The boy sat huddled in silence, his back to the wall. “And what about him?” Coralis asked.

“His name is Henry and he can hear you,” snapped the hedgehog. “Ask him yourself.”

“Humpf! Do not test my patience, young lady,” warned Coralis.

“Or what? You’ll turn me into a toad? You think that could be any worse than a spikeball?”

“I didn’t mean it,” Henry said, barely audible. “It was an accident.”

“An accident?” Coralis stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Must have been a very potent one to do this to a young girl.”

“Someone was dumb enough to give Henry a real wand,” she said.

Molly stifled a laugh. She seemed to enjoy the hedgehog’s cantankerous attitude. “There is something else you should probably see, Coralis.” She flipped the light switch, which should have shrouded the room in darkness. Instead, the young boy glowed like a twenty-watt bulb.

“What on Earth?” Coralis leaned closer, and the brightness intensified. He immediately backed off. “Young man, who are you?”

Henry opened his mouth as if to speak, but the words dried up in his throat. However, the hedgehog seemed to have no such trouble. And her words were as sharp as her teeth. “He’s Henry Leach, and I’m his sister, Brianna, and by the way—”

“It can’t be … ” This time it was Coralis’s turn to go speechless.

Brianna’s tiny nose wiggled in irritation at being interrupted. “Well, now that you know who we are, maybe you can tell us who you are,” she demanded.

“He’s Coralis,” whispered Henry. “The Grand Wand Master.”

“Coralis … huh … Hey, wait a minute!” exclaimed Brianna. “You’re the one who got us into this mess!”

“Young lady, I don’t think—”

“You’re telling me!” Her spiky fur bristled angrily. “The next time you go giving out magic potions, leave my ding-a-ling brother off your list. Some grand wizard you turned out to be.”

“What?” Coralis exploded.

“Uh-oh.” Henry yanked the blanket over his head.

“How dare you call me a wizard, you … you … bilious blue blemish!”

“Hey! Now you wait a minute!” She waddled up to him and slapped at his boot. “I don’t know what ‘bilious’ means, but I know what a ‘blemish’ is and I-have-never-had-a-zit-in-my-life!” She poked his foot with her paw for emphasis at each word.

Molly snorted loudly as she tried to contain herself, but then burst out laughing. “Oh, this is precious.” She leaned her back to the wall, laughing till she was short of breath. “The great Coralis—scolded by a hedgehog.”