Chapter One

William Doddridge was your ordinary American boy. He liked to go on hikes with his friends and spent his weekends picnicking at the park with his family. He also had quite an imagination and try as they might, his parents could never “stamp it out” of him; for William loved nothing better than to spend hours poring over his collection of storybooks (of which there was many). William would often seek the solitary woods behind his house and loose himself in tales of brave hero’s and champions.

But William had another side quite unlike other ordinary boys. I guess you could say that William had a special ‘talent’ for seeing things which nobody else could. Where an ordinary boy would look at a pebble or twig William would see a glittering gem or lance like the knights of old used. And sometimes a most peculiar thing would happen. When William was concentrating on these things and waving his stick about pretending it was a fine blade of steel the very stick he was holding would in fact change into the very thing he was imagining!

Now this didn’t happen very often, in fact William could only recall it twice ever happening in his life; once when he accidentally turned a rock into a golden goblet, as he was throwing pebbles into the stream and was wishing fiercely that his parents could have gotten him the latest book “The Holy Grail” for his birthday.

The second time occurred when he was quite sad one day after coming home from being bullied at school. He was again back in the wood behind his house when he suddenly fell into a rather large pit dug into the ground. After scrabbling around for quite some time William realized that he had indeed fallen into an old abandoned well and could still see the decayed rope and wooden bucket used to draw up water. After calling out for some time William sat down against the cool damp wall and wished profusely that he had a ladder to climb up out of this pickle he had gotten himself into. Just as he was beginning to lose hope he saw the old decayed rope turning into a fine wooden ladder. William didn’t question his good luck but climbed up the mysterious ladder and ran straight home and found himself on his front porch just in time for supper.

Now William didn’t tell anyone else about his talent but kept it secret, or so he thought. For one day he was walking home looking at the clouds wishing he could just soar into some unknown world when who should he run into but a short old man with strange looking symbols on his jacket.

“Here now William my boy, how are you?” the stranger asked, extending his wrinkled but quite firm hand out to William.

“Urm just fine sir. But how do you know my name?” William replied shaking the old man’s hand.

“Why son I’ve known your name ever since you were born. You’ve got quite a rare talent haven’t you? Yes, indeed quite remarkable in fact” the old man chortled.

At this point William was beginning to feel a bit uneasy and thought that he would just say his goodbye to this rather odd fellow and be off. “Well I really ought to be going so..”

“Now now my boy, there’s no need to go running off” the stranger said merrily. “Let us go into the parlor of your house and talk” he said as he steered William through the front door and into an armchair. “There now was I?” the old man said “Oh yes, I guess I should have introduced myself, my name is Cornelius Heartwood, Headmaster of Wandworths Wizarding Academy. I was in fact on my way to your house this very afternoon to give you this” he said as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a rather large envelope with Williams name inscribed on the front. “You see my boy you have a rare talent and at Wandworths we excel in exceptional talents such as yours.”

William just stared dumbly at the headmaster not knowing quite what to say.

The headmaster continued “I can see that this may come as quite a shock to you my boy but you are in fact a wizard. Not only that, but it seems that you have quite an exceptional gift at Transfiguration.”

William couldn’t believe his ears. He a wizard! This was just too much; it had to be some kind of trick.

“I can assure you this in no trick” the headmaster said calmly with a twinkle in his eye. “William Doddridge you are in fact a wizard and have come of age when all young wizards and witches take the next step in their magical journey. Now I know this is a lot to put on you all at once, but you look like a good hearted young man and Wandworths Wizarding Academy could use a young man such as yourself.”

“I..I don’t know what to say” William said.

“Well you don’t have to give an answer right now son” the headmaster explained. “Here is your letter of acceptance. Think about it my boy and I shall be back in a few days.” At this the headmaster handed over the bulky envelope to William and tipping his hat, nimbly walked out the front door.

William was flabbergasted at this new revelation. He turned the letter over in his hand, running his fingers over his name written upon it in large scrawling letters. That night William tossed and turned in his bed trying to catch some bit of sleep but finding it to evasive, he stumbled out and worked himself over to his writing desk where he had left the letter.  He perused again the contents of the document stating when term started, classes and clubs. The more he looked at it the more he felt a deep stirring within his soul. “Yes, no matter what my parents say I’m going” William said to himself. He had made up his mind and decided that he was indeed a wizard, and therefore he needed to discover what being one was all about. He tucked the letter into his nightshirt and crept downstairs for a midnight snack and after a fine helping of fresh baked cookies and milk climbed comfortably back into bed and slept soundly the rest of the night.

            It was three days later when William heard a knock on his front door and seeing headmaster Heartwood led him through the door and into the parlor.

“I can see by your eyes that you have made a decision” the headmaster said.

“Yes” William replied “I have decided to go”

“Excellent!” the headmaster beamed. “You will find all you require for the fall term at the village shops just below Wandworths. It’s a quaint little village but you will always find it bustling with activity; especially at the start of a new term” the headmaster explained. “A courier will be along to guide you there once the term starts. I know you will find the school a most welcome change indeed.” And with that the headmaster again tipped his hat to William as he escorted himself out the door and unto the walkway.

“Well I guess that settles it” William said to himself. “I am going to Wandworths Wizarding Academy.”