Prizes

Dave looked up as a drone approached and a van pulled up. "Oh yeah. I suppose it's that time isn't it?"

Hilda blinked as the others quickly hurried to join them eager to greet whoever it was. "Is that...?"

Dave nodded. "RealDreams prize people are here for our 15 seconds of fame. Everyone be on your best behavior. Strange that there's only the one pod though."

The people from RealDreams were quick and professional. They weren't 'grand prize' winners or anything but they got their video and pictures of shaking hands in Congratulations as well as presenting them a little award and a bottle of congratulatory champagne and flowers. Then came the moment they wanted. The "unboxing" of the two Characters.

The drone came forward and after a quick verfication scan it opened up. Inside was a pretty young blonde woman. She had fine features and a lithe but curvy body. She was clothed wearing a familiar looking type of schoolgirl uniform. Dark skirt, sweater and kneesocks and a black robe. All with green trim and grey or silver accents and a silver and green necktie. A stylized serpent crest completed the look. She was also holding a small polished wooden box.

Dave didn't recognize the girl but he knew the uniform well. A Slytherin. "Oh boy. That could be trouble." He muttered but kept smiling for the cameras. He touched the collar around her neck and took the box.

(("Daphne Greengrass. Registered. Collar detected and enabled... Lady Fingers. Registered. Collar Detected and enabled. All safeties engaged."))

Tink let a whoop of delight and spun in circles happily. Dave grinned too looking at the box. They might not be "Big Prize" winners... but it sure felt like it! "Ok one will possibly be trouble but interesting and the other will be quite handy!" Everyone else had no clue.

Harley shrugged. "Pretty sure we don't know this Greengrass so that'll be interesting, I guess. Where's the other Character and why's Tinky so excited?"

The RealDreams folks hadn't expected that reaction to such 'minor' characters but they were happy to film the joy. The girl was starting to stir. He held out the box level. "The other ones about to wake up so let's make this quick. Would you like to do the honors Tink?"

"Yes!" Tink shouted happily and zipped over doing a barrel roll and a loop the loop in delight! She hovered next to the box and seeing Dave nod while grinning she reached out and knocked on the top. Once. Twice. Three times. Slowly the box opened up and a very lovely and feminine hand apeared and gave a little wave. She wore a little bracelet.

"Hello Lady Fingers!" Tink said followed by Dave saying, "Welcome home, Lady Fingers!"

Lady Fingers gave a happy little wrist flip.

Harley recognized her now and started to laugh. "Hey now! She is gonna be quite handy indeed!"

Lady Fingers gave her a thumbs-up.

"Oh my," Melfina said as the others caught on followed by Hilda saying in surprise,"J-Just a hand?!"

Dorothy tilted her head. "I see. May I inquire what is this one's purpose?"

Dave gave his best Gomez Addams grin. "Why Lady Fingers here is a handmaid of course!"

Dorothy blinked but then nodded. "Understood. She is a handmaid and therefore a part of the maid staff. Welcome Lady Fingers. I look forward to working with you."

Hilda and Melfina looked at each other and nodded. It was surprising but judging by the others pleased reactions she was nothing to fear. "Yes, we look forward to working with you." They said.

Lady Fingers gave the "ok" sign and Dave passed the box to Harley who then passed it to Dorothy. Harley went to get Daphne's things out of the pod. A wand, a spare outfit and pajamas. They'd have to purchase everything else of hers.

The RealDreams folks ate it up. It was going far better than they thought. "And perfect!" Said the camera guy. "Honestly wouldn't be at all surprised if we start rolling that bit of footage around Halloween time!" They were glad they got the bit. They knew the Slytherins introduction would likely be something else entirely. Speaking of...

"Hmm," Daphne Greengrass raised a hand to her face to stifle a yawn and stretched. Dave took her hand and quickly helped her out of the pod before she could make a scene. Tink double checked that they had everything before closing up the pod and sending it on it's way.

"Welcome, Daphne," Dave said smiling for the camera.

She blinked then started looking around. "This isn't Hogwarts or the Station... where are we?" Her suspicions were rising. "What is this place? How did I get here and who the blazes are you and why are you holding my hand? You're not old enough to be a teacher! I demand answers immediately, sir!"

Dave smiled and nodded. "That's right. You were taken. Likely from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in your final year. This isn't the Wizarding world let alone the world you're from. I am David Stark and as of this moment you are my property Daphne Greengrass and I am your owner."

Daphne's reaction was stunned, followed by a quick burst of laughter and "Accio wand!"

Of course nothing happened. Her powers had been placed on lockdown by Pepper.

"Accio wand!" She said again with more ****. Still nothing happened. It was right there! She could se the... jester woman? Holding it! She'd practiced this for just such an occasion! "Accio Wand!" Still nothing. "I demand you release me from you grasp and whatever counterspell you've-"

"Fine," Dave said letting go of her hand. He looked at the RealDreams folks. They nodded and were already packing it in. "You good,"

"All good!" They assured him. "Enjoy yourself!" They got in their vans and drove off. They got unexpected gold with the Addams Family Secondary Character that'd make some great holiday snippets that the spooky lovers would eat up. It was obvious they weren't going to be getting "all smiles" from the Slytherin.

"Harls," Dave said stepping back aways. "Let her have it."

Harley blinked. "Really?! Ok let me go grab a gun and-"

"Gun?!" Daphne said as everyone else facepalmed except Dave and Lady Fingers. He continued over towards the van.

"Her wand," Tink said as Lady Fingers snapped and pointed at Harley's hands where she held Daphne's things. "He meant let her have her wand, not execute her."

"Ooohhh," said Harley. "Good thing I only occasionally carry real guns. Sorry bout that lemme jest set this stuff down real quick."

Dave loosened his jacket and cracked his joints limbering up. "Take your time. It's been a long day." He opened up the van and took out a case and a gun belt. He buckled the belt around his waist then opened the case and pulled out a odd looking tool.

"Oh my!" Melfina said. She and the others started backing further away. "Is that what I think it is?"

Dave nodded. "Yep. My dad's a fan of your series too so Tink, Harls and I watched it years ago. He's a "wizard" amongst other things so he made a few, experimented with new different types of shells too... and he made this one for me!" He selected a few cartridges and slipped them into the belt. "Doubt I'll use it, bit overkill, but who knows!" He slipped the black caster gun into its holster. "Can't be too careful when it comes to "dark wizards". Apologies Ms Greengrass but I have no idea if you're a so called deatheater or not."

She frowned. "The Greengrass family has a few dark witches and wizards but they always prided themselves on not only being one of the great wizard families but on never taking sides! Not for He-Must-Not-Be-Named. Not for the Dumbledores. Nor any who came before them! Greengrass stands alone."

"A solitary snake? I can respect that. As I said I apologize for my ignorance." He reached in his pocket tacking out a small stick the size of a pencil. He twirled it in his fingers chanting and it suddenly grew and lengthened, into an ebon staff.

Harley handed Daphne's wand to her. "Here ya go! Good luck Blondie!" Daphne blinked. Harley grinned. "Yer so gonna need it! Oh babe toss me my gun? Just incase!" Dave chuckled and reached into the van tossing Harley her over sized Gun. Harly giggled twirling her big revolver while Tink shook her head. "Fireworks, corks, boxing gloves, little flags that say 'Bang!' on them. I never know what's gonna come outta that thing. Girl you got real guns... why do you insist on that thing?"

Harley rolled her eyes. "Duh... I'm an original Harley Quinn. Obviously I appreciate the classics and the finer things in life!"

"Miller!" Dave shouted walking away from the van. "You and your guys stay out of this."

They don't see her but there's a shout. "Damn! Fine! You know I can drop her before she gets a single syllable out of her mouth, right?"

Dave chuckled. "I know. SOP. Shoot the wizard first."

Daphne swallowed finally thinking she was in real trouble. These people were serious... seriously crazy but serious!

Dave smiled. "Pepper... disengage safeties on Ms Greengrass please?"

(("Understood. Safeties disengaged."))

Dave nodded and bowed to Daphne. She bowed as well. "There now we may begin-"

"Bombarda!" Daphne said seizing the initiative. She went on the offensive immediately.

Dave quickly reacted grinning as Daphne went right for the big guns with a explosion spell! "Defendarus," he said creating a shield and angled it up to deflect the explosion out of the courtyard. He whirled the staff. "Forzare!"

Daphne had created a protective charm of her own but the unknown spell he cast hit her hard knocking her off her feet with pure kinetic ****. She had barely managed to hold onto her wand but she quickly brought it up to use the Arrow Shooting Spell before climbing to her feet to buy herself some time.

"Vento Riflittum." Dave shouted deflected the magical arrow and turning it back upon it's caster. He'd started walking her direction. Closing the distance.

"Colloshoo!" Daphne said dodging the arrow and casting, changing tactics. She was sure him closing with her was bad. He was stronger than she'd thought despite how slow the staff was compared to a wand. He was what they used to call a warlock in her world. A battle wizard. She started backing away.

Dave found his shoes stuck to the ground stoping him from closing the distance. He smiled. Clever girl! If she wanted curses and jinxs- "Locomotor Wibbly."

Daphne felt her legs turn to jelly. It was as if all strength simply left them as she sank to the ground. She was practically kneeling to him now. "Serpensortia!" A large green snake apeared between them.

Dave smiled. She likely learned that one from Draco. He eyed the big Serpent but paid it no mind. Her desperation was showing. "Melofors." Her head was encased by a big smiling pumpkin. Watching as she struggled he stepped out of his shoes and walked over towards the snake. "Hello friend."

"Hissss," the snake looked at him warily but less aggressively.

He kneeled down holding out his hand low. "No ones going to bother you. Come. Wouldn't you rather a nice place in the garden? Let us find you one, yes?"

"Sss," the snake looked at his lowered hand and out streched arm. It looked over at the garden and seemed to nod it's head and crawled up his arm and about his neck. "Hiss."

Dave nodded. "Yes, I quite agree," he said looking down at the struggling confounded Daphne. "Still not without talent. Expelliarmus," he disarmed her and caught her wand with one hand, twirled his staff with the other and it shrank then slipped it in his pocket again. He pulled the caster gun and pressed it against the pumpkin. "Do you concede defeat, Ms Greengrass?"

Daphne frowned inside the pumpkin. She was effectively blinded, kneeling and disarmed by her opponent. She was effectively helpless. "I do," she said.

Dave nodded. He thought like a Slytherin. "Good. What concessions will you give me as the victor and your superior?"

Daphne blinked. Neither of them could see it but she smiled a little. *At least he's smart and cunning and not a fool.* "That depends. You're the victor. You set the terms and see if I'll agree to them."

Dave smirked. He'd expected something like that. He thought about the "trial period" on returns. 30 days in a non damaged state. "I would like four weeks of your time."

Daphnee blinked then raised an eyebrow, though again none could see it, afraid what the answer might be. "Doing what? Submiting myself as your conquest? Hardly."

Dave chuckled. "No, not that... as my guest. If I extend guest right to you do you agree to that for a period of four weeks? You understand Guest right, yes?"

Daphne rolled her eyes. Maybe she was wrong. Guest right? What kind of thinking was that? Who claimed ownership over someone, bests them in a duel then offers them guest privileges as long as they act like a proper guest as their concessions? A fool that's who! But apparently a powerful one. "Of course I understand the concept of Guest rite. A mutual agreement of observing the roles of guest and host and not violating the sanctity of such. You'll be a proper host. See to my needs, care and protection... and I'll conduct myself like a proper guest, "behave myself" and treat your home and those who dwell there with courtesy and respect... one week and you'll explain to me what I'm doing here and how I came to be in this world and situation."

"Three," Dave countered. "And I was going to do that anyway."

"Two," Daphnee countered. Two weeks of having to put up with this wasn't so bad.

Dave smiled. Two weeks of "peace and quiet" from Daphnee wasn't so bad... better than the alternative. Still he shouldn't give in easily. "And you must participate around here and join us for meals when possible. No holing up in a room and waiting it out. I don't care how. Spend it how you like. But no avoiding me and the others and keeping to yourself."

Daphne nodded. At least he's not a completely stupid fool. Maybe he's mad? Insane? Either way... it wasn't a bad deal. "Accepted."

"Accepted," Dave echoed holstering the caster and patting the snake. He pulled out his glasses and put them on. "Pepper please re-engage safeties and give me all the information on Ms Greengrass. Alright Daphne lets get you out of there..."

[David Stark Pepper Tinker Bell Harley Quinn Melfina VSD02C Princess Hilda R. Dorothy Wayneright Lady Fingers and Daphne Greengrass

Will Return In

Settling & Getting To Know Daphne

Coming Soon]