A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch by Jill Murphy Read Free Book Online Page A

this
awful
diet. I wasn’t allowed to eat
anything
except lettuce and celery and dreadful stuff like that. Still, I’m out of her clutches now, so it’s back to good old school dinners. Three cheers for date-pudding and custard I say!’ They both laughed.

CHAPTER TWO

    he first announcement made by Miss Cackle at assembly was the ghastly news that Miss Hardbroom had changed places with Miss Gimlett, and would now be accompanying her old form into their second year. An audible groan rippled through the new Form Two, quelled at once by one of Miss Hardbroom’s piercing glances which always made each pupil feel that they had been noticed personally.
    With a sinking heart, Mildred moved miserably through all the chores of the first day, unpacking robes, arranging the new books in her desk, feeding the cat, and innumerable small tasks till at last it was bedtime.
    The pupils were too depressed to bother sneaking into each other’s rooms for a chat as they usually did on the first night back at school. Mildred lay in a glum heap under the blankets with the cat purring like a lawn-mower on her pillow, trying to think if there was any possible advantage in another year with Miss Hardbroom at the helm, but there wasn’t.
    Next morning, Mildred was jolted awake by the bell ringing in a much more frantic way than usual. It didn’t take long for the cobwebs of sleep to clear and for her to realize that it was the fire-bell.
    An untidily dressed Maud flung open Mildred’s door as she rushed past. ‘Quick, Mil!’ she shrieked. ‘It’s fire-drill, come on!’
    ‘What a time to choose,’ said Mildred, bundling on her tunic over her pyjamas. ‘Perhaps it’s a real fire?’
    Maud went rushing off down the corridor, but Mildred stopped and looked out of the window to see if there was any evidence of fire. There, in the yard below, was Miss Hardbroom wreathed in thick purple smoke. She appeared to be standing in her customary arms-folded, upright posture, staring into the smoke as if she was in a trance, which seemed decidedly odd, given the circumstances.
    ‘Crumbs!’ thought Mildred. ‘She’s gone into a state of shock. I’ll have to help!’
    Mildred rushed to the washroom and seized the bucket which stood under the window there to catch drips from the leak in the ceiling. It was already half full with stagnant rain water, so Mildred filled it to the brim, then carried it back to the yard window-sill, collecting her broomstick on the way.

CHAPTER THREE

    ire-drill was followed immediately by breakfast in the dining-hall and everyone was surprised to see Ethel deliberately sitting down next to Mildred, for it was common knowledge that the two were not on the best of terms.
    ‘You haven’t changed, I see,’ remarked Ethel provokingly.
    Mildred ignored this jibe and sprinkled sugar over her bowl of porridge which resembled a drought-stricken river-bed.
    ‘Actually,’ continued Ethel, ‘I’ve got a bone to pick with you, Mildred Hubble.’
    ‘Oh?’ said Mildred. ‘What?’
    ‘It’s about terrorizing my little sister,’ replied Ethel.
    ‘I don’t even
know
your little sister!’ exclaimed Mildred.
    ‘Really?’ said Ethel. ‘Are you sure you don’t remember telling a poor little girl named Sybil some stupid story about being turned into a frog?’
    ‘Gosh, was that your sister?’ asked Mildred.
    ‘Yes, it
was
, as a matter of fact,’ replied Ethel.
    ‘I don’t know why we didn’t notice, Mil,’ said Maud, rallying to her friend’s side. ‘We should have noticed that spiky nose anywhere.’
    Ethel turned deep mauve with rage.
    ‘Oh, come
on
, Ethel,’ said Mildred, trying to make peace. ‘It
was
only a made-up story. She
was
being a bit of a weed and in any case I went to cheer her up in the first place.’
    ‘A fine way to cheer people up!’ retorted Ethel. ‘Terrifying the wits out of them. Sybil still hasn’t got over the shock — and don’t you go insulting my family. Sybil’s