Chapter 13 – Half Term

Miss Hardbroom wanted a word with Ethel before she left for Mildred's flat, she had asked Ethel to meet her in the potion's lab the morning of half term. Ethel walked into the lab confused as to what her teacher wanted her for, she noticed a few bags were on one of the student desks.

"You wanted me?"

"I do, are you feeling, OK?" Miss Hardbroom asked, Ethel nodded in response. "I spoke to your parents a few weeks ago and I didn't like the way they spoke of you; I told them you won't be returning until you have at least finished you're final year here. They threatened me with the great wizard, who came round last week and with help from my memory of the conversation I had with them he has agreed to not allowing you home. An orphanage was mentioned -

"I am of to an orphanage" Ethel was shocked and then realized that she had interrupted Miss Hardbroom. "Sorry, carry on".

"You will be my responsibility from now on for at least the next two years, the paperwork has been filed and the go ahead has been given. If for any reason you're not happy at Mildred's which will be crowded, I will come any get you and you can then see your new home, or you will see mine over Yule".

"Seriously? I don't understand, Why would you want me after everything I've done". Ethel Queried.

"What you did for Mildred this year, more than makes up for the last four years, whether you believe it or not. Also, could you take a look at those bags and let me know if anything is the wrong size as most of your clothes are too small". She told the girl as she looked her up and down.

Ethel took a look at the new clothes; they were really nice clothes, and they were to Ethel's taste. She looked up as her teacher put a barrier up so that they couldn't see each other, and the windows had been blacked out.

"Could you try a pair of trousers, t shirt and a hoodie on please so I can double check?"

Ethel did she chose a nice pair of blue jeans, a purple t shirt with a Witch Trading logo on it and a plain purple hoodie with the same logo and let her teacher know that she was ready.

"looks much better nothing is half mast, I can lengthen the sleeves and the length of your hoodie's if you prefer them longer, The third bag across has a pair of trainers in could you just check those for me please"? Ethel did so and tried them on, they were the right size and comfortable and black.

"These are the right size but how did you know I was wearing shoes and trainers that were too small?"

"One by how you were walking and two by the look of your footwear" Miss Hardbroom simply stated. She saw Ethel look at the price tag. "You are my responsibility, don't worry about it, I will not have my charge walking around looking homeless, you desperately needed a new wardrobe. I will get your room ready over half term".

"Thank you" Ethel stayed in her new clothes that she had tried on and Miss Hardbroom had taken the tags of for her.

"Go and meet Mildred and tell her to wait ten minutes and I will pack your new clothes for you".

Ethel went to meet Mildred who was on the green next to Izzy holding two brooms one was hers she noticed.

"Erm, where your case Ethel, aren't you coming?" Izzy asked.

"Yes, I am, Miss Hardbroom said to wait ten minutes she's redoing my case".

"Why is she redoing your case?" Mildred asked.

"You know with the issues I had over summer, well I am not allowed back, and Miss Hardbroom's practically adopted me" Ethel said quietly.

"Oh the bats, that's amazing, that doesn't explain why she is redoing your case, though I do like your outfit" Izzy stated.

"Well, she's sorted me some new clothes as apparently I looked homeless" Ethel said half laughing.

"Not being funny but you did" Enid stated she had walked up with Maud and stopped behind Ethel and waited for her to finish speaking".

"I'm glad you got sorted though, I never thought Miss Hardbroom would have taken on a student" Maud said.

"Apparently my folks said some things about me that she really didn't like, At least I'm not living in a tent anymore". She looked at Maud and Enid's confused expressions. "My folks made me live in a tent over summer and I was on food and water rations. I wasn't allowed inside unless I needed the toilet. It was way too hot".

"Oh shit, you definitely did not deserve that". Enid said.

"So, if you're with Miss Hardbroom what's happening with Sybil?" Mildred asked at the same time that Miss Hardbroom materialised with Ethel's case.

"Sybil has also been removed from their care, I believe though, I can double check, she's staying at pentangles, they have a few students that aren't safe to go home and are raised by the staff there. She might even return to us after Yule, we will see what happens" She looked at all the stuff that Izzy and Mildred had to take with them on their brooms "Would it be easier for me to transfer your stuff across, I have a feeling someone is going to be tree hugging" she asked with a smile at the thought of Mildred stuck in a tree.

"Yes please, that would be great" Mildred and Izzy said at the same time. Miss Hardbroom transferred Izzy, Mildred and Ethel's things across which made Julie jump out of her skin.

"Miss Hardbroom" Ethel spoke.

"Hecate" Miss Hardbroom corrected her "as you are my charge Miss Hardbroom will not do, I will not listen to my last name multiple times a day over the holidays. And before you ask, do keep in touch over half term, I don't mind if it's even to say Mildred fell over her shoelaces".

All three set of on their brooms and had a short-lived journey as Mildred lived very close to the school she was just down the mountain where the school was situated.

Ethel had so much fun at Mildred's, all three girls played on the WII most days which Ethel had never played before, and she had helped Julie in the kitchen a lot. Julie had treated Ethel like she did Mildred and Izzy which was like her own daughter from the second Ethel arrived. She had heard what she had done for her daughter as well as the self-harm, as well as Ethel mirroring Hecate she had been the one to speak to her after Ethel had, to reassure her that Ethel was safe and well.

Ethel had worn most of her new clothes feeling guilty every time, when she first opened her case to grab her new nightwear, she was very surprised to find what looked like a tiny picnic basket with a tag attached.

Have a great week, I am assuming the 3 of you will be having at least 1 midnight feast, when you do plan on having one, pick up the picnic basket and say "witching hour", it will get bigger, enjoy. Hecate.

"There's so much in here" Ethel stated with shock as she looked at the basket.

"Chocolate, cakes and crisps, I thought she hated the idea of midnight feasts and loads of sugar" Mildred wondered.

"Might be because of school rules and keeping others up" Izzy reasoned.

"Batting hell" Ethel laughed and showed the other two that there was three Terry's Chocolate Oranges. Mildred rolled over laughing.

"Why are you laughing" Izzy asked as she examined the outside of the one with her name on it.

Mildred stopped laughing to tell Izzy what was funny. "When we had woken up after the Nansi issue, Miss Hardbroom had given us an orange revival potion which was chocolate orange flavoured and we tried to down the whole vial and she had to take the vial from us to stop us drinking it all, it literally tasted like these. She is trying to be funny, and she succeeded". Mildred carried on laughing.

Once they had stopped laughing, they were talking about many things including Ethel and Miss Hardbroom as well as the living arrangements for the family as Julie and Dave were looking for a bigger farm for the four of them to live on as a family. It was around four in the morning they went to sleep.

Hecate arrived on the Saturday as she had been invited for tea.

Hecate looked around and couldn't see anyone, so she transferred herself outside of the Hubble's flat and knocked on the door.

"Hecate, how are you?" Julie asked as she opened the door for Hecate. "You gotta tell me where you got those jeans from".

"I don't usually wear jeans or hoodie's however Dimity Drill had a Mildred moment" Hecate responded with a half-smile at Dimities stupidity. "She spilt potion ingredients everywhere including on my dresses. These are rather comfy though, so it could have been worse, she has been told to clean them".

All three girls heard the conversation and Ethel was rather excited to see Hecate.

"Mum" she stated as she ran and hugged her, Hecate was very confused though chose to ignore said title.

Mildred and Izzy couldn't believe that their teacher owned anything other than dresses and skirts with shirts.

The girls had cleaned up as best they could and the flat looked cosy and very homely with a hallway that led to two rooms, a bathroom and front room which led to the kitchen. Tea was on the table in the front room as the kitchen would have been far too small with six people in there, it was a chicken dinner, the sprouts were in a bowl for anyone to take as she didn't know if anyone didn't like sprouts.

"What's happening with Ethel for Christmas or Yule is it that your lot celebrate? As well as summer?" Julie asked as her partner who was Izzy's dad was listening.

"We only wanted to know as we are looking at a bigger place for the four of us" he stated.

"I have adopted Ethel, so she does have somewhere to go, I appreciate the offer though" Hecate stated.

They tucked into the chicken dinner and talked about Ethel's future with Hecate.

"Did you have any children at all other than, now having Ethel" Dave asked.

"I had a boy at one point, Ericson, he died when he was five from brain swelling this was what twenty years ago now" Hecate said.

"Sorry I asked"

"It's fine like I said it was twenty years ago and I had four and half very happy years with him, he was a very good boy, hardly had any meltdowns with him" Hecate reminisced.

Ethel didn't know this, she was intrigued yet feeling like an idiot for calling her mum, it was a slip of the tongue, she was thankful she wasn't asked to explain herself, the hug she felt she needed and Hecate had taken it rather well to say she doesn't like being touched without her permission.

Everyone had finished their dinner and Julie had made a rather large strawberry trifle which she placed in the middle of the table.

"I have done a reduced amount of sugar in this one so I'm hoping it's going to be ok" Julie said.

"The less sugar the better" She took some to be polite and she rather like it "This is delicious, much better than Tapioca's". She looked at the girls "Do not tell her I said that". She warned.

"Or what, you're going kill me, yourself?" Mildred asked with a raised eyebrow.

They all looked at Hecate who couldn't not smile to herself and all three girls just laughed.

"Finally, you're turning into a quick learner". Hecate told Mildred.

As Hecate was about to leave, she spoke to Julie and Dave "I'll take Ethel to mine tomorrow so she can see where she will be living, seen as her room is ready. Thank you for taking her for the week".

"It's surprisingly been a pleasure" Dave stated.

"It wasn't a problem there is no way she was going back there" Julie stated.

"Thank you for tea, she seems much better, doesn't she?" Hecate said softly.

"She does seem much better than she did at the start of the week, I think the feast went down well. Something was really funny regarding the chocolate oranges". Julie said. Hecate smiled as she turned around whilst side eyeing Julie.

"Ill let the girls fill you in on that, the cats will be complaining they haven't been fed, got to love cat's" Hecate stated as she bent down to stroke Tabby and Lotus who were Mildred and Izzi's feline familiars.

"We were expecting another cat has Night Star gone with you?" Julie asked.

"Yes, she has, cat's do get rather uncomfortable in new surroundings, so I thought it best I take her so she can get used to her new home, she has definitely made herself at home even kicking Morgana of the couches". She told Julie with a smile "I will see you tomorrow, Ethel, Bye".

"Bye" they all said to Hecate as she disappeared.