Summer of 1999, Chicago

"Little Bon Bon, your classes are almost finished." Gloria declared as she lit up the candles, of the back room in of her bar, one by one. "Until your powers manifest themselves there's nothing else I can teach you."

"When do you think they will appear?" I inquired, looking around the small room that had become almost like second home in the last two months.

"They should have already, I'm almost sure they are bound at the moment." The older witch said, glancing at me to see my reaction.

"I'm not surprised." I replied with a sigh, thinking about Grams. "Let me guess, only one from my bloodline can unbind them?"

"Indeed, I wonder if you're the only sane Bennett living dear." She mused, looking at me with delight. "But when your powers are too strong to be contained they'll force themselves out of confinement."

"Most likely, one of them is an old drunk woman and the other lost her powers and abandoned her child." I reply, amusement in my voice. While they were technically related to me, Sheila and Abby Bennett had not been the best female role-models to have around. Binding a child's magic, was only done in the middle ages because of the potential danger of the witch hunts and even then it was looked down upon. To do so, in the twenty-one century, was almost a sin.

Not only that but magic manifested itself when the witches were either mentally ready for it, needed it to protect themselves or were too powerful to only start learning control later in life. Having this knowledge just proved what I knew about cannon Bonnie, she had too much power and little control. Not to mention that she had been apparently bound, which could lead to problems later. Like getting nosebleeds from easy spells, when using traditional magic.

"Hey, be careful how you talk about us old drunk witch ladies." Gloria warned, though I could feel her amusement from across the room. "Now get over here, it's time to know if you really learned anything from me."

I walked towards her and noticed the table full of magical herbs and potions. It was like I was in a Potion's class in Hogwarts, though instead of badass Snape I got dragon lady Gloria breathing down my neck.

"Identify the herbs, they effects and uses." Gloria demanded, as I took as seat near the table.

"The first one is Sage, it's mostly for cleansing and purification of the self and/or place but it can also be used in many healing potions. By burning it can be used for privacy, stopping beings with super-hearing from listening in; it can also be used to induce psychic visions, and helps in the forging of mental connections and all mental spells. "

"Very well." The older witch declared. "Next one."

"Witch Hazel, It's mostly used in divination but It also has healing properties and it's one of the plants used in the blood wound healing potion, or as I like to call it, the blood replenishing potion. " I saw her rolling her eyes at my Harry Potter reference but continued. "Together with Diviner's Sage it can force visions of the past, present and future as long as we have an anchor to said timeline."

"Next one." Gloria said, nodding her head.

"Mugwort, used specially in mixtures. For example, with Sage it acts as a vampire repellent and when mixed with Hibiscus counteracts Vervain. Used for divination and protective spells." I informed her and continued to the next herb without Gloria telling me to.

"Dried Chamomile, mostly used for tea and it known for its relaxation properties and is often used as herbal remedy for insomnia and anxiety. It can be used in healing potions such as the pain reducing potion and the fever reducing potion." I continued, not stopping.

"Lobelia. It's flower makes it impossible to concentrate and this can decreases a witch's ability to perform magic, as it requires concentration. A mix of lobelia flowers, chamomile, merlock orchids and valeria can be used to put witches to spell while binding their powers."

"Root of Blue Calamus, known for it's use as a truth serum. It can be used in the truth potion, and in torture. The werewolves use it as part of their Rite of Divulgement, smoking the root and liking their minds to cleanse themselves from secrets."

"Wormwood and Ripple Weed. Wormwood is used to produce the hallucinogenic effects of absinthe and is used to induce visions and aid in astral projection and divination, while ripple weed is used to enhance the effect of other herbs in spells and potions."

"Merlock Orchids its roots are used for spells of mental manipulation. It can be used as a sedative, and it can break down through memory modifications made by spells and compulsion. The petals have narcoleptic and soporific properties, while the root possesses the opposite qualities and is used to awaken those sedated by the petals and to break spells upon the person."

"Vervain has been found to be toxic when touched or ingested by vampires, and when it is ingested or worn by humans, it will protect them from vampires. Humans most often add vervain to perfume, tea, or coffee, as ingesting it is a lot more foolproof than wearing it in jewelry or charms, as an experienced vampire can sense it and take it off. Ingesting vervain has the added benefit of discouraging vampires from feeding on the person, as the vervain infused in their blood can poison a vampire who drinks from them. A vampire who touches vervain will be burned relatively badly, depending on its potency, and if they drink, eat, or are injected with the herb, a vampire will become incredibly weak and feverish to the point of unconsciousness."

"Wolfsbane, also known as Aconite and Blue Rocket, has similar effects that vervain has on vampires but on werewolves. It's a commonly-used herb by werewolves to drink as a tea on the night of the full moon, as ingesting it prior to their transformations can weaken them enough to reduce the chances of breaking free from their restraints and hurting someone while they're changed."

"Jimson weed, is a very powerful poison that has been used since the Middle Ages to carry out assassinations. Is one of the most powerful poisons provided by Nature and has a devastating effect on the body but especially on the human psyche, as it produces delusions and strong hallucinations before lead to death. However, there is an antidote, which consists of sertave beans and mizule."

"And lastly, Solomon's Seal and Snapdragon. By burning a combination of Solomon's seal and snapdragon, one is able to detect the use of magic. If the herbs give off a white smoke, then everything is clear; a black smoke indicates that there is a hex in the air, and if the smoke is red, then there is serious and dangerous magic afoot."

"Girl, you know more about herbs than I did In my forties." Gloria exclaimed, looking at me with wide eyes. Well I suppose a eight year old girl shouldn't know that much about herbs, potions and poisons. But I was mentally thirty seven years old, not to mention that I used to be a Occult college professor. I had to know my shit.

"Now, tell me about stones and minerals with magical properties and talismans." The older witch declared, altough she was happy with my herbal knowledge.

"Stones and minerals are often used by witches as a vessel that they can imbue with their magic in conjunction with their already existing magical properties. Many magical stones have magical properties, such as Ember which has protective properties against evil influences, Lapis Lazuli which can protect vampires from the sun and Paragon Diamonds used as a focus in Kemiya, magic that allows a witch to change the elemental foundation of an object although I just like to call it transfiguration." I informed smartly.

"Witches use material items that act as talismans. They are usually in the form of a crystal or stone and made as a personal object to the witch. It can increase their powers and help them to channel magic. The talisman, also, has the power to incorporate external energy and be used if required by the witch. When a talisman is full of magic, it can greatly increase the power of spells and rituals."

"Did I do good?" I inquired sweetly, already knowing I knew my shit.

"You did fantastic my little apprentice. If you had your magic already I would be teaching you some voodoo right now brat." I older woman declared, ruffling my hair.

"Stop that." I groaned out, forcing my hair to look perfect again.

"This is my gift you Bon Bon." Gloria finally said, pointing at the table full of stones, herbs and other witchy tools.

"What? You're giving me the table?" I inquired sarcastically, but the old woman was used to it already.

"Chose anything from my collection and we'll make you your own talisman." The blonde woman said, rolling her eyes at my previous comment. "A necklace, a ring, a bracelet ... whatever you want I'll help you make it."

"But I don't have my magic yet." I said, looking confused.

"You have it, you just can't use it- yet." My teacher continued. "It is still in you, and talismans are part of a witch's soul. The more one uses it, the more power will remain in it. So the earlier you start, the most powerful you will be."

"Ok then." I replied as I looked through the stones. I quickly glanced through them all until my eyes settled on a dark small stone. It was black, very shiny and tiny.

"This one." I said, picking it up. Curiously I didn't know what kind of stone it was, it looked too normal to have in magical properties.

"My little witch, you don't do anything small do you?" Gloria inquired with her brow arched, while looking amused. "That's most likely the most powerful and rare stone in my collection. That's nuummite, also known as the Sorcerer's Stone or the Magician's Stone."

"Seriously, the Sorcerer's Stone?" I asked, unbelieving my luck. "Oh god, please tell me it grants gold and immortality."

"You think that if it did I would have even showed you the stone?" Gloria huffed, giggling a bit. "As if brat."

"What now?" I inquired, ignoring her annoying laughter.

"Well, nuummite doesn't work well with anything else. So, don't add anything else with magical properties to it. Necklace, ring or bracelet?"

"Ring." I replied, after a minute of thinking. Most witches had necklaces, and I wanted to be different. Plus I just didn't feel comfortable with bracelets.

Soon enough Gloria grabbed a piece of metal, and closed both of her hands with the metal and the stone in them. She chanted a few words, and bang. Pretty bling made in a second.

"Here you go Bonnie, your first Talisman." She said, handling me the ring. I put it on, and the next second the wind picked up and all of the candles died.

"Incendia." Gloria chanted, and the candles lit themselves once more.

"Gloria what was that?" I inquired, shocked.

"Brat, that was you magic wanting to come out. I think you're power is going to come out sooner rather than later." She said, smirking at me, and I smirked back.

"Now little lady..." She continued. "I have taught all the knowledge a witch must have to survive in our world. You know about traditional magic, spirit magic, dark magic, ancestral magic, sacrificial magic, representational magic, hoodoo and voodoo ... hell I even taught you about Kemiya and that shit is old." The witch declared, looking at me with a proud expression in her face.

"You know your potions, which many don't use anymore. You know your herbs, your stones and your symbols. There's just two things you're missing to be who you want to be."

"Grimoires and practice." I replied, knowing what I was missing.

"Indeed, you already know what to do and what not to do. When to do it and when not to do it. You got the ins and outs, you just need to find your own place in the world kid. See you when I see you Bon Bon."

"Goodbye Gloria." I said, before giving my mentor a quick hug. I was around to leave Gloria's when I remember something. Turning around I told her loud and clear.

"Don't get stabbed to death."