Birch Manor - The Children

"You look haggard my dear, what's bothering you?" Susan asked Knud an early morning in June.
"All those wizards, we still not have been able to give back their magic," Knud said. "They're living in ignorance, wasting their time which could be used training their children and grandchildren and everybody else in need of training. After we found those books, and we have Martine living here and turning out more of her funny string puzzle brainteasers, I feel we have a moral obligation to do something."

"My dear Knud, I understand what you say. And those books were a veritable treasure trove. I have been thinking much along the same lines. I've taken the liberty of handing Helge's old pants over to Martine for examination. She still knows more of magic and so on than the rest of us put together. I think she murmured something about a solution to the problem. We'll see come tea time," Susan said.  
Tea time arrived and Martine with it. She came swooping down from the balcony into the garden, where the tea table was laid. She got better and more daring on her broomstick every day. She and Fiona hat been on a trip to Copenhagen, to the blind peoples' workshop, where they still sold brooms, brushes and so on made by hand. Martine had given specifications for the Shaker brooms as she called them. And she was now testing out the prototype, sent by the shop a good week later.
"I solved it!" Martine said triumphantly. "It is a spell, a spell thread, you might call it. You can cut up the trousers and give them to someone else in smaller pieces. They'll still work. Once we - or you - have woken up all the magicians, there's really no need for this kind of skirts or trousers any more, apart from tradition. And I don't know if you'd want to make them yourself. Or if we, like the brooms might commission them off someone else."
"I like the idea of paying for having these menial tasks done for us. It would take me half a life to weave fabric for skirts and trousers," Susan said. "It was never our idea to be self-contained, we help, we work, and do magic, and we buy what we need. How would we go on getting spell thread made?"
"It's a potion," Martine answered. "I'm sure it is in one of the books, and well need some of the more proficient ones from the old blue team to make it. It's ... well it needs more that standard potion brewing skills, no offence meant."
"And none taken," Susan said. "We have Sarah, Helge, My and Monica of the blue team still living. As I do not trust Sarah and as far as I remember, she was not a brilliant witch either, we'll just have to hope My, Monica or Helge are up to spending some of their summer in Denmark."
"Oh, yes," Martine said emphatically, "I also just had a notice from the Blind Peoples' workshop. The brooms are ready and will be sent tomorrow! I'll need a good potions master to help me."  

"Then it's decided." Knud said "Wednesday our oldest son will come and stay here. We'll have him tested before we leave, so that we'll know whether he's a wizard or not. Did you make any more of these brain teasers?"
"Yes I did. I'll get them immediately" said Martine and emptied her cup.
"I'd be so happy to have more wizards nearby to help out," Susan said. "Fiona is busy with her own children and testing people with her painting workshops for children at the harbour. That was such a great idea, and having her have those string puzzles for children to amuse themselves with as they wait was even more so my dear  Knud. I'm sure she's going to bring a stream of apprentices coming here. And I dare bet she'll love to hear that the brooms are arriving, even if making broomsticks and skirts are not of utmost importance, I'd like everything to be as close as possible to the Unicorn Farm's curriculum."
"Take care that Martine or Fiona does not overhear you saying anything like that," Knud said.
"Like what," Martine said, returning from her top floor room with a basked filled with brain teasers.
"Oh, nothing," Susan said. "How many have you made? We should bring as many as possible to Sweden and Norway when we go."

Wednesday morning Henning and his two sons, 3 and not quite 5 years old arrived.
"Lilly will arrive later," he said. "Little Susan forgot to close the cage, and her rabbit escaped. They'll give it an hour or two before coming here. Oy, are those brain teasers," he said seeing Martine's basket - left there for that specific purpose. "I love those. Can I try?"
"Yes of course. I'll take the two small terrorists and let them help me feed the chicken," Knud said.
"Chicken?" Sam, the oldest boy said and put his small hand into Knud's big one, "Come Ben, we go with Granny feed chicken," he said and pulled at his little brother with his free hand.
"Off you go!" Henning encouraged his sons.
"I'll make some tea. Your father baked a cake, it'll be ready soon," Susan said and went into the house, keeping a lookout for Henning's progress with the brainteasers through the window.
First he solved the white-stringed one, one of the bought ones. then he took up Martine's purple-stringed contraption, turned and twisted and put it back into the basket. When Susan returned with mugs and sugar bowl, he sat engrossed in another of Martine's, a blue-stringed one.
"Which ones are the hardest?" he asked without looking up.
"It depends. I think blue is easiest and black hardest, you father disagrees and think that the purple one is the hardest. And Martine can solve all of them." Susan added smiling.
"Where did she come from," Henning asked, now totally serious.
"She was mine and your dad's teacher a long time ago. We found her when preparing a reunion, and we felt sorry for her living in that old people's home. You know the sort, even if it was one of the best I've ever seen. She won't stay here permanently. After some more treatments, she'll be able to live at her own, and we're looking for a nice house near here. She's really smart, you know. She is teaching us so many new things. Oh, the cake, it's done." Susan ran off to the kitchen, and Henning picked up the blue stringed brain teaser once again. Susan took out the cake, and kept an eye at him at the same time. It was hard to concentrate on the cake. She so much wanted Henning to have magic.
When Knud, Ben and Sam returned, Susan sat cradling a mug of tea looking at Henning, who still twisted and pulled at the strings of the blue brain teaser.
Sam walked up to him and said "No daddy you're doing it all wrong, the string should go through there. Let me have it." Sam almost pulled the toy from Henning's hand and letting actions follow words, he solved the brain teaser in a matter of minutes.
"Wow!" Henning said, "was that pure luck or what. Try this one now," he said, and handed Sam the white one. Sam tried and tried, but could not make any progress. Meanwhile Henning had taken the black one, and after a few false starts he drew a deep breath and pulled the ring free of the string. "Yes!" he said, "I did it!"
"Oh  how wonderful," Knud said. "You have no idea what this means to us." He turned to the adjacent building and raised his voice: " Martine, come down, tea is ready." This was the agreed upon clue and Martine came down, flying on her broomstick.
"Oh!" Ben exclaimed and clapped his hands "Ben fly too, Daddy?"
"Mom," Henning said. "Just what is happening here? Sam is solving those brainteasers easy as you please. And now that ... lady is flying around on a broomstick. How did you do this, are you pulling my leg. Where are the strings?"
"Henning, you know us better than that," Knud said seriously. "Mom told you that Martine was our old teacher. What she did not tell, was what Martine taught back then, before her accident. She taught broomstick flying and chiromancy. We, and yes you too are witches and wizards. Just like in books."
"Me fly broomstick, daddy," Ben insisted. "Me fly now!"
"And what about Little Susan and Lilly?" Henning asked.
"I have seen little Susan with that rabbit of hers," Susan said earnestly. "She can do magic too! But Lilly, that might be a problem. I do not know if there existed many wizards and witches who were not on our school." They heard a car stopping at the road. "We're going to have to find out." She turned around: "Martine, can you manage a small passenger, then please give Ben here a ride out of sight while we tackle his mom.
"I think I can manage, Please put him in front of me. I won't go high or anything."
Henning managed to pull himself together and lift up little Ben and put him in front of Martine on the broom. "Take care of him, please," he said in a shaky voice.
Martine smiled at him and nodded. Then she took off gently and slowly flying towards the small wood in the other end of the plot.
"Well at least Lilly has always loved fantasy books. She might be in for a treat now." Henning said, still sounding kind of shaky, but resigned to the quandary. "Sam," he added. "please shut up. Don't say a word to mom about flying or anything at all just for a few minutes. Here, have some cake," he said, and cut him a big slice of the still warm cake.
Sam began eating, while Susan and Knud went with Henning to greet Lilly and little Susan.
Little Susan hugged her grandma and told her about the rabbit. " ... that naughty rabbit he was hiding under the sofa again! I have told him many times it's forbidden to hide in there. But in the end I told him to get out if he wanted any carrots for the rest of the week, and then he hurried out!"
"Nothing wrong with your fantasy!" Lilly said, smiling at both Susans. She's always talking to the rabbit as if he understood," Lilly said in way of explanation.
"And does he?" Susan asked her granddaughter?"
"Of course he understands me," little Susan said. "But he is not good at listening! I always have to speak roughly to him when he does not do as I say!"
"I think I can teach you how to speak better to your rabbit," Susan said. smiling down at the eager girl. "I know a trick or two."
"Oh, don't encourage her," Lilly said. "Rabbits really do not understand people."
"Not even in books?" Knud asked.
"Oh yes, in books most anything can happen!" Lilly said. "I love nothing better than a good book. Talking animals and magic and tree-ants and all the wonderful, magic things that can happen in books."
"Dear Lilly," Knud said. "It might come as a surprise to you - and I sure hope a pleasant one - but sometimes those books come closer to truth than you imagine. Susan - both of them - actually can speak with rabbits, and given time your daughter will learn to understand what the rabbits say as well."
"And fly a broomstick," Little Susan asked.
"Yes my dear, if your mom and dad'll let you. I'll be happy to teach you all I know"
Are you a witch, granny?" Little Susan asked.
"Yes I am. and Grandfather is a wizard. But we're good ones, don't ever forget that."
"Yes, Lilly," Henning said, "Witches and wizards really do exist. My parents are, as am I ... and I have to admit, our children."
Lilly looked happy, then worried, then angry, then she smiled again, then scowled. "Why haven't you told me! It's just like in those books. The children are acting strange. Talking to, no actually with rabbits, knowing where my misplaces keys are, not once, but over and over again! Why haven't you told me before!" Lilly ended almost screaming.
Henning took her hand in both of his. "I never knew nor suspected, not until today. I have found it strange, same as you. I just thought it was make believe and luck. But it is ... the real thing," he said with a fond smile.
Lilly placed her other hand on top of Henning's hands. "I don't know what to say. I don't really believe you, I am afraid to, and yet I want to. Where are Ben and Sam? And can Ben do magic too?"
"We think so. It's hard to tell with the very small, but I hope Martine can tell when she returns with him. Sam is stuffing his head with cake, and solving brainteasers way beyond his years. Come and see." Henning pulled her along, looking for all the world just like Sam pulling Ben along only an hour earlier.
Lilly almost fell into a cosy chair at the garden table. Susan poured her a big mug of tea and gave her a generous slice of cake. "Knud is the best baker!" Susan said. "And you need something sweet to help you overcome the shock!"
"It is just like stepping into a book," Lilly said. "Susan, you just need a wizard's hat and a broomstick to look the part."
"You'll have to do without the hat," Susan said. "And I'm not that fond of broomsticks, but they should arrive tomorrow or maybe Friday. Martine will see to them, but you and Henning will have to help her carry them into the old barn."
"You really mean it?" Lilly said, sipping her hot, sweet tea and munching her cake.
"Oh yes we do. And now don't be scared when Martine returns with Ben. She might be old and miss both legs, but she can still outfly me, your father-in-law and almost anyone else I know, on a broomstick. She's teaching Ben how to fly right now, I suppose."
"Ben is flying on a broomstick," Sam said, sensing that it was OK to talk again. "I think I'd like to fly a broom as well, very much. And, mom, try to solve these riddles, They are really so easy. Daddy could not do it, only when I showed him how. But the white one is stupid. I think it's hexed, same as that orange one over there, and the pink one too. They look so easy, but they so are not!" Sam said with a disdainful look at the guilty puzzles.  
"Try it," Henning said and offered Lilly the basked with the rope puzzles.
"Oh, I always loved those," Lilly said, but now we're having tea and cake. The puzzles can wait."
"Give it a go," Knud said. "They are well oiled, they can stand handling, and cake."