The Worst Wish

One- Magic Mum

Mildred Hubble stood at her desk, hurriedly making a potion. She knew that wishing to make her mum magical was a bit daft, but at the time, she had no idea of the consequences. Mildred always found herself getting into trouble, accidentally putting herself in awful situations. She figured this was the worst situation of all. Worse than being trapped in the confiscation cupboard with Enid, worse than being turned to a toad. It was even worse than all the times she was almost expelled by Miss Hardbroom. In that moment, Mildred wished she had been expelled. Then, while she wouldn't have been a witch, her mum wouldn't be on the brink of getting turned to stone. Everyone had always said she was the worst witch. In that moment, she believed them. Who else would get their mum turned to stone?

Luckily, she had heard of a cure, thanks to her great, great, great grandma Mirabel. Mirabel had told her and Miss Hardbroom what they'd needed- shell of snail, scales of python, branch of ivy, and rarest lichen- just before Julie Hubble showed up and added Miss Hardbroom to her collection of clay pupils trapped inside a clay prison. Mildred then was left to collect the lichen by herself. She had figured the spell would put everything right- her mum wouldn't get turned to stone and she'd no longer be out of control, she could reverse the spells she had casted. Mildred was sure Miss Cackle would expel her, if not Miss Cackle herself, Miss Hardbroom would convince her to, but Mildred didn't care in that moment. All she cared about was saving her mum. She didn't think she deserved to be a witch after this, anyways. Maybe going back to the non magical life won't be so bad.

"Shell of snail.." Mildred spoke clearly and quickly, pouring the ingredients into her cauldron. "Scales of python... Branch of Ivy.." And finally, she held the ingredient she'd just collected, rarest lichen. The lichen glowed the brightest blue Mildred had ever seen. "Rarest lichen," she whispered as she reached in the jar to collect it and add it to the potion. As she held the lichen between her fingers, she was stopped when two firm hands grabbed the jar from her own. Mildred spun around to find her mum angrily holding the jar, a corner of her face already turned to stone.
"Mum, give me that back, please," Mildred insisted, keeping her voice calm so as to not aggravate her mother.
"Why? So you can take away my magic?" Julie snapped, clutching the jar protectively.
"That is not what I'm trying to do, I'm trying to save you from being turned to stone," Mildred explained hastily, taking small steps towards her mother.
"Oh, lies now is it?" Julie retorted. Mildred had never seen her mum quite like this. Miss Hardbroom had told her earlier that day that magic given to non magical people was entirely too powerful, but even so she never expected her mum to behave like Miss Hardbroom's childhood friend, Indigo, had when Miss Hardbroom made her magical. It has to be different with mum, doesn't it?
"I'm so disappointed in you, Mildred. You know, I think some time in that sculpture might do you good." Julie continued.
"No," Mildred whispered frantically, jumping out of the way just as her mum was about to spell her.
"You're not thinking straight, mum, you're not you!" Mildred desperately pleaded. She needs to remember... she has to remember who she was.
Julie raised her hand to spell Mildred once more, when Mildred noticed the memory potion she'd used earlier sitting on her table. She opened the jar quickly, splattering the potion on the wall.
"Look!" Mildred begged, gesturing to the wall which displayed a memory of Mildred and her mum watching a movie. Julie froze, analyzing the picture.
"Us, before all this began," Mildred explained. Mildred splashed more on the wall, showcasing a different memory. This time, of her mum and herself when she was younger.
"Look, mum," Mildred continued, noticing her mom had calmed down a bit. Julie watched the memory a moment. She and Mildred had looked so happy. She took a step forward, watching the two of them bake together and play outside. Julie then clutched at her face with a small gasp as a larger portion was turned to stone.
"Do you remember the time that I left Ted in the caravan and we had to drive back like two hundred miles just to get him? Or the time I gave you a haircut while you were still asleep?" Mildred said as she watched her mom slowly snapping back to reality. She felt herself growing calmer, she was almost there. "That was magical, mum. My old mum was so, so magical."
"Mildred?" Julie finally questioned her daughter, breaking out of her trance. "What am I doing?"
Mildred sighed with relief as she saw her mother's remorse.
"Mum, quick," Mildred insisted, grabbing the bottle of lichen from her mother's hands. She pinched some between her fingers, adding it to the cauldron.
"Rarest lichen!" She excitedly announced, watching as the mixture glowed. "Mix them up and let this potion let those transfixed regain their motion!" Mildred finalized the spell, as magical blue sparks circled Julie. Mildred smiled brightly. It's over.