The Animagus: Discoveries

"He..." I can't finish my sentence.

My jaw stays agape as our dad's rush us out of the room. It is clear now, they have known about the supernatural for years and never told us. Even with our natural inclination of the topic. I feel restless as dad half-drags me away from Rob's body.

"What the hell kind of magic is Clara able to use these days?" My dad asks himself aloud.

"She killed him with a message to us." Daegwood replies.

"We are going to need the help of the Ancestral Hunters." Dad says.

"Who are they?" Janine asks.

Already I am falling behind in my state of shock. I just saw something I would have expected as a midnight supernatural freakshow, not in my life. Not with beings that don't exist. That can't exist. It's impossible, isn't it? I grasp my head as I try to understand the bending state my reality is in.

"Witches are real..." I stagger out of my shock.

"Apparently." Janine says.

"You, are a witch descendant." I say with excitement.

"I'm not a witch though." She replies.

"You could be taught, though." Daegwood says.

"Daegwood, no, we can't have another case like Cherisé." My dad says.

"I wouldn't want to be a mangy animal." She says.

"What are the odds of men being an animagus?" I ask.

"We haven't seen it before, but it may be possible." Dad says.

"So, maybe you guys can send me." I offer.

"Anthony no." Janine says.

"Why not? I could try to find out stuff and use my ability as a cover. Just because one uses their gifts for bad doesn't make all of them bad." I say.

"That's not necessarily true, Anthony." My dad says.

We sit in the general waiting area. It seems my dad has an idea on what's going on, but clearly here is not the place to discuss the matter. My dad has made it clear by that sentence alone.

"So, I take it we are going home soon?" I ask my dad.

"Yeah."

"Can we join you tonight?" Daegwood asks.

"I think that would be suitable." My dad agrees to the idea of dinner.

"Awesome!" Me and Janine both exclaim.

We await for the remainder of the officers to enter the interrogation room. They even have camera evidence of what happened so we should be able to head home.

"Well, I suppose I'll find someone." Daegwood seems to be rather irritated by us having to wait in this paper and coffee scented place.

Clacking of keyboards. Ringing phones. Radios are buzzing on and off. An office radio plays some classic rock. Daegwood walks over to a detectives desk.

"So, Anthony, me and your uncle aren't even supposed to know of your grandmother or aunt." My dad leans in as he whispers to me.

Janine wears a quizzical look as her emerald eyes pierce to me. Now, I know that we found our side project for the year, if we don't close this case or even help with it. I don't care what the cops say, they need a hand with this.

To top it off, if this is about my family, I want to know. Especially if what the cop revealed is true, though I doubt it is a lie at this point. Why would they go so far to cover the relation they have to Cherisé.

"We'll talk more at the house." My dad says.

"Fair." Janine says.

Daegwood is still talking with a detective. He seems to be somewhat upset. The detective stands suddenly with a hand on his tazer. Daegwood comes back to us and takes a seat quietly.

"Didn't work out like high-school did it brother?" My dad chuckles.

"Nope." Daegwood sighs.

"He's a detective, not a teacher for detention." My dad keeps poking jokes.

In self admittance I am laughing but having a very difficult time concealing it. The time we wait for is going by much faster now. Dad always knows how to make things feel like they are more enjoyable. 

"So maybe we need to figure out what exactly we want for dinner." Janine tries to change the topic for a moment.

"How's barbeque sound?" My dad asks.

"Oooh..." I exasperate.

"Sounds like an idea. You're a great grillmaster." Daewood pipes in.

"Sounds like ya'll know already we don't need you to stay, come back for two tomorrow for another interview." The chief's voice comes from behind me.

"That's good." I sigh.

"However, we are considering starting a new task force for the situation at hand." The chief announces.

"Interesting." Janine says.

Before we open the next section of talk my dad grabs my arm and leads me straight out of the police station. I sigh as I find myself outside on the steps. Janine and her father, Daegwood, follower a moment after. We all get into my fathers SUV. We all take a deep breath.

"So what the hell do we not know dad?" I ask.

"Well, you're aunt was a witch." He replies. "It's a bit of a story." He adds.

"I think we all have gathered that." Janine says.

RAP-A-TAP-TAP!

The chief is at the passenger window where my uncle Daegwood is sitting. He rolls the window down. The chief hands him the chest and it's contents. 

"I don't need this stuff. Everything has been scanned or photographs." The chief says before walking back into the station.

Daegwood rolls the window back up. He lets out a sigh and then nods his head. He and my dad laugh lightly. 

"I want the grimoire." I say.

"I will read the journal." Janine says. "Maybe it will tell us about the key. I wonder if it is to something in the basement." She adds.

"I swear, they are just like us as kids." Daegwood laughs.

"Well, unless you already know." I say.

"Ahh, now that's my boy." My dad says filled with pride.

Dad turns the key to the vehicle and the engine roars as we pull out from the station. The sun is starting to make the sky orange as it begins to hit the horizon line. I find myself just absorbed in the idea of the grimoire. Daegwood passes Janine the journal and then passes me the grimoire. i grin looking at the stitched hide cover of this grimoire.

"I really hope this is animal skin." I laugh nervously.

"She wasn't some kind of canni-" Daegwood goes to say. "Well, I guess it would still be cannibalism." He rubs the back of his neck.

"What are you getting at?" Janine asks.

"Well, when a witch learns to be an animagus, they have to handle the primal urges." Daegwood continues to explain. "She became more animal than person, over time." He adds.

"Okay." Janine nods.

"She built her own cabin." My dad says.

"I see, is that common for witches?" Janine asks.

"According to what I understand." My dad sighs.

The conversation continues when I begin to figure out how to open the grimoire. The leather is seeming to be some kind of animal skins. The joining clasp is made from five bird beaks, a detail I did not notice before. 

"When spring break hit, she started making a book." Daegwood says. "I believe it's the grimoire your holding, Anthony." He adds.

I smirk. I feel like my world is unfolding with this piece of family history in my hands. I pry the beaks and a click is heard. I try not to wince at the sound of the cracking leather as I spread it open, probably for the first time in decades. 

"How long did it take to craft?" I ask.

"Well, a few months." My dad makes the guess, just by the sound of his voice. 

I look down onto the very first page of the grimoire. 'Property Of Cherise Rickards' is written on the very top. The writing looks like it was done with the quill of a pheasant. I couldn't understand the significance of that. I admire her penmanship. Very clean writing.

"Well, she certainly wrote nicely." I say. 

I can feel the vehicle veer and then stop. I look up to see the house. The vehicle is in the driveway. I close the grimoire and then unbuckle my seat belt. I get out of the car, like the others. We go to the front door, my dad flipping the car locks to have the vehicle beep at us.

Dad unlocks the front door to the house we live in. I feel relaxed knowing we are home. Daegwood carries the chest into the dining room and lays it on our dark oak table. I sigh as I find my way onto the couch, Janine sitting next to me as I sit myself. The fabric holds heat very well and I can't help but feel relaxed.

I open the grimoire by the beak clasp. I flip to the second page. I sigh deeply. I can't understand what this is even written in. 

"Hey, why is this in another language?" I ask.

"According to the journal, so far, it seems latin is something she was learning from her mother." Janine says.

"That explains the gibberish we heard as kids." I hear my dad call out from the kitchen.

"Wait, so no one thought that was weird?" I say.

"Well, mom did it, so for us, that was normal." Daegwood explains.

"I guess when raised in an environment that would be considered to be the norm to the individual." Janine says.

"Fair enough." I say. 

I look over Janine's shoulder to read some of the journal if I am able to. Janine doesn't mind. The words on the page are far too blurry for me to read from this distance. I may need to see the eye doctor.