Chapter 2: The other world

Instead of studying, Alex Russo ended up pacing across the lair back and forth showering her best friend with her complains which mostly regarding her brother Justin Russo. "He is so annoying!"

"Why can't he just act his age?" Alex continued. "I mean, he a seventeen years old wizard and he act as if he's some old man."

"Maybe he's trying to be responsible?" Harper suggested.

"Responsible?" Alex replied. "Annoying as from what I see." She sat back down on the ancient-looking couch and crossed her arm in front of her. She breathed out heavily. Turning to Harper, who looking at her sympathetically, she said, "I'm sorry that you have to hear that."

Harper smiled and heartedly said, "Hey, its okay, at least you're being honest with me and let me know how you really feel."

Alex smiled at her.

"That's' what best friend does," Harper continued. Alex smiled at her again. "Now," Harper continued, "Can we start studying now?"

"Yeah." Alex replied.

"Read this one," Harper suggested. "I'm no wizard but I think this have very useful information for you…" She gave Alex a worn-out-looking brownish thick book which has the titled that said '101 spell magic'. "I often see Justin reading this book back then, you know, when I don't know who you guys really are. When I asked him, he just said that it is just some 'magician' book. He just can't get his hands off of it."

Alex took it and started flipping through the pages. "Hm, interesting…" Alex actually started reading it from the beginning.

"Look at you, you actually reading!" Harper excitedly said.

"Yeah, I know!" Alex replied in a seemingly robotic way as her eyes roamed up and down the page about the make-em-ups spells. Harper watched her, smiling wide. She decided to leave her friend alone and started wandering the lair. She did not get the chance to do so before. She looked around the lair.

The room decorated with ancient wizards' artifacts. There are crystal balls in all different sizes, big and small, mostly round. There is a suite of medieval armor at the corner standing by the coffin-like wardrobe, which contained the smarty-pants, the sleeping hat and speed shirt. Nearby is the portal to the wizards' world. The table filled with spell books and weird looking statues. There were the 3D glasses, the transportation stick, the mind-reading tube, invisible poncho, pocket elf and …

"What's this?"

Harper crouched down to the lower part of the bookcase and noticed one worn-out-looking thick book. Slowly taking it out from the others, she blew the thick dusts off the cover and wiped it with her sleeve. She noticed a vague image of a blackish dragon and a boy sitting on a broom reaching out his hand forward. Harper looked closely and immediately recognized the boy. "HARRY POTTER?! NO WAY!!"

Alex, who was busy reading the spell book, startled a little. She turned to her friend who was showing the book off to her.

"I didn't know, you guys read this book," Harper let out excited. "I mean I didn't know real-life wizards read this book … this is awesome!"

"That's not mine," Alex said. "It's Justin."

"Obviously, I mean you would never read this book," Harper said. "Look at it its thick and the only thing you did with this kind of book was to hallow it out and hide things in it."

"Oh, Harper, you so know who I am." Alex said.

"I know." Harper smiled. She sat back down and flipped through the book.

The lair plus freezer's door swung open, Justin came in looking annoyed. Behind him, Max came in swinging his wand side to side.

"Hey, listen, how about the freeze spell?" said Max, swinging his wand some more.

"What do you need a freeze spell for?" Justin asked, crossing his arm.

"I need to freeze my ice-cream back if they melts," Max said confidently.

"Max, a freeze spell is for freezing time," Justin explained. "Not to freeze up a melted ice-cream."

"That's a rip-off," Max replied, "It's called a freeze spell and it should freeze up an ice-cream too."

Justin tried to restraint himself. He then turned to Harper and Alex, who were sitting on the couch. He noticed the spell books on the table and said, "Are you studying Alex?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Alex replied, her eyes glued to the book she been reading.

"Uh, planning a devious plan while reading?" Justin suggested.

"What kind of person do you think I am?" Alex replied. "Wait, don't answer that!"

Justin crossed his arms and turned to Harper. "Hey, that's my book. Where you find it?"

"Over there." Harper pointed at the bookcase behind the couch. "I hope you don't mind me reading it."

"You read Harry Potter?" Justin asked, surprised to find that there is another thing that both he and Harper have in common. The first thing was their love for silent movie and now this.

"I love reading them," Harper said happily. "This book is definitely my favorite."

"Me too." Justin answered. "I love it when the three champions have to go through the three tasks and it just so imaginative by the way Rowling wrote about it."

"I know," Harper joined in. "The Yule Ball is awesome, people get dressed up and all. It will fun if we have that kind of dance at school. Who is your favorite character?"

"Oh, that's a hard one." Justin breathed out.

"I get what you mean, it's really hard to choose from all of them." said Harper.

"Hello!"

They both turned to find Alex looking at them furiously. Alex stood up with the book in her arm and said, "Could you please let your silly discussion about Larry Lotter-"

"Harry Potter," Justin corrected her.

"Whatever!" she replied. "I need to study in here okay?"

"Sorry, Alex, We'll keep it down." Harper apologized.

"Thank you," said Alex, sitting back down and reading the book. Max quickly grabbed the Harry Potter book from Harper and flipped through it.

"You know, you two should like get into this book and experience the ball thingy," said Max, flipping the book.

"No thanks Max," said Justin.

"Dude, you should," said Max. He quickly swung his wand.

Suddenly a swirling portal appeared from the book. It began sucking in the air inside the lair.

"Max!" Justin exclaimed. "What were you thinking?"

"I don't know - - oh!"

Max was suck into the portal and disappeared.

"MAX!" cried out Alex and Harper. Justin was about to get his wand out and point it at the portal but he was too late. They all were pulled into the portal too and disappeared into thin air. The book closed shut.

They all landed on the ground hard. Luckily, none of them suffered harsh injuries.

"Everybody okay?" Justin called out as he stood up. Nearby, Alex and Harper were helping each other up.

"Where are we?" Harper asked.

"I don't know." Justin answered.

There were camps in the surrounding. There is a huge building at the distance with fireworks shot up in the sky. Justin could see brooms flying in the skies heading to the building.

"Oh no…"

"What?" Alex asked.

"We're in the book." Justin turned to her.