Long before we learned of Hogwarts, Muggles tried to capture the magic of the wizarding world. At the Naperville Public Library, we got to see how Muggle magic measures up to the real thing.
At the 4 p.m. Sorcerer's Magic Show at the Nichols Library, Naperville magician Michael Kett performed his Harry Potter-themed act for his final swan -- or owl -- song, in honor of the final book.
“I used to do Potter parties all the time,” Kett, 52, said. “But I started to get burned out.”
Kett, or “Professor Mandrake,” as he is called by his Hogwarts pupils, taught budding wizards a spell so obscure it’s not even in the books -- Muscularus, the super-strength spell.
The potency of this charm was demonstrated by a young girl who was able to keep a firm grip on the top of her head while an older boy tried to pry her hand off. Wicked.
Next in his repertoire: The amazing handkerchief transportation. A boy tried to Accio a colored cloth into his own hand. His unrefined magic skills only got it as far as a glass vase beside him.
Finally, Kett revealed a white pill that allowed him to apparate through solid matter.
“That’s a tic-tac!” one kid protested.
For the best Muggle-magicians, sometimes their strongest power lies in their wit.
“One side effect of this potion,” Kett warned, “is really fresh breath.”
Obscurus Books/Barnes & Noble Booksellers will also present their own Muggle magic show with a magic and puppet show at 7 p.m. Friday, 47 E. Chicago Ave.
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