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The other Glass from the matched pair, which Marcellus had kept in the Great Chamber of Alchemie and Physik, ready to take him to any Time in the Land of the Long Nights, was of no use to him. Marcellus put it away in a cupboard in disgust.
Years later the cupboard found its way to the Palace, where it was used as the UnderCooks' coat cupboard. It was this Glass that Jenna, Nicko, Snorri, and Ullr came out of and stepped into Marcellus's Time.
After this Marcellus made no more Glasses. He decided he preferred gold—at least you knew where you were with gold.
Hugo Tenderfoot
Hugo never forgot Septimus and the time Septimus had spent patiently teaching him all he had learned about Physik. After Sir Hereward had taken him home and his mother had been so relieved to see him, Hugo realised that his family did care for him after all, and he became much more confident. When Marcellus Pye found Hugo reading a Physik book when he was meant to be on door duty, instead of being angry he took Hugo on as his Apprentice. Hugo did indeed become a talented Physician—although he never managed to cure Esmeralda's headaches.
Snorri's Mother
Alfrun Snorrelssen came from a long line of Traders and so she was used to the yearly exodus of ships and Traders to the Small Wet Country Across the Sea. Every year after the first frost—and frost came early in those dark northern latitudes—the Trader's barges would set off laden with furs, spices, wool, tar, trinkets and trifles.
They would not return until well after MidWinter Feast Day. Alfrun Snorrelssen always knew when her Olaf would return, and as the time drew near her friends would begin to ask, “Alfrun, Alfrun, can you See the ships yet?” And Alfrun always could. But the year that Olaf Snorrelssen went away for the last time, when Alfrun's friends asked, “Alfrun, Alfrun, can you See the ships yet?” Alfrun shook her head.
Even when the fleet of Trader's barges had appeared on the gray wintry horizon, still Alfrun shook her head, but this time in despair, for she knew that her Olaf was never coming back.
Alfrun gave her baby daughter the name that Olaf had chosen and named in his Letter of Charters. No matter that Olaf had been convinced that his child would be a boy; Alfrun honored his wishes and called the baby Snorri.
Snorri grew up surrounded by various aunts, uncles, grandmothers and cousins. She was a happy, bubbly child, and it was only when, at the age of thirteen, she found her father's Letters of Charter naming Snorri as his Successor to Trade that she became dissatisfied. Snorri had never given her father much thought before, but now she longed to sail in his path, tread in his footsteps through the Castle of the Small Wet Country Across the Sea and, most of all, drink Springo Special in the fabled Sally Mullin's Tea and Ale House. And as a Spirit-Seer, she also longed to see his ghost.
When Snorri told her mother of her intention to Trade in the coming season, Alfrun Snorrelssen was aghast. She told her daughter of the dangers of the sea, she told her she was too young to Trade, that she was a girl and girls did not Trade, and besides, what did Snorri know about the price of fur and the quality of woolen cloth?
Snorri knew nothing, but she could learn. And when her mother found her stack of Traders' Manuals shoved under her bed and threw them into the tiled stove, Snorri took Ullr and stormed out of their little wooden house on the harbor and went to the Alfrun. Her mother guessed where she was and let her be, thinking that spending a cold night on an uncomfortable barge would bring Snorri to her senses and she would be back in the morning. But by morning Snorri was sailing out on the ebbing tide. She caught the southerly wind and was soon heading down the coast to pick up her very first cargo as a Trader. Alfrun Snorrelssen was distraught—she sent a fast pilot gig after Snorri, but there was a brisk wind that morning, and although the rowers of the gig had sight of the barge, they had no chance of catching up with it.
Her daughter was gone, and Alfrun Snorrelssen blamed no one but herself.
Snorri's Father
When Olaf Snorrelssen knew that he and Alfrun were expecting their first child he was thrilled. He took his Letters of Charter to the League Office and insisted that they name his first child, Snorri, as his Successor. And then, promising Alfrun that this would be his last trip until the child was old enough to go with him, with a heavy heart, Olaf Snorrelssen set off to Trade.
He arrived late at the Castle of the Small, Wet Country Across the Sea and did not get a good pitch at the Traders' Market. That night Olaf went to the Grateful Turbot (one of the Traders' favorite hostelries just outside the Castle) to drown his sorrows in the way that Northern Traders traditionally did, and as a consequence were banned from most Castle hostelries. Returning alone across the One-Way Bridge, Olaf Snorrelssen stumbled and hit his head on the parapet. He was found, dead and frozen, the next morning by a farmer on his way to market.
The ghost of Olaf Snorrelssen lingered at the bridge for a year and a day, as all ghosts must do at the scene of their entry into ghosthood. He chose not to Appear to anyone, but a nasty chill settled over the bridge, and many people claimed to feel quite depressed after crossing it. The Grateful Turbot Tavern nearly went out of business, as people became reluctant to cross the One-Way Bridge after dark. As soon as his year and a day was completed, Olaf Snorrelssen wafted away to the Hole in the Wall Tavern, and there he stayed.
The Alfrun
The Alfrun languished at the Quarantine Dock all through the long winter months, where she acquired the forlorn air and the damp smell of neglected boats. When Jenna found out where the barge was she asked Jannit Maarten to bring her to the Castle boatyard. But before Jannit had got around to doing it, the Alfrun was gone.
Wolf Boy
When Wolf Boy left the Alfrun, he paddled across the river and found Sam Heap laughing at the sight of him frantically turning the paddles of the pink paddleboat.
He got a warm welcome at Camp Heap, where the other Heap brothers lived, and despite the endless variety of jokes about his taste in boats, Wolf Boy was pleased to be back. However, he was disappointed that he could persuade none of the Heap brothers to help him find Septimus. Knowing that his own skills as a tracker were not going to help him find his old friend 412, for there had been no trail to pick up, Wolf Boy decided that Aunt Zelda would have the answer. He took his much-derided pink paddleboat down the river to the Port and then set off along the Causeway, which led to the Marram Marshes. Here Wolf Boy's tracking skills came in useful. He followed the trail of the Boggart and arrived safely at Aunt Zelda's, where he discovered Jenna, who had just come through the Queen's Way to return the silver pistol to Aunt Zelda.
Wolf Boy stayed with Aunt Zelda. She stopped trying to teach him to read and began telling him about the things he really wanted to know—about the moon and stars, herbs and potions, and everything to do with White Witch lore. Wolf Boy was an eager and talented pupil, and it was not long before Aunt Zelda began to wonder if it would be possible to break with tradition and nominate Wolf Boy as her successor as Keeper.
Lucy Gringe
Lucy Gringe arrived safely at the Port in Nicko's rowboat. It was nearly midnight, and she tied the boat up to the harbor wall, curled up in Simon's cloak and tried to sleep.
The next morning, Lucy bought a pie from the Harbor and Dock Pie Shop. Maureen, who owned the shop, noticed how pale and cold Lucy looked and offered her a place by the fire in the kitchen to sit and eat her pie. Lucy was ravenous, and bought two more pies in quick succession plus three mugs of hot chocolate, downed everything, then fell asleep by the fire. Maureen left her to sleep, and later that day Lucy returned the favor by washing the pie dishes and serving in the shop. Maureen liked Lucy and was grateful for the help. She offered Lucy a bed in the corner of the kitchen and her keep in return for her efforts. Lucy accepted, glad of somewhere warm and friendly to stay with a steady supply of customers to ask if they had seen Simon.
To Lucy's disappointment, none of the customers had seen Simon, but late one night when she was sitting by the dying embers of the fire, Lucy saw a rat in the corner nibbling at the crumbs that her broom had missed. Lucy liked rats and did not chase it away as she knew Maureen would want her to.
She watched the rat for a few minutes and then whispered, “Stanley?”
The rat looked shocked. “What?” it said.
“Stanley. You're Stanley, aren't you?” asked Lucy. “Remember, I fed you biscuits after Dad locked me up—you're a bit fatter than you were then.”
“You're none too thin yourself, Lucy Gringe,” Stanley retorted—and this was true, for Lucy did not hold herself back on the pies.
