The morning sunlight streamed through the lace curtains of the mayor's office, casting a warm glow over the polished mahogany desk where Mayor Lockwood sat. Her demeanour exuded a composed confidence, her tailored suit conveying both authority and elegance.

As Elijah and Finn entered, their presence seemed to command attention despite their efforts to appear unassuming. Elijah's refined appearance and Finn's stoic expression contrasted sharply with the mayor's composed facade. Yet, despite any tension lingering in the air, polite smiles adorned their faces.

"Mayor Lockwood," Elijah began with a gracious smile, his voice a smooth cadence of politeness, "thank you for agreeing to meet with us this morning."

The mayor's smile matched his own as she inclined her head in acknowledgement.

"You're very welcome, Mr. Mikaelson."

Finn's presence added a subtle intensity to the room as he stood beside his brother, his gaze assessing yet unreadable.

"Please, call me Elijah," Elijah continued smoothly, gesturing towards Finn. "Allow me to introduce you; this is my brother Finn."

"Call me Carol, I insist." The mayor extended her hand with practiced ease, her grip firm and unwavering as she shook theirs in turn, betraying no hint of hesitation despite the knowledge of their true nature. Elijah couldn't help but be impressed by the calm facade she maintained, a testament to her steely resolve.

Once seated and served with tea, the conversation began in earnest.

"So, gentlemen, what is this meeting about?"

"We wished to clear the air," Finn stated matter-of-factly, his voice carrying a weight that commanded attention.

Mayor Lockwood's composure wavered for the first time, a subtle tremble in her hands betraying her inner turmoil as Finn broached the purpose of their meeting. Finn continued speaking as if he hadn't noticed her trembling.

"We've been made aware of the events that occurred whilst we were away and felt it best to ensure we were all on the same page."

The mayor's response was measured, her gaze steady as she met Finn's. "And what page is that?" she inquired, her tone betraying nothing of her true sentiments.

Elijah interjected smoothly, his voice a calming presence in the room.

"We're aware that you know what our family is," he acknowledged, "We're also aware that you know we cannot be permanently killed."

"I assure you I have no intention of doing anything which may harm my son!"

"Carol, we didn't come here to threaten you," Elijah explained, his tone diplomatic yet firm. "We are all aware that you are intelligent enough to understand it would be foolhardy in the extreme to attack us or our family. We merely wished to let you know that we intend to make Mystic Falls our home for the foreseeable future."

"How lovely."

"I'm sure you'll find us to be upstanding members of the community." Finn continued. "Our younger siblings can be a little wild at times, but we'll be sure to reign them in as and when necessary."

"That's good to know."

"And of course, as this will be our home, we're prepared to ensure its safety from those who threaten it." Elijah finished.

As Elijah concluded their exchange with a final reassurance of their commitment to the town's safety, a palpable silence settled over the room, punctuated only by the soft clink of teacups against saucers.

Then, with a simple nod, the mayor broke the silence, her words cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Let me be frank."

"That would be appreciated." Elijah told her.

"I don't like you and your family. I don't like the fact that you have decided to live here in my town." She stated cooly, "however, I am Mayor of this town and I have a duty towards the community. I also love my son very much. So, I can live with disliking you if you will do as you have said, and ensure this community remains a safe one to live in."

Her frankness was as chilling as it was refreshing, a stark reminder of the complexities of their newfound alliance. In that moment, it became clear that their relationship, though forged in necessity, would be defined by mutual respect and a shared understanding of the responsibilities they each bore. And as the conversation drew to a close, a silent pact was sealed between them, bound by duty, loyalty, and the unspoken promise of cooperation in the face of whatever challenges lay ahead.

They gathered around a sunlit table in the bustling school cafeteria, settling into their seats with trays of food for their first lunch of the new term. The lively chatter of fellow students filled the air, but their own conversation was intensely focused on the recent Quidditch World Cup Final. As they unpacked their lunches, the excitement of the game and the subsequent chaos that followed dominated their discussions, rekindling the thrill and shock of the events they had witnessed.

"I can't believe you were all there, and I had to listen over the radio!" Kamala exclaimed.

"I can't believe a group of crazy people went around setting fire to the stadium and the campsite after the match!" Aiden replied, his brows furrowed in disbelief. Around the table, Ronan and Sora nodded in agreement, their expressions a mixture of shock and curiosity.

Maya, who had been quietly enjoying her meal, swallowed the food she'd been chewing and spoke up. Her tone was serious, cutting through the noise of their peers.

"Dora said the current theory is it was only one person."

"One person did all that damage?" Kamala responded, shock and disbelief colouring her voice.

"She said the investigation unit had done a mock-up of what happened. Apparently, the time between each fire starting meant there would have been enough time for an individual to start them all." Maya explained, "she said if it had been a group working together it would have been more simultaneous."

"It was kind of terrifying," Ronan admitted, his eyes scanning the faces of his friends, "Not knowing if you were safe or another fire was going to start."

"After we found out what had happened, mum was really glad we'd left straight after the match," Sora told them, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "She said it was practically a miracle that the fires only killed one person."

"Two." Maya interjected softly, correcting her with a solemn expression. "Mr Crouch's house-elf died as well. They didn't die in the fire though; they were both murdered before, and the fires were lit to destroy the evidence." She paused, her voice lowering as she relayed the grisly details she wasn't meant to overhear. "Dora told Uncle Ted, and Madam Bones confirmed it when she spoke to Aunt Cissa. I don't think we were supposed to overhear, but apparently it was really gruesome. Whoever did it tortured him for a while before killing him."

The weight of Maya's words hung heavily in the air. Sora pushed her plate away with a slight grimace.

"I don't think I'm hungry anymore," she muttered, her appetite lost to the dark turn in their conversation.

Maya winced, feeling a pang of guilt for dampening the mood.

"Sorry," she murmured, looking down at her own untouched meal.

"Let's talk about something else," Aiden suggested quickly, eager to lift the spirits of the group.

"I know!" Kamala's eyes suddenly sparkled with mischief as she turned to Maya, a playful grin spreading across her face. "I heard a rumour there's a new Ancient Runes teacher, and apparently he's extremely attractive."

Ronan, eyebrows raised, looked at Kamala with a mix of amusement and curiosity.

"How do you hear all these things?" he asked, while Maya made a face, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"Great! Now I feel sick too!" Maya exclaimed, half-joking, half-serious.

"What? Why?" Ronan turned to her; his concern evident as he leaned in closer.

"Uncle Kol is the new Ancient Runes teacher. Professor Aradia finally gave into his begging, and gave him a job," Maya confessed, her tone a blend of embarrassment and annoyance.

At this revelation, Kamala burst into laughter, her mirth contagious as Aiden and Sora joined in, their laughter echoing around the corner of the cafeteria. The tension from the earlier conversation dissipated, replaced by the warmth of shared amusement, successfully diverting their thoughts from the dark tales of murder and mayhem.

When Maya pushed open the heavy oak door of the old classroom on Friday afternoon, she was met with an unusual sight. Professor Bloodworth, clad in her customary silver, flowing robes, was seated cross-legged on the floor. Next to her, Himiko was sat with an uncharacteristically gentle smile on her face. Light streamed through the windows, the stained glass at the top, casting coloured patterns on the wooden floor and the rug, the two adults were sitting on.

"Good afternoon, Maya," Professor Bloodworth greeted, her voice echoing slightly in the cavernous room. She gestured to a spot on the floor opposite them. "Please have a seat."

Maya nodded, her footsteps muffled by the thick rug as she moved to drop her bag beside her and sat down, folding her legs. She glanced around the room, it hadn't changed at all from the previous year, the only real difference was Professor Bloodworth and the stack of books next to her.

"Now that you've triggered your Necromancy, you'll need to learn to control it and use it," Professor Bloodworth explained, her eyes locking onto Maya's with an intense, piercing gaze. "So, I'll be teaching you every other Friday."

"Okay," Maya replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty as she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt.

"Don't worry," Himiko interjected softly, her smile reassuring. "Your first few lessons are going to cover what True Necromancy is. The ethics of using your abilities, and the laws that govern them, which vary from country to country. You won't be using them for a while, and the first thing you will be learning is how to communicate with the spirits on the Otherside."

"Erm, I've been having dreams," Maya blurted out, her eyes darting between the two adults.

"Yes," Professor Bloodworth nodded solemnly. "Professor Aradia mentioned. I understand Miss Bennett and Sheila have been having them as well."

"Yeah."

"I'll reach out to Sheila. If we can locate the house you've been dreaming of, I'll agree to you helping to summon a spirit from the Otherside."

"Okay."

"Good." Professor Bloodworth leaned forward slightly, her expression becoming more serious. "Now the first thing you need to understand is that there is a difference between the sort of necromancy that anyone with magic can perform, and the True Necromancy that you and I are capable of."

As she spoke, the room seemed to grow quieter, the shadows deepening around the edges, as if the very topic stirred the air itself. Maya felt a chill down her spine, her initial apprehension mingling with a burgeoning curiosity about the powers she had awakened.

The light coming through the stained-glass windows fell across Professor Bloodworth, giving her silvery robes an ethereal glow as she spoke.

"Nearly every person with a modicum of magic is able to learn to commune with the spirits on the Otherside or raise Inferius. The more powerful a person is the more Inferi they are capable of creating."

"Isn't it illegal to raise zombies?"

"Zombies and Inferi are different creatures. It's a subtle enough difference that many don't truly appreciate. An Inferius is a corpse that had been reanimated by a curse, Zombies are living dead magical creatures. It is illegal in every country, including ours, to create an Inferius. Raising a zombie is illegal in several countries, but not all. Here in America, one must be a registered Vodun Priest or Priestess or a True Necromancer to legally raise a zombie." Professor Bloodworth explained.

"What if I don't want to raise any zombies?" Maya asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Both Professor Bloodworth and Himiko smiled, a glint of amusement in their eyes.

"I will be teaching you how. It's important to learn every aspect of what you are capable of. You will need to prove to an independent assessor that you are capable of raising, controlling, and putting to rest a zombie," Professor Bloodworth replied, giving a small shrug. "If after that you choose not to raise any zombies, which will be your choice."

Maya let out a relieved sigh. Her recently unlocked necromancy abilities were a daunting responsibility, and while she understood the necessity of mastering them, the thought of raising zombies was unappealing—they were all scabby and gross, and she was certain their rotting scent would be overpowering to her enhanced senses.

"So, whilst those abilities fall into the category of necromancy, they are not considered True Necromancy." Professor Bloodworth continued, "A True Necromancer, can not only connect with spirits on the Otherside, but also those who have passed beyond the veil."

"What's the difference?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

"The Otherside is a waiting room of sorts, for those who've died."

"A waiting room?" Maya couldn't help the incredulous tone in her voice, which fortunately didn't seem to offend Professor Bloodworth, who chuckled softly in response.

"That's the easiest way I've found to explain it. Professor Aradia describes it as a purgatory where those who've irritated Lord Death spend their afterlives until he unbends enough to allow them to pass on through the veil." She smiled warmly and shook her head slightly. "I prefer to explain it as a waiting room, or you could think of it like a celestial service station. When people die, sometimes they pass straight through the veil, and sometimes they end up on the Otherside."

"Why?"

"No one really knows. Perhaps Professor Aradia is correct and those that end up there have irritated Lord Death, or perhaps there is some other reason." Professor Bloodworth shook her head, "The why is not important, what is important is the difference between the Otherside and the Veil. Spirits on the Otherside are more connected to the living world. They exist alongside us, watching the world, witches who end up there tend to communicate with the living, and some even call on their power to enhance their own. Spirits who have passed through the veil are more removed, they can see some of what their loved one's experience on earth, but not all, they are at Peace, and watching the world all the time does not lend itself to peace."

Maya's voice wavered as she spoke, her eyes shadowed with concern.

"If they're at peace, wouldn't it be wrong to summon them back?" She thought of her mother, and the stone she had used, a pang of guilt knotting in her stomach.

Professor Bloodworth nodded slowly, her face solemn in the flickering candlelight that cast long, dancing shadows across the room filled with ancient tomes and mystical artifacts.

"Precisely why we will be discussing the ethics associated with True Necromancy," she said gravely. "But first, let's finish our discussion of what it truly entails."

She paused for a moment, allowing the weight of her words to sink in.

"As well as being able to connect with and communicate with those who have passed through the veil, a True Necromancer can also return true life to one who has passed on. This isn't the same as raising a zombie. Restoring life brings the soul back to the body, and that person would be truly alive again."

Her eyes bored into Maya's, ensuring she understood the gravity of such power.

"There are several ethical implications to this," Professor Bloodworth continued, her voice echoing slightly in the high-ceilinged room. "And the International Confederation of Wizards has strict laws regarding the use of this ability, laws that the Magical Congress of the United States of America has adopted in full."

The air seemed to grow heavier with each word, filled with the scent of old leather and the faint aroma of incense burning in a corner. Maya felt the enormity of her abilities, a mix of awe and fear settling in her heart. She understood now that her journey into the depths of necromancy would be fraught with moral decisions far beyond the technical skills she would learn.

"A True Necromancer is also capable of using Soul Magic. The legal applications of Soul Magic include healing, Astral travel, forging magical items, and sealing corrupted souls beyond the veil, there are some others, but these are the most commonly used. Illegal applications of Soul Magic, include removing souls from living beings."

Maya her face pale, leaned forward slightly, dropping her voice to barely above a whisper.

"Like a Dementor can?"

Himiko had trained her to produce a Patronus, and she could now produce a fully corporeal one, an Elephant. She'd even wielded it successfully against a Boggart, but Dementors still freaked her out a lot.

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, the only sound was the gentle tapping of a branch against the window. Professor Bloodworth and Himiko exchanged a look of deep concern before turning back to Maya.

"Yes," Professor Bloodworth replied, her tone heavy with gravity. "Dementors do have that ability. However, no one knows what happens to the soul once a Dementor consumes it, which is why many countries have outlawed their use in judicial punishments. A human being who does so has effectively committed murder, hence its illegality."

The professor paused, allowing the significance of her words to sink in.

"Other illegal uses include using the souls of others to power your magic and splitting your soul into fragments. These actions are forbidden not only in an earthly sense but also a celestial one."

She leaned closer, her eyes piercing into Maya's.

"I've been informed that you are already aware of what a Horcrux is," she continued, her voice stern. "So, I won't go into detail on that and trust you are sensible enough to never consider creating one."

Maya shuddered visibly, her fingers inching towards the faint scar on her forehead—a reminder of darker times. The mere thought of using such dark magic was alien to her; Professor Bloodworth's stern warning was hardly necessary to deter her from such a path.

"Harnessing the souls of others to power your magic destroys those souls; they cease to exist," Professor Bloodworth continued, her voice echoing solemnly in the bright room. "It's an affront to the Celestial beings to use such magic—a violation of the most sacred laws of existence."

"Earlier, you said that some people call on the power of the spirits to enhance their own. Isn't that the same thing?" Maya's question cut through the heavy atmosphere, her brow furrowed in confusion and concern.

Professor Bloodworth shook her head, her expression grave.

"A logical question, but no, it isn't the same. Calling on the power of the spirits is more of an invitation; you're asking the spirits to join their magic with yours to power a spell or ritual. The spirits have the right to refuse and cut you off from their power. Harnessing the soul of another person, however, is a literal consumption of that soul. You take it into your own body and magic, using the power up until there is nothing left of that soul."

Himiko, who had been silent, now spoke, her voice low and infused with a warning tone.

"Souls are magic," she added. "Even a non-magical person has a soul, and that soul contains the magic of life. A person who harnesses another's soul is basically stealing it from them. It is the most abominable magic in existence, even more so than creating Horcruxes. As despicable as that is, at least it's only your own soul you would be destroying."

The room seemed to darken slightly as she spoke, casting long, quivering shadows across the walls. Maya felt a chill creep down her spine, her resolve hardening against the dark temptations of such forbidden powers. The air seemed thick with the weight of unsaid warnings, each word from her mentors a stitch in the fabric of her moral compass.

As the heavy topics faded into the background, the atmosphere in the ancient classroom began to lighten. Professor Bloodworth, sensing the need to steer their conversation towards more constructive avenues, delved into the practical and positive uses of Soul Magic. Her voice, once laden with sombre warnings, now carried a tone of enthusiasm as she described the intricate processes of Healing, Astral Travel, the art of forging magical items, and the noble task of Sealing Souls.

"The ability to heal with Soul Magic," she explained, "is about restoring balance and vitality, not just to the body, but to the spirit as well." She gestured animatedly, her hands moving as if weaving the very spells she described. "And Astral Travel," she continued, "allows us to explore other realms and gather wisdom without the confines of our physical boundaries."

Maya listened intently, her earlier apprehension giving way to fascination as the practical and beneficial aspects of her abilities unfolded. The fearsome power she wielded seemed less daunting when viewed through the lens of its potential for good.

As the lesson drew to a close, Professor Bloodworth reached beside her, lifting a stack of thick, dust-covered books from the floor. She handed them to Maya with a significant look.

"These will help you understand the full scope of your abilities, and using them in a responsible manner," she said, her voice imbued with a stern yet encouraging tone. "Begin with the first four chapters of 'Ethical Implications on the Uses of Necromancy and Soul Magicks.' We'll be discussing the Ethics in our next lesson."

Maya accepted the books, their weight in her arms grounding her. She felt the texture of the leather and the crispness of the pages, each a repository of knowledge waiting to be unlocked. With a nod, she committed herself to the task ahead, eager to explore the depths of her abilities and the boundaries of her ethical compass.