Chapter 4 - The Invitation

He knew they had entered his room.

He knew they had seen the other side of his illusion.

And he knew they will do anything to find out his secrets.

Max Russo was not happy with the way his birth siblings had entered his room without his permission. If only he had continued to kept the illusion spell on, maybe then he wouldn't be standing here, in front of Alex's room, peeking though the partially opened door, a bad habit of his older birth sister.

He laughed dryly at mention of his sibling. His birth siblings. The siblings he never considered as his own. Maybe in the beginning but not now. The only thing they cared about is their own gain.

He looked down at the pendent in his hand. The pendent he had brought for his lovely sister. A sister that resides in his real home. Not here. Not in this Russo family.

Twirling his wand in his hand, he let out a thin stream of golden white light. Letting it amplify as he slowly approached Alex's bed. He saw how one of his books was acting as a pillow under Alex's head. He knew she had stolen it. And he has no intentions of stealing it back. Instead he had something else planned for his darling older birth sister.

Touching his wand's tip to her forehead, he willed the White glow to enter her. He smiled as his sister's body glowed. One small simple nightmare spell for being sneaky. That's his payback. But unfortunately, someone in the room didn't want him to put the spell. Because the next second, the golden white glow was suddenly ripped out of his sister's body and into the dark shadows on the other side of the room.

"You shouldn't be doing this." He heard a deep male voice somewhere from those shadows. He knew someone was standing there. And he knew exactly who it was.

"You followed me, didn't you?" Max asked with a sigh. He shook his head in defeat. Here he thought he would get away with this spell. He really does have a bad luck.

"I had to." The voice replied. "You were acting grumpy. Besides, mom doesn't want you to reveal yourself yet." By now Max could see the outline of his companion.

"But.. I-I just want to.. She stole my stuff!" Max exclaimed, not really sure if Alex could hear him or not. "She and Justin.. they found out about the illusion. They broke into my room!"

"They were curious, Jesus. Just let it go." Max who was being addressed as Jesus, glared at his companion.

"I just wanted to do a small prank on her, Brandon." Max said, saying his companion's name out loud. "It wasn't lethal. Just a small nightmare spell."

" You don't realise how much power you hold inside you, Jesus. That spell could have turned her into a nightmare for her own family." Max looked down in defeat. He just wanted some payback. "If you want to get back at her, do it her way or ask Mariana. Don't let the devil get you for this."

"Fine." Max replied, lowering his wand. He doesn't need it anyway. His magic is wandless.

"Here. I have alter it to act as a memory wipe. Use this to knock her out." The man in the shadow now known as Brandon said just as the same stream of light zoomed back to Max. It hovered infront of him like a floating snake. "She heard everything." Max looked at Alex who was now looking at him in shock and fear. He shook his head at her to try not to do anything rash. But it was Alex. She does what she wants to do. So it wasn't a surprise when she moved to reach for her wand which was placed on the bedside table. Max instantly grabbed her right hand in a tight grip, stopping her from moving any further towards her wand.

"Max, stop!" She pleaded, as she tried to free her hand. Max's tight hold was hurting her. She could see her skin reddening from the pressure. "Max please, your hurting me!" She pleaded again. But in return, all she got was a small 'sorry' before Max grabbed the floating stream of light with his bare hand and willed it inside his sister. The next thing he knew, Alex was slumped back onto her bed, completely knocked out from the spell.

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It was in the morning when Alex woke up with a heavy head. She was consistently flipping from side to side, just to get a soft spot on her bed, but unfortunately the strange buzzing in her head stopped her. It wasn't loud but it didn't let her sleep either. Giving up, she pulled herself up into a sitting position. It was at that point when she realised the pain that shot up in her right hand.

"Oww.." She squeaked as she looked down at her wrist. It was red. Like really red. She must have got it when she was sleeping- probably hit her hand or something. She didn't think twice on it.

In seconds Alex was off her bed, and was starring at the book infront of her. The book she stole from Max's room. Apparently it had found its way back onto her bedside table. Even though she was sure that she had it under her head just few moments before she fell to sleep.

"Maybe it was just me." Alex muttered to herself, shaking her head. She must have placed it back on the table. Ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of her mind, she got to her daily routines.

Throughout the breakfast, she couldn't help but notice Max's gaze on her. It was as if, he was looking for something. Maybe he figured out that she and Justin broke into his room last night, or he was just being his weird self. Whatever it was, she took a small note of it. She'll muddle it over later on the day. Right now, her mum had busied her in a set of chores that involves magic of course. She refused to do anything without magic.

So it was around mid-day when she finally found herself starring at her favourite magazine. Not really focusing on the content.

"Are you okay, Alex?" Harper asked, looking at his best friend's weird behaviour. Harper had been going on about her and Zeke's date and how her new marker dress was nearly finished. "ALEX!" That definitely snapped Alex out of her trance.

"Whaat!"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah.. I'm fine." In reality, Alex was thinking about her strange visit to Max's room. His super dooper secret life she had discovered. Not only that, but the pendent she saw in his room for her.

She was surprised that Max would do such a sweet thing for her. The pendent was one of the prettiest thing she had ever seen. She wanted nothing more than to wear it today. But unfortunately, that would only happen if she had the necklace with her. And as of right now, Max is out, running an errand.

"You don't look fine.." Harper started.

"I'm just thinking about something." Alex replied, unsure if she should tell Harper about this now or wait until her parents are gone from the living room. They were in the kitchen area and in a perfectly good distance to hear their conversation.

"Alex." She heard Justin's approaching voice. "I need to talk to you." She knew what her brother wants to talk about. But instead, she silently pointed towards her parents in the kitchen area, something that didn't go un-noticed by Harper. "Right.. um.. Hey Mum, dad?" He called out looking at them. "We're out of ham for the lunch rush. Could you guys go and buy some. It's the national Ham month remember?"

"Ohh..." His father squealed. "That's not good. Customers need ham. It's the national Ham month! Come on Theresa, we have to go quickly before everything runs out. " Alex grinned at Justin's plan.

"Why do I feel like that every month of the year is the national Ham month." Theresa mused before she also followed after her husband through the spiral staircase. "We'll be back soon, kids"

"Bye mum."

"Bye Mrs. Russo." As soon as they were gone, Justin jumped to the spot next to Harper, so he was starring at Alex who was sitting alone on the single couch.

"We need to talk about Max." He said quickly.

"What about Max?" Harper spoke up, feeling a little left out.

"We broke into Max's room last night to discover the real reason behind his different moods and strange behaviours." Alex started, stopping Justin from explaining. She wanted Harper to know everything. Knowing Justin, he would only tell her friend the summary of all things.

"WHAT?!" Harper screeched in shock. "But y-"

"Calm down. We were just curious." Justin explained. Harper nodded.

"So what did you find out?"

"His super duper secret life!" Alex exclaimed. "It turns out he was hiding some secrets. His room, it was clean as a slick. Just like a normal teenage boy's room would be. You should have seen it harper. I was totally freaked out. He also has a stash hidden of magic books under his bed."

"Books that are banned by Dad!" Justin piped up. "Only dad has them but unfortunately so does Max. I think he got it from someone else. Otherwise there is no-way dad wouldn't notice his missing books. Those magic books require advanced magic. And some of them are really dangerous."

"Not only that, he's a bloody straight A student!" Alex continued. "I mean the dumb witted Max we all knew couldn't get straight As. That's impossible!"

"Well as fas as I know, he never really shared his report cards with us." Justin took over, looking at Harper, who was absorbing the information like a sponge. "He just made it seem like he was .. really dumb."

"I knew it!" Harper interrupted.

"Knew what?"

"Remember that time when you and Alex were trapped in our apartment 13B. When there was a black hole in the room waiting to suck you two in." Harper reminded.

"yeah.." Both Alex and Justin nodded.

"It was max's Idea to conjure up another blackhole in the lair and use his roping skills to save you two. He was the one who suggested to Professor Crumbs about jumping in and getting you two while me and Professor Crumbs hold the other end of the rope to pull you all out." Harper finished. "It was very uncharacteristic of him. From that day on, I knew we were overlooking something about him."

"Your right. That was very unusual for him to suggest such a genius idea." Alex agreed.

"It's all these moments when he would do something amazing and then go back to his old dum self." Harper added.

"So Max is hiding stuff from us?" Justin questioned unsurely. "Why would he do that?"

"Don't know but we need to find out." Alex wondered out loud, before she remembered the pendent. "Oh..yes.. um he also had a thank you card for me. It was on his deck in a pink envelope with a very beautiful pendent." Alex smiled causing Justin to scoff. "I want that Pendent."

"Gosh, Stop with the pendent!" Justin whined. "Its just a stupid necklace which by the way doesn't even have your name on it!"

"Hey! It's not a stupid necklace!" Alex exclaimed in anger. "And what part of 'lovely sister' you don't understand?"

"That's it. He said 'Lovely'! And you're nothing like Lovely!" Justin pointed out earning a 'Hey' from his sister and a small hidden nod from Harper. Unfortunately Alex saw it.

"Your supposed to be on my side!" She screeched to Harper.

"I am. its just.. what he said is true.. your not exactly lovely, are you?" Harper said, scratching her head unsurely. Alex didn't say anything. Harper was right. Alex can never be lovely.

"Besides we should be thinking about how different his room is compared to his personality. I swore his room was a mess when I had visited him the day before yesterday." Justin continued.

"Not to mention his changing behaviour." Alex added.

"Whatever it is, we need to find out." Harper concluded. It was that moment when they heard a another set of footsteps coming up the spiral staircase.

"ALEEEEEEEX!" She heard Mason's voice. "I'm back."

"Oh my god Mason!" Alex squealed as she quickly jumped on her lovely werewolf boyfriend. Both Harper and Justin cringed at the amount of PDA being displayed. " I love you!"

"I love you too my meat ball." Mason cooed as he kissed Alex making the other occupants of the room gag.

"Oh god please stop!" Justin stood up. "We don't need to see this."

"AWW.. Cheer up Justin!" Alex tease. "You do the same thing with Juliet."

"Nooo.. we don't.. do that.. Okay fine you got me."

"So Mason." Harper started, just as Mason settled down on Alex's previous spot while the female Russo herself was sitting on her boyfriend's lap. "What brings you here?"

"One of my friend is having his 23rd birthday bash. He has invited all of us to his grand party. It's happening in the greatest and best popular nightclub in the wizarding world. Verdant." Alex was the first one to squeal.

"OH MY GOD! That place is amazing! I have heard so much about it!" She squealed making Harper jump in surprise.

"No frickin Way!" Justin was next. "That's the most expensive place to party at. Only the rich kids party there!"

"That's the point." Mason pointed out. "My friend is the rich kid. He's inviting everyone. That's why I'm here to give you all your invitations." He said as he pulled out 4 pairs of golden letters. He handed one to Alex, Justin and then Harper who looked at it in shock.

"I'm invited too?" She asked, not really sure why Mason's friend would invite her, even though she had never met him.

"Yeah.. He said he knows that the Russos consider you as a part of their family. So he extended the invitation to you too."

"But no-one in the wizard world knows that I know about magic except Professor crumbs. How come your friend knows about this?" Harper asked in suspicion. Its really bad if someone knows about this. They could report it to the wizard council and then Russo's could be in trouble.

"I don't know... I didn't ask him that.."

"I'm sure its nothing." Alex waved it off. "If he wanted us to get in trouble he would have done it ages ago. Looks like he doesn't care."

"Although its quite suspicious." Justin spoke up. "we have never met him and yet, he knows us and about Harper. Hows that possible? What's your friend's name?"

"Brandon. Brandon Adams Foster." It was at that moment when they heard a loud noise. Like something dropping. All of them stood up and turned around to see Jerry Russo standing there with a large grocery bag in his hand, while Theresa stood there, starring at Mason in shock and horror, her own grocery bag lying on the floor, completely forgotten.

"What did you say?" She whispered too low for her children to hear but clear to Mason's ears. He was a werewolf of course. He has heightened senses. "Who are you talking about?"

"My friend, Mrs Russo. He invited us all to his party, even Harper." Mason replied cheerly.

"What's his name?" Theresa asked again, confusing Mason at the question.

"B-Brandon. Brandon Adams Foster" Both the elders Russos eyes went wide at the name. Fear flashed in their eyes.

"No... Fosters..No No.." Theresa whispered, looking down and then up at her husband.

"What's wrong mum?" Justin asked, walking forward.

"You are not going to the party."

"WHAAT!" Alex screamed. "But-"

"I SAID YOU ARE NOT GOING TO THE PARTY! AND THATS FINAL!" Theresa screamed angrily before walking out. Jerry looked at worriedly at his wife and then his kids.

"Dad, what's wrong? Why can't we go?" His son asked him. He shook his head before replying.

"Just stay away from the rich kids of the wizarding world, Justin. They are not what they seem to be." Jerry replied slowly. "And it's final. None of you are going to the Party. Not even Harper." And with that, he also walked away.

"NO!" Alex screamed in fury, shaking her head. "This is not happening with me AGAIN! I'm a grown up. I can go to any party I want to."

"Calm down love." Mason cooed.

"No, Mason! I'm not a kid anymore. They always do that. I'm going to this birthday bash no matter what!"

"But how?" Justin questioned. Even he wants to go. It's a rich kid party, who would want to miss that. Alex looked intensely at her wand.

"I think it's time for us to make some clones, brother."

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"Jerry." Theresa Russo looked up at her husband in worry as he entered their bedroom. "The kids. Th-They can't go. They-"

"Theresa." Jerry relaxed his wife as he held her against her chest. "We're not sure if its them."

"I know but I can't take any chances, Jerry. There's a reason we live here in the mortal world rather than in the wizard world, like our other family members." Theresa said, looking down at her charm bracelet, which was given by her own mother. "We kept so much hidden from them."

"And we will continue to do it." Jerry announced firmly, looking his wife in the eye. "No matter what. For our family. For our kids. And for Max."