Morgan le Fay Institute for Magic

Chapter 15 - Negative News

"Ravenna."

Ravenna glanced over her shoulder and slowed her pace to match Willem's, while their classmates walked ahead towards the dining hall. They'd just had their final lesson of the day, and it had been a long day, with both charms and transfiguration classes.

"It doesn't matter, you know," Willem muttered under his breath, low enough so only Ravenna could hear.

"What do you mean?"

"I've thought about it. A lot. It doesn't matter that he's a Death Eater."

Her jaw dropped. "Have you gone mad? They are violent. Their Dark Lord wants to overthrow the government, and -"

"Exactly!" Willem's eyes shone with defiance. "It's because of the Ministry that Morgan le Fay is seen as inferior to Hogwarts. Their laws and their assessors. It's because of them that we don't get funding or exams. It's the Ministry that needs to change. The rest will follow."

Ravenna stopped walking, watching him with hesitance. Alois had said something similar. The real change must happen at the Ministry, he'd said. With the Ministry working against them at every turn, the change they were looking for would never happen.

"You heard what he said," Willem continued. "His associates are working towards the same goal - making a change within the Ministry. We can still profit from their work. Who cares if they have to stir up a little trouble if it means we can be free?"

"A little trouble? This isn't a group of teenagers smashing windows. They hurt people!" Ravenna protested.

Willem nodded, shuddering slightly. "I don't agree with it, but we won't get another chance, Ravenna. Think about it."

He walked off, leaving a confused Ravenna behind. Slowly, she followed him through the hallway. He wasn't wrong, she realised. This was the only shot they had at making a real change. She'd said the same thing to Dan, hadn't she? But that was before Dumbledore showed up, and the prospect of spending time in the notorious wizarding prison Azkaban surfaced. She swallowed hard. As she entered the dining hall, the smells of potatoes and meat made her nauseous.

"Well, that was the dullest lesson ever," said Ezra, as Ravenna and Willem joined their classmates at the dinner table. "Good thing it's almost the weekend."

"It's Tuesday," came Ella's immediate response, making Dan and Ravenna chuckle. "Besides, it wasn't that bad. Knowing the difference between these plants is important. If you use the wrong one in a potion, it'll be the last mistake you'll ever make."

"Just because it was dull doesn't mean I didn't hear a word of what Professor Scrimgeour said. Now sit down and eat your veggies, witchling," he teased.

Ella stuck her tongue out, but ladled some green beans onto her plate anyway. "You know, you might be older than me, but that doesn't mean you know everything."

"I know everything because this is the third time I'm doing level five," said Ezra with a cocky grin on his face.

"Mate," Dan chuckled, "that's not something to be proud of."

"Exactly!" said Ella. "Maybe you'll work harder once you have a goal in mind. When are you going to tell Professor Trindine that you'd like to teach at Morgan le Fay after you graduate?"

Ezra's face immediately soured, but before he could respond, their conversation was interrupted.

"Miss Rook?"

Ravenna looked up to find Headmistress Slughorn standing by their table. A jolt of fear shot through her veins at the thought of her chat with Dumbledore. But it disappeared as quick as it had come. Slughorn wasn't here for Ravenna, or Willem, or even Dan. She'd come for Ella. And something in the headmistress' grey eyes made Ravenna's stomach churn. She didn't have a good feeling about this.