WHO: Matt and his long lost brother?!
WHAT: SHORT AND SWEET REUNION
WHERE: A PARK
WHEN: RECENTLY



The park was a neutral zone. It wouldn’t give either of them the upper hand, it would make things comfortable, it would--

Matt paced in front of the park bench that had he’d found in the designated meeting area. Goodness! He sounded like he was on a top secret mission that could absolutely not be compromised! A few owls between himself and John Branson had led up to this, and now he was awaiting the arrival of Caleb Donnelly. Donnelly, how strange it was to think! He’d asked John numerous questions, traced back information, made him repeat his story again and again and again. It all seemed to fit their timeline, it all made sense, but Matt was still having trouble believing his brother was found. It was too good to be true.

“Matt?”

He whirled around, having stopped in the middle of the path. Matt’s breath stopped and he forced himself to keep his composure.

He did look just like him.

Caleb looked nervous, but he reached out to shake Matt’s hand. A hand shake? He didn’t hesitate and grasped the other man’s hand, unsure of what to say, should he even let go?

“Do you remember me?” Matt blurted, his grip tight.

“Of course,” Caleb said, cracking a grin. Blimey, he did look just like him. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t, I mean---” Matt stuttered, as his hands began to shake. He pulled away from Caleb and took a step toward the bench, only to move in once again. “I’ve been looking for you for years, and not a trace, and--you’re here? In Manchester?”

“I was homeschooled,” Caleb began to explain, wringing his hands. “I---couldn’t handle being in class and--we didn’t always live here, we moved a lot, there was always---weird things happening and---” The younger man looked up, eyes shining, “You really looked for me?”

“Of course,” Matt breathed, fists clenched. “I stayed at St. Joseph’s until I was seventeen and then---” And then, what? Caleb didn’t know about the wizarding world, that Matt or his roommate were wizards with magical powers. Matt had created a story and a life for himself, but to begin lying to his brother within the first five minutes of reuniting didn’t feel right, not at all. “I never stopped. I’m sorry it took me this long.”

Caleb smiled. Matt felt like he was being thrust back into the past; his brother, his brother didn’t look like him. He looked just like their father.

“Seems like---fate,” Caleb said softly, but his smile dropped as he noticed that tears had struck Matt’s eyes, “Are you--”

“I’m a big sap,” Matt managed, choking on the words as he lurched forward and threw his arms around his brother, determined to never let Caleb go. His brother! He’d finally found his brother.