Chapter1:

Where should I begin? There are so many things to be said and explained. I can't begin to understand how you would believe me, considering the circumstances. I should probably tell you while my thoughts are somewhat organized. My name is Ridley Olivia Rivendale, I am a seventeen year-old witch and this is my story.

No, I am NOT crazy, no matter what is said throughout this story. I am not one of those evil witches people tell small children about in fairy tales either. You'll have to bear with me, because this is not a very happy story. Lives will be lost, and people will be left alone and heartbroken, but I am telling you of happy times now. Like any good story I should start from the beginning.

I didn't always know about being a witch. In fact, I didn't even know until I was nine years-old when I showed my first sign of magic. That's old for a child living with a half-blood father to find out, even if he was a dead beat. He never told me, but I don't think it was his fault. When he married my mom he had to tell her about him being a wizard. As you would expect she freaked.

It took her a while to get used to this fact, but for some unknown reason she forbid him to ever use magic. His wand is still in a box in the attic. I'm sure that when my father was younger and unmarried he was a very caring man and enthusiastic about life, when he married mom he changed into the indifferent man he is today. Since my mom is a muggle and was raised in a normal home she could get a job, dad though was raised in a wizard household and knew nothing of the world. So he sits on his fat arse all day watching the tellyfelly (that's what he calls the TV).

Mom was no picnic either, when she found out I was a witch I think she nearly keeled over, considering I have four younger siblings with no magical abilities at all. Finding out I was a witch was quite amusing especially how it happened, the day I performed real magic.

~Flashback~

It was my four younger sibling's seventh birthday; Klaus, Emily, Sarah, and Siobhan. They decided to have a birthday party and invite all the kids in their class. After I had seen David Copperfield on the tellyfelly I thought, wow I want to be just like him. I had seen a hat trick the night before and I wanted to test out my skills as a magician. Everyone was gathered in the backyard, I had my top hat and cape.

I had prepared the trick by sticking a stuffed rabbit in the hat sitting upon my head. I carefully took the hat off, holding it out in front of me and making sure the toy stayed inside. Then as I reached into the hat I said: "Prepare to be amazed!" just as the words left my mouth I had pulled out a live rabbit. All the children oo'd and ah'd at the rabbit to which I stared in utter confusion. Looking up at mom she had a shocked look on her face and dad had a light I had never before seen in his eyes. I had made him proud.

~End Flashback~

We moved from the state of California to London, England later that year. I hadn't known at the time why, until my eleventh birthday, a letter was sent from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After I had read this allowed at the dinner table, mom immediately started listing off reasons why I couldn't go. That's when my father spoke out: "She will be going." Mom had been shocked into silence, ending the conversation. The next day my dad took me to Diagon Alley to buy my school books with his Gringott's vault money. My wand was made of Vinewood, the core was Thestral hair, 10 ¾ inches long, and swishy. Mr. Ollivander had said it was nice for charms. On September first 1991 I was aboard the Hogwarts express ready for the time of my life.