Upside Down

by MissSugarcat

Summary:

One day, a strange man suddenly appears in my living room. He claims his name is Aesop Sharp, and he's a potions master at 'Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry'. I don't believe a word he says, but the demonstration of his magical powers turns my life upside down from now on.

Notes:

Thank you very much for reading! 😊 This is my very first serial novel that I'm not writing just for myself.

I'm always open to improvements and suggestions. Especially when it comes to the language because unfortunately, English is not my mother tongue. 😶

Chapter 1: The Stranger

 

 

Someone knocks on my door with a loud thud and steps into my flat without waiting for a response. I'm sitting in my rocking chair reading. As I look up, my book falls out of my hand. I stare at the man in amazement.

The man stares back at me with intense focus. He is very tall and has dark brown eyes, almost like two black holes. It feels like they probe right through my soul…

Then he raises an eyebrow in slight amusement and leans forward ever so slightly, a slight smile playing on his lips as he does so and speaks: "Well. I was expecting a bit more of a reaction to be quite frank..." Unlike his light smile, his tone is cold and unamused.

I still stare at him stupidly and answer his indirect question with a simple: "Why?" At the same time, I realise how dim-witted my question is.

He gives me a look that is half amused and half annoyed. "In my experience, most people do not take kindly to random strangers bursting Into their home without the decency of so much as a greeting."

"I'm not most people." I try a half grin. He doesn't seem to be particularly dangerous, even if the scar on the left side of his face looks a bit brutal. "So, who are you, what are you doing here and how did you open my locked door?"

The man seems slightly startled at my response. "Well. My name is Aesop Sharp. I'm a potions master at Hogwarts. And I don't recall breaking and entering, I did however have to charm the lock of your door. But don't worry, I'm not here to rob you."

I raise an eyebrow as well. "Aha. So why did you show up unannounced at my flat and put a spell on my lock instead of just ringing the bell?"

Aesop Sharp pauses for a moment to contemplate my question and then speaks in a slightly bemused tone. "Well... I wasn't sure you would be willing to entertain a visit from me if I gave you prior notice. So, I sort of... decided to surprise you."

I raise my other eyebrow and look at him like he's lost his mind. "A total stranger walks into my flat because he wanted to surprise me."

Sharp chuckle. "I can see it must seem rather odd from your perspective..." He then pauses ever so slightly before speaking once again. "However, my motives for paying you a visit are rather... noble."

I roll my eyes. "Of course. I would have said the same thing if I were you. So, tell me. Why did you charm yourself into my flat?"

He chuckles again at the eye roll but then continues speaking, the slight smile still playing on his lips. "Well, as I explained, I am Aesop Sharp, potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is my current profession. That being said, my reason for coming is a much more personal one."

I sigh. "Harry Potter and Hogwarts were created by J.K. Rowling They are not real." I look at him pityingly. Obviously, he has lost his mind.

This seems to catch Sharp off guard, and he looks at me as though trying to discern whether what he just heard was a joke or not. "I'm sorry, what was that?" He says this with a tone that is both incredulous and amused.

Again, I sigh. "Harry Potter isn't real. Hogwarts isn't real. You are obviously real but I'm doubting your sanity right now, Aesop Sharp, potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

My statement makes him start chuckling uncontrollably. He even doubles over, laughing at the absurdity of what I just said. "Oh, dear. You are serious." Clearly, this is causing him to question my sanity rather than the other way around.

With another sigh, I go to my bookshelf and pull out the first Harry Potter volume. Then, without a word, I put the book in his hand.

Sharp stares at the book like I'm offering him a dead goldfish, with a mixture of confusion and amusement. He slowly reaches out and takes the book, then opens it to a random page and stares closely at the text.

I frown and look at him, wondering what it's all about. Does he really think he is the goddamn potions master of a fictive magic school?

After a few minutes, he glances up at me, then back down at the page. He seems to be studying it very intently, and after a moment he closes the book, still looking very confused. "Interesting..."

"...'interesting'?" I stare at him again in disbelief. "Maybe I'm dreaming. Maybe I will wake up in a few minutes laughing about this absurd dream."

Finally, he looks at me and chuckles. "If this were a dream I could think of much better things for you to dream about than this..." He looks back at the book with a look of curiosity.

"You're damn right. In this dream, there is neither chocolate nor cute puppies. So this must be a half-nightmare." I look at him annoyed.

He chuckles and shakes his head in bewilderment. "I'd like to see the look on your face when you wake up in the morning." The chuckle continues to play at the corners of his lips.

I let out a groan. "My head has already fabricated some nonsense. But this dream is really... next level."

"Well let me try to wake you up." With these words, Sharp leans forward and slaps me gently across the face.

I flinch. "OUCH!!!" Reflexive, I punch him in the arm.

Sharp glances back at me with shock and surprise, his eyebrows raised. "Ow." He seems mildly annoyed at the reaction I gave to his attempt to awaken me from my 'dream'.

I grunt. "You slapped me. I punched you. Now we're even."

His eyebrows raise in surprise. "I merely attempted to wake you from your dream. Your reaction seems rather... extreme."

"I didn't ask for a slap." I hiss back and grumble. "That's a very realistic dream. I don't like it."

He chuckles again, this time louder than before. "I still can't quite believe you're serious about this whole 'Harry Potter isn't real, Hogwarts isn't real' thing."

"There are books about Harry Potter and Hogwarts on my bookshelf." I gesture with exaggerated arm movements at the shelves next to the room door. "These are no documentaries, but fantasy!" I glare at him. I'm starting to get really angry.

Aesop sighs and speaks in a slightly frustrated tone. "Yes, there are books about Harry Potter and Hogwarts, J.K. Rowling invented, or in your terms 'created' them."

I can hear his amused undertone which makes me even more angry. "Are you telling me that J.K. Rowling is a witch and just pretending to have invented Hogwarts?" I raise my eyebrows.

His face goes slack. His tone is full of shock as he responds to my question. "Are you honestly suggesting she has any affiliation with the magic world? She's a Muggle author. How can you not see that?"

"So how did she know? You can't tell me it's all just a biiig coincidence." I ask ironically. 

With a slight chuckle, he looks at me. "How did she know what?" He raises an eyebrow, still slightly amused and confused.

"Harry Potter, Hogwarts, witches, wizards..." I list. "Oh, lemme guess. Diagon Alley does really exist."

His eyebrows raise, as he continues to look at me with curiosity. "Diagon Alley is just a fictional location in the Harry Potter series. While some of the events and creatures portrayed in the series are based on myth and legend, they're purely the work of fiction."

I scoff and roll my eyes. "Knockturn Alley is also just a fictional location?"

He chuckles again at the absurdity of my question. "Yes. Knockturn Alley is also just a fictional location in the Harry Potter series. You're not seriously suggesting it's a real location... are you?"

What the hell… "UNTIL A FEW MINUTES AGO I THOUGHT MAGIC DOES NOT EXIST AND THEN YOU BROKE IN AND SLAMMED ME!!!" I scream at him, my face flushed.

Sharp seems taken aback by the outburst. He looks at me with mild confusion and his eyebrows raise. His voice is slightly amused but also very calm and even-toned. "You're... yelling."

"OF COURSE, I AM YELLING!" I take a deep breath. Then another one. I try to calm down. After a few seconds, I can talk in a normal voice again. "Okay. You haven't proven anything to me yet. But if you're a wizard then you can do magic, Aesop Sharp, potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

He nods, his voice still calm and even-toned. "I am capable of performing magic, yes." His tone is still slightly amused.

"Uh, great!" I beam at him. Then I point to a large painting leaning against the wall. "If you put this up for me, I'll believe you're a wizard."

He raises an eyebrow and chuckles again, this time in amusement. He looks at me with mild curiosity. "All right. I shall do just that. Wingardium Leviosa." By his words, the painting immediately floats off the ground and hangs itself up on the wall.

I tilt my head. "A little more left, please."

"Of course." He chuckles at the request then uses a slight movement of his wand to move the painting to the exact left position I told him.

"Hmm." I look critically at the picture. "Just a bit down, please. A little tiny bit."

He is clearly finding this whole thing very amusing. He moves the painting down just slightly, positioning it to my liking.

"Perfect! Thank you!" I hug him enthused. "You saved me a hospital stay. I'm not very good with hammers and nails."

"Oh!" He freezes and seems slightly startled and somewhat surprised at this hug. He raises an eyebrow in curiosity and looks at me. "So... does this mean you believe me now?" In his voice lies a tone of slight amusement.

"Could you perhaps tidy up my freshly washed laundry while you're at it?" I bat my eyelashes. "Then I'll believe you."

Again, he looks as though I'm speaking in tongues. "You want... me... the potions master... to... fold your... laundry?" He repeats the request with a slight chuckle. "And if I do... you believe I'm a wizard?"

"Exactly!" I grin widely at him. "You would help me so much!"

Sharp shrugs to himself. "Why not? It's not like I have much else to do." He then looks back at me. "Should I use my wand, or would you prefer I fold it by hand?"

"You fold laundry by hand even though you could do it with magic?" I look at him incredulously.

He grins. "It's laundry, it can't be all that difficult to do. Why would I spend energy on a spell to do something that's really pretty simple in the first place?" He looks back at me with a slightly puzzled expression, still amused.

"Yes, then..." I lead him to my overflowing laundry basket in the bathroom. "Ta-dah!"

His brows raise at the sight of my big laundry basket. He takes a second to examine it and then looks back at me. "So I'm just supposed to fold them all?" His tone is still calm and slightly amused.

"You're a wizard. You could use a spell, right?"

He chuckles slightly. "You want me to use magic to fold your laundry? That's actually pretty comical..." he shakes his head in amusement. "No, I'll do it by hand."

I raise an eyebrow. "Er… why? I hate folding laundry. It's so boring."

He looks at me and his eyebrows raise in amusement once more. "Hate seems like a rather strong stance on such a simple action. If you hate it so much, why not just use magic to do it yourself?"

"I'm a Muggle and can't do magic." I roll my eyes at him.

He looks at me with a slightly amused expression, raising an eyebrow again. "And... yet you just witnessed me do magic with your own two eyes."

I sigh heavily and roll my eyes again. "Yeah. You. Not me." He seems to forget that all the time.

"So, just to clarify..." He chuckles, his voice slightly amused. "You believe that Hogwarts... magic... potions... wizards... are all very real, but that you're unable to use magic yourself... is that correct?"

"I read the Harry Potter series very carefully and waited for the Hogwarts owl with a letter when I was 11. But there came none. Nothing. Zero. So, I've come to terms with my Muggle status." I lift my chin majestically.

He chuckles at this again. "And yet you somehow still believe it all exists." His tone is amused. "You really think there's this magical world, full of magic users and creatures that you have no access to?"

I just look at him and sigh. Again. Then I repeat: "I am a Muggle. I can't do magic."

Sharp looks down at my laundry basket. "All right. I'll do the laundry." He sets his wand on the nearby counter and sets about the task of folding my laundry, beginning with the socks. He does this with surprising speed and agility, showing an impressive level of dexterity with his fingers as he folds them neatly.

"Woah… can I hire you as a maid?" I watch him in complete fascination.

He looks up. "You want to hire me... a potions master at Hogwarts... to be your maid?" His face can't seem to decide if he finds this funny or offensive.

"You obviously like to fold laundry." I grin. "And I hate it. So, it would be a win-win situation, no?"

He chuckles once again. The man seems to be a real joker. "It's not that I 'enjoy' folding laundry, it's merely so simple that it's not too difficult to do." He looks back down at the socks he's in the process of folding. Then he shakes his head. "Why would you want to hire me as a maid? I'm a potions master, not a house elf."

"You can move on to my underwear if that's more fun- THERE ARE HOUSE ELVES?!" My jaw drops.

Sharp looks up in shock and immediately pauses mid-fold. "Yes... there are house elves." His tone is mild and confused. "How else do you think Hogwarts is kept clean and tidy? Certainly not by the students."

I look at him confused. "We Muggles have cleaners for that sort of thing."

His eyebrows raise in surprise. "Cleaning staff? You have Muggles whose job is to clean things for you?" He looks at me with genuine curiosity.

I look at him even more confused. "Apparently, your parents are both wizards. Am I right?"

Sharp's expression turns to one of irritation as he looks at me. "Yes, my mom is a witch and my dad is a wizard. But what does that have to do with cleaning staff?" He seems genuinely confused by this turn in our conversation.

"Because you've obviously never dealt with Muggles." I tilt my head. "You know we use cars, not brooms, right?"

"Yes, I have seen the Muggle form of transportation." He says it with a light chuckle. "But there is a small difference between having seen a car and understanding the societal roles and professions of Muggles." He chuckles again. "I've also seen things like the Internet, and your Muggle plumbing systems." His tone is amused.

I shrug. "Somehow we have to do it without magic. By the way, I still have to go grocery shopping. Do you want to come along?" I look at him curiously. Will he accompany me? That sure would be funny. And he could help me carry. I grin.

His eyebrows raise slightly. "Go shopping together?" Sharp seems slightly puzzled at the request, and his tone is curious. "Why... would you want to go shopping with me?"

"I thought that you might want to experience a real adventure with me: Go by car." I grin again and giggle a bit.

He seems to consider my offer, his tone is bemused. "Sure, I'd be happy to experience the Muggle grocery shopping lifestyle." He grins. "My day is fairly clear, at this point. So why not do some adventuring?"

"Where do wizards get their food from?" I look at him interested. I never asked myself that question when reading the Harry Potter books.

He looks at me and considers my question. Then he explains. "All over the place. Some wizards grow their own food. Some buy it from local vendors, and there are also magical grocery delivery services." He seems to think for a second. "You know, it never occurred to me… how do Muggle farmers get their crops to the Muggle grocery stores in decent condition? I imagine they're still carting their goods around with horses and buggies?" He looks at me in amusement.

"No, the suppliers deliver to the grocery stores with trucks. Very big cars." I add as an explanation. I'm realizing for the first time how much was not explained in the books. J.K. Rowling urgently needs to catch up on that.

Once again, his eyebrows raise in surprise and he glances at me. "You mean... you have massive trucks that carry food around from place to place?" He is genuinely curious and looks back down for a moment at my laundry basket. "I can't imagine how complicated it must be to ensure everything is properly regulated." He casually leans against the counter.

"Ah, the supply chain thing-" I think about it and then sigh. "Never mind, doesn't matter." I take my keys. "Are you coming? My car is outside on the street."

Sharp nods, an expression of curiosity on his face. "Ah, yes, the supply chain. I've never given too much attention to how things are actually supplied, I imagine it's quite complicated." He chuckles. "I will come with you. I'd be happy to see this 'driveable car thing' for myself."

Chapter 2: The Driveable Car Thing

 

 

We leave my flat and walk across the courtyard to the street. When we get to my car, I open it with the remote control.

Sharp takes in the car with an expression of intrigue and surprise. He then looks back at me. "You just... wave a stick at it... and it opens?" He is confused by this new information.

"This is my magic wand for the car." I grin widely and wave the remote control in front of his face.

He chuckles a bit, still intrigued by the idea of the remote control. "If that's all you need to open the car? Couldn't someone just open your car if they wanted to?" He looks at me, obviously confused. "If all you need is this wand, couldn't someone else just simply use it... and open the car without your say so?" Sharp has a thoughtful and questioning look on his face.

"Only I have the magic wand for this car." I grin. "But you can open it too if I give you this wand." I put the remote control in his hand and point at the different buttons. "With this key, you unlock, with this key you lock. And this one opens the boot."

"You'd just... give it to me?" He looks down at the remote control in his hand. His eyebrows are raised, clearly surprised by this fact. "Why are you giving it to me?" He continues to examine the remote control. "What if I lost it, or misplaced it? Wouldn't you be worried about someone gaining access to your car?" There seems to be some legitimate concern in his voice.

"It's just for now." I try to calm him down. "You can unlock the car now. But I need it again to drive."

He nods, his expression slowly shifting to one of understanding. "So, the key isn't for the engine... it's simply to unlock the car?" He is still looking down at the remote control.

"Yeah, right. I have to sit in the car with the remote control to start it." I try to explain.

Sharp nods. "I see... so, the key is to unlock the car, and you start it by simply sitting in the car... and doing what, exactly? The car simply starts moving when you sit in it?" His tone is still a bit confused.

"No, I have to press a button to start it. And then I have to accelerate and steer."

"Hmm. Do you think I could try driving this car thing myself?" He looks at me questioningly.

"NO!" I almost scream at him. Then I clear my throat and lower my voice. "No, you can't. You don't have a driver's license." I try not to grin. "I'll show you when we're in the car."

His expression is slightly perplexed. "Ah, yes, I suppose you have a point there. This... driver's license. It allows you to drive this car, yes? So, once we sit in the car, you push a button and it starts... going... what about turning?" He asks while gesturing with his free hand. "Is there a separate button to turn left and right?"

"That's what the steering wheel is for. I'll show you." Then I take the key from him. "You can lock my car afterwards, okay? But now let's get in the car."

Now his eyes widen slightly, as though I've said something absurd. "We have to turn the wheel to turn? You don't just push the car into turn left or right direction?" He looks very confused, as he glances at me. He then laughs slightly and shakes his head. "Sorry, I guess I'm just so... used to using magic, I haven't thought much about the physics of non-magical things." He steps aside and holds the passenger side of the car door open. "After you, of course."

I start laughing. Sometimes he is so cute. "There you sit. I go to the other side." I walk around my car to the driver's door.

He nods slowly and gets into the passenger seat. "Ahem. So, if I'm right, you said you have to press a button to make this car go?" He looks over at me as I get into the driver's seat and buckle me up.

"Yes, this one." I point to the start button. "But you have to buckle up first." I lean towards him to pull at his belt. In order not to lose my balance, I support myself on his thigh. Bending over him, I smell sandalwood and something lemony. That's when I realize our faces are only inches apart. My whole head is getting hot. I quickly pull the belt forward and around him. Then I put it in the lock. I sink back into my seat and clear my throat. I don't even dare to look at Sharp. I clear my throat again.

He chuckles. His voice is slightly amused. "Very well... I suppose you must know what you're doing." He chuckles again. "So, we put this strap through this hole here?" He points at the belt and the lock. "Before we push the button to start the car?" He is clearly unfamiliar with this kind of operation.

I need to grin again. "Exactly. That's the seat belt. If an accident happens, it keeps you in your seat. It's very important to take your seat belt on." I turn on the engine by pressing the start button.

Sharp nods again. "I see, so, this belt holds you in place safely if you're in an accident of some kind." He looks at me curiously. "But... why are you putting it around me? I certainly wouldn't want you to be hurt, but if you're the one driving, shouldn't it be you, not me, that wears the belt?" He chuckles.

I chuckle with him. "I have one too." I point to my belt. "Every passenger needs one. That's a requirement."

He looks down at the belt around his torso. "Ah, I see now. All right, so... I suppose we should just get this car moving, shouldn't we?" He seems amused as well as genuinely intrigued by this Muggle car. "How does the car move? I don't see any broomsticks or wands or anything. So, how does it go forward?"

"With the built-in motor. I can accelerate, brake and steer." With this explanation, I drive out of the parking space onto the street.

His eyebrows raise in amazement. "The motor that you... 'started' by pushing the button? It is what allows the car to move?" He is clearly surprised. "So, if you need to brake, what do you do?"

"I do this with my right foot. There are two pedals, one to accelerate the car and the other to brake." I better not mention that there are also cars in which you have to switch gears...

"Interesting. So, you have two separate pedals, one to accelerate, and a separate pedal to brake? What happens if you hit one while trying to hit the other?" He rests his hand on the middle armrest.

"Er…" I don't really know what to say. "I guess that would be a problem. You could hit another car, for example. But that's never happened to me. I didn't try."

He chuckles and leans back in his seat as he looks at you. "I imagine that's a problem... But, I must say it's so... complicated just to get this strange 'car thing' of yours moving. It's so much simpler to just get on my broomstick and take off." He chuckles slightly.

"I don't have a broom. And I can't fly either." I have to grin. "Although that would be cool."

He looks at me with mild amusement. "I suppose that is fair. I've been flying on a broomstick since I was a child. But I'm no fan of broom flying. It's a bit uncomfortable, so I prefer to apparate." He looks forward at the road again. "I suppose, to you, this car here would be an 'adventure.'" He chuckles slightly.

"I've been driving for so long now, it's no longer an adventure." I giggle.

He grins. "Oh, so... you're telling me that, over time, this sort of thing... becomes mundane? It becomes almost boring to drive this car around?" He seems curious and mildly amused.

"A little bit. It's not so special anymore." I shrug. Then I drive to the car park of the supermarket.

"I suppose I understand. I've flown broomsticks for so long that it's quite... ordinary to me." There's a long pause. Then he asks me curiously. "Do the Muggles see me as strange when I wear my robes?" He looks down at his robes and glances at me for a moment.

"Uh... maybe." I look at his robes too. Then I shrug. "There are always people who are dressed strangely. And you're not half naked, that's good." I grin.

Sharp looks like me as if I'm insane. "Oh, of course not. I would never be caught in public half-naked! What an odd question to ask." He seems piqued that I think he could be capable of something like that. "Is that common among Muggles, then? People running around half-naked?" He looks at me in confusion.

I'm still grinning. "No. Not really. But some people still wear very… little." I laugh.

His eyebrows raise again. "Ah, so... 'showing a lot of skin' when in public is taboo for Muggles, then?" He pauses. "Very interesting that we share at least some rules about... modesty?"

"Some people just show… more than they should." I roll my eyes and sigh.

He chuckles. "And what, in your opinion, is 'too much'?" He seems amused.

"Like this." I nod to a young woman whose pants are little more than a belt and whose top is all but non-existent. She struts across the car park with a gait that's supposed to be sexy. In reality, it looks like she has a hip injury. "You see… a lot."

Sharp looks like he doesn't believe his eyes. "She's going out of her house like that?!" His tone is one of shock, while he looks at me very confused. "She isn't ashamed about this..." He looks back at the woman. "Not wearing anything but a belt and... that shirt?" He gestures. "She's comfortable going out like that... in public?" He shakes his head slightly. "Does she even wear underpants?"

"I really don't wanna find this out." I giggle, looking at his shocked facial expression. "Let's see if we meet more half-naked people in the supermarket. Let's go." I open the car door.

Chapter 3: Grocery Shopping

 

 

Sharp groans silently. "All right, then. Let us go... into this 'supermarket' where we might encounter more Muggles half-naked." He sighs. "You're not joking, are you? That woman is going about her day... with nothing but a bare chest and a belt?"

"Well... I'm afraid she will master her day nearly naked." I grin. We get out of the car and over the car park to the supermarket entrance and enter it.

He seems amazed. "Very interesting, to say the least. You seem mostly unperturbed about the fact that she's half-naked." He looks at you with curiosity. "Does this sort of thing happen frequently?" He grins.

"More or less. I just try not to look." I giggle and take a shopping cart.

He chuckles too, then looks around the supermarket with amusement and curiosity. "Ah, so you've just come to accept that some Muggles will go around half-naked in public?" He shakes his head slightly. "I don't think I could ever understand that. It's just so... different from what I know. I suppose I've got a lot to learn about this Muggle world."

I look at him curiously. "Do all magical people walk around like you? What do you do when it's hot?"

His expression becomes thoughtful for a moment. "When it's hot? Well, we simply cast a cooling charm to regulate our temperature. It's simple magic. I would imagine it's similar to what you Muggles do with your 'air conditioners' in the summer." His tone remains curious. "What do you mean by 'walking around like me'

"I mean this..." I point at his three-piece suit, coat and boots. "...outfit. Looks a bit like from the 19th century."

He realizes what I'm talking about. "Oh! I see. Yes, yes. It's a tradition in my family. Even in the summer, we tend to keep wearing suits. It's simply how we do it." He looks at me in amusement. "Well, at least as long as we are inside. If we walk outside and it's hot... we tend to loosen the shirt a bit."

I give him an irritated look, then push my cart along. "I wish I'd have a portable fan in my clothes. That would make things easier in the summer." Then I pull out my phone and look at my shopping list.

He seems amused by my irritation. "That certainly sounds uncomfortable. I can understand how it feels. Even I don't ever remember getting hot, you know. I've never really been bothered by extreme weather. I'm sorry that you have to deal with that." He shrugs. Then he looks at my phone with curiosity. "Ah, so, you've got a list of things you wanted to buy?"

"Oh, yes. It saves money if I don't buy something randomly, but stick to my shopping list. So I don't forget anything." We walk through the store together and I collect all the things I need to buy.

He follows me and looks over my shoulder at the list. "I suppose it's sensible. Though I didn't realize this 'shopping list' is a Muggle thing. We wizards typically don't need one. We can remember what we need to pick up. I suppose we have a different way of looking at the world." He grins. "Well, at least I get to explore your world."

"How can you remember everything you need?" I look at him questioningly.

Sharp shrugs. "Well, it's mostly intuition. I can look at a pantry of food, and have a sudden feeling of, hmm... I could do with some more eggs, bread and apples." He chuckles quietly. "It sounds strange to say in words. But it's like there's a voice in my head telling me what I need."

"You hear voices in your head?" I laugh out loud. "That explains a lot."

He chuckles again. "Ah, ah, ah! Not in your sense of the word. I don't hear disembodied voices talking to me. It's just like a sense of needing certain things." Then he continues to look at the list on my phone. "Ah, I see you have 'eggs' on your list. I suppose you intend to make some sort of 'Muggle cooking' that requires eggs?"

"Hmm. Or I could bake." I shrug. "I don't know yet. We'll see."

"Ah, that makes sense." He tilts his head. " I have to ask, though. What are these 'brownies' that you have on your list? The name just doesn't sound appealing at all." He chuckles at his own minor ignorance and lack of knowledge of Muggle things.

"Brownies are delicious! You can try when we get home." I grin. "Have you really never eaten brownies?"

He shakes his head. "No, I don't believe so. I don't even have the slightest idea what they are." He looks at me. "But I shall try them, then. What is the flavour like?"

"Chocolate!" I beam at him. "And nuts! It's wonderful!"

His eyes light up. "Chocolate? I see. Well, you have piqued my interest. I would like to see what a Muggle 'brownie' tastes like." He beams back at me with amusement.

 

 

As we queue at the cash register, Sharp looks at the cashier and his register with interest. His eyes are filled with curiosity. "Ah! So, you just put the things you want to buy on this sticky moving something and then he... beeps them?" He glances at the cashier.

"You're learning!" I smile at him. "The cash register shows the price I have to pay." I point to the black display next to the cashier.

He looks at the display and seems fascinated by how this works. "Ah! So, you can see the price all in one place, and you simply pay by holding your plastic card against that beeping thing? That… actually makes a lot of sense." He doesn't say so but he still looks slightly confused.

"The thing with the scan- the beeping thing and the plastic card is similar to the car and the key." I try to explain in a way Sharp can understand. When it's our turn and I see the price on the display, I grimace but hold my credit card in front of the card terminal with a groan.

He grins. "You Muggles must have a very simple life. Even paying for groceries is easy and convenient for you." He leans on my grocery cart. "It's a wonder you're not bored out of your mind with how easy your life is."

"I'm bored enough of my life, believe me." I roll my eyes and wheel the cart to my car and load the groceries in the boot.

He nods and follows along, helping occasionally with loading the grocery cart. "I suppose Muggle life can be quite... mundane. How do you live like that? I would be desperate for some sort of... adventure or excitement."

"You're here. That's enough adventure for one week." I grin teasingly at him.

He grins, shrugs slightly and leans over to me. "Perhaps. But, I was referring to your life, not mine. I can't imagine not wanting to do something exciting, you know? Life is too short to live in... routine and mundanity." He chuckles and winks at me. "I'd think I'd go mad."

I quickly return the shopping cart, so Sharp doesn't see me blushing again. I grunt in annoyance. Why the hell did he wink at me like that?

Chapter 4: An Unexpected Offer

 

 

When I'm back at my car, we both get back in. I start the car and we're on the way back again. I look at him. "What would be your suggestion for an adventure for me?"

The professor thinks for a moment. "Ah, I don't live your life, so I can't really give you suggestions for that. But, I can tell you what I would do. I'd want to go to places that I've never been, like forests and the sea and up a mountain and... I would want to see the sights. I'd want to feel the air on my skin and breathe the air from different places." He chuckles slightly. "You know, I'd want to do what Muggles call 'exploring'."

"Travelling sounds nice." I grin a little wistfully. "I would love to travel to New Zealand, for example. But it's so expensive. I don't have any money for that." I sigh sadly.

Sharp's expression is one of surprise and curiosity. "New Zealand? Why go to New Zealand? Isn't there a lot of... forest? And fields and grass?" He grins. "What makes it so special?"

"The landscape should very, very be beautiful. So many films were shot there." I sigh again. "I'd love to see that."

He nods. "Ah yes, I've seen some of those films. Lord, I think, of the Rings." He pauses. "So, New Zealand to see the landscapes?"

"Yes. I wanna see beautiful countries and beautiful places. I wanna see the beauty in this world." I smile at him "Don't you?"

He chuckles at my enthusiasm. Then his eyes become slightly distant. "Beautiful countries? Yes, I suppose I do. It's why I've got this itch to explore more of the Scottish Highlands and go to the sea and... I don't know..." He sighs too. "It's hard to explain. Something in me just... wants adventure and excitement. I don't want to be in the same place for a whole day, you know?"

"I can understand that so well. If only I had the time, money and drive to do it..." I shrug.

A slight grin spreads across his face. "Ah, but I can help with one of those three things." He hums. "I have time, money, and drive to do those things. And, I don't mind having your company to enjoy the adventure with."

I park in front of my house. Then look at him very irritated and tilt my head. "You want me to travel with you and also want to pay for everything? Do you have too much money?"

Sharp smiles at my irritated look. "I know it's odd, but yes, I would be happy to do that. And, yes, I'm very fortunate to have enough money to pay for this. But, I don't mind. I can't take it with me when I'm gone, you know?" He looks over at me. "And yes, I would like you to travel with me – if you actually want to, anyway."

My mouth falls open. "Do you really mean that?" I look at him with big scepticism. "You know this is damn strange. I've only known you for five minutes and now you want to travel around the world with me? You could be some lunatic who…" My voice trails off. I look at Sharp. Yes, he could be. But if he were, he could have killed and robbed me long ago. For example, when he… opened my door without breaking in.

Sharp seems to be able to read my mind. He chuckles and nods. "Mhm. I mean it when I say that I don't mind. There are lots of beautiful places in the world and I'd love to enjoy them with you. I don't have anyone else to take care of my money, anyway. So why not spend it on having some fun?"

For a few minutes, I think about what he just said. And then I take a deep breath and decide to throw all my fears overboard. I grin broadly at him. "Where is our first journey going? I'm in for everything. After all, you pay." My grin gets cheeky.

He rolls his eyes but his smile is amused. "You're awfully confident about me paying for this. Do you just assume that people will pay for you to do things?" He asks me in a mildly teasing tone.

"From now on." I giggle. "At least I didn't even have to give you a blowjob for that." Still giggling, I get out and open the boot.

His eyes go wide in shock. "What?! Who... does that? Do people do that for free stuff? I mean... I'm not judging, of course... but, what sort of people ask that?" He seems very baffled.

"Have you ever heard of sugar daddies?" I grin.

"...sugar daddies?" His face goes slightly pale. "You mean old men who use their money to buy what people might call a girlfriend? Do they? Do women do that?!" He seems horrified by this concept.

I shrug and take my grocery shopping bag. Then I hand him the keys to lock my car and we slowly walk back to my flat. Sharp is still shaking his head with mild disgust.

"Are you thinking about your qualities as a sugar daddy?" I grin and unlock the door to my flat. Then I carry the groceries into the kitchen.

He looks at me in confusion. As he realizes what I'm talking about, his eyes go wide again. "What?! I would never do that. I'm not some perverted man who wants to buy women." He grumbles. "In fact, I find it highly disgusting to do such a thing."

"You want to travel with me and pay for everything. Isn't that basically the same?" I laugh. Then I see his horrified expression. "That was a joke!"

After a few seconds, his expression softens and he exhales, as he lets go of concern. "Ah, yeah, I suppose so. But, it's different. It's not like you're giving me anything in return for my paying. You're just... coming along for the ride and... enjoying the things I can pay for." He smiles at me and shrugs. "Not to say that I'm not enjoying your company, of course. I quite enjoy your company." He chuckles a bit.

After I'm done putting my food away, I lean against the kitchen counter and look at him with a frown. "You still haven't told me why you showed up at my place."

He leans against the kitchen wall beside me. "Ah, true. It's... kind of a long story. I hope you don't mind me explaining all of this. So, I've actually been watching you for quite some time now." He clears his throat. "I saw you at a few different places, at some points over the last week or so."

My jaw drops. "You spied on me?!" I look at Sharp in horror.

He puts his hands up. "Oh, no, no, no! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." He seems genuinely concerned by my facial expression. "I just... I decided that I have to meet you. But I was just... worried that you'd be put off by some stranger approaching you. So, I just... waited. And then, now I'm here." He indicates a slight bow.

I look at him like he has lost his mind. "Ah, so you decided to break into my flat and tell me you're a wizard. Of course, that's a more gentle way." I roll my eyes.

"Hmm. When you put it like that..." He chuckles. "I sound insane. Look, you don't have to believe me. But, that is who I am. Maybe I didn't use the best introduction, but I had no idea how to introduce myself and... well, this is what happened instead." He sighs. "But I didn't break in. I used a spell. A very, very minor spell."

I tilt my head slightly and raise my eyebrows. "You still haven't explained why you showed up at my place. Now please don't say you thought I was pretty or anything."

His tone is amused, as he responds in the negative. "No, nothing like that. Though, if I may..." He pauses and chuckles. "Indeed, I do think you're pretty. But that's not why I'm here. But, I am here to ask you a question."

"No, no, no! Do not distract! First, you will answer my question!" I glare at him.

He raises his hands defensively. "Fine, what do you want to know? Look, I'm not just randomly stalking you, all right? I have a purpose for being here. I just haven't told you yet, which... yes, I recognize is a mistake on my part."

I look at Sharp with narrowed eyes, waiting for an answer.

Finally, he nods. "Well, my purpose for being here is because you're magical, actually. Just not in the way that you think you are."

"Huh?" I stare at him stupidly.

For a few seconds, the corners of his mouth lift slightly, as if suppressing a grin. Then his expression becomes neutral again. "I am aware that you're magical. Well, that's more accurate to say that I know you have magic inside of you. However, you don't know about it. And that's why I'm here. You are a witch."

Chapter 5: The Exploding Flowerpot

 

 

"Huh?" I repeat confused.

Sharp puts his hands up, shrugs and chuckles. "I know that I'm not explaining it very well. But, I'm aware that you have magic inside of you. You're a witch. You were born one but for some reason... it's just never shown up."

"Huh?" I repeat confused for a third time.

He rolls his eyes and sighs. "Okay. How do I say this?" He rubs his chin. "Basically, you're a witch, but you just... don't know about it. Because the magic has never come out for you."

I start laughing hysterically. "Yeah, of course. Can you slap me again, please? Maybe I'm actually still asleep. Or the picture fell on my head when you hang it up and in reality, I'm lying unconscious on the floor." I gesture at the painting on my wall.

Sharp looks at me in slight annoyance. "No, you're not asleep. I know that it's a weird thing. But, I'm not lying. To be honest, I'm surprised that you're reacting like this. In a good way, of course. Normally, I have to sort of... convince people of this sort of thing. But, your reaction is quite hilarious." He chuckles while he says the last sentence.

"This day can't get any more stupid anyway." I raise my hands in surrender. "I'm probably still in shock because a wizard showed up unannounced at my flat, hung up a picture, and then folded my laundry. Oh, and we went grocery shopping too."

"Ah, yes. Look at it this way. It's not every day that a wizard appears in your apartment, does your laundry, and goes shopping with you." He chuckles. "I think you've got yourself quite the interesting day."

I groan. "This day is very hard for me." After a few seconds, I ask. "So can I do magic now?"

Sharp chuckles and nods. "I suspect that you can. To be honest, I don't know how to tell what your abilities are. But, you do have magic in you. I know this much. I think you just need to find your inner confidence and try to use magic. Because the magic is in you." He sounds like he genuinely believes what he is saying.

"Now if I wave your wand, what happens?" I look at him curiously.

"The wand does help to focus your magic. But, ultimately... it's all on you to produce the magic. You have the magic." He takes his wand from his pocket and offers it to me. "I'll gladly let you try to practice with my wand if you'd like."

I sigh. "I'm not sure if I really want to…" I am firmly convinced that I have absolutely no magical powers. But if Sharp wants me to do something... I take his wand, sigh again and do the first thing that comes to mind. "Wingardium Leviosa!" I gesture with Sharp's wand like Hermione did in the first movie.

For a few seconds, nothing happens. Then suddenly, my favourite flowerpot on the windowsill explodes with a loud pang. Shards of clay and dirt fly around. I yelp anxiously and stare at my late flowerpot in horror, feeling struck by lightning. Then everything goes black.

 

 

Sharp seems a mixture of amused, horrified, and confused as I do my wand move and my flowerpot explodes. He walks up to me after I fainted and kneels next to me. "Well... obviously, you are a witch. I'm going to assume that your magic is just somewhat uncontrolled. Are you all right? Do you need any help?" He looks down at me and offers a hand to pull me up.

"Ouch…" I lay on the floor groaning. Then I hold out the wand to Sharp. "I've changed my mind. My magic seems dangerous to the public. I do not want that! Take this… magic away! That was my favourite flowerpot!"

"I see. That's understandable. That flowerpot did look pretty nice." He takes his wand from me. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" At least he seems somehow concerned.

"My head hurts!" I whine dramatically and look at him angrily. "Do something! Your wand is to blame!"

He rolls his eyes again and takes out a potion from his pocket. "I've got this. It's a healing potion." He puts the vial with the solution by my mouth. "Take a sip."

I glare at the potion critically. "Wiggenweld potion?"

Sharp looks at me and nods. "Yep. Wiggenweld potion." He seems slightly stunned that I know what it is. "That's actually really impressive."

I look at him with narrowed eyes. "I told you I read all the Harry Potter books very carefully. Never dare to question my expertise." Then I sit up, take the vial and empty it. I feel better immediately and my headache disappears.

He grins. "Yes, you did tell me that. I hope that you enjoyed them. Though, reading about magic and actually experiencing it is very, very different." He chuckles.

I sigh one more time. "Okay, what's the plan now? You teach me everything I need to know?"

Sharp nods. "For the most part, yeah. That's kind of it. Though, before we do that. I do have one last question." He chuckles again. "Have you thought about a magical pseudonym? Or a witch name yet?"

"Haha. Very funny." I roll my eyes again but have to chuckle too. After a small pause, I say: "It's all a bit much all at once. And can you please fix my flowerpot?" I pout. "Now."

He looks over at the remains of my pot. "Ah, yes. Good point." After a simple wand motion, it begins to repair itself. Moments later, I have my favourite flowerpot back. Sharp nods. "That should do it."

I watch him remove the mess. "Where can I get my own magic wand from? Will we go to Ollivander's?"

Sharp nods again. "I'll take you over there, so you can select your wand. And, of course, it would be my pleasure to help you."

"Oh hell. That should be a joke…" I groan as he mentions Ollivander's. "Ugh. Okay. Where do we go when there's no Diagon Alley?"

He looks at me amused. "Well, there's a branch for Ollivander's in Hogsmeade. I could take you there."

"So, there is no Diagon Alley and there is no Knockturn Alley either, but Hogsmeade actually exists?" I facepalm. "Everyone here is crazy…"

"Yes. Unfortunately, Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley don't exist in the real human world, but Hogsmeade does. The wand shop in Hogsmeade is one of my favourites, actually." Sharp grins at me.

I roll my eyes. "How do we get there? Do you apparate?"

"Yes, we will be apparating. I'm assuming that you know what that is?" Of course, he teases me.

"I'm still fascinated that Rowling 'invented' so much of what actually exists." I mumble.

He snickers. "Indeed. Even still. She did get a lot of things right. Anyway. If you'd like to keep that in mind when we apparate, then that would be very helpful."

"Let me put it this way: I'd rather apparate with you than also have to sit on a broom today. This was enough excitement for a long time." I let out an indefinable growl. "How long will we be gone?"

Sharp shrugs. "Not very long. We'll be there, we'll pick out a wand for you and then we'll be back." He smiles at me and extends a hand. "Come along."

"Oh, good lord… we will all gonna die." I take his hand.