Double Chapters on a Wednesday? For sure. This ones a little different than the other chapters, so you'll just have to bear with it! It may be.. Daunting at first? Or even off putting. But I hope it'll be fully worth it!

Enjoy!

Chapter 58: Hecate's Home

Joy Hecate Hardbroom.. She always felt the name contradicted itself. Joy and Hardbroom.. Opposite of one another in every form. It made her unsure where she stood on the spectrum of witches. It's something she often thought about.. She did a lot of thinking in her favourite tree, placed perfectly at the end of the Estate. She had a perfect view of every sunset and sunrise.. She could see the sea and smell its crisp air.. It only took a quick climb for her to get to the solid tree branch at the top..She liked the peace of mind it gave her.. The calm effect the smell and sight gave her was overwhelming sometimes. Up here in this tree, it made her feel feather light, like she would fly away at any point..

"Hecate..!" And in the span of a few seconds, she was dragged back down to earth. Crashing with the harsh reality of life. "Hecate!" She looked behind her to the estate. It was such a contrast.. It's Black bricks and making it look drab and lifeless.. It was meant to look witchy and classic.. But instead, it just looked dead.. The only real joy that could be seen, was in the blooming flowers lining the walkways and the buildings. Bushy greens coming up all over the place.. "JOY!"

She let out a sigh as she climbed down the tree and ran down the road. Her mary janes clapping along the stones and her long plait flying from side to side in the wind. "Hurry it up, Squirt!" Her brother's voice was nothing but playful and encouraging. He always was when he called her back in.. She found him standing in the entrance way.. But he looked off to her.

"What took you so long?" He asked, his voice sounded pained. She looked him over, his Camalot uniform freshly cleaned. That green blazer standing out like a sore thumb.

"I.. Was at the tree.." Hecate admitted, her voice catching. She felt suddenly very guilty, it was the sound of his voice that made her heart drop..

"Then.." He muttered, his eyes filling with tears.. His clothing shifted and moulded to become his iconic black cape and white frilly shirt.. "Why.. Were you not here.." Tears fell down his cheeks, falling into the forming cracks along his skin. She akined it to that of lightning striking..

"I-Isaac..?" She held her hand out to touch him, but the moment she did, he shattered, falling to the ground, dust settled around her feet, making her jump backwards.. He fell down like a waterfall.. In an instant she legged it out of the entrance way, pausing in the dining hall to look around in panic.

Nothing there looked out of place, The Long table was set with the usual navy cloth and silver candlestick. The Red carpet under the table was free of any creases, and every chair was perfectly placed at two centimetres away from the table.. The door on the other side of the room caught her attention however.. It's dark, large, round frame calling to her..

In her panic state she ran at it, bursting it open to her dads office.. "Can't this wait, Hecate!" Her fathers voice yelled at her, making her pause.. What did she want again? Her Father looked up to her from his work, his brown eyes piercing into her soul. "I'm busy. Why don't you make yourself useful and take your mothers tea up." He had this way of telling you to do something, but making it seem as if it was done on your own free will.

"Yes, Father. Ofcourse.. I'm sorry to of disturbed you." She nodded as she closed the door, looking back to the table, and the silver tray with her mothers tea on it.. Was that there before?

She picked it up, moving to the long stairs. Bit by bit she moved up them, the third and seventh creaked as they usually did, indicating someone was creeping around. When she reached her mothers door, she knocked gently. Her parents hadn't done something as simple as share a room in years.. Not since her mother first got this magical sickness.

Hecate counted.. One.. Two.. Three.. Four.. Five.. And she entered. She always counted to five before entering. Her mother sat in her rocking chair for once, staring out of the window.. "Mother.. Your tea." She announced, setting the tray down next to her on an antique table before sitting herself down on the bench at the end of the bed.

She sat, listening to the ticking of an old grandfather clock. Tick tock.. Tick tock.. The silence of it was practically deafening. "Joy, Darling.." Constance Hardbroom spoke, now staring directly at Hecate. She only ever called her Joy when she was telling her off.. But she only called her darling when she was praising her.. "Don't settle for anything less than your best next year.." She gave Hecate one of her rare smiles, holding out a hand to her. "You'll make me proud.. I know it.." Hecate held onto her Mothers hand, watching the woman before her go suddenly very limp..

"Mother..?" She shook her, receiving no response.. She was cold, so cold.. "Mother!" She shook her harder, frantically trying to bring her back.. Without thinking, her feet took her out of the room, down the steps, jumping over the creaky steps as if on auto pilot.. That door caught the corner of her eye.

Her breath was shaky, panicked.. She ran at the door, bursting into it. "Hecate!" Her father yelled, stopping her in her steps. "You should know better than to disturb me while I'm working."

Right.. She wasn't meant to disturb him in his office unless it's an emergency.. What was the emergency? "Of Course. Sorry, Father.." She muttered, her mind clouding.

"Why aren't you in school?" He looked her up and down.. Now dressed in her school's uniform.. "Go on then! Stop wasting my time!"

She nodded as she turned to leave.. Being faced with the familiar window of the tower with the bats.. She enjoyed sitting with her legs dangling out the side, it gave her the same feeling as her tree. It was a sense of freedom where the other locations made her feel trapped..

"Hecate Hardbroom! Come away from that window!" The Snided voice of her potions teacher dragged her away from her happy place, prompting her to turn around, a sulking child who only wanted to be left alone. "Honestly, I don't know how many times I have to tell you!"

"I know.. I'm sorry, Miss Broomhead.." She couldn't help but feel she was constantly apologising for existing..

"I am sick and tired of your disobedience and ignorance!" Miss Broomheads voice raised. "Hopefully, this will teach you a lesson! I'll be confiscating this for the foreseeable future.." She stepped to the side, revealing a scared looking mildred. Broomhead placed her hands onto Mildreds Shoulders, as if holding her hostage.

"I'm sorry.. No.. Please.. Anything but her.. Please!" Her Childish voice began shifting and changing, from thirteen to forty three.. "You'll let her go!" A Sudden demand, she wouldn't be bullied and pushed around!

"You never do learn, Miss Hardbroom.." Miss broomhead hissed, pushing mildred backwards. Hecate didn't think, she just reached out her hand to try and catch Mildred. The Young girl's eyes widened in pure fear as her footing went out from under her, threatening to bounce down the winding stairs.. She reached out her hand, just a little more and Hecate could save her.. To pull her close and tell her that everything was fine.. That she was safe with her.. Just a little more..

With a gasp, Hecate sat up in bed, beads of sweat fell down her face. She looked around in confusion.. The Clock informed her it was a little before Six.. And the light snoring next to her told her she wasn't alone.

She watched Pippa's chest rising and falling.. But for extra confirmation, she brought a hand forward, swooping one of her soft curls behind her cheek. She was real. She was here. She wasn't dying..

"It was just a dream.." Hecate muttered to herself.. "Just a terrible dream.." She let out a quick sob. She wasn't one for tears, or displays of emotion.. But that didn't mean she wasn't human.. In Private, she could let herself feel that little more.

She slipped out of bed, moving like a ghost with purpose to Mildreds room. She knew what had inspired tonight's strange nightmare.. Mildreds conversation with Isaac. It'd brought her back to that childhood, it'd reminded her of all she had lost, and all she couldn't afford to lose.

She peaked her head round the door, Seeing Mildred sleeping like there were no concerns in the world. For a moment, she just stayed there, watching her sleep, so peaceful, so alive.. This was worth fighting for to Hecate..

So far, everything has been going smoothly. They hadn't seen Juile in months.. Mildred may actually have a chance at becoming head girl.. And it was already the end of February.

As far as a school year could go, it definitely could be far worse..

Is a dream chapter often overdone? Yes. But can it also be very interesting? Yes. I only hope iv done it justice.. Tbh, i feel like iv took a risk with this one.. But at the same time, im very happy with how it turned out..

Anyway, lemme know what you thought!