Wizards Go Muggle

Chapter Twenty two

Chapter 22

"This way!" Mike ordered. He was mostly speaking to the wizards. Linda and Darren dashed almost ahead of him. Harry struggled to catch up.
As to where the hell they were taking him, he had no idea. All the three had said was to leave their tents behind and only bring sleeping bags.

Of course, Harry had no problem leaving the repulsing pink embarrassment of a tent he'd planned to bring, but the sleeping bags Amber had given them were still pink nonetheless.

Getting tired of their slow pace, Mike grabbed his and Ron's arm and proceeded to drag them through the twisting woods. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Linda roll her eyes and smile. It was quite rare to see Mike so enthusiastic about...well...anything really.

His cool was façade cracked with each step further into the forest.

"Mike!" Linda panted. "We're not all pro soccer players here! Let's take a break, okay?"

Neither Harry nor Linda liked the devious smirk that crossed Mike's face. As usual, it ended with Linda shouting.

"Michael Harris, put me down!"

Linda kicked and clawed at him a couple times, but eventually surrendered to being carried over the shoulder like a flour sack.

After what felt like hours of a leg breaking hike, Mike finally announced their arrival at the destination.
All Harry could make out was a clearing covered by trees. Go figure, Mike and Darren wouldn't let them through until they made a dramatic entrance of the moment.

"Ladies and dorks," Mike began.

Whatever he had planned to say next was never heard. Harry and Ron grabbed him by the arms and stepped into the clearing.

Harry had not been sure what to expect when the muggles said they had a surprise for them. 'Wow' was the only word he could use to describe the hidden wonder behind the trees.

Wow.

The clearing was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. Silky grass and bushy white flowers coated the ground, looking like a heavenly pillow while illuminated by the glistening moon light in-between tree cracks.
It was a spacious area that made Harry feel both calm and drowsy at once. Even in this muggle forest, the area appeared almost enchanted. A trickle of a creak could be heard in the far back of the area. Harry remembered the lake the muggles had mentioned once or twice when talking about this trip.

The young wizard had been curious as to why Mike had told them to leave the tents behind. The answer to his question was the twisting array of old, fallen trees that had formed a large wooden cave in the center of the eye-catching panorama.

If the moon hadn't been enough to provide them the light they needed, the stars shone brighter than Harry had ever seen them here. A mixture of the burrow and Hagrid's hut were at play in the atmosphere.

"Close your mouth before you catch flies," Mike told them.

"It's so....so..."

"Amazing?" Mike finished. "I know. Darren and I found it during our first camping trip here—where we met Linda actually. Don't tell anyone else about it though. We don't want any other campers claiming this spot."

Ron and Hermione continued gawking. Harry—already over the shock factor—was at loss for words once again when he realized that the three teens he'd met less than a month ago were sharing such a dazzling place with him. Had they really become that close in such a short amount of time?