Mrs Thomas was terrified. She had been terrified for years. This evening, as every other evening, she went through the house once, twice, and even a third time to make sure all the doors and windows were firmly closed. All the while knowing it wouldn't stop "them". "They" would always manage to pass through.

Her husband had disappeared a long time ago. She didn't even know whether he was alive or not. He was a wizard. Of that, at least, she was sure. Almost. It seemed so far away in her memories she often wondered she had not dreamt the few years they had lived together. But no, Dean was there as a proof it wasn't a dream.

And she had seen him do things… magical things. The problem was… in his world, wizards were fighting. They were at war against such an abomination that even Mr. Thomas, a brave man, didn't dare to utter its name.

The evening he left… she didn't understand all that was happening, but she knew he was involved in this war. She had no other acquaintance in his world. Nobody to whom ask for news, nowhere to look for him… it was as if the wizarding world didn't exist for her anymore. For all she knew, the war was still raging.

Once she was sure the house was closed, she came up the stairs and glanced in Dean's room.

The five-years-old boy was quietly lying in his bed, but his eyes were widely opened in the dark. Mrs Thomas came in the room and sat beside him on the bed.

"Don't you sleep, darling?"

"Can't!"

The young woman smiled at the sight of Dean, hugging his stuffed bunny and pouting determinedly.

"Read me a story!" he demanded.

"I've already read one, love, you'll have another tomorrow evening."

"Pleaaaase!!!"

Mrs Thomas was seldom able to be insensible to her son's pleading. But she wasn't about to take out the story book again, not tonight. Instead, she get a coin out of her pocket and grinned at the boy's puzzled expression.

"Look at the coin, Dean, look at it closely, ok? It's in my hand, you see? But if I close my hand and say a spell… Desaparecio! I open my hand and… it's gone!"

"Oh! How d'you do it?"

She fought not to laugh at the child's stupefaction. It was a trick her father had taught her, and that she had ornamented with a spell heard from her husband.

"It's magic!"

"But… but… where is it? The coin?"

"Ah! That's a good question. The coin goes where it wants to. But I've an idea where it is now."

She reached behind his nape to "retrieve" the coin. Flabbergasted, Dean rubbed his neck, looking at the coin, then turned to investigate his pillow. She burst out laughing.

"Do it again, Mom! Again, please!!!"

"No. I'll do it again tomorrow if you go to sleep and be good tonight."

At once, he grabbed his bunny, tucked the blanket under his chin and shut his eyes tightly.

"Sleeping."

She laughed again, turned off the bedside lamp, and got up to leave.

"Mom?"

She turned, her hand already upon the door's handle.

"You're magic, Mom!"

And then he was sleeping with that deep sleep which secret only known by the little children.

"I'm not", she murmured dreamily. "But you certainly are."

She left his room and closed the door, wondering, as often these days, whether she would ever be brave enough to tell him about his father.