Halloween for monsters is a family thing so unlike other witch schools Cackles celebrate before school breaks up. Also I moved the bit from the start of mean halloween to their second year, but the rest of the ep happens in the same timeline. What you gonna do curse me? Joking, LOVE U

Mildred froze, with that age old terror one does when in the bad books of 'the vamp.' It was the worst witch's worst luck that of all the people to catch them fooling around it would be Miss Hardbroom. HB had caught her and her friends playing hide and seek when they should have been rehearsing their poetry for the very serious Halloween recital. To make matters worse they'd been caught wearing the party costumes they had made in Crafts and Art class. When really they should have been working on their Alchemy circles.

"What a disgrace to witching. And to monsters. Mildred Hubble Take off that ridiculous mask. And you three." Miss Harbroom said.

They all hurried to make themselves presentable.

(except for Ruby, who'd stayed hidden behind the bedroom door. And for once escaped the vampire's wrath.)

Enid glitched as she pulled off the swamp troll mask she was wearing. The small dark and freckled body that had gone under the sheet became taller, as tall as Mildred almost, pale as ivory and her then curly pink hair now jet back and straight in her one plait. Again reflecting her teachers somewhat.

Jadu stood upright on two legs not four. Only she got tangled up in her tail and had to wriggle out of the sheet with eye holes cut in. Or A sheet with eye, ears and muzzle holes cut out in her and Maud's case. Only Maud couldn't find her glasses so ended up squinting at their potions (and poisons) mistress.

"I repeat. What is the meaning of this?" Miss Hardbroom said.

"erm. Halloween, Miss hardbroom?" Maud tried valiantly.

"Happy Halloween?" Enid added. Mildred even added jazz hands. It didn't work. The friends and fiends stood there and endured The vampire's 'im very disappointed in you' tone of voice that promised a horrible death or many many detentions.

"Halloween is not until Friday, Maud Moonshine. The school will not be celebrating it till the day after tomorrow. And Halloween is hardly a happy occasion Enid Nightshade. More a time for solemn reflection and gratitude for our gifts. Gifts Some of you are lucky to have." HB said. With a very unsubtle look to Mildred.

"And Who...or what, is that supposed to represent?" She continued, taking Mildred's mask and holding it up, examining the Green and warty mask with gold eyeliner and glass beads for extra bumps.

"A witch miss." Mildred said. The look HB cut her could have curled UNT Milk at forty paces. "A b- bad witch!"

"There are indeed, Mildred, some rather badly behaved witches whom I see every day. And there are, indeed, a few truly wicked witches out there in the magical world. They do not however have long pointy green noses! The sooner you come to realise that the better." Miss Hardbroom said very seriously. Even with the silly shadow casting across her face.

'Hunters', Mildred thought, given the uncomfortable shuffling of her friends. 'normal humans. Witch hunters. And monster hunters who are human witches.'

It was then Miss Hardbroom spotted the Dracula mask. And took offence too. Which was bad enough. But especially on Maud's head. It wouldn't really do well for vampire and werewolf race relations.

"Oh, honestly! You are in your second year!" She thundered. "It's time you girls stopped acting like five-year-olds and tried to behave like responsible grown-up witches. Especially given last year's APPALLING Halloween display!"

"Yes Miss Hardbroom." They chorused dutifully. Then squealed like piglets at Miss Hardbroom's next threat.

"I will be writing home to all of your parents to advise them to keep you in doors. I ort to have sent straight home for the half term with extra homework even!"

"But miss-!"

"You can't?"

"The party!"

"I do not care! If you cannot behave then I see no reason why you should be given 'trips out'. There is no excuse for such pantomime. Not to mention Mildred, this clinging on to commoners' childish stereotypes-!"

"Oh, I don't know." Suddenly came a chuckle. The girls jumped a second time. But they were saved again from HB by Miss Cackle.

Mid-rant she'd appeared, through the wall, just above her deputy's shoulder; obviously wondering what all the noise was about. The headmistress had then spotted an abandoned sheet. A sheet with eye holes cut out. And swooped down to scoop it up and toss it over her own head. "It Works fine for me!"

The series of indigent and incredulous noises that came out of Miss Hardbroom were drowned out by laughter. Laughter that doubled as Miss cackle Floated about the ceiling going "Wooooooooo I'm a ghooost!"

Enid was doubled over, and Jadu was laughing so hard you could see all three sets of teeth. Maud was even Howling in hysterics.

"Ahem. I do agree you might need to get on with your studies though." Miss Cackle said, bobbing back to her usual floating height. "We cannot cancel your party. But do remember the fourth-years have exams coming up? And I'd rather you not disturb their revision. Please keep the excitement to a minimum."

"Yes, Miss Cackle." The girls tried very hard to be serious. But even with HB's glare of doom, Mildred was struggling not to giggle.

"Carry on Miss Hardbroom, don't mind me."

"Oh, I will, headmistress."

Miss Cackle gave a little nod and walked back through the wall the way she'd come. The sheet, unable to go with her, landed in a heap against the wall. With a flip of HB's spell fingers, Mildred's witch, Dracula and the swamp troll masks dissolved into sparks. The Vamp was not in a forgiving mood.

"Confiscated till the end of year. And break time detention. All of you. You will do it in the laundry by mending these bed sheets!"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom."

HB left in a storm of hazy light, Seething and dumbfounded. There was a beat. No one dared to breathe yet. Not until a Disembodied Voice added;

"That includes you hiding behind the door, Ruby Cherrytree!"

With that HB was actually gone. The girls breathed a sigh of relief. Only to get a third fright at A sudden bang of a door slamming so hard into its frame it bounced.

"Ruby-!"

"That's it! I've got the Best idea!" Ruby said excitedly.

"Now?!" Maud blinked, finding her glasses.

"Yes now!" Ruby said triumphantly. "That's what all our costumes can be!"

"We knew what our costumes WERE going to be." Enid scowled.

"Honestly Ruby." Jadu asked, "did you have your earphones in for the entire time HB was shouting at us?"

"Shame. I really like my mask." Mildred sighed. "I guess we'll have to make new ones now they're gone."

"Not mine." Jadu frowned, holding up her Mary shelly and hammer horror inspired mask.

Mildred frowned back. "Did HB miss one?"

"Is it even possible for the vamp to miss something?" Maud replied.

"Give it here!" Ruby said. "Please Jadu? I'll do you a swap!"

Jadu shrugged and traded it for Ruby's mummy mask.

"But we three don't have masks?" Mildred reminded her. "And we all have to put back the sheets."

"No, never mind those! Look. We don't have to be other monsters; we can be ourselves!" Ruby said, putting it on, her own bolts under the Frankenstein's Monsters'. There was a gleeful joint lightbulb moment as the others cottoned on.

"Enid and Jadu are right. You said What better way to experience the 'normal' Halloween party then hide in plain sight? But We don't need to be someone else though, we can be us. Our own monsters!"