The book of Shadows:
Chapter 1:
My name is Maggie Lorna Blackwood and I'm a witch.
Maybe it's time to explain that last bit, since I know what you are thinking. Black cat, green skin, pointed hat and a broomstick right? Well, the only one of those I do have is a black cat but that's way to complicated for now. I'm a witch, with my magic passed down through the Blackwood family tree that had existed since the destruction of the Roman Empire. Of course, there is a whole network of Blackwoods all over the world. Of course every family is a little strange but the Blackwoods outdid them all, with a few accidental fires that distroy cities or irreversable transformations into furniture or the occassional creation of sock monsters who only eat the left sock. Yes, my family is a little strange but you've got to love them. Their quirky smiles, obnoxious laughter and two heads instead of one (long, long story).
So magic, well for a start I'm no harry potter rather I'm more like a mediocre witch. I know a few herbs, a few rituals but I'm not a genius with this type of family secret. I'd rather if it just went away and never came back, so I can live life like a normal teenager. It seems that every little boy and girl in the world wants to be a witch or wizard but they don't really know how bad it really is. Having to hide who you really are, pretending every moment of your life. I can't stand having to lie to everyone I care about, that's just not me. This secret has already hurt me so many times ... and I just don't know what I'll do if that happens again.
So there I stand, staring at my new univercity 'The To-Oh Insitute', and wishing on every fiber of my body that this doesn't end up as bad as the last few schools I've been enrolled in. Hoping that maybe this time it wouldn't be set on fire, cursed with plagues of toads or have another angry mob ready to tie me and my aunt to the stake so they can have barbaqued witch. Hoping? More like begging that it would be different this time.
"Mags? You ok?" Ok, there's one thing that I need to address. Well this is not my mother, or my sister as she so oftern tries to say to the men that she tries to pick up, but my lovable if completely nieve and utterly hopeless aunt. Yes, she looks very young to be an aunt but so do most women who use their magic in a vain attempt at staying the wrinkles in favour of youth. She sort of voluntered to look after me after my dad got into a fight with another sorcerer that ended with him being blown to kingdom kong and my mom blew herself up while trying to make a glammor potion. Yes, I'm the poor little orphan from England. So what?
Anyway, aunty Alice isn't the mum in this relationship - that honnor goes to me. I clean, I cook and I make sure the bills are paid on time. That's is my job. That's is my responsiblity. That's my purpose. I look after her and in return she behaves, at least in theory since it normally doesn't turn out all sparkles and fluffy bunnies.
"I'm ok Al, I'm perfectly fine. Now do you have your lunch? Phone? Umbrella?" I shouldn't be like this! She's supposed to be the adult, not me! But it is so, and I cannot change it. My aunt needs me and that is all. I have to help her, no, I need to help her. I need a purpose, something to do while time passes beside me. I can't just leave her and let her become neglected because I couldn't be bothered to look after her. That'll be too boring.
"I have everything Mags, now go on! Scat! Get to your seat before you get put at the back again like before. I'll pick you up at half past four ok?" She reached into the glove compartment as I took a soothing breath to steady myself. Grabbing my bag on the floor between my legs, I rose up and opened the car door. Thank the spirits that I managed to convince Alice out of buying a piece of junk car in exchange for a flashy red mercedes we managed to get from a sports dealer when aunty dearest flashed him her best smile and showed a little too much skin, it would be so embarrising to have to turn up to univercity with all these posh, genius kids. After all, I just got in on the fact that I managed to score good on the national exams. These kids have everything handed to them on a silver platter while I had to work two jobs just to afford tution. I didn't resent them though, it's not their fault that they're pedigree bred while I'm a mutt with funky genes.
I know what you're thinking; how is the witch is the mutt here? Why can't she just wave a magic wand and get instant cash on the go. Well kiddies, first of all I don't have a wand since I'm already a freak and I certaintly don't need to go abracadabra with a stick. I have class enough not to do that! And second; having magic doesn't give you instant wealth. Copying spells don't exactly get every detail perfect and it's far safer to be dirt poor then get caught up in a money counterfieting scheme. Brings less attention on our freaky, witchy ways you understand? So we work. Got a problem with that?
The sky crackled overhead in malicious spite over my trirade almost like the Gods themselves were finding my torture to be their own sadistic entertainment for the day. Streaks of lightning flashed while an angry gust brushed past me as if to spite my very existance. Angels were crying from the heavens, leaving pools of tears on the battered skin of the street. Then out of the storm, came the eye. The university was near untouched by the torrent of rain that swept away the light from the world, and stood resiliant to the frequent gusts. It was a lighthouse in a storm, with the becon calling me in to the safety of central heating and plush chairs. I opened my umbrella, and tried to keep my hair in place while the wind blew it this way and that. I looked back into the car to see my aunt take her phone out and type a number in. "Oh hi, Cassie ... yeah, we're here now ... what? ... flooding? ... ok thanks Cassie give my love to Willow alright! See you!" she turned back to me and blew a kiss before saying; "Be careful Mags, there's flooding all over Japan right now and I don't want a repeat of what happened in Indonesia!" Cassie's a weather psychic from down south near the coast, and a family friend. Actually I think she's my second cousin's brother's wife's aunt's sister Willow's partner, but I just call her a family friend for short. I said my goodbyes to Alice and went to the front entrance of the univercity while my aunt's car swerved out of the side walk to the open road with a beep of her horn.
University, here I come.
Of course, I suppose I better talk about what I looked like since it's not like you have a scrying glass hanging around anywhere (I lost mine somewhere in Paris a few years back - damn tourists!) Well, I'm about 5'4, which isn't that tall really, and I have a slim physique. I'm not that curvy, nor that desirable but I have had a few boyfriends (none of them ended well - one even got a nice pair of antlers may I add). I always wear natural fibers, as man made ones interfer with the magical flow and cause build ups like dams. So today, I'm wearing black leggings, a long white blouse, brown ballerina shoes and a chestnut woven belt to finish off with. It gave me a very earthy vibe with a hint of hippy along the way. All natural, all affordable and all that I could really think of to try and stand a chance again the richer student's new fashions. My hair is an Onyx black, that framed my face in an almost doll-like way when it doesn't blow around like some kind of lizard running around the streets of Japan like it is now. My eyes were a glassy blue, that in certain lights made me look almost blind. The contrast of blue and black stood out only when I looked directly at someone and then it was electrifying. Pure lightning hits you, was one of the well known lines most of the guys pull on me in order to get a little more 'aquainted'. I don't fall for that anymore, not after I dated that pig of a man in California who made the mistake of calling me a 'prude' just because I wouldn't get more 'aquainted' with him like most of his other slutty partners. He made a pretty ugly hamster, I think anyway.
I don't know what happened after that but I was turned off guys in that very second for a reason I can't understand. No, I didn't fall for a girl. I'm not homophobic but it's just not for me. Not to say I haven't experimented, I'm girl enough to say I have kissed a girl once but nothing really clicked, I just couldn't trust men anymore after Alex, the hamster, and I guess I became bitter over his words.
So I naturally detested the looks I got from the man at the reception desk. It was like a day at the zoo and I was the main attraction. Ok, now I know that's only to be expected if you're wearing a thin, white shirt while it's raining but come on! There were girls everywhere, a lot more beautiful then I was and a lot more wet, so why did they go to me. I sighed dramatically and went to the assembly hall while rolling my eyes at the drooling morons. Guys are so immature, I wonder exactly how they even blink and breath at the same time. Anyway, it looked as if I was late to the entire thing with most of the new students taking up the front seats. Contemporay to what Alice says, I didn't even want to sit at the front with the prep squad. I'd rather hide in the back where the teachers had a blind spot so I can't get in trouble for texting Alice and listening to music while the boring speeches went on. I get bored ok, that's all.
So I wrang out my top, fixed my hair that had gone wild west in the wind and made sure that none of the preps could see me. Maybe this term I could stay out of their hair and stay out of trouble? Yeah right, like that's ever going to happen. So I started texting Alice to stave off boredom.
Al, OMG! This blows! So CBA right now it's not funny!
Mags, Total borefest down here. LOL.
Al, any Hots over there in the office?
Mags, total morons! You?
Al, same jerk!
Mags, Bitch!
Al, love you!
Mags, same!
"Miss Blackwood? Stop texting please!" a dreary tone made me roll my eyes in annoyance. An old teacher was looking at me and I swear he was checking me out. Pervert, I mean he was obviously looking at my breasts and not even bothering to cover it up. I gave him a look of digust and resisted the urge to cross my arms over my chest. He reluctantly walked away while I texted my goodbye.
Al, a teacher has spotted me, see you later ok?
Mags, so busted! See you!"
I sighed and started to drum with my hands while trying to stop myself from falling asleep from the droaning voices. I did want to try and listen but after a while I just couldn't concentrate. The speeches dragged on and on so I entertained myself by putting the students into different stereotypes like nerd, prep or emo. Then the two freshman representives went up for their time under the heavily lit stage lamps. Apparently, according to the gossip around here, they both got perfect scores on the exams. I just managed to get in and they get everything right? That's just so not fair. However, they were total opposites I guess. Sort of like Sherlock Homes and James Moriety I suppose.
One was a rich brat by the name of Light Yagami, which is just corny as a name. He would be the jock of this school probabilly, with his tall, athletic posture and good looks. Mr. Popular would have no trouble with the girls in this place, with his handsome hazel eyes and light brown hair. This kid is probabilly some sheltered child who eats at his parent's finances with a silver spoon.
The other was very different. He had a slim profile, tall as well with raven hair that reached slightly past his broad shoulders. his lips were parted slightly as if he wanted to speak but didn't know what to say. His sense of fashion wasn't very elegant. White shirt, jeans and some old shoes that looked slightly small on his feet. It wasn't neat at all, with crease lines all over the baggy clothes. This gave me some thought that he was hardly a threat. But .. those onyx eyes of his ... they seemed to stare into my very soul. It was very ... unsettling. His eyes had a line of dark, restless circles punctuated by sleepless nights. He scared me, he ... he terrified me. For the first time since I was a little girl, I wanted to run away and hide. I wanted to shy away from his presence and hide away in the shadows so desperatly that I had to force myself to stay in my chair. Those eyes were studious, and would surely put my secret at risk if he were to ever to try and find it out. Yes this boy was very different to Light. And I was afraid of him. His name was Hideki Ryuga and I was determined to stay out of his way almost immegiantly.
"As all of us embark on this new chapter of our lives ..." I lost the thread of words after that as the chatter around me completly dominated the latter words. My head was thumping like a drum at carnival season from the noise and I knew I was getting one mean headache from the whole experiance. I began to think that this Hideki Ryuga was more like a insect then human as he help the paper holding the speech like a praying mantis. This was pretty disturbing so I started to listen in on everyone's conversations to distract me. A well liked couple in the news broke up, this girl went to Barcelona during her summer holiday with her folks and two blondes were malicously gossiping about all the other girls. I would of ignored the later in order to find out more on this break up but then I heard it.
" ... did you see that girl come in, I mean she just screams 'slut' doesn't she? I mean wearing a white blouse in the rain is obviously a sign that she wants to be checked out. I so wanted to slap that bitch, I mean even Kennie; you know that guy who keeps trying to ask me out, was staring at her. That little whore is definate trouble if you ask me ..."
Of course, I couldn't help but slyly use my magic to weaken the screw holding her chair together. Nothing is more fun then watching a little miss barbie blush and cry as she takes a nose dive down to the cold floor and try and recover what dignity she has left.
It's a very satifying form of entertainment after all making preps come back to earth.