Christmas tale of sort, set around year and a half after the war ended.
Sorry for the possible grammatic blunders but I wanted to put this out of my hands and head after writing and editing it in few hours during two evenings.
The usual disclaimers. Rated K
Around 1270 words just for fun. This is sequel to An Encounter but reading it is not necessary :)
Hints to the HP characters belonging to JKR are there, while the rest are own characters.
A Task
The hand on the shoulder squeezed Marie lightly back to the speech on the true meaning of the Christmas. She was sure someone had been sitting on the remote bench almost hidden behind the
wooden pillar but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't see anyone there.
Her mother Janet noticed what she thought being impatience while Robert's eyes gave glints of told you so.
Janet assumed that it was the envelope which a courier had brought to their door that morning telling Marie had won a lottery arranged by a detergent brand to celebrate their 30 year existence.
It had been a bit strange envelope of thick, almost cardboard like paper with lettering of silver colour. Robert had put it down to advertising gimmick. Janet realised Marie kept sneaking looks towards the remote corner of the church but since nobody else seemed to notice it, Janet concentrated to listening.
As they were already on the corridor to the door Robert realised forgetting his gloves.
"I'll get them for you" Marie offered in a hope of little adventure.
Robert smiled picking the carkeys out of his pocket.
"Janet, please take the keys. I'll wait for Marie," Robert said casually.
Janet caught the keys mid-air in equal manner. There were some raised eyebrows among the men who in turn got some sharp elbows on the ribs from their respective ladies. Robert couldn't help feeling bit mischievous and was sure Janet had noticed them too.
"Two for naughty list" Robert smirked inwardly as he started to walk back to look for Marie who had already disappeared behind – or under - the high wooden backrests. He opened his coat pulling the gloves out.
"Marie, do come here. I found the gloves," he said in slightly raised voice.
"I did search everywhere," Marie pointed out her head and shoulders appearing above the backrest.
"I know, I'm sorry for the bother"
Marie climbed down taking Robert's hand.
"Lively daughter you have," the reverend stated with friendly smile.
Before Robert had the time to apologise she continued.
"I am sorry for being insulent, but she kept looking to the backseats didn't she?"
"Mm, yes" Robert hesitated.
Marie gave the reverend a look with mixture of guilt and joyous glee.
Robert realised the reverend was waiting and decided to let his guard go.
Afterall he had put up the act in order to talk to Marie without Janet's sometimes
overly organised mind.
"Actually, I did catch some glimpses as well but wasn't sure."
"I think he looked tad shorter than you dad" Marie put in.
Robert gave a forced laugh but fell into silence.
"Dad, do you remember last year?" Marie asked brightly.
"Yes," Robert answered slowly.
"Marie took a little walk while we caught up with some people. She fell to snow and some youngsters helped her to clean up. They were very polite." Robert explained.
"They were just like him who was here today" Marie said matter-of-factly.
"I mean he was among them" Marie corrected importantly.
"Sure he wasn't a ghost" she continued half to herself.
"This is rather old church" the reverend said calmly.
"But I am sure he wasn't a ghost or spiri and that you aren't just seeing things. You will find out more sooner than you think. Now, have a joyous and peaceful christmas and thank you for coming."
The reverend gave Robert an encouraging smile. Recovering his ashtonisment he was about to ask more but she was already about to collect the hymn-books. Besides Marie had already started to pull him determindedly towards the doors.
"Merry christmas to you too. I hope we did not cause trouble" Robert mumbled letting Marie to start leading him out. She gave one more look wrinkling her eyes before they stepped out pushing the door shut behind them.
The wizard became visible starting to fold what looked like mirror made of cloth. Soon he put the cloth now no bigger than a handkerchief in his pocket.
The reverend waited in silence as the young slightly stocky man walked to her. His age was difficult to tell. It was in his eyes, she realised. Right now they were calm but she could see a shade of something that should have belonged to people much older allthough he propably wasn't more than twenty.
"Thank you once more for letting me in. We know that this is a special time for you" The boy said formally.
"Not at all. Mr. Holder seemed rather disturbed and I must admit I feel rather confused myself."
"I apologise the the inconvenience but it is necessary until we have confirmed the possibility."
"Is this what there is waiting for, hiding, secresy?" It was now the mother of six year old son speaking.
"If you decide to upon to given information there will be more visits with a proper introduction to the gifts and advisory how to live ordinary life."
"Is there someone in the house right now? "
"We won't enter to houses without permission," the wizard answered slightly pointedly.
"That was a rude question," the reverend sighed.
A silence landed. The candle standing on the chancel let out a single spark while the wizard was waiting patiently.
The reverend perked herself up.
"Is it appropriate to ask whether you celebrate the seasons?"
"We do celebrate at this time of the year. We give presents, eat ourselves sick and we do have mistletoes." the wizard said in purposedly formal voice.
The reverend couldn't help a laughter.
"I have many questions but I won't hold you any longer. I guess you have other obligations as well?"
"There is a report of a strange choir singing carols unheard of. They are propably some pranksters"
"You sing carols as well? It seems you aren't that different afterall. But how did you get here? I did not see a car and you were here before the people arrived."
"On a motorbike but I walked couple of streets. She went to look for that choir and she will pick me up"
"Oh"
"Disappointed?" The wizard asked giving a bright smile that made the reverend's ears feel hot.
"No, just well, we tend to think a girl driving a motorbike is somewhat exceptional."
The wizard laughed but did not speak more hearing a snow-dampen sound of one-cylinder engine
thumping it's way to the yard and fading off.
Soon a tall girl with a scarf and pilot glasses around her neck stepped in but remained by the door giving a short nod few snowflakes glimmering on the tufty hair.
"It seems that her task has been accomplished."
The reverend couldn't help a curious look on his clothes.
"I do have a proper overall and a helmet. Let me show you to ease your concern. But remember you must not tell," he said seriously.
He tapped the uppper button of his overcoat which seemed starting to stretch and wrap him inside of it.
"It would be far too attention rising" the wizard said happily over the jaw touching collar the helmet gathering size on his palm.
The woman too had changed her dark red overcoat as well.
The reverend laughed shaking her head and reached her hand.
"It's been a pleasure to meet and don't worry, I won't tell. Merry Christmas!"
"Thank you once more for your help and patience, and happy solstice to you too."
The door closed behind them. A moment later a low rumble signaled them leaving.
The reverend started to prepare closing the church, collecting rest of the hymn books smiling. She did wonder however if they could have had them flying to neat piles.
End