Wizardmatch

by Lauren Magaziner

  “But Lennie is stronger,” her mom said softly. Lennie’s heart fluttered with pride. “Len has more focus—and she really cares about magic. I swear, Pop, you’ve never met anyone more determined. Lennie would excel in this competition. And more importantly, she’d be an amazing Prime Wizard.”

  “But Michael is more like me. And I want someone like me to be the next Prime Wizard,” Poppop said firmly. “Lennie? Well, she’s a sweet girl, but she’s just . . . not right. She doesn’t have that Prime Wizard look.”

  Didn’t have the Prime Wizard look? What look? When she looked in a mirror, she saw a Prime Wizard! Lennie felt sick to her stomach.

  There was a too-long pause in which no one said anything at all. At last, her mom spoke icily. “What are you saying, Dad?”

  “I’m saying that you should select Michael. I think he’s a more serious competitor. He makes me laugh, he has my nose, and he reminds me of myself. Besides, I can easily picture him wearing my collection of Prime Wizard robes. Michael has what it takes—I just know it.”

  Lennie gripped the drapes, feeling like she’d been punched in the gut. Or socked in the face. Or smashed over the head with a dinner plate. What did Poppop mean—a more serious competitor? Just last week, Michael was sticking peanuts up his nose and shooting them out with a big sneeze!

  Lennie invisibled again so that she could stick her head out of the drapes to look at her mom and Poppop. Since Lennie was behind Poppop, she could only see his hair and neck—but she could see, dead-on, the flush creeping up her mother’s cheeks.

  Her mom sighed. “I know you identify with Michael . . . but I’m just not sure he’s ready for this responsibility. He’s very unpredictable. And with two seconds longer on her invisibility, Lennie’s definitely more qualified. She’s even been tutoring Michael on how to grow his powers. She’s been working every day for the past year on her invisibility, and growing her magic is her lifelong dream. And she’s—here?”

  Her mom was looking right at her.

  Shoot!

  “Excuse me?” Poppop said.

  “I mean—she’s HERE for the long haul!” her mom said loudly. Lennie ducked back behind the curtain again, her stomach twisting into knots. “She’s HERE for hard work! She’s HERE for responsibility! She’s HERE to be the first female Prime Wizard—and the first wizard of color! She’s HERE for it all!”

  “Look, Stacey, the final decision is up to you, but trust me . . . if you don’t put Michael in the competition, you will be DOOMED.”

  “Are you just being dramatic, or . . . ?”

  “DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!” Poppop howled.

  Her mom stood up. “Well, I’m going to go now,” she squeaked. “Thanks for the meeting. I’m just going to stand by the door. And hold it open for a bit. Because it’s warm in here, Dad, and you need a good draft. Yes, you need a nice cross breeze. I think it will help. By the way, loooooove what you’ve done with the place. What interesting new pictures you have on the walls. . . .”

  Lennie invisibly scurried to the door, ducked under her mom’s arm, and tapped her on the shoulder to say she was safely out of the room.

  “Well, that’s enough of that!” her mom said. “Bye!” And she closed Poppop Pomporromp’s golden doors. Then she whipped around to Lennie.

  “Lennie!” her mom said. “That was supposed to be a private meeting! Were you there the whole time? What were you thinking?!”

  Lennie didn’t say anything. If she opened her mouth, she knew she’d start crying, and she would not cry.

  Her mom tucked a lock of Lennie’s silky black hair behind her ear. “I—I really wish you weren’t there to hear that.” Her mom rubbed circles on her back, and Lennie blinked back tears. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying, your poppop. He doesn’t mean it. He’s a good person on the inside. He loves you very much, you know.”

  Lennie closed her eyes, and a single tear slid down her face.

  Her mom pulled her into her arms. “Don’t cry, Len! I love you. You know I believe in you—I think you’d be an amazing Prime Wizard.” But when Lennie’s tears didn’t stop, her mom grabbed her shoulders. “Hey! Remember what I always taught you: Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”

  But they did hurt. Poppop’s words were like a virus that gnawed on Lennie’s insides, eating her up, making her flush and feverish. She’d much rather be smacked with a stick or pelted with a rock.

  Was this really how he thought of her? He didn’t seem to love her. He didn’t even seem to like her.

  There were so many thoughts swirling around in her head that she didn’t know what to say. Her legs were wobbly, and her voice felt shaky, and her eyes were burning. Keep it together, keep it together, she told herself.

  Her mom kissed the top of her head. “I don’t want you to worry about this, sweetheart. Put it out of your mind.” She grabbed Lennie’s hand, and together they walked back to Cheeseburger Chamber. Her mom tucked her into bed above Michael, who was sleeping comfortably, with no idea what had just happened and no cares in the world.

  But Lennie had a sleepless night. She tossed and turned, replaying the conversation between her mom and Poppop over and over and over, haunted by all the things he said—and all the things she didn’t say back.

  Opening Ceremonies

  In the morning, the day looked exceptionally bright through Lennie’s tomato-tinted window. From her spot in bed, she could see that the pudding pool had melted a bit. It looked a little like chocolate soup, but it didn’t seem to stop Anya, Jonathan, and Mollie from going for a morning family swim.

  As Lennie rolled off the top bunk, she found a note slipped under their door.

  ATTENTION POMPORROMP FAMILY:

  What: Wizardmatch Opening Ceremonies

  Where: The Open Lawn, behind the castle

  When: 4:00 p.m.

  Who: YOU!

  Lennie had the sudden urge to crumple the note as all the feelings and thoughts and worries from last night came crashing back to her. Instead, she placed it facedown on Michael’s bedside table. She couldn’t bear to look at it a moment longer.

  Michael let out a snore as she approached, but he didn’t wake up. Lennie tiptoed to her ketchup bottle–shaped dresser, and as she quietly changed out of her pajamas, she thought about the Prime Wizard look. She glanced down at her arms. Michael had skin just as dark as hers. Did Poppop say those things last night because she was a girl? But what did that have to do with anything?

  She didn’t know what his comment meant—only that it cut her deeply.

  Once she was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, she tiptoed out into the hallway. She set out to find her mom, but she wasn’t in her room or in the dining room, where Lennie glumly grabbed some sort of pretzel that kept folding and unfolding itself. The dining hall was mostly empty—except for a really enormous man who was by far the tallest and broadest one in the family, and Perrie, the young cousin with short purple hair. Lennie hadn’t met her yet, but she knew Perrie from the pictures.

  “Hi,” Lennie said, walking over to them. “I’m Lennie.”

  The man surveyed her. “Lennie? Stacey’s kid, Lennie?”

  She nodded.

  The man laughed. “I was looking to meet you and your brother last night, but with all the chaos at dinner . . . I’m your uncle Bob!”

  Uncle Bob? This enormous man was her mom’s baby brother? He was probably twice her mom’s size. Lennie turned to look at Perrie, who bashfully hid her face behind a thick book she was holding.

  “And this is my daughter, Perrie. Don’t be shy, Pear-bear!” Uncle Bob said, giving the girl a little nudge.

  Perrie must have been six or seven. Lennie couldn’t even believe that Perrie would be competing so young—how would she fare against cousins twice her age?

  Perrie took a deep breath, and it was like suddenly a whole
bunch of words she’d trapped inside her got loose all at once. “Lennie, hi. I’ve been wanting to meet you I don’t know any of my cousins since dad and I live so far away and I’ve only been to Pomporromp Castle four times mostly before I could even remember and this is my fifth time isn’t it beautiful I’m so obsessed with it,” Perrie said quickly, all in one breath.

  “Oh, yeah, me too,” Lennie said, trying very hard to keep up with how quickly Perrie talked.

  “I even like my bedroom, Lobster Lodge, even though I’m allergic to shellfish, and my lips swell up every time I lay on my pillow!”

  “You should switch rooms!” Lennie said.

  “Well, Poppop says he’s going to fix that tonight, so I should be good for tomorrow. But it’s making me talk really slowly right now, don’t you think?”

  If this was slow, Lennie was afraid to see fast.

  “Anyway, I was just headed outside, if you want to come—”

  “Sure!” Lennie said, practically jumping to get a word in.

  Uncle Bob looked at his daughter. “Remember what I said, Perrie: no wandering into the borderlands.”

  Perrie nodded.

  “If you need me, I’ll be on the fourteenth floor. Okay?”

  “Okay!” Perrie said.

  As Lennie and Perrie headed downstairs, Perrie continued to nervous-chatter about the castle and all the things she’d read about magic in her favorite textbooks. Lennie couldn’t help but wonder what Perrie’s power was.

  “Lennie?”

  “Huh?” Lennie said, snapping to attention.

  “That kid is calling your name.”

  From two stories up, Michael was waving wildly at them.

  “That’s my brother,” Lennie explained. “COME DOWN HERE!”

  For once, he actually obeyed, and when they all met on the ground floor, Michael and Perrie smiled at each other.

  “Hi!” he said. “I’m Michael. What’s your name?”

  “Perrie Arabella Monina de Twickenham.”

  “Twickenham?” Michael snickered.

  “That’s the name of the cottage where Daddy and I live. In Netherly everyone is named after the property they live in, not their family name.”

  “You sure have a lot of first names, though!” Lennie said.

  “And you don’t have nearly enough!” Perrie replied. Then she ran out the front door. “Come on!”

  The sun was so bright that it was almost blinding. The short grass glowed a neon color—and to their left, the Garden of Goulash burbled and gurgled and burped in the heat. It smelled like slimy hot dogs.

  “IT’S ALIVE!” Michael shouted as a sauce bubble erupted with a pop.

  The smell from the Garden of Goulash was making Lennie queasy—even queasier than she had already been feeling, thinking about last night. And so Lennie pulled her brother and cousin in the direction of the pudding pool.

  At the edge of the property, they sat next to the high dive, which must’ve been fifteen feet tall. Lennie faced outward, looking at the sea beyond the cliff. The three of them huddled together, dipping their fingers into the chocolate and licking the pudding right off.

  “So how old are you?” Michael asked Perrie, his mouth full.

  “I’m seven and one-sixth years old! That’s 2,616 days,” Perrie said. “How old are you?”

  “Ten!” Michael said smugly. “And I turned ten ages ago . . . it’s practically been years! You think you can beat a ten-year-old in Wizardmatch?”

  “Twelve,” Lennie said. “I’m twelve.”

  “Who’s talking about you?” Michael said, sticking his tongue out at her.

  “Of course I can beat a ten-year-old and a twelve-year-old! I can do it with my hands tied behind my back.” Perrie stood up defiantly.

  Nothing happened at first, but then! Perrie’s arms started getting longer. And longer. And longer. They were stretching out like taffy, all gooey and wiggly. And they kept growing. Perrie’s arms hung so low that her knuckles brushed the ground.

  Then Perrie swung her loosey-goosey arms behind her back and tied them into a figure-eight knot.

  “Wow!” Lennie marveled. “Impressive knot work!”

  “So you can lengthen your arms,” Michael said. “Big whoop!”

  Perrie grinned. “And that’s not all I can do!” she said, untying her hands. She reached forward, and grabbed Michael’s shirt.

  “HEY, LET ME GO!”

  But she didn’t. Perrie lifted Michael up in the air, her arms extending—up, up, UP—until they were ten feet tall. Michael wriggled and shouted and even tried invisibling, but there was no escaping Perrie’s grip.

  “UNHAND ME!” Michael bellowed. “OR ELSE!”

  Perrie was so impressive that Lennie could only gawk. Flexibility, limb extension, and super strength? It was almost unfair that one person could have so much magic!

  “DON’T DROP ME IN THE PUDDING!” Michael yelped.

  “Just say: Perrie, I give up, and when you’re the Prime Wizard champion of the family I will kiss your butt!” Perrie said.

  “NEVERRRRRRRRRR!!!!!” Michael howled.

  “Then I hope you like to swim,” Perrie said. Suddenly, she grew pale. Her arms shrunk back to normal. She placed Michael back on the ground gently, and her arms retracted with a soft hiss.

  “You’re lucky I decided to be nice to you,” Perrie said sheepishly, rubbing her short hair.

  Lennie knew instantly that Perrie’s powers had limitations, just like hers and Michael’s. She knew Ellington’s and Raina’s powers didn’t last very long, either. Did everyone in her family have limited powers except for Poppop?

  Perrie hummed. “So do you both have the same powers, or is it different, because I’m wondering what I’m going to be competing against for the next few weeks, or who.”

  “Mom’s going to pick Lennie. She’s the faaaaaaaaavorite!” he said.

  “Am not,” Lennie muttered. Worry gnawed at her, and she was not in the mood for this fight again. She lay on her stomach, peering over the edge of the cliff.

  “Look!” Perrie said.

  Poppop was scurrying out of the castle, Estella and Fluffles both trailing in his wake. Lennie watched, feeling the need to punch her poppop—and at the same time, she wanted to prove him wrong.

  Once Poppop was in an open grass field behind the castle, he stopped to stroke his beard and look out in the distance. He didn’t seem to notice Lennie, Michael, or Perrie at all.

  “What’s he doing?” Michael asked.

  Moments later, Poppop wiggled his staff around. Something silvery poured out of the mouth of the rubber ducky that sat atop the staff—and formed itself into the shape of bleachers.

  Then Poppop made a podium to the side of the bleachers, with a throne in the middle, a seat on his right-hand side, and a seat on the left. He’s preparing, Lennie realized, for the opening ceremonies tonight.

  Maybe, Lennie thought, she just needed to get Poppop to like her more. And what did Poppop appreciate more than anything in the world? Being showered with compliments.

  “I’ll be right back,” she said, not even giving Michael or Perrie the chance to come with her. She needed to do this alone.

  “Hi, Poppop!” Lennie said, reaching him. “Estella! Fluffles!”

  “Are you here to pet me?” Fluffles said, cuddling up to her leg.

  “Good morning, Lennie!” Estella said cheerfully.

  “Is it a good morning?” Poppop said. “I can change that!” And with a tap of his staff, clouds formed in the sky. As goose bumps appeared on her arms, Lennie wished she had a jacket.

  “Do you mind if I—um—have a moment with Poppop?” Lennie asked.

  “Of course!” Estella said, bending over so that Fluffles could leap into her arms. She massaged his neck as she carried him away to examine the
bleachers and podium Poppop had just made.

  Poppop stroked his chin as he stared at her. “Did you have something to say to me?”

  “I just wanted to let you know how amazed I am! The castle, the grounds, they’re all fantastic!”

  “And don’t I know it!” Poppop boasted. “It’s difficult to maintain, but years of honing my craft, and I’ve finally mastered it. I mean, for a while there was that one room that kept floating away . . .” He zoned out for a moment. “Good thing you didn’t visit while we were having that pesky problem. The last thing I want is for my family to float away in an unstable room to meet their UNTIMELY ENDS.” He put the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically.

  Even though he was talking about death and stuff, it actually kind of sounded like he was happy about it.

  “And YOU!” Lennie said. “You are sooooooo powerful! And sooooooo impressive!”

  Poppop bashfully tugged on his beard. “Stop that—you’re making me blush!” Then Poppop frowned. “No, no, I didn’t mean stop! Do go on!”

  “Right!” Lennie said. “You are so clever and brilliant and brave. You’re so good at magic. And your feast was delicious. I, er, like your purple robe today. And you hardly have any ear hair. And . . .” she was running out of compliments. “Your beard is so floofy!”

  “Want to know my secret?” he whispered. “Olive oil. It works wonders on detangling my chin tresses. Also, it makes me smell like garlic bread. Though, sometimes I do wake up to find myself gnawing on my beard.”

  “Ew,” Lennie said out loud, then covered her mouth. She quickly started talking again. “So, I just wanted to let you know how excited I am about Wizardmatch. You’re my role model! I want to grow my powers, just like you! Being Prime Wizard is my ultimate lifelong dream! I can’t wait for you to teach me all you know!”

  “Well, don’t get too hasty. There are many tests that still have to happen before I select a Prime Wizard.” He pulled up his sleeve to check his watch, but there was nothing on his wrist. “Oh my! Look at the time, gotta run! So much to do before the opening ceremonies this evening!”