AN: Here we go!

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I Put A Spell On You

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Seventh Year – Part II

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"This is getting out of hand." Cana said, leading Juvia towards a chair. They were meeting at the Come and Go Room ten days after the first time Invel called Juvia to the Dungeons and used an Unforgivable Curse on her and since then, it happened four more times, the last one just half an hour before. They didn't have enough time to waste, if they didn't show up to supper in a few minutes, people could get suspicious. "You don't look too good, Juvia."

"Juvia is fine, Cana-san." The blunette tried to smile. "Don't worry."

Lisanna kneeled in front of Juvia and put a hand on Juvia's cheek and checked her face. "I don't know, Juvia... You look way paler than usual. Being cursed one time is bad enough, five in such a small amount of time is worrying."

"She won't hear it." Gajeel was pacing around the room like a caged tiger, just itching to get into a fight. When Juvia told him what had happened, she had to actually immobilize him with a spell so he wouldn't go after Invel. It took a lot of convincing, but Gajeel hadn't gone and got into a fight with Invel. Yet. "I told her we should do something about it or she should just leave to find the other three morons." Everyone knew Gajeel loved their friends, but he didn't know how to express it without being rude or sarcastic. "She's a target here."

"It's fine." Juvia sighed, tired of having the same argument over and over again. "I can take it."

Levy frowned and walked closer to Juvia, putting a hand on her forehead. "You are pale but your cheeks are kind of reddish. Maybe you have a fever?"

"No, it's fine. Juvia just needs to lie down for a bit, it helps." She gently pushed the hands away from her and got up, thankful her legs were no longer shaking.

"You should eat something." Cana suggested, clearly worried.

The blunette shook her head. "No, that makes it worse." She chuckled without humor. "

"You are getting weaker." Gajeel told her, finally stopping his pacing. "You know the first rule, Juvia: always be in your best condition and this is not it." He all but yelled when Juvia opened her mouth to contradict him. "No, don't you start saying you are fine. You are not fine! Anyone here can see you are barely hanging on. This is the Cruciatus Curse, Juvia! People go crazy after a while because of the pain and I can see you are so fucking tired all the time." Gajeel took a few steps towards her, ignoring when his girlfriend tried to stop him by putting a hand on his chest and the other girls were in high alert, Gajeel loved his friend and wouldn't hurt her, but Juvia was in a frail state to say the least.

"You should leave. Write Gray, meet up and get out of this bloody fucking hell!" Gajeel told her harshly. "You have the privilege to not seeing yourself fade away, but we don't. You are not eating properly because you said so yourself it makes you sick after they are done with you, I'm sure as hell you are not sleeping either, not if the bags under your eyes are any indication. We get to see someone who just a couple weeks ago were all about the fight, getting drawn and silent. This is not you. You are seventeen now, just fucking leave!"

For the first time in days, Juvia felt a burst of energy with Gajeel's words and she was just so... angry! What the bloody hell did he think she was doing that for?

"Leave? You want Juvia to leave?" The blunette asked her oldest friend. "If you have any way of contacting Gray-sama or the others in a way that it's one hundred per cent safe, if you guarantee Juvia no one will follow her, please, do tell!" She raised her voice, losing it a bit. "Do you think Juvia doesn't want to fucking leave?" Her eyes watered. "Do you think I don't wish I were dead every time they curse me? Because I do. It is torture, Gajeel-kun, but in case you haven't noticed, this is war! People might not be killing each other publicly yet, but we are at war since the moment You-Know-Who returned. Besides, we are hostages here. Why do you think the Death Eaters have so much leverage? They have a castle with hundreds of children and teenagers they could just kill if they want to.

"Every time they take me and curse me, the only thing that keeps Juvia from going crazy is the fact that if they are doing that, it means they didn't find them yet." A stray tear fell from Juvia's eye. "The moment they find them, Juvia will either be of no use or taken to be killed off in front of them. All of us, really." The others paled – they hadn't thought about if their friends were caught. "Right now, they know you are not in contact with them, they cut all ties but in their mind, a young man wouldn't just leave his girlfriend behind with nothing so Juvia is the best option to get information. And they are not wrong, Juvia has been in contact with Gray-sama and it's not safe but Juvia wouldn't be able to take it if we couldn't. I know nothing of their location, but they hope I do. We should get ready to leave at any minute, get backpacks ready and be prepared to have just a minute's notice. If Juvia gets killed-"

"What?" Cana exclaimed in disbelief.

"If Juvia gets killed" The blunette continued "you all need to leave. Don't take revenge, don't do anything stupid. Just leave and hide until it's time for the real war to come."

"You are talking about getting fucking killed-" Gajeel's voice was loud, but Juvia's yell cut him off.

"I'm fighting the best way that I know how without getting anyone killed!" Everyone looked at Juvia with wide eyes – she rarely lost her cool and never yelled. "You don't understand, but every time I meet with them, they let something slip: a location, a simple detail and Juvia tells that to Gray-sama. It sucks, but we need information! We can't always use our wands to fight and Juvia is choosing to fight like this for now and that doesn't make me stupid or weak. I will never give up but yes, it's taking its toll on me and Juvia doesn't think she her body can take much more." She was crying, feeling exhausted. "Everything hurts all the time because I don't have time to recover and I can't go to the Hospital Wing since Professor Yura said it would become worse if I did; I have nightmares, I'm constantly afraid when Gray-sama doesn't answer me at the same night I wrote but if going into that dungeon with that psycho is what takes for me to know he is fine, they are fine, I'll do it."

Lisanna put an arm around Juvia's shoulders. "No one thinks you are weak, Juvia. Many people would've cracked the first time it happened. We are just worried."

"Thank you, but Juvia will know when it's time to leave." She looked at Gajeel. "We will have to leave at some point, all of us, but it's not that time yet."

"What, we leave when we find your lifeless body?" Gajeel snarled.

"Hopefully, before that." Juvia sighed. "Like I said, if that happens, leave. They get a little... enthusiastic some times and it can last much, much longer and accidents happen, but they don't want to kill Juvia just yet." She told them. "If you want, Juvia can expand backpacks so you can get one ready with as many useful things you might need. Juvia has one already prepared for the day we need to run."

"You do?" Cana raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Juvia nodded. "Just... be ready. Juvia can feel it the time is coming that none of us will be able to be in public."

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Juvia was curled on a chair in front of the fireplace, feeling colder than usual. It was almost Christmas and even with two jumpers, she was still shivering and sometimes way too hot. Perhaps it was another side-effect of her "sessions" with Professor Yura.

Almost a month and Juvia hadn't cracked yet and even though the Death Eaters inside the school were growing frustrated, they were also quite enjoying having someone to torture. She was an orphan, after all. Who'd care?

Of course, Professor Makarov started to suspect something was happening and stopped her on the hallway one day, but Juvia managed to lie and tell she was feeling down because of Gray's absence. The older man wasn't too convinced, but let her go.

She was staring so intently at the fire she didn't hear Gajeel approaching her, until he spoke. "At least blink so I'll know you are not dead."

The blunette chuckled. "Juvia must be a sight, huh?"

"You look as if you are going to drop at any minute." Gajeel told her. "Have you even eaten today?"

Juvia nodded. "Lunch. I can't eat anything tonight or it'll be a mess tomorrow when they get Juvia in the dungeons." She sighed.

Gajeel's red eyes seemed to glow with the reflection of the fire. "One day I will kill them."

"Hopefully they will be brought to justice before that can happen. Juvia would hate for you to be sent to Azkaban."

Gajeel shrugged. "Hey, you said it so yourself: we're at war. It would be completely self-defense."

Juvia tried not to, but let out a small laugh and then they were quiet for a few moments. "Are you ready?"

She didn't need to clarify further than that, they knew time was coming when they'd need to leave or to be used as leverage against their missing friends – it was a miracle their focus had been Juvia.

"Yeah." Gajeel nodded, looking at the fire. "Do you know when?"

"Soon, Juvia reckons." She answered. "Juvia knows her body and it's getting on its limit." She chose not to tell him about the green-and-purple rash between the toes or that one time she sneezed fire. He would make a scene out of it, but she was sure it was nothing – perhaps she was getting the flu and the wizards never had diseases like muggles. "If she wants to get out of this alive, we can't wait longer. Besides, they aren't saying much anymore – they are getting annoyed."

"Alright." He agreed. "I'll tell Levy to always carry her backpack and I'm carrying mine."

"Juvia will talk to Lisanna-san and Cana-san." Juvia got up from the chair. "We should go to sleep."

They walked towards the stairs that separated the boys' dorms from the girls'. The Room was almost empty, seeing it was quite late.

"Good night, Gajeel-kun."

"Hey." He called her and Juvia turned. "Be careful. You are annoying, but I'd rather have you annoying me than like... this." He pointed at her whole body and for the first time in forever, Juvia actually let out a genuine smile.

"Awww, you care about Juvia, Gajeel-kun!" She teased and he rolled his eyes.

"You know what, if you are fine enough to tease me, you are okay so sod off." He grumbled and turned around to leave but Juvia could see his lips curled a little. "Good night." He raised his hand without looking behind him and Juvia smiled, going to her room.

It would be months until she saw him again.

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Juvia was writing under to Gray under her covers when the dorm room opened and all the girls all but jumped from their bed and Juvia hid the magic paper under her pillow and when she uncovered herself, she saw Dimaria was there, going her way and she didn't look pleased.

"You." She pointed at Juvia. "Up. Now."

Confused, Juvia did as told and grabbed her robe and wand by instinct and gasped when Dimaria started to trash her bed until she found the piece of paper that had Gray's handwrite on, saying: "How are things over there?"

"Come." She grabbed Juvia by the arm and even the roommates who never really cared for her, looked concerned with the sudden interruption.

"Where are we going?" Juvia asked Dimaria, but the blonde woman kept quiet and led Juvia out of the Communal Room – a couple of students were there and Juvia was sure, by morning, the whole castle would know Juvia Lockser was dragged away.

Juvia thought they were going to the usual spot, but instead, they were headed to Professor Yura's office. They passed the classroom and Dimaria pushed Juvia inside harshly and the white haired man raised an eyebrow at the action, clearly not pleased.

"Here." Dimaria gave the paper to Invel. "No more games. Make her, Invel, or I swear to Merlin I'll kill her the next time I see her." Juvia's eyes widened because she knew every word out of the older woman's mouth was the truth. Dimaria looked at Juvia in distaste before leaving the room.

Juvia, confused and afraid, waited.

"I apologize in her behalf." Invel pointed to the chair in front of his desk and Juvia sat down. The paper in his hand making her fear more for her boyfriend and her friends than for herself. They finally had enough. "She was given a false lead and when it fell through, The Dark Lord... wasn't pleased. Let's say you take the Cruciatus Curse far better than she did."

'Oh, bloody sensational, arsehole', Juvia thought but she couldn't help it but to feel a little vindicated.

Invel looked down to the paper while sitting down behind the desk. "So... this is how you and Gray Fullbuster communicated." He saw Gray's reply. "Simple but efficient. Young lovers often have papers like this to keep in touch even from afar. Sometimes the simple way, is the best way, wouldn't you agree?"

Juvia gulped. "What do you want?"

"We tried the 'fun' way to have you tell Gray Fullbuster what we were doing to you, but you were very resilient – congratulations, by the way – but I'm afraid we can no longer wait."

"Why?" Juvia asked.

"The Dark Lords needs Natsu Dragneel and you can make him and his friends surface." Invel said. "I was told they are the type to come to the rescue of a friend in need. I put you in need and you didn't tell them. Now, I will have to make you tell them."

Juvia shook her head. "No. Juvia will never help you."

Invel's smile was annoyingly condescending. "I don't think you understood, Miss Lockser. I said I will make you." He took his wand from the desk and Juvia's eye widened when she realized what he meant. She was about to get up and leave but he was faster. "Imperio." He said and suddenly Juvia's body froze. "Pick up the quill." Juvia tried to fight it, but she was so tired mentally and physically, she did just as he said. God, she was so weak.

He put the paper in front of her. "I need you to write: 'Please, help. They are hurting me to get information. Please, Gray.'" Juvia's handwrite was shaky, but she did as she was told. Once she was done, Invel released her and took the paper to watch her work. "Good. Now let's see if he's going to answer."

Juvia had just a few seconds to decide on what to do. She couldn't let her boyfriend and friends come to Hogwarts, to a trap. She couldn't let them get caught or the magic world would be in jeopardy.

"Oh, he replied quite quickly." Invel looked down to the paper and that was the distraction Juvia needed.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get her wand without him noticing, Juvia grabbed a heavy book that was on his desk, grabbed and with strength she didn't even know she had after all she'd been through, Juvia swung the book and hit him right across the face, his glasses flew somewhere, but she didn't pay attention.

She threw the book away, grabbed her wand and yelled: "Petrificus Totalus!" The older man froze on his seat and Juvia quickly got the paper.

It read: 'What? What do you mean?'

Juvia took the quill and wrote him back. 'It is a TRAP.' She underlined it three times. 'Juvia is fine but can't stay at Hogwarts anymore. She'll try to find you. Don't come out of hiding. DO NOT COME!' She underlined it again. 'Juvia is leaving!'

The moment the words disappeared from the paper, Juvia said: "Incendio!" It broke her heart, since it was her only mean to communicate with him, but it was compromised, then, and she couldn't let it fall into the wrong hands if her escape wasn't successful.

She said: "Accio Juvia's purse" and after a moment: "Accio Gray-sama's broomstick", knowing Gray's things were still at his room.

Juvia turned to Invel and said "Incarcerous" and roped appeared so Juvia tied him up the best way possible. He started to regain movement, but Juvia petrified him once more and got the handkerchief he always had in his pocket, in his mouth.

In an unusual fit of rage, Juvia looked into his eyes, then his most-likely broke nose, dripping blood from where she had hit him with a book. Without thinking twice, Juvia slapped him on his left cheek with all her strength then leaned to tell him: "This is my bite. I waited and waited until the right moment. See the Slytherin now?" She said in reference to their first conversation. She grabbed his wand and broke it right in front of him and she saw his eyes widen a little and he grunted. She knew it hurt to see, but he deserved it. "I could do what you've done to me so many times, right here and right now. But Juvia won't because she'll not lower herself to your level." Invel couldn't speak yet, but oh boy, by the look in his eyes, he was carefully planning on how to kill her. "I hope your Dark Lord gets as pissed as he did with Dimaria. See you in battle, Professor."

For good measure, she petrified him again before coming out of the room and she was thankful she had chosen to sleep on pajamas and was wearing two jumpers. She left the classroom, trying to be quiet and listening to see if the things she summoned were coming her way.

Her purse arrived first and she started to walk towards one of the many castle doors. Once she arrived at a lateral door and saw it was locked, she whispered: "Alohomora." And the door opened.

"And where do you think you are going, Miss Lockser?" A male voice stopped her and her heart almost stopped beating, Juvia could swear.

Turning around, she saw it was Professor Gildarts and she breathed in relief. Juvia looked around and seeing no one else, she told him: "Juvia needs to leave."

"Are you ready to tell me what Invel Yura has been doing by calling you at all hours in private?" His words weren't accusatory at all: he knew very well who Invel was.

Feeling brave, Juvia finally confessed: "He has been using the Cruciatus Curse to try to get Gray-sama's attention so him, Natsu-san and Lucy-san would return."

"He... what?" Professor Gildarts was genuinely surprised.

Juvia looked up and the broomstick was coming their way and Juvia managed to catch it. "Juvia is fine." She waved his concerns away. "But tonight Professor Yura took Juvia's way of communicating with Gray-sama and used the Imperius Curse to make Juvia write a letter." She was speaking fast, since she was hearing commotion coming their way. "Juvia can't stay to be even more of a target. Juvia kind of... hit him and hexed him and tied him to his chair. Slapped him too so I'm sorry. Please, explain this to Professor Makarov and tell Gajeel-kun is time to leave."

"I..." Gildarts was very confused but the moment they heard someone shout 'Find her!', his face hardened. "You go ahead, sweetheart. I'll hold them off."

"Professor..." Juvia hesitated.

"Don't worry about me. I might be old, but don't forget I've fought a war before and I am ready to fight another one." He winked at her. "When you see Natsu, tell him to be strong. Now go."

Juvia nodded and, even if she absolutely hated it, Juvia hopped on the broomstick and took a flight with no idea where to but to her freedom, to her boyfriend. To her friends.

And still, she flew a bit crooked to the left.

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AN: FLY AWAY, JUVIA, FLYYYYYY! BE FREEEEEEE!