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Aug 27, 2016

Breathing Spell: Chapter 1 (Draft)

This is the first draft of Chapter 1 of Breathing Spell. It’s a Miraculous Ladybug/Harry Potter crossover and a sequel to Street Magic. There’s a number of things I will tweak later on, but I’ll just wait until the entire fic is written before I talk revision. :P

Ladybug and Chat Noir are still dealing with the repercussions of their reveal. As Marinette and Adrien their friendship grows stronger. When an akuma leads them into the heart of wizarding London they find themselves thrown under the scrutiny of the Ministry of Magic. Tracking down the akuma becomes harder with Aurors breathing down their necks. Luckily one Harry Potter has decided to lend them a hand.

Chapter 1

It had been a month.

Marinette had been counting the days as they ticked by, and they seemed too many and too few at the same time. There were moments when she blinked and there it was, real and tangible. It made her stomach knot up. Words to Tikki, to him, to herself, would catch in her throat whenever she tried to address it. The days stood out in sharp relief against all others, making it hard to believe a before had ever existed.

Other times she went a whole day without thinking about it. Those were the days that passed in a blur of familiar routines. School. Home. Patrol. Marinette would go through the movements and managed to appear that she was entirely okay with the situation. No, she had just forgotten about it. Then her breath would hitch and her heart would pound against her chest. Usually it was when he looked her way that Marinette remembered all at once.

Someone nudged her in the ribs. Marinette startled back into reality, noise flooding back in a haze of cheers and groans. Blurs solidified into the backs of students sihoulluted against lit screens. They leaned at the edge of their chairs, stood and pumped their fists with every shout of encouragement, and reminded Marinette that she was here to have a good time, not to sit stoically in a chair.

Forcing herself away from her thoughts Marinette reeled herself back to the gaming event. It was nothing like the preparations for the gaming tournament the year before. Instead of one giant screen at the center students had brought their own, modest televisions to set on the tables scattered around the library. Wires coiled around table legs and over thighs, at least five different game systems nestled away from students’ feet.

Marinetted was settled near the back, her own game system nestled beside a flat screen that wasn’t hers. A look at the soft drink he had left behind twisted her stomach into an anxious knot.

Alya shook her again. When she decided to leave Nino and settle next to her Marinette couldn’t even begin to guess. She let herself be turned around by two firm hands on her shoulders. Alya’s furrowed brow cemented her into the now. “Girl, you’re zoning out again.”

Marinette rubbed her face with a hand, trying to do away with the thoughtful frown that was becoming part of her daily expression. It made her look angry, disappointed, when in reality she was none of those things. She set her eyes on the TV again, the screen black and the controllers abandoned. “Sorry, just thinking.”

Alya leaned back in her chair and gave her best friend a calculating pursing of her lips. Her phone was on her lap instead of in front of her face, which meant Marinette was going to be the center of attention for quite a while. “You’ve been thinking a lot lately,” she commented, not unkindly, simply observant. Alya leaned in, lowered her voice, and raised her eyebrows. “Is it because you’ve been hanging out with Adrien more?”

Yes. No. The whole thing was about Adrien, but at the same time it wasn’t. Marinette felt the corners of her lips turn down again. She shook her head and grabbed one of the controllers to fidget with something that wasn’t the hem of her shirt. “Kind of?” she said, eyes tracing familiar combos on the controller. “Trying to get to know him is just… different than what I expected.”

A pause that told of how just how complicated things seemed to be. Alya nodded to herself, lips still set in that journalist frown, but leaned back to give Marinette the space she obviously needed. “It’s a big step, girl. I don’t know what you did to take the step,” another probing look that made Marinette more aware of how her life had turned upside down, “but you took it. Now you gotta take baby steps. Getting to know Adrien isn’t going to happen overnight. Give yourself time.”

A month was a lot of time, and what progress had she done? It was laughable. Still Marinette nodded. “Right.”

“Cheer up, okay? Slow and steady, girl. It’s not like he’s said something about hating you.” She narrowed her eyes and hunched her shoulders protectively around her friend. “He hasn’t, right?”

“Oh no, he hasn’t. Not at all.” Marinette smiled at her own private thoughts. Hate was not in Adrien’s vocabulary. “We’re getting along fine.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about.” Alya looked over shoulder and stood up. Adrien was coming; Marinette could tell by the sly grin.

Alya left with a parting pat to her knee, and Marinette had a minute to compose herself before Adrien took back his seat. He sat down and fixed her with his usual kind smile. It was plastered all over her walls and stood out in her daydreams whenever she closed her eyes.

Then he leaned back with the casualness of Chat Noir, one arm resting on the back of the chair while his legs stretched until they rested on the heels of his shoes. The shift was still shocking after a month of knowing who he was. Two worlds blurred until Marinette looked up into his normal, human eyes.

His smile grew into a grin. “Ready for another around?”

Marinette gripped the controller a bit tighter and turned back to the flatscreen. Fingers tested the shoulder buttons, tongue running along the inside of her cheek. She had to get back into the zone. When she turned over her shoulder her smile was that of Ladybug: confident, playful. “Are you sure you can keep up this time?”

Adrien blinked before taking his own controller, turning on the system with a push of the start button. He crossed his feet at the ankles and rolled his shoulders back as though he was facing an akuma and not a video game. With Ladybug’s grin still planted on her lips the action was normal, expected. She found herself relaxing in her chair.

“Are you going to go easy on me?” he asked once they landed on the character selection screen.

Marinette chuckled as she selected her main fighter. “In your dreams. Learn to get good.”

Adrien slapped a hand to his chest and slacked against the back of his chair. “You wound me,” he moaned but still selected his fighter.

The fight began, and they both immersed themselves in button mashing . Marinette found herself leaning forward, her forearms resting on her knees, elbows pointed out for the best spread of balance. Adrien leaned back to view the entire screen.

He fought well. When she launched her fighter forward Adrien was able to defend with a flick of his shield. But then Marinette could catch with with a combo that racked up his damage into the red. If only he would have strafed instead of using up his shield he could have avoided it all.

Marinette said just that, and Adrien gave an exaggerated sigh. “You said that last time,” he said when his fighter managed to roll away a safe distance. “You would think I would listen.”

To prove her point Marinette knocked him away with a charged up slash that left him clinging to the edge of the stage. “You need to listen to me better, kitty.”

The nickname rolled off her tongue before she could stop it. Marinette felt her fingers freeze, then her lips parted in a silent ‘oh’. Ladybug’s confidence trickled away, leaving her with a grimace.

Adrien took the opportunity to deal a couple of hits. Marinette struggled to get back on her feet, but Adrien had found a good rhythm that consisted of grabbing her, throwing her forward, and delivering a kick that would knock her to the ground. Marinette tried to recover, yet by the time her mind settled on a move she was flying off the stage.

A triumphant whoop, and Adrien straightened to glance at her. “Did I listen now?”

Marinette bit her lip. His gaze bore into her shoulder. “Yeah, that was good.”

Her character respawned, so she focused on the screen. Adrien’s character finished his taunting but stood still. She still attacked, needing the distraction from real life. Adrien responded in kind, but his chair creaked when he leaned closer to her. “Marinette, you okay?”

This time Marinette’s laugh was strained. A blush was already creeping up her cheeks. “Of course, why wouldn’t I? What’s one life of my three when you’re already on your last one? I mean, yeah, you’re good, so you could make a comeback or…”

Her rambling trailed off. Marinette refused to look at him because she knew what she would see. Perfectly combed blond hair. A white overshirt rolled up to the elbows. One very confused, mask less face. This wasn’t Chat Noir she was playing video games with, this was Adrien Agreste, and knowing she called Adrien ‘kitty’ immediately put today as one of the days where words died in her mouth.

Eventually Marinette found a rhythm to her attacks again. The slip was pushed to the back of her mind, and the realization that Adrien Agreste, whose feet began to tangle in hers whenever he shifted in his chair, was the one beside her began to wane. Playing video games was normal enough to detract from the abnormality of the situation.

For his part Adrien’s attention was back to the battle. When Marinette beat him yet again, however, he faced her with a concerned frown. She shrugged and started another game. Her cursor lingered on the screen longer than normal, undecided.

“I don’t mind if you call me that,” he said at length. Adrien picked a new fighter, but his thumb hesitated, not ready to confirm. His gentle smile was Adrien’s again. “You do it all the time, right?”

Ladybug’s confidence was still simmering beyond reach. Marinette sighed and met his eyes. His smile wavered. “I do, just not here.” She gestured to the library, the students, but her eyes eventually focused on their civilian clothes.

“We’re getting better, though. Hanging out, that is.” It was Adrien’s turn to play with the controller. Eventually he selected his fighter and started the stage select.

Despite the way his fingers played with the dpad of the controller his composure was still relaxed, and Marinette envied him for that. She was hyperaware of everything, especially the way her feet still knocked with Adrien’s whenever she shifted. Her mind was split between scooting back or letting them be. When the fight began and her attention was pulled onto the screen Marinette settled for letting them be. How many times had Ladybug and Chat Noir relaxed on the top of the Eiffel Tower, feet entangled, shoulders touching, guard down?

The fight drew people to them. They circled them with a cautious air, not quite believing the two players. Marinette felt the gazes flit from her to Adrien and knew that they made an odd sight. Best friends they were not, at least not outside the mask. Marinette pushed through the chatter around them to deliver another rapid fire combo that had Adrien scrambling for higher platforms.

Nino pulled up next to Adrien. “Damn, man, is Marinette taking it easy on you or did you get better?”

“She refused to take it easy,” he replied with a distracted glance over his shoulder.

Adrien leaned in closer, elbows on his knees, bangs falling over his eyes. Nino’s stare trailed from the fight to his friend. He tried to keep his voice low, but Marinette was too close to Adrien. “A bit chummy there with Marinette, aren’t you? Where do your feet begin and hers start?”

Like a cat Adrien started back. He pulled his feet to the legs of his chair, throwing Marinette’s balance. She fumbled with her controller until she yanked the controller before it hit the floor.

Adrien whirled around to face Nino. When Marinette straightened she saw the back of Adrien’s neck turning a faint pink. “What the Hell, Nino?” His words came out through gritted teeth.

Nino backed up. “I, uh—“

A strangled yelp ripped through the crowd. Alya came barreling to the front, her phone out and thumb poised on one particular post. When she climbed on a chair and looked over them everybody stilled. “Guys, there’s been an akuma sighting near Fayette Street. If anybody happens to live near there please be cautious going home. ”

Marinette stiffened. Adrien straightened in his seat and exchanged a glance. A year of traversing Paris brought up her mental routes from the school to the akuma. Around them some students rushed to pick up their things, and Marinette took the opportunity to jump to her feet with a feigned cry of alarm.

“Oh no,” she said loud enough to reach the ears of Alya, “my dad was out for delivery near there. I need to go check with Mom if he managed to get back.”

She turned on her heel but not before giving Adrien a meaningful arch of her brows: wait at least five minutes before vanishing, they said. The silent signal was the only thing they managed to perfect in their one month of bumbling around as civilians. Adrien gave a barely perceptible nod.

Marinette left the library, one hand on the clasps of her purse. Her steps propelled her through empty hallways. As nasty as akumas were Marinette at least knew how to deal with them. They were routine, normal.

The last of the library commotion faded when she rounded a corner.

Chat Noir joined her on the roof of a nearby building. Steel-toed boots padded to her side, and a mop of blond hair fell at her peripheral.

Ladybug spared him a glance before she reread the latest Ladyblog post: an update provided by a civilian. “The akuma moved further north. We can still follow Fayette and see where that leads us.”

Chat unhooked his weapon from the strap on his back. He leaned in closer as he pulled up a map on his baton and compared it to the one the Ladyblog provided. The tip of a leather ear brushed her cheek, but the closeness was familiar. Ladybug found herself leaning in until their sides touched.

His mask crinkled in concern. “It says people are disappearing whenever she attacks.”

“But we don’t know more than that.” Ladybug bumped his shoulder, closing her communicator. “Come on, let’s get going.”

A two finger salute garnered a smile from her. “Right on, My Lady.” His baton transformed into a staff, and with a running start he launched himself two buildings over.

Ladybug followed him with a throw of her yo-yo. A tug against the statue a block away and she threw herself forward. Her feet left the ground , the wind whipped through her bangs, and her body instinctively leaned in to guide her through the swing. When feet touched gravel she went through the motions again, keeping Chat in her sights.

He moved with lithe movements that stretched the leather of his suit. Clawed hands effortless adjusted their grips to the staff. Gone was the awkward stiffness that had startled them both out of their game. Just like her, he was in his element. It was comforting to know that she wasn’t the only one who felt more comfortable with a mask.

Ladybug’s smile faltered. A month later and this was the progress they had made?

Fayette Street yawned below them. Chat Noir and Ladybug landed on the edge of a roof. Street lamps laid on crushed cars and continued to pull on straining wires bursting from the sidewalk. Ladybug crept closer and saw the glittering glass littering the street. Both heroes crept up the row of buildings, following the trail of destruction. Ladybug gripped her yo-yo while Chat brought his staff close to him.

Up ahead flashes of light lit up the the faces of buildings. Screams filtered through the crashes of collapsing walls and exploding windows. Ladybug leaped onto the a lamppost as civilians streamed away from a rising cloud of dust. She continued through her stepping stone of lampposts while Chat followed on the roofs.

“I can’t see a thing,” Chat complained. He held his staff out, shoulders squared.

Ladybug joined him again to try and gain a better vantage point. The dust cloud settled over the area in an unnatural, thick blanket that blinded them to everything down below. There was a strange power rising to meet them, a thrum that raised the hairs at the nape of her neck.

She set her yo-yo twirling at her side until a glowing wheel of red was at her disposal. Maybe it would be enough to—

The dust bowl burst to hurtle a ray of light. Ladybug raised her arm and deflected the shot with her spinning yo-yo. A sharp twinge hit her fingers and traveled up her arm. Ladybug stepped back while Chat leaned over the roof, irritated tail slapping the back of his legs.

A figure rose up to greet them. Upon seeing them her smirk stretched her blood-red lips to show teeth. Fingers traced the contour of her tightly-fitted, violet robes until they drummed on her hip. “My my, it took you guys long enough to show up.”

English with a distinct British accent. Ladybug narrowed her eyes. “We don’t like to rush into things,” she snapped back in English. She spread her legs until her stance felt balanced.

The akuma narrowed her eyes. A finger ran along a strand of pearls that draped from her neck. Two other necklaces clacked against each other. “You kept me, Sorceress, waiting,” she turned her nose up at them, and the movement made her updo bob on the top of her head, “and that’s improper. I came all this way for you.”

“We’re flattered.” Chat came up with calculated steps. His gaze swept her, from her black, elbow-length gloves to the billowing train of her robes, until it zeroed in on the arm she was keeping behind her back.

Ladybug acted first and thrust her yo-yo. Sorceress was yanked forward. An ugly sneer twisted her beautiful face. Chat swung his staff, but Sorceress flew back with a kick off the roof. She brought her hand from her behind her back and yelled, “Flipendo!”

A boom like a clap of thunder cracked into existence. Chat was thrown back and hit the floor with a strangled yell.

“Chat!”

Sorceress chuckled, the akuma’s power twisting it into a cackle. Ladybug whirled around, but Sorceress merely floated back into the street. A groan made Ladybug turn back and rush to her partner’s side. He was hunched over, cat ears pinned back and shoulders hunched protectively around him.

“Chat, are you okay?” Chat rolled to his knees. Ladybug handed him his baton, but he continued to clutch the front of his suit. His breathing came in short rasps. “Chat?”

With a mumble Chat took back his baton and straightened to face her with blown pupils. One hand still laid over his heart. “That was… magic. Wand magic.”

Ladybug felt the bottom of her stomach drop. Memories of a year-old battle surfaced and prompted her to rewind the attack. The spell replayed back, harsh and commanding. Akumas didn’t announce their attacks but wizards did. Wizards did that and more.

Chat got back to his feet. One look at her and he twined a hand with hers, giving her a comforting squeeze that brought her back to the hear and now. “I’m okay. Let’s just try not to get hit.”

They launched themselves off the roof and into the clouded street. Chat dispelled the last of the dust with a twirl of his staff to reveal Sorceress shattering a shop window with a flick of a stick nestled in her grip. Light—no, magic—tore the glass apart and cracked the foundation. New screams filtered out into the street.

Sorceress leaned against the broken sill and faced Ladybug and Chat Noir. Her wand idly tapped against her thigh. Unlike the rest of her it was plain, knots smoothed into slopes that met at a point. She brought it to her chin; her thumb caressed the handle. “It’s nice to be wanted,” she said with a tilt of her head. “So glad you could join me.”

“Leave the city alone,” Ladybug said. “If it’s us you want, then fight us. Leave the civilians out of it.”

Wand tip tapped her chin in thought. “Maybe I could, if they actually deserved it.” Sorceress craned her neck to look into the shop she just assaulted. “But they don’t.”

Chat moved first. Low to the ground he came barreling at her with his staff out. Sorceress raised her wand, then Chat snapped to his feet and rammed his staff into her stomach. She stumbled back with an inhuman growl and leveled her wand to him.

Ladybug moved as Chat circled around Sorceress. Her yo-yo went flying. Sorceress yelled, “Protego!”

A familiar shield sprung around her, deflecting her yo-yo and Chat’s second jab of his staff. Power pushed Ladybug back and ran as a shiver down her spine. Sorceress kicked off the ground away from a clawed swipe from Chat.

“Give me your Miraculouses and no one has to get hurt.”

Chat slinked away from underneath her. “You witch it was that easy.”

Sorceress wrinkled her nose at the pun. Wand raised again she gave it a wave. “Accio waitress!”

Another strangled scream, but this grew louder, closer. Ladybug watched with sick fascination as woman was dragged out through the broken shop window by an invisible pull of magic. Sorceress gave a flick, and the spell catapulted the woman into the witch’s arms.

“Shhh,” Sorceress purred, one handing the woman by the chin. She made the waitress face the heroes. “Such a lovely person. Someone’s daughter. Perhaps someone’s wife?”

Ladybug gritted her teeth. Her yo-yo dug into her palm. “Let her go,” was all she could say, all she could do.

Closer but equally as helpless Chat gripped his staff.

Sorceress caressed the waitress’s cheek with the back of her hand. It elicited a sob from the woman. “I don’t I will. I doubt she deserves it.”

The waitress’s crying turned into a wail, then a scream as her body erupted into a wash of white light. Ladybug squinted. Her legs coiled to run, but logic froze her in place. As the light faded the woman’s scream cut off, leaving a heavy silence that settled heavily in Ladybug’s stomach.

“Ahh, still pretty.”

Ladybug blinked the lights from her vision. Sorceress cooed at a ring on her finger. Its gem glowed, then dimmed. Spotting Ladybug’s horrified face she flipped her hand over to give her a better view. “She’s much better this way, don’t you think?”

It wasn’t until now that Ladybug picked out the three necklaces Sorceress wore. Her eyes trailed down to her wand hand where two bracelets and a diamond ring glinted with the Paris sun. Ladybug felt cold.

Chat was the first to speak. “That’s sick.” His glare was hot enough to melt steel.

Sorceress dropped her hand and raised her wand. Even from where she stood Ladybug heard its steady thrum of power, a heartbeat that drowned out her own. “I warned you. You didn’t listen.”

His smirk was strained. “It’s a common complaint.”

“Stupefy!”

Chat rolled away from the spell. He crouched to avoid a second shot then extended his staff. Sorceress parried his attack with her wand, only to be batted away when Chat swung the staff into her side.

Ladybug ran, her yo-yo spinning for all it was worth. Sorceress turned her eyes on her. The point of her wand wavered as Ladybug turned her weapon to and fro, her entire body covered. Behind her terrified patrons spilled out of the ruined shop. Ladybug maneuvered herself between them and Sorceress, who watched them go with hungry eyes.

Briefly Hawkmoth’s butterfly symbol appeared over her eyes. Sorceress’s eyes clouded over. “I know,” she growled to the voice only she could hear. Her brow twitched, and her body stiffened. The butterfly glowed brighter. Sorceress stilled to listen again, then said gruffly, as though her words were pulled out one by one, “Yes, Hawkmoth. I understand.”

Ladybug exchanged a confused look with Chat. He shrugged back and warily watched as Sorceress regained complete control of her body. Butterfly vanishing her glare held them in place. “Miraculouses, now.”

Ladybug dropped one hand, two fingers pointed to the ground. She twirled her yo-yo again to draw Sorceress’s attention. “No can do. Besides, is that what you want? You’re not even from Paris.”

Sorceress grasped her wand like a lifeline, her entire arm going taut. Her jaw set stubbornly into place. “You don’t deserve to know. I know you’re kind. Taking and taking without giving anything in return.” Ladybug was faced with the tip of the wand. “But once you give me those Miraculous stones of yours then maybe there will be hope for you yet.”

Untapped power radiated off the wand. Ladybug took a step back, bending at the knees to gather the strength her transformation gave her. “I like my Miraculous just where it is, thanks.”

The wand lifted enough for her to see Chat in place behind Sorceress. Ladybug jumped onto the extended staff and sprung off to vault over Sorceress, her yo-yo shooting off. Through the flitting blurs of sky and ground she saw it wrap Sorceress’s arms against her sides. Feet touched ground, and Ladybug pulled on the string.

Sorceress came hurtling towards her. Ladybug braced her feet and pivoted to send the akuma into the deserted shop. She flew into the broken shop window and crashed inside.

Chat ran over and playfully punched Ladybug in the shoulder. “Good shot!”

“Couldn’t have done without you.” Ladybug retracted her yo-yo and began to creep closer.

Chat followed suit. “Better than our blunders earlier in the month.”

Back when their identities were still fresh in their minds. Back when the realization that Adrien was behind Chat’s mask was enough for her to falter in battle. Ladybug smiled despite herself. She bumped his shoulder. “Progress, kitty.”

The nickname sounded right this time.

Sorceress still laid somewhere in the store. Chat balanced on the sidewalk’s edge and turned, expression sober. “Do you have an idea where the akuma is? Her wand, maybe?”

Ladybug traced the spots on her yo-yo in thought, eyes on the broken window and its mismatched rows of glass teeth. “I don’t know. It gets more powerful, but it’s not transformed like the rest of her outfit.” She tugged on one of her pigtails in frustration. “God, I don’t know, but if we break it then it’s still good. That thing has to go.”

Something crackled inside the store. “Incendio!” Ladybug pulled up her yo-yo only to be pushed back by a stream of fire. Heat licked her wrists and arms. Then her nerves flared up in a crescendo of pain that crippled her to her knees. She screamed and bowed her head.

“Ladybug!”

As the roar of fire died down the sound of crunching glass broke through. Strong hands pulled her to her knees, and she blindly got to her feet. When her bangs were pushed back Ladybug opened her eyes. Chat stared back, shaking fingers hovering over her face. “My Lady…”

Ladybug fumbled with her yo-yo. The fabric over her arms stretched and rubbed the raw skin underneath. Her fingers spasmed, and her yo-yo clattered to the street. She growled and roughly picked it up. “Where is she?”

Chat stared down at her hands, worried his bottom lip, and ultimately nodded the store’s roof. Sorceress stood on the roof’s edge, her wand spilling fiery sparks that circled her in a maelstrom of embers. Hawkmoth’s butterfly mask hovered over her face, its glow brighter than ever.

“Your priorities are not mine,” she snapped aloud. The butterfly wavered, and Sorceress pushed on, the grip on her wand tightening until the embers flurried faster around her. “There are more thankless blokes out there, and you’re keeping me away.”

The butterfly wavered, its edges fading, and with a defiant shake of her head Sorceress banished it. She looked down at Ladybug and Chat Noir between the streaks of swirling fire. Her eyes roamed the broken street. “Useless.” Then she raced away further up the street.

Ladybug gave chase. Pushing through ache in her arm she let the string of her yo-yo drop. “This has gone far enough.” She arced the yo-yo above her head and cried, “Lucky Charm!”

The trickle of her Miraculous’s magic soothed the pain in her fingers. Mid run she caught the spotted object—a scarf. Ladybug wrapped it around her arm and immediately began to take stock of her surroundings with a cold calculation that dulled the noisy chaos.

Lampposts reared up every couple of steps like sentinels guarding the stretch of shops on either side. Parisians Sorceress flew across the rooftops with Chat Noir hot on her heels. She fired a spell that he batted away with a swat of his staff. He then used a chimney to bounce off and swiped at her wand, but he was flung back with an muttered spell. He flipped off the roof and onto a lamppost.

The pieces came together.

“Chat, follow her on her right! I’ll be on the left.”

Chat leaped to the next lamppost and followed on all fours. Ladybug took the roofs, unraveling the scarf as her plan took form. Sorceress raced down the length of the street. She met Ladybug’s eyes with a burning hatred that shook the parked cars below her. “Away with you! My quarrel isn’t with you anymore!”

So did she really shake off Hawkmoth’s control? Ladybug let her feet guide her along the length of the roof with a renewed sense of urgency. An unpredictable akuma was a dangerous akuma. “Then give it up!”

This time Sorceress saw Chat leap towards her. She flew back, away from his staff, only for him to slam the street with Cataclsym. Cement sprayed up and halted her in mid air. Chat bounded up the rubble with feline agility.

Ladybug took the opportunity to leap out into the street and whip out the scarf. Chat grabbed the other end, and both heroes pulled down to wrap the scarf Sorceress’s face. They slammed her into the crater Cataclsym created. A burst of power catapulted Ladybug and Chat into the air. Ladybug backflipped into a crouch at the edge of the crater and honed in on the stick that arced over head. Immediately she snatched the wand from the air and snapped it over her knee.

Nothing. The broken halves still vibrated with power, but no akuma flew up.

Sorceress clambered over the edge. She ripped away the lucky charm from her face and seethed. The jewelry she wore began to glow. Ladybug dropped the burning wand pieces with a cry. Sorceress stuck her hand out and reclaimed the newly-mended wand. Chat started for her but froze when she waved her wand with a cry of, “Wingardium Leviosa!”

The debris began to swirl above her head. Sorceress flew out of the crater and towards one of the shops, pieces of the street crashing in intervals. Ladybug and Chat went after her, rolling, flipping, and sliding to avoid direct hits to the head.

“Where is she going?” Chat yelled to her.

A shoe store. Ladybug merely shook her head and ran through the blasted-in doorway. Sorceress whirled around, a men’s leather boot in one hand, her wand ending the spell with a wave. The boot glowed a shimmering blue that lit up the shoe displays on the walls.

Sorcercess examined the boot then threw it to the side with a “not there” muttered under her breath. Eyes on Ladybug and Chat Noir she she blindly reached for another shoe: a women’s high heel with golden straps.

“Portus.” The high heel glowed with the same magic as the boot. Sorceress fixed them with a smirk then gripped the heel with both hands. Her entire body flickered then collapsed into the shoe. With a resounding pop both her and the shoe were gone.

“What in the world…?” Chat let the butt of his staff hit the floor with a crack that echoed in the deserted store.

Ladybug felt a numbness that spread to her toes, making her shift her weight. “She’s gone.”

Chat padded to the discarded men’s boot. “Do you think this would take us to her? It looked she used the same spell.” He rolled the boot over with his staff, his leather tail whipping nervously behind him.

There were so many reason why touching an enchanted boot was a bad idea. A quick recollection of the day they met a certain Harry Potter provided most of them. “I think it would just be better to cast Miraculous Ladybug and, I don’t know, look around Paris?”

Chat crouched down to give the boot a thorough once-through before flicking his eyes back at her. “What if the boot disappears? Somehow I don’t think she’s still in Paris.” His gaze dropped to the boot, cat ears lowering in thought. “I could go after her while you repair the city.”

Ladybug inched towards him and planted a comforting hand on his shoulder. There was no way in Hell she was going to lose Chat to a witch’s spell. Remembering the soul-crushing horror of finding him as a cat in an alley her nails dug into his suit. “No way, Chat. If we’re doing this we’re doing it together.”

His smile was as bright as any other Sorceress had wielded. “Okay, I think we need to touch this at the same time. The other shoe disappeared with hers, so this one will probably do the same thing.”

He offered his hand, and Ladybug slid hers from his shoulder and into his waiting palm. She raised the other towards the boot. Chat reached beside her. He took a steadying breath, saw her nod, and said, “At three. One, two, three!”

Two hands grasped the boot. An invisible hook tugged at her navel. Ladybug instinctively tried to jerk her hand away, but she was frozen by a magic that began to press on all sides. All she caught was Chat’s muffled yell as the world flipped and crashed before her eyes.

#breathing spell #writing #miracululous ladybug #harry potter #street magic

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