'She did what?'

'She poked me.'

'Oh it wasn't that bad' Ada teased gently.

Hecate drew herself up to her full height in response. Agatha smirked. She always found it amusing when the prim and proper deputy headmistress got all ruffled. Hecate slid a sideways glance at Ada. Ada had spared a smile when Miss Pentangle tapped Hecate on the nose. It was silly. It was a tad cutesy. But she could see why Hecate didn't like it. She had sensed a sigh of relief from her deputy when the pink whirlwind had departed. Ada found Pippa charming in her own way and could absolutely see why Hecate had been drawn to her at school. A new student usually attracted attention; everyone loved a glamorous outsider. Everyone had wanted to be her friend. Like any teenager would be, Hecate had been dazzled. Ada would have been too if it had been her. Pippa was a real people's person, if a little full on. But really, they were too old for that sort of nonsense.

'She winked at me' said Hecate stiffly. 'I don't care for it.'

Agatha couldn't wait for round two when Pentangles descended for the next competition. She wanted to meet Hecate's teenage crush, suss her out, maybe make a move. If Pippa Pentangle harboured feelings for the human cat, Agatha would have a good time heading her off. Agatha always relished a challenge.

Even so, she hadn't imagined that she was so…pink. She made Ada look like a marshmallow. This woman wasn't playing around. She was glowing pink. She strutted in like she was on the catwalk, her acolytes tripping behind her. Hmmmmm. Agatha took great pleasure in greeting her and watching her stumble back and do a double take, not expecting to see Ada's almost double standing in the hall. It used to be their favourite trick when they were children. Ada used to whip off her glasses to confuse people. Such fun. Even now when each had gone their own way, Ada being the more sartorially challenged, they still gave newcomers a surprise on first sight.

Pippa's breathless laugh was a little uneasy as Agatha purposely introduced herself as Miss Cackle, just to throw their visitor off.

'I…didn't know there were two of you.' Pippa recovered quickly and smiled. Agatha returned it and then they stood around waiting for something to happen. Pippa looked at Hecate. She looked ahead, an expression of disinterest on her face, purposely not meeting her gaze. She was in fact, scanning the hall for any girl with a foot out of line. But Mildred Hubble was mercifully absent. Probably wrecking another part of the castle somewhere.

'Well, let's get the girls settled and we can start with the fun' said Ada, bustling the purple clad students into the dining hall. Hecate went with her, turning back to observe the staring match between Agatha and Pippa. If anyone could handle Pippa, it was trouble herself.

They returned in time to hear Agatha say 'Pink icing, my, my. That will go down well with the students. Just their sort of thing.'

Pippa looked wrongfooted.

'Oh, I brought them for us actually.'

'Oh. My mistake.' Agatha flashed her a winning smile. 'How lovely.'

Ada and Hecate glanced at each other. This was going to be a trying few days.

They reconvened in Ada's office, sat companionably around the fire. Pippa never seen it before and was delighted by all the pink. Agatha could not agree. Ada's taste was too twee for her liking. On that, Hecate had to agree.

'It's so cheery in here isn't it?' Pippa enthused. She and Agatha both noticed the eye flicker over to Ada's left. Agatha used to think that Ada never noticed whenever Hecate was being sarcastic. But recently she'd found out that Ada could predict her deputy's reaction to a whisper, eyes at the back or side of her head developed partly for that reason. She could pick up on a hesitation, a drawn in breath, an eye roll without even looking at her wife.

'So…Miss Cackle?'

Both turned towards the visitor.

'I meant, erm.' Pippa gestured to the other one.

'Agatha. I teach cat training.'

'Oh I see.'

Agatha and Pippa spent much of teatime taking it in turns to gently tease Hecate over her toleration of Ada's fondness for pink, plants and cat figurines. Hecate sat with a look of suffering on her face which Ada tried to alleviate by nudging her hand against hers. Hecate would invariably respond with a thumb swish. Whenever they did that, Agatha was reminded of their familiars, Pendell and Morgana, rubbing up against each other. Ease up, ladies she thought. Pippa hadn't seemed to notice. She was trying to catch Hecate's attention every so often but Hecate didn't seem to want to play. She was as stubborn as her cat.

Speaking of cats, here they were now. Pippa cooed at them and Pendell stepped forward to investigate, always the more affable one, just like his mistress. He stretched up to indulge in some heavy petting. He always was easily pleased, thought Agatha scornfully. Not too scornful, she loved Pendell who was usually happy to jump on any lap. Agatha had not begged the Grand Wizard for a familiar, feeling that it was beneath her to do so but she missed the comforting warmth and soft kitty fur so much that to stop herself from getting jealous, had commandeered Pendell whenever Ada was busy. He liked to doze on her shoulder sometimes and Agatha felt immense calm when he draped himself over her, purring mightily. She felt the healing vibrations in her heart and soul.

'We have owls' explained Pippa. 'Very useful.'

Ada agreed that owls were useful, had thought that they would be handy to use as messengers. Pippa laughed and told them of Pentangles students using theirs to send messages to each other at lights out, during dinner and at other inappropriate moments. Hecate's comment that owls were distracting and prone to be used for mischief made them all laugh.

'Maybe if you get owls, you could extend your skills at training them too' said Pippa, turning to Agatha. 'I do miss a pussycat though.'

'I'm sure you do' said Agatha, wondering if it was a slip of the tongue. She hoped not. She intended on having some fun with their guest. She glanced at the others but there was no response. She was struck with the suspicion that they were pretending not to understand. She engaged Pippa in more conversation, trying to gauge her weak spots. She'd find out how to take her down a peg or two.

'My deputy head, Miss Gimlett, she's one of the best chanting teachers in the country' Pippa said. The others glanced at each other. They were sure that Miss Gimlett wasn't prone to falling asleep like Miss Bat was and therefore worth boasting about. Agatha made a mental note to make sure that Pippa never sat in on any chanting lessons. She'd probably set up a mirror meeting for Gimlett to give Bat some classroom tips. She exchanged a glance at Ada and saw in her expression that she was thinking the same thing. Twin think.

Pippa saw it and smiled. While she'd like to poach Miss Hardbroom for her school to be top in potions, she at least had one up on Cackles in chanting.

'Maybe one day we'll meet Miss Gimlett' said Ada, keeping the peace.

'Yes, you'll have to come to Pentangles one day' said Pippa smugly. They were thoroughly modern and although Hecate wouldn't approve, at least she'd have a chance to observe the shape of the future. 'Miss Gimlett doesn't like travelling long distances even if she could accompany us this week. She's great at holding the fort in the meantime. Very efficient. She was my aunt's deputy. When she retires, I will choose the next one. Should be in the next few years. She's getting on a bit. Have you chosen your successor, Ada?' Asked Pippa carelessly dunking a biscuit in her tea.

Agatha raised an eyebrow. Hecate knitted hers together. Ada blinked, put down the biscuit she was planning on dunking. After a pause, the twins tilted their heads in unison towards Hecate. Pippa looked astonished.

'Oh. You didn't think that you'd take over as headmistress, did you?'

Hecate glared sharply at her.

Agatha looked askance at the other headmistress. Silly mare. Ada was about to diffuse the situation but Agatha was a little ticked off. As far as she was concerned, it was her prerogative to slight Ada and Hecate. That chance comment by an outsider irritated her to no end. Once in a blue moon, she'd muscle in to defend her sister. She'd done it recently at a school event and had effortlessly embarrassed the wife of the mayor.

'My dear, Miss Hardbroom is the deputy after all. She's not twiddling her thumbs and playing chess all day. What did you expect?' She purred.

The atmosphere in the room chilled a few notches. Ada looked a little nervous. She hoped Agatha wouldn't needle their guest too much. Pippa looked taken aback.

'More tea, Miss Pentangle?' Ada asked.

'Thank you, yes.' Pippa daintily extended her cup. 'I didn't mean that in a rude way. I just meant that with you two being such good friends, I didn't think you'd stay on for another headmistress.'

Agatha smirked but said nothing. Good friends my arse she thought. Either Pippa was dim witted or purposely ignoring the old married couple vibes surrounding Ada and Hecate.

'Hopefully we don't have to decide that for a long while' said Ada, neatly skipping over the question. 'Have a ginger newt.'

Undeterred, Pippa proposed another challenge.

'Speaking of chess, how about a game?'

She looked at Hecate. It was time to make it personal. Agatha grudgingly gave her credit for being cheerily persistent. She took a doughnut and munched it menacingly. Not her favourite baked good, even with the customary jam. These ones with pink icing lacked substance. Everyone was wise not to get her started on the ring ones. Agatha always felt aggrieved at being shortchanged the missing dough.

'Chess? Not something I'm very good at' said Ada cheerfully. 'But Dimity knows how. Let's ask her when we see her.'

'Hecate? I'm sure you remember.'

Hecate seemed to fluff up in agitation as all eyes swivelled to her. It was like watching Morgana but in vertical. Speaking of Morgana, she was perched on Ada's desk mistrustfully. She wouldn't always approach Hecate when there was a stranger in the room.

'When we were at school, I taught her chess' said Pippa playfully.

Hecate paused and then confirmed that it had been so. No point in telling a lie. Pippa's smile of triumph was guileless but Agatha thought she sensed slight desperation behind it. Did she want to resume flirtation with Hecate or was she so competitive that she wanted to get the better of Cackles in more ways than one?

'That is lovely' beamed Ada.

'How about best of three?' Suggested Agatha. Now there was no mistaking the panic behind Hecate's eyes and everyone saw it.

'Oh Hecate, don't be so worried' said Pippa, reaching out to pat her arm. Hecate quivered with an emotion that not everyone identified correctly.

'It's only a friendly game. We might as well while we are here. Are you afraid you'll lose?'

Hecate was stuck. She loathed to admit defeat before she started. On the other hand, she didn't want to start a game at all. She was wary that there would be an attempt at playing footsie under the table.

'How about if Pippa loses, she has to scrub out our potions lab? The non-magical way.' Said Agatha, her hatred of menial work colouring her suggestion.

'And if Hecate loses?' Asked Pippa with interest.

Hecate could not look more concerned for her life right at that point. Ada froze in astonishment at the bargaining going on between them.

'Hecate has to wear pink for the last day you are here' said Agatha smugly, knowing that it was a torture most refined. 'I'm sure you can lend her a dress.' Hecate looked like she was going to faint. Pippa looked gleeful at the thought of Hecate in all over pink. She'd look wonderful.

They all looked at her. Morgana, sensing her mistresses' distress, hissed at the room for good measure. Hecate couldn't lose face but was undecided on what to do. Either way she was in for a few days of mortification. She thought that she couldn't dislike Agatha more until she caught the other witch's eye and could swear that she saw a tiny wink. Agatha was up to something. Hardly knowing what she was doing, she nodded. Ada gasped. The other two looked satisfied. Hecate, not a natural risk taker, wasn't sure which devil she had sold her soul to but it was too late now.

'Let the games begin' said Pippa, taking a ginger newt.

Agatha's eyes gleamed with the promise of competition. There was no one in the school more competitive than her.