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M arcia was enjoying being back in charge of the Wizard Tower

As soon as the last of the Gathering hadof their outing, Marcia had inspected the Wizard Tower frolers

She had had enough of ExtraOrdinary Wizard ghosts to last her quite a while and she had no wish to buotten corner in a few days&039; time She found one asleep in an Ordinary Wizard&039;s larder and another wandering around the fifteenth floor corridor looking for her teeth It was, Marcia reflected, as she checked the very last cupboard in the Hall, and flushed out a sleeping Catchpole, not unlike fu reestablished her authority in the Tower to her satisfaction - and having checked on the more elderly Ordinary Wizards - Marcia had decided to turn her attention to Finding Septione into the Forest to be with his brothers or had made his way to Aunt Zelda&039;s on the Marram Marshes Either way, she knew a Find Spell would do the trick and take her to him

Marcia did not know that - at the very moment she had closed the purple door to her rooh of relief - Jenna, Septih an ancient Forest Way into a silent, frozen forest With a huge sense of relief, she had climbed the narrow stone stairs up to the library, which was housed in the great golden pyramid on the top of the Tower, and sat down at her desk Marcia breathed in the smell of old leather, decayed spells and paper dust (paper beetles were rampant in the library) and relaxed All ith the world once more

Ten minutes later Marcia was not entirely sure that all ith the world after all Her Find would not work Aware that no Magyk is 100 percent reliable - although Marcia expected 999 percent recurring - she did the Find once more Still it did not work

Half an hour and three more attempts at the Find later, Marcia orried Septimus had apparently disappeared

"Fu her desk with her fist "Blasted Fume He&039;s behind this I just know it" Two ency FastForward, Marcia staggered into the Hall of the Wizard Tower feeling very giddy and more than a little nauseous

Outside, the cool air revived her and she strode across the Courtyard, the heels of her purple pythons clattering on the cobbles

Underneath the Great Arch soust, left a pile of dirty washing There was no excuse, she thought, for Wizards to go du their dirty old robes at the entrance of the Wizard Tower courtyard What would people think? With an expression of distaste, Marcia picked up a corner of the robes, looking for the nas in their robes so that the Tower laundry could return them to the correct Wizard It didn&039;t always help Once, a certain Ordinary Wizard by the name of Marcus Overland had received Marcia&039;s robes from the Laundry and had pro outrageously, before Marcia had cornered him Marcus had left shortly afterward

But as Marcia lifted the grubby blue cloth she suddenly realized that there was a body inside the robes "Hildegarde!" she gasped Quickly, Marcia pulled back the hood, which was covering the sub-Wizard&039;s face Hildegarde was ashen but still breathing Marcia Breathed a sarde&039;s cheeks She groaned

"Hildegardewhat happened?" asked Marcia

Hildegarde struggled to sit up "EurghISeptimus"

"Septimus?"

"Gone Queste"

"You&039;re delirious, Hildegarde," said Marcia sternly "He one on the Queste

Now, you wait there and I will go and get soled to sit up Her eyes fixed firmly on Marcia and she said, very deliberately,

"I was InHabited by a Thing Iit gave Septi Stone He accepted it Saidthank you" Hildegarde smiled wanly "SopoliteSeptimus" And then, exhausted by the effort, she slu sleep

Marcia helped carry Hildegarde to the Wizard Tower sick bay - a large airy room on the first floor - then put the stairs on slow and rotated sedately down to the Hall, thinking about what Hildegarde had said If it had not been for the failed Find, Marcia would have assus of a sudden fever, but now she was not so sure What if it were true - what if Septi about Deep in thought, Marcia wandered through the Courtyard and found her footsteps taking her along Wizard Way

Distractedly, she answered concerned inquiries about the Wizard Tower from the braver passersby, while all the time her feet took her steadily toward the far end of the Way Marcia&039;s feet- but Marcia herself did not realize it until she had turned the corner into Snake Slipway

Outside the tall, narrow house on Snake Slipway, Marcia took a deep breath and politely rang the bell She waited, nervously, rehearsing her speech

Sos, Marcia heard hesitant footsteps shuffling toward the door

Then the bolts were drawn, a key was turned and the door opened a few inches

"Yes?" said a hesitant voice

"Is that Mr Pye?" Marcia asked

"I am he"

"It&039;s Marcia here Marcia Overstrand"

"Oh?"

"May I come in?"

"You want to come in?"

"Yes Please It&039;s - well, it&039;s about Septimus"

"He&039;s not here"

"I know Mr Pye, I really need to talk to you"