Chapter Seventeen: Maddie’s Mirror of Erised

“It’s a madhouse out there. They’re going to stampede soon if we don’t let them in. And a lot of kids in Hogwarts costumes will get trampled to death. Not the best debut for our kids club.” Tillie snapped open a small compact and touched up her blood-red lipstick. Her sleek blonde hair was slicked back and she wore a long, silver lame robe with an upturned collar, cinched waist, and bell sleeves.

“Do nae worry, wee lass. Aye, it’ll be a grand Harry Potter Day at the ballpark!” Maddie replied, taking a magic wand from her tartan robes and waving it like a lit sparkler.

“Don’t.” Tillie made a disgusted face.

“What? I’m Professor McGonagall. She speaks … Scottish.”

“And you do nothing of the sort. It’s a universal law. No accent is better than a bad accent. Everyone knows this.”

“Tell that to Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. He has the worst cockney accent in history, but it’s part of what makes his performance so lovable.”

Tillie patted Maddie’s arm. “That’s not happening for you. Trust me.”

Maddie laughed. “I must say you’re an exceptional Narcissa Malfoy. Really, you were born to play this role.”

Tillie arched her glitter-dusted eyebrows. “Just channeling my mother. Arrogant. Entitled. Critical. Bad taste in men. Good taste in clothes.”

“OK, that’s scary. I’m sorry about all that, Tillie. Let’s revisit the topic another day. Mrs. Malfoy helps the forces of good in the end, though. So maybe there’s hope for your mom?”

Tillie’s expression was withering.

“That’s perfect. Seriously. If you walk around the park doing that look all day, the kids will love it. It’s actually very funny. You’re very funny, Tillie. Did you know that?”

Tillie scoffed. “Sure. I’m a human Cheering Charm.”

“A HA! You know about Cheering Charms. I think you’re a secret Harry Potter fan, even though you’ve been bitching nonstop about wearing a costume for this event. Admit it.”

Tillie pointed her wand at Maddie. “Silencio!”

“And now the silencing spell! I knew it. You are busted, Tillie Pinkney!”

“We shouldn’t be wasting time right now. That crowd outside is huge. This could turn into a riot any second. I don’t get it. The books and movies are still popular, but not popular like that mob out there. What did you do?”

“Oh, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.” Maddie hummed “Hedwig’s Theme” from The Sorcerer's Stone soundtrack. She was excited and anxious. It was a very big day. Her strategy to set an attendance record depended on today’s launch of Manders Minions, the new kids club. She had planned club events for every Sunday home game, elaborate productions that stretched her imagination—and her ability to get sponsors to pay for everything—to their absolute limit. She needed to make Yoakam’s Hot and Sweet Pickle Field a must-see destination for family entertainment from now through Closing Day. Her fears about being a disaster magnet had lessened after the pep talk from Nick. She felt ready to conquer the world again.

“Tell me what you did to get such a huge crowd,” Tillie demanded. “I’m your intern. I’m here to learn these things.”

“The weather is a big factor. It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon just before the pools are open. We got lucky. But my secret weapon is …” She leaned over and whispered, “Free butterbeer. One per ticket.”

“That’s it? I don’t believe it.”

“But it’s not just any old soda and butterscotch flavoring recipe. I learned from Cover to Cover—now the official bookstore of the Sliding Salamanders—when they did Harry Potter events, people were obsessed with the secret butterbeer recipe that was invented by Sweetgum’s best coffee shop, Mike’s Go Juice.”

Tillie brightened. “Oh, I love Mike’s!”

“I know! Well, I ran into Mike at Grand Lunch and found out he’s a born and bred Chicago guy. Which I understand. So we had a conversation. I made him an offer. At first he refused. Said he’d never make butterbeer again. Called it ‘a pain in the ass.’ He’s generally opposed to decaf beverages. But just for today, he donated a truckload of the stuff. I had to swear to handle everything covertly. Got the bookstore staff to let their customers know quietly and make them promise not to tell anyone.” Maddie put air quotes around “promise”. “Obviously the word spread like wildfire.”

“So, this is like … butterbeer bootlegging. It does sound very Chicago-y. Are you sure I shouldn't mention this at all on our socials? Seems like a big deal locally.”

“Shh! Shh! No!” Maddie hissed. “I took a blood oath. All we need to do is make sure Mike’s Go Juice gets a prime spot on the Jumbotron ads for the next homestand.”

“You’re an evil genius.”

“Thank you, Ms. Malfoy. That means a lot coming from you.” Maddie glanced at her phone. “OK, we’re almost ready to open. Esme and Ed will help the security guards with crowd control. I’m just waiting for the last adult volunteer to show up. Of course, it’s Carlton—the big draw for our Manders Minions booth. Where the hell is he?”

Someone tapped Maddie’s shoulder from behind. A deep voice said, “Professor McGonagall?”

Maddie turned around and gasped. Standing in front of her was a picture-perfect Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, right down to the snow-white beard and half-moon glasses. It was astonishing, like actual magic. She had not been able to find a volunteer to play Dumbledore, and this person looked better than the actors in the movies. He seemed to spring directly from the pages of the book. He radiated wisdom and compassion with a dash of whimsy and reckless danger. Did his eyes really twinkle or was it a random glint of the sunlight?

“Oh my goodness! Where did you come from?” Maddie asked.

The man answered in a British accent that was the opposite of Maddie’s Scottish one, “Do forgive my tardiness, Professor. The Hogwarts Express was running late. Sometimes it’s as bad as the Red Line to Addison.”

“Carlton!” Maddie threw her arms around him. “I swear, I didn’t recognize you. You look amazing! This is too much. I mean, I just wanted Carlton Wilde to be at the sign-up table for our Minions club. But Carlton Wilde as Dumbledore! Wow! Where did that British accent come from? You had me completely fooled. I’m totally in your debt. Which reminds me—I haven’t forgotten my promise to do nice things for you. I’ve got a present for you after the game today. Not exactly a present. More like an opportunity.”

Carlton’s eyes did that sparkly thing again. “Intriguing! As for my costume, I have a long history with Dumbledore. I’m pretty good at accents. Sadly, it was not a useful skill in professional baseball. Anyway, I had some help from a friend. Speaking of which, I need to tell you something, and I'm sorry I didn't give you a heads-up earlier but—”

“Hellllooooo, darling!” A woman in an exquisitely coiffed blonde wig, decked out in a Harry Potter-meets-Christian Dior tailored suit with a quill tucked behind one ear, swooped in and looped her arm around Carlton’s. “Rita Skeeter here. Ace reporter for the Daily Prophet, but you know that, don’t you? So tell me Professor McGonagall, what's the latest scuttlebutt from that fleabag, so-called magical academy you call home? Shame you've been stuck there for decades, and your once-promising career has stalled beyond all hope! But that’s life as a bitter Scottish spinster, isn’t it?” She drew Maddie closer and whispered loud enough for Carlton to hear. “Give me the scoop, dear. Who put the ‘Dumb’ in ‘Dumbledore’? Rita’s readers want to know!”

Carlton laughed and cleared his throat. “Maddie, this is my friend Mary Ann. She’s a big fan and she offered to volunteer. I hope you don't mind.”

“Of course not!” Maddie said in a strained voice. “Lovely to meet you. You’re more than welcome. Thanks for coming.”

How could Carlton do this to me? Maddie’s emotions swerved madly from gratitude to aggravation and trepidation. Mary Ann was intense and intimidating. Maddie stole a quick look at Tillie who was staring daggers at Carlton and Mary Ann.

“Mary Ann?” Rita pulled the quill from behind her ear and tickled Carlton’s cheek with it. “Sounds like some dreadfully dull Muggle person! I have no idea who you’re talking about, Professor Dumbledore. Are you feeling quite well? Perhaps you should visit Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing. I’ve heard the old girl’s been dipping into the meds lately. Poor thing. Then again, extra magical mushrooms? Sounds like a party to me! Now who are you, dear?” She turned her attention to Tillie, and Maddie braced herself for fireworks “What deep, dark secrets lie beneath those rosy cheeks?”

Tillie extended her hand as if she expected her ring to be kissed. “Narcissa Malfoy. But I’d prefer not to fraternize with scum like tabloid paparazzi, so if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and… Do anything else. Meet you at the front gate in five minutes, Boss?"

Maddie nodded and Mary Ann pulled her into another conspiratorial huddle. “I’d say Narcissa has had some work done, wouldn’t you?” She placed her hands beneath her own breasts—the petite variety that Maddie envied—and lifted them slightly.

Carlton coughed nervously. “Remember, this is a family event.”

“Of course! Of course! I shall not venture beyond a G-rating again. Now what do you need from me?”

I need you to go home! Maddie thought. But she smiled pleasantly and said, “Just circulate and engage the kids. Encourage them to visit Carlton’s booth and sign up for Manders Minions. That’ll be great!”

“Super! I think I’ll take a walk and get the lay of the land. But I’ll be bringing loads of children your way Professor Dumbledore, so be prepared.” She took off at a speed-walking clip, and Maddie felt relieved to see her go.

“Come on, Carlton,” Maddie said as though nothing in the world could possibly be wrong. “I'll take you to your spot. It’s right by Cover to Cover’s pop-up bookstore on the concourse. Next to The Three Broomsticks, formerly known as Pete’s Dinger Dogs. That’s where the free butterbeer is set up, so it should be a high-traffic area.”

They reached the location, marked by festive balloons and streamers. Underneath the table were boxes filled with fliers about the kids’ club, membership forms, pens, stacks of Carlton Wilde baseball cards for autographs, and the free giveaway item, Minion-style goggles with Sliding Salamander stickers.

“Jesus Maddie, how many sponsors did you get for this event? These goggles are hilarious. Every kid here will want one.”

“They’re from the Eye Love You vision place on Main. When kids sign up, they can get a free eye exam. Call if you have questions. I’ll come by to make sure you’re doing all right. Tillie will be circulating, too.”

Carlton shook his head. “When do you sleep?”

“I can sleep when I’m dead.”

“That’s not a good health plan.”

“Oh, I’m in great shape. Listen, I need to go open the doors. Apparently, the situation down there is dire. This is really wonderful of you. Thanks again.”

“Maddie, wait. I’m sorry about springing Mary Ann on you. She was so excited about helping out, I couldn’t say no. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“It’s fine. I know how close you two are. I want you to—”

“You’re pissed, aren’t you?”

“No. OK, see you later.” She sprinted to the entrance gate, glad that she had hours of nonstop work ahead of her and no time to worry about Mary Ann.

***

“How do you think it’s going?” Maddie asked Esme, who was busy restocking the wand-making booth. It was in a happily chaotic state, covered in scattered sequins, baubles, angel hair, fabric tape, tinsel, and who knows what else.

Esme blew a wisp of hair out of her face. “A triumph! We’ve already made more than 500 magic wands. I’m using up scads of hoarded crafting supplies from the basement. I might be able to see the floor again when I get home.”

“Wand making was such a great idea! You think the kids are having a good time? Will they sign up for the club? Will they want to come back? I really want them to have a blast and feel welcome here at the ballpark.”

Esme squeezed her niece's arm. “Would you relax, honey? It’s all good! Look around. This place is rockin’ for the first time in years. You probably have eight thousand people here. And more keep coming!”

“Yeah, it was a bit hairy getting that crowd inside before the game. Tillie was right to be worried. Thank goodness for Ed’s rodeo experience.”

“He was corralling some dogies, that’s for sure.”

Maddie put an arm around Esme and felt an uncontrollable wave of love. Esme had done so much for her this year. She made a mental note to thank her more often. She surveyed her aunt’s extravagant outfit. “Who’s your character again? In case any of the kids ask.”

“Madison Fields! My real name is ‘Esmerelda’, and I dress like this and create magic with fabric every day. I don’t need a character name. Besides, it annoys me that J.K. Rowling turned out to be such a yarnhead about transgender issues. I still respect her world-building skills, though.”

“Well, I’ve always said you’re my magical aunt. You don’t need J.K.’s help, that’s for sure! Look, I know I’m being obsessive, but I’m still worried something awful is going to happen. Everything’s going too well.”

“Not everything.”

“What’s wrong?” Panic flared in Maddie’s chest.

“Carlton should not have brought her. She’s strutting around like she owns the place.”

“Oh, I don't mind that. Mary Ann’s adding a lot to the party. I saw her entertaining a big group of kids who were screaming with laughter. She’s got a quick wit. You have to give her that.”

“Are you sure they were laughing? One girl she was talking to just put her hands over her ears and ran away shrieking. Clearly, she’s an excellent judge of character.”

“That’s not fair! Mary Ann is brilliant.”

“Stop overcompensating. You don’t like it either. I can tell.”

“You’re wrong. Here let me help you. The feathers are almost gone. Do you have more?”

“Don’t change the subject. I’m serious. Mary Ann can suck the attention out of any room, and I am positive that she has got her cap set for Carlton. She's a force to be reckoned with. Don’t ignore her.”

“Are there more googly eyes? If I made a wand, I would want googly eyes to be the secret magical thing inside that gives me power. Like Harry Potter’s phoenix feather.”

“Googly eyes for a wand?” Esme asked.

“Yes. It could mean I can see through stuff. Or see the future.”

“Well, open your eyes right now and take a look at what’s happening. I don’t want you to lose Carlton to that Ice Queen.”

“She’s not icy. I think she’s steely. It’s admirable. Carlton’s not mine to lose. We agreed that we’re just friends.”

Esme rolled her eyes extravagantly. “I won’t even dignify that with a rebuttal.”

“I have no time to argue with you. Right now, the only thing I care about is getting a thousand members in the kids’ club. I should go check on the scoreboard graphics. I have some surprises for later. Are you OK here by yourself?”

Esme crossed her arms. “We’re not finished with this discussion”

“Yes, we are!” Maddie kissed Esme’s cheek and darted away.

***

At the bottom of the fifth inning, Maddie hovered near the home dugout and allowed herself a few minutes to savour the event she had worked so hard to create. The humorous Hogwarts-themed profiles she and Tillie created for each player were a hit.

Joseph Yipp, the first batter for the Salamanders, was cheered raucously by an enormous section of Hufflepuff kids when they saw Yipp’s photo on the Jumbotron, dressed in Hufflepuff robes and listed as a Seeker on the Quidditch team. His favorite class was given as Flying, and Tillie had generated some graphics of him on the Quidditch pitch making some truly amazing catches which drew louder cheers from the Hufflepuffs. He turned around and stared at Maddie in disbelief. No one on the current Manders roster had ever heard cheers this loud in Sweetgum. Yipp proceeded to crush a leadoff double, and his now-devoted section went wild waving the Hufflepuff/Salamanders pennants that Maddie and Esme stayed up all night sewing.

That set the tone for every at-bat in the inning. The Salamanders’ struggling third baseman, Chucky Garfien, was stuck in a miserable slump. But when he was shown to be a Ravenclaw man with a ninety-percent save rate as Keeper for his Quidditch team, the stalwart Ravenclaw kids tried to out-shout their Hufflepuff counterparts. Garfien hit a three-run homer to give the Salamanders their first lead in days.

But the best was yet to come. Zeke Kerzinski, an infamously cranky catcher with a king- sized chip on his shoulder, was revealed to be a Slytherin All-Star Beater whose favorite classes were Ghoul Studies and Muggle Music. At first, some of the other Houses booed the typically villainous Slytherin House. But the small yet hearty Slytherin gang came through for Zeke. He drew a walk, and the encouragement from the Slytherins was so rowdy that it rattled the opposing pitcher and infielders, allowing Zeke to steal second, third, and home to absolute insanity in the stands. They weren’t satisfied until Zeke came out and took a curtain call.

Maddie felt herself tearing up. This was why she loved her job. The event had moved into another zone way beyond her making. The enthusiasm and imagination of the kids and their families had taken on a life of its own, and it was having an impact on the team and the game.

“Maddie!” Jake Levinger, the team’s perennially grumpy manager, motioned for her to come over.

“Hey, Levvie! Something wrong?" Maddie's fear instinct kicked in again. Was the other shoe finally about to drop?

“Can we do this every Sunday?” he whispered. “This is fucking amazing! Don’t tell anyone I said so. I got my reputation to consider. But look at these guys! Playing loose. Hitting like bastards. We could fucking win this game. Just wanna say… Nice work.”

“Thanks, but it’s not me. It’s the volunteers and sponsors and mostly the crowd.”

Levvie winked. “Whatever you say, kid.”

“I’ll pass it on,” said Maddie. “Anonymously, of course.” The once-nervous butterflies were now dancing in her stomach. When the inning ended, she decided she should check on Carlton.

It was quite a journey to get back to him. The concourse was packed with bodies. Every concession stand had long lines. To her amazement, one of the lines led to an attraction she had not planned. At the center was Cooper Kinsman dressed as Gilderoy Lockhart, a conceited idiot of a wizard who fancied himself a ladies’ man.

Cooper spotted Maddie and waved jauntily. “Hello, my dear! Would you like a signed photo? They’re going like hotcakes!”

Maddie was struck dumb by the sight of Cooper’s makeshift booth. There were several boxes of 8 x 10 black-and-white glossies of Cooper posing in his expensive-looking costume. He was actually signing the photos and passing them out to people who had lined up to get one. Maddie didn't know whether to be angry or impressed. Cooper was the perfect choice to play Gilderoy, but she couldn’t believe he was self-aware enough to know that. More likely he thought it was a good way to chat up some fangirls and get lucky.

“Uh, no thanks, Cooper. I didn’t expect you to be here. We gave Sal and Sally the day off.”

“Which seems a tad short-sighted seeing as this is Kids Club Day.”

“We have limited resources today. We need Sal and Sally for a lot of other stuff the rest of the season.”

“I just wanted to show you that I’m a team player! Did this all on my own initiative, don’t you know.” He smiled condescendingly.

“Playing Gilderoy Lockhart was all your idea?” Maddie asked.

“Well… Tillie suggested it.”

Maddie had to work hard to cover her amusement. She couldn’t wait to talk to her intern about this later on.

“Of course, I knew that I had the star quality to pull it off,” Copper continued. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my public is waiting!”

“OK, just don’t block any fire exits.”

Gilderoy/Cooper bowed with a flourish and turned his attention back to signing photos.

When Maddie finally reached Carlton, she was in for another shock. He was completely surrounded by kids, teaching what he called “the ancient art of baseball runes, also known as keeping score.”

Mary Ann carried armfuls of score cards and pencils that she was selling to the parents and a few teens as Carlton held court.

“Do you have a question?” Carlton said to a little girl who had bustled her way up to the front row.

“You’re not Dumbledore. You’re Carlton Wilde,” she said.

There's always a smart ass, thought Maddie.

“It’s true that I’m known in the Muggle World as Carlton Wilde, a former not-very-good pitcher. But the other baseball players had a few choice nicknames for me—because I was always reading books, and I always came home before curfew and went to bed early. By the way, all of those behaviors are good choices. But my teammates liked to tease me, and they called me DUMBLE-BORE and DUMBLE-SNORE!”

The kids roared with laughter.

“I know!” said Carlton, laughing with them. “Can you believe it? Me and Professor Dumbledore… We go way back. We’re like this!”

He raised one hand and crossed his fingers. “And like the headmaster of Hogwarts, I love kids! And learning stuff! And getting socks for Christmas! So, who can tell me how you fill out the scorecard when your favorite player hits a GRAND SLAM?”

Dozens of kids raised their hands and shouted, jumping up and down to show Carlton the answer. Maddie's heart melted. Once again, the event had a life of its own. She never told Carlton or Mary Ann to do any of this.

Maddie thought back to her talk with Esme. She felt a deep, painful stab of jealousy regarding Mary Ann. She had no idea that Carlton was this good with children, and she realized what a great dad he would make. She stood there watching him, helplessly imagining getting married and having children with him. What the hell? She didn’t think she had the skills or the time for marriage or children. But she wished that she did. She wanted it so much she couldn’t believe it. It was no use. She yearned for Carlton with all her heart, just like Esme said. It had little to do with physical attraction or even their shared baseball passion. She just loved Carlton. She wanted to be with him and maybe even have a family together. She didn’t know if any of those things could come to pass. She didn’t know so many things about him. But she wanted the chance to find out. This glaring truth was finally clear to her, and she couldn’t ignore it. Right now, if she looked in Hogwarts’ magical “Mirror of Erised”—to see her deepest desire reflected back—she knew exactly what she would find there.

Suddenly, Mary Ann was standing right beside her, flashing her dazzling smile. “Hi, Maddie,” she said quietly, as herself, not Rita Skeeter. “Thanks for letting me be here. This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I hope this is OK. Doing the scorekeeping class. It was a spur of the moment idea. But we’ve got more than a thousand members signed up for the Minions, and I started a contact list of kids who want to take this Baseball Runes class later in the season. Carlton said he’d be happy to do it again. It really gets the kids involved with the game.”

“You’re perfect.” Maddie wasn’t thinking about the event. She was wondering what Carlton would see if he looked in the Mirror of Erised.

“Oh, and before I forget, I want to apologize.”

“For what?”

“That night at the drive-in. I didn’t know Carlton came with anyone. My dad forgot to tell me. That’s what he said anyway. I didn't mean to mess up your evening.”

“Oh please! You didn’t do that.”

“Hmm,” Mary Ann narrowed her eyes. “I’m not so sure. But I don't want to be your enemy. You’re a fantastic person. I can tell.”

Maddie groaned internally. Mary Ann wasn’t a monster. She was exceptional and extremely attractive, and Maddie was starting to like her. This was all terribly confusing.

“Maddie! Red alert!” Pete from the concession stand interrupted Maddie’s distressed musing. “We’re almost out of butterbeer, and I think this crowd is gonna get ugly. Can we make any more?”

And this is how it all comes crashing down, Maddie thought. She had fretted about a butterbeer disaster, but she didn’t think it could happen. She hadn’t expected a crowd this large.

“That’s not as simple as it might sound.” Maddie explained the situation.

“Shit!” Pete said. “We're dead.”

“No! We’ll figure this out,” Maddie insisted.

“I’ve got an idea,” Mary Ann said. “Let’s use science. And luckily, I’m a scientist! As well as an excellent baker who can figure out recipes by taste. Did you know I was a finalist to get on the Great British Baking Show last year? Show me the butterbeer!”

Pete brought her a Dixie cup of the coveted drink.

Mary Ann swished it around in her mouth. “Uh huh. Interesting.” She swallowed and took another couple of sips. “Yeah, I can make this. I’ll borrow Carlton’s truck and make a run to the Piggly Wiggly.”

“Here, take my credit card,” Maddie offered.

Mary Ann waved her off. “I’ll take care of it. My contribution to the cause."

“You really are brilliant,” Maddie said. “Do you know how much money you could sell this recipe for? Around here you need national security clearance to access that information.”

“Just like my old job at the Super Collider!” Mary Ann joked. She signaled to Carlton and made a few gestures that he appeared to understand completely.

Maddie observed how in-sync they were. She had seen it before on Opening Day. They were a good match, and she could easily imagine them getting married someday. But Maddie really didn’t want that to happen now. She had to tell Carlton, and she had to do it soon, and she just had to hope that she wouldn’t ruin everything.

*Chuck Garfien (seated left) with his first Pre and Post Game Live co-host, Bill Melton, and Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas.*

BASEBALL INSPIRATION

“Chucky Garfien” is a nod to Chuck Garfien, the host of the White Sox pre and post game shows on CHSN, the Chicago Sports Network. Chuck is a born and bred Chicago guy who grew up a White Sox fan and joined the broadcast team for the Sox in 2005, the year they just happened to win the World Series after an 88-year drought. Chuck’s co-host now is Ozzie Guillen, the manager of that championship team. The two of them make quite a team.

Chuck’s optimism and good humor never fails, even in the worst of times. He might NOT be flattered to be named as a player on the Manders, but we mean it as a compliment for his dedicated service and years of quality sports journalism.

LOCAL INSPIRATION

The Magic Tree children’s bookstore was really an enchanted place in Oak Park, Illinois for several decades. “Joseph Yipp” — leadoff hitter for the Manders — is a combination of the names of the two owners, Iris Yipp and Rose Joseph (pictured above).

In June of 2003, Wilde Pitch author Debra Mitchell worked at the store and produced the largest Harry Potter book release party (literally) in the world. More than 10,000 people from all over the country came to the party. The event was a labor of love from hundreds of Magic Tree volunteers and staffers and was covered by The New York Times, the BBC, Time magazine, and CNN.

Maddie’s “Harry Potter Day’” is also a fond tribute to everyone who made that night happen, in memory of the Magic Tree.