A Charmed Christmas

By Maggiethekitten

A lonely old wizard uses magic charms and the Christmas spirit to make his wish come true.

The sign on the house read, “K.T. Ugbay Wizard at your Service”. The fact that there were no footprints in the snow leading up to the dilapidated structure said that the Wizard had not been of service to anybody since the last snowfall. However, the truth of the matter was that no one had sought the old wizard’s services in hundreds of years.

Why you might ask? Because K.T. Ugbay or “No Way Ugbay” as the other students in the magic academy used to call him, was absolutely the worst wizard in the entire magic kingdom.

In nearly eight hundred years of existence, he’d never gotten a single spell right. His “misfires” had become almost legendary. It was almost as if being a wizard simply didn’t fit poor Ugbay. His hat was too small. His gown was too big and his wand … well it almost seemed as though he’d never been meant to have one.

His inability to cast even the simplest of spells kept even the most desperate customers away. His blasphemous views about mortals made him an outcast in his own kingdom.

Most magic users had a very low opinion of mortals. To them, mortals were like small animals that existed only to be teased and tortured and preyed upon. They were clearly an inferior breed and deserved to be treated as such.

Ugbay however, felt totally different about mortals. He thought the fact that they had to work to achieve their goals as opposed to simply waving a wand or saying a few magic words, gave them a character that most magic users did not have.

They lived a very short finite existence, but to Ugbay they packed so much into it. In their short span they knew hunger, cold, joy, desperation, ecstasy, victory, defeat, love, loss and laughter. At times they struggled mightily but they persevered and they learned and they grew.

And they were connected to each other which was the one thing Ugbay admired about them most. Mortals were rarely alone. They usually lived in communities and often associated in groups called friends, but the connection that Ugbay found to be the most amazing, the most beautiful, the most well … magical if you will, was the family grouping.

In most of these families there was a mother, a father and then various numbers of children. They lived together in a single unit, relying on each other, fighting with each other, playing with each other, and loving each other. These families were bonded together and the members would be connected for life. Ugbay thought this grouping was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

He’d even gone so far as to say that he thought that the mortal magic weaved in these family units was greater than that of the most powerful wizard! He’d commented more than once that he’d gladly turn in his back on magic and immortality, to know life as a mortal.

The other wizards and sorceresses thought him mad and as such never came to visit him nor ever invited him to any of the social functions.

Tomorrow was Christmas, one of the greatest of all magic days. There would be a huge celebration in the square. Everyone would be there, except of course for Ugbay. As he had for the last eight hundred Christmas’s he would be spending it alone with only his cat Muffin to keep him company.

Christmas Eve evening was quickly becoming night. Ugbay held Muffin and looked out his window. In the distance he could see the lights and he knew the magic users were gathering for the celebration.

He scratched Muffin behind her ears and looked at her sadly, “Oh Muffin … I don’t want to be alone, especially on the most magical of all magical days.”

The old wizard shuffled over toward the fireplace. The fire he’d started earlier had gone out. Any normal wizard would simply snap their fingers and set the fire ablaze, but not poor Ugbay. He had to build the fire sans magic because a snap of his fingers would be more likely to cause half the kingdom to burn down rather than ignite a few dried twigs in the fireplace..

“Muffin” the old magic user said, “If you and I were mortals. I bet we wouldn’t be alone. I bet we’d be part of a family. We’d belong somewhere and to someone. I bet these people would love us even if we were less than perfect and couldn’t seem to do anything right. Yes, these people wouldn’t let us spend Christmas alone. They’d come fetch us if we weren’t already there. Oh Muffin it would be the grandest of Christmas’s. I just know it would be.”

Muffin meowed her agreement with Ugbay’s sentiments.

It was then the old wizard got a tiny sparkle in his tired blue eyes. “Maybe we don’t have to spend this Christmas alone Muffin. Maybe I can conjure us up a mortal family to spend it with!”

Muffin jumped off the shelf she had been lying on and immediately looked for a good hiding place. She loved the old Wizard, but she knew his magic was no good. She also knew that not even the most powerful Wizard or Sorceress in the entire kingdom could create a mortal, let alone a whole family. Ugbay was doomed to fail and she didn’t want to be caught in the blast.

“Here now my lady there is no reason to take cover. I assure you my plan is harmless and actually might have some chance of success.”

Muffin was still less than convinced and had no intentions of coming out from under the bed.
She knew the Wizard’s “perfect record” when it came to magic.

“At least listen to my plan won’t you?”

A soft meow came out from under the bed.

“Good”, said the Wizard.

“Now we both know I can’t possibly create a mortal, but with a little luck”, the Wizard paused and reflected a moment, “okay with a lot of luck and just the right help, perhaps I can create a hologram”.

A hologram was sort of like an almost living picture. Most any Wizard or Sorceress could create one. The three dimensional picture looked and sounded exactly like the real thing, but was merely a magic generated illusion. The life span of these illusions could often last months depending on the strength of the magic used. In Ugbay’s case, this meant he’d be lucky to get one to last the night.

The old wizard shuffled over toward the window. “It’s Christmas Eve and as any magic user knows, it’s the most magical night of the year. The Christmas Spirit is in the air and great feats of magic are possible with it, perhaps even for me!”

The Wizard opened the window and cold air blew in. “We’ll fill the house with Christmas Spirit and hope it can boost even my poor magic.”

He then made his way over to a book shelf and took a small blue box from atop it. It was covered with dust and when he blew it off, he sneezed. “I’ve been saving this Muffin. Saving this for just the right time and that, my fluffy one is tonight!”

The Wizard opened the box and poured the contents into his hand. Seven tiny silver charms sat in his palm: booster charms they were called. A child’s toy is what they truly were. The charms, often animals and symbols were created by teacher’s at the magic academy to help the little one’s do assisted magic. The symbols were embodied with magic that sort of helped the toddler wizard perform magic. They would give him or her a little boost and they had safe guards built in to be sure their spells couldn’t go terribly wrong. It was almost like training wheels for wizards.

This box of charms had been found with Ugbay the day he was abandoned in front of the Little Wizards and Sorceresses home as an infant. He had always saved them, waiting for the right time, waiting for when he really needed to make magic. Tonight was the night. If only on this one night, Ugbay would finally get a spell to work. Finally … he would fit!”

“Prepare to spend Christmas with a mortal family, Muffin!” the old wizard promised as he picked the first charm from of his palm.

It was an elephant. He sat the noble beast down in the centre of the room, felt the cold night air at his back, closed his eyes, wiggled his fingers and concentrated with all his heart. Muffin closed her eyes as well.

A cloud of smoke appeared in the centre of the room and when it finally cleared a woman stood where the elephant charm had been just seconds before. She was absolutely beautiful, both in spirit and in body. She was smart, funny, passionate and compassionate. There was a sparkle in her eyes that said she lived and loved life. She was the Queen of this family and there were none better at preparing their children for adulthood.

From the elephant she brought great heart and great strength of spirit. She was brave, but alas petrified of mice. And what is an elephant without a trunk, so the Wizard wiggled his fingers one more time and placed just enough junk in hers to give it a good wiggle. Her name, he knew, had to be Jill.

The next charm the wizard put down was a combination of three things: love, peace and a musical note. When the wizard worked the magic and the smoke cleared a young woman stood in place of the charm. She was beautiful like the Queen. There was no doubt she was a princess in the family and the Queen her mother. Her very essence embodied the three symbols. Her eyes and her heart were full of love. Her passion was for peace and harmony in all things, especially the world upon which she lived. Her voice was a song and when she sang she could charm the birds from the trees. Her name was Emily.

The Wizard placed a tornado or whirlwind charm in the centre of the room. He hoped his magic and his luck would continue to hold. When the smoke cleared this time, another princess stood in the charm’s place. Again, she was beautiful like the Queen, another princess of the family. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and life. Her spirit embodied the energy and the power of Mother Nature. There was no first gear in this girl. She was always in overdrive. She went after everything a hundred miles an hour and like the symbol from which she came, she could lay waste to anyone or anything that stood between her and what she wanted. She loved children, a good sale and was a true whirlwind in the kitchen. She was named Erin.

The next charm made the Old Wizard smile. It was an open book with a cute bookworm sitting on top. Ugbay sat it nearby his other three creations and with cold Christmas spirit at his back, he tried his luck once again. Another cloud of smoke appeared and then cleared and another princess was created. Like the two before her, it was obvious she belonged to the Queen. Her beauty was soul deep as well. She was the youngest and smallest of the three princesses, but no less embodied with qualities of her charm. Being so young, this one’s life was still an open book with many chapters to be written. And like the bookworm she adored the magical world of fantasy. She was a dreamer who knew the only boundaries in life were those of your own imagination and desire. This one would have made a great sorceress. She had almost had a dark gothic look to her although the Wizard was puzzled by the small pink kitty on the shoulder bag she held. She was so blest. Her name was Samantha.

The Wizard picked through the charms in his palm and picked up a hard hat. He wondered what would come from such a charm. He found out seconds later after the smoke cleared. Four for four on princesses as another beautiful girl was created. This one was as beautiful as the Queen and the princess before her, and while she was definitely the daughter of the Queen, this one had come to the family in a different way. She had been chosen by the Queen, because she had captured her heart. And while she had not always been in the royal family, there was no place else she could ever belong and she was loved as dearly and completely as all others. The hard hat symbolized the hard life this one had lead before coming home. It also stood for her work ethic, for this was the hardest working little girl ever. She was on a mission to build a good life and to make her Queen Mum proud. She mixed hard work with a soft heart and a love for all, especially those who hurt or were in need. She was Christina.

This royal family was beautiful but a bit overlade on estrogens. The Wizard was beginning to wonder if there was a man in the palm of his hand. He picked a heart charm with a green peridot stone in it. If his ancient memory served him right, peridot was the birthstone for August. He sat the charm down by the five ladies and worked his charm and spirit buoyed magic. When the smoke had cleared, he’d finally drawn a King. This man was tall and strong and totally handsome. The beauty of his head was not detracted by hair. He was a true brave knight ready to rescue a damsel in distress or a racoon trapped in a soap warehouse. While not one much to watch the joust, he liked him some bumper to bumper NASCAR action. Yes, he was truly Lord of the manor or at least his own backyard, but the symbol of the heart shown through his beautiful eyes for despite the rough and rugged exterior he was a true romantic on the inside and that heart that was his essence clearly belonged to Queen at his side. His name was Jeff.

Finally the seventh and last symbol. It was a very odd one: a cat’s food dish. This made Miss Muffin peek out from her hiding place. “Well I wonder if you’ll have a friend”, he said to her Fluffiness. A gust of wind, a few finger wiggles and when the smoke cleared there was a second feline in the room. She was ever so slightly Reubenesque, a full figured feline. Her black and white markings reminded one of a bovine or cow. She was obvious royalty if only in her own mind. She was refined, dignified and a lady in every way, except for when she was on a catnip bender. Her curtsey was a very cute flop. She loved her some lap and she never met a full food dish she didn’t like. Her name was obviously Cow.

Ugbay looked at the images he created and his eyes misted. For the first time in eight hundred years he’d gotten it right. “Look Miss Muffin. Have you ever seen such a wonderful mortal family? Oh there truly is spirit and magic in the Christmas air tonight. For this Christmas if no other we won’t be alone.”

The old wizard was exhausted now, the magic had taken quite a bit out of him and he headed over to his comfy chair. He’d gotten almost there when a sparkle on the floor had caught his eye. “Now what do we have there?”

He knelt down and picked up a tiny silver charm. “What this? But … but I was sure I had only seven charms.”

He stared in amazement at the eighth charm he’d never seen before. He turned it over in the palm of his hand and smiled as it was a cute and playful kitten. He was thrilled to see there would be one more member of his magical mortal family, but the final addition would have to wait. He was simply too tired to wiggle a single finger.

The Wizard made it to his chair and eased down into it. Muffin immediately took her place in his lap. The spirit of the cold Christmas air continued to blow in. He was simply too tired to get up and close the window. “You and I will take a little nap old girl and when we get up; we’ll do one last bit of magic and see what we get from this kitten.”

Muffin and the Wizard were soon sleeping soundly.

Santa’s number one elf was making her final rounds in the house. “Let’s see. Santa’s cookie is out minus one … okay two bites.” She couldn’t help it. She loved oatmeal raisin.

“His glass of milk is half empty”, she sighed and wished Saint Nick was known for drinking margaritas instead.

All the presents were wrapped and she’d check on all the kids save for the youngest. She peeked into her eight year old’s room and nearly froze her nose off. It was positively arctic in there. She flipped on a light and stared in disbelief at a half open window letting cold air in and precious expensive heat out.

She walked over and shut the window with an attitude. “Katie! Katie Bug! Kay … Tee … Bug wake up!” she shouted. The sleepy eyed princess blinked her baby blues.

“Why is your bedroom window open?”

“Ummm … ummm … I was letting the Christamas spirit in because it’s magical!”

The mother sat on her daughter’s bed and shook her head. “Look if by Christmas spirit you mean Santa Claus, you don’t need to leave a window open for him. He can squeeze his fat, red velvet clad butt down our chimney just like he does every year. Anything coming in a window is gonna get shot by your momma.”

She then took her imaginary six shooter and spun it in her hand, taking a dead eye aim at the window and then blowing the smoke off the barrel when she’d shot her bulls eye.

This made her little one giggle and snuggle down in the covers.

Momma kissed her forehead and then left her with a word of warning. “No more open windows or I’m liable to throw you out one. And that goes for you too Muffin!”

Katie Bug’s cat had been peeking out from under the covers the whole time.

Momma turned off the light and then finally headed to bed for a long winter’s nap or at least four or five hours of sleep before the kids were up.

“So is the house all safe and sound and Santasized?” Jeff said with a smile.

Jill gave him that evil grin he so loved. “It’s all peachy keen, Jelly Bean. There’s barbed wire in the chimney, bear traps on the floor and I’ve laced his milk with cyanide. The kids are all nestled snug in their beds with visions of game systems they sure in hell aren’t getting this year, dancing in their heads.”

“That sounds more like Santacide than Santasized”.

Jill laughed and sat down on the bed. “Oh yeah and the Christmas spirit is coming in through an open window this year and not down the chimney.”

“What?” he said as he massaged her aching shoulders.

“Never mind … I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

“Coming to bed now, Grinch”, he teased with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Ho ho ho!” she quipped dryly as she pulled the covers over her.

She reached to turn off the light and then stopped. First she had to remove the early Christmas gift she’d received from the family. It was a charm bracelet with a charm that represented each of them. There was an elephant, a musical note, a tornado, a bookworm, a hard hat, a heart, a food dish and finally a little kitten.

The bracelet and everything else was a perfect fit.

Merry Christmas to my favourite mortal family.

Hugs and love Maggiethekitten