Full of honey
Just to make him sweet
Crystal balling
Just to help him see
What he's been missing
So come and get it
While you've still got time
Get your boy on his knees
And repeat after me, say
Take a sip of my secret potion
I'll make you fall in love
For a spell that can't be broken
One drop should be enough
Boy, you belong to me
I got the recipe and it's called Black Magic
- Black Magic • Little Mix
Despite being engulfed in a beautiful mansion, there was no way to appreciate it. In a time like this, the prettiness of the surrounding area wasn't important. However much James wanted it to be, it wasn't.
He and his younger sister walked in silence. All they could hear were the echo of footsteps. Footsteps on floorboards.
It was all ominous. Why was it so terrifying?
At one point, James found himself grasping onto Lucy's hand. He was unaware whether it was for him, or for her benefit. But it helped. The blonde boy didn't know why, but the sense of comfort was soothing.
The first room they found to be a library, and already, James found himself in awe. There was something so magical about the place, and no doubt, each shelf was filled with spell books and things of the like. He wished he could read them.
Instead, Lucy brought him to a stand in the centre of the room. Upon it, the thickest book of them all. It was worn away, sort of broken, yet still holding up completely.
When James let his bright blue eyes scan over the cover, he was confused. It was just a group of muddled up letters, and that was it. He couldn't work it out.
Lucy attempted to open the book, a metal latch firmly locking it in place. However, above the book, there was a wooden carving of Cupid, which blew the wind. With that, James growled lowly at the book, air flushing from his nose as he did, and speeding over the letters.
That's when they changed. The letter formed the words 'the book of incantations' and suddenly it made sense.
James allowed his sister to open the hatch, and the magic was revealed to them. The Sibling duo flicked through the pages, and saw all sorts of spells. There were ones for curing toothache, a second for forgetting, and another which amended things.
However, the one which caught James' attention was snow. The black pages were intriguing, and the white words enticed him. Without a thought to what might happen, which was extremely out of the ordinary for him, James read the words.
"With these words, your tongue must sew, for all around there will be snow."
It only took seconds, maybe less, for a white flake to float onto the pitch black page. Then, hundreds of thousands of white dots drifted from the ceiling, and layered the tiled flooring. Lucy gasped as it tangled into the strands of her hair.
Chuckling, James smiled. "This is how I remember Narnia." The content silence between the two siblings was enough to go forwards. "The very first time, you remember."
"Of course I do." Lucy had replied, joyfully. "It was beautiful."
"It is now, too."
At that, the blonde boy began to twirl in the snow. He didn't really understand why he was. Maybe it had been too long since winter, and he just wanted to enjoy himself. That was enough, wasn't it?
Whilst this happened, Lucy was attempting to remove the snow from the book. As soon as she blew the flakes, the pages flicked swiftly, and she stopped them.
A loud thud echoed.
The snow was gone, and James' head snapped to his younger sister. What had she done? Why has everything changed?
Softly, to herself, Lucy began to recite a spell. One that had intrigued her.
"An infallible spell to make you she, the beauty you've always wanted to be."
It seemed the girl was overwhelmed with the results on the page, but without a moments thought, James marched over. His large, scarred hand covered the mirror-like part, distracting her.
"You don't need this, Lou." He promised. "Beauty is a facade."
She seemed to be lost for a moment after that, and the book began to flip once again. James' ears pricked, and he let his fingers slam down a page. Still, Lucy's attention didn't waver from her mind.
The paper seemed to be decorated a duck-egg blue, with ornamental designs which must've taken an age to complete. The writing was cursive, like that of a teachers, but this time legible. James was immersed within it, before he even knew what it was about.
A Spell To Remove Blemishes
James was taken aback.
It was no secret that he hadn't felt himself without all of his scars. When he was England, he'd felt as if a part of himself had been lost. However, one thing lingered in his mind. Something influential.
Caspian had never seen him without his scars.
Would the King love him more without them?James didn't doubt it. He should've, but he didn't.
Then, the words fell from his lips. It was easy, silky, like a prayer.
"Say these words, the letters smooth, and see them cover every bruise."
Before he was fully aware of what was happening, James saw his reflected on the page, sort of muddled like it was in water. His skin was familiar there. Smooth. Odd.
Would Caspian like it?
He ripped the page as Lucy walked closer. She didn't need to know. Not yet. No one needed to know. It wasn't anything important, anyway.
"Lou." James greeted to avoid suspicion. As far as he was aware, it had worked.
What was he doing?
The pair spent a short while searching for the spell the creatures had sent them in for. James had almost completely forgotten about it.
"A spell to make the unseen seem!" Lucy exclaimed as they opened the next page. She grinned widely, knowing their time in the house was coming to an end. They'd get to see family and friends again. Finally. Then, she began. "Like the P in psychology, the h is psychiatry, invisible ink and the truth in theology."
It turned out to be quite a long spell. James wasn't sure why, but it seemed to last an age. However, he was soon brought back to reality.
"The spell is complete!" Lucy smiled. "All is visible."
Soon, everything became clear. Or, rather, not so clear. The objects began to harden in James' vision, and things that had once been transparent were no more. Some of it was interesting, but James, instead, became quite uneasy as he watched a man come to life. However, he took it as his cue to find Caspian. After all, he'd done all that was asked of him.
His legs raced faster than the boy could ever remember. He didn't know why he was moving so fast, not really, but when the shock of raven hair came into sight, James remembered why.
"Caspian!" He cried out, running into the King's arms. Though lightly shaken,the comfort was already enough to regulate some of the irregularities.
In relief, the olive skinned man sighed. "James." Tender kisses were pressed all over the Pevensie boy's face, never fretting a space, and relying on the ends of each scar as a marker of his love. "Where have you been? Why did you leave?"
"I didn't want to go." Sighed the blonde, nestling his head into the crook of Caspian's shoulder. "I promise I didn't mean to."
"Don't worry." Soothed the black haired man. "Nothing happened."
"It's the Oppressor!" The voice of one of the invisible creatures- that seemed to now juxtapose themselves- rang through the air. James had forgotten all about them.
"Lucy." Edmund sighed, in a relived tone, and James turned to see his sister arm in arm with the man who must have been invisible.
"Your majesty." The man bowed, courteously.
"Caspian and Edmund." The young Pevensie introduced before gesturing to the tallest of the trio. "And this is James; he ran off."
"To see my wonderful lover, thank you." Huffed James, unafraid to express himself. "I don't pride myself in being abducted by odd creatures left, right and centre."
"This is Coriakin. It's his island." The three men bowed at this, though it felt ridiculous. Was this how everyone felt when they bowed at him?
"That's what he thinks. You have wronged us, magician." Exclaimed a creature, one that wasn't so invisible anymore. It had a bulbous nose, and one large foot, on which, it hopped.
"I have not wronged you" insisted Coriakin, calmly. "I made you invisible for your own protection."
"Protection?" Scoffed one, before they started to rant.
"That's oppressive!"
"Oppressor!"
"I have not oppressed you." Repeated Coriakin, cementing his point.
"But you could've... if you'd wanted to."
"Begone." The man blew a handful of white powder in their direction, and soon the creatures had whisked themselves away, wailing as they went.
"What was that?" Wondered Lucy.
"Lint." Grinned the man. "But don't tell them."
"What we're those things?" Eustace seemed to appear from no where, which was confusing. Why hadn't he been there in the first place? Had they left him? It must have been accidental.
Coriakin replied, as if it were obvious. "Dufflepuds."
"Right. Of course. Silly me."
This made James chuckle to himself. Of course it did, sometimes he forgot not everyone had grown up with Narnia. But he had, and he knew how lucky he was.
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Disclaimer!!!!
I don't own anything to do with the Narnia book series or film trilogy. These predominantly belong to C.S. Lewis. However, I do own James Pevensie, Alfie and Harvey Gallagher, and their respective alterations to the storyline.