Thank you for some fantastic reviews! Really appreciate people taking the time to comment :). I totally agree with Eleanor James's comment about this story being a Mary-Sue. It is and I cannot deny it! I am a very naive and positive individual, I have always had the problem of seeing the good and ignoring the bad in both real life and with fictional characters. However I will justify myself slightly with the knowledge of how much I as an individual change my character when I am fufilling the role of teacher. When I watched the WW and read the books I always believed on some level that 'HB' was just an act.. I think that is why she is always people's favourite character.. She is an enigma and therefore we have to make alot of her character ourselves.

Chapter 10

"HB's staring at you Aurelia!" Enid murmured to her friend over breakfast.

"I don't know why." Aurelia stared at her back at her aunt. Their gaze met and Constance gave a tiny smile before turning to talk to Miss Cackle.

"Did she just-?" Enid looked from Aurelia to Mildred and Maud.

"Smile?- I thought I saw it too!" Maud murmured.

"Nahh.. your seeing things." Aurelia muttered.

To the girls surprise Miss Hardbroom had walked over to the girls. "Morning girls." She said briskly.

"M-morning Miss Hardbroom." The girls chorused nervously.

"Aurelia, I need a word."

The girls watched as Aurelia followed the potion's teacher from the breakfast hall.

"Poor girl." Mildred muttered as her friends nodded in agreement.

Xx

Aurelia had been led into her teacher's office in her private quarters. Her aunt gestured for her to sit on the wooden chair in front of her desk before facing her.

"Aurelia. Usually on weekends girls are expected to stay in the school grounds unless special permission is granted. However I have been in touch with your mother and she wishes you to see her this Saturday. I am giving you permission."

"But – why would - ?"

"Please don't ask questions Aurelia." Constance spoke with natural authority. Aurelia glared at her for a moment.

"Don't look at me like that!" Miss Hardbroom snapped. "Might I remind you that I am your teacher and also deputy headmistress at this school." Constance raised an eyebrow and the girl dropped her face.

"Is that all Miss?" Aurelia asked moodily.

"No, it is not. I have decided that it might be a good idea for you to tell your friends about our relationship. We cannot pretend forever and I think they would appreciate it coming from you."

"But… I…" the girl stuttered, thoroughly confused. Why the sudden change of heart?

"That is an order, Aurelia. I can be there whilst you break the news if you wish?"

"No, I don't think that will help." Aurelia spoke in a small voice.

"Ok, I would suggest that you do it during your free period this morning. Get it over and done with. Remember that you have my support during this. I will not accept any form of bullying. You have nothing to worry about."

"Easy for you to say." Aurelia muttered.

Xx

Aurelia sighed and gathering her wits knocked on Mildred's door. The girls naturally congregated in her room during free periods in order to gossip instead of doing their homework. Sure enough she opened the door to find Mildred and Enid lounging on her bed, Maud sitting on the desk's chair and Jadu and Ruby were crouched against the hard stone wall.

"Hey Reli." Maud greeted the girl using the nickname the girls had resorted to using.

"Come join us." Mildred offered, patting the tiny amount of room left on the bed.

"How was HB?" Jadu asked.

"Errm… actually.. actually I um have something to tell you all. Something I should have told you before. I know that once I tell you, you probably won't want to know me anymore. Just remember I can't help it and it doesn't change who I am." Aurelia bit her lip nervously.

"Are you Ok?" Maud looked concerned.

"Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. Unless your going to tell us that HB's your biological mother or something." Enid chuckled but then stopped at the look on her friend's face. "Wait, she's not your mother is she?"

"Close enough." Aurelia muttered in a small voice. The girl's all gaped at her for a moment.

"What do you mean?" Mildred broke the silence.

"Miss Hardbroom's my mother's younger sister. She's my auntie."

The girls continued to gape. "No freaking way." Ruby finally muttered.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before. It's just I promised and it's not like we're a close family or anything. I hadn't seen the woman before I came here in about eleven years. I couldn't even remember her. I wanted to tell you straight away but she told me that I was to keep it a secret and you all seemed to hate her so much. She must have had a change of heart or something because she told me that I ought to tell my friends." Aurelia gushed, barely taking a moment to breathe. "Please don't hate me." She finished in a small voice, a tear dripped down her cheek.

Mildred quickly got up from the bed and hugged her friend. The rest followed suit and soon Aurelia was wrapped in the centre of a group hug. "Aurelia, we don't hate you." Mildred spoke in slightly muffled tones.

The girls all broke off. "So does this mean we're entitled to less homework then or something?" Enid laughed.

The girls all giggled.

Xx