Chapter 7: Something Magic

We followed Mrs. Merryweather into a large room, around the wall were plaques with animal heads on them, I whistled. "Good grief, what speed were they doing when they hit the wall?" I asked.

"Those are the trophies of the 4^th Earl; he went on safaris during his young years before he concentrated on his duties here. They were obtained at great personal risk ... something I think you have no idea about." Mrs. Merryweather said with a sniff of distain.

Also in the room, taking up most of the floor space was a snooker table. The green baize was brushed almost to perfection. I tried to move the table but was defeated.

Mrs. Merryweather gave a laugh, "That table has pure Welsh slate, it will take 4 men to dismantle it without damaging it. I can give you the number of the workshop that deals with it?" She offered.

I shook my head, "There's no need. I think I can deal with this." I said and pictured the table smaller, just like a dolls house sized snooker table and then muttered the spell to make the image the true size of the table.

Mrs. Merryweather gave a shriek of fear as the table began to shrink down, getting smaller and smaller. I adjusted the spell to make the table indestructible (just to ensure it didn't drop and smash) as well as lighter so that when it was the size I wanted I could just lift it up – it would also protect the floor.

"This is a part of what will be happening in this section of the house. We deal with the strange and impossible; only a few people outside our group will be allowed that information ... you have just joined them. And I will remind you that the Official Secrets Act is in force over this, you will tell nobody, not even those in this house of any rank, of what you've learnt." I said seriously.

"But what about Mary, how does she come into this?" Mrs. Merryweather asked.

I smiled, "You yourself said she was a good worker, and that is what we need, a person able to do the work and is dependable, this is why she's perfect for this section." I said.

Mrs. Merryweather looked at the shrunken snooker table, "But what did this?" She asked.

"It's a kind of magic, Mrs. Merryweather, but of course a straight thinking person such as you doesn't believe in such things. But does that mean it doesn't exist? Of course not!" I said as I picked up the table and placed it into my pocket.

"But that was a full size table? It can't just shrink down like that?" She said.

I tried to look surprised, "It can't? Are you sure?" I asked her.

"It's impossible, it can't have happened." She finally said.

I smiled and would have patted her shoulder, "Well that's all sorted out then, it didn't happen. Now since the table has apparently been stolen, we have all this space for a canteen. Can you arrange for meals to be brought here when it's ordered?" I said ignoring the look of shock on her face.

"Well, we're not a hotel here you know, we can only supply cold cuts. Anything hot you'll have to sort out." Mrs. Merryweather said pulling herself together.

"Oh that's all right; someone will pop out for a Chinese or Indian if they want anything." I said making for the door.

"We are several miles from the nearest town, and I don't think the local village has anything more than a corner store." Mrs. Merryweather pointed out.

"Don't worry about that side of things, we'll deal with that." I said heading for the door with Nichole in my wake forcing Mrs. Merryweather to follow us.

I knew that the observatory was ahead of me, although I wasn't too sure where it was. "Now I'm interested in the observatory and what equipment is left inside it." I said standing to one side.

"The Observatory? But there's no telescope in there, just the machinery to open the roof." She protested.

"That is what I want to check on, will you lead the way?" I asked her and then followed as she stalked down the corridor, stopping at a door and – taking a key from her pocket – she opened the door and stepped inside.

We followed her in; the room was circular with the high dome of the observatory making it like a coffee cup with a rounded cover. I walked into the centre of the room and looked up, circling as I did so.

"This is perfect, the dome will offer protection and give the apprentices the ability to use their full power, I'll just have to have the walls coated and then it will be sealed completely." I said to Nichole.

"You can't do that, this is a listed building. You have to apply to the council and the Government before you can change the structure of this building!" Mrs. Merryweather protested.

I shook my head, "I won't be changing the structure of the place. It will be like stone cladding but only on the inside ... just like the wood panelling that's been installed in the Captain's room, that isn't original is it?" I countered.

"No ... but I wasn't consulted about that and by the time I could protest it was too late ... he added it while I was on holiday ... that was the last time I ever took a holiday away from here. I want written notice on what work you want done and I will present your ideas to the council for them to decide if you can go ahead or not." She said.

I muttered under my breath and then waved my hands, the room darkened and then as the light returned we were standing in a stone tower, slitted windows were in the walls and the height of the dome had increased.

"Now this is more like it." I said satisfied with the effect, I had ensured that the windows allowed in the maximum light without letting any out. The walls were shielded so that magic spells could hit them and be absorbed without any damage.

"You can't just do that. The building is not supposed to be altered in any way!" Mrs. Merryweather was now beside herself with anger. "You just wait until I get the Captain involved in this, he'll have you out of here before you know it!" She said.

"Mrs. Merryweather, I haven't changed anything from the outside ... all I've done is alter the interior dimensions. My team need a large space like this to practise in, but if you look at the house itself, you'll find this is not noticeable." I said and then a thought struck me.

If I could change the interior of the house like this, then I could also alter the doors into this section. I began to laugh as the thought took root.

Nichole looked at me as if I was insane, when I mentioned it to her, but then she could see the funny side as well.

"Mrs. Merryweather, thank you for showing us around. This area will suit our needs perfectly. If you will arrange with Mary for her duties to clean this area and make the arrangements to have a member of the kitchen staff to be ready at all times. Then there is nothing further that we need."

"But I haven't shown you the other rooms, there are some that contain priceless items ... which we have fully inventoried let me add ... and we need to ensure that they are protected." She protested.

"Mrs. Merryweather, you know what I did with the snooker table and this room. I'm sure that we can protect the interior items with the same careful consideration. All I'll need is the keys to this side of the house and that will conclude our acceptance of the property." I said with a tone of finality in my voice.

"Oh, very well sir! But if I find that the wing has been altered in any way, on the outside, then I will make a protest to the Government. This is their building after all." She said with a final shot at me before she left.

Nichole smiled as Mrs. Merryweather walked out of the transformed observatory, "Just what is she going to see when she looks at the house?" She asked.

"There's no difference at all, the house is unchanged on the outside, and it's just the inside that is altered. Speaking of which, I need to activate our surprise." I said with a smile and then concentrated; I sent a spell to all the doors in this side of the house and then opened my eyes.

"That's it; the next unauthorised person who tries to enter or leave a room up here is in for a surprise." I said and then spoke to the doorway, "Come in Mary, you don't have to hide out there."

Mary stepped in and looked at the transformed observatory in awe, "Crikey, you haven't half done the place up!" She said.

"Do you like it?" I asked her

She bit her lip, not wanting to say what she thought, but at my urging she finally spoke up, "Well, it's going to take some cleaning isn't it?"

I had to laugh at that, "It's alright Mary, this won't need any cleaning - in fact most of the rooms here won't need any attention either. It's a variation of the cleaning spell that you've been using already." I said noticing her blush.

Nichole looked at me, "You mean she's been using magic to clean the rooms?" She asked.

I nodded, "Of course, the housekeeping spell is an early one. You haven't seen my room recently, it used to be a mess, but now everything is neat and tidy, even the dust on the lamp-shades is gone ... just like that on the portraits that are too high to reach." I said remembering the chair I had to stand on to check the picture in the other room.

Nichole looked at Mary, "You have to teach me that spell." She turned to me, "That was what you meant when you said she had potential?" She asked.

I nodded, "I thought you understood that, Mary is a mage of The Art, she's going to be teaching spells and how to use them."

"You said that before, but I don't know anything about teaching." Mary protested.

"Not at the moment, but you will soon. The first thing is learning how to meditate and to put your mind into your library whenever you want, and then you'll have to meet Aristotle." I said.

Mary frowned, "Just who is this Aristotle? He doesn't sound as if he's from around here." Mary said.

I nodded, "Oh, he's just nobody, but everybody. He's the one who's provided you with your books. What Aristotle represents is the Library of the World." I said as if that explained everything.

"Oh, well then ... He's WHAT?" Mary nearly screeched out the question.

"Aristotle is not a real person; he's a personification of the Library. I only call him 'he' but actually there is no sexual person there; you'd probably see 'it' as a woman. Aristotle is normally quite accommodating in that respect." I said trying to play down what Aristotle would be to her.

"What does it look like to you? That's if you don't mind me asking?" Mary quickly added to Nichole.

"I don't know, I've never seen... 'it', I've only just admitted I've got a library myself, I've tried to read one of the books but it's all gibberish to me." Nichole said

Mary's eyes went wide, "You haven't tried to change them? But that was the first thing I did." She said.

Nichole shook her head, "That's what Mr. Beaker told me, but I thought it was only a dream. So I didn't bother."

"I wish there was some way of showing you what to do? You'll be amazed at the things those books can tell you." Mary said with bubbling enthusiasm.

Nichole sighed, "Yes, I've been finding out. I wish you could help me too." She said.

I laughed, "Well that's easily sorted out. When you both go to sleep tonight, try to concentrate on your libraries, then call out for Aristotle and ask him to allow you to meet each other, he'll do the rest." I told them.

"I wish it was night-time already, I want to meet him." Mary said

"It will come, now I know you've used the cleaning spell, but have you tried the fireball spell?" I asked her.

"No, I've been too afraid to do that around here. Just in case Mrs. Merryweather found out and tried to stop me." Mary said looking around.

"Well she's not here and this room needs to be tested. So try creating a fireball and throw it to me." I said to her.

"What? You want me to hit you with fire?" Mary asked shocked.

I shook my head, "No, I want you to try to hit me; I'm going to stop it." I said with a smile.

Mary looked concernedly at me, "I ... I don't want to hurt you." She said.

"If you can touch me with one then it's my fault, now student fire!" I ordered her.

She looked at Nichole before she swallowed and then concentrated. A fireball materialised in front of her and she pushed it towards me in a half-hearted manner.

I shook my head, "Is that the best you can do? I know a six-year old with more power! Now concentrate, I'm an ogre about to kill you. Now Strike!" I said as I grabbed hold of her fire and extinguished it without thinking.

"But I can't..." Mary said and so I roared at her making her step back in shock.

"I knew it, you're just lazy, you'll never get anywhere in..." I began and noticed that Mary's face was getting angry.

"Lazy am I? Never get anywhere? I'll show you." She said and a fireball materialised and flew towards me. I flipped it up into the air.

"Not bad, but you don't need to lose your temper, that way you can be beaten. Now keep control of that ball." I said pointing up to where the fireball was now dancing around the dome of the observatory.

Mary's face changed as she realised what I had done. Then she extended her hands to focus her power to pull on the fire-ball, wrenching it from my control (which I had kept light), and bringing it down closer before allowing it to circle her.