Helen Speaks

Olive Framley Entry 5, 14th May.

Dear Talia,

Firenze has given me a shock. Perhaps I have fallen into the trap of seeing him more as a pet than a familiar. I knew we had a bond and I thought it was surprising when I had a future flash, but I have discovered that I vastly underestimated him. This morning I went down his enclosure and he was gone. What kind of witch loses her familiar? I was frantic and I called Hatty the maid, who denied having seen or done anything – I feel a little bad now, but I was harsh with her because it seemed the only likely causes would be that Hatty had let Firenze out accidentally or she had taken him deliberately. Well, she denied everything, then I cast my truth spell and questioned her again – but either she’s resistant to my magic or she was being honest because there were no purple flashes.

I realised that I needed help. I thought about going to see Aunty Ermingarde, but first I headed up to the lighthouse, where Shannon lives. I know her tealeaf reading was nonsense, but she must have some psychic abilities to be a Banshee.

When I got there, she was pouring two cups of tea. She was the only one there. She looked at me, a little smug.

“Ah, yer here now, are ye? You’ll be taking two sugars.”

“Actually I don’t take sugar…” But she put two lumps in anyway and shoved the cup into my hands.

Maybe I did need the sugar. I felt quite frantic.

“So you’ve lost yer friend, have ye? Remember what I said… after despair comes hope.”

“That’s all very well,” I told her. “But how can I find him? He’s not a cat… he’s a Chinese water dragon. He’s not meant to be out…”

She just smiled, and gestured to the fireplace. Firenze was curled up on the rug… rather like a cat.

I nearly dashed to him – then I stared at Shannon suspiciously. “Did you steal him?”

“Naw, don’t be a eejit. He’s a witch’s familiar, isn’t he? He’s got ways and means. Watch.”

“What do you…?”

“Sssh!”

Firenze woke up, stretched, and, seemingly unaware or ignoring both of us, he ambled across the rug… then a little portal opened up and he hopped through it, his tail vanishing last of all.

“The Cheshire cat gift,” Shannon said. “Familiars need to be able to go where their witch goes.”

“But the Cheshire cat wasn’t a…”

“Aw, ye never met Alice, did ye? Quite the powerful witch.”

I blinked at her.

“He won’t be far,” Shannon said. “He’ll go somewhere else that you might go… an important place.”

“Oh – like my Aunty Ermingarde’s.”

“I’d look there,” she said. She gestured to the cup. “Stay and read the leaves?”

“No thanks,” I said, and set off for Dune House. (Alice was a witch, Talia? Have you heard this theory? Was Carroll her mentor? What a strange idea!)

When I got to Dune House, there was some kind of chaos going on in the garden. That little witch Lucy was there, and a girl I didn’t know, tangling with some different plants, and Aunty Ermingarde was watching them, looking a little concerned but mostly exasperated.

She smiled when she saw me. “Ah Jenny… I mean, Olive. It’s good to see you. Have you come to help?”

“I came to look for my dragon… but maybe he led me here for a reason. What’s happening?”

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll have it in hand,” she said, her eyes glittering lilac for a moment (does the spell I cast on her not wear off? I should find a counterspell). “Come in, I feel tired just watching this.”

She had a beautiful old range oven and Firenze was curled up next to it.

“My friend said it’s the Cheshire cat gift,” I said. “Have you heard of it? Does Lucy’s familiar do it?”

“Disappear apart from the smile?” Aunty Ermingarde pondered for a bit and then said, “I didn’t think she had a familiar but… I think she might have an invisible one.”

An imaginary friend, I thought, but didn’t say. It seemed a little mean.

“Tea?”

“No thanks,” I said… and I know Mummy would be shocked, and Daddy would disown me, but I sat on the flags next to Firenze and, knowing that Aunty Ermingarde cares about me, and suddenly feeling everything, I felt a tear on my cheek.

I felt like such a foolish witch, Talia! Losing my familiar! Why would he just wander off! And I’d never heard of the Cheshire Cat gift. Aunty Ermingarde patted my shoulder. “You’ll think of something,” she said. No purple flash.

That meant a lot. I asked if I could still use the herb garden.

“Oh – yes, the one part of the garden they haven’t turned into a jungle,” she said. “Of course, dear.”

I took Firenze with me.

“I need to be able to find you,” I told him. He explored the herbs, and I had an idea. “If you’re going somewhere, you could leave me a leaf…” I looked through the labels. “Sage for Shannon. Dill for Dune House… And, well, nowhere else yet, Firenze. You’re young.”

He nuzzled into my arms. I felt, and I hoped, that he understood.

I took some pots home with me, and he sat with me as I read a book. I hope this works, Talia, but I’ll let you know.

Yours sincerely,

Olive.