Kyla
Book the First
Chapter One
The sun was setting over the grey bricked building of the village school and the night was awakening. A slight breeze rustled the leaves in the top of the oak trees and the butterflies fluttered lazily over marigolds as the bees buzzed busily.
It had been a hot, sunny day and the first day of the summer holidays. The prospect of no school, no bullies and no homework had convinced Kyla Waterfall to rise bright and early. After a quick breakfast of buttered toast she had yanked her dusty bike from the clutter of the shed, jumped on it, and peddled furiously down the drive, through the gates and down the street, heading for Cobblestone Park four streets away. Her long dark red hair flew behind her and her bright blue eyes were alight with joy and excitement.
Kyla had spent the day swimming in the village river, eating raspberry ripple ice-cream, bike racing with her best friends and playing on the monkey bars in the park. When her purple bike arrived at the front door of her house Kyla slid off the seat, happily exhausted.
Her mother was sitting on the door step with a cup of tea, her dark red hair wrapped in a bun at the bottom of her head. Kyla smiled at the familiarity. Only adults could drink hot drinks on a sweltering day like this.
"Hi mum," Kyla said cheerfully. She abandoned her bike in the shed, locked the door and returned to the doorstep.
Kyla's mother, Angelica, now had something in her hands that wasn't tea, or coffee or even coca cola. It was an envelope, a yellowish envelope with fancy dark green writing on the front. Kyla couldn't see what it said because she didn't have her glasses on.
Angelica handed the envelope to her ten year old daughter without a word. Kyla looked at her mother's straight lips and bright blues eyes worriedly. She looked as if she were about to cry but instead Angelica stood up and walked into the house, leaving the front door open for Kyla.
With the envelope in her hand Kyla could see what was written on it.
Kyla Jane Black
22 Falkon Street
Rook
North East Lincs
Intensely curious Kyla ripped open the envelope and pulled out two pieces of pale yellow parchment. One was a list of books with odd titles and magical items for collectors that could only be found in specialist shops or bought over the Internet. She frowned, staring at the other piece of paper. She read it and then she read it again. She read it a third time, the words trying to sink into her head.
Hogwarts? Magic? Platform 9 and ¾?
"Muuuuuuuuuuum!" Kyla bellowed, stepping into the gloominess of the quiet hallway and closing the door behind her.
When their as no reply Kyla was worried. The strange and unbelievable letters still in her hand Kyla climbed the stairs and opened her mother's bedroom door. Kyla heard crying.
Angelica Black's room was beautifully decorated in pink and white with a new pine dresser stood in a corner. The gigantic window looked over their small and neat garden and to the houses across the road. In the ten years Kyla has lived in this house hardly anything had changed. Her bedroom was still decorated with kittens playing with butterflies, the kitchen still had cream tiles and the spare bedroom still needed redecorating but the one thing that had changed was that there was no man around the house.
Kyla's father was in prison. He had been since Kyla had been a baby and he would stay there for a long time yet. Her mother never told her what he did that landed him in a high security prison but it must have been something really really bad. Her father never wrote or had any contact with Kyla or Angelica and the pictures of him had been stored in the attic, along with some of his possessions. Kyla only had a faint memory, like a distant dream of a handsome man with black hair and black eyes.
So as soon as Kyla saw her mother curled up on her bed, her face buried into a damp pillow she suspected it had something to do with her dad.
"Mum," Kyla whispered, approaching the bed, "Is this letter something to do with dad?"
Angelica looked up from her pillow and for a moment Kyla thought she was going to ignore the question but eventually Angelica sighed, sat up and patted the empty space next to her.
"Come, sit down."
Kyla sat next down to her mother and Angelica spoke while she played with her daughter's hair.
"Yes…and no. It's a letter from his old school, where he graduated from before I met him. I never expected them to send you a letter because of what happened…I didn't think they would accept you after what he did."
Kyla glanced down at the letter again and then up at her mother. Angelica's blue eyes were swimming with tears.
"What did he do?" Kyla asked in awe. Angelica shook her head.
"No. It's not a burden a child should carry. You will know when you're older. And it would be better at Hogwarts if know body knew you were related to him. It would only cause trouble."
Kyla's eyes widened in excitement.
"You mean," Kyla squeaked, "I can go? I can learn magic?"
"Magic is inside of you, it is a part of you as it always has been and always will be. Nothing can change that. Magic is who you are and I'm sure you will become a great witch," Angelica said. Kyla threw her arms around her mother's neck and hugged her and laughed happily.
She was going to learn magic! She wasn't going to any boring secondary school with chavs! She was going to be a witch!
Kyla read her letters again and scowled.
"What is it sweetie?" Angelica asked. Kyla showed her the supplies list.
"Where am I supposed to get this equipment? I'm pretty sure the stuff they sell over the Internet isn't really magic. Do witches and wizards even have the Internet?"
"No they don't. They tend to stay away from muggle technology. I don't know much about magic, your father never wanted me to get too involved for some reason, but I know where we can get your school supplies," Angelica said confidently, taking the letter and scanning it.
"What's a muggle?" Kyla asked curiously.
"Me. I'm a muggle. It's a non magical person. You are half and half. Your father was a pure blood," Angelica explained, "We can get all the stuff on the list in London. We need to go to Diagon Alley.