The Difference in Reality [A Harry Potter Fanfiction]

Summer of Year 2: Chapter 1

Willow stared out her bedroom window, Achelous and Iris making a racket on the bed behind her. The wind blew in a cool summer morning breeze, gently rustling the leaves outside and making her curtains flutter as if on a slow-motion camera. She sighed inwardly. It was only the third day away from Hogwarts, and already she was feeling depressed and lost. The events leading up to the last week at Hogwarts didn't help. She kept having nightmares, which was no different than it had been before she went to Hogwarts, but this time, there were more horrors than just her mother waiting for her in dreams. Now there was Voldemort, Professor Quirrel, and the stricken faces of her friends as they were dying at their hands. She had refused to sleep for the past twenty-four hours, fearing the darkness that was awaiting her. It was taking its toll. Maybe if she was tired enough, the dreams would stay away...

"Willow, are you awake yet?" a voice said.

"I'm always awake at this time, Tío Cisco," Willow replied.

"Come on, then. There's no good holing yourself up in your room if the rest of your family is already up," he said.

"What do you- oh, I forgot, you guys all wake up early, too," Willow said. "Sorry, I'm used to my roommates needing to be dragged out of bed just to make it to breakfast. I'll be right out."

Willow quickly got dressed and made it down the stairs, not bothering to run. She was quite exhausted. Her family was working together to make breakfast, and it was only seven in the morning. Willow smiled to herself. She missed being surrounded by early risers. Her uncles were always pestering her dad about getting up late, even though he got up at the regular time of eight on the weekends. Willow's uncles, Cisco and Leonel, had come to visit. They weren't married- despite their dashing looks- and liked it that way. The two acted like twins even though they aren't, staying attached at the hip, finishing each other's sentences, traveling the world together, and even working the same job. They were both older than Carlos and loved to check in on him and Willow from time to time. No matter how much Willow's mother had torn her side of the family apart, the Guerrero side remained intact and would stay very tight with each other forever.

"You better be hungry, Willow, because we made a ton of eggs and bacon," Tío Leonel remarked, sauteing the eggs in a frying pan as he spoke. "And you know how Abeula is, always making sure you eat right. Best not to cross her."

"I'll try to summon an appetite," Willow yawned.

"Geez, sobrina, I thought you were a bundle of energy in the morning," Tío Cisco said. "Either I'm remembering wrong or you've gotten lazy because of Hogwarts."

"I think it's more the fact that she didn't sleep last night, isn't it, Willow?" Abuela asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow at her granddaughter. "Don't lie to me. The circles under your eyes are too obvious, nieta."

"Alright, alright, I promise I'll sleep later," Willow promised. A fresh wave of energy washed over her when she smelled bread being toasted and buttered. "How many pieces of toast am I allowed to have?"

"Is that even a question?" Carlos chuckled.

Willow helped pour everyone milk and set the table. Before long, Iris was chirping in agitation and Achelous was bouncing up and down, both demanding Willow's attention as she downed two pieces of toast in the same minute. Abuelo noticed.

"You have way too much of your father in you. I see that you spoil your pets frequently."

"Oh, just a scrap every now and then," Willow said.

"You're such a liar."

"Okay, maybe every week...or every day?"

"Hey, as long as Iris doesn't refuse to carry your mail anymore, it's all good," Tío Cisco said.