A/N: Hello! How are you all? Thank you to the reviewers and followers from the previous chapters, you guys are amazing :D I am so so honoured that you are excited to find out what happens, I am also mega excited to write it. I can assure you, truth will out…
I've got to let you know though…
I have a sneaking suspicion that this is going to be a long story. Long enough to not fit into one fanfic book. There may be a sequel or two in the plans!
Please let me know what you think about this. As I have mentioned I LOVE hearing from others. It literally makes my day.
All the best,
Dizzy XD
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Chapter Five: Game Play
Two Hallow women lounged in their living room on expensive leather sofas. Ursula had kept the room fairly dark to accommodate her Esmeralda, who had been napping. The only light in the room came from an open fireplace and a large television that was on quietly in the corner, playing Reality Witch TV.
Ursula watched as Esmeralda unconsciously pulled a red woollen blanket around herself in her sleep. The girl had been so out of sorts ever since her magic was stolen from her. Gone was Ursula's sensible, intelligent heir and in her place was a miserable, scared child. That was what hurt her the most. Losing her sense of security in the family legacy and her daughter in one foul swoop. The Cackle twins had taken away any sense of normality in the Hallow household. And that was frightening. That's what made it so easy.
Ursula had, or used to have, deep faith in Ada Cackle. Ada had taught her and many of the other women she knew. But for the insidious head of education, this time, events had gotten to close to home. So, while sitting with her daughter that evening, Ursula picked up her maglet and began to type. She started off speaking about general academy and council business to her influential group of friends. Then she slipped in a particular name and that name's current location. Panicked and angry messages came back to her. Pleading with her to do something. Demanding the girl's removal.
Ursula now had exactly what she needed. The desire of others to see something done. Backing and legitimacy. Ada's sentimentality had left her wide open again, and Ursula was very angry.
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Ada, of course, remembered the girl as well as Cordelia remembered her. She always loved going down to the cottage when the child was young. She granted the family one of the school's many outer buildings upon learning of – events. The older witch was so thoroughly excited at her friend's reaction, and so thoroughly upset when she had vowed to never return to it. Ada smiled gently while recalling Cordelia as a toddler. How she had always been very alike Hecate. Until now anyway; standing before the headmistress with water in her eyes.
"I am not good enough, Ada," Cordelia whispered, turning her eyes downwards, "I am a monster." Ada stepped forward and enveloped the girl in a hug. Cordelia pressed her face into Ada's shoulder, comforted by both her soft fuchsia jumper and the presence of her arms. The headmistress' eyes were starting to feel hot, threatening her with impending tears.
"You are not," she muttered into the young Hardbroom's ear, "you are a girl that has been lonely for far too long. But your mother is here now, and she loves you, no matter what." Cordelia pulled free from Ada's arms, tear free, and looked at her questioningly.
"How do you know?" she said. Still detesting the fact that she did not know her own mother.
Ada's smile reappeared, "Because I know Hecate. You just need to talk. About anything, it doesn't have to be about the past. Just find common ground." Cordelia bit her lip. Ada made sense but that didn't mean it would be easy. "Anyhow," Ada said fracturing Cordelia's thoughts, "You need to run along to class or you'll be late." Cordelia simply sighed and left the room.
She strolled self-consciously, along to the potions lab, having already memorised the school's layout. She wanted to be late, to not go at all. Anything, anywhere else to ease the butterflies swarming in her stomach. But she wouldn't. As much as she was nervous, Cordelia Hardbroom did not like backing away from things. Even if she desperately wanted to.
Cordelia straightened her back and lifted her chin before opening the lab door. Cursing the fact she could do nothing to remove the red tinge from her eyes. She walked quietly through the room, yet still managing to gain everyone's attention, and slipped in next to Mildred. She purposefully avoided a pair of eyes that were burning into the back of her head as she did so. She started listening to her mother but did not look up, at all, from her book.
After finishing her teaching on the finger-spark potion, Miss Hardbroom said, "In groups, you will come and select the correct ingredients to make the potion. Begin!" The whole class then deliberated, amongst themselves, on what to select. Mildred turned to Cordelia.
"Are you okay?" Millie asked, noticing her friend's behaviour and red edged eyes.
Cordelia briefly looked at Mildred before sharply saying, "Fine. Let's just get on, shall we?" She stepped forward; Mildred bustled to follow her. Enid glanced at Maud with a raised eyebrow.
Maud, while staring at her friends' backs, said, "I guess being Miss Hardbroom's niece and being at the academy is difficult."
Enid smirked cheekily, "I guess being HB's niece makes you sort of moody. Genetically."
As Mildred and Cordelia reached the table Miss Hardbroom had placed before her desk, so did Ethel and Felicity. Cordelia kept her gaze purely on the ingredients, searching for what she needed while avoiding those around her.
Mildred, who stood by her elbow, whispered, "Cordy, is everything really okay?" She was deeply concerned for her old acquaintance. Ethel, however, was not. She smirked when she heard Mildred's enquiry.
Cordelia made no attempt to respond. She carried on her search for the ingredients but could not easily recall them. She was admittedly very distracted. As she reached for a small berry plant that she believed useful, Ethel made a grab for it. She seized the whole plant.
"Aww, is the 'amazing' Cordelia sad?" Ethel said, cooing as though speaking to a baby. Felicity gave her a pointed stare.
Cordelia started to feel a familiar tingling sensation in the very tips of her fingers. She both loved it and feared it in equal measure. Just as she opened her mouth to retaliate, Miss Hardbroom stood.
"Ethel Hallow, enough!" She said, voice high with impatience, "Not only are your words exasperating but so is your class spirit. The ingredients must be shared!" Hecate's quick actions seemingly made all the girls jump. Ethel put the plant down and shrank back, Cordelia forgot her worry and looked up at her mother and Mildred nearly knocked something from the table.
Hecate saw Cordelia's finally upturned face and turned to meet it. Their brown eyes connected. Cordelia saw the same look she had witnessed in Miss Cackle's office and started to panic. She could sense love there and that wasn't good. Or deserved, no matter what Miss Cackle said. Cordy looked away and gathered ingredients with great speed and little concentration. She then rushed back to her seat with Mildred trailing behind her again.
This is ridiculous, Cordelia thought, I'm ridiculous. You want to be with her, don't you? She's your mother and you are sick of being lonely. I am scared but I don't want to be like this anymore. Cordelia placed down the ingredients and looked up at her mother, wanting to give back the look of love. To let her know. Even though she had panicked she still wanted to try. But Hecate was already hunched over another potions book. Hiding, like Cordelia did.
The words, "find common ground" started echoing in the girl's head as she stared at the ingredients in front of her. How? Cordelia wondered.
Luckily for her, a certain Mildred Hubble was about to provide a prime opportunity. Or, at least, a misguided one.
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"I've got – I've got an idea," Mildred said, breathlessly. They really should've been listening to Miss Drill but her instruction on the importance of doing P.E. to the fullest of one's capabilities was not particularly engaging. Especially not for the thirty-third time. They had just finished a couple of laps, sort of correctly, and were now gasping for air whilst huddled together. Each trying to ignore Ethel's sideways glares.
"Oh no," Enid mumbled with a grin, earning chuckles from the rest and a face pull from Mildred.
"It's not bad," She replied, "Honest! It's a potions game, one so that we'll learn the potions and not get shrieked at by HB again." Mildred thought it best not to mention Cordelia's part in the potion failure and ensuing explosion. She was struggling at best. Miss Hardbroom had, however, been very harsh towards Mildred and she was desperate to find a way to put an end to it.
Before her mind started delving too deep into her family circumstances, Cordelia (who was not even slightly breathless) untucked her chin from her high neck fleece and said, "when can we play this game?" It came to her mind, while avoiding anything negative, that creating excellent potions would be one avenue of similarity with her mother that she could pursue.
"I was thinking tonight," Mildred said, "After light's out, in the potions' lab." She twirled the end of her braid in her fingers, anticipating the reaction of her friends.
Maud was uncertain. "Isn't that risky?" The thought of a confrontation with kindly Miss Cackle terrified her, let alone the prospect of a sleep-deprived Hecate Hardbroom.
Enid shook her head, "Apart from ripping everyone's heads off, HB's been kind of distracted lately. We should be fine." Enid took great care not to look a Cordelia as she spoke.
"That settles it then," Cordy said, "We'll improve our potions and have fun for once. Maybe some of the other girls would like to join?" If she could coach the others in potions maybe she could find a way forward with her mum. Or even with forgiving herself.
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All of the second years, bar Ethel and Felicity, were stuffed into the potions lab clad in pyjamas, dressing gowns and slippers. The room, usually meticulously clean was strewn with ingredients, broken flasks and spillages. Miss Hardbroom had luckily tidied away her area at the front of the classroom, so the girls used her desk as the 'game' desk. The girls not playing in the round sat on stools and the bottom step of the lab, in a half-moon to best witness proceedings. The adjudicators had been taking it in turns to stand on HB's chair, which had been placed to one side, to countdown time.
"Duh-da duh-da duh-da-da-da doooon," Cordelia chanted, a tune from a game show Mildred had spoke of, and pushed a button on the stopwatch, "Time's up!" Maud and Harriet put down their stirrers.
"Maud, you take a sip first," Mildred called. Maud lifted the spoon tentatively to her lips. She hadn't been so sure of the instructions the others had given her. As the metal touched her lips the potions lab door flew open making the occupants jump. Cordelia stumbled off the chair and Maud spilled her potion all down her front. Instantly her skin had flashed various luminous colours causing a small chuckle from those not overly perturbed by the intruder. The intruder being Miss Drill.
"I was looking for Enid and Ethel told me she might be here," She began. Somebody in the crowd muttered "obviously" at the last part of the statement. "What on earth is going on?" She did her best angry face, but she was no HB. Thankfully.
Mildred looked around before stepping forward, "It was my fault. I designed a game to get better at potions."
Cordelia walked to Millie's side and took her hand, "And I egged her on."
Miss Drill's angry face subsided a little, "Couldn't you have mentioned it to Miss Hardbroom? Maybe you could have played in daytime?" In reply she received half a dozen raised eyebrows. She bemusedly decided not to continue with that suggestion. "Right! Out and to bed. Miss Hardbroom will decide what to do with you all in the morning. Especially you four." Enid and Maud groaned.
Miss Drill made sure all the girls left and went to their rooms. When she was satisfied that the halls were properly quiet, she reluctantly went to bed herself. She was not excited for the conversation she would have to have first thing.
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When they had heard Miss Drill leave, Enid, Maud and Cordelia slid into Mildred's tower room. Mildred was sitting cross-legged on her bed waiting for them.
As the door shut Enid said, "That went well." The three girls went further into the room. Enid and Maud sat on Millie's bed and Cordelia perched on the windowsill.
"We're going to be in big trouble tomorrow," Maud all but groaned. Mildred grimaced and Enid nodded.
Tabby, who had previously been wandering, jumped onto Cordelia's lap and received absent-minded strokes of his fur. The cat rubbed his chin along the girl's leg in an attempt to remove the scent of Circe, Cordelia's own cat. "I wish that had gone better. If Miss Drill hadn't come in, we could've cleared up and no one would've known. Now it looks like we were just messing around. When Miss Hardbroom finds out…I really wanted her to be proud not mad," Cordelia thought out loud. She'd known in her gut that the idea probably wasn't the greatest, but her capacity to think up great ideas was somewhat hindered by the presence of her forcibly estranged mother.
Maud looked intrigued, if a little puzzled, "I know you're related but is it really that important? Can't you…"
Enid completely interrupted her friend as a question popped into her head, "how are you related? Felicity's been telling everyone she's your aunt, but I would rather hear that from you."
Cordelia shook her head, "Mother." Enid's eyes could have fallen out of her head there and then. Maud also appeared to have frozen. Mildred chuckled at their reactions.
"You knew?" Enid directed at Mildred, hearing her laugh, to which she got an amused nod. "Whoa! I didn't think HB had it in her. She's not exactly the motherly type." They all laughed. Cordelia didn't not care if her mother didn't like affection, so long as she knew her the world would be a million times better. She just wanted to be enough. Worthy.
"You're a great friend though," Enid quickly added to alleviate any offence.
Cordelia's shoulders unclenched after days of tension. For the first time, in a while, she remembered what it was like to have proper friends. She didn't think about The friend but those before. She realised she was no longer on the outside, like back in her old school. She realised she was inside. Not without friends and family. No longer alone.
No longer could she feel the tingling in her fingertips either.
But that hadn't gone, it liked to linger in the air. Waiting to bring the loneliness back again.
