She waits for the door to close before she allows herself to stew in her emotions. Suddenly Mildred appears next to her, with a handkerchief. The pupil remains utterly silent as Hecate Hardbroom weeps. The best witch looks incredibly small, and fragile as she lies atop Mildred's bed crumpled into a pile. Fragile, like a bomb, Mildred reminds herself.
"That's it!" She shrieks.
Hecate wipes her eyes, and turns towards the nuisance of a girl. Mildred wipes the grin from her face.
"Sorry. I will relegate myself to this chair," she offers as she drags her chair over to the desk. Without any further explanation she begins to stir her cauldron.
"Shouldn't you be deep in slumber by now, Mildred Hubble?"
"Says the witch who nearly died hours ago."
"Noted."
"I couldn't sleep. Enid dances in her sleep, and Ethel is as still as a spinning top."
"I am happy to retire to my room," Hecate offers.
"How do you propose you will get there? You cannot transfer anywhere. You can hardly stand up."
"Why were you shrieking?"
"A bomb," Mildred reveals.
"You are out of your gourd."
She shakes her head, "No, just hear me out. When a bomb explodes it breaks into pieces. I think I know how to restore your magic."
"It is not your solution to find."
"I know that you are my biggest critic, but I do not hear any better ideas from your side of the room."
"Continue."
"What if we each give you a part of ourselves? If each of us offered a bit of our magic maybe it would restore yours."
"I applaud your creativity, but I doubt the effectiveness."
"If your magic ceases is it possible that any magic from your bloodline will cease to exist as well? A direct descendant, for example."
Hecate does not offer an explanation, as she is trying to analyze how much Mildred Hubble is privy to.
"Miss Hardbroom from the moment he set foot on campus I had my suspicions of who Mister Ravenfeather was. Anyone would be crazy to volunteer to become a faculty member here after the utter chaos that we suffered last term. Unless they have ulterior motives. Of course getting close to someone who is already a faculty member would be deemed an ulterior motive."
"Mildred this is just nonsensical babbling of an overly exhausted teen."
"I came across an old class photo of you, when you were a pupil. You were genuinely smiling. I looked at every class photo from then until now. Do you know what I found?"
"That if you spent as much time revising as you have on child's play you would be a star pupil?"
"One year was missing. The photo from the beginning, as well as the end of the year. In fact there are no photos for that entire year. Mister Ravenfeather has your smile. You have taught me that you will make any sacrifice that is necessary to shelter that of a child. I have been deemed a lost cause by you on many occasions, yet you have never let harm come to me."
"Mildred…"
Undeterred Mildred continues, "I am certain that you would do no less for your own son. We both know you would, no matter the cost."
"Dawn is rapidly approaching. We should both obtain some shut eye."
Mildred nods in understanding. She removes the extra blanket that is folded at the end of her bed, and turns to make her way to the chair.
"You cannot sleep in that chair."
"I could transfer you to your own bed Miss Hardbroom. I feel, however that it is quite unnecessary to leave you alone in such a weakened state."
"I can accept that."
Mildred points to the chair, "So I will just head over here."
"I find this a regrettable situation. I do not bite."
"You want me to sleep in that bed, next to you?"
"I do not want that, but I find that the floor, and an old rickety chair are unsuitable for such a task."
"I am too tired to argue," Mildred concedes as she climbs into the bed next to the witchiest witch. They both lie on their sides, back to back. Mildred flips out the lamp, and expects sleep to be a fickle mistress. Both parties are asleep in less than two minutes time.