Chapter Text
Salem University sits quietly, proudly, hiding perfectly in plain sight. According to every single witch hunter database, the state university was just that, a college campus for young adults to find themselves and their way in the world. Home to some of the very best programs in the country. In a town that steeped in the darkest history in the state of Massachusetts. However, just under the surface lies the truth. The institution also bears witness to specialized courses for witches. It gave them mentors so they could truly hone their craft whilst seeking higher education. It might be considered dangerous, witchkind putting all of their eggs in one basket like that, being so integrated with ordinary humans, who remained none the wiser of the secret courses being taught to some of their classmates within. The truth is, there was just simply no other option. All of the others had run out.
Covens were very nearly a thing of the past, and witches were truly in short supply. Thanks to modern technology, hunters had adapted and crafted weapons and toxins to more sufficiently eliminate their population. More witches than ever before were dying at the cruel hands of hunters, and their knowledge of the craft was dying with them. So, twenty years ago, in an effort to reclaim and rebuild their dwindling numbers, the darkhold program was successfully, and covertly, created. Effectively giving every witch a fighting chance by ensuring they had the education they needed to survive in a world no longer meant for them. In a world that never was.
Their most sacred book lies hidden within the walls. Embedding its essence into the very bones of the University. Protecting and guiding it. The runes and ancient magic held within the book created a sigil that hides them from any and all who would wish them harm. Discreetly casting suspicion elsewhere. Promising safety, a haven, a home, for every young witch that should heed the gentle and desperate call to save them.
Dr. Agatha Harkness, dean of the history department, sits behind her large oak desk in her office. Books were lined neatly into black floor to ceiling shelves on either side of her large arched window just behind her. The evening sun peaking through to cast a glow upon her; turning wild brown locks that cascade down her back almost amber in color. The sleeves of her lavender button up are rolled haphazardly to her elbows. Her reading glasses are perched on her nose, and her laptop is open beside her. The applications she’s finishing sorting through are in front of her in five distinct piles. One for yes to advanced history. One for yes to advanced dark magic, one for yes to advanced dueling, One pile just for no, that one is significantly larger than the rest. And one pile, the fifth, holding a single application, yours, a yes for all three.
Knock knock knock.
Agatha looks up from the application currently in her hand and sighs. She doesn’t know whether to be grateful for the reprieve or annoyed at the interruption. She’s sure she’s about to find out.
“Come in!”
University President Lilia Calderu walks through her door. Gray, curls bouncing in their updo. Her signature yellow cardigan flowed around her as she walked in quietly on moccasined feet. The slightly stoic expression on her face, as well as her quiet entrance, lets Agatha immediately know she is, in fact, going to be the latter of the two emotions she would be experiencing. Fan-fucking-tastic.
“What can I do for you, Lilia? I’m assuming this isn’t a social call.” Agatha groans and removes her glasses, rubbing at her temples with impossibly dark, ink stained fingers.
Lilia takes notice of her fingers and hums. “Long day, Harkness?”
“More like a long fucking week. I’ve been sorting through the applications for my courses for this upcoming semester. I've been finishing approving the students, but this year the task is proving far more difficult than usual. Half of the applications aren’t even history majors! So why exactly do they think they fucking need an advanced class on the history of witchcraft? Are they intentionally trying to doom their academic careers?” Agatha’s hands move animatedly as she continues “I have half a mind just to say yes to everyone so that I can watch the light leave their eyes when I return their first essays to them! I can set them on fire in their hands instead of giving them an outright grade, and that’s IF they were to even make it past day one! Seriously, most of them don’t even meet the gpa requirement to attend!” She rants.
Lilia quirks her lip into a small smirk. “Well, I would say that it’s because you’re the country’s leading expert on the history of the craft, and that all of our students are eager to learn from you. But, we both know the ones that aren’t qualified have simply just seen you around campus and want to sit there for entirely…” she pauses and grins “…shall we say aesthetic reasons?”
Agatha bangs her head on the desk and snarls. “I’m still tempted to hex the social media rep that compiled all of that footage of me walking around campus for that gods damned tik tok montage.”A cackle sounds from in front of her, and she lifts her head to see Lilia has sat down across from her.
“Come on, Harkness, lay off it. They asked and I approved. We needed more engagement on the platform, and your name brings attention. Now, tell me, have you gotten through the applications for your dark magic and dueling courses?”
“Why do I get the feeling I’m going to want to blow my brains out after this conversation? Yes. I have. I’ve approved them all already and I’m sending those emails out first thing in the morning. But you already know that,” She said pointing a finger at her accusingly. “because I always check those first to see if there are any who have applied for both of my magical and non magical classes so that I can save myself some work. I have exactly one student who will be in all three this year. But you already know that too, don’t you? You kooky, old bat. What are you here for?” Agatha folds her arms across her chest impatiently and cocks her head to the side.
Lilia clicks her tongue. “That’s not a nice thing to say to someone who’s not only your boss, but also your friend. Your friend that’s about to feed you some magic. You clearly haven’t fed recently. Your glamour on your fingers failed.”
Agatha glanced down, wiggled her fingers and frowned. She hadn’t even noticed the ink from the darkhold had bled through her glamour. Lilia simply rolled her eyes and tossed three quick golden orbs of magic directly into her chest. Agatha visibly relaxed, leaning back in her chair as she felt the ache of her hunger dull around the edges. She didn’t bother to re-glamour her fingers. There was no point with it just being the two of them. Having succubus abilities and being the current keeper of the darkhold really was a pain in her ass sometimes. Those two factoids about herself were hidden from all but a select few people in her life, and for good reason.
If her being the keeper, the wielder, the one the book had chosen, ever got out she would be targeted by hunters. Hunters who sought to obtain their sacred knowledge and destroy it. It would effectively sentence witchkind to death if she were to be killed and the ancient tome was left defenseless without a keeper to bind itself to. Now, her succubus abilities? Well that would get her hunted by her own kind. They would be terrified of a serial killing witch who drained their magic and their life force. That’s what they were all taught to believe that those with her specific ability did anyways. And honestly? How absolutely fucking vile for anyone to entertain such thoughts. She hadn’t murdered anyone in DECADES thank you very much. Which was truly a shame….She missed the rush. But again, that hunt circled back to the darkhold being revealed. And then there’s the matter that her three children would also be hunted down and killed after being left without their mama. It wasn’t worth that risk.
“Thank you“ Agatha shook her arms out lightly, reveling in the small surge of rejuvenatination. ”It was already time for me to feed this morning, and then the twins just had to go and set an actual fucking fire in the backyard this morning. They wanted to see how long it would take Tommy to suffocate it with his speed. But somehow, part of it got away and the next thing I knew Billy and Nicky were screaming, and I had to run out and play fire fucking fighter before dawn’s delightful asscrack had fully appeared. I forgot to feed from my collection of stored magic in the chaos. It also doesn’t help that I was checking on the runes earlier and using the darkhold to reinforce the enchantments on some of the magical classrooms that had become a little shaky from all of the practiced spells from last term…..But again, why.are.you.here?”
Lilia stifled a laugh at Agatha’s retelling while adjusting her cardigan. “Okay, okay. I am actually here about the student you have approved for all three.”
“What about her?” Agatha asked while picking up the lone application from her fifth ‘pile’. She stared down at your attached photo and frowned. “Do I need to remove her? Is something wrong? I need you to actually explain and not just stare at me hoping I’ll guess correctly.”
“No….no…nothing is wrong. She’s in the final year of her master’s program, and I was looking over her files myself this morning. She needs not only her thesis advisor, but her magical mentor as well….and congratulations, Harkness. It’s you!” Lilia exclaimed with a toss of gray curls and a pointed finger.
“WHAT?!” Agatha bolted upright in her chair. “You really have lost it, haven’t you? You wispy, old crone?! You know damn good and well I do NOT take on students. I don’t have the time nor the patience for that! I….”
“Have three kids to take care of, classes to teach, and administrative duties to maintain. I am well aware, darling. Also, am I wispy or am I kooky? Make up your mind!” Lilia snarked out.
Agatha snorted. “You’re a bit of both, honestly….Besides! if you’re so aware, then why are you assigning her to moi?!”
“I’ve been lenient with you taking on students because of those factors. You’re just lucky that spirit witches don’t really need a mentor because the dead literally help them with their abilities the second they manifest. And that, as the dean, you don’t actually advise any of the thesis work. However, you are the current wielder of the darkhold. Which makes you the only one qualified to mentor her. Because you are the only one with access to knowledge on time magic.”
“SHE HAS TIME MAGIC?!! THAT’S…. LILIA THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!” Agatha was up and out of her chair, rounding her desk to pace in front of it. Hands flailing wildly before ink stained fingers reached to briefly rub the brooch around her neck. She flipped her hair back and turned dramatically. Heels nearly catching on the violet rug as she did so. Lilia took the outburst in stride. Merely turning in her chair to observe her frantic display.
“This wouldn't be news to you if you bothered to keep up with our stats emails. Everyone else is aware of her magical abilities. Also, it’s not impossible, you know that. Just exceedingly rare, and that’s saying something considering I’m talking to a spirit witch who possesses succubus abilities.”
“That’s literally my point! There’s only what? One or two other witches currently in existence with my particular….let’s say talent. BUT there are no known living time witches. There haven’t been. For centuries.” The pacing slowed as Agatha rounded back to her desk and picked up the file again. Your bright eyes staring back at her.
Lilia turned to face forward again before speaking. “I am well aware.”
“For fuck’s sake, Lilia there are exactly six people who know I wield the darkhold. You, me, my children and Jen. This will mean this girl will make seven. There’s no way I won’t need to consult the book directly during our first few lessons.The book has a tendency to hide pages it doesn’t think the wielder needs. Which you are aware of!” Agatha’s chest moves rapidly, and she rolls her shoulders back to try and tamper down her emotions, tossing your file back onto her desk.
Lilia stares calmly at Agatha. “The darkhold chose you. You’re the only one who can open that book and help give her what she needs to master her ability. It is your obligation to teach what would otherwise be lost. Not to mention that, if needed, you can use your magic to track down and summon a deceased time witch. But, I doubt it will come to that. Before lessons begin, set up a meeting with her and enact a promise spell” Lilia pauses. “ And… since you’re already going to be her magical mentor, making you her thesis advisor makes the most sense. You’ll just be exempt from her review panel, of course. I’ll step in for you on that. If that weren’t enough to convince you, I did a reading before coming here and it’s literally in the cards. Fated if you will.”
“IT’s FaTed” Agatha mocks, flourishing her hands through air. “Please spare me the tarot con. You don’t need it.” She sighs, poking her tongue into her cheek. “You’re correct. I’m exceptional.”
“Always so humble, of course that’s your take away!” Lilia huffs out a laugh as Agatha smirks and shrugs her shoulders. “And tarot is not a scam! Just because SOME divination witches pretend to talk to the dead for extra cash doesn’t mean the cards themselves are the con. You love scams. I’m surprised you can’t respect the effort.”
“Well, I would, but you see, it gives those of us who truly can commune with the dead a bad rap. The last divination witch I saw do it, did such a crack job I drained her within an inch of her life, and then had to wipe her memory of the experience. Might have also made her forget her own name. Oopsie!“ Agatha’s grin was both feral and delighted. Her mouth opened into her signature cackle, filling the room with the sound. “It truly is a shame that my preferred style of murder is so easy for a fucking hunter to spot. Not to mention that I would rather not summon my ex. I see her enough when she comes to trade off with Nicky.” She pursed her lips in thought “She’d also probably think I was trying to leave her a gift, and that’s not a can of worms I particularly want to reopen.” She tapped her nails against her desk as she perched on the edge.
“Okay, we have officially lost the plot. Reel it back in.” Lilia makes circling motions with her hands. “I’m glad we can agree that you’re the best for the job. Even if you had to toot your own horn there in the process. Just make sure that you email her and set up that meeting to get things rolling. You two are going to get along just fine.” Lilia’s eyes sparked. Too knowing. And Agatha couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic or not with her little foresighted hint. Knowing Lilia, it could mean literally anything.
Great. More psychic kooky bullshit. Agatha could feel a migraine coming on. She was ready to go home and dive into a glass of bourbon. Fuck cooking, they were all getting take out.
“Oh, one more thing before I go..” Lilia’s eyes suddenly glazed briefly, stopping her current train of thought as she got lost in a vision. She shook her head as she came out of it. “The kids are all about to bust in. You’re getting pizza for dinner, by the way. I’ll save you the argument. It’s what you all agree on in the end.” She said shrugging.
“Lilia?”
“Yes?”
“What was the one more thing?” Agatha asked far more gently than she cared to acknowledge.
“Oh! Right! Governor Stark is coming for a budget meeting on the 28th. He’s specifically requested your presence. Apparently there’s some funding he’s found that he wants to allocate to your department.”
Blue eyes flash purple and Agatha snarls. “He only wants to give my department more funding because he wants to fuck me. My multiple rejections and raging lesbianism seem to go right over the so-called genius’s head. Apparently he wasn’t born with any common sense. He’s an annoying, arrogant asshole and I don’t want to be around him or his poor attempts at flirting.”
Lilia rises from her chair and calmly waives her hand in the air dismissively “Darling, if I let you out of meetings just because you disliked someone, or because someone wanted to bed you, you wouldn’t be able to fulfill your administrative duties. Now would you?” Lilia’s brow quirks up, the minuscule movement managing to drive her point home as Agatha bares her teeth but stays silent. “How you’re both a succubus and anti-social I will never understand.”
“You can thank my mother for my overly sunny disposition towards people.”Agatha deadpans
Lilia chooses to ignore that particular comment. “You’re attending and that’s final. I’ll have my assistant forward you the details. Have a goodnight. Get some rest and please feed. One way or the other.” Lilia leant over and kissed Agatha’s cheek before exiting as quietly as she came.
Agatha slumped down in her chair. Her migraine is definitely settling in. Only just resisting the urge to goad Lilia with a salacious “are you offering?!” as a parting shot. Feeding her succubus sexually was a rarity these days. She didn’t necessarily like to leave the boys alone overnight, even if the older two were technically capable of watching Nicky. Nights when Rio actually had time to spend with him were easier, or when all of the kids managed to be at sleepovers on the same night. Even with the house’s foundation littered in protection runes, she still worried. Thankfully, at the age of fifty the sexual urges were much easier to manage. The need flaring far less frequently than it once had. A quick fuck in a bar bathroom was usually enough. On the rarity it wasn’t, she was no stranger to leaving a woman sweaty and spent in a hotel room in a deep slumber. The woman’s life force having been depleted enough to keep her from waking for several hours as her body recovered.
Magically? Well, there was a reason she taught all of the advanced dueling and handled any magically involved fights. She could absorb any attacks without harm coming to her, and it kept her full during the school year (mostly anyways) nevermind that it made sense because she was the best in combat and dark magic on campus. Possibly in the whole North and South American continent. Everyone was just under the assumption that Agatha had an unparalleled shielding spell that she was too stingy to share. If only they knew. She moved to sit back in her chair and shut her laptop down for the day.
Right on cue, her perfect little horde of demons bombarded her office. Slamming the door wide open in his excitement; Tommy sped around her office with Nicky on his back whilst Billy shut the door behind them and rolled his eyes. Agatha couldn’t help but smile at their antics. They stressed her the hell out, but fuck if she wouldn’t be hanged, burned, or drowned willingly to keep them safe. Or whatever new options it was the hunters were using these days.
“Alright, alright calm down! I have a headache.” Nicky and Tommy immediately stopped their antics and walked to her desk. Tommy sat in the chair next to the one Billy had plopped down in, and Nicky clambered straight up into Agatha’s lap. He was definitely getting too big to be doing that at eight years old. But she would be damned if she was ever going to stop her baby from wanting to be close.
“Are you alright, Mama? I can see your ink fingers. You never take the glamour off in public.” Nicky asked, brown eyes full of concern as he touched her cheek with his hand.
Agatha sighed into the sweet gesture. “Yes, baby.” She reached up and ran her fingers through his shoulder length hair. “Mama just needs to feed. I can do that when we get home, and it’s only been myself and Lilia in here. No need to cover them up.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the twins looking sheepish. Regret filling both sets of brown eyes. Theirs a darker shade than Nicky’s. Truly, none of her children were the spitting image of her. Which was incredibly fucking rude if you asked her opinion, and even if they didn’t ask her she gave it anyways. Billy had her wide smile, Nicky her cleft chin, and Tommy got her hair.
“We are so, so sorry, Mom!” “Our bad, mom!” Came the twins’ simultaneous replies.
Tommy took a deep breath, whipping his hand out to cover Billy’s mouth. “It was mostly all me. I was curious if I could do it, and I had it under control at first. It was honestly too easy. I pushed Billy to make the thing bigger and harder to put out. We got carried away and didn’t notice that I was accidentally flicking some of the flames he was creating out of the area. Won’t happen again without your direct permission and supervision, boss.”
Agatha hummed and adjusted Nicky over onto one knee. Her other having started to fall asleep. “You sure you aren’t just saying that because I made you spend the day in the library writing a paper as punishment while Nicky got to read whatever he wanted? Where are those by the way?”
Billy reached into his bag that he had discarded on the floor and pulled out two four thousand word essays on the study of magical fires and the techniques behind them. Laying them directly in front of his mother. “No, I promise we really do feel bad. We weren’t thinking and almost caused a huge accident. We have learned our lesson. We promise. Here I know! Let me help you!”
Before Agatha could protest, or even react at all, thanks to Nicky being in her lap, Billy gently sent off four bursts of magic. The blue landed warmly in her chest. She let out a groan as her headache faded completely and her hunger further settled. As soon as the magic was completely absorbed she glared at her son. While she knew that she had complete control of her ability, No thanks to Evanora, she still hated taking magic from her children. Their magic was still maturing, and was far too easily depleted. Even though she did know that Billy often added to her collection of stored magic. Like she couldn’t tell when it was her own son’s she was consuming. Honestly, amateur!
“William Harkness–Maximoff! You know I hate it when you feed me directly like that!” She barked out.
“It was the least I could do. You know my magic is becoming more stable. I don’t even feel like I did anything. It’s okay for us to take care of you sometimes too, mom. Especially after everything you do for us every single day.”
“He’s right, mom, if I could give ya magic like Billy does, I would. We love you.”
Agatha felt tears prick her eyes as she looked her kids over.
“Mama can I give you magic too once mine comes in?”
“Absolutely not. I appreciate that Billy did it for me. But Mama really doesn’t like it, so please don’t.” Agatha said softly. She scooted Nicky off her lap, coaxing him to stand. Once he was up she stood as well, gently wiggling her fingers, settling her glamour back into place. “Apology accepted boys. Now, come give mama a kiss and then let’s go the hell home! We can even order pizza for dinner!” The twins rushed to either side of her, planting a kiss on each cheek. They were both so tall now that they were forced to lean down to do so. Agatha ignored the pang that fact left in her chest and basked in the moment. She would forever be grateful that at sixteen, they both still willingly showed her affection. Tommy pulled back and grinned.
“Race ya to the car!?”
“You’re on, hon!” Agatha smirked deviously as Tommy took off out the door. She stretched her arms “shall we?” She asked taking a hand in each of hers and apparating them directly to the Subaru parked in the staff garage. A mere second before Tommy made it. Agatha cackled in delight when she saw the disappointment on his face. “Better luck next time, Toby!” She goaded, and Tommy just rolled his eyes at the nickname and grinned. “Come on, ándale! Mama’s ready for some food and a drink! Teen, you’re driving!” She tossed Billy her keys and got in on the passenger side.
“Mom, that’s so not fair! Why does he get to drive?!” Tommy whined as he settled next to Nicky in the backseat. Before Agatha could form a response on her sharp tongue, her youngest spoke up.
“Because I would like to live, thank you very much. Mother isn’t supposed to walk me for a long, long time! But your bad driving skills might just make her have to break her promise to Mama.”
Agatha’s mind flashed briefly to eighteen month old Nicky, so sick with RSV she thought she was going to lose him, begging Rio not to take him. She shook the thought away quickly and smirked. Billy was laughing at his little brother’s dead pan delivery and Tommy’s mouth was open in shock. “Your brother is right. Plus you don’t even have a license. I distinctly remember having to wipe the memory of every person in that dps office because you refused to obey the traffic rules and topped the car out at its max speed. You were nearly arrested! You’ll be lucky if I trust you to take it seriously enough to let you test again when you’re eighteen.” She turned her head to glare at him playfully.
“Yeah, boss, I know.” he answered, not a hint of remorse in his tone. Causing Agatha to roll her eyes. She settled into her seat as Billy left the parking garage. The day was over, she would go home and spend the evening with the people she loved most in the world, have a glass of bourbon and snuggle Señor Scratchy. Tomorrow she would get up, get them all back to campus and send those emails. Including the one to her new mentee. Your photo flashed in her mind briefly. It was going to be an interesting semester to say the least. But, thankfully, that was future Agatha’s problem. Current Agatha was too over it to give a rat’s hairy ass.
Ping, ping
You opened one bleary eye and grumbled. You’d hoped to sleep in a little longer. Summer was almost over for fuck’s sake. You deserved some extra rest before the chaos of the fall semester made you her bitch. Clearly, whoever was blowing you up didn’t share the same sentiment. You sat up in bed, blankets pooling around your waist as you stretched your tattooed arms upward in an attempt to rid sleep laden limbs of their heaviness. Your cropped Def Leppard tee riding further up your abdomen as you did so. The yawn you let out made your jaw audibly crack and you winced, gently massaging it. Finally, you reached over for your phone, unplugging it from the charger to find two new email notifications. Both from the University from the Dr. Harkness. Suddenly your palms were sweaty and your breathing stuttered inside your chest. “Okay, okay, don’t be a little bitch about it…. I’ve been waiting for this email, my gpa is flawless and I meet all of her qualifications…just witch up and look at the fucking emails.”
After psyching yourself up you wiped a sweaty palm along the sheets and tapped the screen to open the emails that would either solidify your academic career or send it up in flames.
Ms. Y/LN,
I am pleased to inform you that you have met all of the qualifications required and have been accepted into the following courses:
Advanced Dueling
Advanced Spirit and Dark Magic
Witching history 534
The attached files detail what you shall need for each of my courses. Come prepared and on time. Tardiness will not be tolerated.
Regards,
Doctor Agatha Harkness
The squeal that left your mouth was almost high pitched enough to shatter glass. “I FUCKING DID IT!” You were going to finally get to learn about the subjects that interested you most and have the class you need to finish your masters! You paused. But if I was approved for every class and she sent it all in one email, what’s the other one for? You quickly swiped into the next email the professor had sent you.
Ms. Y/LN,
Please contact me as soon as possible regarding both your thesis and your magical mentorship. As I will be overseeing both and wish to set up a meeting with you before classes begin.
Regards,
Dr. Agatha Harkness
“OH, WHAT THE FUCK?!” You screamed. The one professor on campus that never took on students was taking you on? How exactly had that happened?! THE AGATHA HARKNESS as your mentor times two?! Insanity.
Your fingers are trembling with disbelief as you fire off a quick reply explaining you were available all day tomorrow if that worked for her. Five minutes later, far quicker than you could have anticipated, you received a reply:
My office. 10a.m. tomorrow, do not be late.
Simple and to the point. She hadn’t even bothered to sign it this time. You leant back against the frame
of your bed. Tilting your neck to the side until a crack sounded, relieving the tension. “Okay, answers are coming tomorrow. I can worry about it all then.”
Knock knock
Your roommate opened the door to your room without bothering to wait for an invitation. A curious expression written on her face. “Do I hear a mild spiral happening in here?”
“I’m sorry if I woke you, Kate. I found out that I got accepted into Dr. Harkness’s history class AND that she wants to meet with me tomorrow morning to discuss being my thesis advisor as well.” You sighed and tossed your phone onto the bed.
“NO FUCKING WAY, DUDE! The most intimidating, difficult, and not to mention, hot, professor on campus wants to meet with you about taking you on? So it’s gay panic I’m hearing!” Kate laughed out.
“No…that’s….that’s not…”
“ You’ve admired her work for literal years. Her research is literally the reason you wanted to become a historian specializing in the history of witches in the first place. All you’ve talked about the entire time we have known each other is getting into her courses your final year. Any time you’ve seen her around campus in passing, you look like you might actually combust. We both know you watched that tik tok of her that the university made on repeat for several minutes. And now not only did you get into the course of your dreams, but the hot professor teaching them wants to do a one on one with you? This is all gay panic, babe. You’re so fucked.” Kate finished ticking off her list of points with a smug grin.
Yeah….unfortunately, Kate had a point. All of that was true. You admired her and her work so much. It was changing the way the history of your kind was taught. She made people listen. You hadn’t even met the woman yet and the thought of disappointing her filled you with the worst sense of dread. Exactly what the fuck we’re you going to do about this meeting tomorrow?