Archie Greene and the Alchemist's Curse

by D D Everest

  Bookery The great vaulted space between Quill’s and the entrance to the Museum of Magical Miscellany, where magical books roost in huge bookcases like birds or fly around in flocks.

  Books of Destiny The name given to The Book of Prophecy and The Book of Reckoning. The Book of Yore is also sometimes included.

  Book Whisperer One who can talk to magical books, a very rare magical ability. Archie Greene is the first book whisperer in four hundred years.

  Darchemist Writer of dark magic, including the authors of the Terrible Tomes.

  Darchive A secret place in the Museum of Magical Miscellany that is kept in total darkness. The Darchive houses magical books and artefacts that must never see the light of day. A number of dark magical items are stored there. Over the years several famous and infamous members of the magical realm have gained access to the Darchive. In the seventeenth century, the alchemist Fabian Grey is known to have visited on at least one occasion. The last known visitor was Arthur Ripley.

  Door Ray The secret entrance to the back of house in Quill’s Coffee & Chocolate House. The door ray provides access to the Museum of Magical Miscellany. It is disguised as a sunbeam to confuse the Unready.

  Dragon’s Claw One of the oldest seats of learning. The Dragon’s Claw belonged to Fellwind the Destroyer, one of the great dragons of the North. Its claw was so large that it could hold two men, which is why the Dragon’s Claw is one of a small number of double seats. The Dragon’s Claw has a reputation for trickery and treachery.

  Drawing Books Highly dangerous magical books that draw unwary readers into their pages. They include The Book of Yore, the history of magic.

  Emerald Eye The magical pendant that belonged to the magician John Dee, and that Dee’s ghost gave to Archie Greene as his keepsafe.

  Enchanted Entrance A secret doorway underneath the Aisle of White that gives access to other magical places.

  Firemark Magical symbol that appears on the palm of an apprentice’s hand when he or she passes the Flame test. New firemarks appear when the Flame of Pharos determines an apprentice is ready for the next challenge.

  Flame Keepers of Alexandria A secret community devoted to finding and preserving magical books. The Flame Keepers protect the Museum of Magical Miscellany in Oxford and are descended from the original guardians of the Great Library of Alexandria.

  Flame of Pharos The magical flame that burned in the lighthouse in the harbour of Alexandria, guiding travellers from faraway lands to the books. When the Great Library of Alexandria burned down, the Flame was brought to Oxford. Legend has it that the Flame contains the spirits of the magisters, the ancient magic writers from the Golden Age of Magic, and is the conscience of the magical realm. The Flame now burns in the Word Smithy in the mending workshop beneath the Aisle of White and marks new apprentices with a firemark for the three apprentice skills: Finding, Minding or Binding.

  Folly & Catchpole The oldest and most secretive law firm in England. Folly & Catchpole has been the legal firm of choice for the magical community of Britain for more than nine hundred years. Based in London, just off Fleet Street, it specialises in magical instructions and the storage of magical items and other secrets.

  Forbidden Books Magical books that must not be opened. They include the Terrible Tomes, and other books that are covered under prohibited practices.

  Golden Age of Magic Most people have forgotten about magic or don’t know it ever existed. But long ago there was a golden age when magic was practised openly. In those days, master magicians called magisters wrote the master spells that magicians have relied on ever since. As long as the master spell remains intact, someone else trained in magic can cast the spell by speaking it.

  Greaders Sworn enemies of the Flame Keepers. In secret they still use magic for their own purposes and ignore the Lores of Magical Restraint. They are called Greaders because they are greedy for magical books and will go to any lengths to get their hands on them. The apprentices who work at the museum have to be always on their guard against them. Above all else the Greaders desire the Terrible Tomes.

  Great Library of Alexandria The most famous library of all time, it housed the greatest collection of magical books ever assembled. The library was burned down in around 48 BC.

  Happy Landing The place just outside the main doors to the Museum of Magical Miscellany, where the seats of learning deposit visitors.

  Hecate Nightshade A darchemist. Hecate was a witch who wrote The Grim Grimoire, a book of diabolical spells, which is one of the seven Terrible Tomes. According to legend, a bolt of lightning killed Hecate as she was trying to complete the final spell, giving rise to its name, the Unfinished Spell.

  John Dee (1527–1609) An English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, alchemist and navigator. One of the most learned men of his age, Dee was Queen Elizabeth I’s court magician and amassed one of the largest private libraries in Europe, including many rare and magical books. Dee’s ghost gave his favourite scrying crystal pendant, the Emerald Eye, to Archie Greene as a keepsafe.

  Keepsafe A magical gift usually given to someone to protect them from danger. Traditionally, a keepsafe is received from a friend or family member at the start of a magical apprenticeship.

  Lost Books Department Located in the Museum of Magical Meiscellany, the Department of Lost Books identifies magical books that have gone astray. When a new book arrives, it first goes to Lost Books to be classified according to its magical strength. Former heads of Lost Books include the Greader Arthur Ripley. The current head is Gideon Hawke.

  Magic There are three branches of magic:

  Natural Magic The purest kind of magic. It comes from magical creatures and plants and the elemental forces of nature, such as the sun, the stars and the seas. (Symbol: tree with lightning bolt.)

  Mortal Magic Man-made magic. It includes the magical instruments and other devices created by magicians to channel magical power. (Symbol: crystal ball.)

  Supernatural Magic The third and darkest type of magic uses the power of spirits and other supernatural beings. (Symbol: smiling skull.)

  Magicians’ Eye The condition of having eyes that are different colours. Magicians’ eye is associated with rare magical abilities, including a talent for dark magic.

  Magister Master magician and magic writer from the Golden Age of Magic.

  Motion Potion An antigravity potion served at Quill’s that is required to travel safely in the seats of learning. Motion potions come in a variety of flavours and names and can be mixed with hot chocolate (choc-tails) or fruit juices.

  Museum of Magical Miscellany The secret building concealed under the Bodleian Library in Oxford that houses the world’s most powerful magical books. All magical books must be returned to the museum for inspection and classification.

  Opus Magus The great work of magic. A legendary book said to contain the master spells of magic.

  Permission Wall An enchantment that disguises magical places so they can’t be seen from the outside. Typically a secret mark or password is required as ‘permission’ to pass through a permission wall.

  Poppers Magical books with spells that can escape if they are opened. There are two types: pop-ups are spells that can escape from a book but must remain with it; pop-outs are able to roam freely.

  Popper Stopper A glass phial which, when uncorked, releases a white vapour that surrounds and captures wayward popper spells. Once used, a popper stopper must be returned to the museum so that the spell it contains can be put back into its book or disposed of in some other way. First- and secondhand apprentices are forbidden to use popper stoppers because they are deemed too dangerous.

  Quill’s Coffee & Chocolate House Founded in London in 1657 by Jacob Quill, Quill’s became a favourite meeting place for the magical community. In 1667, Quill’s moved to Oxford after the original shop was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. It has been in Oxford ever since. As well as its internationally famous choc-tails, it boasts one of the most impressive permission walls
anywhere in the magical world, acting as the entrance to the Museum of Magical Miscellany.

  Royal Society of Magic Founded in 1666 by King Charles II, the Royal Society was established to further the understanding of magic. Its mission is to recognise, promote and support excellence in magic and to encourage the development and use of magic for the benefit of humankind. A number of famous and infamous magical experiments were conducted there. It has a reputation for being elitist, and several famous magicians and alchemists have been linked with it, including Sir Isaac Newton.

  Seats of Learning A set of ancient enchanted flying chairs used for getting in and out of the Museum of Magical Miscellany to provide added security and secrecy. Those using the seats of learning must drink a motion potion. Each seat is unique and has its own colourful history.

  Snook It’s one of the Museum of Magical Miscellany’s traditions that new apprentices must bring a magical book – called a snook – on their first day.

  Special Instruction A special instruction is a binding magical contract, usually an order to do something with a magical object on or by a given date. Special instructions may be placed many years in advance of the designated date. Once received, a special instruction may not be cancelled. Failure to comply with a magical instruction is against the Lore and may have serious magical repercussions, triggering curses or other unpleasant spells.

  Terrible Tomes The seven most dangerous dark magic books ever written. They are among the Forbidden Books that must not be opened. It is said that if the Greaders get their hands on just one of the Terrible Tomes, then they could destroy the world.

  Unready People who don’t know about magic.

  Acknowledgments

  This book has been full of surprises. Thanks are due to some very special people who kept me on track and made invaluable contributions.

  To my family, especially my sister Lindsay, who lived it with me on all those lunches and walks through the woods. To my son and daughter, Dan and Erin, and my nephew, Harry, who provided encouragement and comments on the many drafts, and grew up while I was busy writing.

  To Bryan for being Bryan; and to Ian for always being there when I need him. And to Jane and Charlotte for their support.

  To my exceptional agents, Paul Moreton and Eddie Bell at Bell Lomax Moreton and especially Josephine Hayes, who made it possible in the first place.

  To Leah Thaxton, my wonderful publisher at Faber & Faber, and her fantastic team of editors: Alice Swan, Naomi Colthurst, and Natasha Brown.

  To James de la Rue for his superb illustrations.

  To Maurice Lyon, who did such a great job copyediting and made many helpful suggestions.

  To my brilliant editors at Harper Collins, Antonia Markiet, and Abbe Goldberg, who gave their time generously, and helped me find my way when I was lost.

  To my own Alchemists’ Club: the advance readers who helpfully reviewed the early chapters.

  To Stuart and Ro for their unwavering friendship.

  To Sara, who read the drafts and suffered with me, for her belief and love.

  Finally, to my parents Peter Dearlove and Dorothy Dearlove (née Everest) -- for everything.

  About the Author

  D. D. Everest is a successful business journalist and author who has written a number of adult non-fiction books. Archie Greene and the Alchemist’s Curse is the second book in the Archie Greene Trilogy and his second book for children. He lives with his family in a rambling Victorian house on the Ashdown Forest.

  By the Same Author

  Archie Greene and the Magician’s Secret

  FABER & FABER has published children’s books since 1929. Some of our very first publications included Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot starring the now world-famous Macavity, and The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. Our catalogue at the time said that ‘it is by reading such books that children learn the difference between the shoddy and the genuine’. We still believe in the power of reading to transform children’s lives.

  Copyright

  First published in 2016

  by Faber & Faber Ltd

  Bloomsbury House

  74–77 Great Russell Street

  London WC1B 3DA

  This ebook edition first published in 2016

  All rights reserved

  © D. D. Everest, 2016

  Design by Faber

  Text © D. D. Everest, 2016

  Illustration © James de la Rue, 2016

  The right of D. D. Everest to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly

  ISBN 978–0–571–30742–5