Chapter 4 – Re-acquainted
Mildred had been at Pentangles for nearly two months, and she was safe to say enjoying it. Sapphire and Zack had become her best friends at Pentangles. Mildred had ensured she had kept in touch with Enid and Maud as promised as she was missing them. The strangest thing though was that she wasn't allowed to fly for the time being, Pippa Pentangle had stated that she would teach her personally though that hadn't happened yet, not that Mildred was too bothered, she had however found a love for potions since being at Pentangles. Mr Spellman had brought her up to speed with his patience and understanding. She finally felt like she belonged, and the wonder and excitement had been rekindled.
She was sitting in herbology which wasn't her best subject, yet she surprisingly wasn't bad at it, the greenhouse was obviously warm, however it was massive it had six sectors to it, each sector housed different types of plants.
"Mildred, have you done your homework as I don't see it in front of you?" Miss Fountain asked. She was average height, A thin woman with very long ginger hair who always wore green, brown, or blue. She was a green witch, so she was at home in the greenhouse and the surrounding woods.
"I have, for some reason Miss Pentangle wanted it. I have no idea why" Mildred admitted. She really didn't know what the headmistress could want her herbology homework for.
"No problem, I will get it from her. Hopefully" Miss Fountain said with confusion. The bell rang to signal the end of class. "Miss Hubble please stay behind" she called out as everyone was walking out.
Mildred walked up to her teacher "Did I do something wrong?" she asked.
"No, I wanted to ask how you're getting on as you're a transfer student?"
"I am fine, much better to be honest".
"Good, now I wanted to talk to you about this" Miss Fountain picked up a drawing of Pentangle's Academy. "I believe it belongs to you".
"Where did you find it? I was looking everywhere for it" Mildred breathed a sigh of relief.
"Miss Pentangle has a proposition for you, she would like you to have a think about doing some drawings for our prospectus, it's your choice of course" Miss Fountain explained. We would like to use this one on the front cover if that's ok with you.
"Seriously? I mean it's not really that good".
"We have a different opinion, have a think and let Miss Pentangle know".
Mildred nodded for she really didn't think her drawings were good enough, though she never thought anything she did was, she had struggled whilst being at Pentangles to take any form of praise, she was so used to being verbally torn down and told she was useless in one way or another. She left herbology to head to her bedroom as she wasn't very hungry. When she got to her room she got changed into her pyjamas and slid into bed and went to sleep. She was awoken the next morning by her alarm. She got changed into her uniform and headed to breakfast.
"Morning Mildred" Martha sang as they both headed down the corridor that led to the meal hall.
"Morning Martha" Mildred smiled back.
As she walked into the breakfast hall, she took in the sight of a tall woman dressed in a long sleeved blue and black dress that touched the floor with its standing collar. Her hair was in a very tight bun near the top of the back of her head. Dread filled Mildred, she had hoped she wouldn't have had to see her again, at least not this soon. Have I done something wrong, has Miss Pentangle had enough of me, do I have to go back.
Miss Hardbroom was having a conversation with Miss Pentangle.
"Don't fret, you're not going anywhere" a soothing voice said behind her. Mildred spun round and found that the voice belonged to Mr Spellman he had noticed she had tensed and seemed worried. Her Auror had changed, and he had noticed. "Unless of course you want to go back?" he cheekily grinned.
Mildred realised he was joking, and she laughed. "No, No thank you". Her voice was slightly rushed.
Miss Hardbroom turned around and saw Mildred standing there, she had a brown tabby cat in her arms. At the sight of Mildred, Tabby the cat that Mildred had named leaped out of Miss Hardbroom's loose arms and pelted for Mildred. He jumped up and Mildred caught him, Tabby had clearly missed her, he pressed his very cute face against Mildred's neck and his right paw was draped over her shoulder.
"Awww" most of the staff and students had come out with at the sight of Tabby cuddling Mildred. She was close to tears. She had missed Tabby.
Miss Hardbroom was slightly moved, though she hid it well, in all her years of having many familiars she had never had one miss her as much as Tabby had missed the girl.
"He hasn't been the same since you left, I have been taking care of him for you. Miss Cackle and I spoke yesterday, and we decided after speaking to Pentangle that he should be returned to you. Technically he is your cat, he is not as bad as I thought he was" Miss Hardbroom stated, though she was acting normally for her, her eyes showed she would miss Tabby.
Mildred fell to her knees and cried, she was so happy that she had Tabby back.
"He is only thin because he has refused to eat, I can assure you I do not starve animals. I have tried practically everything. So has Enid and Maud". She explained to her former student.
"A happy reunion I would say", Pippa smiled she then looked at Hecate, "walk?". Hecate nodded in response.
They both left Mildred and Tabby to be re-acquainted and headed to Pippa's office.
"You have missed her, I can tell" Pippa stated.
"Ethel has been insufferable; Enid and Maud have been in more fights with her than ever".
"Well, Ethel will be thinking that she has won, yet she hasn't, I have a proposition".
"Prey tell?" Hecate stated unamused.
"How about a competition between the two schools our best first years go head-to-head at the end of the school year?" Pippa smiled knowing Hecate loved a good competition.
"I am listening".
"Trial of the times"
"Trial of the times? Are you insane, you want a competition using an assault course that requires all their magical skill set to complete? Do you realise how hard those trials are?" Hecate couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"I understand if your students won't be to standard, though I have a few that will be by then" Pippa gloated.
"How is Mildred doing anyway?"
"As far as I have been told her potions have only blown up a handful of times, we did think that with it being a regular occurrence at yours that something wasn't right. She one of Aiden's favourites, I believe she is middle of the class and still rising through the ranks. She is doing well in spell science as well as herbology. What can I say, I have no regrets relinquishing her from you, non what so ever".
"What about her flying, that was abysmal?"
"Aiden and I have decided to leave that until the weather warms up slightly, we want her confidence up without overwhelming her, plus she hates flying so as you can imagine she hasn't asked about it. You and Ethel between you have shattered her confidence and that has given us a lot to deal with".
Hecate had been doing some reflecting and Mildred's name had come up in class a few times and she had been shocked to hear Enid telling Ethel that her potion brewing was much better now that she didn't have to deal with Ethel. She had watched Ethel's face get angrier and it seemed that all Ethel wanted was for another student to fail at being a witch entirely. This behaviour didn't make any sense to Hecate. and she had pulled Enid and Maud aside to question them. She had been devastated to find that Pentangle's had managed to do what she hadn't. Though her approach to teaching differed to Aiden's. She had also pulled Ethel aside to discuss some things and strangely enough Mildred was still getting the blame for things though she hadn't been at Cackle's for six weeks, she had put Ethel in her place, and she watched as the girl's sneer had been wiped off, the girl was wicked, and she had vowed to keep an eye on her.
"The trial might be a good idea as long as Ethel gets her ego wounded, she needs it".
"Still having issues with her?"
"Almost as though Mildred hadn't left, strangely enough. She has a fascination with her and its not a good one".
"For some, they think coming from a witching family gives them the right be nasty to those that aren't, and they just need a slight wake up call. Lucky for my lot all my staff are on the same page and that behaviour and way of thinking is rapidly nipped in the bud. We are all have magic in our system that's all we need to know and that is what is what brings us all together. Aiden would like a word with you at some point today, if you have time that is?".
Hecate nodded she was told by Ada Cackle to take her time, that there was no rush.
Pippa led her to the potion's laboratory. Aiden would be teaching second years, like all the year groups the class was mixed between those from witching families and those that are not. She knew the class would shock Hecate and it was one that Pippa felt Hecate needed, she wasn't trying to be nasty it was just a way to let it sink in that within reason different is a good thing.
Hecate walked into the potions laboratory and was rather taken aback like Mildred was at the size of it and the woodland resemblance. She noticed a class was in session.
"Did you want to see her now or is this not a good time?" Pippa asked Aiden.
"No time like the present" he replied.
Pippa left Hecate with Aiden and his class.
"The lab I assume looks very different to yours".
"Indeed, it does" Hecate responded. She would never admit it however she rather liked it.
"Come on in, the only student that might bite is Laurel" he laughed as she was stood in the doorway.
"I am in the room" she stated.
"Why am I the bad one?". A short haired goth looking student asked.
"It's your turn" Aiden laughed. "Everyone else has had their turn, you all know what potion your brewing, find your ingredients and let's get started. There is plenty of time to brew it more than once if needed".
Hecate for a potions mistress felt very out of place, his teaching style was the opposite to hers. She looked around the classroom and walked to Aiden's desk where he had gestured for her to join him.
"Look around and tell me what you see" he instructed her.
"A funny looking classroom with a class in session" she simply replied with confusion.
"Look again"
She watched the entire lesson. She saw the way Aiden effortlessly taught the class, helped the students where needed and spoke to the students as though he understood what they were doing and talking about. She watched the way he would put the students at ease with humility and how no student felt intimidated by him. She mostly noticed how the students tried their hardest for him and how they enjoyed their potions lessons.
The class had finished an hour later, and Aiden beckoned her over, she walked over to Laurel.
"Can you guess the potion before you try it?" he asked her.
As a potions mistress she knew what it was, though she had been put on the spot, she hadn't expected him to question her knowledge. "It's a silencer" she sighed. She wasn't sure what he was getting at.
"Now can you tell me if this student is from a witching family or not?" he queried. He knew she wouldn't be able to tell.
"How could I possibly know? she isn't one of my students" she said dumbfounded.
"Try all of them" he instructed.
She did as he asked, most of the potions were excellent, the odd one was still brewed well but not excellently. Aiden watched for there was a lesson he was teaching her that she wasn't aware of.
"Ok, now let's say you put the students on the left side of the room as from non-witching families and the others on the right from witching families" he was amusing himself. She thought he was laughing at her for she knew this was not possible.
"Go ahead, none of us will be offended" Laurel stated.
Hecate went along the students and placed them all to where she would have put them based on their performance. What she didn't know is this class was half and half.
"I would say all but Leo in witching, though impossible to say without knowing the students" she stammered. She watched the students go to the right and only Leo went to the left.
"Ok everyone put yourselves at the correct side of the classroom" Aiden called. To Hecate's surprise Leo joined the others and eight of those she had put in the witching side had walked to the non-witching side. Aiden took a good look at Hecate. "Do you understand what the experiment was for?".
"No, I did not understand the point of that pointless, experiment as you called it". She haughtily replied.
"Does any of the students understand it". Aiden asked the room.
"The point of it was that we can not judge those that come from non-witching families as they can be just as good or better than those from witching families and so regardless of someone's heritage they should be treated with the same amount of respect and understanding" Leo answered.
"Very good, Leo, very well said. Now could Ember as your top of the class step forward please?" he asked.
To Hecate's amazement Ember stepped forward from the non-witching side. Hecate finally understood.
"You have treated Mildred differently because she was the only one in your school from a non-witching family. You refused to give her a chance and constantly ripped her to shreds. You made it clear to her that she wasn't welcome in the witching world. We here at Pentangle's make sure all students are taught with the same goals in mind and have the same opportunities whilst being here. Yes those from non-witching families are behind, they always will be, they don't come to us from a witching background so they won't know anything about what we do and they definitely would have never ridden a broom before. So allowances have to be made and the first few months the first years are split so those that need a crash course get one and those that don't aren't held back. They then come together after a few weeks on the same page and level of understanding".
Hecate understood and she had been kicking herself from the moment Mildred made her final decision to transfer.
"Ok, everyone, we are finishing early as everyone has managed it first time. Big well done and as you have exceeded my expectations, I will not give out any homework".
The class filed out and Aiden and Hecate were alone.
"I didn't appreciate that" she fumed.
"I don't appreciate what was done to Mildred before she came to ours. It is time any prejudice towards those from non-witching families was eliminated. Mildred is a good kid who just needed a bit of guidance, instead you made a mockery of her and made her feel tiny".