Magic Heart

By Doug Merlin

Magic Heart is a Doug Merlin book. As with all Doug Merlin books this story is written with a mature theme suitable for 11-14 year olds. It is available at three levels. This version is level 5. Suitable for strong readers. Please ensure you are buying the correct level by reviewing the 'read the sample'.
Magic Heart
Liam is convinced that somewhere, somehow, magic must be real, and not just exist in stories like Harry Potter.
After a vivid dream which ended with an unexplained amount of water in his bedroom, Liam decides to devote his time trying to find real magic.
As things progress, magic appears to be the only explanation for some of the things he encounters.
Has he found real magic?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Doug Merlin
• Release date: Jan 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9781739696122

Book preview

To New Doug

Magic Heart

By

Doug Merlin

CHAPTER ONE

Water

Liam woke up with a start.

WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON UP THERE? his dad’s voice boomed from the living room below. THERE’S WATER COMING FROM THE CEILING UNDER YOUR BEDROOM!

Liam had been having a vivid dream about magic. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if his dad shouting was real or part of his dream.

In his dream he’d been putting out a fire in a house, using his Harry Potter wand to conjure a jet of water, but just as he started to aim the water jet at the fire, his dad had interrupted his dream.

THERE HAD BETTER BE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS!

Liam jumped.

He was definitely awake now, and could hear his dad’s heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. Liam rubbed his eyes and squinted.

His dad had asked a fair question; what on earth was going on? For one thing, Liam wasn’t in his bed, he was standing in the middle of his bedroom, wand in hand and there was quite a lot of water on, and presumably going through, the floor.

In his dream the wand had been squirting water but he had no idea where all the water had really come from. A pint glass of water by his bed had been knocked over, but way more than a pint of water covered the floor.

His Dad, Charlie, barged into his room.

Liam! What is going on in... heavens above! How did this happen? he exclaimed.

I... I don’t know. I was asleep. I was dreaming about putting out a fire with my wand. And then I woke up and it was real... I think, replied Liam, frowning. I think maybe it was real magic.

Liam sighed Charlie. I’ve had a long day at the lab. I’m very tired. There is water coming from the living room ceiling. I’m not in the mood for any of your ‘magic talk’ right now.

But... what else could it have been? asked Liam.

Well look, said Charlie, pointing at the glass on Liam’s bedside table. That’s a pint of water you’ve knocked over there. Maybe you sleepwalked and kept bringing pints of water back from the bathroom. You used to sleepwalk when you were very young. We can talk about it later. Let's just get this cleared up and get you back to bed.

After a few trips to the bathroom to wring the towels out, they’d soaked up most of the water. Liam changed into fresh pyjamas, hid his wand under the wardrobe, and climbed back into bed.

Liam couldn’t get back to sleep though. His head was buzzing as he thought about Harry Potter and all the other magical stories he’d read. He thought about his collection of 53 wands and the detailed study of water he’d been doing for his chemistry homework just before bed.

Did any of this give a clue about what was going on in his dream?

Liam tossed and turned in his bed, unable to feel the slightest bit tired. In his dream, he’d pictured water in such detail. It felt so real, that Liam wondered whether it could have just been a dream. Besides, the glass was too small to spill that much water. It made no sense.

Tomorrow, Liam would have to tell Adam about this. Adam was the only person who would listen to his stories of magic but he was moving away soon which made Liam feel sad.

Eventually, Liam’s mind wandered onto other things and he drifted off to sleep.

CHAPTER TWO

Mrs. Pooch’s Puppies

Liam woke early and his mind raced again.

It had been a dream, but it had felt so vivid that he needed to try it for real, just to make sure.

Going over it again and again in his mind, Liam crept out of bed, squelched across the floor to the wardrobe, and picked up the Harry Potter wand. He stood in the middle of the room, exactly where he’d found himself when he woke up, shut