The Note
The day had carried on normally for Miss Hardbroom and she was now doing the lights out rounds to make sure the girls were sleeping and not messing about having midnight feasts and other such things. This gave Miss Hardbroom time to think on what to do about the Imogen Drill situation. She couldn't stand her when she was just sitting quietly in a room never mind having to teach with her. Constance didn't want to feel undermined by the non witch at something she was quite excellent at. The whole lesson was magical but that didn't deter Miss Cackle from her obviously flawed decision of letting a non witch help. Miss Hardbroom wanted to sort this out more than anything but there was always the thought at the back of her mind that she should never ignore a direct action from an authority figure.
Miss Hardbroom hesitated outside of one particular door. This was the room inhabited by Celeste Steel. She was sceptical about what she would find. She reluctantly opened the door. The girl was lying on her back in a perfect manner and sleeping soundly. She turned to leaved but a noise stopped her.
"Good night Miss Hardbroom," said a spine tingling voice. Constance turned. Celeste was sitting bolt upright. Her posture was perfect, too perfect for someone who had just awoken from a deep sleep. Miss Hardbroom eyed her suspiciously before briskly leaving.
With rounds done, she returned to her solitary room to find a note pinned carefully to her door. She looked around for anyone who could have put this here. It certainly wasn't here before lights out and she hadn't heard anyone. She cautiously removed it from the door and entered her bed chamber. She sat down on her bed and unfolded the mysterious note. The ink was dark green in colour and was written in cursive. All the note said was "Hello again dear Constance," Her rational mind kicked in. It must have been written by one of the girls, a first day back prank. She thought nothing of this, but couldn't seem to get herself to throw the note away. Instead she left it in the draw where she kept nothing other than a silver ring embedded with sapphires. She then got ready for bed, hoping to fall into a dreamless sleep.
Sadly she wasn't so lucky. Nightmares plagued her resting mind. She dreamt about pain, evil and forbidden magic. A girl with blood red hair danced around in glee at the potion mistress's suffering. A familiar sly smile crept across the girl's face. She grabbed Constance's arm and dug her inch long nails into her skin. A gasp of pain escaped her lips which prompted the girl to laugh menacingly...
The dreamt pain seemed to have woken Miss Hardbroom up. She was breathing heavily and her body was laced with cold sweat.
"It was just a dream," she told herself, "nothing more than my over active imagination playing up again." She sat up and felt a sharp stinging come from her forearm. She turned to see what it was. There on her arm were 4 short gashed, the size of fingernails. She gasped. She needed to calm down and stop being so silly. It was only a dream after all, wasn't it? She turned to the table on which she kept the candle that lit the room. She lit it with magic and noticed another strange occurrence. The note she had so carefully put away in the draw was now sitting on her bedside table. Constance was sure she had put it away but dismissed it and rationalised the situation. She must have forgotten to put it away. The first day back was always a tiring day and she must have forgotten in her fatigue. Without giving it a second glance she put it away in the draw and went back to sleep.
If only Constance had been more observant. Then she would have noticed the note now said "You can't run from what's inside..."