A/N: I do not own the Vampire Diaries franchise. This story is a product of my imagination.
"Oh, Jeremy, wake up," Alex sing-songed, violently opening the curtains in his little brother's room.
Jeremy groaned, pulling his pillow over his head to block out the light. "G'way, 'lex," He mumbled into his pillow.
A moment of silence.
"Alex!?" Jeremy all but shouted, shooting up from his bed.
"Hey, baby bro. Time to get up," Alex grinned at him, "Many things to do today."
"When did you come?" Asked Jeremy, rubbing his eyes and slowly getting out of bed.
"I came in late last night. Now, we are having a family meeting in fifteen minutes, so go brush your teeth and get your ass downstairs in ten." Saying so, Alex left his brother's room and went over to Jenna's room. He knocked.
"Jenna, can you come downstairs in ten minutes? Elena and I have something to tell you guys."
"Sure, I'll be down in mo'," Jenna's faint shout reached Alex's ears.
He traipsed down the stairs, arriving just in time to hear the end of Elena's conversation with someone on the phone.
"–yes, alright, Stefan. Alex and I will come by the Boarding house around four." Elena said, ignoring Alex's frantic hand gestures, all of which were conveying an empathetic NO.
Ending the phone call, Elena swept past her brother to seat herself at the table.
"Don't even," She stated, on seeing him open his mouth.
He made a face but said nothing.
Within fifteen minutes, all four of them were seated around the dining table.
"Okay, here goes nothing," Alex said, and thought that it was best to rip the bandage clean off. He snapped his fingers and a ball of fire appeared above his fingers. Jenna and Jeremy's eyes widened.
"What the absolute fuck, Alex!" Jenna shouted, her knuckles whitening at her grip on the edge of the table.
"You're a wizard?" asked Jeremy, absolutely shocked. "Since when?
"The correct term would be Magus. And I started training at ten. I wanted to tell you guys a soon as possible because of all the recent happenings in town. Knowledge is power, and I want you guys safe."
"Recent happenings?" Jeremy asked, his brow furrowed thoughtfully.
"Elena?" Alex prompted.
With a grimace on her face, Elena started reciting all that had happened since school had started. She began by explaining how she had discovered that vampires were real, the Salvatores and their involvement in the events, Bonnie's powers, Caroline's suffering at the hands of Damon. She shame-facedly admitted to erasing Jeremy's memories of Vicki and her death.
Alex had to hold Jeremy back from storming out of the room at that. Elena went on to explain what exactly had happened the night of the accident and her trip to Georgia with Damon. About Katherine and the tomb. Finishing her tale by explaining the events of the Decade Dance.
Jeremy and their Aunt sat in stunned disbelief.
"Vampires are real. Magic is real," said Jenna, still shocked, "I thought Miranda had been smoking something when she told me the stories." She put her head in her hands.
Jeremy, meanwhile, was fuming. He glared heatedly at Elena. "You asked me to be compelled. Even though you knew how I felt about Vicki. Then you hid everything that happened from me. If Alex had not insisted on telling us, would you have told me, us, about anything?" he bit out, "Don't answer that. I already know. You would have hid everything, 'for our own good', right?" Jeremy said, disgust dripping from his voice, making air quotes as he said it.
"Jeremy, I know you're angry at Elena, and rightfully so," Alex said, sending a warning glare at Elena when she started to say something in her defense, "But, there are other things you need to know as well. About me and my magic."
Alex then went on to explain the same things he had told Elena the night before. About Grandma Alexis and the Argyros coven. Explained about the gods and goddesses, and their patronage of the Magi. He talked about his magic and his inclinations.
"Okay, this is almost too much information," Jenna took a deep breath, "I need a break. Is there anything else I should know urgently?"
"Nothing much, Aunt Jenna," Alex said, sympathetically, "We'll make sure you have a supply of vervain. Oh, and I'll be teaching all of you self-defense, in case a vampire tries to take a bite out of you."
"Alright," she nodded, "Now, I need to take a break and freak out by myself, so don't disturb me unless it's an emergency. Also, Elena, if you keep secrets of this magnitude from me again, you'll be grounded until graduation. Got it?"
At Elena's meek nod, Jenna got up and went upstairs. Alex winced at the slam of her bedroom door.
"Yikes."
"Sooo," Jeremy lengthened out the word, "You have magic and you never told us? What the hell, Alex?"
"Yeah, sorry, bro. But Grandma made me promise not to tell anyone. She was paranoid that it would put all of us in danger." In the back of his mind, Alex had always wondered whether his grandmother's paranoia was due to Grayson's involvement in the Augustine society. He had a feeling that it was a major part of why she kept it so secret.
Jeremy nodded, lost in thought. Elena was typing on her phone, texting who Alex thought was Stefan.
"Can you tell me more about your magic?" Jeremy asked, an excited look in his eyes.
"Certainly," Alex chuckled at his curiosity, "Now, as I have explained, my magic is more inclined towards Blood and Sacrificial Magic, Death magic and what I like to call, Curse-Breaking. Blood magic utilizes the inherent properties of blood and uses them in various types of magic, like scrying, warding and enchanting. Sacrificial magic is much the same, except it uses the life energy of the sacrifice instead of blood."
Elena interrupted him at that, exclaiming, "But isn't sacrificing something evil, like dark magic?"
Alex shook his head. "No. Sacrificial magic is not evil. Almost all sacrifices are animals. In the ancient times, magic was practiced more openly. That is why we have accounts of sacrifices to the gods. Many covens across the world still practice sacrificial magic. Now, when humans are sacrificed, that's when the label of Dark Magic is brought into being. However, a willing sacrifice will always make the ritual more potent, and more... morally ambiguous, I guess, rather than evil."
"And Death magic? It doesn't sound very pleasant.'' Jeremy stated, now fully immersed into Alex's explanation.
"Death magic, contrary to how it sounds, has nothing to do with killing anything. It's more about what comes after it. It deals with the spirits, ghosts, the undead, etc. I can contact the spirits of the dead, as well as have some measure of control over the Undead, i.e. the vampires. It also gives me the ability to draw power from places of death, like cemeteries, graveyards, and places where many people have died."
"You can talk to the spirits of the dead?" asked Elena, suddenly desperate.
Alex smiled sadly, knowing where her mind had gone to. "Mom and Dad have passed onto the realm of the dead. I was not able to summon them the many times I tried. Only those who have not passed onto the Realm of the Dead, be it Hades, or Helheim, or Valhalla, can be summoned. And the supernatural beings, of course."
"Why supernatural beings, in particular?" questioned Jeremy, nonplussed.
"That is because, when any supernatural being dies, they go onto the Other Side, another plane of existence which puts them in a limbo. It was created two thousand years ago by a witch to trap any supernatural creature, and prevent them from moving on. This makes it easier for me to summon their spirits to commune with. Another perk of Death magic is that no spirit or ghost can lie to me when in the summoning circle."
"And what about curse-breaking? And really, Curse-Breaking? What, is Hogwarts real now?" scoffed Jeremy.
"Well, that particular inclination gives me the ability to sense and break others' enchantments, hexes, and curses. So, it comes in very handy at times."
"Nice. And what else can you do?"
"Basic stuff. Elemental manipulation, not very adept at it though. Scrying, which is like an essential thing to learn; telekinesis, not Professor X levels though. Grandma also taught me Healing, enchanting, and Mind Magics. But I'll always be stronger at the ones my magic is inclined towards."
After a few moments of thoughtful silence, Jeremy asked, "And where do the gods come into this?"
"Well, it is a quid pro quo situation. Kind of. We pray to them, and leave offerings for them, and in return, they give their blessing when we call upon them for difficult spells. For example, if I want to put up powerful wards around the house, I would call upon Terminus and Hecate, the roman god of boundaries, and the Greek goddess of Magic, respectively. Or if I wanted to heal a severe injury, I would make a sacrifice to Apollo, god of healing and medicine. Whether they answer or not, well, it depends on whether they want to or not. Therefore, it is better to call on them for serious matters only."
"So, have you met any Gods or Goddesses, brother dear?" asked Elena, half-teasingly.
"I have, actually. When I participated in the initiation, I was presented to the Council of the Gods. If they had not liked me, I would have been struck dead."
"What." said Elena, with a stricken look on her face.
Alex reached out and covered her hands soothingly. "Don't worry, dear sister, I am perfectly fine and alive. Having the favour of the Gods is no small thing, and magic always has a price. Please, don't dwell on it, it was five years ago. I am completely fine," he implored.
His siblings both looked shaken, but calmed down eventually.
In a desperate attempt to lessen the tension in the air, Alex said, "Speaking of gods, remember the guy I was dating in New York? Well..."
Their eyes bugged out at his insinuation.
"No!" Elena exclaimed, dumbfounded. "Alex!"
He smirked.
"Who?" demanded Jeremy.
"Apollo."
"Alex, why?" cried out his twin, "Didn't you just explain how dangerous it was to have the favour of the gods?!"
"Hey, I am a mere mortal. I was seduced by him, thank you very much. Plus, I am very much aware of the dangers that come with associating with the gods. I made an informed decision to enter into a liaison with Lord Apollo."
Elena tightened her lips but let it go. "Did you love him?"
"As much as a mortal could love a God, I guess. I went into that relationship with my eyes wide open."
"Why did it end?" asked Jeremy, curious in spite of himself, he had no intention of knowing more of his brother's liaisons than necessary.
"He was only visiting the mortal realm for half a year. I needed to come back home to you guys as well. It was an amicable parting with no heartbreak on either side."
"That's good to hear," his sister sighed thankfully.
"I did learn a lot from him, though," Alex leered jokingly.
"Alex!" Both of his siblings protested, Elena throwing a wadded up napkin at him as he escaped the room, laughing.
Closing the door behind him, Alex's smile slipped from his face as he took in his father's study, a familiar rage rising in him at the thought of Grayson Gilbert.
Daddy issues much, a small voice piped up at the back of his mind, sounding very much like his former lover. He ignored it, going up to browse mindlessly through the books on the shelves.
"You did not tell them about your father. Why?" a female voice said from behind him.
He turned around, recognizing the voice.
"Qetsiyah. It's been a while. Where have you been?" he asked, ignoring what she had said.
"I told you, my dear, it's Tessa. I am catching up with the times. I was… busy. Things are stirring on the Other Side, many with nefarious agendas are gathering power. I was keeping an eye on them," she informed him.
"Hmm… Anyone I need to worry about right now?" he inquired, scowling slightly at the thought of a vengeful witch coming back to life.
"No one, for now. They still do not have enough power to affect the living world. Though the Original witch is trying very hard. You'll need to watch out for that one in the coming year."
"You'll help me with that, won't you, dear Tessa?" Alex asked softly, a hint of menace lining his voice.
Tessa shifted slightly, rage flashing through her eyes for a moment, before she composed herself. "You know I will have to. You are my penance, as you very well know."
"This is what you get for trespassing upon the domain of the divine, Qetsiyah. You brought this upon yourself. You had two millennia to enjoy your revenge. Be grateful for this one chance to wipe your slate clean."
"The gods have been merciful, I am thankful for that. But do not presume to order me around, child. You may have the favour of the gods, but I am your ancestor. Show some respect." she demanded, her head held high.
Alex considered her for a minute, and then bowed his head in acquiescence. "My apologies. However, take heed, for any hint of betrayal will see you in the Fields of Punishment, under the tender care of the Erinyes."
"Understood. But you don't have to worry about that from me. We have a common goal, the death of Silas."
"My main concern is the destruction of the Other Side and the freeing of the souls trapped there. That is the task given to me by Lord Hades. The death of Silas is merely a precaution." he reproached her.
"Yes, yes," she said, waving her hand as if it was inconsequential. "But you still did not answer my first question. Why haven't you told your siblings about Grayson Gilbert's transgressions?"
Alex scowled at that, still enraged at his father's involvement in the Augustine society.
"I can't do that to them, not when they are still mourning. When I think they would be able to handle it, I will inform them," he said, dragging his palm down over his face.
Tessa dropped the subject at that, and Alex was very grateful for that. It was still a very sore topic for him.
"So, what are you going to do now? You are a long way from making a blade that will kill an immortal. Plus, you have a lot to worry about on the homefront. Amara's doppelganger is caught between two vampires, one of them being Silas' as well. Your brother is caught in the orbit of another vampire as well."
Alex straightened at that. "Another vampire?" he asked sharply.
"Her name's Annabelle Zhu. She wants to get her hands on the grimoire of Emily Bennett, to open the tomb and rescue her mother."
He bit his lip at that, torn between sympathy for the vampire, and fury over his brother being in danger. This Annabelle was liable to have a huge grudge against anyone Gilbert, seeing as their ancestor, Jonathan Gilbert, was one of the people who had captured the vampires in 1864.
"I'll deal with that situation when it comes up," He decided out loud. "Can you please keep an eye on Jeremy, just in case?" he requested politely, her demand for respect echoing through his mind.
"Alright," Tessa nodded.
"As for the immortal-killing blade, I still need a few ingredients, as well as an obsidian blade. A paragon diamond is almost impossible to come across as well, leading me to think that I need to steal one. I think I need to enlist the help of a vampire," he mused.
"Oh, you will, don't worry. This vampire would be perfect for your quest," she said, the mischievous glint in her eye worrying him slightly.
"Anyways," he said, checking his watch, "I need to go deal with the situation between my twin and the Salvatore brothers."
"I'll let you deal with that," she said, a moue of distaste on her face. "Meanwhile, I'll keep an eye on your brother, as well as see if I can locate a paragon diamond for you." With that, his enigmatic ancestor faded from view.
A/N: Please Review.
To the user Dark Angels and Light Angels: The elements of Percy Jackson, if any, are going to be minimal. Also, I know Apollo is too obvious, but Apollo in the myths was fairly prolific. Therefore, he seemed like the obvious choice, after Zeus. And that was just a bit too much I think, to make him the paramour of the King of the Gods.
To BrookeWorm3: Thanks darling :)