Her face was as disapproving as ever. Her wandering gaze seemed to judge everything it perceived. When she was done with the examination of the room, her eyes rested on Constance, and she forced her mouth into a shadow of what even Miss Bat recognised as a very false smile.
"Constance. It is so good to see you."
Constance's smile was, if possible, even more forced.
She gave a curt nod instead of an answer, not trusting her voice enough to speak.
"Well, now that we're done with the pleasant part, right into business. Take a seat."
Miss Cackle clearly was too shocked to disobey, and even Constance felt only a hint of displeasure at being ordered around in her staff room. Stiffly walking in Miss Cackle's direction, she intended to take her usual position behind the headmistresses chair, but Broomhead called her back. "I would like you to sit next to me, Constance. Your comment on this matter is quite important, and I refuse to speak to you if you insist on hiding behind that chair!"
Constance had barely opened her mouth to answer when Broomhead interrupted her. "Come here. Now."
Slowly, the slightly trembling deputy head turned and walked towards the indicated chair as if she were on her way to the gallows.
When she was seated, Broomhead began to talk immediately. "The reason I am here may not be completely obvious to you, as Miss Cackle said earlier, but I can assure you that the matter requires action.
Surely you have noticed the increasing number of students from non-witch-backgrounds over the last thirty years." Blocking the protest Miss Cackle was about to give, she continued. "Of course, that alone would be no cause for concern.
The problem is that these girls have been raised by christian families. The parents of your current students were the first to have extensive contact with these children. And noticing the difference in their religions, they were ashamed of their parents serving the old goddess. They reacted in the way any ashamed children would. They denied the goddess, and as the years passed, they forgot her. That means they did not tell their children about the old ways, which are almost forgotten by now.
Or could you name any of your girls that still serves the old powers?
As far as I am informed, not even the staff performs the rituals any more.
Constance here is the only one of whom I know for sure that she still serves the goddess, because I myself taught her to do so."
"And what exactly do you want us to do about it? We can't force out girls to maintain the old ways if they don't want to." Miss Cackle was clearly annoyed by this conversation. Miss Bat seemed to be far away, perhaps in her cupboard, and Miss Drill looked a s if the whole topic was a big joke. But she was the only one who thought it funny, for now Miss Hardbroom spoke, her face very pale, but with a remarkably firm voice.
"Well, headmistress, the girls cannot refuse what they do not know."
""That's exactly the point", Broomhead interrupted. "The girls need to be taught. They need to learn about the old ways, about the ways their power comes from, or they will never truly respect it."
"But who could teach them?" Miss Cackle still didn't agree with this. Something fishy was going on.
Never would she have guessed the answer Broomhead gave her.
"Well, as Constane, who is the only current staff member that would be fit to do that job, is already very busy with her double duty as potions teacher and deputy headmistress, I don't think it would be wise to burden her with this task as well."
"But is she doesn't do it, who will?"
Broomhead looked at Miss Cackle like someone carrying a bomb, and with a very self-satisfied smile she gave the answer.
"Me."