Historical research and treasure hunt

// THIS IS AN OLD CHAPTER. THE NEW CHAPTERS ARE IN VOLUME 2. YOU CAN READ THESE CHAPTERS IF YOU WANT SOME INSIGHT ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN LATER BUT SOME EVENTS CAN BE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW CHAPTERS.

After our little discussion, the wizards checked that I had correctly modified the memory of my friends to make sure that I didn't leave them with any memory of the attack.

Officially, I ripped my t-shirt when I fell into a thorny bush and we all decided to take a nap in the woods after having lunch.

When everyone is awake, we end the walk quietly. Susan is the only one who still remembers the attack but seeing everyone laughing and walking as if nothing had happened, she decides to say nothing about it.

I already feel the effects of the absorption of wampus cat, my senses are multiplied. The sounds and smells of nature are richer than anything I have known before; it makes me a little bit dizzy.

When we reach the city, we all split up to go home and when we arrive home, I explain the wampus cat attack to my mother and grandmother. They go mad with rage at such a serious mistake from the MACUSA, but I manage to calm them down by telling them that the incident is over and that it is not necessary to make waves. I don't particularly want wizards to come and investigate the incident thoroughly.

This one had left no noticeable mark on the city. On the other hand, when I said that I was going to take a walk in the woods again, my mother and my grandmother immediately got on their high horses and forbade me to approach the woods.

For the next two weeks, I continued to work on the textbooks I am writing, and these progressed rapidly. The only other hobby I had in Mystic Falls, other than playing ball with the boys, was doing some research in the town's historical archives. And I have found something very interesting, a document signed by the hand of Giuseppe Salvatore for the purchase of a building plot, by doing some additional research, I managed to find an old map of the city showing the distribution of the lands. And comparing it with a more recent map, I think I discovered the old Salvatores mansion.

By combining this information with the location of Emily's crystal and moonstone, I know where all of Mystic Falls' most important objects are located. Who wants to go on a little treasure hunt?

I start with the one that is the least protected, Emily's grimoire. Although we do not see the exact location of Giuseppe Salvatore's tomb in the series, I think it must be near the ruins of the old property because of the many trees and the wild aspect of the place.

As I pretend to go to the library as usual, I take a map and compass with me from my backpack to make sure I can get my bearings. Arrived at the edge of the woods, I take the opportunity to take my new half-animal appearance and I test the limits of this new body. The most difficult to manage are the four arms, they are very difficult to move separately but I am starting to get used to it. It is also very nice to have fur, especially when it is so silky, I could spend hours sliding my hand down my forearms.

After an hour of walking, I finally arrived in front of the ruins which must be that of the manor. Everything is so covered in vegetation that it is quite difficult to guess which part of the house I am in, but with a little imagination I can estimate what the house looked like when it was still intact. I'd have to think about creating a spell that would summon the memory of an object or a building, something like that.

I start to inspect the surroundings; the grave shouldn't be far. Old families often had private cemeteries in their family manor. And since there is a vault in the Mystic Falls cemetery all previous dead must be buried here.

After a good two hours of walking in circles in the woods, I end up finding it. What a hell, I really started to believe there was another place. If so, goodbye Emily's spellbook. I turn the earth over with a spell, revealing a coffin. I go down into the hole and open it without difficulty.

Inside lies the remains of Giuseppe Salvatore and with it, Emily's grimoire. I put the book in my bag and close the hole, not forgetting to leave a little note for Stefan and Elena in the future.

[Thanks for the book, it looks very interesting. S.B]

Then it's time for a little break-in at the Lockwoods mansion. But I'm going to have to hurry, I only have four hours before it's time to eat and I don't want to miss it, mum is going to make a roast and that's kind of the only thing she does not burn.

When I arrive in front of the Lockwood mansion I can't tell if people are there or not. I walk towards the back of the house and the gardens, still no people in sight but the back door is open which makes me think that someone is there.

Looking sideways out the window I can see Carole Lockwood on the phone, a glass of red wine in her hand.

"Yes of course, we are expecting you this Saturday to assess the situation ... Yes ... Yes, of course, I understand ... Well, see you on Saturday then."

She puts the phone down and sits at the table to finish her drink. It's now or never! I come out of my hiding place and walk straight on her.

"But what are you doing…" I didn't give her time to finish her sentence, I put her into a deep sleep, and I erase the memory of our meeting from her mind, normally when she wakes up, she'll think she's just overused red wine a little.

First step, the moonstone. I start looking for the living room through the maze of rooms in the mansion. After a few minutes I find what I'm looking for, then I just have to move the carpet and bingo, a hidden trap door.

When I open it, I come across a safe but nothing that cannot resist an unlocking spell. I begin to flip all the valuables inside of it until my fingers close on a wooden box that seems to be vibrating with power. I close the trunk behind me and replace the carpet.

Second step, the upstairs office, now that I have understood the layout of the premises, I can find my way more easily. The office is right next to the stairs, and luckily for me the box I'm looking for isn't too hard to find. I remove the false bottom and recover the crystal, leaving obviously another small card of my own.

[Ho it's shiny! It's pretty, and it's mine now. S.B]

As I was about to go down the stairs, I hear the front door open

"Honey, I'm home." Shit, Richard Lockwood just came back. After a while without hearing a response, I hear him call his wife back. "Carole? ... CAROLE!" Ha, and he has probably just found her, it's time for me to go. I open an upstairs window and simply jump into the gravel below letting myself roll in them before closing the window with a spell and erasing the traces of my fall.

And now it's time to eat.