That afternoon, Miss Cackle had arranged a staff meeting to discuss the Halloween celebrations. She had insisted on all staff being present, which meant Mildred had to coax Miss Bat out of the staff room cupboard with a bowl of fruit salad. She had returned to the cupboard after her fright from Miss Hardbroom earlier that morning and during the meeting the two continued to bicker, earning a few chuckles from both Miss Drill and Mildred which in turn earned quite a few death-glares from the formidable potions mistress.

The staff had finally decided that as the crowds were gathering in the forest Sylvia Ravensworth and Hazel Hembane from the second year class were going to perform "Punkie Night" a traditional chant and one of Miss Bat's favourites. Miss Hardbroom disapproved of the style the chant was going to be performed in, however. She had sneered at the notion of having a heavy metal cover but to keep the peace, Miss Cackle had insisted that the girls perform the chant as they wished.

Mildred and Miss Drill filled in the staff on the progress of the fourth years and their broomstick flying display. Miss Cackle was pleased with how well the girls had responded to Mildred's guidance and Miss Drill's choreography.

"I'm glad I put the pair of you together, well done." She said, beaming at the two younger members of staff.

Miss Cackle moved swiftly onto the music that would be played at the end of the ceremony. There was going to be a feast and dancing all night. Miss Bat had asked for some modern music for the girls, a bit of upbeat music rather than the boring traditional instrumental pieces.

"It's bad enough we have to abide your second years shrieking at the beginning of the ceremony, Davina. We do not want to listen to anymore of that ridiculous 'music' that the girls listen to these days." Miss Hardbroom barked at the chanting teacher.

Mildred could see that Miss Bat was just about ready to rush into the cupboard again, so she said quickly, "Maybe we could mix it up. Have a few traditional songs and a few modern ones?"

Miss Cackle looked at her, her blue eyes glimmering, "What a wonderful idea, Mildred!"

Mildred blushed at the compliment from the headmistress, Miss Bat smiled at her and Miss Drill patted her on the back.

"I don't like the idea," Grumbled Miss Hardbroom, "Halloween is a traditional holiday which should be celebrated in the traditional way. We don't want the grand wizard getting the wrong idea do we, headmistress?"

Miss Cackle rose from her seat and began to pace the staff room, wrapping her pale purple cardigan around herself to keep warm, "Perhaps this year we should introduce a more modern way of celebrating to the girls. You have to admit the way we celebrate Halloween hasn't changed for many years and it is getting rather stale" Miss Bat nodded at that comment, "We shall see how the girls respond to Mildred's idea and if they like it we will keep it this way."

Miss Hardbroom rolled her eyes in frustration. She hated it when she couldn't get her way, Mildred was very aware of that fact. Her old potions teacher often took blue turns when she was a student here and no doubt she was going to go in one of her legendary huffs.

The bell rang to signal the end of break-time for the girls and the end of the meeting for the teachers.

Miss Cackle and Miss Bat walked together to their lessons; both Mildred and Miss Drill were free for this period.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" Mildred asked Miss Drill. She shook her head.

"No," She replied, glancing over at Miss Hardbroom briefly, "I need to sort something out."

Mildred raised an eyebrow at Miss Drill, what would she want with H.B? She rubbed her friend's arm and left the staff room to go to her room and finish some of her marking. Little did she know that there was someone waiting for her when she stepped into her study...

X

Miss Hardbroom was sitting, staring out of the staff room window when Miss Drill moved to sit beside her. She could smell a sweet scent on the blonde's clothing; she hardly ever wore perfume.

"I think we need to have a chat, Miss Hardbroom." Said Miss Drill, looking at the witch. Miss Hardbroom did not return her gaze immediately. She continued to watch as the rain trailed down the staff room window. Miss Drill watched the beautiful dark haired witch before her. She seemed so relaxed, her swan-like neck resting on one of her pale, long fingered hands. Miss Drill shook her head, pulling herself out of the daze. She cleared her throat.

"Yes?" Miss Hardbroom snapped, finally turning to face Miss Drill.

Miss Drill shuffled nervously in her seat. She was going to just have to spit it out, wasn't she?

The witch's eyes seemed to be x-raying her the longer she delayed speaking. Finally she blurted, "I'm not sure how to put this, but... lately I feel like I can't get you out of my head."

Miss Hardbroom blinked at her, her expression did not soften, "What does that mean, Miss Drill?"

Miss Drill furrowed her eyebrows, how could she put this?, she thought.

"If this is about what you said last month, Miss Drill, you need not say anything," Miss Hardbroom stated in her cool, crisp voice, "I understand that you've apologised, but I do not see why."

"Why what?"

Miss Hardbroom smirked, a drip of water from the ice sculpture, "Why you apologised, Miss Drill. It really wasn't necessary."

Miss Drill stared at Miss Hardbroom. She had been feeling like an idiot for the last month, feeling like she had offended the woman sat in front of her, "You mean I didn't need to feel like I'd done something to upset you these last few weeks?"

Shaking her head, Miss Hardbroom said, "You merely said you enjoyed my company. There's nothing offensive about that. It's a welcome change to being called Hardbitch and Harshbrush by the girls," She looked into Miss Drill's eyes; they were a very beautiful shade of green. She had never noticed that before, "I've been meaning to tell you, Imogen. I've been trying to avoid saying anything about it but I think it needs to be said." She sat up straight, "I enjoyed that day too."

Miss Drill smiled at the potions mistress. Perhaps the witch wasn't such an iceberg after all. Maybe she even felt the same. There were steel butterflies in her stomach again as their eyes met just for a moment and without realising, Miss Drill had moved her hand to one of Miss Hardbroom's which was laying absently on the table. The brunette looked down as their hands met, almost in disbelief at what was happening, but she didn't pull away.

"I know you'll probably turn me into a toad for saying this, Miss Hardbroom, but..." She took a deep breath, bracing herself, "I think I have feelings for you."

Miss Hardbroom blinked at her again and stood up, pushing her hand away.

"No." She barked, but it seemed like she was saying it to herself rather than to Miss Drill. Miss Hardbroom's eyes were wide. She had never seen her like this before.

Miss Drill stood up, walking over to the potions mistress who remained on the same spot. Their eyes locked; deep brown staring into emerald green, "What's wrong?"

Miss Hardbroom shook her head, closing her eyes. She had to hold it together, she thought, she couldn't show weakness.

Confidence and control, Mistress Broomhead had said to her. The toxic woman had haunted her during her time at college, beating the assertiveness into her. She had been quite a shy girl when she had arrived at Weirdsister College all those years ago. The moment Hecketty Broomhead set eyes on her, however, she knew she had to break her. She wanted to destroy an innocent, pure soul. During her time at college she had made a shield around herself. After her regular sessions with Mistress Broomhead were finally over, no one was allowed to get anywhere near her.

With a heavy, shaky sigh, Miss Hardbroom composed herself. She folded her arms across her chest. The blonde was still stood in front of her.

"What's wrong?" Miss Drill asked, louder this time, "Please tell me." Miss Drill touched Miss Hardbroom's arm, trying to comfort her.

She could feel the tears stinging the back of her eyes. She needed to fight against them. She could not let Broomhead win again, that woman had held her back for too long.

"Constance?" Miss Drill's voice was gentle as she held her arm, her soft hands running up and down the silk material of her sleeve.

"I'm sorry, I can't." Miss Hardbroom choked back the tears that were prickling her eyes.

Miss Drill let go of the brunette's arm. She walked past her, towards the staff room door.

"Imogen?"

She turned to face the witch. Her face was flushed. She could see her hands shaking.

Without thinking, Miss Drill went to her, wrapping both her arms around her. Miss Hardbroom relaxed in her arms, her trembling hands moving to rest around her shoulders.

"You need to tell me what's wrong, Constance." Miss Drill said finally as the two pulled away from the embrace, "Whatever it is, we need to sort it out."

X

Earlier that morning, during Miss Bat's chanting class, Hettie, Mona and Cressie had been wandering in the meadows just outside the school grounds. The eccentric chanting teacher had asked them to gather some wild garlic (she was obsessed with the stuff) and had armed each of the girls with a pair of thick gloves and a wicker basket. The girls had been discussing the upcoming Halloween display in excited voices when they had spotted a hooded figure standing on one of the tall hills hidden behind the school.

"Is that-" Mona started, but her voice was swept away by the strong wind that was howling through the trees. There was a storm coming. The witches could feel it.

"It looks like Miss Cackle, apart from the glasses." Cressie stated. She knew the headmistress had a pair of hornrimmed spectacles. The figure on the hill appeared to look just like the headmistress; thick grey hair, pale blue eyes... but her glasses had thick, round frames, with lenses that made her eyes look enormous.

"That definitely isn't Miss Cackle," Said Hettie, "I need to tell Mildred."

She dropped her basket on the ground and sprinted off towards the school.

"...And that's when I came to get you." Hettie finished, sitting cross legged on her cousin's bed.

Mildred could not believe her ears. Agatha Cackle back at Cackle's? It was against the Witch's Code, surely!

"But she won't be able to do anything. There's no rules in the Witch's Code about retaliating during Halloween, is there?"

Hettie looked confused.

Mildred explained, "When I was a student here, Agatha Cackle tried to break into the school using a loophole in the Witch's Code called The Statute of Limitation."

She went on to explain about how the loophole worked and how her and her friends had managed to thwart Agatha's plans before she managed to succeed in taking over the school.

"We need to stop her, Mildred." Hettie jumped off the bed, wanting to get into the action.

Mildred furrowed her brow, "We need to tell Miss Cackle."

The bedroom door burst open revealing two very windswept fourth years; Mona and Cressie.

"It's Agatha Cackle!" Exclaimed Hettie as her friends came towards her, "That figure on the hill was Miss Cackle's twin sister."

Mona and Cressie looked at each other and then back at their friend and Mildred.

"That would explain why she was in such a bad mood the other morning," Commented Mona. She turned to Mildred, "We bumped into her outside the potions lab a few days ago when we were looking for a spell. She was really agitated."

Again, Mildred couldn't believe what she was hearing, "How on Earth did she get into the school?" She looked at the three girls in front of her, "We need to tell Miss Cackle. She'll be back in the staff room now."

Well I hope you enjoyed that chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you think and if you would like to see anything in the story.