Chapter 5
The Mikaelson compound had its charm, though Brittany wasn’t sure how much of it she appreciated yet. The house was large and old, like one of those grand, spooky mansions you see in movies, the kind you expect to find ghosts or magical artifacts lying around. To be honest, she wasn’t sure what she expected, but the whole vibe screamed “mysterious” and “dangerous”; the kind of place where anything could happen.
Her first few days in New Orleans had been a blur of strange encounters and even stranger revelations. Being told you were a witch who hadn’t even realized she had magical powers was one thing, but being thrown into the heart of the supernatural world with zero explanation? That was a whole other beast entirely.
But now, as she stood in the enormous library of the compound, Brittany had to admit she was kind of excited. Maybe magic wasn’t so bad after all. She’d always liked the idea of being special, even if it was a little hard to wrap her head around the whole "witch" thing.
Freya, who was sitting at the large wooden desk surrounded by a sea of old books, looked up as Brittany entered. Her blonde hair fell around her shoulders in soft waves, and her cool, confident demeanor was a stark contrast to Brittany’s somewhat scattered energy.
“Ready for your lesson today?” Freya asked with a small smile.
Brittany grinned back. “Oh, totally! I’m like, totally ready for this. Just don’t expect me to do any of that Harry Potter stuff where I have to wave a stick and say some Latin words. I mean, I don’t even remember half of the things I learned in high school, so…”
Freya raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Don’t worry, Brittany. We’ll start slow. I’m not going to have you summoning demons or turning people into toads just yet. First, we need to connect with your power.”
Brittany nodded seriously, though her mind was somewhere else entirely. “Okay, okay. So no demons or toads... Got it. But, like, can I cast spells without a wand? ‘Cause I’m really bad at wand stuff, like really bad. I once tried to use a chopstick to cast a spell, and it, uh, didn’t work out.”
Vincent, who was leaning against the doorway, chuckled. “No wands, no chopsticks. You don’t need those to harness your magic. You’ll be fine.”
Brittany nodded solemnly, still not entirely convinced. “Right, right. I mean, how hard can it be? I’ve seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s all about just saying the right words, right?”
Freya shot Vincent a look, both of them clearly holding back their laughter. “We’ll work on that part, too,” Freya said, trying to hide her smile. “First, let’s just focus on feeling your magic. Magic is a part of you, but you have to tap into it and understand its flow.”
Brittany blinked, staring at her with a completely blank expression. “Flow? So, like, my magic is a river or something? Am I supposed to swim through it? Or is it more like a... uh... like a smoothie? And I have to blend it?”
Hope, who had been quietly listening from the corner of the room, let out a sharp snicker. Brittany glanced over at her, and Hope quickly masked the grin that had formed on her face.
Freya took a deep breath, clearly trying to keep her composure. “Not a smoothie, Brittany. More like—” She paused, trying to find a simple analogy. “Okay, think of it like a light. It’s always there, but you have to learn how to access it.”
“Ah, light! I can work with light!” Brittany said excitedly. “Like... a flashlight?”
Freya closed her eyes for a moment and took a slow breath. “Sure, Brittany. If that helps.”
Hope smirked, crossing her arms. “You’re probably better off using a flashlight. You might blind us with your magic, but at least you’ll find your way around.”
Brittany’s eyes lit up as she walked over to Hope, ignoring the fact that Hope was clearly trying to hide a laugh. “You’re so like Santana. You’re all sarcastic, but like, in a fun way. We’d totally be besties. You should totally come with me when I go shopping! I can’t even get a decent pair of shoes without someone’s opinion.”
Hope’s smirk deepened. “I’ll keep that in mind. But for now, I think I’ll stick to being your magic mentor. You need a little more work before we start talking about shopping.”
Brittany shrugged, looking slightly disappointed. “Right, right. More magic, less shoes. Got it.”
Freya led Brittany to the center of the room, motioning for her to sit cross-legged on the floor. “Alright. Close your eyes, and let yourself feel the magic. Don’t think too hard about it. Just breathe and focus. Let the magic in.”
Brittany sighed dramatically and plopped herself down on the floor. “This is like, sooo chill. Like a spa day for my brain.” She paused. “So, is it normal to feel... nothing? Because right now, I’m feeling like I’m just sitting here, thinking about pizza.”
Vincent couldn’t hold back his chuckle. “Pizza, huh? Well, as long as you’re focusing on the magic, pizza can wait.”
Brittany continued to sit with her eyes closed, trying to clear her thoughts, but her mind kept wandering. The more she tried to focus, the more random thoughts popped up: Would she ever learn how to make unicorns real? Could she use her magic to become the world’s best dancer? Was magic just the key to getting Santana back?
That thought hit her with a sharp pang, and for a moment, she froze. She missed Santana so much it almost hurt, the ache deep in her chest. She remembered how Santana’s sarcasm and sharp wit had always been a part of what made her fall for her in the first place, how she had loved that they could always make each other laugh—how Santana could get her to stop taking herself too seriously. But now... it was different. Now Santana wasn’t here, and Brittany was alone. Her fingers curled slightly, and she fought back the sudden lump in her throat.
Hope’s voice cut through her thoughts, the sharpness in it making her blink back to the present. “Focus, Brittany,” she said gently. “It’s all about letting go of distractions and being in the moment.”
Brittany nodded, feeling a little embarrassed by how easily she’d gotten lost in her own head. She didn’t want to admit just how much she missed Santana, but she couldn’t help it. She had to be strong.
“Okay,” Brittany said, giving herself a mental shake, “I’m focusing. No more pizza thoughts.”
Freya smiled softly, watching her with an encouraging gaze. “That’s it. Let go of the distractions.”
Brittany closed her eyes again, focusing on the warmth she had felt earlier. The more she tried to concentrate, the clearer it became. There was something inside her, something powerful and alive, waiting to be unleashed.
“I felt something!” Brittany exclaimed. “It’s like a spark, or... like... I don’t know, a lighter? It’s warm!”
Freya smiled proudly. “That’s it! You’re connecting to it now.”
Brittany beamed. “I knew it! I’m, like, so good at this. Maybe I should teach a class or something. I could call it ‘Witchcraft for Dummies,’ and the mascot would be a cauldron with a face. What do you think?”
Vincent and Freya exchanged amused glances, while Hope, who had been quietly observing, could barely hide her grin. “Yeah, sure,” Hope said dryly, “just like yoga. Witchcraft for Dummies, coming soon.”
Brittany looked over at Hope, her eyes wide with excitement. “You’re, like, totally being a good witch mentor right now. I can tell. We’re definitely best friends. Also, speaking of friends... when can I start casting spells on people to make them fall in love with me? Like, I could definitely use a spell to get Santana back—”
Hope’s eyes flickered with amusement, but she cut in before Freya could respond. “One step at a time, Brittany. First, let’s work on keeping you from summoning random frogs.”
Brittany grinned, unphased by the comment. “Right! Frogs first, world domination later. I got it.”
Over the next few days, Freya and Vincent worked tirelessly with Brittany, teaching her to harness her powers and slowly guiding her through her magic. Brittany’s natural talent for witchcraft became more and more evident. She learned quickly, her powers growing in strength and control with each passing lesson.
Hope was an excellent guide, giving Brittany advice and insight into the supernatural world of New Orleans, especially the complex vampire politics. Brittany’s clueless questions never seemed to get on Hope’s nerves, and she always responded with sarcasm and wit, much like Santana would have. In fact, Hope’s attitude, sharp, snarky, and sarcastic, reminded Brittany so much of her ex-girlfriend that it almost hurt. But at least she had someone who understood her, and slowly, she began to feel more at home.
One evening, as Brittany sat cross-legged in the compound’s living room, trying to focus her magical energy into something tangible, Freya paused and watched her with quiet pride.
“You’re getting better at this,” she said, her voice warm. “You’ll be able to do so much more soon, Brittany. Just remember to keep your focus. Magic is about balance, about knowing when to give and when to take.”
Brittany smiled, her eyes lighting up. “Balance? Like yoga?” she asked, turning her head to look at Hope, who rolled her eyes.
“Sure, Brittany,” Hope said dryly, “just like yoga.”
But despite the sarcasm in Hope’s voice, there was a glint of something softer in her eyes as she watched Brittany. Maybe it was because, despite the silliness, Brittany was exactly what they needed: someone with raw power, someone who could help them all.