The Magic Misfits 2. Neil Patrick Harris

      Who was at the shop door? Well, I’d rather not say. You can skip to the next chapter to find out, or you could stay and learn some magic of your own!

      Oh, you decided to stay? It really is wonderful to see you again. I adore working with committed students. Have you been practising the tricks I showed you in the first book? If so, by the end of The Second Story, you might have enough tricks to put on an entire show.

      WHAT YOU NEED:

      A regular deck of playing cards

      HELPFUL HINT (WHERE TO STAND):

      For this illusion, you’ll want to position yourself close to your audience so that they are looking down at the cards in your hands.

      STEPS:

      1. Holding the deck in one hand, use your other hand to show your audience a random card. Ask them to tell you what card it is.

      2. While they are telling you about the card, slide your pinky finger between the top card and the rest of the deck so there is a small gap.

      3. Place the first card faceup onto the deck, aligning it with the raised card. You should now be holding two cards slightly above the rest of the deck.

      4. Using the middle finger and thumb of your free hand, grab the corners of the top two cards and move them away from the deck, holding them so that they bend a bit.

       (Hint: Both cards should align so that it looks like you’re holding only that first top card.)

      5. Move your hand back and forth, so the image on the card begins to blur for the audience. Show the audience your card. Have one of them call out what it is. Now, move your hand back and forth.

      6. While shaking the cards, use your pointer finger to reach for the far corner of the cards and then pull that corner toward you so the two cards flip.

       (Hint: Your middle finger and thumb will be the points where the cards rotate.)

      7. Slowly stop shaking the cards and reveal that the card has changed.

      8. Take a bow!

      A woman stood by the counter.

      “Sorry!” Leila said breathlessly to the stranger. She spouted her usual spiel: “Welcome to Vernon’s Magic Shop, where we purvey the impossible ! Can I help you find anything?”

      “Hello,” said the woman. “I sure hope you can.” She was medium height with dusky golden skin and wavy dark hair that cascaded like waterfall mist past her shoulders. Deep brown eyes stared into Leila’s own.

      Leila was captivated. Her fingers trembled. Her mouth went dry. She blinked as if her brain could take a picture. The woman’s lashes were long and thick, blackened heavily with mascara. Lips as red as gems were pursed in a tiny blossom below her long nose. She wore a long purple shawl covered in yellow fringe draped over her shoulders, with a gauzy lilac scarf tied around her waist. The image of a crystal ball was embroidered on her large purse. Most spectacular of all were the enormous white stars hanging from her ears. She looked like she belonged there, like a prop in the magic shop’s window.

      “We have everything a magician might need,” Leila said, her voice cracking.

      “I’m looking for someone,” said the woman, her eyes flicking around the store. “A very old friend of mine. His name is Dante. Dante Vernon. His last name’s on the door.”

      “That’s because he owns this place,” said Carter, stepping forward. “He’s my cousin, and he’s Leila’s—”

      “Hold on,” Ridley said abruptly, wheeling past Carter and Leila to block the woman’s path. “Before we share anything else, maybe you can tell us who you are first? We’ve had some trouble around here lately.”

      “Trouble?” the woman remarked with wide eyes, clutching her shawl to her chest. “How horrible!”

      “My friends here can sometimes be too trusting,” said Ridley. “But I’m not. What do you want with Mr Vernon?”

      “Sandra?” Mr Vernon called out from the balcony. He clutched the railing and peered down at them. “Sandra Santos? Is that you?”

      “Dante!” exclaimed the woman named Sandra.

      Sandra Santos. Leila was expecting that the woman’s name would be one she’d heard before, but it wasn’t.

      Sandra held up her arms to Vernon as if for a hug. Since Ridley was still in Sandra’s way, she simply stood inside the door, looking like someone witnessing a miracle, as Vernon rushed down the spiral staircase.

      “For a moment, I thought I was looking at a ghost,” he said. “It’s been how long? Decades! What are you doing here?” He squeezed past the speechless assembly of Misfits and, looking baffled, stood before the woman. Finally – almost reluctantly – he hugged her.

      Sandra smiled, squeezing him back. “Oh, I was in town and thought I’d say hello.”

      “Shall Houdini confess next, I can find a dozen flying, fake deer! ” said Presto again from her perch. All of the Misfits stiffened and groaned.

      Vernon smiled at the animal. “Yes. Yes, we know. Aren’t you a fantastical bird?” Presto ruffled her feathers and then closed her eyes. Finally. Vernon placed his palm on Leila’s head. “This is my daughter. Leila.”

      “Hello,” Leila said, shaking Sandra’s warm hand.

      Sandra squeezed gently. “Nice to meet you.”

      Then Vernon touched Carter’s shoulder and brought him forward. “And this handsome lad is my cousin, Carter Locke.”

      “Locke?” Sandra asked. “As in…?”

      “Lyle’s boy,” said Vernon. “He’s living with us now. Our family has grown by leaps and bounds.” Carter stared at Sandra in wonder. He must’ve been fascinated that she knew his father, Leila thought. “Here is Theo Stein-Meyer and Ridley Larsen. And the sharply-dressed duo in the rear are the Golden twins, Olly and Izzy. Good friends, one and all.”

      “You knew Carter’s