Chapter One

When JJ woke up that morning, he was pleased to see sun streaming through the window. A light breeze swept over his spotted fur as he sat up and stretched. Today was shaping up to be just like any other day, or so he thought.

As dogs go, JJ was rather reserved. When he saw unfamiliar dogs coming his way, he usually nodded politely and headed off another direction. He wasn't unfriendly. He just kept to himself.

JJ also hated surprises, especially the new addition to his backyard. In the last month, JJ had woken up more mornings than he could count to find holes dug all over his perfectly manicured lawn.

The gophers were at it again, digging up holes all over the grass. He knew it was their nature. He knew they weren't mean spirited or criminal. But that didn't change the fact that those blasted gophers were ruining his lawn. JJ had had enough.

Any other dog might have stayed up late and confronted the gophers. But JJ was not any other dog. Instead, he took a more pragmatic approach. As soon as he'd had his breakfast, he set off on his mission.

It was a lovely day for a walk, with more sun than clouds by this time. JJ nodded politely to everyone who crossed his path, whether canine or not. He even smiled at the cranky cat who always blocked the entrance to the library, sprawled out to catch the morning rays. He stepped delicately over her and walked into the cool stillness of the towering books.

Looking back, JJ never could explain why he pulled that book out to begin with. It had nothing to do with gophers or lawn maintenance. In fact, he couldn't tell what it was about at all, since the characters on the front of the book were impossible to read.

JJ sat down and set the strange, heavy book in front of him. He cocked his head slightly, trying to make out the odd characters. He reached out with his paw and traced one of them. Then, without even understanding what he was doing, JJ opened the mysterious book.

JJ stared at what he supposed was the title page of the strange book without understanding a word. Inside the book, the letters seemed even stranger. Not only were the letters unrecognizable, but they seemed to swirl around. They changed places on the page even as JJ tried to make sense of them.

His head aching, JJ shut the book abruptly and shoved it back onto the shelf. Was it even meant to be in this section? Foreign language books were kept on the other side of the library. But something kept drawing him back to the dusty old book.

JJ stood there for what seemed like hours, though it was probably only a minute or two. Finally, he pulled the book down from the shelf one more time. He brushed his paw across the cover, wiping off years of dust. No one had opened this book in a very long time.

JJ opened the book. He simply couldn't stop himself. Again, letters swirled about like water going down the drain.

Suddenly, he noticed something. Whenever he placed his paw over the page, the letters slowed down. But when he pulled his paw away, they sped up again. Thoughtfully, he placed his hand directly onto the page and the letters almost stopped moving.

Everything was darkness. Stillness. It was cool, and silent, and after a minute, an hour or maybe even a day, JJ began to come to. He had no idea what had happened. He wasn't even sure he was alive at all. Then slowly but surely he began to feel the ground beneath him. It was rough, like hard-packed dirt. He was definitely not in the library.

The library! That was the last thing he remembered. Without moving a muscle or opening his eyes, JJ recounted for himself the events of the last few minutes. Still, he had nothing but questions.

Where was he? Had he died? Could he even open his eyes?

Slowly, terrified at what he might see, JJ opened his eyes. He was lying flat on his back, somewhere very dark, and at first he saw nothing. But like eyes adjusting to a dark bedroom, things slowly started coming into focus. What he saw then was much more terrifying than seeing nothing at all.

Looming over him stood a huge, snarling canine face. Was it another dog? JJ was too scared to be sure. Its snout was very long and pointed, with sharp teeth bared. Its reddish hair stood on end, and its long tail twitched menacingly. The creature stood holding a gnarled wand inches from JJ's chest, waiting for him to make the next move.

JJ's next move was to screw his eyes shut and will himself back into the library. He would rather spend all day in the company of Sheila the parrot than consider this snarling creature again.

Wildly, he rethought the steps that had brought him here. Went to the library. Found the odd book. Slowed the swirling letters. Read a riddle. Answered it... Maybe answering the riddle was the key to transporting himself back to the library. If it brought him here, maybe it could take him back again.

"Yes, I sent that spell out and you responded. I'm ever so glad you did, and sorry to have frightened you. I just thought there was the slightest chance you were working for her, you know, and I needed to seem as imposing as possible. But you're in no danger, at least not from me."

JJ didn't feel much better. He nodded his head toward the fox's stick. "So that's not a ..."

"This old thing? It's a stick. Good for nothing except helping a hobbled old creature get about his den."

"So you're not a ..."

The fox looked at him expectantly. "A what?"

"I don't know." JJ laughed nervously. "A ... sorcerer?"

The fox let out a booming laugh that filled the den and bounced off the hard rock walls. "A sorcerer!" His laughter was infectious, and soon JJ joined in. The laughter felt good. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so hard, in fact.

Finally, the fox settled down. "A sorcerer! That's a hoot. I had no idea you'd be so funny! Marvelous! No, my dear canine friend, I am not a sorcerer." Then, he winked at JJ. "I'm just Devlin. Devlin the wizard."

JJ's mind raced. What was the difference between a sorcerer and a wizard? He didn't know, but he did know that he would not feel comfortable with either one. But whatever kind of magic this mysterious old fox could do, he didn't seem inclined to do any right now. Or at least not yet.

"Well then. A wizard." JJ smiled a cautious smile, as though he were perfectly comfortable spending the day inside a dark cave with a strange wizard.

Finally the tea was set before him and Devlin sat down as well. "As I was saying, a wand is required for nearly all the magic I do, but there are a few unique spells that come completely from one's heart. They require nothing but the sheer will to accomplish them."

"I see." JJ sipped the tea, which was quite weak and not very hot at all. "I wonder, then, might you have enough will to send me back to the library I came from? Or my house. Or anywhere thereabouts? I'm not picky."

Devlin shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not possible. It took every last ounce of will I had to summon you here. In fact..."

Again the wizard was interrupted, this time by a fly buzzing around the tea on the table between them. As Devlin reached out to shoo the fly away, it suddenly turned into a frog. The frog, looking rather surprised itself, fell with a tremendous plop into the teapot.

JJ's eyes widened as the frog, who for his part was quite grateful the tea was not very hot, struggled out of the tea pot and hopped out of the den, leaving splotches of weak tea behind him everywhere he stepped.

The wizard did not look at all troubled by this turn of events. In fact, he looked exasperated, but he went on as though nothing unusual had just happened.

"A library, you say? That's where you came from?" The wizard delicately wiped a droplet of tea that had splashed onto his forehead. "Tell me about this library. It must be a place with books, I presume?"