Register order was another thing that Mildred had yet to make sense of yet. First Ethel, then Ruby and then Maud took to the BAT. And all passed. Another Girl went up and passed, and another. Miss Hardbroom watched them all critically and making notes she kept to herself. Popcorn was passed about in crowd and eaten by the handful. Older girls jeered and cheered and clapped politely and watched with interest and sat in boredom and laughed rudely. Bets were placed lost and won.

Fenny and Gris made a great fuss every time one of Mildred's friends passed. Ethel passed it of coarse with a hundred percent. There were a few penalties and mistakes here and there but nothing to warrant a fail. Everyone so far scored between fair and very highly.

Ruby bashed her hat on one of hoops and lost a mark for the sudden U-turn attempt to snatch it out of the air. Bryony was so nervous and shaking like a leaf that she made an extremely wobbly circuit that took a good deal longer than the others. It wasn't helped by someone throwing popcorn and a hum of 'why are we waiting' that started. It was all nipped in the bud, but Bryony, at only very just eleven, took it to heart. Even if you couldn't see it much. She was taken aside by Miss Crotchet once she landed and lead off to have a good little cry and a biscuit in private, before returning to the class a much more cheerful bundle of energy.

Nurse Knighting-Gail's expertise was called in twice. Once to assist Harriet in getting out of her chair and on her broom, then back off it again. And again, when Drucilla shined her knee flying to close to the towel on her decent. But other than a wet paper towel over it there were no other major incidents or matters of note. Even Izzy who looked too big to fly on the standard broomstick, zipped through the tunnel of doom and the rings with no bother.

Girl monster after monster girl passed their BAT.

Mildred the Human was set to be last. It only made her more nervous. and it was getting dark…

In fact, By the time It was Izzy's turn there was not much of twilight left at all, just streaks of blue on the horizon. It was thankfully Light enough to see, even though the moon was just a toenail in the sky. It was the start of a clear star lit night, perfect for flying. The lamps were still glowing as were Miss Cackle and other luminous beings now.

But it was dark enough HB's umbrella to be put back away. Dark enough for Miss Mould to stretch her wings and ask how it was going. Dark enough that likewise with a caw and a pop, Miss Nightingale also gave her wings a stretch with a flutter and perched by a lamp. Dark enough for some girls to leave the comfort of the caste and come outside. Dark enough to stretch the shadows that flickered with the lamps.

Easily more than Dark enough to scare Mildred. And Mildred wasn't feeling good about all this. Despite what Maud and Ruby said.

Jadu got her tick and applause even with HB's threats previously about her less than standard dismounts. Gloria moved to set off and Jadu came back to join the others, as agreed. They crowded around Mildred in a last-minute secret meeting, their hats all bent from their flight in the tunnel and their backs hiding their secret weapon.

"It'll be alright! Deep breaths, don't look down."

"Thank goodness Gloria is such a showy flyer. Everyone's watching her not us."

"Just like we practised."

"Are you sure you want to do it this way?" Maud asked. "It's not too bad. You'll be fine once you're up."

"I have too. I always panic otherwise." Mildred said as she was hooked up and wired in. "Do you think it'll work?"

"A treat!" Ruby insisted, adjusting her own set. "Just shut your eyes and I'll direct you.

"Carry on forwards, slowly." Jadu reminded. "Although not as slow as Bry. Ruby will drive you."

They practised extensively this past day and a half. Mildred now knew the course back to fount to the point she was doing it in her sleep. A sleep that normally turned in to a nightmare. It was the moment when she took off that always the worst but if she could get over that bit…

Her thoughts were interrupted as Jadu gave her a nudge with her tail. Gloria was approaching the last part of the course and would be coming it to land any moment. Maud started fussing over cloaks and hats, pulling Mildred hair so the plaits covered her ears.

"Nothing looks amiss," she nodded, while under the cover of the applause for Gloria's landing Ruby checked all frequencies one last time. "Are you ready?"

"No." Mildred replied. Before she could say anything else, Miss Hardbroom announced with great distain.

"And Finally- Mildred Hubble..."

The crowd went very quiet, save for some unkind sniggering.

It was if everyone all been waiting for this, waiting for the main event. Waiting to see how the scholarship girl who crashed on her first day faired.

"Good luck. Just like you rehearsed." Maud reminded her. She gave Mildred pat on the back that turned to encouraging a push when Mildred failed to move.

With jelly legs Mildred approached the start and took her place in front of the mostly kindly but all rather anxious members of staff.

(Miss Nightingale had even flown down to settle on the start sign. She gave Mildred a very obvious wink as she approached before Miss Hardbroom had shooed her off. The bird witch instead perched on Miss Drill's shoulder, who didn't seem to mind the long sharp claws, just gave Mildred a smile and a wink of her own.)

Mildred tried not vomit or faint out of sheer nerves.

Not just for the test but would the plan be rumbled before she even took off? Mildred had a sudden horrid vision of being grabbed by the scruff of the neck and have the contrabanded items ripped off her in disgrace and made an example in front of everyone.

But no one, not even HB, noticed Mildred had ear phones in, earphones that went under cloak at the back and into a walkie talkie taped to her sash.

So, Mildred had no choice but to hold out her broomstick and carry on.

"H-Hover." she commanded in a stutter. As such the broom stuttered. And dropped to the floor. Mildred scrambled to pick it up. Even with the ear phones in she could hear the muffled laughing, comments and sighs.

A second attempt thankfully produced the required hover, even if it was a little low and bouncing. Mildred risked a glance at the teachers. Miss Hardbroom's lip twitched over a fang in a hmm, as she scribbled something on her clipboard. But Mildred met Miss Cackles eyes and encouraging smile.

"Come along Mildred." The vampire said in a low already done with this tone. "We do not have all night."

Mildred nodded and mounted her broom. Miss Hardbroom allowed her a moment to get settled, then gave an unnecessary loud blast on the whistle. Mildred took a deep breath then as clear as she could instructed her broom to go, "Up and Away!"