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

A Persistent Scar

Bagsy shrugged stiffly. 'I remember someone mentioning something about it.'

Fitzsimmons shook their head ruefully. 'Starrett is perhaps the strongest witch I know, and she could barely scratch the monster. Her spells simply rebounded off its hide.' There was a long silence. 'When Horba, the elf, apparated you out of that world and into this one, the weakness between that world and this one grew even weaker. It was enough for the beast to break through. A beast so powerful I, Professor Starrett, and Professor Blythurst couldn't defeat. And yet, Bagsyllia, you managed to defend yourself, and your friends, from that fiend. All without casting a single spell.'

Bagsy blinked at Fitzsimmons.

'You are a truly remarkable child, Bagsyllia.'

Such a compliment would have made Bagsy feel dizzy before. Now, she just stared blankly ahead. 'Cora – Mistress Foncée,' Bagsy corrected herself, 'she was working with the beast.'

Fitzsimmons nodded solemnly. 'Yes. We discovered her body in the underlake yesterday, amongst a horde of worms.'

'She was the one who stole the items,' Bagsy rushed out, feeling finding its way into her body after what felt like ages. 'It wasn't Mezrielda, please don't expel her, professor, she'll be taken from her parents and-'

Fitzsimmons held up their hand. 'I have realised she didn't steal the items. Mistress Foncée's magic revealed itself when we inspected her body. The wings were quite the give-away. It seems her minions, corvids, have a liking for taking trinkets here and there.'

Bagsy nodded, settling back down into the bed, the numbness finding her again.

'Bagsyllia, you have been through something truly horrifying,' Fitzsimmons stated, sitting back down on their stool. 'I cannot imagine how you are feeling, and let me assure you, there is no right way to feel after an event like you've experienced. Some people feel very strongly after a shock, some feel very little, some find themselves in-between the two. Wherever you find yourself on that spectrum, Bagsyllia, you have every right to it. Remember that.'

Feeling a little better, Bagsy nodded.

'When you are ready, you have many visitors.' Fitzsimmons turned to leave. They hesitated, glancing back at her. 'Bagsyllia, I've decided you need not take any exams this year.'

Bagsy nodded quietly, looking back at her legs again. The announcement only served to remind her of how magically inept she was, even if she had managed one spell in a moment of desperation during the few moments she'd been able to call on the power of the corvid family. She'd been given a free pass for her exams last year, and now she'd avoid them again this year. She was beginning to wonder if she really deserved to be at Hogwarts at all. Other students didn't get the leniency she did. It didn't seem fair.

Fitzsimmons must have left as the next time Bagsy looked up she was alone in the large infirmary again. Her heart almost instantly sped up, her eyes darting about. She'd thought she'd been safe this year. Fitzsimmons had given her a necklace to block the mental powers of the beast and had been trying to slay the monster. None of the protective measures had worked. The only thing that calmed her was the fact the beast was gone.

Just as she was forcing her breathing to slow down, and accepting that she was alone in the room, there was a pop, and a small man appeared at the end of her bed. Bagsy looked at him with wide, frightened eyes, her heart instantly picking up again.

'It's okay, miss, it's okay,' the small man assured her, glancing around with his large, orb eyes.

'You're Horba,' Bagsy realised. Horba, the elf, nodded. 'You went missing.'