Just Like Magic

Chapter 16 Sanctuary

Randalyn's POV

We keep trekking through this dark forest where I really can't make anything out for details, until I'm practically on top of it. I have my glasses on, but still can't seem to make out the small details. I can see trees, bushes and boulders, the big stuff around, but nothing else. I wish I could see more than the main shape of things because I'm sure it would be beautiful... But probably misleading as well. I would get caught up looking at every little thing while wandering off by myself and eventually getting lost out in that wilderness.. which would probably end up getting me killed.

Luckily for me, I'm tethered to Cassius, who looks as if he and his mother know their way around this forest, as if it's a second home... And maybe for them it is, because they are acting as if they have been here a million times. So, that confidence in their step is making me feel better about wandering along side them.

I keep finding my gaze, leaving the darkness around us just to automatically find the handsome bright light that is Cassius. He makes me feel so safe and not a burden for once. But no matter how much I'm loving every second of this, I doubt this will last long, so I'm just holding on to these feelings as long as I can and just hope that I can find someone to do this for me forever.. I'm sure that Cassius won't want to be attached to me for too long. His family is making it very clear how uncomfortable they are with me being here with him and because of all the circumstances together, I can tell this is just going to be so much work to make anything work between us.

Especially if he figures out how much work this is going to be for him with me.. I have said it once and I will say it again.. I'm broken.. There is not enough glue in the world to fix this disaster of a human being.. So this saint won't get stuck with me, because I'm sure he will find someone better that will already be apart of his world, making their connection so much stronger.. Because what could him and I have in common when we have so much that's different for us? But they do say that opposites attract.

Cassius does seem to be so sweet and makes me feel comfortable in any situation so far. But his mother is a different story for me and my nerves. She makes me undeniably nervous, but it's for good reason and I do understand that, no matter how frustrating this whole ordeal is. But because of how amazing he has been with me, I already feel protective over Cass and I barely know him, so I can understand why she would be this protective, being his mother and all.. But I'm afraid she doesn't like me because of all the looks she keeps sending my way.

Plus, I'm nervous about whatever test she needs me to pass. It's hard, but I understand that I don't know if I will be able to pass the test she is planning on giving me, whenever she decides to do this.. but one can only hope that I do... I have just never been the best at tests... ever.

I don't know why I care so much what she thinks.. I just have this strange urge inside of me to impress her, but I don't know how or even why. Is that normal for a girl meeting a person's family that she is interested in? I don't know if it is or not. I just hope she doesn't hate me by the end of this.

"So... How do you guys know where you're going? The only way I knew where to go back home was by my GPS on my cell phone and that's it." I declare as they both stop as look completely confused about that statement, as if I have spoken a different language.

"What is a GPS... Or a guess a cell phone in that matter," Finley, his mother, asks as my mouth drops open. "Really?" they both nod at my question as I clear my throat to explain this to them as best as I can, even though I don't think I'm the best at explaining. "Well... My cellular phone helped me make calls to contact people when I needed to tell them something.. mostly just work.. but sometimes my parents.. and for the GPS... It is a Global Positioning System that helps pinpoint where you're at and tells you where to go. The directions given to you to tell you where you want to go by using the location placement from your phone." I declare as they stare at me as if I have two heads.

"What does this cellular phone look like?" His mother asks me as I shrug and put out my hands to show her how big mine was. "It's about this big, in a rectangle shape and has a computer in it that you can look anything up, call anyone and do almost anything on there... it had a camera and everything... I would show you if I could, but I dropped my phone when I came here... I'm guessing this, because I haven't found it in my things since I got here." I explained as best as I can. She still looks confused as she states. "That sounds completely intrusive to have something like that on you.. If the ministry had that on me, then they wouldn't need all these men coming out here regularly looking for me and failing... so I guess that's a good thing, even though I don't know what a computer is... but I'll take your word for this."

"You don't know what a computer or phone is? How do you input data about things or make calls?" I ask in shock, thinking at first that they were just messing with me, but with the seriousness of their features, I can tell they mean every word.

"We write things down to get data like everyone else.. and send owls for further away stuff or just put a spell on the paper to take it to wherever.. that's it for the most part... there are other ways but those are the most efficient I would say." Finley states to me trying to explain... and all this did was make me think of everything I have ever seen in movies or read in books. So a smile emerges across my face as I blurt out. "Just like in my book or movies! That is so cool... I'm starting to love it here so much.. Your world is so much better than mine in everyway."

The both of them stare back and forth between each other as Cassius smiles over at me and his mother giggles at that comment before saying, "She must be a muggle because of making that comment." They laugh at me but I don't care, I know it's not meant as malicious. I have always been strange, so being strange here is ok with me.

We keep walking until his mother stops as we stop right behind her until we watch her turn around to face us. "Cass let her go.. she needs to do this on her own," she instructs him as he reluctantly lets my hand go. It's so sweet how protective he is over me. It's the little things like that, that I cherish more than anything because I have never had anything like that, so I'll enjoy it for as long as I have it.

She waves her hand in the air, changing the scene from an endless dark forest to a lit-up pasture area. A cute little cottage appears in the middle and tons of animals roam around the area. Some in groups and some by themselves. My eyes lit up at the beautiful sight.

Beautiful bugs flutter by. I have never seen any of these bugs before but they look interesting. "What are those? They are beautiful!" I yell out as I point at the bugs buzzing by. "That's what we call a Billywig.. as much as you might want to see it up close, I'm sure that you won't be able to get close enough to even try." his mother states as I nod at that statement.

My eyes jump from one creature to the next. I see the most adorable big-eyed group of fuzzy creatures. "Oh my gosh look at them and their big eyes!" I yell out as I run past Cassius and his mother, not even thinking, as I just invited myself into her residence to see the amazing creatures.

Cassius' POV

I chuckle as I watch her run past us with excitement, wanting to see all the magical beings. The Mooncalfs are shy and she is slightly scaring them, but they are intrigued enough by her presence and eventually get closer to her as she squats down, extending her hand for them to smell.

I look over at my mother and she is wide-eyed, looking shocked. She looks as if her mind is wandering. She never looks like this. "Are you ok?" I ask as she nods but replies. "I put up a magical barrier to make sure to evaporate any negative beings that try to come in and hurt my creatures." She plainly states this as my mouth drops out and I blurt out in a whispering yell at my mother so Randalyn doesn't hear it. "You let her run into there knowing full well that she could get killed?!"

She turns to me quickly while waving her hand up and down trying to get me to quiet down, for Randy's sake, but I'm livid. "I had to make sure anyone that finds this place isn't here to hurt any of us.. But yes, it would have killed her.. That's why I said we would see what her true intentions are... But don't worry about it because she passed." She says to me as I throw my hands in the air. "Well, at least she did pass, huh?! No harm done.. except have you thought about that maybe I like her and didn't want to watch her die in front of me if that did happen." I get pissed and still whisper yelling this at her.

"I wouldn't want to hurt you but it's to make sure.. for my babies.. and my safety.. So I won't say I'm sorry." She says to me as I spat back. "I'm so happy she passed your little test... do you feel better about my instincts telling me that she is a good person? I wish you would've just taken my word for it. Instead of leading her in blindly to almost kill herself."

She shakes her head at me. " I trust you and your instincts, but I think there is more than just your instincts involved in your decision making." She says getting my full attention as I glare over at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying that maybe it has to do with her physical attractiveness over instincts.. She is gorgeous, but I know for a fact that she is not telling you everything... I'm happy you like this seemingly nice girl.. but what you don't know is that she says she doesn't know about magic and is supposedly a muggle, but to be able to use a portkey you have to have magic in you... Since the whole situation where we were hunted by muggles so long ago, it was decided that the portkey masters would put spells on their portkeys to make it so only magical beings can use them.. So for her to be here means she has magic in her.. so she is not telling you everything." She tells me this under her breath as she keeps glancing over to Randy, who is still petting the different creatures.

"Maybe she does... but that doesn't mean she is deceiving... Maybe she wasn't told everything... you don't know anything about her.. but she has been through a lot in her life and there was a lot that she didn't know until a couple of days ago.. so maybe she is, but that doesn't mean she knows about it. How about instead of judging everyone so cruelly without knowing their situation... you just be open-minded... I know it's hard for you since you never spend time with people, so it's hard for you when you do socialize.. and you have been through some backstabbing stuff in the past, but not everyone is out to get you." I declare walking away from her and over to Randy who has the biggest smile on her face as she pets these animals, just loving life.

"Look at these guys, Cass! They are so cute!" She says to me as she sits in the middle of the little herd of mooncalfs. "They normally get pretty freaked out by people because they're shy.. so you're lucky that they adore you," I say to her, making her smile grow until it's face-splitting. Her eyes light up at that comment making me smirk at her smile, because her happiness seems to be completely contagious.

"Let's go inside and have a seat... I need to relax for a minute." I say to her, holding out my hand for her to take, as she hops up and takes my hand without hesitation, making my smirk evolve into a big smile that's ear to ear. I love the natural effect she has on me. It's as if she is radiating happiness and it's just seeping into my pores, making me happy by contact.

It's nice to know that I was right about her and that she doesn't have any ill intentions for at least hurting. She is sweet and it's nice to know she is like that through and through and its not just my natural attraction towards her leading me this way. "I'm starting dinner. So perfect timing." the mother says as she walks past us. I slowed down, making sure she and Randalyn went in front of me.. ladies first, of course.

"Oh my gosh, this house is beautiful! What?! Your clothes are washing themselves! What?! Your food is cooking itself! This is amazing! You're so talented! She is so talented." Randy says with so much excitement as she stops and gives me a playful slap on the chest to get my attention and showing me all these things that I have seen a million times over. I can't help but chuckle before responding. "Don't keep saying those things or you will give her a big head." but it was too late, my mother had a huge smile on her face just loving the appreciation and attention she is receiving. "Oh stop Cass.. let her talk.. geeze.. is it that bad that I get some appreciation for all the hardwork I put into this." I feel bad now.. I somehow always do something wrong. "No you deserve it Ma." I hang my head a little, letting Randy continue to bring my mother's spirits up. "Oh my gosh look at this!! This is amazing!!" she says running through the house and pointing out more things working on their own because of magic. She is like a kid in a candy shop. I start to lead the way, showing her where to go. She is running laps around me but staying by me all the same.

I keep taking us through the house, all the way over to the kitchen to have a seat. Randalyn is prancing behind me at this point, just enjoying everything she gets to see, before I automatically pull out her chair for her. She smiles up at me and, willingly takes my offer, saying thank you under her breath before sitting down slowly in the chair I have out for her, as I push her into the table. Randalyn's eyes are wide with excitement as she gazes at everything magical in our house that seems and feels so simple to us, but it seems to be so astonishing for her. It's humbling to say the least.

With the instructions of my mother, the food flies over to us at the table and laying on the plate that's already set out for it in the middle of us. "This is so cool," she says under her breath, but bouncing in the chair, making me smile bigger than I ever imagined for a dinner with my mother who is trying to sabotage the girl that I like because she doesn't trust her.

"I hope you like it.. I wasn't planning on having company or I would have picked out something else.. This is just my favorite to eat." My mother states, looking over at me as if I should have given her a warning... but I don't know when I would've had the time to do so, while running for our lives and at the same time protecting Randalyn.. But I won't say anything because I really don't want to argue with her in front of Randalyn.

"There is something amazing about the food you guys have here... or you and your daughter must be the best cooks on the planet because this is just as amazing as her meal that she cooked yesterday!" She exclaims to my mother, making her smile big as she shrugs her shoulders. "I think you're just being nice, but I won't ever turn down the praise." My mother states to her in response as Randy shakes her head to shovel another forkful of food into her mouth. "No.. this is amazing." She says with a mouthful of food, causing me to chuckle at that. Randalyn's face gets bright red in embarrassment when she realizes that I'm staring at her as she eats.. So she nervously swallows the little bit she had chewed up before shoving more into her mouth and continues to chew. She looks guilty as she softly says as she looks from me to her plate. "Sorry.. this probably seems stupid to you, but to me, this is just exciting."

"I don't mind one bit... It looks adorable to me." I say while sending her a small smirk as I take a couple of bites, trying to act nonchalant about it, but she still looks embarrassed as she takes a couple more bites quietly with her face still being beet red. We eat in pretty much silence just listening to the animals outside, while the clock ticks and the fire sparks besides us.

"So Randalyn.. Is my son trying to help you get back to family?" she asks as I swallow the bit of the big chunk in my mouth before chewing frantically, just wanting to help her out with the questioning that will be commencing, but my mouth is still too full. "Uh.. no.. I have no family." Randy responds pretty quickly, that you wouldn't have caught it if you weren't paying attention. "Oh then a husband? Wife? Friends?" she asks her. I know what she is trying to do.. This is her own version of nonchalantly investigating her, but I hate that she is questioning her like this. Especially when she doesn't know about her past. I hate that Randalyn has to communicate this to my mother without actually wanting to do that in her own time.

"No.. I have no one.. I actually don't know where your son is taking me or what I'm going to do.. Everyone I did have is now gone and that wasn't much in the first place.. But I don't have a home or anything.. I'm a homeless orphan." She explained it plainly to my mother and it hurts my heart to think about just that thought. I'm happy she can talk about something like this openly without breaking down. It shows how strong she really is.

"Oh I'm so sorry." My mother states sadly, looking at me with guilt in her eyes, as if she is silently asking me why I didn't tell her but that's not my place. "It's ok.. They hated me anyway.. So... I'm probably better off alone.. No one will want to deal with me for long anyways." She sadly replies, causing my mother and I to share a sad look before Randalyn picks up her empty plate and walks straight to the kitchen sink. "What are you doing dear?"

"Washing my plate.. you cooked so I'll clean." She says so sweetly, causing a small smile to emerge on my face as I look up at my mother. She stands up stating, "No honey, don't worry about that." She whips her wrist and gets the dishes to start washing themselves. "That's so cool!" she exclaims again, making my mother smile whether she wants to or not.