JAMES POTTER AND THE VAULT OF DESTINIES

at them thoughtfully. They read:

'AS THE MOONS OF KTHULL ALIGN WITH THE GREAT HORN OF IPSUS'

       After a moment, Ralph asked, 'So is that a yes… or a no?'

       'Nobody knows,' Zane said brightly. 'That's the point. My guess is that Kthull is a planet in some unknown galaxy. Ipsus is probably a constellation or something. Or maybe it's even a real beast with a real-life horn. Either way, it's impossible for us to know whether or not some crazy planet's moons line up with it, so even though the answer is correct, it's still completely useless to us.'

       Ralph asked, 'So how do you know it's correct then?' James thought it was a very reasonable question.

       Zane nodded. 'Watch this.' He turned again to the Octosphere. 'Hey you, who won last week's Clutch match between Zombie House and the Igors?'

       James and Ralph watched as the letters faded from the Octosphere's surface and it began to turn again, rumbling faintly.

       'You don't really have to say the 'oh great mystical Octosphere' part,' Zane admitted as they waited. 'I just thought it would sound more, you know, impressive that way.'

       In the center of the pool, the black orb stopped turning again. Two words faded up from its depths.

ZOMBIE HOUSE

       'See?' Zane said, gesturing toward the floating orb. 'If it's an answer you already know, then it just gives it to you straight up. And it's always right.'

       'I see what you mean,' Ralph frowned. 'That's not very helpful at all.'

       Zane nodded. 'I hear it drove Professor Magnussen crazy trying to figure out what the problem was with it. They say that's what drove him to seek out and open the Nexus Curtain, although no one knows why. Maybe if we can retrace his steps, we can find the answer to that mystery too!'

'No way,' James said resolutely, sighing. 'Mum was right. We've got enough on our hands, what with school, Clutch, and everything else. Whoever this Magnussen was, if there's anything there to find out, I bet my dad's already working on it. He'll find this Nexus Curtain and chase down whoever attacked the Vault of Destinies. You watch.'

       Zane seemed reluctant to let the issue go, but he didn't say anything more about it that afternoon or even the rest of the weekend.

       On Monday morning, Professor Bunyan took the class up to the museum at the top of the Tower of Art, where he showed them portraits of many of the historical figures they'd been studying. Crouching under the museum's archways, the giant professor indicated paintings of famed American battles, showing how the secret magical contingent of the United States army, led by an American wizard named Quenton Harrow, had assisted in the fight. As James passed a portrait of General George Washington, he commented to Ralph that it was a shame the portrait couldn't talk.

       'Who says I can't talk?' the portrait asked, affronted.

       James, Zane, and Ralph spun around, surprised. Zane answered first. 'But… you were a Muggle, right?'

       'What, pray tell, is a Muggle, young man?' Washington asked sternly.

       'Er,' James said, stammering. 'Someone who's not magical? How can you not…?' he gestured toward the portrait's gilt frame. 'You're a talking painting!'

       'And what of it?' Washington responded, raising his chin.

       Ralph shook his head. 'I'm confused.'

       Just then, Professor Bunyan placed one of his huge hands around the boys' shoulders, leading them away from the portrait.

       'We try not to talk to the portraits of the Muggle historical figures,' he said quietly. 'Someone thought it'd be a good idea to magically preserve them for posterity, but being only vaguely aware of the magical world, many of them find the experience a bit… hinky.'

       James nodded, glancing back at the portrait of Washington. The president watched him stoically. James knew the figure was only paint on canvas, but he felt a little sorry for him nonetheless. He determined to come back later and keep the painting company despite Professor Bunyan's words.

       That evening, James, Zane, and Ralph entered the cafeteria to find that it had been decorated for Halloween. Floating over the long tables were dozens of jack-o'-lanterns, grinning, leering, and occasionally swooping down to chomp a slice of pizza from an unsuspecting diner's hand. The skeleton from Mother Newt's Wiz Home Ec classroom had been commandeered, hexed a rather ghastly green, and installed near the main entrance, where it distributed trays to the students as they lined up for dinner. Professor Cloverhoof, the faun President of Zombie House, stood in the back of the room, directing a pair of girls who were busily hanging orange bunting from the low ceiling.

       'Hi Professor!' Zane called as the three boys sat down beneath the floating pumpkins. 'How's everything coming along for the costume ball?'

       'Swimmingly,' Cloverhoof answered distractedly. 'A bit higher, Miss Worrel. There's nothing quite so depressing as crooked bunting. There we go.'

       'The Jersey Devil is taking his duties very seriously this year,' Zane said in a stage whisper, turning back to James and Ralph. 'He's chair of the committee for this year's Halloween Ball. Last year, Mother Newt did it, and we all about drowned in doilies and lace.'

       Ralph glanced up at a floating jack-o'-lantern that seemed to be eyeing his plate. 'They have the costume ball in the cafeteria?'

       Zane shook his head. 'No, no, this is just where they have all the drinks and refreshments. It's always quite a spread. The actual dance takes place upstairs in the main ballroom. It's huge, with chandeliers the size of the Wocket and a big stage at one end. Don't tell anybody else,' he added, leaning forward secretively, 'but we got Rig Mortis and the Stifftones to play the show! Should be killer!'

       'I've never heard of them,' James said, rolling a slice of pizza and biting off the end.

       'Yeah,' Ralph added, 'are they anything like The Boggart Brothers? I like them a lot.'

       'No,' Zane answered curtly, clearly annoyed. 'The Stifftones are only like the most popular band on American wizarding wireless. You two make me want to cry, I swear.'

       'I've heard of them,' a girl's voice said. James glanced aside and saw Izzy plopping down next to Zane, clunking her tray onto the table in front of her. 'I like them. 'Hex on My Heart' is my favorite song right now.'

       'Finally, somebody with some class,' Zane sighed.

       'How are you doing, Iz?' James asked the younger girl.

       'We're good,' Izzy answered, nodding toward Petra, who was approaching with her own tray. 'My teacher says I'm already reading at a fourth-grade level, whatever that means. It's very good, apparently, considering I'd never gone to school before.'

       Zane nearly choked on a piece of crust. 'You never went to school? Are you serious? Why not?'

       'My mother,' Izzy answered stoically. 'She didn't think I was smart enough for it. She said it would be a waste of time for me and everyone else.'

       Petra settled in next to James. 'Tell them what Mrs. Quandary told you today, Iz,' she prodded.

       Izzy smiled crookedly. 'I get to play the Snow Princess in this year's Christmas show.'

       'Cool!' Zane grinned enthusiastically. 'You got your wings and halo all picked out yet?'