The crowd that surrounded Ysabell had eyes that spoke of hatred. Watching their faces Ysabell could tell that they were waiting for her to make the first move. Instead of giving in to them she just waited there passively. She wasn't stupid enough to give them an excuse to attack.

I've still got a chance, I suppose. I could try and explain. Not that they'd understand. But I could try. Or I could run. Right now running seems like the best option.

"You killed my parents." It was a small boy, a second year, and as Ysabell turned to look at him an older student hid him behind their back. She knew who he was though - and who his parents had been.

"Yes." she said. It was true. Although she had never actually killed anyone with her own hands she had caused the deaths of all the people on that list just the same. As she spoke she looked round at them all hesitantly, looking into their saw fear and hatred and disgust but worst of all was the sense of betrayal she saw behind the eyes of the people who had tried to help her; Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Neville… Whispers ran round the room.

A thought ran through Ysabell's head, and was quickly suppressed.

Maybe I do deserve this…

Another voice was speaking up, this time a girl's. "My sister… my sister died because of you." The girl stood beside her chimed in as well, in a voice ringing with hatred. "Don't forget Annaline Curtiss. She was my best friend."

Ysabell swallowed and looked sideways. Best friend at least had a meaning to her.

Now voices were ringing out from all sides, naming friends, family… People were fingering wands. Ysabell felt almost overwhelmed by the torrent of words.

"You don't understand! I had to do it!"

The hall fell silent. Eyes were staring at her, demanding an explanation.

"…the death-eaters… my mother…" Ysabell looked around hopelessly.

"Your mother turned my parents insane." It was Neville speaking.

Ysabell swallowed again. "At least your parents were sane to start with."

Hermione spoke up softly. "But thanks to your mother, some people never even had parents."

"And am I to blame for that? I wasn't even born then! And if they never had parents they were better off, weren't they? Do you think I love my mother?"

Another boy spoke up. "Well, she obviously loved you if she taught you to do all that stuff, didn't she?"

"She didn't teach me!" shouted Ysabell. "She did nothing for me, do you understand?"

"Oh, so you just copied her of your own free will did you?"

"I am not like my mother!" Ysabell roared.

"Oh yeah?" someone else retorted. "Let's see shall we? Liar, murderer, torturer, death-eater…"

"I was not a death-eater! Listen to me, and I'll explain-"

"Show us your arm then!"

Ysabell looked ready to attack him, but Luna laid her hand on her shoulder. "She's telling the truth." she said softly. "I've seen her arms and she hasn't got the mark."

Ysabell suddenly felt extraordinarily grateful to Luna for backing her up.

"Yeah, but Loony would only noticed if she had a slumple horned corknack on her arm." one of the seventh years muttered audibly to his friend. When he turned back round Ysabell's wand was pointing at him.

"Don't you dare talk about Luna like that! She's worth ten of you!"

"Ysabell" said Luna placatingly. "I don't mind, you know."

"Well I do." Ysabell snapped. She didn't put the wand down. People were beginning to look worried again. Some looked happier, as if they were waiting for a fight.

A new voice struck up. It was Ginny this time. "Are you actually sorry for what you've done?"

It was a question Ysabell hadn't been expecting, and she didn't know how to answer it.

"You don't, do you?" said someone, in a voice filled with disgust. "You don't care at all. Just like your mother."

"Shut up! Just shut up and try to listen to what I'm telling you!"

"Oh of course, she was a lovely mummy really. I was forgetting she was dead. You must miss her so much. I expect you had such great times together; torturing muggles, killing innocents. You must have really loved your mum."

"She was NOT my mum!" Ysabell screamed.

"She was a cowardly, murdering, stinking death-eater just like you!"

Ysabell screamed again, only this time she screamed something different. The boy who had been taunting her screamed too.

Wow. I never realised it felt like this. One little word and so much power. I can feel it pulsing through my veins like fire. Adrenaline. Like a breath of sweet fresh air. Control! At last. Finally, finally, I have control over something in my life. I'm not the weakling, the powerless one, the slave. I'm the one in control.

No wonder my mother liked this so much.

The boy dropped to the floor, breathing hard. Ysabell was breathing hard too, and her eyes were wide and bright. Maybe it was fear, or maybe it was relief, but the laugh that boiled out of her throat sounded almost evil. Whilst she was laughing another student stepped over the younger boy's body – they looked so alike they could be brothers. The spell he sent shooting at Ysabell missed, but Ysabell's counter-curse didn't.

Two little words, a wand movement performed with as much emotion as swatting a fly. And yet they changed the lives of everyone present. Forever.

Another boy hit the floor. But this time he wasn't breathing.

Ysabell stared for a moment, her eyes round with horror. Then she ran, out through the great doors and down; down towards the forest.