A/N:...ahhhhhhhh...cheerleading competition tomorrow (6th March)...it's our first so we're all a little nervous and very frustrated...it's a very exhausting routine...and I have to be up at 5.45 tomorrow so we can get the minibus there...and if I never hear, see or do that routine again I won't care!

Just When You Thought The World Was Coming To An End, A Miracle Happens.

Chapter 3

Having checked in on Abigail, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully, Constance was now sitting at her dressing table brushing her hair. Although Amelia owned the school, Constance had the largest room in the entire school, not including the classrooms. Amelia said she liked small cosy rooms, and it was easier to stop herself from filling her room with junk, as there was nowhere to put it. The room comprised of two beds, having once been a room where two teachers would have stayed, but that plan had long since gone out of the window. There was also a rather large wardrobe, a desk, which was currently littered with papers (this was unusual for Constance, she was usually organised but lately her attention had been somewhat occupied) and a small dressing table. There was also a long window seat.

Although Miss Hardbroom thought Abigail was sleeping peacefully, this was definitely not true. The nightmares she was having was causing her to have a fitful sleep, and the scenes that filled her mind seemed to be getting worse…

The scream that pierced the nights silence woke Constance up immediately. She knew exactly who it came from and wasted no time in making her way to Abigail's room. Despite having a room on the third floor, her ability to apparate anywhere she wanted allowed her to arrive right outside the door, without some much as walking a step. Upon opening the door, the sight that met her eyes was not one she would wish to witness any time soon. Surprisingly, her maternal instincts took over (which was not something she was used to) and cradled Abigail in her arms, as the girl sobbed her heart out.

"It's n…not fair!" Abigail stammered, her voice sounding muffled, "Why me?"

To that Constance had no answer, but continued to make soothing noises as she rubbed the girl's back. However, this seemed to do nothing to ease the pain. Abigail could feel herself becoming hysterical, but didn't have the will power to stop crying. It seemed as though her world had all but ended. Constance realised that if she didn't act fast, Abigail would end up hyperventilating and things could become much worse than they already were.

"Abigail, you need to calm down, you're going to make yourself ill if you carry on like this."

It seemed as though those words had snapped Abigail out a trance, and her crying seemed to ease down to a few sniffled sobs. Amelia just happened to appear at the door at that moment, and she appeared to have just woken up, probably caused by the noise Abigail had been making. Constance gave her a look to say that she everything covered, and Amelia gratefully returned to her bed. To tell the truth, she hadn't really thought about how she would look after the girl, but she had been surprised when Constance had taken charge of the situation. Perhaps there was more to the woman than Amelia realised, and that was saying something…

millie-mione: I'm going, I'm going!

Lice: er...nice name! I have many more chapters...hehe...