A/N: It's hard to give any warnings without spoiling the story but just a heads up there may be a couple of potentially disturbing scenes. However, this is a one of those more challenging stories that's been in the back of my mind for a long time so I do hope you stick with me.

It was a typical late August day, sunny and warm with the scent of summer still in the air. Not everywhere though, there was one part of the country that no matter what the season the sky was always gloomy and dull and the atmosphere foreboding.

"It is today isn't it? We didn't get it wrong did we?"

"Stop fretting, I have the letter right here, it's today. Wait, here she comes."

Agatha Cackle stepped into the fresh air and squinted as she tried to adjust to a light which to her was far too bright after the dullness of prison.

Magic in it's purest form was centred around peace and governed by strict magical laws. As a result the penalty for breaking these laws was what the Magical Councils deemed 'harsh but necessary'. Far from the non magical prisons that Agatha had heard of where people had access to all manner of luxuries, magical penal institutions were designed to rehabilitate and drive the offenders towards a better life.

They may not have known it but yet again, they had failed in their goal to rehabilitate this particular witch.

As she pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose Agatha's vision improved slightly and she could just make out two figures in the near distance.

"Hello ladies.", she barked as she thrust the bag containing her meagre possessions towards Betty.

"It's good to see you Agatha.", Millicent murmured. Part of her had been dreading this day since her own release three months beforehand but the other part was relieved that their leader was back. Agatha was tougher, she was more strategic, had more connections. Without her, Millicent and Betty, well they never quite knew what to do.

"We've missed you.", Betty simpered, wincing as she saw the glare cast in her direction.

"Well, you've had these three months without me haven't you?"

Both women cringed at Agatha's words. They had been released on the original date their sentences had ended whereas Agatha, due to her inability to keep out of trouble had served extra time.

Seeing that she was already doing what she had set out to do by rattling her companions, Agatha took charge, "Come on, let's see what hovel you've found for us to stay in. Let's get out of here, this place is giving me the creeps."

Then, taking the broomstick that was handed to her, she set off without a backwards glance at the prison that had been her home for the previous five years.

Twenty minutes later she was looking around the derelict cottage her sidekicks had commandeered. To be fair she had expected worse, in fact they had lived in much worse over the years.

"It will do.", she muttered. "We won't be here for too long anyway."

"What was that Agatha?", Millicent asked.

"Nothing. So can I take it from your letters that your research has been going well?"

Over the previous three months Millicent and Betty had been very busy indeed doing exactly what Agatha had asked of them before they left prison. Knowing the screws read all the letters that came in they hadn't shared anything yet but over three cups of fermented pond scum there was no reason to hold back."

"Married to Drill you say, hmm, now that is interesting." Agatha knocked back the last of her drink and held the mug out for another.

"And they have children, three we think. They're very beautiful. One looks a bit older though, it's hard to say but she's definitely older than five. We think she's Drill's." Betty blabbed on before a swift kick from Millicent told her to shut her mouth.

Agatha had no interest in children, even her own daughter's birth had done nothing to help her change her ways. The fact that Constance Hardbroom and Imogen Drill had children though, now that could be very beneficial in her plan to get revenge on her sister.

"Bit of a surprise don't you think?" Millicent mused. "Hardbroom never struck me as much of a family person, she always seemed so frigid, I can't imagine her letting loose or having sex can you?"

"Ah ha, that's where you're wrong." Agatha smirked as she shared a bit of information she had been holding back for a number of years. "You remember Hecketty Broomhead? Well, she told me a couple of things about Hardbroom the last time I saw her. She was no virgin maid I can tell you that."

For a moment Agatha thought about her former acquaintance. While they had never been friends Broomhead had been a valuable asset when it came to obtaining illegal magic ingredients as well as some useful information. "It's a pity she's dead. She would have been very useful when it comes to what I have planned, she'd have enjoyed it too." On reflection,Agatha dismissed the thought, she had gotten what she needed from Broomhead already and the less people involved in her plan the better.

"What else do you have to tell me?", she asked.

Millicent and Betty exchanged a look, there was something else but they weren't too sure how Agatha would take it.

"What? My sister, the old spinster is married? You are joking?"

It took a lot to shock Agatha Cackle but this had certainly done it.

"Yes, we've done some digging and from what we can tell she's married to Drill's father. They are the picture of domestic bliss." Millicent rolled her eyes. "We followed them one day. Honestly Ag, it would have made you sick. They had two dogs and those kids of Hardbroom's with them, ugh I could barely keep my lunch down."

"They didn't see you did they?", Agatha narrowed her eyes at the pair.

"No, definitely not.", Betty answered. "We were in the woods and at a distance but Millicent is right, they were very much the picture of happy Grandparents." Deciding to take a risk she added, "He's a very good looking man."

Agatha stood up abruptly. "What is your obsession with how people look? Do you think that makes them better than us, being good looking? We don't care how they look, we hate them remember?"

There was something Agatha would definitely care about and Millicent delivered the information that she knew would be of interest, "They have money."

That stopped Agatha in her tracks. "Money? How do you know that."

Millicent smirked, "Like Betty said, we've been watching them and you're not the only one who knows how to investigate people. They have a nice car, two houses- including a very pretty cottage built on the castle grounds. The same with Drill and Hardbroom by the way, they have a house as well and they've been on holiday this summer, twice. They're not short of a penny, I guarantee you that Ag."

Inside Agatha was seething, Amelia always fell on her feet. First Granny Cackle had left her the school and all the land attached to it, now she had married into money. How was that fair? She hated her sister, hated how alongside their brother she had always been the "good one", hated how she seemed to sail through life without a days trouble, hated that she was always so empathetic and so bloody caring. What was the point in that?

Betty and Millicent were beginning to feel nervous as they saw Agatha pace around the room. They had known that she would be annoyed but she seemed to be working herself into a real rage as she digested the news. Neither had any real idea what Agatha was planning beyond some sort of revenge on her sister. They knew she wanted to get her hands on the school, not to teach in of course but rather to sell or trade for the illegal magic she so desperately wanted.

They needed money, Agatha had been clear about that but not one of them had ever worked a day in their lives and money didn't grow on trees. Not without some very powerful magic it didn't.

Before she could chicken out, Millicent offered up the thought that was going around her head. "If Amelia has money now, isn't that a good thing for us, you I mean. Couldn't you get her to give you some, you know she's a soft touch, you could bribe her or something."

Agatha abruptly stopped her pacing and looked at the two other women. Bribery was amateur stuff, at least the type Millicent was talking about. No, she needed something bigger and all the information she had been provided with that evening had given her several ideas.

Amelia for whatever reason thought the sun shone out of Constance Hardbroom and that had always disgusted Agatha. Hardbroom was powerful, there was no doubt about that but this time Agatha would be ready for her, this time she had a secret weapon and what was more, the timing was perfect.

They had underestimated her for far too long. Now it was time for Agatha to get exactly what was hers and that included revenge on her sister and Constance Hardbroom. And if anyone else got hurt in the meantime, well that was just too bad wasn't it?