"We are ready, my Lord."

Ravenna hadn't heard them arrive. She jumped at the voice to find a man in a silver and black skeleton-like mask. Behind him, three more men spread out around the perimeter of the mansion.

No – two men and a boy.

Willem!

"Yes, I had him brought along," the Dark Lord drawled, as the Death Eater stepped away.

"Does he know what we're doing here?" Ravenna's voice cracked as fear took over. This was it. This was where she had to free him. But with three Death Eaters and the darkest wizard in a century surrounding her, what hope did she have of getting him out of here?

She didn't even know if he'd cooperate.

"It doesn't matter. He's only here to make sure you do as I say. These men will have no problem killing the boy on my command, you know."

She gulped. He only gave her two choices: kill the Minister for Magic, Ezra's dad, or let Willem be killed. How was she supposed to make that decision?

"I won't do it," she whispered again. "I'm not killing for you."

"Then you leave me no choice. Wilkes!" He raised his hand and waved over one of the Death Eaters. The man, Wilkes, grabbed Willem by the arm, making him squeal in pain, and pulled him over towards his Lord.

"Oh, hey!" said Willem, his face lighting up. "I knew you'd come!"

"Willem, you've got to go." Her eyes shot from him, to Wilkes, to the Dark Lord and back. How was she going to get him out of here?

"Go?" Willem laughed. "Are you mad? We're making history today. With Harold Minchum out of the way, we can finally change things in the wizarding world. There's no way I'm missing this."

"Out of the way?" Ravenna repeated. "You do realise you're talking about killing Ezra's father?"

Willem's face fell. "Ezra's... What are you talking about?"

"Enough," said the Dark Lord with such command that both the Death Eater and Willem immediately bowed their heads. "I tire of this. You will do what you're told, and you will do it now. Do you understand?"

Ravenna's heart drummed against her chest. She turned around and stood in front of Willem, pushing him backwards. She opened her mouth to decline again, but the words wouldn't come out. Instead, she just shook her head, fishing her wand out of her pocket.

"You would dare to oppose me?" the Dark Lord hissed. "You'll pay for that."

Beside her, Wilkes drew his wand. She pushed Willem further back and positioned herself so that he couldn't hit Willem.

"Ravenna, what are you doing?" Willem squeaked behind her.

"Keeping you safe."

"I am safe! I'm part of them now, remember?"

"They accepted you to get to me, Willem!" she exclaimed. "They'll kill you if I don't do what they say!"

Willem flinched. "That's not true!" He stepped away from her, but the Death Eater's wand followed him, so Ravenna quickly jumped in front of him again. She raised her wand.

"Enough of this!" the Dark Lord spat. "I'll teach you to defy me. Wilkes!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Her lungs froze. Ravenna pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. This is it. It'll be over soon.

A second ticked by, yet her heart stubbornly kept beating. She was just about to open her eyes, when a thud sounded behind her. Confused, she looked up. The Dark Lord had turned and made his way toward the mansion. She turned around.

Willem.

Ravenna gasped for air.

No.

No, no, no...

She sunk to her knees, shaking him. He stared up at her, but his eyes were empty. As empty as the werewolf's had been. As empty as her mother's. "Willem?"

"Our Lord is benevolent," said Wilkes, "but only if you obey him. Now, do as he says, or I will do the same to you."

The words reached her ears, but barely registered. "Willem!"

This couldn't be happening. She'd come all this way to save him. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be. He couldn't be!

"Fine, I'll deal with you later. Incar—"

"Protego!"

No!

Ravenna opened her eyes just in time to see the red light cut into a blinding, pure-white shield. "Dan!"

The shield broke and Dan stumbled back from the power of the Death Eater's spell. Wilkes jumped back and aimed his wand at her friend.

"Dan! It's Willem, we need... We need to..."

He shot a glance over his shoulder. His eyes were wide with fear. "I was too late. I'm sorry, Ravenna, I was too late."

Before she could respond, Wilkes let out a dark chuckle. "You shouldn't have come. Now I'll have to kill you as well."

In a reflex, Ravenna shot to her feet and reached out to take Dan's hand. "He killed Willem."

"Yes," said Dan. "Let's make him p-p-pay for that."

The Death Eater laughed. "Pathetic. Let's see what you've learned at that idiot school. Imperio!"

Without thinking, Ravenna pushed Dan away, out of the curse's path, screaming, "Protego!"

A strange sense of serenity enveloped her, like being wrapped in the arms of a giant stuffed bear. Her head felt warm and fuzzy, her limbs heavy, as if she was lying in bed on a Sunday morning and hadn't quite woken up yet.

Idiot girl, said a voice in her head. Protego doesn't work against the Unforgivable Curses. Well... Let's see what we can do with you, yes?

Ravenna! came another voice. This one was different. It carried much more emotion. Ravenna! There was something about it, too, something familiar. It tugged at the memories buried deep inside her head, although she couldn't quite place it. You can fight it, Ravenna! I know you can hear me!

Well, of course I can hear you, she thought, puzzled. You're right there in my head.

Let's make this easy, shall we? the first voice continued. You see that boy next to you?

Ravenna blinked, glancing around. The voice was right; there was a boy standing right next to her. His eyes were as blue as the ocean. All of a sudden she wanted nothing more than to swim. To float and bob on the waves of the sea.

Do you see the boy?

She nodded. Of course I see him. He's right there.

Good. He wants to kill you. Kill him first.

Ravenna frowned. He wants to kill me? I won't let him!

She raised her hand, wand at the ready, and watched him do the same.

Ravenna, no! The second voice again. You can fight this! Please, Ravenna, it's me!

For a short moment, the haze seemed to lift, showing a snippet of the truth that lay beyond. That voice... Those eyes... She knew them. Didn't she?

Kill him. Like a cloud, the haze rolled back into her head. She didn't know the boy. But if he wanted to kill her, she'd sure as hell fight back.

The spell that came to her, Sectumilia, was one she didn't remember learning. "Sectum..."

Ravenna, NO!

"Sectum..."

What did this spell do? Would it even protect her?

Do it.

It would protect her. All of a sudden, every fibre of her being told her that. It would protect her. All she needed to do was cast it.

"Sectumil—"

Without warning, the haze lifted. The sudden clarity overwhelmed her and she gasped for air, sinking to her knees. What was I...? She looked up at the boy she'd almost cursed, only to find the most beautiful blue eyes she'd even seen staring back at her in horror. His face had gone white like a ghost.

Dan.

Her stomach turned.

I almost cursed Dan.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"I know." He took her arm and helped her to her feet. "It's fine. You're okay. We need to go."

Her legs felt like pudding as he made her walk forward. When she finally took her eyes off Dan to look ahead, it all came rushing back to her. Willem, lying on the ground behind them. But also the Death Eaters. The Dark Lord. They were still under attack.

Except they weren't. One of the other Death Eaters lay unmoving on the ground. The other one had come closer, and at this distance she recognised him. It was Alois. He and Wilkes had their backs to her and Dan, fighting off Ezra.

"Oh no, Dan, what have you done?"

"He chose to come and help you. In fact, I wouldn't have been able to get here without him. We need to run. Are you ready?"

"Run? But what about Willem?"

"Later. We'll come back for him. Right now, we have to go, Little Raven, come on!"

The nickname sparked the last bit of energy she had left inside her. She nodded, raising her wand at the man. "Okay."

Just as Alois' spell hit Ezra square in the face, Dan and Ravenna screamed, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Wilkes' arms shot to his sides and he keeled over, but Dan's spell did not have the same effect. Alois only stumbled.

"Run!" Ezra shouted, one hand wrapped around his nose.

Dan grabbed her hand and took off. They rushed past the two men, as Ezra shot another spell over her shoulder. Alois yelped behind her.

"Go, go, go!" Ezra called. They shot after him as he tried to stem his horrible nosebleed with his sleeve.

With one more look over her shoulder to Willem, Ravenna fled down to the village, clutching Dan's hand as if her life depended on it.