Marcia Overstand was furious. With even more disregard than usual for the afternoon traffic of vendors and castle inhabitants returning for lunch, she stomped down Wizard's Walkway with her bright purple boots clicking menacingly every time they made contact with the cobblestone pavement.

"This is the last straw", she thought. It was the fourth time in just one week that Septimus had missed his ExtraOrdinary Wizard Apprentice duties because he was spending time with that no-good Alchemist. Although she was loth to admit it, and frequently claimed that she was just making sure Septimus's Magykal education was not tainted by all the nonsense that was Alchemie, she was just a little jealous of Marcellus's influence over Septimus, and sometimes feared that he preferred the company of the ancient Alchemist to hers. But regardless of whose company Septimus preferred, he had a duty to fulfill as the Extra-Ordinary Wizard's apprentice, and she was going to make sure he did so.

It wasn't long before she reached the red door that now housed the 500 year old man who had stolen her apprentice not too long ago. She banged the doorknocker loudly several times, and impatiently waited to give both Septimus and Marcellus a piece of her mind. She could hear some shuffling behind the door, and a voice tentatively shouted,

"Who is it?"

"You know very well who it is Marcellus, now open the door, I'm hear to see Septimus," Marcia said edgily. She could hear more shuffling and finally the door creaked open slightly.

A slightly surprised Marcellus looked stuck his head out between the gap and greeted the irate wizard at his door, as polite as ever, "Ah Marcia, what a pleasant surprise."

Marcia took in what she could see of the alchemist, his dark locks that were usually arranged immaculately, were disheveled and hung loosely around his neck, and he determinedly kept the door only a quarter open, so she could just see his disembodied head through the gap. She wondered why he just wouldn't open the door all the way. "Up to some Darke stuff no doubt", she thought.

Marcia clicked her tongue trying to peer in around the door, "Where's Septimus?" she demanded.

"I assure you he isn't here, Marcia," Marcellus replied, "I haven't seen my Apprentice in over a week."

Marcia snorted, "First, he's not your Apprentice, and second, you mean to tell me that Septimus hasn't been sneaking around here neglecting his duties as the", and she put some emphasis here, "ExtraOrdinary Wizard's Apprentice?"

Marcellus frowned thoughtfully, "How often has Septimus been disappearing?"

Marcia was a little taken aback; she had expected Marcellus to continue lying to her about Septimus going over to his place, but the Alchemist's concerned face made her a bit worried. "About four times this week," Marcia replied.

Marcellus's frown deepened, he straightened his back and in the process opened the door more fully.

Marcia suddenly understood why the alchemist had kept the door so guardedly shut now that she could see his entire frame through the opening. Marcellus wasn't wearing his customary red and black Alchemist robes; in fact he really wasn't wearing much of anything besides a pair of cotton pajamas. On impulse, Marcia turned her head away, but then chided herself for her immature reaction. She was a grown woman and the ExtraOrdinary wizard to boot, a bare chest shouldn't embarrass her. So, she looked back determinedly at Marcellus who was still lost in thought and seemed to have forgotten about Marcia standing at his door.

"Well?" she asked abruptly, being embarrassed made her jumpy, and she wanted to end this conversation quickly so she could get the broad shoulders out of her sight.

Marcellus snapped out of his reverie, and rested his surprisingly well-toned arm against the doorframe. "I don't know what to say Marcia, it isn't like Septimus to blatantly flout his duties, he has always been most responsible."

"I agree", said Marcia, whose concern for her apprentice had momentarily banished the thought that Marcellus's body has a pleasant deep brown tone to it from her head. "Septimus can be a little careless, but I've never known him to deliberately disregard his education."

Just then, a female voice called from within Marcellus's house, "Marcellus darling, where are you?"

"Just a minute," Marcellus shouted over his shoulder.

Marcia looked stricken for a moment as she realized what was going on, but quickly rearranged her features and said a tad bit formally, "I didn't know you had company Marcellus, I apologize taking so much of your time."

Marcellus looked a little sheepish, "No, of course not Marcia, glad to be of help. Let me know if you hear of Septimus, I wouldn't be too worried, he's at that age when they rebel."

Marcia nodded, but not trusting her voice, she didn't say anything before turning around and walking away towards the Wizard Tower. She was much chagrined by the way she had handled that whole encounter. There was absolutely no reason for the weird feeling she had in the pit of her stomach right now, except maybe concern for her young apprentice. "Yes, that's what it is," she thought, "I'm just worried about Septimus."

But that didn't explain why every time she thought about Marcellus standing in that doorway that feeling in her stomach intensified.