Lovesick Witches

Confession and Confinement

"We know what you did," I exclaimed as Mildred and I burst into Ethel's dorm room. 

"What?" said the stuck-up bitch, stunned by our arrival. 

"You made Fenella a winning potion so she would be crowned head girl!" 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Cut the crap, Ethel. We found some winning potion on the floor outside of Miss Cackle's office and you're the only person who knows how to make it." 

"And what if I did?" she asked calmly, surprisingly unfazed. 

"So you're admitting it? You confess?" 

"I'm not confessing anything." 

There was silence as I waited for her to say more, but nothing else followed. 

"So you don't care if we tell on you?" prompted Mildred. "Get you expelled?" 

"Right, I don't care. You have no solid proof. Miss Cackle wouldn't believe you. And even if she did and I did get kicked out, we're leaving soon anyway so I'm not exactly missing out." 

"But if we can prove that Beatrice is the rightful head girl, the job will be hers and Fenella will not only lose her position, but she will be humiliated and punished for cheating." 

"Why are you telling me this?" replied Ethel in a soothing tone. "Do you really think I care about what happens to Fenella? I won't even be here next year so it affects me not one bit." 

"My bad," I said. "I overestimated your capability of being a decent human being. I guess you're more selfish than I realised." 

Again, no reply. Just a moment of awkward silence in which Ethel delicately descended to her desk chair and recommenced her studying. I felt the need to ask why she was revising after final exams had finished, but then remembered that that's just Ethel. 

"So why did you do it in the first place?" asked Mildred. "You went to the effort of getting a potion for someone you don't care about in the slightest. Why?" 

"Too much time, too little to do." 

"Right..." I said, ashamed of my inability to think up any adequate comebacks. 

"Well, we're telling Miss Hardbroom anyway," Mildred concluded as we returned to Miss Cackle's office, Ethel slamming her door behind us. 

Maud, Enid and Felicity had just left and were wandering down the corridor as Mildred and I rushed past. 

"Ana, Millie!" Enid called. 

"Talk later," I shouted back as we crossed paths. "We have something we have to do." 

We sprinted straight into the office to find Hecate and Miss Cackle about to leave. 

"Miss Hardbroom!" 

I struggled to keep my lips in line as her name rolled off my tongue. Her beauty made me shiver as our eyes met. 

"Beatrice is the rightful head girl. Fenella got Ethel to make her a winning potion." 

"The purple one with glitter in," added Mildred, unhelpfully. 

"Yes. And we got Ethel to confess." 

"Did we?" whispered Mildred, eyeing me. 

I ignored her and returned my gaze to the two teachers. 

We sat down and explained to them everything we knew. Hecate whole-heartedly believed us, but unfortunately, Miss Cackle wasn't as convinced. 

"We can't be sure that the potion on the ground belonged to Fenella, or that Ethel made it for her," she said. "I suggest we call them both in and see what they have to say on this matter."