Sisters

An Odd Team

"We can help, I know we can. They are making a mistake, sending us home. The more witches, the better." Enid said.

"Oh no. You have an idea. You always get that tone of voice when you have an idea. And your ideas always end up with us in trouble." Maud replied, exasperated.

"No, she's right. We can help. I may not be the best witch, but you, Ethel, some of the older girls, you guys could actually help." Mildred whispered, pulling the other two with her into a small broom closet in the corner.

"What! No! They will realize were missing!" Maud said.

"Not in this hub-ub. Come on. We just stay here until all the teachers are putting up their protective spells or whatever they are planning, then we search the school. She has to be here somewhere. The Founding Stone only works inside the school." Mildred replied, exited. Enid nodded energetically, and they both looked at Maud.

"I guess. Someone needs to stay here to keep you out of trouble." Mildred and Enid squealed and the girls began planning their escapade.

Meanwhile, in another corner, Ethel had the same idea.

"What! Definitely not. I am getting you both home. Safe and sound." Esmerelda looked at Ethel, surprised she would even consider staying.

"No Esme, Ethel's right. We can help. And you know the school better than anyone. They won't notice we are missing. Lets go. Right now. I bet the rest of the school is empty, with all the fuss down here." Esmerelda looked even more surprised at Sybil's statement, but before she could reply, the two girls took off and she sighed to herself.

"Gosh, I missed this place." she took off after them, her heart racing at the chance to finally be of any help.

    Soon enough, both trios were scouring the hallways as teachers surrounded the school, chanting protective spells and charms. Esmerelda knew the passwords to all the locked rooms. Enid just guessed until they opened. After almost two hours of searching, they had run out of places to look. The school was empty. Agatha was nowhere to be found. Both groups headed down different flights of stairs, and emerged onto the first floor hallway. Maud saw the Hallows first.

"What are you doing here?" she said, accusingly.

"I could ask you the same thing." retorted Ethel.

"Woah girls. I assume were are doing the same thing. Searching for Agatha?" Enid and Mildred nodded. "What's that they say? Six heads are better than three?" Esmerelda asked.
    "I don't think that's right" Sybil laughed. Esmerelda shrugged and turned to Mildred.

"Any luck?"

"Nope" she replied, dejected. "You?"

"Nothing."

"So what now?" Ethel cut in. "We can't go home. None of us can do a transference spell. We can't go home, and we can't stay here. Oh, this is all my fault," she said, her voice rising.

"What?" said Mildred, shocked.
    "Nothing. Mind your own business." Ethel retorted quickly.

"Stop it. It is not your fault. If anything, it's mine. I returned it to Miss Cackle. I brought it into her office. I'm the reason Agatha has powers in the first place! So don't go blaming yourself!" Esmerelda cried, turning on Ethel. The other girls looked at each other and took a step back as Ethel replied harshly.

"I knew it was Agatha. I thought we already covered this. I made this mess, and now I'm going to clean it up, with or without you!"

"This is why you stayed. Not because you wanted an adventure, or to prove something. Because you felt guilty?" Esmerelda said, taken aback.

"I stayed because I can fix this. I can fix everything. Maybe I can use the stone to make Agatha return your powers. Then it won't hurt the school. Come on Esme, we have to try!" Sybil joined the other girls. She had learned long ago to stay away from her sisters when they were like this.

"Ethel. You cannot face Agatha alone. It's too dangerous. Even your not powerful enough to stop her."

"I bet you would have been." Ethel replied, looking down,.

"No I wouldn't. I was powerful, yes, but nothing like Agatha." Esmerelda gasped suddenly. "Miss Hardbroom! I, uh. We, uh." All the girls whipped around to see Miss Hardbroom standing over them.
    "I really wish I could say I was surprised. What exactly were you girls planning?" she looked at Ethel knowingly. Mildred interjected,

"We thought we could help, see. More heads, and all that."

"You thought, out of all the students here, you six would be the most helpful?"

"Well, yes actually. See, Enid, Ethel, Sybil and I are decent witches. And Esmerelda and Mildred know the castle better than anyone." Maud replied daringly.

"I see. Well, since we can no long transport you out of the school due to protective spells, I guess you must remain here." She waved her hand and all six girls were suddenly in front of Miss Cackle. They all looked guiltily up at her. She sighed.

"This is not what I meant when I said stick together. I suppose you can stay with me. If worst comes to worst, we can use a transference spell to the edge of the protective spells and leave from there. I assume you searched the school. Anything?" she looked at Esmerelda. She shook her head sadly. "Oh well. Come. I'm going to the records. Going to see if there is any texts about the Founding Stone. I could use some extra sets of hands." The girls nodded and followed Miss Cackle down to the dungeon.