The Needs Of The Many…

"She has not woken up except to be sick" said Enid, yawning and stretching out as Miss Hardbroom came into the room.

"I did not expect her to be so" Hardbroom said. "She underwent a lot of strain on her magic. That would tire any powerful witch" she checked Mildred's temperature.

"Even a witch as powerful as you, Miss?" asked Enid – face completely innocent.

"I'm not sure if I should thank you or give you detention, Enid Nightshade"

"If detention involves seeing my bed for an entire day, I won't argue the punishment, Miss"

"You and the others may have the day off lessons today, Enid. I will remain with Mildred until she wakes up"

"When will that be?"

"Not for at least another hour" Hardbroom said.

"Will you promise to wake me when she comes around?" Enid yawned again.

"I promise" Hardbroom replied. "Now, off to bed, Enid" and the girl left dragging heavy feet along the floor. After Enid had gone, she ran through a number of tests and all indicated that Mildred would wake up in around an hour's time. They would be able to find out what she had been eating or drinking and find where the sauce of the poison had come from. If this was Ethel Hallow and one of her petty ways of revenge, Hardbroom would have her up for expulsion quicker then you could say 'Jack Robinson'.

#

When Mildred awoke, she could offer no explanation as to the source of her poisoning, and she was most alarmed to hear she had attacked Hardbroom with magic. Cackle spent nearly an entire afternoon convincing her that she was clearly not herself, and that she was sure Mildred would never have attacked Hardbroom under any other circumstances. It wasn't for another two days that was well enough to return to lessons and a careful watch on her revealed that she had no long lasting effects such as diminished motor skills, significant memory loss or other ails. With the little excitement other and done with, Mildred and the others helped Miss Bat prepare for the pantomime, and it seemed as if the Chanting Teacher was determined to put on a better one then last year when she had been away on a chanting trip of the Himalayan temples.

"What about here?" Enid, Maud and Ruby were shifting a tree into place by the stage.

"Little to the left…" Bat said, examined the new position and decided it was good enough. "Brilliant… Oh, this is going to be so perfect" she clapped her hands and started singing a song about three apples that took a bus to Oxford.

"On the whole, I think I would rather listen to Enid trying to sing than Bat" Maud said.

"Thank you" said Enid primly.

"Well…" Mildred said, "You don't sing the right notes. You sing all of the wrong ones"

"I sing all of the right notes" said Enid defensively, "Just not necessarily in the right order" and there was a pause before the friends burst into giggles.

"If you are looking for work, you five, I could do with having the chairs put into neat rows" Bat said with a glare.

"Sorry, Miss Bat" they said together, and went to the side of the hall so they could get the chairs to place in rows.

"Do you think we should practice after we finish this?" Ruby suggested.

"I don't want to get HB into one of her moods" Mildred said.

"Not since the time she found you writing a list called…" Jadu frowned. "What was it?" she asked.

"Things I Am Not Allowed To Do At Cackle's Academy" Enid replied. "Millie got to 912 before Hardbroom found it"

"She did like the ones about the Grand Wizard" Maud pointed out.

"I found them all funny" Enid said, "Though I still haven't been able to find out if I have an actress cousin called Jessica Fox" she shrugged.

"One of life's mysteries" Ruby said. "Let's get this done and start practicing. I can't take another load of Bat's singing" to which the others could only agree. The song had changed to a badly off key version of 'The Old Grey Mare' which had reduced one first year girl to burst into tears.

"Is that girl alright?" Bat asked.

"She was overcome with emotion at the way you sang, Miss" Maud said.

"Really?" and Bat started to sing as the others hurried to finish and get out of the hall.

"Where did you learn to lie so well?" Enid asked Maud.

"Hanging around with you" Maud replied seriously.

# # # # #

The witch had planned everything to go well this time around, and there would be no way out for the girls and the staff this time.

Victory would be hers finally…

# # # # #

Lessons ended an hour early before the pantomime was to start, and it was already a hive of activity backstage with people rushing all over. Mildred went and got into her costume which was a yellow skirt with a blue top with red diamonds on it. Her hair was done into a different style and gave herself a coating of bright red lipstick for good measure. She was a little nervous as the starting time came closer and closer, and it wasn't helped by the fact that both Charlie Blossom and Merlin Loopylugs would be amongst the audience. They had both managed to get time off in time to see Mildred and their other friends perform Snow White. As she peaked out of the curtain, she saw them both talking and looking at the programmes that Jadu and Ruby had made up during their spare time.

"There you are, Mildred Hubble" Hardbroom said, and Mildred turned to see Hardbroom holding a small flask which she handed over. "You looked to be nervous when you left my class, so I brewed this for you"

"What is it?" Mildred peered at the contents.

"It is a Calming Draught. You look as if you could do with one, and it will help you to get through this pantomime without any accidents" Hardbroom said.

"Oh… Thank you, Miss Hardbroom" she sipped the contents and felt a little at ease.

"I suggest that you change into different shoes. It has been sometime since I studied the story of Snow White in detail, but I do not recall ever seeing anything that said the heroine was wearing boots the whole time" and Mildred looked down in horror to see that she was still wearing the boots.

"Eeep" she squeaked, drank some of the potion and hurried away. Hardbroom cast a long look around the area backstage before leaving through a side door and going to the teacher's private rooms. As she did so, she became shorter, dumpier and uglier to look upon. The witch looked at a tied up witch on the bed – Hardbroom. It was so easy to get her whilst she was asleep, become her and start a trap that would force her sister to hand over the school to her control. She sent a signal to the others, hoping they would be ready when the time came. Not everybody in the castle would be put under the effects of the fake decorations, but enough to ensure that the takeover was done before people realised it was already begun.

#

The plan, however, did not go as well as could have been expected. A pair of first year students had been told to go to HB's room so they could hand in some work. The door, when they arrived, had been left slightly ajar and they saw the fake HB standing over the drugged and bound real one. As quietly as they could, the pair crept away and hurried to tell Miss Cackle what they both had just seen. Knowing of just two people who would attempt such a thing. Cackle ordered the complete and total evacuation of the castle – leaving her and Bat to battle the witch or witches and revive Hardbroom if at all possible. They gained a few minutes by having the fake Hardbroom search for a pupil that did not exist, and this allowed the pupils, Merlin, Charlie and the three non magical members of staff to get out and into the forest. As soon as the last person left the courtyard, a shield of purple energy surrounded the old building and prevented anyone from getting in or out.

"Do you think they can win on their own?" asked Mildred. She was grateful for the cloak that Merlin had put around her shoulders due to the fact she was still in costume.

"Maybe" said Drill. "I have known Miss Cackle for some years now, and she can beat any old witch whenever she'd like"

"But it isn't any old witch" Enid pointed out. "It has to be a really powerful one if it can take out HB"

"What if it is Miss Cackle's sister?" Jadu put in.

"Or Broomhead" Ruby added.

"We have to go back and help" said Mildred.

"And we'll come too" said Charlie – looking up from an urgent whisper with Merlin.

"I can't allow that, I'm sorry" Drill looked at the bubble over the school.

"With respect, Miss, we are not your pupils" Merlin commented, pushing his glasses higher on his nose.

"I can not possibly allow that, I'm sorry" Drill repeated. "Miss Cackle has made it perfectly clear that we were to wait here until we know who has won"

"You should listen to Miss Drill, children" Mr Blossom said. "I saw too many children being killed a long time ago. I have no desire to see more in my lifetime"

"So… what?" Enid asked. "That's it?"

"That's it, Enid" Drill said.

"Can't be…" Maud shook her head.

"Miss, with all due respect, Miss Cackle is an ass-"

"Be careful what you say Enid Nightshade" Drill cut her off sternly. "She is in charge of the school we are sworn to serve. And, whether we agree or disagree, she has made her decision. Our Headmistress has given us our orders accordingly – I expect you all to carry them out" she looked at the group of friends, shook her head and walked away.

# # # # #

"I thought about quitting a while back" Drill said. She, Blossom, Tapioca and some of the older pupils sat around a fire made from stuff the girls had collected from near the lake.

"After the comments about you from Miss Hardbroom, I am surprised you did not leave earlier" Tapioca said. "I, too, have thought of leaving and to return to my beautiful Italy"

"I could have left years ago and got a better paid job in a normal and non magical school" Drill said. "This isn't the last brave act I wanted to do before leaving Cackle's" the woman added softly, gazing into the flames in thought.

"What kept you here, Miss?" asked Ethel.

"I was a month away from handing in my notice. The only thing that kept me here was…" Drill snorted and shook her head with a sad kind of smile. "Well, lets face it – it was a pretty wild ride"

"Yes, Miss" Jadu said.

"Personally, I don't think we should be getting off that ride just yet" Enid said.

"Enid, we've been though this – I agree with you, but we have our orders"

"They are ill-conceived orders" the girl protested.

"I agree, but they are orders just the same. And I, for one, for orders given to me by those in charge"

"Even though we are the only line of defence to protect the school?" Ruby said.

"I know that" Drill sighed.

"I know you know that, Miss" Enid added. "But you're still just going to chuck it, huh?"

"You don't think I tried everything to stay there as well? I went to Miss Cackle twice – the second time she had me forcibly removed from her office! This discussion is over. I suggest you try to get some sleep before dawn" Drill turned to the other staff members.

# # # # #

"Milly – wake up!" Enid hissed, shaking her friend by the shoulders.

"Enid?" Mildred stirred, blinked and looked at her friend with puzzlement.

"We've been watching the shield around the school" Jadu pointed in the direction of the castle. "It isn't there any more" and Mildred knew there was only one reason why that would happen.

"They lost" she said.

"Either they are all dead or they are captured" Enid said. "We're going to find out what has happened, and if they are captured, set them free again"

"That would go against what Miss Cackle said" Maud said. "We would be suspended the moment we came back"

"If" said Mildred. "If we came back"

"And they can easily find out where we live from our school records" Ruby said. "Merlin and Charlie are going to come with us, but we'd make too much of a sound"

"Can you do that trick that HB does?" Jadu asked her friend. Mildred thought of the love she had for the school and Miss Cackle and decided to go with them.

"I can certainly try" she said. "I'll take us to my room. I need to get out of this" she gestured at her clothing.

# # # # #

Once they arrived in Mildred's room, the group could smell the unique tang of powerful magic. It wasn't just a smell, but also that odd smell that seemed to become a taste as well. They left to let Mildred to change into a uniform, and the others waited in the corridor – hoping that nobody appeared out of the ether. There was, they all agreed, no need to split up and search for the battle as both groups of magical children – wizard and witch – could sense the evil and the power. All they had to do was to follow it back to the source. Walking down corridors in a line with cloaks flapping behind them, they followed the raw magical power to the hall – finding two witches guarding the outside corridor.

"Quick!" Jadu whispered, "In here" and they dived into the store room next to the hall. They climbed up the ladders and stood on the balcony that Cackle had had Mr Blossom put up after being trapped in there by her sister one too many times. From their vantage point, they looked at what was going on and groaned. The friends saw the three teachers tired up and drugged with some kind of sleeping potion. Their captors were Agatha Cackle, Mistress Broomhead and Miss Pentangle, and it was clear as to what depths they had gone to. All three teachers showed signs of having been tortured, and it pained the girls to see them like this – even Hardbroom. Their form mistress showed the worst signs with shallow breathing, blue lips and skin so pale it was like tissue paper.

"We have to do something" Maud said quietly.

"But what?" asked Jadu. "If we go charging in like a heard of elephants, we'd surely end up like them"

"What if we caused a distraction?" asked Merlin. "Some of us could fire spells from up here whilst the others charge in"

"That's assuming we can get in there and do it all before the others pour in" Charlie pointed out. "We have only seen these three and the two outside. They are surely going to have more followers"

"Cant we take the guards out first and then run inside?" Ruby suggested.

"They'd hear them falling and become alerted" said Enid.

"I have an idea" Mildred said, "But it is going to take time"

"We better hurry" said Ruby. "I don't like the look of HB"

"None of us like the sight of HB" Maud said.

"Touché" Charlie smiled. "What's the plan?" he asked Mildred.

"We get down from here and take off our shoes and boots" the girl replied. "Then, after cancelling the noise our footsteps make, we get to the staff room and climb out of the window"

"And do what?" Merlin frowned, his expression, combined with his glasses, gave him the impression of a confused Professor.

"That lets us out into the back courtyard" Mildred said. "We creep over and grab some brooms. We fly back to the hall, fly in from different sides and hope to take them by surprise. We should be able to get one of them – if not two. The other one will be surrounded and forced to surrender"

"And the others in the castle?" Ruby asked.

"As Enid would say, 'I'll get back to you on that'. This is kind of a work in progress" Mildred shrugged.

"Sounds like the best option that we have at the moment" said Enid. "Let's do it" and they began their plan.

#

The plan had to change when they saw more witches walking around the corridors, so Mildred suggested going in for the full frontal assault method – and to hell with the consequences! Mildred had teleported to the Potion storeroom and grabbed a small handful of Dragonite – an explosive substance much akin to Dynamite.

"If memory serves" Enid said thoughtfully, "Miss Cackle once told us that Pentangle was weaker then she was at casting ability"

"I remember that as well" Maud said. "One person should be enough for her"

"Leaving the rest of us to take on Broomhead and Agatha Cackle" Mildred said. "At least they should be weakened from attacking Cackle, Bat and Hardbroom" she shrugged. "We should try to put up a wall of magic between them and us – giving those three chance to recover" and they took a deep breath and then blew the doors off the hinges – flying inside with spells ripping through the air.

"So…" Broomhead sneered. "The little brats have come to fight us" she fired off a spell that Jadu only just deflected. Charlie returned the compliment by hitting the former Ofwitch official with an Ice white beam of pure magic – causing her great pain when it hit her. "A Wizard as well?" Broomhead wiped some blood from her mouth. "I would like to stay and chat, but I have work to do. Agatha, finish them off"

#

There was a chamber so secret that only Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom knew of it. It contained crystals essential to the safe running of the school. Each contained a different and power brand of ancient magic that protected the school from great and terrible harm. Each spell and ward was tied in to the magical signature of the current headmistress, and that is where the problem was. Because Agatha and Amelia were identical twins down to their signatures, the school could not tell the difference between the two sisters. Agatha had already placed the entire system offline – Broomhead had simply to reset some of them before replacing three crystals with some of her own design. Once that was done, she and her coven of witches would have complete control of the castle, staff and, most importantly, the students.

"With those fools eliminated, we shall inherit the world" Broomhead laughed – cut off as a wall suddenly burst apart and, through the swirling dust and debris, came a lone figure.

"You can't do this – I won't yet you" Mildred stepped into the room – power emanating from her body – much like radio waves.

"You are nothing but a child" Broomhead said. "I despise children like you"

"You are nothing but a bully and somebody who only got a good job by using connections and family favours" Mildred's quiet voice spoke volumes of contempt for a person who had, on multiple occasions, tried to destroy everything that she and her friends had worked so hard to achieve.

"Oh? And I suppose you are going to kill me?" Broomhead sneered at Mildred, preparing a spell behind her back. "You don't have the power to hurt a fly, you stupid bitch of a girl" and fired the spell which slammed Mildred to the floor with a horrible crunching of bones.

"Is…" Mildred coughed up blood as she stood up, "… the best you can do?"

"If you fight me, I shall not show mercy until you are dead"

"Fine" Mildred fired back, "To the death it is…"

#

"Miss Hardbroom?" Maud shook her teacher awake.

"Maud… Maud Moonshine?" Hardbroom looked at her with a dazed look. "What are you doing here? What is going on around here?" she asked.

"School was attacked by a bunch of evil witches, you, Miss Bat and Miss Cackle stayed to fight them while we headed for safety. We decided that you couldn't possibly be that good, so we came back and battled them before they killed the three of you" Enid said.

"You disobeyed instructions, put yourselves in danger and…" Enid cringed, "You have, no doubt, saved us all. How is Miss Cackle?" Hardbroom looked at the older witch being helped into a chair by Charlie and Jadu.

"I am perfectly alright, Constance. I fear that Davina may need some time to recover" Cackle looked to the bound figures of her sister and Pentangle. "I thought you said that there were three people attacking us?" she asked.

"More to the point" Ruby looked around the room, "Where exactly is Mildred?" and, just at the same moment, Cackle felt something touching her mind and informing her of events.

"The warding chamber – Mistress Broomhead is trying to use the wards against us! Quick, we must hurry or we are all doomed" and they left the bound and gagged witches where they lay as the group rushed to the warding chamber.

#

They found Mildred in her own blood bleeding heavily from deep cuts all over her body, and a quick examination spell revealed that she had severe internal injuries. Huge gouges in the stone walls bore testament to the power that had been wielded in some great battle and debris littered the floor like tiny building blocks.

"I don't see Broomhead anywhere" Charlie looked as much as he could.

"Look here" said Jadu, pointing to a trail of blood that led out of a hole in one wall.

"She must be trying to escape" Maud said.

"After her!" Enid said, running to follow the trail and catch up with the evil witch before she could escape the school. They found her in the courtyard, but the group kept their distance from her – knowing a wounded animal, or a wounded witch in this case, was far more dangerous.

"You could all have been great, you fools, but you simply could not understand the power and opportunities that I offered you" Broomhead grimaced through the pain inflicted by Mildred.

"Give it up and we will treat you fairly" said Cackle.

"Like hell I will" muttered Hardbroom quietly.

"You may have won this round, but I will be back with larger numbers of witches. Mark my words, and mark them well… I will be victorious, I will win and I will destroy any and all of you that dares to get in my way" she turned round to head out of the gate. She got all of one foot when Mildred appeared, like Broomhead and Hardbroom, out of the ether with a look of mocking and loathing for the woman that stood in front of her. "Are you prepared to die, little girl?" she sneered. Mildred looked down at her feet as the others watched the interaction silently. "I guessed not" Broomhead said, making a movement to push Mildred away.

"Guess again!" Mildred leapt forwards, wrapped her arms around the older witch. Broomhead saw the true power that Mildred had at her command. "Time to retire" the girl smirked. Then, with a last look on the faces of the people she loved – comprehension beginning to dawn on the faces of some, she reached deep into her magical powers and blew up – killing herself and taking Broomhead out with her.

"MILDRED, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the group had to stop Charlie, Maud and Enid from running inside the range of the explosion. All three of them struggled to break free and to get there and hopefully save their friend.

"Oh my gods…" Jadu said. Those still capable of working threw up shields which stopped the debris shredding into them, and also helped to keep the smoke away from them. The noise was unbearable, but they had to put up with it. The price that Mildred had paid was clear the moment everything settled – there was now a large and smoking crater twelve feet deep in the courtyard – nothing of either witch had survived.

"Why…?" asked Maud.

"She knew what the price was that had to be paid" Hardbroom spoke quietly. "Everything that she has ever done has been to protect you and this school"

"It was the only way that Broomhead could be stopped permanently" Cackle said. "If she had left, she would have been able to gather as many people together as was possible and strike at us – showing no mercy to anybody inside" and they stood and watched with tears rolling down their eyes, over faces and dropping to the ground as the crater continued to smoke.

"I guess that is that - Mildred is dead and the school is saved" Hardbroom said. Maud took exception to that and slapped her Form Mistress so hard that the sound was like a rifle shot.

"You bastard" and she walked away.

"You hated her, didn't you, Miss?" Enid looked at Hardbroom.

"Mistress Broomhead?"

"Mildred"

"No…" Hardbroom shook her head and wiped the tears that came from some previously unknown part of her. "… no, Enid Nightshade… It was never hate…"

#

The rest of the school came back after hearing the explosion, though Drill had refused to allow them to do so. Ethel simply argued that, if Miss Cackle had won they'd take the punishments. If Broomhead, Agatha Cackle and the others had won, then there was very little point in running anyway.

"Better to die with honour" the normally snooty girl had said. They came through the gate and came upon the huge hole in the ground. Mildred's friends stood and gazed at the hole, though what they were looking at was up for speculation. Despite it being over half an hour since the final act, it still smouldered a little and this added to the confusion.

"What happened here?" asked Drusilla.

"Broomhead is dead" said Charlie. "Milly… Milly st-" he couldn't finished and burst into a fresh set of tears.

"Where's Hubble Bubble?" Ethel looked around the courtyard. In reply, the friends simply pointed to the hole. Ethel peered into it but found no body. "I don't see anything" she said.

"You wouldn't" Ruby swallowed. "She teleported in front of Broomhead, wrapped her arms around her and then blew herself up"

"She saved us all…" Jadu said.

"Dead…?" Drill had heard the last bit of the discussion. "Mildred Hubble dead?"

"Yes" and then group walked away and left the rest of the school shaken and looking at the last place Mildred had been on the planet.

#

"I think we should send the girls home as soon as possible" said Cackle, holding a meeting of all the staff in the staffroom.

"I agree" Hardbroom said. "The sooner they are away from here the better"

"I still can not believe that Mildred is gone…" Drill said. "I kind of guessed that one of you would die, but never one of our students" she looked at Cackle. "I should have tried to keep them from coming back more forcibly. I resign, Miss Cackle. You will have my formal resignation on your desk by the morning. I shall come back for a memorial service, of course, but I don't think I should like to be here any more"

"Resign?" Hardbroom looked at the only non witch in the room. "You can not simply resign, Miss Drill" she said.

"Do you want to argue about this, or would you like Maud Moonshine to give you a matching slap on the other cheek?" Drill asked.

"Oh shut up the pair of you" Miss Bat said. "You are both acting like little children. Amelia, I suggest we hold a memorial service in the morning – before the girls go home" the shock of the death of Mildred had seemed to make her much more alert and normal.

"I think the girls would like that, Davina. Would you ensure that Mildred's friends are sitting in the front row?" Cackle dismissed the staff and returned to her office – placing orders on the door for her to be left alone.

# # # # #

"I can't believe what happened" said Maud.

"We have to accept it – we all saw it" Enid said. "Mildred is dead"

"I meant me hitting Miss Hardbroom"

"Ah…" shrugged Jadu, "She has been asking for it"

"I didn't hear her requesting a slap" smiled Charlie, weakly. They had, with no other place to go, gathered in Mildred's room. Ruby looked at the sleeping Tabby and wondered what was going to happen to him.

"Do you think Hardbroom would have her put down?" she asked.

"I wouldn't put it past her" Enid said. "She thinks Tabby is as much a problem as Mildred"

"I'll look after him" said Charlie. "I think Mildred would have been alright with that" and the others nodded.

"Oh…" the door creaked open and admitted Ethel Hallow.

"What are you doing here, Hallow?" demanded Maud.

"I came to apologise for how I treated Mildred the last few years"

"Damned sight a bit late for that" Enid said.

"Yes… I guess I am" Ethel looked at the others facing her. "I… I did it because I wanted the attention. I had to try so hard in everything in order to please my father because he pushed me so hard. You think he loved me and Sybil because we are his daughters?" the girl snorted. "He only liked us because we helped his social status and his business one as well. Hubble…? She had everything that I ever wanted and more…"

"What was that?" asked Jadu.

"She had a family"

# # # # #

"Where am I?" Mildred stood up from the white floor and found herself wearing an all covering golden cream gown.

"Ah… I have been expecting you for some time" said the voice of a powerful man. He stepped out of the brilliant light to reveal himself.

"Oh, my God" Mildred breathed.

"You do reconise me" the man said. "I was beginning to wonder" he chuckled lightly. "Tell me, child, what do you see around you?" and Mildred was about to reply she could see nothing when the light blinded her before dying down to reveal the Potion Lab of the school.

"I see Cackle's Academy" Mildred frowned. "But where is everyone?" she asked.

"They are in the real world" God said. "This is merely a setting that will make you more comfortable and help your adjustment. It will change things according to your will"

"The battle!" Mildred became panicked. "Is Broomhead stopped? Did I stop her? Is it over?"

"Yes, Yes and Yes" God said. "Despite your injuries, Mildred, you were able to stop Broomhead from escaping"

"Then I am dead?"

"I am afraid that is so, my child. This whole environment is of your making" God gestured around the Potion Lab. To Mildred, it was just like being in the real one! The sight, the smells, the sounds… Everything was simply so real…

"I'm going to miss my friends" the girl unexpectantly burst into tears. God put an arm around her and gave her some comfort.

"Yours was a selfless act…" he said. "Take comfort in knowing that what you did was right"

"How can I take comfort in never being able to see Charlie and En- my friends again?" Mildred sobbed.

"You love Charlie and Enid as more then just friends?"

"How do you know?"

"I am God – I know and do everything"

"Can I ask you a question?" Mildred pulled away and wiped her eyes with tissues she was certain were not there before.

"You already have done so, but I am certain that it will not do too much harm to ask another"

"I was always brought up to think you are kind, generous and thoughtful. If that is the case, why have you allowed wars to happen? It's simple enough for you to smite them with a thunderbolt or something"

"I can't answer that" God said, "Ask another" and Mildred thought long and hard about it.

"You are right when you said I like Charlie and Enid as more then just friends, but if I love Enid, doesn't that mean I go to hell? Being a lesbian should mean I go straight to hell"

"What does your heart say?"

"To ignore what others say"

"Then I suggest that you listen to it, Mildred Hubble"

"But how?"

"I am going to send you back, dear. You killed yourself, that is true, but it was for a greater good and for the safety of the entire world that you did so. I think that earns you a second chance" God felt Mildred hug him – something he hadn't felt in several hundred years. "I do want to ask you a question, however"

"Anything"

"I sent my son Jesus down to your planet one thousand nine hundred and sixty four years ago. What did you do to him?" God created the image of a man that fitted the known descriptions of Jesus. He was hugging himself tightly and sobbing heavily. "He hasn't been the same since he came back"

#

"We gather here today to pay respects to our honoured dead. Mildred Hubble gave up her life for everyone in this hall, the rest of the country and, perhaps, even the entire world. Her death was in the shadow of a new world, one without evil and one for freedom. She did not feel her sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate her profound wisdom at these proceedings" Miss Cackle paused to look at the entire hall – wearing full formal robes for the occasion. Charlie had borrowed a spare hat and cloak to wear. "Of Mildred, I could only say this: Of all the souls of all the girls I have had the pleasure of teaching, her's was the most… Human" she paused to compose herself. "If anybody else would like to say a few words they are welcome to do so" but nobody moved.

"Now that's rude" said a voice. People gasped to see Mildred appear in front of them wearing the dress she had worn in Heaven.

"Mildred Hubble…? But how…?" Miss Cackle spoke in a whisper.

"I find it very undignified to arrive late at one's own funeral, Miss Cackle" Mildred laughed. "I got a second chance at life. There is more I could say, but I am afraid that it is forbidden to say except my loved ones"

"Loved ones…?"

"Tell you later" Mildred grabbed Charlie and Enid and pulled them out of the hall behind her.

#

"I knew you liked Charlie" Enid said, "But I didn't know that you liked me as well" and Mildred blushed heavily and looked down before returning her gaze to her friend.

"I don't know if you feel the same about me, Enid, but I can't help thinking of you a lot of the time – same as Charlie" she said. "When I went after Broomhead, all I wanted to do was keep my friends safe – especially the pair of you"

"You are being quiet about this" Enid said to Charlie. "What have you got to say?"

"Two girls? Isn't that supposed to be every man's fantasy?" he replied. "I kind of figured Milly liked you anyway"

"How?" asked both girls at once.

"Little things mostly. The way you talk and act around each other" Charlie shrugged. "The handkerchief that smells of Enid under Mildred's pillow…"

"So that is what it was…" Enid muttered. "So, what do we do about this?"

"Huh?" Mildred frowned. "I don't understand" and the other two smiled.

"I think Enid is saying where do we go from here" Charlie said. "We've got one year at our respective schools left and I suppose we could get a room together at Weirdsister" and Mildred's expression became one of hopefulness and joy.

"You mean that us three…?" she looked between Charlie and Enid.

"It is unconventional" Enid said, "But I am, if nothing else, unconventional myself. I am willing to give it a go if you two are"

"Suits me" Charlie said.

"Alright" was what Mildred was able to stammer out.