Molly looked from Margaret to Charlotte and gave a slight shake of her head. The tension between them was as visible as a black cloud just before a storm.
'Right,' Molly muttered. 'Come on girls, let's take this trophy back to where it belongs. And Margaret, I’ve got a brand new broomstick for you.'
They followed Molly outside and prepared to get onto their broomsticks. Margaret looked over at Charlotte, a scowl on her pretty face.
'You will definitely pay,' she mouthed.
Charlotte tried to ignore her as she got onto her broomstick...but her words haunted her like a bad dream.
Chapter Four
The halls of the Academy were packed full of witches, all eager to get a glimpse of the Golden Wand Trophy and the team who had won it. Molly led the way, she flicked her wand so that the girls blocking her path slid to the sides of the room.
Margaret was clutching the trophy as she followed Molly, she was enjoying the points and stares in her direction. Demi, Charlotte, Stef and Alice all walked behind Margaret, the applause and cheers echoed like thunder. Even the bronze statues that were in the hallway were clapping along.
'Well done Charlotte,' someone shouted.
'Yeah, you were brilliant Charlotte,' a third year girl pulled on her arm.
'Thanks,' Charlotte blushed.
One of the second year students ran over to Charlotte and placed a home-made crown on her head. 'For you Charlotte, you are indeed a champion,' she said, bowing before her. Charlotte felt like a princess, the attention was almost overwhelming.
Margaret tried to hide her scowl as she looked behind her at the crowd of students that had gathered around Charlotte.
'Who wants to see the trophy?' she yelled, as she held it up in the air.
A few girls gathered around her and took in the impressive trophy but the main attention remained on Charlotte.
'Was the ogre scary?' one girl asked her.
'Not really, I think he was misunderstood,' she replied.
'Why did you go back for Margaret when her broom broke?' Patricia asked.
'Because we're a team,' she smiled.
'I would have left her there. She's so mean, especially when she stole your broom and left you to battle the quicksand.'
'Margaret did do some fast potion making while the others rescued me, so it all worked out perfectly in the end.'
'You were great, especially when you rescued Charlotte out of the quicksand,' one girl said to Stef, who smiled proudly.
Gerty crawled her way through the crowd and jumped up next to Charlotte, greeting her with a hug.
'You were brilliant,' she smiled. 'You were all brilliant,' she hugged Stef and then hugged Alice.
'I was good, wasn't I?' Alice declared.
'Charlotte was better,' someone from the crowd shouted and Alice huffed.
'You were all great,' Gerty said, before she hugged Demi. 'I'm so excited that you won,' she clapped her hands together as she jumped on the spot.
'Of course we won, with me on the team, we were sure to,' Alice said.
'You were okay I guess,' Stef grinned, as she patted Alice on the shoulder.
'You were okay too,' Alice replied.
'I want to do it again, although maybe we should wait awhile. I still smell of bat poo,' Demi chuckled.
'And ogres breath, I swear that scent has embedded itself up my nostrils,' Stef's comment was met with laughter.
Molly got to the end of the hallway and looked back to see that only Margaret was by her. Charlotte and the rest of the team were surrounded by people, all eager to ask them questions and to congratulate them.
Molly rolled her eyes before she flicked her wand. Again, all of the girls, besides the team, slid to the sides of the room, creating a pathway for the team to walk up.
'There will be plenty of time to quiz them tomorrow. As for now, I'm sure that you're all aware that it's almost time for bed,' Molly said.
The hallway filled with disappointed murmurs, even the bronze statues tutted and shook their heads.
The team walked over to Molly, they were all tired but they were also enjoying the attention, they felt like they were famous. Margaret wasn't hiding her scowl any more as she stared directly at Charlotte. She was the captain and she was holding the trophy, it should have been her who'd received all of the attention, instead of some girl who'd only just realized she was a witch. She believed that Charlotte had just got lucky, whereas she was from an established witching family and she'd been practicing spells for years.
'Go on girls, bed,' Molly waved her hands out in a shooing motion to the other girls.
They reluctantly shuffled off towards their rooms. Molly turned back and smiled at the team.
'You were all brilliant and I know that Miss Moffat is ecstatic. But for now it's bedtime so shoo,' Molly smirked as she shooed them off.
The girls walked towards the stairs, happily talking amongst themselves. Margaret trailed behind them, still clutching the trophy.
'Constringitur,' Molly flicked out her wand and Margaret immediately froze to the spot.
'I think you're forgetting something?' Molly pulled the trophy free from her hands and then she gave a flick of her wand.
Margaret muttered something under her breath as she scurried off up the stairs. She saw the other girls giggling to each other as they talked about the day’s events, she watched on as they each hugged Demi outside of her bedroom door and then walked off to their room.
She was furious! They should have been thanking her for being such a great captain and for practically making the potion by herself. Charlotte had been stupid enough to be sucked into the quicksand, she should have walked around it or thought up a spell to make it freeze. Her team wouldn't have won without her, yet they were treating her like she was invisible and giving Charlotte all the credit.
She was going to show them what a true witch looked like and then they'd regret how they treated her. They would just have to watch and weep as she, Margaret Montgomery, showed them exactly what she was capable of.
***
On their way to breakfast the girls saw Demi, Destiny and some other witches all standing in front of something. Charlotte stood next to Demi and looked up at the wall, where five large pictures of the five girls in the team were placed.
'That's so cool,' Stef said, as she studied her picture. 'Margaret's photo is fitting,' she chuckled.
Charlotte looked over at Margaret's picture, someone had drawn horns protruding out of her head.
'I wonder who did that?' she giggled.
'Whoever thought to do that definitely deserves extra cake, it's hilarious,' Stef grinned.
'Yeah it is,' Demi gave a knowing smirk.
'Mine is by far the prettiest,' Alice said snootily.
'I think they all look great,' Gerty smiled.
'They're alright I suppose,' Destiny muttered.
'They're better than just alright, they're amazing,' Demi said.
'What's going on?' a voice behind them said.
They turned around to see Margaret standing there smirking, her arms folded. She looked up at the pictures, as her eyes fell on the one of her, the smirk fell from her face.
'Do you think that's funny?' she glared at Charlotte.
'It wasn't me,' Charlotte looked at her nervously.
'Yeah, we only just got here,' Stef said.
Margaret pulled out her wand and aimed it at Charlotte just as Molly walked around the corner.
'Arma,' Molly said and Margaret's wand flew out of her hand before she could make her spell.
'What's going on here?' Molly asked.
'Charlotte has ruined my picture,' Margaret pointed at the devil horns. 'Look.'
'I see,' Molly chuckled. 'Charlotte, did you do this?'
'No she didn't, we've only just got here,' Stef said.
'Thank you Stephanie but I think you'll find that I asked Charlotte.'
'No, I didn't do it. Like Stef said, we've only just got here,' Char
lotte mumbled.
'Very well.'
'Is that it?' Margaret snarled, as she walked over to her wand and picked it up. 'She's obviously not telling the truth!'
'Charlotte said that she didn't do it and I have no reason not to believe her.'
'This is an outrage, she clearly did it and her stupid friends are covering for her,' Margaret huffed. 'My picture is ruined.'
'Restituere,' Molly flicked out her wand and the devil horns immediately disappeared. 'I suggest all of you get yourselves to breakfast.'
'But my picture was vandalized,' Margaret huffed.
'And now its fixed, jeez, get over it, it was just a typical teenage prank.'
'We aren't even teenagers yet,' she grunted.
Molly gave Margaret a stern look before she walked away.
'This isn't over,' Margaret whispered to Charlotte, before she shoved into her and then strode off towards the breakfast hall.
'Shame, her picture looked much more life-like with the horns,' Stef smirked.
'My picture is still the best,' Alice looked from Margaret's restored picture back to her own.
'Come on Stef, I'm hungry,' Gerty pulled on her arm.
Charlotte followed the others towards the great hall but she was unable to shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled in her stomach.
***
The great hall was packed full with all the students and staff. Charlotte looked up at the stage where all of the staff were sitting, (except for Miss Moffat, who was the only person not in the room) they were dressed in their formal attire and they looked as puzzled as the students did.
Molly had knocked on their bedroom door early that morning and told them that Miss Moffat had called for an important meeting. They were all intrigued by this but Charlotte was also worried that it would be something bad. What if they were in trouble? What if they'd realized the results of the Golden Wand competition were wrong and that the boy's had really won the trophy? Or even worse, what if Miss Moffat was going to announce her retirement?
Charlotte wasn't the only one speculating about the meeting, it seemed that quiet discussions were breaking out at every table. Even the staff appeared to be whispering to each other.
'Maybe Miss Moffat is going to replace Molly and choose someone more skilled for the job,' Alice said, putting her nose into the air.
'Don't let Molly here you say that,' Stef snorted.
'I think Molly's a great head girl,' Charlotte said.
'Maybe Miss Moffat is finally going to expel Margaret,' Stef chuckled.
'And make her go and live with the ogre as punishment,' Demi added.
'Did he really live in a stinky old mushroom?' Gerty asked.
'Yeah, the entire swamp stank,' Demi replied.
'Enough with the Golden Wand talk, no one cares about that any more,' Destiny rolled her eyes.
'Jealous, much,' Stef whispered to Charlotte.
'What if they've run out of cake?' Gerty said.
'I hope not,' Stef announced.
'What if the Academy is closing down and we'll all have to go to a normal school?' Charlotte said.
'That's a terrifying thought,' Stef shuddered.
'A normal school,' Alice said snootily. 'My parents would never allow that to happen.'
The doors to the grand hall were flung open and Miss Moffat flew in on her broomstick, surrounded by a mass of bats.
The room immediately fell silent and all eyes fell on her. She flew up onto the stage and elegantly stepped off her broom and adjusted the hem of her floor length black lace gown.
Charlotte gripped onto the bottom of her chair as she gazed up at Miss Moffat. She hoped that whatever she was about to say was good news.
'Good morning students,' she smiled at them all. 'Staff,' she turned behind her and smiled to the row of seated witches. 'I'm thrilled to see you all here today, I have an extremely special announcement, one that needs to be heard by the entire Academy.
As you all know our first year girls entered the yearly competition to win the Golden Wand Trophy. It's a trophy that Alexander's College have consecutively won for the past twenty-five-years. Professor Alexander's smugness has been unbearable, but now, thanks to five extraordinary witches the trophy is back where it belongs.'
Miss Moffat clicked her fingers and bats flew into the room carrying the Golden Wand Trophy and placed it down next to her.
'This is marvellous news,' she smiled. 'Now then, it's time for me to explain the reason for today's meeting,' her smile faded.
'The Mistress of Spells and myself have been thinking and we've decided upon something exciting. Please can Margaret Montgomery, Alice Smithers, Stephanie Jolly, Demi Taylor and Charlotte Smyth join me on the stage.'
The girls stood up and awkwardly made their way up onto the stage. Miss Moffat and the Mistress of Spells exchanged looks and the rest of the room was left wondering what was going on.
'We've decided that the Golden Wand competition was such an achievement that it needs to be remembered forever. Therefore, we've decided that for this very reason it's only fitting that we record it in the Book of Dragons.'
Gasps erupted from both the students and the staff. Shock took over the girls, which soon changed to excitement. Stef gripped onto Charlotte's arm with such force that she nearly knocked her over and Alice and Demi were so excited that they hugged each other. Margaret looked out at the crowd, a smug look on her face.
Shouts and cheers erupted from both the students and the staff. They had all heard the tale of the Book of Dragons but they never thought that they'd ever get to see it, let alone witness Miss Moffat write in it. The cheers continued, Miss Moffat waited until the room eventually fell silent and then she let out a thoughtful sigh.
'I believe that there is no greater honor than having your achievement recorded in this most sacred of books.'
Destiny was the only one who hadn't cheered, she sat with her arms folded and a glum look on her face. She thought that she was a far stronger witch than any of the girls who stood on that stage and that she should have been in the team. She was fed up with this stupid Academy and she was sick of hearing about the Golden Wand trophy. Everyone was being pathetic, after all, it was just some lame old trophy, it was nothing special.
The Mistress of the Books stood up from her seat and walked up to Miss Moffat.
'Ahem,' she cleared her throat.
'Yes,' Miss Moffat said abruptly.
'I'll go and get the Book of Dragons for you.'
'No,' Miss Moffat almost shouted. 'I'd prefer our Spell Mistress to get it for me.'
'Oh right,' the Mistress of the Books muttered, before she walked off the stage and sat down next to Destiny.
The Mistress of Spells left the stage and went to the library to collect the book. The girls all chatted amongst themselves as they waited for her to return.
'I know how you feel,' Destiny whispered to the Mistress of the Books. 'This Academy has its favorites.'
'You don't know the half of it,' the Mistress of the Books huffed. 'All I've done for this place and I'm treated with as much respect as a flea-ridden rat.'
'I know, I should have made the team but I lost out because I'm not perfect like Margaret Montgomery,' Destiny said snidely.
'Meet me in the library after dinner, if anyone asks why you are coming to the library, tell them you're researching for an assignment,' she whispered.
Destiny nodded, hoping that she had the Mistress of the Books on side and that she wouldn't regret bad-mouthing the Academy to her.
The Mistress of Spells returned with a beautiful, intricately carved, heavy leather book. There were 'oohs' and 'gasps' from within the room and even Destiny couldn't help but look at the book. They'd all heard about it but to actually see it was an altogether different thing, it made it real.
Miss Moffat clicked her fingers and the Book of Dragons flew out of the Mistress of Spells’ hands and landed on the table in front of her. Light glowed from the inside of the book,
this was obviously a very special book.
Miss Moffat gave a flick of her wand and her wand immediately turned into an elegant looking black feathered quill pen.
'This great victory will be recorded in this book for evermore,' she began to write.
Books for Girls - WITCH SCHOOL - Books 2-6: Book 1 is FREE! Page 21