The Magykal Papers (12 page)

Once you are familiar with these rules, you may wish to read our new pamphlet,
Advanced Rules of Ghosthood
, on display in the window of the Manuscriptorium and inside the Hole in the Wall Tavern. Subjects include:

• New Forms: How, why and when
  
• Reuniting with those who die later: Pitfalls and pleasures
  
• Reuniting with those who died earlier: Pleasures and pitfalls
  
• Pets: Can a hamster be a successful ghost?
  
• Discomposing: How to get through walls the easy way
  
• Ghosts to avoid
  
• Haunting for pleasure
  
• On being
  Gathered
  (recommended reading for ex-ExtraOrdinary Wizards)
  

And much, much more!

S
EPTIMUS
H
EAP

S
EPTIMUS
H
EAP
spent the first ten years of his life as a boy with no name. All he had was a number: 412. Known as Boy 412, Septimus was one of the Expendables in the Supreme Custodian’s Young Army. Septimus stayed alive by following orders and keeping quiet, and he survived the dangerous night exercises in the Forest because—unknown to him—many of the trees were looking out for him at the request of his shape-shifter grandfather, Benjamin Heap.

The day that Septimus nearly froze to death in front of the Wizard Tower was the day that changed his life. It threw his lot in with the Heaps and with Marcia Overstrand and began his voyage of discovery. He learned many things in those next few months: that people could be kind, that Wizards were not so bad, that cabbage sandwiches tasted good and that even Princesses were quite nice really. He also learned to his surprise that he was good at
Magyk
—the very
Magyk
that the Young Army had taught him to despise. Not only was he good at it, he was
so
good that the ExtraOrdinary Wizard actually wanted him to become her Apprentice—which was, he thought, just ridiculous.

But during his few months in the Marram Marshes with Aunt Zelda, Jenna and Nicko, Septimus changed. He shrugged off the shackles of the Young Army, he began to understand and trust people, and by the end of his time there, he decided that if Marcia Overstrand really did want him as her Apprentice then he would accept. And when he finally discovered who he was—Septimus Heap, the seventh son of Silas and Sarah Heap—Septimus felt his life opening out before him.

With the routing out of DomDaniel and all his cronies, and the return of peace to the Castle, Septimus settled down to become Apprentice to Marcia Overstrand, and to try to get to know his family. This was at times a difficult balancing act—but something that he had never even dreamed would happen during his nightmare years as Boy 412.

So, if you were walking along Wizard Way on your way to buy a sausage sandwich from Wizard Sandwiches, how would you recognize Septimus? Like all the Heaps, Septimus has curly, straw-colored hair and bright green eyes. He does comb his hair, although Marcia does not always believe him when he insists that he has—
really
. You would notice the green Apprentice robes right away, as green is not a popular color in the Castle (most people go for more subdued hues). He would probably be wearing his green Apprentice cloak and he would definitely have on his silver Apprentice belt complete with all its little compartments for
Charms
and other bits and pieces. When you got close enough to say, “Hello, Sep!” (or just smile if you felt shy) you would see a beautiful gold Dragon Ring with its emerald eye on his finger. Septimus would return your smile or say hello; he is known around the Castle as a friendly, approachable Apprentice who has not gotten “above himself” as they say there. It is also easy to make him laugh.

A word of advice: if you see Septimus rushing along with Marcia Overstrand, it is advisable to do no more than give a brief wave. Marcia does not approve of distractions when Septimus is working.