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

The Eagle Club

Bagsy trudged to Herbology, angry she wasn't allowed to go to the meeting Mezrielda was currently having with Professor Kim and Professor Starrett, who was head of Slytherin house. Bagsy needed to be there to defend Mezrielda, to tell them that of course Mezrielda hadn't done it. She knew it looked like there was no other explanation – no one else at that pitch who'd had their wand on them had the ability to cast such powerful spells like vanishing charms or had the motivation that a Slytherin would have to do so – but that didn't mean it was Mezrielda. Sure, Mezrielda had had a flight modulator, and her last spell had been a vanishing spell, but that was because she'd been helping Bagsy, not because she'd stolen from Emmeline's broom. Bagsy was more certain that Mezrielda hadn't made the flight modulators vanish than she'd been about anything else.

She was so caught up in her frustrated thoughts that she didn't pay much attention in Herbology. She did, however, pay enough attention that when Professor Wattleseed excitedly asked the class to pair themselves for that year's project, and Winifred skulked over to Bagsy, hoping for another easy year of letting her do all the work, she had the good sense to tell her no.

Instead, Bagsy found a rather eager Teresa wanting to partner with her.

'I saw your work with the stampelia last year,' Teresa explained, 'and I knew I had to partner with you this year.' Neve, who had been Teresa's partner the year before, looked rather downtrodden. Teresa smiled at Neve. 'Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get a great partner.' When Wattleseed paired Winifred with an entirely silent Neve, Bagsy got the distinct impression that wouldn't be the case.

'Are you sure you don't want to be partners with Neve?' Bagsy asked, but Teresa shook her head vehemently.

'I know we'll work amazingly together,' she assured Bagsy, who was looking guiltily at Neve.

After Herbology was personal study, which all the houses shared at the same time. The second year Gryffindors, Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs crowded into the library to study and start their homework. Unlike last year, when personal studies had been filled with loud chatter and unfocussed laughter, this year there was a more subdued atmosphere that the young librarian very much appreciated. It seemed the increased amount of homework went some ways to forcing the students to be quiet.

Winifred, however, seemed just as intent as ever on sneaking out.

'Where's Mezrielda?' Winifred asked, running a hand over her bald head. 'It's time for us to go to my club.' She nodded at a group of Ravenclaws who were waiting off to the side of the library. Bagsy was wondering herself where Mezrielda was, chewing her bottom lip as she tried not to think about Mezrielda being expelled. When, a few minutes later, Mezrielda walked through the doors into the library, Bagsy breathed a sigh of relief.

Winifred gathered Mezrielda and Bagsy and marched them down the corridors.

Mezrielda looked down at Bagsy. 'I swear I didn't-'

'I know it wasn't you,' Bagsy whispered back. 'You wouldn't do something like that.'

Mezrielda was silent as they walked along. 'Thank you,' she said after a stretch of quiet. Then, sulkily. 'I've received detention for the rest of term.' Bagsy gave Mezrielda a sympathetic look. It felt like a harsh punishment but, then again, the school thought Mezrielda had nearly killed a girl.

'I can go and explain to them it wasn't your fault. You did tell them it wasn't your fault, didn't you?'

Mezrielda grumbled something.

'What?'

'Not quite.'

Winifred took them down some steps until they were in the castle basements. Glancing over her shoulder, and with an excited glint in her eyes, Winifred pulled back a tapestry on the wall to reveal a hidden passage. Bagsy dimly remembered noticing it last year and thinking it was very intimidating. With other students around her, it was far less imposing.