Melody & Jackson's Christmas Spell

by Vivian French

  There was a shimmer of stars, a whooshing noise, and Jackson gave a speedy leap backwards. Fairy Fifibelle Lee, all her gauzy scarves fluttering, was standing right in front of her.

  “Wow!” We were both so amazed we couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  Fairy Fifibelle looked pleased. “It DID work rather well, didn’t it, my sweets? It’s sometimes a little tricky to grow back again. Takes more concentration, I think you’ll find.”

  Jackson and I looked at each other. Learning how to shrink and grow sounded interesting, I thought, but Jackson said, “Just a minute. Why do we need to be tiny? We can always be invisible if we don’t want people to see us,” and she fingered her magic necklace. We’ve all got one; tap it twice and nobody can see you – except for the other Stargirls, of course, and our teachers. And even then we look sort of floaty, and almost see-through.

  “Sometimes being invisible isn’t enough, darling Jackson.” Fairy Fifibelle smiled in a mysterious way. “Wait and see.”

  Jackson frowned. She finds Fairy Fifibelle really irritating; she says she isn’t Fairy Fifibelle Lee’s precious petal, or her sweetie pie, and most of the time I think the same. On the other hand, Fairy Fifibelle is surprisingly good at magic – although it does go a bit wrong sometimes. I quite like that. It makes me laugh.

  “Where are the others?” I asked. “Are they coming soon?”

  Fairy Fifibelle Lee put her hand to her ear. “I’d say they’ve just arrived,” she told me, and the very next minute the door burst open and Team Starlight came tumbling into the room.

  Chapter Three

  I was pleased to see the rest of the Stargirls, because it meant we could get on, but they were all giggling and holding hands and my first thought was, They’re so BABYISH! Then I caught myself thinking it, and I knew that wasn’t the way a Stargirl ought to feel, so I did my best to smile.

  “Hi, Jackson!” Emma was beaming at me. “Are you looking forward to Christmas?”

  I shrugged. “Sort of.”

  “I can’t wait,” she enthused. “I absolutely love this time of year … everyone’s so happy!”

  I thought of the cross man dressed up as a cuckoo, and the way he’d told the kids to hurry up. And the mum who hadn’t let her little girl have a present from Santa Claus. And her poor skinny brother … and the horribly spoilt Baby and Pipsy.

  “Not everyone,” I said. “It seems to make some people really mean.”

  Emma looked disappointed for a moment, but then she smiled again. “It’s AGES since we were all here. I thought we were never going to get another Tingle! But we had to, didn’t we, because you two need to get your last star.”

  “Thanks for reminding us,” Melody said.

  Emma blushed. “I didn’t mean…” she began.

  But Melody interrupted her. “It’s OK. Jackson and I know why we’re here. And…” She hesitated, and I could tell she was doing her best to be nice. “Thanks for coming to help us.”

  That nearly made me laugh, because Melody sounded as if she was making such a mammoth effort, but Fairy Fifibelle Lee waved her wand and sent hundreds of tiny little pink stars twinkling round the room.

  “Well said, Melody. A true Stargirl is always grateful for the help of others! And I’m sure Emma and ALL of Team Starlight will do everything they can to help you and Jackson get your final star.” She stopped to wave her wand again, and the tiny pink stars went whirling round Melody’s head. “Isn’t that right, my honey blossoms?”

  Emma beamed, but Ava gave me a tiny wink from behind Fairy Fifibelle’s back, and I saw Madison roll her eyes. It’s just as well they did, as I can’t bear it when Fairy Fifibelle goes all hippy-dippy and gushy.

  “Melody and Jackson would be fine without us,” Ava said firmly. “We’re only here because we love the Academy so much. And, if they’re going to learn a new spell, we’d like to learn it too.”

  “Quite right.” Our head teacher, Fairy Mary McBee, came bustling out of the sitting-room. “I’m so sorry to keep you waiting! Are we all here?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Miss Scritch?”

  Miss Scritch followed Fairy Mary into the workroom. I noticed she only gave Fairy Fifibelle a brief nod as a hello, and it made me chuckle to myself. Sometimes I think I might turn out to be like Miss Scritch when I grow up. I’ll go around despising flowery people who gush, and avoiding them as much as I can.

  “Good morning, Stargirls,” said Miss Scritch. “I hope you’re ready for a hard day’s work. It may be nearly Christmas, but that’s no excuse for slacking. No excuse at all!”

  Fairy Fifibelle fluttered madly. “Our precious darlings have never been lazy, dear Miss Scritch. Now, shall I begin?”

  If Miss Scritch’s eyebrows had risen any higher they’d have vanished. She turned to Fairy Mary McBee. “Am I to understand that Fairy Fifibelle is teaching the girls today?”

  Fairy Mary was unruffled. “Fairy Fifibelle has always been wonderfully skilled at the Shrinking Spell. Perhaps you might care to take over when it comes to Growing again? That has presented problems in the past, and I’m sure Fairy Fifibelle won’t mind my saying as much.” She patted Fairy Fifibelle’s arm, and went to fetch a pile of paper from one of the cupboards.

  Fairy Fifibelle Lee clapped her hands, and beamed at Miss Scritch. “But I’ve just done it!” She gave me and Melody a soppy smile. “You saw my Growing Spell, didn’t you, poppets?”

  Melody nodded.

  Fairy Fifibelle clapped her hands again, like a child who thinks it’s done something terribly clever. Then she put her head on one side and gazed at me. “And it worked perfectly, didn’t it, my precious petal?”

  There was a pause. I hate “precious petal” even more than “sweetie pie.” But I was trying to be a proper Stargirl, so I said, “Yes, Fairy Fifibelle.”

  Chapter Four

  I didn’t hear what Jackson said to Fairy Fifibelle. Ava and Madison were asking me about the Shrinking Spell.

  “Fairy Fifibelle was TEENY,” I told them.

  “Really?” Miss Scritch had heard me. “I hope you didn’t raise any false expectations, Fairy Fifibelle Lee.”

  Fairy Fifibelle went pink. “I might have shrunk just a little bit more than I should,” she confessed, and Miss Scritch gave a disapproving sniff.

  “How small will we be?” Ava asked.

  “About half your usual height,” Fairy Mary said. “Shrinking too small can be dangerous, as I’m sure you can imagine.”

  Miss Scritch nodded. “Very dangerous indeed. Imagine if you were ten centimetres tall, and you met a cat!”

  Olivia, looking rather pale, went to sit beside Sophie at the table, and I saw them whispering together.

  Fairy Mary noticed them as well. “Don’t worry, my dears,” she said. “Fairy Fifibelle will show you the spell, and then we’ll have a little practise to make sure you know just what to do.”

  Miss Scritch started to say something, but Fairy Mary McBee held up her hand. “Let it be a surprise, dear Miss Scritch,” she said.

  We looked at each other. A surprise? What did she mean?

  Before we had time to discuss it, Fairy Fifibelle Lee moved to the head of the table.

  “My darlings! I’d like you to work in pairs, if you would be so kind.”

  Jackson and I shuffled our chairs closer together, Madison winked at Ava, Lily grinned at Emma, and Olivia and Sophie linked arms.

  “Now,” Fairy Fifibelle went on, “I’d like you to make a list of the ten smallest things you can think of.”

  Miss Scritch coughed. “Would you like me to hand out some paper?”

  “Oh yes!” Fairy Fifibelle gave a little laugh. “Silly me.”

  We took our piece of paper, and started our list. We began with mice, and ended with a grain of sand. Miss Scritch looked over our shoulders, and frowned. “That’s much too small,” she said. “If you try for that kind of size, there’s a danger you’ll shrink so fast you’ll disappear completely.”

&nb
sp; We stared at her. “What would happen then?” I asked.

  Miss Scritch sniffed. “Fairy Mary and I would have to waste a great deal of time and magic putting it right.”

  Sophie had overheard, and she leant towards us. “But you would be able to get us back to our normal size, wouldn’t you?”

  “If we could find you.” Miss Scritch sniffed again. “Once a person has disappeared, it’s exceedingly difficult to find them as their voices disappear with them. This is not a spell for amateurs.”

  Olivia gave a gasp of horror. “We’d DISAPPEAR?”

  Sophie’s eyes were as round as saucers. “We’re not going to do that, though, are we?”

  Miss Scritch cleared her throat. “Fairy Fifibelle,” she said, “I think you should get on with the Shrinking Spell. You’re making Sophie and Olivia nervous.”

  “Oh! Oh, my poor, poor darlings!” Fairy Fifibelle rushed to hug Olivia and Sophie in a flurry of floating scarves. “You mustn’t be worried!” She turned to the rest of us. “Have you all made your lists, petals?”

  There was a chorus of agreement, and Fairy Fifibelle smiled. “Now, listen very carefully. Repeat after me…

  I wish to shrink,

  To grow quite small.

  I wish to be

  A metre tall…

  And while you’re reciting the spell, think about all the small things on your list.”

  We nodded, and when Fairy Fifibelle said the spell again, we repeated it word for word. We did it three times … but nothing happened. None of us shrank. Not even an inch.

  “Has something gone wrong, Fairy Fifibelle?” Ava asked.

  Fairy Fifibelle was looking puzzled. “It’s very strange,” she said. “I’ve never known it take so long.”

  Miss Scritch gave a meaningful cough. She didn’t suggest anything, though, until Fairy Fifibelle dropped her wand with a clatter and said, “What could have gone wrong? You’ve all recited the spell perfectly.” She sighed loudly.

  “It’s quite simple,” Miss Scritch said smugly. “The girls need to have made a second list. No Shrinking magic will work unless careful preparations have been made for reversing the spell afterwards.”

  Fairy Fifibelle Lee blushed. “Oh, silly SILLY me!”

  Before Miss Scritch could agree – and I could see that she was bursting to – Fairy Mary said quietly, “Don’t worry, Fairy Fifibelle. We all make mistakes. It’s an important part of every Stargirl’s education to learn that making mistakes can teach her far more than getting everything right all the time. Isn’t that so, Jackson?”

  Chapter Five

  Fairy Mary looked straight at me as she spoke, and it made me jump.

  “Erm … yes,” I said, and I had an uneasy feeling that she meant something in particular.

  “Nobody ever learnt anything of value without overcoming a problem or two first.” Fairy Mary went on, and now she was talking to all of us. “It’s something we must all remember. Fairy Fifibelle, do go on with your lesson.”

  Fairy Fifibelle had recovered, and she handed us each another sheet of paper with her usual smile. “Darlings – another list. This time, the ten biggest things you can think of. Mountains, castles … whatever you like.”

  This one was simple. Melody began with an elephant, and I finished up with Cloudy Towers – that’s the old name for the Academy, because it’s built on a cloud, and has so many towers you can’t count them all. Once we’d finished, Fairy Fifibelle asked us to put our pieces of paper on the floor.

  “Why the floor?” Emma asked.

  “You’ll soon see, dearest Emma.” Fairy Fifibelle gave her a meaningful smile. “Now, my sweets, please try the spell again. Forget the list you’ve just made, and think about the small things.”

  “May I make a suggestion?” Miss Scritch leant forward. “Girls! Leave your chairs, and close your eyes before trying the spell.”

  Fairy Fifibelle frowned. “Thank you, Miss Scritch. I was just about to tell the girls to do exactly that.”

  “Excellent.” Miss Scritch sat back, and watched as we went to stand in a row by the wall, closed our eyes, and began to chant the spell.

  “I wish to shrink,

  To grow quite small.

  I wish to be

  A metre tall…”

  It was the weirdest feeling I’ve ever had in my entire life. I could actually feel myself shrinking … and it wasn’t very nice. My legs and arms felt prickly all over, and for a moment or two my tongue felt too big for my mouth … but then it seemed to settle. I could hear Melody gasp, so I opened my eyes – and I gasped too. We’d shrunk! Really and truly! Our noses were level with the table, and Fairy Fifibelle Lee and Miss Scritch and Fairy Mary looked ENORMOUS! There were twinkly stars floating in the air above our heads, but as I looked up at them they faded away.

  “Jeepers creepers!” Lily was staring down at her skirt. “EVERYTHING’S shrunk! Even our clothes!”

  Fairy Mary chuckled. “Just as well, dear. Think what would happen if they stayed the same size!”

  That made Sophie, Emma, Madison and Ava hoot with laughter. Olivia didn’t even smile; she was rubbing her arms in an anxious kind of way. “I do feel peculiar,” she said.

  “That’s because you are,” I told her. I thought she’d laugh, but she didn’t. She gave me one of her wide-eyed looks.

  “I know,” she said.

  I sighed. “I was joking. You know? Funny ha ha?”

  “That’s enough, Jackson!” Miss Scritch snapped. “And I’m sorry, Olivia. Fairy Fifibelle Lee should have warned you that sensitive people often feel uncomfortable. If you wish to be excused from trying again, I will understand. Now, I think we’ll try the Growing Spell. Can you all read your lists? The ones on the floor?”

  Emma was positively wriggling with excitement. “Oh! NOW I understand! If we shrank even a little bit more, we wouldn’t have been able to see them on the table!”

  “This is where you have to concentrate.” Miss Scritch folded her arms. “Think of ALL the things on your list – the mountains and the elephants – and repeat after me…

  I wish to grow,

  To make things right.

  I wish to be

  My normal height!”

  “Do we shut our eyes again?” Ava asked.

  “Of course.” Miss Scritch tapped her fingers on the table. “Everybody ready? Right! Repeat the spell after me!”

  We did as we were told, and I’d hardly said the last word before I could feel a weird sensaton, as if my legs were stretching … and my arms as well. My head buzzed, and my ears popped – and I heard Miss Scritch say, “Goodness! That is quite remarkable! QUITE remarkable!”

  I opened my eyes, and found I was my usual height … but I was the only one. The other Stargirls still had their eyes screwed up, and were muttering the spell over and over.

  Fairy Mary gave me a congratulatory smile. “Well done, Jackson. You have a real gift for magic.” She hesitated, and then went on, “Please remember that it IS a gift, and use it well.”

  “Yes, Fairy Mary,” I said.

  Fairy Fifibelle was gazing at me. “Jackson darling! What a wonderful WONDERFUL thing!”

  I thought she was going to float across and hug me, so I hastily pointed at Emma. “Is Emma OK? It looks as if she’s getting smaller, not taller.”

  Fairy Fifibelle was immediately distracted, and she rushed to Emma’s side. “Think LARGE, Emma dear! Think MOUNTAINS, poppet!”

  Miss Scritch frowned. “She can manage perfectly well on her own,” she said.

  But Fairy Fifibelle must have had some effect because Emma gave a little squeak, and shot up right in front of us. It was the most extraordinary thing to watch. One minute she was the height of the table, and the next she was – I can’t think of the right word. Lengthening, perhaps – and then there she was, looking as if she’d never changed at all.

  “Wow,” Emma said, and grabbed the back of a chair to steady herself. “That was like whizzing up in the
fastest lift ever!”

  “Do you feel all right, dear?” Fairy Mary asked.

  Emma nodded. “I feel fine. Just a bit dizzy. But I did it, didn’t I?”

  She sounded SO pleased with herself. I started to point out that she hadn’t exactly done it on her own, but I caught Fairy Mary’s eye. She made me feel a little bit uncomfortable, so I shrugged, and let Emma go on thinking she was a total star.

  Chapter Six

  Jackson’s always been better at magic than the rest of us. It took me several goes to grow back to my normal height, but I still beat Team Starlight, except for Emma, and she had help from Fairy Fifibelle. Miss Scritch had to help Olivia, and she moaned all the time she was growing. “Fusspot,” I thought, but I didn’t say anything.

  Once we were all sitting around the table again, Fairy Mary leant forward. “Dear Stargirls,” she said, “that was a difficult spell. You are to be congratulated. Now, I think we should have a little break.” She turned to Miss Scritch. “I’d say it was time for our surprise, wouldn’t you, Miss Scritch?”

  Miss Scritch pulled her wand out of her pocket. “As you wish, Fairy Mary.” She waved the wand in the air … and we jumped. Shining stars whizzed round and round the ceiling, and a bright red cloth patterned with snowflakes floated down onto the table.

  “A Christmas feast! DO let me help!” Fairy Fifibelle stretched out her arms, and hundreds of toy-sized knives and forks clattered out of a cupboard and flew through the air before landing in front of Miss Scritch in a tangled heap. Seconds later, a pile of at least fifty tiny tea plates wobbled down from the ceiling and landed with a crash, smashing into smithereens.

  Fairy Fifibelle looked most surprised. “That’s very strange,” she said. “I’ve never known that happen before.” She waved her arms again, and a cascade of teeny weeny hot sausage rolls poured down from nowhere.