Short Stories: The Pitfalls of Raising a Magical Child

Readers of the Wicked Conjuring series will remember Adrianna Williams as Nonna, Jessica's adoptive grandmother and mentor first introduced in Book 1.

Adrianna originated from Naples, Italy, though she doesn't consider it or any one location to be 'home'. Adrianna spent much of her life travelling the world, building her career as a magical mediation specialist. This niche profession led to her becoming one of the most recognized and revered spell casters in the world.

She fell in love with an American human expat in Europe, a very patient and understanding man who was as much in love with learning as she was. Together they travelled, seeking out new knowledge, both human and magical, and had a blessed forty years of marriage before Adrianna sadly lost her Mr. Williams to cancer.

Prior to the start of Book 1, Adrianna took on Kathleen as a mentee. Kathleen was a Beata, a powerful witch with a dangerous lack of empathy. But with her husband Thomas at her side, and Adrianna's guidance, Kathleen made great strides in both her spell casting and her personal growth.

During this time Kathleen had a child, a baby girl they named Jessica. It was a true second chance at life, until her past indiscretions caught up with them and the witch hunters came breathing down their necks. To keep her family safe Kathleen left Jessica and Thomas in Adrianna's care. But Thomas, ever the optimist, chased after his wife in hopes of finding a peaceful solution. They never returned.

And much to Adrianna's shock, she was left holding the baby. 

The following is an excerpt from Adrianna's self-written memoir, a secret project she pursues but has never admitted to anyone. Though she is fluent is several languages, she prefers to write in her native Italian, this segment has been 'translated' for you.

Though sometimes she considers sharing the memoir with Jessica, perhaps on her deathbed, Adrianna has no intentions of publishing her work. Although, if someone were to happen upon it after her death well ... then its fate would be as it was meant to be, wouldn't it?

From the Memoir of Adrianna Williams

(Draft - Translated to English)

     Watching an infant discover its body is a fascinating sight. It is as if each limb moves with a mind of its own, independently of the others, until that moment where the child’s eyes go wide upon the realization that those apparatuses are attached to their own body. Then it becomes an exploration of potential, and a discovery of limitations, until they are able to learn some amount of feeble coordination.

     Now imagine that child also has a raw energy barely contained within them that they must also learn to be aware of and control. The child must learn to understand their magic as if it were their twin, and an extension of their own will. This is not a discussion that is easily ascertained with a toddler. 

     I never wanted children. My legacy was to be passed on through my pupils, and through them the vast knowledge I had acquired through my many long years would transcend to the next generation. But when I first held Jessica in my arms I knew she was something exceptional. It is an existential experience, holding something so powerful yet so fragile in one’s arms. Kathleen knew it too, what she had brought into this world. So, I suppose it was never a surprise when Thomas handed me the infant, only just off the bottle, and asked me to care for her. I never thought I would find a second purpose at my advanced age. 

     I also never anticipated the little bundle of terror that Jessica would be. It was clear quite early on that she was a perfect blend of her parents. She possessed a thoughtfulness and curiosity that was clearly Thomas, but an ambition and fearlessness that had made her mother so disreputable. 

     There was an incident when Jessica was three years old that stands out strongly in my mind. She was angry with me for refusing her a sweet. She knew I stored the treats above the refrigerator, where she couldn’t reach them. I was a fool to expect Kathleen’s daughter to simply accept her place. I was awakened from my afternoon nap by the fire alarm. In Jessica’s young rage at being unable to scale the fridge she accidentally, or perhaps intentionally, lit the ice box’s wiring on fire. 

     Transformation spells were a particularly amusing time in Jessica’s growth. I know that it is socially inappropriate for me to mock a child in my care, but the months that took her master transfiguration were some of the most rewarding for me. Not only did I get to see my little bambina live with donkey ears for two days, but I also had the joy of watching her overcome the challenge – only to change her hair into feathers for the next week. 

     Despite how my already gray hair turned white with the stress of raising a Beata, Jessica astounded me regularly. I often wonder what kind of woman she would have become had it not been for that tragic night only days after her tenth birthday. Would she have stepped into Kathleen’s image, lost herself in the magic, or was it the cruelty of the world that allowed her compassionate heart to shine through? 

     I never wanted children, but it seems fate had other plans for me. I now have a beautiful granddaughter, a powerful spell caster and strong spirit in her own right. Many nights I am kept awake with worry – did I do enough? Was I enough? I am sure many mothers struggle with these fears. Yet the doubts are mere quiet scratches in the back of my mind, shoved aside by the bright burning light that is my pride and joy for Jessica. I have no doubt that my granddaughter will change the world. And who will she become by the end of it? Only fate can answer that.