Notes: Terms used: Wizardkind are Anirage, muggles are medj, or Medjkind, known by the Khatabis as dirt-people. Ministers for Magic are called the Dachier, Dassier, or Dassio, depending on the country. The Ministry of Magic is known more discreetly as the 'DMT.'

Disclaimer: Harry Potter & his world belongs to J. K. Rowling. By the time of this story, Harry Potter is known as Bellamy.

Chapter 7:

Friday morning, they waited again for Bellamy. Nearby were three young women who appeared Scandinavian. They had enormously enlarged breasts, which they tried to conceal with their capes.

Zoe smirked, prying into their plight. They'd wanted bigger breasts to make themselves look sexy, but it hadn't worked very well, and the breasts had kept growing and growing.

"What if they offer you a job?" asked Najia.

"I'll take it," said Zoe. "I'm sick of stealing and I like doing this. But anyway, they might want both of us."

Najia smiled hopefully. "In England, they have two sisters working, and we're like sisters."

Zoe happened to be looking at the apparation zone of the square, currently very well guarded, as Kupec, Dieter, and then Bellamy appeared out of thin air. Her mouth was open, and she said to Najia, "I didn't know anyone could do that!"

Najia looked questioning, and Zoe said, "They just appeared," but then said quickly, "We'll talk about it later," and only tried to look at the minds of the aurors. The aurors wouldn't detect her intrusion, though Bellamy was usually quick to. It seemed it was routine. They always apparated for security, though the cousins hadn't happened to see it before.

"We'll buy some more books on magic, after," said Zoe. It was apparent that their education had holes.

Gina greeted Bellamy, and said, "Twelve additional from other countries. They've been pouring in, but they all say they've been seen by healers, although not by the Stonehouses."

Bellamy replied, "I reckon Zoe and Najia can do those, straight after the others, still with the strong magic ones last," and he turned to the girls, greeting them.

Pat walked towards the girls, and they were introduced to Cynthia Agnew, assistant to the British Dachier, their head of wizardry. Cynthia congratulated them on their talent, agreed with Najia that Henry Bellamy was altogether wonderful, and then said, "The Italian Dassio will be here shortly. I think you'll be offered jobs."

Najia asked, puzzled, "Dassio?"

"Head of the Italian DMT, Dassio. In Britain, we call it Dachier."

Najia grinned at Zoe and said, "Jobs."

Zoe grinned back. If they were offered jobs as spell-breakers, they'd take them, though maybe a private practice might be better, with bodyguards and independence.

The morning went quickly, Zoe allowing Najia to make the first attempt, while Zoe leaned against the wall in a casual posture, just as Bellamy had done the previous day.

Bellamy, this time, sat at the desk next to Bryce, and only watched casually. He even had to be nudged when both Najia and Zoe failed with the third wizard of the day.

Zoe wondered what he was thinking, but his face showed no expression, and his mind was well guarded. She wondered just how much he was expecting to be ill before the end of the day. He didn't even get up from the desk, just glanced at the patient, waved his wand, and stared at nothing again.

He's got far more power than anyone I've ever known, thought Zoe.How would he go in a duel with one of our men? But then remembered. He had fought them, and had won resoundingly, though she didn't know the details.

A bit later, he was called on again, and this time, a wave of the wand left the woman unchanged, and he stood, came closer, and raised his wand again, this time just holding it still. Zoe shrank from him as there was felt that tingle in the air. What a horrible feeling. Another the same, straight after. She still tried to listen and to feel, but she didn't think it was something she could do.

Morning tea then, and the raised intensity of magic was discussed. Najia had felt it, but none of the others had experienced it as something so unpleasant.

Pat was being very kind to them, and promised to send a book about a young woman called Cissy Diefenberger, who broke spells until she died. "She found that extra power when she was thirty-nine."

"Yes," said Bryce, "But the sixth time she did it, she had an attack of severe head pain and died."

The atmosphere was suddenly tense. It seemed that each of them thought it a very real possibility that Bellamy could die like that - today. Bellamy asked Pat to pass him the scones, and Zoe reflected that he tried to hide his emotions just as much as she did herself, sometimes.

Pat was talking to Dr. Isaac, whom the girls had taken little notice of. Isaac said, "Even Bellamy admits that Wizardkind is quite often thoroughly barbaric. Makes me glad I'm Medj!"

Zoe twisted in her seat and stared at him. Pat spoke directly to the girl. "I'm Medj too, you know."

Zoe swallowed. At home, this tall, dignified, wonderful woman might have been in a dirt-people enclosure, to be used by the men until they didn't want her any more, and then used for children to practise spells on. Both Najia and Zoe were shamed, although Zoe wore an impassive face, and Najia only looked confused.

Bellamy was again abstracted, not listening.

There was a disturbance not far away. An apparent patient in a wheelchair stood and ran, followed by his attendant. Three bodyguards moved closer to Bellamy, looking very alert and with their wands drawn. Zoe wondered if Bellamy had even noticed.

New introductions were made, and Zoe and Najia were offered the jobs they wanted. Najia was thrilled, while Zoe nodded casually. Of course they'd be wanted. It was only to be expected. They were very powerful Khatabi Ania, and could do something hardly anyone else could do.

Gina explained that they'd be using the same workroom that Bellamy was using, and that she'd be doing all the organising, and they'd be paid well. They were promised two bodyguards for each session, one to keep a watch in the waiting room, and one in the room with her.

Zoe was relieved. Twice, Kupec had stopped her from being injured, and she definitely wanted someone like reliable Kupec to look after her. Najia should be all right, as it was only the telepathic cure that made people want to attack.

The talk concluded, and Gina looked questioningly at Bellamy. He took the hint and rose to his feet. It was time for the three patients who had not been able to tolerate the telepathic cure. Now he was going to attempt what he called 'the strong magic' that he thought might kill him.

Najia, without comment, went to the door of the Observation Room. Zoe glanced at Pat, who was standing by her husband, her face very calm, before she squeezed his hand and followed Najia. The Italian Dassio, her assistant, and Pancrazio Domi, Chief Auror, were also apparently planning to watch. It was a larger audience than normal.

Zoe waited in the workroom, standing very quietly, a little behind the chair that Bellamy had been using. She didn't want to be thrown out and tried to be inconspicuous. She was acutely aware of the rising tension in the air.

Bryce was fidgeting, seeming unable to keep still, every now and then darting a piercing glance at Bellamy. It took so little effort to know his mind, like his emotions were all on the surface. He didn't want Bellamy to do it. He wanted to take his friend right away and keep him safe.

Kupec stood at the wall like a statue, his face impassive. But when Zoe looked at his mind, she found that he, too, would like to take his friend and keep him safe.

She looked towards the window of the Observation Room. The people behind were only vague shapes from this side, but she felt the acute anxiety of Pat, concealed behind a calm face. Isaac was looking at something in his hand, trying to make sure it was not seen by the others. It seemed that of all those there, only Bellamy could conceal his thoughts from her.

Gina was less concerned, and wheeled in a wizard in a wheelchair.

Bellamy addressed the patient. "You understand that I may not have the ability to do this any more. All I can do is try."

The man looked at him with total trust and hope, in spite of his warning.

Bellamy raised his wand, and Zoe felt something of him again. He'd forgotten his fear, and now was searching in his mind for the power he used to know.There was that tingle in the air that made Zoe shudder. It stopped. It seemed that he was trying to do something different now.

Bellamy stared into the distance, searching. He wanted to cure this man. Riza Khatabi had left her victim crippled and deformed. He needed the strong magic. He paced back and forward, as the man crossed his fingers and waited, silently begging in his mind.

Bellamy started again, staying stock still, holding up his wand, head cocked to the side. There was a roaring in the room, and a wind swept away Bryce's notes. But it seemed to be useless and it stopped as quickly as it started.

Zoe jumped when Bellamy swore and started pacing the floor again. "If only there was someone who could remind me!" he exclaimed to Bryce, in frustration.

The patient dropped his head, taking a deep breath. Men couldn't cry.

Bellamy addressed Zoe, making her jump. "You have a go."

Zoe tried, but a wave of her wand didn't work, and she totally failed to raise that higher intensity of magic that Bellamy could use. She didn't want to let down the great wizard, and she suggested, "The telepathic cure? Maybe a woman might not be as much resented."

"Alphonso?" asked Bellamy. "Zoe has cured several people with the telepathic cure. Maybe it would be easier for you to tolerate a woman."

Alphonso looked at the small woman, hardly more than a child. Maybe it would be easier, and he nodded, handing his wand to Kupec who stood close to Zoe. Reece and Collette drew their wands, but Alphonso ignored them. He needed to be cured. But almost as soon as she started, he almost screamed, "No!" and Zoe reeled back, holding her head.

Alphonso was upset. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. You're just a little girl!"

Little girl! Zoe was furious, and declared, "It'd take more than you to hurt me!"

Bellamy smiled, rose from the chair in which he'd thrown himself in his frustration, and said, "I'll try again."

Again, he started just with that tingle in the air, but making it more intense. Zoe put a hand to her head, but no-one was taking any notice of her, not even Najia. It went on and on. The man gave an exclamation as his legs suddenly felt strong, and he touched a hand to his face that was now normal.

Bellamy collapsed in his chair, trembling violently. Bryce shook his head. "It was not the strong magic as we know it, but you've cured him."

Bellamy was very pale. The man was stammering his thanks, but Reece only tapped him on the shoulder, to point him out the door. Bryce was tending to Bellamy, who wasn't objecting, still trembling, still pale.

Zoe watched quietly. It wasn't for himself. He hadn't even known how much he was paid. Did her family ever do anything for anyone aside from themselves?

Bryce said to Dieter in an annoyed tone, "Stubborn ox says he'll have a half hour break, but is determined to try them all."

Dieter said calmly, "We could just send them away."

Bellamy was leaning forward, head in his hands, but looked up. His trembling was finally beginning to die down. "I wasted energy that time. I'll know better next time, and if I can't do them, I won't."

Bellamy made it clear which patient he wanted next, the one who'd attacked Zoe when she attempted the telepathic cure, not the one who'd attacked himself. Zoe agreed that it was best if she watched from the Observation Room for that one.

To her surprise, Bellamy went outside, though there was a chill breeze. He didn't stay long, and re-entered the room, Kupec at his shoulder.

Their audience watched as the Pika Tek patient was shown in. The patient looked ashamed of himself, and said, "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to attack the little girl. I couldn't help it."

Bellamy said, "No-one blames you, and I'll have a go this time. But it seems I can no longer use the same power as I could muster before." And he explained that he wanted to try the telepathic cure again, that he seemed to be better tolerated than Zoe, that the man should try and endure, but tell him to get out if he needed to.

"You can't do the strong magic?"

"I failed when I tried. I think it's gone."

The patient nodded. "There's no choice for me, then."

"Wand?" said Reece, and the man handed over his wand.

This time, Kupec stood almost in front of Bellamy, and very close, while both Reece and Collette had their wands raised. The patient looked at the threat, daunted.

Collette spoke to reassure, "We'll just stop you hurting anyone if we need to, nothing else."

The man took a deep breath and tried to conceal his fear.

Bellamy said casually, "I'll start in just a moment, I just need to gather my thoughts."

Zoe grinned. The tricky bastard was already in the man's mind, but he wasn't feeling it as he'd felt her.

The man shook his head suddenly, and grunted. Admiringly, Zoe listened hard, as it seemed, almost on tiptoe, Bellamy withdrew, and said, "OK, you're done!"

The man looked at him suspiciously, and raised a hand to the massive lump that had been on the side of his face, one of the lumps that had plagued him for the last three years. He beamed, "That was a dirty trick!"

Bellamy nodded. "Unethical."

The man nodded. "Unethical. Thank you."

He held out his hand, and Bellamy shook it, although Kupec stood right at his shoulder.

"A warning doesn't always help," commented Bryce.

Bellamy glanced at him. "No. It doesn't."

Zoe was surprised. They had a way of knowing when Bellamy was about to be hit by the head pain he feared. Unashamedly, she probed further into Bryce's mind. He was looking at his notes and thinking that if it was going to happen, they had to avoid giving him any further warning than that he could feel himself. Otherwise, his terror of the pain made him sufficiently tense that he was apt to fall straight into a fit. Zoe wondered if maybe the great wizard was a little cowardly after all.

Time for the third. This man was the one who had knocked him to the floor before. Zoe called, "Can I come in for this one?"

Bellamy cautioned, "He could be dangerous!"

Zoe treated his warning with contempt, and Najia looked after her cousin admiringly as she left the Observation Room and entered the Workroom.

"Galatea," Bellamy greeted the wizard with the irritated and painful skin.

Galatea looked at the floor. "Sorry I hit you, and thanks for trying again."

"There's no guarantee, you realise. I'll do my best, but there's no guarantee."

Galatea looked at him. "The fellow outside said you worked the telepathic cure, and this time it was all right, but it was too awful. I can't!"

Bellamy said, "I don't think there's any point trying that again. I'm just going to try with power."

Galatea said, "You're the great wizard. I've heard about 'the strong magic.' They say it's frightening, but I'm not easily frightened."

Zoe said defensively, "Bellamy was hurt, too, you know. He might not be able to do it."

Galatea ignored the girl, and Zoe glared at him.

This time, Bellamy again put all his effort into it, could not raise the strong magic, but exhausted himself trying.

Kupec grabbed him as he staggered and steered him to the chair. Bellamy collapsed into it, and after a moment, said simply, "I'm sorry. I can't do it."

Galatea raised his voice. "You have to do it. Try again."

Collette tapped him politely on the shoulder, and said, "It's time to leave, sir. He can't do it."

The man took a step toward Bellamy, roaring at him now. "You have to fix me!"

Bellamy ignored him, his head now in his hands.

Zoe stepped in front of him, wand raised in obvious threat, and said coldly."You yell at Bellamy once more, and warts will be the least of your worries."

The wizard looked at the girl, looked over her at Bellamy, and spat, "Call yourself a great wizard!" He turned to go.

Zoe raised her wand with every intention of acting, but Bellamy cautioned, "Zoe!"

Zoe said, still furious, "I was going to turn him into a hog."

Bellamy said, "I'm not saying he wasn't rude, but you have to understand he's very disappointed."

Zoe turned to him. "I don't understand you. You know you're terrified of getting ill, yet you try your hardest for a pig like that!"

Bellamy frowned at her, and Zoe distinctly heard his thought. Did she have totell everyone he was frightened?

Dieter entered the room, not mentioning the failure, or that the new Italian spell-breaker had threatened to turn a patient into a hog. Dieter said, "Lunch here, we pick up our things at the hotel, and then we fly home."

Bellamy was restless and kept going outside and just staring at the sky, Kupec always solidly and reliably at his elbow.

Zoe was very aware of him, but made no attempt to feel what he was thinking. Sometimes, it came to her anyway. She suspected she'd been forgotten. They had to call him in for lunch. Zoe pried into the minds of those around them, totally without shame. In most of their minds was a relief that it was over, and Bellamy had not become ill.

Pat was still anxious, and so were both the healer and the medj doctor, who seemed to be remembering things from the past that only confused Zoe. Had the great wizard been a prisoner? The 'Subject?'

Shame tinged the thoughts of Isaac, things that they'd done to him. But then he looked at that device in his hand, and, to her surprise, Zoe saw an image of a small screen that showed tracings of waving lines, plus a few numbers. She felt Isaac's resignation and knew as well as he did that Bellamy would shortly be collapsed on the floor.

Isaac touched Bryce on the shoulder, and Bryce left the room with him. Bellamy didn't notice. Zoe pretended to only be eating, but seldom took her eyes quite off him.

Abruptly, Bellamy put his fork down and said to Pat he was just going outside. Kupec was eating, but rose and was at his elbow again. Zoe glanced at Kupec, and knew how worried he was. Bellamy was normally a lot more considerate.

Zoe didn't follow, but left her meal and waited just outside the door, watching as he and Kupec started to walk across the square, to the pleasure of the crowd, who, even now, watched.

Najia came and joined her cousin, and smiled her delight. "To think we'll be working here."

Zoe said, "They think he's going to collapse at any moment, but no-one has told him."

Najia looked at her in surprise, and Zoe said, "You may not think he's so romantic if you see him having a fit!"

"Because of Grandmother Riza?"

"Because of Grandmother Riza."

Suddenly, Bellamy turned and started hurrying back to the concealment of inside. Zoe whispered to Najia, "He's terribly frightened and he wants to hide. He knows for sure now he's about to be ill."

An instant later, she screamed in pain, which dissolved into shrieking sobs, in pain because he was in pain. It was like she was inside his head, and there was a black hole there that was all a tearing, cutting pain.

Najia held her cousin, telling her urgently that she had to block it, that it was not her pain. She had to block it.

Kupec muffled the struggles of Bellamy in his arms, and took a few swift strides, getting him out of sight. Bellamy became limp and silent, but his eyes showed the agony that attacked him.

They put him down gently on a bed in a back room, already waiting for him. Isaac asked Najia to please get Zoe away. She was too noisy. Bryce glanced at the girl, told her to wait, and instead, put a silencing shield around the room where Bellamy lay.

Zoe continued to sob, feeling his pain, quite unable to block it.

It took fifteen minutes, but then Zoe relaxed in her cousin's arms as the pain stopped.

Bryce came out of the silenced room. "He'll be right now," he said to Pat.

Pat was relieved. "It was only about fifteen minutes. He got off lightly."

Cynthia glanced at Zoe, finally quiet, and asked, "Does it usually go longer than that?"

Pat nodded. "Usually longer."

Bryce's thought was loud. Hours and hours sometimes, and again and again, sometimes, a new attack only minutes after he woke. Zoe knew now why Bellamy had been frightened. If there was anything he was not, it was a coward.

Pat touched Zoe gently on her tear stained cheek and asked kindly if she was all right now.

Zoe sniffed and sat up. "He said I had to learn to make a better shield. It was my own fault."

Najia said, "You've never been like that when you've been close to other sick people."

"I've never felt pain like that! And I could feel his mind, too. And it's just like he thinks, there's a black hole, but I think it might be like a solid shield he made himself, and not damage that Riza left."

Pat looked thoughtfully at her, and then called over Bryce. Zoe repeated her words, but was unable to clarify them further.

Najia was talking to Pat. "They wanted me to have his child."

"He told me."

"They'd tried before, several times, but no-one succeeded. They said some men just don't like girls very much."

Pat smiled, and Najia asked, "What are your girls' names?"

"Susan, Lesley, and Mary."

"I thought it must have been that. There was a new bedroom prepared with bars on the window, and an external lock. They said a girl called Mary might be coming soon."

Pat shivered. They had been after Mary.

It took over an hour, but Bellamy came out of the other room, pale and shaky, staggering once. Pat joined him, shielding him from too much curiosity and too many anxious enquiries. Najia and Zoe only said good-bye briefly, as he was still so obviously unwell.

Gina made final arrangements with Italy's new spell-breakers, and handed Najia a pay-packet. "For you both, but not separated out, as you said." Zoe nodded, and looked at her cousin. "We're partners - the Kasey cousins."

Najia squeezed her arm. Partners.

**x**

In November, Zoe and Najia Kasey started working as spell-breakers for Italy, just one day a week at first, but soon more as word spread. There was a sudden upsurge in the numbers at the end of November, when the Stonehouse sisters left England. The girls were no longer cut off from news of the wizarding world, and heard that Henry Bellamy was again very ill. Maybe he would not recover.

Zoe comforted Najia. He recovered before, why shouldn't he now? Somehow, Zoe couldn't imagine him dead.

Najia took on a new lover, and she and Zoe prepared for their second Christmas in Rome. This time, there were others interested in them, aside from Najia's temporary lovers. Gina made sure that they were invited to their DMT Christmas Party as well as some smaller events, pleased when they attended. Zoe thought it imprudent to become too involved with other people, but Najia was more relaxed.

Again, they exchanged presents just before dinner, Christmas Eve. They knew now it was really supposed to be Christmas Day that presents were exchanged, but decided they'd have their own personal tradition.

There were two gifts sent from Pat and Bellamy, a device for checking that incoming mail was safe, and a set of six attractive children's books, which Pat sent. There was a note that said that she knew they were grown-up, but Henry had written the books, and they might enjoy them anyway.

A few days after Christmas, Zoe felt a warning, and retreated behind some shelves in the bookshop as Maslechi Khatabi-Richi asked the shopkeeper about Zoe and Najia Kasey - what they looked like, where they lived.

"Zoe and Najia Kasey?" the woman said. "I see them now and then. Swedish, I think, tall and blonde. They went home for Christmas, so would probably be found in Stockholm."

Zoe breathed a silent sigh of relief.

The man was disappointed, but thanked Pia with courtesy before leaving.

Pia waited a moment, and said, "All right, Zoe. He's gone."

Zoe pretended she'd not been frightened, and only asked how many there had been. "Only one here, but there was at least one other waiting outside. If you want to avoid them, you should slip out back."

Zoe nodded, forgetting to pay for the spell-book she had in her hand.

Pia said, "You know, it is Christmas, and your mother and father must be worrying about you."

Zoe laughed, and said, "I come from an unusual family. Believe me, my parents are not worrying about my welfare."

***chapter end***