The Boarding House loomed before Damon, bringing back memories he wished he could forget. After what had happened with Joseph and Augustine in 1953, he had thought he would never even visit the old house again, let alone come back to live in it. Maya though, was more important to him than any amount of bad memories or reservations on living once more in the town in which he had died. Zach had signed the deed of the house over the same day Damon had purchased their new house, seeming genuinely relieved to do so. To make it legal and keep out unwanted vampire guests, Aradia's name was on the deed, she would hold it in trust for Maya, meaning that only the two of them could invite vampires inside the house.
A pair of Auror's hand-picked by Selene, were escorting Zach, Gail, and the kids to their new home. Not the castle much to Maya's glee as it remained available for her, as long as she could persuade Kalital that it was a good investment anyway. They had decided on a much more modern style of house not too far from Woodstock, Connecticut. With Ragnuk's help it had taken less than a day for Damon to purchase the house and pick up the keys from the estate agent. Ragnuk and Galen had arranged for their teams to begin warding both houses as soon as the deeds were signed.
The wards had taken three days to place to the satisfaction of Galen, Ragnuk, and Aradia. Once they were done, Dobby had moved all the boxes filled with Zach, Gail, and the kids belongings into their new home, as well as all the furnishings Damon had purchased to ensure it was fully liveable. Dobby had done the same with their own boxes of stuff, moving them from the New York Townhouse to the Boarding House with his magic. Selene had insisted on moving trucks to keep up appearances for the non-magicals in Mystic Falls and Woodstock, but they were empty and being driven by Aurors.
Damon gave up staring at the Boarding House and leaned against the wall to stare out at the front gardens instead. Until Aradia arrived, he wouldn't be able to get in anyway. As if his thoughts had summoned her a dozen cracks sounded, and a group of people appeared in front of him. Aradia, who had side-along-apparated Stefan and Enzo, both of whom were looking rather dazed. Selene had brought Maggie and Lexi the same way, both looked less dazed than his brother and best friend, but not quite as put together as Lee or Maya who had been brought along by Dobby. Probably the difference between wixen apparition and house-elf apparition. Ragnuk, Galen, Commander Graves, whom Selene had introduced them all to a few days ago, and a bunch of men and women, presumably Graves's team, rounded out the group.
Maya instantly ran over and pinned herself to his side. He'd been mostly absent from the town house the last week, busy arranging everything for their move, and although he'd made a point to be there for breakfast and dinner each day, he knew Maya had missed his presence. Stefan, Maggie, and Enzo had all mentioned it to him at least once, even though they'd all known it couldn't be helped. He wrapped his arm around her and let her lean against her side as she gazed with some curiosity at the strangers, who were giving all their attention to Selene.
"You've all been briefed on the mission. You are all aware that this assignment is level one security, I personally selected each and every one of you for this assignment. Do not let me down. Commander Graves, you have situational command, I'll leave it to you to introduce your team."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
He smiled awkwardly at Maya, Damon supposed he was trying to be reassuring but he just looked stilted and pained.
"As we discussed the other day, there will be two field teams who will switch off each week. All of them have been chosen because they can easily operate in the non-magical world. All of them are usually assigned to non-magical law enforcement agencies and so will have credentials to show if challenged. Special Agent LaSalle will be in charge of Team One."
A man strode towards them with a confident swagger and a charming smile, his hand outstretched to Damon in friendly greeting. Damon put him at about six feet, his casual clothes displaying well-defined muscles. A gun and a badge gleamed at his waist, and he moved with the grace and power of a trained fighter, ready for anything.
"Nice to meet y'all. Let me introduce my team." He gestured to each person as he said there name, his drawl thick with southern charm. "This here's Gomez, my second in command. Then we have Benson, Jeffords, Galloway, Reynolds, Grant, Williams, and Reed."
Each of them gave a small nod as they were named, not all of them carried guns, but they all had badges clipped to their clothes somewhere clearly visible.
"As Commander Graves said, we're Team One, so we'll be on duty this week."
"Special Agent Blye will have command to Team Two."
The woman who stepped forward this time was striking in her appearance, with long dark hair that framed her oval face and contrasted with her fair skin. Her right eye was marked by a distinctive birthmark, a patch of slate-grey that blended into her hazel iris. She wore a fitted black leather jacket over a grey T-shirt, jeans, and boots, accessorized with a gun and a badge. Slender and athletic, she moved with the same grace as Agent LaSalle, radiating confidence.
"Hey, this is Morgan, my second in command." She pointed to a tall dark-skinned man who hadn't been introduced yet and then one by one to the rest of her team. "Knight, Carruso, Dallas, Santana, Cooper, Harrison, and Beckett. We'll be on duty on alternate weeks to Team One."
"Thank you, Agent LaSalle, Agent Blye, you're both with me for now. Gomez you know the plan, get your team set-up –"
"Yes, Sir."
"– Morgan, you and the rest of your team are dismissed for today."
"Yes, Sir."
Commander Graves turned to Damon as Agent Blye's team apparated away and Agent LaSalle's team huddled together for their orders.
"If we could go inside, I'd like to go over all the details of how we're planning to protect now that they've been finalised."
Damon nodded and gave Maya a gentle squeeze.
"You're up kiddo. You've got to invite us all in."
"Everyone?"
"Just us vampires. Dobby, could you lead Professor Aradia, Director Picquery, Commander Graves, Agent LaSalle, and Agent Blye into the Living Room please and get some refreshments."
"Dobby be doing that."
The House-elf toddled off with the group of Wixen following close behind. Maya stepped inside the house and turned back to look at them all.
"Damon, Stefan, Maggie, Lexi, and Lee, please come in."
"Hey! What about me?"
Maya grinned at Enzo as the rest of them stepped inside of the house, Stefan shaking his head but sporting the same amused grin as everyone else.
"What's the password?"
"Maya is my favourite witch?"
"Nope." She replied popping the 'p', eyes shining with delight.
"Maya is the most amazing person in the whole wide world?"
"Not even close."
Enzo gave a defeated sigh.
"I promise to come to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade if we can go this year, and if we can't I will come next year. How's that?"
"Okay, you can come in."
Enzo stepped inside pouting as Maggie and Maya high-fived. Damon just laughed and wrapped an arm round Maya's shoulder.
"Come on you, enough teasing Enzo."
He tugged her into the Living Room where the others were already waiting, Maggie and Enzo following behind. As soon as everyone was seated and had been served drinks by Dobby, Commander Graves began speaking.
"The point of the mission is to protect you all from Sirius Black, we don't want to prevent you from going about your lives as normal, but we will be taking precautionary measures to help keep you all safe." He nodded to the two Special Agents. "Agent LaSalle and Agent Blye will be taking point on your protection in Mystic Falls. Which they will explain the full details of in a minute."
"We'll also have a team in New York to provide protection for both Dr's St John when they're working and in the case of any trips to New York that the rest of you take. Commander Graves will have command of that team as well, if you are planning to go to New York please communicate that with him so he can arrange a protective detail whilst you are there."
Commander Graves looked at Maggie first.
"Your job is the most secure ma'am; I believe you will be using a portkey to go to and from the New York Institute for Magical Medicine."
"That's correct."
"Good, I've had one of my aurors liaising with the security team, and the security on the Institute is solid. We have however placed a couple of aurors undercover, as orderlies and receptionists, throughout the hospital with the full agreement of the board. Your usual receptionist has also been replaced by a seasoned auror, if you leave the Institute for any reason during your working day, they will accompany you."
"Understood."
He looked at Enzo next.
"Your job leaves you the most exposed. Columbia University is a completely non-magical institute and as such we're limited on what we can do. We've placed undercover aurors with campus security, unfortunately we were unable to get anyone into your department in an undercover position. As you will be portkeying from here to MACUSA before travelling on to Columbia, you will have Aurors shadowing you from the moment you leave headquarters until you return, so don't be too alarmed if you see unfamiliar faces in your lectures."
"Got it."
"Miss Branson, Mr Quinn, you've both declined Auror protection outside of Mystic Falls, if you change your minds, please contact me."
Finally, he turned to Damon, and Stefan, who were sitting either side of Maya.
"Now the security at the Academy and the wards that have been placed here are both very robust, so Miss Potter will be in the most danger whenever she is outside of either location. Professor Aradia has provided us with the schedule of Community Engagement events that the Academy participates in. A full Auror team will provide protection to each event to enable Miss Potter to continue to participate. As for sporting events, Professor Aradia?"
"Both Ilvermony and the Salem Witches Institute have agreed to play the Junior matches at the Academy this year, I have no doubt that Maya will once again make the team. As for the soccer matches, we will discuss arrangements for those closer to the time as they will be dependant on several factors."
"Thank you, Professor. Agent LaSalle and Agent Blye will cover arrangements for anything within Mystic Falls in a moment. Should you intend to take Miss Potter outside of Mystic Falls I will require two weeks' notice in order to arrange the appropriate protections for her. I have already started planning for the –" He pulled a notepad out of his pocket and glanced down at it. " – Ah, yes. The Taylor Swift Concert on the twenty-seventh, I will discuss the final arrangements for that with you next week."
Damon nodded. Tickets to see Taylor Swift at Madison Square Gardens had been one of his presents to Maya for her birthday and he'd been loath to disappoint her by telling her she now couldn't go. Thankfully, Selene and Commander Graves, had been on the same page as Damon when it came to keeping things as normal as possible for Maya. They were both happy to do so, as long as security arrangements could be made.
"Agent LaSalle, Agent Blye, if you could explain the details for their protection inside of Mystic Falls."
"The wards on the house are built up in several layers. Now due to the fact that Mystic Falls is a non-magical town, we've had to be creative about how the wards are layered." Agent Blye explained.
The Horde and Galen had both gone over this with Damon before, but he didn't mind her going over it again for everyone else's benefit.
"Non-magicals will be able to get to the front door unhindered. There are wards inside the house that are designed to keep any non-magicals, who don't have invitations to go elsewhere, to limited rooms; the front-entrance, this room, the dining room, the kitchen, the den, and a downstairs bathroom."
"For supernatural's of all kinds the layers of wardin' are built on an intent basis. The outermost ward will stop anyone who comes here with the intent to kill any of the inhabitants, the next ward will stop those who intend serious harm, etc. Downgradin' a step for each layer until you reach the innermost ward, which will hold anyone who doesn't have an invite or who isn't keyed into the wards, from enterin' the house."
"With the added blood wards anyone who comes to Mystic Falls with the specific intent of killing Miss Potter will be unable to find the house at all, even if they know it should be there."
"At least two Aurors will be patrollin' the outside of the wards on a constant basis. If anyone sets off the wards, the team on duty will know and pop in to handle it. Me and Agent Blye can call in the off-duty team if the situation warrants it. All of us have been keyed into the wards and as such are able to apparate directly inside."
"If any of you leave the house to go anywhere in Mystic Falls you will be discretely followed by at least one member of the team at all times. If there is any hint of danger to any of you then we will be on hand to deal with it."
"Sounds like you've got everything worked out." Damon commented, once it was clear that was everything.
"We've done our best to cover all of our bases, but there are no guarantees, which is why Professor Aradia would like to add one more security measure for Miss Potter's protection." Selene told him.
Aradia reached into the pocket and pulled out a rubber wristband identical to the one Maya used to portkey to and from the Academy.
"I've enchanted this so that in an emergency, you need only say the activation word or tap on it in a particular pattern, and it will portkey you straight to the Academy's medical room. It cannot be removed by anyone other than yourself, and if it detects that you have fallen unconscious by foul means, i.e. anything but fallen asleep naturally, the security protocols will kick in and transport you to the Academy's medical room."
"Agent LaSalle and I will both be alerted in the event that the portkey activates, and we will come to you, so make sure you only use it for absolute emergencies, okay?"
Maya nodded and accepted the bracelet that the headmistress held out to her, slipping it onto her wrist. She understood the potential danger Sirius Black posed and she knew she had to take the threat seriously. To the point that she'd finally revealed her real last name to Kamala and Sora, to explain the danger she was in and why she was moving away from New York. To her relief both of them had taken it well, more concerned with the fact that her life was under threat than that she'd been lying to them for the past year. As Sora had put it; "Just because we didn't know your last name doesn't mean we don't know the real you. You're still Maya, our friend, no matter what name you choose to use."
Director Picquery cleared her throat.
"Well, I believe that's everything. Commander Graves, do you have anything more to add?"
"No. I believe we've covered everything."
"Good, then we'll take our leave. Allow you to get settled in."
Damon escorted them all out and returned to the Living Room where he sat down and pulled Maya into a hug.
"Don't worry too much kiddo. I'm sure the British Aurors will have Black recaptured and back in Azkaban soon enough and then everything will go back to normal. Now, wanna go see your room?"
Maya nodded and Damon led her upstairs to the bedroom he had picked out for her. It was about twice the size of her bedroom in New York with floor to ceiling windowed doors that opened out onto a balcony that ran the length of the room. It also had it's own full ensuite bathroom with both a shower and a bath inside as well as a walk-in closet that was also double the size of her closet in New York. The only furniture in the room so far was a bed which had been made up with her bedding from back home. The rest of her furniture Damon had asked Dobby to place in another room so that Maya could decide where she wanted everything to go. He'd had the walls painted with an off-white base coat, leaving the prefect canvas for Maya to decorate however she wished.
"What do you think?"
"It's nice, it's just. Not home."
"Give it time Kiddo. Anything you need to make it feel more like home, just ask, okay?"
Maya nodded and leaned into his side once more.
"I'm sorry we had to move. I know you don't like it here."
Damon knelt down in front of Maya and met her eyes.
"Hey. This is not your fault, and I would do anything. Anything at all. To keep you safe, okay?"
"Anything?"
"Anything." Damon repeated.
"Even wear polka dots and shave your head?"
Damon pulled a face and made Maya giggle.
"I sincerely hope that such an atrocity is never needed, but if I had to do that for you, I wouldn't hesitate. You are more important to me than anything or anyone else and I would walk through Hell itself if it meant keeping you from harm. I love you Maya Lucinda Potter-Nichols and I always will, no matter what."
"I love you to Damon, you're the best dad in the world."
Damon's heart skipped a beat when she called him a 'dad'. He'd told Narcissa that he considered Maya to be his daughter, but he'd never dreamed that she would refer to him in the same manner. He pulled her into a hug and held on tight, unwilling to let go of this moment.
"You can call me dad if you want to."
"Won't people think its weird?"
"Hmm, how about something else then?"
"Like what?"
"Well how about in Italian?"
"Papà?"
"I was thinking more babbo. It's a more informal way of saying dad and if anyone asks, we can just tell them it's a nickname."
She smiled and nodded tightening her arms around his neck.
"I love you babbo."
"I love you too, kiddo. I love you too."