Willow awake to a harsh bang. She sat bolt upright, regretting it immediately. She stifled a cry as her stomach exploded into pain. The metallic ringing in her ears, combined with the cold, hard floor, let on that she wasn't in the Fawley mansion anymore. Willow sat up straight, cradling her side. It was still rather sticky with blood. She was alive, but very weak, judging by how abnormally cold she was. Willow drew her robes tighter around her, noting the bars holding her inside some sort of cell. Where was she?
The floor was so moist that Willow had to unstick her legs from it. She rubbed the now raw skin to keep it from burning. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she noticed other cells across a wide corridor. Willow figured she must be in some sort of dungeon. Which dungeon exactly, she didn't know, but at least it wasn't in the Fawley mansion. They wouldn't leave her alive much longer if she was there, especially after what she'd done...
Willow's stomach throbbed again. She untied a portion of her robes to examine her wound. It stung like hellfire when the cool dungeon air pressed against it. Willow sucked in a sharp breath. Closing her eyes, she poked at it, sending fiery sensations all across the area, but nothing seemed extraordinarily wrong. In fact, it appeared that someone had cast a sort of suturing spell the seal up the severed organs- without stitches, thankfully. The only thing left was a ton of dried blood. Willow shuddered; stitches were one of the only material fears she had in this world. She let out a puff of air, leaning back against the wall and staring at the ceiling.
Great, now I'm going to have two stab scars…
CLANG! Willow almost jumped out of her skin. She frantically glanced around for the source of the noise, but found nothing. She was beginning the psych herself out when someone hissed nearby.
"Comfortable, are you?"
Willow's blood boiled at the dripping sarcasm in his voice. "You won't be when I'm finished with you, Lucius."
The blonde pureblood slid into view, curling his lip over his pristine teeth. "How dare you use my first name, you insolent brat! Has Carlos taught you nothing except how to raise hell?"
"I have very selective hearing. What have you done with Grace?" Willow demanded.
Lucius smirked. "Oh, I guarantee you'll hear this: she's in what we like to call...ah...the corrective unit. When we're finished with her, she will never look at you with those pathetic misty eyes again."
Willow grinded her teeth. "So that's what you've done with your own son? Turned a cold cheek and left him to hate the world?"
Lucius hit the cell's bars. "Your friendship with my son is impossible! He will never be friends with a blood traitor!"
Willow shot to her feet. "You know what, Lucius? I think it is possible, and what's more, I've proved it! You tried to teach your son to turn away from anything that isn't sanctioned by your 'pure' ancestors, but he can look beyond that. Draco is a better person already than you will ever be, you pathetic weasel!"
Lucius's eyes burned. "You absolute, unbearably ignorant little- "
"Mr. Malfoy. I will take it from here."
Lucius froze. He made an obvious effort to control himself, then left the room at a brisk pace. Willow glared after him until he disappeared from view. The next visitor, however, stopped Willow's heart mid-beat. The Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge, appeared from the darkness. Of course; how could she forget these barren, unforgiving walls? She was in the Ministry of Magic dungeons.
"Miss Guerrero, allow me to introduce myself- " Fudge began.
"No need, Minister, I know who you are," Willow interrupted. "If you wouldn't mind me asking, how did I get here, and why am I here?"
Fudge visibly tensed. "Mr. Malfoy brought you in, citing several high crimes as reasoning. He said that you brainwashed your mother, accompanied your friends in the attempted murder of the entire Fawley family, and then turned your wand on him. Now, these are serious accusations- "
"I didn't do any of that!" Willow exclaimed. "Lucius is lying!"
"Miss Guerrero, accusing a high official within the Ministry of lying is a very heinous crime, let alone the offenses you have already committed," Fudge said. Willow scoffed indignantly. "Now, we need to inform you of your official charges and search your memory for a particular accusation, so if you'd cooperate, you would get much time off your sentence- "
"My- what? You haven't even listened to my side of the story!"
"Coming from a disturbed, teenage witch, your word against Mr. Malfoy's is hardly worth the effort of the prosecution. Just come quietly, Miss Guerrero, and I assure you, we will get you the help you need- "
"No! You can't do this! I- " Willow froze, seeing the body guards behind Fudge. They both had their wands raised, pointed directly at Willow's chest. She reached for her own wand, but it had been confiscated. Willow's heart rate spiked each time she laid eyes on another armed wizard. Fudge smiled patronizingly at her.
"Like I said, Miss Guerrero, it would be best if you came quietly."
Willow clenched and unclenched her fists. Finally, she came to a wise decision, and she held her hands above her head. Fudge nodded, and the two guards opened the door, still pointing their wands at Willow. She rolled her eyes as they roughly grabbed her arms and dragged her into the hall. They marched her upstairs, through many halls, and finally into a large office, which gave the impression of an interrogation room. Even the tall backs to the chairs loomed menacingly over Willow's head as she sat down at one end of the table. The Minister dismissed his guards to stand outside the door, then frowned at Willow.
"There's just something about you that makes this seem all wrong. You don't have a real motive for destroying your family...that makes you even more dangerous."
Willow chortled. "With all due respect, Minister, every teenage Gryffindor can be considered a danger. It's an occupational hazard."
"You think this is funny?" Fudge said, slamming his hand down on the table. He pointed his wand to the wall behind him and conjured a TV out of nowhere. A video began to roll. "Look what you've done!"
Willow watched in confusion. The video showed a familiar scene, one pertaining to the meadow outside the Fawley mansion. It showed footage of disturbed grass and torn up earth where there had been fighting. Willow even recognized the rock that Paige's grandfather had been stranded on. She was about to ask what the point of all this was when the first body showed up. Then the next. Then the next. Soon, seven Fawleys were captured on a zooming-out camera, their corpses a streak of red in the grey of the meadow. Willow suddenly had a nasty sensation that something was fighting its way out of her stomach. She'd killed people?
Next, the video shifted to the inside of the house, where more bodies lay dead, Alex among them. The dungeon floor ran scarlet with blood. Willow's face paled as a trail of red drug its way up the stairs, zig-zagged into the family room, and ended out the couch, where some young cousin of Willow's lay in a pool of his own bodily fluids. The sight was horrifying, but Willow couldn't stop staring. She gaped at the images, her mind memorizing every feature of them, insides churning. Her own dagger wound lessened in pain. Had she...had she actually murdered people? She didn't remember casting deadly spells, but...her powers. That had to be it. They took over again- and this time, they'd gone on a killing spree.
"Ring any bells?" Fudge prompted.
"I- I- " Willow fought down vomit. "I didn't know- I was defending myself- they were coming so fast- I must have- but I didn't- "
"Save it for the trial," Fudge sighed. "Your regret will be noted."
Willow zoned in and out of no particular sight, lost in thought. The gory, bloody images of former family members flashed before her eyes at the speed of light. She'd...actually killed people. Since when was she capable of that? Sure, she was planning on injuring the Fawleys, since they'd cast countless death spells at her, but she didn't intend to take lives! All she wanted was to save Paige's grandfather...what had she done?
Fudge stood up. "I've got one more thing to show you before we commence the mind-reading. Follow me, please."
Willow did as she was asked in a trance-like state. Her eyes hollowed and became sunken, almost haunted. Her body physically trembled. Her footsteps were labored. She had never felt weaker or more miserable in her life. The blood loss was catching up to her quick, then add that to seeing the aftermath of the battle, and Willow was closer to death than when Quirrel had left her to starve. Suffering heavily, devoid of all emotions, and almost one hundred percent defeated, Willow arrived in a small room. She was presented a window into another space, the guards still holding onto an arm each. Willow gradually looked up. When she did, fire was set to her brain at the sight, and every single one of her emotions surged, tearing at the very fiber of her being.
"Mum!"
There was a tiny, white-walled room beyond the glass, containing the most heart-wrenching scene Willow had ever laid eyes on. Grace Fawley was tied to a chair, trembling, tears running down her bruised, bloody cheeks. Her hair was a matted mess. Lucius was standing in the corner of the room, lip curled in a snarl.
"What is your name?" he growled.
"Grace Guerrero."
Lucius's eyes flashed. He hit the side of Grace's chair with his cane. "You are not associated with that family! You last name is Fawley, not Guerrero!"
"Grace…Fawley…" Grace whimpered. "B-but…Willow- she's my daughter- she's a Guerrero- "
"She may be your daughter, but she is no longer your family," Lucius reminded her, standing up tall and menacing before Grace. "You are Grace Fawley, and you are much better off with your real family."
"Better off?" Grace's eyes widened in horror. "They hurt me! They expelled me from the family tree! Why would they want me back?"
"Because they never did any of that to you!" Lucius roared, pointing his wand at her. "You have to remember, Grace! Willow has been toying with your mind, warping it to defect you to her side. You have to break free!"
Fire roiled through Willow's soul. "Hey! I never did any of that! He's lying, I swear- !"
One of the guards kicked her in the back, sending a wave of agony over her midsection. Willow cried out, then collapsed to her knees, heaving deep breaths to keep herself from sobbing. She convulsed into a long period of white-hot pain.
"Do not kick the prisoner!" Fudge exclaimed, blanching at the sight of Willow. "She's already paying a hefty price, there is no need to further punish her!"
Willow had to agree. The extra pain was unnecessary when she was already watching her mum practically being tortured by Lucius Malfoy. She coughed up a spatter of scarlet, which sent the guards reeling backwards. Willow thought this was rather curious, but at the moment, her mind was preoccupied by the most unbearable pain of her life. She gripped her wound with her now free hands, stemming much of the burn. When the majority of the torment subsided, Willow laid on the floor, exhaustion preventing her from rising. All she could do was listen into the interrogation.
"What did she make you do?"
"Nothing!" Grace protested, the squeal of chair legs alerting Willow to her struggling. "Willow was- she was defending herself, and I was defending her- she's my daughter- "
"She will never be your daughter!" Lucius snapped. "Willow has been corrupted by Carlos all these years, and now she's trying to take hold of you! Don't let her fiddle with your mind, Grace, she's trying to brainwash you!"
"Wh-why would you say that?" Grace's voice was reduced to a whisper, her breath catching in her throat. Willow's chest tightened as she vividly imagined a tear trailing down her mum's nose. "My daughter is nothing but kind and compassionate! I- I must have gone astray- maybe I've done something wrong- "
CLANG! Lucius had slammed his cane against the chair leg. Grace yelped, then stifled a sob. "That's exactly what she's trying to make you think! You are the compassionate and kind one, and she is the one that's gone wrong! Willow Guerrero is nothing but a liar and a traitor to the Fawle- "
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT ABOUT MY DAUGHTER!"
Silence ensued after the outburst. Willow's blood froze in her veins. Did she hear that correctly? Did her mum just….defend her against- Lucius? Even Fudge and the guards were gaping at the exclamation. Willow's shocked body was urged into motion by the crackling of lightning-powerful electricity through her veins. Her powers and her own neurons combined to create a reputable force. Willow rose to her feet, pain vanished, heart beating fast, pressing her hands against the glass as she watched her mother in complete awe.
Grace Guerrero's face had morphed into a fiery rage that could have melted the entire planet. When added to her beaten and bloodied face, she appeared as though she could take on the entire Ministry of Magic without a scratch. Fudge and his guards took a step back as Grace Guerrero stood up, chair still hampering her, but appearing as though her burning-hot skin would singe through the ropes any moment.
"My daughter is not a criminal," Grace hissed, voice deadly soft. "Willow Guerrero is kind, iron-willed, and powerfully empathetic. She is a better person than my entire family combined could ever hope to be, and she's not even an adult yet." Grace glared daggers at Lucius. "I hope she comes for you, Lucius. I hope that one day, Willow tracks you down, takes you into custody, and turns out every dirty secret you keep under your filthy floorboards. I hope you rue the day that you ever insulted my daughter, because when she comes for you- and she will- it will be the worst day of your meaningless, pathetic life."
Lucius's face burned such a deep hue of scarlet that he appeared on the brink of bursting a blood vessel. "You dare make that promise?"
"Oh, I don't dare; you can count on it," Grace spat.
Willow's heart imploded. Her knees nearly buckled. She felt like she's been hit with a ton of bricks. Her mum was defending her, and against Lucius Malfoy. Her mum was complimenting her- giving her praise- declaring all of her best qualities…and from the bottom of her heart. Willow pressed her lips together, swallowing the lump in her throat. This couldn't be real…but it was. Grace Guerrero was back. She was here, right now, in this moment in time. Willow cupped her hands over her mouth, eyes burning with moisture. She could hardly comprehend the reality of the moment; it was simply surreal.
The memories came flooding back as a determined Grace argued with Lucius. Willow was flying high on a swingset at the crack of dawn. She was scoring her first goal with her mum by her side. She was writing stories about their adventures with Grace supplying countless ideas. She was petting her dogs, laying on the floor, covered with dog hair, and laughing as her mum sneezed. She was running, jumping, skipping, singing…and then she was crying. Eight-year-old Willow was sitting limply in Grace's lap, sobbing as her mum stroked her hair, asking why the girls at school wouldn't let her play soccer with them.
They're jealous, Grace said.
Willow sniffled and looked up with teary eyes. Why would they be jealous? They hate me!
Grace smiled softly. They don't like you because they're jealous of how incredible you are. You're smart, athletic, beautiful, and most importantly, you have the biggest heart in the whole world.
Willow wiped her face. I do?
Grace let out a laugh- a sound so melodious, so pure, that the most pious angel in heaven couldn't have replicated it. You do have a big heart, Willow. Ever since you were born, you've always put others before yourself. That takes a lot of love.
Willow sheepishly smiled. I guess so…
Grace tapped her daughter on the nose. I know so. Someday, you're going to take that love and do a whole lot of good. You'll love with a heart bigger than mine, dad's, or anyone else's…you're going to be a great person, Willow. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Willow cuddled closer to her mum. I won't, I promise.
I'll hold you to that promise…
Willow's heart swelled with so many emotions that they nearly spilled over the edge. Her mum hadn't held her to that promise, but Willow had always held herself to it. Grace was reminding her of it, even now, in such a state that she hardly knew who she was anymore. Willow gently laid a hand over her heart, leaving the other one on the glass, hoping that her love would somehow radiate to her troubled mum. Grace believed in her; that meant something, especially now.
"Sit down, Grace, and listen for a moment- "
"No! Untie me from this chair! I want to see Willow, I've got to make sure you haven't hurt her too- "
"GRACE! If you are not going to cooperate, we will have to resort to drastic measures to restore your former state of mind!" Lucius exploded. His eyes flashed, icy cold. "And believe me, I'm not afraid to use the full arsenal of curses."
Grace glared daggers. "You know, I can't wait for the day Willow gives you exactly what you deserve. Go ahead! Torture me! It won't make a bit of difference, because no matter how much you hurt me, Willow is going to make you hurt so much worse."
Lucius's lip curled. "You chose your own torment."
Willow's eyes widened as Lucius raised his wand. He leveled it directly at Grace, at point-blank rage. Grace simply sat down, staring him hard in the eyes. Willow's body went rigid as Lucius began an incantation.
"No- wait- please, no- NO!" she screamed.
It was too late. A spell rocketed into Grace's chest, sending electric sparks cascading over her body. She shrieked and struggled against her restraints, body convulsing. Willow banged against the glass, screeching for Lucius to stop, but he continued to cast more spells, sending Grace further and further into a delirium. The guards immediately stepped forward to hold Willow back, but she fought against them, still yelling hoarsely for them to stop the torture. One held a wand against her throat.
"Silence, or you're next," he growled.
Willow regrettably restrained her powers from lashing out. She watched with mounting agony as Grace writhed in her seat, sobbing, begging for Lucius to stop. But he did not. Willow glanced sideways to see if Fudge was planning to let this continue, but he had disappeared. She could do nothing, absolutely nothing, as her mum's body, wracked with torment, collapsed to the floor, the ropes seared through. Lucius immediately picked up her smoking body by the neck of Grace's shirt.
"What is your name?" he hissed.
"Grace Fawley."
"And what do we think of the Guerreros?"
Grace opened her mouth to speak, then shut it, sealing her lips. She trembled violently in Lucius's grasp. When Grace did not respond, Lucius slapped her across the face, then grabbed her by the throat.
"What- do- we- think- of- the- Guerreros!" he roared.
"We- we hate them!" Grace stuttered.
"LOUDER!"
"I HATE THE GUERREROS!" Grace boomed. Suddenly, with the blink of an eye, her tough stature resumed, and her irises grew cold and hard. "They ruined my life! Carlos is nothing but scum! My daughter is corrupted by his family!"
Lucius nodded. "Good, very good…and do you have anything to say to Willow Guerrero?"
Grace shook in utter rage. "I will never rest until she has paid for her crimes against my family. That miserable, backstabbing traitor will pay!"
Lucius smirked, purposefully turning towards the glass. "I can only hope she heard you…"
Willow's heart shattered. Her body gave out. Her mind snapped, and she collapsed to the floor in a heap, darkness creating a vortex of torturous thoughts. Grace was gone. She'd just gotten her mother back, and now she was ripped away again. Everything was back to the way it was. No more encouragement- no more love- no more happy memories- no more anything.
The guards prodded her in the back, barking for her to get up. Willow did not. She hardly heard them; her brain was engulfed in torturous flames. Even when the guards kicked her in the back, sending another wave of agony over her abdomen, she did not react. Grace was still screaming in the room next to her. Her mum- no, Grace Fawley- was screeching obscenities about her former family. But she was just here- the Guerrero side of Grace- only hours ago Willow had been comforting her grieving mother- only minutes ago she'd been watching her mum defend her- but now she was gone- she was gone again- she was tortured into thinking the Guerreros were awful again-
"GET UP AND MOVE, OR YOU'LL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN!" a guard shrieked.
Willow's body reclaimed itself in the present moment. The two guards were pointing their wands in her face, a spell trembling on their lips. Willow slowly rose to her feet. She hardly registered the danger of defying the guards as they urged her to move faster. Her body was crumpling, her mind was imploding, and her spirit- was it breaking? Willow couldn't tell. No one had ever been able to break her spirit…but judging by how easily those five minutes had shattered the very fiber of her being, Willow wondered if Lucius had finally done her in.
The Minister of Magic rejoined them at the entrance to the dungeons. He carefully walked behind Willow, obviously eyeing her for any suspicious activity. But Willow wasn't up for a game of escape room. She wasn't up for toying with brainless guards. She wasn't up for…anything. For once, she complied with every word the guards said, without question, without fear, without joy; she simply couldn't care anymore. Willow didn't even feel the sharp pain in her side when the guards chucked her into her dungeon cell. She couldn't be bothered to fix her awkward position on the floor, either. All she could do was replay that scene over and over in her head; all she could do was watch in complete helplessness as her mother was broken again and again; all she could do was stand aside, a complete coward, as her mum took all the heat for her; she was worthless.
"Well, Miss Guerrero, I assume the gravity of your actions has finally hit home," Fudge stated. "Your grief will be noted for your trail. In the meantime, you will remain here for a week as we set aside a date. Someone will be in shortly to sift through your memories. Do yourself a favor and cooperate."
Willow didn't respond as the Minister walked away. She laid in her cell, chest physically throbbing. Her breaths came quick and shallow. She wondered why she couldn't find the will to get up. She was just so…empty. There was no fight left in her. Willow wanted to cry so badly, but there were no tears to cry. She was simply lacking all emotions, all willpower, all spirit.
Willow Guerrero was broken.
She must have fallen asleep, because her vision went dark, then her eyes fluttered open to a bright light cutting through the opaque environment. Willow barely lifted her head to see a wizard dressed in a rather official robe on the opposite side of her cell door. She gradually moved her limp body into a sitting position, leaning against the far wall of her cell. The wizard whispered, "Nox," and the room fell into the fuzzy grey of gloom again. Willow's eyes adjusted to the dark as she let out a sigh.
"Are you here to search me?"
The wizard nodded. "Fudge warned me about your ornery nature. Comply, please, and this will be harmless."
Willow closed her eyes, the numbing cold of the dungeon seeping into her icy skin. "Go ahead."
"Legillimens!"
At first, it appeared as though the wizard wouldn't get very far. Willow could feel him stuck, pitted against some brick wall, struggling against the stormy, gloomy barrier that shrouded her mind on all sides. Then, he managed to find a gateway, and he continued through Willow's memories. Cebba screamed for Willow to stop him, but she hardly heard her voice; it sounded distant, like she was half a mile across an empty field. Willow couldn't find the energy nor the strength to throw the wizard out of her mind. She resigned herself to the task at hand, hardly able to feel the memories as he poked at them.
The wizard found everything from the past forty-eight hours and dissected them with a vengeance. There was Willow, taking her Divination exam, less than two days prior. She was inside the crystal ball, then suddenly running out of the room, and the next thing she knew, Paige and she were narrowly avoiding being blasted off the face of the earth. Then there was Paige's grandfather, broken before the cruel Fawleys, and suddenly he was massive, conjuring storms, lightning strikes, and pillars of rock. Willow could feel how powerful the wizard's surprise was when he witnessed Paige and her defending Grandpa Terrell against Lucius Malfoy, Molly Smith, and Grace Fawley. There was Willow being choked out, then kicked around, then saved by George Weasley. The wizard paused for long moments during these instances.
At length, he continued on, seeing the story for himself. There was Grandpa Fawley being sent through the floo network, then Willow refusing to go first, and suddenly the precarious situation of choosing between Paige and George. The wizard gasped at the vivid pain the memory contained, both mental and physical, but Willow hardly felt a thing as she re-witnessed stabbing herself and provoking her mum into saving her friends. The wizard stopped in the moment after she shoved Paige and George into the fireplace. His hold on her mind released as he stared at her, horror written clearly on his features, even in the dim lightning.
"Did you- you didn't alter any of those memories, did you?" he asked.
Willow shook her head. "I don't even know how to do that."
The wizard ran a hand through his hair. "Merlin's beard, I don't get paid enough for this…your family has some serious issues. How much emotional baggage do you have?"
Willow chuckled mirthlessly. "Enough to bring ten people to their knees. And you didn't even see the best part."
The wizard shook his head. "I'm not sure if I want to…but I guess I'm legally obliged to…"
Willow cascaded back into her memories, regressing into a shell of numbness once again as the wizard dug further into her mind. He began to go past the last two days, obviously attempting to find evidence of premeditated plans or the like. Willow knew he wouldn't find any and stopped paying attention, as he had dug into time with her friends, and the thought of their worrying about her was tearing at her few remaining heartstrings. She was almost completely oblivious to what was going on when she suddenly realized which memory came next.
Sirius! Willow screamed.
Without warning, her strength returned, adrenaline pumped through her system, and her willpower all but doubled in its normal potence. The wizard gasped as he was chucked out of Willow's head. He frowned at her actions.
"Really, I don't want to make this more difficult than it has to be," he warned. "I have full authority from Fudge to use force to get these memories."
"And I have full authority to keep you from my private thoughts," Willow growled. "Stay away from that day. It's private."
"Nothing is private when you're on trial for your life."
Willow's blood ran cold, but she suppressed the shiver, not wanting to give this wizard the satisfaction. "I guess you're going to have to use force, then, and I suggest getting backup, because I'm a lot stronger than I look."
"Legillimens!"
Willow snapped shut her mental gates, slamming them in the wizard's face as she did so. He stumbled backwards from the sheer amount of force Willow wielded. His eyes went wide.
"You- you can't- this isn't possible- occlumency is impossible for third years- "
"This isn't occlumency, dumbarse, it's called mental strength," Willow interrupted, a smile playing on her lips. "It's a positive side effect of emotional baggage."
The wizard gritted his teeth. "I will see that memory, whether you like it or not, so you might as well spare yourself the pain that comes with resisting federal authority. Comply!"
"I've already got a life sentence; what more do I have to lose?"
"Legillimens!"
Willow pushed the wizard out of her mind, but this time he came back at her with redoubled strength. She struggled against him for several seconds before managing to keep him out of her most recent memories. The wizard huffed and puffed in his efforts to reach deeper into Willow's mind.
"Stop- fighting- me!" he roared.
"Over my dead body," Willow spat.
The wizard seethed, removing himself once more. He pressed a button on his watch. "Guards! I need a hand here!"
Willow's blood froze. Oh crap.
A pair of guards emerged from the darkness on either side of the wizard, brandishing wands at Willow, who had her back pressed up against the wall. They had a point-blank shot at her. There was nowhere to go. Willow scrambled for ideas, but nothing came to mind. She had no wand, no escape route, and absolutely no idea what to do.
"I think I see the cruciatus curse in your future if you don't willingly submit your memories, Miss Guerrero," the wizard said. "Stop fighting, now."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Mr. Butthead, sir." Willow shrugged, a grin spreading across her face. "I mean, my last name literally translates to warrior or fighter. It's simply impossible for me to resist a challenge."
The wizard smirked. "Let's see how you handle this challenge, then."
At a nod from him, the guards simultaneously cast a pair of powerful incantations at Willow. She was immediately encased in a glowing, sparking wreath of blue light. Every sparkle burned like piercing needles; every area the light touched became agony; every fiber of Willow's being was continuously torn apart and pieced back together, over and over, in a single, long blast, and she was screaming bloody murder. The guards refused to let up despite her ear-shattering shrieks. When she collapsed to the ground, her body contorting at awkward angles, the wizard finally chose to reenter her mind- and there was no stopping him this time.
It was only seconds before Willow felt his cocky presence strutting into private memories. The wizard triumphantly pushed aside the ones he didn't need, happening at last upon Willow's most guarded, treasured moments from this past year. He saw her golden morning hours with her creatures; the breakdowns; the months in hiding; studying happily with her friends; the fights with George and Paige; the even more violent fights with Draco; spending time with her family at Christmas; and finally, the wizard was on the brink of the most treasured memories of all. Willow tried so hard to muster the strength to shove the wizard away, but the pain intensified the more she fought, and she was seized up in agony once again.
The wizard smirked gleefully at Willow and strode into the memory. He turned his gaze on the moment, and suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks, face going slack. Willow's heart tore itself apart, string by string, as she waited for his reaction. The wizard stood, frozen, for what felt like hours. At length, he removed himself from Willow's mind, eyes wide in horror as he stared at her. He distractedly waved his guards away. As they released their spell and retreated into the darkness, Willow coughed and spluttered, her body still vibrating from the intensity of the curses.
"You were talking with Sirius Black," the wizard murmured, staring in horror at Willow. "You were laughing with him. You were chatting with- with a mass murderer!" He ran his hands down his face. "How- he should have- you should be dead!"
"He's not a mass murderer!" Willow protested, slamming herself against the cell door. The wizard stumbled backwards in shock. "Sirius Black is a kind, gentle soul! You put away the wrong man!"
"Oh my God…he's brainwashed you!"
"What? No, Sirius hasn't done anything wrong- I swear on my life, he's always been kind to me- never did anything of that sort- "
"The Minister needs to hear about this, immediately!" The wizard paced back and forth. "You're not crazy- Sirius Black has meddled with your mind- you're under some sort of spell, you have to be- we need to apprehend him before he gets away- GUARDS! Send word to the Minister, Sirius Black is at Hogwarts!"
"No!" Willow shrieked, banging on her cell doors as the guards shuffled away. "No, Sirius is innocent! Do you hear me? SIRIUS BLACK IS INNOCENT!"
The wizard hit the cell doors. "Shut it, or you're going to be punished as his equal!"
"Make me!"
The wizard snarled at Willow. "I can, and I will, so don't push your luck. Now, where are you hiding Mr. Black? What was that room I saw you in?"
"I'll tell you when hell freezes over!"
"YOU WILL TELL ME RIGHT NOW!"
"OVER MY DEAD BODY!"
The wizard whipped out his wand and jabbed the tip in Willow's windpipe. "I can make that a reality, you know."
"Good, I haven't had the will to live since I was nine anyway."
Willow stared down the pissed-off wizard, a flinty steel in glowing her eyes. Her anger was thankfully stalling him for now. As long as the guards remained away, he couldn't access her mind. She had to keep them from her as long as she could. There had to be a way to defend herself- some way to keep them at bay- WAIT.
Willow bit her lip. This is a terrible idea, but here goes nothing…
Without breaking her gaze with the wizard, Willow's hand shot between the cell bars, snatching his robes. She slammed him as hard as she could into the door, disarming him. The wizard's shock melted into senselessness as he crumpled to the ground. His wand slipped out of his hand and clattered to the floor. Willow threw herself to the ground and caught the wand just before it could roll away. Heaving a deep breath, she placed it safely in her innermost pocket. She drew the wizard as close to her cell bars as she could to hide him from view. Now all she had to do was wait. When the guards came back, she could defend herself, and possibly escape, but not before then. There was a whole Ministry after her now that Fudge knew she contained knowledge about Sirius Black. If she showed her face, there would be at least a hundred aurors on her tail before she could blink. She had to slowly escape- take people down one by one- clear a steady path- watch her twelve and her six-
Her chance came sooner than she realized. The guards came stomping down the dungeon stairs, chatting amiably between themselves. They were nearly in front of Willow's cell before they realized the wizard was down. The one ran for backup while the other brandished his wand at Willow.
"You'll pay for attacking a Ministry official!"
Willow drew out her stolen wand. "I think I've paid quite enough, thank you. Seeing my mum being tortured right in front of me is not something I'll forget in a hurry."
The guard's upper lip curled. "You deserve it, after housing a mass murderer for nearly a year."
Willow narrowed her eyes. "That mass murderer is innocent. He's one of my best friends, I'l prove it to you! And when that day comes, I'm going to spit in your face."
The guard smirked. "Tell that to the Minister."
Willow shrugged as Fudge came hurrying into the dungeon. "I don't think I'm afraid of titles, really."
"Miss Guerrero! Failure to inform authorities of a mass murderer's whereabouts is a most despicable crime- "
Willow waved him away. "Yeah, yeah, heinous crimes, life in prison, blah blah blah; I know! I'm trying to tell you that Sirius Black is innocent!"
The Minister's entire body trembled. "He- he was right! You are under his spell! You're demented! He's- Black has brainwashed you!" He paced for a few moments, face blanching. "So maybe- it's not you- it's Black, warping your mind- he implanted these horrid ideas in your head- "
"No, he didn't do any of that!"
"Merlin's beard, he really has gotten a hold of you!" Fudge turned to his guards. "Send the aurors to Hogwarts immediately, and get an owl to Dumbledore, the fastest one we've got. We have to catch him while we still have a chance- "
"STOP! You're not listening to me! Sirius Black- "
"-is a dangerous criminal and a threat to our very society! He could expose the entire wizarding world with a single spell! In fact, he could wipe out half the wizarding world if we're not careful!" Fudge gripped the cell door, rattling Willow's eardrums. "You have to tell us where he is! If he escapes again, we might never find him!"
"You're exactly right, so you might want to start searching now."
The Minister's face contorted violently. "You- will- tell- me- now!"
Willow crossed her arms. "I'm sorry, Minister, but I'm not sorry. I can't just send one of my best friends to Azkaban for a wrongful conviction. That would be awful for trust, don't you think?"
"HE HAS WARPED YOUR MIND! SIRIUS BLACK IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!"
"YES HE IS!"
Willow launched herself at the cell bars, sending Fudge reeling backwards. A fire unlike anything she'd ever known kindled red-hot, deep within her irises. She drew her wand against the Minister, whose eyes widened. Willow's muscles tensed, prepared for the worst, as the Minister called for his guards, drawing his own wand as he did so. His hand trembled as he leveled it at Willow.
"You are completely reckless," he whispered. "Abominable!"
"Isn't every Gryffindor, though?"
Fudge clamped his jaw shut. His eyes never wavered from Willow as he instructed his guard, "Take me upstairs, and get a Hogwarts staff member on site. We need someone close to her to extrapolate the information...and get someone to disarm her! This is a case of corruption beyond anything I've seen..."
The guard nodded, then placed himself between Willow and the Minister as he escorted him out of the dungeon. The other guard soon came by, but it only took a glare from Willow, and he was hurrying away. She waited until he was at the far edge of the dungeon to put the wand away. Glancing the other direction, she made certain she was out of earshot, then pulled her name tag out of her deepest robe pocket. Willow thanked Merlin that they hadn't found it and confiscated it. After a few attempts with the wizard's unfamiliar wand, she finally got the spell to work. She tapped the screen, and seconds later, the ceiling of a Gryffindor boys' dorm materialized in it.
"Fred? George? Are you there?" she whispered.
There was a loud THUD!, then scuffling and swearing, and finally Fred and George fought their way into view. George shoved his twin into the bed next to him.
"WILLOW! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHERE- !"
"SHH! Keep it down!" Willow peeked through her cell door, but the guard was still twiddling his thumbs at the end of the corridor. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Guys! I don't have much time- "
"Where are you? What happened? Why didn't you come after us?" George blurted out.
"It's a long story! I'll tell you later! Now- "
"We thought you were dead!" Fred cried. "Paige is beside herself! Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall are going to- "
"Not now! Look, I'm at the Ministry of Magic, and they're keeping me in the dungeon. Apparently I'm being charged with the murder of multiple Fawley family members, brainwashing my mum, and lots of other rubbish. Fudge is terrified." Willow bit her lip. "They also...kind of...got into my mind. They forced their way into my memories and- guys, they know Sirius is at Hogwarts!"
Fred gasped. "What are they going to do?"
"They're sending aurors, lots of them. You've got to get him out of there!"
Fred saluted her. "Don't worry, we've got it."
"Hang on, how did you keep your wand? I would have thought they'd confiscate it," George said.
"I may or may not have smashed a guy's face into my cell and stolen his wand."
Fred whooped. "No way! That's awesome!"
"Well, he did kind of deserve it. He had his guards torture me with a really cool spell, then invaded my mind."
"What? They tortured you? How is that cool?!"
"I mean, compared to torturing my mum in front of me, making her denounce my family again, showing me a gory video of everything we did at the Fawley mansion, and kicking me in my stab wound, it's pretty cool."
"WHAT?! How did they- what- that's not- is that even legal? Did they hurt you? I can't believe- "
"SHIT HAPPENS! Just go get Sirius!"
Fred saluted her once more and sprang away, though he paused for a moment to look back at her. George, on the other hand, remained glued to the screen, horrified. Willow gritted her teeth.
"Look, you can feel sorry for yourself and pity me later. We'll make a party of it. For now, get Sirius out of range of the Ministry's aurors. I can't let them catch him, George, it would be entirely my fault."
"How is that your fault?"
Willow groaned. "Don't argue with me right now! Just go help!"
George furrowed his eyebrow. "You're sure you'll be alright? You don't look like you're going to last much longer...I don't want to lose out on an extra hand in our pranking schemes against Snape."
Willow rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine. I've been through worse. Go already!"
George nodded, then tapped his wand to the name tag, effectively ending the call. It was perfect timing, because at the very moment, footsteps hurried down the stone steps to Willow's left. She hurriedly shoved the name tag and her wand into her robes before anyone could know she was still armed. The person that stepped into view was entirely unexpected, however. It wasn't the Minister. It wasn't another Ministry official. It wasn't even a guard.
"Where is he?" Snape snarled, stopping hard in front of Willow's cell.
She gaped. "Why the hell are you asking?"
"Do you want to be expelled? Tell me where Black is, now!"
Willow scoffed. "How in the heck would I know? He could be anywhere! He's never in the same place at once! Sirius is like me, always on the move, always- "
"-up to something!" Snape's eyes were wreathed in an icy blue glow. "If you wish to continue your magical education, you will tell me where he is, and right now."
Willow swallowed hard. She couldn't give up Sirius's location, but that would mean losing her second home...Images from the previous months flashed in her mind's eye. Her friends laughing as they studied in the Ravenclaw common room; Seamus and Dean blowing up the common room together; playing quidditch with the Gryffindor team; the twins, Lee, and Paige pranking with her; her Gryffindor Sisters making up with Hermione; and best of all, hanging out in Hogsmeade with all of her friends and animagus-Sirius. Then she remembered the visions from earlier in the year, specifically the one about Snape. What if it was coming true? She couldn't let Snape turn Sirius into the authorities!
"Look, I'm sorry, but I really don't know where he is," Willow said.
"You're a terrible liar," Snape spat. "I know that Sirius Black is an animagus, and that's how he's been sneaking into the castle. I know that you disappear into the Forbidden Forest the same three days every week. I know that you know exactly where he is, and you're not telling me. You owe me for saving your pathetic life in your first year. I'll ask you one last time: Where is Sirius Black?"
"Up your arse."
Snape's wand suddenly materialized in his hand. "You're going to regret this when you and Sirius land in the same Azkaban cell!"
"Vete a la chingada, pendejo!"
The blood burst into Snape's cheeks, as he didn't know Spanish, and Willow knew he wouldn't know what she called him. He trained his wand intently upon her chest. There were so many spells for him to choose from. Willow closed her eyes and waited, knowing full well that there was no defending herself from Snape's rage. She couldn't help the smirk that spread across her face, however. There was no better feeling than pissing off Snape. Willow braced herself for the onset of agony that awaited her- but it never came. She opened her eyes to see Snape lower his wand, glaring daggers at her.
"You'll regret this when I catch Black myself. Your little show will have been for nothing, and you'll both rot in the same cell until death finally spares you from your miserable life."
"I can't wait."
Snape swept away. Willow smugly grinned after him until he disappeared from view. It concerned her that he hadn't lashed out at her, because that meant there was some underlying, deadly meaning, knowing Snape. But Willow shook it off, leaving that processing for later. She was more excited about the fact that Snape was never going to find Sirius. Fred and George were already working on hiding him; in fact, they were probably so deep into the Forbidden Forest by now, even the centaurs wouldn't dare follow them. Sirius was safe. What was the worst that could happen?
"Willow? Willow, are you there?"
She fumbled with her robe pocket to get the name tag out. Fred and George were back in the frame, but considerably more pale-faced than before. Willow furrowed her eyebrows.
"Guys? Are you okay? What happened?"
George bit his lip. "It's Sirius...I'm so sorry Willow, but- "
"-he's gone. Like, disappeared from the safe house."
"We looked everywhere- "
"-but he's we couldn't find him anywhere."
Willow's stomach reenacted the previous stabbing. She fell to her knees. Neurons fired faster than her brain could handle. She became dizzy and collapsed against the wall. "You must be joking."
"For once, we're not."
"We're so sorry, Willow..."
"It's alright. There- there was nothing you could do." Willow felt the blood drain from her cheeks. She swallowed the lump working its way through her throat. "I- I'm sure he caught wind of what was happening and bolted. He's good at avoiding authorities. Yeah, he'll be fine."
"Do you need us to come bust you out?" Fred offered. "We have a few prototypes that need testing."
"No, I'll be okay." Willow waved them away. "Don't worry about me. I don't need you getting arrested, too. I'll figure a way out of this. Fudge is setting a trial date for me within the next week or so."
"What if you lose, though?"
"What if you die before then?"
"Freddy!"
"What? She looks like she's half-dead, George!"
"I have been to hell and back," Willow mused. The Weasley twins rolled their eyes, but not as jokingly as usual. Willow cleared her throat. "Well, you can go now. Make sure you finish your OWLs, and if I don't get back before summer holidays, please owl my dad to let him know what happened, and have Oliver and Neville take care of my creatures."
"Willow, wait- "
"Bye guys."
Willow tapped the name tag before they could protest. Their faces disappeared in the blink of an eye, and she was entirely alone once more. Willow let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. The moment she did, everything came flooding through her mind. Sirius was gone- he was captured- they were going to suck out his soul- she'd lost him- she'd lost him for good- she might be going to Azkaban- she might never see her family or friends again-
Her breaths came in great, hiccuping gasps. Willow put her hands over her head and pressed her back up against the wall. She had lost Sirius, and it was all her fault! Anger suddenly flushed out the panic, and she threw her fists into the cell door. With each punch, the pain escaped her body, and with each pang in her knuckles, the self-hatred poured out. Willow finally fell to her knees, panting, fire raging through her gut. She'd let down her friend. She'd disappointed her family. She'd hurt her friends. She'd allowed herself to hope her mum was back, and it had destroyed her.
Willow gazed at her knuckles. To her annoyance, they trembled, growing increasingly weaker and shakier as she stared at them. Bruises advanced across her skin, and scarlet manifested in tiny droplets where the pain had consolidated itself. Willow threw her hands down, then suddenly cradled them close to her heart- where her locket was. The agony of half-broken bones nearly brought tears to her eyes, but they didn't fall, because her heart had frosted over. Images of her mum being tortured swam to the surface, racking her brain with suffering. Willow curled into a fetal position on the floor, her mum's warm, brown irises filling with tears over and over again in her mind's eye. Grace's screams tormented her brain on repeat.
Willow had failed.
And now there was nothing she could do about it.