CHAPTER 1

One day when Gwendolyn was sitting in a large whicker chair near the window reading, a gray owl named Wind was having a hard time getting through the pouring rain. Flapping her damp wings determinedly against the forceful wind she squinted to see through the storm. Spotting the house where Gwendolyn lived, she set off towards it hoping not collapse before reaching it. Gwendolyn on the other hand just stood up, and threw the rather thick book moodily across the room. ‘’It’s so damn boring in this wretched old place.” Suddenly she heard a strange thump against the window. She stood up and rushed to the window in alarm. Hanging weakly from her window by its beak was poor Wind. “Wind!” she cried. She opened the window with great force, nearly flinging Wind back into the storm.

Gwendolyn smiled at the owl. “I wasn’t expecting you so soon Wind, you look terrible you know.” Wind purposely shook her long gray feathers to make Gwendolyn wet. Gwendolyn had thin black hair to her hips and big blue eyes. Her hair was always soft and smooth and it seemed to shimmer when she moved. Her eyes were only blue for now, by the way. Her eyes were very strange; they changed several different colors. Gwendolyn was very small for her age. Though she was thirteen, she was only 1.22 and she was strange enough without that. She stroked the small gray owl and offered it a bit of her toast. Wind nibbled it, and took off again. Gwendolyn laughed and called her back. “My letter, you silly owl.” Wind threw her a battered and damp envelope. “Thank you, Wind.” She opened the envelope and grabbed a wet letter.

Dear Gwen,

How are you? I’m fine. Isabelle misses you, and frankly so do I.

I know how long it will take to get here the muggle way. So if I can convince

Mum you can come to England and visit me! And in your last letter you said you were bored right?

Well I’m sure you’ll have more than enough action at Hogwarts. I know you go to Treetops but you could transfer couldn’t you? It would be really fun. Hogwarts is one of the best schools for witchcraft and wizardry (no offense to Treetops) and you are British. Hope Grandma Nora is well,

Lynn.

Isabelle and Lynn were Gwendolyn’s cousins. They were good friends but hadn’t seen each other since Gwendolyn was in England. You see, Gwendolyn’s parents died when she was a three. She was given to her wealthy grandmother (a half witch half muggle) Nora. Nora lived in Ireland. Nora was a very nice old lady but was just a little too old to be taking care of her now. She took long naps and often went to town where she did shopping and visited the little witches that lived around Tralee. Gwendolyn got up and grabbed a piece of parchment. She wrote:

Dear Lynn

It would be great to go to England! Here in Tra Li it’s nice,

But it’s really too hard for Grandma to take care of me any longer.

But you know how stubborn she is about what she is and isn’t able to at her age.

I’ll talk with when she wakes up, and send Wind. By the way, if the sky looks cloudy don’t send him back yet, there was a storm and she looks terrible. She’s sleeping now. Tell Isabelle I miss her too,

Love

Gwendolyn.

It would be great, Gwen thought to herself looking outside. It wasn’t raining that hard anymore. She grabbed her jacket and ran down the stairs. The doorbell rang. Gwen laughed out loud thinking of how foolish Grandma Nora was to keep forgetting she had her keys in her purse. She opened the door. It wasn’t Grandma Nora. Standing in the doorway was the strangest man Gwen ever saw. “Hello miss, is this where a,” he glanced at a piece of paper. “Mrs. Nora Alice McCarthy lives?” He had a British accent she noticed. From living in Tra Li Gwen had an Irish accent though she was from England originally. The man was short and rather fat with emerald green eyes. He wore a long slightly too big pair of purple wizard robes (her heart leapt) and a tall blue wizard hat. And if she wasn’t mistaken that was a wand he was clutching in his hand. Treetops was a very small school where there were only three classrooms and a staff room, Gwen hadn’t even ever worn robes; if they did at treetops muggles would notice. Smiling politely she answered: “Nora Alice McCarthy is my grandmother sir, but I’m afraid she is in town visiting others of our kind.” Gwen was delighted to say those two words. She hadn’t ever spoken to a wizard. The wizard smiled kindly and said: “That’s too bad, I have come from England you know…muggle transport…what a nightmare.” Gwen looked at the short man. He was a wizard all right, and grandma Nora probably had very important business with him. Though she had no idea what kind of business it could be. She opened the door wider. “Do come in sir, my grandmother could get back any second.” The wizard smiled and entered. She took her jacket off, a wizard was much more interesting than Tra Li. “And what’s your name, Miss McCarthy?” Gwen smiled and said: “My name is Gwendolyn, sir.” The man’s smiled widened and he remarked: ‘a fine old fashion name, Gwendolyn. Mine is Luther Kingsley, Gwendolyn.” Gwen stared at him with more and more interest and finally asked: “Mr. Kingsley, why do you need to see my grandmother?’’ Mr. Kingsley hesitated and said looked worriedly at her small heart shaped face. “I’m not sure Mrs. Nora Alice Mc-“ “Don’t call her that, everyone calls her Nora.” Gwen said immediately.

Mr. Kingsley nodded, while looking around the large luxurious living room. There was a knock at the door. Gwen stood up, and walked towards the door. She guessed it must be Grandma Nora. This time she was right. Grandma Nora was a small witch with big green eyes. She wore an old fashion dress and carried a small leather handbag. “Hello dear, oi am I tired! I'm tellin' ya, that old witch drives me up the wall!" Gwen smiled. She knew Grandma Nora was referring to Margaret Barados, an annoying old witch, who was quite frankly a bit mad. She bent over and whispered: “A wizard is here to see you, Luther Kingsley.” Grandma Nora grinned baring her yellow teeth. “A wizard? Well you don’t say!” the woman cried excitedly. She pushed Gwen aside and went into the living room. “You wanted to see me?” she asked flushed with excitement. ‘’You know, not many wizards come around these parts, most of them are in Dublin if they even bother with Ireland!” she added grinning. The wizard sighed. “I’m afraid I’m here to give you some…unpleasant news.” Gwen listened closely but as to be expected, Grandma Nora sent her up stairs. “I’ll tell ya all about it later, dear.” Gwen sighed and went up stairs.

Again she found herself sitting in her whicker chair. But now she was in a much better mood. Wind flew towards her and landed on her shoulder. The small gray owl was staring into her sea green eyes (I told you they keep changing) and seemed to be asking what was going on. Gwen smiled at the owl and stroked her absentmindedly. “I suppose something bad happened, Wind, but it’s exciting isn’t it?”

“He’s dead?” Nora asked, frowning. Mr. Kingsley nodded. “In a rather unpleasant way.”

Nora’s eyes widened. “What do you mean Luther?’’ Mr. Kingsley shifted uncomfortable in his chair. “He doesn’t remember how but he’s…well a ghost.”

Nora stared. “A ghost? Oh my, lord! Oh, my lord!” she cried, and reached for her heart. “Oh, me heart! He’s dead!” Mr. Kingsley nodded. Nora sighed. “And I suppose I have to go over there and…speak to him in his state? What is he haunting? Where?’’ Mr. Kingsley suddenly grinned. “The Griffindor tower, Nora.” Nora looked up at him shocked. “You find this funny, Luther? You think it’s funny that he’s a ghost, a big JOKE?’’ She cried. Mr. Kingsley blushed and shook his head heavily. “No, of course not Nora, of course not, it’s just that’s where he always used to be…remember, when we were in school?”

Nora smiled now too. “Yes. I remember.”

Gwen was putting some food in Wind’s dish, when she heard someone call her. It was a soft comforting voice. “Gwendolyn! Gwendolyn, come to the window. Come see me, Gwen.

You know I’m here, Gwen.” Gwendolyn winced. A chill ran down her back. “What?’ she whispered, feeling very scared. “It’s me Gwen…come to the window.” Gwendolyn felt as if her legs were in control and not her. She walked over to the large window. “Open it, Gwen.” Gwen didn’t want to. It was raining. But a soft wonderful feeling drifted through her. As if someone sensible had told her, she opened the window. Rain poured through. She took a step forward. She bent over. Outside a dark figure was standing in the rain. “Gwen, jump.” Gwen immediately prepared for the jump. But why should she jump?

Had she done it just because he told her to…? Gwen got back off the window. “I won’t jump,” she said out loud. Silence. Gwen closed the window and sat down in her whicker chair. That was too creepy. She looked out the window. The figure was gone. “Gwendolyn!” Gwen burst into tears. “Go away!” she cried frantically. She heard footsteps. Her grandmother opened the door. “What’s wrong dear? I just called ya fer supper, dear. Aren’t you hungry?” Grandma Nora asked smiling. Gwen gasped. “I just...yeah, I’m hungry wait a second I’ll be right down.” Grandma Nora shook her head, and left muttering. Gwen sat down on her bed. She had just imagined it. She had to calm down. There was no one outside. She peeked outside. There was no dark figure anywhere. She put her head in her hands. “Just imagination.”

Mr. Kingsley was invited to dinner. “You know, your grandmother and I went to school together,” he said. “Hogwarts, you know.” Gwen remembered Lynn’s letter. “Speaking of Hogwarts,” Gwen started uncertainly, “I’m really never around many wizards, and Lynn offered to talk to aunt Julia about it, and then I could go to Hogwarts.” There was a short silence. “What about Ireland, Gwendolyn? What about Tra Li? What about our life here?” Gwen looked down at her plate of food. “Don’t know what Julia was thinking, getting your hopes up like that, you obviously can’t go, I have no idea how you would get there, or anything!” Grandma Nora said shaking her head. The matter was closed, as far as Grandma Nora was concerned. Mr. Kingsley hesitated and finally said: “Well, Nora if you go to speak to…him, you might as well take Gwendolyn and drop her off by her aunt. I could take both of you…wizard like.” Nora looked shocked. ‘Why Luther, Gwendolyn has never been away from home for so long!” Nora shook her head. “She’s not going. I’m telling you she isn’t going to Hogwarts, or her ruddy aunt’s! Excuse me.”

Grandma Nora left. Gwen stood up. “I’ve upset her, I’d better go talk to her now, Mr. Kingsley.” Gwen left.

When she entered, her grandmother was sitting on her bed, looking worried and exhausted. “Don’t work yourself up like that, Grandma. I don’t mind Treetops. Why don’t you take a nap?” Gen offered, hoping her Grandmother would. Nora looked up. The last few weeks she hadn’t looked too good. She was getting old. But now she looked sort of like Margaret Barados. Her eyes were half closed and she looked exhausted. Her eyes darted around the room before resting on Gwen. Her hands were trembling. Gwen stared. She had never seen her look so old. “I’m sorry I-I upset you before.” Silence.

Finally her grandmother nodded. Gwen left.

That night Mr. Kingsley slept in the guestroom and Gwen lay awake in bed. When she finally dozed off, into an uneasy sleep, a piercing scream rang through the white dusty halls of the McCarthy house. Immediately Gwen’s brown eyes opened. She recognized the scream. It was her Grandmothers. She ran. Running down the stairs, Gwen already knew what was waiting for her.

The bedroom was empty. She walked through it, stiffly searching. She couldn’t speak. She automatically opened the window, something she always did to air out Nora’s room. Outside lying under the window, was Nora. Her eyes were wide open; her hand was clutching her heart. Gwen didn’t cry, or scream. She wasn’t able to. Fear silenced her. It was a cruel creepy silence. She found her voice, suddenly and screamed. Mr. Kingsley ran down the stairs. “What’s wrong, Gwendolyn?” He cried rushing in. Gwen pointed a quivering finger towards the window. Mr. Kingsley went to look. He jumped back. “Oh…I…Gwen, what-what happened?” Gwen just continued to scream and cry. Nora was dead. A playful voice whispered: “Someone had to jump, Gwen.”

******************************************************

It was soon decided that Gwen should be brought to Hogwarts. Gwen inherited 85 percent of her grandmother’s money; she inherited the house, and other possessions that were given to her not long after Nora’s funeral. Gwen got a trunk full of her Grandmother’s things, and was given a key to a vault in Gringrotts. Gwen didn’t know what to do with the house. Her aunt Julia, and Lynn were at the funeral, (Isabelle was too young to attend the funeral in aunt Julia’s opinion) and stayed to settle the will, and where Gwen would live. The other 15 percent of her grandmother’s money went to Aunt Julia. Aunt Julia wanted Gwen to move in with them, and Gwen agreed. She didn’t want to sell the house though. In stead Gwen kept it for no apparent reason, except that Nora wouldn’t have liked it. Aunt Julia decided they would let the matter rest, for now. Aunt Julia spoke to the headmaster of Treetops, who gave aunt Julia her records of how she did at Treetops.

The night before they would leave for England, Gwen sat in whicker chair, now set far away from the window. Gwen was thinking about the voice and her grandmother’s death.

“Someone had to jump” the voice had said. But why did someone have to jump? And who was that voice, or what? Gwen felt very guilty. If she had jumped…Her grandmother wouldn’t be dead. Gwen wondered what was in the trunk suddenly. She hadn’t opened it yet. She got to her knees and carefully lifted the cover. In the trunk she found an old clock, a pair of black wizard robes, a black wizard hat, a cloak. She dug deeper. A few old fashion dolls, a wand, a...wait a second! A wand! Gwen grabbed it and examined it closely. It was made of oak, and a long silvery feather stuck out a little at the end. She waved it. Nothing happened. She sighed. Treetops didn’t allow them to have wands of their own. But I’m going to Hogwarts, Gwen reminded herself, and there I’ll have a wand and robes and cloaks, and a hat just like this. She put the wand aside. She grabbed as small wooden box. Surprised, Gwen opened it and found a small leather book that said in gold letters,

Nora McCarthy

Gwen curiously opened the small book. Inside it said in neat handwriting:

Dear diary,

Today is my first day of my second year at Hogwarts. I’m sharing a room in the girl’s dormitory with that terrible Margaret Barados, who insist we all call her Maggie, and Violet Hill, my best friend. I met a boy from third year today, at the feast. He has thin blond hair, and wonderful dark blue eyes. He says he’s in Griffindor, and that he could help me with Potions. (I always fail that) and I think he’s really wonderful. He wants me to meet him later on by the fire, so we can work on it. I think that’s so sweet. It will be great to spend time with him; he's so handsome!

Love

Nora

Surprised that Grandma Nora had felt that way about anyone, Gwen shut the diary, and decided she would read a bit of it everyday. Kind of like a twelve-year-old Grandma Nora telling her stories. She heard footsteps. The door opened with a creak. Lynn was standing there. Lynn had thin blond hair, and blue eyes. She was wearing a pair blue jeans and a white long sleeved shirt. “Wanna show me the sights of Tra Li?’’ she asked, smiling kindly. Gwen nodded and stood up, glad to get away from her small room where she had heard the voice. She led Lynn to the door. They walked outside. “Tra Li is full of muggles,” Lynn remarked watching a man putting sausages on a barbeque. Gwen nodded while wondering where to take Lynn. She finally decided on Tra Li Bay, her favorite place in Tra Li. She grabbed Lynn’s hand and they ran towards the rocky bay.

There were huge rocks mostly black and gray. No beach at all. The water started right under the rocks, or did it end there? Lynn stared. “Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this in England. They sat down on the large rocky ground and smiled at each other. “The funeral was terrible” Lynn suddenly said. Gwen didn’t answer; she didn’t want to think about the funeral. Not right now. Lynn sighed. “We just stood there, listening to a priest who didn’t even know her, and her coffin was covered in roses, the smell was so…so…” “…So overwhelming” Gwen finished. The water was calmly flowing to shore. Lynn sighed again. “Nora’s funeral should have been different even if she did love roses.” Gwen nodded. “Thanks to that…that thick sweet smell, I think I’ll never be able to smell a rose without thinking about her.” They were silent for a moment. “You’re going to love Hogwarts, Gwen I promise.” Gwen shut her to eyes to block tears. Lynn put her arm around her. “It’s okay Gwen, let it out, you can cry.” And Gwen did. Lynn sighed again. “It’s going to be okay, Gwen. You’re going to be okay.” Gwen buried her face in Lynn’s shirt. ‘It’ll be okay Gwen.”

The next day they arrived at Aunt Julia’s house. Gwen would miss Ireland. But she wasn’t going to think about that right now. She was going to enjoy Hogwarts and seeing Uncle Graham, and Isabelle. Uncle Graham answered the door. He was a tall man with dark brown hair and glasses. Isabelle rushed to the door giggling; she was only six.” Gwen! Gwen!”

She cried, hugging her cousin. Isabelle had many curls and tiny pink lips. She smiled at Gwen and begged: “pick me up Gwen please, pretty please? With loads of chocolate and acid pops on top!” She jumped up and down clutching Gwen’s blouse. “Please?’ she said again. Gwen picked her up. “ Hey Isabelle.” They went inside. They had a small pretty living room; toys littered the floor, and paintings that were all curiously peering down at her, hung on the purple/blue walls. Gwen grinned. Isabelle and Lynn led her to Lynn’s room where she would be sleeping. The walls were painted lime green and baby blue. There was a painting of a mermaid sitting on a large rock by the ocean. There was a big queen sized bed with violet satin blankets. There were silver satin pillows. A large oak cabinet was crammed with books with titles like: Wendy the wonderful witch of the eighteenth century. In the corner was a violin. “You play the violin, Lynn?’ Gwen asked surprised. Lynn nodded, while gesturing her back to the door. “You don’t need to unpack, the Hogwarts express leaves tomorrow.” Gwen nodded. Isabelle dragged her into a smaller room. The walls were pink and yellow. There was a large dollhouse, and other strange wizard toys littered the floor. In the corner there was tiny bed with sheets of the palest pink. There was a large picture of Isabelle as baby being held by her mother. Baby Isabelle immediately started crying and screaming on the top of her lungs. Her painting mother (a much younger aunt Julia) sighed heavily and gave Gwen a sour look.

The next morning, Lynn and Gwen waited impatiently for Isabelle who insisted on helping them pack. After bursting into frustrated tears after not being able to fit Lynn’s blue balloon chair that normally floated in mid air, into a bag. Ant Julia came calmed Isabelle down, and led them to the car. Gwen felt empty when she saw Uncle Graham give Lynn a kiss on the cheek. How many kisses, and goodbye’s would she miss from her grandmother? She sighed and got into the big green van. They rode to King’s Cross.

At the station, many muggles stared at Isabelle who kept running after Wind screeching spells that surely didn’t exist.

“Wind, you stupid owl, your big and fat,

and a bad flier as a matter of fact.

So flap your big fat wing,

And I’ll give you a diamond ring!”

Wind was still recovering from the ride to King’s Cross and constantly jumped from Gwen’s shoulder to Lynn’s trying desperately not to fly, poor Wind was much too tired.

And Isabelle, came up with this “spell” and had been torturing Wind ever since. Isabelle was sweet, but could be terrible wicked. Gwen hugged aunt Julia and entered the train.

Isabelle waved happily. Aunt Julia did too, before taking Isabelle’s arm and disappearing out of sight.

Gwen and Lynn were apparently a bit late and searched frantically for a coupe, but most were full. Finally they reached the last one, and by now Lynn was in a terrible mood. She yanked the door open and shot a warningly look around at three surprised looking fifth years. Gwen stared. If she wasn’t mistaken that was Harry Potter!

This was the first chapter of my novel. Hope you like it, the next one’s coming soon.

Love Karrie