Chapter 3 – First Day Back
Mildred was frantically trying to gather all her school things, and she had as per usual left it till the very morning she was supposed to head back to school. The portal Pippa would put up for her to enter through would appear within the next hour and wouldn't wait longer than ten minutes, she had been warned of this.
As her mother walked into her daughters' room, she laughed at her daughters' frantic attempt at getting all her stuff.
"I told you the other day to get everything ready." Julie told her with a I told you so tone. "You have got to start getting more organised, Millie."
Within half an hour she had managed to gather her things together just as the portal appeared.
"Have a good semester, love" Julie told her with a kiss goodbye on the forehead.
"By mum." Millie responded as she walked through the portal.
On the other side there were hundreds of kids coming out of portals all over the school, Pippa had managed to ensure that friends ended up in the same area. All the second years had except for Zack had walked out of their portals onto the school green. Zack was walking up to them from across the green.
When Maud came out of hers, she took in the view of the school and like she did at the start of the trials felt out of place. She soon relaxed when she saw Mildred.
Enid came out of her portal and almost forgot she was a pentangles student, she briefly looked really confused until she saw Jasper. The five of them met in the middle and watched Sapphire, Cossette and the rest of their year group arrive. This was Enid and Mauds official first year at pentangle's after transferring from Cackle's Academy. The entire second year headed towards the hall. They had bumped into scared and frantic first years and guided them to the main hall.
"There's loads of them, how many did the school take on this year?" Sapphire asked Zack.
"Mum said around 100 give or take, this was the other week so it could be more by now". Zack informed them.
"That's a lot of first years." Jasper stated with shock.
"Hang on a minute." Cossette stated as she looked around. "Where are the staff?"
The rest of them looked at the staff tables and they noticed most of their favourite teachers were no longer there, however there were a bunch of teachers they didn't know. They all looked at Zack.
"It's school swop this year, mum is fuming. Staff from all schools have swopped schools."
"Your joking!"
They all spun round to see Martha and Cobain stood behind them. It was Martha that had spoken.
"The school will have taken on loads of first years after our win with the trial of the times, and then the school committee do a school swop. Do they not realise the staff are the reason that we won? That their teaching methods are the reason we are as good as we are? The new students will be here because of the staff, here to be taught by those staff." Martha explained.
"I said the same thing." A quiet voice could be heard
They all turned around at the quiet voice, surprisingly it belonged to Miss Pentangle. It was clear by her body language and voice that she wasn't happy with the arrangements.
The students all took their seats as the headmistress walked to the front of the hall and addressed the students.
"Good morning, everyone, Welcome back. To our first year's welcome to pentangles." Pippa looked around at the room full of confused faces. As some of you have noticed a good portion of the staff are currently taking part in the school swop challenge. This means we have staff from other schools. Please do treat these new staff as you would the ones that were here. Our staff will be back by the end of the school year. Just to let everyone know Melody and Worrick are returning this year to fill in for potions and disguise."
There was a loud cheer at the mention of the two competitors from last year coming back, there skills in the trials were respected.
"Melody and Worrick have agreed to teach first to third years, they are however studying at college, their aim is to teach here and with me requiring experience in teaching to become a member of staff here, they are using this year as work experience."
The staff sat at the top table that were from other schools noticed how the students all listened and respected Pippa. They also noticed how she gave them a few seconds to take in what she was saying before continuing. Some were rather shocked at how Pippa allowed the cheer. Though they admired how she allowed them to get it out of their systems.
"Martha has an announcement for you all". Pippa told them as Martha headed towards Pippa who smiled at her as she approached her. "See me later." She whispered to her. Martha nodded.
"Ok so, first years if you need anything in terms of help or reassurance most of the school will be happy to assist. Don't be shy we don't bite. My name is Martha, and I am the current head girl. As this is my final year, I get to choose alongside the staff who takes my place as head girl next year. If anyone fourth year and up is interested pop a note under Ba- Miss Pentangle's Office door." Martha almost melted into the floor at the slip up. The second years and up and half the staff burst into laughter including Pippa.
Like Pippa, Martha waited until everyone had regained composure before carrying on. "If anyone requires a study buddy the list is in the library. Just pop your name on and what subjects you need tutoring in. I can't say anything else as half our staff aren't here, so I have no idea on after school clubs etc. Though I will say as per usual we will have first year and transfer student settling in day tomorrow, we will make it as fun as we can." Martha finished and nodded to Pippa who was still giggling to herself as she stood in front of the school once more.
"Thank you, Martha. Food will be out shortly" she stated before taking her seat at the staff table.
"What was so funny?" A member of staff asked.
"Slip of the tongue." Victoria stated. "it's nothing to worry about."
Mildred and those around her weren't too sure how to take not having Mr Spellman, Miss Quickstep and Mr Rowan in the school. They were always the schools' favourites along with Light-Ray and Fountain.
The staff weren't even sure how they would re-assure the students regarding the current situation. The week leading up to this day had resulted in many issues amongst the staff. Miss Darkside's mannerism hadn't gone down well with the remaining staff including Pippa. She had been pulled into the office and had a talking to the other day, this woman hated those from non-witching families, though bizarrely she couldn't explain why. Miss Starling on the other hand was rather quiet and she wanted to see how things went before deciding her approach to this new school. She had never been expected to teach those from non-witching families before and she taught flying. She would have to start from scratch with them. She had however taught those with Tourette's before and the odd student with Down Syndrome, much to Pippa's relief.
"Isn't that Miss Darkside." Maud whispered to Enid who turned around to see who Maud was referring to.
"Yep." She replied as she turned around with wide eyes. The last time the two girls had met this woman she had made Miss Hardbroom look soft. This woman had barked orders and had spoken down to the girls' numerous times and not one student dared breathe in her classroom.
"I hope we have Melody and Worrick this year." Sapphire stated.
"I hope so too, as they are teaching first to third years." Enid responded.
"This is going to be a fun year." Cobain muttered. "I would prefer Flint and Cora back."
The students looked at him with confusion.
"The dragons' people, the dragons". He stated
Surprisingly everyone nodded in return.
"I bet most of the new staff won't give us a chance." One of the third years sighed.
"If they get prejudice about anything, I want to know." Martha stated with importance as she told the third year. "That goes for all years".
The student body were very nervous as forty-eight percent of the school were from non-witching families. This was a concern to them as it meant the new staff may refuse to teach them, ridicule them or make a mockery out of them.
Safe to say the study buddies would be needed this year and many of the older students were currently discussing signing up to help the younger students were needed.
There was currently a commotion at the staff table.
"Why are half the girls in trousers?" one of the new staff had asked.
"Because they have that option, and they are in uniform, any other stupid questions." Victoria asked with frustration.
"It wasn't a stupid question that I asked" the teacher told her cooly.
"Yes, it was, you are in our school, and it clearly runs different to yours. I suggest you get used to it." A long-haired male member of staff told them. He was a pentangles member of staff.
"Who are you?"
"Mr Logan Ridgeway, head of Spell Science." He told her with a matter-of-fact tone before turning his attention to what Pippa was talking about and nodding in agreement.
The rest of the day went by in a blur as the staff were helping the first years to their rooms. Though Martha had redirected most of them to the correct rooms, as the new staff had sent them in the wrong direction. She had ended up taking all the remaining first years as a group to their rooms. the new staff that had also found the signs ridiculous last week hadn't a clue where anything was.