The hum of the car engine filled the silence as Cassie sat in the passenger seat, her arms crossed tightly against her chest as she blinked, pulling herself back from her memories. She sneaked a glance at her mum, her jaw was set, her eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead, but Cassie could see something else there—something heavy, weighing her down.
Cassie's mind raced. The mention of magic, her mother's evasive answers, and now this strange tension in the car. It was like there was this huge secret — another one — she was standing right next to, but no one would just tell her what it was.
"Mum," she said tentatively, breaking the silence. "Are you mad at me?"
Marlene's fingers tightened around the wheel, and for a moment, Cassie thought she wasn't going to answer. Finally, Marlene sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. "I'm not mad, Cass," she said, her voice softer now. "I'm worried. And maybe just… tired. Tired of getting called to the principal's office."
Cassie couldn't help but grin, the memory of her "magic show" flickering through her mind. "It was a good show, though. I made Katie's pencil float!"
Marlene shot her a sharp look, but Cassie caught the tiniest flicker of amusement in her mum's eyes before it disappeared. "That's exactly what I'm worried about," Marlene said, her tone firm. "I already told you. You can't use magic—not outside, not at school, not anywhere. Not at all."
"But why? And don't say is not safe, I know there is more to it!" Cassie burst out, asking again, the frustration bubbling to the surface. She twisted in her seat to face her mum fully, her arms crossed tightly. "Why do we have to hide it? Why can't I talk about it? Why do you have so many secrets?"
The words spilled out before she could stop them, and Cassie felt her face flush with the heat of her own anger. She wasn't trying to be difficult, but she couldn't help it. Everything about her life felt like it was wrapped up in shadows and mysteries, and she was sick of it.
Marlene didn't respond right away. She kept her eyes on the road, her face unreadable, but Cassie could see the way her mum's shoulders tensed.
For a long moment, Marlene didn't say anything, and the silence felt heavier than the car itself. Cassie slumped back into her seat, the frustration still burning in her chest. She turned her gaze to the window, watching the streetlights blur past.
Just when she thought her mum wasn't going to answer at all, Marlene let out a long sigh. "Alright," she said softly, her voice almost too quiet to hear over the hum of the engine.
Cassie whipped her head around, her heart thudding in her chest. "Alright?"
"You want to know why we keep things hidden?" Marlene said, glancing at her briefly before turning back to the road. "You want to know more about magic?"
Cassie nodded so hard her neck hurt, her gray eyes wide and eager.
Marlene's lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, Cassie thought she might change her mind. But then her mother's shoulders relaxed just a little, and she began to speak, her voice quiet but steady.
"A long time ago," Marlene began, her words measured and careful, "I was part of a group of people who wanted to make the world safer for everyone with magic, the Order of the Phoenix. Back then, there was an evil wizard who wanted to control everything. He thought only certain kinds of magical people deserved to live freely."
Cassie's eyebrows scrunched together. "What do you mean, certain kinds?"
Her mother hands tightened on the wheel. "He thought people who were born into magical families were better than everyone else. And he wanted to get rid of anyone who didn't fit his idea of pure.'"
Cassie stomach twisted. That didn't just sound mean—it sounded… evil. "So, he was like a bully? A really, really big one?"
Marlene's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Yes, love. Very powerful, very dangerous. He hurt a lot of people—good people. So, I joined a group that was fighting against them. We wanted to protect people, to make sure no one else got hurt."
Cassie's heart raced as she listened, the pieces of her mum's secret life starting to come together in her head. "Did you use magic? Like… the scary kind?"
Her mum hesitated, and Cassie could see the flicker of something in her expression—regret, maybe, or something even deeper.
"Sometimes, yes," Marlene admitted finally. "We had to do difficult things. Dangerous things. And your father…" Her voice softened as her gaze drifted to the road ahead, her eyes growing distant. "Your father was part of that group too. He fought because he wanted to protect the people he loved. Just like I did."
Cassie leaned forward in her seat, her curiosity burning brighter than ever. "Did he fight the bullies, too?"
Marlene nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, yes," she said softly. "He fought with everything he had. Sometimes too much. He was…" She trailed off, her voice breaking just slightly before she caught herself.
Cassie frowned, the weight of her mum's words sinking in. Her parents weren't just witches—they were fighters. Her stomach twisted at the thought of her mum and dad facing someone so dangerous. "Were you scared?" she asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.
"Yes, we all were. We are too young, but your father… he had a way to make me feel braver, stronger…"
"What happened to him?" Cassie asked hesitantly, her heart pounding as she braced herself for the answer.
Marlene didn't speak right away, her hands tightening on the wheel again. When she finally answered, her voice was quieter than before. "That's… a story for another time," she said carefully. "But Cassie, you should know that he was a good man. And he loved fiercely. He loved you."
Cassie stared at her mum, her throat tight with questions she didn't know how to ask. "Do I… do I look like him?" she asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
Marlene glanced at her, her expression softening. "You have his eyes," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "And his stubbornness."
Cassie managed a small, wobbly smile. "So… he was really stubborn, huh?"
Her mum let out a soft laugh, the sound bittersweet. "The most stubborn person I've ever met. Except maybe, you."
The streetlights blurred past the car window, their flickering glow reflecting off the glass as Cassie leaned her head against it. Her mind buzzed with everything her mum had just said. Magic. Wizards. A war. It was so much to take in, but somehow it didn't feel entirely strange—like a puzzle piece she hadn't known was missing had finally clicked into place.
"So… that's why we have to hide magic? Because of this bullies?" she asked quietly, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the car. "They won?"
Her mum's hands tightened on the steering wheel, her face shadowed in the dim light. "It's one of the reasons, Cassie," she said softly. "They didn't win. Not completely. Some people think it's over, but I'm not so sure. That's why we stay hidden—to make sure they don't find us. Neither of them"
There was something in her voice, something… sad. Cassie frowned. She hated it when her mum got like this—when her words carried that heavy, faraway tone, like she was looking at something Cassie couldn't see.
The car rolled to a stop in front of their little apartment building, the engine falling silent. Cassie stared out the window at the familiar shape of their home—the overgrown lavender bushes by the porch, the crooked welcome mat.
Her mum's voice broke through her thoughts. "Come on, love. Let's get inside."
Cassie unbuckled her seatbelt, but she didn't move to get out of the car right away. Instead, she turned to her mum, a question bubbling to her lips before she could stop it.
"Do you have… anything from then? From when you were a witch?"
Her mum froze, her hand still resting on the car door handle. For a moment, she didn't say anything, and Cassie felt her chest tighten. Maybe she shouldn't have asked. Maybe it was too much, too soon.
But then her mum turned to her, her expression softening in a way that made Cassie's heart ache. "I'm still a witch" she replies almost instantly. "But yes, I do," she said, her voice quiet. "And I can show you. After dinner."
Cassie's eyes lit up, excitement sparking to life despite the weight of everything they'd just talked about. "Pinkie swear?" she asked, holding up her pinky, her tone serious.
Her mum actually laughed—a small, tired laugh, but a real one. She reached over and wrapped her pinky around Cassie's. "Pinkie swear."
Cassie grinned, satisfied, and hopped out of the car, her shoes crunching against the gravel as she made her way to the porch.
Inside, the house felt warm and familiar, like always—the faint scent of lavender from the candle her mum always forgot to blow out, the clutter of Cassie's school bag and trainers by the door. It was small and a little messy, but it was home.
Cassie kicked off her shoes and perched on the arm of the couch, her legs swinging back and forth. "I'm starving," she announced dramatically. "Can we have spaghetti? With the good sauce?"
Her mum raised an eyebrow as she set her keys down on the counter. "The good sauce? What's wrong with the regular sauce?"
Cassie grinned. "The good sauce has more garlic. The regular sauce is boring."
Her mum rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "Alright, fine. Good sauce it is. But you're helping this time. Go wash your hands."
Cassie cheered, leaping off the couch and racing down the hall to the bathroom. She quickly washed her hands and stomped back into the room, her hands held up like a surgeon preparing for an operation. "Clean as a whistle!" she declared proudly.
Her mum chuckled, straightening up. "Alright, chef. Grab the garlic."
As they worked together in the kitchen, Cassie couldn't stop sneaking glances at her mum. She wanted to ask more questions—so many questions—but she forced herself to stay quiet. For now.
Instead, she focused on the task at hand, chopping garlic with a concentration usually reserved for her art projects. But even as the familiar smells of cooking filled the kitchen, her mind wandered back to her mum's words.
Magic. Real magic. And her mum had promised to show her something after dinner. Cassie's heart raced at the thought, her curiosity burning brighter than ever.
Cassie's eyes darted between the butter knife in her hand and the small pile of mushrooms on the cutting board. She squinted at them like they were a puzzle she had to solve. Her mum handed her the knife with a smirk and one simple instruction. "Start with those. And no chopping your fingers off. I don't fancy a trip to the hospital tonight."
Cassie giggled, though her mum's mock-serious tone made her try a little harder to hold the knife properly. "Do wizards have hospitals?" she asked suddenly, tilting her head to glance at her mum. The question popped into her head like all her questions did, fast and full of wonder. She wasn't even thinking about the mushrooms anymore.
Her mum's hand froze mid-stir over the bubbling pot on the stove. She didn't turn around right away. "Yes," Marlene finally said, her voice careful. "We have… healers. And magical remedies for injuries. It's a bit different from what you're used to." She hesitated, then added, "They don't come in boxes."
Cassie wrinkled her nose, fascinated by the idea. "So they are like potions?" she asked eagerly, her fingers now completely abandoning the mushrooms in favor of waving the butter knife in the air as she talked. "How do they work? Could you make them?"
Cassie's mind spun with possibilities. Potions sounded like something out of her favorite stories. Could she make something that turned invisible? Could she actually conjure a dragon?
Her mum let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she turned back to the stove. "Yes, like potions," she said, her smile faint but warm. "And no, I can't make them. I was rubbish at Potions."
Cassie gasped dramatically, her jaw dropping as she pressed her hands to her cheeks. The butter knife clattered onto the counter. "You were bad at something? I don't believe it."
Her mum turned, the corner of her lips twitching in amusement. "Cheeky," she said, flicking a tiny drop of sauce in Cassie's direction. "Keep chopping, or you'll end up with boring sauce after all."
Cassie burst into giggles, dodging the flick of sauce and picking up the knife again. "Fine, fine," she grumbled, though her grin never left her face. She focused—sort of—and started cutting the mushrooms again. They came out uneven and lopsided, but she figured her mum would eat them anyway.
By the time they sat down to eat, the kitchen was filled with the cozy smell of garlic and tomatoes. Cassie twirled spaghetti around her fork like it was some kind of art form, her mind racing with excitement. The earlier tension—whatever it was—had melted away. The mushrooms might've been lumpy, but the sauce was amazing.
"This is really good," Cassie said between mouthfuls, her legs swinging under the table. "Probably because I helped."
"Obviously," Marlene teased, pretending to inspect her own plate critically. "Without your… artistic chopping skills, this sauce wouldn't stand a chance."
Cassie giggled, sitting up straighter. "See? I'm basically a chef now. A potion chef!"
Her mum raised an eyebrow, clearly holding back a laugh. "Potion chef, huh? Careful. You'll end up putting people to sleep with all that garlic."
"That's what the boring sauce does!" Cassie shot back with mock seriousness, making her mum laugh for real this time.
They stay silent for a while, but Cassie's mind was full of unanswered questions, "Do wizards eat spaghetti too? Or do they eat something weird, like frog legs?"
"Of course we eat spaghetti" Marlene say matter-of-factly "But we do have chocolate frogs tough" she said smiling and Cassie frown
"That sound disgusting" her mother laugh, clearly knowing something she didn't, and they kept eating.
By the time they were done, Cassie slumped back in her chair dramatically, her hands flopping to her sides. "That was so good," she declared with a satisfied sigh. "The best sauce. Ever."
Her mum smirked, starting to gather the plates. "Good. Then you can cook next time. I'll just sit and watch."
"No way," Cassie said, hopping out of her chair. "I'm too busy with my potions career."
Marlene laughed softly, ruffling Cassie's hair as she passed her. Cassie wrinkled her nose, swatting her mum's hand away playfully. But the lighthearted moment faded as Cassie glanced toward her mum, the curiosity that had been brewing all evening bubbling back up.
"Mum?" she asked slowly, her voice taking on a serious tone. "Can you show me your witchy things now?"
The question hung in the air, and Cassie saw her mum pause, her hands still holding the stack of plates. Her mum didn't look mad, but something shifted in her expression—like she was deciding something big.
"Let's clean up first," Marlene said finally, her voice quieter now, but still firm.
Cassie groaned, dragging her feet as she moved to stack the cups. "You promised," she muttered under her breath, but her mum heard her anyway.
"And I'm keeping my promise," her mum replied, a little amusement creeping back into her voice. "Clean kitchen first, witchy things second. You want me to trust you with magic, but you can't even handle a butter knife without turning the mushrooms into puzzle pieces."
Cassie glared at her, but she couldn't hold it for long. She stuck her tongue out instead and grabbed another plate, helping clean up despite her grumbling.
After what felt like forever, the kitchen was finally clean, and Cassie practically bounced on her toes as she followed her mum upstairs. She didn't even complain about bedtime—which she was sure was some kind of record.
"Alright," Marlene said softly as they stepped into her room. She glanced at Cassie, who was practically vibrating with excitement. "I'll show you what I have. And because you behaved during dinner, I might answer a few more questions."
Cassie grinned, clasping her hands together as her mum knelt beside the bed. She pulled out a dusty old trunk, setting it carefully in the middle of the room. Cassie's excitement bubbled over as she crouched beside her mum, her eyes locked on the trunk.
Cassie's eyes were fixed on the trunk as Marlene knelt in front of it, her hands hovering over the latch. The air in the room felt heavy, like something big was about to happen. Cassie could see her mum's fingers trembling slightly, and it made her heart thud in her chest.
The old trunk smelled faintly of cedar and dust. Its brass latch gleamed faintly in the dim light, and as her mum's fingers brushed over it, Cassie swore she felt a shift in the air, like the room itself was holding its breath
"What's inside?" she whispered, her voice trembling with anticipation.
Marlene didn't answer right away. Her eyes were locked on the latch, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her mother's hand rested on the latch, her fingers trembling slightly. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, her eyes distant. Then, with a quiet sigh, she looked at Cassie and smiled faintly. "Memories," she murmured. "And maybe… a little bit of magic.