It was Tuesday, less than a week after the knarl lesson, and it was freezing. So much so that Professor Fauns hadn't been able to get the knarls out of their holes. He'd spent all lesson trying to coax one out in the open, so he could show the class how to feed them properly.

The lesson had just ended when one of the knarls shot out of its hole and rampaged the vegetable patch Fauns had built to feed the animals. Two minutes filled with screaming and shouting later, the patch was ruined, vegetables sprawled out everywhere. And the knarl had fled right back into its hole.

Fauns had dismissed the class, but Ravenna stayed behind to help him clean things up. Dan had decided to help as well. They'd worked quietly, until Fauns had sent them off to dinner.

As they neared the school, Headmistress Slughorn came rushing out.

"I wonder what's got her in such a hurry," Ravenna muttered.

Dan hummed in agreement. "We should ask the others if they've heard anything."

Ravenna's eyebrows knitted together. "Why would they have heard anything?"

Putting his hands up, Dan said, "Look, I don't know, but Ella always seems to know things she isn't supposed to know. Remember when Professor Trindine didn't show up for class all of a sudden because her sister was in the hospital? I still don't know how Ella knew about that."

Ravenna laughed, curious eyes still on the nearing headmistress.

"Miss Inkwood!"

Her stomach dropped as the headmistress's worried eyes landed on her. "Yes?"

That look on Professor Slughorn's face was dreadful. Ravenna just knew something was awfully, terribly wrong. But what could it possibly be? Dan was right next to her, and it didn't look like the school had been attacked.

Was it Alois? Had they found out what she'd done?

"Please, follow me."

Professor Slughorn's voice was all wrong, as well. Too soft. Too... apologetic.

With a helpless glance at her best friend, she followed the professor into the school. Never before had the walk up to the headmistress's office felt so long. Her legs had become pudding by the time Slughorn closed the door behind her, so she quickly sunk into the large leather chair in front of the headmistress's desk.

Professor Slughorn sat down in her own chair ever so slowly, folding her hands in front of her. "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you."

Yes, Ravenna couldn't help but think. I got that. Would you please just tell me what happened? "Okay. What is it, Professor?"

Slughorn lay her hands, with fingers still intertwined, flat on the desk. Her grey eyes pierced straight into Ravenna's soul, as if she could read her mind. "I've just received an owl from St Mungo's. Your father is in the hospital."

"What?" Her jaw dropped. She'd expected something to do with the school, something to do with the Death Eaters perhaps. But not her dad. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"Yes, he's survived and he's stable, but it was a close call. He's resting now."

Only now aware that she'd leaped to her feet, Ravenna sat back in her chair. Her heart pounded. She rubbed a hand over her face in an attempt to regain her bearings, only to notice how much she was shaking. "What happened to him?"

"He was attacked. That's all they were willing to tell me, unfortunately."

Attacked? Who on earth would want to hurt her dad so bad that he ended up in the hospital?

And worse yet, was this her fault?

Though it was subtle, she noticed Professor Slughorn's eyes shoot back and forth between Ravenna and the lamp, heavy stone bookends, and several silver items she didn't recognise, which were floating in the air around her. She took a deep breath, willing the magic to calm down. Much like an defiant pet or a wild hippogriff, it refused to listen. She rubbed her hands over her face. "But... But he's okay now, right?"

"He is recovering. Would you like to go and see him, Miss Inkwood?"

Did she? She wanted desperately to make sure her dad was okay. Ever since her mum passed away, he was the only family she had. And sure, he wasn't the best dad, as Dan pointed out plenty often, but when it was her against the world, he was still one of very few people who stood by her side.

Probably.

And yet, there was one problem. "You're sure he'll be alright, aren't you?"

"That's what the healers told me," she confirmed.

"Then I don't need to go. Thank you."

The headmistress' eyebrows raised. "Are you sure? You're welcome to bring your friend, Mr Mulberry."

Shaking her head, she repeated, "No, thanks, Professor. I don't think my dad would want me there."

This is all your fault.

Ravenna spent all night in her bedroom, trying to push the voice in her head away.

You don't know that.

She wrapped her arms around her head, as the blood pounded in her ears.

It's obvious, is it not? You defied Death Eaters and now your dad is paying for it.

She gasped. The magic roared.

I don't know if it was them!

You put your father in the hospital, just like you killed your mother all those years ago.

"No!"

Ravenna jumped to her feet. Only now did she notice the shaking of her wardrobe and her desk against the walls, as if there was an earthquake. The photo of herself and Dan toppled, shattering on top of the trembling wardrobe. "No," she groaned. She turned on her heel and rushed out of the room, through the dormitory hallway and out of the building. She didn't stop running until she reached the clearing in the forest.

The magic raged uncontrollably. Leaves rustled, branches knocked against each other. Birds fled, squawking in outrage.

"Stop," she begged it, as she sank to her knees. "Please, stop."

But it raged on, like a giant octopus slamming its arms in all directions. It grabbed hold of everything it could find and ripped it apart. It tore bushes, even trees from the earth, root and all, sending them whirling around high above her head.

"No..."

It had been a very long time since she'd lost control so badly. The last time it had happened, she'd lost everything. She'd never been the same. She couldn't let that happen again. Never again. She'd promised her dad.

It's all your fault, the voice in her head continued. You killed your own mother and you've learned nothing from it.

That was an accident! It wasn't my fault, I couldn't stop it.

You'll never learn. You'll always be this pathetic.

"No, no, go away."

"That's not a very nice greeting."

She jumped and whirled around. "Dan!"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Hey. What happened, Ravenna?"

"No. No, you can't be here."

He grimaced. "I know. You're dangerous, and all that. Come on, Ravenna, I've never left you before, and I'm not about to start now."

Raw panic overwhelmed her. She stumbled backwards. "Dammit, Dan!" she screamed, her voice breaking. "Can't you see what's happening? I cannot control this, you know that! I mean, look at me." She gestured towards the scar below her eye. "This is what I cause. Would you please just listen to me for once and go? Have you already forgotten what I did to you last time?"

He studied her for a moment, then glanced up at the raging storm above their heads. "I can't just leave you like this. I won't."

"Please," she cried. "I'm begging you. Go, before I hurt you. I can't lose you. Please."

Dan didn't hesitate for a second. But rather than moving away, he stepped forward, ignoring the surging storm pulling at him like a whirlwind. His arm in front of him to shield his face, he had to fight his way through to reach her. When he did, he put his arms around her and pulled her close against him.

Broken and exhausted, she sunk back down to her knees and burst into tears. Dan sat down cross-legged and rubbed soothing circles over her back as she sobbed against his chest. Even with her eyes closed she felt it rage on around them, as if they were trapped in the centre of a cyclone.

When she finally calmed down a little, he whispered, "Since you're stuck with me, will you tell me what happened?"

"It's my dad." She sniffed, eyeing the crackling magic around them. She had no idea what it would do. But if it came to it, she'd protect him with her life. It'd be the one good thing she'd ever done. She wouldn't let it hurt him ever again. "He's in the hospital. He was attacked."

Dan tensed beside her. "Merlin. I'm sorry. Is he okay?"

She nodded. "Stable. But it was close, apparently."

"That's awful. Do they know why someone attacked him? Or who it was?"

Her lip quivered and she pressed her eyes shut. She wanted to tell him about the thoughts that had been pestering her so much they sent her spiralling into this whirlwind of magic. She wanted to, but something was stopping her. Hadn't he found a better friend in Ella when the whole Death Eater thing had come too close? What would he do if he knew they'd attacked her dad because of her? "No. They haven't said anything about that yet."

Dan was silent for a moment, his hand drawing circles on her back. "But he's stable, right? So he'll be okay."

"Right," Ravenna muttered. "Yes, he will be."

The magic roared as if to disprove her words. She flinched, squeezing her eyes shut and focusing all her strength on keeping the power at bay. She couldn't let it get to Dan. She had to protect him.

"He'll be alright, Little Raven. The healers know what they're doing."

A nearby tree groaned under the pressure of her magic, as she listened to her best friend's heart beat against her ear. Why was he being so nice to her all of a sudden? They had barely talked to each other all week...

"Can I ask you something?" she muttered, half-hoping he hadn't heard her.

"Of course."

"Are you..." She bit her lip. Was she really going to ask this? What if she was wrong, and there was nothing going on? He'd think she was jealous. Then again, if she did nothing, she would slowly be losing him. It wasn't worth the risk. She took a deep breath and asked, "Why are you spending so much time with Ella lately?"

His hand froze on her back. It made her heart skip a beat. So there is something going on between them then.

Furious, her power snapped a branch right above their heads. She pulled her legs in just in time, as the heavy branch crashed to the ground exactly where her legs had been. Her heart squeezed in her throat as she closed her eyes and told herself to relax. Calm it down. Control it.

"It's erm..." He coughed, then cleared his throat. "It's because I d...d..."

She sat up to look at him. Dan's face had gone beet-red and he refused to look at her. Her heart clenched. Do I really want to hear him say it?

"Please don't be angry," he muttered eventually.

"I'm not," she said, crossing her legs and picking at her fingernails. "I get it."

"You don't," said Dan. "I d-d-did something awful."

Confusion made her look up again. What on earth was he talking about? Halloween? Was it still bothering him so much that he couldn't even stand to be around her? "I know," she said. "We both went to that gathering. We should've stayed at school. I'm sorry I convinced you to go."

But Dan still wouldn't look at her. "That's not what I mean," he whispered.

She leaned her head to the side, frowning. "Then what?"

"I tried to stop you from going to Ravengrove that night."

A twig snapped. Pure confusion reduced the strength of the cyclone that was her magic. It felt more like a harsh wind now, rustling the leaves above their heads.

"You must understand, I just wanted you to be safe. I needed you to be safe, Little Raven. But you're so... So stubborn. You wouldn't listen to me. I couldn't talk you out of going. So I had to... I had to..."

Her jaw had dropped. "Dan... What are you saying?"

He sighed, his shoulders sagging so much they almost touched the ground. "Do you remember how t-tired you were feeling that night?"

As he said it, the exhaustion of that evening came back to her. It had been weird. Sure, she hadn't slept much the night before, but the adrenaline should have been plenty to keep her more energised than ten cups of coffee. But it hadn't. And afterwards, she'd slept the day away. "Yes, I remember. What about it?"

"I... I may have..." Dan swallowed again, staring at his intertwined fingers. "I gave you Drowsiness Draught. I'd hoped it would stop you from going. But even then you were too stubborn." He chuckled joylessly.

"You gave me... You slipped me a potion?"

He flinched, finally looking up at her. Fear and guilt lit up his ocean-blue eyes. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm really sorry, Little Raven."

"Don't call me that!" The words had slipped out before she could stop them. The magic roared around her. "You actually slipped me a potion? How... How could you?"

"I didn't know how else to stop you. We both knew how dangerous that gathering would be, and I didn't know how to protect you there. I had to do something!"

"No, you didn't!" Ravenna scoffed in disgust. "This was my choice, Dan, not yours! You do not have the right to make these decisions for me, do you understand?"

He cowered even more, his head almost disappearing between his shoulders. "I do. I went too far. I'm sorry."

Anger strengthened the magic again, and the magic in turn heightened her anger. She clutched her head with her hands, trying to push it down. Control it. Control it. Her dad's mantra resounded in her head, as the trees groaned under the weight of her power. A branch snapped.

"You should go," she said.

"Ravenna..."

"I said go."

She didn't look up as he finally listened and trudged out of the forest.