The next four weeks were something very special. Mildred perfected her drawing skills, learnt spells, made potions and quite astoundingly managed to stay out of detention. She studied hard and was almost praised as much as she was reprimanded by Miss Hardbroom, something her friends saw as an enormous achievement.
Miss Drill did most of her additional potions classes with her and Miss Hardbroom kept her word and put on sessions once a week that just involved discussing the attack on the school, along with large portions of cake and tea. The teachers took it in turns to attend but Miss Drill and Miss Hardbroom were always present. The girls saw a different side to their fearless deputy as she admitted her fears and helped them come to terms with their own. Each girl who had been present on that day was scarred and much happier now they had the chance to discuss the events openly. They were all healing.
Miss Hardbroom and Miss Drill continued to develop their friendship and were often seen collecting herbs and plants first thing, or sharing a bottle of wine and laughing loudly in the kitchens. Miss Drill successfully avoided running for five days before Miss Hardbroom advised her to go for one for both of their sanitys. She ran when she wanted to now and was able to miss days and explore other hobbies. That freedom had given her more energy which in turn had made her more stubborn and argumentative, something Miss Hardbroom was not overly fond of.
Everything was happy and harmonious. HB was still a stickler for standards and rules, Miss Bat still leapt into the cupboard when faced with confrontation, and Miss Cackle did her best to keep the peace when Miss Drill took exception to something her deputy had said. But, Cackles was back to being the tiring, comforting, old fashioned beacon of tradition that the girls all secretly loved. And Mildred had rested her grand plans of escape because she didn't want to ruin a good thing and she could feel Miss Hardbroom's presence more acutely than ever. She was watching her, calculating her movements and she felt too self-conscious for anything courageous right now.
That, however, was about to change. Miss Hardbroom was ready to lay her trap and Mildred was about to run straight into it. But Mildred was becoming a more talented and instinctive witch by the day so how she responded was the stuff of legend. Though nobody else may get to revel in that legend there are two people who will always remember, Mildred Hubble and Constance Hardbroom.
—-
The trap was laid very simply. Miss Hardbroom set an impromptu potions test for the following day on Thursday. On Thursday evening Mildred turned up for her extra tutoring at 7pm as normal.
"So how do you feel about the potion test tomorrow Mildred?" Miss Hardbroom asked as Mildred took out her stuff and greeted Miss Drill.
"I think it will be okay" Mildred said convincingly.
"It will be fifth year potions Mildred, have you been looking over those and practising what we have been doing in class?" Miss Hardbroom persisted.
"Well, I think my memory has gotten better...and I have been getting less wrong in class" Mildred said a little less certain.
"Yes, well I imagine even if the result is awful it will be an improvement on dreadful" Miss Hardbroom said dismissively.
"Well she has certainly worked hard, Miss Hardbroom" Miss Drill said stubbornly, gritting her teeth to get her disapproval across as she said it.
"Yes but we haven't covered fifth year potions in these classes yet, I just don't want Mildred getting her hopes up. We are not quite there yet" Miss Hardbroom said with a fixed frown at Miss Drill.
"I see" Miss Drill said somewhat suspicious. Was her colleague trying to be mean or prepare Mildred with what she thought was an acceptable reality check. Either way it came across mean.
"Perhaps you would like to do the explosive potion we did in class today Mildred. I don't think it would be fair if we practiced anything I knew was on the test and you certainly could do with some extra time spent on that particular potion" Miss Hardbroom carried on ignoring Miss Drill's quizzical face.
"Well can I pick one to work on?" Mildred asked cautiously.
"Oh that's a good idea then you cannot be accused of being biased" Miss Drill said supportively.
"Very well" Miss Hardbroom said in an irritated tone.
For the rest of that class Miss Hardbroom was uncharacteristically pessimistic about Mildred's efforts. It ran contrary to how supportive and patient she had been recently but it didn't particularly surprise Mildred who just put it down to 'tough love' or impatience because she hadn't done enough to get her through her exams safely yet.
It wasn't until the end of that session that Miss Hardbroom did enough to secure the chain of events that unfolded the next day.
"Mildred, tonight and tomorrow I want you to think about something. If you drew a clone of yourself with your magical aura and they revised a fifth year potion from your potions book, do you think you would absorb their efforts when they returned to the paper?" She asked as though the theory was just coming to her.
"I'm not sure, I don't think so. I don't know for sure though" Mildred said. She wasn't convinced that would work because she never got memories of where they had been when she had split up with her dopplegangers during experiments over the last few weeks.
"Well it was just a theory, one we could test on Saturday. You are welcome to test it sooner, I don't think that will be a risk at all" Miss Hardbroom said lightly.
"So I can draw out of class?" Mildred asked excitedly.
"Provided it is a clone of yourself and they are revising, yes, I do not see why not" Miss Hardbroom articulated carefully.
"Thank you, Miss Hardbroom" Mildred said politely.
She mulled that theory over as she was packing her bag. And then, Miss Hardbroom saw it. Mildred's expression changed to one of wonder and awe. The lightbulb moment. She could barely contain her excitement as she hurriedly packed her bag and said good evening to Miss Hardbroom and Miss Drill. She went from daydream to daydream as she cleaned her bench and left the lab completely oblivious to anyone watching her.
Miss Hardbroom observed the girl closely and had a small smile to herself. That was the look she had been waiting for.
Miss Drill waited until Mildred had left and said: "I think we will have tea in the kitchens tonight, and you can tell me what you have just engineered."
Miss Hardbroom was instantly taken aback. She wasn't accustomed to her teaching being observed and had quite forgotten that Miss Drill was still there.
"Very well" she said testily as she regained her composure. She looked at Miss Drill as though she had just stolen her moment from her.
Miss Drill marched out of the potions lab and Miss Hardbroom disappeared from the lab as she cursed under her breath.
Later that night Miss Hardbroom arrived in the kitchens to eat her tea with Miss Drill.
"Ah fish and roast vegetables, that will do very nicely" Miss Hardbroom noted as she sat at the table.
"I'm not sure the girls are keen but I must admit it has grown on me" Miss Drill stated.
There was an awkward silence then as formalities had ended.
"So...I am waiting" Miss Drill said directly.
"I don't know what for?" Miss Hardbroom said playing the fool which didn't suit her.
"Oh yes you do! You have planned something or set Mildred up. You saw something in her...a mood change...or...oh I don't know. But you were weird throughout that whole session" Miss Drill explained scrambling for the right words.
"I merely planted a seed. What she does with that is entirely her own decision" Miss Hardbroom admitted with authority and unapologetically.
"Why? What has she done? Hasn't she been working hard?" Miss Drill fired question after question, annoyed at Miss Hardbroom's unphased response.
"She has worked very hard and she has been progressing very well. I am actually very proud of her" Miss Hardbroom said earnestly.
"So...why?" Miss Drill asked, trying to understand.
"She evaded my detection four times, Imogen...not once, not twice, but four times. I have to catch her in the act," Miss Hardbroom said, annoyed that she had to explain this. It was petty and underhanded but it was necessary.
"It's pride isn't it? Pure bloody pride" Miss Drill said with disbelief.
"Fine, yes, if that is what you want to think. I don't expect you to understand" Miss Hardbroom said stubbornly.
"Actually, I do. Everytime a student uses magic to cheat at cross country or takes a shortcut I wish I had the power to detect it so I could make them do it all again! It drives me insane" Miss Drill said honestly.
"Really?" Miss Hardbroom asked, her eyes opened a little wider with surprise.
"Of course! I never act bothered because I am powerless to stop it and it just reminds me of my lack of magic" Miss Drill said.
"I didn't know that" Miss Hardbroom said with a smile.
"So, what trap did you lay?" Miss Drill asked.
"You heard me suggest using a clone to help her revise?" Miss Hardbroom ventured.
"Yes, I thought you were being supportive...until I realised you might not have been" Miss Drill said trying to work out its significance.
"Well, that won't work and Mildred knows it won't. But, if Mildred drew a clone and asked it to revise all night and all morning...she would just have to keep lifting it from the page when it returned after the magic depleted. She could send the clone in her place to do the test as it would have her memory as well as the potions it can cram in before the test tomorrow" Miss Hardbroom said with a grin, she was very pleased with herself.
"Why doesn't Mildred just revise?" Miss Drill asked.
"Because she is easily distracted for one thing and will not have as much free time as a clone would because she has classes in the morning" Miss Hardbroom continued. "I am not sure if you know Mildred, but she also cherishes her sleep!"
"Good point! Won't the clone get distracted?" Miss Drill asked.
"No. They have her personality and traits to an extent but they are loyal to Mildred's command. If she asks them to do something they will do it without hesitation if that is what she really wants them to do. And she will want to pass that test so she will want them to revise" Miss Hardbroom explained.
"But Mildred won't actually learn anything herself then will she? And she will have to risk you finding out" Miss Drill said.
"Exactly. That is what makes it a certainty. It is detrimental to her education and risky. It has Mildred Hubble written all over it" Miss Hardbroom said with derision and a clear smirk.
"You really are not playing fair" Miss Drill shot back.
"When have I ever?" Miss Hardbroom said with a dark chuckle.
"Poor Mildred" Miss Drill said with a shake of her head.
"This day had to come, and who knows, I might surprise you" Miss Hardbroom said simply.
"With how cruel you can be?...I doubt it" Miss Drill said with a frown.
Miss Hardbroom laughed, "really Imogen, sometimes I am not certain why we are friends," she said.
"Because I am the only person who will put up with you…"Imogen quibbed back.
"And I am the only person you find even vaguely interesting at Cackles...you don't have to admit it, I know how much you admire me" Constance said laughing again.
"Sometimes you are like watching a slow car crash. I don't really want to watch but somehow I need to see what happens" Miss Drill said partially agreeing with her friend.
"Well feel free to take a front row seat tomorrow, Imogen. Breathe a word of this to anyone though...and there will be consequences" Constance said with a very slight edge of threat.
"You are such a drama queen!" Miss Drill announced as she left the kitchens and retired for the evening.
Miss Hardbroom sat there without a single retort. It was true enough and besides she had better things to concentrate her thoughts on.
Sure enough, in a small, basic and cold bedroom, accompanied by bats and a sleeping tabby coloured cat, there were two Mildred Hubble's busy at work. One was setting her alarm clock so she could wake up every hour during the night and make sure her clone was revising. The other was revising fifth year potions with far more rigour than any Mildred had ever shown.
"Which do you think she will pick for this test? The ones we were terrible at in class or ones where we showed some promise?" the clone asked aloud.
"Both I think...she won't really want me to fail but she wouldn't want to make it any easier for me either," Mildred said.
"I agree" the clone said simply.
"How is the revision going?" Mildred asked hopefully.
"Not bad, I don't think I will remember it all but I will try my best" the clone replied.
"I know you will" Mildred said with a smile, "I'm sorry I can't stay up with you but I am so tired!"
"Well I will have plenty of time to sleep after the test" the clone said with a determined nod.
"Just remember what I told you. Drop your bag when you go in, I haven't done that in ages and it really winds her up. I don't want her thinking anything is out of place. If she asks you how confident you are you say, 'as confident as usual' and if she says anything nasty don't reply just frown and look annoyed because then she won't pursue it but will know you are annoyed" Mildred went through for the third time that night.
"Yes I know. I am not scared of HB" the clone said.
"No well you don't need to be...you're a drawing! But she shouldn't be underestimated and it's really important you dont mirror me completely. She needs to see you as an original like me!" Mildred said.
"Yep, I'm an original" the clone agreed and then got back to her studies. "An original with a lot of stuff to read all night."
"I will see you again soon" Mildred said as she snuggled into bed ready for her interrupted night of sleep.
Mildred pulled the clone of herself off the page that morning one last time. She had breakfast with her friends and then explained she had to fetch something from her room before the potions test. She got half way up the stairs and decided the coast was clear. She drank the potion, spoke the spell and brought the clone to life. The clone, complete with Mildred's copied magical aura, gave a single nod and then headed to the potions lab.
She was quick enough to meet Maud and Enid as they were about to go in, explained she had found what she was looking for in her bag, and put Mildred's exact instructions into effect.
Mildred vanished into her room and laid there sensing Miss Hardbroom's aura in the potion's lab. She was nervous but excited at the same time. What if the clone had crammed enough to pass. Imagine the look on HB's face! It was risky, she knew it was risky. But, HB hadn't been too hard on her lately and had no reason to suspect she would try anything at all. Mildred was bound to fail the potion test and that wasn't very fair. She liked setting surprise tests that Mildlred was bound to fail. She would be ready for the exams at the end of the year, after she had time to revise properly.
Mildred laid in bed hopeful. She could track HB's aura and her clones. They were stationary throughout the class. Then at the end everyone began to leave, except the clone. That was odd. The clone walked to the front of the potions lab and stopped in front of Miss Hardbroom. 'What could she be doing?' Mildred thought to herself, 'was she being asked something, or told something?'
Mildred had seconds to react. She sensed HB's aura change and knew she must be apparating. She had no idea where she was going yet but she wasn't going to take any chances. She scrambled under the bed pulling the piece of paper and pencil sat on her bedside table with her in case. She lay very still and very silent and hovered the pencil over the paper.
Miss Hardbroom materialised in Mildred's bedroom. Mildred heard a low, thick sigh from her form tutor, "You can't hide from me forever Mildred Hubble" she said in her low formidable tone.
Mildred held her breath as HB disappeared again and she felt her materialise again in the potion's lab where the clone was still stood.
'Okay, this is a problem' Mildred thought to herself. HB was right, she couldn't hide forever, and more importantly she needed to return the clone to paper soon otherwise she would vanish and the ruse would be totally blown. Mildred sensed Miss Hardbroom prepare to apparate again so she flung herself under the bed a second time. This time HB materialised in the den under the library. She was checking likely hiding places. That gave Mildred a very small window of time to exchange places with the clone. The clone that was in broad daylight in a classroom in the middle of the school though. How was she going to get down there?
Miss Hardbroom could materialise anywhere and she wouldn't have enough time to hide even if she could sense it. Mildred frantically considered her options and decided there was just one single chance left. To avoid detection, she would have to risk everything and run head first into that potion's lab and pray nobody saw her.
She grabbed her school bag and started to run. She kept an eye on Miss Hardbroom who had just materialised in the library. She would probably try the courtyard and perhaps Miss Cackle's office...maybe not...Mildred wasn't sure. Where would HB search for her? Mildred stopped thinking and just ran. Wherever Miss Hardbroom searched she was bound to give up eventually and just sit waiting for the clone to disappear.
Mildred made it close to the potion lab and heard voices down the corridor. It was Miss Drill talking to Miss Cackle. She popped her head round the corner and locked eyes with Miss Drill. She started sneaking around the corner hoping Miss Drill wouldn't say anything. The PE teacher realised something was going on and talked on to keep the Headmistress's attention while Mildred slipped past.
Mildred halted as HB materialised in the potion's lab.
"One last time, clone, where is your master hiding?" she asked Mildred's clone.
"What clone? Miss you have to believe me, I am Mildred. It's me!" the clone lied convincingly.
Miss Hardbroom sighed and vanished.
Mildred wasted no time. She dived into the potions lab, recalled the drawing and clicked her fingers simultaneously so her magic was visible again. She screwed up the piece of paper her clone was on and dropped it into a pot on the shelf as she was passing, praising herself immensely for remembering that small detail.
She assumed the exact spot her clone had stood in and breathed in a long breath to recover from running down the stairs. She might be slightly red faced but even HB couldn't use that as conclusive evidence for anything.
Miss Hardbroom appeared in front of her seconds later.
She stood very still and looked at Mildred closely.
"I have been looking for you everywhere Mildred" Miss Hardbroom said calmly.
"Yes I know and I told you I am me and I have been me all morning!" Mildred said confidently.
"Mildred I have to say, you quite possibly almost pulled that off! Mind you, you are never in short supply of daring are you?" Miss Hardbroom toyed with her with a smirk.
"Sorry Miss Hardbroom?" Mildred asked, acting oblivious though she had an uneasy feeling. Why was she so sure she was Mildred now. And that smirk, she only did that when she was tormenting someone.
"The potion's test was just for you. The perfect excuse to create a clone to send in your place. I gave you an obstacle, planted a seed, and you didn't disappoint me. You were very resourceful Mildred" she said.
"I'm sorry Miss I have no idea what you mean" Mildred maintained.
"Really? Not one idea. No notion of what I am talking about? No clone?" Miss Hardbroom asked with growing confidence.
"No," Mildred stated firmly.
"Do you remember promising me that you would never lie to me again, Mildred. I think this counts, don't you?" she said in an acidic tone that dripped through Mildred's insides.
Mildred considered this now. She had made that promise but somehow evading her was different. If she had been caught in the act she wouldn't lie to her face. But, she hadn't...had she?
"I haven't drawn any clones, Miss" Mildred soldiered on with another lie.
"In that case Mildred could you explain to me how I was conversing with a Mildred Hubble with school boots on not 30 seconds ago and you now appear to be wearing slippers?" Miss Hardbroom asked in a fluid sentence that oozed joy.
Mildred froze. She didn't want to look down. She had kicked off her boots and put her slippers on before she got onto her bed and in all the chaos hadn't thought to put them back on.
"And perhaps then you could tell me where your tie has gone? You were wearing that seconds ago as well."
There was a long silence. She had taken her tie off and flung it over the bed post. Mildred was lost for words and Miss Hardbroom was simply reveling in the moment. She stared at her student like a predator that had skewered its prey.
"How much studying did your copy do? Was she up all night cramming in fifth year potions?" Miss Hardbroom asked brightly.
"You knew I would cheat" Mildred said, finally admitting defeat and feeling the full weight of her predicament hit her. Up until this point it had been a thrill, fun even. Now, now it was regrettable.
"You don't like to fail, do you?" she said directly.
"No" Mildred replied.
"Neither do I" Miss Hardbroom said sharply.
"But, you didn't have to…" Mildred began.
"Don't you blame me for your poor judgment Mildred. You willfully chose to evade me, cheat on a test, lie to me, and now you are looking to blame me for your actions?" Miss Hardbroom stated in a reprimanding tone. She lacked her usual venom though, almost as though this was playing out so closely to how she had expected it to that she was just going through the motions.
"No, I'm sorry Miss Hardbroom" Mildred said.
"Sorry you did it or sorry you got caught?" Miss Hardbroom asked with her charismatic tone of derision.
"Both" Mildred said honestly.
"I know you never think I am fair, Mildred. But, you have always underestimated me" Miss Hardbroom said.
Mildred looked up, surprised by her form tutor's tone. She was expecting more anger and disappointment.
"I have had this planned for weeks. It serves a purpose and catches you mid evasion but it is a lesson above all else" Miss Hardbroom explained. "Let me demonstrate something" she said and then apparated both of them to Mildred's room. "I would like you to empty your school bag onto your bed along with the draw at the bottom of your wardrobe" she requested.
Mildred looked at her and frowned.
"Today, girl" Miss Hardbroom snapped so Mildred did what she asked immediately.
She poured the contents of her bag and her drawer onto the bed, making one big mess.
Miss Hardbroom stepped forwards and picked up three vials and lined them up on Mildred's desk. Mildred's heart sank.
"If I had wanted to prevent you from evading me ever again all I need do is conduct a search of your room and destroy any vials of potion you had hidden. It is unlikely you would get chance to make any more under my watchful gaze" Miss Hardbroom stated.
"You knew I used a potion" Mildred said, now quite annoyed with herself.
"In combination with quite a clever spell I expect" Miss Hardbroom added.
Mildred nodded but found nothing to say.
"So you see, I did not need any grand plans to stop you. I chose them to illustrate an important point" Miss Hardbroom said.
"To show me that I don't know my fifth year potions and make me work harder" Mildred surmised out loud.
"Indeed. It also gives me the opportunity to give you more study time...or as you call it detention!" Miss Hardbroom said and chuckled at her own joke.
"How much more study time?" Mildred asked matter of factly now.
"Oh we are not going down that well trodden path again Mildred, not quite. I have something much better planned" she said. "First though I need Miss Cackle's blessing, shall we?" Miss Hardbroom said as she apparated them outside of Miss Cackle's office.
Mildred looked at her slippers and cursed herself. She had come so close to evading HB a fifth time but as usual she hadn't paid attention to the detail.
Miss Hardbroom knocked on Miss Cackles door but there was no answer.
"We will wait in the staff room Mildred, all that apparating around after you has made me quite thirsty" Miss Hardbroom said.
Miss Hardbroom made herself and Mildred a cup of tea which Mildred instantly felt distrustful of. She glanced at the tea in front of her and at the kettle it was poured from, then back at HB.
"Oh for heaven's sake Mildred I haven't drugged you!" Miss Hardbroom stated. "You do not know anything I dont!"
"You have never made me tea before...and I am in trouble" Mildred said as though her reasoning was really quite obvious.
"Yes well quite. To be honest Mildred I don't particularly want to bother Miss Cackle. I have your mothers permission anyway. I just felt it ought to be recorded on your school record" Miss Hardbroom said.
"Permission for what?" Mildred asked surprised.
"For your punishment. Well she thinks it is just extra tuition" Miss Hardbroom stated, she wasn't giving much away.
"Why did you need her permission to put me in detention?" Mildred asked confused.
"I don't. I think we should wait for Miss Cackle, Mildred" Miss Hardbroom replied, "unless you would like to prevent this from going on your school record that is?"
"What are you trying to do, Miss? You must have known Miss Cackle wasn't in her office because I did. Her aura isn't anywhere near us" Mildred said with more confidence.
"Very good Mildred" Miss Hardbroom said staring at Mildred and considering her.
"I once told you Mildred Hubble, on one of my darkest days at this school, that I only knew how to dance to one tune and I couldn't dance to any other" Miss Hardbroom explained, "Well, you have taught me how to dance to other tunes Mildred. Not just you, circumstances and friends have helped but you played a significant role" she said with a warm smile.
"So, rather than punish you I would like to offer you the opportunity of spending more time learning. Making up for lost time perhaps. In short Mildred I would like you to stay here with myself and Miss Drill, who will be studying potions, in the six weeks following the end of term. Before you go on to Weirdsister college. Your mother has given you permission to stay if you choose to" Miss Hardbroom finished.
"You want to tutor me after school finishes" Mildred said surprised and oddly moved by what her form tutor had said.
"Yes", Miss Hardbroom said. "But only if you wish to".
"Why aren't you mad and shouting?" Mildred asked really confused now.
"Because you didn't tell anyone my secret. You came very close to evading me a fifth time and because you won't change if I do" Miss Hardbroom said with a long irritated sigh as the truth filled the room.
"But...I tried to cheat on a test!" Mildred said in disbelief.
"Yes, because you didn't have a chance of passing it and panicked" Miss Hardbroom said looking right at Mildred. "I am sure I will be petty and vindictive when I am reminded of what you did this week but right now I am a little bit proud of the witch you have become even if you have decided to use your abilities against me."
"What if I fail my exams?" Mildred said, her eyes filling just a little with small helpless tears.
"You won't. You will be doing extra study every night of the week until you pass them. Purely voluntary though Mildred, I won't force you to revise" Miss Hardbroom said softly.
Mildred nodded her head as a few tears trickled down her cheek and she heard the support she needed to hear.
"So do you agree to my terms, in exchange for no more blights on your school record and a pass in every exam you sit?" Miss Hardbroom asked with a supportive smile.
"Study sessions five days a week and six weeks of study with you and Miss Drill when school ends?" Mildred asked, it sounded like a hell of a lot of work.
"Five weeks so you get a weeks holiday before college. I am your official mentor and I want to make sure you start your next chapter completely in control of your abilities and ready to wow your college tutors" Miss Hardbroom said. "Once you are gone we can meet when we both have free time but I will not be able to repay the number of times you have risked your life for mine, and for the school. You have earnt my time and my patience Mildred. It would make me happy if you accepted."
"Yes" Mildred said with a smile, "I accept".
"Very well Mildred. You may tell your friends the extra sessions are detentions if you wish - I don't want them thinking I am going soft. What you say about your holiday is entirely your choice" she said clearly.
"Well detention and extra tuition kind of mean the same thing to them anyway" Mildred said with a laugh.
"Do they mean the same thing to you?" Miss Hardbroom asked.
"Kind of. One is you helping me by being mean and the other is you helping me by being nice" Mildred said.
"For the record Mildred I wasn't always trying to help you, sometimes you were quite irritating" Miss Hardbroom confessed with a short chuckle.
Mildred opened her mouth to give a retort and then thought better of it and closed it again.
"You will retake the potions test tomorrow morning at 9am" Miss Hardbroom said after a short silence, perhaps sensing the silent retort Mildred had thought.
"Yes Miss" Mildred said, that wasn't a happy prospect.
"We both know you will fail but it will give me a benchmark to work from" Miss Hardbroom explained. "Now I suggest you go and find your friends and tell them you tried to draw the test answer sheet or something suitably stupid you would attempt that would land you in detention" she said.
Mildred frowned.
"I would change that expression Mildred, you are after all, sat in front of me in your slippers!" Miss Hardbroom reprimanded her.
Mildred replied with a forlorn expression and uttered "yes, Miss" as she got up.
"Try not to be too despondent either girl. You might not have evaded my detection but you have evaded punishment. You are the first student to ever achieve that in my presence, of that I am certain" Miss Hardbroom said with a nod.
Mildred looked down at her potion's teacher and grinned.
"Thank you, Miss" Mildred said realising the enormity of that.
"Just show me what you are capable of Mildred Hubble" HB said in a commanding voice.
"I will" Mildred promised before she left the room. Just as she was about to exit something finally came to her. She turned around and looked at HB with a rye smile, not unlike her mentors when she felt certain of something. "If this incident doesn't go on my record then neither do any of the others that you now kind of have proof for" she said.
"Quite true" Miss Hardbroom said with her own smirk. "It is almost like nobody evaded anyone after all."
"Indeed" Mildred said and laughed at HB's growling expression at being impersonated. Mildred vanished from sight so Miss Hardbroom let out a small laugh instead. Mildred was certainly smarter than she looked or acted, or dressed...or...she was just smarter than anyone would anticipate, the deputy headmistress pondered to herself.
There was silence in the staff room as Miss Hardbroom considered her exchange with Mildred.
"Well Miss Bat, I am sure you are eager to say something" Miss Hardbroom directed at the cupboard.
Miss Bat flung open the cupboard doors and burst out of them.
She strolled over to Miss Hardbroom, clasped her face in both hands and kissed her boldly on the lips as HB squirmed beneath her.
"I always knew you had it in you, you big softie" Miss Bat announced and then marched out of the staff room.
Miss Hardbroom rolled her eyes and then smiled to herself. And her colleagues had the cheek to call her dramatic.
It wasn't until the next morning that Mildred found the right words to say to her friends and explain why she was retaking the potion's exam.
"I tried to find out the questions for the potion's test by drawing Miss Hardbroom and asking the clone what she had planned. The problem was that I brought her magic off the page too, without that they don't tend to remember as much. Anyway, HB sensed the clone and appeared" Mildred explained. It was a feasible lie and did make her look like an idiot which Miss Hardbroom would approve of.
"Oh Millie, that was pretty daft! So how come you came and did the potion's test?" Enid asked.
"HB figured I wouldn't be able to cram enough in time anyway and thought I deserved to do two different tests. So I have detention every Wednesday and Friday until the end of term" Mildred said forlornly.
"That's HB five days a week for you again then. Five nights and one weekend day. We best make the most of Sunday!" Maud said shaking her head. "I really don't know what you were thinking and actually you got off pretty lightly considering."
"I know. I think it is because I have been working so hard lately" Mildred suggested.
"I'm not sure Millie, I think HB has been soft lately. She doesn't shout at you half as much...it's kind of eerie" Enid argued.
"I prefer eerie to shouty" Mildred said grinning.
"How shouty was she when she found you interrogating a clone of her...I can imagine it now" Enid said smiling.
"Well if a fireworks display had gone off in my room it would have been quieter" Mildred said.
"Mildred Hubble...what on earth do you think you are doing!" Enid boomed in her mock HB tone.
"Shhhhhh" Mildred said suddenly sensing HB nearby and failing to place her which meant she was apparating.
"What?!" Enid said surprised.
"Well you know, she almost always appears when you start" Mildred began.
"Impersonating her" Miss Hardbroom finished and the room jumped a foot into the air as their form tutor appeared.
Maud looked at Mildred quizzically and Mildred shrugged and looked away.
"Shut your mouth Enid, you look like a goldfish! Honestly, girl will you never learn. 200 lines delivered to me Monday morning that say 'I must not impersonate my form tutor in an attempt to mock them behind their back'" Miss Hardbroom boomed.
"Yes, Miss" Enid said with a roll of her eyes to Mildred when HB glanced away.
"Mildred you really ought to tidy this mess. It looks like the entire year has been camping out in your room," she said with great repugnance.
"Yes, Miss" Mildred said obediently.
"Your test will be 10am, I need to run an errand first. Do not be late" Miss Hardbroom said and then vanished.
"Well, I am going to get those chuffing lines done so they don't ruin my weekend" Enid said. "I wish you could have told me to shut up sooner, Millie, she seems to know the moment I open my mouth!"
"Sorry, Enid" Mildred said with a sympathetic smile.
"I am going to go to the library and revise my potion's I think. I will just end up chatting to Tabby if I stay here, or napping!" Mildred said gathering her stuff.
"Mildred…" Maud started.
"Yeah?" Mildred asked a little absent mindedly.
"Oh nothing, I will talk to you after your test" Maud said and made her way back to her bedroom too.
"I'll come to yours after" Mildred shouted after Maud and grabbed the rest of her things before setting off to the library.
She made it to the corridor leading to the library when a rushing Maud called her name. Mildred turned around as her friend stopped in front of her.
"What's wrong?" Mildred asked worried.
"Oh nothing's wrong" Maud said, "I just decided I needed to talk to you now instead."
"What about?" Mildred asked intrigued.
"When HB appeared before...you knew she was coming didn't you? Just like you knew that time when she appeared in the Great Hall" Maud stated positively.
"No, of course not, how could I?" Mildred said with her best look of confusion, "I have just started trying to guess when she might."
"Well, you have only done that twice and both times she appeared right after you told Enid to shush" Maud powered on.
Mildred felt tied in knots. She didn't want to lie to her friend but what choice did she have.
"And it's not just that. You have changed. It is like you know more than you let on all of the time. I can never quite figure it out but I am pretty sure it has something to do with HB" Maud said passionately.
"Maud, honestly, I don't know anything. They were just lucky guesses that's all!" Mildred reasoned.
"Mildred, I know you are lying. I can tell when you are hiding something. I am your best friend" Maud stated.
"Well, you clearly can't because I am telling you the truth!" Mildred said but her insides were churning.
"No you are not. I can see it in your eyes" Maud said angrily. "Why won't you trust me? We have always been there for each other!"
"Maud, I don't know where all this is coming from! Honestly, there is nothing to tell!" Mildred pleaded with Maud.
"You have been keeping secrets for weeks. I thought you were just working through something with HB but then that got better and you were still distant. Like you are telling us a half truth all of the time and apparently you don't need your friends anymore. So that's fine, you are on your own" Maud said as she flounced off.
"Maud Moonshine" the air around them resonated with the entombing sound of Miss Hardbroom's commanding voice.
Maud stopped in her tracks uncertain of where the voice was coming from.
Miss Hardbroom materialised next to Mildred.
"Maud, I will only say this once and if you repeat one word of it to anyone I will see to it that you are home schooled for the rest of term, do I make myself clear?" she said curtly.
"Yes, Miss" Maud said gulping at her form tutors formidable entrance.
"Mildred can sense magical auras. All witches have a magical aura but very few are blessed with being able to see others besides their own. Auras are how I track a witches wearabouts and have the ability to appear at the right moment. Each aura is unique to the witch who it belongs to so I have the ability to see all of your movements if I simply focus on them at any given time. Mildred found a way of evading my ability and is the first student of Cackle's Academy to do so. I asked for her word that she would tell no-one and she gave it. However, I cannot stand by and see her friends turn on her because of a loyalty pledged to me, as important as I believe this secret to be. You two may discuss this for one hour in the library, then I never wish to hear mention of it again. Am I understood?" Miss Hardbroom asked directly.
Maud looked shellshocked.
"Understood, Miss" Mildred said with a nod.
Miss Hardbroom glared at Maud.
"Understood, Miss Hardbroom" Maud managed finally.
Mildred turned to Miss Hardbroom and thanked her with a meaningful stare. She couldn't find the words to capture what had just happened.
Miss Hardbroom gave Mildred a respectful nod and then vanished.
"One hour" her voice reverberated around the small corridor.
The girls looked at each other. Maud was clearly processing the information in complete shock.
"She can track our every movement!" Maud said in utter disbelief.
"We never had a chance, Maud" Mildred said with a smile, "we best go to the library," she added.
The girls walked the short distance to the library in silence.
"How long have you known?" Maud asked as soon as the library door was shut.
"Since last year. I figured it out when my clone didn't fool her. I realised there must be more to a witch than flesh and blood" Mildred explained.
"So when we walked about at night and thought we woke her by being too noisy or something" Maud said.
"Yep, she must have been awake and just picked her moment" Mildred said.
"Why did she always let us get so far!" Maud asked frowning.
"So she knew what we were up to I guess and surprise us in the most compromising place. She is dramatic isn't she?" Mildred said rolling her eyes.
"Even more than I ever realised was possible" Maud agreed.
"So you can track her now too? Oh my god Mildred that is huge" Maud said excitedly.
"It is now that I can talk about it to someone, I have been dying to tell you" Mildred said full of excitement.
"Where is she now?" Maud asked.
"In the courtyard which is unusual. She spends nearly all of her time in the potion's lab, or the Staff room, and some of it in her room" Mildred stated.
"Can you track the other teachers as well?" Maud asked.
"Yeah, except Miss Drill but HB can't track her either because she doesn't have a magical aura. She has a human aura but it doesn't glow much so it's really hard to detect" Mildred said and Maud was engrossed by every word.
"Why you? Did something happen during one of the battles?" Maud asked intrigued as to how Mildred discovered her talents.
"It's connected to my drawing abilities. I can evade HB by…
Mildred continued to explain every detail to Maud who was amazed throughout the exchange. Not once did her friend question her trust or why she had kept Miss Hardbroom's secret because Maud knew Mildred and that her compassion was boundless.
Mildred enjoyed telling her friend exactly what had happened when she had evaded HB and how she had really been caught.
"Oh Millie that is so you! Running through the school in your slippers without realising" Maud laughed so hard she had to stop herself at one point to take in oxygen.
"I know! You should have seen HB's face though. She looked more triumphant than when she beat that dark wizard" Mildred said and both the girls laughed their heads off.
"Oh did she really!" a third voice commented.
"Yes" Mildred answered before laying eyes on Miss Hardbroom and wishing she could drink an invisibility potion.
"I am so pleased to see you are having a good laugh, girls. My desire for rules being obeyed and standards being maintained amuses you, does it" she asked with her icy tone.
She stood tall, with an upright posture and her arms were folded at her waist. Her eyes were glaring into Mildreds.
"No Miss Hardbroom" the girls sung out in unison.
"Good. Maud you may go back to your room. Breath a word of this to anyone and my threat stands, you will never set foot in this school again!" Miss Hardbroom stated coldly with typical dramatic flare.
"Yes, Miss" Maud said and shrank from the room as fast as she could.
"Mildred...you may join me in the potion's lab. We can start the test early after all" Miss Hardbroom stated and enjoyed the look of panic that swept Mildred's face as the girl realised she hadn't done any revision.
Mildred let out a single sigh.
"And Mildred, I didn't mention yesterday when we had our nice chat. Should you attempt to evade me again, I will drop you into the middle of the lake without any hesitation" Miss Hardbroom finished with a clear, decisive tone.
"But, I can't swim" Mildred said but she didn't think for a second that the threat was genuine.
"Probably not a good idea to cross me again then" Miss Hardbroom growled and vanished from the room.
Mildred decided she probably best not talk to HB for the rest of the day. Perhaps the threat was genuine after all. Apparently, laughing at your form tutor with your best friend wasn't conducive to a good relationship with said form tutor. She would have to keep her head down. She only had a potion's test and four hours of drawing tuition to survive...terrific!
The potion's test, as anticipated, was agony. What Mildred found more agonsing though was HB sat reading out each answer and correcting them while deducting points until she was left with a score of 8 out of 40.
"A disappointing fail, Mildred" Miss Hardbroom stated just to underline the point further.
Mildred looked at the floor. She felt hopeless in these moments. Her drawing talents couldn't save her from being the dumbest witch in her year. She felt every bit of disappointment in her form tutor's eyes and knew she never did enough to prevent these inevitabilities from happening.
"You just started too late, Mildred" Miss Hardbroom said with a sympathetic voice which caught Mildred off guard. "You were always distracted and blase about your studies but now you are diligent and determined. It just hasn't been long enough for that work to have reversed your position. But it will. This will be the last time you fail in this school, of that I am certain" she said with her signature decisive nod. It seemed Miss Hardbroom was going to battle and Mildred wondered whether she had enough energy in her for that level of determination. "Well come along Mildred...let's start learning these potions shall we!"
Mildred looked at her form tutor and realised she wasn't going back up to see her friends, she was working through that Saturday. It was hard to be annoyed when the woman before her was literally dedicating her weekend to make her a better witch.
Mildred spent six hours making every single potion in the fifth year test. She was allowed to stop for lunch and rest breaks so she stole moments with her friends where she could. She persistently got one potion horribly wrong and Mildred thought Miss Hardbroom was going to apparate her into the middle of the woods at one point. But, she didn't and at the end of the day Mildred thought she might pass that test if she had to do it again. That was something she soon found out too when Miss Hardbroom made her sit the test a second time that day to finish their lengthy session together.
"34 out of 40 Mildred which is a pass. No doubt when you revise what we have done today and re-do every potion again this week, you will score full marks next weekend," Miss Hardbroom said proudly. "Oh stop looking anxious Mildred...I know! We will have to keep going through them as well as everything else if we are going to keep it all in that creative brain of yours. I am positive that all of your daydreams erase all of the useful stuff in there" she stated.
"Probably Miss" Mildred smiled appreciating Miss Hardboom's awareness of her deepest fears. What if she forgets it all again!
"We will have to think of creative ways of storing the information. I will think laterally, Mildred!" Miss Hardbroom said somewhat preoccupied by her thoughts on the matter. "Now off you go and have a nice weekend. You have a whole Sunday to yourself."
Mildred looked at the mess in front of her. Miss Hardbroom waved her arms and it vanished.
"You see when you work hard and I am happy, cleaning is less of a chore!" Miss Hardbroom said with a smirk and then vanished from the potions lab.
Mildred felt sure she was going to research creative revision techniques or plan their next session. That woman never stopped!
Mildred was shattered from all of the concentrating and she was absolutely ravenous.
She was still ravenous at 10pm when the castle was dark and beginning to drift off into its nighttime snooze. She snuck across to Maud's room who was sat awake in bed trying to read a book by candlelight.
"Oh Millie, I can't sleep. I just want to talk about 'you know what' so much it's hard to contain" she explained.
"Well I'm famished. I feel like I haven't eaten for days" Mildred said with an agonised face.
"You literally just had pizza, Millie, in fact you ate two pieces of mine" Maud said frowning at her friend.
"I know! I must have used a lot of brain cells today or something" Mildred asserted.
"Well if you needed two that's 50% more than normal so I guess you would need to eat twice as much" Maud said with a giggle.
"I wish we could go to the kitchens. I bet Mrs Tapioca has some nice cheese and crackers stored away in there" Mildred said.
"Well we cant" Maud said immediately before Mildred's fantasy got out of control like always.
"No I know" Mildred said forlornly. "Well...we could" she said suggestively.
"No, Mildred, we really couldn't" Maud stated flatly.
"It would just be one last time. She set me up last time - this is spontaneous. She isn't as scary as she looks now you know. Right now she's in her room!" Mildred said her excitement growing.
"I won't come with you and I think you have run out of chances with HB Millie," Maud said standing her ground.
"Hmmmm maybe. She did say she would drop me in the lake. But I can't see her doing that at night, I could sneak down on my own?" Mildred suggested.
"Millie, why do you have to push your luck. Miss Hardbroom has put so much time into you. It might be a midnight forage for food to you but she wouldn't see it like that, please don't" Maud urged and even she was surprised by her own sentiment.
"Wow Maud you're really upholding the school rules tonight!" Mildred said with a confused frown.
"She stopped us falling out today and told me everything, I don't want to let her down" Maud said simply and shrugged.
Mildred looked at her and nodded her head as though a penny were dropping.
"You're right! I need to get rid of that potion. It's too tempting" Mildred said. "Thanks Maud, I wish you had known months ago, you're a good friend, a stubborn one but a good one!" She explained.
Maud smiled, happy that they were not falling out. They hugged and Mildred went back to her bed with a vow to destroy the potion.
Maud settled down and prepared to put her candle out when a figure appeared in the chair in the corner of her room and made her jump.
"Well Maud Moonshine, that was very commendable behaviour. Our mutual acquaintance nearly did something she would have lived to regret" Miss Hardbroom spoke evenly.
"Will she know you are here?" Maud asked, newly acquainted with her friends powers of detection.
"No. I have plenty of tricks of my own. For instance, I am now alerted anytime Mildred leaves her room" Miss Hardbroom continued with her calm, even tone.
"I see" Maud said, not really sure what she was meant to say in this instance.
"I will be concealing my movements and tracking Mildred's more frequently Maud. Thank you for defending me this evening. Mildred will need your support and guidance over the coming months as her workload will be increasing. Try and keep her focused," Miss Hardbroom asked gently enough.
"Yes Miss" Maud said with a slightly concerned face.
"Don't look so worried Maud Moonshine, you just saved your friend from the lake."
Mauds eyes shot open surprised.
"You said it yourself Maud, Mildred is on her last chance. I have a reputation to maintain. I have broken my cover because your words were admirable and I wished you to know that. And I think in unison, we can keep Mildred on the right track. Goodnight" Miss Hardbroom finished.
"Thank you" Maud said quietly to the room as HB disappeared.
"Thank you, Maud" the air replied.
The next morning Mildred agreed to give what was left of her potion to Maud for safe keeping. It was agreed that it shouldn't be destroyed just in case something happened in the school or HB went ice witch again.
Mildred studied hard and moaned about it almost every evening. But when it came to it Miss Hardbroom could be very creative and Mildred had learned rhymes, drawn pictures and even heard Miss Bat turn spells into chants all so she would remember them. HB had lost her patience, apologised, threatened, and supported Mildred throughout. It had been a long and difficult journey through traditional witchcraft taught with a flare that was uncharacteristic of Cackles Academy.
She arrived at her final extra tuition lesson optimistic and tired. But, nobody could say she hadn't given this her all.
"So Mildred this is our last session before your exams next week. How do you feel?" Miss Hardbroom asked evenly.
"I think I am full to the brim of stuff, Miss. I just hope it comes out right onto the paper," Mildred explained.
"We don't hope Mildred…" Miss Hardbroom started.
"We know, but well I almost do" Mildred finished.
"Confidence is your biggest demon Mildred Hubble! What is the one thing you fear getting in an exam the most?" She asked.
"The potion for repairing minor injuries" Mildred said instantly, "it's so much like the deep cuts one that I am worried about getting them mixed up" she said.
"Yes you have not been as consistent on those as others. Any spells?" Miss Hardbroom probed.
"Transforming wood into anything or back to a tree. My trees are always, well" Mildred tried to explain.
"Unruly" Miss Hardbroom finished. "They would still pass though. They might not conform to tree standards but they are trees."
"Yes" Mildred said hearing HB's unspoken comparison between the trees attitude and her pupils.
"Very well. I would like you to make the small cuts potion first then tonight. I need to run an errand but I will be back in 20 minutes at most. So you should be nearly done when I return" Miss Hardbroom stated.
"Yes Miss" Mildred replied. Miss Hardbroom did sometimes go off and do things while she was working but it was rare.
She busied herself getting everything ready. She had picked her ingredients and put them into the order they went into the potion, just like Miss Drill had 'drilled' into her. She felt fairly confident those were right for the small cuts potion.
As she turned on the bunsen burner the quiet lab descended into chaos. Miss Drill came running in searching for HB.
"Where is Constance, Mildred?" Imogen asked.
"Running an errand" Mildred replied instantly, sensing an urgency about Miss Drill and noting the use of her form tutors first name. "Is everyone okay?" Mildred asked.
"Yes Mildred, they are okay. Miss Bat's broomstick had a fault and she collided with Miss Cackle as they came over the courtyard wall. It's okay, they are alright Mildred, but Miss Cackle has a nasty gash in her leg and Miss Bat has scraped her face" Miss Drill said, making sure she wasn't too dramatic given that they had all been through enough and the injuries were minor in comparison.
"Well...I...I was just about to make the small cuts potion. I can get the deep cuts potion set up too? You could do one while I do the other?" Mildred suggested. What she lacked for in confidence she could soon make up for in bravery.
"I have never made a potion for a real life event before Mildred. I will carry Miss Cackle in with Miss Bat and check your work as you go" Miss Drill said decisively and disappeared to go and get her colleagues.
Mildred looked startled and then quickly set up the second potion, selecting the ingredients and rummaging in her bag for her potion's book.
Miss Drill appeared with Miss Bat and they were carrying Miss Cackle. They laid Miss Cackle down on a bench who was uttering small whimpering noises.
Miss Drill picked up Mildred's potion book and opened it to the right pages.
"Okay Mildred I can check your work. You may as well practice it one last time, I will let you know if you go wrong, just speak aloud what you are doing" Miss Drill advised.
Mildred nodded and started reading the instructions she remembered allowed as she went through each one. She started with the deep cuts potion for Miss Cackle and then swapped to start the small cuts once that was simmering. About 14 minutes later she had correctly created both potions and was putting them in vials.
The three women supported each other and Miss Bat stemmed the bleeding from Miss Cackle's leg. Mildred had felt the urgency but had managed to block all of that out while she focused on the details that really mattered.
"Good work, Mildred" Miss Drill said with a grin.
"Yes excellent work, Mildred" the voice of Miss Hardbroom announced as she materialised in front of them.
Mildred looked up surprised, "oh you are here" she said innocently.
"She never left, Mildred" Miss Cackle said as she got down from the bench.
"You see Mildred Hubble you are quite capable - you just need to remember that you are" Miss Hardbroom said proudly. "You created both potions and under pressure without a single mistake."
"You did all this so I would…" Mildred started.
"So you would remember yes. I knew what you were struggling with before I asked. Or rather, what you thought you were struggling with" Miss Hardbroom stated.
Mildred looked up with tears in her eyes and her humble smile was met with warm smiles from Miss Cackle, Miss Bat, Miss Hardbroom and Miss Drill who had all played their roles very convincingly.
"Have I made up for all the times I shouted at you now Mildred?" Miss Hardbroom asked softly.
"Yes Miss" Mildred said with glistening eyes.
"Good, now go and get some rest, and be ready to show yourself what you are capable of next week" Miss Hardbroom commanded as the rest of the teachers nodded their heads in encouragement.
"And you," Mildred said with a smile.
"I already know, Mildred," was Miss Hardbroom's instant response.
"Thank you Miss. Nobody has ever...I have never felt so…I just hope you know how grateful
I am" Mildred stuttered.
Miss Hardbroom smiled and tears filled her eyes.
"It is not often we see that" Miss Bat whispered to Miss Cackle.
"No it isn't" Miss Cackle agreed with a warm heart.
"It is nothing less than you deserve. For saving my life, for saving the school and for saving me from a dark place, you could be the best witch Cackles Academy has ever known. Now disappear, and don't think for a moment that I will ever repeat those words!" Miss Hardbroom said passionately and then practically scowled at everyone in the room.
Mildred left absolutely buzzing. She just beamed at the room and left on the biggest high she had ever felt. Even Mildred knew there was nothing more to be said.
"Best witch…" Imogen said out loud, piercing a very quiet and tense room once Mildred had gone.
Constance seemed to realise there were other people in the room for the first time; "You are all excused" Constance said authoritatively.
"Constance Hardbroom, you don't scare any of us...you big softie" Miss Bat retorted.
"I have to agree with my colleagues Constance, we have seen a softer side to you this year" Miss Cackle joined in.
Constance glared at them all.
"But, it might be time for tea ladies" Amelia said gently.
"Oh tea would be nice" Miss Bat agreed, "if you are done praising students Constance?" she added enjoying this moment a little too much.
They filed out of the potion's lab and into the Staff Room. Constance rolled her eyes and smiled at Imogen who put her arm around her colleagues shoulders. She had really pulled out all the stops to turn that girl's education around and what came next was completely out of her hands which would undoubtedly be the hardest part to live through.
"So, how is the MilBroom relationship going?" Miss Drill asked.
"Say that a second time and I will put your tongue in a jar for use in a potions class" Constance growled.
Miss Drill laughed, "okay Constance, okay."
"Oh she will pass Imogen. In fact, she will do more than just pass. She will succeed and that will be the start of everything for Mildred. She just needs to know what she is capable of. In fact, they are all going to pass this year without a single exception," Constance said with certainty.
"Don't they always?" Imogen pondered.
"No...no not always. But maybe moving forwards they will. I have found a way of respecting different...talents," Constance admitted.
"So, you will be opening your arms to non-witch family rejects will you?"
"They have to earn it Imogen. I am not a foster mother!"
"No..and actually that's not a vocation I would recommend you going into!" Imogen said laughing.
"I am looking forwards to a summer of study" Constance said.
Imogen looked at Constance as though she suspected there was sarcasm missing from that sentence.
"You mean teaching? Which is what you do all year?" Imogen corrected.
"No I said what I meant. I always do" Constance corrected.
"Okay, I am missing something as usual, what will you be studying?" Imogen said giving in.
"The most easily distracted and the most stubborn witches I have ever taught," Constance explained with a raise of her eyebrow.
"Oh I see, so refining your skills as a tutor has become your latest obsession has it. How very like you," Imogen said with what sounded remarkably like derision.
"You have been spending too much time with me. I am not sure I like you!" Constance stated.
"Well nothing changes there then," Imogen said and laughed.
"Five weeks of potion making with me and you won't like me very much either," Constance said with her typically mischievous glint.
"Why on earth would you think I liked you now?" Imogen asked.
"Yes yes very droll Imogen, I do believe your trouser leg is on fire though," Miss Hardbroom
announced as she flicked her finger and sent a purple flame around the hem of Imogen's trouser leg.
"Put that out right now," Imogen demanded.
"Certainly," Constance replied as a spray of water soaked the bottom half of Imogen.
Constance laughed deeply.
"Make me dry again," Imogen demanded.
"Ask nicely" Constance toyed with her colleague.
"Constance Hardbroom!" Imogen demanded again with a growl.
"Oh very well," Constance said and with a flick of her wrist Imogen was dry.
They stood silently watching the fifth years file into their exams.
"Yes, the school break will be fun," Constance said with a smirk.
"Two against one Constance, and only one of us can draw an army of themselves!" Imogen warned.
"Eugh! That's made me feel quite nauseous! Why would you even say that out loud? One Mildred Hubble is plenty," Constance said scrunching up her face.
"Yes it is," Imogen said with a smile as her thoughts moved to what Mildred had accomplished that year.
As if she knew her name had come up Mildred looked around at that exact moment. She found Miss Hardbroom's eyes which were surveying her student proudly.
Miss Hardbroom nodded her head which yielded a wide grin on Mildred's face as she walked into her first exam.
"Yes, one Mildred Hubble will certainly suffice," Constance said with a knowing smile.
The End.