My First Coven

The Empty Page

It took longer to get home with Auntie M riding pillion on my broom than what it did getting to the pub roof where she was sat, still with a pint. She had drunk loads tonight, you could tell just by looking at her that she'd had a skinful. I managed to get her on the back of my broom somehow and made my ascent back in to the sky. The streets of Kitchin were pretty dead so hopefully there weren't any people about that would spot us flying across the sky. Sober people anyway.

'Maddie I can't hold on properly.'

'Hey stop moving so much Auntie M I can't fly this broom straight!'

The broom was bopping up and down and zig zagging about when Auntie M was trying to make herself comfortable. She had slipped a few times and started laughing as she was righting herself in-between some impromptu verses of some song she was trying to sing, which I couldn't make out. Apparently the way to incapacitate the stupidly powerful Witch that was my Aunt, you had to put half a brewery in her. Well at least half. She had literally been in no state to do anything.

Fortunately though, the brisk October night air was sobering her up pretty quickly. She had stopped shaking the broom about and attempting to sing so at least the trip home was quiet. Short of narrowly avoiding a few tree tops we made it back to the school intact. I landed the broom round the side of the faculty dorm where I knew there were no security cameras. Auntie M sort of fell off the broom arse first and staggered to her feet.

'Thanks Maddie. Ugh that was sobering.'

'Please Auntie M just get a taxi or something next time.' I sighed.

'Okay kiddo, I'm sorry for dragging you out. Here let me try and get you back in to bed.' Auntie M started snapping her fingers with no effect until all of a sudden; I felt a wooshing feeling around me and in a flash, I was instantly back in my bed. At least Auntie M was sobering up to the point now where she could actually use her magic and she didn't send me to the middle of the Sahara desert or something. I got to sleep instantly though after tonights escapades and woke up around half past nine in the morning feeling pretty good. Katie and Victoria were already up and were getting ready to leave for home. We spoke for a little while before they left and said they'd see me on Sunday when they returned.

That was fine by me. I loved my friends but I also loved having some alone time to just slob about and do whatever I wanted. After Katie and Victoria left I had a bit of a lie then then eventually got out of bed to make myself a cup of tea and find the remote for the TV to switch it on. I flicked through the channels for a bit before landing on one that had the local news on.

'...a young womans body was found early this morning on the outskirts of Hitchin. Police have not released any further details, but are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed anything between the hours of four and seven thirty this morning around the Westmill area.'

'Oh shit not another one.' I said to myself. 'I hope to God it's not related to that one outside the school.'

I thought it would be a good idea to speak to Auntie M. I concentrated for a second so I could talk to her telepathically.

'Auntie M! Auntie M you up?' I waited a moment to see if I got a reply.

'Morning kiddo, can't talk right now I'm in the middle of something.'

Auntie M did sound like whatever she was doing was urgent.

'Anything I can do to help?' I asked.

'No need to worry, I'm just visiting the husband of your old chemistry teacher.'

It had been a while since Mrs Clarkson had died, I guess Auntie M had left an appropriate amount of time before going visit Mr Clarkson.

'Did you hear about the woman they found this morning? I just saw the news.'

'I did. I'll chat to you in a while, I'm gonna do some investigating. See you later.'

So Auntie M had gone to visit Mr Clarkson to do some sleuthing about my old chemistry teacher, while I was still lazing around in bed. I felt like I had to do something to help or at least do something productive. I figured now would be a good time to study the family spell book and see if there were any spells I could get my head round. I threw on some comfy clothes and made my way in to my wardrobe; activating the portal that led in to my Auntie M's room. I announced myself to the family spell book which seemed to be in a good mood today.

'Hey dude, you gonna be my friend today?'

The book sort of just gradually opened and fluttered his pages. "He," I kept calling the book he for some reason. I don't know, the book did seem to give off a gruff kind of energy which was odd. He had fallen open around the middle which is where some really random spells were written. There was one I remembered from my last flick through the book that was specifically for boosting the growth of vegetables out of season. There was another near it that was for turning water in to alcohol and vice versa.

'Wow I wonder if Jesus was actually a Warlock.' I said aloud to myself with a bit of a chuckle. I flicked through the pages looking for anything that stood out and landed on a page that had really, really old script that was barely legible. But thankfully my Aunt had re-written it out in neat handwriting and plain English and had magically attached it to the page.

'Object Divination. Hmm.' I mumbled. The book had decided to intervene somewhat and using the corner of the opposite page; pointed at the spell, to be honest though it wasn't really a spell but more of a method.

'You think this is a good one?' I said to the spell book. He wafted his pointing page quickly a few times then laid it flat again. I took that as a yes.

Luckily I had remembered to bring my own spell book with me and a pen. I turned to a clean page in my book and began copying the spell down word for word. This spell may very well come in handy I thought as I read the little description.

'Divining the past, present and future. Hold the object in your right hand, hover your left hand over the object and draw the residual energy from it. The object will tell you itself if it has relation to a person or event that has happened, is happening or will happen. Advanced Witches can do this by touch alone. Lower level or fledging Witches may need to use a white candle anointed in Frankincense and Lavender oil and recite this chant. "I am to see, a time not mine. Bring me the images, in my minds eye."

'Seems pretty simple enough. Thanks book.'

The book wafted his pages again which I took as a "no problem" the it quickly shuffled it's pages through to a part of a book I knew had a bunch of spells relating to your own person, usually healing spells and medical related ones. The book wafted the left page where he turned to indicating I should read.

'Menstrual Issues.' I read out loud. 'Really book?'

He flapped his pages. That's a yes.

'Oh wait it's the end of the month so... oh shit.' I cursed. Yes I was now at the point of talking to a spell book and to myself, I'm sticking with the fact that I am still completely sane. The book knew I was due on before I even remembered. I didn't know whether to think it was kinda cool, gross or just a bit creepy. Yeah it was all of the above.

'Fine if you insist then as you apparently know me better than myself.' I huffed at the book as I wrote down the recipe for a soothing tea for menstrual cramps.