It is finally the Easter holidays, which means I get to stay up late and write hurrrahhh! Hope you enjoy this update. Please Review :)

Chapter Eight

Mildred sat on the edge of her bed nervously, still trying to gauge HB's reaction. If her teacher was angry no doubt the consequences would be dire. Images of her past punishments swam before her mind's eye; none of them seemed harsh enough for invading her teacher's privacy in this way. Constance Hardbroom had her dark lips pursed together and her arms were crossed in such a severe way that Mildred's depleted fear of her form mistress came hurtling back.

"I-I-I didn't mean to snoop. I know you probably w-w-won't b-believe me b-but I couldn't sleep and I thought it was M-MMaud's. It must have gotten mixed with my things when I bumped into you earlier this afternoon. I-I-I'm s-sorry Miss. I wish I hadn't seen what I saw. P-p-please don't be mad" Mildred pleaded, desperately trying to explain her actions.

Constance stared at the girl, she knew instinctively that she was being genuine. Despite being annoyingly clumsy, mischievous and downright frustrating as a pupil, Mildred was far too kind-hearted and fearful to take her form-mistress's personal diary maliciously.

"I'm not angry Mildred," Miss Hardbroom said simply, to Mildred's relief her voice did not carry the briskness it usually did. "Well not at you at least." As Mildred looked at her, a tear made a path down her face. She did not understand why she was not currently being led by her ear to see the Headmistress with threats of expulsion.

Constance sighed deeply at Mildred's astonished expression; did her pupil really think she was that heartless? She explained herself further, "I'm angry at what you saw Mildred, I put those memories in that diary as a way of dealing with some less-than-pleasant experiences. They were never intended for anyone else to see."

"MMM-Mistress Br-Broomhead, Sh-she…" Mildred gasped between hysterical sobs. Her mind was racing, still trying to digest the events of the diary.

Constance stared at her upset pupil, she wanted desperately to comfort her - she just lacked skills and practice in that department. She thought what the other teachers in the school might do. Imogen would have enveloped her into a massive hug by now, letting Mildred sniffle down her tracksuit top, whispering in her ear that everything would be okay. Davina would probably do something wacky like singing a song in an attempt to make the girl laugh and Amelia would have forced fed Mildred a slice of cheesecake and a cup of tea by now.

"Mildred, I am aware that you and I need to talk, despite the lateness of the hour," Constance declared, she knew she could not just send Mildred back to bed after what had just happened.. "I suggest that we head down to the kitchen. You are sure to wake the other girls if we remain in here." Mildred slowly nodded her consent and felt the familiar dizziness as HB transported them both the dark castle kitchen. A soft, yellow blanket was wrapped around Mildred's shoulders as they reappeared, Mildred was grateful for the comfort and warmth it brought, it was oddly thoughtful of Miss Hardbroom.

Constance magically summoned a mug of steaming tea, adopting Amelia's method, but combining it with her own by adding a couple of drops of a high-strength calming draught. "Drink," she ordered the still sniffling teenager, not unkindly but with her usual natural authority.

Mildred hastened to obey, taking the comforting brown liquid to her lips. She watched her form-mistress for a moment, who had taken the chair opposite her and was sitting with the straight-backed elegance that most people would have coveted. Again, Mildred felt a wave of pity directed at her teacher - she had obviously not slouched comfortably in a very long time.

"How are you feeling?"

Mildred thought about this, the calming draught had definitely had an effect - she no longer felt hysterical, just numb. "Relieved, I thought I was trapped in there for good," Mildred admitted biting her lip, Constance was pleased to hear the strength had returned to her voice. "How did you know I was gone?" She questioned.

"Teacher instincts," Constance said dryly. She stared at Mildred for the moment. "Mildred I want to make you a deal. I need you to keep what you saw in the diary a secret-"

"You think I'm going to blab to the whole school about this!" Mildred cut her off angrily. "You always think the worst don't you? Even though I never give you any reason to doubt me. What do I have to do in order to gain your trust? Save the school?...Save your life?!" Mildred referred to the events of last summer's school trip.

"Enough!" Miss Hardbroom snapped. "Do not speak to me in such a manner," Mildred scowled but wisely kept quiet. Miss Hardbroom continued, "if you will let me finish… I do not doubt that you will not 'blab' as you so eloquently put it, however, if you are willing to swear to that. I shall offer you the opportunity… the opportunity to ask me any of the questions that are no doubt eating away at you. Do you accept my offer?"

Mildred stared at Miss Hardbroom for a moment, scarcely believing she was serious. Her form-mistress was right, questions were eating away at her. "I - I accept."

"Then ask away," Constance nodded her consent.

"I don't understand, why isn't she- Heckitty- isn't locked up. I saw what she did to you. What she put you through, didn't you tell anybody?"

Constance sighed at her pupil's outraged expression, she was regretting allowing this conversation already. "Heckitty ensured that I had no communication with anybody outside the school, she is clever enough to manipulate people into thinking she is an upstanding member of society. She told people of how she had adopted me as her own daughter, nobody had any reason to doubt her. I was quite alone."

"Why don't you take her on? You're powerful enough, you're the most powerful witch I know Miss Hardbroom. You could make her pay."

"And what exactly would that achieve Mildred? Mistress Broomhead has friends in high places, she has thus far left me largely in peace. I don't want her to ruin the life I have made for myself. And I…I can't allow her to hurt you girls," Constance let out a tiny shiver at that notion which Mildred noticed. She realised then how caring Miss Hardbroom was in her own odd way. No she didn't show her affection, she acted indifferent to the girls in order to make them strive for the little praise she offered, but this did not mean that her affection towards them didn't exist.

"There were some moments, where… where you looked straight at me. Like you knew I was watching," Mildred announced with a whisper.

"I couldn't see you Mildred, if that is what you are getting at. You did not even exist at the time those memories happened. Call it a sixth sense or not, but sometimes there are moments in life where it feels like somebody is watching you... Perhaps they are," Constance mused.

"I feel like that all the time, having you as my form-mistress," Mildred murmured.

Constance smirked, her girls really did see her as omniscient.

"I never got to see the ending, see you leave Witch Training College," Mildred acknowledged with a touch of frustration.

"It was the best day of my life. I was eighteen, legally an adult. I got into Weirdsister and trained as a teacher. When I qualified, I got a job here, I haven't looked back."

"A happy ending," Mildred smiled softly, she had refused to read anything other than fairytales as a child - fearful of unhappy outcomes.

"Of sorts," Constance confirmed, her eyes turned vacant for a moment as if thinking deeply. "Mildred, I know that our relationship has been a tempestuous one. I am aware that you believe me to be harsh…that I sometimes treat you unfairly… a 'bitch'…"

"So you can hear through walls," Mildred blushed.

"…but I hope that you do not believe that I am unduly cruel," Constance raised her eyebrows. "I wouldn't want you to ever think that of me."

Mildred had only ever seen Miss Hardbroom look so vulnerable one time before - the time that Amanda Honeydew tried to buy the school. She had inquired then as to whether Mildred hated her, and had seemed convinced that she must. Mildred had tried to convince her otherwise, but it was obvious that HB still held that opinion within her. "No Miss Hardbroom. I was just angry, I didn't mean anything by it. You are no Heckitty Broomhead. I know that you care for me, for all of us. You would do anything to protect us from harm. We might say we hate you at times, but truly we don't. I have so much respect for you Miss, even more so now" Mildred explained.

Constance swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat; Mildred Hubble would never know just how much those words meant to her. Suppressing the tears that threatened to be released, she looked at her pocket watch; the hour was late, very late.

"You must return to bed Mildred, I shall give you a potion to help you drift off if you like?"

"Yes please Miss," Mildred accepted, glad that the conversation had turned back to formal, she knew she could never get to sleep on her own after the night's strange events.

Constance transported her pupil back to her bedroom. Mildred hastened to get back under her covers, now that her warm blanket had disappeared. Constance felt in her cloak pocket and handed Mildred a vial of sleeping potion she always carried when on bedtime duty.

"I had better take this back," she declared, noticing the tartan-clad diary still lying on Mildred's bed-stand.

"Please do," came a dark mutter from under the blanket."Good night, Miss Hardbroom."

"Good night," Miss Hardbroom replied, as she vanished into thin air, "and remember your promise," she added unnecessarily, she knew Mildred would not betray her.

xxx

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