Meanwhile, far away from the hell that Constance and Mildred had endured, Cackle's Academy stood its ground. The sun was beginning to rise again as a husky pink hue decorated the skyline, with golden light reflecting from the glass windows. Despite this peaceful scene, chaos was unfolding within the walls of the castle as morning came. The new day did not bring hopeful promises, as it only solidified that something was seriously wrong, due to how long HB had been missing for. Many of the girls believed that Mildred had not lived to seen the sun rise again.

Maud lay sobbing in the corner with this realisation as Imogen Drill tried to comfort her.

'They would have been back by now if she was okay! Miss Hardbroom, she-she's been gone for hours' she had wailed, dread filling every crevice of her body as she trembled beneath her P.E teacher.

'Oh Maud, you mustn't worry about what you cannot control. I know it is easier said than done, but you cannot change the outcome of this no matter what you do now. You've done all you can, and we just have to wait for them to return.'

'If they return' Maud replied, ignoring the rest of Miss Drill's advice.

Her words were cutting, but Maud could not deny their truth, so she decided to remain silent. The girls had got to work the very second Miss Hardbroom had disappeared, following her exact instructions as they did so. They couldn't have done anything more.

Enid had immediately gone to bang on Miss Cackle's door, before she barged in after there was no answer. She shook her awake, which elicited several disoriented shouts from her headteacher. Amelia was startled, but understood the urgency of the situation immediately. She wished her deputy had come to fetch her for backup first, but the woman knew that Constance always had to delve into everything head first, and would listen to no one when it involved the safety of Mildred.

Meanwhile, Maud had dragged Ethel and Drusilla from their beds, much to their reluctance. However, once Maud had explained the situation, and more specifically that this was on HB's orders, they were more than willing to oblige. In fact, it was the most worried that she had ever seen the pair. Despite their arch rivalry, the girls had grown up together over the last four years, and Ethel wasn't even sure she wanted to see Mildred expelled anymore, let alone dead.

'We should wake up Fen and Griz' she had suggested, desperate to put some useful input into the situation. 'Think about it, Maud - they're the brightest students in the school. They're crafty, the teachers trust them and they're both fifth years - you said HB needed fifth year potions, and they're WHC ready!'

Maud had agreed with this, grateful for Ethels suggestions and thankful that her and Drusilla were thinking more rationally than her. Despite their worry, they were not close to Mildred at all so they did not find themselves as flustered as her best friend was.

Eventually, waking up Fen and Griz had turned into waking up Sybil and Clarice too, who then insisted on waking up the rest of the third years to help Mildred. Their entire year seemed to view her as some sort of saint with her winning the head-girlship last year. The movement in the third year corridor then resulted in the appearance of the entire fourth and fifth year cohort in the potions lab too, until Miss Drill and Miss Bat had ushered the two youngest years to stay in their rooms until morning, as they would be of little help in advanced first aid.

Sooner or later, the entire school was awake as nervous rumours circulated around the castle. Various versions of the story were surfacing, from the truth to some ridiculous first year girls stating that HB had tried to kill Mildred herself after a detention gone wrong. Of course, it was only Mildred's closest circle who knew the entire truth, but it didn't stop almost everyone in the castle from working on getting help for Mildred - everyone cared about her.

By the time the birds were chirping again, signalling the arrival of an early morning, two whole batches of first aid potions had been created, as well as endless supplies of bandages, antiseptic and pain relief. They had prepared all they could, and they only hoped that Mildred would return alive to put it all to good use.

'It has been a rather long time, Amelia. Are you sure that we should just be sitting around here?' Miss Bat had worried. She had been eccentric for the entire night, offering very little stability for the girls.

'She's coming back, Davinia - I know it.'

'But how are you so sure?'

'I can feel it. Constance always comes back. As for Mildred though, I am not sensing a presence. On that one I cannot reassure you' she responded, a deep furrow crossing her face.

'She will not come back without Mildred.' Miss Drill had stated from behind the pair. 'Alive or not, she will not leave her there. It would kill her too much if-'

However, Imogen was cut off as a tremendous rumbled sounded throughout the crowded potions lad. It was so forceful that the walls shook and clouds of dust fell from the ceiling, engulfing every woman inside.

'What on earth...' Amelia had wondered, before trailing off as she managed to make out a dark shadow coming into view from one of the windows.

The room continued to shake, as the windows rattled and dread began to fill Amelia. This was no earthquake - this was magic. This was emotional, uncontrolled magic, and it had the indistinguishable aura of her deputy headmistress. Something was seriously wrong, and the feeling was so intense from this incoming figure that the entire room was about to blow.

'GIRLS, GET OUT! GO TO THE GREAT HALL AND TAKE COVER' Miss Cackle had yelled, commanding Miss Bat and Miss Drill to escort the girls.

'IF THATS MILDRED, I'M NOT LEAVING' Maud and Enid had shouted back in unison. Ethel and Drusilla had already fled, but Ruby, Jadu, Maud, Enid, Fen and Griz were all hunched up together under Constance's desk, determined not to leave at this stage.

'VERY WELL. JUST GET - DOWN!'

Mere seconds after Amelia had said that, chaos ensued. Every single window within the potions classroom had exploded with an ear-peircing screech. Smashed glass was sprayed all across the room as chairs flew over and desks plummeted against the walls. The only material that managed to go unscathed was the medical potions which Miss Cackle was shielding with her life in the stock cupboard she had sheltered in.

Soon enough, Constance Hardbroom had come crashing down through one of the broken windows, before toppling right off her broom and onto the floor. Mildred was wrapped in bundles of blankets, as Constance held onto her for dear life. The weight of it all had caused her to loose control of her broom and her magic, resulting in the ever-eloquent HB loosing all her grace as she yelled out for assistance.

'HELP ME!' She had screamed, unsure who was even in the room as thick dust covered everything. 'She's alive but barely! She woke up for a few seconds before she collapsed again! I-I couldn't leave her Amelia but I think the dodgy flight has caused even more damage' Constance panicked, grabbing onto the cloak Miss Cackle was wearing in desperation. Her face was still wet and stained with tear-tracks as she panicked before her headteacher, guilt filling her as she realised bringing Mildred back this way may have cost her life.

'Griselda, pass me the heavy-bleeding potion-'

'NO! Her heart rate is dangerously inconsistent' Miss Hardbroom had boomed. Despite the situation she round herself in, the teacher had become almost robotic as she attempted to regain control of the situation. Many years of training allowed her to understand exactly what she was doing as she gave out orders.

'Griselda, the resuscitation potion.'

'RESUSCITATION! But that means her hearts stopped!' Maud cried out.

'I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS MAUD. QUICK SHE'S DROPPING!' Constance had yelled before she carefully administered it.

The sight before them was not pretty, as Mildred violently jerked while the potion tried to restart her heart rhythm. Ruby had her hand over her mouth as she tried to stop herself from hysterically sobbing, while Miss Hardbroom began CPR on her student. She never thought this day would come, for what child under her care would have sustained such an unnatural injury as this?

Eventually, it worked as Mildred's heartbeat became much steadier.

'Fenella, the heavy-bleeding potion. Maud and Enid, I need you to assist me in bandaging, and you Ruby...'

Constance droned on for almost an hour as she commanded different things from each of the girls and her headmistress. Mildred had heavy sedation given to her as they worked together to pull any broken bones back into place. Anti-bleeding potions were also administered into her stomach and injected into her neck in order to combat any internal injuries. Fenella and Griselda worked together to stitch up several gashes which decorated Mildred's cheeks and arms. Constance put new bandages over Mildred's own self-inflicted injuries from the week previously, until she dressed every other area of her that needed attention.

After what seemed like an age, and with every potion from the first aid pack now completely empty, Mildred had become stable once more. She was now breathing consistently, despite it sounding painful, and her limbs were normal. The aid of medical magical supervison allowed for everyone to assess her injuries perfectly, so there was no need for any non-magical hospital or involvement. HB was glad of this. She did not want to re-enter the real world for a long time.

All that was needed now was for her to wake up, but this was unlikely for the foreseeable future due to all the medicine that was sedating her body.

Constance could do nothing but hold her, forgetting that several eyes were glued to her every action until Amelia put a hand on her shoulder.

'Con, you need to let her go now'.

'I can't.'

'You need to. She needs to be in bed resting, and we need to talk about what has happened' Amelia said softly, trying not to upset her deputy anymore. She was vulnerable too, and she needed her support more than anything right now.

'I don't want to let her out of my sight' Constance reasoned, desperate to stay with her beloved girl.

'You don't have to. Look, let us take Mildred up to your own room Constance. She can sleep in your bed under your supervision until she wakes up. Does that sound alright to Mildred's friends too?' Amelia questioned, turning to the others and making sure to consider the opinions of the girls. They deserved a say in this too, for they would be worried for their friend as well.

'Yes, Miss Cackle. We know she's in good hands and she seems to be stable now.' Enid had responded, exhausted from all her hard work.

'A long as you let us know the second she wakes up. And you promise we can see her then!' Maud compromised. This earned a nod from the rest of them.

'Of course, as long as Mildred is willing' Amelia smiled softly. 'She may want to be alone for some time first, girls'.

Before she could say anything else to the girls, Miss Hardbroom had used apparition to transport the three of them to the staff quarters.

Constance felt as if she had lived a thousand lives today. Less than 24 hours ago, she was getting ready to start a normal day of teaching. Now she was here, broken hearted as she reflected on everything that had just happened.

She remained deadly silent as she carried Mildred into bed, tucking her in with bundles of blankets in an attempt to keep her warm enough. Her sheets were still rustled from when she had been woken up six hours earlier, traces of her own sleep apparent everywhere in the room. Constance plaited Mildred's hair to remove it from the cuts on her face, just like she had done a few times before when she had taken her back to bed after an emotional night. However, she found that this action only reminded her of all the times Mildred had come to her in dire need. All those times where she had failed to piece together the full extent of everything. She had been so stupid - it was all her fault.

Constance found herself unable to turn around to face Amelia, let alone look into her eyes. She had never felt so awful in her entire life as she stroked Mildred's cheek. This guilt was probably equal to the guilt she faced after the loss of her baby all those years ago. She didn't remember much for she had blocked it out, but she knew it had absolutely broken her, and so had this.

Amelia edged forward to her friend, sensing the emotion as it was radiating from her in waves. She knew Constance was so hurt right now and she wanted to take all her pain away, but she didn't know how to.

'Are you alright?'

At first, Constance didn't respond. Her gaze remained fixed on Mildred as she tried to block out everything around her. She was about to break if Miss Cackle continued talking and she could not face it.

'Look at me' Amelia continued, gently touching her deputy's wrist as she did so.

Instinctively, Constance did, and she wished she hadn't right away. Amelia looked so tired, and it only reminded her of how fragile life was. She had overlooked the fact that her friend was growing older now, as her face resembled someone small and frail. Yet it was her eyes that got to her the most. They were so sorrowful, as they met Constance's watery ones. They conveyed a world of emotion towards her that she had never been lucky enough to receive from her own mother. For one ridiculous moment, she found herself wondering if Amelia loved her, for she had never received parental love.

'I want you to know I love you, Con'.

And with that, Constance immediately burst into tears. There was no warning for how much pain she was about to express - it just came out as Amelia seemed to read her thoughts. She had not bawled like this since the day Mistress Broomhead had found her on the floor in college. She sobbed and she sobbed, until she couldn't hold herself up anymore as she slid off the bed next to Mildred and hit the wooden floor.

Amelia simply held her after that. She curled up next to Constance from where she was sat and pulled her close to her own chest, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. The headmistress was now crying quietly too, as she could physically feel the pain Constance was in. She rubbed comforting circles on her back as she rocked her back and forth, while Constance just clutched onto her, wailing into the nook of her neck like Mildred had done on her previously. Her cries were agonising as she howled against Amelia, heart-breaking noises coming from deep from within her chest. Amelia even thought about sedating her for a brief moment, for Constance was struggling to breathe now and was in so much agony from everything she had been through. She had never seen her like this. Constance was strong, and this was not her Constance at all. Of course, she had cried a few times in front of her, but this was something else. This was the sound of someone who was dying from the inside.

'It-it was all B-Broomhead. The entire time. Ezra, Mildred's a-abuse. It was all my fucking ex-tutor who planned it all to get to me' Constance heaved, shaking her head as she drowned in her own guilt. 'All of this has happened because of me, and because I failed Mildred.'

'Shh, it's okay - you're okay now. You're both okay' Amelia whispered into her ear, both shocked and devastated to hear this news.

'I feel broken, like I'll never be happy again. Broomhead - she s-somehow manages to b-break my heart a little more every time I see her.'

'She's low-life. Scum. You mustn't let her hurt someone as lovely as you-'

'But she said I didn't deserve love-'

'You do, you are loved-'

'It doesn't even matter. I do not know why it has got to me so much. It's nothing that I didn't believe myself already.' Constance began, slowly managing to catch her breath after half an hour of straight sobbing. 'I felt very lonely as a child. The first word that comes to my head when I think of my childhood is 'starved'. I felt staved of affection, starved of love and I felt that it wasn't okay to ask for it. I thought that if I deserved it, the love would be there, but it wasn't. That meant there must be something I'd done which meant I didn't deserve it.'

'Oh sweetheart, you were a child! No child does anything to deserve that!'

'Things happened, when I was no longer a child though, and they solidified to me the reasons why I really didn't deserve love.'

'What do you mean? You've been at this school almost your entire adult life, and you have never done anything drastically wrong. I don't understand?'

'Please, Amelia. Please don't hate me for what I am about to tell you. I live in enough shame every single day and it's torture.'

'You know I wouldn't judge you, Constance.'

'When I was around twenty, I was sent off to Witch Training College within the Weirdsister branch, and as you know, Hecketty Broomhead was my personal tutor. You are also aware of most of the abuse I faced from her by now, aren't you?'

'Yes, I am, although I wish I wasn't. You told me many years ago, but I have always wished you'd feel confident enough to talk about it more often though. We could have destroyed her reputation within the Witches Guild.'

'Well, I didn't tell you everything.' Constance continued, ignoring the latter half of the sentence for it would only exemplify her current guilt. 'She made my life such a living hell, that I turned to a range of very unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with how I was feeling. Navigating the adult world as teenaged spirit without limitations on my freedom, you can imagine how I became very rebellious. I believed it was my own special way of lashing out at Broomhead, but in reality, all it did was ruin my own life even further. I drank heavily every single day to the point where I was unconscious every evening and woke up physically sick every morning. I stopped eating too and I became very unwell. I would cry all the time and I wanted nothing more than for life as I knew it to end. Certain wizards and witches within the college seemed to realise this and used it to take advantage of me because I was conventionally attractive. So, by the end of my second year, I found myself sleeping around with a lot of people as a form of self-harm I guess.'

Constance paused for a few seconds to gather her thoughts before she spoke again, in complete disbelief of what she was willingly choosing to share. There was no easy way around this, she would have to spit it out without playing it down. 'I fell pregnant in my third year. It was several weeks before I found out it had happened, and I did not know whose child it was. I am not proud of that but I was in such a dark place that I couldn't bring myself to care. In fact, it actually gave me hope. By the time I was due to have the baby, I would have graduated from college and would hopefully be living alone somewhere, free from my tutor and all my classmates who had used me. I would be able to raise a sweet little thing, and rebuild a life for myself after living in fear for so many years. Although it sounds selfish, having my own baby offered an escape from Broomhead, because the apprenticeship would not be approved if the guild found out I was heavily pregnant.'

Amelia had gone white realising what this meant. Constance had joined her at Cackle's when she was 22, and she had no children then. Something terrible had happened during or after this pregnancy, and it destroyed her to even think about what her friend had been through.

'I-I was just so unwell though, Amelia. I had continued to heavily d-drink for the first 8 weeks, maybe even more. I just had no idea something - no, someone - was growing inside of me. I was also deadly thin because of my eating disorder, and I find myself shocked to this day that my body was even capable enough of becoming pregnant...'

'What happened?' Amelia had encouraged softly, as Constance had trailed off into sorrowful thought.

'I lost the baby. I killed it - it was all, my-my f-fault' Constance choked, as heaving sobs escaped from her throat once more. 'It happened on my bathroom floor, and of course Broomhead had to be the one to discover me. I poured my heart out to her, and she's used it against me ever since. I confided my worst fears in her, about how I was terrified of being an awful mother and letting down my own children. That's why she did what she did to Mildred - to get to me.'

'Oh, it's not your fault Con! Come here' Amelia whispered, before eloping her into another firm cuddle. 'This must be why you put on such a brave face? Why you never share your worries with anyone because you are still so scared that they will be used against you again?'

Constance could only nod silently in response, so emotionally overwhelmed by what she had just shared to speak properly.

'I can't talk to anyone about it. The words just won't come. I know people would listen and offer their support, but I can't find the words to explain how I feel everyday. It feels like I have been grieving for something that never was, for so many years. How do you remember someone you shared no memories with? How do you love someone you don't even know? It's weird to think that if my baby had lived, they would be turning 20 this year - the same age I was when I fell pregnant with them, yet I have nothing to show for it at all'.

'I admire you, Constance. All this pain you have experienced, yet you still give so much to the girls here. You have been through so much but you have always managed to protect them as if they were your own and it is a wonderful gift to display. I understand your frustration so much more now.' Amelia complemented, before adding 'you must have really been struggling with all this though, as the truth about Mildred unfolded?'

'Indeed. I have been struggling so much for weeks on end, Amelia, and no one noticed because I wouldn't let them. There have been evenings where I have just wanted to end it all, if it wasn't for the impact it would have on Mildred and the other girls here, I probably would have. It's not like I haven't tried on multiple occasions before during my younger years. I've been so anxious that I have stopped eating and sleeping properly again, and-and I just f-feel so much every single day, after not feeling anything at all for y-years. All of this has brought everything back up again' Constance cried quietly.

Amelia could not say anything as she sat there, stroking Constance's long hair. In this moment, they looked like mother and daughter, and despite the fact that she could not fix this or offer any words of comfort, the mutual knowledge that they both loved each other was enough to encourage her deputy to continue. Constance spoke for hours as confided everything in Amelia that had happened that night, from Broomhead's involvement in Mildred's abuse, to the words she had said to her before they physically fought, as well as her past and her present.

'How awful for you both, but you could never have put the two together though, Con. Despite how similar your situation with Mildred was, you could never have guessed that Broomhead was using magical deception just to get to you, because of the sheer amount of years that have passed you by! She simply wasn't a part of your life anymore. You weren't even aware of your love for Mildred yourself until recently, so do you honestly think the child would have expected you to predict this?' Amelia had reasoned, attempting to comfort Constance before she left her to rest next to Mildred.

Constance tried to think rationally, but she had felt so betrayed and confused by everything tonight that she was unable to feel anything but guilt. All she could think about was what she could have done differently, and it caused her to dissolve into further fits of tears every few minutes or so when she thought about this.

'I say Mildred's name, and instead of a smile, a lump forms in my throat. I cannot face her. Not after this' She explained, tears still falling down her cheeks.

'Guilt is the worst demon you can bear, it will strangle you from the inside of your body. You must make amends and let it go, Con, or it will eat you alive'.

'But I feel like I need to punish myself otherwise I fear my amends will not suffice'.

'Constance, you aren't a better person for feeling guilty of bad about yourself, just a sadder one.' Amelia finished.

Constance nodded slowly, before standing up and crawling under the sheets next to a frail Mildred who was still sleeping peacefully.

'Talk to her when she wakes up. Support her, tend to her - love her, Constance. She needs you despite what may believe about yourself, I promise' she reassured her. 'You need rest though too, hush now and lie down.'

'Thank you for being there for me' Constance thanked her, as her eyes became heavier and started to close.

'And thank you for trusting me. You know where I am if you need me' Amelia replied, before placing a gentle kiss to her forehead. 'I love you Connie, sweet dreams'.

With that, Amelia left the room before closing the door after her, leaving behind an unconscious Mildred and Miss Hardbroom to sleep peacefully where they were both safe once more.