Yuju felt the air get knocked out of her as SinB tackled her to the ground, watching dumbstruck as a spell soared over the two of them. That was undoubtedly a petrification spell, one meant for her. Yuju felt like she was frozen as SinB climbed off of her with a look of murder on her face.

Suddenly, someone had their arms around her, and Yuju looked up to see it was Eunha.

“Keep her in the shadows,” SinB said sternly.

Yuju immediately shook herself out of her shock and argued, “No way! I’m going to help.”

“He’s here for you,” SinB hissed, suddenly appearing as harsh and cold as all the rumors made her out to be. She shook her head and softened her glare as she added, “I’m not going to give him the chance to petrify you. Stay in the shadows.”

Without waiting for an answer, SinB ran off to where Yerin and Sowon were circling the young man.

“Come on,” Eunha said, urging her back to where she’d been hiding earlier. The two of them stumbled into the dark corner, watching as Yerin dove out of the way of a spell. “I can’t believe it,” Eunha growled. “I know the guy.”

“You know him?” Yuju nearly exclaimed, looking back over to the culprit. He was a Ravenclaw, tall and handsome, snarling at the other girls. “How?”

“His name is Jisung. He confessed to me earlier this year,” Eunha explained tersely, and Yuju could see the guilt already clouding her eyes. “I should’ve done a lot more than reject him apparently.”

“You didn’t know,” Yuju reasoned with her. She tried to muster up her courage and told her, “You should help the others.”

“Can’t,” Eunha shook her head. “I stay with you in case he realizes his prey is gone.”

“Prey?” Yuju repeated incredulously.

Eunha shrugged, “Seem appropriate, no?”

“Look out!”

Yuju and Eunha both turned back to the battle, just in time to see Sowon narrowly miss a spell shot at her. Yuju felt Eunha go rigid next to her and quickly grabbed her hand to reassure her. She held her breath as SinB fired three consecutive spells at Jisung, only for him to manage to block all of them.

“So, tell me about your evil plan,” SinB taunted as she circled Jisung. “What do you get out of paralyzing muggleborns?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jisung spat angrily. “I’m purifying the bloodlines. I thought you of all people would understand that.”

SinB’s face turned to stone as she replied darkly, “No, I don’t. There’s no such thing as blood purity. Who cares about background? Umji is the brightest witch of this generation.”

“Umji,” Jisung repeated the name with a grin, and Yuju felt her heart skip a beat. “Right, your little pet.”

“She’s my friend!” SinB snarled. She lunged forward, only to be hit with a spell that sent her flying back into the wall.

Yuju wanted to call out, but she knew it was too dangerous to reveal her hiding spot. Instead, she tightly gripped Eunha’s hand and held back her tears as she watched Yerin glance worriedly to where SinB landed. Thankfully, SinB got up a moment later, legs shaking but a new determined look in her eyes.

While everyone was distracted, Sowon fired a spell at Jisung, but he managed to put up a barrier in time. Sowon didn’t let up though, firing spell after spell, as she walked closer to him. The incantations were nothing but muttered words as Sowon said them as fast as she could, trying to wear him down.

As she did this, Yerin ran behind Jisung and fired a spell at his unprotected back. However, Jisung only stumbled, and Yuju watched in horror as Jisung fired a spell that flung Sowon into the air before turning on Yerin. Sowon fell the to ground in a crumpled heap. She didn’t get back up. Yuju felt Eunha’s grip on her hand become tighter.

“Stupid witch,” Jisung sneered. “You didn’t think I would’ve taken the precautions to keep spells from hurting me? Of course, what else could I expect from a half-breed?”

“Shut up!” SinB yelled, firing another spell at Jisung. This one successfully gave him a  deep gash on his leg, but Jisung did nothing more than hiss. “What are you?” SinB cried in frustration, sending more spells in his direction.

“Not what I am,” Jisung corrected her with a grin. “But what am I using. Come now, as a little snake, you should be more familiar with the Dark Arts.”

“He’s insane,” Eunha whispered as they realize just how mad this man was.

SinB seemed to realize it too because in an instant, the blood left SinB’s face before she was shouting at Yerin to run. However, she was too late. Jisung turned to Yerin and sent a series of spells too quickly for her to counter. They hit her one after another, and Yuju was reminded of bullets. The image made her sick. Yuju released a sob as she watched Yerin stumble around until she fell to the ground with a cry.

“I’ll kill you,” SinB promised viciously.

Yuju felt like time slowed as she watched SinB and Jisung trade spells. It looked like they were evenly matched, a frightening idea. Each of their spells met between them, cancelling each other with small explosions. But then, the worst happened when Jisung tugged an unconscious Yerin into his arms as his shield. SinB faltered immediately, and it gave Jisung just enough time to shoot a series of spells.

It was like a horror movie to watch as SinB received several slashes to her body, all of them spilling blood in mere seconds. This time both Yuju and Eunha cried out as they watched SinB’s legs give out under her. Jisung grinned, and Yuju felt her heart stop when Jisung practically cackled the word, “Crucio.”

Yuju knew that SinB’s screams would haunt her for the rest of her life.

“I have to help her,” Eunha said as she let go of Yuju’s hand. She turned to Yuju, and there was nothing but fear in her eyes. “Stay here. Please stay safe.”

Yuju let her go, wondering if her safety was really worth more than theirs. The injuries they received… Weren’t they worse than paralysis? Before she could think more, Eunha was slammed into the wall. Jisung pinned her there, and Yuju wondered why he didn’t use magic. Then she remembered that Eunha said she had rejected him.

Thoughts of what Jisung could possibly be planning ran through Yuju’s head, and Yuju couldn’t take it anymore. Walking forward on shaky legs, Yuju made sure she was silent as Jisung spoke to Eunha. She forced herself not to focus on the words, most of them crude and cruel, and instead made sure that she could save Eunha.

When she was just within reach, Yuju didn’t hesitate. “Expelliarmus!”

Jisung’s wand flew into her hand. When he turned to her in surprise, Yuju was ready and delivered a right hook so forcefully that she was sure she felt her own hand break. However, it worked and Jisung collapsed to the ground unconscious. Without waiting another second, Yuju binded him with a quick, “Incarcerous.”

“How’s that for a mudblood?” Yuju couldn’t help but snap. She then turned to Eunha and checked her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Eunha told her, despite the way she was shaking visibly. “Please, check on SinB.”

SinB. With another worried glance to Eunha, Yuju sprinted over to where SinB was laying on the ground, blood surrounding her body. Yuju ignored it all though and knelt next to her. She gasped at the sight of her wounds, much deeper and more serious than Yuju had thought. SinB was unconscious, whether from blood loss or the Cruciatus curse, Yuju wasn’t sure. Either way, Yuju was so thankful to have learned the Patronus spell. A wispy dog appeared, and Yuju sent it to the Headmistress.

The next few hours were nothing more than a blur. The teachers came as a huge group, taken aback by the battleground in front of them. They were quick to get Sowon, SinB, and Yerin to the infirmary. Jisung was handled by a pair of Aurors, conscious once again and snarling at everyone. Yuju cradled Eunha in her arms as they watched it happen, held her even as they told the professors everything that happened.

They received a weak reprimand, and Yuju felt a dark kind of satisfaction at the guilt on the professors’ faces. SinB had almost died doing their job. However, Yuju didn’t let herself focus on this feeling. There was no point in holding this grudge.

Yuju and Eunha went to the infirmary to stay with the girls, but halfway through the night, the nurse came to get them.

“You’ll want to see this,” the nurse insisted when Yuju and Eunha had told her no.

They followed her reluctantly, and Yuju realized she was taking them to Umji’s bed. Rushing past the nurse, Yuju pulled back the curtain and felt tears come to her eyes.

“Hey,” Umji greeted simply, eyes hazy and a dazed smile on her lips, like this wasn't the first time she'd spoken in months.

Yuju fell to her knees next to the bed, barely registering Eunha doing the same, as she sobbed in relief. It wasn’t for nothing. Umji was awake. They caught Jisung. Sowon, SinB, and Yerin were going to be okay. Yuju cried into the sheets, feeling like an enormous weight had finally been lifted off her shoulders.