Chapter 8: Family Reunion
I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT MY OWN IDEAS
The second that Coal heard the snaps she became visible and got in a defensive crouch in front of Klaus and Ryson. Her growls put the original Kol to shame. Even though she knows Caroline and two of the goblins, her bonded is vulnerable and any threats to him will not be tolerated by her.
"Wow. Where did the mean little wolf come from?" Kol asked while making sure he was also in a position to guard his family.
Ryson looked up at what was going on and snapped his fingers before hiding his face back in his father's neck. He loved Caroline dearly and could never pay her back for what she had done, but right now the only person he wanted was his dad. His dad would make everything okay. With the snap of his fingers, Coal became passive and stood at a heel beside Klaus.
"My guess is that the mean little wolf belongs to Ryson," Rebeka said.
Caroline calmed down as soon as she saw who had Ryson. Axetooth noticing the situation and how calm Caroline had become gave the signal for his warriors to stand down but be ready just in case. They lowered their weapons and allowed Caroline to move to the front. Klaus not liking this situation moved back slowly allowing his siblings to form a barrier between them. He trusted Caroline to the end of the world but no matter what his feelings for her were, his children came first.
Elijah always the diplomat stepped forward while Hayley went to stand by Klaus, blocking Hope and Freya from view completely.
"Hello, Mrs. Forbes or is it Salvatore now?" Elijah asked her.
"It's Forbes-Salvatore now." Caroline replied also stepping forward "Look, we are not here to cause any problems."
"Really," Kol said, "Cause bringing along 10 goblin warriors says different. By the way haven't seen you since your friends killed me that one time, stabbed anyone else lately."
"Kol. Enough." Elijah said, "However he does bring forth a valid point of your entourage Mrs. Forbes-Salvatore."
"It was just a precaution." Caroline said "Ryson woke us tonight saying that something had happened to Hope. We were in Alaric's office waiting for a reply from the goblins when he just disappeared. We were not sure if he accidentally transported himself or if what happened to Hope was happening to him. We hoped for the best but as you see, we came prepared for the worst."
"Yes, well as YOU can see, Ryson is perfectly safe in his FATHER'S arms." Elijah said, "In fact, we were on our way to Mystic Falls to sort out custody of Ryson when this unfortunate event occurred."
Switchtooth then stepped forward.
"Perhaps I can help," She said "I am healer Switchtooth. If you would allow me, I will run a quick diagnostic scan over the young one."
"What's the catch?" Kol asked, "With you goblins, there is always a catch."
"No catch," Switchtooth said "Young Ryson is one of our wealthiest clients and we want him protected as much as possible. If whatever is affecting young Hope could affect him, we need to know."
After a silent deliberation between Klau's siblings, Switchtooth was allowed to run her scan. While she worked Ryson finally looked up and took stock of what was going on around him. He caught Caroline's eye and gave her a small wave but stayed in his father's arms. Switchtooth started swearing and looked murderous.
"This is ancient magic." Switchtooth said "Hope is being channeled by an ancient ritual that is designed to bring a spirit back from exile. Whoever this spirit is, they are very powerful."
"What can be done to stop it?" Hayley asked.
"The easiest way would be a cleansing spell on the soil of where the ancient one was exiled, but with us not knowing who or where that seems impossible," Switchtooth said. "All the other ways take preparation time which we don't have, but I do believe that we have one option open to us."
"Well, what is it?" Caroline asked.
"The spell is most likely being channeled through a personal item of Hope's" Switchtooth explained "When we use an item constantly we embed our magical signature into it. All we would need to do is change her magical signature."
"Oh ya that sounds easy," Hayley said "How exactly do we do that?"
"Covens," Kol said "When a witch joins a coven then their magical signature changes slightly to embrace their coven. All we would need to do is have Hope join Ryson's coven-pack."
"The only problem with that Kol is that Hope has to accept the entry and she can't do that while she is unconscious," Freya said
"What about their shared dreams?" Caroline asked. "We could put Ryson under a sleeping spell and have them do the ceremony in the dream."
"Yes that would work but an elder from her coven would have to release her to join another coven since she is still a minor," Switchtooth said.
"Not necessarily," Kol said "Freya here is part of the same coven by default just by being a Mikaelson since we had mother consecrated on New Orleans soil. Freya is also 1,000 years old, by definition and ancient magic she would be the eldest of the elders if she wanted to be. All we would need to do is send Freya into their dream and she could release Hope so she could join the coven pack along with Hayley as her current alpha."
"That's brilliant Kol," Freya said.
Caroline was able to convince them to let the goblins take who was needed with them and the others would head to the school and wait. So Klaus, Ryson, Hayley, Freya, Hope, Kol, and Coal went with the goblins. Klaus because Ryson would not release his father and blasted Caroline when she tried to take him. His emotions were all over the place so his magic reacted without provocation. Ryson, Hayley, Freya, and Hope because they were needed for this to work. Kol because he was more familiar with Wand Users and goblins. Coal because there was no way she was leaving her humans side.
Their party landed in a large room deep under Gringotts and were rushed to the ritual room. Freya and Kol set up the spell to send Freya and Hayley into the dream while the goblins watched and Switchtooth even took notes. Ryson introduced Klaus to Coal.
"This is Coal" Ryson said as he hugged her. Klaus was bent down to their level and kept one hand on Ryson's back at all times. "She is a Shadow Dire Wolf, and she is my familiar. She is going to grow to be really big, and strong. She protects me and my coven-pack."
"Well hello there Coal," Klaus said as he scratched her behind the ears.
"I named her Coal because she looks like she rolled around in Coal, and after uncle Kol," Ryson said
Just then Freya walked over to them "It's time."
The spell area had a giant circle of salt with candles around it. There were also runes drawn in salt as well. They would all be laid in the circle with their feet pointing outwards and their heads close to each other. Ryson was placed facing North, Hope was facing South, Hayley was facing East, and Freya was facing West.
Ryson was the first one to enter Hope's dreamscape, and what he found was nothing like he had seen before. They were still at Hope's house but instead of a sun, there was just an eerie blue light everywhere. Everything was covered in snow and it was freezing cold. Ryson called out for Hope but he heard nothing. Just then Freya and Hayley appeared beside him.
"Aunt Freya, Aunt Hayley I can't find Hope." Ryson cried out and Hayley grabbed him up out of the snow and held on tight.
"Just calm down Ryson," Freya said. "You have a bond with her right. Just like you have one with me and your dad."
"Yes," Ryson said.
"I need you to focus on that bond and trust yourself. Your bond will tell us where to go." Freya said.
Ryson nodded and closed his eyes. He focused on Hope's bond as hard as he could and just like that he knew where to go.
"The attic. Where you had the coffins aunt Hayley." Ryson said
The three of them made their way into the house with Hayley still carrying Ryson. They found Hope curled up in a corner of the attic shivering. Her lips were blue and she was ice cold. Freya got an old blanket and put a warming spell on it and placed it on Hope. Slowly Hope started to warm up and opened her eyes. Just then they felt a rumble and knew they were almost out of time.
"Hayley we are almost out time bring Ryson over here. We have to do this now." Freya said as she sat Hope up.
"Mom, Ryson, aunt Freya what is going on," Hope asked looking around.
"Hope baby listen to me." Hayley said "We don't have time to tell you everything but somebody is trying to use you in a spell. To stop them, we need you to join Ryson's coven-pack."
"But you said my magic and wolf might not like it" Hope said.
"I know that honey," Hayle said "but we don't have a choice. If this spell is completed, you will die."
"I don't want to die, mom," Hope said
"I know baby, that is why you are going to join Ryson's coven-pack, okay," Hayley said.
"Okay," Hope said.
"Good, let's get started then," Freya said.
"I Freya Mikaelson eldest of the elders of the New Orleans Coven permit Hope Andrea Mikaelson to freely leave our coven in search for one she can call her own. So Mote It Be." Freya said while laying her hand upon Hope's head and a brief flash of light showed where they touched.
"I Hayley Andrea Marshall-Lebnoir, alpha of the Cresent Wolves permit Hope Andrea Mikaelson to freely leave my pack in search for one she can call her own. So Mote It Be." Hayley said while copying Freya and another light flashed.
"I Harrison Ryson Henrik Saltzman-Mikaelson herby invite Hope Andrea Mikaelson to join the Infinity Coven-Pack. So Mote It Be." Ryson said while holding both of Hope's hands while looking her straight into the eyes.
"I Hope Andrea Mikaelson herby accept the invitation to join the Infinity Coven-Pack," Hope said.
The second Hope finished speaking a blinding light came from their joined hands and flashed so bright that everything went white. Then they all shot up in Gringotts gasping for breath. Hayley jumped up and started checking over Hope while Klaus did the same thing to Ryson. Once both parents were satisfied they allowed the siblings to finally hug for the first time in the real world.
Switchtooth led them all to the healer's room to run a scan on each child and make sure everything was okay. Hope just like Daniel and Cal, now had both Wand and Wiccan Magic and the hold of the ancient spirit was no more. It was then that Axetooth spoke up.
"I am very glad to see that both young children are safe. I will have a portkey made to take you back to your families tonight. Tomorrow we can cover the custody of young Ryson now that his father has been found. You will be seeking custody am I right Mr. Mikaelson?" Axetooth directed the question towards Klaus
"Yes, I will. But as you said, that can be discussed tomorrow." Klaus said.
Switchtooth gave each of the children a dreamless sleep potion so they could recharge from their ordeal, unfortunately, this meant they would not be dream walking tonight. Dreamwalking used magic and Hope's magic is exactly what needed to recharge and stabilize.
Klaus, holding Ryson, Hayley holding Hope, Kol, Freya, and Coal landed in Alaric's office. Only Caroline was there to greet them and lead them to Ryson's room. The adults then all gathered into the conference room to have a long-overdue conversation.
Klaus took the head of one side of the table with Hayley, Elijah, and Rebeka on his right, and Kol and Freya on his left. Alaric took the other head with Caroline on his right and Emma on his left. The tense silence and distrusting glares lasted too long until Caroline finally broke the silence.
"We are not just going to forget that he exists Klaus, but before we get to the custody part of the story, I think you need to know the whole story," Caroline said.
"You mean without pieces being left unsaid because of magical protections?" Klaus said.
"Yes." Caroline said, "What do you know of the Fidelius Charm."
"It is a charm that can hide whatever you want from everybody in the world and only the secret keeper can allow someone in on the secret," Kol answered automatically.
"Correct." Caroline said, "Well that is the magical protection and I just happen to be the secret keeper."
"Well then Mrs. Forbes-Salvatore, it looks like you have a story to tell then," Elijah said, leaning back in his seat.
So Caroline talked, talked, talked, and talked. Most of the time you could tell what kind of mood the Mikaelson's were in by watching their reactions but tonight there was none. All of them had closed off, emotionless faces, and hate behind their eyes by the time Caroline was done talking. Most people think that raging fury was the worst but tonight the cold frozen blazing fury that each of them held, promised a fate worse than death.
Klaus was the first one to talk "He is mine. I will fight you with everything I have if your try to keep him from me."
"There is no need for that Klaus as we were never planning on keeping him from you." Alaric said "But we can't just pretend that the last six months didn't happen. So Caroline and I have a proposition for you that we believe would be in Ryson's best interests."
"I'm listening," Klaus said.
"We will sign over custody of Ryson to you without a fight, but he stays enrolled here and continues his education. Also, we would like him to come on our family vacation for 1 week every summer. Since Caroline and I live at the school it will be no different than it is now for us. This way he is in your custody, he continues his education, and most importantly he gets to keep everyone he cares about in his life without a fight. Hope is also welcome at this school and will be welcomed with open arms." Alaric said.
Klaus sat back and thought about this. He didn't like the fact that Alaric of all people was someone that HIS SON loved and looked up to but couldn't help but feel overwhelming gratitude. If it hadn't been for Alaric and Caroline then his son would still living in a cupboard and getting beat on by soon-to-be-dead adults. This way it also allowed to Klaus have the final say in everything as they were willing to sign over both physical and magical custody.
Not to mention that they also still had their mansion in Mystic Falls, that they could live there while the kids were in school. This way they could have them there on the weekends and it would allow the kids to grow in an environment that they would not have to hide who or what they were. Klaus looked towards Hayley who gave a small nod telling him that she agreed.
"I think that this would be the best solution for all parties involved but especially for Ryson," Klaus said.
"Then it is settled. Tomorrow we will have the goblins get the magical side of things rolling, and then the non-magical side of things will fall into place." Caroline said.
They split and went their separate ways for the night. Alaric and Caroline went to sleep. Klaus and Hayley stayed in the children's room watching over them. Kol, Freya, Elijah, and Rebeka headed to their mansion to do some speed cleaning, protection spells, and to get some sleep.