Hello everybody. *hides behind hands* I know it's been a while, but here's a chapter. I'm sorry, but school and other real life stuff got in the way and all of my fics got pushed to the side. But I'[m back now, hopefully for a while.

No, I know that this one's really short, but this was a really good place to cut it off and this is really more of a transition chapter. The next one will be longer and packed full of more action.

Disclaimer: Still fanwork, not original.

CHAPTER 11

He was looking through one of Lily's old books when he finally found something. He didn't even know these books were here, but the TARDIS must have hidden them and the rest of Lily's things while he didn't remember her. Next to a passage quickly explaining that soul magic was one of the most dangerous areas and could be tied deeply with the dark arts was a scribbled message. "Soul and mind magic are tied in ways that most wizards don't recognize. Anything that affects the soul affects the brain."

That was it. Soul magic. The Doctor needed to find more about this mess. Research.

He debated for a while before finally making the decision to get help on this one. He left Thete in the medbay, straining his mind considerably as he opened the TARDIS doors to shout Amy's name quite loudly.

When there was no answer, the Doctor made a very nervous noise and glanced between the house and the door leading to the deeper parts of his home several times. Then, with something that absolutely did not sound like a whimper, he ran to the house and knocked frantically on the door.

"Oh, so when we knock frantically on your door it's nothing, but when you do it, you expect us to be at your beck and call? Is that it, Doctor?"

He looked at her with pleading eyes, not sure what to say, especially with his mind so very preoccupied.

"It's my wedding day, you know."

That left him looking incredibly shocked. "Amy? You're getting married? Nevermind that, not important. Come on, I need your help."

"Help with what?" she demanded as the Doctor pulled her towards his ship.

"With fixing Khosh's mind."

"Khosh?"

"Yes, yes, yes," he replied, practically vibrating with the effort of being so far away. "We named him… his name is Khoshay-Thete. Now come on!"

"What about Rory?"

"Rory, who's—oh, no time. Hurry up!"

"But—"

And then the Doctor shoved her into the TARDIS and ignored her awed looks completely as he bolted over to the console and put in the coordinates for Diagon Ally, nevermind the year. When they arrived, he ran back over to Amy, who was now walking around the room with interest, and grabbed her by the shoulders. "I need you to- no, you're dressed wro- no, they'll never notice. I need you to go into a shop called Flourish and Blotts, and ask the shop-keeper for any books on soul-magic. If they don't have any, ask them where you can find some." He dug through his pockets until he found a sack of coins. "Pay with these. I'm trusting you, Amy."

"But Doctor, where are we? Do these people even speak English? Are these people? How will I find anything?"

"Uh.." he turned a screen around to face him and looked at the time coordinates. "It's twentieth century—you'll be fine." And then he pushed her out onto the street.

She turned around immediately, after taking in a glimpse of the place and demanded more answers, but after a moment of that (and everyone walking by staring at her) she huffed and pulled her robe tighter around her, taking off down the cobbled road and looking intently at the signs hanging over the doorways.

The Doctor didn't pay much more attention then, rushing back to the medbay.

oOo

He had no idea how much time passed before Amy returned, but he heard when she did and he rushed out to greet her.

"I cannot believe you!"

He took the pile of books from her arms and started heading quickly towards the library. She followed after him. "Magic, Doctor? Magic!?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," he said, vaguely, already turning through one of the books.

"I mean, it was amazing! Most brilliant thing I've ever seen! But you could have warned me! And the people… well. A little odd. Are they aliens? Are we on an alien planet?"

"No."

"So there are magic people on Earth?"

"Yes." He sat heavily in a chair and flipped through the pages, noting chapter headings and searching for key words, all the while wishing dearly that he hadn't just regenerated, because his last body had been an excellent speed-reader.

"Since when?"

"Amy, please. There isn't a lot of time. I have to get that thing out of his head."

She looked incredibly concerned. "How can I help?"

He looked up, a pained expression crossing his face as he realized how much better Amy knew his son than he did. "Go sit with him?"

She nodded. "Where is he?"

He gave her directions and then went straight back to reading.

oOo

It was ages before he found anything, and even then, it turned out to be a dead end. It took a whole lot of digging to find anything at all, but once he narrowed down that it had to be the darkest of dark magic, based on how the thing had felt and the descriptions in the books, it got a little easier.

After combing through all of the books to no avail though, the Doctor slammed them to the table with a scream of rage. There was nothing he could do.

oOo

After several long breaths, he squared his shoulders and went back to the medbay, smiling sadly down at his son as Amy stroked his cheek. "Centaurs," he announced. "We're going to see some centaurs."

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Thanks for reading!

-MP