Read Online Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz - Free Book Online

off someone’s hand. It was a ring, a special ring with a black stone set in plain gold. David reached out for it … and yelled. The ring was white-hot. It was as if it had just come out of the forge. It was impossible, of course. The ring had been lying there on the wooden surface ever since he had come into the room. It had to be some sort of illusion. But illusion or not, his fingers were still burnt, the skin blistering.
    “What are you doing here?”
    David twisted round, the pain momentarily forgotten. Mr Kilgraw was standing in the room – but that was impossible too. The door hadn’t opened. David had heard nothing. The assistant headmaster was dressed as usual in black and white as if he was on his way to a funeral. His voice had sounded curious rather than hostile but there could be no mistaking the menace in his eyes. Clutching his hand, David desperately grappled for an excuse.
Ah well
, he thought to himself.
Refrigerator, here I come.
    “What are you doing here, David?” Mr Kilgraw asked for a second time.
    “I … I … I was looking for you, sir.”
    “Why?”
    “Um…” David had a flash of inspiration. “To wish you a happy Christmas, sir.”
    Mr Kilgraw’s lips twitched in a faintly upwardly direction. “That’s a very charming thought,” he muttered in a tone of voice that actually said, “A likely story!” He gestured at David’s hand. “You seem to have burnt yourself.”
    “Yes, sir.” David blushed guiltily. “I saw the ring and…”
    Mr Kilgraw moved forward into the room. David was careful to avoid glancing in the mirror. He knew what he would see – or rather, what he wouldn’t see. He waited in silence as the assistant headmaster sat down behind the desk, wondering what would happen next.
    “Sometimes it’s not wise to look at things we’re not meant to, David,” Mr Kilgraw said. “Especially when they’re things that we don’t understand.” He reached out and picked up the ring. David winced, but it lay there quite coolly in the palm of his hand. “I have to say that I am very disappointed in you,” Mr Kilgraw went on. “Despite the little talk we had, it seems that you aren’t making any progress at all.”
    “Then why don’t you expel me?” David asked, surprising himself with his sudden defiance. But then there was nothing he would have liked more.
    “Oh no! Nobody is ever expelled from Groosham Grange.” Mr Kilgraw chuckled to himself. “We have had difficult children in the past, but they come to accept us … as you will one day.”
    “But what do you want with me?” David couldn’t contain himself any longer. “What’s going on here? I know this isn’t a real school. There’s something horrible going on. Why won’t you let me leave? I never asked to come here. Why won’t you let me go and forget I ever existed? I hate it here. I hate all of you. And I’m never going to accept you, not so long as I live.”
    “And how long will that be?” Suddenly Mr Kilgraw’s voice was ice. Each syllable had come out as a deadly whisper. David froze, feeling the tears welling up behind his eyes. But he was certain about one thing. He wouldn’t cry. Not while he was in front of Mr Kilgraw.
    But then it was as if Mr Kilgraw relented. He threw down the ring and sat back in his chair. When he spoke again, his voice was softer.
    “There is so much that you don’t understand, David,” he said. “But one day things will be different. Right now you’d better get that hand looked at by Mrs Windergast.”
    He raised a skeletal finger to the side of his mouth, thinking for a moment in silence. “Tell her that I suggest her special ointment,” he went on. “I’m sure you’ll find it will give you a most … refreshing night’s sleep.”
    David turned round and left the study.
    It was quite late by now and as usual there was nobody around in the corridors. David made his way upstairs, deep in thought. One thing was sure. He had no intention of visiting