Omg Chapter 50! I never thought we'd get this far tbh.. I've never written this much! I have no idea how many chapters we are looking at.. I imagine we're looking at about 70/75 Chapters for this Fic before the next Summer Fic. But I may end up going over at this rate..

ENJOY!

Chapter 50: Hecate's Birthday Afternoon

Hecate took hold of Pippa's hand as they walked back to Cackles, The ring on her ringer glistening in the lunchtime light. It was unnerving to think about the future for Hecate, she had always been a worryer when something changed. It was as if her body simply couldn't cope with the unknown. It make her feel weak and uneasy.. Quite unbecoming of a Witch.

"Hecate?" Pippa's voice drew her out of her thoughts. "I've been thinking.."

"Congratulations?" Hecate joked with a smirk, it was one of those rare moments where her joyous side can shine in sarcasm..

"Thank you, Darling, but I think you'll find I've been doing it for years.." Pippa retaliated. "I don't think we're ever going to get Pentangles back.." Her mood shifted, becoming ever so slightly sorrowful. "For one, if Agatha has the founding stone.. We'll need to get another one, and the chances of that are slim.." The council wouldn't trust Pentangles now, not with a Founding stone. It wasn't there fault at all, it was unfortunate. "Even on the off chance they did, it'd take a good year, maybe two to build back up Pentangles.. By then it'll be three years of no -pentangles- students.."

Hecate nodded slightly. "They'll be Cackles.. From next year on.." All students coming sign up to Cackles, not to Pentangles, even if that's where they would have signed up to. "So, You'll be staying at Cackles?" That was the real question.. Hecate hadn't thought about what would happen if Pentangles ever came back.. Pippa would have to go back, she supposed.. Though, she didn't like the sound of that.

Pippa nodded. "I think so.. I loved Pentangles, but.. I also happen to love it here too. I don't think there's any hope of getting pentangles back, So i think we need to make this our home.."

"Have you spoken to Ada yet?" That was the true question, she'd allowed the female students, and some of the staff, to come to Cackles indefinitely. But, she'd like to know of any and all changes.

"Not yet.." Pippa shrugged. "The staff quarters are overflowing, even with Miss Bat and Mr Rowan-Webb moving out soon.. That leaves only two spare rooms.. The Students are stuffed in as it is.. I don't want to come to her with just more problems.."

"You're looking for a solution to the issue?" Hecate raised an eyebrow, having a feeling she knew where this was going.

"Indeed. I envy Miss Tapioca and her little cottage.." She chuckled. She'd snatched it up a while back after the old caretaker died of old age.. Miss Tapioca didnt work the same hours as the other teachers, she didn't need to do rounds at night. After Dinner, she cleaned up, went home.

"Good Luck kicking her out." Hecate drawled out, Miss Tapioca would start a war over that cottage.

"I thought.. If I brought it up.. You could use your very beautiful brain to think about it?" So, that's what Pippa wanted. It went exactly where Hecate thought it would go…

Hecate looked up at the castle as they walked to it, their hands gently releasing when they got closer. "I'll think about it."

"Thank you, Darling.." Pippa would've kissed her if they were still more secluded, Hecate could see it on her face. Maybe one day.. She'd be a braver woman and actually let her.

They parted ways after that, Hecate off to her final lesson. The First years were also well behaved, though there were more mishaps with them, they were trying their best, and learning some valuable lessons during it..

After that, she checked in on the Cauldron club before heading back to her apartment. As far as her Birthday had gone, it was rather nice.. Far less Lonely, Far calmer than she expected, and far more enjoyable with the added help of Pippa.. She opened the door to her apartment, taking a step in and closing the door before hearing the harmonic tone of "Happy Birthday to you.. Happy birthday to you.." She looked up to find Pippa and Mildred, Holding up a small Victoria Sponge with a few candles lit on top.. "Happy Birthday dear Hecate.. Happy birthday to you!" Hecate didn't know how to feel.. There was a sense of shock to her, an amazement and love.. She'd never had a birthday cake before.. This was new territory.. New feelings! Hecate didn't like feelings most of the time as it is, let alone when they were new.

"Blow out the candle's love, and make a wish." Pippa instructed her. Hecate slowly moved forward, doing as told, she blew on the Candles.. She didn't have a wish in mind, not really.. She liked how things were.. She loved her family, her job most of the time.. Despite this, she wished that no harm would come to her family. That is what she wanted more than anything else.

"You didn't have to, You know.." Hecate informed them, it was nice, but they didn't have to.

"I.. May have told a small white lie.." Mildred confessed, passing the cake over to Pippa as she took it away. "I told you last week.. That I was going to see my friends.. But, I went to see Miss Cackle instead.." Hecate raised an eyebrow. There were worse lies she could have told, that's for sure.. Mildred pointed to the table, across it were several cards, a bouquet of flowers and a small box with a bow on it.

Hecate was left speechless, overwhelmed, she was touched by the gesture.. Yet again feeling that weight. Was this a normal thing for people on their birthday? She slowly walked round the small table coming to rest on the couch while she picked up a card at random. It was a typical Birthday card. Flowers decorated the front with the words 'On your birthday…' Written across it. She opened it up to see 'Happy Birthday from the First year's..' She read through the comments, loads of thank yous, have a good day and happy birthdays. Each one signed by the students.. There were loads of them, it must have been signed by every student in their year.. She looked through the others, The second and Fifth year were all the same.

When she picked up and began reading the Third years, Hecate Felt Mildred and Pippa come and sit beside her.

'Thank you for all you do, Miss Hardbroom - Sybil'

'Happy Birthday HB - Mable'

'Have a great day! - Beatrice'

'I look forward to our next lesson - Clarice'

She smiled softly at the responses before moving onto the last one, by process of elimination, It could only be Mildreds year.

'Thanks for keeping us alive - Enid'

'Have a good day, Miss Hardbroom - Ethel'

'We couldn't ask for a better teacher - Maud'

'Have a great Birthday - Felicity'

'Thank you for everything - Love Mildred'

Next to Mildred's was a small picture of Hecate.. It was sweet, so very sweet. Hecate had never felt her work was under-appreciated per say.. But she did do a lot for the school, and not everything got recognition. That's not why she did it, ofcourse, but it was nice to see that the students could feel this way. She felt tears prickle at her eyes, willing herself to stay calm and focused. She placed the card down, not bringing herself to look at any other witch..

"Before you open the gift, you may want this.." Mildred slid an envelope over to her. "It may not be great news.." Hecate raised her eyebrow once more, picking up the envelope and opening it, her eyes widening as she read it.

'Dear Hecate Hardbroom,

Perhaps I have been too hard on you. I was surprised to find the sensible woman you had become, it was something I had not expected. I remember that first school day, watching you from Mrs Cackles office as you did a looped-loop straight into a tree. I never imagined that one day you would be Deputy head and Potions Mistress. Nor did I imagine you'd find yourself with a wayward witch of your own. I wish you the best of luck, Joy.

Sincerely, Hecketty Broomhead.'

Hecate had never seen her be so.. Polite. There was no harshness in there, not to the Current Miss Hardbroom, there was some doubt to the Previous Joy, but it was understandable.. She swallowed hard, she wasn't sure if it was from the previous cards, or that latter.

Attached to said letter, was the report she gave the Magic council. 'Miss Cackle's school is far from perfect, but it does the job of teaching the next generation of witches. I've given them a Satisfactory for now. Improvement goals: More space for students, Disciplinary actions in place and safety measurements upheld'

It wasn't a terrible report by any means. They did need more space, the students were cramped together in their rooms. She'd argue Discipline was not an issue on their side of things, and Things would become a lot safer once Julie Hubble was dealt with.

"We've received a satisfactory.." Hecate told them plainly with an ever growing smile, with that further of her consciousness.. It was like a floodgate to let the positive emotions affect her for once. A Light came over her in every blissful second she spent in this moment.

"That's brilliant, Darling!" Pippa engulfed her in a hug, squeezing her tightly. "Im so glad our suffering paid off, Hey, Mildred?" Pippa chuckled.

"Oh sure.. I just love getting drenched in paint for the council's approval.." Her Voice was dripping in sarcasm and banter, but there was something about the last part of the sentence that sounded so very Hecate to her.

Hecate placed a hand on Mildreds Shoulder. "Let's hope Ethel Hallow learned a lesson.." Let's hope indeed. She'd been plain foolish, something Hecate just could not stand. Let alone how it made poor Mildred feel..

"Don't Mess with the Hardbrooms.." Was Mildred's Response. It was a pretty good lesson, but something about Mildred referring to them as a unit made Hecate's heart damn near skip a beat, this child was far too pure for her, yet she relished every second now. Mildred grinned that toothy grin, holding up that small box. "One last gift.. Well.."

"Well..?" What else was there?

"There's still dinner.. It's a surprise tho!" Mildred nodded egaly, holding up the box once more. Hecate took it in hand, slowly opening it. Inside was a beautiful black pocket watch with silver detailing. Hecate ran her fingers over it, tracing all the beautiful details lining it..

"It's beautiful…" Hecate found herself Whispering.. She couldn't bring herself to speak any louder, the moment too precious to break.

"I Know you gave your watch to me.. But I felt kind of bad, cause you sometimes look kinda lost without it.." Mildred spoke with a small shug. "It may not be your mothers.. But i hope it'll do the tri-" Without allowing Mildred to continue, Hecate had drawn her in for a hug, a real hug, there were no pressing matters, no fights happening, Hecate simply wanted Mildred to know what her thoughtfulness means to her.

Mildred Happily wrapped her arms around Hecate, holding on tight. "Thank you, Mildred." She places the smallest of Kisses on the girl's head.. It was usual for her, but it just felt like the right indication in that moment.

Mildred chuckled as they parted. "No.. Thank you, Hecate." It was spoken with nothing but piercing honesty.

Hecate was never great at being thanked, it was always an awkward affair, But for once she'd reply like a normal human being, instead of dodging the affection. "You're most welcome.."

That Evening, the three of them walked to Dinner together, Her New watch proudly attached to her belt. She had multiple students tell her Happy birthday over Dinner, along with the teachers. Miss Tapioca brought them a beautiful roast dinner with Chicken, Vegetables, Potato and runny gravy, not a lump in sight. Afterwards, every student and teacher got a small piece of Chocolate cake to commemorate the occasion..

Hecate had never had such a good birthday before, it set a rather high standard for the years to follow, after all, well behaved classes, Lunch with her beloved, Mildred being well.. Mildred, a good score from Ofwitch and a dinner where she actually found herself to smile once or twice.. Poor Dimity looked like she may have ended up having a heart attack on the second Smile..

Happiness was such a foreign concept to Hecate, but she had never felt it so strongly before today. These were the moments worth living for, whatever had happened, or whatever was to come, it was these days that made the difference.

Make sure to let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!