'Call your gargoyle off,' Tod said, his voice wavering, Bagsy herself doing nothing but tremble all over. The man, who looked like an ordinary man who'd been painted white and stretched too thin, stood up to his full height. Bagsy saw he also had pointed ears.
The man's voice was slow and cold. 'Who are you?'
'I'm Tod Alden, this is Bagsy... uh...'
'B-Beetlehorn,' Bagsy finished for him.
The man frowned, an unpleasant frown appearing on his face. 'Oh.'
'Call off your gargoyle,' Tod repeated, his voice still frail, his wand remaining pointed at the stone creature pacing menacingly towards them.
The man waved his hand. 'Leave us be, Spot,' he said tiredly. Spot, the menacing gargoyle, snarled and flapped his chipped, stone wings, disappearing back to his post. 'So, you've come to bother my daughter, I presume?'
Bagsy gaped. She couldn't imagine this man being Mezrielda's father. He seemed far too odd.
'Bother her?' Tod said curiously.
'Yes. You.' The man pointed a long-nailed finger at Bagsy. 'You brought her to danger.' Bagsy blinked in astonishment, her fear washing away with her confusion. In her opinion, Mezrielda had been more the cause of the danger than her. 'Leave us be. Mezrielda is studying, as she should be. She has far too many important things to deal with that you can't possibly understand. Hogwarts is no longer an appropriate place for her to receive an education.'
Bagsy recognized the way this man spoke and realised with a start that the later letters Mezrielda had been sending her sounded a lot like him. She had a sneaking suspicion he'd been monitoring and editing their correspondence, and tried to hide the glare that settled on her face.
'I don't want to speak to Mezrielda,' Tod explained calmly, smiling pleasantly at the man. 'Actually, I wanted to speak to the rest of your family. Would it be possible to gather them in... I presume you have a living room of sorts?'
'Of course, we have a living room,' the man scoffed, disappearing into the shadows of the dark manor. Bagsy looked at Tod fearfully, who followed with uncertain steps. With an inward groan, Bagsy followed after him, staying as close as she could. The door shut behind them and the howling wind outside became a muted, distant whisper.
'I suppose you'll be wanting light,' the man said. The next thing she knew, a candelabra above their heads burst into life and she could see all around her. A double staircase lead onto a walkway above them, the stairs half collapsed, some parts of the walk way were missing entirely, and doorways with half broken or missing doors led into other rooms. 'I'm Dantura Glint, by the way,' Dantura introduced himself before clicking his fingers loudly. He stood, silent, and Bagsy heard footsteps approaching. A white woman, as tall, pale and gaunt as Dantura, poked her head out of a side room and busied over to them. 'This is Palid Glint, my wife.'
Palid smiled at them, not saying a word.
'Mum? Dad? Who's that?'
Bagsy's heart soared. She knew that voice.
A girl with dark brown eyes and long, sleek black hair that reached down her back and caught the light like a shoal of fish, stopped at the top of the decimated stair case. 'Bagsy,' Mezrielda breathed in disbelief.
'Mezrielda!' Bagsy smiled happily up at her friend.
Mezrielda rushed down the stairs, easily jumping over the caved in parts, and stopped dead in front of Bagsy, her face flushed. 'What are you doing here?' Mezrielda was looking Bagsy up and down, as if she couldn't believe she was there.
'Mezrielda, return to your room at once,' Mr Glint demanded harshly. 'You've a lot of work still to do.'
'Right,' Mezrielda muttered, looking at Bagsy with disappointment.
'Ahem,' Tod coughed, gaining everyone's attention, and Mezrielda looked even more astounded that he was there.
'What are you-' Mezrielda began, but Tod cut her off, and Bagsy felt a sudden blast of cold.
'There was no dangerous incident last year at Hogwarts,' Tod sad, fixing his eyes first on Dantura Glint, and then on Palid Glint. Both of the Glint's blinked down at Tod, not saying a word. 'In fact, it was a very productive year, where Mezrielda learnt and improved greatly.' Tod's words were strained, as if he were slowly forcing a needle through his palm, and Dantura and Palid's faces were creased in confusion as they resisted his silver tongue powers. 'If you want your daughter to have a bright future, you need to send her back to Hogwarts.'
The creased on their faces slowly melting away, Dantura and Palid nodded their agreement. Mezrielda looked from her mother to her father and then to Tod. She had seemed angry when Tod had first started speaking, but then something dawned on her and the smallest of smirks spread across her face as she realised what was going on.
Dantura said, after a pause, 'Yes, Hogwarts was a very safe, and very productive, environment for our Mezrielda.'
'And,' Tod pushed on, looking like he was about to collapse, 'you feel far more comfortable with Mezrielda being at risk than you did before.'
'She can take care of herself,' Palid agreed, her voice sounding distant. Then, 'Dantura,' she murmured in a low voice. 'We can't afford it...' She glanced uncertainly at Tod and Bagsy.
As if on cue an owl, with a loud hoot, flew into the house through a hole in the roof, and dropped a letter into Dantura's hand before swooping away.
Dantura, brow furrowed, opened the envelope. His eyebrows raised so high they disappeared into his forehead. 'Mezrielda's been awarded a scholarship,' he cried. It was the only action that had Bagsy even slightly convinced Dantura was alive. Palid clasped her hands in front of her mouth in disbelief. 'All of her school fees, paid! All of her books and equipment, sorted! They're even sending a flying carriage for her to take tomorrow so she doesn't miss a single day!' Like a light switch turned on, the dour, serious Dantura had become an overjoyed string-bean of happiness.
Palid had tears in her eyes. 'Oh, but that's wonderful!' It was as if someone had coloured both of the Glint's in. They were still as pale as ever, but now an exuberance flushed both of their cheeks as they looked, overjoyed, down at their daughter.
Mezrielda was staring straight at Bagsy. She had not a single tear in her eyes, unlike her parents, but Bagsy could tell she was grateful anyway.
'We better hunt to celebrate!' Palid exclaimed, then, with a sideways look at Tod and Bagsy, and an awkward stutter, 'I mean! I'll go and buy some groceries for a feast!'
Bagsy and Tod shared a look.
Tod said, smoothly, 'Listen, it's been wonderful meeting you, but we better be off.' Bagsy noticed a tremor in his voice, as if he was incredibly tired.
'Hold on!' Mezrielda cut in, spinning on her heels and disappearing to their left.
'Mezrielda, where are you going? we forbid you from the library unless supervised! Mezrielda get back here!' Dantura called.
Mezrielda did reappear, holding a large tome in her hands. She rushed over to Bagsy and pushed the book to her chest. 'Take this to Hogwarts,' she instructed her.
'She most certainly will not, that book is forbidden!' Mr Glint said harshly, baring his fangs and reaching for the book Bagsy now clasped to her chest.
'What book?' Tod said innocently, another blast of cold summoning around them. 'Mezrielda's been standing here the whole time, she didn't fetch a book.'
Dantura blinked, his hands falling to his sides. Bagsy could feel Tod shaking next to her.
'Of course, how silly of me,' Dantura sighed. Tod gripped Bagsy's shoulder and began pulling her away from the Glints.
'We were never here,' Tod called back at them as he led Bagsy outside, his grip on Bagsy's shoulder growing tighter. Luckily, his fingers weren't on her scar, or Bagsy reckoned she'd be in a lot of pain right now. Bagsy looked at Mezrielda, her heart hammering in her ears. She couldn't believe they'd managed it...
'I'll see you at Hogwarts,' Mezrielda said softly.
'Who are you talking to, dear?' Palid asked pleasantly.
'No one, mother,' Mezrielda lied.
The second they were outside of Vespite Manor, and had reached the sea shore without incident, Tod collapsed onto the ground.
'Tod!' Bagsy squealed in worry. Tod's eyes were closed, and he was breathing heavily. 'Tod, what's-'
'Give... me a... second...' Tod heaved. Bagsy did, shuffling from one foot to the other, her robes buffeted in the harsh wind. Eventually, Tod sat up, sweat shining on his forehead. 'Their minds were much harder to work on than I'm used to – they were like Fitzsimmons' mind – except this time I had to work on two at once. I'm not going to be able to speak for a month at least...' Tod put his face in his hands.
'But you're speaking right now?' Bagsy furrowed her brow in confusion.
Tod shook his head. 'Not what I meant, Bagsy. I mean, I won't be able to speak.' A push of cold sparked on the word speak, but it dissipated almost instantly, as if there had been no energy behind it.
Bagsy understood. 'Is it that much effort? Using your power?'
'No, not usually... something about the minds of Mezrielda's parents was more difficult than others. They must be...' Tod trailed off, his head hanging as he drew in slow, deep breaths. He didn't finish his sentence.
Bagsy knelt down next to Tod, placing a hand on his shoulder in concern, and he flinched. 'I'm sorry for making you do this.'
'You couldn't make me do anything, Bagsy, don't worry,' Tod snapped, standing up and getting into the boat. 'Come on. We may make it back in time for tea.'
On the journey back, both Bagsy and Tod were shivering – one from fear, the other exhaustion. Once the boat resurfaced at Hogwarts lake, Tod was barely able to dismount. His feet caught on the edge of the boat and it was his turn to fall in the water.
'Tod!' Bagsy exclaimed again, hopping out and lifting him out of the water. They were both drenched, and Tod didn't respond, his head lolling to the side. 'Oh dear, oh dear... Tod?' Tod!' Bagsy shook him, then dragged him onto the shore – he was incredibly light even if his clothes were weighed down with water.
Bagsy, glancing at the castle and down at Tod, sucked in a breath, bent her knees, placed her arms below Tod's back and legs and attempted to lift him. She was grateful for the many hours she spent working on her inventions, she may be terrible at running, but she found enough strength in her arms and legs to haul Tod up and carry him. She'd make it a few paces before she'd stop and take a breather, and then a few paces more. The sun was creeping below the horizon by the time a hulking silhouette lumbered towards them urgently. Bagsy fell to her knees, breathing heavily.
Belta Zotova, the Hogwarts grounds keeper, stopped in front of them, her eyes wide in concern and confusion. Easily, Zotova bent down and lifted both Bagsy and Tod into her massive, muscly arms. 'Vat happened?' Zotova asked, her Russian accent thick. Bagsy found the experience of being carried by Zotova oddly familiar but couldn't remember why.
Bagsy, still out of breath, tried to do some quick thinking. 'I don't know what it's called,' she breathed, deciding to play on her reputation as being magically inept. 'But we were hit with a jinx that made us really, really,' she faked a yawn, that was so obviously false it was a miracle Zotova didn't see through it. 'Tired...'
Zotova seemed convinced and took them straight to the hospital wing.
Nurse Jones, a small, hunched man with the face of someone who never slept, scuttled over to them, peering up at Zotova, Bagsy and Tod in her arms. 'What's wrong? What's wrong?' Nurse Jones muttered, leading Zotova to two hospital beds that Zotova laid Bagsy and Tod onto. Nurse Jones set immediately to placing different coloured wires on different parts of Bagsy and Tod's body. First, he tapped a red coloured one to Bagsy's left shoulder, his face scrunching up with dim horror when he did. Then he touched a green one to Tod's forehead. The wires led back to triangular shapes that were plugged into Nurse Jones' ears.
Eventually, Nurse Jones scurried off and returned with a warm coloured potion he fed to Tod. Nurse Jones then moved to pour the substance down Bagsy's throat, who fearfully opened her mouth, thinking she'd rather drink it herself.
'I think the girl can drink herself, Bobbly,' Zotova said to Nurse Jones.
Nurse Jones paused, nodded, said, 'Yes, yes,' and handed the potion to Bagsy who drank it. It made her feel warm and her robes seemed to instantly dry off.
'Thank you,' said Bagsy gratefully.
Nurse Jones nodded his head many times. 'Of course, of course,' he muttered, scampering off. 'You may leave, yes, you may leave,' Nurse Jones murmured, seemingly to himself. Bagsy got off the bed, feeling like energy was bursting out of her ears, and walked happily towards the exit.
'Who did this?' Zotova asked as Bagsy left.
Bagsy paused, glancing back at Tod. She felt alive with energy and didn't think too much about the consequences of her action. 'Primrose,' she lied. Sure, Primrose hadn't cast an exhaustion charm on them, but she had tried to brand Bagsy with the word squib, so she didn't feel too bad about throwing her under the bus. Zotova pursed her lips and nodded. She was an imposing woman, with her half-shaved head and mass of animal fur cloaks. Bagsy didn't want to be Primrose, that was for sure.