Timestop

Chapter 1:

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Septimus Heap series and its characters.

"I still need some authorisations for the Conference and I think Stephen has been looking for you because of the seating order."

"Goodness, I've already Copied the order and Sent it to his message box. If for once he checked it up …"

"If for once he found out how it worked…"

"Stop annoying me, John. I'm supposed to have the Encounter all ready till Thursday, the Queen wants to update me on her so very helpful Queen book – or however she calls it – tomorrow and I for sure will need all of my strength to survive my meeting with our dear old Castle Alchemist. So if you're finished with holding me back…"

"I'm already gone."

"And be punctual the next time!" – With that he was up and gone the Spiral Staircase.

Marcia sighed. If she hadn't known him for ever, she would have to be constantly freaking out about him, but as times were, she had much more important stuff to do. She was just about to turn around and make her way across the Great Hall when a purple flickering caught her eye. It wasn't long and the ghost of her beloved ex-tutor, Alther Mella, fully Appeared next to her.

"The Encounter?", he asked, knowingly. He still remembered quite vividly the ups and downs of being ExtraOrdinary and he could tell be Marcia's facial expression that she was just about to get things ready for said event."

"Either that or the Cupboard Wizard Schedule? What do you think, Alther?", came the prompt response.

"No need to snap, Marcia. 775 ExtraOrdinaries have handled it, so you will, too. You just need to relax from time to time. It's really not that bad.", he tried to calm her – with no success, as he would find out right away.

"Times have changed, Alther. I really do value your support, but, frankly, it isn't getting me anywhere. Might be that during your term of office it wasn't that bad, as you put it, but people have higher demands nowadays and you know exactly that the occurrences on the Encounter directly reflect back on the Wizard Tower and how it is perceived. And by the way, I remember a certain Ex-ExtraOrdinary Wizard getting really agitated about it, too.", she said while heading for the big silver Entrance Doors. Quickly, she murmured the Password and slipped through the enlarging gap.

Standing at the top of the marble stairs, she took in a deep breath of early afternoon air and looked at Wizard Way which was spreading in front of her. She noticed that it was indeed a lovely spring afternoon and after having spent the most part of the day in rather boring meetings, she felt some kind of relief wandering through her bones. Maybe, she thought, Alther was right. About relaxing.

"Where are you going?"

Although she had known that he was floating right behind her, the sudden appearance of his voice made her flinch. She composed herself immediately though – as she always did – and answered his question.

"I need to go see Marcellus. I considered that as newly re-established Castle Alchemist he might want to attend the Encounter. See, Alther, I might not know much about Alchemy, but one can't argue that he does not work at his maximum. And I assume that means he does a good job."

Alther smiled. He knew that she would deny it at once and he knew that she was making a great effort to sound as annoyed as possible, but she did care. She had always cared – it was one of the reasons he had made her his Apprentice. He remembered it as if it had been just yesterday that he had asked her to his rooms. She had agreed at once and when he had seen that brilliant shimmering in her sparkling green eyes, he had known that she would be a great ExtraOrdinary – and she was.

Right now, though, those brilliant green eyes were looking at him expectantly in a slight undertone of petulance. She must have asked him something. Recently, he got distracted quite easily by thinking of the old times and according to Alice it wasn't getting any better. But he knew that she didn't mind and he himself rather enjoyed his "trips to the past", as he called them.

Still, he knew better than letting Marcia Overstrand wait.

"I'm sorry, my dear. I'm afraid, I have to admit I didn't hear your question. What is it?"

"If you want to come with me? Will you?"

On that he raised a ghostly eyebrow.

"Why would I?", he demanded and saw a constant feeling of offense rushing over his ex-Apprentices' features.

Quickly, he added, "I mean, do you need me for something special?"

"No, not really. It's just … Never mind.", she said, a bit too subdued for her usually rather brusque air.

It was obvious that something burdened her, but he didn't dare ask, not just yet. He decided, though, that a bit of impulse wouldn't harm and meant: "He is really ok, Marcia. And he truly tries to fit in."

"Hmm…", was the only response he got.

Meanwhile an unusually delighted Alchemist was humming through his beloved home at Snake Slipway, which did look rather dilapidated from the outside, but was in reality buzzing with life from the inside. He had just finished his lessons to his new Apprentice, Simon Heap, and was now preparing everything for his two o'clock-tea. It was a dear tradition to him and had helped him, he remembered only too well, through four very lonely centuries.

But things were turning out well for him at last and now that he even had a new and especially very own Apprentice nothing in the world could go wrong any more. He was becoming more and more fond of Simon every day and though he had to admitted that there had been worried voices in his head telling him to keep to his own without an Apprentice, he was now glad he hadn't listened to them. Simon und Lucy Heap brought a breeze of fresh air into his house – actually one could even say they were reviving it with their adolescent mannerisms and there lovely new born son.

Marcellus had just put the kettle on when he heard an aggressive knocking coming from his front door. He knew at once who it was. And, also at once, he was annoyed with his visitor for that he had already asked her at least a million times to be careful with the precious dark cherry wood.

But he had no choice. She knew that there were really only two places he spent his time: his house and his magnificent Fyre Chamber. And he was sure that she would travel down to last one right away if he didn't open the door at some point soon. She would discover his absence in the Chamber, come back and …

Slowly, very slowly he made his way to the door. He listened to the crunching of the plank floor under his light steps and realised with dismay that it would be soon attacked by two purple, pointy python shoes.

He hadn't even opened the door fully when she was already striding towards his living room. Typical.

"It's nice to see you, too, Marcia.", he called after her, but – as usually – didn't get a response. One might want to think that an ExtraOrdinary knew how to behave politely, he thought, but he was far beyond acknowledging it as part of her character. There were times he still struggled with not getting too annoyed with her, but, then again, he did count her as one of his friends now.

He entered the living room and saw her fetching something from her belt. He could tell by its size that she must have Shrunken it. Hearing him coming in, she looked up.

"You're going to accompany me to the Encounter."

"The what?" Things would be much easier if she just tried to explain things to him instead of expecting him to know them naturally.

"The Encounter."

"The what?"

"Marcellus!

"What?"

Marcia let out a heavy sigh – a bit over-exaggerated in his opinion –, enlarged the object in her left hand with a flicking of her fingers and handed it over to him.

"The Encounter" he could see written in glittering letters on the cover page of what seemed to be an invitation. Sure, this was helping him on.

He decided to try it with all of his kindness and explained: "Marcia, I am sorry to say, but I do not know what this Encounter you are inviting me to is nor have I ever heard about it. If you would please explain, I would be extraordinarily thankful."

Marcia looked at him in utter horror and, again, sighed. He made an imaginary note to point out that excessive sighing at her next visit, before wondering what on earth he had done wrong this time to deserve such a range of her emotions.

She herself though, just sat down, announcing: "I've expected the Castle Alchemist to know. Sit down. I'll explain."

And it was indeed perfect timing, because just then they could both hear the teakettle's whistling.

A/N: Hey, everybody! ;)

So, this is the first chapter of my first fanfic. I'm not entirely sure yet where this is going,

but I guess I'll figure out.

Also, English is not my native language, which means that there might be quite a few

mistakes. Still, I hope that you understood most parts of the text. ;))

Read & Review, please!

12Marcia02