Bagsy's shoes tapped on the stone floor as she headed to that evenings Artifisiary lesson. Her robe was loaded with inventions; her spell-sponge spider gloves, her mag-net bat and ball, her muggle torch and a jar filled with upgraded sealable substance.
The fight with Primrose had made her realise something. Starrett had asked her to stop her, but she'd never specified it had to be with a wand. In the real world, that Starrett loved to refer to, she could use whatever she pleased.
She had her gloves, and her bat, but there wasn't much else she had, so she'd spent the weekend preparing. The only idea she'd finished was an improvement on the sealable solution that had been a failed invention from last year to try and unlock locks.
Feeling more keener for a lesson with Starrett than ever before, she threw open the door to the Charms classroom.
Starrett sat at her desk reading a book. She looked up and arched an eyebrow. 'How strange. You're on time for once.'
Bagsy clenched her fists and stood firmly. At her full height she was slightly taller than Starrett, who was a small woman despite the fountain of maleficence that could come from her.
Starrett put her book down neatly and got to her feet. 'Let's begin then.' Raising her wand, she unleashed her magic.
Bagsy tried to dodge, but she'd been taken by surprise, and gold paint hit her shoulder.
Starrett tutted. 'No better, I see. And here I thought I saw determination in those eyes.'
The next jet of light hurtled at Bagsy, but she held up her palm.
The spell dissipated into steam drifting off her fingertips like smoke.
It was only half a second, but Starrett was stunned, her wand motionless and her eyes ever so slightly wider.
Then her onslaught was greater than before.
With her eyes predicting the spells' trajectory, Bagsy caught every single one. But her gloves were beginning to heat up. She'd seen what happened to them when they over-loaded with magic – it was expelled in a damaging beam. She didn't want to destroy the Charms classroom. She was sure that wouldn't please Starrett.
Bagsy changed tactics, pulling a glass jar from her robe as she sidestepped more spells, one whooshing by her head. She'd filled the glass with the liquid form of sealable substance, the glass a special kind that melted on impact.
Years of quidditch training guiding her muscles, Bagsy threw the jar.
It shattered against the protective shield Starrett summoned. As it broke apart, the sealable substance burst out like an exploding snow ball except, instead of falling to the ground in soft snowflakes, it solidified. A spiked, star-like substance sat on the floor, the size of an armchair.
Starrett didn't pause this time, but her eyes widened just that little bit more.
Bagsy had four more of jars left. Her options were running out. Desperately, she pulled her mag-net bat out of her robe and prepared for a hit.
Her body suddenly felt heavy. She toppled like a statue.
Had Starrett hit her with a body bind curse? No, she could still move her fingers, though it felt like a thousand chains were pulling them to the floor.
With smug click-clacks, Starrett walked over to her. 'Good,' she said. 'We'll leave it there for tonight.' With a wave of her wand, Starrett removed the weigh-down charm and allowed Bagsy to sit up.
'Good?' Bagsy breathed laboriously. 'What was good? You still got me. I didn't stop you.'
'No, but at least this time you tried. You're giving up on your act of helplessness. Now, do I need to repeat myself?' She looked at her silently, like a panther presented with meat after months without food. 'Get out of my class,' she snapped, marching back to her desk and her book.
'Please,' Bagsy tried, still sitting on the floor. 'Just tell me what it is you want me to do. I'll practise it, I'll work hard, I'll improve, but I can't do that if I don't know what I'm aiming for.'
Starrett stopped, her hand hovering over the cover of her book. Slowly, it clenched into a fist and rested on the table. 'Every word I tell you ends up in Bontie's ear. I'd be a fool to tell you more than you need to know. Find a way to stop me. That's the only instruction you're getting.'
Bontie's name made Bagsy feel like her body had been separated from her brain and she could no longer move it around. 'What does my sister–' Bagsy cut herself off, looking miserably down at her feet as she moved into a cross-legged position. 'What does Bontie have to do with this?'
Starrett looked at her, something in her eyes different than it had ever been before. For a horrifying moment, Bagsy recognised fear.
'We both know why you're at Hogwarts,' said Starrett. 'Now do as I've asked you. Don't make me say it a third time.'
Accepting that was that, and feeling like a fearful Starrett was the most dangerous of all, Bagsy wisely rose to her feet and left the room. Her head swam with questions.
Confused, she arrived at dinner and sat down.
'Have you reconsidered?' Mezrielda asked, sitting down next to her.
Looking at her friend, it took Bagsy a second to understand what she meant. She shook her head. 'If the breathing blight is hidden in the acting troupe the best way to figure who he is, is to go undercover.'
Mezrielda drummed her fingers on the table. 'There has to be another way.'
'There probably is but I can only think of this one, and it seems the best option of everything we have. Fitzsimmons won't give us a straight answer, we can't get in contact with Winifred, and there are a too many members of the acting troupe to guess from a distance. They said back in Australia they wanted me to play the protagonist – if that's still the case, then that's my in.'
Mezrielda shook her head, dragged in a long breath, and relented. 'It does seem to be our only option. So be it.' She glared. 'I still don't like it, though.'
The next audition was two weeks away. As it approached, Bagsy tried her best to practise her acting.
'That's awful,' Mezrielda criticised as they sat in the library nook. 'You look constipated, not upset.'
'I know! I just can't make myself feel sad or happy! I just feel whatever I feel.' She shot a look at Mezrielda. 'Maybe if I was allowed to read the Vampire Affairs books I could understand my character.'
The look Mezrielda shot back was scathing. 'It's bad enough you auditioning. Don't rub salt in the wound by reading it, too.'
'I'll need to.'
'Not necessarily. They did say no acting ability was required, remembered?'
Bagsy shrugged. 'They might have just been saying that to encourage as many people to audition.'
'Perhaps.'
On the Wednesday before the auditions Bagsy spotted a sign-up sheet on the Hufflepuff notice board. Feeling eager and terrified at the same time, she wrote her name down.
'Auditioning, are you?' Greenda asked curiously.
'Yeah.'
'Good luck! I'll be rooting for you.'
Bagsy smiled. 'Thanks. Um, actually, do you know anything about acting?'
It turned out that Greenda did not, in fact, know anything about acting. Instead, she checked out a hundred books on acting from the library and sat down with Bagsy whilst she went through them, creating a revision scroll on different acting theories.
Bagsy should have found it boring, but Greenda had a way of making anything engaging, and she eagerly listened along, speaking up every now and then to voice her own ideas to excited nods from Greenda.
On Friday, Bagsy settled down at dinner. She was aching all over again – her inventions no longer helped with Starrett who wasn't surprised by them anymore. She easily countered them with well-planned spells. She'd hold back on shooting jets of light until Bagsy's hands were immobilised so she couldn't block them. Then she'd trip Bagsy over by making the floor ice or restrain her arms with planks of wood that tied around her wrists.
'Do you know how hard it is for me to not say something?' Starrett would hiss, watching Bagsy in disapproval as she desperately tried to fight back. 'I'm suffering, honestly.'
'Tell me what to do then!' Bagsy would shoot back, only to find bubbles forming around her and lifting her into the air. It was no use.
At least she was done for the day, Bagsy reasoned, spearing a potato with her fork and tucking in. It took her a second to realise Mezrielda was missing, again. Glancing around, she found the Slytherin table didn't house her, either. Worry guided her feet over to the other Slytherins, who looked at her sceptically.
Bagsy clasped her hands together. 'Hello,' she said nervously. 'Has anyone, uh, seen Mezrielda?'
She was met with shaking heads.
'I have,' a voice said from further down the table. Bagsy saw Maisy swing her legs over the bench and stand up. 'Follow me.'
'Likely story,' Hamley. 'We all know you're full of it.'
The other Slytherins mumbled their agreement.
Maisy flared her nostrils. 'I've never lied a day in my life!'
'Another very likely story,' Tod chimed in, to a snicker from Hamley.
Maisy held her head high. 'You're all just jealous you can't see the most obvious things.' She pointedly adjusted her rose coloured glasses.
'If you say so,' Hamley responded coolly, returning his attention to Tod, who was sketching out a newspaper layout.
Maisy walked briskly as Bagsy followed behind her.
'Um,' Bagsy murmured awkwardly. 'I believe you.'
'Of course, you do,' Maisy said without looking back at her. 'You wouldn't be following me otherwise. You may be so shy and non-confrontational you do things for the appearance of believing in someone, but the second Mezrielda is involved you wouldn't dream of wasting precious time. You're two halves of a whole.'
Bagsy tried to open her mouth to respond, but she was so shocked by what Maisy had said, and how bone-cuttingly true it was, she didn't know what to do.
Maisy indicated the girl's toilet. 'She's in there.'
'Thanks.' Bagsy reached for the handle.
Maisy's hand darted out, gripping her wrist tightly. She lent in uncomfortably close. 'Paloma said you're trying out for the acting troupe.'
Bagsy shrunk down. 'S-she did?'
'She heard from someone else who heard from Greenda,' said Maisy. 'At least, that'd be my best guess. Most information about Hufflepuffs can be traced back to that girl. She loves to talk.'
Feeling trapped, Bagsy tried to pull her wrist free. 'Let me go,' she pleaded.
Maisy leant in even closer. 'They're the ones who stole my sister.'
Bagsy froze. She looked at Maisy seriously. 'What?'
'The acting troupe are the ones who took my sister,' Maisy hissed. 'Don't audition.' Maisy let go and walked away. 'Have a good evening,' she called pleasantly before disappearing around a corner.
Bagsy stared after her, rubbing her wrist. 'Her missing sister?' she said to herself, before pushing the toilet door open. 'Mezrielda?' she called softly.
Mezrielda was sitting at the other side of the toilet.
Bagsy sat down next to her. 'Are you okay?'
Mezrielda shuffled away from her, hiding her face.
'Mez,' Bagsy coaxed, placing a hand on her shoulder. Reluctantly, Mezrielda turned around. She had that look on her face that said she wanted to cry, even though she couldn't. 'What happened? Please tell me.'
Mezrielda closed her eyes and breathed out through her nose, deflating. Slowly, she opened her mouth.
Her teeth, tongue and gums were dyed red. A dark, sickly, blood-red colour.
Bagsy eyes widened.
Mezrielda snapped her mouth shut, pulled her knees to her chest, and hung her head.
'Primrose?' Bagsy guessed, face colouring with rage. Mezrielda nodded glumly. Nails dug into Bagsy's palm as she clenched her fists so tightly she thought she might break the skin. 'Come with me,' she said, getting to her feet and helping Mezrielda stand. She didn't know why but she led them to the staff room. She knocked on the door and waited. 'I'll do the talking,' she informed Mezrielda. 'Just wait.'
Wattleseed opened the door, muttering to himself. 'No one else ever bothers getting it when a student comes knocking,' he said, before lighting up at the sight of them. 'Bagsy! What a wonderful surprise! Oh, and Mezrielda! I've been loving the work you've been doing on your garden. It's coming along wonderfully.'
'Thank you,' Bagsy responded politely. 'Is it alright if I speak to Professor Blythurst?'
Wattleseed frowned. 'Would Professor Stery be alright instead? I'm afraid Blythurst–'
'I'm coming,' a heavy voice croaked. Bagsy heard the creak of Blythurst's wheelchair as he approached. 'What is it Ms Beetlehorn?'
'I'd like your help making a potion,' said Bagsy. 'Something's been dyed that shouldn't have been. I need to un-dye it. The potion also needs to be edible.'
Blythurst frowned his uneven brow and then nodded tiredly. 'So long as you push me to the store cupboard I can help.'
'Thank you.'
Wattleseed stepped out of the way, allowing Bagsy to take the handles of Blythurst's chair. Mezrielda followed behind, looking subdued.
Once they reached the store cupboard Blythurst grumbled out what he'd need and Bagsy was a blur of motion as she fetched it. Then, setting up shop in the potions room, he led Bagsy step by step through the process. He'd have to stop to cough often but, thankfully, Bagsy's wealth of knowledge allowed her to guess most of what she needed to, so his sparse information wasn't a problem for her.
After a while, Blythurst widened his larger eye and peered at the mixture. 'Done,' he managed, sounding beyond exhausted.
Bagsy poured the brew into a vial and handed it to Mezrielda, who drank it without complaint. The next second, Mezrielda was coughing up red coloured phlegm.
'Mezrielda!' Bagsy cried out in concern.
'She's fine,' Blythurst rattled. 'Just spitting out the hue. It happens when the mouth is dyed.' Calmly, but with a weakened and shaking arm, Blythurst pointed his wand at the red substance on the floor, vanishing it.
Finished with her hacking, Mezrielda wiped her mouth and dragged in quick breaths before straightening back up, avoiding Bagsy and Blythurst's looks. 'That's better,' she said, which was Mezrielda for thanks, though her tone wasn't so much grateful as depressed.
'I'm going to stay here for a bit,' Blythurst told Bagsy as he settled into his chair and closed his eyes. 'Run along now. My work is done.'
Bagsy hesitated. 'Mezrielda, can you wait for me outside?' she asked softly. Mezrielda nodded, leaving, and Bagsy turned to Blythurst, steeling herself against what she was about to do. 'I know about Cotesia,' she blurted.
At first, Blythurst didn't seem to hear, sitting in his chair with his eyes shut. Then, like a damn breaking, a breath shot out of him as if someone had kicked him.
'Don't,' was all he said, wrinkles forming on his strained face.
'Pepsini said he could help you,' Bagsy pushed on. 'Would you consider–?'
'Never say those names around me,' Blythurst growled, his eyes opening and fixing Bagsy with a wide-eyed stare. A vein was forming in his forehead and pulsing quickly. 'Leave this classroom.'
Feeling thoroughly intimidated, Bagsy fled to where Mezrielda was waiting outside.
'Sorry about that,' Bagsy said, feeling lightheaded with fear. 'Let's go somewhere. Somewhere not here. How does the nook sound?'
Mezrielda just nodded and they walked quickly away from the potions room.
'What happened?' Bagsy asked as they neared the library.
Mezrielda's arms were stiff at her sides. 'I... I don't know how to speak about this.'
'That's fine.' Bagsy thought about something Fitzsimmons had once said to her. 'There's no right way to feel about it.'
Mezrielda shook her head, letting out a tsk. 'No, I mean–' She clenched her jaw. 'I don't know how to talk about being... about not being... about...' She shook her head again. 'It's useless. I can't even bring myself to say it. How utterly pathetic.'
Bagsy stopped and turned to face Mezrielda properly, putting her hand on her shoulder. 'It's me, Mezrielda.' After having avoided her gaze all evening, Mezrielda finally fixed her icy brown eyes on Bagsy's hazel. 'It's me,' she repeated.
When Mezrielda spoke, it was like water finally breaking through a damn. 'I'm so weak, Bagsy.'
There was silence. Outside, birds chirped. In the courtyard oak trees were rustled by the cold Winter wind.
Mezrielda shook her shoulder free and stepped away, crossing he arms.
'Yes,' Bagsy said, honestly, and saw Mezrielda wince. 'You've lost your powers.' She closed the space between them. 'You can't do what you used to be able to but–'
'They held me down,' Mezrielda cut over, voice like the shattering of glass. 'I struggled but there was nothing I could do. They laughed and called me a–' Mezrielda was shaking. She uncrossed her arms just to cross them again. 'I don't know how to be weak. I'm not used to it. It feels... horrible.'
It took a second for Bagsy to find her breath again, she felt so hot with anger. 'I know,' she sympathised. 'It really sucks. Once, Primrose held me down and burnt "squib" on my head.'
'That girl is messed up.'
'I think she needs to be taught a lesson,' she murmured darkly, her anger only growing. They could tell an adult, but in all honesty she didn't want to.
Mezrielda looked her up and down. 'What did you have in mind?'
Bagsy cracked her knuckles. 'It's a surprise. But let me tell you; you're going to love it.'