Sparrow woke to find herself wrapped snugly in the arms of a softly snoring Jocasta.

Not that she minded, necessarily, but there were things to do this dawn that would require the use of her actual wand arm. She was about to attempt to gently extricate herself from Jocasta’s embrace when the girl’s breathing hitched, and her eyes blinked open. Sparrow chuckled. "I was a little worried you wouldn’t let me go," she murmured.

Jocasta grinned, and held Sparrow tighter. "Your fears were correct, my dear."

"Oh!" Sparrow squirmed. "Why, if I could get my wand I would get out of this!"

Suddenly Jill was looming over Jocasta, and bending down over her – Jocasta let out a squawk, and let go of Sparrow. Sparrow rolled out of bed and sprang upright as Jill raised herself from Jocasta, who was holding her ear and glaring at Jill. Jill chuckled evilly. "Two can play at that game, my dear."

Jocasta threw an arm over her forehead. "Alas! My own tricks, played against me!"

"And another one," grumbled Jill, as she rolled over and wrapped her arms around Jocasta, pinning her in a tight embrace. "Two can play at this game too."

"Bravo brave knight!" said Sparrow. "Once again thou hast rescued me! I shall grant thee another plot of land in Australia!"

"Fie upon thee," grumbled Jocasta, somewhat muffled. "I am only vanquished for now!"

Sparrow laughed, as she retrieved her wand from the bedside table. Despite all that had gone on in the past week, there was only mirth in her heart this morn, as she faced the dawn light and recited her incantation.

What she felt as she stood before the unlocked door of the Forbidden Section, however, was only trepidation.

She had begged off the afternoon study time, in order to return to the MSL textbook and take whatever notes she could from it. Iphis had grumbled and growled at yet another interruption in his lesson plan, but that was nothing compared to what the books might do to her if she put a foot wrong.

She felt a warm hand upon her shoulder. She turned to look up into Jill’s warm gaze. Now she was breathing easier. "I’ll be fine, dear. This time I’ll be fine."

"Sure you don’t want at least one other person along?"

"I think it has to be just me," said Sparrow. "I think I have to show the books that I am coming in peace. Not that I’m never not armed, even without a wand, but –" There was a rustling, as of many pages of paper. "But I think they just heard me say that. Alright, nothing for it." She stood on tiptoes to give Jill a quick peck on the lips, and then, bearing little more than the warmth of Jill’s love and some rolls of parchment, she stepped into a domain that was not her own.

As she made her way forward through the darkened stacks, it was not deathly silent, as it had been in her previous forays. The rustling of paper was hushed, but it was all about her as she walked. She dared not speak, dared not stride mighty and proud, nor put a hand on a single bare shelf – for to offend her hosts now, especially after she had admitted her ever-armed status, was to risk losing peaceful access to this place, just after she’d earned it.

Out of the shadows approached a pair of books, on spindly insectoid legs made of paper. Sparrow immediately bowed low. She thought she could hear a faint harumph from them. They turned and skittered back towards the shadows – but then they halted, and turned back, as if expecting Sparrow to follow.

So Sparrow followed, down what was now a familiar path, a path Sparrow could have followed even in the darkness – she could have strode straight to the MSL textbook with her eyes closed. But there was a formality to this escort. There were boundaries being set, and boundaries being followed. The books did not attack her; nor did they let her stray, or even fall behind – Sparrow thought she was following at a sedate and respectful pace, but then she felt something bump her ankles, and she looked behind to see five books bringing up her rear, nudging her forward. Evidently the last thing they wanted her to do was linger. Fair enough.

And here was the MSL textbook – laying open. Waiting?

Sparrow cautiously approached, and lay her scrolls of parchment next to the open pages. She flipped through it to near the beginning of the book, where the more basic signs and simpler spells were. Shaking her wand out of her sleeve – causing the other books to shrink back and growl, before she hastily explained herself – she pointed her wand at the pages, and performed a simple copying spell, before pointing her wand at the parchment. The identical text and images appeared on the roll.

In this manner Sparrow retrieved enough for a single evening’s lesson. It might have been better to have this in hand the day before, so as to coordinate a plan with Inigo, but better late than never. She rolled up all her parchment together and stuck it in her pocket –

And then paused, turning back to the book, wondering. She turned to the books on spindly legs surrounding her. "May I peruse the back of this text?"

The books tilted their bodies, as a dog tilting its head in puzzlement. Or, perhaps, as someone raising an eyebrow.

Sparrow turned back to the MSL textbook. "Excuse me, may I look in your index?"

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the pages fanned in a blur, until Sparrow was looking down at the index. Yes, here were the pages detailing all the signs, and so many of them were signs for spells, spells beyond what Sparrow had ever been taught. Spells for calling the weather, spells for complicated human transfiguration, spells for minute effects on specific human organs.

There was so much to the world of magic beyond the limited curriculum that Sparrow and her fellow Wizards were ever taught. Maybe it was just that the magical community of Wizarding Britain had only figured out one sort of magic that was both safe to teach and replicable. If Sparrow was being less charitable, perhaps keeping all Wizarding children to a single curriculum left them limited and predictable. Or it might simply have been that other forms hadn’t the cultural weight of the mainstream one, because of Hogwarts hogging the spotlight for a thousand years and change.

Certainly, if the other forms were Forbidden, Sparrow was going to catch it as soon as the Ministry got wind of the matter –

The ministry should have got wind of Sparrow’s ambitions by now and chucked a few lightning bolts her way. It had only been a week and a half since everyone was taking her seriously, but still. Nothing? What was taking them?

There was a snarling sound, and Sparrow jumped, coming back to her senses. "Sorry sorry." She bowed to the book. "My apologies for taking too much of your time. If I am permitted, I will be back next week." She rose, turned on her heel, and strode smartly back the way she had come, being escorted only from the rear this time.

Back in brighter lighting and friendlier air, Sparrow was greeted with a warm smile from Jill. "You took a while, did you have much to copy?"

"Just thinkin’ about stuff," mumbled Sparrow.

"Like?"

"Like I feel like I’m not being taken seriously," said Sparrow. "Like the Ministry clearly still thinks I’m a dope, because they haven’t even sent anyone to yell at me yet. It’s insulting."

"You want their eyes on you?"

"Well someone has their eyes on us!" said Sparrow. "Someone sent those stupid Howlers, someone went after Hogsmeade, someone’s trying to cut us off...but when is anyone going to make their move? It feels like the entire world is waiting with bated breath here!"

Jill took Sparrow by the hand, and started forward back the way they came. After half a minute of silence, she let out a long breath. "I didn’t want to hear myself saying this, but you could...ask Professor Clearwater."

Sparrow squeezed Jill’s hand. "Thank you, dear. I know how much it took for you to say that."

"Someday soon you’ll know exactly how much," said Jill.

There was enough time left for Sparrow to get in on at least a little of the metal-manipulation spell practice, so Iphis was ultimately not as annoyed with her as he could have been. Jocasta was pleased to see how quickly Sparrow picked up on it when it was demonstrated. "Absolutely marvelous!" She clapped her hands. "And to think at this time last year you could only turn a clothespin into an explosion!"

"I have competent teachers now," said Sparrow.

"Teachers you pay attention to," said Jocasta.

"Teachers I can hardly stop paying attention to." Sparrow kissed Jocasta on the cheek.

Jocasta chuckled low, and put an arm around Sparrow’s waist, drawing her close. "For good reason."

"Okay," said Jill, amidst the muffled giggling of Wren and the sighing of Miranda, "If Sparrow and I are absolute saps, Sparrow and you are absolute horndogs."

"For good reason," giggled Sparrow. Then she let out a long sigh, and pushed herself away from Jocasta, who pouted. "Oh no," said Sparrow, "My sweet, do not cry! I must away, in time for all my tasks tonight." She lifted Jocasta’s hand and kissed it. "And I will be seeing you later anyway." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Oh my God," said Iphis, "get a room!"

"Taken care of!" said Sparrow as she flounced away. "This castle is so good to me!"

...

As Sparrow attempted to make her way to where she thought the Divination classroom was this evening, she considered that she might have spoken too soon, for the path was offering far more twists and turns than she expected. It was almost as if the castle didn’t actually want her going that way. Which she wouldn’t have put it past the place – but why would it care?

"You are meant to be elsewhere," said a voice behind Sparrow, and she jumped. She whirled around. There was a familiar woman with long sleeves and long black hair, staring down at her.

Sparrow crossed her arms. "I thought you were locked in a Divination Battle?"

"And you were going to bother me during it?" said Clearwater. "Let us say, fate has granted me the occasional moment of respite. During which I would prefer to be taking care of my personal business, so if you wish to speak to me, make it snappy."

"Why hasn’t the Ministry done anything open about me?" said Sparrow. "Why haven’t they sent any officials? Why haven’t I been arrested or expelled or – or anything direct, instead of this indirect-containment stuff? Can you, you know, do a little divination to answer any of those questions?"

Clearwater harrumphed. "I did tell you I was locked in a Divination Battle, didn’t I? My skills are a little busy at the moment. But. There is one among you who can answer your questions, the way you are asking me."

"Yes?"

"And you are not going to like the answer."

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes."

"You are not telling Jill to –"

"Indeed I am not!" said Clearwater, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "You are, my dear. You will ask Jill to read the future, in the flames. Do you honestly think you can resist? When you are so worried about the safety of those around you? When you have so many questions?"

"This feels really creepy," said Sparrow. "Like my fate is written ahead of time. I thought you weren’t going to choose the future for me."

Professor Clearwater laughed. "You think I need a crystal ball for that? I know you, girl. I’ve been watching you long enough. I know what matters most to you."

"Ugh!" Sparrow turned away. "Alright, if you want to keep the conversation short by driving me away then it’s working! Goodbye!" She marched down the corridor, putting distance between her and Clearwater as swiftly as she could.

Sparrow did not return to her crew, despite having well enough time for it. Jill was there, and if she were to face Jill, she would invariably wind up asking her The Dreaded Question. So she sat on the floor of a disused classroom, staring up at the sunlight and pondering her options. She could...head down to the tunnels below the dungeons and shut herself up there. Ah, but then she would find herself beset by whatever entity had taunted Jill and Wren. She could...try to beg Blaise to let her stay in the Dragon Tower. But then the dragons might decide she was a snack. She could...run away to Hogsmeade and try to ask Ivy if she could stay in the big beech tree forever.

But all three of these plans had a fatal flaw: they would separate her from Jill. Already she was more than an arm’s length away, and keeping herself there. One of these days she had to actually uphold her promise.

††††† SPARROW. WHERE DID YOU GO? WE’RE ALL MISSING YOU. †††††

Oh, yes, and that was the other fatal flaw: she couldn’t actually be stopped from communicating with the girl, even by her own efforts. The only thing that could keep her from asking The Dreaded Question was her own restraint.

⋄⋄I’M SORRY, DEAR, I – I’LL MEET YOU AT DINNER, ALRIGHT? I’VE GOT STUFF TO PONDER. ⋄⋄

††††† I TAKE IT THINGS WENT BAD WITH CLEARWATER. WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED. †††††

⋄⋄PERHAPS IT IS FATE.⋄⋄

There were no more words from the girl, even as the sun began to go down.

Shadows in the room were longer, when Sparrow heard a small thump of air, and Jocasta strode out into the waning sunlight from behind a pillar. Sparrow laughed. "Drama queen."

"Honey," said Jocasta, kneeling before Sparrow. "You’re one to talk."

"You’ve got me there," said Sparrow.

"I’ve got you here," said Jocasta. "What’s gotten into you? You were so chipper just hours earlier."

Sparrow relayed all that happened with Professor Clearwater.

Jocasta let out a long sigh. "Sparrow. This isn’t something you should be avoiding."

"What!"

"Clearwater is right." Jocasta put a hand on Sparrow’s shoulder. "Your character is vital to you. Your integrity is vital. Your oath, little bird, is so much of you. If you have even the slightest chance to know anything that will improve the preparedness and safety of the people about you, you won’t avoid seeking it."

"But I can’t just ask Jill to –"

"She loves you," said Jocasta. "You think she’d cast you out of her good graces for asking a difficult question? It’s a request she can refuse. Come on. Do you not have any confidence in your bond? And you have always said that you could withstand her rage! You did it just two days ago! What daunts you now?"

"I don’t want to hurt her." Sparrow clenched her fist. "There is little enough that could physically hurt her, but – I could. Of all people in this world, I could. If I ask her what I want to ask. What I will ask. I can’t avoid it any more than I can avoid me. And yet – at the same time I swore none would come to harm. I can’t ask Jill and I can’t avoid it and the only thing I know how to do now is sit here alone and delay."

Jocasta looked uncertain herself. "I...yeah, that’s one hell of a dilemma. I mean I could ask her for you, but then you would know, so that would violate your oath anyway...all I can think is that, because she loves you, the request won’t hit her as hard coming from you."

"Maybe."

"And I can hold your hand, if that’s what it takes."

"I think what I have to do is a lot of groveling," said Sparrow.

"Yes," said Jocasta, "I think you will."

"I had kind of hoped you would tell me I didn’t."

Jocasta’s eyes flashed green. "I know her well enough." She took Sparrow by the hand, and rose with her. "Come on, then. Let’s be Gryffindors for a day, and move forward despite our fear."

And so the two of them departed that empty place.

 

At the dinner table, Sparrow, despite her damp spirits, could not bring herself to refuse communication with her friends. But she could stick to sign language, as the easiest form of speech in her state, as it was less connected to her emotions. She could even claim the excuse that she needed to get herself ready for sign-language class that evening.

At which she felt even more morose, not having any of her dear crew with her, so that her grim demeanor made the movements of her hands sluggish enough that Inigo wound up asking her what was going wrong once the class was over.

"I just have to go and offend someone I care a lot about," signed Sparrow, making small movements with her hands.

"You have to go and offend your girlfriend," signed Inigo. "I could wish you good luck, but what I will actually wish you is a solid shield spell."

"I may need it," signed Sparrow.

Sparrow could cast her shield spell in any number of ways. But she could not cast it around her emotions. So instead, in the Hufflepuff common room late that evening, Sparrow cast herself on the mercy of Jill, kneeling on the carpet before her, bowing so low as to scrape the fabric with her forehead, her arms splayed out in front of her.

She had not actually said anything to Jill yet, but she hoped that the gesture would be a proper start, and that the mighty Jill, sitting in a high-backed chair, would be placated by this obeisance –

Sparrow heard a shuffling and a thump, and raised her head to see Jill’s face not a foot from hers, resting on her folded arms as she splayed out supine, eyes fixed on Sparrow’s.

Sparrow coughed. "Uh. Aren’t you supposed to be sitting on your throne here?"

"I loom over you all the time," said Jill. "I should have thought you would appreciate me being on your level for once."

"But I’m trying to grovel!"

"So you’re grabbing the gravel," said Jill. "Why?"

"Um…"

"And does this have anything to do with Clearwater?"

"Uh…"

Jill sighed, and rose to sit cross-legged before Sparrow. "Little bird. What did she tell you?"

Sparrow pushed herself up to sit, and told Jill the details of the meeting. Then she shut her eyes, hoping Jill would laugh and refuse, fearing that she would go off bang, even if not directly at Sparrow. Or worse, much worse, would be for Jill to feel miserable.

Jill let out a long sigh, and slumped. This was it then, the nightmare scenario. Sparrow scooted closer to Jill and put a hand on her knee. "I’m not going to actually ask you to do this."

Jill’s eyes flew wide. "But if it helps –"

"It’s clearly affecting you even before you do it," said Sparrow. "I’ll find another way to divine, I’ll ask someone else – anything but forcing you to re-live your worst years. You look like you’re doing that every night in your nightmare dreamscape anyway."

Jill turned toward the hearth fire, narrowing her eyes at it. The flames briefly rose higher. "You were not wrong to worry about my response," she murmured. "I wonder if you were even wrong to worry as much as you have, given all I have been through, and all I have put you through, even recently. But…" She turned back to Sparrow. "I would be of more help to you than merely your sword, if I can at last master myself. If I can at last believe what you told me, that you would not scorn me for what you see in my dreams." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, then letting it out slowly. Her eyes snapped open. "So it is time, this night, to let you into the center of my nightmare. To let you see what happened, years ago. To finally open that door."

"You would do that for me?"

"Of course." Jill smiled. "Anything for my future wife."

There was a small thump, and Jocasta appeared out of thin air, kneeling to drape her arm over Jill’s shoulder and grinning. "Our future wife."

Sparrow giggled. "I feel so greedy to have two!"

The three of them remained there before the fire, two of them tucked under Jill’s arms, for another long hour, until at last Sextus barked at them from the balcony to get to bed already.

And then they were laying themselves down to sleep, and Jill was taking a deep breath. "Alright then, she murmured, "it is time."

"Ready when you are," mumbled Sparrow, and she fell fast asleep.

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