How It All Goes Down
A Girl with Pointy Shoes
- The next day, the Spook tells Tom that a boggart cooks their meals. Then he gives Tom a crash course in boggarts and witches. Shouldn't this have happened in the last chapter, which was titled boggarts and witches?
- Oh well. The Spook gives Tom a little journal to take notes in, telling him to write down anything that has to do with boggarts, witches, or village girls with pointy shoes. There goes that fashion trend. Sorry, Sarah Jessica Parker.
- After these lessons, Spooky sends Tom to town to pick up groceries.
- The shopping trip goes better than your average trip to Wal-Mart, but Tom encounters some trouble from a group of boys on the way back. They want his apples, but Tom refuses to give them any.
- A girl appears and threatens the boys, telling them that Bony Lizzie is back. The gang runs away so fast they practically kick up dust.
- Tom doesn't run, but he's a little wary of the girl and her pointy shoes, whose name is Alice.
- She wants something in exchange for helping him, and he agrees to help her out if she ever needs it. Maybe she'll just need a ride to buy up the latest fall fashions.
- Back at the Spook's house, Tom tells the Spook about the boys and the apples. He leaves out the part with the girl. "That was my second serious [mistake]—not telling the Spook the whole truth. The first, even more serious one, was making the promise to Alice" (6.103 – 6.104). This foreshadowing is so dark, it's practically an eclipse.