Chapter Text
It was the last day of term.
Ethel had contemplated what to do all week, sick with worry. Returning home had always been a concern, but now, with what she knew, it was unthinkable. She never planned on saying anything, thought she would keep it a secret all her life. As long as Sybil was safe, it was all that mattered.
But everything had changed.
On Monday, Sybil had come to her, looking so small and so scared. She was worried about going home, seemed so sad about leaving Cackle’s. Ethel hadn’t understood at first. Sure, her mother wasn’t loving, wasn’t nice. But she never did anything to Sybil, and Sybil had never looked so scared to go back.
And then, Sybil had told her. She had whispered how their mother had hurt her last holiday. How she hit her for a broken teacup, a hard slap on her face that knocked her on the kitchen cabinet, then, had pulled her to her room by her hair and left with the promise of more. It had been the last day of the holidays, and Sybil was terrified of what waited for her back home.
Ethel knew exactly what. It had started like that with her too, years ago. She wouldn’t let that happen to Sybil.
It was why she still stood there, behind her station, even though everyone had already left the classroom. Miss Hardbroom was tidying the space, as Ethel gathered the courage to speak up. She wasn’t sure she was making the right decision, but she knew she couldn’t stand by and watch Sybil get hurt.
She stepped closer to Miss Hardbroom desk, taking a deep breath.
“Miss Hardbroom ? I need to talk to you.” She said, trying to stop her voice from shaking.
Miss Hardbroom stared at her and raised an eyebrow, her face as composed as ever. If she noticed the way Ethel’s hands trembled and the terror in her eyes, she didn’t say anything.
“I’m listening.”
“It’s about Sybil.” Ethel let out a shaky breath. “I don’t think she should come home for the summer.”
Miss Hardbroom fully turned to her, her gaze narrowing. “And why is that ?”
“I don’t think it would be safe for her anymore.” Ethel carefully said.
Her teacher studied her for a moment, her gaze not leaving Ethel’s face for a second.
“Explain.”
Ethel looked at the floor, uncomfortable. She still wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing. She didn’t plan on saying too much, just enough to protect Sybil.
“Our mother… She’s not just exigent.” She started. She didn’t continue though, not finding the rights words.
“If you are implying that Sybil would be in danger at home, you need to say more Ethel.” Miss Hardbroom carefully told her.
Ethel jaws clenched. Even after everything, it still felt like a betrayal to say it out loud. She felt like she was going to be punished the moment the words would leave her mouth. This sick feeling was tightening her throat, making her chest hurt. But she had to do it, didn’t she ? For Sybil. She swallowed.
“She… She hurt Sybil last summer. I didn’t know. Not until a few days ago, when Sybil told me our mother hit her. I think it would become worse if Sybil came home. I don’t want her to be hurt again.”
The silence between them grew heavy, and though Miss Hardbroom expression didn’t change, her eyes had hardened.
“And you ?” She asked, staring intensely at the girl.
“Me ?” Ethel answered, voice cracking slightly.
“Did your mother hurt you too ?”
Ethel looked at her hands, squeezing them together as hard as she could.
“Yes. It was only me before. I thought… I thought she wouldn’t hurt Sybil if I could handle it.” She whispered, head hanging low.
“You shouldn’t have had to endure it, Ethel. You’re a child. It wasn’t your place to have to protect your sister.” Miss Hardbroom firmly told her. Even though her voice was stern and steady, there wasn’t any hardness in it.
“You did the right thing coming to me. Come, we’re going to see Miss Cackle.”
And with that, Miss Hardbroom turned slowly and lead the way to Miss Cackle’s office.
The corridor had never seemed so long to Ethel, who couldn’t quite believe what was happening. Her heart was hammering in her chest, her palms sweaty. After years of silence, it was hard to believe her secret was finally out in the open. She hoped this wasn’t a mistake.
When they reached the office, Miss Hardbroom knocked once before opening the door.
“Miss Hardbroom, Ethel.” Miss Cackle greeted her, a surprised look on her face. “Is something the matter ?”
“Yes. We need to talk about the Hallow sisters. Sybil should be here as well.” Miss Hardbroom answered.
Miss Cackle took in the somber expression of her deputy and simply nodded, before waving her hand. Sybil appeared in front of them, startled.
“Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom ?”
“Sit.” Miss Cackle asked, gesturing to the two seat in front of her desk to the girls. They both complied, and waited as the headmistress sat behind her desk. Miss Hardbroom remained standing to the side, unmoving.
“Ethel came to me after class, and revealed that her sister and her were badly mistreated by their mother. She was worried about going home tomorrow.” She declared, very still.
“Is this true Sybil ?” Miss Cackle asked, her eyes suddenly full of sorrow.
“Yes.” Sybil answered, her voice unsteady. She looked at Ethel with silent questions.
“I had to tell something.” Her sister whispered. She was full of guilt and relief, and wasn’t sure how to feel with all these paradoxal emotions in her heart.
“Thank you.” Sybil said softly, nodding.
“I’m extremely sorry to hear that, girls. I will need to contact the regarding authorities. Of course, you both can’t go home for summer.” Miss Cackle informed them.
“Where will we go then ?” Sybil asked, curious and frightened.
Ethel clenched her fist in her laps. She was terrified of the answer. They were going to end up with a stranger, or worse, in a group home. It was going to be horrible, and full of others kids who would hate her like everyone at Cackle’s because she wouldn’t know how not to be mean with them.
Miss Cackle opened her mouth to answer, but Miss Hardbroom beat her to it.
“You both will stay with me. Miss Pentangle and I have a cottage by the sea where we will spend the summer. I’ll have to talk about it with her, but I’m sure she will agree to welcome you both.”
Miss Cackle looked at her, eyes sparkling. Ethel and Sybil stared open mouthed.
“That’s a generous offer Hecate, thank you.” The Headmistress said.
“Not generous. Necessary.” Miss Hardbroom corrected, her eyes narrowing.
In the evening, Hecate called Pippa on the mirror. The blond witch answered with her usual warm smile, that flickered when she saw the sinister face of her partner.
“Is everything alright Hiccup ?”
“No. Not exactly, no.” Hecate answered, pressing her lips together.
“Did something happen today ?”
“Ethel Hallow came to me today, with disturbing revelations about her home life. Her mother is mistreating her and her sister.” She explained.
“Oh no, that’s awful. What’s going to happen to them ?” Pippa said, her face falling as she heard the news.
“I told them they would both spend the summer with us. I hope you don’t mind ?” She informed the blonde of her decision, looking at her anxiously but with a determination that told she wouldn’t change her mind about that no matter what.
“Of course not, that’s a wonderful idea. They both deserve a nice summer.” Pippa immediately agreed.
“Thank you.” Hecate released a relieved breath.
The next morning was loud and noisy, filled with students preparing their trunks and bags to go home, chatting excitedly about their summer vacation. Ethel and Sybil stayed quiet, preparing their belongings in silence. After lunch, it was time to go and they watched their fellows students took off one by one until they were the only ones left. Miss Hardbroom approched them, her tall figure putting them under a shadow in the already hot summer day.
“Are you two ready ?”
They both nodded, clutching their brooms a little too hard in their shaking hands.
“Miss Pentangle is waiting for us at the cottage.” She informed them shortly. “Keep your brooms steady and close to me.”
And with that, the three departed in the summer sky, leaving Cackle’s for uncertains adventures.
The trip was mostly silent, only filled with Miss Hardbroom directions. A hour later, they were approaching the sea, and Sybil nearly fell off her broom staring in wonder at the sight. The cottage was a little house standing in the grass in the middle of a big garden filled with plants and bright flowers. A path on the side lead to the beach below, and you could hear the gentle sound of the waves from where you were standing in front of the house.
As soon as they got off their broom, the front door opened and Miss Pentangle emerged, dressed in her pink dress and with her usual warm smile. She rushed close to them, her eyes sparkling.
“There you are ! I was so impatient. Come in dear girls, I’ve made scones and tea.” She gently lead the girls inside the house, and, when they both had their back turned, sneaked a quick but tender kiss to Hecate’s lips.
“Hi love. Was the trip alright?” She asked quietly.
“Yes, perfect thank you.” And, with a gentle smile only reserved for the blond she added “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, so much.” Pippa answered, kissing her quietly again. She stepped inside the house then, not wanting to let the girls wait too long.
The inside of the house was as welcoming as the outside, warm and bright and filled with little things here and there that made it a home. Pippa stopped before a dining table filled with plates of scones and fruits and cups of tea.
“Sit please, I thought you might be a little hungry after your flight.”
They sat, and Pippa gently started to try to chat with them, asking questions about their mornings, their cats that they traveled with, how much homework they had for the summer. Ethel stayed quiet, but Sybil’s voice slowly showed more and more confidence as she answered Pentangle’s Headmistress.
After tea, Miss Hardbroom stood and informed them that they were going to show them the house and their bedrooms. The girls quietly followed as Miss Hardbroom and Miss Pentangle toured the house. On the second floors where the bedrooms. One room that was Miss Hardbroom and Miss Pentangle’s , one small study, and two rooms for Ethel’s and Sybil. They let the girls choose their room, Ethel didn’t care and let Sybil take the one she wanted. The walls were beige and the room neutral, the only furniture in it were a bed, a desk and a wardrobe.
“They’re a bit boring now, but you can make it yours.” Pippa told them cheerfully . “You can arrange it however you want. We can change the color of the wall, and buy as much furnitures and decorations as you’d like.”
“Really ?” Sybil asked in wonder.
“Of course, we want you to feel comfortable here.”
“Thank you so much for taking us in, Miss Pentangle.” Sybil told her, shyly looking at her.
“Oh, none of that please. You can call me Pippa.” The witch objected.
“Since we will live together all summer, you might as well call me Hecate too.” Miss Hardbroom added, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“Really.. ?” Sybil gasped in awe, eyes wide and mouth parted.
“Yes well, we are not at school here.”
Pippa chuckled, her eyes stopping for a second on Ethel who still hadn’t say anything, her face carefully blank. She smiled gently at the girl, before turning to continue the tour, and Ethel heart tightened in her chest.
They only arrived the day before, but already life at the cottage was different from the life they knew. Softer, slower.
In the morning, Ethel heard Sybil laughs in the kitchen. She watched from the doorway, silent. Sybil was helping Pippa make breakfast, the two playing with the flour from the pancakes. Even Miss Hardbroom had a small smile on her face. Ethel retreated and went back to her room, not hungry anymore.
Days passed like that. Sybil thrived and opened like a flower in spring. The house was filled with her laughter, her chatter with Pippa, and even Hecate. She looked happy. Ethel even caught a moment or two of Pippa gently brushing her hair or squeezing her shoulder.
They spend the days together, gathering potions ingredients, cooking, tending to the garden. Pippa had tried to touch her once, just a pat on the shoulder, and Ethel had flinched so violently she had immediately stepped back, a reassuring smile on her face and a “It’s alright darling.” cutting Ethel’s apology short. She hadn’t tried again.
Ethel watched from a distance. She didn’t know how to be like Sybil, so open and carefree. She didn’t know how to trust Pippa and Hecate, and how to stop being so distant. Pippa tried to make her join them sometimes, asking if she wanted to help with the garden, or go with them to the market. Ethel always politely refused. She stayed in her room most of the time, staring at the blank wall or quietly doing her homework.
By the end of the second week, Sybil room was full of stuffs she bought with Pippa and Hecate at the market, new colorful drapes and bedsheet, a warm rug, pencil colors and sheets of papers she used to make drawings with Pippa that hang on the wall. Plushies on her bed and soft cushions, a dreamcatcher pinned on her door. Ethel’s room remained bare. She didn’t know what to make of the differences in this house. They had always enough food, Pippa gentles “Take more if you want, there’s always enough.” after each meals made her stomach tighten. She never took seconds.
There were always sweets waiting for them in the afternoon, donuts and scones and biscuits Pippa cooked with Sybil. Sweet tea and honey biscuits just because Sybil said she liked them once. Ethel never touched them, but there was always one staying on the plate at the end of the day, waiting for her.
Every night, Miss Pentangle and Miss Hardbroom came to say goodnight. She heard them going in Sybil’s room first, heard the soft laughter and chatter, saw one day how Pippa hugged her and Hecate gently kissed her sister’s temple. She heard them tell her she was clever and kind and getting braver every day.
And then, always, they came into Ethel’s bedroom. They stayed in the doorway, not stepping in uninvited, and wished her to rest well. A gentle “Goodnight darling.” From Pippa that made her eyes sting and a soft “Sleep well, Ethel.” From Miss Hardbroom that made her head spin.
Ethel kept watching, unsure what was her purpose now that she didn’t have to protect Sybil anymore. And she didn’t have to, because Sybil was brighter than she ever was. Always joyful, quickly bonding with the women that cared for her. Soon, hugs and gentles touch of affection were becoming a daily occurence, Sybil running straight into Pippa’s arms once back in the house after an afternoon in the garden, or sitting close to Hecate and leaning against her as she read in the evening. She wasn’t used to this. She wasn’t used to watching Sybil laugh while brushing her hair, or spin in front of the mirror in a new dress Miss Pentangle had gifted her. She wasn’t used to her sister smiling in the mornings, talking freely at meals, or asking to help with chores like it was fun.