Early June 1981, London
Bryony Harper strode down the streets in the frigid cold of London, cursing herself for the poor choice of clothing she was currently dressed in. She wrapped her brown coat tighter around her thin emerald blouse and equally thin flared jeans, desperate to preserve what little heat she could.
"I can't believe you talked me into wearing this ridiculous outfit, Mia," Bryony grumbled, staring daggers at her younger sister, who was walking beside her.
Amelia Harper, or Mia as she liked to be called, scoffed, casting an unimpressed look at Bryony.
"We are going to a party, Bryn. These clothes are more appropriate than the ones you were planning to wear," Mia stated simply as she shifted aside for the incoming pedestrians walking from the opposite direction.
"At least the ones I wanted to wear wouldn't make me freeze to death," Bryn muttered darkly under her breath. A sudden cold gust of wind caused her to shiver furiously and burrow herself deeper into her coat.
"Where is this party anyway? I'm about to get hypothermia," Bryn whined, as she looked around her surroundings.
"Well, it should be in between these two buildings. I think we need to go through this alley," Mia pointed towards a dark passageway on their right.
As the sisters walked halfway into the alley, they stopped abruptly at the sight of a dead end. Bryn raised an eyebrow at her sister as Mia frowned at the map.
"Oh bugger, my mistake. It should be the next alley after this," Mia gave her elder sister a sheepish grin before turning around to walk out of the dingy alley. Or at least they tried to.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here boys... Two lovely Muggles served to us on a platter," a lustful voice drawled from the entrance of the alley, causing the girls to come to a halt.
Fear pooled in Bryony's stomach at the five dark silhouettes blocking their only exit. Even though every inch of her body was screaming "Danger!" at the sight of this group of men, a distant part of her mind couldn't help but be confused.
Muggle? Is that a new derogatory term for women these days?
The men advanced slowly into the alleyway and Bryony had to hold back a gasp as their appearances were revealed.
They were dressed oddly, cloaked in long black robes with hoods drawn over their heads. Their faces were obscured by bone-white masks with black swirl details that formed fearsome visages. Silver bands were lining where their mouths would have been as if their lips were sewn shut. The only slits present were for their eyes, narrowly cut and almost snake-like. Each of them held a wooden stick of some sort, twirling or gripping it with an unknown purpose.
They honestly looked like they were part of some secret society or cult, which did not bode well for Bryn and Mia.
Mia gripped Bryn's forearm tightly and Bryn didn't need to look at her to know her eyes were wide with fright. Bryn kept her wary gaze on the robed men and their sadistic grins as they stalked closer. Like predators approaching their prey. Bryn clenched her hands into fists, willing them not to tremble. She would need every ounce of her wits and strength if she was going to get Mia and herself out of this situation unscathed...
She shifted her stance slightly, lowering her centre of gravity in preparation for a fight. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Mia's hand reaching almost imperceptibly into her purse for her Swiss Army knife.
"Ah ah ah, what do you have there, little girl? Accio!" The man who broke the silence pointed his stick towards Mia and – Bryn could hardly believe it! – the Swiss Army knife that was in Mia's hand flew as if it had been summoned, into the man's grasp a good four metres away. Mia let out a frightened cry and Bryn stiffened in shock.
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The Magic That Lies Within
FanfictionBryony Ann Harper could never imagine, even in her wildest dreams, that magic was real. Not until she and her younger sister, Amelia, were almost attacked by a group of robed men holding sticks but were saved by two dashingly red-headed twins. Now...
