Watching Time Go Past
Chapter 1
For one casual observer it seemed that time had stood still at Cackles Academy. The castle looking exactly as it had done when she left there at the age of sixteen bound for Weirdsisters College to continue her education as a witch. Almost nine years had passed since she left believing at that time that she would never see again the stone walls of the academy where she had studied hard in for five years. Mastering a craft which she had at the start never known had existed within her. The doors of Walkers gate were open, the pupils having only just departed for their summer holiday, and see looked up at them, a ball of fear building up in her, dreading the moment which was about come but knowing that it needed to be done. Her parents recent deaths in a car accident had brought out a secret which had been kept guarded from her for her entire life, A secret which one person within inside the castle which housed Cackles Academy held the key too; Leading her back to the past to find out her actually present to help her move on into her future.
Mildred stood staring at the gates, unable to step through them, her body racked with fear with what was about to happen. She had been putting this day of for weeks scared of what was going to happen, her mind still jumbled by what she had read in her parents will, the will which had changed her life from the moment she had seen it. A will which had shown that her parents had been lying to her for her entire life, the sadness which had enveloped her over there untimely deaths were intermixed by anger for what they had done. Standing outside that gate she felt like a schoolgirl once again, that gangly girl with hair always eschew and untied bootlaces, always trying to avoid getting into trouble but despite her best efforts always ended up getting into. But in fact she was no more that the girl anymore, time had gone past and had changed her from that young fearful girl into a slender twenty something woman, more confident and self assured than the girl who had left the academy; A woman who turned heads whenever she walked into the room.
Taking a large deep breath she walked through the gate, her broomstick in her right hand, she strode across the courtyard heading to the broomshed where she stowed it away in the now empty enclaves of it. Her eyes flitted across to the heavy oak front door which beckoned to her, the answer to her secret inside of it. Brushing at the invisible creases on her dress once again she walked across to it and brought her hand up to the heavy iron door knocker, bringing it down once hard onto the plate underneath it, aware that the sound would be heard through the castle.
She did not have to wait long for the door to be opened; only a few moments had passed before the door creaked open with a groan, it being pulled open by Imogen Drill, PE teacher of Cackle's academy.
"Can I help you?" The older blonde woman said on automatic pilot before her mind had processed the person in front of her "Oh my Mildred Hubble!" She exclaimed surprised to see one of her former pupils in front of her.
"Hello Miss Drill" She said smiling at Imogen, a few fond memories of her coming back to her. "May I come in?" she asked her.
"Of Course Mildred" She said stepping out the way to allow Mildred access to the entrance hall "And by the way Mildred you are no longer a pupil here anymore; please call me Imogen instead." She said give one of Mildred's hands a quick squeeze
"I will try Miss, it just doesn't seem right to call any of you by your first names seeing you were my teachers for so long." Mildred said politely
Both standing there close together Imogen looked Mildred up and down, taking in the differences from the girl she had seen last at the age of sixteen leaving the academy for the outside world; The memory of that girl being replaced by the image of the woman in front of her.
"Not that I am not happy to see you Mildred, but can I enquire what you are doing here. Most ex-pupils never darken our doorways again once their education at the academy is complete."
"I am here to see Miss Hardbroom, there is something I need to discuss with her. I would of written ahead to inform you of my arrival but as I was so close to the castle today I decided to come today instead of having to make the journey back on another day." She had said only half lying, she had considered writing and telling them of her trip to the castle but she was scared if that she committed to an actually date she would undoable end up not arriving there due to fear, it had taking her another time to strike up the confidence to come today.
Imogen ushered Mildred along the corridor more and they started to walk into the bowels of the castle.
"Well, I am certain that she will be as surprised and as happy to see you as I am." Imogen said a slight smile on her face; her knowing the trials and tribulations of the relationship between Mildred and Constance.
"Perhaps." Mildred said back quietly, not looking up at Imogen.
"There is no need for me to tell you where the staff room is Mildred, if you don't mind waiting in there I will go and fetch Constance for you." Imogen said to her.
"Of course, And you are right about me not needing to know. I could walk around this castle blindfolded and know exactly where I am." Mildred said back to her, watching Imogen turn back slightly to head towards the main stairs.
"Make yourself comfortable Mildred" She called back as she headed towards the stairs taking them two at a time when she reached them, heading to the stairs which lead up to the staff quarters.
Making quick time up to the stairs she went to the door of Constance's room and rapped on it slightly.
"Come in." She heard from inside the room, these being the cool tones of Constance's voice.
Opening the door quietly she stepped into Constance's bedroom and saw the tall strict deputy headmistress seated at her desk, the room like Constance completely perfect, everything precisely in its place.
"What can I do for you Imogen?" She asked her voice clipped, annoyed at the interruption that Imogen has caused.
"A visitor has turned up and wishes to speak to you." Imogen said.
" A visitor at the end of term, this is out of the ordinary. May I enquire into whom this visitor is?" Constance asked Imogen
"Of course, it is actually Mildred Hubble who has requested to see you." Imogen replied to her.
"Mildred Hubble. That was a girl who I never thought I would see again."
"Well, she is here, And wishes to speak to you about something. I am not sure what about, but it seems from the few moments that I spent with her that she is not her normal happy self. I told her to wait in the staff room for you."
"Thank you Imogen, I will go and see her now." Constance said before popping out, leaving Imogen alone
Instead of just arriving inside the room like she normally would, she materialised outside the staffroom door, taking a hold of the handle she pushed the door open and spotted Mildred sitting at one of the chairs at the staffroom table.
"This is a surprise Mildred. I never expected to see you again. What can I do for you?" She said amazed at the differences in Mildred.
"I'm certain that you do not know this, but my parents died in a car accident a few weeks ago. At the will reading a few letters were passed onto me. These letters bore information about my life, and contained something information about you as well."
Constance stepped into the room further and shut the door behind her.
"Information about me, Mildred? Why would personal letters to you contain a reference to me?" Her curiosity peaked by it.
"The letters told me that I had been adopted, a fact that I did not know. And as for you, I believe because of these letters that you are my birth mother." Mildred said finally being able to get the information out for the first time.
"You're what?" Constance said her past flying back.
"I believe Miss Hardbroom that you are my Mother." Mildred said seeing the expression on her old deputy headmistress's face.
Reader Note: I know that I have already used one of the story points in one of my other Worst Witch Stories, but am suffering from a case of writers block with these story. So here's my new fic whilst i get my muse to actually help me write that other story. Please read and review. Thanks.