Chapter One
The smell of pine cones wafted into the room. Its aroma filled  my nose and the entire room. I set the green tinted bowl on the desk. In it were, 12 small pine cones, the source of the fragrance. I breathed deeply.
Suddenly, a knock came from the window. I glanced and saw a pair of watery blue eyes staring into my dorm room. I rushed to the window and opened it.
“Hey, Fawn,” the girl outside was clinging to the wall, seemingly without effort.
“Aspen?” I asked, “What are you doing here? And how did you get out of your dorm?”

Aspen grinned, her face shining as though she had a great big secret, “I’ll tell you when you come on down.”

I smiled uncertainly, but ran to my dresser and pulled out a black cloak. I ran back to the window, “I’ll be down in a second.”
I closed my window and rushed to the door. Slowly, I opened it. Outside, the hallway was lit dimly, just as it always is during break time, when all the students are supposed to be in their dorm rooms. I slipped out the door and slowly closed it behind me, making sure the door didn’t creak. I snuck down the hallway. Lanterns that lit the hallway, cast dim shadows and reflected their orangey glow on the dark oak floor boards.  At the end of the passageway, a long stair case, led down to the ground floor. As soon as I made my way down the stairs, I encountered the tricky part. The door. Two dormers stood nearby, talking in low voices. Students weren’t supposed to leave the dorms during rest period or after lights-out, so the school always had dormers stalking the hallways or in front front of the doors. The two dormers here were huddled in a corner, their long black cloak swished as the moved ever so slightly. Their dark hoods were pulled over their faces, muffling their words.

Slowly, I crept towards the door, unnoticed. The cloak shimmered and moved around me as if it were a living thing. Just as I was going to open the door, it swung open. The door banged against the back wall, before swinging back again. A man, about 2 feet taller that me, stormed in. He wore a midnight blue cloak that blew away from his torso, revealing all the weapons of magic he kept hidden in his belt. There were wands, sparkling potions, enchanted knives and daggers, and more I could not name As soon as the door closed behind the man and his cloak settled down, the two dormers ruched out of their corner as I scuttled into one. One of the dormers held a raised wand.

The new man held up his empty had and said, “I’m clear. I need to talk to the head master.” From my corner, I could make out some of the man features. He seemed like a kind man, his eyes were a gentle blue and even when he though he was frowning, they seemed to smile.

The two dormers hissed and looked at each other from under their hoods. Without so much as a nod to each other, they said to the man in unison, “Follow us.” Abruptly, they turned on their heels and rushed down the main hallway with the man following.

Once the man and two dormers were out of site, I rushed to the door and opened it. Outside, the sun shone down, but for some reason, it seemed to be an icy sun. A chilly breeze blew across the grass and cobblestone paths. I stepped out of the doorway, and closed it behind me. I rushed to a bush and ducked. Two figures were walking down a path. Both wore shimmering white cloaks. I smiled. They weren’t anybody to be afraid of.

“Juli-pie! Ray-sight !” I called in my loudest whisper. The two ghosts looked my way.

“Oh my, Ray-sight! A talking bush!” Julipie, a lovley ghost laughed, “Who would have thought?”

“A what?” Ray-sight asked. He was a rather aged ghost who’s hearing had heard better days.

Julipie sighed, “Nothing my dear Ray-sight. It is just Fawn-feather out for another stroll when she’s supposed to be resting,”

I smiled and stepped out from behind the bush, pulling off my cloak. The two ghosts had walked over by now and Ray-sight finally saw me.

“It’s Fawn-feather, Juli-pie! She’s out here again!” Ray-sight cried. Juli-pie laughed a tinkling ghostly laugh.

“So, what brings you out here in this cold weather?” Juli-pie asked, “You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I know,” I said, ” But Aspen asked me to meet her out here.”

“Oh really?” Juli-pie asked, a thoughtful frown crossed her pleasant features, “I haven’t seen Aspen-leaf  out here.”

I shrugged, “Probably hiding.”

“You’re darn right I’ve been hiding,” Aspen jumped down from the large oak tree we were standing under.

“Aspen-leaf, dear,” Juli-pie smiled coldly at her, “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” Aspen replied, bluntly.

“Well, we really must be going or we’ll be late for Fair-heart’s birthday,” Juli-pie smiled and took Ray-sight’s arm and walked back to the cobblestone path and continued on their way.

“So….” I looked at Aspen, “Why am I out in the cold?”

“Because, I found this spell,” Aspen said.

“What?” I asked, “What spell?”

“A spell that’s not in the books. Rather, I made it myself.”

“Made it yourself?” I asked, “But how?”

Aspen just shrugged, “I’m not sure, but I know it works.”

“Show me,” I said, still disbelieving.

No one I knew could make their own spell.

“Hamptoron cir la moon,” Aspen whispered, or more than whispered, she chanted. Over and over. The whole time, her flame colored wand was pointed to her hands. When she stopped, Aspen didn’t look any different. Just the same. Then she reached her hand to a strong branch of the tree and clung to the branch, without grabbing it.

Aspen looked down, “Pretty cool huh?”

To be Continued….

Chapter One:

I felt trapped. As if I were caught in a binding spell and couldn’t move. Footsteps sounded from outside my cell. The heavy sound of boots. A swish of a cape outside. I started to shiver. Coldness crept into my limbs. Suddenly the door was flung open. A shadowed figure stood in the doorway. “Fawn,” it said in a voice that was silky smooth and at the same time crackling and rusty, “At last we meet.” He stepped out from the shadows and….

I woke up. Just like that. One minute I was in that imaginary cell, getting ready to confront my host and the next, I was sitting up in bed shivering and looking around for the mysterious man. I looked out my window. Outside, I saw the courtyards and a heavy blanket of clouds in the air. Or I thought that’s what I saw. The glass of my window was so covered in frost, it was nearly impossible to make out anything.

I tossed my blankets aside and got out of bed. I dressed with a snap of my fingers and a small whisper of words.  I picked up my school books and walked out into the hall. Outside, the lanterns were lit with a white light. Their radiance so bright, it was impossible to look straight into one of the lanterns.

I rushed down the hall and down the stairs. Kids were milling around everywhere. As soon as I got down the stair and made my way the main hall, Aspen, rushed out of the crowd, right at me.

“Did you hear?” Aspen cried over the sound of the other students, “There’s going to be a new kid in the second year!”

“Really?” I asked, “Have you seen him or her?”

“Na,” Aspen shrugged, her  cloak moving around her, “Probably will though.”

Then, the two of us made our way down the Dining Hall in the west wing of the school.

The dinging hall was grand. Lanterns hung in the air. Four long banquet tables stretched the length of the hall. In front of it all, a long table was set, facing the other tables. We made our way to the second table where the students of the second year were sitting.

Aspen and I sat down. We were soon joined by two other girls. Juno and Mila.

“Hey, guys,” I smiled.

“Hi Fawn,” Juno smiled back, pushing a lock of her platinum blond hair out of her face.

Mila was as quiet and still as always. She and Juno sat across from us. As soon as all four banquet tables were full, a procession of people slowly seated themselves at the head table. At the center, sat the head master, Hunting. He was a middle aged man with a dark curly beard and small black eyes. he sat down, then stood up once more.

“STUDENTS OF SILVER WAND ACADEMY!” he bellowed, his voice traveling throughout the hall, “WELCOME TO ANOTHER YEAR AT SILVER WAND ACADEMY! I HOPE WE CAN ALL START THIS YEAR OFF WITH A BIG, DELICIOUS BREAKFAST!”

All at once, plates and platters flew into the hall, landing carefully on the tables. The covered dishes revoved their lids on their own, revealing food. Yummy food. Delights such as pancakes, eggs, toast, fried duck, and fruits. The glasses were filled to. They were filled to the brim with orange juice.

A strong aroma filled the air. Kids at the first year table started to pile their plates, but then noticed how quiet the hall still was.

The head master wasn’t done talking, “I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE NEW FIRST YEAR TO SILVER WAND ACADEMY. AS WE CAN ALL SEE, THEY ARE ALL TOO EAGER TO START ON THE FEAST. HOWEVER, I MUST FIRST INTRODUCE SOME NEW ARRIVALS IN THE SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR. ALL NEW COMERS PLEASE STAND.”

A few kids from table three and four stood, but only one kid in the second table got up. It was a boy. He was a little taller that me. He had dark curly hair and blue eyes. He looked so somewhat familiar to me, even though I didn’t know why.

“IN THE FOURTH YEAR THERE ARE: KALLY SOWERS AND SEAN HAILSBURG. IN THE THIRD YEAR THERE ARE FAIN STOOPS, CATHY HEWY, AND DEREK HEART. AND FINALLY IN  THE SECOND YEAR THERE IS LOGAN SPARKS.”

To be Continued….