Willow Song

XVI. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Neville was talking with Seamus and Dean when Serena came up to him. "Neville," she interrupted, too excited to make time for niceties, "I've seen it. I know how to make the mind heal without attempting to insert any of my own ideas. May I practice on you this weekend?"

Neville hesitated. "I promised Luna I would study Herbology with her on Saturday."

"I can use you both. Please, for just a couple hours before lunch. I'll ask Professor McGonagall if I can use her apartment, so it'll be quiet."

Neville looked relieved. "Fine. I'll talk to Luna."

The following Saturday, Serena met Luna and Neville at McGonagall's apartment. Since neither Neville nor Luna had ever been in a faculty apartment before, they were both enjoying looking at the trinkets and curios that allowed them a glimpse of their Transfiguration professor as a real person.

Serena had placed lavender scented candles in the room and enchanted her guitar to softly play by itself. She had Neville lay on the couch while Luna watched interestedly. "Okay Neville, just relax. Let your mind and your thoughts drift casually back until you find a memory that blocks you or causes you pain." Neville's mind again stopped on an image of Professor Snape. Serena thought about Neville's future and suddenly she saw it: Neville as the Herbology professor at Hogwarts, Neville as Snape's colleague. She drew a slim thread of golden light from Snape to Neville's future. Each time she found a memory of Snape putting Neville down, she'd pull another thread of golden light to Neville standing tall and respected as a professor. Without intending to, Serena was humming a beautiful healing melody as she wove the strands of light into a bridge. She saw the completed bridge suspended in his mind and knew Neville was healed of his fear and hatred of Snape. Serena opened her eyes.

Neville sat up, a look of wonder on his face. "Thank you Serena. That burden's gone. I'm not sure how you did it, but I saw all the good growing from those moments of humiliation. And I saw myself as a Hogwarts professor because of the struggle. Is it true? Will I teach at Hogwarts?"

"Unless you decide you don't want to. The future isn't set in stone."

"I do want to. I just never imagined I could."

"What was that tune you were singing?" Luna asked. "It sounded like spring woods and growing nature, but it was still your voice."

"I didn't even realize I was singing."

"I think the tune was like your name, willow song."

Or maybe my birth mother's name, Verte-Chantes, thought Serena--green song, spring song, growing, healing. I'm not the first in my family to learn this. That's what the name has meant all along.

"My turn," said Luna. Neville and Luna switched places. This time, Serena didn't have her guitar play.

"Okay Luna, just relax. Close your eyes and let your mind wander freely until it comes to a place that is blocked or painful." Luna's thoughts floated like leaves in a whirlpool until she hit a phrase--'Loony Lovegood.' Serena experienced how well Luna hid her hurt. She saw that every time Luna was teased for being weird, she acted even odder so that she could see it was her behavior that was taunted, not her, not the core of who she really was. It became a vicious circle with Luna reacting to each new tease with even more nonchalant oddness. She concentrated on Luna's future and saw the adult Luna directing a magical acting company. She was respected and loved for her creativity and ingenuity. Serena began connecting the golden threads in Luna's mind until a little bridge was built.

When Serena finally rested, Luna sighed, "That was amazing! Thank you. Your song for me was different than the one you sang for Neville, but it was still green and growing. It was lovely."

Again, Serena didn't remember singing, but was amazed with the way her gifts were revealing themselves to her. Neville and Luna truly acted more confident and happy. Serena just wondered if this would work so well on people who were deeply damaged as it did on those who still functioned normally. She wrote and told Charlie of her breakthrough and the role his song had played in it.