I'm a bit of a Disney princess - and I think this has led to all my stories having happy endings.. I really enjoy writing the happy bits J

Chapter 11

Light streamed in through the open curtains in Miss Drill's study. Tired and bored of waiting, the girls had all fallen asleep by the warm roaring fire. An assertive knock at the door awoke them one by one. Miss Drill, who was an early riser, abandoned her cup of black coffee in order to answer. A huge smile graced her face as she saw the knocker.

"Constance!"

"I believe, Miss Drill that there is some explaining to be done." Miss Hardbroom spoke sternly and strode into the room purposefully.

The girls all smiled at each other. It had worked!

"Miss Hardbroom!" Mildred had found herself hugging her teacher before she could stop herself, much to the amused faces of her friends.

"Mildred!" Miss Hardbroom warned, and the girl stepped away and looked at her teacher awkwardly and sheepishly.

"Sorry Miss. I'm just really glad that you're ok."

"I am fine Mildred, but thank you for your concern." Constance glared at her pupil. "Back to your rooms girls! Miss Drill, if I could have a private word."

Xx

"I want the full story Miss Drill. I have been trapped in a world of nothingness for the best part of a week and I would like to know exactly what happened." Constance ordered.

"I'm not sure you will even believe me Constance." Imogen smiled.

"Try me."

Xx

"So you see headmistress, I never really got to visit my mother. I was upstairs making my final preparations and that was the last thing I can remember." Constance explained to Amelia.

"Oh Constance how awful! I'm so happy to have you back though. Cackle's really isn't the same without you." Miss Cackle gushed, her face back to it's beaming smile.

"I will have to write to my mother and explain, although she will probably just think I'm making excuses."

"So Softbrooms definitely gone?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, I got Ethel to release the door and she had disappeared. A shame I think, it would have been interesting to meet her." Constance mused.
"Poor Mildred, I hope she will be ok. I never would have believed she possessed such power." Amelia spoke fondly.

"I have told her to stay in bed today, she has a slight head cold." Imogen replied.

"Poor Mildred indeed! She might have saved the day but she did cause this mess." Constance cut in sharply.

"Accidentally Miss Hardbroom!" Imogen argued. "Cut the girl some slack! She has been nothing but faithful to you!"

"hmm" Constance muttered in response.

Xx

Mildred sat up in her bed and wiped her running nose.

"Mildred." A stern voice appeared from nowhere. Within moments HB had appeared sitting on the end of her bed.

"Miss!" Mildred smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Constance asked awkwardly.

"I'm fine Miss. It's just a slight cold."

"I don't appreciate being lied to Mildred." Miss Hardbroom replied sharply and knowingly.

"Ok, I feel a bit rotten." Mildred admitted. To her surprise her teacher waved her bony pinkie finger and the girl felt a rush of warmth as her symptoms melted away.

"Thanks Miss! But I thought magic couldn't-"

"I have gained nothing from making you well Mildred, therefore the magic wasn't for a selfish purpose." Miss Hardbroom explained. The student and teacher sat in silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say.

"I'm glad your back." Mildred looked into her tutor's dark eyes.

"I am glad to be back Mildred, Miss Drill has explained the whole story to me. But I have to admit that I am surprised."
"Surprised Miss?" Mildred looked confused.

"Yes." Constance looked into her pupils eyes searchingly, she didn't understand the girl at all and that really frustrated her. "Mildred, I am aware that our relationship has not always been the best. I have treated you more harshly than I have ever treated any other pupil. I am not saying that for the most part that you haven't deserved it, but I am very surprised that you would still want me as your teacher. From what I have learnt from Miss Drill, it seems that Miss Softbroom was very lenient."

"Yes she was definitely lenient." Mildred nodded.

"Then why did you not allow her to stay?" Miss Hardbroom arched her eyebrow.

"Because- because.. well… I think I need you Miss Hardbroom." Mildred looked down at her bedcovers, not daring to meet those dark eyes. "Yes Miss Softbroom was nice to us, but she wasn't you Miss. She didn't care for us. You might not think you show it, but you do. I see how much you care by your constant pushing for us to do better, be better. I see it in the disappointment you show when I get things wrong. I know I can't be the easiest pupil in the world, but you have never given up on me."

Constance sat for a moment, digesting her student's words. Mildred might have been on the slow front when it came to learning spells and potions, but she was incredibly mature for her age and she had a heart that was pure gold.

"I am very touched Mildred." She replied slowly, her voice absent of its usual business-like tone. "I always just assumed you hated me."

"I hate how even when I try I cannot seem to please you, I hate how you shout at me and pick on me, but I don't hate you Miss Hardbroom, not really. None of us do. We might say it at times but we don't really mean it."

"My job Mildred is to bring out the best in you. Have you ever thought that perhaps I 'pick' on you because I see great potential?" Constance asked the girl defensively.

Mildred bit her lip, worried that she had said too much, but secretly pleased that her teacher had said she had potential.

Miss Hardbroom let out a sigh at the worried face of her pupil. Mildred really was an exasperating girl.

"I appreciate your honesty Mildred. Now I am really interested to hear more about this drawing power."

"I'm not really sure how it works Miss." Mildred replied, pleased at the change of topic.

"hmmm, well I think it would be best if you stopped drawing for the moment. Oh there is no use looking at me like that Mildred!" Her tones turned harsh and annoyed at the pout on Mildred's face. "I think it is important that we figure out how exactly it works first. I think perhaps, we ought to extend your private lessons and include some drawing experiments. In controlled conditions of course." She glared at Mildred to enforce her words.

"Thank you Miss." Mildred beamed, happy that despite everything she would still be allowed to draw.

"I will see you at dinner Mildred." The teacher nodded curtly before vanishing.

Xx

"So class, I hope you have all been working extremely hard in my absence." Miss Hardbroom smirked at the scared faces of the fifth year girls, all except Ethel Hallow of course. "In order to find out exactly what you have learned, I thought I'd treat you all to a little quiz." The faces turned to ones of horror. "Anyone who does not gain at least 75% will be writing me a 2000 word essay on what exactly they have been doing the past week. Ethel, please hand out these papers and you may begin. In silence!" she glared at Enid who had turned to Maud and opened her mouth.

Mildred's eyes caught her own and Constance smirked knowing exactly what Mildred was thinking. She knew she was wishing that Miss Softbroom still existed.

Xx

Can't believe how long it has taken me to write this! Thank you to everyone that has reviewed so far. If you haven't yet reviewed please do. I cannot tell you the amount of times I nearly gave up on this one but was spurred on by someone taking the time to review.

If you enjoyed this story, please check out some of my others. I still check for new reviews on my old stories regularly J They really make my day!

So I'm going to focus on Aurelia next, and then probably just do one-shots as my writing time is going to get more and more limited.

Cheers m'dears!

xx