A Different Kind of Magic

Another Step in the Wrong Direction

Matt and I pulled out our wands in unison.

"Uncle Nate?" He called.

No answer.

"Uncle Nate?" He tried again.

Still no answer.

He drew in another breath and I shushed him. We listened and and the only sound we heard was the fire in the fireplace crackling nervously.

I crept to the door and slowly opened it. I peeked into the hall. No one there. I turned around and motioned for Matt to follow me. We both stepped into the hallways and suddenly she was there, the curly blonde with the red tips haired girl.

"Expeliurumas!" She yelled and both our wands went flying. "Nuh-uh." She waved her wand at my hand traveling into my pocket that held my real wand. "I know that fake wand trick."

"You have fake wands?" Matt whispered.

I ignored him and demanded "What are you doing here?!"

"You summoned me, you idiot!"

"No, I didn't."

"You told this bloke," she waved her wand in Matt's direction. "About being an Obsurial. And nearly about us."

"So?" I snapped.

"So, he needs to die."

"What?! No!" My Obscurial form swirled inside of me and a bit of mist curled around my cheek.

She frowned, hesitating. Slowly, she lowered her wand.

"Don't tell the PM I'm doing this."

I stared at her, shocked.

"What?"

"And, Whitehurst," she fingered her wand. "I'm sorry. I really have nothing to do with it."

"With what?"

Instead of answering, she disappeared.

There was a moment of silence. Matt suddenly pushed my shoulder so that I faced him.

"Who was that?" He demanded.

"She works for the PM. Um, you know how started talking to myself around the time Millie's family "died"?"

"Yes," he said slowly.

"I was talking to her."

"She was in your head?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes."

He raked a hand through his already mussed hairdo. "Why are you letting them do this?"

"When you guys "died" really it was the PM taking you captive. She returned you only when I promised my services to her."

"That's messed up. What does PM stand for?"

"Puppet Master. In my opinion she's inclined to theatrics."

He smiled appreciatively.

"But, why you? She knew you're a Obscurial?"

"No. I'm not sure why she picked me. And, um, she was the one that..."

Matt stared at me and I saw it register in his eyes. "She turned me into a werewolf."

"She felt I was becoming disobedient and had to remind me she still has access to you two."

"So you're killing and doing all this stuff to keep Millie and I alive?"

I swallowed and nodded.

He frowned and mulled this over. Suddenly, he looked up.

"Uncle Nate."