Stone Cold

1: Selection Day

"I have a good feeling this year." Ada whispered to Hecate, Hecate tried to smile but that smile looked much more like a grimace.

"This isn't a game that these young witches will play, the craft is in decline, Ada." As Hecate replied with a roll of her eyes. She really isn't having high hopes for this young witches. "I truly despair the future."

"Not while I am the headmistress, Hecate." Ada fondly smiled at Hecate, it's as if she's used in this kind of thing, she's been with Hecate for 30 years and she knew how her Deputy Headmistress think and move.

"Well met, HB, Miss Cackle." Esmeralda Hallow greeted them with a big smile on her face.

Esmeralda Hallow, the cleverest, kindest and finest student of Cackle's Academy.

A blonde witch appeared behind Esmeralda, she joined Esmeralda with a smirk on her face.

"Perhaps, there's an exception." Hecate whispered to Ada, making Ada smile in amusement. Hecate have a high hope on traditional and great witching family, such as Hallows.

"Well met, Miss Hardbroom, Miss Cackle. I am Ethel Hallow." Ethel bowed in front of Miss Hardbroom and Miss Cackle, beside her was Esmeralda with pain somehow evident in her face.

She didn't like how Ethel approached her.

"Or two?" Ada looked at the girl Hecate have been looking at, a much more witch like girl. She's wearing a mint green skirt matching her mint green blouse, her brown hair was braided into a side pony, her nails were painted with mint green polish. She looks stunning.

"Well met, everyone. May I know where I can register myself for a place here?" She bowed down her head slightly as a sign of respect. Everyone almost did a double take when they were greeted by a spitting image of their Deputy Headmistress.

"And may I know your name?" Miss Hardbroom summoned her quill, starting to write down details about the young witch.

"I am---"

"Look out!" The young witch didn't have the chance to continue what she was saying when she was about to be hit by another young witch in a broomstick, her instincts kick in and she immediately transferred herself beside Miss Hardbroom, who looks at her with shock written all over her curt face.

"A transference spell for someone like you who haven't even enrolled yourself at any witching school?" Ada asked the young witch with amusement in her voice.

"I am sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, but I think I have to be somewhere else for now." She excused herself and transferred to the young witch who almost hit her, in the pond.

She uses her magic to help the young witch out of the pond, while Ada and Hecate watch her attentively, with amusement and confusion.

"And she can transfer others too? I guess you won't despair the future of the Craft entirely, Hecate." The black-haired witch nodded as she watched the girl talk to the young witch.

Ada and Hecate were beyond shock when they see how the girl used a drying spell and fixed the other young witch's broken eyeglasses.

"She's familiar to advance spells, she even mastered it up, Ada." That's all Hecate can say.

Ethel glares at the young witch, she hated that other witch could make such a great impression to Ada and Hecate.

Hecate transferred herself behind the girl, listening to the two girls talk.

"Girls. Now, introduce yourself." She said stoic and stiff, she can see herself entirely at the young brown-haired witch in front of her, but she managed to keep it all to herself.

"I am sorry for earlier. I am Henriette, Henriette..." The young witch was caught in the moment, she thoughtfully remembers what her mother always reminds her.

'If ever anyone asks for your name, don't directly say our surname for they might use it against you, darling.'

The girl gulped, remembering what her mother usually reminds her, contemplating things on her own mind. Leaving Miss Hardbroom clueless and no choice but silently observe her.

"I am sorry, I mean I am Henriette Asteria." Hecate nodded at her, still observing her.

"Asteria, I haven't heard that surname before, but I do believe that you may have come from a good witching family since you can already perform advance spells, including the transference spell." Hecate nodded as she wrote down Henriette's name, diverting her attention to the clumsy young witch who almost hit Henriette.

"Well met, uhm- I am Maud. Maud Spellbody." The young witch awkwardly bowed her head, she has caused a mess, right exactly on the Selection Day.

"A Spellbody? Oh yes, I know your mum. Such a shame." Maud looked at Hecate with tears in her eyes, regret evident in her eyes.

She knew it herself that her parents will know what she had done and will be mad at her. She averted her eyes.

"I am Hecate Hardbroom, Deputy Headmistress." She attentively looked at Maud, without showing any glimpse of guilt and sympathy. "I think the two of you are already late for the tour."

She waved her hand as she transferred Maud and Henriette inside the castle.

*°*°*

Henriette pulled Maud inside the kitten's room. Silently, wanting to explain things about herself to her new friend.

"Why, Rie? Why can't you take the exam?" Maud pushed her glasses up as she stared at her panicking friend.

"I shouldn't be in here! I should be at Pentangle's, I just escaped Pentangle's and my mum to go here and..." Maud gasped at what Rie was telling her. She hears the sadness in Henriette's voice.

"Besides, I am not a traditional witch." Henriette wipes the tears on her eyes.

Ethel smirked because of what she heard Rie said. She left the kitten room with a big smirk plastered on her face.

"What do you mean 'not a traditional witch, Rie?" Maud tried to comfort her friend, hugging her tightly.

"I am supposed to be a modern witch, I uhm, I didn't give my true name to Miss Hardbroom."

*°*°*

I am currently editing everything.

//heatherofkade.♡