Charlie Bone and the Hidden King

The magic feels seamlessly woven into the story, but I'm curious whether it was planned from the start or evolved during writing. Did the magic system have specific rules from the beginning?

The story took some time to pick up again, but I loved the character moments. Was this intentional to build suspense or develop relationships?

The school feels so vivid and alive — I wonder if the author based it on any real places or just created it from imagination. It added so much charm!