroom. Willow furrowed her brow. "Professor? What are you doing?"

Lupin reappeared with something in his hands, handing a piece of it to Willow. "Madam Pomfrey would be disappointed if I didn't at least give you some chocolate. Here, have some, it'll give you your strength back."

Willow accepted the gift. She hoped it would work better than the last piece she'd had, as it wore off before McGonagall even burst into the hospital wing. Willow took a small bite of the chocolate. A familiar warmth spread throughout her insides, from her head to her toes. Her mind cleared up, the happy memories returned, and her legs felt semi-functional once more. The emptiness finally dissipated.

"Wow, thanks," Willow mumbled through her mouthful of sweets. "What is it about chocolate that does that?"

Lupin shrugged. "Chocolate makes us happy; when your happy memories are taken away, you need something to kickstart their return."

Willow nodded slowly. "That makes sense."

Lupin's expression suddenly brightened. "Ah! I almost forgot, but you reminded me: I found another boggart hiding in Professor Flitwick's desk a few days ago. You can stop by any time to challenge it."

Willow's entire body raced with a surge of energy. "Can I try it right now?"

Lupin frowned. "Are you sure you're in a fit state for it?"

Willow nodded. "Professor, I've had a rough go of it lately. My friends are in shambles, I'm acting like a complete idiot, and if I'm being totally honest, I'm not too mentally stable myself. I need to find out what's throwing my life into disarray. My worst fear is lurking somewhere inside me, and I want nothing more than to find it, fight it, and master it."

Lupin peered at her oddly. "Wise words from a third year. Well, if you insist...I've got him shut up in a box in my office. I'll bring him into the classroom, and if you could move some desks aside, you can have at it."

Willow gave Lupin a thumbs-up. As he half-limped, half-walked up the stairs to his office, Willow pushed a few desks aside, creating a semi-circle around the platform Lupin lectured from. Lupin returned moments later with a rather ornery box. It rattled and shook and even growled at one point, nearly cascading from Lupin's hands every two seconds. He finally set it down on the ground. Willow stared at it, trying to prepare herself for what was to come.

"Do you have your wand on you?" Lupin asked.

"No, I just wanted to see what my fear was, nothing more," Willow said. "I'm not a die-hard for extra credit."

Lupin nodded. "And you don't want me to intervene?"

"Only when I say so, please."

"Alright, prepared yourself, then." Willow adjusted her stance, attempting to calm her stormy mind. "On the count of three, I'm going to open the box, and the boggart will take on the form of your worst fear. I promise to stay back until you give the word. Ready?" Willow nodded. "One...two...three."

With a flick of Lupin's wand, the box burst open, and Willow was suddenly engulfed by darkness. She blinked her eyes to adjust to the light, then gasped in horror. Her mother was standing in front of her, grinning madly, holding the family heirloom- the diamond-encrusted locket- out in front of her, as if teasing Willow. Without giving her any time to react, Grace was upon her. Willow was tied up with ropes. She was struck with the full-body bind curse. She was thrown face-down onto the ground. She was rolled over and kicked in the stomach. Then, she was propped up against a desk, and Grace disappeared.

In her place was an entirely new scene. Her friends were lined up, one by one, all facing Willow. There was Oliver and Cypress, Mandy, Lisa, and Sue, the Smith twins, Harry, her Gryffindor Sisters, Fred, George, Lee, and Paige, and in the background, her family. Their faces were ashen, covered in soot. Some had tear stains trailing down their cheeks. Willow's heart jolted as if struck by a lightning bolt. What was going on? Were they hurt? Were they okay? Was someone torturing them? She had so many questions, but none would be answered, as her mouth was sealed shut. A group of Death Eaters paraded into the scene, their cloaks obscuring their faces. They approached her friends quickly, one per person, and stood in front of them, wands raised.

"Willow, help!" Sue cried. "Help us!"

"Willow! Please, help!" Lisa sobbed.

Willow struggled against her bonds, invisible and physical, but couldn't move, nor make a sound. The Death Eaters grew closer and closer to her friends- wands aimed directly at their hearts.

"Willow, help us! We're trapped!" Fred and George called out, being surrounded by their own lethal circle of Death Eaters.

"Willow? We need you!" Tío Leonel yelled.

Willow's throat made an odd choking sound. She strained and drew all the strength she could from her powers, but she was pinned down. The Death Eaters were now inches away from her friends and family.

"Willow? Where are you?" Mandy shouted.

"We need you right now!" Lavender shrieked.

Willow made one final effort to claw her way to freedom, but all the good that did her was pop her veins out so far that she was sure she had obliterated a blood vessel. She was trapped by the full-body bind curse and the ropes. There was nothing she could do.

"Willow, how could you leave us when we need you the most?" Carlos said.

Without batting an eye, the Death Eaters attacked. They threw jinx after curse after hex at her loved ones. Willow cried out and screeched in agony, sounding like she was muffled by a piece of duct tape all the while. Mandy screamed in pain as the Crutiatus curse sent her into fits of terrible torment. Lisa and Sue were engulfed by a fire ring that drew ever closer to them, their skin already burning bright red. Oliver was pummeled by cuts, bruises, and heavy blows from all sides. Cypress threw himself in front of Oliver but was thrown aside, receiving kicks and deep gauges from smashed potion vials raining down on him. Fred and George were overwhelmed by a quadruple attack. Lee and Paige fought back but were consequently annihilated. Carlos and the rest of her family disappeared beneath a tidal wave of water. Her Gryffindor Sisters were wrapped in brambles and slowly squeezed to death, thorns pricking their skin. Parvati and Mia shrieked in pain the whole time. Sally and Sam were beaten and bloodied by spell after spell, then raw strength from the Death Eaters' fists.

Willow watched all of this in a horrible pain. Her ears bled from the intensity of their screams. The scent of blood sent her senses into chaos. Her eyes were forced to see her friends lying on the ground, taking hit after hit. All of it was because she couldn't be there. She had been failing. She was failing. She'd failed her friends. Their limp bodies were cast at her feet, the laughter of the Death Eaters ringing in her ears. Willow was absolutely mortified. Her mind engraved the scene in her brain forever: Oliver's face beaten to a pulp; the Smith twins' pale faces; Cypress's defeated frame; Mandy, Lisa, and Sue's torture-racked bodies; Lee and Paige's last desperate moments written in their facial features; Fred and George's barren expressions, devoid of all laughter; her Gryffindor Sisters, punctured, torn apart, and decimated; and finally her family, drowned beneath the receding waters from a Death Eaters' wand. Only one survivor remained- it was someone she hadn't seen before the chaos started, someone she never thought she would see crawling towards her from the wreckage, begging for her help. It was Draco, his blonde hair matted, his robes viciously ripped, his leg twisted at an awkward angle. Worst of all, his stormy gray eyes were burning out, slowly becoming lighter and lighter until they glassed over completely. Draco collapsed and lay dead at her feet. Willow's throat burned with the strain of her cries.

"Where were you when we needed you most?" he rasped, his whispery voice echoing in her head. Draco's starry eyes stared right through her. "Where were you? You failed me. You failed us all..."

Willow's entire body exploded into pain. She couldn't take the sight anymore. She couldn't take the gut-wrenching horror anymore. She couldn't take the fiery pain anymore. Willow screamed out all of her agony, her mouth finally undoing its bindings, allowing the sound to ring out in its full proportion. She screeched in anguish, letting all of her suffering out in one single, heart-tearing note. She'd finally done it. She'd failed her friends and family, once and for all. The prophecy had taken effect at last. She couldn't help herself. She'd gone and been greedy for their love, and now they were dead. It was all because of her. It was all her fault. She'd failed. She'd finally failed, and now her loved ones were gone forever. She'd failed.

Then, all of a sudden, the scene was gone. Willow fell to the side, the bindings gone. Professor Lupin shouted, "Riddikulus!" and the light returned to the room. Willow looked up to see an explosion of dust settle on the floor. She scuttled backwards when Lupin kneeled beside her, her mind still in a chaotic vortex of fear, agony, and guilt. Her heart jumped when he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Willow? Are you okay?" Willow squeezed her eyes shut tight, making an effort to wrench her mind away from the boggart's terror. Her heart beat against her ribs, sweat trickled down her forehead, and her mouth went dry. She hadn't failed...but she just did...her friends were suffering...but they weren't, were they? Had that all really happened? Was it going to happen in the future?

"Willow, you're okay, the boggart is gone," Lupin said soothingly. "You're safe now."

Willow placed her head in her hands, breathing slowly to control herself. She couldn't break down. She had to keep it together. Her friends depended on it. Her family depended on it. Her magical creatures depended on it. The world would come to depend on it. Willow swallowed hard. She was strong. She was determined. She was tougher than anything this world could throw at her, because every time she hit rock bottom, the only way she could go was up. She had improved. She was a fighter. No matter what happened to her, she could always fight back. She was never bound by the bonds of the prophecy- or her powers for that matter. She'd trapped herself.

Willow found her lungs loosening and her heart settling. She wasn't tied down to some fate or destiny anymore. Now she truly knew what she was afraid of. She wasn't afraid of failure. She wasn't afraid of losing the battle to this quest she'd been cursed with. She wasn't even afraid of dying. No, deep down, Willow Lucía Guerrero was only afraid of one singular, terrifying thing: holding herself back when the world needed her most. She was absolutely horrified by the prospect of letting everyone down when she had so much left to give, and it almost gave her a panic attack just thinking about it.

No. She was not going to give in. Her life was pressing down on her on all sides; so what? She was so much stronger than she ever could have been before. Yes, she'd been hurt. Yes, she'd been beaten. But there was one thing she never would be, and that was defeated. No one, no one could break her spirit. Willow gritted her teeth and began to rise to her feet. She was a warrior. Her last name said so. She was a fighter, but not for herself. She fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves, who wouldn't fight for themselves, who would just as soon succumb to their fate. Willow was a protector, but not of one definable thing. She protected love. Willow smiled a little to herself as she remembered one of the lines from the prophecy. Never succumb to fate...It was right. She wouldn't let fate decide her actions. She was going to fight. She was going to fight until every last breath escaped her body, and even then, she was going to make sure she took the emptiness that was her enemy with her. Willow stood tall and proud, squaring her shoulders against the dust pile. She was a Guerrero. She was proud to be her. And she was never, ever, going to let anything come between her and her loved ones ever again.

"Willow, are you sure you're okay to be standing?" Lupin questioned frantically.

Willow smiled, which seemed to shock Lupin to no end. "Yes, Professor. In fact, I think I'm better off than before."

"Better off- what?"

"Sir, please don't make me explain, it would take ages, and I'm not really in the mood to tell my life story," Willow said. "Besides, I'd get you fired if someone found you harboring an escapee from the hospital wing."

Lupin stared at her for a long moment. Willow could almost feel his disbelief coursing through his system. Then, Lupin ran a hand through his hair, sighing, and the old twinkle returned to his exhausted eyes.

"I suppose you better be returning to your common room, then," he suggested. "And next time you face a boggart, make sure you bring a wand with you. It's difficult to judge when to step in for someone."

"Oh, sorry about that, I was kind of busy being unable to speak," Willow said.

Lupin shook his head. "Sarcastic as most Gryffindors are these days. My old friend would have loved you, you know. He always claimed that sarcasm and sass were the two requirements to getting into Gryffindor."

Willow furrowed her brow. Had she heard that recently from someone? She couldn't place it right away, so she filed the information away for later. "I have to agree with him."

A twinge of sadness entered Lupin's expression, but he quickly hid it. "Do you need help finding your way back to the Gryffindor common room?"

"I think I can manage now." Willow brushed herself off. "Thank you, Professor, for the chocolate- and for not turning me in. I don't know if I could deal with Pomfrey throwing potions at me right now."

Lupin's eyes twinkled. "She just cares a whole lot about you, that's all. Have a good evening, Willow."

"You too, Professor."

As Willow was walking away, something about that interaction was nagging at her. It was some small, little detail, something that normally she would have missed, but noticed in her now lofty state. It was something about Lupin. She couldn't place it...was it his clothes? No, it couldn't have been. They were the same as always. Was it his hair? No, it wasn't that either! He always had the same colour hair-

Wait.

Lupin's eyes. She'd seen them before. Their colour, it was something she'd seen before. Were they blue? No, they were too dark to be blue. Were they green? No, that was even lighter than blue...So that must have meant they were brown...but they weren't the regular kind of brown. They weren't dark brown, they weren't light brown, they were-

Hazel.

Did that mean...? No, that couldn't possibly be connected. Willow shook her head, disgusted with herself for thinking such things. Lupin was not a werewolf. Sure, he disappeared every so often, and sure, he had a rather ragged appearance, but that didn't mean anything! Who was she to assume things about people? Willow scolded herself for being so rash and marched down the corridors.

She didn't have time to think about this right now. She had a mission, and though she knew she really should be heading to the Gryffindor common room to let everyone know she wasn't dead, she didn't want to run into McGonagall or Pomfrey. No, she had to get back to the one place they couldn't be at right now, as they were likely out searching for her. Willow had to get back to the hospital wing.

She'd given it a few moment's thought, which was a long time for Willow. Her friends had been suffering from her absence quite dramatically over the past several weeks. They deserved to see her now, completely open, relieved, purified, free. She'd been holding them down, too, underneath her own invisible netting. They needed to know the truth. She was willing to lay herself out, put it all out there, offer her heart on a line, and was more than willing to let herself get hurt. Willow had learned something. If she wasn't willing to put her emotions on the line, wasn't willing to risk failure, heartbreak, or even relationships, then she wasn't going to get anywhere in life, and she was only going to pull others down around her. If she wanted to be where she was in her dreams, then she had to sacrifice the stable ground she stood on now to get there- well, as stable as that ground could be. The best way to start was to apologize to her friends.

Willow ducked behind a suit of armor. She checked that the coast was clear, then remembered all the way back to the fight in the Ministry of Magic. She'd been able to turn invisible then; she had to be able to now, right? Willow thought of Phoebe's ability to blend right in with the environment, to become part of the scenery. She focused on absorbing the colours around her. She was simply a window, transparent, completely see-through. Willow pulsed her powers, then shot the electrical signals all throughout her body. She gasped as they tickled her skin to an almost painful point. After a few moments, she looked down, only to clap her hand to her mouth, because nothing was there.

Willow was completely invisible to the untrained eye. She appeared as the scarcest, faintest outline on the suit of armor, barely visible even with considerable training in spotting invisible creatures. Willow settled herself down and collected her thoughts. She was in the classroom part of the castle. She needed to get to the hospital wing. So...she needed to follow the corridor to the right, then the left, then down the stairs to the first floor, and she'd find her way from there. Right. Piece of cake.

Willow snuck through the corridors, flattening herself against the wall whenever someone walked by. Though she was invisible, she didn't want to take any chances, and she certainly wasn't used to being completely nonexistent to the untrained eye. How Phoebe got used to it, she had no idea. Willow finally reached the corridor leading to the hospital wing and tiptoed the remaining meters, hardly making a sound. She slowly turned the handle and winced as the creak! of the door split the silent night air. Thankfully, no one stirred. Willow took a deep breath, double-checked her surroundings, and slipped inside the hospital wing, noiselessly shutting the door behind her.

"Boo."

Willow nearly jumped out of her skin. "Mandy!" she hissed. "Don't scare me like that!"

Mandy grinned. "Aw, come on, at least let me have a little fun while I'm stuck in this stupid bed."

Willow sighed. "I'm sorry this had to happen to you. Are you okay?"

"Why do you care? It's not like you've been around to know that in the last- wow, has it been two months?"

"Not quite," Willow muttered. At a look from Mandy, she quickly added, "But that doesn't make it any less inexcusable. I'm sorry, Mandy, I've just- God, it hurts so much to do this, but I have to stay away from you guys."

"Because you're afraid you'll hurt us with your powers, just like you did to Sally and the rest of your Gryffindor friends?"

Willow could have sworn somebody punched her directly in the chest with an iron fist. "She told you about that?"

"Yes, I did."

Willow turned to the side to see Sally sitting up in the bed next to Mandy's, her face still gaunt from her encounter with the dementors, but covered well by a livid complexion aimed straight at Willow.

"Sally…you know I didn't mean that."

"But you promised you'd never do it," Sally whispered. "That's what this whole thing is about, Willow. You went back on your promises. You've never broken our trust before. You used to always have our backs, always be there when we needed you, always be there for no reason whatsoever except to put a smile on our faces, if only for a moment…" Sally hid her face and wiped it with her sleeve, letting out an emotion-laden breath. "I just- I don't understand what happened to that Willow. Where is she? What have you done to her?"

Willow's voice was choked up when she replied, "She's still here, Sally. She's always been here, and she always will be. Right now, she's just hurting, and she's hurting an awful lot, but there's nothing you can do about it."

"Can you at least tell us what's hurting you, then?" Sam pleaded, staring at her from the other side of the room. "You owe us that much, at least. For everything you've put us through over the past several weeks."

"I- I wish I could," Willow said.

"You can," Oliver said. Everyone turned to look at him as he got up out of his bed, walking to Willow's side and taking her hand. "You've shown me that a Guerrero can do anything they put their mind to. Don't tell me that you can't even admit to your own brother what's hurting you."

That did it. Willow's heart broke. She squeezed Oliver's hand, her lip trembling as she fought back tears. Flashes of her worst fear replayed in her mind. Her friends breaking, bleeding out, screaming in pain because of her. Their utterly defeated faces thrown at her feet. The guilt overwhelmed her, swallowed her up, beat and battered her, until she thought her entire conscience would explode. Willow could almost feel the bonds that she'd tied herself down with ripping, tearing, destroying themselves with each passing second, and then she broke free of them all together, the tide that she'd held back within her very soul rushing out in one enormous maverick wave, unleashing itself at last.

"I- I've been- oh my God, I don't even care anymore, screw secrecy, screw that damn prophecy, screw everything! I've been hiding something from you guys for a while now. There's a dumb hiccup that comes with my powers. If I don't figure it out in time, you're all going to die, and it's all because of me! I thought that by distancing myself, you wouldn't want to be friends anymore, and the prophecy wouldn't affect you. But I was wrong. No matter what I do, I can't stop drifting back to you guys, because I love you all more than every other person on this planet combined. And now…and now you're all going to pay for standing by my side."

Mandy, Oliver, Sally, and Sam stared at Willow in silence, their stunned expressions letting on how much pain she was expressing to them at once. Willow bowed her head in shame. They had to be disgusted with her after everything she'd done, and rightfully so. She deserved whatever was coming her way. But then, without warning, Oliver tackled her in a fierce hug, tears rolling down his face.

"I had no idea, I really had no idea," he cried. "I've missed you so much, if only I would have know- I could have helped you through that- you shouldn't have had to be alone- "

"We all should have been there," Sally said, crying herself. "We all should have figured it out and helped."

"I knew something was going on for you to leave like that, but- how could we not act on it? You would have done that for us," Mandy breathed, wrapping her arms around both Willow and Oliver.

Willow took deep breaths as she hugged her friends back, lifting her face to the sky to try and cool it off. "It's okay, guys, you couldn't have known. I know I hide what's going on in my personal life pretty well, especially if it's this bad."

"But we should have done something about it!" Sally sobbed, getting in on the group hug. "We should have, right, Sam?"

Sam stood to the side, his face troubled. Willow looked at him, nonverbally begging for his forgiveness, hoping against hope that he would find it in his heart to forgive her. But if he didn't, that was his decision. She barely had the right to ask at this point. Sam, however, was an incredible person. He blinked hard to drive away tears when the group parted from one another, looking hard at Willow.

"You're an imbecile, you know that?" he said. "An absolute idiotic, bloody Gryffindor, taking on something like that alone." He shook his head, then hugged Willow tight. "Don't ever do that to me again. Please."

"I won't, Sam. I promise," Willow said.

Oliver wiped his eyes. "How did you face that all on your own? You can't be doing okay. It hurt enough to be separated from you for all this time, but to be separated from all of us…"

Willow thought of Sirius, but she couldn't tell her friends about him just yet. She felt horrible for keeping one last secret from them, but it was for Sirius's safety, and they would eventually understand when his name was cleared.

"I…I've been…entertaining myself, I guess? I play soccer- sorry, football- every morning. Quidditch helped. Studying day and night helped. But nothing truly made the ache of not seeing you all go away."

"Where did you go? You never stayed in the Gryffindor common room, obviously," Sally said.

"The Forbidden Forest. It was the only place where I felt distant enough that you guys were safe, but close enough to defend you if anything went wrong."

The door to the hospital wing suddenly unlatched. Willow's heart jumped as her friends darted for their beds. She dove behind a nearby curtain as Madam Pomfrey entered the room, performing her nightly check on her patients. Thankfully, Willow's friends were great actors, and Pomfrey left without a clue that they were awake. They slowly crept back into the open in the minutes after she left.

"Look, I'd love to tell you everything right now, but I don't want to get you in trouble with Madam Pomfrey, as she's likely to put you on bed rest for a week if she finds out I was disturbing your sleep."

"Then you're meeting us in the Ravenclaw common room tomorrow evening at seven, sharp," Mandy demanded. "If you're late, we'll send the entire staff of Hogwarts after you."

Willow smirked. "I'd like to see them try, but I'll be there."

"You better."

Willow left without a trace. She was grateful to the storm for keeping the corridors peacefully barren. Her heart was soaring, her morale was improved, and she'd finally thrown off the emotional weight that was breaking her back for the last several weeks. As much as she hated to admit it, she was emotionally affected by pretty much everything that went on in her life, from the tiniest issues to the biggest life-changing catalysts. She unwillingly wore her heart on her sleeve. Willow was content, however, as she practically skipped down the corridors, heart and soul light and aloof from her problems for the time being.

"Hey, weirdo, you've supposed to walk in the corridors."

Willow tripped and tumbled into the nearest wall. She popped right back up on her feet, dusting herself off, slightly flustered. "Paige! What are you doing here?"

The dark-haired girl crossed her arms. "Looking for you, obviously. You're supposed to be in the hospital wing right now. Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall stopped by asking for you. I told them I hadn't seen you since the quidditch game."

"Oh...sorry about that. It actually wasn't my fault this time."

"Bull." Willow couldn't help the guilty-as-charged grin that spread across her face. Paige rolled her eyes, but her expression lightened considerably. "You're a nightmare, you know that?"

"I've been told multiple times."

Footsteps echoed down the corridor. Paige quickly grabbed Willow and threw the both of them into the nearest broom closet just as Professor McGonagall rounded the corner, stamping down the corridor towards her office. Willow bit her lip. Oops. She should probably make it up to McGonagall for all the trouble she'd put the poor woman through. The Head of Gryffindor marched out of sight within a few minutes, her footsteps finally becoming inaudible. Willow turned back to Paige and suddenly realized how close they were.

"Wow, to think I was out and proud, only to be shoved back into the closet again," Paige joked.

"Shut up," Willow said, her cheeks burning.

"Your heart is beating faster. Am I scaring you?" Paige teased.

"Shut up! You do not scare me. I'm only scared of a select few things in this world, and you're thankfully not one of them."

"Hm, your heart rate seems to be telling me otherwise." Paige leaned even closer to Willow. "Am I scaring you now? Claustrophobia kicking in?"

Willow rolled her eyes despite the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach without her permission. "I don't have claustrophobia- so far. I actually don't know anyone that does."

Paige whispered, "Lumos," and her wand lit up the space. Willow cursed herself for internally melting into a puddle of mush. Paige's features were darkening as the sun grew less intense, highlighting her bright face. Her wavy hair was a warm dark chocolate colour. Her copper-toned skin was perfectly even. Her eyes- oh dear God, Willow couldn't look into her eyes for longer than a second before she had to look away. They were a dreamy chocolate brown, Willow's absolute favourite shade of brown. It was impossible to describe. Only staring into their depths of honest emotion would do them justice.

Willow forced herself to close her eyes, then opened them again, still unable to meet Paige's gaze. Merlin, why was she like this? Did she actually fancy Paige? The idea made her feel fuzzy inside, but so did looking at adorable puppies. She was questioning herself over and over and over. Why were her emotions so impossible to decipher? Then, Willow caught sight of Paige's expression. The older girl was staring at her, completely entranced. Paige was mesmerized. Willow wondered how anyone could find her that interesting. Paige appeared as if she'd seen the most incredible thing in the world for the first time. Was she really that amazing to Paige?

Willow accidentally lost her balance and leaned forward into Paige, arms wrapped around her waist for support. She looked up to find the older girl in shock. Every centimeter of her that was touching Paige felt like miniature fireworks within her skin. Willow blushed and found herself melting into a puddle all over again. Paige's breath tickled her cheeks. She reddened even further. Willow's heart jumped when Paige gently touched her cheek. She had to stop herself from giggling, the touch was so sensitive. She'd never felt like that before when- actually, this had never happened before. Paige smirked at her.

"Yeah, you're definitely scared."

"Of the dark," Willow replied, though her voice was shaky.

Paige stared at her a moment longer, longing obvious on her face. Her eyes flickered to Willow's nose just once, then she closed her eyes, almost forcing herself to stop looking.

"Come on, let's come out of the closet. I'm sure no one will be surprised."