He frowned in concentration, then absentmindedly reached into a pocket. As his fingers contacted his wand, a surge of energy flooded his body and his eyes shone with clarity. Suddenly the room was just as it had been that night. The desk was upright in its proper place, the books were on their shelves, and most shocking of all, his father was sitting at his desk. Henry gasped, almost releasing the wand.

“Tell me what you see.” Coralis’s voice was inside his head, urging him on.

“He’s here!” Henry was startled by his own voice.

“Henry, do not be afraid,” Coralis whispered as he cupped his hand around Henry’s. “I am with you now.”

And indeed he was. Henry could clearly see Coralis standing behind his father, but even more remarkably, Henry saw another Henry standing beside the desk. The entire scene replayed itself just as it had happened that night, right up to the point when his mother charged into the room.

Coralis released Henry’s hand and the room reverted to its state of disarray. “What just happened?” Henry’s voice crackled and he coughed, his throat dry and mouth parched.

Coralis said nothing as he led Henry into the kitchen, where they managed to find an unbroken glass. It wasn’t until his fourth glass of water that his thirst was quenched.

“Young man, are you quite sure you have had no formal training?” Coralis asked.

“No, sir.” Henry righted a chair and sat heavily, his body drained of energy. “I’ve pretty much memorized the Guidebook, but … wait!”

He bolted from the chair and raced out the back door, Coralis a half step behind. Into the garage and up the pole to his loft in record time. “It’s still here!” he shouted. He slid down the pole and jubilantly waved his notebook. “He didn’t know about my private room!”

“Bahtzen bizzle!” Coralis exploded. “Slow down! What do you have there?”

“My notebooks!” Henry danced happily, unmindful of Coralis’s growing irritation. “They’re my notebooks—the ones I used when I translated the big books.” The smile on his face stretched from ear to ear.

“Look!” He flipped through page after page of meticulous notes and definitions scribbled into the margins. “I didn’t have any training, but I must have learned something on my own!” He handed the notebooks to Coralis, bursting with pride.

Coralis scanned the pages, murmuring to himself. When he stopped, he slowly closed the notebook, looking a degree paler.

“What’s wrong?” asked Henry. “Did I do something wrong again?” His voice cracked, this time from worry. “I used the ulexite you sent me,” he said defensively. “Why would you give it to me if I wasn’t supposed to use it?”

“Are the books up there, too?” Coralis nodded toward the loft.