 The Chief Wizard, Egbert Hellibore, comes to give a talk to the girls on Spells, Potions, and Gourmet Cooking. The girls are given strict instructions about behaviour by Miss Cackle and H.B so that when the talk turns out to be really quite good fun, the girls have been so "drilled" that they clam up completely even when asked to join in. Hellibore presumes that they are lacking in confidence and need more practice at public speaking. He suggests a debate between the boys at his school for Wizards and, put on the spot, Miss Cackle has to agree. Ethel is chosen to be the star speaker, but even Mildred discovers she quite likes rattling on about whatever comes into her head. The girls are looking forward to meeting the boys, though when they are introduced, they hardly say a word. Have they all been overawed? But no - in the first part of the debate, the girls are indescribably good and the boys are hopeless. At break, it looks like the girls have got it in the bag. Hellibore magics some snacks for break, but some of the boys have brought their extraordinary-looking bottles of fizzy juice, which they won t let the girls near. After break - a shock turn around! Even the shy, mumbly boys have turned into regular orators, the girls are shocked to dumbness and the boys wipe the floor with them. But before the boys depart, Mildred and the others manage to steal a bottle of the suspicious fizz. When they test it out, the results are fascinating - especially in lessons, and everyone wants a go. The problem comes when it spills onto inanimate objects which then have the power of speech and can talk about their lot - mostly to whinge. And finally Miss Hardbrooms s desk spills the beans to her. To their surprise, H.B. is not as cross as might be expected. A return match is arranged with the boys. Hellibore and the boys can t resist, and come fully prepared with plenty of strange fizzy juice. They don t expect that the bottle of juice will be speaking in the debate - and would have a lot to say about what the boys had been up to.