Caution: Witch In Progress (8 page)

    ‘Try again, Bertha,’ encouraged Miss Fiendish. ‘You won’t get
much protection from half a Devil’s Horn.’

    Soon the class had all made a good enough attempt for beginners,
so the teacher carried on.

    ‘One final protective gesture this morning,’ she said. ‘Then we
will spend the afternoon on plant remedies that will counter any ill effects
you might find yourself struck down by. We will also be going out into the herb
garden and woods in order to learn to recognise the necessary ingredients.’

    There was a general murmur of approval to this. Everyone liked
the chance to get out of the classroom for a while.

    ‘The final gesture of this class, will be Widdershins.’

    Miss Fiendish wrote it on the board, and everyone looked at her
blankly.

    ‘I can see the word is a new one to most of you,’ she continued,
‘but it is quite a simple one. Widdershins movements and motions can be used in
spells to counter negative effects, and also in the casting of binding and
banishing spells. Not that any of you are quite up to the summoning of demons
yet.’ She added with a smile.

    Gertie saw Fang’s pointy ears perk up at that. He muttered
something about it being the coolest thing to be able to do.

    ‘All that widdershins is,’ the teacher concluded, ‘is a counter
clockwise, circular movement.’

    She gestured with her hand, finger pointing, in a movement that
circled from right to left like a clock’s fingers going backwards.

    ‘Though stirring a potion widdershins can cause evil intent,
this gesture is still very useful to remember for dispersing negative energy
aimed at you, or in curing ills. Right, young witches and warlocks. I’m sure
you are all ready for your lunch…

    Bertha’s ears pricked up immediately, and she had almost stood
up before Miss Fiendish had finished saying ‘…so off you go, and I’ll see you
back here at 1.30.’

    Gertie had trouble keeping up with Bertha as she hurtled to the
dining room, but the young witch felt she was floating on air. This was the
class she had been waiting for her whole life, even though she hadn’t known it
before. It felt like coming home.

Gertie
chatted happily over lunch about how wonderful Miss Fiendish was, and how much
she was enjoying the class. Bertha didn’t reply as such apart from with the odd
grunt. The big girl didn’t like talking while she was eating. Gertie soon
learned this wasn’t out of politeness, but because she had to pause from
chewing and it slowed her down. The quicker she ate her own lunch, the more chance
she had of getting seconds. If there were no seconds to be had, she still had
time to persuade the others who were eating that they didn’t want that last
potato or sausage, did they? Bertha ended up eating half of Gertie’s lunch
today, because Gertie was so eager to get back to the class. She couldn’t wait
to see what she would learn next.

    It felt like absolutely ages to Gertie before she was once again
sat at her desk. Bertha was complaining that lunch break was never long enough,
and she hadn’t had time to nip back to her room for a packet of biscuits to
round off the meal properly. She also thought a short nap was more the thing to
do than have another lesson so soon after eating.

    ‘Shh, Miss Fiendish is here!’ Gertie hissed, giving her a nudge.
The teacher walked in this time carrying quite a big box. She put it down
heavily on the table, and dust billowed up making those sat at the front of the
class sneeze.

    Everyone stared at the box with interest as the teacher opened
the top and reached inside. A groan of disappointment came from many as Miss
Fiendish began to take books out. Bertha said she had hoped it might be food.
Gertie was the only one who rubbed her hands in glee. Another book!

    Miss Fiendish didn’t seem to miss any of the reactions. ‘This
book,’ she began, ‘is one I wrote myself some time ago.’

    ‘She wrote it herself!’ Gertie hissed towards the nodding head
of Bertha. She wasn’t nodding in agreement, but because she was heading for her
after lunch nap, whether she was in class or not.

    Miss Fiendish held the book up, and Gertie could see the front.
The little witch read the cover.

    “A Beginner’s Guide to Common Antidotes and Cures” by Miss Greta
Fiendish.

    ‘Oh look, Miss Fiendish’s name is almost like mine!’ whispered
Gertie in excitement. Bertha’s reply was a slight snore. No doubt it would soon
build up to a real one, so Gertie gave her a nudge.

    Bertha jumped and said loudly ‘I DON’T KNOW.’ It was her usual
response to most things.

    ‘You don’t know what, Bertha?’ asked Miss Fiendish, looking
puzzled.

    ‘Uhm, whatever it was you asked me,’ replied Bertha, digging
herself in deeper and going red.

    Miss Fiendish stared hard at the girl’s bleary eyes. ‘I didn’t
ask you anything, Bertha. Do try to stay awake,’ she added. ‘Gertie.’

    Now it was Gertie’s time to jump.

    ‘Yes, Miss?’ she replied in a small voice.

    ‘Could you give these books out for me, please?’

    ‘Oh yes!’ called Gertie in delight, all but running to the front
of the class without a care that everyone was looking at her.

    ‘Bertha, maybe you could help. It might keep you awake for a
little longer,’ continued the teacher.

    Bertha pulled a face at having to stand up, and then slowly
lumbered between the desks. There was just about enough space for her to pass.

    Miss Fiendish reached the books out, and Gertie darted about
placing one on every desk. Bertha managed to deliver a couple.

    ‘Teacher’s Pet,’ muttered Fang as Gertie put his book down then
hurtled on. He stuck his foot out to try to trip her up as she moved off. He
missed her leg. Gertie was moving too fast and enthralled by the books, eager
to get her own. She turned as his scream echoed off the stone walls of the
classroom. Bertha had followed behind and stood right on Fang’s outstretched
foot.

    ‘Fang, whatever is wrong now?’ asked Miss Fiendish.

    Fang was too busy trying to get his breath back to reply at
first, then managed to get out ‘My…foot…I think…it’s…broken’

    ‘Oh don’t exaggerate, Fang,’ replied the teacher. ‘If it had
been where it should be under your desk, then it wouldn’t have happened. Did
Gertie stand on it?’

    ‘B,B,Bertha,’ replied Fang, obviously fighting back tears.

    ‘Ah, I see,’ replied Miss Fiendish. ‘That’s different. Let me
see.’

    She carefully examined Fang’s foot, gently pressing it in places
as he winced.

    ‘Nothing broken,’ she finally decided. ‘I’ll put a poultice of
leaves on it for you to take down any swelling. You see, Fang, even warlocks
need herbal remedies sometimes. Come with me,’ she added.

    By now, Gertie had finished delivering all the books.

    ‘Thank you, Gertie, and Bertha,’ said Miss Fiendish. ‘This one
is yours, Gertie,’ she added with a smile.

    Gertie clutched the book to her chest, thanked Miss Fiendish
very much, and hurried back to her desk.

    ‘You may keep these books,’ the teacher addressed the class. ‘We
have had enough printed for all of you.’

    Gertie almost squealed in delight. She wondered if Miss Fiendish
would sign it for her.

    ‘You may check through your books while I’m away,’ instructed
Miss Fiendish. ‘We won’t be long. I will answer any questions you might have
when we return.’ Off she went with Fang limping, and looking very sorry for
himself.

    ‘You’ll regret that,’ Malicia called to Bertha.

    ‘I didn’t do it on purpose!’ exclaimed Bertha, back at her desk
and looking quite worried.

    ‘And Fang probably won’t mean it when he feeds you to a demon,’
taunted the other girl.

    ‘Ignore them,’ reassured Gertie. ‘Fang doesn’t know any demons.’
Well, she hoped he didn’t.

    Bertha didn’t look very reassured. She said she wished she had something
to eat, preferably of the chocolate variety, to calm her nerves. She also
suggested nipping off for some before the teacher got back, but thought better
of it.

    Gertie had her nose in her book immediately. It was made up of
many different chapters with titles like “Trees”, “Herbs”, “Weeds”, “Natural
Remedies’’ and so on. It also had lots of pictures. It even had sections about
the best time to pick each ingredient, and which part of the plant to use.
Sometimes it was the leaves, at other times the flowers, or the root. There
were even details about whether to chew the remedy raw, or to mix it to a pulp,
or dry it out to grind into a powder.

    Gertie was so fascinated; she didn’t notice Miss Fiendish return
to the classroom until she was standing behind her asking ‘Is there anything
you would like to ask yet, Gertie?’

    ‘Would you sign it for me, please?’ Gertie asked without
thinking it might sound foolish.

    Miss Fiendish gave a little chuckle. ‘Well, I’ve never been
asked that one before. I would love to.’

    She turned back to the first page and wrote “To Gertie, for protection
always, Greta Fiendish”.

    Gertie beamed. This was one of the happiest days of her life.

    Bertha’s day wasn’t going quite so well. Fang was doing a very
good impression of giving her the Evil Eye. Gertie believed she could almost
hear a demon being summoned. She didn’t think Miss Fiendish was aware of the
looks passing between Fang and Bertha. Anyway, there probably wasn’t much the
teacher could do about it.

    After a while of quiet book reading; there was a questions and
answers session. Following that, the teacher announced it was time to go out to
study the plants first hand. Everyone liked the idea.

    ‘Will your foot be alright for a walk, Fang?’ asked Miss
Fiendish. ‘The swelling will have gone down now, and your painkilling powder
should be doing the trick’

    Fang sullenly agreed. On their way out of the classroom, Gertie
heard him say he wasn’t going to miss some time outside. He also muttered to
Malicia that he didn’t want to miss a chance of getting his own back on ‘Fatty
Bobbit.’

    Still carrying their books, the class followed Miss Fiendish out
the back door of the Academy and into a well stocked herb garden. The teacher
began to point out various herbs, and told the class which page to turn to in
their books to read about them.

    After describing a few in this way, Miss Fiendish pointed to
another herb with blue flowers. ‘Now, can anyone tell me what this herb is?’
she asked.

    There was a mad fluttering of pages as everyone tried to find
the right picture.

    ‘Is it borage, Miss?’ Gertie asked without looking at her book.

    As soon as she had spoken, Gertie wondered how she had dared to
volunteer an answer. She had never done that before. She hadn’t even checked in
her book to make sure she was right. She just strongly felt she knew.

    ‘Excellent, Gertie!’ enthused Miss Fiendish. ‘I don’t suppose
you have any idea what it can be used for?’

    ‘I think your book says it can reduce fevers, and ease coughs.
It’s also quite good to use in treating rashes or arthritis, I think,’ said
Gertie, pausing for breath.

    ‘Gertie, that is wonderful!’ replied Miss Fiendish.

    The class were staring at Gertie with a variety of expressions
that ran through disbelief, to envy, to something close to hatred. The last one
was Fang.

    What Gertie had also remembered, but not mentioned, was that
borage could help to ease the ill effects of too much alcohol. She had made
herself a mental note to let Grothilde know when she next saw her. Gertie
herself had no idea how she had remembered all this from reading the book so
quickly. She felt that somehow she had already known in the back of her mind.
She didn’t understand how.

    Miss Fiendish was pointing at another herb. ‘This one, anyone?’

    ‘Thyme,’ Gertie replied instantly.

    ‘Right again!’ Miss Fiendish said with a smile. ‘Can anyone else
tell me what it is used for?’

    Gertie knew it was used to treat infected wounds, sore throats,
breathing problems and indigestion. She didn’t say anything though, because she
was suddenly very aware of the looks from her fellow pupils. Even Bertha looked
a little jealous.

    No one knew the answer, so Miss Fiendish pointed them to the
right page in the book.

    ‘As you will see,’ she explained, ‘one use for thyme is as a
lotion to treat infected wounds. Something to always remember however, is never
use the forefinger of your right hand to spread the lotion on the wound. As
some of you will already know, the forefinger is the one you use to cast a
poison spell, so it is not the best finger to use to try to cure someone.
Always use your longest finger when spreading lotions.’

    Gertie was scribbling madly in her notebook again. That was
something she didn’t know.

    ‘Does anyone, other than Gertie, know what this one is?’ asked
Miss Fiendish pointing to what Gertie knew to be coriander.

    ‘Swot,’ hissed Fang into Gertie’s ear.

    Gertie was feeling a little anxious now. She DID know what they
all were, and a lot about what they were used for. She didn’t however want the
rest of the class to be against her even more than they already were (if that
was possible).

    With no correct answer forthcoming, Miss Fiendish said ‘Would
you like to tell us, Gertie?’

    The little witch was now in an awful dilemma. In a small voice
she said, ‘I’m not very sure about that one.’ She then felt terrible because
she had told a little lie to Miss Fiendish.

    The teacher looked slightly surprised, then she glanced at how
close Fang was standing to Gertie.

    ‘Never mind, Gertie, no one could know them all right away.’ She
gave Gertie a look that somehow made the little girl know she understood what
was going on. ‘This is coriander, class,’ she addressed them all again. ‘It is
used in the treatment of stomach aches, indigestion, sickness and flatulence,
amongst other things.’

    Several smirks came from the class. ‘My Gran could do with some
of that,’ whispered Ghoul. ‘She always has wind.’

    ‘Pay attention, Ghoul,’ called Miss Fiendish. She continued
through parsley, rosemary, and many others, but made a point of not asking
Gertie again. Miss Fiendish obviously knew Gertie was having a hard enough time
because of her looks, without being shunned by the others because she knew so
much more than they did. At least Gertie had high hopes of doing well in these
classes.

    From the herb garden they moved on to the nearby wood, which
Bertha said she considered to be far too much walking for anyone. She was well
out of breath by the time Miss Fiendish stopped again. The big girl looked
around hopefully for somewhere to sit down.  She couldn’t see anywhere
suitable. ‘This is a nightmare!’ she muttered to Gertie.

    Gertie was thoroughly enjoying herself. Once again, she almost
instinctively took in what Miss Fiendish was telling them. She felt she knew
things already, without checking in her wonderful book. When she did check, she
was always right. This was a first for Gertie, and thrilled her no end. She
knew how to use the bark of various trees, and what to use them for. She
realised nettles could give strength to the whole body because they contained
calcium, iron and potassium. She remembered that lavender was good for
headaches, and peppermint for upset stomachs. She even knew most of the things
dandelions could be used for. Gertie was seeing the world through new eyes, and
she believed this was all thanks to Miss Fiendish.