Daughter of a Witch

Chapter One: Strange Familiarities

The morning began like any other in the Harkness household. Y/n, knee-deep in an advanced spellbook, was in the middle of a training session with her moms. Sunlight filled the cozy living room, but the atmosphere was charged as Agatha watched her daughter's every move, her expression both encouraging and expectant.

"Remember, Y/n," Agatha instructed, her tone calm yet firm. "A spell like this is all about anchoring your energy, keeping it centered."

Y/n nodded, though a bit of doubt flickered in her eyes. "Easier said than done," she muttered, her fingers tracing through the air, drawing shimmering shapes with her dark pink magic.

Rio smiled, a bit softer than Agatha but no less watchful. "You've got this, sweetheart," she encouraged. "Don't rush it."

Taking a deep breath, Y/n tried again, murmuring the words under her breath as her fingers glowed brighter. But something in the air shifted. The symbols she'd created began to pulse and twist out of her control, expanding and warping as if the magic were trying to break free.

"Y/n-stop!" Agatha said sharply, stepping forward to shield her. But it was too late; the spell snapped, and a surge of energy filled the room, bathing everything in blinding light.

When the light faded, the room was silent. But then Y/n gasped, her eyes wide as she took in the two figures in the center of the living room.

Agatha stepped protectively in front of her daughter, her stance cautious as she assessed the two strangers. But they weren't strangers-not really.

Standing before them were much younger versions of her and Rio. Younger Agatha looked sharper and more severe, with her hair falling in dark waves around her shoulders and a wariness in her gaze. Young Rio, meanwhile, wore an expression of curiosity mixed with tension; her body slightly turned toward Young Agatha as if prepared to defend or retreat depending on what her partner did.

"Where are we?" Young Agatha's voice was guarded, her eyes scanning the room with suspicion. "And who..." Her gaze landed on Modern Agatha, her eyes narrowing. "What... or who are you supposed to be?"

Modern Agatha exchanged a glance with Rio, who nodded subtly, signaling her wife to stay calm. "I'm... you," Agatha said, her voice gentle but steady. "From a future, you can't even imagine right now. This-" she gestured to the room around them- "is our home."

Young Agatha's eyes flashed with disbelief, and she took a defensive step backward. Her gaze darted to Y/n, narrowing as she took in the teenager partially hidden behind her modern self. Young Rio's eyes followed, landing on Y/n and lingering there as a flicker of recognition crossed her face.

Y/n shifted nervously, but she met Young Rio's gaze, noting the cautious curiosity in her mother's eyes. And to her surprise, she could see something of herself in this young woman-the warmth in her gaze, the familiar curve of her smile. Y/n swallowed, unsure of what to say.

Young Rio's eyes moved back to Modern Agatha; her brows furrowed in question. "And... who is she?" she asked, nodding toward Y/n, her voice quieter, more tentative.

"This is our daughter," Modern Rio answered, her tone soft but full of pride. She gestured for Y/n to come forward, though she kept a gentle hand on her shoulder, sensing her daughter's nervousness. "Her name is Y/n. She's... well, the reason we have this life."

Young Rio took a step forward, her gaze flicking between Y/n and Modern Rio. "Our daughter?" she repeated, her tone softening, a hint of awe in her voice as she looked at Y/n's features more closely. "She... she looks like you," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.

Young Agatha noticed it, too, her eyes narrowing with suspicion and wonder. "She has your eyes," she murmured, glancing at Young Rio, who gave her a hesitant nod.

Y/n felt her cheeks flush under their scrutiny, unsure what to do with other young parents who looked instead as if they couldn't quite believe what they saw. "Um... hi," she managed, her voice shaky. "This is probably... a lot."

Young Agatha's gaze snapped back to her older self, her expression again guarded. "If this is real, then prove it," she demanded, crossing her arms. "I don't trust this. If you are us... tell me something only I would know."

Modern Agatha met her younger self's challenging gaze. She knew exactly what she would say. She straightened, her voice softening as she recalled the memory. "You remember... the day we left Salem? You took one last look and told Rio that you'd be alright as long as you had her."

Young Agatha's mouth fell open, and she took an involuntary step back, her eyes wide with shock. "I..." Her voice trembled. She looked at Young Rio, who seemed equally stunned and swallowed hard. "No one else knew that," she murmured, almost to herself.

Young Rio reached out, resting a hand on Young Agatha's arm, her gaze softening as she turned to Modern Rio. "This is real, isn't it?" Her voice held a quiet wonder as if she was finally allowing herself to believe it.

Modern Rio nodded, her eyes glistening. "Yes, it is. And it's a life we built together-a safe, loving life."

Young Rio's face softened, her gaze retracing the room, taking in the small details-the photos on the wall, the well-worn books on the shelves, the comfortable furnishings. "You mean... we have a home? A family?"

Modern Agatha's heart ached to see the disbelief on her younger self's face. She took a step closer, her tone gentle but firm. "Yes. It wasn't easy, but we did it. We made it out of Salem and created a life for ourselves. And this," she gestured to Y/n, "is the most beautiful part of it."

Young Rio's gaze returned to Y/n, her expression softening with awe. "Our daughter..." she repeated as if she could hardly believe it. Her eyes lingered on Y/n's face, her gaze full of wonder and a hint of vulnerability. "You're... beautiful."

Y/n felt a slight smile tug at her lips. "Thank you. And... it's nice to meet you," she said shyly, unsure if it was the right thing to say to a younger version of her mother.

Young Agatha, however, still looked guarded. "And what do you expect from us?" she asked, her tone laced with suspicion. "Why bring us here?"

Modern Agatha shook her head, sighing. "We didn't intend for this. It was an accident-a spell that went awry during Y/n's training." She looked directly at her younger self with a soft, almost pleading expression. "Please, let us show you that this is real. You're safe here, I promise."

Young Agatha's eyes flicked from her future self to Y/n, then back to Modern Rio, weighing her options. Slowly, she relaxed, though the tension in her shoulders remained. "Fine," she said cautiously, giving Modern Agatha a wary look. "But I'm still watching you."

Modern Rio smiled, reassuringly reaching out to take Young Rio's hand. "It's alright. You can trust them. You can trust us."

Young Rio gave a slight nod, and her gaze softened as she looked at her future self. "I believe you," she murmured, though nervousness lingered in her expression.

The room was silent for a moment, filled with an unspoken understanding. Young Agatha's gaze softened ever so slightly as she studied her daughter and the life she would eventually come to have.