We Come from Different Places but Have the Same Name
Summary: Despite her son's best efforts, Melissa McCall knows about the supernatural. After all, she wasn't always a nurse. Maybe it's time to step out of retirement and show the puppies how a Pack really works.
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf, Harry Potter, or anything else mentioned in this story. None of it is mine. I appreciate all of the encouraging reviews. As for the select few who like to post reviews about how unoriginal my story is, if this isn't your cup of tea, just click out and go somewhere else already. I write for fun, not for reviews. I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter, but I called it quits after rewriting it three times.
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Chapter 7: War Doesn't Start On a Battlefield
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"Good morning, sweetheart," Melissa smiled hopefully, seeing her son coming out of his room. "My shift doesn't start till later this afternoon. I was thinking we could grab some breakfast and talk."
"Can't. Got lacrosse practice this morning," Scott brushed her offer away instantly, eyes on his phone as he headed straight out the door without a second thought.
Shoulders slumping in defeat, Melissa sighed as she leaned back against the sink, sipping at her coffee absently.
She made a face, mood worsening as she realized it had gone cold.
Two weeks had passed since the incident at the police station and Scott hadn't spoken more than a few short words to her since that night. Melissa had tried several times to explain herself, to go more in depth than the brief show of magic she'd done.
What Scott didn't understand was that she wasn't the same person she was before. Who she was before never came into the equation because she wasn't the lost, desperate young woman she'd been when she'd gotten pregnant with him. She'd given up on using her magic and carved out a new life for herself in a world that was nothing like her own.
That wasn't an option any longer. Hiding her head in the sand and pretending nothing was happening was never something she'd been able to before and she certainly couldn't now that her sons were involved.
Pouring out the cold coffee and setting the empty cup in the sink, she took the stairs two at a time to slip into her bedroom. She quickly got dressed for the day, forgoing her scrubs for jeans and an old t-shirt with a gray cardigan and ankle boots.
Once finished, Melissa went to the back of the closet where there was a trunk hidden at the very top in the back behind some old sewing supplies and a box of photo albums. She dragged it down and knelt before it.
A sting followed the quick bite to her finger as she pressed it to the smooth square where the lock was missing.
The hinges creaked as they slid open, revealing the array of things she'd hidden away.
A silky silver cloak lay folded neatly on top, along with a ring and her wand.
Melissa breathed in sharply as she reached for the ring, studying the dark stone set in the silver band. It wasn't obsidian or any other gemstone humanity could identify, darker than the night itself.
She hesitated for only a moment before slipping it onto her right ring finger.
It slid home smoothly, as if it had been molded to her exactly.
Instantly, a chill swept over her, causing her to shiver.
She reached for her wand next, studying the sides for any sign of the damage she'd done on the bridge of Hogwarts. She'd broken it straight through the middle and thrown it as far as she could, hoping the water below would swallow it into its depths to be forgotten.
It hummed under her touch, a wave of warmth engulfing her hands in welcome, as she slipped it into one of the inside pockets of her cardigan.
"Hello old friend," Melissa murmured, unable to help her soft smile as she picked up the cloak and set it aside. She didn't need it at the moment but she needed to look at what lay below.
Several books lay neatly stacked at the bottom of the trunk, nine in total. She'd been too distracted back then to bother looking into what they were for but she was hoping one would be something helpful.
Rummaging through, she found a book on healing spells, two on different types of potions, three on runes and their applications, one on magical creatures, a journal that seemed to be written by one of her Potter relatives, and one on warding.
She grinned in triumph at finding the book on warding.
Snatching it up, Melissa returned the other books and the cloak back into the trunk, closing it and sliding it back into where she'd hidden it before.
She tucked the book into her bag and headed out, slinging the strap over her shoulder absently.
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The Hale House had more than one ghost. Melissa could feel it as soon as she pulled up to the wreckage.
Climbing out of her car, she just stood there for a moment studying it.
In its time, the Hale House would have been beautiful. She could see it in her mind's eye. A big, two-story luxurious house that was home to a large Pack of werewolves. From how the rumors of the fire had spread through the town, Melissa had a feeling the Hale Pack had been important people to Beacon Hills.
She wondered what really happened that night. The newspaper had been more delighted to spill about how Kate Argent's body was found with her throat slashed open in the wreckage of the house but that didn't tell her what she wanted to know.
She wanted to know how Kate Argent had gotten close enough to the Hale Pack to take it down.
Seeing as how she estimated Derek had been a teenager around that time and how Kate had been found in connection to the high school, it brought up some uncomfortable possibilities.
"Here goes nothing," Melissa muttered to the air as she moved closer, carefully navigating the damaged steps.
As soon as she stepped foot over the threshold, Melissa recoiled as she was bombarded with a rush of emotions. Sheer terror, a deep sense of sorrow, and a reluctant acceptance flooded her senses. She lifted a hand to cover her mouth, inhaling shakily as she blinked through the tears that had sprung up instinctively.
These people hadn't just died. They'd waited for death to claim them, trapped and helpless with no way out.
Taking a deep breath, Melissa twisted the ring around her finger three times.
"Laura Hale, I would like to speak with you if that's alright."
There was a cold breeze that swept through the room before Laura answered her call.
Laura Hale stood in the middle of the room, just a few feet away. Though Melissa could see hints of what she'd looked like alive, blue eyes and dark hair, the color had been drained from her and she was tinted gray, like an old black and white photo. Her dark eyes held such a deep sorrow as she surveyed the room, taking in the loss as if it had happened all over again.
"It wasn't supposed to be this way," she whispered, eyes flicking over to Melissa. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"My name's Melissa McCall," she started, keeping her voice soft. "I want to know what really happened to your Pack. I'm so sorry for your loss."
Laura didn't acknowledge the apology, eyeing her suspiciously. "What are you? I don't know of anything that can summon the dead. Not truly."
"There's no one else like me in your world," Melissa stated honestly, offering a small smile. "I'm really just a mother who wants to keep her son and his Pack safe."
"What Pack is he involved in?" Laura tilted her head, hope flickering across her eyes.
"The Hale Pack. Peter Hale turned him and Derek's trying to help him but he's too stubborn for his own good," Melissa rolled her eyes in exasperation.
Lips twitching into a small smile, Laura nodded knowingly. "That's how most of the male species are. It's unavoidable."
They shared a laugh at the accurate observation. The amusement didn't last long but it broke the tension as the air itself seemed lighter afterward.
"What do you want to know?"
"What happened the night of the fire? How did Kate Argent get close enough to your family to do this?" Melissa questioned, the uncomfortable possibilities swirling through her mind.
"She used Derek," Laura admitted, anger seeping through the air. "She seduced him. I knew he had a new girlfriend but I thought…I didn't know it was her. She knew about the tunnels from him, she knew our patrol routines, when we were least guarded. She knew about everything."
Melissa frowned, mind racing past the uncomfortable possibility that had just been confirmed.
"I'm not completely certain of how this kind of Pack works but don't you have a mediator? You know like an outside source who mediates between the Pack and any type of threats or something like that?"
"We did have an Emissary," Laura answered. "Deaton was supposed to be our link to the rest of the world and negotiate with any threats or mistakes that popped up. He's a Druid, one my mother loved to have as a friend."
"Did he ever place down any protections for you all? Nothing that outlined your territory or protected your house from any possible intruders?"
Laura grimaced, shaking her head. "No, he never did any of that. My mother claimed Deaton was one of the most powerful Druids she'd ever met but he never set up any protections for us that I could tell. He claimed the Balance demanded he stay neutral so he was pretty detached from us."
"That seems pretty suspicious to me," Melissa observed hesitantly, unsure of how that position was supposed to work if the Emissary wasn't interested in actually being part of the Pack itself.
"Personally, I never liked him," Laura shrugged. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if he was involved in the fire somehow."
"It wouldn't surprise me either," Melissa agreed, anger rushing through her for this poor family that had died a tragic death. "There are plenty of things he could have done to magically protect your home."
Laura only shrugged, offering a sad smile. "Apparently he just didn't think we were worth it."
"You and your family were worth it, Laura. None of this is your fault. If he's willing to condemn one Pack by negligence, then he's willing to do it again to another," Melissa declared, eyes hardening as she thought of her son. "He's got another thing coming if he thinks he can do that to my son."
Laura cocked her head curiously, lips curling into a wolfish smile. "I think we could've been friends, Miss McCall."
Melissa returned the smile. "We certainly would've been, Laura. It was nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy your time with your family."
"I will," Laura smiled, the edges softening. "Do me a favor and keep an eye on my little brother and Uncle Peter okay? And tell Uncle Peter I forgive him. He wasn't in his right mind that night and I did leave him behind, which I always felt guilty about."
"I'll tell him and I'll keep an eye on them both," Melissa promised. "Goodbye, Laura."
"Bye Miss McCall," Laura winked before fading away.
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"Laura was very convinced Deaton had a hand in the fire," Melissa stressed to Noah, phone cradled against her ear as she hauled the load of fresh laundry up the stairs. "And it makes sense from what she was telling me. Why didn't he come forward to help Laura to Derek when it happened? Too many things aren't adding up about him, Noah."
"You think we need to pay him a visit?"
"I think it's better to be safe than sorry. I don't want him anywhere near our boys if he had a hand in that horrible night."
Noah made a noise of agreement. "Alright, I've got to go but just let me know when you want to question him. Bye, Mel."
"Bye," she echoed, slipping the phone into her pocket as she headed into Scott's room, hauling his bag of laundry inside.
A short yelp left her as a tail wrapped around her neck and she was hauled upwards, into the kanima's waiting arms. Melissa turned her head and met those sickly yellow slitted eyes, tensing. But she saw no malice in those eyes, nothing aggressive. He didn't want to hurt her, judging by the arm wrapped around her middle, claws carefully held away from her skin, and the loose grip of the tail around her throat.
She looked down to see Gerard Argent lounging in her son's gaming chair as if he had every right to be there.
Melissa debated what to do for a moment before staying still, deciding to play the captive and see what the man wanted.
As Scott walked in, Melissa watched the full dread and fury wash over her son's face as his claws slid out.
"Come on, Scott. Let's be realistic about who's got the upper hand here," Gerard smiled smugly.
"Let her go."
"Can't do that," Gerard denied. "But let her live? That's up to you."
Scott looked up at her, then back to him.
"What do you want?"
"I want to talk. You haven't been answering your phone."
"Let her go and we can talk about whatever you want."
"I want the same thing that I have always wanted," Gerard started, rising from the chair. "I want Derek and his pack. You have them all in hiding."
"How am I supposed to know where they are?"
"I think with the proper motivation you could draw them out. And if you haven't noticed, I have a fairly impressive means by which I can motivate people. Why do you think I can control him, Scott? The Kanima is a weapon of vengeance," Gerard hissed, venom coating his words. Rage flitted over his features and Melissa felt a surge of triumph.
Ah so that's your play.
"This is about Kate?" Scott had the same conclusion as her.
"I didn't just come here to bury my daughter. I came to avenge her."
The kanima released her reluctantly at an unseen gesture by Gerard. Landing on her knees, Melissa coughed a few times, acting as if her throat had been strained.
"Are you okay, Mom?" Scott crouched by her, completely ignoring the hunter and kanima as they left.
Melissa nodded, coughing, waiting until she heard the front door shut as they left the house before pushing to her feet.
"I'm alright, Scott," she reassured her son, who still looked at her as she'd pass out at any moment. "That was rather enlightening. Now that we know what the bastard's motive is, I'd rather he not be able to access our home again."
She started for the stairs, hearing Scott scramble after her in confusion.
"Wait what do you mean by that? Is there a way to keep him out?" Scott asked hopefully, following her into the kitchen.
Digging through her bag, Melissa pulled out the books on wards and flipped it open, settling it on the counter between them as Scott leaned over the other side to inspect it closer.
"Not just him, honey," Melissa's lips curved into a wolfish smile. "If we do this spell right, it'll keep out anyone who has any intent to harm us or any other welcomed occupants."
"We?" Scott repeated, wariness flickering over his face. "What would I have to do?"
"Just a prick of your blood, Scott," she reassured absently, scanning the list of instructions. Lifting the book into her arms, she strode for the front door. "That way the house recognizes you and I as its owners."
"That's all?"
Hearing the suspicion in his voice, Melissa halted and turned to face him. "Scott, magic isn't wholly good or bad. It can be wielded to heal just as easily as it can to hurt. Honey, think back. Have I ever honestly put you in any sort of danger?"
The question was gentle but pointed.
Something flickered through his eyes, and she knew he was remembering how it had been with his father before.
He straightened, shaking his head firmly. "No. Never."
Lips curving into a soft smile, Melissa held a hand to him. "And I never will. Please, let me show you how beautiful magic can be."
Taking her hand, Scott followed her to the door and didn't even wince when she gently cut one of his fingers along with her own. He watched as she drew a quick series of runes on the door and pressed her hand to it, visualizing what she wanted in her mind.
Her magic obeyed and the symbols lit up with a bright blue glow. She heard Scott gasp at the sight before falling silent in awe as the wards shimmered into existence, strands of glowing sapphire energy stretching and zigzagging across every inch of their home, weaving a net of protection.
"It's beautiful," Scott spoke quietly, eyes studying the cords of power, each as outwardly delicate as cobwebs but stronger than steel.
Something in Melissa eased its tight grip as she saw the wonder on her son's face.
"That it is."