Hello :)
Please enjoy.. and review! - but be nice :)
This story is a one-shot but hopefully links in slightly with my other stories. Hopefully you don't think Mildred or HB are too out of character!
The End
I have never been one to show emotions, the girls under my care have always shared whispers of "HB the ice queen" and of how I have "no feelings" when they think I am not listening. How wrong they are! But I am glad that I appear this way. It makes my job easier, makes them work harder in order to gain the rare praise I give when somebody has brewed a perfect potion or gained high marks on a particularly gruesome test.
In all my time as a teacher, one girl saw through my mask, saw glimpses of my true character. I am not surprised; the child saw the good in everyone, whereas I always find faults and weaknesses. Perhaps that is why our relationship was a turbulent one, where she was both my best and worst pupil and I in return her favourite and most hated teacher. No student has ever had such a lasting effect on me before and has never since. Maybe that is why the memory of the day she graduated has stayed with me for so long? Why I can still remember the end of our story as clear as day?
I remember how the sky looked everyday that week: The pale fluffy clouds cast slight shadows over the many turrets of the Academy that I call home. Yet if you looked very carefully, you could see the sun peeking through the clouds and basking the Castle in pale golden sunlight. It was beautiful.
I remember the jittery nervous atmosphere of results day earlier that week. Handing out and discussing the students' results individually. How pleased I was to hand Mildred her results, watching her eyes turn from nervous to shock to excitement. The smile that she had beamed at me when she realised she had done it! Proved, both to herself and I, that she wasn't truly the'Worst Witch' but a bright student, who had finally learnt the importance of revising and applying herself. Her potions mark particularly surprised me. She had managed an A-, only Ethel had succeeded her. The rest were a pleasing mix of A's and B's.
"Are you sure this is correct Miss?" She had asked tentatively. Annoyance spread through me at this point, the girl always doubted herself.
"Yes Mildred, I am quite sure." I had drawled in my exasperated teacher voice. "I must admit I was pleasantly surprised Mildred, but it goes to show what you can achieve when you apply yourself."
"Thank you, Miss!" she had exclaimed in a high pitch voice.
"I know that you and I have had our moments over the past five years, Mildred, but I feel obliged to tell you that I am proud of you."
At this point a small tear had formed in the girl's eyes. She had looked at me as if she desperately wanted to tell me something, but the words never arose. I had changed the subject swiftly.
"How are you getting on with your speech Mildred?" I had asked, referring to the speech that the Head Girl made on graduation day every year.
"Not so great Miss Hardbroom." She had replied truthfully.
"That surprises me; you usually have a way with words." I encouraged gently.
"I am just afraid of disappointing everyone." She mumbled, the excitement in her voice had dwindled showing just how worried she must have been feeling at the prospect of letting down her friends.
"Mildred, do you remember what I told you before your disastrous broomstick performance in front of the Grand Wizard during your first year?"
"Confidence and Control? The key to success?"
"Exactly."
The rest of the last week like always had been filled with leaving preparations. The fifth years' rooms were slowly becoming packed and more and more empty. I didn't see much of Mildred during that time, until one night when I was doing some overdue paperwork and I heard a small unsure knock at the door of my study. I had reappeared in the hall behind the long wavy hair of the young girl.
"Mildred?"
She had looked at me for a moment as if trying to scrape some courage together.
"I wondered if I could have a quick word Miss?" I had opened my door and gestured for her to enter and sit down on the sofa near the fireplace. I remember how she sat with her back ram-rod straight right on the edge. She looked both nervous and uncomfortable.
"What can I help you with Mildred?" I had tried, perhaps unsuccessfully to inject my voice with kindness. The girl sat there for a moment, I sensed that she was figuring out how to phrase her worries.
"I can't stop thinking about this speech. I've tried and tried but my mind keeps going blank. I think Ethel should make the speech Miss, she would do a better job."
"You are Head Girl, you have proven yourself. It is for the honour and tradition of the Academy that you will make the speech."
"But Miss ill mess it up. I mess everything up."
"Why are you so sure of that?"
"Because every time I try to do something right, it just goes wrong! You said it yourself that you only 'know one tune' perhaps I only know one too? The tune of 'how to ruin everything!'"
This had been the first time the pupil had referred to the discussion they had in the basement during Amanda Honeydew's visit. Thinking back, that visit had probably been the start of the improved relationship we had during her last years. A relationship in which the girl was visibly less intimidated of me, well slightly less anyway. I had sat next to the pupil at this point, I wanted to look her in the eyes so she knew that I was speaking the truth.
"Mildred Hubble, you are not me. You are adaptable, changeable and always have the best intentions. I know you will surprise yourself tomorrow, but you won't surprise me. I have known you long enough to know to expect the unexpected from you. Have some confidence in yourself for I have confidence in you."
"You do?"
"Do you really think I would have put in all this effort in over the last five years if I didn't?" I had allowed a true smile to grace my lips for a moment as I thought back to the many times I had shouted at the girl. "Now Mildred, lights out is in ten minutes, is there anything else I can help you with?"
She looked uncertain for a few moments. "Miss at Weirdsister …do they allow you to keep bats?"
"I doubt that Mildred, when I was a student there it was cats only."
"Oh"
"Are you worrying about what will happen to Winky Blinky and Nod when you leave here?" She had nodded sadly.
"Perhaps miss… if you could…?"
"I promise you Miss Hubble, your bats will be well looked after at the academy."
She stood up at this point. "Thank you Miss Hardbroom" and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
The final day arrived far too quickly. I have never been good with change, I have always been set in my ways and so the last day of the academic year is always a difficult one for me. Of course you wouldn't have guessed, I hide my emotions well. Only Amelia has ever guessed at my sadness when we have to say goodbye to the girls we help to bring up.
That day was worse than all the others before it. I had never had a form group for a full five years before. I have never really connected with a class of pupils as much I had with that year group. They had saved my life nearly as many times as they had put it in danger; they had helped me to conquer my fear of my ex tutor, and they had shown me that first impressions can be wrong. I had nearly learnt as much from them as they had about potions from me. Especially Mildred, I knew I would never be the same teacher after teaching that girl.
The day had started off as it usually did, with Amelia, Imogen, Lavinia and I greeting the parents and ushering them into the hall. It was my job to ensure that the girls entered the stage area at the right time in order to collect their certificates. I remember how excited Ethel and Drusilla were, how bored Enid Nightshade looked and how Maud Moonshine had a big beaming smile. One face caught my eyes; her own eyes were large and worried. Under the disguise of straightening her graduation robes I muttered three words.
"Confidence and Control."
At that point the school song was sung by a choir of Miss Crochet and some second years. It was time.
The girls all entered the stage and one by one shook hands with Amelia and were handed their certificates with applause from the parents in the audience.
" And to conclude our ceremony today we have the traditional speech from this year's Head Girl – Mildred Hubble." Amelia had addressed the audience.
She had entered the stage, visibly shaking. "Thank you Miss Cackle." To my relief she had spoken in a clear confident voice.
She had taken a long deep breath before she begun.
"When I was asked to do this speech, I was really nervous. I have never been the best at public speaking and I really didn't want to let the school down. But after speaking with a very wise teacher-" Her eyes moved to mine at this point.. "- I realised that everyone at this school has faith in me. That's the thing about Cackles that I'm sure will stick with everyone who has graduated today- faith. Even when I was the 'Worst Witch' in the school, I was always given the chance to improve.
Cackles has been our home for the best years of our lives. Here we discovered who we are and who we are meant to be. We have learnt our craft and made friends for life. All this would not have been possible without our teachers, who we will remember always.
The one and only Miss Cackle, her heart and office door was always open for you. She taught us not only how to use our magic but to use it for good. A message we are all taking with us." At this point Amelia had blushed and beamed her usual smile at all the girls.
"Miss Drill, she taught us that exercise is good for the body and soul and after much protesting got us playing sport as a team. She was always there if ever you needed anyone to talk to." Imogen had smiled sadly as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Miss Crochet, her chanting lessons were never anything less than eccentric and she has been like the crazy aunt that everyone adores." We all laughed at that point, it had been an excellent analogy and a perfect description of my colleague.
"And lastly Miss Hardbroom, she has had the unfortunate task of being our Form Tutor for the past five years. Throughout this she has always been there for us, making us feel safe and protected. She has shown us the importance of 'Confidence and Control' and put every effort into making sure we all achieved our full potential. She always had our best interests at heart, even when we couldn't see that at the time. I know that I personally have never really thanked you for this. But I would like to thank you now Miss. I owe a lot of my successes to you." Then she had smiled directly at me and to my own surprise I had smiled back. That was when I had realised exactly how much I would miss her.
Xx
The rest of the day had been a time for 'mingling', as Imogen had put it, with the parents and the girls. I was pulled into long and boring conversations about the school's resources with Mr Hallow and before long it was time for final goodbyes. The last to leave was of course the girl I had been most dreading saying bye to.
She had hugged the other three teachers who were all slightly bleary-eyed. They had left the room quickly, probably sensing a 'private moment' as Amelia annoyingly put them.
"Well Mildred, I wish you every luck in the future. Enjoy yourself, but remember to work hard. I'm assuming with the excellent results you've been accepted onto Healer training?" I had inquired.
"umm no, well yes, I mean I got accepted Miss, but I declined."
"You declined?"
"Yes, I decided that Healing isn't what I want to do, I mean I thought it was but recently…"
"What do you wish to do Mildred?" Maybe my voice had been sharp at this point, when Mildred answered me she had looked shy.
"Potions."
"Potions?" I had been surprised, pleasantly surprised but definitely surprised.
"I'd like to be a teacher, like you Miss."
At this point Mrs Hubble had poked her head into the hall.
"Are you ready Millie?" Mildred's mum had asked.
"Yes Mum, I'm coming."
"Ok, I'll wait in the car."
Well I guess this is goodbye Miss Hardbroom, I meant what I said in my speech. You've always done your best for me, for us."
"That is my job Mildred, enjoy Weirdsister and I will keep my promise regarding your bats."
Mildred had left the room then, pausing only to take in one last glance of the Great Hall.
My brain had been busy digesting this information. I was thrilled. The girl would make an excellent teacher: she would see the good in every pupil, coercing them into fulfilling their potentials in a gentle manner and they would want to please her. She would be the type of teacher I sometimes wish I could be.
"Mildred"
My appearing from nowhere in the school grounds had startled the girl. The thought to this day makes me smirk.
"I'm surprised you weren't expecting that."
"So am I." She had muttered, still clutching her heart.
"I just wanted to say, I think you will be a fabulous teacher. Please promise that you will keep in touch. I might be calling on you if we ever decide to hire a second potions teacher."
"I promise Miss, I will always be a Cackles girl." At this point she did something no pupil had ever attempted to do, and has never done since. She hugged me.
When she had finished she had walked up to Walkers' gate and with one last scan of the castle, left the grounds for the last time as a pupil.
I was left staring at the spot, contemplating our ending. It had been the perfect end to what had been 'The Worst Witch' era. But I knew in my heart that it wasn't truly the end of our story, I would see Mildred Hubble again and I knew that when I did I would feel incredibly proud of her.