THE FAIRY GODMOTHER'S HANDBOOK

1. Never despise pumpkins.  There are times you will need to transform something in a hurry and these make a good choice for this.
   
2. Always be sure of what you are doing.  Stray magic rebounds and has a nasty tendency to hit the innocent. Zap the enemy and nobody else.
   
3. Always keep your wand(s) and yourself fully charged and ready for anything.
   
4. Never let yourself be surprised.  (It won't end well).
   
5. If there's a neglected or ill treated step-child around, consider yourself on standby for intervention.  You will either need to use a pumpkin in a hurry or negate the effects of a witch's spell.
   
6. Keep yourself up to date with the latest magical practices, news and techniques.  (Your rivals will).
   
7. Always prepare your own meals and drinks.  It is not unknown for fairy godmothers to be got out of the way.
   
8. Make sure you can always justify what you do.  It makes it difficult then for anyone with a grudge to bring false accusations against you to the Fairy Queen, who is duty bound to hold an open and very public (and embarrassing to you) inquiry into such accusations.
   
9. Make sure you keep yourself healthy and in tip top condition.  A fairy godmother must be ready for anything and look as if she is.  Besides you don't want to embarrass your client by looking like some twee old thing who doesn't know one end of a wand from another.
   
10. If all goes wrong, well at least pumpkin soup is delicious and healthy.  Waste not, want not!