Ada Cackle liked to awake early some days. Even earlier than the formidable Hecate Hardbroom on occasion. She adored the peace of the castle just after dawn, a time at which she could always see the castle in a new light. She loved kicking back with a cup of tea, a biscuit and absolute silence. Her solitude meant that she could nurture her plants fully, without guilt. She could take care of their every need and, most importantly, talk to them. Tell them her woes. Address them by the names they had been bestowed. Petulia and Cordelia. Names she could no longer utter in anyone's presence, especially not Hecate's. To the deputy headmistress the latter was a knife in the heart. A name that would rock her entire world. A name Ada would not utter, until Hecate dared to.