Cordelia carefully half-opened her eyes, trying to see where she had been taken.
White ceiling, flaking paint, lots of doors on each side, a staircase in the distance; she was only a few yards from where Harmony had caught her, if that had really been Harmony, not some shapeshifting demon.
She couldn't have been out very long, just long enough for whoever to tie her up and haul her halfway down the corridor.
Someone dragged Cordelia backwards; one, two, three yards, then they stopped, panting heavily.
Not a demon then. They were all strong enough to carry her.
Harmony might be possessed, she had been acting oddly the last few days, but Margo had seen her yesterday and there was no way she would have let Harmony go if she had been demon-possessed. Either Harmony had simply cracked up or she was possessed by some human ghost, like Buffy had once been.
Harmony dragged Cordelia another few yards backwards, muttering something about a diet.
Cordelia closed her eyes. It'd be another half-minute before Harmony got her in the science lab, longer if she was going anywhere else, time she could use to recover, and to think.
She still felt a little groggy, the after effects of that handkerchief. It should wear off soon, but until then she wouldn't be able to fight, even if she weren't all tied up.
A key rattling in a lock, then Cordelia was dragged round a corner.
She was gagged too, but only loosely. She might be able to work it out of her mouth and talk her captor into submission. At least, she might if it really were Harmony. A ghost would be less reasonable.
Another heave, and Cordelia was pulled halfway across the room, almost certainly the science lab.
Actually, all the ropes felt a little loose. She couldn't move her hands much before the rope started pulling, but she could move them, and the ropes round her wrist felt no tighter than a watch strap.
Whoever this was, they hadn't had much practice kidnapping people, always good news.
Grunting, they lifted Cordelia onto a table, then walked away, not bothering to tie her down.
Cordelia tensed for action, then hesitated. She could easily get to her feet and lunge at Harmony, but then what? Her hands would still be tied behind her back, her legs hobbled by more rope, and Harmony might have other tricks up her sleeves, literally.
Giles should be here soon, and the scoobies with him. He'd seen her go off with Harmony, and he knew she wouldn't miss the zoo trip voluntarily, not with the hyenas waiting. He'd have realised something was wrong now, and be rushing to her rescue.
It wouldn't look very good if he found her passively waiting though, especially not when her kidnapper was this incompetent. No, the best thing to do was wait until she heard him at the door, then stage a distraction.
"You are an abomination in the eyes of the holy; an offence …" Harmony began, familiar sounding words.
Cordelia frowned briefly, wondering where she'd heard them before, where Harmony might have heard them, then mentally shrugged. There'd be plenty of time to find out, after Giles rescued her.
------------
Cordelia recognised the words now, from when they'd exorcised Amy, but where had Harmony learnt them?
A ghost might have been eavesdropping, but for a ghost to try a exorcism would be stupid, far too much risk of hurting itself. This had to be the real Harmony, and she'd been in class at the time.
"… rotten meat and foul water you shall dine," Harmony said, "and the light of day …"
Barely audible beneath the chanting, a key turned in the lock.
Cordelia tensed.
A faint click, and the door was pushed ajar.
"… denied you! How?" Harmony said, her voice filling with surprise.
Cordelia tucked her knees up to her stomach then, arching her back and stretching, manoeuvred her hands from behind her back to clasping her knees.
"Stop!" Xander said.
Xander? Shouldn't he be with Margo? Didn't matter, right now. Later.
Opening her eyes, Cordelia struggled upright.
Harmony lashed out at Xander with a candlestick.
Xander automatically lifted his hand as he sidestepped, breaking the candle.
Cordelia jumped off the table, at Harmony.
She fell short, stumbling to her knees three feet from Harmony.
Harmony stared at her, clearly startled, and Xander pulled the candlestick away from Harmony.
As Cordelia got back to her feet Harmony stepped backwards, snatching up a knife from the other table.
Cordelia looked meaningfully at her ropes, then at Xander.
Xander nodded, and stepped warily towards Harmony.
"Stop, or I'll kill her," Harmony said, holding the knife at her own throat.
Xander put down the candlestick, then smiled at Cordelia. "Important safety tip: never trust anyone who talks about themself in the third person."
Smiling back, Cordelia tried to pull the gag out of her mouth.
"I don't mean her," Harmony said. "I mean Harmony."
"I don't know if you've noticed," Xander said, stepping behind Cordelia, "but you are Harmony."
His fingers tangled briefly in her hair, his breath hot on her neck as he stood close behind, then the gag fell away.
Behind Harmony a rainbow shimmer played over the wall.
"Margo," Xander whispered, confirming Cordelia's guess.
"Don't you know?" Harmony said. "All those books, and you don't know? You've not realised the truth? That is not Cordelia. You ought to be helping me get rid of it, not fighting me."
Cordelia smiled sweetly. "Did you have the nightmares too? They weren't real. Nothing you saw in them was real."
"I'm not talking about them," Harmony said, shuddering, then looked at Xander. "Haven't you noticed the changes?"
"Saying weird stuff? Tieing people up? Trying magic?" Xander said. "We've noticed."
"Not me," Harmony said, scowling. "Her."
Cordelia lifted her hands so Xander could untie them more easily. "You can't see the things we've seen and remain unchanged. You've seen some of them. You should know that."
"You don't know who you're talking to, do you?" Harmony said. "I'm the one person you can't fool. I know the truth. You are not Cordelia Chase."
Cordelia sighed. Harmony was dangerously close to the truth. She must have noticed some minor flaw in Cordelia imitation of her earlier self and, inspired by the weirdness she'd seen, gone straight for the most improbable explanation she could think of, which explained why she'd been trying to exorcise Cordelia.
Cordelia could have convinced Harmony she was wrong, given enough time alone with her, but she did not have that luxury. Xander was listening and Margo would be here soon.
Cordelia couldn't do anything about that; even trying would be suicidal. She could only wait, hoping Margo wouldn't ask the right questions.
Harmony looked thoughtfully at Xander. "When I prove she isn't you'll help me, won't you."
"She is Cordelia," Xander said. "No one could be that good an actor. Will you put that knife down if she gives the right answers."
"That won't help," Harmony said, after a brief hesitation. "She's reading my mind."
"Have you tried a tinfoil hat?" Xander said.
"Not like that," Harmony said. "She's reading my mind because she's in my body. She is not Cordelia Chase. I am."
An absurd claim, which could only be the result of madness.
"The hellmouth must have got to her," Cordelia said to Xander, then looked back at Harmony. "You are Harmony. Do you remember that name? It's yours."
"No, it is not," Harmony said firmly.
"The wretch is correct," Margo said, stepping through the wall behind Harmony.
Cordelia immediately shuffled backwards, as fast as she could with her legs still tied. If that wasn't Harmony it had to be a ghost, and that made her dangerous.
Harmony paled, whirling swiftly round.
Behind Margo, the wall stood translucent, a window into the library.
"You mean this isn't Harmony, dame?" Xander said.
"It is her body, Mr Alexander, but she is possessed."
"What by?" Xander said, backing away.
"Tell him, wretch," Margo said. "There will be no doubting your word now, for I can neither lie nor be lied to."
"I am Cordelia Chase," Harmony said, impossibly.
"She can't be," Cordelia quickly said, before Xander could open his mouth. "I am Cordelia Chase, dame. She must be hypnotised or insane."
Harmony stared open-mouthed at Cordelia, then shook herself.
"I'm afraid, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "that the solution to this riddle is not quite so simple."
"Xander," Harmony said, "is that true? No one can lie to her?"
Looking uncertainly between Cordelia and Harmony, Xander nodded. "I've seen people try."
"What about demons?" Harmony quickly asked.
"Them too," Xander said. "Who are you, really?"
"I thought I knew," Harmony said, frowning, then looked at Cordelia, "and I was sure you were a demon."
"Everyone in this room is human, body and soul," Margo said.
"But she's a ghost, dame," Cordelia guessed. That explained most of the facts, though not why Harmony — not the real one, but that was the easiest name to use — thought she was Cordelia. "Can you help her move on?"
Then they'd get the real Harmony back, and everyone would be happy, including the ghost.
"I could, Mistress Cordelia, if she were a ghost of one dead," Margo said, then looked down at Cordelia's ankles. "Release."
"A coma then," Cordelia said as the rope untied itself, remembering what Xander would one day have told her about Billy. "Someone, who thinks they're me, is astral-projecting while in a coma."
"Maybe she's a clone," Xander said. "Maybe some mad scientist cloned Cordy for, um, hellmouthy stuff, but the clone fell into a coma, and her spirit went looking for another body."
"This is not Star Trek," Harmony sneered.
"Such things have happened, wretch," Margo said. "Five times this century alone. However, Mr Alexander, there are other, equally likely, explanations. Drawing conclusions now would be premature."
"You mean you don't know either?" Harmony said, then laughed.
"You will address me with proper respect, wretch," Margo said, half a yard of steel in her voice as she glared at Harmony.
For a brief moment Harmony met that stare, then she crumpled, falling to her knees and bowing her head, her face bone white, a—.
No. The real Harmony might have deserved this for her atrocious behaviour, and even then it would have been borderline, but this was just a confused ghost.
"Dame," Cordelia said, "stop it, please. She's human, not a demon."
Xander nodded, moving toward Harmony.
"The de la Poers were human, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said. "This wretch is significantly less vile, but her soul is stained nonetheless. For her crimes I could imprison her until death, or bind her with many curses."
Margo smiled. "I would rather not though. Mercy is a virtue, and I see no sign of great malice in her aura."
"What crimes?" Harmony said, still kneeling. "I was just defending myself against a d-d-, against what I thought was a demon, dame."
Cordelia was wondering that herself. The way Margo was talking, Harmony must have done some major black magic, which did not fit with her behaviour. She'd never used any magic against Cordelia, though it would have made the kidnapping much easier.
Xander knelt down besides Harmony, paused a moment, his face wary, then whispered something in her ear.
"Ends do not justify means," Margo said. "Your vengeance has claimed at least one innocent victim."
"Has she been killing people, dame?" Xander asked, standing up.
"There are worse fates than death, Mr Alexander," Margo said. "She has inflicted one on the original Harmony."
"I have, dame?" Harmony said. "What?"
Margo glanced at Xander. "To answer that question would be to begin the story in the middle. It may be less confusing if we could start at the start."
Cordelia nodded. No doubt Margo could cope even if the story came out backwards, in Etruscan, but she was the only one who could.
"What was the start, dame?" Xander said, "the morgue?"
"I am not entirely certain, as yet," Margo admitted. "I suggest we begin by listening to the wretch's account of events, after taking appropriate security precautions."
"Here, dame?" Cordelia said, looking around the room, empty apart from two folding tables. This was not a good place to hold a long conversation.
"I'm not going in the library," Harmony said. "That's your territory, dame."
True, but if Harmony thought that mattered she was seriously underestimating Margo. She didn't need home advantage to deal with the likes of Harmony.
"You are unworthy of entering there, wretch," Margo said, then pointed into the library.
"Come," Margo said, and four library chairs floated through the wall, landing in the middle of the room.
Another gesture, and the table Cordelia had been laid on folded up, sliding into the corner. The chairs shuffled round, forming a neat circle in the middle of the room.
Margo clapped her hands, once, and the window into the library vanished.
Standing back up, Harmony looked warily at the chairs, then at Xander. "Does that loser have to be here?"
Xander scowled. "You were asking me for help five minutes ago."
"That," Harmony said, "was when I thought you might be useful."
"Wretch," Margo said, "you will also address these two respectfully. They are of proven worth."
"Even her?" Harmony said. "Dame?"
"Both of them," Margo repeated, then smiled. "Had you followed instructions neither of them would be present."
Instructions?
"You put that note in her locker this morning, dame," Cordelia guessed. "Why?"
"We shall come to that in due course," Margo said. "If you would all sit down …"
"What about Xander, dame?" Harmony said. "I don't want everyone knowing this, and he'll talk to Willow."
"Dame Margo's already thought of that," Cordelia said, pointing to the clay ward as she sat down.
"Those only protect against external eavesdropping, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "not against internal indiscretion, and we do need such protection. You and Mr Alexander can both be trusted not to talk but I would not trust this wretch one inch. I propose we hold this conversation sub rosa."
"Do remember," Harmony said, looking at Xander, "some of us only speak English, dame."
"And some," Margo said, "have such paltry vocabularies that they fail to recognise words long since naturalised into English. As any save the most ill-educated would know, wretch, to hold a conversation sub rosa is to do so in confidence. I am suggesting that we each promise to hold everything said in this room today thus, not telling any others of what we might hear without each other's explicit consent. That will prevent anyone telling Mistress Willow anything you've said without your consent."
Making promises to Margo was dangerous, but magical secrecy would have some advantages. If Margo did ask awkward questions, and she probably would, the answers would stay in this room; undesirable, but better than letting everyone know.
She might even be able to use the same story as she with Giles, which would help her steer Xander in the right direction without telling him too much.
"I know about you and promises, dame," Harmony said. "I'm not making that mistake again."
"Why do we have to promise too?" Xander asked, sitting down opposite Cordelia. "You said you trusted us, dame."
Actually, she hadn't. She'd only said they could be trusted, not that she did trust them, but Xander didn't know how to spot such nuances, which meant he'd need Cordelia's protection in the forthcoming conversation.
"Reciprocity is important in these matter, Mr Alexander," Margo said, then looked at Harmony. "I cannot break my given word, nor may any break their word to me yet I may not, by that means or any other, bind against their will the mind of one who has not so bound the mind of another. That your mind has been bound is a mark of your tainted soul."
"What effect were you expecting, dame?" Cordelia asked, giving herself a few extra seconds to think. That had sounded like the same kind of arrangment as Margo's anti-lie thing, raising the possibility that there were more such arrangements constraining Margo's behaviour. If so, Cordelia should be able to spot the evidence in Margo's speech.
"A painless rash," Margo said as she sat down, "on all the exposed areas of her skin. That would be sufficient reminder of her promise. If she persisted in breaking her word more severe penalties would eventually have been imposed, but none that would violate my oaths."
That was a bit better than deliberate mind control, but not by much.
"What do you want us to promise, dame," Xander said, looking sideways at Harmony, "exactly?"
"I suggest, Mr Alexander, that we each promise to hold in confidence everything said or done by those now present, within this room, between noon and sunset, not revealing any part of it, through word or deed, to any who were not then present without the explicit and unambiguous consent of all others still living who were then present."
No obvious loopholes, and it left room for Cordelia and Xander to talk to Giles once Margo was dead, if they needed to. Cordelia thought another few seconds, checking for traps, then nodded consent.
"I don't w-, shouldn't have to keep secrets from Willow, dame," Xander said. "She's my friend."
"We all have people we would like to be able to tell," Margo said, "but making exceptions would weaken our promise. If you feel unable to respect the privacy of others you can always leave the room."
Xander shuffled uneasily, but did not reply.
"Bind against their will," Harmony quoted. "What if we agree, dame?"
"Those who agree," Margo said, "will be agreeing to the promise, not to the binding of their thoughts. That will only happen to you, and to any who want to be bound in thought as well as deed."
Harmony scowled. "Why shouldn't I just walk out of this room, dame?"
Clearly, whoever Harmony really was, she wasn't someone impressed by intellectual posturing, so probably not the ghost of a teacher.
"You could," Margo said. "I would not stop you. However, if you offer no explanation of your actions I cannot reduce your sentence to reflect any mitigating circumstances there might be."
"You're not a judge, dame," Harmony said. "You-"
"Dare you question my authority?" Margo said, her gaze challenging.
Harmony blanched. "No, but-"
"Then I suggest you sit down."
Harmony sat.
"Are there any other objections?" Margo said.
No one answered.
"Then," Margo said, "if you would-"
A phone rang, in Xander's pocket.
"What are you—" Harmony began.
"Tell Mr Giles I have the situation in hand," Margo said as Xander pulled the phone out. "His assistance will not be required."
"Shouldn't we tell him, Dame?" Xander said hesitantly.
No. The fewer people who heard this conversation the better. Giles would be helpful, if he could avoid bickering with Margo, but it wouldn't be just him. Willow and Buffy would insist on coming here too.
Besides, if Giles was here he couldn't do anything about the hyenas. Xander wasn't the only one at risk.
"To what purpose, Mr Alexander?" Margo said. "He has no need to know."
"He could come and help, dame," Xander protested.
"Are you suggesting that Mr Giles should abandon his post to come here, Mr Alexander? I would not be well pleased at such dereliction of duty."
Or, in plain English, Giles would be deep in trouble if he came back early.
Xander quickly shook his head then opened up the phone. "Giles … Yes … Science lab, tied up … Don't know yet … Dame Margo says- … Yes, she's here. … Yes. … No! … She doesn't want you. … Says you'd be no help. … No! …"
Cordelia listened carefully, puzzling out the other side of the conversation. Xander had begun well, but now he was floundering. Giles was insisting he should come back and everything Xander said just made it worse.
"She wouldn't be pleased," Xander said. "Who'd be in the middle? … No one's hurt …"
"Pass it here," Cordelia said, holding her hand out. Xander was good at a lot of things, far better than appearances suggested, but dissembling was clearly not one of them.
Looking relieved, Xander handed the phone over.
"He says they're all fine," Giles said, probably talking to Willow and Buffy.
"Tell them not to worry," Cordelia said.
"Cordelia?" Giles said. "What's going on?"
"It's sub rosa," Cordelia said; not true yet, but it would be in five minutes.
"Then I should be there. She can't say, Willow."
"But you'd miss seeing all the animals; the lions, the zebras, the bears, the," Cordelia paused, as if struggling for names, "hyenas."
"Dame Margo," Giles said. "I was looking forward to that but — no, it's still Cordelia. I meant she's there — if you and Xander need me…"
"They need you more," Cordelia said, "and tell them not to worry. Harmony didn't do anything."
"She says Harmony didn't do anything," Giles said. "Is she there too?"
"No," Cordelia said, only her body was. "That wouldn't look good."
"You're going to keep Xander company?" Giles said, rightly showing no reaction to Cordelia's apparent non-sequitur. Since no one else could hear both ends of this conversation it wouldn't be difficult to make it sound to the eavesdroppers at each end as if the conversation were on a different topic, allowing Giles and her to talk almost freely.
"Weren't you watching?" Cordelia said, reminding Giles what Margo would say if anyone got hyena-possessed.
"Something happened?" Xander said, leaning forwards.
"She can be quite persuasive," Giles said.
"He's talking about zebras, Xander," Cordelia said, trusting Giles to be able to come up with the rest of the explanation, if challenged. "You know what would happen if they escaped."
"Yes," Giles said, "listening to her could be dangerous, for the verbally inept."
"We aren't grass," Cordelia said, pushing the point. "We can always run away."
"Stand your ground, and you should be safe," Giles said. "Do not doubt your priorities."
"That agreed then?" Cordelia said, checking the apparent concession.
"Very well," Giles said. "We'll see you at four."
"Bye," Cordelia said, then relaxed as she put the phone down. It had been difficult, with so many people listening, but she'd finally managed to convince Giles that he was needed more in the zoo, to stop the hyenas.
Margo smiled. "If you are all quite ready, perhaps we could begin."
------------
"… all others living who were then present," Cordelia said, five minutes later, the others echoing her promise.
"Now we can begin," Margo said, then looked at Harmony. "Tell us your story, from the beginning."
Harmony swallowed nervously. "My last normal day was, um, what's the date?"
"April fourth," Xander said.
"Four weeks," Harmony said. "My last normal day was a Sunday, nearly four weeks ago. I hung round the mall half the afternoon, went to the Bronze in the evening, told Jesse he had no chance; all completely normal."
For Cordelia; Jesse had never bothered with Harmony. She hadn't been in the mall that day anyway; her parents had insisted on her visiting relatives.
What Harmony had described was not her Sunday but Cordelia's, which fitted with her wild claim. Somehow Harmony had ended up with some of Cordelia's memories, enough of them to leave her thinking she really was Cordelia.
"Jesse was never interested in you," Xander said, his voice tinged with pain. "He only looked at Cordy."
"Don't you get it?" Harmony said. "I was Cordelia, body and soul."
"That was the last day before Buffy came, right?" Cordelia said. "I did the exact same things. I was, and still am, Cordelia Chase, body, mind, and soul."
Cordelia paused, looking sympathetically at Xander. "I'm sure Jesse was a wonderful person, since he was your friend. I should have taken him more seriously."
Jesse might have lived longer if she had, and he wouldn't have betrayed her for Willow.
"Mistress Cordelia, we will listen to your account in due course," Margo said. "Could you both allow the wretch to tell her tale uninterrupted?"
"I did my diary, and went to bed; still all perfectly normal." Harmony said. "The next morning wasn't."
Cordelia leaned forward. That was the morning when she had first woken up, after the wish. Did Harmony share her memories of that day too?
"My body woke up, looked in the mirror, read my diary, got dressed, but I didn't," Harmony said, her voice tinged with horror. "I couldn't move a muscle. I couldn't even feel anything. All I could do was watch while-"
Harmony's face twisted with hatred as she looked at Cordelia. "-that thing-"
Cordelia winced, realising now what this Harmony really was; a living paradox born of her wish.
Margo tutted, once.
With obvious effort, Harmony calmed herself. "-walked my body around like a puppet, dragging it into danger for no good reason."
"This is the body I was born in," Cordelia said, "the only body I've ever had. It's my body as much as yours."
More, in fact, since she'd had it longer than — best to still call her Harmony. Using her original name would get really confusing — Harmony.
Xander blinked, clearly startled, then started mumbling something about a mirror universe.
"All will be explained in due course, Mr Alexander," Margo said, then looked at Harmony. "What dangers were these?"
"She made friends with Buffy, dame, then started fondling corpses."
"Only one corpse," Cordelia quickly corrected, before Xander could get the wrong idea, "and I wasn't fondling it. I was making sure it was only a vampire that had killed him, not something more exotic."
"A sensible precaution, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "and the risk of him rising so soon after death was acceptably small."
Harmony scowled. "The next weird thing she did almost got me killed. She followed Jesse and Darla out of the Bronze, dragged me through a lot of disgusting alleys, and confronted Darla at the cemetary gates. She told Darla to get her teeth off Jesse."
"You did?" Xander said, smiling wanly at Cordelia.
She nodded.
"Then she started saying weird stuff," Harmony said, "something about killing a judge, a Tarakan assassin, and a Cathla."
"That was a bluff," Cordelia said patiently. "I had to try something to make her let go of Jesse."
Xander nodded approvingly, his eyes pained.
"She did let go off him." Harmony said. "She had to, to attack me. She would have killed me if Buffy and Xander hadn't turned up."
"I knew they were coming," Cordelia said. "I'd seen them leave the Bronze to follow Willow. What took you two so long anyway?"
"That is not currently relevant," Margo said. "Was there any truth in your bluff?"
"Some," Cordelia admitted reluctantly, cornered by Margo's anti-lie magic. "I have helped kill a Tarakan assassin, but the other two have been dead a thousand years."
"An impressive achievement, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "for a civilian. That alone would have made you worthy of the slayer's company, though I am somewhat curious as to how you could have done that without it being noticed."
"She didn't achieve anything that night, dame," Harmony said. "All she did was get me almost killed, twice. She should have stayed in the Bronze."
"I had to try and save Jesse," Cordelia said. That hadn't been her only motive, of course, but it had been by far the most important. All her other aims that night she could have achieved in safer ways, but that would have meant letting Jesse die without even trying to prevent it, and that would have been wrong.
Cordelia looked at Xander. "I did try my best to save him. It wasn't good enough."
Xander leaned across the circle, then hesitantly patted Cordelia on the knee. "It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself."
"He wasn't worth risking my life. He was a total loser," Harmony said. "You should be glad he's dead; stops him stalking you."
Cordelia frowned. She might once have occasionally thought like that, when Jesse had been particularly annoying, but she would never have actully said it.
"You are doing yourself no favours," Margo said sharply. "Mistress Cordelia's actions were eminently commendable, and did not expose you to unnecessary danger. I will not have her other praiseworthy actions of these last four weeks smeared by your foul tongue. Tell us how you came to be in that body."
"After a couple of days I started seeing dead things, dame," Harmony said, then looked at Cordelia. "There's something … vile under my house, all tentacles and slime. Why haven't you got rid of it, if you're so great?"
"We only discovered that entity's existence last night, wretch," Margo said. "I strongly suggest you complete your explanation without further digression."
"After a bit longer I worked out how to get outside my head, away from her. It felt really weird, floating around with no body, but at least I didn't have to spend all my time watching her make a mess of my life. I couldn't get very far from her though, or stay away for very long. She kept dragging me back."
"If Mistress Cordelia were capable of such magics," Margo said, "I would be able to see the traces they leave in one's aura. There are no such traces in hers. What you felt, wretch, was the remnants of the tie binding body and soul."
"Anyway," Harmony said, "a few days after that I saw them exorcising Amy. That gave me hope. If Xander could force a witch out of her body I might be able to force her out of mine, or talk Giles into doing it for me. I tried to get into Amy's body right then, so I could tell what he needed to do, but Willow and her stopped me."
"I thought one of the faces looked like Cordy," Xander said. "That was you?"
Harmony nodded.
"Most of those faces were lies," Cordelia said, remembering. "They looked human; they felt … wrong."
Cordelia paused, uncertain how to explain what it had felt like, standing guard over Amy's body while a thousand spirits battered her mind.
"Mistress Cordelia was looking for Amy's soul," Margo said, "and only hers. To be able to recognise your soul amidst the swarm, unlooked for though it was, would require many years of practice, which I do not believe her to have had."
"I haven't, dame," Cordelia said, "and even if I had recognised her, I wouldn't have let her in. That was Amy's body, not hers."
Margo nodded approvingly.
"Amy could have waited a few days," Harmony said. "I needed that body more."
"Be warned," Margo said. "Your pathetic self-justifications will be taken into account when judgement is levied upon you."
Harmony winced. "I kept trying, but it wasn't until this Monday that I got anywhere. That was when I made the math teacher tell the truth about you."
"You were the ghost?" Cordelia said. "I was haunted by my own ghost?"
That explained a lot, but it had to be a weirdness record, even for the hellmouth.
"There are only three other such incidents officially recorded in the entire annals of the board, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "and the veracity of two of those is somewhat dubious. Were this conversation not sub rosa, there would be much vigorous debate amongst board members as to who should have the privilege of studying you."
"Narrow miss there, Cordy," Xander said, smiling.
"The next night," Harmony said, "I followed you to the funeral home. When that shadow thing came, and Harmony fainted, I got another chance. I borrowed her body-"
"That," Margo said, "was the first and greatest of the two crimes that stain your soul."
"She is my friend, dame," Harmony said. "Friends share everything."
"Did you ask her permission, wretch?"
"I didn't need to. I know how she thinks. She is properly respectful of my status. She knows I always come first. She would never turn me down, not even if I asked her to date Xander."
Cordelia frowned. The real Harmony had known her place, but she hadn't been quite that subservient, nor would Cordelia have wanted her to be. That degree of slavish devotion would have been too creepy.
"Don't you know what you sound like?" Xander said, looking disgusted.
"Whilst in spirit form," Margo said, "you seized Harmony's body without her consent, thus violating the laws laid down when Omega first descended ravening from the dark. I believe Mistress Cordelia can tell you the consequences of that."
"It was in that book Giles had me read," Cordelia said, explaining her knowledge to Xander while she gathered her thoughts. "You can't move to a better address without permission. It doesn't matter whether you're trying to get to a better world or just trade up to a better body; you need permission from someone who belongs there. Otherwise, there's this old spell that tries to stop you. Every time someone gets round it, the spell get weaker. If the spell ever fails, the demons won't need the hellmouth. They'll be able to come through to our world everywhere."
"A passable summary," Margo said, then looked at Harmony. "You have hastened the death of all things."
"I didn't know, dame," Harmony protested. "No one ever told me that."
"Ignorance is insufficient defence," Margo said. "Even if it were, you should have known what you were doing was wrong."
"Perhaps you've forgotten what friends are like, dame," Harmony said. "There's nothing Harmony would not do for me."
"Perhaps you have forgotten the difference between friends and slaves, wretch," Margo said. "Tell me, have you given any thought to Harmony's current position?"
"She'll be floating around like I was," Harmony said. "She might even be listening now."
"My ward bars all spirits from this room," Margo said. "Even if you were right, you would have intentionally inflicted a nightmarish experience on Harmony. Unfortunately, her current position is rather less clement."
"Where is she then?" Cordelia asked. "How can we get her back, dame?"
Harmony getting kicked out of her own body wasn't directly Cordelia fault, but it wouldn't have happened without her wish, which made putting it right partially her responsibility. Since the real Harmony was also her friend she'd have to do whatever she could to rescue her, within reason.
"Harmony's soul was expelled as the deathgate opened, Mistress Cordelia." Margo said, "the first to feel its power, for it is only by drawing on that power, consciously or otherwise, that this wretch could have succeeded. She will have been immediately caught up in the incipient soul storm, and there she will have remained these last three days, a solitary human soul amidst a sea of demonic spirits. The experience will not have been pleasant."
"We've got to get her out of there," Xander said. "Can you do anything, dame?"
"I could, Mr Alexander," Margo said, "but at unacceptable cost. An unmodified summoning spell would breach the seal Mr Giles placed over the deathgate, and the soulstorm would engulf the town. There should be a way round this problem, but I already have much else to do, and very little time left in which to do it."
"We can tell Giles, dame," Xander said. "He'll think of something."
"We are meeting sub rosa," Margo reminded him. "You can not tell Mr Giles anything, unless all four of us consent, which would also be needed for any attempt to rescue Harmony's soul, since doing that would reveal some of what you have been told in confidence."
"You won't object, will you?" Xander said, glaring at Harmony.
"Of course not," Harmony said. "She can have this body back, once I get mine back."
"You have no standing to impose conditions, wretch," Margo said. "Do all three of you unconditionally consent to any or all of you doing whatever is strictly necessary to safely rescue Harmony's soul?"
"Yes, dame." Xander immediately said.
"Yes, dame," Cordelia said, once she'd checked there was no catch.
All three of them looked at Harmony.
"OK, dame," she said, after a few seconds. "I consent."
"However, Mr Alexander," Margo said, "I do not consider telling Mr Giles, or Mistresses Willow and Summers, strictly necessary. From that information they would be able to unravel too much else of what has been and will be said here. I hereby provisionally refuse consent to any such breach of confidence."
"But we need Giles, dame," Xander said. "Helping Harmony is more important than keeping secrets, and we should tell-"
"You underestimate yourself," Margo said. "I'm sure you and Mistress Cordelia will be able to find some safe method within a year. If you apply yourself in the library, it may take as little as a month. Quicker would be better, but letting Mr Giles know too much will endanger more than it would help."
A tautology which begged the question. Cordelia did want to keep her secrets secret, but helping Harmony was nearly as important; nearly, because in the wrong hands her foreknowledge could be very dangerous.
Still, if Margo believed they could rescue Harmony by themselves, they probably could, without having to tell Giles too much. She'd try doing that, with Xander's help, and only tell Giles if they didn't get anywhere. Margo would be dead by then, so getting her consent wouldn't be an issue, and Harmony would be easy enough to convince.
"But-" Xander began, then Margo looked at him. "OK, we'll rescue Harmony by ourselves, just me and Cordy."
Cordelia nodded. "We'll get her out and find somewhere to put her."
"You can put her back in her own body," Margo said. "That wretch has no valid claim to it, or to any other."
"What?" Harmony said, looking at Cordelia. "That's my body, mine. I-"
"Not any longer, wretch," Margo said. "In seizing Harmony's body you forfeited that claim."
"We can't leave her without a body though," Cordelia said. Harmony didn't deserve that, and she wouldn't need a new body if the wish hadn't forced her out of her original one.
"You know somewhere selling spare bodies cheap?" Xander said.
"No," Cordelia said, thinking about the things she'd seen and hear of, then looked at Margo. "Could we fit her in a puppet, dame?"
Either that, or they might be able to use the body Chris was building, though it would need extensive plastic surgery.
"That is a viable approach, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said.
"I am not going to be your toy," Harmony said, glaring at Cordelia.
"You can get them life-size," Xander said, then quickly went on, "One of my uncles has a collection."
Cordelia nodded, smiling at Harmony. "In this town, no one will notice you're plastic."
Margo nodded. "That can be part of the punishment for her crimes."
"Crimes?" Harmony said. "What else am I supposed to have done wrong, dame."
"You attempted to exorcise Mistress Cordelia."
"So?" Harmony said. "I saw Xander use the same spell, dame. Are you going to put him on trial next?"
"Mr Alexander had the necessary moral standing," Margo said, then looked at Xander. "You do recall the warnings Mr Giles gave you?"
"Something about side effects?" Xander said, frowning. "If I used something too strong too soon it would backfire on me."
"Fortunately, Mr Alexander, there are ways to improve your memory," Margo said. "Had you attempted any of those curses without sufficient justification they would have fallen on you. If your motives were not merely insufficient but also impure, then your soul would have been stained by that act. That is what has happened to this wretch."
"She's cursed herself?" Cordelia said. "Can you undo it, dame? It's not her body that's going to get hurt."
"The roof is still sheltering her," Margo said. "Being in a blameless body will have left the curses inchoate, for the moment. Think of them as a sword dangling over her head, suspended by the thinnest of threads. Should it fall, the consequences would be unpleasant for her, and for Harmony."
"If no one can feed me, I'll starve," Harmony said. "You've g-, um, please do something, dame."
"You could always feed yourself," Margo said. "There are jobs suitable even for one of your limited skills. However, I will not have Harmony suffer for your crimes. Instead, I will use my talents to arrange a more suitable penalty."
"For what?" Harmony said. "I haven't done anything wrong, deliberately, dame. I was just trying to get my body back. I had no choice."
Not true. She'd been able to hurl thousands of books around, and throw lightning bolts. She must have been able to write Giles a note, if she'd bothered trying. He would have thought of something better to do than stealing a body.
"Ends do not justify means," Margo said, "and you had other choices. You did not have to possess Harmony, or attempt to exorcise Mistress Cordelia."
"I suppose you think I should have used your spell," Harmony said. "I'm not stupid, dame. I-"
When would Harmony have gotten a spell from Margo? They weren't exactly on good terms.
"Doing as I suggested would have done you no harm," Margo said. "Doing as you pleased has done you no good."
"You put that note in her locker, dame?" Cordelia guessed. "Did you give her the handkerchief too?"
Xander frowned. "Why would you help her, dame?"
"If you consider prophecy I cited yesterday, Mr Alexander, you should now be able to see its relevance."
After a moment, Xander nodded. "But-"
"I attempted to manipulate the circumstances of its fulfilment to my advantage," Margo said, "but I have not heard the laughter of the bells. I sought to dictate the time, place, and manner of its fulfilment, but succeeded only with place."
"So you weren't planning to talk to the three of us now, dame," Cordelia said, concealing a smile. Margo had implied as much earlier, but it was good to have it confirmed. It meant Margo couldn't have planned this talk in advance, reducing her advantage.
"Had the wretch complied with my suggestions, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "she would have attempted a spell here at sunset that would have broken all magics cast on her. Since the possession was magic done by her, not on her, that spell would have had no effect, but it would have been a fulfilment of the prophecy nonetheless, freeing me to talk with her alone."
That would have also given her the entire afternoon to work on Xander, and left Cordelia unaware of how Margo had learned from the interrogation and of who Harmony really was. On the plus side, it would also have left Xander in the dark, but overall this was a better outcome.
Cordelia smiled, pleased that for once things seemed to be going her way.
"To that end," Margo said, "I had a note planted in her locker, but I didn't give her any handkerchiefs."
Harmony smiled. "I found some chloroform in a supply cupboard, dame."
"Do you know the risks of an overdose?" Margo asked.
"No," Harmony admitted.
"Then you should not have used it," Margo said, then glanced at Cordelia. "Why didn't that note raise your suspicions, Mistress Cordelia? A coded message that this wretch could read as if it were plain text should have rung all your alarm bells."
Harmony frowned. "It wasn't in code, dame."
"It did not appear so to your eyes," Margo said. "To Mistress Cordelia's it did, which should have been ample warning to be careful around you."
Only if she'd believed Harmony could be dangerous, but admitting she'd underestimated Harmony would not be a good idea.
"I thought it was odd, dame," Cordelia said instead, "but I had other things to worry about."
"Perhaps we will discuss them shortly," Margo threatened. "First though, we must determine the wretch's punishment."
"Mercy is a virtue, dame," Cordelia reminded Margo. "She's not evil, just foolish."
And, in an hellmouthy way, she was Cordelia's twin. Standing by while Margo trampled over her wouldn't feel right.
"Indeed," Margo said. "Her crimes were committed out of ignorance, not malice, under conditions that would stress even the equanimity of a native of a hellmouth. Rehabilitation is called for, to which end I will shape her penalty."
Margo paused, tapping her finger on her lips, a gesture so blatant it had to be feigned.
"The restrictions on her clothing are an adequate start," Margo said, then paused again, obviously waiting for a comment, but Cordelia wasn't going to be tricked that easily.
"They're not right," Xander said, "dame. Controlling what she thinks is wrong, and it isn't going to make her a better person."
True, but Xander should have known better than to say so. Margo was obviously setting him up for something.
"I suppose you think you could devise more appropriate penalties, Mr Alexander?" Margo said.
Cordelia frantically signalled 'No.'
Xander ignored her silent warning.
"Yes, dame," he said. "Let me pick them and they'll work, not turn her in to a laughing-stock, or a puppet."
"As you wish, Mr Alexander," Margo said, then poked him right above the eyes with her right forefinger. "I hereby delegate to you my authority to sentence this wretch. Verbis mei gratia aequitatis illi maledicas."
Margo's fingertip glowed, a brief hint of rainbow light swiftly sinking into Xander's head, and he jerked.
"You're going to let him decide, dame?" Harmony said, "He's a-"
Margo looked sharply at Harmony, who fell silent.
"How does that work, dame?" Cordelia asked. "Is there anything special he has to do?"
More importantly, would Cordelia get a chance to discuss it with Xander first? She understood Harmony better than he did, naturally, so she had a better chance of coming up with some penalty that would satisfy Margo and help Harmony.
"No, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said. "Any suitable command Mr Alexander gives this wretch will have imperative force, whether or not she is physically present. Telling her to do his homework would have no effect, but were he to order her to 'get lost', she would, until she repented."
Then Xander would need to think more about what he was saying, probably one of the reasons Margo had done this to him.
"Excessive much?" Harmony said. "He could curse me every day, for life. That's not justice, dame."
"No," Margo said. "Mr Alexander's delegated authority will expire when sufficient penalties have been levied upon you to precisely match your crimes. Nor will he be able to stretch your sentencing over years. There is a deadline, but these are details I can discuss with him later."
Which would give Margo another opportunity to manipulate Xander, unless Cordelia could think of some way to disrupt it.
"Can I appeal, dame?" Harmony said, her tone mocking.
"In principle, you could appeal to my colleagues," Margo said, "though I could not recommend doing so. They are all somewhat more formidable than I am."
Then Cordelia did not want to meet them, ever. Even she had limits.
"Ahhh," Harmony said, twitching. "Xander will do, dame."
"Now that that matter is settled," Margo said, "we can turn to Mistress Cordelia."
Cordelia carefully kept her face impassive, ignoring Harmony's gleeful smile.
"What is it, Cordy?" Xander said. "Evil twin? Mirror universe?"
Cordelia hesitated. She could still tell them what she'd told Giles, but Harmony deserved to know the truth, and no one would be able to use it against her, since this conversation was sub rosa. Any attempt to blackmail her would break the terms of the promise.
"I," Margo said, "am particularly interested to know how you and this wretch come to have the same soul."
That ruled out using the Giles story.
"Tell us who you really are," Harmony said. "We'd all love to know."
"I'm Cordelia Chase," she said, decision made. Telling the whole truth would be dangerous, Margo might reverse the wish with a wave of her hand, but she could tell them more than she had Giles, and in a way that would make Xander look good.
"That last normal Sunday," Cordelia said, "I did exactly what you did. The next day, I met Buffy. That night, she attacked me behind the Bronze, with a stake."
Xander should know what that meant, with all the comics he read.
"That was-" Xander began, then his eyes widened in realisation. "You're a time traveller, a future Cordy come to change your own past. When from?"
"Late next year," Cordelia said, smiling. Xander picking up her implication so quickly would improve his image and, when Margo noticed what she'd done, her own too.
"Next year?" Margo said, staring intently at Cordelia. "How late?"
"December, dame," Cordelia said.
"December," Margo echoed softly, her eyebrows twitching.
"You believe you're me, from the future?" Harmony said. "That can't be right. I'd never act weird, like you."
"You think possessing people is normal?" Cordelia said and Xander smiled.
"That's your fault," Harmony said. "No one's making you chase vampires."
"I know what they were going to do," Cordelia said, "who they were going to kill. I will not let people die when I can save them."
Harmony shrugged. "So? You could have sent someone warning notes. That would have been enough."
Interesting. Harmony must know Cordelia had done just that. Why not mention Angel?
"I didn't think I would have ever acted like you," Cordelia said, still thinking, "but I am what you would have become, if I hadn't come back."
Cordelia had only had one conversation with Angel Harmony could have eavesdropped on, the one where she'd told him about his curse. If Harmony had been listening she must know Angel was a vampire, a secret she'd be able to use to attempt blackmail. She must be waiting until she could get Cordelia or Angel alone before she made her threats.
"There is a reason for that, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "but we will discuss it later, once the wretch has left us."
"If you're going to talk about me," Harmony said, "I'm staying."
"That would not be in your best interests," Margo said.
Cordelia smiled. "I got the way I am by hanging round people like Xander and Dame Margo. Do you want to end up like me?"
"No," Harmony said, looking faintly disgusted. "But that has to be a half truth. You must have done more than talk to Xander to end up all weird; you must have talked to Giles about weird stuff. I'm not weird stuff so it's safe for me to listen to you talking about me."
Harmony smiled. "You can't trick me. I know how you think."
"You know how she used to think, nearly two years past," Margo said. "Mistress Cordelia has matured somewhat since then. Pray you will do as well as she has."
"And end up possessing myself, dame?" Harmony said, her tone challenging as she looked nonchalantly at her nails, a pose which saved her from having to look Margo in the face. "Why aren't you cursing her for that supposed crime?"
"Firstly, wretch," Margo said, and Harmony trembled at the sound, "it is clear from her aura that Mistress Cordelia has never been disincarnate. For one still living to usurp the flesh of another is forbidden, but not by the most ancient laws. It does not stain the soul, as all breaches of those laws do. Secondly, Mistress Cordelia did not possess your former body of her own volition. Thirdly, the body she took was her own. For these last two reasons I can, and do, waive all penalties."
"How did you come back?" Xander asked. "And why? To stop some disaster?"
"We will discuss that after the wretch has left," Margo said. "She is not yet worthy of such knowledge."
"I need to know what happened to me to turn me into her," Harmony said, "so I can avoid it. I'm staying."
"I think not," Margo said.
"I am staying," Harmony repeated, still staring at her nails. "I do not have to obey your orders."
------------
"Not until tomorrow," Cordelia said, smiling. "You invited everyone round, remember? We've got the same friends. We-"
"Not for much longer," Harmony said, standing up. "Soon, only people like Xander will talk to you. Everyone normal will scorn you."
"Are you trying to threaten me?" Cordelia said, looking nonchalantly at her nails.
"What?" Harmony said. "Xander and Willow aren't good enough for you?"
They were, but if Cordelia said that she'd end up forced to defend keeping Aura as her friend, which Harmony could easily make sound like an insult to Xander. It would be much more effective to attack the underlying assumptions.
"You're not jealous of Aura, are you, Xander?" Cordelia asked, her tone mocking the very notion.
"Of course not," Xander immediately said. "You need someone to talk to about, um, clothes and stuff."
If Cordelia had said that, Harmony would have been able to continue stirring up jealousy by claiming it meant Cordelia prefered spending time with Aura. Since Xander had said it instead, if Harmony tried that tactic, he'd feel forced to defend what he had said, which wouldn't help Harmony.
Cordelia looked straight at Harmony. "Remember, I know how you think too."
Hopefully, Harmony would get over her grudge soon. Once she accepted losing her original body wasn't Cordelia's fault, the two of them should be able to work well together. Friends would be a bit much, they both knew the other too well to trust them, but if Harmony cooperated with Cordelia there wouldn't be much they couldn't do, in the social arena.
In the meantime though, Harmony would need careful handling. Her people skills were almost as great as Cordelia's, and she wasn't spending half her time helping with the hellmouth. If she tried to weaken Cordelia's social standing she might succeed, something the real Harmony could never have hoped to do.
"Really?" Harmony said, sidling towards the door. "Why do I think it's too dangerous for you to be Aura's friend?"
"Don't worry," Cordelia said. "I don't want her body, and I wouldn't know how to get it even if I did. I can't do magic."
"Wrong," Harmony said, smiling triumphantly, the door at her back. "It's dangerous because you're involved in weird stuff. If Aura stays your friend she'll get dragged in to it, like Harmony did. Do you want her to end up like Harmony, a toy for demons?"
"No," Cordelia said. "That will not happen."
She'd been able to keep her followers out of the weirdness in the original history; she could do the same in this one.
Harmony nodded. "It will not happen because I will not let it happen. When I'm finished with you, you will be reviled by all normal people. You will have only freaks and losers for company, and yourself to blame. It will be a miserable life, filled with pain and suffering, but no more than you deserve for stealing my body."
Margo said nothing. Harmony's diatribe must fit with her plans, which was not promising.
With one hand Harmony pushed the door open behind her, her lips twisting into a mocking smile. "The next few months won't be very nice for you, but I have to do it, for my friends' sake."
Cordelia watched silently as Harmony left, thinking about the girl she used to be.
"That's the Cordelia we knew and loathed," Xander said, once the door had closed again, then winced. "But you've got a lot better. Um, I didn't think you'd ever been that bad."
"The wretch will not have been, Mr Alexander," Margo said, "before she was forcibly disincarnated. She spent over three weeks as a spirit, brooding on her loss. What terrors she knew in those weeks I can scarcely begin to imagine. It is a tribute to her strength of mind that she is not a gibbering wreck."
"I've been through a lot too, dame," Cordelia said, "more than you know, but I'm not acting like her."
Harmony feeling bitter was understandable, but saying the things she had aloud was a step too far, a step Cordelia was sure she'd never have taken, but Cordelia wasn't going to hold a grudge, not against herself.
Harmony didn't need chastisement; she needed help, and lots of it. Cordelia would do what she could, of course, but she wouldn't be able to do much until Harmony dropped her own grudge. Until then, she'd have to hope that their other mutual friends would give Harmony enough support.
"You have friends upon whom you can lean, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said. "You have not been forced to rely upon your mental defences alone."
Cordelia frowned. It was nice when she could relax with the scoobies, the only people who understood something of what her life was like these days, but she didn't do it that often and even they didn't understand her wish-related problems. Their support may have helped a little, but it couldn't account for all the apparent differences between her and Harmony, could it?
"You said we all had good mental defences, dame," Xander said. "Shouldn't, um, young Cordelia have-"
"You should not call the wretch by that name," Margo said. "She has forfeited all right to it, along with the body that was once hers."
"I can't call her Harmony, dame," Xander protested. "She's not the real one."
"Find some other alternative," Margo said. "Her mental defences will be as strong as Mistress Cordelia's, but I did warn you that even the resilience of one hellmouth born has its limits. In the wretch you see what too often happens when those limits are tested."
Margo paused, and looked at Xander. "You walk in the valley of shadow, where the innocent perish in agony and the evil prosper, yet you laugh, for to weep is to be helpless, tears, a defeat, and in your laughter is the sweet music of hope, the antithesis of despair. Is that not so, Mr Alexander?"
Once Xander recovered from his surprise, he smiled broadly. "I-"
"But should the shadows deepen around you, laughter alone will not be enough. When your defences began to crumble, you would seek to shore them up, the only way you know how, by laughing ever louder, but you would have nothing to laugh at, save the gathering dark. Driven in upon yourself, deprived of hope, you would be forced to find fuel for your humour in ever darker matters, until at last your laughter was one with the song of night. In the end, Mr Alexander, you would look upon all the miseries of this world, and laugh to see such fun."
"I'd never do that, dame," Xander said. "Never."
Cordelia was not quite so sure. Certainly, Xander had never come close to acting like that in all the years she'd known him, but what Margo had described did sound a lot like the vision of his dark side Cordelia had seen, when Willow had foolishly repeated words whispered in nightmare. Maybe Xander would act like that, under extreme pressure, even by the standards of the hellmouth, but if he did start going that way, his friends would notice, and intervene, which must be part of Margo's point.
She was saying Harmony's aberrant behaviour was the result of the stress she'd been under, as a ghost, with no one to turn to for help, but if that were all Margo had wanted to say she could have said it in a sentence. There had to be some ulterior motive for her digression.
"Believing that would be unwise, Mr Alexander," Margo said. "The recognition of one's own potential for evil is the surest defence against falling into it."
Xander scowled, clearly unconvinced. "What's that got to do with ghost girl, anyway, dame?"
"What is Mistress Cordelia's primary defence?" Margo asked.
Now Cordelia understood what Margo was up to, at least partially.
Xander looked uncertainly at Cordelia. "Self-confidence, dame?"
"Correct," Margo said. "Mistress Cordelia believes herself equal to any challenge. Thus, she does not despair in the face of evil. Rather, she perseveres even when all hope seems lost, rallying her troops to the cause, for she is also a leader of men. She is a bastion behind whose shelter others can prosper and a trumpet blast, calling the charge."
All true, of course, but not the whole truth. Cordelia knew there was more to her personality than confidence and charisma, just as there was more to Xander than a good sense of humour. They both had many other good traits, too many to describe in under an day.
Margo wasn't trying to paint a balanced picture of Cordelia's personality; she was sketching a quick caricature, concentrating on those virtues that could be twisted into vices, so that Xander would know what to look out for.
"But should the shadows deepen around her, hollow pride could swell into hubris, until she believed this world her domain, and the people in it, hers to toy with."
A much shorter, and apparently less polished description of the downward road than Margo had given Xander, but then she'd been planning to talk to him about Cordelia, not about himself. She'd probably been rehearsing that talk, fine tuning her rhetoric for maximum effect, but she hadn't planned for Cordelia, and it showed. Not much, of course, Xander wouldn't have noticed a thing, but to Cordelia the difference between Margo's last minute improvisations, full of what had to be quotes from some old book, and her rehearsed speeches, carefully crafted to sound like spontaneous oratory, was clearly discernable.
"You think that's what happened to the ghost girl, dame?" Cordelia said, making sure Xander would get the point. "She could only make herself believe she would get through her ordeal by puffing up her ego until it lost all touch with reality?"
That, and other stress-induced self delusions, could explain why Harmony was more arrogant and rude than Cordelia ever remembered being. Being a ghost would certainly have been stressful, at least as bad as anything Cordelia had experienced, and most of that time Harmony, unlike Cordelia, had been unable to do anything to help herself. Cordelia might not have had much control over events, but thanks to her foreknowledge she had at least had some, which had been reassuring.
For that and many other reasons, Cordelia herself was in no danger of going the same way as Harmony. Her self-confidence was still firmly grounded in reality, and would remain so.
Still, the new prophecies had warned there would be attempts to corrupt all three of them, so for Margo to warn them what to look out for was an understandable precaution on her part, and one that had to be done subtly. If she'd told Xander outright that people were going to be watching him for signs he was turning evil, he would not have been pleased.
"That is an adequate summary, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said. "Fortunately, though she was driven near the edge, she did not fall. It may be that she could be dangerous."
Cordelia smiled inwardly. Her message delivered, Margo was moving to the next point on her agenda.
Xander frowned. "You think she's still got ghost powers, dame?"
"Not as such, Mr Alexander," Margo said, "but she has been exposed to a constellation of forces unprecedented in all the annals of the board. Quite what that will entail I cannot be entirely sure, but a new talent for necromancy would not seem unlikely."
Margo shrugged. "However, that should not be a problem. Now that the wretch's ordeal has ended she can begin to heal, with the help of her friends. Within a few months she should recover her former good nature. Until then, it will be best if Mistress Cordelia could avoid her."
Not an option, it would mean completely abandoning any pretence of a normal social life, but telling Margo that would be futile.
"Unfortunately," Margo said. "The wretch is among the least of our problems. Mistress Cordelia's temporal displacement raises issues of rather more concern. Does anyone else know about this?"
"This is the first time I've told anyone I've time-travelled, dame," Cordelia said carefully, unsure how much Giles would have told Margo.
Margo smiled. "But you did tell Mr Giles you had seen the future that should have been, leading him to believe you had recieved a vision."
"He told you, dame?" Cordelia said.
"No," Margo said. "I would hope Mr Giles would not disclose that information to anyone, even his patrons, without your approval. I deduced it from certain of his actions, in combination with your wording just now."
An impressive feat, and a warning. Bending the truth without Margo noticing would be near impossible, even for Cordelia.
Xander looked briefly confused, then shrugged and leaned forwards. "How did you do it, Cordy? Why? What was going wrong?"
"The how, Mr Alexander," Margo said, "is too dangerous for us to know. Any attempt to repeat Mistress Cordelia's feat, or to undo it, would be near certain to unleash apocalypse, so the means must be kept secret, lest our enemies make the attempt."
"Don't they already know, dame?" Xander said. "She only came back a year."
"The annals of the board stretch back in unbroken succession to its last refounding, two hundred years before Menes first wore the double crown, twelve hundred years before the bluestones were raised on Salisbury plain, twenty-two centuries before the fall of Troy." Margo said. "In them are recorded many things strange and wonderful, dark and terrible; the glories of fabled Camelot; the doom that came to many-pillared Irem, how a vampire saved the world, and won a soul, the rise of Huitzilopochtli from ghost to god, but in all those myriad pages there is no precedent for this."
"No time travel, dame?" Cordelia said, surprised. Surely other people had made similar wishes to hers before.
"Not on this scale," Margo said. "The slayer Nakhti, of blessed memory, once went three months into her past. In five thousand years no one else has travelled even half as far."
No one that the board knew about, but Margo had admitted they couldn't watch every sparrow fall. If a time traveller didn't change anything important, only their own personal history, the board might never notice them. Even if they did change something important, their time travel might never be recorded if the watcher who found out thought like Margo.
Still, if time travel were normally as simple as wishing, the board should have noticed by now. The truth was probably somewhere in between. Time travel was rare, but not as rare as the board thought, and the hellmouth had boosted Cordelia's wish, sending her unusually far back.
Cordelia wasn't going to tell Margo that though. If she did, she'd be forced to admit what she'd wished for, which would be awkward, and knowing the details wouldn't help anything anyway. Besides, Margo must know her logic was faulty, which meant she must have ulterior motives, again. Better to stay silent, for now.
"The board does have access to other, older records," Margo said, "but there are many lacunae, and accurate translation can prove elusive. Certain passages in the book of fallen dreams do hint at a comparable event in the last days before the first came, and there are other, older, references in the more obscure tomes."
Margo looked straight at Xander. "However, it is clear that time-travel on this scale has never been commonplace. Since we do not wish to see it become so, I most strongly suggest Mistress Cordelia should divulge nothing of this."
"But we're sub rosa, dame," Xander said. "You-"
"That would not protect you from the dark gods," Margo said. "As for your other questions, prophecy is not obscure without reason. What do you think those reasons might be?"
"Um, because they think it's funny," Xander guessed, "or so only people like you and Giles can understand them, dame?"
"Both those reasons are half true, Mr Alexander," Margo said. "More importantly, they must leave room for free will. Failure to do so would have serious consequences."
Cordelia smiled, remembering what Giles had said. "I mustn't tell anyone too much about the other history, only what they need to know."
That was one of the few pieces of luck she'd had since her wish, keeping the awkward questions at bay.
"Almost correct, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said. "You should say the minimum necessary about those events that have not yet happened. There is no such restriction on telling us how what has already happened differs, and much to be learned."
Cordelia nodded. "If we can work out what the differences are, and which ones I've caused, we can work out what's making things go wrong, dame. That's why I talked to Giles. He needed to know, so we could stop them going wrong."
"Has he come to any conclusions yet?" Margo asked.
"No, dame," Cordelia admitted, "but I haven't told him much yet. He wanted to test what I knew before he started acting on it.
"A reasonable precaution," Margo said, then smiled. "If you tell me what the differences are, I may be able to identify the problem."
"Jesse died there too, didn't he," Xander said softly. "That's how you knew he was in danger."
"Yes," Cordelia said. "I tried to save him, but I failed. Buffy did kill Darla a few months early though. That's the only good change. Everything else is bad. Amy lost a hand, Amber, Marcie, Owen, and Blaine have all died, and the deathgate has opened."
"How much of that do you think is your fault, Mistress Cordelia?"
Margo asked.
"None of it, dame" Xander said hotly. "She hasn't killed anyone."
True, but not the whole truth, and certainly not the answer Margo would want.
"They wouldn't have died if I hadn't chosen to come back," Cordelia said. "That makes it partly my fault."
"Correct, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said. "The precise results may not have been predictable, but you should have known better, especially after nearly two years working with Mr Giles."
"Not that long, dame," Cordelia said. "I didn't join the gang until later, the first time."
That should keep Margo from blaming Giles, and the obvious follow up question would give Cordelia another chance to look good.
"Why didn't you wait, this time?" Margo said.
"I can't stand by when I know bad stuff is going to happen, dame," Cordelia said, trying to project passionate conviction, "or when bad stuff that shouldn't have happened does because I gave it the chance. It's my duty to do everything I can to stop it."
That wasn't the only reason Cordelia hadn't waited, but it was the reason that should impress Margo the most, since she clearly had a strong sense of duty, strong enough to sacrifice herself without hope of reward.
"A commendable attitude, Mistress Cordelia," Margo said, "which has averted much harm. Had you been endeavouring to keep history unchanged, that tacit renunciation of free will would have eventually destroyed your soul, opening a gateway to abomination. However, you are a little too young to bear such an heavy responsibility alone. Mr Giles would be able to help, but telling him too much is undesirable."
When Margo paused, Xander spoke up, right on cue. "I'll help Cordy, dame."
Cordelia mentally winced. Xander was good with words, in his way, but he wasn't any good at spotting verbal manipulation. She'd have to give him some tips, or he'd end up backed into a corner, with her secrets at stake.
"So be it," Margo said. "I too shall help, to the extent that I can in the short time I have left. Mistress Cordelia, perhaps you could begin by giving us a slightly more detailed account of how the last month should have gone."
"OK, dame," Cordelia said, thinking. She'd have to mention Angel, but revealing he was an ensouled vampire might cause problems. If she left that detail out everything else should be safe to talk about.
"I didn't find out most of this until later, dame," she said, "but the day Buffy first came here …"
--------------
"…Buffy dumped Owen," Cordelia said. "The zoo trip's been brought forward, so that hadn't happened yet."
"The zoo?" Xander said. "Are Buffy and Willow safe?"
"They who walk amongst animals must beware the call of the wild," Margo said. "So say the new prophecies. Before Mistress Cordelia explains what that means, we should wait and see what Mr Giles tells us, to reduce the need for her to speak of future events."
Xander frowned uncertainly, then smiled at Cordelia. "Been your unlucky month. Want another go?"
"That would be most inadvisable," Margo said, then looked at Cordelia. "Your account makes evident the proximate cause of the recent problems, though some mysteries do still remain."
"Tell me what it is, dame," Cordelia said, "and I'll sort it out."
"We'll sort it out, Cordy," Xander said. "It'll be easier with a friend."
"The hellmouth is stronger than it should have been," Margo said, "and it may be getting worse. Do you know how to sort that out?"
"No," Cordelia admitted, "unless doing your deathgate thing with it would help. Are you sure, dame?"
"The witch's spells were more powerful than they should have been," Margo said. "The numian demon wolves have lingered when they should have gone long since, and the dimensional barriers have been sufficiently weakened to destabilise the portal to Knn-Yrr and permit the creation of the deathgate from without. These facts, combined with certain hints in the new prophecies and occurances elsewhere, admit only one conclusion: the hellmouth has grown strong."
"That's bad, right, dame?" Xander said, a smile in his voice.
"It is … not good," Margo said, smiling back. "Mistress Cordelia, your suggestion might work, for a time, but you would need the aid of another board member."
Cordelia frowned. If that were certain to work she might risk it, despite all the problems it would cause her, but Margo didn't sound very certain about it.
"It would be best if that could be avoided," Margo said. "You would not be able to hide your temporal displacement from them."
"Something must be making the hellmouth worse-" Xander began.
"Most likely a cursed object, Mr Alexander," Margo said, "tuned specifically to amplify the hellmouth, which was triggered by your arrival. It may even be a portable hellmouth."
"-so we find and destroy, dame," Xander finished.
"A sound plan," Margo said. "Unfortunately, using magic to detect a curse within the penumbra of the hellmouth is like trying to see a candle flame in front of the sun; difficult and rather dangerous. You will have to do it the hard way."
"That means long evenings in the library," Cordelia said, looking at Xander, then smiled. "Still want to help?"
"Of course, Cordy," Xander said, with an ill-concealed groan. "You're my friend."
"I can supply some useful books for you, Mistress Cordelia, on both curses and the transmigration of souls," Margo said. "It would be best if the two of you use them for the greater part of your research, rather than Mr Giles's library, or he may grow suspicious."
That would mean spending a lot of time alone with Xander, a pile of books, and her memories of their relationship, which would be uncomfortable, but Cordelia didn't have much choice. They needed to find that cursed object, and this was the best way to do it.
"How many books, dame?" Cordelia asked. She was going to rent a room for the ones she'd already bought, so-
-but Margo didn't know about those. Cordelia hadn't told her and the bookshop owner couldn't be working for her; he was already in town when the deathgate opened and Margo hadn't gotten involved until later.
Should Cordelia tell her? Margo could certainly help with renting a room for the books, and she could plant evidence to back up the story Cordelia had told Giles, but Margo would put strings on that help, turning Cordelia into her puppet. That was too high a price to pay.
"Only a few hundred," Margo said. "It's not much, but my time is growing short."
"What about your people, dame?" Xander said. "You can tell them to look stuff up for us."
"No," Cordelia said, immediately spotting the danger. "Do that, and we could end up doing whatever they tell us. They'd be able to tell us we had to do it, for the good of the world, and we wouldn't know enough to argue."
Giles could do the same, of course, but he wouldn't. He could be trusted, unlike Margo and her people.
"That's-" Xander began.
"-true," Margo said, "and through you they could gain influence over Buffy. I will admit I would not be adverse to that, they would give better advice than Mr Giles, but I can see Mistress Cordelia is not easily cozened."
Cordelia smiled, as if pleased, but she wasn't easily fooled either. Margo had wanted her to see through the flattery, so that Cordelia would start congratulating herself on seeing through Margo's trap, and —
— but that was exactly what Cordelia was doing, just as Margo had wanted. Fortunately, Cordelia had noticed the trap within the trap, but thinking that also played into Margo's hands, as did thinking that.
"However," Margo said, "the current crises must come before all political considerations. Mistress Cordelia, I promise you that I will make no attempt to put you under my control or anyone else's. We should be able to come to some arrangement that will safeguard your independence."
This time, Cordelia's smile was unfeigned. Margo couldn't break her promises. Her help would be perfectly safe to accept, and very useful.
"Are you both ready to discuss terms?" Margo said, smiling gently.
Ninety minutes later Cordelia stepped through the wall, into the library.
Xander followed her, yawning.
"I'm glad that's over," he muttered, just before Margo stepped through.
Cordelia nodded. The negotiations with Margo had been tedious, but all fifty-three subclauses were necessary, to protect their independence, and they would gain a lot from the deal.
Most of the help would be financial; a trust fund that would pay the rent on an apartment for Cordelia's books, with a few hundred dollars a week left over for other expenses, carefully arranged so that no one would be able to control them by threatening to cut off the money but other forms of help would be available too, with appropriate safeguards.
"Dame Margo-" Agatha said.
"Wait," Margo said, then beckoned to the library chairs, summoning them back out of the science lab.
"Bu-" Agatha began, then stopped herself.
Odd behaviour, for Agatha. If she was willing to think about hurrying Margo something important must have happened.
Margo closed the portal to the science lab, then turned to face Agatha. "Yes?"
"Dame Margo," Agatha said. "I believe we have found a de la Poer."
"The bad family?" Xander said. "I thought Willow was doing that."
"Mistress Willow's offer was much appreciated," Margo said, "but my people do have somewhat more experience. Agatha?"
"Dame Margo," Agatha said, "in 1892 Anna Delapoor married a Samuel Malia, of Los Angeles. In 1942 James Malia, whom we believe to be their sole grandchild, changed his family name to Delapare."
"The council were rather distracted then," Margo said. "How many descendents are living now?"
"Eight, Dame Margo," Agatha said, "and two spouses who have married into the family. All five adults work for the same law firm."
"All rather suggestive," Margo said. "Do you have any substantive evidence?"
"These are copies of the relevant certificates, Dame Margo," Agatha said, putting a folder on the table, "and this-"
Agatha put down a walkman.
"-is a recording of Norman Delapare's voice, taken from a phone call we intercepted."
Margo picked up the walkman and smiled.
"Animam oratis nobis aperi," she said, then pressed play.
"Our department specialises in persuading uncooperative witnesses to …" Norman said, and around the walkman an image formed: an ugly little man in a tailored suit, gnawing a human leg. At his feet lay the instruments of torture, stained from long use, and in the air around him faces flickered, screaming in agony, other images forming behind them.
Margo pressed stop. "He is a de la Poer. He shall be destroyed."
"What was that, dame?" Xander asked. "Things he's done?"
"It was his soul made manifest," Margo said, "it's corruption revealed. He will not physically look like what you saw, but he will have committed the crimes you saw symbolised in the manifestation; torture, rape, murder, cannibalism, and worse."
Then the symbolism must have been as obscure as any prophecy. The only crimes Cordelia had spotted were torture and murder, but since that was reason enough to execute him the rest didn't really matter.
"Kill him," Xander said, then smiled "What does my soul look like, dame? Can you show us?"
Probably something dull, with bells in, and a few shadows; Xander was a good person, but not that special.
"Maybe later, Mr Alexander," Margo said. "It would not be appropriate for you or Mistress Cordelia to see each other's souls."
Cordelia nodded. She certainly didn't want Xander looking at her soul. She wasn't that sure she wanted to see it herself. She knew she was a good person, but she wasn't a saint. There might be things in the recesses of her soul that would make uncomfortable viewing.
Margo looked at Agatha. "Order Norman Delapare to present himself here for judgement at five pm tomorrow, in the name of the council, prepare a preliminary report for me on his employers by three, and inform the council of our discoveries."
"You expect him to come here, dame?" Xander said, surprised. "Won't he run when he finds out you're after him?"
"He does not know who I am," Margo said, "nor will he ever be permitted to. It doesn't matter if he disobeys me, with this tape I could destroy him wherever he might flee, but it will be interesting to see what response I get."
Margo smiled wolfishly. "If any dare protect him, they too shall be destroyed. From the wrath of the watchers, there shall be no hiding place."
Agatha nodded eagerly. "From the council's justice there is no escaping. With one hand we shall strangle them in red tape, with the other we shall rain down fire and destruction upon their unclean heads."
Admirable sentiments, anyone who supported the Delapoors deserved to die screaming, but Cordelia would have preferred rather more caution. If the Delapoors had no backers Margo's threats would be overkill, not a problem, but if they did have backup from some other group Margo would be declaring war on an enemy she knew almost nothing about, seldom a good idea.
"What precautions should we take for if the Delapoors do have protectors, dame?" Cordelia said, carefully phrasing the question to sound as uncritical as possible. "We wouldn't want any innocents to get caught in the crossfire."
More importantly, Cordelia didn't want to get caught in the crossfire. If the Delapoors' hypothetical friends took on the council Giles and Buffy would be obvious targets, especially since Margo had named Sunnydale High. Those two could protect themselves, but Cordelia wasn't as tough, and neither were Xander and Willow. They could easily get hurt, maybe even killed.
"While I am here," Margo said, "there will be no danger. By the time I'm gone, any who dare protect the de la Poers will be too busy defending themselves from the wrath of the watchers to take any aggressive actions."
Agatha nodded. "Such a crusade will reunite the council, under our leadership, Dame Margo."
"You will not use it to pursue your political ambitions, Agatha," Margo said, and Agatha shuddered. "In truth, such ambitions are now pointless. A crusade would restore a semblance of unity to the council, for one last hurrah, but the current council's time is over. We of the board care little whether it goes out in a blaze of glory, or dies a lingering death; either way, it will be replaced within a century."
"But what about us, Dame Margo?" Agatha said. "What about your vision?"
"I have made appropriate arrangements," Margo said.
Which she clearly hadn't told Agatha about before. Margo must have altered her plans recently, almost certainly because of her impending death, but why had she revealed the change in front of Cordelia and Xander? They didn't care about watcher politics.
At least, Cordelia didn't care about watcher politics as long as it didn't affect her, or any of the others, but this would affect Giles, and probably not for the better.
"May I know what they are, Dame Margo?" Agatha asked.
"We will discuss them later," Margo said. "First, you have some phone calls to make."
Cordelia watched as Agatha followed Margo into Giles's office, closing the door behind her.
"Now, it's over," Cordelia said, looking across the table at Xander, "until Giles gets back."
Then they'd have another tricky conversation, trying to convince everyone that nothing important had happened.
Xander looked at Cordelia, then smiled. "So, future girl, what's 1998 like? Any amazing new inventions? Giant robots? Mad computers?"
"Well," Cordelia said, smiling back, "strangely enough …"