Over the next few days, the fallout from the love spell was swift and brutal. Lillian went around apologising to anyone who would listen. Few did. Anti-tributes flowed onto her desk: dead roses, half-eaten chocolates, scornful limericks instead of starry-eyed sonnets. Most people, however, just cast stony glances her way or muttered insults behind her back. Lillian tried to put on a brave face, but Esme and Daniel saw the true one when they were with her. All they could do was remind her that the worst was over.
‘You didn’t cast it deliberately,’ said Esme. ‘Remember that.’
‘And there’s only a certain amount of grovelling you can do,’ said Daniel. ‘Accidents happen. Everyone does something embarrassing at school.’
Esme nodded. ‘Everybody who’s going to forgive you has already. Just igno
