A/N - I'm not overly happy with this chapter, but I can't think of a way to improve it. Let me know where you'd like to see this go, I have a rough idea, but am definitely open to suggestions.
The two witches sat side by side on the roof, feet dangling over the edge of the turrets where they sat. The wind whistled gently around them and the sun smiled down.
Pippa swished her hand gracefully and a shower of delicate pastel coloured petals floated down upon them, drifting through the air as if they were weightless. As Hecate shook the foliage out of her hair, Pippa suggested she try.
Hecate gave a wave of her long fingers and a multitude of heavy deep purple rose petals rained down. Whilst not as delicate as Pippa's magic, it was hard for either of the witches to deny the beauty of the petals as they rained down. The iridescent purple shone through the almost black of the petals as they settled on Hecate and Pippa's hair.
Hecate held her hand out to Pippa's and entwined their fingers together. "I wonder, what would a combination of our magic look like?" she mused.
Together they focused on floral beauty, closing their eyes as they held hands and pressed their foreheads together in a silent spell. When they opened their eyes, they were surrounded by a deep pink flurry of flowers.
When Hecate and Pippa walked down from the roof of the castle arm in arm, Pippa felt her heart swell with happiness to recall the morning they had had. Finally Hecate was opening up to her. As the pair reached the corridors, they drifted apart. Falling back into the pretence that they were simply friends.
Almost as suddenly as they had settled into their friendship facade, Hecate returned to her usual teaching ways. She cast out a detection spell, and her lip curled in disgust. With an apologetic glance at Pippa, she transferred to the source of disruption, leaving Pippa looking rather downcast.
Hecate appeared outside the broomstick store in a flash of purple mist. Her head remained faced forward but her eyes moved quickly to the side to survey a slightly ajar door.
"Ethel Hallow. Come out from your hiding place." Hecate said, her tone turned icy as she addressed the hidden student.
"Secrecy is not a becoming characteristic for a young witch." She said slowly, pronouncing each word precisely.
Ethel appeared from behind the heavy wooden door. "I wasn't doing anything wrong, Miss Hardbroom." She asserted confidently, using the sickly sweet voice she reserved for when she needed to get herself out of trouble.
"Then, pray tell, what were you doing sequestered in a store cupboard?" questioned Hecate. She cast a further detection spell, and with a flick of her wrist opened the door to uncover a half brewed potion and an open potions textbook. Ethel shifted her feet guiltily.
"A befuddlement spell, Miss Hallow, using stolen potions ingredients." Hecate said with disgust. "And quite a potent one at that. I cannot think why you would be brewing such a spell in secret. It is not required as part of your end of term exams." Hecate vanished the cauldron and book. "I imagine Miss Cackle will be very interested indeed to hear your excuses." She waved her hand lazily.
Ethel opened her mouth to retort, but suddenly found herself in Miss Cackle's office. She scowled when a cross Miss Hardbroom also appeared.
Miss Cackle, who had just been tidying her desk, eyeballed the two sour faced witches who has just appeared in her office. "Miss Hardbroom, is everything alright?"
"I found Miss Hallow brewing a strong befuddlement potion." Hecate said, indicating the cauldron and open textbook she had just summoned. "I dread to think who the intended recipient would be so close to exams."
"I think we can all a take a guess at that." Miss Cackle said. "Ethel, was this potion intended for Mildred Hubble?" she asked gently.
Ethel sulked. "Mildred Hubble has suddenly improved her grades, she used to be the worst witch, and now she's passing things." she said accusingly. "It's ridiculous, I think she must be cheating. I only wanted to return things to where they should be."
"Are you quite finished?" Miss Hardbroom said angrily, surprised to find herself leaping to Mildred Hubble's defence. "Cackle's witches do not demonstrate such behaviour. You know from the Witches' Code that tampering with another witch's cognitive ability is strictly forbidden."
Ethel went bright red. She knew the Witches' Code well, but Miss Hardbroom knew it better. Ethel hated having it used against her. Miss Cackle took over the scolding, her face serious. "Now, you have almost committed a rather serious misdemeanour today, Ethel. As we are so close to the end of term, it gives me no pleasure to say that we will have to begin your second year with a series of detentions, and you will miss out on any end of term festivities this year. I hope that will be enough to deter you from any further dreadful behaviour this term." She said briskly. "You are lucky that you are not facing exclusion for tampering with another student's grade." Ethel nodded glumly.
Waiting until Ethel had disappeared, Ada shut the door.
"Aren't you hosting Miss Pentangle, Hecate?" Ada questioned. "While I appreciate your on duty attitude, I do wonder if you are keeping the correct work-life balance." She turned to neaten some paperwork.
Hecate stood awkwardly. She had never had an excuse to miss her duties as deputy head before. While it seemed perfectly reasonable to neglect them whilst playing host, it hadn't occurred to her that that was what she should have been doing. "I didn't think it would be acceptable to allow the school to run riot on Miss Pentangle's account."
Still organising her desk, Ada smiled at how predictable Hecate could be. "And where is Miss Pentangle now?"
Hecate froze, she didn't actually know where Pippa had gone after she'd transferred away. She had been so wrapped up in upholding school rules, and the Witches' Code, she'd completely disregarded Pippa. Guiltily, she sighed. Ada's questioning was relentless. "Once I had uncovered Ethel Hallow's scheme and transferred her to you, I left Pippa in the corridor near the roof. I imagine she'll be in her rooms by now."
"If I may, Miss Pentangle will bring out the best in you Hecate. You only have to let her." Ada looked at Hecate, hoping she hadn't overstepped. She knew that opening up about her private life was not something that came naturally to the deputy head, but Hecate's soft side for Miss Pentangle hadn't gone unnoticed.
She wasn't quite sure of the nature of their relationship, but she knew that Miss Pentangle would be a great influence on the usually very solitary witch. "I'm so pleased to see you becoming more like yourself after all of those years of wallowing in set pity for the events of your past. Does Miss Pentangle know why you shut yourself away and threw yourself into the Witches' Code all of those years ago?"
Hecate's face was taut.
She made a strangled squeaking noise that sounded like a mixture between a choked sob and the word "No.".
"I see. I also hear you've been giving Mildred private tuition, her grades are certainly reflecting the benefit of your involvement." Ada hurriedly continued, she wanted to remove the strained look from Hecate's face. "Clearly Miss Pentangle is having a good influence on your teaching too."
"Detention." corrected Hecate haughtily, regaining her composure. She didn't appreciate being told that her teaching style needed a good influence. "Although, Mildred Hubble did ask if we can begin private tuition next year." Hecate added, glad to have a change of subject.
"Oh?" Ada peered at her colleague through her spectacles. "And what did you tell her?"
"I told her I would discuss the matter with you. But only if she achieved greater than 70% in all of her end of term exams. I intended to wait until the exams were complete before broaching the subject with you. I do not want to be seen to be giving special treatment to any student. Especially not Mildred Hubble."
Ada nodded. "I think it would be a wonderful opportunity. Mildred clearly looks up to you Hecate." With that she dismissed her deputy and bid her to rejoin Pippa for the day.