Syrah was an orphan, which made Julius Pike like a father to her. She became his Apprentice when she was about twelve, and he taught her well. Since Julius was friends with Marcellus Pye, Syrah learned how to combine Magyk and Physik, something they had been working on. Syrah was Apprenticed at the same time as when Septimus was 500 years before his Time, and they had briefly seen each other before. Septimus disliked her at first because he felt she had taken his spot as ExtraOrdinary Apprentice.[citation needed]