Disclaimer: See first chapter

A/N: My goal was to finish Demon Hunter before Christmas. Technically I did but because my modem fried I couldn't get on the Internet. Here is the second last chapter. Just so you know I found out about the Ssu-yu-chien (precious mirror of the four elements.) in my maths book. I decided to use it as a plot idea.

Chapter 21: Exorcist

"Who are you and what have you done with the real Carlie and Jess?" Nathan asked astonished to find Jess and Carlie standing over a steaming cauldron.

Carlie's eye rolled to the ceiling before she replied. "We are trying to find the Ssu-yu-chien."

"Precious Mirror of the Four Elements." Nathan said.

"You know about the mirror? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Carlie demanded.

"I don't" Nathan replied. "That's just what it translates to in English. I take it we have something to do with this mirror?"

Jess nodded. "It exorcises demons and other stuff out of people."

"And this potion helps you how?" Nathan asked, looking down into the metallic silver liquid.

"Watch and learn." Carlie grinned. "e a comya sho mor tic la" Carlie whispered and the d liquid rose and began to form a shape. "heya moro shinto micara limoso" It had formed into a silver hand held mirror. Floating in the air Carlie commanded it.

"Mirror Mirror in the air, the Ssu-yu-chien, show me where."

Nathan and Jess watched in wonder as the mirror showed a large mirror with a coloured stone in each corner. Carlie reached forward and took hold of the mirror. As she slowly turned the image in the mirror moved also. "There's some ugly dude."

Jess stood at Carlie's shoulder and peered into the mirror. "That's Borgin." He said. "That means the mirror is at Borgin and Burkes."

"Where?" Whether it was Nathan or Carlie who asked (Jess couldn't tell) he answered dully.

"In Knockturn Alley there is a shop that sells dark items called Borgin and Burkes."

"Are we going to get it then?" Nathan asked.

Jess rubbed his temples. "You're going to have to get it Carlie."

"I am not going into Knockturn Alley by myself!" Carlie snapped. "If you're so familiar with the place you go!"

"My father will find out." Jess answered hotly. "How am I supposed to explain why I wanted a mirror?"

"Can Nathan come with me?" Carlie asked.

"No!" Jess's voice rose. "He's a muggle and Borgin refuses to sell to muggles or anything of the sort. That means you have to wear robes."

Carlie didn't voice anymore objection but crossed her arms and sulked in defeat.

"I'll turn myself invisible and follow you. Nathan can come to if he likes." Jess supplied.

"What about Lyndsay?" Carlie asked.

Nathan shrugged. "She's busy, hasn't talked to me all week."

CARL NOBIS

Lyndsay had typed those words into a search engine and had come up with a website dedicated to the 'music murderer'

Seventies punk singer Carl Nobis was not known for his musical ability. Rather he was infamous as the music murderer. His first murder was in 1976; it was fellow band member Kin Shore. At the time the death was written off since Kin of a heroin overdose. Carl was apart of three other bands in which he murdered three others. He was eventually caught when the motel room he was in had video surveillance. He was caught pumping drugs into Kelly Indy. He confessed to killing the others by spiking their drinks and pumping them full of heroin. He was convicted and a year after serving in prison hung himself.

There have been many copycats of the 'music murderer'. Nicky Hanson killed the lead guitarist of her band. Kenny Smith do in the drummer. And recently lead guitarist Will Rock killed the bassist of his band.

The music murderer lives on!

Lyndsay groaned. That was what he had meant when he said he liked band members. She hadn't known about Lewis being a drummer and asked him after the encounter. He had been embarrassed by it and told Lyndsay not to tell anyone.

She needed to find out more about that band if Lewis was going to murder them.

"I hate you" Carlie hissed as she made her way through the shadowed lane. Many gave her dark looks as she headed towards Borgin and Burkes. Feeling self-conscious already wearing deep green robes and changing her hair to a intense auburn colour, she didn't feel better by the stares she was getting.

As she entered the shop she could feel Jess and Nathan at her heals. The shop was filled with interesting items that Carlie couldn't help but look around.

"Can I help you?" A voice asked.

Carlie spun on her heals to see an oily haired man eying her suspiciously.

"Yes." Carlie hid all signs of fright and spoke with confidant tone. "I am looking for a mirror that I believe you have here. Called the Ssu-yu-chien."

"Why would girl like you want something like that?" He asked and took a step closer to her. Carlie's eyes flickered to Jess for a moment and then back to Borgin.

"I am an avid collector of rare antiquities." Carlie had not come up with that sentence on her own. Nathan had messaged it to her since he was the master of languages.

Borgin looked doubtful. "Do you have the funds for such a thing?"

Carlie pulled out a bag and opened it roughly. Inside was a large amount of gold that Jess and her had pulled together.

His eyes lit up and he bowed to her. "I do happen to have this artefact in store. Let me find it for you."

He disappeared and she stood looking at a bottle containing the blood of the vampire mistress. The bell of the store rung and Jess blanched when he saw who it was. Lucius Malfoy.

/Don't talk to him/ Jess messaged urgently to her.

She nodded slightly and barely took notice of him as she pretended to be extremely interested in something called the 'Hand of Glory'.

"Master Malfoy" Borgin had returned but with no mirror. "Come for your order?"

He nodded curtly and once again Borgin disappeared. She could feel his eyes on her, searching for the reason she was here (or at least that's what she hoped he was doing.)

"The mirror." Borgin dragged out the full sized mirror. "And you order Master Malfoy." He placed a small brown package on the counter.

"How much?" Carlie asked as she avoided both their eyes.

"Three and a half thousand gallons." He replied and Carlie went to tip the bag on the counter when Malfoy grabbed her wrist. Carlie swallowed hard and Nathan's head was buzzing with her alarmed thoughts.

"Don't shop here often do you?" He asked. His voice was cold and smooth with the air of a man with power. "She won't except a knut over a thousand."

Carlie shot Jess (or at least what she thought was Jess) a look terror.

"That's not even half of what I ask for!" He cried outraged.

"It's fine I'll pay it." Carlie mumbled. Jess didn't have to be a mind reader to know Carlie wanted out. He didn't blame her. His uncle was an intimidating man and even for someone as headstrong as Carlie.

"Do you think anyone else is going to buy that thing?" He asked coldly.

"I'll give it to you for two thousand." Borgin supplied.

Carlie wanted to cry yes but Malfoy still had a hard hold on her wrist indicating that he wasn't impressed.

"It's not fair of you to take advantage of such a young girl. She couldn't be much older than my son." He turned to her. "I bet she's still at Hogwarts which brings to mind the question of how she could be here."

Carlie stared at him defiantly. "I have permission to be out of school. It's none of you business but I had a family emergency." She wriggled free of his grip and threw down the sack of gold. "Here." She quickly counted out a thousand pieces of gold. She only had a few left over which meant she couldn't have paid three thousand. "One thousand. Now give me the mirror."

Borgin grumbled and asked her how she intended on getting this out of the alley.

/Any ideas Einstein/ Carlie messaged to the boys.

/Ask him to put it in a spelled bag. Offer him a couple of gallons./ Jess suggested.

"Can you possibly give me a spelled bag?" She asked sweatily. "I'll pay you."

"Four gallons." Carlie passed them over quickly and the mirror disappeared into a small carry bag.

"Thanks." She said and made for the door. Once outside she broke into a quick stride but accidentally ran into a hairy witch who cursed at her loudly. The boys had made for the alley and orbed away.

"Sorry, sorry." She apologized over and over and backed away into the alley and orbed.

With some investigative sleuthing Lyndsay had found out that Lewis drummer for a band called Currently Untitled. They practised at Lewis's home every Saturday for a few hours. Lyndsay intended to show up uninvited to see who was in the band.

It was late afternoon and the band was about to leave. Lyndsay sat across the road trying to act casual. Lewis's garage door opened and a large boy she didn't know came out followed by Malcolm Zane who was in her English class.

"See ya Lewis!" They called and climbed into a car parked outside the neighbour's house.

Lyndsay's eyes scoped in like a telescope and she saw Keisha standing near Lewis speaking to him. He smiled and pulled closed the door.

She knew it was time to act.

Running across the street she stood outside the garage and pressed her ear to the door. She could hear them speaking but could not make out the words. She opened the door and ducked under.

Lewis was nowhere to be seen but Keisha lay in a crumpled heap near an amp. Lyndsay rushed in before she used her senses to see where Lewis was. That was why she did not see him until he'd swung a can of paint at her head.

Everything was out of focus but she could hear Carl's voice taunting her

He laughed. "You caught me again. No matter, I can fix that." His teeth barred wickedly as he grinned. "Can't image what it's going to be like when they find your drugged bodies in the river. You'll be in the news all over again."

Pulling herself to her feet she shot a stunning spell at him. Carl spun out of the way and looked bewildered on how she did it.

Lyndsay continued to shoot spells at him but he was quick on his feet. She couldn't keep it up for long, she felt ready to pass out.

Suddenly someone appeared at the door. "Hello" Carlie said pleasantly.

"Where did you come from?" Carl asked angrily.

"All that matters is this!" Carlie jumped out of the way and there stood Nathan and Jess holding the mirror in Carl's direction. He screamed and with a flash a scrawny bearded man was pounding at the glass inside the mirror.

"Wahoo!" Carlie clapped happily. "It works!"

Lyndsay recognized the mirror from her dream. How the hell had they gotten it?

"Stun Lewis and Keisha, wipe their minds and let's roll." Carlie commanded.

Lyndsay swayed and Carlie held her as Nathan and Jess took care of Keisha and Lewis. The mirror was leaning against the wall and not moving despite Carl pounding the glass from the inside.

" How did you know?" Lyndsay whispered, putting more of her weight on Carlie.

She smiled. "Us sorceresses have our ways. That mirror isn't just for trapping spirits and demons. It shows where people are and what they're doing. Luckily for you we tried to find out why you'd been hiding yourself from us."

Lyndsay could feel herself getting ready to pass out. She clung to Carlie as everything began to spin.

"Another job well done." Nathan quipped as the three sorceresses sat back at the house.

"We're not finished yet." Carlie winked at Jess who smiled wickedly back at her.

Nathan raised his eyebrows. "Care to elaborate?"

"No time" Jess looked down at his watch. "Just wish us luck." He winked.

Nathan felt slightly annoyed at Jess and Carlie's need for secrecy but he had no time to voice his objections as the two linked arms and orbed.

"Excuse me sir." A voice asked.

Kei cursed Quirrel a thousand times over. These stupid kids had been annoying him constantly over the past week. He wanted to blast these kids to oblivion. Slowly he turned to see Jess Mcairn smiling happily at him.

Kei's annoyance disappeared as the young sorceresses stood with his books looking relaxed. He soon wouldn't be.

"How can I help?" He asked.

"I need help with the essay on werewolves." Jess explained. "I was hoping you could give me a hand."

Kei smiled with glee. Here he was giving himself to him. Then it hit him. This seemed like a set up.

"Sure. Let me show you this book." He turned to the desk then spun around and shot a red beam from his hands.

Jess ducked and smiled playfully. "Gee sir, are you trying to kill me?" He laughed.

"You won't be smiling for long sorceresses." Kei snarled.

"I beg to differ," Said a female voice from behind him. He turned and came face to face with a mirror.

What happened next amazed Carlie and Jess. A flash of light and Quirrel's body fell to the ground as if a rubbery mask.

"Oh yeah. We are on a roll!" Carlie high fived Jess.

The demon trapped inside the mirror spat and hissed at them as Carlie and Jess stood together and watched it.

"Guess we better clean up this mess before someone finds us." Jess remarked.

Carlie nodded and together with a few twitches of the fingers the mirror and the rubbery mask disappeared.

"I am starting to get used to this demon hunter thing." Carlie said as they walked out.

"Yeah baby." Jess shouted in triumph. "Demon Hunters all the way!"