No Good Witches | ONC √

Technically Illegal

CASS

"I'm sick!"

It was the usual weekday declaration.

My mother took one look at me and snorted, turning her attention back to the dishes in the sink. "No you aren't."

"I'm serious this time." I said, climbing onto a stool at the bar. "I think I have a fever."

Her eyes were back to mine again. A second before they narrowed. She reluctantly made her way over to me and put a hand on my face, feeling my forehead, and then my cheek, and then my forehead again. She pulled her hand away. "You're fine."

"I'm sick."

"You're going to school." She said finally. "And you didn't do the dishes. Again."

I winced and squeezed my eyes shut. "Sorry. I forgot."

"Mm." She hummed. "Have you seen your brother's water bottle?"

I got up from my seat in search of a bowl. "Did he put it in the sink?"

"Nope."

I shrugged, bowl in hand, headed back toward the bar.

She sighed. "Jessie! Jessie where'd put you your water bottle?"

My younger brother came down the stairs looking more disheveled than he did when he woke up, straightening his uniform tie as he went. "I've got it right here!"

"Is it clean?" She asked.

He didn't answer.

She sighed again. "Jessie–"

"Mommy mommy! Guess what I learned at school yesterday!"

It was Marnie, my youngest sibling, who raced into the kitchen with this question. I wasn't sure where she found that much energy this early in the morning, but I'd narrowed it down to either dark magic or heavy drugs.

"What did you learn in school, Marnie?"

"My teacher told us that after the humans and witches became friends, they made magic against the law!" She made her way over to me, already having taken my place again, and climbed onto her own stool and sat beside mine. "And then I told him that my mom was a criminal then, because you use magic all the time."

"What did I tell you about going around and telling everybody our business?"

"Not to do it." My sister giggled. "I keep forgetting."

"You have forgetful daughters." I observed.

Mother shot me a look. "Fix your sister some cereal, please." She set bowl in front of Marnie, turning to pull the milk from the fridge.

I laughed and grabbed the cereal box just as Jessie snatched from my hands. "Hey!"

He was unruffled. "You're slow."

"You're slow." I snatched the box back from him and poured Marnie and myself cereal, slamming the box down on the bar after I finished, sticking my tongue out at him.

He rolled his eyes. That was his new favorite thing.

"And magic is only illegal for those who don't have a license. Did your teacher tell you that?" Mother asked.

"Do you have a license, Mommy?" Marnie asked back, digging her spoon into her cereal.

I held in a laugh.

"Eat your breakfast, Marnie."

"Regardless, your teacher's still wrong." I said. "The Witch Laws were blatant attempts to try to make the Witch Lifestyle more digestible to the human palate. And it weaponized our gift. Made something evil out of the most beautiful thing we have to offer."