I was surprised that Fairy Mary didn’t talk to us about what we’d been doing on our mission like she usually does; all she did was click her fingers. “Time to go back to the Academy,” she said.
At once the TT began to float upwards. As we went, Fairy Fifibelle began waving her wand at the ground beneath.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Just a little tidying up, dearest heart,” she said. “Look down!”
I looked, and I saw that Mr Appleby’s gate was swinging open and there was a trail of grass between his house and the house next door. “OH!” I said. “You’ve made it look as if he drove his mower round!”
“We don’t want him lying awake at night worrying,” Fairy Mary said, and she sounded rather serious.
“Indeed, that would not be a happy ending,” the professor agreed.
Melody frowned. “The garden’s sorted and everyone’s happy – what’s the problem?”
“Yes,” Jackson said, and she gave me a questioning look. “Aren’t you going to thank me and Melody? If we hadn’t floated your Mr Appleby over the fence there wouldn’t have been a happy ending, would there? You’d still be talking about what to do.”
Fairy Mary held up her hand. “One moment, Jackson. If it hadn’t been for Emma’s quick thinking, and her excellent use of the Forgetting Spell, it could have been a catastrophe.”
“But she wouldn’t stop dithering,” Melody argued. “If we hadn’t done something, the garden would still be a mess.”
Fairy Mary sighed. “But you didn’t think through what you were doing, and a Stargirl has to be certain that her spell will always work for the best. Did you consider Mr Appleby’s feelings? Did you check your plan with the other Stargirls?”
Melody shrugged. “No. But I still think we did a good job.”
“Is this what Olivia was talking about?” Jackson was struggling to understand. “That we were lucky Mr Appleby was nice?”
“Yes,” Fairy Mary said.
Jackson shook her head. “I don’t get it. If it all ends up fine, isn’t that OK?”
Fairy Mary sighed again. “I’m afraid not. Your actions today have not been as I would have wished. I will not expel you and Jackson from the Academy, but I do ask you to go home and think about what it means to be a Stargirl.”
Melody looked at Jackson, and Jackson looked at Melody.
“But we will be allowed to come back, won’t we?” Jackson asked.
“Yes,” Fairy Mary opened the door of the Travelling Tower, and we saw the familiar corridor that led away to the main rooms of the Academy. “We’ll see you next time.”
Melody walked to the doorway, then stopped, and I could see she was trying hard not to cry. “Please, Fairy Mary, will we get our fifth star?”
Fairy Mary shook her head, and a tear ran down Melody’s cheek. She brushed it away as Jackson took her hand.
“Come on, Mel,” she said. “It’s not the end of the world. We’re really good at magic. We’ll win our stars next time.” And the two of them walked away together.
As I watched Jackson and Melody go, I had a lump in my throat. Were they right? Would they manage to catch up?
Professor Moth knew what I was thinking. “It is hopeful that they will learn,” he said, and he sounded sad too. “To be a Stargirl is very special – but the stars, they have to be earned.”
“They do indeed,” Fairy Mary said. “And some of you have done well today.” I looked down at my pendant to see my stars … and I gave a little squeak of excitement. My fifth star was shining! It was shining so brightly I was almost dazzled. “That’s amazing,” I said. “Look at your pendants, everybody!”
All my friends’ stars were shining too. “One more to go,” Ava said. “Wow!”
“Will the last one be the hardest?” Sophie asked.
“It will be a Shimmering Spell,” Fairy Fifibelle told her. “They can be tricky, but I’m sure my darling girls will manage.”
“There can be no doubt about it,” the professor said cheerfully. “And now we must return to see if the truly wonderful Miss Scritch has another small snack prepared.” He rubbed his stomach. “I have the hollow in my belly!”
Chapter Eleven
I don’t know quite how the professor managed it, but he ate almost as much of the spread Miss Scritch had waiting for us as he had earlier on in the day. Miss Scritch was SO pleased! She beamed every time he took another helping, and she went very pink indeed when he told her the meringues were the best he’d ever tasted – and he ate at least six. As Madison said, he was magic at eating as well as at spells.
I didn’t feel very hungry, though. Fairy Fifibelle Lee saw me refuse a slice of my favourite cake, and she asked me if I was all right. “Yes,” I said. “I’m really really REALLY pleased I’ve got my fifth star … but I do sort of wish Melody and Jackson were here too.”
I knew as soon as I finished speaking that I’d get a hug, and I did. Once I’d recovered and untangled myself from Fairy Fifibelle’s scarves and ribbons, she gave me a serious look. “Don’t forget that Melody and Jackson have been given another chance, my precious petal,” she said. “We do believe in them … but perhaps it will take them a little longer to earn their stars.”
That made me feel better. I ate my cake, and while I was eating it, I noticed that the professor had moved on from the meringues and was now chomping his way through a bag of apples.
“Apples!” I thought, and remembered that I’d brought them into the Academy when I first arrived that morning. It seemed ages ago, but I knew that as soon as I walked out of the Academy, I’d be right back where I’d been … and that was exactly what happened.
When it was time to go home, I walked down the corridor and through the door – and there I was in our messy back room. There was one thing that was different, though. The bag that I was carrying was empty; there wasn’t a single apple in it.
I heard Mum calling me, and I ran outside. She was still standing at the fence, but Mr Appleby was on the other side, beaming as if he’d won a million pounds.
“Emma!” Mum said. “Would you believe it? Mr Appleby’s tidied up the garden next door! He went round with his motor mower earlier on – nobody saw him go – and he’s mowed the lawn! Isn’t that incredibly kind of him?”
“Yes,” I said, and I gave Mr Appleby my very best smile. “I think that’s wonderful.” I turned to Mum. “Is it OK if I pop round and say hello to the new family sometime?”
“Of course.” It was Mum’s turn to smile. “By the way, what did you do with those apples? I’ve promised Mr Appleby a bagful.”
“I’ll pick some for him,” I said. “I’ll pick the nicest.” And I did. And after I’d handed them over, and he’d thanked me, I went to see our new neighbours … and the baby was a total darling. What’s more, she stopped crying when I held her, and her mum said that I must be magic!
“Yes,” I thought. “I am magic – just a tiny bit.” And I touched my pendant under my T-shirt, and the baby looked at me and laughed.
Answer:
FORGETTING
SPELL
A message from Olivia
If you’ve read this book, you must like reading. I do too, and I’d be so pleased if you decide to read my story as well. It’s about my poor cousin Hannah; she went to a new school, and things didn’t go right for her at all. She REALLY needed help! My wonderful Stargirl friends were happy to come to the rescue, but then I messed everything up … oh dear. See you soon, I hope –
Olivia xxx
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. All statements, activities, stunts, descriptions, information and material of any other kind contained herein are included for entertainment purposes only and should not be relied on for accuracy or replicated as they may result in injury.
First published 2013 by Walker Books Ltd
87 Vauxhall Walk, London
SE11 5HJ
Text © 2013 Vivian French
Illustrations © 2013 Jo Anne Davies
The right of Vivian French and Jo Anne Davies to be identified as author and illustrator respectively of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:
a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4063-5372-3 (ePub)
www.walker.co.uk
Emma's Glittering Spell Page 4