I stare at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. I wait for him to smile and tell me he's kidding, especially given the seriousness of this situation, but when he doesn't I realize he isn't joking. "Sorry, what?" I question. "I know you must be thinking I'm crazy, but I'm serious. Do you believe in magic Emma?" He asks once again. I take a second to think. Hell no I don't believe in magic. It's what everyone tells you as a kid. They tell you magic isn't real and eventually you believe them. I blink hard. "Not really." I say. "I figured you would say that." He sighs. "I understand if you think I'm joking right now, believe me I would too, but just trust me on this." He says. He quickly stands up before he shuts the French doors to the living room, and pulls the blinds so the light coming in from the windows on the door disappears. He then moves to the windows and closes the shutters. In an instance, the room is nearly pitch black, and I'm left to wonder what in the world is going on.
"Now, I know it's pitch black right now, but watch closely." He says. "Lumos." He speaks. What the hell is a lumos-
In a split second, the whole room is illuminated by a bright white light. I look around in confusion to find my grandfather standing across the room, holding something that looks like a stick, and the tip protruding a bright white light. He then points towards the chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a white jet of light shoots across the room and appears as if it is almost transferred into the light fixture, as the chandelier lights up. I look up in awe as the room returns to a normal state because of the now lit chandelier. I immediately stand. "How did you do that?" I exclaim. He grins. "Magic." He simply says. "So you're a magician?" I ask, furrowing my brow. He laughs, amused. "No darling, a wizard." He says. I stare at him with an open jaw, before I can't help but let out a laugh. "Did you just say you're a wizard?" I ask, still laughing. He nods slowly. "Don't believe me?" He smirks. "Well the thing you did with the lights was pretty cool, but I don't even know how I can believe this. It just defies the laws of the universe." I say.
"I know, I know, but I need to prove to you that magic is real before I can explain anything else." He begins before looking around the room. "Pick an object in the room, any object." He says. I look at him in confusion before scanning the room for myself. I walk over to the large bookshelves and quickly look across the collection of hundreds of books. "The Great Gatsby." I say, still facing the shelf. Without any warning, the book comes lose and rapidly flies past my face, straight into the hands of my Grandfather. "What the hell?" I mutter under my breath. "Pick something else." He says as he sets down the book. I point to a dark green silk pillow, "The pillow." I say. He points the stick in his hand, which I assume to be a wand, no matter how crazy that sounds, and the pillow begins to float in the air. He moves his wrist slightly and it begins to float towards me. "See for yourself, there's no strings holding it up at all right?" he says. I look at him, before moving my hand above and below the floating pillow. I glance back at him, not exactly sure what to think at this point. "Ok I guess I can believe you." I finally say.
"Good," He smiles as he takes a seat on the couch once again. "Now I can begin to explain." he says. I sit back down in the plush airmchair I was previously seated in, and take a sip of my tea. Without warning, grandpa flicks his wrist towards the closed blinds in the room and opens the blinds making me choke on my tea. He can't help but laugh a little. I clear my throat and roll my eyes. "You know your parents could do magic too. Same with John and Alice." He says. "Are you being serious?" I question. He nods. "So this whole time I've been living with John and Alice? My whole life? You all could do all that fancy stuff with a stick?" I question. I'm almost mad that I am now just figuring this all out. He nods once more. "Precisely." he says. "Why are you just now telling me this?" I ask. "Your whole life we have only sought to protect you. When you were just a baby, you're parents died as you know. However, they weren't just killed in an accident. They were murdered." He says. I let out a small gasp.
"Murdered?" I ask quietly. I feel rage begin to run through my veins. I had always been told they got into a nasty car accident when we all lived in England and didn't survive. Who would murdered them and why has everyone been lying to me about it? Grandpa nods solemnly. "A man named Tom Riddle killed them." He says. "Why?" I ask. "Your parents were two of the most powerful wizards in the wizarding world. Tom Riddle, better known as Voldemort, had always sought to either use their power or destroy them if they refused. Several years before you were born, a war began. Voldemort and his followers terrorized the whole wizarding world, and your parents fought bravely against him, among many other great witches and wizards. He could never get close enough to get your parents to join them, they always managed to fight him or his followers off. Finally, when your parents had you, he threatned your life if they didn't join you. They still refused, and as a result they faked your death along with John, Alice, and my own so that no one would ever come looking. We all changed our last name to Thomas, and relocated to here. Ever since then we have sought the protection of fellow wizards. We mostly gave up magic, and have set up intense shields around my house and your own to keep all of us protected. Eventually, Voldemort got to your parents. In a moment of vulnerability, he killed them both. At the end of the war, Voldemort was destroyed and there was a short period of peace afterwards." He says.
It takes me a second to process all this information. It's hard to wrap my head around everything. It's especially hard to understand why someone's mother would ever name them 'Voldemort.' I close my eyes and take a deep breath before opening them. My granpda looks expectantly at me. "So what is going on now then? Who is the man who was at my house? And what do you mean there was only a short period of peace afterwards?" I question.
He clears his throat as if preparing for a long speech. "Since you were born into a family full of Wizards and magic, the result was that you have the ability to do magic as well. Now hear me out, it might be hard to believe since you have thought things to be normal your whole life but I need you to listen to me. Your parents cast an extrememly powerful spell on you before they sent you here so that it would surpress your powers until about the time you turn 17-" I interrupt before he can finish. "But I don't turn 17 till next month!" I exclaim.
I was pretty young for my grade. And since I happened to work so hard and be quite clever in school I was able to move up a grade in elementary school. Therefore, I am still 16 and heading into my senior year.
"I know and we have a plan set in place so that you can begin to use magic finally. I'll explain more in a minute. Since you were born to 2 of the most powerful wizards however, you're destined to have a mass amount of power. When you were born there was a propechy that a child of 2 very powerful beings would be born and someday grow up to have more power than even they had. People had always been very curious that child was you. There was never any confirmation and when everyone had thought you to be dead when you were a child, there was never much more talk about it. A few months ago was the end of the second Wizarding War. There was much tragedy and destruction, but as a result, Voldemort was permanenetly destroyed. In the past few months, while special wizards have been tracking his followers however, we have reason to believe that a few escaped to America. We don't know how, but one in particular has figured out who you are and that you are still alive. His name is, Augustus Rookwood. He's a very bad man and still seeks vengance for the death of his leader. He was the man who was at your house. I still don't know what he wants but we can wait till Alice and John arrive to hear that much." He says taking a long breath at the end due to talking.
"Wow. That was a lot." I say. He smiles. "I know, and the trouble is that there is much more you have yet to learn. That is why we think that it is best if you move to England this coming year to go to school with people like you." He says. I feel anger when he says this. "What do you mean move to England? I don't want to leave this place. And people like me? Are there more people my age that can do magic?" I ask.
"Hogwarts is the school in which I attended, your parents and John and Alice. It is a wonderful place and your great aunt is even Headmistress so she would look after you. And of course there is more people who can do magic. It's a whole other world that we strive to keep hidden away from muggles - er - people who can't do magic." He says. "Even if there are more people like me, I don't want to leave this place. It's my senior year! That means I'll be the new girl at a school full of people who have known probably their whole life they're wizards. Not to mention I'll probably be the only damn American." I huff.
He looks at me with sympathetic eyes. "Emma, I know how hard it's going to be, but you just need to take things one step at a time. Don't overthink this. We don't have much options either. You need to learn how to control your magic once it can no longer be supressed. If you do not, you'll be a danger to yourself. We were planning to tell you this weekend at family dinner, but given the circumstances I decided to explain everything today." He says.
"Look, I'm sorry Grandpa but this is just all too much for me to process. I mean I just found out I'm - what even am I? A witch? Who can't even do magic yet might I add. Plus my parents were actually murdered, my whole family can do magic, and now I have to move to a different country and go to a new school? I'm really sorry but please understand that all of this is a little frustrating and confusing." I say.
He looks at me and nods his head. "I do understand, and I'm sorry that things have worked out this way. Why don't you take some time to think about everything, you can take your stuff upstairs and I'll have Harvey bring some dinner up to you." He says. I simply nod before standing and walking back into the front entry way. I grab my bag and begin carrying it up the grand staircase, trying not to think too hard about the fact that my whole life just changed.
The staircase splits into two different wings, so I take a right towards the east wing and continue up another small set of stairs. I walk down the hall a bit before I take yet another right and step into the bedroom I've practically claimed as my own. I step inside and immediately drop my suitcase on the floor. I walk over to the window seat and sit down. I open up the large window to let in a cool summer's breeze.
At this point, all I can think is, what the hell . I can do freaking magic but at the same time I cant? I pray that by the time I wake up tomorrow, I will wake up in my bed and all will be normal. I'll call my friends Amanda, Craig, and Ryan and we will all go surfing and all will be well.
I'm so lost in thought that a large crack outside pulls me back to reality. Out of thin air, literally out of freaking no where, John and Alice are suddenly standing outside on the driveway. My jaw drops. There's no way they could've just appeared out of thin air. Anything is possible at this point though. I jump up from where I am seated and sprint out of the room, and down the stairs right as the door opens and they enter in. I immediately run into John's open arms as Alice swings around and hugs the both of us.
"Thank goodness you guys are ok." I breathe out.
"Thank goodness you're ok." Alice says and John nods his head in agreement. Grandpa walks in. "Is everything ok?" He asks. A dark look falls over both their faces. "They blew up the house. We got out in time though." He says. "WHAT?!" I shout.
They both look at me with an extremely apologetic look on their face. "They blew up our fucking house?" I exclaim. "Emma watch your language." Alice says sternly. "I'm sorry but this day just keeps getting better and better." I say sarcastically as I turn around to take a seat on the stairs. They blew up the house. Oh my god. Whoever this Rookwood guy is, I'm going to kill him I swear to god.
"I take it you told her?" John questions Grandpa. "Yeah, and she actually took it better than I would've thought. What did Rookwood want?" Grandpa asks.
"He's after Emma. We are working on how he figured out she's alive, but he was there to take her. We put up quite the fight."John says. I suddenly notice small scratches on their faces, and bruises already forming.
John walks over and crouches down in front of me. "Are you okay Em?" He asks. I simply nod.
"I know this is all very scary and confusing. The most important thing though, is that we are all here together, and safe." He says. Alice joins in. "I'm so proud of the person you've grown into, and I know you can handle this next chapter of you life without a doubt. I need you to stay strong though. You'll soon learn that things aren't going to be easy. I'm sure Grandpa already told you about school in London?" She says. I nod.
"Well you need to know, that is going to be the safest place for you right now. You and Grandpa are going to London tomorrow. You have a flight early in the morning. I'm sorry it's such late notice but you need to be somewhere safe right now. John and I are going to stay here and take care of things for a while. Do you understand?" She asks. "I understand." I say.
She brushes a strand of hair out of my face. "I really wish I could go with go and help, but I know everything will work out." She says. I take her hand in mine. "I know, and I promise to write to you all the time." I say. She smiles. I stand up as her and John pull me into another hug. "We love you so much Em." He says. I look up at them.
"I love you guys too." I say, trying to fight back threatening tears. I don't know when the next time I'll see them will be.
Before I turn to head up to bed Alice squeals. "Before I forget!" She shouts. She pulls a small box out of her coat pocket tied with a white velvet ribbon. "I was lucky enough to hold onto this, consider is an early birthday present." She smiles and hands it to me. I feel myself grin as I pick up the box, slide the ribbon off, and open the lid. I can't help but flash a large smile as I look at the golden heart shaped locket. I gasp. "It's so beautiful, thank you guys." I smile gratefully as I immediately take it out to put it on. The gold encrusted locket has tiny and daint engravings on the outside. It is truly beautiful. When I open it up on one side it shows my parents, the other is a photo of the four of us. The same two photos I managed to take from home.
"We thought it was only appropriate to give to you for your 17th birthday. It was given to your mother on her 17th birthday. In the wizarding world, 17 is the age that you are officially considered an adult." She says. I nod my head as I feel a sudden warmth come over me. The fact that it was my mother's, and at the same age makes it that much more special to me. "Thank you guys so much." I say sincerely. "Of course darling." John says.
I give everyone hugs before heading up to bed. What a rollercoaster of a day. I try my best not to think of everything I have just learned, and the fact that I'm about to leave behind everything I know. Slowly, I drift off into a dreamless sleep.
Regardless of everything I still didn't know, I knew one thing for sure. From this point on, nothing would ever be the same again.
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oKkkkkaayYy the next few chapter might move a little more on the slow side but I think they explain necessary information and just add to the story. PLEASE plz keep reading, things will start getting exciting soon!!
- Kat ;)