Chapter 2 – She Who Shall Not Be Named
Ethel had chosen a seat with most of the fifth years whilst Mildred, Maud and Enid sat together at a different table in the hall. Ethel kept throwing longing glances over at the trio. Why had I been so jealous, I wish I could join them rather than sit here with the others being ignored. Unfortunately, Ethel had brought this on herself, last year's antics hadn't gone down well with most of the students at Cackle's academy.
A first year who had long black hair and a pale brown skin complexion walked up to Ethel looking very unsure.
"Sorry but are you, Mildred?" The first year asked in a scared voice, the older students scared her for some reason.
All the students sat around Ethel had held their breathe, even the teachers had heard this, they too were curious as to how Ethel would handle it. Ethel had been mistaken for Mildred for the first time.
"Hi and no sorry, you see that girl over there with the long ginger pigtails" Ethel pointed at Mildred and the girl nodded "She is called Mildred and she is really nice, if you go speak to her, she will happily answer any questions you have" Ethel didn't need to pretend to be nice she had changed, and she felt better for it.
"Thank you and what's your name?" The first asked.
"She who shall not be named, What's your name?" Ethel responded she didn't want to see a first year look at her in terror.
"Really? My name is Thalia" the first year responded whilst Ethel nodded at the girl questioning what she calls herself these days.
As Thalia went to speak to Mildred, Ethels peers questioned her.
"Why didn't you just give her your name?"
"Your being nice, what's wrong?"
"Why are you being weird".
"She who shall not be named, seriously Ethel?"
Ethel couldn't answer, they wouldn't understand. She got up without answering and walked to her room, the staff had watched her leave thinking the same thing as the students had said. They were very curious. Miss Hardbroom and Miss Cackle both made a mental note to go see Ethel later, she knew the girl had slightly changed but as she left the hall, she looked close to tears.
Thalia had just approached Mildred and she looked terrified.
"Mil, think a first year wants you" Enid said to Mildred as she saw the first year standing near the table looking at Mildred "Was you wanting Mildred?". Poor Thalia nodded.
"Hi, your Thalia, right?" Mildred spoke softly seeing as the girl looked terrified. Thalia nodded.
"Here, take a seat, what's up" Maud patted the seat available, They had picked a round table which the girls preferred to the benches. Thalia sat down and stuttered her words whilst the trio sat with encouraging glances. She looked shocked that Mildred knew her name and she was allowed to sit next to her.
"W-well I was W-wondering how you managed Y-your first-year b-being from a n-non-witching family" Thalia asked staring at her hands looking frightened.
"Well, I made some awesome friends who accepted me for who I was, this made it a lot easier" Mildred gestured to Maud and Enid who both just blushed at the compliment. "It's scary at first but it does get easier".
"I asked this girl if she was you and turns out she is called, she who shall not be named, really weird name. Is that really her name? Thalia asked with curiosity.
Maud and Enid couldn't look more confused if they tried to.
Mildred however had a strong feeling who she was talking about "Was this girl a fifth year, had her hair up in a high ponytail and blonde?".
"Ye" Thalia stated remembering what the girl looked like "she was nice to me".
"That girl is not called, she who shall not be named" Mildred said nicely whilst looking slightly concerned and understood why Ethel would say that.
"Then what's her name" Thalia was confused.
"That, was a student that needs time to figure herself out, don't worry about it, I will speak to her at some point" she told the first year. She really was the perfect head girl for Cackle's.
Thalia had gone to join the other first years after saying bye to the trio.
"Er Millie, why didn't you tell her that it was Ethel being stupid" Enid asked.
Mildred looked at both her friends and they both had the same expression on their faces.
Mildred simply responded "Ethel is going through some stuff, I know what she did last year was lethal, however there is our point of view and then there is Ethel's. Imagine being Ethel and you've done what she did. You want to change but you can't face anyone properly and you want to hide in the shadows. That's Ethel right now". She looked around her and no-one one listening to their conversation. "She's scared she won't ever fit in again".
Mildred was right but that wasn't the whole story, there was more to how Ethel was feeling, Mildred had stated it in a nutshell.