Norbert waited there as Granny continued to sip her tea.

"Are you going to tell me the story of Mahnu?" Norbert asked her.

Granny, looking back to his backpack, just shook her head. "There are better things to do than telling stories about ancients that most have forgotten. What's more important is repairing your bag before my book gets damaged." Granny said.

Norbert opened his mouth to rebuttal, only receiving a look in response. Shutting his jaw with a clap of his teeth. Nodding in response, looking as Granny pointed to her kitchen, "If you can be so kind as to go and pull the sewing kit out of the kitchen." She said as she pointed.

Norbert stood out of his chair, leaving the backpack on the table as he looked around, not seeing anything that resembled a sewing box.

"And where would that be?" Norbert asked her.

She picked up the backpack, placed it, and placed it on the table individually. "Oh, quite hefty. And it's in the top draw on the left; you'll know it when you see it." She said.

Norbert turned around, seeing she was holding Obsius's money pouch; the bird insisted he carry it for her still, even when they were apart. Turning back around, on the search for the sewing kit Granny was talking about, Norbert pulled out the draw mentioned, staring at its contents.

What was revealed to him was a draw of random tools and odd bits and pieces like cloth, string, rubber bands, leather straps, bags and a cookie tin.

I saw the blue tin bumped out of the surface of biscuits, the ones with sugar placed on top and in intricate knots. A thought came to Norbert as he picked it up and shook it. I did not hear any biscuits inside but the sound of fabric and other odds and ends moving around.

Opening the lid, Norbert was shown his prize. The sewing supplies he had set out had been acquired. Turning around, Norbert looked at the table; everything he had taken with him now sprawled across the table.

Granny took Norbert's bestiary and started flicking through the pages. She opened the book again, letting it open to the most used page. Seeing it was in the back of the book, Norbert placed the tin on the table as he looked at it upside down, recognising the creature having read the page previously.

"Ever seen one of these in person?" Granny asked him.

Norbert nodded in response, never having seen the bloated ball-like creature before. Before he could read it, the book was closed and pushed to the side. Picking up the empty backpack, Granny opened the tin before selecting one of the needles and scrounging for some thread.

Pulling a brown thread out, still on the roll, she got an arm's length worth before cutting it with the scissors inside, Norbert watching as she threaded it on the first try and started sewing the hole at the bottom.

Norbert stared at her as she continued to work. "You're not going to use magic?" Norbert asked while Granny continued to sew the bag shut.

"Sometimes it's good to do things the normal way." She said before returning to her work.

Norbert nodded as he watched the tears in the bag slowly come together. He was staring at the technique, watching the rhythm as the needle wove in and out of the two sides of the bag, each tug pulling them slightly closer.

With the last piece closing up, Granny tied a knot in the end before cutting the string with a single snip of her scissors. Picking the bag up, she inspected her work, pulling and tugging at the mended section; with a nod, happy that it wouldn't split apart again, she handed the backpack over to Norbert.

Picking the backpack up, he also inspected it; the bag was not ripping or tearing as he began to place the items back in his backpack. Arranging them in order of least to most used, the first one to go inside was the medical pack, never having used it once.

Looking for the following item to put in, he saw Granny staring at him. Looking back at her, wondering what she was after when it finally hit him. "Thank you for repairing it; it seems to be a splendid job," Norbert told her.

"Seems to be?" She asked him.

Norbert nodded while he scratched the back of his neck, ashamed of what would happen, hoping he wouldn't be grilled for what he was about to say. "I'm never taught how to sew. Never needed the skill until now. And your right, it is a splendid job, even I can tell with my little knowledge." Norbert said, not wanting to give too many details to her.

No more questions were asked about the topic, only a nod of her head in accepting the correction. Norbert continued to go through the pack, only now seeing his masks and helmet on the side, next to each other.

Reaching for it, Granny took it and looked at the two pieces side by side before he could put it back. Norbert knew she was looking at the magic composed by it.

"Surprising to see how far the simple things have come." She said as she handed the mask back to him, the first one he had, which he used for his dastardly escapes at night—she looked at the helmet combination, clicking and unclicking the two pieces together as she nodded in approval.

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"And this is just nice. I assume someone made this for you?" She asked him.

Norbert nodded in response to the question.

"Good," Granny said. "It's annoying to find reliable crafters and enchanters nowadays. Most of them have been picked up by one powerful person or another and are only doing exclusive work." She said to him.

Norbert nodded his head, thinking of the implications of what she said. "And it wasn't like that before?" Norbert asked her.

Receiving a nod in response, "Things do change around here, sometimes for the better, others for the worse. And sometimes, it just changes for the sake of changing. At least now magic is helping more people than before." She said to him.

Norbert nodded, and a question came to mind: "Then what was it used as before?" He asked her.

A sad old smile bloomed on Granny's face at the question being asked to her: "One of suppression and death." She said, sipping her tea while speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "Not like that's any different now."

Norbert just stared at her, finishing off the rest of his tea. Standing up, he picked up his saucer, took the sewing tin, and let the old lady sit there momentarily, thinking about her past.

Walking to the kitchen, Norbert placed the teacup and saucer in the sink and the tin back in the drawer he took irom. Obsius fluttered over onto his shoulder, chirping at him.

Whispering back to the bird, but knowing it wasn't needed as the two of them, "I can't just call a god down here like it's a pizza, just showing up at our doorstep. And even, this place is probably warded or something like that." Norbert said.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Norbert!"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Norbert!"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Norbert!"

Norbert turned to the doorway, where the knock echoed out from. Norbert turned to Obsius on his shoulder, not believing what he had just heard, the voice echoing around the cabin.

Sighing at being proven wrong, Norbert looked to Granny, who beckoned him to the door. "It is for you." She said to him. The look in her eyes was gone as she seemed to sit up straighter, and Norbert walked towards the door.

She was opening it inwards, not believing what he saw. Standing there was Luck in a pizza delivery uniform. She had a black hot and cold bag to keep the pizza warm, a name tag and a black cap on her head with a logo of a slice of pizza on it, with the words "PIZZA!" underneath it in white.

Looking at her, Norbert stared, eyes going up and down, not believing what he saw. "How long have you been out here?" He asked her.

"I only just came to deliver the pizza." She said as she started smelling the air. "But I could use a drink that smells delicious in there." She said as she looked around Norbert's shoulder.

Norbert turned around to see what Granny was doing, seeing her smiling back at him as she turned around in her chair and continued sipping her cup.

"Sure, Luck. Thanks for bringing the food." He said to her.

Stepping to the side, taking the pizza box he was handed as Luck walked in. Taking the seat that Obsius was in before, taking the cup and sip from it, sighing in satisfaction.

Obsius launches off Norbert's shoulder after seeing her tea being stolen. Taking the pizza box out of the bag and placing it on the table, leaving the hot, cold bag next to his own, which he placed on the side, Norbert went to the kitchen again.

Looking through the cabinets, Norbert pulled out three plates before taking his cup and saucer out of the sink.

He was returning to the table with the dishwasher; I saw that the pizza box was already open. Luck flipping the box open, Norbert sees the steam come off it. Sitting down, Norbert took a slice, Luck and Granny as well.

Moving it to his mouth, Norbert bit into it, the sensation of flavours hitting him, the mix of barbeque sauce and meat entwining together. Looking down, Norbert realised where he had this before.

"This is from Bob's, isn't it?" Norbert asked Luck.

Receiving a nod in response, Norbert wondered how she could bring it over here.

Hearing Granny moan in response to the food, Norbert's eyes widened.

Realising the sound she made, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand as she closed her eyes, finishing the bite. "Sorry, child. I just haven't had one this good in a long time." She said to him.

Norbert nodded in agreement. "Bob does do a good job." He said to her.

Finishing his slice, taking another and leaving it on his plate for Obsius to have, refilling his cup with tea, he took a sip before turning to Luck. "And why did you come here? Not like I don't appreciate the pizza, just curious?" He asked her.

Luck turned to him as she finished her slice, taking a sip of tea. "Oh, this is good …" She left it open, waiting for Granny to fill it in.

Waving her hand dismissively, she said, "Oh, you can call me Granny child. You will always be able to find a home here." She said to Luck.

Luck nodded in response, a grin on her face. "Thank you for that, Granny, although we both know that there will be others who do not agree with your statement." She said to her.

"Psshh, those bags of bones don't like when the breeze changes." She said.

Luck laughed in response, the pearly laughter filling the room as Norbert just stared at her, grabbing another slice for himself as he began to eat it.

"Too true, too true", Luck said as she wiped a tear from her eye. Turning to Norbert, she asked, "Now, what are you doing back here? I couldn't resist Granny's cooking?" She asked him.

Shrugging his shoulders, he spoke to her, "Just have this funny knack of waking up here." He said to her.

"And please stop doing it. At least let me know before you come crawling on my doorstep half dead and unconscious." Granny said to him sternly.

"Yes, Granny," Norbert responded like a scolded child before taking his third pizza slice.

He was taking a swig of the tea and finishing the cup; Norbert carefully placed it before stuffing the pizza in his mouth. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, Norbert headed to the door. "Well, it's been great seeing you again, Granny, and you to Luck. I'll remember to let you know, but I think it's best to leave and allow the two of you to catch up." He said.

Opening the door, Norbert stepped outside, letting it close. Realising he had forgotten something, Norbert opened it up again, seeing them all stare at him. "You coming with me or going to continue being a stalker?" He asked the bird, still eating her pizza.

Hearing a chirp in reply of annoyance as he went back in, walking back inside, Norbert picked up the slice of pizza she was eating, the bird alighting on his shoulder.

Waving once more, Norbert left with Obsius in tow, the two of them eating their slices of pizza, Norbert feeding the birds bits as requested.

Inside the little cabin, The Great Witch turned to Luck. "He isn't ready for what's to come." She said to Lady Luck.

Lady Luck nodded in agreement as she sipped her drink, "You're right, but he's the one who answered the call." She said dismissively back.

The Great Witch raised her eye at that, remembering the story of Norbert's journey from both his and the bird Obsius that he hadn't received any call or anything, that Lady Luck had just picked him out of random almost.

"That's not what Norbert said." She replied to Lady Luck.

Lady Luck just nodded. "But it's hard to kill a dead man walking." She said to The Great Witch.