Chapter 26

Morgana sighs as the phone ring at half past 9, "Good evening, Danann residence."

Scotts says, "Is Morgana there? I have a Madam Bones to speak to her… she says you may know her as Amelia from bowling."

Morgana closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose, "I'm Morgana, put her on."

"Morgana, it's Amelia."

"What can I do for you?"

"I've just seen the news, do you know anything about it?"

"Why?"

"Because the magic detectors across the country went down."

Morgana sighs, "Do you have my business card?"

"I do, that's how we called you."

"One moment then." Morgana closes her eyes and searches for the faint signature of her magic holding the card together. Once she finds it, she opens a gate to the room with a slight grunt of effort. She's obviously spent more than she should tonight if a gate to London took effort. Hanging up the phone she looks through the gate expectantly.

"Well, are you coming or not?"

The three people react remarkably quickly, with one of them diving for cover while the other two spin around. The man with a peg-leg bringing his wand to bear as he does so. A spell of some description spitting from the end of his wand, only to be caught on the sword that she manifests in her hand.

"That was a rude thing to do to someone who is inviting you into their home."

Amelia barks, "Moody stow it or go back to HQ."

"Bones, I can't see her."

"I don't care, stow it or go."

Reluctantly, Moody puts his wand away as they all step through the gate. Once through, he keeps his good eye on Morgana for the entire time they're there.

"Welcome to my home strangers."

Amelia nods, "Thank you for inviting us. I'm sorry I do not know your customs."

"I'm sure your niece will be able to teach you once she approaches Harry about learning Celtic magic. I will be very disappointed if she doesn't after I gave her permission. There's an interesting fact that many people don't know. A lot of old cultures didn't have separate words for Stranger and Enemy. Anyway, you wished to speak to me?"

Moody growls, "Were you threatening us lass?"

Morgana turns to stare at Moody, "I am strong enough that I no longer need to make threats. Can you say the same?"

Amelia turns to Moody, "Moody, ballpen now, you've got desk duty for a week."

Grumbling, Moody turns on the spot and falls over as he fails to apparate, Morgana shakes her head and opens the front door, "Roman based magical travel won't work in this house. The edge of my protections are 200 yards down the road, now leave."

Cautiously, Moody stumps out of the door and down the road, his head on a swivel as his magical eye is unable to see anything.

"Now that's out the way, what can I do for the two of you?"

Scotts blurts, "My mother loves your books, if I brought you one, would you be able to sign it for her?"

Morgana laughs even as Amelia shouts, "Scotts!"

"Danu I needed that. I'm sorry Scotts, but I only do signings at my classes and displays. I have a website that can be found on Gopher through most libraries, or you can call the Scottish tourism board. I got the local computer science class to set it up while exploring the new html protocol. The website is written on the bottom of my card."

Amelia looks confused, "Website?"

"Oh yes, it's a form of mundane magic they've been developing since the 70's. Though the mundane call it technology, it might as well be magic for most people. This is an amazing time to be alive as the mundane are finally starting to make their own magic. Mobile phones are now small enough to fit in a pocket or a handbag, they have satellites in orbit repeating programs and telephone calls around the world. When I moved here with Harry, all of that was an impossible pipe dream. On top of that, they are working together so tightly that they can constantly fill every supermarket in the country with fresh produce, baked goods, and all the other necessities of life year round. Banana's are now common, as are most other fruits that were previously only rarely seen. Cream is no longer a luxury, you can buy it for the same price as a pint of milk. Now one person can manage a single farm that is larger than any 10 farms in the Celtic era. How is that not magic? And my personal favourite, books, mills and boon release a new book every week, and the print hundreds of thousands of copies, and then sell them for £2 each. That's less than half a Galleon. Every single week. Go to any news agent in the country tomorrow morning, and I guarantee that what happened today will be in every single paper you can find. The same papers will also be available in New York when it wakes up in the morning. I teach about my culture because I want people to realise just how magical the era they're living in really is."

Amelia coughs politely, "I'm sorry, but we would really like to know what happened today."

"It's simple, Marianne's father is a witch finder, and she had a bout of accidental magic. I used my magic to provide a mundane explanation for the accidental magic, provide the information that the police would need to act, and it also provided a back dated foster care application for some reason. I then had to find Marianne, rescue her, and while I was at it, I cursed the people involved. Once the police rescued the fetch that I left in Marianne's place, I switched them back. Now if you'll excuse me I've had a long day and I'd like to get some sleep."

"Thank you for your time Dr, and I'm sorry for interrupting your evening. Just so that you are aware, what ever your first piece of magic was, it knocked out all of our magical detectors around the country. That is why it was so urgent that I find out what you were doing."

Morgana's expression softens slightly, "Next time you're questioning me, lead with the reason. A free warning, this case has nothing to do with your society, so if anyone interferes with the police investigation or the evidence they find, they find me looking for them. This portal leads to the bottom of the hill that the church is on."

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When Harry arrives back in the dorm room, everyone else is still awake. Yawning, Daphne asks, "Is Marianne alright?"

Harry shakes his head, "No, not really. But she's alive and safe at a mundane hospital. Mum wouldn't let me heal her, as it would put her in danger or something to do with the case."

Wayne asks, "Is she the girl that was on our team?"

Harry nods, "She was. It turns out her father is a witch finder, and she had a bout of accidental magic." All of the magic born put their hands to their mouths in shock, "The mundane world really isn't that bad. What did you think of the people at bowling? I suppose that witch finders might be considered to be like the dark lords followers, as I certainly had no idea that they still existed."

Daphne looks a little surprised, "Wait, they're not common in the mundane world?"

Harry shakes his head, "No, not at all. I expect that the entire nation will be shocked by this. We learn about it in history because it was such a terrible thing. Though we believe that all their victims were mundane women falsely accused for unknown reasons. I've got my history books in my trunk if anyone's interested."

"Harry, why do you have mundane history books in your trunk?"

"Mum's been home-schooling me since I was 8, so I'm just continuing my mundane education."

Susan puts her hands on her hips, "When have you been doing this then?"

"After you've all gone to bed?"

"Show of hands, who thinks Harry should do his mundane work with the rest of us."

Justin shakes his head, "Honestly, I didn't even think it was an option. Can you ask your mum for details on how to get started with that. My parents will be ecstatic if I can do that as well as my magical education."

Tracy laughs, "Show of hands, who here thinks we should all complete a mundane education with Harry and Justin so they're not left out?"

Much to Harry and Justin's surprise, only Ernest doesn't raise his hand, "Well, given I don't want to hear Professor Sprout express disappointment in us again, I think we should tell her in the morning. Harry, could you send a letter to your mum signed by all of us to find out how we would go about getting your muggle education?"

Harry smiles, "Why don't you ask Ephi, she can travel the Other at least as well as I can, and she doesn't need to be around for classes."

"Evie, would you be able to deliver a letter to Mrs Danann in exchange for a chocolate frog?"

Ephis appears in front of Tracy's face, "A whole chocolate frog?"

Tracy nods, "Yes, a whole chocolate frog. I'll give it to you after the first letter, but you have to promise to deliver any other letters that are to do with our mundane education as well."

Ephis looks at Tracy suddenly suspicious, "You don't actually have a chocolate frog, do you."

"No, I do. Wait right here and I'll show you."

Tracy pops into her partition and grabs a chocolate frog from her trunk, "See, a chocolate frog, unopened. This will be yours once you deliver the first letter."

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Marianne lays on her front on a gurney while a nurse cleans each of the wounds on her back. They've already had someone photographing them as well as her hands, face, and neck.

"How are you doing sweetie?"

Marianne groans as she turns her head, "It hurts more than it did earlier."

"That's just the shock wearing off and the endorphins have flushed themselves from your system."

"Ok." Marianne's tone of voice suggests that she didn't understand a word of that.

"You've been a very brave girl, and I think you deserve some cartoons on TV, what do you think?"

"I just want to sleep."

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you do that for a few more hours. Your x-rays came back fine, but the doctors want to make sure you don't have a concussion. That means that your brain was knocked around and bruised. If you do, then letting you sleep could be dangerous. If you don't want cartoons, why don't you tell me what you do for fun?"

"I belong to the Dunblane re-enactment society, and I've been learning to use a sword since I was 5. It's amazing, as we don't just use swords from one era, we skip about and mix and match. Harry, that's my friend, he's really really good, and loves using a spear or a two handed shield. Morgana, that's Harry's mum, has been looking after me in the afternoons forever. Did you know she does classes on Celtic culture and religion? Harry and I get private lessons occasionally, and she also teaches us sword work too. One day I'll be good enough to wear woad like she does sometimes."

"What else do you do for fun?"

"We go 10 pin bowling once a month, though I wasn't allowed to go this month, because my dad is a meanie. But The Morrigan got him good tonight."

"Who's The Morrigan?"

"She's an old Celtic goddess."

"Do you worship her?"

Marianne tries to shake her head and give up when it hurts, "Oh no, but I do talk to her though."

"Do you ever go to church?"

"Na uh, not going to church ever. Dad goes to church and look what he did to me and mum. I'm going to be Celtic like Harry and his mum."

A doctor speaks up from the doorway, "How's our brave heroine doing?"

The nurse looks up, "She says that it's hurting more than it did. Thank God the seat was clean otherwise she'd be looking at infections on all of these wounds."

The doctor shakes his head, "I don't think god had anything to do with it. The police have already had to switch to female officers looking after her mother. If there's a man in the room, she becomes utterly passive. They tried to give her a sandwich, but she wouldn't start to eat until the men were gone. We're currently canvassing the nearby hospitals for any female doctors with the right experience to treat her. Her back arms and legs are all covered with scars the same as those wounds. Hopefully the girls wounds won't scar given her age." On the bed, Marianne wishes hard that the doctor and nurse will continue to talk as though she's not there. As she does, wisps of mist float around her, obscuring her slightly.

"What do the police think?"

"The on-call psychologist says she's disassociating badly and it's probably a trauma response. Christ, she's not on any painkillers yet, but she didn't even wince once when we cleaned out the burn. She's got 3 broken ribs and a crack in her Th 5."

"How's her questioning going?"

"They've put it on hold at the moment as she's a damn fire hydrant about everything except her health. Ask her about what her home life was like and she won't stop talking, same as if you ask her what she did to her daughter. Ask her why, and she'll just say that Shaun broke her. One of the nurses asked her about her scars, and her reply was that she got them when Shaun broke her. I heard that the nurse made the mistake of asking how he broke her. Everyone in the room has been signed off for 2 weeks on mental health grounds, with mandatory counselling."

As her already depleted magical reserves exhaust themselves, Marianne falls into a restful sleep unnoticed by the doctor or nurse. The mist slowly dissipates over the next half hour.

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Amelia storms into the DMLE at half past 7 in the morning, "Dawlish, did you get the papers?"

"Yes Director Bones!"

"Tonks, Floo to Scott's home and have him teach you how to use his recording device. If any news of what happened last night appears, I want it recorded. Dawlish, Robards, you're looking through the papers, see what they've got. Scrimgeour what did you find out last night?"

Scrimgeour walks over from his desk, "It's not pretty, they have journals going back to the 17th century and there are one or two victims every year. All of whom were buried in unmarked graves in the graveyard if they were found guilty. If they were innocent but died anyway, they got a marked grave. The woman that was led out, she was tortured for 3 days down there in 78. Her entry says that it was necessary to condition her as a wife for a witch finder."

Dawlish walks over and puts a copy of the Daily Express on the desk. Taking up the entire front page is a photo of Marianne and her mother supporting each other as they walk through the church doors. The headline reads, 'Witch Finder victims rescued'. As Amelia reads the article, and the accompanying history of witch finders in britain, she sags into a chair.

"Scrimgeour, Dawlish, make sure everyone reads this then make it clear that this mundane investigation is off limits. Morgana was right, if we interfere then we prove the witch finders right. No obliviations, if they happen across our society work with Scotts to make it look coincidental. If Morgana can do that, then so can we. I'm going to see the minister about talking to the mundane government."

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Morgana's heels click on the tile floor of the hospital as she makes her way to the front desk of the ward that Kate is in.

"Good Morning, I'm Dr Danann here to see Kate Kincaid."

"Dr, one moment please I need to phone the officer on duty."

It doesn't take long before she's led into the private room that they're keeping Kate handcuffed to the bed.

"Morgana, you came."

Morgana nods, "I did, my solicitor will be here at 11."

"Can we talk privately until then? It's about my daughter."

The female police officer speaks softly into her radio before leaving, "I'll be just outside. It's the best we can do."

As she closes the door behind her, Morgana glances up and sees the officer looking in. When she looks back, Kate pushes herself into a sitting position facing away from the window, "Morgana, thank you for rescuing my baby when I couldn't."

"I just did what anyone would have done."

Kate shakes her head, "No, you were there, I saw you. I also know that Marianne didn't make a phone call that night. I don't know if you're an angel or a demon, but it doesn't really matter, because you saved my child."

Morgana pulls the mist around them, just a slight amount to make them less interesting, and their conversation private.

"Who am I Kate?"

Kate seems to fight against something before she says, "You are The Morrigan."

"How do you know that?"

"You talk about her in your classes, and I couldn't help but recognise you, both of you last night."

"What am I?"

"I don't know."

Morgana sighs, "I am an old god, I predate Christianity. Not by a lot, but I am older than the religion with no god."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"What do you want to happen?"

"I want to get better, to be a proper mother. But that's impossible."

"Why is it impossible?"

"Because you're her mother."

Gently, Morgana says, "I'm not, Marianne always calls me her second mother. That makes you her first."

"It's still impossible, I'm broken and I hurt my daughter. They won't let me see her again."

"You don't know that. Are you willing to put the work in to heal?"

"I… don't know. I want to, I think, but it's so hard to think."

"Are you willing to forsake your faith for this?"

Kate laughs, "What faith? I haven't had faith since 23rd June 1978, the day they dressed my wounds and took me home. What loving god would have allowed that?"

"We don't claim to be loving, we are much like you. People with our own desires, dreams, and loves. We're also not all powerful or all knowing. That would be an impossibility so far as I know. However, we have always done our best for our people. Canta was our healer with Brigid being almost as good. If I can find him, would you be willing to be healed by him?"

"I… couldn't say no if he was here. I am broken, and I will obey all men."

"I might be able to find his daughter, but I don't know if she gave up her domain to protect her people."

"Thank you, I don't think I can face a man at the moment."

Morgana holds out a raven on a silvery metal chain that seems to vanish when it turns the wrong way, "If you are willing, then take this as a sign of our covenant. I will attempt to find Canta's daughter and see if she is willing to try and heal you. If she is I will return with her symbol to exchange with my own. In return, you will do your best to live and heal well enough to become Marianne's mother again."

Morgana is sat there for a few minutes before Kate hesitantly reaches out with one hand and takes the raven. Awkwardly, she slips it over her head. As she does, Morgana mutters, "I really need to check my domain." More loudly she continues, "I have enchanted that so that only you and people trained in Celtic magic will be able to see or interact with it. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

Kate nods, "Yes, I want you to be the best mother you can be for my daughter. Give her the loving home she deserved growing up. If I don't make it, make sure she knows I love her."

Morgana nods, "I will, I promise. She is already a daughter of my heart. I'll be back later with my solicitor."