A/N:

Thank you to all reviewers! I love you all! I'm still kind of unsure where this story is going after this chapter, so there might not be an update for a while... Also, I have exams coming up soon. Ugh!

N.B.- Theophilus Throckmorton was born the year after the events in Ptolemy's Gate. He is forty-nine.

Disclaimer: None of this is mine. I am not trying to pretend like it is!

The Other Place

Once again I drifted around as I had for fifty years; however, this time something was different. Who was this John Mandrake? Where did he come from? Was John his real name, or did he just pick it out of the book of names? My bet was on John being his secondary name, because his master had mentioned something about a first summoning taking place once he came down from his room.

Why was this boy, out of all the magicians that had summoned me, asking me questions. I mean, it's not like I am not a reliable source; actually I am a very reliable source, due to my long and illustrious career; it's just not in a magician's nature to summon up a fourteenth-level jinn just to ask questions. In fact, only one other magician had asked me to answer something like that, and look what had happened to him! Why does it seem that every magician that I get involved with- that I have a true bond with- ends up with a grievous injury or disfigurement or death? Is it something about me? Are demons not supposed to care? Is this my punishment for caring? I mean, the only one who got off lightly was Kitty, and you saw her after her journey to the Other Side. Even if you didn't count that, she must be dying of love right now. Okay, maybe not dying, but certainly hurting.

Now, I must figure a way to answer my master's questions…

A simply furnished flat in the center of London

Kitty sank into her overstuffed armchair in her apartment. She hadn't decorated it lavishly, but this armchair was her one big indulgence. It wasn't like she couldn't afford more luxuries, as her job working as the consultant for the ministers paid very well, just too much luxury reminded her of the old ministers and their terrible rule. More importantly the luxury reminded her of a certain minister…

No! She couldn't allow herself to think of him. It had been 50 years, and her heart still hurt like it was yesterday. It was funny how you didn't realize how much you loved someone until they were gone. She missed Bartimaeus too. There had been many times in the past years when she had wished that she had been able to call Bartimaeus back and ask him what happened.

As the years had passes, Kitty had found many things to occupy her and take her mind off that day. However, the memories came back whenever she was alone, and nothing had succeeded to take her mind off them permanently.

The memories hadn't come back for a while; Kitty had been busy planning a party to unveil a statue, and the planning needed for this party had taken up almost all of her time. Kitty shook her head with impatience. She had no time to waste on silly thoughts. The tired woman got up from the armchair, sat down at her desk, and began to write her speech.

The Penthouse in the center of London

The summoning had gone well. Even Throckmorton, as picky as he was, had found nothing to complain about.

"Well, John, you did much better than I ever expected. Now, in lieu of that success, I have decided to invite you to come with Mrs. Throckmorton and me to an unveiling gala hosted by Kitty Jones. The event is tomorrow."

"Who's she?"

"Who is she? My, John, your current events knowledge is most definitely not up to date. Ms. Kitty Jones is a commoner; in fact, one of the very commoners who worked so hard to get rid of the horrible system that ruled the British Empire. Although she refuses to take a seat in the council, she is still a major figure in British politics. She must be around sixty-four or sixty-five, I'm not sure. If you meet her personallyat the Gala, do not say a thing about her appearance. No one knows how it happened."

"How what happened, Master?" queried John.

"It's hard to explain. You'll know when you see her." And with that, Throckmorton walked out of the room.

John stood in the middle of the room, thinking. This Kitty Jones will be an interesting person to meet. I wonder what Throckmorton was talking about when he mentioned her appearance.

John shook his head once, and then walked out of the room.

A dark room in the top of the penthouse- The next day

Instead of bothering with the theatrics this time, I simply appeared in the same form I had left in- the form of the lanky 16-year old boy. My master, or should I say John Mandrake, stood in the other pentacle, looking almost exactly like he had before.

"Last time you were summoned here, I asked a question. What is your answer?"

Yup, still the same self-centered tween. No hope for change there. "Yes, master, I have an answer for you. Mind you, it was very hard to find it, and I had to talk to a number of testy jinn, but I succeeded. The answer is, no one knows."

"What! You insolent slave! You didn't try hard enough! There is an answer to every question!"

"Yes, there is, and the answer to the question you asked is that no one knows. There are always more jinni being created everywhere. Why'd you want to know in the first place?"

"I told you that in the first place. Now, I'm going to let you go for now because I have to go to a very important function hosted by some old bat."

"Who?" I was eager to find out who this young upstart called an old bat.

"I don't even know her. Someone by the name of Kitty Jones."

"HOW DAre…!" I then remembered he could use some extremely painful incantations on me and decided against yelling at him. "Here's a hint, kid. Don't judge someone by first impressions. Wait until you get to know them better before you judge them. I've learned that the hard way."

With that closing comment, I left the pentacle.

The same room at the top of the penthouse, just without the presence of a jinni

John wondered what had caused that outburst of temper in Bartimaeus. He shook it off and proceeded to dress for the gala.

Thankyou to all my reviewers!

I wasn't sure how old Kitty was during the events of Ptolemy's Gate, that's why I left it openended. Could someone please provide insight?