Archie Greene and the Magician's Secret by D D Everest Read Free Book Online Page A

theatre and the second was the Bodleian Library, where the Museum of Magical Miscellany was located. But to his surprise Bramble marched straight past the entrance.
    â€˜Aren’t we going in?’ he asked.
    She smiled. ‘You didn’t think we would walk in the front door, did you? That’d be a bit obvious. There’s a secret entrance that only the Flame Keepers know about.’
    Now that she explained it, it made sense. Of course the Museum of Magical Miscellany would need a secret entrance. Bramble strode on and Archie had to jog to catch her.
    â€˜Most of the world has forgotten that magic ever existed,’ Bramble continued. ‘They think it’s justsomething from storybooks. It’s a good job, too, Mum says, because people today aren’t ready for magic. That’s why we call them the Unready. They don’t know about the magic books and its better that it stays that way. They have enough trouble with money, Mum says.’
    As she spoke, Bramble turned right into a side street. Archie hurried after her. She was still talking.
    â€˜Dad says that the Unready have science instead of magic – it’s easier and less tempting. Besides, if people knew about the magic books it would cause all sorts of arguments. Imagine if one country had more magic than another – there’d be wars and all sorts of rows. Just like there used to be!’
    They had reached the cobbled square Archie had seen the day before. Bramble marched purposefully across it and entered the narrow lanes.
    When there was no one near, she stopped and faced him. ‘What you need to know, Archie, is that it’s against the Lore to tell anyone about the magic books unless they belong to the Magical League. That’s why Mothballs is such a secret.’
    â€˜Mothballs?’
    Bramble smiled, mischievously. ‘Yes, that’s what the apprentices call the museum.’
    Archie felt a thrill of excitement. All his life he had dreamed of adventure and now he really was in the middle of one.
    â€˜OK, I get it. So where is it, this secret entrance?’
    â€˜You’ll see,’ grinned Bramble, setting off again.
    She suddenly ducked through an archway and into the courtyard that led to the Aisle of White.
    â€˜Is it through the bookshop?’ Archie asked.
    Bramble shook her head. ‘The Aisle of White is the only part of Mothballs that’s open to the Unready – so they can bring in magical books if they find them. Not that they’d be able to tell if a book was magic. Mr Screech works that out. But the main museum is strictly for Flame Keepers.’
    She crossed to the other side of the enclosed courtyard, to an old and shabby half-timbered building with exposed beams in the medieval style. The spaces between the uneven timbers were filled with discoloured plaster and the upstairs bulged out beyond the ground floor. A sign outside declared it to be Quill’s Coffee & Chocolate House, established 1657. ‘Exotic coffee and chocolate from around the world,’ the sign promised. ‘Choc-tails served.’ A steady stream of teenage boys and girls were coming and going.
    â€˜Ta-na!’ Bramble said, indicating the door to Quill’s, which was down some stone steps.
    Archie couldn’t imagine a more unlikely way into a museum. He grinned. ‘Good disguise.’
    Bramble smiled. ‘Yes,’ she chuckled. ‘Isn’t it? Now get a move on before people start wonderingwhy we’re standing here gabbing.’
    At the bottom of the steps a heavy oak door led into Quill’s. Bramble pushed it and they slipped inside. An auburn-haired girl a little younger than Bramble came in just behind them.
    A delicious aroma of chocolate, suffused with coffee, vanilla, orange and other fragrant flavours wafted through the air. Archie noticed that unlike its gloomy exterior, on the inside Quill’s was bathed in a warm, sunny light. A sunbeam blazed