An Opus Alchymicum Vol 1: The Experimental Theologian's Apprentice

A Splitting Headache

One morning there was a unusual smell in the air, and The HMSS Harmony was moving differently in the water. Instead of the plunging and soaring Hermione had become used to on the open ocean, there was an altogether more subdued sort of rocking motion, a bobbing and dipping as gentle tides swept under the large vessel.

Hermione changed quickly and was on deck before either Lyra or Malcolm were awake. She stared hungrily at the land, which was a very strange sight after so many days at sea. She looked around at the harbour of Trollesund, with it's sloped-roofed houses, the boats and cranes loading fish (which accounted for the pungent smell on the air), and the gulls swooping and circling around the tall dome of the oratory spire near the jetty.

And after just acquiring her sea legs, Hermione found she was quite keen to become a land-loper again.

Just then Papageno broke out of the water as a leaping salmon, only to transform into a tern in mid-air and fly right up to Hermione's shoulder. He had been enjoying exploring various fish forms on their journey North, and he would miss the swimming now they were land-bound again.

"How's the water?" Hermione asked, stroking Pap's breast plume as he shook himself dry on her arm.

"Freezing," Pap replied with a chattering beak. "Be sure to wrap up as warm as possible when you leave the ship. Dont want you to catch a chill and die, not when your master of fire is still a whole world away and unable to warm you up."

Hermione blushed at that, as the girlish thrill ran through her. She stoically believed she was still too young to consider herself in love, especially as she'd not yet met the boy who would be the object of this undying affection. But every time she flicked her mind to him, even to the idea of him, her heart did funny little flips, and her belly joined in, too.

It was as though a swarm of multi-coloured moths had taken flight all through her.

But she pushed that away for now, as she thought Pap would laugh at her for it. So she made her way back to the cabin and helped Lyra to pack up her few things and a short time later Malcolm led them off the ship.

The first port of call - after the port itself, of course - was the Quartermaster's stores on the Quayside. This ramshackle trading post was stocked full of all the thick, cold-weather clothing Hermione would need. So while Malcolm went off to make contact with the Witch-Consul, Lyra took Hermione for a fitting, emerging an hour later with her apprentice clad from head-to-toe in seal skin boots, fluffy fox-hide undergarments, wolf pelt jumpers and coats, and a cute hat and scarf combo that felt distinctly ermine in it's softness.

"Thank you," Hermione mumbled humbly. "I'm sorry you had to pay so much. I promise I'll give it back."

"Nonsense," Lyra beamed. "It was worth it to see how cute you look in everything. How does it feel? Are you warm enough?"

She reached over and tenderly tucked Hermione's scarf closer to her neck.

"Well, I feel rounder than I've ever been," Hermione mused, patting her new bulky padding. "You'll have to keep a close eye on me, Miss Lyra, because if I fall over I'm quite sure I wont be able to get back up again without help!"

Lyra laughed and pulled Hermione in for a one-armed hug. "Oh don't worry, Hermione, I wont let you out of my sight now we're in the North."

"Where will we go first?" Hermione asked eagerly, as they began walking through the harbour.

"Malcolm is trying to make contact with the Witches of the Northern Clans," Lyra explained. "I have an old friend, Serafina Pekkala, who will help us I'm sure. And if know her as I do, I would bet my London apartment that she already knows we are here."