Chapter 3
Weeks went by, but Taylor could find no sign of the exact location of the Dark Wizard. Every time she detected something out of the ordinary, it would turn out to be Captain Gregg. Mostly thunderstorms, which Taylor was starting to completely ignore at this point. Undoubtedly brought on by the family Claymore had moved into Gull Cottage, Taylor realized that Captain Gregg could conjure a storm, and tended to do so when he was upset by something.
So, Taylor took to wandering through town on a regular basis. She got to know as many residents as possible, at least enough so she could hopefully notice an outlier. A stranger in their midst. It was easy, using the research excuse, to get people to talk about their lives. However, whenever she broached the subject of anything out of the ordinary happening in the area, everyone always alluded to Gull Cottage.
Taylor had become a semi-regular at Norrie's restaurant. No one seemed to wonder much at Taylor always ordering a little extra food to take home. Whenever she ate at Norrie's, she noticed Claymore eating there too. Always the Special. It became very apparent that Claymore Gregg was frugal as the day is long.
Taylor also patronized Deke's Antiques a few times. Not that Deke carried high-end antiques, but every so often he would get something in that was quaint. To keep up appearances, Taylor did hire Ed Peevey to fix up the fencing around the yard, even though it could be fixed easily with a wave of her wand, or a snap of Krikky's fingers. Hopefully, the few things Taylor bought around town would satisfy any questions that might arise, even though Claymore did not seem to care where or how the supplies came about, as long as the cottage was repaired.
One night, as Krikky sat eating the dinner Taylor brought from Norrie's, Taylor once again thought about how to pinpoint the location of the Dark Wizard. This was, by far, the most difficult case Harry Potter had ever sent her on. She could feel the clock ticking, because if she spent too much time in the past, people might notice an age difference upon her return. Granted, it had only been a month, but she was no closer to finding the Dark Wizard than the day she first walked into Schooner Bay. Out of caution, Taylor requested an extra month to the lease, which Claymore agreed to, albeit with another charm applied by Taylor to prevent him from price gouging.
A rumble of thunder drew Taylor's attention. Mostly expecting it to be another of Captain Gregg's tantrums, she was surprised to see actual storm clouds out the window. Suddenly, the thoughts of the Captain's antics inspired Taylor, and she jumped up from her chair.
"I'll be back in a bit!" she said to Krikky. Grabbing a cloak, Taylor hurried out the door. The wind whipped through the bay, and a few raindrops were blowing around. Lightning illuminated the clouds, and permitted Taylor some vision without needing to use her wand. As she neared Gull Cottage, she kept to the shadows. It looked so different from the night she sought refuge in it. Perhaps not as renovated as Taylor's cottage, but definitely cleaned up, with several repairs done. Warm lights shone from within. Whoever had moved in, they were definitely invested in taking care of Gull Cottage.
Taylor climbed over the stone wall surrounding the property, striving to keep out of sight of the windows. She walked around to the side of the house, where it seemed a little darker. Thankfully, the storm had not picked up any more, still just the wind, and the occasional raindrop. Taylor looked in the closest window. It was the kitchen, and it was dark.
"Captain Gregg?" Taylor said quietly. "Captain Gregg?"
"Blast, woman! What are you doing here?" the Captain said, materializing in front of Taylor.
"Look, I know I said I wouldn't come back here, but I need your help!"
"My help?" he questioned. "I am a ghost, woman. How could I help you?"
"As I told you, I'm looking for a Dark Wizard that is hiding somewhere in the Schooner Bay area. Whenever I ask around town about strange activity, they only ever mention Gull Cottage. Meaning you, even if they don't know it. Tonight, I realized that if anyone is in a position to know if something strange, and out of the ordinary, is going on, it would be you! You would know if something happens that you didn't do!"
"Well…" Captain Gregg began, but he was interrupted.
"What is going on here?" Taylor turned around, and saw a woman, with short blonde hair, apparently in her thirties.
"Um, hello," Taylor said nervously. "You're probably wondering why I'm lurking outside your house…"
"Partially," the woman said. "I'm also wondering why you're talking to the Captain."
"The Captain?" Taylor blurted. She turned back to Captain Gregg. "She can see you?"
"Because I wish it," the Captain replied proudly.
"How come she can see you?" the woman asked, pointing to Taylor. Unsure what to say, Taylor was at a loss for words, but then Captain Gregg spoke.
"Well, tell the lady!" he barked.
"The Captain and I met about a month before you moved in," Taylor explained.
"Turns out she can see ghosts naturally, whether I want her to or not," the Captain added. He stepped around Taylor to stand closer to the woman. "Perhaps formal introductions are in order? Carolyn Muir, this is Professor Taylor Clark. Professor Clark, this is Mrs. Carolyn Muir." The two shook hands.
"I am sorry for trespassing like this," Taylor said, "but I needed to speak to the Captain."
"Well, I may know your name, but I still don't understand why you're here," Carolyn said.
"You can trust her," Captain Gregg asserted, and Taylor realized she was stuck telling the truth.
"I'm a wizard," Taylor said quietly.
"A wizard?" Carolyn questioned.
"Yes," Taylor replied, "and I'm hunting down a Dark Wizard that's set up somewhere in the area. I haven't been able to get a good read on where exactly they might be, but I realized that Captain Gregg could possibly help."
"Could you help, Captain?" Carolyn asked him.
"I supposed I could keep an eye out for strange happenings," the Captain said, stroking his beard.
"Thank you," Taylor said. "And thank you for not being too upset at this intrusion. I'll head back to my cottage…"
"I took a peek at it the other day," Captain Gregg admitted. "You've done a beautiful job fixing it up."
"Thank you. Your… nephew was impressed as well."
"He is not my nephew!" the Captain barked, and Carolyn stifled a laugh.
The next day, Taylor stopped by Norrie's again, because Krikky absolutely loved the previous night's dinner, and asked for it again. While she was eating, Carolyn Muir walked in, accompanied by two young children, a boy and a girl. Taylor offered a small wave when Carolyn looked her way.
"Who's that?" the girl asked.
"That's our new neighbor," Carolyn said, and she walked the children over to where Taylor was sitting. "This is Professor Taylor Clark."
"I'm Candy," the girl said, "and this is my brother, Jonathan."
"Pleasure to meet you," Taylor said.
"You sound like Captain Gregg!" Jonathan said excitedly.
"You and your imaginary ghost!" Candy said, exasperated. Taylor offered a questioning look to Carolyn.
"Children, go pick out a table, I'll be right there," she said. The kids waved to Taylor, then walked off.
"I take it Candy hasn't seen the Captain?"
"Jonathan met him the first day we moved in. He showed himself to me later that night. Every time Jonathan mentioned the Captain around Candy, though, she'd always get upset and scared. The Captain talked to her while she was sleeping, and told her not to be scared, but I think he's hesitant to show himself while she's awake, because of the reactions she had. Our housekeeper, Martha, hasn't met Captain Gregg either."
"I can understand not wanting to upset Candy. Finding out ghosts are real can be quite an experience."
"The Captain said you can see him without him willing it?"
"All wizards can. The school I teach at, which I attended as well, has literally dozens of ghosts, including a fellow professor. Even hearing about ghosts growing up doesn't prepare you for seeing one around every corner."
"Mom! C'mon! We're hungry!" Candy called out.
"My children call," Carolyn said sardonically.
"I won't keep you," Taylor said. "I'm sure we'll see each other around town." As Carolyn rejoined her children, Taylor wondered about their dynamic. Apparently, they were perfectly okay living in a haunted house, something Taylor had not found very common among Muggles. At least, not Muggles that were not a little hacked off.
As Taylor was leaving Norrie's, she saw Claymore speaking with a man just outside his office. Unable to help herself, Taylor overheard some of their conversation. The man introduced himself as Paul Wilkie, and said he was studying New England architecture. He was particularly interested in one of Claymore's properties: Gull Cottage. At first, Claymore balked at the idea of taking Mr. Wilkie anywhere near Gull Cottage, but then Wilkie offered to pay Claymore, and Taylor did not need to hear Claymore's agreement. She could only imagine Captain Gregg's reaction.
The next night, Taylor set about her now usual nighttime walk. She wore one of the special cloaks designed by the Weasley twins, it contained both a Shield Charm, and an Invisibility Spell. The only Invisibility Cloak with stronger power was Harry Potter's.
As she walked by Gull Cottage, she heard a twig snap. Drawing her wand, Taylor carefully stepped over the rock wall into the yard. Hearing another sound, her attention was drawn to the other side of the house. A man was climbing up it, using a trellis as a ladder of sorts in order to access the balcony. Once he was on the balcony, he turned just enough so Taylor could see his face. It was Paul Wilkie, the man who paid Claymore to see Gull Cottage. Truly wondering who this Wilkie man was, and pondering if he might be the Dark Wizard she was after, Taylor then watched as he opened the balcony door, and walked right into Mrs. Muir's bedroom! Taylor saw that Mrs. Muir's car was gone, but had no idea who if anyone was still at home, other than Captain Gregg. Throwing caution to the wind at that point, Taylor quickly apparated up to the balcony.
Just as she was about to open the balcony door herself, Taylor heard moaning. Not painful moaning, but stereotypical ghost moaning. She could see Wilkie standing next to Mrs. Muir's desk. Suddenly, the pencil cup floated up into the air. When Wilkie withdrew a flashlight from his back pocket, rather than a wand, Taylor was confident he was not the Dark Wizard. She smirked, imagining what Captain Gregg had in store for this sneak.
To be on the safe side, Taylor decided to hang around Gull Cottage for awhile. She heard some noises from the kitchen, then a loud thud in the foyer. She had a feeling that was the Captain dealing with Mr. Wilkie. Not too long after, Mrs. Muir's car pulled up, and everybody piled out. Taylor heard Candy asking about a fudge sundae, and Martha telling her it would cause her to have bad dreams. As soon as they opened the door, and walked in, they discovered Mr. Wilkie, apparently unconcious on the floor. He came to, and Jonathan suggested Captain Gregg dealt with him. Wilkie agreed, and Mrs. Muir quickly tried to dissuade him, saying he must be delirious. All this was sprinkled with continued accusations from Martha that Wilkie was a theif and a crook. Finally, Wilkie objected. He insisted he had an explanation, and Carolyn asked about his condition.
"Mrs. Muir," Wilkie said, "I've been pummeled, punched, pinched and pelted! Isn't it wonderful!" He sounded absolutely ecstatic, Taylor could not believe it. She was prevented from overhearing any more, because Martha finally closed the front door.
About ten minutes later, Wilkie finally emerged from Gull Cottage. He was seemingly covered in tomato, egg, and flour, like an odd ingredient in a recipe. However, his face looked smug, and triumphant, a look that did not sit will with Taylor. She wondered what he was up to.
The following night, Taylor got her answer. As she was taking her walk, she saw a car drive up to Gull Cottage. Three men, one of which being Mr. Wilkie, got out. Wilkie led them to the door, almost as if he owned the place. There was an air about him that grated Taylor's nerves, so she quietly followed, and slipped inside. What she heard next astonished her.
Paul Wilkie was some sort of ghost hunter, and the other two men were colleagues from a university that he was trying to convince of the existence of ghosts. Taylor rolled her eyes. Muggles like this Wilkie fellow were tiring and annoying. Their way of going about proving ghosts were real more often than not caused people to even more staunchly believe the opposite.
"I'll bet Carolyn won't mind if I use a Memory Charm on this imbecile," Taylor muttered. However, before she could do anything, she heard Captain Gregg's voice behind her.
"Professor? Are you aboard my ship again?" Glancing toward the sitting room door, Taylor flicked her wand at it.
"Muffliato," she muttered. "Captain, would you mind showing yourself? I'd take my cloak off, but then they'd all see me."
"Why are you here?" the Captain asked again, materializing next to her.
"I've been watching that Wilkie guy," Taylor explained. "I thought at first he was the Dark Wizard, but even after I realized he wasn't, I didn't exactly trust him. I couldn't help but follow him in here when he brought along two more."
"I take it you heard who he really is, and why he's here?" Captain Gregg asked.
"Yes. Buffoon!" The Captain chuckled.
"Well, Mrs. Muir has come up with a plan to deal with him. I am trusting her with this. I daresay you might like to stay and watch? You mustn't do anything, though! Mrs. Muir has made me promise to keep all things supernatural to a minimum."
"Of course," Taylor said. "Last thing we want to do is validate him. You're right, though, I will love to watch…"
"Well, then I suggest you keep your magic cloak on, remain unseen, and enjoy the show!"
Taylor carefully stepped into the sitting room, just as Carolyn was asking about pictures Wilkie took the day before. Wilkie did not look too pleased, and said he did not bring them. One of the other men said he did, and he handed them to Carolyn. Taylor could see that they were all blank, nothing had developed. Wilkie insisted there was a good explanation for the pictures not coming out, and Captain Gregg materialized on the window seat behind where Carolyn and the third man were seated. He offered up a wave as Carolyn covertly glanced back. Only Taylor and Carolyn were able to see the Captain.
Wilkie went on to attempt several other proofs of a supernatural presence at Gull Cottage. First, he insisted the rug he was standing on would rise up. Then, he insisted he could feel Captain Gregg's presence, oddly enough accurately pointing to the window seat. However, with everyone's attention drawn to the window seat, the Captain remateralized behind Wilkie, and yanked the rug, causing Wilkie to fall. No one having witnessed it, of course, they seemingly believed Wilkie threw himself to the floor. In desperation, Wilkie insisted that if they pooled their concentration, they could "force" the ghost to make a manifestation. Taylor had the most difficulty not laughing at that. Carolyn gestured for the Captain to stop, while everyone else had their eyes closed, "concentrating." Captain Gregg caused a vase on the mantle to hover for a few seconds, but quickly set it back down as soon as Wilkie tried alerting the others. Taylor had to use another Muffliato Charm, because there was no way she could stop herself from laughing at what Wilkie did next.
"Captain Gregg," he said, staring intently at the vase, "I command you to make this vase rise!" The idea of Wilkie attempting to command the Captain to do anything caused Taylor to double over in laughter. She was worried the cloak would slip, and reveal her presence.
After some back and forth with the colleagues, who were beginning to believe this was just another wild goose chase, Wilkie plead with Carolyn to try, claiming she might have some sort of influence over the Captain. Secretly, Taylor believed Carolyn did, but not in the manner Wilkie meant. Wilkie begged, and Carolyn finally agreed. She stood up, straightened her clothes, and launched into the most hilarious act as yet.
"Captain Gregg… Speak to us… Captain Gregg… Speak… to… us…!" she called out, sounding like some charlatan medium. "Are you there, Captain Gregg?" The Captain, still standing behind Wilkie, invisible to all but Carolyn and Taylor, slowly shook his head back and forth. "Captain Gregg, are you there?" He shook his head again, and dematerialized.
Suddenly, they heard typing coming from the alcove. Excited, Wilkie darted over to the typewriter, insistent it was Captain Gregg communicating. He pulled the paper from the machine, and read it.
"See Spot run. Run spot run." In the midst of proclaiming it was definitely Captain Gregg, no one else could have written it, one of the men discovered Jonathan hiding behind the curtain. Jonathan admitted to typing the message, but Wilkie tried covering by saying Jonathan was a medium. When that failed, Wilkie noticed the chandelier swaying in the foyer. He rushed over to it, proclaiming it to be a manifestation. However, the other colleague reached up, and found a thin wire attached to the chandelier. Following it, he found it led to Martha, who was standing just behind the kitchen door, string in hand.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Pulling a string," Martha replied. Both men turned on Wilkie, believing he was behind the hoax. While Wilkie stammered his innocence, moaning emanated from the staircase. Similar to the moaning Taylor heard the night before, but it was not Captain Gregg's voice.
A figure, covered in a white sheet, came down the stairs toward them.
"It's Captain Gregg!" Wilkie exclaimed. As one of the colleagues stepped toward it, Wilkie cautioned it might be hostile.
"It might also be a little girl," the man said, lifting the sheet to reveal Candy, holding a broom to push the sheet up higher. Candy asked if she was scary, and the man nodded, smiling. Wilkie rounded on Carolyn, demanding an explanation. Carolyn obliged, exposing all of Wilkie's misdeeds. Lying about who he was to gain entrance to the house to begin with, sneaking back in at night while no one was home, and apparently he had blackmailed Carolyn into agreeing to this gathering tonight. Carolyn admitted to setting up a little "entertainment," at which time Martha gathered the two children for a "curtain call," before taking them upstairs to bed.
Wilkie could do nothing but admit that everything Carolyn said about him was true. He insisted that he had a very good reason, which he would apparently be presenting in the one man's office, which Wilkie did not look at all happy about. Apologies were offered to Carolyn, along with an assurance that Wilkie would not be bothering her again. However, the colleague who had discovered Jonathan did have one parting question for Carolyn.
"Just for the record, did you ever see a ghost around here?" Carolyn glanced momentarily at Captain Gregg, who was standing just a few feet away, then shook her head.
"No, I've never seen a ghost around here," she said.
"That's what I figured," the man said, and he walked out.
"Just one more question," the other man said, "do you believe in ghosts?"
"Why Professor," Carolyn said with a laugh, "do I look like the kind of woman who would believe in ghosts?" The man chuckled back, said good night, and walked out. Captain Gregg closed the door behind them.
"I should let you know, Madam, we've had a guest spectator," he said.
"Who?"
"That was one of the most entertaining things I've ever seen," Taylor said, revealing herself. She quickly explained how she came to be there. "You will have to let me know if you have to stage an encore. I'd offer help, but you don't seem to need any!"
"Would you like to stay for some tea, or coffee?" Carolyn offered.
"Thank you, but I really do need to get back to my work," Taylor said. "Perhaps some other time?"
"You're welcome anytime," Carolyn assured her. With polite thanks, Taylor bid them good night, put her cloak back on, and resumed her walk around the area.
The events at Gull Cottage had provided a nice distraction, and some much-needed humor. However, there still remained a Dark Wizard at large, somewhere in the vicinity, and no matter how many times Taylor detected his work, she was still no closer to pinpointing his exact location.