#missing hicsqueak hours

[annelisterapologist]

happy pride month to these useless lesbians🖤🩷

[heathtrash]

tww ships on valentine's day

hicsqueak

Pippa decides she has been yearning long enough. Instead of doing her usual thing of writing a letter she will never send and never knowing if her feelings will be reciprocated, she shows up to Cackle's Academy with a carefully considered bouquet of flowers and makes a proposition to a panicked Hecate—a "no" will send her away, but if she says "yes", Pippa will take her out for a date. Hecate, who has wondered for decades if Pippa's schoolgirl crush was ever founded in any real feelings, kisses her in answer. The bouquet drops from Pippa's hand as she gives in to her passion. When they pause for air, Hecate makes sure to murmur, "To clarify, yes."

mumbroom

The day before, Julie confesses she's been too stressed to think about what to do for Valentine's Day. To take the pressure off her, Hecate transfers them both to Rome, where they spend the day looking around art galleries and sampling gelato. Hecate then treats her to a sumptuous proper Italian meal in a candlelit restaurant. Under the starry sky they share a kiss, and in the spontaneity and romance of it all, Julie asks Hecate to marry her. Hecate says yes.

lampbroom

Constance wakes up to a hand-painted Valentine slipped under her door in the teacher's wing. She and Lynne have been in an undefined romance for a few weeks, but this feels like a confirmation that something more is in store for them. Constance turns up to Lynne's door with a breakfast tray, saying she would like to take things further, and offers to take them out for trip anywhere her heart desires. Lynne puts aside the tray and pulls Constance onto the bed for their first kiss as girlfriends. "You're what my heart desires, Constance."

backle

Gwen wants to do something special for Ada this year. She surprises her with a trip to a cottage by the Welsh seaside. She's made them a picnic with all of their favourites, and a wonderfully decorated ginger carrot cake. Although it's cold, Ada insists she paddles a little in the sea and leads Gwen by the hand with her to keep them both steady. They kiss in the low surf and watch the sunset over the sea.

starabella

Arabella knows she's royally screwed up with Dimity multiple times, but she hopes Valentine's Day will soften her mood. She sends a card anonymously, telling her to meet her on the witch ball pitch. Dimity waits for her while Arabella hides invisibly, worrying she will be rejected. When she does appear, Dimity is sceptical of her promises, thinking she's heard them all before. Arabella's eyes, however, show true remorse for how she's behaved in the past. Dimity lets Arabella take her to a cute little market in a magical village, and they reconcile in a tea room, parting with a cheek kiss that Dimity feels tingling on her face for hours after.

hackle

Even after being married for a good twenty years, Hecate and Ada still make time to celebrate Valentine's Day. Ada does her usual attempt to be the mysterious lover and elaborately decorates a card for her. Hecate pretends she has no idea who the sender is while reading out Ada's own words flirtatiously. Later, Hecate takes advantage of the school holidays to commandeer the kitchen from Miss Tapioca, and cooks them both a beautiful three-course meal.

[amillionmillionvoices]

in worst witch we say “i never wanted to be better than you, i wanted to be like you. you’re the witchiest witch i ever knew and you always will be.” it means “my name is pippa pentangle and i’m hopelessly in love with hecate hardbroom” and i think that’s beautiful.

[singofsolace]

In celebration (and mourning) of Jill Murphy, I am taking stock of my own relationship to The Worst Witch and what it has meant to me.

In light of the recent deaths of Jill Murphy, the author of The Worst Witch book series, and Una Stubbs, the original Mrs. Bat, I have a lot of feelings I'm working through this morning. I'm crying as I write this, so it might not be as eloquent as I want it to be. I'm sorry in advance.

It's hard to articulate what The Worst Witch means to me. I've read the books and watched both the 1998 and 2017 television series. They've provided me endless hours of entertainment and inspiration. I've spent countless hours writing stories inspired by Jill Murphy's creations, and I really can't express how much her work has helped me in my worst moments.

To this day, there is one scene that never fails to make me cry:

I remember how I felt watching this the first time. Seeing this scene unlocked feelings in me I had locked up for a long time. It showed me how an adult should handle a conversation like this, even though as a child, no adults in my life had ever treated me with this kind of respect. It showed me that it was possible for an adult to receive criticism--even criticism they disagree with (like when she reacts pretty strongly to Mildred saying that she doesn't like it when she shouts). No adult has ever in the history of my life accepted criticism like this without some sort of retaliation, deflection, or just complete denial. (Key example: "I didn't say that, but even if I did, I didn't mean it like that, and even if I did mean it, it was your fault because.... blah blah blah")

There was such a... I don't know... softness to this conversation, even as Miss Hardbroom is explaining all the reasons she gives Mildred a hard time. I love how Constance allows Mildred to have her say, because as a child, adults never treated me like my thoughts and opinions mattered to them. In this scene, Constance allowed Mildred the opportunity to criticize her freely. (My mother and father and teachers would never?!?!). It was nearly beyond my comprehension that an adult would do this. I'm crying harder just thinking about it, and that's that on childhood trauma.

Anyway, when the new Worst Witch series came out, I wasn't expecting to fall in love with it as much as I did, but Raquel Cassidy won me over as the new Miss Hardbroom. And when Pippa Pentangle was introduced, I fell hard for their beautiful, complicated, not-so-subtly sapphic relationship. And while I didn't enjoy where the series winded up going, I will always be grateful that the first two seasons of The Worst Witch exist for me to revisit whenever I desire.

And now, taking stock of my own writing, specifically my hicsqueak The Proposal fic, it occurs to me that the date I last updated it is significant. March 8, 2020. I stopped publishing the week before the world (or at least my small section of it) shutdown. I was teaching a college-level creative writing course at the time, and little did I know that after that week, I would never see my students in person again.

My world changed. Everyone's world changed. And I tucked the fic into a drawer, unable to look at it. I've revisited many times over the last year and a half, and even got donation-commissions to update it by several people (for my failure to do so, I am very very sorry). There was something about that fic that represented "before" for me. The Proposal was "before" everything fell apart. The Proposal was "before" I was separated from my students. The Proposal was "before" I was excessed and lost my teaching job. The Proposal was before I spent every day worrying about my extended family and friends falling ill with a virus I didn't understand. The Proposal was before I lost all faith in humanity, with people refusing to wear masks and get a vaccine simply because they didn't want to.

Before the pandemic, I truly believed that if a global crisis happened, people would go out of their way to help each other. I believed protecting our grandparents and the immunocompromised would be more important to people than the personal discomfort of wearing a mask, social distancing, and getting a vaccine to help protect yourself and others. I suppose you could say that over the last year and a half, I became completely disillusioned. I hated my neighbors more than I loved them. Huge rifts formed between family and friends over covid safety. My country saw the first NON-peaceful transfer of power in our nation's history. The Black Lives Matter movement made the nation confront centuries-long injustices that we still haven't been rectified or resolved.

The world came to a boiling point, and I thought, "surely, this can't last? surely, things will get better?"

They haven't.

It might sound silly, but for a year and a half, the failure to update this fic has been a major source of sadness and frustration for me, and I feel that it's very much related to having my faith in humanity completely ripped out from under me. The fic represents a part of my life I feel like I will never be able to return to.

And yet, here I am, sitting in the midst of a tropical storm, desperately wanting to return to my story, and crying over it rather than making any progress.

I don't know why I'm sharing this. But the news of Jill Murphy's death has triggered a lot of emotions I don't know what to do with. I'm sorry for rambling, but maybe someone will read this and understand.

[artsoupsoupart]

I don’t know if you’re doing prompts, but if you are.. Can you write a hicsqueak fic, please. A spell mishap of meddling young witches resulted in Cackle’s and Pentangle’s castles merging. Hecate and Pippa woke up on their now joint bed. Their wardrobe and chambers are merged too and it took them a whole week (maybe longer) to fix it and find the culprits. Thanks! Love your hicsqueak fics btw

It’s not exactly the prompt but I hope you enjoy it! Sorry it took so long, it’s been like 3 weeks but it kinda got out of hand lol! Also: I’m not not taking prompts, but I write slow so if anyone sends one, sorry if it takes a while to get it filled! 

Cacktangle’s Academy for Witchcraft and Wizardry 

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27270871 

“Lights out, girls,” Hecate bellows as she glides down the corridors. Around her, doors shut closed and lights turn off as young witches clad in matching pajamas scurry into their rooms from their friends’. Each one bids her goodnight (some more confidently than others), something that didn’t use to happen, and she can’t quite pinpoint when it had started. Perhaps she had gone soft in the last few years. Not that she necessarily minds. Anymore.

She’s just about finished with her rounds when one Azura Moon slips out of her door and wraps her arms around Hecate’s middle. 

“Good night, Miss Hardbroom” the girl says as she smiles, as wide as she ever does. Hecate still freezes at the contact she should be used to after two years (especially because Azura takes every opportunity to hug her and for some reason she just can’t tell the girl to stop) but she does eventually return the embrace, tapping the tips of her fingers against the girl’s shoulder, silently noting not for the first time how much taller she’s gotten. 

Then she’s turning the perpetually exuberant witch away from her and to her room. “Good night, Azura. And do tell Miss Jones she has precisely three seconds to return to her own room.” 

Hecate doesn’t even get the opportunity to begin her countdown when the other girl pokes her head out of the room with a sigh. Azura simply continues to smile as she hugs her friend and they part ways for the night. When the door shuts behind Azura, Hecate stops and listens. With Isabella securely in her room in the Citrine hall, the castle seems quite enough. Even Mildred is tucked away in her room, though she’s not sleeping by any means. But Hecate won’t disturb the girl tonight. Not when she knows Mildred has been staying up later and later to research witching colleges (a fact that brings the older witch a bit of joy). Instead, Hecate transfers directly to her rooms for the night. 

She takes extra care getting ready for bed. Her shower is hotter and filled with lavender essence. The last few showers had been quick spells after long, tiresome days and they definitely weren’t as satisfying. She chooses a softer, silkier nightgown and takes her time moisturizing. By the time she settles at her vanity to call Pippa, Hecate is relaxed and pliable and she begins brushing out her dark locks. 

“Good evening, darling,” Pippa grins through the mirror when it connects. She’s already lying in bed, propped against her plethora of pillows. Her hair is slightly wavy from being freshly washed and it fans out against the pink silk, her face free of makeup and her freckles on full display. This is perhaps Hecate's favorite Pippa, relaxed and serene, unencumbered of being headmistress and modern magic activist. She’s delicate in a way that she can’t be during waking hours and Hecate feels a bit of pride at being one of few who has gotten to see her this way. 

"Evening, Pippa," Hecate smirks. "You look comfortable." 

The blonde snorts and launches into the events of her day. The tale is one filled with students who could stand to be more observant, mischievous fae friends, and strict council members. All things Pippa had had to deal with more or less by herself due to her deputy being otherwise preoccupied in securing more scholarships for next year. 

"But that's all in the past, Hiccup. I'm already better," the blonde breathes out. "Tell me about your day, darling." 

As Hecate recalls about her day, she notices the glassy, dreamy look that passes over Pippa’s eyes. That look that lets her know that while the blonde is definitely still listening, she’s daydreaming, most likely about her hair. Pippa has always been weird about Hecate’s hair. Smitten. That’s the look. Hecate now knows that she saw this look many, many times when they were teens and she’s been on the receiving end of the look more times that she can count since they’ve started dating, but it still makes her heart flutter. 

“I love brushing your hair,” Pippa mumbles. It’s as if she just let out a secret as tanned cheeks blush a brilliant red and the blonde looks away from the mirror. 

“Yes, I know you do,” Hecate says, as casually as she can manage. 

“I would do it every night if I could,” she says, referring to brushing. It only makes Hecate smile wider and she reminds her that while that would be fantastic, they have other responsibilities that prevent that. The petulant look on Pippa’s face is almost comical as she huffs and pouts. Hecate simply placates her that she’ll be able to do so when she visits, whenever time allows. The two go on to talk in soft hushed tones as Hecate herself settles into bed for the night, falling asleep together without ending their call. 

Meanwhile, back in the Ruby corridor, two very awake and very excited witches sit in front of their mirror, whispering away to their friend. 

“Come on, Izzy! Think of it! Addy is going to be at Pentangle’s most of the time. And we’re going to be here. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just open our wardrobe and boom? We’re there or she’s here.” 

The redhead purses her lips in thought. The Addy in questions has hope in her eyes as she holds up the spell they can do to essentially make a portal connecting the two rooms. It’s restricted use of magic but it would be nice to visit whenever they wanted. “Okay, fine! What do we do?” 

So, they set to work. Addy lists off the ingredients and directions while Azura mixes them together. Izzy then takes the combination of ingredients and crawls into the wardrobe. 

“We should put in a clause! That no other people here or at Pentangle’s can find the door.” 

“Especially, HB.” 

“Oh yeah, she’d go bats.” 

So, they add a few lines to the spell and with slightly shaky hands, Izzy closes her eyes and begins the spell. Her hands trace the back panel of the closet and then she knocks three times. All three girls wait and wait and wait, confused until the light pulls at the edge and a new door forms. 

“It worked! We did it!” Azura whisper-squeals before crawling through the new door.

Hecate wakes slowly as her alarm charm tings to life at 6 AM. With eyes still closed she lifts a hand to silence the charm, breathing deeply and stretching like a cat, back arched and limbs straight. And suddenly there is a set of arms and legs, warm and secure around her own body. Her eyes shoot open. She stiffens. She wants to panic immediately. A voice in her head that sounds suspiciously like a certain blonde tells her to Breathe, Hecate. Assess. Her gaze looks down to the hands now around her middle. Pink nails, tanned arms. Pippa? 

“Pippa?” She questions out loud, voice still raspy from sleep. And then she turns as gently as she can. It doesn’t stop her from startling the blonde, whose hazel eyes fly open as she lets out a high-pitched squeak. 

“Hiccup?!” The blonde puts a bit of space between them, chest heaving as she stares at her. “What are you doing in my bed?” 

“Your bed? Pippa, you are in my bedroom.” 

Pippa looks around, gathering her bearings, surprised that she is in fact not in her own bed, or even her own room. So many of her things, however, are perfectly placed. Her soft pink silk pillows differ greatly with Hecate’s deep burgundy duvet. Her creme bedside chair had made it to the room. Her favorite blanket and the plush donut Hecate won at the All Hallows’ Eve festival the year before sits on said chair. Her jewelry box and makeup reside on Hecate’s otherwise bare vanity. It’s as if she’s moved in overnight. 

“I don’t understand.” 

“Neither. Do. I.” Hecate’s brows are furrowed as she looks around. “But we’re going to find out.” 

With that, Hecate throws on her leather robe. She pauses briefly to hand Pippa one of her others, opening the wardrobe to find it clustered with bright sky blues and soft pinks. Light washed jeans that increase to pairs of black leather are neatly hung. There’s pumps and sneakers and flip flops in just about every color. It’s as if her wardrobe has been split right down the middle, the two sides now contrasting so vibrantly. One being a rainbow of color and the other darker and subdued. Hecate’s eyes almost bulge out of her head, but Pippa silently places a hand on her shoulder as she reaches for her own robe in the wardrobe. 

As a habit, Pippa slips her fingers between Hecate’s and all but drags her from the bedroom. The living space is even more spliced than the bedroom with the large windows from Pentangles’ front and center letting in the bit of sunlight that has already started to peak through the morning clouds. It stops them both in their tracks, but Hecate quickly recovers. They don’t have time to dwell on just how strange this is. They have to figure out what’s going on and fast. 

They twist and turn through the castle until they reach an equally distraught Ada, who is attempting to calm a fuming Miss Tapioca, whose kitchen is now cluttered with items from the other school and arranged differently. Hecate and Pippa cautiously approach when the familiar faced teachers arrive. Dimity rounds the corner with Abigail, Pentangle’s fitness witch. Peter and Christopher, the flying instructor and librarian, arrive with Theodore Daisy and Lavinia Crotchet, Cackle's new chanting instructor. Soon the entirety of both staffs are ushered into the Teacher’s lounge, which unsurprisingly has also been combined with the one at Pentangle’s. 

“Did anyone cast any renovation spells recently, any chants?” Ada asks when Hecate finally gets the room to quiet. 

All the teachers shake their heads in unison. 

"No, a staff member didn't do this.” Hecate says, eyes squinted in thought. “A student did. The magic, while definitely strong is highly simple and misguided." "Well then," Ada starts, "we need to find the stu-" 

An eruption of chatter and a knock at the office door stops the headmistress in her tracks. Hecate flicks her wrist to reveal Mildred with the rest of the sixth years behind her. Surely the other young witches are not far away. 

"Miss Cackle," Mildred stumbles inside, eyes wide and confused. "I woke up early because I just know we're going to have a pop quiz in advanced myths and legends, and I got out of bed and Melinda Merriweather from Pentangle's was in my room! And her things. Her bed, her posters, her clothing. Everything." 

"Mildred Hubble," Hecate begins. The girl starts to say something, but the witch holds up her hand. "All students are to report to the field. Pentangle's and Cackle's, organized by year and name." 

Mildred's mouth drops open, but she simply nods instead of rebutting. Perhaps she has learned something in her two years as head girl. Ever the lead, Mildred turns around and addresses her fellow classmates and the girls shuffle outside. It's loud and the lines will definitely not be neat, but Hecate has at least bought the two staffs a bit of time to devise a solution. 

"So, the whole school has been, what? Merged?" Pippa asks. 

"It would seem so." Hecate flexes her fingers in thought. "We'll have to do a thorough inspection, but with the amount of merging that seems to have happened it might take weeks to undo." 

Dimity, who had been watching the girls file out to the field, adds, "It could take months." 

The entire room stops. Eyes searching eyes for some type of hope that it doesn't take months to restore order. 

"Well," Ada tries to smile, "Let's hope that's not the case. Now, let’s quickly find a solution for today. Those students can’t stand outside forever.” 

It takes all of five minutes for the headmistresses and deputies to quickly form a plan. The students will be given a free day of no classes while the staff members catalogue the damage done, that is after they find the perpetrators. Then they’ll decide how to best proceed in educating their students. They are, after all, witching (and wizarding) academies first. 

With a plan for the witches and wizards, the teachers file outside after casting freshening spells and changing their clothes. Pippa and her deputy address the Pentangle’s students and let them in on the details of what’s happening. Hecate, though, immediately turns on her strict and scary facade (though she’s quite pleased at how well the girls have followed direction. She wants to praise them, but now is not the time). 

"Mildred Hubble?” She stands in front of the girl, brow raised. 

“It wasn’t me, Miss Hardbroom. I promise! I haven’t caused any trouble in months. Promise!” 

Hecate squints her eyes at the teenager. The deputy head scans the lines of girls, eyes blazing. Some cower, some look utterly bored. She turns to the next trio of suspicion. Beatrice, Sybil, and Clarice all shake their heads when her eyes land on them. No, not them. Hecate lifts her head, sniffing the wind as a lioness to her prey. Her feet lead her to where the third years have lined up. Head tilted; she walks the line. Walks and walks until she stops right in front of the exact girls, bending down slowly to meet them eye to eye. 

“Azura Moon and Isabella Jones.” 

“We’re sorry, Miss Hardbroom.” The young redhead blurts out immediately. For once, Azura, the perpetually cheerful girl, looks positively stricken with fear. “We didn’t mean to merge the booth schools. Just our doors. Like Narnia.” 

“We just wanted to see Addy.” Azura interjects. 

The girls talk in tandem, explaining their reasoning. Adelaide cautiously takes her place by the girls, with Pippa in tow. All the while Hecate grows more and more red, her back straightening to her tallest height. 

“Silence!” She hisses as her eyes blaze into the three very shocked, very scared third years. Had this been another time, perhaps a few years ago, Hecate thinks she would simply snap. Instead, she lets the steam shoot from her ears and lets out a stiff breath. Pippa’s doing. With clipped words and fire still in her eyes, she continues. “Azura Moon. Isabella Jones. And Adelaide Peppercorn. You three will have detention every day until this is fixed.” 

Azura opens her mouth to speak but thinks differently when Miss Hardbroom’s piercing cold eyes snap to her. “Get ready for the day. Breakfast will be served early, and every student must return to their newly merged room until Headmistress Cackle and Headmistress Pentangle formulate a solution. No student will be caught outside of their room without permission lest they want to join these three in detention.” 

And with that, the Cackle’s witches were dismissed, shuffling away with the softest whispers. Pippa then dismisses the Pentangle’s students, who follow the others inside. 

“Well, I suppose we should join the students for breakfast and then take inventory of the damage.” Ada says. 

Breakfast is.... a struggle to say the least, but they manage it well enough. Miss Tapioca and Miss Cassava have their spats resulting in a mix of a meal. There’s a mix of cold oats and bright fruits. None of the dishes match, which Miss Tapioca scowls at in disgust. The now enlarged Great Hall luckily added the necessary tables and even extended the teacher’s table to sit everyone, so they’re not strapped for space. The hall is buzzing with chatter as some of the young teens fawn over being with their friends, others over the wizards they’ll be sharing space with for the foreseeable future with. (A message will have to be sent out to the parents. There will definitely be quite a few upset families). Hecate has half a mind to punish everyone and make the students eat separately and in total silence but her own thoughts of how to separate the two schools overtake disciplining at the moment. 

After breakfast, the students are all sent to their rooms and the staff begins their inspection. Most of the classrooms are heavily bound together. The bedrooms too. The only rooms that can realistically be separated sooner rather than later surprisingly seem to be the storage rooms. Everything else will take at least a week, some more. Even some wards from Pentangle’s have replicated themselves at Cackle’s, making some of their own unstable. It’ll take well over a week to reverse those. 

The stress of the situation radiates off the blonde, but she gives Hecate no chance to comfort her, choosing instead to fully delve into the title of headmistress. But Hecate knows it’s clawing at her to see her school not be her school. Pippa and her deputy depart soon after a plan is made to begin the separation to check on the Pentangle’s location. In the meantime, Hecate busies herself with potions needed to fix the wards. 

Pippa rings about two hours later and to the untrained eye she looks reasonably and understandably stressed. But Hecate notices the red that rims her eyes, the way her mouth is down turned. There’s a brittleness to her voice. She knows Pippa won’t let it show (she never does) but the blonde is positively devastated.  

“At least the young wizards’ rooms aren’t combined with the girls. It’ll be easy to get them back to Pentangle’s when the time comes.” Pippa attempts to find some silver lining of this situation before she informs them that they’re headed back. The subtle wobble in her voice doesn’t go unnoticed to Hecate. Had she had the time, she’d call her privately, let her cry and rant and feel. Instead, she has three third years in detention to attend to. 

Azura, Isabella, and Adelaide arrive to the potions’ lab five minutes before Hecate. They’re seated at the cauldrons, with guilty faces. The dark witch materializes at her desk in the middle of the room, the palms of her hands planted on the spokes of her chair. 

“Open your witches’ code.” She speaks lowly. Knowing this punishment will last at least a week, she’ll start their disciplining simple enough. For every code they broke, the girls will write and rewrite and rewrite line after line until it’s memorized. Then she’ll figure some other punishment, perhaps a particularly challenging potion. Either way, she’s certain they’ll never use magic so recklessly again. 

When she returns to her rooms after detention and bedtime rounds, Hecate is both shocked and pleased to see Pippa already there. But her heart immediately breaks when she sees her sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, staring off into space as if she’s lost in thought. 

“Pippa?” 

The blonde turns to her, tears hanging just off the edge of her eyes. Though the room isn’t very large, Hecate transfers right to Pippa, pulling her against her chest. Pippa’s breath shudders. No tears fall, Pippa’s holding back the urge to fully sob. Hecate holds her tighter when she feels her press her nose to her neck, puffs of air hot against it. Pippa’s body shakes and shudders but she never lets the tears come, something worries Hecate immensely. 

“Pippa,” Hecate tries again. She receives a small shake of her head, so they sit there silently until Pippa mumbles that she’s ready to go to bed. 

The next morning Pippa is as bright as she can be, refusing to talk about the situation outside of what needs to be done. For the rest of the week, the two schools attempt to find some sort of common ground. For the most part, they can continue as they normally would. Some classes have been combined. Dimity and Abigail have a blast sharing exercises for the students while Lavinia and Pippa mesh together traditional and modern chants. Others are left as they were before, something that relieves a bit of Hecate’s stress as she doesn’t have to share her classroom or curriculum. They continue on and slowly, day by day, something gets undone and returned back to its proper place. 

...

Wednesday morning breakfast announcements the next week begin with a chiming of bells. Cackle’s is full of life in a way it has never been before. Students in purple vests file in next to witches in grey dresses, chatting a mile a minute even at the early hour as they pile oats and fruit into their bowls. The setup of the great hall is awkward and a bit too crowded, but surprisingly it’s been an easy adjustment. The easiest parts of Pentangle’s have been returned to their proper place. Spells and potions have been brewed for the corners. The two schools have only been joined for six days, but they’re working like a semi well-oiled machine. Each morning Ada or Pippa announce what part of the school has been returned and an estimate of their time remaining. It’s not much of one as they try to keep hope alive but not too high. Only a few of the students have been caught sneaking out to the wizards’ corridors and vice versa, joining Azura, Isabella and Adelaide in detention. 

Pippa is just finishing her announcements when someone from the crowd interjects, “But, Miss Pentangle, what about movie night?” 

“It was supposed to be this Friday,” another little wizard steps forward to say. 

“Oh,” Pippa starts, stumbling in surprise. “Well, I suppose we will just have to postpone the movie night until we return to Pentangle’s.” 

Every single wizard and witch from the modern academy groans in disappointment. It radiates throughout the room as the Cackles’ girls’ mouth “movie night?” at each other. 

“I know you all were looking forward to it, but good witches and wizards always look for the bright prospect in gloomy situations. A postponement is not a cancellation.” Pippa reminds them. That gets them nodding and some even try to convince their friends that it’s alright, but the atmosphere in the great hall is discontented and unhappy as students file off to classes for the day. 

Hecate transfers directly to the potions’ laboratory when breakfast ends, checking the supplies. Between practically doubling the amount of ingredients used in class for both schools and the amount necessary for the separation, each ingredient must be heavily inspected and accounted for. Her back is turned to the young first year witches who dutifully take their places at their cauldrons when she overhears one mention how unfortunate it is that Pentangle’s can’t have their movie night. Another agrees in a soft whisper. What causes her ears to perk is when one of her students mentions Pippa and how the headmistress seemed just as disappointed as her students. Normally, she wouldn’t give such gossip a second thought, but she can’t help but question how Pippa is feeling after having to console her more than once. 

And they’re right. Pippa has been off kilter since announcing the postponing of their school wide movie night. Hecate definitely remembers the blonde gushing about how fantastical it would be a few weeks ago. They had been on a mirror call and the blonde had gone on and on about popped corn and fizzy drinks and a movie or two projected outside, under the stars. 

Hecate enters Pippa’s office after detention, tapping on the open door. 

“Pippa, you need to rest.” 

Unbeknownst to many people, Pippa is a worrier. She’d like to be known as the put together, awe inspiring super witch many have made her out to be, but the truth is she stresses more than she would ever let on. She had worried herself sick when applying for Weirdsister’s. Every competition, every presentation, every speech she’s ever had to give has been rewritten, rehearsed, and regurgitated to perfection. Because she is Perfect Pippa and right now Perfect Pippa’s perfect academy is a jumbled mess.

“My school, Hiccup,” her eyes water just as they did the first night. This time, though, they streak down her face, the dam finally broken. 

The brunette kneels at Pippa’s feet, taking her hands in her own. “Your school isn’t a building, Pipsqueak. You know that.” 

The blonde nods, “I know.” 

“And you know you’re doing the best you can to still adequately provide for every student and faculty member.” She goes on to say. Pippa nods again. “It’s not just you who has to fix this and it’s not your fault.” 

Pippa sighs and presses a hand to a pale cheek. “Between waking up here and seeing Pentangle’s empty, like a dismembered puzzle and just having to figure things out I...” she trails off, a lump in her throat and tears welling up once more.

Hecate raises up to grab a few of the light pink tissues in the desk. She brushes away tears that threaten to drip down Pippa’s chin and hands the blonde a couple more. “It’s alright. You can’t let yourself take on all of the responsibility, Pippa.” 

Then she smiles. It’s watery and sad, but Pippa smiles and Hecate thinks perhaps it’s the first time she’s seen a true one in days. “When did you become the sensible one?” 

Hecate scoffs, “I always have been.” And with that, she presses the smallest and sweetest kiss to the hand that is still clutched in her own. The one against her cheek guides her forward for a real kiss. The dark witch finally convinces Pippa to leave her office, to return to their room and rest just a bit. They sit in silence, curled together on the couch before Hecate must take her leave to ensure every witch and wizard are in bed. 

During her nightly rounds, Hecate takes the stairs to the old but still familiar room in the tower. She silently greets the bats that hover outside before transferring into the room unannounced. 

“Mildred Hubble,” Hecate begins, startling the girl who had been studying. “I require your assistance. Report to the potions’ lab after classes tomorrow.” She raises her hand to transfer away but she pauses. “And do bring Miss Spellbody, Miss Hallow and Miss Foxglove.” Then she’s gone, leaving a stunned Mildred, mouth in a small “O”. 

The next afternoon, after classes have finished for the day, Mildred finds herself leading Maud, Ethel, and Felicity down the corridors of Cacktangle’s. She already feels her head throbbing after trying to convince a still skeptical Ethel that she wasn’t trying to play a prank on her. Though, she should get her back for the soap incident that may or may not have happened in the Pentangle’s pool a few days before. She puts it on her mental to-do list. (Just because they’re older and fight with each other less doesn’t mean they can’t play a few tricks every now and then). 

“And Miss Hardbroom didn’t tell you why she needed us,” Ethel asks — well, states — for the tenth time. 

“No, she just said to bring you,” she sighs, growing more and more frustrated with the blonde. 

“Weird. Miss Hardbroom always has a reason for whatever she wants,” Ethel mutters to herself. “Are you sure?” 

“Ethel! Why would I lie about Miss Hardbroom needing us?” Mildred tries her hardest not to shout as she pushes open the door to reveal a potions’ lab littered with small bags for popcorn and candy and sugary drinks. Isabella is cutting red and yellow card stock while Azura twines on little twist-ties around baggies filled with lollipops and bubble gum. In another corner, Adelaide is taking inventory of the beverages. Hecate is in the back of the lab, finger pointed as she checks off item after item on a piece of paper, and she looks up when she hears the girls gasp in shock. 

Without wasting a second, Hecate puts Felicity on movie duty, her maglet instantly unlocked as she tracks down the topmost popular movies and activities for the uninterested. Ethel, having just mastered a penmanship spell, is set to work on signs and labels. Maud and Mildred are sent to round up any and every spare blanket, comforter, and pillow for their guests. 

Detention (or extra tutoring as most consider it but would never let Hecate know) normally lasts an hour. When Hecate had gone to dismiss the girls, saying they’d rather help, she’s shocked that they refused and continued going on. They continue for another two hours until they’re finished. It’s a gesture she’s not sure she’s really received from anyone outside of Pippa, Ada and the Cackle’s staff, this extra voluntary assistance. Hecate definitely isn’t one to ask for help outright. So, they stay until it’s time to ready for bed. The potions’ teacher shuffles the girls, who are both exhausted and buzzing with excitement, off to their rooms. 

Hecate is just about to transfer away when Azura calls her name. The instant she turns, head high and brows raised in question, she’s enveloped in that familiar hug again. 

When the girl pulls away, she sports a sleepy smile after she yawns into her elbow. “It’s really cool of you to give the Pentangle's students their movie night.” She giggles at the pinched expression on Hecate’s face before skipping back into her room with a soft but cheery “Good night, Miss Hardbroom.” 

Breakfast on Friday morning is quiet, none of the Pentangle’s students are very talkative. They're all still upset of their postponed movie night. There had been talk that there would still be one as most were skeptical of Felicity and her inquiries the day before but since word hadn’t come from any of the teachers, the students shrugged it off as Felicity simply being an aspiring journalist. Had she not been so utterly exhausted the night before; Hecate would have told Pippa and they would have had an announcement at the ready. Instead, she had showered and brushed out her hair before slipping into the warmth of the bed that's only been increased by the presence of an extra body. She still has some last minute preparations to do before the first class begins (and to tell Ada -- something she had neglected to do in her haste) so instead she'll just have to announce the movie night at lunch. 

The time rolls around and she stands from the teacher's table and walks to the front, following slightly behind Ada. Pippa had been obviously confused when she had walked away with an almost ominous smile. Everyone grows silent and suddenly Hecate is transported to the countless amounts of times she had been forced to speak in front of her peers. Her palms sweat. The unnoticeable tendrils of hair that have fallen from her bun tickle at her neck. But like then, she looks out to the crowd and finds confused hazel eyes waiting for hers and she breathes easier. 

Ada starts with a sweet “Good morning, everyone” and then launches into a reminder that Pentangle’s magical maze is still off limits as it continues to change every hour instead of every Friday, making it very easy for any and everyone to get lost. She then turns to Hecate for their special announcement. 

She sniffs, tilting her head upward, “All students will be excused from their final periods in order to prepare for,” Hecate pauses for effect. “Special cinematic viewings of select entertainment beginning at 6 pm.” 

There’s chatter instantly which Hecate lets go on as she steps down from the stage and back over to the teachers’ table. 

“Hecate, did you?” Pippa starts to say. 

“I don’t know what you’re referring to.” 

“You did!” The blonde’s eyes brighten and glaze over slightly. She drops her voice. “That’s why you were working late last night. Oh, Hecate you didn’t have to.” 

With shoulders high and a smile, she tries not to let show, Hecate says “Yes, well...” 

There’s absolute hearts in Pippa’s eyes. She leans closer to Hecate who tries her hardest to keep a neutral expression when she says, “Remind me to kiss you silly later.”

The school vibrates with energy after lunch. While most of the Pentangles students are out for the day (Hecate still finds Pippa’s insistence of having four day weeks strange) the halls are cluttered, and excitement is in the air. Cackle’s has never had a movie night. Hecate can recall previous students mention is once or twice, but she’s sure she had always turned down the idea with a stern look and a hissing denial.

Now, however, she’s sitting on a blush pink plush quilt on the grass as the sun sets, behind over one hundred students, waiting for the blonde to return from the makeshift concessions. Pippa had known she’d want a bit of their privacy and picked a near perfect spot. The nearest students happen to be Mildred and company and even they are well out of earshot. Dimity and Abigail are to the other side, though they’re a bit less covered in shadows. 

There were supposed to be only two movies shown before curfew began, but Hecate had been convinced by more than one student and staff member for just one more. She folded. It’s not like she’d be watching it anyway. She had already sat through two supposed classics, one being about a group of teen witches dabbling in dark magic with no thought of the repercussions and thus reaping what they sow. When the second movie had ended she turned to a very comfortable Pippa, who had been laying against her side at the back of the audience and asked if she could transfer them. Now they’re taking the final stairs to the top of a quiet tower. 

“What will the students think?”  

Hecate rolls her eyes at the playful tone, “I am a very powerful witch, Pippa. The students wouldn’t dare say anything to me. They’d have to be worried for an entirely different reason.” 

“Oh? You would finally pretend to be the big, bad potions’ mistress you aspire to be?” 

They exit the door to the tower, high up with the stars when Hecate pulls Pippa to her, nose to nose. “I do not pretend. I am all that you say and more.” She takes Pippa’s breath away, who melts against her embrace. Pippa wouldn’t have even looked away had it not been for Hecate’s own urging her to look around. Red candles outline the group of fluffy pillows, a darker burgundy blanket and darker plush blankets are scattered around for when the wind gets to be too much. There’s wine and dessert and the twinkling stars in the night sky. Hecate twirls her hand and the soft melody of a timeless chant begins to play around them.

The couple settle against the pillows, making themselves comfortable. Hecate pulls Pippa close, one arm around her middle and the other resting on her thigh. They laugh together in hushed tones as to not give away their location. Pippa keeps her promise to kiss her girlfriend silly and Hecate almost, just almost, concedes to sleeping atop the tower for just one night Hiccup, please? They don’t, though she does let Pippa lean against her as she rests for a few precious minutes before transferring them to their shared room. ... One late afternoon, after almost three weeks of domesticated life, Hecate sits at the desk in her rooms, marking the last few fourth year quizzes feeling... different. She’s not as tired as she normally would be. She hasn’t even taken a wide awake potion in maybe a week even with the amount of magic she has expended in the separation process. Her mouth isn’t down turned in a frown at the missed questions and miscalculated math. She’s lighter, and her heart beats a little stronger, a little faster in time. Hecate realizes perhaps for the first time in a very long time that she’s more than content, she’s tranquil. 

Hecate is lost in this thought when Pippa breezes through the door with a smile and small skip, her ponytail swinging happily behind her. As always, Pippa greets a lounging Morgana and a stoic Artemis before she primly sits on Hecate’s lap in an attempt to not wrinkle her dress (though she is done for the day) with a greeting and a kiss, arms sliding around her neck. She nuzzles her nose against Hecate’s temple as the brunette returns her embrace and it’s the most natural thing Hecate thinks she’s ever done before. Because it’s become so normal. It’s second nature, like brewing a levitation potion. Pippa, not surprisingly being headmistress, works longer days than Hecate and while she has always greeted her in this manner, the hugs and kisses seem better, warmer, just right.  

She can’t have this forever, she knows. Pentangle’s is almost back to normal and then Pippa will be off again, and they’ll be distance lovers once more, meeting when they can. It tugs at Hecate’s heart that eventually she won’t wake to warm puffs of breath against her neck. That she won’t fall asleep to Pippa’s gentle snores. She won’t have to set out an extra mug for tea. The laundry will decrease, dishes too, and she’ll be left to her own devices. 

“Hecate, darling, are you alright?” Pippa voice pulls Hecate out of her thoughts. 

The brunette nods her head. “Just thinking.” 

Pippa hums softly, “About what?”  

Could she be completely and totally honest? Why not? It’s Pippa. She’s Pippa’s girlfriend (though she abhors the word) and who else could she be honest with.  

“I’ll miss this.” 

Pippa softens, holds her a little closer. She readjusts on Hecate’s lap, soft smile on her lips. “I’ll miss it too, darling. So, we should enjoy it while we can.” … Ada and Hecate had been sitting in the headmistress’s office the next day, chatting numbers over tea when there’s a knock at the door. Hecate stands and flicks the door open to reveal Adelaide, Azura, and Isabella with Mildred behind them. The older girl gently nudges them forward and when they give her an apprehensive look at Mildred, she just gives them a more confident one back. Hecate raises a questioning brow, noticing how the younger girls shift from foot to foot, fingers twirling around their sashes. 

Azura steels herself and turns to Ada and Hecate with her head high. “Izzy, Addy and I want to lead a project to properly sendoff everyone from Pentangle’s.” “And to apologize again for the mess we caused.” Isabella adds while Adelaide nods her head in agreement. 

Mildred steps in, “They’ve got a plan for music and food and decorations.” She pushes Adelaide forward. The younger girl shuffles to Ada and Hecate, waving her hand to produce a booklet of plans only three fourteen year olds could produce. 

She and Ada look over it. It’s not a horrible itinerary, some things will have to be changed and adjusted for practical reasons but for the most part it’s doable. Hecate has to stop herself from giving them too positive a reaction. They can’t know she’s proud. Not yet at least. 

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Miss Cackle sweetly smiles at them. The girls brighten instantly, looking to each other as if they had had their fingers crossed in hope. 

And thus, begins the preparation for a farewell dance. Like preparing for the movie night the previous week, Mildred, Maud, Ethel, and Felicity join Hecate and the girls during detention to assist. There’s decorations prepared and stored away, menus to give to Miss Tapioca and Miss Cassava, and posters and fliers to hang up though Felicity’s post on her blog will no doubt spread the news fast enough. (In fact, the girl had known about it before Mildred even asked if she wanted to help. Hecate still doesn’t know how she does it.) 

Instead of transferring to her room when she and the girls had finished, she finds herself tapping on Pippa’s still present and ever open office door. For some reason, Pippa’s office has been one of the most difficult places to return to Pentangles, coming second to the ever changing maze. The pink witch looks up above her equally pink reading glasses and instantly smiles. 

“I’ve almost finished this last page. I promise, darling.” 

Hecate takes her place in the chair across from the desk, a flippant hand waving away the promise. “No need to rush.” 

They exchange a brief gaze before Pippa silently returns to whatever paper she was reading. One minute passes. And then another. And then another. Hecate has to stop herself from tapping her foot as the minutes tick by. Her eyes study Pippa. The way her lip is caught between her teeth, her nose scrunched ever so slightly as if something doesn’t make sense. Earlier her hair had been pinned up into a low chignon bun at the nape of her neck. She must have taken it down when classes had ended as it’s now in a slightly higher ponytail. Her matching jacket hangs on the back of her chair. 

The brunette is still studying her when Pippa looks up and finally removes her glasses, fingers already pressed to the bridge of her nose. 

“There’ll be a farewell dance at the end of the week,” Hecate bluntly states. 

“Yes, I heard! It’s supposed to be a fabulous event, you know.” The lift in her voice lets Hecate know the woman’s being playful. 

The brunette hums as she leans forward, fingers tapping against the quartz paperweight on the desk. “Indeed, it is. Of course, as headmistress and deputy of our two academies we’ll be expected to attend.” 

“Hecate Hardbroom, are you asking me to be your date to the farewell dance?” Pippa bats her lashes and props her head against her hand, a silly but pleased smile playing on her lips. 

“I was attempting to be modest, Pippa. Perhaps some sly wizard got to you first” she jokingly says with a roll of her eyes but then looks expectantly at her. 

“And I would turn down each one for you.” Finally, the blonde stands from her desk, smile still perfectly in place as she reaches for Hecate with one hand and flicks the door closed and shut with the other. “I’m done here, transfer us, darling?” 

“With pleasure.” ... The night of the Farewell celebration, Hecate is a ball of nerves and she can’t really say why. Sure, Pentangle’s and Cackles have been perfectly separated. There’s spare rooms still in place for everyone to sleep in for the night but otherwise they’ll return to normalcy in the morning. She should be happy, and a part of her is. But another dreads the silence that will come when they’re officially two separate schools again. She doesn’t think Cackle’s should be coed but teaching young wizards had been a pleasure she hadn’t expected. The food might lose its flare. The halls will be less congested. There’ll be no Pippa. That really grates at her nerves as they silently ready to the sounds of Pippa’s modern chanting records. 

“Zip me?” Pippa asks, already turning her back to Hecate who silently slides the zipper up and up and up. 

“You look beautiful, Pippa.” 

The blonde smiles brilliantly as she puts the back on her earring, turning to Hecate. “As do you, darling.” At the risk of ruining both of their lipsticks, she presses a light kiss to her lips. “Now, let’s go before we’re late.” 

“We could just not go.” 

“Hecate,” Pippa almost scolds. 

The brunette rolls her eyes as she smirks. “Fine, fine.” And they take their leave, twisting and turning down corridors that no longer have large modern windows to the great hall. 

The room sparkles with warm yellow lights. Students are already dancing to whatever pumping beat is playing. Hecate immediately shifts into chaperone mode, finding a place on the wall that she can see the entirety of the room. Ada joins her for a moment while Pippa goes off to mingle with the students and staff, but for the most part she’s alone as she listens and watches, scanning the room for sneaky young witches and wizards. Azura, Adelaide, and Isabella stop to bring her cookies they know she won’t eat but are really hoping she does. She nibbles at one of the plainer ones as she spies Mildred on the dance floor, her movements still as clumsy as they had been years ago. 

The night goes on and some begin to take their leave when Hecate finally moves from her spot, transferring across the room. 

“Dance with me?” Hecate asks as she appears next to Pippa. The blonde doesn’t flinch like she used to when the brunette would unexpectedly transfer next to her, Hecate notices with a quirk of her lip. 

“I’ve been waiting all night for you to ask me that,” the blonde beams, hand reaching for Hecate’s before leading her out to the dance floor. 

A Hecate before would have never put herself on such display, a thought that is ridiculous to her now. She loves dancing, has always loved twirling and stepping around a dance floor, her dress flaring at her ankles. But for years she prevented herself from being the center of attention, hating the eyes on her. With Pippa, dancing is even better. She holds and is held closer, tighter. Their steps are synchronized to perfection. They’re cheek to cheek and the students and staff fade to the far distance of her mind leaving just her and her Pippa. 

“Marry me?” Hecate asks softly in Pippa’s ear. It’s not exactly how Hecate pictured she’d propose, without the roses and the low light and the ambiance. Perhaps she should have done it the week before when they were alone atop the tower. 

Pippa is speechless. Absolutely and fantastically speechless. But also, she isn’t. She has been waiting for this day since who knows when. She has been hoping that would happen sooner rather than later. Perhaps sooner rather than later meant well over thirty years. They’re standing still when she looks into Hecate’s eyes and she pulls them away. Away from young ears and the gazes that don’t even know the question asked. Pippa drags her away until they’re alone and she can breathe and make sure this is real. “You don’t think we’re moving too fast? I mean, we’ve only been together for-“ 

“One year, six months, two weeks, four days, five hours and,” Hecate takes the moment to open the time piece hanging from her neck. “Twenty six minutes.” Pippa, as stunned as ever, asks through a small chuckle, “Why do you know that?” 

The brunette shrugs as if everyone knows exactly when they made things official, fair skin deepening to a full blush. “I’d tell you the seconds but I’m sure I stopped breathing when you said yes the first time.” 

Pippa loses her own breath. Curse Hecate and her way with words. She doesn’t think she can breathe without this dark-haired, even darker eyed beauty. So, she kisses her. Pippa kisses Hecate until they are both gasping and out of breath. “Yes, yes I’ll marry you.” 

The brunette grins, beams. And they kiss. And something about this feels like a next step. Something about this feels final. Something about this feels right. Like forever.

[confused-content-creator]

Interruptions - a hicsqueak fic

Fandoms:

The Worst Witch (TV 2017), The Worst Witch - All Media Types

Relationship:

Hardbroom/Pentangle (Worst Witch)

Characters:

Hardbroom (Worst Witch), Pentangle (Worst Witch), Drill (Worst Witch), Ada Cackle

Additional Tags:

Eventual Smut, Fluff, Feelings, Smut

Read Chapter One: The Spelling Bee

Read Chapter Two: Everything is Fine

Chapter Three: The Summer Party

Hecate looked at herself in the mirror one last time. Her dress was typical of her usual style in most ways – it was still black, full length and long sleeved. However, due to the oppressive summer heat it was thinner than usual, the tight-fitting bodice giving way to a looser skirt and the sleeves consisting entirely of sheer lace etched with swirling leaves and vines. She still wore her hair in a tight bun and her lips were stained the usual bright red, but her neckline was slightly lower than she normally allowed. Hecate hated summer. And she hated these parties. Every year in the summer holidays one of the three closest schools – Cackle’s, Amethyst’s or Pentangle’s – would host a party for all the staff to celebrate the previous year’s achievements. And every third year, when it was hosted at Cackle’s, she’d invent an excuse to remain in her rooms. This year would be the first time she had ever graced the festivities with her presence, which she told herself had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Pippa would be in attendance. Thanks to the recent events involving Ada’s wicked sister, Hecate had been denied the chance to meet with Pippa since her faux-birthday party weeks ago, and despite their frequent mirror calls, both witches missed the other terribly. Hecate looked herself over once more, nodded, and transported down to Cackle’s courtyard where the party had already begun.

“HB? You never come to these things!” Miss Drill had never been one for tact, and Hecate made a mental note to take revenge on the witch for drawing all eyes to where she stood. For now, an angry twitch of her eyebrow was enough to make Dimity suddenly interested in the food on her plate, and Hecate allowed herself the faintest of smiles.

Thankfully, before anyone else could question her sudden change of heart about attending, the staff of Pentangle’s arrived on their brooms with quite a bit more flourish than was really necessary. Hecate would have made a face at the pink fireworks currently drawing everyone’s attention upwards, but as the pink-clad witch landed all thoughts left her mind. While Pippa’s dress was her usual colour, it had thin straps that perched on the edge of her shoulders, and the neckline dipped as low as the semi-formal gathering would allow. The skirt flared outwards and swayed as she moved, and only came up to her mid-thigh which left the rest of her legs on display. Hecate’s eyes moved slowly over every inch of Pippa, before finally coming back to the other witch’s face. She noticed with no small amount of satisfaction that Pippa’s eyes were still roaming along her own form, and the corner of her mouth twitched upwards. When their gaze finally met Pippa smiled radiantly and Hecate thought there had never been a more beautiful sight. Pippa, ever abandoning tradition, began to walk straight to Hecate instead of first greeting her host, pausing only a few feet away to raise a hand to her forehead and bow just a little.

“Well met, Hecate.”

“Well met, Miss Pentangle,” Hecate took care to say Pippa’s name in the way she happened to know the other witch particularly liked, and noted her eyes darkening for a moment. Pippa opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the swift arrival of Ada and the headmistress of Amethyst’s and she was drawn into some formal conversation involving the running of schools or something similar. In fact, the next hour was spent with only a few stolen glances as one of them was drawn away right as the other disengaged herself. Finally, as the sun was setting Ada announced it was time for some dancing which gave Hecate the perfect opportunity to vanish herself and Pippa from opposite sides of the grassy courtyard.

Read the rest on ao3

[well-met-and-good-day-to-you-sir]

Hicsqueak in the pond with the pocket watch please?

It was late. Late enough that Pippa now needed to stay the night. So it was most definitely far too late for Hecate to cast the last spell of the night, ensuring all the students were in the west and east wings, and finding one was not. Her face contorted.

“What is it, darling?” Pippa asked.

“It seems someone decided 1:24 was the ideal time for a midnight strool.” She sighed and clicked her watch closed. “Let’s see where Mildred Hubble finds herself this fine evening.” Hecate twisted her hand and was gone.

Pippa rolled her eyes, knowing full well that the spell had not said it was Mildred. Regardless, she finished putting on her pajamas and waved her own hand to follow Hecate.

~

“What on earth are-” Hecate was cut off mid scold as she landed knee deep in freezing cold water. How she managed to resist screeching, no one will know.

“Miss Hardbroom?” Mildred Hubble sounded equally fearful and confused.

With a pop, another splash was heard. This person however did scream. 

“Bloody hell.” Pippa cursed not so quietly.

“Miss pentangle?”

“Yes, hello Mildred.” She shivered. “Might I ask what you are doing in the pitch black in a very cold pond, far past a reasonable hour to be awake?”

“No?”

 “Of course.” Hecate spoke venomously. “No need to explain yourself. Why don’t we just leave you to it, miss Hubble.” When Hecate gestured her hands skimmed the top of the icy water and splashed Pippa.

“Hecateeee!”

For a brief second there was silence. “Pippa, Pipsqueak, I’m so, so sorry-” She had to cut herself off when she couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“Hecatee.” Pippa whined. When Hecate only laughed more in response, Pippa aimed a splash in what she knew to be Hecate’s general direction.

This did rouse a screech from the woman. “Really! How childish!” She magiced some water to rise up further around Pippa.

“Well,” Mildred started, trudging towards land through the screams of the teachers. “Guess that’s me off to bed.” She had hoped they had been distracted enough to let her sneak away. 

But alas.

“Not so fast, Miss Hubble. You’ve earned yourself at least one week of detention, starting first thing tomorrow. When you may want to try explaining this ridiculous-” Icy water dripped down the back of Hecate’s neck. “Pippa! I’m disciplining!” She hissed.

Pippa made mock of her earlier apology “But, Hecate, Hiccup, I’m so, so sorry.” 

“Right. Bed Mildred Hubble.” Hecate said.

“Yep, okay. Good-” Hecate raised her hand and sent Mildred back to her room mid-sentence.

Hecate held her hand up and lit a flame in her hand to illuminate them. She raised an eyebrow. She reveled in seeing Pippa’s smile fall, seems she hadn’t lost her dramatic touch.

“Hecate, you don’t have to- please, it’s cold- how about we kiss and makeup instead?”

Hecate walked forward slowly, while Pippa walked back, her hands up in surrender as she pleaded. To Pippa surprise, Hecate caught her hand and pulled her in for a kiss. A kiss that still to this day had the ability to warm them both even in the cold pond.

After a second, Pippa leaned back. “Thank the goddesses. I thought you were-”

Hecate smirked and pushed Pippa backwards. Backwards Into the cold water. After the splashing and flaring stopped, Hecate held out her hand to help Pippa out of the pond.

“You wicked thing!” Pippa said, shivering. She grabbed Hecate’s outstretched hand, but instead of rising, she pulled the standing witch off balance. Pulling her underwater. But pippa’s eyes widened in the last second before Hecate’s light went out.

“Your watch!” Pippa pulled Hecate and her chattering teeth into her arms and brought them both out of the water. She quickly set to search for the chain to remove it from Hecate’s neck. 

Hecate found it in Pippa’s hand and pulled the pocket watch over her head. After relighting the flame, they both found themselves looking at a dry, ticking, and very much alive watch. 

Hecate inspected it further to find it completely intact. “What in the name of…”

“I can’t believe it worked.” Pippa muttered.

“What did? Pippa? What are you talking about?”

“Well, you’ll never believe this, but I guess that spell I did over 30 years ago worked.”

“You’re not making sense. I don’t remember any spell-”

Pippa shook her head. “You wouldn’t. I didn’t tell you. I put one on your watch because you were always worried something would happen to it, and you were too scared you’d mess up the protection incantations if you tried. So I did it for you. It was my first protection spell, I hadn’t expected it to work well, if at all.”

Hecate looked at her quizzically for a moment. “That would have been a very powerful spell to work after all this time. How could you have possibly brought about that much willpower to compensate for such a lack of experience?”

Pippa smiled softly, “I guess it’s a rather simple answer then; It was because it was for you.”

“Hardly a good answer.” Hecate scoffed.

“I love you so much, silly. And did so even then. Wanting your most precious object to stay safe simply because I never want to see you unhappy is definitely reason enough for me.”

[strangesmallbard]

swan queen, thasmin, gelphie, umm the witches from that witch show? miss hardbroom? smthing?? and tenrose

CHRISTINE wait i think that’s the order right there hold on

1. swan queen........transcendent

2. thasmin

3. gelphie (actually tied for 2, but it’s still doctor who hours on strangesmallbard dot com)

4. both hackle and hicsqueak would go here

5. tenrose

YEAH

[belladonnainbloom]

Fandom: The Worst Witch | Ships: Hicsqueak, Hackle | Rated: E

Chapter 6: Set Your Life On Fire

***

The dawn washed a sullen grey over Hecate’s room as she awoke alone in her tousled sheets. Pippa must have left at some point in the night.

Pippa.

Hecate groaned with a familiar mixture of longing and regret.

She pondered last night and wondered whether it had been a mistake or not. She stared at the ceiling with the blank searching expression that such ponderings always illicit.

Mistake or not, it didn’t truly matter, she decided. Besides, she couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction at the pale red bite marks she felt on her inner thigh.

She glanced at her pocket watch; it was barely six, meaning she had an hour before breakfast began and about ninety minutes before Miss Weststar arrived.

She thought over the day’s schedule silently. Once their guest arrived, they would have just enough time to get her settled before classes were to begin at eight. Then there would be a general talk to all the girls, after which the students would split up into small groups based on age and skill level and commence exercises led by Miss Weststar and overseen by the Cackle’s staff.

Hecate felt a bit of relief to hear it listed off so easily in her head. It sounded simple enough, but then again, these things always do.

[Keep Reading on AO3]

[twtd11]

Hicsqueak Teacher AU

@mirandapriestlysbitch’s wanted a “normal” teachers AU where Pippa shows up as a new teacher. This is the first scene of a fic I may or may not write and then several headcanons/a fic summary. 

"She's insufferable," Hecate complained. The only person in the staff room to hear her was Dimity Drill, who huffed.

"You think I'm insufferable, remember?" Dimity poured herself a cup of tea and sat down at one of the tables.

"You've been promoted to merely annoying." Hecate poured her own cup of tea and joined Dimity at her table.

"I'm not sure how I feel about that." Dimity sipped her tea. Once she swallowed, she spoke again. "She's barely been here two days. Classes haven't even started yet. What could she possibly have done to upset you?"

"Her rooms are in the same hall as mine and she gets up at 5:30 every morning," Hecate said it like it was the gravest sin imaginable. As someone who enjoyed their sleep, it very well might have been.

"There's no way you can hear her alarm. The walls are too thick for that."

"Nevertheless, I have been woken at 5:30 on both of the past two mornings." Hecate looked pointedly over the rim of her teacup. She woke up at 6:30 precisely every morning. She did not appreciate her schedule, one built up over years, being disrupted. It threw off her entire day.

"Maybe you could just ask her to turn the volume down on her alarm? Seems like the simplest solution to me." Dimity finished her tea and stood up. "Anyway, I'll be down in the gym if you need me, you know, for something other than complaining about Miss Pentangle." Dimity shook her head fondly she reached for the door just as it opened. "Speak of the devil." She stepped back to let Pippa into the room.

"Oh, excuse me," Pippa said to Dimity as she slid past her and into the room. Dimity smiled at her.

"No worries, Pippa. Just be careful of that one." Dimity motioned toward Hecate with her head as she raised her voice slightly. "Woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something." She edged out of the room and let the door fall behind her.

Hecate huffed. "I think I'll be taking my leave as well." She stood up, rinsed out her cup and set it aside.

"Well, alright." Pippa blinked in confusion.

"Miss Pentangle," Hecate enunciated each word as and nodded and followed Dimity out of the room.

As was in the prompt, Hecate teaches chemistry at a small girls' boarding school. She's also the deputy headmistress. She's been teaching there for her entire career and even though she thinks no one can tell (they all can) she really loves the place. She loves the students and she loves teaching and she tolerates the other staff members. She has a routine and she's set in it. It's worked for years. She basically has everything about her job down to an exact science.

At some point over the summer, without Hecate's input (Hecate was off teaching an intensive class on pedagogy over the summer), Ada hires a new English instructor, one Pippa Pentangle. Pippa moves in a week before the start of classes and has the bad luck of being put in the same hallway as Hecate, which has heretofore been empty. They don't meet when Pippa moves in because Hecate isn't back yet.

Pippa's alarm on her phone is a bit too loud and Hecate has very sensitive ears, so her alarm wakes Hecate up as well. Hecate is NOT happy about it because it disrupts her routine and because she likes to sleep as late as possible. Everyone knows that you do not disturb Miss Hardbroom before 10 am on the weekends unless the building is burning down or someone is in mortal danger. In any event, Hecate is very, very grumpy the first time she meets Pippa over breakfast. A grumpy Hecate is a disdainful Hecate (even more so than normal). She dislikes Pippa from the moment she first sets eyes on her.

Pippa isn't sure what's up with the chemistry teacher, but she's friendly anyway. She tries to make conversation with her over the few days before the semester starts but doesn't gain much traction.

Dimity ships it basically from the moment she sees Hecate and Pippa meet. There's no way Hecate would let someone get under her skin that much if there wasn't a reason beyond, "she makes me wake up early."

With school starting, Mildred and her cohorts arrive to cause chaos. Pippa immediately takes a shine to them. Hecate thinks she's playing favorites. Pippa accuses Hecate of playing favorites as well, ahem, Ethel. They get into a fight about it. Pippa decides she doesn't much care for Hecate after all.

There's lots of using students, mainly Esme, to pass passive aggressive notes between Miss Heardbroom and Miss Pentangle's classrooms. If anyone were to read the notes, ahem, Enid, it would seem like they were being perfectly polite. Hecate and Pippa both know better. Enid quickly gets tired of reading the notes because they seem so dull. Esme, who sees them writing the notes and reacting to the notes, knows better.

Esme ships it mainly because the idea of it seems romantic. None of the other students believe her, particularly not Ethel who sees Pippa as too frivolous and doesn't like her at all.

Hecate and Pippa are perfectly polite to each other when they have to interact in person. Hecate is no more or less disdainful of Pippa than she is of the other faculty. Pippa is just as cheery with everyone.

At night, when they're in their rooms, they completely ignore each other if they happen to run into each other. There's lots of glaring. The facade of politeness goes away.

One night Pippa is playing some music too loudly and after suffering through it for an hour, Hecate finally decides to tell Pippa to turn the music down. She bangs on Pippa's door. Pippa answers and, after Hecate insults Pippa's taste in music, they get into another fight that's about far more than just music. In a bid to just make Hecate shut up, Pippa kisses her. They end up making out. Hecate pushes Pippa up against her doorframe and tries to take over the kiss. Pippa won't let her. There's lots of back and forth and grasping hands and they just can't get close enough to each other. Eventually, they need to breathe. Hecate is staring down at Pippa's blown pupils and swollen lips and is on the verge of just dragging Pippa back into Pippa's room to fuck her when there's a sound in the hallway behind Hecate. She spins around, glares, and charges off to see what made the noise.

Mildred is fleeing the scene as quickly as she can. She didn't see the fight, but she definitely saw the kiss. She gets back to her room before Hecate can catch up with her, but Hecate knows someone saw her and Pippa and she is completely mortified. She goes stalking back to her room, takes a look at Pippa who is still standing beside her door, and goes into her own room, slamming the door behind herself. Pippa is thoroughly insulted.

Mildred totally ships it now and convinces Enid and Maud that Miss Hardbroom and Miss Pentangle are meant for each other. They conspire to get Miss Hardbroom and Miss Pentangle together. It… doesn't go well. There are cute hijinks though.

Hecate and Pippa are fighting again. They completely avoid each other. Ada frets. Dimity gets Hecate drunk (not sure how) and spends the night listening to her rant about Pippa and eventually, she tells Dimity that she kissed Pippa and it was life alteringly good and she wants to do it again but Pippa hates her even more now than she did before. Dimity vows to fix it. She pours Hecate into bed. Pippa catches her sneaking out of Hecate's room and thinks the worst.

Suddenly Pippa doesn't have the energy to fight with Hecate anymore. She's just completely despondent. Everything sucks.

They go on a school trip. Dimity finds a way to force them to stay in the same room. Pippa makes a snarky comment about Hecate wanting to stay in a room with her girlfriend. Hecate is all wtf?!?!? I don't have a girlfriend. Pippa says there's no reason to lie to spare her feelings. Pippa is perfectly happy to switch with Dimity for the night. They fight about how Hecate doesn't have a girlfriend. "I think I'd know if I was dating someone!" "Stop lying to me." "I'm not. Oh, for Christ's sake," Hecate grabs Pippa and kisses her.

They fuck.

Neither of them can walk straight the next morning. There might be some new bruising. No one wants to see what Hecate's back looks like. Dimity is not so subtly pleased with herself. She teases them hardcore. Hecate verbally decapitates her. Dimity doesn't even care because she was sooooo right. The End.

[annelisterapologist]

I SAID WHAT I SAID

[heathtrash]

Hicsqueak at Pentangle's (Pippa students fangirling over Hecate maybe)

i Struggled with the title and it took me three hours to post this bc i couldn’t think of any good titles

15th October: Prom with Miss Pentangle

It was with great reluctance that Hecate had agreed to chaperone at the Pentangle’s inaugural ‘prom’—a tradition Pippa had borrowed from American schools.

She stood, a column of darkness in her black evening gown, narrowed eyes flaring at students who dared approach.

“They’re talking about me,” Hecate muttered to Pippa beside her.

“About how much they adore your dress, Hec. And I don’t blame them.” Pippa glowed and kissed her cheek on tiptoe.

A group of girls nearby giggled and gasped, before dissolving into delighted discussion.

“Why did you do that?” asked Hecate, aghast.

“They’ve been speculating all night.”

tww october drabble challenge rules (feel free to join in!)

read on ao3 (comments always make my day!)

send me a prompt (absolute last call to send a prompt for any bonus drabbles at the end of october!!)

[amillionmillionvoices]

FUCK ME for Hicsqueak?

Aaaah so I was hoping someone would ask about this because this is the fic I’m most actively working on (after prelims) and I’m super psyched about it!! It’s a Honker though so it’s gonna be a while but BASICALLY it’s a really long, plotty fic that involves bastardized Greek mythology, a stolen arc from Angel, and everyone in this club being badass, especially Hecate. I’ve got about 11k already it’s barely started, but this is part of what I have right now of the first scene: 

The infirmary is silent. No girls gathered around the bed, no lights save the sliver of moon through the window. In the darkness, she can make out the flowers—dozens of them spread on nightstands and chairs and on the floor, tipping over in their misshapen pots. Miss Bat had run a workshop, something to distract them, to give them something to do to feel helpful, but Hecate knows it wasn’t enough. Knows by the cards littering the room, the gifts: stuffed animals and bracelets and trinkets. She knows by the way it took hours to usher the girls standing in the hallway outside to bed; the way Maud and Enid tried to refuse, who looked at her so pleadingly, couldn’t they just stay a little longer, please, Miss Hardbroom—it’s Millie. 

Hecate had squared her jaw and dismissed them, caught Maud’s glower and Enid’s what did you expect? as she wrapped her arm around Maud’s shoulder and guided her away. She has no doubt they’re still together, huddled in one of their rooms. She knows they won’t sleep, but she cannot bring herself to separate them—not now.

Not when the room is so, painfully still. 

Only Julie remains, asleep in the chair next to the bed, her hand over Mildred’s, her cheeks stained with tears. 

She’d transferred her in hours after—after a scream had pierced the early morning hours. After Hecate had flung open her office door to find Enid running headlong towards her, fear in her eyes that Hecate still sees when she looks at her. After she’d transferred them both to Mildred’s room and found her collapsed on the floor, Maud shaking her shoulder saying Millie, Millie, wake up, wake up! 

She’d all but pushed the girls out of the way. Crouched next to Mildred’s prone form, her pale, sweat-slicked skin. Her pulse had been weak and thready and no spell seemed to wake her, so she’d brought her here, the infirmary, stepped back as the nurse took over and said Child, what have you done now?  And then she’d rolled up Mildred’s sleeve to check her hands and nearly dropped Mildred’s arm, covered in a spiderweb of silver. 

For a moment, Hecate had only stared: stared at Mildred’s ashen face, the color that seemed to be seared into her skin. 

“What is it?” the nurse had asked, her voice trembling. “Miss Hardbroom—what is that?”

[ ask me about a wip!]

[foxx-queen]

hicsqueak & “Hey, have you seen the..? Oh.”

inspired by @hecateandhoney‘s great tags about christine baranski as pippa’s mum

There are times when Hecate finds herself awake late at night. She stirs to find the room still dark, and Pippa wrapped around her. It happens sometimes regardless of where she is, whether its at Cackles or Pentangles, or here, in Pippa’s small cottage by the sea.

It can be frustrating, during school term, but as it is, she doesn’t have anywhere to be tomorrow. So she slides from the bed, careful not to disturb Pippa, who curls up around her pillow with a muffled sound of protest, and makes her way towards the small, cosy kitchen to make herself some tea. Sometimes a warm drink is enough to send her back to sleep.

Pippa thinks its probably due to how she’s not used to the concept of a holiday, or relaxing, something Hecate was willing to admit might be possible.

It’s been a trying term.

She waves her hand to set the kettle boiling, and sits down at the kitchen table. She’s barely sat down when she hears the pad of feet on the stairs, and sighs, looking down at her hands as a twinge of frustration bubbles in her stomach. She hadn’t meant to wake Pippa.

‘Pippa, darling, have you seen the - oh’.

Hecate looks up, startled by the sudden appearance of an oddly familiar woman, who sweeps into the kitchen in a whirl of long, floaty pink sleeves and a wide, blinding smile. The woman stops at the other end of the table, still smiling, and tilts her head slightly. ‘Well, hello’.

Hecate opens and closes her mouth several times, feeling a little out of her depth, and acutely aware that she’s sitting in Pippa’s own kitchen in nothing more than a nightgown, and her cheeks flush in embarrassment. ‘… hello’.

The woman’s brow pinches slightly as she stares at her. Hecate shifts a little awkwardly under her bright eyes, wondering how long the woman’s been here. Her windswept hair gives an impression that she’s just arrived, but then again, she seems to be wearing a very extravagant night gown.

All at once, the woman’s expression lights up, and she says, ‘Hecate Hardbroom? Is that really you?’

'Yes, I -'

The woman sweeps across the space between them, grasps her by the upper arms and hauls her out of her seat to crush her against her chest, and cries, 'oh, darling, how wonderful to see you again!'

She pulls back to place a kiss on each of Hecate's cheeks, and despite how her head is reeling, a vague memory stirs. '.... Mrs Pentangle?'

'Oh please, call me Persephone'. Persephone Pentangle gives her another blinding smile, and squeezes her shoulders. 'Little Hecate Hardbroom. All grown up'.

Persephone might've been the only person who ever called her little, as she was always tall for her age, especially in comparison to Pippa. The thought makes her smile slightly, and she lifts her hand to touch her forehead. 'Well met, Persephone'.

Persephone lets her go to return the gesture. 'Well met, darling'. Her eyes gleam. 'Pippa didn't tell me that you were her... special friend'.

Hecate flushes again, and coughs. 'Yes... well, I...'

'It's wonderful', Persephone has her daughter's sincere smile, and it makes Hecate's shoulders relax again, 'really'.

'I... thank you'. She curls and uncurls her fingers awkwardly, and says, 'how... how is Mrs Pentangle?'

'Oh, Sabine's off chasing down a rumour about a herb that perfectly matches an extinct plant used for ancient remedies'. Persephone's eyes crinkle fondly, and she shakes her head. 'I won't hear from her until she's yielded some kind of result. Very single minded, my wife'.

Hecate remembers Sabine Pentangle, a small, wiry woman whose mane of dark hair always had some flower or herb twisted in its curls. Sometimes Pippa would pluck a flower from their garden to add to her mother's hair, and Hecate feels her chest warm at the memory. 'She sounds a lot like Pippa'.

Persephone beams. ‘I always thought so’. She turns to sweep towards the counter again, flicking her fingers to conjure two glasses on the table. ‘We simply much catch up, darling. It’s been decades!’

Hecate sinks back down into her chair silently, acutely aware that the last time she saw Persephone was from a distance, at the lake where she was to fly with Pippa. The place she left her, and almost lost her for good. She swallows tightly, and murmurs, ‘it has’.

‘Witches brew?’

‘I…’ Hecate hesitates, aware of the late hour, torn between being polite to Pippa’s mother, a woman who was nothing but kind and welcoming to her before she shut Pippa out of her life. Tension settles in her shoulders, and she says tightly, ‘no, thank you’.

Penelope doesn’t seem at all phased. She sinks into the chair at the head of the table beside her, and pours herself a generous glass. She leans her elbow on the table, and smiles at her. ‘How are you, darling?’

‘I’m… good’. Hecate taps her fingers on her own elbows, and says, ‘when did you get here?’

‘Oh, very late’. She takes a small sip, and tips her head back, a dreamy smile curling her lips. ‘Have you ever ridden the aurora borealis, Hecate?’

Hecate remembers nights spent by the fire, her arm pressed against Pippa’s side, listening to Persephone’s wild stories about all her travels, and smiles slightly. ‘No, I’m afraid I haven’t’.

‘You and Pippa should go some time’. Her mouth curves in a knowing smile, and Hecate sees Pippa in the twinkle of her eyes. ‘There’s nothing quite like the wild magic of the lights’.

‘I don’t have much time for such things’. Hecate winces, aware of how sharply she said it, and rises quickly from her seat to turn towards the bench, simply for something to do. Tea. She was making tea. Maybe it’ll calm her down.

She feels like a child again, meeting Pippa’s parents for the first time, awkward and unsure how to handle such open warmth and affection. She was always too blunt and quiet then, too.

And, just like then, Persephone continues to be endlessly patient. ‘Pippa mentioned that her lady was also a teacher. Is that so?’

Hecate feels her ears burn as the kettle begins to whistle. Pippa’s lady. ‘Yes. I’m the Deputy at Cackle’s Academy, and I teach potions’.

‘How delightful!’ Persephone laughs, one of those rich laughs that bring back memories of easier, more innocent days. ‘You always did love Sabine’s lab’.

Perhaps its the mention of potions, something that she’s always found peace and stability in, but Hecate feels the tension in her muscles loosen. She waves her hand to prepare her tea, and then settles down at the table with the woman again, staring at the tendrils of hot steam, her back rigid, forearms pressed flat against the table. She glances at Persephone out of the corner of her eye, lounging in the chair with her glass held loosely in her fingers. There’s a natural, lazy grace to her that Hecate was always aware of as a child, and again she’s reminded of how… different she is to the Pentangles, with her rigidity and difficulty giving the same kind of affection.

‘I should thank you’, she says suddenly, aware that she’s spoken only when the words land in the air between them. She swallows, her fingers curling tighter around her cup. ‘You were always kind to me, as a child’.

Persephone’s smile is small and warm. ‘Oh, darling, it was never any trouble. You were a joy to have around’. She reaches out to touch her arm lightly, before she withdraws her hand again. ‘It was nothing’.

Hecate shakes her head. ‘It was everything, to me’.

She doesn’t know why she’s pushing the matter, except she does. The Pentangles didn’t have to accept her as they did, and they didn’t have to be kind. They didn’t have to make her feel welcome. But they always did, unconditionally, and in return, she hurt their daughter.

Persephone’s face softens, and she places her glass down on the table. She reaches out, and curls her fingers lightly over Hecate’s forearm. ‘I’m glad you’re back, Hecate’.

Hecate’s mouth twists, and she ducks her head to hide behind her hair. She feels like that child who hesitantly leaned into Persephone’s touch again, and she says quietly, ‘aren’t you even a little… wary? I was not… good to Pippa’.

‘You were a child, darling’. Persephone gives her arm a squeeze. ‘You were both hurting’. Hecate glances up at her, and Persephone reaches out to tap her chin. ‘And you were always family to us’.

The backs of her eyes prickle with tears, and Hecate manages a small, trembling smile. Persephone places her hands over Hecate’s, where they’re curled tightly around her mug, and murmurs, ‘Pippa has been… happier than I think she’s ever been, since you two got together. But darling… are you happy?'

It��s a strange, startling thing to realise how much she missed Persephone. ‘Yes’, she says, quiet but sure, ‘I am’.

Persephone beams again, leans in to press two, quick kisses to her cheeks, and says, ‘wonderful. Sabine will be thrilled’.

There’s a shuffling sound, and Pippa pads into the kitchen, her eyes heavy with sleep, her nightgown hanging off her shoulder. She blinks blearily at Persephone, and mumbles, ‘Mum?’

Persephone is up in a whirl of pink to gather Pippa in her arms and embrace her tightly. ‘Hello, darling’.

Pippa returns the embrace, turning her head to glance at Hecate, and there’s a question in her eyes. Hecate smiles to let her know that everything is alright, and Pippa leans back to kiss her mother’s cheek. ‘When did you get here?’

‘Oh, a couple of hours ago. You were both asleep’. Persephone takes a seat again, nudging the spare glass Hecate didn’t use towards her daughter, and says, ‘witches brew, darling?’

Pippa laughs, a more gravelly sound than usual due to the fact that she’s just been asleep, and Hecate feels warmth curl in her chest. ‘It’s the middle of the night, Mum’.

‘Hecate and I were just catching up’.

Pippa sinks into the chair beside Hecate, pulling her chair closer so that she can lean her head on her shoulder. Hecate flushes a little, but they’ve done this before, with Persephone, even if it was decades ago. She waves her hand to summon a cup of tea for Pippa, too, and the woman hums her thanks, lifting her head to kiss Hecate’s cheek. ‘I hope you haven’t been telling embarrassing stories’.

‘Nonsense’. There’s a twinkle in Persephone’s eyes that tells Hecate that perhaps she will hear some, soon. ‘We were just reminiscing’.

Pippa giggles. ‘Hecate, remember that time you blew up Mum’s lab?’

Hecate purses her lips. ‘You’re never to tell Mildred Hubble that’.

Persephone sits up straighter. ‘Who is Mildred Hubble?’

‘Hecate’s favourite student’.

[wordsbyarwen]

I’m a little delayed answering some fic prompts (sorry).

an anon asked, for hecate:

geborgenheit: to feel completely safe, like nothing could ever harm you; security, comfort, trust, satisfaction, acceptance and love from others.

~1400 words, hicsqueak, set in fibro!hecate verse + mentions of daughter hesper

You’re thirty-four when Alma Cackle hires you on. She isn’t a woman to be trifled with, but you respect that. Your relationship with her is unsteady at best, but her daughter takes a shine to you right away. Ada teaches the fourth and fifth year spell science classes and botany, and she oversees the greenhouses. You learn to find each other there, in the conservatory.

She’s brighter than you’re accustomed to. Lively, but soft and gentle. Ten or twelve years older than you. Kind and full of zest. Pink. Flyaway brown curls that she rarely bothers to tame. Clear blue eyes.

At first she reminds you, just a little, of another very bright, very kind, very pink witch. Or perhaps more than a little.

You’re unsure how you feel about this, but as you know eachother better, she develops a life and personhood of her own in your mind, becomes like Pippa only in small ways. She is Ada, just Ada, and she speaks up for you when you take ill in ways you cannot explain to Alma, who is all but ready to give you the boot for missing so many classes so soon into your employment.

You don’t know how to explain the pain that isn’t pain.

But in the evening, when you cannot sleep, can barely speak for the pain, Ada brings you a sleeping draught, unpins your hair, and promises to cover your classes and speak to her mother on your behalf tomorrow. She does, and you stay, and when you feel better - not whole, but you never feel whole - Ada shows you a corner of the greenhouse she has cleared for you. For plants not usually grown in the school greenhouse, for lack of necessity. For potions she knows you brew for yourself, up at all hours when you feel well enough.

You almost, almost allow yourself to cry.

You haven’t seen much kindness in your life. But Ada’s eyes shine as she touches your arm, so softly.

You do not flinch away.

***

You’re forty-eight years old, and accustomed to the relative comfort of the school you’ve lived and taught at for nearly fifteen years now. It’s home. You’ve made it that way; Ada has made it that for you. It’s the closest thing you’ve ever had to a comfortable environment. Your rooms are relatively sparse, but they smell like you, like your things. Like worn leather bindings and the magic you carry within you; like the lavender cuttings in your window and the ash wood you burn in your fireplace.

There’s a balance here, at Cackle’s. You navigate it well, because over the years it has become your normal. You immerse yourself in teaching and the duties of Deputy Headmistress, and you spend your evenings with Ada because it is Ada who gave you this: this security, this thing that is almost, almost comfortable.

***

You don’t sleep at all the night you learn Ada has been unseated as Headmistress. You hurt enough these past few months, various stresses taking their toll on you mentally and physically, and the restless night doesn’t help at all.

You’re helpless as the things you know slip from your grasp, and Pippa doesn’t make it any better. For the span of half a day, she is the villain of your story. She isn’t the girl you remember; you let yourself twist everything about her into wickedness. Cunning. Maybe she didn’t unseat Ada herself, but she was quick like a viper to respond to her fall.

But then, not six hours later, you meet her gaze from across Ada’s office, and the look in her eye reminds you that Ada is not the only person to have loved you since your mother’s passing. You remember that you have missed her. And you remember that you have pushed her away even after confessing as much.

The ground you have been standing on for fifteen years settles again beneath your feet: Ada is reinstated; Cackle’s returns to its usual chaos; you are no longer faced with the reality that you might have to claim Ada’s office as your own.

But your foundation is shaken.

***

You’re forty-nine when your world is inexorably changed by that look, and you aren’t quite fifty when you learn why. When you learn that you have been cobbling together a dwelling that has provided shelter and safety, surrounded by people who make you feel like you belong at least a little, but now you know that home is something a little loftier than what you have attained.

For the first time, with Pippa’s body pressed flush against yours and the warmth of her magic nestled in your breast, you dare to hope for something more.

***

Ada is about the age her mother was when the mantle of Headmistress was passed on to her, and ready to pass it on again. You’ve never much wanted to be Headmistress, and you’ve declined the position a few times when she’s mentioned the possibility, but you’re pleased to be a part of training a distant niece of Ada’s for the position.

She’s young, has taught for a decade or so, but is unaccustomed to being at the helm when it comes to her peers. She’s very serious, at first. A little stern by nature, but kind, and as she becomes more confident she blossoms. Good: the Headmistress should have a little lightness to her, you think, for you do value a certain amount of balance, and you plan to stay here a few more years yet. There’s no reason not to: you still have years ahead of you, and your daughter will go on to study at your old school next year; if there were a time to take a break, it was certainly while Hesper was growing up, not now that she’s going away.

Had Ada left of her own volition a decade ago, you would have followed her. It was Ada who made Cackle’s a home for you, after all; Ada who made you feel like you belonged somewhere, to something.

Now, at sixty-two, you do not have to hope for more than four solid walls and a roof overhead, because you have that, and so much more. Ada cracked you open, gave you the ability to recognize and accept kindness, tenderness, love; Ada cracked you open, and used the light she found inside of you to light your path.

For that, you are grateful, and owe her a great deal. For that, you slip your arms around her and mutter a watery ‘thank you’ into her neck on the last day of the school year.

She corresponds faithfully with you, and you with her, once a week thereafter.

***

You’re seventy. Hesper will be home on break from Weirdsister’s in two days, and the light of the full moon has Pippa crowned in silver and gold.

You watch her as she dreams, letting the occasional knit of her brow and quiet mumble distract you from the tension in your shoulders. You watch until her expression settles, until she goes still and quiet. Then, gently, you lift a bit of hair out of her face to push it back behind her ear, watching as the moonlight reflects across greying blonde.

“Pippa,” you almost whisper, tracing your thumb down her jaw with a feather’s touch.

She stirs, but doesn’t fully wake. Hums acknowledgement, mumbles a distant “Hiccup,” in reply.

She moves toward you then, closing the distance between your bodies as if drawn in by gravity; nestles herself under your chin and curls her arm around you with a sigh that ghosts across your collarbones and makes you shiver.

You don’t try to stop the smile that curls at your lips; instead, you wrap your arms around her and nuzzle into her hair. “I love you,” you tell her softly.

And Pippa, ever reliable, even in her sleep, mumbles back: “Love you too.”

She won’t remember it in the morning when she kisses your cheek and murmurs ‘morning, Hiccup’ with sleep in her voice and crust in her eyes. She won’t remember it, but that doesn’t make it less true. Because when she kisses your cheek, she will let her lips linger against your skin a moment over-long, and she will look at you with a devotion that, against all odds, against your own doubts and insecurities, you have come to expect. And you will feel, in that moment as much as this one, content. Safe. Whole.

Home.

[singofsolace]

The Proposal

Due to the incredible response I got to my Hicsqueak The Proposal suggestion, I decided to go ahead and write it! Here is the prologue. Please share your thoughts! You can also read it here on Ao3.

Prologue

Hecate Hardbroom was never one to admit exhaustion, but on her seventh week of working unpaid overtime trying to make sure Healing Herbs and Where to Find Them made its scheduled publish date, her vision was starting to blur. There were simply not enough hours in a day—or week, or month—and her boss frowned upon using time spells to mitigate overwork. This was a curiosity, considering Hecate happened to know for a fact that Pippa Pentangle, Chief Editor of Pentangle’s Publications, kept a bottle of “Mists of Time” in the third drawer down on the right side of her desk.

Hecate only needed to make it through a couple more weeks, and then she could sleep. Maybe. She was never very good at sleeping through the night, but even an insomniac needs a break from the torture of ticking clocks. Besides, she had consumed far too much Wide Awake Potion lately, and the side effects were becoming more and more pronounced. Her hands were starting to tremble, so she flattened them against her desk, bracing herself for a moment. She needed another dose, but the work day was almost over, and she really did want to try and get some sleep tonight. 

The weekend was coming up, at least. While most weekends found Hecate at the office anyway, plucking at keys and finishing up tasks that were neglected during the week, Hecate was determined to set aside some time for herself, if only to prevent a nervous collapse.

Having worked herself into such a fragile state of body and mind, it was no surprise that when she was called into Miss Pentangle’s office at half-past six on a Thursday evening, she was thoroughly unprepared to discover that she would be attending a wedding this weekend.

Her own.