CHAPTER FIVE:
❝︎Public Service❞︎

    "ALL RIGHT, GATHER TOGETHER." Dorian told the group of witches. Harper glanced towards Josie before offering the girl a small smile as she grabbed her hand along with the witch beside of her. "Chain spells are about the fluid movement of energy from witch to witch. Where's Penelope Park?"

     Lizzie looked up towards the man who was standing behind her before answering him. "Um, lady cramps, Mr. Williams."

     "Sorry I asked." He then continued with the topic of discussion. "A disharmonious group makes for an uneven flow." There was stifled laughter before Josie burst out into laughter and Harper gently chuckled. That's when a note came flying into the room, making the group glance up.

     "Uh-oh, who's in trouble with the headmaster?" Josie mumbled.

     "Probably the people who started a rumble with the local high school." Hope answered as Dorian grabbed the letter. Harper sighed and met eyes with Hope, the girl simply shrugging her shoulders.

     "Lizzie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman, Harper Hayes." Dorian read before looking towards Hope. "And baby makes four." Harper frowned when her name was mentioned before the four girls all stood up and left, finding Dr. Saltzman.

     "This makes no sense, dad." Lizzie told him, shaking her head and walking up the steps. "Why are we being punished."

     "Because you started a brawl at a charity football game that risked exposing what we really do here." Alaric simply answered.  

     "Well, you weren't mad last night."

     "I was mad last night." He corrected. "My undying love for my daughters just happened to trump my rage. I volunteered everyone in the game, so stop complaining. You're lucky that it's just community service and not actual jail time."

     "Can I at least offer a rebuttal in my defense, if it pleases the court?" Lizzie tried. Alaric motioned his hand for her to continue. "First of all, I was provoked. My response was totally proportional considering the levels of abuse I was forced to endure. And secondly. . . if anyone should take the blame, it's Josie."

     "What?" Josie asked in disbelief.

     "I'm sorry. I totally cracked under cross, but if you had just let Kaleb catch the ball―︎"

     "You'd still be in trouble." Alaric cut her off.

     "But nice job throwing your sister under the bus." Hope said with an amused smile.

     "Thank you, Hope." Josie thanked, her arms crossed over her chest.

     "Hope." Harper mumbled, telling her to stay out of the sister rivalry.

     "Speaking of, the bus leaves in ten minutes, and I expect all three of you to be on it, working together today, harmoniously and without drama. End of debate." Alaric told them, looking between his daughter's and Hope.

     "I wasn't even at the game." Hope spoke up. "Why am I being punished?"

     "You know what you did." This made Harper nod, remembering how Hope had told her about everything and how Dr. Saltzman found out. "All right, now, go, all of you."

     "Wait, why am I here?"

     "There's a library―︎"

     "Exploring." Harper smiled. "I'll make up class."

When they made it, Harper got out and looked around with a smile. It was true, she had never been outside of the school in order to experience the events of Mystic Falls. And now she was getting the chance to explore.

     "So, what did you do?" Lizzie questioned as they walked off the bus. "My dad never gets mad at you. You're the prodigal daughter. Must have been juicy."

     "Sorry, no time for girl talk. Public service awaits." Hope simply answered.

     "All right, listen up. It's a beautiful day, you got options: litter, weeds, graffiti. Your choice." Dorian told the group. "Harper, you're welcome to help." He then handed a trash picker to Kaleb who just looked at before scoffing and taking it from the man's hands. Dorian then walked away.

     "It's bad enough that we get punished while the humans get a pass, but there ain't no way in hell I'm picking up their garbage." Kalbe said before handing it to Lizzie who put her hands up.

     "Uh, I don't do trash either."

     Hope then stepped forward, taking it from Kaleb. "I love trash, as of this moment."

     "Perf. It suits you." Lizzie smiled.

     Hope placed a hand on Harper's shoulder, grabbing her attention whilst the two twins talked to one another. "Have fun  exploring. And stay safe, alright?"

     "Like anything bad could happen to me during the day time." Harper smiled sarcastically, Hope rolled her eyes before watching as the girl walked away. Harper hummed as she walked down the sidewalk, glancing around the town of Mystic Falls as she did so. When she found the library, a smile fell on her lips and she entered the giant library. She found a series of books, and was quick to check them out before she decided she would walk back over to where they were picking up trash in hopes of giving Hope some company, however she smiled even wider when she saw Josie and Hope actually getting long.

     "Are my eyes deceiving me?" Harper grabbed the two girl's attention. "Are the Hope Mikaelson and Josie Saltzman actually getting along?"

     "Don't jinx it." Josie smiled.

     "Harp, how many books did you get?" Hope asked with a small laugh.

     "I shouldn't be allowed in a library on my own." Harper mumbled as she carefully set the bag of books next to the tree. Her attention then turned towards Josie who doubled over in pain. "Jo, you alright?"

     "Yeah, I just think that that's making me a little bit nauseous." Josie answered making Hope and Harper follow her eye line to MG and Dana who were making out. Harper scrunched her nose up in disgust.

     "Huh." Hope hummed. "Didn't see that coming."

     "It's simple math." Josie answered. "MG has the hormones of a teenager and the impulse control of a preschooler." Hope chuckled which made a smile fall on Harper's face. "He always goes for the wrong kinds of girls."

     "Given my last crush, I can't judge." Hope told her.

     "Well, my last crus was actually Satan incarnate." Josie muttered. "This is, I guess, unless you count. . ."

     "Who?" Harper asked out of curiosity.

     "Never mind. It really doesn't matter anymore. Lizzie has dibs."

     "Dibs?" Hope questioned. "On Rafael? She always calls dibs. When's it gonna be your turn?"

     "It just is what it is." Josie quickly answered.

     "Right, well, that doesn't really make it right." That's when Josie stopped, making the two girl's turn to face her. Hope closed her eyes with a small sigh. "Your dad knows I used black magic. That's why I'm in trouble. Don't worry, I didn't tell him that you helped me with the spell."

     "Thank you."

     "And Landon and Rafael took off together." Hope continued. "Landon told me he didn't know why he stole the knife. But then he lied about having it, so I don't know what to believe. Then he wrote me this letter that was. . . I don't know, sweet."

     "It was." Harper nodded her head. "It was very sweet."

     Josie sighed. "Lizzie's. . . sensitive. Our mom is going on these really long recruitment missions recently. That's why she's extra nasty. She just really misses her."

     "I know the feeling."

     "Yeah." Harper whispered, looking down to the ground as the memory of her hands flying out and killing her parents ran through her mind. "I'm going to go read." Harper was quick to walk away from the two, getting away before they could call for her. They knew that parents were a sore subject for her.  So, Harper sat there, just about to open her book when Hope caught her attention.

     "What's wrong?" Harper quickly asked, almost immediately jumping back up from her spot in order to join Hope's side, the duo making their way make over to Josie who was clutching her stomach in pain.

     "Something's wrong with Lizzie." Josie answered.

     "Alright. Uh, let's go talk to Dorian, see if we can go back to the school." Harper proposed and the two nodded their head in agreement. They made their way over to Dorian only for the man to deny their request.

     "I'm sorry, I can't let you leave."

     "No, I need to go home to see my sister." Josie argued.

     "Your dad's with your sister. And I'm under strict orders to keep you here."

     "What? Why?"

     "And why are you researching that?" Hope questioned, cocking her head as she looked at the book that was open in front of Dorian. He was quick to close the book, looking at the three.

     "Unlike Josie and Hope, I'm not here for public services. So, I'm going to go back, check on Lizzie, and then come back to assure you everything's alright." Harper placed a hand on Josie's shoulders, offering her a small smile.

     "Harper, I can't let you go either."

     "Dorian, I'm not a rule breaker." Harper told the man. "You know that. But we need to go make sure Lizzie's fine. And if you have to tell Dr. Saltzman that I spelled you, so be it. But, we're leaving." The three looked at her with wide eyes, watching as she turned on her heel and walked away before exchanging looks with one another. Dorian finally gave in, allowing for the girl's to leave as it started to grow darker outside and giving Hope a book to give to Dr. Saltzman once they arrived.

They arrive, quickly entering the school and looking around only to find no one. Josie called out for her sister, but she got no response.

     "I'll check the library." Hope spoke up.

     "I'll stay with Jo." Harper nodded and Hope nodded in return before walking away. The two girls walked around for a few minutes before finding no sign of Lizzie only to circle back and find Hope with Josie's father, getting the last of their conversation.

     "So how'd you take the containment spell down?"

     "She didn't." Josie made their presence known. "I did." Josie took the axe from her father's hand. "And I have questions." The group of four walked down the hallway, keeping their guard up as they went in search for this gargoyle that was attacking the school, being the one who attacked Lizzie. And slowly Lizzie was starting to turn to stone, or at least, that's what it seemed like. They found the room in which all the children were hiding.

     "Emma?" Alaric called out. "Emma." The woman slide the door open and quickly put a finger over her mouth. And that's when they heard it. They slowly turned around only to find the gargoyle standing at the top of the steps. Emma quickly closed the doors, leaving the four there as the creature let out a shrieking roar. The creature flew down and swiped its claws towards Hope who was quick to fall to the ground, ducking.

The creature once again went for Hope but Alaric was quick to run in front of the girl just before the dragon knife could be plunged into Hope's body, and the creature stopped. Harper quickly pulled Hope up, the three looking at the creature and Dr. Saltzman with wide eyes. Carefully, Josie crept behind the creature and roughly hit in the back of the head with an axe, making it turn towards her and snarl. It went for her and Alaric was the one to hit it this time. It turned to attack, and as if the girl's had the same mind, they both shouted out the same spell.

     "Fluctus inpulsa!" Hope looked at Harper for a moment before quickly turning towards Josie.

     "Josie, Harper, help me." The girl quickly requested.

     "How?" Josie asked, walking over to the girl.

     "Just repeat after me." Hope answered as both girl's grabbed onto her hands. "Fluctus inpulsa." The three repeated the phrase over and over again, watching as the creature started to shake before finally it exploded. Hope looked between the two girl's before saying, "Nice job."

     Josie was quick to snap her head towards her father with tears in her eyes. "How could you jump in front of her like that? You could have died dad."

     "Honey, I knew it wouldn't kill me, because my research said so." Josie ignored him and walked away, Emma opening the doors and allowing her in to see Lizzie. It wasn't until later that night Alaric was talking in front of all of the students.

     "If you would've asked me a week ago, I would've told you I knew the difference between myth and fact. I would have said that supernaturals were limited to the species under this roof. I would have said that folklore and fairytales were just stories. But I can no longer say that any of that is true. 'Cause just a few days ago we were confronted by the existence of a dragon. And then, today, our campus was terrorized by a gargoyle come to life. Some of us. . . were forced to fight. We won. This time.

     "They were drawn here by a knife that went missing earlier this week. And for whatever reason, these creatures consider us to be the enemy. In their minds, we're the villains because we won't give them what they want. We don't even know why they want it. But we're gonna find out. I can't say for sure what their true intentions are. I can't say there won't be more attacks. That's why I'm telling you this. To warn you. To ask you to look out for each other. To do what's best for one another. Because we're more than just a school. We're a family. And we will stand together, we will fight together, and we will win or lose this battle together, no matter what comes next."