Milnius the Muggle

Milnius was looking through his window, head in hands, eyes wide. The sun was shining and everything looked green and fresh outside – he didn’t care. He seemed to be watching something beyond – something which wasn’t visible to everybody.
A few minutes passed and he sighed. He shaked his head and turned to open that heavy book again. It was large and clearly very old, its letters were faded and hard to read.
Milnius was reading it as if his life depended on it.
The young man had always lived in the small cottage, right between the village of Greenbell and the forest of Diglippy. He could had had a pleasant, calm life – feeding animals, working on the fields – but he was only interested in one thing – wizardry.
Of course, he had to keep this in secret. He had seen plenty of witch – burnings, and he knew that village people dreaded magic.
The book he was holding was his greatest treasure. He found it when he was a little boy – and couldn’t put it down since then. It had every mystery about the world of wizards. Milnius was eager to learn about them – even if he couldn’t perform a single spell. As a child, he used to cry himself to sleep – it was his biggest wish to join the wizarding society. The impossibility was unbearable to him.
’Still, there is a glimpse of hope.’ Milnius thought to himself. ’If only I could reach the Oak of Hope…’
This magical tree had a special ability. Its branches had incredible power - anyone who managed to get one, got an especially powerful wand.
The tree stood right in the middle of the forest of Diglippy.

*

Milnius gulped and sighed. He wanted his dream come true – he said goodbye to his cottage and set out to find the Oak of Hope.
The path didn’t lead him through the woods – after a few miles Milnius realised he got lost. Fortunately he knew the place very well - he kept marching. Days and nights passed. He slept in bushes, small caves, even in a den. As he got further and further from his home, the forest became denser and denser by every step he took.
On the seventh day he was more exhausted than he had ever felt in his life. There were scratches on his body, he was hungry and cold.
’Why did I think I could do this, why?’ he kept asking himself. He decided to give up and sat down on a snag to rest. Suddenly, he heard a bird chirping. And as he lifted his head, he caught sight of a light blue light. He stood up and followed it – and as he passed a group of large bushes, he stopped and gasped.
There it was. The Oak of Hope was just as big, tall and extraordinary as he had imagined. The blue light covered its stem, and it looked…
’Marvellous’ Milnius thought. He didn’t hesitate - he grabbed a thick branch and started climbing. When he reached the top, Milnius grabbed the small knife which he had been carrying in his scrip. It had never cut anything before – only untouched knives could cut a branch from the Oak.
Milnius didn’t hesitate, though his heart was beating madly and his throat was dry. He cut – and he felt that the branch let go of the tree.
He couldn’t believe it. For a long moment, he was sitting silently- then the branch he had just taken started trembling. It was getting hotter and hotter, but Milnius couldn’t leave hold of it. He was screaming with pain and felt the branch burning his palm – he saw a flash of light and everything went dark.

*

When he woke up, he found himself lying on the ground. He was holding something – it was a brand new wand!
Milnius felt tears trickling down his face. As he opened his palm, he could see a deep scar – where the branch burnt his hand.
’It doesn’t matter’ he cried happily ’I can do magic now!’
He believed that the power of the tree will help him to become a real wizard. As he was walking through the forest, he met a large wolf.
He wasn’t scared. He pulled out the wand and waved it. Sparks flew from it – but the spell wasn’t strong enough. The wolf groaned and started to chase Milnius. He was running madly, and decided to climb a tree. But the wolf managed to bite his arm. He cried with pain, but kept climbing – and, finally, he was safe. He tried to mend his arm – but the wound became even deeper.
’I just need some practice, that’s all’ Milnius thought.
When he arrived home, he went to the local bar. Plenty of men were sitting there, and one of them started to say rude things to Milnius. He became angry and pulled out his wand again…
The next day found him at a hearing. He was accused of witchcraft.
The judge was about to announce the verdict, when a young woman cried.
’No!’
Milnius turned around. It was the daughter of the milkman, Amenus.
’He’s innocent!’
She made a sudden movement, and the judge nodded.
’Innocent. Cleared of all charges.’
’Why did you save me?’ Milnius asked her later that day. ’And how?’
Amenus smiled but didn’t answer. She merely looked him in the eyes, and Milnius felt as if falling and falling…
On the day of their wedding, Milnius heard crying from his room. When he went inside, he found Amenus sitting on the bed, sobbing.
’What’s the matter?’ Milnius asked.
’I have to tell you something before we get married… But I’m sure you’ll leave me if I do.’
’I would never do that. Come on.’
Amenus sighed and said:
’I’m a witch.’
Milnius sat there like a statue. Amenus looked at him sadly.
’I understand if you decide to leave me’ she said silently.
’Leave you…’ Milnius shook his head violently. ’I need you. You see…’ he put his hand on Amenus’ ’You make my dreams come true!’
Milnius never used the wand again - he realised he didn’t have the ability to control it. But he found every magic he had ever wanted in Amenus - both literally and non – literally. He didn’t seek it anymore.
The End

Translated by BabyStag