Magical Mayhem

  .

  To Val, with love and thanks

  ..

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Imprint

  .

  Chapter One

  It was the start of the new winter term, and Twink Flutterby was flying more slowly than usual as she travelled to Glitterwings Academy with her father and little sister, Teena. On the ground below trotted a salamander with a bright red harness around his chest. Twink held his lead proudly, watching him scamper along the winter-brown grass.

  Teena had been flying some way ahead, but now she swooped back with her hands on her hips. ‘Can’t you hurry, Twink?’ she complained. ‘We won’t get there until midnight at this rate!’

  Twink shook her head. ‘I don’t want to tire Sal out – we’ve still got lots of work to do on our project once we get back to school.’ She smiled down at the salamander, admiring his glossy black skin and vivid yellow spots.

  Everyone in Twink’s Weather Magic class had wanted to work with the school’s salamander-thermometer for their winter term project, but Mrs Starbright had chosen her. Even better, Twink had been allowed to take the brightly coloured creature home with her over the holidays, so that she could start taking temperature readings with him. Twink and Sal had had great fun together over the last few weeks, and were now firm friends.

  Teena rolled her violet eyes. ‘Oh, bother Sal and your stupid Weather Magic class! That’s all you’ve gone on about all hols – when you haven’t been off measuring the temperature with him for hours on end.’

  Twink looked at her little sister in surprise. ‘Well, it’s an important project! Everyone in our Weather Magic class is doing something to see whether winter is coming later than usual this year, and then we’re all going to present our results in a few weeks, and –’

  ‘Blah, blah, blah,’ interrupted Teena. ‘I’ve heard it a million times already, Twink!’ Before Twink could respond, Teena had darted away again.

  Stung, Twink glanced at her father, who was flying nearby. From his expression, she knew he’d overheard. ‘Um . . . I suppose I have talked about it a lot over the hols,’ she admitted.

  ‘Just a bit,’ said her father with a smile. As usual, he was carrying both her and Teena’s oak-leaf bags as he flew – and looked as if he’d be very glad to put them down!

  ‘But Dad, it’s really interesting,’ said Twink eagerly. ‘Did you know that we haven’t even had a frost yet? Mrs Starbright says that’s because the weather’s getting warmer and warmer each year, and –’

  She broke off. Her father’s eyes were twinkling. ‘Oh. I’m doing it again, aren’t I?’ she said sheepishly.

  He chuckled. ‘I’m glad you’re enjoying your studies, Twinkster. Teena’s just been feeling a bit left out, that’s all.’

  Father and daughter skimmed over the crest of a hill, with Sal trotting along below. Twink smiled as Glitterwings Academy came into view. The great oak tree stood on a hill of its own, its winter branches almost bare of leaves.

  Even on a grey, cloudy day like this, Twink thought her school looked beautiful. Tiny golden windows spiralled up its trunk, and the grand double doors at its base stood open in welcome. Returning students hovered about the tree in colourful clusters, chattering and laughing.

  As Twink and her father landed, Teena flitted back over to them. ‘Dad, I’ve checked in already,’ she said. ‘I’m going to go up to Snowdrop Branch now with Zuzu, all right?’ Zuzu was Teena’s best friend, a fairy whose pink hair and lavender wings were the same as Twink and Teena’s.

  ‘I can tell you’re heartbroken to leave your poor old dad!’ said their father wryly, handing over Teena’s bag and giving her a hug. ‘Have a good term, then.’

  Teena made a face. ‘Anything has to be better than how boring the hols were! Plus it took us so long to get here that I bet all the best beds are taken already.’ She gave the salamander a dark look.

  ‘You’d better hurry, then,’ snapped Twink, patting Sal’s head reassuringly. Usually she and her sister got on very well, but there were times when she wanted to throttle Teena!

  ‘Don’t worry, I’m going!’ retorted Teena. ‘Bye, Dad,’ she added, kissing his cheek. ‘See you later, Twink.’ She skimmed off to where Zuzu was waiting near the entrance.

  Twink let out a breath when she was gone. ‘Let me guess – I need to be patient with her,’ she said to her father. That’s what Twink’s mum was always telling her, though sometimes it was easier said than done!

  Her father smiled. ‘Well, no one ever said being the oldest was easy,’ he pointed out, handing Twink her bag. ‘But don’t be too hard on Teena – she looks up to you a great deal, you know.’

  ‘She has a funny way of showing it sometimes,’ muttered Twink, adjusting Sal’s lead.

  Twink’s father laughed and gave her a hug. ‘Why else do you think she got her wings in a twist when you didn’t have time for her over the hols?’ he asked. ‘Bye, Twinkster – have a good term. Send us a butterfly and let us know how you get on with your project!’

  Twink stood waving as her father flew away. When she could no longer see him, she dropped her arm thoughtfully to her side. Teena was such an independent little thing that it was difficult to think of her looking up to Twink . . . but perhaps her father was right.

  I’ll make sure I spend more time with her this term, Twink resolved. Then she glanced at Sal, swishing his spotted tail about in the grass. That is, after I finish the project, she amended.

  ‘Twink!’ shouted a voice.

  Twink grinned as her best friend Bimi Bluebell came fluttering up, her gold and silver wings glinting like sunshine. She landed beside Twink and the two fairies hugged tightly, bouncing up and down.

  ‘It’s so good to see you!’ exclaimed Twink.

  ‘You too,’ said Bimi warmly. ‘Oh, and look, here’s Sal – hello, Sal!’ she added, stroking the salamander’s sleek head. Sal thumped his tail on the ground.

  Twink grabbed her bag in one hand and Sal’s lead in the other. ‘Come on, I’ve got to get checked in with Miss Twilight,’ she said. ‘Then I need to take Sal back to his pen in the Creature Kindness log before we fly up to Violet Branch.’ The fairies all lived and went to school high in the branches of the oak tree – much too far up for a salamander to be expected to climb!

  ‘All right,’ said Bimi, tucking a strand of midnight-blue hair behind her pointed ear. ‘I’ve already been up to Violet Branch and saved our beds. We’re making a three with Pix again – I thought we could swap notes on our project more easily that way.’

  ‘Great!’ said Twink happily.

  Talking non-stop, she and Bimi flew over to the tree root where Miss Twilight stood checking in students. Twink’s heart felt as light as thistledown. It was wonderful to be back at Glitterwings. She could tell already that it was going to be a glimmery term!

  ‘I can tell already that it’s going to be a boring term,’ said Teena glumly as she and Zuzu flew into the school.

  The inside of Glitterwings Academy was like a high, golden tower, with fairies swooping in and out of its branches as far up as the eye could see. Teena almost groaned to see it again. Everything looked exactly the same as last term!

  ‘Boring?’ Zuzu looked at her in surprise. Her long pink hair was just the same shade as Teena’s, though she wore hers pulled back with a leafy clasp. ‘But why?�
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  Teena sighed as she and Zuzu began flying up the trunk towards Snowdrop Branch. ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ she grumbled. ‘Everything just feels boring. Twink spent the entire hols mooning about with that stupid salamander, and the weather’s so dull and grey, and –’

  Zuzu burst out laughing. ‘Listen to you, misery-wings!’ she teased, giving Teena a nudge. ‘We’ll have to do something to cheer you up.’

  Teena smiled despite herself. ‘Sorry, I know I’m being a pain. But honestly, Zu, there wasn’t anything fun to do over the hols. I almost died of boredom!’

  She decided not to mention how hurt she’d felt that Twink had been too busy to do anything with her. Besides, she wasn’t that bothered by it, Teena told herself. Let Twink do whatever she wanted – she didn’t care.

  ‘So anyway, now I want something really exciting to happen,’ Teena went on firmly as the two friends landed on a ledge halfway up the tree. A single pearly-white snowdrop dangled over the door. ‘That’s my mission for this term. No boredom allowed!’

  Zuzu giggled. ‘Well, things are never boring with you around – that’s for certain!’

  The two girls pushed open the door to their branch. The curved bark walls were lined with mossy beds, with large white snowdrop blossoms hanging upside-down over each one.

  Teena’s spirits lifted to see two empty beds side by side with a fairy called Summer unpacking her things just beside them. What luck! Twink had once tried to throw the two of them together as best friends, which hadn’t worked, but Teena still liked the orange-haired fairy very much.

  The three fairies chattered away cheerfully as they unpacked. Summer grinned to hear of Teena’s mission to do away with boredom. ‘Well, that’s good news,’ she said, rubbing her purple wings together. ‘We could use some fun to liven things up around here!’

  ‘Look, what’s that down on the ground?’ said Zuzu, peering out of the window. ‘It can’t be a dandelion this late in the year, can it?’

  ‘Is it? It’s strange to have one so late in the season.’ Summer joined Zuzu at the window. ‘Ooh, it is! We should tell Miss Petal.’ Their Flower Power teacher was mad about plants.

  Holding back a groan at the pair of them, Teena placed a bottle of wing polish on her bedside mushroom. This was hardly what she’d had in mind when she said she wanted something exciting to happen!

  ‘It’s not that strange; it’s just awfully warm still,’ she explained wearily. ‘We haven’t even had a frost yet.’ Then she winced. She sounded like Twink, rattling on about her project!

  ‘You know, I’ve heard that humans use dandelions to do magic with,’ said Zuzu, adjusting her hair clasp.

  Teena paused in her unpacking. ‘What do you mean? Humans can’t do magic!’

  Zuzu lifted a wing. ‘Well, that’s what I’ve heard. They blow on a dandelion, and if they can get all the seed pods to fly away in a single breath, they get a wish.’

  ‘Really?’ Teena joined Zuzu and Summer at the window, staring down at the dandelion. It was growing near the Fledge field, alone in a sea of grass. Its tiny white head bobbed in a gentle breeze.

  Zuzu nodded. ‘Yes, and the wishes really do come true for them – at least, that’s what my gran says.’

  Teena gazed at the dandelion in awe. A wish! How thrilling! Fairy magic didn’t include wishes, and the idea of a spell that gave you anything you liked was quite dizzying. In fact . . . Teena felt a tingle of excitement run across her wings.

  ‘Humans are funny, aren’t they?’ Summer was saying. ‘I’ve heard that they make wishes on the first star to come out at night –’

  ‘I’ve got a great idea!’ interrupted Teena, beckoning her friends closer. ‘If the dandelion magic works for humans, then why don’t we try it? We could wish for anything we want!’

  Zuzu and Summer exchanged a look. ‘Um – I don’t know, Teena,’ said Zuzu slowly. ‘It’s human magic. What would happen if fairies did it?’

  ‘Isn’t it obvious?’ cried Teena, fluttering her wings. ‘We’re magic ourselves, so that should make the wish-magic even stronger! Come on, you two, what could go wrong? It’s worth a try, isn’t it?’

  There was a pause. Finally Summer shrugged. ‘Well, why not? It probably won’t work, but we’ve got a bit of time before the opening session.’

  ‘Exactly!’ cried Teena triumphantly. ‘What about you, Zu? Are you coming with us?’

  Zuzu bit her lip. ‘We-ell . . . I suppose . . . it’s just that in every story I’ve ever heard about, things always go wrong whenever someone makes a wish, and –’

  ‘Those are just stories,’ laughed Teena. Linking her arms through her friends’, she flitted with them to the branch door. A moment later the three fairies were spiralling down the trunk, gliding past groups of returning students.

  Seeing Zuzu’s worried expression, Teena gave her a friendly squeeze as they swooped out of the front doors. ‘Look, Zu, if it doesn’t work, then no harm done – but if it does, we’re going to have some fun!’

  Up close, the dandelion was much larger than it had looked from the windows of Snowdrop Branch. Teena blinked to see that the white, fluffy head was half as tall as she was! It would be useless for the three of them to blow on it like a human, that was obvious.

  ‘Maybe if we all sort of hover around it,’ Teena suggested. ‘Then I’ll make the wish, and we’ll all flap our wings as hard as we can to make a breeze and blow the seed pods off!’

  The three fairies arranged themselves around the dandelion’s head. Summer looked amused, Zuzu nervous but excited. Teena took a deep breath. ‘I wish that something exciting would happen!’ she blurted out. ‘Now, FLAP!’

  The girls beat their wings in a frenzy, bobbing quickly about the dandelion. One by one, the seed pods began to take off, floating away into the air.

  ‘It’s working!’ cried Teena. ‘Keep flapping, keep flapping!’

  More and more seeds took flight, until there was a steady stream of them drifting across the Fledge field. Finally there was only one seed pod left, clinging stubbornly to the dandelion’s head. They had almost done it!

  Teena hovered right next to it, flapping as hard as she could. At first she thought it wasn’t going to work – and then all at once the last seed pod came away, spinning gently off after the others.

  The dandelion’s head looked naked and empty. Panting, the three girls collapsed on the ground and looked at each other, eyes shining. ‘We did it!’ crowed Teena, punching the air.

  ‘Yes, but it’s not doing anything, is it?’ pointed out Summer with a grin. ‘You asked for something exciting to happen, and –’

  ‘Look!’ cried Zuzu, grabbing Teena’s arm.

  Teena’s eyes widened. A single large snowflake was falling through the sky. As she watched, it landed on the grass nearby, melting instantly. But then came another, and another. In hardly any time at all, the air was thick with snow.

  ‘Oh, it’s getting cold!’ said Summer, jumping to her feet. ‘Look, the snow’s starting to stick to the ground already.’

  The three fairies looked at each other in alarm. ‘Um . . . you don’t think this was because of my wish, do you?’ said Teena uncertainly.

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Zuzu, shivering. ‘But we’d better get inside, quick!’

  Her heart pounding hard, Teena flew with her two friends back to the school, dodging the heavy snowflakes as best they could. The wind whistled around them, buffeting them every which way. She felt like a leaf swirling about in a stream!

  Finally they reached the school, gasping in relief. Glancing over her shoulder as they sped through the double doors, Teena saw that the Fledge field was a blur of white.

  The dandelion was gone, buried in the snow.

  .

  Chapter Two

  The storm raged about the
school, showing no sign of letting up. Students hung about the trunk’s windows in excited clusters, staring out at the white whirlwind.

  ‘I don’t understand it!’ said Twink. She and Bimi had been on their way to the Great Branch with the other Violet Branch fairies when the storm hit. They were now all hovering together at a window, all thoughts of the opening session forgotten. ‘It was so warm when we first got here, and that was hardly any time ago!’

  ‘Yes, our project’s going to be interesting,’ said Bimi thoughtfully. ‘I’m supposed to be checking to see when the mice go into hibernation, but the poor things are probably as confused as we are now!’

  ‘Well, I think there’s something funny about it,’ said Sooze. She had lavender hair and pink wings – the exact opposite of Twink, which was in fact their nickname for each other.

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Pix, a clever red-headed fairy.

  Sooze shrugged, her expression troubled. ‘I’ve just never seen a storm come up so fast, that’s all. It makes me wonder if there’s something unnatural about it.’

  A shiver of apprehension ran through Twink. The Violet Branch fairies looked at each other uneasily.

  Suddenly the magpie’s call echoed loudly through the school – three loud, insistent squawks. ‘That means we need to get to the Great Branch!’ said Twink. ‘Come on everyone, we’d better hurry.’

  The Great Branch was the largest branch in the school, with gleaming wooden floors and arched windows. Mossy tables were arranged in long rows, with a different flower hanging upside down over each one.

  Twink’s eyes widened as they swooped inside. Normally the Branch felt bright and airy, but now snow had piled up outside the windows, blocking out the light. If it wasn’t for the glow-worm lanterns hanging overhead, it would be difficult to see at all!

  As Twink headed for the Violet Branch table, she spotted Teena with some of her friends, looking pale and worried. Twink darted over to her. ‘Teena, are you OK?’ she whispered. ‘It’s just a storm – nothing to worry about!’