▁in ▁England ▁after ▁sum mon ing ▁the ▁local ▁w itch es ▁for ▁the ▁task . ▁The ▁child ▁protagon ist ▁and ▁his ▁grand m other , ▁a ▁retired ▁w itch - h unter ▁who ▁once ▁searched ▁the ▁world ▁for ▁the ▁Grand ▁High ▁W itch , ▁encounter ▁her ▁by ▁accident ▁in ▁a ▁hotel ▁in ▁England , ▁setting ▁in ▁motion ▁the ▁main ▁plot ▁of ▁the ▁novel . ▁ ▁Story line ▁and ▁character ization ▁ ▁The ▁Grand ▁High ▁W itch ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁powerful ▁being ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁one ▁linking ▁the ▁secret ▁soci eties ▁of ▁demon ic ▁w itch es ▁that ▁exist ▁in ▁various ▁countries , ▁as ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁contact ▁each ▁other . ▁The ▁Grand ▁High ▁W itch ' s ▁headquarters ▁is ▁a ▁great ▁castle ▁in ▁Norway , ▁where ▁she ▁has ▁a ▁magic ▁money - print ing ▁machine ▁and ▁lives ▁with ▁large ▁ret inue ▁of ▁special ▁Ass istant ▁W itch es , ▁ty ran n ically ▁r uling ▁over ▁all ▁the ▁w itch es ▁anywhere ▁and ▁plot ting ▁ever ▁more ▁harm ▁to ▁children ▁everywhere . ▁The ▁current ▁Grand ▁High ▁W itch , ▁who ▁is ▁un named ▁in ▁the ▁book ▁but ▁goes ▁under ▁the ▁alias ▁of ▁Eva ▁Ernst ▁( Miss ▁Eva ▁/ ▁Miss ▁Ernst ) ▁in ▁the ▁film , ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁" the ▁most ▁evil ▁and ▁app alling ▁woman ▁in ▁the ▁world ." ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁back story , ▁the ▁boy ▁protagon ist ▁( named ▁Luke ▁in ▁the ▁film ) ▁has ▁a ▁grand m other ▁( known ▁as