Lovesick Witches

Detention With HB

Thankfully, the rest of my lessons that day went a lot better. After potions, I had chanting with Miss Bat and spell science with Mr Rowan-Webb, both lessons equally as boring as they were at Pentangle's. But I didn't mind because at least I didn't get told off in either of those.

After spell science had finished, Mildred, Maud, Enid and I went to the library to study. Mildred and Enid wanted to play with their cats after school but Maud and I suggested that if we wanted to do well this year, we would have to sacrifice play time for studying. So off to the library we went.

We were glad to see that there was no sign of Ethel in the library, just a few of the fourth years and what looked like a very clumsy teacher. As I sat down with my friends at one of the round tables in the middle of the dimly lit, cosy room, I couldn't help but notice the man in the corner failing to stack some books on the shelves. He looked around forty and had grey hair and a grey beard. He wore glasses and a vibrant checkered suit.

"That's Mr Daisy," Mildred said as she followed my gaze over to the man. "He was a new teacher last year to fill in for Miss Bat and Mr Rowan-Webb whilst they were on their honeymoon. I assumed he would have left now that they are back, but I think Miss Hardbroom has a thing for him or something and let him stay on as a supply teacher."

"Ew, no! Mildred!" Enid said with disgust. "I can't imagine them together! That's ridiculous."

"And besides," Maud said, "HB sooo doesn't like boys."

"She's lesbian?" I asked.

"Maybe," said Enid, "or maybe she's asexual. I wouldn't be surprised if she isn't attracted to anyone."

I shrugged my shoulders and began to study. Mildred, Enid and Maud did the same, Mr Daisy still hopelessly stacking books, dropping them as he did so. I considered going over to help him, but Maud said that he would be fine and that I should study.

We had been revising for about an hour when it suddenly occurred to me. "Oh no," I said, fearfully. "I'm late for detention!"

I quickly grabbed my things and headed to the potions lab, prepared to be shouted at for being late. My friends stayed in the library and continued studying.

I bursted through the door of the potions lab to see Miss Hardbroom sitting at her desk waiting for me. She raised an eyebrow at me as if to ask why I was late.

"I'm so sorry Miss Hardbroom," I began, panting from the run to get here, "I was in the library studying and completely lost track of time."

"Well," she said, holding the 'l' sound for far too long, "At least you were being productive, I suppose." She paused. "You know what you're doing. Protection potion. Find a cauldron and begin," she snapped. "Correctly, this time."

I began to collect my ingredients and brew the potion in silence, the intense teacher watching my every move.

"Ah," she said abruptly. "Stop. That is what you did wrong this morning." She gazed at the pondweed I was holding. "At Pentangle's, that would work. But the magic you learn at Pentangle's is far more modern than the magic you learn here. Cackle's is more... traditional. Same outcomes, the methods, on the other hand, differ slightly. You added too much pondweed. Add less."

I smiled at her weakly and dropped some of the pondweed I was holding. I continued brewing the potion in silence for five or so minutes.

"Aside from that," she paused to think, "mishap... in my potions class this morning, the rest of your lessons went smoothly, I hope?"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom." I stuttered, "Thank you."

"I am sorry, Ana, if I acted harshly this morning. Sometimes I act out of anger, rather than sense." She said this slowly as if it was difficult for her to admit to making mistakes. I thought it was quite cute actually. I just smiled.

"Mildred said," I began hesitantly, "that you sent her to Wormwood school last year. She was tortured there." I suddenly realised what I had just said and regretted it.

To my surprise, she didn't really react. Rather, just looked downwards and said slowly and quietly, "Well, yes. As I said, it can somewhat be a tendency of mine to act on emotion." For a second, I saw immense sadness in her eyes. It was as if the wall of a strict teacher that she seemed to have had up had been knocked down suddenly. It gave me an intense feeling of sorrow, as if I could feel her emotions or something.

"Mildred also said," I continued. "That you care for people and always want the best for them." I tried to redeem myself and remove the sadness that I had just brought to her. "You want to protect people and will do anything to keep them safe. Mildred respects you, Miss Hardbroom."

Miss Hardbroom smiled to herself at this information. I had definitely crossed a line. She was a teacher that I had just met and I was talking to her as if we were best friends. But for some reason, she didn't seem to mind. I didn't mention what Mildred had said about her and Mr Daisy or our discussion about her sexual orientation, of course, as that would have been highly inappropriate.

"Mildred Hubble," she said, "is a kind girl. Loyal. A good friend to people. But, her imagination is wild. She has extraordinarily creative ideas, causing her to be impulsive and often incredibly reckless. So don't trust everything she says as she may get you into trouble without meaning to."

I finished brewing my potion and Miss Hardbroom watched as I tasted it. To test whether it had worked or not, she did a frog transformation spell on me, but nothing happened. My protection potion had worked! I felt so relieved.

"Excellent," she said with a faint smile. I think she was impressed. "So now you know, less pondweed."

I nodded.

"That will be all. You may go," she said, looking away from me and around the classroom.

"Thank you, Miss Hardbroom," I said as I picked up my belongings and left the classroom. That went much better than I had expected so I was very relieved.