Free Caution: Witch In Progress by Lynne North Page A

benefits of having an Evil Eye
like Gran. Not that it mentioned Gran in the book, but Gertie immediately
thought of her. She wondered if she stared for a while, without blinking, if it
would make her eyes go red. It didn’t. It just made them water. Bertha asked
her why she was crying, offering her a consoling biscuit. Gertie decided the
unblinking stare wasn’t a very good idea. It would be no use at all if her
victim thought she was crying.
        That was something else Gertie didn’t understand either. Why
would anyone want to harm a victim? They would have to do something terrible to
Ma or Gran, or Owl or Wart (maybe even to Bat), for Gertie to want to harm
anyone. And then she probably wouldn’t want to harm them very much. She wasn’t
entirely sure she had the right idea about witchery. Everything she was told
seemed to be aimed at doing nasty things to other people, and Gertie didn’t
know why. Maybe she would when she grew up to be a real witch. No matter what
happened, Gertie never doubted she would grow up to become a true witch. Her
Gran had told her so, and she was always right. Well, almost always.
        The book said when you were casting a spell on someone, it was
usually because you were angry with them. This wasn’t always the case in Vile
Vale, or maybe some witches got angry more quickly than others, thought Gertie.
The anger would help to form the grimace, the book added.
        ‘I worked that one out for myself in class!’ shrieked Gertie.
        Bertha and Jasper both jumped. They were beginning to doze
again, the biscuits nothing but a pleasant memory.
        ‘What?’ asked Bertha, bleary eyed.
        ‘Are you not reading your book?’ Gertie asked.
        ‘It put me to sleep,’ replied Bertha in a drowsy voice.
        So do most things, thought Gertie, but left Bertha to it while
she continued to read.
        An hour later when Gertie tiptoed out to go back to her own
room, Bertha and Jasper were both snoring loudly.

Chapter Nine
     
    Once
Gertie had read her assigned chapters (twice), she also read chapter four for
good measure. She was determined to stay on the good side of Mr Wolfsbane. Not
just because he was scary, but because he had stood up to Fang for her too.
        She was now free until the gong went for evening meal, so she
decided to go to check on Wart. Owl was out somewhere, hopefully not getting
into any mischief. He seemed to be more used to his surroundings and finding
his way about now. He had gone knocking on Hexa’s window a couple of times over
the first few days at the Academy. Hexa’s room was next to Gertie’s, so he
wasn’t too out of his way. Hexa wasn’t what Gertie could call a friend, but at
least she had been kind to Owl. She had let him in through her window, and
brought him round to Gertie’s room. Gertie had thanked her, and asked her in,
but Hexa had made polite excuses not to come in. Gertie understood. Everyone
wanted to be part of the “In Crowd”, and associating with the “Oddballs” as
Gertie had heard herself and Bertha described, was not the best way to join.
Owl had been getting the right window since then, so Gertie had seen little or
nothing of Hexa apart from at meals or in class. At least Owl was settling in.
        Gertie set off down the stone steps and out the front door of
the Academy. Crossing the bridge, she turned to head for Wart’s pond. Suddenly
she saw something from the corner of her eye, or at least she thought she did.
Moving closer to the moat, she peered across the water. Not the best word for
it, maybe sludge would be more appropriate. No, there was nothing to see.
Gertie felt sure she had seen a shape or movement in the moat. She would
mention it to Bertha later to see if she had ever seen anything.
        Gertie forgot all about it for now as she arrived at the
stagnant pond. Wart wasn’t on his favourite rock, but he soon returned chewing
madly. His mouth was full of something or other.