Chapter 8: A 21st Century Wizard at the castle
"I hear there is a big Renaissance Festival at the Castle. Let's go check it out," said Ellie.
"Sounds good," said Neville.
"It looks like parking will be a nightmare and it isn't that far. So, let's just walk."
"Fine by me," said Neville.
"Sometimes I just wish that I could do what you or Rosmerta would do- the thing where you can leave one place and just magically appear in another."
"It's called Appearating," said Neville. "Yes, it is cool, but it isn't my favorite way to travel. I've seen too many splinchings, so I usually just use Floo powder or Portkeys instead. Plus, you can't Apperate within Hogwarts, the Ministry or near Muggles. Since I practically live at Hogwarts, I don't do it that much."
"Interesting. Do you have to pass a test to do it, like driving?" asked Ellie.
"Yes," said Neville. "Don't worry, I passed. I just don't like to do it unless I have to."
"Makes sense," said Ellie.
The approached the admissions booth. Ellie pulled out her wallet.
"What are you doing?" asked Neville.
"Getting our tickets," said Ellie.
"No, I invited you out. I'm taking care of these," said Neville. He handed the lady his card.
"Fine," said Ellie, "but I'm getting snacks."
"Calm down, My lady, the man is only trying to be a gentleman and there are precious few of those about now," said the cashier. Neville couldn't help but smile at the juxtaposition of a cashier dressed in 16th century clothes, using a cell phone and taking his side in the argument. The cashier handed them a map of the grounds and they walked through the gates into the large keep in front of the castle proper.
"Where should we start?" asked Neville. "I've never been to anything like this before."
"Well, we can take a look at the booths here, check out the actual castle, and then it says there are jousts at 3," said Ellie.
"Sounds like a plan. Lead on, McDuff," said Neville.
"So, they do teach Shakespeare at Hogwarts," said Ellie.
"Yes, of course they do," said Neville. "The man was one of the greatest spell writers in British History. Have you ever noticed how much magic there is Shakespeare? The scene in Macbeth, Prospero's staff, the whole plot of Mid-summer Night's Dream?
"Fascinating. So are the spells in the plays real?"
"The ones in Macbeth are not. But Prospero's staff was simply a giant wand," said Neville.
"It's funny," said Ellie. "There's this great illusion that the magical world and the regular world are separate things, but there is a lot more crossover than anyone on either side will admit."
"Yes," said Neville, "there is."
"Hey, these scarves are pretty. Let's check out this shop."
Neville followed her into a what appeared to be a small makeshift shop from the outside, but inside it was huge. Neville had a slight sinking feeling- he couldn't even take his muggle girlfriend out without running into witches.
"Can I help you find anything, my lady?" asked a woman in a beautiful period yellow dress.
"I'm just looking right now," replied Ellie, as she looked around. One scarf
Neville was caught off guard. He had no clue that Mrs. Gross sold clothes for muggles, too. He didn't quite know what to say, but he remembered she always gave him sweets.
"Yes," said Neville, "I remember now. You would always sneak me sweets."
"What are you up to now?"
"I'm a Professor at Hogwarts," said Neville.
"And how is that going? Is Minerva still the head?"
"It's going quite well," said Neville. "Yes, she is. She is old enough to retire but shows no signs of doing so."
"Give her my best," said Mrs. Gross. "And who is the lovely young lady with you?'
"This is my good friend, Ellie Banks, Mrs. Gross."
"You don't have to call Mrs. Gross. Just call me Alice," said Mrs. Gross as she shook Ellie's hand.
"I'm so glad to meet you dear. Augusta keeps saying she wants Neville to find a nice girl," said Mrs. Gross
"At least he listened," said Ellie.
"I'm actually a great listener," said Neville.
"That's an important quality in a man," said Mrs. Gross.
"How much for the scarf," asked Neville.
"For you, nothing," said Mrs. Gross.
Neville tried to shove a few muggle notes in his hand.
"Your money is no good here. Think of it as a late Christmas present."
"Don't worry," said Neville.
"Wow!" said Ellie. "Thank you."
"And if he puts a toe out of line, you just let me know, and I'll take care of it," said Mrs. Gross.
"Thanks for the scarf," said Ellie.
"You're welcome, dear," said Mrs. Gross.
They left the booth and started looking around at the other tents and tables.
"Oh, here's a shop you'd be interested in- it looks like an herb/apothecary booth," said Ellie.
"Let's check it out," said Neville.
The shop was actually set up in a larger tent. Neville spotted the usual herbs that people love- there were potpourri bags, small jars of different herbs for various ailments- willow bark, ginger, hawthorn. But then Neville caught sight of a small jar labeled "Atlantic kelp."
"How much is this?" Neville asked.
"You can have it for fifty pence," said the shopkeeper.
"I'll take it," said Neville.
"Hey, Neville, have you ever seen paprika like this?" asked Ellie.
"It isn't paprika," said Neville. "It's Red Wizard's Poppy."
"That jar is three pounds, sir."
"I'll take it," said Neville. He pulled out the card, but the shopkeeper said there was a limit. So he pulled out a five pound note and gave it to the man.
"Thanks," said Neville.
They wandered through the rest of the stalls toward the castle. They followed the crowds inside to a large hall- a throne room. The King of the Fair sat on the Throne next to his queen. One man, dressed as a tinker and a man dressed in a black cloak stood in front of the king.
"Sir Archer, tell my why you have come before us," said the King.
"My lord, this man," said the Archer, "Set up shop net to me. He stole all the arrows and feathers. He says he is a cleric, but why would a cleric need arrows? How can I make arrows to protect this kingdom when thieves are allowed to steal in broad daylight."
"Thank you," said the king, as he turned his attention to the man in the cloak. "What say you, Sir—"
"I'm called Bartholomew, my liege. Yes, my booth is next to his, but I never stole his arrows or fletching. What need would a cleric have with fletching?"
"To make pens," said Archer.
"Goose feathers for arrows don't make good pens," said Bartholomew.
"I bet this one is all contrived or for show," said Ellie.
"I'm not so sure," said Neville. "I know I've seen that man somewhere before."
"Well, it does say that jousts and trials by combat start at four, so I bet this is just a show so they can act like the two are settling their differences in trial by combat."
"You're a little cynical," said Neville.
"Fine, I'll buy drinks if this doesn't end in a duel," said Ellie.
"You're on," said Neville.
"If you did not steal the feathers from me, let me see your pens," said Archer.
"I sold them," said Bartholomew. "I'm just a humble cleric.
"This will be settled with an archery contest," said the King.
"You're buying drinks," said Ellie, smiling. Neville didn't care that he'd lost the bet. He just wanted to spend time with Ellie. For the first time, in a very long time, he felt truly happy.
He and Ellie followed the crowd outside the castle and through various rooms to a small doorway that opened onto a very large field. The archery butts were on one side. The jousting field was fenced in beside it. The crowd watched as the King made his way onto a raised platform that stood about the fields.
"Good morrow, ladies and gentleman," said the King, "these two have decided to settle their differences at the Archery butts. The loser will have to pay the fee and make a proclamation that he was wrong. He must pay the King five pounds, and the winner ten pounds. The loser forfeits the right to sell fletching and quills in the kingdom."
The Archer shot first. The arrow flew into the bullseye.
"Good shot," said Neville.
Bartholomew stepped up.
"What on earth is he doing with his arrow?" asked Ellie. The man called Bartholomew found an arrow and loaded it, but his had extra fletching."
"I think he is cheating," said Ellie.
Neville looked closer. His arrows fletching moved up and down. Clearly the man had bewitched the arrows. As he looked closer, he saw the silver end of a wand in the quiver of arrows. It wasn't an ordinary wand; this one had a siler handle shaped like a serpent. Neville was ninety-nine point nine percent sure that if looked at Bartholomew's arm, he'd find the tattoo of the dark mark. Someone tapped his shoulder and he turned around and gazed into the face of Ron Weasley.
"I never thought I'd see you here," said Ron.
"Let me guess, you are here because of the man called Bartholomew, aren't you," said Neville.
"Yes, he's a powerful wizard who hides out in the Muggle world. This is the first time we've been able to catch him in action." Ron pointed his wand at Bartholomew's arrows. They fell short of the mark.
"I've got to run," said Ron, "Ellie, nice to meet you. Neville, let's have a drink sometime soon." Ron ran towards the field. Bartholomew appeared to have melted into the crowd.
"Don't worry," said Neville. "Ron will get him in time."
"I don't doubt it," said Ellie. "Is it because he attempted to cheat or practiced magic around muggles?"
"Both," said Neville.
"It's so funny how the two worlds- magic and muggle, try so hard to be separate, but aren't. Just in the past few weeks with you, I've learned that the two worlds are far more intertwined than I'd ever dreamed," said Ellie.
"Yes," said Neville. "Are you hungry?
"I could go for tea," said Ellie.
"The food court is this way," said Ellie, pointing to the left. They walked tow the other side of the park, where food trucks were set up. Even though it is a Renaissance Faire, there was a good variety of food. They had turkey legs, soup in bread bowls, nachos, hamburgers, chicken tenders, and kebobs.
"What sounds good?" asked Neville.
"Those crisps with cheese on and stuff on them look good," said Neville.
"I could go for nachos," said Ellie.
"Cool," said Neville, "You know I don't think I've had them before."
"Then now is a good time to try them," said Ellie. The line moved quickly. Ellie ordered nachos and two diet cokes. They found seats at one of the tables set up.
"So, what do think?" asked Ellie
"About what? Neville replied.
"Do you like the nachos?" asked Ellie.
"Yes, they are very good. Muggle food is amazing. I guess you can chalk it up to being raised by my grandmother and then at Hogwarts. I guess I just haven't sought out different foods."
"I'm from a family in the hospitality industry- we all had to learn to cook and experience different cuisines. Stick with me and I promise to widen your culinary horizons."
"Do wizards cook or can they just use magic to make food?"
"Food is one of the few principal exceptions to the laws of transfiguration. You can't produce it out of this air. If you know where it is, you can summon it, you can transform it. If you have it, you can increase the quantity of it."
"Interesting," said Ellie.
"Annoying," said Neville.
Just then the bells at the castle began to toll.
"What time is it?" asked Neville.
"Five thirty," said Ellie.
"Merlin's beard," said Neville. "I have to be back by 9:15. I have night duty tonight."
"We'll make it," said Ellie. "I think we've seen everything, anyway."
They stood up and walked hand in hand back to the car.
"Where do you want me to drop you off? Is there somewhere close to the castle?"
"Do you know where the walking path up the mountain is in Hogsmeade?
"Of course," said Ellie.
"Drop me off there and I'll just make it. I promised Evan I'd do night duty. Professors can go out, but it is better to be back before eight. After that, you have to explain yourself to the guards and I hate doing that."
"You school has guards? Armed guards?"
"Yes, they are there to terrify students who come back late. No, they are just annoying and have the habit of changing passwords. Also, they gossip- if you come in late, the whole school will know by morning."
Ellie pulled the car to a stop. Neville leaned over to kiss her. Fireworks went off in his head. This was a kind of magic; he'd never experienced before. He finally understood why there were countless songs and poems about love. He broke the kiss.
"Be careful on your way back, said Ellie. "I had a great time today and I hope you did, too."
"I had a great day. In fact, I think today is one of the best days in my life," said Neville.
"Give me a call later," said Ellie.
Neville got out of the car and walked up the hill to the castle.