"Ms. Hubble…I…."
"Now look here" Ms. Hubble puffed. "I know you've got this….strict, stern, disciplinarian reputation…persona…problem whatever you call it. But has it ever occurred to you that maybe what would help Millie the most- is if you engaged with her?" Miss Hardbroom stiffened.
"My methods may be harsh but they are accurate and produce results" Miss Hardbroom said defensively.
"Yes well maybe that works for some students" Ms. Hubble conceded. "I'm not saying that scary, stick up your butt routine doesn't work for some students. But it's clearly not working for Millie. Now it's not favoritism, and I'm not saying you need to dance around with ribbons in your hair and pocketsful of candy but your reputations not in danger, because it's just us here and no one will know if you bend just a bit and engage with her on a personal level. Millie's new to all of this witching stuff and she looks up to you and I will not let you crush her because you're too set in your ways to change" she finished. Miss Hardbroom blanched, but said nothing. A silence went by at Miss Hardbroom finally looked at Ms. Hubble with respect.
"I could have done without some of the graphic language, but I take your point. It's clear Mildred could use a different approach. Though I cannot promise you that I will be successful, only that I shall endeavor to….try."
"Good, well that's all I ask" Ms. Hubble said, surprised. "thank you" Miss Hardbroom nodded, re-entering the room. Mildred was doodling at the table, looking up when they came in.
"So Mum? Cookies?"
"Actually why don't you and Miss Hardbroom go ahead and get started…I've got some wrapping to do, and I'll join you in a bit" her mum said elbowing Miss Hardbroom. Millie's face lit up. Miss Hardbroom cleared her thoat, and shuffled a bit.
"I decided that my marking can wait, besides, I don't think Mildred Hubble should be in the kitchen without supervision" Miss Hardbroom said slowly, with a hint of a smile. Mildred smiled back, racing over to get out the Hubble family recipe book.
"So….Hubble sugar cookies…coming up" Mildred chirped, flipping through the book. "Okay, so it says we beat the flour…so.."
"Do you recall nothing, Mildred, of what I have taught you in potions?" HB said dangerously, moving to loom over the book. "Read the recipe in its entirety first, so you are better prepared" Miss Hardbroom reminded her.
"Ohhh, right" Mildred said sheepishly. Miss Hardbroom waited until Mildred was finished.
"Okay so we cream together the butter and the sugar in a large bowl, and whisk gently" Mildred said quickly. "That's our first step" "
"For how long?" Miss Hardbroom questioned.
"I'm not sure. It doesn't say" Mildred said. "But mum and I usually do about five minutes to make sure everything is really mixed"
"Both potions and cooking require specifics" HB admonished. Mildred nodded, and got out the ingredients and began.
"Do you want to put the eggs in Miss Hardbroom?" Mildred offered. "I always like that part"
"Only so we can avoid any hubble messes" she said pointedly. She yanked up her sleeves forcefully, and moved to the eggs.
"Oh speaking of that…I almost forgot the aprons…" Mildred said, smacking herself on the forehead, racing over to a drawer and pulling out two aprons, one a gingerbread man from the neck down and the other father Christmas's suit. "Um…they're the only ones we have? And this is going to be messy if I'm involved so…" Mildred said apologetically. Miss Hardbrom had gone stiff, eyeing the aprons as if they were something rather horrifying she had discovered on the underside of her shoe. Eventually, her arm moving slowly, as if she were forcing it, she took it with a grimace, her fingers holding it as far away from her body as possible. After a beat, she reluctantly put it on and soon they were both absorbed and focused in the task of baking. With Miss Hardbroom dictating, Millie found it a lot easier to concentrate, and followed the steps carefully.
Once the dough was prepared, it was time for Mildred's favorite part- cutting the cookies into shapes with the various old cookie cutters that Mildred and her family had collected over the years.
"Mum says it's best to get flour all over your hands and then knead the dough" Mildred suggested, dunking her hands in the flour.
"Mildred Hubble!" Miss Hardbroom said shocked.
"Sometimes you need to get messy Miss Hardbroom" Millie said, grabbing her teacher's hands and rubbing them with flour. HB stood there, eyes wide flour covered hands extended out away from herself.
"I would not try that again if I were you" Miss Hardbroom hissed. Mildred backed up quickly, a bit cowed, but grabbed a handful of flour threateningly, her grin returning.
"Don't you dare, Mildred Hubble" Miss Hardbroom said quietly. And suddenly, HB's hair was white... Mildred was about to stammer an apology, gaping at her teacher, but Miss Hardbroom just closed her eyes in exasperation. And upon opening them, she did the most unexpected, most un-Miss Hardbroom thing Millie had ever seen. She waved her hand and a handful of flour hit Mildred square in the face. She sputtered for a full minute, then started giggling in surprise. Miss Hardbroom quirked a smile.
"That is what you get, Mildred Hubble for starting a fight you could not hope to win" Miss Hardbroom said keenly. "If I am to look ridiculous than so will you" she said matter of factly. "Now what is next?"
Mildred and Miss Hardbroom eventually got all their cookies in the oven, despite both of them being rather picky about what shapes they were going to make, like Miss Hardbroom's derision towards most of the shapes (it's a cookie, so shouldn't it appear as such?) and Mildred's insistence that they make at least one of everything. Once the cookies were in the oven, her mum popped in.
"Well, I see Miss Hardbroom's aged a bit since I last saw her" her mum giggled. "And Millie, my luv you're looking very pale…did we have some kitchen accidents, chefs?" Miss Hardbroom, who had forgotten her hair, blushed slightly.
"You could say that" Millie said, looking slyly at Miss Hardbroom. "But it was worth it, I think the cookies are some of our best"
"Well, then I'll have to help decorate them shan't I?" her mum exclaimed, peering into the oven. "Ohhhh they look nice, good work you two" her mum complimented.
While the cookies were baking, Mildred and Miss Hardbroom reviewed potion ingredients while her mum did some paperwork. When the timer binged, Millie shot up, running to the oven with a child-like glee.
"Mildred…we are not finished. You have one more ingredient, the wolfsbane plant-" Miss Hardbroom warned menacingly. "Sit" Rolling her eyes Mildred shlumped back to the table as her mum took out the cookies. Millie hurriedly finished, then slid her paper over to Miss Hardbroom.
"I can see...a fair improvement…but you continually confuse the tarrow root with the much more deadly mandrake…you will complete a compare and contrast essay on the two tomorrow to prevent accidental poisonings" Miss Hardbroom lectured. Millie scribbled furiously into a little book. "Are you listening Mildred Hubble?"
"Oh. Yes Miss Hardbroom. I'm just writing it down in my planner- I'm trying to be more organized" Miss Hardbroom nodded, looking pleased.
"That will serve you well" she remarked, just as Mildred's mom came over with the cookies.
"All right you two, decorating time. I've got all sorts of sprinkles and three different colors of frosting, so go to town Millie" her mum murmured. Millie's eyes sparkled, and once again she got the puppy eyes as she reached for her book.
"Art is not my area of expertise Mildred" Miss Hardbroom said, without looking up from the first few pages of her book.
"And potions isn't mine, but I try anyway" Mildred shot back. Miss Hardbroom glared at her. "Please just one cookie?" she begged. Miss Hardbroom sighed, and after a pause said "Perhaps in a bit"
So Mildred created Santa Clauses with bushy white beards and reindeer with colorful sprinkled antlers – and her mum came in and ooh and aahhed over the various pieces until eventually all the cookies were done but one….