I do not own TVD
Hi again guys. I just wanted to talk about the pairings. I'd thought Caroline and Draco would be a good pair and I think if written right they could be but it's not working for me honestly. I think I'm just going to stick with something more familiar to me like Klaroline if that's okay. Really sorry for all those who voted on Caroline and Draco. I think they'd be cute but I don't think I'd do them justice. Sorry guys, it's going to be Klaroline from now on. Any mention of Draco and Caroline as more than friends will be changed. I'm not sure if I can reread and edit that now, but I will whenever I can.
There's going to be a whole new room arrangement too, due to the newcomers (I've edited all of it because I forgot about Theo) - These are not based on romantic partners by the way - these are just allocated rooms by death to stir up trouble or play matchmaker - Who knows with him really?
James - Lily
Jade - Kol (It makes more sense)
Damon - Bonnie
Rebekah - Stefan
Neville - Luna
Katherine - Elijah
Klaus - Caroline
Remus - Tonks
Alaric - Enzo - Sirius (I thought it'd be fun for each of them to get to know Damon from their different friendships with him)
Lucius - Narcissa
Blaise - Theo - Draco I actually forgot about Theo :(
Daphne - Tracey
Padma - Parvati -Lavendar
Seamus -Dean
Fred - George
Tyler - Matt -Jeremy
Tom
Snape
Mcgonagall
Elena
Jade and Damon arrived back home with smiles on their faces clearly having had a blast. Damon opened the door for her before switching on the lights and Jade's eyes immediately widened at the sight before her.
The entire house had been decorated - streamers hung from the ceiling, balloons floated gently around, and a big banner that read *Happy 11th Birthday, Jade!* was strung across the living room. There was even a small table decked out with snacks and a beautifully decorated cake on the table.
Jade turned to Damon, her eyes glistening with emotion. "How did this happen? We left the house in the morning and it didn't look anything like this."
"That's because I may have compelled someone to do it whilst we were out," Damon offered a shrug but there was a smile on his face. "I did bake the cake though. That was admittedly hard to hide."
"I'd wondered why you were such a good cook considering you don't exactly need to eat," Bonnie said to him, realising it was because of the years of cooking for Jade.
"And how would you know what his food tastes like?" Elena asked her, her face twisted in jealousy. Stefan had cooked for her a few times but Damon had never. She'd thought he hadn't known how to.
"Because I had it before," Bonnie said slowly, confused.
"You've never cooked for me before," Elena said and everyone had just about enough of her pining, none more so than Damon.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, Elena, are you keeping a tally or something? 'Damon never cooked for me, Damon never did this for me' - are you even hearing yourself? You're starting to sound like a broken record, and it's honestly embarrassing," Caroline snapped, finally having had enough.
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, all eyes flicking between Elena and Caroline. Elena's glare could have burned through steel, but Caroline wasn't fazed.
"You're acting like you werethisclose to some perfect, fairytale relationship with him," Caroline continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Like somehow, Jade and Bonnie just swooped in and stole your happily ever after. But here's the reality check, Elena: he's never wanted you."
Elena's face tightened, her hands gripping the armrests, jaw clenched, but Caroline wasn't finished.
"Damon's not some prize you get to lay claim to. You've been pining after him this whole time, while you were with Stefan, no less, and somehow, you think everyoneelseis the reason he's not at your feet?" Caroline shook her head."Please."
There was no sympathy in Caroline's voice, only a brutal honesty. She leaned forward, locking eyes with Elena.
"Jade didn't ruin anything. Bonnie didn't ruin anything.Youdid.You'rethe only one who's deluding yourself. Damon never owed you anything. So maybe it's time you just...let it go."
Elena bristled, her glare intensifying, but Caroline didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned back with a final, dismissive shake of her head.
"Now if you could just sit back and stop complaining about every single memory that doesn't revolve around you, that would be great."
"Couldn't have said it better myself love," Klaus said with a roguish smirk.
Caroline rolled her eyes but couldn't quite hide the smile tugging at her lips. "Shut up, Klaus." He just laughed in response.
Elena shot a glare in Damon's direction, clearly hoping for some sort of defense or reaction. Damon, however, just raised an eyebrow, looking more amused than anything. "For once, Blondie's got a point," he shrugged with an amused smirk on his face but only a few caught the look he gave to Caroline and the nod in acknowledgement of her defending him. She just smiled in response.
Elena's face twisted. "So that's it? Everyone's just going to gang up on me now?"
Katherine's lips curled into a sly, almost bored smile as she tilted her head, watching Elena with a mix of amusement and disdain. "Gang up?PleaseElena, you're hardly worth the effort. This is just reality knocking on your door. But I'm sure you'll ignore it as always."
Elena's anger flared, her voice rising. "No one asked your opinion, you selfish, self-serving little bitch. You've been around forcenturies, and what do you have to show for it? Nothing. Everything you touch, everything you try to control, it shrivels and turns to dust. No one's ever truly loved you.No one."
Her eyes burned with disdain as she continued, each word sharper than the last. "You've spent your entire life running from one betrayal to the next, and now look at you. You're all alone. You've been tossed aside by everyone. You've ruined every relationship you ever had. You've burned every bridge, and now you're left with nothing. Absolutely nothing. Even your family'sdeadbecause of you." Elena's eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of the pain she thought she was inflicting, but Katherine's expression remained cold, her face a mask of indifference.
Jade's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. "What the hell is wrong with you, Elena?" she spat, her voice sharp and furious. "You think Katherine's the reason her family's dead? You think that washerfault?"
"You have no fucking right to sit there and blame her for that – like she made the decisions that tore her world apart." Jade's voice was rising, each word laced with fury. "Her family wasn't killed because of her. They're dead because Klaustargetedthem. She didn't make that choice. Just like I didn't choose for my parents to be ripped away from me for something that wasn't my fault."
She took a breath, her chest rising and falling with each heavy word, her voice still steady but seething. "You don't get to lay that kind of guilt on her, Elena. She ran to protect herself, like anyone would have. Hell, it would've been insane if she hadn't run. If I were in her shoes, I sure as hell would've done the same thing. She didn't deserve what happened to her. No one deserves that.No one."
Jade's eyes flickered to Klaus, unknowingly glowing a brilliant green as her emotions flared. Klaus stared back at her with an unapologetic, cold indifference, his face a mask of detachment that only made her fury bubble up further. She curled her lip, almost disgusted by how little remorse he showed, before sharply turning her attention back to Elena.
"You have no idea what it's like to survive on your own," she said, her voice low but forceful. "You have people to turn to when things get tough, someone to lean on when you need help. But just imagine having no one for a second. No one to trust, no one to call on when everything falls apart. Just you, fighting for every breath. That kind of isolation? Believe me, it leaves an impact that never fully fades." It had been only 8 years of her life with the Dursleys but that kind of cruel, unrelenting solitude was still something she couldn't quite forget, and yet Katherine had done so for centuries.
"And sure, she's made her fair share of mistakes - big ones. But she doesn't deserve to be your verbal punching bag, especially when you're the last person who should be talking about burning bridges. You're just a teenager, and yet you've already managed to ruin every relationship you've had. So tell me, Elena, what makes you think you're so different? You've pushed everyone who's ever cared about you away, and now you have the nerve to lecture Katherine?" Jade's voice was biting, each word landing with precision. "Maybe it's time you stop pointing fingers and take a long, hard look at yourself before you start throwing stones."
"You..." but that was all Elena got out before Lily waved her hand, so annoyed at her voice she didn't even need her wand to silence it.
"Thank you," Katherine said, her voice quiet but genuine, the shock in her expression giving way to a hint of gratitude. "You didn't need to say any of that." She'd hurt Damon multiple times and considering the girl knew about her past, she figured she also knew about that, and she knew the girl was protective over her dad - which was still weird to think about - but she had still defended her. Katherine had long ago come to terms with the idea that she wasn't deserving of anyone's loyalty. And yet... here was Jade, someone she barely knew, defending her. She didn't understand it, couldn't wrap her mind around it.
"Someone had to," Jade said earnestly.
Elijah watched the exchange between Jade and Katerina with a detached air, but there was a flicker in his eyes - a brief, almost imperceptible flash of guilt. He had been complicit. He had stood by while his brother, driven by pride, cruelty, and an overwhelming desire for power, had set the events in motion that tore Katherine's life apart. The guilt was sharp, pricking at him like a splinter lodged deep within his chest.
The guilt the girl's words had caused gnawed at him now, the weight of his own silence, the knowledge that he had allowed it to happen. He had allowed his brother's cruelty to define the course of Katerina's life, and it made him sick to his core. He could feel the truth of it—how much they had ruined her, and how much she had suffered because of their choices.
But Elijah wasn't a man who allowed himself to feel weak. He pushed the guilt away, locking it down deep inside himself where it couldn't touch him.
Damon didn't think he'd ever be proud of someone for defendingKatherineof all people, but here he was, and it wasn't just because Jade was his daughter, it was the raw, honest understanding in her words. For so long, he'd only known Katherine as the one who'd left him and Stefan in ruins, a woman who manipulated and destroyed everything in her path. But now, seeing Jade stand up for her, unflinching, unwavering - it was like seeing a completely different side of the story, a side he'd stubbornly ignored.
"I didn't think anyone would actually bother defending Katherine, least of all my kid," he muttered, mostly to himself. But there was a hint of something softer in his tone, something that told Jade he wasn't mad, but more proud than anything.
"Sometimes, it takes one survivor to understand another," she said to him softly. "Maybe that's why I see her differently."
Lily's brow knit in worry, exchanging a quick glance with James. "Why would you call yourself a survivor, Jade?" she asked gently, her voice full of concern.
"You said something before about being on the run. What happened?" James asked, his voice soft.
"I'd rather not talk about it papa. You'll find out soon enough anyway," Jade said gesturing to the screen and they both exchanged an even more concerned look but nodded to her, before everyone finally turned back to the screen.
She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice thick with gratitude.
"Anytime, kiddo," he replied softly, squeezing her back before they moved to the table to cut the cake.
"Is there more frosting than cake?" Jade asked, raising a teasing eyebrow as he set a slice on her plate.
"Maybe," Damon said with a grin, leaning in. "It's called indulgence sweetheart. It's a birthday cake, not a salad."
Jade laughed, wiping a bit of frosting from her chin. "I think I'm going to be on a sugar high for the rest of the week."
"Well, you're eleven now," Damon said, taking his own slice. "You can handle it. Besides, it's practically a birthday tradition to eat a little too much cake."
"Yeah and then have a stomach ache from hell right afterwards," Caroline said with a laugh.
"It's always worth it though," Bonnie said, smiling at her with a nostalgic grin.
"You kidding? Of course it is," Caroline agreed. "It's about the experience. Cake coma included."
"Honestly, I think we've probably eaten our weight in cake at least once," Bonnie said, remembering the good old days.
"Still worth it," Caroline said with a shrug.
"We were curled up in bed like we'd been poisoned," Bonnie deadpanned.
Caroline snorted. "Don't remind me. But yeah, totally worth it."
"We were basically ready to call the paramedics for a 'cake overdose.'"
Caroline rolled her eyes but laughed, "Okay, yeah, it was bad. But if we're being real, we've had worse hangovers."
Bonnie chuckled, nodding. "True. At least cake doesn't make you question your life choices the way drinking an entire bottle of tequila does."
"Or your ability to function like a normal human being the next day," Caroline added
"Or have you wake up in a panic, trying to remember what you did to embarrass yourself the night before," Bonnie added.
"Or who you might have accidentally texted," Caroline said.
"Main reason why I'd rather take a cake-induced food coma than a tequila-induced hangover any day," Bonnie agreed and they both burst out laughing.
A few of the others joined in, chuckling at the familiar sentiment.
Eventually, they settled back down to watch a classic animated movie, and Damon began his over-the-top voiceovers. As a particularly goofy character appeared on screen, Damon leaned in, speaking in a squeaky, exaggerated voice, "Fear not, citizens! I'll save the day... just as soon as I find my left shoe and figure out where my pants are."
Damon let out a half-embarrassed cough, rubbing the back of his neck as everyone burst out laughing at that.
"You're giving off major dad energy, and it's honestly so adorable," Caroline gushed.
Tyler couldn't help but glance at Damon with surprise. He quickly looked away, not wanting to acknowledge the weird thought that had crossed his mind - how much he wished his own dad had been even half as engaged and goofy as Damon was with Jade. It was an uncomfortable comparison, given the side of Damon he'd grown accustomed to.
"Okay, but honestly - he's kinda hot as a dad," Lavender said, a tad dreamily.
"Right. Look at that face," Padma gushed. "He's got that 'bad boy' charm, and it works."
"Couldn't agree more," Parvati said, all of them just staring at the screen with silly smiles on their faces.
Lily and James exchanged a glance, both of them wearing soft smiles, though there was a noticeable wistfulness in their eyes. They were happy for Jade, grateful that she had someone in her life who cared for her like Damon did, but there was also a bittersweet longing to have been there with them. They would never be able to get those years back, but seeing Damon with Jade was a comfort, even if it was a small one.
Jade clutched her stomach, laughing. "Stop! I can't breathe!" she squealed, tears in her eyes. "You should've been i n the movie, honestly."
"I know," he said with mock solemnity. "My talent is wasted here."
"I think you should take up doing voiceovers for a living," Caroline laughed in amusement. "You'd make a killing."
"Hilarious Blondie," Damon said, rolling his eyes, but it was obvious he was amused.
A while or so later Damon held out a present for her, his usual smirk softened by the look in his eyes.
"Stellina ho un'ultima cosa per te," Damon said softly. (Little star, I have one last thing for you)
Jade looked up, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. "Che cosa è?" (What is it?)
"Are you fluent now? In italian?" Caroline asked curiously.
"Yes. I can speak english, latin, and italian," Jade said in answer.
"What made you choose to learn latin?" Caroline asked surprised.
"Most of the spells we use are in latin. I learnt the language to better understand them. Sometimes knowing the words behind the magic gives it more... focus I guess," Jade answered with a shrug.
"You taught yourself?" Rebekah asked surprised and Jade nodded. "That's impressive. Latin isn't exactly an easy language to pick up."
"You can speak it?" Jade asked curiously.
"We all can darling," Kol said as he leaned in, his trademark mischievous grin widening. "In fact, I'm fluent in several languages. Latin just happens to be one of my favorites. The way it rolls off the tongue has a certain... elegance to it, don't you think?"
"I suppose so but to be honest I never really thought about it that way. It was always just a way to expand my spell repertoire," Jade admitted.
"For italian though. Did Damon teach you?" Caroline asked with interest, her question causing Kol to shoot her an annoyed look. He'd wanted to keep Jade's attention a little longer, though he wasn't quite sure why.
Jade nodded, glancing at Damon with a small smile. "Yes, Dad taught me."
Damon shrugged. "Well, what can I say? I make an excellent teacher." He glanced at Jade with a soft smile on his face.
Damon sat down beside her again, carefully handing the small box over. "I know you're about to head off to Hogwarts, and I figured you'd want something to take with you, just in case you miss home."
Jade blinked, holding the box carefully as if it were fragile. She carefully peeled back the wrapping and opened it, revealing a photo album. It had a weathered, classic look to it, the cover made of soft leather.
"Something to remember me by," Damon said, his tone unusually soft. "You're going to be far away, and I thought you might want a few reminders of home... you know, in case you get homesick."
"I never thought a vampire would bother with such... sentimentality," Lucius said more to himself than anything and Narcissa gave him a look for his comment.
"She keeps that book under her pillow," Draco said with a smile at her.
"And how would you know that?" Damon said, narrowing his eyes at him.
"Because we slept together," Jade said bluntly and watched as her dad froze for a fraction of a second before he fully vamped out, clearly ready to lunge at Draco. Kol didn't know why he felt the need to do the same as he glared daggers at the blonde kid. The rest of the marauders weren't any better as they'd pulled their wands out and everything.
"Dad!" Jade interrupted, putting a hand on his arm, trying not to laugh. "Relax,I was kidding. I told him."
Draco, looking both amused and slightly terrified, nodded quickly. "We were in completely different houses that required passwords to enter. I wouldn't have been able to enter her room anyway."
Damon's expression slowly shifted from shock to an annoyed, almost exasperated glare. "Not funny, Jade," he muttered, still eyeing Draco warily.
Jade couldn't hold it in any longer and snorted with laughter. "Oh, come on, it was a little funny." But then, a sudden thought hit her, and her laughter quickly died. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized something. "Wait a second. Death, this isn't going to show anything,you know,right?"
Before Cedric's death - a memory that still brought a sharp pang to her heart - there had been moments between them, a little too intimate for comfort. And that wasn't even counting after, when she had grown up and... well, stayed far less celibate than she knew her dad would ever want to hear about. Merlin, he was already way too overprotective, and the last thing she needed was him flipping out if anything like that got revealed. Poor guy still thought she was a virgin.
"Of course not Mistress. But I do warn you, there will be mentions,"Death said and even she could hear the hint of amusement in his voice.
"Oh Merlin." Jade's stomach dropped, and she nervously glanced at her dad.
Damon, noticing the sudden shift in her demeanor, raised an eyebrow. "What? What did he mean by that?"
She cleared her throat, trying to mask the panic rising in her chest. "Well... um..." She glanced around, quickly realizing how many people were watching her now. The last thing she needed was an audience for this particular conversation. "Never mind. I'll, uh, tell you later. Much, much later," she added, forcing a weak smile before turning back to the screen.
As Jade opened the album, Damon settled beside her, leaning in as they flipped through the pages together. Each photo held a piece of their story, a captured memory that seemed even more precious now that she was about to head off to Hogwarts.
They lingered on a photo from one of their first outings together: a chilly winter carnival. Jade was bundled up in layers, her cheeks pink from the cold as she held a cup of hot chocolate overflowing with marshmallows. Damon, mid-laugh, had his arm around her as if to keep her steady from the toppling mountain of marshmallows.
"Remember that?" Damon smirked, tapping the picture. "You begged for extra marshmallows, but by the end of it, you were wearing most of them."
Jade laughed, shaking her head. "I was just trying to keep warm! It was freezing that day."
"There's no such thing as hot chocolate without marshmallows. It's another kind of heaven," Caroline said with a sigh.
Jade gave Caroline an amused look. "See? Someone gets it."
Caroline grinned. "Honestly, it's a crime to drink it without marshmallows. Like, what's even the point?"
Jade laughed, nodding in agreement. "Exactly! You're just not doing it right if you skip the marshmallows. It's like half the experience."
"Agreed," Bonnie said. "I'm all for the whipped cream, but marshmallows? Those are a must."
Damon leaned in close to Bonnie, his voice a soft, teasing murmur meant just for her. "You know," he whispered, "whipped cream has a few... other uses." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully with a smirk on his face, his meaning unmistakeable.
Bonnie's cheeks flushed as his eyes trailed with obvious intention over her form, but she managed to keep her composure, more or less. "Do you ever turn it off?" she whispered back, trying not to smile.
"Not for you," he replied with a smirk, his eyes lingering on her a moment longer before he leaned back, completely at ease - though the small, knowing smile he wore suggested he knew exactly the effect he had on her.
They flipped to the next page, where a photo of their camping trip appeared. Damon was mid-laugh, while Jade, wrapped in a sleeping bag, had marshmallow goo smeared on her chin and a sticky smile on her face.
"You swore up and down that you were a master marshmallow roaster," Damon teased, grinning at her. "And yet, every single one ended up in the fire or on your face."
"Because you wouldn't let me do it myself!" Jade pointed out with a playful glare. "You were hovering, Mr. Overprotective."
Damon raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Hovering? I was making sure you didn't catch fire."
"That's a tad overdramatic, even for you Damon," Stefan said amused.
"Shut it. I guarantee you, you wouldn't have been any better," Damon said to him before turning to Jade. "If you think I'm a mother hen, this one's something else. Believe me, he'd have wrapped you in bubble wrap if he could."
"I wouldn't be that smothering," Stefan said, defending himself with a slight chuckle.
Damon raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Sure you wouldn't. But now that I think of it, with how much trouble you get into, bubble wrap's not a bad idea," he said only half-seriously to Jade.
She laughed a tad nervously knowing he knew less than half of the things that went on during her years in hogwarts. She'd shared a lot with him near the end, but by then, there was no way he could've pulled her out of school—Voldemort would have found her anywhere. But now, he was going to find out everything, and she had no idea how he'd react. The thought of it made her stomach tighten. He was not going to be happy, not one bit. She wasn't looking forward to that at all.
"Yeah, I guess I wasn't the best at avoiding trouble," she said lightly.
"You can say that again Potter," Mcgonagall said dryly, her tone half-amused, half-serious.
"Seriously, you're the world's worst danger magnet I've ever met," Draco said, shaking his head.
"Gee, thanks Draco," Jade said, rolling her eyes.
"I'm serious. You have this weird knack for attracting trouble wherever you go. It's borderline concerning - actually, scratch that, it's well beyond concerning,waypast the border," Draco said and she gave him an annoyed look for that unnecessarily honest comment.
"First and only time we agree with you Malfoy," The twins said in unison.
"How much trouble are we talking about exactly?" Damon asked clearly concerned.
Jade hesitated at his question. Her life at Hogwarts had been nothing but a series of battles, some literal, some emotional, but all of them dangerous in their own right. Should she tell him beforehand? Or should she just let it play out on screen?
She swallowed hard, keeping her expression neutral. "You'll be seeing it on screen anyway," she said with a shrug.
Damon frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her face. He could tell she wasn't giving him the full picture, he always had, but he'd never pressed further before, and he wasn't going to start now. He knew how she worked - she'd keep things close to her chest until she felt ready to open up. Sometimes it happened, sometimes it didn't.
When each year she'd come home with more nightmares than before, he'd wanted desperately to pull her out, but she'd loved the school, she'd loved those so-called friends of hers, and he hadn't wanted to take that away from her. But had it been worth it? Looking at her now, he didn't think so. What had that world truly given her? It had taken away her parents, and he'd nearly lost her to it too.
"I just want you to know that there are things I haven't told you, and I think you already know that," Jade said, biting her lip slightly. .
Damon just nodded in acknowledgment. Jade had always been that kid that would rather carry their burdens alone than let anyone else shoulder even the smallest part. It had always frustrated him, but he'd respected it in a way, understanding that she had her own way of coping. She had never fully healed from the Dursleys treatment of her, and he doubted it would ever truly fade. Same as his. It had been more than a century since he'd been in that position but it still affected him, no matter how much he'd rather deny it.
"I just... I didn't want to worry you," she continued, her voice soft.
"It's my job to worry, Stellina," he said softly, his voice rough as he reached out, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, his touch gentle, as it had always been with her. "Heck, I want you to worry me. I want you to burden me with everything, all of it - every problem, every fear, every frustration. You're not supposed to carry that weight on your own, not when you have me."
He paused for a moment, his gaze never leaving hers, wanting her to see his sincerity, how much he meant what he was saying.
"I know I couldn't be there for you as much as I wanted to while you were at Hogwarts, because all we had were letters, but don't ever think for a second that I wasn't there. That I wasn't worrying about you every damn day. Because I was. Every second. You're my daughter, Jade. Maybe not by blood, but in every way that matters. And worrying about you, caring for you, looking out for you - that's what being a father is. If I'm not doing that, then I'm not doing it right."
"I know you've never told me the whole story. I've always known, but I never pushed, because I was waiting for you to be ready to share everything with me in your own time. This whole viewing thing? Not exactly what I had in mind. But I guess Death had other ideas. Still, I don't want you to feel the need to explain anything beforehand for my sanity's sake. You're already going to be reliving all of it, and I won't ask for more than that. But I just want you to know that I'd rather be worried, know the truth, and be there for you, then sit in the dark and watch you carry it all alone. Got me sweetheart?"
Jade's throat tightened, the weight of his words settling deep in her chest. She fought to keep the lump from forming, but the emotions she had been holding back for so long were too much, too raw. Her vision blurred and before she could stop it, a tear slipped down her cheek.
It wasn't just the words themselves. It was like she had been carrying a burden too heavy to bear, and for the first time in years, she was allowed to put it down - just for a moment.
Damon noticed the tear the instant it fell, his expression softening even further. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. His embrace was steady and comforting, a shield against the world, holding her tighter as though he could keep her safe from everything.
"Hey now," he whispered, his voice low and steady against the top of her head. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
Jade's throat tightened, the dam holding back her emotions finally cracked. The tears came in quick succession, each one slipping down her cheek as she buried her face in his chest. She had been so determined to keep it together, to handle everything on her own, but in that moment, all her walls came crashing down. She couldn't help it even if she tried.
"Baby, whoa, hey," Damon murmured, his voice filled with concern as he tightened his arms around her, holding her close. He didn't pull back, just let her stay pressed against him, feeling her shuddering breaths against his chest.
His hands moved to her back, rubbing slow circles as he whispered, "Don't cry, Jade. Please." The sight of her crying as a result of something he'd said, felt like a punch to the gut. Damon hated this. More than anything in this world, second only to seeing her in pain, he hated seeing her cry.
"Shh... it's okay," he murmured, his voice low and soothing as he held her tighter. His chest tightened under the weight of her tears, wishing he could take away every ounce of her pain, every bit of the hurt she was carrying. "I didn't mean to make you cry, sweetheart. You know I hate seeing you cry."
"Sorry. I'm sorry," she whispered, her words broken, but still, she couldn't stop the tears from falling.
"No. God no. Don't apologise. None of this is your fault," Damon said as he gently pulled her back, just enough to cup her face in his hands. His eyes searched hers, a flicker of panic in them at the sight of her tears. He wiped away a tear with his thumb, but it was quickly replaced by another. He had no idea what to do so he just pulled her back in for a hug again pressing a kiss to her head.
Kol couldn't pinpoint exactly why her tears bothered him - after all, he'd seen countless people cry, broken and desperate, without feeling anything but the usual amusement or indifference. Yet, watching her, this strange ache stirred in his chest, growing with every tear that fell. He felt an unfamiliar urge simmering beneath the surface, a fierce, protective rage that made his blood pulse hot with the need to strike out at anyone who had dared to cause her this pain. It was absurd; he barely knew her, and yet here he was, fists clenched, teeth grinding, his mind racing with a dark, relentless desire to make them pay.
"I love you, Dad," Jade choked out, the words breaking through the storm of emotions swirling inside her. She held him tighter, not wanting to let go. Not now. Not ever.
"I love you too sweetheart," Damon murmured softly. "So damn much you've no idea. You mean more to me than anything in this world."
Her sobs gradually quieted before she pulled back just enough to look at him. There were tears in his own eyes now, but they weren't from sadness. No, they were something far softer, something more profound - a love that could never be measured by words alone.
"Thanks, Dad," she whispered, her voice breaking, but the tears that threatened to spill weren't from pain. They were from the quiet relief of finally letting go. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You don't ever have to find out," Damon replied, his voice full of warmth and determination. "I'm not going anywhere. Not now, not ever." He wiped the tears from her face, his face a tad stricken, before they heard the sound of a sniffle and turned to the left to see Caroline wiping her eyes.
"Blondie, are you crying?" Damon asked, a surprised chuckle in his voice, though he couldn't fully mask his amusement.
"No! Of course not," Caroline protested, clearing her throat a little too dramatically. "It's just... allergies."
"You're a vampire," Damon deadpanned.
"That's besides the point," Caroline insisted. Damon rolled his eyes but when he looked around he realised she wasn't the only one without a dry eye in the room.
Lily was wiping tears of her own and normally James would be wiping them for her but he was too busy wiping his own. Sirius and Remus weren't any 's hair, which usually shifted with her moods, had turned a dull shade of grey that Damon had never seen before. Jade's friends were in tears as well, even that blonde one seemed affected.
But it was when Damon's eyes landed on Bonnie, her own hand brushing at her tears, that he felt a pang in his chest. Without thinking, he turned to her, wiping her own tears. "I seem to have got the waterworks flowing," he attempted to joke, though the amusement didn't quite reach his eyes. He wiped away her tears gently, his thumb brushing against her cheek as if to erase the sorrow from her skin.
"You have a way with words, you know that," Bonnie said with a smile. "And you're a great dad."
The smile that came on his face was more genuine than she'd ever seen before. "Thanks, Bon," he replied quietly, his voice softer than usual. "Now stop with the crying. I don't like seeing it on you any more than I do on Jade." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling away. When he looked into her eyes, there were so many things he wanted to say but he knew it wasn't the time. Not now at least.
Tyler nudged Matt, his voice low. "Who knew that under all that sarcasm, Damon had a heart after all?"
Matt and Jeremy nodded in agreement, not being able to deny the fact now, no matter what he'd done in the past. "He's... a damn good dad. Guess we've all got our surprises," Jeremy admitted.
"Yeah. He's nothing like mine," Matt muttered, his voice edged with bitterness. "It's weird, man. Damon, of all people, being a better father than my own ever was." He couldn't even imagine Damon leaving Jade like his dad had left him. How was it a vampire who'd done admittedly terrible things could be a better father than a normal human.
"You can say that again," Tyler said, scoffing in agreement.
"Oh shit," Jade said looking down and seeing the necklace Luna had given her had cracked. She looked to Luna who had seemingly already noticed. "I didn't... I didn't mean to break it. I don't even know how it happened." Her hands hovered over the cracked necklace as though unsure of how to fix it herself.
Luna shook her head, her long, silver-blonde hair swaying slightly. "You didn't break it, Jade. It was just... your emotions were too big for it to hold. Sometimes, feelings can't be contained by even the most powerful magic. They just need to be felt." Her voice was soft as usual. "Magic can only do so much, you know. It can soothe, it can calm, but it can't contain everything. Not when the heart has so much to say."
"I gave it to you because I thought you needed something to keep you grounded, to help when you felt alone." She paused, her eyes glinting with a quiet understanding as she looked at Damon's arm around her. "But now I see that you're not alone. Not at all. Everything will be just fine now. You don't need the necklace anymore. I don't think you ever did."
Luna's smile grew softer. "Sometimes, the best magic isn't in charms or trinkets, but in the people who truly care for us. That's the kind of magic that lasts."
Jade's lips curled into a small smile as she looked at her friend, her heart swelling with gratitude. She could never understand how someone could hurt or belittle someone as kind and pure as Luna. They deserved some special kind of hell for hurting such a sweet soul. "I love you Lu you know that."
Luna's eyes softened with affection, and she nodded, her voice tender. "I love you too, Jay."
"Alright, this is getting a bit too sentimental for my tastes," Klaus drawled, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Should I fetch a box of tissues? Or are we moments away from a heartfelt chorus of 'Kumbaya'?"
When his remark only drew a mix of snorts and eye rolls, he carried on, "No? Good, then can we turn back to the screen before we're here for the next century?"
"Like that would be a problem for you," Damon replied, rolling his eyes. "It's practically a blip on your radar."
"Touche," Klaus said with a smirk, leaning back in his seat, just as the screen played and everyone turned back.
Damon and Jade are sprawled out on a living room rug, books scattered around them again and both of them are looking at the camera with grins on their faces.
Jade touched the photo gently, her eyes softened with memory. "That's the day I first called you 'Dad,' isn't it?"
Damon's expression shifted, his usual smirk replaced by something warmer. "Yeah. You'd been tackling that math problem for ages, then looked up and out of nowhere asked, 'Dad, can you help me with this one?'"
She met his gaze, her smile filled with the memory of that moment. "I remember we both just froze, and then you smiled at me like it was the best thing you'd ever heard."
"It was," Damon said softly, clearing his throat. "And still is."
"It's still too strange, seeing this side of you," Rebekah admitted, shaking her head.
"It's because he doesn't have to pretend with her. She's his daughter, after all. No expectations, no games to play," Katherine said shrugging slightly, her genuine answer surprising a few of them.
For a brief moment, her hand lingered on her stomach, a sharp pang of longing striking her. She wished she could have had that with her own daughter—the chance to feel what Damon did, to love her freely, to hold her close. But that moment had been stolen from her long ago when her daughter was snatched away before she could even see her face. It was a wound that had never fully healed, a silent grief she had buried so deep within herself that even she sometimes forgot it was there. But it was always present, lurking just beneath the surface, as it had been for centuries, as it always would.
They continued through the album, landing on a photo from one of their cozy nights at home. The picture showed them on the couch, surrounded by board games and an impressive mess of popcorn, mid-laugh with popcorn scattered everywhere. Jade was leaning against Damon, looking up at him, while he had an unguarded, warm smile on his face.
Jade sighed, tracing the edge of the photo with her thumb. "I think... I think that's my favourite."
Damon tilted his head, looking down at her. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Because it's just us. Like it always has been."
Damon wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her shoulder. "That's never going to change, sweetheart."
"That's such a lovely picture. The way she's looking at you like you hold the stars. It's how every daughter should look at their dad," Bonnie said with a smile.
"You look so... domestic. I almost don't recognize you," Caroline said shaking her head.
Later, as Damon tucked her into bed, Jade hesitated before glancing up at him. "Did any letter come yet? You know... from Hogwarts?"
Damon's expression softened. "Not yet, but that's normal. Don't worry - they'll be expecting you. You've already sent your acceptance back, so it's only a matter of time."
She relaxed a little, but her face grew serious as a new thought occurred to her. "I'm really going, aren't I?" She fiddled with her blanket. "That means I'll be away from here. Away from... from you."
Damon sat down beside her, taking her hand. "Yeah, you will be. But just because you're at Hogwarts doesn't mean you'll be alone. You'll meet friends, have adventures, and learn things that most kids only dream about."
She gave him a faint smile but looked uncertain. "I know. I just... it's hard to think about being so far from you. You've always been here."
Damon brushed a strand of hair from her face, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "You're always going to have a home here. You're my kid, and no amount of distance is going to change that. Besides, anytime you need me, I'll be just one owl away."
Caroline's brow furrowed. "Wait... why can't you just call each other? What's with the owls?"
Damon glanced at her. "Magic and electricity don't exactly play nice together, Blondie. Phones, TVs - none of it works in their world."
Jade nodded. "The wizarding world is, like, completely behind the times. It's like living in the past. No phones, no TV, no computers - just quills, parchment, and yes, sending messages by owl."
Caroline shook her head. "That's insane! I mean, it sounds kind of cool, but... no phones?!"
Jade grinned. "Yep, Hogwarts is basically stuck in the Middle Ages."
"Yikes," Caroline replied, looking at Jade with a mix of disbelief and fascination, "I don't know how I'd survive without texting."
"You wouldn't," Bonnie said seriously.
Jade chuckled. "Yeah, it's not exactly modern. But it does have its charm... in a very medieval way."
Caroline's eyes widened. "Sort of? Are you seriously telling me that people live like that - by choice?"
"It's all part of the experience," Jade replied with a laugh. "Trust me, you get used to it. The magic makes up for it... most of the time."
Caroline folded her arms. "Well, at least tell me you get hot showers and heating in that castle."
Jade grinned. "We have fireplaces but we don't really need them. Just a wave of our wand, and we're perfectly warm - or cool, if it's too hot. Temperature's never an issue."
Caroline's eyes widened in interest, and Jade continued, warming up to the topic. "And showers? We can fill a bathtub in seconds, heat it instantly, and dry our hair with a quick spell. No waiting around."
"Alright, that sounds pretty amazing," Caroline admitted.
"Oh, and you know how it takes ages to do your makeup?" Jade smirked. "One charm, and it's flawless in seconds. And if you want something to wear but you're too lazy to bother, like in the mornings, you can alter your clothes with a spell and a flick of the wand."
Caroline looked wide-eyed. "Okay, maybe I could give up my phone for that."
"Believe me," Jade laughed, "magic has a way of making up for all the things you think you'd miss."
Jade's eyes softened, and she hugged him one last time before he rose to leave.
"Love you dad. Goodnight," she whispered.
"Love you too sweetheart. Sweet dreams," he replied, and with one last smile, he left the room, not before switching on her nightlight.
"You're very sweet you know that," Bonnie said with a smile up at him.
Damon raised an eyebrow at her, his lips curling into a mischievous grin. "Sweet,huh? I'm not sure if I'm flattered or slightly offended."
Bonnie gave the roll of her eyes. "I mean it in the best possible way."
His smile softened a little, clearly enjoying the compliment. "Well then, thanks Bon-Bon."
The scene shifted to the grandiose office of Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts. The tall, silver-haired wizard sat behind his desk, his reading glasses perched precariously on his nose as he sifted through paperwork. The dim light of his candlelit room flickered gently, casting long shadows on the walls filled with ancient portraits of former headmasters and witches.
"I did not miss seeing that old coot's face," Jade said with a curled lip of revulsion as she glared dagger at the man.
"For once we share the same sentiment," Lucius said in agreement.
Suddenly, a letter appeared on his desk, glowing faintly. Dumbledore blinked in surprise and reached for it, recognizing the Hogwarts seal. As he opened it, his eyes scanned the contents rapidly, and his breath hitched in disbelief. His voice escaped before he could stop it.
"Jade Potter?" Dumbledore's voice was thick with confusion. "Impossible. She... she's alive?"
"He thought I was dead?" Jade asked, surprised.
"Well Damon did steal you away in the middle of the night and left that house coated in blood," Caroline said with a shrug.
"He must have had a spy or something. It's the only way he'd know," Jade said and the others nodded in agreement.
"If I get my hands on that spy for standing idle knowing what went on in that house I am going to rip them apart," Damon swore, pissed off.
His hands trembled in rage as he read further, confusion and anger beginning to flood his mind. "No, no, no. Why does she know? She shouldn't know!" His voice rose with irritation as he scanned the rest of the letter. "She should be ignorant, naïve - ready to be molded. She was supposed to be an empty vessel... thesavior."
"What a bastard. He's talking about a child, an 11 year old child," Rebekah said curling her lip as she looked at the man in disgust.
"Believe me the man could care less. He only cared about his plans and his overarching goals, whoever fell on the journey there was just collateral damage," Jade said much to a lot of their shock and alarm.
"And this guy is the headmaster? He's practically unhinged," Caroline said, looking wide-eyed.
"You can say that again," Jade said in complete agreement. "He's said and done worse mind you, so if you think this is bad, you're going to want to kill him later."
"But I already want to kill him," Caroline said, looking at her in disbelief.
"Well... then you're going to want to do it slowly,veryslowly," Jade said seriously.
"I can't believe this was the behind the grandfather act he put on to the world. Who would've thought?" Sirius said curling his lip in disgust.
"Exactly," Remus added, his voice laced with bitterness. "All those years of pretending to be this wise, all-knowing figure, acting like he had everyone's best interests at heart. When in reality, he was just pulling strings from behind the scenes, playing people like pawns in his own twisted game of chess."
"Exactly," James said, his jaw clenched. "And the worst part? People trusted him. They followed him blindly, did his bidding without second thought."
"No, the worst part is that he'll never have to face the consequences," Jade said, her voice cold and full of disdain. "He may be dead, but the mess he left behind is still here, and no one's going to hold him accountable. No one can make him answer for all the lives he ruined, all the lies he told. All those people who followed him, who believed in him—they'll never know the full truth. They'll continue to live in his shadow, holding onto the same twisted ideals he left behind."
She shook her head, her expression hard. "People like Dumbledore, they don't just disappear, they leave a legacy, a poisonous one that keeps spreading, even after they're gone. And the rest of us have to clean up the mess and deal with the damage they caused."
His face twisted into a snarl. "If that blasted werewolf took her... if he's the one who's raised her..." His magic vibrated around him in a fury. "I should have gotten rid of him along with the others."
"You can certainly try you old goat. I'd wrap your beard around your neck and watch you turn all the colours of the rainbow before you'd get your hands on him," Sirius said glaring at the bastard on screen.
"Padfoot, I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm dead," Remus deadpanned. Sirius snorted slightly, hitting his arm.
"Not the time Moony," Sirius said, rolling his eyes.
"And so is he," Remus added gesturing to Dumbledore.
"Funny," Sirius said crossing his arms with a pout. "And here I was defending you."
"And I appreciate it. But there's no need getting worked up over him," Remus said to him with a smile.
"She was supposed to be a blank slate. A tool. But now... now I have to play catch-up. I must take control. I must fix this." His eyes narrowed as he spoke to himself, the pressure mounting on his chest. "The Longbottom boy was a backup, but no longer necessary. I can still fix this. My plans will not be ruined because of some fool. I need her to be...malleable." He immediately went and called for Severus.
"You absolute rotten excuse for a wizard. He's treating them like toy soldiers. How many screws has he got loose up there!" Remus practically shouted as he glared at the screen, his eyes glinting amber.
"I'm sorry, you were saying Moony?" Sirius said with a raised eyebrow, equally pissed, but he couldn't resist teasing him.
"Shut up Padfoot," Remus said, rolling his eyes but he settled back in his seat, his eyes no longer amber but still glaring daggers at the screen.
A moment later, Severus Snape appeared through the Floo, his usual expression unreadable. His eyes flicked over Dumbledore but he said nothing.
"Severus," Dumbledore began, his tone clipped but controlled,"Jade Potter has just sent through her acceptance letter and I need you to floo to this address to introduce her to the wizarding world."He handed Snape the letter, his voice rising slightly with urgency.
Snape's brow furrowed, his lips curling slightly. "Why me headmaster? I'm sure Minerva would be more than delighted to introduce the Potter girl to the wizarding world."
"I love you too Uncle Sev," Jade said to him teasingly. He gave her a fond, almost apologetic look but she just smiled at him.
"I don't think I'm going to get used to you calling him that," James said, his lip curled just a tad.
"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here right now so you're going to have to get used to it," Jade said seriously and James's eyes widened as he looked up at Snape in disbelief.
"He saved your life? Wait, why would your life need saving?" He asked looking back at her, his eyes wide in a panic, concern clear in his voice.
"Nevermind that," Jade said quickly, turning back to the screen.
"I didn't ask you to question me Severus. I need you to get back to me with everything you find out about where she currently resides and her guardian," Dumbledore demanded.
"Her current guardian? You don't know who they are?" Severus asked, confused.
"I had placed her with family but she had gotten lost a long while ago. I haven't been able to locate her but now with her acceptance letter, it is clear she has been taken in by someone from the wizarding world. I'm only asking you to check if she is safe Severus. Nothing more. That is what you promised, is it not?" Dumbledore said, raising an eyebrow at Severus.
"Why would you make a promise like that Sniv... I mean Snape?" James amended after the sharp glances he got from both Lily and Jade.
"None of your business Potter," Severus said, refusing to acknowledge the man. He would find out anyway.
Snape's expression remained neutral, though his face had tightened slightly. "Of course, Headmaster. I shall go immediately."
"I trust you, Severus," Dumbledore nodded.
Snape gave a slight nod, then turned back toward the fire, reading out the address on the letter, "Salvatore Estate."
Next chapter...
DIAGON ALLEY!
You've no idea how long it took to get here. Every time I started a chapter, I told myself it was going to be this one, but my mind kept going in a different direction but now we're finally only a step away from Hogwarts. I'm so happy.