A/N: Well, would you look at that, we're coming to the almighty end of this installment which has taken on a life of its own and nearly a year plus my sanity to complete however don't despair as the grand finale is just around the corner.

A major shout out to everyone that has contributed from the kind reviews, private messages to epic ping pong with ideas or just simply being a shoulder when the fic and times were tough!

*Hands out virtual drinkypoos and cookies*

Somewhat, special occasion as this could be considered a birthday as such...officially one year being a 'doodler' as I couldn't describe myself as an author! A few mentions now...

I urge the fabulous NCD to take a bow as her review a few chapters ago inspired this chapter and the previous, just when I was about to hit the dreaded writer's block, her comment provided inspiration and jump started the ol' noodle.

My ping pong champion and ff companion – the wonderful GloriaNewt! Thank you for the ping pong that helped this flagging chapter and not to forget being a 'venting' buddy. I think my sanity would have long hit the bucket without your help.

Then, there was one...an utter gem – Chrissiemusa, more ping pong which help tremendously over the past few weeks perhaps longer and being nothing more than a fabulous friend when I thought I was going insane.

The usual rules apply: I own nothing, still pretty much broke. Beware of spelling/grammar mistakes but I'm not perfect. Please, please, please review as this makes the hard work all worth it and provide me with a baseline to see how I'm doing in terms of this self-concocted storyline.

Cheers, peace out and enjoy new years x

Chapter Eighteen: Metamorphosis

A week had passed since the departure of Zelda Black; the young witch counselor who had left the school grounds to return to her own work leaving Amelia to assume the care and well-being of Constance, who continued to journey through a turbulent path of recovery.

Constance, for the majority of her recovery from the cleansing, slept as her mind began to agonising task of picking up the pieces and slowly reconfiguring her mind after the trauma sustained by the cleansing that removed all traces of the prolonged memory suppressing spell which purposely force her subconscious mind into submission but as the spell chaotically corroded, the iron cage of control fractured and provided her long oppressed sub-consciousness with a means of escape into reality with devastating consequences, both physically and mentally.

However during the initial recovery period from the cleansing, a false sense of normality lulled not only Constance but both Amelia and Zelda into false sense of calmness but a second and equally devastating hurdle tested Constance and Amelia while a visible strain threatened both Zelda and Amelia when their opinions clashed in terms of treatment.

The true extent of her addiction was unearthed which did not surprise Zelda as she had made the initial discovery during their first and only meeting in her office although she had been oblivious as to the severity and exact duration of the self medicating witch that now began to battle against her body as the withdrawal conspired with the effects of the cleansing. Sadly, Amelia was not prepared for this revelation and started to doubt herself as the mother figure in Constance' life, having failed to see or unwittingly preferred denial as the substance abuse. Amelia felt consumed by feelings of guilt and failure which plagued what little sleep she permitted herself.

The Wide Awake Potion had ravished her body for many years that an abrupt and sudden detoxification began with painful consequences as her now frail body was subjected to torturous seizures, blinding migraines and inescapable hallucinations that crawled out from the dwelling of her once caged sub-consciousness and into the realms of reality with powerful and frightening repercussions. Amelia was reminded that she was utterly powerless as she witnessed the true extent of the potion that held a hypnotic and unrelenting need over her body. Constance withered on the bed, entangled in the sheets as she pitifully fought against an unknown and invisible force that haunted her.

But now, they turned a corner and the path of recovery slowly began to ease.

Amelia settled Constance back into her own room where Morgana awaited patiently for her mistress. Morgana had the run of the entire castle that remained empty with only the company and comfort of Amelia but was now reunited with her mistress. Amelia remained ever vigilant until Constance submitted herself into a peaceful slumber, she was reluctant to leave her daughter alone, to finally sleep but she knew that Constance needed her privacy in order to reclaim a sense of normality prior to the cleansing.

Finally, Amelia admitted defeat. She yawned tiredly and crawled into her bed, for the past number of weeks she had survived with copious amounts of tea, very little sleep which was normally a few broken hours when available in her chair and using her energy for sustenance but now she was beginning to feel the effects of the prolonged stress and lack of proper sleep.

Contently, she started at the ceiling as her eyes slowly closed "Goodnight, Constance...sleep well." She whispered before tumbling into a dream world.

"Don't ask me why or to explain...I...I just have to do this." Her voice lacked the usual commanding style and in place was an anxious almost pleading tone to her voice as she grabbed for her black cloak.

"You do not have to..." began Amelia only to receive a frosty glare which prevented further complaint and concern.

"I am doing this for me, myself," she paused, assuming her trademark solider stance that had been engrained in her from a very early age "For my own sake, I must...witness this for myself...I want...need closure."

"Well, at the very...allow me to accompany you." Replied Amelia, who had been reluctant to allow Constance to venture out of the secure grounds. After all, she was still in a state of recovery although granted she had regained her strength and energy but Amelia knew that Constance could very easily relapse and she was determined never to allow that to happen.

She shook her head adamantly "No, this is something I have to do alone."

Amelia arched an eyebrow "Absolutely not...Constance, please...try to see this from my point of view?!" she sighed as her mind whirled; a compromise was fast forming "I will accompany you but I will give you all the space and time that you require, either way I refuse to allow you to make this journey alone."

Constance frowned and although Amelia only held her best interests at heart, it was apparent that she was adamant and relentless in her quest to ensure that Constance was 'fixed'.

She stood alone.

The wind was cold and forceful, capturing her black cloak in its invisible grasp despite the glorious sunshine; a bitter chill seeped into her bones, leeching her warmth.

Constance shivered and nervously glanced over her shoulder where Amelia, true to her word, sat on an old wooden bench, fulfilling her promise to accompany Constance but maintain space and time without creating the feeling of intrusion on her privacy. Perhaps, her new-found paranoia was merely overly cautious as Amelia sat only meters away but there was an unrelenting feeling that she was being stalked, unable to silence her intuition which alerted her that something was not completely right.

She shook her head; the cemetery was unusually eerie and silent. Constance mentally cursed herself for fueling her own paranoia by almost childlike fear besides Amelia was there, completely absorbed in her book, giving the illusion of occupying herself when she secretly mothered Constance from a distance.

"Well, I'm here." She whispered

"I had to see for myself...to ensure that it was indeed true. Your demise." She paused briefly licking her parched lips "For so long, I wished you dead, to be gone and forever out of my life. For the pain to cease, memories to be erased...but now," she hesitated

"In this very instance, I am unsure how I should think...or feel."

Numb, she had always felt numb like a dislocation that felt completely alien and out of place, so did Constance. She felt numb; it was the feeling of existing but not completely. In many ways, Constance did not life, she merely existed. Even when she was alone, in solitary thought in her room that she felt incomplete as if something was missing from her life, she was like an incomplete jigsaw puzzle missing one vital piece of the puzzle, destined to remain unfinished and incomplete.

Her eyes gazed, undeterred from the freshly rested black marble headstone, engraved in gold lettering. Slowly, she lowered herself towards the freshly disturbed earth and soil, her body ached in protest still partially weakened from the ordeal of the cleansing and soon she would have to rest.

Constance flinched almost automatically even in death the former and fearsome tutor could still provoke those unresolved feelings and memories that remained freshly engrained in her mind. The tutor, Mistress Hecketty Broomhead had portrayed herself as impervious and invincible, fearing nothing but becoming fear itself for those around her however she had been unable to escape the waiting clutches of death, himself as he collected her from this plane of existence and moved her onto another leaving only a frail, pathetic corpse which was concealed six feet below the grave.

She was now free although still experiencing fear while at the graveside but why did she not feel the relief? A menacing chapter of her past had finally been put to rest at yet, she felt nothing.

Constance frowned somewhat confused at her understanding of death. In the past, death had been often associated with an emotional and painful time having lost those she loved and respected but in this instance, the death and departing of her former tutor remained numb although she felt a conflicted barrage of emotions and feelings. Could she be in denial about her death despite witnessing the evidence for herself?

Or did she ultimately pity the dead mistress? After all, in the end prior to her passing, a handwritten letter had been concealed in her room which eventually revealed the truth perhaps Hecketty Broomhead knew that her time was ending and felt compelled to seek out forgiveness, a cleansing of some description of her conscience. The act alone only provoked great debate.

"I know everything but why?" she quizzed angrily

Constance stole another fleeting glance over towards Amelia, who remained entranced by the contents of her book. A faint smile twitched but quickly disappeared. It could be safe to assume that Amelia Cackle, her adoptive mother, faithful colleague and friend would surrender everything if it meant to keep her safe but not only was she a mother to Constance since the early days but she was considered to be her guardian angel. If it had not been for Amelia's kindness, warm heart and guidance over the years, something within the older woman brought Constance hope. Throughout the years, Constance had constructed a wall in which to protect her self and perfected her mask, preventing outsiders from entering her life and the enviable hurting and pain as they life had it not been for Amelia then she was convinced, she would not be the person she was right now.

"We could have been alike...frightening to think of such a thing. The only thing that separates us is love," she paused "I often wondered what ever happened in your life to make you so..." she searched for the correct term to describe the recently departed.

Amelia and Constance were bound to each other, their mother-daughter relationship had endured many hurdles, difficulties but the cleansing and additional withdrawal had shaken the very core of the relationship. The foundations shaken but not cracked.

"I'm unsure what I should say exactly...or feel but all I know for certain is that I am better!"

Constance slowly pushed herself from the kneeled position causing her tender muscles to spasm painfully. Now, standing fully upright, she ignored her sudden light-headedness as her eyes remained piercing at the headstone.

"The student was always destined to surpass the mentor. I may be strict in my teachings but I will never raise my hand nor use the barbaric tools that you forced on me in order to strive for perfection from my students."

She could feel herself gaining more confidence, the weight that once burdened her slender shoulders began to waver and soon she started to feel absolved, purified.

"I am now free from tyrant, iron fist of control. I am now in control and command of my life and fate." She hissed

Amelia closed her book and found her gaze observing her colleague and daughter. Slowly, her eyes closed and a hand found her chest as if she could feel the pain radiating from Constance, subjecting herself to the insistent visit to the grave of her former tutor.

"Constance?" called Amelia, tentatively reaching for her arm

She quickly hid the silk handkerchief under the sleeve of her dress and carefully adjusted her mask before turning around "Yes?"

Amelia noted that her skin looked unusually paler but did not want to cause embarrassment instead she patted Constance on the shoulder, the gesture alone only further cemented their relationship and the journey that both had made.

"How are you feeling?" she carefully asked

A miniscule muscle twitched at the corner of her lips, giving her a content appearance "For the first time Amelia, I feel whole."

The heavy door was closed which marked the end of a chapter in her life which had been the relentless weight of a ball and chain around her ankle where she had been unable to escape, it prevented her from forgetting, destined to be bound to her forever.

But now she was free, liberated. It had always been a dream, a wish and now she had been granted peace, inner peace.

"Come now, Constance. It's getting rather chilly and there is a new term just around the corner." Smiled Amelia

However, not all was right.

"Now, now Constance...one would hate to assume that you can easily put to rest and forget the past." Spat the voice with such venom and distaste

"Alas, until time dictates and fate intervenes...I shall be seeing you again, Constance Hardbroom and then the swift hand of justice with be served for only then shall I have my vengeance."

A/N: Part two: Indeed, cue the evil laugh. Now, I did promise, so here you go, I dedicate this lovely cliff-hanger to Chrissiemusa. But this bittersweet ending was required in order to lead into the finale.

Thanks