Possibly no update next Sunday sorry I'm away most of this coming week. so i've made this a bummer chapter though I might make it a double update the week after as well if i can. But 40 chapters!? blimey! thanks for sticking with this folks!
"Feelings and how you use or act on them make you what you are…"
Miss Cackle paused, moving around the desk and leaning back against it. Forgetting perhaps she could just go through it as she had done earlier.
"You girls are, after all, the stuff of legends and folktales in the mortal world. You know how the world writes your stories, how that makes you feel and the feelings you may cause others. Others who don't understand you for what you are or your magic. As monsters in a mostly human witching community or as witches with the world…" She said.
"And that can easily drag one down if you think about it too much. And while you are at school you will face exam stress, sadness and joy, growing pains. Not every day will be a 'good day'. But you have to harness those feelings, not bottle them up. Put them to work as it were."
Speaking of feelings Mildred right now felt a little lost. And a bit confused as how to quite exactly 'Put feelings to work'. But a glimmer of an idea forming. Her Plan A to improve her flying was to try and get a go on the Mach 3 broomstick VR. But there was No harm in trying out a plan B as a second option?
"Miss," she said raising her hand. "If someone was really afraid of something, can that be used in a spell? Or channel it into another magic?"
"Yes, quite so Mildred."
"But would it still exist?" Mildred persisted, "Can it be magicked away?"
Miss Cackle frowned at her, mulling Mildred's question over.
"Do you mean the fear as a feeling Mildred? Or a particular fear of something"
"A particular fear Miss." Mildred started. "Like if you were scared of the dark or flying-!"
Again, came the few sighs, and someone muttered, "afraid of the dark!?" causing Mildred to falter.
(Unknown to her, however Maud and Ruby twigged what Mildred was getting at, hastily scribbling out a note that popped into Jadu's work book. All now three paid extra attention to the exchange and Miss Cackles response)
"or spiders?" Mildred added. there was something about Miss Cackle's very knowing look too. "big spiders. Say if you had a fear of big spiders If you put your feelings of would all fear of the thing go? Would you have to do it lots? Or could a potion that could get rid of it?"
Mildred's plan B was if she could put all her fears and phobia's about flying heights and falling into a spell either all at once or bit buy bit magic then she would have no problem getting on a broom, bar her clumsiness. And the dark wouldn't be an issue if she wasn't scared at all. And then she'd be a real witch a proper witch like HB and not afraid of anything.
But Fear unfortunately was useful too. At least according to Miss Cackle.
"Not really no. Besides fear can be very useful too." Miss Cackle said slowly gliding across the space between her and the front row. "Fear can keep one away from real danger. Fear can become adrenaline. Or become different strengths to keep one safe. And if you magicked away fear what would make bravery? It's the facing fears that is in courage and helps you grow..."
"You just learn how to cope with your fears." Miss Cackle continued gently. She held out her old hand for Mildred's young one. Mildred gave it. and was surprised to find the ghost's hand solid and gentle, and her own hand not going through it at all. It was a cold sensation but, in this moment, not icily so. Not even when Miss Cackle's other hand brushed against her knuckles opening her palm to hold Mildred's hand out flat.
"And have to practice such things as flying- or being around spiders - until you get used to them. Sometimes you'll find you're bigger than your fear and they're more afraid of you then you are of them."
With a wave of magic and a wink Miss Cackle summoned a tarantula into Mildred's hand stretching its fuzzy legs. And that's when everyone bar Mildred had freaked out. Also, there was a thud.
"What was that?" Miss Cackle asked over the chaos of squeals.
"Harriet, Miss. She's passed out!"
"Oh, Poor thing!" Miss Cackle gasped. Harriet had indeed fainted. She lay out over her desk like a fish on ice until Tansy and Izzy pulled her upright and sat her backup in her wheel chair. The headmistress Floating over (and though a few students in her hurry!) and helped steady Harriet as the little mermaid groggily came too. "there you are, child. Easy does it. Harriet isn't it? Easy now are you back with us? It's alright my dear… Esmerelda could you, - "
"Ethel."
"Ethel, could you and- which Newt are you again my dear? Gloria- oh like your nana, Wonderful would you two be so kind as to help wheel Miss Harriet out and take her around to the sick bay to recover, thank you. take her bag for her too. There there dear, never mind."
"Goodness I've never had a fainter." She muttered, once they had left. "Now the rest of you. apples- and pencil- at the ready and let's try that again one more time. From the top now. Altma, Agba-!"
And Miss Cackle continued the lesson. Ethel and Gloria returned, (Harriet was fine but spending the rest of class with Matron). Mildred's pencil went the same was as her apple. And Bryony still refused to be at the same desk as the tarantula. She didn't sit back down until Mildred had put the spider on the window sill, no matter how many times Miss Cackle insisted the spider would do the invisible girl no harm.
Mildred had actually thought the spider rather cute. and hoped to keep it as a pet. (she'd sort of had tarantulas before, her uncle had let Mildred pet sit his sometimes). But just as it had appeared, Mildred was startled to find when she went to pick it back up as the bell went, with another wave of Miss Cackles hand the spider 'Blew away' is a shimmer of golden fragments.
Magic, she thought still looking about to see if it had really gone as the class packed up. (Miss Cackle in fact was packing up the class room and her own things up with magic, perhaps unable too physically.) So, did Miss Cackle create that spider or just borrow it from another place and then send it back? Or was it an illusion spell and didn't really exist?
"Actually, Mildred Hubble." Miss Cackle called over the din, jolting her from her thoughts, "a word if I may?"
Mildred hung back as asked. as did Maud Jadu and Ruby. Had Mildred been seen outside the staff room after all?
"Run along you three, she will catch you up. If one of you could be so kind as tell Miss Bat- or Miss Crotchet- where Mildred is, and she will be along behind you." Miss Cackle instructed.
"Don't look so worried, Mildred." She said as Mildred's friends reluctantly slunk off and they were left alone.
"I just wondered how are you settling in? I know restarting at a new school can be tough and this is all rather a fast learning curve. Especially with miscommunication in regard to your scholarship."
"Oh." Mildred relaxed a smidge. "Well yes, thank you. I'm settling in. And I've making friends." And enemies, she thought. But left that bit out.
"And all these questions about fears...?" Miss Cackle said, looking over the top of her glasses for a moment before pushing them back on her head.
"So far, it's not as scary here as I thought it would be, Miss Cackle. It's more erm…well."
"More what Mildred?" Miss Cackle Pressed. Mildred decided to be sort of honest. And with a sigh repeated her concerns about not fitting in at either comprehensive school; once for being magic and a 'danger'. and now the other for being 'common' and slow and behind in her learning.
"Ah I see you've started to pick up 'the lingo'. I never liked the use of that word even in my day-!" The headmistress scoffed, bobbing a little in the air.
"But anyway- My dear girl, I wouldn't have offered you a place if I didn't think we could help you to control your new powers! We've had many many girls who are late bloomers start here and gone on to be fine witches. All sorts are welcome here."
"I know Miss. But I've never flown before- well before coming here! And I can't seem to get the hang of it. What if I never do?"
"It is only your second day here." Miss Cackle reminded her.
Mildred wanted to point out it seemed a very long two days. and that in fact it felt almost a year since she'd landed in the yard! But she didn't.
"I'm afraid one is naturally good at it, flying is one of the hardest skills to grasp at first. but You just have to get straight back on your broomstick." Miss Cackle continued, almost repeating Nurse Knighting-Gail advise. Can you do that for me Mildred? Or at least try?"
"I can try Miss." Mildred gulped.
"Once one has learnt to fly is like swimming the arts or riding a bicycle, it'll come naturally with a little practice. You must preserve with it as you do any other magic." The headmistress encouraged. "and turn that nerviness about a new school into courage. Now off you go Miss Bat will be wondering where you've got too."
"I guess…" Mildred started, thinking about what Miss Cackle had said in class about using feelings, what Maud said, and what her mum had told her.
"I guess then I just have try and get used to flying, learn magic, and be brave then don't I Miss?"
"You do. But that is only three or four things." Miss Cackle pointed out, leading Mildred out of the class room. "Two if you consider being brave as part of everything you do."
"I'll try miss." Mildred repeated.
"That's the spirit." the ghost said, laughing at her own joke and floated off down the other hall way; shimmering as she passed in the patch of evening sunlight coming through the window. "Just, no more crashing into the bins please!"