[i]Last Night[/i]

It was a reunion. 

Two men shared dinner at a small restaurant. They sat in a window-booth, where they had a view of the London street. This was the same restaurant they had dined in 11 years ago, which was their last meeting. Though it had a different name and owner now. And this was nearly the same table with nearly the same view, though the neighborhood had become much more trendy and the price point a bit steeper. They laughed and conversed for hours, the main course and the first bottle of wine were through, they gladly called for a second.

The taller one had a crooked nose and a sharp jawline softened by a line of white stubble. His name was Charles Horus, thin and gangly, and a healthy swath of silver hair. “You know Phelix, ever since we planned on meeting, there is something I can not get off my mind.”

“Why, what would that be?” Phelix was the shorter, squat and round, smiling from ear to ear. When the wine arrived he filled both their glasses nearly to the brim. 

“Remember Sally, our schoolmate, do you remember when she got pregnant? Then Samantha our co-worker… And and Mindy!”

“Do you have a confession to make, Horus?”

“No-no-no. I am thinking about how you correctly ‘guessed’ the gender of their child every time! And you told poor Annie she was having a daughter before she even knew she was with child!”

“That’s what everyone does at a baby shower. The odds are nearly 50/50 now. I think I’ve been wrong a few times…”

“No. You have not.” Charles said flatly. He folded his hands and leaned forward, speaking more quietly. “You are one of [i]them[/i] aren’t you? A Wizard? Is that why you never talk about your family? Have you been working with them all these years, now?”

Phelix was quiet for a long moment as he swirled the wine in his glass. The juice was thick, and clung to the sides, dribbling down in long thick legs when his hand finally stilled. “I’m not a very good one.” He finally said.

“I knew it!” Charles clapped his hands together, grinning as if he’d just won a jeopardy. “Why on earth did you become a scientist?!” He laughed, but then, his smile faded. “Why have you never told me?”

“I’m a scientist because [i]I love science[/i]. I never told you because… well… at first, while we were in college, it was illegal to say-so… I didn’t lie about my family, they [i]did[/i] disown me, and I never spoke to them after that even now. I wanted to leave all that behind me, including magic.”

“I suppose I can understand that. But even after… [i]the existence of magic[/i] was revealed. You said nothing.”

“Why trouble anyone? I had divorced myself from magic.”

“And when you 'retired'? What have you been doing?” Charles pressed.

“I was invited to Hogwarts. But you were already in Bolivia, I didn’t think… There was no need to trouble anyone with it.

“Hogwarts? Isn’t that the school?”

“Yes, I teach there. It doesn’t matter I’m a terrible Wizard.”

“Terrible? You made all those predictions…”

Phelix waved his hands. “No-no, that’s [i]nothing[/i], that is just fortune telling, not even a real prophecy.” Phelix pointed at Charles, teasing. “I get it, you always bet against me didn’t you. Do you feel cheated because I must say that--”

“I do not feel cheated, I feel deceived.” Horus snapped. “You kept this secret from me. I never lied to you.”

“Never?” Phelix nearly choked on his wine, but made no further protest on that matter. He might have dug in when he was young, but he was old now. He knew full well who had the higher ground. He did not want to waste his time arguing with precious friends. Not now. “Hmm… Horus, I am sorry that I have hurt your feelings. It just wasn’t important.”

“Not then. But what about during the war? What about now? You work for them. Were you going to tell me if I hadn’t guessed?”

“Charles, please. Tell me, does it really matter that I am a wizard?” Phelix smiled and set down his glass, looking his friend in the eyes with a most serious gaze. “What matters is that I am your friend first and foremost.”

Horus winced, as if the words tasted sour. Then soon replied. 

“I don’t know.”

They passed on dessert. 

~~~~

[i]Today[/i]

Unlike most teachers at Hogwarts, Phelix always dressed like a muggle, generally business-casual. No robes, no hats, just a pair of khakis, a tie with the periodic table of elements printed upon it, an atom-shaped tie-pin, a white button down shirt. He justified his unconventional uniform with the following argument: He was teaching wizards about muggles, he should dress like a muggle teacher. Teach by example.

He was a short stout man, walking with a small waddle. Fairly unremarkable. A nest of whispy white hair grew around his egg-like bald crown. He wore thick-rimmed glasses and carried a brown leather briefcase. Wearing earbuds and periodically glancing toward his smartphone, he hardly looked magical at all.

He stopped in front of a much taller, much younger, much more handsome man. “Professor McCarthey.” Phelix put his phone in his pocket and gave the man before him his full attention. He reached upward, offering his right hand to shake. “I hope your summer was safe… Say…”

Phelix adjusted his glasses and glanced about “... Say...when are we due to update our concealment spell?” There were several muggles that were lingering close to the platform entrance. "Is that our charm? Or is it a ministry matter?"

Muggles becoming aware of magic changed ‘the game’ quite a bit. It was much easier conceal a thing that no one was looking for in the first place.

He sensed that the Defense-Against-[i]the[/i]-Dark-Arts teacher was a bit frustrated by his face and his manner. He stood like a soldier at his post. Perhaps the day was not going as smoothly as usual. “Anything I can lend a hand with?” Phelix offered, looking up at the young teacher.