Chapter Text
Pippa Pentangle first became familiar with vampirism thirty years ago. It happened one September night in her third year at Cackle’s. Archibald Green, a boy from Amulet’s, who she had dated since primary school, had dumped her. The news had arrived in the morning post, Pippa eagerly opening the letter from her love surrounded by her plethora of friends. The tone was cold - distant. He claimed he had grown to love another girl. After all, or so he claimed, ‘long distance relationships do not work.’ Wailing, Pippa had fled to the bathroom, many other girls following her, where she had locked herself in a cubicle, refusing to open the door to anyone. Night had fallen upon the school, Pippa still barricaded in the bathroom. Eventually, when silence finally filled the corridors, she slowly emerged, eyes red and swollen. Wiping her inflamed eyes, she surveyed her reflection.
“You overreacted Pippa.” She jabbed at her reflection angrily. Only yesterday, she had told her best friend Galinda Downland that she was falling out of love with Archibald.
“His voice is all reedy,” she complained loudly in Spell Science class, gaining a reproachful stare from Hecate Hardbroom – the class oddball. “And he does this thing where he purses his lips when angry – so annoying!”
“Perhaps you should dump him then and spare our ears,” Hecate croaked. She looked pale and exhausted, hair peeling out of her usually immaculate bun. Evidently more irritable than usual, Hecate continued. “Your constant gushing makes me want to cut mine off.”
Fortunately for Hecate – and perhaps Pippa too, Archibald had been the one to initiate the dumping. At least Pippa could focus on new things now. Exciting things – like finding a new boyfriend…
A noise made her head jerk up. The sound of swishing fabric – a cloak perhaps, emerging from the corridor outside. Carefully, Pippa listened as she heard the distinct footsteps of someone else moving quickly. They swept past the bathroom; the distinct clunk of the front door bolt indicated it had been unlatched. Pippa bit her lip as the door creaked. Curiosity getting the better of her, she edged open the bathroom door, peering out into the gloom beyond. Bathed in faint moonlight, a tall silhouette was accepting a large package of a cloaked stranger. As the stranger turned, they were enveloped in enough moonlight. A flash of fangs, exceptionally pale, sunken eye sockets, and glowing red eyes – a vampire. Clutching at her mouth, fear gripping her heart, Pippa stifled a scream; staggering backwards into the now closed bathroom door. She wanted to run, yet she remained transfixed on the package exchange. The tall figure, clearly a student, conversing animatedly and frantically with the stranger, the door swinging shut, the frantic unwrapping of packaging. The tremor in their hands was unmistakeable as they desperately devoured a vial of blood. Pippa fainted.
“You fool, with the racket you were making, you could have easily gotten us both caught.” The face of Hecate Hardbroom swam into view several hours later. Her hair was loose, and swinging softly in front of her face. Noticeably less gaunt with fresh colour in her cheeks, she looked worried. Pippa started with a jolt, desperately trying to slide out of her own bed. As her feet hit the cold stone floor, the world spun, wardrobes and curtains flying past her periphery.
“Easy now.” Hecate called as Pippa stumbled slightly, falling into her strong grip. “You’ve evidently had a shock.”
Gently, Hecate guided her towards the bed, and Pippa found her heart rate slowing.
“You hit your head badly on the way down,” Hecate explained as Pippa noticed the ice packs beside her bed. On the nightstand opposite, a potion appeared to be brewing. “Pain relief.”
“You’re… you’re… not going to kill me?” Pippa blurted in reflex to a cool, damp towel being placed on her head.
Hecate’s eyebrow arched dangerously high. “Why would I kill you?”
“Because you’re a vampire!”
“I’m also not a murderer.” Hecate irritably flicked hair out of her face.
“Well…” Pippa scrabbled for an argument. “You never said you were a vampire!”
“You never asked Pentangle.”
Hecate’s expression was softer than usual as Pippa blanched. True, she had never asked Hecate, she had never really spoken to Hecate. In fact, nobody really had. With her ethereal appearance and demeanour accidentally defined as kookiness – almost all Cackle’s students avoided her. Pippa even avoided her. Therefore, Hecate was forced to make peace with her own company, thus remaining a stranger to all students. But did the teachers know what Hecate really was?
“The teachers all know…” Hecate said, reading Pippa’s mind. “It’s obvious…” She paused. “It’s just the students who refuse to see the obvious.”
Pondering, Pippa realised the signs had always been present. Hecate, who often appeared tired, with dark circles under her eyes, was easily angered. Often avoiding people similarly to how they avoided her, she stalked through the corridors, nose pinned as though the stench of other students was a violation to her very existence. Never sleeping, Hecate would frequently study until dawn, nose buried in a musty textbook lit by the dim candlelight. At mealtimes, she would pick at her food, often leaving the table early without even a backwards glance from the teachers. And in potions, when they rarely used blood, her absence went unnoticed… Until now.
Gasping with realisation, Pippa slapped her forehead angrily.
Hecate smirked. “It’s obvious when you choose to read the signs. My family come from a long vampiric lineage dating back to the Roman Empire. Claudius Hardbroom, my Sixteen-Times Great Grandfather was bitten by Count Vladislaus Cullen during The Battle of The Vampires. Doomed to serve The Cullens, us Hardbrooms have only recently broken free from them … And regarding The Battle of The Vampires – it is often erased from history, people preferring to ignore the fact that Witch and Wizardkind turned on other magical beings. But it happened. And here I am.”
“How do manage to survive here?” Pippa pried. “What if you’re caught?”
“Then I’ll be caught.” Hecate shrugged, her long figure slouching onto the bed next to Pippa. Her hair flowed down to her waist, reflecting the amber candlelight of Pippa’s bedroom.
“Currently, I just muddle through. The blood vials are from donors – kind or foolish people who regularly donate their blood to vampires. Healers can synthetically expand their blood colonies; a method learned from the non-magical study of ‘medicine’ so I never go hungry. Much easier than having to feed on anyone,” she smirked. “After all – I’m a vegetarian.”
Hecate dabbed the towel to Pippa’s forehead, her touch gentle. For the first time, Pippa noted her deep brown eyes. Hecate’s sharp, pointed facial features appeared softer, perhaps due to the fact she was finally having a non-confrontational conversation with another student. Hecate – who had so easily been ostracised by the school – labelled socially-awkward and cruel. Galinda would be stunned to hear that Hecate had nursed Pippa after her fall, instead of abandoning her like they all would naively assume. Pippa bit her lip, they had been so very wrong about Hecate. Observing this vampire for the first time properly, Pippa made a vow to herself. She would include Hecate in future conversations. She owed it to her.
“Our secret, okay?” Pippa stared at Hecate. “I will not breathe a word.”
“You better not Pentangle.