A/N: Thank you to the stargate time traveler for helping me with this idea. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter Forty-Six
Esmerelda was stressed out. Everytime she thought she had finished her work, more was piled on her, the workload at Cackles seemed to be never ending. Not only did she have her school-work to worry about, but she also had her head of year duties to do, which included reporting on any problems she found in the school, and Esmerelda had no idea that she was going to have more pressure piled on her.
Esmerelda went to potions the next day like normal and saw Miss Cackle was there with Miss Hardbroom, that meant she had some sort of announcement to make and like the rest of her classmates the blonde was curious.
"Good morning girls, I have some exciting news" Ada said smiling at the girls who looked at her interested.
"On Wednesday our school is going to be taking part in a competition with Pentangles, a flying competition, one pupil from each school is going to compete, think of it as competition to show our school spirit" Ada said and a lot of the girls groaned, knowing life was always harder when Miss Pentangle was there to put them under strain.
"So Esmerelda Hallow, you will be representing Cackles" Ada said before clapping. The girls joined in even if they looked like they wanted nothing less than to clap, Esmerelda looked at her teacher surprised.
"Me?" Esmerelda asked, she had not even signed up for the competition so she didn't understand.
"Well yes, you are our best flier, who else would we choose?" Miss Hardbroom asked and Esmerelda opened her mouth to protest, she wasn't up for a competition right now but Miss Cackle kept speaking before she had the chance to say anything.
"Congratulations Esmerelda" the woman said and Esmerelda fell silent, she didn't know how to say she didn't want to do it, but she tried not to worry about it to much, it wouldn't affect her much right?
Wrong. After potions she had a free lesson and Miss Hardbroom said Miss Drill was expecting her outside to train for the competition, Esmie only nodded but was grateful it was Miss Drill as at least the woman would not train her to the bone, she left the classroom and made her way outside.
"Hello Esmerelda, are you looking forward to the competition?" the woman asked her. Esmie forced a smile and nodded, not wanting to seem ungrateful for not being happy about the competition.
"Well you are fantastic at flying so we don't need to train much, just a little to fix anything you are rusty at" Miss Drill told her as Esmerelda got her broomstick and started flying. Things could be worse, she told herself, Miss Hardbroom could be the one forcing her to train.
"Easy does it" Miss Drill said as Esmerelda flew, the woman gave her small corrections but was overall happy with her. After half an hour she callled her down.
"That is enough, I don't want you to overwork yourself, go have a break before your next lesson" the woman told her and Esmerelda smiled, genuinely this time, grateful the woman was letting her go. She went to the library to sit down, glad it was over with.
After lessons that day Esmerelda was just making her way to her bedroom when Miss Hardbroom appeared in front of her. The girl jumped, she wished HB would not always choose to appear out of nowhere in front of her pupils and staff.
"Where are you going?" the woman asked her pupil in her cold dreary voice, Esmerelda moved her eyes not understanding what the woman was asking, school was finished, so obviously she was going to relax.
"My bedroom Miss Hardbroom, the day is over" Esmerelda told her but the woman shook her head.
"No you have training to do for the competition" the woman replied and Esmerelda looked at her confused.
"Miss Drill said I was finished for the day" Esmerelda replied, not understanding what she meant.
"Well I say you are not, we have to win Pentangles so you have to be perfect, now get outside and practise" Miss Hardbroom told her. Esmerelda looked out the window and smiled as she had an excuse not to train when she saw the weather.
"But it is" Esmerelda started to say but she was cut off when she was transferred away and landed outside.
"Raining…." Esmerelda finished saying as she felt herself already start to get wet from the rain.
"It is only a bit of water, I will be overseeing your training from now on, now fly child!" the woman told her and Esmerelda sighed, casting a quick spell which would make most of the water dissolve of her but it would not get rid of it all. She took of flying. It was alright for HB she would be stood under the roof to prevent herself getting drenched Esmerelda thought to herself.
"Esmerelda you are crooked, straighten up" the woman shouted up to her, not as forgiving as Miss Drill. Esmerelda obeyed, wanting to get back inside as soon as possible.
The young girl did not know how long she flew for, but it felt like hours and she was getting soaked through to the skin, when it started to get dark, HB called her down finally and spoke.
"I want you here tomorrow at eight before lessons so we can train some more" the woman told her not caring if the girl was tired and not caring if she had had enough, she was going to train her whether she wanted to or not.
Esmerelda nodded and walked back into the castle, looking forward to getting out of the wet clothes she had on, with any luck she would get the flu and not be able to compete in this stupid competition, she thought to herself as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom and quickly dried off before getting into bed and falling asleep straight away, utterly exhausted.
The girl was so tired that she overslept and only woke up when HB appeared in her bedroom, looking furious.
"I said eight girl" the woman told her and Esmerelda tiredly looked at her clock seeing it was ten past.
"Miss I don't feel so good" the young girl replied, she was lying but hoped she would let her off.
"You will be fine once you are more awake, come on up, we have training to do" the woman told her before telling her she had five minutes to get dressed and go to the courtyard. Esmerelda reluctantly got up and got dressed, not wanting to anger the woman.
"Right, get flying, we only have a day until the competition" the woman told her and Esmerelda mounted her broomstick, taking off. Normally the fresh air helped her feel better and she loved flying but right now it was dragging, the woman was killing her love for flying by forcing her to do it.
"Esmerelda you are flying like a first year who has never being on a broomstick, what is wrong with you today?" Miss Hardbroom asked her. Esmerelda wished she was brave enough to give a sarcastic reply only she wasn't.
"Sorry Miss, I wasn't concentrating" Esmerelda replied and the woman glared at her but nodded, telling her to carry on. Esmerelda kept flying, wondering how long she would have to do this for.
"Just because her and Pentangle have a history and don't like each other, that is why she is doing this" Esmerelda thought to herself as she flew, knowing this was not about winning it was about getting one over and Pentangle, Esmerelda was essentially the pawn, but the problem was she didn't think she could cope with much more.