The Magic Misfits - Neil Patrick Harris Page 0,10

in a small voice, “Trampolines.” When Izzy raised an eyebrow, he added, “But they are fun.”

“Back to the topic at hand,” Ridley went on. “What are we going to do about it?”

“About trampolines?” Izzy asked.

“About Kalagan’s return!” Ridley said, trying to control her voice. “About the attacks. About… us. Hiding in the shadows. Pretending that we’re no longer friends.”

“Is that not what Mr. Vernon wants us to do?” asked Theo.

Ridley shrugged, raising her shoulders in exaggeration. “Look at what’s happening,” she said. “Each of us has encountered someone who’s been mesmerized. Someone who has tried to hurt us. Or embarrass us. Or scare us.”

“What are you suggesting?” asked Leila.

“To quote Madame Helga: ‘Alone we are weak. Together we are strong.’” Ridley steadied her jaw. “It’s time to bring the Magic Misfits back.”

FIVE

“We come out from underground,” Ridley went on. “Show Kalagan that he can’t intimidate us.” Each of the Magic Misfits glanced around the circle, as if waiting for someone to answer Ridley. “Well?” She looked at them expectantly. “What do you say?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Leila said softly. “My dad gave us instructions to keep us safe. We already know Kalagan is violent. How much further will he go to prove his point?”

“Which is?” asked Ridley.

“That he hates Dante,” Carter suggested. “That he blames him for the deaths of his parents. It’s a pretty serious threat, Ridley. I’m with Leila. I say we leave this to the Vernons to figure out.”

“We are the ones who keep thwarting him,” said Theo. Carter scowled. “Do not misunderstand me, Carter. I agree with both you and Leila. The Vernons know what they are doing, but the Magic Misfits are still the ones being targeted. Kalagan has wanted the names of Mr. Vernon’s Magic Circle for a long time now. He wants Vernon’s friends to join his criminal enterprise so that he can use all of their magical skills to help him line his pockets. I can only imagine that he is sending these mesmerized people after us as another threat. Not only to Mr. Vernon, but also to us. He wants to make sure we leave him alone. It is likely he knows that we never actually disbanded. I think the Misfits should try to sit down again with Mr. Vernon. Talk this out. He should know what is going on.”

Ridley shook her head. “What if we tell Mr. Vernon about all of this, and he still wants us to stay apart?” She took a deep breath, hoping that her friends couldn’t see her trembling. She wasn’t quite ready to share how much she had missed them, that she wanted them to come together to stop Kalagan once and for all, but also just to be together again. And if that took breaking some rules… She steamrolled forward. “I think we should confront our attackers… Ask them ourselves—”

“I think that is a really bad idea!” Theo exclaimed.

Ridley felt her skin start to cook. “And I think it could work!”

Everyone was silent.

“I think therefore I am?” said Izzy after a moment.

“I am not much of a thinker,” said Olly.

Ridley lowered her voice, carefully releasing each word so she wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. “What do you two think about the Magic Misfits meeting in public again? What do you think about the possibility that Kalagan is going around town mesmerizing people so that they’ll hurt us?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure,” said Izzy, coming down to earth. “I guess I don’t really understand how Kalagan is doing what he’s doing. Is he like actually magically mystical?”

“I wonder the same thing,” said Olly. “Shouldn’t we look into it?”

“Yes!” said Ridley, revealing her notebook. “An actual good idea, you two. Bravo, Olly. Bravo, Izzy.” The twins stood and gave a slight bow. “Thankfully, I’ve already done that research! And I have my notes. Right here.”

Theo sighed. “Go on, then. Tell us what you know.”

“I found some great sources on the concept of mesmerism,” Ridley began. “Throughout history, it’s been used for many purposes—some practical, others… not. In ancient cultures, hypnosis was used as a method of healing. Priests, shamans, and other spiritual leaders would chant and pray over their followers and put them to sleep, or they’d do a ritual they believed would influence and improve the mind of someone who was sick.” She flipped through some pages. “Over a century ago, a doctor named Franz Mesmer invented a scientific procedure to investigate his patients’ minds. He’d put them into a trance, get them to look into their memories,