A/N: Hi everyone, Dizzy Donuts here! Just want to pop in and say thank you to Dhion, CurlyWitch14 and The White Shell Mermaid for their reviews. I love hearing back from people, it's great to know that someone out there might be enjoying this. Also, thank you to everyone else who has followed and favourited so far. I've got lots planned for this story, so I hope you all continue coming back.
Anyway, enough of me. On with the story!
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Chapter Three: Finding the Words
Ada was up before the dawn, even earlier than usual. She did, however, sit in her usual armchair by the fireplace. Truth be told, she hadn't slept. She had been carefully aligning the words to present to Hecate about the entire situation. Not only had a pupil nearly died in front of both Ursula Hallow and the Great Wizard, but Cordelia was on the premises. Hecate was not going to take any of it well. Hecate did not do emotions well. She sighed. If only there was some way to soften the blow, Ada thought as she took a sip of her tea. She knew that there had to be a way to make it easier for her companion, or at least she wished for one. She then glanced at the fire. It's all your fault, she thought. She preceded to drain her floral china cup, counting down the seconds until her moment of peace ended. She just finished a biscuit when she heard the door softly open and close.
"How was the course, Hecate?" Ada asked, not turning to face the other witch but grimacing instead.
Hecate walked into the room, to the armchair opposite Ada and sat down. "Adequate," she replied. Ada smiled as Hecate came into view, noticing the look of concern on her friend's face. "I heard there was – an incident?" the deputy-headmistress said.
Ada let a breath escape as if to steel herself for the rapidly approaching topic she would have to address. "Yes," Ada nodded, "Mildred Hubble was poisoned by a Firebolt's Kiss, but we managed to save her."
Hecate rolled her eyes at the mention of her most troublesome pupil, then appeared confused. "How did you cure that? With some sort of venom repellent solution?" Hecate knew that rest of the staffs' capabilities rested more in spells rather than potions. Ada shook her head. Knowing what would be needed in a few moments, she conjured two full cups of tea. She did not know why she conjured another for herself, she could feel herself becoming shaky. She wouldn't be able to lift it.
"How then?" Hecate quizzed, trying to meet the headmistress' eyes.
"Something quite unusual happened," Ada begun, "A girl transferred and was able to cure Mildred with some sort of healing spell." One of Hecate's eyebrows quirked as she considered Ada's statement. Hecate knew that healing spells were more difficult, and that not many of the girls in the academy could perform them. The ones that did have the ability to do so, were not adept at transference. She looked at Ada, searching for a hint that she might know the girl. Ada's expression, however, only offered more confusion.
"Who?" She eventually said, when she was out of possibilities in her head. Who ever she was she had to be powerful, Hecate determined. Ada glanced to the windowsill, then the floor, then the fireplace. "Who Ada?" Hecate repeated, concern rising in her voice.
Ada managed to focus on the space above Hecate's eyes as she mumbled, "Cordelia." At first nothing happened. As Ada was beginning to wonder if she had said the name too quietly, she heard a strangled noise. A series of strange breaths emanated from her friend, forcing Ada to look at her properly. Hecate, who typically sat with her back perfectly straight, was slumped in her chair. Her hands had dropped limply into her lap, her eyes were downcast and full of tears. She looked as if she had been hit by a terrible curse.
Hecate had not encountered that name in ten years. There had not even been a pupil of that name since, as though Ada had banned any Cordelias from the academy to spare her feelings. She had remembered naming Ada's plant, but Ada had never addressed it. She had known that hearing it ever again would rip her heart in two. And it had.
Ada, who had been watching Hecate slip into despair, finally found enough courage to speak again. "She's still here," she said pre-emptively, knowing that would be the first question Hecate would ask when able.
The raven-haired witch glanced up at her, tears dripping down her cheeks. "Where?" she whispered, trying her best to hold everything in.
Ada gave a comforting smile, then said, "In the sick bay with Mildred. She seemed to know her." Hecate's expression made Ada quickly add, "She's fine." Hecate straightened her back and seemed to compose herself.
She then stood, wiping the tears from her face and muttered, "I should go." Ada was not overly surprised when Hecate vanished from the room. The girl was important to Hecate. Yet, she did wish her friend had stayed with her longer. Talked more. Ada hadn't managed to get out the full story, just as Hecate hadn't managed to work out how she felt. Allowing the deputy-headmistress to add to what she held down was almost as worrying as the eventual parents' reactions to the other Hardbroom. Especially when word got out from Ursula Hallow.
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"So, it's a theme park?" Hecate heard Julie Hubble say on the other side of the oak door. The nurse witch had the day off so she was safe, but definitely not proud, to listen in.
"Yes," A clear-cut female voice replied. Cordelia. A lump formed in Hecate's throat. She was only a few feet away. "The teachers forced the Great Wizard to let me go, and that's where I bumped into Mildred. Some wizards from Pentangles were giving her trouble but I soon put them straight." Hecate heard Mildred chuckle weakly and found herself smiling.
"I bet you did," Julie said, also sounding very amused. Hecate gently stroked the door above the circular iron handle. It was very tempting for her to venture inside, but the girl in the room scared her. Or more the girl's potential reaction did.
"Cordy's so powerful mum. Those wizards couldn't run away fast enough," this time, after Mildred had spoken, she heard Cordelia laugh. Hecate's heart began to beat unsteadily, her body feeling the same way.
"You scared them away to, with that spell," Cordelia said. Hecate's fingers slipped onto the metal ring. All she had to do was lift the latch.
"That spell you taught me. You're the best teacher." Something in Mildred's words felt like a hurricane spell. Cordelia had managed to be to Mildred what Hecate should have but never accomplished. Mildred spoke of her with a voice of admiration. Mildred knew her. Hecate did not. It all became too much. Hecate released the handle and transferred to her potion's lab. She distracted herself with setting up for the coming first-year class.
The metal ring banged against the door from the force of Hecate's movement. The inhabitants of the room all jumped. Cordelia crossed over, opened the door and looked out. "Must have been the wind," She said to the others, as she went back to the conversation.
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Sybil Hallow glanced worriedly at Clarice Twigg and Beatrice Bunch as they left the potions lab. They had never experienced such a strange hour within that room. Miss Hardbroom had spent the whole time staring at her desk or fiddling with the bottles on the many shelves behind her desk. She didn't even react when Sybil dropped a vial of explosive potion on the floor causing a loud smash and bang.
"At least you didn't get detention," Bea whispered to Sybil.
Clarice eyed their teacher. "Something's definitely wrong," she muttered as they stepped past her desk and headed out of the room. Due to their rampant and completely distracting curiosity, they all nearly collided with someone heading down the corridor they were walking through.
Sybil gasped, "Sorry Miss Cackle!" Miss Cackle, who also very preoccupied, had barely noticed the girls.
She smiled gently, "Not to worry girls, no harm done." Her concerned tone of voice puzzled the first years. Clarice shot a confused look at Bea. They could all sense something was off with their teachers.
"Is everything alright, Miss Cackle?" Clarice asked, stopping the headmistress from continuing to her destination.
"Why wouldn't it be Clarice?" Miss Cackle mumbled, attempting to walk around them.
"Because…" Clarice spoke a little louder, bringing Miss Cackle to another stop slightly further along the corridor, "Miss Hardbroom seemed a little distracted and you look concerned." Beatrice and Sybil glanced at each other, both wished that their friend would just be quiet sometimes.
Still smiling, Miss Cackle said, "Everything is perfectly fine, don't you worry." This time she turned and all but ran before Clarice could open her mouth to argue. She did admire the young girl's persistence and determination to be informed. She quickly slipped into the potions lab and shut the door behind her, noting how it barely caught Hecate's attention.
Ada cleared her throat. "I spoke with Cordelia," she said. That grabbed Hecate's attention with both hands. "From what she said it was clear that no other teacher had been to see her." The sadness in Hecate's eyes made Ada long to hug her. She could not fully understand her predicament but still desired to ease her pain from it.
"I did attempt to… but I could not bring myself to do so," Hecate spluttered. Everything ached. Her heart, her body, her head.
Ada walked forwards and seized Hecate's arms in her hands. "Oh, dearest Hecate," she said, "I understand just how difficult this must be. But I have more news. News that will mean you are able to speak to her."
"What news?" Hecate said, voice hard with concern. Ada wished she could've said this sooner, before Hecate had tried and failed.
"The Great Wizard has had to release Cordelia's confinement and insisted that she stay here at the academy," Ada replied, speaking gently to comfort her friend. Hecate's arms went limp in Ada's hands. Ada released her, so she could slip into her chair. The headmistress was instantly glad that Hecate didn't have to teach for another two hours. She stroked her shoulder as Hecate took it all in. Eventually Ada continued, "You'll have to speak Hecate, you'll see her on a daily basis. We need to find a way to press on."
Hecate's gaze dropped to her desk. Still standing next to her, Ada could see what was grasping the other witch's attention. A photograph. The only one in existence that had been hidden in the bottom of a box for years. Ada understood why the raven-haired witch was terrified.
Hecate didn't know much about the girl in the picture. She knew why she didn't know her, the mistake the girl had made and the terrible price she had paid for it. The one thing that terrified her, more than what she knew, was that she did not know how the girl would react to meeting her parent. After everything that had happened this was bound to cause intense feeling. Possibly even hatred.
Hecate could not bear the thought of another child hating their mother.
Especially when the child was hers.
