The Maple Witches (Worst Witch Spin-Off)

Chapter Two

Being inside the castle was like being in a giant stone oven - it was absolutely boiling. Even though Sephy and Adriana felt anxious about what was going to happen next, they still gaped in awe at the castle around them.

The floor was like a patchwork quilt - in some places it was wooden and in others stone. Some wood was glossy and polished whilst some patches looked like the floorboards could snap in two if you put your weight on them. This was a similar case with the stone, some of which must have been thousands of years old and was starting to crumble.

The walls held detailed pictures of ancient witches, all looking rather grim and holding various objects and menagerie.

While the castle was old and held many ancient artefacts, a lot had changed since her mother had been a pupil at Cackle's Academy. Some of the windows actually had panes and there was the odd radiator here and there. Apart from that, the school showed no sign that they no longer lived in the medieval times.

Sephy and Adriana stopped their gazing when they were suddenly confronted with a a wooden door. Its rusting plaque read 'Miss Cackle'. It was obviously the headmistress' office.

The taller, stern woman opened the door so fiercely that for a moment Sephy thought it would fall off its hinges.

"In," the teacher barked.

The girls almost ran into the room, needing no further encouragement.

Once inside, the plumper, older teacher took a seat at the room's smooth mahogany desk, the sterner and much scarier teacher standing behind her.

"We haven't been properly introduced," the older lady began. "I am Miss Cackle, headmistress of Cackle's Academy. Behind me is my deputy, Miss Hardbroom."

"Now we all know who we are dealing with, let's fast-forward to the part where you were late and crash landed in the school yard!" Miss Hardbroom snapped. "Once, that would have been unheard of, but it has happened. But as long as I have been a teacher at this establishment, I would never have thought that a Hallow, of all the witching families, would be at the root of it!"

"I'm really sorry," Adriana mumbled. "I just didn't want to make a bad impression."

"Well, you failed," Miss Hardbroom continued icily. "Your mother will be so disappointed when she finds out."

Adriana had paled and began picking at the sleeve of her blouse. She was biting her lip hard enough to draw blood.

"And you!" Miss Hardbroom said, turning to Sephy. "Your time-keeping skills are appalling! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Um..." Sephy answered anxiously. "I got lost?"

"Look girls, I understand that sometimes unfortunate things happen and sometimes things go wrong," Miss Cackle interrupted. "But only sometimes. I do not expect the same to happen again."

"Yes Miss," they chimed in unison, relieved that Miss Cackle has stopped the onslaught of words inflicted upon them by Miss Hardbroom.

"Now, I would like a word with Persephone here, in private," Miss Cackle said, dismissing Adriana, who hurried out of the door with a nervous nod of her head. "And you too, Miss Hardbroom."

"Yes, headmistress," Miss Hardbroom said, forcing a smile and turning to stalk out the door behind her.

Once the door clicked shut, Miss Cackle beckoned for Sephy to come closer.

"As you can probably tell, Miss Hardbroom holds grudges and opinions about certain people for a long time," she said. "And given how your mother is viewed by Miss Hardbroom, I think it would be best if we didn't tell her you're related, seeing as you don't carry her surname. Just to give you your best chance to properly settle in here."

"I agree," Sephy answered. "And I have something I'd like to ask you, if that's okay?"

"Ask away," Miss Cackle said, smiling with both her mouth and the kind, twinkling eyes that were hidden behind her of battered spectacles.

"Would I be able to skip broomstick flying lessons?" Sephy said hurriedly, tripping over her words. There, she'd said it.

"Persephone, I completely understand why you don't want to, but it is an essential skill for any witch," Miss Cackle replied. "What happened to your mother is very rare and it was an accident. It won't happen to you, whilst on school premises at least."

"Yes, Miss Cackle," Sephy said, her heart in her stomach.

"Now go and put your things away in your room and get settled in," Miss Cackle said.

Realising she was dismissed, Sephy left the office, feeling like she might cry. Becoming a witch was starting to feel like it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.