The corridor leading to Hecate's classroom was alive with the sounds of young witches happily talking to one another. They dulled to a low whisper when Hecate walked by and then resumed their normal volume once she was safely in her classroom behind the closed door. She knew the students feared her and her sharp demeaner, but she didn't care. She knew that the students needed a teacher who was 'no nonsense' when it came to potions and learning everything about the Witches Code, even if it meant sacrificing a title as the 'fun teacher'.

Hecate turned towards the classroom, staring at the empty seats with fresh cauldrons at every table. New vials of memory powder and buckets of frog goop sat on the old black shelves behind her desk. Everything was ready for her first class, which started in five minutes. Hecate sighed heavily at the thought of beginning a new term.

As always, Ada Cackle had stated yesterday morning that this year was full of promise with the new witches coming to school. Hecate, as always, felt there needed to be more discipline when accepting, or turning away, certain witches from Cackles Academy. Perhaps Ada decided to start every year off with positive thoughts rather than negative ones. Hecate needed to figure out her secret on that front.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door to her classroom and then pushed their way in hurriedly. Not surprisingly, it was Mildred Hubble who came rushing through her classroom door without waiting for a response as to whether or not she could enter.

"Miss Hardbroom, I-,"

"Mildred Hubble," Hecate interrupted the young witch. "When you knock on a teacher's classroom door, do you ever wait for a response?"

"Sorry, Miss Hardbroom. Shall I start again?"

"No, you stupid girl, you're already inside. What is it that you want?"

"Miss Cackle has asked me to take an extra potions class with you this term since the Spelling Bee is being held at Pentangle's Academy on Halloween and I-,"

"What did you say?" Hecate interrupted Mildred again. "Pentangle's Academy?"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom. Ethel and I were asked to participate in the Spelling Bee again this year. Only, this time it's at Pentangle Academy. So, Miss Cackle thought it best if I started my mornings off in your class for some extra practice."

Hecate didn't answer this time. Her mind was spinning at the thought of seeing Pippa again, and in only two months' time.

"Would that be alright?" Mildred asked.

"Yes, that's fine. Excuse me for a moment," Hecate said as she snapped her fingers and disappeared, transferring herself to Ada Cackle's office. Her feet landed perfectly in front of Miss Cackle's desk where she sat with head down, and her eyes staring intently at some paperwork in front of her.

"Has Mildred Hubble been to see you?" she asked without looking up from her papers.

"Ada, why didn't you tell me?" Hecate asked, with a hint of sadness, that even she wasn't expecting.

Ada put her pen down and folded her hands on her desk before looking up at Hecate. "I hope you didn't think my actions to be insidious. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you."

"Are you sure about that?" Hecate hissed at the elder witch. "You should have told me about the Spelling Bee."

"I'm sorry, Hecate. You're right. Now, since you're here, I was wondering if you would agree to be the chaperone to Pentangle Academy in October?"

"Ada-,"

"Please," Ada interrupted. "Please think about it before you say no. This could be a good experience for you, if you let it."

Hecate didn't respond. She just nodded at the Headmistress before transferring out of the office and back into her Potions classroom, where the new students were already seated and ready for class to begin.

Mildred Hubble sat in the first row, and smiled when Hecate made an appearance in the front of the classroom. She was so happy to see her, and learn more about potions, that a spark of her happiness seemed to transfer to Hecate herself. The glow of Mildred was contagious, and it made Hecate think that Ada might have been right after all about Mildred. She was a special girl, and together, they would win the Spelling Bee at Pentangle Academy, and possibly win back her friendship to Pippa. All Hecate had to do now, was teach Mildred everything there is to know about potions and witchcraft in less than two months.

No pressure.