Chapter 9
Storytime
Lei and Damon entered the dining room and took their seats. Leilani cleared her throat, “Before anything is said or done, I need you all to promise not to speak of anything you hear or see here tonight.” She looked around the table waiting for a response. Jeremy stood up first, “I promise not to speak of anything that happens here tonight to anyone outside of this group.” Bonnie was next, “I promise not to speak of anything I see or hear tonight to anyone except who is here.” Elena was next, followed by Caroline, Stefan, and lastly Damon. “Now that is out of the way. We’ll eat then move into the den so we can explain everything. Um, don’t freak out.”
Everyone but Fenrir and Hermione were confused. “Winky!” Several serving dishes appeared on the table. And of course, they all jumped and freaked out. Hermione, Fenrir, and Lei paid them no mind and served themselves. Getting over the shock from the food appearing out of nowhere, the rest of the table filled their plates with a little of everything.
As the group migrated to the den, the table cleared itself. Lei smiled at the faces of her guests, “Come on. It’s storytime.” Once everyone was comfortably seated, Lei began, “First, I’d like to introduce Fenrir and Hermione Greyback. Hermione is my sister in everything but blood, and Fenrir is her husband. The three of us are from another dimension. Myself and Hermione are witches, and Fenrir is a wizard.” “Can you prove it?” Bonnie asked. “I can. Although I have a feeling you already know,” Lei tilted her head slightly. Bonnie thought about what she saw and felt from Leilani, she gave a slight nod.
Lei pulled her wand from her thigh holster and cast her Patronus. The buck circled around the room, and all eyes followed it. Everyone in the room felt at peace, and safe. “This is my Patronus, his name is Prongs. The Patronus is used to repel a very dark, soulless creature called Dementor. Prongs can also send messages. But I’m getting ahead of myself.” She canceled the spell and Prongs vanished, leaving the room feeling a little colder.
“I’m going to summarize my life so we won’t be here all night. Please wait until the end to ask any questions. In our dimension, the world itself is pretty much the same as this one. There are a few differences we have noticed since we got here. Magic, for example, in both worlds is sentient. Magic flows through the Earth and can be channeled. Both worlds have those who can channel this magic, but that is where the similarities end.
In our world, Magic flows through the Earth but also within our bodies. We are born with what is called a magical core, it flows through us like blood. If our core depletes we fall into a magical coma, and if our core dies, we die. Not every person in our world has magic, and those who do tend to live in secret, hidden societies in fear of persecution. Those born with a magical core are sent to a school to learn how to control the magic as well as learn skills to live within the Wizarding World.
“Now, here’s where it gets complicated. I’m going to backtrack a little bit so you can get an understanding of why we left that dimension.” Lei took a deep breath to steel her nerves. “In the 1950s, Tom Marvolo Riddle, a dark wizard, sought to take over the Wizarding World. He spent the next twenty years plotting, planning, and gathering followers which he called Death Eaters. Some joined him willingly because they believed in his cause, others joined out of fear. He would jinx, trick, or blackmail those who did not want to join. In those twenty years, he also did some unspeakable things. Fashioned himself a new name since he was named after his father, a man who abandoned him moments before his birth.
“His mother had used magic to falsify the feelings of love for her. On the day Tom was born, the magic wore off when labor began and Riddle left the woman who claimed to be his wife and unborn child on the streets of London. Tom’s mother died after giving birth and naming him. He grew up unloved in an orphanage. Fast forward to his sixth year in school, Tom learned of a very dark piece of magic. So dark that finding any text on it is impossible for most.” Lei gazes at Hermione for a moment.
“A ritual that can anchor someone’s soul to Earth, in a way granting that person immortality. The anchors are called Horcrux. To create a Horcrux one must commit murder in cold blood. Murder damages your soul, tears it apart. That torn piece is then painfully pulled from the body and stored in an object. As long as that object remains undamaged then the soul will stay anchored.”
Lei was sitting in an armchair staring straight ahead while she told her story, “The damage to one’s soul alters that person. Their appearance, personality, sanity, everything about them changes. By the time Tom created his final Horcrux, he was unrecognizable. Tom, or as he started calling himself Lord Voldemort, had created seven Horcrux. Well, the seventh was created by accident.” Leilani became lost in her memories.
Hermione called Winky during Lei’s moment of silence, “Winky? Would you mind bringing some tea and some calming draught?” A tray of tea appeared on the coffee table in front of the group. The kettle poured several cups, adding calming draught to just the teacup given to Lei. Each person was sipping on the hot beverage as Lei continued. Damon wished he had Bourbon instead, but didn’t want to be rude. Everyone was too interested in their story to refuse any kind of hospitality.
“This will hopefully make sense in a moment.” Lei was thankful for not being interrupted, “Tom believed that only those who are pure are worthy to have magic, anyone else was considered less than. There are three main statuses of blood purity, Pureblood, Half-Blood, and Muggle-Born. Purebloods are those born to families that can trace their magical lineage several hundred years. Half-Bloods are as they sound. One parent is Pureblood and the other is either Half-Blood or Muggle-Born. The word Muggle is a term used for those without magic. Muggle-Borns are those who were born to families with no history of magic in their lineage whatsoever.
“Tom wanted a world where only Purebloods had magic and everyone would be subjugated to slavery. His loyal followers, the Death Eaters, agreed. In 1970, Tom started a war. He had taken advantage of the prejudice that already existed and recruited creatures that were outcasts by wizardkind. His army of Death Eaters, werewolves, and giants wreaked havoc and destruction everywhere they marched.
“The name Voldemort struck fear in those who heard it. It got to the point where his name was a taboo, replaced with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who. In the tenth year of the war, at the height of his dominion, a prophecy was given by a descendant of a famous seer. It described how his reign would end.”
Lei stood up and started pacing, “Merlin, I hate prophecies. The prophecy stated; “The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…Born to those who thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…And the Dark Lord will mark them as his equal, but they will have power the Dark Lord knows not…And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…” - Verbatim by Sybill Trelawney.
“That prophecy destroyed my life.” Lei stopped pacing and sunk back into her chair. “Tom only heard half of the prophecy from his spy. All Tom knew was a child born at the end of July would be his end. So, he did what you would expect. Every child born towards the end of July that year was to be found and killed. At that time, there were only two. Myself and one other. Families of both defied Tom three times, so we fit. Both families had also gone into hiding. Tom had decided to pick me. When he found my family, he killed both my parents. My father was killed without hesitation, but he gave my mother the option to stand aside and let him kill me, or die alongside me. She refused to move, she pleaded, begged for him to spare me but in the end, it didn’t matter. Her sacrifice activated very ancient magic, her love for me created a sort of shield around me.”
Lei had tears in her eyes as she relived the memory, “When he aimed his wand and cast the killing curse at me, the majority of it hit the shield and backfired, killing him instead. In the aftermath of his body dying, what was left of his soul split again, turning the only living thing in the room into a Horcrux. An accidental Horcrux.”
Lei removes the glamour hiding her scars and pulls her hair to one side to reveal the faded scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. Dropping her hands into her lap caused her short sleeves to bunch up. Lei’s tattoo of Padfoot could be seen poking his head out. Caroline was sitting across from Lei and got distracted by the tattoo, “Aww, cute tattoo…Oh my god, it moved!”
Lei sighed, “Alright you three, move to my arms.” The room watched as a buck, wolf, and a Lycan tattoo covered her arms. She introduced each one, “The buck is Prongs, he represents my father. Padfoot is the black Grimm with gray eyes, he represents my Godfather. Lastly, Moony. He is a Lycan, a different breed of werewolf. Moony was my second Godfather. They can move because the tattoo artist was a wizard, he added some of his magic to the tattoos.
“Anyway, we went off track. From the night my parents died until my eleventh birthday, I lived with my aunt and her husband and son. I don’t consider them family due to the abuse throughout the years. On my eleventh birthday, I got a letter, delivered by an owl, stating I was invited to this school. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” Elena, Damon, and Jeremy snickered at the name.
“I met my best friends on the train to school,” Lei gestured to Hermione. “My other best friend at the time is back there. The three of us got along at first, but Ron was an ass and said some things that hurt Hermione. Then after an incident that got us in trouble, the three of us were inseparable. I won’t go into detail about everything, it would take too long.” Hermione suggested, “We’ll gather the memories and show you all another time if you like?” “You can do that?” Bonnie is curious about their magic. Lei bit her lip and nodded her head, “We can. We’ll plan it out because there are so many memories to go through.”
Fenrir stood up, “It’s time for me to check on the Sanctuary.” Hermione stood with him, “Alright love.” She kissed him on the cheek before he walked into the basement where they kept Hermione’s Sanctuary. Damon, being paranoid of the newcomers, asked Lei, “Where’s he going?” “Fenrir is starting our nightly routine by making sure nothing is out of place,” Lei gave a vague answer. They did not want to tell these people everything upfront, not until they knew who to trust.
Leilani leaned back in her chair, looking at the ceiling, “This story is going to take forever. I’m going to stop for now since it is a school night. But I want to talk about why I initially invited Jeremy over. I’m glad you all came with him, so I don’t have to repeat myself.” She pulled her wand and cast, “Accio Marauder's Map.” The map she had used so many times flew into the room, landing in her hand. “That’s useful,” Bonnie said.
“Earlier today, during the last period, I had asked Jeremy to help with a project Hermione and I are working on. We are mapping out the town, a detailed map that is up-to-date. The map will be enchanted like this one.” Lei set down the map on the coffee table and said the password, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” The layout of Hogwarts started to fill in the blank parchment. “I’m amazed the map is working, considering we’re in another dimension,” Hermione commented. “Me too,” Lei smiled at the name she saw, “Rubeus Hagrid. He was the one to take me shopping for my school supplies before my first year. A kind heart that sometimes got him into trouble. He had a fascination with dangerous creatures. He had tried to keep a dragon as a pet once.”
Hermione cleared her throat, “The map of Mystic Falls will work like this one. You’ll be able to see everyone in town, whether you know them or not. Leilani thought it would benefit the town to know if someone has come into town with nefarious intentions. We would have some way to find them before a situation would get out of hand. We would like your help plotting the map to speed up the process.”
“Once it’s done, I am going to paint a still of the map without the names of the citizens onto the bare wall in the history classroom. Labeling all the landmarks complete with dates of significant events in this town. That way the school admin can see the end result of what several students had worked on. A sort of alibi considering the task can be done during my class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.” Lei looked at everyone in the room.
Jeremy had brought the sketchbook. He set it on top of the Marauder’s Map and opened it to the first set of sketches. “The town center is done.” He turned a few pages over, “And I started on the route from the town center to my house.” The sketches were rough and needed the details to be filled in. “I can work on sketching my neighborhood, and pan out a few blocks,” Bonnie suggested. “I can do the same. But what if we start to sketch something already done?” Caroline asked. “I thought of that,” Hermione tapped her wand on the sketchbook, “Gemino.” The sketchbook copied itself six more times for a total of seven sketchbooks. “Each of the sketchbooks is linked to the other. So, when one is drawn in, the others will show that progress as well.”
“This is amazing. I can’t wait to show my grams,” Bonnie thought to herself as she was scanning her sketchbook. She completely forgot about the promise she made.
Lei stood up from her chair, “Well, this has been an interesting evening, to say the least.” Everyone stood up and stretched before they all migrated to the front door. Jeremy was the last one to leave, “Thanks for dinner. I’m sorry about them. I told Elena I was coming here for dinner but she didn’t believe me. Then the rest kind of followed her.” Lei waved it off, “It’s alright. Made it so I didn’t have to explain everything multiple times. You have a good night, and I will see you Friday.” “Goodnight Miss Evans,” Jeremy walked down the stairs to Stefan’s car.
Hermione came and stood next to Lei, “Did you jinx them?” Hermione nodded her head, “During dinner. They won’t be able to say anything to anyone. Are you sure it was wise to reveal magic to them?” Lei shrugged, “No. But that bunch is involved with some kind of magic one way or another. And I have this nagging feeling things are going to get interesting soon.”