Sorry in advance if some parts of this chapter are a little weird. I had a unique idea in my head and I went with it.

A day of classes dragged by, and Raven found herself more and more on edge. As much as she would've liked to focus on learning, a certain Dark wizard made it difficult. Orpheus was constantly on her mind. Even though she tried to hide it, Ominis had caught on to her subtle yet distracted behavior. But there was nothing he could do to get her mind off it, no matter what he tried. It was after classes were over when it happened. Bijou was waiting in front of the Slytherin common room. She looked distressed when Raven and Ominis found her.

"Oh, Lady Raven! It's horrible! Simply horrible!"

The girl crouched in front of the elf and took hold of her hand to try and calm her. "What is? What's going on, Bijou?"

"A Dark wizard named Orpheus found the home and captured your grandfather. He ordered Bijou to find you and give you a message in exchange for Master's safety. He said, 'I'll be waiting just inside the Forbidden Forest'."

Raven's brows furrowed and she slowly rose to her feet. "Bijou, I want you to take me there."

Ominis was quick to grab her shoulder. "It's clearly a trap. We should inform Professor Weasley and-"

"We can't," the girl argued, turning toward him. "He has Grandfather. If we bring anyone else, he might kill him. I can't lose him, Ominis." She was glad that it was late enough for everyone to be eating in the Great Hall so no one could eavesdrop. "I have to go. I can't run from this anymore." She moved closer, taking his face in her hands and smiling. "I'll be all right. I know what to do."

Taking a shaky breath, the blond slowly nodded. "I know. I have faith in you, darling. But I'm coming with you."

"I figured as much." She placed a light kiss at the corner of his lips. "Let's go, then." After taking hold of his hand, she looked at Bijou. "Take us there."

Bijou took Raven's free hand, and with a snap of her fingers, they were outside of the Forbidden Forest. Only a sliver of sunlight remained in the sky while the dark of night crept ever closer. The three of them hurried into the forest, almost immediately finding the meeting place just past the trees and out of sight. Orpheus was there, his arms crossed as he patiently waited. Armel was unarmed on the ground and bound by rope, his mouth moving but no words coming out. Seems the Dark wizard didn't want him to talk Raven out of anything.

"Let him go!" the girl demanded, she and Ominis with their wands at the ready.

"Now, now, young Raven." Orpheus pointed his wand at Armel. "Do anything hasty and you can say goodbye to your dear grandfather."

"Hurt him, and you'll lose your Curse-Breaker." Raven's threat had him raising a brow. As if to demonstrate, she raised her wand and rested the tip against her temple. "I'll Obliviate myself. Imagine that, erasing all that precious knowledge about my magic. Good luck finding another Curse-Breaker then."

Orpheus clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed, yet lowered his wand. "Arrogant girl. Fine." He stepped away from Armel, who was squirming and trying his best to shout at Raven to leave him. The wizard then gestured for her to come forth. "Now, come with me and everyone here can remain unharmed."

Keeping a firm grip on her wand, Raven stepped closer, at least until her sweetheart snatched her arm to stop her. "Please, wait… I… I'm afraid. What if something happens and I'm not there to protect you?"

Raven couldn't help the slight smile on her face at his concern. "Everything will be fine. I'll go, break this curse, and be back before you know it. I promise, Ominis. I need you to stay with my grandfather. Please."

Ominis hesitantly nodded in understanding, but her words did nothing to ease the tension in his expression. She slowly slid her arm from his grasp and approached Orpheus, hesitantly taking his outstretched hand. As soon as she did so, they Apparated to a small cottage out in the middle of the woods. She had no idea where they were, just somewhere in the Highlands, she presumed. But the area looked serene and cozy. Orpheus practically dragged her around the house and to a cellar.

"Be prepared," the wizard warned. "This blood curse is powerful. It locked my lovely Irene away from me."

As soon as he opened the doors, Raven could see and feel the waves of magical energy emanating from within. Orpheus led her in, climbing down into the dusty old cellar. Not far in was a large, open space where a woman looked to be. She had long, brown hair that nearly reached her thighs, and her dress was tattered and torn. She almost seemed as if she were sleeping, though she was suspended in a bubble of green magic. The waves of energy that hit Raven were already too much, making her body feel overwhelmed and nauseated. But she tried her best to keep composed.

"So that's your wife." She winced. "I've never felt such powerful magic before."

"Irene has had this magic passed down in her family. But unlike you, she is truly cursed with more than she can handle. It grew as she did, until it completely overwhelmed her." The man gave the girl a glance before lightly pushing her closer. "However, you can break her curse. You can free her from this fate, Raven."

Raven hissed at the immense emotions and sheer power behind that magic. Slowly, she inched closer, almost feeling like her skin was burning. She held her wand out, and moved until it touched the green bubble. All at once, the orb seemed to spike and ripple. Her magic erupted from her body, through her wand, to meet the curse head on. Red and green mingled and mixed, and a shriek left Raven when her magic began absorbing the curse. Irene's eyes snapped open, and she was stunned when her curse all but vanished. She fell to the floor, her legs too weakened to lift her. Orpheus rushed to her aid, hugging her tight and muttering over and over about how worried he'd been. But his wife couldn't take her eyes off the girl - the student - who was taking all that pain.

"Orpheus…what have you done…?" She struggled to get her words out with her hoarse voice. "Help her…"

Orpheus released her to look at Raven, who'd since gone silent. She was standing there, shaking from head to toe. Her red, glowing eyes were hollow, and she couldn't even manage to scream or cry. The curse was in her, taking hold, and she could feel her magic fighting and struggling with it. As if from Irene, the curse carried deep emotions of fear and sorrow. She could feel how the woman felt - feel how afraid she was of her curse and how sad she was to stay locked away from those she loved. Tears were pouring from her eyes. All at once, she almost seemed to lose herself. Her mind was in a haze, her vision blackened so much she couldn't even see what was in front of her, and the burning fire coursing through her took hold and engulfed her completely. It hurt more than anything she'd ever felt before.

"Excellent work, Curse-Breaker." Orpheus stood and went toward her. "Now allow me to help you through this-"

Her magic surged and erupted from her, lashing out like a ravenous beast. Orpheus was struck in the chest and blasted back into the wall. Irene screamed in a panic. All she could do was crawl to where he laid and hold him. The bright red of Raven's magic enveloped her, although streaks of green swirled within as well. Her magic formed what looked like a massive bird. When it spread its wings, the ceiling was torn through. Irene was almost buried in rubble, but she stayed there in hopes of protecting her husband.

~~~~~

"We must do something," Ominis said, helping Armel to his feet. "We can't just wait and hope that Raven's all right. Bijou can follow Orpheus, can't she?"

The elf looked a little stunned. "Bijou cannot Apparate to places unknown to her."

Armel sighed. "If only I still had Damian's old Crup around. That dog had the best tracking nose. I'm afraid I've no idea what we can do considering Orpheus's secrecy and Raven's willingness to participate in this. That girl will always be as stubborn as a Hungarian Horntail."

"There must be some way to find them," the blond insisted. "I know Orpheus won't hurt her while he needs her magic, but afterwards… I don't trust him."

Armel rested a hand on his shoulder. "Neither do I. Not after he murdered Damian and Layla. Now, let's figure something out. I don't think Orpheus is far considering the location he wanted to meet at. Perhaps we could-"

A huge flock of birds flew up from the trees deeper in the Forbidden Forest. There were so many of them that their wing beats were almost deafening. They were followed by a few Hippogriffs. All of them seemed to be fleeing something. Armel squinted to see what was going on above the trees, but a brilliant, magical glow quickly had him shielding his eyes. A massive bird formed from magic sailed overhead, sending a gust of wind over them. It nearly knocked them off their feet.

Bijou gasped. "Oh, dear! Oh, Merlin!"

"What's going on?!" Ominis inquired.

"A giant magical bird!" Armel cried. "What in Merlin's name is that?!"

"It's Lady Raven!" Bijou explained. "Bijou would recognize that magic anywhere! It's the same kind the late madam utilized!"

"That…doesn't make sense!" the blind boy argued. "How? She's supposed to break curses, not…this."

Armel could only take a guess. "Orpheus wanted her to break a blood curse, correct? Well, I can only imagine it was so powerful a curse that it swallowed up Raven. That's just my assumption."

"So she's inside it? Then we have to help her!"

Ominis started to leave, following the sound of the crackling magic lighting up the sky. Armel called for him to wait, but he was already gone by the time the words reached his ears. When he emerged from the forest, there were already officers alongside Singer, who was barking orders while they casted at the magical entity, assuming it was a threat.

"Ominis!" The blind boy was relieved to hear his best friend's voice. Sebastian flew in on a broomstick, Natty and Poppy as well. "What's going on?! The professors are having a fit about that powerful magic that emerged from the north! What are you doing out here?!"

"That thing up there is Raven! I came out here with her!"

"What?!" Poppy cried.

Natty was shaking her head in disbelief. "What in the world happened to her?!"

"It's a long story," Ominis replied. "Save it for later. Right now, we have to do something." When he heard a shriek from the magic bird, he knew one of the spells must've landed. "They're hurting her! Please, we must stop them! I need to reach her!"

Armel made his way to them, overhearing the students. "You ladies come with me!" His commanding voice made them jump. "We have to convince everyone to stop attacking! You, Sebastian, help Ominis get up there!" He pointed to the magical bird flying and circling the area. "Hurry! There's no time to waste!"

The group separated. While Armel and the girl's went to halt and explain to the officers, Ominis hopped on Sebastian's broom. He hated flying on those things, but for once, he had to deal with it. He held onto Sebastian when he took off. They zipped right up to fly alongside the bird, but Sebastian had trouble holding the broom steady due to the sparks of magic shooting out.

"I don't know if I can get much closer! This magic's throwing off my broom!"

Ominis got out his wand and casted Protego, putting a shield around them. "Now! Get me in close while the Shield Charm holds!"

Sebastian steered to move under the bird's wing, gliding along the underside until they were directly underneath it. Ominis tilted his head up, sensing her there just above him.

"Raven!"

The bird began to slow, and Sebastian slowed with it. They came to a stop in the air, the bird hovering in front of them. Moving in closer, Ominis lowered the shield to reach out. Sparks of magic bounced off his skin, burning like embers. He flinched, but gritting his teeth, he reached further in. There was a searing heat when he broke through the magic, but as soon as he found something solid, he grabbed on with a grip of iron.

"Raven! It's going to be all right! I'm here!"

Sebastian watched as some of the magic peeled away to reveal the girl underneath. She looked to be in great agony with tears pouring from her glowing eyes and blood dripping from her nose and mouth. Ominis had a firm hold on her arm.

"Omi…nis…" Her words were strained but audible.

With a sudden scream, the bird of magic rippled. Before their eyes, it absorbed back into Raven, then abruptly erupted like a Bombarda blast. It forced Sebastian's broom to go spiraling out of control. But Ominis slid right off it as his iron grip on his sweetheart remained firm. With the magic dispersed, they both began to fall. Raven was barely conscious. Ominis pulled her close and held her tight against him.

"Arresto Momentum!"

He slowed their plummet until they safely touched the ground. The blind boy laid there for a moment, catching his breath and holding Raven to him. He didn't move until he heard the rapid footsteps and the shouts of the others, to which he then sat up, holding the girl to him. But the others didn't matter. All he could focus on was Raven's shallow breathing and her weak grasp on his robe.

"Hang on, Raven!" he pleaded. "Please, hang on!" Her weary gaze was on him, and his tears fell onto her face like a refreshing rain. "Don't leave me…" He leaned down to press his forehead to hers, finding no response from her. "Don't you dare leave me… You promised…"

Raven wished she could respond, but she couldn't find the strength. Her voice refused to work. Her body refused to move. After that pure agony, she felt numb all over. And it was getting hard to stay focused even. Her vision kept getting darker. Voices grew muffled. Finally, all grew pitch black and quiet - peacefully so.

~~~~~

Ominis sat by the bed, sighing for possibly the hundredth time. The Hospital Wing was tranquil. Not a lot was going on. Raven was laying there in front of him, still unconscious. It had been nearly three days, and in that time, Ominis and Armel had explained to the others about what transpired. They'd also come up with a believable lie to tell everyone else concerning the power Raven demonstrated, avoiding word spreading of her Curse-Breaker magic. Nurse Blainey was able to treat her, fortunately. But apparently the stress on her body had really worn her out. She needed to rest and recuperate. He was glad that the professors had let him skip classes. Honestly, he didn't care if he fell behind and failed his O.W.L.s, just as long as Raven recovered, that's all that mattered to him.

Armel stood from his seat next to the boy. "It's time I head home for today." He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you, Ominis, for staying by her side all this time. I'm grateful she has you looking out for her."

"Of course, sir." Ominis managed the slightest hint of a smile.

"I always believed you kids were too young to truly understand love. But seeing you now, waiting day and night for her… Maybe I'm just old."

His comment had the boy blushing. "Indeed. I love her more than anything else. I always have. And I always will."

Armel chuckled. "Send me an owl as soon as there's a change. And do make sure you're still eating. What would Raven say if she woke up to find you starving yourself?"

"Rest assured, Sebastian brings me meals. Have a good evening."

Armel left after glancing at the opposite side of Raven's bed that was cluttered with gifts. The bedside table was stacked with cards and candies from friends and classmates. Bouquets and beast dolls were piled on the floor like a miniature mountain. It warmed Armel's heart to realize just how many people cared about her there at Hogwarts. They were all wishing her a swift recovery, as was he. Ominis as well. It made him glad that he didn't have the girl pack up and leave with him again. Especially considering how happy she'd been there, and how loved she was by the young Gaunt still sitting with her. And no matter how long it took, her sweetheart would remain by her side, waiting patiently to hear her sweet voice again.

When Raven at last stirred from her slumber, she had to blink several times to clear her blurred vision. It was dark, but she recognized the Hospital Wing when she saw it. Despite being famished, she felt like a spring flower blossoming after the cold winter - refreshed. A warmth over her left hand made her turn her head to see her sweetheart. He was leaning forward and resting against the bed with her hand under his. With his eyes closed and his steady breathing, she could tell he was asleep. With a smile, she reached out with her other hand, lightly brushing a few stray strands of hair off his forehead and smoothing them back with the rest. That touch alone was enough to wake him. He sat up with a sharp inhale, his head turning in her direction. He looked surprised and hopeful.

"Raven? Are you awake?" His tone was soft, afraid of disturbing her should he have only imagined her touch.

"Yes, I'm awake," she squeaked out, her voice barely audible. It was followed by a few coughs, for her throat felt dry.

"Hold on." Ominis stood abruptly, snatching a cup from the nearest table along with his wand. "Aguamenti."

The cup filled with water. He sat on the bed next to her, listening to her shifting to sit up. He was quick to set aside his wand to wrap his arm around her upper back, making sure she was steady. She placed her hand over his that held the cup, guiding it to her lips so she could drink. Ominis still held it though, as if afraid she might be too weak to hold it on her own. Raven drank every drop.

"Is that better?" the boy asked.

"Yes, thank you." She already sounded better.

As soon as he set aside the cup, Ominis hugged her tight and repeatedly kissed the side of her head. "I'm so relieved you're all right. You had me terrified! I feared I might lose you."

"I'm sorry I worried you so." Raven leaned into him, the memories rushing back to her. "I didn't know that could even happen. I was overwhelmed with fear and sorrow, and it felt like I was caught in Devil's Snare that was slowly choking me. It was awful."

Ominis took hold of her face and pressed his forehead to hers. "Well, never again, darling. You'll never have to go through any of that again. It's over…" He peppered her face with kisses. Her lips, her cheeks, her nose - none of it was left untouched. "And now you're back in my arms where you belong, safe and sound."

Raven giggled at all the kisses, but lightly pushed him away to get a word in. "So, everyone's all right? What happened to Orpheus and Irene?"

"Everyone's fine, your grandfather included. We have your bravery to thank for that. Irene, the woman you cured, is recovering at St. Mungo's. As for Orpheus…he's dead. Found in the arms of his grieving wife. Your magic, or rather, the blood curse you took is apparently what killed him."

"I hope Irene finds peace. She never deserved any of this." She clenched his robe in her fists. "It was never my intention to…kill him."

"I know, dove. It wasn't your fault." He reached across her, finding a box with a cauldron cake inside. "Here, you must be famished. You've been asleep for nearly three days."

"Three days?!" she gasped out, eagerly accepting the snack. "No wonder I'm so hungry." She took greedy bites, wolfing down half the cake in seconds.

"Careful you don't choke," Ominis warned, resting his hand on her leg while she ate. "Merlin, everyone's going to be so relieved."

After devouring her cauldron cake, Raven turned her attention to all the gifts her gaze had drifted over a moment ago. "Is that why all these things are here?"

"Yes. Friends, classmates, even a few professors brought you presents for when you recovered. It was all rather endearing to find just how many people cared about you. You've become a big part of this school in less than a year of attending. Impressive."

"That wouldn't have been the case if it weren't for you. You, Sebastian, Natty and Poppy - all of you helped me realize that I didn't have to keep running. I could trust and confide in others." Raven wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you for not giving up on me, and for staying even when I pushed you away."

Ominis held her with a smile. "Of course, darling."

A yawn escaped him, causing the girl to pull back with a small laugh. "Sorry, it must be late. I hate to keep you up all night."

He shook his head. "No, it's all right. I've done nothing but worry over you this whole time. Now, I merely wish to enjoy your company for as long as possible. How about we partake in more of those treats? Oh, and I must send an owl to Armel. He and Bijou have been worried sick."

"Just…don't push yourself for my sake. Rest if you need to. I don't mind."

And so they shared in many of the candies and pastries that had been left for Raven. It was great to finally get some food in her stomach. In between the snacks, Raven read the cards and checked out every bouquet and doll. She adored all of them, especially because of the thoughts and well wishes behind them. And at least now there were no more Dark wizards after her and her Curse-Breaker magic. It was finally over. And Ominis did indeed fall asleep with his head on her lap. Raven couldn't help but smile at how wonderful he was, and how lucky she was to have him. For the first time in years, she felt completely free.

~~~~~

Raven scooted her chair closer before sitting down, her wand in hand. "Just relax. I promise it won't hurt."

Anne nodded. "All right. But if it's too much, I want you to stop immediately."

"It won't be too much."

A couple days had passed since Raven had woken up, and despite Ominis's protests, she was eager to keep her promise. She could now break curses, so she was confident she could break Anne's as well. Sebastian didn't argue. It did take quite a bit of reassurance to get Ominis to allow it, however. He feared she may once again get overwhelmed, and while it was a constant concern in the back of her mind, Raven knew Anne's curse wasn't nearly as powerful as Irene's.

Ominis stood by with his lips pursed, refraining from interrupting them. Solomon was right beside him, looking almost hesitant and doubtful whether Raven could make a difference. Sebastian, though, was right by his sister's side, his expression hopeful. Raven pointed her wand at Anne's chest, hovering just over her heart. She focused, letting her magic flow through her wand. The red swirls seemed to delve into Anne, plucking out green-colored magic and drawing it into Raven. Anne immediately felt all her pain vanish, making her gasp in amazement. As soon as her magic absorbed the curse, Raven hunched forward with an agonized groan.

Ominis was at her side in an instant, even before Sebastian. "Are you all right?"

"Give me…a moment…" she struggled to say.

For several long moments, Raven sat there, squirming uncomfortably in her chair. But finally, the curse was broken and the anguish subsided. She was left panting and grasping her sweetheart's arm to keep herself steady. Anne reached forward, taking her other hand and clutching it in both of hers.

"I…can't even believe what you did!" Her expression showed her surprise.

"How do you feel?" her brother asked her.

Anne glanced at him with a big smile. "I feel marvelous! All the pain is just…gone! Thank you, Raven! Thank you so very much! I didn't think it was possible!"

"You're welcome," Raven replied with a smile of her own. "I'm happy to help, really."

"So, Sebastian wasn't exaggerating when he called you a Curse-Breaker," Solomon muttered in disbelief, though he was loud enough for them to hear. "You would be an asset to the Ministry - to witches and wizards everywhere."

"Please, Mr. Sallow, this mustn't be made public," Raven begged. "I already had one Dark wizard after my magic. If I joined the Ministry as a Curse-Breaker, there's no telling how much of this would spread to the masses. I don't want…" She hung her head and hugged her arms. "I don't want to be made a tool for others to exploit. It may be selfish of me, but I just want to live my life."

Solomon nodded, going to rest his hand on Anne's shoulder with a small smile. "I understand. It's a bit of a shame, but you deserve a choice. I'm just grateful for what you did here today."

Raven nodded. "Of course. Anything for my friends." Sebastian pulled Anne into a hug, both of them laughing with pure joy. Upon standing, Raven took hold of Ominis's hand. "We should go. We're joining Grandfather for lunch in Hogsmeade, remember?"

The blond smiled. "Yes, let us be off." He turned his head in the direction of his friends. "We should see you both back at the castle."

Anne was grinning from ear to ear with enthusiasm. "I can hardly wait! See you soon, Ominis, Raven. And thanks again for all this."

Sebastian walked the pair to the door and saw them out, speaking up once they were outside. "I'm forever indebted to you, Raven. Because of you, I finally have my sister back."

"I'm glad to have cured her. But seriously, can we stop praising my abilities now? I'm going to start blushing. I really want things to get back to normal around here."

"Indeed," her sweetheart agreed. "I, too, would like to focus on preparing for our O.W.L.s. Not to mention Valentine's Day isn't far off and I'd like to celebrate it for once."

"I see." The brunet couldn't keep from smirking. "Well, you'd better give Raven the best day of her life after all she's been through. If you don't, I just might court her myself."

Even though it was clearly a joke, Ominis still moved closer to the girl while his hand tightened on hers. "Try it, and I'll most certainly make you regret it. You're not the only one deft with a wand, you know."

Raven couldn't help laughing a little. "As amusing as it would be to watch you two dueling your hearts out, we really have to get going."

"Then have a good time," Sebastian replied. "See you back at Hogwarts."