Oliver Evans is The Prodigy of the Heart (Book One)

Chapter One: New Beginnings

He had eyes that were far more intoxicating than the strongest whiskey. It was in those eyes, I felt at home. Fate couldn't build a wall tall enough to keep me from climbing it, if only to get to him. He became my morning, my noon, my night. I couldn't help but feel pain when our hearts were apart. And it was all because of those eyes. Those damned eyes.

~

"Oliver, we're going to be late for the train!" my mother yelled down at me as she stumbled into her rain boots.

"I'm coming mum!" I grabbed my last spell book from my shelf and hurried down the stairs toward the front door. My mother was waiting for me, hands on her hips as she lifted up my trunk.

"We mustn't be late for the train, Oliver," she opened the door and pushed me out "Come on, then."

I look back into the house, "What about dad?"

"Your father is in the car already. We've been waiting for you."

We followed the stairs down to our drive and opened the car doors. I fumbled trying to get my trunk into the back seat, leaving enough room for myself and my owl, Namira.

Namira had been in my family for a few years already, following my brother Noah to Hogwarts for his final two years. The first animal he brought to Hogwarts was his toad, Merlin. He absolutely loved Merlin; however in his fifth year, he was practicing the engorgio charm, and ended up inflating the poor thing to the point of it blowing up all over the Slytherin common room. So our mother bought him Namira, who hated Noah and enjoyed pecking at his eye sockets whenever given the opportunity.

My relationship with Namira was a little different. She obeys my requests, and only pecked at me when we were first introduced. So now she is going to accompany me to my first year at Hogwarts.

"Are you excited, Oliver?" my father turned the car on and backed out onto the quiet suburban street.

"I suppose," I responded, trying to untangle my scarf from the bars of Namira's cage

"Oh suppose, suppose. You are going to have a great year, lad."

"Absolutely" my mother chimed in

"Just make sure to write me and your mother at least once and awhile, would ya Oliver?"

I nodded, leaning my head against the cold window of the town car. My breath hitting the glass created a heavy haze that blurred my vision to the outside.

We pulled up to King's Cross Station right as the clock tower chimed ten thirty

"Oh, we must be going!" my mother grabbed me by my shoulder and yanked me alongside her.

My father stepped out of the car, "Mary Beth, where are you going?"

"We have to get him to the platform! It's ten thirty!" she hurried along the path up into the station, leaving my father behind.

"Don't worry, dear" she looked down at me and smiled "he'll be right behind us. Can't go to school without your belongings now, can we?"

We continued on, hustling behind another group of students who disappeared into the pillar between platforms 9 and 10. My eyes began to widen as we got closer.

"Remember, just as I told you," my mother got down on her knee and looked into my eyes "You need to be the best that you can. Never stop trying. And for goodness sake, don't cause trouble like your brother did when he was at school!"

"Mary Beth!" a voice came from across the crowd

"Ah, Vincent! There you are" she spun around and waved to my father as he made his way through other travelers