Another one!
CurlyWitch14: Thanks for the double review! They are both falling into a parent-child relationship slowly, and not fully realising that. Honestly, I'm not normally this good. Some of my stories haven't been updated in like a year or so. I'm just on a roll.
Chapter 11: lessons to learn
Mildred woke up with a start. She'd had terrible nightmares. Cackles up in flames. Her friends and teachers turned to clay, and melted away. Miss Hardbroom was dead.. and her mother stood in the middle of it all, saying 'none of this would have happened if you just joined me'.
Maybe she was right. But Mildred couldn't justify it.
Mildred quickly got out of bed and went to the living room. Her impulses are taking over. She wanted to see HB. To make sure she was alright. But the room was empty.
She hesitated as she walked up to her teacher's bedroom door, giving it a slight knock. No answer. She was about ready to cry when she plonked herself down on the sofa.
That's when she noticed the note. "Breakfast.." she muttered. Before springing back up and running to get room. Quickly getting dressed. Her plaits were a little uneven. One of her boots was undone. And a sock just wouldn't stay up.
But she didn't care, she didn't even care that the morning bell had yet to be rung. She just wanted to get to breakfast and cheek on everyone.
She knew it was silly. It was Just a dream. Her friends would just be getting ready. Her teachers preparing for their classes. And Miss Hardbroom was most likely off terrorising the early risers.
But she couldn't help the fear that still gripped her. As stupid as it may be.
She left the room, feeling odd about not having anyone to walk with. As she was walking to the hall, she heard the bell ring. The bell signalled two things.
One, that breakfast was starting to be served. Two, that everyone should be getting up. It's probably why when most of the kids get there the food is cold.
Mildred entered the hall to find more students than she expected. Perhaps waking up early wasn't a bad thing. Hot food, and there were still people about.
She got her porridge and sat down to eat. Despite her dream, she didn't feel anywhere near as sick as she had been.
Not minutes later some of the teachers filled the hall. Not long followed by Miss Hardbroom. Who looked lost in thought for a moment. At least until she saw Mildred. Then she just looked surprised. Mildred looked back, strangely happy to see the strict form teacher.
Miss Hardbroom came closer to Mildred. "You're early.." she stated awkwardly. Hands clenched by her side.
"Miss Hardbroom" Mildred started. "I managed to make it for breakfast. Early and all." She knew yesterday must have been hard for her teacher as well. It didn't hurt to try and give her a bit of peace of mind.
"I can see that, Mildred." Miss Hardbroom said, as strict as ever, yet with the tiniest uptilt of her mouth. Mildred took that as an absolute win.
Without any other words, Miss Hardbroom practically glided back to the teachers table, witch was now accompanied by Miss Cackle.
She was expecting more of a watchful eye off Miss Cackle. Other than that one meeting. And when Mildreds mum attacked. Both times. She'd been distant. Mildred therorised this was so HB could take the lead.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Enid yelling out "You're early!"
"That's unlike you, Millie," Maud added in.
"I… I was hungry" this time it was only a small white lie. She was hungry.. even if that wasn't the reason for her being up late. "Yea.. you know me. Hungry hungry hippo"
They looked at her like she'd grown an extra head. "What does hippos have to do with it?" Enid asked.
"It's a.." none magical thing. "You know, Never mind." She flashed them a small, that was supposed to be comforting. But even to Millie, it fell flat.
They caught up on yesterday's lessons, on the highs and lows of double chanting.
Thankfully, chanting was not on the list today. First up, Spell Sciance. One of mildreds personal favourites. Mostly due to mr rowan-Webb. The eccentric Wizard of the school.
He always made every lesson interesting, even the ones on boring subjects.
He had made her feel immediately better when she came in. Simply be saying "glad to see you back, Mildred". It was a quick comment, but enough to make her feel like she was wanted here.
Despite the disapproving glares of one Ethel Hallow. She had yet to say anything about the situation. But she was sure she would in time.
After that, the girls spent their break in Enid's room. Gossiping about this and that. Mildred wasn't really listening. Her soul goal was for her through the day.
They were soon getting changed for PE with Miss Drill. Miss Drill was lovely. Always very helpful, and awe-expiring. Despite this, Mildred found PE to be terribly dull. She didn't mind it so much when they were flying. But she hated running laps.
Thankfully, lunch followed PE. Though it was nothing to write home about. In mildreds case, it was nothing to tell HB about. Not that she needed to, they did after all have the same lunch.
Speaking of HB… Mildred couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something. "Prepared for potions, Millie?" Ah that was it. She had potions next. Blessed be the maud for reminding her.
"I guess.." Mildred started only for Enid to chime in. "Do you think she'll go easy on us? Given the week we've had?"
"Don't be silly, Hardbroom wouldn't go easy on us if we'd been turned into baby's." Maud might have had a point.
"I guess you're right.. it's unfair" Enid would call most things that don't go her way unfair.
More so when it was actually time to go to potions. She didn't miss the pointed look HB gave her. As if cheeking she actually turned up. As if Mildred would be stupid enough to miss this class. She could be a little dense sometimes, but she wasn't a complete idiot.
Miss Hardbroom looked over all the students. "You will be making a Dancing Potion" Out of all the potions.. that's one they don't tend to do a lot of. "Get it right, and you may leave" maybe Maud was wrong. She was going easy. "Get it wrong however. And you will be doing it all the way into detention". Or maybe not.
Miss Hardbroom was dangling a carrot for them. One she only expected one or two to get before the end of class.
Mildred and Felicity ended up being paired. They weren't usually together. Mainly because Felicity was actually pretty good at potions. Looking around the room it seems that everyone had been paired with someone who's skills were less than ideal.
One good. One bad. Most likely so they all stood an equal chance.
Mildred hated lessons where they had to make things using nothing but their memory.
Thankfully, She had felicity. At least she was thankful until she went to add in some sea urchin spikes.
Something about this just felt wrong to Mildred. It took them ten minute of discussion before Felicity finally gave in, and instead they added in shredded seaweed.
By the time they were done, there was only fifteen minutes left of class. And two sets of students had already left. A few more were stuck re doing their potions.
Of those who had left, she'd been unsurprised to find Ethel. And of those who were redoing their potions, she'd found Maud and Enid.
Felicity and Mildred tried the potion, and to everyone's surprise started dancing wildly around.
"Congratulations Girls" Miss Hardbroom has drawn out. "Now do dance yourself out of my laboratory before you break something" no compliment comes without a snap with HB.
The two did dance themselves out of the classroom, laughing as they did so. Mildred opted to irish jig down to the library, thankful when the dance wore off just outside.
She had never been a massive fan of the library. It was always too quite. But perhaps right now. That's just what she needed. A little bit of quite.
She sat down, reading some book on floating spells when Ethel thought it a great time to approach her.
"Doing some studying i see" she liked stating the obvious, you see. "I don't know why. I doubt you'll be here for much longer". Her words caught Mildred. Prompting her to look upwards.
"What? Did you really think after your last cataclysmic display no one would complain?" It made sense…
But where would Mildred even go! She could always try at pentangles, they did offer her a scholarship. But after everything with her mum.. No, Miss Pentangle would understand. She was after all friends with HB.
"It's just a matter of time till this school will be free of Hubble trouble" with which she had wandered off. It left Mildred thinking of very little else over dinner. She kept glancing at Miss Hardbroom. She had to ask her about this.
Find out if she was really getting expelled, or if it was just another one of ethel's jabs.
Thank you so much for reading! Make sure to leave that review down below!
