By fourth period, Sabrina knew Mr. Kraft had squealed, most likely to Libby. She could definitely tell. People were giving her strange looks and whispering behind her back and to her face. A few freshmen even ran away as she passed them. Finally, after what seemed like hours, it was time for lunch. After getting her food, Sabrina sat at her usual table with Harvey and Valerie. She had filled them in on what happened in Mr. Kraft's office soon after third period, so they knew he must have been the one who snitched.
"Sabrina, I'm so sorry. If it wasn't for us, you wouldn't be in this mess." Valerie unhappily looked down at her lunch and pushed it around with her fork.
"Yeah, me too. But to tell you the truth, I would have loved to see you threaten to turn Mr. Kraft into a rat." Laughing, Harvey took a bite of his burger.
Sabrina couldn't help but smile at the memory. "Yeah, it was really fun, although I admit not like me. I don't know what happened – I guess I just snapped. I mean, the man has made my life miserable. It felt good to finally be able get back at him. But, this is too much. I mean, my third period teacher was afraid to give us homework because she thought I would turn her into a toad. Go figure."
Valerie thought a minute. "I think everybody just has a stereotype when it comes to witches. Between The Wizard of Oz and Halloween, what are people supposed to think?"
Sabrina paused, "I guess that's true…" She began to eat her macaroni and cheese when a dark shadow appeared over their table. She looked up to see that it was Libby, carrying her lunch. With a totally serious face, Sabrina commented, "I just lost my appetite."
"You know, Sabrina, if I were you I wouldn't be making fun of anyone else, being the school freak." Libby said the word as if it was a huge joke. The girls crowding around her laughed. "Oh, and I think you left your broom outside." More laughter followed.
Harvey and Valerie looked at Sabrina to see how she would react. The witch just stared back at Libby and sighed, as if she was really annoyed, "If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, witches do not ride brooms anymore! I mean, I've never even ridden a broom. For my first time, I rode a vacuum cleaner." She sighed again and shook her head. Valerie tried to stifle a laugh.
Libby was stunned, then recovered, "You actually admit it? You're an even bigger freak than I thought! If I were you, I'd never want to show my face in school again! Although, everyone thinks you're a freak already, so it probably doesn't make a difference."
Finally, Sabrina had enough. She stood up, "You know, Libby, you've been missing a key point here. There is a difference between me and you, and that is that I can do this." She pointed, and the food on Libby's tray splattered up onto her face and all over her cheerleader uniform. Libby screamed and ran out of the cafeteria, while everyone in it tried to make up their minds about who to look at – Libby or Sabrina. The latter told her friends, "You know, guys, I think I'm going to go home. I'll call you later." She pointed again, and she was instantly transported back to her house, leaving everyone else in a state of pure astonishment.
However, Sabrina discovered that being at home would be no better than staying in school. Even though she had threatened Mr. Kraft, the media had found out about the Spellman's secret identity, undoubtedly from one of the students who went to Westbridge High. Sabrina was glad she had "zapped" herself inside her house, since she wouldn't have been able to get through the front door. There had to be at least a dozen or so reporters, just waiting for someone to try to get in the house. There was one question – where was Aunt Zelda and Aunt Hilda? Sabrina called out their names as she put down her backpack and hung up her jacket.
"We're in here Sabrina!" Hilda called from the kitchen.
Upon reaching the kitchen, Sabrina realized she was hungry, headed for the fridge, and pulled out some chicken salad. Zelda asked her, "What are you doing home so early?"
Sabrina grabbed a fork, turned around to put the bowl on the island, and saw that they were not alone. A reporter sat at the table across from Zelda and Hilda at the table. "I, uh…can I talk to you in the dining room?"
Zelda got up, "Excuse me," and followed Sabrina. "Now tell me why you are home!" Sabrina then told her everything that happened that day, starting with confessing to Harvey and Valerie and ending with splattering Libby with food. Zelda tried to be sympathetic, "I was wondering why there were reporters at our doorstep. You should have been more careful, but I suppose you can stay home today. However, you have to go to school tomorrow and face your classmates. That is if this whole crisis isn't resolved by then."
"That's great, but can you please tell me who that guy was?"
"'That guy' was a reporter from Westbridge Weekly. Reporters have been at our door since nine, and Hilda and I thought they would break it down if we didn't let at least one in."
Oh, Sabrina thought guiltily, That's why she looks so stressed out. "I'm so sorry! Have you heard anything from the Witch's Council?"
"Not yet. The mortal news has been pretty quiet too. Now I think we should go and help Hilda – she might crack under pressure." With a totally serious face, Zelda went into the kitchen, followed by Sabrina.
Once they got there, Hilda saw them and looked relieved, "There you are! What took you so long?"
Ignoring her, Zelda sat down at the table and looked at the reporter, "Sorry about the interruption. You were saying…?"
Sabrina ate her lunch as she watched the reporter ruthlessly grill her aunts for a full fifteen minutes. His questions ranged from "What was it like growing up with magic powers?" to "Was it hard earning your 'Witch's License'?" Hilda and Zelda took turns answering, but they paused when the reporter asked, "So, how old are you, exactly?"
Zelda thought a minute, "Well, it's hard to give an exact number…"
Hilda added, "But I'm younger by ten years."
"You're still 650!" Zelda said, a little put out by her sister's bluntness.
The reporter looked stunned, then recovered, "Now ladies, let's calm down…" Sabrina saw him push his tape recorder closer in excitement.
They weren't finished yet. Hilda countered, "Well, I'm not the one who was old enough to distract Michelangelo from painting the Sistine Chapel!"
Zelda stood up, "Hilda, that's private!" She pointed, and a zipper appeared over Hilda's mouth.
Hilda angrily unzipped her mouth, "Not fair!" She pointed at Zelda, and the latter instantly had a lock fastened to her lip.
Zelda zapped up a key and unlocked it, "You're such a baby!"
She was about to point again, when Sabrina shouted, "Guys, calm down! You scared away the reporter!"
The two witches froze in mid-point and glanced at the table. Sabrina was right – the reporter had sneaked out right after the first spell was cast. Unfortunately he remembered to take his tape recorder with him.
"It was just as well. I was getting a headache from all those – " The word "questions" died on Aunt Hilda's lips as a look of anxiety came over her face. "Something's pulling me!" She exclaimed.
Sabrina and Zelda watched in horror. Hilda's body looked like a mass of silver sparkles. It swirled around, and all of a sudden shot up through the roof.
Zelda looked up. "That was odd. I have never seen Hilda do that – " Her words were cut off too as she followed her sister, after dissolving into gold sparkles.
Sabrina was scared. She felt a tingly sensation and looked down. Her legs were dissolving, only her sparkles were purple, and she felt as if she were being pulled upward. "What is going on?" she exclaimed. Then, just as suddenly, an equal, if not stronger force was pulling her downward, and her top half became pink sparkles. Eventually the pink half won, and she was pulled down through the floor.