Okay for this chapter I'm thinking on a title and I'll let you know if I come up with one. Here's the chapter!
The young, blonde witch wanders around the castle grounds without a sense of direction or end goal. Hecate watches her small figure down below as she watches the stars above. It's a beautiful night, the sky is clear, and the moon is very bright. So bright that it almost looks as if it were fake. Minerva purrs in her lap. "I'm not going to talk to her, Min." Hecate strokes the back of her familiar. "I just... can't do that." She looks over to her teacher's room. It's dark and no light emerges from the tiny window.
"I wonder if anyone knows about her." But then again she would never ask her that. It's one thing to be her assistant, talking sometimes about different things, but never about personal topics. Once the potion professor had asked her about her parents. She had nodded and never asked again after Hecate told her that her home was something she'd rather not think about.
She looks back to where Pippa had stood just a minute before, the place now empty. Her eyes roam over the garden lit up by the moon. Eventually she finds her, long hair loose and hanging down her back. She is close enough so that Hecate can see the moon reflecting in the light strands, and then she looks at her. Pippa's head directly facing towards Hecate's and there is no way she would miss her, on the roof. "Oh no.", Hecate rushes towards her things, that she had spread out on the tiles, fleeing back inside. When she finally is back in bed she can't close her eyes. Pippa will definitely tell Felicity and then everyone will know and she'd have to give up her task and would not be able to do work for the one class she actually likes. Her mind is filled with anger and worry.
The next morning she sits in the potion lab, weighing a few ingredients. Her teacher rushes in and angrily slams a stack of books on the table. Hecate flinches, not prepared for the noise. "I'm sorry," the elder witch sighs. "I've had a rather rough night." Sitting down she starts to sort the books, not looking at Hecate, who is looking at her in disbelief.
She really just said that didn't she? Hecate shakes her head and believes she must have misheard. "Did you talk to her, last night?" Again Hecate is not prepared for that question, only shaking her head, looking down. "Well, maybe you're going to talk to her today, we are going outside for collecting ingredients." Her voice is stern but her eyes soften slightly, as she watches Hecate blushing.
"How did you know it was her?" Hecate asks, still blushing. "Why am I blushing, this is nothing to be embarrassed about. It is literally nothing," she thinks to herself, hacking at the greens. She never gets an answer, because students start to file into the classroom. Her teacher straightens up, brushing over her long black gown and hair, avoiding Hecate's eyes.
Pippa slips in last, a few minutes after Felicity and the rest. "Where have you been?" They hiss at her, waiting for her to sit down at her usual chair. But Pippa only smiles weakly and takes the seat next to Hecate, turning her back to her friends.
"Today we will go outside." the lesson begins with a few security questions and a list of ingredients they will have to pick. "Whoever is fastest will win a bottle of this." She pulls out a small glass bottle of pink juice.
"What is that.", felicity asks bluntly.
"It's a hair potion. Fixing you split ends.", Hecate answers quietly.
"Well then you will want to get that, Hecate Badhair," the brunette shoots at her.
"Silence! See that you collect all of your plants and that you are back in two hours." They are dismissed after that and the girls' all scramble outside with their baskets and lists in hand.
"Pippa! Will you come with us? You don't have to walk with that." Felicity smiles sweetly at her friend, grabbing her hand.
"No, I'm sorry, Felicity, I'll go with my partner." Pippa links her arm with Hecate's, pulling them away from the others and going in the opposite direction. Hecate pulls her arm away after a few seconds the touch creating an unfamiliar sensation, a slight tingle, which irritates her deeply. "What are we looking for again? Let's win that hair potion. I need it." Pippa touches her blonde hair lightly.
"No you don't, your hair is pretty." Hecate speaks without thinking about it first. She blushes looking away, but smiles a real genuine smile at Pippa and thanks her.
After walking in silence for a few minutes Pippa drags out the list. "We need an Angelica arch angelica. Do you know what that is?"
Hecate pulls out her book on magical plants. "It's supposed to be a plant growing in a shadowy corner. I think I've seen one over there." They hunt for all the plants and find most of them as quick as possible.
"Oh look!" Pippa bends down, grabbing a leave. "It's a tiny ladybug!", she smiles down at the creature. It opens its wings and buzzes away. Hecate stares at the blonde witch. "What's next on the list?"
"Calendula officinalis, what is that again? I feel like I've heard that term before."
Hecate smiles. "Marigold. I know where that is." They find the last flower, a golden glow formed around the petals.
"It's beautiful!" Pippa exclaims. "We can't pick that."
But Hecate has already cut the stem, putting the last item in their basket. "Done." She smiles at Pippa, but a sad look has formed on the young witches face.
"Why did you cut it?", Pippa sadly looks to where the flower stood. "It was so beautiful."
But right as she speaks the stem starts to grow and a new flower forms, the golden petals even brighter then before. "See. Some things can grow back." Hecate smiles at Pippa and they walk back.
"I'm sorry how they treat you, Hecate." Pippa suddenly says.
"It's okay. I'm used to it." Hecate brushes it off lightly, not wanting to seem weak.
"No it's not okay. I..." the blonde turns to her; suddenly she throws her arms around Hecate, embracing the dark haired witch. Hecate turns into a statue freezing in place, but after a while she relaxes slightly into the hug, her arms dropping to her side.
"They are not so bad, if you know them." Pippa quietly tells her after she'd let go. "And we've been friends now for so long. I can't remember a time without them." Its an excuse for their behavior and Hecate knows that. Finally they reach the potion lab. Opening the door they enter.
"Congratulations, you are the first pair. Let me see if you got everything." Pippa squeals, jumping up and down in joy. "We won, Hecate!" Laughter echoes from the walls.
Hecate smiles mildly and looks at her teacher, nodding slightly she thanks her quietly. "Yeah. We won."
They take the bottle and start to leave when Felicity enters. "Pippa. What are you doing here?" she slams the basket on the table. "We are the first ones right? Hand me over that potion." Her hand stretches out.
"Actually", the potion teacher looks at the student in disgust, "Miss Pentangle And Miss Hardbroom won the potion." She points at the winning pair.
"What...", Felicity looks at them in disbelief.
"It's okay. Hecate hands her the potion. "We don't need it. My hair is healthy and Pippa does not want it either."
When Pippa leaves with Felicity she looks back again, smiling. Hecate turns to her mentor, smiling also. And she doesn't hear the conversation in the hall between Pippa and Felicity.
"I'm sorry Felicity. I thought that if I used her we stood a better chance at winning the potion."
"I believe you Pippa." Felicity links her arm with the blonde. "You are a great friend."