The first time they meet Julie can't help but instantly notice how this woman all dressed in black looks at her. An infuriating smirk on her lips and eyes saying "You don't belong here" which doesn't make it easier that she still can't get her head around the idea that Mildred, her little Mildred, joined a school for witches.
"So you're magic, and all the teachers are magic, and the girls learn…magic?"
"I see where Mildred gets her quick wits, Mistress Hubble."
There is something in the way in which this woman pronounces her name, slow, a deliberate tease.
"Alright, Misses I'm-so-magical, if you think you're so much better than me, how about conjuring up some manners?"
Although Hecate would never tell anyone, she is secretly impressed that this non-magical woman dares to speak to her like that. It is certainly a refreshing change. Normally people are too scared around her to say anything more than a quick "Yes, Miss Hardbroom!" before disappearing as fast as possible. But not this woman. This woman looks her straight in the eyes and makes it clear that she is a force to be reckoned with, despite being non-magical.
Some weeks have passed since the beginning of the school year and the students have a free afternoon with permission to visit their families.
"And how is that teacher of yours doing, this Miss…Harshdoom?"
"Mum!" Mildred starts laughing and then corrects her mother. "Miss Hardbroom is strict as always, she seems to hate me in particular cause I'm not from a witching family but Enid and Maud help me a lot so it's okay."
"Well I know how clumsy my little girl can be sometimes." Julie winks at Mildred who just managed to get flour all over the kitchen table.
"Not fair you taking HB's side! And you asked me to help with the cake!"
"I just wanted to spend some time with you on your day off, and you can take the cake with you when you go. Share with your friends, eh? Maybe Miss Hardbroom would also like a piece", she teases her daughter who seems to freeze even at the thought of offering her teacher some homemade cake.
Maybe she should have tried since HB is in a bad mood, worse than usual, and shouts at everybody except at Ethel of course. At first it seems like she just wants to ignore Mildred's bubbling cauldron but the fear that the girl might blow up the potions lab, again, makes her stop.
"And what do you think is this?"
"An invisibility potion…Miss?"
"Are you asking me or are you stating a fact, Mildred Hubble?"
"Definitely an invisibility potion! I think…"
Hecate is visibly turning red at the sound of her words.
"You think? Didn't your mother teach you anything about self-confidence? Even if a potion doesn't turn out like it's supposed to be, you have to show that you put everything you have into making it and that you are convinced of its success! And now take this mess out of my sight!"
When the lesson is over, Mildred is still scrubbing her kettle, trying very hard to erase every speck of pondweed or mashed maggots. She almost climbs into the kettle which is turned sideways and therefore doesn't notice her teacher's presence. Hecate has calmed down a bit, now that all the noise is gone, and looks at the girl with something resembling a smile on her lips.
"One would imagine you were a bit more confident in yourself with a mother like you have."
"What?" Mildred crawls out of the cauldron and bumps her head in the process. "Did you say something about my mum?"
"Oh, only that she seems very self-assured. And I heard her say not to be afraid of that potions woman no matter how scary she might be."
Mildred desperately wishes her mum wouldn't have walked her back to school yesterday evening, but even more than that she wishes to disappear into the ground. Or turn into a frog. Anything to avoid looking at Miss Hardbroom.
"I, uhm, sorry Miss Hardbroom, she didn't mean to, well, I sometimes talk too much and she must have heard…something wrong?" Now she dares to look up but to her surprise the teacher does not look angry. Is that a smile? But it is a sad smile somehow and Mildred is suddenly not afraid of this woman.
Hecate looks at her, just looks, without the usual judgement, and then waves her hand to dismiss the girl. Her friends are still waiting for her outside and instantly fire questions at her. Did she get extra detention? Does she have to clean up after everybody for two weeks? 500 lines, surely! But Mildred just shakes her head and is unusually quiet for the rest of the evening.
The second time they meet is on Hallow's Eve. Miss Cackle has decided to hold a parent-inclusive Halloween party to strengthen the bond between the families and the school. From the moment the invitation arrives, Julie is kind off freaking out about the festivities.
"What if I have nothing to talk to the other parents about? What if nobody even wants to talk to a non-magic person? And what should I wear? Do you have a spare cloak or something?"
"Mum, it's gonna be fine", laughs Mildred. "If HB could see you right now, making such a fuss, you 'self-assured woman' you, she'd probably change her mind."
"Change her mind about what? Millie, what do you mean?" Julie's voice rises a few notes and Mildred realizes she has made a mistake.
"Nothing mum, just something HB said. By the way, Maud's and Enid's parents can't wait to meet you so you definitely have to come!"
Her mother seems to be a bit calmer, as far as Mildred can see through the mirror. They chat about school stuff and how the neighbour's dog has escaped again and are about to say goodbye, when Julie suddenly starts to hem and haw. "So, about Miss Hardbroom, did she really say that?"
"Well, yeah, she wanted to lecture me that I should behave more like you I guess, more confident. She was kinda nice in that moment, still don't know why."
"Alright…well, see you Saturday then!" And Julie leaves the room before Mildred can find out why she asked.
The girls have spent all day decorating the big hall and the entrance and Miss Cackle has allowed some of the older pupils to help in the kitchen. That is why the food resembles old fingers and bloody eyeballs, and the Witches Brew has been enhanced by a bit more alcohol than intended. Everywhere you go you see girls playing tricks on each other and parents standing in small groups, talking. Mildred takes another look across the room and Enid slaps her on the shoulder. "Hey, your mum's fine! See, I bet my mum is showing her some embarrassing pictures of my first broomstick lesson now…"
"If you say so…" But Mildred smiles. She hadn't shown her mother how nervous she has been, one freaked out Hubble is enough, but now everything is going really well. Her friends' parents had warmly welcomed her mother and now they seem to have a good time, chatting and laughing, so Mildred feels comfortable in leaving Julie alone. There is one trick the girls really want to play on Sybil and her friends before the night is over and they haven't found them yet.
It is true, Julie enjoys talking to the Spellbodys and the Nightshades. They are nice people, very different from each other but open-minded and not at all disrespectful towards Julie like some other parents in the room. Nevertheless, she can't help but sneak a few glances towards the woman in black who is standing almost in the shadows of a corner. She hasn't moved since Julie started to watch her and nobody approaches her. Hecate looks almost like a statue, a beautiful one admittedly, except when she raises an eyebrow and has to visibly hold herself back when some girls near hear are fooling around with a jumping pumpkin. She seems so detached from the world around her it is no wonder nobody tries to talk to her. She looks lonely.
"Excuse me for a bit, I'll be back later, alright?" Julie gives the others a smile and disappears into the crowd. First she needs some encouragement. She would not admit it, but she also feels intimidated by Miss Hardbroom. Back when the teacher talked to her disrespectfully she answered back almost out of reflex and to defend Mildred, but this is a different situation. She almost downs one cup of Witches Brew and shudders due to the bitter aftertaste. With two new cups in her hands she makes her way across the increasingly filled hall. You got this, Julie. You are confident and never have a problem with making small-talk. Say something intelligent.
"Want a cuppa?"
Hecate is too surprised that somebody actually came up to her that it takes a few seconds for her to notice the hand holding a steaming cup under her nose. She takes it and looks at the blonde woman standing in front of her. Julie blushes under the intense stare and searches for something better to say when Hecate opens her mouth.
"Thank you, mistress Hubble."
"It's Julie. Well, I don't know if you do this first-name thing and mistress sounds actually quite nice, but, uhm, anyway, how are you?"
Hecate lets a tiny smile escape. This woman is adorable in a way, talking too much and blushing again, and now she is looking at her like she actually wants to have an answer.
"I am…I don't like so much noise, or crowds, so, could be better." She doesn't know why she is telling her that. Almost a stranger, also the mother of her problem child Mildred Hubble, and a non-magical person! But her eyes are kind and she is the only one that came to speak to her.
"I'm not one for big crowds either", Julie admits and nibbles on her drink. "Wanna go somewhere more quiet?"
Hecate's eyes widen just a tiny bit but Julie notices and quickly adds: "I didn't mean it that way, I just, I…oh you know!" It really is cute and the witch is tempted to tease her more, but then she just turns around and opens the door leading to the hallway.
"Well, are you coming?"