Books for Girls - WITCH SCHOOL - Books 2-6: Book 1 is FREE!

by Katrina Kahler

  'This is going to be a lot of fun,' she smirked.

  Book 6

  Love Always Wins

  Chapter One

  It was early in the morning, yet Molly found herself running late. She had a fitness lesson with Miss Dread in five-minutes yet she couldn’t find a matching pair of socks.

  She rummaged through the oak cabinet and pulled out one white sock. She hopped as she put it on her foot and then searched through the piles of clothes that were on her floor.

  Flame was sitting on the floor and curiously peered over at her. He wondered if Molly was going to chew-up the clothes? He hoped that she’d save the fluffy pink jumper for him, as he was eager to chew on that. He licked his lips at the thought and continued to stare at her.

  Molly’s hand landed on a white sock and she gave a relieved sigh as she lifted it up.

  ‘Finally,’ she muttered, as she pulled it onto her foot.

  Her toes stuck out through the end of the sock and she wiggled them.

  ‘Flame,’ she grunted.

  He took a step back and lowered his head. He didn’t understand why she was so upset. Had she been saving that sock for herself to chew?

  ‘Well, I guess no one will notice the hole when I put my sneakers on. If I ever find my sneakers.’

  Molly lifted up her cardigan and found her sneakers underneath it, all of the laces had been chewed up.

  ‘Flame!’ she growled.

  He cocked his head and then stuck out his tongue. Molly rolled her eyes before she quickly put her sneakers on and tied up her chewed laces.

  ‘Charlotte will be here soon, but when I’ve back from my lesson with Miss Dread...we’re taking you to the dungeon.’

  Flame coughed out a fireball and shook his head.

  ‘Flame,’ she gave him a stern look. ‘I know you don’t like the dungeon but it isn’t safe here.’

  He shook his head again before he flew down in front of Molly and began to lick her leg.

  ‘Flame, stop it! I’ve got to go.’ She gently pushed aside his head and walked towards the door.

  Flame rushed in front of her, blocking her exit.

  ‘Flame, this is your last warning before I turn you into a frog. I will do it, it’d certainly be a lot easier to hide a frog,’ she held out her wand.

  He smiled at her and then stuck out his tongue but he refused to move.

  ‘Flame…move…now,’ she gritted her teeth.

  There were three knocks on the door, each knock grew louder in volume before it slowly opened and Charlotte stepped into the room. She quickly closed the door behind her.

  ‘Great, you’re here,’ Molly rushed towards the door.

  ‘Yeah, sorry. Alice was singing in the bath. She was in there for at least an hour. In the end, Stef had to cast a skunk smell under the gap in the door just to get her to get out.'

  ‘Okay. Bye Flame,’ Molly gave a wave as she hurried out of the room.

  Charlotte knelt down beside Flame, stretched out her arm and rubbed him underneath his chin. He gurgled as he held his head back as far as it would go.

  ‘You are a funny one,’ she giggled, as she continued to rub under his chin.

  ***

  Molly returned from her fitness lesson with a sweaty forehead and a grumpy expression on her face.

  ‘That was awful. Miss Dread might have the flexibility of a sprite, but I do not,’ she sighed, as she slumped down onto her bed.

  ‘I’d better go to breakfast before Stef and Gerty go looking for me. I told them I was studying in the library,’ Charlotte said.

  ‘But we need to get Flame to the dungeon.’

  On the mention of the word ‘dungeon’ Flame flapped his wings and spat out a fireball that set fire to the carpet.

  ‘Extinctus,’ Molly quickly aimed her wand at the fire and it immediately vanished.

  Still, the fire alarm began. Molly managed to coax Flame under her bed just before two fairies flew into the room. They looked around and on seeing that there was no fire they gave Molly and Charlotte confused looks.

  ‘There’s no fire here,’ Molly said, as she covered the burnt part of her carpet with her feet. ‘The alarm must be faulty.’

  The fairies grumbled to each other, gave Molly an unimpressed look and then flew out of the room.

  The fire alarm stopped ringing.

  Charlotte burst out laughing and Molly glared at her.

  ‘Sorry,’ Charlotte blushed.

  ‘It’s okay,’ Molly sighed. ‘I suppose it might be considered slightly funny.’

  ‘Flame, look at the trouble you’ve caused,’ Charlotte stroked his head, as he poked it out from underneath the bed.

  ‘Stroking him isn’t going to help,’ Molly huffed.

  ‘I know, but look at that face, he’s so cute.’

  ‘Instaurabo,’ Molly aimed her wand at the burnt area of her carpet and it repaired itself.

  ‘I don’t think keeping him in the ‘d word’ place anymore is going to work,' Molly whispered.

  ‘No, me neither but you can’t keep him in your room.’

  ‘Surely there’s got to be somewhere else, the Academy grounds are huge.’

  ‘We could look around at lunchtime?’ Charlotte said.

  ‘Thanks,’ Molly forced a smile. ‘I just worry about him, I know he’s out-growing the dungeon-’

  Flame snarled at Molly and veered backwards, his long tail swinging out behind him.

  ‘It’s okay Flame, I won’t take you back there. You have to be good though, no more setting fire to anything or causing mischief.’

  Flame gave her a wary look before he stuck his tongue out at her.

  He tottered over to her and rubbed his head against her leg. He looked up at her and let out a hiccup with such force that it caused him to jump backwards.

  ‘What am I going to do with you?’ she smiled at him.

  ‘I’ve really got to go,’ Charlotte said. ‘Bye Flame, be good,’ she patted his head.

  ‘Bye,’ Molly replied.

  ‘I’ll meet you back here after lunch. I’ll eat quickly.’

  ‘Thanks Charlotte,’ she forced a smile and she kept it on her face until Charlotte had left.

  The truth was that Molly was worried. She knew that getting Flame back to the dungeon would be a mission, but she also knew that keeping him in her room was dangerous. If the wrong person stumbled upon him then he could get hurt.

  Molly knew that they had to find a new home for him within the Academy grounds, the sooner the better. She just hoped that until then that Flame would manage to keep himself out of trouble.

  ***

  Both Charlotte and Molly wolfed their lunch down and rushed back to check on Flame. Charlotte had told her friends that she was going to the library again as there was a book she wanted to look up. She just hoped that they didn’t go there looking for her. She hated being so dishonest to them, but she knew that she couldn’t tell them the truth. Besides, she didn’t want to involve them in dragon harboring.

  Molly was the first to arrive at her room. She was relieved to find both Flame and her room in one piece and greeted Flame with an apple.

  It wasn’t long before Charlotte knocked on the door (three times in growing volume) and then stepped into the room.

  ‘I’ll be back before I go to class,’ she looked down at Flame. ‘Charlotte and I need to go and check something else.’

  Flame looked up at her with enlarged eyes, before he rested his front legs on top of hers.

  Molly pulled an apple out of her pocket and threw it across the room. Flame instantly pounced after it. Molly and Charlotte quickly left the room and Molly double-checked that the door was securely closed behind her.

  They walked alongside each other...along the quiet corridors (nearly everyone else was still having lunch) and made their way outside. Molly walked at a brisk pace and Charlotte’s shorter legs struggled to keep up with her. Hidden beneath a scurry of trees that lay just within the Academy grounds was a rust
y shack, with a sunken roof that was surrounded by overgrown plants. Charlotte gasped for breath and she sat down on a log.

  ‘I suppose this could work,’ Molly said, as she inspected the shack. ‘The roof’s an easy fix and it’s well hidden.’

  Molly vanished within the shack and Charlotte hummed softly to herself as she waited.

  There was a loud scream and Molly rushed out of the shack, tripped over a vine and fell flat on her knees. She jumped back up and hurried away from the building.

  ‘We’re going,’ she said to Charlotte as she passed her.

  Charlotte got up and half-walked, half-jogged to catch up with Molly.

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘It’s not suitable, besides, it’s far too close to the Academy.’ She held her wand tightly as her hand shook.

  ‘Molly, what was it?’

  ‘It was horrible. It was as big as you, maybe even bigger. And hairy, it was hairier than a werewolf,’ she shook.

  ‘What was it?’

  ‘A spider,’ she whispered.

  Charlotte bit on her lip to try and hide her smile. She didn’t think that confident, adventurous Molly would ever be afraid of spiders.

  ‘Needless to say, we’re NEVER going back there...EVER again!’

  ‘Okay. We don’t have to,’ Charlotte put her hand on Molly’s shoulder.

  Molly jerked away and turned to face Charlotte, her wand raised.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she lowered her wand. ‘It was just so huge,’ she shuddered again.

  They continued to walk in silence until a shuffling sound caused them to stop abruptly and look over their shoulders.

  ‘Why, is it always you two?’ Mr. Bumble shuffled his way out from behind a tree.

  ‘It’s such a lovely...ah...afternoon, that we thought we’d take a walk,’ Molly forced a smile.

  ‘A walk you say, don’t you have anything better to do? Why would you be taking a walk at Tree Point? I don’t want you making a mess.’

  ‘A mess-’ Molly grumbled.

  ‘We’re so fed up with Alice’s singing, she’s driving us all loopy. So, we thought it’d be a good idea to search the grounds for anywhere more suitable for Alice to practice.’ Charlotte interrupted.

  ‘I see,’ Mr. Bumble gave a thoughtful look. ‘I suppose there are several such places that would fit the brief. Of course, you don’t want to go venturing into the rusty old shed over there,’ he gestured over to where they had just come from. ‘Eric is no great fan of visitors.’

  ‘Eric?’ Charlotte asked.

  ‘The spider that lives there.’

  At the mention of the spider the color drained from Molly’s face and she shuddered.

  ‘Eric seems a strange name for a spider?’

  ‘Everyone should have a name. My great-uncle was called Eric...he was misunderstood too. Not nearly as frightening as he appeared. It seemed a fitting name.’

  ‘Yeah, great,’ Molly muttered.

  ‘I think it’s a lovely name,’ Charlotte smiled.

  ‘Yes, yes, it is, isn't it?’ Mr. Bumble gave her a delighted look.

  ‘So, about these other places?’ Molly asked.

  ‘Ah, yes...there are several in the Academy’s surrounding areas. I trust you have cleared this with Miss Moffat?’

  ‘Of course,’ Molly crossed her fingers behind her back.

  ‘Okay then. Well, I suppose the Sevenside Shack would be as good a place as any.’

  ‘The Sevenside Shack?’ Molly asked.

  ‘Yeah, you’ll find it just inside the Academy grounds, surrounded by seven acorn trees. A right mess they make in the fall,’ he shook his head.

  ‘Then there’s the old house ruins about a five-minute walk west from the maze. That might be adequate, provided the singing locusts have fled. Although I suppose if they were still there your friend could sing along with them,’ he chuckled to himself.

  Mr. Bumble told them about other buildings that might be of use before he shuffled off back towards the Academy.

  ‘Do you think he knows we’re up to something?’ Charlotte asked.

  ‘Nah. Your story about Alice needing somewhere to sing was great, I don’t see why he wouldn’t believe that.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Charlotte smiled.

  ‘We’ll check the locations out tonight when everyone else is asleep, including Flame.’

  ‘Okay,’ Charlotte nodded.

  As the two girls walked back to the Academy, Charlotte hoped that Mr. Bumble had believed her Alice story. She also hoped that they'd find a new home for Flame, one where he'd be happier and safe.

  ***

  It was the middle of the night and all of the staff and the students were curled up in their beds. Except for Molly and Charlotte.

  They were both on their brooms exploring the grounds of the Academy and hunting down the buildings that Mr. Bumble had recommended.

  Their first stop was the Sevenside Shack, which was a dilapidated wooden building with its door hanging on one hinge.

  ‘No chance,’ Molly said, as she kicked an acorn.

  ‘It’s nice around here though. It’s pretty and kind of relaxing.’

  Yeah but it’s a mess.’

  ‘Maybe it could be fixed-up with magic.’

  ‘I’m good at spells...but I’m not that good,’ Molly grabbed her arm.

  ‘Come on, we’re going.’

  ‘Okay,’ Charlotte looked back at the falling apart shack.

  They flew off to their next stop, which was an old house not too far from the maze. It was surrounded by wild thorn bushes and weeds and ivy crawled up the building.

  ‘With a bit of magic this could work,’ Molly said.

  ‘As long as the singing locusts have gone,' Charlotte replied.

  ‘They can’t be any worse than Alice,’ Molly smirked.

  She dodged the weeds as she made her way into the house and Charlotte followed her. They stepped over rubble and uneven floorboards and walked into the living room. Sitting on a tatty looking couch was an ogre with a large round and green body and eyes that looked like small black beads.

  ‘What are you doing in my house?’ the ogre spat at them.

  ‘We were informed that this property was empty,’ Molly replied.

  ‘Well it isn’t, so get out!’

  ‘How long are you planning on living here for?’ Molly asked.

  ‘This is my home for however long I chose it to be. I don’t need no stinky humans telling me otherwise.’

  ‘We are witches,’ she huffed, as she held up her wand to confirm this.

  ‘You humans, magical or not, all look the same to me.’

  ‘You are a very rude, mean ogre,’ Molly snarled.

  ‘Boo hoo, pass me the tissues,’ the ogre pretended to rub his eyes with his hands before he burst out laughing.

  ‘We’re sorry for disturbing you,’ Charlotte sweetly added.

  Molly grabbed Charlotte’s arm and pulled her forward.

  ‘Good riddance. Now hurry up before the human stink smell lingers, and don’t ever think about coming back!’

  They both stepped outside and Molly let go of Charlotte's arm and brushed the dirt off her gray jogging pants.

  ‘We’re sorry for disturbing you,’ Molly imitated Charlotte.

  ‘We were in his home,’ she blushed.

  ‘Pfft, he didn’t have to be so rude.’

  They both got onto their brooms and flew off to the next location. They came to a small clearing in the small woodland area just inside of the Academy grounds. They landed and looked around the area, only they couldn’t find any sort of building.

  ‘I'm sure Mr. Bumble said there was a den around here.' Molly said as she held out her lit-up wand.

  ‘Yeah, he did,’ Charlotte peered around her.

  ‘Well, he is old. Maybe he got confused?’

  ‘Yeah, maybe.’

  Charlotte took a step forwards but the ground gave way beneath her feet and she screamed as she fell. She landed with
a thud on a pile of leaves.

  Molly rushed over and peered down at the hole.

  ‘Charlotte, are you okay?’

  ‘Yeah,’ she rubbed her arm.

  ‘Looks like you found the den,’ she smirked.

  ‘I don’t think it’d be big enough for Flame.’ She stretched out her arms sideways and they almost touched the sides of the den.

  ‘Nope but it’s still kinda cool. Maybe you could persuade Alice to practice here?’ she chuckled.

  ‘I doubt it, the walls aren’t designer,’ Charlotte grinned.

  Molly held out her arm and Charlotte took it. She helped pull her up over the den’s edge.

  ‘Thanks,’ she said, as she brushed the dirt off her clothes.

  ‘Let’s check out the next place.’ Molly hopped onto her broom.

  Charlotte let out a yawn and covered her mouth with her hand. She longed for her comfy bed but she knew that finding Flame a new home was more important.

  They flew back towards the Academy and landed in a beautiful woodland area. There was a stream flowing through it with a quaint wooden bridge over it and lush plants surrounding it.

  ‘This is beautiful,’ Molly said.

  ‘Yes, it is. I didn’t know this place existed within the Academy grounds.’

  Just then a rainbow colored fish shot out of the stream and flew over the bridge before it splashed back into the water.

  ‘Cool.’

  ‘Now all we need to do is find this building that Mr. Bumble was on about.' Molly said as she began to search.

  Charlotte wondered off in the other direction. She found herself day-dreaming and her eyes began to flicker shut. She yawned again and then shook her head to try and shake off the tiredness. She walked through a canopy of trees and came to a stone building the size of a small house; it had a shingled roof and a yellow door.

  ‘Molly!’ she shouted. ‘Molly!’

  ‘What is it? Are you okay?’ she shouted back.

  She flew down by Charlotte’s side and stared at the house.

  ‘Wow, that’s-’

  ‘Perfect, I know.’

  ‘Good find,’ Molly rushed forward and pushed open the door.