A/N: A new story. Much lighter than my other stories but I hope you all still like. I always wondered about Esmerelda's first two years at Cackles without her sisters so I decided to write about this. Thank you to the stargate time traveler for the name of this story! I don't own the Worst Witch or the characters.
Before Ethie and Sybie - Esmerelda's First Years
Chapter One
The small blonde girl walked through the gates quickly before anyone had a chance to interact with her. It was the first day of a new term and the first day at the new school she was attending. She had her blonde hair draped over her shoulder in a simple plait and was as clean as a whistle in her new school uniform.
"First years this way!" the girl heard an older teacher dressed in bottle green robes say, she couldn't quite remember her name from her selection day at the beginning of the summer but the blonde made her way to join the queue with her other classmates, sniffling as she did so. When everyone had arrived the gate was closed and the headmistress, Miss Cackle, started talking.
"Welcome back to our old students, and welcome to our new, I know you will have an amazing time here at Cackles Academy" Miss Cackle said as she beamed at her students.
"Although please note we will not accept childish silly behaviour or games, you are here to learn and we except you all to take your studies seriously" Miss Hardbroom went on causing some of the first years at the front to recoil in horror at her tone.
"Yes thank you Miss Hardbroom" Ada said giving her a look "Well without furthur ado let us get settled, first years follow the prefects please" Ada said and the girls followed some looking beyond excited and some, just nervous.
The first thing the girls had to do was collect their sash and find out what house they would be in, when the blonde girl got to the front she gave the dark haired prefect her name nervously.
"Esmerelda Hallow" the young girl said her eyes red and blotchy and she kept sniffing as if she had an allergy to something.
The prefect gave her a pair of purple stockings and a purple sash that had gold trim around it.
"Do you know what that means?" the prefect said "You are head of year, well done" she said to the young blonde.
Some of the other students looked confused, she was after all looking like on the verge of tears so they didn't understand how someone so timid had gotten the title of head of year.
"You Esmerelda Hallow are the highest scoring student we have ever had in an entrance exam, I expect great things from you" HB said appearing from nowhere and making some of the students jump. Her look changed though when she saw the girls face.
"Are you ill girl?" HB asked as she did not look good in that moment
"I have allergies" Esmerelda lied not wanting to tell her the real reason she was appearing to have a cold. Hardbroom nodded and walked off seeming to accept it.
Next the girls were shown their bedrooms by a prefect. Esmerelda walked into the small room and looked around. A bed, desk, chest of drawers and that was about it. She shivered, already feeling the cold from being in the castle.
"You get used to being cold don't worry, I will leave you to settle in" the prefect said closing the door and leaving the youngster to settle.
Esmerelda put her trunk on the bed and opened it to start unpacking her things. She hanged up her other spare uniforms and put her books on her desk. She sighed, she hated unpacking and she heard the sound of silence in her room, to quiet. She wasn't used to such silence and it scared her.
Knowing she had to be in full uniform by the next time she was seen by teachers she tied her new sash around her waist and put the purple socks on, well at least her family will be happy she was in the purple house, it was special to her family as it went back generations them all being in the purple house, she didn't really know why it was so important though. They would also be thrilled she was head of year although she wished she wasn't if she could go home.
Lastly she unpacked her special possessions. A notebook and a photo frame. It was a pine coloured frame and inside held a picture of the young girl with two younger blonde girls, Ethel and Sybil, her little sisters. She stroked it gently and then put it on her beside table before sitting on her bed sadly.
Esmerelda had lied when she said she had allergies, the truth was she had been crying most of the morning and was still chocked up. It sounded odd but it was the first time she would be away from Ethel and Sybil for more than a few hours, their parents being strict and not allowing many activities outside the home meant the girls had never really being away from one another before, not for more than a few hours at most and Esmerelda was struggling with being away from them already.
Sybil had started crying as she said goodbye to Esmerelda that morning, always the sister to show her emotions more than the other two did who tried to hold it in. Ethel had not cried in front of her exactly but after she had hugged her for a while and saw her about to leave, Ethel said she needed the bathroom and then ran off and Esmerelda had heard her crying on the landing, which didn't make it much easier. Esmerelda had held her tears in until she was flying, she had been crying so much she almost crashed but managed to keep herself upright.
Why oh why did Cackles have to be a boarding school? She could have dealt with a day school but that wasn't an option here, never would she consider asking her parents to send her elsewhere, this was the only school the Hallow family had ever attended, it would not be considered right to send her elsewhere. So now she had to try cope without her sisters.
She wiped her eyes feeling them become teary again before she jumped as she heard someone knock. Another girl who looked new and way to excited for the fact she had just left home popped her head in.
"It is time to get our cats" the girl said and Esmie smiled slightly, looking forward to her new kitty despite her home sickness. She left the room and went to wait with everyone else for the teachers to call them in.
"Esmerelda Hallow" Miss Hardbroom said calling her first, the young blonde walked up to the door and went in seeing Miss Cackle stroking the many black kitties in there.
"Pick whichever one you want dear" Miss Cackle told her and Esmerelda looked around wondering how she would decide, they all looked really cute with adorable little faces but the smallest one caught her eye as she was so tiny.
"Can I have this one?" Esmerelda asked as she picked up the kitten to see if she liked her and if they connected, the cat snuggled into her and purred making her decision easy.
"A fine choice dear, although she is a little smaller than the others, do you have a name chosen yet?" Miss Cackle asked stroking the kitten on the head.
"Morgana, and that is okay, I like her because she is so small" Esmerelda told her smiling at her kitten.
"Morgana is a fine name for a witches cat!" Miss Cackle told her and Esmie smiled pleased she agreed before she sniffed again and Miss Hardbroom interrupted.
"For goodness sake child, if your allergies are still so bad you should go to the nurse" she told her as Esmerelda still had red eyes and was sniffling.
"I am fine miss honest…..Miss Cackle?" Esmerelda said needing to ask this question because it was killing her not knowing.
"What is it dear?" Miss Cackle asked her
"I was wondering when we will be allowed to mirror home" Esmerelda asked not entirely sure how often it was allowed.
"Thursday evenings" Miss Hardbroom told her looking at her suspiciously.
Esmerelda thought quickly. It was Monday, four days until she got to speak to her sisters. Miss Cackle seemed to see she looked upset by that.
"Are you feeling homesick dear? That is a natural feeling at first" Miss Cackle told her knowing first years, and even older students, always suffered with home sickness at the start of the new term, all kids were different, some settled from the second they entered, some took weeks or even months.
"Well.. I suppose I might be...I have never being away from my sisters before" Esmerelda admitted sadly as she missed them so much her chest hurt. Hecate gave her a funny look, not understanding this sibling bonds as she didn't have one. Ada though was sympathetic.
"I know it is hard to be away from them and go off to school, my sister and I were sent to different schools so I do understand dear, but it will get easier I promise" Ada told her touching her arm
"Why were you and your sister sent to different schools?" Esmerelda asked confused as to way siblings would be separated. Ada clammed up then at that question and Hecate turned angry.
"That is none of your business, now go and train your new cat!" HB told her and Esmerelda knew she had hit a nerve and nodded. She quickly left the room not wanting to get into anymore trouble but she knew Miss Cackle was wrong. She would never get used to being away from her sisters. She cuddled her new bundle of fluff and sadly walked back to her bedroom.