Author's Note: So during/after reading a brilliant Stardust/Midsummer Murders crossover fic (by Emperor Andross if interested) and seeing there were literally no Stardust (Linda Chapman) fanfics on the entire internet, I thought, you know what? I'll give it a shot. The obligatory explanation/reminder of the Stardust concept: all people in the world are made from stardust, but some people have more than others. These people, if they believe enough, are able to transform into sprite like creatures called stardust spirits, whose job it is to fly around at night using their magical seasonal powers (based on which star their stardust is from) to help protect nature from the destructive ways of normal humans. However, there are 'dark spirits': stardust spirits who get so caught up in their lust for power that they practise forbidden magic such as animal transformations, stealing stardust from the skies, and worst of all from other spirits, leaving them unable to transform to their stardust selves again. For those who's memory on the fourth book is hazy, Maggie, a dark stardust spirit, offers to train Lucy so she can gain tonnes of power. Lucy in the canon of course refuses. In my version of events, things went down a bit differently...

Disclaimer: Of course all the Stardust books and characters are owned by the fabulous children's fantasy author, Linda Chapman. Now without further ado or rambling...

Wind coasted along the buzzard's wing tips, ruffling the dark feathers only slightly. Her appearance, although common in shape, was rather stunning in plumage. A tinge of gold brushed her pure black coat along the spine, and there was a definite pride, almost human-like, in the way she held herself. Alighting on a branch, her beady eyes shone steadily in the starlight, near invisible to human vision. Above the tree tops on the west side of the woods, her gaze pierced into the canopy below, seeing a small, barely accessible clearing. Unless you knew the way.

Skimming, dipping and diving through the tangled web of wood, the buzzard soundlessly landed in the small patch of grass. But no clawed talons hit the ground. Instead, two shimmering golden feet touched down, toes oozing into the uncut grass, soil made muddy from the recent rain. Grazing the human feet, a silken cloak, as black as the buzzard's feathers, hung. The spirit turned her hooded face to greet a figure in similar attire. A smile slipped through the shadow from the latter.

"You've done well Lucy. Your transformation is seamless."

The speaker plucked her hood from her head, revealing her face as a woman in her late fifties. However her countenance suggested something much more ancient and powerful.

"Though you could have chosen a less conspicuous form," she frowned, "An entirely jet black buzzard with gold go-faster stripes? You'd be spotted in five seconds. Useless for espionage."

The newly transformed figure tossed back her chestnut brown hair, letting its true length flow down her back to her hips. Her hood dropped, exposing the face of a sixteen-year-old girl glowing bright with confidence.

"Oh come on Maggie. This isn't a secret mission; I was only having some fun."

"You mean showing off." The older spirit broke into a grin, despite everything admiring how much her charge reminded Maggie of herself.

"You mean reaching my true potential," Lucy grinned back smugly,

"If you're not careful, I'll become more powerful than you!"

Maggie's grin quickly retreated. Lucy had meant it as a joke (sort of) but she instantly realised she'd hit a sensitive spot.

"Don't get cocky, young spirit. That is where many fail. Know your strengths-"

With that she tossed a semi-malevolent fireball towards Lucy, which she deflected as quick as lightning with a mere flick of her fingers.

"And your weaknesses."

The voice rang loud, near painful, startling and confusing in Lucy's mind causing her to cringe. The momentary slip in Lucy's defence made her easy picking for the snake-like vine which slid up her leg, proceeding rapidly up her torso to her neck. Dangling in the air by their throat, anyone would have been terrified at trying to figure out where their next breath was coming from. Yet Lucy remained perfectly calm. She'd been in this situation too many times before to falter.

The vines grasping her neck first began to shrivel, then started full on smoking, charring to black. They fell away from Lucy's skin, which was now red hot.

"You should have just binded me," she commented telepathically to her mentor, smirking in spite of burning in her lungs.

"Yes, but you would have broken that easily, knowing you Lucy." Maggie smirked back, despite her age, sharing the same mischievous glint as her protégée.

"Besides, it's not over yet."

What followed was a rare sight to see: two dark stardust spirits in a head to head combat, half teasing, half malicious, each trying with increasing desperation to get an upper hand on the other with more and more elaborate magical techniques. A dancing, swirling mass of stardust surrounded the two spirits and they gradually rose into the air with the force of their own power, the elements flying like a choreographed routine. Lucy ducked and skimmed as Maggie forced her towards a small pool near the edge of the clearing, finally using her summer magic to shield herself from the onslaught of elements from all four Royal Stars – Antares, Fomalhaut, Aldebaran and Regulus. Maggie had mastery of them all, yet Lucy was still able to fend her off with her own excelled skill. Especially as she seemed to be Regulus's favourite.

"Stardust be mine, Regulus!"

Lucy began the chant which called upon the summer star itself to feed her its power. She paused a moment, blissful grin stretching across her features. Her eyes snapped open.

Maggie froze. Unable to move her lips, she thought the word,

"Release!"

But the invisible bonds didn't break. If anything they became more visible, shimmering golden and swirling.

Maggie felt as though she were about to suffocate. She was suffocating.

"Lucy…"

The older spirit mentally gasped, suffering just as much psychological damage as was being sustained by her physical body. Maggie glanced into the younger spirit's eyes. They were cold and clear, and for the first time since knowing her, Maggie felt fear. Fear of Lucy.

She could have crushed Maggie that very instant.

Instead she released her.

"It seems you've grown stronger, Lucy. Much stronger." Maggie growled, once the world stopped spinning.

Lucy landed beside Maggie, a combination of worry and exhilaration characterising her voice.

"Are you alright? I never meant to go that far I just… it was amazing. I've never felt like that before. I wasn't just calling the stars, I was one of them!

Maggie regarded Lucy as she stood from where she'd fallen. Lucy sounded just like the ten-year-old thirsting for power Maggie had met six years ago. But despite the appearance, Maggie wasn't fooled. The girl had vanished. Lucy stood before Maggie as a young woman.

But Lucy still had one more trick to learn…