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thing that can ever happen to a witch.”
    â€œSo why aren’t we working on your spells?”
    â€œMore ingredients, Rupert. More, more, more. We can’t brew a proper potion without more ingredients.”
    â€œBut I thought you were worse at spells than potions — ”
    â€œMORE INGREDIENTS! MORE, MORE, MORE,” she shouted, plugging her ears.
    Rupert laughed and slipped his hands in his pockets.
    He followed Witchling Two as she inspected vegetables with one eye open. Occasionally, she would sniff an item, and very rarely she took a nibble. Whenever she did nibble on something, she put it back on the shelves.
    Rupert cringed. No wonder
his mother always insisted on microwavable food.
    When they got to the sweets and candies aisle, Rupert saw Kyle shopping with his father. Rupert and Kyle looked at each other and froze. Then Rupert backed out of the aisle, dragging Witchling Two by the arm.
    â€œWe don’t need candy,” Rupert said. “Let’s just go — please.”
    Witchling Two looked behind her, then back at Rupert, trying to understand what just happened. “Who was that boy?” Witchling Two said. “Is he trouble? A bully? Do I need to teach him a lesson?” she said, cracking her knuckles.
    Rupert shuddered from the sound. “No!” he said. “It’s just a boy in my class . . . we used to be friends . . .”
    â€œWhat, what?” Witchling Two begged, her eyes growing wide. “What happened?”
    â€œMrs. Frabbleknacker,” Rupert said. “She won’t let any of us be friends anymore. We’re not allowed to talk to each other in class or outside of class — hey, wait!” Rupert said as Witchling Two marched toward the candy aisle. “Wait — no! What are you doing? No! Stop it —
no
!”
    Rupert ran to the candy aisle, but it was too late — Witchling Two was already at the end of the aisle, next to Kyle and his dad. She stuck out a hand and smiled brightly. “Hello!” she said. “What’s your name?”
    Kyle looked like he was going to explode. He looked at Rupert for help, but Rupert looked down. He couldn’t be caught talking to Kyle, and if Kyle knew what was best for him, he’d ignore Witchling Two as well.
    â€œEr . . . I’m Kyle Mason-Reed.”
    â€œKyle Mason-Reed, huh? I think I’ve seen you at school. Well, Rupert and I were wondering if you’d like to come to the movies with us next weekend.” Witchling Two smiled at Kyle’s father and batted her eyes innocently. “Would that be okay Mr. Mason-Reed?” she asked Kyle’s father.
    â€œIt’s just Mr. Mason,” Kyle’s father said. “And Kyle is at his mother’s house next weekend — but it should be okay with her. It’s certainly okay with me.” Kyle’s father rolled the shopping cart out of the candy aisle and called for Kyle to meet him after he exchanged numbers with the nice girl.
    Kyle grabbed Witchling Two on the arm. “I am
not
going to the movies with you and Rupert.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause I want to stay alive.” Kyle looked around the supermarket and lowered his voice to the faintest whisper. “You must be from Miss Snugglybuns’s class, so you probably don’t understand. But I’m in Mrs. Frabbleknacker’s class, which means that I can’t talk to Rupert. She’ll know. I shouldn’t even be talking to
you
!”
    â€œThat’s nonsense,” Witchling Two said. “You guys are friends — you can’t let Mrs. Frabbleknacker stop you from talking.”
    Kyle dropped her arm and scurried down the candy aisle. He stopped when he was near Rupert, but neither boy looked at the other.
    â€œRupert,” said Kyle, to a bag of milk chocolate bars. “Are you insane? You think Bruno’s toothpick punishment was bad? If Mrs.