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Well, here are finally various fanfics by other authors than Miss Cat - and thanks to all of you who distributed them for getting put up. (I noticed just now when I saw them all in one bunch - somehow all of them are featuring Miss Hardbroom... Ah well, there are other people in the stories as well... =) Some of those fanfics got posted on my msgboard first and I copied them from there so they would not get deleted with the older msgs. I asked for the authors to post their name as well and tell me whether they would like me to include the stories in this library. Not all replied - so if anybody finds their fanfic here and wants it taken down again, just mail me. I put up the names under which the authors posted stories - so there´s a fanfic by somebody called “Someone”. =)

You can choose which fanfic you want to read here - just click on the title. At the end of the story or poem there will be a link to take you back up here - or you can just read on and read them all at once

bats

Poem by Tim Judd

A Story in 9 Chapters by Claire

A Six-Part Fanfic by SumOnefromSumwhereInSomeWorld

A Poem by Jitske

Book-07

POEM - By Tim Judd

Teach me in your classroom.        Teach me in the dark.                  Teach me in the forest.                 Teach me all your secret arts.

Fight me on your broomstick         With cloak and hair windblown. Frighten me appearing                  When I think I´m all alone.

I seek for you with passion                 In these hallowed halls of learning   And find you in your study          Where your fearsome heart is burning.

In the classroom where you teach me Letters chalk on blackboard white   Tell the story of my future                And the foes that I must fight.

No one ever told me                     What the Witches Code rules meant - For me they mean to strive for love       With constance of intent.

So keep me as your pupil                      After class I´ll stay behind              Until I feel how you do                   And make your knowledge mine.

Won´t you save me on your broomstick                                    With cloak and hair wind-blown       And comfort me appearing              When I think I´m all alone.       

Book-07

The first fanfic is an old, old poem done years ago by Tim Judd and posted on the first WW msg board. I don´t know where Tim is now, so I can´t ask him - I hope he doesn´t mind having his poem put up here. It´s one of the ancient relicts from the time when WW was quite new and people were still hoping for a second season to follow up the first ...

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Claire
Chapter 1: Arriving in Style
Wed May 28 03:56:44 2003
202.154.67.70

"C'mon Sybil, cheer up. There's no need to be so upset!"Clarice Crow rubbed her friends back uncertainly. When Sybil started crying, there was usually no way to stop her.
"Oh-but-but...Ethel-she's so much better than me at being a witch!"Sybil cried between sobs of hysteria." She's just won another award of some kind! How- how am I ever going-to match up to her?" Sybil started on a fresh bucket of tears, which had now turned her brown eyes a puffy, red.
"Oh Sybil. You are much better than Ethel! She's the evil sister! You know what she did to Mildred! You are much better than her!" Clarice patted her arm comfortingly, shaking her head, which made her frizzy ginger hair wave about. "Anyway, it would be best to dry up those tears, we have Potions in five minutes." Sybil looked up at Clarice with big (now puffy,red) eyes.
"Ethel was always top of the class in Potions!" but before she could start of a fresh set of tears, Clarice grabbed her hand and quickly led her out of her bedroom.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Five minutes later, Clarice and Sybil were sitting in class. Miss Hardbroom was droning on about something like bats wings and how to stew them properley, but Clarice and Sybil weren't listening. The outdoors looked so enticing, when you were just sitting in Potions listening to your teacher blab on. The first years were playing volleyball with Miss Drill. A girl had fallen over and hurt her knee and was now being attended to. Clarice and Sybil knew though, that the girls injury wouldn't get her out of playing . Miss Drill was relentless. They were both just wondering if Miss Drill knew that there was a volleyball stuck in a tree, when they saw something that caught their eye immediantly. A dark shape had appeared against the clouds and it seemed to be heading towards Cackles. As the shape drew closer, Clarice and Sybil both realised that it was someone on a broomstick.
"MISS HALLOW AND MISS CROW! WILL YOU PLEASE PAY ATTENTION!" Miss hardbrooms voice pierced the classroom air. Both the girls snapped their heads around to see a fuming HB standing infront of their desk.
"And what may I ask, is so intresting outside that makes you NOT PAY ATTENTION!" HB stood decisevly waiting for an answer.
"Please miss," Clarice spoke up, seeing as Sybil was very close to tears again."there is someone landing in the courtyard, on a broomstick miss." Clarice desperately hoped that HB would have a look. To her relief, she did and peered out the window.
"Well, whoever it is better have an explanation, there aren't supposed to be any visitors during the term." Miss Hardbroom turned on her heels. "Please follow me class, I'm not leaving you here to find the classroom in a tip when I return. Quickly!" There was scraping of chairs and the fourth year girls of Cackles Academy followed their teacher out the door, wondering who is that person in the courtyard, what are they were doing here and why would they give up their time to come to Cackles Academy School for Young Witches?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When the class got there they saw something that shouldn't have suprised them, but did seeing as it was mid-first term. Standing in the courtyard was a girl. However, this girl was not one that the pupils of Cackles would know about. She was dressed in a school uniform that was very creased and crinkled. She was wearing a light blue dress that was covered in dirt, a navy blue tie that hung loosley around her neck and black school shoes that were covered in mud. The girls blonde hair was scrunched messily into a bun and it looked, without a doubt, that she had been flying for days on end. However, if that was the case, the girls posture certainly didn't show it. She sat high on her broom like an elegant swan, out of reach from anyone that stood on the ground, which was obviously to Miss Drills anguish. She was jumping up and down trying to reach the girl, but was failing effortlessly. Everytime she jumped the girl would rise slightly higher, as to keep out of reaches way. Clarice and Sybil smiled. They would have to remind Miss Drill of this occasion everytime she told them to jump higher when doing their daily excercises! They then became aware that Miss Hardbroom had pushed her way to the front of the crowd, but the look on HBs face was one that they had never seen before. It was mixed with so much emotion. Her face was white as stone, yet she seemed absolutely furious. Her brown eyes were wide with suprise, Clarice and Sybil could tell that this girl was the last person that HB was expecting. Then the teacher that everybody feared spoke up in a voice that was full of anguish,suprise and anger.
"Young miss you will get of that broom this instance!" HBs voice was shaking and very hoarse. The girl looked across to see this teacher and slowly touched the ground. Hardbroom walked straight up to the girl, grabbed her arm and pulled her sharply across the courtyard. The girl followed after, stumbling along behind, which was the last thing that everyone expected. Before entering the door of the academy Miss Hardbroom turned sharply around and yelled, "Everyone from my class is to stay here! Anyone not to do so will find themselves cleaning up after ever lesson for the rest of the year!" and with that she flung the girl inside and slammed the door. Sybil turned around to look at Clarice. They had never seen Miss Hardbroom act like that before, never. The courtyard was filled with silence. But not for long, moments later the audience below heard the sound of a heavy door being opened, then closed. Then voices were heard shouting from a room, that could only be Miss Hardbrooms office.
"WHAT MAY I ASK ARE YOU DOING HERE???" Shouted Miss Hardbroom.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK??" another voice was heard answering back, which could only be the girls'.
"WHY AREN'T YOU AT SCHOOL???"
"WHY DO YOU THINK? MAYBE ITS BECAUSE I HATE IT THERE!!!!"
"MARIONS IS THE BEST WITCHING SCHOOL IN THE WHOLE OF EUROPE ! I WORKED HARD FOR YOU TO GET INTO IT! YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL !"
"GRATEFUL ! GRATEFUL FOR WHAT EXACTLY? GRATEFUL THAT MY MOTHER HATES ME SO MUCH THAT SHE HAS TO SEND ME TO BOARDING SCHOOL? GRATEFUL THAT SHE NEVER REPLIES TO MY PLEAS THAT I WANT TO COME HOME? GRATEFUL THAT MY MOTHER CANT EVEN LOOK AT ME WITHOUT FLINCHING? IS THAT WHAT I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR?"
Then,suddenly, there was silence everywhere. All Clarice and Sybil could hear was the breathing of the students around them. Had they just heard what they thought they heard? Again the shouting started, but this time is was a single voice.
"I SENT THOUSANDS OF LETTERS HOME, YOU NEVER ANSWERED A SINGLE ONE ! THOUGH I AM NOT SURE THAT I SHOULD EVEN HAVE BOTHERED. YOU WERE PROPABLY TO BUSY ! JUST LIKE YOU ALWAYS ARE !"
Then Miss Hardbrooms voice floated down, it was shaking and she sounded very hoarse.
"How did you get away from school? Surely, they must be searching for you."
"They wont be, they have too many other students to worry about."
Then, the audience down below then heard a door opening and a voice that they didn't expect.
"Constance, are you alright? I heard yelling and shouting. Who is this young lady.....oh. Hello Penny."
"Hello Miss Cackle."
"Constance, I think you and your daughter need to come to my office."
"Yes headmistress, we will be there in a moment."
"I think now would be relevant, please dears, follow me."
It was moments until the audience below heard the heavy door of Miss Hardbrooms office close. No one spoke or uttered a sound. Clarice's mind was racing and Sybil's stomach was turning. Eventually, a scatter of whispers broke out. They got louder and louder until eventually the courtyard of Cackles Academy errupted with ammulent chatter. That was until a shrill blast silenced everybody. Clarice and Sybil turned to see Miss Drill standing with her whistle in her mouth, obviously shocked as everyone else. Finally she spoke.
"Everyone will please return to their bedrooms! You are all obviously shocked and suprised about what you have just heard, but please, let's not spread rumors." Miss Drill started to push through the crowd.
"I am going to see Miss Bat at once, off you go. To your rooms at once." Slowly, the crowd of people began to move, but not without chatter. Clarice and Sybil were among those.
"Miss Hardbroom has a daughter?" questioned Sybil as the crowd moved along.
"Looks like it dosn't it? But how?" Clariced asked under her breath. Everyone at Cackles knew that Miss Hardbroom hated the male race, but then again no one ever asked why. How? was the question on everyones mind. How could Miss Hardbroom, the most feared teacher in the whole of Cackles have a daughter? Clarice and Sybil kept this question in their minds until they reached Sybils bedroom. Clarice couldn't keep the question to herself any longer.
"How?How?How?How?"she began"How in the whole entire world, could Miss Hardbroom have a daughter? It is totally unreasonable! It not true! It cant be true!" but they both knew that what they had heard wasn't set up. It had all been real.
"My god, "said Sybil"the poor girl! Imagine having to live with HB! I mean, to actually live with her! The girl must be scarred! For life!" Clarice nodded, but absentmindedly. The past events still burned on her brain, as it did with Sybil. Miss Hardbroom or HB, the most feared, scariest and hated teacher in the whole of the school and propably in the whole of Europe, had a daughter.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 

Claire
Chapter 2: Descisions are Made
Wed May 28 03:57:49 2003
202.154.67.70

Meanwhile, the people that were responsible for setting the school into a wild fire of gossip, sat in the thick wooden chairs of Miss Cackles office. The two occupants of the seats were both thoroughly distressed, especially the woman. She was sitting in her chair, with a back as straight as a ruler. Her brown hair was tied tightly back into a very tight bun, though a few loose hairs dared to poke out. She had brown eyes to match her hair. They flickered around the room, as if she, Miss Hardbroom was expecting someone to burst in at any moment. She was also breathing very heavily. Her nostrils flared everytime she took a breath, in went the air with a WHOOSH! And out it came with a WHOOSH! The girl next to her also shared the posture of a ruler, though she looked a lot more relaxed. Unlike Miss Hardbroom though, this girl had blonde hair and it certainly wasn't tied back neatly. Piled on top of her head, it looked as though she had done her hairstyle over and over again, but never combed it or used a brush. Half of it fell around her face, hiding it from view, but what you could see was a pair of deep blue eyes. Unlike the woman beside her, Penelope's eyes were calm. She didn't really care what happened to her now, it didn't really matter, nothing could be worse then going back.........
Amelia Cackle removed her face from her hands to look at the two people sitting in front of her. If asked on first glance, if they were mother and daughter, she would immediantly have said no. But when she looked at the pair more closely, she could see certain simalarities. They both held themselves like swans, even if they were very stiff swans. Maybe she could relate them to stuffed swans......
"Headmistress, I..."
"Sssssh Constance, there is no need for you to start explaining what happened."
Slowly, the witch that had seen many a summer turned to the young girl who now had her head bowed down.
"I will leave that up to this young lady here. Now, Penelope dear, I will not ask you to explain what happened just then, but why you chose to come here, and how you came here. Would you be able to do that for me?" Asked Miss Cackle softly.
"Yes." she croaked in reply.
"That's a good girl. Will you start from the beginning?"
The young girl nodded. Taking a deep breath she began to explain.
"It started at Marion's. I never wanted to go there in the first place, but she made me."
Miss Hardbroom opened her mouth, as if to speak, but Miss Cackle got there first.
"Let's hear it to the end Constance. Go on dear." she said nodding towards Penelope.
"I sent countless letters to her, begging to take me home, I wanted to leave but she never came to take me away."
"Why did you want to leave?" asked Miss Cackle.
"Because everybody there was a stuck-up snob. All they ever did was talk to you about there achievements. If you didn't come from a well-off family, you were shunted aside. Eventually, I got sick of it all. I packed my things and came here."
Miss Cackle nodded, slowly sucking her teeth. She could easily see that the girl was missing out on parental guidance, but what was she to do with her? Constance was obviously thinking of sending her back to that-school, but she was unsure if that would work. The girl knew she could easily get away from the school, what was going to stop her from escaping everytime she was taken back. She would also be wasting a valuable education. Amelia knew the girl was extremely smart, and followed closely in the way of her mothers IQ. Maybe-no it wouldn't work......however.
"Constance, would it be proposable, to let your daughter stay here, at the academy and get her education here?" asked Miss Cackle.
"Well-I never....I don't-think....." Hiss Hardbroom stammered. Penelope however looked delighted.
"Oh would you Miss Cackle? Would you let me?"
"Well dear, I see no other solution. If we send you back, there is no stopping you from running away again. Then we would keep repeating the process, and you, my dear would be losing out on a valuable education." Miss Cackle said smiling only slightly."But it really depends on your mother. Constance," she said turning her attention to the stuttering teacher, that was usually so composed. " Would it be alright to let her stay?" On recieving no answer, she continued. "It would be best." Then Miss Hardbroom, jerked her head up and down, nodding yes.
"Oooooh, yes! Yes!Yes!" Penelope jumped up and down."Thankyou! Thankyou!" She jumped over to Miss Cackle and gave her a great big hug, then jumped back again and kissed her mother on the cheek. At this Amelia was sure that she had seen a glimmer of a smile on Constance's face.
"However," Miss Hardbroom snapped, Penelope's smile faded a little. "You better study hard my girl!"
Penny's smile returned, and remarkably, so did Miss Hardbroom's-a little. Suddenly, as if regaining composure, Miss Constance Hardbroom straightened up. "I suggest we go get you things and take them to a room, we can organize your school papers later." With that she started to walk towards the door.
"Well! Are you coming!"
Pnenlope grinned. But just before leaving with her mother, she quickly turned around to face Miss Cackle. She clasped her hands together, as if about to pray, then mouthed the words. "Thankyou!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


 

Claire
Aliens and Realiasations
Wed May 28 03:58:53 2003
202.154.67.70

Sybil and Clarice sat at the dinner table, still talking about that day's events.
"I still can't believe it." announced Sybil, sitting at her chair in total shock.
"Believe it then." answered Clarice, shoving a mouthful of pasta into her mouth. She was soooo glad that the eating habits of Cackle's Academy had been finally changed.
" I heard that Miss Hardbroom adopted her when she found out that she needed to make a family to stay on this earth, because she is actually an alien." whispered their friend, Prudence Nightfly, another fourth year with curly brown hair.
"Yes, well I think that Prudence better keep her theories to herself, as Miss Hardbroom has just arrived, and she has brought her special guest." warned Clarice. It seemed she wasn't the only who had noticed the pairs entrance. Nearly everyone in the hall was standing on their chairs, trying to catch another glimpse at the girl, who was now dressed neatly in their school uniform. Miss Cackle noticed this and abrruptly stood up, which in turn made everyone sit down. Miss Cackle cleared her throat.
"Now as most of you will already have heard," began Miss Cackle, knowing full well that everyone had heard. "We had an unexpected guest arrive this morning." chatter began to break out.
"Quiet please." cried Miss Hardbroom, she was standing up with her hand on Penelope's shoulder. The chatter stopped immediantly.
"Thankyou Constance. Now, as you know we have a guest, well we did. But not anymore, because our guest is now a student here at the Academy." Miss Cackle informed them. There was silence all around. Miss Cackle continued uncertainly. "Please make her feel welcome, come here Penelope dear."
Motioning her towards the front the teachers dining table, Miss Cackle spoke again. "Now as I said before, I want you to all make her feel welcome, and please, no asking silly questions. That's all." Penelope turned as if to run back to her bedroom, but Miss Cackle got there first,as usual. "Come dear, you can sit at a table with....." Miss Cackle looked around and saw Clarice and Sybil, who looked up in return. "Over there dear." Miss Cackle pushed her forward. Clarice and Sybil stared. Miss Cackle however didn't see this.
"Girls, I am appointing you to take care of this girl. Show her around the school and such..." Miss Cackle gave Penny a quick pat on the shoulder, then returned to the teachers table.
"Um, hello." the young girl said meekly. But Clarice and Sybil still stared.
"Can I, um, sit here?" she asked. Clarice and Sybil still stared, that was, until Prudence lent over and gave them a flick in the arm.
"Ow! Oh, yeh....sure." replied Clarice slowly rubbing her arm. "Um, what's your name?" she asked trying to make up for lost time.
"Um, Penelope. But I guess you already know my last name!" she said giving a weak smile.
"Your related to HB?" blurted out Sybil. Both Prudence and Clarice gave her a funny look, but Penelope look relieved in a way.
"Yeh, pity me dont ya?" she said jokingly. "So what are your names?"
"Well, I'm Clarice, Clarice Crow, and these are my friends Prudence Nightfly and Sybil Hallow."
"Hello," Penny said smiling. "Sybil Hallow, eh? Are you Ethel's sister?"
"Yes." Sybil said quietly. "I bet you know her for all her great achievments."
"Achievements? From what I hear, she's horrible!"
Sybil looked ready to cry again, remembering the times she had hurt Mildred Hubble after following one of Ethel's dissasterous plans.
"Oh, and terribly maniplutive!" Penny said quickly, fearing she had said the wrong thing. It didn't seem to work though, Sybil's lip was starting to quiver.
"So," said Penny, quickly changing the subject. "I guess my mother and I are the gossip subject of the school."
"Aaaaah....I'm afraid so." Clarice said slowly. She didn't want to upset the girl. But Penny seemed to understand.
"Don't worry, I'm not feeling delicate!" she gave a small laugh. "I guess you were thinking of the way that I just blew up in the courtyard this morning." Clarice, Prudence and Sybil (sniffing slightly) nodded truthfully.
"It's just..." Prudence began. "Miss Hardbroom is the last person we ever expected to have a kid. I mean a kid like-us."
Penny smiled.
"Thanks." she said. "At my old school I was treated differently because I wasn't like everyone there. But my mother being the evil witch she is, wouldn't come take me home. So I came myself!" Everyone listening nodded. Prudence leant over the table slowly, and beckoned Penny to come close enough so she could just whisper.
"So is your mother really an alien?"
Penny , in return, grinned.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 

Claire
Chapter 4: Plans are made
Wed May 28 03:59:43 2003
202.154.67.70

Miss Hardbroom poked at her pasta. The hall had long ago emptied of it's students. Now, only the teachers remained, Miss Bat and Miss Drill included. However, unlike usual nights, nobody spoke. They all just sat there, prodding their pasta. Well, they did so until Miss Tapioca came along.
"Tutututut," she said tutting her tongue. "Usually, my pasta is gone when I come to collect the dishes. Why all these long faces?" But maybe, Miss Tapioca shouldn't have used that expression.
Miss Hardbroom certainly had a long face, it was gaunt and seemed paler then usual. Miss Cackle's face, however, was full of anxiety. She had never seen Constance act so, how could she describe it-depressed. Miss Drill didn't look sad or axious. However, she did look quite tired. She had spent all day pouncing on people because they were spreading rumors. It had taken nearly the whole lesson to tell her class to be quiet. Ordinarily, it was quite the contrary. The girls were usually so dismal. But today had been different. Miss Bat was the only one, sitting at the table, that didn't join in with her colleagues glum
antics. In fact, she was bouncing around in her chair. It was so exciting! A new member for the choir! Miss Bat had to stop bouncing for a while though, just so she could lick the remnants of pasta that were stuck to the end of her baton. Miss Tapioca cleared the plates and walked off again, tutting her tongue as she did so. Miss Drill had really had enough.
'' Well," she announced as she stood up. "I am going to bed. Goodnight everyone!" With that, she quickly departed, not wanting to be around such glum chums. Miss Bat quickly repeated Miss Drill's actions, though this time the excuse was.
"Must go prepare for my next class. This is so exciting!" and with a squeak Miss Bat had scuttled away.
Miss Cackle turned towards Miss Hardbroom.
"Well Constance, looks like it's just you and me."
HB nodded slowly then turned to face Miss Cackle.
"Amelia, do you think I've been a bad mother?"
Miss Cackle was quite in shock. Constance rarely adressed her by her first name, not that Miss Cackle minded of course.
"Constance, I can't really judge you right now." said Miss Cackle slowly. "Emotions are running too high at the moment. Also, I don't have any children myself, so I don't know what it is like. Really, Constance, I'm not the one for you to ask that." Rubbing and her eyes and giving a yawn, Miss Cackle turned to face her colleague on last time before departing for bed. "Goodnight Constance, I hope you sleep well." She slowly got up from her place at the table. She looked briefly at Miss Hardbroom, but with that she left, leaving Miss Hardbroom to ponder in her thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, Prudence, Penelope,Clarice and Sybil were all sitting in Penelope's room doing......nothing. Having unpacked all her things, Penny had sent out pleas to the other girls to come help her decorate her room. On arrival, the girls had to give her the very sad news.
"We can't decorate your room, it's not allowed."
"What!"
"Even if you did decorate it, HB has a night patrol. If she came into your room, you'd get a floundering."
So now they all sat together,wondering what to do next. It was an hour until lights out, and the girls had nothing to do.
"I'm bored." said Clarice.
"Join the club." replied Sybil.
"Yeh, we can all join together, become goths and wreak havoc on the school." muttered Penny glumly.
The other three girls stared.
"Hey, it was only an idea!" Penny said smiling mischievously. Still the four girls remained sitting on the bed, bored.
"Hey, Penny, can I ask you something?" asked Prudence suddenly. Penny nodded as the three girls listened intently.
"Who's your father?" she asked quietly. Penny smiled, she was glad that someone had the courage to ask.
"Robert James." she replied.
"Never heard of him." said Sybil.
"I don't think you would, he's just a normal human being, no magic whatsoever!" The three girls, that had been so bored just a few seconds ago, now sat there with their jaws wide open.
"Non-magic?"
Penny looked suprised in a way.
"Yeh, what's wrong with that?" she asked.
The girls didn't answer.
"WHAT!" she asked intently.
"Well-it's-it's just-just that..." Sybil began to stutter.
"Your mother hates the male race, !" Prudence burst out. But Penny gave a grin.
"I know!" she said laughing.
"Then how.....?" asked Clarence.
"Well you know Clarence, we will start at the beginning." Penny said mischievously. "There is a thing called the brids and the bees....."
"NO!" Clarence cried, laughing. "I meant....."
"Yeh, yeh. I get what you mean!" she replied, laughing herself. "Well, apparently, my mum and dad met before mum had finished her "magical education". He didn't know she was a witch, I don't think she ever told him! They fell "in love" then out of it, then in, then out, over and over again. Finally, it was the end of the relationship. But mum didn't know she was....you know. Good thing was she had finished her education before they split up. By the time she had me, she also had a secure job here. So that's that really."
Clarice, Sybil and Prudence all nodded. In the end, it was just another split up family. Penny noticed their solemn faces.
"She propably put an illusionary spell on him or something!" she said jokingly. There was a half-hearted laugh in reply, but Penny didn't realise. A wide smile had just errupted on her face.
"What's up?" asked Clarice curiously.
"I have just had a great idea!" Penny answered smiling slyly. "Where's the library?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


 

Claire
Chapter 5: Cold Feet (Kind of)
Wed May 28 04:00:55 2003
202.154.67.70

Amelia Cackle sat on her bed, in her nightie, but did nothing. She just sat, pondering her thoughts. She munched, though on nothing, though she didn't realise. She just sat there, munching . As she did so, she made little noises. She made a "hmmmmm" then a "mmmmmm" and it went like this for a matter of minutes until she realised that it was far past her bedtime.
"Oh dear! 11'O clock, time certainly flies!" she said to herself, and in a way not realising there was no class in front of her. However, she lifted the sheets off her bed and snuggled inside. But unlike what she wanted to do, which was fall asleep, she remained awake, still pondering her thoughts. Soon her tummy began to rumble, and she wondered how long it had been since her meeting with Constance. She hadn't eaten since that peculiar time, and she quite felt that she needed something to nibble on.
"Mmmmm," she thought to herself. "Cheese."

It was at the exact moment, at which Miss Cackle said "Cheese." that Constance Hardbroom let out a long sigh. Her feet were feeling very cold, and her toes were feeling very knobbly. Unlike her usual, strictly organized self, she had managed to mislay her slippers. Her long, brown hair hung loosely down her back. It was so long it almost seemed to reach her thighs, and it would have, if she didn't cut off the split ends every month. Miss Hardbroom quickly flung her hair to the side of her face and sat down on her bed. As she did so, the springs let out anonymous squeaks and groans, but it went unoticed.
There sat the teacher, stiff as a brick. Quite a few minutes passed, until she was snapped out of her little world. There had been a noise, just outside her room, the noise of scuttling feet and creaking doors.
"Students out of bed, no doubt!" she thought severely. Quickly she stood up and was about to open her door, when she thought against it.
"Propably Amelia getting something to eat." she thought to herself. She knew quite well that Miss Cackle's fetish for cheese didn't stop simply when she was full! Suddenly, Miss Hardbroom snapped up her head. There were more noises, more scuttling. What if it wasn't Miss Cackle? What if it was students?
"I better check just in case....." she thought to herself.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Clarice jostled around her bedroom. She couldn't find her other sock, quite to her annoyance.
"Drat!" she cried, but in her head of course. She was trying to make as least noise as possible. If HB caught them.....Clarice's ran over their plan in her head.

"We can all meet at 11 O'clock sharp, then sneak into the library." Penny had said.
"But why do we have to do it in the middle of the night?" asked Sybil. Penny replied in an exasperated voice.
"Because the book I'm planning to use isn't in the public section."

Clarice looked at the old clock on her wall. It was nearly 11 O'clock.
"Ooooh, I hope they haven't forgotten!" she muttered silently. A loud creak made her jump. She whizzed around.
"Sybil!" she hissed. "Don't make so much noise! You'll wake everyone up!"
"Sorry." Sybil replied, and it was as if she was about to moan, but then she thought the better of it.
Suddenly, another face appeared at the door.
"Alright Clarice?" it whispered.
"Yeh, fine. Is Prudence with you?" Clarice asked, still whispering.
"Yep."
"Good."
"Are we going yet?" asked Sybil impatiently, but unlike the others, she didn't bother to keep her voice down.
"Sybil!" they all hushed.
"Sorry." she replied mournfully.
"So are we all set?" Penny stepped into Clarice's view.
"Yep!" Everyone else chorused.
"Great!" Penny whispered with a smile. But it moments later it vanished. Penny quickly whipped a finger to her lips.
"Ssssh, I think I hear someone coming!" she hissed. With that everyone tried to clamber through the doorway.
"Get a move on Sybil!"
"I'm not Sybil! She is!"
"Just hurry up and get out of sight!"
The footsteps grew louder as the girls tried to cover themselves with diguises. Clarice jumped back into bed and pulled the covers right over her head. Sybil dived behind the door, Prudence squeezed in the cupboard and Penny quickly clambered onto the window ledge and hid behind the curtains. Then all of them held their breaths as they heard the footsteps grew louder, and louder, and louder.
"Oh god, it's HB on her night patrol!" moaned Sybil.
"Sybil!"
"Sorry."
But to their relief, it wasn't their dreaded teacher (and mother). Of course, it was Miss Cackle, but they didn't know that.
"Can't be HB." whipered Prudence from inside the cupboard. "She'd be as quiet as a mouse, so she could spring in on us!"
"I think your right Pru!" answered Clarice from under her covers.
"I think it's allright to come out now." said Penny.
"Ohhhhh...."Sybil moaned.
"What is it Sybil?" asked Clarice, a bit annoyed.
"What if HB had caught us! What if-?"
"It wasn't HB, then we have nothing to worry about." answered Prudence quickly. Everyone (except Sybil) nodded in agreement.
"Well then, are we going?" asked Penny. Another nodd, and with that, the four girls set out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 

Claire
Chapter 6: A longer Chapter *cough*
Wed May 28 04:02:40 2003
202.154.67.70

Miss Cackle lifted tins and cans, saucepans and bowls, but alas, she could not find any cheese. At this point she was becoming fairly distressed. Her tummy had an awful pain, which usually came from not having enough to eat, or doing more excercise than usual, and indeed, she had done both.
"Blast!" she thought angrily. She only wanted a little bit of cheese. Well, maybe more than alot. Exhausted, Miss Cackle sat down on a chair. She "hummmphed" and "hummmmphed" but no cheese appeared in front of her. It was as she let out a long sigh that she realised she was not alone. As she peered into the darkness, she saw a figure moving around in the dark.
"Hmmmm." she muttered to herself. She got up out of her seat, and moved closer to it. She was about to tap it on the shoulder, when it suddenly turned.
"Constance!"
"Headmistress!"
There were a few seconds of confusion, before both women settled down.
"Constance dear! What ever, are you doing down here?" asked Miss Cackle.
"I was about to ask the same question!" replied Constance wide eyed.
But Miss Cackle smiled. Constance was back to calling her "headmistress", although, she had quite liked her calling her "Amelia". But it was not the topic to discuss right now.
"I heard shuffling and voices in the hallway earlier." Miss Hardbroom explained. "I thought it might be pupils out of bed, so I came ot investigate."
"Well, Constance dear, it was only me." replied Miss Cackle with a very warm smile. "Now, do you know anything aboutthese kitchens? I came down to look for some cheese....."
Miss Hardbroom pointed to a shelf where, sure as the hair on Miss Cackle's head, there was a tin labelled "CHEESE".
"Aaaah, thankyou Constance."
But it seemed as if she hadn't heard her. Miss Hardbroom sat down in Miss Cackles seat, and placed her head in her hands. Miss Cackle knew that her colleague was feeling glum, but she had no idea about what to say. But still......
"Constance, you shouldn't tear yourself up like this!" said Miss Cackle, patting her on the back as she sat down in the seat next to her. But Constance Hardbroom just stared into space. Realising that there was nothing she could do, Miss Cackle proceeded to open the tin of cheese. Much to her disappointment though, there was only a small lump right at the bottom, not even a mouthful. But sighing, the wise old witch reached into the tin and pulled it out.
"Anyway, something is better than nothing!" she thought miserably to herself. She had jsut begun to nibble when she realised that Constance was no longer sitting with her face in her hands. It was quite the opposite now. She sat up , stiff as a brick, with her eyes alert and flickering around the room.
"Whatever is the matter Constance?" asked Miss Cackle curiously.
"I swear I just heard voices." seh replied whispering. Miss Cackle nodded and was about to go back to her cheese, but Miss Hardbroom quickly got up and started to walk away.
"Aaaaah," said Miss Cackle to herself. She shoved the lid over the tin, quickly shoved in back onto the shelf and followed after her colleague, but still munching on that bit of cheese.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Where are we.....?"
"I don't know......"
"Are we lost?"
"Not sure."
"No one ever gets lost in Cackle's."
"Propably means we'll be the first...."
"Don't worry Sybil."
"But how can I not?"
"Well-"
"Ssssh!"
"What?"
"I think I heard something."
"What?"
"Don't worry, it was nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure!"
"What if it was-"
"It wasn't Sybil....."
"Fine then."
"Ow, you just stepped on me!"
"That wasn't me!"
"Yes it was!"
"Hush!"
All the natter abruptly stopped. Soon afterwards, a small light appeared in the palm of someones hand.
"Oh, Penny....."
"What, if HB sees it?" queeried Sybil.
"Mother won't because she isn't around!" Penny said quite severely. This shut Sybil up, well kind od, she kept on sniffing afterwards.
"Now," continued Penny, not seeming to notice. "The book I want to use is called Bewitching the Eye. If this place has it.....which they surely will." Penny said quickly afetr seeing Sybil exasperated face. "It will be right at the back of the library. If there is one thing I know about Cackle's, it's that they don't like the students getting ideas into their heads. So it will be at the very back of the library."
There were nods all around, but no one uttered a sound. Penny went on.
"If anyone does find the book, check that it has the illusion spell I want. If we perform it on the teachers, we can decorate our rooms in whatever way we want, without them noticing."
Noda again, but this time the faces all looked a bit strained. When they had all been talking in Clarice's room, the plan had seemed all very well easy, but now.......
"You don't want to do this anymore, do you?" inquired Penny. She had seen the looks on their faces, and she couldn't help but feel a little like them. Slowly, heads egan to nod, and eventually Penny found she was with them.
"Godd, we'll just go back then." she said, with relief. "All we have to do now is-" but her voice stopped short. The rest of the girls looked puzzled.
"I think I just heard something-" but again, she stopped short. And this time, the rest of them heard it too. It was the distinct sound of footsteps, and voices.
"Quick, get out of sight!" hissed Penny, though she had no need to, as everyone had already sunk back into the darkest depth of shadow. The small group of girls listened, breathless, as they heard the footsteps get closer.
"I am quite sure I heard voices Miss Cackle!" siad the irritated voice of Miss Hardbroom.
"Really, Constance dear, I wouldn't worry. Propably just the wind, you know how it is!"
"No Headmistress, I know I heard voices!"
"Alright then Constance, if you insist."
Sybil felt a little sick, and weak at the knees. Clarice, Penny and Prudence had to push their weight against her to stop her from falling over. However, their attention on Sybil didn't stop them from seeing Miss Hardbroom sharply turn her head, only to look straight at them. Of course, the only thing that Miss Hardbroom could see was the dark, but the girls didn't no that. All they could do was panic. t
"Hocus pocus, habeas corpus, tempus tempore nunc transportus!"
With that and a large cracking sound, Miss Hardbroom and Miss Cackle both disappeared from sight!
"Oh my god! What have you done?" yelled Prudence.
"Um, never mind. But mother will be back soon, so you better hurry and get back to bed. " Penny said quickly, then she saw the looks on their faces, "Don't worry!" she said again, looking a bit exasperated. They didn't budge.
"My mother will be here any moment now!" she cried again. This was certainly enough for Sybil, who bolted for the stairs. Clarice shrugged and ran after her, and Prudence gave Penny an encouraging pat on the back saying.
"It was nice knowing you." Then she followed. But then, suddenly she stopped, "Aren't you coming?"
Penny shook her head. "Mother knows that someone was here, and she knows that I know that spell, so it's better if she catches me alone, then with you aswell. So I suggest you hurry up and leave."
Prudence gave a small nod and, much to Penny's suprise, a big hug. And then, she quickly scootered away. Penny let out a great big sigh, she only needed to count to three, and her mother would appear.
"1.....2..." she began to count.
"3!" Miss Hardbroom's voice thundered through the air. Penny jumped, though she knew she shouldn't have, she was used to it. Suddenly, out of thin air, right where she had disapeared, Miss Hardbroom re appeared.
"AND WHAT MAY I ASK, DO YOU THINK YOU WERE AND ARE DOING?" She yelled. Her voice was trembling, much like it had done earlier that day, but this time, the young girl wasn't fighting back. The thing about Penny is that if she is being yelled at and she knows (or thinks) she has done nothing wrong, she will most often fight back. But in this circumstance, Penny knew thay she had been a bit (or a lot) stupid.
"I'm sorry." she said quietly, and this seemed to suprise Miss Hardbroom. She had really expected her daughter to fight back, but obviously it wasn't the case.
"What are you doing out here, in the middle of the night?" said Miss Hardbroom quietly. Though her voice was soft, it was still full of anger, but also suprise.
"I was going to the library." replied Penny. Her voice was also soft, but unlike her mother, Penny kept her eyes to the ground. She hated lying, but she had to, she couldn't risk getting her friends into trouble.
"Why?"
"Because I couldn't get to sleep, so I got up and was going to the library, so I could do some reading."
"Then why on earth did you transport myself and Miss Cackle from the room?" Miss Hardbroom was getting a bit bothered, and it was showing.
"Because I panicked!" That's what Penny had begun to do. She didn't like it how her mother was questioning her like this.
"And why was that?"
"Because I thought....you might be monster or something!" She was really desperate now.
"Oh! Penelope, that is the worst excuse I have ever heard!" Miss Hardbrrom now knew full well that the little girl was lying.
"Why? There have been monsters before!"
"Yes, I know! But there are none now! "
"Oh-why do you always have to do this! You always question me like I'm a criminal!" Penny was getting annoyed. Why couldn't her mother just accept her excuse? She knew that she really shouldn't be arguing but she was tired.
"Maybe because when something's wrong you are usually the culprit!" Miss Hardbroom replied shrilly.
"You are very lucky what Miss Cackle has done for you! And you repay her by transporting her around the school!"
"I didn't know it was Miss Cackle and you!"
"You know you did!"
"I DIDN'T! IT'S NOT FAIR! EVERYTHING IS MY FAULT!"
"USUALLY EVERYTHING IS!"
But Penny wasn't listening. She had really had enough.
"I'M GOING TO BED!" she screamed. With that she ran to the stairs and began to stomp up them, but Miss Hardbroom was close behind.
"PENELOPE JANE HARDBROOM! GET BACK HERE AT ONCE!" Miss Hardbroom screamed back at her. Penelope quickly turned around just to scream.
"NO! AND DON'T CALL ME PENELOPE!"
With that she ran all the way to her bedroom, with Miss Hardbroom in hot pursuit. She reached, tears streaming down her face and promptly slammed the bedroom door shut. The sound echoed through the hallways, making quite a clatter. This was soon followed by small lights turning on.
"EVERYONE GO BACK TO SLEEP THIS INSTANT!" Miss Hardbroom yelled. This prompted all the lights to go out, just to leave Miss Hardbroom standing alone, in the dark, in her fury.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Claire
Chapter 7: Buzzing Around
Wed May 28 04:03:50 2003
202.154.67.70

The next morning, the school buzzed with gossip. What was that slamming noise last night? But Clarice, Sybil and Prudence couldn't help but guess.

"Hardbroom caught her!" moaned Clarice.
"Serves her right!" Sybil replied, obviusly annoyed by the night's events.
"Oh, Sybil! You agreed to go along with it!" Prudence said, annoyed at Sybil for whining.
Sybil just "Hummphed" and that was really the end of the conversation, because at that moment Miss Cackle walked into the room. It became silent almost instantly and Miss Cackle took her seat. Miss Cackle realised this, soon after she had sat down.
"Are we all going to pray for our breakfast?" she asked. This quickly brought the chatter back.
Quite honestly, Miss Cackle was too tired to tell everyone to be quiet. She knew she had been worrying too much. When she had seen Miss Hardbroom this morning, she had been looking very weary. She hadn't seen Penny either. She didn't need to ask about the previous night. With Miss Hardbrooms weariness and Penny's absence, she didn't want to ask. She didn't expect Constance to turn up to breakfast, and had told her so when she had last seen her. Constance had just given her head a kind of sharp nod in reply. But Miss Cackle didn't want to think about that type of thing right then, so she began to listen to Miss Drill's droning about the lack of sporting equipment.....

Back upstairs, Penny was still in bed, even though she was wide awake. Her eyes were puffy and red. She had a headache and she felt sick. Couldn't have anything to do with crying all night......There was a knock on her door.
"Oh, please just go away." she said rolling over to face the window. It was a clear day, and birds floated across the morning sky. She heard the door open, but didn't turn over to see who it was.
"Are you alright?" It was the voice of her mother. Penny nodded, but she felt her face grow hot. Tears were welling in her eyes. Penny hated crying, it showed weakness, and made her realise that she had weaknesses.
"I brought you some breakfast."
Penny nodded again, tears now falling down her cheeks. Somehow, she couldn't face her mother. She knew she had done wrong, and she hated herself for it. She knew wasn't ever like that, well, not usually.
She knew that she had been desperate to make friends, maybe that's what led her to it. To be so..wild.
"I'm sorry." Penny croaked. She didn't hear her mother answer, but she felt her place a hand on her hair.
"It's alright." Constance replied. She really didn't know what to say
"Are you going to have any breakfast?" It was the only thing she could think of.
Penny shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
"Are you sure?" Her mother was trying to make conversation. Constance knew that Penny was upset, but she didn't really know what to say. She wasn't very good at comforting people. Sadly, it was just what Penny wanted from her mother.
"Well, alright then." Constance stroked her daughters hair. It was so much unlike her own wavy, brown locks. Penelope's was golden, like the sun-like her fathers. And her eyes, they were so blue. Constance had realised early on that her daughter was going to look nothing like herself. But she did share some of her personality. She remembered well the time she had told Penelope to pick up her toys, in which the stubborn two year old had shouted. "NO!" But that little two year old had begun to grow up. And it seemed that no matter how much Constance tried to stop it from happening, she still grew. The woman let out a sigh. It seemed only yesterday that she had been holding that tiny, screaming,little girl in her arms, trying to lull her to sleep.
"Mother."
The sound of Penelope's voice snapped her out of her world.
"Are you still angry at me?"
Constance looked at her daughter.
"No, of course not." she replied smiling a little. It wasn't often that she was called "mother", maybe she should relish it while it was still happening, until the girl grew into an adult and began to call her "Constance" or worse..... "Connie." Softly, in the background, Miss Hardbroom could hear the school bell ringing.
"Shouldn't you go? Havent you got a class to teach?"
Once again Penelope's voice drew her out of it. Miss Hardbroom quickly looked at her watch, hidden under her tight black dress.
"Yes, you're right, I have the second years first. Will you be attending classes today? I'm sure Miss Cackle wouldn't mind if you didn't just for today."
"No, I think I will." Penelope replied smiling. It would be good to see Prudence, Clarice and Sybil.
"Alright . I guess I will see you at lunchtime then." said Miss Hardbroom quietly. She lent over, kissed Penelope on the forehead then got up from her bed. Then after smiling one last time, she then turned on her heels and silently walked out of the room. After closing the door quietly, she then straightened up, brushed invisible specks of dust off her tight black dress, then proceeded, straight backed to the potions classroom.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Claire
Chapter 8: Insane Singing
Wed May 28 04:04:52 2003
202.154.67.70

Miss Bat sighed. These fourth years were being very difficult. She did so wish that Clarice would sing just a bit louder! She had a lovely voice, she should use it! She was about to lift her baton for another round of "Eye of the Toad" when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in!" Miss Bat siad in a sing song voice. Slowly the door opened, to reveal Penny standing in the doorway. Prudence and Clarice sighed and Sybil looked a bit annoyed, but the overall reaction was excitement.
"There's that girl."
"Yeh I know!"
"She's still here!"
Chatter climbed increasingly, until it eventually resembled a dull roar. Penny moved quickly to stand next to Sybil at the end of the row. Miss Bat also looked excited, though she didn't join in on the chatter. Instead, she waved her baton in anticipation.
"Oh! This is good! A new member for our choir!" Though Penny did not hear this. She was trying to hear what Sybil was saying, though was finding it hard, because everyone else was talking aswell.Clarice tried to tell Prudence that it was no good trying to get Penny's attention, she couldn't hear her. But what Clarice couldn't hear was that Penny knew that Prudence was trying to get her attention. Sybil kind of just stood there trying to tell all of them that she had a headache. Finally, Miss Bat realised that she wasn't going to get anywhere with a bunch of babbling pupils. She banged her baton on the music stand, almost splitting it in half from the force. Eventually, the roar became dimmer, and dimmer and dimmer, until finally there were only a few anonymous whispers amongst the crowd and the constant tap,tap of Miss Bat's baton. Eventually, the energetic teacher spoke.
"Well now! Seeing as everyone has had their say...."
There were a few murmurs amongst them.
"We shall proceed! Please girls, another round of 'Eye of the Toad'!" Miss Bat said, waving that stick around her head. At first there were a few groands and sighs, but eventually, the song got going. However, as those around them sang, Clarice, Prudence and Penny had their own little conversation, much to Sybil's annoyance, who of course, did the right thing and kept on singing.
"What happened last night?" asked Prudence increduously.
"We heard a bang, was that you?" inquired Clarice.
"Yes it was me, and as for what happened, it was nothing." Penny answered quickly.
"What was that bang about then?" Sybil asked. She had stopped singing, feeling it was no good singing without your friends.
"It dosn't matter." replied Penny. "But mother is going to be keeping a very close eye on me from now on. I'm sorry I got you guys into it, if we had all been caught....."
"Girls, why are you not singing?" asked Miss Bat. She had stopped the choir.
"Because Clarice, Sybil and Prudence were just telling me the words Miss Bat!" piped up Penny.
It seemed to work because Miss Bat smiled.
"It's nice to see someone trying to enjoy the music for a change." she thought to herself. She then turned back to the choir and with a "One-two-three!" they were all off again.
We'll talk later okay? In my room after tea." hissed Penny, keeping a watchful eye on Miss Bat. But just out of the corner of her eye, she saw three heads nod.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


 

Claire
Chapter 9: Another long chapter....
Wed May 28 04:07:41 2003
202.154.67.70

Tea time was a grand affair. It seemed that everyone had seemed to have gotten over their shock, and they were now able to discuss the matter in a reasonable tone. But the arrival of this person, was not the only topic spoken of. Many had far had enough of the situation, and now went back to talking about their daily events and such. The teachers sat in their usual places. Miss Cackle in the middle, with Miss Hardbroom by her side. Then Miss Bat and Miss Drill seated at the ends. Everything seemed relatively normal, though Miss Hardbroom seemed a lot more stiff than usual, but that was no real cause for concern. Miss Cackle had been delighted on seeing Constance in a much happier state, and even relaxed in telling her so, in which Constance, gave an awkward smile. As was now, she was listening to Miss Bat explain the desperate need for more music. Miss Cackle was also amazed to see that Constance seemed to be genuinely listening.
"You see Miss Hardbroom, it is the lack of the music that makes these girls so glum!"
"Yes Davina, but if we were to allow them to bring their own music, it would end up distracting them from what they really need, which is an education!"
"But they already have half of that!" Miss Bat replied in her squeaky voice.
Miss Drill was talking to a first year girl. It seemed the girl was trying to tell her P.E. teacher that she had hurt her hand, or something of the sort. But Miss Drill insisted that the girl could still play basketball, or she could run laps for the lesson. This seemed to end the conversation quickly, which left Miss Drill to her dinner. Miss Cackle was glad to see that Penny had already begun to make friends with Miss Crow and Miss Hallow, and indeed Miss Nightfly, which pleased her very much.
"Those three are good girls." she thought to herself.

And indeed they were being good girls at that moment. Not thinking of any cunning plans or adventures. They were simply talking about school.
"So what was your old school like?" asked Prudence inquisitively.
"Well," began Penny. "It was a lot bigger than here and we had more classes. We didn't have PE or Chanting. But we did have Potions and Sorcery Studies. But we also had Magical Remedies and Switching. That was the only difference really. Oh, and you had to have a well known family to get in."
"That's not much of a basis." said Sybil, who had by this time forgiven Penny.
"Yeh. Of course you had to do a test to get in, but they have never accepted people that they didn't know. Mother worked for ages trying to convince them that I was good enough. I think they only
took me in because they were sick of her!"
"Anything else?" inquired Clarice.
"Oh, and we didn't have cats." replied Penny.
"Why not?"
"Well, we could have cats, but we were allowed to bring our own pets really."
"Wow, that's cool."
The conversation continued like this until finally the girls decided it would be alright to go to Penny's room.

When they were all safely inside the rooms comforting walls, and sitting on Penny's squeaky bed, Penny began to explain.
"So what happened after we left?" asked Clarice intently.
"Yeh what?" Sybil added sarcastically. She didn't really want to discuss this, it made her feel queasy.
"Nothing really." Penny replied ignoring Sybil's sarcasm. "I met up with mother, told her I was just going to the library and then went to bed." She didn't really want to explain. It didn't seem right to go blabbing about her mother's and hers fights. It was a little too private.
"Then what was that slam we heard?" asked Prudence.
"I don't know, propably someone closing a window." Penny replied. But when she said this, her eyes didn't meet their faces. But no one seemed to notice, except Sybil.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yes! I don't know anything!" Penny cried exasperately. But before Sybil could start again, the sound of a bell ringing for lights out, was heard below.
"Looks like it's time to go." said Prudence. She was really quite tired and needed some rest.
"True." replied Clarice, who wanted to go so she could read a little of her book before HB made her usual inspections. "Are you coming Sybil?" she asked, seeing as Sybil hadn't moved.
"Yeh," Sybil said in a bit of a huff. She knew tha Penny wasn't being truly honest with them. Why did the bell have to ring? But figuringshe could always ask her tomorrow, Sybil got up from the bed to stand next to Clarice.
"Alright then," said Prudence, stifling a yawn. "Night all!"
"Yeh, g'night Penny!" said Clarice turning to follow Prudence. Sybil nodded and she to, followed.
Finally, Penny was left all alone, sitting on her bed. She got up, changed into her pyjamas then took a quick drink of water. She then climbed under the covers of her bed and waited for her mother to make an appearance.

Miss Hardbroom walked along the corridors making her inspections. The first years seemed to be asleep already as she hear no sound and saw no light from under their doors. She then proceeded to the sleeping quarters of the second years. She was sure that she heard whispers, but didn't care to follow them up . She very much doubted if she would ever find the culprit of those whisperings. The third years only made the occassional sound of a grunt and a snore, other than that, it was silent. Finally, she came to the fourth years. It was quiet, though there were a few lights still shining from under doors. She found Clarice Crow reading, and quickly made sure the book had disappeared. She found Sybil Hallow fast asleep, being a very good girl.
"Just like her sister." Miss Harbroom said to herself, remembering Ethel, and how she strived academically. Second last was Prudence Nightfly. She, like Sybil, was also fast asleep, hidden from view by the covers fo her bed. But Miss Hardbroom knew the girl was asleep, as she could hear her heavy breathing. She realised that in a way, she was grateful to the three girls she had just inspected.
She had noticed how they had al made friends with her Penelope. She also realised that she had never really been grateful to a student, except maybe, that Mildred Hubble. Miss Hardbroom well remembered that troublesome little girl, who was in the end labled as being, "the worst witch". However, the girl had displayed an extrodinary talent. Now, she was leaning further into her magical career, attending Weirdsister College. Constance Hardbroom sighed. She had given the girl such a hard time, in a way she regretted being so harsh. In a way, she wished she could be nicer, and less strict. But it was her way of doing things. Finally, she came to the door which now read, "Penelope Hardbroom". Pushing sightly, she peered in.
It immediantly became apparent that the girl wasn't asleep. She was sitting straight up in bed, staring at the wall. However, she turned to face her mother as she entered and sat on her bed.
"Hello." she said.
"Hello," replied her mother. "How was your day?"
"Alright I suppose." Penny answered. "How about you?"
"A bit of trouble with the second years, but that's all."
The conversation didn't seem to be going anywhere. Constance sighed, stroking her daughters face. It was very strange to be thinking of this girl as her daughter, in the way that she never had before. She had always seen her as another pupil, wanting to be taught. But in a way, she had never really understood these things. But then, she remembered that she had. Long ago, before she had become a teacher. Before that, she was the one being taught. Then she realised that she never really learnt everything, she was still learning. Miss Hardbroom leaned back, and rested her hands on her daughter's face. And it was that nothing else was said that night between the pair. There Miss Hardbroom sat, stroking Penelope's face, like she had done so when the girl was still so very young. It was not until the late hours of the night, that Constance finally crept away, leaving her daughter in a peaceful slumber.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

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Book-07

SumOneFromSumwhereInSomeWorld
My fanfic! Please Read!
Mon May 5 03:29:34 2003
202.154.67.4

This is a fan fic I am writing. It's really crap, and you will find out why if you read it! Okay-I was just toying with the idea that Miss Hardbroom could have a kid. Hey if Miss Cat will let me, maybe she could put up the fininshed version in the fanfic part! Anywys.....

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters blah blah blah blah and I am certainly NOT reciving any profit. Alright, here it is.....(havent thought up a title yet, oh and I'm doing it a section at a time, really depends on your response)

"C'mon Sybil, cheer up. There's no need to be so upset!"Clarice Crow rubbed her friends back uncertainly. When Sybil started crying, there was usually no way to stop her.
"Oh-but-but...Ethel-she's so much better than me at being a witch!"Sybil cried between sobs of hysteria." She's just won another award of some kind! How- how am I ever going-to match up to her?" Sybil started on a fresh bucket of tears.
"Oh Sybil. You are much better than Ethel! She's the evil sister! You know what she did to Mildred! You are much better than her!" Clarice patted her arm comfortingly. "Anyway, it would be best to dry up those tears, we have Potions in five minutes." Sybil looked up at Clarice with big, puffy red eyes.
"Ethel was always top of the class in Potions!" but before she could start of a fresh set of tears, Clarice grabbed her hand and quickly led her out of her bedroom.

* * * * * * * * * * *
Five minutes later, Clarice and Sybil were sitting in class. Miss Hardbroom was droning on about something like bats wings and how to stew them properley, but Clarice and Sybil weren't listening. The outdoors looked so enticing, when you were just sitting in Potions listening to your teacher blab on. The first years were playing volleyball with Miss Drill. A girl had fallen over and hurt her knee and was now being attended to. Clarice and Sybil knew though, that the girls injury wouldn't get her out of playing volleyball. Miss Drill was relentless. They were both just wondering if Miss Drill knew that there was a volleyball stuck in a tree, when they saw somthing that caught their eye immediantly. A dark shape had appeared against the clouds and it seemed to be heading towards Cackles. As the shape drew closer, Clarice and Sybil both realised that it was someone on a broomstick.
"MISS HALLOW AND MISS CROW! WILL YOU PLEASE PAY ATTENTION!" Miss hardbrooms voice pierced the classroom air. Both the girls snapped their heads around to see a fuming HB standing infront of their desk.
"And what may I ask, is so intresting outside that makes you NOT PAY ATTENTION!" HB stood decisevly waiting for an answer.
"Please miss," Clarice spoke up, seeing as Sybil was very close to tears again."there is someone landing in the courtyard, on a broomstick miss." Clarice desperately hoped that HB would have a look. To her relief, she did and peered out the window.
"Well, whoever it is better have an explanation, there aren't supposed to be any visitors during the term." Miss Hardbroom turned on her heels. "Please follow me class, I'm not leaving you here to find the classroom in a tip when I return. Quickly!" There was scraping of chairs and the fourth year girls of Cackles Academy followed their teacher out the door, wondering who is that person in the courtyard, what are they doing her and why would they give up their time to come to Cackles Academy School for Young Witches?

* * * * * * * * * * *

 

SumOneFromSumwhereInSomeWorld
My fanfic! Please Read! 2
Mon May 5 19:20:46 2003
202.154.67.4

When the class got there they saw something that shouldn't have suprised them, but did seeing as it was mid-first term. Standing in the courtyard was a girl. However, this girl was not one that the pupils of Cackles would know about. She was dressed in a school uniform that was very creased and crinkled. She was wearing a light blue dress that was covered in dirt, a navy blue tie that hung loosley around her neck and black school shoes that were covered in mud. The girls blonde hair was scrunched messily into a bun and it looked, without a doubt, that she had been flying for days on end. However, if that was the case, the girls posture certainly didn't show it. She sat high on her broom like an elegant swan, out of reach from anyone that stood on the ground, which was obviously to Miss Drills anguish. She was jumping up and down trying to reach the girl, but was failing effortlessly. Everytime she jumped the girl would rise slightly higher, as to keep out of reaches way. Clarice and Sybil smiled. They would have to remind Miss Drill of this occasion everytime she told them to jump higher when doing their daily excercises! They then became aware that Miss Hardbroom had pushed her way to the front of the crowd, but the look on HBs face was one that they had never seen before. It was mixed with so much emotion. Her face was white as stone, yet she seemed absolutely furious. Her brown eyes were wide with suprise, Clarice and Sybil could tell that this girl was the last person that HB was expecting. Then the teacher that everybody feared spoke up in a voice that was full of anguish,suprise and anger.
"Young miss you will get of that broom this instance!" HBs voice was shaking and very hoarse. The girl looked across to see this teacher and slowly touched the ground. Hardbroom walked straight up to the girl, grabbed her arm and pulled her sharply across the courtyard. The girl followed after, stumbling along behind, which was the last thing that everyone expected. Before entering the door of the academy Miss Hardbroom turned sharply around and yelled, "Everyone from my class is to stay here! Anyone not to do so will find themselves cleaning up after ever lesson for the rest of the year!" and with that she flung the girl inside and slammed the door. Sybil turned around to look at Clarice. They had never seen Miss Hardbroom act like that before, never. The courtyard was filled with silence. But not for long, moments later the audience below heard the sound of a heavy door being opened, then closed. Then voices were heard shouting from a room, that could only be Miss Hardbrooms office.
"WHAT MAY I ASK ARE YOU DOING HERE???" Shouted Miss Hardbroom.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK??" another voice was heard answering back, which could only be the girls'.
"WHY AREN'T YOU AT SCHOOL???"
"WHY DO YOU THINK? MAYBE ITS BECAUSE I HATE IT THERE!!!!"
"MARIONS IS THE BEST WITCHING SCHOOL IN THE WHOLE OF EUROPE ! I WORKED HARD FOR YOU TO GET INTO THAT SCHOOL! YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL !"
"GRATEFUL ! GRATEFUL FOR WHAT EXACTLY? GRATEFUL THAT MY MOTHER HATES ME SO MUCH THAT SHE HAS TO SEND ME TO BOARDING SCHOOL? GRATEFUL THAT SHE NEVER REPLIES TO MY PLEAS THAT I WANT TO COME HOME? GRATEFUL THAT MY MOTHER CANT EVEN LOOK AT ME WITHOUT FLINCHING? IS THAT WHAT I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR?"
Then suddenly there was silence everywhere. All Clarice and Sybil could hear was the breathing of the students around them. Had they just heard what they thought they heard? Again the shouting started, but this time is was a single voice.
"I SENT THOUSANDS OF LETTERS HOME, YOU NEVER ANSWERED A SINGLE ONE ! THOUGH I AM NOT SURE THAT I SHOULD EVEN HAVE BOTHERED. YOU WERE PROPABLY TO BUSY ! JUST LIKE YOU ALWAYS ARE !"
Then Miss Hardbrooms voice floated down, it was shaking and she sounded very hoarse.
"How did you get away from school? Surely, they must be searching for you."
"They wont be, they have too many other students to worry about."
Then, the audience down below then heard a door opening and a voice that they didn't expect.
"Constance, are you alright? I heard yelling and shouting. Who is this young lady.....oh. Hello Penny."
"Hello Miss Cackle."
"Constance, I think you and your daughter need to come to my office."
"Yes headmistress, we will be there in a moment."
"I think now would be relevant, please dears, follow me."
The audience below heard the heavy door of Miss Hardbrooms office close. No one spoke or uttered a sound. Clarice's mind was racing and Sybil's stomach was turning. Eventually, a scatter of whispers broke out. They got louder and louder until eventually the courtyard of Cackles Academy errupted with ammulent chatter. That was until a shrill blast silenced everybody. Clarice and Sybil turned to see Miss Drill standing with her whistle in her mouth, obviously shocked as everyone else. Finally she spoke.
"Everyone will please return to their bedrooms! You are all obviously shocked and suprised about what you have just heard, but please, let's not spread rumors." Miss Drill started to push through the crowd.
"I am going to see Miss Bat at once, off you go. To your rooms at once." Slowly, the crowd of people began to move, but not without chatter. Clarice and Sybil were among those.
"Miss Hardbroom has a daughter?" questioned Sybil as the crowd moved along.
"Looks like it dosn't it? But how?" Clariced asked under her breath. Everyone at Cackles knew that Miss Hardbroom hated the male race, but then again no one ever asked why. How? was the question on everyones mind. How could Miss Hardbroom, the most feared teacher in the whole of Cackles have a daughter? Clarice and Sybil kept this question in their minds until they reached Sybils bedroom. Clarice couldn't keep the question to herself any longer.
"How?How?How?How?"she began"How in the whole entire world, could Miss Hardbroom have a daughter? It is totally unreasonable! It not true! It cant be true!" but they both knew that what they had heard wasn't set up. It had all been real.
"My god, "said Sybil"the poor girl! Imagine having to live with HB! I mean, to actually live with her! The girl must be scarred! For life!" Clarice nodded, but absentmindedly. The past events still burned on her brain, as it did with Sybil. Miss Hardbroom or HB, the most feared, scariest and hated teacher in the whole of the school and propably in the whole of Europe, had a daughter.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 

SumOneFromSumwhereInSomeWorld
My fanfic! Please Read! 3
Wed May 7 03:11:25 2003
202.154.67.4

Meanwhile, the people that were responsible for setting the school into a wild fire of gossip, sat in the thick wooden chairs of Miss Cackles office. The two occupants of the seats were both thoroughly distressed, especially the woman. She was sitting in her chair, with a back as straight as a ruler. Her brown hair was tied tightly back into a very tight bun, though a few loose hairs dared to poke out. She had brown eyes to match her hair. They flickered around the room, as if the woman, Miss Hardbroom was expecting someone to burst in at any moment. She was also breathing very heavily. Her nostrils flared everytime she took a breath, in went the air with a WHOOSH! And out it came with a WHOOSH! The girl next to her also shared the posture of a ruler, though she looked a lot more relaxed. Unlike Miss Hardbroom though, this girl had blonde hair and it certainly wasn't tied back neatly. Piled on top of her head, it looked as though she had done her hairstyle over and over again, but never combed it or used a brush. Half of it fell around her face, hiding it from view, but what you could see was a pair of deep blue eyes. Unlike the woman beside her, Penelope's eyes were calm. She didn't really care what happened to her now, it didn't really matter, nothing could be worse then going back.........
Amelia Cackle removed her face from her hands to look at the two people sitting in front of her. If asked on first glance, if they were mother and daughter, she would immediantly said no. But when she looked at the pair more closely, she could see certain simalarities. They both held themselves like swans, even if they were very stiff swans. Maybe she could relate them to stuffed swans......
"Headmistress, I..."
"Sssssh Constance, there is no need for you to start explaining what happened."
Slowly, the witch that had seen many a summer turned to the young girl who now had her head bowed down.
"I will leave that up to this young lady here. Now, Penelope dear, I wont ask you to explain what happened just then, but why you choses to come here, and how you came here. Would you be able to do that for me?" Asked Miss Cackle softly.
"Yes." she croaked in reply.
"That's a good girl. Will you start from the beginning?"
The young girl nodded. Taking a deep breath she began to explain.
"It started at Marion's. I never wanted to go there in the first place, but she made me."
Miss Hardbroom opened her mouth, as if to speak, but Miss Cackle got there first.
"Let's hear it to the end Constance. Go on dear." she said nodding towards Penelope.
"I sent countless letters to her, begging to take me home, I wanted to leave but she never came to take me away."
"Why did you want to leave?" asked Miss Cackle.
"Because everybody there was a stuck-up snob. All they ever did was talk to you about there achievements. If you didn't come from a well-off family, you were shunted aside. Eventually, I got sick of it all. I packed my things and came here."
Miss Cackle nodded, slowly sucking her teeth. She could easily see that the girl was missing out on parental guidance, but what was she to do with her? Constance was obviously thinking of sending her back to that-school, but she was unsure if that would work. The girl knew she could easily get away from the school, what was going to stop her from escaping everytime she was taken back. She would also be wasting a valuable education. Amelia knew the girl was extremely smart, and followed closely in the way of her mothers IQ. Maybe-no it wouldn't work......however.
"Constance, would it be proposable, to let your daughter stay here, at the academy and get her education here?" asked Miss Cackle.
"Well-I never....I don't-think....." Hiss Hardbroom stammered. Penelope however looked delighted.
"Oh would you Miss Cackle? Will you let me?"
"Well dear, I see no other solution. If we send you back, there is no stopping you from running away again. Then we would keep repeating the process, and you my dear would be losing out on a valuable education." Miss Cackle said smiling."But it really depends on your mother. Constance," she said turning her attention to the stuttering teacher, that was usually so composed. " Would it be alright to let her stay?" On recieving no answer, she continued. "It would be best." Then Miss Hardbroom, jerked her head up and down, nodding yes.
"Oooooh, yes! Yes!Yes!" Penelope jumped up and down."Thankyou! Thankyou!" She jumped over to Miss Cackle and gave her a great big hug, then jumped back again and kissed her mother on the cheek. At this Amelia was sure that she had seen a glimmer of a smile on Constance's face.
"However," Miss Hardbroom snapped, Penelope's smile faded a little. "You better study hard my girl!"
Penny's smile returned, and remarkably, so did Miss Hardbroom's-a little. Suddenly, as if regaining composure, Miss Constance Hardbroom straightened up. "I suggest we go get you things and take them to a room, we can organize your school papers later." With that she started to walk towards the door.
"Well! Are you coming!"
Pnenlope grinned. But just before leaving with her mother, she quickly turned around to face Miss Cackle. She clasped her hands together, as if about to pray, then mouthed the words. "Thankyou!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


 

SumOneFromSumwhereInSomeWorld
My fanfic! Please Read! 4
Thu May 8 02:49:58 2003
202.154.67.4

((Well I tried to make the girl seem really different from HB, but still in a way, the same. Coz I thought that it would be quite boring to have a daughter that was exactly like HB, that would be like making Ethel Hallow in a way. So I made someone completely different))

Sybil and Clarice sat at the dinner table, still talking about that day's events.
"I still can't believe it." announced Sybil, sitting at her chair in total shock.
"Believe it then." answered Clarice, shoving a mouthful of pasta into her mouth. She was soooo glad that the eating habits of Cackle's Academy had been finally changed.
" I heard that Miss Hardbroom adopted her when she found out that she needed to make a family to stay on this earth, because she is actually an alien." whispered their friend, Prudence Gibblett, another fourth year.
"Yes, well I think that Prudence better keep her theories to herself, as Miss Hardbroom has just arrived, and she has brought her special guest." warned Clarice. It seemed she wasn't the only who had noticed the pairs entrance. Nearly everyone in the hall was standing on their chairs, trying to catch another glimpse at the girl, who was now dressed neatly in their school uniform. Miss Cackle noticed this and abrruptly stood up, which in turn made everyone sit down. Miss Cackle cleared her throat.
"Now as most of you will already have heard," began Miss Cackle, knowing full well that everyone had heard. "We had an unexpected guest arrive this morning." chatter began to break out.
"Quiet please." cried Miss Hardbroom, she was standing up with her hand on Penelope's shoulder. The chatter stopped immediantly.
"Thankyou Constance. Now, as you know we have a guest, well we did. But not anymore, because our guest is now a student here at the Academy." Miss Cackle informed them. There was silence all around. Miss Cackle continued uncertainly. "Please make her feel welcome, come here Penelope dear."
Motioning her towards the front the teachers dining table, Miss Cackle spoke again. "Now as I said before, I want you to all make her feel welcome, and please, no asking silly questions. That's all." Penelope turned as if to run back to her bedroom, but Miss Cackle got there first, "Come dear, you can sit at a table with....." Miss Cackle looked around and saw Clarice and Sybil, who looked up in return. "Over there dear." Miss Cackle pushed her forward. Clarice and Sybil stared. Miss Cackle however didn't see this.
"Girls, I am appointing you to take care of this girl. Show her around the school and such..." Miss Cackle gave Penny a quick pat on the shoulder, then returned to the teachers table.
"Um, hello." the young girl said meekly. But Clarice and Sybil still stared.
"Can I, um, sit here?" she asked. Clarice and Sybil still stared, that was, until Prudence lent over and gave them a flick in the arm.
"Ow! Oh, yeh....sure." replied Clarice slowly rubbing her arm. "Um, what's your name?" she asked trying to make up for lost time.
"Um, Penelope. But I guess you already know my last name!" she said giving a weak smile.
"Your related to HB?" blurted out Sybil. Both Prudence and Clarice gave her a funny look, but Penelope look relieved in a way.
"Yeh, pity me dont ya?" she said jokingly. "So what are your names?"
"Well, I'm Clarice, Clarice Crow, and these are my friends Prudence Nightfly and Sybil Hallow."
"Hello," Penny said smiling. "Sybil Hallow, eh? Are you Ethel's sister?"
"Yes." Sybil said quietly. "I bet you know her for all her great achievments."
"Achievements? From what I hear, she's horrible!" Sybil looked ready to cry again, remembering the times she had hurt Mildred Hubble after following one of Ethel's dissasterous plans.
"Oh, and terribly maniplutive!" Penny said quickly, fearing she had said the wrong thing. It didn't seem to work though, Sybil's lip was starting to quiver.
"So," said Penny, quickly changing the subject. "I guess my mother and I are the gossip subject of the school."
"Aaaaah....I'm afraid so." Clarice said slowly. She didn't want to upset the girl. But Penny seemed to understand.
"Don't worry, I'm not feeling delicate!" she gave a small laugh. "I guess you were thinking of the way that I just blew up in the courtyard this morning." Clarice, Prudence and Sybil (sniffing slightly) nodded truthfully.
"It's just..." Prudence began. "Miss Hardbroom is the last person we ever expected to have a kid. I mean a kid like-us."
Penny smiled, and it was a smile that came from the depths of her heart.
"Thanks." she said. "At my old school I was treated differently because I wasn't like everyone there. But my mother being the evil witch she is, wouldn't come take me home. So I came myself!" Everyone listening nodded. Prudence leant over the table slowly, and beckoned Penny to come close enough so she could just whisper.
"So is your mother really an alien?"
Penny grinned.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

SumOneFromSumwhereInSomeWorld
My fanfic! Please Read! 5
Sat May 10 06:51:32 2003
202.154.67.4

((I havent written all of the story yet though....and waht's an author's pseudonym? ))

Miss Hardbroom poked at her pasta. The hall had long ago emptied of it's students. Now, only the teachers remained, Miss Bat and Miss Drill included. However, unlike usual nights, nobody spoke. They all just sat there, prodding their pasta. Well, they did so until Miss Tapioca came along.
"Tutututut," she said tutting her tongue. "Usually, my pasta is gone when I come to collect the dishes. Why all these long faces?" But maybe, Miss Tapioca shouldn't have used that expression.
Miss Hardbroom certainly had a long face, it was gaunt and seemed paler then usual. Miss Cackle's face, however, was full of anxiety. She had never seen Constance act so, how could she describe it-depressed. Miss Drill didn't look sad or axious. However, she did look quite tired. She had spent all day pouncing on people because they were spreading rumors. It had taken nearly the whole lesson to tell her class to be quiet. Ordinarily, it was quite the contrary. The girls were usually so dismal. But today had been different. Miss Bat was the only one, sitting at the table, that didn't join in with her colleagues glum
antics. In fact, she was bouncing around in her chair. It was so exciting! A new member for the choir! Miss Bat had to stop bouncing for a while though, just so she could lick the remnants of pasta that were stuck to the end of her baton. Miss Tapioca cleared the plates and walked off again, tutting her tongue as she did so. Miss Drill had really had enough.
'' Well," she announced as she stood up. "I am going to bed. Goodnight everyone!" With that, she departed. Miss Bat quickly repeated Miss Drill's actions, though this time the excuse was.
"Must go prepare for my next class. This is so exciting!" and with a squeak Miss Bat had scuttled away.
Miss Cackle turned towards Miss Hardbroom.
"Well Constance, looks like it's just you and me."
HB nodded slowly then turned to face Miss Cackle.
"Amelia, do you think I've been a bad mother?"
Miss Cackle was quite in shock. Constance rarely adressed her by her first name, not that Miss Cackle minded of course.
"Constance, I can't really judge you right now." said Miss Cackle slowly. "Emotions are running too high at the moment. Also, I don't have any children myself, so I don't know what it is like, Really, Constance, I'm not the one for you to ask that." Rubbing and her eyes and giving a yawn, Miss Cackle turned to face her colleague on last time before departing for bed. "Goodnight Constance, I hope you sleep well. With that she left, leaving Miss Hardbroom to ponder in her thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, Prudence, Penelope,Clarice and Sybil were all sitting in Penelope's room doing......nothing. Having unpacked all her things, Penny had sent out pleas to the other girls to come help her decorate her room. On arrival, the girls had to give her the very sad news.
"We can't decorate your room, it's not allowed."
"What!"
"Even if you did decorate it, HB has a night patrol. If she came into your room, you'd get a floundering."
So now they all sat together,wondering what to do next. It was an hour until lights out, and the girls had nothing to do.
"I'm bored." said Clarice.
"Join the club." replied Sybil.
"Yeh, we can all join together, become goths and wreak havoc on the school." muttered Penny glumly.
The other three girls stared.
"Hey, it was only an idea!" Penny said smiling mischievously. Still the four girls remained sitting on the bed, bored.
"Hey, Penny, can I ask you something?" asked Prudence suddenly. Penny nodded as the three girls listened intently.
"Who's your father?" she asked quietly. Penny smiled, she was glad that someone had the courage to ask.
"Robert James." she replied.
"Never heard of him." said Sybil.
"I don't think you would, he's just a normal human being, no magic whatsoever!" The three girls, that had been so bored just a few seconds ago, now sat there with their jaws wide open.
"Non-magic?"
Penny looked suprised in a way.
"Yeh, what's wrong with that?" she asked.
The girls didn't answer.
"WHAT!" she asked intently.
"Well-it's-it's just-just that..." Sybil began to stutter.
"Your mother hates the male race!" Prudence burst out. But Penny gave a grin.
"I know!" she said laughing.
"Then how.....?" asked Clarence.
"Well you know Clarence, we will start at the beginning." Penny said mischievously. "There is a thing called the brids and the bees....."
"NO!" Clarence cried, laughing. "I meant....."
"Yeh, yeh. I get what you mean!" she replied, laughing herself. "Well, apparently, my mum and dad met before mum had finished her "magical education". He didn't know she was a witch, I don't think she ever told him! They fell "in love" then out of it, then in, then out, over and over again. Finally, it was the end of the relationship. But mum didn't know she was....you know. Good thing was she had finished her education before they split up. By the time she had me, she also had a secure job here. So that's that really."
Clarice, Sybil and Prudence all nodded. In the end, it was just another split up family. Penny noticed their solemn faces.
"She propably put an illusionary spell on him or something!" she said jokingly. There was a half-hearted laugh in reply, but Penny didn't realise. A wide smile had just errupted on her face.
"What's up?" asked Clarice curiously.
"I have just had a great idea!" Penny answered smiling slyly.
"Where's the library?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 

SumOneFromSumwhereInSomeWorld
IT'S HERE!
Wed May 14 03:03:30 2003
202.154.67.4

((I've finally written enough to put in a post, so here it is......))

Amelia Cackle sat on her bed, in her nightie, but did nothing. She just sat, pondering her thoughts. She munched, though on nothing, though she didn't realise. She just sat there, munching . As she did so, she made little noises. She made a "hmmmmm" then a "mmmmmm" and it went like this for a matter of minutes until she realised that it was far past her bedtime.
"Oh dear! 11'O clock, time certainly flies!" she said to herself, and in a way not realising there was no class in front of her. However, she lifted the sheets off her bed and snuggled inside. But unlike what she wanted to do, which was fall asleep, she remained awake, still pondering her thoughts. Soon her tummy began to rumble, and she wondered how long it had been since her meeting with Constance. She hadn't eaten since that peculiar time, and she quite felt that she needed something to nibble on.
"Mmmmm," she thought to herself. "Cheese."

It was at the exact moment, at which Miss Cackle said "Cheese." that Constance Hardbroom let out a long sigh. Her feet were feeling very cold, and her toes were feeling very knobbly. Unlike her usual, strictly organized self, she had managed to mislay her slippers. Her long, brown hair hung loosely down her back. It was so long it almost seemed to reach her thighs, and it would have, if she didn't cut off the split ends every month. Miss Hardbroom quickly flung her hair to the side of her face and sat down on her bed. As she did so, the springs let out anonymous squeaks and groans, but it went unoticed.
There sat the teacher, stiff as a brick. Quite a few minutes passed, until she was snapped out of her little world. There had been a noise, just outside her room, the noise of scuttling feet and creaking doors.
"Students out of bed, no doubt!" she thought severely. Quickly she stood up and was about to open her door, when she thought against it.
"Propably Amelia getting something to eat." she thought to herself. She knew quite well that Miss Cackle's fetish for cheese didn't stop simply when she was full! Suddenly, Miss Hardbroom snapped up her head. There were more noises, more scuttling. What if it wasn't Miss Cackle? What if it was students?
"I better check just in case....." she thought to herself.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Clarice jostled around her bedroom. She couldn't find her other sock, quite to her annoyance.
"Drat!" she cried, but in her head of course. She was trying to make as least noise as possible. If HB caught them.....Clarice's ran over their plan in her head.

"We can all meet at 11 O'clock sharp, then sneak into the library." Penny had said.
"But why do we have to do it in the middle of the night?" asked Sybil. Penny replied in an exasperated voice.
"Because the book I'm planning to use isn't in the public section."

Clarice looked at the old clock on her wall. It was nearly 11 O'clock.
"Ooooh, I hope they haven't forgotten!" she muttered silently. A loud creak made her jump. She whizzed around.
"Sybil!" she hissed. "Don't make so much noise! You'll wake everyone up!"
"Sorry." Sybil replied, and it was as if she was about to moan, but then she thought the better of it.
Suddenly, another face appeared at the door.
"Alright Clarice?" it whispered.
"Yeh, fine. Is Prudence with you?" Clarice asked, still whispering.
"Yep."
"Good."
"Are we going yet?" asked Sybil impatiently, but unlike the others, she didn't bother to keep her voice down.
"Sybil!" they all hushed.
"Sorry." she replied mournfully.
"So are we all set?" Penny stepped into Clarice's view.
"Yep!" Everyone else chorused.
"Great!" Penny whispered with a smile. But it moments later it vanished. Penny quickly whipped a finger to her lips.
"Ssssh, I think I hear someone coming!" she hissed. With that everyone tried to clamber through the doorway.
"Get a move on Sybil!"
"I'm not Sybil! She is!"
"Just hurry up and get out of sight!"
The footsteps grew louder as the girls tried to cover themselves with diguises. Clarice jumped back into bed and pulled the covers right over her head. Sybil dived behind the door, Prudence squeezed in the cupboard and Penny quickly clambered onto the window ledge and hid behind the curtains. Then all of them held their breaths as they heard the footsteps grew louder, and louder, and louder.
"Oh god, it's HB on her night patrol!" moaned Sybil.
"Sybil!"
"Sorry."
But to their relief, it wasn't their dreaded teacher (and mother). Of course, it was Miss Cackle, but they didn't know that.
"Can't be HB." whipered Prudence from inside the cupboard. "She'd be as quiet as a mouse, so she could spring in on us!"
"I think your right Pru!" answered Clarice from under her covers.
"I think it's allright to come out now." said Penny.
"Ohhhhh...."Sybil moaned.
"What is it Sybil?" asked Clarice, a bit annoyed.
"What if HB had caught us! What if-?"
"It wasn't HB, then we have nothing to worry about." answered Prudence quickly. Everyone (except Sybil) nodded in agreement.
"Well then, are we going?" asked Penny. Another nodd, and with that, the four girls set out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Cackle lifted tins and cans, saucepans and bowls, but alas, she could not find any cheese. At this point she was becoming fairly distressed. Her tummy had an awful pain, which usually came from not having enough to eat, or doing more excercise than usual, and indeed, she had done both.
"Blast!" she thought angrily. She only wanted a little bit of cheese. Well, maybe more than alot. Exhausted, Miss Cackle sat down on a chair. She "hummmphed" and "hummmmphed" but no cheese appeared in front of her. It was as she let out a long sigh that she realised she was not alone. As she peered into the darkness, she saw a figure moving around in the dark.
"Hmmmm." she muttered to herself. She got up out of her seat, and moved closer to it. She was about to tap it on the shoulder, when it suddenly turned.
"Constance!"
"Headmistress!"
There were a few seconds of confusion, before both women settled down.
"Constance dear! What ever, are you doing down here?" asked Miss Cackle.
"I was about to ask the same question!" replied Constance wide eyed.
But Miss Cackle smiled. Constance was back to calling her "headmistress", although, she had quite liked her calling her "Amelia". But it was not the topic to discuss right now.
"I heard shuffling and voices in the hallway earlier." Miss Hardbroom explained. "I thought it might be pupils out of bed, so I came ot investigate."
"Well, Constance dear, it was only me." replied Miss Cackle with a very warm smile. "Now, do you know anything aboutthese kitchens? I came down to look for some cheese....."
Miss Hardbroom pointed to a shelf where, sure as the hair on Miss Cackle's head, there was a tin labelled "CHEESE".
"Aaaah, thankyou Constance."
But it seemed as if she hadn't heard her. Miss Hardbroom sat down in Miss Cackles seat, and placed her head in her hands. Miss Cackle knew that her colleague was feeling glum, but she had no idea about what to say. But still......
"Constance, you shouldn't tear yourself up like this!" said Miss Cackle, patting her on the back as she sat down in the seat next to her. But Constance Hardbroom just stared into space. Realising that there was nothing she could do, Miss Cackle proceeded to open the tin of cheese. Much to her disappointment though, there was only a small lump right at the bottom, not even a mouthful. But sighing, the wise old witch reached into the tin and pulled it out.
"Anyway, something is better than nothing!" she thought miserably to herself. She had jsut begun to nibble when she realised that Constance was no longer sitting with her face in her hands. It was quite the opposite now. She sat up , stiff as a brick, with her eyes alert and flickering around the room.
"Whatever is the matter Constance?" asked Miss Cackle curiously.
"I swear I just heard voices." seh replied whispering. Miss Cackle nodded and was about to go back to her cheese, but Miss Hardbroom quickly got up and started to walk away.
"Aaaaah," said Miss Cackle to herself. She shoved the lid over the tin, quickly shoved in back onto the shelf and followed after her colleague, but still munching on that bit of cheese.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

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Book-07

Jitske´s Poem about Miss Hardbroom

Hardbroom the strict potions teacher
Who was always dressed in black,
Could scare pupils like no other
And of spells she had no lack


By dissappearing and appearing
Which Hardbroom could do at will,
She could spy upon her pupils
And often catched our poor, poor Mill


When she had again found Mill in trouble
Which of course ‘wasn’t her fault’
HB would rarely believe her
And always knocked poor Millie cold


Then she threatened little Millie
Told her she would be expelled
Well, what she did I’d not call telling
Let’s just softly say she yelled



Mildred would be send to Cackle
Hardbroom hoped she’d finally be gone
But Cackle trusted Mildred Hubble,
They had a word and it was done



Mildred would walk out of the office
Hardbroom would stare very mean
Like she wished she had dear Millie
Never, ever, ever seen


Mildred would be really sad then
Would think she’d never make it as a witch
But this is where Maud comes ‘round the corner
She’d say something that would make Millie switch


By this view it looks like HB hates poor Mildred
Luckely this is not the case
HB knows Mill, too has her strong points
If she’d only tie that lace!


The small things annoyed Miss Hardbroom
And the trouble Millie brought about
Mildred, at her turn, took offence
At Hardbroom always yelling very loud

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