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Winter Court

Margaret Katherine Amanda Carpenter,[1] generally called Molly and on occasion Molls, is the daughter of Michael and Charity Carpenter. She is a human witch and first appears in Death Masks; she assumes the Mantle of Winter Lady at the end of Cold Days.

Biography[]

Molly is the first child of Michael and Charity Carpenter.[2]

In Death Masks, Molly is fourteen years old. By this time she developes a rather Goth scene look in clothes, piercings, and make-up when not at home, but changed back to conservative clothes in the treehouse before going home.[3]

Molly first manifested her magical power about two years before the events of Proven Guilty, when she instinctively created a veil. After coming home from school she had entered the house while still wearing her Goth clothes, confident her mother was out. When Charity, who had stayed home sick, happened onto her in the living room, Molly, in a panic, unconsciously veiled herself. Shocked to discover her mother did not acknowledge her, she went to her room to change her clothes, now aware that she might have magical talent.[4]

Molly was arrested for possession of marijuana and ecstasy, which she was caught holding during a police raid at a party, and sentenced to community service. Her father thought her apparent repentance was enough, but her mother insisted on further actions and restrictions. In the spring before Proven Guilty, the familial situation escalated, resulting in Molly leaving home and dropping out of school.[1]

Gallery[]

Personality[]

You’re one hell of a woman, MollyHarry Dresden, numerously[5][6]

Molly is a lot like her mother. She is selfless and brave, but sometimes unable to see other points of view. However, unlike Charity, Molly seems to be outgrowing this trait. She is a loving daughter and big sister, and a hard-working, well-organized apprentice to Dresden. When Harry Dresden Soulgazes her, he sees many different possibilities in her future. It may be that the black magic she used will either affect her for the worse, or teach her better control.[7]

Dresden likes to address her as Grasshopper[Footnote 1] and Padawan, both references to her promising apprentice status. After coming under the Doom of Damocles, she has seemingly grown to understand that mental manipulation is off limits. She volunteers to come to Chichén Itzá, despite her unsuitability for combat, and Dresden agrees to take her along, seeing that she has matured to the point where she can help. As Dresden realizes, he himself gets into plenty of dangerous situations he only gets out of with the help of friends, and realizes that Molly is no different[8]

Molly has a serious crush on Dresden and has unsuccessfully hit on him a number of times. She has also Soulgazed Thomas Raith, expressing a great deal of empathy for his inner pain.[9]

Molly is severely hurt by Dresden's rather callous decision to have her help him with his suicide, which lasts until the Leanansidhe tells her that Dresden is not dead. She thinks of herself as much less capable than Dresden, but this is actually untrue. She succeeds in keeping the Svartalves and the Fomor from signing a non-aggression pact, which would have led to other nations of the Unseelie Accords to do the same, and to allow the Fomor to become a major supernatural power. Because force magic is not her strength she often uses quick, tricky thinking and illusion to get through dangerous situations. In this way she is exactly like Dresden. Although she thinks that she is not ready to face dangerous situations, she handles them no worse than her mentor.[10]

Abilities[]

Compared to those of her mentor Harry Dresden, Molly's magical abilities are more sensitive, finely tuned and delicate, though less powerful,[16] allowing her to easily perform many fine magical tasks, such as illusions and veils,[17] while making much more difficult for her to perform combat magic, due to her lesser brute magical strength and greater sensitivity to magical (and emotional) energies.[18]

In Small Favor, it is mentioned that Molly is extraordinarily sensitive when it comes to various magical energies. It's what makes her so good at psychomancy and neuromancy.[18]

Unlike her mother Charity, Molly has been noted to possess very poor cooking skills; though she is very good at making coffee.[19]

After training under the Leanansidhe, she has become capable of shielding, adept at using illusions, and tricking enemies into killing each other. Molly also has a sleeping spell that can safely incapacitate several people at once.[20]

After she put a dozen or so Big Hoods to sleep way too easily—with Neru—Dresden thought that what she had done was hard and something to be expected only from a White Council wizard.[14]

She is adept at veils, verisimilomancy, psychomancy, and neuromancy.[18]

Molly Carpenter has started to develop her own signature spells: Hireki, which is used to reveal anyone under a veil;[11] her "one woman rave", a display of dazzling light and sound; Rokotsu, which opens Ways through the Nevernever;[5] Neru, which puts people to sleep;[14] Ideru, a beckoning spell;[21] Kakusu, her best veil; and Akari, to create an orb of green light.[15]

In the series[]

Death Masks[]

In Death Masks, Molly answers the phone when Harry Dresden calls the Carpenter home.[2] When Dresden visits the house, Molly runs into him at the top of the tree house. She helps him out of some hand-cuffs and changes out of her "goth-scene" clothes and they discuss Dresden's relationship with Susan Rodriguez before leaving the tree house to help Charity Carpenter unload the minivan.[3]

After the Order of the Blackened Denarius is defeated, at Sanya's farewell cookout, Molly plays a practical joke on Sanya, having him call businesses looking for "Prince Albert in a can". They all hang up, thinking that he is prank-calling them.[22]

Proven Guilty[]

Proven Guilty

Molly prisoner in Arctis Tor.

In Proven Guilty, Molly calls Harry Dresden for help from a police precinct.[23] Her boyfriend, Nelson Lenhardt, has been arrested for reckless endangerment and aggravated assault.[24] After Dresden bails him out, Nelson and Molly explain that there was an attack at SplatterCon!!! that Nelson witnessed, but no other suspects were found at the scene.[25]

Dresden takes Molly back to her parents house, and she gets into an argument with her mother. According to Michael Carpenter, Molly had been arrested for possession of marijuana and ecstasy and following community service, dropped out of school and left home.[1]

Dresden and Molly head back to Splattercon!!! where there is another Phobophage attack, and Molly's other friend, Rosanna Marcella is injured.[26] Molly explains that Rosie is pregnant and goes with her to the hospital.[27]

After she returns to the convention, Molly is taken into questioning by Richard Boughton until Dresden rescues her.[28] She gets cleaned up and changed in Dresden's hotel room and is shortly marched out of it after Charity comes knocking.[29]

After being attacked by the Scarecrow, Dresden traces the phages to the Carpenter house and realizes that he sent them after Molly.[30] Daniel Carpenter explains that the phages kidnapped Molly[31] and Dresden eventually discovers they took her to Arctis Tor.[32] He also learns that in an attempt to help cure her friends, Rosanna and Nelson, of their addiction to drugs, Molly used Black magic to scare them into sobriety.[33]

After Molly is rescued from Arctis Tor, [34] Dresden discusses her use of black magic, the consequences and her options moving forward. She states that her first use of magic was quite a decent Veil, which impresses him. He explains that she could become a member of the White Council if she desired, but first she must own up to her mistakes. They decide to admit to the council that she used black magic.[4]

Although she is found guilty of breaking one of the Laws of Magic by the White Council, Dresden spoke in her defense and pleaded her case to the Merlin and the Gatekeeper. Before a final decision is made however, Michael appears with some other members of the Senior Council, having helped them during a Red Court attack. The Merlin has no choice but to sentence both Molly and Dresden to the Doom of Damocles. Dresden takes her as his apprentice and as such, is held responsible for her future actions.[9]

White Night[]

In White Night, Molly uses a veil to follow Harry Dresden to the scene of a crime. Karrin Murphy notices and puts her down.[35] Dresden tells Waldo Butters that she is not as strong as him, but she has a gift for the more subtle magic, especially mental and emotional stuff. She then assists them in the case by getting an emotional reading on one of the victims. This results in a sensual, ecstatic reaction as the victim was killed by a White Court vampire.[16]

When the Little Chicago spell backfires on Dresden, Molly visits his house and she helps him recover.[36] Afterwards, they are discussing what happened, and Molly asks why he is keeping secrets from the Wardens (about Elaine Mallory) because she is under the Doom of Damocles with him and could be hurt by any backlash. Dresden responds by telling her his backstory with Elaine and they agree that the Wardens are assholes, but have a hard job.[37]

She again attempts to follow Dresden by using a veil in the backseat of the Blue Beetle. When she is discovered, Dresden gets angry, blows up a trashcan and attempts to "teach her a lesson" by sending a burning hot ball at her, telling her to stop it if she can. When she fails and starts crying, he makes it vanish and tells her that she isn't listening to him. When they realize that Elaine is in danger, he has Molly take the wheel while he makes a spell.[38] She is sickened after watching Mouse dispatch the Skavis agent outside Elaine's apartment.[39]

Molly inserts herself into the case a third time when she appears at Dresden's apartment while he and Carlos Ramirez are preparing for the duel. As they discuss her motivations for getting involved, the training bracelet Dresden had her using to focus her power snaps as a result of her admitting that she was scared and was willing to fight anyway.[40] She is then invited along to the duel as their driver, though she and Mouse are instructed to wait outside the estate.[41] After Dresden escapes the Deeps and Mouse rushes to his aid, Molly helps him into the car and drives him home.[42]

Dresden offers to tell her about everything that is going on, but says it may be dangerous for her. She asks him to tell her just what he thinks is best. He brings her up to speed on the events of the duel, leaving out mentions of Cowl and the Black Council. When Murphy shows up, Molly takes his car and Dresden suspects that she has gone to visit Ramirez at the hospital.[43]

"Down Town"[]

In "Down Town", Molly Carpenter is being trained in fine control of magic by telekinetically moving a number of Scrabble tiles, it being hard and boring work. A phone call by Karrin Murphy interrupts the session, and Harry Dresden has her coming along to a murder scene. Molly determines that the murderer was huge and non-human based on pocket watch stuck to the victim's body.

Later on, taking advantage of Dresden's absence from home, she decides to practice her control on telekinesis on the piece of golem Dresden had brought home earlier, resulting on it attaching itself to her mouth and nostrils. It does not kill her, only through her quick wits and the prompt intervention of Mister and Mouse.[44]

"It's My Birthday, Too"[]

In "It's My Birthday, Too", Molly helps Harry Dresden deal with some slime Golems, then she and Dresden set out to give Thomas Raith a birthday present. He's at Woodfield Mall, playing Evernight as a favor to Sarah, one of his employees, but the game is disrupted by the arrival of Constance Bushnell, a Black Court vampire.[45]

Molly senses the death of Raymond the security guard, which sends her into a brief 'psychic shock' and she later veils Dresden and Sarah against the vampire.[45]

Small Favor[]

In Small Favor, Molly is practicing her shields by way of a snowball fight when her family and Harry Dresden come under attack by a number of Gruffs. Molly veils her siblings and they all manage to retreat inside the house.[17] She is left at the Carpenter home while Dresden goes to investigate.[46]

Molly has been allocated a desk in Dresden's basement and is slowly accumulating her own selection of notebooks and gear.[47]

When Dresden returns to the Carpenter home following an encounter with the Order of the Blackened Denarius, Molly helps round up some food with Sanya. She then eavesdrops on a meeting in the workshop using a veil, but Dresden works out she is hiding in a corner and outs her. He does however allow her to join the group.[48] She sits in on the War Council in Dresden's living room, and is tasked with making Thomas Raith look more like Dresden under a disguise, and veiling Dresden and Karrin Murphy as they leave the apartment in order to avoid the Gruffs.[49]

When Dresden and Murphy notice they are being tailed, Molly looks back at the car behind them, inadvertently causing their pursuers to attack. When Murphy is shot in the arm during the encounter, Molly veils her and provides first aid.[50] When the group convenes to plan their meeting with Nicodemus Archleone, Dresden forbids Molly from attending.[51]

She greets them at the Carpenter home when they return from the unsuccessful meeting and attempts to make them some food, which worries Dresden as she had once burnt his egg. She can, however, make a mean cup of coffee.[19] She is involved in a conversation over the passed out Dresden and is satisfied when Dresden, not knowing the contents of the conversation tells the others to listen to her.[52]

During a discussion with Dresden, Michael Carpenter tells him that the conversation they were having was a result of Molly checking his mind as he was sleeping and discovering that someone had messed with it. Mab had stolen Dresden's blasting rod and removed his memories of it and of how to use fire magic.[53]

When trying to track down the Denarians, who have now also kidnapped The Archive, Molly inquires about Anastasia Luccio's Ley line map and tells them that there are no islands at the intersection in Lake Michigan.[54] When they head off to the island, Molly is left at home to man the phone and look after the wounded Jared Kincaid. Before they leave, she asks Dresden to keep an eye out for her dad.[18]

Following the events on the island, Dresden meets Molly and Charity in the intensive care ward, where Molly gives him messages from everyone who wants to speak with him. He disregards them all and focuses instead on waiting with them for news of the badly injured Carpenter. Dresden takes Molly away when they find out that Carpenter will be coming out on a respirator as their magic could interfere with the equipment. Molly tells him that she has completed her homework and has traced her family roots back to Charlemange. [55]

"Wild Card"[]

In "Wild Card", pissed by the senseless murder of two young women, she vows to find the culprit and extract revenge on him. However, she manages only in part, creating a veil that imprisons him within a circle of power.[56]

"Dog Men"[]

In "Dog Men", Harry Dresden dreams that she's bitten by a Red Court vampire, and that he can't prevent it[57]

"Day Off"[]

In "Day Off", Molly severely damages Harry Dresden's laboratory in an attempt to work out some kinks in an invisibility potion she is having trouble with. Harry Dresden has to resuscitate her as she is knocked out by the fumes of her failed potion.[58]

The Warrior[]

In The Warrior, after Father Douglas steals the fake Amoracchius, Molly explains to her mother that because his protection amulet burned up, it cannot be used to track him down. She is then assigned to watch over her father. She is alerted to danger when Kelly and the others are running back to inform Michael Carpenter that Father Douglas took Alicia Carpenter. Molly is then sent to take some of the girls home and inform Charity Carpenter about the incident. She assists in tracking down Father Douglas by attaching some of her hairs to the stolen swords, and uses a tracking spell to find them.[59]

"Last Call"[]

In Last Call, Molly identifies the spells cast on McAnally's beer that have caused havoc in his pub: a contagion focus and a conduct that opens the target's mind to the caster's control.[60]

Turn Coat[]

In Turn Coat, while Harry Dresden is out, Molly visits his apartment to work on potions only to discover the fugitive Donald Morgan. When she tries to attack him, Mouse intervenes and prevents both of them from attacking each other until Dresden returns. During their explanation, Morgan goads Molly into attacking him again, and Dresden stops her.[61] She is then tasked with keeping Morgan safe while Dresden visits Edinburgh. Morgan offers to show her how to open passages to the Nevernever in case they need to escape.[62]

When Binder discovers their hidden location, and traps Dresden and Karrin Murphy, Molly, behind a veil, draws a circle around him and cuts off his power.[63] When they retreat through to the Nevernever, Molly assists Dresden with moving Morgan. During an argument between the other two, Molly points out that if they were tracked magically or had been sold out by Thomas Raith, Binder would have known their location more precisely, indicating that someone else was following them.[64] Once Dresden confronts Vincent Graver, who refuses to sell out his employer, Molly uses her charms to illicit both a date and a location for said employer.[65]

When Anastasia Luccio visits Dresden's apartment and finds Morgan, Molly blinds her and starts hitting her, until Morgan forces her off the Warden captain. Following this, Luccio, attempts to take out both Molly and Morgan, until she is interrupted by Mouse, who grabs her throat in his mouth to hold her hostage so Morgan doesn't hurt Molly. They remain like this until Dresden returns to another bizarre scene in his home.[66] Once he leaves again, Molly attempts to enter Luccio's mind as she suspects tempering. Morgan tries to stop her by shooting her and again, Mouse interjects, taking the bullet and covering Molly until Dresden returns to a third standoff. When he does, he makes Molly remove the bullet and bandage up Mouse, before giving her the option of fleeing now that she has attempted to break the laws of magic again. She declines, choosing to see things through until the end.[67]

Molly keeps an eye on Morgan on board the Water Beetle while Dresden conducts his Sanctum invocation on Demonreach.[68] Eventually, she is left with Morgan at the hilltop on the island and is given a white quartz shield crystal to use if needed while Dresden fights the White Council, the White Court, Shagnasty, and the traitor.[69] She activates it after Shagnasty sends the starved hungry Thomas into the cottage, and refuses to lower it when instructed by Ancient Mai, as it is protecting herself and Morgan. Eventually, Morgan agrees to being arrested and Dresden shows Molly how to lower the shield.[70]

She stays with Morgan while Joseph Listens-to-Wind heals him to learn some of his healing magic[70] and travels with Dresden to Edinburgh for Morgan's trial, where she is the only apprentice in attendance.[71] Following the traitor's attack, Morgan informs Dresden that he did not tell anyone about Molly's attempt to enter Luccio's mind.[72]

Changes[]

In Changes, Molly is at Harry Dresden's apartment cooking breakfast as part of their deal when he informs her of his daughter's kidnapping and the Red Court vampire attack on his office. They both travel to Edinburgh via a Way and turn up in the middle of cease-fire talks.[73] Molly tries, mostly without success, to calm Dresden before his outburst against Arianna Ortega and the Senior Council.[74]

Anastasia Luccio takes them both to the Warden's Worry Room (bar) where Molly decides to remain the designated "sober person". Dresden and Arthur Langtry get into an argument resulting in the Merlin subtly threatening Molly before she and Dresden storm out of Edinburgh.[75]

She meets Susan Rodriguez and Martin and then uses one of her veils to help them leave Dresden's apartment unnoticed.[76] She plays driver for a few of Dresden and co.'s errands[77] and Rodriguez comments to Dresden that Molly "has it bad for him", which he denies.[78]

Molly later chastises Dresden for encouraging an intimate moment with Susan and they get into an argument, fueled by the desperation of their situation.[79] When Dresden comments to Karrin Murphy that Susan thinks Molly has the hots for him, Murphy makes it clear that she also think that is obvious.[80]

Molly assists Dresden and Thomas Raith during the fight outside of Rudolph's apartment[81] and according to Raith, performs quite well. They both assist Dresden with his injuries and when Raith asks her to get Bob, she clearly does not know who that is. Due to the sustained effort of the fight, Raith is barely in control of his actions. The two share a Soulgaze which very nearly leads into Raith feeding on her until Mouse intervenes and Dresden kicks him out.[82]

She identifies Esteban Eeb as the fire-bomber of Dresden's apartment, helps Sanya move Dresden to Saint Mary of the Angels[83] and calls in Waldo Butters to assess his injuries.[84]

During Dresden's war council meeting prior to the assault on Chichén Itzá, Molly is in attendance and learns about his deal with Mab.[85] On the way to the fight, the Leanansidhe mentions to Molly that she has "such potential" and that they "should talk when this is over."[86]

During the assault, Molly assists with creating illusions, using her revealing spell, Hireki,[11] and using her "one woman rave" against the Jaguar Warriors.[87] When she is injured in the leg, Raith and Mouse assist her until the battle's end, the vampire promising Dresden that he will "guard her with his life".[88] She is airlifted from the battle by a Navy helicopter called in by Raith.[89]

Ghost Story[]

In Ghost Story, six months after the fall of the Red Court, Molly is in her mid-twenties and has become jaded, cynical and perhaps a touch insane.[90] Karrin Murphy tells an associate that she doesn't completely trust Molly and doesn't drop her guard when the girl is around. However, she ensures that it is clear that Molly remains under her protection.[91] She then tells Dresden about that the Wardens have been looking for Molly since Chichén Itzá and that she "isn't right", has been constantly on the move, calling herself the "Ragged Lady" and instilling fear in the magical community. It is clear that Murphy and her group are all scared of Molly.[92]

She turns up at Murphy's house and after some snarky conversation, uses her Sight to confirm that the ghost really is Dresden. She nearly breaks down at the realization and informs him that his daughter is being looked after.[93]

When Waldo Butters provides her enough of a concept, she builds a two-way radio to allow him to communicate with Dresden,[94] where he explains that there have been a number of murders associated with the Ragged Lady. The victims all have scraps of clothing left over from Dresden's fight at Chichén Itzá, however Dresden is convinced that Molly is not a killer. Butters states that she has been incredibly helpful to them in the fight against the Fomor.[95]

Dresden tracks her down and finds her under the tutelage of The Leanansidhe, who explains that she has taken up Dresden's role as mentor on behalf of Queen Mab shortly before some Fomor servitors attack.[96] After the fight, in which Dresden assists,[97] he forces Lea to pay for Molly's breakfast. During the meal, Molly explains that she has killed some servitors, in one instance using illusions to trick a servitor who had kidnapped a little girl and a corrupt cop into killing each other. She says that she needed to make them afraid - that they didn't encroach on Chicago while Dresden was around. Occasionally Lea switches places with her as the Ragged Lady, and is like a kid on recess. When some of the restaurant patrons overhear her conversation (seemingly to herself), Molly storms off.[98]

During his attack on the Corpsetaker's hideout, Dresden sends his Lecter Spectres out to bring her in for backup as he needs her to open a Way for him and the ghost army. She informs him that she Fitz and his gang are being looked after at her parent's house as Murphy would be unlikely to send police in there after them. Molly agrees to open the Way and initially insists on coming along with Dresden, however he tells her to stay and tell Murphy when the protective wards are down. She flinches when Dresden says "You're one hell of a woman, Molly and starts to cry. After asking how he can be so clueless, she then proceeds to open a Way using her rokutsu spell."[5]

Once they meet up inside the Big Hoods' hideout, Molly uses an illusion of Murphy to draw the fire of the gang. After they capture the cultists, she uses the spell neru to send the dozen or so captives to sleep which used on that scale, impresses Dresden. Murphy comments that the use of "Rag Lady" as a persona has created extra PMS jokes, to which Molly responds saying she thinks it makes the persona even scarier.[14]

When Corpsetaker takes over Butters' body, Molly soulgazes her and uses her ideru spell to pull her into her own mind and begin a mind battle.[21] Dresden follows Corpsetaker into the mind war, drawn in by the beckoning spell. Molly's complex mental defenses revolve around creating multiple illusions that must be defeated by the attacker over a constantly shifting battlefield. The headquarters of her defense resembles the bridge of the Enterprise star ship. As she is on the losing foot, Molly reveals that she has an 'Omega Bomb' final solution which would prevent Corpsetaker from taking her body by way of suicide. Just as Molly is preparing to lose the fight, Dresden reclaims his memory of the moments before his deal with Mab where he involved Molly in his plot to have himself murdered.[6] Uriel appears and after a discussion, shows Dresden the conclusion to the battle, where Mortimer Lindquist appears and helps to free Molly of and defeat the Corpsetaker.[99]

Bombshells[]

In Bombshells, Molly is cleaning up after a confrontation with Listen and some Fomor servitors when Justine requests her assistance in finding Thomas Raith, who is missing. Partway through tracking him down, she is joined by The Leanansidhe, who tells her Raith is held by the Svartalves. After reporting this to Justine, Andi Macklin and Waldo Butters, Justine informs them that the Svartalves have just signed a non-aggression pact with the Fomor and are throwing a party to celebrate. The three girls infiltrate the Svartalf stronghold, and Molly's emotional "sensitivity" allows her to detect the Svartalves due to their lust for beauty. As they track down Raith and she realizes Lea's deception, Molly and Macklin come upon Listen and a number of servitors, who don't notice their presence thanks to Molly's veil. Listen is serving Lord Froggy, who is plotting to use a Fomor-magic bomb to attack the Svartalves guests, against the wishes of The Empress. She deploys her "One-Woman Rave" spell against Froggy and Listen once they are discovered and re-directs them to another room where Raith dispatches some. As she has limited ability with fire magic, she goads Froggy into using some, which sets off the building's fire sprinklers, allowing Molly to find and defuse the bomb. She is assisted in defeating Froggy by Etri, who thanks her and informs her that the svartalves owe her a favor. She attempts to use the favor to have Raith release, however that account is already settled. When Molly confronts Lea regarding her deception, the Sidhe reveals that she intended for Molly to disrupt the treaty and, ideally, reveal the Fomor's treacherous nature. Molly questions Lea regarding Harry Dresden's death and is told she should not say that Dresden is alive. Not yet.[100]

Cold Days[]

In Cold Days, Molly uses the illusion of a pack of cats to frighten off a number of attacking Wee Folk away from Harry Dresden and welcomes him back with a quote from Star Wars.[101] Although Bob is with Dresden when Molly shows up, he does not reveal his presence, as per Dresden’s instructions. Dresden is worried that with Bob’s knowledge and Molly’s frequent disregard for self-limitation, they could make a very scary duo. Molly has begun to get her life back together. She has a house of her own, built by the Svartalves in payment for a favor. She has prepared a room for Dresden, including clothes as she was already aware that he was not actually dead. After cleaning up Dresden’s wounds from the attack, she reveals that she has been visiting Demonreach and is worried that it may be about to explode on a massive scale.[102]

Molly accompanies Dresden out to the island to check up on the problem. When they run into Thomas Raith on the Water Beetle, the emotional energy given off by the brothers' reunion is too much for her to handle and she leaves the room.[103] When they arrive at the island, Molly can feel enough of Demonreach’s mood to know that only Dresden is welcome to set foot on it.[104] When leaving the island, they are attacked by Redcap and Molly assists Dresden by creating a mist illusion and then hexing the pursuing jet-skis into malfunction. The effort drains her and she falls asleep after the confrontation.[105]

Molly hides behind a veil when Dresden is confronted by Fix, in case it comes to blows. After Fix departs peacefully, Dresden asks her not to get involved in future as "Faeries keep score. And they’ll never leave a score unsettled."[106] She assists Dresden by helping to scan Raith’s apartment for magical bugs[107] and checking for tails on their way to a meeting at McAnally's Pub. When they arrive, Molly is shocked by her recognition of a powerful presence she last felt at Chichén Itzá, that of Donar Vadderung.[108] Dresden sends her to gather the Za-Lord's Guard and then has a discussion with Raith which leads him to realize that he has been looking at Molly like prey recently. The Winter Knight's Mantle is causing him to be less in control of his feelings regarding her and they both worry that she may get hurt as a result.[109]

When Sarissa turns up at Molly’s apartment, Molly can feel the fear radiating off the other woman, particularly toward Dresden.[110] She also feels when Dresden’s Mantle starts encouraging him to attack her, though she does not run away. Molly tells Dresden that she can feel his desires toward her and implies that she is willing. She is in love with him and has been crushing on him since she was about fourteen. He tells her that he doesn’t think anything will happen; that she deserves better.[111]

As they leave her apartment, Molly explains that it is maintained by the Svartalves and while inside, she is considered one of their citizens. This was in exchange for her returning their honor and defusing a bomb for them. They pick up Mouse, whom Molly is now able to translate for by reading his emotions,[111] as they head off to recover some of their friends who were abducted by the Redcap.[112]

They roll out to stop the attack on Demonreach and she gifts Dresden with a new duster that she purchased with Raith’s White Court credit card.[113] Along with Raith and Mouse, she saves Dresden from He Who Walks Before on the shore of Demonreach. She veils the entire Water Beetle, the water it displaces and every noise it makes. This allows the boat to ram the final barge and, with Molly’s One-Woman-Rave distracting the Outsiders, Mouse and Raith disrupt the rituals on board.[114]

Molly sneaks up the hilltop into the circle with Raith, Mouse and others, but remains hidden behind a veil waiting for an opportunity to help Dresden.[115] Before she gets her chance though, Mab arrives, prompting Maeve to draw her firearm which she uses to kill Lily. As Maeve turns her weapon on Dresden, Mab breaks Karrin Murphy’s shackles, allowing her to draw a concealed pistol. Murphy shoots Maeve, causing the Mantle of Winter Lady to transfer into Molly.[116]

Mab explains to Dresden that Molly was being molded for a different purpose, likely that of the Summer Lady. However, she never puts all her hopes in one basket, so Molly was also a suitable backup for Maeve. Mab also tells Dresden that she believes Molly has the skills et to meet the obligations and duties of Winter Lady, thou she does not elaborate on what those duties are. She concludes by stating that she has in fact done Molly a favor – removing her from the reach of the White Council. Kringle later informs Dresden that Mab will return Molly to her apartment following some brief and gentle instruction, anticipating no problems with Molly’s new position.[117]

"Cold Case"[]

Winter Lady Molly

Winter Lady Molly

In Cold Case, Molly is tasked by Mab to collect a tribute from the Miksani. As the Winter Lady, she now has access to the power of Winter ice. Molly is still very receptive to the emotions of others and when walking into an Unalaskan bar, the rush of drunken and sober emotions briefly unbalances her. She runs into Carlos Ramirez, who recognizes her under her Glamor and she questions whether he intends to take her to the White Council. He claims that he has been helping to keep the Council away from her, and that he has no intention of crossing Mab. As they flirt a little, Molly discovers that Winter Law seems to prevent her from revealing certain details about her task. Ramirez tells her that he got a report from Elaine Mallory about some strange activity in the area and she is then able to reciprocate by informing him of her task. They agree to work together and seal the deal with a kiss. Molly then uses her kakusu spell to veil them as they eavesdrop on a suspect. They find and meet with the Miksani, who tell them that their children have been taken by an enemy who has risen from the deeps and wear human disguises. Molly uses another spell, akari which creates a green coloured light and reveals some tracks in the snow. Molly and Ramirez follow the tracks to a church, inhabited by the Holy Ascension of Our Lord. Ramirez discusses the Old Ones; Outsiders who are in the mortal world, but caged and sleeping. He talks about the Sleeper and the cultists that worship it. As they attack the cultists, Molly uses her “One Woman Rave” spell, along with her “DJ Molly C’s Boom Box” spell to create a massive display of noise and pyrotechnics. Together, she and Ramirez defeat the cultists and rescue the Miksani children. After they return the children, Molly goes with Ramirez to his hotel room and they both undress, intending to sleep together. As they start getting intimate though, Molly loses consciousness and wakes up to find Ramirez gravely injured. She summons Mab, who explains that her Mantle reacted to protect itself as she is required to be Winter’s Maiden. Mab reaches out to the White Council, who send healers to take care of him and she sends Molly to collect the tribute owed by the Miksani. As she leaves the room, Molly consults Winter Law regarding the tribute. The Miksani are required to give their children to Mab, who will use them as soldiers defending the Outer Gates in her war against the Outsiders.[15]

Skin Game[]

In Skin Game, Molly is visited in a dream by Harry Dresden where they talk about her new life and she mentions that she has "about one hundred and fifty years of backlog" to catch up on because Maeve neglected her duties for so long. She states that his visiting her is unusual as she has been improving her mental defenses thanks to attacks by some of the Sidhe. Apparently, she is somewhere under two miles of ice, having spent a day to get there, but when Dresden tells her of his mission, she promises to join him as soon as she can.[118]

Molly hasn't yet told her parents about her new position, as Dresden discovers when he brings up the subject with Michael Carpenter.[119] She has however been telling Maggie about Dresden, showing her a photo of him and telling her that he fights monsters.[120]

Molly helps Dresden deliver the parasite which was inside his head after he collapses from the pain. After he wakes, she tells him that being on the inside of the Faerie Courts is very different but that she cannot talk to him about it. She accompanies Dresden when he visits John Marcone and Mab, where she convinces Marcone to take a box of diamonds as restitution for the death of one of his employees.[121]

The two go to visit Murphy at the hospital. On the way, Molly tells Dresden that as Winter Lady, she has a nine figure bank account and that she is purchasing a house down the street from her parents where she will station Unseelie bodyguards. As she walks off, Dresden notices her using a cell phone. As cell phones don't work around mortal wizards, only nonhuman practitioners, he becomes frightened for her, thinking of everything that she is hiding from her parents and wondering what she might be hiding from him.[121]

Peace Talks[]

In Peace Talks, Harry Dresden summons Molly Carpenter in a circle using her full name to ask for her help. She mentions that the experience of being summoned is strange and, even though she claims she is still human, she admits that she could not walk through the circle without leaving a significant part of herself behind. Dresden asks her for a favour (later revealed to be a ring that would let him create a simulacrum of himself),[122] and she clarifies that while she has the power to do it, it will incur a formal obligation to her. They agree and seal the deal with a platonic kiss. Molly also implies that Mab has tasked her with recruiting more leshyie.[123]

Later that same day, Michael Carpenter tells Dresden that he has not seen Molly face to face for a long time, and that Charity and he are getting worried about her.[124] When Dresden brings that up with Molly, she eventually reveals that she is concerned about how her parents' reaction to her being the Winter Lady. As she cries, Dresden offers to go with her when she tells them.[125]

Molly is present at the peace talks as part of the Winter delegation. She checks on Mab after Ethniu attacks her, and offers to transport Winter troops to defend against the coming Fomor attack.[126]

Battle Ground[]

In Battle Ground, Molly saves Dresden and Lara Raith from a Kraken, bringing in a fleet of bull sharks to harass the beast while Freydis Gard kills it.[127] After a testy exchange with Lara (setting up Dresden to get away from her, ostensibly for a Winter task), Molly departs.[128] Later, she's present at Castle Marcone where she oversees communication with the Winter Little Folk. When Dresden interrupts her, her eyes are green-blue, and partly canted, nearly like a Sidhe's. Blinking returns her eyes to pure blue, human normal. She dispatches the Redcap to assist Dresden[129] and later gives him his duster and other things, before departing on a secret mission.[130] At some point during the pandemonium, Molly also hides her family and Dresden's, allowing Listen to kill decoys.[131]

At a critical point in the battle, Molly brings out the large, submachine gun-armed Winter army that she'd built to assault King Corb's legion. She leads the charge, engulfing enemies in "the obdurate ice of Winter's heart" until she notices Dresden get shot by Listen — she screams but isn't able to help him.[132][133] Her charge nearly cuts the legion in half, but King Corb and his retinue of sorcerers arrest their forward momentum and begin pushing them back.[134] She goes toe to toe with King Corb's retinue, playing the anvil to Marcone and Sarissa's hammer[135] until Ethniu is banished by Dresden and Corb's legion collapses. In the aftermath, Dresden insists to her that Winter has to help Chicago after the chaos, which frightens Molly to a degree.[136]

After Dresden wins Marcone's castle, Molly visits him there, and intercedes on his behalf when Mab thrusts a marriage to Lara Raith upon him. She manages to score one year of breathing space for Dresden, but in return she is now required to make sure that Lara and Dresden make public appearances together, and generally arrange the match herself. Although personally angry, she assures Dresden that he can grieve as he likes, before he insists that she visits her parents to reveal her new role as the Winter Lady. To her surprise, they're already aware of her role, and accept her with love and gentle reproof.[137]

"Christmas Eve"[]

In "Christmas Eve", hot on Mab's heels, Molly Carpenter pays Harry Dresden a visit, bringing him a Christmas present in the form of everyone's medical bills being paid after the battle with the Fomor. This hurts him deeply to remember, but she reminds him that, by hurting, he shows himself to still be himself, and that his past actions helped create a better world where Maggie can live a good life.[138]

"The Good People"[]

In "The Good People", Molly Carpenter joins with Kringle in delivering presents to the people of Chicago who suffered from the battle against Ethniu. She stand up to both him and Queen Mab in order to do so.[139]

Notes[]

  1. A reference to Kung-Fu

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Proven Guilty, ch. 10
  2. 2.0 2.1 Death Masks, ch. 11
  3. 3.0 3.1 Death Masks, ch. 15
  4. 4.0 4.1 Proven Guilty, ch. 41
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Ghost Story, ch. 41
  6. 6.0 6.1 Ghost Story, ch. 49
  7. Proven Guilty, ch. 48
  8. Changes, ch. 12
  9. 9.0 9.1 Proven Guilty, ch. 47
  10. Bombshells
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Changes, ch. 42
  12. Ghost Story, ch. 48
  13. Cold Case, ch. 1
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Ghost Story, ch. 46
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Cold Case"
  16. 16.0 16.1 White Night, ch. 3
  17. 17.0 17.1 Small Favor, ch. 1
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Small Favor, ch. 40
  19. 19.0 19.1 Small Favor, ch. 35
  20. Ghost Story, ch. 21-22
  21. 21.0 21.1 Ghost Story, ch. 48
  22. Death Masks, ch. 33
  23. Proven Guilty, ch. 7
  24. Proven Guilty, ch. 8
  25. Proven Guilty, ch. 9
  26. Proven Guilty, ch. 12
  27. Proven Guilty, ch. 13
  28. Proven Guilty, ch. 22
  29. Proven Guilty, ch. 23
  30. Proven Guilty, ch. 29
  31. Proven Guilty, ch. 31
  32. Proven Guilty, ch. 35
  33. Proven Guilty, ch. 32
  34. Proven Guilty, ch. 40
  35. White Night, ch. 2
  36. White Night, ch. 16
  37. White Night, ch. 17
  38. White Night, ch. 30
  39. White Night, ch. 31
  40. White Night, ch. 34
  41. White Night, ch. 35
  42. White Night, ch. 42
  43. White Night, ch. 43
  44. "Down Town"
  45. 45.0 45.1 "It's My Birthday, Too"
  46. Small Favor, ch. 2
  47. Small Favor, ch. 3
  48. Small Favor, ch. 15
  49. Small Favor, ch. 18
  50. Small Favor, ch. 19
  51. Small Favor, ch. 27
  52. Small Favor, ch. 36
  53. Small Favor, ch. 38
  54. Small Favor, ch. 39
  55. Small Favor, ch. 46
  56. "Wild Card"
  57. "Dog Men"
  58. "Day Off"
  59. The Warrior
  60. Last Call
  61. Turn Coat, ch. 11
  62. Turn Coat, ch. 12
  63. Turn Coat, ch. 19
  64. Turn Coat, ch. 20
  65. Turn Coat, ch. 21
  66. Turn Coat, ch. 23
  67. Turn Coat, ch. 34
  68. Turn Coat, ch. 35
  69. Turn Coat, ch. 40
  70. 70.0 70.1 Turn Coat, ch. 46
  71. Turn Coat, ch. 47
  72. Turn Coat, ch. 48
  73. Changes, ch. 6
  74. Changes, ch. 7
  75. Changes, ch. 8
  76. Changes, ch. 9
  77. Changes, ch. 14 and 16-18
  78. Changes, ch. 17
  79. Changes, ch. 22
  80. Changes, ch. 23
  81. Changes, ch. 25
  82. Changes, ch. 27
  83. Changes, ch. 29
  84. Changes, ch. 31
  85. Changes, ch. 39
  86. Changes, ch. 40
  87. Changes, ch. 46
  88. Changes, ch. 47
  89. Changes, ch. 49
  90. Ghost Story, ch. 9
  91. Ghost Story, ch. 8
  92. Ghost Story, ch. 10
  93. Ghost Story, ch. 11
  94. Ghost Story, ch. 16
  95. Ghost Story, ch. 17
  96. Ghost Story, ch. 21
  97. Ghost Story, ch. 22
  98. Ghost Story, ch. 23
  99. Ghost Story, ch. 50
  100. Bombshells
  101. Cold Days, ch. 12
  102. Cold Days, ch. 13
  103. Cold Days, ch. 14
  104. Cold Days, ch. 15
  105. Cold Days, ch. 18
  106. Cold Days, ch. 19
  107. Cold Days, ch. 20
  108. Cold Days, ch. 22
  109. Cold Days, ch. 22
  110. Cold Days, ch. 35
  111. 111.0 111.1 Cold Days, ch. 36
  112. Cold Days, ch. 37
  113. Cold Days, ch. 40
  114. Cold Days, ch. 45
  115. Cold Days, ch. 50
  116. Cold Days, ch. 52
  117. Cold Days, ch. 53
  118. Skin Game, ch. 14
  119. Skin Game, ch. 20
  120. Skin Game, ch. 32
  121. 121.0 121.1 Skin Game, ch. 51
  122. Peace Talks, ch. 32
  123. Peace Talks, ch. 16
  124. Peace Talks, ch. 17
  125. Peace Talks, ch. 18
  126. Peace Talks, ch. 30
  127. Battle Ground, ch. 2
  128. Battle Ground, ch. 3
  129. Battle Ground, ch. 7
  130. Battle Ground, ch. 8
  131. Battle Ground, ch. 34
  132. Battle Ground, ch. 29
  133. Battle Ground, ch. 30
  134. Battle Ground, ch. 31
  135. Battle Ground, ch. 32
  136. Battle Ground, ch. 35
  137. Battle Ground, ch. 36
  138. "Christmas Eve"
  139. "The Good People"

See also[]

External links[]

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