Lovesick Witches

The Mists of Time

I woke up to a very strange sight outside my window. The whole school was surrounded in mist. It was white and looked like fog. Except, it wasn't fog. It was far more dense than just normal fog. I walked over to the prison-like slit window in the corner of my dormitory room to observe the peculiar mists. I had never seen anything like it. 

"Wake up, girls! Get dressed quickly and head down to the dining room please." 

I heard the stern voice of Miss Hardbroom from the corridor outside my room. 

So, I got dressed and headed down to the Great Hall. I bumped into Mildred and Maud in the corridor so we walked to the dining hall together. 

"It's the mists of time," said Mildred. 

"Sorry?"

"The mists of time," repeated Maud. "They're back." 

"Yeah I heard what you said, but what is it?" 

"It's like fog," Mildred said, "but if you go out into it, you get transported through time." 

"Yeah right," I said, thinking she was joking. 

"I'm being serious. This has happened before. In my first year here at Cackle's, Ethel and I went out into the mists to look for Ethel's cat, and ended up stuck in the past. Luckily, Miss Cackle came and got us back." 

"Oh, wow," I said, shocked by this story. 

"So, whatever you do, don't go out into the mists, Ana," said Maud. 

"Got it," I said, still in disbelief about these magical mists. 

We entered the Great Hall and spotted Enid sitting at a table at the back, so we joined her. Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom and Miss Drill were standing at the front of the hall, ready to announce something. Presumably about the mists. 

Once all the students had entered and were sitting down at the breakfast tables, Miss Cackle stepped forward and spoke. 

"Good morning girls. As I'm sure you can see, it is a very foggy day today. This is nothing to worry about, but for safety reasons, the school will be under full lockdown until the mists have cleared." 

A wave of moans and grunts flooded the dining room from all the students. 

"Any student who attempts to leave the school, will be immediately expelled," said Miss Hardbroom. 

"All doors and windows will be sealed until it is safe to leave," said Miss Cackle. "As I say, there is nothing to worry about, as long as everyone stays inside of the building." 

"Lessons will continue as normal," said Miss Drill. 

"And I repeat, should any student be foolish enough to try to exit the academy," said Miss Hardbroom coldly, "there will be consequences." 

After that announcement, breakfast was served as usual and Mildred, Maud, Enid and I sat and chatted together. Mildred told me all about the time she was stuck in the past with Ethel. They met Maud's grandma there which I found quite fascinating. Although I was glad I wasn't there, as I imagined getting stuck in the past would be pretty scary. 

"So how long do the mists last?" I asked. "How long will it be before they clear?" 

"Well, last time it was only a few hours," Mildred said, "but they can last days, or weeks, or even longer sometimes." 

"I hope it clears up soon," said Enid. 

"And if it doesn't?" Maud said. 

"Then I guess we'll just have to get used to being inside," Mildred answered. 

I sulked at this. I liked being outdoors. I wasn't really much of an indoorsy person. I liked playing outside, climbing tress and exploring places. I found staying inside boring and tedious. 

After lessons finished that day, I was disappointed to see that the mist was still there. But I wouldn't have been able to go outside anyway as I had arranged an extra potions lesson with HB to catch up on some of my spell work, so I grabbed my books from my bedroom and made my way to the potions lab. 

"Good evening, Anastasia," Miss Hardbroom said as I entered the classroom. She was sitting at her desk, marking some of the first years' test papers when I entered. 

"Good evening, Miss Hardbroom." I wandered over to one of the cauldrons that was sitting on the front desk and I put down my books. 

"Today I would like you to make a colour changing potion, as you were so eager to make one in my potions class the other day." She looked up from the papers she was marking when she said this and I giggled. 

"Fairly simple potion, but we need to re-learn the basics before anything else," she said. 

I nodded and began brewing the potion. Thanks to that embarrassing potions class that Miss Hardbroom had just reminded me of, I knew how to make this potion. 

As I collected ingredients from the shelves which surrounded the room, Miss Hardbroom stood up and started to wander around the lab, carefully organising and rearranging the jars of herbs. 

"You have never experienced time mists before?" she asked as she shifted her gaze towards the fog outside of the window. 

"No, Miss Hardbroom. Mildred said they've been here before?" 

"That is correct," she said. "And of course Mildred, being Mildred, felt the need to go out into the mists. I assume she told you what happened?" 

I nodded. 

"I did say, there would be consequences," said Miss Hardbroom. 

After a silent interlude lasting a few minutes, HB spoke again. 

"Since we will most likely be having a fair amount of these study sessions, I suppose we should get to know each other a bit more." She said this hesitantly, but more like a statement than a question. 

"Okay, sure," I said, smiling at her. I secretly felt very touched by this suggestion. It surprised me that she was at all interested in my averagely simple life, but I was so happy she was. Or maybe she was just trying to make conversation. You know, get rid of the awkwardness. But either way, I liked the idea. 

"You came from Pentangle's Academy," she said. "Did you enjoy it there?" 

"It was okay, I suppose. The food was nice. The lessons were good and the teachers were kind. But I suppose I felt a bit lonely there. You know, a bit left out. Not in a way that I was just 'different to other girls' but because I was the same as other girls. I don't suppose anyone really thought to be friends with me as I'm a pretty forgettable person, to be honest. I'm not particularly good at anything, nor am I particularly pretty, nor smart. Yeah I have interests and things that I enjoy doing, but they're not really very fascinating." Saying this out loud drastically lowered my self-esteem, immediately making me feel pretty upset. "I'm just not a very exciting person." 

"I'm sure that's not true," said Miss Hardbroom. 

"It is. And I lack sense of humour." 

"Well, that makes two of us." 

I giggled when she said that. 

"Ana, it is important that we, as witches, think positively of ourselves. Stop believing in these foolish judgements you have created about yourself. I guarantee you that they are far from true. And to be a good witch you must have good intentions and good energies. Those are the two key factors of witchcraft. Along with belief of course. Belief in the craft, and belief in yourself. It is easy to learn how to fly a broomstick or mix some herbs in a cauldron but that is not witchcraft. You are not a witch if you do not use your energies and intentions correctly. A real witch believes in herself. So I suggest once you have finished brewing me this somewhat pointless colour changing potion, you go and change your mentality." 

Wow. That hit hard. But every single word that she said, was true.