Helen then came through the kitchen door. “So that’s it? I mean, he won’t be able to use Wizard-Elf magic until he’s the right age?”

“Yes,” said Delsani.

Only a day had past, and Helen had just got back from a meeting at the school she wanted Peter to attend. As she walked toward the living room, she couldn’t help thinking how the house felt so empty compared to the previous day. Peter was sitting on the floor glued to the television watching cartoons. She thanked Saren for babysitting him while she was gone.

“It’s no problem,” said the Wicca. “I told you before, I like spending time with him.”

“Have time for a cuppa?” asked Helen.

“No, I’ve got to go. I have to pick up Donna from Hadfold’s. Henkot’s working late again at the hospital,” replied Saren. “Good bye, Peter,” she said as they walked through into the kitchen, but there was no answer; the boy was still glued to the T.V.

“We could stop by tomorrow if you want,” said the Wicca, just as the Kitchen door gently closed.

“That would be great,” said Helen happily, for now she had something to look forward to. She noticed that Saren looked a little run down. “Are you okay?” she asked as the Witch took her talisman out of her pocket.

“I’m just a little tired. I’ve been running around a bit more lately and haven’t had that much sleep since getting the position on the Council,” replied the Witch, a smile now stretching across her face.

“You’re on the Council?” said Helen excitedly.

“Yeah, I got the news at the start of the week,” said Saren equally excited.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“You know me. I don’t like to brag.”

“Who are you trying to kid? You love to brag!” said Helen.

“Yeah, you’re right, but I thought that if I looked tired, you might say something about it. Then it wouldn’t sound like bragging,” laughed Saren. “But don’t say anything to Henkot. He’s been working so much I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet. It would hurt his feelings if he found out that I told you first. You know what they’re like; they like to know everything before everybody else.”

“Don’t worry, my lips are sealed,” said Helen, putting her finger and thumb to her lips and gesturing as though she were turning a key. “So when are you planning on telling him? Just so I know when it’s safe to talk about it.”

“Tomorrow, just before we come round, so act surprised when he tells you,” said Saren with a wink.

Helen laughed. “So it’ll be a double celebration. It sounds like a champagne event,” said Helen. “I’ll have to see what I have in my wine cellar,” she said in a sarcastic posh voice.

“Oh, no I didn’t want to make a big thing out of it. I hope you don’t think that I was hinting for you to use your money,” said Saren lowly.

“Well, what else is there for me to do? Henkot has a new job in the Wiz-Wit hospital. You have a seat on the Council of Wiz-Wit. Of course I’m going to splash out and celebrate with you. That’s what family is for,” said Helen happily.

“Well, if you’re absolutely sure,” said Saren.

“Are you kidding? I insist! I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“See you tomorrow,” said Saren. “And I wasn’t hinting at you.”

“I know,” said Helen. “You’d better go or soon it will be tomorrow.”

Now that her friend was gone, Helen felt alone, for apart from Peter, she had no one to talk to. And Peter was hardly going to strike up a conversion; he was too busy watching cartoons. Helen sat down on the floor beside him for a while and watched with him. But to her surprise, the time flew, and she renewed her love for cartoons.

She got up and went into the kitchen. “Time for dinner,” she thought.

She was halfway though making dinner when there came a knock on the back door that made her jump. She went and opened it to find Delsani in his younger look.

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“Don’t do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she said.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” said the Wizard.

“What are you doing out there?” Helen asked him.

“The council has decided not to allow anyone to Phaze in or out of your house, as a safety precaution. So I Phazed in behind a shop down the road.”

“Oh, well aren’t you a little early for your yearly visit?” Helen joked.

“Yes I suppose I am,” said the Wizard.

“There’s something wrong, is that it? Something wrong with the protection you put on Peter?” asked Helen fretfully.

“No, no. There’s nothing wrong with the spells. I just thought that you might want to know what was going on with Galfead,” said Delsani cautiously.

“I don’t care about him after what did and said.”

The Wizard waited for a moment. “Helen, what Galfead did and said was not his fault. If you would sit down I’ll explain everything to you.”

Just then, there was a small creak. It was the kitchen door. It seemed that Peter had heard Delsani’s voice and had decided to investigate. When he appeared, he looked at Helen.

Helen did not know what to say, as she knew that the Council had said it would be best if Peter was to have no contact with any Witch or Wizard who wasn’t wearing normal clothing. She turned to Delsani to ask what to do and gasped, for standing there was a younger man who was tall, with no beard, short black hair and a clean pressed suit, just as he had looked the first time he was introduced to Peter only the day before.

“Hi,” the Wizard said to Peter. He took a step forward and held out his hand, “Surely you remember me.”

The boy simply nodded and put his hand in Delsani’s and they shook lightly.

Helen could not help thinking that Peter’s hands looked tiny next to Delsani’s large hands.

“Are you my daddy?” asked Peter.

Delsani was taken aback by this question, for the thought that Helen had never told the boy about John had never crossed his mind.

“Peter dear, I told you that your daddy is with the angels,” said Helen trying to fight back tears that had crept up on her.

“I’m not your father, but I am your Godfather, Daniel,” said Delsani.

Peter looked at his mother confused by this.

“That means that Daniel can be like a father to you if you like, don’t you remember?” said Helen. But Peter had forgotten and now seemed more confused than ever. “Peter, how about you and Daniel watch cartoons while I cook something for the tea. Would you like that?”

“Cartoons?” said Delsani with a lost expression on his face.

“Yes cartoons. Peter will show you.”

Peter was pulling Delsani’s arm. “Come on,” he said, “hurry up.” Peter did not care who he watched cartoons with, just as long as he had company. He did not talk. He would just sit and watch, but he would know if you made the slightest movement. Then the twenty questions would start. Most of the time he only did it so whoever was there would just get sick of all the questions and sit down again.

Not long after the boy and the old Wizard sat down in front of the television, Helen poked her head out from behind the kitchen door. “Could I drag you away from the T.V. for a few minutes to help me?” she said to the Wizard.

“Of course,” said Delsani.

“Why?” Peter asked, disappointed at the idea of watching the cartoons alone.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon,” said Delsani. “Tell me what happens to the roadrunner when I get back.”

“Don’t worry. The runner always gets away,” said Peter, patting Delsani’s leg as if to reassure him of this fact.

Helen had to put her hand up to her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

Delsani also laughed silently. Then he and Helen disappeared into the kitchen and left Peter alone.

“Right, what were you saying before?” asked Helen. “And you better hurry before your new best friend comes looking for you.”

The Wizard said nothing to this; he stood thinking trying to recall what he had already said.

“Galfead had confessed to smuggling an un-cleansed letter out of the P.O.N.G. office in the City Hall. Then taking it into the streets of the city, endangering the magical community and the population of the whole Wiz-Wit world, as it is now called.”

“Pong?” laughed Helen, “What’s P.O.N.G.?”

“Postage of the office of the Neutralizing Governors,” replied the Wizard. “The neutralizing governors sort out the post going out and into the city in case they’re cursed, or hexed, in any way.”

“Ah, now I get it,” said Helen still smiling.

“Oh, and you should know Saren was not the only one to get a new position on the newly formed Council of Wiz-Wit,” said Delsani. “Berlanin is now the deputy Grand Wizard, as Galfead was demoted for his part in what had occurred. The Council had ordered it purely because Galfead’s crime is seen as very serious. Though he was only suspended for two months from the Order, for he insisted and still insists that he had no choice. He told us that the letter called to him. And I quote: ‘Not in the sense of a voice calling, it was more like a feeling telling me that I had to have the letter, as though it were the most important thing in the world. And at that time that’s how it felt to me. I felt as though the letter was sent by a friend or loved one, and I had to have it, and nothing else mattered.’ That was the way he explained it. And although I hate to admit it I think that he’s telling the truth, for how else could Ulicoth have gotten to Noesod, one of John’s best friends?” said Delsani.

“So you think that the same thing happened to Noesod?” said Helen.

“Like I said how else,” said Delsani.

The kitchen door creaked again, and Peter stood holding the door. “You’re missing it,” he said.

“I’m coming now,” said Delsani. “If you don’t need anything else of course?” he said to Helen.

“No. The dinner’s nearly ready. All that’s left to do is set the table. And I can handle that. Oh god, where are my manners?” said Helen. “Would you like to stay for something to eat?”

“YES!” Peter shouted.

“It seems it’s been decided for me,” laughed Delsani.

Peter started to jump up and down. “HE’S STAYING! HE’S STAYING! HE’S STAYING!” he shouted with excitement.