Happy new year!
Chapter Nine: Changes
"I haven't had a dream like that in nearly a year," Cordelia said, staring at the rain droplets running down the window. She was sitting beside her mother on Hecate's overly tidy bed. The pair had a nearby lamp on, despite it being daytime, the storm outside made it seem like evening. "Being in that situation brought everything back."
Hecate gently stroked her daughter's hand. She desperately tried to convey comfort, but you wouldn't have guessed that by looking at her. She was sitting bolt upright, as usual, and not focusing on her daughter's face. Similarly, you wouldn't guess it was Hecate Hardbroom's room. Though the bedstead was black iron, nothing else in the room was of that colour. The bed clothes were white with a grey marled throw, the bedroom furniture dark oak. The walls were crimson, like in other areas of the castle and there was a floral rug which covered most of the floorspace. The older Hardbroom was definitely one for contradiction.
Hecate bowed her head, "I understand completely. Perhaps…" She paused for a moment, letting the fast pitter patter of rain fill the room. "Perhaps it would be better if you stayed in here tonight?" As she spoke a thunderclap sounded. It had been storming since Cordelia had awoken terrified the night before. Hecate couldn't help but wonder if the two events were linked.
Cordelia nodded, "I wouldn't say no. I don't want to be alone." Her voice grew quieter towards the end of the sentence. Her mother turned and smiled sadly. Hecate didn't want that either. As she opened her mouth to tell her so however, something strange happened. The storm that had been raging at its height just stopped. The rain dried of the window and the sound of water falling into metal buckets ceased. The Hardbroom's shared a puzzled look and rushed to join the noisy hoards heading to the courtyard, fearing what could possibly have been happening.
Above the yard upon a broomstick, as they all arrived, was a witch clad in pink. Pippa Pentangle. From her hand and broom flowed a particularly glittery sunshine spell. Typical, Hecate thought, just like Pippa to make a dramatic and very public entrance. Cordelia was not, however, focusing on the sugar pink sorceress but rather the acid Ethel Hallow was spitting.
"You spoke for her and she got dismissed. Great job Mildred Hubble," she caught Ethel saying. Cordelia stepped forward, next to Mildred, and glared at her stuck-up classmate.
"I didn't see you rushing to Miss Cackle's aid, Ethel," She returned, equal amounts of spiteful tones in her voice. Ethel's mouth closed and then she turned to Felicity and the rest of the dissipating crowd who were rushing inside to she why Miss Pentangle was suddenly present. The girls all followed.
All the girls crowded into the main entrance. Mildred and her friends managed to slip in and gather by a stone pillar. Excited chatter filled the air about their glamorous visitor as she spoke quietly with Miss Hardbroom. Eventually, when the anticipation had worn on too long, Felicity walked forward, and the girls quietened. Everyone knew that if you wanted any information all you had to do was point Felicity in the right direction.
"Sorry Miss Hardbroom," The girl said, "But some of the girls are wondering if Miss Pentangle is going to be the next head?" This question got even more attention. Everyone stared at the raven-haired teacher and her juxtaposing colleague.
Miss Pentangle smiled around at the girls, "Nothing would make me leave Pentangles." Miss Hardbroom's eyes were bulging at the suggestion that the young witch had made, the expression was not lessened much by the other woman's response.
"Miss Pentangle is simply here to run some modern witching work…" Miss Hardbroom struggled to form words. Everything at Cackles was changing so quickly and now witching was changing to. It was almost too much to handle.
"Shops," Miss Pentangle prompted, echoed by a reluctant Hecate a few seconds later. Cordelia knew how her mother felt. Her oldest friend was being taken away and now it looked as if the council were planning something, maybe even to pass her over.
Pippa started walking towards the corridor and called back with a grin, "Let's make a start shall we!" The girls chased after the glamorous witch, hopeful to be in her class first. Miss Hardbroom, somewhat offended, slopped off in the other direction. Mildred and her friends hung back by the pillar, each uncertain about this new set of circumstances.
"Modern witching might be cool," Enid, ever the optimist, said. Cordelia raised an eyebrow.
"It's not that," Maud replied, "My parents are visiting Amulet's Academy today. Mum says Miss Cackle is the school, without her they don't see the point of me staying." Their faces dropped.
Enid sighed, "But Amulet's is miles away and its one of the places I got expelled from!"
Something dawned on Mildred, who had been staring into space, "And I bet they don't take people from non-witching families." Maud who at first been concerned, turned completely downcast. They'd all formed a tight bond, losing any one person would be a tragedy. "We could all end up at different schools," Mildred muttered, fiddling with the ends of her sash.
Cordelia had begun to pick at her forefinger again, deeply anxious. She didn't like the odds that she was going to lose her newfound friends. She knew she wasn't going to let loneliness be an option. Not again. She stepped forward and turned back to look at them, a new determination in her face. "Then we need to make sure Miss Cackle will stay. We need to find a way to make the council change their minds," She said. Enid nodded enthusiastically, as did Mildred. Maud nodded sceptically a little terrified of the energetic glint in Cordelia's dark eyes.
"I know!" Mildred announced before turning to run down the corridor, "Come on!"
They headed towards the class they were already supposed to be in. Mr Rowan-Webb barely noticed as they crashed through the door and ran to Ethel, more focused on his paperwork. And flies. Ethel was more than a little surprised at the groups sudden interest in her. She listened with interest at their impassioned speeches, beginning to shake her head as she understood exactly what they were asking.
"But if you could just talk to your mum and she could speak to the magic council," Mildred suggested. She was practically pleading with Ethel to take action. Ethel had none of it. The blonde sat there, sneering at them.
In a clear, curt voice Ethel said, "There's a petition, nearly all the parents signed it." They couldn't believe how impossible their classmate was being. Even she had respect for Miss Cackle, but not to act on it! She really could be despicable.
"Mine didn't sign it," Maud protested, probably the calmest of them all.
"Er… neither did mine," Enid added, preparing a particularly nasty boil spell in her mind.
"Nor mine," Mildred said. Halfway through speaking, Mildred realised what a complete waste of time this was. Ethel just wasn't inclined to help others.
Cordelia, anger bubbling, joined in, "I don't even need to tell you that my mother didn't sign it." Ethel frowned a little. Common belief, asides from the knowledge of Cordelia's friends, was that Cordelia was Miss Hardbroom's niece. No girl believed Miss Hardbroom had the capability of motherhood. Cordelia's comment began to stir the cauldron of suspicion under Ethel. The other girl did always seem to get special treatment from the formidable potions mistress.
Mr Rowan-Webb, hearing the raised voices, walked into the middle of the room and said, "Girls! Enough bickering. Miss Pentangle will be here… er…" he trailed off as he noticed the pink witch beside him. The girls headed to their seats. "I wasn't sure whether to start or not."
Miss Pentangle chuckled and put her hand on Mr Rowan-Webb's arm, making his face light up. "Oh, Mr Rowan-Webb," She said, "I wouldn't dream of stepping on your toes. Today is just about boosting morale and building confidence." She smiled all around at the girls, briefly glancing at each face. She paused on the girl next to Mildred and shock filled her. She looks exactly like Hecate did, Pippa thought, same hair, same eyes, same tall gangly figure. Pippa had no idea that the pair were reunited, she wondered why Hecate hadn't mirrored. She cleared her throat gently returning back to her original train of thought. She raised her hands and chanted, "With my hand I cast my spell, I bid you now a fond farewell." She flicked her hands and every cauldron in the room disappeared. "And not a potion in sight."
A lot of the girls gasped. Cordelia rolled her eyes. Showman's trick, she thought.
"Ah! An arcadian invisibility spell," Mr Rowan-Webb said, smiling in awe.
Pippa returned his grin and replied, "You know your spells Mr Rowan-Webb. Now girls, in order for this to work, you need to focus on an object of your choice." A few of the girls glanced around the room, searching for objects they could vanish.
Mr Rowan-Webb twiddled his beard, deep in thought, before suggesting Mildred's cauldron.
"Fingers spark and fingers rise, cauldron now materialise," Miss Pentangle chanted once again. The cauldron appeared in front of Millie, making her nearly fall from her stool. Another round of gasps let up and the whole class descended into loud, excited chatter.
Cordelia turned to her friends, "I'm going to go to the library and look for some legal loophole to get Miss Cackle out of trouble." Enid lent forwards to hear down the table.
"But you'll miss the spell," Maud replied, glancing back at Miss Pentangle making sure she hadn't been heard.
Cordelia shrugged, "I already know this one, I used to have a lot of free time. Anyway, Miss Cackle's more important." She cleared her throat and smirked, "With my hand I cast my spell…"
"Cordy!" Maud cried in a whisper, "We all know you don't need to say words for spells. Stop messing around, someone'll hear." Enid, however, laughed at the silly, squeaky voice Cordelia had adopted.
Unmoved by Maud's words and encouraged by Enid's laughter, Cordelia carried on. As Ethel began to state why not everyone in the class should be learning that spell, she continued quietly, "I bid you now a fond farewell!" Instead of the swish motion Miss Pentangle had used, Cordelia merely waved to her friends, causing Mildred to chuckle too. With that she transferred to the library.
Miss Pentangle, who had been begrudgingly listened to Ethel, then turned her attention to Mildred, just in time to see Cordelia vanish. A small smile formed on her lips.