Out in the yard Miss Drill was waiting for them, armed with a badminton racquet. and a large black umbrella, despite there being no rain.
"Come on girls! Get your 'sticks." She said gesturing with the racquet. "You've perfect weather for training."
"Miss, my brooms in-!" Bryony started.
"In the shed. They all are." Miss Drill corrected. "Put your bags and any cardigans to the side there please, and get your selves ready!"
True enough, everyone's brooms where all propped up in neat rows under the tin shelter. Even Mildred's broom splinters and all, was out of her room and in the shed parked up with the others. How'd they get there? Oh Magic she remembered.
"Broom stick? More fire wood." Ethel sneered as she collected her own broom. "Are you sure you didn't just ride in on a pile of twigs and false hope, Mildred Hubble?"
She had a point. Annoyingly. It didn't look good. Mildred's half a broom, with the snapped off `half wedged awkwardly on top did look a sorry state next to everyone's else's, especially the snazzier looking ones. Determined not to pay the fairy brat any mind however, Mildred fished the spello tape she'd been lent out of her bag. And made a start putting the two ends of the broken halves together. Maud helped and between them, they bandaged up the broom as best as they quickly could.
"Are you wrapping it up for posting Hubble?" Ethel jeered.
"That doesn't even make sense." Maud muttered, and Mildred agreed. But Ethel was still laughing with Drusilla at the mess of a broom as they walked past them on their return from the shed. Drusilla even going as far to give Mildred a shove in the shoulder…as though forgetting a teacher was right there!
"Mildred, Drusilla what's going on there?"
"Oh, Nothing Miss!" Drusilla tried.
"A very funny looking nothing." Miss Drill said. She then gave Drusilla a mild scold that set the red head scowling and scuffing her hoofs on the cobblestones. Mildred was glad at least Drusilla had got a warning about rough housing; even if Mildred was certain she hadn't done anything to the Pan personally to warrant any argie bargie.
Shame it caused Ethel to pull on both Mildred's plaits and Maud's bunches again in the split second before the PE teacher turned back to Mildred and her broom.
"Ow!"
"Owch!"
"Girls?"
"Splinter." Millie fibbed. Maud looked incredulous but didn't argue otherwise. Ethel and Drusilla stalked off at least. She held out her broomstick and tested the wobble on it. It held firm at least, even if it had bent. "Miss? I don't know if my broom will be alright for flying?"
"Let's have a look." Miss Drill said. She winched sucking air through very normal teeth. "Oh dear…well, it's holding. That'll have to do for now I'm afraid."
"Should I sit out?"
"No, no. It'll see you through today well enough. Just don't do any more speedy dismounts on it." Miss Drill said with a firm smile. "Come to the staffroom Saturday. We might be able to arrange some way to fix it. Or maybe even get it replaced after the aptitude tests are done."
"If I'm still here after the test!" Mildred thought.
AN
The girl's brooms are in their wardrobes when out of use otherwise with the size of the school they'd be like 100 brooms in a shed. My old primary school had a thing where only bikes being used that PE or road safety lesson could be kept in the playground shed, so using that rule in this universe.
No update next week Monsters will return on the 22nd. Thanks!