Chapter 15
One black tomcat with white feet and one ginger and white lady cat walked through Diagon Alley early in the morning, near the busiest time of the day. The streets were so busy with people heading to work and shopping that they had to hug the buildings to keep from being stepped on. The streets outside the magic district were just as busy. Passepartout brought them through the crowds to the Charing Cross Road entrance in the wine box. Their collars were back on, and all was ready.
"It may be several hours before we come back out," Phileas said. "Don't get impatient and whatever you do, don't touch the walls around this place. We will meet you outside the pub across the street. Just keep watch and wait. If all works out well, we won't need that box again."
With that, the two cats headed into the alley.
Crossing the street was the hardest part. So many feet to dodge. The cats weaved in and out, finally coming to the Knockturn Alley signpost.
Deftly, Rebecca led the way up to the control stone pedestal. They had to climb the stairs, jump up on the widow's walk rail, and onto the roof ridge.
The stone was positioned at the peak of the ridge over the widow's walk doors, atop the ornate edge trim. Both cats walked the ridge to a point near the glowing green stone. Phileas took his steps carefully. He didn't know how close he had to get before the de-spell stone did its work. He was also minding Mrs. Wendell's warning about what would happen if it contacted the bigger stone. All Diagon Alley security would cease to exist. That was what the cat would be threatening, but he didn't want to do it.
"Rebecca, can you see one of those big openings from here?"
Rebecca moved to over the end of the roofline, getting a clearer view around the neighboring buildings. "Yes," she said, looking over the rooftops to the west, then southwest. "I can see most of the street."
"Good. I am going to get closer," Phileas said. "Tell me when something happens."
Rebecca sat down on the ridge behind him, watching the southwest entrance first. Phileas took a step closer, and then another. The large stone flickered green for a moment. One step closer…
This time, the stone's glow dimmed noticeably.
"Phileas," Rebecca said, "the gate is opening and closing. One moment I can see it, and then it disappears."
The black cat took one more step closer.
Rebecca said, "That did it! It is open now!"
She watched as the people on both sides of the once-solid wall stare at the sudden opening. Most of the people on the main London side paid no attention, so busy with what they were doing. But enough did and wandered close to the opening to investigate what had before been out of sight. The architecture in Knockturn Alley was different. The entire city was old, but this area hadn't had a style change since Queen Elizabeth's reign. A few at a time, people walked in to look around.
On the magic side, the reaction was more pronounced. Trolls ran for cover or were diverted into buildings. Some people tried to head off straying townspeople by directing them elsewhere. In the west, where the connecting street was a major road. A wagon master tried to cut through, thinking the street was a new shortcut. People rushed forward to stop him, yelling for the wagon to back up. Only the driver couldn't because another freight wagon driver had the same idea and followed close behind him. Before long, the west entrance was hopelessly snarled.
Turning back to check the southwest entrance, she saw it was being blocked off with carts, but not fast enough to keep townsfolk from getting in.
Word worked its way through the streets. The Spell Caster's Hall was besieged. Bernard Malfoy was issuing orders to keep all trolls away from the entrances. But that put the security wizard at a severe disadvantage because the little people comprised most of his police force. The man ran down the road to the Knockturn entrance, assessing the situation. The opening was mostly blocked now, but curious townsfolk were gathering on the other side of the barricade four and five deep, trying to see in. Running crosswise between buildings, he headed to the west end of Diagon Alley.
That area was a real mess. The wagon drivers were insistent about getting through the narrow street. People were filtering through and around them into Diagon Alley at an alarming rate. Shop owners locked their doors to keep them out.
Mouth agape in shock, the frantic wizard ran east to the cross street, where the control stone was seated. He hoped fervently the fault was something that could be easily corrected.
Rebecca saw him coming just behind two other prominent wizards she recognized by sight. Marcus Gryffindor was helping Nicholas Flamel, the alchemist, through the crowd. The older man was the one who knew the most, so might could fix the problem.
"They are coming!" Rebecca called. She dropped off the peak behind Phileas and settled in a place on the far side of the handrail from the side stairs. She would be just far enough away for no one to see her, but close enough to be of help if Phileas needed it. He was trapped out in the open, behind the control stone. Only their unwillingness to damage the stone and his charm would protect him.
The two older wizards came up the side stairs first. On seeing the black tomcat on the ridge by the stone. Right away, they tried to shew him off.
"One step closer and I destroy this thing!" the big cat cried out.
Taken aback by a talking cat, the wizards momentarily stepped back as ordered. The old alchemist saw the pendant on the cat's collar first and knew what had happened. He held Marcus back. "If the animal touches the control stone with that, it will be permanently ruined."
The security wizard burst through the balcony doors a moment later and whirled around, wand in hand. He saw the black cat and with one fluid motion he flicked his wand, shouting "OFF!"
The other wizards didn't have a chance to warn him. The attack spell, which should have tossed the cat off the roof and maybe several blocks further, bounced back in a ball of bright light. The scowling wizard was hit hard. Malfoy flipped over the rail onto the clay tiles, skidding down toward the edge. Frantically, he found a foothold on a broken tile and reached forward, catching one hand on a baluster rung. In the fall, he dropped his wand.
Rebecca saw the wand caught in the grooves of the tiles. She dashed forward to grab it in her mouth, carrying it out of the angry wizard's reach.
Hoping to avoid more trouble, Marcus Gryffindor took charge of the chaos. "Who are you?" he demanded of the black cat. He saw the ginger and white cat when she dropped the wand near her companion at the roof's peak.
I know that cat.
"Do you turn people into cats so often that you don't remember us?" Phileas hissed. "We are Phileas and Rebecca Fogg. You passed sentence on us for coming into this place. Now we want our original forms back or you will have more than two angry cats to deal with. You can't use your magic against us this time. We have learned much in the last week. All I need to do is touch this stone to the big one and you will have to replace it. Do you have another of these handy?"
Marcus didn't have to look at the alchemist for confirmation. He knew that even if one were available, it would take days to tune and set in place.
"You have us at a disadvantage," the wizard said. "What are your terms?"
"We are to be changed back to human form," the tomcat demanded. "We are to be allowed to leave this place and never bothered. In return, I will sign over the building I bought at the price I bought it. You will get part of your northern barrier back."
Marcus seemed to think about it and answered the blackmail. "It is not enough," the wizard said. "It is going to take a great deal of work to undo the damage you have caused today. And you know too much about us, more than you did before. It can't be allowed for you to leave. Anytime, you could come back and cause us trouble again."
The ginger and white cat jumped between the wizards and Phileas. She nosed close to her partner. They conferred for a moment.
The black tomcat turned back to the wizards. "What if we were to advise you on how to make this place more secure? We will both lend our expertise to the task. When we are done, your entrance will be secure. Not by magic that can fail or be sabotaged, but by proper solid security measures. You will be as safe as Queen Victoria in Buckingham Palace."
Marcus thought about it. "It is an offer worth considering," he replied. "What expertise do you have?"
"Twenty and twelve years in Her Majesty's Secret Service," the cat said. "Once we are through with this place, a sewer rat couldn't get in without your notice."
Marcus looked at Nicholas. The old wizard was a senior member of the wizard's council. Nicholas nodded his head in acceptance.
"Done," Marcus agreed. "Remove your collar and I will change you back now. You will turn over the property and will have our word that you may do the work you have promised unhindered and leave this place. You will never be touched by one of ours, ever. And you will never try to return. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Phileas said. With Rebecca's help, he pulled the collar off his neck, dropping it on the roof ridge next to the control stone. The two cats backed away from the ridge to get out of the de-spell stone's range.
Marcus pulled out his wand and said three words. "Transformium, Dose, Human!"
Under the wizard's enchantment, the two cats on the roof evolved second by second from felines to humans.
Rebecca could feel the little silver chain snap as her neck grew. It caught itself on material as her fur changed to cloth. Before her eyes, Phileas went from black cat to man again. His white front paws became leather gloves and his white fur patch a gentleman's cravat. She was so entranced by the changes in him; she didn't notice when her very firm cat's footing gave way to normal boots.
Her feet slipped out from under her.
Grabbing at the roof tiles, she slid down toward a three-story drop. Phileas caught her hands before she was out of reach. Knees bracing against the rails, her cousin held her tight.
Thus helpless, Bernard Malfoy saw his chance. "I will have no meddling muggles in charge of the district's security!"
The fallen wizard had worked his way to the rail and secure footing during the negotiations. Now, he bounded over the rail, caught up his lost wand. He knelt near where Rebecca lay against the tiles. He growled several words through his teeth and flicked his wand. An instant before the killing spell could release itself, a ball of light hit the security wizard, dropping him to the floor with a squishy plop, a fleshy bullfrog.
Nicholas Flamel replaced his wand in his sleeve and bid Marcus to help the fully transformed people off the roof. When both were on the flat walk, the old wizard looked at his handy work and smiled.
He chuckled. "I enjoyed that. Bernard has always been an ill-tempered, arrogant boy; all the way back six generations, the Malfoys have been that way." He looked at the two muggles beside him. "We wizards keep our word," he said solemnly.
"And you have my word, sir. We will keep ours."