It was the first day of summer term at Cackle's Academy. In the staffroom, Miss Cackle was trying to ignore the usual bickering and antics of her staff. They had only been back a matter of hours and there was already fighting and arguments between Miss Hardbroom and Miss Bat and Miss Drill. Since the visit to Hogwarts School last term, Miss Bat and Miss Drill had been going on at Miss Hardbroom about Severus Snape, Hogwarts' potion teacher whom Miss Hardbroom had gotten on very very well with. "Ladies, please," said Miss Cackle "is there any chance you can be quiet for a while?"

"No." Said Miss Hardbroom, and she went back to insulting Miss Bat and Miss Drill.

Miss Cackle felt like banging her head in frustration, but she was interrupted by a loud thud at the window, followed by a scrabbling of talons on glass. "Dumbledore's reply!" said Miss Cackle. She let the owl in, and untied the roll of parchment from its leg.

"Why can't they just use normal post like everyone else?" asked Miss Hardbroom.

"Haven't you asked Severus that?" said Miss Drill. Miss Hardbroom glared at her.

"Dumbledore says he will visit next week, with a group of students, and Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape are coming with them." Said Miss Cackle, reading the letter. Seeing the look on Miss Hardbroom's face at the mention of Snape, Miss Bat began: "Constance and Severus, sit-"

Miss Hardbroom looked like she was about to explode. Miss Bat dived into the staffroom cupboard just in time to avoid being zapped.

On the day that the Hogwarts visitors were expected, Mildred Hubble, Maud moonshine and Enid nightshade were hurrying to class when they heard a knock on the front door.

The door opened to reveal Merlin and Charlie, followed by Baz and Gaz, the bullying wizard apprentices, and Egbert Hellebore and Algernon Rowan-Webb. Just then Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom showed up. We didn't invite them, did we?" asked Miss Hardbroom.

They explained to the wizards that they were expecting guests from Hogwarts. "Oh, how exciting!" said Algernon. "Can we stay as well?"

"Algie!" groaned Hellebore.

Later, the Hogwarts guests arrived as expected, and that evening everyone had dinner in the hall, including Hellebore, Algernon, and the wizard apprentices. Miss Cackle had managed to get Miss Bat and Miss Drill to sit at the other end of the staff table from Miss Hardbroom, so that there might be some chance of a peaceful dinner.

Snape was sitting next to Miss Hardbroom, who was telling him about what a nuisance Miss Bat and Miss Drill were being. Snape told her that certain teachers at Hogwarts wouldn't leave him alone-not to mention the students.

The students were having a great time catching up with their Hogwarts and Camelot College friends. Mildred, Maud and Enid were catching up with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Merlin, and Charlie. Ethel was talking to Malfoy, and Fenella and Griselda were pleased to see Fred and George Weasley.

Up at the staff table, Miss Cackle soon discovered a flaw in her seating arrangement. While Miss Hardbroom was suffiently separated from Miss Bat and Miss Drill, Miss Cackle found herself between Hellebore and Algernon; Hellebore was annoyed with Algernon, Algernon was hyper-excited, and neither of them would stop talking. As she tried to ignore them (as well as Miss Hardbroom, who was yelling at someone), Miss Cackle wondered if she would get any peace at all this term.