Chapter 4 – A few surprises
Hecate was walking around one of the schools' courtyards and she was getting slightly cold. As she took her tenth lap whilst deep in thought, Dimity joined her. Dimity unlike Hecate had dressed for the weather, her scarf was wrapped warmly around her throat and her gloves were rather thick. She had swapped her trainers for some boots that were fluffy all the way through.
Hecate had been out there for a while and it showed, her boot prints could be seen in the frosty ground, all around the perimeter of the courtyard.
"Hecate, what could possibly be worrying you this much?" Dimity asked with kindness to her voice.
"Arrow". Hecate whispered, with her head down. She had only just managed to get the name out as she was very cold as well as rather concerned.
"Why, she seems fine, headstrong, stubborn and fine".
"Arrow looked at me in a way she never has done earlier". Hecate replied, she waited for Dimity to respond but she didn't. Dimity was waiting for Hecate to explain in her own time. "Arrow was helping Mildred in class. There was nothing wrong with Mildred's potion at the end. I asked her if she had helped her, and she said no. Then she proceeded to give a look of confusion. Now I have seen many looks of confusion from that girl but not this one".
"OK, but that doesn't explain much. Hecate".
"I heard Mildred tell Arrow that I hate her with a passion, of which I don't". Hecate stated with annoyance. For she never hated the girl, she just didn't think the girl ever tried hard enough.
"I'm not going to sugar coat it though Mildred does slightly have a point". Dimity calmly told her. Hecate was about to argue the matter, yet Dimity held her hand up. "You are a lot harsher on her than I have ever seen you with any other student, and I've worked with you for ten years. You do sound like you hate her. I would only say this as a friend. You are very similar to how Ethel is with her". Dimity held her breath once she had finished, she knew she would hate being compared to a class bully.
Hecate was deep in thought for a few minutes until she halted and looked at Dimity. "Arrow had a friend who three years ago became an orphan, Arrow had asked if we could take her in, at the time Desmond and I talked through it and we had agreed to take her in. Arrow's friend was from a non-witching family". She said with a lightness to her voice that Dimity had never heard before. "I don't hate those from non-witching families I do however know how much they struggle and usually they never make it. Mildred stresses me out. I know she can do what I am asking of her but she just doesn't try hard enough. Arrow will see a different side to me whilst she is here and I know she isn't going to like it". Hecate stated the last part with frustration.
"Maybe Mildred isn't comfortable around you, you do always try to find the worst in her". Dimity reasoned. "Maybe Arrow being her won't be such a bad thing".
"I wanted Ethel to show Arrow around and help her settle in". Hecate said with honesty.
"Maybe, but the trio was a much better option. Not to mention Arrow and Ethel didn't get along from the get-go". Dimity explained. "Oh, and on that subject, did you end up speaking to Ethel?"
Hecate suddenly looked really irritated. "I knew I forgot to do something". She made a low growling sound which made Dimity laugh. This was a different Hecate to what she knew.
Hecate headed inside and made her way to Ethel's room, the girl would still be awake and she wanted to speak to her now before she left it too long. She opened her door and walked in. Ethel looked up.
"Something you want to own up to Ethel?"
"I don't know what you mean Miss Hardbroom". Ethel replied whilst looking confused.
"What happened in flying and spell science yesterday?"
"Oh, you mean Arrow". Ethel shrugged. "I tried to ignore her but she wouldn't leave me alone".
Hecate knew this to be a lie. "So are you telling me that you didn't cause her to come off my broom? Or that you made fun of her name? and that the staff are lying to me?" Hecate stated with a dangerous tone to her voice.
Ethel had no idea that that the deputy headmistress had found out and she was confused at the tone. "She's not very nice anyway".
Hecate gave her a look that would scare even half the staff and Ethel realised she had said the wrong thing. "You have almost injured Mildred numerous times and now Arrow this will not slide anymore. On behalf of Mildred and Arrow I am giving you a weeks flying ban and a detention tomorrow night". With the last word she walked out leaving Ethel sitting at her desk looking ashen faced.
The next morning Ethel woke up and got changed. There was a glint in her eye and she decided to out Mildred, she was hoping Arrow wouldn't want anything to do with Mildred and that way she was friendless. It was Saturday so there were no classes. She headed to breakfast and made a beeline towards Mildred. She almost smiled when she saw the trio and Arrow together.
"Must be a shame to end up friends with the outcasts, especially when Mildred is from a non-witching family". Ethel teased. Dimity was stunned when she heard what the girl had come out with and before she could do anything about it, Arrow took it upon herself to punch Ethel in the face.
Arrow brushed her hands together almost like she was getting rid of something on her hands. "That ought to shut her up for a bit". She stated matter of fact.
Ethel was sprawled out on the floor covered in blood for Arrow had managed to break her nose, she tried to splutter something, though it wasn't understandable.
"That was for bring a nasty piece of work". Arrow lightly told her. "Oh and that will leave two black eyes, I guess your knew name with Evil Panda.
Dimity said nothing as she helped Ethel of the floor. She felt Arrow had made it quite clear to Ethel. She walked the student to the potions lab as Hecate would be in there sorting out the ingredients order that had arrived early that morning. Dimity knocked and walked Ethel in. Hecate took one look at Dimity's face which had one of those I told you so faces. Then she looked at Ethel's and knew exactly who had done the damage.
"I can fix the brake though you will be sporting two very well-placed black eyes as I can not undo any bruising. Arrow as always aimed straight. What did you do?"
Ethel tried to explain though due to her broken nose and the warm blood in her mouth, again, she wasn't making any sense.
"Arrow doesn't punch someone in the face for nothing, I spoke to you last night. Did nothing I said sink in at all?" Hecate's eyes started flashing.
Whilst Ethel was being cleaned up and lectured the best she could be. Arrow had plenty of questions for the trio.
"Why didn't you say you were from a non-witching family?". Arrow queried with a confused expression, though the expression was kind.
"She isn't from a non-witching family". Maud corrected.
"So then dormant?" Arrow asked.
"What's dormant?" Enid wondered out loud.
"It's a family that has lost the magic one way or another for a few generations. Then a child is born and suddenly magic has restarted with that family with that child". Arrow explained.
"So, I'm from a dormant witching family?" Mildred asked for clarification.
"That would be correct". Miss Cackle confirmed from behind Arrow as she places her hands on Arrow's shoulders. "Could I have a word please, Arrow?".
The trio watched as Miss Cackle and Arrow walked away.
"I hope she doesn't get in too much trouble. Ethel was asking for it". Enid said with concern.
"Is me or does she look like a really pretty version of H.B". Maud stated with wonder.
"ye, she does". Enid said wide eyed, surprised she hadn't seen it herself.
"Does anyone know her last name, I don't think I've heard it?" Mildred asked.
"She seems rather nice, would be a huge shock if they were related as Arrow is nothing like her". Maud reasoned.
"She helped me in potions and then lied about it to H.B" Mildred recalled.
"H.B definitely didn't believe her". Enid remembered.
The trio got their bowls of cold slimy porridge and sat down. They were in deep discussion when Arrow joined them with some food her mother had cooked her and she shared it, after taking their bowls away. Her mum had cooked a huge full English.
"Thanks". Enid sighed with wide eyes at the sight of good food which smelled delicious.
"So erm, Arrow. Are you by any chance related to H.B". Maud intriguingly asked her.
"H.B?". Arrow asked with clear confusion. "Who?"
"Miss Hardbroom". Enid told her with her mouth full off beans.
"Ohhh, ye she's my mum". Arrow shrugged it off, it was no big deal to her.
"Really?" Felicity asked with shock from behind them, she couldn't help but overhear when Miss Hardbroom's name was mentioned.
"The main question is why do you hang around with Ethel?" Arrow asked Felicity who had joined their table. "You know your as bad as those you hang around with".
"Ethel just needs a good friend". Felicity said quietly for she too had been asking herself that question for the past two years.
"How's that working out for you". Arrow asked.
Felicity did not respond she knew Arrow had a point.
"I prefer to be around those that Ethel likes to call outcasts. Those that don't act like they are better than anyone else, those from non-witching families who don't rip everyone down because they are insecure, it keeps me grounded". Arrow explained.
Felicity was in deep thought as Arrow held the plate of meat in front of her. She wiling took some and was thrilled to find it tasted as good as it looked.
"Mum's an awesome cook".
Algernon, Dimity, and Miss Bat were sat nearby, and they were thrilled to find the girls had treated Arrow the same as they had the two days prior.
"I had a feeling they would become friends". Algernon whispered.
"She is pleasant when she isn't punching people". Dimity whispered back.
"Hang on, you're actually telling me Arrow is Hecate's daughter?" Miss Bat questioned them. They both nodded at her. "I had no idea that she had a child".
"None of us did, not even Ada". Dimity told them both, which shocked them as Hecate usually told Ada most things".
"Well, I can see where she gets the air of chanting being useless from". She whispered with disgust whilst rolling her eyes.
"I am sure if you speak to her, she will happily explain her feelings on the subject". Algernon told her.
