"No - PLEASE! Please, I'll do anything-"

I struggled against seemingly nonexistent bonds, trying desperately to free myself, to get to the objects of Mother's anger. Because for once, it wasn't me she was hurting. It was Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

"This, Ivory, is what happens when you defy the Dark Lord, and befriend this scum," Mother spat, pointing her wand at Ginny. "CRUCIO!"

Ginny gave a heart-wrenching scream as the spell hit her, writhing and twitching on the floor, tears streaming down her face. I let out a strangled sob.

"Please - I'm sorry - it won't h-happen again - please stop - PLEASE-"

"Ivory!"

I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking me lightly; my eyes snapped open, and I took a shaky breath.

I was back in the Gryffindor dorm, and Hermione was standing next to my bed, anxiety etched on her face.

I'm safe. She's safe. It wasn't real.

I suddenly realised my face was wet with tears, and quickly wiped them away, struggling upright.

I'm safe, I told myself again, trying to get myself to believe it.

"Are you alright, Ivory?" Hermione asked, sounding even more worried than she looked. "You were thrashing around, and - and screaming-"

"Nightmare," I said, trying to stop myself shuddering. "I'm fine now."

"I really think you should see Madam Pomfrey..."

I pulled back the covers and got to my feet, shaking my head. "Honestly, Hermione, I'm glad you care enough about me to be concerned, but I'm perfectly fine."

"Well, ok, if you're sure..." she said with a sigh, apparently realising she wasn't going to be able to convince me. "We - uh - we thought we'd head down to dinner now. Did you want to come?"

"Sure!" I clicked my fingers to change into a black top, a comfortable striped jumper, and some equally comfortable trousers (we were allowed to wear our own clothes outside of class times, after all, and Hermione's similar outfit looked much nicer than the dresses I'd worn the last couple of times). "Let's go!"

We went down to the common room, where we met up with Harry and Ron, then the four of us made our way down to the Great Hall together. We were among the first to get there; Harry, Ron and Hermione had decided to go down early, hoping to see Professor Hagrid, but he wasn't there.

I tuned out their conversation and looked up at the teacher's table. The fact Professor Hagrid wasn't there was obvious - there was a huge gap between Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher. I looked to the far end of the table, and saw Professor Lupin watching me worriedly, looking away when he realised I'd seen him.

"I - I think I'm going to go... I'll see you in the common room later," I said to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, and I suddenly noticed that this time, I wasn't the only one of us who hadn't eaten anything.

"Fine," I said, giving her a slight smile. "I just need to clear my head, that's all."

Before she could say anything else, I got up and left the Great Hall, walking down to the Whomping Willow I'd found earlier. Immobilising it quickly, I sat down and leaned on the trunk, fighting back tears. I'd been so sure I would be escaping the influence of my mother and father when I got here, but the truth was, I'd never be able to get away from them - even when they weren't there, I still felt the looming threat of punishment for whatever I was doing wrong, sure they'd know all about it by the time I next saw them.

I thought about all the things that were going to make them angry when I went back to the manor on Sunday, listing them out loud to try and prepare myself.

"I was weak when the Dementors searched the train, passing out when only one other person out of the whole school did," I said softly, my voice trembling. "I defied Father's orders and befriended a Muggleborn, three blood-traitors, and Harry Potter himself. I was sorted into Gryffindor, again defying both him and Mother, and marking myself as a blood-traitor too."

I took a shaky breath, unable to stop a single tear from rolling down my cheek as I continued.

"I chose my classes badly, which I wouldn't have done if I'd known I would be sorted wrong. I got Draco into trouble when he broke my nose, which Mother will be angry about, even if Father isn't... and I showed weakness again just a few hours ago, during the Care of Magical Creatures lesson."