THE WALKER RANCH

Andrew showered, and changed into his pajama shorts and a t shirt. He found John hiding under the covers in his room. He put Todd's jar down beside Fred and dimmed the lights. He got into bed and picked up his wand. He ducked under the covers with John and said, "John, look. Lumos!" The wand lit brightly under the covers. "See? No more need to be afraid of the dark. "

John felt Andrew climb into bed once under the covers he made is wand light up "wow" john said wiping his cheeks "its not the dark im scared of" he said " Its the dragon coming back, I keep thinking its going to come back for me" he sighed again and wiped more tears from his cheeks "I told khaat what happened but I guess I could tell you to since your my brother now, the storm sounds like the noise i heard that day when the dragon attacked , dad ran out of teh huse mom told me to stay put but i got scared and ran after her, I saw mom ..." he pused shivering at the thought "dad was hit by its claw and he went down too, I tried to get to him, but two men came and dagged me away, for a while i thought I was all alone, then Khaat saved me and took me to my dad, but i still get scared " he covered his ears as yet another boom came " I keep thinking it'll come back for us"

"Khaat sounds pretty fearless. And pretty smart. And we're going to her place tomorrow? You'll have to introduce me. Does she like kids?

"Look, John, I met a dragon once. They're not bad creatures. They're only doing what somebody else tells them to do. If you want to be afraid of something, be afraid of whoever wanted you and your family hurt--not the dragon. Unless someone took care of that. If someone caught them, then you can stop being afraid of them too. Someday, maybe I can introduce you to a dragon and teach you they're not so bad. I think we should wait a few years and see what your magical powers are going to be first. You know about dogs, right? Dogs don't get mean unless somone teaches them to be mean. Dragons are the same exact way."

John sat listening "yeah she is pretty cool, she has kids and shes having one of her own" he pulled a face "a girl , abbey" he sat listening to andrew as he spoke more about dragons "Im not so sure" he started to say but tehn as andrew spoke more he nodded "yes, I think i'd like that" he looked at Andrew back pack "you.. you got that candy you told me of ?" he asked now not feeling that bad the thunder boomed over head but with his new brother close beside him he didn't feel so scared even though he did jump once or twice and the loud nose soon he yawned "tell me have you met one, a dragon?" he asked

OOC: Andrew just told him he did meet a dragon once--fyi.

"Yeah. My father took a trip to Romania about a year ago. He was selling some antique thingamabob to a guy named Charlie Weasley who raises dragons. All kinds. I was already talking to animals by then. We stayed for a couple of days. I spent those days talking to dragons. They were telling me about how some of them had been taiught to be really mean killers before Charlie got ahold of them. They don't like to kill. But some of them can have a quick temper. When we get a chance, i'll show you they're not so bad."

John nodded as he listened " I'd like that but how do you do that , talk to the animals like you do , must be good knowing what they say and all" he said laying down " all i can do right now it make stuff appear " He said and a stuffed dog apeared in his hand "see" he said sighing as he placed it down beside him "I don't know maybe im just not cut out to be a good wizard" he said playing with the dogs ear as he glanced from Andrew to the dog and back as he gave yet another yawn resting his head on the bed, the storm now seeming to grow less as it moved further away "hope Khaats animals are all right " he said "we don't have any yet , dad said we could choose what we wanted" he sighed

"From what I'm learning, you are just now getting to the age where your magic will be showing up. Most kids apparently don't start showing their magic until 9 or 10. That's what the professors at Hogwarts say. You're going to do fine. Maybe we'll have some of the same stuff, or maybe its different. Different would almost be better. We can have more fun that way,."

Andrew sat up to face him "really you think i'll get more magic things" he asked unable to hold back another yawn "ok so wheres this magic candy you spoke of in the tree house ?" he asked picking up the dog and holding it close to him under the covers "your wands cool " he said looking at it "do you think dad will get me mine soon?" he asked his fear now gone since the storm was no more than a faint rummble in the distance.

"you two ok in there ?" came stevens voice as he stood at the door way smiling he could see the faint glow under the covers" yes dad " came Johns voice he knew what was going on but said nothing but smiled rembering how he had done that as a boy. "ok, night guys, sleep well " he closed the door and headed to his own room smiling as he climbed into his bed.

Andrew got up and got two chocolate frogs out of his pack. 'I have a bunch of the stuff, maybe enough to last us my whole break. But be careful opening the boxes. They are like real frogs. They jump. But they're my favorite of all the wizard candies." He handed John a box and showed him how to open it and watched the chocolate frog jump around under the bedcovers until the spell wore off. "Its done now. Now I'll eat it. It somehow seems rude to eat it while the spell still lasts." He ate the frog. "Try yours."

John opened his box and watched the frog jump about till it slowed and stopped , picking it up he too a bite "Mmmm, its good "he said with a smile "don't worry dad can get ya more if ya ask , he'll get ya anything ya need for school " he said taking a second bite of the frog feeling it melt in his mouth as he chewed smiling "I can't wait for the barbaque tomorrow, Khaat said she'd take us flying on a hippogriff , how cools that" he said finishing his frog and licking his fingers to get the last of the chocolate from them.