The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe begins as four siblings (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) arrive in the country to escape the dangers of London in World War II. Taking refuge with the middle-aged (and unnamed) Professor in his big, rambling house in the country, they are initially excited by the opportunities for fun and play they discover. One day, while exploring the house, Lucy accidentally finds her way into a wintry countryside completely unlike England, particularly because she’s met there by the playful Mr. Tumnus, who tells her she’s in the land of Narnia and invites her to tea. Later, however, he sadly confesses that he’s under orders from the powerful White Witch (who rules Narnia and who has made it eternal winter, but never Christmas) to betray any human visitors to her. Lucy convinces him to let her go, and she returns through the wardrobe to the house, where she is surprised to learn that although she feels she’s been away for hours, she’s really only been gone a few minutes. She’s also upset when the others, particularly Edmund, ridicule her story.

Sometime later, however, Edmund also finds his way into Narnia, where he meets the White Witch. Bribing him with sweets, and strangely intrigued by the fact that he has a brother and two sisters, she convinces him to come back as soon as he can and to bring his siblings. On his way back he encounters Lucy, who is excited that someone else has shared her experience, but whose joy turns to sadness when Edmund, giving in to his nasty side, tells Peter and Susan he and Lucy were only playing.

Eventually, all four siblings find their way into Narnia, and Peter calls Edmund out for being a liar and for hurting Lucy’s feelings. Edmund nurses a deepening resentment for Peter as the four children discover that Mr. Tumnus has been arrested by the Witch’s wolf police, and then are given shelter by a pair of friendly Beavers, who tell them that things are about to change in Narnia: the mysterious and powerful lion, Aslan, is “on the move” and will soon set things right.

Edmund slips away from his siblings and the Beavers and goes straight to the Witch, who reacts with fearful fury at his reference to Aslan and prepares to intercept him. Meanwhile, Edmund’s siblings and the Beavers flee to where they are to meet Aslan, and eventually encounter him in the company of several large and powerful allies. Serious conversation between Aslan and Peter is interrupted by an attack by two of the Witch’s wolf police, one of which is killed by Peter and the other of which escapes.

The next day, after her attempt to sacrifice Edmund for his treachery is interrupted by an attack of Aslan’s allies sent to rescue him, the Witch arrives for a conference with Aslan. After the conference, Aslan reveals that he has made an arrangement for Edmund’s life to be spared. That night, Lucy and Susan walk with the somber Aslan on his way to keep the arrangement. They watch in grieving horror as the Witch first humiliates him and then takes his life in place of Edmund’s. The next morning, however, Aslan returns to life, and leads his army into combat with the Witch and her allies, eventually defeating her.

The novel’s final chapter reveals how Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are all made kings and queens in Narnia and how their rule of several years ends when, in pursuit of a magical Stag, they find themselves drawn back into England … only a few seconds after they originally left.