Halloween Gift from Magnetic Pole
Author: magnetic_pole
Title: Crossroads
Characters: Hermione Granger, Matilda "Matty" Abbott (OFC), Perdita (OCC)
Rating: PG
Summary: Strange things happen when the veil is thin. A triple drabble.
Notes: Thanks to the mods for gathering us again this year! May the fictional frights
give us all some escape from real life for a few hours.
Hermione will never forget the day: Halloween, 1990. Daylight fading. A harsh wind cutting
through her jumper. Perdita pulling at her leash.
Matty Abbott’s house made Perdita nervous even on sunny days. That evening, the trees in
Matty’s garden rustled ominously. Perdita whined.
A branch snapped in a gust of wind. Perdita panicked, bolted into the street. Yanked her leash
from Hermione’s hand.
Hermione saw the car coming. Her heart leapt. Her whole body froze. "Perdita! No!”
Perdita stopped.
In the air. Mid-stride.
The car stopped. The wind stilled. The trees calmed.
It was as if time itself had stopped-
***
-everywhere except for at Matty Abbott’s house. Matty’s door opened. "What a relief, " Matty
said calmly, looking around. "No harm done, Hermione. Good thing it’s Halloween."
"What just happened?" Hermione whispered.
"A little inadvertent magic. That’s what just happened."
Matty walked over to Perdita, lifted her out of the air above the street, and set her down on the
pavement. She handed Hermione the leash.
Perdita stood awkwardly. Silent. Rigid.
Matty reached in a pocket, drew out a thin wand, and murmured something in Latin.
The leaves rustled. Perdita whined and pulled at her leash. The car drove on by.
***
"I don’t understand," Hermione said.
"Sometimes a young witch will perform magic without meaning to, " Matty said. "You’ll learn to
control it. "
"I’m a witch? "
"You’re a witch. Wasn’t Professor McGonagall here just a few weeks ago?"
Professor McGonagall had come on Hermione’s birthday. But she’d talked about lessons and
exams and required equipment, not this.
"And you’re a witch."
"I am."
Hermione’s head reeled. "I don’t think Perdita likes witches."
Matty laughed. "She’s just a puppy. She’ll come around."
Hermione was a witch. She was going to school to learn magic.
Halloween, 1990. One life saved, one life begun.