Bagsy Beetlehorn and the Corvid Trials (The Bagsy Chronicles 2)

The Missing Slytherin

Bagsy was grateful for how Bontie took care of her after what had happened. She brought her tissues to blow her nose and wipe her eyes and made her the best hot chocolate she'd ever tasted. It had extra hazelnut cream and marshmallows and Bontie enchanted a cream bunny to hop around the foam. She'd even let Bagsy relax in her room while she did her work for the Ministry.

Bontie usually hated Bagsy being in her room. Bontie kept her space tidy, unlike everyone else in the Beetlehorn family, and she wanted to keep it that way, so she'd always insisted that no one else was allowed in her room under any circumstances. But Bontie had the most interesting things in her room, Bagsy found, and it was a good distraction while she tried to ignore what had been written on her forehead.

There were books on ancient myths and legends, ranging from creatures no one knew were real or fake, to spell casters who performed great feats like saving an entire country from a horde of vampires, or who created potions to cure diseases that looked set to bring the downfall of wizard kind. Strange ornaments were arranged neatly on white shelves. One was a series of metal circles that revolved smoothly around each other, another was an hourglass filled with water that swirled up and down with soft noises like a distant ocean.

Bontie had allowed Bill and Jill to be in her room as well, and the rats hadn't left Bagsy's side since. They seemed to know when Bagsy was upset and nibbled softly on her finger tips to show her support. Bontie held back shivers – she wasn't keen on rats.

By the time the sun was setting and Bontie had completed half of her Ministry work, the take-away they'd ordered from Dumplings and Dollops had arrived. Bontie insisted they sit cross legged on her floor instead of going to eat downstairs.

'Why?' Bagsy asked, nibbling absent-mindedly on ink toast, her favourite.

'It feels nicer,' Bontie explained around a mouthful of cacti spines. She'd ordered her cacti spines with noodles instead of the usual syrup and rice. It was a mass of string shaped food and Bagsy was astounded Bontie managed to keep the sauce on her plate and not on the floor.

Curling her toes into the soft carpet that was only found in Bontie's room, the rest of the house was tiled or had wooden floors, Bagsy found Bontie was right. There was something much nicer about sitting and eating on the floor in this room then downstairs, where the architecture was cold and spiritless.

Bagsy had finished her food, and Bontie was on her last few bites, when her older sister looked seriously at her.

'Why did that girl try to write squib on your forehead?'

Bagsy was silent, twiddling her thumbs.

'Bagsy,' Bontie pushed. 'You must tell me.'

'I think she's right, Bontie...' Bagsy murmured timidly. 'I can't cast spells. I... I don't think I have any magic in me.'

Her sister considered her for a moment, before taking and finishing a mouthful of her food. She chewed, swallowed, and then stood up, before holding her hand out to Bagsy, who took it and found herself pulled to her feet.

'Bagsy,' Bontie said, her eyes fierce. 'I want you to know that if you are a squib you are still my sister, and still a wonderful girl.'

Bagsy looked at the floor. 'You're just saying that.'

'If I was a squib would you love me less?' Bontie snapped harshly.

Bagsy let go of Bontie's hand, taken aback. 'No! Of course not.'

'Well, there you go.'

'But mum and dad-'

'I doubt they'd mind either, if they ever paid any attention,' Bontie hissed, with barely concealed bitterness. 'What matters is how you feel about yourself. You are wonderful. Squib or witch. But,' Bontie took her wand out of her robe. 'You aren't a squib, anyway.'