Chapter 3 – Settling In
Mildred woke up the following day and looked at her new timetable, she had double potions first, this slightly deflated her spirit, but she made a vow to herself there and then that she would do her best and try hard and hopefully things would be better, this was a new start, and she was determined to make the best of it. She looked at her uniform and was thankful it was more to her liking than Cackle's uniform was. She put on her uniform and got her things together and there was a knock at the door. Mildred turned around and the door had not opened so she opened the door herself and Miss Pentangle was stood there.
"Good morning, how are you feeling?" Miss Pentangle asked.
"Nervous but fine"
"First day nerves are the worst, aren't they? Ready for breakfast?"
"Yep".
Miss Pentangle escorted Mildred to breakfast and took her to Sapphire and Zack. "Hopefully breakfast will be better than you're used to".
"Morning Millie, or do you prefer Mildred?" Sapphire asked.
"Either I don't mind, wooow" Mildred sat down and couldn't believe the spread in front of her. She had been expecting cold porridge. Laid out on the table was plates of eggs, bacon, black pudding, sausages, beans, mushrooms, hash browns and plenty of toast with different spreads.
"It's as good as it looks, super tasty" Sapphire stated.
Zack was rather silent whilst the girls had been talking, He felt nervous around Mildred for some reason. He didn't make eye contact with her; he wasn't trying to be rude he just didn't trust himself to say anything that makes sense.
"Morning Zack" Mildred said to him. She noticed he wouldn't look at her. "Have I done something wrong?"
"No" Zack could only respond.
"What is your potions normally like and your old teacher?" Sapphire asked as they all tucked into their breakfasts.
"My potions are terrible, and Miss Hardbroom is strict and she hates me, she has tried to get me expelled since I started at Cackle's" Mildred responded honestly.
"Mr Spellman teaches potions, he's really funny and chilled out. I have never seen him have ago at anyone unless their homework hasn't been done or they blow up someone's potion. He's really encouraging and if you struggle, he might end up putting you in extra lessons to catch up which are usually with Barbie. Potions is a right laugh though". Sapphire explained.
Mildred and her two friends went to potions, her stomach was in knots she was beyond nervous as she walked in. Mr Spellman was in the classroom, surprisingly he was sat on top of his desk, though there was a perfectly usable swivel chair next to him. The potions laboratory was rather large and pleasant. It was an octagon there was 16 desks in the middle of the room each adorned with a cauldron. Each side had a window and under each window was a table each adorned with different plants basking in the sunlight. The room itself looked like an indoor forest; the walls looked like trees with vines snaking up them. The floor was a nonslip floor and were tie dyed green and blue. It was surprisingly beautiful.
"Everyone take your seats, there has been a slight change in seating arrangements, so please sit at the desks with your names on. Thank you". Mr Spellman spoke loudly for everyone to hear.
It took a good five minutes for everyone to find their seats, Mildred was pleased to find she was sat between Sapphire and Zack.
"Today we are looking at a colour changing potion though I am looking specifically for purple, lets see how we go, page twenty-three in your books everyone, the bottom of the page will highlight what ingredient is for what colour. Also, we have a new student, Mildred, so please all be as kind as possible". Mr Spellman explained.
The entire class got all their ingredients together and Mr Spellman came over to Mildred and brought his swivel chair with him. He sat down in front of her and went through it with her. It was a little awkward for Mildred and he had noticed, so he decided to spin on his swivel chair whilst making faces when he came face to face with her. Mildred couldn't not laugh. He was kind and patient, and she brewed the potion correctly with guidance but correctly non the less.
"Well done". He told her.
As well as helping Mildred he had also been checking on everyone else. "We still have an hour left so let's see who knows their ingredients". He stated as he rubbed his hands together and walked up to a table under one of the windows, he then held up a gross black looking plant. "Any ideas to what this could be?"
Most of the class had no idea what it was, only a ginger lad at the back knew, "Sorbet arrhythmia?".
"Alright, Lucas, good lad it is indeed, do you know why it has been named that?"
Lucas shook his head, but Mildred took a wild guess.
"Could be toxic? Causing heart palpitations and heart attacks?" she asked shyly.
"Good girl, Arrhythmia meaning irregular heartbeat, well done Mildred, what about this next one?" he picked up a jar of water which was filled with a type of plant.
"Seaweed" Zack stated with confidence.
"Good Zack, this one?"
"Lavender?" Mildred asked.
"You're on a role Mildred, that is correct". Mr Spellman was taking a liking to the new student. She lacks in confidence though is quite bright. I am not seeing why Miss Hardbroom found her rather unbearable. Pippa had walked in as Mr Spellman had stated she was on a role and she was rather pleased to hear she was doing well on her first day. He turned to her and smiled "Not one blown up potion today, sixteen survivors".
"Oh good, I needed to do a head count" she laughed. "I was wondering if I could steal Mildred from you?".
He looked at Mildred "I think you've done rather well, let's leave it on a good note. What do you say?" Mildred nodded in response and stood up with her school bag and left with Miss Pentangle.
"How did you find your first potions class?" Miss Pentangle asked.
"It was ok, I don't want to jinx it".
"Spellman seemed rather happy with your work today" Miss Pentangle smiled.
"He was patient with me and helped me a lot, which I was surprised by".
"I, Spellman, Cackle and Hardbroom sat down yesterday morning and we spoke, he wasn't too impressed with the way Hardbroom spoke about you. We got the feeling that as much as she doesn't like you, she didn't want you to leave". Miss Pentangle explained.
"She hated me, she tried many ways to get me expelled just because I'm not from a witching family".
"Well, she was rather livid that I offered you a place here" Miss Pentangle cheekily grinned.
"That explains why on my last day when I told her and Cackle that I was taking the Scholarship she changed. I didn't even get a detention that day, she also knocked and waited for me to answer the door which she never does, she either transfers herself in or barges in. She also stated she had my room their when she was a student. Not entirely sure why she came out with that, she almost didn't want to let me go to sleep". Mildred stated as what Miss Pentangle had stated made sense as to Hardbroom's reaction to her final decision.
Miss Pentangle led Mildred to her office, and it was surprisingly purple and blue. There were two desks in the spacious room one was clearly Miss Pentangles and the other was Mr Spellman's, Mildred hadn't up until now realised he was the deputy head. There was a bookshelf filled with books that covered the entire left wall. There was a rather large window to the right of the room and large chandelier in the middle that was currently off.
Mildred looked confused "I was expecting a sickly pink".
"Spellman and Quickstep who teaches flying refused to come into my office when it was pink, so I had to change it" She responded as she rolled her eyes. "I take it you've heard of my nick name" she laughed.
"Barbie" Mildred responded.
"It's not the worst thing they could have called me, I would have been livid with Umbridge, we do have movie nights on weekends for those that have behaved during the week. All Harry Potters have been on by now and I am glad I have not been called Umbridge". She stated with lightness to her voice. "Please do take a seat" she gestured Mildred to sit. "I wanted to go through some things with you that I go through with all my new students. Could you please fill these out?" Miss Pentangle held up a clipboard and pen.
Mildred looked at the clipboard she was given and took the pen from her teacher. The paperwork she was given was called a student plan. It highlighted what she should be able to do by the end of each year, as well as the rules and emergency procedures. There was a booklet for her to fill in which was to be completed by herself at the beginning of every year. She was asked about her current level of knowledge, level of confidence. Her strengths and weaknesses as well as her hopes and aspirations for the year. There was a page per subject all with the same questions on. The paperwork took Mildred a while to fill in as Miss Pentangle wouldn't allow her to leave the strengths sections blank or let her write none in them, though Mildred did try.