Wizard for Hire

by Jack Simmonds

  “You need to get down!” screamed Bob.

  “He’s right,” I said to Sharon.

  She looked at me with tears in her big, beautiful eyes. I couldn't believe it. She’d known him literally five minutes and she was in love with him. How was that even possible? “We should get up there, and help him.”

  I looked at her for a long moment and nodded.

  Sharon pushed the door open and climbed back inside the spiralling staircase, continuing upwards. “We need to be extra quiet, if he spots us, we’re dead…” I said.

  Sharon took her heels off. My heart beat like the clappers. But this was the time to be brave. We raced up the stairs, against my better judgement, faster than I ever would have until, we reached the stone gallery—an outside viewing platform surrounding the dome. It was as high as we could get, as I could see no other way up to the tiny tower atop the dome. I nearly had a heart attack as I looked over the edge and saw the view. London spread out below, vast and moving, like a living organism. I felt the wind whip my hair violently as Sharon pointed upwards, Edward was bent over with Felix in his arms.

  “What’s he going to do?” said Sharon in a small voice.

  I didn’t answer, I literally had no idea.

  He was sitting with his back to us, Edward talking to Felix in a soft voice I couldn’t make out, but no less than fifteen feet away. Sharon fixed me with a firm expression, she didn’t know what to do either. At that moment, the wind died down and I could hear him speaking.

  “I’m putting this over your neck now, to stop you doing any more magic.” I saw Edward putting some kind of pendant necklace around Felix’s neck. “I don’t want you doing magic and miraculously surviving the fall now do I?” Edward laughed. “You’re the only one who can stop me.”

  Then, quick as a flash and without any time to react, Edward raised Felix into the air high above him. “Where is the ring Felix?”

  Felix hung over the precipice. “I won’t give it to you.”

  “We had a deal.”

  Sharon suddenly burst past me, and ran towards them. “Felix, don’t be so stupid! Just give him the ring!”

  “Sharon!” I cried. “No!”

  For Edward it looked like Christmas had come early. “Your friends are here,” he smiled. “How lovely.”

  “Just give it to him and live!” Sharon screamed choking back the tears. This was her plan was it?

  “Would you care to tell me where it is?” said Edward expectantly. “I will let him live if you do so.”

  Felix floated up and down over the edge of the tower, Edward demonstrating his power over Felix’s life. “It’s on his right hand!” she cried.

  “No!” I screamed.

  Edward reached out and inspected Felix’s right hand, waving his wand over it. Sure enough, the silver ring sparkled into existence. “Thank you very much,” he said plucking it from Felix’s limp finger.

  “No…” Felix mumbled as Edward pocketed the ring.

  “You’ve got what you came for!” I cried. “Now let him go!”

  Edward smiled. “As you wish.”

  As he lowered his wand, the spell keeping Felix floating in mid-air stopped. Felix, who was hovering over the side of the tower and now with nothing to support him… fell.

  “NOO!” I screamed into the wind. My best friend fell over the ledge and out of sight, plummeting towards the ground. Screams from the square rang high and shrill at the sight. I felt Sharon grab me against her as uncontrollable emotion took over me. I pushed her away and burst through the door, jumping the spiral staircase down the square with no regard for my own safety.

  Running into the square, I saw the crowd gathering around him. Karen and Bob pushing their way through and calling for paramedics. Pain, like nothing else ripped through my chest. I thought I might faint or fall. Sharon caught up to me and we walked toward the wizard, pushing through the crowd of onlookers past Karen and Bob, there he lay motionless. For the first time since I’d known him—quiet.

  I slumped to my knees before him, pulling the bloody hair out of his face. Around his neck was the pendant, I snapped it off and stared high above at Edward who reciprocated my sorrowful stare.

  I didn’t care about that monster, all I cared about was my friend. Harry, the dog, whined softly beside me, approaching Felix and licking his face. “I know,” I said softly taking him in my arms. “Say goodbye.” Harry looked at me and whined again.

  I felt numb and as dead inside as Felix, laid out colder than the stone beneath him. Paramedics rushed through and ran through their protocol.

  Karen had her head resting on Bob’s shoulder, a rare sign of emotion. “Do you believe him now?” my voice croaked.

  There was a series of flashes from above, atop St. Paul’s, four pops and bursts of light— wizards had now surrounded Edward. Dressed in long black coats they raised their wands at him. Edward was still fussing with the silver ring, seemingly unable to get it to work. Then, giving up, he raised his hands into the air. We all thought this was in surrender. Far from it. He sprang into the air like a robotic kangaroo, landing on the building opposite in a cloud of dust. The wizarding protectorates gave chase across the rooftops and ran out of sight. The sound of crashing spells over Paternoster Square filled the sad night air.

  Four more columns of light behind us signalled more wizards. I didn’t look up. The first two were Harper and Bland, who along with two others zapped through the crowd to Felix’s feet.

  “We’re Healers,” they said together, then to clarify. “We’re wizard paramedics.”

  They began to raise their wands over Felix in a strange fashion. Harper and Bland, the other two wizards I recognised put their arms on my shoulders in a consoling fashion.

  “We’ve got our best protectorates bringing the Creep in.”

  “Bit late now isn’t it?” I said. “Where were you an hour ago!” I cried.

  Sharon rested her head on my shoulder as we watched the wizarding healers raise a blanket over Felix.

  Sharon whispered in my ear. “He’s a hero.”

  “He’s a dead hero.” I corrected her.

  26

  The Real Ring

  Two weeks later…

  It’s safe to say that my emotions at that time were beyond anything I had ever experienced. The wizard, I realised, must have had a greater effect on me than I had anticipated. Arriving at the house I was a scared, anxious and lonely individual who felt powerless to change my circumstances. Since meeting the wizard, I had raised a demon, been accused of terrorism, and almost had an active role in blowing up St. Paul’s Cathedral. But more-so, I felt like myself again. All notion of Ginny, my ex-girlfriend, had faded from my mind, replaced by the wizard and his adventures.

  As I saw his body being taken away by the wizard healers, I felt my life with him drop away—like the most fantastic dream, it had come to a premature end. Now, somehow, I had to return to a normal life.

  Felix’s body was raised into the air, silvery blanket atop him, and held between the two wizarding healers. At once, they clapped their hands together and all three disappeared with a loud crack!

  A tear fell from my eye. Sharon hugged me tighter. Felix was gone.

  Harper touched a finger to his ear and patted me on the shoulder. “Just to let you know, we’ve caught him. Edward Rappaport has been captured.”

  Three days later, I was sat in the kitchen sullen and dazed. An irritabile and prickly nature had enveloped me. People tried to talk to me, comfort me and offer words of encouragement, but I did not want them. They were useless. I was useless. Ms McCall made me cups of tea, they sat cold and undrank. Sharon came round and sat with me, in silence. I didn’t say anything to her, for I was afraid that what would come out would be horrible and upsetting. I felt like blaming everyone. Including myself.

  The actions and events over the last few weeks replayed over and over in my mind. I imagined it happening in different ways. The things I could have done differently, especiall
y at the end. I could have done something. I should have done something. But what?

  Thoughts kept cropping up in my head like, who was organising the funeral? Did Zoey even know? Would it be a wizarding funeral? Would I be invited?

  But then…

  The miraculous happened.

  Something that would change everything.

  There was a loud, sharp knock at the door which shook me from my slumber, Ms McCall let someone in who asked for me. She seemed quite taken aback as she re-entered the kitchen and behind her walked a man in a long white cloak, a big bushy white beard and a cloud of white hair. As much a wizard in looks as ever I saw one.

  “Arthur?” I said standing sharply. “What are yo—”

  He held out a hand. “Please don’t stand on my account. In fact, it may be best you sit.” He smiled, he had a regal personality that brought calm and serenity wherever he stood. Sharon, Ms McCall and I stared up at the majestic man as he took his time to tell.

  “Felix is alive.”

  I nearly fell off the chair. “W-what?” I stammered.

  “The wizarding healers did a fantastic job,” he said. “It was touch and go for a while. However, we suspect that something must have broken Felix’s fall.”

  “Broke his fall?” said Sharon in amazement.

  Arthur clarified. “Yes. Anyone to fall from that height should be dead. He also had a pendant on that restricted him from any magic. So it could not have been his own magic.”

  “Whose then?” I said.

  Arthur looked sheepish for a moment. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Let’s just call it a… happy accident.”

  Ms McCall had a hand to her mouth. “I can’t believe it,” she said.

  Arthur squeezed her shoulder. “He has been moved to St. Thomas’ Hospital, would you like me to take you all there?” he grinned.

  “Yes!” Sharon cried.

  “No,” I said, they all looked at me. “I want to go by taxi. No magic.”

  Arthur bowed his head softly, understanding.

  Felix had his own room and for the first few days, remained asleep. He looked so human laying in bed, in a hospital gown. He was visited on the hour every hour by a lovely nurse called Sarah who kept smiling at me. And irregular quick visits from a mousy looking doctor, called Dr. Martin who had thick, milk bottle like, glasses.

  On the third day, a wizarding doctor arrived. She was dressed in a long brown overcoat, which she slung on a nearby chair as she waltzed in, proceeding to pull down the blinds, take out her wand and run it up and down Felix’s body before saying anything to us.

  Sharon and I sat idly, watching, before she turned to us. “You the doctors?” she said.

  “Er, no, friends.” I offered.

  She nodded once, before flicking her wand lazily at the door. “Doctor will be through shortly.”

  Sure enough, the mousy doctor appeared at the door, saying he felt a sudden urge to come and check on Felix. The wizarding doctor shut the door, locked it, sat Dr. Martin down and explained to him that Felix was a wizard. Dr. Martin swallowed and said he had already been told. She passed him two bottles from a leather pouch inside her coat and gave him instructions. She left shortly after, as poor Dr. Martin measured out three drops of each bottle of potion into Felix’s drip.

  I can’t tell you the emotions that were coursing through me at him being alive. Though, what state he would be in when he woke would be anyone’s guess. It was just so good to have him be alive.

  On the fourth day, he woke.

  He was dazed and confused, dosed up with enough drugs to stun an elephant. But he seemed okay. Great in fact. Relief flooded through me and for the first time in a week I could relax. The first thing he said was: “I won.”

  Soon enough, Felix was up to his old tricks. He made full use of being in hospital, having all his meals brought to him by lovely Sarah, who he told was beautiful every time she entered the room. And for some reason, she enjoyed these compliments greatly. Only Felix could get away with that, including making comments in jest about his bed bath with sly winks.

  That night, when it was just Felix and I, he turned to me and said: “It’s all worked out pretty well hasn’t it?”

  “I thought you were dead,” I whispered. “They put a blanket over you and everything.”

  “That’s a healer blanket, to remove black magic,” he sniggered.

  After two more weeks of running the doctors and nurses ragged, Felix was out and free to go. Although he was miffed about having to leave in a wheelchair.

  “I’m a fucking wizard,” he cried. “I don’t need a wheelchair!” (And I’ve toned the language in that down considerably.)

  He hugged Sarah goodbye, before making a big bunch of flowers appear out of the air for her.

  I was just about to ask for her number, then bottled it, which I was incredibly annoyed about.

  “Nice to… meet you,” I said.

  “You too,” she smiled radiantly. “See you around.”

  “Yep.” I turned and pushed Felix away, who had his head in his hands. “Bottled it! He bloody bottled it!” he cried as I wheeled him away rather quickly. “Norton the bottler! Oh my god!”

  “Who broke your fall?” said Sharon as we all sat around the kitchen table with tea and biscuits. The sun streamed in through the window, Harry sat on Felix’s lap occasionally licking his face, as Ms McCall poured more tea. “Arthur told us.” She added.

  “My guess,” he said. “Is that it was Zagakowski.”

  I nearly choked on my tea. “The demon?”

  Felix nodded. “If I died, he wouldn’t get any more blood would he? He would lose out. And demons are crazy about blood.”

  “And the ring…” I said. “Are you going to tell us how you pulled off that stunt?”

  Felix smiled playfully. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, the fact that you somehow gave Edward a copy.”

  “Oh that,” he smiled. “Well, truth is, Harry still hasn’t… excreted it. I just told you he had, to make it more convincing for when Edward might try and use you to get to me.”

  “But you vanished off the rooftop,” said Sharon.

  Felix shook his head. “Noop, simple diversion. Made myself temporarily invisible, it’s called the chameleon spell. I did that, so you thought I had disappeared. Make it more realistic when the time came.”

  “Clever.”

  “It was luck,” he corrected me. “I wish I could sit here and say it was all part of the master plan. And if anyone asks, it was. But I am afraid it was pure improvised luck.”

  “Oh well,” said McCall happily pouring more tea into our mugs. “I’m just happy you’re all home safe and sound, with your nice new friend,” she said pouring tea in Sharon’s mug. “And you’ve paid your rents and the damage.”

  “Really?” I said looking at Felix. “I thought you were broke?”

  “I was,” he said slurping. “That was until I was sent this…” he pulled out a brown envelope from his inside pocket. It was the envelope that Kriston had addressed to Felix containing £2000 in cash for finding out where the ring was. “Karen sent it to me, it’s no longer evidence seeing as I was cleared of all charges and suspicion.”

  “Snap,” I said, pulling out my own wad of cash. It felt nice to hold money for once. This time, Felix looked curious and asked where I had got it. It was my turn to look smug.

  Sharon smiled. “He had a load of Vitalie’s poker chips stuffed in his pockets,” she said pointing at me. “So I cashed them in for him. It was nearly £2000.”

  “Just about covers the costs I’ve accrued this last month!” I chuckled.

  “Well, everything worked out just fine didn’t it?” said Ms McCall. “I love a happy ending.”

  “This isn’t a romance novel Ms McCall,” Felix quipped. “Anyway, even if the Creep has been captured, the ring of power preserved and money in my pocket and my police charges quashed, I still have a rather furious demon after my blood. That
will be my next job.” He said rubbing his hands together.

  Felix then held up his iPhone and opened the dictation app, playing a file of Edward Rappaport speaking from Paternoster Square, before closing it.

  “Karen, Bob and the Magic Council all have a copy of the recording I took.”

  “You recorded the Creep?”

  “Of course, he admitted to the whole lot didn’t he?” Felix said smiling. “These criminals usually do. They love to boast. That’s the only way I could have got out of all the accusations.”

  “Clever,” I said almost involuntarily. But it was clever.

  “And I nearly forgot,” Felix said, standing up with a flurry. His dressing gown nearly coming loose. He flashed his hands and two bunches of flowers appeared, bright and colourful before Ms McCall and Sharon. “For all the fuss I caused you.”

  The two ladies cooed.

  “And what about me?” I said. “I raised a demon for you. I broke you out of prison—”

  Ms McCall clutched her christian cross necklace. “I’ll forget I just heard that!”

  “Well Norton, will a fried breakfast at Sid’s Cafe, followed by a few pints at the Sanctuary suffice?”

  “Okay, but never,” I said with a stern finger pointed at Felix. “I repeat, never, fob me off with that cufflink trick again! Next time, give me something useful.”

  “So…” said Felix with a sly grin. “There’s a next time is there?” His grin spread to me, I knew what he was getting at. “You don’t want me to… wipe your memory?”

  I paused for a moment, letting him stew on the possibility of me wanting to return to my old life. “There’s a next time,” I said matching his grin.

  “And what about this book you’re going to write about me?”

  “Don’t push it.” I winked, before putting out my hand. “It’s good to have you back Felix.”

  “It’s good to be back Will Norton.”