Constance Hardbroom did not deal well with stress, so what was Mildred Hubble giving her? Extreme, intense and undesirable amounts of stress.

First of all, Miss Cackle had been on this mornings breakfast duty, with Constance having taken it the morning prior. Yet, as she sat down to eat an apple at her usual spot within the staffroom, Amelia burst in looking extremely flustered.

'Are you alright, Miss Cackle. Here - sit down, have a banana' Davina mothered as Constance observed the scene closely. Constance was a brilliant observer. She loved to sit down and watch the world go by as she tried to interpret what could be going on in other people's lives. However, she found herself unable to decipher what Miss Cackle was experiencing this morning.

'Constance, you wonderful soul, I have no idea how you bloody do it' Amelia lashed out. 'Those girls will be the death of me!'

'Mhm. Need I even ask which group of girls you are referring to, or shall I just guess?' Constance replied, her eyes rolling into the back of her head in boredom. It was the same old story every day, yet when she complained about it, Miss Cackle seemed to brush it off as playful behaviour. In fact, Constance was rather enjoying watching Amelia squirm in frustration under her gaze. How unfortunate indeed.

'Now, now Constance, don't mock me. I know I try and be lenient but those girls, honestly!' Amelia continued, 'actually, I'm partly blaming you Miss Hardbroom. Did you or did you not teach those girls a bubbling spell yesterday as part of your potion mixology lecture?'

'Well, yes I did, if you're referring to the group of girls that are Mildr-'

'I swear upon the legacy of Lucy Fairweather, if you do that again I may have to sack you Constance! Honestly, they're sat there, playing with their porridge, until one of them - was it Ruby? No, Enid? - ugh I don't even know nor do I care. Anyway, one of them turns to the other and recites that god forsaken spell and the porridge begins to bubble over - but they can't stop it! So what happens? Inevitably the porridge exploded all over them, as well as all over the bench behind them! And they're in fits of giggles. Obviously, I made them clean up the mess. Then I told them, I did, wait until Miss Hardbroom hears about this! That soon shut them up. Ridiculous' Miss Cackle huffed, as she came to the end of her rather long winded retelling of the story as she plonked down by Davina.

'Well, Amelia, I would be more than happy to sort them out for you, as long as you are forever indebted to me. You must take my allegations against those girls more seriously now you have experienced it first hand!' Constance mocked. She was secretly loving this, as her expression gave away.

'Very well.'

'Well, let me write it down so I don't forget. An hours detention tomorrow, for I already have Mildred again tonight, for...let's see: Maud, Enid, Ruby, Jadu and of course, Mildred.' HB smirked to herself as she wrote out a record of the names which she slotted inside her planner.

'Thank you Constance. But - oh wait! Mildred was not there, not at the table, nor did she show for the entire breakfast...I'm sure it is a relief to hear that you will not be punishing her for a second night as the girl was simply not present.' Amelia finished.

'WHAT?' Miss Hardbroom bellowed, albeit louder than she had intended as Miss Drill came through the staffroom door, startled.

'What on earth was the need for that racket Constance?!' Imogen cried out.

'Well, Miss Drill, it appears that I have my work cut out for me today. Not only do I have four detentions to dish out before it's even hit 9am, but I have another Mildred Hubble who appears to be missing from mealtimes, yet again!' Constance snapped back at the P.E teacher.

'She's not missing, HB! I only saw her half an hour ago. We had a rather productive conversation which she seemed to have needed!' Imogen retaliated.

'And need I ask what was said?'

Miss Drill stayed silent in response to Miss Hardbroom's question. Right now, Mildred's feelings were on a need to know basis, and technically, Constance did not need to know. She wanted to protect Mildred's privacy for as long as she could. Irritating HB which was an added bonus.

'FINE!' Constance cried out to a rather tense staffroom, 'If certain members of staff do not see it fit to inform me of issues going on within MY own form group, then I guess I shall just have to resolve them myself' she claimed, as she spun around, walked out the door and slammed it at full force behind her.

'AND I WILL STILL BE GIVING MILDRED DETENTION FOR TRUANTING HER MEALS!' Constance yelled back up the staircase in order for the room to understand how pissed off she was at everyone in there.

'Does anyone else think she has anger issues?' Miss Bat asked, deadly serious, from the corner of the room.

'I do not know, Davina, but what I do know is that she's overly invested in Mildred Hubble, even more so after the end of her third year. It worries me sometimes. She gets ever so worked up...' Miss Cackle trailed off, deep in thought about her deputy.

By the time Mildred's detention came round, Constance was so exhausted from chasing the girl about all day that she did not register how she was over five minutes late.

Out of sheer luck, the child had managed to avoid her wrath all day. She immediately went on a wild goose chase to find her straight after breakfast, but the fourth years had P.E first lesson so they had already gone into the changing rooms. Miss Drill had banned her from entering those ages ago as part of some petty feud they had in the distant past.

After that, Mildred seemed to be in all her lessons at the perfect time that day, so HB was unable to tell her off for her absence this morning. The other teachers were also no help, seemingly enjoying their chance to wind her up by acting oblivious to Mildred Hubble's presence. Constance was not stupid, she knew they had been seeing her about all day.

By the time lunch came, Mildred was no where to be seen yet again. Davina was on duty this time, and Constance had snuck in to check Mildred was there as she knew Miss Bat wouldn't see it as of any importance to tell her. She then went over to Mildred's friends who were sat in their usual spot, but they claimed that they had not seen her either. Constance did actually believe them this time, for Mildred had been distant with them all week.

Consequently, it wasn't until 7pm for that compulsory detention, that she finally came face to face with Mildred, who looked incredibly sheepish.

'Sit.'

Mildred sat. She knew this was going to be a sorry experience. HB was probably in the worst mood that she had seen her in since she'd crash landed into the staffroom a few days ago.

'Open your potions book, the level 4 version, not the level 3 one which you seem to be attached to, Mildred!' HB snapped as she removed the book Mildred had opened to her desk through the use of apparition, before replacing it with a newer version.

'As I was saying, open your book to page 203 and make a start on your summer project - if you can even call it that anymore.'

'Yes Miss Hardbroom' Mildred obeyed, although she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She had not eaten all day, making it an entire 30 hours since she had last endured a proper meal. She was rather good at this new health regime that Miss Drill had inspired. It had made her feel much more controlled, but she was going to have to really focus in order to survive this detention.

'I expect significant progress by the end of your two hours, but I do not expect it to be finished completely. The finer things in life are never rushed, Mildred' Constance finished.

Mildred then set to work in silence as Constance wallowed in her own thoughts. She was worrying herself about how to confront Mildred. She would do it at the end of the detention of course, but how was she going to get answers out of the girl? And even if Mildred did give her an explanation, how would she ensure that it was the truth and not some stupid lie like she had come up with yesterday.

After an hour or so, Miss Hardbroom found that she was about to fall asleep. She had been thinking so intensely for so long, that she was disorientated and was slipping in and out of a semi-conscious state.

'Are you alright Miss Hardbroom?' Mildred asked, a hint of worry evident in her voice.

Miss hardbroom looked up sharply at the girl as she narrowed her eyes, 'Yes, Mildred. It has been a rather long day, for I have spent most of it rushing around trying to find you.'

'Oh,' Mildred replied, clearly confused by that statement as she set her pen down to the desk. She couldn't see why Miss Hardbroom had wanted to find her. She hadn't done anything wrong since the staffroom incident which HB had already dealt with. Of course, there was her fight with Ethel, but she knew Miss Drill would never have told her about that. The only other thing was her telling off yesterday, before she got upset and had left the room. But why would HB be rushing about to find her today for that? Surely she would have tried to find her yesterday instead. The fact she had detention tonight anyway was odd too, what could be so urgent that HB had rushed to find her today when she was already guaranteed an audience with Mildred tonight? Mildred found that her heart had started racing.

Miss Hardbroom continued to sit silently at her desk, before she stood up from behind it and began to walk over to where Mildred was seated. She then proceeded to pull up a chair next to her before she sat down and twiddled with her fingers in her lap. She was staring directly at Mildred, displaying her usual intimidating demeanour, but Mildred couldn't help but wonder if she was nervous?

'I need to talk to you Mildred' Constance began.

Mildred remained deadly silent next to her as her leg began to bounce up and down on the floor.

'I wanted to ask you again what was wrong' she questioned.

'Nothings wrong, Miss Hardbroom. No offence, but I do wish everyone would stop asking me that'.

'Mildred, people are asking because they're worried about your increasingly poor behaviour. You seem to have fallen out with everyone in your year and you come into my lessons completely distracted, as well as being absent from places you are supposed to be in. So please, enlighten us all - what is going on?' Miss Hardbroom pried.

'Miss, I haven't fallen out with my friends, I've just been unwell-'

'Do not give me that excuse again, I know it isn't the truth. Maud and Enid don't seem to believe it either as they made very clear when they came to discuss their concerns with Miss Drill yesterday, which is ultimately why I believe you had a conversation with your P.E teacher this morning!' HB ranted.

Suddenly, Mildred felt very uneasy as dread began to fill her.

'What are you on about?! That's ridiculous. I'm sorry Miss Hardbroom, but Maud and Enid would never go behind my back like that!' She refused to believe it, she did not want Miss Drill involved in her life, and she thought she could trust her friends to confide in them. Yet they had the audacity to be angry at her for not telling them anything!

'Mildred, I saw it with my own eyes you silly girl. They came into the staffroom, asked me if they could see her about something regarding you, and then they went down to her office!'

'Well why?!'

'

I don't know Mildred! I wanted to know just as much as you do seeing as you're under my care in my form group, but I do not know!' Constance replied, exasperated.

'I don't believe you' Mildred said, as her eyes welled up with hot anger and she stood up rapidly.

'Mildred, I'm warning you know, it's the truth and I still have more to ask you!' Constance snapped back as she stood up slowly to reach Mildred's level, unwilling to let her go without saying her piece to her first.

'Sit down'.

Mildred stood there, frozen and shaking in anger as she refused Miss Hardbroom's request.

Taking the silence as her cue to continue, Constance stated that 'What concerns me the most, more than your hostility toward your friends, Mildred, is the fact that you are not eating.'

Mildred's jaw dropped. How could Miss Hardbroom accuse her of that? It wasn't an issue. She did eat, she had just not been hungry for the last day or so and it was none of her business!

'I do eat'

'For goodness sake Mildred, why does every girl in this school believe that I was born yesterday? Of course you have not been eating! Do you honestly think I wouldn't have noticed if you started skipping four meals at a time, or that you seem to have lost half of your body weight over the summer holidays?'

Mildred could feel herself begin to shake at an uncontrollable rate as her face began to redden. She wanted to scream at HB for what she was saying about her. Or throw her book at her, anything! What right did Hardbroom have to accuse her of not eating? She never saw her eat and did she question it? It wasn't fair.

'You have no right to say that about me.' Mildred said as she stood her ground, despite her voice becoming abnormally low.

'Excuse me?!'

'IT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER OKAY' Mildred yelled, startling Constance as the conversation had been turned up a notch so quickly.

Before Miss Hardbroom could process what was happening, Mildred had clasped her hand to her mouth, turned around, and began to leg it from the room.

'MILDRED' Constance yelled as she used apparition to reach the door, blocking Mildred's exit, 'I cant let you go in this state, sit down!'

'No, I need to go Miss' Mildred stated, her lips starting to tremble as she launched herself at HB's body, trying to push her out the way in panic.

Constance did not know what to do, so she grabbed Mildred's arm before she could leave, gripping firmly onto her to stop her from running off so upset. It was a massive mistake, Constance realised, as something seemed to snap within Mildred.

'GET - THE HELL - OFF ME!' She yelled, thrashing her arms about in front of her body in a desperate attempt to free herself from her potion teachers grip and hurt Constance in the process. Constance however, continued to hold onto her, more out of complete shock than anything else. Never had she seen such a reaction from a student over something as simple as a hand on her arm.

'STOP TOUCHING ME! STOP IT, GET AWAY!' Mildred continued, kicking at her teachers leg before HB let go of her instantly.

Tears were now streaming down Mildred's face now as she started to hyperventilate.

Constance kept her distance as she did not want to cause her to shout again, but she herself had felt a lump begin form in her throat from the sheer emotion that was radiating off Mildred. She couldn't ever recall feeling so sorry for someone, as she wanted nothing more than to help the girl which seemed impossible in her current state.

However, Mildred was too worked up to stop herself from saying what she did next:

'I don't know why you even care! You haven't cared about me at all across my entire time here at Cackle's! You've hated me from my first day and you're probably glad this is all happening to me. You probably enjoy seeing me so upset, which is why you constantly bully me! So, why act like you care now?!' Mildred choked out, unable to breathe properly let alone hold back her anger.

'Mildred, of course I care, I-I -' Constance was at a loss for words until she finally lost it too. 'THAT ISN'T TRU!E' Constance knew yelling was making it worse, but she found herself unable to separate her emotions from her thoughts as she looked at the poor girl in front of her and also felt tears welling up in her eyes.

'STOP LYING TO ME' Mildred cried. 'P-please stop, HB. I cant c-cope with it anymore. I cant cope with any of th-this anymore' Mildred wailed.

But before Constance could reply, Mildred found herself suddenly feeling incredibly unwell. She started to see three Miss Hardbroom's standing in front of her, and before her teacher could reach out to hold her, Mildred Hubble had collapsed into an unconscious pile at her feet, her head colliding straight with the stone floor.