The Magykal Papers (21 page)

NOTICE

The Manuscriptorium wishes to announce that the annual Entrance Examination will take place on the thirteenth of this month at 7:13
A.M
. Success in this—with rare exceptions—is a requirement for employment at the Manuscriptorium. Please collect an entry form from the Front Office and return by the eleventh of the month at 5:02
P.M
.

• Sandra’s Palace of Pets:
  Once owned by Billy Pot. Now Billy’s niece, Sandra, has taken over the business. Bunnies, kittens, hamsters—if it’s fluffy, Sandra will stock it.
  

PROPRIETOR:
Sandra Pot

Sandra has turned the previously basic (and smelly) lizard-breeding store into a pastel-painted palace for cuddly pets.

SERVICES:

• Complete grooming service: perfumed shampooing, nail clipping, fur trimming, teeth whitening.
  
• Hamster homes interior design service.
  
• Complete personal shopper wardrobe service for tiny dogs.
  
• Designer pet carriers—take your loved one everywhere you go!
  
• Pet counseling and advice service for nervous pets or owners.
  
• Ask about our breeding program (pets only).
  

A
MESSAGE FROM THE
W
IZARD
W
AY
C
ONSERVATION
S
OCIETY
:

{
Take your pet’s poop home.
}

Pets currently looking for the new person in their life:

B
RIAN
, B
ARNEY
, B
ILLY
, B
RENDA
, B
ARRY
, B
OFFY AND
B
EN

Baby mice, ten days old.

D
AVE
, D
INAH
, D
IXIE AND
D
ILBERT

Guinea pig family who wish to stay together.

P
ING
-P
ONG

Exotic gerbil. Temperamental.

P
RINCESS

Small chinchilla.

Fussy about food.

C
HIEF
H
ERMETIC
S
CRIBES
, P
AST AND
P
RESENT

TERTIUS FUME

The very first Chief Hermetic Scribe, whose ghost still guards the Vaults. As boys, Tertius Fume and Hotep-Ra (the very first ExtraOrdinary Wizard) were the closest of friends. After Hotep-Ra fled his home country, Tertius Fume, who was at that time a loyal friend, set out to look for him. Many years later Tertius Fume arrived at the Castle and was joyfully greeted by Hotep-Ra. Tertius Fume was amazed by what he found. Not only was his friend in the process of finishing the incredible Wizard Tower, he was now loved and respected by all and was the closest of friends with the beautiful Queen. Tertius felt a little put out—he had come to rescue his grateful friend and now all he could do was bask in his friend’s reflected glory.

But Hotep-Ra was his usual generous self. He set Tertius Fume up in a large house at 13 Wizard Way and, when Tertius expressed an interest in starting up what he called a Scribe House, Hotep-Ra gave him all the help possible. It was a terrible shock to Hotep-Ra when he returned to his beloved Dragon Boat from one of his visits with the Queen and discovered that Tertius Fume had declared a State of Emergency, installed himself as Locum ExtraOrdinary Wizard and taken over the Wizard Tower. Hotep-Ra was forced to oust his friend and banish him.

Tertius Fume made three of his scribes accompany him into banishment, one of whom, it is rumored, killed him.

WALDO WATKINS

A quiet man and a much-respected Chief Hermetic Scribe. For ten long years, Waldo bravely held out against the Supreme Custodian’s demands for putting the Manuscriptorium to
Darke
uses. But his refusal eventually cost him dearly. Unlike many Chief Hermetic Scribes, Waldo chose to live outside the Manuscriptorium rather than in the apartment above it. Late one night, on the way back to his little house within the Castle wall, Waldo was ambushed by a troupe of Custodian Guards and was never seen again.

HUGH FOX

Hugh Fox had been an unremarkable scribe for twenty-five years when, to everyone’s amazement, he was
Picked
to become Chief Hermetic Scribe. DomDaniel wanted a Chief Hermetic Scribe who would do his bidding and unlock the secrets of
The Undoing of the
Darkenesse
—a book that he had snatched from Marcia Overstrand—and he fixed the
Pick
. Everyone knew he had done this, but no one was brave enough to say anything. But they all wondered who should have been Chief Hermetic Scribe instead.

JILLIE DJINN

It was Jillie Djinn who should have been
Picked
instead of Hugh Fox. This may surprise you—it surprised the author of this biography too. It is Marcia Overstrand’s opinion that some people seem promising, but when they assume authority they change for the worse. She considers that Miss Djinn is one of these people. Madam Overstrand also considers that while Jillie Djinn is undoubtedly a good person, her lack of skills in assessing people’s true characters may put the Manuscriptorium in some danger. Jillie Djinn is extremely knowledgeable—and awfully boring.