Chapter Text
It was a nice summer’s day and Mildred was sitting out on the grass beside the pond with Maud and Enid. They were studying their potions for class later hoping that they wouldn’t make any mistakes.
After a few minutes Mildred addressed her friends “Maud and Enid I need your help with something I have been working on could you come up to my room after lights out?”
They looked at Mildred puzzled “sure but we will have to be quiet so HB doesn’t hear us”. They smiled at each other and continued studying the invisibility potion.
Miss Hardbroom stood in the distance looking over at her three students smiling because they were studying for her class. She walked around the school hoping they would not mess up in today’s class.
All of a sudden she heard a noise in the nearby forest so she rushed over to see Ethel Hallow practising spells. “Ethel why are you practising unauthorised magic?” she asked making Ethel jump up.
Ethel stood before Miss Hardbroom and finally gathered up the courage to speak “Well Mildred Hubble is studying while I am practising the spell for class today so we don’t mess up”.
Miss Hardbroom smirked “Well good luck today because I am pairing you together with Mildred” Ethel just smiled at Miss Hardbroom “Ok looking forward to it” Miss Hardbroom was lost for words at how positive Ethel was so she left her and continued on her walk around the school grounds. She had made this a regular thing ever since selection day.
It was during potions class that Mildred’s friends saw her sharing approving looks with Ethel and Felicity. They were not the only ones Miss Hardbroom was pleasantly surprised to see Mildred and Ethel secretly helping each other to make a perfect potion. She had paired them together to see how they would work with each other and so far it was enjoyable to watch.
Finally when class was over Miss Hardbroom called Mildred and Ethel over to her desk. They both sat down wondering what they did wrong because they had made a perfect invisibility potion in class.
Without looking up from marking papers she spoke “I see you two had no trouble working together, I hope this means you are friends or at least able to work without arguing”.
Mildred and Ethel both looked at each other nodded then looked at Miss Hardbroom who was confused by their exchange. Ethel finally spoke “well Mildred is a hard working student and I am proud to call her my friend”.
Mildred just blushed at Ethel’s kind words about her which she was unable to hide from Miss Hardbroom who was shocked to say the least. She turned round to look at Mildred who was bright red. She finally spoke “ok well I am very pleased to hear this please make your way to your rooms before lights out”
The two girls left the potions lab and made their way to their rooms. Mildred hugged Ethel “I will see you after lights out” when she pulled away she placed a small kiss on her cheek and walked into her room.
After Miss Hardbroom finished her nightly rounds Ethel made her way into Mildred’s room. She walked over to Mildred who was sitting on her bed with her notebooks out.
Ethel beside her and kissed her. Mildred just sat there and melted into the kiss. Ethel quickly pulled back not knowing when her friends were going to show up. Mildred noticed this and spoke softly “It’s ok Ethel, they are my friends they will understand”
Feeling comforted Ethel smiled at Mildred “Ok I trust them if you do” Mildred smiled back just as her door creaked opened and in walked Maud Enid and Felicity. They spotted Ethel “What is she doing here?” Maud asked Mildred replied “She has been helping me, come over and sit on the bed”. They just smiled and joined them on the bed.
Mildred and Ethel looked at each other and nodded. Ethel was the first to speak “We have something to tell you but please keep it a secret” the three girls in front of them smiled and let Felicity speak “Ok you can trust us” Mildred and Ethel smiled at each other. Mildred turned round to her friends and said “Me and Ethel are together but we need your help with something”.
Felicity being Felicity well she left out a small scream. Maud hugged them “I’m happy for you two” she said and Enid just grinned and said “Can we call you Methel?” Mildred and Ethel just laughed at their reactions then hugged them all.
Maud then spoke “What do you need our help with?” Mildred started to get nervous and shaky. Ethel noticed this and held Mildred’s hands in her own. Ethel looked at their friends with concern and said “we have been practising defensive and duelling spells for a few months now in case Agatha comes back”.
At the mention of Agatha’s name Mildred started crying so Ethel pulled her into a hug to calm her down. Maud Enid and Felicity just sat there because they didn’t know what to do or how to help. Ethel finally explained to them that ever since selection day and the great wizard’s visit that Mildred hasn’t been sleeping well in fear of Agatha coming back for revenge.
Instead of saying anything Enid pulled everyone into a group hug.
Once everyone was settled they looked over the notebooks and practised spells for the next couple of hours. After they had enough practice everyone except Ethel made their way to their rooms before Miss Hardbroom made her morning rounds.
Ethel left Mildred’s room in a hurry what she didn’t count on was knocking into Miss Hardbroom on her way out “AND WHAT WHERE YOU DOING IN THERE?” Miss Hardbroom shouted. Ethel jumped so high she nearly hit her head of the ceiling “She needed help in finding her potions book so she asked me for help and I did, I’m sorry Miss Hardbroom”.
Miss Hardbroom just looked at Ethel before saying “well ok as long as you helped her” at this point Mildred came out of her room looking like she hadn’t slept for weeks “Miss Hardbroom leave Ethel alone she found my book I had misplaced”
Miss Hardbroom was speechless because Mildred was sticking up for Ethel. She turned round to her and angrily said “just make sure it doesn’t happen again” and with a flick of her wrist she disappeared to the dining hall for breakfast.
And so every night the three friends and their two friends who were dating snuck into Mildred’s room each night to practise spells from defensive to striking spells hoping to never have a reason to use them.