The robins danced around the sky as the snow gently and delicately fell onto the floor. You pulled up your thick, fur lined hood as you stepped out of the inn where you had slept the night.

"Thank you for the custom, you know where we are if you're in this neck of the woods again." The friendly inn-keeper stood on the path leading to the small cottage-like building, sweeping away snow and other debris.

You thanked the innkeeper before leaving on your travels, you had only a few days to make it half way across the kingdom, your package containing important information regarding the king and possibly the whole empires safety.

You set off on your travels, looking at your map it appeared you didn't quite have the time to make it, unless you took a shortcut. The shortcut however meant walking through a forest notorious for housing bandits and scoundrels, relentlessly attacking anybody that wondering through their territory in hopes of picking up a quick sack of gold.

You walked up to the fence that separated the road from the forest and hoisted yourself over, you weren't scared of some bandits, you had your sword and incase you really needed it, your wand tucked into your belt, you were well versed in using both.

You wandered through the forest, hoping that you were headed in the right direction. There were no signs to follow or no path to step on, so you knelt down and pulled your wand out of your belt. You scanned around and placed the wand in the palm of your hand. Under your breath you muttered a very feint "point me" and the wand spun around until sticking to one direction, north.

You put the wand back into your belt and brushed the dirt from your knee, continuing to walk what you now know was west. You kept walking, hopping over tree roots and navigating around large lakes until you came to a large gap in the trees, creating a large circular space. Slowly and surely you walked into the centre, sure that an ambush was imminent.

You scanned the trees in hopes of finding something, looking for some kind of sign.

"Come out, I know you are here..."

A man walked out from behind a large oak tree.

"Hello there. If you could just place that bag on the floor and be on your way, that would be much appreciated."

The man, with ragged clothing and a dirty face, slowly walked towards you and pulled a small dagger from his waist, pointing it towards you.

"You aren't here alone are you?" You responded, your hand on the sword tied to your hip.

"I don't know, maybe I am, maybe I am not, all I know is that you don't want to stay here long enough to find out." Your hand moved over the sword and landed on the wand, you pulled it out and pointed it at the bandit.

"Ha." He bellowed with laughter. What is that? A stick? You think that is going to help you. Now just leave before you have to get hurt."

"Homenum Revelio." You said, not taking your eyes off of the bandit. The silhouettes of three other bandits appeared infront of the trees that they were hiding behind. The face of the head bandit quickly turned sour.

"Wait... how did you do that?"

"Well, I didn't do anything, I mean... it's just a stick isn't it?"

You kept the wand firmly pointed in his direction, he backed away slowly from you.

From behind you, you heard the clanking of armour running towards you, the face of the bandit became even more scared.

"Ah." You laughed. "Another one of your accomplices huh?"

You quickly turned around to see who was running towards you, keeping your wand aimed at the bandit, to your surprise this person didn't look like your everyday bandit. He had a mane of red hair and glistening armour, at his hilt he had a shining, silver sword with a handful of rubies set in the hilt. You turned back but the bandit troupe had already disappeared.

"Huh." You turned your wand to the new foe. "You don't look like your everyday bandit, what are you doing wandering the forest with the likes of those?"

"I am no bandit." He bellowed, his voice echoed like a lions roar. "My name is Godric, and you are?"

"What is it to you?"

"I am a friend. I know what you are."

"What do you mean what I am?"

He pointed to the wand that you help, before pulling out his own.

"You will make a fine student. I saw how you took on those bandits. Come, be my apprentice and I will teach you all that I know."

"And what do you know?" you asked, hesitantly.

He muttered something you did not quite understand, and a dragons head made out of searing fire appeared above him and spewed out fire into the air.

"We have built a school for people like us, join us, I will mentor you myself."

~*~

Written by Aaron.