Chapter 10: Ethel Embarrassed
Pippa Pentangle had just got off the mirror to the Great Wizard. He was very interested to hear of potential new evidence regarding Miss Cackle. Even though the school and Ada's twin both caused trouble, Egbert had a certain respect for Ada. She served well as headmistress and had a heart of gold. All Pippa had to do was take Mildred to the office and find a way to repair the petition so they could prove it false. That's not impossible, Pippa thought as she left the small mirror room, hopefully. Pippa headed down the corridor to the top of the staircase trying to manifest a solution to her problem. A few steps below her it appeared. Or rather walked.
"Cordelia!" Pippa called to dark haired witch before her. The girl turned and stopped on the step. Cordelia was a little shocked Pippa knew her name, despite her circumstances she thought she was kept largely under wraps. Perhaps she had just learnt it from the register. Whilst confusion formed in Cordelia's mind, an idea formed in Pippa's. "Actually, you can help me with our plan," Miss Pentangle said as she walked down the steps to become level with the girl.
Cordelia frowned, "What plan?" She wasn't particularly happy coming back from the library empty handed. She had found a few customs that might have been used to protest the council's decision, but nothing to get them to change their minds. She would definitely not be happy if the rival headmistress asked her to help take over the school.
Pippa lent back against the wall, "The petition is fake, and we need to prove it to the Great Wizard. You have exactly the talents we need to do so." Pippa looked at Cordelia hopefully. She nearly fell off her step. Miss Pentangle wanted to help Ada!
"Yes," Cordelia said immediately, "I'd do anything to help Miss Cackle. But who…" She trailed off, not needing to finish the question feeling silly for even beginning to pose it. Ursula Hallow's smug expression swam to the forefront of her mind.
Pippa began to descend the steps once more with a smile, seeing that Cordelia had realised what had happened. The girl began to follow. "You are so like your mother," Pippa said, watching her new companion, "I'm glad she has you back. She was never happier than at your birth." The stairs turned a corner and began to lead into the entrance hall.
Cordelia looked at Pippa with wide eyes and asked, "You were there?" Pippa nodded as they reached the last step. "But – then do you know… were you around when…"
"Ah! Mildred, we need to go to the office. The Great Wizard will be here shortly," Pippa said as soon as she saw the other girl, interrupting Cordelia's flustered torrent of words. Mildred had been waiting patiently in the common room, which she and Maud had created the year before, where she had earlier revealed her theory. "Let's go girls." Mildred glanced at Cordelia and saw she carried nothing with her, glad that she had found the truth so that her friend wouldn't be disappointed with herself. Pippa and Mildred set off with Cordelia trailing after them, eyes in a similar state to Miss Hardbroom's when you suggested the wrong ingredient for a potion. Bulging with sheer astonishment.
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The Great Wizard had just sat in Miss Cackle's chair as Pippa, Mildred and Cordelia burst through the door. Miss Cackle looked at the gathered party confused and a little concerned, Miss Hardbroom exasperated having already been accosted by Ethel Hallow for the last ten minutes.
"This had better be good," The Great Wizard said as he straightened his back in the chair. He had on his typically exhaustedly angry face as he looked at them all before him.
"Oh, it is. You have been wrongly ousted, Miss Cackle," Miss Pentangle replied, glancing at the rightful headmistress. Ada's jaw dropped. "Mildred Hubble has a theory." Hecate's building hope dropped a little. She knew the girl meant well but she was so prone to mistakes, Hecate wished this wasn't another one.
Mildred stepped forward warily, looking nervously at the man before her, "I think somebody faked all the signatures on the petition."
The Great Wizard inhaled huffily, "You dragged me here because this girl…" He spluttered as he rose to leave.
Pippa interrupted his approaching rant, "We shall settle this the old way." The Great Wizard paused, luckily. "Cordelia," Pippa called, and the girl stepped forward, avoiding all contact with the wizard's eyes.
Cordelia walked to the right of the desk and raised her hand. In her mind she summoned the energy and internally spoke the chant. She uncurled her fingers on her outstretched arm. A mist begun to spray from her palm. Hecate took the petition to Cordelia and held it out for the mist to take. The mist pulled the petition away and spun it.
"The mists of time," The Great Wizard breathed, worry seeping through his person. Before them the petition turned to images. It burnt backwards and returned to Miss Cackle's office.
Mildred gasped, "The petition!?" It was then in the Magic Council building.
"It's going back in time," Ethel said sort of dreamily. Then she became conscious of what exactly was happening. "How is she doing that?" She demanded, angry to her bones. The signatures on the parchment flowing back into the pen.
"Mildred was right," Pippa said, "Only one person signed the petition." Miss Pentangle smiled at the clumsy girl beside her. The image zoomed out, revealing a single councillor holding a pen.
The Great Wizard's shoulders stiffened in recognition of what he had seen. "Ursula Hallow," He uttered, rage filling every syllable. No one in the room would have been surprised if smoke came out of his ears. Ethel's heart dropped. Her own mother. And she had been caught.
"Sorry Ethel," Mildred muttered turning to the girl. The image disappeared from before them and mist stopped pouring from Cordelia's hand. The scroll of now plain parchment fell to the floor and rolled from side to side from the energy. Hecate magicked it back onto the table as Cordelia lowered her arm suddenly feeling considerably heavier. Hecate went to her, holding her upright with a stiff arm. Ethel stared at them remaining speechless but feeling overrun.
The Great Wizard angrily threw a transference spell into the turret window box. There then stood Ursula Hallow. A green skincare mask on her face, a pink towel on her hair pyjamas and a bright pink dressing gown. "Do you mind," She said rudely, expecting Miss Cackle to have summoned her. She pulled her dressing gown tighter considering the number of people in the room. When she recognised the Great Wizard, she bowed deeply and saluted.
The Great Wizard picked up the scroll, "How do you explain this?"
Ursula faltered slightly before answering, "The parents have made their feelings known." Ethel knowing her mother had been caught in her own web walked around the office, then standing next to the Great Wizard she looked up at the woman.
"Mother, you're embarrassing yourself and me!" She said curtly. Ursula glanced at all the accusatory expressions in the room. Knowing she was busted she moved on the offensive.
Ursula straightened her posture defiantly, "Well, Miss Cackle you had to go for what she did to my Esmerelda." The Hallows proceeded to argue for a few moments about Ursula's clear favouritism before the Great Wizard intervened.
"Obviously your place on the council is revoked," He said. Ethel looked on the verge of tears, her mother flabbergasted. But still able to speak. Nothing could ever silence Ursula Hallow.
She begged, "What? No! Please." In a strange way, the Great Wizard seemed pleased, like he enjoyed taking apart someone else's life. Granted Ursula deserved it, but it filled the other's with fear. Ursula tried to regain a defiant stance, never one to go quietly, "I am amazed by this – this incompetence of yours. Letting this go unchallenged. Letting my daughters have this sort of company," she gestured towards Cordelia, Hecate's arm tightened around her, "Somebody could get hurt, somebody else could…"
"And there will be further punishments," He interrupted, eyes twinkling. Cordelia recalled a similar look he had given her, she shivered. Ethel shrunk back, looking fearful. Where would their place be in the magical realm if their mother lost it all?
Ada saw the girl's sadness and, in true form, spoke up. "Your greatness, will you go easy on her for the sake of Ethel and her sisters?" The headmistress asked, kindness brimming from her. Sometimes Ada's softness worried Cordelia. Miss Cackle forgave so quickly. All this mess had been Ethel's fault, but Ethel was a Cackle's girl and that meant the world to Ada. It wasn't wise to be so kindly, so giving, the younger Hardbroom thought, kindly breeds manipulation and giving breeds mistakes. So many mistakes.
The Great Wizard nodded, "I will take it into consideration. In the meantime, you are owed an apology and a reinstatement." He straightened his robe preparing to go.
Ada took a step back, "Your greatness?!" All faces, bar the Hallows, lit up.
"Will you resume headmistress duties with immediate effect?" The Great Wizard asked. Miss Cackle beamed from ear to ear, with tears beginning to spill from her eyes.
She nodded, "Of course. Nothing would please her more." Mildred hugged her, Pippa pressed her hands together in delight, even Hecate smiled; Cordelia did too but moving her facial muscles was a battle, so the smile was small.
The Great Wizard gave one final curt nod and transferred himself and Ursula Hallow away. As most of those in the room celebrated, Ethel stared at the space her mother had stood. For someone who held academic excellence to such reverence, she could be so idiotic. Ethel was boiling. Her mother had muddied the family name in front of her teachers and Mildred Hubble and Cordelia. It could not possibly be worse, the girl thought, and not only that but Cordelia has some sort of special powers, far beyond my own. They're all going to love her. Ethel felt overcome, span on her heel and headed to the exit.
"How did you do it?" Mildred asked Cordy, amazed at her friend's talent. The adults were deep in conversation, so the girls had begun chatting.
"It's just something I can do," Cordelia replied, tired and aching. The Mists of Time being near-impossibly draining.
Ethel stomped near them, "This is both of your faults. I won't forget it." She slipped by them and slammed the door. The remaining witches glanced at each other.
Pippa grimaced, "Oh, the poor lamb." Mildred and Cordelia shared a look. Ethel Hallow was definitely not a lamb.
"Not to worry Miss Pentangle. We will see to her," Miss Hardbroom said, rigid as ever.
Pippa smiled and stepped closer to the other witch. Mouth close to Hecate's ear, she whispered, "I know you will Hiccup. We can always rely on a Hardbroom to set things straight; nothing could go wrong with you here."
Little did Pippa know of the tidal waves that were crashing towards Cackles. Each one worse than the last. Each one determined to rip the school asunder.