Miss Hardbroom told her fellow teachers the news, she brought them to Mildred's bedroom and with Mildred's help, she told them what was going on. Miss Drill accepted it quickly, especially since she had seen Agatha drink the invisibility potion and seen them prowl the forest on the night of Halloween. Besides there was the way Cackle was acting right now.
Miss Bat, unfortunately, was another story. She sat down on Mildred's bed and stroked Tabby gently. The messy cat purred at the attention, " It seems a little far fetched to me,"
Miss Drill snorted. Everyone looked at her and she added, " Well, everything at Cackles is a little far fetched."
Miss Hardbroom felt her hackles raise, " And what is that meant to mean, Miss Drill ?" the girls winced at the tone of voice from their form tutor, Miss Bat herself nervously longed to retreat into her stationary cupboard.
Miss Drill shrugged defensively, further angering Miss Hardbroom, " Well, everything, really. Potions, brooms with cats on - "
" Oh, and jogging in the woods is, playing soft games in the courtyard ?" Miss Hardbroom sat in her derisory tone.
That started off what might've been a very long, and truly pointless argument, the rows between HB and Drill were as legendary as the stories of Miss Bat hiding in the staffroom stationary cupboard.
Mildred had had a horrible day yesterday, followed by a horrible night, and as a result her nerves were stretched to breaking point.
" Enough !" Mildred snapped angrily. Both teachers turned to glare at her, but Mildred put aside her usual shyness and carried on, " We've got an invasion on our hands, our headmistress has been kidnapped. The last thing we need is two of our teachers, mature adults," she made the crack in HB's direction, who'd made the remark dozens of times to various girls in the academy, " to become 5 year olds !"
Mildred flushed when she realised what she'd done, but both teachers looked at one another. Miss Hardbroom, not the easiest of people to admit that they were wrong, held out her hand, " I apologise, Miss Drill." the inhabitants of the room could see that that had cost the usually stern teacher.
Miss Drill murmured a similar apology, but neither of the teachers had a go at Mildred, she was the one who'd knocked them back to reality.
Maud had seen how her friend had taken charge and sorted it out, but her question made them realise they'd overlooked something.
" When do we find out where Miss Cackle is ? She must be around somewhere."
That got them moving.
The unusual party were crouched down on the staircase, they'd had to when they saw Miss Cackle, or rather Agatha Cackle, leave the storeroom next to the great hall. She was wearing a pair of glasses which weren't Amelia Cackle's usual prescription, in fact for Miss Drill, they were the ultimate proof.
That proof was reinforced with 5 ft thick steel when the impostor replaced the glasses with another pair, this time Miss Bat accepted the truth, for she, like everyone else, recognised the glasses at once.
They were Amelia Cackle's pair.
The impostor walked off briskly, nodding to one or two passing girls that were in the area before the crouching party got up from their hiding place.
" What was she doing in there ?" Miss Drill asked, but no one answered her.
Mildred looked over towards the chanting teacher, she seemed lost in her own little world, " Did you see the glasses ?"
Miss Bat looked up into Mildred's face, " Yes, yes, I did, dear. It's true. Miss Cackle has been kidnapped !" she finished dramatically, causing Hardbroom to roll her eyes at the display. Fortunately no one was walking around to overhear her.
Enid's contribution was more practical, " That's the storeroom we got locked in, "
Mildred smiled.
Amelia had been inside the storeroom for the best part of two days, she was tired, hunger, it was fortunate that her sister had given her water otherwise she'd have become dehydrated, but Agatha needed her, probably as someone she could gloat over. She yearned desperately for a carpet to rest her head on, but alas this part of the castle wasn't catered for comfort. Amelia's thoughts turned back to her sister, Agatha Cackle had always had a big mouth, she'd personally gloated to Amelia for hours before leaving.
The news wasn't good. Amelia had listened in horror as Agatha had boasted of how she'd dragged Mildred Hubble out of the spells classroom by her ear, later on writing out her expulsion order. Amelia hoped that someone, anyone, would come and let her out and remove the magical amulet around her neck, it stopped her magic from working. Agatha had stupidly boasted about her plan to retake what was hers, or how she thought of the academy, then again, overconfidence had always been Agatha's downfall.
Amelia was trying desperately to maintain control of her stomach as she tried calling for help for the millionth time, but she knew it was to no avail; this part of the school was rarely used, students hardly walked the corridors around here, and besides, the door was good and thick. Agatha had known what she was doing when she did this. The headmistress jumped when the tell tale flash of teleportation signalled the arrival of Miss Hardbroom. The deputy headmistress touched her shoulder and they both teleported into the last place Amelia would've expected. Mildred's room.
Amelia looked in astonished disbelief as she took in Miss Bat, Miss Drill, Enid, Maud and Mildred. When the gag around her mouth was taken off she gasped in relief, glad that her mouth was once again uncovered, " Thank you, thank you. I thought I'd never get out of there."
Mildred had gone behind her and worked at undoing the knots, they weren't done very well and she and Enid had worked them off in record time.
" Agatha told me how she dragged you out of spells, Mildred. Are you alright ?" Amelia inquired softly with a dash of concern.
Mildred nodded, " I'm fine, Miss Cackle. I'm just glad you're back."
" So are we all," Miss Drill said.
When the ropes had been taken off, Amelia got up and stretched her legs. Miss Bat brought the chair over from Mildred's desk and gently but firmly manoeuvred the headmistress into it. Amelia gasped in undisguised delight. To be bound in such a posture, it was just asking for cramp and stiff bones, but the chair was making her feel more like a human being again.
" I never liked being tied up, one thing my sister will never let me forget."
Miss Hardbroom reappeared, she had gone down to the kitchens to get some food and something to drink. Amelia found herself eating a nice piece of cheese with matching biscuits, she washed it all down with some nice hot sweet tea.
When she finished, she looked over at the others, " I wasn't expecting her back so soon, I knew she'd be back. I just wasn't expecting the timing. Its against the witches code."
Mildred nodded grimly, " She's found a way around that, Ethel will explain it."
Amelia closed her eyes.
" Agatha has a plan to hijack the end of year assembly, she just couldn't resist telling me," she opened her eyes and looked over at Mildred, " Do you remember her cohorts, Betty Bindweed and Millicent Coldstone ?"
Mildred did indeed remember them, how could you forget them ? Both witches looked like they came from a bombed country, and later spent their time in a sewer. Both witches were corrupt, hideous, smelly and repulsive.
Amelia carried on," They're in the castle too. They flew in last night after receiving the all clear from Agatha."
" The lantern," Enid muttered, but everyone overheard her.
" We have to stop them. We've done it before Miss Cackle," Mildred said.
Unfortunately, Amelia wasn't so confident, " That may not be easy. Bindweed and Coldstone have brought a special magic with them."
Mildred absorbed the information, and before she knew it, her mind pinged.
She had a plan.
I'm sorry it's not as well written. But the next one will be. My thanks to the readers.
