CARNIVAL du MYSTIQUE
A Harry Potter UNIVERSE/ Sasporilla Bucket Fan Fiction
by Darren Kelly
Chapter 12
The full moon couldn't break through the thick cloud cover above the black of the English channel and the dark night cliffs of Dover. Madame Forwinkles Home For Bewildered and Befuddled Wizard and Witches, a grand Victorian manor sat silent in the wee hours as Garrek Olivander’s eyes fluttered open around three a.m.
Something twitched at his senses. Called to him from beyond. Garrek Olivander reached for glasses, then he fumbled for his wand. Then he realized that they had taken his wand. The staff took everyone’s wand here. He was in the home.
Olivander’s fingers found his glasses and placed them before his eyes. The old wizard peered into the dark corners of the room but saw no anomalies. No one was there. Nothing moved.
Garrek Olivander slowly moved the covers aside and lowered his feet to the chilly wooden floor. He shuffled for his slippers not daring to take his eyes off the room. Something 'WAS' here, he could feel it, down to his bones.
"Garrek." A voice touched his mind giving him a start.
"Who's there?" Mr.Olivander whispered not wanting to alert the staff. Not yet.
With a slow deliberate step back Garrek Olivander bumped the night stands outer front left leg and a very rough, make shift wand fell from just under the night tables bottom. Olivander turned and grabbed the wand before it hit the floor with surprising reflexes for a man of his age. Hazel wood 12 1/2" with a pixie spine core. Make shift at best but the best he could do with out his tools.
"You can take the wand out of a wand makers hand." Garrek Olivander chuckled to himself. "But you can't keep him from making a new one!"
"Lumos!" He cast flooding the room with light. It was empty.
"Outside, old friend." The voice said.
"Knox." Olivander cast the room back into darkness as he shuffled to the window.
Garrek's old eyes scanned the inky darkness for signs of life. Two forms emerged from the bushes that swayed in the nights breeze.
"Who?" Garrek asked as a spark of recognition passed his tired old eyes. "YOU!"
"Yes old friend." Ferdinand Beauxchamps sighed. "It is me. I was hoping you no longer harbored any of the resentments of youth. In our starlight years, we can hardly afford to waste time and energy on petty grievances. Do you not agree, Garrek?"
"Yes Ferdinand, you're right." Mr.Olivander sighed. "Damn it you always were. Who is that with you?"
"This is Miss Sasporilla Bucket." Mr.Beauxchamps said.
"Miss Bucket!" Mr.Olivander perked up. "My how you've grown! Still interested in becoming a wand maker?"
"Yes sir." Sasporilla smiled.
"It is because of Miss Bucket that I learned of your predicament Garrek. I have a proposition for you old friend." Ferdinand Beauxchamps smiled devilishly. "It will involve a bit of adventure, a bit of law breaking, a bit of self sacrifice and a bit more patience on your part but it will lead to your ultimate liberation from this... geriatric gulag."
**************************************
Sasporilla Bucket held tight to the robes of Ferdinand Beauxchamps as they apparated to the new location of the Carnival du Mystique. It was still very early and the carnival was very dark. Too dark really.
"You're wondering why it is so dark Miss Bucket, yes?" Mr.Beauxchamps mused whimsically.
"Yes sir." Sasporilla said looking around. "It's almost as if the Carnival is shrouded in darkness?"
"Fifty points to Hufflepuff." Mr.Beauxchamps smiled. "You see we have indeed arrived on site but do not officially join the festival for a full day yet. So we remain under this magical 'shroud' to block us from view until we are open. This will give everyone a days rest, maintenance, and or resupply if necessary."
"I understand sir." Sassy smiled. "I may take advantage of a resupply myself."
"Good Idea." Mr.Beauxchamps agreed, "Though if I may suggest, you should take someone with you when you go into town
The streets here are not to be traveled lightly."
"I'll find someone who knows the town then." Sasporilla said. "Where are we again?"
"Dingle! This is the great port town of Dingle." Mr.Beauxchamps smiled. "All the muggles see is the small port of Dingle Ireland but I assure you it so much, much more!"
Sasporilla returned to her caravan and curled up on the couch for a quick kip around four am. She dreamed of her mum sitting on the couch, playing guitar, in their apartment over the pub in Avonshire. They sang songs as Ms.Daisy made Cocoa for them in big mugs. They tickled each other and laughed until they heard dad coming up the steps. The door burst open and a dementor burst through and grabbed her mum. Sassy reached for her wand but she was to small. To young. She didn't know any magic! She tried to scream but couldn't! She looked at her fingers, held them up at the dementor and snapped.
Sasporilla jolted awake as a powerful patronus elephant rampaged around her caravan looking for any kind of Dementor it could find, eventually dissipating into bluish white smoke. The clock on the kitchen counter said nine-thirty.
It was closer to ten by the time Sassy had straightened herself up and grabbed her things. She stumbled out the front door, still a bit sleepy and yawned.
"Didn't think you'd ever wake up." Agnes laughed sitting on Sasporilla’s front steps. "Been listening to you snore for the last half hour! Lazy girl."
"Had a late night." Sasporilla said.
"I heard." The blind fortune teller laughed. "Out all night, with strange old men, doing lord knows what."
"Guilty as charged." Sasporilla sighed placing her finger to the side of her nose. "Top secret mission. Very hush-hush."
"Gotcha." Agnes said standing up and extending her white cane.
"Were you waiting for me for something?" Sassy asked.
"Yes." Agnes said taking Sasporilla’s arm as she stepped off the caravan stairs. "I am to accompany you into town at Mr.Beauxchamps request."
"Ah yes I see." Sasporilla giggled. "The streets here are not to be traveled lightly."
"Indeed they are not!" Agnes said. "You will need my experience with the city streets and I will need your eyes. Things can... change. We are a pair made for each other today Ms.Sasporilla Bucket!"
"Then let's be off!" Sassy smiled. "It's nice we get this day before the carnival opens."
"We join this festival every year." Agnes smiled. "Everyone’s prepared for it, for the most part. It's nothing special."
"Why?" Sassy asked surprised.
"Don't get me wrong." Agnes said as they walked along. "The festival is huge! There are many fairs, carnivals and circuses from many worlds that all join together here in and out over the period of the summer! We are here for a ten day period, sometimes longer, but unlike some we are on the far outer edge of the festival. In an inconvenient corner that few come to!"
"Oh I see." Sasporilla chuckled.
"We'll still see two to three times the amount of people we usually do," Agnes smiled, "but carnivals closer in will see one hundred to a thousand times the traffic per hour. Millions of galleons a day."
"Oh my." Sasporilla gasped. "How did they get in there?"
"Politics, glad handing, favours, you name it." Agnes said. "There is a waiting list but we've been passed by before. Beauxchamps keeps a close eye on it!"
"I imagine he would." Sasporilla agreed.
"One time 'SOMEONE' circulated a 'RUMOUR' that the Carnival du Mystique had topless dancers at ten pm." Agnes smiled coyly.
"Really?" Sasporilla said surprised.
"Oh yes." Agnes laughed. "We had curious men as far as the eye could see buying butterbeer and spiderfloss, putting there kids off on rides looking for these dancers."
"What happened when none turned up?" Sassy asked.
"If there hadn't been any topless dancers," Agnes said, "there would have been a riot! So we charged one Galleon each for what we called the "TOPLESS COMEDY EVENT OF THE SUMMER"!!! Old Beauxchamps, Extravagonzo, and the late Great Greggoff all came out in boxer shorts and danced to a snake charmers flute!"
Sasporilla laughed so hard at the thought of the site of it that she thought that she just might pee herself! "Oh my god! That must have been hilarious!"
"It was." Agnes said. "I honestly wish I could have seen it with my own eyes, but I see it as you see it, with my minds eye."
As Sasporilla and Agnes passed the borders of the Carnival du Mystique the shadowy veil lifted and they stepped into the bright sunshine of the Dingle Morning. Sasporilla saw a large rusted hulking machine on the festival lot next to the carnival.
"The Marvelous Mechanical Menagerie!" Agnes smiled. "The greatest steam powered invention of the 1883 Industrial Worlds Fair. A full factory, housing and entertainment complex capable of moving anywhere across the land it's on! Quite brilliant for it's time."
"What's happened to it?" Sasporilla asked.
"Time." Agnes sighed. "Time and obsolescence."
"It's still beautiful in it's intricate castings." Sasporilla said of the rusted behemoths animal heads and flamboyant decoration. "Yet so sad and lonely."
"They always get some parts of it working for the festival." Agnes smiled. A ride, or maybe the driveable slot cars. My favourite is the steam symphony. Eighty steam automatons that play the most wonderful music."
"It sounds beautiful." Sassy smiled as they walked past.
"Everything can be beautiful." Agnes smiled. "If looked at with more than just your eyes. Which reminds me, You're going to need these!"
Agnes opened her bag and felt around for something. She pulled out a very odd looking pair of pink rimmed sun glasses with blue and pink swirled lenses & odd wings off the edges. Sassy remembered an older girl at Hogwarts, Luna Lovegood, having a pair just like them. Agnes handed them to Sasporilla.
"Just my style." Sassy laughed putting the glasses on. "How do I look?"
"Oh!" Agnes laughed. "A wise guy!!!"
"Oh Agnes, I'm sorry!" Sasporilla apologized. "I didn't mean..."
"It's ok!" Agnes laughed. "I'm happy you don't think of me as the blind one! The fact that you forget makes me happy! Believe me! Now there is a reason I've given you those Spectrespecs."
"They don't match your shoes?" Sassy chuckled.
"Actually, I think you'll find they do!" Agnes said.
Sasporilla looked down to see Agneses pink shoes with a round blue swirled buckle on one side and a round pink swirled buckle on the other. The wings on the back were a nice touch.
"I stand corrected." Sasporilla laughed.
"The Spectrespecs were intended to allow wizards to see certain invisible creatures," Agnes said, "not normally seen by the naked eye. It was discovered they were useful for showing other invisible magical anomalies. Have a look up!"
Sasporilla half heartedly looked up into the sky expecting to see a flock of invisible birds or perhaps even a pod of sky whales but what she saw made her gasp! A large wooden ship with propellers and sails flew in just above the mechanical menagerie and headed toward town.
The skies over Dingle were filled with different kinds of sky ships. From old wooded boats that were steam powered or tied to dirigibles to ultra modern, high tech craft that looked like something from a muggle science fiction film. Ships came and went through gateways which open and closed in the sky, as if by magic.
"This is amazing." Sasporilla said.
"Welcome." Agnes said. "To the dimensional port city of Dingle. Hub of many worlds."
"I never knew a place like this even existed!" Sasporilla smiled delighted and amazed as they walked quickly into town.
"I came here on a steam pirate ship called the Inappropriate Wind." Agnes said. "They had raided the orphan transport I was on. We were being shipped to a world to be used as slave labour. The pirates freed us. Some of us stayed and joined the crew. They had no use for a blind little girl so they brought me here and left me in the care of a school where I got a bit of an education."
"That's horrible and wonderful at the same time." Sasporilla said.
"Once I began to blossom I developed the abilities my mother and grand mother had had. "
"You knew your parents then?" Sasporilla asked.
"Yes." Agnes said sadly. "They were taken by an illness. A deadly fever that took many in my world. There were many of us left orphaned."
"I'm sorry." Sasporilla said.
"You are no stranger to losing those you love Sasporilla Bucket." Agnes said. "We'll speak no more of the pains we share. Come along. Let me show you the Dingle Interdimensional Market."
The colourful old buildings that lined the streets of Dingle were the heart of its muggle charm, but quietly hid the fact that they were little more than a front for something much greater. Something the Chamber of commerce of the Aligned worlds had built here a millennia ago. A grand bazaar greater than any seen on any other world.
"There are many entrances into the market." Agnes said. "However we must be careful which one we take."
"Aren't they all the same?" Sassy asked. "Like doors into a mall?"
"Yes and no." Agnes said. "We can go through that entrance trough the wool shop. It goes into the market, but into the past, seventeen or eighteen hundreds."
"I thought 'Time Travel' was frowned upon under ministry law!" Sasporilla asked.
"Oh it is!" Agnes said. "But once there you can't get back."
"What?" Sasporilla gasped.
"Time gates only go backwards." Agnes smiled. "I'd of though you'd know that?"
"Um well." Sassy blushed.
"Most who take it go accidentally and end up going off world." Agnes said. "Forced by the ministry. They usually live the rest of their lives in greater adventures or living better lives then they would have had."
Sasporilla and Agnes stopped at a large open doorway in Murphy's Bed and Breakfast and Pub.
"Are you sure this is our entrance?" Sasporilla asked.
"Smell of a breakfast fry-up, Guinness and drunk who needs to see a doctor about his blood sugar, from last night relieving himself four feet to our right. This is Murphy's B and B right?"
"Yes." Sassy chuckled. "Spot on."
"Then yes." Agnes smiled patting her friends arm. "This is our entrance. Meant for us witches and wizards to come in and out of."
Sassy looked inside into the dark garage like area stocked high with empty kegs and boxes. She slid her Spectrespecs down and saw that the door way itself had a blue glow to it, and the air befor them sparkled with a magical barrier no muggle could see.
"Right then Ms.Bucket." Agnes said. "What is the time on the clock across the street?"
Sasporilla turned, always amazed at how the blind woman saw so much more than she did. "Almost Eleven."
"When my watch chimes the second chime of Eleven," Agnes said holding up an ivory and silver amulet watch which hung around her neck. "The barrier will change to gold for four chimes and we may pass through. I won't be able to see it but I'll know by the chimes. Still sometimes the timing is off so I will need to rely on your eyes and those Spectrespecs you're wearing."
"Gotcha." Sasporilla said holding her friends arm tight. "Just a few seconds."
The second hand of Agneses watch seemed oddly limp to Sasporilla. Most watch hands were mechanical and solid but this seemed almost like a small branch weighted by gravity. Suddenly it snapped up to Eleven O'clock. A small hammer struck a tinny bell beneath the watch sounding a pleasant chime.
Sasporilla readied herself as the bell chimed twice. The doorway changed to a sparkling gold and revealed the wonders beyond. Street upon street of tents which changed daily between permanent shops. Some having stood here for hundreds of years. This was Dingle Multidimensional Market.
Sasporilla urged Agnes forward as they passed through the great gateway into the buy ways of inter world commerce.
Some shops were little more than an individual wizards boot sale. Selling old junk they've had sitting around the house for far to long. Others had booths with home crafted goods, products, foods or services. Some young witches and wizards desperately looking for that big break to get their particular uniquely new and improved vial or cauldron recognized. Then there were the others. The ones who had devoted their lives to their craft and found nothing but failure. All of the joy was gone from their eyes as they stood hollow and sun burned over their dusty stock. It was here that Sasporilla saw and realized for the first time that there was so much competition in business. She had just wanted to make wands. Was she ready to be like these older sad looking crones who now obviously hated the craft they had devoted their lives too?
Agnes bumped a table of scented sea life bath bombs and soaps, knocking some over.
"Sorry." Agnes said cringing. "My fault."
"Watch where you're going cloth eyes!" The bitter old woman grumbled straitening up her wares.
"Excuse me!?!" Sasporilla shouted.
"Just because she's blind doesn't give her the right to bash around like a bloody buffalo!" The woman snapped.
"Why you rude old ... witch." Sasporilla said.
"Don't mind her Sassy." Agnes said. "Madame have I broken anything? If so I will purchase anything I am responsible for."
"Well um.. yes." The old woman lied. "Quiet a lot of damage was done actually."
"You're out right lying now!" Sasporilla gasped. "How bloody dare you try to take advantage? "
"Take it easy Sassy." Agnes said remaining calm. "Karma has a way of coming back around. Now you were saying Madame?"
The old woman pursed and twisted her lips holding in the curse words she had for the young pink haired witch who was prepared to ruin this pay day for her.
"Never mind." The old lady sighed. "On your way."
"Apologize for the rude comment!" Sasporilla insisted as Agnes pulled her friend away.
"Pick your battles girl." Agnes hissed. "You won a big one! Don't push it! The reason I bumped the table is because the street layout has changed again. I need to find a large blue building with two towers, and gold onions on top. Do you see it?"
Sasporilla looked up and around. It was about two streets ahead but the stalls of vendors cut across their path.
"Yes I see it." Sassy said. "Looks like we'll have to walk around to get to it."
"Get me their." Agnes said. "That's my destination. "
The path through the stalls and tables was very much a maze. Street after street of stalls, booths, tables or piles of boxes filled with things for sale. They had to turn around and ask for directions more than once but eventually found their way to the large blue building with two towers and gold onions. A large golden eye was carved into the buildings blue marble. However there was no obvious door to get inside.
"This is your building." Sasporilla said. "But I think we're on the wrong side. There's no door."
"No." Agnes said. "This is the guild of Seers and Mystics. The all seeing eye above us marks it."
"How do we get in?" Sassy asked.
"I'm afraid 'WE' don't my friend." Agnes frowned sadly. "I must enter alone. I recommend you stick to this street to shop and we'll meet back in a few hours."
"You'll be ok?" Sassy asked.
"I'll be fine." Agnes said. "Will you be ok?"
"Shopping?" Sasporilla laughed. "Let the shops beware! Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Agnes said.
"This is suppose to be an interdimensional market?" Sassy said.
"Yes." Agnes agreed.
"So where is all the stuff from other worlds?" Sassy asked. "All the cool stuff I've never seen before?"
"All the things from muggle movies and comic books?" Agnes laughed. "All the strange devices or powerful items that the ministry would seize from you in a heart beat and toss you in Azkaban just for carrying in your pocket? You can purchase them, but you have to go through other gates to get them or buy them from dodgey types down dark streets."
"Oh." Sasporilla said.
"There are some shops on the main street here with ministry approved cross dimensional items for sale." Agnes said. "I do not recommend the food products however. Trust me. Our gastro systems are often quite incompatible. Anything not approved however will only get you into no end of trouble."
"I understand." Sasporilla said. "I'll try and make wise choices."
Agnes turned and walked towards the solid blue marble wall. The golden eye glowed and formed a golden framed doorway before her in the solid wall where one had not been before. Agnes stepped inside and the doorway closed behind her. Sasporilla stood alone and wondered to herself, 'Where shall I go first?'
The full moon couldn't break through the thick cloud cover above the black of the English channel and the dark night cliffs of Dover. Madame Forwinkles Home For Bewildered and Befuddled Wizard and Witches, a grand Victorian manor sat silent in the wee hours as Garrek Olivander’s eyes fluttered open around three a.m.
Something twitched at his senses. Called to him from beyond. Garrek Olivander reached for glasses, then he fumbled for his wand. Then he realized that they had taken his wand. The staff took everyone’s wand here. He was in the home.
Olivander’s fingers found his glasses and placed them before his eyes. The old wizard peered into the dark corners of the room but saw no anomalies. No one was there. Nothing moved.
Garrek Olivander slowly moved the covers aside and lowered his feet to the chilly wooden floor. He shuffled for his slippers not daring to take his eyes off the room. Something 'WAS' here, he could feel it, down to his bones.
"Garrek." A voice touched his mind giving him a start.
"Who's there?" Mr.Olivander whispered not wanting to alert the staff. Not yet.
With a slow deliberate step back Garrek Olivander bumped the night stands outer front left leg and a very rough, make shift wand fell from just under the night tables bottom. Olivander turned and grabbed the wand before it hit the floor with surprising reflexes for a man of his age. Hazel wood 12 1/2" with a pixie spine core. Make shift at best but the best he could do with out his tools.
"You can take the wand out of a wand makers hand." Garrek Olivander chuckled to himself. "But you can't keep him from making a new one!"
"Lumos!" He cast flooding the room with light. It was empty.
"Outside, old friend." The voice said.
"Knox." Olivander cast the room back into darkness as he shuffled to the window.
Garrek's old eyes scanned the inky darkness for signs of life. Two forms emerged from the bushes that swayed in the nights breeze.
"Who?" Garrek asked as a spark of recognition passed his tired old eyes. "YOU!"
"Yes old friend." Ferdinand Beauxchamps sighed. "It is me. I was hoping you no longer harbored any of the resentments of youth. In our starlight years, we can hardly afford to waste time and energy on petty grievances. Do you not agree, Garrek?"
"Yes Ferdinand, you're right." Mr.Olivander sighed. "Damn it you always were. Who is that with you?"
"This is Miss Sasporilla Bucket." Mr.Beauxchamps said.
"Miss Bucket!" Mr.Olivander perked up. "My how you've grown! Still interested in becoming a wand maker?"
"Yes sir." Sasporilla smiled.
"It is because of Miss Bucket that I learned of your predicament Garrek. I have a proposition for you old friend." Ferdinand Beauxchamps smiled devilishly. "It will involve a bit of adventure, a bit of law breaking, a bit of self sacrifice and a bit more patience on your part but it will lead to your ultimate liberation from this... geriatric gulag."
**************************************
Sasporilla Bucket held tight to the robes of Ferdinand Beauxchamps as they apparated to the new location of the Carnival du Mystique. It was still very early and the carnival was very dark. Too dark really.
"You're wondering why it is so dark Miss Bucket, yes?" Mr.Beauxchamps mused whimsically.
"Yes sir." Sasporilla said looking around. "It's almost as if the Carnival is shrouded in darkness?"
"Fifty points to Hufflepuff." Mr.Beauxchamps smiled. "You see we have indeed arrived on site but do not officially join the festival for a full day yet. So we remain under this magical 'shroud' to block us from view until we are open. This will give everyone a days rest, maintenance, and or resupply if necessary."
"I understand sir." Sassy smiled. "I may take advantage of a resupply myself."
"Good Idea." Mr.Beauxchamps agreed, "Though if I may suggest, you should take someone with you when you go into town
The streets here are not to be traveled lightly."
"I'll find someone who knows the town then." Sasporilla said. "Where are we again?"
"Dingle! This is the great port town of Dingle." Mr.Beauxchamps smiled. "All the muggles see is the small port of Dingle Ireland but I assure you it so much, much more!"
Sasporilla returned to her caravan and curled up on the couch for a quick kip around four am. She dreamed of her mum sitting on the couch, playing guitar, in their apartment over the pub in Avonshire. They sang songs as Ms.Daisy made Cocoa for them in big mugs. They tickled each other and laughed until they heard dad coming up the steps. The door burst open and a dementor burst through and grabbed her mum. Sassy reached for her wand but she was to small. To young. She didn't know any magic! She tried to scream but couldn't! She looked at her fingers, held them up at the dementor and snapped.
Sasporilla jolted awake as a powerful patronus elephant rampaged around her caravan looking for any kind of Dementor it could find, eventually dissipating into bluish white smoke. The clock on the kitchen counter said nine-thirty.
It was closer to ten by the time Sassy had straightened herself up and grabbed her things. She stumbled out the front door, still a bit sleepy and yawned.
"Didn't think you'd ever wake up." Agnes laughed sitting on Sasporilla’s front steps. "Been listening to you snore for the last half hour! Lazy girl."
"Had a late night." Sasporilla said.
"I heard." The blind fortune teller laughed. "Out all night, with strange old men, doing lord knows what."
"Guilty as charged." Sasporilla sighed placing her finger to the side of her nose. "Top secret mission. Very hush-hush."
"Gotcha." Agnes said standing up and extending her white cane.
"Were you waiting for me for something?" Sassy asked.
"Yes." Agnes said taking Sasporilla’s arm as she stepped off the caravan stairs. "I am to accompany you into town at Mr.Beauxchamps request."
"Ah yes I see." Sasporilla giggled. "The streets here are not to be traveled lightly."
"Indeed they are not!" Agnes said. "You will need my experience with the city streets and I will need your eyes. Things can... change. We are a pair made for each other today Ms.Sasporilla Bucket!"
"Then let's be off!" Sassy smiled. "It's nice we get this day before the carnival opens."
"We join this festival every year." Agnes smiled. "Everyone’s prepared for it, for the most part. It's nothing special."
"Why?" Sassy asked surprised.
"Don't get me wrong." Agnes said as they walked along. "The festival is huge! There are many fairs, carnivals and circuses from many worlds that all join together here in and out over the period of the summer! We are here for a ten day period, sometimes longer, but unlike some we are on the far outer edge of the festival. In an inconvenient corner that few come to!"
"Oh I see." Sasporilla chuckled.
"We'll still see two to three times the amount of people we usually do," Agnes smiled, "but carnivals closer in will see one hundred to a thousand times the traffic per hour. Millions of galleons a day."
"Oh my." Sasporilla gasped. "How did they get in there?"
"Politics, glad handing, favours, you name it." Agnes said. "There is a waiting list but we've been passed by before. Beauxchamps keeps a close eye on it!"
"I imagine he would." Sasporilla agreed.
"One time 'SOMEONE' circulated a 'RUMOUR' that the Carnival du Mystique had topless dancers at ten pm." Agnes smiled coyly.
"Really?" Sasporilla said surprised.
"Oh yes." Agnes laughed. "We had curious men as far as the eye could see buying butterbeer and spiderfloss, putting there kids off on rides looking for these dancers."
"What happened when none turned up?" Sassy asked.
"If there hadn't been any topless dancers," Agnes said, "there would have been a riot! So we charged one Galleon each for what we called the "TOPLESS COMEDY EVENT OF THE SUMMER"!!! Old Beauxchamps, Extravagonzo, and the late Great Greggoff all came out in boxer shorts and danced to a snake charmers flute!"
Sasporilla laughed so hard at the thought of the site of it that she thought that she just might pee herself! "Oh my god! That must have been hilarious!"
"It was." Agnes said. "I honestly wish I could have seen it with my own eyes, but I see it as you see it, with my minds eye."
As Sasporilla and Agnes passed the borders of the Carnival du Mystique the shadowy veil lifted and they stepped into the bright sunshine of the Dingle Morning. Sasporilla saw a large rusted hulking machine on the festival lot next to the carnival.
"The Marvelous Mechanical Menagerie!" Agnes smiled. "The greatest steam powered invention of the 1883 Industrial Worlds Fair. A full factory, housing and entertainment complex capable of moving anywhere across the land it's on! Quite brilliant for it's time."
"What's happened to it?" Sasporilla asked.
"Time." Agnes sighed. "Time and obsolescence."
"It's still beautiful in it's intricate castings." Sasporilla said of the rusted behemoths animal heads and flamboyant decoration. "Yet so sad and lonely."
"They always get some parts of it working for the festival." Agnes smiled. A ride, or maybe the driveable slot cars. My favourite is the steam symphony. Eighty steam automatons that play the most wonderful music."
"It sounds beautiful." Sassy smiled as they walked past.
"Everything can be beautiful." Agnes smiled. "If looked at with more than just your eyes. Which reminds me, You're going to need these!"
Agnes opened her bag and felt around for something. She pulled out a very odd looking pair of pink rimmed sun glasses with blue and pink swirled lenses & odd wings off the edges. Sassy remembered an older girl at Hogwarts, Luna Lovegood, having a pair just like them. Agnes handed them to Sasporilla.
"Just my style." Sassy laughed putting the glasses on. "How do I look?"
"Oh!" Agnes laughed. "A wise guy!!!"
"Oh Agnes, I'm sorry!" Sasporilla apologized. "I didn't mean..."
"It's ok!" Agnes laughed. "I'm happy you don't think of me as the blind one! The fact that you forget makes me happy! Believe me! Now there is a reason I've given you those Spectrespecs."
"They don't match your shoes?" Sassy chuckled.
"Actually, I think you'll find they do!" Agnes said.
Sasporilla looked down to see Agneses pink shoes with a round blue swirled buckle on one side and a round pink swirled buckle on the other. The wings on the back were a nice touch.
"I stand corrected." Sasporilla laughed.
"The Spectrespecs were intended to allow wizards to see certain invisible creatures," Agnes said, "not normally seen by the naked eye. It was discovered they were useful for showing other invisible magical anomalies. Have a look up!"
Sasporilla half heartedly looked up into the sky expecting to see a flock of invisible birds or perhaps even a pod of sky whales but what she saw made her gasp! A large wooden ship with propellers and sails flew in just above the mechanical menagerie and headed toward town.
The skies over Dingle were filled with different kinds of sky ships. From old wooded boats that were steam powered or tied to dirigibles to ultra modern, high tech craft that looked like something from a muggle science fiction film. Ships came and went through gateways which open and closed in the sky, as if by magic.
"This is amazing." Sasporilla said.
"Welcome." Agnes said. "To the dimensional port city of Dingle. Hub of many worlds."
"I never knew a place like this even existed!" Sasporilla smiled delighted and amazed as they walked quickly into town.
"I came here on a steam pirate ship called the Inappropriate Wind." Agnes said. "They had raided the orphan transport I was on. We were being shipped to a world to be used as slave labour. The pirates freed us. Some of us stayed and joined the crew. They had no use for a blind little girl so they brought me here and left me in the care of a school where I got a bit of an education."
"That's horrible and wonderful at the same time." Sasporilla said.
"Once I began to blossom I developed the abilities my mother and grand mother had had. "
"You knew your parents then?" Sasporilla asked.
"Yes." Agnes said sadly. "They were taken by an illness. A deadly fever that took many in my world. There were many of us left orphaned."
"I'm sorry." Sasporilla said.
"You are no stranger to losing those you love Sasporilla Bucket." Agnes said. "We'll speak no more of the pains we share. Come along. Let me show you the Dingle Interdimensional Market."
The colourful old buildings that lined the streets of Dingle were the heart of its muggle charm, but quietly hid the fact that they were little more than a front for something much greater. Something the Chamber of commerce of the Aligned worlds had built here a millennia ago. A grand bazaar greater than any seen on any other world.
"There are many entrances into the market." Agnes said. "However we must be careful which one we take."
"Aren't they all the same?" Sassy asked. "Like doors into a mall?"
"Yes and no." Agnes said. "We can go through that entrance trough the wool shop. It goes into the market, but into the past, seventeen or eighteen hundreds."
"I thought 'Time Travel' was frowned upon under ministry law!" Sasporilla asked.
"Oh it is!" Agnes said. "But once there you can't get back."
"What?" Sasporilla gasped.
"Time gates only go backwards." Agnes smiled. "I'd of though you'd know that?"
"Um well." Sassy blushed.
"Most who take it go accidentally and end up going off world." Agnes said. "Forced by the ministry. They usually live the rest of their lives in greater adventures or living better lives then they would have had."
Sasporilla and Agnes stopped at a large open doorway in Murphy's Bed and Breakfast and Pub.
"Are you sure this is our entrance?" Sasporilla asked.
"Smell of a breakfast fry-up, Guinness and drunk who needs to see a doctor about his blood sugar, from last night relieving himself four feet to our right. This is Murphy's B and B right?"
"Yes." Sassy chuckled. "Spot on."
"Then yes." Agnes smiled patting her friends arm. "This is our entrance. Meant for us witches and wizards to come in and out of."
Sassy looked inside into the dark garage like area stocked high with empty kegs and boxes. She slid her Spectrespecs down and saw that the door way itself had a blue glow to it, and the air befor them sparkled with a magical barrier no muggle could see.
"Right then Ms.Bucket." Agnes said. "What is the time on the clock across the street?"
Sasporilla turned, always amazed at how the blind woman saw so much more than she did. "Almost Eleven."
"When my watch chimes the second chime of Eleven," Agnes said holding up an ivory and silver amulet watch which hung around her neck. "The barrier will change to gold for four chimes and we may pass through. I won't be able to see it but I'll know by the chimes. Still sometimes the timing is off so I will need to rely on your eyes and those Spectrespecs you're wearing."
"Gotcha." Sasporilla said holding her friends arm tight. "Just a few seconds."
The second hand of Agneses watch seemed oddly limp to Sasporilla. Most watch hands were mechanical and solid but this seemed almost like a small branch weighted by gravity. Suddenly it snapped up to Eleven O'clock. A small hammer struck a tinny bell beneath the watch sounding a pleasant chime.
Sasporilla readied herself as the bell chimed twice. The doorway changed to a sparkling gold and revealed the wonders beyond. Street upon street of tents which changed daily between permanent shops. Some having stood here for hundreds of years. This was Dingle Multidimensional Market.
Sasporilla urged Agnes forward as they passed through the great gateway into the buy ways of inter world commerce.
Some shops were little more than an individual wizards boot sale. Selling old junk they've had sitting around the house for far to long. Others had booths with home crafted goods, products, foods or services. Some young witches and wizards desperately looking for that big break to get their particular uniquely new and improved vial or cauldron recognized. Then there were the others. The ones who had devoted their lives to their craft and found nothing but failure. All of the joy was gone from their eyes as they stood hollow and sun burned over their dusty stock. It was here that Sasporilla saw and realized for the first time that there was so much competition in business. She had just wanted to make wands. Was she ready to be like these older sad looking crones who now obviously hated the craft they had devoted their lives too?
Agnes bumped a table of scented sea life bath bombs and soaps, knocking some over.
"Sorry." Agnes said cringing. "My fault."
"Watch where you're going cloth eyes!" The bitter old woman grumbled straitening up her wares.
"Excuse me!?!" Sasporilla shouted.
"Just because she's blind doesn't give her the right to bash around like a bloody buffalo!" The woman snapped.
"Why you rude old ... witch." Sasporilla said.
"Don't mind her Sassy." Agnes said. "Madame have I broken anything? If so I will purchase anything I am responsible for."
"Well um.. yes." The old woman lied. "Quiet a lot of damage was done actually."
"You're out right lying now!" Sasporilla gasped. "How bloody dare you try to take advantage? "
"Take it easy Sassy." Agnes said remaining calm. "Karma has a way of coming back around. Now you were saying Madame?"
The old woman pursed and twisted her lips holding in the curse words she had for the young pink haired witch who was prepared to ruin this pay day for her.
"Never mind." The old lady sighed. "On your way."
"Apologize for the rude comment!" Sasporilla insisted as Agnes pulled her friend away.
"Pick your battles girl." Agnes hissed. "You won a big one! Don't push it! The reason I bumped the table is because the street layout has changed again. I need to find a large blue building with two towers, and gold onions on top. Do you see it?"
Sasporilla looked up and around. It was about two streets ahead but the stalls of vendors cut across their path.
"Yes I see it." Sassy said. "Looks like we'll have to walk around to get to it."
"Get me their." Agnes said. "That's my destination. "
The path through the stalls and tables was very much a maze. Street after street of stalls, booths, tables or piles of boxes filled with things for sale. They had to turn around and ask for directions more than once but eventually found their way to the large blue building with two towers and gold onions. A large golden eye was carved into the buildings blue marble. However there was no obvious door to get inside.
"This is your building." Sasporilla said. "But I think we're on the wrong side. There's no door."
"No." Agnes said. "This is the guild of Seers and Mystics. The all seeing eye above us marks it."
"How do we get in?" Sassy asked.
"I'm afraid 'WE' don't my friend." Agnes frowned sadly. "I must enter alone. I recommend you stick to this street to shop and we'll meet back in a few hours."
"You'll be ok?" Sassy asked.
"I'll be fine." Agnes said. "Will you be ok?"
"Shopping?" Sasporilla laughed. "Let the shops beware! Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Agnes said.
"This is suppose to be an interdimensional market?" Sassy said.
"Yes." Agnes agreed.
"So where is all the stuff from other worlds?" Sassy asked. "All the cool stuff I've never seen before?"
"All the things from muggle movies and comic books?" Agnes laughed. "All the strange devices or powerful items that the ministry would seize from you in a heart beat and toss you in Azkaban just for carrying in your pocket? You can purchase them, but you have to go through other gates to get them or buy them from dodgey types down dark streets."
"Oh." Sasporilla said.
"There are some shops on the main street here with ministry approved cross dimensional items for sale." Agnes said. "I do not recommend the food products however. Trust me. Our gastro systems are often quite incompatible. Anything not approved however will only get you into no end of trouble."
"I understand." Sasporilla said. "I'll try and make wise choices."
Agnes turned and walked towards the solid blue marble wall. The golden eye glowed and formed a golden framed doorway before her in the solid wall where one had not been before. Agnes stepped inside and the doorway closed behind her. Sasporilla stood alone and wondered to herself, 'Where shall I go first?'
PLEASE REMEMBER
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, donate to J.K.Rowling's charitable foundation LUMOS! Link below! ( https://www.wearelumos.org/ )
I am in no way affiliated with Warner Bros. or with J.K.Rowling. My work is purely that of fan fiction & do not ask for, nor accept money, gifts or other compensation for my work. If you really feel you must do something, donate to J.K.Rowling's charitable foundation LUMOS! Link below! ( https://www.wearelumos.org/ )