Willow Song

VII. Settling In

From then on, things improved in Gryffindor for Serena. She started attending Harry's DA classes. Neville realized he had a Gryffindor he could talk to about his passion for Herbology, and they became good friends. Katie Bell explained the finer points of flying to her.

One big change came because Serena decided she'd rather risk knowing something embarrassing than not knowing something she really needed to know. As she learned to look people in the eye, she also learned how to keep her knowledge of their minds secret, growing both thicker-skinned and more easy-going. The only clue she gave to knowing more than she should was a smug little smile that frequently played at the corners of her mouth. As she slowly developed new friendships, almost imperceptibly the fall quickly turned to winter.

Serena spent a quiet Christmas with the Samuelsons, sadly sensing that it would be their last together. She let Ginny share her real seventeenth birthday with her in January, and Ginny gave her some ridiculously sexy underpants. And in March, Divination became her favorite class under Firenze. She understood his kind of Seeing. She ran into Draco several times over the next few months, but each time he looked hurt and resentful and steered clear of her.

One lunch time, Fred and George and Lee all sat by her. "Hey, Shorty, we've got an adventure planned, and you have been chosen as the fourth member of our team."

"What are we going to do?" Serena asked, puzzled.

"You're going to take this skiving snack box and get out of your afternoon class, and then we are going to find some pets for Umbridge. It's time for you to learn how to have fun; we've taken it upon ourselves to be your professors."

"But if we get caught, I can't risk Umbridge noticing me."

"Relax, you're working with the masters. We'll meet you on the ground floor near the statue of Swensen the Smarmy in one hour."

Serena spent a hysterical afternoon looking for nifflers--she, Fred, George, and Lee caught three of them and put them in a little box with some silver sickles for use later. She could get used to being a prankster fairly quickly if she hung out with these three all the time. She might even get used to being called "Shorty," although she doubted it.

She helped Fred and George plan their final prank--giving them ideas for water plants and insects for the swamp, then left the actual performance to them. She was delighted with the results and marveled at the twins' escape, but missed their companionship afterwards.

She took her OWLs with the fifth years--and explained to the surprised fifth years that she had missed taking her OWLs the year before. The desks were arranged alphabetically on the theory parts of the tests, so she frequently found herself gazing at the back of Ron Weasley's head when she was searching for the right word or idea. She was still embarrassed whenever she saw Ron, avoiding him almost as much as Draco avoided her, but she rather liked looking at his red hair.

She did well on her practical tests for Potions, Divination, and Herbology, but the Practicals for Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts were more difficult for her. Still, they weren't complete disasters. Her only remaining OWL practical was Astronomy.

She went to the Astronomy Tower and situated herself near the fifth year Gryffindors. She was rapidly plotting the planets and constellations, and had just finished when she realized most of her fellow students were watching the grounds, not the sky. She looked away from the telescope to see what they were watching just in time to see four stunners hit Minerva McGonagall in the chest. She screamed, as did several of the other girls.

Serena hurried from the test, desperate to see Minerva. She rushed towards the hospital wing, but was intercepted by Snape. "Willowsong, come with me."

"Professor, I have to go see Minerva; she's been hurt."

Snape grabbed Serena's arm and maneuvered her into the nearest classroom. "You can't help her. They're getting ready to transport her to St. Mungo's. Umbridge and her lot are all over the hospital wing. You will be of no use to Minerva and of too much interest to Umbridge. You're supposed to stay 'under her radar' remember? Here's a sleeping draught. Take it when you get back to your dorm. I'll let you know as soon as I find out more about her. Now go to your dorm immediately and take your potion. That's an order!"

Serena turned and hurried off, but she couldn't swallow around the anxious knot in her neck, nor could she keep her eyes from spilling angry worried tears. The dorm was a cacophony of students sharing what they saw when McGonagall was hit and how Hagrid escaped, deflecting all the stunners that were sent his way. Several of them checked their speech when Serena entered with her flushed, tear-streaked face. As if to stop them from asking her anything, she muttered in a tiny shaky voice, "I'm going to bed. Snape's orders." She gulped the draught and started to change into her nightdress, but the potion worked so quickly that she collapsed on her bed fully dressed and slept unmoving all night.

She was awakened by Katie Bell shaking her the next mid-morning, telling her that she was late for her last test. Serena ran to the History of Magic OWL to find it already begun. She caused a few raised eyebrows as she rushed in wearing wrinkled, slept-in robes and yesterday's plait. Serena wasn't doing very well on the test, partly from having only read a few books on magical history, and partly because her mind was focused on McGonagall. She managed to elaborate a bit on the section about old magic--after all, it was the only kind she had ever practiced before Hogwarts, but she totally messed up the parts about the wars.

She was staring at Ron's red head, wondering for the tenth time when the test would end, when she heard Harry Potter screaming, "NO!" as he lay curled on the floor. Adrenalin surged, and she watched as he was led out of the room clutching his scarred forehead. She caught Ron's eye for an instant as he turned, horrified, as Harry left. In that instant she felt his worry and saw one word punctuate his thoughts, "Voldemort!" She tried finishing off her answers, but it was hopeless. She was too distracted and uneasy to succeed on this test. She hoped Minerva wouldn't be too disappointed. Minerva! She had to find out how she was.

After the test she hurried off to Professor Snape's office. She met him at the door and before she could ask, he answered, "She's going to be all right, but she'll be in St. Mungo's for a week." Serena hugged him impulsively as she thanked him. Snape stiffened awkwardly. "Well, yes, you're welcome, Willowsong, but don't touch me like that again. Did you sleep well last night?" Serena nodded in response, seeing in his eyes that he wasn't angry about the hug, just not used to affection; he might have even liked it. "Don't disturb me again unless it's urgent. I will find you if there's a change. Understood? I'm on my way to the Headmistress's office. You would do well to make yourself scarce."

"Yes, sir." Serena headed down to the greenhouses. She could always find something to do to help Professor Sprout. She helped repot several different healing plants and learned how to make a tincture from the fresh blossoms of an American daisy, Echinacea purpura. Sprout enjoyed having another student who actually came to herbology for fun, but suspected Serena's reasons were somewhat more personal.

After about an hour of watching Serena labor among the plants as if her life depended on it, she asked, "What's on your mind, Willowsong?"

"With McGonagall injured and Hagrid and Dumbledore gone, and Umbridge reading the owls, I haven't communicated with my parents in weeks, and I really need to tell them what's happening. I need their support right now. Is there any way I can get mail in or out without Umbridge knowing?"

"I think I can help you there. I'm going into Hogsmeade this evening. I can send them your letter by owl from there and wait for their reply. Why don't you write the letter?"

Serena happily got out quill and ink and wrote all about the tests and McGonagall's illness (but not enough to scare them) and told them how she loved and missed them. Sprout pocketed the letter with a wink and strolled off to the main gate.

A few hours later Sprout entered the Gryffindor common room.

"Professor Sprout, What're you doing in here? " Colin Creevey asked.

"I'm temporary head of Gryffindor in addition to Hufflepuff until your head comes back." She turned to Serena. "I have something for you." She handed Serena a letter and received a smile in exchange. Then Sprout went on to tell the Gryffindors that McGonagall would be back shortly, and she didn't know where Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were, but she'd let them know as soon as she found out.

Serena read her letter. Her parents were proud of her, would pray for Minerva, and had some big news: they were moving to Burma on June 30. They could say goodbye and have a party on Serena's 'birthday'. Serena sat down heavily. She had known that this would come, but it didn't make it any easier. They had never stayed in one place more than a year, but this was the first time they would be leaving her behind.

A week later Umbridge was gone, Dumbledore and Hagrid were back, and the news had spread that Harry had outmaneuvered Voldemort once again. Only the Harry Serena saw now was angry, hurt, and depressed. She could see the huge hole that had been taken from his spirit. His friends who had fought by his side were only a little better. She wondered how she could help them.

After the Hogwarts Express pulled away, Serena and Minerva went to have a farewell party with the Samuelsons. Serena was distressed at their leaving, but had again come to a sense of what part she would take in the magical world. Her wondering how she could help Harry and his friends had triggered it. She was pleased to tell her parents that she was going to be a psychic healer for those who were damaged by the Dark Arts. She was studying to find a way to fill them with Light again. Silva and Henry left knowing she was on the right course and doing what she was called to do.