Chapter 11 – A Big Decision

Hecate had returned to Cackle's Academy, and she was rather disappointed that she hadn't seen Kiara as she had found her to be nonjudgmental and very easy to talk to. Hecate had found her company to be welcomed. As she walked through the grounds of the academy, she looked around her and she felt for the very first time that the atmosphere was nothing like Pentangle's, it was frosty and there was tension there. At Pentangle's there wasn't one it was relaxed and all the staff got on really well, each subject respecting each other and rather surprisingly the different types of which craft brought them together rather than pulling them apart.

Dimity walked up to her, and she couldn't help but think she looked lost.

"You look a bit lost".

"I am not". Hecate responded.

"What is wrong?"

"Nothing". She stated as she walked away from Dimity. She found herself walking towards Ada's office. As she knocked and entered, she found the older woman sat at her desk. Leafing through paperwork and other school swop formalities.

Ada looked up smiling. "How was your trip?"

Hecate hesitated as she was torn as to whether it was best to explain the situation or to just say it was fine.

"I spoke to Pippa yesterday; she said the trio are doing very well." Ada informed her.

Hecate nodded and this confused Ada as the woman wouldn't say anything, it was strange, Hecate was usually outspoken.

"Did something happen at Pentangle's?"

"Pippa is stressed, of which is bound to happen under the circumstances."

"Indeed, though you don't seem yourself." She pointed out.

"I'm fine, though I can't say I'm impressed with Miss Garland taking my potion's Laboratory." Hecate seethed.

"Your still angry about it?" Ada asked her with a cocked eyebrow.

"I have taught at this school for fifteen years in that Lab, we now have school swop, and you kick me out of it, and you're asking if I'm still mad about it?" Hecate fumed.

"I understand the frustration Hecate, I really do. I am not punishing you; I am however giving you the chance to do something different to normal, most staff would be thrilled at the chance to do something different."

"Different? Is that some variety of joke, I have just been informed that I am teaching chanting. I would rather be grounds staff at this point". Hecate stated calmly yet there was fire in her eyes.

"There is nothing wrong with chanting-"

"- I will not be caught dead, teaching that." She seethed.

"The other option is joining school swop." Ada stated as she looked Hecate dead in the eyes.

"Seriously?" Hecate stated with raised eyebrows. Can this day get any worse?

Ada had thought a few months ago that Hecate might be bored teaching the same subject for fifteen years. So she had decided to have her become one of the grounds staff for the year, though this hadn't gone down well at all. Hecate had turned into a shell of her herself and she had cut herself off from everyone. She would barely speak to her or Dimity.

"There is a few schools that will accept another on school swop." Ada tried to smile comfortingly though it came across in the wrong way as Hecate spun on her heels and walked out without saying a word.

Hecate walked into her room and sat at her desk contemplating her next move. She felt as though her entire world was shattering. Her subject had been ripped from beneath her; her girlfriend was in such a difficult situation of which Mildred was included in. She had found herself writing and before she knew it, she had made the biggest decision of her life.

That afternoon she stayed in her room, whilst she calmed down. She had felt everyone stares when all the student's had realised, they no longer had Miss Hardbroom as their teacher. There was confusion amongst the student body, many had come up with scenarios of which had caused such a change. The only one in the entire school to understand the effect that decision had caused, was Miss Rein. Keira had understood how devastating it was for her. Ada's decision had caused more damage than she realised.

The following day she woke up and changed into a dark red floor length dress with a black cloak and her usual gothic platform boots. She went for a walk through the woods. She noticed how the leaves that had fallen from the trees made a beautiful sight. She needed this time before making her drastic decision. She headed back to her room and picked up what she had written the previous day and as she walked towards Ada's office she stopped and turned around. She found herself looking at a second year that was seated on a bench near a window, who looked downcast. Hecate walked towards her and before she got close, another teacher shouted at the poor girl who jumped out of her skin before scurrying off.

"What did you shout at her for?" Hecate called across to the other woman.

"I'll worry about that." The woman called back.

"There was no need for that." Hecate shouted over and the other woman just shrugged and walked away.

Many students in the area had looked at her and whispered between them.

She was seething, she no longer headed for Ada's office she headed back to the woods. The student that had been shouted at was Felicity Foxglove. She found the student laid on a fallen tree, close to tears. She walked up to her and laid her hand on the girl's shoulder.

Felicity sat up and dropped her head to look at her hands in her lap. She noticed her former teacher sit next to her on the fallen tree. She didn't want sympathy, she didn't understand why she was constantly shouted at, it was shattering her confidence.

"Felicity?" Hecate said softly.

"I'm fine."

"What did she shout at you for?"

"It's nothing new." Felicity stated as she burst into tears.

Hecate stayed with her until she stopped crying

"Every time I enter potion's I get shouted at; she won't tell me what I've done wrong, it's like being Mildred and not being able to do anything right just for existing." Felicity told her as jumped down from the fallen log and walked back to school. She had purposefully missed her potion's lesson.

An hour later and Hecate had walked into the potion's lab with a basket full of potions ingredients that she had gathered from the woods. She had heard shouting from outside the door, so she didn't knock, she just entered hoping it wasn't Felicity being shouted at. The scene in front of her broke her heart. She put the basket on a nearby table and walked in front of Miss Garland as the woman stormed up to Felicity who was currently petrified.

"Get out of my way". Miss Garland fumed.

"Make me." Hecate hissed back.

"This is not your lab anymore, you have done your minion work, you can go." Miss Garland sneered.

"As grounds staff, I have a duty of care to every student on the premises." Hecate hissed back as she backed up to shield Felicity.

Mr Right had transferred himself into the potion's lab after being told by some of the second years that Felicity was being shouted at. He had had enough of poor Felicity being shouted at. As he materialised in the potion's lab, he was thrilled to see Hecate in there and breathed a sigh of relief. He took in the entire situation. He walked up to Felicity and picked her up and walked out of the lab with her. He had noticed she was too scared to move, and he never transferred a student where necessary. He carried her to his classroom. He lowered her into her chair, and she soon came to and realised she had been put with her classmates. Mr Right soon returned to the lab to find both women in the midst of a magical fight. He blocked a spell aimed at Hecate and he soon found himself included.

Hecate wasn't too sure what the fight was about, though Miss Garland had shot the first spell and Hecate had blocked and sent one back. It soon turned into quite a duel. Potions along the walls had smashed and their contents and the glass was all over the lab. The cauldrons were on the floor many with cracks in. some chairs no longer existed, and she had multiple injuries from the shattered potions bottles. Hecate was the first to be blasted backwards. She didn't notice the injuries she had just sustained as she saw red. Miss Garland had ended up on her back under the effects of a binding spell caused by Hecate and Mr Right.

Mr Right turned to her and his eyes widened as he took in the extent of her injuries.

"Hecate, your arm." He stated as he went white.

Hecate looked down at her arm and noticed a very long, deep, jagged wound, there was a pool of blood by her feet which a clearly come from her arm that was still gushing out blood. She walked around the desk at the front of the classroom and placed a hand on the wall, she went pale and nearly passed out from the blood loss. Mr Right realised she had opened a hidden storeroom. This room housed numerous potions readily made up. As he walked behind her, his quick reflexes caught Hecate as she passed out. He lowered her gently to the floor and walked into the hidden room. A vial shot towards him, and he caught it with ease. He then returned to Hecate. The vial had read Ultimate Healing. He poured the entire vial onto Hecate's arm.

Mr Right had been thrilled when he was told he was going to Cackle's Academy. He had soon taken a liking to Hecate. He had been told of her potion's skills though he was also very confused of her being removed from teaching potions. He watched as the potion did its job it hadn't only healed Hecate's very deep wound, it had flowed through out her body and healed all her injuries. "Quite the potion, Hecate." He whispered as she started to come to. He transferred himself and Hecate into Ada's office.

The following day the news of Miss Garland's firing spread like wildfire.

Hecate was outside Ada's office who was currently in a meeting with the head of Salamanders Academy. Once the meeting had ended Hecate knocked on the door and waited to be told she could come in.

"Come in." Ada called from her desk. She was shocked to see Hecate as she normally knocked and walked in, she sensed something was different.

Hecate walked up to Ada's desk and handed her an envelope. "I resign with immediate effect."