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Chapter Four
Assignments
After the talk she had with Ethel, Sybil did feel better knowing she had her support, but she was still nervous about Halloween, and on Friday she walked into their classroom feeling sick from fear, today was going to be the day they found out what exactly they would be doing for the performance, and Sybil had a bad feeling about it. Miss Drill was the one teaching them and waited for everyone to settle before she spoke.
"Right girls, Miss Cackle has decided that your year group will be doing a broomstick perfomance" Miss Drill told the girls. Some girls clapped they were so happy and Sybil swallowed, feeling even more sick, why out of everything did it have to be flying? Flying was her worse subject.
"There is going to be one girl who is a leader, she will lead the girls in the perfomance, to make it fair I have put all your names in a hat" Miss Drill said holding up her witches hat "I will pick the name out of the hat and we will see who the leader is" the woman said, shaking the papers inside before reaching in to grab one.
"I hope it is you Clarice, you are the best flier in our year" Beatrice told her, knowing Clarice would be perfect for the role. Clarice smiled awkwardly, she would like to be the leader but she didn't mind if someone else got the chance.
Dimity opened up the piece of paper and Sybil bit her lip and looked at her. There was thirty girls in her year, and she didn't mind which of them got the role as the leader, all she wanted was to fly in the background, so if she messed up it wouldn't be very noticeable.
"Sybil Hallow" Miss Drill said looking at the blonde girl with a smile.
No. Please no. Sybil didn't want to do this, she couldn't lead a group of witches in a flying performance when she could barely fly herself, but she had no chance to say anything as her friends were smiling and patting her on the back, happy for her.
"Well done Sybil" Clarice said to her, happy that one of her best friends got the part.
Sybil spend the rest of the lesson, not concentrating. Miss Drill was talking about the perfomance and what they would be exactly doing, but she couldn't concentrate, especially when the woman led them outside to start to practise. Sybil grabbed her broomstick and rushed over to the woman, knowing it was her last chance to say no.
"Miss Drill" Sybil said looking at her teacher, the woman smiled at her until she saw her expression.
"I don't want to be the leader, can you give it to someone else?" Sybil told her, scared enough about the display as it was without having to be the one to lead everyone.
"I know you are nervous Sybil, but we have weeks to practise you will be fine" Dimity told her, not wanting the girl to give up the part when it was an amazing opportunity.
"No I won't, please Miss I can't do it" Sybil said and the woman sighed, she knew Sybil had won it fair and square and it was nerves holding her back, but if she really didn't want to do it she couldn't force her too.
"Alright don't worry about it, we are just going to be practising flying in general today, but I will decide what to do later" Dimity told Sybil who sighed, knowing it was as good as she was going to get, she knew the woman was trying to help her but she didn't want to do it.
"Clarice will you take my place?" Sybil asked knowing Clarice was a much better flier than her
"No, you won it you should do it" Clarice said not wanting to take that from her friend.
"Bea?" Sybil now said, hoping one of them would step in.
"I would feel bad Sybil, I can't" Beatrice told her friend. Sybil sighed, wishing her friends would just take over. She took of flying, and realised how bad she still was, she kept going crooked, and she only moved out the way from the tree just in time so as not to crash. She could imagine the perfomance and knew everyone would be laughing at her, she shook, her nerves getting to her.
"Sybil, no further please" Miss Drill told her pupil. They had a certain area they could fly in and Sybil was drifting out of it, it was for their safety, because if they went to far the teacher couldn't see them, a bit like how young children can't go in the deep end in a pool unsupervised. Sybil moved so she was back in the correct area. This lesson had being a disaster.
"Why out of everything we could of done did our year have to get flying? And why did I have to get the star part?" Sybil complained as she walked down the corridors with her friends, feeling more stressed than ever, and by the look of it, it wasn't just her, she saw Mildred and Ethel arguing a short distance away.
"Seems it is not only you who isn't having a good day" Clarice said seeing the blonde and brunette shouting at each other. Sybil walked over, knowing she was taking a risk talking to Ethel when she was in such a bad mood, but she wanted to see if she would still help her, as she got nearer, she heard snippets of conversation.
"DON'T EVEN MENTION HER NAME MILDRED HUBBLE" Ethel exploded at the girl she was arguing with. The first years walked slowly up to them, wondering if this was a good idea. Mildred saw them and sighed before walking of with Maud and Enid.
"Hi….Ethel..." Sybil said, closing her eyes as she prepared for the shouting she was about to receive. Ethel turned and looked at her, and did indeed start shouting.
"HOW DARE SHE, SHE THINKS SHE HAS A RIGHT TO MENTION ESMERELDA'S NAME" Ethel shouted angrily. Beatrice and Clarice looked at Sybil and faked smiles.
"We will leave you to it Sybil" Clarice said, thinking them being there was only going to frustrate Ethel more, especially when this was a family thing. Sybil nodded and waited until they were gone before she looked at Ethel.
"What was she talking about Esmie for?" Sybil said, not exactly angry Mildred had said her sisters name, more just curious.
"SHE TOLD ME TO MAKE ESMERELDA PROUD AS SHE IS NOT HERE, IF SHE EVER SAYS THAT AGAIN!" Ethel shouted, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She clenched her fists, clearly wishing she could hurt Mildred.
Sybil shook her head, she knew Mildred had not meant it as a bad thing, but the girl should have realised it would be very sensitive for Ethel to talk about their sister and not to talk about it, although she had no siblings so maybe she just didn't understand.
"Calm down Ethie, I am sure she didn't mean anything by it, what are you doing for this Halloween performance anyway?" Sybil asked changing the subject, trying to calm Ethel down a bit so they could talk. Ethel was still fuming, but at least lowered her voice.
"Potions, animal transformation, I got chose to be the leader, which is great until you realise you are in change of Mildred Hubble of all people, she is going to mess up and make me look bad" Ethel said and Sybil sighed, she wished they had gotten potions.
"That is great Ethie, you will be amazing, you are lucky, we got flying so it is going to be a disaster, and I got chosen to be a leader too and I don't think Miss Drill is going to let me swap, will you still help me? You are the best flyer I know" Sybil said honestly, knowing Ethel was the best flyer in the school, properly better than the older kids.
Ethel smiled, clearly liking the compliment before she replied. "Alright meet me after dinner and we can start, now if you excuse me I have to go and decide what potion I should make for this display, Miss Hardbroom, wants us to choose" Ethel said with a shrug. Sybil smiled then, as a thought entered her head.
"Why don't you do the dragon transformation? You never got to show it properly at selection day, and it is a shame no-one got to see it, plus what is more impressive than a dragon?" Sybil commented, thinking it was a shame her spell had being messed up by Mildred. She knew she hadn't meant it but she knew it would of being amazing for everyone to see.
Ethel looked at Sybil and smiled, she had not even thought about that spell, she had bad memories with it so had not thought about using it, but maybe, just maybe, it would work. Maybe this time she would be able to show what the spell was supposed to be like two years ago.
"Sybil you are a genius!" Ethel replied kissing her cheek and beaming, before she ran off and Sybil stood there, glad she had made one of their performances work. Sybil was glad Ethel was going to help her, she knew she would need all the help she could get.