Magyk

This is the first book in the Septimus Heap series.

Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he was born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across an abandoned child in the snow--a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?

Boy 412
is a boy from the Young Army. He was guarding the Wizard Tower when Marcia Overstrand, ExtraOrdinary Wizard, found him freezing in the snow. Once he thawed out, he ended up with Marcia, Jenna, Nicko, Maxie the wolfhound, and Silas on the most exciting adventure in his life so far--though with his Young Army training, Boy 412 thought of it as a Do-or Die test that just happened to involve the ExtraOrdinary Wizard and a smelly wolfhound. He almost never spoke and would not let go of his red hat. He had a particular liking for Aunt Zelda's cabbage sandwiches.

Later on, Boy 412 found a Dragon Ring that glowed on his finger and sang for him. He also seemed to have a talent for magic, which is why Marcia asked him to be her Apprentice.

But who is Boy 412? This is told in the last section of the book. Who do you think he is?*

Jenna
is the Princess (the future Queen) and the adoptive daughter of Silas and Sarah Heap. When her mother the Queen was shot, along with Alther Mella and very nearly herself, Marcia Overstrand gave her to Silas and Sarah, without letting them know that Jenna was the Princess who should rule the Castle, instead of the evil Supreme Custodian.

Now the Supreme Custodian is after Jenna, so she must join Marcia, Silas, Nicko, Boy 412, and Maxie on a run for her life down the garbage chute and beyond.

Marcia Overstrand
is the current ExtraOrdinary Wizard. She gave Jenna to Silas and Sarah Heap. She rescues Boy 412 from freezing in the snow and flees with Jenna and the rest of the gang--not that she was afraid for herself, in fact she was afraid for Jenna. She did, in fact, offer Boy 412 an Apprenticeship to her.

Septimus Heap
is the seventh son of a seventh son--which means he is supposed to have extraordinary talent for Magyk. He was proclaimed dead and taken away, but what the poor parents don't know is that Septimus is alive. But "Septimus" seems to be a arrogant and untalented boy who is especially horrible at thirteen times tables and is being trained in Darke. Is this really the child that Silas and Sarah, Septimus' parents, have been looking for? Has their beloved son Septimus been turned Darke? Or is this somone else while the real Septimus is somewhere else they don't expect to find him?**

Nicko Heap
is the sixth son of Sarah and Silas Heap. He goes along with the others on the journey to Aunt Zelda's cottage.

The Queen
is Jenna's mother. She was shot with Alther Mella.

Sarah and Silas Heap
are the parents of Simon, Sam, Edd, Erik, Jo-Jo, Nicko, and Septimus Heap and are the adoptive parents of Princess Jenna.

Silas goes with the gang down the rubbish chute while he flees with his adoptive daughter, a strange Young Army boy, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Nicko, and his pet wolfhound which was in great need of a bath. He was the first Apprentice of Alther Mella.

Silas met Sarah picking herbs while wandering around the Forest and decided to marry her.

Aunt Zelda
is the Keeper***. Her cottage is a great refuge from the Hunter and Septimus, as it's in the middle of the Marram Marshes. She teaches Jenna a little bit about being Queen.

Stanley
was a Message Rat. When he delivered a message to Aunt Zelda's cottage, he got mixed up with responsibility, trickery, and captures he didn't wish for. From then on, he attempted to avoid the Heaps. "Nothing but trouble, those Heaps," he said later on.

DomDaniel
was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard before Alther. He was evil. Alther pushed him out a window--Alther claims that DomDaniel jumped out--but his ghost came to haunt the Castle.

Alther Mella
is the kind ghost of the previous ExtraOrdinary Wizard. He helps the Heaps a lot.