Volt_Violet
It's the end of their third year, Julie Hubble dies in a magical explosion, something impossible because Julie had no magic at all. Her death is ruled a "magical mismatch," but everyone knows it's suspicious.
Mildred tries to stay strong at first, but with her mother gone she has no family left, and she quickly begins to fall apart. Her magic becomes unstable, she stops functioning, and she feels like she has no reason to keep going.
To protect her, Miss Hardbroom becomes her legal guardian, taking her into her home. Their new life is awkward and painful, but Hecate refuses to let Mildred be abandoned.
Meanwhile, Ethel Hallow is determined to find the witch who killed Julie. As she investigates, she becomes the only person Mildred can still reach for. After their first kiss, they're still figuring out what they are to each other, but something real is forming.
A fragile love begins to grow between them, and in the darkest moment, Ethel is the one who saves Mildred when she sees no way out. She has to.