Hi all. This is my second story and hopefully my best to date. I have tackled two big characters and I know there is a big word count attached but it felt necessary to pay the storyline justice.

I have really loved writing it and I hope it is all that I imagined it would be. Enjoy and thanks so much for the great feedback for my other story. Hopefully there will be more to follow.

This is the one that I wanted to be perfect so please feel free to tell me if it is even close to that. Happy reading everyone and Happy New Year x

Chapter 1- New Arrival

'Mildred Hubble, stop where you are at once', the booming voice of Miss Hardbroom ordered in her unmistakable earth shattering tone.

Mildred stopped dead, dread filling her from her toes upwards. That voice haunted her every step through Cackle's corridors.

'What are you doing wondering around when you should be in class?' Miss Hardbroom snapped, having marched up to her and settled into her rigid posture, arms folded, eyes glaring and face completely wrought with impatience.

'Miss Drill told me to come in and tell Miss Cackle that Miss Broom-Berry had arrived early. She is outside now putting her broom in the shed,' Mildred said as directly and calmly as she could, trying to avoid making her form-tutor mad.

'I will relay the message, you may go back to your…' she paused and scrunched up her mouth so that she could spit out what she deemed to be pointless words '…PE lesson'.

'Yes, Miss,' Mildred said obediently.

'Well off you go then, don't dawdle,' she said sternly, wondering why Miss Drill had chosen Mildred to run that particular errand in the first place. The girl was distracted easily enough as it was.

So, Miss Broom-Berry had arrived early. Miss Hardbroom liked a witch who was punctual. Perhaps, she would have what it took to be a potions teacher. Of course, it was far too early to tell that yet, she would have to see her in action with the pupils, and god help anyone who's career rested on how they handled the fourth years. Mildred Hubble and her gang could quite easily cut anyone's budding career off just above its delicate roots. She must find Miss Cackle so their introductions were not caught off guard. Cackles did not have to assess many potential teachers. They would be under assessment by the Witches Council for the role they were about to play just as much as Miss Broom-Berry would be.

'Ah Miss Cackle, I am pleased I found you', Miss Hardbroom said as she entered the Staff Room, 'it seems Miss Broom-Berry has arrived earlier than expected, she will no doubt be with us shortly'.

'Ah, right, well since we are both free, that should not be a problem', Miss Cackle said, a little surprised by her deputy's sweeping entrance into the room. 'Tea, cake and introductions will be fine to begin with, then perhaps you could let her sit in on your class this afternoon.'

'With the fourth years?' Miss Hardbroom asked and her inflection suggested she thought that unwise.

'Better she knows what she will have to deal with from the outset, don't you think?' Miss Cackle returned the question gently.

'I suppose so. We will soon see whether she has what it takes. Let her know that young witches can be disobedient, easily distracted, noisy, unruly and frustratingly sloppy and lazy', Miss Hardbroom said as she settled into her rant. Miss Cackle did not have to ask who she was picturing at that moment.

It was a knock at the door that finally silenced Miss Hardbroom.

Miss Cackle looked at her deputy, pulled back her shoulders and sat up straight, 'come in', she called clearly.

A witch in her late twenties walked through the door. Her hair was tied back in a pony tail that pulled it tightly away from her face. She wore a mid length black skirt, black tights and a short sleeved black shirt that were all tightly fitting and looked sleek. She looked like a businesswoman in many ways and her walk and posture matched Miss Hardbroom's identically. Her complexion was on the pale side but she did wear a bold shade of cherry upon her lips that drew attention away from her lean facial structure.

'Good day Miss Cackle' she said with a bow, 'ah, and you must be the infamous Miss Hardbroom,' she said turning to face the potions teacher.

'I do not think the word infamous is accurate', Miss Hardbroom said lightly, shocked by Miss Broom-Berry's confident address.

'That is she,' Miss Cackle said getting to her feet, 'and you are Miss Broom-Berry, it is a pleasure to meet you my dear', she said in her usual friendly manor.

'And I you. I have heard a lot about Cackle's Academy and it is an honour to be assessed by such a principled and traditional school of witchcraft,' she replied eloquently.

'You may change your mind when you meet some of the young witches, Miss Broom-Berry. Cackle's is indeed an institute founded on discipline and hard work but you will find that these values are hard to instil in the youth of today', Miss Hardbroom warned in a darker tone, assuming already that this trainee was not entirely in touch with the real world given her overly positive introduction.

'Now now, let's not scare her on her first day with us Miss Hardbroom,' Miss Cackle interjected, 'the girls are the same here as they are anywhere. You will be watching Miss Hardbroom take the fourth years this afternoon, and we do not intend to throw you in at the deep end. You won't be asked to teach until the end of the week', she assured her. The headmistress's tone was a little apologetic. Once again her deputy had said more than enough to rattle their new guest.

However, Miss Broom-Berry was not easily rattled. Her stance and the air of confidence that surrounded her did not even flinch at the potion teacher's words of warning.

'That seems a very reasonable timetable, Miss Cackle', she said smiling briefly at the elderly lady. Then she turned to face her deputy, matching her height and rigidity perfectly. 'I am eager to meet the girls and see how well they perform in class. I intend to learn a lot from such a learned scholar as yourself, Miss Hardbroom. Rest assured, I do not frighten easily so I hope the girls do not think that when their normal teacher steps out of the classroom anything will change, I assure you it will not'.

'Bold words, Miss Broom-Berry. I shall expect stunning things from you then', Miss Hardbroom said a little coyly though her face remained impassive.

Miss Broom-Berry nodded her head respectfully in recognition of the challenge. It seemed that she was sincere with what she had promised to deliver. The ladies stared at each other for a moment clearly weighing each other up.

'Well ladies', Miss Cackle said strongly to break the overly long silence, 'shall we sit for tea and perhaps some cake, Miss Broom-Berry?'

'No cake for me thank you, Miss Cackle, but tea would be appreciated', she said crisply.

Miss Cackle watched as Miss Hardbroom and Miss Broom-Berry collected their tea, ignored the cakes, and then sat upright in their seats. The way they drank their tea delicately, each movement calculated meticulously. She noted how alike they were. The trainee teacher was a HB miniature it seemed. Miss Cackle feared how Miss Hardbroom would handle the ambitions of someone that mirrored her style of teaching. Her deputy enjoyed her status as the most confident and skilled witch within the Academy. She had worked hard to achieve it. If a trainee were to compete with that, she knew Miss Hardbroom would not react kindly.

'So, where do you plan to teach, once you are qualified?' Miss Cackle asked in an attempt to ease the atmosphere.

'I wish to teach at College level, teaching in schools for a while is merely a formality really. Naturally, my ambition is to work for the Witches Council one day. I am surprised you have never pursued that Miss Hardbroom', Miss Broom-Berry replied with ease.

'I am happy here', Miss Hardbroom stated bluntly.

'And you never tire of teaching, have never wanted to gain a promotion as it were, or seek out new challenges?' Miss Broom-Berry inquired, clearly belittling Miss Hardbroom's decision to stay at such a modest school as Cackle's for so long.

'No and as I am sure you will discover that this position has plenty of challenges', Miss Hardbroom replied, clearly astounded by the trainee's direct questions.

'Well of course, how could I possibly comment without having experienced what you do here at Cackle's? I have done extensive training at Pentangles and it will be interesting to compare your different approaches. Pentangles has far more resources and greater numbers than Cackles, but I hear your reputation exceeds even theirs in the potions department', Miss Broom-Berry said calmly and certainly noticed the flicker of anger that distorted Miss Hardbroom's facial expression for a moment.

'I am sure we do things differently Miss Broom-Berry but the result is the same. We are an older Academy so our teaching style is the product of a much richer tradition…' Miss Cackle said trying to give Miss Hardbroom time to simmer down.

'Good teaching does not rely on the extent of one's resources. It comes down to the basic principles of hard work, discipline and respect. If you wish to excel as a teacher then you need to take note of your pupils and what they require is traditional methods and traditional subject delivery. A simple formula Miss Broom-Berry and one that does not need elaborate funding and works best with manageable class sizes. Cackle's does quite well, if you wish to do likewise then you will take onboard everything that I have just said. It is not Pentangles that will be assessing you', Miss Hardbroom said sternly. Her patience had run out with this overzealous trainee.

'I shall see you in the potions lab at one o'clock. If you will excuse me I have lesson plans to prepare', the potions teacher said as she stood and folded her arms, as was usual just before she disappeared.

'Does she always just disappear like that?' Miss Broom-Berry asked Miss Cackle, intrigued by the woman's exit.

'Quite often. You will have to excuse my deputy, she has a flare for the dramatic sometimes and does not appreciate her teaching style being analysed according to statistics. Or compared to an Academy that we have found to be rather uncompromising and ruthless in the past', the headmistress explained with an edge of reprimand to her voice. She did not entirely disagree with her deputy's response on this matter.

'Oh I apologise if that is how it sounded. I value both institutions for their unique approaches and merely meant to say that the difference interests me. After all, my style of teaching is yet to be determined so I still strive to learn from each experience, and I have been made aware of Miss Hardbroom's abilities both as a witch and as a teacher on many occasions. I am very glad to be here, perhaps that has not come across clearly enough,' Miss Broom-Berry said earnestly, looking the older woman directly in the eyes.

'I would not worry Miss Broom-Berry. Miss Hardbroom is very professional and any attempt to praise or compliment her will never be acknowledged by her as a positive thing. Just concentrate on your job and you will be fine. I am sure you will learn an awful lot when observing her classes. Perhaps, further comment on Pentangles should be avoided though' Miss Cackle said pleasantly.

'Understood, Miss Cackle. I would not want to get on the wrong side of her', she said smiling delicately.

Miss Broom-Berry was given a tour of the castle and then left to settle into her room with instructions to be in the potion's lab at one o'clock.

'Quiet girls', Miss Hardbroom said as her class began to fill with fourth years. There was no sign of Miss Broom-Berry yet which surprised her. Trainee teachers were usually there before even she arrived in class, whatever the new arrival was trying to prove it would not do her any favours. Punctuality was Miss Hardbroom's primary obsession, if she could not get here by one o'clock, which gave her two minutes to enter the classroom, then she would fail without question.

'Enid Nightshade, the word quiet means doing the opposite to what you are doing right now!' Miss Hardbroom warned loudly.

'Sorry, Miss Hardbroom', Enid said, turning away from Ruby Cherry-tree to face the front.

With one minute to spare Miss Broom-Berry materialised out of thin air into the seat that had been set aside for her at the back of the class. One leg was folded over the other and she had pen and paper at the ready to take notes. Miss Hardbroom could not disguise her shock at the trainee's entrance. Witches did not usually possess that sort of magic at her level.

The potions teacher regretted her startled expression as many of the girls turned and exclaimed their own surprise at Miss Broom-Berry. Their faces were alight with admiration and respect. They were instantly in awe of the temporary addition to the class.

'Alright girls. You are all very use to teachers appearing out of thin air, settle down!' she said in a low tone until order had been restored and their attention was directed at her.

'As you have already seen there will be an extra person in our classroom today. That person is Miss Broom-Berry who is a trainee teacher. She has come to Cackle's Academy for her final assessment. That assessment will take place after she has taught you for three days. The first two days she will spend observing my lessons and making any notes she feels necessary before continuing your tuition to the standard I have set', Miss Hardbroom said clearly, 'needless to say it is of no concern to you and I will expect you to continue your work in an orderly and disciplined fashion. Turn to page 78 of your potions book and begin collecting the ingredients you will need'.

The girls looked at each other silently, their eyes a little brighter because of the news that they would have at least two days of potions without HB. Mildred went a step further and grinned at Maud before walking around her so she could go and fetch the ingredients they needed. The grin meant that she was not looking where she was going and led her straight into a collision with Miss Hardbroom who was making her way to Miss Broom-Berry.

'For goodness sake girl, look where you are going!' Miss Hardbroom snapped.

'Sorry Miss Hardbroom I didn't realise…'

'You never do realise do you Mildred? How you have survived in this school for so long when you cannot even navigate your way across the classroom without incident, is beyond me,' Miss Hardbroom said in her exasperated, slightly irritated voice. 'Well, don't just stand there, get out of my way girl!'

Mildred moved out of the way and heard Miss Hardbroom tut loudly as she reached the herb cupboard. She could not make out what HB and Miss Broom-Berry were talking about but she was certain that her reputation as the worst witch in the school was already being discussed in length. In her frustration she rammed a handful of walnut twigs back into a jar after picking out too many. The twigs were tangled and went in at an odd angle forcing the jar off the shelf and onto the floor. It knocked off a vile of potion as it went.

Mildred watched in horror as the potion bottle smashed on the floor and the contents seeped onto the twigs. The twigs expanded and began wrapping themselves around her legs. Mildred let out a short scream just as Miss Hardbroom was reaching her.

'Now what have you done…Mildred that is a growing spurt potion you have knocked off…and it is not meant to come into contact with organic material….it will just keep growing. Miss Broom-Berry get the girls out now,' Miss Hardbroom commanded suddenly, realising that this problem could quickly escalate and endanger those nearby.

To her absolute amazement Miss Broom-Berry stood, concentrated intently and then disappeared along with all of the girls, leaving Mildred and the potions teacher speechless. The silence was only for a moment and when Miss Hardbroom tuned into the imminent crisis her annoyance towards Mildred was instantly clear.

'Mildred, did you want to give Miss Broom-Berry the worst introduction to my classes possible? We are not even five minutes in and you are being attacked by giant walnut twigs!' she said in her high pitched tone that combined anger and desperation with a complete lack of understanding. How did this girl manage the impossible so frequently?

'I am sorry, Miss. I knocked them off…accidentally!' Mildred said sheepishly.

'I know what you did Mildred. And I suppose you would like me to resolve the situation?' she said in an overly pedantic tone.

'Yes, Miss,' Mildred said weakly, now unable to move at all due to the twigs becoming more like trunks each second. They had already spread up the potion cupboard and towards the desks and chairs.

'I will have to apply a shrinking potion. That is the only course of action. But, it is likely to mean that they will scrape against anything they are wrapped around as they reduce in size… I will have to shrink you first…' Miss Hardbroom said realising the only clear solution as she said it aloud.

She raided the cupboard and gave Mildred the shrinking potion to drink who was in no position to argue with her teacher. Mildred shrunk to the size of a hand and escaped the twigs without injury. Miss Hardbroom placed her on her shoulder as she sprayed the rest of the potion to cover the entire spillage. Mildred balanced carefully upon the intimidating potion teacher's shoulder feeling both petite and terrified at how high up she was. She decided to kneel and cling onto the fabric of HB's dress, shutting her eyes and focusing on an image of Tabby in her head. She was shaking profusely. Once the crisis had been neutralised Miss Hardbroom placed Mildred on one of the benches.

'Mildred I have precious little patience left when it comes to….oh I can't talk to you like this' she said in annoyance and picked Mildred up, holding her palm flat so Mildred could stand on it securely. She marched out of the potions lab and placed Mildred on a chair outside the Headmistresses office. Mildred felt dazed and frightened by all the movement. It was like standing on top of the Eifel Tower while it was swaying gently in the wind! She wanted to curl up into a ball.

'You will wait here until you have returned to normal size and then explain to Miss Cackle why the potions lab has once again been turned into a disaster zone by your actions!' she said sternly and to Mildred it was louder than standing next to a speaker at a music concert.

'Is she talking to a chair?' Enid asked Maud as they stood with the others in the entrance to the school watching HB.

'Looks like it!' Maud said because Mildred was not visible from where they were.

'Has she turned Mildred into a chair do you think? I wish I could hear what she was saying', Enid said puzzled by the vision of Miss Hardbroom bent over slightly, scowling at a chair. 'Maybe she has lost it!'

'Maybe she is interrogating a witness to see what really happened when Millie knocked over the potion. Perhaps the chair was in on it!' Ruby said smiling at the others.

'That's it!' Enid announced, 'Mildred has been set up all these years by the furniture and HB has finally caught them at it!'

'Oh poor Millie, whatever it is, I bet she is in trouble for it' Maud said softly, ignoring the other's wise cracks.

'Does she get into trouble a lot? I believe it is Maud isn't it?' Miss Broom-Berry asked having overheard their conversation.

'Yes, Miss. She doesn't find it easy to…well she is nervous a lot and accidents tend to happen quite often because of that', Maud said trying not to imply that Mildred's mistakes were down to HB's intimidating presence and her constant put-downs.

'I think I understand what you are saying, Maud. Mildred does not feel overly confident in class for reasons you would rather not say?' Miss Broom-Berry said pleasantly.

'Well, I guess…maybe…'

'It's ok Maud, I have gathered enough for myself. Do not worry, I am not in the habit of breaking trainee teacher and pupil confidentiality, I just want the most informed viewpoint so I know what will benefit the class as a whole. You can relax', she said soothingly and then sent a mischievous glare at the unsuspecting Miss Hardbroom who was now in a very bad mood.

The girls looked at Maud and then up at Miss Broom-Berry. Enid caught the look she gave HB and wondered what it meant. Before they got a chance to talk again Miss Hardbroom marched up to them and told them to go back into the potions lab and start mixing the potion they had been set.

'Miss Broom-Berry, a word if I may', she said sharply.

'Certainly', Miss Broom-Berry replied and watched the girls return to class until it was just the two of them stood in the school's entranceway.

'I would like you to know that what you have just witnessed could happen at any time. Mildred is very skilled in causing mayhem. If anything does occur then I would expect you to act as you did today by getting everyone to safety. I will be close at hand to help if necessary. Clearly, you are very adept at apparition and your swift response to my orders in pressurised conditions has put you in good stead for your assessment. See it continues. Shall we', she said with precision, motioning that they should enter the classroom.

As much as Miss Hardbroom didn't like to do it she had to acknowledge potential when it was so obviously visible in Miss Broom-Berry.

Mildred sat on the chair for another two minutes before she finally returned to normal size. She took a moment to steady herself and check that she was in one piece and back on solid ground. Then she stood up like so many times before and knocked on Miss Cackle's door.

'Come in', Miss Cackle said clearly. 'Ah, Mildred, and what brings you here this time?' she said a little despondently.

'Sorry, Miss Cackle', Mildred said realising that the promise she had made to be more careful this year was looking rather insincere at this point. 'Miss Hardbroom sent me to tell you that I knocked off some Walnut twigs and a growing potion. They mixed and the twigs wrapped themselves around me and damaged the cabinet and some of the floor I think, and possibly Miss Hardbroom's desk. She had to shrink me so I wasn't squashed. I think she saved my life,' Mildred said forlornly.

'Well that does sound like quiet an accident, Mildred. And of course the school will have to foot the bill for any repairs that need to be made. No matter what I say I cannot keep you out of this office though, can I?' Miss Cackle said sternly.

'I tried, Miss, really I did. I just drop things and it is never something harmless. I don't mean to, I just can never do anything right', Mildred said dejectedly. Her voice was emotional and raw.

Miss Cackle looked at her and behind her stern stare she felt so much compassion for the young witch. She was clumsy and haphazard in the way she did things but Miss Cackle knew how hard she tried. How many times had she been in front of her trying to explain her actions and yet she kept trying to be a better witch. Every year she faced an even more critical Miss Hardbroom and every year she endured far more criticism than any other pupil.

'Well Mildred, given the fact that your class was being observed I have no option than to put you in detention this evening. I would like for you to go back to class now though. I do not think that sitting in your room until the end of the day will do you any good. Of course, you must apologise to Miss Hardbroom at the end of the class and offer to clear up any mess that remains. Off you go Mildred, and try to be extra careful for the remainder of your class,' Miss Cackle said surprisingly pleasantly.

'Yes, Miss. I am sorry Miss Cackle,' Mildred said, holding her stare for a moment before exiting the office.

Then her heart started pounding frantically, she had never been sent back to class before. Miss Cackle had always sent her to her room to think about what she had done. Miss Hardbroom was bound to be annoyed at her return. In her attempt to be kind Miss Cackle had just caused her more grief. She held her breath and entered the potions lab.

'Mildred, what is the meaning of this?' Miss Hardbroom snapped the moment she entered.

'Miss Cackle said I was to return to class', Mildred said weakly.

'Oh did she now? Very well, take your seat. Try not to speak, move, or even breath unless it is completely necessary, Mildred. Perhaps that way you will make it to the end of the day without incident', Miss Hardbroom snapped and then went back to what she was teaching the class.

Mildred didn't move an inch for the rest of the class, not even to make notes. She just sat there with her head down, thinking about the bell that would ring out to mark the end of class. When it finally rang the relief she felt was enormous. She had made it. Of course, all that was left now was her apology to HB. The rest of the girls left the classroom in a hurry as was usual at the end of a double potions class. Miss Broom-Berry followed them out, judging it the right thing to do in the circumstances.

Mildred made her way to the front and Miss Hardbroom stood still, arms folded, watching the pupil trudge towards her reluctantly. She couldn't help but feel annoyed and amused at the visible trepidation Mildred showed at the thought of having to apologise to her.

'Miss Hardbroom', Mildred said softly.

'Yes, Mildred, what is it?' Miss Hardbroom asked firmly.

'I would like to say sorry for knocking off the twigs and offer to help clean up the…er…mess', she said faintly, looking at the potion teacher's shoulder, rather than meeting her glare.

'How many times have you had to apologise to me Mildred?' Miss Hardbroom asked with derision.

'I don't know, Miss'

'Too many to remember now isn't it? And have you ever changed you ways? No, is the answer to that because here you are again having disrupted my potion lab once more. Did Miss Cackle hand you any other punishment other than making you apologise?' She asked coldly.

'Detention this evening, Miss,' Mildred replied. She hated it when it was just her and HB, she felt so small and insignificant when she stood in front of her being lectured.

'Good. You can come to detention early then and clean this floor and scrub the walls. The windows have not been cleaned in a while, perhaps you would like to do those too?' she asked in a tone that combined derision with a mischievous quality. Mildred knew she had a long night ahead of her.

'Yes, Miss', Mildred said quietly also realising that there was no other reply to the question stated.

'You are in luck as I am on detention duty this week so you can do the potion you didn't get chance to complete in class before starting on the lines I will set. You may go to dinner now Mildred' she said bluntly and then fixed her stare and lowered her tone of voice: 'But remember. No matter how many times you apologise, how many detentions you attend or how many lines you write there will be plenty more to come if you continue to be clumsy and walk around in a daydream in my classes. Do I make myself clear?' she said low and threateningly.

'Yes, Miss' Mildred said anxiously, she was always on the wrong side of this woman and it was a scary place to be.

'Off you go then. I will see you at six sharp so you can start cleaning up this mess', Miss Hardbroom said waving an arm in the air as though her untidy laboratory could be contagious. Mildred made her escape as fast as she could, wishing she did not have to return later.