Chapter 5 – Jealousy And Broomsticks
The following week had gone by fast and the staff couldn't hold in their questions any longer. The staff were currently mingling in the staff room which had a few comfy armchairs and a few dinning chairs scattered about. The staff had moved these to their liking. There were a few spare sets of stationary amongst some of the desks as some of the staff hated marking in their bedrooms.
Hecate walked into the staffroom as she needed to quickly grab a few things that she had placed in there before her first class of the day. She had on as usual her black and blue dress on, her hair was not in its usual bun, she had opted for a long plait instead.
"Makes a change seeing you in a long plait, Hecate". Dimity mused.
"I was rushing and couldn't be bothered to change it". Hecate muttered.
"Sooo, who is Arrow's father?" Divina asked
"That's a sore subject". Hecate stated though her voice faltered slightly. She reached for her bag as Divina spoke again.
"Is Arrow adopted?"
"No, she is not". Hecate stated and she was starting to get frustrated as she walked out the staff room. She hadn't wanted the questions talking about Desmond as she had lost a part of her when she was given the news that he had died in the line of duty. It was killing her on the inside though she needed to be strong for Arrow. Due to this she hadn't allowed herself to grieve properly.
As she walked to her classroom, she glanced out the window and she noticed Ethel and Felicity arguing. Those two usually got on really well and it looked like quite the argument. She didn't go to them to sort it out as she had a class in ten minutes.
Ethel as it so happened was having a fit at Felicity. Felicity had told Ethel to back off Arrow and to leave her alone and this hadn't gone down well with Ethel. Felicity hadn't told her of the news she found out a week ago, she felt it was a need-to-know bases. Ethel stormed off and headed inside and as she did so she barged passed a few younger students.
Ethel went to her room to grab her school bag and then she headed to the pitch. Her flying ban had been increased another week as Miss Drill didn't think a week was long enough. She gave a look of hatred towards Arrow for she thought Arrow had gone to Miss Hardbroom regarding the incident on her first day. Though she was very wrong. Ethel felt a surge of anger, the girl made her blood boil and strangely enough Miss Hardbroom had come to watch the lesson.
"Arrow". Miss Hardbroom stated as she walked towards Arrow holding a different broom.
"Nice one, thank you". Arrow stated as she took her broom and handed the broom she was holding back to her mother.
Ethel watched the exchange of brooms with a pang of longing. She loved flying and couldn't because of Arrow, it was all Arrow's fault.
The class mounted their brooms and Miss Drill put them through their paces.
"Arrow can do a lot more than that"
"Go ahead". Miss Drill told her. "Show me what she can do".
"Arrow". Hecate's voice could be heard across the pitch. "Everybody down".
The class came down and dismounted except for Arrow. She was instructed to go in the air and avoid everything that she could. Arrow flew up and straight away she had to dodge right as a large ball coming right at her. She then dived as a branch came from behind. She then flew up again and spun the broom at the same time to avoid the thorns which she narrowly missed. She was then given headwinds to fly through.
"She will struggle with forty mile per hour winds Hecate". Miss Drill stated with shock. The class had watched Arrows broom skills. They were all shocked when Arrow laid flat on her broom to make her more streamline, she managed to get through the headwinds without much trouble. She then dived and jumped off her broom. Her broom caught her just before she landed.
Miss Hardbroom smiled slightly. "A little rocky and a bit of a show off, though not bad".
The class then proceeded with their lesson.
"I've never known a broom to catch someone".
"That broom is treated like gold" Hecate told Dimity.
Ethel was sat nearby, and she had a cunning plan, that would get Arrow in Miss Hardbroom's bad books.
Once the class was over, they all headed for spell science. As Arrow headed into the classroom Felicity stopped her and without Ethel knowing she told her of Ethel's plan.
"Ethel is planning on ruining your broom".
"That was my dad's broom", Arrow fumed and then she had a lightbulb. "She likes being the teachers pet right? And she wants to be the favourite?"
"That's Ethel for you". Felicity told her.
"Tell her who my mum is and see how clever she thinks she is then. I am off to get my broom".
Felicity walked into class and took her seat as Mr Rowen-Webb looked around and noticed he had a student missing.
"Where is Arrow?"
"She won't be long, she said she's sorting something important out".
Arrow knocked and entered the classroom shortly after and she walked up to Mr Rowan-Webb. They were in deep discussion for a few minutes. As Arrow headed to her seat, she looked at Felicity and they nodded to each other. Ethel wasn't sure what to make of this.
After spell science there was a two hour break there was dinner and then the third years a free period. During this free period Ethel headed to the broom shed and she was irritated to find Arrow's broom wasn't there.
"What did you say to her?". Ethel rounded on Felicity who was stood there with a smirk on her face.
"The truth"
"You've ruined my plan".
"Miss Hardbroom would be furious if you destroyed that broom".
"Why would she? There would be no proof it was destroyed; it would have looked like Arrow had misplaced it".
"Miss Hardbroom is Arrow's mother". Felicity stated.
"Miss Hardbroom doesn't have any children". Ethel scoffed for she really did think Felicity was losing her marbles.
"How would you know?" Felicity was exasperated. "Miss Hardbroom stated that Arrow can do a lot more than the rest of us, of which she proved. She asked if Arrow had helped Mildred in potions. You took Arrow off her broom and got a two week ban from flying and a detention. Didn't you say she knew it was Arrow who punched you without anyone telling her?"
"Your gullible if you believe that". Ethel laughed.
"I'm not the one trying to rip a family apart, don't say I didn't tell you so". Felicity stated as she spun on her heels and left Ethel stood in the broom shed alone.
That evening as Arrow was at her mothers desk completing her homework her mother walked into the room and noticed a broom in the corner.
"Why is there a broom in the bedroom?"
"Someone threatened to destroy it". Arrow growled, nothing else was said on the matter.
"In the mood for a jigsaw?".
"Depends, which jigsaw?"
"The phoenix one?"
Arrow darted to get the portapuzzle mat whilst her mother casually walked up the stack of jigsaws and pulled out the two-thousand-piece jigsaw. It was Friday night and Hecate decided it would be fine to allow her to stay up as long as she wanted. She headed towards a chest in the room, and she took out what could only be described as a midnight feast.
"Midnight feasts are banned". Arrow told her with mock horror.
"So are late nights, what's your point?"
"I haven't got one, I'll take the chocolate orange bar though".
"That's mine' Hecate laughed at her she side-stepped to avoid her daughters attempt at taking it from her.
"It came out of my treasure chest that I had when I was five".
"It's mine now, and you do realise there is more than one of these, right?".
"Arrow legged it to the chest and to her delight there was at least six in there."
They didn't get to sleep until five the following morning. It had been a good night, full of laughter and fun.
Ethel found Arrow that afternoon and tried to talk to her. Arrow would not entertain her, and she had made it quite clear she wasn't interested. That weekend was all about the jigsaw and quality time with her mum.
Ethel tried again the following Monday.
"I heard who your mum is".
"Doesn't surprise me, everyone was going to find out at some point"
"So Miss Hardbroom is definitely your mum?" Ethel spoke loudly for everyone in the vicinity to hear.
"Is that really soo hard to believe?" Arrow spoke just as loudly.
"Strange, how no-one knew until just now"
"Some people did, you weren't one of them, you need to go figure out what your problem is as destroying people's property is never the answer. Oh, and FYI that broom of mine was my dad's. I guess that punch in the face didn't do the job". Arrow made sure that she kept the same volume to embarrass Ethel.
Ethel took in the look on Arrow's face and realised she wasn't lying. Arrow was the deputy headmistress's daughter. Ethel decided it would be in her own best interests to befriend this girl. She didn't want to as she couldn't stand the girl, though it would put her back in Miss Hardbroom's good books. Her plan was majorly flawed, Arrow would never be friends with her. The trio and Felicity knew she had no hope. Ethel sat in her room that night planning out how she was going to get close to Arrow.
