Chapter 9 – Our Experiences Help to Guide Us

Aiden was half walking half limping towards his classroom, his time at Weatherley's had opened his eyes to just how bad the prejudism for those from non-witching families was. He had lived at Pentangles since he took the job that Pippa had offered him. He had forgotten just how bad things were on the outside, he half found himself in many arguments with the staff from there. Fortunately, Zira had agreed with him and as much as he knew that school swop was going to be a patience tester, he didn't expect it to be as bad as it was. He was beyond thrilled to be home. He hadn't seen Pippa since his return two days prior, which meant he wasn't entirely sure why Pippa had ended school swop. Zira had listened to Aiden's concerns and took them on board. As he was Pippa's deputy head, she had worked with him to make her school better in many ways. She had quizzed Aiden on Mildred as he wouldn't speak of any of the other Dormant students.

Stephanie was also thrilled to be back, her time outside of Pentangle's had been hell for her. She had found that at Salamanders Academy, flying wasn't taken seriously. This school looked up to Pippa and tried to follow in her footsteps though they drastically struggled. Stephanie had taken every year group back to the basics much to their anger. The students soon found her to be a firm favourite. She had a passion for flying and it showed. She was supposed to have been a member of the ground staff, though she had found it to be rather painful to witness the flying lessons. She took it upon herself in front of Zira to halt a flying lesson as she had watched five minutes of it with her heart in her mouth, she was panicking for the students. She had verbally scolded the flying teacher for not taking the subject seriously and proceeded to teach the lesson herself.

Kiara had found it difficult at Cackle's Academy as she couldn't shake the way Mildred had been treated. She also noticed that all the students were from witching families and after asking why she had no response from Ada or Hecate. She was also a quick favourite amongst the students, and she had found Hecate to be rather entertaining. Much to Hecate's frustration, Kiara had been very patient with her, she had found on her own she was rather chilled out, still rather snappy but much easier to talk to. There was trauma there and she wanted to help her. She had during summer handed out invites to all staff for a picnic in the woods. She had been shocked and apprehensive when she handed hers to her. As much as he was thrilled to be back, she was slightly deflated to have left so soon, as she wanted to see if she could soften the woman a little to help her breathe as she was always on edge. She had answered all her questions regarding Pippa and Mildred.

Domonic had returned from Amethyst's, and he had rather enjoyed his experience. He had found that the school was behind in Spell Science. The students didn't like spell science, and they made that clear, though with Domonic's love for spells he had managed to get the students to engage and learn whilst making the lessons fun. The students soon found a love for the subject, he had been pulled aside by the head and thanked for it.

Eric had found Amulet's to be rather frustrating at how behind they all were, Claudia was rather stuck in the past and she had watched his every move, she was rather distrusting of men. Eric never took any distrust to men to heart; he knew the reasons why and he always vowed to ensure everyone felt safe in his presence. Claudia watched as he had shot a few spells at another staff member that was on school swop and caused a few injuries. The other staff member was from Hellebores, he had been rather sexist to the students and was rather inappropriate in Erics eyes. He had made a comment about Zack's treatment as well. He fitted into Amulet's very well and he had been welcomed with open arms, though he suspected it had something to do with him coming from Pentangle's. Claudia ran some things by him to see if anything could be changed in her school seen as he came from the most well-run school in the witching world. Between them new rules had been put in place and the curriculum had been updated, she had also had Survival and Disguise added to school's curriculum as she had noticed the students rather liked the idea of it. Eric had been offered the job numerous times, yet he was adamant he belonged at Pentangle's.

Miss Trinket was a very pretty tall, long blonde woman with startling blue eyes. She taught Chanting and she had a very pleasant singing voice. She had returned from Moonridge High. As this was a boy's school they didn't have chanting in the curriculum. She had originally taught Wizarding history, though this lasted a couple of hours she ended up as ground staff. She had endured inappropriate behaviour from both staff and students, she ended up ensuring she stayed invisible from her second day at the school. The headmaster had been very distressed at the treatment she had received, and the entire school had been pulled into an assembly to discuss the inappropriate behaviour, she was told if things didn't improve, she would be sent back to pentangle's as he didn't want trauma caused by his school. He had fired three of his actual staff within three days and expelled numerous students, others had been given warnings and he soon realised that the behaviour in his school needed knuckling down on, he hadn't realised his staff and students acted like this, he was out of his office a lot more since Trinkets time at the school. He was pleased to find that his students and staff member had behaved during the Trial of The Times last year.

Quinn was a rather short brunette woman; she was rather big built with a kind disposition. She had found her time at Wolfram was rather pleasant, she had liaised with the team well, she had been thrilled to find that most of the school swop staff had attended Pentangle's last year with their respected schools during the Trials. They had swopped stories and had spoken of how much they enjoyed the Trials. She had been given the option to teach as she was a member of the ground staff at Pentangle's. She at opted for flying and she had found she could teach well, and the students had improved tremendously with her. She had no issues at this school though she felt that she must have got lucky with the school she was assigned. She was hoping she could join Stephanie in teaching flying, though this would be a Stephanie's discretion.

Pippa had pulled all but Aiden aside within the first few days to see how they were holding up and how their experiences had gone. She had been thrilled to hear Eric's had gone really well and that Quinn had the chance to teach, though she had ensured her that if she had asked, she would have had the chance to teach here. She listened to Quinn tell her that she had asked Stephanie before and she had been denied, though Pippa had reassured her she would speak to Stephanie herself. Pippa had laughed at Kiara's assessment of Hecate as she knew she wasn't wrong. She was pleased Domonic enjoyed his experience.

Pippa had asked Miss Trinket to join her, she hadn't noticed as the strikingly beautiful woman entered her room, she noticed the door open and close. Pippa wasn't sure what to make of this. She flicked her right index and middle finger out to take the invisibility spell off of her.

"Grace?" Pippa spoke softly, for the woman in front of her looked panicked. She rose from her desk and embraced her. She had been told of her treatment which had infuriated her, and she had shouted at the headmaster of the school. He had tried to reassure her that he was taking it seriously and she had demanded to have Grace back home, safe and sound at Pentangle's.

Grace yielded to Pippa's embrace. She was still rather scared, though she knew there was nothing to be scared of whilst she was home.

"Your home, your safe, I'm right here if and when you need me. Georgia would like a session with you".

"I don't need therapy."

"You have been through trauma, and you have walked around our school with an invisibility spell on you, you need to talk. I won't have you teach until you have been to therapy. I will never send a staff member away for needing therapy, though I do like to ensure you are all getting what you need."

Grace had attended therapy, and it was clear she would not be fit to work for a few months at least. She was very lucky to be working for Pippa as she would give her staff the time that they needed. She was due in therapy three times a week. Pippa had been informed and they were told that there was no rush.

She soon pulled Stephanie aside and she had spoken to her regarding her experience at Salamanders. She had noticed during the trials last year that most of them had been knocked out of the Free the Prisoners trial as the flying was abysmal. Even Pippa had raised her eyebrows in shock as she watched all the trials over the summer with Zack.

She was thrilled to find that all her staff had behaved impeccably, she ignored Eric's outburst with a member of Hellebores. She had also been told of how most of them had been offered jobs at the other schools and breathed a sigh of relief to find non had taken the job offers.

She found Aiden in the potions lab, Aiden being Aiden obviously refused to stay in bed. He was continuing his research on curing blindness. He had made great progress and with him being the top potioneer in existence she was sure he would find a way to help many children and adults to see. He had cured many incurable diseases, defects and disabilities. The entire magical world had been shocked that he had taken the job offer from Pippa as no other school had dared to ask him to teach, thinking it would be beneath him. He had been hesitant until he attended a meeting with her and she had gone through her plans of creating a modern school and what that would entail. He was on board from that meeting, he joined the Pentangle's team a couple of years later as he wanted to finish his research on curing Paralysis of which he had done. Pippa had assured him that he could continue his research at the school.

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, everyone needs to stop fussing."

"How was your time at Weatherley's?"

"It was fine."

"Aiden"

"What do you want me to say, Pippa?" he asked as he turned around to look at her. "It was literally fine, a few issues yes, it's not Pentangle's so they have different ways to us. Zira is rather pleasant. I don't like some methods but that's me."

Pippa took this answer for now, though she had a more pressing question. "Baring the obvious, what happened on your way back home, Aiden?"

"I was taken off my broom by Broomhead, we were then pretty much in a battle to the death, I left her unconscious where she landed, I bet she will look worse than me, I heard about Ethel's escape. With Darkside's firing, Ethel's escape and Broomhead coming out the woodwork, this can't be good."

"Claudia thinks that Darkside is after the Dormant lines, we aren't sure why, if she is working with Broomhead we have quite the situation. Ethel is a child, she is not a major concern, unless she is being taught by Broomhead". Pippa explained.

Aiden stiffened and looked Pippa in the eyes. "When does, Mildred start her lessons with Zira?"

"Tomorrow, Mildred has had an assessment with her already". Pippa said slowly as she noticed the look in Aidens eyes and his stature. She sensed something wasn't right.

"Cancel it." Aiden stated with a panicked voice as a thought had occurred to him.

"Aiden, she needs the help."

"I said cancel it"

"No"

"Pippa, she has a book with all the Dormant lines in, with their talents, names, ages, schools, level of threat, we don't need to treat them differently, what they need is to be accepted and us to guide them as best we can. I swear and because I knew you would hesitate at the accusations. Here is your proof." Aiden flipped his right hand over and a black leather bound A5 notebook appeared in his hand, this book had blood red blood drop symbols in the leather.

Pippa took the notebook and opened it; she noticed Zira's slanted handwriting. She flipped through the pages, and as Aiden had described there was a page per name, it had everything in there and it had Pippa's heart racing, she turned a page and she came across Audrey's, the next page was Claire's, then Richard's, the next page had Genevieve, and the last page was Mildred's. She broke down and Aiden embraced her.

A few hours later, Aiden mirrored Hecate and explained the situation, Hecate as it turned out was distressed at Mildred being pulled into it. With her permission he transferred her into the school. She had let Ada know where she had gone and why.

Aiden walked with her through the meal hall at teatime after they had gone through everything in detail, the injuries that Aiden had suffered had come at a shock to her and she wasn't thrilled to find Broomhead had done the damage, though she did smirk at the news that he had won the duel.

Pippa looked up from the top table as the pair walked through the sea of students. She breathed and stood up before walking around the table to greet Hecate. She informed them both that Zira was livid that she had cancel at short notice. Pippa had stated that she had told her Mildred had gone home for the weekend. Not wanting to let it on that she had a bad feeling about her mentor.