A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch (9 page)

‘Yes, Miss Hardbroom,’ replied Mildred. ‘Oh, and Miss Hardbroom, I’ve just remembered, there
is
a frog in the pond and it really
is
someone under enchantment. I
know
it sounds like another made-up story –’

‘Mildred Hubble,’ said Miss Hardbroom wearily, ‘what have I just said to you? No, don’t attempt to answer. I expect you’ve completely forgotten already, haven’t you? Sometimes I feel that any attempt to communicate with you is an utter waste of time.

‘Now I have said all that I wish to say to you girls except, Mildred, that you will write one hundred lines which will say, “I must try very hard not to be quite so silly.” Now hurry along to breakfast, girls. That will be all.’

Mildred was now faced with the impossible task of convincing someone that there was an elderly magician in the pond. She tried to tell Maud and Enid, but they had had enough of frog stories, particularly as Mildred had actually admitted to them, at the time, that the story she had told Sybil was not true.

It seemed quite hopeless. The only way of getting to a magician was at the celebrations on Hallowe’en night, but after the broomstick display, which Mildred had ruined the year before, she felt very worried about creating any more havoc in that direction.

Mildred spent a lot of time by the pond telling the frog-magician that she hadn’t forgotten him and that she would get him out if it was the last thing she did. He always kept a distance from her, but she felt sure he knew who she was. Looking at his froggy face, half-submerged in the murky water, it was hard to believe that he really was anything more than an ordinary frog, and Mildred could see why no one had recognized her when she was in the same plight.

week before the Hallowe’en celebration, Miss Hardbroom entered the classroom, looking grim.

‘Sit, girls,’ she said, looking round severely at the rows of pupils. ‘I have here a letter from the chief magician, Mr Hellibore, who presides over the Hallowe’en festivities each year. In this letter he specifically requests that the girls responsible for the utter fiasco, which
should
have been our broomstick display last year, are to be kept away from this year’s display so that he can relax and enjoy the events taking place. Those two girls were Ethel Hallow and Mildred Hubble. It is true that the incident was not actually Mildred’s fault, for once, because Ethel
had
cast a spell on the broomstick which Mildred was using, but in view of our little
chat
this morning, girls —’ here she darted a glance at Ethel and Mildred who wriggled uncomfortably in their seats, ‘I feel this is a most fitting punishment for both of you. As you retire to your beds at dusk on the eve of Hallowe’en, perhaps you might ponder upon the exciting evening you
could
have been enjoying and resolve to end this ridiculous feud at last.’

Mildred was very upset at her exclusion from Hallowe’en for several reasons. One was the awful unfairness of it all, as it really hadn’t been her fault that Ethel had cast a bad spell on the broomstick she had lent to Mildred, thus ruining the display. Also it would be very hard to stay in bed and miss the evening’s fun. But, worst of all, she would not be able to take her unfortunate friend to be changed back to his normal self, and this was the only night of the whole year when she would be in the presence of a magician.

There was only one thing to do. She would have to persuade someone to change places with her, and if that didn’t work she would have to kidnap someone and
force
them to swap places. Even the thought of this plan seemed dreadful to Mildred, who could see how such a course of action was fraught with danger, but there really was no alternative if she was to help the frog-magician.

Maud and Enid were the obvious people to ask but they flatly refused.

‘You must be barmy, Mildred,’ exclaimed Maud. ‘H.Β. would
slaughter
us if we got caught. Anyway what’s it
for
? I mean if
I
was you I’d just put up with it and stay in bed. Enid and I will describe it all when we come back.’

‘Look, Maud,’ pleaded Mildred, ‘I
know
it’s hard for you to believe me, but that frog in the pond really
is
a magician and he can only be changed back by another magician. If you don’t want to change places with me, then couldn’t you take him yourself and ask the chief magician for help?
Please
.’

‘No fear!’ said Maud and Enid together.

‘Honestly, Mil,’ said Enid gently, ‘I know it must have been awful when you were turned into a frog, what with the narrow squeak in the potion lab and everything, but don’t you think perhaps you’re getting a little
obsessed
with frogs and ponds? Maud and I have seen you down there chatting away to the empty water. Perhaps a nice evening in bed might be good for you, after all.’

Mildred stomped away feeling desperate. If Maud and Enid thought she was mad and wouldn’t help her, then no one would and the only course of action was to go ahead with the kidnapping plan. Mildred quailed at the prospect.

The morning of the celebrations dawned and the whole day was given over to ironing best robes, practising on broomsticks and chanting. Mildred and Ethel sat miserably at their desks, feeling very left out of all the bustle.

As the afternoon drew to a close, Mildred crept downstairs and out into the darkening yard. She hurried to the pond and peered among the reeds to see if her friend was visible.

‘Mr Algernon, sir,’ she whispered, ‘come out, Mr Algernon. I’ve got something to tell you, sir.’

For a moment the water lay dark and still, then a ripple touched the surface and two green eyes appeared like periscopes.

‘Oh, Mr Algernon!’ exclaimed Mildred with relief, and before he had time to hide away under a stone, as he usually did, she shot a hand into the water and scooped him up. He did not want to be caught at all, and although Mildred told him where they were going and tried to soothe him, he struggled madly and looked at her with great suspicion. Mildred slid him carefully into her pocket and raced up the stairs to her room, where she transferred him to a small box with holes in the lid which she had prepared specially for the journey.