Toby Finch had always believed that there were certain things a sensible person should never do.

One was swimming in a river during a thunderstorm.

Another was eating a sandwich that had been left outside for more than three days.

And a third was following a mysterious voice into a dark underground tunnel while carrying a silver teapot that might or might not be magical.

Unfortunately, Toby had already broken all three rules.

The underground staircase stretched before him.

It disappeared into complete darkness.

Beside him stood Ivy Crumb.

Behind them stood Professor Barnaby Quill, Mrs. Crumble, Mayor Horace Puddle, and Mr. Goldsworth.

Everyone was staring into the darkness.

Nobody wanted to go first.

Toby looked at Ivy.

Ivy looked at Toby.

Toby pointed toward Barnaby.

“You go.”

Barnaby immediately shook his head.

“Why me?”

“You’re the professor.”

“Exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I am very intelligent.”

“Then you should know if it’s safe.”

Barnaby thought about that.

“No.”

Toby stared.

“No?”

“I don’t know if it’s safe.”

“Then what’s the point of being intelligent?”

Barnaby shrugged.

“Sometimes intelligence is just knowing when you’re about to make a terrible decision.”

Toby nodded.

“That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all week.”

Mrs. Crumble stepped forward.

“Enough.”

Everyone looked at her.

She held her rolling pin tightly.

“We’re going down.”

Toby looked horrified.

“Why?”

“Because someone has to.”

“Someone else can.”

“Who?”

Toby pointed toward the darkness.

“Maybe the goose.”

Ivy sighed.

“The goose is gone.”

“Exactly.”

Mrs. Crumble raised her rolling pin.

“Move.”

Toby moved.

Everyone moved.

And together, they began walking down the stairs.

---

The deeper they went, the colder it became.

Toby held the silver teapot tightly.

He didn’t know why.

Perhaps because it was the only thing he had that felt remotely useful.

Although, technically, it was just a teapot.

A very mysterious teapot.

A very expensive teapot.

A teapot that had been stolen, hidden, copied, chased, protected by a goose, and connected to a secret society.

But still…

A teapot.

Toby looked at it.

“You know, this is your fault.”

Ivy looked at him.

“Who are you talking to?”

“The teapot.”

“You’re blaming a teapot?”

“Someone has to.”

Ivy shook her head.

“You’re losing your mind.”

“I lost it three chapters ago.”

They continued.

At the bottom of the staircase was a massive stone door.

Seven symbols were carved into it.

A crown.

A key.

A goose.

A teapot.

A clock.

An eye.

And a seventh symbol Toby couldn’t recognize.

He stepped closer.

“What’s that?”

Ivy examined it.

“It looks like…”

She paused.

“A person.”

Toby stared.

“A person?”

“Yes.”

“Why would there be a person symbol?”

Nobody answered.

Then the silver teapot began to shake.

Toby nearly dropped it.

“What’s happening?”

Ivy stepped backward.

“I don’t know.”

The teapot became warm.

Then…

A golden light appeared.

The seven symbols on the door began glowing.

One by one.

The crown.

The key.

The goose.

The teapot.

The clock.

The eye.

And finally…

The person.

Toby stared.

The door began opening.

GRRRRRRRRRR…

A deep sound echoed through the tunnel.

Toby swallowed.

“I have a bad feeling.”

Ivy nodded.

“You always have a bad feeling.”

“Because I’m usually right.”

The door opened completely.

Behind it was a huge underground chamber.

But this time…

There was no treasure.

No gold.

No jewels.

No ancient treasure chest.

Instead, there were thousands of books.

Hundreds of photographs.

And dozens of old machines.

In the center of the room stood a large wooden desk.

Behind it sat Eleanor Vale.

Toby stopped.

“Eleanor.”

She looked at him.

“Welcome.”

Ivy stepped forward.

“You disappeared.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I needed to make sure you followed.”

Toby frowned.

“Followed where?”

Eleanor looked around.

“Here.”

Toby stared.

“That’s not an answer.”

Eleanor smiled.

“You ask too many questions.”

Toby pointed toward himself.

“We’ve been chasing a missing silver teapot for days.”

“Yes.”

“Then we discovered the Golden Circle.”

“Yes.”

“Then the Silver Crown.”

“Yes.”

“Then the secret rooms.”

“Yes.”

“Then the mysterious goose.”

“Yes.”

“And now we’re underground.”

“Yes.”

Toby raised his hands.

“Don’t you think I deserve some answers?”

Eleanor smiled.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“But not yet.”

Toby screamed.

“WHY?”

Eleanor laughed.

For the first time, Toby noticed something strange.

Eleanor didn’t look evil.

She looked tired.

Very tired.

Her face was filled with sadness.

Ivy noticed it too.

“You’ve been protecting this secret for fifty years.”

Eleanor nodded.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Eleanor looked at the old photographs.

“Because I promised.”

“To whom?”

Eleanor pointed toward one of the photographs.

It showed seven people.

The original Golden Circle.

But this time…

Toby noticed something.

There were eight shadows.

He stepped closer.

“Wait.”

Ivy followed.

“There are eight.”

Eleanor nodded.

“Yes.”

Toby stared.

“Seven people.”

“Yes.”

“But eight shadows.”

“Yes.”

Toby looked terrified.

“Why?”

Eleanor whispered,

“Because one of them was never human.”

The room became silent.

Toby slowly turned.

“Don’t say ghost.”

Eleanor smiled.

“Not a ghost.”

“Good.”

“A guardian.”

Toby frowned.

“What kind of guardian?”

Eleanor looked toward the ceiling.

“The guardian of the truth.”

Toby waited.

Nothing happened.

“Well?”

Eleanor sighed.

“The guardian is the goose.”

Toby stared.

“The goose?”

Eleanor nodded.

“Yes.”

Toby looked at Ivy.

Ivy looked at him.

Toby shook his head.

“I refuse.”

Ivy frowned.

“Refuse what?”

“I refuse to believe that a goose is guarding the greatest secret in history.”

A voice behind him said,

“Then you should probably stop insulting it.”

Toby froze.

Slowly…

He turned.

The goose stood behind him.

Toby screamed.

“STOP APPEARING LIKE THAT!”

The goose honked.

Toby pointed.

“Don’t you dare.”

The goose honked again.

Toby stepped backward.

“I don’t trust you.”

The goose looked offended.

Ivy laughed.

“Why are you arguing with a goose?”

“Because it started it.”

Eleanor smiled.

“The goose has protected the Golden Circle for generations.”

Toby stared.

“Generations?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Every guardian goose passes the secret to the next.”

Toby looked confused.

“How?”

Eleanor shrugged.

“Geese have their ways.”

Toby nodded slowly.

“Of course.”

Ivy turned toward Eleanor.

“Now tell us the truth.”

Eleanor became serious.

“About what?”

“The Golden Circle.”

Eleanor sighed.

“The Golden Circle was created fifty years ago by seven people who discovered something beneath Bumblewick.”

“The Silver Crown?”

“Yes.”

“What does it do?”

“It doesn’t reveal lies.”

Toby blinked.

“But it said the mayor stole the teapot.”

Eleanor nodded.

“It reveals memories.”

Toby stared.

“Memories?”

“Yes.”

“The truth is hidden inside memories.”

Ivy understood.

“So the machine showed us what the mayor remembered.”

“Exactly.”

Toby looked at the mayor.

“You stole the teapot.”

The mayor sighed.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The mayor looked at Eleanor.

“Because I was trying to protect everyone.”

Toby frowned.

“From what?”

Eleanor answered.

“From the seventh member.”

Toby’s face changed.

“The seventh member.”

Eleanor nodded.

“The person whose name was scratched out.”

Ivy asked,

“Who was it?”

Eleanor looked toward Toby.

Toby froze.

“No.”

Eleanor nodded.

“Yes.”

Toby stepped backward.

“I am not the seventh member.”

“No.”

“Good.”

“You are the seventh member’s descendant.”

Toby blinked.

“Descendant?”

“Yes.”

“Who was the seventh member?”

Eleanor pointed toward the photograph.

A man stood at the edge.

His face had been scratched away.

Toby stared.

There was something familiar about his clothes.

His posture.

His eyes.

Toby stepped closer.

“Who is he?”

Eleanor whispered,

“His name was Thomas Finch.”

Toby stopped breathing.

“Finch?”

Eleanor nodded.

“Your great-grandfather.”

Toby stared.

Ivy stepped closer.

“Thomas Finch was part of the Golden Circle?”

“Yes.”

“Then why was his name removed?”

Eleanor’s expression became sad.

“Because he betrayed them.”

Toby looked shocked.

“What did he do?”

Eleanor looked at the Silver Crown.

“He wanted to use it.”

“For what?”

“To change the past.”

Silence.

Toby shook his head.

“That’s impossible.”

“Not with the Silver Crown.”

Ivy stared.

“What could it change?”

“Anything.”

Toby looked horrified.

“Anything?”

“Memories. Decisions. Events.”

“Even death?”

Eleanor nodded.

“Even death.”

Toby stared.

“Then why didn’t he use it?”

“Because he couldn’t.”

“Why?”

Eleanor pointed toward the silver teapot.

“Because the Silver Crown needs seven keys.”

Toby looked at the teapot.

“Seven keys.”

Eleanor nodded.

“The Golden Circle created seven keys.”

“Where are they?”

“Hidden.”

“Where?”

Eleanor smiled.

“All around Bumblewick.”

Toby suddenly remembered.

The golden key.

The silver key.

The strange symbols.

The secret rooms.

The teapots.

The goose.

Everything.

“Then why did everyone keep looking for the Golden Throne?”

Eleanor laughed.

“Because the Golden Throne never existed.”

Toby stared.

“All this time…”

“Yes.”

“The treasure was fake.”

“Yes.”

“The Golden Circle was chasing something that didn’t exist.”

“Yes.”

“And the silver teapot?”

Eleanor smiled.

“One of seven containers.”

Toby looked at the teapot.

“Containing a key.”

“No.”

Toby frowned.

“Then what?”

Eleanor answered:

“A memory.”

Toby stared.

“What memory?”

Eleanor walked toward him.

“The memory of Thomas Finch.”

The room became silent.

Toby’s hands began shaking.

“Why?”

“Because he left something behind.”

“What?”

Eleanor looked directly into his eyes.

“A warning.”

---

She took the teapot.

She placed it on the table.

Then she opened the lid.

Inside was a tiny crystal.

Toby stared.

“That’s not a key.”

“No.”

“What is it?”

“A memory crystal.”

Eleanor touched it.

The room suddenly became dark.

A light appeared.

And then…

A man appeared.

Thomas Finch.

Toby stared.

The man looked exactly like him.

Same eyes.

Same face.

Same expression.

Toby stepped backward.

“That’s my great-grandfather.”

Eleanor nodded.

Thomas spoke.

“If you’re watching this…”

His voice echoed through the chamber.

“…then I failed.”

Toby swallowed.

Thomas continued.

“The Silver Crown must never be activated.”

Ivy looked at Eleanor.

“Why?”

Thomas continued.

“Because the Crown does not change the past.”

Toby frowned.

“Then what does it do?”

Thomas looked directly at the viewer.

“It changes the person who uses it.”

The room became silent.

Thomas continued.

“It takes memories.”

Toby stared.

“Memories?”

“Yes.”

“All memories?”

Thomas shook his head.

“The most important ones.”

Toby understood.

“Love.”

Thomas nodded.

“Love.”

“Family.”

“Yes.”

“Everything that makes you who you are.”

“Yes.”

Toby looked horrified.

Thomas continued.

“I believed I could use the Crown to bring back someone I loved.”

The image flickered.

Thomas looked heartbroken.

“But I was wrong.”

Toby whispered,

“Who?”

Thomas looked down.

“My daughter.”

Toby froze.

Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears.

Thomas continued.

“She died young.”

Toby looked at Eleanor.

Eleanor nodded.

Thomas was her father.

Toby suddenly understood.

Thomas had tried to bring back Eleanor’s mother.

But something had gone wrong.

Thomas continued.

“The Crown offered me a choice.”

“What choice?” Ivy whispered.

Thomas answered:

“Bring her back…”

He paused.

“…or keep my memories of her.”

Toby’s heart sank.

“And what did he choose?”

Eleanor whispered,

“He chose her.”

The room became silent.

Thomas continued.

“But when she returned…”

His voice cracked.

“…she didn’t remember me.”

Toby stared.

The image showed a young woman.

She looked confused.

Afraid.

Thomas reached toward her.

She stepped away.

Toby felt tears in his eyes.

Thomas continued:

“I brought back her life…”

He paused.

“But I lost her forever.”

The memory disappeared.

The room became silent.

Toby wiped his eyes.

“That’s horrible.”

Eleanor nodded.

“Yes.”

Ivy looked at the Silver Crown.

“Then why is it still here?”

“Because someone is trying to activate it.”

Everyone froze.

Toby looked around.

“Who?”

Eleanor pointed toward the door.

Mr. Wren stepped into the room.

Everyone turned.

Toby shouted,

“You!”

Mr. Wren smiled.

“Me.”

Ivy stepped forward.

“You’re the enemy.”

Mr. Wren laughed.

“No.”

Eleanor shook her head.

“Not exactly.”

Toby frowned.

“Then what are you?”

Mr. Wren looked at Eleanor.

“Her son.”

Silence.

Toby stared.

“What?”

Ivy gasped.

Eleanor looked away.

Mr. Wren smiled sadly.

“I was the child Thomas brought back.”

Toby’s mouth fell open.

“You?”

Mr. Wren nodded.

“My mother died.”

He looked at Eleanor.

“Thomas used the Crown.”

Eleanor whispered,

“And he brought you back.”

Mr. Wren nodded.

“But you weren’t the same.”

“No.”

“You lost your memories.”

“Yes.”

Toby stared.

“Then why are you searching for the Crown?”

Mr. Wren’s expression changed.

“Because I want my memories back.”

Eleanor stepped forward.

“No.”

Mr. Wren’s eyes filled with anger.

“I want to remember my mother.”

“You don’t know what that will cost.”

“I don’t care.”

“It will take everything you have.”

“I don’t care!”

Mr. Wren shouted.

“I have lived my entire life knowing that something is missing!”

He pointed toward his chest.

“I wake up every morning with an empty space inside me.”

Toby looked at him.

Mr. Wren continued.

“I don’t remember her voice.”

He swallowed.

“I don’t remember her face.”

His voice broke.

“I don’t even remember why I loved her.”

The room became silent.

Ivy lowered her head.

Toby understood.

Mr. Wren wasn’t evil.

He was broken.

Eleanor stepped toward him.

“You’re my son.”

Mr. Wren froze.

Eleanor’s voice trembled.

“You always were.”

Mr. Wren stared.

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you were happy.”

“Happy?”

“Yes.”

“You think I was happy?”

Eleanor nodded.

“You had a life.”

Mr. Wren laughed bitterly.

“I had a life without my memories.”

Eleanor began crying.

“I was afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Of losing you again.”

Mr. Wren stared.

Then…

Something unexpected happened.

The goose walked between them.

It looked at Eleanor.

Then Mr. Wren.

Then…

It honked.

Everyone stared.

Toby whispered,

“Is it going to say something?”

The goose honked again.

Toby nodded.

“Never mind.”

Ivy smiled.

“Maybe it’s telling him to forgive her.”

Toby looked at the goose.

“Or maybe it’s hungry.”

Mrs. Crumble suddenly said,

“I think it’s hungry.”

The goose looked at her.

Mrs. Crumble held up a sandwich.

The goose immediately ran toward her.

Toby stared.

“You’re kidding.”

The goose grabbed the sandwich.

Then ran away.

Toby shook his head.

“Of course.”

Even Mr. Wren laughed.

For the first time…

The tension disappeared.

---

Eleanor walked toward the Silver Crown.

“We must destroy it.”

Toby looked surprised.

“Can you?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“The seventh key.”

Everyone looked at Toby.

Toby froze.

“Me?”

Eleanor nodded.

“Your family has carried the seventh key for generations.”

Toby frowned.

“I don’t have a key.”

Eleanor pointed toward his chest.

“You do.”

Toby searched his pockets.

Nothing.

His coat.

Nothing.

His shoes.

Nothing.

Then…

He remembered.

The strange symbol on the door.

The person symbol.

Toby touched his chest.

Suddenly…

A small golden light appeared.

Ivy gasped.

Toby stepped backward.

“What is that?”

Eleanor smiled.

“The seventh key.”

Toby stared.

“Inside me?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Your great-grandfather hid it in your bloodline.”

Toby stared.

“That’s impossible.”

“Not in Bumblewick.”

Toby sighed.

“Of course.”

Eleanor pointed toward the Silver Crown.

“Place your hand on it.”

Toby stepped forward.

Ivy grabbed his arm.

“Are you sure?”

“No.”

“Then don’t.”

“But someone has to.”

Toby looked at Mr. Wren.

Then Eleanor.

Then the goose.

Then the machine.

Finally…

He stepped forward.

He placed his hand on the Silver Crown.

The room shook.

Seven lights appeared.

The Crown began spinning.

Toby screamed.

“THIS WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA!”

Ivy shouted,

“KEEP YOUR HAND THERE!”

“WHY?”

“BECAUSE YOU STARTED IT!”

“THAT’S NOT A REASON!”

The machine became brighter.

Toby felt memories rushing through his mind.

His childhood.

His mother.

His first day at school.

His first sandwich.

His first broken window.

Everything.

He began crying.

“Stop!”

The Crown didn’t stop.

Then…

He saw something.

A memory.

Not his.

Thomas Finch.

Thomas stood beside the Crown.

He was crying.

Then a voice spoke.

“You cannot change the past.”

Thomas turned.

Behind him stood a woman.

Toby recognized her.

Eleanor’s mother.

Thomas whispered,

“I love you.”

She smiled.

“I know.”

Then she disappeared.

Toby suddenly understood.

The Crown wasn’t a machine for changing the past.

It was a machine for accepting it.

Toby opened his eyes.

“That’s it.”

Ivy shouted,

“What?”

“The Crown.”

He understood.

“It doesn’t give people what they want.”

Eleanor stared.

“It teaches them to let go.”

Mr. Wren looked at him.

Toby continued.

“That’s why the Golden Circle failed.”

The machine began shaking.

“That’s why Thomas failed.”

The Crown began cracking.

“And that’s why you can’t use it to bring anyone back.”

Mr. Wren stared.

Toby looked at him.

“You don’t need your memories to love your mother.”

Mr. Wren’s eyes filled with tears.

Toby continued.

“Because the fact that you miss her…”

He smiled sadly.

“…means some part of you already remembers.”

Mr. Wren began crying.

Eleanor walked toward him.

For a moment…

They simply stood there.

Then Mr. Wren hugged her.

Eleanor hugged him back.

The Silver Crown cracked.

CRACK.

Then…

BOOM!

The machine exploded.

Everyone screamed.

Toby flew backward.

Mrs. Crumble fell into Barnaby.

Barnaby fell into the mayor.

The mayor fell into Mr. Goldsworth.

Mr. Goldsworth fell into a chair.

And the goose…

The goose somehow remained standing.

Toby slowly opened his eyes.

“Is everyone alive?”

Mrs. Crumble raised her hand.

“Yes.”

Barnaby raised his.

“Yes.”

The mayor raised his.

“Yes.”

Mr. Goldsworth raised his.

“Yes.”

The goose honked.

Toby nodded.

“Good.”

Ivy helped him stand.

“Did we solve the mystery?”

Toby looked around.

“The Silver Crown is destroyed.”

“The Golden Circle is finished.”

“The truth is revealed.”

“The teapot mystery is solved.”

Toby smiled.

“Then yes.”

Ivy smiled.

“We did it.”

Suddenly…

The mayor cleared his throat.

Everyone turned.

“I have one question.”

Toby sighed.

“What?”

“Where is the real silver teapot?”

Everyone froze.

Toby looked around.

The teapot was gone.

Again.

“WHAT?”

Ivy shouted,

“Where is it?”

Everyone searched.

Under the table.

Behind the chairs.

Inside the boxes.

Nothing.

Then…

A loud honk echoed.

Everyone turned.

The goose stood at the entrance.

The silver teapot was hanging around its neck.

Toby stared.

The goose stared back.

Toby pointed.

“You!”

The goose honked.

Toby ran after it.

“COME BACK!”

The goose ran.

Everyone followed.

They raced through the tunnels.

Up the stairs.

Through Room 7.

Out of the theater.

Across the street.

And straight into the town square.

The goose finally stopped.

The silver teapot fell from its neck.

Toby grabbed it.

He opened the lid.

Inside was a small piece of paper.

He unfolded it.

Everyone gathered around.

There was one sentence.

THE GREATEST TREASURE IS NOT WHAT YOU FIND.

Toby read the next line.

IT IS WHO YOU FIND ALONG THE WAY.

Everyone became silent.

Ivy smiled.

Toby looked at her.

She smiled back.

Mrs. Crumble wiped her eyes.

Barnaby pretended not to cry.

The mayor looked embarrassed.

Mr. Wren held Eleanor’s hand.

And the goose…

The goose stole Toby’s sandwich.

Toby stared.

“HEY!”

The goose ran away.

Toby chased it.

“THAT WAS MY LAST ONE!”

Ivy laughed.

“Let it go!”

“I WILL NOT!”

The goose ran faster.

Toby followed.

The entire town watched as the famous mystery of the Silver Teapot finally came to an end.

Or at least…

Everyone thought it had.

Until the next morning.

Toby was sitting at breakfast with Ivy.

He was eating toast.

For once…

Everything was peaceful.

Then a messenger arrived.

He handed Toby an envelope.

Toby frowned.

“What’s this?”

“Found it outside your house.”

Toby opened it.

Inside was a photograph.

He turned it over.

It showed the seven members of the Golden Circle.

But there was something strange.

In the background…

Behind them…

Was a man.

A man Toby had never seen before.

Toby stared.

Ivy leaned closer.

“Who is that?”

Toby shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

He turned the photograph over.

There was a message.

YOU SOLVED THE WRONG MYSTERY.

Toby’s face went pale.

Ivy looked worried.

“What does it mean?”

Toby stared at the words.

Then…

A loud honk came from outside.

Toby looked toward the window.

The goose was standing there.

It was holding something.

A golden key.

Toby sighed.

“Not again.”

Ivy smiled.

“Ready for another mystery?”

Toby stared at her.

“No.”

Ivy laughed.

“Come on.”

Toby stood.

He grabbed his coat.

“Fine.”

They walked outside.

The goose began running.

Toby followed.

Ivy followed Toby.

And somewhere behind them…

The old silver teapot disappeared from the kitchen table.

Nobody noticed.

Except the goose.

The goose stopped.

It looked back.

Then it looked at Toby.

And for a moment…

Its eyes seemed almost human.

The goose honked.

Toby shouted,

“What?”

The goose turned and ran.

Toby sighed.

“That bird knows something.”

Ivy smiled.

“Of course it does.”

Toby ran after it.

And so…

The mystery ended.

But the adventures of Toby Finch and Ivy Crumb…

Had only just begun.

Because in Bumblewick…

There was always another secret.

Another mystery.

Another impossible clue.

And somewhere…

There was always a goose.

A very suspicious goose.

THE END