Chapter 9
Anna hated to floo. Some dust always got in her nose no matter how she tried to caught her breath. Every time she coughed and sneezed for a few seconds after arriving to her destination. This time it wasn't different. After the witch managed to recover she stepped out from the fireplace and looked around. She was in a small, dark living room with lots of books and parchments scattered all over the floor and the old shabby furniture with a dust brown sofa and matching armchairs. Still, it felt cosy and warm.
"Hello!", she said hoping that the owner of the house will appear. A second later she heard footsteps approaching. A smiling wizard came in to the room who was almost a foot shorter than Anna.
"Welcome, dear, welcome! You must be the young lady Severus told me about!"
"That would be me, yes. My name is Anna Holló."
"What a nice name, Ms. Holló. Alaricus Mallard, at your service!" They shook hands.
"Thank you, Mr. Mallard, it is an honour to meet you. I'm a big admirer of your work."
The old wizard beamed at Anna.
"Would you like some tea? Or something stronger?" Alaricus winked.
"Thank you but I have to bring a potion to Mrs. Szabó. She is the ill lady whom we help."
Mallard frowned.
"Mrs. Szabó? I know her. She is a very nice lady, always laughing. Now that I think about it, she used to laugh. Nowadays she looks usually sad, now I know why. What a sad story… She also has a daughter, very nice, too. And a son. Handsome and smart. I can't remember his name…"
"Ádám", said Anna in a low voice.
"Yes! Oh, do you know him? Is he that friend of yours Severus talked about?"
"He is."
Mallard took a step closer and started to speak in a low voice.
"Is he your ex-boyfriend?"
Anna cleared her throat, she started to feel unwell.
"He is but I assume Severus didn't mention that."
"Of course he didn't. I'm sure he's not happy about it."
"No. He's trying to hide it but I can see he's jealous."
The wizard smiled again.
"Severus is acting very cool but in the inside he is a very passionate person. And if I'm correct he only shows his passion when you two are in a very private situation."
Anna felt herself blush and totally embarrassed.
"I… well, yes. But I really have to go now. During the next few weeks I'm sure we'll have some time to talk."
"Yes, yes, go, dear. Do you know where to go?"
"Ádám gave me the directions."
"Good. I wish you luck and take your time. I'll be here wherever you want to go home."
Anna nodded, said good-bye and left the house. She turned to the right and started to walk on the street. She was in a town with a population of 100 thousand people but this part of the town looked very calm and peaceful with friendly looking houses with big backyards, trees and flower beds. It was a weekday morning and there were only a few people on the streets. After 5 minutes, Anna saw a light blue house with a white fence and an old plum tree right next to the gate. She went to the door and knocked. After a few seconds she heard some shuffling coming from the house and the door opened.
[Anna's POV]
"Hey, Ádám", I said nervously.
"Hey, you made it", he said and hugged me. It was a bit awkward but in a way it felt good. After he released, Ádám stepped back from the door and I entered the house. The hall was narrow but there were pictures on the walls. I took a look at them and saw Ádám and his sister when they were children, eating ice, taking swimming lessons and smiling next to their mother. She had a curvy figure but in a healthy way and she had a big smile on her face. I could see that she really loves her children.
When Ádám cleared his throat behind me, I returned from my musings.
"Did you… travel well?" He was still very confused about the world of witches and wizards.
"Yes. Can we start right away?"
"Of course, come, my mother is in the living room. Would it be good there or should go upstairs in her bedroom?"
"The living room would be great, this method is different than the medical way."
He lead the way and I stepped in the light and spacious living room. The walls were painted yellow and the furniture was modest and tasteful. Mrs. Szabó sat on the pale green couch and I tried to hide my surprise. She looked very pale and thin compared to the woman on the pictures in the hall. This woman had black rings around her eyes and her curvy figure was gone. Her short hair was flat and dull. I took a step closer and smiled at her.
"Hello, Mrs. Szabó, my name is Anna Holló."
She tried to stand up but it was a hard task. Ádám reached out his hand to help her and she managed to get up. We shook hands and she smiled back at me. It was weak but friendly.
"It is so good to meet you, Anna. Can I call you, Anna?"
"Of course."
"Good, and you can call me Márta. My son talked a lot about you. Please, take a seat!" Her voice was low and she looked frail. "Can we get you something?"
"A tea would be nice."
"Ádám, honey, would you make some tea for us?"
"Yes, mom" and he left for the kitchen. During the next ten minutes we have small talk with Mrs. Szabó but I felt more and more nervous. She didn't know that I was a witch, she didn't know that magic existed and before we could start the therapy, we have to tell her. I intentionally left my cloak at home and choose muggle clothing to look more normal. Ádám came back with the tea and after some more small talk it was time to start. I put down my mug and asked Márta to do the same, I didn't want her to drop it.
"Márta, what did Ádám told you about me? I mean, the reason why I came here", I asked very tentatively.
"He said that you could help with my illness. You and your boyfriend but he didn't tell me the details. Are you a doctor?"
Alright, it came the hardest part.
"No, I'm not. I'm a", I took a deep breath, "I'm a witch."
Márta looked at me like I was crazy.
"A what? A witch? Are you involved in homeopathy? Because if it is the case, I'm sorry but I'm not interested."
"No, I'm not. This thing is real. I know it's hard to believe but it is about magic. Not the I-put-bunny-out-from-a-hat kind of magic but the one where I can do very strange things with a wand."
Mrs. Szabó really thought I was crazy and she started to get up. She seemed really upset.
"Ádám, I know that you wanted to help but this is ridiculous. I don't know who this girls is and what is she doing but I don't have time for this nonsense. I'm dying."
I stood up as well and blocked her way before she could leave the room.
"Márta, please, I just want a minute from you. And after that you can decide if you want to reject me."
Ádám was standing now next to his mother and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Mom, I know it's hard to process but she is really a witch."
"Ádám…" her voice faltered.
"Please, let her convince you."
With a deep sigh, Márta nodded. I took a step back and for the first demonstration I choose a very simple spell. I took out my wand from my special pocket on my coat and I pointed it on a book on the coffee table.
"Vingardium leviosa!" The book started to float in the air and Márta gasped.
"No! It has to be some trick!"
"It's not, mom. It's for real."
I finished the spell and put back the book on the table. The next spell was more complex. With the flick of my wand I transformed the tea pot in a white cat. Ádám's mother cried out loud.
"What the hell is going on?" She was trembling now and clinging to his son. I took the cat from the table and showed it to Márta.
"This is a real cat. I transformed it from the tea pot."
"But… how?"
"With my wand, my magic wand."
She cautiously patted the cat's head unwilling to believe to her eyes. I put the cat back to the table and reversed the spell. For the last step I didn't need my wand so I put it back in my coat.
"Márta, may I?", I asked and reached for her hands. She looked puzzled but gave me her hands. I grabbed them and I could feel how cold and weak her grip was. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and concentrated on my magic. I could feel the energy deep inside of me and started to pass it to Márta through our intertwined hands. When I could feel the power of magic in the veins in my fingers, I could also feel Márta stiffen. She felt the energy so suddenly I pushed a bigger amount of magic through her. I heard her gasp again, opened my eyes and let go of her hands. She looked at me with amazement.
"What on Earth was that?"
"My magical powers."
"I… I have to… I have to sit down." His son and I helped her and I sat down opposite her. Ádám took a seat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders.
"I know it's hard to believe, mom but she is really a witch. She demonstrated her powers the same way a few years ago."
I smiled at the memory.
"Yeah but that time I transformed a book in to a turtle."
Ádám smiled back at me.
"It was a cute turtle. However the third trick…"
I coughed.
"Alright, the third action was what convinced me. When I could feel the magic running through my veins…" He looked deep in my eyes with an expression I almost forget. I blushed a little.
"It's very convincing, isn't it?"
I looked at Márta and she looked less pale now. She started to speak looking right at me.
"Is this how you will help me?"
"Not really. At first you have to take a potion. It's not toxic, it's more like a herbal mixture. It will prevent the tumour to grow bigger." I put the vial out of my bag and handed it to the older woman. She was amazed. "I know it looks very strange but I can assure you it's safe. My boyfriend made it and he is an expert in these things. Actually, he is the best living Potions Master."
"Potions Master?", asked Márta like I was crazy.
"It is a wizard who is brewing potions, mostly healing potions. The thing is that you tumour is not a normal tumour. It is a kind of magical tumour. I know it is very hard to process all these kind of things but I'm trying to make it as easy as I can."
"I know, dear. You look very convincing but you have to understand my disbelief. What is a magical tumour?"
"Well, there is two kind of magic. The one is the Light, it's used for good things. And there is Dark magic which is used by evil wizards and witches. If there is too much Dark magic in one place, it is like radiation. And as you know, radiation could cause tumour."
"But how could I…?"
"It is possible that you passed through a place when there was a fight between Dark wizards before and the magic lingered."
"Oh, I see…"
I bent forward and took her hands in mine.
"Márta, I can't promise that we will able to heal you. We will do our best but there's no known cure to magical tumour. However if there is someone who can find a cure for it, it is my boyfriend and he is a very stubborn man. If he makes up his mind, he will do anything to reach his goal. His goal is now to heal you and I will help him with all my power."
There were tears in the woman's eyes but smiled.
"And I will fight."
I squeezed her hands.
"That's the spirit. Now, I will use some diagnostic spells on you and after that I will tell you about the cure."
It was already dark when I left the house. I was so exhausted that I was almost crawling back to Mallard's.
"How did it go?", the old wizard asked when he let me in.
"Better than expected. She didn't go hysterical when I told her that I'm a witch."
"Wonderful, although you look awful."
"Thank you, I feel drained. I just want to go home, eat and sleep."
"I'm sure Severus is waiting anxiously on you. Go, my dear, and let me know when you're coming back."
"I will. Thank you, Mr. Mallard. Good night!"
"Good night, my dear!"
I almost fell out from the fire place in our living room. I dropped my bag on the floor and went straight to the kitchen. Severus was there, cooking and from that position he couldn't see me. I went to him, put my arms around his waist and buried my face in his back.
"It's very dangerous to surprise a former spy like this. I could have hexed you." His voice rumbled through his body.
"I was ready to take the risk." I pulled back, he turned around and kissed me on the lips.
"How did it go?", he asked while putting a hand on my face.
"Good. She is a very nice and strong-minded woman. She wants to fight."
Severus smiled a little.
"And how do you feel?"
"I'm exhausted."
"Do you want to take a bath before dinner?"
"What a great idea! I go and prepare it."
"No need to. I already did it."
I smiled at him.
"You are absolutely fantastic, Severus!" I kissed him passionately. My energy was already returning.
Well, that was a long one. I wish I would have Severus waiting for me with a bath LOL I'm anxious to read your opinion!