The sky was beautiful that night. One that was completely clear of clouds and full of stars that glistened and gleamed like diamonds. Lucy always preferred to fly on nights such as this. Nights where she could make out all the constellations as she flew and try her luck at catching a shooting star if one passed by. Witches like her actually had the ability to catch falling stars and could even put them in their pockets. She didn't know what she would do with a star if she caught it, but that didn't stop her from trying.
"It's a perfect night for flying." Lucy announced when they reached the roof of the house. "I think I'll be the first to take off."
She mounted her broomstick.
"Wait sweetie, aren't you forgetting something?" Anna said.
"Oh right, my cloak."
Lucy snapped her fingers and an Autumn yellow cloak appeared on her back. She pulled the hood over her head and situated her position on the broom.
"What's the cloak for?" Juvia asked.
"They're enchanted to make whoever wears them invisible to mortals." Anna said. "If people around here started seeing girls flying on broomsticks, they'd make quite a fuss."
Without any further the hesitation, Lucy jumped from the room and Juvia closed her eyes, unable to watch her cousin drop to the ground and hurt herself. But instead of hearing a scream of pain, she heard laughter. Juvia then opened her eyes and she couldn't believe what she saw. High up in the sky, soaring with the night breeze was Lucy riding a broomstick. She was actually flying on one of those things like real witches do.
"My turn." Erza said.
With a flick of her wrist, a scarlet red cloak magically joined her ensemble, she sat herself down on her broom, and jumped. The broom swiftly took her up to Lucy's side.
"Your turn dear." Anna said handing Juvia the third broom. "And you'll need this."
She made the box containing the blue cloak she had given Juvia appear in her hands, then proceeded to put it on her.
"Oh wonderful! It fits!" She cheered before pulling the hood on her.
"Nanny I don't know if I should be doing this." Juvia said. "And I don't think Dad would like it very much."
"Well your father doesn't know yet and we have a short amount of time before he finds out, so you mustn't waste any time."
"But I don't think I want to fly. What if I can't fly? What if I just fall on my butt?"
"It's not unusual for a young witch to feel unsure of her capabilities, especially when she's spent so many years not using her powers or even knowing about them." Anna said. "But Juvia you have been blessed with a gift, I could sense it long before you turned sixteen, and if you trust yourself to use that gift, the results will be more than fruitful. All you need is a little faith and will."
"Faith and will?"
"Magic can be complicated but it can also be simple. To make it work all you have to do is trust in your abilities, want something, and then let yourself have it."
"I still don't get it."
"Would it help if I rode along with you?"
"Yeah."
"Very well."
They both placed themselves upon the broom, Juvia was in the front and Anna was in the back.
"I don't think this will work." Juvia said almost trembling. "I don't exactly have the want to fly."
"Well here's an idea think of what makes you feel the most happy." Anna instructed.
Juvia took a deep breath and closed her eyes, she thought about her father and her friend Gray. She thought about all those times she worked with Anna in the garden as a child. And she thought about her mother's lullaby.
"I don't see how this will help?"
"Juvia darling."
"Yes Nanny?"
"Open your eyes."
She did and to her astonishment, she was being lifted on up into the sky by her broom and there stood Anna on the roof, watching her with a proud smile.
"Oh my!" Juvia cried clutching her broomstick tightly.
"It's alright Juvia." Anna assured her. "You're doing splendidly."
"I don't even know what I'm doing!"
"You're using your powers. You're a witch of feeling remember? By letting your emotion of happiness takeover, you have given yourself the ability to fly."
"You mean I did this? I put myself up here?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Can I put myself down now?"
"Not yet." Lucy said. "The fun hasn't even started yet."
"But I don't know how to drive this thing." Juvia said.
"Don't worry, it's just like writing a bike. Turn the broom as you would turn a bike steer."
"You two keep a close eye on her." Anna said to her other two great-granddaughters. "Don't fly ahead and leave her behind. Stay close and help her."
"We will Nanny." Erza said.
"And be back in an hour and a half, I don't want your poor Uncle Derek to worry himself."
"Got it!"
"Alright ladies, as many witches before us have said." Lucy said raising her arm up. "Come, we fly!"
And away they went, though Juvia flew away saying her prayers under her breath.
"Now then, I think I'll see to some old friends of mine."
Anna stepped down from the roof and approached the linen closet. When she opened it she found two suit cases and two cages on the other side. One cage contained an owl and the other contained a rabbit.
"Makarov, Laxus, wonderful to see you two again." Anna greeted with her best smile.
"Anna, you look more beautiful than ever." The owl complimented her.
"Oh Makarov, you cheeky devil." She giggled. "At least wait til we're all settled before you breakout the shamelessly flattery."
"Oh please." The rabbit said rolling his eyes.
"Come along now, we must prepare the extra rooms."
She picked up the two cages and with a nose wiggle, she made the suitcases follow after her on their own. She went upstairs and down the hallway, snapping her fingers she made the hallway extend further and two doors to two new bedrooms appeared on the walls. She sent Erza's suitcase into the first room and Lucy's suitcase into the second one.
"Can you let us out of the cages now?" Laxus asked. "I don't think I can stand to be in here another minute."
"As you wish."
She opened both cages and both animals came out.
"Now who's hungry?"
They followed her down into the kitchen and perched themselves on to the counterpart. Sitting just across from them was Gajeel, waiting by an empty bowl.
"Hello Gajeel." They said.
"Hello Makarov, hello Laxus." The cat said. "How's life on the other side?"
"Not much different yours." Laxus said. "We can't do magic and we spend most of our time indoors, catering to the needs of other magic users."
"Yeah but at least you're allowed to speak over there." Gajeel said. "In this place you have to be careful about when you talk and who you talk in front of."
"Gajeel you never leave the house so you don't have to be all that careful." Anna said. "Not to mention you get free food, lodging, and grooming. So I don't want to hear any complaining."
"Whatever."
"Anna!" They heard Derek coming. "Anna have you seen Juvia? She's not in her room and I don't think-"
He stopped mid-sentence when he saw the owl and the rabbit sitting on the counter.
"What is this?" He asked.
"Derek I'd like you to meet Makarov and Laxus Dreyar. They're Erza and Lucy's familiars. Gentlemen, this is my grandson in-law Derek Lockser."
"Pleasure to meet you sir." Makarov said offering Derek his talon to shake.
"Oh no." He said. "No, no, no! Anna you did not say anything about me housing two more, free-loading men in animal bodies! I can barely tolerate the cat, and you bring in two more?!"
"Hey you're not exactly easy to live with either pal." Gajeel said. "I mean do you even realize how horrible your singing is? Every time you take a shower I have to bury my head in the couch cushions."
"Good lord." The man said taking a seat. "I don't know how much more I can take."
He put his hand to his forehead and rubbed his thumb and pointer finger against the skin, as if the motion would lower his stress.
"Anna."
"Yes Derek?"
"Where's my daughter?"
"She's out with the girls. They won't be too long."
"Out? Out doing what? Oh God please don't tell me they're out driving around with boys."
"Of course not."
Derek let out a breath of relief.
"They're out flying on broomsticks."
"What?!" He panicked. "You let my baby go flying around in the air?!"
"Now don't panic Derek, Erza and Lucy are with her and they're well trained in broomstick flying."
"Anna, you told me that if I allowed you to teach my daughter magic, you would discuss each lesson with me first."
"I know, I was just so excited about everything that I forgot."
"Anna I don't like you making all these decisions without talking to me about them first. I mean you've already invited extra people and people who were turned into animals to live in my house-"
"Technically it was my house first."
"Fair point, but Juvia is my daughter, she's only sixteen, and she's half mortal. She's not like you or everyone else in your family, things easier for you all may be more difficult and more dangerous for her. Now I'm not saying you can't teach her magic or anything but I want you to consult me before any lesson. Please!"
"I understand Derek, but Juvia is a lot stronger and more capable of things than you think."
"That's what you said about my wife and look what happened!"
There was a brief awkward silence, even the familiars could say nothing. Anna looked hurt and Derek was quick to realize his mistake.
"I'm sorry Anna...I know you only want Juvia to be confident in her abilities and not afraid to reach her full potential and I want the same thing. But I also want her to be careful and I don't want her life to end too soon like her mother's did." He explained gently. "And I want you to understand something, Juvia is all I have. I didn't grow up with any parents or siblings, Ondina was the first person I ever loved and now she's gone, my daughter is the only family I have left. If I lost her too, I don't know if I could cope."
Anna's hurt was very quickly turned into compassion and understanding. As old and wise as she was, there were still somethings in this world she had yet to know. She tended to forget that Derek didn't have any extended family like she did and he was probably the most heartbroken by Ondina's death because her demise left him with no one to lean on. He had to be strong for the little girl his wife had left behind.
"No I'm sorry Derek." Anna said. "You're right, if I'm going to teach Juvia magic then I have to remember to involve you and talk to you about things. It's not that I don't respect your position as her father because I do, I was just so eager for the opportunity to take care of three little witches again, that I didn't think about how you'd feel. I promise that won't happen again."
"So let's just work together on this. Okay?"
"Okay." She agreed. "But if I may ask, you never told me, which world did you want her to spend her life in? The mortal one or the other one?"
"Ondina and I decided a long time ago that she'd live in the Mortal Realm until she turned eighteen, then she could decide which realm she wanted to live in. Unfortunately neither one of us were sure if she'd fit in any one of them. From what she's told me, people on the other side have certain views on half mortals and over here, she'd probably end up taken away by the government if anyone found out she was half witch."
"Derek." Anna quizzed. "Were you hoping that she wouldn't have inherited any magic?"
"Yes." He admitted. "But not for the reasons you might be thinking, I just know that life is going to be harder on her now that she can use magic and I'm worried that she'll feel like she doesn't belong anywhere. That's what her mother and I were worried about the most."
"I understand. But don't worry." She assured him. "I'll make sure that she never feels like that, and so will you."
"Thanks Anna. You know for all the chaos that may come from magic, I'm really am glad that you're here to help me and I'm grateful to you."
Anna smiled and kissed his cheek.