"You can still go back."

The smell of wet grass hung in the air as Ravenna and Dan left Morgan le Fay grounds on Saturday. The grass squished under her feet. Her best friend hadn't said a word since they'd exited the school building, a permanent frown on his face.

"And leave you to c...c..." He sighed, starting again. "And let you do this alone? I don't think so."

"It's just a chat, Dan. I'll be fine, I promise."

He grumbled something unintelligible, so she decided to let it go. Sometimes he could be as stubborn as she was.

Dawnwich was quiet when they arrived. As if the town was still waking up. A few early-afternoon shoppers were all they came across on their way to the Fae's Foot Inn.

Dawnwich was a sleepy town. Muggles and wizards mingled here. They were neighbours, they went to the same shops, the same restaurants.

But not the same pubs.

The Fae's Foot Inn was untraceable for muggles. They walked right past the door and into the next pub over. The Fae's Foot, therefore, was the only place of magic in Dawnwich.

Dan stopped by the bookstore a few buildings further down the street. The sign of the pub, which showed a two-toed foot and a pair of wings, swung gently in the wind, its hinges creaking. "I'll wait here. In about ten minutes, I'll follow you in and keep an eye out. Remember, if you -"

"Get in trouble, I'll pretend to suddenly notice you, I know. I'll be fine, Dan."

"Right," he said gruffly. "Just be c-careful."

"It's only a chat. Stop worrying so much." She smiled, nudging his arm, before leaving him alone by the bookstore window.

Warm air blew into her face as she entered the Fae's Foot Inn. She zipped down her winter coat and glanced around the pub. She recognised him immediately. He sat at a table alone, swirling his butterbeer in his glass and staring into the nearby fireplace. He was a plump man, certainly not taller than Ravenna herself.

"Excuse me... Alois Mallow?"

His lips pulled into a grin as he looked her up and down. "Miss Inkwood, I'm chuffed you came. Please, sit down. Can I get you a drink? Butterbeer?"

"Oh, er... Yeah, that's fine."

She waited awkwardly as he swigged down the last of his own drink and went to get two more at the bar. Her boots stuck to the grimy floor when she crossed her legs. The smell of cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air.

Butterbeer sloshed over the rim of the glass as he set it down in front of her. "You know, I am a lot like you. Not half as powerful as you, but we have a lot in common. I can tell by the look of you."

Ravenna doubted that, as she peered over her butterbeer at the pudgy little man with his dim grey eyes and pale skin that made him look as though he barely ever got out of the house. She took a sip to avoid snorting, and said, "How so?"

"I'm your future. And the future, I'm sorry to say, isn't bright. But you can change that. That's why we're here."

Ravenna hunched in her seat. "Yeah, well at least you could graduate."

Surprise flashed in the man's grey eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't heard? What the Ministry did?" When the confusion on his face didn't clear, she straightened her back. "A Ministry official came by the other week to assess the level of teaching at Morgan le Fay. The prick never even gave us a chance. He took away not just our funding, but also the exams. He won't send another official to conduct the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s later in the year!"

The anger rose back up immediately at the thought of Dankworth. An hour or two at Morgan le Fay, and he'd ruined the lives of everyone there.

"He did what?" Alois' jaw dropped. "Merlin's sake. See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. They treat us like scum. Aren't you sick and tired of it? Don't you just want to do something about it?"

"Of course I do!" Ravenna blurted out.

"The wizarding world is prejudiced. They see us as muggles. Squibs. Like we don't have any magic at all. Is that the life you'll settle for?"

"No!"

"Then join me," said Alois, his grey eyes shining like two silver sickles. "Help me make a difference."

Ravenna barely registered the door opening, except for a wave of cold air hitting her back. "How?" she asked as her companion took a swig from his beer. "What can we possibly do?"

"The Ministry is the problem," said Alois, pricking his finger into the table. "You've said it yourself. They're the prejudiced ones. They're the ones who won't even let you graduate."

Ravenna found herself nodding along with him. The Ministry had done all of this to them. They kept favouring Hogwarts over Morgan le Fay, giving the former more and more funding while her school building literally crumbled.

"Which means the real change must happen at the Ministry." He leaned forward across the table. She could smell the creamy butterbeer on his breath. "The Ministry must fall."

Her eyes widened. "F-Fall?"

Alois nodded gravely. "The regime that leads us now is unfit. They're making a total cock-up of it all. It must fall, so that a better one can rise in its place. One that will give you and your friends the education you deserve."

The education we deserve. Willem's pale face flashed in her mind. The tears in his eyes when he learned they wouldn't be able to take their exams. Ella's disappointed sigh. Her friends deserved better. Alois was right; this was the Ministry's doing.

She straightened up in her seat, gripping her glass tightly. "How do we do that?"

Alois smiled appreciatively. "You're in then, are ya? You'll help us?"

"Yes," she said, Willem's voice in her head spurring her on. "Of course I will."

"Brilliant!" Her companion slapped his flat hand on the table, barking out a laugh. "Slammin'. I knew you'd see reason. You're a clever bird, aren't ya?"

Behind him, Ravenna saw Dan look up in alarm. She put a smile on her face to let him know everything was alright.

Alois rolled up his sleeves, leaning his elbows on the table. A tattoo peeked out from under his left sleeve. Ravenna could just make out the head of a snake. "Right, here's what's going to happen. I have a bunch of friends who all feel the same way about the Ministry. Together, we can make sure they'll see us. We'll make sure they have no choice but to listen. We'll start with protest marches to show them we're tired of the discrimination."

That's good, Ravenna thought, adventurous excitement coursing through her. We'll try protesting first. If that doesn't work we can always find other ways later. Like boycotts and stuff. Maybe we'll occupy the Ministry building or something. "And how can I help?"

"Oh, love, you have no idea what your power can do, do ya?" He grinned. "You will show them we're serious, and we can't be ignored. You will help keep us safe if they try to fight us."

"But..." She stared into her glass. The beer had gone flat as she'd forgotten all about it. "I can't really control it. My magic, I mean."

He waved her words away like a pesky doxy. "Won't be an issue. I've seen what your power does, back in Diagon Alley. Trust me, you'll be absolutely fine."

"You think so?" She glanced up. "You don't think I'll just get in the way?"

"Get in the way?" He roared with laughter. "With your power? You must be takin' the piss. No, love, you won't get in the way. As long as you do what I say, you and your magic could be the most useful ally we have."

Ravenna glowed. Useful, he called her. He thought her magic could help, rather than being nothing but a danger to everyone around her. He encouraged her to use it, rather than suppressing it, like her father had always forced her to do. If he was right... Maybe she could finally show her dad that she was more than just a... A burden.

Alois swung back the last of his butterbeer. "Well, I'd better get going. Got a lot of work to do. It's good to have you on board, Miss Inkwood."

As she watched him stumble to his feet, Willem once again came to mind. "One more thing, if I may?"

He gestured for her to continue.

"Those protest marches you mentioned... Can I invite my friends for those? I know there are a lot of people at Morgan le Fay who'd really want to help out in any way they could."

Alois' eyebrows knitted together. "Is that so?" he said, overthinking her words. "D'you know what, I'll ask my er... My friends, if that's alright. I'm sure it shouldn't be a problem, but I'll let you know."

"Great, thank you!" 

"And you. I'll see you soon, Ravenna Inkwood."

 With one last smirk, he left her table and stepped into the drizzle outside. Another cold gust of wind blew in, only stoking up the fireplace more.

Dan came over and set himself down in Alois' vacated chair without a word. He peered at her over her glass.

"Spit it out, Dante," she smirked.

Ignoring the name, he said, "I d...d...d..." He sighed and started again. "I don't like this. He's using you."

Ravenna rolled her eyes. "How can he be using me when we have the exact same goal? I want to help them."

He shot her an annoyed glare. "And now you're dragging your friends into it as well? I heard that bloke say the ministry could attack you for protesting." 

"Willem would be thrilled to help. No matter the consequences. You didn't hear his story about his mum."

Dan said nothing, only pressed his lips into a thin line.

Ravenna sighed and stood up, putting her coat back on. Dan couldn't see what she could see. That she was doing this for him, too. "I'm not forcing anyone to join them, Dan. If you don't want to, that's fine. It's your choice. But I have made my own decision. With or without you, I am going to change the wizarding world."