RED - James Potter x OC

twenty seven - giving up

"Miss Harlow, there is greatness in your power," Dumbledore said calmly, "but also danger. You must learn to exercise control, or something much worse could happen."

After the incident on the ice, Atla had gone straight to Dumbledore's office, still shaking. And this wasn't helping much - just a reminder of how easily she could potentially kill someone.

"I didn't even know I could do that..." she replied, "I didn't think I had that much in me. I mean, I struggled at first to create even a ball of light!"

"It seems that now you have unlocked your power, it has grown in strength," Dumbledore answered calmly, looking at her through those half-moon spectacles, "you must be careful."

"Yes, Sir," Atla said, walking further towards the exit of the office. She turned to walk through the door but was stopped by the headmaster's voice.

"Oh, and Atla?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"One day you will have to choose a side in this war, whether you like it or not," Dumbledore warned, a slightly darker tone to his words, almost threatening, "you could be used as a powerful weapon and it is up to you what you are fighting for. You have a good heart, anyone can see that, so do not let darkness overcome you. Do what is right, and you shall not go wrong."

No pressure, then, Atla thought.

"Okay, Professor."

And with that, she left.

~•*•~
Three weeks later...

For the first time in her life, Atla was failing a subject other than History of Magic.

Her grades were dropping, and her teachers could not understand why. Only one thing was clear to them;

Atla Harlow would not use her magic.

She hadn't picked up her wand in three weeks, let alone toyed around with her descendial magic. When asked to perform a spell in class, she would transform into a motionless, pale statue. It was like a voice in her brain she couldn't turn off, telling her everything that would go wrong.

You could kill someone. You might hurt Lily. It will go wrong. You are powerful. You are dangerous. You are a weapon. Exercise control. Do not let in the darkness.

Dumbledore's warning hadn't helped. It made her doubt herself, doubt her morals for the first time in a while. Atla had always thought she was good, but now she wasn't sure. If she picked up that wand, she might hurt someone and she didn't want that. She couldn't let the darkness overcome her.

She was acting the same as usual, energetic and happy, maybe even making a bigger effort to seem this way. She participated in Quidditch, the best she had ever flown. She completed all written homework on time. She hugged Lily more, snogged James in empty classrooms, smiled more, laughed more, insulted the Slytherins.

But James. Atla knew he suspected something, so she tried to distract him with kisses and nice words. And it was working, she thought. But every once in a while, she'd catch him looking at her oddly. And Lily wouldn't give up. It was like she was on a one-woman mission to bring back Atla's magic.

"Atla, please," Lily begged, "just do a simple accio."

"I'm not touching my wand," Atla replied, "I don't want to hurt you!"

"You won't!" Lily exclaimed.

Atla sighed and continued to absentmindedly stare at the ceiling above her bed.

"My magic is dangerous, Lily, and I will not be responsible for any harm, I just can't!" Atla argued.

"Please! If you don't then you'll fail and they'll kick you out of Hogwarts!"