Chapter 4: The Holiday Begins

A chime from the overhead speaker informed the passengers of their arrival and Natasha felt the familiar jostle of too-eager people wanting to enjoy fresh air and more open spaces.

After a few ‘excuse me’s,’ and ‘pardon’s’, Natasha emerged from the train and stepped onto the platform. Exiting the train, she felt like she passed through a thick wall of air like a heat-haze, which shimmered and then returned to normal. She shook her head and walked a few paces from the hustle and bustle and laid down her things and surveyed.

She shielded her eyes from all the reflective surfaces of the platform and surrounding buildings.

“Hey there, stranger,” came a familiar voice from in front of her.

Her childhood friend stepped in view, cutting through the sunlit glare and was beaming. Natasha felt her face crack into a wide smile to match and the two women embraced, rocking each other from foot to foot.

“You look refreshed for a woman whose just been on a train for 10 hours,” said Kristen with a smirk.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Well, you did tell me to expect the unexpected on this trip and so far, I have not been disappointed. And those 10 hours didn’t feel like nearly half a day at all! Gosh, it’s so great to see you!”

The two embraced again then Natasha held her friend at arm’s length, admiring.

“Same old Krissy, ever the ageless wonder.”

Kristen struck a pose, legs akimbo and hands on hips, drinking in the compliment and tossed her ash brown hair back as if it had been blown back by wind. She was sporting a light jacket, white camisole, tan pants and black riding boots.

Natasha took note that her friend literally looked the same as she had in college. Tall at 5’10’’, lithe and fit. A healthy bust, strong arms and legs and just the hint of laugh lines at the corners of her eyes. She had cute freckles on her cheeks that happened when she caught just the right amount of summer sun and she had warm, inviting honey-brown eyes.

“Take a photo, it will last longer,” said Kristen, helping Natasha with her bags and the two women departed the platform.

“I’m sorry—it’s just so great seeing you and you look like you’ve stepped out of a time machine. You’ll have to tell me your secret.” Natasha elbowed her friend in the side and noted toned muscle.

“Just water, some veggies and some good old-fashioned Pilates,” she said with a wink. Gesturing, Kristen pointed to the departing area and Natasha followed, rolling her eyes mockingly and bringing out a joyful laugh out of Kristen.

Natasha stopped for a second and then had a sudden urge to hop on one foot while patting her ear, like a swimmer whose come out of the pool with water lodged in their ear, “Ugh, how long does the spell take to lift again?”

“You’ll not have to wait more than a few minutes.” Kristen replied, as if this was normal conversation.

Natasha felt an invisible weight drop out of her ear and everything became clear. She was now looking at the platform through different eyes, a witch’s eyes.

She saw all sorts of peculiar travelers dressed in what she imagined were witch and wizard robes, pets with additional appendages or heads and all sorts of magical wonderment from floating luggage to platforms that were self-cleaning.

“Tell me what you see now,” said Kristen, point a few feet away from them.

Natasha’s eyes were drawn to a severe-looking woman with a weathered witches’ hat caring after a pet that had extra-large features, an extra tail and exaggerated body proportions. She blatantly saw a woman pull out what could only be a magic wand and point it at her defecating pet’s mess and said, ‘disappearus fecus materis’. The animal’s mess vanished into thin air restoring the ground to its previous un-besmirched state.

“Umm, a strange dog taking a crap which disappeared?” said Natasha.

“Well, now we know that the statue of magical secrecy has been temporarily lifted for you on your trip. Do you remember standing on the platform as you left the train? The air felt thick for a second? That’s the magical charm.”

“I do, I even said good-bye to the man who sat next to me who ate one of my sandwiches. Turns out he looked part lobster.” Said Natasha, remembering that as she passed off the train that the world, she knew began to bend towards the wizarding one she was only limitedly familiar with.

“The statute of magical secrecy acts like a portal between out worlds. It’s an advanced charm spell that keeps the No-Wa-Kah’s from discovering that magic even exists.
Natasha frowned for a second, “No-Wa-Kah’s…non-wizarding carriers!” she said as if in class answering a question. Kristen gave a smile.

“So…does that mean I get to do all sorts of wizardy and wandry like you do?” said Natasha already knowing the answer but nudging her friend conspiratorially in the ribs.

“Oh, you know it doesn’t work like that, ‘Tasha.”

++++++

Back home, one summer after they had graduated from college, Kristen took Natasha to a field they had played in frequently as youths.

“I have something I want to share with you,” Kristen had prompted. “Remember when I went to boarding school all those years ago?”

“Yeah?” said Natasha.

“Well, Ah—fuck. I’m a witch.”

“Wait, what!?” said Natasha, laughing a little at the blunt absurdity of the statement.

“Ah, I’m no good at explaining—Explainso!” Kristen had procured from the back pocket of her jeans a stick of wood that was ornate in every way and very old-looking. She waved it across the space between them and tapped it right between Natasha’s eyes.

Natasha felt her body go rigid and then felt her eyes close. Everything went temporarily dark and then, in the distance she saw a pinpoint of light that drew closer like a train exiting a tunnel.

She heard a voice she did not recognize begin to narrate:

“Dear Non-Wand-Carrier, or ‘no-wah-kah’, you are receiving this message in the presence of a qualified witch or wizard who has placed their utmost trust in your ability to keep strictest secret that magic is real. We, the magical brethren do not interfere with our magical prowess in the ways of the world. Your world. We exist in a parallel world in harmony…”

Natasha could feel thousands of years of magical understanding and terminology enter her brain at warp speed.

“You have now received all of our history, though you do not have the ability to practice the noble craft of magic. In the presence of a qualified witch or wizard, or by passing into our world though appointed portals, these memories will return as if you’ve never forgotten them, like recalling a second, though less-practiced foreign language.”

Kristen, through the usage of this spell was conveying everything she knew about her acceptance to ‘Wizard School’ when she was young, the fact that she was now a qualified witch living among the no-wa-kah’s and that her time at college was helping her further magic and non-magic relations.

The spell lifted and Natasha felt to her knees softly, her head spinning.

“Ugh, I think I’m going to hurl.”

Kristen bent low and patted her friend soothingly on the back, muttering something non-English and making small circles that rapidly subsided the dizziness.

“Hey, that was a soothing spell, wasn’t it?” said Natasha.

Kristen nodded with a weak smile. She proceeded to explain to Natasha who had complete understanding that whenever she was in the presence of another witch or wizard that she would fully comprehend their speech. Further, whenever she was in their magical presence, anything that would normally be unexplainable to the mind of a no-wa-kah would make complete and utter sense to her.

“Cool,” said Natasha with a grin, “My best friend is a witch!” She knew she wanted Kristen to demonstrate all sorts of cool witchcraft that instant but knew from that magical voice that the magical world only used magic when applicable, else they behaved like normal non-magical people.

Natasha sidled up to Kristen and made a little sad puppy dog face, gesturing with her eyes from Kristen to the wand.

“Oh…I know you’ll never let it go. Here:” Kristen raised her hand, wand at the ready and muttered, “igneous levitator…”

A small rock wiggled, then rose into the air as if this was the most normal thing in the world. Natasha did not scream or run. She was simply in awe of magic. From that day forward, their friendship grew stronger.

++++++

Back on the platform, the two women collected Natasha’s things and made to head towards the local village. Natasha’s luggage became surprisingly light, and she turned to Kristen who was just stowing her want beneath her clothes.

“Hey, did you…?”

“I haven’t the faintiest idea what you’re referring to.” Chided Kristen.

Natasha smiled and nudged her friend again.

“It’s noon, have you eaten yet?” said Kristen.

“I had a little something on the train, but I’ll get a tea.” Natasha’s stomach growled.

“Liar. You’re still peckish. Don’t worry, I have a place I know you’ll like,” said Kristen.

Kristen linked arms with Natasha and the pair strode away into the town, luggage considerably lighter and hearts full of a week’s worth of adventure.