If you're lost you can look and you will find me, time after time -- Summer 1958

Jonathan and I were going to be having a date.  We had been dating for almost a year now.  I knew there was something that he wanted to tell me... and I was a little worried.  He seemed so nervous about it -- but it could not be a proposal.  Something about the way he spoke to me told me that it was not something like that.  We were going to be having a picnic at the reservoir for dinner and watch the sunset and then look at the stars.  I loved little dates like that.  It was very romantic.  And it would be us alone to be able to talk.

We walked to the perfect place and we laid down a blanket.  I started to pull things out of hte basket and then I looked at John.  "Honey, what's on your mind?  You seem strained..." I said to him.

I chuckled at Hope's comment.  "I'm not stressed, love," I said to her gently.  "There's just some things on my mind is all..." I trailed off.  I needed to tell Hope that I was a wizard... and especially tell her that the night we met that she was in no harm.  That I just saw her beauty and instantly fell in love with the stars in her eyes.  It had been only a boggart... I did not have to walk her home, but I was so gla that I did.  I just hoped that she would not get offended by the lie of what I was and what had happened that night.

I smiled gently at him and put a hand upon his.  "Jonathan," I said to him softly, "why don't I believe you?"  I let go of his hand and poured him a glass of wine.  "Just have a drink and tell me, dear."

I laughed when she pushed a glass into my hand.  "I'm not what you think I am," I started out, ready for her to get angry and throw me to the curb.

I furrowed my brow slightly.  "What do you mean?  You're not a writer?" I inquired.  He knew I had quite the imagination... I could not blame him for wanting to be something that invovled an imagination.  Besides, some of his work that I was able to see, he had quite an imagination himself.  "You know I've read some of your work; your imagination is brilliant as is your writing."

I chuckled slightly.  "Oh, dear, I am a writer," I assured her.  "However, it is not of fiction that I write.  That is all true - the boggarts, hinkypunks, everything."  I could see the skepticism written all over her face.  "Hope, I am a wizard."  I was not entirely sure how she would take it.

I laughed and shook my head.  I then realized that John was not joining in on the laughter.  I still had a smile on my lips, but my laughter faded.  "Honey, whatever do you mean?  Wizards... they aren't real," I said to him, though I could tell that he clearly believed it to be true.

I knew that this was going to end horribly.  I just had to plow forward.  "Those aren't works of fiction," I said to her again, but this time I reached into my jacket where I stored my wand in a magically enlarged pocket.  I pulled it out and showed it to her.  "I am a Wizard, Hope.  But a wizard who is madly in love with you."

I looked at him and laughed, shaking my head.  "How dare you," I teased.  "That means that whatever was in those woods was real and you made me believe it was a figment of my imagination!"

I stared at Hope, utterly surprised.  "You actually believe me?" I questioned.  I figured that if she believed me, she would run away from me.  Wizards were not real and anyone who believed in wizardry was not viewed very well in the Muggle world.

"My dear Jonathan," I said to him lightly, "you know how open minded I am. I admit, it is a bit startling to realize that it's all true -- the wild stories of what some people have said." I chuckled and pushed hair behind my ear. "I love you. And I can understand why you wouldn't have wanted to tell me initially... I'm just happy you told me now."