She hurriedly wipes the tear from her face as her peers begin to enter the room. Mister Ravenfeather vacates his seat. Hecate is still not entirely recovered from the ordeal that took place the previous night. Every single being in the room gathers around her as the pupils dip a spoonful of potion from a different cauldron. They link hands around her as she carefully scrutinizes the liquid with the clarity of pea soup, and viscosity of molasses. As Mildred begins the others join her in unison.
"To the best witch, with the inner beast of a raven we give pieces of ourselves so that your magic may live."
Ada stands next to Mildred. She begins the next line, "Upon you I bestow grains of patience that I have come to know."
Maud continues, "And I freely give the heart of a friend who will forgive."
Dimity smiles as the chant goes on, "I offer you the agility of a cat."
"And as for me I sacrifice the cunning of a fox," Ethel chimes in.
Enid steps forward next, "I offer you the gift of rhythmic chanting that can rival Miss Bat."
The last member steps forward as their hands remained linked. "To the one who beget me I offer the love left in Hecate's box."
The worst witch closes the chant, "I offer you wings to soar above the clouds like an eagle. The magic within us will sustain you, and your magic will live."
The potion is ingested, and the chant draws to an end. Hecate rises from seat, and slips in between Sebastian and Mildred. She squeezes their hands, and hopes for their sake that results are seen from a chant from the heart. In seconds she begins levitating off the ground. One by one they all lift from the floor. Mister Ravenfeather winks at Mildred, and they simultaneously let go of Hecate's hand. The group of them regain their footing as Hecate remains above the crowd. Suddenly Miss Hardbroom realizes that her eyes are closed.
As she opens her eyes she finds a roomful of people staring at her from the ground. She smirks as her body begins to feel restored. A round of applause envelopes the room like thunder as her feet once again touch the floor. Eyes watch her expectantly awaiting evaluation of their efforts. Hecate turns towards Mildred. Mildred gulps as Hecate stands inches from her. Her long fingers tip the pupil's chin in an upward direction.
"Your efforts have not gone unnoticed, Mildred Hubble. Your willingness and dedication to helping me in my hour of need are much appreciated."
Mildred furrows her brow, "We don't even know that our efforts succeeded."
"You brought every one of these witches together, and that is a success."
"The spell didn't work, did it?" Mildred frowns.
With a wave of her hand Hecate vanishes from Mildred's line of sight. The tiny hairs on the back of Mildred's neck stand up. She spins around, and finds HB standing behind her. Mildred grins from ear to ear as the potions' mistress has proven to be restored.
The room soon empties, and Hecate is left to her own accord. Despite the magic coursing through her veins she feels emotionally drained. She takes a seat on the edge of her desk. A familiar figure materializes in her doorway.
"Chairs are for sitting," he initiates the conversation.
"I generally agree. I have also come to learn that there is a time, and place for everything, Mister Ravenfeather."
"I find myself seriously re-assessing my decision to come to Cackles. I have subjected you to a boatload of pain, and vulnerability that I did not anticipate. I had some romanticized idea of how meeting you would play out. It seems only prudent that I remove myself from the equation before any further heartache is cast upon you."
Her lips are drawn into a taught line as she nods her head, "If that is what you want."
He furrows his brow, and his bright blue eyes search her face, "My desires are irrelevant."
"You do not require my approval to pursue any endeavor that you so choose."
"At any point on this journey did you ever allow yourself to have what you want?" He darts the question in her direction.
"In life our own selfish desires are often superseded by necessity."
"I will be blunt. Do you want me to go?"
She pulls open the drawer of her desk, and removes a tiny blade. She lifts the timepiece off her neck, and secures it in the palm of her hand. He watches in horror as she silently dismantles the timepiece.
"What are you doing?" He queries as she separates intricate pieces.
She removes the adhesive securing the tiny image from the back of her timepiece. His heart skips a beat as his eyes fix to the image of himself as a newborn.
"I never wanted you to go," she reveals as condensation forms in her eyes.
"That picture has been in your timepiece all of this time?"
Hecate nods, "I put it there shortly after your birth, and sometime before your departure. It would seem that I felt it necessary to carry you near my heart no matter what the outcome."
"I don't understand. Certainly everything associated with my being is the worst pain you have ever experience. Why did you go to so much effort to protect me? How could you ever love such an undesirably conceived creature?"