Riley's surprise road trip was not well-received by her friends or family. Within an hour outside of Mystic Falls, her mother left over twenty angry voice mails, threatening to ground Riley until she was in her eighties. Damon had used the Katherine excuse to convince her friends that she was not in any danger. While her friends believed that she left to help with resurrecting Mikael, knowing that she wanted Klaus gone as much as the rest of them, her parents were not that naïve. They could easily see through Damon's lies and that his story was orchestrated to cover Riley's tracks. Her father had gone so far as to drive to the boardinghouse, take Damon's phone while holding a stake gun to his heart, and contact Katherine himself. Receiving a text from her, Riley learned that Katherine backed up the story, telling her father that a witch was supposedly needed to release Mikael from the tomb. She accepted that she would later owe Katherine a favor.

When she reached Georgia, it was nearing one in the morning and she decided to stay at a hotel for the rest of the night. Her mother's calls became so frequent that Riley turned off her phone to get a few hours of sleep. The next morning, she continued with her trip. The number of calls to her phone increased and now she was getting texts and voice mails from Damon and Bonnie. She merely glanced at the texts before deleting them. Damon mentioned that he had a bad feeling that Mason was somehow back from the dead and Bonnie was concerned about ghosts breaking through the Other Side to the physical world, similar to Vicki. Riley thought that it sounded like the plot to a bad horror movie. Though she wanted to at least call Bonnie, in case she needed magical assistance, she told herself to keep focus on her own problems. She was determined to find the woman discussed in grandmother's letter and finally learn why she was being targeted by other witches.

She had just passed a sign: Welcome to New Orleans. The city was much more exciting than Mystic Falls, bustling with large crowds. She pulled into the parking lot of the Palace Royale hotel and paid for a room, unsure of how long she would be in New Orleans. After leaving her bag in her room, she walked down the street with her grandmother's letter in her purse. As she walked around the city, she realized that she had no idea where to find Bastiana. She planned to search for another witch. A tour group passed by her. The guide pointed out a set of tables where psychics gave out fortunes. Riley had seen enough psychics over the years to know that most of them were frauds. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Picking it up, she saw a blocked number.

"Even when you're not near me, you're annoying"

"I didn't expect you to pick up"

"I picked up to tell you to stop calling me"

"Or did you miss the sound of my voice, love?"

Riley rolled her eyes. "No. If I want to hear someone with a British accent, I can watch Harry Potter. Besides, your voice doesn't bring me joy. Hearing it makes me want to jump off the nearest bridge"

Klaus chuckled. "You don't mean that. Where are you?"

"Mystic Falls. Where else would I be?"

"According to Stefan, you left last night. Do you really expect me to believe that you're helping Katerina?"

She was not surprised that Stefan had immediately called Klaus after her departure. Due to Klaus's compulsion, he was his lapdog. Not wanting to deal with him suddenly appearing in New Orleans, she made loud static noises.

"Oh, you're breaking up. Bad cell reception…I can't hear you"

Riley hung up the phone. She looked over at the pretend psychics, getting a strange feeling around one at a circular table. She was a dark-skinned middle-aged woman with a purple wrap around her head. Her table was covered with various objects, including a small crystal ball, a silver goblet, tarot cards, and bags filled with herbs. Riley assumed that the woman could be a possible witch. She walked over to the table as the woman finished speaking with three girls in their late twenties. As the girls left, giggling about their good fortunes, Riley sat in the empty seat. The woman's demeanor instantly changed as she tensed up, looking slightly unnerved.

"Can I have a fortune too? I've never really believed in this stuff but maybe you'll convince me"

"I think you can figure out your own fortune, dear"

"Good. You know I'm a witch…I know that you're a witch. We can skip the awkward conversation. I'm looking for someone"

"Can't help you. If you excuse me"

The woman stood up, placing her items in a tote bag. Riley flicked her wrist. In an instant, the woman was forced back into her chair, glued to the seat.

"I might look innocent but if you get me mad, I have a terrible temper. It's rude if you don't help a fellow witch. Now from your reaction, I'm guessing you know my name. What's yours?"

The woman remained silent. Riley sighed, picking up the crystal ball.

"I had a bad run-in with the last witches I met in Chicago. I'm sure you heard about what happened to them. At the moment, I have a very short fuse so I would answer my questions if you don't want me to break a few bones. You might be older but I think that I'm a lot stronger"

"I see your time with the hybrid has made you violent"

"Let's not talk about him…"

"Agnes"

"So Agnes, can you tell me where I can find a witch named Bastiana?"

"I'm not going to tell you. You need to leave and stay in your little town. Some witches might think that you're not dangerous but I can see the darkness already inside of you. Don't get overconfident. It's only a matter of time before someone puts you down for good"

Agnes broke through the spell, standing up and placing the rest of her belongings into the bag. She snatched the crystal ball from Riley and warned her not to use magic freely in the city. The vampire that controlled New Orleans allowed magic use but if he saw a threat, the witch would be eliminated without a second thought. She left the table, shooting Riley one last look of contempt. If all of the witches in New Orleans were as icy as her, it would be difficult to find any answers. She sprayed a herbal mixture on her neck to hide her scent from the vampires. Daylight rings were not very common but she did not want to take the chance of running into a vampire during the day. Walking down the street, she received an urgent text from Bonnie, telling Riley to call her. Riley stepped into an alley between two bars and called Bonnie.

There could not be one normal night in Mystic Falls. When Bonnie sent Vicki back to the Other Side, an old witch used that opportunity to create a crack between the two worlds. It allowed the ghosts to appear in the physical world and interact with people. The ghosts they had seen were Anna, Bonnie's grandmother, Mason, and Stefan's old friend Lexi. To close the bridge to the Other Side, she needed to destroy the witch's talisman, the necklace that belonged to both Rebekah and Elena. The witch obtained power from the necklace to perform magic. Bonnie and Caroline were having trouble locating the necklace.

"Last time I heard, Damon had it"

"It's not where he said it would be and he's not answering our calls. Without the necklace, we can't send the ghosts back"

"Did you try a locater spell?"

"Not strong enough. I get a little glimpse and then it disappears. I've tried—Caroline, I'm talking to Riley. No, you can't ask her—this is important. You can ask her when she gets back"

"I can try a spell from here, Bonnie. It was in one of my spellbooks. It's a really powerful locater spell. It would be easier if I was in Mystic Falls. Maybe I can at least get an image of where it is right now. Hold on"

Riley reached into her purse, taking out a road map. She cut the palm of her hand and let her blood drip onto the map, reciting the spell quietly while thinking about the necklace. The drop of blood moved towards Mystic Falls. Concentrating harder, she saw flashes of images in her head. She was seeing things from the view of the necklace, which was in someone's hand. The images looked slightly transparent. She was able to see the park and part of Jeremy's face.

"Whoever has the necklace is near Jeremy. He's at the park"

"Jeremy?"

"Yea. The images were weird. It was like the person holding it was a…"

"A ghost?"

"Maybe. I need to go"

Riley hung up her phone. She healed the cut on her hand and threw the blood-stained map into a nearby trash can. Stepping out from the alley, she almost bumped into a person. In front of her was a dark-skinned guy in his mid twenties with shaven hair and dark brown eyes. His casual style reminded her of Klaus. He was flanked by two other guys around the same age. One of them wore a black newsboy cap. Spotting daylight rings on their hands, she knew that all three were vampires.

"Whoa, you better watch where you're going" said the guy in the middle, smiling.

"Sorry. It won't happen again"

Walking down the street, she cast a weak locater spell to find another witch. She could feel eyes on her. The same guy appeared beside her, looking curious.

"You must be new to town"

"Is it that obvious?"

"I'd remember a pretty face like yours. Do you need a tour guide?"

"No. I'll manage on my own"

"I'm Marcel"

"Glad you know your own name"

"Can I get yours?"

"No. Go away now"

Marcel grabbed her arm. Riley looked at his hand, anger rising in the pit of her stomach. Even if he was a vampire, she was not going to let him get handsy with her.

"Look, Marcus"

"Marcel"

"Don't care. Usually, when a guy grabs me, I slam his head into the nearest hard surface. This is your one and only warning. If you touch me again, I will bash your face into this brick wall"

He moved his hand, chuckling. The other two guys walked up behind him.

"Feisty, huh? Well, I just wanted to welcome you to the town. These are my friends, Thierry and Diego. If you need to get somewhere, we would be more than happy to offer our help"

She feigned a smile. "Well, don't care, whatever, and who gives a damn, that won't be necessary. I am perfectly capable of getting places by myself. I'd say it was nice meeting you but my mother always taught me it's not nice to lie"

"I'll see you around, doe eyes" shouted Marcel as she entered a bar called Rousseau's.

The locater spell led her there. She sat at a back table, checking for any sign of a witch. Playing a game on her phone, she noticed a text from Caroline. She was bashing Jeremy, who believed that Anna did not steal the necklace. Riley dialed his number.

"Riley? I've been trying to call you since last night. Where"

"Forget where I am. Did getting brought back from the dead make you lose most of your brain cells?"

He sighed. "Caroline texted you? Anna didn't take the necklace"

"My magic says different. If it's between magic and your lovesick delusions, I'd choose my magic every time. She's a ghost"

"But I can touch her now"

"I don't care if you can make ghost babies with her, Jer. Instead of thinking with the twig between your legs, use your brain…whatever is left of it. If I get back and there are still ghosts running around that town, I will give you the worst wedgie imaginable and hang you from the flag pole outside the school"

A waitress stopped at her table. She was in her thirties with short dark brown hair. Riley sensed that she was a witch. Unlike Agnes, who possessed a cold demeanor, this woman seemed friendly. She smiled at Riley.

"Hi. What can I get you?"

"Just a water" she replied, putting down her phone.

"Nothing else?"

The bar was mostly empty, except for a couple at another table. "Since you're not busy, maybe I could talk to you now. It's important. It's witch stuff"

Her eyes widened slightly. "Let me get that water"

After a few minutes, the woman returned with a glass of water and sat across from her. She introduced herself as Jane-Anne Devereaux. Riley waited for her to give some kind of cryptic warning. Jane-Anne looked at her, confused.

"Are you all right?"

"You're just the first witch, besides my friend from back home, who didn't act like I was the spawn of Satan. I'm Riley"

"That's a pretty name. Why would I think you're trouble?"

Reluctantly, Riley opened up to her about what happened in Chicago and her bloodline. When she mentioned being the descendant of the original witches, Jane-Anne did not look the least bit frightened, just intrigued. Jane-Anne told her that the elder witches in New Orleans had spoken about Riley before but never used her name. Riley was not considered a danger to them, unlike the covens in other places. She passed off Agnes's behavior as her usual paranoia.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you in Chicago. They were one of the more extreme covens. Why are you here?"

"I just want answers. My grandmother came here when I was really little. In a letter, she said that she met with one of the elder witches…Bastiana"

"She leads our coven"

"Could you take me to see her?"

"I'm afraid that she's busy tonight. Where are you staying?"

"The Palace Royale hotel"

"Tell you what, I'll speak with Bastiana and see if she can meet with you tomorrow morning. I'll find you at the hotel"

"That would be great. Thanks"

"You should start heading back. It's getting late and at night, the vampires come out to feed"

Riley headed back to the hotel. She sensed someone following her. As they got closer, she turned around, pushing her hand forward. A guy her age was on his knees, holding his head in pain. His fangs protruded from his mouth.

"Leave before I make that pain ten times worse"

He vanished from the sidewalk. A second later, she heard a girl screaming.

"I had a feeling you were a witch, doe eyes"

Marcel jumped down from the roof of a nearby building. He explained that the vampire who sired him taught him how to recognize witches. Riley kept her guard up, prepared to use a spell if he attacked her.

"You know, most witches don't interest me. You're the first one…in this century"

"Sadly, the interest isn't mutual"

Marcel moved in front of her. "Going so soon? There's a party tonight at my place tonight. You should come"

"I'd rather gouge out my eyes. Get out of my way"

"Seeing as I'm the king of the quarter, it's a little rude to decline my offer"

Riley stifled a laugh. "I'm sorry, what? Is this town stuck in the Middle Ages or something? You're the king of what exactly?"

"The city. Everyone listens to me…vampires, werewolves, witches, and humans"

"How nice for you. Get out of my way"

"I really want you at that party. I'm a lot of fun. I won't take no for an answer"

Riley flicked her wrist. Marcel was thrown against the wall. A spell kept him pinned a few inches off of the ground. She walked over to him.

"I don't know what it is about me that makes guys think they can tell me a bunch of bullshit and I'll drop my panties for them. Maybe it's my witty remarks, maybe it's the innocent look in my eyes…but let's get one thing straight, your highness. I can rip out your fangs with a simple wave of my hand. I'm sure you've been with a lot of girls but unlike them, I'm not going to fall head over heels for you. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I've got the gist of it"

"Good. Then stop following me"

She reversed the spell, causing him to crash into the sidewalk. "Have fun at your party, Martin"

Riley entered the hotel and walked up to her room. She spent the rest of the night watching television, ordering room service, and ignoring the sounds of people screaming for help as they were attacked by vampires.

Around eight the next morning, she received a call from the front desk. Jane-Anne was waiting for her. Riley quickly got dressed and headed down to the lobby where she was sitting in a leather armchair. Bastiana was willing to meet with her after a meeting of the elders in the cemetery near the local church. Jane-Anne brought her to the cemetery. A priest was entering the church. According to Jane-Anne, the priest's name was Father Kieran and he was part of a town council, who worked with the supernaturals in New Orleans. It reminded Riley of the founder's council in Mystic Falls though she doubted any of those members would be willing to work with vampires. Marcel had a deal with the council that allowed the vampires to feed on tourists as long as the council received monetary compensation.

In the cemetery, a group of teenage girls, some only a year younger than her, were practicing spells as older women assisted them. Riley was thankful that Agnes was not among them. Jane-Anne told her that the witches in New Orleans were a tight-knit community, wanting to help young witches reach their full potential. When a girl began to show magical abilities, she would be brought to the elders and begin lessons. While Jane-Anne walked off to find Bastiana, Riley watched the girls. One of the girls was on her own, attempting to levitate water from the pond. She was around sixteen with wavy dark brown hair and bluegreen eyes. The water would rise a couple inches before falling back into the pond. Riley walked over to her.

"You're trying too hard" she said, making the girl jump.

The girl turned towards her. "I'm what?"

"You're concentrating too hard. I've learned that it's different with each element. Fire requires a lot of passion and concentration. Moving rocks needs strength, physically and mentally. Water is more natural. Go with the flow"

Riley waved her hand in a circular motion. The water rose out of the pond and rested in her cupped hands. She closed her hands then re-opened them, revealing an icy figurine of a dog. The girl smiled.

"That was amazing"

"It just takes practice. I'm Riley"

"Davina. I've never seen you at these lessons before"

"Oh, I'm not…I'm just visiting"

"Riley"

Jane-Anne returned with a ginger-haired middle-aged woman. Davina attempted the spell again and was successful, moving the water into her hands. The woman praised her.

"Thank you, Bastiana. Riley helped me"

"I see. Let us take our conversation somewhere private, my dear"

Riley followed her over to a bench. "It's cool that you help them out like this. My friend had her grandmother for awhile but I kind of had to teach myself"

Bastiana explained that the lessons were for more than aiding the girls with their magic. The elders used the lessons to see the best candidates for the Harvest. It was a special ritual that maintained the flow of magic to the living witches from their decreased ancestors. In New Orleans, the witches practiced ancestral magic. It meant that if they stepped outside the city, they would be unable to cast a single spell. Riley's parents had mentioned ancestral magic to her when she was younger. She never met a witch in person who practiced that kind of magic. With the Harvest, which was done every three hundred years, four young girls were chosen to appease the ancestors. If it was not carried out properly, all of the witches in the city would cease to have their magical abilities.

"When is the Harvest?"

"A few months from now but I'm sure you didn't come here for stories about our rituals"

"It's okay. I like hearing these stories"

Bastiana smiled. "You remind me of your grandmother. She was a very kind woman. I regret that she only visited the city once before her passing. Since you've come here, I assume that you found her letter"

"You knew about the letter?"

"Oh yes, she sent me one herself, telling me that you would come here one day for answers. She was worried you might not even make it to the city"

"Well I made it here in one piece. She said you could give me answers"

Though Riley said that she appreciated stories, she did not need a rehash of her descendants. Bastiana spoke for at least ten minutes about her magic coming from a mixed bloodline. Riley would simply nod her head, pretending to listen to her witch history. When she began to tell her how the Originals attacked one of her ancestors, leading to the link between her, Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah, she interrupted Bastiana.

"I know about that. I had a dream about what happened. Their brother Kol was bothering her, she cast a spell on him, those three killed her, and in the middle of them draining her of her blood, she cast a spell to link them to my family. Some witches killed her and when they found out that she had a baby with her secret lover from the other coven, they cast a curse to keep magic out of family for centuries. I heard this in Chicago and they're dead. Just tell me that I'm not in danger anymore"

"That would be a lie, Riley"

"What? They're dead. Kl—I saw them die. I didn't do it on purpose but"

"The leader of the coven, Alec, lives. I know this to be fact. He is in hiding after the hybrid killed the surviving witches. Yes, I know of your time spent with the hybrid"

"That time was not spent willingly. I was blackmailed into going on a road trip with him"

"Come with me"

Bastiana brought her to a large mausoleum in the cemetery. The doors had an etching of two intertwining black snakes. She thought of the symbol on her necklace, which represented the mixed bloodlines. The black snakes were the crest for the dark coven. Riley's ancestors had been buried here, following their demise. She entered the mausoleum. One of the coffins had white roses scattered across the top.

"That was the daughter of the dark coven's leader…the one who cast the linking spell. According to records in our community, the eldest brother felt remorse for his actions and would leave a single white rose each night on her coffin"

Riley suppressed her smile. She imagined Elijah coming to the mausoleum all those years ago, laying white roses on the coffin. Just the thought of him made her miss him more than usual. When she was driving to New Orleans, she had wished that he was with her. It would have made her feel safer than being alone in the city. She twirled his necklace between her fingers. Bastiana pushed the middle coffin aside, revealing a set of stairs. Walking down the stairs, Riley saw an entirely different room with shelves filled with vials of herbs. Each vial was marked with a different symbol. Bastiana opened a small chest, taking out a scroll. She opened it, showing words written in Latin.

"School just started so forgive me that my latin is a little rusty. I'm not fluent in it yet"

"It is a prophecy foretold before the witches cast a curse on your family. It tells of a descendant who will break through the curse and receive magical abilities. There is a reason that your magic is so strong, Riley. It is a combination of not just the originators of that mixed bloodline, but their ancestors. You are drawing from their power and each year, you grow stronger. It is why the other covens are intrigued by you. They want that power for themselves. Alec is particularly interested in your magic. He is part of a group of extremists, who wish for vampires and werewolves to subjugate to witches"

"So why aren't you all interested in my power?"

"Our ancestors were good friends. They offered each other protection. When your grandmother came to this city, I promised her the same…that I would keep you safe. I would request that you stay in New Orleans. Your parents could move down here as well"

"I'm not doing that. I can't just leave everyone in Mystic Falls. I have friends and family there"

"It is for your own safety. Your powers are growing stronger than anyone anticipated. You're the first of your bloodline to have magic. There's no records to tell us what to expect"

"I've been doing just fine. I don't need a babysitter. I don't see why I have to stay here…unless there's something else that you're not telling me"

"Dark magic is not something to take lightly, my dear. It can easily corrupt even the purest of hearts. Being around certain people will not help matters"

"Certain people?"

"I have heard of your travels with the hybrid. Another part of the prophecy referenced him. If you were to consummate your relationship, it would bring ruin to not only witches, but everyone else"

It did not take long for to understand the meaning of the prophecy. Bastiana suggested that if Riley had Klaus's baby, it would be a danger to the world. She burst into a fit of laughter.

"Are you insane? Me and Kl—I am never going to have Klaus's…I can't even stand being in the same room as him"

"Do not underestimate his manipulations"

"You really must think I'm an idiot. I'm not going to suddenly make babies with Klaus"

"I do not think you are a fool, Riley. It is what your ancestors intended with a child of this mixed bloodline. They were hoping to entice him once he broke the hybrid curse. The child would be a method for him to create hybrids after the doppelganger's death. The hybrids would be completely loyal to him and you. That is why many witches wish to see you dead. They worry that you will succumb to the darkness in your magic and rule by his side with his hybrid army. Some of those who do want you dead will want your magic first, such as Alec"

"Okay, you are clearly off your meds, lady. I don't care about some stupid vision from centuries ago. I am in complete control of my magic. I am not going to go all Dark Willow from Buffy, screw Klaus, and pop out his babies so he can have some super hybrid army. As far as those other witches, they can come after me all they want. I don't need your protection. I'll handle them myself…whatever it takes"

"Riley, please"

Riley stormed out of the mausoleum. She heard someone call her name. Turning around, she saw Davina.

"Hi Riley. My lessons just ended. I wanted to pay you back for helping me with that water spell. Do you want to get ice cream? There's a great place near here"

"I uh can't"

"Are you okay? You look upset"

"I'm fine. I have to get home. I have school and my parents don't want me to miss anymore days"

"Oh. Well, maybe you can come down here again. We can compare our magic and see who's gotten better"

"Yea, maybe. Good luck with your lessons, Davina. It was nice meeting you"

Riley returned to the hotel and checked out of her room. As she put her bag in the backseat, she heard her phone vibrate in her pocket. It was a call from a blocked number. Knowing it was Klaus, she angrily threw her phone into the car. She headed back to Mystic Falls, wanting to forget everything that she learned in this city…

A/N: Thanks for reading. So with this trip to New Orleans, Riley did meet some familiar faces from the spin off and learned some less than stellar information. She figured out why other witches regard her as a potential evil witch. The prophecy, especially the part about Klaus, has made them anxious. They don't want to risk it coming true, leading to their possible demise. While Riley denies any chance of it happening, the witches don't know about her relationship with Klaus. All they know is that she had been with him all summer and he does have an interest in her. Riley will keep that part of the prophecy to herself but will open up to some people in Mystic Falls about the fact that witches will stop at nothing to see her dead. Instead of dealing with what she learned in New Orleans, she's going to put all of her efforts into helping to get rid of Klaus.