Chapter 10 – The Hallow's

The next day came too soon for the girls, Miss Hardbroom stayed near their door whilst the girls slept in, luckily it was a Saturday, and she wasn't teaching. She had continued to check on the girls, her inner fear of losing one of them kept her awake and ready for anything. She had wanted Ethel, to be able to shape her and keep her kind, but she knew the same effect would happen with either Miss Drill or Mildred.

The girls woke up around dinner time, both had been exhausted, they got changed and opened the door to go to breakfast.

"Mildred did you want to mirror your mum today?" Miss Hardbroom asked.

"Yes please"

"Ill pop a note on the mirror room door to say that you have booked the room, what time would you like?" Hecate responded.

"Any"

"Shall we say two?" Miss Hardbroom queried and Mildred nodded.

"I will see you at two, I may need to speak with her myself".

"I am not going to lie to you".

"I never said you would" Miss Hardbroom's voice was soft.

Mildred had Ethel join her with Maud and Enid at their round table and Ethel couldn't have looked more uncomfortable if she tried.

"Millie, Enid told me what happened yesterday, are you ok?" Maud asked.

"I'm fine" Mildred told her. For she was fine she had far too much faith in Miss Hardbroom and Miss Cackle to not be.

"So, you're bunking with her" Enid stated with curiosity whilst nodding at Ethel "Why not one of us?" she gestured to herself and Maud.

"Her names Ethel, and yes, I am" Mildred stated bluntly "and there are personal reasons as to why I am with Ethel, Miss Cackle asking Ethel if I could bunk with her which is one of those reasons, she too thought she needed a friend, and she's not wrong. I think it's time we put our differences aside and just got a long".

Ethel had never had someone stick up for her like that. Why did I use to hate her, she's so nice we could have been close friends from first year.

"What are you doing later?" Maud asked Mildred.

"I am mirroring my mum at two, I have no idea how long it will take" Mildred said, "Miss Hardbroom wants be present whilst I do so".

"Why" Maud and Enid said in unison.

"It's regarding half term I think I am not too sure" Mildred admitted, for she wasn't sure why Miss Hardbroom needed to be there.

All four sat talking for the next half an hour, Enid and Maud had even gotten along with Ethel, it looked like the start of a new beginning from the staff's point of view. Mildred left to Mirror her mum; this was not going to be an easy conversation as her mum disliked Ethel a lot.

As Ethel left the Hall Miss Hardbroom appeared out of nowhere at the side of her.

"I don't want you going anywhere alone, do I make myself understood?"

"Yes Miss Hardbroom"

"Not even to the toilet, the showers, anywhere".

"That's a bit creepy, Miss Hardbroom".

"Needs a must, your life is at stake" Miss Hardbroom's voice had to turned to a whisper for that second.

"Good point"

They had approached the Mirror door and it was empty with a sign that only stated the room was booked for two o'clock, her name wasn't mentioned. They entered the room and shut the door.

Miss Hardbroom raised her hand slightly "Julie Hubble" and to Mildred's amazement her mum answered within seconds.

"Hi Millie, how are you. Miss Hardbroom".

"Hi mum, I wanted to ask you a question, do you have time?".

"I have the day of work Millie; I've got all day". Julie's voice was warm and soft.

"What are our plans for half term?"

"Your dad and Izzy are coming round for the week they found someone to look after the farm for the week". Julie stated with a smile.

"This is the bigger question mum, can u possibly let me ask it before saying anything?" Mildred saw her mum nod and she carried on and took a deep breath. "I wanted to ask if a new friend could stay at ours, she's not safe at her place, some of the other staff have offered her their homes for the week. She's in a bit of a state. Her parents have never wanted her, it's Ethel". Julie looked shocked; this girl almost killed everyone. "She's changed mum, she really has, she was made to live in a tent all summer through the heat wave, her parents wouldn't let her in the house, she was on water rations to" Julie looked furious at what Ethel had been put through. "She's self-harmed and she terrified of everyone. Miss Hardbroom I were talking and thinking that if we can get her to realise, she is wanted, she will stay kind like she has been this term. She has lashed out as her parents called her the accident child many times and they have always hated her made it clear she will never be good enough. She hasn't had it easy. All she wants is to be wanted that's why she did what she has over the past four years".

Julie took a while to answer, it was about five minutes later that she did "We can have her under the condition that there is a contingency plan if it doesn't work out, I will be kind and I will try my best to treat her like I treat you, sounds like she just needs a mothers love, we can try it and see how it goes".

"Thank you, mum, I am sure she will appreciate it, she perked up when I said I'd ask you".

"Julie, I have a few questions can I call you back later please?"

"What time did you have in mind?"

"Can we say six?" Miss Hardbroom queried, and Julie nodded. She hung up the call.

"I will take you back to Ethel's room you'll be with her for a while or until you no longer want to be in the same room".

As they left the Mirror room, Miss Cackle turned up.

"I will happily take Mildred to Ethel's room whilst you mirror Ethel's parents, I think I will just lose my temper with them if I'm honest" she told Miss Hardbroom who nodded.

Miss Hardbroom went to her room and sat at her desk and turned the mirror round, took a deep breath and spoke clearly.

"Hallow Residence"

Ethel's parents answered together.

"What has that thing done now?" Mr Hallow asked angrily.

"Her name is Ethel and Nothing actually, I called to tell you, that she has been offered three homes for half term, I doubt you want her back". No student deserves to be spoken to like that.

"We haven't finished punishing it, she has blackened our family name and dishonoured our ancestors. That thing deserves to rot in hell. It will be coming back to be dealt with severely".

Hecate's eyes were flashing with fury, her tone seemed dangerous "Due to that threat, she will not be returning to you, the great wizard will be called if you try and take her. From what you said over summer and what Ethel has told me. You never wanted her, the accident child, isn't that what you called her? Left her in a boiling hot tent on rations of food and water. You have done nothing but rip her to shreds her entire life. The only people to blame for her behaviour is you two, you've never given her chance and made it clear she was a burden and hated. Your venom has caused the behavioural problems that the school has seen over the last four years. You will not on the grounds of health and safety get her back, take me to court, I dare you".

"She belongs to us; I will call the great wizard myself" Ursula Hallow spat.

"Saves me doing it, don't forget to tell him what you did to a fourteen year-old-child over summer will you". Hecate spat back.

"YOU EVIL BITCH, THAT THING ISN'T YOURS TO DICTATE WHAT HAPPENS TO IT" Mr Hallow was furious.

"Call me what you like, the only evil ones I can see is you two, I have the girls best interest at heart, you clearly don't, oh a don't bother coming unannounced, the school has enchantments around it, you won't get in" Hecate stated with a levelled tone, she loved it when people called her a bitch, it meant she had rattled their cages, she ended the call and went to see Ethel and Mildred.

Miss Hardbroom had taken Mildred for walk around the castle to keep her occupied and her mind away from Nansi, it had worked. They talked about Ethel and the conversation between Miss Hardbroom and the Hallow's.

"What a way to talk about their daughter" Mildred was mortified. "Poor Ethel".

"Well, she is with us now" Miss Hardbroom reassured her.

"What will happen over summer, who's going to take her?"

"I will most likely, can't imagine she is going to be too pleased when she finds out" Miss Hardbroom stated with a sigh.

"Will be better than the Hallow's, so I don't think she will be as mortified as you think" Mildred stated. "Sorry to ask but, do you have any children of your own, sorry if it's to personal".

"I did have, a little boy, Ericson". Her face lit up as she thought of him.

"Did have?" Mildred asked quietly.

"Eric died when he was five, he had an incurable disease, brain swelling, I can't remember what the condition was called" her eye's had welled up. She managed to stop the tears from falling. "Let's get back to Ethel".