The next morning the whole school echoed to the sounds of Mr Cuffy complaining that Mrs Winkle had taken his gun away. He was also very suspicious of Mrs Cuffy, who couldn’t remember a thing about where she’d been for three days. As for the huge rat, he simply couldn’t understand what had happened to it. Meanwhile, Mrs Cuffy was taken down to the police station and told off for disappearing and wasting police time.
By now I felt pretty sorry for them both. Soon I felt so guilty that I found myself outside Mrs Winkle’s office ready to confess everything – and ask for help with my own little problem.
‘Come in, Anna Kelly!’ shouted Mrs Winkle before I’d even knocked. I took a deep breath and entered.
‘Well, well, well,’ said Mrs Winkle. ‘If it isn’t our very own trainee witch – and part-time burglar!’
She peered over her glasses, and her piercing blue gaze skewered me to the floor. Everything in the office was neat and tidy as usual and the broken window had already been replaced. There was no sign of the magic box.
‘I – I’ve come to apologise, Mrs Winkle,’ I said. ‘You were right all along. It was me who turned Mrs Cuffy into a rat in the first place – right here in school!’
‘I knew it!’ said Mrs Winkle, rapping the desk with her knuckles. ‘And yet you looked me straight in the eye and lied about it!’
‘I know,’ I mumbled, very ashamed. ‘I was trying to wriggle out of trouble.’
‘And how did you get into my magic box?’ said Mrs Winkle.
‘I stole the key,’ I said. ‘Then I had a fight with Mrs Cuffy, which got a bit messy. It was me who wasted all the Sorcery Slime.’
‘Do you know how difficult it is to make that stuff?’ said Mrs Winkle. ‘You have to milk beetles – it takes weeks!’
I looked up.
‘And there’s one other thing,’ I said. ‘I’ve told Mary Maxwell that I’m a witch!’
‘You did what?’ said Mrs Winkle, rising from behind her desk and pacing the floor. ‘This is getting worse and worse.’
‘I’m sorry,’ I said.
‘You’ll have to be punished, you know,’ said Mrs Winkle.
‘Yes, I know,’ I said, sighing. ‘But I think it’s already started.’
I kicked off my wellies and peeled off my socks. My piggy-feet looked hideous.
Mrs Winkle put her fingers over her lips as if to stifle a laugh.
‘Yes, I see what you mean,’ she said. ‘That’ll be the Pinky Porker Powder that was scattered all over the carpet, right?’
‘Yes, Miss,’ I said.
‘Anna, that’s a taste of your own medicine. I want you to remember how it feels!’ said Mrs Winkle. ‘In future, you never use magic to settle scores with people you don’t like!’
‘Yes, Miss,’ I said.
‘Or lie to your superiors!’ she said.
‘Yes, Miss,’ I said.
‘Or broadcast your powers to the world!’ she said.
‘It will never happen again, Miss.’
Mrs Winkle sat down.
‘Now. Your punishments,’ she said. ‘Firstly, I will speak to your aunts and make sure you are grounded for the rest of term!’
I sighed. I was expecting that one.
‘Secondly,’ she said. ‘You will spend every evening for the next two weeks making more Sorcery Slime to replace what you wasted.’
Two weeks up to my eyes in beetles. Great.
‘Yes, Miss,’ I said, trying to sound chirpy about it.
‘Thirdly, you will put a strong Forgetting Spell on Mary Maxwell,’ said Mrs Winkle. ‘She must remember nothing about your little adventure. Is that clear?’
I felt tears pricking my eyes. I hadn’t realised how lonely it was keeping my secret all to myself until I had told Mary. I clasped my hands together and gazed up at Mrs Winkle.
‘Please, Miss,’ I said. ‘I trust Mary! She’s my best friend – she would never do anything to harm me! I’ll do anything else you want – but please, please can’t she know who and what I am!’
Mrs Winkle gazed at me steadily for a moment and drummed on the desk with her long fingers.
‘Will you take another punishment instead?’ she said. ‘Any other punishment?’
This was risky. Who knew what Mrs Winkle was going to come out with! I dried my eyes and took a deep breath.
‘Yes, Miss,’ I said in a small, wobbly voice.
Mrs Winkle leapt out of her seat and pointed at me. I gasped. The wand in her hand had appeared out of nowhere.
‘How about if I turned the rest of you into a pig – let’s say for a month!’ she boomed. ‘And see how you like it!’
I blinked and swallowed hard. Life as a pig! Was I really ready to pay such a high price for my friendship with Mary?
‘OK, Miss,’ I whispered. ‘Whatever you say!’
Mrs Winkle raised her arms high. We stood looking at each other without blinking for a long moment, but the spell that trembled on her lips never came. Her blue eyes softened, she lowered her arms and sat down.
‘I’m not made of stone, Anna,’ she said. ‘I know being a witch can be a lonely business sometimes. I’ll allow Mary Maxwell to keep your secret. But in return you will do something else. You will help Mrs Cuffy in the science lab every morning before school for the rest of term – and learn to get along with her!’
I heaved a deep sigh and nodded. Firm, but fair – that’s what they called Mrs Winkle. And I had to admit it was true. I wasn’t looking forward to the next few weeks – but I had certainly learned my lesson about using my powers in the right way.
‘Do you agree with this plan, Anna?’ said Mrs Winkle.
‘Yes, Miss,’ I said.
‘Right, sign here, please,’ she said, whipping out a sheet of paper from her desk.
I read through the paper. It was a contract stating all the things I had promised to do. Mrs Winkle certainly wasn’t taking any chances. I signed my name at the bottom.
‘Finished?’ said Mrs Winkle. She smiled and clicked her fingers. ‘You can put your shoes and socks on now.’
I bent down to grab my shoes and socks and gasped. Instead of the pig’s trotters, I was looking at my own two familiar feet! I was no longer part-pig – I was human again!
‘See how good it feels to be a human?’ said Mrs Winkle. ‘Remember that, Anna Kelly!’
I felt a massive weight lift off my shoulders.
‘Yes, Miss! I shouted. ‘Thanks, Miss!’
I was free! I turned and raced out of the office. Outside in the sunny playground, Mary and the other kids were playing football.
