Magic Reindeer: A Christmas Wish (3 page)

‘You must promise me, Marie,’ Starshine insisted, blinking at her with his intelligent eyes.

Marie nodded readily. She felt determined to do all she could to keep Starshine safe and help him return to his magical ice-world and his family. As she was wondering whether to leave for home now and take Starshine with her, a girl walked into the bike shed.

It was Shannon James.

‘Mr Carpenter sent me to find you. I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why are you hiding out here?’ she asked.

Marie panicked. Any minute now Shannon was going to see the little magic reindeer! She had to do something. Spreading her arms wide, she did a funny little shuffle sideways that hid him from view. She hoped he’d get the message and quickly hide behind the rows of bikes.

The other girl gaped at her in surprise. ‘What are you doing?’

Marie continued to skip about and wave her arms. ‘Dancing. I’m trying to… er, keep warm,’ she fibbed hastily. ‘I came out here for some fresh air. But I forgot my coat and it’s a bit cold.’ She swirled round in a circle and saw with surprise that Starshine hadn’t moved. He was watching her, his mouth twitching with amusement.

‘That is a very good dance,’ he snuffled.

Marie did a double take. What was going on? How come Starshine had just spoken in front of Shannon? And why didn’t she seem to see him?

The other girl’s lip curled. ‘You can stop that rubbish dancing. Do you think I don’t know what you’re up to? You were going to sneak off home, weren’t you?’

Feeling a bit silly now, Marie came to a sudden halt. ‘What do you care? It’s not as if anyone’s going to miss me – especially you.’

‘I knew it!’ Shannon crowed triumphantly. ‘Let’s see what Mr Carpenter has to say when I tell him!’

‘Wait!’ Marie called, but the other girl was already heading out of the bike shed. ‘Oh, great,’ she groaned.

‘Is something wrong, Marie?’ Starshine snorted in concern.

Marie nodded. ‘I hate this school. I was just about to leave when you appeared. But it’s too late now…’

Starshine listened closely, his velvety nose twitching as she explained that no one seemed to want to be friends.

‘I suppose I’d better go back into class, or there’ll be a huge fuss,’ Marie sighed. ‘How come Shannon didn’t notice you?’

‘I used my magic. Only you can see and hear me,’ Starshine told her.

‘You can make yourself invisible? Wow! You’ll definitely be safe here in the bike shed then. So I’ll see you after school?’

Starshine put his head on one side. ‘No, Marie. I will not be in this shed.’

Marie felt a stir of panic at the thought that he was going to leave. She’d hardly got used to the idea of having him as a friend.

‘But where are you going?’ she asked worriedly. She knew it. The first real friend she’d made and he was leaving already!

Chapter
THREE

The reindeer pawed the ground excitedly with one front hoof. ‘I am coming into school with you!’ he exclaimed in a soft rumbling bellow.

‘Really?’ Marie felt a big grin spread across her face. This was brilliant. She was finally going to have a friend in her class! But who’d have thought it would be a magic reindeer?

‘How’s that going to work?’ she wondered aloud. ‘You’re a bit too big to hide under my desk or sit on my lap. Even if you’re invisible people could still bump into you and you could get hurt.’

Starshine’s dewy eyes twinkled mischievously.

Marie felt another warm prickling sensation at the back of her neck as the tiny gold snow-globe on the chain round his neck began to glow brightly again. There was a flash of silver and gold starry light and the reindeer disappeared, and in his place stood a tiny version of himself.

‘Wow! That’s amazing,’ Marie said breathlessly, reaching down to pick up the toy.

Starshine just fitted into her cupped hands. He had the tiniest, sweetest little hooves, cute ears and antlers, and beady brown eyes. As she stroked the petal-soft white fur, she thought that she’d never felt anything so gorgeous and velvety. Starshine snorted with pleasure.

He was gorgeous as a young magic reindeer and magnificent as a glowing golden prince in his own icy world, but as a fluffy little toy Starshine was totally adorable!

‘Now you can come everywhere with me,’ Marie said enthusiastically. ‘You don’t even have to worry about people seeing you. And you can sleep in my bedroom at home!’

‘That sounds like fun. Thank you, Marie,’ Starshine said in a tiny voice to match his new size.

As Marie went back into school her heart felt lighter than it had in ages. Even the prospect of facing Shannon and Mr Carpenter didn’t seem that scary. With Starshine tucked inside her school jumper, she already felt braver and a bit less lonely.

No one said anything as Marie came back into the classroom and made her way to her seat. She felt relieved. Shannon obviously hadn’t carried out her threat about telling Mr Carpenter that she was going to bunk off school.

Marie glanced at the other girl as she passed her, about to say thanks for not snitching. But then she noticed her desk. It was a complete mess, with paints and paper and other art stuff all tumbled together.

The glittery paper snowflake garland she’d made earlier was in a crumpled pile on her chair. Marie went to pick it up, but it was stuck fast. Someone had obviously thought it was funny to glue it to her seat.

Marie had a fair idea who that ‘someone’ was.

Shannon had a knowing grin on her face. She looked as if she was trying hard not to burst out laughing. ‘Problem?’ she asked Marie innocently.

Marie didn’t answer. Sighing, she placed Starshine on the empty seat next to her and began clearing up the mess. The desk was soon sorted, but her chair was a different matter. She succeeded only in tearing off jagged bits of paper snowflake. ‘I was really pleased with that decoration. It’s ruined now,’ she murmured sadly.

‘Do not worry, Marie. I will help you!’ Starshine said with an eager little snort.

Marie looked at him curiously. ‘But how? What if someone sees you moving?’ she whispered.

‘To everyone but you, I appear to be an ordinary soft toy.’

‘Oh, I get it. You’re using your magic again! That’s so cool…’ Marie only just stopped herself from gasping aloud as she felt a familiar prickling sensation and the snow-globe round Starshine’s neck began glowing brightly.

Whoosh!
A cloud of sparkling mist, made up of the tiniest gold and silver stars imaginable, swirled round her chair.
Crackle!
The snowflake garland pulled free, did a quick shimmy in mid-air and draped itself across her desk.

‘It’s all in one piece again! That’s amazing!’ Marie exclaimed, and then hastily turned it into a cough as Shannon looked at her in surprise.

Marie looked down at her desk, pretending to be busy in case the other girl started asking awkward questions. Shannon obviously couldn’t see the cloud of invisible magical mist drifting across the classroom.

‘Whoa! Cool!’ Chris suddenly burst out.

Marie turned round to see him holding two tubes of coloured glitter that were spurting into the air like fireworks and showing no signs of stopping. Across the room, some cans of spray snow made burping noises and fountained in all directions. Everywhere piles of decorations began to multiply, until the desks and floor disappeared beneath a thick layer of glittering snowflakes, paper lanterns and paper chains.

Delighted kids leapt about, kicking up the snow and glitter, and chucking armfuls of decorations at each other.

‘I think you used too much magic!’ Marie whispered tactfully.

‘But look how everyone is laughing and enjoying themselves! I have made everyone happy!’ Starshine twirled his tiny tail, looking very pleased with his magical results.

‘Mr Carpenter isn’t!’ Marie warned. ‘Look!’

The teacher was wading through the fake snow, decorations and heaps of red, blue and silver glitter, which formed a knee-deep layer around him.

‘Goodness me!’ Mr Carpenter gasped. ‘I’ll have to tell the headmaster about this. We seem to have been sent some faulty art supplies.’

‘Do something, Starshine! Quick!’ Marie hissed, seeing that things were fast getting out of control.

The magic reindeer looked disappointed but his snow-globe flashed again and the magical mist disappeared in a flash. The glitter, snow fountains and growing heaps of decorations all instantly collapsed into shimmering dust and disappeared. Finally, the classroom was normal again.

‘Phew!’ Marie said, relieved.

Mr Carpenter was scratching his head and looking puzzled. The teacher clapped his hands for silence. ‘All right, class. The fun’s over. Simmer down and get back to work, please.’

‘That was brilliant fun!’ Chris said, appearing at Marie’s side. He smiled broadly at her. ‘What happened?’

‘Me? How should I know?’ Marie said, shrugging as she bit back a grin.

Chris seemed a bit friendlier. She thought his smile looked genuine, but it was hard to tell.

‘What are you asking
her
for? She doesn’t know anything,’ Shannon said, sauntering over. She gave Marie a hard look and then gave Chris a dig in the side.

‘All right. Keep your hair on!’ Chris said, but he grinned over his shoulder at Marie as he moved away.