'Happy, uh, Christmas, I suppose,' Mezrielda's voice woke Bagsy, who'd been dreaming she was in a ship below Hogwarts lake. Cora Foncée had appeared and attacked her, and then a large serpent, or worm, had appeared and thrashed about, destroying the ship. Just as white arms with sharp claws were materialising in the dark waters and swimming towards Bagsy, she found herself woken up.

'Good morning,' she grumbled. 'What time is it?' She shut her eyes against the faint light coming into the room from the windows overlooking the lake.

'Nine in the morning.'

'Nine in the morning!?' Bagsy squeaked. 'Why would you wake me at nine in the morning on Christmas day!? Are you an evil witch, or something?'

'Perhaps,' Mezrielda said, baring her teeth and making a mock hissing noise. Bagsy could tell she was trying to be humorous, but the lack of enthusiasm, and the evident discomfort with making any kind of joke, made it look funny for the all the wrong reasons. Bagsy stifled a laugh.

'That looks more like a vampire than an evil witch,' Maisy chimed in, having also woken up.

'Vampires?' Mezrielda asked in concern. 'Who said anything about them? I didn't. I don't know any vampires. Don't be so silly.'

Maisy simply got up and left the room, looking nonplussed.

'Breakfast or presents first?' Bagsy asked. She was awake now, so she may as well get up. Sliding her legs over the side of the bed and putting her slippers on she shuffled out of the room as well.

'Presents,' Mezrielda said far too firmly.

Bagsy eyed her suspiciously.

There were no Christmas trees in the Slytherin common room, a fact Mezrielda was a big fan off, so they had laid their presents around the fireplace.

'This is for you,' Mezrielda breezed casually, despite the obvious tension in her shoulders. She held out two small packages to Bagsy, both wrapped supremely neatly in black and green striped paper.

'Thanks!' Bagsy smiled, wondering what they were. The first one she opened confused her. A pack of cards sat in her lap. They seemed similar to the pack they'd discovered in the library, except this card game was called traitor, not changelings. 'Is this…?' Bagsy asked, her voice trailing off in amazement.

'I made a better version of the game we found,' Mezrielda explained, 'and these cards do work, so we can play it. If you want to. If you don't that's fine, of course. You can do whatever you want, I couldn't care less.'

'This is so cool,' Bagsy breathed, looking awestruck at the pack. 'And you enchanted them? That must have been really difficult.'

'Please.' Mezrielda wafted her hand dismissively. 'Twas a piece of cake for a sorceress as skilled as myself. Now hurry up and open the other one.'

'No,' Bagsy said suddenly. 'You open mine first,' she added, handing a messily wrapped package to Mezrielda. She'd had to use muggle tape, but she hadn't been very good at it, so it looked like some sad failed transfiguration experiment.

'How am I meant to open this?' Mezrielda wrinkled her nose disapprovingly at the state it was in. Bagsy was about to answer her but Mezrielda beat her to it. 'With determination, I suppose.' With three swift, efficient flicks of her wand the brown paper was in the bin and Mezrielda was holding a large collection of strange, small items that she could transfigure. A special kind of smile existed briefly on Mezrielda's face before it was forced down. 'Good,' she murmured thickly. 'I was running out.'

Bagsy wasn't sure what she'd been worried about – clearly, Mezrielda was happy with her present, even if it was the same as it had been previous years. 'Nice,' Bagsy smiled. 'Back to my present, then.'

'So self-centred.'

'Says you!'

'…that's fair.'

Bagsy opened the second package and frowned in confusion at the little bronze square that gleamed in her palm. 'Uh...' She tilted her head. 'Thanks…? It looks really… interesting.'

'You've never seen one of these before?' Mezrielda asked. 'I got you the other gift because I thought this one may seem more like a demand for you to work rather than a gift.'

Bagsy furrowed her brow even more. 'What do you mean?'

That special smile was back again. Bagsy saw it out of the corner of her eye. She dared not look directly at Mezrielda, less it disappear.

'Say twiddle diddle.'

With her deepest frown yet, Bagsy did so. The bronze square sprung off of her palm and onto the floor, unfolding over and over again until a bronze trap door had secured itself on the ground. 'What on earth…?' Bagsy was thoroughly confused now.

'You weren't the only one who visited Pepsini in Hogsmeade,' Mezrielda explained, standing up as if trap doors appeared from bronze squares all the time, and moving towards it. She crouched by the trap door and lifted it open. 'I asked him if he had anything like this,' she explained. 'I thought you may find this useful. It can create itself as a separate room, or unfold and be an open-air set up, depending on what you want.'

Bagsy stood up, feeling like a zombie she was so stunned, and walked numbly to the trap door. She peered down into the darkness and saw below her a large, circular space. She saw bright orange coming from a furnace, and the dark waters of a slack tub of very cold looking water, next to two other pools which Bagsy guessed, based on her limited knowledge of metal work, were slack tubs of oil quench and salt brine. She saw rows of different sized hammers, anvils, chisels and tongs, and at least three separate, massive work benches. Thick gloves, googles and jumpsuits were neatly collected in a wicker basket to the other side of the room and there was a pile of coal next to the furnace. The entire room was illuminated with a pleasant orange glow. It was like peering into a badger's den – if a badger learned how to be a blacksmith.

'I reckon you should use this as well,' Mezrielda added, handing Bagsy a book that said Smithing for Dumb Spellcasters who Don't Want to Get Burned on the front. Without hesitation Bagsy threw her arms around Mezrielda and squeezed her as tightly as she possibly could. 'Bagsy-!' Mezrielda protested, sounding as if she was choking.

'THANKYOUSOMUCH!' Bagsy rushed out, swaying Mezrielda from side to side in her excitement. Then, realising herself, and the fact that she was actually hugging someone, and far more intensely than she ever had before, Bagsy quickly let go and moved away. 'Sorry…' she added.

Mezrielda coughed a few times to clear her throat, looking down and to the side. 'You are welcome.'

'I can use this to make my wand training wheel!' Bagsy realised. 'And the weather machine!'

'You can.' Mezrielda nodded, slowly composing herself. She shot Bagsy a satisfied look. 'I'm glad you like it,' she managed to say. 'It's called a foldable forge, by the way.'

Asking the forge to fold back up, soon the trap door was gone and Bagsy was holding the bronze cube in her hand again. 'This is amazing,' Bagsy repeated as they headed towards the great hall. 'Thank you so much, Mezrielda.' Mezrielda shrugged, pursing her lips and remaining quiet.

First, Bagsy and Mezrielda had breakfast. Then, they went for a walk. Mezrielda was grumpy that it wasn't snowing. After that, Bagsy did some quidditch practise while Mezrielda sat to the side and performed more silent wand waving, still refusing to tell Bagsy why. By the time Christmas dinner arrived Bagsy's day had been a very good one indeed.

'Bagsy!' Fiona, one of the girls in Bagsy's Thaumathletics group, who had smoky red hair tied in a bun, waved pleasantly at her. She was sitting next to Killian, a boy also in Bagsy's Thaumathletics group, and completing their number was Maisy.

'Hi,' Bagsy waved back. The friendly expressions on Fiona, Killian and Maisy's faces dampened when they realised Mezrielda was walking with her. The four tables in the great hall were gone and one large, singular table stood in the middle. The remaining staff and students were all taking their places in front of Christmas crackers, roast vegetables, gravy and bread sauce. Large mugs of hot chocolate awaited all those who wanted them, and the floating candles were a little lower on this occasion, making the lighting warmer and cosier.

Fiona awkwardly murmured something to Killian, who glanced apprehensively at Mezrielda. After a pause, Fiona leaned away from him. 'Would you like to sit with us?' she asked with reservation.

Bagsy glanced at Mezrielda, who crossed her arms, looking like she couldn't care less. Bagsy turned back to Fiona. 'Sure,' she responded in a small voice. To be quite honest, she'd prefer to just eat with Mezrielda, and not deal with the many people crowded around the table. But, Bagsy reminded herself, whilst she may not like large groups, she did know Fiona, Killian and Maisy from Thaumathletics, and none of them made her feel too exposed or pressured to socialise.

As she sat down Mezrielda made a point of sitting on Bagsy's side that was furthest from the three other students. She even went as far as to cast a disdainful look at Maisy.

'I don't think Mezrielda wants to sit with us,' Maisy sniffed with narrowed eyes.

'Don't be so insolent,' Mezrielda snapped back sharply. 'I don't do things I don't want to.'

'She does have a point,' Killian added softly to Maisy. 'Plus, having all five of us sitting with each other is rather metaphorical, if you think about it.'

Fiona threw her hands in the air. 'You and your metaphors. How on earth is us sitting together a metaphor?'

Killian shrugged, looking down at Fiona. He was much taller than anyone else at the table. 'It's like all the houses are joining together in celebration.'

Maisy chimed back in at that. 'There isn't a Ravenclaw with us,' she noted. 'We should invite one or else they'll be jealous.'

'True,' Killian hummed, looking around the table. 'Does anyone know any Ravenclaws we could invite to sit with us at this end of the table? We do have a few more seats on either side they could fill.'

'I'm so sick of your metaphors…' Fiona grumbled. 'Why do we need to invite people we don't even know?'

Bagsy, however, was glancing at some second-year students who had just entered the hall. She recognised both of them. One of them was a Hufflepuff boy who she'd seen around the common room every now and then. He was an average height, had average green eyes, average brown hair and an overall plain appearance. He blended in very well with all the other Hufflepuffs, Bagsy thought. The boy walking next to him had his nose in a book, was very small, with speckled pale skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. Bagsy recognised him as Howe – the boy who, in her second year, she'd practiced duelling against in the Eagle Club. 'We could invite them to join us?' Bagsy suggested sheepishly to the group.

Mezrielda half sneered at the idea. 'Do we really need more people? Especially younger years?'

'Hey,' Bagsy responded quickly, 'you're the one who wanted to become more popular.'

'Gain social acclaim and respect specifically,' Mezrielda corrected her. 'And you're the one who hates socialising,' Mezrielda added. 'Why do you want us to invite them to join?'

Bagsy shrugged. In truth, if the two younger boys joined and sat down with them, Bagsy was hoping they'd become the centre of attention, and allow Bagsy and Mezrielda to fade into the background and talk only with each other. In a quiet voice, she expressed this plan to Mezrielda.

'It's not a terrible idea,' Mezrielda grudgingly admitted, 'and, it would be a start at getting a foothold in with the younger years. Ideally, my popularity will spread to every student, regardless of their age or house. It can't hurt.' She turned to look at the approaching Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. 'Hello, you two.' She smiled like how a mannequin would; falsely. It came off more creepy than welcoming. 'Want to join us?'

Neither of the boys looked keen until Bagsy forced herself to shoot a pleasant wave at Howe, who recognised her.

'Alright,' Howe said, sitting down, the Hufflepuff boy joining him without any protest.

Almost instantly Fiona, Killian and Maisy descended upon them, asking a host of different questions about who they were, what they did in their spare time, and how they were finding Hogwarts.

Howe introduced himself as Howe Hirsch, and the Hufflepuff boy explained he was called Elijah Levitt. Elijah had no hobbies to speak of, and said he was finding Hogwarts 'alright', whilst Howe was almost instantly spewing about his recent interest in the Auglympia. According to Howe, it was a fairly new type of wizard sporting event where, instead of competing via quidditch, the participants tried to show they were better at Thaumathletics than the other.

'I hadn't realised until now that Professor Kim is a bit of a celebrity,' Howe explained. 'It was her thesis that discovered Thaumathletics and made it all possible. She's the most honoured guest at each of The Auglympias.'

Maisy nodded along. 'I've been telling people Kim is famous for years. No one ever believed me.'

Mezrielda rolled her eyes. 'No, you have not,' she said. 'The only thing you've said about Kim is that she and Wattleseed are secretly married.'

'They are!' Maisy insisted. 'I've seen her with a ring on!'

Mezrielda tutted in disbelief, shaking her head.

'Tell me more about The Auglympia,' Fiona said suddenly, with a nervous glance at Maisy and Mezrielda.

Howe laid the book he'd been reading on the table, pushing a bowl of brussels sprouts and a platter of crackers aside to make room. After a brief explanation of the different sporting events in Thaumathletics, each sounding as dangerous and ridiculous as the last, Bagsy and Mezrielda tuned out of the conversation the main group was having and turned to each other.

They pulled their Christmas crackers, piled their plates with food, played a few games of traitor and exchanged riddles until the meal was finished. Killian was excellent at solving every bad Christmas joke or pun-based question, whilst the rest of them groaned in protest at the poor humour. Besides the sharing of Christmas jokes, though, Fiona, Killian, Maisy, Howe and Elijah left them mostly alone. Or, at least, they did until the meal was done and the students were rising from the table.

'Bagsy, Mezrielda,' Fiona sad, hurrying after them as the two were already leaving the hall. Mezrielda and Bagsy exchanged an uncertain look. 'We were thinking of playing some games to celebrate before we go to bed,' she explained. 'We want as many people as possible, so we were wondering if you'd want to join us?'

Mezrielda wrinkled her nose in disgust at first, before fighting her face into pleasant interest. 'That sounds… like an idea,' she said honestly.

Bagsy shifted on her feet. 'What sorts of games?' she asked in interest. If it involved standing in front of a large group of people, like charades, she definitely didn't want to take part.

'We were thinking a castle wide hide and seek, or some kind of tag,' Fiona explained. 'It's not often we have access to the entire building alone.'

After a few moments of thought, and some pleading from Fiona, Bagsy and Mezrielda found themselves being led to the entrance way of Hogwarts castle.

Fiona directed the group to stand in a large circle around herself. Bagsy glanced around; Howe, Elijah, Killian, Maisy, herself and Mezrielda were present. With Fiona that made seven people. Hogwarts was a big castle; Bagsy could see this game going on for a long time.

'So, hide and seek or tag?' Fiona asked, standing in the centre of the circle and looking around at all of them.

'Tag!' Killian suggested excitedly, bouncing on his toes. 'I need to do some running.'

'Well, if you're so keen,' Fiona smirked, 'you can be it then.' Before everyone rushed off Fiona held up her hands. 'Don't be dweebs, you need to hear the rules before you all hurry away. The rules for this version of tag are simple but a little different; once you're tagged you join the tagging group, so the number of taggers increases as the game goes on. You win if you're the last one tagged.' Fiona stood still for a moment before abruptly sprinting through a gap in the circle she was standing in and away from them. 'Begin!' she yelled.

Almost instantly Killian jerked his hand towards Bagsy, who was standing next to him, to tag her.

'Flipendo!' Mezrielda cast. Killian was thrown backwards and onto the ground. 'Permu lapidem,' Mezrielda added with a decisive move of her wand in Killian's direction. Bagsy watched, transfixed, as the stone Killian had landed on turned to soft fabric, and the jumper Killian was wearing shifted into sand coloured stone like the floor. Grabbing Bagsy's sleeve and tugging her away from Killian, Mezrielda told her to focus.

'What was that?' Bagsy asked as they broke into a run. Killian was struggling out of his stone jumper behind them.

'That's cheating!' Killian called angrily as the players dispersed.

Mezrielda looked over her shoulder as they swiftly ran away. 'There was nothing in the rules stating so.'

'From now on no spell casting,' came Fiona's far away voice, somewhere to their left down a winding corridor. Mezrielda tusked in annoyance.

'Nah!' Killian protested. 'I get to cast at least two seeing as two have been cast against me.' In the distance, Fiona called her agreement.

As Bagsy and Mezrielda turned a corner Bagsy caught a glimpse of Killian breaking free from his stone prison and setting off after them. 'What now?' Bagsy asked.

'Did he escape the switching spell?' Mezrielda asked and then, slightly out of breath, 'I transfigured his jumper and the floor to swap their qualities, in case it wasn't quite obvious.'

'Oh,' Bagsy breathed as they ran on, 'and yes, he did.' Mezrielda seemed to be leading them down towards the kitchens.

'I assume your equipment is in your room?' Mezrielda asked, sparing a glance at Bagsy's attire. She wasn't wearing her many pocketed school robe. Instead she was garbed in a loose jumper and trousers. 'Your spider gloves and slippers?' Mezrielda checked.

Bagsy nodded. 'In my room.'

'Those are the ones that absorb spells, correct?'

Bagsy nodded again. 'Yeah. I have a couple potions and my torch on me, though.'

Mezrielda pursed her lips. 'The Hufflepuff common room is a choke point,' she murmured. 'We don't want him knowing we've gone down there, or he can block our escape. Bagsy, is Killian following us?'

Not bothering to ask what a choke point was, but hoping it wasn't what it sounded like, Bagsy looked over her shoulder. She found herself grateful for all those Thaumathletics lessons; her fitness had definitely improved, and she wasn't as out of breath from running as she should have been.

Killian, however, had clearly been running his whole life, and was gaining on them. Bagsy let out a cry of surprise.

It was all the answer Mezrielda needed. 'We can't let him follow us down to the Hufflepuff common room or he'll have us cornered. Give me your torch.' Bagsy did as she was told.

They turned a corner and Bagsy saw the way down to the kitchens, and the Hufflepuff dorms. Mezrielda turned Bagsy's torch on, the light flickering madly from the magical interference. She tossed it down an adjacent corridor before grabbing Bagsy and pulling her down the steps. 'Flatten yourself down!' she hissed. Mezrielda threw herself onto the steps, pressing herself down as much as she could. Bagsy followed suit. 'Permu lapidem,' Mezrielda repeated her earlier spell. Both she and Bagsy were suddenly surrounded by stone the exact colour and texture of the steps they were lying on. It acted as very effective camouflage.

'That's cheating!' Bagsy hissed.

'Ssh,' Mezrielda hushed back. 'It's only cheating if we're caught'

Killian rounded the corner and, eyes not noticing the student-shaped stone mounds on the steps, instead seeing the flashing lights from the torch down the adjacent corner, set off in the direction away from them.

With a whispered counter spell to the stone transfiguration, 'Reparifarge,' Mezrielda was standing up swiftly and heading towards the common room. Scrambling far less gracefully to her feet, Bagsy hurried after her.

'I'll stand guard,' Mezrielda explained, tapping the rhythm to Helga Hufflepuff on the barrel as Bagsy approached.

'How do you know how to get in!?' Bagsy squeaked in concern.

Mezrielda shot Bagsy a dry look. 'How many times have I seen you tap out this silly little beat, Bagsy?'

Bagsy shuffled her feet. 'A lot…'

'Precisely. Now, go!' Mezrielda shoved Bagsy through the hole. Bagsy heard her mutter, 'Hufflepuffs, honestly,' as she went.

A few moments later, Bagsy was back, spell-sponge spider gloves and slippers in hand.

'Do you have the mag-net bat and ball?' Mezrielda asked. Bagsy patted one of the hidden pockets she'd asked Neve to sew into the jumper. 'Good. That should be everything we'll need.' A terrifying grin spread across Mezrielda's face. 'Now, let's go win.'

Not reminding Mezrielda that only one person could win, they set back off. Mezrielda took the lead, explaining that they shouldn't go anywhere in the castle which was a dead end, or had less than two exits. 'If they have more than one tagger, which by now they likely do, we need at least three possible evasive paths.'

'Killian has two spells,' Bagsy pointed out, 'and you're no longer allowed to cast anything, so how are you going to counter them?'

'I'm not.' Mezrielda smirked.

Bagsy tilted her head in confusion, then looked down at her hands wrapped in the deep blue spider gloves. Her spider gloves were an updated version of last year's spell-sponge gloves. They could absorb spells. 'That's so smart!'

'You invented them,' Mezrielda reminded her. 'How many spells can they absorb before they're full?'

'One for each hand, at a push,' Bagsy explained. Mezrielda hummed thoughtfully as they passed by the library. They halted as they heard distant yells catching up on them. Howe and Elijah came around the corner, both looking terrified. Killian was right on their heels.

'Move!' Mezrielda urged Bagsy, who didn't need telling twice.

'Dammit!' Howe cursed from behind them, evidently caught. By the time Elijah was also tagged, Bagsy and Mezrielda were far away.

Running into Mezrielda's back, who had suddenly stopped, Bagsy let out a surprised oof! Rubbing her nose in pain, she peered around Mezrielda's side to see Maisy stood at the end of the corridor.

'Have you been tagged?' Mezrielda asked, her voice ice cold.

'No,' Maisy said dully, speaking in a way she hadn't before. I didn't sound convincing at all and Bagsy was certain she was lying for real this time.

'Liar…' Mezrielda muttered. 'Bagsy, give me the mag-net bat.' Bagsy did so.

'Locomotor mortis!' Killian's voice sounded behind them. Bagsy whipped around and saw a jet of light inches from Mezrielda's shoulder. Her hand shot up and, at the last second, the beam was absorbed into the spider glove.

Mezrielda looked behind her, her brown eyes efficiently analysing what had just happened. 'One spell down,' she commented, before grabbing Bagsy and shoving her towards Killian.

'Hay!' Bagsy protested, before Killian's hand shot forward and grabbed her shoulder.

'Tag!' Killian announced proudly before Bagsy let out a pained cry; he'd grabbed her where the blood eyed beast had left its mark.

Mezrielda, who'd been running towards Maisy with the bat at the ready, paused and looked back at Bagsy in concern. 'Are you okay?' she asked as Maisy started running towards her.

'You tricked me!' Bagsy gasped, the pain ebbing.

'Focus,' Mezrielda chastised herself quietly as she turned away from Bagsy and back towards Maisy. Mezrielda hit the ball with the bat. It clanged off a wall, one of the paintings protesting angrily, and Maisy instinctually ducked in response. In her moment of distraction, Mezrielda took her opportunity to dash around Maisy and away from them, dropping the bat as she went.

'She's slippery, that one,' Killian growled. 'Nice try though, Maisy.'

'I nearly had her,' Maisy claimed. 'I was this close.'

'Sure, you were,' Killian responded, not sounding convinced, even though Bagsy thought it was a fairly accurate description of events. 'Bagsy? Where are you going? We'll have more chance of tagging her if we work together.'

Ignoring them, Bagsy walked away. 'I know that,' she said, her voice barely audible, 'but I don't want that. I'm going to catch her myself. Alone.' A feeling of retaliation surging through her, she looked over her shoulder from Killian to Maisy with a stern expression.

Killian shook his head disapprovingly. 'And Fiona calls me reckless,' he grumbled, but Bagsy was already running away from them.

Bagsy had something they didn't; information. She knew she wouldn't catch Mezrielda in an outright chase. Mezrielda thought faster than she did and was crafty and cunning, but she did know what paths Mezrielda had been taking when they'd been allied. If Bagsy wanted to catch her there was only one way to do it. She had to set a trap.

She spared a moments detour to collect her muggle torch – it was a little dented, but as functional as it had ever been with all the magic around it. Thinking hard, Bagsy wondered if she could set her trap anywhere Mezrielda had been leading them. Mezrielda should know not to use those routes anymore now Bagsy was on the tagging team, unless Mezrielda didn't take Bagsy as a serious threat. Considering this possibility, Bagsy decided it was her best bet to assume this was the case, as there was a nice T junction in the corridors next to the library that was perfect for what she had in mind.

Sneaking to her target location, Bagsy crawled quietly along the ceiling using her spider gloves and slippers. She went over her options in her head as she moved along. She'd have only one chance at this before Mezrielda would be onto her. If she missed, she wouldn't get another chance, Mezrielda was too adaptable. Her victory had to be certain before she pounced.

Once Bagsy reached the point where the three corridors met at the library doors she hung onto the ceiling and waited patiently. It wasn't long until Mezrielda passed below her, walking calmly, turning this way and that. One of her hands was hidden in her sleeve, holding her wand no doubt. Bagsy held her breath. Mezrielda didn't look up, didn't see her hiding there. Bagsy couldn't help a smile.

But she didn't move. She watched, and she let Mezrielda pass by. Now wasn't the time to pounce. She had to be patient, she had decided not to activate her trap until Mezrielda's attention was already on something else.

Bagsy found her patience holding fast even after the fifth time Mezrielda passed that way without an opportunity to strike arising. From her vantage point Bagsy knew that Killian, Elijah, Howe, Maisy and herself had all be tagged. The four other taggers would occasionally pass under her in one big group. Fiona, however, hadn't yet been caught, and she was by far the fastest of them all. She darted down the corridor, even jumping in and out of windows, or vaulting over benches. Bagsy couldn't help feeling impressed. It was no wonder Fiona had chosen Thaumathletics if this was what she was capable of.

And it was thanks to Fiona that the perfect opportunity arose. Bagsy was suddenly alert when she heard running footsteps and urgent voices echoing down the corridor towards her. Bagsy spared the briefest of moments to make sure it was Killian, Elijah, Maisy and Howe she was hearing. Once she confirmed this she took one of her spider gloves off and let it fall to the floor below her. Holding onto the ceiling with her one remaining spider glove and her two spider slippers, Bagsy crossed the fingers of her other hand for good luck.

Fiona appeared around the corner first, dashing over the stone floor like a ginger lightning bolt. Mezrielda, who was considerably slower, was a bit of a ways behind. Bagsy guessed Fiona had deliberately led Killian and the others to her. She'd win if Mezrielda was tagged. Bagsy didn't care if Fiona won or not, she just wanted to be the one to tag Mez.

Fiona passed the spell-sponge glove on the floor, not thinking anything of it. Mezrielda, however, was slowly falling within range of Killian's spells, and when her eyes latched onto the item Bagsy recognised first a brief flash of confusion and then the beginning of a plan forming in her friend's eyes. She'd want that glove to absorb any spell Killian may send her way.

Good. Bagsy thought.

Skidding to the floor by the glove Mezrielda grabbed it and put it on her hand.

Killian rounded the corner and levelled his wand at Mezrielda. Fiona glanced over her shoulder. For a beat, her eyes looked upwards at Bagsy in surprise, having noticed her attached to the ceiling.

'Locomotor mortis!' Killian threw the spell at Mezrielda with all of his energy. That was it, the last spell he was allowed to use, and Mezrielda appeared confident she'd be able to catch it. Bagsy watched as Mezrielda clumsily held her hand out, the edges of her fingertips just managing to catch the spell before it hit her. The catch looked more like luck than anything.

Now was Bagsy's chance. Just as Mezrielda turned to escape into the library she dropped from the ceiling, reminding herself the fall wasn't that big and to not panic.

'Got you!' Bagsy cried as she descended.

Mezrielda's head snapped upwards, her eyes latching onto the fast approaching Bagsy. She had been too distracted by the spell-sponge glove and Killian to have prepared a response to Bagsy's surprise. Such open emotion had never shown on Mezrielda's face, she was so stunned.

And then Bagsy was on top of Mezrielda, pinning her easily to the floor with her far stronger arms, crying in victory. 'Tag!' Bagsy chimed. 'Tag! Tag! Tag!'

Mezrielda squirmed below her in frustration. 'Impossible!' she hissed. 'What on earth are you doing?'

Bagsy grinned. 'Winning,' she explained.

'I won!' Fiona called happily from behind them. Bagsy looked back at Fiona, who was also beaming in joy. 'Nice tag Bagsy! Those gloves of yours are pretty darn cool, where'd you get them?'

'I made them,' Bagsy said honestly.

'No way,' Fiona breathed, not looking convinced. Maisy, however, nodded her acceptance almost instantly.

Realising she was still pinning Mezrielda to the floor, who had gone very red in the face, Bagsy apologised and stood up, offering her hand to her.

With a disdainful look at the hand, and overexaggerated reluctance, Mezrielda took it and allowed herself to be helped to her feet. 'Well done.' Mezrielda's voice was an angry low grumble that Bagsy barely caught.

'Thanks.' She smiled back, 'guess I win, huh?' Mezrielda muttered something non-committal, still looking rather embarrassed. Something like 'such an obvious trap' or 'should have seen it coming'. Bagsy's smile only grew.