The Reward of Arrogance

by Jennifer

 

With apologies to the Harry Potter and 'Worst Witch' stories that gave me the idea.

CHAPTER 1

        

The village of Maplethorpe was a typically picturesque English village. Old, with rows of thatched cottages, winding lanes, a pub, a village store, and the ruins of a Norman castle on a hill dominating the valley in which it lay.

There was, however, one feature that wasn't typical. At opposite ends of the village lay two boarding schools, and they certainly weren't typical schools. The boy's school was The Merlin Academy for Warlocks, while the girl's school was The Hecate School for Witches. That's right, they were both schools for the learning of witchcraft, two out of only five such schools in the whole of England. Needless to say, the students were invariably the sons and daughters of witches and warlocks who wished their offspring to continue with the ancient tradition of practicing their mystic art.

The headmaster of the Merlin Academy went by the impressive name of Professor Prospero Apollonius Galadriel. The Hecate headmistress was Medea Cassandra Cybele, and they were both descended from generations of witches and warlocks stretching back over many centuries, as were many of their pupils.

Naturally, the rivalry between the two schools was intense, and this was always apparent on those occasions in the year when the students were allowed to mingle. The two most important events were the annual witchcraft tournament, when the two schools pitted their abilities with spells and potions against each other, and the other was the annual ball, which featured a feast and dance. In addition, once a month, the student witches and warlocks from one school would visit the other in order for them to learn to dance and behave in an appropriate manner when dealing with the opposite sex.

One morning, when the boys were due to pay them a visit for the monthly dancing lesson the following day, Selene Maxwell and her two best friends Lilith Carter and Freya Martin were discussing the prospect in their favourite place of seclusion, a store room on the top floor of the main building. As was the case with the boys of the Merlin Academy, it was customary for the girls to adopt a pseudonym suited to their area of study, namely witchcraft.

'If I get landed with that horrible Caliban as my partner again I shall scream' said Selene vehemently, 'He's an arrogant chauvinist pig who thinks he's so superior, especially when it comes to we girls.'

Caliban Hermes Paracelsus. A name that conjured up both fear and loathing among both the girls and the boys who had the misfortune to cross his path. He was a gifted young warlock who everyone knew was destined to become a fully fledged wizard, but unfortunately his exceptional talent was matched by an equally large ego. He was an arrogant and sadistic bully who enjoyed making the lives of those younger than himself as miserable as possible. With his sleek swept back blond hair and piercing blue eyes, his malevolent stare could put fear into any junior pupil with a mere glance. And against his more advanced formidable magical powers, their own meagre talents were no defence against any cruel spell he cared to cast on them.

'Well he is one of the most talented boys at Merlin's' commented Lilith, 'He's their star pupil, and gets top marks for just about any spell he cares to try. He's going to be a real force to be reckoned with by the time he leaves.'

'Maybe' said Selene, 'But that doesn't give him the right to treat us with such contempt. And last month, not only did he try and make me feel like an incompetent idiot, he started pawing me like some primitive ape man. It was horrible. I just wish I could teach him a lesson and take him down a peg or two. Perhaps I could put a spell on him or something.'

'Fat chance of that!' retorted Freya, 'He'd make mincemeat of you. His power is greater than any of us. You know how he absolutely mangled Maeve Carey during last year's duel of spells. She spent a whole hour transformed into a rabbit remember.'

'How could we forget?' added Lilith bitterly, 'He humiliated all of us.'

'Well surely there must be some way in which we could put a spell on him.'

There was a thoughtful pause until Selene suddenly grinned and said 'You know, there is perhaps one way in which we could do it.'

'Oh? How?' said Lilith with interest.

'By combining our power. Any one of us wouldn't be strong enough for him that's true, but if we could get him alone and put a spell on him together I'm pretty sure we could do it.'

'Now that's an idea' grinned Freya, 'Why didn't I think of that? So what sort of spell do you think we should use?'

'Something that will knock the arrogance out of him. How about a shape changing spell? Let's turn him into something that will make him feel both ridiculous and powerless.'

There was another pause for thought until Selene began to chuckle. 'I've got it' she grinned, 'Let's make the punishment fit the crime. He's always teasing and bullying us girls, so let him find out what it's like. Let's turn him into a sweet little junior girl, say about seven years old. Not only will he be excruciatingly embarrassed, but it will also take away all his powers, so there's nothing he'll be able to do about it until we decide to turn him back again.'

'Oh that's a brilliant idea!' giggled Lilith, 'So when shall we do it? How about tomorrow when the boys are here for the dancing class?'

'Good' smiled Selene 'That's a perfect opportunity. I'll make sure he partners me (I'm pretty sure he fancies me), and I'll entice him up here. You'll be waiting for us, and as soon as I bring him into the room we'll all hit him simultaneously with the same spell.'

'What about an outfit for him to wear?' said Freya, 'His own clothes will hardly be suitable for a seven year old little junior girl, apart from being miles too big for him.'

'Easy. We'll make him wear the junior school uniform. I can't wait to see him in that!' giggled Selene, 'We can get everything we need from the school uniform store and leave it ready in here for him to change into. And don't forget that once he's a seven year old little girl he'll be no physical match for us. We can force him into it if we want to. Besides, if he refuses to co-operate we'll tell him that we'll simply leave him like that indefinitely. That should guarantee that he'll do as he's told' she added with a wicked chuckle.

And so the trap was set. Young master Hermes Paracelsus was in for a lesson in humiliation he would never forget.

 

CHAPTER 2

The following afternoon the boys from the Merlin Academy duly arrived at the girl's school, and Selene had little difficulty in persuading Caliban to be her dancing partner. The lesson began, and as before, he put his head close to Selene's ear, making several suggestions that she would previously have found offensive. But on this occasion she smiled back at him coyly, and as the lesson came to an end she playfully took his hand and said 'Let's go and find a quiet spot where we can be alone. I know the perfect place. Come on.' He fell for it hook line and sinker, and as she led the way out of the room and up the staircase that led to the upper floors, he arrogantly thought how well he'd managed to charm her.

They climbed up to the top floor, and pausing outside the store room, Selene said 'Here we are, the perfect place for what I have in mind.' Caliban of course suspected nothing as she opened the door and pulled him into the room.

He barely had time to look around the room when the door slammed shut behind him and he heard the key being turned in the lock. He swung round and was surprised to see Lilith and Freya facing him, their backs against the locked door, and grinning at him in wicked anticipation.

For a moment he was taken aback, but then recovered his usual arrogance and exclaimed 'What the hell?….What do you think you're doing you little idiots?'

'Yes that's the sort of thing we expected to hear coming from you' grinned Selene, stepping back from him, 'But you won't be talking like it for long. All right girls, let's do it. Now!'

Well prepared for this moment, the three girls suddenly pointed at Caliban and began intoning a shape changing spell. He recognised what it was, and immediately tried to defend himself with a counter spell of his own. But it was too late. Taken by surprise, he'd already begun to feel himself shrinking in size, and found to his dismay that he couldn't remember the words he needed. He began to panic, and his panic turned to desperate pleading as he felt his strength ebbing away.

'Oh no! Please!' he wailed, 'Don't do this to me! I'm sorry. Pleeeease!' Not only was he getting smaller, but his voice was rising to a higher pitch as well, and he also noticed that his blonde hair was rapidly growing in length. He looked at his hands and saw that they were getting smaller, and felt as if his clothes were expanding around him.

Smaller and smaller he grew, and soon his hands disappeared up into the sleeves of his blazer and his trousers suddenly fell down from his rapidly decreasing waist and hip size. By now his hair came well down over his shoulders, and he suddenly realised what he was changing into.

'Oh no!' he shrieked shrilly, 'I don't want to be a girl!'

'Not just a girl' laughed Selene, 'But a little girl. And we're going to make you really cute and pretty. Aren't you lucky?' she added with a wicked chuckle.

A whimper of despair came from the rapidly diminishing figure, and as the spell reached its completion, the blazer slipped off the little girl's shoulders to join the trousers on the floor. She stood there forlornly for a moment, and then said hesitantly 'Wha…what are you going to do to me?'

'Oh nothing much really' giggled Lilith, 'We're just going to teach you a lesson in humility. You're always teasing girls and putting them down, so now you're going to find out what it's like to be on the receiving end.'

'And the first thing we need to do is to dress you properly' said Selene briskly, 'So let's get you out of those grotesque looking boy's things and put you into something more appropriate. By the way, in case you're thinking of being difficult, don't even think of it. If you refuse to do as we tell you, you'll simply stay like that until you do. Is that understood?' she added firmly.

Caliban knew that he was in no position to refuse, and would have to submit to whatever humiliation the girls chose. With a sigh of resignation he nodded his head in the affirmative, and with a grin of triumph, Selene said briskly 'Very sensible. Now let's get you dressed little girl.' Caliban winced at being addressed like this, but knew better than to protest.

He suddenly noticed several items of the girl's school uniform hanging up and draped over a chair, and he stood there helplessly as Freya removed the remainder of the now oversized male clothes he was wearing. The little girl stood there naked as Selene picked up a pair of maroon school knickers and held them out low down.

'In you get' she ordered, and Caliban reluctantly stepped into them. She pulled them up to his waist and high up his legs, and he grimaced as the elasticated openings gripped him firmly around his thighs and waist. Selene pulled a white vest on over his head and arms, and she tucked it into the waist of the knickers. Next came a white blouse buttoned up to the neck, followed by a maroon and silver diagonally striped tie. 'And now for one item I can't wait to see you wearing' she grinned, 'Your junior school gym tunic. We senior girls wear skirts these days, but this will really mark you as a little junior girl.'

She held the garment up, and it certainly would personify the wearer as a typical little girl. It was a box pleat gym tunic as worn by countless younger schoolgirls, with two buttons on each shoulder, three pleats back and front, and a waist belt with a plastic buckle was threaded through two keepers sewn on either side of the waist.

With a broad grin on her face, Selene took the tunic off its hanger, unfastened the shoulder buttons, and held it out low down above the floor. 'In you get' she said, and with a sigh of resignation, Caliban stepped into it. Selene pulled it up over his body and fastened the buttons at the shoulder. Then she threaded the belt through the buckle, pulled it tight, and secured a button at the end of the belt to prevented it from slipping loose.

Pulling down the hem of the tunic so that it hung neatly, she said 'That's more like it. Now sit down and I'll see to your feet.' Caliban sat on the chair, and she pulled a pair of white ankle socks onto his feet and turned them down neatly at the ankle. On top of these came a pair of brown T bar strap shoes which she fastened on securely with the buckles at the side. They were definitely a junior style, and designed not to come off active little feet.

The girls looked at the previously arrogant young man now transformed into a forlorn little girl as she blushed crimson with humiliation. They burst out laughing at his obvious discomfort, and then Selene said with a wicked grin on her face 'Now then little girl, let's do something about your hair. Let me see now, ah yes, I know. Plaits are what you need. Yes, a nice cute pair of pigtails with pretty ribbons on the end. Just the thing for keeping your hair tidy, and so appropriate for little girls.'

She opened a drawer and took out two lengths of white satin hair ribbon that she'd prepared previously, together with some elastic bands and a hair brush. 'Now keep your head still' she ordered. Caliban did as she ordered, and she brushed his long hair several times before taking a large comb and parting it down the centre, dividing it in two. She then took hold of the hair hanging down one side of his head, separated it into three lengths, and began plaiting it. As she made the first fold over, she pulled his hair tightly, and a pain shot across his scalp. 'Ow!' he said involuntarily, 'Please, that hurts. It's too tight.'

'Don't be silly' she replied briskly, 'That's how it's got to be done or it'll be untidy. Now sit still or I'll have to start again.' The plait pulled so tightly at first that Caliban felt as if he'd never be able to close his eyes, but after a few minutes he began to get used to it as it began to feel simply tight but not painful. When Selene reached the end of the plait, she picked up an elastic band and wound it around the plait to stop it from coming undone. Then she started on the other one, and before long, Caliban had a pair of perfectly matching pigtails in typical schoolgirl fashion. Next came the white hair ribbons. With a broad smile on her face, Selene took one and tied it securely in a neat non-slip bow around the end of one of pigtail. Then she attended to the other one, and in a couple of minutes the ends of the pigtails were decorated with two matching sized bows of white hair ribbon tightly tied around them.

'And now for the finishing touch' she said, reaching into a drawer and taking out two white plastic hair slides in the form of small bows. She carefully slid each one into place on either side of Caliban's head and clicked them firmly into place. 'There we are' grinned, admiring her handiwork, 'That looks lovely, absolutely perfect.' She positioned the two plaits so that they hung down either side of the little girl's face with the hair ribbons on the ends resting on her chest at the front. The erstwhile arrogant bully boy looked at himself in the mirror and groaned with despair at the cute little schoolgirl staring back at him.

Desperately humiliated, his face darkened and he suddenly snapped 'You'll pay for this. Just wait until Professor Galadriel finds out what you've done to me. He's downstairs with your headmistress, and if you don't change me back right now I'm going straight to him. Then we'll see who's got the last laugh!'

Selene knew just how empty his threat was. She'd already allowed for that contingency, and had little doubt that her carefully thought out version of the situation would be enough to persuade the professor that her punishment was fully justified. With a grin, she said 'All right then, go ahead. Let's go downstairs and see what happens. Come along.'

His bluff called, Caliban's face changed to one of alarm as Selene and Lilith dragged him to his feet. As a seven year old little girl devoid of both physical strength and stripped of his magical powers, he gave a little whimper of protest as the girls escorted him out of the room and down the stairs to the main hall where the two school principals were chatting. The dancing lesson over, the boys and girls were standing around in groups, waiting for the boys to leave.

The unfortunate Caliban was marched across to Professor Galadriel and Medea, who looking at Caliban said 'Who's this? You're not one of my girls young lady, so why are you wearing our school uniform?'

Caliban squirmed with embarrassment while Selene grinned and said 'Why don't you tell them who you are? Or would you like me to tell them?'

Blushing crimson, Caliban looked down at the floor and said miserably 'I'm Caliban Hermes Paracelsus.' Then pointing accusingly at the three girls he exclaimed 'They did this to me!'

There was a brief moment of non comprehension before both school principals and those boys and girls nearby who had overheard his outburst roared with laughter at the sight of the unpopular bully boy transformed into a little girl.

'Well well' chuckled Professor Galadriel, 'Who would have guessed it? Our most talented pupil overpowered by three girls. My goodness Caliban, you must be slipping. So how did you manage it?' he added, looking at Selene, 'And why?'

This was Selene's big chance and she didn't waste it. She explained just how offensive and arrogant Caliban's behaviour was towards the girls of Hecate, and several girls nearby were nodding their heads in agreement. Even some of the boys from Merlin Academy agreed with them. It seemed that several of them had suffered at the hands of young master Hermes Paracelsus, and Caliban suddenly had an uneasy feeling that he could expect little sympathy from anyone.

Especially Medea. As Selene skilfully elicited her sympathy, she turned to Professor Galadriel and said 'You know, I have to agree with her. I myself have noticed his arrogant and unkind behaviour towards my girls, and had meant to mention it to you. This young man obviously needs a lesson in manners, and I must say this is a most appropriate punishment' she added with a grin as she looked at the forlorn Caliban.

And Professor Galadriel didn't help Caliban's situation. 'Yes I think I know what you mean' he said thoughtfully, 'I've seen several of our boys suffer at his hands, mostly because he's so talented and able to cast some particularly unpleasant spells against which they have no defence. Certainly the act of a bully' he added, giving Caliban an unsympathetic stare. 'So what do you suggest we should do about it?' he added.

Medea thought for a moment, then looked at Professor Galadriel and said 'Well I'm most impressed with these young ladies' talent. They only learnt this shape changing spell last term, so they must have been practicing. Obviously being able to combine their powers they were able to overcome him. Rather ingenious I think.'

'Indeed' commented Mr Price, slightly miffed at the thought that his star pupil had let down the Merlin Academy's reputation.

Then came the bombshell as far as Caliban was concerned. 'You know' said Medea with an amused grin, 'I was just thinking. It's only three weeks until the end of term. Why don't we leave him like this until then? He can stay with us as our guest, and I'm sure that the girls would just love the chance of paying him back for all the things he's done to them.'

'I imagine they would' laughed Professor Galadriel, and Caliban's heart sank as he added decisively 'Yes, why not? It's certainly a splendid opportunity to teach him a few manners isn't it? Very well then Medea, he can stay here until the end of term. I suppose there's no point in sending his things over. You can supply everything he'll need as a girl?'

'Yes of course' smiled Medea, 'He's already wearing his school uniform isn't he? Or should I say she is' she added with a grin. 'And I suppose we can't really call her Caliban Hermes Paracelsus can we?' She turned to Selene and her two friends and said 'Well girls, you brought about this situation. What would you like to call him, or rather her' she grinned, 'What do you think would be an appropriate name for this little girl?'

Selene looked at Caliban with a triumphant grin of relish, thought for a moment, and then chuckled. 'How about Lucy?' she giggled, 'That's a really cute little girl sort of name isn't it?'

'Lucy!' laughed Medea, 'Oh yes, that's very sweet, I thoroughly approve of that. Very well then, as of now, our new junior girl is Lucy. Sounds rather appropriate somehow.'

And that was that. Caliban was doomed to spend the next three weeks as a junior in a girl's boarding school at the mercy of two hundred girls intent on repaying him in full for his previous humiliation of them. As the saying goes, You've made your bed, so now you must lie in it. Or if you like, he'd been hoisted with his own petard.

The boys of Merlin Academy prepared to leave, and Professor Galadriel turned to the hapless Caliban. 'All right then young man,' he said, 'Or rather, young lady for the present. You will now remain here for the next three weeks as the guest of the Hecate School for Witches. You will of course behave yourself, for if I find out that you haven't, I can assure you of a punishment that will make being a little girl for three weeks a mild irritation in comparison. Do I make myself clear?'

He certainly did, and Caliban shuddered to think about it. He nodded his head miserably and whispered in a high pitched and submissive whimper 'Yes Professor Galadriel.'

The headmaster looked at him balefully and said 'Very well.' Then he turned to Medea, shook her hand, and said 'All right Medea, he's all yours, or rather she's all yours' he added with an amused grin.

He made his farewell, and gathering the boys together, he led them out of the door to walk back to the Merlin Academy. As the boys left, several of them couldn't help looking at Caliban and chuckling at his situation without any sympathy at all. He was assailed with such teasing comments as:

'Cheerio little girl, have fun.'

'See you later cutie pie.'

'D'you want your dolly to take to bed with you?'

One boy couldn't resist dashing up to Caliban and giving one of his pigtails a hard yank.

'Ouch!' yelled Caliban, 'Don't! That hurt!'

'Of course it did Lucy' giggled Selene, 'So now you know what it feels like. Don't worry, you'll have to get used to having your pigtails pulled. It's one of the hazards of being a little girl!'

Once the boys had left, Medea turned to Caliban and said 'All right Lucy, let me show you where you'll be sleeping, away from the other girls. Come with me.' She led him out of the room and up a staircase until they came to a door marked Matron. She stopped and knocked, and a cheerful voice from within called out 'Come in.'

Medea opened the door and led Caliban inside. The school matron stood up as they entered, and the headmistress briefly explained the situation to her. A broad grin crossed the kindly looking woman, and she said to Caliban 'Don't worry my dear, I'll take care of you. You can sleep in the bedroom next to mine.' Flicking one of Caliban's pigtails playfully she said 'Each evening I'll unfasten your plaits and brush your hair before you go to bed. Then in the morning I'll put it back into pigtails. We'll provide you with a spare school uniform, and a nightdress of course. Don't worry, you'll soon get used to being one of the girls.'

Caliban didn't particularly want to be one of the girls, but knew he had no choice but to submit to his humiliating punishment. He was beginning to bitterly regret his former bullying ways already.

Just then the evening dinner bell rang, and Medea took Caliban downstairs to the dining hall. She asked Selene, Lilith and Freya to look after him, and with grins of delight the three girls led him across to the meal queue to pick up a tray and be served with his dinner. Then they sat him down between them at a long refectory table.

The meal was an amusing affair for the girls, but certainly not for Caliban. He squirmed as they told him some of the ways in which they were going to enjoy themselves at his expense, and he shuddered at the prospect.

Once dinner was over the girls were allowed to amuse themselves as they wished until bedtime, so Selene and her friends kept Caliban with them for the rest of the evening while they made him read out loud from various girl's books.

At last it was nine o'clock, and the girls all returned to the dining hall where they were served with a cup of cocoa and biscuits as a nightcap. That done, Selene took Caliban up to Matron before wishing him goodnight and pleasant dreams.

Matron undressed him and hung up his school uniform before putting him into an ankle length white winceyette nightdress. He washed and cleaned his teeth before she sat him down at a dressing table, and unfastening his pigtails, she brushed his long blonde hair thoroughly before he got into bed. She drew the blankets up over him, kissed him on the forehead, and said 'Night night Lucy, pleasant dreams.' Some chance of that he thought bitterly as she switched off the light and left the room, closing the door behind her.

He lay there in the dark for a while, pondering his fate. How on earth he was ever going to live this down he had no idea, but he had a feeling that when he was at last allowed back to his own school, he would have a barrage of ridicule to endure. Oh well he thought drowsily, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. And then he was suddenly asleep. It was going to be a very long three weeks.

THE END

  

  

  

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