11 March of 2010
I could say without a doubt that magic was the most important thing in this new life of mine. The second was Caroline. Magic was the obsession that followed me from my past life, and sometimes I wondered if that obsession was the reason I was reborn as a witch.
Magic was energy — that was the first thing any witch learned. The difference between witches and muggles (for lack of a better term) was that witches could tap into the energy around them to change reality.
Originally, witches used the energy of nature as their main power source — traditional magic. That eventually led to the so‑called "duty" of serving nature, though there's no proof witches were created for that purpose.
Later, with the creation of the Other Side and the accumulation of witch souls, a new power source emerged: spirit magic, controlled by the spirits. But some covens wanted more power, so they consecrated land by burying their dead in blessed soil. Thus, ancestral magic was born.
Dark magic used the energy created by negative emotions — hate, despair, rage. According to Gloria, it was discovered during a war. It didn't require sacrifices like expression or sacrificial magic, but it took its toll on the mind. The upside? It didn't strain the body nearly as much as traditional magic. If you mastered your mind, the strain was minimal. Emily once told me some Shaolin monks could use dark magic easily. To the well‑organized mind and whatnot.
Expression… well, nobody knew much. Some claimed it was neutral, others said it was pure evil. The consensus was that it required sacrifices — like sacrificial magic — except sacrificial magic only worked on supernatural beings. Humans were useless. So expression probably used the power of the soul, not the body.
Personally, as someone who had died before, expression felt like the energy of Death — the opposite of nature's Life. Until I knew more, I wasn't touching it. Canon Bonnie went a little crazy, so better safe than sorry.
"Everything is energy and that's all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality."
Einstein said that about physics, but it was the best description of magic I'd ever heard. A witch could reach into the energy and change the frequency of reality to her whims. Spells, curses, hexes, rituals — they were just conduits.
I didn't need a wand, but I still needed conduits to ease the strain on my mortal body. Heretics had it easy — their vampire bodies healed the damage. Technically, they didn't even need spells; they were just used to them, like crutches.
Most spells were easy to do, but mastering them was hard. Mastery meant doing them without chanting — though most witches still had a "twitch." A nose wiggle, a hand gesture, a snap. Something tied to muscle memory.
For example:
• snapping my fingers = breaking necks
• glaring = popping blood vessels
• clenching my fist = pain spells
But how the hell was I supposed to create ice spears without a spell?
Creating ice was fine, but I wanted to use it — attack, defend, something. Just freezing the floor wasn't helpful. I could create a spell, but I wanted it to be badass. Katara‑level. Haku‑level. Esdeath‑level. Unfortunately, I could barely make a chunk of ice the size of my head.
And I was mortal. I needed a conduit — a spell, a curse, or a ritual.
Spells were easy. Curses were fun. Rituals were powerful and long‑lasting. Esther's curse was obviously ritual‑powered — only a ritual with doppelgänger blood could break it. Even Voldemort came back with a ritual. Rituals were awesome.
Which is why the most amazing idea popped into my mind:
I needed an ice ritual.
I needed to change my frequency to match the frequency of ice. I needed to be fully inside the element. It would make the ritual stronger and require fewer ingredients. I already had the runes — Gloria taught me medieval runes with a sprinkle of voodoo symbols.
I could do it today. And I would.
It was sunny — clear sky tonight. Perfect ritual weather.
I just hoped Caroline was free. I needed her good luck.
Caroline walked into Grams' bathroom just as I lit the last candle, looking half skeptical, half horrified.
"You're turning yourself into a popsicle?"
"I'm doing a ritual to bond myself to water and air. It could change everything. I don't think anyone's ever done this."
"Exactly — what if it goes to shit?"
"Care, this ritual popped into my head like it was meant to be. I should've started with spells, but this was calling to me."
"Fine — but only because I know you'll do it anyway," she said, crossing her arms. "So when?"
"Now." I dumped a sack of ice cubes into the bathtub.
"What do you need me to do?"
"You'll stay outside the circle. After I finish chanting, I'll get in the tub. When my head goes underwater, you enter the circle and hold me down. When all the fire dies, you pull me out. If something goes wrong and you pull me out early, everything goes to shit."
"If it's an ice ritual, why do you need all this fire?" she asked, then shook her head. "Forget it. What if you drown?"
"Then I drown," I said. "Don't be a pessimist — that's my job."
"Have some of my blood first," she said firmly. "Better safe than sorry."
"Fine. I'm not suicidal. I could deal with being a vampire."
She sighed in relief, bit her wrist, and fed me enough blood to keep me alive. Then she stepped out of the circle, and I began chanting.
"Adiuro incensum in testimonium terrae."
The flames rose. The vases of earth shook. The salt circle ignited.
"Mentis et corporis aeri et aquae."
The temperature dropped. Ice spread across the floor.
"Nunc et usque in aeternum."
The flames died. I stepped into the freezing water and gave Caroline a small smile.
Then I sank beneath the surface.
"Whatever happened after that, I'm not entirely sure.
I remember the cold, the frostbite in my toes, and a never‑ending chill in my bones."
— Diary of Bonnie Bennett, page 42
"Bonnie, can you hear me?" Caroline's voice broke through as she pulled me out of the tub, breaking the ice that coated my skin.
It took a moment to understand — the ritual worked.
I could feel it. The elements were linked to me. No crutches. No spells. Just me and the energy of water and air.
"It worked," I whispered as Caroline carried me to the living room and lit the fireplace.
"Oh, I know. I'm just glad you're okay," she said, wrapping me in a blanket. "Your eyes are a lighter green. And when I pulled you out, they were glowing icy blue."
"Supernaturally glowing or just light reflection?"
"Supernatural. Like Twilight Cullen eyes, but actually cool."
"That's fine. I'll check the results tomorrow. I'm too dead right now. Want pizza?"
"Sure — but no pineapple. That's unnatural."
"Unnatural," I snorted. "Says the vampire."
"Oh shut up," she said, rolling her eyes. "So… how are things?"
"The house should be done next month. I spelled Reid's boundary. The moonstone is protected. We've got about a month before this town goes to shit with doppelgänger rituals and Originals. You?"
"I broke up with Matt this morning," she said, sitting on the carpet.
"You cool?"
"I'm cool. It's not like I didn't already know he's still in love with Elena."
"He was the Angel to your Buffy," I said. "We all know Spike is the one you need to be ready for."
"You think I should wait for some blond vampire nemesis with a British accent to fall from the sky?"
"Stranger things have happened," I smirked, already imagining her reaction when she met Klaus. I needed to record that moment.
"What are you smirking at?" she asked.
"Spoilers," I sang softly.
River Song had it right — knowing the spoilers was so much fun.