Chapter one
THE LIFE OF A WIZARD
Mr. Elm was on his way home, on a rainy day in the middle of April of 1972 on the train back to Amityville, Long Island, when he saved the life of a wizard.
Ouran Elm was a very stern skinny man with a tuft of curly hair, very big glasses half the size of his face, and never even ever looked like he smiled one in his whole life, some people would say he almost looked like a bat. Mr. Elm lived in a nice cozy brown house on 17 Holiden Road.
Mr. Elm was the breadwinner for his family and was Headmaster of Fitliends Private school for Boys. If you asked anyone about Mr. Elm they would say he was a humorless bland man who at the drop of the dime gives out extracurricular high paced punishments to his most troublesome students, especially that young delinquent Mr. Anthony Bane.
His wife however saw something different. a tiny short haired woman with ears that an elephant would be jealous of, saw a very shy virtuous man who only sees the best in people and tries his absolute hardest to see them succeed
When the former Miss. Dakoda Jones first met Mr. Elm it was at that cute little Mosley's ice cream shop by Cordorn street on a very sweaty delirious summer's day , Mrs. Elm was with her college friends eating a delicious half melted double top sundae when she heard the scream of a man in his late 50's yelling at the poor 16 year old ice cream scooper. This very much angered the future Mrs. Elm and she was just about the man a piece of her mind, when she saw a bat-like pale man with glasses half the size of his face, stand between the poor 16 year old, taking the screaming on to him, the man himself got angrier at the sight of this man stopping the real target of his anger, and got louder and louder.
However Mr. Elm just glared and glared.
As he glared the man got quieter and quieter.
Then he just left embarrassed and red in the face that this younger man scolded him like this.
Mr. Elm was absolutely smitten and gave him her home address and a perfect time for a date, they got married a few months after in a very small venue near the metropolitan museum of art and went there for their honeymoon (Mrs. Elm adored art) and
Everything that was everyone would say if you first heard of him, that he was a perfectly normal man not a peep of oddity about him!
Yes perfectly normal, no sight of flying brooms or transforming into cats here!
Well. until that rainy day in April.
Mr. Elm was half asleep on this particular rainy day, he had an absolutely tiring day, two teachers were out sick, literature and maths, whom he had to cover for both, it was Macaroni and Cheese day in the dining hall witch is always a riot, and that little prankster Mr. Anthony Bane had put the entire biology's supply of frogs in the upper classmates bathroom. It was extremely tiring, he was in absolute daze, he almost for got his briefcase at the school.
Mr. Elm was so tired that he didn't wonder why the train station was completely empty on the rainy tuesday night not even the conductors where around, completely and absolutely empty!
Except well, for the large camp of bats hanging around the underside of the canopy, all completely still, staring daggers at the train in one single window.
When he got on the train, the third car from the back and just as empty as the rest as it had been, completely empty besides the two men sitting opposite ends of the car, and softly put his head on the window, listing to the patter of the rain as the train started to move, started to drift off thinking of what his wife made for dinner that night, hopefully not macaroni and cheese…
It had been about an hour and a half and fell into a slight uneasy sleep, he didn't even notice the man who was sitting behind him quickly get up and move to the man in the front of the car, drawing what seems to be a tiny wooden stick from his large black cloak.
The man in the black cloak slowly moved to the front not paying the half asleep Mr. Elm any mind. The man in the black cloak then pointed his very peculiar stick at this man sitting down
"Hoklrem Harem Hale, you are wanted by order of The Magical Congress of the United States of America and the Law of Kaw." The black cloaked man said calm stern voice. "For crimes murder and torture of magical and non magical folk alike."
"Ahhh, my dear Juneberry." Hoklrem said in this slow, meandering voice like speaking through molasse. "It is a absolute pleasure to see you once again to play this cat and mouse game!"
"Not this time, Hale." The man took down his cowl to show a fairly handsome yet grizzled man with long black hair. "We've put Anti-Apprate wards all over this car, there's nowhere to run, now come along quie-"
An large boom is heard throughout the car, as Auror Juneberry is thrown to the back of the car. This absolutely jolted Mr. Elm wide awake.
"Ahhhh my dear foolish, arrogant, Juneberry." Hoklerm stood to his feet, revealing with a crooked smile an obscenely hulking and gangly man with his gigantic face like it had been dried out over the course of many years. "I assume you thought if it was just you and I, you could finally take me, how haughty."
This giant reached into his pale grey cloak, that itself looks like it hasn't been washed in years, and pulled out a long stark white wand, this wand however was more like a branch off of a small tree, long as a man's forearm.
The man called Juneberry leapt to his feet, and with little hesitation waved his wand and shouted "Creo Silva!" as the the train's seats next to Hoklerm turned a very dark shade of green and sprout vines and within a second bound the hulking pale man.
Hoklerm laughed at the attempt to restrain him and starting from the his large leather boots, a blue flame swirled around him burning the vines around him.
"My dear Juneberry, were you even prepared to face me?" Hoklerm said lovingly, like a husband talking to his newly wed wife.
At that moment, Hoklerm then raised his wand as as a crackle of pure force destroyed the back few chairs and wall "Crepo." as a similar wall of force warped around Juneberry protecting him from the blast "Protego!"
As spells back and forth where flying through the train was slowly getting torn apart, as the Auror got more and more creative with his spells trying to fell this man "Verum Mitterent Flamma!" "Stupefy!" Hoklerm stayed quiet calm as the the blue flame stopped any and all incoming spells and lightly caressing him like a newborn babe, as he said only one word so very calm "Crepo."
Lying down on the floor of the train was trying to keep his head out of these two strange men with these destructive of powers, mind was racing "I have to get home" he thought. "I have to get to Dakota and the boys-"
's train of thought was cut off by the sound of a boom anas windows of the train broke around him, the train car itself was pushed violently off the tracks, crashing into the nearby forest
A pained gasp and a thump, as the Auror fell into the seat next to where was hiding. It looked horrible what happened to him, covered in blood, there where fissures of what visible skin his cloak has show, which happens to be a lot due to his clothes being torn to shreds, It was absolutely dreadful.
The Auror Juneberry sat down, he had made a mistake, a huge mistake. "a mistake that would cost me my pension" he chuckled at the thought, in a way, accepting his fate. As that tall gangly man walked towards the bloody and battered officer.
"My dearest Juneberry, aren't you happy to finally see this over?" Hoklerm smiled ear to ear as he loomed over the defeated man. "You can finally get some closure, and I can go about my work, it's a win-win."
"Its Auror to you you damn fae poser" spat Juneberry
Hoklerm caressed the Aurors face. "I wish I could have more fun with you at my lovely home, but sadly I fear some would come look for you...well goodbye "Auror" Juneberry."
Lifeless eyes raged with black fire Hoklerm raised his arm, and was uttering his spell "Crepo", when a black box hit Hoklerm Hale in the side of the head, and the man went down like a very large and pale sack of potatoes.
hit this man with his briefcase. Hard.
Auror Juneberry who had resigned to his fate had just looked up to see this very normal and ordinary man who just knocked unconscious a great criminal.
"Morganna's black hair!" Juneberry shouted. "No-Maj? What in all of the world are you doing here? This train was supposed to be only us two!"
, who having an absolutely terrible day mind you, two men with strange powers were fighting, his train exploded, he just knocked the larger one in the head with his briefcase and that Anthony Bane had stolen all of the biology roms frogs!
"Your a cop right!?" asked Mr. Elm, in his adrenaline fueled craze unknowingly but politely shouted at the man. "Can you walk, sir!?"
Juneberry felt his leg witch had been broken in 6 different places he would later figure out. "No my leg is broken, but his is none of your business, No-Maj, leave now before he wakes up-"
Interrupted, with more strength then he knew he had lifted up the fallen auror, and as quickly as one fully grown man carrying another fully grown man could, left the train.
Mr. elm searched and searched to find out where the world they were, while this entire time the Juneberry was slipping in and out of consciousness, and when ever he was in consciousness, told Mr. Elm to "Leave me!" or "None of your worry!"
Mr. Elm didn't like this one bit, a man was attacked and injured "Of course it's his worry!" He was sure to tell Juneberry this and this was sure to quiet him down.
It seemed like Mr. Elm walked for hours until he finally knew where he was headed, the familiar smell of the home filled his nose.
The smell of the sea and peaches.
had always made a peach pie for mr. Elm everyday when he got home from the fresh peaches they picked from the tree in their yard, it always gave him comfort to know someone was always waiting for him , and it was always a guide home.
He was very lucky that crash was only a few miles away from home.
dragged the now unconscious man to the front door of his lovely blue and red home, banging loudly and in a panic.
"Dakota!" Mr. Elm shouted. "Open the door!"
Not a second later Mrs. Elm rused the door open. "Ouran, what in god's name is going on?!" was in a light purple bathrobe and flannel evening wear, evenher panicked and state of undress she still looked beautiful. "Oh my gosh, is that blood? Who is this? Ouran? Ouran!"
Ignoring his panicked with Mr. Elm dragged Juneberry in, an put him lying on thier brand new "Volante" style couch. Mr. Elm sitting next to him asked his wife to get the first aid kit and the pie,and did so without taking a break to ask what is going on in her house.
"Ouran, please tell me what's going on?" said while (whom remembered a thing or two from the school nurse dealing with rowdy boys all day) sat in front of the man binding his wounds.
looked at her. "I don't know."
"Should we call an ambulance?" she squeeked nervously "I feel like we should call an ambulance, Ouran."
looked down at the injured man and looked out the window, expecting to see the great pale man about to break into his home. "No" Mr. Elm said direly. "Not now, that may be more dangerous than we think."
Mrs. Elm looked at her husband then at the man and then out the window and then nodded, knowing her husband had his reasons.
"Explain to me what happened Ouran." Mrs. Elm said quietly
And then he did.
Mrs. Elm like any ordinary person would be shocked and call the one telling the story a wackjob, but as long as Mrs. elm knew him Mr. Elm was not one to lie about flights of fancy.
As the sat silently they dressed the man's wounds and waited in bated breath that'd he would be okay, whos natural instinct was to bring in the peach pie surprisingly still warm after all this time. Mr. Elm thanked his wife and took a knife to make himself a slice.
"That smells like absolute heaven ma'am."
Juneberry had woken up. "Might I have a slice?" Juneberry said in a pained laugh. "I'm mighty hungry after this crazy day."
Mrs. Elm silently cut the gentleman a slice and handed it to him, he greedily shoveled the pie in his mouth, like he hadn't eaten for days.
"This is beyond heaven ma'am!" said Juneberry. "I haven't had anything as good as this since old Billie Bombbert made his One in Lifetime Fleeting Fruit Pie, made with fleet fruit, has a poison that kills you on any second eating for fruit but it's DELICIOUS."
Juneberry took another bite. "But this pie here ma'am, could easily knock it off its throne, you No-Maj's really know how to cook!"
Mr. and Mrs. Elm sat in stunned silence and sat starting at the strange man
The man then took a small black stick out of his cloak and with a slight wave a napkin came barreling out of the kitchen wiping his face for him and floating there waiting for the next mess to clean.
Mrs. Elm finally broke the silence.
"Who ARE you?"
Juneberry almost dropped his slice of pie realizing he hasn't explained anything this whole time!
"Oh i'm so absolutely sorry, I didnt even introduce myself!" Juneberry did a slight bow introducing himself. "Order of Merlin 2nd class Argos of the Cricle of Bats and all around the best damn detective M.A.C.U.S.A has ever had, Auror Jericho Juneberry at your service!"
Juneberry finished his second piece of pie and helped himself to a third, he looked at Mr. Elm.
"You saved my life." Juneberry spoke somley. "That man was an extraordinarily dangerous criminal i've been tracking for years, killed an number of people and done worse to even more, thank you so much.
It was so quiet that you could hear a heartbeat of a mouse. After a few moments it was Mr. Elm's turn to break the silence.
"WHAT are you?"
A huge smile broke arcoss the face of the Auror Jericho Malcolm Juneberry.
"A wizard!"
Mr. Elm had, most unusually during his tenure at Fitliends, called in sick. Miss. Phillips, who took that call was so shocked she she almost spat her coffee,
never called out through sleet and snow, through flu season even when there was a massive fire next door NEVER called out.
Well the reason for Mr. Elm calling out a ruining his perfect attendance was for the injured magic cop on his now bloodied living room couch.
While Auror Juneberry wanted to leave and not trouble, the elms anymore then he already had very much insisted he stayed until he was well enough until at least his cuts healed "We can't have you walking on a broken leg tripping opening yourself up and bleeding out!" Mrs. Elm said exactly and in a huff. "You will stay put until I believe your well enough to go and that final!"
Mr. Elm urged Juneberry to listen because his wife could be much scarier then the hulking pale man anyday.
Juneberry finally agreed because deep down he knew, maybe just maybe Hoklerm was still out there searching for him and the one who harmed him. Juneberry couldn't protect anyone injured like this.
However Juneberry, at much of the displeasure of Mrs. Elm , tried his darndest to help around the house.
Enchanting the laundry to dance into the wash, like children taking a bath, Making dust bunnies turn into actual bunnies and run out of the house, it was all very impressive to absolutely normal Mr. and Mrs. Elm, but however impressive it was Mrs. Elm, tried to take his wand away because he's "absolutely needed to rest!' and "no guest of mine is going to work!"
Juneberry didn't think too much of No-Maj's before meeting the Elm's honestly, they mostly just got in his way and he had to arrest a Dark Wizard giving him a lot of extra paperwork and obliviating to do.
Meeting the Elms, eating at their table, accepting their kindness, holding their children, truly gave Juneberry a new perspective, these two people were truly his friends
Witch made it hurt even more of what he had to do.
It took about 4 weeks for Juneberry to heal completely with No-Maj medicine, and his lackluster healing magic, much to the surprise of Mr. and Mrs. Elm, he was up an walking- with a slight limp, however, witch Mr. Elm decided to carve a new walking stick for him
The day Juneberry was going to leave was in the kitchen after having put the twins to sleep and Mr. Elm was reading The New York Post.
"Welp!" Juneberry chortled. "Im off!
Mrs. Elm rused out of the kitchen like it was on fire. "You're leaving!" she said morosely. "Are you sure you're feeling all well?"
Juneberry winked at Mrs. Elm. "Better then the day I was born!"
Mr. Elm got up from his seat and his usual stagnant face broke into a small smile as he shoot Juneberrys hand.
"You really are something, Mr. Juneberry." Mr. Elm chuckled. "Really open us to a more strange and fantastic world."
"I'm totally going to take up painting again because of this!" Mrs. Elm interjected gleefully.
"Might we expect you for dinner, once your affairs are in order?" Mr. elm asked
Juneberry smiled weakly. "Yes of course, Mr. Elm, i'll bring gifts for the boys next time."
"Very good!" Mr Elm laughed witch looked very strange on his face.
Juneberry laughed with him but finally said "I have one more thing to show you folks, might you two take a seat?"
Mr. and Mrs. elm curious as always sat down next to each other on the now ruined from being washed "Volante" style couch.
"Now look at my wand" Juneberry said pointing it at them.
"Obliviate"
As Ms. elms eyes glazed over and they fell unconscious,
"Thank you really, I'll leave you two with your passions intact for everything you've done." Jericho Juneberry winked as he solemnly grabbed his newly carved walking stick and headed for the door
Before he exited he heard the twins cry, Mason and Malcolm, Juneberry thought to feed them as one last goodbye to his two No-Maj friends.
Juneberry hobble into the kitchen prepared a bottle and what he saw in the babies room absolutely delighted him.
The cribs were flying and rocking the children to sleep.
Juneberry looked up with the grandest smile on his face, happier than he's ever been.
"Well it indeed seems like i'll be seeing you again Elms!" He murmured as he turn on his heel and headed out the door. "One day i'll properly show you the life of a wizard." he then disappeared.