I had to re-read the last chapter cause of a brain fart. But anyway.. I honestly don't know how I feel about this one.. So make sure you tell me what you think!
Verucabeyotch: Thanks for reading! Hopefully you'll cheek back! I'm from the UK! England to be exact.
CurlyWitch14: Sorry for the confusion, it was 1 am when i was writing the chapter. But 5 pm when i posted it!
Onwards!
Chapter 18: Study Buddies
Hecate hasn't got an awful lot of sleep that night she'd caught Mildred Crying. To some extent she understood. There was a certain amount of guilt that came with good things. You have a good day, and you can't help but think about the fact that that person you indanjured will never have a good day again.
She knew the importance of a distraction. So, the next day after school, she'd confronted Mildred, and practically ordered her into Studying. Not that Mildred Minded too much, she minded the lack of time with her friends. But they would be doing 3 days a week Studying with Hecate. And the other two days of the week, Studying with her friends.
Hecate also demanded all day Saturday studying. In which Mildred had the bright idea "Could we invite Maud and Enid? They could really do with the help." A Study Group. Mildred was Dragging her into a Study Group. Helping one's ward was one thing. Helping a group felt a lot like a hand up. Despite this, Hecate Agreed. But.. With those dreaded Conditions. They'd study in the Library, and it was open to any student who needed it. Not just Mildred and her friends. But at the same time, Hecate had no intention of yelling about it to the whole school. The less people there, the better.
Come Saturday, Mildred had rushed out of the apartment to head to breakfast early. The weekends Hecate took things a little slower. She did her cheeks, but then went back to the Apartment. Mildred seemed brighter today. She had her up days, and her down days. Today is one of her good days. That Light was shining in her eyes, and she was ready for the day.
After dinner, it was straight to the library. Hecate was surprised to find she was the last one there. She was also Surprised to find a wild Felicity sitting with them. Hecate sat down at the fairly large rectangular table. The Four girls looked up at her, like deer in headlights.
"Potions." Miss Hardbroom wasted no time, They were here to study, not become friends. "We'll start with First Year Potions, Then move onto Second year, and then look at some Advanced potions. If you have any questions, Now's your chance."
Felicity slowly raised her hand, earning her an eyebrow raise. "I know you can't tell us what Potions will be on the test.. But will they be within the potion's we'll be studying?" Felicity had found a small loop hole.
"That is a Possibility'' Hecate Confirmed. She wouldn't outright tell them yes. But, if she told them No, They wouldn't pay any attention to the ones on the list. "First, The Colour Changing Potion. What can you tell me about it?"
The four girls all looked at each other, as if it was written on someone elses face. Eventurly Felicity, once again showing that she should be here, raised her hand. "It turns people another colour. That Colour is random, though some believe it has something to do with personality.." She'd clearly done her research.
"Correct. What about the Ingredients?" Hecate quickly added in. "Someone other than Felicity." She knew if she didn't add that in, Felicity would be the only one to answer.
Her eyes flicked to Mildred, who looked as if she just had a sudden realisation. "Slugs Eggs! Plenty of them." Hecate nodded.
"Correct" She was surprised at Mildred, In a perfectly good way. "Anything else?"
"Crystals?" Enid Chimed in.
"Are you asking me, or telling me?" Hecate threw her a stirn clance. "Confidence is key in potion making."
"Telling.." Enid still sounded shy about it. "You use a handful of crushed crystals.."
"Correct." Hecate Nodded. Despite her lack of Confidence, Enid was correct on the matter. Her eyes then went to Maud, who'd been surprisingly quiet. "Maud Spellbody?"
"Oh! Em.. Foxglove. You use Foxglove." Hecate continued to look at her, Maud was doing very well academically. She could do better than just one ingredient. "Also, Magic Pine Cone."
"Correct.." The rest of the Study Session went by in a similar Fashion. Hecate asked them questions, and they came back with all they knew. Each one writing their own notes on the matter. Hecate hoped that they were learning from one enough as they went. Towards the end, Hecate realised she was more there to keep them on task than to actually help them learn anything.
They agreed to do the same the next week, But this time perhaps dragging along Sybil. It seems the girl may need it. For a Hallow, she wasn't doing the best academically. Hecate theorised it was her own self doubt that was sabotaging it.
Although Hecate didn't like the idea of helping the girls more than necessary, Perhaps a study group would be a way for the Students, in a controlled environment, to be able to exchange information, and improve on their skills. Hecate would need to ask Ada about regullar study sessions in the new school year. Preferably with each teacher taking a turn. Hecate could manage this one one or two more saturdays. But she'll be damned if she was to spend every Saturday teaching students what they should already know.
They managed to cover Potions, and some Spell Science. Hecate didn't mind Spell Science, But it wasn't something that overly interested her. Then again, Many people didn't understand why Potions did interest her so much.
It had done ever since she was a child. There was something about throwing a bunch of ingredients, that should never work together, into a cauldron, and getting a useful and powerful potion in return. It was thrilling and beautiful. It made her mind work over time to figure out how to make something, or to fix something, or to create something new! It was a mental work out, and was the only magical study that had ever done that for her. It kept throwing challenges at her, and she kept conquering them.
She just wished more students would take an interest in it, rather than taking an interest in explosives. She really didn't think it was too much to ask for.
Make sure to let me know what you think in a review down below! .
