2

‘’Wh… what have you done to my boy?’’ Mr. Wall cried.

Dale now somehow looked like a horrible cross between a pig and a human boy.

With huge pink hairy ears, small beady eyes, and elongated nose.

Hilda looked down at her hands, not knowing that she could do anything like that.

She knew that Jimmy’s father could.

‘’You…you’’ Mr. Wall pointed shaking fingers at Hilda. ‘’You are just like that boy of yours.’’

Hilda ran upstairs and the door to the attic opened for her.

‘’Jimmy, pack your things. We are leaving,’’ Hilda said then paused after seeing a crow on the window sill and hearing Jimmy talking to it.

‘’We really must go; I never expected it to start this soon.’’

‘’What are you talking about?’’ Jimmy asked while stuffing his things in a bag.

He didn’t have much, so it didn’t take long for him to have everything ready to go.

‘’I am taking you away from here and away from Tom.’’

‘Finally,’ Jimmy thought then hugged his mother.

He didn’t ask why, or wanted to know what happened, all he cared about was being away from the man.

‘’Hilda! You can’t leave Hilda. You and that boy.’’

Suddenly Mr. Wall began to change into a hideous creature.

‘’Mom, what’s wrong with Tom?’’ Jimmy asked.

At the same moment, Dale squealed out and scrambled under the table.

 Hilda grabbed Jimmy’s hand and ran out of the house.

‘’Get in and get low,’’ Hilda instructed Jimmy, she didn’t wait for him to close the door before driving off.

Jimmy looked back just in time to see the house crumbling and a flying creature emerging from what was.

‘’Mom, what’s going on?’’ Jimmy asked, hanging on for dare life as his mother drove like a mad woman.

‘’I don’t know how to explain things to you, but I promise to take you some place safe. I am sorry Jimmy; I should have known something was wrong with Tom and I’m sorry for allowing him to treat you that way.’’

Sadly, their car broke down.

Well, more like it ran out of gas and before that, a tire was blown.

‘’It’s ok, get your bag. The place isn’t too far from here.’’

There was a loud screech, and Jimmy looked back to see what looked like a dragon flying towards them.

‘’Run Jimmy! Run!’’

And they both had to duck down behind the trees, to their good luck, and because of the momentum of Tom, he came crashing down to the ground and creating a small crater.

‘’Jimmy, listen. You see that house on top of the hill, that’s where you need to go. They will help you from there.’’

Jimmy shook his head. ‘’Why are you talking like that? We both have to escape that thing.’’

There was a roar and the two began to run, but Hilda knew that the only way for Jimmy to get to safety was if she fought off the beast that was chasing them.

Hilda took up a fallen branch to fight off the dragon, and instead of running, Jimmy stood there crying for her to run.

The dragon hit Hilda with its tail, throwing her some feet away.

It then picked her up and squeezed with all it’s might, until Hilda dissolved into dust.

‘’Mom!’’ Jimmy called, then fell backward when the dragon turned its yellow eyes on him.

He was frozen in fear and couldn’t get his legs to corporate with his brain.

‘’Repelle!’’ A voice suddenly said, a blinding light flashed, and Jimmy closed his eyes tight, thinking that the dragon must have caused it.

Then he felt strong hands pulling him to his feet.

‘’No, let go of me. My mother. Let me go!’’

‘’Stop it little one, I’m here to take you to safety.’’

Jimmy got to his feet and stared at the beefy man before him.

‘’Who are you?’’

The man did a little bow. ‘’Pong at your service, I sensed that there was trouble. I’m just sorry I couldn’t make it in time to…’’ he trailed off.

‘’Is my mother dead?’’

‘’Not quite.’’

‘’What does that mean?’’

‘’Dragons like to keep prizes, so as long as I report this to the council, then they can find the dragon’s mount and rescue your mother.’’

‘’I don’t understand.’’

‘’It’s ok, your mother had you living as a mono, so I didn’t expect you to know a word I was saying.’’

‘’A what?’’

‘’Come now, I’m sure you must be tired.’’

But Jimmy was trying to be stubborn, something he had never done before, but he was scared and worried he would never see his mom again.

The man easily threw Jimmy over his shoulder and walked up the steep hill.

‘’Right, here we are,’’ he said, setting Jimmy on his feet.

Jimmy looked around the cozy living room and was shocked to see a girl staring back at him.

Being that he went to a boys’ only school, which was odd for a public school, he wasn’t that use to being around female his age.

‘’He-hey,’’ Jimmy gave her an awkward wave.

The girl’s eyes widened, and she ran off.

‘’Sorry, that’s Ester. She’s not that used to people, still trying to get her to warm up to me. She was turned into a hamster and was almost eaten.’’

Jimmy didn’t question, because after what he just saw, he thought that anything was possible now.

‘’Can you tell me what is going on?’’

‘’Afraid not young one, my knowledge is limited. I am just err… a gate keeper if you must. Or maybe you could call me a transporter, anyway, go freshen up and by the time you are down supper should be ready.’’

Jimmy followed behind the man and wondered how the stairs were able to keep his weight up.

‘’Ok, this is where you can sleep for the night. I don’t think we will have any more arrivals.’’

‘’But, dragons are real,’’ was all Jimmy could say.

‘’That they are, but not to worry your little head. This place is protected.’’

Jimmy had no idea what to think, but as he threw his bag down, he looked out the window and couldn’t help crying for his mother.

Even with his belly full, Jimmy was still sad, thinking that he would never see Hilda again.

Jimmy found himself jumping from his sleep and even crying out because of the horrible dream he just had.

He dreamt that Tom had gobbled him and Hila up, and in his stomach was a hot pit that had more dragons trying to eat them.

Jimmy whimpered and rolled to his side, but no matter how he tried to sleep, sleep just didn’t seem to come.

And by the time he did fall asleep, Pong came bursting in the room, telling him that they need to get going.

‘’And where are we going?’’ Jimmy asked after they got into the old beat-up car.

‘’Well, you need to get to the train station so you can get to school.’’

‘’School?’’

‘’Yes, it is a place for special little boys and girls like you.’’

‘’But I am nothing special and girls don’t go to my school, just boys.’’

Pong laughed. ‘’You sure say some funny things boy.’’

‘’Please don’t call me that? My name is Jimmy, saying boy reminds me of my stepfather, he was the dragon.’’

The car came to a screeching halt.

‘’Chicken toenails, it’s a miracle you are still alive.’’

When he started driving again, Pong was mumbling a few things Jimmy didn’t understand.

‘’Are you going to tell me what’s going on?’’

‘’Afraid it’s not my place to say, but when you get to school, there you will learn all you need to know.’’

‘’But school doesn’t teach us about dragons.’’

Pong laughed. ‘’Of course, they do, don’t be silly.’’

Jimmy began pinching himself, thinking that he was only caught in a bad dream.

Finally, they got to the train station.

‘’Right, here we are. I placed everything that you will need in your bag, you my now proceed to platform eight and don’t stop until you get to the end of the platform. It was a pleasure keeping you safe, now I have to get back in case there are any other unfortunate souls that need helping.’’

Jimmy watched as the oversized man climbed into the car that was too small for him and drove away.

Jimmy followed his instruction and walked on for what felt like a ridiculously long time. At first he was scared at how secluded it was but breathed out after seeing a crowd of people. They all waited excitedly for the train.

‘’Jimmy Wilian?’’ A voice asked.

Jimmy span around trying to find the person calling his name.

Then a man seemed to materialize before his eyes. ‘’Are you Jimmy Willian?’’ a tall, pale, and scrawny looking man asked.

‘’Yes,’’ Jimmy nodded.

‘’Well, I can’t believe this. Anyway, follow me.’’

‘’To where?’’ Jimmy asked but still followed behind the odd-looking man.

The man stopped at a wall and did a series of knocks on it, at first Jimmy thought he was mad but then the bricks in the wall began to shift before opening up like a door big enough for a car to pass through.

‘’What is this?’’ Jimmy asked in a panic and stepped back.

Without answer, the man pulled Jimmy by the front of his shirt and through the doorway.

Jimmy was shocked to see what looked like a new world before his eyes, he looked back, wondering how it was possible for buildings, people, and cars to fit into the small corner.

‘’Where are we?’’ he asked because it wasn’t a place he had seen before.

‘’What, don’t tell me you have never been to Langdale before?’’

‘’Langdale? That’s not even a real place, I have never heard of it before.’’

‘’Stop being silly little boy, everyone in the wizarding world have not only heard but been to Langdale, it is like New York City for us.’’

Jimmy stopped walking. ‘’Wizarding world?’’

The man had to pull him out of the road before a fast-driving car ran him over.

‘’Pixie dust boy, don’t you know that you can’t just stop in the middle of the road? And stop being so silly, you are a wizard so none of this should be new to you.’’

‘’I truly don’t know what you are talking about,’’ Jimmy stomped his foot out of frustration.

‘’Well, I guess your mother never told you then. I thought it was just a joke when they said you were living in the Monos world, trying to be normal. I’m sure your powers were out of control and that’s why she sent you to Hapsarts school of Wizardry now.’’

‘’You must be mad, and this must be a joke. I am not a wizard, and I never applied for this make-believe school.’’

The man leaned his face close to Jimmy, he closed one eye and then opened the other wide.

‘’Well, if you weren’t a wizard, you wouldn’t have been able to pass through the barrier.’’

He straightened up. ‘’If you had read that letter, you wouldn’t have been in denial now. Heck, if your mother had left you here like we begged her, all this would have been avoided.’’

‘’What letter? And stop talking about my mother like this is her fault, she is dead so have some respect.’’

‘’Oh, I am truly sorry kid.’’

‘’Sure, and what letter?’’

‘’Well, your mother should have placed it with your belongings. It is the acceptance letter and a list of all you need for your time at school.’’

Jimmy dug through his bag until he pulled out the crumpled-up letter.

Hapsarts school of Wizardry.

Dear Jimmy Willian,

I hope this letter finds you well.

I am headmaster Lila Assaraf.

And I am pleased to inform you that you have been granted admission at Hapsarts school of Wizardry.

Please find enclosed a list of all items needed for this upcoming school term.

Yours Sincerely,

Lila Assaraf.

Jimmy’s head felt fuzzy after reading the letter.