Magica was on her knees, unable to move as Haguk leered over Scrooge, malice in his eyes. He mercilessly slammed Scrooge with his spells while Magica could do nothing but watch helplessly.
Scrooge tried to fight back but his attempts were useless against Haguk's powerful magic. He went down, Scrooge gasped for air, eyes looking forlornly at Magica as the light in them faded and he became still… lifeless.
Magica screamed and her eyes flew open. She sat up in bed, in the darkness and quiet of the bedroom that was quickly shattered by Scrooge's concerned voice and the light of the bedside lamp illuminating the room.
"Magica? What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked in a panic, seeing her huddled up under the covers, knees tucked tightly to her chest and tears at the corners of her eyes.
"I had a terrible nightmare…" She started quietly, through suppressed sniffles. "Haguk was attacking you… I couldn't do anything and-" Her words caught in her throat as the memory caused the tears to flood and choke out any words that she tried to speak.
Scrooge wrapped his arms around her in tight embrace. "Shh…" He hushed softly. "It's alright; that nasty warlock is long gone and I'm just fine, see?" She nodded as she tried to force back the tears and soft sobs.
Being so emotional was not something Magica cared for, she had grown to hate showing emotion like this after all the years of torment and ridicule for being 'soft' but the feelings she had felt in that dream were just too strong, too overpowering, too real. It had felt so real; she could feel the cold floor she was bound to, the aura of Haguk's magic, even the invisible bonds that held her down felt as real as the sheets she now sat beneath.
The worst was the feeling of pure terror that coursed through her like ice in her veins as she watched Haguk attack Scrooge, then the indescribably painful feeling when the life left his eyes; like a piece of her had been physically ripped away.
Magica clung to Scrooge tightly, she had never experienced such a horrific nightmare before and she was literally shaking from it.
Scrooge just rubbed her back gently through her nightshirt and held her close. She didn't even have to try to explain to him anything more, it didn't take a genius to figure out that the nightmare was honestly more of a night terror to have shaken her so badly. Normally, nothing seemed to faze her to such an extent but Scrooge knew all too well that even the hardest stone will crack.
After a while Magica felt her quivering body begin to still and her tears had ceased. She pulled away enough to look at Scrooge. "I'm okay now…" She whispered, wiping her face. "Are you sure?" Scrooge asked, still concerned. She smiled a little. "Yes, though I wouldn't mind staying like this." She snuggled up into his arms. He smiled as he started to gently stroke her back again.
Just as they were about to lay back down, they heard a light knocking on the door. "Who is it?" Scrooge called, just loud enough to be heard through the door.
The door opened just a crack and the little heads of Webby and the boys could be seen peeking in through the crack. "Is everything okay? We heard a scream…" Webby started. "It scared us half to death." Huey added.
Scrooge and Magica smiled at the kids, showing them that all was well. "I'm sorry I scared you, I scared myself too; I had a pretty awful nightmare." Magica explained. "Okay, but you're okay now right?" Huey's face showed concern. Magica nodded. "Yes, I'm fine now. You kids should go on back to bed, okay?" Scrooge nodded. "Aye, it's late and we all need our rest."
They all nodded. "Goodnight." They each whispered as they closed the door and returned to their rooms. Scrooge and Magica settled back in, cuddling close and he again rubbed her back as his eyes closed again.
The next morning Scrooge woke up to find himself alone. He slipped on his robe and looked for Magica, afraid she may have had another nightmare and left him to sit by herself. They were both still adjusting to married life, and life with each other under this new context, so it wouldn't be surprising if she had wanted to deal with it by herself.
Magica hadn't been able to go back to sleep after the nightmare so when the sun peeked through the windows she carefully climbed out of bed, showered and dressed for the day. Deciding to that maybe a distraction of some kind would help get it off of her mind she decided to go to the kitchen and start making breakfast.
She was almost done with the bacon when Mrs. Beakley entered the kitchen. "What, prey tell, are you doing in here?" She asked, clearly suspicious. Magica just gave her a deadpan expression. "Brewing a potion; what does it look like I'm doing?" She held up the frying pan full of sizzling bacon for a moment. Then Mrs. Beakley noticed the bags under Magica's eyes and how tired she looked. "Have you slept at all? Nevermind, I don't think I want to know the answer to that."
Magica just looked at her with mixture of sarcasm and sleep deprivation. "I know what you're thinking and you can stop thinking it right now. I couldn't sleep because of a nightmare if you must know; now the bacon is going to burn if I don't finish it." Her voice carried the tone of exhaustion and inability to give a rat's patoot about anything, save for the task at hand.
Mrs. Beakley watched as Magica, despite clearly being in need of sleep, placed perfectly cooked bacon on a platter and moved on to making French toast, finding a mixing bowl and a whisk for the egg mixture. "You really should let me do all this." She said, attempting to take the bowl and whisk from Magica's hands. "I'm not going to poison anybody if that's what you're worried about." Magica said sharply, turning away for the housekeeper, in no mood for her disapproval. Mrs. Beakley sighed. "That's not what I meant," She took the egg carton from the fridge. "You clearly should go back to bed and this is my job; as you are now the lady of the house you can just leave this to me." She said calmly.
Magica just looked at the housekeeper for a moment as she thought about her words; that was right, technically she was now Magica's housekeeper as well so she really didn't need to be doing housework anymore. She hadn't even thought about that in slightest until that very moment. She was so used to doing her own chores and cooking that it was just a force of habit but now she wondered if Mrs. Beakley was actually being suspicious or if she had unintentionally stepped on her toes by taking it upon herself to prepare breakfast.
Magica set down the bowl and whisk. "Okay then… you can go ahead and take over in here and I'll just-" "There you are; are you okay?" Magica was interrupted by Scrooge, walking in with a look of concern on his face which quickly turned into a smile as he took a deep whiff of the scent of fresh-cooked bacon. "I'm fine, I just started breakfast but Mrs. Beakley is taking over now so I'll just go back upstairs with you." Magica said, looking somewhat sheepish as she walked toward the door. "Is everything okay in here?" Scrooge asked, looking back and forth between the two women. "Yes, it's fine… I think I just stepped on Mrs. Beakley's toes a little. Sorry."
Mrs. Beakley was taken aback by Magica's apologetics and assumption. "You didn't step on anyone's toes… I suppose I should apologize for the way I came off." Magica grinned a little. "It's okay. You don't like me, I get that and I don't blame you. I don't mean to intrude on your job at all, I'm just not used to having someone to do all these things for me so forgive me if overstep." Mrs. Beakley couldn't help the cheeky grin that spread across her face. "If I'm to be honest; this house is so large I don't think I'd mind having some of the work load lightened. Just try not use too much of your magic nonsense." Magica grinned back. "Proper house cleaning is done without magic; enchanted brooms can't be trusted. They overdo everything."
They all chuckled then Scrooge and Magica returned upstairs.
"Well, you seem to be winning over Beakley quickly." Scrooge chuckled. "It's not too difficult…" Magica yawned. "Anyone could see she's happy to have someone else to help with the chores; if you don't have a problem with that…" Magica trailed off, just now wondering if Scrooge would care whether or not his wife was doing housework when they had a housekeeper. "If you want something done right, you do it yourself." He smiled. "It doesn't matter to me if you're cooking or cleaning, whatever you want to do." He kissed her cheek.
"Will you be okay without me for a while today?" He asked, getting up and opening his closet, pulling out his clothes for the day. "Why?" She asked, watching him as he tried to decide what to wear. "I have several meetings today so I'm afraid I'm going to be pretty busy for most of the day." "You attend to your meetings, I have things I need to do to." "Like what dearest?" He asked as he changed out of his pajamas. "Well, I still have things in my hut on Mt. Vesuvius that I need to pack and bring here so I'll keep myself busy with that." "Right, we were so focused on planning the wedding that we never properly moved you in here." He chuckled. "Exactly. I'll have Poe help me and it should be done before you get back."
She moved close to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "The honeymoons officially over now, isn't?" She cooed. He nodded. "Unfortunately, we have to get back to real life now." He sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "And work on figuring out how to be married." He added with a laugh. She laughed too. "Between the two of us, I'm sure we'll figure it out." She closed the remaining distance and captured his lips in a kiss.
When they broke the kiss; Scrooge chuckled again. "That's the easy part!" She nodded with giggle. "The hard part will be living with Donald. I don't think he'll ever not hate me." "No, he'll just have to learn to live with you being my wife, and his aunt." Scrooge laughed again. He gave her another quick peck just as Mrs. Beakley called through the door that breakfast was ready.
After breakfast Scrooge bid his family goodbye and headed off to the money bin for his meetings and Magica went to her Duckburg manor where Poe was now living with Lena.
Magica knocked and her brother greeted her. "Magi! Nice to see you so soon; don't tell me you're having troubles already." He joked, snickering and grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Don't even kid about that kind of thing you goon!" Magica snapped, hugging her brother. "Oh, I have no doubt that everything's fine. You two are solid." "Thanks Poe, I needed that." Poe saw the worry in his sisters tired eyes.
"What's the matter Magi? You look terrible." She scoffed. "Thanks Poe, that's real nice." He raised an eyebrow. "Don't beat around the bush; there are only two people in this world who wouldn't believe you're okay right now; myself and your husband. Spit it out Magi, what's wrong?" She sighed and asked if they could sit and discuss it over some hot tea.
"Hey, don't let it get to you. It's probably just a little lingering fear after what happened. That old relic did knock Scrooge around pretty good and it did look like it was nearly the end of him." Poe sipped his tea. "Your newlywed nerves probably just caused your mind to dredge up memories of that awful spot." Magica nodded, sipping her own tea. "I'm sure you're right Poe." She said, feeling better now that she had some caffeine in her system and had spoken with her brother.
It was probably because they were twins but, talking to Poe about things always helped. Even when he was sarcastic or teasing her about what she had on her mind. Through his playful nature he always seemed to know the right things to say to make her feel better. Or annoy her enough to forget about what was bothering her.
Magica finished her tea and took their cups to the kitchen. "Now that that's out of the way, about the real reason I came here," She said, turning to face Poe. "I need your help." "What with?" "Will you help me move my things from Mt. Vesuvius to the mansion?" She asked. He grinned and nodded. "Of course, I will. In fact, I'll help you sort things out if there's anything you want to throw out and help you set things up at your new abode if you like." "Thanks, that sounds great."
They recruited Lena and with a quick spell they were at Magica's old hut.
"It feels like ages since I've been here…" Magica said, realizing that the tiny little hut she once called home now seemed almost foreign and lonely.
After she and Scrooge finally came to terms with their feelings, she had spent more time at his mansion because the little hut had felt too far away; then after they became engaged, she didn't bother to return to the hut but instead stayed in her room at the mansion while they planned their wedding and honeymoon. Now the little hut, while still retaining its coziness and charm, just didn't feel like home anymore.
"They say home is where the heart is," Poe said, putting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "And if I'm not mistaken, your heart is currently handling business in Duckburg." He chuckled. "It's only natural that this little hut feels almost forgotten to you now." Magica nodded, smiling as she thought about her brother's words and her new family in Duckburg. Then she started to pull her books from one of the shelves. "Enough of the sentimental silliness, we have work to do!" She said, the smile still glued to her face as she loaded the books into a box.
Within a few hours the trio had completely packed up everything Magica wanted to bring back to Duckburg and she looked around one last time at the now mostly empty hut. Memories of all years spent there flooded her mind; all the schemes and plots plotted, hanging out with her friends discussing her plans to steal the dime, everything.
Despite the rush of nostalgia, she was filled with happiness; in the most unexpected of ways she had achieved all of her goals and then some; She had completed the task the Elders had given her and finally proven that she wasn't a failure and become the world's richest witch, but more than that; she had her brother back and she was now married to Scrooge McDuck, a wish that was so secret even she herself didn't realize she wanted it until it was practically slapping her in the face.
Magica had never known just how happy a person could possibly be but as she closed the hut door one last time, she knew without a doubt that she was the happiest witch in entire world. She sighed contentedly and then realized she was forgetting something.
"Abra Duckabra!" She waved a hand and a 'For Sale' sign appeared on the door of the little hut. "I don't need this place anymore so I'll put it on the market." She said with a smile. "Now, let's get back and put all of this stuff away." She said, Poe then used a spell to transport them back to the McDuck mansion, boxes and all.
As soon as Magica, Poe, Lena and Magica's boxes appeared in the living room of McDuck mansion there was a commotion; the timing had been just right, for Donald to trip over a small stack of boxes and send his lunch flying in a brilliant spray of lettuce, ham, mayonnaise, bread and chips that landed all around him on the floor and a few boxes.
Donald flew up off the floor and angrily barked at Magica and Poe. "What's the big idea with all the boxes!" "Sorry Donald, we were just bringing Magi's stuff from Vesuvius, didn't mean to spoil your lunch." Poe apologized. "So, all these boxes are full of witchy stuff? We don't need any of that stuff here!" Donald snapped as he began to try move the boxes toward the front door. "What do you think you're doing? Don't mess with my things you goon!" Magica pulled Donald away from the boxes and he proceeded to yell at her. "Take your mumbo jumbo out of here!"
Donald picked up one of the smaller boxes and Magica tried to tug it out of his hands and they played that game of tug of war for several moments, all the while yelling at and insulting each other.
"Let go of my box you loony!" Magica snapped. "Only if you get this junk outta here, crazy witch!" Donald spat back. "Hey! Be careful with my stuff, some of the potion ingredients are volatile!" Magica screeched as Donald continued to roughly jerk the box.
The two continued to fight over the boxes until they were interrupted by another voice.
"What in blazes is going on here?" Scrooge asked, walking in to see food all over his floor and on a few of the boxes that where in his living room.
The boxes were all small to medium sized and there were around twenty of them in six stacks, the shorter of which looked as though someone had attempted to put it in a sandwich. Poe and Lena stood in the middle of the stacks and Magica stood opposite Donald beside the sandwiched boxes, both holding one of the small boxes.
"She's brought a bunch of mumbo jumbo stuff into our house!" Donald said. "I brought my things from my hut on Vesuvius." Magica huffed, finally getting her box away from Donald.
Scrooge sighed. His nephew and wife both sounded like children. Despite the humor he found in the situation as he listened to Poe explaining everything Scrooge knew he would have to play mediator.
"I thought you didn't allow this magic stuff here!" Donald grumbled. "I didn't; but things are different now Donald, you're going to have to accept that and get used to it. Not that that means I'm not going to allow just anything." He started with a stern look at Donald and finished with an expectant look at Magica. "Well of course! After all, these things can be dangerous." Magica nodded. "Well I don't like it and I don't want the boys exposed to it!" Donald responded, equally sternly.
"How about we just put this stuff away in the garage or the attic for now?" Scrooge asked. "Sounds good to me." Poe said; not wanting to be caught in the middle of anything. Donald just nodded and cleaned up the remains of his sandwich. Magica nodded and chanted a spell to move the boxes to the attic.
After a somewhat tense dinner Scrooge and Magica sat in their room and he watched her as she sat at the vanity table that he had bought her as a wedding gift and brushed her hair while checking her reflection to make sure her face had come completely clean when she'd washed her makeup off.
She was wearing another oversized nightshirt, this one black and with the phrase 'Beauty Sleep' printed on the front. Scrooge had come to realize that aside from a slinky nightgown she worn on their wedding night all of her pajamas were mostly the large night shirts although he'd seen a pair of cute, bright pink, flannel pajamas printed with black cats wearing dark pink ribbons in her things when she put her clothes away earlier. She said they were a birthday gift from her Uncle Guntram but blushed a little bit, out of embarrassment either that she still had the somewhat childish sleepwear or that Scrooge was looking at her pajamas as she put them away.
"Well, aside from the rest of my clothes and a few other necessities, all of my things are in the attic," She said, still studying her face for traces of stubborn eye makeup. "I didn't exactly expect to be moved into an attic but that's what works I guess…" She trailed off as she put her hairbrush away and stood. Scrooge could see her cross her arms in the mirror's reflection, not in a gesture of irritation but clearly trying to hide her frustration with the situation.
"It's only temporary love." He said softly as he got up from the bed and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I won't whine like a child about Donald getting his way but I will ask what kind of restrictions you want to put on me." She turned to face him, a concerned expression on her face. "Restrictions?" He asked, brow furrowing in confusion. "Well you said you wouldn't allow 'just anything' in regards to my magic so I'd like to know what exactly that means." She said, looking at him expectantly and with a little offense.
Scrooge now realized that aside from being annoyed that she couldn't finish moving in she felt hurt by the thought that he would try to hold her back in any way, like she was now his property because she was his wife. He hadn't thought about it like that, he'd just assumed she would know better than that but, they were now married and things were so very different from what they were less than a year ago and she had confessed to him lingering insecurities about everything during the honeymoon.
It was one thing to be adversaries or even just dating but marriage was a lifetime commitment and as a show of his faith and trust in her Scrooge had turned her sister's expectations on their heads and never once even spoke of any kind of prenuptial agreement while planning the wedding. When Hexa finally asked if he was going to make Magica sign one he said he never had any intention of having one drawn up, let alone making Magica sign any such nonsense.
Magica didn't even try to hide the joy and satisfaction she'd felt when he told her shocked sisters he trusted her implicitly and would never dream of doing something like that, then asked smugly if they thought there was a snowball's chance in a very hot place that somehow their marriage wouldn't work out and they'd be able to manipulate Magica to get any of THEIR money. Even Magica was momentarily taken aback when Scrooge had made it clear that to him, just being engaged meant that what was his was hers but relished how quickly her sisters lost their tongues and fled the room. Then the two laughed to themselves about the whole thing.
As he thought about it, Scrooge realized that it might have seemed like he was starting to go back on it, that she may be starting to feel like he either didn't trust her as much as he said or was starting to take it back now.
"Hey, please don't be upset; I'm sorry about today." He said softly, rubbing her back as had that morning to comfort her. Magica relaxed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You still haven't answered my question darling, what kind restrictions do I have? I will abide by whatever you ask of me so long as I don't feel it to be unreasonable because that's how these things work, right?" She looked at him, a little hurt still lingering behind the love that shone in her eyes. "I may have married you, but this is still your house and your family, I can't just do whatever I want; I know that."
He quietly chuckled. "Well, I highly doubt you're deliberately going to do anything reckless or dangerous but just so we're clear; the only restriction I will put on you is no world destroying magic. Is that okay?" A cheeky grin spread across his face. Magica rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious and you're joking around." "I have no intention of 'restricting' you at all in any way. My family is your family and this is your house just as much as it's mine because you're my wife Magica, not some girlfriend."
He leaned his forehead against hers and looked deeply into her beautiful dark eyes. "I'm truly sorry if you felt like I don't trust you or wanted to hold you back at all. Believe me when I say that I didn't mean that and I would never be stupid enough to think I could 'restrict' you, ever!" He laughed a little and she did too. "Because you know I'd let you have it if you did?" Magica giggled. He nodded slightly. "Exactly." He gently pressed his beak to hers in a soft kiss.
"I don't have anything to do tomorrow so would like to get moved out of the attic?" He sniggered. She glared at him. "Not funny Scroogie. Of course, I want to put things away properly… as long as it's okay with you." Scrooge started to open his beak to say something but Magica gently held it shut. "Because I really want our marriage to work but it also effects everyone else; I know it's really uncharacteristic of me but I'm trying to be considerate."
She smirked, eyes glinting the way they typically did any time she came close to successfully stealing the dime. "But you know perfectly well that I'm every bit as greedy and selfish as you and if appeasing everyone a little is what it takes to keep what's mine; then that's what I'll do." He returned her smirk with his own. "Have I told you lately that I love you, Mrs. McDuck?"