"We really shouldn't b-be here," Dan whispered urgently, but Ravenna did not slow her pace.

The letter in her hand was crumpled and ripped, having taken the first wave of Ravenna's anger. A warm October sun shone down on them, as if to fuel the already hot fire that burned in her chest.

"I disagree. We're exactly where we should be. I can't wait to see how he'll explain this away," said Ravenna. The very thought of Ella's tear-stained face sent rage coursing through her veins like fiendfyre.

The Inn was empty, except for a handful of patrons all sitting alone, either talking to themselves or staring deep into their firewhiskey glass. Alois had taken the same seat as last time, in front of the fireplace. He spread his arms to beckon them closer, the smile on his face not quite reaching his dull grey eyes. Ravenna's anger flared up tenfold at the sight of the pudgy little man. It was all his fault. Him and his stupid, murderous friends.

Ravenna was ready to charge at him. To let her magic run its course and do what it always wanted to do. She was ready to set it loose on him like a hunting dog, trained to kill. A glass nearby snapped, its owner yelping as firewhiskey dripped to the floor. Dan reached out and squeezed her hand, shooting her a warning glance. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

"Welcome!" said Alois as he let his gaze glide from her to her best friend. "It is good to see you back again, Miss Inkwood. And with a friend."

Ravenna gnashed her teeth. She couldn't bring herself to answer his unspoken question. If she opened her mouth now, she wasn't sure which words would come out. Dan nodded at the man in curt greeting, but didn't introduce himself.

"Since last we met, a lot has happened. Change is already set in motion. We are working hard towards a brighter future. One in which we are all equal. We can make this happen, and we will. But only with your help."

This time, he did wait for a response. Something flickered in his dull eyes. The smile had disappeared completely.

"Isn't that why you're here?" he hissed. "To stand with me? To take up your wand and fight for the change we all deserve?" He emphasised the word change, as if to remind her of their common goal.

"That depends," Ravenna exclaimed, gritting her teeth.

Alois' eyes narrowed, and his lips pressed together into a thin line.

"How many more of our families need to die for it?"

"Excuse me?"

Her hands balled to fists beside her as she stepped forward. Dan immediately reached out to grab her wrist. "Your Death Eaters," she spat, "murdered the family of one of our classmates earlier this week. Is that the change you're fighting for? How can you stand here and talk about a brighter future, while our families are slaughtered for your cause?"

The words hung in the thick, alcohol-drenched air. The Inn went silent. Even the drunkards stopped talking to themselves. Alois' hand shot to his pocket, where he undoubtedly kept his wand. She saw this, but barely registered it. Her focus was on his face, as he opened and closed his mouth like a fish, struggling to come up with a response.

"You must realise..." He licked his lips, before continuing slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. "I've always told you, our goal is to make a huge change to the world as we know it. Only drastic measurements can cause the change we're looking for. This is war. In war, there are casualties. I'm sorry for your classmate, truly, but their sacrifice will not be in vain."

He didn't even try to deny it. The last drop of hope she didn't even realise she'd nurtured, evaporated inside her.

"Sacrifice?" Ravenna shouted. "Their sacrifice? They never even knew what they died for. They weren't involved in any of this. That's not a sacrifice, that's plain and simple murder! Your associates —"

"Ravenna..." Dan muttered beside her, tugging on her arm.

"My associates," Alois interrupted sharply, "are doing what they must to change things in this society. You've seen how they treat us like dirt under their boots. They don't even care if your school, the only place that could give you a shot in this world, is crumbling. We need to get rid of them."

Obscenities bubbled up her throat, but she swallowed them. He was manipulating her, distracting her with the reason she'd been interested in the first place. But she wouldn't let him convince her. Not anymore. Not after what he'd done to Ella.

"We need to reinstate a new government to make any real change happen. You know this as well as I do. Overthrowing the Ministry is not an easy task. People getting hurt along the way is regrettable, but it's a necessary evil."

"A necessary evil?" Ravenna scoffed, feeling the bile rise up her throat. "Innocent people lost their lives. My friend lost her entire family! And you're going to stand here and tell me this was necessary?"

"We have been playing the good little lapdog for too long," Alois snarled. "Having weak magic made us too weak to stand up for ourselves. But no more. It is time we fight back and take what we deserve."

Dan clasped her wrist tightly, stopping her from retorting. She breathed heavily, but his touch lifted the haze enough for her to spot the wand that now pricked into her chest. Dan pulled her a step backwards, whispering, "Don't. Please. That's enough."

She took a few deep breaths, before saying, "I don't want anything to do with it. Don't ever contact me again."

Alois' eyes widened, before narrowing even further. "You will do exactly what I say, when I say it, do you hear me?"

"Never," Ravenna hissed. "Find yourself another guard dog. I'm done."

She turned around to leave, her hair swinging over her shoulders, when she heard, "Petrificus Totalus!" All of a sudden, she froze on the spot. It was as if her muscles stopped listening to the commands sent down from her brain. Even her heartbeat slowed.

Dan whirled around beside her, his wand already drawn. His face had gone white. The bartender, in the back of the Inn, watched the scene with a bored expression, but the tight grip on his wand told a different story. Everyone else seemed to be too drunk to notice anything amiss.

Why isn't he helping? The thought had barely shot through her head when the answer followed. It had been only a few weeks since Death Eaters had attacked Dawnwich. This man had seen first-hand what they could do. Perhaps he'd even lost someone. He probably feared for his life.

"You think you can leave, just like that?" Alois growled. His voice had changed now. It wasn't hopeful and enthusiastic anymore. It had gone low and threatening. "The Dark Lord already knows about you. There is no going back, Inkwood."

"Let her g-g-go," said Dan, the wand in his hand trembling.

"You will not have a choice," Alois continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "You will do as the Dark Lord commands, or you will die. It's as simple as that. If the Death Eaters can kill and get away with it, what do you think they'll do to a lowly Morgan le Fay student? The Ministry probably won't even investigate your death."

In the stunned silence that followed his words, Alois stepped around her to look her in the eye. He puffed out his chest and painted a cruel grin on his face. Her stomach turned, as her muscles refused to cooperate. All she could do was glare back at him.

"Soon you and your classmates will get a chance to prove yourselves," said Alois. "A chance to prove that you deserve this new world we're building. Make sure you follow my instructions to the letter."

No, Ravenna screamed in her head. I will never do anything for you!

"And you're going to convince them to do as I say." He chuckled, baring his pointy teeth. "Because if they don't, that beloved school of yours will crumble much quicker than it needs to."

Dan gasped beside her. The school? They'd attack the school? They wouldn't...

"I thought you wanted to make the wizarding world better for Morgan le F—"

Before Dan could finish his sentence, Alois barked, "I don't give a damn about that ruddy school! The Dark Lord has powers you can't even dream of. If I help him, I will receive a sliver of that power in return. I won't be weak any longer. If I have to sacrifice my old school for that, so be it."

Morgan le Fay wasn't just a school. For many of its students it was all they had in their lives. Shunned and rejected, Morgan le Fay was the only thing giving them a second chance in life. A chance to make something of themselves. If Alois and his Death Eater friends destroyed that, they had nothing.

Alois' lips twitched. "There will be a gathering in the centre of Ravengrove on Halloween night. I will arrange a Portkey just outside the Morgan le Fay gates to take you there. It will leave at midnight. Make sure all the students who came to the meeting join us there. And wear masks."

Masks? Alois might as well have spelled it out. If they were to wear masks, if they were to be unrecognisable, this wasn't another informative meeting. This was one of those gatherings that had gotten Ella's family killed. And now they were all expected to join. She thought she was going to be sick. They're going to make us hurt someone.

"I remember all of your friends," said Alois, lowering his wand. "If any of them do not show up, you can say goodbye to your beloved school." With his hands folded behind his back, he turned on his heel and marched away, leaving two terror-stricken teenagers behind.