Descendants [H.S. & C.S.]

Chapter 18

The magic wand shook violently and shot off a wild display of sparks.

It bucked and sent a fierce bolt of lightning that cracked through one of the cathedral's stained glass windows. The bolt sizzled through the air and exploded as it jut and broke the magic barrier of the Isle of the Lost. Anne's house rumbled.

Becca was wide-eyed. "Child, what are you doing?" she cried.

But it wasn't Harry who brandished the wand; it was Jade!

Jade shouted. "If you won't make me beautiful, I'll do it myself!" She struggled to control the wand as its power rocked her viciously from side to side.

Everyone screamed as the wand swung left then right.

"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!" said Jade.

She spun frantically as the room watched in horror.

"Take cover!" Luke shouted to the terrified audience.

Luke shielded Ariana, and Cole put an arm over Harry.

The audience leaped back from the shower of sparks.

Harry ran up to Jade and pried the wand from her hands.

"Careful, Harry!" said Ariana.

Harry wielded the wand like a sword. The audience ducked. Harry looked at his friends in the balcony, and they ran downstairs away from him.

Cole moved toward Harry. "Harry . . . give me the wand," he said.

"Stand back," said Harry.

"Harry, it's okay——" started Cole.

"Cole, I said stand back!" said Harry, brandishing the wand fiercely.

Ashton stepped out from the fray. "I told you so!" he said to Cole.

Harry swung the wand toward him, and Ashton staggered backward.

The audience gasped and screamed, then fell quiet.

Calum, Michael, and Justin stepped behind Harry.

"Let's go!" said Justin.

"Revenge time," said Michael.

"You realty want to do this?" Cole asked Harry.

"We don't have a choice, Cole," said Harry. "Our parents—"

"Your parents made their choices," said Cole. "Now you make yours."

Harry looked into the faces of Luke, Ariana, and Becca. Then he took a moment to think about it.

"I think I want to be good," said Harry.

"You are good," said Cole.

"How you do know that?" said Harry.

"Because . . . because I'm listening to my heart," Cole said.

Harry lowered the wand ever so slightly. "I want to be listen to my heart, too," he said. "And my heart is telling me that we are not our parents." Harry lowered the wand more and faced his friends. He looked at Michael. "I mean, stealing things doesn't make you happy. Tourney and victory with the team makes you happy."

Michael smiled.

He looked at Justin. "And you, scratching Dude's belly makes you happy. Who would have thought?" He giggled. He looked at Calum. "And, Calum, you do not need to play dumb to get a guy. You are so smart."

Calum laughed, nodding, and shed happy tears.

Harry said. "And I don't want to take over the world with evil. I want to go to school. And be with Cole." He turned to  look at Cole. "Because Cole makes me really happy." He held up his hand with his ring on his finger and smiled. He turned back to his friends. "Us being friends makes me really happy. Not destroying things . . ."

Calum, Michael, and Justin nodded at him.

"I choose good, you guys." He put his hand out.

"I choose good, too," said Michael, joining his fist with his.

Calum put his fist next to Michael's. "I choose good," he said, smiling.

Justin took a deep breath. "So, just to be clear: we don't have to be worried about how really mad our parents will be? Because they're gonna be really, really mad."

Harry, Calum, and Michael laughed.

"Your parents can't reach you here," said Cole.

"Okay, then . . . Good." Justin smiled and added his fist to the circle.

Harry laughed and nodded at Cole, beckoning him over to them.

Cole put his hand in the mix, too. Harry leaned against him and smiled.

Then the sound of a window shattered caused everyone to gasp. A green glowing orb floated down from the broken window and landed beside Harry and his friends.

In a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder, Anne appeared.