Chapter Three – Making friends

Hecate headed to breakfast and sits with the rest of the staff as she usually does, and helps herself to some porridge which as always never looks appetising, and is rather tasteless. She kept looking up and scanning the students' tables throughout breakfast. Arrow was nowhere to be seen. She had noticed yesterday that her daughter hadn't eaten anything.

Arrow was in fact still in bed. She felt that there was no need to get up early, so she had decided on a lie in. She was awoken midafternoon by her mothers cooking.

"Something smells nice". Arrow yawned and stretched as she sat up in bed.

"it's not like you to miss a meal". Hecate stated with a raised eyebrow.

"Didn't' think breakfast would be any better than yesterday's tea". Arrow replied.

"I can assure you it was not, your assumption was correct, though you can't not eat. Arrow". Hecate informed her.

Hecate then made two bowls of hot tuna pasta with plenty of cheese and handed one to Arrow, who sat crossed legged and wolfed it down.

"There is some more, though as you do possess two perfectly usable legs you can go and get it yourself". Hecate told her with a lightness to her voice that would make the entire student body jealous of Arrow.

They stayed in Hecate's quarters until Hecate was due to start teaching and Arrow had Spell Science. They both went separate ways and Hecate hadn't mentioned the flying from the day before, though she made a mental note to ensure she mentioned it later that day.

Arrow had managed as always to get lost, and she walked into a darker skinned student with two bunches in her hair, she had seen this girl in the flying lesson the day before. She had a cheeky expression and Arrow instantly liked her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to walk into you". Arrow stated apologetically.

"It's OK, oh, you're the new girl, right?"

"Ye, I've managed to get lost, could you point me towards Spell Science please?"

"I'll show you as I'm in that class too". The darker skinned student told her. She looked at the new girl and took in the sight of her. She was very pretty. She had long straight black hair, fairly pale complexion, she was tall for her age and there was a mischievous spark in her eye. Though she reminded her a little of Miss Hardbroom. "I'm Enid"

"I'm, Arrow".

"That is a strange name, I like it".

The two girls headed towards Spell Science, and they had ended up on the Ethel – Mildred situation of which Arrow had asked about. As they approached the classroom, they noticed the rest of the class waiting outside and just as they reached everyone the classroom door opened and they all filed in.

The spell science room was rather basic, there were 12 desks, four in a row and a teacher's desk at the front. As before she waited until everyone had sat down and there were two desks left she took the one at the back of the classroom. Mr Rowan-Webb would not allow a student to not acknowledged much to Arrow's Horror as she wanted to be able to hide in the shadows where possible. She liked being mysterious.

"We have a new girl in the class, Arrow - ". He smiled, he then noticed her reaction to her name being called and left it on her first name, he got the feeling she didn't want everyone knowing just yet who her mother was. "Arrow is here for the time being though she is from Amethyst's Academy".

"What kind of a name is Arrow?" Ethel had laughed.

"Ethel is a horrendous name, so I guess we're even on that one". Arrow laughed back at her. This response had stopped Ethel laughing and took the smirk off her face. Enid had laughed into her arms on the desk.

The rest of the lesson had gone rather well and there were no more issues.

"Arrow, Ethel a word please". Mr Rowan-Webb's voice could be heard projecting over the noise as they were all filing out. The both of them walked to the front of the classroom. Ethel couldn't not give Arrow a dirty look, whilst Arrow ignored her.

"I am giving you a detention Ethel, you should never bring up personal things, especially in that manner. There is nothing wrong with Arrow's name".

"She made a joke about mine". Ethel stated with anger.

"Of which you started, if you hadn't been nasty, I doubt Arrow here would have responded. Actions have consequences".

Ethel had stormed off and though not before she could give a look of hatred.

"Now, Arrow, how are you?"

"I'm ok". Arrow replied whilst not sure what he was asking this for.

"I dare say, there is a lovely trio that would perhaps help you find your bearings around here. Mildred, Maud and Enid. Three lovely students. Have you by any chance met them yet?"

"I met Mildred yesterday in flying and Enid, she brought me to class".

"Any issues with Ethel needs to be brought to a member of staffs attention, I have noticed that you have had two so far". He watched as she nodded. He lifted his arm to say she was free to go and told her the way to the Potion's lab.

Arrow walked into the Potion's lab and she noticed she was the last to arrive and took the last cauldron, which was next to Mildred. Her mother had watched her sit on the stool behind the table the remaining cauldron was, and she was slightly irritated.

The class had started off smoothly though Arrow noticed that Mildred was struggling with her confidence and was about to put an ingredient in at the wrong time.

"Not that one, that is Helm, you want a teaspoon of Honeydew". Arrow whispered to Mildred.

Mildred being rather grateful smiled at Arrow and put in a teaspoon of Honeydew. "Thanks".

"No problem, Potions gets easier when you're not stressing".

"H.B hates me with a passion". Mildred whispered to her.

"No, she doesn't, trust me I know, I've known her for years. She's hardest on her favourites, believe me". Arrow informed her though Mildred didn't believe what she had just been told.

Mildred had noticed that Arrow hadn't made any mistakes with her potion and that it was a brighter blue than everyone else's, though due to Arrows help, Mildred had also brewed hers correctly.

Miss Hardbroom had walked amongst the class and stopped at Mildred's cauldron and looked puzzled. She then turned to Arrow. "Did you help her?"

Maud who was sat the other side of Mildred and Enid who was sat behind Arrow had heard her helping Mildred and was waiting for Arrow's response.

"No, she did it on her own, the only thing we were discussing was the shade of my potion". Arrow told her and Miss Hardbroom wasn't quite buying the answer though she didn't' question her further. This made the trio let out a sigh of relief.

Ethel was livid that the two classmates she didn't like had brewed their potions correctly just like she had. She also didn't like how much they were getting along.

Teatime came around and Arrow sat at the same table she was at the day before and then Mildred, Maud and Enid decided to sit down just after Arrow had at the same table.

Hecate looked up from the staff table and she wasn't sure how to feel about the trio being around Arrow. She felt that Maud was a sensible student that was always either top of second to top of the class. That Mildred was a disaster she wasn't' a hardworking student and that she just never tried hard enough, and that Enid was a class clown who could do better if she put her mind to it. She would have preferred Ethel for Ethel was a serious student who always strived to do the best she could and that she would be the better influence. Not that the rest of the faculty would agree with her. She was about to transfer herself over to Arrow until an arm stopped her.

"Let her find her own friends, there is no reason to not like the ones sat with her". Algernon firmly told her. "They are good kids with personalities". He pointedly told her. Though she wasn't sure what he was implying. She sat there for most of the mealtime very confused trying to figure out what Algernon meant. Algernon had found it rather amusing that a witch as Skilful and as bright as Hecate couldn't see through Ethel.

Algernon was thrilled that the four girls was getting along and was rather amused at her refusal to wear the uniform, the girl was clearly more comfortable in her jogging bottoms and oversized hoodies. Arrow was definitely not what he would have expected Hecate's daughter to have been like.