Molly pointed Wonky toward the back of the booth. 'Reveal,' she called.
A yellow spell drifted out of Wonky and made its lazy way to the back of the booth. The curtain rippled and an image began to appear. Molly watched with bated breath as the face of her father appeared on the cloth.
'Dad,' called Molly. 'Tell Mum, I've taken the promise. I'm coming to get you.'
'The booth filled with the voice of her father. 'Be careful, Molly, watch out for the fairground owner, he is not to be trusted.'
'I know,' said Molly, 'he tried to buy your cabinets.'
Mr Miggins leaned forward. 'Molly, you don't have much time. Look for the mirrors.'
The image began to fade.
Molly ran to the back of the booth but the spell had finished. 'We have to get them back, Wonky, you and me.'
Wonky looked sad. 'You are very young to be given such a responsibility, Molly Miggins. I don't even know if they will allow you to keep me. If they do, I will always do my best. It would be an honour to serve you.'
Wonky shut down and Molly placed him carefully back in the box. She opened the curtains and strolled up to Mr Grimtoad. 'That's just the wand for me,' she told him. 'It's perfect.'
Mr Grimtoad pointed at Molly's hat. 'Perfect?'
'That was my fault,' said Molly, desperately trying to think of an excuse. 'I held it the wrong way round.'
Mr Grimtoad shook his head sadly. 'I'm afraid we can't allow you to take this wand, Molly. I did say it was unpredictable and as this proves it.'
Molly felt a tear in her eye. 'But I want it,' she sniffed. 'It's nice.'
Granny Whitewand took Wonky from the box and studied it.
'Hmmm, it is a nice little wand and it has been beautifully made. It is a little twisted at one end though, Molly, you'll never be able to aim straight with it.'
'I want Wonky,' Molly was adamant.
'Perhaps we could take it on trial,' said Mrs McCraggity. 'Your father may be able to correct its deficiencies when he returns.'
Mr Grimtoad agreed reluctantly.
'If you're sure. How about we make it a one month trial, feel free to bring it back at any time during that period. This really is his last chance. He's been lying around the place for fifty years or more. I think we'll send him off to a museum if this doesn't work out.'
Molly grabbed Wonky and pushed him into the secret pocket in her witch's cloak while Granny Whitewand signed the necessary paperwork.
'Don't worry, Wonky,' she whispered. 'I won't let them put you in some stuffy old museum. I need you to help me get Mum and Dad back.'
Mrs McCraggity helped Granny Whitewand from her chair and they began to make their steady way out of the building. Molly started to follow but was stopped by a familiar voice.
'Molly Miggins.'
Molly turned to see a hand appear through a gap in the curtain of the wand booth. A finger made a beckoning gesture. Molly walked slowly to the booth. The flap opened and Mr Grimtoad appeared. Or at least it was the body of Mr Grimtoad, the head belonged to the wizard she had met at the fair.
'How goes your task, young witch?'
'I'm getting there,' said Molly. 'At least I would be if I knew where there was.'
'There is news of your parents,' said the wizard.
'News? What news?' asked Molly.
'That is for you to discover, Molly Miggins.'
'I wish you'd stop talking in riddles,' said Molly angrily. 'This is hard enough as it is.'
'It will get harder yet, young witch.'
The wizard produced a pocket watch on a chain and handed it to Molly. 'Time is moving, you have until the clock strikes twelve.'
There was a flash and Mr Grimtoad disappeared taking the wizard's head with him. Molly looked at the watch. The hands said it was ten o'clock.
'Not much of a watch, it's telling the wrong time,' said Molly.
Then she realised. The hands were moving backwards.
Chapter Twelve
When they got back home Mrs McCraggity took a long look at Molly's wand. 'I can't read this writing on the side, but it's a very old script.'
'Wonky is over fifty,' said Molly proudly, 'he's got experience.'
'I think you'll find this wand is a lot older than fifty,' Mrs McCraggity replied. 'The case might be fifty odd years old but the wand itself is much older than that. You'll have to ask your mother when she gets back. She's the wand expert.'
Molly decided she needed to practice with her new wand and took Wonky up to her room. She got out her new Learn To Spell book and turned to the first page.
Easy Spells For Learner Witches she read.
The first lesson was about how to stand when casting a spell. Molly learned that a good spell caster was always well balanced, so her feet should be slightly apart, with the wand arm held out in front.
Molly practiced the stance in her mirror until she thought she had it about right. She pointed Wonky at the glass and pretended to cast a few spells then went back to the book and turned the page.
At the top of the next page was a headline in large letters.
WARNING! NEVER POINT YOUR WAND AT A MIRROR.
'Oops,' said Molly and read on.
Spell 1.
Step 1. Hold out the wand and point it to an area where there are no people and there is nothing you can break. Do not point the wand at the mirror.
Molly pointed Wonky towards the corner of her bedroom. There were only cupboards there. She read on.
Step 2. This spell will make a cloud of glitter. Address the wand, and say the words 'Glitter Rain' in a firm voice.
Molly stuck out her tongue and willed the wand to wake. Wonky's little fat face appeared almost immediately.
'Hello, Molly Miggins,' he said. 'Thank you so much for giving me a trial.'
Molly nodded, still concentrating hard. She lifted the wand and aimed it at the top cupboard door.
'Glitter Rain,' she called.
Wonky glowed orange, there was a loud 'plop' and the spell flew straight into the light shade. Golden glitter rained down on Molly's carpet.
Molly was thrilled. 'Well done, Wonky, we nearly hit the target that time.'
Wonky grinned. 'Well done yourself, Molly Miggins. I have an idea. If you aim me slightly lower and to the left of the target you want to hit, we might get even closer.'
Molly jumped up and down excitedly. 'Let's try, let's try.'
She opened her book and read the next spell.
Spell 2.
This spell will produce a mouse in a ballerina costume. The mouse will dance for approximately one minute, after which it will turn into a cloud of pink fluff, before disappearing. Address the wand, then call, 'Dancing Mouse'.
'Ooh, that's a good one,' said Molly, looking forward to seeing a mouse in a ballet dancer's costume.
She pointed the wand to the top part of the lower cupboard and then moved her arm slightly to the left, as Wonky had advised. 'Dancing Mouse,' she called.
Wonky glowed purple. A few seconds later the spell shot out of the wand. It sailed across the room and hit the top cupboard with a thud. A mouse, in a tutu, looking extremely dazed from the impact, fell to the floor, took a few dizzy steps, then sat down and sang the first two lines of 'the sun has got its hat on'. Thirty seconds later it turned into a teaspoon, soon after that it disappeared with a faint 'plink' sound.
'Hmm,' said Molly, 'we need to work on that one.'
Molly turned a couple of pages and selected another spell.
Glow In The Dark Wand.
'That might be useful for reading in bed after lights out,' said Molly to herself.
She held Wonky high in the air and read out the spell. 'Glow in the dark'.
Wonky began to glow gently. Molly closed the curtains and shut her door to make the room darker.
'This is great, Wonky,' she laughed. 'I can see everything, clear as day.'
Mrs McCraggity shouted up to say that tea was ready. Molly pushed Wonky into her secret pocket and ra
n down the stairs. 'We made a dancing mouse,' she announced.
'Molly Miggins, you are supposed to be supervised when you use that wand,' said the housekeeper sternly.
'It was only a mouse,' moaned Molly. 'Don't take all the fun out of it. Anyway I'll have to use him at some stage if I'm going to complete my task.'
'Of course you will, Molly, said the housekeeper. ‘I just meant that you should be supervised where possible. You've only just got it.'
Mrs McCraggity turned to go back to the kitchen. 'Could you bring the paper with you please?'
Molly picked up the evening paper from the mat and carried it through to the kitchen. As she put it on the table the headline caught her eye.
GHOSTLY MIRRORS AT THE FUNFAIR
Molly snatched up the paper and read the report.
Long queues were forming outside the Hall of Mirrors at The Penny-Pincher's funfair this afternoon after reports of two ghostly figures appearing in the distortion mirrors.
Mrs Ivy Chuckle saw the ghostly apparitions when she took her granddaughter to the attraction at lunchtime.
'It was awful,' she said. 'There were the same ghostly faces in every mirror; you didn't get your own reflection at all. It was really creepy.'
Mr Walter Wall, a carpet fitter from the town, was in the Hall of Mirrors in the early afternoon.
'It was really weird,' said Walter. 'One minute I was looking at myself with a pin sized head and a big round body, the next I was looking at two strangers. I moved to the next mirror along but they were in there too. I think I should get my money back.'
Mr Hugh Penny-Pincher, the fairground owner, told the Evening News.
'It really is an amazing sight. Everyone should experience this once in a lifetime event.' Tickets are on sale now for the 6.00 pm viewing. Adults Ten pounds, children and OAP Four pounds.
It's Mum and Dad, it has to be,' shouted Molly.
Chapter Thirteen
Molly handed the paper to Mrs McCraggity.
'We have to go there, now.'
Mrs McCraggity grabbed the keys to the van and ran to the garage. Molly followed and jumped into the front passenger seat. The housekeeper turned the key in the ignition only to hear a phut sound. She turned the key again but the van wouldn't start.
'Looks like a flat battery,' said Mrs McCraggity. 'How odd, it was fine earlier.'
'Bother,' said Molly. 'How am I going to get to the fair? It's five miles away.'
Suddenly there was a crackle of static and the car radio burst into life. Bits of garbled speech and snatches of music filled the air as it searched for a station. Then a deep voice boomed out of the speakers.
'Molly Miggins?'
'Yes,' said Molly, 'I'm here.'
'Why are you there? That’s the question. Shouldn't you be elsewhere?'
'I'm trying to get there, but the car won't start,' said Molly.
'I know,' said the voice. 'Frustrating isn't it?'
The sound of laughter echoed around the van. 'I think you'd better start running, Molly Miggins.'
The radio went quiet.
Molly jumped out of the van and looked at the pocket watch the wizard had given her. 'This can't be right; it only shows five hours left. It's going backwards faster than normal time goes forwards.'
Molly thought frantically. 'I'll go on my new bike,' she decided.
Molly ran to the study. The parrot looked at her from under its wing. 'Don't mind me,' it said.
Molly burst into the study and pulled the cloth from the bike. She grabbed the handlebars and pushed it towards the door.
The front wheel fell off.
'Bother,' said Molly.
She turned the bike round, leant it against the wall and picked up the front wheel. She called for Mrs McCraggity to help.
Mrs McCraggity looked in the saddle bag and found a set of spanners. Molly held the bike while the house keeper put the wheel in place and tightened up the nuts. When she had finished Molly pushed the bike forward and the back wheel fell off.
Mrs McCraggity tightened the back wheel into place and Molly began to push the bike towards the door.
The handlebars came off in her hand.
'Bother,' said Molly. 'I think someone is playing games with us. I'll have to catch the bus.'
Mrs McCraggity looked at her watch. 'They only run every two hours after six o'clock and we've just missed one.'
Molly groaned. This was getting ridiculous.
'I'll give you a lift, Millie.' Granny Whitewand stood at the door with her broom in her hand.’It might be a bit of a bumpy ride, it hasn't had its test flight yet.'
'Thanks, Grandma,' said Molly, a little uncertainly. 'Is it safe?'
'It's as safe as houses,' replied Granny Whitewand. 'At least I hope it is. We'll soon find out I suppose.'
Molly followed Granny Whitewand into the garden. The old witch smacked the broom against the side of the garage to remove any loose twigs then straddled the long handle. She took out her wand and struck the broom twice.
'Awake,' she ordered.
The broom began to purr and the back end twitched from side to side. Molly threw her leg over the long handle and grabbed hold of Granny Whitewand's waist.
'Fly,' commanded Granny Whitewand.
The broom shook violently and jerked forward a couple of feet before coming to a halt.
'Drat,' said Granny Whitewand. 'It hasn't been up in the air for a while; it needs a bit of gentle persuasion.'
She whacked the broom again with the wand.
'Fly,' she cried.
The broom shot forward and headed straight towards the shed. Granny Whitewand pulled to the left and the broom swerved violently just missing the edge of the greenhouse. The old witch pulled back on the stick and the broom began to rise into the air.
'Hang on to your hat, Millie,' shouted Granny Whitewand as the broom carried them over the rooftops and into the night sky.
Chapter Fourteen
Molly's knuckles turned white as she hung on tightly to Granny Whitewand's cloak. Her initial exhilaration soon wore off. The broom behaved erratically, one minute they were up in the clouds the next they were flying down a narrow street. Once or twice the broom stuttered and dropped like a stone only for Granny Whitewand to gain control again just before they crashed to the ground.
They missed a church tower by inches and narrowly avoided a double-decker bus as they hurtled down the High Street. Molly closed her eyes and wished for the journey to end.
'Here we are, Millie,' called Granny Whitewand eventually.
They were circling the field where the funfair had been erected. She looked back down the road at the long line of cars trying to get to the fairground. A policeman stood at the entrance to the field trying to direct the traffic. The farmer had opened up the next field as a temporary car park. He stood with a bucket collecting parking fees at a double barred gate.
'Coming in to land,' warned Granny Whitewand as she tried to slow the broom down.
The broom stuttered then picked up speed again as they descended. They circled the field three times getting lower and slower with every circuit. When they were just above the line of cars Granny Whitewand smacked the broom with her wand.
'Slow,' she called.
The broom didn't respond. They dropped lower and flew just a few inches above the traffic.
'Prepare for a crash landing, Millie,' called Granny Whitewand, 'landing gear down.'
Granny Whitewand stretched out her legs and prepared for impact.
The broom just managed to clear a red car at the head of the queue before it crashed to the ground. Granny Whitewand dug her heels into the grass as they careered along.
The policeman looked up in alarm as he saw the broomstick heading towards him.
'Bale out,' cried the old witch.
Molly and Granny Whitewand leapt from the stick as it hurtled towards the policeman. Molly hit the ground and rolled over twice before ending up in a sitting position. Granny Whitewand sail
ed along the grass on her stomach like a footballer celebrating a goal.
Molly stood up and brushed the mud and grass from her clothes. Granny Whitewand walked over to the hedge where the broom had ended up. The policeman was just climbing out of the ditch. He picked up his helmet and emptied it of dead leaves, then picked up the broom.
'Does this vehicle belong to you, madam?' he asked.
'Yes, that's my broom,' said Granny Whitewand. 'We just fell off it.'
'Do you have a licence for the broom?' asked the policeman.
Granny Whitewand fumbled about in her cloak and produced a tatty piece of paper with her photograph on. The policeman checked it.
'It's out of date,' he said. 'It expired yesterday.'
'I know, I had the men from the ministry in this morning,' said Granny Whitewand. 'I've done the repairs, this was my test flight, it's not illegal.'
'It is if you crash into a police officer and knock him into a ditch,' grumbled the policeman.
'Sorry about that, we didn't see you,' replied Granny Whitewand.
The policeman sniffed and produced his notebook. He copied some details from the witch's licence then handed it back to her.
'You will need to produce your new licence and certificate of airworthiness at the police station within the next fourteen days,' he said.
'Fair enough,' said Granny Whitewand.
'Meanwhile,' continued the policeman. 'I'm issuing you with an on the spot fine for careless flying.'
Granny Whitewand was outraged. 'I was not careless, the broom was just being run in,' she answered angrily.
'Don't argue,' said the policeman. 'Or I'll charge you for riding two to a broom.'
Granny Whitewand muttered under her breath and took the broom and penalty notice from the policeman. 'Come along, Millie,' she said through gritted teeth. 'Let's find this Penny-Pincher fellow.'
***
They walked across to the fairground. A long queue had built up in front of the Hall of Mirrors tent. Molly spotted the fairground owner talking to a camera crew for the evening news.
She waited patiently until he had finished his interview. 'Excuse me,' she said.
'Ah, it's you,' said Mr Penny-Pincher. 'What do you want? If you've come to say you've changed your mind about selling those cabinets it's too late.'
'I've come to see get my Mum and Dad,' said Molly. 'They're in there somewhere.' She nodded toward the Hall of Mirrors.
'Have you now?' said Mr Penny-Pincher. 'Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid I can't allow that, this is the best attraction I've ever had. Look at the queues.'