Helen Speaks

Olive Framley Entry 9, 11^th June.

Dear Talia,

I am no longer a fortune-telling witch, and focusing my powers away from divination feels cleansing at the moment. To thank my maid Hatty for her gift of the picnic hamper, I decided to see if I could make the chores around the house a bit easier. I thought it would be good if I could make the hamper lighter to make picnics easier, and I realised that there are a few heavy things that Hatty has to lift too, like the rubbish bin, supplies for Firenze and the ancient vacuum cleaner that came with the cottage.

I tried an incantation I’d found from another internet forum, and it worked a little too well. I had to stand on a chair to get the bin down from the ceiling. But I tried the disillusionment spell and, joy of joys, it actually worked! So I tried again and put a little less magical force into it, and that worked well.

It should be said that Hatty seemed more confused than pleased, but I went out to practise on some heavy rocks outside to find the limits of the spell, and I saw Lucy, now not just a fellow witch but also my friend, walking with a young boy who looked about 10, and holding a suitcase. They seemed to be having a very enthusiastic conversation.

I waved and they came over. Lucy introduced her young friend as Maksym. He gazed open mouthed at the rocks I’d done the spell on, floating about in the breeze like balloons. “Are you a miracle too?” he asked me.

I turned to Lucy for an explanation of that! “Maksym has power,” she told me. “He can make it rain – properly storm, although it mostly comes out when he’s frightened. I’ve given him some training bands to control it better.”

He proudly showed me woven bands that he wore on each wrist. “What are you doing with the rocks?”

I told him, and he wanted to try. Lucy looked a little nervous – but then she said, “Go on, Maksym.”

He copied the incantation for a bit, and got a little response from a very heavy boulder.

Then Lucy said something to… someone else. She said, “Yes, let’s get him to start small first.”

Maksym looked at his training bands. “Can I… is it all right if I take them off?”

“Teddy, shush,” Lucy said. I blinked at her.

“She can’t see him,” Maksym said, “Here…” and he grabbed my hand… and suddenly I saw a boy about Lucy’s age but dressed in an old fashioned shirt and slacks. He was translucent. A ghost?

“Oh – hello,” he said. “I’m Teddy – Lucy’s friend and magical companion.” He tugged at his wispy cap.

The invisible familiar is real! Lucy never ceases to surprise me. To think, I’d assumed her familiar would be a black cat or maybe a friendly pot of geraniums.

“Teddy says I should give it a try,” Maksym explained to me. “Cause then I would do your spell better. It’s okay, Lucy.”

And he pulled them off his wrists and tucked them in his pocket. Hah, I liked this kid! He tried again and a rock flew into the air. Lucy gasped – but I laughed. “He’s amazing,” I told her.

“Take it steady with him,” she told me, but he was delighted. He dashed around, trying it again and again – eventually I caught him and tickled him, while he giggled raucously, mainly so that he didn’t accidentally make my cottage fly like in The Wizard of Oz.

Lucy – and Teddy – had never seen my cottage so after Maksym promised to stop doing the spell for a while, I showed them around. Maksym loved Firenze, who loved him too – he showed off his Cheshire Cat gift by darting in and out of his enclosure to other parts of the cottage and back again. I heard him ask Lucy what kind of familiar he should have, but she told him it wasn’t time yet.

It’s nice having a kid look up to me, Talia. He hugged me before he left and I had a future flash – him as a proud and tall young man, playing with lightning in his hand. I’m sure he’s destined for great things.

Yours sincerely,

Olive.