The Marriage Decree

Chapter 52: This Isn't Real!

"This... this is all too much." David breathes heavily as he opens the back door behind him. "I need some air." He gasps breathlessly, running out the door into his garden, hoping Hermione doesn't follow him.

He stumbles over the grass, which is dire need of a cut, to his garden bench where he duly collapses, head in his hands. What is going on? He replays the past five minutes back in his head. He bursts out laughing, pushing his dark hair out of his face. Obviously, he's going crazy. He's hallucinating.

"This isn't real." He mutters to himself, shaking his head again. "It can't be.

He stands up, then sits back down. What if it is real? He can't deny the strange things Sophie's been doing recently. It wasn't even ladybird season when she apparently turned an m&m into one. Now he really is going crazy. He can't actually be considering the possibility that witches are real or that his daughter, niece and ex-girlfriend are one. No, that ladybird just came out of hibernation early. He makes his mind up with a stern nod as he stands up once more and makes his way back over to the back door. However, through the kitchen window, he can see Hermione stood next to the sink watching as a dinner plate washes itself with the sponge. David stares at it wide eyed for a prolonged moment.

Nope. This isn't happening. He swiftly turns on his heal, running away from the garden down the side path. He pulls his car door open glad that he never bothers to lock it. Unfortunately, he isn't stupid enough to leave the car keys inside but like riding a bike, you never forget how to hotwire a car. After a minute or so, he's reversing out of his driveway. As he puts the car into gear, he sees Hermione in his peripheral vision running towards him but he presses his foot down hard on the accelerator and speeds off down the street.

David's not sure how long he drives for before he pulls up outside of the park that he sometimes takes Sophie to after school. He doesn't get out of the car though. He just sits in the driver's seat, parked at the side of the road, with his hands gripping the steering so tight his knuckles are white. He stares straight ahead out of the windshield at the lights of cars in the distance as he tries to get his head around everything.

So, not only do witches and wizards exist but they apparently have their own school, government, prison and sport. For some reason, he finds it difficult to believe that they are enough magical people in the world for them to need schooling, governing and imprisoning. How many of them can there be? He scoffs to himself as he loosens his grip on the steering wheel but then suddenly tightens it. Is he actually believing this? Does he actually believe magic exists?

He quickly opens the car door, stumbling out onto the road. He slams the door shut before running through the nearest entrance to the park and just running as fast as he can. He doesn't stop until he can no longer breathe and has to lie down on the grass to catch his breath. Then, when he's breathing at a steadier rate, he just lies there on the grass, staring up at the white clouds in the sky and suddenly feeling so very small in the world. A world that apparently has magic in it now.

For David, it happened suddenly. One second he's staring up at the pink, late afternoon sky, then he blinks and the sky is pitch black with millions upon millions of stars twinkling down at him. He sits up slowly, glancing around the park. He can hear the bantering laughs of a group of teenagers probably sat in the playpark smoking and drinking, and the barks of a couple dogs somewhere nearby. He stands up, brushing some grass from his legs and heads for the nearest exit to the park, not wanting to stay in the dark, secluded area for very long in fear of being attacked. Unfortunately for him, the teenagers in the playpark decide it's time to make their leave at the same time and they meet under the streetlight near the exit. David tries to walk away but one of the teenagers calls after him.

"Hey, Mr Adair, what you doing roaming the park this time of night?" He asks.

David turns around. He already knows which one of his delightful students he's about to come face to face with.