Moony0Moonie here, part 4

    "James, you know you are very dear to me, but why did you have to send for me when I was so close to the North pole?"
     James looked up, fighting a grin, relieved to see his friend. Lafayette, as always, was wearing dark violet robes with hypnotic designs and symbols etched into it. He wore a leopard print shirt and jeans studded with diamonds. In his hand, he held a golden staff, and a magical glowing orb held between two prongs, humming softly with powerful magic. He had his curly hair tied up in a bun atop his head, and the frenchman looked pissed. He had missed Lafayette, they were childhood friends before James had been called away to learn more about the elven world and Lafayette to discover the world's secrets and magic.
     "Because I needed you." He says instead, smiling faintly.
     "Couldn't you have called someone else? I was visiting Santa." He heard Thomas choke at the back, but paid it no heed.
     "Visit santa later," James rolled his eyes. "We need your help. You'll find our predicament very interesting, you might make a new friend."
     "But Mrs. Claus was making cookies! Mon ami, you have to understand!" Lafayette whined, and James could here another choke somewhere behind him.
     "Eat them later. Please, Lafayette." James sighed.
     "Fine. Alright. Stop giving me those eyes, you know I can't resist." Lafayette huffed, looking away in annoyance. "Why do you need my help?"
     James smiled. "Follow me."

-•-

    James had left Lafayette in Alex's room, along with Alex and John, and left for school. Lafayette stared around at his surroundings, scoffing at the messy and minimalistic style. Then he stared at the angel.
     "So, you are John Laurens?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "A former angel?"
    "Yes." John nodded, looking uncomfortable.
    "Fallen?" Lafayette already knew, of course. He just wanted to hear it from him, and maybe uncover a few mysteries himself.
     "Yes." John looked slightly terrified under Lafayette's catlike eyes. Lafayette peered into the angel's eyes, as if to stare deep into his soul. He did not, of course, stare into John's soul, but he did glean some hidden emotions.
    So he did something wrong, but unintentional?
     "You're wizard?" Alex's eyes widened, leaning forward. Lafayette started, breaking the spell. "That's so cool! Can you turn me into a dragon?"
     "I can, but that takes a lot of power, which I need in order to hide dear John's wings." Lafayette replied. He hid away his feelings of guilt for trying penetrate John's mind. Guilt is only a limitation to his abilities. "So I cannot turn you into a dragon."
    "Okay." Alex nodded, looking slightly disappointed. "Should I leave?" He asked uncertainly, gazing at the door.
     "Oh no, you can stay. You want to see some magic, yes?" Lafayette grin sharply, not unlike a cat. "Watch and learn."
     John looked positively scared.  

-•-

     Alex had left Lafayette snoring on the bed, creeping quietly out. John followed, eyes darting to the wizard's sleeping form every now and then.
    They closed the door softly and headed to the living room. John sat down, leaning on the couch, not used to having no wings.
    "Woah, that looks great! You pretty much can pass for a normal person." Thomas grinned, entering the room, holding a plate of mac and cheese.
     Alex wrinkled his nose in disgust. John chuckled, having found out about Virginian's addiction to the dish a day after meeting him. "Yes, I'm still not used to it."
     "How'd he do it?" Thomas asked eagerly, looking like a child on Christmas.
     "It was beautiful. He whispered some incantations and did some spells, then different colored beams and swirls shot out from his wand and onto the wings. It sort of morphed the wings and it seemed to fade and glow brighter at the same time." Alex gushed. "You can practically taste the magic."
     "Did it hurt?" Thomas whispered.
    "No." John shook his head. "It felt like a light breeze."
     "He sort of turned the wings into pure magic, like a glamour, changed its form but not substance." Alex grinned. He pointed to a silver locket around John's neck. "That's his wings. If he ever takes it off or it gets destroyed, his wings will show. It took a lot of energy, so he's currently taking a nap on my bed."
     "It feels different." John admitted. "But good. I can still feel where the wings once were. Lafayette does say that the wings might have risk of damage if the locket gets dented or destroyed."
    Thomas nodded. "Is he still sleeping?" Washington walked by, asking.
    "Is who still sleeping?" Lafayette waltzed in, yawning, accent heavy. Speak of the devil.
    "Oh, you're awake." Washington smiles. "Come, join us for lunch."
    "No thank you." Lafayette shook his head. "I'll just keep the vampires company, they can't eat cooked food, no?"
    "Nope." Alex shook his head. "We usually just drink blood. There's still some left over in the refrigerator, right?"
    At Washington's nod, he bounded over, grabbing two bottles and handed one to Thomas. "Wanna go to the living room? The smell of garlic is kinda making me sick." He turned to Lafayette.
    "Alright." The wizard answered, amused.
    "The food is probably delicious though!" Alex called over his shoulder, Washington chuckling in response.

-•-

    "Thomas, are you a shapeshifter? Why do you look like me?" Lafayette asked, intensely studying the vampire's face.
     "Why do you look like me?" Thomas parroted. "No, I am not a shape shifter, I am a vampire.
     "What sort of sorcery is this?" Lafayette muttered, followed by some French curses.
     "Just roll with it." Alex grinned. "Coincidence? Chance? Fate? It happened, so let it be."
     "I cannot just 'let it be'" Lafayette glared. "I am a wizard of high calibre, I must find out what magic was used."
     "There is no magic. Maybe we had a common ancestor?" Thomas frowned.
     Alex smirked. "You are more than a hundred years old, right?" At Lafayette's nod, he says, "Maybe you knocked up some woman in the past and she gave birth to him."
     At Thomas's horror stricken face, Lafayette jumped in, "I assure you, I did not knock up any women in the past. I don't swing that way." He said drily.
     "Oh okay." Alex nodded. "Maybe—"
    "Let's not talk about this." Thomas interrupted. "Just let it go."
     "Oh, alright." Lafayette rolled his eyes. "For now."
-•-
      "So, young man—" Washington started to say.
     "I am eight hundred and forty three years old." Lafayette deadpanned.
      "—are you going to stay around?" Washington barrelled on. "You seem to make James happy."
     Lafayette shrugged. "Maybe. I might drop by occasionally, to check if John's wings."
     Washington nodded. "Are there any other wizards I should know? Around this area?" He smiled. So much have changed these past few months.
    "Well, there's Charles Lee."
    "Lee?" Washington thought about his coworker, who taught math. The man was all bark, no bite. "I'd never suspect him to be a wizard."
    "He's a weak one, amateur." Lafayette rolled his eyes. "Would have been better if he wasn't too afraid of trying something new. Once, he set himself on fire while trying to light a bonfire."
     Washington laughed. "I thought that was an accident. He was using magic?"
    Lafayette nodded. "He's better at protection magic, offensive is not his forte."
    "Ah." Washington smiles. "You are a good man, Lafayette. I hope you come often."
    "It would be my pleasure."
-•-
     When James visited John a week later, he regretted his decision to do so.
     It was a mess. He could swear the television was on fire. He could also smell burnt cookies.
     On the couch, was Lafayette, laughing as if he'd known them his whole life. Illusions of dancing penguins shot out of his staff, prancing around the room.
    John was on perched beside Alex on a love seat, drinking what he hoped was apple juice, staring in fascination at the said dancing penguins.
     Alex and Thomas both had a glass filled with blood in one hand, grinning, occasionally yelling out orders to the penguins.
    "Pirouette!"
    "Tango!"
    "Waltz!"
    "Break dance!"
     Who knew penguins could do a split?
In conclusion, James both regrets and thankful that he made the decision to call Lafayette.