𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝐻𝑢𝑏𝑏𝑙𝑒, 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑒

3: 𝙸𝚐𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝙿𝚊𝚒𝚗

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"𝙼𝚢 𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚢,
𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑

𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝
𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑"

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ˢᵗⁱˡˡ ᵗʰᵉ
🅕︎🅘︎🅝︎🅐︎🅛︎ 🅜︎🅞︎🅝︎🅣︎🅗︎
🅞︎🅕︎ 🅨︎🅔︎🅐︎🅡︎ 🅣︎🅦︎🅞︎
☾︎
ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵈᵉᵖᵗʰˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜᵃᶜᵏˡᵉ'ˢ ᵃᶜᵃᵈᵉᵐʸ

Hecate Hardbroom was not the teacher to ever call in sick solely for the reason being she wasn't "emotionally well."
So on this cold and gloomy day, she found herself slightly relieved to the news of all classes cancelled and set as a self-study day. Miss Hardbroom did not like to be pitied either, thus she felt suspicious of the announcement of no classes. Although she would never admit it, she was very glad to take this day off and locked away in her potions classroom. However, she had duties to fulfill as the potions mistress of Cackle's Academy.

Her quarters felt colder than usual this early morning. She always loved the cool air in the silent sunrise, but this type of cold only made her feel lonely. She lingered more in her room as she wallowed in self loathing. Hecate knew she could fix herself up with a flick of her hand, but some days she preferred to use the non magic way to get ready(it calmed her down rather). Taking her time, she flattened down her dress once more with her palms. Her hair flowed beautifully, slicking back into her signature high bun.

Walking in confident and long strides, Hecate almost missed the conversation her c̶h̶i̶l̶d̶ student was having in the corner of the corridor. Now, she prided herself in being the most professional teacher in the academy, but how could she not listen in to this conversation? Especially if it concerned a possible important person in her life.
Hecate slowed her steps, standing still, and listened intently to the blaring voice of Mildred Hubble.

"Well, we can't prove it was Ethel, Enid!"

"Of course we can! After that nasty thing she said yesterday in class? She totally did it!"

"That's only a motive, Enid, not evidence of her playing the prank," the familiar voice of Maud Spellbody interrupted.

"Just stay out of it, okay? It's being handled," Mildred reassured the irritated Enid, "Now let's go, I'm starving!"

The loud clicks of the trio's shoes fell quiet as they ran further away from the spot Hecate was eavesdropping at. She would have scolded them for running through the halls, but she couldn't seem to do it this morning.

'The nasty thing Ethel Hallow said to her yesterday?' the witch thought.

She was aware of their burning hatred and rivalry between them, but what has the blonde witch said this time? Hecate Hardbroom silently scolded herself, first for eavesdropping on students, and second for caring about pupil drama. And when did she start finding herself worried about that clumsy witch? She had never cared too much when Ethel did something to Mildred, sure she had given the Hallow girl strict punishments and many detentions whenever she messed with the Hubble witch. Yes, she has, but that was only for keeping up her strict disciplinary ways.('that could be the only reason, right?' Hecate thought, for she would internally slap herself for caring about the brown haired girl.)

'Remember, Hecate, you do not know for sure,' Miss Hardbroom thought to herself. After gaining back her strict front, she walked towards the hall for breakfast.