The Misadventures of the Magician's Dog by Frances Sackett Page B

change at the grocery store. Surely magic couldn’t change that overnight. Maybe today Peter had been angry after he transformed The Dog back, but it had lasted for minutes only. Wouldn’t being angry for a few minutes be better than risking his father’s life?
Yes
, he thought.
Yes, it would
.
    Celia kicked him under the table, and he realized he was nodding vehemently for no good reason.
    â€œMom, can I be excused?” he said.
    Peter’s mom glanced at his plate of half-eaten eggs. “Umm, sure. If you’re really done eating.”
    â€œI think I’m going to take the dog for a walk,” Peter said. “He could use some exercise.”
    The Dog, having finished his breakfast of kibble, was snoring in the sunlight by the kitchen window. “Okay,” Peter’s mother said. “Have a great walk.”
    â€œMom, may I be excused, too?” said Celia in a rush as Peter grabbed the leash they had bought the day before. “Peter, wait for me, I’m coming,” she added before her mother could answer her initial question.
    â€œMe too,” said Izzy. “I want to come, too!”
    Peter clipped the leash onto The Dog’s collar, then turned back to his sisters. “I thought you had a playdate this morning,” he said to Izzy. “Aren’t you supposed to go to Rebecca’s house?”
    â€œOh. That’s right,” said Izzy, her chin sinking in disappointment.
    â€œAnd aren’t you going shopping with Mom?” Peter said to Celia.
    â€œI don’t need to go shopping,” snapped Celia, her eyes sparking as she realized what Peter was doing.
    â€œThat’s not what you said yesterday,” said Peter. “I think your exact words were ‘I’m going to
die
if I don’t get some new sneakers!’ ”
    Peter’s mom took one last sip of coffee. “Actually, that is what you said,” she reminded Celia. “And I did leave the morning open so you and I could have a shopping date.”
    â€œBut . . . !” said Celia.
    Peter didn’t give his sister any additional time toobject. “See you in a while,” he said, walking to the door with The Dog, barely awake, following. “Bye!”
    â€œBye, Peter,” said his mom while his sisters just glared after him.
    â€œI really needed that nap,” The Dog groused as they set off down the sidewalk. Above them, the sun burned in the cloudless sky, bleaching all the color from the morning: under its unrelenting brightness, the stucco houses, the dried-up lawns, even the occasional crimson-filled flowerpots all seemed to be paler versions of their real selves. It was just after nine in the morning, and Peter guessed it was close to ninety degrees already. But the empty street meant that Peter and The Dog could talk in peace. “You’re forgetting that I spent all night as a mushroom. And I’ve never been good at sleeping standing up,” The Dog continued.
    â€œI’m tired, too,” said Peter, trying not to move his mouth. He’d had a hard enough time trying to make friends at school; he didn’t need to be seen wandering down the sidewalk talking to a dog. “But there’s some stuff we need to talk about, and I thought it was better to talk sooner rather than later—”
    â€œI know, I know,” The Dog interrupted. “You want me to teach you more magic, right?”
    â€œWell,” said Peter, “that’s part of it. But I mostly really want to ask you a question.”
    The Dog’s ears perked up. “Yes?”
    Peter took a deep breath. “I want to know why. Why you taught me magic and went to so much trouble to getme to adopt you. None of this is by accident. You must have some sort of plan. I want to know what that plan is and how it involves me.” His voice was wobbly, but he had said it; he had asked The Dog the thing that had been bothering him all