"Oh. Oh...it's from Aunt Zelda. But how does she know..."
"What does she say?"
"'Dear Septimus, enclosed are the instructions for your SafeCharm. I forgot to give them to Barney Pot. Do not hesitate to use it if you need to. It will be loyal and true. Best love, Aunt Zelda xxx.' Oh bother. Bother, bother, bother."
"Bother what, Sep?" asked Beetle.
"The SafeCharm. A little kid called Barney Pot tried to give it to me, but I wouldn't take it. There was no way I was going to take a so-called SafeCharm from a stranger, not after taking the Questing Stone by mistake from someone I thought I actually knew."
"But it wasn't from a stranger, it was from Aunt Zelda," Beetle observed irritatingly.
"I know that now, Beetle," Septimus snapped. "But I didn't know that then. Barney didn't say it was from Aunt Zelda; he just said it was from a lady. Could have been anyone."
"Oh. Well, I'm sure it doesn't matter, Sep. I don't see that you'll need it."
"Yeah, I s'pose...but Aunt Zelda obviously thought I did need it. Dunno why."
Beetle was silent as they negotiated their way back to the Cerys. As they neared the tall ship, which was now ablaze with lanterns, he said, "So what exactly are these instructions, Sep?"
Septimus shrugged. "What does it matter? I haven't got the SafeCharm anyway."
Beetle - who was fascinated by Charms of all descriptions and had hoped one day to be the Charm Specialist at the Manuscriptorium - thought it did matter. At his insistence, Septimus unfolded another piece of paper covered in Aunt Zelda's most careful writing - the kind that she had used for Wolf Boy's instructions. As Septimus read it his expression changed to one of amazement.
"What does it say, Sep?" asked Beetle impatiently.
"Oh, crumbs...it says, 'Septimus, use this well and it will be your loyal servant for evermore. Instructions as follows:
1. Unseal bottle in well-ventilated area, preferably large open space. 2. If unsealing outside, ensure area is sheltered from the wind. 3. Once jinnee is out of - '"
"Jinnee - ohmygoodness!" gasped Beetle. "She's gone and sent you a live SafeCharm. I don't believe it."
Septimus was silent. He read the rest of the instructions to himself with a horrible feeling of regret.
"A jinnee - I can't believe you turned that down," Beetle was saying. "Oh, wow, what an opportunity."
"Well, it's too late now," snapped Septimus. He refolded the instructions and put them carefully into his Apprentice belt.
Beetle carried on regardless. "I've always thought how brilliant it would be to have a jinnee at your beck and call," he said. "And no one has them anymore, Sep, they are so incredibly rare. Most of 'em have been let out and no one knows how to put 'em back in nowadays - except other jinn, of course, and they're not saying. Phew...fancy passing up a chance for that."
Septimus had had enough. He turned on Beetle. "Look, just shut up about it, will you, Beetle? Okay, I didn't take it and, okay, maybe that was stupid, but I didn't and that is the end of it."
"Hey, calm down, Sep. I never said it was stupid. But look...maybe..."
"Maybe what?"
"Maybe you should send Aunt Zelda a message to say you never got it. She ought to get it back from Barney as soon as she can. I mean, supposing he opens it?" Septimus shrugged irritably.
"It's important, Sep," Beetle persisted. "If Aunt Zelda meant it for you, she would have Awakened it by telling it a whole load of stuff about you - all about your family, about how you look, how wonderful you are and how the jinnee would be privileged to serve you for the rest of its days blah blah blah. I've seen a written copy of an Awakening and it's like a real legal contract, and if the other half of the contract isn't there then the jinnee will consider itself Released. So if this kid Barney Pot gets curious and lets the jinnee out, there's going to be big trouble. The jinnee will be free to cause havoc - and you can bet it will, too. The only person who can have any hope of controlling it is the one who Awakened it."
"Aunt Zelda," said Septimus.
"Yep. You have to tell her, Sep."
Septimus and Beetle had reached the Cerys. The immaculately uniformed sailor bowed as Septimus stepped onto the gangplank. The sailor bowed once more as he stepped straight off.
"Okay." Septimus sighed. "You're right. We'll go send a message. And if that clerk tries to be funny again I shall - "
Beetle put his arm in Septimus's. "Yeah," he said. "I shall too."