You hurry along the path: you mustn't let Red get out of sight, or you'll never get out of these bewitched woods.
The path ends in an ample clearing, with an old-fashioned house in the middle. Actually, the clearing looks like a little farm: you see a well, a small stable, a coop, a
baking oven and a kitchen-garden. "Granma's got all the 17th-century comforts", you mutter under your breath.
Suddenly, a big black wolf jumps out of nowhere and runs towards you, growling and showing its fangs. Frozen by fear, you wait for the inevitable assault.
Most unexpectedly, Red comes at your rescue, hugging the feral beast's neck. "Wolfie!", she says, half joking. "Don't you scare my friends like that! How many
times do I have to tell you?"
So, this is Wolfie the dog.
"Hi, Wolfie", you say, with an unsure smile.
The beast growls in response.
"Behave, Wolfie!", shouts Red, standing up. "Down!"
The dog (dog?) squats down on the grass, whimpering. "That's a good wolf", says Red in a calm, warm voice, scratching the dog's (or wolf's?) neck.
"Never mind him", the girl says to you, "he's always a bit upset when he smells a stranger. Come, let's get in".
Avoiding the wolf's stare, you follow Red as she walks to the hose and knocks at the door.
"Becky? Is that you?", a female voice asks. Red rolls her eyes. "Yes, Granny, it's me. With a friend", she adds, hastily.
The door opens, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman in her mid-thirties (although she's probably in her mid-three-hundreds, you remind yourself) with
raven-black hair and eyes, tan complexion and Mediterranean features. "So, this is your friend?", she asks in a barely accented English.
With extreme politeness, you introduce yourself. "Enchantée de vous connaitre", she answers, in French. "I go by the name of Julie Hood... in this country, at least.
What brings you here with my grand-daughter?", she asks, stabbing Red with an icy glare.
"Ahem... I've been, uh, practicing, Granny...", the girl answers in your stead. The woman sighs. "And your _friend_ saw you, n'est-ce pas?", she asks, rethorically.
"I've told you a thousand times: _first_ you learn the Amnesia spell, _then_ you can use magic in the outside world".
Red blushes in shame. "But I used your potion..."
"Not on your _friend_"
Red blushes further. "I had used all of it on those boys..."
The woman raises her hand. "Enough! What is done is done, and you will be punished for it. But now, we have to deal with you", and she turns to you, staring
straight into your eyes. "You've seen too much, you wouldn't be able to forget everything, not even by my magic. Ah, if maman was here, she would know what to
do..."
You catch a glitter in Red's eyes. "Wait a minute, Granny", she says, excited. "Don't you always complain about not having a second apprentice? Well, now you
can have one!"
Apprentice? Learning magic? Sounds both fun and terrible...