Chapter 1: Careers Day

"Are you sure you'll be okay with your mum not coming this time?" Mildred Hubble said as she turned to face Enid Nightshade in the empty stone corridor. Everyone else was busy setting up stands in the hall or outside so they could speak uninterrupted. Everyone had been so excited when the teachers had announced that the cancelled careers night would go ahead. The castle was literally buzzing with the girls' energy. "You're not going to cover the hall in toilet paper again?" Mildred asked.

Enid smirked at the recent memory of her prank and of her deputy headmistress' expression upon seeing it. "I'm hardly going to do that with everyone in there am I. Don't worry, Mil. Everything will be fine." She attempted to give her friend a look of both sincerity and security before quickly adding, "It was funny though." Mildred smiled whilst shaking her head at her friend's persistent misbehaviour. Enid linked her arm through Mildred's, turning her around and pulling her into the Great Hall.

As they entered the room they were blown away. The typically dim, dark wood panelled room had been lightened up with a number of stalls with colourful posters and backdrops. Illuminous shades and signs were everywhere, along with excited chatter and an increased number of smiling adults. The pupils of Cackles were elated to see their parents again and this translated in the room's atmosphere. It was completely flipped to the usual grimness of being the dining/assembly hall. The smells of exotic plants and potion ingredients emanated from the gardening witches' and potion collectors' stalls. Occasionally there was flashes of light, from spellcasters and cameras trained on a famous, heroic police witch many of the girls admired.

Enid grinned at Mildred. "This actually isn't bad," She commented as Millie's eyes skimmed the crowd. The second they settled on their target it was Mildred's turn to pull Enid along.

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By one of the many stalls in the room another young witch stood. Yet she had a very different source of amusement and elation. That witch was Ethel Hallow. As she stood silently by her thorny mother and the Great Wizard himself, next to the gardening stall (the one Felicity was helping out at) her plan played through her mind. Under the Magic Council stall, in a battered box, was the object of Ethel's delight. After her humiliating gunge shower in front of her, after she had laughed at her, Ethel would finally get her back. Mildred Hubble would soon be the one to be laughed at.

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"Mum!" Mildred said as she ran to throw her arms around her. For Millie the year, like the previous at Cackle's, had been difficult and it was good to be with her mum again. If only for the day. Julie, on the other hand, wasn't too keen to be at the castle. She felt entirely out of place there. And the tea was awful.

"Alright love?" Julie asked as her daughter released her. She knew how Cackle's treated Mildred and was concerned leaving her child for so long.

"Well…" Mildred began before she came aware of the sheer number of girls around her, including friends of Felicity's. She did not want her insecurities to be broadcasted around the school, least of all to Ethel. So she said, "You know," then looked to Enid.

Julie took this que and diverted her attention to Millie's friend, "Hiya Enid. How are you?" She knew she would talk more openly with her daughter later. Enid, who had a penchant for being the centre of any room, went off a mile a minute about her prank days before, much to Julie's amusement. Mildred, however, tried to think of how to explain her misdeeds. Is not that she thought her mother would be cross but almost the opposite. She didn't want to make her worried.

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During the event the teachers of Cackles, minus one, had congregated near the stage. They stood pointing pupils in the right directions and answering parents' questions, generally enjoying not being in the lead.

"I think it's going well," Dimity Drill said to her colleagues, with her typical overly energetic smile.

"No fires yet," Algernon Rowan-Webb concurred, followed by his iconic chuckle. Miss Drill gave him a disapproving look before glancing at an anxious Miss Cackle. Ada had not smiled once all day and was hunched over with worry. Ada looked up at the pair, obviously having not heard their comments.

"I would be much more comfortable if Hecate was here too, instead of being stuck in one of our out-buildings doing her course. I feel as if there isn't enough of us here, especially with Ursula Hallow on the premises," She said, the proceeding to bite her lip. Truth was she was always more comfortable with her unyielding friend by her side. Hecate Hardbroom gave Ada courage.

Miss Drill leaned forward and patted Ada's arm comfortingly, "We'll be fine, you'll see." Ada gave a small smile, but the not in her stomach did not unclench.

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"Anyway, this careers fair isn't a Sunday picnic. Off you go and have a look," Julie said, shooing the girls away with her hands as others approached to quiz her on non-magical careers. Neither Mildred or Enid were particularly enthusiastic about careers yet, the bright stalls and free goodies were incentive enough though to get them trudging around the hall. They saw Maud on their circuit deep into job leaflets and discussions, both knew how much their friend took it seriously and so left her to it.

It had been their plan for the last week to avoid the Magic Council stall, staffed by the Great Wizard and Mrs Hallow, at all costs. This had initially gone well as they had headed in the opposite direction but was scuppered when an eccentric old witch in a sunflower cardigan popped out in front of them.

She seized both their wrists and guided them to her table whilst muttering, "Come and see my flowers." During their short journey, both of them inhaled the witch's scent; strong, freshly cut basil that attacked the nostrils. The witch then attempted (and failed) to smooth her wild hair before beginning a talk on why magical planting was so important to modern young witches (even if it didn't all make sense). Both Mildred and Enid fixed their eyes on the witch in front of them, scared of meeting the gaze of the witch and wizard on the next table. Entirely missing the smug expression of the younger Hallow waiting patiently for her plan to come to fruition.

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Luckily her mother and the Great Wizard had been distracted by some curious fifth years when Ethel saw Mildred and Enid approaching. Time to move, she thought. She slid the box from beneath the stall, with her foot, to the next keeping her eyes alert at the same time. She knew the witch in charge of the gardening stall would not question her as she moved around the table and knelt down. The only small problem was Felicity.

"What are you doing?" Her best friend asked. She had volunteered to help, to Ethel's confusion and slight disgust. She knew Fliss had some love of plants but hoped that wouldn't get in the way.

Ethel rolled her eyes as she slipped on gloves and gently pulled something out of the box. "You'll see, just don't touch it or say anything." Felicity watched as Ethel placed a plant amongst those in front of them, with a look of slight fear on her face.

"Ethel, you do know what that is?" She said, hoping to convey the worry in her voice. The only response she received was a smirk. For someone who acted so intelligent, Ethel had vital gaps in her knowledge. Gaps that could mean whole heaps of danger were coming their way. Felicity just hoped someone would be able to fix Ethel's mess as Enid and Mildred got sucked into the old witch's talk.

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"Now, see if you can identify them," The old witch said in her squawk of a voice, "You can touch but don't crush anything, lest you wished to be crushed back." Enid didn't look convinced about any of the plants' importance nor eager to touch them. She stood with her arms crossed and eyes drifting upwards to the windows above their heads. To save the witch's feelings Mildred reluctantly leaned forward, began feeling leaves and examining flowers and stems. Some were rubbery or slimy, others stank. Some had beautiful pets or colourful stems yet were spiky to the touch. Mildred knew none of them. Then one, on the other end of the table, caught her eye. It was in a jet-black pot and had vibrant green leaves with thick crimson stripes on them. It had two flowers on it, both brilliant orange with wide open centres and an eerie glow to them. It looked completely out of place with the rest of the plants. Mildred reached out and stroked its leaves. They felt silky and almost like they were vibrating. She reached up a little and touched the petals. The five large tangerine coloured petals curled around her finger and seemed to push it towards the seed cluster in the head of the flower. Mildred chuckled at what she thought was a delicate gesture. This gained the old witch's attention. Her eyes widened when she saw what was happening. Mildred's finger then brushed the seed cluster which caused something to begin to poke out.

"Oh no, dearie, you don't want to…" The old witch was silenced by the crash of Mildred hitting the floor. As the witch had been speaking something sharp pierced Mildred's skin, releasing blood and excreting venom. Mildred's body felt as if it were aflame. She screamed in agony and everyone in the room fell silent. Miss Drill, Cackle and Mr Rowan-Webb ran over as Enid shrieked her friend's name.

"What on earth?" the Great Wizard said as he rounded his table to get a closer look. Ursula and Ethel made no attempt to move. Ursula due to lack of care, Ethel out of confusion. The plant wasn't supposed to do this. Or at least the right plant wasn't supposed to.

"It was a Firebolt's Kiss," Felicity cried, voice shaking, "I knew they were poisonous plants, but I didn't think it was that bad." Julie's eyes were thick with tears as she quizzed the others about antidotes. The old witch, having heard her questions, went through her plants, trying to remember which one would be useful.

Mildred let out another ear-piercing scream as a wave of fire coursed up and down her body. At that moment a figure, clad in a thick velvet cloak, transferred into the room next to Mildred's pain-stricken body. The hood of the cloak covered the wearer's face so adequately no one could see the confused expression beneath. Some of the adults, who had been attempting an antidote, briefly peered around questioningly, not curious enough to stop.

Mildred let out another, weaker cry. Her body showed signs of giving up. This forced the figure to focus on the feeble body before them.

"Hubble?" The figure mumbled as Mildred gasped for breath.