Chapter Twelve

The four of them sat around the dinner table, chatting about this and that, eating through the fried chicken and coleslaw, drinking orange juice, and catching up on old times.

‘Well, Free America is a strange beast,’ started Daniel D. ‘But you probably know that already.’
‘We have a fair idea,’ said Emma.
‘I don’t think, in truth, it is for everyone,’ said Daniel D. ‘It is, in many ways, more reserved, more backwards, as strange as that may sound, than your traditional America. Don’t get me wrong – they are American’s out here – but they
were those kinds of Americans who didn’t fit into the mainstream land of liberty and freedom. Which is ironic, as the place is called Free America. But it is in Free America were socialism has a far greater voice, as you might have already guessed,
or at least some of the true philosophies of socialism. It is very, very much a welfare sort of state, in as much as you will definitely be provided for if you are out of work or finding it difficult at any particular time. People here are motivated to
care and help for each other. Not, as some might perhaps think, out of any divine response, because religion here is quite basic. It is mainly out of a left wing socialist philosophy of caring for members of the state and being socially minded. Being
a responsible member of a society, rather than an individual looking to make a name for him or herself. Being part of a community and a family. Perhaps Communism at its ideal best. No, we don’t have communes or anything like that. At least not
significant ones. And, yes, there is a lot of capitalist drive and it is, technically, a capitalist economy and state. But there is, as said, a strong focus on cooperation, working as a team, and caring about all members of the community and being
there for each other. It is free in as much as it tolerates a lot of lifestyles which the mainstream don’t normally tolerate, but still has a sense of propriety about it. For example, there are certain cities with designated gay districts,
prostitution is allowed in certain designated areas, which is really very rare for most of heaven, and doing drugs and getting drunk on your own property is quite legal in most parts. I probably shouldn’t say this, but bestiality is even legal in 3 of
the states, which is not well known out there, as we don’t talk about it very much and it is discouraged but tolerated.’
‘Why so much freedom?’ Emma asked him, picking on her chicken.
‘Some people need it, I think,’ responded Daniel. ‘Just the way some of us are, perhaps by nature. We need to be around those kinds of people who are a lot more flexible on certain ways of life, and birds of a feather flock together as they say.
For the most part, though, it is like a dominant left wing state of America. There IS a religious element, but it is minor, and I am something of an exception in many ways. I fit here, though, because in my own Karaite Noahide tradition there is a fair
bit of leeway in the kind of lifestyle it permits, despite it being a religion of God.’
‘But why care about religion anyway?’ put in Emma. ‘I mean, God doesn’t care. He never seems to too me. I have been here, with all my family, for so long now, and never has it really been discussed or raised.’
‘You seem to fit into a certain social expectation,’ said Daniel. ‘Forgive me, Em, but Hermione Granger can’t afford to be particularly religious. She is a witch after all.’
Emma looked at him, thought on responding, but bit her lip. But she did finally respond. ‘I am sort of a Christian, Daniel. Oh, sort of. Well, I don’t know. Not really any more, I guess. Not in truth. Not any more. What am I saying.’ She
looked at Daniel R. ‘We don’t really have one, do we? A religion?’ Daniel R shook his head. ‘The laws of heaven. It’s about all I worry about, when I do. Live your life otherwise. Do what you want.’
Melanie spoke up. ‘I am still a Christian. I have had different religious thoughts, over a long time, and been involved with different things. But I hold with Jesus as my teacher. It seems to be the only thing which lasts with me. I guess I don’
t really care about religion apart from that. It never really grabbed me deep, deep down. Other religions, I mean. Daniel’s Noahide faith somewhat, because it is the Jewish Bible and Jesus was Jewish. For a long time I was with a group which I
thought gave me what I needed in life. The focus on God. The routine. The disciplines. The virtue. Life doesn’t work like that for me, anymore, though. I don’t know, Em. Perhaps I am like you – perhaps I don’t really need religion.
Perhaps it is just the Beatles. All you need is love..’
Daniel D looked at her and nodded. She didn’t speak about her beliefs to him terribly much anymore. She never really did that, apart from the phase she went through with the Peacekeepers of Jehovah.
Daniel R spoke up. ‘I have Jewish blood. That’s about it. God’s there. So what, now. He doesn’t seem to worry about us. Just wants us to be happy. It was only about rules, anyway – the religious stuff. The law of the land always did
that for me, in the end. For most people.’

Daniel D picked up a piece of fried chicken. ‘It still causes too much contention. Deeply held beliefs. Beliefs of the heart. It takes an old soul, well reasoned, well thought out, to be able to seriously discuss and impart religious teaching. And
then, so it seems, it takes an eternity to sink in.’

The group went silent for a while, perhaps thinking on Daniel’s thoughts, before Emma commented to Melanie on the meal, and a lighter mood ensued.

After Dinner Daniel D spoke to Emma and apologized for going on into religion, as he normally didn’t do that anymore, and knew how sensitive people could be on the issue. She assured him she didn’t mind, but he seemed very worried that he might have
offended her.

That night, before she fell asleep, she thought on her own beliefs, and that it was mainly just about being who Emma Watson was, and finding her own meaning in living her life as she thought good and proper. Nobody seemed to stick with rules forever,
anyway, and always ended up betraying their faith for a more convenient lifestyle. Like Melanie said – let love rule, and with a little grace everything would be alright in the end anyway.


Chapter Thirteen

‘The Devil wears Green Shoes.’
‘Huh?’ asked Melanie, sitting next to Daniel on the couch.
‘Uh, nothing. Sorry sweetie. Just a title idea I had for a book.’ ‘Oh,’ she said, and returned to her crossword book which Emma had brought with her upon arriving.

Daniel stood, looked out the windows towards the south, and looked at Mel. ‘Do you think they will be back soon?’
‘Why do you ask?’ she asked him.
‘Oh. Well, I sort have something to do, farm related. I have been putting it on hold for the last few days while Dan and Em have been here, but I need to go out and check.’
‘Its not those cattle again, is it? There is probably a perfectly good explanation to were they have gotten to. You just need to be patient.’
‘And lose them all? What will we sell next market?’
‘If you must,’ she said, returning to her book. ‘I’ll let them know you’ll be a little late.’
‘Right,’ he said, and disappeared to change and head off on Freejack.

* * * * *

Rags Maloney, still atop the gorge in the 3 man tent, down to the last rasher of bacon and final 4 eggs, which were stored in a coolbox, knowing Daniel would be back soon enough as he promised, was cautious when he heard the voices. It was early in the
morning, around 4, and he brought out his torch and then, thinking better, charted his way from the stars without turning it on to not give the game away.

He heard them, over the next rise, and crawled up to spy on them. 4 of them, by the looks of it, herding 3 cows into the back of a carriage. Yep, they were rustlers all right.

He stood, turned on his torch, and started yelling ‘We’ve got you surrounded.’ And then, not really knowing what else to do, he watched them but stayed put. What else could he do, really? There were four of them, and presumably they were not
armed, and he didn’t have any weapon on him.

It didn’t seem to matter anyway because after a bit of commotion, a torch lit up and he was soon in the presence of 4 nasty looking critters.

‘Crack Jiminty. I should have known,’ said Rags.

‘He’ll squeal,’ said Roger. ‘What do we do?’

‘Tie him up,’ said Crack. And so they did.

* * * * *

Daniel found Rags that afternoon, tied up, left near the tent, gagged, but otherwise fine. When he pulled off the gag Rags said instantly. ‘That varmint Crack Jiminty. Him and his posse.’
Daniel nodded. They had their man.

He untied Rags and Rags rubbed his wrists and looked at him. ‘What next?’ ‘Did they take any cattle?’
‘They had 3 of them. I guess they still probably took them.’
‘Right,’ said Daniel. ‘Well. Mmm. Nothing. Not for now. They know we are on to them. It may sound really stupid, but that may just about be the end of the matter. I mean, sure, we can go after them and press charges even, but I don’t like
to make trouble for people less I can help it. This will probably be the end of it I reckon. Now that they know they’ve been found out my guess is that they will stop. They’ve probably just been having some fun.’

‘No good varmint,’ said Rags, rubbing his wrist. ‘Still, you gonna tell the Sheriff?’
‘I’ll think about it,’ said Daniel. ‘Right, well, let’s get the tent packed up, and get you back home. Leave Crack Jiminty to me. I will sleep on it and make a decision in the morning.’

‘No good varmint,’ said Rags once more, as they started packing away the tent.


Chapter Fourteen

Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson had returned from their picnic down by the river, and it was starting to get a little late, but Melanie assured them that Daniel shouldn’t be too much longer.

There was commotion, suddenly, out the front, and Melanie suggested that Daniel had probably returned.

Daniel Radcliffe went outside but it wasn’t Daniel Daly there to greet him – it was four rather hostile looking cowboys.
‘Tell Daly,’ one of them said, in a hoarse voice. ‘If he squeals, well. Well, he’ll know it. And it won’t be pretty.’
Daniel said nothing, but watched as the four of them spat on the ground, turned their horses, and rode off.

He came back inside, a little puzzled, and explained the episode to the girls. When Daniel Daly got home just a little later, they sat around discussing the matter. Melanie, really, was not impressed.

‘What are you going to do now, Dan?’ she asked her man.
‘Handle it,’ he responded. He looked at Daniel. ‘Well, cowboy? Are you ready for some real wild, wild west?’
Daniel Radcliffe broke out in a grin. ‘Sure, pardner.
‘Good grief,’ said Melanie, putting her hand to her head. ‘It’s gone to his bloody head.’
Emma was not amused either.

* * * * *

With Rags Maloney in tow, the three of them rode proud and strong, up to the Jiminty ranch the following day around lunch, ready for a meno e meno. They would resolve this – sort it out good and proper.

They weren’t armed. Despite the thrill of what they were into, that much seemed just a bit too much, even for Daniel’s cowboy fantasies. He was sure, anyway, that it could be resolved.

They arrived at the ranch, noting the cows skull head above the entrance to the property, and came to the main homestead, sitting on there horses, looking at the place. The men’s horses appeared to be still there, so they were likely inside, and
Daniel spied his cattle over in a nearby yard.

Daniel yelled out. ‘Crack. Come out. It’s Daniel Daly. We need to talk.’
Suddenly a gunshot went off, and the three of them ducked there head.
‘For fucks sake, Dan,’ said Daniel R. ‘You said there wouldn’t be any of these problems.
‘I didn’t think there would be,’ he responded.

They waited for about 5 minutes, not speaking again, waiting for some other sign of life, but nothing else happened.

Eventually Daniel had had enough. He dismounted Freejack, came up, knocked on the homestead door, and yelled. ‘Don’t shoot. I’m coming in.’

He opened the door, came inside, and found 3 of them there, one with a shotgun. ‘Scared the begeezus out of you, din’t we,’ one of them said.
Daniel didn’t smile. ‘You guys are nuts. Where’s Crack?’

‘He saw you guys coming,’ one of them said. ‘He’ll be taking your womenfolk now. Seriously, though, don’t count us in on that shit. We have our limits an all. Crack, though, he’s still something of a bad boy. You know him.’
Daniel swore under his breath and looked at Daniel R who had entered the room. ‘We better get back. Crack’s not really that dangerous, but the situation might have just gone to his head a little bit. Gone a bit nuts.’
‘Ok,’ responded Daniel R, and looked at the men. ‘What do we do about them?’
‘I think they have had there fun. They won’t mess around again. I know em too well for that. Right Roger?’
‘Sure Danno. You know me. A bit of fun – not too much though. I know the limits.’

‘We better get going,’ said Daniel R.

As they returned to Rags, leaving the Jiminty gang be, as there was nothing really much more to discuss without Crack, Daniel was a little worried about Melanie and Emma, but was sure Crack wasn’t actually going to do anything too drastic. Hopefully.


Chapter Fifteen

When Daniel and Daniel left, Melanie and Emma amused themselves with photos of the group of them which Melanie had brought out. Not much time had passed, though, and suddenly a man with a kerchief over his face burst into the room, armed with a pistol.

‘Don’t make any sudden moves,’ he said to the girls. ‘Come on. Outside.’

Melanie motioned for Emma to do as he said, and they were taken outside, put on to a buggy and tied down.

The masked man, who Melanie instantly had recognized as Crack Jiminty, went inside briefly, and then returned and mounted and drove the buggy up towards the nearby hills were the old mineshafts were.

As they drove along Melanie thought about perhaps trying to escape, but was worried about the pistol. She really didn’t want to do anything stupid. She didn’t want to provoke Crack who seemed to have gone off the deep end just a little bit.

They arrived at one of the abandoned mine shafts and Crack untied them, indicated for them to start walking, and lighting a lamp, they made there way inside the mines.

He seemed to know were he was going and, after a trek, they came to a main room, with a number of items of old mining equipment, and beams going from the floor to the roof. Crack tied the girls too a beam, hid out of sight, and there they waited. ‘
They’ll come, soon,’ said Mel to an Emma who had gone silent, but seemed to be sobbing a little. ‘Don’t worry, Em. The boys will rescue us.’

* * * * *

Daniel R found the note, and read it out loud.

‘Right,’ said Daniel D. ‘This could be more trouble than I’d hoped for. Perhaps, now, we take it a bit more seriously.’ He turned to Daniel R. ‘Do you really like to be a cowboy?’
Daniel smiled in response. Daniel D led him into a back room, came to a closet, and opened it. It was stocked with 3 rifles, some pistols and holsters, and some ammunition.
‘I know. Crazy to have this stuff, mainly for romantic reasons, but I figured it being the wild west and all.’

Daniel R Smiled and, as they armed up, looking in the mirror, Rags, who had sneaked in, said ‘Gosh tarn it. Now yers cowboys.’

* * * * *

They arrived at the mines, found the one which the note said they would be in, and entered in.
‘Rags. You go that way, down the other tunnel,’ said Daniel. ‘Now don’t bloody shoot unless you really have to. I am sure Crack still just wants a bit of fun.’

‘I’ll shoot allright,’ mumbled Rags to himself, as he went down the side tunnel
Daniel D turned on the torch and as they carefully came forward Daniel R asked ‘What were these mines for?’

‘Oil, I think’ said Daniel D. ‘And coal. There is a rich bed of both down below. They gave it away a long time ago, but the mines were never closed.’

As they slowly inched forward Daniel slipped, suddenly, and ended up in large sticky pile of black ooze. The torch had spilled out of his hand and Daniel R picked it up, pointed it towards Dan and smiled. ‘You look a mess,’ he said to Daniel D.
‘Oh, very funny genius,’ said Daniel D.
Daniel R grinned a little, stepped forward to help Daniel D out of the goo, and suddenly slipped himself, and was soon covered in oil as well.
‘Poetic justice, I should think,’ Said Daniel D, to a very miffed looking Daniel R.

They continued on, watching for oil puddles, and came into the main cavern.

‘There,’ said Daniel R, pointing to the girls.

‘You go and untie them,’ said Daniel D.
‘Why me?’ asked Daniel R.
‘Cos someone has to keep watch,’ said Daniel D.

Daniel R mumbled something under his breath, but never the less came forward carefully and smiled at Emma who looked instantly far happier than she had been, and began untying them.

Suddenly a shot rang out and Crack yelled. ‘Leave them ladies be. I’m a good shot, fella. I don’t think you want to risk it.’
Daniel R backed away, and looked at Daniel D. Daniel D waved his hand in a circular motion to indicate to keep Crack busy.

‘We just want the ladies,’ said Daniel R. ‘You have had your fun, Mr Jiminty.’

Another shot was blasted, and Daniel R didn’t move.


Daniel D, circling around carefully, soon spotted Crack up in the glass panelled office. He hated to do it, but aimed, prayed for good luck, and pulled the trigger.

A quick ‘fizzing’ noise flashed, and a dart sped through the air, hit Crack in the leg, and he yelled ‘Yipes.’ Shortly, though, the tranquilizer having its effect, he collapsed onto the floor, and that was that.

‘A Tranquilizer?’ Daniel R said, after he had untied the girls.

‘You didn’t think I would really use bullets,’ said Daniel D, a grin on his face. ‘They are in yours as well. Tranquilizer darts. They were already in the gun. I just wanted to impress you. I mean, seriously, nobody was meant to get hurt.’


They dragged Crack out to the front, and spent a while searching for Rags, who eventually emerged from a tunnel, having gotten half way to China in his own words.

* * * * *

Daniel didn’t end up pressing charges, but Crack was slung into jail by the judge anyway, and sentenced to 3 years for the rustling, and 12 years for the kidnapping and dangerous use of weapons. It was, apparently, a light sentence.

‘The other men in the posse got off with just a year each, and swore they were just having fun to all and sundry.

In the end, the mystery was resolved, and life started getting back to normal for Melanie and Daniel after something of an adventure. A real cowboy adventure.


Chapter Sixteen

‘So, you think you are a cowboy, do you?’ Emma asked Daniel R, as they sat by the river near the Rainbow Ranch, Daniel and Melanie a distance away, on a picnic the following day after the big adventure.

‘Oh, you know,’ said Daniel R, who did indeed feel every inch the cowboy, but was to humble to say so.

‘Rescued your maiden, got the bad guy. We only needed some treasure, and it would have been perfect.

‘You’re my treasure, Em,’ said Daniel, biting down on an apple. She smiled on that statement.



A little way off Melanie was putting some chicken on to a plate for Daniel, and handed it to him. ‘My hero,’ she said.
‘Hero?’ queried Daniel.
‘It’s not every day you do something so brave,’ she said, smiling at him. ‘Oh, it was nothing,’ he said, with false humility.
‘My hero,’ she said again, a big smile on her face.

* * * * *

A while later, things had settled down, after much bravado from both Daniel’s, and regular life was restored. Daniel and Emma agreed to stay for another few months, for now, but were thinking they might just buy a place in the district, and settle in
for a while. Somewere new to live, to experience, to just be, in the words of both of them.

And, in fact, three months later, in the adjoining valley, they purchased a small homestead which had long been available, moved in, and were apparently together in an unofficial sort of way. But nothing more than that.

Daniel R philosophized from time to time that, in eternity, you had endless time to do endless things, and living in Free America and learning all about its ways was a good enough place to spend some of it. And, besides, the Daly’s were good enough
company to be around for a while, and Daniel D did seem to have a way of focusing Daniel on certain issues, things which seemed to give his life direction in terms of what it was supposed to be about. And, perhaps for some of those reasons, it was a
time to spend in Free America, a time of life to get away from being Harry Potter, and to just be himself.

And a time to get to know a certain Emma Watson just that little bit better.

* * * * *

Daniel sat with Melanie, her arm around him, on the couch, looking out at the night.
‘So. We have new neighbours,’ she said.
‘Yep,’ responded Daniel.
‘And they seem happy enough with the district. They could be around for some time.’
‘Yep,’ he said again.
‘But this isn’t forever, in the end, is it? I mean, we will leave eventually. I mean, eventually. That was always understood, wasn’t it?’
He turned to look at her, thought on saying something, but returned his gaze to the stars.

Eventually he spoke. ‘Whatever else, Melanie Jane Chisholm. Let us enjoy our time we have in the here and now, and thank God that, for now, life is working. It might not always be that way, you know – nobody really ever knows what the future holds
– but for now, we have a simple, happy life, and I don’t think either of us would have it, really, any other way.’

She nodded, kissed him on the cheek, and as they returned their gaze to the stars, over in the corner of the room, for the briefest moment, an ancient spirit dropped in, smiled a little, and again disappeared, off to his next adventure.

The End


Rest In Peace

So, in the fullness of time, all good things came to pass, and all good things came to be. Well, almost. The fullness of all good things, in the end, really is eternal – just ask God when he feels like sharing some of his secrets with you. But, for
the most part, the Eternal Realm of Glory enjoyed joys and happinesses and peaces and loves and all, as they say, good things.

And then, in the summation, completion and the entirety of its days, the eternal realm of glory, like those gone before it, also found its final rest.

And in that sleep of the Realm, God opened up his memory books, and looked at Melanie and Daniel, and sighed. For Daniel was to move on, again, to a new lady, as he was wont to do, and the joy and unity of Melanie and Daniel was at rest – for now
anyway.

So things worked out in the end, and Daniel and Melanie found their peace and consolation, and the rest – the third great rest – came – and all was well. For a while anyway.

The End of the Chronicles of the Eternal Realm of Glory

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