Chapter 3
"Once you prove it's a real project, I will be happy to share the Wisdom Spell Reversal with you. Otherwise, no reversal for you. And Wisdom Spells can go on for a day... Or a week... Or a month... Or a year..." Maud face became really worried. Gotcha! I knew it! What has Mildred done this time? "Maud, can I talk to you in private, please?"
"Sure." Maud and I went to my room.
"What has Mildred done now?"
"Wha- Mildred- Nothing. Why do you- That's ridiculous."
"Maud. If you want the reversal, tell me what she's done right now!"
"Fine. Enid convinced Mildred that the only way she could make sure she doesn't come bottom in the exam is if she does a Wisdom Spell. She stole one of Miss Bat's socks and now she's really old."
"Seriously? That girl's an idiot."
"Hey! ... Are you going to tell me how to reverse it now?"
"Nope."
"What!? But you said you would."
"No. I said 'If you want the reversal, tell me what she's done right now'. I never said I would give it to you... But... As Head of Year, It's my duty to hep you out so I will." Maud grinned at my words. "However, it is also my duty to report what Mildred has done. You are coming with me. This is a serious matter, Maud." Maud looked concerned and then ran away. Damn it, Maud! I made my way to Miss Cackle's office and told her what Maud and I had spoken about.
"This is a serious allegation, Miss Black."
"I'm just telling you about the conversation we had, Miss Cackle. Maud admitted that Mildred used a Wisdom Spell because Enid convinced her. It seems Mildred had forgotten about what happened when I did one during the entrance exam. Has Miss Bat lost any socks recently?"
"She has, yes... I'll send Miss Hardbroom to check on Mildred."
...
Mildred, Maud and Enid are really mad at me because they got found out that Mildred impersonated Miss Darkside after Maud sent the real Miss Darkside away and they'd been lying about Mildred's mum having an in-growing toenail. Ethel and Drusilla got into trouble too for breaking into Miss Cackle's office in order to prove the lies of Miss Hubble's toenail. Now, Ethel, Drusilla, Enid, Maud and Mildred all have a term of cat confiscation for impersonating teachers.
HB was so pissed that Miss Darkside now refuses to visit Cackle's Academy ever again and she didn't actually get to meet her. She gave Mildred, Maud and Enid a month of detention. HB was clearly very disappointed about Miss Darkside refusing to visit. That, and how she acted when around what she thought was Miss Darkside, really upset me on HB's behalf and made me super jealous for some reason. HB doesn't deserve how the students treat her. She may be strict on us but she just wants us to reach our full potential. We won't reach our full potential if we're coddled too much. The other teachers balance out HB perfectly.
Fortunately, Ethel seemed to think me ratting out Enid and Mildred made us best friends and I had a lot of fun correcting her. It was also amusing to see how happy Mildred was that she was second-bottom in the class, how pleased Maud was that she was second in the class and how pissed Ethel was that she was fourth instead of second, as she had been second all year so far with Maud in third and me in first. Like always, I was top of the class and Ethel was so pissed when I smirked at her.
...
I met my dad with the other parents. "Dad!"
"Cassie! How have you been doing so far?"
"Top of the class in everything. Head of Year One. I haven't gotten lower than 100% on every test, project and assignment so far."
"That's my Cassie! Now, who are we seeing first?"
"I thought you wanted to see Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom first?"
"Oh, yeah." He transferred us to Miss Cackle's office right on time for our appointment.
"I don't know who she is but- Ah. You must be Cassiopeia Black and Mr Elijah Black."
"Yes. I'm very thankful that, despite the unpleasantness with her mother, you still allowed my Cassie to come here."
"I'm sorry but neither of us nor any of the other teachers here have ever met Miss Black before," Miss Cackle said.
"What?"
"We have no idea how or why this appointment was scheduled," HB said.
"Cassie? What's going on?"
"I don't know, dad. Everything was fine five minutes ago. Right before I came down after Mildred and Enid... I bet the two of them and Maud have done something again."
"Maud Spellbody?" HB asked.
"Yes."
"Why would she be anywhere near those two? They've never even spoken before. Maud is top in all of her classes and Head of Year One."
"No, she's not. I am. Ethel's second in most and Maud third. Although, occasionally, Maud is second while Ethel is third... She didn't... Forgetting Powder! I heard Enid talking about it a few days ago when she used it to make Maud forget her copying Maud's homework. Maud must've been more worried about what her parents thought of her than I believed if she allowed Enid to talk her into using Forgetting Powder. She must've wanted everyone to forget her mistakes and think she was top so everyone can't remember me or that she is best friends with Enid and Mildred. I think you should speak to Maud, Miss Cackle. I'm sure Enid has some way of reversing the Forgetting Powder too."
"Yes, we should. I have had some gaps in my memory regarding Maud Spellbody, Ada," HB said.
...
I can't believe Maud and Enid got away with that Forgetting Power incident because Enid's dad is rich. So not fair. How many times are they going to get away with things like this? Not to mention they tried to steal Remembering Powder from First Aid. That's what they were doing when HB showed up to collect Maud to ask her about the Forgetting Powder. HB had more of it in her Potions Stores so she gave it to everyone. All Enid and Maud got was detention and only for a week. They were supposed to get banned from ever attending a Witching School again. I HATE those three almost as much as I HATE Ethel.
...
"I told you, I didn't do anything. Try not to be jealous. You can't all be perfect like me." I snorted at Ethel's words and she glared at me. "What?"
"You? Perfect?" I snorted again. "Which one of us is top of the class again?" Ethel looked irritated before she smirked at me.
"And, yet, I'm the one with a wart."
"Yeah, a fake one. If Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom don't have them, then you definitely won't have one. Hell, if your sister doesn't have one, then you won't. She is a better Witch than you. Or is that not why your mom prefers her over you?" The girls let out quiet 'Ooh's' at that and Ethel looked furious. "And I'm going to have a lot of fun laughing at you when it's proved you're nothing but a pathetic, little fake. Enjoy all this while you can, Ethel. It's going to be the only time in your life when people don't absolutely hate you."
"Says the girl with no friends."
"If I wanted friends, I'd have friends. I prefer to be alone. In fact, I'm going to spend time in my room alone working on my new secret project. It's been a while since the last one. Of course, you know how my Wisdom Spell Reversal project went." I smirked at her as I left. Now... What is my new project going to be? I do have quite a bit of spare time on my hands.
...
A paper bat dropped in my hands. 'The first-year Coven wants you.' The words disappeared and new words appeared in their place. 'I am everywhere and nowhere, many and few. Find my door, high or low, it's really up to you.' Oh, please. I immediately went to the roof. That's 'high'. Now, to wait for a few others to complete a challenge together as a team to prove we're a worthy Coven for the Coven Room door to appear.
...
Great. Ethel, Mildred, Maud and Enid are going to be in my Coven... I don't mind Drusilla and Felicity but the others... And Mildred's hair... I still couldn't stop snickering at the fact that Ethel admitted to her wart being fake. "I told you so. Now to fix this problem, we'll have to work together to chant to break the Spell. Everyone hold hands." We all grabbed each others' hands. "Cauldron blister, cauldron shake, break this Spell and make it quake. Rising moon and setting sun, we aren't many, we are one!"
"Cauldron blister, cauldron shake, break this Spell and make it quake. Rising moon and setting sun, we aren't many, we are one!" We all chanted and Mildred's hair became normal again.
"Told you so." The Coven Room door appeared and I walked over to it.
"Come in!" The voice of Miss Cackle said. "Come in!" I led us all into the room. I was first so I'm Founder Member and get to choose the name of our Coven. Thankfully... Imagine what we'd be called if Mildred was in charge... Probably some stupid joke about her hair... Or Ethel... She'd probably end up calling the Coven something with her name in it like The Hallow Sisters or The Coven of Ethel. When we got in the room, Esme, Miss Drill, Mr Rowan-Webb, Miss Cackle and HB were already in there. "Top thinking, Esme, your plan worked a treat." Wait, was this all about Ethel and Mildred? Was this because of what happened with Ethel cutting Mildred's hair earlier?
"The mutant hair was the plan?" Miss Drill jokingly asked.
"The Coven was the plan to encourage teamwork," HB said. "The hair was a Mildred-shaped spanner in the works."
"I am everywhere and nowhere, many and few. Find my door, high or low, it's really up to you," Mr Rowan-Webb said.
"Did we pass the test?" Mildred asked.
"Er, only this group. The others will have to try again next time," Esme said.
"You cracked the code by working together," Miss Cackle said. "The chant unlocked the door."
"Congratulations," Miss Bat said. "Very great things await such a brave bunch." We all put a hand over the cauldron after Miss Cackle spoke to Ethel about her wart and Mildred and Maud had a boring conversation that I tuned out of.
"So, without further ado, we will begin the ceremony," HB said.
"As members of your new Coven, you'll be more than just classmates, you'll be sisters," Esme said.
"It doesn't matter who's the best or the worst," Miss Drill said. I tried not to scoff at that. Sure.
"All that matters is joining together with your fellow Witches and being stronger and better together," Miss Cackle said.
"Cassiopeia Black," HB said.
"Yes?"
"Toss your invitation into the cauldron," Miss Cackle said. I did as I was told. "You were the first Witch to reveal the door."
"You're being sworn in as Founder Member," Miss Bat said.
"That also means you get to choose a name," Miss Cackle said. Maybe something to honour Starfire? A Witch is nothing without her Familiar.
"The Starfire Coven."
"The first and Founding Member of The Starfire Coven," Miss Cackle said. The cauldron and I glowed a bright blue. "Cassiopeia Black."
...
I can't believe HB was friends with Miss Pentangle. They're so... Opposite. I wouldn't've believed it myself if I hadn't heard HB be nice to her before Ethel became a mumbling mess and blurt out 'Frogspawn' in front of the boy from Pentangle's Academy. He won't stop following me.