A week went by with no signs of change in Victoria's possible powers. At least, not in any traditional sense. After they first spoke about the truth, Victoria was playing outside in the snow. There's been a snow storm the night before and a foot of snow covered the ground. So Victoria had gone outside, wrapped in layers and layer of clothes, to play.
"Victoria come inside, it's time for lunch!" Stefan stood on the porch, calling to his sister.
"Just a little longer!" Victoria responded as she rolled a big snowball to make a snowman.
"Now!" He said, trying to sound firm - he wasn't as good at it as Damon was though.
"Victoria, listen to your brother." Katherine said, standing beside the boy with a hand on his shoulder - she was smiling, amused.
"No." The little girl said flatly, she'd been getting testy too as of late.
"I don't know what to do," Stefan said after Katherine turned to look at him. He wasn't used to this, being in charge and scolding or punishing.
She rolled her eyes a little at his naivety, and made her way down the steps towards the girl. "Let's go Victoria, Stefan said to come in for lunch."
"He's not the boss of me. And neither are you."
"Excuse me?" Katherine reached for the child, grabbing her wrist to pull her inside.
"Let me go!" She was about to throw a tantrum, and grabbed at Katherine's hand to push it away.
When Victoria grabbed Katherine's hand, there was a soft red glow around Victoria's hand and the woman let go and pulled back as if she'd been shocked. "What -?" She felt a bit weakened, it was like some of her strength and powers had been taken.
Victoria was just as shocked, staring at her hand as if it was pulsing. The red glow had faded but she could feel something strange coursing through her now.. Something like, power. "What happened?" She asked, looking up from her hand.
Stefan had come over to them by now, "is everything alright?" He asked, having only seen Victoria's outburst and not understanding what had occurred between the two.
"I don't know," Katherine said, looking Victoria still. "How do you feel?"
"Different," she answered plainly, not sure how else to put it.
"Can you use any words to describe it?"
She thought for a few moments, trying to find words that felt right for how she felt. "I don't know, but it just feels like... like something is moving inside me and I could do anything with it."
"Power."
"Power?"
"Go inside and eat your lunch, I'm going to get Emily and talk to her," Katherine dismissed her.
"But -"
"Do you need a spanking instead?"
"No ma'am."
"Then go on." Victoria nodded and went towards the house..
"What happened?" Stefan asked again.
"I'm not certain, but Victoria may be coming into her powers. You go inside with her while I get Emily."
—-
In the middle of eating, Katherine came into the dining room and sat beside Stefan, speaking lowly so that Victoria couldn't hear the conversation. "What did Emily say?" Stefan asked.
"Victoria isn't a normal witch, Emily said she is a particular type of witch."
"So she is a witch? She's sure."
"Definitely. But, not a normal witch."
"What does that mean? Not normal?"
"She said that most witches, their powers come from within and nature. Typically, they are able to draw their powers from within themselves to display it outwards with their powers. But there are a very small number who are born with what can be likened to a defect. Victoria still has powers and the ability to showcase them. But, she isn't able to find the energy or magic to preform them from within herself. She has to steal it from other supernatural creatures. Like other witches, werewolves, or vampires. It gives witches like her a temporary fill to use magic normally for a set amount of time. It's like lighting a candle and burning it. Except, when the candle flame goes out, she can't reignite it on her own - she has to take someone else's. Witches call her kind syphoners, and in most circles they are considered abominations and outcast from their families."
"Why?"
"People are always afraid of the things they don't understand."
"What about those vision things she had? Like knowing what vampires looked like?"
"Emily thinks because those aren't an outward display of power, that it doesn't require the same energy that spells use. We also think that, maybe that's why she can be compelled as well. Witches are usually immune to compulsion, but if Victoria doesn't have magic constantly inside of her to protect her form it - to may what's causing the defect."
"Can Emily help her?"
"Yes, she can show her how to control her ability. Like most young children exhibiting magical powers for the first time, she can't control it - especially if emotions are running high."
"What about teaching her how to use the power?"
"Emily isn't a Syphoner, so she doesn't understand fully her powers and how they work. But she is going to do her best."
"Are you going to tell her?" Stefan asked, looking at his little sister.
"I will soon. For now you two finish eating, I'll be back soon," and then Katherine was gone.
"What did she say?" Victoria asked after Katherine left, assuming they'd been talking about her if it was in whispers.
"Katherine will tell you when she is ready. Finish eating and then you can play outside for a little longer."
"If it's about me, I should be allowed to know," she was whining, hating for secrets to be kept about her.
"Don't argue with me," he tried to sound firm.
"Fine," she let the matter go, but she was still pouting.
~~~
A few days later Katherine finally sat Victoria down and explained to her about what they'd learned. "So am I going to be able to do spells like Emily?" Victoria asked, not quite understanding what Katherine meant other than she was a real witch.
"She can teach you how, but the only way for you to be capable of preforming them is by taking energy from vampires, witches, or werewolves."
"Can I take it from you and Emily?"
"You have to ask Emily that, but I will allow you to syphon from me in the proper setting. Emily has warned me that young witches don't have good control over their powers. You are liable to loose control and siphon until I collapse. And when you have power to use - it can run rapid if you don't know how to control it or if you have emotions running high."
"When can we start?"
Katherine smiled, glad to see she was eager. Katherine wanted to have her trained to become a powerful witch to use her. She'd be even more valuable than Emily once she learned to control herself. "After the Christmas season. When Damon leaves again." He was coming in two days for the holiday and she didn't currently plan on Damon knowing about this world.
Stefan came into the sitting room, where the two were still talking. "Did you tell her?"
"Yes. And she's very excited to start learning," Katherine said with a smile.
"Well let's hope she keeps that excitement up for school. You have a paper you need to be writing. It's due before the Christmas holiday."
"Will you help me?" The girl asked, getting up from her spot on the floor.
"Sure, let's go to the dining table and I will help you," Katherine agreed.
"When Damon gets home, we are going to have a snowball fight," Victoria started to say before she sneezed.
"I don't think you'll be going outside to play for a few days," Stefan said after hearing the sneeze.
"I'm not sick!" She insisted.
"And we want to keep it that way. So you will stay inside where it is warm until that sneeze goes away." Stefan told her flatly after she sneezed again and rubber her nose.
"That's not fair," she whined.
"That's too bad. So stop pouting." She stamped her feet the whole way to the dining room, but didn't say another word about it.
*edited