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Lonely almost-twelve-year-old Brit Alfie Bloom's life changes drastically when he suddenly inherits Hexbridge Castle and learns that he possesses time-traveling and magical abilities. These discoveries are thrilling initially, but soon Alfie faces sinister school headmistresses, finds a dangerous sealed door beneath the castle, and encounters a two-headed dragon terrorizing the surrounding village. The plot isn't the freshest, but it's engaging and well paced.