By Julie

“This is Luna,” Mallory told the witches fearlessly. Luna almost cringed as the witches looked upon her curiously. “We found her yesterday lost on the street. Seems that she’d no parents. Looked up and she saw us and recognized us for what we were, so Misty tried to clear her memory. But something fought back. She wasn’t able to do it. Some witchy aura inside of that little girl resisted, and now Mulberry Coven has a new witch. This is Luna and Leo.” Head Witch rain looked once again curiously through her thick spectacles. “Mallory,” she addressed the fat old hag. “Misty. Dawn. Midnight. Eve. Basil.” Each witch straightened a bit at the proper greeting. “Dawn,” the powerful witch rested her gaze once again on the middle-aged witch. “Where is that cat of yours?” Dawn blushed, her corkscrew curls seemed to droop suddenly. “Er- I’m pretty sure he’s in my handbag.” she said, and as Rain’s gaze intensified her curls seemed to flatten. Luna was sure they were made by magic. “Interesting handbag,” Rain said coldly, then held out a thin wand and zapped it. The smooth leather handbag with thin silver clasps started to change- and Luna soon recognized it as Little Dip, the skimpy little furball she’d met the other day. “Oh- many thanks, Head Witch Rain.” Dawn whispered, her face macadamia red. “I couldn’t remember what I’d changed him to. He kept falling off my broom, see. I thought he was my brooch.” Basil nudged Luna slightly. “She does that a lot,” Basil said out of the corner of her mouth. “Very forgetful. She messes up her potions more than I do. Midnight’s the opposite, even though they’re twins. Always knows exactly what he needs and where it is and what to do with it.”
Head Witch’s witchy glare turned on Luna. “You… yes, I do feel an aura.” Luna twitched. “So,” Rain went on rather conversationally, “You’ll have to show us a spell.” Luna’s mind was blank. “Er…” Part of the spell came back to her. Then the rest.
“O Great Spirits, let me tell
“And cast upon this room a spell…
“Pluck and scrub and wipe and clean,
“Wash this floor ’til it’s squeaky clean!”
Nothing happened.
“Um.” Luna tried. Head Witch scoffed. “The floor is squeaky clean, Violet. Try another one.” Luna chewed her lip. “It’s Luna actually,” she stalled. She remembered a spell that Misty had cast yesterday morning.
“O Great Spirits, let me tell
“And cast a very friendly spell-
“Not enough for a bath, not even a sip,
“Hurry to London and stop this drip!”
Nothing happened. This time Luna wasn’t expected anything to happen. “Leaky faucets in London were cleared up a few days ago,” Rain criticized. “Another, please.” This time Luna was in trouble. She couldn’t even think of any more. Suddenly a message flashed before her eyes. She blinked and almost didn’t read it, but she caught it as it faded away.
First two lines only need a word or two different
The last two have to rhyme.
Luna suddenly jerked into action.
“O Great Spirits, let me tell
“And cast a perfect hair day spell-
“Fix up Dawn’s hair with every twirl-
“Make it curly, every curl.”
Luna opened her eyes. She had squeezed them shut thinking of how silly this was. She was no witch. But the aura was covering for her! Dawn’s limp hair was swirling and twirling like curlers in fast forward. In a few seconds, they were as normal. Dawn touched her hair. “Oh, thank you dear. I’d forgotten the spell,” Dawn blushed. Basil rolled her eyes. Eve beamed. Everyone tried not to look too surprised.
“Well well well,” Rain said, grinning with some missing teeth down at Luna, who stared down at her silver pointed shoes. “We’ve got ourselves a little composer here, do we? You could get into business writing spells. You seem to be quite good at it. That spell isn’t listed in the book. You used an alternate to the written one. Pardon me if I’m wrong, but this is how the other goes for future reference, Dawn.
“O Great Spirits let me tell
“And cast upon Eve’s head a spell-
“Foolproof from wear and tear
“O Great Spirits- curl Eve’s hair!”
Luna blushed as Eve’s hair curled beautifully. She hadn’t known there already was a curling spell. Well, no one seemed to be mad. And she could go into business writing spells.
“All right, Misty. You’ll be sent some official forms and such, but for now you’re permitted to leave. Good bye.”
One by one, the witches filed out the door. Luna was last to leave and she jumped in surprise as the room started to swirl and pop and blister until it became the rickety old Quiet Springs bakery. Head Assistant Cloud sat pleasantly behind the desk. Luna gawked back at her.
“Is there anything I could help you with?” the baker asked.
“No, no. I was just leaving. Sorry,” Luna said quickly, and stepped out the door. It was like nothing ever happened.