Bagsy Beetlehorn and the Thorned Gauntlet (The Bagsy Chronicles 1)

Return to Hogwarts

Bontie held back a yawn as she shoed Bagsy towards Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Bagsy waved Bontie goodbye, who smiled tiredly before disappearing towards the Floo Station. Bagsy watched her go, a tug of sadness pulling at her heart. She was certain she'd write to her sister some more before she was back for the Easter Holidays.

Bagsy ran at the brick wall that hid the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and in the blink of an eye she was surrounded by smoke, owls, trolleys and parents shepherding their children onto the train, that let out a few blows of its whistle, lifting her heart with the high-pitched sound. She was on her way back to Hogwarts at last.

She struggled to get onto the train with all her luggage. When she found herself a nice empty compartment at the back and hauled her trunk, rat carry-cage and extra satchel onto the seat next to her, she realised glumly that no one would join her.

At least, that was what Bagsy had thought, when all of a sudden the compartment door was pushed open and standing in the doorway was Mezrielda. Bagsy opened her mouth to say something, to apologise for looking in her bag even after being told to mind her business, but Mezrielda beat her to it.

'How was your holiday?' she asked icily. Bagsy shut her mouth, looking at Mezrielda uncertainly, who sat down opposite her and flicked her wand. Bagsy's things rose up onto the luggage shelf above her head and, as they did, Mezrielda's own things floated in through the door which closed behind them.

'Fine,' Bagsy said at last.

Mezrielda nodded.

They sat in silence.

After what felt like ages, Bagsy couldn't be silent anymore. 'Tod Alden is a silver tongue,' she blurted out, 'but I have no idea what that means, only my sister gave me this thing to drink and when I did I remembered a bunch of things I hadn't before.' Mezrielda sat forward, suddenly interested. 'And I remembered that he was being suspicious in the Owlery, and that he was on the endless staircase, and that there was an endless staircase, and that he knew about the message we found, and he knew you were looking for the gauntlet.' Bagsy was running out of breath as the words tumbled out. 'And I think he has the other half of the information to finding the gauntlet, but I don't know how we can get it off him, and even if we do-'

'Bagsy,' Mezrielda cut in. Bagsy silenced. 'Shut up.'

'Sorry,' Bagsy murmured.

Mezrielda looked out the window as the train began to pull away, humming thoughtfully to herself. 'To recap,' Mezrielda said at last, fishing a piece of parchment and a quill out of her own bag. 'First, Tod Alden is a silver tongue, whatever that may be?'

'Yes,' Bagsy confirmed.

'Second, your sister gave you a cure that reminded you Tod was being suspicious in the Owlery and on a staircase, and that he knew about the message you and I found?'

'Yes,' Bagsy said, then, as Mezrielda was about to continue, 'no, wait!' Mezrielda looked at her quizzically. 'It wasn't just any staircase, Mezrielda...' Her throat tightened, she hadn't thought about that horrible day for a while.

'Bagsy? What is it?' Mezrielda snapped impatiently.

'When I ran out of Charms on that first day of lessons I was very upset, and not paying attention to where I was going. I went down a spiral staircase and realised that they never ended. I was trapped for a while. They just kept going, Mezrielda, it was terrifying!' Mezrielda sat silently, watching Bagsy with her brown eyes. Bagsy continued. 'And then Tod appeared, and he took me back to the corridor I'd entered them from.'

Mezrielda silently wrote on the parchment, her eyes narrowed. 'Third,' she said once she'd finished writing, 'you think Tod has the information I've been missing this whole time?' Bagsy nodded. Mezrielda pursed her lips. 'Then tell me, Bagsy, why on earth you didn't mention any of this vital information last term?' The train's whistle blew, in time with the anger on Mezrielda's face.