She started it, miss!

After Mildred Hubble kicked a football, Ethel Hallow retaliated with her usual snide comments which led to mega magical misunderstanding causing a lot of damage to the school…and Miss Cackle for one has had enough.

Just a quick drabble,*RA is currently fighting with both her mus and and an unjust internet ban* I own nothing but the tale. It's gone off on a bit of a tangent though. Enjoy. :P

"Come in." Miss Amelia Cackle called at the knock of the door. After what sounded like a scuffle outside, the two young ladies entered the office shoving one another in a matter that was rather unladylike, both glaring at her opponent and before Amelia could speak, they both started protesting in sync.

"Miss Cackle, Mildred Hubble-"

"But it wouldn't have happened if Ethel-"

"I am not interested in who did or didn't what at the moment." Amelia interrupted. "You know why you're both here." Her two girls tried to look as innocent as possible but it didn't really work as they again scowled at one another so Amelia was forced to remind them of their misdeeds.

"You both need to take responsibility for your actions and stop acting like a pack of first years. This silly feud between you pair is becoming ridiculous and it's gone on for far too long. Now due to this recent argument, you've not only did you interrupt a PE lesson, the weekly ingredients gathering AND Miss Bat's choir practice." Amelia scolded, not mentioning that the chanting teacher was now once again hiding in the staff room refusing to come out even for Miss Drill's patient negotiating.
"But you've created a great deal of destruction in the court yard that Mr Blossom is now struggling to repair."

"It was an accident-" they argued.

"Accident maybe," Miss Cackle reminded them. "but broken windows and ripped goal nets, Not to mention a half destroyed class room, make it a very expensive Accident that could have been avoid if you'd kept your tempers. "
They both looked sheepishly about, not looking Miss Cackle in the eye. "Now have you anything to say?"

Amelia regretted her choice of words the moment they left her mouth because predictably they both started arguing at once.

"Mildred shouldn't have kicked a football at me."

"It wasn't aimed at you!"

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't."

"It was."

"It wasn't"

"Was."

"It was just a wonky kick."

"It was not."

"Was too."

"Wasn't!"

"Was!"

"Quiet!" Amelia barked and wished that Miss Hardbroom was stood behind her in her usual place. Her deputy was, as a rule best at dealing with trouble and Amelia often left her to deal out punishments, but under the circumstances Constance was unable to comment. "Do you either of you have any idea how all this happened."

"It wasn't me." piped up one of them. Miss Cackle looked somewhat disbelieving at her. "Well it wasn't! You know I can't do that kind of magic, Miss Cackle."

"It's not the magic I'm concerned about. But very well then. Let me get this straight." Amelia sighed and turned to the other. "First of all Mildred kicked the foot ball at you?"

"Yes Miss Cackle. Probably on purpose as well."

"That's not true-"

"Whether it was an accident or not, it was Miss Hardbroom ended up getting hit in the face with it." Miss Cackle interrupted her. "But according to you Ethel was the one who cast the stinging spell."

"Yes Miss Cackle."

"And it was aimed at Mildred?" Amelia asked turning to the other girl who nodded. "But it hit the chanting room widow, bounced off and hit Miss Drill?"

"Yes Miss Cackle." she replied and glared at her rival muttering under her breath. "If you kept still-"

"Then what happened?" Amelia asked, well aware she was probably not getting any solution to this.

"Then Miss Drill complained at me about the use of magic."

"Then Miss Hardbroom called me useless. Again."

"And then it escalated from there did it?" Amelia sighed.

"Not really-"

"I'd say it jolly well did." Amelia tutted. "From what I saw, you again began to row and fight between you, despite being in the presence of two teachers and half the school. Not only did you ignore Miss Bat telling you to both to calm down though her now broken window, but You,"
Miss Cackle scolded rounding on one girl, "attempted to run away from the fight only to end up tripping over your laces and falling in to the goal posts, and you" she snapped noticing the other had started to smirk,
"You, young lady continued to use try and magic against her and ended up causing several cracks in the yard."

"I was only trying to reverse the spell." the brunette repyied idignently. "But Miss Drill kept moving and Mildred got in the way! And besides Mildred and her friends threatened Drusilla!"

"Really?" Amelia said and turned to other trouble maker. "Funny, I don't think you mentioned that…"

"Yes well Ethel shouldn't have-" she started and then stopped.

"Ethel shouldn't have what?" Miss Cackle asked.

The pair of the avoided her gaze again, one looking at her plimsolls the other worrying her lip between her teeth.

"Ethel shouldn't have what?" Miss Cackle repeated.

"She was saying stuff about my family."

"Your family?!" Amelia gasped. "Why?"

"Because," She mumbled. "Because Miss Cackle, they're not witches and that I shouldn't be here."

"Is this true?" Amelia asked glaring at the younger witch. She nodded bashfully and Amelia felt her heart ache as the other lass's blue eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears. "Oh my dear, don't you dare listen to anything Ethel says! You have every right to be in this school."

She nodded in response a little half smile on her face and Amelia was about to call the unpleasant meeting off but the other girl had to spoilt it and mutter an unasked for opinion. "That's still no reason for them to gang up on Drusilla-"

"She threatened to punch them if they told any one!"

"Now, now let's not start all with that again." Amelia interrupted before another shouting match began. Too late.

"But you hadn't-"

"I didn't!"

"Did too."

"Miss Cackle, tell her!"

"She started it!"

"I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it!" Amelia shouted, making the pair of them jump. Miss Cackle warily sat back in her chair and pondered her next move. Eventually she spoke. "This has just gotten very serious in deed. I'm sure Mr Hallow will be very happy to hear about this when I call him this afternoon and inform him."

"What! Why?" they both squeaked.

"I'm afraid I have little choice in the matter." Amelia warned. "He will for a change be called as a parent not a governor. Besides I will not have such intolerance in this school."

Much to her surprise, it was other wiper-snapper who started too argue against it.

"Miss Cackle; I'd rather not have it going any further." She pleaded.

"Please reconsider Miss Cackle."

"Miss Hardbroom's already put her in detention. Surly that's enough-"

"If I remember correctly that detention is for breaking the witches' code on duelling, not the school code for anti-bullying." Amelia sighed. "But I'll deal with that later. Now, have you both apologised to Miss Bat?"

"Yes Miss Cackle."

"Of course Miss Cackle."

"In that case, as punishment from me, you can both help Mr Blossom clean up the yard-"

"Yes Miss cackle."

"Without Magic." Amelia finished.

"But Miss Cackle-"

"Not another word." the head mistress interrupted holding up a hand to silence the witch. "And I want you to say sorry too each other."

"What?!"

"What!?"

"You heard me." Miss Cackle said. "I think it best if for the moment we draw a line under this sorry mess. It's high time to for both of you turn over a new leaf and you are not leaving this office until you agree to do so. Whatever was said between you before will be forgotten now shake on it and apologise please." Neither moved.
"I'm waiting…"

The two glared at one another. They exchanged a quick hand shake and mumbled apologies that didn't fool the headmistress one bit but under the circumstances she decided it'd be the best she'd get considering the two were sworn enemies.

"Well, I think you've both caused enough trouble for one day. I want you to have a talk with your tutor about inter magic relations." Amelia sighed.

"Also I'd like you to send Ethel to me once you've finished with them Constance, I need to have 'a chat' with her. And Imogen if you receive comments like that from again from a student you are too inform me of it straight away. Off you go."

As Miss Drill and Miss Hardbroom left Miss Cackle wondered if the two teachers would ever get on. The moment the door closed behind them they were bickering again. None of the students, she sighed reaching for the much needed slice of cheese cake she kept hidden in the desk drawer. None of the students, not even Mildred and Ethel, could argue quite like her staff did…

Fin x