A Kind of Magic

Seventeen

"What? Why do you need to know what they look like?" Fiona scoffed at hearing her mother's request. She would definitely have to approach them to see them well enough to describe them to her mother, and that was the last thing she wanted.

As on cue, they decided to leave their hiding place and move quite close to the entrance, stopping directly under one of the lamps illuminating the parking lot, looking at her directly, making it obvious that they were waiting for her.

"Botheration," she muttered, closing her eyes in exasperation before she proceeded to describe them to her impatient, nagging mum. "One is very short, not much taller than Freddie," she said as Gilderoy, noticing her scrutiny, smiled and bowed deeply, making her almost smile in return. He was sweet. "Then there's this tall, blond one with a ponytail, and I swear he looks like Brad Pitt... " she trailed off, gasping as he bowed too, the movement revealing... "He's got... pointed ears..."

"Hmm... elf, right. Of course, mum," she replied, feeling her reality shift around her, to the excited stream of words filling her ear at lightning speed, words she heard but could not understand.

"Yes, one more. Hmm... the last one... is the strangest," she whispered, shivering, as her eyes met Peregrine's. He was... incredibly... attractive despite the darkness surrounding him, despite not being as classically handsome as the blond guy. She couldn't put a finger on what it was about him... "Yes, I'm here, mum. He's huge and dressed all in midnight black; he's even wearing a wide brimmed hat and a ring like mine around his neck..." Fiona spoke into the phone, "and..." she spotted it as he bowed in his turn, the motion sending his ankle-length black cloak into a flurry around his legs... "goodness, he's carrying a massive sword!" Just what was he, a dragon slayer?

Her mother's insistent words ordering her to go introduce herself brought her back to reality. She didn't want to talk to them. And at the same time, she did, but she didn't, not really... 

"I'll see you tomorrow night. Don't say anything to Freddie, understand?" she said into the phone before she dropped it back into her bag.

"Botheration!" she whisper-shouted, giving herself courage, before stepping out of the protection of the building, into the night and rain, within reach of the three strangers, accepting her fate.

"Go away," she said petulantly as she stopped in front of them, so close that she had to crane her neck to look at the taller two, "you are almost two decades too late. I don't believe in you anymore."

They stared at her, bewilderment plain in their eyes, before they started exchanging furtive glances with each other, giving her a moment to notice again how intriguing and stunning and otherworldly they looked. 

"Is any of you my father?" she asked as they stayed silent, the long moment filled with the sounds of the wind rushing through the trees, the distant, neverceasing drone of the cars, and the rain dropping off the hospital's roof so unusual that she was sure she would remember it forever. She sighed as she observed them-- they hardly looked older than her but she needed to know at least something for sure.

"No, lady," Peregrine said finally, stepping on Leodhais' foot to make him understand that it was up to him to do the introductions. 

The elf cleared his voice. "I'm Leodhais, my lady. These are my companions, Gilderoy and Peregrine. Your father sent us to find you and bring you home."

"I don't think so," she shook her head even as she crossed her arms across her chest and tapped the tip of her white trainer shoe in the huge puddle spreading under their feet. "Even if I agreed to leave with him," she pointed at the almost normal looking Gilderoy, "I'd have to be out of my mind to trust someone with pointed ears or a sword taller than myself!"

"How did she notice my ears so quickly?" Leodhais muttered as he adjusted his hair, stunned with surprise, "and how can she see your sword, dragon? Didn't you say it was concealed from the humans?"

"It must be the magic she inherited from her father," Peregrine said, grinning. This quest was going to be interesting, after all.

Fiona stared at them, trying to process what they had said. Dragons, her father's magic, swords invisible to humans...

The cold rain made her shiver as she raised her hands in warning and spoke in a whisper, looking around the deserted parking lot first to make sure that no one had noticed them. "Stop. Wait. Don't you tell me that I'm a Harry Potter because I won't believe you."

They stared back at her blankly, the most normal thing they had done so far.

"I need a drink," she said on a sigh.

"Wonderful, my lady. We are quite hungry after our journey. Lead the way to the closest inn, and we'll explain," Gilderoy, recovering first, spoke, offering her his arm, which she accepted without thinking.