The Heart of the Forbidden Forest.

Shadow into the forest, running as fast as she could. The night was cold around her, but she didn't care. It was coming, and she could feel it. She had to get away from the school. She couldn't bear it if something happened and it was her fault. Her feet pounded on the mosy ground and she hurtled over fallen trees. She was nearly there, nearly there...

Holly moaned from the ground.
"Who's that?" she asked groggily.

Natalie ran after Shadow.
"Shadow! Come back...please!" yelled Natalie

Shadow reached a blackened and burnt clearing. All the leaves had been stripped from the trees, and many branches were broken. It was a place no one dared come near. Shadow ran to the centre of this dark place and fell to her knees.
"Keep away!" She shouted to Natalie.

Holly's brow furrowed as she tried to remember.
"What in hells.....Shadow?" Holly called out, "S'that you?"

Natalie stopped in her tracks.
She looked at Holly on the forest floor.
"What's she up to...do you know?" Natalie asked frantically.

"I dont know what IM up to," Holly said, sitting up groggily, "I dunno how I got here or....man....I dont know anything about me."

Shadow leant on her hands, twitching slightly. She could feel the burning inside her, and it was rising...

Natalie helped Holly up.
"She doesn't want us to come after her...but I reckon we should," said Natalie.

"Who?" Holly asked standing and leaning against Natalie exhausted, "Shadow or what?"

"I said get out of here!" Shadow shouted back to her friends. She didn't want them around. They didn't need to know...

"SHADOW!" Natalie yelled at Holly, and went to the place where Shadow was.
"SHAD! OPEN UP! WHAT'S HAPPENING!" Natalie yelled.

Shadow's finger's dug into the earth as she tried to keep her voice even.
"Just go!" She shouted again, but the burning was reaching her lind. It was coming and would begin soon...

Natalie was beginning to panic.
"I'm NOT leaving," she said firmly.

"I think she's not right at the minute," Holly muttered head in her hands, "Its US Shadow, are you going demonic?"

"It's too dangerous, go!" Shadow shouted back, unable to keep the pain from her voice any more., all her muscles tensing. She bit her lip, trying to keep it at bay until she could convince the others to leave.

"No...I'm not leaving you Shadow Roth," said Natalie bravely.
This is where her Gryffindor guts and stubborn attitude came into play.

Shadow opened her mouth to argue back when the pain in her mind peaked and she screamed.

This is where Holly's arrogance came into play.
"OI! ROTH! TELL US MATE! WE AINT LEAVING!"
She coughed up some blood.
"Ooh sorry Nat."

"SHADOW!" Natalie yelled, and she took out her wand.
"BOMBARDA!" she screamed, but nothing happened.
"Shadow...Shadow...please...what's going on!" Natalie demanded.
She looked at Holly, the smell of blood making her hungry.
"What the hell happened to YOU?!" Natalie demanded.

"I DONT KNOW!" Holly yelled at her, "Get a blood pop nerd. SHADOWWWWW!"

"I DON'T BLOODY WELL HAVE ONE!" Natalie yelled back, "LET US THE HELL IN SHADOW!"

Shadow's magic poured out from her, from her hands, eyes, the charka gem on her forehead, even her mouth as she screamed.

Natalie broke down the door, to reveal Shadow.
"Shadow..." Natalie said, going over to Shadow, "I think I know whats wrong with her Holly..."

"What's wrong with her?" Holly asked concerned.

"She's losing her magic..." said Natalie.
She looked into Shadow' eyes.
"You need to try and hold on..." said Natalie quickly and quietly to Shadow.

"How do you know that?" Holly asked eyebrows raised, "dude I know you are smart....but seriously!"

"I JUST KNOW!" yelled Natalie, "IT'S SOMETHING SHADOW TOLD ME WOULD HAPPEN A WHILE AGO....AND THAT WE NEEDED TO ENCOURAGE HER TO HOLD ONTO IT FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!"

Shadow shook her head at Natalie's statement as the magic flow slowed, leaving her trembling and out of breath.

Hayley ran and caught up with Holly and Natalie. She stood beside them, Blueberry in her hand, "Dudes, Blue told me something was wrong, what is it?" she asked, panting heavily.
Blueberry quivvered in her hand, and snuggled into her robes.

"Dude I dont think it's safe here," Holly pointed out, "I really really dont."
She glanced along at Shadow. Holly imagined the last time something bad had happened. It was only yesterday.

"I don't care," Hayley replied, "Is Shad going demonic?" she asked, worriedly.

"I don't think she's going demonic....it's something much, much worse that's happening," said Natalie worriedly.
She looked at Shadow.
"Will you let me share your pain so it is less of a burden on you?" Natalie asked Shadow.

"You know she wont let you," Holly reminded Natalie, "So do it anyway....what if you die? What will I do? Im beginning to regret talking now you know."

Natalie opened the mind connection between her and Shadow, and immediately pain, worse than the cruciatus curse, flooded through her. It hurt too much to even scream.

Hayley clamped a hand to her mouth, and stared, horrified at Natalie, "Oh my God, Nat, what the hell is going on?" she said. She looked at Holly, and almost cried, "What do we do?" she asked, racking her brains for ideas.

Shadow forced the connection shut and made sure that Natalie couldn't open it again. She collapsed onto her side, her eyes half closed. She sighed slightly as she trembled.
"Why did you stay?" She asked softly.

"We're idiots who care about you?" Holly guessed numbly sitting down, "And we dont even know whats goin on....shall I get help?"

Shadow shook her head slowly.
"It's over now, for another week." She said softly.

"You sure?" Holly asked, then took in the words, "For another week, dude what was that?"
She now felt it safe to wonder closer to Shadow, and she crouched down in front of her.

Shadow pushed herself upright slowly, leaning against a severely blackened tree. She took a deep breath.
"I go through that every week." She said.

Holly looked into her face, worried.
"What is "that"?" she asked.

"Power Surge." Shadow said softly.

"Is it like an erection?" Holly asked seriously, head cocked to one side.

Shadow shook her head.
"Because my magic is powered by emotion... it builds up inside me... I have to let it out..."

"Oh," Holly said, "Right, I knew that."
She cleared her throat.
"Once a week? Maan....suckish. Well are you okay now? Can you stand up?"

"Give me a few minutes." Shadow muttered, closing her eyes.

Holly nodded looking around. How the hell did I get here anyway? her head asked her. For that she had no answer, so she just looked at Shadow, smiling bravely.

Shadow rested for a few minutes before she stood up, still leaning on the tree. She looked paler than normal.

"You look paler than normal," Holly commented sitting next to her, "Like....white pale, not pale pale, you know?"