Operation Cobra (Book Two of The Savior Fables)

Chapter Ten: That Still Small Voice, Part II

Henry isn't crazy, Regina finds herself outnumbered when it comes to the boys, and the magical creatures get the respect they deserve.

***

When Henry had made the decision to enter the mines, he had expected to search until he found proof of the Dark Curse's existence.

But never in his wildest dreams (and boy, his dreams had been wild since he received the storybook from Ms. Blanchard) had he imagined he would be standing, covered in dust and gravel, and learning his brother was a wizard. He watched as Harry pocketed his wand and gave him an anxious look.

Henry was quiet for a few seconds before loudly shouting, "What?!"

Harry sighed, already feeling his head start to ache. "I was born this way, Henry. You know that school that I told you about? Hogwarts? It's a school for witches and wizards. We start learning magic at eleven, even though you're born with it. I'm an anomaly though, because I started learning magic when I was seven because it got too strong for me not to have a channel for my magic."

"A channel?" Henry asked, looking confused.

He had a frown on his face, and Harry couldn't tell whether or not it was confusion or anger. "My wand helps channel my magic and stops it from going haywire," he explained, and Henry hummed, shaking his head. "What?" Harry asked.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Henry's voice was small, almost too soft for Harry to hear, but since it was almost silent in the mines, Harry did hear it. "I couldn't, Henry. I wouldn't have even told you today without Mum's permission if those rocks hadn't been falling," he admitted.

Henry huffed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Am I not trustworthy?" he demanded.

"No!" Harry groaned and shook his head. "You knowing is illegal, technically!" Harry looked over at his little brother and sighed, moving closer to him. Merlin, he wished Draco and Hermione were there. He could feel their magic in his own magical core, and he felt it respond softly to the slight distress signals that his magic was throwing them. He needed them to balance himself. He took a calming breath and faced his brother. "Muggles - non-magical beings, that is - aren't legally supposed to know about magic. It's forbidden, Henry. I told Mum ages ago that we needed to tell you, but she was waiting. I've got no bloody clue, but she was waiting." He gulped and mumbled, "Merlin, she's not going to be happy with me."

"But - "

Henry's next question was cut off by the sound of someone calling out their names. "Henry! Harry!" They recognized Archie's voice immediately, and they looked at each other before taking off in the direction the voice was coming from. They were met with the sight of a dusty Archie Hopper carrying a match and his umbrella. "Henry! Harry!" he shouted again.

Henry shone his flashlight onto him. "Archie!" he grinned. "You're here to help us!"

Archie sighed in relief at seeing the two boys safe and relatively uninjured. "No, I . . . boys, listen. We gotta get out of here. It's unsafe and collapsing."

Henry frowned in disappointment. "So you're still against me."

Archie sighed, shaking his head. "Henry, there's no time for that," he scolded. "Come on, boys." He started waking the way he came, but when he heard footsteps only getting further from him, he turned around and froze at the sight of Henry grabbing Harry and slowly backing up. "Boys," he warned.

Henry ignored him. "You don't believe me? You'll see. You'll see! Come on, Harry!"

As Henry ran away from Archie, Harry in tow, the shrink shouted, "Henry! Harry! Come back!" He turned to look toward the exit and sighed, then he turned back and chased after the brothers. "Boys! Hey!"