The Student of Balance

School of Wizardry

Hannah Frire didn't know what she was expecting. The only life she had ever known was the life she had on Earth with her grandmother. For her whole life, she hadn't even believed in magic. That is, until she turned fifteen, and her grandmother turned her world upside down.

"You're a wizard, Hannah," she had said.

Hannah was immediately reminded of one of her favourite book series, Harry Potter.

"Both your parents were wizards too. An odd bunch, they were. A student of ice and a student of fire. I told your mother that it would never work out, but I guess she really loved him, either that or she was determined to prove me wrong, because it did."

"I don't understand. Grandmother, magic isn't real. Are you feeling ok?" Hannah was beginning to feel worried. Her grandmother was old. Was her mind slowly going?

"No, it's real. I myself was a student of ice. Alas, my magic has all but left me. These old hands haven't conjured a spell since I was in my thirties."

"Ok, look, I'm going to go call your doctor."

"I'm not going crazy child!" she snapped. "The only reason I'm telling you this, is you are fifteen now. Normally, wizards go to school when they turn thirteen. However, I wasn't sure if I wanted to risk sending you there. But now I realize I have been selfish, hiding your gifts from you. It's time for you to learn how to use them."

"School?" Definitely Harry Potter.

"Open your ears, Hannah. School. It's in the center of the Spiral, in a place called Wizard City. I imagine Ambrose is still the headmaster there. He'll take you in, tell you what kind of wizard you are."

"Grandma, I'm not going to any wizard school. I already go to school, remember? Have been since I was four."

"This topic is not open for discussion! Come, follow me."

Hannah was lead into her grandmother's room. Her grandmother dug around in the closet for a few minutes, until pulling out a robe, hat and shoes. They were a light blue, with red stripes. In the center of the robe, there was a red circle. The hat was pointed, like a witch's.

"Um, what kind of clothes are those?" she asked.

Her grandmother smiled, mischievously. "Why, your new outfit, of course."

She had never been so lost in her life. It took a lot of persuading, (and a magic portal) to convince Hannah that magic was in fact real. That, she couldn't really blame her grandmother for. However, she could blame her grandmother for giving her a hug goodbye and shoving her through the door. Now, she appeared to be inside a tree.

Hannah cautiously stepped towards what she thought would be the door. Sure enough, she found herself bathed in the bright sunlight. That was a familiar feeling. The sights were a bit less familiar.

Teens, older and younger, were running around, most of them dressed in some kind of robe, others dressed in clothes even stranger.

"Well, someone looks lost," a voice behind her said. Hannah spun around, and found herself face to face with a girl. She was dressed head to toe in clothes that were purple.

"I'm kinda new here. Mind telling me where, uh, Headmaster Ambrose's office is?" Hannah asked.

The girl laughed. "Sure. I'm Autumn, by the way. Autumn RavenHeart. I'm a student of storm."

"Hannah Frire. Interesting last name, RavenHeart. Pretty, but strange."

"My name's interesting? I've never heard of a name like Frire. Where are you from?" Autumn asked.

"Earth."

"That would be why. You just don't know your wizard last name."

Without another word, Autumn turned and led Hannah through a stone tunnel, into what looked like a town square. There was a pond in the middle of the place, and buildings all around it. There were tons of students running around or lazily sitting by the pond.

"This is The Commons. Where we just came from, that was Ravenwood. That's where you'll do most of your training. Here is where most of us just hang out and relax."

"It's beautiful," Hannah breathed.

"It is. Now, come on. Follow me. Professor Ambrose's office is this way."

Autumn walked a little ways down the street, and turned into the biggest building in The Commons. The building had a little tower behind it. Inside the building, there were a few students looking at books, but it was mostly empty. An old man was sitting at the desk.

"Professor Ambrose? This is Hannah, from Earth," Autumn said.

Ambrose looked up. "Thank you, Autumn. You may go now."

Autumn nodded and left. The headmaster studied Hannah. "Where are my manners? Greetings, young wizard. My name is Merle Ambrose. I am headmaster of Wizard City."

"Hi. I'm Hannah, Hannah Frire."

Ambrose let out a bit of a laugh. "Your last name is Frire? Oh, that sounds like something your parents would do."

"My parents? You knew them?"

"Very well, in fact. Extraordinary wizards, both of them. Your father a student of fire, and your mother of ice. An uncommon match, indeed. Your last name is Frire, Hannah. What does that sound like?"

"Fire, I guess."

"Yes, but the first two letters are f-r. Freeze, or frozen. They were making a combination of their schools."

"But, they didn't just choose their last name! They were born with it."

"Not your parents. They fled to Earth from Wizard City. They didn't have an Earth last name, so they chose one."

"What's their real last name then?"

"You mother's was NightStar, and your fathers was SunFist. When they married, they combined their last names into NightFist. That is your last name."

"Hannah NightFist," she said, trying the word out. It sounded weird, but she kind of liked it.

"Now, follow me into the tower, and we'll determine what kind of wizard you are," he said. He got up and walked towards the tower.

"Wait, you don't know?" she called. With a sigh, she ran after him.