The Magic of the Cathedral

 

            Timothy hurried to the construction site. He wanted to get there before the foundation was finished. He lifted up the bottom of his robes so he could run. Shouts of “Good morning, Father!” and “Good day, Father!” followed him as he got closer to the site. There were a lot of people who had come to work on the new cathedral. This would be perfect.

            Timothy slowed down as he reached the center of activity. He looked over the nearly completed foundation and marveled at how huge this place was going to be. He drew his robes close around him and tried to appear pious. His disguise as a holy man would only work if he acted the part. He slowly walked the perimeter, pretending he was there to inspect the work as it progressed, but really, he was looking for a suitable place to perform the spell.

            He might have been dressed as a priest, but Timothy was actually a wizard. He had been looking for a permanent structure that would last a really long time, and a cathedral would fit that requirement. If everything he had heard about the new Notre Dame Cathedral turned out to be true, then this would be a truly massive building. It would take a very long time to complete, and it was meant to be around forever. This suited Timothy’s plans perfectly.

            The spell would tie his life to the life of the building and would allow him to find other young wizards and teach them about the magic in the world. Wizards usually lived longer than normal humans, but Timothy had already lived longer than most wizards. He had watched the magic in the world diminish alarmingly over the last five hundred years. He remembered when dragons actually flew in the sky and fairies didn’t feel the need to hide.  

            Timothy walked over to where the workers were digging and placing foundation stones. He would have preferred to cast his spell at night with no one around, but he would just have to create a distraction instead. Gripping his wand inside of his long sleeve, he muttered an incantation. Sparks flew out of his sleeve and streaked off behind him, landing in the back of a cart. That cart was full of hay bales, and the sparks immediately became flames, and soon the entire cart was engulfed in a burning inferno.

            People all around Timothy rushed in to help put out the flames. They could not let this fire get out of control. Timothy, meanwhile, took the opportunity to cast his spell on one of the remaining foundation stones that hadn’t yet been placed. Deftly cutting his palm with a small knife, he allowed a few drops of his blood to drip onto the stone. He then removed a vial of precious unicorn dust and sprinkled it over the stone. He then waved his wand and muttered a few words.

            With his work finished, Timothy walked over to join the rest of the crowd. Despite all their efforts, the fire had begun to spread. Several more carts and wagons now had flames coming off them. From inside his sleeve, Timothy waved his wand while muttering another incantation. After that, the flames lessened considerably, and people were able to put the fire out.

            Timothy smiled as he watched everyone return back to work. The foundation stones were laid, and he breathed a deep sigh of relief. This should allow him to live a much longer time and teach young wizards how to use their powers. It would also alert him to any new wizards in the area that would need guidance. He felt a hum resonate within him, and he knew that the magic was working. He looked around and immediately focused on a young man that was helping his father work on the cathedral.

            Timothy squared his shoulders and walked over to introduce himself. He needed to teach this new wizard everything he needed to know.

            Nearly 900 years later, Timothy no longer pretended to be a priest. He worked as a tour guide in the Notre Dame Cathedral. He had found and trained countless young wizards, and he still enjoyed his work. He shuddered when he thought of the horrific fire that nearly destroyed the cathedral a few years ago. It was a good thing he had chosen such an important building for his spell. The damage from the fire was being repaired, and the Cathedral would be around for many more years to come.

            Tourists were always amazed at his knowledge of the Cathedral. He knew the answers to everyone’s questions. Today’s tour group had the usual questions. As Timothy answered them, he felt the familiar hum of a new wizard nearby and turned to see a young man who looked a little bored.

            Timothy waited until the end of the tour, and then he slipped his card into the young man’s backpack. It had his website and email on it. He hoped the young man would contact him, but it would also allow him to know where the young man went. After so many years, Timothy knew everyone, and he could alert the wizard closest to the young man so he could still get a magical education.