The Green Moon

Additional Disclaimer: The Secret Police of Yeho were described by the incomparable Max Frei

Blaise was browsing books in a tall, vaulted, Gothic aisle of the library at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was looking thoughtfully at the book spines - Fungi of the Southern Europe, no, this one he knew, Magical Plants of the Far East, now this one sounded interesting... Blaise took it and began to browse it.

Suddenly, he heard a sound of running feet, and a plump boy in the black robes of a student came panting into the aisle. Blaise recognized the boy - it was young Nigel Longbottom.

'Yes, Nigel, what is it?' Blaise asked.

'Professor, there is something very strange in the Restricted Section - a white light, and it grows brighter and larger!' Nigel blurted out.

'Really?' Blaise asked. 'Stay here, Nigel. I'll look what it is.'

Blaise darted toward the Restricted Section. There it was all right - a powerful white light, coming from the Section of Alchemy. Blaise approached the aisles that housed the books on alchemy. The light grew brighter and larger. It was in the aisle with the books of the middle Ages. Blaise entered the aisle. He came closer to the light, and then the light engulfed him.

Blaise felt as if he was falling, and a moment of darkness. And then it stopped, and Blaise saw that he was standing in a street. It was a little, quiet street, with old stone houses that had pitched roofs and triangle windows. The pavement under Blaise's feet was of small cobbles in all colors. A light breeze carried a smell of water, as from a large river or sea. It was twilight, and a pale crescent already appeared in the pale blue sky. The crescent was green.

Blaise blinked. He'd never seen anything like this town, and the moon! But he definitely liked it here. Where was 'here', he didn't know. But he was resolute to know. He'll look about and learn more about this place. He walked down the street, looking around alertly.

Some passers-by came into sight. Their dress was very strange - a long, wide, fine tunic, over it a long, wide, fine cloak cut like a poncho, and a turban over the head! Blaise shook his head in wonder.

Then he heard the passers-by speaking, and found that he understood them, though the language wasn't one he ever learned! It sounded like one of the Eastern European languages, a bit like Czech that Blaise knew a little. 'Now where shall we go, Kiba?' 'The Pink Burivuh, I think...' 'Agreed!'

Blaise thought. Was it telepathy!? Now, maybe this new talent could help him learn more about this place. He walked on resolutely. What he needed now was a good pub, to test his new ability.

He walked on. Little winding streets, old houses, the mosaic of cobbles... And some pubs with nice quirky names, but Blaise felt they weren't IT.

Some blocks farther, he saw a very promising pub. The name was 'The Guttler Boonba'. Blaise walked in. A long wooden counter, a lot of old wooden tables and seats, a lot of people in that quirky local dress of all colors, little pots, cups and plates with pies on the tables.... A good place. Blaise took a place at a table between the counter and a window that looked into a courtyard. He looked at the innkeeper, a buxom middle-aged lady, and concentrated. Then he knew all he wanted! First of all, he didn't need to scare the natives with his Galleons! The people here believed that touching 'the base metal' cooled love, and preferred notes-of-hand. The notes were made on self-recording tablets that captured thoughts, so he had just to imagine the note, and it would appear on the tablet. Well, he could make a note, and then he will surely find someone who lends him some money to pay the note. Blaise sighed with relief - sitting in a pub and ordering nothing was just not right. So he waited till the nice innkeeper lady approached him and gave him the menu. He read it and ordered a plate of pies and some drink called kamra, not a strong drink as he gathered from the menu. The innkeeper lady smiled and brought him all this. He tasted kamra from his cup. It was delicious - something like both tea and coffee. Blaise thought he'll have the recipe. He took some more kamra and a pie and concentrated on the innkeeper again. He learned that this city was called Yeho, and it was the capital of the United Kingdom, the most powerful and prosperous country in this World. Yeho was built by an ancient, wise king, the founder of this country, in the Heart of the World -- the energetic center of the World, and because of this every burgess in Yeho could do magic! There were more talented and less talented wizards, of course. But the Heart of the World gave power to everyone, and this was presumably why Blaise developed telepathy. The excess of magic hurt the Heart of the World, though, and because of this high levels of magic were forbidden. Telepathy was perfectly legal, fortunately, only the fourth level of white magic - white meant dealing with mind, after the color of the local sky at day, and black magic meant magic dealing with material objects, after the color of the earth, for example, kamra required the second level of black magic, but Blaise hoped he could master it, for he had a knack for cooking. The high levels of magic were more dangerous than telepathy and kamra, of course. For fighting the excess of magic there existed the Small Secret Detective Force of Yeho, the Secret Police as it was commonly called. They were just nine people, but they were very talented wizards, and nice people. And this pub was their favorite place! Firstly it was the favorite place of their remarkable chief, he didn't visit other pubs, and he introduced all of his men to this nice place. They visited other places too, though, and they weren't all 'men' - there were two ladies among them. They resided in the Office of the Absolute Order, with the Department of Police. Their building was called the House by the Bridge, because it was situated just near a bridge called the Crest of Yeho, right at the end of this very street, the Street of the Copper Pots! Blaise congratulated himself on his good flair. He continued to enjoy his kamra and pies. Then he asked for a tablet and formulated a note for five crowns. Madam Jijinda, the innkeeper, took the note, and Blaise left the pub.

A short walk, and Blaise saw the arched bridge with houses and shops on both sides and the building that he needed. He found the visitors' entrance and walked in.

He saw a vast, empty reception-room, passed it, and saw a large hall with some chairs, tables and cupboards and a half-opened door in one wall. There were two people in the hall. A tall, lean, handsome and very serious man all in white and with large gloves on his hands was sitting in a chair near a window and writing something in a thick book. A good-looking dark-haired young man in a scarlet turban, a bright emerald cloak and an orange tunic was reading a newspaper and sipping kamra at one of the tables. As Blaise entered, the man in white rose, covered his eyes with his left hand and said:

'See you as when I'm awake. Glad to tell my name - Sir Shoorf Lonly-Lockly. How can I help you?'

The brightly dressed young man jumped to his feet, briefly touched his eyes with his left hand and said:

'See you as when I'm awake. Very glad to tell my name - Sir Melifaro. What happened?'

Blaise covered his eyes with his left hand and said:

'See you as when I'm awake, gentlemen. Glad to tell my name - Blaise Zabini. I hope you can help me indeed.'

'Sit down, Sir Blaise, and have some kamra, please,' Sir Shoorf said.

Blaise sat down. Sir Shoorf poured him some kamra from a jug. Blaise sipped the kamra.

'Well, Sir Blaise, what is it?' Sir Shoorf asked.

'Well...' Blaise said. 'I was in the library of my school - the Hogwarts School I teach in, and one student, Nigel Longbottom, a third-year, ran up to me and said that there was a large white light in the Restricted Section, and it was growing larger and brighter. I came to see the light, and the light swallowed me. I felt falling and darkness, and then I was in your lovely city, in the Street of the Old Coins, I believe, a nice name. I was very amazed, for your city is quite unfamiliar to me, but I decided to look around. Then I heard some passers-by speaking, and found I can understand the language, though l never learned it. I know a language like yours, though, and know it should be hard to learn. So I presumed it was some kind of telepathy. I went to seek some pub to learn more about your place. I chose one, and I learned I was quite right in choosing it, for it was your favorite place. So I came right here. And one more thing you ought to know - I am quite sure that where I am from the moon is white, not green, as here. That's all, gentlemen.'

'You heard it, Lonky-Lomky? You heard it!?' Melifaro exclaimed.

'Sir Melifaro, my name is Lonly-Lockly,' Sir Shoorf said. 'Be so kind as to remember it.'

'And if it's impossible to remember!' Sir Melifaro said. Blaise smiled. It was quite clear that Melifaro remembered the wretched name all right and mangled it just for fun.

'Very apt of you, Sir Blaise. See you as when I'm awake.'

Blaise turned and saw a tall, lean elderly gentleman with sharp, handsome features and slanting light-gray eyes. His expression was clever and alert, he was dressed all in silver and had an air of the man in charge of this place. Blaise covered his eyes with his left hand and said:

'See you as when I'm awake, Sir Juffin.'

The newcomer nodded in approval. So this was the famous Sir Juffin Hally, the Honorable Chief of the Small Secret Detective Force of Yeho.

Sir Juffin smiled and said:

'Now, Sir Blaise, the fourth level of magic is no mean feat for a foreigner!'

'So it is really only the fourth level?' Blaise asked.

'A bit too late to ask, isn't it?' Sir Juffin smiled. 'But don't worry, it is.'

'Well, I'm glad to know it!' Blaise said.

'Sir Blaise, now let me look at you and to make sure you've come to no harm,' Sir Juffin asked.

'At your service, sir.' Blaise smiled and rose.

Sir Juffin put his hands on Blaise's neck. Blaise felt that Sir Juffin's palms became very cold, and then withdrew.

'You're all right, Sir Blaise,' Sir Juffin then said. 'You have new powers, but the light didn't harm you. Oh, but the magic that touched you - it was the hundredth level of black magic!'

Blaise whistled.

'Yes, it was,' Sir Juffin said. 'Just who used it, I'd wish to know! Well, one of my 'old acquaintances', returned from exile, I bet, but what vampires did he forget at your school!? Anyways, we won't learn it by just sitting here, so I'll send a call to my second deputy. He can drive very fast, and I strongly suspect he's a fellow countryman of yours, Sir Blaise. His name's Sir Max.'

'Max is a name used in my world,' Blaise said. 'But how do you know?'

'Sir Max has an accent like yours, Sir Blaise,' Lonly-Lockly explained.

'I imagine what accent I have!' Blaise laughed. 'My friends in my adopted homeland tell me I have a French accent already.'

'Don't worry, man, we the Secret Police are accustomed to everything!' Sir Melifaro said.

'Your accent could be much worse, Sir Blaise,' Sir Juffin said.

'Well, your accent is really very strange, Sir Blaise, but we can understand you,' Sir Shoorf said.

'Well, that's something!' Blaise laughed.

'Sir Max is a night-bird, Sir Blaise, and his duty is at night,' Sir Juffin said. 'Melifaro's my first deputy, and his duty's at day...officially.'

Melifaro smiled. Blaise nodded.

Sir Juffin sat down and concentrated. The fourth level of white magic again, they called it the Silent Speech.

At this point the door to the reception-room opened, and Blaise saw a tall, lean, sandy-haired young man in black turban and cloak with gold-embroidered circles and a black tunic.

'Hello Nightmare!' Melifaro said.

'Hello Daydream.' The young man in black smiled.

'Good evening, Max,' Sir Shoorf said.

'Good evening, Shoorf.' Max smiled.

'Good evening, Sir Max,' Sir Juffin said. 'You are in good time. I was sending a call to you.'

'Good evening, Sir Juffin. What, did something happen?' Sir Max asked eagerly.

'It did... Here's a fellow countryman of yours.'

'See you as when I'm awake, Sir Max,' Blaise said, touching his eyes with his left hand. 'Glad to tell my name - Blaise Zabini.'

'See you as when I'm awake.' Sir Max smiled, touching his eyes with his hand. 'Has he done something, Juffin?'

'No, Sir Blaise is a victim, though this word doesn't suit him at all.' Sir Juffin smiled. 'Apparently, some exiled Master visited the school Sir Blaise teaches in, and used the hundredth level of black magic. This magic sent Sir Blaise here, where he sprouted the fourth level of white magic and quickly found our office. So I sent a call to you, but you have as good intuition as our Sir Blaise has!'

'Well, I had a feeling I ought to come here,' Sir Max said.

Sir Juffin nodded.

'Well, now we have a full set. Sit down, Sir Max.'

Sir Max sat down.

'So we weren't mistaken, Max, and Sir Blaise is really a fellow countryman of yours?' Juffin asked.

'I think you weren't,' Max said thoughtfully. 'Blaise Zabini is a name used in the world I was born in. And his looks are what I'd expect from a man of his name.'

'What do you mean, Sir Max?' Juffin asked.

'Blaise Zabini is a name of a Southerner, a dusky one like Sir Blaise is,' Sir Max said. 'Only his dress is quite strange.'

'This is our national dress.' Blaise smiled. 'Sir Max, you ought to know that there's a community of wizards in your former world. We were forced to go into hiding because of the persecution you doubtlessly know about, and we don't intend to go back because there's still a lot of superstition around. We have our governments and our schools. In Europe there are three wizard schools - the Durmstrang Institute for the Eastern Europe, the Beauxbatons Academy for the Western Europe and the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the British Isles. I teach at Hogwarts, my subject is the Care of the Magical Creatures. I'm a Master of Farriery. My dress is one that wizards wear, we keep our traditions. The Hogwarts students wear black robes, it's a uniform, and the adults wear the colors they wish to. And our power comes from ourselves, not from the Heart of the World as the magic here does, but we use wands to channel our power.'

Max stared at him.

'What, Sir Max, it seems Sir Blaise dumbfounded you?' Sir Juffin smiled.

'Well, he did,' Max confessed. 'I didn't know all this.'

'Amazing!' Sir Juffin said.

Blaise smiled.

'Now you shall know, Max.'

'I will.' Max smiled.

'And what did you say about wands, Sir Blaise?' Juffin asked.

Blaise reached into his pocket, fished out his wand and declared:

'Lumos!'

The tip of his wand radiated bright light. Juffin, Max, Melifaro and Sir Shoorf stared.

'The power comes from yourself, Sir Blaise, that's clear,' Juffin nodded.

Blaise smiled and said, 'Nox!' The tip of his wand ceased to give light.

'What do these words mean, Sir Blaise?' Sir Shoorf asked.

'Lumos means light, and nox means night.' Blaise smiled. 'It's an ancient language.'

Max nodded. Sir Shoorf looked satisfied.

'So you're a Healer, Sir Blaise?' Juffin asked.

'Yes,' Blaise said. 'And a good one, I hope.'

Juffin nodded.

'So, Sir Blaise, tell Sir Max all that you told to Shoorf, Melifaro and me.'

Blaise repeated his story to Max.

'What, the Street of the Old Coins?' Sir Max asked. 'My old place?

'Yes.' Juffin smiled. 'A mysterious place, isn't it?'

'Your old place?' Blaise asked.

'My first house in Yeho,' Max explained. 'I moved two times since then. Circumstances...'

Blaise nodded.

'So, what do you think, Max?' Sir Juffin asked.

'Well, it had to be a very powerful wizard,' Max said. 'The hundredth level, to transport a grown man to another world... Some Master, probably even a Grand Master.'

Juffin nodded. In this World from ancient times existed a lot of powerful magic Orders with strange names and ways. Each Order had its Grand Master and a lot of Senior and Junior Masters. When excessive magic was forbidden, all Orders but the Order of Septifoil were abolished. Some were dismissed honorably, and their members continued to live in Yeho. Others were killed in battle, sent to the Royal Prison of Holomi, where magic didn't work, or to exile, because far from the Heart of the World their magic didn't draw from it so much. But those exiled sometimes returned to Yeho, and then the Secret Police dealt with them.

'But what brought him to Blaise's school, that's the question,' Max said.

'Yes,' Juffin said.

'Blaise, you didn't notice anything strange at your school before all this happened?' Max asked.

'Oh, our whole school is strange.' Blaise smiled. 'So I don't remember anything in this way.'

'I see,' Juffin said. 'So we just have to go to the scene of the crime. But first we have to think of a legend for you, Blaise. Though you are just a victim, we can't very well say you come from another world, can we?

'I should think not.' Blaise smiled.

'Yes,' Juffin said. 'Let me think... That's it! You shall be from the Islands of Tuto. People there are dusky and wear robes, like you. And the Islands of Tuto are very far away...'

'I get it.' Blaise smiled. 'As you say, sir.'

'Only, Sir Blaise, if some people from the Islands of Tuto get to Yeho after all, please don't tell them the first random name you've read in a book!'

'Why, sir?' Blaise asked.

Max smiled.

'You see, Blaise, when I got to Yeho, Juffin had to devise a legend for me too. Well, he said that I come from the Waste Lands - they're steppes on the outskirts of the country, sufficiently far away from here. So far, so good. Now, I often read before going to bed, and my favorite book is the Encyclopedia of Sir Manga Melifaro - he's the father of my 'light side', a famous traveler. I've read from it about the Waste Lands, so to not say something foolish when asked about them, and remembered a bunch of facts and names. One day some nomads from the Waste Lands came to the capital, and one of them got in trouble with the police. They heard that I was their fellow countryman, and they came to me, asking to extricate their companion. I did so. But they asked my name, and I told them a random surname I remembered from the Encyclopedia - Fangahra from the lands of Fangahra, it was. I was very surprised when they began to give me low bows. Only after that I remembered that Fangahra was the name of an infant king whom his people lost in the steppes and after that cursed themselves!'

Blaise chuckled.

'Well, naturally, now they wouldn't get off me, trying to persuade me to take the crown. And naturally, I had absolutely no wish to become a nomad king. So I ignored them, and they besieged the Office of the Absolute Order. This story could last for indefinite time, but then Sir Juffin and our King had a plan. The plan was that we say the poor souls that I wish to take the crown but can't leave my office - now this was really true and still is. Then I take the crown and rule the nomads from Yeho. Nice, isn't it? The King gives me for my royal residence the Shaggy House - the former Library of the Royal University, it's really shaggy because it is all overgrown by coniferous vines. I rule these poor nomads for some time and then abdicate in the favor of our great King. The King gets the Waste Lands, and I get peace. Now, I agreed and took the crown and the Shaggy House. I ruled the wretches for several years, if you can call it so, and then dutifully abdicated. The Shaggy House is where I live now. Beside this I got from all the brouhaha a splendid dog and triple sisters that my crazy people brought to me for my queens! Of course, it all was a pure formality. Now two of these girls entered the Order of the Septifoil and the third married Sir Melifaro here.'

Melifaro smiled broadly.

'At least something useful came from you, monster!'

'I thought that there was something regal to you, Max.' Blaise smiled.

'Et tu, Blaise!' Max smiled.

'Put up with it, Your Majesty!' Melifaro said. 'It was your fault.'

Blaise smiled.

'Thank you for warning me, sir, for I'm an avid reader!'

'How horrible!' Juffin laughed.

'Hopefully you haven't got memory like a sieve, as I have,' Max said.

'I haven't,' Blaise said.

'Now that's splendid,' Juffin said. 'Thanks the Masters, I don't have to feed this story to the King and the Grand Master Nuflin. '

'Er...Sir Juffin...I really like your lovely city and all of you gentlemen, but...my Headmaster is worried, I think, and my students too... I can brew a potion that would carry me to another world, but the ingredients are herbs from my world, I don't know if they grow here, your world is so different....'

'Don't worry, Sir Blaise, to bring you home is no trouble at all,' Juffin said. 'Every one of us four can travel between the worlds.'

'Excellent!' Blaise smiled.

'Now let's go,' Juffin said. 'Sir Max, Sir Shoorf, you'll go with me. Sir Blaise, you go with us, too, you're the victim. And you, Sir Melifaro, guard the office, as it is your duty still.'

'As always.' Melifaro smiled broadly.

Juffin rose rapidly, and so did Max. Sir Shoorf rose stately. Melifaro jumped to his feet and disappeared in Juffin's office.

'If your offender tries to kill us, Sir Blaise, Sir Shoorf incinerates him in a jiffy,' Juffin said. 'Otherwise, Shoorf paralyzes the man and brings him to Holomi.'

Blaise nodded.

'Sir, though my training is that of a Healer, I've been taught some Defense against the Dark Arts too. And though I'm not a professional detective, well, I'm an amateur detective. I've solved many cases, thefts and poisonings, mostly. So if I can be of any help...'

'Well, well, well, Sir Blaise!' Juffin smiled. 'You're a permanent surprise, I see!'

Blaise dropped his eyes modestly.

They left the office and went out into the street. Max strode confidently to one of the strange vehicles that stood outside the Office. They were most like carriages, but without any horses. Of course, with magic one doesn't need horses, Blaise thought.

Max opened the doors of one of the carriages and stepped inside.

'Your place is next to the driver, Sir Blaise,' Juffin said. 'Sir Shoorf and me shall take the back seats.'

Blaise nodded and climbed in. This carriage had a display of seats like a car, too. Max was sitting next to a lever. Blaise slid into the other seat. Max smiled to Blaise. Blaise smiled back, settling in the velvet red seat. He turned and saw that Juffin and Sir Shoorf already settled in the back seats.

'Now keep your hair on, Sir Blaise, for our Sir Max is the craziest driver I've ever seen!' Juffin said.

Max shrugged his shoulders, smiled and pulled the lever. They rushed forward at quite a speed! Juffin looked at Blaise.

'I like it, sir,' Blaise said. 'I am fond of speed.'

'Not you too!'' Juffin smiled.

Needless to say, soon they were in the Street of the Old Coins.

'Now say when, Blaise,' Max said.

'Here,' Blaise said.

Max pulled the lever, and the carriage stopped.

'My congratulations, Blaise.' Max smiled wryly. 'This is my old house. It's still mine, by the way.'

'A mysterious place indeed!' Juffin said.

'It was in this house, Blaise, that a ghost nearly killed me,' Max said. 'It dwelt in the house just opposite. It was invoked long ago by the owner of the house, the Grand Master of the Order of the Green Moons.'

'And...' Blaise started.

'He died long time ago,' Juffin said.

Blaise shrugged his shoulders.

'Now let's look at the place,' Juffin said.

Blaise pushed the door and got out. Max joined him. Juffin and Sir Shoorf climbed out too.

'Now what's the exact place, Sir Blaise?' Juffin asked. 'I trust your memory.'

Blaise looked about and stopped in a certain point.

'It was here. I'm sure.'

'Very good, Sir Blaise,' Juffin said. 'Now step aside.'

Blaise stepped aside. Juffin walked around a bit and then retired with dismay.

'No scent,' he said. 'Now you look, Sir Shoorf.'

Sir Shoorf inspected the place and stated:

'There's absolutely no scent here, Sir Juffin.'

Juffin shook his head and said:

'Now you, Max.'

Max followed Sir Shoorf's example and then said:

'No trace of any scent, Juffin.'

'Curiouser and curiouser!' Juffin said. 'Now let's interview the locals.'

He headed off resolutely. Max, Sir Shoorf and Blaise followed in his steps. Blaise smiled: near these tall lean gentlemen he seemed even shorter than he really was.

'Now, the house just opposite, Number Seven, is the same where the ghost dwelt, so it is obviously empty,' Juffin said. 'Number Eight, the next one, is also empty, as I recall from that case. So is Number Eleven. You see, Blaise, the ghost sucked the life-force from all the inhabitants of the street, so people hastened to vamoose from here. Only our Sir Max was bold enough to rent a house here.'

Blaise smiled.

'So we are left with Number Nine and Number Twelve,' Juffin said. He strode across the street, to the Number Nine, and knocked on the door. A young man in gray opened the door.

'Tell your master that Sir Juffin Hally wishes to see him,' Juffin said to the young man.

The young man looked at Sir Juffin and hurried away. Some time later he returned and said:

'Sir Zarra will see you, Sir Juffin.'

Juffin nodded and followed the young man into the house. Max, Sir Shoorf and Blaise followed Sir Juffin. They passed an enormous hall with a few chairs and entered an even more enormous drawing room with a round polished wooden table, some chairs and a honey-colored piled carpet. A chubby man in bright orange silk hurried to rise as he saw them.

'See you as when I am awake,' he said, touching his eyes with his hand. 'Glad to tell my name - Zarra Limto. How can I help you, Sir Juffin?'

'See you as when I'm awake, Sir Zarra,' Juffin said. 'I do not mean to inconvenience you in any way, but tell me, did you see anything in front of Number Ten this evening...now when did it happen, Sir Blaise?'

'About an hour ago,' Blaise said.

'About an hour ago.' Juffin nodded.

'Oh, I saw a bright white light,' Sir Zarra said. 'I worried, but then it disappeared, and nothing seemed to be wrong, so I forgot about it.'

Juffin nodded.

'But did you see anything strange besides the light, Sir Zarra?'

'Nothing, I'm afraid, Sir Juffin,' Sir Zarra said.

'I see, Sir Zarra.' Juffin nodded. 'Sorry for the disturbance. Good night.'

'Good night, Sir Juffin,' Sir Zarra said.

Juffin nodded and left the drawing room, Max, Sir Shoorf and Blaise after him.

'Now let's visit Number Twelve,' Juffin said.

They went to the Number Twelve. This time it was a girl in gray that opened the front door and disappeared in the house as Juffin spoke to her. Then she returned and said that Lady Lienna will see them. They followed her into a house that was much like the first one, only the drawing-room had rose curtains with frills and a lot of bright cushions on the chairs, and it was a plump, dark-haired lady in turquoise that waited for them.

'See you as when I'm awake,' she said demurely. 'Glad to tell my name - Lienna Ayofa. What happened?'

'Nothing, unforgettable one.' Sir Juffin smiled. 'I just wanted to ask you if you saw anything in front of the next house, the Number Ten, about an hour ago this evening.'

'Oh, a great terrifying bright white light!' Lady Lienna said. 'I hope it didn't bring any harm?'

'No, nothing special,' Sir Juffin said. 'But did you see anything else?'

'No, nothing,' Lady Lienna said. 'Why, should I have?'

'No, absolutely not.' Juffin smiled. 'Good night, unforgettable one.'

'Good night, Sir Juffin,' the lady said.

Juffin, Max, Sir Shoorf and Blaise left the house.

'Unforgettable one'?' Blaise asked.

'It is a respectful form of address to a lady, Sir Blaise,' Sir Shoorf explained.

'I like it,' Blaise said.

Juffin smiled and squinted.

'It seems you've saddled us with a really obscure case, Sir Blaise!'

'Thank you, sir.' Blaise smiled.

They walked to the carriage and took their former seats.

'Move on, Sir Max,' Juffin said.

Max pulled the lever, and they darted forwards.

'Max, and what is Melifaro's first name?' Blaise asked. 'You never mention it.'

'He just hasn't got one.' Max smiled. 'His father and his mother couldn't agree on a name for him, and then Sir Manga declared that with such a good surname the boy doesn't need any first name. His wife agreed, and so our Melifaro goes by without any first name. Not that it bothers him a bit!'

'Well, Melifaro doesn't look like a man who can be bothered by such things.' Blaise smiled.

'You are right, he isn't.' Max smiled.

By that time they got to the House by the Bridge, and it became quite dark. Max parked and got out of the carriage, Blaise, Juffin and Sir Shoorf got out also. They entered their half of the House by the Bridge. In the hall they saw a portly elderly gentleman and a shapely young lady. They were having kamra and pies.

'Oh, I see Sir Kofa and his apprentice are already here.' Juffin smiled. 'Good evening.'

At this point Melifaro darted out of Juffin's office.

'News, Sir Juffin?' he asked.

'Well, Sir Melifaro, though your duty is over now, you haven't got a chance to go home!'

'What, did it get complicated?' Melifaro asked.

'Complicated is not the word,' Juffin said. 'Not a trace, no scent, and nobody saw a thing!'

'Yes, some case!' Melifaro said.

Juffin nodded.

'So we may as well sit down and reflect on this grievous fact! In the company of a lot of kamra and food from the Guttler Boonba, of course!'

'If you order some of these delicious mushroom pies, sir...' Blaise said.

'You're a clear case, Sir Blaise,' Juffin laughed. 'Another source of revenue to our Madam Jijinda!'

'Speaking of revenue, sir...' Blaise said. 'You'll have to pay my note-of-hand at the Guttler Boonba - five crowns. Madam Jijinda would get suspicious of my Galleons...'

'Galleons?' Max smiled.

'They're our money, Max,' Blaise explained. 'Galleons, Knuts and Sickles.'

'You see, sir...' Max turned to Juffin. 'A galleon is a kind of large ship, they were once used to carry treasures. There's a lot of tales about sunken galleons with great money.'

'That's why our money was named this,' Blaise said.

'Very interesting!' Juffin said. 'Ah well, in for a handful, in for a crown! You're a smart lad, Sir Blaise!'

Blaise grinned.

'So this is the victim, and he never cared to introduce himself!' Sir Kofa said.

'Oh, I beg your pardon!' Blaise said and covered his eyes with his left hand. 'See you as when I'm awake - glad to tell my name: Blaise Zabini.'

'See you as when I'm awake,' Sir Kofa said, solemnly covering his eyes with his left hand. 'Glad to tell my name - Sir Kofa Yoh.'

'See you as when I'm awake,' said the young lady who sat by Kofa's side. 'Glad to tell my name - Lady Kekki Tuotly.'

'You're splendid, unforgettable one,' Blaise said.

'Thank you, Sir Blaise.' Lady Kekki smiled.

'Shall you stand forever, gentlemen?' Juffin asked slyly. 'As for me, I'll sit down and send a call to the Guttler Boonba.'

Blaise smiled and sat down. So did Max. Sir Shoorf seated himself stately. Melifaro plunged into a chair. Juffin sat down and concentrated. Then he smiled.

'The nosh will be here soon, my friends. And meanwhile let's make do with what is here.'

They followed Juffin's advice.

'So nothing, Juffin?' Sir Kofa asked.

'Absolutely nothing, Kofa,' Juffin said. 'Max, Shoorf and me - we looked for a scent there, all three. No trace of a scent, Kofa - surely all three of us couldn't lose our gift at once!'

'No, of course not,' Sir Kofa said.

'And the witnesses, Juffin?' Melifaro asked.

'They saw nothing but the light. They weren't lying, too, even unconsciously.'

'And no signs about the place?' Lady Kekki asked.

'Not a single sign!' Juffin said.

'A nice kettle of fish!' Melifaro said.

'Blaise, are you sure you haven't seen anything strange at your school?' Max asked.

'No, Max.' Blaise smiled.

Max shook his head.

Suddenly Juffin rose.

'Sir Blaise, let me read you, please.'

'Read my mind, you mean, sir?' Blaise asked.

Juffin nodded.

'I can't call into your school, obviously, and you are here.'

Blaise nodded and rose readily. Juffin put his palms on Blaise's neck again. This time Blaise felt nothing, but Juffin nodded and withdrew his hands.

'A very curious place is this school of yours, Sir Blaise! I like it. But alas, I saw nothing about this light, you're right.'

'I've told you so, sir,' Blaise said.

At this point the door to the reception-room opened, and a young man carried in a tray with a jug, some plates with pies and some pots. He put it on the table and quickly left.

'Well, here's kamra, pies - mushroom pies, too, as you asked, Sir Blaise, and some pasties,' Juffin said.

'I see, sir.' Blaise smiled. 'As for kamra... I liked it very much from the first time I tasted it, and thought I would have the recipe. But as I learned it required the second level of black magic, I realized it has to be taught. Would you teach me, sir?'

Juffin looked at him attentively.

'Well, I would, Sir Blaise... But only if you aren't as heinous in this field as our Sir Max is! I had to call to my help a tutor of mine to teach Sir Max to brew good kamra! He told me that it was because he was an abysmal cook.'

Max grinned.

'It's all right, sir,' Blaise said. 'Cooking, healing and intuition are my talents.'

'Very good,' Juffin said. 'You are a man after my own heart, Sir Blaise.'

'Thank you, sir,' Blaise said.

'To like the Guttler Boonba is a true sign of a good taste, too, Sir Blaise,' Juffin said.

'It's a very nice place,' Blaise said.

'It's the best place in the city,' Juffin said firmly.

'Of course, you never visit other places, Juffin.' Sir Kofa smiled ironically. 'Even the one that bears your name and has a special table for you!'

Blaise looked at Max.

'Juffin's Dozen,' Max explained, grinning. 'Juffin gave dozen crowns to a fellow countryman of his, Mohi Faa, and Mohi opened a pub - in these times dozen crowns was great money. A very nice place, that pub, serves foreign cuisine. You have to visit it, Blaise. It really has a special table for Juffin, but he never goes there.'

'This Kettarian is the most stubborn creature ever!' Sir Kofa said.

'Kettarian?' Blaise asked.

'Kettari is my native town, Sir Blaise.' Juffin smiled. 'It's far from here, in the county of Shimara.'

'Foreigners do magic especially easy, if they get to the Heart of the World, Blaise, because they have to exert themselves to do magic where they are from,' Max explained. 'Juffin, me and you are proof. The rest of us were born in Yeho.'

'So that's how it is...' Blaise said thoughtfully. 'Sir Juffin, Max said 'us'... But officially, I'm not one of you. If I am to help you, I could take some measures that I shall have to answer for if I'm just a victim, who knows...'

'Say no more, Sir Blaise.' Juffin smiled. 'You are right. Sir Max, do you remember how you told me I'm to keep a place ready for a fellow countryman of yours, if once he happens to come to Yeho?'

'I do, sir.' Max smiled. 'You said you will.'

'Well, now this day has come.' Juffin smiled. 'I empower you, Sir Blaise. Now you are entitled to do what you deem needful. We the Secret Police can use whatever magic we need for the case, and I can do what I deem needful, it is written in the Code of Hrember.'

The Code of Hrember was the law that limited the use of magic.

'Thank you, Sir Juffin.' Blaise smiled. 'Now I am satisfied.'

'And let's celebrate your joining our ranks, Sir Blaise!' Juffin said.

'A good idea.' Blaise smiled.

He helped himself to the kamra and mushroom pies. The rest of the Secret Police joined him.

'Sir Max, I have an idea,' Juffin said. 'Tomorrow we must visit the Great Archive. Now the burivuhs are all fast asleep, I'm afraid.'

Max nodded.

'Burivuhs, Blaise, are a kind of birds, they look like owls, have wonderful memory and can speak. They keep all our files in their minds. They are the Great Archive, and our Master Keeper of the Knowledge, Sir Luukfi Pentz, looks after them. Now he's at home - his wife, Lady Varisha, keeps a pub in the New Town, called the Fat Man in a Turning. The burivuhs, if not asleep, do not concern with the service matters after the sunset.'

Blaise smiled.

'I look forward to meeting them.'

'My personal burivuh, Kurush, can be bothered at all hours, but he keeps in his mind only the most important files,' Juffin said.

'I see,' Blaise said. 'You know, there's a pub called the Pink Burivuh.'

'I know.' Juffin smiled.

'There, in the Street of the Old Coins, two passers-by were speaking about it,' Blaise said. 'I understood them, and that's how I realized I developed telepathy.'

'Telepathy is mind-reading?' Juffin asked.

Blaise nodded.

'Kofa, you haven't heard anything interesting?' Juffin asked.

'No, Juffin, just a couple of hooligans,' Sir Kofa said. 'Cases for the police, not us.'

'Well, Sir Blaise, as you are here thanks to one of my old customers, it is only right that you should be my guest this night,' Juffin said. 'I can't promise you great speed, but I can give you my company.'

'Which isn't little.' Blaise smiled. 'Thanks, Sir Juffin.'

'At least you'll enjoy the sights of Yeho,' Juffin said. 'With this crazy Sir Max they just whiz by!'

Blaise smiled.

'You wrong me, sir - they don't whiz by, you can't even see them!' Max said.

'See how horrible, Sir Blaise?' Juffin smiled.

Blaise grinned.

'At least Sir Juffin won't crash you both, Blaise.' Melifaro smiled broadly.

'I hope...' Juffin said. 'Well, good night, gentlemen. Lady Kekki, good night. Shoorf, Melifaro, you may go home. Kofa, Kekki, you'll go or stay as you please, of course. And you, Sir Max, take your duty.'

'Yessir!' Max smiled.

'Let's go, Sir Blaise,' Juffin said.

Blaise nodded, and they left the office. Juffin headed for one of the carriages, an affair of some rose wood with gilt. Juffin got in quickly, and Blaise followed him.

'Now look, Sir Blaise - it's a sight worth seeing!' Juffin said and started. He drove much less faster than Max, of course, but Blaise didn't regret it. As they climbed the bridge, he saw the broad river with flicks of light on it - now Blaise knew it was called Huron - and two islands on both sides of the bridge, one a splendid castle all blinking with light of different colors, and another island a fortress glowing with constant dark blue light.

'The castle is the Royal Castle of Rulh, Sir Blaise,' Juffin said. 'That's where our King lives in winters. The summer residence is the Castle of Anmokari. And the fortress that is dressed in blue light is the Royal Prison of Holomi.'

Blaise nodded.

'So this is where my offender goes to...if we catch him, of course!'

'If we do.' Juffin nodded.

Blaise looked at the two fortresses, at the old houses on the bank they left, and then at the bank they were heading to - resplendent with gardens, every one of them lit in different color.

'The Left Bank, or the New Town, Sir Blaise - this is where I live,' Juffin said.

He drove firmly off the bridge and into the winding streets of the Left Bank, covered with the squares of light from the gardens. Some time he meandered among the gardens. Then he halted near a beautiful mansion surrounded by a great lovely garden.

'Our destination, Sir Blaise.' Juffin smiled. 'My humble house.'

'Well, I for one wouldn't call it humble!' Blaise said.

Juffin smiled again.

'Whatever... Welcome, Sir Blaise. My butler, Kimpa, is on holiday, but I can cook quite decently myself, and besides that you'll have no problems whatsoever.'

'All right.' Blaise smiled and climbed out of the carriage.

'They're called amobilers, Sir Blaise.' Juffin smiled. 'Even a man from the Islands of Tuto ought to know this!'

'We men from the Islands of Tuto don't know a first thing about anything!' Blaise said.

Juffin laughed, and they strode across the garden into the mansion. The spaciousness of the rooms impressed Blaise.

'You know, Juffin, you people of Yeho have an obsession with great houses,' he observed.

'And you people of the Islands of Tuto are accustomed to tiny adobes, aren't you?' Juffin smiled.

Juffin led Blaise to a very large drawing room with a great round table, some comfortable leather armchairs, and a golden long-piled carpet, that had words 'The Honey of Kettari' woven on it.

'The Honey of Kettari?' Blaise asked.

'These splendid carpets are made in my native town, Sir Blaise.' Juffin nodded and smiled. 'The people of Yeho make trips to Kettari to buy such a carpet!'

'I would,' Blaise said.

Juffin smiled.

'Now sit down, Sir Blaise, and I'll make some kamra for you - and me, of course.'

Blaise nodded, and Juffin left. Some time later he returned, carrying a tray with a jug, two cups and some cakes.

'Try it, Sir Blaise - I am pretty sure it isn't poisonous,' Juffin said.

'Well, if you are really sure...' Blaise smiled.

Of course, it was not only harmless, but really good.

'I am asking you for the recipe,' Blaise said.

'Well, actually I still don't know if you can make even elementary kamra.' Juffin smiled.

'And you promised to teach me, sir!' Blaise said.

'I did... And I will,' Juffin said. 'But to invite a guest and then make him brew kamra for both of you is a bit too much, don't you think?'

'Perhaps.' Blaise smiled.

Then Juffin began to tell him stories about the powerful Masters of the old times. It was very interesting indeed. Blaise was carried away.

'It was amazing, Juffin,' Blaise said. 'Thank you.'

'Not at all,' Juffin said evenly.

'Now your promise, sir,' Blaise said mischievously.

'How tenacious you are, Sir Blaise.' Juffin smiled. 'All right!'

Juffin left, then brought a small brazier.

'Now look and remember, Sir Blaise.'

Blaise looked, and Juffin fussed about the brazier and the jug a bit. Then he smiled.

'Remembered it, Sir Blaise? Now try yourself!'

Blaise rose and tried to copy Juffin.

'Now the thing is to taste it,' Blaise then said. 'Unlike you, I am not sure at all that it isn't poisonous, as I make it for the first time in my life! But I know you're an adventurous man, Juffin, aren't you?'

'Too right I am.' Juffin smiled. 'But if I know people any bit, it isn't poisonous.'

He sipped the kamra that Blaise made.

'Well, Sir Blaise, I wasn't mistaken in you! But see for yourself!'

Blaise tasted his own concoction and said:

'Well, sir, now you have no need to order kamra at the Guttler Boonba! I shall brew kamra for all the company.'

'Don't wrong my favorite pub, Sir Blaise!' Juffin smiled. 'But if perchance they are all asleep...'

'It's a bargain.' Blaise smiled.

Juffin looked at the funny triangle clock on a wall and exclaimed:

'And it's Sir Max who is supposed to be the night-bird! We sat up late in the night, Sir Blaise! We must go to bed immediately!'

'If you'll show me my room, sir.' Blaise smiled. 'Otherwise I'll get lost in this house of yours!'

'All right, I will.' Juffin smiled.

He led Blaise somewhere far away in the maze of the house.

'I'd call Max an owl.' Blaise smiled.

'A bird like a burivuh, right?' Juffin said.

'Quite right.' Blaise smiled. 'They're clever too, but can't speak. They don't need words, though. They carry our letters - we don't have the Silent Speech. And they're, well, night birds.'

'Now I know what to call our Sir Max!' Juffin said. 'Well, we arrived, Sir Blaise.'

Blaise saw a great room without any bed but with a kind of large soft area of the floor, with many pillows and a great blanket.

'Good night, Sir Blaise.' Juffin smiled. 'If something happens, I'll send a call to you.'

'Good night, Juffin.' Blaise smiled.

Juffin left, and Blaise undressed himself, folded his clothes neatly, put them near the bed, wrapped himself into the blanket and drifted into sleep. As he was falling asleep, a little dog like a shaggy bulldog cuddled up to him. Blaise smiled and dozed off.