A Discovery of Witches

Oxford, England, a brilliant American historian and reluctant witch, Professor Diana Bishop, returns to take up a post at Oxford University. While researching in the Bodleian Library, she unwittingly calls up a magical ancient manuscript, Ashmole 782. Also teaching at Oxford University is acclaimed biochemist and vampire, Matthew Clairmont, who has been looking for this mysterious book, and its explosive secrets for centuries. The appearance of the Ashmole manuscript also comes to the attention of The Congregation's Head Witch, Peter Knox, who is determined to get his hands on it before the vampires do. Frustrated, Matthew confronts Diana to ask her why she is hiding the book and living in denial of her powers. Diana inadvertently triggers Matthew's vampiric instincts and he struggles to control them, leaving Diana mesmerised and terrified in equal measure.

After the encounter with Matthew Clairmont leaves her questioning her reasons for denying her own powers as a witch, Diana is determined to return to normal life at Oxford. Peter Knox, along with Satu Jarvinen, his newly appointed Congregation representative, arrives in Oxford to persuade Diana that she should hand Ashmole 782 to the witches. His aggressive stance backfires when Diana refuses to co-operate. In the meantime, Matthew Clairmont has found refuge with his old friend and daemon, Hamish, in an attempt to quell his vampiric lust for Diana. In Venice, word of the precious manuscript has spread to Vampire Congregation member Gerbert D'Aurillac, whose long-standing rivalry with the De Clairmont clan is reignited. Matthew's desire for Diana leads him back to Oxford, where a violent encounter with Knox forces Diana straight into his arms.

Still under pressure from the witches, Diana retreats with Matthew to his ancient country home, the Old Lodge, where she discovers his true age. Warming to him she invites Matthew to dinner but the evening ends abruptly when Matthew rejects Diana's advances. Many miles away in Chepstow, the daemon Sophie starts to feel an inexplicable connection with a witch she only knows as the White Queen. She imparts this information to Daemon Congregation member Agatha Wilson. With Matthew's rejection still vivid in her mind Diana retreats to the Library to sort out the issue of Ashmole 782 once and for all. However, Knox is waiting, and his attack on her human friend Sean causes Diana to reveal her elemental powers. After her battle with Knox Diana lies exhausted and exposed, until Matthew comes to her rescue and persuades her to leave Oxford for her own safety.

Diana and Matthew are now guests of Ysabeau De Clairmont, an ancient vampire and killer of witches, at the family's ancestral home, Sept Tours in France. Ysabeau warns Matthew that his love for Diana puts his entire family in danger. Knox is now back at The Congregation and calls an emergency meeting to discuss Matthew's liaison with Diana, as it violates the rule sanctioning relationships amongst species. This puts Baldwin, Matthew's brother and head vampire at The Congregation, on the spot. Later, Domenico, a vampire sent on behalf of The Congregation, turns up unannounced in France to demand Diana's immediate return, and Matthew receives a call that his research lab has been broken into. Fearing Ysabeau was right with her warning, Matthew resolves to abide by the Congregation rules and leaves for Oxford, just as Ysabeau begins to realise how powerful Diana really is.

Diana spends some time alone in France with Ysabeau, who does everything in her power to dissuade Diana from pursuing her relationship with Matthew. In Oxford, Matthew discovers that it was actually the witches who broke into the lab and confronts Gillian, a witch friend of Diana. The politics of The Congregation grow ever more complicated and the divisions amongst the creatures ever wider. Baldwin is desperate to stop Matthew, while Satu suggests an alliance with Baldwin's rival, Gerbert D'Aurillac. However, Head Witch Knox cautions against such a deal. While testing her blood, Matthew discovers the true extent of Diana's incredible powers and promises to never leave her again. Their bond continues to develop, growing stronger, deeper and more passionate. But as dawn breaks, Diana is abducted while out jogging...

Matthew and his team soon realise Diana's fate and start a desperate search to find her. At La Pierre, Satu conducts a dangerous spell to try to discover the secrets of Diana's magic: it is a terrifying ordeal for the young witch and nearly kills her. Thanks to Em's scrying, Matthew discovers Diana's location and the race is suddenly on to rescue her. Trapped inside a well, Diana is finally able to harness her powers to her own will and flies out of the dungeon before being airlifted to safety by Matthew and Baldwin. Back at Sept Tours, Diana is tended to by Matthew, Ysabeau and Marthe, who discover Satu has left a horrific scar on her. The imprisoned Satu uses magic borrowed from Meridiana, an ancient witch, to free herself,and take Meridiana with her. As enemies begin to appear on several fronts, Matthew calls for Baldwin and the Knights of Lazarus to protect Diana.

Diana and Matthew travel to Madison, and the safety of her American childhood home. Meanwhile, an exhausted Satu roams the French countryside and discovers the secret of Meridiana's prophecy. In Venice, Baldwin struggles to retain control of The Congregation after his failure to bring Diana back to them. Later, Diana discovers the truth as to why she's unreliable and unpredictable around magic: she was spellbound. Now she must come to terms with her abilities and embrace them. Whilst she does so, Matthew enlists the help of Marcus and Miriam to help protect her. Back in Venice, Juliette finds an opportunity to finally escape from her father-figure Gerbert and then seeks out her true love, Matthew, while Domenico capture Satu. As Diana's training goes from strength to strength, things take a dramatic turn when Juliette tracks down Matthew.

A spectacular fight leaves Juliette dead and Matthew dying, forcing Diana to summon all her powers in order to make a pact with the Goddess that will save Matthew. In Venice, Satu is brought before The Congregation to explain why she took Diana, and Gerbert uses this moment as his opportunity to unseat Baldwin. Hamish arrives in Madison with Agatha's son Nathaniel and his wife Sophie to provide support, and the alternative Congregation, also now in Madison, comes to the conclusion that if Juliette was able to find them, it won't be long before The Congregation will too. Faced with this, Diana and Matthew decide they will have to hide in the past, using witchcraft to travel back in time. Baldwin saves his position by the skin of his teeth, but only after he reveals Diana and Matthew's plan. Armed with this knowledge, Knox, Satu and Gerbert form an unholy alliance to pursue and capture them. Will Matthew and Diana successfully escape into the past in time?