Ever since she was a young girl, Adeline Pevensey (fondly known as "Addie" by those who loved her), knew she was different from the other children. Not that this bothered her. On the contrary, Addie was more than happy to keep to herself while the other young girls played with their dolls and prams. However, this perplexed Addie's mother and father to no end – they just could not understand it. At home, their Addie was the pleasantest, most talkative eight year old they could have hoped to have raised. She had a vivid imagination as well, always telling the most beguiling of stories – most of which included a funny looking gentleman with "thistledown hair", as she described it. From the minute she awoke to the dwindling of the sunlight, Addie could be found playing in the small, relatively harmless woods that surrounded her family's manor. And each day, she would return home with an update of their adventures - hers and the Gentleman with the thistledown hair, that is. All was well in the Pevensey household – Rufus and Isobel Pevensey were a perfectly happy couple, with a perfectly happy daughter.

That was until one day, Adeline came home levitating a small pebble three inches above the palm of her hand.

'I will not have a magician in the family!'

'Rufus please, calm down –'

Addie sat curled up in the corner of her room, trying to block out her parents' voices as they penetrated through the wooden floorboards.

'Oh I can just hear the villagers now, "Fancy that, Lord Brigham's daughter, a magician!" ' Rufus Pevensey's face turned pale at the mere thought of such a scandal. He grabbed his glass of port and drained it.

'Just because she can do magic, does not mean she has to become a magician.' Isobel tried reasoning with her husband. 'There is no point in getting angry with her, she won't understand.'

After a moment's thought, Rufus wearily nodded his head and sighed. 'You're right, my dear. As usual.' He rose from the armchair and walked towards the end of the staircase.

'Addie.' He called in a much more reasonable voice. 'Addie, can you please come down. Your mother and I would like to talk to you.'

Lady Brigham nodded approvingly at her husband. Isobel had a knack for calming people, a gift which Adeline had also inherited. Addie had rarely cried as a baby, always smiling and gurgling. And there were no such things as temper tantrums in the Pevensey household.

Having re-seated himself on the velvet armchair, Rufus tried his hardest to keep the good-natured expression on his face. Although he needn't have worried, for as soon as he glimpsed Addie's flushed and tear-stained cheeks, his temper all but vanished.

'Oh my darling.' Isobel rushed over to where the young girl was shyly standing. Scooping her daughter up into her arms, Isobel cradled her head underneath her chin, and placed a kiss upon the crown of her head.

'I'm sorry.' Addie whispered against her mother's collarbone.

'No, no it is not your fault.' Isobel soothed her daughter. 'We're not angry with you.'

'Papa is.' Came the small voice again.

Lord Brigham shook his head sadly. 'No, Papa is not angry.' He rubbed his face and sat up straighter. 'Addie, my dear, come here.' Mrs Pevensey gently lowered the sniffling girl to the ground, and led her over to her father. He took both of her small, soft hands in his and sighed.

'You have to understand, Addie, that magic is not… it's not for people like us – Especially not the respectable daughter of an earl. Magic is for vagabonds and con-artists, not young ladies.' Addie nodded her head, but kept her eyes lowered to the ground. 'I am not saying this to punish you, Addie.' Mr Pevensey raised his daughter's chin with the tips of his fingers. 'But you must promise me to never do magic again. Do you understand?'

Adeline dipped her head sadly, ignoring the few tears that escaped and rolled down her cheeks.

'Yes Papa.'

Mr Pevensey took out his pocket handkerchief and dabbed the tears from his daughters face. 'It's for the best, Addie.' He smiled at her kindly. 'You're a good girl.'

The young girl nodded wordlessly, then leaned in and placed a kiss on her father's cheek. 'Yes Papa. Goodnight Papa.' She then turned and moved towards her mother's seat, kissed her cheek, and bid her goodnight.

Once in the privacy of her own room, Addie ran to her bed and cried, and cried, and cried. When the tears began to subside and her mind began to clear, she suddenly remembered something her friend had told her. Sliding from her bed, she grabbed the candleholder on top of the bedside locker, and ambled towards the flickering candle on the windowsill. Lighting one with the other, she closed her eyes and whispered the words her friend had spoken to her. Once said, she opened her eyes and quickly blew out the flame in one breath. She waited silently, unsure about how to proceed.

Maybe I should look out the window? She thought to herself as she peered through the frosted glass. But there was nothing out of the ordinary to be seen.

'It didn't work.' She whispered gloomily.

'Oh yes, my dear.' A voice spoke up from behind her, and Addie nearly dropped the candle in fright. 'It did.'

Spinning around, Adeline nearly laughed aloud when she saw her friend sitting primly on the edge of her rocking chair.

'You're here!' She exclaimed delightedly.

The Gentleman with the thistledown hair smiled widely at his little companion. 'While I am most pleased with your accomplishment, dear Adeline, I must question the lateness of the hour.' He tilted his head in confusion. 'Surely you do not want to go on another adventure? Because I have already planned our day tomorrow and I would rather keep it a surprise. Or at least, until the sun has risen.'

Addie's smile slowly faded from her face. 'I'm afraid there won't be an adventure tomorrow.'

'Oh?'

'I'm afraid my parents have discovered my magic, and have forbid me from going into the forest.'

The Gentleman sprang up from the rocking chair. 'Why this is an outrage! How dare they!' Addie jumped slightly, startled by her friend's outburst. 'No, no this simply will not do. I have spent years planning your future, and it shan't be for nothing!'

Adeline shrugged helplessly and watched as the silver-haired fairy paced the length of her room, fuming. 'But what if I continue practising magic, and they send me away?' Addie knew her mother and father were good, kind people, and that they would believe sending her away to be for her benefit only. What's more, Mrs Pevensey had always been itching for a reason to send Adeline to her great-aunt Emilia in London.

The Gentleman slowed his striding, a thought forming in his brilliant mind. 'Tell me, dear Adeline, what age you are now?'

'Eight years old. I shall be nine in December.'

The Gentleman resumed his spot on the chair, and began to absentmindedly rock back and forwards. 'Ten years. Why, that's hardly a blink of an eye for my esteemed kind but for you –' His piercing blue eyes flicked in Adeline's direction. 'For you, my precious child, ten years may seem quite a long time.'

Addie furrowed her brows confusedly. 'I don't understand?'

'Yes, I see no other option.' The Gentleman continued to mumble to himself. 'It will have to do.'

'What will have to do?'

The Gentleman rose once more from his seat, and strode over to Adeline. Bending down so that they were at matching heights, he took her small hand in his own slender one, and began to explain. 'Oh my dear Adeline, if only you knew the wonders I have in store for you! This is just the beginning. You have so much more to learn!' The Gentleman's smile faltered, and he continued after a moment's pause. 'But that will have to wait, for the time being. I'm afraid, my dearest, that we shan't be seeing a lot of each other these next ten years.'

Adeline inhaled sharply. 'Ten years? Why so long?'

'Because in ten years' time, sweet Adeline, you shall be a grown woman. And you shall be in control of your destiny, not your parents.' He uttered the last word with a hint of contempt. 'Then we can reassume our friendship.' So impressed with his cunning, the Gentleman did not realise that his words had greatly saddened his little friend, who was softly crying into her hands. The fairy hastily produced a pristine, silk handkerchief from his breast pocket, and held it before her. 'There, there, my dear. This is not goodbye.' He gently dabbed at her cheek. 'Let us not have tears, hmm?' Rising to his full height, the Gentleman moved to the centre of the room. He flourished his hand, and bowed gracefully. 'Until we meet again, my dearest Adeline.'

Addie gulped loudly, but managed a tearful smile. 'Don't forget about me. Please.'

The Gentleman straightened up, and fixed his serious gaze on her.

'Never.'

10 Years Later

'Adeline Pevensey! If I have to call your name one more time - '

Addie sighed loudly, and slipped the last of the clasps into her long hair.

'I'm coming, Aunt Emilia!' Rising from her vanity table, the young woman picked up her heavy, winter coat and slipped her arms through. Nothing can spoil this day. She thought to herself.

She had been counting down the hours, days and weeks until her eighteenth birthday and tomorrow, finally, it would arrive. She had insisted that she return home for the occasion, and spend Christmas with her family in their home in Hampshire. She longed to feel the crisp, country air on her face. Winter in London proved to be the muggiest and muddiest time of year. The melting snow had reduced the streets to slush-filled death-traps, and Adeline could not wait to go walking in the peaceful, untouched woods.

There was another reason, however, that could explain Adeline's eagerness to return to her family home. Despite her father's best efforts to quash all magical notions in the Pevensey household, Addie's determination could not be curtailed. Her desire to study magic was now stronger than ever, as was the need to keep it a secret.

Yet all of this - all of Addie's hopes and dreams - lay in the hands of an immaculately-dressed fairy with thistledown hair.

Of course, she had decided long ago that she would continue studying magic, with or without the help of the Gentleman. But she still hoped for his return. Besides, she had read that a fairy very seldom goes back on his or her promise.

Glancing around her somewhat tidy room, Adeline grabbed her small travel trunk – packed to the brim with books – and walked out the door. Great-Aunt Emilia was waiting for her at the bottom of the staircase, tapping her walking stick against the floor.

'Adeline, do get a move on, my dear. We will be lucky if we arrive at Longthorn before nightfall!'

'Yes, Aunt Emilia.' Adeline replied with a small smile, as she stepped over the porch and made her way to the carriage.

After a truly warm and heartfelt welcome from her parents, Addie and Great-aunt Emilia were ushered into the dining room where they were met with a most sumptuous meal. ('It's not every day we can host a small welcome-home dinner for our little girl – Ah! Soon to be young lady.' Mr Pevensey had replied with a dismissing wave of his hand when Addie protested at the vast quantity of food.)

Once each plate had been scraped clean, Great-aunt Emilia departed to her bedroom for some much-needed sleep, and Mr Pevensey to the men's room for his nightly glass of port.

'That was delicious. I must remember to thank Ms Baines tomorrow.' Adeline remarked, lifting the teacup from its saucer and taking a sip.

'Oh yes, that would be lovely.' Isobel Pevensey smiled encouragingly at her daughter. 'She's always asking about you, Addie. I'm sure she'd love to know how you're getting on in London.'

Adeline and her mother sat comfortably in the drawing room. The fire gently crackled and sparked, a sound Addie had always found soothing. Stifling a yawn, Adeline's mother glanced at the large grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

'Good Lord, is that the time?' She placed her cup and saucer on the tray in front of her, and rose from the chair. 'I'd best be going to sleep.'

Adeline smiled at her mother. 'I'll follow you up shortly. I've not yet finished my tea.' She too rose from the chair to place a kiss on her mother's cheek. 'Goodnight, Mama.'

'Goodnight, dear.' Isobel gently squeezed her daughters arm before turning and leaving the room, shutting the door behind her with a soft *click*. Adeline leaned back into the plush leather seat, swirling the contents of her cup. The grandfather clock announced midnight with twelve noisy dings and dongs.

'Happy Birthday to me.' Addie whispered to herself.

'Indeed.'

Adeline gasped loudly at the voice coming from behind the seat. Whirling around, her heart thumping madly in her chest, Addie's expression turned from one of fright, to pure joy.

'You came!'

There, looking as handsome and regal as ever, stood her old friend – the Gentleman with starlight-silver hair. He flashed her a brilliant smile, and walked towards her, holding out his hand. Cautiously, she placed her hand in his and he led her to the centre of the room. Keeping her at arm's length, he appraised her.

'What a beautifully exquisite young woman you have become, my dearest Adeline.'