Strange Magic *Ambrose Spellman*

The Pagans

Freya's POV

I peak around Aunt Zelda's shoulders as one of the masked men step closer. He slips off his creepy masks and gives us a creepy smile. 

"Forgive us. We did not mean to disturb your celebration. We have come in search of a place to celebrate ourselves." He says. A couple of the surrounding masked people laugh. I audible gulp and cling to Ambrose's bicep. I have the worst possible feeling about this.

"Celebrate what?" Aunt Zelda asks. "Ostara." He replies. "And what are you celebrating?" He asks. "The Hare Moon." Aunt Zelda responds right away. The stranger looks her up and down as we all stand in a very uncomfortable silence. The kind that is so thick you can cut it with a knife.

"Um, I mean, we were just, um, well were just about to have spot of lunch. We've got Nutella, bread, cheese, wine, and so on.... if you would like to join us?" Aunt Hilda squeaks as she tries to ease the tension. The stranger looks at Hilda and then looks to his people. He gives a quick nod and slowly, everyone begins taking off their masks. I swear I recognize some of them but I just don't know where.

The strangers come closer and we try to welcome them even though I know half of us are still terrified. We all gather on the ground around the plates upon plates of delicious fruits. I stay as close to Ambrose as I possibly can. I just can't shake the negative vibes. 

"Ah, this is exciting. I've worked up quite an appetite." Aunt Hilda says cheerily. "Agreed. Let's dig in." Aunt Zelda says trying to fake some of the same positive energy. "Mistress Spellman, should we say a prayer of thanks to Lilith first?" Elspeth asks. Everyone, including the strangers stop what they're doing to look at her.

"Lilith?" The leader asks. "You pray to Lilith and not your Dark Lord?" He asks. Wait- he knows? Is he also a witch. I mean I know Ostara is a Pagan practice but still. I mean I had a girl in my classes at Baxter High say she identified as a Pagan. But she also looked nothing like these guys. 

"No, Elspeth, no prayers are necessary. Whatever the case, I don't believe our guests pray to Lilith. Do you?" Aunt Zelda says as she turns the focus back to our guests. "No. We do not." He answers as he grabs a glass of wine. 

"We pray to..... others." He says as he takes a long sip. That's not creepy or ominous or anything. Totally normal. Completely. The next half hour is filled with awkward conversations. Incredibly painful small talk. Turns out these strangers were Pagans and they all worked in the carnival. They get to travel all over which is kind of cool. 

Aunt Zelda called Ambrose over for a moment of two and one of the Pagan boys decided to get just a tad too close to me. Asking me about our holidays and if it was customary to participate in sexual activities. This made me choke on my wine a  little. He simply laughed at this and moved on in the conversation. I tried to play it cool but he just kept on giving me weird, sexual vibes. Not something I'm too interested in. 

I catch Ambrose's eye from across the clearing and he doesn't look to happy. I give him a pleading look and he ends up coming to my rescue. Praise Lilith. 

"Bloody Pagan witches." Aunt Zelda mumbles as the Spellmans (yeah that included me), gather for an emergency family meeting. "What are Pagans doing here thought? In our clearing?" Aunt Hilda asks. Ambrose wraps his arm around my waist and keeps glaring over his shoulders at anyone that comes too close.

"Causing havoc as pagans do. I thought they were gone from this part of the country. Honestly, the whole country." Aunt Zelda scoffs. "Didn't Pagan witches die out-" "When Satanic witches ascended. yes." Aunt Zelda says cutting Ambrose off. Of course they fucking did.

"Well, they can't just interrupt our moon bath. We have to like, banish them." Sabrina says. "We don't have the strength." I remind her under my breath. "What about rain?" Sabrina suggests. 

"What? Like conjure a storm to get them to leave?" I ask. "Well we have to try something." Aunt Zelda says. We all grab hands and look up at the sky. Please let this work. I squeeze Ambrose's hand and lend him what power I have left.

"Mystic forces we invite, fill the skies with clouds of night. Be ye far or be thee near, we summon rain to appear. Sky above, gone the sun, melodies just begun. Sky above, come undone, shower rain on everyone." He chants. Damn he's so cute when he does that. Freya! Not the time to simp!

"Sky above, come undone, shower rain on everyone." We all chant. I can't help but smile as the sky darkens and dark clouds form right before our eyes. Guess we still have some magic after all. As we go into the last chant, my smile falters. As soon as the storm comes, it disappears into thin air. Shit.

"Bloody Hell. We've finally hit rock bottom. We've lost it." Ambrose sighs in defeat. I go to lean my head on his shoulder when I hear someone scream. I turn just in time to see Dorcas collapse right by Nick. I quickly take off in her direction. 

"Get it off me!" She cries out. As I get close I see the snake detach from her leg and quickly slither off. "Can someone get me some moss?!" Aunt Hilda yells as she rushes to Dorcas's side. I quickly pull up a rock with some moss and tend to Dorcas's wound with Aunt Hilda. 

"We need some tree bark!" Aunt Hilda calls. Suddenly there's a hand on my shoulder and one of the Pagans pushes me back. I land on my butt with a thud and Sabrina and Ambrose quickly pull me up. Bitch. I watch as she grabs Dorcas's leg and brings it to her mouth. Sucking the snake venom out. I just stand there and stare. 

"Well that snake won't be hurting anyone else." Nick says as he comes over holding up the two pieces of the once whole snake. The Pagan who helped Dorcas gasps and screams out in horror. "Murderer! We are the guests in this place. It is the snake that lives here!" 

"We should leave." The leader says as he puts a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her. "Yes. You should. We were here first." Aunt Zelda says. "No, we were here first, before the false God, before your Dark Lord. The old gods reigned and we worshiped them. Now something has happened, it's clear, and our time has come around again." The leader argues as he and his people start to draw back into the woods. 

"What do you have to say for yourself mister scratch?" Aunt Zelda demands after the Pagans have left. "I killed a snake that bit one of our own. What's so wrong about that?" He asks, obviously pissed off. 

"They probably worship snakes, and you just murdered one." Ambrose points out. "Pagans are not to be trifled with, especially not while we're without powers." Aunt Zelda scolds. The coven slowly gathers back at the blankets and we begin cleaning up for the moon bath.

"Perhaps we should send an offering to make amends. Nicholas, perhaps you like to give them my yummy moon pie?" Aunt Hilda suggests. "I'm not apologizing. I did nothing wrong." Nick snaps. "Nick, it's a gesture. If only to protect the coven." Sabrina says quietly. 

"Well I've done enough to protect this coven, haven't I?" Nick yells in her face before storming off. Sabrina rushes after him but I grab her wrist. She doesn't even look back at me when she yanks her arm out of my grasp and follows him into the woods.

"Let her go." Ambrose sighs. "I just know this is going to end poorly." I say and he just nods. "Dorcas, you were at the center of this brouhaha. Will you take this offering to the Pagans?" Aunt Zelda asks as she forces the pie into her hands. 

"Sure. Whatever." Dorcas says with an eye roll. "Have Melvin and Agatha go with you." Prudence says as she enters herself into the conversation. "I'm a big girl. I can deliver a pie by myself." Dorcas tells her sister as she struts towards where the pagans left. 

A few seconds after she leaves Prudence motions for Agatha to follow. Which she does. 

"Let's just hope she doesn't fuck this up." Prudence groans as she goes back to setting up the moon bath ritual. 

One can only hope.