"Of course she does," Gemma replied. Gemma usually wouldn't go so far to appease a follower but there was something about the way Alex burned in her aggression that made her an exceptional student. She wanted to keep the girl focused and happy. She could be powerful, dangerous even, but Gemma knew if Charlie was on the other side Alex would hold back. She needed to make Charlie stronger, invincible, she had to make sure Alex wouldn't have to worry about her. "Why else would she bother trying to win you over again? Why would she bother getting upset?"

"Alex has become a part of something big. Bigger than you or me, bigger than this damn school. A revolution," she said with bright eyes. "A change is sweeping us up and trust me, you don't want to be caught on the other side," there was an edge to her voice as she took a step closer. "Muggles and muggleborns aren't safe anymore. This is the only chance you got."

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Charlie mulled over Gemma's questions, her initial distrust of the woman starting to wither away. It was true, she supposed, why would Alex go through so much effort to keep harassing her if she didn't want her back? Gemma seemed like she knew Alex fairly well at this point, and Charlie figured that if Alex trusted her, why shouldn't she? Alex had never really lead her astray before, she had always cared for Charlie in her own little way. If she thought about it instead of getting instantly angry, Alex's constant put down of Jenny could have been jealousy, right? "I...I guess you're right," she said quietly, brow still furrowed in thought.

She wanted to run when Gemma stepped forward, the look in her eyes coupled with her words made the blonde girl uneasy. What did she mean muggles and muggleborns weren't safe anymore? What about her family, her mother and the twins? She was shaking slightly from nerves, but she decided that if Alex was so involved in this, then she should be too. What else did she really have to loose at this point?

"I-I'll come with you, but only if you promise me something," Charlie began nervously, her voice wavering. She felt like she was making a deal with the devil. "If I join you, and go back to Alex, you have to leave my family alone." It seemed like a shot in the dark, a futile attempt at making this whole event on her terms. Her father had left her in charge of the family though, it was her job to keep them safe. She would do that at all costs.

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Gemma watched as Charlie's distrust melted away. Gemma let her words linger in the silence between them for a few minutes before nodding. "It's a deal," she said smiling. She was quite pleased with herself, it had been a lot easier than she expected it to be. She extended her hand for a shake. There would be no turning back after that, it was as good as contract.

"Come with me," she said turning toward the woods. "There's something we have to take care of first. It may cause slight discomfort but in the end, if you want your family safe, if you want Alex safe..." she let that settle between them before finishing. "What's a little discomfort for that security right?"

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Charlie looked at the out stretched hand, still slightly unsure. Everything her father had taught her was advising her against making a deal with this woman. She had to keep her family safe though, at any cost. Keeping Alex safe was an added bonus, if Gemma was being honest with her, then she would go through anything to make those to things happen. She reached out and grasped the other woman's hand firmly, looking at her with a flash of determination. "I'll do anything to keep them safe."

She followed Gemma towards the woods, only feeling slightly regretful as she looked into the darkness. It was all for a purpose, right? At least her family would be safe, just like she promised her father at his funeral. She would keep everyone safe if she could.

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That flash of determination was enough to confirm in Gemma's mind that she was making the right move. She could see why Alex was attracted to her in the first place.

Gemma met with a small group of scouts at the edge of the forest, with one silent motion she sent them ahead to get things prepared in the cabin. It wouldn't be a long walk through the woods, in fact they could get there in matter of minutes if they were sprinting but she didn't want to give Charlie the chance to run away if she would take it. Following behind at a slower pace, she kept right next to Charlie, after a few minutes of silent walking, a rear guard fell in a few paces behind them.

"I appreciate your determination but pity your attachment," she said simply. She had been struggling with her own attachments. Edwin was easy because he would do whatever she wanted him to do, he was loyal to the end but her real problem lay in Ellie. That bitch was on her moral high horse but she couldn't stop loving her little sister. Gemma shook off the thought. "You're strong though, you might even survive this war," she said cheerfully.

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Charlie watched the scouts disappear into the darkness. She wanted to ask Gemma what exactly they had gone ahead to do, but kept her mouth shut instead. She didn't really want to know what she was getting herself into. If she waited until it was upon her, then it would be over quickly, like ripping off a band-aid. She tensed as she sensed that they were being followed, but like before kept her mouth shut tightly. She was grinding her teeth a bit, the muscles tense in her jaw.

"Wouldn't have a reason to fight if I didn't have things to love," she replied tersely. She didn't like he cheerful tone of the other woman's voice, feeling as though her compliment was a double edged sword. "What do you mean, survive this war?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. What did Gemma possibly have planned? Did Alex know about this? She trusted her best friend with her life, she just hoped that Alex knew what she was getting them into.

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She shrugged. "I had things to fight for little one and those things were taken from me. I've learned the hard way that if your heart is in the battle, then there's no sense in fighting at all," it was the most honest she had been with anyone and it was probably because she hadn't had time to prepare for this sort of conversation. "Your heart can betray you, it can bring you to your knees. I won't do that again," she said, her voice taking on a darker tone.

"Aren't you tired of being made to live in secret? As if we've done something wrong?" she asked. "It's bullshit is what it is," she snapped. "We are fucking elite, we are an evolution of man capable of anything so why should we run and hide in the face of inferior beings?" she nearly scowled.

"You are a witch, a powerful one. There is nothing for you to be ashamed of. Muggles, who have no power over us, are being allowed to control every aspect of our lives. We can't reveal ourselves, we live in shadows while they toil away and destroy everything in their path with their technology and their wars. If only we could take over... the things we could do," she turned away from Charlie when she heard a twig snap. Looking carefully she saw a fox curting along the bushes. "Just a fox!" she said, chipper voice back in place.

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Charlie remained quiet, the darker tone that Gemma's voice took making her frightened. She didn't know if she agreed with the woman or not. Jenny had always told her that she shouldn't wear her heart on her sleeve so much. The older girl had claimed that it had been one of the things that Alex used to manipulate her. Charlie wondered if that was why Alex never showed her true emotions to people. Was she afraid of losing what she loved? "But what's the point of fighting if you don't have anything to fight for?" she asked, a frown on her face as she furrowed her brows in thought.

The blonde girl wanted to argue against Gemma's claims, because that was what she was supposed to do, right? Gemma was evil, or at least, Charlie assumed she was. Why else would she be talking in such a way? She was going to do something big, something that would hurt a lot of people. Charlie couldn't necessarily disagree with her reasoning. She had to lie to her extended family whenever they saw them, tell them that she went to some fancy private academy for art. Why shouldn't she be able to tell her family what she was?

"You...You're not going to hurt anyone, are you?" She bit her lip nervously, what about people like Jenny and Ella's parents? She had guaranteed her own families safety, but there were so many muggle born students at Blue Ridge, who would protect them?

She jumped when she heard the twig snap, not relaxing a bit at how chipper Gemma was back to sounding. She looked around and realized that they were deep into the forest. It was dark and Charlie had no idea where they were. She was starting to wish that she hadn't stormed away from Alex now. "W-where are we going?" She asked, shivering unintentionally.

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"I'm fighting for my dignity and pride kiddo. I'm fighting for my rights," there was a little piece of her that was fighting for the things she had lost as well but she would never admit that aloud. "You have yourself to fight for," she said firmly. "Who else is gonna fight for ya?"

"Not gonna hurt anyone?" she smiled, a sadistic thing on her sweet face. "Sweet girl, the cost of revolution is bloodshed. If you're not willing to spill a little blood for the greater good then I don't know why I'm still hanging on to ya."

"See that light?" she asked, pointing ahead of them toward her cabin. They were almost there now, having passed through the deepest part of the woods. "That's my home, a rare thing that I'm bringing someone who I'm not sure is one hundred percent on my side," she paused thoughtfully. "I hope Alex is right about you."

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Charlie remained silent once again, drawing her arms tighter around herself. Gemma had a point, there couldn't be change without a little bloodshed. During her muggle schooling, she had learned about the American revolution. She supposed it was kind of like the same thing. Although, she didn't think that anyone was really being oppressed, wasn't it more for their protection? She didn't know what to think any longer.

She looked up, her gaze following Gemma's pointing finger. It made her feel better to see the light breaking through the darkness. The mention of Alex made her tense up, did Alex know what Gemma was pulling her towards? She was her best friend, she had to know what was best, right? Who else did Charlie really have left?

"She is," Charlie said with finality. Her jaw was set and her heart was pounding. She had to protect the people she cared about. "I don't want any trouble, I'm just here to protect my family. And Alex."

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