Strong-willed Perpugilliam Atwood, a witch living among Muggles in 19th-Century London, goes to work at the Ministry of Magic as though it were any other day. But she's thrust into a mission to Egypt to help break the curses surrounding the ruins of...
Perpugilliam Atwood woke with a start, rubbing her forehead with her hand as she scowled at the tawny owl that, with a flap of its great wings, left her shoulder to alight in its cage.
"That was quite rude, Halwyn!" she said to the bird who ignored her and pecked at the dead mouse it had killed last night.
Perri, which she preferred her friends to call her, stretched and yawned. She had gone to bed early the night before so she would be awake and aware on Monday morning. Dim light came in through the window adding scant illumination to the embers that smoldered in her fireplace.
She glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. It was not an ordinary clock, though, having no numbers and four arms. The top spot where the twelve would normally be was labeled "NOW." The arms each held a word, Shopping, Brethel(Perri's sister), Work, and Holiday. The "Work" arm pointed almost straight up.
Perpugilliam Atwood was a witch. A witch that was late for work.
"Oh, my!" Perri cried, throwing back the blankets and leaping out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me sooner!"
Halwyn clicked in response.
Bare feet slapped on the hardwood floor as she ran to the kitchen, snatching her wand from her nightstand on her way by. The wand danced an intricate pattern in her hand, as though she were conducting an orchestra, and a fire sprang to life on the stove as a cast iron pan drifted gently to the burner. Soon, eggs and ham were cooking and Perri went back to her bedroom to clean and dress. No time for a bath.
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"What a shame." Baths were a guilty pleasure.
"Aguamenti," she uttered the incantation as she swished her wand in a sideways "S" pattern at the basin that stood near her tub. A jet of water shot from the wand-tip, filling the vessel in a matter of seconds. Before she could talk herself out of it, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and dunked her head in the cold liquid. With her hands, she made sure her long, black hair was drenched, then pulled up, spluttering.
Now waving her wand at her face, she shut her eyes once more. "Scourgify."
Invisible hands roughly scrubbed her hair, the scent of perfumed soap wafting around her. The spell only took a couple minutes and left her wide awake. Next came a quick examination in the mirror, which showed her clean hair and spotless face. When she smiled, her child-like face smiled back, complete with dimples. Perri always looked younger than her age, which became a problem when she entered adulthood. Even in her early twenties, her face resembled a child's, with her perfect skin, rosy cheeks, and the aforementioned dimples. But her brown eyes betrayed a mixture of wonder and wisdom that came with maturity.
Satisfied with her handiwork, she did the same with her body, letting the Scouring Charm do its job. Skipping her bath made all the difference in time, and she no longer had to rush to work.
