Original Vampires, Welcome to New Orleans (The Originals Seasons 1 and 2 Fanfic)

Chapter 11: An Invitation to Dinner

A couple days later... 

Hayley stood at the table, grabbing a grape and nibbling on it. 

'So...' she asked, 'which restaurant is missing a compelled chef?' Klaus walked out next, looking at the spread of food on the table. 

'It was certainly a card I played in the past,' he remarked, 'but I had no hand in this.' 

'Oh, well, then I guess we have Elijah to thank.' 

'This wasn't my doing,' Elijah said, coming down the steps, and I walked just behind him. 

'Then where did all this come from?' I asked. Just then the one plate on the table that was covered with a round lid began to shake. Klaus reached forward cautiously and opened it, and two small birds burst out from it and began to fly away, making all of us step back. What was left there was a note on the silver platter. 

'What the hell was that?' Hayley asked in surprise. Klaus reached for the platter and opened up the note. He looked up at Elijah. 

'An invitation from our mother.' 

Klaus stood on the balcony, reading the note, and walked back in to see Hayley lying on the bed. 

'It is times like this that I am really glad I never knew my mother,' she remarked. 

'We have enough enemies here, and now the war for our home is to be fought against my own family,' Klaus replied. 

'Your wretched mother and her disciples tried to put a carving knife through our baby's heart. I will happily add to the body count.' 

'You will do no such thing,' Elijah replied, coming into the room, he and I standing next to each other. 'Esther is a master in the art of possession. We know whose body she currently inhabits. We must decipher her intentions before she finds a new host.' 

'Well, her last invitation was an assassination attempt on all her children, including me,' I replied. 'I think we can assume her intentions are decidedly foul.'

'Well, then, Lilliana, we have... this afternoon to prepare for the worst,' Elijah said. 'Come,' he added, and I turned and walked out with him. Klaus went to walk out too, remarking to Hayley, 

'Bloom is off the rose, I see.' 

'Shut up,' she snapped. 

Across the river... 

Elijah and I walked into the main room of the new building that Marcel owned and was currently training vampires in. 

'Wondered when you'd show up,' Marcel remarked, looking up at us. 'Your pupil is waiting. It's not like you to shirk your responsibilities.' 

'As you well know, she is not my burden to bear,' Elijah replied, fussing with some item on a desk. 'You turned her. You teach her.' 

'Why'd you come?' 

'I'm looking for a cooperative witch,' Elijah replied. 'More specifically, we are,' he added, gesturing to me. 

'Well, I don't know where Davina is, and given the fact that she's got your father on a leash, I wouldn't put her in the cooperative category.' 

'Not Davina. Perhaps another witch on another leash.' 

'What makes you think I got another witch?' 

'Perhaps the daylight ring on your new librarian,' I shot back. 

'Good point. My memory's a little shaky. Lucky for you, though, I know someone who can help.' He turned to the girl. 'Gia,' he called. She walked over to Marcel and the two of us. 'Why don't you take Elijah and his girlfriend to meet our friend Lenore?' 

'If this is your idea of a joke, I'm not amused,' Elijah replied. 

'Oh, there's nothing funny about what's going on. Mikael is back; witches causing chaos. It just seems like you need all of the friends that you can get.' The two of us turned and left.

Some time later... 

Gia, Elijah and I walked into Lenore's shop. 

'Go away, I'm busy,' the woman behind the counter snapped, who I assumed was Lenore. 

'Just blatantly practicing magic, I see,' Elijah replied. 

'Herbal remedies for a neighbour who lost her insurance, but my guess is, an Original ain't here to talk neighbourhood gossip.' 

'I have a favour to ask.' 

'The Quarter is crawling with witches. Go ask one of them.' 

'Don't typically ask favours of my enemies.' 

'So you come across the river to bother me.' 

'It's unfortunate, isn't it?' Elijah asked. 'Bureaucracy has not been kind to your community. Those tax incentives on local businesses, been stalling for months. Of course, a persuasive person could potentially remove any red tape.' 

'I'm listening.' 

'A certain someone, let's say... a witch, has a troublesome tendency of jumping into other people's bodies. When she does so again, I'd like to know into whom she jumps.' 

'Soul branding. It's a sacrificial spell. I'm gonna need an item that's been spelled by the witch in question and a python.' 

'I shall retrieve the enchanted item. My partner shall take care of the python.' I let out a quiet chuckle as I heard Gia let out a disgusted noise. 

'What?' she asked incredulously. Elijah turned. 

'Second lesson of the day... acquisition through mind compulsion.' 

'How the hell do I do mind compulsion?' she asked. She snorted in exasperation and walked out of the building after Elijah and I. After a few moments, the door bell of Lenore's shop rang again.

'Can I help you?' Lenore asked without looking up. Finn Mikaelson, disguised as Vincent Griffith, came up to her. She met his eyes.

'I'm most certain that you can.'

Later that evening...

Elijah carried two wine bottles to the dinner table.

'Are these outfits really necessary?' Klaus complained, fixing his suit cuff.

'Appears as though we are showing respect, Niklaus,' Elijah replied, placing the bottles down. 'Mother will be more likely to surrender her true intentions.'

'Well, I doubt her guard will drop just because I'm dressed like a bloody lawyer,' Klaus sniped.

'You look good, Nik,' I replied, walking in the room in a dark blue, off the shoulder dress, red curls delicately placed over my shoulders.

'We need every advantage we can get, Niklaus,' Elijah said.

'You always did excel at diplomacy. Just know if she tries anything, I'll tear her new body into pieces.' Just then an unfamiliar laugh sounded throughout the room.

'You two haven't changed a bit,' someone said, walking into the room, who I presumed was at least one of the witches working with Esther. 'Linens and silk can't disguise your pathetic self-loathing, and you - despite the arrogant facade, you're still the same paranoid little boy full of hate and fear.'

'Forgive me,' Elijah said, placing something on the table and walking forward. 'I don't believe we've had the pleasure.'

'You mean, you don't recognise me? So much for the unbreakable bonds of family. Always and forever, indeed.' The witch looked at me. 'Hello, Lilliana - or should I say Elijah's girlfriend? I don't believe we were well acquainted.' I frowned, and Elijah shifted his position so as to be slightly in front of me.

'It's been a long time...' Klaus said softly, and we looked at him. 'Finn.'

'Now that the introductions are out of the way... let's eat.'