Chapter 4 - The Voice in the Well

Granny's Diner seemed to be everyone's favourite spot. It was noisy and bustling with activity, almost every bench filled. Waiters danced around the room, taking orders, and Harry could smell good food coming from the kitchen. His stomach growled, and he realized that he was pretty hungry. Going through portals must have sapped his food supply.

They sat down with Emma (Archie had left, to go attend to some things, he said) and she picked up the menu. While musing through it, she said, "So, how do you like our little town?"

"It's lovely," Hermione answered.

"Where were you traveling to before you came here?"

Harry's heart skipped a beat. They didn't know where in the world they could be. If they answered wrong, then Emma would know that they were lying, and that something was definitely up. But thankfully, they were saved from the answer, because someone came running through the door while waving a shovel through the air. He was a squat man with graying hair and lines on his face from frowning a lot. In fact, he reminded Harry of a dwarf.

"Hey! Hey!" he yelled, obviously in a panic. "Flash of light - edge of forest - strange magic -"

Harry's eyes widened. Did the dwarf man just say, 'magic'? He exchanged glances with Ron and Hermione, who both looked shocked. Maybe Harry and his friends had been wrong. Maybe magic did exist in this place.

Emma got to her feet, shot a half worried, half angry glare at the dwarf, then turned to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "Sorry, we just -"

"Did you say, 'magic'?" Ron interrupted.

Emma twisted her lip. "Yes, I know it sounds -"

"Crazy?" Hermione continued. "Not at all. We come from a magical world."

"You do?" Emma's eyes were wide, and she frowned a little.

"Yes, we -"

"No time to explain!" yelled the dwarf man. "We have to go! Now!"

The three wizards nodded before following Emma and the dwarf (of whom was named Leroy) outside and to the edge of the forest that grew around Storybrooke. Residents of the town were on the street, pointing at the woods, looking surprised and scared. Apparently they had seen this flash of light, too.

Suddenly, a boy with brown hair wearing a red-and-gray scarf came out from one of the shops, followed by a man covered in leather and silver jewelry. Harry noticed that he had a hook for a hand.

"Mom!" the boy yelled at Emma. "Did you see -"

"Leroy just told me about it. We're heading there now."

"Uh, who are you with?" the man with the hook asked, waving (the hook) at Ron, Harry, and Hermione.

"Some friends who just came to Storybrooke," Emma told him. "But no time to explain." She quickly exchanged names before they continued running toward the woods.

Indeed, it looked like there had been a flash of light, or some sort of fire. The trees around were scorched, and Harry and his friends followed the path of blackened bark toward a well ingrained in the ground.

"It looks like the light came from here," Henry (the young boy) said, indicating the piles of ash around the well.

Slowly, the friends leaned over the well and looked down. All Harry could see was darkness, so he wondered where the light had come from, but then again, magic could be tricky. Ron looked like he was just about to say, "There's nothing here," when a voice rang out through the forest.

"So you've seen my warning," it hissed, low and metallic. "But that's only a taste of the magic that I can do. Besides, I didn't really do anything."

"What are you talking about?" Emma prompted.

"I am going to invade Storybrooke, Emma Swan. I'm giving you this warning because I thought it would be cheap if I just showed up. Now I'll actually give you time to prepare, so that I'm not facing people with no magical power."

"Who are you?" the pirate man with the hook, of whom was actually named Captain Hook, asked.

"I am The Wizard of Oz. I understand there have been people who have impersonated me before, but that's all they were. Impersonators. I am the real deal. I have extensive magical ability, and you cannot defeat me, no matter how hard you try."

"So why are you attacking Storybrooke?" Hermione said.

The voice chuckled, making Harry cringe. "So that you all understand how strong I am, and so that you all bow down before me. No more Evil Queen. No more Wicked Witch. I am your worst enemy, the greatest of all fairy tale characters, and I shall rule my subjects."

"We're not your subjects!" Emma yelled, but the voice had gone. She sighed, the redness draining from her face, but was still obviously angry. "Can Storybrooke ever have a break? Now we have to prevent the attack of some psychopath wizard!"

The way she said that made Harry understand how she felt. He had dealt with a psychopath wizard before, one that was so feared that magical folk wouldn't even speak his name. And he always wondered if he could ever have a break. It seemed that the people of Storybrooke also faced many enemies, of which they had defeated but kept coming back. And now they had to fight this Wizard of Oz.

So, Harry thought, This place really has to do with the Wizard of Oz. And fairy tale characters, too, it seemed. There was a magic here that he, Ron, and Hermione had yet to understand, but had to find out about. He also knew that the Once Upon a Time book had sent him and his friends here to help out. So, they definitely would.

Sorry I haven't been updating for a while! I've just been busy. Plus, I started reading the newest book from one of my favourite series, so I wanted time for that. But don't worry, I haven't forgot about all of you! - Key