Chapter 5 – Logan Makes His Point

The first week of term was eventful to say the least, Pippa hadn't entered her office once all week. She had been walking round the school helping the first years and the new staff where needed. She had found some of the new staff to be pleasant though most she was struggling with. The new staff couldn't get their heads around teaching those from non-witching families, due to their prejudism they struggled through their first week.

Worrick and Melody had lost their tempers with the new staff multiple times and couldn't stand the prejudism that the new staff had brought with them. Melody who was always known for being rather patient and quiet had found herself in multiple arguments with some of them. Worrick had taken a liking to Mr Rowan-Webb, though he kept his distanced from the others, he didn't want arguments, though any issues he had seen he had taken to Pippa.

The pentangle's staff had all come to an agreement that Miss Darkside needed to go, even Mr McGuiver had ended up shouting at her for the way she spoke to some of the students.

The new staff were becoming very cautious around the Pentangle's staff, and they didn't dare breathe.

"Who marked this? Miss Hardbroom?" Enid asked on the Friday afternoon of the first week. Her entire class was in the second-year lounge chilling out before their final lesson of the day.

"Bet it was Darkside, she's worse than Hardbroom". Mildred stated as she looked at hers.

"Did anyone actually get a decent grade in Spell Science?". Jasper asked as he looked around the room.

All ten of them looked at their homework and shook their heads. As it so happened Mr Rowan-Webb had walked into the second-year lounge at the mention of his subject. He was rather surprised to hear the exasperated tones of the students.

"Everything alright in here?" He asked them.

Maud shook her head. "Is it possible for you to take a look at my homework at all?".

He took one look at his former pupil's downcast face and took her homework from her and sat at one of the tables in the room, he then held his hand out to the others to look through theirs. Twenty minutes later he stood up and left with the entire classes' homework in his hands and a wink to the class. He headed for Mr Ridgeway's classroom, as the head of the department he was the ideal member of staff to speak to. He knocked on the door and as he entered, he found that there was a class in session. Mr Ridgeway as always had a very approachable disposition about him.

Mr Ridgeway was shocked to see Mr Rowan-Webb in his classroom with what looked like marking in his hands. "Come in, we won't bite".

"Could I ask a favour?"

"You may"

"I guess your probably swamped as it is, though I overheard a group of second years discussing their grades, I wouldn't normally intervene, however as I entered their lounge I was asked to take a look at their homework. I wondered if you could spare a few minutes at some point to look through a couple of them?". He asked as he held out the second years homework.

Mr Ridgeway took them and held his hands up to signify a ten-minute break whilst he sat at his desk.

"You didn't need to do it now". Mr Rowan-Webb told him.

"I take my subject very seriously; this group of sixth years are ahead anyway. Plus, that looks like Darkside's handwriting. We make a habit at this school to ensure no student fails". He stated as he looked up. He then took out Sapphire, Mildred and Zack's homework from the pile and quickly re-marked them, there was a massive difference in the grading. He then with a look of anger went through the rest and re-marked those.

The class watched with shock as their teacher who usually had a bubbly personality, now had a look of thunder about him.

"Leave it with me, I will hand these back out". Mr Ridgeway told Mr Rowan-Webb with a glint in his eye.

The second years headed to herbology and they breathed a sigh of relief to find that they still had Miss Fountain. She laughed at the looks on her students faces. She was keen to find out how their first week had gone, Pippa as it so happened had taught this group on Monday and Tuesday. She had a habit of getting bored and teaching herself every so often. She would pick a random subject each time, though this week Victoria was needed elsewhere.

"How was your first week back". She asked them.

"Absolutely fantastic, what plants are we doing today?". Mildred answered.

Miss Fountain couldn't not laugh at the serious look on one of her favourite students faces. She had heard of some of the issues so far, though there's nothing like hearing it from the students themselves.

The students weren't sure what she was laughing at as they had found their first week to be a disaster. Nothing they did in class for Miss Darkside was good enough, a good portion of their class was dismissed from Chanting and History due to being from non-witching families. Flying had been difficult as Miss Starling wasn't making her instructions understandable. They had however found Herbology and Potions to be fun and enjoyable with Pippa and Melody. Though they were struggling to not call Melody by her first name.

After Herbology the second years headed to the meal hall for tea. As they entered, they noticed their usual table had a few first years sat there. Mildred headed towards the table and sat down, she had noticed there was still plenty of seats for her and her friends. The others joined and the first- years stood up to head to another table.

"You don't need to move seats; it's first come first served". Zack told them. They soon sat back down.

It wasn't long until a delicious stew emerged in front of them along with a few baskets of bread.

Once everyone had eaten, Mr Ridgeway stood up and much to Miss Pentangle's surprise stood in front of the entire school, with his back to the staff.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" He projected his voice across the room.

Pippa and many of the staff sat up tall, this confused them as Logan never stood up and addressed the school, he was always a laidback member of staff, any issues went through Pippa or Aiden. The students also looked up and paid attention, the hall was quiet.

"Good evening, I would like to let everyone know that I am aware that there are many settling in this year from first years, to transfer students, to staff. Now, any issues need to be brought to the head of the department where necessary. All heads of Department's are approachable. For those that do not know me I am Mr Ridgeway, head of Spell Science. It has been brought to my attention that there has been what I would call a big issue with the second years. Could Zack's group come up and get your homework".

Pippa wasn't sure what to make of this, though she did look very confused as to why this wasn't brought to her attention and was done publicly.

"Zack your grade is not 23% its 83%". Mr Ridgeway called across as Zack stood up and walked up to him to collect his homework.

Pippa finally understood as nothing the staff had told Miss Darkside had sunk in, and this was more than likely the only way she would learn.

"Mildred was 10% now 72%. Sapphire was 20% now 80%. Jasper was 10% now 64%. Cossette was 15% now 68%. Stacey was 26% now 73%. Maud was 32% now 93%. Enid was 12% now 59%. Edmund was 15% now 55% and last but not the least Hugh was 23% now 56%. I have re-marked these myself and I am very pleased to see the standard of work from second years, I really should give Mr Rowan a bit more credit from now on". He smiled.

Pippa had a face like thunder, she had never had an entire class have grades below 50%, this was a huge cause of concern for her. She had pulled Miss Darkside into her office that evening to do what needed to be done.

Miss Darkside walked into Pippa's office; she was about to complain about Logan. though the look on the head mistresses face told her not to bother.

"I have summoned you to my office as I have come to the conclusion that you are not a good fit for my school, you have caused chaos amongst my staff, and you have deliberately lowered the students grades to next to nothing. This will not stand in my school; you were warned of this over summer and last weekend". Pippa picked up an envelope from her desk and handed it to the woman in front of her. "This is a letter for you that states your time on school swop is over, I am firing you from my school. You have until tomorrow morning at nine o'clock to leave the premises. I have already let Mr Light-Ray know that he is to return tomorrow, though I do believe he is on his way back all ready. You need to hand that letter to Miss Amulet upon your return." Pippa spoke calmly and with grace, though on the inside she was thrilled to have the woman gone.

"This is outrageous". Miss Darkside seethed.

"You have until tomorrow morning, Logan has never, in the twelve years he has taught at this school stood up and done a speech in front of the entire student body". Pippa's tone was firm yet still very respectful as she spoke and held her hand out towards the door to signal that the conversation was over. She watched as the woman stormed out of her room.