The Wishmakers of Elmwood Academy

At the edge of town, tucked behind thick woods and misty hills, stood Elmwood Academy—a school most people assumed was just another fancy boarding school. But to those who knew the truth, Elmwood was a place for learning magic in all its chaotic, sparkly glory.

For Zara Evans, getting accepted into Elmwood was a dream she didn’t even know she had until the letter arrived on her doorstep, written in swirling silver ink on paper that smelled faintly of pine and cinnamon. She thought it was a joke, some elaborate prank by her best friend, Leo. But when a raven showed up on her window the next morning with her acceptance badge clamped in its beak, Zara knew things were about to get weird.

The first day at Elmwood was a whirlwind of magic, mayhem, and questionable cafeteria food (beware the green soup, everyone said, though no one would explain why). Zara found herself in “Introduction to Elemental Magic” with Professor Bellamy, a tall, ancient-looking man who, despite his age, looked like he could bench-press a mountain. He spent the first ten minutes explaining the importance of “respecting nature’s gifts.” The next ten minutes, though, he conjured up a storm right inside the classroom just to see who’d panic.

Zara loved it instantly.

Then there was “Potions for the Modern Mage,” where students learned the fine art of brewing potions that could do anything from give you super-speed to making your hair change color every five minutes. Zara’s first attempt at a hair potion ended with her hair glowing neon green, which Professor Fairfax assured her was a common side effect for beginners.

And then, there was Leo. Of course, he’d gotten in too, though he didn’t have an ounce of magical talent in his bloodline. Apparently, he had some “latent abilities” that the school was interested in nurturing. He was as clueless as Zara but never one to turn down a chance for adventure.

One afternoon, Zara and Leo snuck down to the dungeons—a labyrinthine mess of halls and chambers forbidden to first-year students. Armed with a map they’d pieced together from whispers and rumors, they found the rumored “Chamber of Wishes.” Legend had it that any first-year who made it to the Chamber and asked for a wish would have it granted...for a price.

They entered the chamber, and the air felt thick and shimmering with magic. In the middle of the room floated a crystal orb, pulsating with light. They both made wishes (Leo wished for a magical skateboard, and Zara, a way to finally control her magical abilities).

But, as they say, be careful what you wish for.

The next morning, Leo woke up with a skateboard all right—but it seemed to have a mind of its own. It zipped him around the school at all hours, and stopping it was a whole adventure in itself. Zara, meanwhile, found her magic had intensified overnight; even her emotions seemed to set off small magical bursts. She’d accidentally set a few candles on fire just by sneezing and was responsible for the entire school's collection of quills flying in a frenzy during History of Magic.

In the end, they had to face the headmistress, Madame Rosalind—a woman of such power that even the wind seemed to stop when she spoke. With a sigh, she reversed their wishes but gave them one piece of advice: “Magic is a part of you, not a tool. Respect it, and it’ll respect you.”

With that in mind, Zara and Leo continued their studies, and though they never quite gave up on their curiosity for adventure (or the occasional magical mishap), they grew wiser, if only a bit.

And by the end of the year, Elmwood didn’t feel so strange and wild. It just felt like home.