The Maple Witches (Worst Witch Spin-Off)

Chapter Three

Sephy's spirits rose slightly when she saw Adriana waiting for her at the bottom of the spiral staircase.

"What was that about? Are you okay?" Adriana asked.

"Oh, just..." Sephy paused for a second as she tried to conjure up a story. "Just something to do with paperwork."

"So you're not in any more trouble because of me?" Adriana confirmed.

"Nope."

Adriana sighed, relieved. "I am so sorry by the way - I'm really clumsy - I don't know why I thought I could fly - if I'd listened to you we could have snuck in unnoticed -"

"Don't worry, Adriana, it's done now," Sephy said with a smile.

"It's just Ana," her friend muttered. "Adriana is the name of some ancient aunt - my mother chose it. Bats, I'm going to be in so much trouble-"

"Are you two lost?" came a voice from up the stairs. "Or did you just want to chat down there sat on your suitcases?"

Sephy and Ana turned to see a cheery-looking girl with coffee brown hair framing her thin face standing at the top of the spiral staircase. The purple sash around her pinafore made it clear she was also a first-year.

"The latter, definitely," Sephy said, in an overly serious tone that prompted an even wider grin from the girl above them.

"But when we decide to come up, do you know the way to the first-year dormitories?" Ana asked.

"Of course, just follow me," the girl replied. "I'm Cassie by the way."

"Sephy, and this is Ana."

"Lead the way," Ana said wearily. "I need to lie down."

Their rooms had their names on the doors, which Sephy liked. Somehow she felt like if there was a place here that belonged to her, she would belong too.

Saying goodbye to Cassie and Ana, she hauled in her suitcase and broom and dumped them, along with her satchel, on the bed.

The room was odd but strangely comfortable. There was a small window on the wall which let in a bright shaft of light which illuminated an oak desk, wardrobe and bedside cabinet. The bed looked stiff but sitting on it, Sephy found it was actually quite comfortable. Suddenly, she too needed to sleep away the day.

Sephy sighed and stretched her legs out in front of her, examining her already scuffed boots after her expedition through the forest. Even though she had already made an enemy of the formidable potions teacher, she wouldn't have taken the morning back, even with all its twists and turns, or else she would not have met Ana, or Cassie for that matter. They barely knew each other, but already it felt as though they had just ... clicked.

Sephy had never really fit in at Yew Tree Hollow. It was a small village, and so she hadn't really had much choice in friends. Often, the children who lived there struggled to connect due a lack of shared interests, but Sephy had tried too hard to fit in and this had only ostracised her further. As a result, she had spent most of her time helping her parents, who ran the village apothecary. Her father was a general healer, and her mother specialised in healing familiars. Or at least she had used to ... before the accident.

Sephy shook her head. She had let her thoughts stray too close to the gaping hole in her heart. A hot ache started in her eyes as tears welled there. In an attempt to take her mind off things, she overcame the inertia and started unpacking.

She had just finished hanging up her clothes in the wardrobe when the door creaked open. A blonde girl with electric-blue eyes had walked in. She almost looked surprised to see Sephy there.

"Oh, so you are here," she simpered, flashing Sephy a smile that radiated fakery.

"Um... can I help you?" Sephy asked, completely confused as to what was going on.

"I'm Freya, Freya Emerald," the girl said, the intense smile still stuck to her face.

"I would introduce myself, but you obviously already knew who I was when you read the sign on my door and decided to come in."

"Only to check on you, of course!" Freya gushed. "You weren't here for registration because you were really late. I just wanted to check if you had arrived safely."

"I have, thanks," Sephy replied warily. She wouldn't have been so cold, but she was generally a good judge of character, and something about Freya made her suspicious.

"That's great!" Freya answered. "So, whereabouts are you from?"

"Um... have you ever heard of Yew Tree Hollow?" Sephy hoped her tone didn't betray the fact that she did not want to make conversation. "It's pretty remote."

"No. I'm from Maple Grove." Freya paused. "As in the Maple Grove. Home of the first recorded Maple Witch."

Sephy paused. "What's a Maple Witch?"

Freya's grin vanished, and she proceeded to roll her eyes dramatically. "You really need to brush up on your witching history before we start classes. How did you even get a place here?"

And with that, and a swish her glossy curls, Freya stormed off back out into the first year corridor, leaving Sephy completely befuddled as to what had just taken place. The only thing she was sure of was that Freya was certainly not someone she wanted as a friend.

Author's Note:

"I'll update soon!" - famous last words! Thank you for being so very very patient with updates - I am now officially exam-free and so will be posting regular updates to my Wattpad works, including this one, over the summer. I have already drafted the next couple of chapters for this - expect the next chapter within a week!

Thanks for reading and sticking around!

- Lucy :)