Chapter 15

                                    

                                          
In a classroom, Becca strolled up to Harry and his three friends.
                          
"Children," she said, "excuse me, um, as you know, this Sunday is Family Day here at Auradon Prep. And because your parents can't come, due to . . . uh . . . distance . . . we've arranged on a cart and clicked a keyboard. A grotesque shot of Anne filled the entire screen.
                          
"I don't see anything," said Anne, backing up reveal Bradley, Louis, and Zayn gathered around her. "Nor do I hear . . ." she said. 
                          
Becca beckoned Harry and his friends to the TV. 
                          
They obeyed reluctantly, with Justin carrying Dude, who was dressed in a jacket.
                          
"Is this thing on?" asked Anne. "It's broken!" She clicked away at the remote and threw it down. "I hate electronics.
                          
"Calum!" shouted Bradley, watching as an image appeared on their dinky laptop. "It's Daddy!"
                          
Calum waved at the TV monitor. 
                          
"Look how beautiful," said Bradley. "You know what they say: the poison apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
                          
Zayn cackled.
                          
"Don't you mean the weeds?" said Anne.
                          
"Oh! Who's the old bat?" asked Zayn, pointing.
                          
"That's Becca," said Harry with a smile.
                          
"Still doing tricks with eggplants?" said Anne.
                          
"I turned a pumpkin into a beautiful carriage!" said Becca.
                          
"You really couldn't give Cinderella till one a.m.?" said Anne. "I mean, really. What, the little hamsters had to back on their little wheels?"
                          
Anne, Bradley, Louis, and Zayn laughed.
                          
"They were mice!" said Becca. "They were nice."
                          
"Hi, Mum!" said Harry.
                          
"Harry!" Anne shouted.
                          
Bradley rapped Anne's horns, as a reminder to calm down and be discreet. 
                          
"M—miss you," said Anne.
                          
Louis said, "You children are never far from our thoughts."
                          
"I got it," Anne told Louis coldly. She turned and spoke to Harry. "How long must Mummy wait to see you? You know Mummy's not good at waiting." 
                          
"There's a big coronation coming up," said Harry. "I think probably sometimes after that."
                          
Bradley's face lit up. "When?" she asked. 
                          
"I said I got this!" Anne told him. She spoke to Harry. "When?"
                          
"Is there an echo in here?" said Bradley.
                          
"Friday! Ten a.m.," said Harry. 
                          
"You sure I can't see you before that?" said Anne sweetly. "I don't know what I'll do if I don't get my hands on that magic wa—"
                          
Bradley tapped Anne's horns again.
                          
"You! You little nugget that I love so much!" Anne said with a smile.
                          
Louis, Zayn, and Bradley made kissy faces.
                          
"Yes, I completely understand, Mother," said Harry.
                          
Zayn leaned over Anne and spoke into the monitor. "Justin! Is that a dog?" He consulted the bejeweled stuffed animal dog head on his vest.
                          
"Yes, yes. Baby, I do understand. It would make the perfect size for earmuffs." He cackled.
                          
"He's the perfect size for a pet," said Justin fiercely, hugging Dude close. "This dog loves me and I love him. And FYI, your dog is stuffed, go give it a rest!"
                          
Zayn stroked Baby. His lip trembled. 
                          
Louis laughed. "Oh! Burn!" he said. 
                          
"Oh, why don't you go sell a toaster, you two-bit salesman?" Zayn told him.
                          
"People who talk to stuffed animals shouldn't throw stones!" said Louis. 
                          
"Oh,  well, people who sell toasters shouldn't use mixed metaphors!" said Zayn.
                          
"Enough!" said Bradley.
                          
Harry and his friends stood in front of the monitor, shifting their weight and looking at each other, embarrassed. Michael hit the keyboard. The monitor went black.
                          
"I'm so sorry," said Becca. 
                          
Michael turned to Becca. "Thanks for the special treat." He, Harry, Calum, Justin, and Dude headed out of the classroom, leaving Becca behind.
                          
"H," said Calum, "what do you think our parents are going to use but ultimately proud of us for doing our best," she said with a smile. 
                          
"Really?" said Justin with hope in his voice. 
                          
"No, I think we are definitely goners," said Harry, his smile sliding away. 
                          
They stomped back to Michael and Justin's room and began plotting. The group gathered around a table and examined Harry's sketches and a drawn diagram of the cathedral where the coronation would be taking place. Harry had drawn Xs and arrows all over it: a detailed plan of the wand snatch. At the center of the map. Harry had drawn a picture of his hand reaching for the wand that Becca held. 
                          
"I will be in the very front," said Harry. "You all will be up in the balcony. Justin?"
                          
"Okay, so I'll find our limo so we can break the barrier and get back on the island with the wand," said Justin.
                          
Michael looked at him thoughtfully.
                          
"Perfect," said Harry. He lifted a small atomizer, which looked like a pain blue bottle of perfume, and offered it to Calum. "Calum, you will use this to take the driver out," said Harry. He handed the atomizer to Calum. "Two sprays and he'll be out like a light."
                          
Harry looked at Justin, who looked at Michael, who looked at Calum, who looked at Harry. Harry sighed, sat down at the table, and turned to a page in the spell book that read now: To Break A Love Spell.
                          
Calum peeked at what Harry was reading. "H, you want to break Cole's love spell?" he asked. 
                          
"Yeah, you know, for after . . ." said Harry.
                          
Justin sat on his bed with Dude.
                          
Michael sat on his bed with his tourney stick.
                          
Calum sat down next to Harry.
                          
"I've just been thinking, you know, when the villains finally do invade Auradon and begin to loot and kick everyone out of their castle . . ." said Harry. 
                          
Michael spun his tourney stick.
                          
". . . and imprison their leaders . . ." continued Harry.
                          
Justin absently stroked Dude.
                          
". . . and destroy all that is good and beautiful . . ." Harry said.
                          
Calum took a deep breath and stared off.
                          
". . . Cole still being in love with me just seems a little extra . . . cruel," Harry said. 
                          
Calum looked long and hard at his friend.
                          
Harry closed his spell book and headed back to their dorm room.
                          
Calum followed shortly after.
                          
Michael flickered off all the lights and climbed into bed. Then he got up and walked over to his tourney trophy. 
                          
Justin petted Dude.
                          
In the boys' room, Calum lay in the bed awake. He pulled the chemistry test out from under his pillow and reveled in the B  again. The other bed was empty.
                          
Harry was in the kitchen stirring a potion. The spell book was open. Alone and lonely, Harry finally allowed himself to feel . . . and his heart was breaking. He knew it wasn't right for Cole to be under his love spell. He felt guilty and horrible about it. 
                          
Enchanting him was a rotten thing to do—one he couldn't beat any longer. Cole was good and kind and deserved to be spell-free—even if it meant he no longer loved him. A tear rolled down his face and dropped into the chocolate batter. Next to the bowl was a beautiful little blue box. He'd break the love spell right before the coronation. As for stealing the wand, he wasn't so sure he'd be able to walk away from that one.