All my life has been challenging. We have to hide from the mortal humans, as they fear us and hunt us down on a regular basis. Needless to say, its hard to be a witch in these days. My mom often tells me stories of the older days, before the mortal ones had known our magic was even present. That’s no thanks to the churches, though. We tried to stay unnoticed, so mom tells me. I wish I fully understood.


Of course, today may be a nicer day, as I still get to enjoy my life with the few covens of the area. Although, most are allies, we do have the chance of meeting witches who do not exactly agree with how our coven hides away. Many fight against the mortal ones. We do tend to live a significantly longer life, because of our magic. Though, from what studies have been saying in text, is the more powerful a witch is, will dictate their natural life span.


“Asphodel, are you ready for school yet?” My mother hollers up the stairs to me.


I almost entirely forgot. I got lost in my train of thought again. Wondering what the older days were like. Now, it feels so tense no matter where I go. Home is the only place I can freely use magic, not that mom ever pushes us to use it.


Without anymore thought about how side-tracked I got myself, I need to hurry. I grab my brush and quickly untangle the mess of hair I have. It’s always knotting up on me when I sleep. I check to be sure my shirt is on the right way. A white blouse, standard to our school, along with a red and black plaid skirt. I sigh deeply.


“On my way down mom!” I shout.


“Good! Garth is here to walk you to school!” Mom shouts up to reply.


Garth? How could I forget that boy. I swear, we’ve been friends since we were in elementary school. He’s a little older than me, but overall, he’s a genuinely sweet guy. I couldn’t imagine dating him.


My face feels warm when even try to think about him in a romantic way, rather than my friend. I slap on my cheeks and shake my head. I need to just do the normal daily routine.


I head down the stairs. I see a picture of mom and my dad, who passed a few years ago. He was a big part of my life. I stop at the photo and nod at him. I wish he could see what I’ve become. I think he’d be proud.


“Space cadet! When you gonna get down here?” I hear Garth call out to me with a teasing tone to his voice.


“Oh, right, sorry.” I reply as I finish darting down the stairs.


“You do know the school doesn’t like it when we are late, right?” He says, sticking his tongue out.


“Yeah..”


“We go through this almost every day, Asphodel.” He says with a sigh.


“Well, a woman’s mind is a busy mind.” I say.


“She’s right.” Mom says. “Now hurry up you little doves, you’ll be late.” Mom teases.


I swear, I hate it when she calls us doves. It’s not like we are dating. Although, I’m almost certain she has been dating. She seems to be in a more cheery mood over the past month. I can’t ask about it, she will just dodge the question. I wouldn’t blame her though. Dad’s been gone for a while. She should be moving onward the best she can and if that’s with some dude, so be it.


“Yeah, let’s go.” Garth chuckles and opens the door for me with a bow.


Why he acts so old school is beyond me. I shake my head and walk through the door to the house. I can only imagine what makes him laugh with mom’s statements. Do they know something I don’t? Either way, I need to focus.


“Right. See ya later mom.” I say as Garth closes the front door.


“So how has potions been treating you?” Garth asks me.


“It’s been rough. We spend more time in the herbology classroom than anything. Not that we get to brew anything.” I sigh.


“That’s next year.” He chuckles.


He takes the left side of me while we walk on the right hand side of the road. Our hometown, Little Rock has always seemed quiet, even with half the town being witches. We keep hidden in plain sight.


“That sucks.” I huff.


We walk along the road as per usual, but I can’t stop watching him today. I feel like I would be lost without him sometimes. I find myself in my thoughts again. Ugh, growing up and realizing there is more to emotions than I ever knew, is kind of a drag.


“I hear the Holy Knights are on the move again.” Garth snaps me out of my own head.


“Wait, really? How far out this time?” I ask.


“A few hours drive away. I hope they aren’t coming here. We’ve got enough trouble with how things are as it is. I don’t want to have to move from here, its my home.” He sighs.


“You think the war between the Holy Knights and us is going to come here?” I ask.


“I hope not, but my brain says its inevitable.” He says, almost as if his joy had been entirely drained from him.


We are usually told to not worry about these matters. However, when rumours spread, around here people start to talk. We’ve only known of peace in our town. No witch hunts or anything. It’s been a safe haven for generations.


“Well, we have plenty of strength in the Crescents Of Night.” I try to prevent myself from panicking about the idea.


“Fair enough. There are a few bigger covens around that have our backs here.” He smirks. “Though, from what I’ve heard, the Holy Knights are no joking matter.”


“Yeah, I’ve heard the same. Though, it makes me wonder why they would ever bother coming this way.” I sigh. “It makes no sense.” I add.


“Maybe someone will know back at school.” He laughs lightly.


We walk along the dirt based road. I find my thoughts gathered around the possibility of a war based on the presence of Holy Knights in the state. Mom told me long ago, when I was still being read stories, that the Holy Knights have been an order of mortals who kill us witches. Their main objective is if they kill witches, they will drink the blood of their victim, to gain access to our magic.


If there are mortal ones who are truly like that, I don’t know how I would even go about keeping myself and mom safe from them. I would have to focus on things that would benefit us for defending ourselves. Perhaps I could look in the library at lunch for magic that would work in that instance, to be safe.


Before I know it, I’m staring at the stone walls of what was a church. The roman styled walls with stained glass imagery of saints. I sigh, it’s annoying to see all of the time, but the building hasn't been renovated in decades. It’s also in one way, a fantastic cover, as no one expects a witch to go to school in an old church.


“Asphodel?” Garth waves his hand in front of my face.


“Oh, yeah hey sorry. I guess hearing about the Holy Knights has me on edge.” I admit.


“Try not to think about it too much.” Garth tries to be comforting.


“I just know what mom used to tell me.” I sigh.


“Those are the stories of old times, maybe they are just meant to keep us loyal to the witches law.” He explains his thoughts.


“The witches law is in place to keep us from being hunted like before.” I sigh. “I always figured that the Holy Knights are why we have the witches law.” I add.


With everything being said, we walk to the giant doors which swing open. There is not anything more than electric lights and basic fans and air conditioning. The professor used our front door as an enchanting lesson. Ever since, we’ve never had to open the front door by hand.


“Ask professor Gillus, he should know about it. His family were scribes to the witches over the last few hundred years.” Garth seems proud to know this little factoid.


“Sounds like a plan. How’s about we go together on first break?” I suggest.


“Still don’t trust him?” Garth jests.


“Not from the rumours I’ve heard about.” I sigh.


“Right.” Garth nods. “You want insurance.” Garth chuckles as he adds in the joke.


We enter into the main room that greets every student witch. I feel so happy when I see the levitating candles. There’s something about us using this old church as a cover for our witching lessons. Many different hallways lead throughout here, surprisingly with enough large rooms to house the classes.


“So, off to the first classes of the day.” I sigh.


“I suppose so. I have potions one oh three.” He says.


“Enchantments one oh two.” I say.


Our classes all start by number. 101, being first years, 102, is second year, 103, being third year, for each respective topic of classes. I’m in my second year of potions, which mostly holds herbology lessons. Where as I am also second year in enchantments, being enchantments 102, I get to at least work in a forge and then enchant the item. Everything we make in enchantments, we bring home to show off to our families. The process is a bit of a rite of passage for second year enchantment students, like myself.


I turn to head into the western segment of the building, looking to find my first class. Garth is in the eastern segment until afternoon. First break we usually would meet in the cafeteria on the second floor. I follow along the red carpet of the hallway, passing about twenty rooms before I come to the three way end of this hall. I must admit, the place looks much smaller on the outside. I find it just to be more evidence of what magic can do to places.


I turn left and walk onward. The scent of frankincense is wafting from the herbology lab across from my enchantment class. I assume they are pressing incense. It’s an interesting experience as new witch. I remember when I was pressing my first bit of incense. I walk until the smell gets to its strongest point, before I turn into the enchantment class I am do for. I open the mahogany door and sigh as I walk in to the classroom.


Starlit skies greet me inside. Pillars that lead into endless skies are throughout the room, the desks are old like they came straight from the nineteen twenties. I am one of four students that arrived early. I walk to where my desk sits in the room and take my seat. It then lifts halfway up into the air, being as if I’m in the starry sky. The enchantment is normally only taught to the sixth years, but I find it always captivating.


“Oh, hey Asphodel.” A young woman’s voice greets me, cheer filling their tones.