by D D Everest
Great Library of Alexandria The most famous library of all time, it housed the greatest collection of magical books ever assembled. The library was burned down in around 48 BC.
Happy Landing The place just outside the main doors to the Museum of Magical Miscellany, where the seats of learning deposit visitors.
Hecate Nightshade A darchemist, a writer of dark magic. Hecate was a witch who wrote The Grim Grimoire, a book of diabolical spells, which is one of the seven Terrible Tomes. A bolt of lightning killed Hecate as she was trying to complete the final spell, giving rise to its name, the Unfinished Spell.
John Dee (1527–1609) An English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, alchemist and navigator. One of the most learned men of his age, Dee was Queen Elizabeth I’s court magician and amassed one of the largest private libraries in Europe, including many rare and magical books. Dee’s ghost gave his favourite scrying crystal pendant, the Emerald Eye, to Archie Greene as a keepsafe.
Keepsafe A magical gift usually given to someone to protect them from danger. Traditionally, a keepsafe is received from a friend or family member at the start of a magical apprenticeship.
Lost Books Department Located in the Museum of Magical Miscellany, the Department of Lost Books identifies magical books that have gone astray. When a new book arrives, it first goes to Lost Books to be classified according to its magical strength. Former heads of Lost Books include Gideon Hawke and the Greader Arthur Ripley.
Magic There are three branches of magic:
Natural Magic The purest kind of magic. It comes from magical creatures and plants and the elemental forces of nature, such as the sun, the stars, and the seas. (Symbol: tree with lightning bolt)
Mortal Magic Man-made magic. It includes the magical instruments and other devices created by magicians to channel magical power. (Symbol: crystal ball)
Supernatural Magic The third and darkest type of magic uses the power of spirits and other supernatural beings. (Symbol: smiling skull)
Magicians’ Eye The condition of having eyes that are different colours. Magicians’ eye is associated with rare magical abilities, including a talent for dark magic.
Magister Master magician and magic writer from the Golden Age of Magic.
Motion Potion An antigravity potion served at Quill’s that is required to travel safely in the seats of learning. Motion potions come in a variety of flavours and names and can be mixed with hot chocolate (choc-tails) or fruit juices.
Museum of Magical Miscellany The secret building concealed under the Bodleian Library in Oxford that houses the world’s most powerful magical books. All magical books must be returned to the museum for inspection and classification.
Oculus Large crystal orb used for communicating within the magical realm. The face of the person you are communicating with appears in the oculus.
Opus Magus ‘The Great Work’ is the founding spell of magic. The original Opus Magus was housed in the Great Library of Alexandria and disappeared when the Library was destroyed. Only when the Opus Magus is rewritten will magic be restored to its former glory.
Pale Writers Servants of the Dark Flame of Pandemonium. The Pale Writers were once great magic writers who turned to writing dark magic. By writing The Book of Night they summoned the Dark Flame from the underworld of Pandemonium. They thought they could control it but its power was too great and they became its servants instead, each trapped within the book by his own weakness: the first by doubt, the second by dread and the third by despair.
Permission Wall An enchantment that disguises magical places so they can’t be seen from the outside. Typically a secret mark or password is required as ‘permission’ to pass through a permission wall.
Poppers Magical books with spells that can escape if they are opened. There are two types: pop-ups are spells that can escape from a book but must remain with it; pop-outs are able to roam freely.
Popper Stopper A glass phial which, when uncorked, releases a white vapour that surrounds and captures wayward popper spells. Once used, a popper stopper must be returned to the museum so that the spell it contains can be put back into its book or disposed of in some other way. First- and second-hand apprentices are forbidden to use popper stoppers because they are deemed too dangerous.
Quill’s Coffee & Chocolate House Founded in London in 1657 by Jacob Quill, Quill’s became a favourite meeting place for the magical community. In 1667, Quill’s moved to Oxford after the original shop was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. It has been in Oxford ever since. As well as its internationally famous choc-tails, it boasts one of the most impressive permission walls anywhere in the magical world, acting as the entrance to the Museum of Magical Miscellany.
Royal Society of Magic Founded in 1666 by King Charles II, the Royal Society was established to further the understanding of magic. Its mission is to recognise, promote and support excellence in magic and to encourage the development and use of magic for the benefit of humankind. A number of famous and infamous magical experiments were conducted there. It has a reputation for being elitist and several famous magicians and alchemists have been linked with it, including Sir Isaac Newton.
Seats of Learning A set of ancient enchanted flying chairs used for getting in and out of the Museum of Magical Miscellany to provide added security and secrecy. Those using the seats of learning must drink a motion potion. Each seat is unique and has its own colourful history.
Shadow Blade An enchanted blade made from the reflection of a shooting star captured in the black glass of obsidian. The Shadow Blade is a potent weapon against dark magical creatures because it can penetrate any darkness – and the darkest of hearts.
Snook It’s one of the Museum of Magical Miscellany’s traditions that new apprentices must bring a magical book – called a snook – on their first day.
Special Instruction A special instruction is a binding magical contract, usually an order to do something with a magical object on or by a given date. Special instructions may be placed many years in advance of the designated date. Once received, a special instruction may not be cancelled. Failure to comply with a special instruction is against the Lore and may have serious magical repercussions, triggering curses or other unpleasant spells.
Terrible Tomes The seven most dangerous dark magic books ever written. They are among the Forbidden Books that must not be opened. It is said that if the Greaders get their hands on just one of the Terrible Tomes, then they could destroy the world. The Tomes are kept inside the crypt at the Museum of Magical Miscellany in enchanted iron cages.
Torchstones Magical orbs made from amber and used by the flame carriers to transport the Flame of Pharos. The Torchstones were used to bring the Flame of Pharos from Alexandria to Oxford, and can be used to protect the Flame in times of danger. There are two Torchstones.
Unready People who don’t know about magic.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank the people who made this book possible – many of whom have been on Archie’s journey with me from the beginning.
To Lindsay – my plotting companion and friend for all those ‘literary lunches’ at the Crown in Horsted Keynes, Red Lion at Chelwood Gate, Swan in Forest Row, and the rest.
My own Alchemists’ Club: the advance readers who reviewed the early chapters,
To Dan and Erin, whose enthusiasm for life is infectious and makes everything better.
To my nephew Harry, without whom Archie may never have seen the light of day.
To my agent Paul Moreton at Bell Lomax Moreton for his calm and always good humoured advice. To Jo Hayes who brought me to Faber & Faber and made it all possible. And to Eddie Bell who first saw potential in my writing.
To Leah Thaxton, my brilliant publisher and her fantastic team of editors at Faber: Alice Swan, who brought much-needed discipline and polish to my writing, to Natasha Brown for helping me juggle manuscripts and proofs and especially Naomi Colthurst who made writing Raven’s Spell such a pleasure.
An
d to everyone else at Faber – especially Hannah Love, for getting me some great publicity and events, and Lizzie Bishop and her foreign rights team who did such a fabulous job with the Archie series.
To James de la Rue, whose illustrations add so much to the Archie Greene books, and who excelled himself with this one.
To Maurice Lyon, my helpful and insightful copy editor throughout Archie’s adventures.
To Bryan – you know why. And to Ian for being there – always, and helping me make better decisions. And to Charlotte and Jane.
To Stuart and Ro for their support and (still) unwavering friendship.
To Sara for her editorial eye and unstinting encouragement.
Finally to my parents Peter Dearlove and Dorothy Dearlove (née Everest) for, well, everything.
About the Author
D. D. Everest is a successful business journalist and author who has written a number of adult non-fiction books. Archie Greene and the Raven’s Spell is the third and final book in the Archie Greene Trilogy and his third book for children. He lives with his family in a rambling Victorian house on the Ashdown Forest.
By the Same Author
Archie Greene and the Magician’s Secret
Archie Greene and the Alchemist’s Curse
Copyright
First published in 2017
by Faber & Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74–77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
This ebook edition first published in 2017
All rights reserved
Text © D. D. Everest, 2017
Illustrations © James de la Rue, 2017
Design by Faber
Text © D. D. Everest, 2017
Illustration © James de la Rue, 2017
The right of D. D. Everest and James de la Rue to be identified as author and illustrator of this work respectively has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly
ISBN 978–0–571–30965–8
