Leo Perry and the Scrolls of the Druid

- CHAPTER FIVE -

Home Again

Leo stepped out of the car. He and Aunt Julia had got a ride in a taxi cab from the Wolfe's. Aunt Julia had explained that normally she would have apparated, she would have disappeared and reappeared at Leo's house. Leo, however, didn't know how to apparate yet and Aunt Julia told him he wouldn't learn for quite some time. Traveling Leo's house by floo powder would have been complicated and difficult as well, so they were forced to take a cab.

Leo looked to his aunt. She was standing at the driver's window, trying to give him a handful of silver and gold coins. The driver, however refused to accept the coins and insisted on 'real' money.

'Muggles!' said Aunt Julia as the car drove away. The driver had left without payment. Leo had decided he didn't like the word 'muggle'.Leo had no problem with non-magical people. He was raised as one for the first eleven years of his life. Whenever the word was used in the wizarding world though, it seemed very unflattering toward non-magical people. It almost sounded discriminatory. Leo understood that it was a general term and that the wizards didn't mean for it to sound like that. He remembered how his father felt about magic and understood a little bit more. If he had been treated that way for his whole life he'd probably call his father more things than a muggle.

'So you're coming in with me then?' Leo asked Aunt Julia as they walked to the front door.

'Of course I am,' she said, 'You don't think I'd let you face him alone? No, we'll talk to him together and maybe we can help him understand a bit better.' Leo smiled at his aunt. They walked up to the door together. Aunt Julia was carrying Leo's school things that they had bought that day and Leo had his backpack and Casper resting in his arms.

It was late and there were no lights on as they entered the house. Leo walked into the living room setting down his backpack and Casper.

'Dad!' he called.

'L-Leo?' he heard his father's voice from upstairs. His dad came down the stairs, ran over to him and hugged him at a speed that Leo never thought was possible.

'I'm so sorry Leo. I can't believe you left. I shouldn't have yelled. Where did you go? I didn't know who to call. I thought of the police but then I thought maybe you were with the other wizards and-' he spotted Aunt Julia, 'You went with her? Why didn't I think to call her. I'm sorry about that night Julia.'

'He wasn't with me,' Aunt Julia said, 'I met him when I went shopping. He was at the Canice Fors Center with another family. I talked him into coming back.'

'But where did you go?' Leo's Father asked.

'Well,' Leo launched into his story, 'I walked for a long time and then I met this man with a big white dog. His name is David Wolfe. He's really nice. I met his wife and his son Josh. I stayed with them for the whole time I was gone. They're wizards too.'

'You didn't even take a coat,' Dad said, 'What would you have done if winter came?'

'I guess I didn't think of that. Anyway I went with the Wolfes to the Canice Fors Center to buy my school things. It was like a big shopping mall but it had all sorts of magic stores. I bought a wand and a broomstick. Oh, but when I was there I met Aunt Julia so I bought all my things with her.'

'What did you buy all of your things with?' his father asked.

'Aunt Julia took me to the bank. Mom left me some money, its wizard money.'

'Yes I know,' said Dad.

'Then Aunt Julia convinced me to come home so I did. Are you still mad at me?' he said looking at his father's neutral expression.

'Of course not. I was wrong to get mad in the first place. You can go to school, in fact I want you to. I am however, disappointed that you didn't talk with me first. For running away, you can't watch any television for the rest of your holidays.'

'OK,' Leo said. It wouldprepare him for the wizarding world anyway.

'So, tell me, how did you like your first taste of the wizarding world?' Dad asked.

'It was so great! I flew on a broomstick and it was awesome.'

'Oh Leo,' Aunt Julia spoke for the first time since entering the house, ' I know you've flown before, but I don't want you to again. Not until you've had your first flying lesson at Eggswax. Its very dangerous and you might be seen by a muggle out here. I have to go, but I will be back in September to take you to school. Will you be coming to Jake?'

'Of course.'

'All right, I will see you then goodnight,' and with that she disapparated.

'Its getting late, Leo,' said Dad, 'Go to bed. We can talk in the morning.'

'OK' said Leo.

'Oh and I'm sorry, Leo,' Leo smiled at his father. They climbed the stairs together. Jake helped carry Leo's new school things to Leo's room and Leo took up his backpack. Casper followed them.

Leo woke up the next morning, happy to be back in his own bed. Casper was curled up next to him. He got out of bed, dressed and hurried downstairs.

Dad was sitting at the kitchen table. He was reading the paper and he had a plate of toast in front of him.

'Good morning,' he said.

'Hi,' said Leo. Leo ate his breakfast quietly. His father seemed ver uncomfortable and being in the room was very awkward.

'Um...so...what's up?' Leo asked.

'Nothing.'

'OK. So...um...why didn't you want me to go to school?' Leo asked.

'Well it's a long story,' he said, avoiding Leo's eyes.

'Dad why won't you tell me?' Leo asked frustrated.

'It's hard, Leo. I loved your mother, since I lost her, I haven't been able to talk much.'

'I understand, Dad. She's my mother though, and I want to know what happened. I can't understand you if I don't know what happened.'

'Alright,' he said, visibly becoming more comfortable, 'Before you were born, about a year before, your mother was at work. She had a run-in with a very powerful wizard who did dark magic. When he found out who she was he cursed her. When her first child was born, she would die or the baby would in her place. So giving birth to you, she died. It confused the doctors. They had no idea what was going on. The only good thing about that day was that I got you.'

'But, how did she die? They didn't know? Was it my fault?' Leo asked.

'No, Leo. It couldn't be helped. So you must understand now. Its because of that curse, because of magic that your mother died. That's how we lost her. I didn't want you to go to school because I don't want to lose you.'

'But-' Leo started.

'I know, though that you have to go to school. You're a wizard. It's part of who you are. I want you to go to school. If you didn't I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.' Leo's father was almost in tears and Leo finally understood why his father had been so upset.

'It's OK, Dad. I get it now, but Aunt Julia says that magic won't hurt me,' Leo told him.

'I know. Just promise you'll be careful, that you won't get yourself into trouble.'

'I think I'd be in more trouble if I stayed here and went to non-magical school,' Leo said remembering back to his birthday, 'I promise.'

'So what'll you be doing at that school, what's it called Eggsomething?'Dad asked.

'Eggswax,' said Leo.

'Right, so what'll you learn at Eggswax?'

'Well, in my letter it says I'll be learning lots of things,' Leo started, 'I'll be learning history, you know, of the magical world. I also get to learn transfiguration. Aunt Julia told me that it's the magic that you use to turn something into something else. I also get to learn charms, I don't know what that is though. I am going to learn astrology, herbology and how to fly on a broomstick!'

'It sounds your in for quite a year!' Leo's father said.

'Yeah, I can't wait!' Leo said.

'So is he going to go with you?' Asked Dad pointing at Casper.

'Yeah. My letter said I could bring a pet.'

'OK,' said Dad, 'So where'd you get all your school stuff, again?'

'The Canice Fors Center,' said Leo, 'It was named after some witch from a long time ago. Anyway, its like a shopping mall with magical stores. There was a bank, where I got my money, that Mom left me. Its run by goblins and you have to go underground to get to the vaults which are protected really well. Aunt Julia says the goblins creep her out but I kinda think they're funny.'

'Goblins? I didn't know there was such a thing,' said his father, 'Are there any more magical species that I don't know about?'

'I don't know,' said Leo, 'Probably. I hope so! Anyway, so after I got my money I went to the robe shop. The witch inside measured me and told me that I'll get my school robes when I get to school. Actually, my letter said that but I forgot and I was really embarrassed in the shop. Aunt Julia went and bought my books and then we went and got my wand. The girl there, Ms Fors, I think is related to the witch that the center is named after. Anyway, she was really pretty. I found a wand right away and different coloured lights came out and she told me that it was special.'

'Woah!' Leo's father laughed. Leo had said all of this really fast. 'You sure seem excited about this!'

'I am! I can't wait to get to school and learn more!' Leo said.

'Just as long as you don't go off and forget about me. Back here in the, what was it? Muffler? No.'

'Muggle?' Leo suggested.

'That's the one! Just as long as you don't go off and forget about me back here in the muggle world,' he said. Leo knew that he was joking but he couldn't help but feeling that maybe his father actually thought that way.

'I won't,' Leo said, 'I promise.'

'You better not,' Dad smiled 'Or I'll hunt you down.' Leo laughed with his Dad. He was happy to be home and he felt even closer to his father than he had ever been. Leaving for school would be even harder now, but Leo wouldn't have traded it for the world. Being back with his father made him much happier. When he was staying with the Wolfes, even though he had been angry with his father, he had wanted to go back and tell him everything. He remembered how he had felt after his first broomstick ride. He had wanted to go see his father right away and tell him about it.

'I flew on a broom at the Wolfe's,' said Leo, 'It was Josh's. When I started I was doing really good. I was flying like a pro. I thought I was a natural, and then I hit a tree.' His father laughed.

'So tell me about Josh,' he was making a real attempt to understand Leo. Leo didn't know when the last time he had connected with his father like this was.

'Well, he's thirteen, so he's a few years older than me. He's not overly friendly but he had his moments. He didn't talk to me much.'

'Teenagers are like that,' said Dad, 'They either don't talk to you and just ignore you, or they talk to much and they don' know when to shut up and they get lippy. I wish there was some way for you to skip that stage.'

'No way!' said Leo. His father laughed.

'What was Mom like?' he asked after a short silence. His father paused. The question seemed to have taken him by surprise.

'Well, she was beautiful. She was kind and caring. Even though her family saw me as a hateful muggle, she saw the good in me. I haven't exactly proved her right. She loved me and she loved you. Even though her family and I hated each other she wouldn't abandon either of us. She was the one who got Julia and I to become friends.'

'What did she do?' Leo asked.

'Do?'

'Well, you said earlier that she worked. What did she do?' Leo was wondering what a wizard did after going to school.

'She worked with the Ministry of Magic. Its like a magical government. I don't know specifically what she did, but she worked with them.' said Dad.

'There's a Ministry of Magic?' Leo asked.

'Apparently,' said Leo's father, 'There's a lot of things like that, that the wizards have. Newspapers, banks.' He laughed.

'I'm so excited!' Leo said.

'I know, but I'm going to miss you while you're gone. Is there any way that you can keep in contact?'

'Well I can probably owl you. You know send you mail by owl. I don't know how often I'll be able to do it though. I know the school has owls but I don't know how available they'll be to us.'

'Just promise you'll try,' said Dad.

'I will,' said Leo.

'I can't wait until that first bird shows up and scares me half to death!' Leo laughed with his father.

'Well I've got to go out this morning. You can stay here. I'll be back in an hour or two. Remember, no TV.'

'Alright,' said Leo.

A few moments later Leo's father had left and he had the house to himself. He went upstairs and grabbed his new wizarding things. He came back down and pulled everything out and started examining it. He read through his books and inspected his broomstick.

The last weeks of his summer holidays flew by. He spent the time by reading his new books. They were very interesting. Some parts he read over and over because they were so interesting, but then there were some parts that he skipped for fear of falling asleep and never waking again.

On one of the last days of his holidays, when his father had gone to work, he decided he would go out and try his broomstick. He remembered what Aunt Julia had told him, but he was going to be very careful. He would walk to one of the distant neighboring fields. One that was away from other houses and highways. He would fly in an open area so that he wouldn't hit anything. He would fly low to make sure that he wasn't seen.

He left about an hour before noon. He walked for about half an hour and decided he was far enough away from everything. He was standing on the edge of a wheat field. He mounted his broom and took off.

The Whistler One-Hundred was a lot faster than Josh's broom. It took Leo by surprise. He went left and then he turned right and then he crashed straight into the ground.

Maybe Aunt Julia was right, he thought. He decided that he would head back home and wait until his first flying lesson at school. He decided that he wouldn't tell his father or Aunt Julia.

When Leo landed, however, he twisted his ankle. He limped most of the way home, which of course wouldn't have made his ankle any better. It took him twice as long to get home. There was no way that his father would miss the limp.

Leo hadn't been home fifteen minutes when his father got home from work.

'So, how was your day?' Dad asked.

'Not too bad,' said Leo.

'Did you read all day again?'

'Yep. Well, mostly,' Leo said guiltily.

'What did you do?' Leo's father asked his guilty son.

'I went out on my broomstick,' said Leo sheepishly.

'What?' Leo was sure that his father would explode, 'Your aunt told you not to. Not only because you could hurt yourself, but also because you could be seen! So what happened?'

'How do you know anything happened?' Leo asked.

'Well, why would you have told me if nothing happened?'

'Good point,' he said, 'I crashed again. I twisted my ankle. It one of those "only hurts for a day" things, though. I think it'll be better tomorrow or the next day.'

'All right, but if its not, then you have to explain to Julia what happened.'

'OK,' said Leo. He really didn't want to get Aunt Julia angry with him. He knew that she trusted him and he didn't want to ruin that.

The next few days went by even faster than the rest. Leo was walking fine with only a little trace of a limp. On the evening of the second of September, Leo was in his room packing all of his things in a very large trunk. Last to be packed was his broom.

His father helped him carry the trunk downstairs and set it by the door.

'Well,' said Dad, 'Are you all ready for tomorrow?'

'I think so,' said Leo. Suddenly, Leo and his father heard a tapping on the window. Leo looked over and saw a large owl outside of it tapping to get in with his beak. Leo opened the window and the bird flew in. It sat on a nearby table and stuck out it's leg, just as the one that had delivered Leo's school letter did. Leo took the letter off of the bird's leg and he flew through the open window and out of sight. Leo unfolded the peace of parchment in his hand. He read it aloud to his curious father.

Dear Leo,

We just wanted to wish you luck on your first year of school. We are sure that you will make lots of friends and learn lots of magic. Have fun and be careful. Maybe we will see you at the airport tomorrow. We are sure that you will see Joshua and if you have any questions after departing go and see him. He'll be able to help you or at least contact us. Write us back during the school year. Maybe you can come and visit at Christmas with your father and you can stay with us next summer. Say hello to your Aunt and your father for us.

Sincerely,

Mr and Mrs Wolfe

P.s. Mr Wolfe and Zeke say hello to Casper.

'They seem nice,' said Dad as Leo stopped reading.

'They are,' said Leo, 'When's Aunt Julia going to get here?'

'She'll be here at around eight tomorrow morning.'

'Eight? We have to get up at eight?' Leo asked.

'Yes,' Dad laughed, 'You've got a big day tomorrow. So, how do you get to school anyway? Mrs Wolfe mentioned something about the airport?'

'I don't know,' Leo said, 'Hold on. I'll look in my letter.' Leo searched through his trunk for his school letter. He found the envelope. Inside were the two pieces of parchment that had told him he had been accepted and what to buy. There was also a new third peace of parchment. There was a very short message on it.

Tomorrow, go to the Toronto Airport, Terminal 3. Look for an Airline booth named Enchanted Airways.

'Well, I guess that answers your question,' said Leo.

'Yes it does,' said Dad, 'Now its time for bed. Take your cat and enjoy your last night in your own bed.'

'I'll have my own bed there too, Dad,' said Leo.

'How should I know?' he laughed. Leo laughed too. He headed upstairs, Casper on his heels.

'Goodnight, Dad,' he called.

'Goodnight, Leo.'