Tortoise Trouble The Worst Witch

Woohoo!

Don't worry, Tabby.

We can do this.

Maud!

Enid!

Well met.

Wait for me!

Wait, Mil!

Look out for the...

..tree.

You nailed it!

I might have been practising.

This year is going to be so different.

No more crash landings.

No more clumsy mistakes.

No more disasters.

This time, it's going to be brilliant!

My project!

Is it supposed to be able to fly?

No!

You go on without me.

-Ah!

-Oh!

Sorry, Ethel.

I think I'm just a bit nervous.

Of what?

Flying.

Falling off.

Miss Hardbroom yelling at me.

Losing my powers like poor Esmeralda.

Sybil, you're a Hallow, aren't you?

Then you'll be absolutely fine...

I hope Milly holds up.

It's great to be back!

Come on, girls, hurry up.

First day at Cackle's.

I think I'm going to explode!

Please don't. This uniform's brand-new.

You're the funny one from selection day.

Am I?

Well met.

I'm...

CAT MEOWS

Beatrice Punch. Bea for short.

Clarice Twig. Well met, Bea for short.

-Where do first-years go?

-First-years, this way.

On the left.

Here they come.

The future of witchcraft.

I admire your positivity after last year.

Precisely. We couldn't possibly have a debacle like that again.

This time, it's going to be brilliant.

Well met, sisters.

Ethel, that's mine.

Your project nearly took my head off.

Sorry. Let me help you up.

Ah-h-h!

Now, you may recall we had a few security issues last term.

Ah-h-h!

Let me assure you all, however,

that every possible step has been taken

to ensure the school is 100%...

STUDENTS GASP

..safe.

Ah-h-h!

Just the whole school looking, then.

No big deal.

Welcome back, Mildred Hubble.

Shouldn't we do something to help?

Mildred's way beyond help.

She thinks she's come up with a spell that makes animals talk.

Find your mistress.

There's a good broom.

OK.

Oh, come on.

Upside down, inside out, scream and shout, get me out.

I am really sorry Miss Cackle.

My project flew off, and then there was a tile loose...

No harm done, Mildred.

Now, where was I?

Ah, yes.

Safety.

BUILDING CRACKS

Well met.

BUILDING KEEPS CRACKING

We clearly got some work to do on the roof.

Apart from that, I'm certain

you really couldn't be more protected than here at Cackle's.

STUDENTS SCREAM

The school just collapsed.

Didn't it, Miss Hardbroom?

I believe it did, Miss Cackle.

I've used an extra strong binding spell on the walls.

The rest of the school isn't going anywhere.

Any idea what caused it?

I've just destroyed the school -

in the first five minutes of term.

Don't flatter yourself.

You're nowhere near that powerful.

And it was only the east wing.

-Here.

-Thanks for catching it.

With your face.

Haven't even started my project. Have to wing it.

I've researched this really crafty spell.

Took me most of the holidays to get it working,

but I'm really proud of it.

Let's see.

I want to surprise you in class.

It'll be worth the wait, I promise.

Leftover bad magic,

from Agatha's annihilation spell last term.

But we reversed it.

Traces were hidden deep in the walls.

The flagpole coming out caused a chain reaction.

Thank goodness for Mildred's aerial predicament.

Indeed.

It could have spread through the entire school if left unchecked.

We'll have to remove it. Stone by stone.

We can't rebuild until it's gone.

Space will be tight for a while.

But we'll manage.

Keep calm, and witch on.

Sybil Hallow? They've got us in with you.

Our bedrooms were annihilated.

Well met.

She's Clarice. I'm Beatrice.

-You can call me Bea.

-You can call me Clarice.

She's weird, but nice. Don't worry.

You're head of year one, aren't you?

-Congrats.

-Thanks.

Is Esmeralda Hallow your big sister?

You've heard about her?

People are saying she lost her magic.

She didn't lose it.

She was tricked into giving it away.

And then she couldn't get it back.

Are you OK?

Just now, my other sister got knocked clean off her broom,

and then the school fell down.

She's not OK.

This place is really scary.

-Go home, then.

-I can't.

My mum's even scarier.

I guess I just have to stay here, and be brave.

I think I can help with that.

Hmm.

Don't reckon much to the view.

Shh! Pets are banned, remember?

I have to hide you.

Not one more word until I present my project.

No problemo.

-Einstein?

-Sorry, last one.

-Oh, that was another.

-Shh!

Sorry.

Everyone's talking about Esmeralda.

Is it true she's not magic any more?

Mother told us not to say anything.

But she isn't coming back?

Not for now, no.

It must be strange.

Especially with Drusilla changing schools.

I heard she's at Pentangle's now.

Really? She's so lucky.

I know, right? Miss Pentangle is everything.

Oh, no.

Oh, foaming frog spawn!

-No!

-What?

My holiday project for HB.

It's not here!

Tell me how it happened, again?

Hide-and-seek with my cousin Henry.

Magical hide-and-seek is epic.

Which means things can go wrong.

I thought he'd never find me with a different face.

I'm still me...

-..underneath.

-Obviously.

I'd know you anywhere.

-You didn't change anything over the holidays, did you?

-No.

I just went on a world tour with Mum and Dad!

It was like watching pondweed dry.

We visited the Natural Witchery Museum.

Very educational.

Followed by a broomstick whisking trip over Niagara Falls.

-Nice.

-What about you?

Caravan holiday.

As in camels?

Across the Sahara?

As in Wales, across the A48.

Really? How did you get there?

-On a bus.

-An actual bus?

Yep. Just a normal, actual bus.

That settles it. Next break, we're staying with you.

My dad made it.

Helps boost your confidence.

Hallows aren't supposed to need help with things.

Everyone does sometimes.

You didn't pack my project.

Hello. I'm...

I told you to get the folder next to Mum's cauldron,

and put in my trunk.

Can't your mum just transfer it?

Tell her we left it behind?

Are you insane?

Sybil, have you any idea what HB's going to do to me

-when I turn up without my...

-You left it behind.

Excuse me?

I packed it in your trunk.

You took it out again

when you decided my packing wasn't neat enough.

If you forgot it, that's your fault.

Did I really just say that?

Your father makes excellent potions.

So, you got off to a sticky start.

Sounds like your flying was on point, though.

Enid and Maud were super impressed.

Told you all those hours we put in would be worth it.

Thanks, Mum.

-And are you ready for your project?

-Can't wait.

I've made an extra potion

in case people want to give it a try themselves.

Nobody's going to be talking about the school falling down, then.

You think?

Come on.

VOICE SPEAKS IN THE DISTANCE

Go on, Tabby.

Be a sport.

Grab us a bit of cabbage.

Maybe a carrot.

No-one would miss it.

Come on, Tabby.

Hello.

Got any food on you?

Oops. Forget I said that.

And that.

Mildred's spell!

It worked.

Uh oh.

Wait. Maud, are you going first?

I don't know.

Are you?

-Aren't you worried about winging it?

-No.

Not being able to think of something,

made me think of something.

Silence!

You will each present your project.

Marks are awarded for originality, flair and difficulty.

The highest scoring witch wins a prize of my choosing.

Begin.

OK, so my project is all about...

How to get your brain fizzing when you haven't got a clue.

Why just have one hair colour, when you can have every hair colour?

You simply sprinkle the potion, like this.

Tap your head, like this.

Chant the words at the top of your voice, and...

A convenient, portable broomstick for any occasion.

You get the perfect idea every time!

Rainbow hair!

Next.

I'd like to share a very important magical breakthrough.

Which I, Ethel Hallow,

discovered during my extensive research over the holidays.

Meet Cyril, everyone.

Pleased to make your acquaintance.

STUDENTS GASP IN AWE

-Wow.

-That's amazing.

Glad I didn't miss this.

Nothing scary about getting a cat.

Nope. Not one thing.

CATS MEOW

You have to be very precise with the talking equation.

-Miss Hardbroom!

-No questions until Ethel's finished.

Once you've worked out the potion to surface area ratio, however,

it should work on almost any small animal.

Don't see why not.

Miss Hardbroom!

That really is a fascinating discovery, Ethel.

-Miss Hardbroom!

-Yes, Mildred.

That's my spell!

Bea vanished into thin air.

I'm not afraid of that.

Witches vanish all the time.

Not first-years, though.

So, you're scared now?

Just think we should go and find her.

Ethel must've stolen it.

I can prove it, Miss Hardbroom. Look!

I had hoped you'd be taking this year seriously.

Clearly, some things never change.

But there was a whole project in there.

I swear it!

And I made Einstein talk.

He'll tell you himself!

She stole my tortoise, too.

You brought a pet tortoise to school?

Isn't that against the rules?

Mildred Hubble, if this is an elaborate attempt

to cover-up the fact that you haven't done the work...

I did it, I promise.

And Einstein wasn't a pet,

he was part of my project.

Mildred...

Cast the spell. Prove it.

Perhaps, if I could show you.

Pitter patter, chitter chatter,

oink or gobble, we can natter.

Croak, meow, bark or tweet, you were silent, now you speak.

Ugh, I wish they'd keep the noise down.

I was having a snooze.

Sid, I think they heard you.

No, they didn't.

We did...

..actually.

Wow. Hello.

Could you let me out of this jar, please?

Yes, what she said.

Save us from HB.

She's a monster!

Bea!

Bea, come out, wherever you are.

Bea!

Hello!

Hello, down there!

Help!

-Hello?

-I think I've been kidnapped.

Any chance you could get me down?

ANIMALS CHATTER

OK, Einstein was never that loud.

I'm not sure what went wrong.

You used magic in anger.

That's what went wrong.

Sorry, Miss Hardbroom.

However, you have proven yourself

as the girl who attempted to copy Ethel's project.

Miss Cackle will decide what to do with you.

No offence, but you look a little unbalanced.

I'm a first-year.

Still learning.

Ooh, careful.

Hello.

Hello.

Oh, you found us.

It was supposed to be the other way around.

I heard you looking, but I was embarrassed.

I've got...

..asthma. It transfers me around sometimes when it gets bad.

What's she doing up there?

Just rescuing a tortoise.

She's fearless now, thanks to you.

Cheating is a very serious allegation.

I swear on Tabby's life, I didn't do it.

We shall have to talk to both of you.

See if we can't get to the bottom of it.

Come on.

Well, knock me down...

..with a Lily pad.

Whatever did you land on?

Mildred.

For the most imaginative and unusual holiday project,

I declare Ethel Hallow the winner.

-ETHEL'S PET:

-Congratulations.

This is so unfair.

What are we going to do?

We need to find that tortoise.

I never thought I'd see the day.

What is it, Miss Cackle?

Something very special, indeed.

Do you disappear every time you sneeze?

Yes. Unfortunately.

Well, we covered for you.

Broomsticks crossed, no-one missed us.

But what if it happens again?

You can't just keep disappearing at the drop of a hat.

-Hand it over.

-What?

You know what. We used a tracking spell.

I think she means me.

Busted, tortoise-handed.

Oh, dear.

Miss Cackle!

What's happened now?

They found something awesome in the ruins.

So, the second-years hate us now.

For helping a defenceless animal?

They might think I was in on it with Ethel.

But you weren't.

Can I have some more of your dad's confidence potion?

Actually, I made that.

Really? What was in it?

Water.

Magic water?

No, just water water.

I stood up to my sister.

Yep.

I flew to the top of the tallest tree I've...

..ever seen.

Yes. And you didn't need magic to do any of it.

You did it all by yourself.

Isn't that amazing?

-No.

-No?

No. It's not amazing. It's..

...petrifying.

I could have been seriously hurt.

Come closer, everyone.

That's it.

I'd like to present to you all,

the founding stone of the school.

Set down by the first Miss Cackle centuries ago,

when the school was built.

It's what makes a magical school magical.

The collapse revealed it.

No living person has ever seen one before.

Doesn't look all that to me.

This stone is a source of great power,

and it deserves your respect.

Who said that?

Um, I did.

Maud Spellbody...

is that a tortoise?

Yes, Miss Hardbroom.

A talking one.

She snatched me from under the bed,

used a spell to copy Mildred's project,

and dumped it in the kitchen bin.

Then she flew out to the woods and hid me in a tree!

Is this true?

No, Miss Hardbroom.

And you can't take his word for it.

He's a tortoise.

You do have a point,

which is why we're going to pay a visit to the bins.

Keep looking, Ethel.

You're going to turn over every old tea bag and fish skin

-until we have a definitive answer.

-I can see it! Right at the back.

-Look!

-There. There it is.

I can tell from the green ink.

I'm sorry. I did my own.

And it was excellent.

But I forgot it.

I didn't want my mother to find out

because she's been so worried about Esme.

We have a zero tolerance approach to plagiarism.

Rest assured, she will be punished, Mildred.

How many lines?

250,000.

To start off with.

You made him speak.

Chop chop.

I must not steal other people's ideas.

Best handwriting.

Begin.

You should've seen Ethel.

Covered in bin juice, face like she'd eaten mouldy porridge.

Your prize -

toadstools in crow saliva.

Use them sparingly.

I won?

I re-marked the holiday projects in light of recent events.

So, yes,

you are now...

..the winner.

Do not let it go to your head.

We're so proud of you, Mil.

I'm just proud of Einstein.

Shame he has to go home.

I think I'll like it better there.

This school is a bit too exciting for me.

But have a brilliant term, Mildred.

You know what? I think I might.

Fire drill, quick!

We will shortly be welcoming a new teacher.

Are you ready to have some fun?

-Mil, you've got something on your back.

-What?

I set a self-activating friendship trap.

We don't need power.

We need...

..fire.