Suddenly her mother's face appeared in the crystal ball. Her hands reached out towards Molly and seemed to touch the inside of the glass. Molly looked in horror as a slimy green face appeared over her mother's shoulder.
'Behind you, Mum, look out!'
Mrs Miggins began to talk; Molly strained her ears to try to pick up the thin sound that emanated from the glass ball. 'Molly, be careful, it's a tr...'
Her voice faded as a round, green, transparent face filled the screen.
Molly picked up the crystal ball and ran back into the hall shouting at the top of her voice.
'Granny Whitewand, it's Mum, she's trapped in the crystal.'
The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at Molly. The High Witch held up her hand and looked cross.
'Don't run, Molly Miggins, it's against the rules.'
Molly ignored her and ran towards her grandmother. As she passed through the crowd Henrietta stuck out a foot and sent Molly flying through the air. The crystal slipped from her hands and smashed into a thousand pieces on the floor of the hall.
'Oops,' said Henrietta, 'butter fingers.'
Molly stared in disbelief as the crystal ball hit the floor. As the glass shattered a thin green wisp of smoke rose into the air accompanied by the jumbled murmur of many voices. It hovered around Molly's head before dispersing into the air with a low whisper.
'Help, us...'
Molly looked up to see the figure of Granny Whitewand leaning over her. 'What are you doing down there, Millie?' she asked.
'Just getting up, Grandma,' said Molly with a sigh.
The High Witch glared at Molly from the stage.
'Molly Miggins, go back to that store room this instant and get a dustpan and broom. Miss Rustbucket will help you clean up the mess. Mrs McCraggity, a word if you please?'
Molly did as she was told and swept up the broken glass while Sally held the dustpan. Ramona Rustbucket appeared with a plastic dustbin and Sally tipped the broken shards of glass into it.
'This isn't a very good start to your academic career, Molly Miggins,' said Miss Rustbucket testily.
'I was tripped,' argued Molly, 'it wasn't my fault.'
'That's right,' said the witch, 'blame someone else. You shouldn't have picked it up in the first place. Reading crystal balls without permission is against the rules.'
Molly shook her head at Sally. 'Is there anything that's not against the rules?' she whispered.
Molly looked around to make sure no one could hear. 'I've got a secret plan.' she confided.
'Can you share?' said Sally.
'I'm going to try to use the vanishing cabinet when I get my own wand. I tried earlier with Dad's but it didn't work.'
'How exciting,' replied Sally, 'I wish I could come.'
'I wish you could too,' said Molly, 'I really don't like the idea of doing it alone, but nothing else seems to be working.'
Molly looked around for Mrs McCraggity, but she was still in earnest conversation with the High Witch. She eyed the shortening queue going through the door to the wand choosing-room and tapped her foot impatiently.
Sally's mother called from the end of the hall.
'Come on, Sally, get a move on, all the best ones will have gone.'
Sally ran over to her mum, then turned and waved to Molly. 'Bye Molly, good luck with the cabinet,' she whispered.
Mrs McCraggity and the High Witch walked slowly across the hall towards Molly.
'Molly, Mrs Wibblesthrop would like your father to do a show here at Halloween, assuming your fulfil your task of course. She has also offered to help if she can. That's very kind of her isn't it?'
'Thanks,' mumbled Molly unconvincingly.
She had a sneaky feeling that Mrs Wibblesthrop only wanted her mother back because she had to do her share of the work at the Academy while she was missing. She hadn't mentioned Mum in her speech, so she wasn't that bothered.
The High Witch shook Mrs McCraggity's hand, smiled a thin smile at Granny Whitewand and turned to Molly.
'After talking to Mrs McCraggity, I have decided to forget all about today's unfortunate incident. As for you, Molly Miggins, I'm really looking forward to getting you in my class. We'll soon whip you into shape.'
'No one said anything about whips,' gasped Molly, not liking the look in Mrs Wibblesthrop's eye. She looked at Mrs McCraggity for reassurance.
Mrs McCraggity laughed.
'It's just a figure of speech, Molly. They don't use real whips. It just means they'll get you in the right frame of mind to do the course.'
Molly wasn't convinced and told Granny Whitewand so as they crossed the hall.
'If I see a whip I'm going to turn it into a snake, see how they like that,' she promised.
Chapter Ten
The High Witch led them through the doorway at the end of the hall and they found themselves in a wide corridor, at the back of a long queue that snaked through a door marked 'Wand Room'.
'Bother,' said Molly. 'All the best ones will have gone.'
Granny Whitewand agreed.
'Come on you lot,' she shouted. 'There's a witch here who needs a good wand for her task.'
One or two people looked around guiltily, but no one offered to give up their place in the queue.
Eventually they made it through the door. Inside they found themselves in a long narrow room with a row of curtained cubicles running down one side. Almost all of the cubicles were full. At the bottom end of the room a few young witches messed around while their parents signed consent forms.
A large headed, short man in a dark grey suit came over to them holding out his hand.
'Ah, good afternoon, you are the Miggins party, I presume?'
Granny Whitewand looked at the proffered hand suspiciously. 'You have very long fingers for a very short man,' she said.
The man put his hand in his pocket and turned to Molly. 'I'm Gareth Grimtoad, you must be Molly Miggins.'
'That's me,' agreed Molly. 'Where's my wand?'
Mr Grimtoad made a 'tsk' sort of noise. 'All in good time.'
He showed Granny Whitewand to a seat by his desk. 'Make yourself comfortable madam, we'll be back shortly.'
'It's all changed since my day,' said Granny Whitewand as she looked around the room. 'There were none of these private booths; we had to test our wands in full view.'
Mr Grimtoad muttered something about 'progress' and turned to Mrs McCraggity. Molly tapped her foot impatiently as they swapped pleasantries. After thirty seconds she tugged on the wand master's sleeve.
'Where do you keep the wands?'
Mrs McCraggity tutted. 'Don't be rude, Molly.'
'I wasn't being rude, Molly replied, 'I only have twelve hours to complete my task and an hour's gone already.'
'Ah,' said Mr Grimtoad, 'of course, you are the young witch who has been rewarded with a task, aren't you?'
'I wouldn't say it's a reward,' said Molly. 'Rewards are usually nice things.'
Mr Grimtoad produced two wand cases. One was a shiny new box, in red and gold. The other was a shabby old case with faded lettering; it was covered in an inch of dust. He passed the new one to Mrs McCraggity and the old dusty case to Molly.
'These, I'm afraid, are the only wands we have left,' he said. 'All the better ones went earlier on.'
Molly looked at the faded old wand case and her heart sank.
'Leftovers,' she muttered. 'Just my luck.'
A group of parents left by the door at the far end of the Wand Room, their daughters waved their new wands in the air and shouted made up spells as they went. Molly heard a curtain rustle to her left and Henrietta Havelots and her father appeared from a cubicle. A tall man with white hair came out with them. He shook Mr Havelots' hand and smiled down at Henrietta.
'Yes, sir, you can rest assured that you have purchased the finest wand that money can buy. I'm sure it will serve your daughter magnificently. No other student has anything quite like it.'
Molly groaned.
&n
bsp; Henrietta waved the wand in front of Molly's face. 'Did you ever see anything quite so grand,' she boasted. 'Real gold tips, but then you expect that from a Zeppo Zodiac wand.'
Molly wasn't impressed. 'My Aunt Matilda had one of those,' she said airily. 'It kept breaking down.'
Henrietta glared at Molly. 'Real gold,' she repeated. 'I suppose you'll be getting the cheap plastic tipped one? Never mind. I'm sure it will do.'
Henrietta waved the wand in front of Molly's face and narrowed her eyes.
'When I've mastered this thing, I'm going to turn your nose into a carrot and your ears into cabbages.'
She noticed the old box Molly was holding and covered her mouth with her hand. 'Is that it?' she giggled. 'My, isn't that an old one, it must be an antique.'
Molly lifted the box to read the label, hoping it was a famous make. As she did she disturbed some of the dust and it drifted up her nose.
'ATISHOOOOO!'
Molly sneezed so hard that the rest of the dust from the box blew straight at Henrietta. Her face and hair were covered in a thick layer of dirty powder; she rubbed her eyes and sneezed.
'Atchoo! Aaaah chooo oooo oo.'
Mr Havelots knelt down and began to wipe the dirt from her face with a hanky but it only made it worse, Henrietta looked like a street urchin.
Molly stood, open mouthed, as Henrietta continued to sneeze.
'Oops,' she said softly.
'You did that on, ATISHOO! purpose, Molly Miggins,' she cried.
Molly opened her mouth to protest but didn't get the chance.
'I'll, ATCHOOOOO, get you for this, Molly ATCHOOO CHOO CHOO! Miggins.’
Mr Havelots gave up trying to clean Henrietta's face; her tears had mixed in with the old dust and formed a mud-like substance which was beginning to dry rapidly. Henrietta ran to the door in floods of angry tears.
'Wait until, ATISHOOO, Mum hears about ATCHOO, this. I'll get my ATISHOOOOOO, own back, Molly Miggins.'
She stormed through the doorway, still sneezing. Her father hurried after her.
'I don't know what all the fuss was about. It was only a bit of dust,' said Molly.
Granny Whitewand watched Henrietta leave with a puzzled look on her face.
'Who's the girl with the dirty face?’ she asked. ‘Can't her parents afford soap? They ought to ask the Witches Charity for help if they're struggling for money.'
'The only thing Henrietta struggles with is manners,' said Molly.
***
Mr Grimtoad led Molly to a cubicle and placed the newer of the two boxes on a low table in front of Molly. The cubicle was lit by a dim lamp which cast strange shadows on the walls. He took the old box from Molly and gave her instructions.
'This particular wand is French made. It is very powerful and is really meant to be a grade three wand. You must try to control it with your willpower. If you cannot, then the only other wand we have at present is this older model, it has a slight flaw, which is why it has never been taken. It may be easier to master, as we think it’s a first grade wand, but because of the fault, it is quite unpredictable. It will take us at least three months to order another batch of wands, so as you can see, we hope you find the French model suitable. There is an instruction card inside the box; your first task is to address the wand.'
The wand master opened the curtain and returned to the wand room.
Molly opened the case nervously. Inside lay a green wand with brass tips. Molly carefully took it out of the case and made a few practice swings. Then she remembered the instructions.
She picked up the card and read.
1. Address the wand.
She looked around for a label and a marker but couldn't find one anywhere.
Mr Grimtoad and Mrs McCraggity stood outside the cubicle talking quietly. Suddenly Molly's head appeared through the centre of the curtains.
'Can't find a marker, or a label,' she complained.
Mr Grimtoad was confused. 'What would you need a label for?'
'To address the wand,' said Molly, 'what else?'
'I think you misunderstood the instructions,' said Mr Grimtoad. He made the 'tsk' noise again.
Granny Whitewand interrupted. 'When you address the wand, you call it to you Molly, you wake it up. You command it.'
'That's addressing is it?' said Molly, still a little unsure, 'okay, I'll try.'
Her head disappeared into the cubicle.
She picked up the wand once more and waved it through the air. 'WAKE UP WAND!' she shouted.
Nothing happened.
Molly stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth and concentrated on the wand as hard as she could. The wand began to glimmer, then it started to glow. Molly thought it might get hot so she dropped it on the table. The glow disappeared.
Molly tried again, sticking out her tongue as she always did when she was really concentrating on something. The wand began to glow again, this time Molly kept hold of it.
A small, thin face appeared, about three quarters of the way along the wand. It had bulging eyes and a curly moustache.
'Allo,' it said in a French accent. 'I am Maureece, oo are you?'
'I'm Molly Miggins,' said Molly. 'You're my first wand.'
'Your first wand?' said Maureece in a surprised voice. 'I think not, goodbye.'
The wand shut down.
Molly was annoyed; she hadn't expected the wand to be so uppity. She concentrated hard again, lolling her tongue out of the corner of her mouth.
Maureece reappeared.
'Oh, it is you again,' he said stiffly. 'What do you want this time?'
Molly concentrated hard. 'I want you to cast a spell for me,' she said firmly.
'Say please,' said the wand.
'Please,' said Molly politely.
'No,' said the wand, 'now go away.'
Molly began to get annoyed. She waved the wand through the air and brought it crashing down on the table. Maureece appeared immediately.
'OW, OW, OW,' he moaned. 'Now I 'ave an 'eadache.'
Molly wasn't very sympathetic. 'Cast me a spell,' she ordered.
'Cast it yourself,' said the wand. 'You are supposed to be the witch.'
'Wait there,' Molly said, and hurried back to the curtain. She pushed her head out into the hall again.
'How do I cast a spell?' she asked. 'I don't know and he won't help.'
'Ahem,' said Mr Grimtoad. 'The instruction card?'
'Oh yes, that,' said Molly brightly. 'I forgot all about that; see you soon.'
Molly picked up the instruction card again and read it a little more thoroughly.
1. Address wand.
2. Once the wand is under control, try this test spell. Hold the wand at arm's length, point it towards the back of the cubicle and say firmly, 'Flower Power'. If you have been successful, you will find a bunch of fresh flowers on the floor.
Molly stuck out her tongue and concentrated as hard as she could. The wand glowed and Maureece's face appeared.
'Oh no!' he cried. 'Are you still here? Send me a proper witch. I am done with children.'
He closed his bulbous eyes and tried to shut down. Molly concentrated even harder. She pointed the wand to the back of the booth.
'Flower Power!' she yelled.
There was a flash of red light and a bang so loud that she almost dropped the wand again. Molly looked to the back of the booth. Sitting on the floor was an enormous purple frog. It looked at her, croaked once and disappeared with a loud POP!
Molly stuck her head through the curtains.
'The spell didn't work.'
Mr Grimtoad sighed. 'No flowers?' He asked.
'I magicked up a purple frog,' said Molly, quite pleased with herself.
The wand master wasn't very happy. 'If you used the right spell, you would have got the right results.' He turned to Mrs McCraggity.
'The wand must be too advanced for her. We'll have to try the older one.'
Chapter Eleven
Mr Grimtoad took away the French
wand and set the old, dusty box on the table. 'Be careful,' he said before he left the cubicle. 'This one can be a little erratic.'
Molly opened the box carefully, unsure of what to expect. In the box was a slim black wand. It had strange letters all the way along its length and there were delicate markings on the silver ends. She took it from the box and waved it about. It was a nice weight but it felt a little unbalanced. Molly took a close look at the wand and noticed it was crooked at one end.
'Just like my hat,' she said aloud.
She picked up the card from the box, blew off the dust and read the faded writing.
1. Address the wand
2. Once the wand is under control, try this test spell. Hold the wand at arm's length, point it towards the back of the cubicle and say firmly, 'Flower Power'. If you have been successful, you will find a bunch of fresh flowers on the floor.
'Same as before,' said Molly to herself.
Molly held the wand in front of her and concentrated hard. Her tongue, as usual, popped out of the corner of her mouth. The wand began to glow and a round friendly face appeared, it had big blue eyes and fat red cheeks. It smiled at Molly and spoke in a respectful tone.
'Hello, I'm Wonky’ said the wand, ‘it's very nice to meet you.'
'Hello Wonky, I'm Molly Miggins and I like you already.'
Wonky smiled. 'Young witches do like me,' he said. ‘Sadly it only lasts for short while, then things go wrong and I end up back in my box.'
Molly was intrigued. 'What goes wrong, Wonky?'
'Most things,' he said. 'Casting spells isn't easy when you're bent.'
'Let's have a go, it can't be that bad.' said Molly.
She pointed Wonky at the back wall and concentrated hard. 'Flower Power!' she shouted.
Wonky glowed bright blue for a second, then the spell spiralled out of the twisted end like a party balloon that has been blown up but let go before being tied off. The spell turned red, then yellow, then blue as it whizzed around the room looking for somewhere to land. It decided on Molly's hat and hit it with a splat.
Wonky looked at Molly sadly. 'Sorry about that,' he said.
'About what?' said Molly.
'Your hat,' he replied.
Molly took off her hat; it was covered from top to bottom in bright red roses.
'At least we got flowers,' said Molly happily. 'Let's try something else.'
Molly heard a cough from outside the curtain. 'Try, Reveal,' whispered a voice.