Edwina Pilkington's Computer School of Magic (2 page)

RAINBOW CITY – BANK ROBBED

SKELETON KEY STOLEN

This spelled trouble.

There had been a lot of strange things happening in Rainbow City over the past couple of weeks. There was the story that Mr Gummylegs had told Lady Lilly Arna about the local baker, Peter Pickle, who had all his meat pies stolen. All that was left on the floor were crumbs, footprints and tail ‘swishing' marks. Then there was that weird story that Mr Philpott the postman had just told her about the bat-like creature that had followed him all the way through Rainbow City. Earlier on, she had found that nosy Mrs Whatmore drawing a plan of Stone Castle, and to make things worse, she had the hide to deny it.

What a day it had been, and the day was not yet over.

Lady Lilly Arna was becoming quite concerned that there was trouble brewing. There were just too many strange and mysterious things happening, even for Rainbow City. She looked at her watch. Edwina and Gabriella should be home from school by now. Exactly at the same time she looked at her watch, there was the sound of footsteps coming into the Great Hall.

‘This is my favourite time of the year,' said Edwina as both girls hurried into the Great Hall of Stone Castle, looking up at all the Halloween decorations hanging from the large wooden rafters. ‘Can we leave the Great Hall like this all year round?' asked Edwina in a loud voice which echoed all the way down the hallway.

Lady Lilly Arna looked up at her daughter. ‘We could leave the decorations up until after your birthday,' said Lady Lilly Arna, ‘for this birthday is a special one because you will inherit the power of the Pilkingtons' Magic Ring.'

‘I can't wait for my birthday,' said Edwina. ‘Hopefully I will be accepted into Professor Frogsley's school and be part of the magical world of Computer Magic.'

Just then, there was a loud knock at the door. ‘That's Mr Gummylegs with the pumpkins for the Halloween party,' said Lady Lilly Arna as she walked towards the door of Stone Castle. ‘Oops! I almost forgot about a special parcel that Mr Philpott the postman delivered. I do believe it was addressed to a Miss Edwina Pilkington.'

Before another word was spoken, Edwina was climbing the old stone staircase in such a hurry that she began taking two steps at a time. She quickly turned the corner at the top of the stairs and started running as fast as she could towards the East Wing of the castle.

Suddenly, Thirty-four, Edwina's pet pig (who was named after his thirty-four spots), came running towards her. He was so excited at seeing her home from school that he forgot to stop. Edwina tripped over Thirty-four and they both went tumbling down the hallway, stopping just in front of her bedroom door.

Gabriella couldn't stop giggling when she turned the corner at the top of the stairs and saw Edwina with Thirty-four standing on her tummy, twisting his curly tail and licking her face which was now covered in pig dribble. Thirty-four looked so pleased with himself.

‘Looks like you could do with some help, Edwina,' Gabriella said.

Gabriella helped Edwina onto her feet. They both giggled and gave Thirty-four a big cuddle. ‘Now be a good piggy and you can come up to the tower and help me make a special magical spell for Halloween,' said Edwina.

Edwina opened her bedroom door and there in the middle of the room was a large, green box, all tied up with red ribbon.

‘It's my birthday present from Aunt Ada,' Edwina said as she read the little red card on the box. With a big smile on her face, she opened the box and there, all neatly folded up inside was her very own black cloak.

Being very careful, Edwina unfolded the cloak and slipped it on over her shoulders. ‘It's perfect!' she exclaimed. ‘I'm never taking it off.'

Edwina ran over to her dressing table, opened her top drawer and there in a little glass box was her special Magic Ring that her mother Lady Lilly Arna had given her the day before for her upcoming birthday. Edwina slipped the ring with the sparkling, red stone onto her middle finger and picked up her four blue Magic Stones, which were the size of marbles, and gently placed them inside her black cloak pocket. Edwina turned around and started jumping up and down, for she was so excited.

Gabriella joined in and they both started dancing around the room, having lots of fun. Thirty-four wanted to join in as it looked like so much fun, but then he remembered he had to be a good pig because he really did want to help Edwina make a Magic Spell for Halloween.

‘I feel dizzy,' Gabriella said.

Edwina stopped and pulled her black cloak around her. ‘We had better hurry up to the tower, Edwina said. ‘It's time to make a special Magic Spell for Halloween.'

Edwina, Gabriella and Thirty-four hurried over towards the bookshelf. When Edwina touched a black leather book, the stone wall alongside the bookshelf slowly slid open, revealing a hidden chamber.

E
dwina, Gabriella and Thirty-four stepped into the hidden chamber and slowly the stone wall behind them began to close. Hand in hand, they hurried off down the secret passage that led up to the tower where Edwina kept all her secret potions.

Once inside the tower, Edwina opened up an old, squeaky cupboard door where she found the musty old
Witches Book of Spells and Potions
. Edwina quickly turned the pages and found exactly what she was looking for: ‘How to make your very first Magic Vanishing Spell'.

Gabriella was standing quietly by the stone table in the middle of the room, listening to Edwina read the
Witches
Book of Spells and Potions
while Thirty-four was busy being nosy.

Five minutes slowly passed by and Edwina was still reading all about the Magic Vanishing Spell. ‘Hurry up, Edwina. I want to help you make some magic,' said Gabriella.

Edwina raised an eyebrow and kept on reading then slowly started to walk back towards Gabriella without looking where she was going. ‘Whoops!' Edwina said as she nearly tripped over a large, black pot.

‘You should look where you're going,' Gabriella said.

‘Oink, oink,' went Thirty-four in between burying his nose in a blanket. It was as if to say he agreed with Gabriella.

‘Let's make some magic,' Edwina said.

Magic Vanishing Spell ingredients

1 whisker (from a pussy cat)

1 toenail (from a unicorn)

1 eggshell (from a lizard)

1 spider web (any kind)

1 spoonful of fairy dust

1 cup of dragon dust (sometimes hard to find)

Stir all together, adding 2 drops of Magical Water

(Say the word ‘dragon breath')

Your spell is now complete

The old grandfather clock in the hallway chimed 5 o'clock. Edwina had just completed her first spell, a test for all students who wished to attend the famous Professor Frogsley's Computer School of Magic. Head Professor Goodspell would take Edwina under her wing and teach her the secrets of her Magic Ring and make her part of the world of Computer Magic.

Only one more spell to go. Thirty-four began to oink and as Edwina turned around to see what was wrong, she noticed Miss Cackles the black, one-eyed cat, crawling slowly along the stone window ledge.

‘I need your help, Gabriella,' said Edwina. ‘Alongside the old stone fireplace is a ladder. If you climb to the very top of the ladder, you will see a large, black jar with a special Magic Potion in it and behind that jar you will find an empty, green bottle. I need that green bottle to put my new potion in.'

Gabriella agreed to climb up the ladder to bring the green bottle back down for Edwina even though she was really scared of falling. ‘It's a long way to the top, Edwina, and it's sooo … dark. I feel as though something creepy is watching me.'

‘Don't be silly, Gabriella, there is nothing up there except the odd cobweb and spider.'

‘You mean BIG, BLACK, CREEPY SPIDERS live up here. I hate spiders.'

‘Oh, for goodness sakes, Gabriella, stop being a baby.'

‘I'm not being a baby; I've always been scared of spiders.'

‘Just hurry up and find the bottle,' said Edwina.

‘Whoops.'

‘What have you done now, Gabriella?'

‘I have spilt one of your potions. I can hear it dripping. I have the empty bottle in my hand, so I'm coming down.'

Gabriella reached the last step on the ladder and went to put her foot down onto the floor, but instead nearly stepped on Miss Cackles. ‘Get away, you silly pussy cat, and stop licking the floor.'

‘Be careful, Gabriella. If Miss Cackles licks the potion, she'll turn into a –'

Croak, croak, croak.

‘It's too late, Edwina!'

‘Quick, Gabriella, grab the butterfly net hanging on the wall! We have to catch Miss Cackles before she hops away!'

Thirty-four sat down and enjoyed every moment while the girls tried to catch the overgrown, furry frog.

After looking everywhere in the tower, Edwina finally found the slippery, slimy, green, furry frog hiding behind a large glass bottle. Careful not to frighten Miss Cackles, Edwina tip toed over to where she was hiding and quickly put the net down to stop her from jumping away. She then dripped a small drop of Magical White Mist over the frog. A small puff of smoke appeared and Miss Cackles was once again her old self.

‘Here's the empty bottle, Edwina.'

‘That was close, Gabriella. I do believe Thirty-four would have liked to see Miss Cackles stay as a frog.'

Both girls giggled as they thought about Miss Cackles. When they finally stopped laughing, Edwina poured the potion into the bottle and squeezed a large cork firmly into the top, then wrote ‘Magic Vanishing Potion' on the front.

Edwina placed the bottle safely inside a hidden pocket of her black cloak.

'I
t will soon be dark Gabriella, so we had better hurry and change into our fancy dress costumes,' said Edwina. ‘I want to be at the front door when everyone arrives. It should be fun trying to guess who is who.'

‘Could we sneak by the kitchen first? I'm so hungry, and we might find some mud cake with lots of icing on top,' said Gabriella. Thirty-four licked her hand in agreement.