Chapter 1

It was a warm summer's day when Blaine Anderson's life changed forever. He'd been living with his Aunt & Uncle for 12 years now and still didn't feel welcome. It was nothing that they had done or said really, Hedge Avenue just didn't feel like home. Blaine's life had been pretty ordinary up until that night 12 years ago when his parents were killed by a drunk driver. He'd been pulled from the wreckage with only one scratch on his tiny frame – his car seat had been the only thing that had saved him that night. Looking up at the sky, Blaine tried to remember anything about his parents or the night his life had changed. He remembered a flash of red but he supposed that was just the brake lights of the cars. Now as he lay on the grass in the back garden he sighed gently, surprisingly content with his life right now. His Aunt Fiona & Uncle Henry were inside preparing dinner and his cousin, Alice, was playing at the other end of the garden. Blaine didn't like his cousin very much – she was quite bossy and rude when her parents weren't around!

Blaine squinted as he saw a shadow fly across the garden. There was nothing else in the clear blue sky so this anomaly caught his attention - even more so when the shadow came closer to him. Blaine sat up and stared as the shadow turned into a bird that landed at his feet. Blaine's jaw dropped as the fawn coloured bird hopped over to him, a piece of paper in its beak. Blaine couldn't move and was convinced he was dreaming but the bird came even closer, dropped the paper on his legs, nodded at him (can birds even nod?!) and then flew away. Blaine looked from the paper in his lap to the sky the bird had disappeared into and wasn't sure exactly what had happened! He picked up the paper and realised it was an envelope. It was made of strange paper and had very fancy writing on it. It was addressed to Blaine!

Blaine was 15! He didn't get letters – certainly not letters brought to him by strange birds in the back garden. He knew he should take the letter in and show it to his Aunt but something inside him wanted to open it. He ran his fingers slowly over the calligraphy "Mr Blaine E Anderson, 6 Hedge Avenue, Upper Hampton" and turned the envelope over in his hands. He took a deep breath and open the envelope carefully, wanting to savour every minute for some reason. Blaine pulled a single page out and unfolded it.

Dear Mr Anderson

I am delighted to inform you that you have been selected to continue your education at the McKinley Institute for Magical Youth. You should report to the Education Minister's Office on July 22nd where you will be taken to purchase your school supplies for the coming year. You should report to Central Station on July 25th where the McKinley Express will transport you to the school grounds. All McKinley students are expected to board whilst school is in session – details of uniform required will be provided by the Education Ministers Office. Classes will commence on August 24th at 9am.

Congratulations on your first year at McKinley.

Professor Figgins

Headmaster

Blaine read and re-read the letter trying to make sense of it. He was going to a new school? Why hadn't his Aunt & Uncle told him about this? Why had the letter come straight to him? What the hell was up with the bird? Blaine gathered up the letter and the envelope and ran inside calling out for his Aunt.

"Aunt Fiona! Aunt Fiona! AUNT FIONA!" Blaine ran into the kitchen and collided with his Uncle. Henry had been walking out of the kitchen, luckily he'd already put his cup of coffee down before walking through the door and crashing into his nephew.

"Blaine! Where's the fire?" Henry laughed, pausing when he saw the look on Blaine's face. "What's wrong son?"

"A bird flew out of the sky and gave me a letter and said I'm going to a new school." Blaine rushed out, realising how stupid it sounded saying it out loud. "Um, I mean, well, there was a bird and it did give me a letter but is this real? Why are you sending me away? Did I do something wrong?"

Henry motioned for his wife to join them and led Blaine through to the living room and he sat beside him on the couch and tried to think of the best way to explain things to the confused teenager in front of him. Henry looked into Blaine's hazel eyes and sighed. His brother – Blaine's dad – had had the exact same colour of eyes. Blaine got his dark curly hair from his mum – he was the perfect mix of the brother and sister-in-law that had been ripped away from him so suddenly. Henry closed his eyes and thought back to that night 12 years ago when 3 men in cloaks had appeared at his door with his 3 year old nephew.

"What do you mean he's dead?" Fiona sobbed, perched on the edge of the couch as she tried to digest what she was being told. She looked up at her husband who was gripping the door handle tightly, his knuckles whitening.

"I'm so sorry Mr Anderson. They were so brave but in the end he was just too strong for them. We don't know how he found out where they were but he ambushed them at home. Eric was killed first and Sarah, well she was killed protecting the boy. We don't know all the details but we found a scorch mark by the nursery door and Blaine was in his cot. He's completely unharmed apart from the mark on the side of his face. The apothecary says she thinks this will fade as he ages."

"Where is he? Where is Blaine?" Henry asked, trying to keep calm, "Where is my nephew?"

"He's outside with Professor Schuester. Would you like us to bring him in?" When Henry nodded, the grey haired man nodded to the men beside him and they both left. There was an uneasy silence as Henry waited for his nephew – not believing what he was hearing unless he could see the toddler for himself.

"Uncle Henry!" Henry turned as he heard the familiar young voice behind him.

"Blaine!" Henry moved for the first time since the three strange men had appeared at his door an hour earlier. "Are you OK? Are you hurt?" Henry gently squeezed Blaine's arms, body and legs checking for injuries that might have been missed.

"My head hurts." Blaine said sadly, reaching his arms out for his uncle. His stretching was rewarded with one of the tightest hugs he'd ever received in his young life. "Why are mommy & daddy sleeping?"

"Oh Blaine, they're not sleeping sweetheart but don't you worry, Aunt Fiona & I are going to take such good care of you. Do you want to come and sleepover with us for a while?" Henry tried to hold back his tears as he noticed the jagged red line at the side of Blaine's left eye. Fiona got up from the couch and walked over to her husband. As they both embraced each other and their nephew they shared a knowing look.

"Blaine, why don't you come with me and we'll get you settled in your room ok?" Henry put Blaine back on the ground as Fiona held her hand out as the dark haired toddler took it and followed her upstairs to the room he'd stayed in before.

"Mr Anderson, I know this is not the best time to discuss this but I'm afraid its not going to be any easier if we leave it any later." The old man spoken gently. Henry motioned for him to sit in the armchair and sat himself down in the couch opposite. "Now, I believe you are aware that Blaine is gifted?"

"I had my suspicions. Eric never told me outright but it was a kind of unspoken discussion. What does this mean for Blaine? Please tell me you're not going to take him away? I couldn't bear to lose my brother and my nephew in the same day."

"No, I would not do that to you. Blaine is special and we do hope that he will join us at McKinley when he comes of age but his formative years should be spent with his family and those who love him. As soon as his powers begin to grow, Lord Sylvester is sure to be able to sense him. He is safest with his family for now. There was something strange about the way Blaine survived. The curse that killed his parents should have killed him too but we have no explanation as to why it didn't work."

"You mean, he should be dead too?" Henry looked horrified at the thought of the little boy being killed. The old man nodded sadly. "But Sarah saved him?"

"I appreciate that this is a lot to take in. Eric & Sarah's bodies will be returned to you so you can say your own farewells. Just let us know what you want and we will take care of all the arrangements. As for Blaine, we'd really like it if he could stay here. We feel it's the safest place for him. Sarah & Eric have taken care of all of his educational needs. He will receive a monthly allowance until he turns 18 when their entire estate will be turned over to him. I can send you all the necessary information when you wish it."

The old man rose slowly and shook Henry's hand. They said their farewells and Henry climbed the stairs trying to gather his thoughts. When he reached the landing he heard his wife talking.

"No sweetie, you'll be living here with us now but don't be sad."

"Aunt Fiona, did mommy & daddy go cos I bad?" Blaine asked, sobbing quietly.

"No, darling, they loved you so much. Never has any mommy or daddy loved someone more than they loved you and because they loved you so very much, they did something very special which meant that you could be here with us." Fiona pulled the little boy into her arms and hugged him as tightly as she dared. "Uncle Henry and I are going to love you just as much but right now, you need to snuggle in and get some sleep and maybe in the morning we can go to the zoo?"

Blaine nodded and tried to smile but sleep was winning and overtook him quickly. Fiona kissed his forehead, laid him down and left the room quietly. Seeing her husband at the top of the stairs, she led him into their bedroom where they sat on the edge of their bed and cried, holding each other and lamenting their loss.

Blaine listened quietly trying to get his head round what he was hearing.

"So mom & dad didn't die in a car crash?" Blaine looked at his uncle who shook his head sadly, staring at the floor. "And after all this time you're sending me away?" Henry's head shot up.

"What! No, Blaine, no! We don't want you to go!" Henry said, pulling his nephew close. "Blaine, we love you so much and whilst we may not have planned for you to come and live with us, we have loved having you here and watching you grow up but now...well, now you're 15. Now it's time for you to make your own choices in this world. We will stand by you no matter what you decide to do but it's important that you now that your parents made sure that your education was taken care of. McKinley is the school they both went to and they made sure that you had that opportunity too. Your name has been on the admissions list since you were 6 months old son."

"My parents wanted me to go here?" Blaine asked, looking at the letter as tears built in his eyes. "I don't want to leave you guys but if this is what they wanted then don't I have an obligation to go?" Blaine looked up at his aunt and uncle. Fiona smiled at the pleading look in Blaine's eyes.

"Sweetheart, its okay to go." She squeezed his shoulder, understanding that Blaine needed to know he was being given a choice and it was okay to make that choice.

"OK, why can't I just stay at Dalton with all my friends though? I mean, what's so special about the McKinley Institute for Magical Youth anyway" Blaine asked, a slight hint of mocking in his voice.

"Blaine, don't you understand what it is we're trying to tell you? You're special." Fiona spoke gently.

"So you keep saying but why this school and what the heck is a magical youth?" Blaine asked, wondering what all the fuss was about as his uncle rested his hand on Blaine's knee.

"You're a wizard Blaine."