MAGIC KINGDOM

a Disney/Hogwarts Crossover Fic

Author's Note: Because Things have been Happening, I figure we need a little exposition. Plus, we needed to see some of the other characters. Also, because it's never really touched on in the books, I'm making up Arithmancy on the fly.

7. A LEGEND IS SUNG

"She's mad," Penny Stacy said. "Mad, mad, mad."

Lewis Robinson looked up. "Who?"

"Professor Mim," Penny answered. She turned her Arithmancy book and tapped the problem with her pencil. "It can't be done. It simply can't be done."

Lewis looked over from his own homework and considered the problem. He picked up Penny's paper and looked at the work she'd done. "See this here? You're trying to factor in the square root of Pi."

Penny frowned. "Yeah...?"

"This isn't a geometric proof," he said. "It's selenometric. You need to use the triangular root of Pi."

Penny stared at him. "That's not a thing."

"Not in the real world," Hiro Hamada said. "But it is here."

Penny bundled up her robes, covered her face with them, and let out a muffled scream. The rest of the little study group regarded her with raised eyebrows. Except, that is, for Alice Carroll, who was busy trying to pin down the equations crawling over the pages of her textbook. After a few moments' muffled panting, Penny dropped the robes from her face and took a deep breath. "I'm better now."

Alice blinked and looked up. "What happened?"

"Triangular roots," Arthur Pendragon explained, and the blonde nodded knowingly.

The six first-years sat on the floor around a little table in the Ravenclaw common room. Mike Yagoobian frequently found himself staring around at his surroundings, as the only outsider in the little study group. The Gryffindors, and especially the Slytherins, tended to be pretty territorial about their dorm commons. The Hufflepuffs, however, were known for their hospitality, and the Ravenclaws were known for not really caring. The Ravenclaw tower was the only dorm not requiring a password to gain entry, and the thinking was that anyone with the brain power to solve the riddle would be welcome.

Even if there had been some kind of rule about keeping other students out of Ravenclaw tower, they'd have found some way to include Goob. Lewis and Goob had been best friends for as long as they could remember, having grown up in the same muggle orphanage. They weren't going to let something like being Sorted into different Houses get in the way. They hadn't thought to ask other friends join the little study group, like Wendy Darling or Chip Potts. Penny made a mental note to ask their other first-year friends to join them next time.

Right now, the little study group was clawing their way through Arithmancy, as it was the most frustratingly complex. True, much of it was exactly like ordinary algebra and geometry, but some problems required you to factor in the phase of the moon, the direction of the wind, and the color of the ink used to write it down. Hiro and Lewis were sort of carrying the others, being mathematically inclined. If Professor Mim was at all able hundreds of such assignments, Penny's assessment of her sanity was probably spot on.

As they wrestled with numbers, Alice stood and walked towards the huge wall of windows. Goob noticed and watched her fiddle with the latch on one of the windows. She pushed it open, letting in a cool, early autumn breeze into the already drafty common room. Without a word, she walked back to her spot at the table and resumed her work, tucking her robes around her. Nose wrinkled in confusion, Goob asked her, "Uh, were you hot, or something?"

Large blue eyes looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

He gestured towards the window she'd opened. "The window?"

Alice looked where he pointed. "It's open," she said.

Brow furrowed, Goob said, "Well, yeah, you just-" Lewis nudged him and gave a little shake of the head, cutting him off. Goob shrugged and let it drop.

Moments later, there was a fluttering sound, and a small, brown owl flew in through the open window and landed in the middle of the table, startling the students. "Archimedes?" Arthur stammered.

The owl fluffed its feathers and hooted at him.

"I take it you know this owl?" Penny asked, picking up her scattered school supplies.

Arthur nodded. "Archimedes is the family owl," he said. The bird kicked its leg towards Arthur, as if eager for the small parcel tied to it to be removed. Arthur scooped up the owl and untied the bundle. "Thanks, Archimedes," he said, giving the bird a good scratch under the chin. "Why don't you go on to the aerie-they've got lots of good food for you there."

The owl made pleased noises and hopped out of his arms, then took off through the open window. Goob shot a questioning look at Alice, who was busy straightening her hair.

"You got a letter from home?" Lewis asked.

Arthur opened the little parcel and scanned the scroll. He sighed and read, "'Wart- Make sure Kay gets this. It's very important. -Ector.'"

"Don't go on," Hiro deadpanned. "My heart can't take all that sentiment."

Arthur wadded up the note and regarded the envelope included. "My cousin is interning with the Aurors after graduation," he said. "They've always got some kind of form to fill out. Government stuff."

Alice tilted her head. "What's an Auror?"

Arthur gave her a confused look, then remembered that she was muggle-born. "The Aurors are sort of like wizard police," he explained. "They investigate magical crimes, fend off monsters, and even protect muggles from dark wizards. Kay's been set on becoming one ever since-" He hesitated and continued, "ever since he was a little kid." He set his things aside and stood.

"You're going now?" Hiro asked.

"This is important," Arthur said, as if it were obvious.

"So is your homework," Penny said.

Arthur frowned, then shook his head. "No, I have to go," he said.

Alice closed her books and stood, too. "I'll go with you," she said.

Arthur blinked at her. "Why?"

Alice shrugged and began walking. "Why not?" When she got to the door, she looked back at Arthur. "Aren't you coming?"

Arthur finally stopped at the landing to Gryffindor Tower and turned to face Alice. "Okay, what is it?"

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"You've been staring at me the whole way here," he said. His cheeks warmed a little and he looked away from her bright, blue gaze. "I want to know why."

"I've been trying to figure it out," she said.

"Figure what out?"

"The reason you paused," she said. "You hesitated when you were talking about your cousin wanting to become an Auror. You said he'd wanted it since he was little, but you started to say something else."

Arthur's whole body twitched with sudden tension. He quickly forced himself to adopt a more relaxed posture, but it was a bit late for that. "I don't know what you mean," he lied.

Alice continued to stare at him, saying nothing, smiling politely.

Arthur's narrow shoulders drooped, and he sighed. He took a breath and said, "Kay had wanted to be an Auror since our parents were killed."

The smile vanished from Alice's face, and her mouth dropped open. "Oh," she said at last in a small voice. "I... I'm very sorry."

Arthur rolled a bony shoulder in a shrug. "Thanks," he said. "They were...killed...when I was a baby. It's why I live with my uncle."

Alice frowned and sat on a stair. Arthur sat down next to her. They were quiet. Alice knew, intellectually, that many of her classmates had lost family members. But, to hear someone say so from their own lips was another matter entirely. It made it much more real. After a moment, she looked to him. "And Kay..?"

"His mother," Arthur replied. "It happened to all three of them at the same time."

Alice felt her eyes prickling in sympathy for Arthur. "Was... Was it an accident?" she asked.

Arthur shook his head. "It was on purpose," he said.

Alice frowned at that. "I don't-" She paused as realization dawned. "Oh."

Arthur nodded. "Right at the end of the Dark Times," he said. "My parents and Kay's mom... They were some of the last victims of the Death Eaters."

Alice chewed her lip, completely at a loss to say anything. She had so many questions, but kept silent. Instead, she handed him a handkerchief. He accepted, silently, and dabbed at his eyes, which glittered with barely restrained tears.

After a moment, Alice brushed her robes and smiled. "Well, your cousin will be wanting his letter," she said brightly.

Arthur clears his throat and agrees. The two of them climb to the landing in front of the portrait guarding the entrance to Gryffindor tower. Arthur wasn't sure if he should knock on the frame or ask the woman in the portrait if he could come in. He was about to reach out, when the portrait swung out, revealing a doorway behind.

A burly redhead stepped through, followed by a boy who looked about the same age. "Wart?" the redhead asked, spotting Arthur. "What're you doing here?"

Arthur held out the envelope. "Uncle Ector," Arthur replied, "he sent this for you."

Kay frowned and snatched the envelope from Arthur's hand. "Didn't open it, did you, Wart?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, Kay, of course not."

Alice looked between Arthur and Kay. She couldn't really see any family resemblance. While Arthur was slight and blonde with pointed features, Kay was broad, blocky and ginger. And it wasn't that Kay was ugly, but he seemed to have an unappealing scowl permanently built into his features.

Kay tore his eyes away from the letter, noticing Alice's eyes upon him. "Who's that, Wart? Your girlfriend?"

Arthur's face turned red, and he spluttered a bit, but Alice cut him off. "I suppose so. I am a girl. I am his friend. The word does technically apply." She looked to the dark-haired boy behind Kay. He was watching the exchange with mild amusement, as Kay stared, blinking at Alice. The other boy was much slimmer, and better-looking than Kay, even though she didn't care for piercings and eyeliner. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Arthur's face was a mask of open mortification, and the dark-haired boy howled with laughter. Kay scowled at Alice, practically growling. The dark-haired boy draped an arm over Kay's shoulders. "Got you there, mate," he said.

Kay shook him off. "Shut it, Hook."

"That's no way to talk to your boyfriend," Hook replied. He gave Kay a swat on the posterior and bolted down the stairs, hooting with laughter. Kay charged after him, shouting threats, Arthur and Alice forgotten.

Alice watched them go, then turned to Arthur still gaping her. "We ought to get going as well," she said. "We still have all that homework."

Alice was a bit lost in thought as she made her way to class. No one really took any notice, as this seemed to be her default state. She took her seat in History, considering a lot of things she'd learned in the few weeks she'd arrived at Hogwarts. Not magic, though. She wasn't thinking about spells or potions or with whom the centuars sided in the War of the Roses. She was thinking about her classmates.

Arthur Pendragon and Kay Kyner.

Hiro and Tadashi Hamada.

Lewis Robinson, Penny Stacy, Mike Yagoobian and so many others.

They had all lost at least one parent.

Alice raised her hand.

Professor Hatter paused in his lecture on the Tudor wizards. "Yes, Alice?"

"What were the Dark Times?" she asked.

Professor Hatter flinched, so strongly his ever-present emerald green topper seemed to hop off his head. "Uh-it-buh-wha-I beg your pardon?" he manages to stammer out.

"The Dark Times," Alice said. "I've heard people mention it, but no one seems to actually talk about it. What happened?"

Dozens of young eyes fix on Professor Hatter. An onlooker might almost feel sorry for the funny little man in the purple robes, mustard-colored suit and bright green top hat. An almost clownish figure, he was liked, if not completely respected by most of the Hogwarts students. He didn't inspire fear or awe, and his classes were possibly the least magical of all the Hogwarts curriculum. Even the troublemakers were likely to dismiss him as inconsequential and not worth the effort. But right now, every student in his class was pinning him in place with their gaze, like scientists with an interesting specimen. He stammered a moment, fidgeting with his chalk, then sighed.

"Well," he said. "I hadn't planned on discussing this. But...it is my duty to educate you. And I realize, of course, that many of you were not raised in the wizarding world and simply don't know." He squared his shoulders and adopted his lecturing pose.

"As long as humanity has existed, there have been those who would abuse their power to get what they want," he said. "Greed, cruelty and apathy afflict muggle and wizard alike, and because the potential for damage is so much greater, we wizards must hold ourselves to a higher standard. Unfortunately, we wizards are still human, and many fall woefully below those standards. Dark sorcery," he intoned, "has existed since the birth of magic. And there have been many willing to wield it.

"Over twenty years ago-none truly know when events were set in motion," he continued, "a wizard rose to power. There are a great many rumors as to this wizard's origin, but nothing has ever been confirmed. What is known is that this wizard gathered followers. Some were entranced by promises of mere material gain, while others had visions of a new world order."

Hatter shook his head in disgust. "There are some in the wizarding world who believe wizards are superior beings to muggles," he said. "That wizards are more worthy of rights and privileges than muggles. Even muggle-born and those of mixed blood are 'inferior.' The Dark One-for that is what the wizard leading this movement was called-organized attacks on various institutions, both wizard and muggle, all to destabilize the government, create panic and chaos, and pave the way for the Dark One and the Death Eaters to seize power.

"These were the Dark Times," he continued, tone turning dour. "For years, people lived in fear. That fear was... justified. Lives were lost. Many lives. Government officials, civilians, muggles-no one was safe. But, then, an elite group of Aurors managed to catch the Dark One unawares, and seemingly ended the struggle right then. It happened so suddenly, few believed it. But irrefutable evidence was put forth which proved the Dark One had been vanquished, once and for all. The Death Eaters still continued their foul work, but without their leader, they were disheartened, disorganized, and after a few more years of struggle, their evil flame was finally snuffed out.

"The Dark Times were at an end," Hatter said. "And now, the wizarding world gets to enjoy a moment of peace and heal the wounds of the last few decades." Professor Hatter surveyed the class. "Any other questions?"

"What was the Dark One's name?" Alice asked.

Hatter's mouth compressed in a thin line, and he seemed to consider the question. "During the Dark Times, few dared to speak the name aloud," he said. "People feared speaking it would summon the Dark One and the Death Eaters."

"And now that the Dark One's dead?" Alice asked.

Hatter nodded. "There is even less reason to fear the name now," he said, half to himself. "The Dark One's name... was Maleficent."

There was a knock at the door of the little cottage. The man who'd rented it switched off the gramophone, silencing the jazz music spilling from the horn. In a few long strides, he crossed the hall and looked through the peephole on the door. Smiling, he opened the door wide and gave a smile.

"Come on in, honey," he said in his liquid baritone.

The exceedingly elderly woman on the porch looks up at him. "Shouldn't you be a little more careful about strangers?"

The man chuckled. "I don't have to worry about strangers at my door," he said. "I always know when I have friends on the other side."

The woman huffed and hobbled, practically bent double, over the threshold of the rental cottage. She looked around and sniffed. "Pokey little place."

"Good enough for our purposes," he replied. "Besides, flashy joints attract attention." The old woman huffed again in response and hobbled into the parlor. "Can I take your wrap?"

The old woman dropped into a chair and handed him her hooded shawl. He hung it on the hatrack, next to his own tall, black topper. The man then produced a tray of tea things and poured a cup for her. She settled back into the chair with her tea and biscuit. The man smirked as his lean form languidly reclined on the sofa. "Honey, wouldn't you like to be more comfortable?"

The old woman chuckled. "One gets forgetful at my age," she said, and she changed. Her form straightened. Skin smoothed. Hair turned midnight black. Decades of wear and tear evaporated, leaving behind a ravishing, fair-skinned beauty.

The man on the sofa regarded the stunning woman, an appreciative smile on his face. "My, my, my. I knew tea was beneficial, but, heavens."

The woman smiled and tossed her glossy black hair. "You do have a way with words, don't you, Doctor?"

He returned the smile. "I have a way with all kinds of things, Grimhilde," he said, and she chuckled. They enjoyed their tea for a moment, while the Doctor enjoyed the sight before him, even with the shabby old clothes she wore.

"Not that this isn't entertaining, Facilier," Grimhilde said, "but we do have business to conclude."

"Business before pleasure?" Facilier asked.

"We'll see," she replied. Setting her tea down, she stood and looked around the room. "Where are you keeping it?"

The Doctor's grin widened, and she sighed. "Business, remember?"

Chuckling, Facilier stood and beckoned. Grimhilde followed him to the kitchen and looked around. "Well?" Facilier spun on his heel and gestured to the microwave with theatrical flourish. "You've kept it in the... muggle cooking thing?"

"Microwave," he corrected, and she shrugged, not caring. The names muggles gave their devices didn't matter to her. Though she walked through the muggle world, she preferred to remain separate from it.

Facilier pushed a button on the device and the door opened with a hard, mechanical noise. "Even if anybody gets passed the protective spells on this place," he said, reaching inside, "no one would think to look in here. Folk's more likely to look behind the walls than in the microwave."

Grimhilde didn't respond, gaze fixed on what the Doctor was holding. Her green eyes widened and a shiver of excitement ran through her. "Samuel? Is it truly..?"

Facilier nodded and smiled. "The Sanderson Book," he said.

Mottled, brownish leather covered the book, heavy black stitches running over the surface. The leather looked a much poorer quality than what was typically used for books, but then, it wasn't cowhide. Grimhilde drew a breath and reached for the tome-but couldn't. Her fingers just couldn't quite make contact with the book, as if the air around it were a rubbery cocoon.

Grimhilde fired a glare at Facilier, who regarded the witch with mild amusement. "What have you done?" she hissed.

"Darlin', I know better than to outlive my usefulness," the Doctor said. "Ain't nobody usin' this book without me."

Grimhilde narrowed her eyes at the Doctor, but her expression melted into an amused smile of her own. "Very, clever, Samuel," she said.

"I do what I can, darlin'," he said, touching his forelock.

Grimhilde folded her arms over her chest and considered the Doctor. "I'll keep that in mind."

Facilier chuckled and replaced the book in the microwave, and the pair returned to the parlor. Grimhilde fetched her shawl and draped it over her shoulders. "Well, now," she said. "It's been lovely, Doctor, but I really must be going." Her form shivered, and was replaced by that of the hunched old crone. She peered up at Facilier and gave a rusty chuckle. "Just don't forget to be there," she said, and hobbled out of the cottage.

Facilier watched her go, and closed the door. He set the gramophone playing again, and as jazz filled the cottage again, he smiled to himself. Things were coming together nicely.