The Difference in Reality [A Harry Potter Fanfiction]

Year 2: Chapter 13

Willow walked into the hospital wing a day before term started. For once, it wasn't because she had done yet another incredibly stupid thing. She had heard from Harry and Ron that Hermione messed up the Polyjuice Potion over the Holidays and decided to pay her a visit. The sun was high in the sky and provided some much-needed light into the rather dark room. It smelled as fragrant as a sterile room could be, and it wasn't too busy. Madam Pomfrey was busy tending to a sixth year that had somehow broken his leg when she arrived. Since Hermione was still asleep, Willow ducked behind a curtain before Madam Pomfrey could see her and sat down.

Colin was still petrified in his futile position. His eyes were wide with fear. Willow quietly kicked the side of the bed. Was she missing something? She felt like answers were staring her right in the face. The Smith twins' mum escaping, her own mum recruiting, the attacks on specifically Muggleborns by some monster...it all had to be connected somehow. But she couldn't figure it out. Willow cursed her stupid Gryffindor brain for being so short-sighted. Why could she never see the big picture? She was failing because of it; failing to protect Ginny, failing to protect Colin, failing to protect all of her friends. Half of her friends were Muggleborn! How was she supposed to keep them safe with this monster on the loose? She had all the powers necessary for the task, but she couldn't use them if she didn't know what she was doing! Willow had never been more frustrated in her life.

"...Transfiguration unit. It's rather hard," Parvati said. "We're turning animals into water goblets, then quills, then back to water goblets, then back to animals!"

Willow peeked out from behind the curtains. Parvati had snuck in while she was having her pity party. Hermione was awake now, bright-eyed and bushy tailed, quite literally. At least the yellow in her eyes was fading to a light shade of brown.

"Thanks for the heads up, Parvati."

"Hey guys!" Willow said, appearing from behind the curtain. Both girls jumped. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. How was your break, Parvati? I saw that you had a few new headpieces."

"Oh, it was great!" Parvati said. "My dad got me some beautiful feathers that I can put in my hair. They're enchanted to change colour according to my mood. I love them!"

"How was your break, Willow?" Hermione asked. "You didn't respond to my owl."

Willow's heart jumped, but she expertly hid it. "Sorry, Iris was busy. She's become the family owl aside from being my pet. There were tons of messages from Newt and Tina that my dad and his brothers sent back and forth. It might have gotten lost." She hid the shudder that went down her spine at the memory of the Smiths' mother. "My break was great. We had a snowball fight in the backyard. Perrito got buried underneath my fort. I had to dig him out with my hands."

"That's awesome!" Parvati said. "Did you get anything nice for Christmas?"

"Yes, and thank you again for the elephant blanket you got me for my birthday. It came in handy when I accidentally left my window open. I was too lazy to get up and fix it." Willow paused in thought. "My dad did get me a really cool bed for my puffskein, but other than that, it was probably my birthday presents that were the best this year, especially George's and Paige's."

Hermione and Parvati giggled at the mention of George and Paige. Willow furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What are you laughing about?"

"How can you not see it, Willow?" Hermione sighed. "It's so blatantly obvious!"

"You must be partially blind not to see the way they've been acting," Parvati chortled.

"What do you mean, 'the way they've been acting'? Are they acting funny? They aren't sick, as far as I know. " Willow's eyes widened. "You don't think they've been targeted by that group of underground potion brewers, do you? I've heard they once caused Lee to burp out everything he said for a week!"