Bindweed paced up and down the dank, dark and stinking dungeon, every step succeeding in making her more and more nervous as she fretted. She and Coldstone had been down here for hours, they'd heard nothing except what they'd heard from Agatha when they flew in last night. The news that that little bitch that had foiled them the last time had been dealt with had been music to their ears. Hopefully, before she left the school, she and Coldstone could….do something with her.

Since they'd been unfrozen, the Witches Code had stopped Agatha, Betty and Millicent from breaking into Cackle's academy, but that didn't mean they couldn't dream about making Mildred Hubble regret her crime of interfering in Agatha's plan.

With their plan so close to success the last thing they needed was too actually lose their way now, all because of a simple delay.

" She's late," Bindweed fretted. Coldstone, who was used to Agatha's bad points, was more relaxed.

Coldstone seemed indifferent, " What do you expect ?"

Bindweed was still fretting, and her friend was making her nerves worse, " She may have been discovered."

That was true enough, Coldstone relented. Agatha and Amelia Cackle were identical physically, but their personalities were far from similar. Both witches were powerful, both incredibly knowledgeable about various matters and magical arts, but Agatha liked to talk and boast about her plans. Coldstone wouldn't be surprised in the least if Agatha had already made everyone suspicious. Whilst Coldstone was delighted by the news Hubble had been locked away, she was worried that Agatha had gone too far, something Coldstone had started to truly hate about Agatha.

Bindweed, on the other hand, didn't know Agatha well. But Coldstone had. Millicent knew Agatha's strengths and weaknesses, and knew without a shadow of a doubt that something had happened. Like her compatriot, Coldstone was concerned, but she thought nothing of it.

Coldstone snorted, " No, her disguise is too good. She's just unreliable, that's Agatha's problem."

As Coldstone expected, Bindweed was startled, " What're you saying ? Don't you trust her anymore ?"

Trust her ? Coldstone almost laughed, " No, I don't, not after the last time when we were brought down to size by that brat !" Coldstone spat in disgust at the very thought of Mildred Hubble. The very thought that a girl, a girl, from a non magical family, of all things, defeating a Coldstone, a Bindweed and a Cackle….it was beyond humiliating !

Bindweed caught onto something Coldstone had hinted. Millicent was stunned that Bindweed would be so smart and able to actually see the possibilities. But then again both witches were opportunists.

" Once we've taken control there'll be no holding back. We'll be so powerful we can do anything we like," Bindweed spoke with a fanatical note in her voice that Coldstone recognised, she felt the same way. Old schools, like Cackles and Hogwarts, were full of old magic, incredible wealth of power and glory. That was the reasoning behind the plans to take over Cackles.

Coldstone cackled, no pun intended, " And Agatha wont be able to do anything to stop us !"

The two witches cackled loudly, madly,…..when Agatha walked in, both witches stopped. How long had she been there ? If she'd heard anything…..

" Afternoon ladies," Agatha greeted in that eerie and drawn out voice of hers, her eyes behind her glasses made her look like she was a fish. If she'd heard the conversation she gave no sign.

Both witches stopped their conversation, fake smiles on their faces, " Hello Agatha," they both said together.

" How're we all today ? Ready for a little….takeover ?" Agatha asked, her voice drawing out the syllables of the last word of that question as she placed her lantern on a handle.

" Always Agatha," Bindweed said eagerly.

Coldstone laid on what little charm she could, " Anything for you."

With a sickly sweet sneer on her face, Agatha glided over to them, " The urchins are filing into the great hall. We late for them to settle, spring up from the trapdoors, seal all the exits with our magic, and take control."

Both witches nodded eagerly, fake simpering smirks on their faces. Agatha was in for a shock….

But Agatha asked a question that caught them both by surprise, " You got the necessary ?"

" Yes," Bindweed said, wondering where Agatha was going with this. If she had heard their conversation then it was a logical move to take away their power.

" Let me see, then," Agatha ordered, her " fish eye" glasses blinking.

" Do you need to ?" Coldstone asked worriedly, it was starting to look like Agatha had heard the conversation. They were doomed if she got her hands on them.

" We don't want to leave anything to chance," Agatha said, holding out her hand. Reluctantly, Coldstone handed out her jar. It was filled to the brim with a yellow powder.

" If you insist," she said, giving the jar to Agatha. Agatha turned to Bindweed, who was worrying just like Coldstone.

" Betty," Agatha said, holding out her hand again. Bindweed gave Agatha her own jar, with the same level of reluctance Coldstone had exhibited when she'd handed over her own jar.

Then, to the two evil witches mutual astonishment, Agatha did the most stupid thing imaginable; she took the cap off one of the jars, dug in her thumb and index finger, then scattered some of the powder in the dungeon. It created a magical shockwave, touching the senses of the three witches in the room, bathing them with yellow light.

" OOOOH, Isn't it pretty ?" Agatha cooed, her voice making her sound like a little girl, full of awe.

Coldstone and Bindweed were now both seriously worried.

" There's no point in wasting it Agatha," Coldstone said, trying to get back both jars.

But Agatha moved away, " No you don't, I'm taking charge of these."

Bindweed stuttered out, " What do you mean ?"

" I know what you're up to," Agatha hissed, " You want to take over yourselves."

Bindweed protested, " No we don't, it was her idea." she added, pointing towards Coldstone, who glared at her in turn for betraying her this way.

" It was not. She's lying, Agatha." Coldstone protested, hoping Agatha would be merciful. But both witches were in for another surprise, but not one the two witches were expecting.

" Agatha ?" " Agatha " asked, her voice changing pitch, becoming different, more…..normal. " I'm afraid your mistaken," she said, taking off the " fish eye " glasses and then putting on a different pair of glasses on. " I am Amelia, and I am headmistress here."

Coldstone was shocked by this turn of events, but she had to admit it made some sense. Agatha had kidnapped her own sister, using her glasses to disguise herself. The tables had turned, their plan had been defeated. Again.

Bindweed asked the £100 question, " But where's Agatha ?"

Amelia smiled, " Stopped in her tracks by the same " brat "," Amelia spat out the word like she had a bad taste in her mouth at the word. How anyone could call a child that was beyond her. " who stopped you before. Mildred." she called.

Mildred Hubble came in, dragging Agatha, who gave meaning to the expression " as blind as a bat," indeed, she was squinting. Maud, Enid and Miss Hardbroom followed, all three restraining the evil witch. Miss Hardbroom sent a glare at Coldstone and Bindweed, who quailed.

Amelia gestured towards Mildred, " It was this young lady's idea to catch you all red handed. A clever ploy, I think you'll agree."

Miss Hardbroom added, " It must be especially galling to be outwitted - again - by a schoolgirl with a C minus in Spells." the disdain in her voice was not directed towards Mildred, but the two witches who were glaring at Mildred with loathing.

Agatha came to life, " You wont stop me forever Amelia."

" Wont I ?"

Agatha gritted her teeth and hissed, " No, you wont." Agatha shook herself free of the restraining hands of Maud, Enid and Mildred. The three girls protested but there was nothing they could do. Agatha moved with catlike speed as she scuttled back over to the other side of the room where her compatriots were, snatching back her glasses as she did.

Slipping back on her specs, she crowed, " The problem with you, Amelia, you're too slow off the mark !" she howled.

Amelia moved back, slowly, gathering her energies for the impending fight, but she was hoping her sister wouldn't make a fatal mistake.

" Don't do anything hasty Agatha ?"

Amelia knew Agatha wouldn't listen, her sister never had. She'd always heeded her own advice, following her own goals. Amelia looked over at Constance, who nodded. Miss Hardbroom stepped forward, preparing to fight as Agatha and her compatriots howled with cackling laughter that grated on the nerves and would probably shake glass.

What HB and Cackle had forgotten was the 3 witches who attended Cackles. Mildred Hubble may not have been the star pupil of the Academy, but she was good at thinking on her feet. This was one of those occasions, HB may have been fast, but Mildred was faster. Ironically, she decided to try something Agatha of all people had taught them. Before Agatha had gone mad in the spells classroom, she had taught the incantation for the puffification spell.

Mildred dredged it up from her memory, which was actually very good when the situation called for it. Moving faster than anyone could've suspected, she chanted the spell faster than Ethel Hallow had done yesterday. To the mutual astonishment of everyone present, including the three evil witches, who were starting to realise that they should've been more aware of what was happening nearby.

But it was too late, far too late. Before the evil witches could retaliate or even defend themselves, they found themselves puffed out.

Amelia was astonished, as was Miss Hardbroom, " Mildred ! I think we should change your grade, what do you think Miss Hardbroom ?"

HB looked at Mildred, the girl gulped at the familiar gaze, that of a fly pinned by a hungry spider kind of look. But then the teacher relaxed, and a small smile, not a smirk, a grimace, but a full smile.

" Yes, indeed. A +, maybe." Miss Hardbroom's voice made it sound like she was reluctant to say this, that it was costing the teacher to praise Mildred, but her smile took that away.

Mildred smiled sheepishly, " Thank you Miss Hardbroom, Miss Cackle," she added, looking her smiling headmistress in the eye, " I'm sorry I can't bring them back," she hastened to say, a smirk on her face, " We don't learn repuffification till next term."

After the end of year assembly, Miss Hardbroom paid Mildred a visit in her room. Millie was having a talk with her friends when the deputy headmistress knocked on the door. That was a surprise, normally HB appeared out of nowhere - literally.

But this time was different. Enid opened the door, and quickly moved back when the older witch walked in. HB's face was soft but the old stern was still there.

" May I speak to you all, please ?" she asked. No one said anything, giving HB the chance she needed.

" Mildred, Maud, Enid, Jadu….I thank you for what you've done for the school." Hardbroom considered, before adding, " Again."

All the girls smiled and looked at each other, sharing the praise. Normally HB was especially cagey about giving it.

" It was a pleasure working with you girls," Hardbroom continued, smiling at all the girls in turn.

Mildred smiled, all was good in the world.

She hoped.

The End.

Mildred Hubble will return in " Jekyll and Hyde." Stay tuned.