A bit silly. I blame CalliopeWayne. Apologies if you’re a hardcore HP fan.
Jonathan hung up the phone with a soft click and turned to Martha, who stood at the kitchen sink washing up the last of the dinner dishes.
"What did he say?" she prompted, tossing the dish towel over her shoulder.
"He was very apologetic about the mix up." Jonathan sat down at the kitchen table and reached for the letter that lay in the middle of it. He shook his head and laughed softly before stuffing the letter into its envelope. "And very confused."
Martha giggled. "Well, he's not the only one." She pulled out a chair and sat beside him.
"Mostly he sounded disappointed." Jonathan continued. "He said he was looking forward to having such a powerful young wizard join the school. He kept raving on about how Clark would be Hogwarts' very first international student." Jonathon chuckled.
Martha struggled to hold back her own laughter. "Oh Jonathon, this whole thing is so…"
"I know, Martha." Jonathon cackled louder. "I just can't quite believe it! Wizards and witches? What's next? Angels and demons? The boogeyman?"
"I just wonder how they even found out about Clark? I mean, what made them believe he was a…wizard?" Martha tried to hold back another giggle.
"Headmaster Dumbledore…" Jonathon sniggered at the name, "said something about using a spell to track lost witches and wizards and, well… the spell somehow registered Clark as a wizard…probably something to do with his unusual abilities."
Martha took a breath. "This is the most bizarre thing that has ever happened to us, Jonathon."
"I know, Martha. Oh, and apparently, that really large fellow with the bushy beard that's been hanging around town?"
“Yes?"
"Well, he works for the school. He was trying to get some background info on Clark before Dumbledore visited us."
Martha's eyes widened. "He's visiting us?"
Jonathon shook his head. "Well, he planned to. But apparently, the school is overrun with trolls at the moment. He…he… didn't want to leave the students at a time like this…" He burst into hysterical laughter, digging his hand into his pocket to pull out his handkerchief to dab at his eyes.
"Oh, Jonathon! This has to be a prank of some sort? Maybe something the Lang boys have cooked up to fool Clark and Lana?"
"I don't know, Martha. The thing is… Dumbledore seemed so sincere…" Jonathon shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Anyway, I think it's time we have the talk with Clark."
"The talk?" Martha said in a hushed tone, her eyes flicking with concern.
Jonathon reached for her hand to give it a gentle squeeze. "I know Martha… but I think it's time…we can't let him go on believing he's a wizard."
Martha looked toward the stairs, where they could hear Clark upstairs playing in his room. "Poor darling. He's become so attached to that owl that's been hanging around his window. Calls it his familiar."
Jonathon leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "I'll just sit him down and explain it man to man—you're not a wizard… you're an alien. That's all there is to it."
Martha shook her head. "Oh Jonathon, please! We need to be gentle. He's still a little boy! We can't just burst out with 'Clark, you're an alien!'"
"I'm a what?"
Martha and Jonathon’s heads snapped around to see Clark standing at the bottom of the staircase. He wore a bath towel as a cape and held an oddly shaped stick out like a wand. A witch's hat sat lopsidedly on his head, and he held the kitchen broom tucked under one arm.
"I'm an alien, mama?" He pushed his glasses up his nose.
Jonathon cleared his throat. "Uh, Clark, come sit down, boy."
Martha leaped from her chair to go to her son's side, enveloping him a gentle hug.
"I'm not a wizard?" Clark cried, pulling away from Martha and tossing his hat and broom to the floor. "But the letter said–"
"The letter was a mistake, sweetheart. An accident." Martha guided her son to sit at the kitchen table with them. "We spoke to the headmaster and explained that–"
"That, what? That I'm an alien? That's why I’m so weird?"
"I'm sorry, Clark. We've wanted to tell you the truth for a long time. We just wanted to make sure you were ready."
Clark stood up. He stamped his foot, and the floorboards creaked in response. "But it's not fair! I don't wanna be an alien! I already told Lana that I'm going to wizard school in the fall. She will call me a liar if I don't go! What's she going to say when I tell her I'm really an alien?"
Martha and Jonathon exchanged nervous glances.
"It's probably best we keep the alien stuff between us, son," Jonathan said finally. He stood up and held out his hand for Clark. "Come on, let's go to the barn, and I'll show you your spaceship."
"It's pretty cool." Martha encouraged her sulking child.
Clark’s cape swished behind him as he followed his father. "Wizards are cooler. They can fly."
The end
