A Different Halloween

Chapter 40

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Claire Stewart had been a teacher for twenty-nine years, the last eight of them as headmistress of St Andrews, yet had never seen anything like this. Six primary one children allegedly attacking three older boys they'd never met before. Entirely unprovoked, and on their very first day of school too? There was something fishy about this and Claire was determined to get to the bottom of it. To add even more intrigue, all six students were listed under two local addresses yet appeared unrelated.

Jenny in the office was trying to get hold of some parents but it was time to have a talk with the kids. As they filed into her room, she couldn't help but notice that the three girls had been crying, and the three boys were trying to comfort them, most unusual.

Claire tried to put them at ease, she wanted to get to the truth here and needed the group to relax and be comfortable. Getting into a fight and then ending up in the headmistress's office on their first day must be quite traumatic for them.

"I'm Mrs Stewart, your headmistress. As this is your first day and we don't know one another yet, could you tell me a little about yourselves? I'm particularly interested in why you are all listed at only two addresses."

Dudley was sitting with a bump on his head and blood on his new St Andrews school jumper. He decided to speak first. "I live with Harry and we're cousins, Hermione lives next door. We grew up with Neville, Susan and Luna as all our parents and guardians used to share childcare one day a week and work the rest. We all wanted to go to the same school and, because three of us stayed close to St Andrews, we all came here."

The kids had all been well coached on how to answer these types of questions, they just didn't think they would need to do it today with the headmistress. Neville went next, "Harry's mum is my godmother and both my parents work with Susan's guardian."

Luna chipped in with her bit. "My mum is best friends with both Neville's and Harry's mum, they've been best friends since they all went to school together."

Hermione couldn't sit there and not say anything. "I met Harry when we were at the baby and toddler clinic, we've been best friends ever since. Uncle James bought the house next door to ours and we live in both."

The knock on the door stopped any more being said as Jenny introduced the Potters before showing them into the room. "Ah, Mr and Mrs Potter, I'm Mrs Stewart. I'm pleased you're here as I was just about to ask the children what happened today. Will any of the other parents be joining us?"

"I think you'll find that the Grangers and Potters are listed as the emergency contacts for the whole group. After dropping the kids off this morning, the Grangers had to return to work, we weren't expecting an emergency on the first day." Lily was now hunkered down, examining the forming bruise on Hermione's cheek and not missing the blood on Dudley's jumper. "I'm also very interested in what happened here. We left our children in your care yet find Hermione bruised and Dudley bloody!"

Dudley tried to put her mind at rest. "It's not my blood mum, the big prat had Luna by the hair."

Luna gave a weak smile, "He didn't know my friends were just around the corner waiting on us."

Susan started the story from the beginning. "Luna and me had gone to the toilet. On the way back, we were so busy chatting that we never saw the three boys. Luna bumped into one of them and apologised right away. He quickly grabbed her by the hair and said sorry wasn't good enough, it was going to cost Luna her lunch money. We both said no way and the other two grabbed me by the arms, the biggest one now pulled Luna's hair harder and made her cry out. I was struggling to get free and then I spied these four coming racing round the corner. Neville and Dudley pushed the boy off Luna. Harry knocked the boy down on my right but the one still holding my left managed to punch Hermione in the face before Harry could get to him. When he knocked the last one down, the teacher came and shouted."

Lily was certain how Harry had managed to knock both boys down and wanted to direct attention away from it. "Dudley, how did you get blood on your school jumper?"

"My head hit the boy in the mouth and then Neville and me landed on top of him."

James was also keen to wrap this up before awkward questions could be asked. "Headmistress, what happens now?"

Claire thought carefully about her answer before replying. "I've already spoken to the three older boys. As you can imagine, they told a slightly different story. I would like to assure you, St Andrews doesn't tolerate bullying in any form so I will be making arrangements to speak to them again." Both parents and the six kids were pleased to hear this but Claire wasn't finished yet. "I feel that I must point out that had the children fetched a teacher, the problem would have been quickly dealt with. I can appreciate seeing their friends in that situation could influence their decision, that doesn't change the fact that it was the wrong one. As this is their first day, I'm prepared to let this incident go with just a talking too. Do you all agree?"

Lily and James both nodded their heads as he children appeared relieved. James attempted to explain their actions. "These children have been raised together since they were toddlers. It's understandable they would react that way when one of them was being bullied. We'll have a good talk about it when we get them home."

Claire was happy with that. She fully expected to hear from the senior Murdock today but she would be ready for him. Finding out his precious and perfect son had been 'beaten up' by two five year olds would have his blood pressure rising.

The kids were all leaving school with their heads down until James cheered them up. "I think after that, we could all do with some ice cream! Just don't mention it to the Grangers."

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