"Hello, Jen." Septimus smiled, his brilliant green eyes blinking in the bright sunlight. He waved his jar of spiders at her.
Jenna leaped up from the step, her eyes fixed on the jar. "Just don't let those spiders out anywhere near me," she warned him.
Septimus jumped down the steps, shaking the jar at her as he went past. He went over to the Well on the edge of the courtyard, and very carefully, he tipped the spiders out of the jar. They all landed in the bucket. The hairy spider had another quick snack and started climbing back up the rope. The three remaining spiders watched the hairy one leave and decided to stay in the bucket.
"Sometimes, Jen," said Septimus as he joined Jenna by the steps,"I think those spiders just go straight back up to the Library again. I recognized one of them today."
"Don't be silly, Sep. How can you recognize a spider?"
"Well, I was pretty sure it recognized me," said Septimus. "I think that's why it bit me."
"It bit you? That's horrible. Where?"
"In the Library."
"No, where did it bite you?"
"Oh. Look, here." Septimus waved his thumb at Jenna.
"Can't see anything," she said dismissively.
"That's because Marcia put some venom on it."
"Venom?"
"Oh, that's just something we Wizards do," said Septimus airily.
"Ohyou Wizards," scoffed Jenna, getting up and pulling at Septimus's green tunic. "You Wizards are all crazy. And, speaking of crazy, how is Marcia?"
Septimus kicked at a pebble and sent it skittering over to Jenna. "She's not crazy, Jen," he said loyally, "but that Shadow follows her everywhere. And it's getting worse, because I'm beginning to see it now."
"Eurgh, creepy." Jenna kicked the pebble back to Septimus, and the pair played pebble football across the courtyard and into the cool shade of a tall silver archway lined with deep-blue lapis lazuli. This was the Great Arch that led out of the Wizard Tower courtyard and into the broad avenue known as Wizard Way, which ran straight to the Palace.
Septimus shook off all thoughts of Shadows and ran into the Great Arch ahead of Jenna. Then he spun around and said, "Anyway, Marcia says I can have the day off today." day?" asked Jenna, amazed.
"A whole day. Till midnight. So I can come back with you and see Mum."
"And me. You're going to have to see me all day too; I haven't seen you for ages. And I'm going off to Aunt Zelda's tomorrow to see the Dragon Boat. It's MidSummer Day in a few days' time, in case you'd forgotten."
"Of course I haven't forgotten. Marcia keeps going on about how important it is. Here, I've got a present for you." Septimus fished the chocolate Charm out of his tunic pocket and gave it to Jenna.
"Oh, Sep, that's lovely. Er, what is it exactly?"
"It's a Taste Charm. It'll turn anything you want into chocolate. I thought it might be useful over at Aunt Zelda's."
"HeyI could turn all that cabbage and pilchard stew into chocolate."
"Cabbage and pilchard stew..." said Septimus wistfully. "You know, I really miss Aunt Zelda's cooking."
"No one else does." Jenna laughed.
"I know," said Septimus. "That's why I thought you'd like the Charm. Wish I could come and see Aunt Zelda too."
"Well you can'tbecause I'm the Queen."
"Since when, Jen?"
"Well, I will be. And you're just a lowly Apprentice." Jenna stuck her tongue out at Septimus, who chased her out of the Great Arch and into the heat of Wizard Way.