Chapter 14: she finds a way, and from the shadows she crawls out
Imogen was getting impatient, she didn't know how much longer she could simply stand here and watch the scene in front of her, "Miss Cackle, really, are we going to do something? She's hurting her!" she pleaded.
Miss Cackle look up at the intensifying storm, she too knew they had to do something, but at this point she feared that doing anything would probably make the situation a lot worse.
"Miss Cackle! Please," Imogen pleaded, "do something, anything! I can't lose her, Amelia, I just can't."
Miss Cackle put her arms around Imogen, in an attempt to comfort her, "You won't lose her, Imogen," she said, stroking the back of Imogen's head and neck.
"There! Over by that clearing," Mildred pointed.
As they descended, Fenella looked up at the storm, "This is worse than I thought, we'd better hurry."
Mildred nodded, and turned back to show the others behind them where they were landing.
As the group landed they quickly ran to where Miss Cackle and Miss Drill were watching from.
"Girls! What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here, it's too dangerous!" Miss Cackle exclaimed.
"We had to do something Miss Cackle, besides we think we have a spell that will save Miss Hardbroom," Mildred replied.
"You do, do you? And which spell would that be?" Miss Cackle asked, hoping this would be a moment where she would reflect on how industrious and resourceful her students were.
Fenella handed her the piece of paper, she had been the one to hold onto it, everyone agreed that if Mildred had it with her, it would have absolutely not survived the journey. Even Mildred admitted they were probably right and had agreed to let Fenella have it.
Miss Cackle carefully examined the spell, "Yes, I think you're right Mildred, this should help. Where did you find such a spell?"
No one spoke.
"Don't worry girls, you're not in trouble here, I understand you found this somewhere, I am just curious as to where," Miss Cackle reassured them.
Everyone looked at Mildred, "Fine, I'll do it," she said, looking at all of her friends, and then turned back to Miss Cackle, "Miss, we found it in one of Miss Hardbroom's notebooks," she explained, hesitantly.
"One of Miss Hardbroom's notebooks? Now where would you have found such a thing?" She asked.
"Her room, Miss, behind a secret panel in her wardrobe," Mildred replied, fearing even more than before that they would absolutely be getting in trouble for this.
"I don't want to know how you managed to find out that her wardrobe had a secret panel or that a notebook filled with presumably powerful spells like this one existed, but given the circumstances, I would say you all deserve the benefit of the doubt, and you may have just saved all of us by finding it."
"We just wanted to help, that's all," Mildred said, "Miss Cackle, will the spell work? Will it save Miss Hardbroom?"
"I think so, I think if we all say it, that should be enough to stop the storm. It will not stop the Inspector from harming Constance, but it's a start and we can all work on that problem after we have solved this one," Miss Cackle explained, "Imogen, you come over here too and join us in saying the spell, the more magical energy we have the more likely it is that this will work." Everyone huddled around Miss Cackle, who was holding the paper with the spell on it, "Remember what I told you girls about the feeling you put into the words when you say a spell? I would say that is especially important in this case, so feel free to put as much feeling into it as you can."
Constance didn't know how much longer she could keep doing this, countering Broomhead's attacks was taking everything she had. When she could, she quickly glanced over to where Imogen and Miss Cackle were hiding, she noticed the arrival of the girls, and while she really wished they weren't here to see this, she was glad they were. She had come to know them as being very resourceful whenever trouble was about, she hoped whatever they had planned would also be one of those times. She wondered if Broomhead had noticed the arrival of Imogen and the others, she hoped that she hadn't, that may at least give them the element of surprise for whatever they were planning.
She clawed at the leaf-covered ground around her, pulling herself towards a tree she was planning on hiding behind. A bolt of magic from Broomhead raced towards her. She wasn't fast enough and it hit the back of her leg before she could take cover. She clutched her injured leg in an attempt to stop the pain coming from it. She ripped the bottom of her dress and wrapped the torn fabric around her wound. She pulled herself into a position where she could see Broomhead and threw a bolt of magic at her. She quickly hid back behind the tree to avoid Broomhead's inevitable counter attack.
"If you've got a plan, Imogen, please, please, let it work," she pleaded.
The group moved forward, they knew they wouldn't have much time to say this spell, for as soon as they did they would be discovered. As they said the words, the magic in the air began to dissipate, first the lightning-like energy emanating from the clouds, and then the clouds themselves.
"I think it's working!" Mildred exclaimed.
"Keep saying the spell, it's not over yet," Miss Cackle said.
Constance felt a change in the air, the tension created by the abundance of magical energy was clearing. She peered up at what little she could see of the sky and noticed it was becoming clearer than before. She used what little energy she had remaining to make herself stand up, and walked away from her protected spot. She saw the group still casting a spell, she knew they were weakening the effects of Broomhead's magic.
Broomhead had both hands raised, conjuring powerful gold bolts magic from her fingertips, reciting a spell as she did so.
Constance hobbled over to her, interrupting her spell-casting.
"Do you wish to die Constance?"
"It is not me who will be dying, Hecketty." Constance replied, using her first name for the first time in her life.
"Is that so? Do you really think that pathetic group can stop me?"
Constance looked up, "They seem to be doing just that, actually."
"Clearing the Foster's effect is not of any consequence, I am still here, and I am still able to destroy you," she replied calmly, but with determination.
Imogen couldn't help herself, she could see the state Constance was in, and had to go to her. She quietly snuck away from the group, who were all too focused on casting the spell to notice her departure. She ran towards Constance, she could see she was having words with Broomhead, and took that as her chance, since no magic was being thrown around so she would at least have a chance of getting there in one piece.
Constance noticed, "Imogen!" she cried, "Get back!"
"I couldn't stand watching you be injured any longer," she replied, holding Constance tightly. Constance winced, "Oh, sorry, I should have realised, you're injured, sorry," Imogen carefully broke the embrace.
"What is she doing here? Do you really think you can do anything to save your precious Constance? You're not even a witch," Broomhead's words were filled with malice, Imogen being here now made her more determined to end this battle; with her as victor.
Constance pushed Imogen behind her, and turned her attention to Broomhead, "I lost her once, you vile creature, I will not let it happen again. You took her from me, I know you did. You erased her. Why would you do that? To punish me? Why was that, because you could never find what I had found with Imogen, is that it?"
Broomhead was taken aback by Constance's bluntness, but refused to give in to her words, "How dare you, accuse me of being as pathetic as you."
"You made it your mission to punish me in every aspect of my life, nothing was left untouched. You are responsible for all of the misery in my life, all because you could never find happiness. You just had to take it out on me."
"You had a chance, Constance, a chance to be the best witch this world has ever known. I gave you everything you could ever have wanted: the chance for power, the chance to have all the knowledge in the magical world at your fingertips, and you threw it away, all because of some pretty girl who caught your eye. You became weak once you met her, weak and pathetic. Of course I had to stop that, all of the precious time I had put into making you into my protégé, and what thanks did I get for all of that effort? Absolutely none!" She waved her hand and sent Constance flying back into a tree.
"Not so powerful now, are you, Constance? And your little non-witch can't do anything to help you," Broomhead said, as she held Imogen back with a magical barrier.
"I will always be more powerful than you," Constance said, the combination of anger and fierce need to protect Imogen was all she had left as motivation to keep going.
"And yet you are the one lying on the ground, and I am standing over you," Broomhead taunted.
Constance tried to stand, but Broomhead knocked her back to the ground.
The result of the Foster's effect had been taken care of, but everyone knew they still had other very real problems to deal with. Miss Cackle noticed that Imogen had run over to Constance, while she was mad at her for being so reckless, she understood that she could never have stopped her. She was now focused on destroying the barrier created by Broomhead, which was holding Imogen back. She raised her hands and began casting the spell to dissipate the barrier. Her thoughts were interrupted by Mildred, who rushed over to her seemingly brimming with energy, "Miss Cackle, we were talking and we think we have an idea, on how to stop the Inspector," she said.
"What is it, Mildred? Quickly, I have to concentrate if I want to destroy this barrier."
"We need to go back to the castle, to get what we need to make this work," Mildred explained.
"Whatever it is Mildred, you had better be right about it. I fear we do not have much time left," Miss Cackle replied, still focused on destroying the barrier.
"Yes, Miss, we'll be back shortly, I promise."
Mildred and Fenella hopped on Fenella's broomstick and flew as fast as they could back to the castle, "You'd better be right about this Mildred, I don't like that we left everyone in the middle of a battle," Fenella said, realising that she was placing all of her trust in Mildred Hubble.
"It will work, I know it will," Mildred replied, "it has to."
They landed in the courtyard and ran into the castle. They headed straight for Miss Cackle's office, and grabbed Miss Hardbroom's mirror, "Got it!" Mildred yelled, "Let's go, we have to get back."
"Mildred, listen to me, carefully, since I will have to steer the broomstick, I need you to hold onto this mirror as if your life depended on it, we can't risk you dropping it or anything, okay?" Fenella said, carefully handing the mirror over to Mildred. She was now even more unsure of the trust she was placing in Mildred.
"I promise, nothing will happen to it," Mildred said.
"It had better not," Fenella said, "now let's go."
The mirror did indeed make it back to the forest in one piece, Fenella had never felt more relieved in her life. They quickly ran back to where everyone was, noting that the Inspector's shield was still in effect, and Miss Cackle appeared to still be trying to dissipate it. They ran over to her and started telling her their plan, "We figured that we could use Broomhead's magic against her and deflect it using Miss Hardbroom's mirror," Miss Cackle looked skeptical, but she had to admire their creativity, "it's a magic mirror, so it should be able to deflect the magic shouldn't it?" Miss Cackle nodded, "Theoretically, yes, it should, but how are you planning on doing this?"
"Can we channel the magic from this barrier towards Broomhead? Use her own spell to keep Miss Drill away back on her?" Fenella suggested.
"It might just work," Miss Cackle said, "if we can distract her and get her to aim at us, we can then use the mirror to deflect the attack right back on her, and if it collides with her barrier, that should amplify the magic, and that should be enough to defeat her. I'll be the bait, and you two make sure you're standing behind me and be ready when the moment comes."
They both nodded and followed Miss Cackle's instructions.
Miss Cackle walked purposefully out to where Imogen was standing behind Broomhead's barrier, her hands scarred from its power from where she had been trying to break through it.
"We have a plan, Imogen," Miss Cackle began and quickly explained their idea.
"Amelia, can I just ask one thing, please let me be the one to hold the mirror. For everything that she has done to me, I need to do this, please."
"Very well," she replied, knowing it would be foolish to argue, plus she had a point, it was only fair that Imogen be the one to end this, "Fenella, Mildred, give the mirror to Miss Drill and go back to your friends."
They nodded and handed the mirror over, "Good luck, Miss Drill, I know you can do it," Mildred said.
Imogen smiled, "Thank you Mildred," she turned back to Miss Cackle, "I'm ready when you are."
"Don't you think you've done enough, Mistress Broomhead?"
Broomhead turned around and realised who had asked her such a question, "Think you can save her do you?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," Miss Cackle replied.
"Very well, do your best, but I doubt that will mean much," Broomhead taunted, conjuring a bolt of magic and throwing it towards Miss Cackle. It pierced her barrier and like clockwork, Imogen took her place with the mirror in front of her, directly in the spell's path. Once the bolt hit the mirror, the mirror shook with the force of the magic it had been exposed to, then as they hoped it flew back in Broomhead's direction; amplified by the barrier as well as the magic in the mirror, it hit her directly in the back, sending her falling to the ground.
As the magic enveloped her, she was turned to dust and eventually even the particles of dust disintegrated in the air.
It was over.