And pretty, from what Harry could see inside. Lots of different kinds of trees and flowers that didn't grow in the local forests. Some were even in bloom, despite the fact that it was February. And...hey, waterfall!
Okay. No one could expect him to not investigate a place with a waterfall.
He pushed the door. It opened. Well, that settled that. It was definitely open for business.
Curious, he stepped inside. "Hello? Anybody here?"
"I think that it is," Winifred said with a touch of awe evident in her voice. "I was at the park, working with my little garden. It began to disappear and I reached out to it."
She looked around happily. "I was pulled with them and found myself outside. All my plants, Harry, they are here."
"Oh, no!" Winifred smiled. "I grew a quite modest garden in the park--and was very proud, I must admit, of that accomplishment. In fact, I was nearly ready to show it to you." Her smile widened into a pleased grin. "Those plants are here, and the rest...? I believe it to be a gift of the village."
"Bob said that you have a gift for earth magic. The village putting something like with someone like you...well, I think that's just about perfect.
"How are you doing, by the way?" He shuffled his feet, looking more than a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry we haven't talked much. Would you mind talking now?"
"The earth has always been a friend to me," Winifred said in soft acknowledgment. "Nature can be quite biddable... when She is of a mind."
She looks all around and then back at Harry, eyes twinkling with humor and joy. "The village allowed Aphrodite to bring me in and has now offered me this.
"I am ever grateful. And I am doing well." Her lips quirked up into another smile as she inclined her head to him. "We haven't had much of a chance to talk, Harry. I do not mind at all. Walk with me?"
The surroundings were perfect for a leisurely stroll and a comfortable talk.
Instinct reminded him that Winifred was a lady and used to certain courtesies. Concentrating, he combined his "spiritual hands" spell with the energy blanket he used to enfold Bob in a hug. A moment later, a silvery-gold construct shaped like a hand appeared in the air near her own.
"I can't offer you my arm as we walk, unfortunately," he said gently. "Would you take my hand instead?"
Winifred paused, surprised and unsure, brows raised slightly.
How interesting.... Another first for this evening.
Then, without further hesitation, she reached out long, slender fingers and took his 'hand'. "I will." It was a bit like holding a hand after all. "So, tell me, Harry, how are you doing?"
Using the construct, Harry squeezed her hand gently. "I'm doing well," he said as they began to walk. "I'm teaching more this year, as I'm sure Bob's mentioned. And I'm practicing my magic a lot. I need to get better.
"I hope you don't mind living with me," he added, looking a bit awkward. "I know you love being with Bob again, but as roommates go...well, I was kind of wished on you. And that can't be easy.
"And before you say you were wished on me, too...no. You weren't. I've wanted you and Bob to be back together since--well, since I first heard that you existed."
Winifred smiled as he 'squeezed' her hand. "He did mention that, yes. I'm glad." The young man surely seemed to enjoy teaching.
"I don't mind 'living' with you, Harry, if you do not mind my presence now an then," she replied. "I know that I am welcome. Truly, Hrothbert and I aren't in your rooms. We have our own place to go as well."
"Your own place to go?" Harry echoed. "I didn't know that. I didn't know Bob could be anywhere but in his skull or where the skull is. What's your...location...like? Or is that too personal? If it is, I apologize. I'm just curious.
"And--if you have your own place, well, maybe you won't like this suggestion. But I gotta ask." He gazed at her, his brown eyes worried. "When we go back to Chicago, will you come with us? Bob couldn't bear to lose you again, I know that. My place isn't anything fancy, but there's room. And there's a part about five minutes' walk from my apartment and forests and even wilderness about an hour's drive from Chicago, so you wouldn't be cut off from nature, despite living in a city. And well, just about everyone you've met from our verse is there, too--there's the Sixth Law, so it would take them a bit to learn about you, since most of them are ahead of Bob and me temporally, but they would learn eventually. And...um...please?"
"Very pretty. And very powerful." Harry hadn't even noticed the fish; he was gazing at her with a stunned expression. "Stars and stones, my lady, I hope I never get you angry.
"I didn't think you'd leave him. Not willingly. But I wanted you to stay with us. And I wanted you to know I wanted you to. Because you're family.
"I am sorry about the skull, by the way. And the curse. If I could undo it..." He sighed. "I've been trying to for twenty years. I've been told by one who can see all possible futures that the curse is not mine to undo, but Bob's. And that the curse is breaking. Slowly, but it is.
"Thing is, I want him free before I die. There's no way that I'm going to die and let that skull fall into the hands of yet another wizard who'll enslave him and use him to do evil and treat him as if he's a thing. I won't have it." He clenched his fists. "I want to know that he's safe and happy with you somewhere that curses and the Council can never reach
( ... )
Winifred turned to regard him a bit apologetically. "Oh... yes. I am sorry, Harry. I have found that it can be quite easy to affect my physical surroundings--when upset. The 'place' that Hrothbert and I reside in is filled with boundless energy; we are the only ones in it. I will endeavor to learn more control, and," she smiled reassuringly, "I think that it would be very difficult for you to anger me.
"It means much that you consider me family. And I will never leave of my own accord."
She listened to him talk about the skull and the curse. He truly did care and he was trying. She knew that.
"I know, Harry, you are trying to help. You love him." She let go of his 'hand' and reached up to his face, stopping just barely short of actually 'touching' his cheek with her fingertips, not wanting to inflict the tingling coldness of her essence on him. "Thank you."
And pretty, from what Harry could see inside. Lots of different kinds of trees and flowers that didn't grow in the local forests. Some were even in bloom, despite the fact that it was February. And...hey, waterfall!
Okay. No one could expect him to not investigate a place with a waterfall.
He pushed the door. It opened. Well, that settled that. It was definitely open for business.
Curious, he stepped inside. "Hello? Anybody here?"
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She stepped into sight and smiled.
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She looked around happily. "I was pulled with them and found myself outside. All my plants, Harry, they are here."
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A wondrous gift.
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"How are you doing, by the way?" He shuffled his feet, looking more than a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry we haven't talked much. Would you mind talking now?"
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She looks all around and then back at Harry, eyes twinkling with humor and joy. "The village allowed Aphrodite to bring me in and has now offered me this.
"I am ever grateful. And I am doing well." Her lips quirked up into another smile as she inclined her head to him. "We haven't had much of a chance to talk, Harry. I do not mind at all. Walk with me?"
The surroundings were perfect for a leisurely stroll and a comfortable talk.
Reply
Instinct reminded him that Winifred was a lady and used to certain courtesies. Concentrating, he combined his "spiritual hands" spell with the energy blanket he used to enfold Bob in a hug. A moment later, a silvery-gold construct shaped like a hand appeared in the air near her own.
"I can't offer you my arm as we walk, unfortunately," he said gently. "Would you take my hand instead?"
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How interesting.... Another first for this evening.
Then, without further hesitation, she reached out long, slender fingers and took his 'hand'. "I will." It was a bit like holding a hand after all. "So, tell me, Harry, how are you doing?"
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"I hope you don't mind living with me," he added, looking a bit awkward. "I know you love being with Bob again, but as roommates go...well, I was kind of wished on you. And that can't be easy.
"And before you say you were wished on me, too...no. You weren't. I've wanted you and Bob to be back together since--well, since I first heard that you existed."
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"I don't mind 'living' with you, Harry, if you do not mind my presence now an then," she replied. "I know that I am welcome. Truly, Hrothbert and I aren't in your rooms. We have our own place to go as well."
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"And--if you have your own place, well, maybe you won't like this suggestion. But I gotta ask." He gazed at her, his brown eyes worried. "When we go back to Chicago, will you come with us? Bob couldn't bear to lose you again, I know that. My place isn't anything fancy, but there's room. And there's a part about five minutes' walk from my apartment and forests and even wilderness about an hour's drive from Chicago, so you wouldn't be cut off from nature, despite living in a city. And well, just about everyone you've met from our verse is there, too--there's the Sixth Law, so it would take them a bit to learn about you, since most of them are ahead of Bob and me temporally, but they would learn eventually. And...um...please?"
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"I didn't think you'd leave him. Not willingly. But I wanted you to stay with us. And I wanted you to know I wanted you to. Because you're family.
"I am sorry about the skull, by the way. And the curse. If I could undo it..." He sighed. "I've been trying to for twenty years. I've been told by one who can see all possible futures that the curse is not mine to undo, but Bob's. And that the curse is breaking. Slowly, but it is.
"Thing is, I want him free before I die. There's no way that I'm going to die and let that skull fall into the hands of yet another wizard who'll enslave him and use him to do evil and treat him as if he's a thing. I won't have it." He clenched his fists. "I want to know that he's safe and happy with you somewhere that curses and the Council can never reach ( ... )
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"It means much that you consider me family. And I will never leave of my own accord."
She listened to him talk about the skull and the curse. He truly did care and he was trying. She knew that.
"I know, Harry, you are trying to help. You love him." She let go of his 'hand' and reached up to his face, stopping just barely short of actually 'touching' his cheek with her fingertips, not wanting to inflict the tingling coldness of her essence on him. "Thank you."
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