Bagsy Beetlehorn and the Vampire Affairs (The Bagsy Chronicles 4)

A Mind-Napping

There was fear, lots of it. But lots of confusion, too. Bagsy was dizzy from the weight of it crashing in her head.

'W-what are you talking about?' she stammered, tensing her muscles and, with great effort, pulling herself up, hauling the lumps of stone encasing her hands off the ground.

'Don't move.' Pepsini's wand was fixed on her. Bagsy stilled, arms already aching from the weight hanging off them. 'You gave yourself away in Hogsmeade.' He reached into the pocket of his fancy suit.

'I don't–'

'You let slip what Stery's eyes look like to you. What a stupid doppelganger. At least you've made my job easier.'

Glancing at the door leading to the main room, and realising how hopelessly far away it was, Bagsy tried to think of what she could do. Her first thought was the paper slip she had from Starrett – but she couldn't hope to tear it with her hands immobilised.

'I'm not a doppelganger,' she said, trying to stay calm. 'You've made a mistake.' Whatever had gotten into Pepsini, it needed to stop. He looked ready to kill someone.

'Only doppelgangers can see other doppelgangers' true eyes. Doppelganger eyes see through illusions like knifes cut through margarine.' Pepsini ignored Bagsy's protests, pushing on. 'It's a shame none of the Hogwarts staff came to this event, or I could have got Stery, too. No matter. I'll wait until he's left the safety of Hogwarts and secure justice then.'

'Justice?'

'You're vile!' Pepsini responded sharply. 'You're an inexcusable. Doppelgangers are dealt with by the Ministry – but why let them do it, when I could enjoy the revenge myself? You took Cotesia from me. This is the least you deserve.'

'Please, Mr Pepsini, I'm not a doppelganger and I don't know what you're talking about! I never even met Cotesia!'

'Your kind are why she's dead. That's all that matters. If you'll refuse to admit it, you need only drink this potion to clear your name.' Fumbling in a pocket, Pepsini held out a vial. 'Drink this. If you're not a doppelganger, you'll be fine.'

There was a noise of protest from where Mezrielda was trapped.

Pepsini waved his wand and the holes offering her air grew smaller. 'Drink or I'll suffocate her.' With a cold expression, he stepped forward and pressed the vial to Bagsy's mouth. 'Open.'

Bagsy worried it might be poison. Something was clearly not right with Pepsini—he thought Bagsy was a doppelganger, for merlin's sake!—but if she didn't drink it Mezrielda might be in trouble.

When she took too long, Pepsini sucker-punched her and, as she gasped, forced the liquid down her throat before holding her mouth closed.

The liquid felt like something alive, writhing in her mouth. A burning sensation spread from where it hit her tongue. Eventually, she had to swallow it, and the horrid stings continued down the back of her throat and into her stomach.

'There,' Pepsini breathed out raggedly, backing off. 'That wasn't so hard, was it?'

The stone around Bagsy's hands vanished, but thoughts of tearing Starrett's paper or trying to escape were far from her mind. She collapsed to the floor, clutching at her throat and then her arms.

Something was very wrong.

'Not a doppelganger, are we?' Pepsini mocked. 'Explain this.'

Bagsy forced her eyes open and saw her skin before her. Clay grey and bubbling as if it was clay being moulded.

What had Pepsini made her drink? She couldn't be a doppelganger—something else had to be happening. She was experiencing an intense fever, or pain, or this was all a dream.