Chapter 8

"Cheer up Con, just one exam left!" Roberta nudged her friend's foot encouragingly with her shoe beneath the table. "Potion's practical - everyone knows you're going to top the class. Even Dorothy Pendle-Jones though she would never admit it out loud!"

Constance, Roberta and Celeste were sat at their usual table in the refectory; at the back so that Constance was as far away from Mistress Broomhead as possible and at the very end near to the refectory side door so that Celeste could feel the breeze from the courtyard outside. Constance's two friends were positively gleeful at the prospect of their final first year exam that afternoon but Constance just could not bring herself to share in their enthusiasm.

"What is the matter?" Celeste asked looking at her friend with concern

Constance reached into her bag and produced the form which their Head of Year had given her two weeks earlier and laid it on the table in front of her two friends.

"I am just not that excited at the prospect of staying here for another six weeks by myself" Constance admitted

"Oh that" Celeste said in a flippant tone which instantly frustrated Constance

"That's all sorted" Roberta added

"What's all sorted?" Constance demanded, hurt that neither of her friends seemed even slightly interested in the long and tedious summer awaiting her.

"Well, the first half of the summer you'll spend with Celeste and her parents. You know chanting to the sunset and being one with nature and all that…" Roberta exhaled loudly as Celeste gave her a friendly dig in the ribs with her elbow "and the other half you'll spend with my family in our falling down chateau in France; cheap wine and loads of children and chickens – half of which I don't even think are ours"

"The children or the chickens?" Celeste asked

"Both!" Roberta retorted "I've got too many siblings and young cousins to keep track of. Especially when we are in France and they spend the entire day roaming around in the fields and come back covered in so much mud that they are indistinguishable from each other!"

Constance stared at her friends in a stunned and touched silence.

"But..." she began "when? How? Why didn't you tell me?"

"We've been planning it for weeks now" Celeste replied calmly

"But we couldn't tell you too soon; in case old Broomhead got wind of it" Roberta added "She would be sure to stick her oar in. You know how much she likes to control you and everything you do"

"She doesn't control me, I mean I…" Constance let the words die knowing in truth her friend was right "Thank you, thank you both so much"

"Don't mention it" said Roberta standing and slinging her book bag over her shoulder "Now are you ready to ace this potions exam because I am really relying on you to put Dorothy in her place"

Four hours later, and Roberta and Constance were once again sat at their table at the refectory their potions final exam already a distant memory. Constance couldn't remember a time when she had felt so happy. For the entire potions exam, she had barely been able to supress her joy at the news her friends had just shared. So much so, that when she had applied her regrowth potion to the withered vine she was testing it on; it had not merely produced a few new shoots as required but had burst upwards sprouting huge, glossy green leaves and deep red grapes. Something which greatly surprised Miss Fairwind, who was convinced she had taken cuttings from a dying ivy plant but who had joined in the class's applause and laughter at such an extraordinary feat of potion making.

Constance and Roberta were alone that evening as Celeste had gone to an end of term meeting of the herb gathering society and was likely not to be seen again until dawn.

"No more exams, two weeks until we get our results and then six weeks freedom" Roberta was saying cheerfully "Just think Con, six weeks without having to see that old ba-"

Roberta gasped as Mistress Broomhead suddenly appeared at the end of the table causing Roberta to spill the glass of water she was holding into her lap

"Unless you wish to spend the evening flying around the belfry I suggest you keep the rest of that sentence to yourself Roberta Charm" Mistress Broomhead glared at her before turning to her student "Constance, come with me"

Mistress Broomhead turned and walked away without waiting for a response. Constance returned her friend's quizzically raised eyebrow with a small shrug before hurrying after Mistress Broomhead. She was conscious that nearly every eye was on her as she left the refectory; the pale, thin first year girl appearing completely unemotional as she followed in Mistress Broomhead's wake.

"I hear, Constance," Mistress Broomhead said once they had reached her classroom "that you put on quite a spectacle in this afternoon's potion exam"

Constance kept quiet, waiting to gauge her tutor's mood before giving a response

"Do you not think your efforts were more than a little ostentatious?" Mistress Broomhead continued "you have never produced such fantastical results in my tutorials. What brought on this feat of outlandish and frankly unnecessary potion making?"

"I was just happy the exams were over" Constance replied quietly

"An emotional potion maker is a weak potion maker" Mistress Broomhead snarled "I do not know how many times I must repeat this Constance. You will never become a great witch if you allow yourself to be constantly clouded by your petty and childish emotions. I can see that I will have to greatly expand the course of study I have planned for you over the summer"

"Over the summer, Mistress Broomhead?"

"Of course. You have no family to speak of. No income. Your studies shall continue as normal"

Despite having never asked Constance about her personal circumstances in the ten months they have been acquainted, Mistress Broomhead seemed once again to know everything she needed to. Constance could not afford to give this too much thought though, as she saw her golden summer plans rapidly slipping away from her.

"I intend to travel over the summer, Mistress Broomhead"

"Travel?" Mistress Broomhead looked at Constance sharply "with whom?"

Something in Constance's mind made her feel it would not be wise to reveal too much about her holiday plans or her intended companions.

"Alone, Mistress Broomhead"

"Is that so?" Mistress Broomhead asked starting at Constance intently before narrowing her eyes

Suddenly, a clear image of her lunchtime conversation with Roberta and Celeste appeared in Constance's mind completely unbidden. As if she simply the audience to a play, she watched and listened as their entire conversation replayed itself. Then just as suddenly as the image had appeared it was gone and she once again could see the imposing figure of Mistress Broomhead standing over her.

"I think I told you at the beginning of the year" Mistress Broomhead said in a quiet voice "that I do not like to be deceived"

She vanished without another word. Constance's leant shakily back against the nearest bench. Her had was throbbing dully and a wave of nauseated panic rose in her throat as it dawned on her that Mistress Broomhead had apparently just read her mind.

[Author's note: I don't seem to be able to reply to reviews at the moment but so in answer to ImaginationofaFan's question: "there is one more chapter before we revisit Constance in her third year. What I have been trying to go for in these earlier chapters is the gradual build-up of Mistress Broomhead's control over HB but it is my intention that this will get worse as the story progresses (but also that Constance will begin to fight back). In terms of any violence, this will be something that is more implied than explicit (just because I think that is better suited to the way I write) but I do intend this to come into the story as Hecate grows more determine to control her student. I hope that answers your question "]