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"Hear what, Beetle?" asked Septimus, squeezing in between him and the Zombie Snake Anti-Venom Formulae.
Beetle pointed to an air vent in the wall. "The Hermetic Chamber is through there," he explained. "You knowOld Foxy's room where they do all the secret stuff. I'm meant to keep the air vent sealed up but, well it gets pretty whiffy in here sometimes and you need a bit of a breeze going through. Listen, Sep, you can hear everything."
Septimus knelt down beside Beetle and suddenly Simon's voice came through as clearly as if he were standing next to him. He sounded irritated. "Look, Hugh, I'm telling you, there's something wrong with this Flyte Charm. It's totally unpredictable; frankly, I'm lucky to be here in one piece. I nearly dropped my new assistant in the Quake Oozemind you, that would have served the ungrateful little tyke right. I offer him the chance of a lifetime and he changes his mind mid-Flyte."
"You're not meant to carry passengers." Septimus heard the Chief Hermetic Scribe's disapproving voice. "The Art of Flyte is not a taxi service."
"Oh, don't be so prissy, Hugh. Sort it out, will you? I'm sure you can do something. Just beef it up a bit."
"Beef it up a bit?" Hugh Fox's incredulous tones drifted through the air vent. "This is the Lost Art of Flytethe most arcane Art of alland you come in here and tell me to beef it up. This Charm is the oldest I have ever seen; look at the goldtaken from the golden threads spun by the Spiders of Aurum, no lessso pure and soft that you hardly dare touch it."
"Oh for goodness' sake, Hugh." Simon sounded exasperated. "However wonderful the wretched thing may be, it's no good if it nearly kills the person using it. Anyway, I'm not so sure that it really is the Flyte Charmit doesn't do half of what you told me it would."
Hugh Fox spluttered his reply. "I can assure you, Simon, that this is the real thing. I have been researching this for years and it was exactly where I expected it to beConcealed with a Darke Unseen within the cover of this book." Septimus heard Hugh Fox thump something emphatically. "You have to show the Charm some respect, Simon, not beef it up."
"Look, Fox." Simon's voice sounded threatening. "I'd advise you to show me some respect. This is the Big Day. Everything's very nearly in place. If all goes well you'll have a new ExtraOrdinary Wizard to deal with. A proper one. And, even if I do say so myself, a decent Apprenticeyours truly, no lessnot some Young Army boy who can't tell a cracked spell from an old sock."
"I've told you before, Simon," Hugh Fox said dourly, "I don't get involved in politics. If you ask me we've had enough ExtraOrdinary Wizard changes. There's nothing wrong with the one we've got. The lad's all right too."
Simon's voice became ice-cold. "I wouldn't say any more if I were you, Fox. Don't want to find yourself Consumed, do you?"
"What?" gasped Hugh Fox, sounding terrified.
"You heard. Just get that Charm sorted. This is serious. I'll be back in an hour and I expect it to be working."
"I'll see what I can do," said Hugh Fox sullenly.
"Just do it, Fox. Anyway, you'll be pleased to know it's my last trip. I have the final piecesee?"
There was a gasp from the Chief Hermetic Scribe as something hollow was tapped and Simon laughed.
"Don't do that," said Hugh Fox. "I don't care who that was, it's not respectful."
"Don't tell me what to do," Simon snarled. "Anyway, you'll find out who it wasissoon enough. Now open the door, will you?"
There was a loud hiss and then silence.
"Jumped-up little" The remainder of the Chief Hermetic Scribe's opinion of Septimus's eldest brother was drowned out by the loud thump of a large book being slammed shut.
"Did you hear that?" Septimus whispered to Beetle as they got up and picked their way back between the Wild Books and Charms stacks. "What does he mean, new ExtraOrdinary Wizard?"
"Look, Sep," said Beetle as they reached the door to the outer office. "Everyone here thinks he's a loony. We get lots of those.
Think they're going to rule the world with a few Darke Spells."
"Maybe he is," said Septimus.
Beetle did not reply. Safely back in the front office, he turned to Septimus and said, "Tell you what, I'll go and get Old Foxy out of the way for a few minutes. Then you can nip in and get the Flyte Charm. That'll cramp his style a bit. How about that?"
Beetle disappeared into the gloom of the Manuscriptorium. In a moment he was back, frantically beckoning to Septimus. "C'mon, Sep. Quick, we're in luck. Old Foxy's having one of his turnshe's gone to lie down. Follow me."
Septimus was a familiar figure in the Manuscriptorium, and none of the scribes even looked up as he followed Beetle to the passage that led to the Chief Hermetic Scribe's Chamber. The passage was narrow and pitch-black, for it turned back on itself seven times to avoid any direct line of flight from the Chamber. At the end of the passage Beetle and Septimus found themselves in a small plain-white room lit by a single candle. The room was circular in order to avoid any rogue spells or charms getting lodged in the corners and was sparsely furnished. A large round table took up most of the space, and an old-looking glass, taller than Septimus, was propped up against the wall. But Septimus noticed none of this when he walked in behind Beetlehis eyes were immediately fixed on what lay upon the table. Not on the Flyte Charm, which was still attached to Simon's belt and carelessly thrown down upon the table, but upon the thick book that lay beside it.
"That's Marcia's book!" Septimus gasped.
"Shh!" whispered Beetle.
"But it is," Septimus whispered excitedly. "She had it with her when DomDaniel tricked her into coming back to the Castle in the Big Freeze. DomDaniel took it and she hasn't seen it since. She's been looking for it everywhere." He picked up the book. "Lookthis is it, The Undoing of the Darkenesse."
Beetle looked confused. "So how come Foxy's got it?" he asked.
"Well, he won't have it for much longer," declared Septimus. "Marcia will be straight down to get her book back when I tell her where it is."
Beetle made a mental note to make himself scarce the moment he saw Marcia anywhere near the Manuscriptorium.
"Just get the Charm, Sep, and let's get out of here," said Beetle, worried that Hugh Fox might suddenly reappear.
The Flyte Charm was a simple gold arrow. It was smaller than Septimus had expected and more delicate, with intricate patterns wrought from the gold. Its flights were made of white goldthey were curiously bent and misshapen, and Septimus wondered if this was why Simon had been having trouble. He reached out to pick it up and there was a sudden movement below his outstretched hand. Simon's belt twisted away, Transformed into a small red snake with three black stars along the back of its head, and coiled itself tightly around the Flyte Charm. It hissed and reared up, preparing to strike.
"Aargh!" Beetle yelled in horror then immediately clapped his hand over his mouth to stifle the shout. But it was too latesomeone in the Manuscriptorium had heard him.
"Hello-ooo..." A hesitant voice came from the seven-turn passage.
"Is there anybody there?"
"Sep," said Beetle urgently. "Sepwe've got to get out of here. Come on."
"Coo-eee," came the voice again.
"It's all right, Partridge," Beetle called out. "The Extra-Ordinary's Apprentice took a wrong turn. I'm just bringing him out now."
"Oh. Good. Was a bit worried there, Beetle. Mr. Fox told me to keep an eye on the Chamber."
"No problem, Partridge. Be out in a moment. No need to come in," Beetle called out cheerily, and then in a low voice, "Sep, just get a move on, will you?" Septimus was still eyeing the snake, unwilling to let the Flyte Charm go.
"Oh, hello, Mr. Fox, sir." The high-pitched voice of Partridge suddenly echoed around the Chamber. Septimus and Beetle stared at each other in panic.
"What are you doing? Get out of my way, Partridge," came the irritated tones of the Chief Hermetic Scribe.
"Oops ... er, sorry, sir," squeaked Partridge, "was that your foot?"
"Yes, it is my foot, Partridge. Just get off it, will you?"
"Yes. Yes, of course I will, Mr. Fox, sir. Sorry. Sorry."
"For goodness' sake get back to your desk and stop saying sorry."
