Chapter 30: "Comebacks"
"Okay, refresh my memory," my friend rolled his eyes at Kari. "Why are we standing in the middle of your front yard again?"
"Because we're waiting for Nicholas to pick us up and take us shopping," she answered, fortunately not noticing or caring about his eye roll.
"And what do you have in your hand that you keep waving about like a flag?" he grumbled. Kari caught full meaning of his words but deftly ignored them.
"You clearly weren't paying attention," she chided him. "On the outside, this is an ordinary, 'hey, I'm free Saturday, wanna hang out?' note to Susan. The code words will clue her in to hold the letter up to a bare light bulb, where, like magic, the real message in my lemon juice ink will appear. And no amount of magic-revealer that the Brethren might have will reveal this borrowed muggle magic! By the way, why do ask?"
"So in case someone's passing by and asks what three ridiculous- looking kids are doing standing in the middle of the lawn watching an empty street, I'll have an equally ridiculous answer," my friend replied malignantly.
"Anonimo?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up." I couldn't help but snicker at Kari's bluntness. Just then a car turned the corner and drove towards us.
"Hey, look, it's slowing down," I commented.
"Good, maybe the Brethren will have some normal transportation for once," Kari mumbled. The automobile never stopped; however, a newspaper was thrown out of the window and at our feet.
"I think you spoke too soon," I grinned as I glanced through the note that had been attached. "Listen:
"'Guardians,
You and your finely feathered friend...' Hey, they mentioned you by name, Kari! I think they're really starting to like you."
"Oh, ha ha," she answered. "But just for the record, I am finely- feathered, thank you very much."
"Anyway..." my friend cut in, clearly trying to get us back to the point.
"'You and your finely-feathered friend need clothing that we will purchase. However, you must follow these instructions exactly, or we will not be responsible for any death, maiming, or other related injuries that may result. Very carefully pick up the newspaper now at your feet and bring it to a secluded place outside where you will be hidden from view. At exactly 4:15, all three of you must be holding the newspaper. If all goes well, we will meet you at your destination,' " I finished.
"What time is it?" my friend asked immediately.
"Mom?" Kari called out, stepping towards the house.
"Yes, dear?" answered Mrs. Sky from somewhere within.
"What time is it?" There was a small pause, and then she replied,
"About quarter after."
"What?!" Kari exploded.
"Exact time, Mrs. Sky!" I cried out, feeling panic rise up inside me.
"4:13," she responded after a few more precious seconds were lost. "Why?"
"We... er..."
"We have to be somewhere at 4:15," I answered for Kari. Mrs. Sky poked her head out the front door.
"Well, I'm afraid I've already closed down the fireplace, so you can't use floo powder..." Just the thought of it made my nose start to smart.
"We need a place where we can still be outside but out of sight," my friend said, as always the voice of calm and order.
"Portkey, huh?" Mrs. Sky guessed immediately. "Let's try the backyard then. Careful how you pick it up!"
Finally we found a place in an array of bushes; although space to stretch was minimal, it served the purpose of seclusion well. Mrs. Sky stood by the backdoor, acting as timekeeper.
"Ten seconds left! Hold the newspaper now..." As we followed her instructions, Kari looked up at us.
"Er, has anyone here ever traveled by portkey before?" We shook our heads "no." "Does it... hurt, at all?"
"I don't know," my friend grinned, "but there's only one way to find out..." Meanwhile, the few seconds left were being noted.
"5... 4, I love you, Kari; 3, be careful now, 2..." One was drowned out by a sudden whistle of the wind and a jerk forwards as I shut my eyes tight. As suddenly as it had begun, the shadows of the leaves had become the bricks of Cardamum Alley. I noticed Kari clutch at her stomach.
"Let's not do that again..." she weakly replied. Just then a small cough from behind caused me to spin around.
"Glad to see you all made it in one piece," Nicholas greeted us. "That was our apprentice's first attempt at a portkey." As she giggled nervously, Kari's face suddenly shifted to a pale shade of green. Nicholas went on anyway. "If you would all follow me, please..." We ducked into a small clothier's shop just across from where we had arrived. I couldn't help but gasp at the scene that awaited me. Rack after rack of beautiful sparkling robes, every type of jewel known to wizard expertly crafted... and prices that stretched well into the four-digit range and beyond.
"All right, you may buy anything you need here..." Nicholas stated.
"Anything?" Kari immediately asked, eyeing a pair of three-karat diamond earrings.
"Wi... within reason," Nicholas stammered back, evidently just noticing the price range of Kari's jewels.
"Define 'within reason,'" she replied with a devilish grin.
"Okay, refresh my memory," my friend rolled his eyes at Kari. "Why are we standing in the middle of your front yard again?"
"Because we're waiting for Nicholas to pick us up and take us shopping," she answered, fortunately not noticing or caring about his eye roll.
"And what do you have in your hand that you keep waving about like a flag?" he grumbled. Kari caught full meaning of his words but deftly ignored them.
"You clearly weren't paying attention," she chided him. "On the outside, this is an ordinary, 'hey, I'm free Saturday, wanna hang out?' note to Susan. The code words will clue her in to hold the letter up to a bare light bulb, where, like magic, the real message in my lemon juice ink will appear. And no amount of magic-revealer that the Brethren might have will reveal this borrowed muggle magic! By the way, why do ask?"
"So in case someone's passing by and asks what three ridiculous- looking kids are doing standing in the middle of the lawn watching an empty street, I'll have an equally ridiculous answer," my friend replied malignantly.
"Anonimo?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up." I couldn't help but snicker at Kari's bluntness. Just then a car turned the corner and drove towards us.
"Hey, look, it's slowing down," I commented.
"Good, maybe the Brethren will have some normal transportation for once," Kari mumbled. The automobile never stopped; however, a newspaper was thrown out of the window and at our feet.
"I think you spoke too soon," I grinned as I glanced through the note that had been attached. "Listen:
"'Guardians,
You and your finely feathered friend...' Hey, they mentioned you by name, Kari! I think they're really starting to like you."
"Oh, ha ha," she answered. "But just for the record, I am finely- feathered, thank you very much."
"Anyway..." my friend cut in, clearly trying to get us back to the point.
"'You and your finely-feathered friend need clothing that we will purchase. However, you must follow these instructions exactly, or we will not be responsible for any death, maiming, or other related injuries that may result. Very carefully pick up the newspaper now at your feet and bring it to a secluded place outside where you will be hidden from view. At exactly 4:15, all three of you must be holding the newspaper. If all goes well, we will meet you at your destination,' " I finished.
"What time is it?" my friend asked immediately.
"Mom?" Kari called out, stepping towards the house.
"Yes, dear?" answered Mrs. Sky from somewhere within.
"What time is it?" There was a small pause, and then she replied,
"About quarter after."
"What?!" Kari exploded.
"Exact time, Mrs. Sky!" I cried out, feeling panic rise up inside me.
"4:13," she responded after a few more precious seconds were lost. "Why?"
"We... er..."
"We have to be somewhere at 4:15," I answered for Kari. Mrs. Sky poked her head out the front door.
"Well, I'm afraid I've already closed down the fireplace, so you can't use floo powder..." Just the thought of it made my nose start to smart.
"We need a place where we can still be outside but out of sight," my friend said, as always the voice of calm and order.
"Portkey, huh?" Mrs. Sky guessed immediately. "Let's try the backyard then. Careful how you pick it up!"
Finally we found a place in an array of bushes; although space to stretch was minimal, it served the purpose of seclusion well. Mrs. Sky stood by the backdoor, acting as timekeeper.
"Ten seconds left! Hold the newspaper now..." As we followed her instructions, Kari looked up at us.
"Er, has anyone here ever traveled by portkey before?" We shook our heads "no." "Does it... hurt, at all?"
"I don't know," my friend grinned, "but there's only one way to find out..." Meanwhile, the few seconds left were being noted.
"5... 4, I love you, Kari; 3, be careful now, 2..." One was drowned out by a sudden whistle of the wind and a jerk forwards as I shut my eyes tight. As suddenly as it had begun, the shadows of the leaves had become the bricks of Cardamum Alley. I noticed Kari clutch at her stomach.
"Let's not do that again..." she weakly replied. Just then a small cough from behind caused me to spin around.
"Glad to see you all made it in one piece," Nicholas greeted us. "That was our apprentice's first attempt at a portkey." As she giggled nervously, Kari's face suddenly shifted to a pale shade of green. Nicholas went on anyway. "If you would all follow me, please..." We ducked into a small clothier's shop just across from where we had arrived. I couldn't help but gasp at the scene that awaited me. Rack after rack of beautiful sparkling robes, every type of jewel known to wizard expertly crafted... and prices that stretched well into the four-digit range and beyond.
"All right, you may buy anything you need here..." Nicholas stated.
"Anything?" Kari immediately asked, eyeing a pair of three-karat diamond earrings.
"Wi... within reason," Nicholas stammered back, evidently just noticing the price range of Kari's jewels.
"Define 'within reason,'" she replied with a devilish grin.