Cauldrons and Kittens

by R K Dreaming

  Though the Three Bees were not in this class, it was a double period and not even a practical experiment, which made it a form of torture in itself. Sitting at her desk copying notes also meant Percy did not get a chance to confront Octavia and ask her what was going on. The vampire girl didn’t even glance at Percy once.

  The ninety minutes dragged by as if it was three hours. And when it was all over, Percy hustled to catch up with Octavia, who had stalked out of the classroom as if purposefully ignoring Percy.

  “Are you going to tell me what is going on or not?” demanded Percy, when she caught up with her.

  “You’ll find out what is going on when we deem it necessary for you to find out,” said Octavia with her eyebrow raised in that haughty manner. “In the meantime, you’d better behave yourself.”

  “I don’t take orders from you,” said Percy.

  “Consider it a fair warning,” said Octavia with a smug little smile.

  “I thought your people wanted to interview me?”

  “We’ll do it at our own convenience, not yours.”

  Octavia stalked off.

  Felix gave Percy a sympathetic shrug, as if he couldn’t tell her anything even if he wanted to. He followed Octavia.

  Nan had already gone off to her Business Studies class, so Percy returned to the patch of grass behind the groundskeeper’s shed to wait for her.

  Percy would have gone to Ye Olde Magyk Shoppe by herself, but Nan had insisted that Percy wait for her. Hanging about with nothing to do for that extra hour was torture. Percy would have much preferred to wait indoors in the cozy environs of Lucifer’s office, but she wasn’t talking to him. She was too distracted to do homework either, so she paced. And then she lay back on the slightly damp grass and tried to have a nap. Her mind was in overdrive so that did not work either.

  Nan arrived after her lesson finished to find Percy pacing again, and scuffing up bits of turf to keep herself occupied.

  “What are you? A badger?” said Nan, looking unimpressed.

  She used her wand to fix the clumps of lawn that Percy had massacred with her kicking.

  As they walked to the tube station, Nan got a call from her mum which led to further delay. Apparently Lucky kitten was tearing around the house in a frenzied manic episode and Mrs Gooding was not happy. So they had to walk to Nan’s house first to pick up the dissatisfied kitten.

  “Lucky?” Nan scoffed. “You should have called her Little Terror.”

  “That’d be a cool power for a familiar, wouldn’t it?” said Percy. “Imagine your kitten turning into a hellhound and chasing after the likes of Bella!” She chuckled at the mental image of it.

  The moment Nan opened up her front door, Lucky kitten streaked out like grey lightning. She scratched her way up Percy’s leg, swerved past Percy’s hand as it tried to catch her, and leapt up onto Percy’s shoulder, where she dug her claws in as if her life depended on it.

  “Ouch!” said Percy. “Calm down!” She grabbed hold of the kitten and held her in place. “It’s not my fault I had to leave you here. If you didn’t like it, you shouldn’t have made such a ruckus at my place at nights, should you?”

  The kitten yowled angrily.

  “Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” said Percy, rolling her eyes. “I’ve betrayed you horribly. I am a terrible human being, and clearly not fit to be your owner. Do you forgive me now?”

  The kitten settled down into the curve of Percy’s neck, and gave a meow that sounded like grudging forgiveness. Percy tickled the kitten under her chin. The kitten finally purred.

  Mrs Gooding was watching this from inside the doorway. She now shook her head in disbelief.

  “That kitten is a very odd creature,” she commented.

  “Do you think she’s magical?” asked Percy.

  “I would hope not!” said Mrs Gooding firmly.

  “Mum,” said Nan. “I told Percy I’d go to the shops with her, but we should be back in a couple of hours. Is that okay?”

  “I could do with a break,” said Mrs Gooding, heaving a sigh of relief. “That kitten has been driving me up the wall. I’ll get dinner ready while you’re away. Make sure you’re back on time. Dad will be home too. Percy, would you like to join us?”

  Percy shook her head. “Thanks Mrs Gooding, but —“

  “But she doesn’t want to miss Jeeves’s cooking,” Nan said. “He spoils her rotten.”

  “That’s not what I was going to say,” protested Percy, shooting Nan a filthy look. “I was just feeling a bit tired, Mrs Gooding,” she said regretfully. “And I’ve got heaps of homework to do for tomorrow’s lessons.”

  And I’ve got my name to clear of murder, she added silently.

  She hardly thought the Goodings would be impressed if that topic came up during dinner. Nan had said Mrs Gooding wasn’t yet aware of Percy’s role in what had happened to Delphine, and she planned for it to remain that way as long as possible.

  And this trip to the magic shop had better not turn out to be a big waste of time.

  Percy made a face as she mentally totted up exactly how many hours of work were waiting for her when she got home tonight, not to mention securing her bedroom against a sneaky rogue cat. She was beginning to think the cat might be somebody else’s familiar. There were quite a few witches in her neighborhood after all, and it couldn’t be just a normal cat getting into her house.

  Percy shrugged off the thought. She’d find out sooner or later, and she would recruit Nan’s help if she had to.

  The girls took the tube to Soho, and as they approached the magic store, Percy could tell that it was open because the lights inside were on. Her footsteps sped up, and Nan hurried to keep up with her.

  Just as they neared the shop, two people that Percy knew came out of it, taking Percy by surprise. It was Octavia and Felix. Percy glared and Octavia glared back.

  “Dammit,” muttered Percy to Nan. “How the hell did they get here before us?”

  13. Ye Old Magyk Shoppe

  “What are you doing here?” snapped Percy and Octavia at the same time.

  “It’s a free country,” said Percy immediately, “and I can go wherever I like.”

  Octavia flipped open her little notepad and held her pen at the ready. “How do you know about this shop?” she demanded.

  “How do you?” Percy retorted.

  Octavia’s eyes narrowed. “You do know that you’re not doing yourself any favors, don’t you?” she bit out.

  “You must be the only one doing me favors then,” said Percy. “Clearly you’re looking out for my best interests, investigating me for murder and all.”

  “Attempted murder. You are lucky that Delphine Carmen didn’t die.”

  “Yeah, just real lucky that she happened to jump out of a window and framed me for it.”

  “Delphine may be many things but stupid was not one of them. I hardly think she was going to kill herself just to frame you for it!”

  “You seriously aren’t still thinking that Percy had anything to do with this?” said Nan angrily. “Are you?”

  Octavia gave Nan a cold look.

  Glaring back, Nan stepped forward, her fists bunched.

  Nan was small. Octavia was very tall. It looked like a fluffy duckling squaring up to an angry stork. Percy had to stifle a chuckle. Oh how she loved her little duckling.

  Octavia scoffed at Nan. “What are you? A bodyguard?”

  “A friend,” Nan bit out. “You wouldn’t know what that is. You don’t have any.”

  Percy was astonished. Nan never said mean things. She must really be worried for Percy. It made Percy feel oddly warm and fuzzy inside. It was good to have Nan on her side.

  A strange look had flickered across Octavia’s face and her lips tightened. Nan had clearly hit home. Felix uncomfortably cleared his throat. He hung out with Octavia all the time, and yet he had not spoken up to claim he was her friend. So it was true that he only hung out with her because he had to!

  Percy suddenly fel
t sorry for Octavia. But only a tiny bit.

  “You shouldn’t be here, Percy,” Felix said in his usual quiet and calm manner.

  “You haven’t questioned me yet,” said Percy. “Does that mean you think I did not do it?”

  Felix gave half a shrug.

  “Don’t get too comfortable,” snapped Octavia. “We’ll make our way around to you.”

  “Why don’t we share information?” Percy offered, still addressing Felix.

  To her annoyance, he looked at Octavia for an answer.

  “What information?” scoffed Octavia. “You don’t have any!”

  Percy rolled her eyes. “I promise to share whatever I find out, if you promise to share whatever you have already found out.”

  “In your dreams,” said Octavia.

  Percy shrugged. “Chick-chicken,” she said. “Afraid of a little competition?”

  “Competition? You really don’t know when to stop, do you? You are a suspect!”

  “For now,” said Percy dismissively, hoping she sounded less worried than she was really feeling.

  She barged past Octavia, accidently slamming shoulders with her on the way. This hurt a lot, the vampire girl being much stronger than Percy. Percy did her best not to wince.

  Octavia’s laugh bought her up short. Looking over her shoulder, Percy raised a haughty eyebrow.

  Octavia stalked closer, a superior look on her face. “That shopkeeper isn’t going to tell you anything. He’s just a con artist. A big fat nothing merchant. He reminds me a little bit of you. And if you really must know, he did confirm that our three dead people passed through his shop.”

  At Percy’s surprised look, Octavia looked smug. Percy had given away that she had not known this fact.

  “That’s right,” Octavia said. “He gave all three of them tarot readings and sold them a bunch of pseudo-magical mumbo-jumbo at hugely inflated prices, and then sent them on their way.”

  “No law against that,” said Percy. “No wonder that’s what he told you.”

  “I’ve told you everything you’re going to find out,” snapped Octavia. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  She tossed her glossy raven hair over her shoulder and strutted off, Felix following her. He threw Percy a look over his shoulder, and when she mouthed, “Is that true?” he nodded.

  Nan was looking disappointed.

  “Cheer up,” Percy said. “That’s what they found out, but we’ve got Lucky kitten and her superpowers. And we’ve got me, daughter of a Lord of Hell himself. If there’s anything to find out here, we’ll be the ones to do it.”

  And with these confident words, she charged into the shop as if she owned it.

  The owner was standing behind the counter and scowling down at it. He jumped when Percy and Nan entered. He seemed to still be flustered from Octavia and Felix’s visit.

  He was a balding, saggy jowled man in his sixties. His fiercely dark eyebrows and the ridiculous tufts of grizzled hair at his temples highlighted the gleaming baldness of his head. His overly long mustache drooped well below his chin, and he had no beard at all. This strange appearance had to be a deliberate affectation, and along with his purple robes of flowing velvet, he looked like he’d come straight out of a circus.

  Looking uncomfortably hot and fidgety in his robes, he had been muttering fiercely under his breath. But now he was looking hopefully at Percy and Nan.

  A greasy smile spread over his face. He spread out his arms and said in a theatrically mystical voice, “Welcome! Welcome to Ye Olde Magyk Shoppe. I am the Fabulous Floriano. Do not let your eyes deceive you, for many wonders dwell in this humble yet marvelous establishment if you only know how to open your minds and see with the third eye within!”

  Nan gave a little snort. Percy discreetly pinched Nan’s elbow.

  Plastering a bedazzled and eager expression on her face, Percy hurried towards the counter. Still a few feet away from it, she stopped as if in hesitation and bit her lip nervously. She hoped Nan behind her was having the sense to do the same thing, and that she had tucked her wand well out of sight.

  The Fabulous Floriano beamed, as if delighted to have caught two such juicy looking fresh young fools in his net. He ushered them closer, the many rings on his stubby fingers sparkling as if they were real gems. Percy was sure it was magic that was making them sparkle that way.

  Percy reached out her hands to him, and allowed him to grasp them with his hot, sweaty ones. Seizing them, he turned them upwards, and gasped loudly as he laid eyes on the lines of her palms.

  “What magnificent secrets these hands hold,” he said, looking up at her, his eyes glowing as if with untold knowledge.

  “Really?” said Percy excitedly.

  “Have you come for one of the Fabulous Floriano’s readings today, lovely ladies? Or perhaps you’ve come for deeper and more extraordinary things?”

  He winked at them in a manner that was probably supposed to be disarming and mysterious, but which made it very hard for Percy not to laugh.

  The guy seriously needed to take better acting lessons. Percy would normally have told him this, but she thought in this case honey would trap more flies than vinegar.

  “Er, my friend at school told me about you,” said Percy hesitantly, her voice shyly hesitant as if afraid of getting her friend into trouble. Percy had never sounded so girlish and meek in her life.

  She heard Nan guffaw behind her, and discreetly kicked Nan in the ankle to make her shut up.

  “Which friend, my dear?” simpered the Fabulous Floriano, waggling his droopy eyebrows.

  Percy bit her lip. “Erm… well… I can’t really tell you her name. She wouldn’t like it.”

  The Fabulous Floriano nodded exaggeratedly, as if he perfectly understood the need for discretion.

  Percy pretended to be encouraged by this, and smiled at him a little wider, as if he had won her confidence.

  “She said you… You gave her a potion… Because she was having some trouble with her boyfriend?”

  She pretended to look away in embarrassment, and then peered at him from the side of her eyes.

  The Fabulous Floriano was beaming. “Ah, love’s young dream.” He nodded his head as if he perfectly understood. “A love potion, my dear. There is no need for us to be shy here. I have just what you need.”

  He hurried through a pair of shabby curtains behind the counter into a back room. Lucky kitten started squirming furiously in Percy’s pocket where she had put her.

  Percy held the kitten in place, and admonished, “You stay still in there! I’ve got this under control. I’ll bring you out if I need you!”

  Lucky kitten meowed and continued to squirm and try to make an escape. Only when the Fabulous Floriano returned, appearing from through his shabby velvet drapes, did the kitten go suddenly still, as if sensing a threat.

  The Fabulous Floriano had come from his backroom empty-handed. He gave her a regretful look, and shook his head sorrowfully.

  “I’m afraid I have got only two bottles left,” he said. “My shipments of special ingredients from the special place where I order them have been delayed, and I’ve already promised the two remaining bottles to somebody else…”

  He paused, and then added as if it pained him greatly to say it, “But I might be able to let you have one if you really do need it urgently.”

  “I do,” Percy pleaded. “I really do. My friend said you’ve got the real stuff. That it’s really real magic!”

  He tapped his nose. “It’s best not to say that word out loud if you know what I mean. Imagine what would happen if everyone knew about it!”

  “I have to have it,” said Percy.

  He gave her a slimy smile, and named a ridiculous price for a measly bottle of stuff that Percy full well knew was fake crap.

  Percy did not even flinch. She nodded eagerly as if this is exactly what she had expected, and casually removed a wad of twenties from her wallet, letting him see that she had plenty more in there. She did no
t hand them over.

  “But I need to see it first,” she said.

  He nodded, but made no move to go and get it. A slight look of suspicion had come into his eyes.

  Percy almost panicked. She needed to see that darn bottle to see if it was the same as the one she’d found in Mrs Delancey’s handbag. And to see if it had the cloud of doom around it. This was the only way to make sure that this was the place the fake magic had really come from. And yet the way he was hesitating told her that the game was nearly up.

  Percy looked at him pleadingly and said, “And while we are here, do you think you can do some tarot readings too? My friend told me that you did a wonderful one for her, and we both want one today. You do have time, don’t you?”

  He got an immensely pleased expression on his face, and nodded thoughtfully. “I’m a very busy man, and I do have an appointment in an hour, but I might be able to fit you two young ladies in now, as a special favor.”

  Percy squealed in joy, and bounced up and down. She clapped her hands. “Oh that’s amazing because my friend…” Suddenly she let her face fall and her voice tremble. “My friend Delphine said you did such a wonderful reading for her. But… She’s had an accident, you see. And—”

  Percy stopped speaking. A cold look had come over his face, and he was glaring at her. She’d gone too far. The game was up.

  She should not have mentioned Delphine’s name, darn it. She’d hoped this might make him trust her, but it had had the opposite effect. Clearly it was too much of a coincidence that she had come in right after Octavia and Felix.

  She shrugged her shoulder and gave him a chagrined smile. “I guess the jig is up.”

  Still glaring at her, he waved his hands at the two of them vigorously, as if trying to sweep them out of this shop.

  “Did those two… those two… young hooligans send you in to SPY ON ME?” he hissed. His accent had changed to a rather more common one now that he wasn’t putting on his act.

  Percy grinned at hearing Felix called a hooligan. She nodded. “Octavia and Felix, you mean? I’m afraid so. You do know who we work for don’t you?”