A/N: Wow! I can't believe the support you've been showing for this story. It is really so greatly appreciated! It's especially helpful when I'm feeling stuck - I just go back and read the reviews and it motivates me to continue. Keep 'em coming ;)
Constance materialised into her room, Morgana in tow. She wheeled the girl around to face her, glaring angrily.
Morgana stared into the eyes of her mistress, trying to find the feeling of warmth they usually gave her, only to find embarrassment and anger instead. She suddenly felt small under her mother's piercing gaze, finally understanding how that same, cold look could cause students to quake in their boots. Her bottom lip quivered. "I... I'm... s-s-sorry..." Morgana stuttered in a barely audible whisper.
Constance raised an eyebrow at the frightened, shuddering mess before her and felt a pang of guilt. The poor thing didn't mean to embarrass her - she simply didn't know any better. And she hadn't expected her to be so scared; Morgana had never shown fear before. Constance knelt down to the girl's level. "You're forgiven," She said, a bit of warmth returning to her eyes. Morgana smiled. "From now on, let's keep personal matters personal, hmm? Mum's the word."
Morgana sniffled and nodded in understanding. "Mummy?" She said quietly.
Constance's breath caught in her throat. There she went again - this little thing calling her "mummy" - something about it made her heart rate quicken. She coughed and managed to get out a small: "Yes?"
"I love you," the little girl said, burying her face in the woman's shoulder, and hugging her around the neck. Constance staggered backwards, alarmed at the sudden emotion. She crouched there awkwardly, mechanically moving her hand to the girl's back and giving her a light pat. This girl was still a stranger - she certainly couldn't bring herself to return the feeling.
"I have some paperwork to finish and then I must get the girls into bed." She said, pulling away. "I'll be back later... alright?" Morgana nodded, taking a step back and surveying her mother, cocking her head to the side. Constance stared back. "What?"
"You don't believe it's me, do you, mummy?" Morgana asked slowly.
Constance faltered. "I... it is a bit hard to swallow." She admitted.
Morgana's head fell. "Well, it is me." She insisted.
Constance nodded. "I'll be back." She said quickly, her gaze lingering a moment longer. Then she folded her arms and disappeared.
Morgana let out a heavy sigh and made her way to her favourite spot at the foot of the bed.
Ethel flipped through page after page rapidly, her eyes frantically scanning the words in search of something familiar: cat, human, spell, reverse…
Mildred's methods were quite different: the girl opened each book to its first page and began to read, in depth, her finger following the words. Ethel rolled her eyes and shook her head - it would be ages before the girl would be able to find anything substantial. Besides, she had to be the one to find the answer, so she could win back favour in her teacher's eyes.
Eying the ever-growing pile of books beside her, Ethel let out a heavy sigh. "You know, you could try to go about it in a bit of a quicker fashion." She said, annoyed.
Mildred looked up from her book, her finger still hovering over a word. "What?"
"You've only finished three books, and I've been through about three dozen. I don't want to miss lessons tomorrow." Ethel complained.
"I don't have to be doing this, you know." Mildred found her voice, "That's three more books than you would've gotten through on your own. And if you aren't happy with that, I could just call it a day."
Ethel was taken aback by the intensity of Mildred's retort and reddened in response. "I'm sorry... I do appreciate it. I'd hate to have to do this on my own, please don't leave." She said meekly.
Mildred looked hard at Ethel, "Believe me, I hate being on Miss Hardbroom's bad side more than anyone else - it's basically the way I live every day. And I'm also hoping we'll figure this out soon so we can just go back to being ourselves. But for now we need to work together. There's nothing else we can do." She said firmly.
Ethel pondered this. So they'd have to be on the same page - which seemed pretty appropriate in a library. But that didn't mean anyone needed to find out about it. They were in solitary confinement after all, nobody would be the wiser once all was said and done. So, in that case... why couldn't they try to get a bit of a boost? After all, Cackles was a school for witches, wasn't it? And weren't they learning how to use magic to help themselves out of trouble? This situation definitely seemed to qualify...
"Ethel? Hello?" Mildred waved a hand in front of the girl's glassy stare. Ethel shook her head, snapping out of her musings, a smile crawling up her face. "What are you up to, Ethel?" Mildred asked worriedly.
"Oh... nothing." She answered, wandering over to the 'Advanced Magical Studies' section again, this time in search of a very different book.
"Cool invention, Ruby," Enid beamed, pouring another helping of popcorn into the big bowl. She watched the colourful lights blink to the beat, each flash highlighting the somber expression on Maud's face. "What's wrong, Maud? Don't you like this song?" Enid asked the girl with the bunches.
Maud sat alone in the corner, looking out the window, her head in her hands. "I can't enjoy a party without Mildred." She said glumly.
"Poor Mildred," Jadu said dejectedly, tossing a kernel over her shoulder.
"Hey! I've got an idea. Why don't we bring some of our party to her?" Enid said, jumping up from her bed.
"What do you mean? We can't go near the library! HB probably has some sort of surveillance system set up or something." Maud said.
"Yeah, Enid. When Miss Hardbroom says 'solitary confinement', I'd imagine she has some way of guaranteeing it." Ruby added.
"Let's just go have a look. We'll casually pass by the library – we can't get into any trouble for doing that, it's not as though we're meant to be in bed yet or anything." Enid said.
Jadu and Ruby looked at each other nervously. Maud shook her head, "It is almost time for lights out, Enid. Besides, Miss Hardbroom will know what we're up to."
"She always has to ruin our fun, doesn't she?" Enid complained loudly.
"Not always," came a familiar voice. Maud shrieked at the appearance of her potions teacher, and Jadu jumped in the air, causing the popcorn to fly all over the room. "Only when I feel the 'fun' is really an impetus for trouble," Miss Hardbroom continued, surveying the scene. She grimaced at the wretched noises coming from the flashing, obnoxious device. "What is that infernal contraption?" She raised her voice over the pumping music, and her hand over Ruby's machine, zapping it into oblivion with a satisfied smirk. The group groaned. "Back to your own rooms, girls. Enid, you have two minutes to return this room to normal." She added, folding her arms and disappearing.
"Always ruins the fun," Enid grumbled, bending down to pick up the popcorn.
"It's just about time for lights out, girls. Have you made any progress?" Miss Hardbroom asked as she appeared in the library. Both girls shook their heads.
"We're awfully sorry, Miss Hardbroom," Ethel said, wincing. "We've been reading through a lot of books, but haven't been able to come up with anything yet."
Constance sighed, "I'm afraid you'll have to continue in the morning, then. I'll let your teachers know that you will not be attending their classes until further notice." Ethel and Mildred deflated. "We will meet here at precisely 9 AM tomorrow. Come along, girls." Miss Hardbroom beckoned, and the pair followed her out of the room.
Tomorrow would be a long day for all of them.
Constance finally made her way to her room after getting the last of the stragglers into bed. She sighed heavily and closed the door behind her, making her way over to her dressing table.
"Hello, mummy!" A little voice called out cheerfully.
Constance gasped, and her hand flew to her chest to steady her racing heart. She'd nearly forgotten about the guest waiting for her in her room. She took a deep breath and recovered quickly. "Hello." She answered swiftly. She looked in the mirror and double-pointed at her bun, which unraveled gracefully, dark curls spilling down her back. Morgana clapped.
"I like when you do that, mummy. Your hair is like yarn." She purred.
"Is that a compliment?" Constance mused, reaching to undo the zipper on the back of her dress. Her hand stopped, and she peered at Morgana in the mirror. She couldn't undress in front of her. Not that she hadn't so many times before, but this was ...different. Shaking her head, she decided that tonight she'd have to change her clothing magically. She folded her arms and changed into her pyjamas and robes.
Morgana laughed happily. "Now we're ready for night rounds! I love night rounds."
"Do you?" Constance asked, raising an amused brow at the reflection behind her in the mirror.
"Oh yes. It is my favourite time of night. We go on a long walk, just you and me. And I find the lights under the doors for you."
Constance bit her lip and rolled her eyes. This was definitely one of the more amusing schemes Mildred and Ethel had pulled. She turned around to face her companion. "Well I can't bring you on my night rounds now, can I? You aren't a proper cat."
The little girl pouted, her eyes filling with tears. "Please, mummy. I will be good. I will still check under every single door for you."
Constance stared her down, but after a moment her look softened ever so slightly. She let out a sigh. "Oh very well, then. But you look perfectly unkempt." She scolded, searching for an excuse to correct the girl. "We'll do up your hair and then you can come with me." She pointed at the girl's messy mane, which gathered into one big bunch and tied itself into a tight, intricate bun atop her head.
"I look like you now, mummy." Morgana smiled, peering happily at her reflection in the mirror. She crossed her arms and made an angry face. Then she went over to Constance and tickled her under her chin. "Good night my sweet Morgana. Save me from my nightmares. Wake me if there's trouble. I shall always trust you." She sang with a grin, patting Constance on the head. The witch's mouth fell open. It was part of her nightly routine. The only creature in the world that could possibly know it was...
This was real –
She was real.
It hit her now like a ton of bricks. This little girl was really her Morgana. For some reason the thought made her heart pang and she felt something foreign pricking her eyes. She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head.
"Well, that's enough of that." Constance said, clearing her throat. "Let's be off, then."
Constance and Morgana quietly prowled the corridors, their strides falling into rhythm. Morgana slowed down occasionally to check for light under a few doors. Constance eyed the tiny thing skittering about and fell into deep thought. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she barely noticed when Morgana stopped suddenly, hunched over, and almost tripped over the little obstacle.
"Mildred Hubble, mummy," Morgana whispered, on hands and knees at the girl's door.
"Right. As usual." Constance sighed, reaching for the knob. She swung the door open and gave her most menacing glare to the girl who was laying in bed and peering into a book.
"M-miss Hardbroom!" Mildred shrieked, dropping the book and nearly falling out of her bed in fright.
"An explanation, Mildred?" Constance sang tiredly.
"I..." Mildred's voice trailed off as she spotted a tiny Miss Hardbroom clone folding her arms and glaring at her. Though her first instinct was to giggle, the intensity of the little girl's stare sent a shiver down her spine.
Miss Hardbroom followed Mildred's gaze and was equally taken aback by the fierce look the little girl sported. She looked back at Mildred and folded her arms as well. "We're waiting." She said.
Mildred instinctively leaned backwards in her bed, trying to distance herself from the double-threat. "I… I guess I didn't realise how much time went by since we were told to snuff our candles. I really want to figure this out for you and Morgana and Ethel, Miss Hardbroom. I can't bear to see all of you so upset…"
Suddenly, Tabby dashed over to Morgana, leaping into her arms. "Hey, Tab. How did you recognise me?" Morgana giggled, a big grin replacing the frightening look she had only moments before. Tabby meowed a few times in reply. "I know," the girl answered, eliciting a jaw-dropping shock from both witches. "Isn't it funny? I can't exactly explain it myself."
"Mor... Morgana!" Constance snapped in disbelief, "are you an… acquaintance of this cat?" She asked, hoping the answer would be a resounding no.
Morgana looked as though she would cry. "Tabby is my very good friend. Does that bother you, mummy?" She asked softly, and Tabby bristled in her arms.
"What? Er... no! I mean... I can't..." Constance cleared her throat and looked from girl to cat. "I didn't know you... associated with the other cats in the school."
"You're in class an awful lot. We all have to do something to pass the time." She said defensively, and Tabby nodded his head furiously in agreement. "Doesn't anyone think about what we're meant to do all day, locked up in our rooms?" She said.
Mildred and Constance stared at the pair in disbelief. Tabby and Morgana... close friends? The thought made Mildred laugh out loud.
"Do you two speak often?" Mildred asked her.
"Oh yes. Most of our discussions are about the two of you, actually. You both tell us a lot about each other." The little girl smiled happily, and Mildred and Constance eyed each other, one quaking in her bed, the other with a fierce look of disapproval.
Constance narrowed her eyes at Morgana, sending a silent "do not share anything else" before speaking. "Well, Mildred, as much as I appreciate your efforts, I feel it would be in your best interest to resume them only after the sun makes its appearance. Do I make myself clear?" She said sternly.
Mildred nodded wearily, eyeing the girl still holding Tabby out of the corner of her eye. Constance took notice. "I expect you'll keep our little 'cat connection' under wraps, yes?" Mildred nodded again, grinning as Tabby leapt down and padded over to her bed, holding his head high.
"Lights out, Mildred." Constance reminded her.
Mildred blew out her candle and watched the light disappear as Constance closed her door. "You're some cat, Tabby," Mildred whispered with a smile, burying her face into the warm fur.
This should be interesting, thought Constance as she pulled back her covers and climbed into bed. She opened her potions textbook and leaned back against the pillow propped behind her head. The room was quiet for a while, aside from the occasional turning of a page.
"What are you reading, mummy?" Morgana asked absentmindedly, rolling a small ball of yarn from hand to hand.
"A book." Constance replied shortly.
"That doesn't look like the book you usually read every night." The girl said, crawling closer to the witch and laying down beside her. Constance squirmed at the unwelcome intrusion into her personal space, shifting over to accommodate the girl in the crook of her arm. Morgana looked over the pages interestedly. "Is it a story?" She asked.
"No." Constance answered.
"Is it boring?"
"No." Constance answered.
"Can you read it to me?" Morgana asked, looking up at her mistress.
Constance looked down her nose at the little thing peering up at her. "No." She answered for the third time.
"Why not?" Morgana whined, pouting.
"I will not have any whining in my bed, Morgana." Constance said sternly. "And it is not a book for cats."
"But I'm not a cat now, mummy, I'm a girl." Morgana said, smiling widely. Constance didn't answer, and the smile quickly melted away. "You're being quite stern with me, mummy. Have I done something wrong?" She asked sadly.
Constance lowered the book and looked pityingly at the girl she was sharing a bed with. She tried very hard to remind herself that this girl was the same ball of fur she had shared a bed with every night. That this girl was the same ball of fur she cuddled and pet and shared a retelling of each day with. That this little girl was, in a way, her closest friend. "No, Morgana. You've done nothing wrong. I may be feeling a bit under the weather – perhaps it would be best if we called it a night." Constance closed the book and placed it on her nightstand, flicking her wrist to engulf the room in darkness.
And somehow, in the darkness, it was easier for Constance to envision that little ball of fur lying next to her. After a few moments of silence, she reached out and tickled the girl under her chin. "Good night my sweet Morgana. Save me from my nightmares. Wake me if there's trouble. I shall always trust you." She whispered, patting the girl on the head.
And even in the black, gloomy, dark of the room, the little girl's smile shone brighter than the moon.
A/N: So, thoughts? So sorry for the delay - I actually had a lot of this written for a while, but I was having a hard time splitting it into chapters. That being said, most of the next chapter is already done. So please review, review, review and help me get it up quickly! ;)
Thank you!