Page 19 of Fated to Wolves

Mom grimaced.“Then it’s doubtful the witch would be willing to lift it even if you could find her, or him.That’s a long time not to see your children.”

Mom was beginning to empathize with their situation now, which was a good sign.I wasn’t changing my mind about helping them, so it would be good to have Mom on side, too.

“So, what do I do?”

Dad called out to us.“Come on you two.”

Mom tugged me toward the house.‘I’ll help you, if you want.When you meet up with the wolf parents, I’ll do a location spell and see if the witch is still alive.If she isn’t, the spell will be a lot easier to break.”

I grinned at her as we walked up to their new house.“Thanks Mom.”She was willing to lend her magic to my cause, which was lovely of her.

Should I tell her that I didn’t need the help, that I could likely now do such a spell on my own?

My mother was a thin, beautiful, classical witch with lots of power.I’d never surpassed her in levels, or magical ability, before.Was it now possible that I could I top her?

We entered the house and the smell was the first thing that hit me.The dust was so thick the air was clogged with it.White sheets covered old furniture and the stained flowery carpet was thick with grime.

Beneath it all though, I could see the potential.The stained-glass windows, the marble fireplace.If anyone could bring an old mansion like this back from the brink, it was my parents with a combination of magic and sheer hard work.

I coughed and sneezed, laughing as I said, “No-one’s lived here for a while, I see.”

Mom clapped her hands and whispered a cleaning spell.The white sheets lifted off the furniture, then disappeared from sight.Next came an army of brooms, dustpans, feather dusters and vacuums.One of each appeared in each room that I could see, moving of their own volition.

I grinned at Mom, who shrugged in an unapologetic fashion.She didn’t lift a finger for cleaning.Deemed it a waste of her time.

“Come see the upstairs,” Dad said, carefully taking one step at a time up the gorgeous wooden staircase.

Mom chuckled.“Be careful.I’m not sure about the stability of these floors.”

We walked up the stairs, slowly.At the top was a long hallway with many bedrooms and two large, ancient bathrooms branching off the hall.

“You’re gonna need more than a cleaning spell for this bathroom,” I called out to Mom as I stuck my head in to the room and took in the black and white seventies remodel.It was a nice space but definitely in need of a knockdown.

Mom shrugged.“So your father gets to take a sledge hammer to some walls.He’ll just call it a work out.”

“Sure will be,” Dad called out from the other end of the house.

I spent a little more time with my parents at their new house,oohingandaahingover the potential while my mother used her magic to at least make it clean enough to live in while they began their renovations of the mansion.

“I hope you’ll choose some of the décor,” Mom said as she was kissing me goodbye.“I want you to have a bedroom here too, if you ever want to stay here.”

I laughed.“You’re within walking distance of my place, Mom.”

Dad slung a huge arm over my mom’s petite shoulders.“Yeah, but if we decide to head back to the country for a while, you could always stay here.Have some more space.That apartment of yours is bloody small for someone with our genetics.”

Then it hit me.My parents were trying to give me a house that I couldn’t afford.

“You guys aren’t doing this for me… are you?”

Their faces showed twin looks of shock, then denial.“Oh well, we just wanted to be closer to you,” Mom said.

I gave them a side eye, then just laughed.As their only child I’d always been spoiled, but within the realms of reasonable.Renovating a massive house for me, was going a step too far.I would never accept it.

But telling them that was crazy too.My dad’s stubborn streak was as wide as his arm span.“I love you guys.I’m so glad you’ve moved to town.”

We said goodbye and despite my dad’s offer to drive me back, I decided to walk.My legs ached from training hard last night and I wanted to stretch them out a little.As I navigated through the streets and headed back to my gym, I couldn’t help but think about the fact that my life had changed so dramatically in the past few days.

Time would tell if I was right about my suspicions in relation to Harry's final words, and if the extra power really was the gift it seemed, or a curse.

---