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“It’s all in there,” said Jay.
“Quelle suprise,” said Anthony, who liked to make people feel inferior by speaking in French. “My grandmother sent me.”
He sullenly took a seat next to Ginny Gothel, just as LeFou Deux walked in. The squat little boy looked nervously at the older kids in the room. “Coach Gaston forced me to be here,” he explained. “I’m too scared to go to Auradon.”
The last student was Mad Maddy, one of Madam Mim’s granddaughters. She had her namesake’s wild hair and fierce expression. She too, looked balefully at the four Auradon representatives. “This is the roundtable thing, right? About getting into Auradon?”
“Yes, it is!” said Evie. “Please, take a seat.” She glanced nervously over at Mal, and it seemed like Evie was wondering if Mal would be upset at seeing her old-friend-turned-enemy. But Mal just smirked and shrugged.
Mad Maddy took the other seat next to Ginny Gothel, and the two of them were soon whispering and cackling. Anthony looked bored and LeFou Deux kept fidgeting.
“I think this is it,” said Jay, whispering to Mal. “We need to start, or we’ll lose them too.”
“Evie, did you want to start?” asked Mal.
“Sure!” said Evie, running up to the chalkboard to pull down a screen, which was also covered in dust. Once she stopped coughing, she turned to her friends. “Jay, the lights? Carlos, can you run the projector?”
“Since we can’t bring you guys to Auradon Prep, we thought we’d bring Auradon Prep to you,” said Evie, hitting PLAY on her computer to begin her slideshow. A photograph of the main castle building came on-screen, and the school song began playing in the background. The next slides showed earnest Auradon kids in classrooms, learning how to be good, the homecoming and tourney championship games, the marching band, and the cheer squad, along with various shots of ordinary life—students laughing, eating, and hanging out.
Jay turned the lights back on and was discomfited to find their entire audience had fallen asleep. He and Evie shared a distressed glance, and Carlos looked practically indignant.
“Is it over?” LeFou Deux blinked.
“Oh, thank Maleficent,” said Ginny Gothel.
“What a snore,” hissed Mad Maddy.
Anthony Tremaine was still asleep, his dark head resting on his arms on the table.
“Anthony, wake up, it’s done,” said Ginny Gothel, poking him awake.
Evie’s smile faltered. “I just thought you might want to see what it’s like,” she said.
Jay patted her arm in consolation.
Mal crossed her arms and called the room to attention. “Thanks, Evie, that was really a wonderful peek into Auradon life, and I wish you guys had been paying attention.” She narrowed her eyes at their audience. “Anyway, we wanted to talk to you guys about the VK program, and to see if you had any questions about Auradon.”
Mad Maddy raised her hand immediately. “Oh! I have one! Can we use magic?”
“Yes!” said Mal, looking relieved that it was an easy question. “But it’s discouraged and regulated.”
Maddy’s face fell. So did Ginny Gothel’s. “What’s the point, then?” asked Ginny.
“The point is to learn how to be a good person without having to resort to using magic. Magic makes people lazy and irresponsible,” said Evie.
“Hmpf,” said Ginny, who didn’t look convinced. “Sounds dreary.”
“So, what’s Auradon Prep like?” asked Anthony Tremaine. “Why would we want to go there?”
“It’s great! There are so many advanced classes, and it really prepares you for college,” said Carlos.
“And so many extracurricular activities,” said Evie. “What are you guys interested in?”
“Embezzling,” said Anthony Tremaine.
“Poisons,” said Ginny Gothel.
“Revenge,” said Mad Maddy.
