A New Chance

Céleste Dubois

Hope POV:

It has been two weeks since Céleste stormed into Rousseau's, she's been more erratic lately. Theo has been working on meditation, doing online school, and going to the gym. I made him a necklace to protect him from any fatal injury, magically caused or otherwise. It would allow him to walk around in public, after saving him from the vampires he seemed to follow me about more in free time.

I gave him complex compulsions, not allowing vampires to take him anywhere he didn't plan to be during the day. He knew that when he was older he would be made into a hybrid, Henrik and I grew quite fond of him. I had introduced him to my small circle of witches. Everyone was in the know about each other's supernatural status, at least for the girls and Theo.

I went to St. Anne's Church, the slaughter hadn't taken place. Father Kiernan approached me, "Welcome, St. Anne's opens its doors to all fellow travelers. I'm Father Kiernan, is there anything I can help you with?" he greeted with a smile. "It's a sincere pleasure to meet you, Father. I'm Hope Marshall. While it's true that I'm a traveler; I wish to help you with a couple things if you'd let me." I told him as I shook his hand.

"Are you looking to donate?" He asked, trying to not be suspicious of me. "In a couple ways. I'll give you funding, but I also want to give this place some protection. I'm imbedded with the witches of the French Quarter Coven. I'm trying to dissolve it from the inside out. Agnes is a threat, she will curse Sean to kill his fellow seminary students and then himself. I can show you if you don't believe me." I told him bluntly.

"Why would Agnes curse Sean?" He asked, voice cracking. "It would be easier to show you." I told him. I offered him my hand, as he placed his in mine, images flashed through his mind. Him not agreeing with the Harvest Ritual and Agnes cursing Sean being primary. Then Cami coming along, not leaving when asked, eventually leading to the Father's death. Then Cami's inevitable death.

He fell to his knees, weeping at his future loss. "Father, it doesn't have to be this way. Let me ensure your family's safety. Would that be alright with you?" I asked him gently. He nodded vehemently, unable to speak yet. I made a pentagram on the floor and walls, then making them invisible. "No dark magic will be effective here." I told him, handing him three pendants. "These will protect you from supernatural afflictions." I continued explaining.

He led us to his sitting room. I reached into my bag, pulling out five million dollars. "You may be tied to these lands, but if I were you I would take the money, your family and leave. I know about the magical artifacts that are in your possession. I'll quadruple the money if you give me them and leave." I let him think about the offer.

"I have a feeling that Cami will be drawn here no matter what. Do what you can to protect her. I would be very grateful to accept the money." He responded. I vanished the money and pulled out a twenty million dollar check. The cash was just a good representation of what I'm capable of.

I called Henrik on my walk home, "It's time for Céleste to finally rest. I didn't mean for that to rhyme." I told him. "I will withhold commentary just this once, I'll handle the witch tonight." He responded. "Remember, leave Sabine alive. Bring her back to the house." I told him before he hung up.

8 hours later

Henrik came in carrying an unconscious Sabine over his shoulder. He put her down on the couch, "I threw up black goo after siphoning that much dark magic. Eventually I'll learn how to use it as a fuel instead of getting sick." He told me getting himself a blood bag. "Despite being an Original, dark magic will fuck up your mind. Purge it when able." I told him, showing what happened to Josie when she was consumed by black magic.

Sabine woke with a start, "Where am I? Who are you?!" She asked frightened. "Hello Sabine, I am Hope Marshall, this is Henrik Marshall. You were possessed for an unknown amount of time by a long dead witch. We have been working to find the right time to free you. Do you prefer wine, whiskey, rum anything you want we have." I told her finishing by making drinks.

"Vodka neat, thank you for rescuing me. I felt as if I was in a deep pool; I could see through my eyes but my body and mind were not mine anymore." She explained. "I can't imagine what you've been through. But now that you are back in control, there is much to discuss. Such as the Harvest Ritual." I told her, handing her a glass of vodka and its bottle.

"I know it's a barbaric practice, but how else are we supposed to retain our magic and our connection to our ancestors? The girls always come back, stronger and more capable than ever." She responded. "The French Quarter Coven will be dissolved. I know the girls that will be selected, we have formed our own Coven. Agnes is only out for herself, she doesn't care about anyone." I paused to get a drink.

"How can you know all this?" She asked. I reached out, grasping her arm. Showing how Agnes killed innocent people, how ancestors took the place of the Harvest Girls coming back. "We can't allow this to happen, is that understood?" I asked, using magic to sway her to our cause. With the drinking and magic, she was much more malleable to my wishes.

"Understood, what do I need to do?" She asked, I took a sip of my drink before responding. "I want you to report any secrets that aren't being shared with the whole French Quarter Coven. Specifically from Agnes, Bastianna, and Mrs. Claire. If anyone shares views of going forward with the Harvest go along with their views as to not raise suspicion." I told her.

"I can do that." She responded. "Here is a pendant and an invisible arm cuff, visible from the underside of it, don't take them off. They'll protect you from dark magic interference. If they have dark objects that they try to use on you, it won't take effect." I explained putting the arm cuff on her left arm.

"What's the last few things you remember before being possessed?" I asked. "The girls were little, maybe ten at the time. I think they were just discovering their magic." She answered. "It's been a few years then. It would have been longer had we not intervened." I responded.

"All you need to know is that the girls must be protected and the Harvest must be stopped. Sacrificial and ancestral magic isn't all that's out there. Stay here I'll be back." I told her. Henrik followed me to another room, "I'm considering telling her the truth. She will be here frequently, it'll be weird for her to see me drink blood as a witch." I told him.

"As long as she won't run her mouth. Make sure that doesn't happen and there's no problem." He replied walking back into the room. When I returned to the room, "I'm going to be completely honest with you. You are the only person that will currently have the true knowledge about Henrik and me." I began.

"I thought you were Marshall's. I haven't heard about any Marshall witch family but I didn't really think about it." She responded confused. "Henrik isn't a Marshall, he is Henrik Mikaelson, Original Heretic. I am Hope Andrea Mikaelson. My mother was a Marshall, her last name was our cover. We aren't from this timeline. Ours ended with an asteroid destroying the world. In this world my mother hasn't met my father yet. We are here to change things, you'll be a part of that." I told her using my magic to influence her to stay on our side.

"I can promise that those who are loyal will be treated extraordinarily well. We punish traitors in ways worse than death. Join us and get things you never dreamed of having." Magic was seeping from my words. "I'm in. Let's do this shit." She told me. I walked her home, then protected it from dark witches entering.