Kol decided to return to the mansion through the open window of his room, not wanting to risk being intercepted by anyone curious about his whereabouts. He slipped through the window with the stealth of a common thief, finding himself once again in the room Klaus had given him. The irony wasn't lost on him—sneaking around his own home, but needs must.
He moved silently through the corridors until he reached Finn's room. After ensuring the coast was clear, he entered, heading straight for the bathroom. There, on the counter, he found Finn's hairbrush. With meticulous care, he extracted a few strands of hair and sealed them in a plastic bag he found nearby. Shoving the bag into the pocket of his tuxedo, Kol left the room as quietly as he had entered.
The task had been surprisingly easy, and he found himself with time to spare before he was due to meet Holly again in the garden. Deciding to make good use of the time, he headed to the library. Klaus, for all his faults, had an uncanny knack for acquiring books, scrolls, and publications on topics that Kol would find intriguing—his way of saying "sorry I daggered you" by providing information Kol had missed during his lengthy "vacations" in a coffin.
As expected, Kol found a collection of books on witchcraft and grimoires that were unfamiliar to him, sparking a thrill of anticipation. He began browsing the shelves, hoping to find something on "wand wielders" but was met with disappointment. The British magical community, it seemed, didn't go by such a name. They preferred the more traditional titles of "witches" and "wizards," while their American cousins were often referred to as "wiccans" by them. The subtle war over terminology amused him, but there was no denying that the European wizards were far more powerful. Wiccans, after all, could easily blend in with non-magical people, not needing to use magic daily. But the British wizards—ah, they lived and breathed magic, using it even for the most mundane tasks.
His hand paused on a particular book: From the Girl-Who-Lived to the Woman-Who-Conquered: The Life Story of Holly Potter. Kol's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had been hoping to find some mention of Holly, maybe a footnote or a brief reference, but an entire book? That was unexpected.
He opened the book, flipping through the pages. As expected, the images within were moving. A young couple, a red-haired woman and a black-haired man, holding a newborn—little Holly, he assumed. There were pictures of Holly dressed in almost rags as she walked through a magical shopping district with a giant of a man, who Kol guessed was a half-giant. Holly on a broomstick, holding a golden ball aloft, hovering in the air—he had heard of broomsticks in magical Britain but still found the stereotype amusing. Holly standing before a mirror with a red stone in hand, Holly slaying a giant snake with a sword, Holly bowing before a dragon in some kind of arena. And then Holly, fighting a snake-like man in a cemetery, surrounded by figures that looked like they belonged to the KKK. Holly running through a room filled with glowing spheres, destroying them. Holly and a very old man fighting off zombies in the middle of a lake. Holly flying on a dragon with a bushy-haired girl and a red-headed boy. Finally, Holly battling the same snake-like man in a courtyard at some kind of school, and then, Holly standing on a podium at a funeral, defiantly showing the crowd her middle finger. These were just a few of the many images, each accompanied by thousands of pages detailing her life.
Kol's mind was racing. He almost closed the book but paused at the last page. There, on that final page, was the same symbol that was now marked on his torso over his heart—the triangle with a sphere inside and a line through it. The description read: The Deathly Hallows.
The Deathly Hallows, the book explained, were items created by Death itself, granted to three brothers named Peverell. The legend went on to say that whoever united all three Hallows would become the Master of Death.
Holly had called herself the Mistress of Death. Did this mean that the mark on Kol's chest was her mark? Could it be that they were... mates?
Kol was stunned. As a child, he had once wished, during the passing of a comet millennia ago, to find his perfect match—someone who could understand him, love him, and share his passion for magic. He hadn't considered that in over a thousand years, this wish might actually come true. Could someone really love him? Be a perfect match for him? He, who had been abandoned even by his own blood? Always on the sidelines, causing chaos just to get the attention he craved from his so-called family.
Mates were exceedingly rare in the supernatural community, a phenomenon so extraordinary that it was believed to occur only when entities like Destiny or Fate decreed it for some higher, often mysterious, purpose. The most renowned mates in history were Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin, as well as Helga Hufflepuff and Godric Gryffindor—legendary pairs whose unions led to the founding of the most illustrious wizarding school the world had ever known. Then there were Perenelle and Nicolas Flamel, the creators of the fabled Philosopher's Stone. Over the centuries, he had crossed paths with all these extraordinary individuals, quietly envying the unconditional love they shared.
But never had he encountered a pair of mates where one was not a witch or wizard. The idea of a vampire having a mate was something he had never heard of before, a concept entirely foreign to his understanding of the magical world.
Did he dare to believe it? How could he know if it was true? Well, for starters, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had seen queens, actresses, and courtesans across the centuries, and none compared to her. The moment he saw her, Kol's body had awakened from its century-long slumber in more ways than one, painfully aware of her. Her scent was both heaven and hell for him—heaven because it was the most intoxicating scent in the universe, and hell because it made him want to ravish her then and there.
And then there was her magic. Just as intoxicating as her scent. Standing next to her, touching her—he didn't dare say it out loud, but it felt like he could feel his own magic again, after a thousand years. He had thought that perhaps he was just high on Holly's magic, projecting his longing for his own, but the feeling in his veins couldn't be faked or imagined.
Kol snapped the book shut and hid it in his room, stowing it away in his closet for later. The time was almost up; he needed to meet Holly. On his way to the garden, he spotted his older brother Elijah stopping the doppelgänger for a chat. Kol slipped behind a pillar to listen. It seemed Elijah was also suspicious of their mother's motives and was asking the doppelgänger, who was on her way to meet Esther at her request, to share the details of their conversation later. Poor Elijah. After a millennium, he still couldn't resist that Petrova face, still placing his trust in the brown-haired doppelgänger.
Well, thought Kol with a smirk, I'm two steps ahead of you, brother. Not only do I know Mother's true intentions, but I'm already working to destroy her plans—thanks to this witch, Holly.
After quietly leaving the pair, Kol continued on his way to the garden. It seemed they didn't have much time. Their mother would be taking blood from the doppelgänger soon.
Two minutes after his arrival, Holly appeared, accompanied by four humans who looked as though they had been compelled. They stood motionless, their eyes vacant, staring ahead as if unaware of their surroundings.
"Bloody hell, darling, impressive work. What did you do to them?" Kol asked, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Well, it's called the Imperius Curse. It's a form of mind control," Holly replied, her voice casual. "Such a curse would normally land me a one-way trip to Azkaban, but since I'm no longer bound by society's conventions and serve Death itself, I'm not bothered by red tape."
Kol had to admit he liked this side of her—his girl wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty, nor did she shy away from what needed to be done. His girl. He'd ponder that thought later.
"Do you have what you need?" Holly got straight to business.
"Of course, darling. Who do you think I am?" Kol replied, handing Holly the strands of Finn's hair. She took them without a word and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill from her bag, laying them on the ground.
"Write your name and the names of your siblings in your native language on this parchment," Holly instructed. "The spell will be more powerful if it's done with your original names."
Kol took the quill from her and began writing. Holly noticed that Kol's name, written in his original language, looked exactly like the name on her shoulder blade, but she kept silent. There would be time to discuss that later.
Once Kol finished, Holly placed Finn's hair on the parchment and began muttering a spell in Latin. After a few seconds, Finn's name disappeared from the parchment, signifying that he was no longer part of their family.
Holly then approached each of the prisoners, muttering in Latin, "I name you Kol Mikaelson, son of Mikael and Esther," repeating the process for each of the original siblings. The final step was to bind Finn to his new family on a fresh piece of parchment.
"It's done," Holly announced.
"Well, darling, I don't know whether I should be impressed by your craft or more horrified that my namesake is not even ten percent as handsome as I am," Kol quipped.
Holly laughed in response. She enjoyed his arrogance and humor, and she had to admit, he had every reason to be cocky. He was the most handsome, magnetic man she had ever met. But her musings were interrupted by Kol.
"What are we doing with the new Mikaelsons?" he asked with a smirk.
"I'll take them with me. I have something planned for tomorrow's performance," Holly replied. "That is, if you provide me with some of your hair and your siblings'. You'll appreciate the dramatic entrance."
"Why do you need our hair?" Kol asked, suspicion lacing his voice.
"To make your namesake as handsome as you," Holly replied enigmatically. "If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have shown up today to save you. I'd have done nothing and let Esther proceed with her plot," she added earnestly.
"Fine," Kol agreed. "I expect a worthy spectacle."
"You won't be disappointed. Meet me here tomorrow at six. The full moon is at eight minutes past nine. I'll have enough time to prepare."
"Fair enough. On another note, how did you bind Finn and his new family? If Esther's binding of us requires the doppelgänger's blood, doesn't binding Finn's new family require the same?" Kol asked, curiosity piqued.
"In the case of Wiccans, yes. But for us, the doppelgänger's blood holds no value. We have our own rituals," Holly explained vaguely.
"What about Finn's sireline? You were against the genocide, and although Finn only turned Sage, she's created a lot of vampires over the centuries."
"I'll take care of it at home. I'll unlink him," Holly said.
"Hmm. A pity that Sage's sidekicks will still be kicking, but do as you must. So, what now?"
"Now, you go back to the party and inform your siblings not to drink the champagne. If they do, we'll have two sets of bound siblings—Finn's new family and you and your siblings without Finn. Tomorrow's ritual will only affect Finn's family if he sacrifices himself, but we don't want you bound anyway."
"Are you not coming back to the ball with me?" Kol asked, hating how his voice almost sounded pleading.
"No, I don't want to attract more attention. Your brothers certainly recognized me, and I don't want Esther to get suspicious about my presence," Holly replied.
"Fair enough," Kol relented.
"I'll arrive tomorrow during the full moon to… stop your mother," Holly said uncertainly. She would kill the witch, but she didn't want to say it aloud in Kol's presence. Esther was still his mother, after all, but they both knew what the desirable outcome was. "I'm sorry for what I'm going to do tomorrow," Holly continued softly.
"Nah, I haven't thought of her as my mother since the moment she condemned us," Kol replied dismissively.
Holly could only nod silently with a sad smile.
"If you don't show up during the full moon, I'll hunt you down," Kol threatened playfully.
"I'm counting on it," Holly teased with a smile. It was as if she was presenting him with a challenge, one he would gladly accept.
"Could you do me a favor, though?" Holly asked.
"Name it, darling, and it's yours," Kol said.
"I saw an Aperol in the bar. I need to make amends with a teenager for disappearing on him today. What better way to apologize than with some underage drinking on his birthday?"
Kol laughed, speeding off to the kitchen and returning within seconds with the requested bottle of liquor.
"I'll certainly want to hear how that story goes," Kol said with amusement.
"Only if you buy me a drink first," Holly replied before disappearing with a pop, taking the prisoners with her.
Kol returned to the party, locating his siblings one by one and warning them not to drink the champagne. Naturally, they demanded answers—why should they trust their mischievous brother to have good intentions? Kol, however, didn't want to endanger their plan in case Esther or Finn overheard the conversation, so he promised to explain later. Reluctantly, they agreed.
Rebekah was still a little upset with him for not helping her with her latest scheme. Kol bet she would have backed out at the last moment anyway. His little sister liked to play the villain, but she wasn't truly one. All bark, no bite, that one. She'd get over her little tantrum soon enough. In truth, he had every right to be angry with her; after all, it was because of her that he had lost another century of his life. But come to think of it, he might cut her some slack. He should, of course, be more pissed at Niklaus, who had daggered him, and Elijah, who had supported Niklaus like the dutiful soldier he was. Niklaus this, Niklaus that. Poor Niklaus, abused by his father his whole life. Poor Niklaus, burdened with his werewolf side. The irony wasn't lost on Kol that the only sibling he had no reason to be angry with was Finn—and he would die tomorrow. Of course, Finn was trying to get them all killed, but Kol knew it wasn't personal. Finn couldn't live with what he was and wanted to rid the world of all vampires, not just Kol.
And now Kol, the most mischievous and overlooked of the Mikaelson siblings, was trying to save his treacherous family and, for once, be a hero. He had a real opportunity to get rid of Niklaus. He could have asked Holly to leave Niklaus bound to Finn so that he would die with him tomorrow. But Kol didn't want Niklaus dead—he wanted him to suffer for everything he had done to him. That time would come, but not today or tomorrow.
It was time for the toast. Kol observed closely as all of his siblings received their champagne flutes from a single waiter. If Holly hadn't given him a heads-up about their mother's plan, he might not have noticed this small, yet significant detail. His siblings, too, seemed to pick up on it, their gazes sharpening with suspicion. Perhaps now they would take his warning seriously and refrain from drinking the champagne.
Esther raised her glass, her eyes flitting from one child to the next, waiting to see if they would drink. But for once, his siblings heeded his advice, merely pretending to sip the champagne. Kol exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Despite the precautions he and Holly had taken, he found himself genuinely worried.
After a minor altercation between the eldest Salvatore brother and the doppelgänger—something about unresolved feelings—the party began to wind down. It was almost miraculous that no one had lost their life or their temper. Kol could practically sense the disappointment radiating from his siblings, who had clearly expected him to stir up some chaos. A wave of resentment washed over him. He knew they would soon be demanding answers, and he needed to reach them before they could cause a scene, which might tip Esther off. He scanned the room for Elijah, the most rational of the bunch.
"Elijah! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," Kol called out, putting on his most innocent smile.
Elijah, slightly bewildered, raised an eyebrow. He had expected his youngest brother to cause mayhem, to break their mother's rules, and had been fully prepared to clean up the mess. But Kol had been on his best behavior all night. Well, he had disappeared twice, and no one knew where he had gone. But what truly concerned Elijah was seeing Holly Potter in their house. Of course, he knew of her. He had followed her story ever since her parents' death, horrified by how the wizarding world treated its savior. He had even considered rescuing her from Britain and raising her himself, but at the time, he was at odds with Niklaus and didn't want to endanger her further. Niklaus would almost certainly have exploited the situation if Elijah had taken Holly under his wing.
And now, here she was, disappearing with Kol, who had been daggered for a century and had no idea who she was. A match made in heaven—or hell. The most powerful witch in history, Mistress of Death, if rumors were true, and his little brother, the most knowledgeable being on magic in the last millennium. Elijah wasn't sure whether to be awed or terrified of the potential outcome. When Kol reappeared, he had warned his siblings not to drink the champagne. Elijah could only assume the warning came from Holly herself. It was the only explanation for her presence at the ball. Even Elijah had approached their mother's return with caution; he didn't believe her intentions were pure. When it became clear that all of his siblings had received champagne from the same waiter, the pieces of the puzzle started to form a picture in Elijah's mind.
"Kol, I could say the same. I have some questions for you," Elijah said, his tone measured but probing.
"I know you might. How about some family bonding? Just me and your 'Always and Forever' trio. This party was a bit dull for my taste, and I think you three owe me some fun after ratting me out, helping dagger me, and, oh yes, daggering me in that precise order." Kol's voice held a note of irony. He might want to save his siblings, but that didn't mean he was going to play nice and forget the past.
Elijah, desperate for answers and not wanting Esther to overhear, agreed. He went to gather the rest of their siblings. Rebekah was talking to her date, Matt Donovan, her eyes soft with affection. She clearly wasn't ready for the night to end, but Elijah knew they had more pressing matters.
"Mr. Donovan, I'm afraid it's time to say goodnight. The party is over, and Rebekah is needed elsewhere," Elijah said, polite but firm.
"Elijah! Don't be rude!" Rebekah snapped.
"It's okay, Rebekah. I'll call you tomorrow," Matt said, kissing her cheek before making a quick exit.
"Elijah! I was expecting Kol or Nik to ruin my night, not you!" Rebekah fumed.
"We have more pressing matters to attend to," Elijah replied, his tone brooking no argument.
"For once, I agree," Klaus interjected, appearing as if from nowhere. "This night has been strange enough—starting with Holly Potter crashing our party, then disappearing with our youngest brother. Kol being on his best behavior and warning us about the champagne? I must admit, I prefer our brother in his usual form—dead bodies all around us. At least then I know what to expect. But this?" Klaus shook his head, frustration evident in his voice.
"Well then, I suggest we get some answers from our little brother. He proposed an after-party, just the four of us," Elijah suggested.
"Great, instead of a date with a guy I actually like, I get a night with my three brothers. Lovely," Rebekah muttered, but Klaus and Elijah ignored her, heading to the garage where Kol was leaning casually against the largest car.
"Finally! I was beginning to think you'd left me to age," Kol quipped, tapping his foot impatiently.
"You know our sister—always the dramatic one," Klaus retorted, though his gaze was fixed on Kol, expecting answers.
They made a stop at a gas station to procure more alcohol and drove for about forty minutes. When they were certain they weren't being followed, they pulled over in the middle of nowhere. Before anyone could speak, Kol pulled a small pouch from his pocket and scattered its contents into the air. A precaution to ensure that no spirits were eavesdropping and no witch was hiding under an invisibility spell.
"Kol, I suggest you start talking. What were you doing with Holly Potter, of all people?" Klaus demanded, his patience wearing thin.
"Can you blame her? I am the most handsome of all of you. Naturally, she would want to talk to me," Kol replied with a smirk.
"Kol!" This time, all three of his siblings barked in unison.
"Fine," Kol relented, his grin fading. "I noticed a witch using some sort of compulsion on our guards at the entrance to get an invitation to the ball. Finn noticed too, but I covered for her because I was curious about her purpose—and her magic. When she introduced herself, you two looked like you'd seen a ghost, so naturally, my curiosity only grew. Fortunately, Finn bought our little deception that I knew her from before I was daggered. I took her to the rose garden to avoid being overheard, and she had some interesting things to say. Apparently, our dear mother is plotting our demise. She plans to bind all of us together as one using doppelgänger blood in the champagne. Then, during the full moon tomorrow, Finn is supposed to offer himself as a sacrificial lamb, taking us all with him. And not just us—the entire vampire race. When one of us dies, all of our sireline die with us."
His siblings were struck silent, too stunned to speak. Kol allowed them a moment to digest the shocking information. It was Rebekah who recovered first.
"Lies! Mother would never do that! What trouble are you stirring up now? Mother came back for us—so we can finally be a family again!"
"Sister," Elijah replied, his tone more serious than usual, "Holly Potter may be many things, but a liar isn't one of them. I've had my doubts about Mother's motives ever since she returned. No one comes back from the Other Side after a millennium of watching her children slaughter thousands of lives, only to throw a ball the moment she returns. Our mother loathed what she created and deeply regretted it. It makes sense that she would come back to undo the mistake she believes she made, to find peace after a thousand years." Elijah's voice was calm, but the weight of his words made the truth undeniable.
"And who is this witch, anyway?" Rebekah snapped, not willing to back down. "You're acting like she's some sort of queen."
"She might as well be, little sister," Klaus interjected, his tone heavy with meaning. "She's the most powerful witch—or wizard—alive. And she's not like the Wiccans we know in the States. She wields a wand. Compared to her, our Wiccans are like children performing party tricks. If Holly Potter herself has taken an interest in our family, then something significant is afoot. She's always been an advocate for magical beings—werewolves, vampires, goblins, and other creatures I'm sure we don't even know exist."
"Alright, so what now?" Rebekah asked, her voice laced with worry. "We didn't drink the champagne, but Esther will notice soon enough."
"Fear not, sister," Kol said with a sly smile. "The little witch and I have it covered. Esther will suspect nothing and proceed with the ritual tomorrow. Holly managed to remove Finn from our family tree. She kidnapped some humans from death row, named them after us, and bound them to Finn as his new family members. When Esther uses Finn's blood to bind us all together, she won't notice anything amiss. Finn's blood will link to their names, not ours. She'll end up binding them to his new human family. We let her kill Finn, and he dies along with his new human siblings—but without our sire line. Holly was adamant about that."
It was noticeable that his siblings were impressed with Holly's plan. The witch was indeed crafty and deserving of her reputation.
"And what do we do about Esther?" Rebekah asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Holly insists she'll handle her," Kol replied, his expression unreadable. "She's supposed to meet us in the garden tomorrow at six. She also requested that we give her some of our hair, though I'm not entirely sure why."
"And you trust her to show up?" Klaus questioned, skepticism lacing his words.
"Well, you two are the ones who said she's well-known—a queen in the wizarding world," Kol said, deflecting. "You tell me. I only met her today." He wasn't about to admit the pull he felt toward the witch, the strange sense of connection and trust that had formed between them. That was something he intended to keep to himself.
"If she doesn't show up, I'll tear her heart out," Klaus threatened darkly.
"So she can come back to life and kick your ass?" Kol retorted with a smirk.
"You're all forgetting an important piece of our backup plan," Elijah interjected, his voice cutting through the brewing tension. "The doppelgänger. She willingly offered her blood to our mother. I saw how determined she was to gain an audience with Esther, deceiving even her most loyal lapdog, Damon. When I questioned her about their meeting, she claimed that our mother's intentions were honorable. She's in on our mother's plan. So, if it comes to it, plan B is to kidnap the doppelgänger as a leverage and let the Salvatores deal with Mother. Esther would never suspect them of betrayal. This is their mess—they should be the ones to clean it up."
"Oh, brother, I love it when you're devious!" Kol exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face.
In response, Elijah shot Kol a withering glare, his expression brooding and intense.
The siblings opened their whiskey bottles, each taking a long, contemplative drink. They shared a rare moment of silence, pondering the events that would unfold the next day. After millennia of conflict, the family was finally united, if only for one night. Tomorrow, if all went according to Holly Potter's plan, the only Mikaelsons left would be the ones standing by the car, toasting to the first and last night they would spend together as a whole family—minus Mikael.