Chapter One Drip! Drip! Twink Flutterby groaned to herself as she flew along behind her parents. The rain had been drumming down all day, and showed no signs of stopping. What an awful start to the new term! ‘Hold your umbrella higher!’ called Twink’s mother. ‘Your wings are getting wet.’ ‘Everything is getting wet,’ grumbled Twink, adjusting her rose-petal umbrella. Beads of silvery rain formed on its edge, racing off it like pearls. Twink shook it grumpily. ‘I bet Glitterwings has floated away by now.’ Her father laughed. ‘Oh, I think you’ll find it’s still there. Your school has seen worse rain than this in its time!’ Twink’s spirits lifted as Glitterwings Academy came into view. The massive oak tree sat calmly on its hill, its rich green leaves shiny with rain. Hundreds of tiny gold windows spiralled up its trunk, and a grand double door sat at its base, looking bright and welcoming despite the dampness. For a change, though, there were no clusters of young fairies buzzing about the tree – it was far too wet for them!
