BOOM. 

They knocked again.

There was a crash behind them and George came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands—now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.

"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you—I'm armed!"

There was a pause. Then—

SMASH!

The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.

A tall man was standing in the doorway. He had on the shiniest black shoes Lily had ever seen. His tan pants clung to his legs and a gold pocket watch dangled from his hip. 

He stood in the doorway a sense of confidence and poise about him.

The watch swung gently as he moved inside the shack out of the rain.

He strode over to the sofa where Sarah sat frozen with fear.

He sat down next to Sarah who squeaked and ran to hide behind her mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind George.

"Lily there you are!" said the man.

Lily looked up into the softest blue eyes she had ever seen, feeling a sense of familiarity wash over her. She couldn't quite place where she knew him from, but something about him felt comforting and safe.

"Last time I saw you, you were about this tall," said the man, holding his hand at the height of his knee. 

"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" George said. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Ah, shut up." said the man.

"Who are you?" Lily asked.

He laughed softly at Lily's question, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Who am I, indeed? My apologies, young Lily. I am Magnus Blackwood, the Headmaster of Evermore Academy," he introduced himself with a small bow, his voice ringing with confidence.

As he spoke, he strode over to the fireplace and bent down over it, his movements fluid and graceful. Lily watched in wonder as he drew back a second later, revealing a roaring fire that filled the damp hut with flickering light.

The warmth of the fire washed over Lily, making her feel as though she had sunk into a hot bath. She sighed contentedly, feeling the chill of the dampness leave her bones.

Magnus stood up, brushing his hands together as he surveyed the room with a satisfied smile.

"Anyway—Lily," He said. "I have something for you."

"I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."

He took a sip of tea -- Lily wasn't sure where he had pulled the cup from the top of it was rimmed with gold and a large E was etched into its side -- and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

"Like I said I'm headmaster of Evermore Academy—You know all about Evermore of course." He smiled.

"Er—no," she said.

Magnus raised an eyebrow in surprise, his smile fading as Lily admitted her lack of knowledge about Evermore Academy. He turned to look at the Havenwoods, who were shrinking back into the shadows, and shook his head in disappointment.

"I knew you hadn't received your letters, but I never thought you wouldn't even know about Evermore," he said with a hint of concern in his voice.

Lily felt a twinge of anxiety as she realized the importance of this school that she knew nothing about. Magnus seemed to sense her apprehension and walked over to her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Haven't you ever wondered where your parents learned everything from?" He asked her.

"All what?" asked Lily.

If he had been mad about the Havenwoods keeping secrets from Lily about her parents he was very good at not showing it all.

"Do you mean to tell me that Lily knows nothing about—about anything?" He asked George and Marie.

"I know some things," she said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff."

"About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Your parent's world." Magnus said.

"What world?" Lily asked, feeling more confused than ever.

Magnus shook his head in disbelief.

"The magical world, Lily. The world of witches and wizards, spells and potions, magic, and mayhem," he said with a small chuckle. "But you must know about your parents," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."

"What? My—my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"

"You don't know... " Magnus ran his fingers through his hair with a bewildered look.

"They were some of the greatest wizards of our time, Lily," Magnus said with a sense of reverence in his voice. Wizards? Lily wasn't sure she had heard that right. "Your mother, Amara, was a master of charms and enchantments. She was known for her ability to create spells that could charm even the most stubborn of creatures. And your father, Orion, was a powerful wizard who specialized in elemental magic. He could control the elements themselves with a mere wave of his wand."

Lily sat there, stunned. He really did use Wizard and Wand in the same sentence. 

"Your parents were heroes, Lily," Magnus continued. "They fought bravely in the war against the dark forces, alongside some of the greatest wizards of our time. And they sacrificed everything for the greater good."

"Stop!" George commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell her anything!"

A braver man would have quailed under the furious look Magnus now gave him.

"Keep what from me?" said Lily eagerly.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled George in panic.

Marie gave a gasp of horror.

"Lily—you're a witch," Magnus said.

There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.

"I'm a what?" she asked.

"A witch, Lily. A powerful witch, just like your mother," Magnus said, his voice gentle.

Lily sat there, stunned. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. A witch? Her? She had only imagined she was in the games she played back in the yard behind the Havenwood's house.

"But...I don't understand," she said, her mind racing. "How can I be a witch? I've never done any magic before."

"That's because you haven't been trained yet," Magnus explained. "But with the right training, you can become one of the greatest witches of our time."

Lily looked at him, still in shock.

Magnus held the letter in his hand out for her.

She stretched out her hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green She pulled out the letter and read:

Evermore Academy

—————

Headmaster: Magnus Blackwood

Dear Lily Matthews,

We are thrilled to extend our warmest congratulations to you on your acceptance to Evermore Academy

Enclosed, you will find a list of all the essential books and equipment required for your enrollment at our esteemed institution.

The upcoming term commences on September 1, and we look forward to welcoming you to our magical community.

Sincerely,

Magnus Blackwood

Questions exploded inside her head like fireworks and she couldn't decide which to ask first. 

"I have your first gift," Magnus said.

Magnus pulled out a wand. 

The wand was made of polished ebony wood. The handle of the wand was wrapped in a spiraling pattern of gold.

He held it out in front of him and gave it a small wave.

A silvery light emitted from the tip of his wand and she watched as the form of an animal came into view.

It was a cat.

The cat was small and black with sleek, glossy fur that shone in the dim light of the room. Its bright green eyes glinted with intelligence.

Lily reached out to stroke the cat's fur, and it purred contentedly under her touch. Its fur was soft and velvety to the touch.

As she examined the cat more closely, she noticed a strange symbol etched into the fur on its forehead. It was a swirling pattern of intricate lines and shapes, unlike anything she had ever seen before.

Lily realized her mouth was open and closed it quickly.

"She is not going," George said.

"I'd like to see a normie as you stop her," Magnus said.

"A what?" said Lily.

"A normie," said Magnus, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them."

"We swore when we took her in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said George.

"You knew?" said Lily. "You knew I'm a witch?"

"Knew!" Marie shouted. "Knew! Of course, we knew! How could you not be, my sister, being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that—that school—and came home every vacation with her pockets full of things that shouldn't exist and casting spells around the house. I was the only one who saw her for what she was—a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was  Amara this and Amara that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"

Magnus narrowed his eyes, his expression turning cold. "Watch your tongue," he said

"Then, Amara met Orion at school, they fell in love, got married, and had you. Of course, I expected you to be just like her, with your peculiarities and abnormalities. And then, to make matters worse, she went and got herself killed, leaving us to deal with you!" Marie shouted.

Lily had gone very white. As soon as she found her voice she said, "Killed? You told me they died in a car crash!"

"Car cash?" Magnus said. "Lily doesn't even know her own story when every wizard in the world knows it."

"What happened?" Lily asked urgently.

"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I don't know if I'm one to tell you this...But all the same, you deserve to know."

He threw a dirty look at the Havenwoods.

He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with—with a person called— Marcus Nocturne."

"It was a time shrouded in darkness, about two decades ago. A malevolent wizard began recruiting followers, and to his delight, he succeeded. Some were intimidated by his power, while others simply craved it. This sorcerer amassed power, and with it, terrorized the wizarding world. Trust was a rare commodity, as you never knew who was a potential ally or a deadly foe. Horrific things occurred with disturbing frequency. The Dark Wizard's grip on the wizarding world grew stronger with each passing day. Only a select few dared to resist his tyranny, and they paid for it with their lives. Evermore was one of the few safe havens that remained."

"Your parents were some of the brightest and most talented witches and wizards of their time." "They had a bright future ahead of them and were destined for great things."

Lily listened intently.

"But then, on that fateful Halloween night, everything changed," Magnus said. "Marcus showed up at your doorstep, seeking to eliminate any potential threats to his power. Your parents bravely stood up against him, but unfortunately, they didn't make it out alive."

Lily stared at Magnus her jaw a gape.

"But you survived and that's why you must continue their legacy. You have the potential to be a great witch, just like your mother." Magnus said.

"Load of crap," said George. Lily jumped; she had almost forgotten that the Havenwoods were there. 

"Now, you listen here," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured—and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion—asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types—just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end—"

Magnus held his wand up to Georges's face and that seemed to settle Geroge faster than Lily had ever seen. A small chuckle escaped her lips as watched George cowering behind Marie.

"But what happened to Marcus?"

"Good question. Disappeared. Vanished. The same night he tried to kill you." Magnus said. "Most of us think he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on." 

Magnus looked at Lily with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Lily, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A witch? Her? How could she possibly be? If she was really a witch why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock her away?

"Magnus," she said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a witch."

To her surprise, Magnus chuckled.

"Not a witch? Never made things happen when you were scared or angry?" Magnus asked.

Lily looked into the fire. Now she came to think about it... every odd thing that had ever made her aunt and uncle furious with her had happened when she had been upset or angry...

She looked back at Magnus, smiling, and saw that he was positively beaming.