Our Destiny

10. Edmund Black

November seventeenth. That morning, there was an incredibly good atmosphere in the boys' apartment. Chris was the first to get up, waking up all his roommates in the process. Shortly after, he returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. When the remaining three finally entered the room and took their seats at the table, the brunet pulled a pizza out of the oven that he had bought the night before. He placed the ready dish in the middle of the table and sat down on an empty chair.

"This pizza is frozen in the middle," grumbled Logan, who nearly broke his teeth on it. He discarded the piece he was holding onto a plate, as did Mike and Jake. However, his words didn't offend the green-eyed one in any way. He continued to eat his portion, albeit with some difficulty due to the ice shards that grated heavily in his mouth. "We need to leave soon," he added.

"Where are you guys going?" asked Jake, unaware of his roommates' plans. He knew that the early wake-up call and the joyful atmosphere, which was not even spoiled by the inedible meal, must mean something.

"We're going to the wizard fair in Brooklyn," explained the dark-haired one, warming up his slice of pizza with his hands, suddenly craving it. Hearing the boy's words, the blond still didn't know what that event was about. So, he sent a questioning look to both him and Allen, who was sitting next to him. "It's an annual event for Wizard Day. You can buy various magical items all morning, participate in wizarding attractions, and see shows. In the evening, there will be performances by wizards specializing in such spectacles. Every year we take Chris's sister with us. She loves them," he explained, and with each word, Jake became more excited. "Do you want to come with us?"

"Sure! What time are we leaving?" he didn't need to be asked twice. He couldn't miss this, especially since he'd probably be the only ordinary human there. Alone among hundreds, if not thousands, of wizards? He was excited, although he tried not to show it. Magic was something amazing and unattainable for him. He knew he would never be able to experience casting spells, but he wanted, if only for a moment, to feel like he could.

"We have a train in two hours," announced Chris, straightening his shirt. Jake nodded in understanding and went to change. The remaining three sat, planning today's event and trying to eat the pizza.

Finally, when their feet touched the Brooklyn station, they breathed a sigh of relief. They returned to a place where they didn't have to hold back. To a place where no rules applied to them. Without wasting time, they headed to Chris's family neighborhood. On the way, they talked, watching children playing and other wizards using magic. Everything seemed so magical and wonderful to Jake. The buildings seemed better maintained, the grass greener, and just everything was better here. Magical.

They walked for a while until they finally reached a neighborhood filled with individual fenced-off estates. And maybe it looked like Jersey City, but thanks to the Videre secretum spell, Jake could see much more than an ordinary person. Each backyard was decorated according to a long-standing tradition. On Wizard Day, several colored lamps floated in the air near each house, reflecting the number of residents and the color of their magic. Additionally, here and there, you could see other amazing decorations. The blond also saw his peers or younger people playing ball with each other. And it might seem completely normal, but the object disappeared for a while during flight, leaving behind an almost invisible streak. It looked like great fun, but the brown-eyed one knew that he would get hit in the head during the first round.

Finally, they all stopped in front of a two-story, green house with a garden. It looked really cozy, thanks to a large number of magical decorations, as well as ordinary ones. Also, here were colorful lamps illuminating the walls of the building slightly. Chris went through the gate and walked along the beaten path towards the entrance of the house. He climbed two steps and then pulled the handle, opening the door and stepping inside the building. Already from the threshold, he was greeted by the delicious smell of his grandma's cooking, which immediately made him hungry. The four of them entered the hallway, where they could now calmly hear the conversations in the living room.