Lovesick Witches

The Sun Is Up

As I sat in potions class the morning after that sleepless night, I was feeling pretty awful. I was still a bit traumatised by the events of the day before and I was of course exhausted from my lack of sleep. 

"Ana, are you okay?" asked Mildred as we practiced brewing invisibility potions. "You seem so tired today." 

"I'm alright thanks," I said. "Just not really feeling my best." 

I was sitting next to Mildred, Maud and Enid in potions class, all three oblivious to the events of the previous day. I had decided not to tell anyone as it would just cause drama and I didn't want that. HB, of course, knew why I was in a bad mood. I think she was too. 

"Felicity Foxglove!" Miss Hardbroom shouted after Felicity spilled a tiny bit of her potion onto the floor. "Clean that up immediately!" 

"I'm so sorry Miss Hardbroom," stuttered Felicity in shock. "It was an accident." 

"You are so careless!" replied Miss Hardbroom. "Detention! Tonight. To teach you not to be so clumsy!" 

Felicity ran to go and get some paper towels to clean it up. 

Miss Hardbroom sat back down at her desk with a very stern look on her face and the rest of the class continued to brew their potions. 

"Looks like HB got out of the wrong side of bed this morning," Enid whispered to me. 

"She's probably just tired," I said. "Like me." I let out a little giggle to myself. 

I got up from my seat and picked up a handful of basil from one of the shelves to add to my potion. As I walked back to my cauldron, I stumbled from my tiredness and tripped, dropping the basil all over the floor. I panicked and got so worried when I dropped it. I didn't want Miss Hardbroom to shout at me like she just had with Felicity! 

To my surprise, she didn't. She just watched me as I bent down to pick up the basil. I think she understood my exhaustion so didn't want to tell me off. I was relieved when she didn't say anything. 

After picking up the basil and walking back to my seat, I heard Ethel's voice from the other side of the classroom. 

"How come when Felicity spills a drop of water HB goes mad, but when Ana clumsily drops basil all over the floor she doesn't say anything? That's so unfair." 

I'm pretty sure Miss Hardbroom heard Ethel say this as after she did, Miss Hardbroom stood up. 

"Detention, Ana! Maybe you need to be taught not to be so careless too!" 

I didn't really mind when she said this as I knew she didn't mean it. 

"Sorry Ana," said Maud as I continued making my potion. "It mustn't be nice getting shouted at by HB when you're feeling under the weather." 

"It's okay," I replied with a smile. "Maybe I do need to learn to be less clumsy." 

After lessons had finished that day, my friends went to the library to help Beatrice with her preparation for the head girl competition. 

"I can't let Ethel win," said Mildred. "We have to help Beatrice beat Clarice. Ana, are you coming?" 

"Sorry," I said. "I wish I could but I have to go to detention." I really just wanted to talk to Miss Hardbroom and make sure she was okay. 

So as Mildred, Maud and Enid went off to the library, I returned, once again, to the potions lab. 

"Hello, Ana," Miss Hardbroom said as I entered. 

"Hello, Miss Hardbroom. I was wondering if I could talk to you?" 

"Of course," she said. 

I paused for a second to think. "Do you want to go outside?" I said. "The mists have cleared now so it might be nice to get some fresh air. It might make us feel a bit better." 

Miss Hardbroom agreed so we went outside and began to walk around the outside of the school.   

It was such a lovely day outside. The weather was sunny and warm. The sky was clear and blue above us and the grass we were walking on looked very green in the sunlight. 

It felt so refreshing to be outside again. The soft breeze brushed through my hair as the beams of sunlight hit my skin, giving me pleasant tingles. It was so peaceful and calm. I could hear the gentle rustling of the trees around us and the birds singing. There were a few students from other year groups playing outside around the school grounds so I could hear the sound of people laughing and having fun as we walked. It was so nice to hear some people's happiness after the traumatising time I'd had the day before. 

"I'm sorry for shouting at you this morning, Ana. I didn't want to. But I heard what Ethel said and it would have been suspicious if I had told Felicity off and not you," said Miss Hardbroom as we slowly walked across the grass. 

"I didn't get any sleep last night," she said. "I was feeling a bit sad and didn't manage to get any rest. So that's why I was being particularly strict in potions class this morning. Sorry." 

"Don't apologise," I said. "It is understandable that you'll be sad for a while. She is your step-sister and now you won't see her again." After I said that I realised that probably wan't the most reassuring thing to say. 

"It's okay," Miss Hardbroom said as we walked side by side. "I'm sure I'll get over it. I'll be fine." 

"I know you will," I said as I looked at her and smiled. "I just wanted to talk to you to make sure you were okay." 

"Thank you, Ana," she said as she smiled back at me. "I really appreciate that." 

We walked in silence for a few minutes. But it wasn't awkward. It was peaceful. Calm. I took time to listen to the nature surrounding me and fully appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. 

"I didn't sleep last night either," I said, breaking the silence. "That's why I was so tired in potions class this morning and why I dropped the basil." 

"I know," said Miss Hardbroom. "That's why I didn't tell you off. But I had to say something or else people would get suspicious, like how Ethel started to." 

"How is your arm, by the way?" asked Miss Hardbroom. 

"It's a lot better now, thank you," I said. I looked down at my sprained elbow. It was still wrapped up in a bandage, although it basically had all its movement back and almost all its strength. 

"It should be fully healed in a few days or so." 

"That's good to hear," said Miss Hardbroom as she smiled at me. 

I looked back at the teacher walking beside me. She looked so beautiful. The sun shone on her gorgeous, black, braided bun, perfectly. Her eyes sparkled in the light as her pale skin contrasted beautifully with the darkness of her hair. Her lips were so thin and delicate, yet so rich in colour, the red brilliantly complementing the darkness of her eyes. Her beauty was so unique, and so perfect.