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could think the sau 'The sky is green' just to see how long it would take for Petulia to agree But she liked her You couldn't not like her She was restful co someone who couldn't h the woods Tiffany had alanted to see a forest so big that you couldn't see daylight through the other side, but now she'd lived in one for a couple of weeks it got on her nerves It was quite open woodland here, at least around the villages, and not hard to walk though She'd had to learn what maples and birches were, and she'd never before seen the spruces and firs that grew higher up the slopes But she wasn't happy in the company of trees Shewas too close Petulia chattered nervously Old Mother Blackcap was a pig-borer, cow-shouter and all-round veterinary witch Petulia liked anis because they had wobbly noses Tiffany quite liked animals too, but no one except other animals liked ani about?' she said, to change the subject 'Urn? Oh, it's just to keep in touch/ said Petulia 'Annagraramma's the leader, then, is she?' said Tiffany 'Uramma says'

'H in the woods, just as the sun was setting There were the ree there, now covered ht rowth of lilac and the gooseberry bushes, now a forest of thorns Soarden Someone else, now, had lit a fire Badly And they had found that lying down flat to blow on a fire because you hadn't started it with enough paper and dry tas not a good idea, because it would then cause your pointy hat, which you had forgotten to take off, to fall into the s witch was now flailing desperately at her burning hat, watched by several interested spectators Another one, sitting on a log, said: 'Di anyone has ever done anywhere in the whole world, ever' It was a sharp, not very nice voice, the sort ra on the point 'Ieveryone down'

'Sorry, Annagramma!'

'Um,' said Petulia Everyone turned to look at the new arrivals 'You're late, Petulia Gristle!' snapped Annagramma 'And who's this?'

'Urn, you did ask ra wrong

Annagramma stood up She was at least a head taller than Tiffany and had a face that seehtly in the air To be looked at by Annagramma was to know that you'd already taken up too much of her valuable tirairl' Tiffany stepped forward It was aramma had the kind of voice that you obeyed 'What is your na?' said Tiffany, and found herself saying her na permission to have it 'Tiffany? That's a funny nararara Tiffany up and down 'Urn, sorry, works with Mrs Earwig,' said Petulia 'But she-' 1 intend to leave next year,' said Annagrairl who's joined Miss Level, are you? She's weird, you know The last three girls all left very quickly They said it was just too strange trying to keep track of which one of her hich'

'Which witch hich,' said one of the girls cheerfully 'Anyone can do that pun, Lucy Warbeck,' said Annagra round 'It's not funny, and it's not clever' She turned her attention back to Tiffany, who felt that she was being exa would check a ewe she ramma would actually try to open her mouth and ood witches on chalk,' said Annagraraht: Ha!, so witches don't have leaders, do they? But she was in no mood to make enemies 'Perhaps they do,' she said quietly This did not seeramma wanted to hear 'You haven't even dressed the part,' said Annagraramma says that if you want people to treat you like a witch you should look like one,' Petulia said 'H at Tiffany as if she'd failed a simple test Then she nodded her head 'Well, we all had to start somewhere' She stood back 'Ladies, this is Tiffany Tiffany, you know Petulia She crashes into trees Di out of her hat, so that she looks like a chi, that's the hilariously funny Lucy Warbeck, that's Harrieta Bilk, who can't see about the squint, and then that's Lulu Darling, who can't see about the naTiffany, wasn't

it? I'm sorry you've been taken on by Miss Level She's rather sad Coot a clue Just bustles about and hopes Oh, well, it's too late now Gertruder, Summon the World's Four Corners and Open the Circle, please'

'Er' said Gertruder, nervously It was ara around here?' said Annagrah this literally a million times!'

'I've never heard of the world's four corners,' said Tiffany 'Really? There's a surprise,' said Annagramma 'Well, they're the directions of power, Tiffany, and I would advise you to do so about that name, too, please'

'But the world's round, like a plate,' said Tiffany 'Urn, you have to iine them,' Petulia whispered Tiffany wrinkled her forehead 'Why?' she said Annagras properly'

'Oh'

'You have done soramma demanded Tiffany was a bit confused She wasn't used to people like Annagra at her, and Tiffany couldn't help thinking about sheep When a dog attacks a sheep, the other sheep run away to a safe distance and then turn and watch They don't gang up on the dog They're just happy it's not theramma Tiffany, her'Soft Nellies,' she said 'It's a sheep cheese It's quite hard to make' She looked around at the circle of blank faces and felt eraic can you do best,' said Petulia kindly 'Although Soft Nellies is good,' said Annagraave that little snort that h out loud but didn'tTiffany looked down at her boots again T don't know,' she mumbled, 'but I did throw the Queen of the Fairies out of ramma 'The Queen of the Fairies, eh? How did you do that?'

'I'ry with her' And it was hard to reht Tiffany recalled the anger, terrible anger, and the worldchanging She'd seen it clearer than a hawk sees, heard it better than a dog hears, felt its age beneath her feet, felt the hills still living And she re and still be hu your foot,' said Annagrales 'A Queen of the Fairies,' she added 'I'm sure you did Well, it helps to dream'

'I don't tell lies,'Sullen and upset, she watched the girls Open the Corners and Su way round This went on for soone better if they'd all been sure what to do, but it was probably hard to knohat to do when Annagra everyone She was standing with a big book open in her aro widdershins, no, that's the other way, I must have told you literally a thousand times, and Lulu - where's Lulu? Well, you shouldn't have been there! Get the shriven chalice - not that one, no, the one without handlesyes Harrieta, hold the Wand of the Air a bit higher, I oodness' sake, Petulia, please try to look a little more stately, will you? I appreciate that it doesn't co an effort By the way, I've beento tell you, no invocation ever written starts with "um", unless I'm very much mistaken Harrieta, is that the Cauldron of the Sea? Does it even look like a Cauldron of the Sea? I don't think so, do you? What was that noise?' The girls looked down Then soraenuine seed-pearls on it?' said Annagraht little voice 'Um, yes,' said Petulia 'But I'm sure she's very sorry Umshall I make a cup of tea?' The book slaraeneral 'What Is The Point? Do you want to spend the rest of your lives as village witches, curing boils and warts for a cup of tea and a biscuit? Well? Do you?' There was a shuffling ara's book, didn't you?' she demanded 'Well, did you?' Petulia raised a hand nervously 'Uan 'Petulia, I've told you literally a le Sentence With "U with nervousness 'Just speak up, for goodness' sake! Don't hesitate all the time!'

'Uht make an effort Honestly, I don't knohat's the ht You're like a dog worrying sheep all the tiive them time to obey you and you don't let the Petulia had lapsed into tongue-tied silence Annagra 'Well, we've completely lost the moment,' she said 'We may as well have that cup of tea, Petulia Do hurry up' Petulia, relieved, grabbed the kettle People relaxed a little Tiffany looked at the cover of the book It read:

The Higher MagiK by Letice Earwig, Witch 'Magic with a K?' she said aloud 'Magikkkk?'

'That's deliberate,' said Annagraress at all we iK froic?' said Tiffany 'Exactly None of that erows for us Proper sacred circles, spells written down, A proper hierarchy, not everyone running around doing whatever they feel like Real wands, not bits of grubby stick Professionalism, with respect Absolutely no warts That's the only way forward'

'Well, I think-' Tiffany began 'I don't really care what you think because you don't know enough yet,' said Annagraeneral 'Do we all at least have soeneral murmurs and nods in the theoing to do the pig trick, Annagraood at that,' said Annagrairl to another, nodding at their answers, until she ca amusement 'What are Witch Trials?' said Tiffany 'Miss Tick ave one of her noisy sighs 'You tell her, Petulia,' she said 'You brought her, after all' Hesitantly, with lots of 'urn's and glances at Annagramma, Petulia explained about the Witch Trials Um, it was a time itches from all over the mountains could meet up, and uossip Ordinary people could co too, and there was a fair and u event And in the afternoon all the witches that u they'd been working on, which was very u trials, without the dogs or the sheep They were in Sheercliff this year, which was quite close 'And is there a prize?' she asked 'Uood fellow- uood sistership'