Anna Grayson and The Order of Merlin
The Line

It took Anna several hours tofinally get back to sleep after the ghost had come to visit her again. Afterreplaying everything over in her mind the next morning, she began to takecomfort in some of the things the apparition had said. It said Anna had tocontrol her passions if she was to control the creature inside her. Althoughshe wasn’t sure she understood this, at least there was hope the creature couldbe controlled. Thinking back, she recalled the last two times she had felt thedark coldness of the Lethifold. It had come during very similar situations, andwhen her emotions were nearly out of control. Anna realized it was the emotionof blind rage that seemed to set the thing off; when Mrs. Drummond hadthreatened her, and when Damon was torturing Widwick in her dream. It wasduring these moments of shock and anger that Anna began to change.

But the change wasn’t justphysical. Her very being seemed to align itself to the creature’s most basicinstincts as she transformed. The feelings of starving hunger, and herinability to recognize Damon when she was attacking him were extremelyfrightening to her. How could somethinglike this be controlled? Her ghostly visitor had said that she, Anna, andthe creature shared the same nature; whatdid that mean?

After much soul searching overthe next two days, Anna became more resolute than ever not to give up herchance to go to Castlewood. She wearily began to trust her visitor’s advice,and started to believe she could control this inner beast if she had to. Onceshe had reached this conclusion, Anna didn’t want to think about it anymore;for if she did, she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t change her mind again. It was easyto convince herself of the validity of this decision where traveling toCastlewood was at stake.

Nothing else the visitor saidmade any sense to Anna at all. Apparently, the ghost had been awakened for thesame reason Anna’s abilities had risen from wherever they had been hiding. Shewas expected to guard against some kind of future conflict to come. Althoughshe didn’t understand any of this, Anna was sure the ally would come to heragain to tell her more. For now, Anna understood they both wanted the samething: She was to go to Castlewood, and, for now, she would accept thismutually satisfying objective.

In the days that followed, Annareceived many more owls with instructions from Castlewood. Although Anna wasalmost thirteen years old, to be a fully qualified witch, she was expected toenter the academy as a first-year student, which meant she was already a fullyear behind her peers. Her course schedule and list of books arrived the dayafter Doctor Pearl had informed the Chancellor about her test results, andthen, to her complete surprise, Anna received a letter from the CastlewoodChancellor himself, Professor Thordarson:

Dear Anna,

I was delighted to hear youwould be joining us this coming year at Castlewood. Although the circumstancesof your entry have been somewhat unusual, we are sure you will thrive in our scholasticenvironment. You know, of course, your father, Boris Grayson, also studied themagical arts here, and was, by all measures, an outstanding scholar. Yourmother, Victoria Grayson, was also one of our top students and the recipient ofmany academic honors for her achievements during her time with us. Your familyhas demonstrated a fine tradition of success at our school, which I amconfident you will carry forward in your studies here as well. Please feel freeto contact me if you have any special needs pursuant to your late entry intothe school. I will personally see to any changes in your accommodations wherethey are judged to be necessary. We look forward to seeing yet another memberof the Grayson family here at the Academy.

Yours in Highest Regards,Elimar Thordarson Professor of Wizard Law, History, and Psychological Studies Chancellor of Castlewood Academy for the Magical Arts

On the day of their departure,the house was alive with the excitement of bustling teenagers packing theirremaining trunks. Cages were brought out of summer storage for the owls each ofthe Grayson children would be taking with them to Castlewood. Only Ericinsisted on the same owl every year; a very large and stiff looking horned owl,which he had named Butch. Mister Grayson told Anna to go to the attic owlry topick out an owl for herself, and Eric went along to help her make herselection.

“Now… you have to choose well,Anna, because it could take a while to send a letter home if you your owl isn’tup to the task,” Eric said expertly. “I always take Butch because he’s a verylarge bird, and doesn’t stray off course so easily in bad wind and weather.Last year Dowla and I had a fight, and I found out she had sent an owl tofather with a load of excuses. I sent Butch the next morning to explain my sideof the argument, and he showed up at the house one full day before that stupidrunt of an owl she was using,” he said, with an amused grin.

As they walked up the longspiral staircase into the owlry, Anna could feel the steady thumping sounds ofseveral small heartbeats on the floor above them. To her, it felt like thesteady, reverberating chorus of a marching band.

“Here we are,” Eric said,stepping into the musty room. He looked quickly about and then frowned.“Uh-oh,” he said worriedly. “The other horned owl is gone… Dowla must havetaken it for herself. Our sister learns a fast lesson, doesn’t she?” Annasmiled as she looked around. The room looked like a hollowed out church towerwith several splintered, wooden beams crossing beneath a series of open archedwindows high above them in the ceiling.

“So… what do you think?” Ericsaid, looking carefully around the room. Several dozen owls of different size,color, and breed sat dozing in the shadows, looking down uncaringly from theirmany perches and hollows. “See anything you like? Outside the swift horns — Iguess the rest are pretty much the same,” her brother explained. “How aboutthat one?” He pointed to a young barn owl sitting on a ledge, overlooking thefreshly swept floor. Anna looked closely at the bird and could sense hisreluctance to go outside.

“Too lazy,” Anna whispered witha frown.

“Too what?”

Anna kept looking, slowlywalking in a circle around the dusty room streaked with the rays of morninglight pouring through the windows. A large tawny owl swooped down from therafters and settled on a perch to Anna’s right.

“Why… hello there; interviewingfor the job, are you?” she said with a smile. The owl spread his sizeablewings, as if to show his splendid aptitude as a future prospect. Anna lookedinto his eyes. “You’ve been having problems getting along with the others,haven’t you?” she said knowingly. “Why is that?” The owl dropped his head innoticeable remorse, and Anna kept looking.

“Listen Anna — you have toremember, you’re choosing something to deliver your mail. You’re not picking afriend,” Eric said impatiently.

“Who are you kidding?” Annaretorted, without bothering to look back at her brother. “I’ve seen the way youand Butch get along. Besides… who better to deliver my messages — than afriend?” Anna didn’t see Eric rolling his eyes behind her.

Unsurprisingly, Anna seemed tobe able to sense each of the bird’s inner personalities, both good and bad. That one’s too shy; she’s too fickle; he’svery strong, but he doesn’t like packages; she only likes the blue envelopes;he likes the sound of tearing parchment, she thought with a probing frown.She was pleasantly surprised by the number of different characters that existedin the family owlry.

“Wait a minute,” she suddenlysaid curtly. “Does my father know about you?” she scolded, pointing at a veryfat owl, dozing on a high perch.

“What are you talking about?”Eric said, grinning slightly.

“Why… you little freeloader!She hasn’t delivered a letter in months,” Anna said angrily, pointing at theowl.

“What? But how would you knowif…?” but Eric stopped. He had learned long ago not to question Anna’s senseswhen it came to understanding the animals that lived around them. He looked upand frowned. “Maybe she’s sick.” Anna glared back up at the owl, which had nowfully awaken and was clearly looking found out.

“No… she’s not sick.” Annawalked over and glowered menacingly up at the bird. “You had better startpulling your weight around here, fatso, or I’ll have my dad turn you intosomething more fitting to your way of life… perhaps a big, fat, lazy groundtoad?” she said, with a scathing glare.

Looking shocked and veryaffronted, the large owl ruffled her large wings and jumped into the air.Rising steadily, the bird turned and flew out one of the open windows.

“Good riddance… slacker!” Annawaved angrily.

Eric laughed. “Well… how aboutthat — a vagrant owl. Well… what do you think? See anything you do like up here?”

From the corner of her eye,Anna saw a small owl snoozing comfortably in the corner of a cubbyhole. Thelight colored bird seemed to be resting after just delivering a large packageto the house.

“Hello there, little one,” Annasaid, smiling. The tired old owl opened a single eye in response, and thenlifted his wing to preen under his shoulder; he looked well nested andcomfortable after his long trip. He was a very funny looking owl, withbluish-gray feathers and bright orange eyes. He had, what looked like, twolittle feathered tufts for ears, and a poof of down growing over his tiny beak,which looked unmistakably like a bushy little mustache. In fact, Anna thoughtthe owl reminded her of a stoic English gentleman, who was mindfully proud ofhis many accomplishments and duties.

“He’s a hard worker,” Annasaid, looking back at Eric.

Eric smiled. “Otus megalotis,”he said expertly.

“Say what?”

“A Philippine scops owl. Hejust arrived with a package for father from overseas. A tough little bird to besure, but not very big,” Eric said, with an uninspired frown.

“Yes, but he’s dedicated anddependable, and there’s something else about him…” Anna started to explain, butthen she stopped. For a moment, Anna didn’t know what to say about this owl,but something clearly made him different from all the rest. After a moment ofinspection, it suddenly dawned on her. She couldn’t read him very well at all.

For most of the owls, Annacould tell Eric a lot about them, their habits, their likes and dislikes, butthis one was unlike the rest. She couldn’t say much about him other than he washard-working and proud of what he did for the family.

“Well, he’s proven he can flythe long distances,” she said. Then, looking back up at the bird, “Would youlike to come with me to Castlewood?” The owl turned his head to stare down ather, looking unimpressed. He blinked his left eye, and then his right, as if tosay: Let me think about it.

“I’m not sure about this one,Anna,” her brother said, frowning. “He seems a little full of himself to me.”

Anna smiled. Finally, a friendcomplicated enough to make her work to understand him, whose trust she wouldhave to earn. “I’ll take him,” she said, surprising herself more than Eric.

“Okay… your choice,” Ericsighed, before picking up the bird and placing him into the cage. The tired oldowl barely noticed his change of sleeping quarters. He looked up at Anna,hooted softly, and then returned to his well-earned nap.

TWO

An hour later, Anna was packingthe remaining items for school when she heard Eric’s voice booming up thehallway.

“Time to line-up! Come on,everybody — the cars are here. Father wants us downstairs for the line-up infive minutes. Let’s go!” She could hear her brother clapping.

“Oh, my God — it’s timealready?” Anna said, frantically sweeping the remaining items on her dresserinto a small bag, which she threw onto the open trunk at the foot of her bed.There was a quick knock at the door. “Come in!”

Eric poked his head in. “Timefor the line; you ready?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Anna said,frustrated.

Eric rolled his eyes. “Are yousure you have ninety percent of what you’ll need?”

“Uhmm… yes, I believe so,” shesaid nervously, wringing her hands and looking around her room.

“Good enough — let’s go. Gabbycan send you anything you’ve forgotten. Leave the trunk, the drivers arecollecting them for us,” he said, directing Anna into the hallway.

“Oh, all right,” Anna heaved,walking toward the door.

“No looking back!” Eric warned,as Anna started glancing around the room once again.

“Hey… this is all new to me,remember?”

“Yeah, I know, but father won’ttolerate our late arrival in the line. We’d better get down there.”

The line was an old Grayson familytradition. As the children prepared to leave for school, the rest of the familystood to inspect them before their departure. It was here where Anna’s fatheroffered his final words of wisdom and encouragement before sending them out andinto the world beyond his control.Anna remembered standing next to her father so many times as he scrutinized theline leaving to go to Castlewood each year and how she prayed, some day, shemight join those being inspected. Today was the day it would finally happen.

“Now listen, Anna… this is veryimportant. Keep your comments and answers to his questions short and simple. Ifyou talk too much — father’s gonna drill down on you pretty hard. The simpler —the better,” Eric explained, as the two galloped down the stairs. “Got it?”

“Got it.”

They arrived last in the familyroom, where they found their father impatiently waiting. “You’re late!” hebarked irritably. “All right, then — line it up!”

Eric took his place at the farleft of the line, facing their father. As Eric settled his feet, he seemed tosnap his head straight, as if coming to attention. To his right stood hissister, Dowla, and then Tencha and Damon, shoulder to shoulder. Anna stoodinside the doorway looking somewhat uneasy.

“Well — what are you waitingfor, Anna? Take your place in the line over there next to Damon,” MisterGrayson said sternly.

Anna smiled, and then walkedover to the spot furthest to the right in the line. Making sure her toes wereeven with Damon, she too snapped to attention. She could see Widwick, Gabby,and Mrs. McConnell standing shoulder to shoulder in a line behind their father.Gabby was quietly sobbing into her dirty dishtowel of a dress. Cookie wasfloating high above them, wearing an old floppy hat and holding a broken ridingcrop under one misty arm. The portraits in the room were sharing their frameswith the other portrait occupants from the rest of the house, who werestruggling to replace the best place to watch. The suit of armor had moved itselffrom its pedestal in the dining room to a position behind the children’s line,its broadsword raised, ready for inspection.

Mister Grayson straightened tospeak. “Once again… the time has come for me to watch you go. Every year, yourline grows longer while our line on this side shrinks. That line represents thechallenges and changes to come, and the many opportunities for each of youindividually. By putting you in that line, I trust you to remember who you areand where it is you come from. Your honor, integrity, and the ambition tosucceed will be tested in the months to come; I expect your best when you’rehere with me, and I demand you honor your family when you are away. I do notgive my trust casually and without merit. I only give it to those I know willhonor our good name. Can I count on you to protect the trust I now bestow uponyou?” Mister Grayson asked in a very loud voice.

“Yes sir!” the childrenbellowed together.

“Excellent! I now declare tothe entire house that those of you standing before me have earned my trust,”said Mister Grayson, and the portraits politely applauded. He paused, lookingdown the line before walking over to face Eric.

“Eric, why is your family honorso important?” he whispered softly.

“The Grayson family honor isthe binding element and defines who we are, father. It has been earned by thehard work and sweat of every past generation of Grayson who came before us.Each of us carry the responsibility to remember the sacrifice of those of ourfamily who worked so hard to build our good name and reputation,” Eric replied,looking deep into his father’s eyes with building pride.

“Outstanding,” said MisterGrayson, as the family portraits whispered and nodded approvingly to oneanother. “By placing you in that line — I’m trusting you’ll keep and protectour family honor. Eric… can I trust you to do this while you’re away and out ofmy reach?”

“Yes sir — you can. Your trustis safe here with me, father,” Eric said, tearfully.

“Good luck, son,” said MisterGrayson. He then reached out and hugged him. “I love you. Please take care ofyourself. I have very high expectations for you this year — more than all therest.”

Eric hugged his father back. “Iwill, father — I love you too. I won’t let you down.” Mister Grayson nodded,straightened Eric’s shoulders, and then stepped to his left to face Dowla nextin the line.

“Dowla,” Mister Graysonwhispered, “tell me about your priorities while you are away and out of my reach.”

Dowla gave a relieved smile.“My priorities will be to keep God in my heart, protect my family honor, watchout for the other members of my family, the welfare of those around me, and todedicate myself to the tasks given to me by my teachers and superiors,” sheanswered smartly.

“Good,” Mister Graysonwhispered, nodding slowly between her every word. He reached out and hugged hisdaughter. “Take care of yourself, and please… try to stay out of trouble thisyear.” He pulled back and smiled at her. “But don’t forget to have fun,” hesaid, tapping her gently on the nose. “I love you, pumpkin.”

“I love you too, daddy. I’mgoing to miss you so much,” she replied through her falling tears. MisterGrayson nodded, kissed Dowla on the cheek, and then stepped over to Tencha.

“Tencha, why should we watchout for the welfare of those around us?”

“Because it’s what God expectsof all good people, but especially those of us he has blessed with so much,”she replied, motioning around the room.

“Yes… and we honor the memoryof those Graysons who came before us when we help and protect those in troubleor who are less fortunate,” her father added.

“Yes sir — our brotherseverywhere,” Tencha replied. Mister Grayson sighed, and then slowly reached outto hug his second daughter.

“I love you, sweetheart. Studyhard, and take care of yourself.” He leaned into her ear. “And do me a favor;make sure Eric gets enough sleep this year, will you?” Tencha nodded tearfully.

“I love you too, daddy,” shesaid, sobbing into her father’s shoulder. Mister Grayson kissed Tencha on thecheek, and then stepped over to Damon.

“Damon, would you say ourfamily is strong?” Damon seemed taken back by the question.

“Yes, sir — we are powerful!”he replied forcefully. Mister Grayson seemed to hesitate at hearing his answer,thinking carefully about his response.

“Damon, what is the differencebetween power and strength?” Again, Damon seemed to struggle to replace an answer.“Think Damon; there is a difference. What is it?” asked Mister Grayson; his eyeswere peering into Damon’s puzzled face.

“I… I think… strength can takemany forms and comes from within ourselves.”

“Good,” Mister Grayson purred,“and power?”

“Power is how we influence ourauthority,” Damon replied without hesitation.

Mister Grayson frowned. Hestepped in close to Damon and then whispered, “Your strength does come fromwithin; you’re right about that,” Mister Grayson said, pointing a single fingerinto Damon’s chest. “The strength of your faith, your character, your drive,and the ability to hold onto the things you know to be true and honorable.Power does not exist without these things, Damon, and it is fleeting withoutrestraint. Power without these strengths is imaginary, and strength withouthonor can be immoral. Without honor, power can be evil. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Damon repliedcarefully, but Anna could tell Damon would be thinking about these words formany days to come. Mister Grayson reached out and hugged Damon.

“I love you, son,” he said,patting Damon on the cheek. “Work hard in school this year. I’m going to missyou very much.”

“I will father — I love youtoo,” Damon replied somberly.

Finally, Mister Grayson turnedto face Anna. He stared at her for a moment and then, “Anna, what is the mostimportant strength we as a family possess?”

Anna thought for a moment andthen answered. “Our faith and love,” she replied cautiously.

“Good — and tell me, do thesestrengths depend on our personal power or abilities?”

Anna knew the answerimmediately. “No, sir — they are gifts from God to us all.” Eric smiled in hisplace at the end of the line as their father brightened. He stepped forward,reached up, and cupped Anna’s face in his warm hands.

“Well… look at you. This wasrather unexpected, wasn’t it? I was so looking forward to our chess matchesthis winter. I’m gong to miss you, Anna — I love you very much. I know you’vewaited a very long time for this — longer than all the rest. You’re going tolearn a lot about yourself this year. It would be natural to question yourselfmany times; but never question who you are or where you come from. Can I trustyou to honor your faith while you’re away and out of my reach? Can I trust youin this line?”

“Yes, sir,” Anna replied, andshe sobbed against her father’s shoulder as they hugged. “I love you so much,daddy — how will I do this without you?” Anna asked tearfully.

“It’s always hardest the firstyear,” he said with a pause, “for both the children and their parents. But…you’ll do fine,” he said, smiling down at her as he kissed her on the cheek. Hewalked back to the middle of the room and turned to face the line once more.His expression became stern.

“I should warn you all, if youbreak my trust — you will regret it.” He scowled in the direction of Tencha andDowla. “And I will be most vigilant in making sure you keep to your part ofthis bargain. If you break this trust and dishonor yourself — you dishonor ourfamily,” he said glaringly, “you dishonor the memory of those around you,” hesaid, motioning to the imagines in the portraits watching them, all of whichwere nodding in agreement. “And you will have dishonored me!

“If you break my trust, I willremove you from this line and you will not be returned to it for the rest ofthe year.” Dowla and Tencha swallowed hard. “This means you will remain herewith me until you can prove you can be trusted again. While the others returnto school, you will become my student, and I can assure you, I will make thatremaining year most difficult for you. This is not meant to be a threat, justthe validation of a simple truth: With trust comes great responsibility. Thisis what was expected of me while I was in that line. You should expect nothingless now.”

Their father paused, trying toremember if he had forgotten anything important. “You must also remember thatmagic is not allowed outside the estate grounds until you are aboard ship andunderway to Castlewood. Underage witches and wizards are not allowed to usemagic outside of the school. By special circumstances, you are allowed to usemagic here in our home only because of the work I do for the Ministry. Don’tforget… these are privileges extended to me, which I pass on to you while youare here. Don’t abuse these privileges while out of my reach.”

He looked down the line again ateach of them. “I’m very proud of you, and grant you permission to leave ourfamily home and venture out. Go out there and show the world what you’ve got.”Then he tilted his head down to glare at them from under his darkened brow, hisface splitting into an evil grin. “Show them what a Grayson can bring to theparty!” The Grayson children giggled maliciously at each other. Their fatherthen lifted his head and smiled brightly. “Good luck — work hard — and returnsafe. I’ll see you all over the Christmas holiday.” And then, after a difficultsilence, he finished. “We’re done here — you’re dismissed!” And with that, thechildren walked forward to their father and hugged him as a group. “I will missyou all very, very much. I love you,” he said, kissing each of them on the headwith tears welling in his eyes.

“Get going now — your trunkshave been loaded and your drivers are waiting. You’d better head outside.” Oneby one, each of the children hugged their father and then headed for theentranceway and out the front door.

“Anna — I’d like to speak withyou for a moment, please,” Mister Grayson said, placing his arm around Anna’sshoulder. “Tencha, would you tell the driver she’ll be along in five minutes?”

“Okay… goodbye, daddy,” saidTencha with a wave, before turning to walk down the stone steps outside andtoward the two parked cars waiting in the driveway.

“Follow me,” Mister Graysonsaid to Anna, as he turned to walk down the staircase toward the basement. Annafollowed her father to the bottom of the stairway and down the long hall ofportraits to the entrance of his Ministry office. Before he opened the door, heturned to face her again.

“I have a surprise for you —close your eyes,” he said with an anticipative grin.

“What? Why? What’s going on?”Anna replied, in a surprised tone.

“Never mind… cover your eyesand take my hand,” he said mysteriously. Anna did as she was told and coveredher eyes and took her father’s hand. “No peeking now!” he ordered, as he openedhis office door. Anna could feel her father pulling her along a few stepsinside and finally stopped somewhere in the middle of the room. He released herhand, and then turned her shoulders to redirect her orientation. “Okay, you canlook now,” he whispered softly. Anna removed her hand and opened her eyes. Shelooked up and gasped. There, hanging on the wall above her father’s chair, wasa life size painting of a stunning woman with long red hair in a pink dress.Anna was so shocked by the woman’s immense beauty she didn’t even think who it wasstaring out into the room from the golden frame. Her father leaned over andwhispered into her ear, “It’s… your mother, Anna,” he said reverently. “It’s myVictoria.”

And so it was. The image ofVictoria Grayson was almost regal and certainly breathtaking. She was portrayedin a standing position holding a single rose. Her eyes were as blue assapphires, and her skin was clear and perfect. She was young, vibrant, andcarried a slight disarming smile in her pose. If a picture could tell the storyof grace and beauty, this one could testify to these qualities, together withelegance, sophistication, and self-confidence. Victoriawas all of these things and more. The image began to blur around its edges andAnna impulsively raised her hand to wipe her eyes, only to replace her own tearsstreaming down her face. She looked at her father, who was still staring up atthe portrait with a strange and unfamiliar smile.

“She’s so beautiful,” Anna saidin awe.

“Yes — I told you so, didn’tI?”

“But I thought you said shewouldn’t pose for a portrait,” Anna said, walking up to the frame to get abetter look.

“No — she wouldn’t. I had tohave it done from a photograph,” he replied. “I’m very glad you talked me intobringing it out of storage. I realized that, with you leaving and going off toschool, I needed to see her more than ever.”

Anna was speechless and intears. The image of her mother was having an unexpected effect on her. It was alonging to know her, to be near her. Her reaction to the portrait wasoverwhelming, and Anna couldn’t help the intense feeling of grief that was nowmoving to engulf her. The knowledge that the woman Anna was seeing for thefirst time in her life was dead struck painfully deep in her chest. She lookedat her father, but before she could reach out to him, he had already crossedthe room and wrapped his arms around her. Anna cried desperately.

“It’s all right, sweetheart,”he said mournfully. “Now you know why I couldn’t do this for so long. Yourmother was an amazing woman; I miss her very much, even after all of theseyears.” There was another long pause while the two held each other, gazinglovingly up at the painting.

“I have something else foryou,” he said brightly, as Anna wiped away the tears from her cheeks.

“Now what? You know you’regoing to send me away a complete mess,” she said with a groan. Mister Graysonsmiled and turned to walk over to another table where two boxes sat next to abook. He picked up the book and handled it to Anna. Anna opened the front coverto replace a photograph. She gasped again. It was an exact copy of the painting.

“Now we both can remember herin the same way,” Mister Grayson said lovingly. Anna hugged her father again.She turned the page to replace photo after photo of Victoria Grayson with herfather, with the other Grayson children, hugging Widwick. Mister Graysonreached in to close the book in her hands. “If we go through these picturesnow, you’ll miss your ship. We can share them again over Christmas.”

He turned again and picked up alarge wooden box from the desk and handed it to Anna. She opened the heavilycarved lid on the box, which squeaked slightly as it was lifted. Within thebox, sitting in beautifully crushed, blue velvet, was the gem-encrustedkaleidoscope. Anna, suddenly short of breath, looked up at her father’s displaycabinet to replace the scope missing from its normal spot behind the glass.

“Your grandmother would havewanted you to have it, and I know you will appreciate it the most,” he said,with a bright smile.

“Oh daddy, are you sure? No… Icouldn’t take this. It belonged to your mother.”

“Well… actually… it belonged toVictoria’s mother, Mary Jennings.”

Anna’s jaw dropped. She lookeddown at the kaleidoscope again with renewed wonder. “I don’t know what to say,”she said gratefully.

Her father stiffened. “Youcould say thank you, my dear,” hereplied in a very gruff manner.

“Oh… thank you. Thank you —thank you — thank you,” she said, hugging him again. “I’ll cherish it forever!”

“I know you will, and that’swhy I wanted you to have it.

“I have one more thing foryou,” he said, turning to pick up a thin wooden box from the table. Anna setthe kaleidoscope down and opened the box. It was the purple heart wand. Annafrowned and looked up at her father. “Well… every witch needs a proper wand,lamebrain!” he said mockingly, and in a very bad imitation of Eric’s voice.Anna laughed and looked down at the wand again, running her finger across itssmooth purple finish.

Her father leaned in again. “Itwas Victoria’s wand, Anna; it belonged to yourmother,” he said softly. “You’ll need it for school — and it’s rightfullyyours.” This was too much. Anna broke down in tears once again, leaning againsther father, and holding the wand close to her chest. Her mother’s wand; Annacouldn’t believe it. There was a knock at the door and Mrs. McConnell walkedin.

“Excuse me, Mister Grayson —but the drivers are getting impatient. Anna needs to go if they’re gonna’ boardthe ship on time,” she said with a look of concern.

“Yes — quite right Meredith —all my fault — thank you. Come on, sweetheart, you have to go.”

Anna gathered up her gifts andfollowed her father to the door. As she passed Mrs. McConnell, she noticed herfather’s secretary looking behind her. Anna turned and saw she was staring up atthe portrait of her mother behind the desk. Anna looked back at Mrs. McConnellagain and found a sparkle of tears growing in the woman’s eyes.

“Yer mother was quitebeautiful. I had almost forgotten… she…” but she stopped short. “Good luck atschool, dear,” she said, with a look of pride on her smiling face. Anna quicklyhugged her. “Oh… come-come now child… move, along. You’ll do fine, I’ll warrantit,” she said lovingly.

“Goodbye Meredith — I’m goingto miss you all so much.” Mrs. McConnell straightened and pursed her tremblinglips. Tilting her head to the side, she nodded in agreement. Anna glanced backone last time at the portrait and then ran down the hall to catch up with herfather.

Within minutes, Anna’s thingswere packed in the trunk of the car with the rest of her belongings, and shewas climbing into the backseat with Eric. As the cars pulled away, Anna andEric looked out the back window to see their father, Widwick, Gabby and Mrs.McConnell waving them out of sight.

“You know, Eric… we have thegreatest father in the entire Wizarding world,” Anna said, longingly.

“I think so,” he repliedquickly. Eric looked over at Anna and could see she had been crying. “Yes, he’sa very good man. We owe it to him to do our very best this year. Are you up forthat challenge, Anna Grayson?” he asked, deliberately adding a sense of contestto his voice. As the car passed through the gates of the estate, Anna was stilllooking back as they closed behind them. She could see the horses on the ironbars were still running. Anna turned to face the front and smiled.

“Yes, I am,” she said withdetermination. “I’m ready for anything now!”