. Unicorn Farm .: Birch Manor

Susan went out the door and looked in surprise at the Sun. It was way higher in the sky than she had expected. So much had happened already today. She crossed the yard and went in through the door in what had been the inmate's wing. Then she walked up the stairs and softly knocked on the door to the apartment where Sandra had been installed. Fiona opened the door. "Hi Susan, what now?" she asked
"Hi Fiona," Susan answered, "I'd like to speak with Sandra. I need some advice from our local oracle."
"She'd be happy to help you," Fiona answered, "now the antidote has taken hold, she's feeling fidgety, wanting to get up and do something. But the stay in bed has made her weak. She's in for a long period of training and recuperating - better not tell her this!" Fiona said with a lopsided smile.
"I take it she's not a very easy patient," Susan said. "She's used to being the one helping others, caring for herself and being largely self reliant. The sooner we get her back into shape and into everyday life the better."
"Yep!" Fiona said vehemently. "She never has adjusted to being ill. Do come in!"

Susan followed Fiona into the apartment. It looked better than at her last visit, maybe it was only the optimism surrounding Sandra, but everything looked brighter and somehow better.
"Good afternoon, Sandra," she said. "I need your advice."
"Hello Susan, nice to see you again. And I can't thank you enough for that antidote! It has worked miracles already."
Susan looked closer at Sandra, Her once raven hair still had their salt and pepper looks of course, but her cheeks and lips once again held colour, and she did not look emaciated and at death's door. She sat up, propped against several pillows, and her voice was strong like before she drank the pink potion.
"Yes, I can see that," Susan said honestly and a bit shy because of the praise. "And I'm happy to see the changes. But to get to the point: Aamu. Ella knows her, she's a librarian in Schiltach. We both feel like rushing there and finding her. She's a wandsinger too, you know But as I'm sure Lis and Tage already told you, we're not supposed to leave Birch Manor. My question is, should we do so anyway, or had we better wait?"
Sandra closed her eyes. She stayed still for a long time, then she opened her eyes again.
"I think you should leave now. For some reason, I can't see, Aamu is trying to escape the truth. If you do not move soon, she might slip away. Do come back and tell the result as soon as you know it, or send me a letter."
"I will, I promise. Thank you so much. Hurry up and get better!" Susan said.
"Thank you, Susan!" Sandra said. "I am doing everything Fiona and Marit tell me to.Trying to be a good patient, but I'm afraid I'm trying their patience anyway."
"We all love you!" Susan said as an answer and left the room in a hurry.
On her way out she once again met with Fiona. "She sure looks better!" Susan said, and Fiona nodded. "Please tell me," Susan continued, "Is there any more of the antidote left over? or did you need it all for Sandra and Rasmus' children?"
"There's actually a goodly part left," Fiona answered. "Why?"
Finnbogi's boss!" Susan said. "I just remembered. I'm certain Liisa charmed him as well, but I do not know whether she dosed him with that pink potion or just spelled him. I am inclined to think she used the potion. as stolen wands tend to be unstable. How much did she brew of that concoction."
"It's an easy to make and versatile potion, so lots, I think," Fiona answered. "But that antidote is very potent, a few drops should do it for him. I have hidden the antidote in a safe place. But just ask me or Marit It's just a measure against it being knocked over or drunk by curious children. Maybe unnecessary, but better safe than sorry here. And it won't go bad. Ever."
"Thank you," Susan said. "I'll remember."

Susan packed her backpack and the small brown suitcase. Then she went and woke up Ella. "Sandra says 'go for it, and hurry!'," Susan told Ella when she was awake. "Let's get going. Do you know when she's at work today?"
"Today's Friday," Ella mused. "Yes! That's perfect. She'll leave the library early, and eat somewhere close by, then return at four to ready everything for the book circle. And I'm supposed to be there."
"How far from your house to the library?" Susan asked.
"Ten minutes by foot, but Walther's car is still at the house. I think I can use it. I am wary as my car is automatic. Can you drive a manual car?"
"All my cars have been manual," Susan answered laughing, "I would be afraid to drive an automatic. I drive, you tell the way. Now you pack a small bag, maybe for a sleepover. I go and tell Knud of what we do! We'll be able to make it in time if we hurry."

***

Fifteen minutes later Susan and Ella hand in hand jumped trough the portal from Birch Manor to Iceland. Once there Susan shook her head and sighed: "One more."
"Why do you sigh?" Ella asked.
"Because portal transfer makes me dizzy, discombobulated. It's getting better with practice, but it's still unpleasant."
"I don't feel a thing," Ella said. "You pull me through a black hole, and then we're elsewhere."
"A way to find magical persons," Susan said giggling. "And we need a way, but portals would be impractical. Some bother explaining non-magical people that they were somewhere else, had to go back, and please forget about it!"
"I see, yes," Ella snickered, "impractical for sure, only to be used when other methods are not at hand."
"I'll have to ask Martine for more useful ways later," Susan said. "Now we're off for Schiltach." She led the way down the corridor and once again they went through the portal. In the small copse near Ella's cottage, Susan sat on a stump and ate the banana she had put in her backpack.
Ella went inside and found Walther's car keys, came out again and threw them at Susan with a: "Here catch!" Which Susan did. They drove in silence, apart from Ella's directions, and parked outside a modern building.
"Now what," Susan asked suddenly becoming shy. "I'm used to the language spell."
"Nonsense." Ella said. "You have only used it for what? A bit more than a year. Your German will be fine for this. You're my guest from Denmark, let's keep as close to the truth as possible."
Ella led the way and opened the door with her card and code.
In a large room, off from the main hall, was a conference room with two big semicircular tables pushed together to form one round table, a handful of elderly ladies and a single man sat there already.
"Guten Tag," Ella said, "Darf ich vorstellen, meine Freundin, Susan Thorsen aus Dänemark."
The man rose and took off his hat with an old fashioned flourish: "Sigismund Müller," he said, "pleased to meet you."
The ladies rose, one by one and told their names. Frau Müller, Monika Schmidt, Heike Ingelmann, Heidi Müller - not a relative of the first Frau Müller, Beata Meyer and Gisela Huber.
Susan sat down and Frau Müller poured her a cup of coffee from a red thermos. "Where is Klara?" Ella asked.
"She's brewing some tea and cutting the cake," Sigismund Müller answered, "she will be back in a short while."
And as if this had been her cue, the door in the other end of the room opened and a lady came in, carrying a tray with a teapot, bowls of cookies and plates of cake: "Good evening, everybody," she said.
Susan rose and said: "Good evening, I'm Susan from Denmark, Ella's friend. She said it was OK for me to come here tonight."
"It is fine," Klara said. "I hope you like cakes."
"I sure do!" Susan said with a slight bow, "and German cakes are the very best."
Klara poured mugs of tea for herself and some of the other. Then she took the book from the table.
While the eight ladies and Sigismund discussed the book, a recent German faction about the war, Susan watched the others and naturally mostly Klara, whom she remembered as Aamu. It was hard to see, that it was in fact the same person. Susan was sure she had dyed her hair, Aamu had been blonde, Klara was a brunette, and as she spoke German it was hard to recognize her voice too, but she had an accent which Susan, as the discussion progressed and the arguments turned a bit more heated, categorized as a Finnish one. She had problems with the German short vowels, and a slight speech impediment when beginning a word with the letter S followed by another consonant. A thing Susan knew to not exist in Finnish. And her eyes were a characteristic, pretty green, that Susan remembered from Aamu. It had to be her.
"Do you have anything to add?" Klara asked her.
"No, I'm sorry. I did not knowing there was a book circle. I did not read more than few pages. I read slow German," Susan said with a complaining smile, "But your cakes are wonderful."
Susan's last statement brought laughter and smiles.
"Do we agree on a new book?" the younger Müller then asked. "I would like some lighter matter this time around."
Sigismund added: "As we're nearing Summer and planting season, I agree with Heidi Müller."
They considered the matter for some time, while Susan ate one last savoury slice of cake and emptied her mug of tea. In the end they agreed upon a book. Now Susan was certain that Klara was Aamu.
The other participants took their leave, and Susan and Ella were left alone with Klara. "Are you in a hurry to go home," Klara asked. "Or do you want me to show you more than this small segment of our famous building?"
"I'd be delighted to see more," Susan answered. "Can we help you do the dishes or something?"
Together they carried everything to the tiny kitchen, dominated by a humongous coffee-maker.
"At times I think coffee is as important as books here," Klara said when she noticed what Susan was looking at.
Susan smiled, she was tired after listening to German on a taxing topic for over an hour on top of a long day. She hoped Ella was up to taking the initiative. But first the sightseeing. The library was modern, conceived by a renowned architect featuring round holes and organic elements in the otherwise square and functional building.
They ended up in the hall where Susan noticed the willow themed exhibition of books.
Ella took up Blue Willow. "I loved this book as a young one. This here girl, she fought against injustice, she showed me the true values of life: family, friendship and honesty."
"I liked it too," Susan said. "She was not afraid to show who she was. I always found her very courageous. More so than me even if she was poor."
"You come from Denmark?" Klara mused. "I spent some holidays there as a young girl."
"Most Germans have, at least that's what they always tell me," Susan said with a disarming smile. "Where did you spend those holidays?"
"That is the funny thing. I do not remember. I have vague memories of animals, a house, and pleasant smells. I don't know why I can't remember. I was young, but not that young. I was eleven the first summer we went there," Klara's voice faltered.
"Do you remember how you arrived there. I mean train, boat, car ... or how many boats maybe?" Susan asked. She was about to burst out with her knowledge of where and why, but she felt held back by some undefined feeling.
"I am loath to answer your question," Klara said. "But all your praising of Janey's courage has made me bold. I think I arrived by magic. Like in the books. Call me crazy if you like."
Susan and Ella just looked at her with eager faces.
"I have to tell that I am not German. I did not live in Germany then, but in Finland. I and a couple of other children always played at doing magic tricks, then one day an elderly couple who lived near by came and saw us.And then this is where it gets blurred. We went with them... somewhere." Klara shook her head. "Oh bother, you must think I am crazy or something."
"No, Susan said. "I think you are a witch, same as me. Those twins ..."
"I did not say anything about twins," Aamu interrupted.
"No, but they were," Susan interrupted back. "Tähti and Taavi Kuusisaari. I knew them too. And the children were Jouka, Nata, Marja, and Josta, and you are Aamu."
"Apart from your atrocious Finnish pronunciation, worse than your German, you are right," Aamu said.
"I can help that," Susan said and pulled her wand out: "Mál sameinast!" she said, swishing her wand just so. "Now my Finnish will be perfect," she said smiling, and repeated the names.
"But ... that's magic!" Aamu said.
Ella looked at her: "Susan told you she was a witch. What did you expect?"

***

"I think this needs more tea and cake to be washed down," Aamu said and suited action to words. Susan and Ella helped her lay the table for three. When they sat down with their mugs and slices of Aamu's delicious, German cake, she spoke again: "You say that you know me, and the others. And that I am, like you and Ella, a witch. How come that I cannot cast spells and do not remember anything of it at all? And where are those other children for that matter?"
Susan took a long sip of her tea, and drew a deep breath: "Let me start with your last question. What happened to those other children. It's a sad story. The sisters Marja and Josta died together with their parents, and an aunt and her children when their summerhouse burned down one summer. Nata went to India together with Astrid Ravndal from Norway to find themselves as so many other did in those days. But as many others they found only death. They were found dead together in Goa some years later. And the boy, Jouka, died from an overdose in Oslo a few years later again. Tähti and Taavi died at almost 100 years of age. You are the only Finnish survivor from the Nordic school of witchcraft."
Aamu looked stunned, and her hand shook as she reached for her mug.
Susan continued: "Ella is not a witch by the way, but all her family is, so she knows about it. And she visited the school several times. You do not remember anything because you - like all of us - is under a spell of forgetfulness. I think I can prove that you are indeed a witch without giving you your powers back. Just a second." She bent toward Ella and whispered something in her ear. Ella nodded and left.
While she was gone, Susan told a bit more of Unicorn Farm. "We met every holiday for three years at the Unicorn Farm, situated in an island in Southern Denmark. We arrived every morning through portals, or walking through the magic line of trees, separating the Farm from the rest of the island. We were taught to brew potions, fly broomsticks, heal, call animals and cast spells. We also learned Icelandic."
"Icelandic?" Aamu asked, "I was in Iceland some years ago, and I found it quite easy to understand what people said. Uwe, that's my husband, wondered why, as he did not. It starts to ring true what you tell me."
Ella opened the door just a bit and said: "Aamu, please close you eyes. This is a test."
She did, and Ella gave Susan the branches she had cut outside. Susan magically rounded the ends and gave Aamu two of them: "What can you tell me about these two branches without opening you eyes?"
"Well," Aamu said, handling the branches. "They are branches all right, one is rough, one not, but nothing special. Just branches. About 30 centimetres long and 2 or 3 in diameter."
"Fine," Susan said, "and now those two." She handed Aamu her own wand and another branch.
"Two more branches," Aamu said after feeling them. "This one a bit longer," that was the normal branch, "and this one somewhat shorter. But the short one feels friendly, almost alive, as if ..." She stopped.
"Yes?" Susan said.
"As if it could bend, talk ... do magic."
"Open your eyes," Susan said,"Because yes it can. It is my wand."
Aamu opened her eyes and looked at the wand. "It looks no different form the others with my eyes, maybe a little worn, that's all. But with my fingers I feel the power in it."
"As you should," Susan said. "When you remember as much as you do, you should."
"But why, how ..." Aamu said, confusion etched in every line of her face.
"The school ended after three years," Susan said, Not because we were done, but because some of the wizards grew greedy for power. They wanted to take over the world, beginning with Denmark. They planned winning the election that autumn by magical means, and slowly begin a reign of terror. We, some of us that is, opposed them. We made a terrible potion, and forced us all to renounce our magic and forget about it. We gave up our magic for freedom. Last spring, as Knud, that's my husband, and I moved, I found my old school uniform in a suitcase. I did not know what it was, it had lain there ever since that Summer. But as I touched it, the forgetting spell was broken, and I Remembered." Susan paused. She took another bite of cake and drank some tea while Aamu digested what she had heard. When Aamu looked at her again, she continued: "I then had Knud touch a uniform too and the same happened to him. We agreed to 'awaken' all the apprentices, we could find and later to re-open the school. You are the last to be found." Susan ended her tale.

Aamu sat still for a short while. Ella poured more tea for them all, and then Aamu said: "You do know that this sounds totally crazy? That if anybody heard you tell all this, saw you swishing a branch and saying strange words, they would normally call the police or a shrink? I don't know if I do believe you or not. It sounds plausible, yet totally fantastic. What would you do to me if I play along?"
"I would of course make you touch my old skirt," Susan said. "It's in that brown suitcase over there."
"And If I don't?" Aamu asked, "will you then cast a spell on me to make me forget?"
"I don't think that would be necessary," Susan said slowly. "Just think it over. To whom would you tell what I have told you, and how would they react, if you did? And of course I would deny having been here at all. I was at home today until half past three, and I'll be home again 15 minutes after leaving here. Not enough time to even travel one way, let alone staying here for hours."
"A portal?" Aamu asked.
"Yes!" Susan answered.
"I do believe you. Yet I am not sure that I want to be a witch. I have a good life as it is. I am married, I have children and even grandchildren. I have a job I like and live in a nice place here in Germany.
Susan thought it over: "But what about your children? Do you want to deny them their birthright."

***

"Will my children be witches and wizards at all?" Aamu asked. "And will they even be good witches and wizards? And what would my husband say? Poor Uwe, he is a good man, he does not deserve to be married to a witch. I think I'll just have to live with the knowledge of what I could be, and leave it at that."
"Dear Aamu," Susan said. "I'm much too tired to argue with you now. It has been a long, long day. But do please think it over. And won't you promise me to come to Ella's house tomorrow at ten? Then we can go together to our place in Denmark, and I'll show you a bit of what we want to do."
"Could I bring one of my children?" Aamu asked. "I would like to, as he, my oldest, is a very down to earth type. If he can see anything good in your witching business, I might reconsider."
"Yes," Susan said, slowly nodding. "I don't see why not, and bring Uwe too if you want to, and he agrees. I thank you for your kindness and hospitality. As I said, the cake was a dream!"
Ella told Aamu her address and they left the library. Susan drove the car back to Ella's house and parked it as close to the portal as possible.
"That was a limited success," Ella said sighing despondently.
"Yes," Susan agreed, I hope she will change her mind tomorrow after seeing happy children on broomsticks. I only hope the disappearing dormice won't bite her," Susan began laughing.
They still laughed as they arrived in the portal room of Birch Manor after two dizzying trips through the portals.
"What's so funny?" Josh asked. Susan greeted her middle son and gave up explaining. "It was just comic relief I think. How are things here?"
"Teeming, but quiet. We just had the sumptuous dinner; we saved some for you. Dessert is about to be served. Come and sit down."
Susan and Ella followed Josh to a small table, where Martine, Knud, Hilde and an unknown man sat. Knud looked up and smiled: "Great to see you two back again. This is Eyvind, Hilde's husband."
He rose, "Nice to meet you," he said.
"Nice to finally meet you, I'm Susan," Susan said.
"And I'm Ella, Pleased to meet you," Ella said.
"Sit down, please, Mum," Josh said. "I'll get your plates, and would you like wine or coke with it?"
"Coke for me, please," Susan said, and Ella nodded.
They sat. Knud looked at them: "You look tired, I gather it was not a success?"
"Only partially so," Ella said. "She has agreed to come here tomorrow with her oldest son and maybe her husband. She's convinced, magic exists and also that she is actually a witch, but afraid to take up the responsibilities, and afraid to burden her husband. Even if he sounds totally nice."
"I volunteer to talk to 'nice husband'," Eyvind said. "I have had time to reconcile myself to being married to a witch. It's not half bad," he said and winked at Hilde.
"And what about the son?" Knud said.
"We'll know tomorrow if he's a wizard. We said, we needed more testing possibilities than Martine's fab brainteasers, as they require time and a willing subject. I found one more: Portals. All magicals get a dizzy spell going through them. At least grown-ups. Ella feels nothing, and I suppose Eyvind can confirm?"
"Yes," Eyvind said. "It was just like going through a door into an unlit room, nothing bad, But Hilde and our children all complained about dizziness. The grandkids not so much, but they did not exactly like it."
"Age, or maybe awakening of powers being the key I think." Knud said. "I'd like to ask Mary and Roseanne how they felt the first time they went through, when they still were blocked."
Hilde's children and grandchildren came in carrying the dessert: A gigantic bowl of fruits in a sauces looking like a sea in all the colours of the rainbow. Everybody ate more than they should have, as it tasted so good. And then it was time for bed.
"I'll just pop in and tell Sandra what happened. After that I can't wait to join you in dreamland, I'll be sleeping like a log," Susan said to Knud.

***

But Susan did not get to sleep all night. In the middle of the night a loud sound woke her and many of the other inhabitants at Birch Manor from their sleep.
"What was that!" Susan said.
"No idea," Knud said; and they both went to the window and looked out. In the yard a human form could vaguely be seen, but as the cloud of dust settled around him, they both recognized Rasmus.
Now what, Susan thought and swung her wand: "Ljós" she said, and the yard outside were lit by a silvery green light.
They saw Rasmus, only dressed in his pyjamas trying to pick himself up from the dust, still holding a broomstick, then ran out there while several of the people at Birch Manor gathered round him, draped in blankets, dressing gowns and overcoats.
Fiona was the first to reach him and help him get up: "What happened?" she asked.
"Good question," Rasmus said, "I was in my bed, sleeping, then suddenly I was outside, on a broom, flying north. I don't know if I have been sleepwalking or what, but I collided with the flagpole and then I crashed..."
"Are you hurt?" Fiona asked solicitously
"No, not seriously hurt, beat up and bruised, but nothing broken."
"Fine," Knud said. "Please everyone get back to bed."
When everybody but Fiona, Knud and Susan had left, Fiona and Knud helped Rasmus inside while Susan kept the light going. Rasmus looked at them:"I dreamt," he said, "I dreamt of Liisa, she was calling me, Then I woke up, but not in time to avoid the flagpole."
"What a luck," Fiona said. "You would have been frozen stiff by the time you reached Tromsø."
"Yes, but ... Will I do this again. Can she call me all the way from there? Am I hexed, am I maybe even a danger to you?" Rasmus said.
"Why haven't we thought of this," Susan said. "Let's get Finnbogi. I'm sure he's not asleep yet."
Finnbogi dressed in something more than a blanket and returned with Susan. He placed his hands on Rasmus head.
"Sad to say, old boy, but you stink as well. Did you drink any of that infamous pink potion too?"
"I don't remember any pink potions, no," Rasmus said, "not any medicine like the girls, at least. Could Liisa have hidden it in something?"
"It's not heat stable," Fiona said, "so some cold drink, that did not taste as it used to?"
"The ice coffee," Rasmus said, "It tasted strange, Liisa told me the milk was a bit off, it might be that."
"Let me get the antidote," Fiona said. "It won't do you any harm if you never had any of that pink potion anyway ... did you find any more of it at your place or elsewhere, by the way?"
"I'm not sure," Rasmus said. "Hilde, my mother, she found a lot of stuff in her place. I never searched our house thoroughly. I'll do so tomorrow, or is it today?"
"Today," Knud said, "it's past midnight."
"Oh that's fine!" Susan said."I just remembered. The antidote should be taken first thing in the morning after not having eaten. This means you should be able to have a sip the moment Fiona returns!"
"Great!" Rasmus exclaimed, and Knud nodded.
"Strange," Finnbogi said, "I never got the idea of feeling your magic before, I would have sensed the potion. Or I think I would have. I feel at least partially guilty in your accident."
"No need to," Susan said, "we all knew that Rasmus had magic, and we concentrated on the girls. For that matter Knud and I ought to have thought about the possibility of Liisa dosing Rasmus as well as the girls. But he has been acting so normal. We're lucky to have more of that antidote still."

Fiona returned with the small bottle of antidote. carefully unstoppered the flask, poured a few drops into a glass, stoppered and put away the flask before giving the glass to Rasmus.
"It's OK to drink it now?" Susan asked. "It is morning, kind of anyway, and Rasmus has not been eating since he fell asleep."
"Right you are, Susan. Good thinking. I actually forgot," Fiona said shamefacedly and extended the glass to Rasmus. "My brain might still be half asleep, but I still wish you luck. Cheers! Enjoy!"
Rasmus carefully raised the glass to his lips. "For the future!" he said, and then drank it down in one go. "It tastes so good!" He said, "Amazing! The best cloudberry liquor, I ever had. And I feel strong, and good and oh, healthier than I have felt for a long time. I thought the bleakness in my mind was the worrying for Liisa, fretting over the girls' magic and so on. It was that potion all along. Why is it so oppressing?"
"Wie man die Magie zum schlafen bringt und Menschen schwach macht," Susan cited. "That was what was written in the recipe. And what better way to weaken people than making their thoughts all bleak, black, sapping their joy and draining their vigour?"
"Why did my magic not sleep?" Rasmus asked.
"Maybe you did not drink much of the Purple dreams potion, and coffee is not good for mixing with potions. Liisa could not know that," Fiona said.
Finnbogi's face contorted, then he answered: "It slept all right. But your magic is strong. Even half asleep it was better than mine. Can I feel you again?"
"Sure," Rasmus said.
Finnbogi gently placed his hands on the younger man's brownish hair, patted a few of the wayward locks into place with a fatherly gesture. "I have no sons," he said, blinking and turning his head away. "But if I had, I would want them to be like you." Finnbogi wiped his eyes on his sleeve and continued: "All traces of lilac dreams have dissipated, you're fit as a fiddle."
"Thank you," Rasmus said and bowed his head. "What now?"
"Time for bed!" Knud said. "It's still not morning and us old ones need our beauty sleep. In the morning I suggest you and Hilde and a few chosen ones go to Tromsø and make a thorough search of houses and gardens."
"And Liisa's workplace as well. I could do so, under the pretext of getting something,she left there ..."
"Now, bed," Knud said. "I'm sure Fiona has some Sleeping Water for you if you need."
"I have," she nodded, and pulled a small midnight blue bottle from her pocket. "One drop of this for each hour of sleep, and you'll wake up refreshed and fit in the morning."
"I'll take some," Susan said. "I still feel wide awake, and in no mood for sleep."
Fiona counted four drops in a spoon and Susan sat on her bed, pulled off her morning gown and tucked the wand inside her pyjamas. Then she took the proffered spoon and lay down. "Good night," she said drowsily and closed her eyes.
"I think I need some too," Rasmus said as they left the room.
"As your healer, I totally agree," Fiona said.

***

Susan stretched and sat up. "Oh, man," she said, "I have slept so well. That Sleeping Water performed as promised."
"Enticing," Knud responded, "But I still prefer natural sleep."
"You're full of bad excuses, I know you do not like taking draughts or potions. I won't do so often, but four hours of unbroken sleep is a gift!"
A blackbird started singing, the sweet, clear notes underlined by sunrays and the gentle breeze made Susan's mood raise a couple of notches more. And she laughed: "See! It agrees with me!"
Susan undressed from her pyjama and threw the doona over a chair back for airing. She opened the windows up wide to let the clean morning air in. Outside the gentle swaying of the trees were all that was left from the nights strong winds. "Better weather today," she said, "how wonderful. I was not looking forward to do my wandsinging in rain and wind."

***

Hand in hand they walked to the Hall, where they gave a hand laying the tables and brewing tea.
Hilde came toward them, closely followed by Eyvind, This morning he looked like the archetypical Norwegian outdoorsman, bearded, ruddy and lined, yet friendly and well muscled. They sat down and Eyvind asked: "When are Aamu and her nice husband supposed to arrive?"
Knud came over carrying a steaming teapot, and Eyvind repeated his question.
"I'm supposed to be in Schiltach at ten to get her here, but I'm also supposed to be here, doing my share of wandsinging. This is getting more and more complicated." She rose and returned a bit later with Rósa and My.
"Good morning," she said. "The lady here," she indicated tall, red-haired My, who gently inclined her head, "is My Birkeland form Oslo. The other lady," Rósa bowed her blonde head and smiled, "is Rósa Sigurdsdottir from Iceland. And this is Eyvind Haugen, Hilde's non-magical husband."
"We've heard much of you," Rósa said. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."
"The pleasure is all mine," Eyvind said.

"Now," Susan said, "Eyvind asked when Aamu is supposed to arrive later today. The problem is. I promised to go get them -- one of her sons and maybe her nice husband are coming along -- but I also promised to be here and do my share of the wandsinging. And no matter how good a witch I am, bilocation is not among my skills."
"We'll just have to make do with the two of us, until you are free to join us again," Rósa agreed.
"Haven't any of you heard from Anna?" My asked. "I was sure she would be down from her Swedish domicile to help out?"
"Anna!" Rósa exclaimed, "Just a sec!" She left the table and hurried out of the hall.

While Rósa was away the Hall filled, and voices rose and fell. The last stragglers heaped plates and filled mugs and found somewhere to sit. Babies were comforted and fed, and older toddlers were bribed with bits of delicious food. It looked like nothing but a big, boisterous family outing.

My, Knud, Hilde, Eyvind, Finnbogi, Jan, Marit and Susan sat quietly at the table, drinking yet another scalding cup of tea or enjoying the crumpets. Lis, Tage and Heidi came out of the kitchen, where they had been handing out food and sat at a nearby table.

Rósa came running down the stairs clutching a piece of paper. When she saw Knud about to rise, she augmented her speed and waved the paper with a big smile: "I found Anna's letter. I was sure I had it somewhere. She is coming today, soon. She'll use the portal ..."
"Easy does it," Susan said smiling. "But this is good news indeed. Would you care to be our reception committee? Then we'll take care of the chaos here until you return."
"Great," Rósa said, still out of breath, and sat down. "I will leave as soon as Knud has said the words."

Rasmus came over to the table, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I'm afraid we have to go to Tromsø right away, Mum. The hospital just called, Liisa is worse."
Hilde looked up at him and nodded slowly. "Just a second," she said. "We'll be gone in a jiffy. But first let's think. Eyvind of course will stay here and learn, Susan and Knud are good magicians."
"So you keep on saying my dear." Eyvind said. "I'll stay close to them, and I'll talk to Aamu's nice husband when and if he arrives. You take care, both of you."
"We will," Rasmus assured him. "We're taking Finnbogi and Fiona with us. You won't need them for the wandsinging, but ewe need them to make a thorough search of my house and Hilde's house too. And I can hopefully go to Liisa's work and search."

Susan turned to Hilde: "You do not have to return together all four of you, do you? In other words, I'm worried. Please send word back with just one of you if something happens."
We will," Hilde repeated. "And you'll take care of Eyvind, won't you?"
"Of course we will, I need him to persuade Aamu!" Susan said with just the hint of a smile in her eyes.

"True that," Knud said. "But now that so many of us will be missing today we should maybe postpone the wandsinging? We're missing Kirsten and Sarah of course." He looked at My, Hilde, Eyvind, Jan and Marit who stared blankly back at him. "Sorry," he said "Sarah is excluded by a mutual, but temporary decision - even though her son will be here with wife and children now and then. Kirsten needs help, but as she has no children we decided to wait. The worse news are that now Hilde, Finnbogi and Fiona will be leaving for Tromsø and Susan are leaving too. She's going to Schiltach and will hopefully be back later with Aamu and some of her family ..."
Knud drew a deep breath and emptied his mug.
"Do you see what I mean?" Knud asked. "I think the only sensible thing would be to postpone the wandsinging. There's so much confusion, and we can't just tell Anna and Aamu if she decides to join, that people have been dying or getting bamboozled left and rigth and then expect them to sing wands without furher explanation and time to catch up."
"And I won't be much good after all the portals, either," Susan sad. "And I suspect My and Rósa will tire easily," she looked at them with an excusing smile. "You have been singing wands for your children and some of the grandchildren. It's much harder doing so for strangers. I had hoped for all five of us to be fit for fight today. But with Aamu still indecisive, Anna just arriving, and me tired from the portals on top of everyting, I honestly don't see how it can be done."
"You are rigth, Susan," My said with a deep sigh, "even singing wands for my children left me tired. It got easier, but still. We need all us wandsingers - or at least the four of us in tip-top condition, if Aamu decides not to join us - I don't get why, but it's up to her. I vote for a postponement."

Let's take a vote. Susan and I have already said how we feel, we want to postpone, My agrees," Knud looked questioningly at My who nodded, "Lis, How say you?"
"Postpone." Lis answered.
No one was in favour of continuing with the original plan. But no one had a solution to what to do instead either.

Suddenly Fiona said: "A broom-race! Even if I'm not here, you can arrange a course, split people in age groups, and have them race one another. Not teams, only two racing one another, the winner racing another winner and so on until only one is left. We don't need any more accidents."

"And I'm sure someone will be able to help me make the broom-quickening potion," My said. "That was, after all one of the reasons I came here."
"Well, then that's decided," Hilde said rising. "We're off." She embraced Eyvind, and left with Rasmus, Fiona and Finnbogi in tow.

***

The bell in the nearby village could be heard over the talking, and after the ninth stroke Knud rose. He clapped his hands, and in the ensuing silense he swished his wand: "Mál sameinast!" he said and continued: "Dear friends and fellow magicians. First of aæll the promised explanation. Rasmus was sleepwalking, erm sllep-flying you may call it, Helped on by a potion, his wife called hem, and he obliged. We have given him an antidote, but he's still on his way home to his wife. This time by his own volition, and accompagnied by his mom, Hilde, and two other magicians, Finnbogi and Fiona to help him.
So even if we had planned the Wandsinging for today, too many of us will be missing. As I told, Hilde, Rasmus, Fiona and Finnbogi has left for their home town, and due to happier unforeseen circumstances - we finally found Aamu" Applauds and cheers interrupted his words. "Yes, we found Aamu," he continued. "And that's why Susan will be leaving in a short while. This leaves us with only 11 of the 19 surviving apprentices actually here today - and among those remaining only My is a somewhat trained wandsinger. Sometimes you just have to admit defeat," he said with a wry smile. "Too much has indeed happened for the last week or so. We have to catch up. We have to plan and organize. And when in a hurry you can lay the track as you go, but not for long. I am very sorry. Wandsinging won't happen today"

In the ensuing break Rósa and Susan looked at one another and rose. Their leaving underlined the seriousity of the matter and silence fell.

"I think we need a day of restitution and fun," Knud said. Looking over the gathered magical community he saw only patiently waiting, trusting faces and impatient children.
"Instead of wandsinging we suggest a broom-race in the big meadow. Everyone who thinks he or she can compete should come to me and have their name and age written on a list. I can't race, as most of you know..."
My and Martine looked at one another and began laughing. A loud, happy noice in the silent Hall.
"Thanks for the confidence!" Knud said in a mock serious tone. "I am indeed better off as linekeeper, judge, and all that jazz. Martine will oversee the setting up of the course, My will be the one fixing the brooms, Heidi, Tage and Lis will man the kitchen, and we need all able and willing to tote, carry, saw, cut, hang, enchant, hex, douse, you name it."
The Hall erupted in applause.
"Now I'd like the old apprentices to rise one at at time and tell me where and with what they need help.
My is first."

My rose: "I need willing hands for potions making. and painting it on the brooms and casting of the relevant hwxes. All who think they can do a bit there, come to me."

Slowly the hall emptied as old apprentices-turned-teachers left with an entourage of willing helpers.

***

In the end only Knud and Eyvind and most of the smaller grandkids were left in the hall.
"What about me?" Eyvind said. "Hilde asked me to stay close, but there's not much I can do to help."
"But you can!" Knud protested. "Most of what's to be done today do not require magic. You are good with your hands and you sure can help keeping an eye on and entertaining impatient small ones," Knud continued. "You're a good granddad, I understand, and keeping the small ones out of mischief and not underfoot would be a really great thing."
"Could we make some woodcraft and maybe have a fire out there?" Eyvind asked, encouraged by Knud'ss friendly words.
"Of course you can." Knud said. "In fact this is a splendid idea. I think I saw a humongous bag of marshmallows somewhere. Only please do not cut living wood, It can be dangerous here. But the wood piles and all fallen branches are yours to use."

Eyvind rose and graped the nearest of his grandchilldren: "Did you hear that," he said "W're o make a bonfire and toast marshmallows. Let's go to the kitchen and find that humongous bag of marshmallows, Knud told us about."
He left tha hall pulled off by Dora, Elsa and Gregers with all the other kids following them. He was smiling.
As he left, Rósa arrived with Anna and a man Knud did not recognize.
"Welcome Anna. It's good to see you again," Knud said, "But didn't you tell you never married, who is this?"
Anna answered: "But that's Helge, my cousin. Don't you recognize him?"
Knud looked at him, then looked at Anna and back to Helge again. "Yes, now I recognise you, Helge. Welcome back! You really have changed. You're older, no that's not what I mean, we're all older," He stopped, looked at Helge once agan and continued: "Mature, grown, self-assured. Something ... I remember you as a lanky youth all arms and legs. And now ... "
Helge smiled, a big, slow smile. "Yes I was clumsy. And yes, I have changed, but we seem to have been interrupting something. Please continue and don't mind me."
"No, it's fine, Knud answered. "I have done this morning's job. I just need to stay here and wait for people to sign up for the broom race. I can do that while talking to you."

Anna looked through the windows, at the garden and meadows teeming with people, at the different groups, and finally back to Knud. "Please Knud, tell me what you're trying to do here and who's who in this --- circus" she said, smiling to take the barb off her words.
Knud looked befuddled at her and Helge, then out of the windows and back again, suddenly seeing the place with foreign eyes. "Yes, I see this can be confusing. Susan and I never got to telling you everything we knew, and since then we have been more planning than looking to the past, it seems. Most of the old apprentices from the Farm is here today, as well as their children, their in-laws and their grandchildren. We're missing Kirsten and Sarah who are incapable of being here. Also Finnbogi, Fiona, Hilde, and her son Rasmus are missing, as an accident has happened to Rasmus' wife in Tømsø. Susan is away too, she should be back shortly with Aamu and some of her family ... And Olav and Monica left for home, their shop needed them, and their children have not even been let in tho what they possibly are ... "

Anna looked even more confused and a bit angry: "You tell me that almost everybody is here, and then you list up nine of the old apprentices and tell me that they are not present. That's about half of those still surviving if I can do the maths."
Knud drew a deep breath and began again. "Sarah is never going to become one of us again oif I have a syay here; but Sarah's son, who is a wizard, will arrive at some later date with his wife, who's a witch as well, and their four children. Kirstin - you remember her, she's Rósa's cousin - she is severly handicapped after and accident years and years ago. We hope she will be OK, but only time will tell. Finnbogi, Fiona, Hilde and Rasmus are as I said in Tromsø, where they live because ... oh bugger! this is too much to explain standing like this. Please sit, have a mug of tea, and relax." He swished his wand and three mugs came flying through the air towards them.
While Anna, Helge and Rósa had their tea Knud explained in compact form, omitting all the ifs, buts, and maybes the story of Ella, Walter, who was really David, and Liisa who was Eillen Teresa's daughter. "I never told via mail, because we were afraid someone would intercept the letters," Knud ended his story.
Helge and Anna looked stunned and poured anopther mug of tea.

"Hi, Mary," Knud greeted the girl, who came walking with a determined mien. "Are you here to sign up for the racing, maybe?"
"Yes," she said. "I hope I am the first. I want to win."
"You are the first," Knud said wondering, "But that does not mean you'll win."
Mary smiled at Anna and Helge. "You just arrived, are you going to try and win the broom race as well?"
"Of course we are," Anna said. "I'm good at it and Helge is not much worse." She turned to Knud. "Please add us to the list, you know the details. After maybe Mary could show me where My is? I think she could use some help with the potions."
"You're not that good at potions," Mary said. "You'd do better helping The old lady and Jan set up the obstacles."
"Hey, you might be rigth," Anna said, "but that's not necessarily a nice thing to tell a lady you never met before."
"Sorry. lady," Mary said, "I'll show you where My is, if you like to."
"My name is Anna," Anna said. "Yes I would like to meet My again, we were good friends long ago." As they left together Anna was surprised to see Knud nod approvingly.

Knud wrote down Helge eand Anna on the list of older participants, and then looked up at Helge: "You do know that you, as the oldest are destined to take over Gylfi's role as senior wizard, or whattever you may call it. I have done so until now, but that place is rightfully yours."
"By golly yes," Helge said. "I never realized, bit with Sif and Elwin no longer alive, I am the oldest. I don't really feel like ousting yoi. You live here, you and Susan re-discovered our magic and everything."
"Do you really think Taavi and Tähti felt ousted, or Thora, for that matter, by Gylfi being senior wizard back at the Farm? I would welcome it. I am not cut out for being a leader. But we can do it slowly if you like. People are used to me casting the Mál sameinast in the morning and cancelling it every nigth. You do the cancelling tonight. But tell me some more about yourself. How has life treated you?"

Interrupted by people getting written on the broom racing lists, Helge told Knud about his marriage, work, children and divorce. "We only had one child, a daughter called Annika. When my wife wanted a divorce, she wanted to leave her former life totally behind, that meant me and Annika. I was given sole legal custody, quite unusual for a father where the mother did not die. She married again, and changed her first name too. She's quite famous now, and I see her name in the papers now and then, and wonder ... I continued my work in the pharmacy, only I worked shorter hours to be at home when Annika came from school. We had a good life, she studied Icelandic, and married quite young to a nice, young man from the same course and have two children, Tommy and Emily. I visit them often, as they live near by. I should be happy, but I am not. Now, after Anna found me again and gave me my old trousers back, I feel better than I have done for years, but I am still missing something."

"For how long can you stay here?" Knud asked as an answer. "I think you need to do magic, Take responsibility, lead this school together with me, Susan and My. Let's take a tour of the premises now." Knud extended his hand and Helge clasped it. "Let's go!" he said.

***

MotherOwl's Musings

Birch Manor - Aamu

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