Chapter 1
A little bit of history and a Campsite to behold
Disclaimer: We do not own anything Harry Potter. We only own our characters. Story cowritten by anglewnw. The first chapter or so will be background information on Willow, before starting off in year three for our character, year four in the HP story line.
"Sometimes in life, a sudden situation, a moment in time, alters your whole life, forever changes the road ahead."
― Ahmad Ardalan
Despite growing up without a mother, life for Willow Everspeak has always been a walk in the park. Her father, Caspian, has always spoiled his little 'snowflake', bending to her every want and need. She was about to embark on her first real adventure to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and little did she know that one small decision made by no choice of her own would cause her entire life to change.
A small young girl with long wavy black hair, blue eyes, pale freckled skin steps through the barrier for platform 9 ¾, a man one could only assume was her father holding her hand and smiling as she looked around curiously.
"Papa, look the train is my favourite colour," the girl chants excitedly rocking on the balls of her feet.
"Yes, my little snowflake, it is. Come Willow, the train leaves in a moment," the man said, gently tugging her towards the open door. He kneels in front of her, using one hand to push his shaggy black hair off his shoulder. "You study hard and focus on school and you will do well, snowflake. Write me whenever you wish. I love you, dove." He kisses Willow on the forehead and gently nudges her towards the train.
"Papa, what if they don't like me," Willow asks, jumping into his arms and clinging on tightly. "I'm scared, Papa."
"Willow, snowflake. Anyone who doesn't like you is a fool and doesn't deserve your friendship. Now, Everspeaks are never scared. Go get on the train," Caspian said, blinking back a few tears. He watched as his only child disappeared among the throng of students getting on the train, sighing softly as he turned to leave.
"Everspeak," a man stated, placing one hand on Caspien's shoulder, not missing the flinch the dark-haired man made. "Why are you avoiding coming to the meetings," a tall man with long blonde hair whispered.
"Malfoy, leave me alone. He is gone and I am living my life, protecting my daughter. I will not grovel for a dead man, I will not serve one," Caspian stated shrugging the man's hand away, turning to leave he heard Malfoy say, "he won't be dead for long." Caspian shivered and prayed this was not the case, for his sake and Willow's.
After being sorted into Gryffindor, Willow's first two years of Hogwarts passed by without much excitement. If you don't count being best friends with the only girl in the Weasley family, who foolishly wrote in an unknown journal and brought about the Chamber of Secrets. Or if having a murderer on the loose and a werewolf for a teacher can be counted as dull. While she was never directly involved with any of these misadventures, she did wonder how her fellow Gryffindor's could attract so much outrageous trouble. We begin our story at the Quidditch World Cup where Willow has joined the Weasley family for the outing.
"Willow, wake up or we will be late!" Ginny shouted throwing a pillow at her sleeping friend causing her to groan and fall off the bed in surprise. "oops." Ginny ran from the room laughing.
Willow mumbled some not so friendly words under her breath as she stood from the pile of blankets that fell to the floor with her, rubbing the sleep from her sapphire blue eyes. She grabbed her bag from the corner and began rummaging around for her muggle clothes for the day. Pulling a pair of black skinny jeans and an emerald green button up tunic from the bag, she hastily got dressed needing enough time to tame her long black hair. Willow was just finishing up her fish tale braid when Ginny came bounding back in the room.
"Oh, good you're almost ready, Mum sent me up here to make sure you had time to eat something," Ginny said dragging Willow from the room eagerly.
Willow winced, as she walked shoulder first into the door frame, glaring at the red head in front of her. Following Ginny down the stairs, Willow greeted those awake with a soft, "Good Morning" as the smell of porridge filled the kitchen.
"Willow, deary, have some porridge before you leave," Mrs. Weasley said placing a bowl of porridge on the table, ushering the shy girl into a chair.
"Thank you," she whispered, unwilling to tell the matron of the family that she wasn't a fan of porridge. She slowly ate the bowl, which to her surprise was quite good and didn't remind her of the mush her father had attempted over the years. "This is delicious, Mrs. Weasley."
Mrs. Weasley beamed with pride as the rest of the sleepy crew stumbled wearily into the kitchen and were given their own bowl to eat. She vaguely heard the group talking about Apparition and explain splinching to Harry, wincing as she recalled the time her father had apparated too quickly and left behind a toe. Standing, Willow took her bowl over to the sink and began to hand wash it, before instantly being shoo'd away by Mrs. Weasley saying, "Don't be silly dear, I will clean up, you are our guest."
Willow slipped on her black boots, gloves and cap before putting on her leather jacket lined with fur, snickering as she watched the twins lose all of their experimental toffees. Mrs. Weasley scolding them as they headed out the door.
Willow took a deep breath of the crisp morning air, hanging back from the group to avoid being engaged in any unnecessary conversation, the twins falling back with her. She smirked and gave a small chuckle at the dejected look on their faces at being caught.
"It's not funny Everspeak, we have been working on them for months and really wanted to test them out today," Fred said, sulking, George nodding and sighing with his twin.
Willow laughed outright, reaching a hand into the pocket of her jacket and pulling out a handful of the ton-tongue toffees. The twins stopped walking, looking at the pale petite girl in shock and awe, spluttering idiotically. "Well, if you don't want them," Willow said raising her arm as if to throw them in the woods.
"Wait, yes we want them, but…" Fred started.
"How did you get them," George finished as they both grabbed the tricky treats from her hands.
Willow shrugged and mumbled, "No one watches the quiet girl."
"Willow Everspeak, this could be the beginning of a mischievous friendship," the twins said at the same time.
Willow blushed and became suddenly interested in the ground, screaming and stumbling over an exposed tree root when Cedric Diggory jumped from a tree. Willow looked up from the ground she has found herself on twice in one day and glared at the Hufflepuff boy as he offered her a hand.
"Sorry, Everspeak. Didn't mean to startle you," he said flashing her a panty-dropping grin.
Willow took his offered hand and stood, dusting the dirt of her pants before turning to him and asking, "What are you doing here anyway, Diggory?"
"We are taking the same portkey," Cedric responded pointing to the old boot on the hilltop that everyone else has gathered around.
Willow turned slightly green, remembering the one and only time she had every traveled by portkey and suddenly regrets eating anything for breakfast. She stared at the boot and for a split second debated just not going to the game and heading home to avoid the embarrassment of puking in front of the few friends she has.
"Willow, let's go, touch the portkey or you will be left behind," Ginny shouted, yanking the startled girl into the circle.
Willow closed her eyes as the invisible force yanked her closer to the portkey by her navel, body colliding into whoever was next to her, crashing not so gracefully into the ground, Ginny landing on top of her. She kept her eyes clenched tightly closed as a wave of nausea swept over her and she willed herself not to puke as everyone else groaned and stood on shaky feet.
"Wills are you ok?" she heard a distant voice ask, her ears ringing from the travel. Willow nodded and put a hand up to indicate she needed a moment to regain herself. Three deep breaths and lots of inner monologue later, Willow opened her eyes to find the twins and Ginny looking down at her, two up-to-no good smiles and a look of concern donned their faces.
"I'm fine, just do not like traveling by portkey," Willow said standing slowly, gripping one of the twins as she was still slightly dizzy.
The walk from the portkey landing site to the campsite was a blur to Willow as she struggled to keep from re-tasting the morning porridge.
"Right," she heard Arthur exclaim. "No magic allowed, strictly speaking, not when we're out in these numbers on Muggle land. We'll be putting these tents up by hand."
Willow groaned at the idea of struggling with poles and canvas, eyes rolling as Arthur asked Harry what to do first. She watched as Harry and Hermione started working it out where things went and how, laughing as Mr. Weasley kept getting in the way. His excitement for all things Muggle causing him to be a hinderance not a help. After what felt like hours the two tents were up and ready for everyone to rest in. Willow sighed in relief and rushed into the tent, missing the jaw dropping shock on Harry and Hermione's face when they walked into the fully furnished wizard's version of a tent.
A debate about how to cook began as Willow wondered into the girls' tent and crashed on the couch, her nausea finally starting to ebb away. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and fell into a disturbed sleep.
Willow looked around the tent, seeing everyone talking and laughing, overcome with a nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen. Suddenly the tent caught on fire and her friends faded from view, screams filling the air as dark figures fell upon them. Willow froze in place, her mouth open in a silent scream as one of the figures aimed his wand at her and said… "Willow, Wake Up!"
Willow jumped with a start, her head colliding with the arm of the person who woke her. "Ouch," she exclaimed, the feeling of dread slowing fading into embarrassment, the images from the dream slipping from her memory.
"You were screaming," Harry said, helping her to sit up. "Bad dreams? I get those a lot too."
Willow nodded, shaking her had as the last of the dream faded from her mind, "I can't remember what it was about. All I remember is fear, pure and overwhelming fear." She shivered and gave Harry a small smile.
"Lunch is ready," Ginny shouted from the front of the tent, waving them to come join them.
Willow's stomach rumbled as if it had a mind of its own, causing her pale cheeks to tinge pink as Harry chuckled on his way towards the entrance. Willow hopped to her feet and followed him, shocked to see it was well into noon and realizing she slept far longer than she had wanted. "I am soo sorry, Mr. Weasley. I did not mean to fall asleep and not help. Traveling by portkey makes me very ill. Please let me be the one to clean up from lunch." Willow apologized profusely as Bill, Charlie and Percy arrived to enjoy the eggs and sausages.
Mr. Weasley just smiled and waved her off. Halfway through lunch Mr. Weasley jumped to his feet eagerly waving at a man who was approaching their tent. "Aha!" he said. "The man of the moment! Ludo!"
Willow always shy around new people kept her eyes down, barely peaking at the large man dressed in Quidditch robes. It wasn't until her name was spoken did she look the man in the eyes, "This is my daughter's friend Willow Everspeak." Bagman's eyes went wide as he looked her over, recognition for her name written all over his face.
Caught off guard by the wide eyed shock the man seemed to have in regards to her, Willow zoned out, getting lost in her own thoughts. 'Did he know my mother? Does he know my dad? Should I try and talk to him? Don't be stupid Willow." She chastised herself as a loud pop of apparition startled her back to the present. Another ministry official, Barty Crouch, had appeared at their campsite to inform Ludo that the Bulgarians need 12 more box seats. Percy being the brown-nosing suck up that he was offered the man a cup of tea and when Barty called him Weatherby, the twins practically lit up with mischief. Willow busied herself clearing lunch, taking the dishes into the tent avoiding any more ministry officials giving her strange and confusing looks.
Little did Willow know that the night had only just begun.