Chapter 6 – A Plan In Motion

Eric had received the news he had been waiting to hear and that was of Miss Darkside's firing. He had been at Amulets for only a week, and he had found that the students were behind in most classes across the school years. He was thrilled to be coming home. He had packed his belongings and picked up his broom, he headed to the staffroom to let them all know that he was heading home. He walked into the staffroom of which had silver and blue walls as well as a glass table in the middle that would seat all the staff within the school. He noticed that the headmistress had beaten him to it. They were halfway through discussing his return to Pentangle's.

"No, Pippa has stated she wants him back". Miss Amulet stated, she was a tall dark-skinned woman, she was very pretty with delicate features and long black hair that was braided down to her bum. She wore a silver halter neck top and a knee length black skirt.

"It's been chilled out without her". A female member of staff stated.

"Not to mention, it's a stain on the school for her to have been fired, especially from Pentangle's". Another Female staff member stated.

Eric walked in and spoke. "Pippa would not have fired someone for the sake of it, she is a very fair woman. Also, it is very difficult to get a job at Pentangle's Academy. Darkside has applied to Pentangle's numerous times, not once has her resume been looked at due to her reputation. On that note, I am leaving shortly to head back as per the school swop rules".

"You could technically stay, and carry out school swop as planned, if you look at the rules there is an option for it." Miss Amulet said kindly with a smile. She had liked Eric from the get-go, and she was gutted when Pippa had stated Miss Darkside had been fired and that she wanted Eric back. She was not looking forward to getting Darkside back.

"As welcoming as it has been, I would like to head back. I wanted to say thank you for the hospitality and treating me as one of your own. Though I belong at Pentangle's Academy". He stated kindly with a determined look.

"It was a pleasure to have you in our school, if at any time you would like a change of scenery, a job will be here for you and congratulations on the win last year".

There was a few disappointed faces amongst the staff, he had become well liked and respected. As he turned towards the door and picked up his case and his broom. They all shouted goodbye to him of which he turned around smiled and waved as he left the building.

As he mounted his broom, he felt the normal surge of adrenalin that flying always gave him. He smiled and flew up into the sky. It was a crisp night, though the cold didn't bother him. He had originally applied for the flying position, though with his reputation for disguise, Pippa had given him the subject, she knew he could not refuse. He flicked his wrist, and his case disappeared of which then appeared in his room at Pentangle's. He then proceeded to stand on his broom and surf in the air, he decided that there was no rush back and he decided to have as much fun as he could. He decided to do dives, spins and many other manoeuvres. He was coming home, and he was on cloud nine.

At Pentangle's, Darkside had grabbed her case and her broom, and she marched off into the forest, she had been warned by the Pentangle's staff that the forest wasn't safe at night. She refused to heed the warning, assuming they were trying to scare her. Though this was not the case.

She walked so far and then she looked back at the huge school. She felt a smile form from her lips, this smile reached her eyes, it was a cunning smile. She had a plan, and she would make it work. What most people didn't realise was that she was Miss Broomhead's biological sister. They were both evil to the core, in different ways.

Pippa had followed her in the form of a spider, she had gone unnoticed, and she didn't like the smile that had formed on the woman's face. She breathed a sigh of relief when the woman got spooked by a black night and rapidly flew off into the night sky. She then returned to the school and awaited the return of Eric.

She was rather concerned about the way Darkside had acted when she fired her, she couldn't sleep that night. She ended up mirroring Miss Amulet the following morning to calm her nerves.

It wasn't long until Miss Amulet answered the call.

"Good morning, Pippa".

"Good morning, Claudia"

"I must say I'm not pleased to see Eric go so soon, he is very likeable, very polite and a breath of fresh air".

"He is an asset to the team. I was wondering if we could discuss Darkside?"

"What would you like to know?"

"Has she arrived back at Amulets yet?"

"No, not yet".

"She left last night, she should have been back at yours by now. Eric arrived a couple of hours after she left".

This was news to Claudia, if Pippa was correct, she should have arrived back in the early hours of the morning of which she hadn't. "I'll check her room, she may have taken a detour on the way back, with the potential embarrassment of being fired".

"Maybe, there was a wicked grin on her face last night as she looked back at my school from the forest". Pippa informed her.

"Soon as she arrives back, I will let you know, she isn't the nicest to deal with, I understand the concern". Claudia sympathetically told her. "We will have to have a proper catch up at some point, it's been a while. I hope my lot behaved themselves during the Trial of the Times? They came back absolutely buzzing from the experience."

"They did and it was a pleasure to have them, they did a very good job of the trials, they weren't easy. A catch up sounds great, it will have to be during half term, or the holidays."

"Fab, I will let you know when I am free. I want to hear all about, Zack, is it?".

Pippa nodded and said her goodbyes and ended the call. She had an uneasy feeling about Darkside. Her internal alarm bells were ringing, she just couldn't shake the feeling that this was the last she would see of her.

True to her word Claudia transferred herself outside of Darkside's room and knocked on the door. There was no answer, she opened the door and did a double take, Darkside was in there, she had a wicked smile on her face as she looked up and slammed the door shut in Claudia's face. She went back to her room to mirror Pippa and tell her that she had indeed returned to Amulet's Academy, though she didn't tell her of what she had witnessed. She couldn't bring herself to fire her, she scared all the staff as well as herself.

Pippa had no idea what firing the woman would do to her school, though Claudia knew Pippa very well. She was known for fighting tooth and nail for the safety of her students. If she wanted to fire someone, she would do it, there was no question about it. She also chose her staff strategically. Pippa was very picky about who she hired and for good reason. Claudia was one of Pippa's friends in weird sister college and she was panicked when she was told where Darkside would be going.

Darkside sat on her bed with her ruffed-up hair, her eyes had a colder look to them than normal and she chosen a very long black robe with a hood, she looked deranged. She fled Amulets after mirroring her sister who insisted she went to hers and they would sort this out between them.

Darkside lowered her broom next to the front door of her sister's cottage. The door swung open and she let herself in. As she took in the hallway, she noticed it was brick and unpainted. Her sister was leant against the wall with her arms crossed. Miss Broomhead had a very haughty expression upon her face, she was rather tall and she wore a two piece dress with an elderly look to it which had a matching hat to go with it. She had been Miss Hardbroom's tutor during her college and University days. She had tortured Hecate in many ways. She had also changed her first name to match Hecate's name. Hecate Hardbroom had decided to go by her middle name as her first name was too unbearable for her, after an accident that had occurred as a student of Cackle's Academy. This had become a problem for Hecate as her name made her jump repeatedly for years after she had escaped Broomhead's clutches.

"Tell me about this Dormant student?" Hecate stated.

"Nothing much to tell, she's a favourite. All the Pentangle's staff are fond of her. Her team won the trial of the times last year and her centre is strong yet unpredictable. She transferred last year from Cackle's Academy".

"Interesting. what's the girl's name?"

"Mildred Hubble and She's a second year".

"Usually when school's get students from dormant lines, they protect them as much as they can. Hang on, did you say, Hubble?"

"Yes, Hubble, why?"

"Now that is a very strong yet dormant line, used to be very well respected".

"What are you saying".

"I'll let you know when I know, I'm going to make a call to the Hallow's in a few hours. Your room is ready". Hecate smiled as she pointed to her sister's room.