Two squibs and a witch (Version 2)

Chapter 4: The Journey to Germany

The journey to Germany was nothing short of a whirlwind for Jane. Leaving the warmth of Amara's company behind in New Orleans, she now found herself stepping into a world far more mystical and imposing. The flight was long, and during the hours in the air, her thoughts constantly circled around the family she had only just discovered. The curse that tied them all together felt like a puzzle piece she couldn't fully see, but now, with Charlotte Veroslava Meyer as her next target, she hoped things would become clearer.

After arriving in Germany, Jane took a train that wove through rolling hills, dense forests, and small villages, all drenched in autumn's golden light. The further she traveled, the more the world seemed to feel removed from the ordinary. As the train neared her destination, Durmstrang Institute, Jane felt a strange sense of both anticipation and dread.

Durmstrang itself was a fortress of dark stone, perched high on the cliffs overlooking a fjord. The sight of it sent a shiver down her spine, its towers rising into the misty sky like sentinels guarding secrets centuries old. Unlike any building she had ever seen, it radiated an otherworldly energy. The castle's dark, austere architecture made it clear—this was a place of ancient magic, where power and knowledge intertwined in ways Jane could only imagine.

Her heart pounded as she approached the iron gates. Tall and imposing, they stood before her like a final test of her resolve. Taking a deep breath, Jane knocked. A gargoyle perched above the gate stirred, its eyes flickering to life as it peered down at her. After a tense moment, the gates creaked open slowly, granting her entrance into the world she had never been a part of, but to which her bloodline undeniably belonged.

Inside the gates, the grounds were quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves or distant sound of students practicing their spells. Jane felt utterly out of place, surrounded by magical creatures and figures cloaked in robes. A staff member, dressed in traditional Durmstrang garb, led her silently through a maze of corridors until they finally arrived at the grand library.

As the doors swung open, Jane was greeted by the smell of ancient parchment and the soft glow of candlelight illuminating rows upon rows of towering bookshelves. In the center of the room, a solitary figure sat at a large oak table, her back turned toward Jane. The woman's presence exuded an unmistakable air of elegance and authority.

Charlotte Veroslava Meyer was the epitome of grace. Her long, brown hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a dark, tailored robe that only added to her commanding aura. Even from behind, Jane could tell that Charlotte was unlike anyone she had met before—there was a confidence in the way she sat, her posture perfect, her head tilted slightly as if she knew Jane was there before she had even announced herself.

"Charlotte?" Jane's voice broke the silence, her words hesitant but filled with purpose.

The figure turned slowly, revealing a face that mirrored their shared bloodline—a refined version of the Huofeng lineage's striking features. Charlotte's sharp cheekbones and dark, almond-shaped eyes seemed to glow with an inner light. Her lips curled into an amused smile as if she had been expecting this moment.

"You must be Jane Velvette Tolans," Charlotte said, her voice rich and velvety, with a hint of an accent Jane couldn't quite place. "I assume you've come about the Huofeng family... and the curse?"

Jane swallowed hard, caught off guard by how direct Charlotte was. "Yes," she managed to say, her voice steadier than she felt. "I've come to find out the truth about our family, and... to stop the curse."

Charlotte's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. She rose gracefully from her seat, her movements as fluid as water, and gestured for Jane to sit. "You've traveled a long way. There's much to discuss, but first, I must know—how much do you understand about what you've uncovered?"

Before Jane could respond, Charlotte waved her hand, and in an instant, a floating, glowing communication device appeared, crackling with magical energy. Within moments, Amara's voice came through the static, familiar and grounding amidst the overwhelming atmosphere of Durmstrang.

"Jane? Can you hear me?" Amara's voice was calm but carried the weight of someone who had been waiting anxiously.

"Yes, I'm here with Charlotte," Jane replied, grateful to have her cousin with them, even through magical means.

Charlotte's lips twitched in amusement. "A clever way to communicate, though I prefer more... traditional methods. Still, I suppose it'll do." She settled back into her chair and crossed her legs, her eyes never leaving Jane's. "Now, tell me everything you've learned so far."

Jane launched into the story of how she had found the book, the strange pulse of magic she had felt when reading about the curse of Mywo Xianshen, and the letter she had discovered, leading her to both Amara and now Charlotte. She spoke of their ancestors, the Huofeng family's tragic fall from grace, and the curse that had been placed upon them by the witch who had been wronged.

Charlotte listened intently, her expression unreadable, though her eyes flickered with interest when Jane mentioned the curse. When Jane finished, the room fell into a heavy silence.

"So, you know about Shuimei Huofeng," Charlotte finally said, her voice measured. "But do you know why this curse still clings to us after so many generations? Why it's remained dormant, only to stir now that we are all connected?"

Jane shook her head, feeling the weight of her ignorance. "No, I don't. That's why I came here—to find answers."

Charlotte rose and walked toward a nearby bookshelf, her fingers gliding across the spines of ancient volumes until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out a thick, black-bound book, its cover emblazoned with intricate silver designs that seemed to pulse faintly with magic.

"This is the true history of our family," Charlotte said as she placed the book on the table between them. "It's more than just legends and folklore. It contains the answers you seek, but those answers come with a price."

Jane stared at the book, feeling both drawn to it and wary of the knowledge it held. "What kind of price?" she asked cautiously.

Charlotte's eyes darkened. "To break the curse, we must first understand its origin. The witch Mywo Xianshen did not curse our family out of spite alone. The curse was born from betrayal, and it has been feeding on our family's guilt ever since." She paused, her gaze intense. "But there's more. The curse can only be undone by someone who carries both the blood of Huofeng and the magic of Mywo."

Jane's heart sank. "But I don't have magic."

Charlotte's smile was sharp, almost predatory. "Perhaps not yet. But there's something you need to know, Jane. The curse is not just a burden—it's also a gift. Hidden within it is the key to unlocking powers that have been dormant in our bloodline for centuries. You may be a squib now, but that may change as we draw closer to breaking the curse."

The gravity of Charlotte's words hung in the air. Jane felt the weight of her destiny pressing down on her, the path ahead more dangerous and uncertain than she had ever imagined. But alongside that fear, there was a flicker of hope—a hope that, perhaps, she was not as powerless as she had always believed.

With Amara's voice still crackling through the magical device and Charlotte's intense gaze locked on hers, Jane knew one thing for certain: this journey was far from over. Together, they would uncover the secrets of their past, and perhaps, in doing so, they would unlock the magic that had been lying dormant within them all along.