6th November 1993

Willow Lily Potter sprinted through the corridors of Hogwarts, rushing to the Hospital Wing where her younger brother, Harry, was brought to after his nasty fall during the Quidditch match. She would have gone with Hermione and Ron along with the rest of the Gryffindor team earlier but she wanted to talk to the Professors about how the dementors were even able to reach the pitch. Well, that and she went with Madam Hooch to retrieve Harry's broom after it flew off. Or at least, what was left of it. Willow bit her lip, her heart heavy as her thoughts drifted to the splintered pieces of wood that were residing at the bottom of her bag.

Flying was everything to Harry. It was when he was at his happiest, his smile just lighting up the field as he raced to catch the Snitch. How was she going to tell him that his Nimbus 2000 was reduced to a pile of toothpicks all because the Whomping Willow was a little sensitive? And how were they going to tackle the dementors? The dementors affected her just as much as Harry, their bodies would seize up and their minds would blank out. She didn't know about Harry but she would be brought back to that one night. The one that she never wanted to remember.

Willow was so deep in her thoughts that she did not realise someone was walking around the bend right in her direction.

SLAM!

She rammed into the person and the momentum of the impact caused both of them to topple to the ground. Hard.

"Merlin, are you alright, Cedric?"

She was startled and looked up to see Cedric Diggory, still in his Quidditch robes, groaning. She was even more startled to find herself sprawled on top of the Hufflepuff seeker. She scrambled to get off of him but her hand slipped on his wet robes and her elbow landed straight into his gut. Cedric yelped, his body lurching in agony.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry!" Willow's eyes widened in horror, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment as she apologised fervently to Cedric who was curled up in renewed pain. She finally managed to pick herself off him and his friend—Ian Wilson, if Willow remembered correctly—showing a mixture of concern and amusement on his face, helped Cedric to his feet.

"I'm so sorry! It's all my fault!" Willow continued to apologise, guilt settling in her stomach as she picked up his broom from the floor. "I was rushing to see Harry in the Hospital Wing, I didn't even realise there was someone in front of me when I turned the corner."

She stood up and looked at Cedric who was still grimacing in pain and rubbing his stomach.

"Are you hurt? Did I break anything?" Willow questioned, concerned, as she gave him a once-over.

"It's alright, I'm good. All bones still intact and accounted for," Cedric reassured her with a smile and reached out his hand. She passed him his broom, still worried.

"You sure? I practically tackled you to the ground and elbowed your stomach. I must've hurt something."

Cedric let out a good-natured chuckle. "Nah, I might get a few bruises but nothing too bad. I wouldn't be a good Quidditch player if I can't take a few hits. Besides, I have a bruise remover in my dorm. It will remove them within hours."

She eyed him, still suspicious. "If you're sure…"

"You're a bit of a worrier, aren't you?" He grinned at her, amusement dancing in his grey eyes.

Willow shrugged as she retrieved her bag from the ground. When you're the sister of Harry Potter, being worried would be a constant state of mind.

"We just came from the Hospital Wing to see Harry. I wanted to apologise that I couldn't get the match overturned."

Willow's frown softened at his words when she saw the sincere regret reflected on Cedric's face.

"You didn't have to do that, Cedric. You caught the Snitch fair and square. Even Oliver Wood admitted it," Willow insisted firmly.

"Where is Oliver by the way? I didn't see him with the rest of the Gryffindor team in the Hospital Wing."

She bit her lip when she remembered the hollow look on Wood's face, asking for him to not be disturbed before shuffling to the locker rooms. Fred reckoned it was to drown himself in the showers.

"Er, he's on his way here. He just made a quick stop at the locker rooms," said Willow, avoiding Cedric's gaze.

She could hear Cedric hum but when he opened his mouth, he asked something unexpected. "Oh, and are you feeling better now?" Willow looked up with a start, seeing the concern on his face.

She tilted her head in confusion. "What?"

"I saw you at the stands after I realised that the dementors came to the field and Harry fell from his broom. You were frozen and shaking in your seat. I just wanted to know if you're feeling better now."

She blinked in surprise. She didn't think anyone, let alone the Hufflepuff Heartthrob himself (a nickname coined by the girls in Hogwarts), noticed in the middle of the pitch during a massive thunderstorm. The horde of dementors wasn't close enough to where she was seated for her to blackout again but she was still able to feel their horrible presence. Her insides went clammy and she began trembling violently. Hermione was the only one who noticed and quickly guided her away from the stands, far away from the dementors.

"Oh, I'm feeling better now. Really," she added when she saw the dubious look on Cedric's face. "I'm still feeling a little shaken but I'll be alright."

Cedric frowned before gesturing to Ian for his bag. He rummaged through it for a while before retrieving a bar of chocolate, similar to the one Professor Lupin gave out on the train. He extended it towards her, signalling for Willow to take it.

"No, it's alright, Cedric. I'm fine." Despite her protests, he shoved it into her hands insistently.

"The chocolate will help, trust me. And besides, are you really going to reject this gift of inter-house friendship, Willow Potter?" Cedric gasped, clutching his chest in mock hurt.

Willow rolled her eyes at his dramatics but she couldn't help the smile playing on her lips. She wrapped her hands around the chocolate, bringing it close to her chest.

"Thank you, Cedric," she said sincerely, smiling gratefully at him.

"Oh, no problem. I always have chocolate in my bag, anyway. It's one of my favourites." Cedric's eyes shifted from her gaze, his hands moving to tug his collar. Willow could just make out the beginnings of the blush on his cheeks and ears. She could feel herself reddening at his unexpected shyness. Ian, on the other hand, was enjoying this situation way more than he should. A full-blown grin was on his face as he stared at his suddenly sheepish friend, highly amused.

"Well, I should get going to see Harry. Thank you again for the chocolate. See you around, Cedric, Ian." Willow said her goodbyes and continued her sprint to the Hospital Wing, leaving the two Hufflepuffs behind.

༻⸻⸻⸻⸻༺

Cedric's eyes trailed after the girl as she ran up the corridor. He felt an elbow nudge his side and turned to look at his grinning best mate.

"Alright, Cedric?" Ian asked almost too innocently. "Don't tell me you've fallen for the Potter girl after literally falling for her."

Cedric's hand reached out to swat Ian on the head but Ian ducked away easily, howling with laughter as he did.

"Sod off," Cedric grumbled and shouldered his broomstick before he made his way to the Hufflepuff locker rooms.

Ian trailed behind him, his laughter reduced to small chuckles.

"Never thought I'd see you acting shy over a girl, Ced. And give her your favourite chocolate too! I've been your best mate since we were in diapers and you've never shared your chocolate with me," Ian teased.

"You don't even like chocolate, you wanker. Besides, she needed something to calm her nerves," Cedric muttered, avoiding Ian's knowing gaze.

"Oh, of course. It was just the Hufflepuff Heartthrob being his gracious self. What did you call it again? `A gift of inter-house friendship'?" Ian couldn't help but goad him further.

Cedric paused mid-step, his eyes narrowing at Ian smiling gleefully in front of him.

"You better start running, Wilson," Cedric warned before taking off after Ian.

Ian's laughter echoed through the empty corridors as Cedric chased after him, intent on getting him to shut up.

༻⸻⸻⸻⸻༺

7th November 1993

"Oh, for the love of—!" Willow barely managed to stop an expletive pouring out from her lips as she watched the poor excuse of her creation fall apart. Again.

She groaned and dropped her head to the table with a resounding thud that echoed loudly in her little corner of the library. She winced, not from the pain but rather from the loud noise she had made. She pried her forehead from the table and scanned her surroundings, half-expecting Madam Pince to swoop in and berate her for disturbing the sacred peace and silence of her beloved library.

Once Willow realised she was in the clear, she continued her lament, folding her arms across the table to rest her chin on the arms while she glared at the pile of splintered wood and twigs in front of her.

Harry did not take the news of the Whomping Willow breaking his Nimbus 2000 well. He was so utterly heartbroken when she produced the remnants of his broom in the Hospital Wing that she just had to do something. He refused to let Madam Pomfrey throw away his shattered broom and it gave her an idea. After much coaxing and reassurance that she would not discard the last bits of his Nimbus 2000, she sped off to the library in hopes of manually recreating a miniature Nimbus 2000 with the remaining materials. However, it was easier said than done.

"You will not defeat me," She hissed at her failed creation, feeling the splinters and cuts in her aching fingers. "It might take me all day but make no mistake, I will get you to become what I want."

"What in Merlin's name did that pile of twigs ever do to you?" An amused voice from behind startled her from her staring match with Harry's shattered Nimbus 2000.

She swivelled in her chair and found Cedric Diggory leaning against a nearby bookshelf, with an amused smile while he carried a hefty-looking book in his arms.

"Cedric!" She squeaked, her cheeks heating up with mortification at the fact he caught at her wit's end, growling at inanimate objects.

Strike me down. Right here, right now.

She cleared her throat, trying her best to act normally. "Hello, Cedric. What are you doing here?"

He arched his brow and simply lifted the book in his arms in place of a reply. She wanted to smack her forehead.

"Ah, right. Of course," She mumbled, the blush that was barely receding returned at full force. "For an essay?"

"Mmhm," Cedric made a noise of agreement as he came to join her at the table. "It's for Potions and we all know how brutal Professor Snape can be so I want to make sure I've covered everything about the Draught of Peace."

Willow could deeply relate. Snape was an utter beast when it came to marking his Potions essays. He would find any kind of excuse to mark them down, from something as petty as missing one punctuation mark.

"You look better."

Willow started, looking to find Cedric peering at her, relief painting his features

"I feel much better," She assured him. "The chocolate you gave me was delicious and it helped a lot. Thanks again for that."

Cedric returned her smile warmly, waving away her thanks. "It was no bother. I'm just happy it helped."

He nudged his chin to the pieces of wood and twigs. "You never did answer my question, though. What did that pile of twigs ever do to you?"

"They refuse to cooperate with me," Willow scowled.

He lifted a questioning brow, silently asking for further elaboration.

She sighed despondently, slumping in her chair. "These are what's left of Harry's broom. When he fell, the broom just kept flying and it hit the Whomping Willow."

Cedric winced, piecing together what the monstrous tree had done. "Oh Willow, I'm so sorry. Harry must have been devastated."

"He was," Willow concurred, a wave of sadness crashing upon her. "It was his first broom, you know? It was really precious to him. I wanted to make something out of it so he can keep it with him. I was planning on making a miniature version of his Nimbus 2000."

She gestured to some basic woodworking tools, glue and paint scattered across the table. "I got all the tools and stuff from Hagrid but it is proving much more difficult than I anticipated."

He studied everything on her table thoughtfully. "Well, it seems like you have enough material here to make it. But you know, it would be easier if you used spells to construct it. I know a couple if you need them."

She shook her head. "Thank you but I wanted to do it by hand. It might be how I was raised with Muggles but there's just something different when you use your own two hands to build something," She paused, realising how ridiculous she must sound. "Sorry, that sounds a bit silly now that I am hearing it out loud. Especially when I am struggling so much."

"No, Willow," Cedric refuted with an earnest smile and gentle eyes that strangely had her heart skipping a beat. "No, it does not sound silly at all. I dabble in woodworking from time to time and it feels much more fulfilling when I do it without magic so I understand what you mean."

For the umpteenth time, she found herself blushing under his gentle gaze. She averted her eyes, pressing her hands to her cheeks to stop them from overheating. He picked up one of the pieces, analysing it carefully. "I think I see your problem here. The wood isn't smooth enough so the parts won't fit well together."

"Oh really?" Swallowing her self-consciousness, she leaned closer to examine the piece in his hand.

"You can also cut off these bits right here so that it would be easier to handle when you begin to glue it together."

Willow made a noise of acknowledgement, eyes flitting from his hands to his face while he patiently continued to explain what else she could improve on. She found herself much closer to him than she realised, giving her the chance to see his features up close. She could understand why he was dubbed the Hufflepuff Heartthrob of Hogwarts and why many girls, Lavender and Parvati just to name a few, simpered after him. He was certainly handsome with his fair skin and contrasting dark hair. The lines of his face were striking and yet easy on the eyes, making you want to do a double take. And his eyes were a cool shade of grey that was simply mesmerising.

"You know what? Let me help you out," Cedric declared suddenly, snapping Willow out of her daze.

"What?" She blinked, mortified that she was blatantly ogling him and didn't hear a single thing he said.

Oh sweet Merlin, why am I acting like one of those fangirls?

Cedric, who thankfully didn't notice a thing, shrugged off his outer robes, folding up his sleeves as he grabbed one of the jagged wood pieces and a file. "Well, I've done woodworking before and having another set of hands would get it done faster."

"B-but what about your essay?" Willow exclaimed, glancing at the thick tome at his side. "I can't trouble you with this."

"The essay is not due for another week so I'm all good," He dismissed her worries with a quick smile. "Come on, grab a piece and a file. I'll show you how to smoothen the wood properly."

Slightly stunned, she did as told and started filing the wood as per his instructions. With Cedric's guidance, she progressed significantly faster thanks to his expertise. Once the pieces of wood were filed nicely, he carefully slathered glue with a tiny toothpick while Willow assembled the pieces to form the handle of the miniature broom. They even had enough materials to build a stand for the broom to rest on.

Cedric cast a special charm so that the glue dried instantly. They painted the handle and the stand a sleek brown, covering the nearly imperceptible cracks. Another Hot Air Charm later, they attached the tiny footrests fashioned from the last few pieces of wood and arranged the small bits of twigs into a tail, clipping off the ends where needed to make it even. Willow fished out a small piece of twine in her bag, tying it neatly to the base of the broom, at the top of the tail. For the final touch, she steadily painted the twine and the footrests with gold as well as the words 'Nimbus 2000' on the top of the handle, just like the original broom.

One last stroke of her brush to finish off the last '0' and she leaned back, admiring their work proudly.

"It looks great, Willow," Cedric complimented. He cast one last charm to ensure everything was dry. "I'm sure Harry is going to love it."

"All thanks to you," She beamed. "I honestly couldn't have done it without you. I'll probably still be struggling otherwise."

"Nah, you'd find a way, I'm sure," He chuckled, grey eyes dancing merrily. "But I'm glad I could help."

"I better get this to Harry before dinner," Willow gasped, finally glancing at her watch. Madam Pomfrey usually forbade any visiting during dinner time. She threw all the tools in her bag hastily and slung the strap over her shoulder before picking up the miniature carefully in her hands.

"See you around, Cedric. Thanks again. I owe you one!" She shot him a broad smile at the Hufflepuff before zipping away to the Hospital Wing, unaware of Cedric watching her leave with his lips pulled into an affectionate smile.

She made it to the Hospital Wing with a few minutes to spare. Madam Pomfrey glared at her disapprovingly but let her in with a begrudging wave of her hand.

Harry was sitting on his bed, propped against carefully arranged pillows. It seemed that he had quite a few visitors during the time she was busy. There was a bunch of big yellow cabbage-looking flowers (from Hagrid, if she had to hazard a guess) in a blue vase, stacks of cards and boxes of candies from well-wishers intent on cheering him up piled on the table but it wasn't working well from the way he was staring at the wall listlessly.

She hid the miniature behind her back before she cleared her throat. "Harry?"

Harry snapped out of his stupor at the sound of her voice. He faced her with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Willow. Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Seeing as you're the only one in the Hospital Wing right now, I guess I came to visit you," She replied teasingly.

He chuckled, a flicker of laughter in his blank green eyes. Her grin grew a little wider as she sat at the foot of his bed, the present still hidden behind her back.

"I have a little present for you."

He sat up straighter, staring curiously at her. Or more specifically, her hands hidden behind her back.

"Ta-da!" Willow declared, bringing out the miniature Nimbus 2000 with a flourish. Harry gasped, his eyes widening when he took in the sight of the mini replica of his old broom.

He took it from her gingerly, admiring what was once his original broom while he turned it around in his hands.

"Remember the remaining pieces of your Nimbus 2000? Well, I decided to use them to make a miniature of your broom."

"Wait, you made this? From the broken pieces of my broom?" He exclaimed in amazement.

"Well, Cedric had to help me out. Turns out I don't really have a future in making tiny things," She said sheepishly, wriggling her fingers to show her brother the small little cuts littered across her fingers and palms. "But yes, this is made entirely from your broom, everything from the handle to the stand."

"I-I don't even know what to say," He said, gazing at his gift. He couldn't even comprehend how much it meant to him. The Nimbus 2000 was one of his most prized possessions and in a sense, one of his first few gifts. He treasured it greatly and Willow knew that. She understood it immensely. He carefully placed it at his side before reaching out to wrap Willow in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Willow," He whispered, his voice thick with gratitude.

She returned his hug, patting his back tenderly. "Anything for you, Harry."

He pulled away, a genuine smile finally gracing his lips. Harry made space on his side table and carefully transferred his small Nimbus 2000.

"It really has a great likeness to my old broom," He murmured, his green eyes scanning the tiny broom. "I can't believe you did this without magic."

His eyes moved towards her, an inquisitive look on his face. "And I didn't know you and Cedric were close."

She managed a nonchalant shrug despite feeling a perplexing flutter in her stomach. "We're not but he saw me struggling trying to make it by hand and wanted to help out."

He shot her a teasing smirk. "You do know you're a witch right?"

Willow pulled a face, straightening out the rumpled sheets. "There is just something different about using your own bare hands to make it, alright? Besides, it turned out rather well, didn't it?"

"Mmm, if you count scarred fingers and what looks like 'd' instead of a 'b' in 'Nimbus 2000', then yes, you've done a bang-up job."

"What?!" She screeched, startling Madam Pomfrey from her nightly routine of checking her inventory. Willow barely heard the pointed reprimand as she lunged forwards to check the broom.

She paused, realising that she had indeed spelt 'Nimbus 2000' correctly. She looked up, narrowing her eyes to her younger brother who had a much too innocent look on his face.

"Made you look," He grinned cheekily.

"If you weren't in the Hospital Wing because you fainted and fell a couple of hundred feet, I would throttle you, Harry James Potter," She growled, setting the mini Nimbus 2000 a little too hard on the table.

A shadow passed over his face, his expression pensive and Willow instantly regretted her words. "Sorry, I shouldn't have—that was tactless of me."

Harry shook his head vehemently. "No, it's not that. It's just—" He broke off, biting his bottom lip while he struggled over something. He quietly exhaled before he said, "Can I tell you something?"

She sat down next to him again, eyes narrowing in concern. "Of course, you can. You can always tell me anything."

He nodded and swallowed thickly. "During—during the match, right before the dementors came into the pitch and I fell from my broom, I saw a huge black dog in one of the stands."

He lifted his head, and his eyes—their mother's eyes, her eyes—were filled with fear. "Willow, I think—I think I saw the Grim."

Her heart pounded in her chest at his admission. A lump formed in her throat and she didn't know what she should say. But Harry kept talking, his fear and worries finally unleashed.

"And do you remember when we were almost run over by the Knight Bus? I saw the same black dog—the Grim."

"Harry—" She began but he wasn't finished.

"I've seen the Grim twice now and every time I've seen it, something life-threatening happens to me right after. Willow…I—I'm afraid. I am so, so scared. We know that Black is after me. I mean, just last week, he slashed the Fat Lady's portrait all because he couldn't get into the dormitory. What if I saw the Grim and Black finally manages to get his clutches on us? What if I hurt you? What if I die? What if—"

"Harry, stop. Stop," Willow cut him off, holding his shoulders. "You're not going to die."

"You don't know—"

"But, I do," She insisted. "Harry, we've been through so much together. We took down a troll. We walked through the Forbidden Forest. We were almost mauled by a three-headed dog. We defeated a basilisk and saved Ginny. We faced Voldemort and survived. In your case, three times."

Willow gently took his hands, holding his gaze firmly. "If there is anything I do know Harry, it's that we can get through anything and survive. Nothing, not even the Grim, can stop that."

His tense shoulders relaxed slightly, the darkness in his eyes replaced with hope but there was something still burdening his mind. "But the dementors. What are we going to do about them? I can't go through this again for the next Quidditch match. Willow, I finally know who I heard when I blacked out on the train. I heard mum."

The last sentence came out as a whisper and Willow's heart clenched painfully at his broken voice.

"She was crying out, begging Voldemort to spare me. To take her instead," Harry divulged in a small voice, each word like a dagger piercing her chest deeper and deeper.

She folded her trembling hands so that Harry wouldn't notice.

"I heard her too," She whispered. Probably more than you know. More than I'd like to remember.

The horrible memories, the nightmares that she repressed for years began to resurface and she hastily shoved them down. She couldn't deal with them again. Not now. Not again.

"You do? Willow—" Harry began but she changed the topic, not wishing to speak anymore on the matter.

"There must be a way to protect ourselves from the dementors," She proposed grimly. "Remember Lupin managed to do it in the Hogwarts express? Maybe we can ask him for help so what happened during the match would not ever happen again."

She managed a comforting smile and gently ruffled Harry's hair. "Don't worry, Harry. We'll find a way together. We've done it before and we can certainly do it again."

A small smile bloomed on his face, his worried demeanour not entirely gone but eased. Willow pulled him into a hug, patting his back comfortingly. But once Harry couldn't see her face, only then did she let her smile fall away.

༻⸻⸻⸻⸻༺

10th November 1993

Animagus (pl. Animagi) is a wizard or witch that gained the ability to transform into an animal at will. Learning this skill is a long and taxing process due to its extreme difficulty and highly specific steps. If any one of the steps is not followed correctly or the conditions are not exact, one would have to start over or it would lead to disastrous consequences that could be permanent. One such example would be a wizard in Mexico who misspoke the incantation by a single syllable causing him to sprout permanent black scales all over his body and his head to transform into a dog's. All those who attempt to become Animagus are monitored closely to prevent such mishaps and have to be registered once successful. Firstly—

Willow read the same paragraph for the thousandth time, willing for the information to actually sink in. But with her thoughts about Harry running rampant in her mind like a destructive storm, it was no wonder her Transfiguration essay was still blank even after she's been sitting in the library for the past hour.

She leaned back, expelling a heavy sigh. The words that Harry divulged in the Hospital Wing still weighed heavily in her mind, plaguing her heart with worries. She was by no means a superstitious person but Harry had a penchant for being dragged into dangerous, life-threatening situations which in turn dragged herself, Ron and Hermione, into the mix. But she had meant what she said then. The Grim had nothing on them and despite their inherent recklessness, she knew they could handle whatever was thrown their way.

Then, there were the dementors.

She shook her head violently, not wanting to go down that hole. She clenched her fists tightly and took deep steady breaths to calm herself. Thankfully, Professor Lupin returned on Monday for their DADA. He was more than willing to teach her and Harry how to repel the dementor but he never went into any specifics, now that she realised.

Suddenly filled with curiosity (and wanting a distraction), she pushed away from the table and ventured to the Charms section. She picked out a book and thumbed through the pages, searching out for anti-dementor spells or defences. Nothing popped out so she moved on to the next book. And the next. And the next. Her frustration was mounting. She frowned deeply while she scanned the 6th book she pulled from the shelves, slightly disturbed by the questionable stain on the corner of the page, and still found nothing.

She gnawed her bottom lip, considering going up to ask Madam Pince for her help when a sudden tap on her shoulder from behind startled her greatly. She'd barely managed to hold back her yelp and wheeled around so suddenly that she lost her balance and smacked the back of her head on the shelves.

She groaned and squeezed her eyes tightly from the pain erupting from the back of her head.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" Apologies spilt past the person's lips and Willow could feel a hand in her hair, rubbing the sore area gently. She sighed softly, the pounding easing considerably under his touch. She finally pried her eyelids open to find an apologetic Cedric looking down at her.

"I'm really sorry. Are you alright?" He repeated, his grey eyes darting from her eyes to her head worriedly.

"I'm fine. It's just a small bump," She reassured him before continuing jokingly, "And considering that I did tackle and cause you bodily harm the first time we met, I say this isn't as bad."

Cedric chuckled lightly, relieved to see that she truly was alright and he removed his hand from her head.

"So," She began chirpily, internally confused at the sense of disappointment that replaced Cedric's touch when he pulled his hands away, "Is there something you need, Cedric?"

"I have been asking you that question for the past 5 minutes actually," He replied, picking up the book she dropped on the ground. "You've been glowering at this book here so severely, I was almost worried it would erupt into flames."

"I wouldn't go that far," She sniffed, taking back the book. "Madam Pince would kill me on the spot and don't even get me started on what Hermione would do to me."

Cedric laughed lightly, his eyes dancing as he tucked his hands into his pockets. "Nice to know you fear your friend more than the librarian herself."

"Well, you've never seen her with her wand," Willow muttered.

His lips quirked in amusement at her petulant huff. "So, what's troubling you? Trying to find something for Charms?"

"Not exactly," She hedged, eyes flickering from his chest to his face in uncertainty.

He peered into her eyes with a friendly smile spread across his face. "Come on, tell me. I can probably help you find whatever you are trying to find."

Willow stared at his earnest face for a moment longer before she relented. "I'm looking for a book that explains how to defend yourself from dementors. I was thinking that perhaps there was a charm or spell for it."

"From dementors, you say?"

She winced, partially regretting her decision. She glanced up, expecting more probing or a look of pity. Instead, she found him tapping his chin thoughtfully. "It's outside of the Hogwarts syllabus so it wouldn't be in the usual books but I know what just the charm you're talking about."

He moved down the shelves, his pointer finger skimming across the book spines until he stopped, having found what he was searching for. He pulled out the book and flipped to the relevant page. "Here you are."

"The Patronus Charm?" She read out the heading of the page when Cedric passed her the book.

He nodded, his eyes lighting up the same way as Hermione when she was about to excitedly share her knowledge. "It is one of the very few ways that would deter dementors. It is one of the most powerful defensive spells a witch or a wizard can ever cast but it is also the most difficult."

"How so?" She questioned, her curiosity growing further.

"It is based on a happy memory, the happiest memory that you can think of, during the incantation. It may sound simple enough but that memory must be powerful enough to fuel the spell. If done right, a corporeal form would take shape."

"A corporeal form?"

"A solid form. A Patronus Charm would invoke a guardian, some kind of animal, to protect you. In some cases, it can be incorporeal, with no distinct shape or form. Just silver wisps from your wand."

She scanned through the text, muttering to herself, "Well, that sounds like what Lupin did to repel the dementors back in the Hogwarts Express."

She looked up at the dark-haired Hufflepuff, a thought suddenly occurring to her. "How did you know about the Patronus Charm? You mentioned it was outside of the syllabus."

He shrugged, his smile turning sheepish. "I really like learning about Charms so I tend to ask Flitwick recommendations for extra material and I branch out to other books from there."

"Thank you, Cedric." She flashed him a rueful grin, "I feel bad. It seems like you're always helping me without question but I've never done anything for you in return."

"I wouldn't say that," He murmured, much too soft for her ears to hear.

"What did you say?" She cocked her head, brows furrowed.

"Nothing," Cedric flashed her a charming grin. "I'm always happy to help. But if you really want to repay me, I do have a question…"

She sucked in a breath, eyeing him warily. He held her gaze solemnly, his face unreadable before he finally asked, "How is it that you and Harry are in the same year when I'm pretty sure that you're not twins?"

Willow blinked once. Twice. Three times.

And then she burst into laughter.