Golden Noose, Gilded Cage

Domeric Jace Ambrosia was born July 19, 1998 to Amlet Alfonso Ambrosia and Aldercy Charmaine Wilona Preves. He has an older brother named Alaric Casper and an older sister named Ryley Iora. He had a fairly prestigious family considering not only were they Pureblood wizards but the Ambrosias were one of the first wizarding families in the world. His mother was a gifted Light-Veela from a wealthy British family. While she was beautiful and gifted with magic, her non-human lineage made her undesirable to many British wizards, especially those that were Pureblood. She was originally engaged to a British human Pureblood but then Domeric’s father stole her away. Amlet was a good man that didn’t care about things like ‘prestigious’ lineages or wealth, no. All Amlet wanted was to help the MACUSA, which he had been doing for almost one hundred years at the time he met Aldercy.

Amlet was falsely accused of abducting several young Pureblood British witches. Aldercy had initially not believed his innocence but through time and a false witness statement, they settled aside their differences and won the case. Aldercy had been forced to wed her British Pureblood fiancé on the day that Amlet was scheduled to leave the UK. However, she ran away and declared her love to Amlet in the middle of the British Ministry of Magic in her wedding dress.

Eventually the two settled down and had three children, two who were as gifted magically as them and then… Domeric, nothing more than a Squib.

Despite the myths that are spread throughout backwaters countries like the UK, Squibs do have magic but the amount is so small that they can’t access it, leaving many to believe that they don’t have magic at all. Squibs are rare and usually produced when two Purebloods have a child. However, this is the simple explanation. Being a Squib is a mutation that happens randomly. In fact, there’s just a higher chance of it happening with Purebloods with many non-Pureblood researchers saying that it happened due to the constant inbreeding, which it wasn’t. It’s an imbalance of magic in an infant’s body that can either be caused through trauma or random mutation. Domeric is an example of the second case, a random chance. A high percentage of these random mutations happen due to incestuous relationships but Domeric’s case was different.

The British and American magical families usually do not mix well. The ninth sequence of the magical code is the exact same for both British and American wizards, which isn’t good. On the last strand of the ninth sequence is a measure of power that the child will inherently have. Domeric had a 50-50 chance of becoming a Squib or having thrice the amount of magical power as his parents. Unluckily, Domeric became a Squib.

Aldercy was quiet cold towards Domeric when she realized that he would become a Squib while Amlet didn’t really care. Already, he had contacted the Ambrosia Legacy Hunter Family Clan in order to help Domeric still feel useful. While MACUSA and the AHN didn’t get along well, they still had the same goals in mind: secrecy and protect. Squibs were almost never just left out to non-magicals, no. Most Squibs ended up being Hunters in order to increase their self-worth, at least that’s the case in the USA and most of the Americas.

Domeric didn’t want to become a Hunter though. His parents weren’t abusive and neither were his siblings. His situation could have been a lot worse but Domeric didn’t see it that way. All he knew was that he wasn’t allowed to live with his family anymore because of a birth defect. He had no magic and he felt ashamed of himself. At the age of five years-old, he traveled across the USA, the human side of course, until he ended up in North Carolina where the Jacobs family found him.

Sean and Corry had become his siblings and they were what mattered. His parents were normal and worked hard. There was no magic and most of all, no one would ever find him, not from MACUSA, not from the AHN. It was ironic though. Karl Jacobs, which is his name, not Domeric Ambrosia, lived in Raleigh, North Carolina, the city where the Ambrosia Legacy Hunter Family Clan had their headquarters. He was so close and yet so far away. And as he got older, he looked less and less like his dad because he didn’t have scars or stress lines creasing his face. He also wasn’t super muscular which helped.

On his eleventh birthday, Karl reached a very important milestone in his life: Karl Jacobs had lived longer than Domeric Ambrosia.

He grew up as a normal teenager and attended high school and went to college. He enjoyed playing tennis and soccer and even was head of the debate team and started a gaming club! With the help of doctors that actually cared about his mental health, he learned that he had autism and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD.) Oddly enough, he was also slightly colorblind. He didn’t want to fix anything though because it was another way to prove himself as human. Karl was a completely normal person and he hadn’t planned for his life to change that much… but then he met CJ and Jimmy Donaldson.

Karl worked with CJ as an editor and it was fun, he enjoyed it. But then he met Chris Tyson who pulled him into the spotlight with him and Jimmy and Chandler.

The entire experience was exciting but also terrifying. Being put in the spotlight was cool! Being surrounded by great people was even better! But there was always the fear that someone from the magical community would see him in the widely popular videos and drag him back.

But they never did.

Over the years, Karl learned to be more open and happy, enjoying the new life he had been given. It was as if a burden that he wasn’t even aware of had been lifted. He was finally free! He didn’t have to worry about staying mediocre in fear of his biological family finding him!

Karl was fine with his life. He was surrounded by great people that supported him. Sure, he ended up falling in love with someone that could never want him back but that was fine! Karl didn’t need to have sex, he was on the asexual spectrum after all, but they were close friends and that was all that mattered. He couldn’t imagine a life without them and the best option was to keep silent and not saying anything, something he was all too good at doing when it mattered.

Karl felt like he no longer had to fake himself because hiding his feelings for someone was a normal human thing to do.

Joining the Dream SMP started changing things though, for the worst.

Karl liked almost everybody of the Dream SMP. They were open and accepting and cared about him. He was allowed to create small stories within the Dream SMP universe and collaborate with a lot of content creators. His popularity rose and he accepted it, even flourished in the spotlight. He was very grateful for the Dream SMP and the opportunities that arose from his membership.

But Karl didn’t like George.

It wasn’t that they were hostile towards each other or didn’t speak that often. In fact, the viewers saw a friendly relationship because that’s what Karl tried to portray.

In reality, talking to George made Karl want to scream and run away, to hide away in a corner and cower in fear. Like an animal, all of Karl’s instincts were ringing and alerting him that George was dangerous and a large threat. It was terrifying because even when Karl was deemed a Squib, he never felt like this. All Karl knew for certain was that George wasn’t a normal human, he was something else, something that could either kill Karl or worse, ruin his entire life.

But he ended up trusting George with some of his biggest secrets and they started to get along when they really shouldn’t have.

When George disappeared and deactivated his social media and other accounts, Karl couldn’t help but sigh in relief, feeling just the slightest bit guilty for it when it was destroying those that he loved, like Dream and Sapnap.

But that sense of relief didn’t last too long. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding, as if something major and devastating was about to happen.

And it did.

When George revealed the existence of both the supernatural and magical communities to the world, Karl felt as if he was about to faint from fear.

Everything that Karl had tried to deny and hide from the world was going to be released. Now that George had done this, Karl was going to be tracked down and forced to be away from everyone he had come to love and care about.

But Karl couldn’t help but wonder if that was for the best. Even while the interview had been going on, there were demands being posted worldwide about the containment of not just supernatural and magical creatures but also magical humans and Hunters. Karl felt a chill up his spine when he saw one post even demanding that they were collared.

Even though Karl had abandoned his biological family, he still cared about them to a certain degree. Hell, he wouldn’t want anyone to be collared, their every movement tracked and probably regulated. It terrified him on a personal level because Karl doubted that being a Squib would be a good enough explanation to not have a collar. He belonged to magical parents and his siblings were magical which meant that he would still be considered a danger to society.

The most terrifying posts were those that demanded ‘tests’ be done in order to ‘further the advancement of medicine.’

Karl scoffed at that one.

Those people wanted to experiment on them like how the Nazis experimented on the Jews during World War II. They weren’t being thought of as humans that had basic rights to live. No matter what, Karl didn’t want to become part of those experiments. The worst part about that post was that it had over fifty thousand upvotes on Reddit and another similar post had been retweeted over three million times and it had only been less than thirty minutes since the interview finished.

Karl stuffed his suitcase with just a few clothes and pictures. He turned off his phone that had been constantly ringing. He wouldn’t be allowed to have that kind of phone with him anymore, not when his signal could be triangulated. Even then, his biological parents wouldn’t want him to keep something like that from his old life as a normal human.

The tears wouldn’t stop coming and there was a large ache in his heart but Karl had forced himself to become numb to it. There was pain but none of that would be compared to the pain from being experimented on or the pain of knowing that he had endangered the lives of so many other people. His body could be used to kill so many magicals and Karl wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

…

Karl was at least grateful that his roommate wasn’t at the house and instead with his family.

It made leaving easier.

When Karl opened the door to his former house, he saw a man wearing a simple black suit with a red tie across the street. In his left hand was a thin piece of wood, a stick, a wand.

With pursed lips, Karl started heading towards the man. He had come to pick him up. Most likely, he was probably somebody that worked for his biological family.

When he got in front of the man, he held out his right arm and lifted up his sleeve.

The man pressed the tip of his wand into Karl’s forearm in order to identify him through his blood.

After all, blood can’t lie.

“Mr. Domeric, you are to be taken to the Magical Congress of the United States of America, specifically the Department of Homeland Security in order to register as a citizen. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I do,” Karl said. His eyes lost their spark when he realized that this was it. He was no longer going to be a citizen of the human American government. By the end of the day, he’d be part of MACUSA once again.

“I’ll transport your belongings to the Ambrosia Estate,” the man said, tapping Karl’s suitcase with just the tip of his wand before it disappeared.

The man then held out his forearm and Karl stared at it, hesitating just slightly. By grabbing his arm, Karl would be forced to go on a path he couldn’t ever return from.

“Karl?”

Karl froze, his hand almost on the man’s forearm.

He knew that voice, knew it all too well. And if he was here, then Karl knew that two more were right behind him.

“Hey, Jimmy,” Karl said with a soft smile as he turned around.

Unlike George, Karl could face the people he loved and betrayed one last time. Over time, Karl had learned the true meaning of goodbyes and how heartbreaking they were. They weren’t inevitable and something that should easily be accepted but something to be mourned.

Jimmy Donaldson, MrBeast, was standing a little ways away from Karl. He looked worried and looking at it, he had just gotten out of his car. His eyes were wide with fear, staring at the wizard distrustfully.

“Karl, what are you doing? Chris, Chandler, and I have been trying to call you for the past hour or so,” Jimmy asked. “Who’s that guy behind you?”

Karl opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by the wizard.

“I’m afraid Mr. Domeric cannot answer any of your questions,” the wizard sternly told him.

Karl frowned at that statement but he understood. George was only able to talk about the supernatural world out in the open because he had been given permission. Karl was not allowed to talk about what happened because MACUSA hadn’t approved yet and they never would. It wasn’t like Karl would ever be allowed to leave once he came back though.

“Domeric? I don’t know who that is but I’m asking my friend, Karl Jacobs,” Jimmy snapped at the man. “Come on Karl, let’s just go inside and we can talk about this.”

“I can’t,” Karl brokenly told him, tears starting to well up in his eyes. “I’m leaving.”

“Leaving?” Jimmy asked. “That’s fine, I understand that George’s betrayal hurt you and that you need probably a few days or even weeks off but—”

“I mean I’m leaving for good,” Karl gritted out, clenching his fists. “I won’t be coming back.”

“Karl…” Jimmy softly said, looking confused, lost, and just a little bit afraid.

“Thank you for letting me into your life,” Karl said, forcing himself to look at Jimmy still. “You, Chandler, Chris, CJ, and my entire family have forever changed my life for the better. I’ll always be grateful for the memories but I have to go now. Please tell everyone I love them.”

“Karl, why do you have to leave?” Jimmy asked, so confused on what was going on.

But it wasn’t his fault, was it?

It was all Karl’s fault.

“It’s because my name isn’t Karl Jacobs,” Karl muttered darkly. “My name is Domeric Ambrosia.”

“Mr. Domeric, we really must be going,” the wizard said. “We’re already late for your citizenship appointment.”

“I understand,” Karl said, sighing in resignation.

“Karl,” Jimmy said, not sure what else he could say. It didn’t look like he’d be able to fight the very muscular guy that was close to Karl. Also, it looked like Karl was reluctantly willing to go with this stranger as well.

“Before I go Jimmy,” Karl said, as he hooked his arm through the wizards’ arms—who was polite enough to not teleport yet, “I just wanted to let you know that I love you.”

And just like that Karl and the wizard teleported away from North Carolina, from Jimmy, and the life of Karl Jacobs.

…

Karl and the wizard landed just outside the Department of Homeland Security in the MACUSA Mall. Similar to the National Mall in the human part of Washington DC, there were a large variety of neoclassical buildings but instead of museums being the center point, it was the MACUSA Hall of Senators and Representatives along with the MACUSA Judicial Supreme Court. The Department of Homeland Security was located on the western part of the MACUSA Mall in between the Department of Transportation and the Department of Education.

The Department of Homeland Security was also a neoclassical building with large, white marble columns and intricate designs. There were two statues in front of the staircase. On the left was a wizard that was in an outdated dueling stance wearing old-fashioned robes. There were little wizard children along with a few supernatural creatures. This was a representation of how the Department of Homeland Security is meant to protect all of its citizens from domestic attacks. On the right was a wizard that had various documents laying around them. The wizard had a wand in their left hand and a staff in their right hand, something that wasn’t common anymore, and there were orbs of different colors surrounding the statute. This was a representation of how the Department of Homeland Security is meant to protect information.

Karl didn’t remember ever going to the Department of Homeland Security as Domeric Ambrosia but he knew that the building hadn’t changed in over two hundred years, not since its first founding.

“This way Mr. Domeric,” the wizard said, gently guiding him up the stairs of the building.

Karl followed him into the building.

When the doors opened, Karl almost jumped out of his shoes. There was a large mass of people running back and forth in the foyer. He had forgotten that the doors were silenced on the inside. Those on the inside could hear the outside but the outside couldn’t hear in the inside. This was meant so that if anything was happening on the outside, such as an attack, then those on the inside would know to be ready to fight.

The wizard pushed through the crowd towards the elevator and Karl was glad for that. He would have been swept away with the crowd, or even worse, stomped to death.

The wizard and Karl were able to make it to one of the elevators, squishing in with twenty other people. The elevators were quick and efficient and were constantly in rotation.

The place where Karl needed to go to in order to get his citizenship would be on the twenty-eighth floor, which was actually one of the lower floors since the elevator could reach up to floor three hundred and sixty-nine, not including the below ground floors that went back five hundred floors.

The wizard and Karl were the first ones to get off which made them push people out of the way to get out.

The Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services was one of the least busiest office of the Department of Homeland Security and probably all of MACUSA.

“Good afternoon,” the wizard told the witch that was acting as the receptionist. “My name of Gottfried Perish and I work with Head Amlet Ambrosia. I scheduled an appointment for his son, Domeric Ambrosia.”

She nodded and looked at her computer and typed in a few things before turning her attention back to them.

“May I scan both of you to confirm your identities?” the witch asked.

“Of course,” Gottfried said, holding out his arm. He looked at Karl and nodded towards the receptionist.

Karl walked closer and also held out his arm.

The witch scanned them both and read the magical and life signatures before smiling at them.

“Thank you very much. Please go to Room 251. Ms. Montgomery will be helping you today.”

“Thank you. Have a nice day,” Gottfried politely told her.

Gottfried and Karl went to Room 251 and were greeted by a young looking witch with brown hair and green eyes.

“Good day, gentlemen,” the witch greeted them. “My name is Alexa Montgomery. I heard that you were looking for a citizenship certificate?”

“That’s correct,” Gottfried said as Karl kept staring at the ground, feeling numb about everything. “This is Domeric Ambrosia, the son of Head Amlet Ambrosia. He’s a Squib and was originally sent to the supernatural community but now he’s back in the magical community.”

“I understand,” Alexa muttered, going towards her computer and typing on it. “I see his citizenship certificate for the supernatural community but I don’t see any New Hunter certificates.”

“While he was registered as part of the supernatural community, he never became a Hunter,” Gottfried told her, airing out all of Karl’s dirty laundry. “He ran away and became part of the non-magical human community under the name of Karl Jacobs.”

“Oh,” Alexa said, her face pinched slightly, doing her best to disguise her disgust. “Do you have any of his paperwork from the non-magical human community?”

“Yes,” Gottfried said.

Gottfried pulled out a small purple velvet pouch and used his wand to expand it until it reached its normal size. Sticking his hand into the magically extended pouch, he started pulling out all sorts of documents. Karl looked up and stared wide eyed when he recognized the papers.

His forged birth certificate. His adoption certificate. His high school diploma. His medical and dental records. His bank statements. His house contract. His W-240. And so many others.

“How did you get these?” Karl hoarsely whispered out, shaking slightly. Did Gottfried hurt his family to get them?

“Don’t sound so worried,” Gottfried grumbled. “I didn’t hurt any of those No-Majes. Honestly, I copied all of this. Once your citizenship is confirmed, I’ll go back and get the original copies. The boys and I will start erasing your entire existence from the non-magical human community.”

Karl clenched his fists and forced his eyes onto the ground once again, trying to prevent the tears from spilling out. It wasn’t fair that he would have nothing left of that world.

But it was the right thing to do.

Karl was the one that would suffer the most from his decision but he could live with that. If he had been selfish, not only would he be experimented on and tortured, so many others too. Still, that didn’t mean that each step he was taking was any easier.

Alexa took the documents and started scanning them, verifying that his existence was actually real.

“Do the Ambrosias have a way to make sure that Mr. Domeric is unable to contact with the non-magical human community?” Alexa asked Gottfried as she continued working, eyes never leaving the computer.

“Yes, they do,” Gottfried said.

“That’s good,” Alexa shortly told them. “After that interview with George Schmuckatelli, MACUSA and AHN have issued a lockdown. At a minimum of six months, no one is allowed to interact with non-magical humans except for those that have a special clearance. Head Ambrosia should have clearance though.”

“When was this taken into effect?” Gottfried asked, frowning.

“You won’t be punished, it’s fine,” Alexa reassured him. “Head Ambrosia already sent in a special request and it was approved by the President and MACUSA. There is a two day window allotted for those who are trying to get family members and co-workers back into the magical community and supernatural community.”

From then on, things were silent with Alexa asking a few question and Gottfried answering them, Karl keeping quiet. They sat in that office for what seemed like hours but was only thirty or forty minutes.

“Alright,” Alexa said with a polite smile, “that should do it. Mr. Domeric will have his citizenship reviewed and we’ll get back with you in about a day. Here’s a hotel voucher. Mr. Domeric is required to stay in this hotel until he’s approved or rejected for his citizenship. You are allowed to stay with him as well, Mr. Gottfried. I’ll call you on this number once the decision is made. Don’t worry about clothes, food, or anything else, the hotel provides all of that. There’s also a mini mall in there as well. Please have a safe trip and have a nice day.”

“Thank you very much,” Gottfried said. “Come along Mr. Domeric.”

Karl let Gottfried pull him, still in a trance about what was happening to him. He had one day left of being Karl Jacobs before his existence was going to be erased. Over a decade of his life would disappear. It hurt because those were the best years of his life.

Gottfried and Karl walked towards the hotel that Alexa had given them. Even though it was somewhat far away from the Department of Homeland Security, Gottfried decided that Karl needed some fresh air to cool his head.

The hotel was part of an upscale chain called Lennox Hotels. It was the kind that the rich, famous, and powerful stayed at, similar to the Auberge, Omni, and Kimpton Hotels in terms of luxury and fame.

However, this particular hotel of the Lennox Hotels was one of its more ‘diverse’ hotels. There were two sections, the left and the right. The left side were for those who were paying for the luxury experience and faced the entirely of the Capitol of MACUSA. Since it was in the center of the Capitol, the location in itself was worth thousands of dollars per night alone.

Gottfried and Karl weren’t on the left side though. They were on the right side. The right side was paid entirely by the government. It was meant for those awaiting their citizenship, those in quarantine, and those who were only staying in the Capitol for a business trip. Of course, there were different classes with those on business trips having the highest class. Those in quarantine were the second with those awaiting their citizenship were the lowest tier. It didn’t mean that it was dirty and disgusting though. The right side actually was the more secured side purely because those that are on business trips are usually high-leveled workers. Karl’s father, Head Ambrosia, would stay on the right side frequently due to the many business trips he had to make to the Capitol. Even Legacy Hunters were occasionally on the right side as well.

When Gottfried and Karl got to their room, Karl was slightly impressed with the room. He had stayed in really nice places while traveling around with the MrBeast crew for filming but this room topped any of them.

The door opened up to a large sitting room with soft blue ornate rug in the middle. There were two cream colored armchairs and a pure white couch in the center. They were facing a blank wall. But Karl knew that the wall was blank for a reason. There were no such thing as a ‘TV’ in the magical community. Instead, their magical medium (most magicals used wands) were able to summon and project what they wanted. It was sort of like connecting a smartphone to a TV and playing YouTube videos. The rest of the room had random decorations such as vases, end tables, potted plants, and weird magical knickknacks that you couldn’t find anywhere else.

On the opposite of the room was a metallic semi-circular bar that had white stool chairs. There was a large variety of liquors and a mini bar fridge that probably held all sorts of snacks. There was a door behind the bar and Karl had a feeling there was a full kitchen behind that bar, top of the line as well. There were no door but it was clearly another room with a wide open dining area. The table was made of glass, the chairs were a slate gray, and the large fairy light crystal chandelier illuminated the soft setting and complemented the blue decorations in the room such as paintings, flowers, and shelves. On the left side of the room was a large glass wall that allowed Karl to change the projection while the right side had two white doors, most likely leading them to their rooms.

“Mr. Domeric, will you be eating or showering first?” Gottfried asked.

“I’ll shower,” Karl muttered, hating hearing his birth name.

“Very well then. I’ll be making dinner then. Is there anything in particular you want to eat?” Gottfried asked as he took off his suit jacket and carried it in his arm.

“No,” Karl shortly told him.

“Very well then Mr. Domeric,” Gottfried said and then headed towards the bar, confirming Karl’s suspicions that the kitchen was behind the bar.

Once Gottfried had finally left him alone, Karl collapsed. He allowed himself this moment of weakness because it was just starting to dawn on him that his life would forever change now.

Karl was human, wasn’t a Hunter like George. He had emotions and showed them. He was always able to handle the backlash that came from a popular streamer because he accepted his emotions. His mental health was great because the Jacobs encouraged him to show emotions. He wasn’t some fictious character nor was he a robot but a human with emotions. Before, he had always prided himself on being mentally strong and healthy.

Now, being a healthy, normal human being that allowed himself to express his emotions was biting him in the ass. He was collapsing into himself and losing his mind. Soon, Karl Jacobs would no longer exist and his biological family would win.

He started showering and felt a hint of disgust at how everything was different. The water didn’t get in his eyes due to a spell that was placed on the shower head. The temperature was kept perfectly and wouldn’t get colder even if he was in the shower for ten hours. There was an option for steam but it was automatically set to no steam. The water was also set to no scent but there were scents of apples, sandalwood, rose, musk, and vanilla with a few open options that allowed guests to put their own personal scents in.

It was stupid and Karl hated everything that reminded him that he wasn’t normal and never would be. He wished that he could get soapy water in his eyes, wished that the steam fogged up the glass unintentionally, and wished that the water turned cold without him meaning to.

When he got out, he wrapped himself in a white towel and allowed him to naturally dry instead of letting magic dry him. It allowed his dark brown hair to curl and made him feel normal. His biological mother always lectured him and his siblings on keeping their homes clean. Those that were part of the staff of the Ambrosias were there to keep them safe and not pick up their dirty laundry, something his mother wasn’t happy about but learned to deal with. Apparently, British Purebloods had these magical creatures called ‘House Elves’ that cleaned the estates and were treated more like slaves than servants, less than equal.

Karl stepped out into his bedroom and almost slapped himself in the face. He didn’t have any clothes other than the ones he was wearing and he wasn’t going to put on dirty clothes after he just showered.

He went back to the bathroom and at least grabbed a fluffy white robe that was a few sizes too big on him. Walking out of her room, Karl made his way towards the kitchen and Gottfried, knocking at the door before he entered.

“Gottfried? I need some fresh clothes,” Karl said as he entered.

The kitchen was fairly standard with a stove, an oven, a microwave, a refrigerator and freezer, several overhead cabinets, a sink, a dishwasher, an island, and a pantry. Of course, it was all high quality and powered by magic. On the cutting board, there was a floating knife that was finely chopping the vegetables while a floating ladle was stirring the contents of a pot that Karl knew was on the perfect heat setting. Gottfried was near one of the stove tops, personally tending to a pan that had chicken in it even though he didn’t need to be there.

Like most American magicals, Gottfried was taught to learn not only magical skills but also non-magical ones. In the event that he needed to live amongst the non-magicals for whatever reason, he wouldn’t be hopeless and expose the magical world. Secrecy was of the upmost importance and everyone knew that, especially the United States of America, who encouraged both North and South America to follow their example. Eventually, most of the world started following their example, except for some parts of Europe.

“There should be a brochure somewhere in your room,” Gottfried said as he continued cooking. “The hotel’s website and number should both be on it. Look at the catalogue online of what you want and then call them. Give it thirty seconds or so and they’ll deliver the clothes into your wardrobe.”

“Thanks,” Karl muttered before leaving the kitchen area.

He ended up just getting a white t-shirt and a pair of loose dark purple sweatpants along with a black t-shirt and a pair of black jeans for tomorrow. Alexa mentioned that the hotel had a mini mall so Karl assumed Gottfried would take him there to get all of the essentials.

Knock! Knock!

“Mr. Domeric, dinner is ready,” Gottfried said through the door before moving away.

Karl left his room and went into the dining area and was greeted with a simple dinner. There was a small pot of chicken soup, a side of salad, and a platter of various fruits on top of a banana and date puree. A jar of water and glass rested in the center next to a basket of bread slices and a butter dish.

Karl sat across from Gottfried and the two ate in silence.

…

For the next couple of days, Karl stayed in his room and wasn’t allowed to access anything online other than the hotel’s website. He wasn’t allowed to read the news in the magical, supernatural, nor the non-magical human world. He was completely in the dark about everything and Gottfried refused to tell him anything else. He even went so far as making sure the clothing store they went to was completely empty except for staff, who were told to keep quiet.

Karl had a feeling that things were pretty bad considering the lengths Gottfried was taking in order to hide it from him. He had seen a few posts just hours after the interview and wondered if things had drastically escalated. But what else could be worse than wanting to collar the supernatural and those with magic?

On the fifth day of his confinement, Karl heard so pretty irritating news.

“What do you mean I have to stay here for another week?” Karl asked, crossing his arms across his chest in annoyance as he sat for lunch.

“I apologize Mr. Domeric but some situations have come up and require the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services to dedicate all of their resources into something else,” Gottfried told him apologetically. He understood that the young man was annoyed with being confined in the hotel but it wasn’t like they had any choice.

“Well, I’d be a bit more understanding if you told me what was happening!” Karl snapped at him, his temper short after everything he’d been through.

“I apologize but your father has ordered me not to tell you anything until you have sworn your Oath of Citizenship,” Gottfried cautiously told him. “The situation is delicate and not known to the general public. The only reason why I’d be able to tell you is because you’re the son of Head Ambrosia.”

Karl pursued his lips and glared down at his plate. Logically, he understood but emotionally, he was hurt.

The Oath of Citizenship for the United States of America, at least the magical version, made it so that all magical citizens could not become spies for other countries. Of course, there were people that found work arounds and were still spies but it’s been refined over and over again. Most likely, they had reached over one hundred versions since when Karl left at five years-old they were on version ninety-four. It seemed excessive but it was entirely necessary. MACUSA was very open to all sorts of magic and none was outlawed. Even the Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra, was legal, at least in certain situations. While this did make the USA shunned by many other magical communities, it was also the strongest and wealthiest due to their acceptance. It was culturally diverse and wealthy because many foreigners wanted to study what was considered ‘dark arts’ back in their homeland. Several came to the USA to seek apprenticeships and then stayed in order to continue perfecting their craft.

However, with so many foreigners entering the country, MACUSA created the Oath of Citizenship in order to bind them to secrecy. It was meant to protect American secrets and wouldn’t allow the foreigners to attack their new countrymen. Even if they were to go back to their original country and swore a different oath, the Oath of Citizenship for the United States of America made it so that they weren’t able to attack USA citizens. This made it difficult to start wars with the USA because getting spies was almost impossible to have.

Karl, of course, wouldn’t ever become a spy but he understood why his biological father did it. While he wouldn’t willingly turn against the MACUSA, torture would force things out, whether he liked them or not. As a non-magical human, he didn’t have any real defenses against magical attacks. He was too weak and there was nothing that Karl could do to change that.

“I can say one thing though,” Gottfried said as he cut his salmon into pieces. “Head Schmuckatelli, George as you know him as, has been working tirelessly to protect everyone in both the magical and supernatural communities.”

“That bastard could be Damned for all I care about,” Karl muttered viciously as he stabbed at his salmon, wishing it was George instead.

“I dare you to say that again,” Gottfried growled out, his eyes dark and threatening. “I admire him greatly for what he’s doing for everyone. I’ve watched the footage and know of some of the details of his rescue mission. He was forced into a situation where the choices were nothing short of impossible. He’d lose everything either way. Remember that you ran away from your responsibilities while George faced them head on. You’ll do well to remember that.”

Karl’s face puckered up. He couldn’t stand George and to know that Gottfried was calling him some kind of ‘hero’ was a bit too much for Karl to swallow. The Squib knew that George had to have been severely punished for what happened. After all, secrecy was everything in the magical and supernatural communities. But there must have been a lot of beings, both magical and supernatural, in high up places that vouched for his continued existence.

In Karl’s opinion, George wasn’t courageous for facing his so called ‘responsibilities’ head on. Simply put, he was brain washed into a system that created martyrs from the second they were born. It was disgusting and Karl hated that. At least in the magical world, there were different jobs and they could have a much happier life than Hunters but there were still some practices that were archaic in Karl’s opinion. If anything, Karl should be the one praised. He was brave and decided to find freedom, his own path to happiness. Had he not been born in the USA, Karl could have been free either way once it was discovered that he was a Squib. Many other countries erased the minds of Squibs and then cast them off into orphanages. Karl would have been happy to be in an orphanage if it meant he didn’t have to remember his biological family.

Gottfried quickly finished his meal and then placed his silverware, patiently watching for his employer’s son.

Karl looked up from his food and saw that Gottfried was waiting for him and set his silverware down harshly.

“What do you want?” Karl rudely asked the wizard.

“For the next four days, I will be locking you in this room,” Gottfried curtly told him. “Head Ambrosia has asked me to find someone in the non-magical human world. There is room service that you can call for your meals. Also, the hotel staff knows about you being locked in this room and know to not give you access to any news.”

“Who’re you looking for?” Karl asked.

“That’s none of your concern,” Gottfried dismissively told him. “All you need to know is that I’ll be gone. I will also be replaced by someone else. Head Ambrosia needs me to attend to my actual duties instead of babysitting you.”

Karl scowled at the term ‘babysitting’ before looking at Gottfried with curious eyes.

“Who’ll be your replacement?” Karl asked.

“Mary Hale,” Gottfried said.

“A girl?!” Karl squeaked out.

“Why does it matter what their gender is?” Gottfried asked, genuinely confused. He knew that there was gender discrimination in the non-magical human world but he hadn’t expected for Head Ambrosia’s son to be susceptible to such bullshit nonsense.

“It’s just…” Karl blushed furiously, fiddling with his fingers, “she’s a girl that will be staying in a room with me…”

“And?” Gottfried asked, still not understanding what was going on.

“Well…” Karl stuttered, trying to figure out why the man, who was clearly older than him, didn’t understand. “It’s not right for boys and girls to sleep in the same area. It’s just not appropriate.”

Gottfried furrowed his eyebrows, trying to piece together the puzzle. Finally, it clicked. Mr. Domeric had been living in the non-magical human world where heteronormativity was a thing due to only women being able to get pregnant and men being the only ones to provide the seed. In both the supernatural and magical world, that wasn’t normal. Both women and men could get pregnant and could get the other pregnant. It was very rare for a woman to get a man pregnant but it happened. It also didn’t help that male and female were the common genders for humans. Supernatural creatures and magical beings that were in the less human side had their primary genders be mostly alpha, beta, omega, ultima, and sigma. The male and female were the secondary genders but the primary genders were the only ones that mattered when it came to birthing process. Because of these complex mating systems that non-magical humans just didn’t have, heteronormativity was a thing and only just recently were they becoming more open and accepting of the idea of same-sex couples. It was strange and something that Gottfried thought was weird since love was love but No-Majes were strange creatures that he’d never understand and hopefully never would truly have to.

“If you had grown up with the Hunters, you wouldn’t have those backwards views. Those No-Majes don’t understand equality,” Gottfried scoffed. “You best not treat Mary Hale with any kind of disrespect because she’s a female. I should probably get you an etiquette book so you don’t accidentally offend anyone.”

Karl scowled at him but kept his mouth shut. He was all for the equality of men and women but he had lived in a society where that wasn’t a fully accepted concept. In the magical and supernatural communities, discrimination against gender, race, and sexual orientation just wasn’t a thing. Gender was just an indication on who can give birth in terms of alpha, beta, omega, ultima, and sigma. Racism wasn’t a thing because there were so many different species that did their own part in helping their respective worlds. No one would bat an eyelash if the President of MACUSA was a human wizard or a magical female werewolf. Sexual orientation was discriminated against because either gender could get married. The only time that sexual orientation was looked down upon was when there was an omega-omega pair or a beta-omega pair. Even then, they were largely ignored so long as they were happy. The very existence of both the magical and supernatural worlds were a secret and everyone knew that one day it would shatter. What’s the point of hate when you don’t know the last day you’ll be alive, the last day you’ll be happy?

“Mary will be here tomorrow at four o’clock in the morning. I’ll be gone by four this afternoon though. That’s twelve hours all to yourself,” Gottfried said, keeping his professional tone but Karl knew he was being a bit sarcastic. Karl had been staying in his room by himself, only coming out at meal times—he had plenty of time to himself.

When Gottfried finally left, Karl let out a sigh of relief. Even though Karl was a Squib, he wasn’t exactly a No-Maj. He was still sensitive to magic and auras and Gottfried was a fairly powerful wizard. He didn’t exert his aura but Karl was still fairly intimidated by it after not being around magicals for so long.

Of course, Karl could detect some magicals in North Carolina but they were always brief passings. One of the first things that magicals learned in school was how to control their aura’s because it was like a beacon for supernatural creatures that fed off of them. And it wasn’t like eating them but eating their magic. Not all of their aura could be hidden though, at least not through natural means, which still allowed those supernatural creatures to be full by being within their proximity.

Karl fiddled around in his room and actually did read the etiquette book that Gottfried brought him. Having left at five years-old, there were a lot of things about magical society that Karl hadn’t learned. He had only known the bare basics and he hadn’t been allowed to leave the Ambrosia Estate except for a few exceptions. His biological parents were overprotective and for very good reason. His father was a powerful political figure in magical society, not just the United States of America. The Ambrosias had many enemies and his father wasn’t willing to risk their safety.

If Karl was honest with himself, he was surprised that his biological father was still alive. Many attempts had been made on his father’s life as well as his mother’s life though not as many. Karl briefly wondered if his siblings were both alive. He had two older siblings, a brother named Alaric and a sister named Ryley. Both of them had magic, unlike him.

Unlike Karl, they weren’t tossed aside. Unlike Karl, they grew up with their biological parents. Unlike Karl, they were able to keep their happy lives.

He tried to himself that he wasn’t jealous of his siblings for being loved by their parents, that he was jealous of them being able to have a perfectly ‘accepted’ lifestyle but he could only lie to himself for so long before everything started to crumble.

He continued to wait for Mary Hale, a little nervous to be meeting another magical so soon. He hoped that she was as professional as Gottfried and kept a cool head. Karl knew he was being a brat but he had a justified reason for acting that way. His entire life had been uprooted and he was forced to come back to the place he ran away from.

Karl wondered what his new life was going to be like. He was a Squib and had no magic but his father had told ordered Gottfried to register him in magical society instead of supernatural society. He wasn’t going to be a Hunter, that was for sure. There were a few jobs that didn’t really require magic but not much.

Karl wanted to at least look up what kind of jobs he could apply to but Gottfried had made sure he couldn’t access the internet. He hoped that Mary would allow him to look at jobs, even if she did have to supervise him.

When dinnertime finally came, Karl ordered a simple meal of meatloaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes with a mixed fruit salad for dessert. Even though Karl didn’t like Gottfried, he still missed having a companion with him at mealtime.

…

Karl woke up the next day and felt the aura of Mary Hale. It was much more calm compared to Gottfried but no less powerful. It reminded Karl of Jimmy and how he was a person with so much power and yet was still so kind. It made Karl’s heart ache, wishing that he was back in North Carolina with his friends. Even though his heart was breaking by staying as just friends with Jimmy, the time spent together was still amazing. He felt happy and content with his life. They were still able to share that close intimacy and Karl had been fine with that.

Now, he had nothing.

After his morning routine, Karl left his room and went into the dining area in order to greet Mary Hale.

She was young, at least young looking.

Shoulder length wavy blonde hair. Soft green eyes. Pale complexion. Slim yet athletic build. And not fully human judging by the fluffy blonde dog ears and dog tail. She wore black slacks, a black suit jacket, and a white button up shirt. In human eyes, she looked to be in her early-20s to late-20s. But Karl knew that her non-human heritage probably made her much older than that. His biological father wouldn’t allow anything but the best to be in his charge.

“Good morning, Mr. Domeric,” Mary politely greeted him, sniffing the air around him, just to take in his scent. “My name is Mary Hale and I will be guarding you from now on since Gottfried will be gone for the foreseeable future. I have breakfast prepared for you at the dining table.”

“Thanks,” Karl muttered.

Mary kind of reminded Karl of Maddie, Jimmy’s girlfriend—at least appearance wise. Personality wise though, Karl knew that Mary was a lot more… aggressive and strong-willed than Maddie. Being an Ambrosia bodyguard wasn’t something that one just did. Mary was most likely also a female Alpha and that made her physically stronger than most humans. Her senses were more heightened and her urge to protect was stronger as well.

The two sat down and ate a simple breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, not talking with each other. Karl did note that her posture was good and so were her manners. She seemed fairly mature and Karl couldn’t help but wonder how old she was. She could also have come from a fairly wealthy family and knew how to act properly.

“Excuse me, Ms. Hale?” Karl piped up after breakfast was served.

“Yes, Mr. Domeric?” Mary asked after putting the dishes away.

“Would it be okay to go on the internet as long as you supervise me?” Karl asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Mary hesitantly said. “What do you need to use the internet for?”

“I’d like to look at job offers that I can take,” Karl commented. “If I’m going to be stuck in the magical world, I may as well find a job. I don’t want to be living off my father’s money for the rest of my life. I’m still an adult after all.”

Mary kept a stoic face but inwardly, she winced.

“I think it would be best to just look at remedial schooling,” Mary suggested. “Most jobs require you to have some kind of magical education. I can suggest a few places to look as well.”

“Oh, I guess that works,” Karl muttered, not expecting Mary to be that helpful. “Yeah, that sounds fine with me.”

The two of them were on the computer for several hours, looking at the different ways to get a remedial magical education. There were actual schools that magicals could attend but there were also night courses and private tutors. It was fairly expensive though and the only deals were those who provided proof on why they couldn’t continue their magical education. Karl’s excuse was running away because he didn’t want to become a Hunter after his family learned that he was a Squib.

“I’ll be making you lunch soon so please get off the computer,” Mary told him gently.

Karl sighed, hoping that Mary would become more lenient once they started talking but excepting nothing else. She had a job to do and one of the things she was ordered to do was keep Karl in the dark.

“Okay,” Karl said. He tilted his head to the side in contemplation and decided to just ask, whether she answered or not was another thing. “Is the news really bad, so bad that I’m forbidden from looking?”

Mary frowned, deep in thought. The boy already had his suspicions and as long as Mary didn’t give specific details, she’d be fine.

“Yes, it’s pretty bad,” Mary solemnly told him.

“Thank you,” Karl said, sighing with relief at finally having his question answered after being in isolation.

Leaving his true family, leaving Jimmy, Chris, and Chandler, leaving the entire Dream SMP, leaving everything behind had been incredibly hard. But knowing that the situation was escalating put his mind to ease. Though it seemed cruel to wish that the outside world was in chaos, it at least reassured Karl that he made the right decision. If collaring magicals, supernatural creatures, and Hunters was what showed up in forums within hours of George’s interview then Karl didn’t want to know just how bad things were becoming. There was a chance that not just other people but also government officials around the world were agreeing with those kind of posts.

It worried Karl because he had always believed that the No-Maj community was safe and good as a whole. But this would prove that his biological father was right for trying to send him to the supernatural community to become a Hunter. Karl wanted to be free but he doubted his parents would ever allow that again. They’d probably keep him magically tracked so that he could never escape them again and Karl hated that. Of course Karl wanted to see the Jacobs, Jimmy, Chris, Chandler, Nick, and all of his other friends but he wasn’t stupid. He no longer belonged to their world, not when it was now clear that he wasn’t just some normal non-magical human. He was a Squib and that changed everything.

That night, Karl laid in bed, wondering what his future was going to be like. The chance of him finding a job was going to be hard and that would be if he was allowed one. The Ambrosias were wealthy enough to provide for Karl for the rest of his life. Hell, the Ambrosias could provide for themselves for thirty generations and still not even dip into 10% of their wealth, they were that rich.

Then again, the Ambrosias spent a lot of money in research, donations, charity projects, and expeditions. Even if his father did want to spend a lot of money, he never had the time to do that. Amlet Ambrosia was a busy man and Karl rarely remembered seeing him as a child. His mother, on the other hand, was mostly by his side when he was a child. His mother was fifty-four when she had him but being married to an Ambrosia and being a quarter Light-Veela extended her life expectancy. It wasn’t uncommon for Ambrosias to live past the age of one hundred. His father was a few months shy of his one hundred and forty-fifth birthday when Karl was born after all.

His mother came from a British magical family that was mostly full of Purebloods and so her views on things were a bit… different. She was horrified to learn that she produced a Squib and Karl remembered hearing so many vile words come out of his mother’s mouth. He was ‘disgusting’ and ‘filthy’ and ‘worthless’ according to her British upbringing. His father didn’t see him that way but Karl would still be separated from his family because he wasn’t magical.

Karl, logically, knew that his father wasn’t ashamed of him but mentally, Karl’s mind picked at his insecurities until it ate away at him and forced him to run away from his family. Thinking back on it, Karl couldn’t help but wonder if his father let him live with No-Majes once he saw how happy his son was. His father wasn’t a cruel man, perhaps somewhat distant, but not cruel.

Living with No-Majes provided Karl with happiness and comfort, something that his own father couldn’t give. But with the Revelation and the possibly dangerous laws that could be enforced, Karl knew his father had no choice but to ripe him away from his life.

The Squib did his best to try and accept his new life but it was incredibly hard. There were still so many unknown factors that would decide how Karl would live his life.

For five more days, Karl and Mary lived together. Karl kept looking at remedial schools and jobs, just to try and plan out his future if he was allowed some kind of freedom.

…

In the afternoon of the sixth day, Mary received a call.

“Mr. Domeric,” Mary said through the door after knocking. “The Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services has called. You’re citizenship has been approved. I’ll escort you there. All you need to do is sign some documents and then you’re ready to take the Oath. Please be ready in ten minutes.”

Karl felt as if his nerves were electrocuted.

Today was really happening. He would no longer be Karl Jacobs but Domeric Ambrosia. There was no more hiding, just facing his reality. At the end of the day, he’d probably meet his biological family once again. There was dread and fear, unsure how his family would react to him. Alaric was about ten years older than him while Ryley was about six years older. They were old enough to remember him as their younger Squib sibling but also as the family member that defied their father’s order. He had left the Hunter community in favor of the No-Majes and Karl doubted they would be understanding of that. They probably didn’t have any families of their own yet but they still had allies that would judge them though.

With Mary as his escort, Karl went to the Department of Homeland Security. It was even busier than what he had seen before and the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services was now packed.

Mary’s eyes were also wide when she saw how busy the Office was. The USA was heavily protected so Karl doubted these magicals were leaving the USA. Instead, Karl would bet that each of these magicals were trying to get into the USA. It was the most heavily protected after all.

“Mary Hale and Mr. Domeric Ambrosia?” The receptionist called out their names.

“That’s us,” Mary said, raising her hand and ushering Karl towards the front of the area.

The receptionist gestured towards Alexa, the witch that was assigned to their case. Instead of her previous impeccable appearance, her hair was somewhat frazzled and her mauve colored dress had many wrinkles.

“Please, come with me,” Alexa said with a tired smile, trying to keep up a polite appearance.

Mary and Karl followed her to her office. When Karl entered the office, his eyes widened in shock at seeing the piles of paperwork that littered not only her floor but also her desk. There were piles that were taller than Karl, held up by magic in order to not fall and mix in with other piles.

“Sorry for the mess today,” Alexa apologized, trying to smooth out her dress and her hair. “It’s been pretty busy these past few weeks. There were urgent matters that came up and your citizenship was put on the backburner. I apologize for that.”

“It’s fine,” Mary said before Karl could say anything. “I ask that you refrain from saying anything more though. Head Ambrosia has restricted news access of the No-Maj world from his son.”

“I understand,” Alexa politely said, a tight smile on her face. Personally, she didn’t agree with keeping information restricted but knew that for some cases, it was for the best. She was a simple office worker, what did she know about the lives of the rich and powerful, especially the Ambrosias?

Karl signed a few papers and dropped some of his blood on a few documents, creating legally and magically binding contracts that would forever tie him to American magical society. It was no longer his place to be free anymore.

“Alright,” Alexa said, a self-satisfied smile on her face as she tapped the documents together on the table to make them straight and uniform. “The next Oath of Citizenship will be taken at noon today. Here’s the address and I hope you have a wonderful day!”

Mary and Karl finally left with Karl’s Citizenship Certificate in hand. The only thing left to do was go take the Oath of Citizenship that would complete his Citizenship Certificate.

The two went back to the hotel room to get properly changed for the important ceremony. Mary stayed in her work clothes, a black suit with a white shirt, while Karl got dressed in a black suit with a dark blue shirt, and a burgundy tie. It was a special day for others, a good special day, he wasn’t going to ruin that because he wanted to be rebellious.

Mary and Karl went to the address which happened to be a small white chapel that had lush green grass and beautiful patches of red roses and white lilies.

Unlike No-Maj society, the magical community didn’t really have religion. There were plenty of gods and goddesses that all magicals believe in. The very creator of the world, Evermore, was known as the sole being to create not just the world but history and everything in between. However, Evermore wasn’t worshipped but instead the gods and goddesses, the descendants of Evermore. There were gods of harvest and goddesses of vitality and so many others. The churches, chapels, and citadels were created honoring specific gods and goddesses. Evermore was never worshipped because it was a thing that didn’t want to be worshipped. Throughout history, there were various accounts in which anything that was created to honor Evermore was destroyed with black smoke appearing and saying ‘No.’ It was a pretty clear indicator that Evermore didn’t want to really be seen as some kind of good force to be cherished.

The chapel that Karl would take his Oath of Citizenship was dedicated to Menrva, the goddess of wisdom, war, weaving, and medicine. She’s known for being associated with Etruscan civilization, now parts of modern Italy. The No-Maj community saw her as someone that threw lightning bolts and helped Hercules but the reality was that she helped soldiers during war, giving them wisdom, medicine, and necessary survival skills.

Mar sat in the back while Karl went towards the front. The place was already pretty packed with over one hundred magical beings sitting there, chatting with each other.

For a majority of the almost citizens, they looked to be human or at least humanoid. There were a few that were obviously part supernatural creatures but Karl didn’t really care. It was a fairly common occurrence in which supernatural creatures registered for both magical and supernatural society. This dual citizenship allowed a lot of benefits but they usually ended up gravitating towards one specific society in the end, usually the supernatural community unless they were given a better opportunity or fell in love while in the magical world.

Karl sat down in between two witches that were talking to their own families. On his left was a young witch that looked to be in her mid-20s with blonde hair and green eyes while wearing a dark blue dress. She was talking with a man that appeared to be her husband, a man with dark brown hair and soft blue eyes in black slacks and a baby blue shirt. In between them were three little boys, all who looked nothing like them. One boy had red hair and yellow eyes, another had black hair and heterochromia eyes (one red, one green), and the youngest had dark blonde hair and silver eyes. On his right was a young brunette witch with dark brown eyes that looked to be in her early-20s. She was talking to, what appeared to be, her parents and possibly her son. All of them had the same dark brown hair and dark brown eyes with a slight tan, mostly indicated that they were probably Mediterranean. They each had nice clothes with the girl having cream dress and a black belt around her waist.

Everyone around him seemed to be happy for this day, surrounded by family and friends while he was alone, dreading this day.

By the end of the day, he would officially no longer be Karl Jacobs but Domeric Ambrosia. And by tomorrow, he’d be back in his childhood home.

When noon finally arrived, a member of the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services came, dressed in a dark blue suit, a white dress shirt, and a gold tie.

“Welcome everyone!” The man greeted them. “Today is the start of your American journey! From all countries, you have come to the USA to become citizens and seek better opportunities that you couldn’t find in your home country. I welcome you to the land of the free because of the brave!”

The man continued to drawl, talking about all sorts of nonsense that Karl drowned out.

“Everyone, please rise now, it’s time to take the Oath of Citizenship!”

Karl, along with everyone else, rose, straightening out his clothes and brushing off invisible dust.

“Please raise your right hand and repeat after me,” the man said.

Karl reluctantly rose his right hand, unenthusiastic about the entire thing. Everyone around him with radiating smiles though, a few even vibrating with how excited they were.

“I, state your name,” the man started off, “hereby declare an oath to absolutely and entirely renounce and adjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign magical state, society, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the Magical United States of America against all enemies, foreign, and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear magic and arms on behalf of the Magical United States of America when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me Evermore.”

Everyone repeated after him, with Karl stating his name as Domeric Ambrosia. Because that’s what his name is now, Domeric Ambrosia. The Oath of Citizenship for the Magical United States of America was almost identical to the Oath of Allegiance for the United Sates of America, the No-Maj version, at least word wise.

The difference between the two was that the Oath of Citizenship was magical.

After everyone recited the Oath of Citizenship, the man opened a wooden box and a ball of golden light exploded, bursting into golden threads that shot towards everyone. Golden threads with sparkles of different colors shot out from everyone’s chest, including Domeric’s, to reach out to the golden threads from the box. Once connected, they melded together, the sparkles of color changing to red, white, and blue and some sprinkles of black and gray. The red, white, and blue was obviously from the national colors but the black and gray was a representation of Magical USA’s acceptance of all kinds of magic. Every magical society had some kind of magic that was deemed ‘dark’ and therefore was banned. In the Magical USA, however, there were many magics that were labeled ‘dark’ but could still be used with proper guidance, the same rules applying to ‘light’ and ‘gray’ magic as well.

The Oath of Citizenship was changing the very essence of everyone’s magic, allowing them to be more ‘free.’ Those who had been suppressed from using ‘dark’ or ‘gray’ magic were now freed of those bonds. This part was called the Connection. Almost everyone that had just taken the Oath of Citizenship sighed in happiness and relief. The family with the three children on his left almost collapsed in relief, taking deep gulps of air, meaning they were probably a naturally ‘dark’ family that was in a ‘light’ society that heavily suppressed them. The family on the right almost looked equally as relieved. Their entire bodies shook with happiness and they stared at their hands in disbelief, unable to believe that the shackles on their magic were now gone.

“Welcome everyone, to the Magical United States of America!” the man cheered. “You’re now citizens!”

The new citizens cheered, hugging their loved ones and even random strangers, unable to stop their joy from showing. They were free and were much more happy than they ever could be in their previous countries. The two witches that he sat by gave him a quick hug before turning back to their families.

Everyone was taking pictures to commemorate this wonderful moment but all Domeric did was walk towards Mary, wanting to leave the place. He was glad that everyone was happy, truly, he was, but this was a nightmare. During the Connection, Domeric’s gold thread was smaller than everyone else’s, obviously since he didn’t have any usable magic, and had translucent sparkles, a clear indication that his previous allegiance was to a place that wasn’t magical at all.

“Let’s just get out of here,” Domeric muttered, walking towards outside of the magical barrier that would allow them to leave.

“Very well, Mr. Domeric,” Mary said. “We are allowed to stay at the hotel for one more night. Tomorrow morning, we will need to be ready to leave by 8 in the morning. We’ll go to the Ambrosia Estate where you will get settled in your room. After that, you’ll be meeting Eloise, your maid. She’ll be getting you ready to meet your mother for lunch. You’ll bet taking a few magical education classes and then at dinner you’ll be with just your mother. At 10 at night, you should be called to Head Ambrosia’s office.”

Domeric frowned as he listened to the schedule for tomorrow. He’ll be eating both lunch and dinner with just his mother, the one who couldn’t stand his Squib status the most. His father wouldn’t even be able to meet him until 10 at night. Even worse though was that he wasn’t going to be able to see his siblings.

“What about Alaric and Ryley?” Domeric asked.

“Mr. Alaric is finishing up business over in Italy while Ms. Ryley is over in Nepal escorting a few supernatural creatures back home,” Mary told him.

Domeric was unhappy that he wasn’t going to see his siblings yet but understood that they were doing important things. He felt a slight guilt for abandoning his biological family that were genuinely good people that helped the magical community as a whole but he wasn’t magical and that stopped Domeric from being involved with his family business.

“Very well,” Domeric muttered. “Let’s go to the hotel then.”

That night, Domeric Ambrosia and Mary Hale had a silent dinner of potato soup, toast, chicken Ceasar salad, and fruit salad. Domeric did his best to enjoy this dinner since tomorrow would be filled with awkwardness between him and his mother.

Looking at himself in the mirror right before he was going to bed, Domeric couldn’t help but hate how he looked. Karl Jacobs had fluffy brown hair and dark brown eyes with happiness. Domeric Ambrosia was meant to be perfectly groomed with not a hair out of place. He tried to savor the image of Karl Jacobs once last time before locking away his heart and memories of a good life.

…

Domeric was woken up at seven o’clock by Mary pounding on his door. He picked a lavender dress shirt, a black belt, royal blue slacks, and a pair of dark brown loafers. From now on, he would no longer be wearing oversized hoodies, soft sweaters, tight denim jeans, nor loose fitting sweatpants. Those were the clothes of Karl Jacobs, which he no longer was. He stared at his box that contained the memories of Karl Jacobs, placing it gently in his suitcase before closing it up.

Domeric and Mary ate a small breakfast of oatmeal and a fruit salad before checking out of the hotel.

“Are you ready, Mr. Domeric?” Mary asked, holding out her elbow.

“Not like I have a choice,” Domeric muttered as he delicately held onto her elbow.

Traveling like this always made Domeric feel nauseous but he learned to keep his stomach’s contents within him. His father’s favorite mode of transportation was teleporting away, finding it convenient and the most sensible option, which it is for magical beings.

The two of them landed in front of a black iron gate that had beige and gray stone lining the walls with black iron bars on top of the stone wall. The estate was obscured behind the physical barrier.

Mary pricked her finger and allowed one drop of blood to land on the black iron gates which then produced a keypad that allowed Mary to type in her personal passcode.

“Mary Hale, the dog jumped over the leprechaun,” Mary said. The voice recognition allowed her to enter and her phrase, which she got a knew one each day, was also recognized.

The black iron gate opened up to her and Mary ushered Domeric inside.

Behind the magical visibility barrier, along with the magical protection barrier, was the home that Domeric knew but also didn’t know.

When Domeric was a young boy, the Ambrosia Estate was a large orchid of trees with various magical objects but it was mostly open fields. There were rivers that ran along the sides of the estate with a few rivers passing through in order to reach the farms and wells that littered the grounds. The wells were connected to the intricate orchid system underground, allowing the trees to continue to grow. The estate wasn’t extravagant like most people would think of an obscenely wealthy family. There were no statues or rose gardens or hedge mazes or anything like that. It was a very humble place.

Now, though, the Ambrosia Estate was cluttered with vineyards, farm fields, irrigation systems, orchids, and so many other things. It looked like the Ambrosias made their wealth from farming, which wasn’t true at all. There were plenty of people doing field work, using their magic to either water the plants, pull weeds, or pick the vegetation. All of them looked to be fairly happy with their lives, smiling and laughing as they enjoyed their work.

Domeric followed Mary as she led him to a carriage that held a Thestral. Thestrals were beautiful black skeletal horse creatures that couldn’t visibly be seen by humans unless they experienced death, usually when they saw someone die in front of them. Domeric, however, gained the ability to see Thestrals when he was nothing but a babe in his mother’s belly. When he was five months old in his mother’s belly, someone tried to assassinate his mother. The poison that she ingested had reached Domeric and caused him to temporarily die. However, doctors were able to heal her and Domeric. He had been dead for a total of twelve minutes when he was brought back to life.

Mary could also see the Thestral because she was in the United State Magical Marine Corps and had seen a fair share of her comrades die.

Domeric entered the carriage while Mary took the reins on the Thestral. The Ambrosia Estate was too large and they needed to have a carriage in order to get to the actual dwelling. Obviously, teleporting was permitted within the area but Domeric wasn’t officially keyed into the wards yet and so the house wouldn’t recognize him and would perceive him as a threat that needed to be eliminated.

Domeric looked outside and kept on seeing rows upon rows of medicinal herbs, magical plants, fruits, and vegetables. It was a very beautiful sight, one he had never seen while in the No-Maj community. The only thing that compared in beauty was Jimmy helping so many people and so many different causes with Beast Philanthropy. The brunette knew that everything that was growing on his family’s estate wasn’t for themselves but others because Head Ambrosia is just like that. If they were to use anything that they were growing, the Ambrosias would personally pick it out themselves.

The brunette felt his eyes start to droop, the carriage providing a relaxing rhythm to his sleepy body. The scenery was calming and the scent of fresh fruit and vegetables lulled him into a sense of security and warmth, something he wasn’t going to feel once he spent time with his mother.

“Mr. Domeric,” Mary said while gently shaking his shoulders.

Domeric blearily opened his eyes, not realizing he had fallen asleep while on the carriage.

“Welcome home,” Mary softly said, opening up the carriage and patiently waiting for Domeric.

Domeric left the carriage and stared at his childhood home.

The base of the mansion was beautifully carved gray and beige stone bricks. It wasn’t a castle with large spikes but a mansion, more modern looking despite having been built over three thousand years ago. The trimming was a polished black walnut that encased the tall glass walls. The mansion looked like a ski resort, an open plan that allowed for the residents to see the natural beauty of its surroundings. There were a few changes here and there but the basic structure remained the same.

Domeric knew that his mother never really liked the plan for the main house and instead lived in a side mansion when her husband was gone for long periods of time. She was a British Pureblood and they loved their castles made of stones and bricks with overly expensive colorful mosaic window portraits that were meant to be admired and not used as an actual window. The side mansion was a gift by Domeric’s father to his mother in order to make her feel more at home.

The Ambrosia Main Mansion had over fifty bedrooms but most were used as extra storage. There was already five basement floors dedicated solely for storage but even some of the bedrooms were used for storage as well. Realistically, Domeric knew that they could have just one room that was magically extended but that took a toll on the estate’s magical wards. More than eighty percent of the estate’s magical wards was used to protect the estate, fifteen percent used to enrich the grounds, and the remaining five percent was used to maintain the five ‘mansions.’

There was the Main Mansion, which was used mostly for research and storage; the second consisted of the single people who worked at the estate; the third was really a small village that held those who weren’t single that worked at the estate, including their families; the fourth was secluded from everyone else and was a place to relax; and then the fifth one was the mansion that was built for Aldercy.

Domeric entered the mansion and was escorted upstairs into his bedroom.

Despite what many people would assume of a mansion, Domeric’s bedroom was fairly normal. Sure, it was larger than most master bedrooms but it wasn’t obscenely huge.

The flooring was red oak and the walls were a light maple wood. There was a large crystal chandelier that hung from the center but that was more for aesthetic reasons since the entire place was lit up by magic. He had a king-sized four poster canopy bed. The four posters were made of a Brazilian rosewood and little branches were carved out to add to the nature feeling of the room. His sheets were a soft beige with accents of olive green. He had a small balcony that was just large enough for a chair and an end table to be placed outside. He had his own bathroom and a walk-in closet along with his own study room.

“Eloise will be coming up at ten o’clock,” Mary said as Domeric continued to take in his room. “I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Where are you going?” Domeric asked her.

“Head Ambrosia has asked me to help the American Hunter Network with escorting supernatural creatures back home,” Mary informed him. “Most of the staff is currently trying to help feed those who will be displaced from the Revelation.”

“I understand,” Domeric said. “Thank you for your services. I hope you stay safe.”

Mary nodded before leaving.

Domeric spent the rest of the morning just familiarizing himself with his bedroom and taking care of his precious few belongings as Karl Jacobs.

Knock! Knock!

A witch that physically appeared to be in her early-20s opened the door. She was in a classic black and white maid outfit with her blonde hair being pulled in a bun, blue eyes shining with gentle care. On her dress near her left chest was a pin with the Ambrosia family crest. Around her left wrist was a simple gold bracelet with a black band, indicating she was a servant for the Main Mansion but worked as a personal maid.

“Good morning, Mr. Domeric,” she politely greeted him, dipping her head and bowing at a forty-five degree angle. “My name is Eloise Chantilly, your personal maid. I am here to get you ready to meet with Lady Ambrosia.”

Domeric grimaced at that, wishing he didn’t have to see his mother so soon. Still, he wasn’t going to make Eloise’s job difficult.

Domeric was gently guided into the bathroom where he was told to strip and get in the bathtub.

“Woah! Wait!” Domeric said, waving his hands frantically as Eloise started adjusting the temperature of the already full bathtub.

“What is it, Mr. Domeric?” Eloise asked as she dipped her hand in the water before waving her wand, dissatisfied with the temperature.

“I don’t feel comfortable with a girl bathing me,” Domeric muttered, feeling self-conscious. He didn’t have any issues with his body but he still had those No-Maj ideas that he grew up with.

“I promise that I can properly do the task at hand,” Eloise told him, slightly miffed at the implication that she couldn’t perform her tasks.

“Th-That’s not what I’m saying,” Domeric rushed to say, slightly stuttering over his words.

“Mr. Domeric,” Eloise said, standing up to her full height, which wasn’t much at 5’4”, hands on her hips, “I am an Ambrosia maid. I know how to do my job. Please let me get you ready to meet Lady Ambrosia. There is not much time left since I was a little late due to helping with meal preparations at the village.”

Domeric swallowed down his guilt and let the smaller person get him prepared.

The bathtub was filled with a nice milk and honey bath bomb that was actually good for his skin, making him silky smooth. His shampoo and conditioner smelt of a fresh pine forest and sweet berries. When he got out, Eloise slathered his legs and arms in a softly scented vanilla lotion that felt cool and refreshing. His cologne also smelt of a pine forest, keeping him sweet and woodsy which Domeric didn’t think would work but actually did. His hair was gently gelled with his hair combed to the side in artfully placed waves.

Eloise even worked on his fingernails and toenails, tutting at how they were painted, claiming that the paint was harming his overall health. His eyebrows were plucked and his lip hair was removed, making his face silky smooth. Eloise even put a foundation on his face to emphasize the clearness but it was so light that Domeric didn’t even feel the icky make-up at all.

She started dressing Domeric too, forcing him in a variety of shirts and slacks before finally setting on her favorite pick. She put him in a light blue dress shirt, dark blue slacks, a brown belt with a gold buckle, and light brown loafers. It was simple yet classic.

Eloise’s wand started vibrating when she started spritzing on another light layer of cologne. She jumped slightly but then turned around, plucking the wand and stopping the vibrations.

“It is time to have lunch now, Mr. Domeric,” Eloise softly informed him. “Please, let me show you where you will be eating this afternoon.”

The two walked to the first floor and when Eloise led them outside, Domeric was surprised, not expecting to have to go outside.

When Eloise started leading him towards his mother’s personal mansion, he understood.

Why should Aldercy Ambrosia leave her personal mansion when her husband wasn’t home?

Aldercy’s Mansion looked like a castle but it was much smaller than the main mansion, only being two stories with ten bedrooms and a single basement floor. The castle was made of a mixture of stone bricks and limestone with very few windows. The windows were narrow and some were made of multicolored glass, nice to look at but not practical to use. The house screamed obnoxiously rich and pompous, similar to the castles over in Europe.

The front of the mansion was neatly trimmed with a relatively small water fountain in the center, colorful rose patches deliberately placed in rows, and hedges that outlined the property of the mansion.

It smelled too clean and rose sweet that made Domeric feel somewhat nauseous. Even as a child, he had never enjoyed going to his mother’s mansion. It was artificial and didn’t fit in with the rest of the estate that screamed freshness and natural smells that were musky yet subtle.

To this day, Domeric never understood why his father stayed with his mother. They were very different from each other, the only thing they had in common was the fact that they wanted to help others. His father did that through humanitarian efforts and charity work while his mother did that through legal work.

Domeric was led to the dining room that looked exactly like something out of a movie about royalty. The table was obscenely long with a perfect white table cloth. The plates were made of the finest white China while the silverware was made of actual gold and silver. The centerpieces were bouquets of flowers that were probably shipped from some foreign place and magically preserved to last for months. There was a crystal chandelier that was above the center of the dining table.

At one of the ends of the table was Aldercy Ambrosia, already patiently waiting for her son.

She had sharp cheekbones, pale skin, a slender nose, and delicately trimmed eyebrows, all signs pointing towards a long lineage of careful breeding in Europe. Her hair was a pale blonde in the front but darkened in the back, the normal signs of a blonde aging out of their bright hair color. Her stone gray eyes were sharp and narrow, full pink lips pursed as she looked at her youngest son. She wore a simple black dress with straps, showing off her sharp collarbones and slender body. Resting on her chest was a heavy diamond necklace set with several diamonds connected together, growing thicker towards the middle, each diamond strand ending with a teardrop of sapphire surrounded by smaller diamonds. Her earrings were designed just like the sapphires, surrounded by little diamonds. Though she didn’t have her hands up, Domeric knew that she was most likely wearing an expensive diamond bracelet that matched the necklace and earrings. The only simple jewelry she had was her wedding and engagement rings. Her wedding ring was placed closest to her heart and was a simple band of gold with the inside being engraved with Love, Amlet. Her engagement ring was also very simple with the band being shaped into rose gold vines with small diamonds. The main diamond was fairly small, no more than one carat.

“Good afternoon, Lady Ambrosia,” Domeric politely greeted his mother, detached and unfeeling.

Aldercy grimaced but decided to not say anything too rude.

“Good afternoon, Domeric,” Aldercy started off, voice light and elegant. “Please, have a seat next to me.”

She gestured towards the seat on her right and Domeric had no choice but to walk across the room to sit next to her. The table was long, easily able to accommodate fifty guests, usually family and old acquaintances over in the UK.

The kitchen staff came out as soon as Domeric sat, presenting lavish yet carefully thought out dishes.

In the magical world, as well as the supernatural world, food is a precious thing. There aren’t any real big companies that mass produce but instead farmer’s guilds that gather under one name. Food grown from magic is only as good as those who nurture it. Food can easily be accelerated through magic but the taste and nutrients are subpar. Food that is individually plucked and carefully tended to are much more delicious. This is called the Farmer’s Touch which states that when plants and vegetation are grown by magicals with minimum magic, better quality product is produced. The mana from the magical beings are soaked into the plants and lovingly cared for. The plants and vegetation are able to understand and connect with the magical taking care of them and are more willing to produce better quality products from food to medicine.

The lunch appetizer was a bed of leafy greens and brightly colored vegetables grown on the Ambrosia Estate. It was dressed in a light vinaigrette that cut through the earthy flavors of the salad.

Both Domeric and Aldercy had their glasses filled with water and ice, the only accepted drink at the Ambrosia Estate while having meals. It’s a tradition to have nothing but water in order to not muddle any of the natural flavors. Though some wines and alcohols pair better with certain meals, Head Amlet refuses to budge from this strict family tradition. However, when partying and having snacks, other drinks are accepted.

“Welcome back to magical society,” Aldercy stiffly said as she carefully ate her salad, making sure not to let a single drop of vinaigrette spill on her outfit.

“Thank you,” Domeric awkwardly said, not sure what else he should say. Going back to magical society wasn’t his first choice and if it hadn’t been for George Schmuckatelli he never would have come back to this place.

“How was your time living with the No-Majes?” Aldercy asked, her voice somewhat strained, unsure of what to say to her son she hadn’t seen in almost two decades.

“My family was wonderful and I enjoyed being with them,” Domeric told her bluntly, not trying to sugarcoat his words. The Jacobs were his family, not the Ambrosias. He wished he had been born as Karl Jacobs and not Domeric Ambrosia, it was as simple as that. He didn’t want any of the luxuries that the Ambrosias had if it meant that he was a Squib, was being sent away by his family for not having magic, and rarely ever saw his father and siblings. The Ambrosias cared so much about others that they ignored each other.

“Both Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs are decent examples of No-Majes,” Aldercy reluctantly admitted while she held her fork in a white-knuckle grip, trying to control her anger. The Jacobs were nice people and took care of her youngest child but they weren’t his family, not biologically speaking. Whether Domeric liked it or not, she was the one that gave birth to him, she was his mother, not Mrs. Jacobs.

“How would you know?” Domeric asked, scowling while also somewhat curious. Aldercy Ambrosia was a nosey woman and she had the resources to manipulate and control a lot of things. Could she have put a surveillance on them or hired a private investigator? If so, why hadn’t they come to take Domeric beforehand?

“You could say it is a mother’s intuition,” Aldercy vaguely told him, not giving him any intel.

The two ate the rest of the appetizer in silence.

When the main course came, Domeric was surprised to see one of his favorite dishes: Seafood Pot. It’s a steamed pot of fresh seafood with vegetables. The great thing about the Seafood Pot is that all kinds of seafood and vegetables can be put in with the goal of the dish being to harmonize all the ingredients, similar to the Japanese dish Chikuzenni. In the dish was South African Sea Red Kraken, Blue-Back Lernean Hydra, Pink-Belly Scottish Selkie, and Black-eyed Arctic Sea Serpent. The vegetables consisted of a variety of mostly root vegetables such as daikon radishes, various colored carrots, burdock root, lotus root, and parsnips.

It was a fairly heavy dish and not one Domeric expected to see, especially not for lunch. Most likely, those in the village were celebrating something and created a large portion of Seafood Pot which was then delivered to Aldercy for her lunch with Domeric. The Seafood Pot is known as a celebratory dish, usually to celebrate the birth of a son or a royal family member.

“Was there a celebration today?” Domeric asked as he took a small sip of the broth, instantly being hit with salty, fishy, savory, and earthy flavors. It was a heavy dish but it was washed down with the water, cutting into the overwhelming flavor.

“The staff celebrated the birth of three sons today,” Aldercy told him as she cut through her Hydra to get a small piece. “Two are twins and the other is the first child of the family.”

Domeric smiled, happy for those people. Once upon a time, he thought of having children of his own. Being in the No-Maj community, he had always expected to either marry a girl or adopt a child of his own since males giving birth isn’t something that’s scientifically accepted. Domeric knew that same-sex pregnancies were a thing considering his twice paternal great grandparents were both males that produced four children.

Domeric hoped to one day get over his feelings for Jimmy and find a nice boy or girl and settle down, marrying them. He’d have hopefully two children, one boy and one girl. They’d live in North Carolina and grow old together while still keeping in touch with his friends that were part of the Beast Crew and the Dream SMP. He had so many dreams of sunshine and daises that was brutally ripped away.

The Seafood Pot was cooked to perfection with each flavor blending together and Domeric’s favorite part had to be the Sea Serpent. The parts that are used in the Seafood Pot are fatty and smooth, and easily able to digest. The outer part of the Sea Serpent is firm, similar to shark meat which helps to warm the fatty inside and keep all the nutrients inside.

Once they finished eating, they sat in silence while the plates were taken away. Since it wasn’t dinner, they wouldn’t be having any desserts.

Aldercy left once the table was cleaned, leaving Domeric alone until Eloise came to get him.

“Mr. Domeric, it’s time for your magical education lessons,” Eloise informed him.

Domeric left his mother’s mansion, feeling just as uncomfortable as before. They didn’t talk and the silence was filled with tension and awkwardness with neither side knowing how to bridge the gap between their estranged relationship.

For the rest of the afternoon, Domeric was tutored by three different professionals.

The first subject was on magical world history starting over three hundred thousand years ago, skipping past the magical theory of how the world was created. He was introduced to the first civilization of magic, Leystrode, which is now in northern Brazil.

The second subject was etiquette which Domeric despised with a passion. Though it wasn’t about balancing books on top of his head, it was still a pain in the ass. It was less about etiquette and more of a communication class instructing him on how to not offend people. His mother gave his tutor permission to give him a subtle shock whenever he did something wrong. Luckily, the tutor wasn’t abusive and properly educated him though Domeric knew that the No-Maj community would see this as child abuse. Whether he liked to accept it or not, pain really was the best teacher.

The third subject was potions. Since it was his first day, Domeric was given a test, that was over thirty pages, to get a grasp of his basic potion knowledge. From then, the tutor would be able to outline a pathway so that he could one day get a basic potions degree.

Domeric wanted to collapse when he finished that arduous test. He answered, at most, three questions correctly. None of the answers were multiple choice so he couldn’t guess either. Potions was a difficult degree but as a someone with no accessible magic in a magical society, he didn’t have many options.

He was still in his same clothes when Eloise arrived.

She freshened him up a bit, using magic to get rid of the sweat and wrinkles. She carefully styled his hair, wetting it a little to dehydrate the gel specks that were now in his hair. More cologne was added along with a fresh coat of foundation after she washed off his original layer. Once again, she escorted him to his mother’s personal mansion, the sun no longer shining but a beautiful moon glistening in the night.

The great thing about living at the Ambrosia Estate was that there weren’t any city lights, allowing the moon and stars to illuminate the sky. A few fairies provided light as well as they traveled to their place of work or to harvest their food. There was a large colony of fairies that lived at the Ambrosia Estate that not only helped illuminate the night but also provided gentle care and love to the fields, especially the medicinal fields. They were a part of nature and understood it better than magical humans or magical humanoids.

If Domeric wasn’t dreading meeting his mother for dinner, he’d be enjoying the mesmerizing sights. It was like the scene of a romantic movie but this wasn’t a movie and it wasn’t happy. This was a normal night at the Ambrosia Estate, nothing especially interesting or unique.

Once again, his mother saw at the head of the table. However, her gaudy jewelry was replaced by simple gold jewelry. Her necklace was a thin gold chain with an intricate gold heart with diamonds while her earrings were large gold hoops.

“Good evening, Lady Ambrosia,” Domeric greeted her.

“Good evening, Domeric,” Aldercy greeted him. “Please, have a seat next to me.”

Once again, Domeric sat to the right of his mother and patiently waited for the food to be served.

The appetizer was potatoes and seared scallops on a bed of greens. It was a simple dish and yet elegant and refined, a work of art.

“How were your lessons today?” Aldercy asked as she sliced her potatoes and scallops into smaller pieces.

“They were fine,” Domeric said. The truth was that they were exhausting and made him want to rip his hair out in frustration but he wasn’t going to tell her that. If anything, she’d probably make a snide remark about how they wouldn’t be hard if he had become a Hunter like he was supposed to become.

“Once you have a basic degree in potions you will be working with a Potions Master. Amlet and I are already looking at potential mentors,” Aldercy told him, voice gentle yet firm, as if she was stating a simple fact of life.

Domeric scowled at that though. Already his life was being planned out. He wouldn’t be surprised if his mother had already arranged a marriage for him. If his father had any say though, Domeric would be able to make his own choices, which ultimately meant that he was going to die without a romantic partner. He could give up his love for Jimmy if he found a genuine boy or girl that could love him humbly and quietly but not someone from the magical world or the supernatural world. They didn’t understand basic love and compassion that No-Majes could feel for each other. Their love was innocent while the magical and supernatural world were not. Domeric couldn’t even think of one couple in either world where their ideal day was spending a night in and cuddling up on the couch to watch a movie or a favorite TV show while drinking some tea, a lazy night.

“My ideal career does not involve potions though,” Domeric said through gritted teeth as he stabbed harshly at the potatoes and scallops.

“If potions does not suit you then what else?” Aldercy sharply asked him. “What can you do for the magical society that does not involve using magic?”

Domeric gritted his teeth because despite her harsh words, his mother had a good point. What could he do without magic? There was no way he’d be able to become a Hunter, not like he’d want to be one, since his parents were going to be much more controlling. It wasn’t that they were cruel but it was the fact that the magical world was currently on lockdown. They weren’t going to risk Domeric going to the No-Maj community.

“It appears you have no retort,” Aldercy smugly told him as she sipped some of her water. “Now, eat and stop being so rude.”

The brunette followed her orders and finished his appetizer angrily while Aldercy delicately ate.

The entrée was seared North Yukon Red-Winged Dragon belly on a bed of angel hair pasta with locally grown butter and fresh herbs. It was a somewhat light dish that was filled lots of flavors due to the protein but subtle in its seasoning. There was a side of roast vegetables and a small fruit salad.

“Even though you might not appreciate the career path I have set for you,” Aldercy suddenly brought up, “your father has allowed you some privileges as long as you behave for the foreseeable future.”

“What has Head Ambrosia deemed as ‘privileges?’” Domeric sarcastically said.

Judging by the frosty glare that his mother sent him, she didn’t appreciate the tone he had when talking about his father.

“One such privilege Amlet deems rewardable, which I was against, was allowing you to go shop at the farmer’s market at least once a week.”

Domeric huffed, not really caring about cooking but if it meant that he could leave the Ambrosia Estate for a few hours he was all for it.

The two continued to eat in silence. Aldercy was used to the food but Domeric wasn’t.

The Dragon belly was a delicious piece of meat and high-quality too. Unlike the No-Maj community, the magical and supernatural worlds are able to get their meat through volunteer means. All sources of meat that everyone eats as donated by the supernatural creatures. The North Yukon Red-Winged Dragons willingly donate their own meat. All supernatural creatures can regenerate their bodies, including the meat. Each Harvest Donation sight has doctors that are trained to overlook the harvesting and administer the correct about of medicine to allow the supernatural creatures to recover. The incentive is that for each pound donated, they are able to have that same amount of free food whether that be meat, fruits, vegetables, grains, or dairy. Most Harvest Donation sights have at least one of the Doctor Ryans overlooking them, at least in the USA.

“The farmer’s market is usually open twice a month, every other Saturday,” Aldercy informed him. “Amlet will give you an allowance of five hundred dollars per month once I have deemed you safe from running away again.”

Domeric wanted to scream once his mother said that. Of all the family members, his mother was the least forgiving. Domeric forgiving George Schmuckatelli for running his life was more likely to happen than for his mother to deem him not a flight risk. It was cruel, giving him hope only for that to crash and burn right before his eyes.

“What do you have planned next?” Domeric sarcastically asked her. “Do you already have an arranged marriage for me?”

Aldercy’s eyes narrowed when he said that. She was once in an arranged marriage and while she had grown fond of her former fiancé, she didn’t love him. Her younger years were spent in self-loathing and trying to become the perfect Pureblood wife. Meeting Amlet had changed her life, for the better. Though she still had a few habits that she just couldn’t shake, arranged marriages had always struck a nerve with her. Her arranged marriage had almost stopped her from being with the love of not just this life but hopefully all of their lives. She would never put her children through the pains of an arranged marriage. She hated the practice.

“Watch your tongue,” Aldercy frostily snapped at him. “I would never put any of my children through an arranged marriage. In fact, I would not wish an arranged marriage on any of my adversaries.”

Domeric shut his mouth after that and kept his head down. It was rare that his mother ever got angry from what he remembered of his youth. She was cold and collected, always being able to play the political game with finesse. As a British Pureblood, she was raised on politics from marriage to friendships, everything had to have some kind of political gain in order for it to be worthy of pursuing.

Domeric groaned mentally, hating the fact that a dessert was being served as well. He just wanted to leave his mother’s sights already. Today had been exhausting and all he wanted to do was lay in his bed and forgot the nightmare that had become his life.

It was nothing too intricate, just a round vanilla cake with a raspberry filling in the center and a hard dark chocolate coating. When he split open the ball, the raspberry oozed out. It was a simple yet beautiful dish, only the best for his wealthy and posh mother.

The tartness of the raspberry balanced out the natural sweetness that came from the vanilla cake while the hard dark chocolate coating added texture to the softness of the dessert.

Aldercy was the first to finish eating since Domeric was somewhat playing with his food, moving it around yet not eating it.

“Good night, Domeric,” Aldercy stiffly told him before leaving the dining room and heading towards either the library or her bedroom.

Once she was gone, Domeric pushed his plate away and told Eloise that he wasn’t hungry anymore.

Though Eloise would usually scold someone that didn’t finish eating, she understood that it had been a very difficult day for him. Most children would be excited to see their family after so long but not Domeric. He left the No-Maj community due to his own safety but also the magical world’s safety, it wasn’t out of happiness.

…

Domeric laid in his bed, the sheets silk smooth and the mattress soft yet firm, making sure that he didn’t drown in his bed. He stared at the ceiling and wished he was staring at a cream colored ceiling instead of a canopy. He hated the silky sheets and wished for soft cotton that hadn’t been washed in two days. He didn’t want to see large evergreen trees and fields of various plants and vegetation when he looked outside his window but instead the suburban homes that dotted the street, a few lights being on for those that worked late at night from home or kids that stayed up past their bedtime.

He wasn’t home and that was never going to change. He couldn’t reach for his smartphone and call Jimmy, Chris, Chandler, Cory, Sean, or his adoptive parents. All contact was cutoff and he wished he had been allowed to say goodbye. It hurt to know that they probably think he just abandoned his family. He loved them more his own life but he would never forgive himself if the entire magical world was harmed due to his selfishness.

The brunette Squib still didn’t know about any of the news in the No-Maj community and at this point, he was afraid. What if his friends and family thought that the magical world was full of freaks that need to be experimented on? What if they believed that all magicals should be collared? It made Domeric shudder because he never realized that his biggest fear was his friends and family rejecting him for being a Squib until the possibility of that being a reality was too close for comfort. He had been rejected by his biological family for not being able to access his magic, what would he do if his friends and family also hated him for something he couldn’t control?

That night, Domeric sobbed into his pillow because he was living a nightmare that he couldn’t wake up from. He was in a gilded cage, unable to escape and yet there was a noose around his neck. If he tried to find happiness in the No-Maj world then he’d be constantly on alert, just waiting for the death sentence to appear.

…

Aldercy Ambrosia got dressed in the morning, the day after she saw her youngest son for the first time in almost two decades.

She loves Domeric, no question about it. She was ashamed of how she reacted towards his Squib status. In British Pureblood society, Squibs were treated even worse than Muggleborns because they didn’t have magic. The fear of never being good enough was always there and she knew that if she gave Horatio Urquart, her childhood fiancé, a Squib for a child, she’d be beaten within an inch of her life for failing as a Pureblood wife.

Amlet had been so loving and caring, understanding of Aldercy’s temporary flight of insanity. He had suggested a therapist and over the years, she had gotten better but that didn’t mean things were perfect. But Amlet loved her nevertheless.

When Domeric ran away from not only the magical world but also the supernatural world to be with the No-Majes, Aldercy about fainted. She had wanted to go after him to make sure that he was safe but Amlet had stopped her.

He had given her a sad smile and told her to not chase after him. She had screamed, kicked, and punched at Amlet to let her go but all he did was hold her until she starting sobbing in his arms. Once she had calmed down, he informed her that he had already placed a surveillance team on him to see where he went.

When Domeric found the Jacobs family in North Carolina, the irony of that, Aldercy saw nothing but green. Domeric had been filled with pure joy at being adopted by the Jacobs family, finding siblings with Cory and Sean.

The surveillance team did their job, taking video and photographs of each of Domeric’s life as a non-magical child.

Aldercy saw pictures of his first day in elementary, middle, and high school. She saw him win debates and play tennis. Most of all, she tortured herself by looking at all the vacation photos and the kisses he gave his adoptive family, especially Mrs. Jacobs.

She’s a wonderful woman that Aldercy loves and hates at the same time. Mrs. Jacobs raised Domeric into a fine young man but she had also stolen the role of his mother. Hearing her son call another woman ‘mom’ tore her heart into pieces.

But Aldercy knew to never interfere. Her son was happy, something she could never give him. She had magic and Domeric didn’t. He would never be able to fit in the magical world while Aldercy could never fit in with the No-Maj world.

On occasion though, Aldercy would go out and watch her son from afar under invisibility cloaks, potions, or spells, just to hear his voice and joy as he interacted with his friends and family. He had found his place in the world, how could Aldercy ever interrupt that?

But life was cruel and when George Schmuckatelli revealed the existence of the magical and supernatural worlds, she knew that her son’s life was happiness was over. Mere minutes after George had revealed everything on February 16, Amlet had left her side and had not once appeared again in the past month. He was too busy trying to keep the magical world safe, how could she ever resent him for being a good person? Her other two magical children were doing the same. While she wanted to help with the humanitarian effort, Amlet had instructed her to manage the Ambrosia Estate, making sure that the food and medicine was being shipped properly.

Amlet had also told her, five days before the Anthony Padilla Interview aired, that Domeric was coming back into the magical community and would be an official citizen of the Magical United States of America once again.

Aldercy wasn’t happy that Domeric was coming back not because she didn’t love him but because she knew that he would be miserable.

And she was right. She knew that Domeric still resented her and she couldn’t blame him. Their relationship was strained and there was nothing she could do to fix that.

When she was properly dressed in a maroon colored belted tunic dress, gold heels, and a simple gold chain necklace, she left the Ambrosia Estate, informing her personal butler that she’d be gone for an hour or two and that she was not to be interrupted unless it was an emergency.

She transported out of her personal mansion and went to the MACUSA Mall, going towards the Department of Homeland Security.

She required a small Portkey that would allow her to instantly travel back to the MACUSA Mall if there was an emergency. With the lockdown currently in-progress, very few were allowed to leave the magical barriers. As the wife of Head Ambrosia, she was allowed to leave as long as it wasn’t for more than an hour.

With the permission to enter the No-Maj community, Aldercy transported directly to North Carolina.

…

Aldercy landed behind a designated Portkey spot in the suburbs of North Carolina. She was in a place she was all too familiar with.

Walking a few streets over, she found the correct one and walked down until she reached the house that she was searching for.

Taking a deep breathe, Aldercy did her best to calm her nerves. This was an important meeting. In fact, this was probably the most important meeting of her life.

She rang the doorbell of the suburban home that was filled with happy memories and lots of love.

The door opened and Aldercy’s breathe got stolen.

The woman that opened was much older looking than Aldercy but Aldercy knew she was much older at seventy-six years-old. She had wrinkles and laugh lines. Her once naturally brown hair was now dyed a darker color to chase away the naturally growing gray. Bright brown eyes shined with curiosity as she looked at Aldercy, a complete stranger to her.

“Hello,” Aldercy softly greeted her, bowing slightly. “My name is Aldercy Ambrosia. Are you Jennifer Jacobs, Karl Jacobs’ mother?”

The woman narrowed her eyes and eyed her suspiciously but nodded her head nonetheless.

“His birth name is Domeric Ambrosia and I’m his mother.”

The woman teared up but looked furious at the same time.

“Who are you really?” She spat out. “I’m Karl’s mother, no one else! I’ve lost my son and for you to even joke about something like that is utterly disgusting! You should be ashamed of yourself!”

Aldercy kept her composure, understanding that this was the most likely outcome. In her eyes, Karl had been alone, either orphaned or abandoned. They took him in at just five years-old and cherished him like their own child. A random lady that looked to be in her mid-20s claiming to be his biological mother was a ridiculous notion. It was the truth though, whether she liked it or not.

“I understand that you’re upset,” Aldercy patiently said, “but I really am his biological mother.”

“If you’re his mother,” Jennifer sneered, “then why did you abandon him and come for him just now?”

“My husband and I both have magic,” Aldercy cautiously said. “Our two eldest children have magic and we expected Domeric to have magic as well. Due to a random genetic mutation, Domeric was born, unable to ever access his magic.”

“So you threw him out because he didn’t have magic?!” Jennifer growled. “You heartless bitch!”

“That is NOT the reason!” Aldercy snarled at her, temporarily losing her cool. She knew that her own son believe that was the reason but it wasn’t. She wasn’t going to let a stranger scold her. “It would be cruel for Domeric to grow up, surrounded by magic when he couldn’t use it. He was meant to live with American Legacy Hunters.”

“Oh?” Jennifer sarcastically asked. “So, you wanted him to be abused instead?”

“They do NOT abuse their children,” Aldercy snarled, her hands clenching into fists. If Jennifer hadn’t raised her son for several years, Aldercy would have punched her in the face already. “Either way, Domeric ran away and found you and your family.”

“See? Karl saw that he was going to be discarded by his family and then abused,” Jennifer smugly told her. “You’re no mother after all.”

Aldercy did her best to calm down. She needed to stay cool and collected because the chance of Jennifer telling the world about this encounter was very likely. Under no circumstances would it be okay to leave a mark on the No-Maj.

“Domeric felt insecure about not having magic and he had never been a physically active child,” Aldercy explained. “He left but my husband made sure that he was under constant surveillance. He would have been perfectly fine if he never found you.”

“A child should never be living on the streets,” Jennifer spat at her. “They need tender love and care from the people around them. You call yourself a mother but that’s such a joke.”

“Look,” Aldercy sharply said, sick and tired with trying to convince this stupid No-Maj that she wasn’t an abusive parent, “I came here to talk to you about Domeric’s current whereabouts.”

Jennifer’s arrogant smile faltered at that. She peered at Aldercy but nodded, urging her to continue talking.

“Are you aware of the general public demanding that Hunters, supernatural creatures, and magical beings should be collared?” Aldercy asked.

“Of course,” Jennifer said. “It’s just a precaution though!”

“Domeric still has magic,” Aldercy simply told her. “He might not have access to it but he’s still considered a magical being.”

Jennifer’s face paled at that statement, her hands shaking ever so slightly.

“If you look deeper, then you’ll see a large amount of people that want to do ‘research’ on Hunters and magical humans in order to find cures and test resistance,” Aldercy mentioned.

“No one would need to know that Karl has magic though,” Jennifer insisted. “He’d be safe! Jimmy, his friend Jimmy, is also very influential, he wouldn’t allow Karl to be hurt!”

“There’s more people that want someone magical to be experimented on than those who support Jimmy,” Aldercy matter of factly stated. “Magic can be detected and someone would eventually figure out a way to track it. He would be taken to a lab and be experimented on. Domeric understood this and accepted that being in the magical world was the safer option.”

“But… But…” Jennifer stuttered, trying to find the right words. She wanted her son here but at the same time, this magical lady that was claiming to be Karl’s biological mother was right. The opinions of the magical and supernatural worlds weren’t favorable. The woman hated to admit it but she also agreed that there should be laws that restrict the privacy of those that belonged in the magical and supernatural worlds. They were a danger to society and Jennifer wanted her family to be safe!

“I understand that this is hard to take it,” Aldercy softly said, “but came here to just thank you.”

“Thank me?” Jennifer asked, her face scrunched in confusion. “Why?”

“When I learned that Domeric hadn’t become a Hunter, he was already going by the name of Karl Jacobs,” Aldercy started off. “I wanted to take Domeric back because my opinion of No-Majes, non-magical humans, weren’t the greatest at the time. My husband stopped me though and showed me photos and videos of Domeric being happy. As much as I wanted to take him away, I couldn’t. I wanted him to be safe and happy and that’s what he found with you.”

Aldercy looked at the ground, struggling to spit out the words she needed to say.

“You were a better mother than me to Domeric,” Aldercy spat out, her heart aching at that sentence. “I could never make him that happy because I have magic and he doesn’t. We live in different worlds and it hurts. But you, you took him in and raised him as if he was your own son.”

“He is my son,” Jennifer brokenly said.

“He is,” Aldercy admitted. “And because he saw you as his mother, I wanted to personally let you know about why he’s gone.”

“I…” Jennifer didn’t know what to say, it was all too overwhelming.

“Good day, Mrs. Jacobs,” Aldercy softly said, turning around to start heading back to the teleportation spot.

“Wait!” Jennifer said, grabbing Aldercy’s wrist and turning her forcibly around. “How long are you going to have him? Will I ever see him again?”

Aldercy pursued her lips at that. She knew the answer to the first question but not the second one.

“Until the general public isn’t threatening the safety of the magical and supernatural worlds, Domeric will be staying with his biological family. As for if you’ll see him again…” Aldercy hesitated, not sure what to say. Amlet was fine with supervised visit after three or five years but Aldercy wasn’t so sure. It might be due to jealousy of her son calling another woman his mother but she didn’t feel safe in letting the Jacobs anywhere near her son. She just got him back, why should Aldercy have to share him?

“I don’t know,” Aldercy ended up muttering. “I’ll let you know. I can contact you at any time.”

Jennifer tried to find the right words to say but Aldercy was already too far gone.

The only connection to her son was disappearing down the streets. Her heart was aching and Jennifer wondered if she’d ever see her son again.

The world was filled with unknowns and the future seemed bleak and dark with no glimmer of hope.

Two families were divided by prejudice and the desire for safety.