Hermione woke up to a jolting noise that wasn't from the truck, although it was also shaking. It was Harry who called her and Ron, as they would arrive at the twins' house in a few minutes. With a quick look, she observed that the twins were silent and paying attention to the path that had some detours and holes, which explained why it was shaking so much.
– Oh, my goodness... I think I slept too much.
– Hermione... Are you ready?
– Ready for what, Harry? - the girl asked her friend, running her hand over her face and hair. Soon she realised that she was still leaning against Ron, who was also waking up at that moment, with a very lazy yawn. The redhead looked at her, with a shy smile, and she immediately tried to compose herself. - I'm sorry.
- All good. said Ron, looking kind.
– Harry, what were you talking about... - she stopped when the boy just pointed out of the cabin. More than ten kangaroos were following the truck, with jumps that seemed to be more of a kind of greeting; She couldn't count properly because, in addition to jumping in time with the truck, they changed places as if they were in a very happy and messy dance. She had never seen animals so alive in her life, and she felt alive as she looked at them; It certainly wasn't the same as looking in books or seeing it in a zoo. She watched for about five minutes and noticed that Ron was also looking at them with great admiration, but he expressed what she felt when she saw the kangaroos outside.
– Wow... How beautiful. Look there... - he pointed to two kangaroos that seemed to have hugged each other while jumping.
– Everyone is impressed when they see them for the first time... - said Eric, turning to the trio.
That group of kangaroos conveyed an unusual peace to the girl. She noticed that there were big and small kangaroos and imagined that they were from the same family. Harry sighed and looked back at his friends. The smile Hermione saw on him said that the beauty of those animals seemed to captivate anyone who looked at them.
- I knew you'd like it. - he said, looking at Hermione's enchanted smile. She remained silent for a long time, admiring the animals around her.
– We are already arriving. After the river we will be on our property and in a short time we will arrive home. - Eric informed, pointing to a wooden bridge in the middle of the undergrowth.
It was hot enough at that time. The sun was already low and it seemed like it shouldn't be so hot, but it was. The twins must have been used to it, as they lived right there. But Harry and Ron really had eyes for the pack of kangaroos, so they didn't care about that fact. Sometimes, Hermione would see Harry and Ron wiping their sweat off their faces, and she would have to do the same with her own – which she thought was because they were visitors not used to the Australian climate. But she had to admit that the ballet outside was worth any inconvenience.
When the truck went to cross the bridge, the kangaroos dispersed. Some stopped near the river, seeming to watch the water flowing, while others went to other places. Three of them continued jumping after the truck and continued to attract the boys' attention. After a while, Hermione turned her attention to her friends.
– Did you get some rest, Harry?
- It's a little. I talked to Eric for a while. He told me interesting things about their power. It's really interesting what they do, and scary too. I don't think we'll meet people like that ever again. Then I slept until they entered this dirt road. That's when I woke up, saw the kangaroos and called you.
– Wow, then I must have slept a lot... I didn't even realise where we were – said Ron, a little embarrassed. Harry smiled at him and said.
– Don't care, man. I thought it was amazing that you didn't snore.
- Oh yes. I'm quite excited about you talking like that.
– And you, Ron. How does it feel? - asked Hermione.
- I think I'm fine. - he replied, while stretching his neck - It's never good to take a nap on a bench like this, but I think I'll survive.
– Better than travelling by plane?
– Don't remind me of that, Harry.
The three of them turned forward and saw Eric looking at them with a smile that seemed nostalgic, while Teo continued driving and, from time to time, even looked in the rearview mirror. After passing the bridge, the road was flatter and the truck didn't move like it used to. But Hermione noticed that they were approaching a growing number of trees.
– Sorry to take the liberty, but I have to say that I admire your friendship. You know, because of what we can do, my brother and I don't have many friends.
- I don't see any problems with that. - said Harry. Hermione agreed with the boy, nodding her head.
– Yeah, but you're getting to know us now. Those who have known us the longest are afraid of us.
– Even wizards?
– Especially wizards, Ron.
- It's understandable. You would know anything about people, just by being around them... – said Hermione, trying not to sound rude.
- They don't go around or look into people's minds, Hermione. - said Harry. – You know, like you do with legilimency.
- That's right. We only perceive what the person thinks, that is, we only hear what is going on in the person's head at the moment they think. – replied Eric. – It's as if we were antennas to capture the waves of people's minds.
– Does that mean that anything I think of when I'm around, you would know about? – Ron wanted to know.
- That's right. Like everything in life, it has its advantages and disadvantages. Some understand, others not so much. Therefore, we prefer isolation. When we were children it was very difficult to ignore or control. We only learned when we were around six to seven years old, thanks to our father. He saw that we were calmer when we were at the ranch, which made him decide to live here with us. With his patience we learned that this is not a big deal.
- Even so. Anyone would be intimidated around you because of that. Do you agree Eric?
- True. This caused problems for us since we were children, which are still reflected in our lives today. But since we've learned to control, some people have more patience with us. We are no longer the "monstrous freaks" we once were. - he said, doing a poor imitation of a zombie - Aberrations yes, but not monstrous. An example of this is our conversation. My brother and I are hearing your thoughts right now, but we are completely ignoring them.
– Yeah... I'm happy about that... - said Ron. – Sometimes we think of things that others shouldn't know.
- All the time. I know what that's like – Eric highlighted. – But changing the subject, we are already arriving at the ranch. It's actually a small farm. My father says that my mother thought it would be better to call it a ranch.
On the path they followed there was still undergrowth that was gradually replaced by medium-sized trees. Hermione even suspected that they were not native to the region. Even she expected an automatic response from Eric to this question, but as she said before, he should have been ignoring the thoughts while talking to Ron and Harry. In a few minutes they found themselves in a real forest with huge trees, but they were far enough away from each other that they could still perceive the incident light from the sun.
– I didn't say this before, but we are wand makers – said Eric, after a while.
– So, is that why there are so many trees around here? - asked Ron.
- That's right. My grandfather was a wandmaker in Ireland. He came here many, many years ago. Then the job passed to my father and then to us.
– The way you talked about the ranch, I thought they were farmers – said Harry.
– Yeah… To be honest, we do a lot of things – he said, trying not to sound presumptuous. - For Muggles, the ranch is exactly like that. Just a dairy farm that is surrounded by hundreds of trees. We receive visits from muggle travellers at certain times of the year. It's even interesting. Some people think our house is haunted, but for some strange reason they don't talk about it. But you can rest assured that you won't hear chains being dragged through the corridors.
Teo was still driving the truck a long way while Harry and Ron continued talking to Eric about his father's ranch. Hermione tried to hide her disinterest by pretending that she was listening to the boys' conversation. Gradually, the trees seemed more dispersed and some time later they saw what looked like a small village with just eight houses – one of them quite large. In front of them one could see a pole holding a sign: "We welcome you to Rancho Cardinia."
– It's our home. – informed Eric. – The others are from families of aboriginal descendants who have lived with us since my grandfather's time.
There was nothing special about those houses. They were even similar to the ones they saw in Canberra – a little more rustic. But there was no shortage of tranquillity there. It was clear that they formed a small community where they worked for each other.
Teo stopped the truck a few metres from the large house, where a man could be seen sitting in a chair and accompanied by five children who seemed excited to see the visitors the twins brought. It was clear they were waiting for them. Before they got out of the truck, Hermione saw the twins laughing about something. By the time she thought about asking, Eric was already explaining what was happening.
– Teo saw those kids when we entered the bridge and, as we turned around on the road, they ran to my father to tell him of our arrival.
– But then what's the fun?
– They looked like the kangaroos we saw before, Hermione.
The girl still didn't understand the humour in the comparison and it seemed that Harry and Ron understood as much as she did, as they didn't show any reaction, except looking at each other.
– Before we go down, can I ask you something?
– Of course – the three agreed with Eric.
– Dad lost his legs in a crocodile attack, about two years ago. But he doesn't like to talk about it as if it were something to regret, as if it were obligatory to feel sorry for him. So, just maintain normality around him. Right?
The three agreed with Eric and got out of the truck to the large house in the middle of the others. Hermione still noticed that Teo continued to give her, Ron and Harry curious looks.
– Don't call Teo. He's as alert as a hunting dog, but he's gentle. - said Eric, wanting to keep the visitors calm. -At least, he doesn't have much to say. Oops... he doesn't even talk!
– On the other hand, his brother speaks for an entire battalion... – said the man, smiling, while the children around him dispersed. Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed the small staircase ahead to greet the twins' father. He must have been a man of great height, when he had his legs in place - taller than the twins, and once like them. Even so, sitting in the wheelchair, he demonstrated excellent health.
– Shan Michael Donnwall, at your disposal. And you are Harry Potter. -he said, already shaking Harry's hand. The boy shook the man's hand, but it didn't seem like he was just a fan; There was a different look of admiration on Mr Donnwall's face.
- Nice to meet you, Mr Donnwall. And thank you for welcoming us into your home. I hope we are not a nuisance to you.
– Not at all uncomfortable. It's an honor to welcome true heroes like you.
Hermione felt her face flush, she knew the same thing happened to Harry and Ron. That man must have known a lot about what they did in the war against Voldemort.
– Hermione Granger, I presume – he said, as he shook the girl's hand.
- Yes sir. - she replied.
– And last, and not least, Ronald Weasley. -she said as she turned to the redhead.
– Himself, sir.
His ears burned so red, but he maintained his carefree pose as he greeted the owner of the house. Of course it didn't fool the twins, as they were giggling behind Ron. Certainly, the two were enjoying an inside joke, from the farm.
– Don't pay attention to my legs, or lack thereof – said the man, seeing that the trio were trying to hide the look they were casting at what was left of his legs. With it, only a part was left just above the knee of each one. – I've been much worse, and today I've gotten so used to this chair that sometimes I think I'm quite comfortable. The Worst situation was the crocodile that did this. Just take a look at him... – he pointed to a nearby enclosure that contained a huge crocodile skull and some of the animal's bones. Hermione felt disgusted at the sight of the bones, but she said nothing.
– Dad is not in favour of killing animals, but in situations like these, we have to. – Eric said, seriously, probably because he had read yet another of the girl's thoughts.
- True. – the man said again. – That animal had already consumed some of our calves and we needed to solve the problem. But that's a story to tell another time. Let's go in at once. It's getting dark and our dear Ursula is already preparing dinner. My children will store their belongings upstairs.
Led by Mr. Donnwall, Harry, Ron and Hermione entered that house that could be mistaken for one of those old movie mansions, with large rooms with lots of antique and sumptuous furniture, which could be a huge contrast with the simplicity of the outside. However, there was a different decoration among those furniture; Aboriginal masks, pointed spears and various handcrafted objects made up the atmosphere in that room. Meanwhile, the twins went up a staircase to their rooms carrying the boys' backpacks and Hermione's flowers, as she could see with her eyes, but they came back just as quickly when they went up.
The man talked about what was on the farm and in the house in order to put the boys at ease, but Hermione heard a growing excitement in his voice. She looked at Eric and Teo, but they didn't show anything they had noticed. He asked many questions about the trip; He wanted to know how things were in wizarding England after the war against Voldemort, how they had arrived at the airport and how they were looked after by his children. Ron grudgingly told them about the inconvenience of travelling on a plane, making the twins laugh, possibly because they had read Ron's memories of the trip as he was telling them.
– They were very kind to us, Mr Donnwall, your children. It's a beautiful house you have. I thought it was magnificent. – observed Harry.
- Thanks. It was built by my father, right when he arrived here. It's been a long time, but I still have a lot of things from him. You know, Mr. Potter…
– You can call me Harry, sir.
– Well, thank you for your consideration, Harry. I really admire people like the three of you. Fighting dark wizards at your age is rare. I was 18 when I joined my father and uncle in fighting dark wizards, taking Becky with us. He had insisted on helping us, and from what he could do, my father thought it would be great to have her with us. Becky was my wife, mother of these two funny kids here, of course not at the time; I married her after that. Those were difficult times. The Muggles were at war – the Second World War – and the wizards who ran the ministry, we later discovered, were plotting to take over all of Australia and make it a wizard-only continent. It wouldn't be all bad – there were many supporters of this idea at the time, but they were murdering Muggles and some important wizards of the time and there was no one who could take any action. They also wanted to make slaves of all the aborigines they found.
Hermione was right; the home owner was a different kind of fan. Until then, she had seen many people who admired Harry Potter, but she had fought dark forces only in the Order of the Phoenix, or in Dumbledore's Army, more recently – those that were better known. This man lived something similar, far away from England, in his time. But, it seems, Harry took an interest in the man, as he was no longer someone wanting autographs and photographs, but rather someone who would like to share experiences.
– This is as bad as what Voldemort wanted. What happened, sir?
– It started with the disappearance of important people and the authoritarianism of the Australian Ministry. My uncle was an auror at the time. When some of them disappeared, my uncle left the Ministry and undertook an investigation on his own. As he couldn't trust anyone, he told my father what was happening. I saw him coming. He would come for a few days, then disappear and return two or three months later. My father saw that there was no way even when the Ministry wanted to regulate the wands he manufactured.
– And they never suspected your father because he was the brother of a deserted Auror? – interrupted Harry.
– Dad said that a wandmaker should give as much attention as possible to the craft. After those dark times, I came to understand the value of these words. His discretion kept him and us free from any suspicion or advances from the people who controlled the Ministry at the time. But, in the end, convictions spoke louder and, after my uncle insisted so much, Dad decided to help him. The three of us travelled around Australia looking for people willing to help. We found many people who were dissatisfied and suspicious, but didn't know what to do.
Suddenly, a woman enters the room, smiling at Hermione, Ron and Harry, to say something to the owner of the house.
– But already? I could also, we've been talking for more than two hours – she said while looking at a clock on the wall behind the boys. – Thank you, Ursula. We'll serve dinner in a few minutes. Do you prefer a shower beforehand? I imagine they want…
– Yes. That would be good, sir. – replied Hermione, relieved to finally be able to clean herself up from the trip. Mr. Donnwall turned to his children, apparently to give an order they already knew, because Eric responded as soon as he saw his father turn to them.
– Yes sir, we're coming – he said, pushing his brother by the shoulders.
– What is it, Mr. Donnwall?
– Oh, it's nothing, miss. Martim, our caretaker, had to look for some calves that had strayed from the herd. Now someone needs to leave the chicken feed in place.
– I think I can help. There are chickens at home and I'm the one who feeds them. – Ron stood up. The twins looked at him in amazement and Mr Donnwall, surprised, agreed.
– I think I'll go with you. To make sure Ron doesn't do anything stupid... – said Harry, under the redhead's frown.
– So let's go. If there is no feed for the chickens at the right time, we will be the ones who become feed for someone else. – Eric joked, and Harry and Ron smiled. Hermione too, even though she didn't understand the joke.
– Your room is the first one on the right, after the stairs, miss. Feel like at home. – said Mr Donnwall to Hermione, who, when she turned towards him, saw an open door with something that interested her a lot on a daily basis.
– Okay, thank you, sir. But do you mind if I take a look at that room first? – She pointed to the door she had seen. – Is it a library?
– I don't consider it a library. It's just a room with lots of books – the man joked. – You can look at your leisure.
Hermione thanked her and headed to the small library, which seemed to have more books than she thought. There were shelves full of books on three walls of the room; on the fourth wall there were two armchairs with a small table in the middle of them in front of a huge window that, during the day, must provide great lighting. She recognized the books by Lockart and several wizards that she had read at Hogwarts. Others she didn't recognize seemed interesting, but she didn't ask about them. The girl was surprised when she noticed that Mr. Donnwall was following behind her.
– It was my wife who fixed this corner. She was a bookworm. She always had a hundred of them, and she still kept exchanging or donating the ones she had already read. When we got married, she wanted a place where she could do the reading she liked, even though we only came here on weekends. We lived in Adelaide, in the south. – He said before Hermione asked. – I only moved with the boys, after I discovered that the trees helped both of them.
– After your wife…
– Yes. After she passed away. They did, didn't they?
– They didn't say much. But she died after they were born.
– And truth. When she died, I thought she had lost everything, I even suspected that the boys wouldn't survive, it doesn't mean I didn't want them. But I never knew anyone who loved someone as much as I loved my wife. If you don't think it's bad for me to say, miss, I think you're very similar to her, my wife. Not in appearance, but in behaviour. She also wanted to learn everything she could, everything that was within her reach.
– Thank you, sir. I can see that she was very important to you.
– You're right. - sighed the man, who after a short pause, returned to talking about the girl who was in front of him - I'm sorry if I sound flattering, but two days ago I read an article about the three of you and there was an interview with a colleague of yours from school. Is there a problem if I talk about this?
– No, none. said Hermione, wondering what would come next.
– The boy said he admired you more because, in his words, 'she didn't hide with her family in a safe place and helped her friends when they needed her most, in addition to helping save the wizarding world'. Was he right, miss?
Hermione needed a few seconds, staring into space, to absorb what she had heard.
– I don't know who said this, but he's not entirely correct. He certainly doesn't know me. I couldn't just leave my friends and run away with my parents. Harry needed me and Ron so, even if I didn't want to, I would go with him as far as he needed to go. -she said with her head down, then turned to Mr. Donnwall. - They would come after us anyway, sir, the Death Eaters. To them, Harry was more than a problem, he was a prize. This was someone who, if defeated, would show the world how strong and invincible they were and that they could do whatever they wanted. I couldn't live in a world like that and, because I was Harry's friend, I would be hunted more for that fact than for being muggle-born.
- I understand. You needed to choose fight or flight. And they chose what was necessary. Very commendable.
– But as for my parents, now that I'm here, I'm not really sure I did the right thing. I think that even putting them both away from the war and without memories, they were still in danger. Would you have done the same, Mr Donnwall?
– Certainly. During my father's time, he did everything he could to protect my mother and sister and wanted me to be with them. I insisted that I accompany him, because I knew I could help. Eventually he accepted me and cast all the concealment and protection spells around the ranch because we lived here at the time. What I'm trying to say, miss, is that you had to make your choices and you chose the most necessary, the most correct ones. Your intentions were clear and sincere, so I think you did more good than harm by sending your parents to Australia to protect them. I'm sure they'll be proud of you when they know. I would be if my kids did something like that to protect me. -he paused, where Hermione was thinking about what she had just heard. Then she changed the subject. - Do you want to see something?
With two claps of his hands, the man showed the other books in the small library. Each part of the bookshelves turned over to reveal the other side, which held books that, Hermione noticed, had nothing to do with the wizarding world. Names of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Victor Hugo, Anne Rice, Ítalo Calvino, Ernest Hemingway, Isaac Asimov, Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Arthur Conan Doyle and many others that Hermione had only heard of or didn't know were engraved in the various books in which the girl ran her eyes in amazement.
- Excellent. Books written by muggles. I loved reading them before I knew I was a witch. I mean, I still love it, but I don't read it as much. I've never seen so many books like that in one house. - she marvelled. - I'm even reading one, by a Brazilian author, I think. I stopped when we arrived in Australia.
- Which book?
– "O Guarani" by José de Alencar.
The man made a flourish with his wand and sent a book flying from one of the shelves into his hand. It had a cover like the one Hermione had in her backpack and had been reading on the trip.
– Like this one?
– Exactly, sir. -he said, taking the book in his hands.
– I think this book is quite rare nowadays. I've read it too. It's beautiful. What part are you in?
– I'm at the part where Peri tells Dom Antônio about the sacrifice he was going to make to save Ceci and her family... The part that talks about the poison and the plan he had.
– It is one of the most beautiful passages, which emphasises the heroism of the Indian. You're almost done, but you haven't gotten to the best part yet. - said Mr Donnwall.
Hermione looked through the books again as she put the copy of "O Guarani" back in its place.
– Congratulations on the books, Mr Donnwall. It would be good if more people were interested in reading. Muggles are more interested in computers and among the wizards I know I don't know of many who are interested enough. I was pleased to see that you still kept your wife's books.
– These are the Muggle books my wife loved to read. Now my kids like it. They also love to read; it keeps their mind busy.
– Don't you read much?
- Very little. Only when I have time do I read something.
But among the bookshelves, there was a door that Hermione didn't pay attention to until she looked closer. From what little she could see through the narrow opening in the door, it appeared to be some sort of laboratory.
– Sir, can I see?
- But of course. My children's research room. They enjoy researching animals and doing experiments. Sometimes really crazy things happen - he said, following behind Hermione, as she entered the room, where in the middle of so many shelves with glass boxes containing cockroaches, ants and flies of various species, as well as other insects, and in the middle there was a large terrarium with spiders that simulated a perfect environment for them.
- Incredible. But Ron can't come in here - said Hermione, laughing at the thought of her boyfriend being in front of those insects.
– Does he not like it?
– More or less – said the girl, smiling discreetly. Mr Donnwall didn't ask for further details, but when he nodded, Hermione assumed he understood about Ron being afraid of spiders.
– They do everything in this place. Look at this mess - he said when he got close to a desk cluttered with papers, inkwells, newspaper clippings and some books that Hermione recognized she had read at school. On the wall in front of the desk, she saw photos, and some of them caught the girl's attention.
– What are these photos, Mr Donnwall?
– Ah, these are photos of some animals that my children found on their travels. There on the left, you can see the crocodile that attacked me. That's when we started looking for him.
– There are a lot of strange things here. Are those pixies? - She pointed to a photo that was below the others.
– Yes, it was when they escaped when they were being taken to one of the animal nurseries at the Ministry, just over a year ago. It took a lot of work to capture them.
– And this one, in this photo? - said the girl, this time pointing to a half-hidden one.
– Ah, this is the most dangerous of all that can be found out there. I find it difficult to find one of these, but if you do, you better run, and run quickly.
– But what animal is this? I've read about several fantastic and mythological animals, but I've never seen one like this.
– And I couldn't. This is the bunyip, or the "devil", as the aborigines used to call it. As you can see, it resembles a walrus, or a sea lion, but it has a dog's head and teeth spilling out of its mouth. There aren't many studies on it, because it's very dangerous for anyone to get close to it. And for Muggles, it only remained as a legend. This one appeared in a billabong nearby, just over two weeks ago.
– Billabong, sir?
– It's a puddle of water, as we call it here. - Mr Donnwall quickly explained. - I've heard about this monster many times, miss, but seeing it up close is terrifying.
– What's so dangerous about him?
– Believe it or not: the scream. - he replied, looking into Hermione's eyes. - A scream from this animal makes your blood clot and you die in seconds. It is believed to be because the scream is so loud that, if it is close enough, it destroys all the bones in the ear.
– And you captured this one?
– Yes, my children and some family members captured it. It was a lot of work, the thing is very slippery. See his paws, like flippers? Do not fool yourself. His tusks grip the ground and help him run like a horse. I felt scared when I saw him, miss. He was asleep, and seemed pretty harmless because they used enough tranquiliser darts for three bulls, but I still felt scared.
– Oh, my goodness... I think I slept too much.
– Hermione... Are you ready?
– Ready for what, Harry? - the girl asked her friend, running her hand over her face and hair. Soon she realised that she was still leaning against Ron, who was also waking up at that moment, with a very lazy yawn. The redhead looked at her, with a shy smile, and she immediately tried to compose herself. - I'm sorry.
- All good. said Ron, looking kind.
– Harry, what were you talking about... - she stopped when the boy just pointed out of the cabin. More than ten kangaroos were following the truck, with jumps that seemed to be more of a kind of greeting; She couldn't count properly because, in addition to jumping in time with the truck, they changed places as if they were in a very happy and messy dance. She had never seen animals so alive in her life, and she felt alive as she looked at them; It certainly wasn't the same as looking in books or seeing it in a zoo. She watched for about five minutes and noticed that Ron was also looking at them with great admiration, but he expressed what she felt when she saw the kangaroos outside.
– Wow... How beautiful. Look there... - he pointed to two kangaroos that seemed to have hugged each other while jumping.
– Everyone is impressed when they see them for the first time... - said Eric, turning to the trio.
That group of kangaroos conveyed an unusual peace to the girl. She noticed that there were big and small kangaroos and imagined that they were from the same family. Harry sighed and looked back at his friends. The smile Hermione saw on him said that the beauty of those animals seemed to captivate anyone who looked at them.
- I knew you'd like it. - he said, looking at Hermione's enchanted smile. She remained silent for a long time, admiring the animals around her.
– We are already arriving. After the river we will be on our property and in a short time we will arrive home. - Eric informed, pointing to a wooden bridge in the middle of the undergrowth.
It was hot enough at that time. The sun was already low and it seemed like it shouldn't be so hot, but it was. The twins must have been used to it, as they lived right there. But Harry and Ron really had eyes for the pack of kangaroos, so they didn't care about that fact. Sometimes, Hermione would see Harry and Ron wiping their sweat off their faces, and she would have to do the same with her own – which she thought was because they were visitors not used to the Australian climate. But she had to admit that the ballet outside was worth any inconvenience.
When the truck went to cross the bridge, the kangaroos dispersed. Some stopped near the river, seeming to watch the water flowing, while others went to other places. Three of them continued jumping after the truck and continued to attract the boys' attention. After a while, Hermione turned her attention to her friends.
– Did you get some rest, Harry?
- It's a little. I talked to Eric for a while. He told me interesting things about their power. It's really interesting what they do, and scary too. I don't think we'll meet people like that ever again. Then I slept until they entered this dirt road. That's when I woke up, saw the kangaroos and called you.
– Wow, then I must have slept a lot... I didn't even realise where we were – said Ron, a little embarrassed. Harry smiled at him and said.
– Don't care, man. I thought it was amazing that you didn't snore.
- Oh yes. I'm quite excited about you talking like that.
– And you, Ron. How does it feel? - asked Hermione.
- I think I'm fine. - he replied, while stretching his neck - It's never good to take a nap on a bench like this, but I think I'll survive.
– Better than travelling by plane?
– Don't remind me of that, Harry.
The three of them turned forward and saw Eric looking at them with a smile that seemed nostalgic, while Teo continued driving and, from time to time, even looked in the rearview mirror. After passing the bridge, the road was flatter and the truck didn't move like it used to. But Hermione noticed that they were approaching a growing number of trees.
– Sorry to take the liberty, but I have to say that I admire your friendship. You know, because of what we can do, my brother and I don't have many friends.
- I don't see any problems with that. - said Harry. Hermione agreed with the boy, nodding her head.
– Yeah, but you're getting to know us now. Those who have known us the longest are afraid of us.
– Even wizards?
– Especially wizards, Ron.
- It's understandable. You would know anything about people, just by being around them... – said Hermione, trying not to sound rude.
- They don't go around or look into people's minds, Hermione. - said Harry. – You know, like you do with legilimency.
- That's right. We only perceive what the person thinks, that is, we only hear what is going on in the person's head at the moment they think. – replied Eric. – It's as if we were antennas to capture the waves of people's minds.
– Does that mean that anything I think of when I'm around, you would know about? – Ron wanted to know.
- That's right. Like everything in life, it has its advantages and disadvantages. Some understand, others not so much. Therefore, we prefer isolation. When we were children it was very difficult to ignore or control. We only learned when we were around six to seven years old, thanks to our father. He saw that we were calmer when we were at the ranch, which made him decide to live here with us. With his patience we learned that this is not a big deal.
- Even so. Anyone would be intimidated around you because of that. Do you agree Eric?
- True. This caused problems for us since we were children, which are still reflected in our lives today. But since we've learned to control, some people have more patience with us. We are no longer the "monstrous freaks" we once were. - he said, doing a poor imitation of a zombie - Aberrations yes, but not monstrous. An example of this is our conversation. My brother and I are hearing your thoughts right now, but we are completely ignoring them.
– Yeah... I'm happy about that... - said Ron. – Sometimes we think of things that others shouldn't know.
- All the time. I know what that's like – Eric highlighted. – But changing the subject, we are already arriving at the ranch. It's actually a small farm. My father says that my mother thought it would be better to call it a ranch.
On the path they followed there was still undergrowth that was gradually replaced by medium-sized trees. Hermione even suspected that they were not native to the region. Even she expected an automatic response from Eric to this question, but as she said before, he should have been ignoring the thoughts while talking to Ron and Harry. In a few minutes they found themselves in a real forest with huge trees, but they were far enough away from each other that they could still perceive the incident light from the sun.
– I didn't say this before, but we are wand makers – said Eric, after a while.
– So, is that why there are so many trees around here? - asked Ron.
- That's right. My grandfather was a wandmaker in Ireland. He came here many, many years ago. Then the job passed to my father and then to us.
– The way you talked about the ranch, I thought they were farmers – said Harry.
– Yeah… To be honest, we do a lot of things – he said, trying not to sound presumptuous. - For Muggles, the ranch is exactly like that. Just a dairy farm that is surrounded by hundreds of trees. We receive visits from muggle travellers at certain times of the year. It's even interesting. Some people think our house is haunted, but for some strange reason they don't talk about it. But you can rest assured that you won't hear chains being dragged through the corridors.
Teo was still driving the truck a long way while Harry and Ron continued talking to Eric about his father's ranch. Hermione tried to hide her disinterest by pretending that she was listening to the boys' conversation. Gradually, the trees seemed more dispersed and some time later they saw what looked like a small village with just eight houses – one of them quite large. In front of them one could see a pole holding a sign: "We welcome you to Rancho Cardinia."
– It's our home. – informed Eric. – The others are from families of aboriginal descendants who have lived with us since my grandfather's time.
There was nothing special about those houses. They were even similar to the ones they saw in Canberra – a little more rustic. But there was no shortage of tranquillity there. It was clear that they formed a small community where they worked for each other.
Teo stopped the truck a few metres from the large house, where a man could be seen sitting in a chair and accompanied by five children who seemed excited to see the visitors the twins brought. It was clear they were waiting for them. Before they got out of the truck, Hermione saw the twins laughing about something. By the time she thought about asking, Eric was already explaining what was happening.
– Teo saw those kids when we entered the bridge and, as we turned around on the road, they ran to my father to tell him of our arrival.
– But then what's the fun?
– They looked like the kangaroos we saw before, Hermione.
The girl still didn't understand the humour in the comparison and it seemed that Harry and Ron understood as much as she did, as they didn't show any reaction, except looking at each other.
– Before we go down, can I ask you something?
– Of course – the three agreed with Eric.
– Dad lost his legs in a crocodile attack, about two years ago. But he doesn't like to talk about it as if it were something to regret, as if it were obligatory to feel sorry for him. So, just maintain normality around him. Right?
The three agreed with Eric and got out of the truck to the large house in the middle of the others. Hermione still noticed that Teo continued to give her, Ron and Harry curious looks.
– Don't call Teo. He's as alert as a hunting dog, but he's gentle. - said Eric, wanting to keep the visitors calm. -At least, he doesn't have much to say. Oops... he doesn't even talk!
– On the other hand, his brother speaks for an entire battalion... – said the man, smiling, while the children around him dispersed. Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed the small staircase ahead to greet the twins' father. He must have been a man of great height, when he had his legs in place - taller than the twins, and once like them. Even so, sitting in the wheelchair, he demonstrated excellent health.
– Shan Michael Donnwall, at your disposal. And you are Harry Potter. -he said, already shaking Harry's hand. The boy shook the man's hand, but it didn't seem like he was just a fan; There was a different look of admiration on Mr Donnwall's face.
- Nice to meet you, Mr Donnwall. And thank you for welcoming us into your home. I hope we are not a nuisance to you.
– Not at all uncomfortable. It's an honor to welcome true heroes like you.
Hermione felt her face flush, she knew the same thing happened to Harry and Ron. That man must have known a lot about what they did in the war against Voldemort.
– Hermione Granger, I presume – he said, as he shook the girl's hand.
- Yes sir. - she replied.
– And last, and not least, Ronald Weasley. -she said as she turned to the redhead.
– Himself, sir.
His ears burned so red, but he maintained his carefree pose as he greeted the owner of the house. Of course it didn't fool the twins, as they were giggling behind Ron. Certainly, the two were enjoying an inside joke, from the farm.
– Don't pay attention to my legs, or lack thereof – said the man, seeing that the trio were trying to hide the look they were casting at what was left of his legs. With it, only a part was left just above the knee of each one. – I've been much worse, and today I've gotten so used to this chair that sometimes I think I'm quite comfortable. The Worst situation was the crocodile that did this. Just take a look at him... – he pointed to a nearby enclosure that contained a huge crocodile skull and some of the animal's bones. Hermione felt disgusted at the sight of the bones, but she said nothing.
– Dad is not in favour of killing animals, but in situations like these, we have to. – Eric said, seriously, probably because he had read yet another of the girl's thoughts.
- True. – the man said again. – That animal had already consumed some of our calves and we needed to solve the problem. But that's a story to tell another time. Let's go in at once. It's getting dark and our dear Ursula is already preparing dinner. My children will store their belongings upstairs.
Led by Mr. Donnwall, Harry, Ron and Hermione entered that house that could be mistaken for one of those old movie mansions, with large rooms with lots of antique and sumptuous furniture, which could be a huge contrast with the simplicity of the outside. However, there was a different decoration among those furniture; Aboriginal masks, pointed spears and various handcrafted objects made up the atmosphere in that room. Meanwhile, the twins went up a staircase to their rooms carrying the boys' backpacks and Hermione's flowers, as she could see with her eyes, but they came back just as quickly when they went up.
The man talked about what was on the farm and in the house in order to put the boys at ease, but Hermione heard a growing excitement in his voice. She looked at Eric and Teo, but they didn't show anything they had noticed. He asked many questions about the trip; He wanted to know how things were in wizarding England after the war against Voldemort, how they had arrived at the airport and how they were looked after by his children. Ron grudgingly told them about the inconvenience of travelling on a plane, making the twins laugh, possibly because they had read Ron's memories of the trip as he was telling them.
– They were very kind to us, Mr Donnwall, your children. It's a beautiful house you have. I thought it was magnificent. – observed Harry.
- Thanks. It was built by my father, right when he arrived here. It's been a long time, but I still have a lot of things from him. You know, Mr. Potter…
– You can call me Harry, sir.
– Well, thank you for your consideration, Harry. I really admire people like the three of you. Fighting dark wizards at your age is rare. I was 18 when I joined my father and uncle in fighting dark wizards, taking Becky with us. He had insisted on helping us, and from what he could do, my father thought it would be great to have her with us. Becky was my wife, mother of these two funny kids here, of course not at the time; I married her after that. Those were difficult times. The Muggles were at war – the Second World War – and the wizards who ran the ministry, we later discovered, were plotting to take over all of Australia and make it a wizard-only continent. It wouldn't be all bad – there were many supporters of this idea at the time, but they were murdering Muggles and some important wizards of the time and there was no one who could take any action. They also wanted to make slaves of all the aborigines they found.
Hermione was right; the home owner was a different kind of fan. Until then, she had seen many people who admired Harry Potter, but she had fought dark forces only in the Order of the Phoenix, or in Dumbledore's Army, more recently – those that were better known. This man lived something similar, far away from England, in his time. But, it seems, Harry took an interest in the man, as he was no longer someone wanting autographs and photographs, but rather someone who would like to share experiences.
– This is as bad as what Voldemort wanted. What happened, sir?
– It started with the disappearance of important people and the authoritarianism of the Australian Ministry. My uncle was an auror at the time. When some of them disappeared, my uncle left the Ministry and undertook an investigation on his own. As he couldn't trust anyone, he told my father what was happening. I saw him coming. He would come for a few days, then disappear and return two or three months later. My father saw that there was no way even when the Ministry wanted to regulate the wands he manufactured.
– And they never suspected your father because he was the brother of a deserted Auror? – interrupted Harry.
– Dad said that a wandmaker should give as much attention as possible to the craft. After those dark times, I came to understand the value of these words. His discretion kept him and us free from any suspicion or advances from the people who controlled the Ministry at the time. But, in the end, convictions spoke louder and, after my uncle insisted so much, Dad decided to help him. The three of us travelled around Australia looking for people willing to help. We found many people who were dissatisfied and suspicious, but didn't know what to do.
Suddenly, a woman enters the room, smiling at Hermione, Ron and Harry, to say something to the owner of the house.
– But already? I could also, we've been talking for more than two hours – she said while looking at a clock on the wall behind the boys. – Thank you, Ursula. We'll serve dinner in a few minutes. Do you prefer a shower beforehand? I imagine they want…
– Yes. That would be good, sir. – replied Hermione, relieved to finally be able to clean herself up from the trip. Mr. Donnwall turned to his children, apparently to give an order they already knew, because Eric responded as soon as he saw his father turn to them.
– Yes sir, we're coming – he said, pushing his brother by the shoulders.
– What is it, Mr. Donnwall?
– Oh, it's nothing, miss. Martim, our caretaker, had to look for some calves that had strayed from the herd. Now someone needs to leave the chicken feed in place.
– I think I can help. There are chickens at home and I'm the one who feeds them. – Ron stood up. The twins looked at him in amazement and Mr Donnwall, surprised, agreed.
– I think I'll go with you. To make sure Ron doesn't do anything stupid... – said Harry, under the redhead's frown.
– So let's go. If there is no feed for the chickens at the right time, we will be the ones who become feed for someone else. – Eric joked, and Harry and Ron smiled. Hermione too, even though she didn't understand the joke.
– Your room is the first one on the right, after the stairs, miss. Feel like at home. – said Mr Donnwall to Hermione, who, when she turned towards him, saw an open door with something that interested her a lot on a daily basis.
– Okay, thank you, sir. But do you mind if I take a look at that room first? – She pointed to the door she had seen. – Is it a library?
– I don't consider it a library. It's just a room with lots of books – the man joked. – You can look at your leisure.
Hermione thanked her and headed to the small library, which seemed to have more books than she thought. There were shelves full of books on three walls of the room; on the fourth wall there were two armchairs with a small table in the middle of them in front of a huge window that, during the day, must provide great lighting. She recognized the books by Lockart and several wizards that she had read at Hogwarts. Others she didn't recognize seemed interesting, but she didn't ask about them. The girl was surprised when she noticed that Mr. Donnwall was following behind her.
– It was my wife who fixed this corner. She was a bookworm. She always had a hundred of them, and she still kept exchanging or donating the ones she had already read. When we got married, she wanted a place where she could do the reading she liked, even though we only came here on weekends. We lived in Adelaide, in the south. – He said before Hermione asked. – I only moved with the boys, after I discovered that the trees helped both of them.
– After your wife…
– Yes. After she passed away. They did, didn't they?
– They didn't say much. But she died after they were born.
– And truth. When she died, I thought she had lost everything, I even suspected that the boys wouldn't survive, it doesn't mean I didn't want them. But I never knew anyone who loved someone as much as I loved my wife. If you don't think it's bad for me to say, miss, I think you're very similar to her, my wife. Not in appearance, but in behaviour. She also wanted to learn everything she could, everything that was within her reach.
– Thank you, sir. I can see that she was very important to you.
– You're right. - sighed the man, who after a short pause, returned to talking about the girl who was in front of him - I'm sorry if I sound flattering, but two days ago I read an article about the three of you and there was an interview with a colleague of yours from school. Is there a problem if I talk about this?
– No, none. said Hermione, wondering what would come next.
– The boy said he admired you more because, in his words, 'she didn't hide with her family in a safe place and helped her friends when they needed her most, in addition to helping save the wizarding world'. Was he right, miss?
Hermione needed a few seconds, staring into space, to absorb what she had heard.
– I don't know who said this, but he's not entirely correct. He certainly doesn't know me. I couldn't just leave my friends and run away with my parents. Harry needed me and Ron so, even if I didn't want to, I would go with him as far as he needed to go. -she said with her head down, then turned to Mr. Donnwall. - They would come after us anyway, sir, the Death Eaters. To them, Harry was more than a problem, he was a prize. This was someone who, if defeated, would show the world how strong and invincible they were and that they could do whatever they wanted. I couldn't live in a world like that and, because I was Harry's friend, I would be hunted more for that fact than for being muggle-born.
- I understand. You needed to choose fight or flight. And they chose what was necessary. Very commendable.
– But as for my parents, now that I'm here, I'm not really sure I did the right thing. I think that even putting them both away from the war and without memories, they were still in danger. Would you have done the same, Mr Donnwall?
– Certainly. During my father's time, he did everything he could to protect my mother and sister and wanted me to be with them. I insisted that I accompany him, because I knew I could help. Eventually he accepted me and cast all the concealment and protection spells around the ranch because we lived here at the time. What I'm trying to say, miss, is that you had to make your choices and you chose the most necessary, the most correct ones. Your intentions were clear and sincere, so I think you did more good than harm by sending your parents to Australia to protect them. I'm sure they'll be proud of you when they know. I would be if my kids did something like that to protect me. -he paused, where Hermione was thinking about what she had just heard. Then she changed the subject. - Do you want to see something?
With two claps of his hands, the man showed the other books in the small library. Each part of the bookshelves turned over to reveal the other side, which held books that, Hermione noticed, had nothing to do with the wizarding world. Names of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Victor Hugo, Anne Rice, Ítalo Calvino, Ernest Hemingway, Isaac Asimov, Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Arthur Conan Doyle and many others that Hermione had only heard of or didn't know were engraved in the various books in which the girl ran her eyes in amazement.
- Excellent. Books written by muggles. I loved reading them before I knew I was a witch. I mean, I still love it, but I don't read it as much. I've never seen so many books like that in one house. - she marvelled. - I'm even reading one, by a Brazilian author, I think. I stopped when we arrived in Australia.
- Which book?
– "O Guarani" by José de Alencar.
The man made a flourish with his wand and sent a book flying from one of the shelves into his hand. It had a cover like the one Hermione had in her backpack and had been reading on the trip.
– Like this one?
– Exactly, sir. -he said, taking the book in his hands.
– I think this book is quite rare nowadays. I've read it too. It's beautiful. What part are you in?
– I'm at the part where Peri tells Dom Antônio about the sacrifice he was going to make to save Ceci and her family... The part that talks about the poison and the plan he had.
– It is one of the most beautiful passages, which emphasises the heroism of the Indian. You're almost done, but you haven't gotten to the best part yet. - said Mr Donnwall.
Hermione looked through the books again as she put the copy of "O Guarani" back in its place.
– Congratulations on the books, Mr Donnwall. It would be good if more people were interested in reading. Muggles are more interested in computers and among the wizards I know I don't know of many who are interested enough. I was pleased to see that you still kept your wife's books.
– These are the Muggle books my wife loved to read. Now my kids like it. They also love to read; it keeps their mind busy.
– Don't you read much?
- Very little. Only when I have time do I read something.
But among the bookshelves, there was a door that Hermione didn't pay attention to until she looked closer. From what little she could see through the narrow opening in the door, it appeared to be some sort of laboratory.
– Sir, can I see?
- But of course. My children's research room. They enjoy researching animals and doing experiments. Sometimes really crazy things happen - he said, following behind Hermione, as she entered the room, where in the middle of so many shelves with glass boxes containing cockroaches, ants and flies of various species, as well as other insects, and in the middle there was a large terrarium with spiders that simulated a perfect environment for them.
- Incredible. But Ron can't come in here - said Hermione, laughing at the thought of her boyfriend being in front of those insects.
– Does he not like it?
– More or less – said the girl, smiling discreetly. Mr Donnwall didn't ask for further details, but when he nodded, Hermione assumed he understood about Ron being afraid of spiders.
– They do everything in this place. Look at this mess - he said when he got close to a desk cluttered with papers, inkwells, newspaper clippings and some books that Hermione recognized she had read at school. On the wall in front of the desk, she saw photos, and some of them caught the girl's attention.
– What are these photos, Mr Donnwall?
– Ah, these are photos of some animals that my children found on their travels. There on the left, you can see the crocodile that attacked me. That's when we started looking for him.
– There are a lot of strange things here. Are those pixies? - She pointed to a photo that was below the others.
– Yes, it was when they escaped when they were being taken to one of the animal nurseries at the Ministry, just over a year ago. It took a lot of work to capture them.
– And this one, in this photo? - said the girl, this time pointing to a half-hidden one.
– Ah, this is the most dangerous of all that can be found out there. I find it difficult to find one of these, but if you do, you better run, and run quickly.
– But what animal is this? I've read about several fantastic and mythological animals, but I've never seen one like this.
– And I couldn't. This is the bunyip, or the "devil", as the aborigines used to call it. As you can see, it resembles a walrus, or a sea lion, but it has a dog's head and teeth spilling out of its mouth. There aren't many studies on it, because it's very dangerous for anyone to get close to it. And for Muggles, it only remained as a legend. This one appeared in a billabong nearby, just over two weeks ago.
– Billabong, sir?
– It's a puddle of water, as we call it here. - Mr Donnwall quickly explained. - I've heard about this monster many times, miss, but seeing it up close is terrifying.
– What's so dangerous about him?
– Believe it or not: the scream. - he replied, looking into Hermione's eyes. - A scream from this animal makes your blood clot and you die in seconds. It is believed to be because the scream is so loud that, if it is close enough, it destroys all the bones in the ear.
– And you captured this one?
– Yes, my children and some family members captured it. It was a lot of work, the thing is very slippery. See his paws, like flippers? Do not fool yourself. His tusks grip the ground and help him run like a horse. I felt scared when I saw him, miss. He was asleep, and seemed pretty harmless because they used enough tranquiliser darts for three bulls, but I still felt scared.
– How did you manage to put him to sleep, sir? If they couldn't get close…
– Ah, Martim is a prepared hunter, in the greatest Muggle style you've ever seen. He always has hunting weapons ready when needed. So, all he needed was his good aim. They tried a lot to catch the animal; bars, nets, spells, nothing could reach him because he either managed to escape or it wasn't enough. The bunyip's hide is as tough as a dragon's, miss. So all he had to do was shoot the darts into the animal's mouth. So, directly in the mouth. - the man gestured as if he had a gun in his hand and was shooting at that moment.
Hermione wondered how much work this monster took to capture. For an animal like that to open its mouth with a bunch of people around, she didn't need to ask how, it was just shouting. A chill ran down the girl's spine and she decided to end the conversation with the owner of the house.
– If you don't mind, sir, I'll get ready.
- Feel free. I insist. - he replied with a smile.
She passed Mr. Donnwall's wheelchair, heading to the small library and then to the living room they were in when they arrived. Just as she started to climb the stairs, a noise at the door caught her attention. It was Ron who appeared covered in chicken feed and dirt from head to toe, accompanied by Harry and the Donnwall twins, but with a smile from ear to ear.
– Hermione, you won't believe it. The chickens here are huge, bigger than turkeys.