A Discovery of Witches (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript
As Matthew fights to control his cravings, he leaves Diana to face her enemies alone. And those include powerful witch Peter Knox.
Matthieu!
Over there.
I used to know a Matthew.
It's Matthieu.
You have blood on your face.
Matthew!
Once the world was full of wonders,
but it belongs to humans now.
We creatures
have all but disappeared -
demons, vampires and witches...
hiding in plain sight,
ill at ease, even with each other.
But, as my father used to say,
in every ending...
there is a new beginning.
- New trousers, Hamish?
- Morning.
You really didn't need to be here,
you know.
"Hello, Hamish. Nice to see you."
Good to see you, too, Matthew.
- I can quite well go hunting on my own.
- It's good to have a break from London.
I've been meaning to get out
on the moors, anyway.
John's preparing the car.
I see you've redecorated.
I thought the place
needed brightening up.
Looks like a wedding cake.
You didn't come all the way up here
to diss my interiors, Matt.
- What's going on?
- It's complex.
Isn't it always with you?
- This is even more...
- What? Fucked up?
Look at the two of us.
A vampire friends with a demon.
I came up here
to get away from a witch.
When you say "get away"...
- do you mean?
- I'm craving her.
Who are you?
You can't come in here without...
My boss will call you
in three seconds to give it.
I'm looking for the body
of the tourist found last night.
Yes?
Yes.
Of course, sir.
The body?
He has no blood in him.
And there was no blood at the scene.
It's... strange.
Is there any background on him?
He was French.
Name?
Matthieu Beny.
Matthew.
Stop.
- Where?
- About 35 meters below the ridgeline.
Good hunting.
- Hey. Busy today.
- Don't know why.
Students aren't back yet.
Dr Bishop.
May I help you?
My name's Peter Knox.
I presume there aren't usually this
many other creatures in the library.
Well... no.
So I suppose word has spread about
the Ashmole manuscript you took out.
Sorry, I'm waiting on a book.
You're quite right to keep it quiet,
but I assure you I am a friend.
Shall we discuss this over coffee?
I don't think so.
Or are you a tea drinker
like your mother was?
Did you know my father, too?
Only slightly.
Your mother and I met
when we were teenagers.
I was very fond of her.
What was she like?
Passionate, clever,
stubborn as a mule
when she wanted to be.
Really?!
It's truly terrible what happened.
I've thought about you
a good deal over the years and...
I've wanted to introduce myself,
but your aunt's very protective.
Yeah.
- Could we get tea for two, please?
- Yes, sir.
Feeling better?
Yes.
Thank you.
I think you're wise
to keep your distance from the witch.
Yes. But the problem is, she's in
possession of something that I need.
Or rather...
she's capable of retrieving it.
- So, er, did you just call it up?
- Yeah.
How?
Er, the... the normal way.
That's odd because I requested
Ashmole 782 this morning
and it isn't there.
- Not there?
- Missing.
According to the Bodleian catalog
it's been missing for years.
But how could it be?
That doesn't make any sense.
I took it out.
You did return it, I take it?
Of course!
I would never steal a book from the Bod.
No. It could be the date.
Yeah. Maybe the book only shows itself
around the time of the equinox.
Or... or it could be
that there's a spell on it
and that somehow, for some reason,
you broke it.
I'm not my mother, Mr Knox,
I didn't inherit her powers.
- What happened when you opened it?
- I only looked at one page.
What was on it?
- A picture.
- Of what?
The alchemical child.
There must have been more.
You must have seen more.
Why is it so important to you?
Because if this book
is what I think it is,
it contains the witches' first spells.
It could tell us
how we created vampires.
- That's just a myth.
- Vampires have used
their brute power and longevity
to gain far too much control,
but if we created them...
then we could uncreate them.
I won't have any part of that.
You have to try and take it out again.
You're the only person
who's seen it in years.
Let go of my arm!
I'm quite sure
I'll see you again, Diana.
Not as amenable as I'd hoped.
We might need to use firmer tactics.
Juliette, good evening.
If you're here to see my father,
he's not to be disturbed.
I think he's going to want to hear
what I have to say.
This better be important.
It is.
It's a police matter.
Leave us.
To be honest, I still don't get
what you're so anxious about.
How could taking out a book
for a senior witch do any harm?
Come on, you were in the library.
You felt it.
This... this book is powerful
and I... I don't...
I don't trust what Peter Knox might
do with it. He hates other species.
He'll use it against them.
It's no concern of ours.
I don't even know how he knew
I took it out in the first place.
- These things get out.
- I just...
I don't want to have
anything to do with it.
I want to lead a normal life.
I want to be normal.
I've known you for ten years.
You couldn't be normal if you tried.
It's so typical something like this
would happen to you.
What shall do, Gillian?
Just get it out for him
and forget all about it.
Carry on with your paper.
Yeah, but that's nearly impossible
with all these...
creatures and the library.
Not the vampire
that was following you before?
No.
He seems to have given up on me.
That's are relief at least.
I don't know.
There is something about him.
CHe... He seemed to know more
about the book than anyone else.
I should asked him about it.
Instead, I...
- I told him to leave me alone.
- You're quite right, too.
Have you ever talked to them?
No.
So you don't know what they're like?
And you do, after one conversation?
He didn't seem to be as prejudiced
against us as we are against them.
I gotta go.
Been invited to one
of the dean's awful parties.
Thank you.
Sorry to burden you with this.
So even though Ashmole 782 might be
the answer to our problems, Hamish,
my interest in it puts her in danger.
It seems we're all in danger, Matt,
if we don't get that book.
You know that daemon suicides
are on the rise?
As are mental health problems,
homelessness.
Yes, I know.
I've been looking into the statistics.
We are struggling.
If this book could
explain our origins...
Yes. Wouldn't that be
something, my friend?
- Where's Matthew?
- He's not here.
Just, he said he'd ring me
with the results.
Have they come through yet?
James' have.
His blood tests are normal.
So the problem's with me then?
It seems so.
That was quick.
What did you do to your hand?
I think the book did that to you
when you opened it.
Who are you?
You were in the library.
You were the magnet for it.
Magic attracts magic.
But yours is hidden.
Someone did something to you.
You did it to yourself.
Do you fear persecution?
Is that it?
I haven't until now.
You were with Peter Knox.
You tell him I won't get out his book.
This isn't just about the book.
It's about you.
Hey, Em.
- Have you heard of Peter Knox?
- Peter Knox is in Oxford?
He said he knew Mum.
- Yeah, he was crazy about her.
- I thought so, from what he said.
Tried to persuade her
not to marry your father.
Did she like him?
They were friends in the early days
and then he just got into some stuff.
- What?
- Dark magic.
Why is Peter Knox in Oxford?
The book I told you about.
He wants it.
Your father distrusted him
and, by the end, your mum did too.
Be careful of him, Diana.
Juliette.
A word.
Where were you two nights ago?
Seeing the city at night.
You said I was allowed.
I said...
as long as you were good.
- I have been.
- If there's something I don't know,
Baldwin can use it against me.
- Baldwin's not even in Venice.
- He sees and hears anyway!
This dead tourist...
is a brazen vampire killing.
And Domenico...
the nosey little fucker...
smelt you on him.
That's not true.
Domenico hates me.
Matthew!
You taught me to crave Matthew!
No!
Father! Father!
This book you say Diana called up.
I've heard stories about it.
The witches stole it from the vampires.
The vampires stole it from the witches.
- That's untrue.
- Demons, of course, don't get a look in.
We know it's important to us
but we don't know why
and we're not even allowed to ask.
The general feeling being we matter
so much less than the other creatures.
Can we not have a political argument?
It's easy for you to say. You're not
treated like a third-class citizen.
It's hardly like you are.
You practically run
the City of London.
That's not the point. I'm an anomaly.
Checkmate.
There is more to the game
than protecting your queen.
Wait! Think before your next move.
No, other creatures
will want the book.
I have to obtain it from Diana
before they do.
I know you need the book,
but couldn't Marcus do it?
Marcus? Not letting Marcus
anywhere near Diana.
He's much less of a danger
to Diana than you are!
Think what's happened in the past
to women you've craved.
Elena, Cecilia.
I wish I'd never told you.
But you did because you wanted me
to be your conscience.
After Cecilia,
I swore to myself that
I would never get involved
with another warmblood again
and you know that!
But, Matt, you've never
talked about another woman
the way you do about Diana Bishop.
I'm just trying to protect you.
- I'll try to take your advice.
- Don't try.
Do. If you hurt her, you'll never
forgive yourself and I couldn't bear it.
Don't go back to Oxford
until you're sure you can control
yourself around Diana Bishop.
Dr Bishop.
- Good evening, Professor Marsh.
- Welcome.
- Thank you.
- I understand you gave an excellent talk
and that you are writing it up.
Yes, yes, I am indeed.
And I look forward to reading it.
- We want to get you on that shortlist.
- Well, thank you.
Now, there's someone
I would really like you to meet.
He has a very interesting
specialization,
the occult... sciences.
Alchemy. It's quite a subject.
Especially for someone who says
she lacks interest in magic.
I don't just lack interest.
- I lack aptitude.
- Are you sure?
The book came out for you
and no one else.
I told you,
I don't know how that happened.
But you didn't tell me
a vampire's been following you.
How do you know that?
It would be catastrophic
if it falls into their hands.
Can't you see the danger you're in?
I can take care of myself.
Laudable, but naive.
The fact that vampires
are now involved
makes this so much more urgent.
- I'm not going to call it up for you.
- Why not?
Because I don't happen to like
the idea of uncreating other species.
They would do exactly the same to us,
if they could.
I'm like my mother, Mr Knox.
If I've made up my mind,
I don't change it.
Diana.
Think about what you're doing.
You must be true to your blood,
your heritage.
Don't make me force you
to recall that book.
Diana.
Don't walk away!
You can't escape me that easily.
I can be with you wherever you are.
I need the book.
We need the book.
Get out of my head!
How's it going with Diana?
Did she get the manuscript
out for you?
No.
Last night, she performed
an elemental spell.
- What? Diana did?
- Did you know she was powerful?
No, I... I...
I can't believe...
She's never shown she is.
Maybe she's used her magic
to forward her career.
And that's why
she's kept it secret from you.
Thank God you're here.
You haven't been answering your phone.
If this book is what I think it is,
vampires...
then we could uncreate them.
I don't even know how he knew
I took it out in the first place.
These things get out.
This isn't just about the book.
It's about you.
This is about a great deal more
than just alchemy.
Ashmole 782 has been missing
for centuries
and yet you were able to call it up.
Aren't you curious why?
You need to be careful.
Professor Clairmont's rooms, please.
You were right about creatures
coming to look for the book.
Peter Knox from the Congregation
and there was this Scandinavian witch.
I don't know...
I don't know who she was.
Try to calm down.
Your adrenaline is very high.
- You can smell my adrenaline?
- Course I can.
Thank you.
Why did you come to me?
Last time I saw you, you said
you never wanted to see me again.
- I have no one else to talk to.
- You must have friends.
None I can trust.
It was a mistake to come here.
- I'm sorry I disturbed you.
- Does Knox want the book?
He says it has the witches'
first spells in it.
Is that what you think it is?
Peter Knox believes that witches
created everything and everyone.
I'm obviously not of that opinion.
- Does he know that you sent it back?
- Yes.
He wants me to try
and get it out again.
- Will you?
- I don't want him to have it.
"Dear sir, Your letter of 15th October
has reached me at last."
- You knew Charles Darwin?
- Yes.
I met him on a number of occasions,
particularly when he was building up
to his publication of Origin.
I began to wonder how his theories
might relate to us creatures.
I was desperate
to understand our origins.
You see, I'd already heard rumors,
whisperings,
about a book
hidden from human eyes,
an alchemical text.
- Ashmole 782.
- Ashmole.
That man had an uncanny ability
to find bizarre manuscripts.
I found and read every one of them.
Apart from 782.
You've been searching for the book
since 1859.
- How old are you?
- I'm older than I look.
300 years?
500 years?
Did you know Machiavelli?
- Survive the fall of Carthage?
- Which fall of Carthage?
I'd like to show you my laboratory.
The work we've been doing recently
links into creature origin.
I won't harm you.
You have my word.
All right.
Put this on.
- You're cold.
- How do you know that?
Adrenalin causes a rise
in metabolic heat production.
Your adrenalin has dropped
and so has your heart rate.
You can hear my heart?
Yes.
All the time.
We're among hundreds of laboratories
using genetics
to study species origin,
but in our lab
humans aren't the only species
we're studying.
You're studying vampire genetics?
Witches and demons, too.
We take physical specimens
from burial sites mostly
and extract DNA from the samples.
Hey, Matthew!
He's been helping me
while you've been away.
Diana, this is my colleague and
lab manager, Dr Miriam Shepherd.
Miriam, this is Dr Diana Bishop.
- It's a pleasure to meet you.
- And I'm Dr Marcus Whitmore.
Different type of doctor.
Wow! AB negative.
Don't suppose I could take
some of you blood, could I?
It's tough getting a sample
from a living witch.
No... thank you.
If your friend isn't here to give
blood, what is she here for exactly?
I wanted to show Diana that
the work we're doing here proves
beyond all doubt...
that creatures are dying out.
Vampires are failing to sire.
Demons are increasingly
prone to madness.
And witches?
Are losing their powers.
Come and see.
Please, sit down.
- Allow me.
- Thank you.
Now, this graph shows
the mitochondrial DNA
of a witch named Benvenguda.
She lived in Brittany
in the 7th century
and she was very, very powerful.
A marvel really,
in an age that produced...
many marvels.
Now, compare that to the graph
belonging to Beatrice Good,
Benvenguda's last known
direct descendant.
Now, as you can see, Beatrice's DNA
shows far fewer markers
common amongst witches,
indicating that...
her ancestors,
as the centuries passed,
relied less and less upon
witchcraft to survive. Now...
is this pattern of...
denying power,
is the reason why witches
will eventually become...
extinct?
- Who do you think she might talk to?
- Well, I don't know.
Apart from me, Diana doesn't
have any friends in Oxford.
Forgive me.
I don't believe you've been
introduced. This is Miss Järvinen.
She's our new representative
on the Congregation.
Wow!
Congratulations.
- Well?
- I tried to look inside her.
She interests me.
You think 782's going to help you
with your research, don't you?
It could explain our origins, yes.
But we aren't going to go
extinct tomorrow.
There are still plenty of creatures
in the world.
I have a different
sense of time to you.
When humans talk about climate change
that's exactly the argument they use.
"The polar ice caps will take
so many years to melt. Who cares?"
I remember when the Thames
iced over every winter.
I used to skate on it.
You're right though.
It's not going to happen immediately,
tomorrow, but it's already begun.
One day, there'll be just one species.
Humans.
And at first, they won't
notice the difference
because they've never noticed us,
but, gradually...
eventually,
they'll come to see that...
all the magic has
seeped out of the world.
And they'll look around them
and everyone will be the same.
You think whatever power I have
I should use?
I think at the very least you should
try not to be frightened of it.
Although, as far as I can tell,
there are only two emotions
that keep the world turning.
One is... desire.
And the other is fear.
Magic is desire made real.
That's what my aunt says.
The book's a palimpsest.
Old words hidden under new.
It was heavy.
It smelt. It smelt odd.
Three pages were cut out.
The only page I saw showed a baby
floating in an upside-down vessel.
It was probably the alchemical child,
although I've never seen it
represented like that before.
Thank you.
I thought you knew about vampires.
That's why you invited me to dinner.
I need to get a book, Ashmole 782.
Are you going to give the book
to the vampire?
Where are we going, anyway?
My house.
Did you cast a spell
to call up Ashmole 782?
What are you doing
hanging around with a vampire?
He could feed off you,
take your memories.
Seen everything you saw
when you opened up that book!
Matthew de Claremont's
harassing a witch.
Did your source tell you
who this witch is?
Her name's Diana Bishop.
You shy away from us and yet
you seek out vampire company.
I'm not a bigot like you.
You're craving her.
What would I taste like?
You wouldn't be able
to stop me if I struck
and I wouldn't be able to stop myself.
Subtitles by explosiveskull
Over there.
I used to know a Matthew.
It's Matthieu.
You have blood on your face.
Matthew!
Once the world was full of wonders,
but it belongs to humans now.
We creatures
have all but disappeared -
demons, vampires and witches...
hiding in plain sight,
ill at ease, even with each other.
But, as my father used to say,
in every ending...
there is a new beginning.
- New trousers, Hamish?
- Morning.
You really didn't need to be here,
you know.
"Hello, Hamish. Nice to see you."
Good to see you, too, Matthew.
- I can quite well go hunting on my own.
- It's good to have a break from London.
I've been meaning to get out
on the moors, anyway.
John's preparing the car.
I see you've redecorated.
I thought the place
needed brightening up.
Looks like a wedding cake.
You didn't come all the way up here
to diss my interiors, Matt.
- What's going on?
- It's complex.
Isn't it always with you?
- This is even more...
- What? Fucked up?
Look at the two of us.
A vampire friends with a demon.
I came up here
to get away from a witch.
When you say "get away"...
- do you mean?
- I'm craving her.
Who are you?
You can't come in here without...
My boss will call you
in three seconds to give it.
I'm looking for the body
of the tourist found last night.
Yes?
Yes.
Of course, sir.
The body?
He has no blood in him.
And there was no blood at the scene.
It's... strange.
Is there any background on him?
He was French.
Name?
Matthieu Beny.
Matthew.
Stop.
- Where?
- About 35 meters below the ridgeline.
Good hunting.
- Hey. Busy today.
- Don't know why.
Students aren't back yet.
Dr Bishop.
May I help you?
My name's Peter Knox.
I presume there aren't usually this
many other creatures in the library.
Well... no.
So I suppose word has spread about
the Ashmole manuscript you took out.
Sorry, I'm waiting on a book.
You're quite right to keep it quiet,
but I assure you I am a friend.
Shall we discuss this over coffee?
I don't think so.
Or are you a tea drinker
like your mother was?
Did you know my father, too?
Only slightly.
Your mother and I met
when we were teenagers.
I was very fond of her.
What was she like?
Passionate, clever,
stubborn as a mule
when she wanted to be.
Really?!
It's truly terrible what happened.
I've thought about you
a good deal over the years and...
I've wanted to introduce myself,
but your aunt's very protective.
Yeah.
- Could we get tea for two, please?
- Yes, sir.
Feeling better?
Yes.
Thank you.
I think you're wise
to keep your distance from the witch.
Yes. But the problem is, she's in
possession of something that I need.
Or rather...
she's capable of retrieving it.
- So, er, did you just call it up?
- Yeah.
How?
Er, the... the normal way.
That's odd because I requested
Ashmole 782 this morning
and it isn't there.
- Not there?
- Missing.
According to the Bodleian catalog
it's been missing for years.
But how could it be?
That doesn't make any sense.
I took it out.
You did return it, I take it?
Of course!
I would never steal a book from the Bod.
No. It could be the date.
Yeah. Maybe the book only shows itself
around the time of the equinox.
Or... or it could be
that there's a spell on it
and that somehow, for some reason,
you broke it.
I'm not my mother, Mr Knox,
I didn't inherit her powers.
- What happened when you opened it?
- I only looked at one page.
What was on it?
- A picture.
- Of what?
The alchemical child.
There must have been more.
You must have seen more.
Why is it so important to you?
Because if this book
is what I think it is,
it contains the witches' first spells.
It could tell us
how we created vampires.
- That's just a myth.
- Vampires have used
their brute power and longevity
to gain far too much control,
but if we created them...
then we could uncreate them.
I won't have any part of that.
You have to try and take it out again.
You're the only person
who's seen it in years.
Let go of my arm!
I'm quite sure
I'll see you again, Diana.
Not as amenable as I'd hoped.
We might need to use firmer tactics.
Juliette, good evening.
If you're here to see my father,
he's not to be disturbed.
I think he's going to want to hear
what I have to say.
This better be important.
It is.
It's a police matter.
Leave us.
To be honest, I still don't get
what you're so anxious about.
How could taking out a book
for a senior witch do any harm?
Come on, you were in the library.
You felt it.
This... this book is powerful
and I... I don't...
I don't trust what Peter Knox might
do with it. He hates other species.
He'll use it against them.
It's no concern of ours.
I don't even know how he knew
I took it out in the first place.
- These things get out.
- I just...
I don't want to have
anything to do with it.
I want to lead a normal life.
I want to be normal.
I've known you for ten years.
You couldn't be normal if you tried.
It's so typical something like this
would happen to you.
What shall do, Gillian?
Just get it out for him
and forget all about it.
Carry on with your paper.
Yeah, but that's nearly impossible
with all these...
creatures and the library.
Not the vampire
that was following you before?
No.
He seems to have given up on me.
That's are relief at least.
I don't know.
There is something about him.
CHe... He seemed to know more
about the book than anyone else.
I should asked him about it.
Instead, I...
- I told him to leave me alone.
- You're quite right, too.
Have you ever talked to them?
No.
So you don't know what they're like?
And you do, after one conversation?
He didn't seem to be as prejudiced
against us as we are against them.
I gotta go.
Been invited to one
of the dean's awful parties.
Thank you.
Sorry to burden you with this.
So even though Ashmole 782 might be
the answer to our problems, Hamish,
my interest in it puts her in danger.
It seems we're all in danger, Matt,
if we don't get that book.
You know that daemon suicides
are on the rise?
As are mental health problems,
homelessness.
Yes, I know.
I've been looking into the statistics.
We are struggling.
If this book could
explain our origins...
Yes. Wouldn't that be
something, my friend?
- Where's Matthew?
- He's not here.
Just, he said he'd ring me
with the results.
Have they come through yet?
James' have.
His blood tests are normal.
So the problem's with me then?
It seems so.
That was quick.
What did you do to your hand?
I think the book did that to you
when you opened it.
Who are you?
You were in the library.
You were the magnet for it.
Magic attracts magic.
But yours is hidden.
Someone did something to you.
You did it to yourself.
Do you fear persecution?
Is that it?
I haven't until now.
You were with Peter Knox.
You tell him I won't get out his book.
This isn't just about the book.
It's about you.
Hey, Em.
- Have you heard of Peter Knox?
- Peter Knox is in Oxford?
He said he knew Mum.
- Yeah, he was crazy about her.
- I thought so, from what he said.
Tried to persuade her
not to marry your father.
Did she like him?
They were friends in the early days
and then he just got into some stuff.
- What?
- Dark magic.
Why is Peter Knox in Oxford?
The book I told you about.
He wants it.
Your father distrusted him
and, by the end, your mum did too.
Be careful of him, Diana.
Juliette.
A word.
Where were you two nights ago?
Seeing the city at night.
You said I was allowed.
I said...
as long as you were good.
- I have been.
- If there's something I don't know,
Baldwin can use it against me.
- Baldwin's not even in Venice.
- He sees and hears anyway!
This dead tourist...
is a brazen vampire killing.
And Domenico...
the nosey little fucker...
smelt you on him.
That's not true.
Domenico hates me.
Matthew!
You taught me to crave Matthew!
No!
Father! Father!
This book you say Diana called up.
I've heard stories about it.
The witches stole it from the vampires.
The vampires stole it from the witches.
- That's untrue.
- Demons, of course, don't get a look in.
We know it's important to us
but we don't know why
and we're not even allowed to ask.
The general feeling being we matter
so much less than the other creatures.
Can we not have a political argument?
It's easy for you to say. You're not
treated like a third-class citizen.
It's hardly like you are.
You practically run
the City of London.
That's not the point. I'm an anomaly.
Checkmate.
There is more to the game
than protecting your queen.
Wait! Think before your next move.
No, other creatures
will want the book.
I have to obtain it from Diana
before they do.
I know you need the book,
but couldn't Marcus do it?
Marcus? Not letting Marcus
anywhere near Diana.
He's much less of a danger
to Diana than you are!
Think what's happened in the past
to women you've craved.
Elena, Cecilia.
I wish I'd never told you.
But you did because you wanted me
to be your conscience.
After Cecilia,
I swore to myself that
I would never get involved
with another warmblood again
and you know that!
But, Matt, you've never
talked about another woman
the way you do about Diana Bishop.
I'm just trying to protect you.
- I'll try to take your advice.
- Don't try.
Do. If you hurt her, you'll never
forgive yourself and I couldn't bear it.
Don't go back to Oxford
until you're sure you can control
yourself around Diana Bishop.
Dr Bishop.
- Good evening, Professor Marsh.
- Welcome.
- Thank you.
- I understand you gave an excellent talk
and that you are writing it up.
Yes, yes, I am indeed.
And I look forward to reading it.
- We want to get you on that shortlist.
- Well, thank you.
Now, there's someone
I would really like you to meet.
He has a very interesting
specialization,
the occult... sciences.
Alchemy. It's quite a subject.
Especially for someone who says
she lacks interest in magic.
I don't just lack interest.
- I lack aptitude.
- Are you sure?
The book came out for you
and no one else.
I told you,
I don't know how that happened.
But you didn't tell me
a vampire's been following you.
How do you know that?
It would be catastrophic
if it falls into their hands.
Can't you see the danger you're in?
I can take care of myself.
Laudable, but naive.
The fact that vampires
are now involved
makes this so much more urgent.
- I'm not going to call it up for you.
- Why not?
Because I don't happen to like
the idea of uncreating other species.
They would do exactly the same to us,
if they could.
I'm like my mother, Mr Knox.
If I've made up my mind,
I don't change it.
Diana.
Think about what you're doing.
You must be true to your blood,
your heritage.
Don't make me force you
to recall that book.
Diana.
Don't walk away!
You can't escape me that easily.
I can be with you wherever you are.
I need the book.
We need the book.
Get out of my head!
How's it going with Diana?
Did she get the manuscript
out for you?
No.
Last night, she performed
an elemental spell.
- What? Diana did?
- Did you know she was powerful?
No, I... I...
I can't believe...
She's never shown she is.
Maybe she's used her magic
to forward her career.
And that's why
she's kept it secret from you.
Thank God you're here.
You haven't been answering your phone.
If this book is what I think it is,
vampires...
then we could uncreate them.
I don't even know how he knew
I took it out in the first place.
These things get out.
This isn't just about the book.
It's about you.
This is about a great deal more
than just alchemy.
Ashmole 782 has been missing
for centuries
and yet you were able to call it up.
Aren't you curious why?
You need to be careful.
Professor Clairmont's rooms, please.
You were right about creatures
coming to look for the book.
Peter Knox from the Congregation
and there was this Scandinavian witch.
I don't know...
I don't know who she was.
Try to calm down.
Your adrenaline is very high.
- You can smell my adrenaline?
- Course I can.
Thank you.
Why did you come to me?
Last time I saw you, you said
you never wanted to see me again.
- I have no one else to talk to.
- You must have friends.
None I can trust.
It was a mistake to come here.
- I'm sorry I disturbed you.
- Does Knox want the book?
He says it has the witches'
first spells in it.
Is that what you think it is?
Peter Knox believes that witches
created everything and everyone.
I'm obviously not of that opinion.
- Does he know that you sent it back?
- Yes.
He wants me to try
and get it out again.
- Will you?
- I don't want him to have it.
"Dear sir, Your letter of 15th October
has reached me at last."
- You knew Charles Darwin?
- Yes.
I met him on a number of occasions,
particularly when he was building up
to his publication of Origin.
I began to wonder how his theories
might relate to us creatures.
I was desperate
to understand our origins.
You see, I'd already heard rumors,
whisperings,
about a book
hidden from human eyes,
an alchemical text.
- Ashmole 782.
- Ashmole.
That man had an uncanny ability
to find bizarre manuscripts.
I found and read every one of them.
Apart from 782.
You've been searching for the book
since 1859.
- How old are you?
- I'm older than I look.
300 years?
500 years?
Did you know Machiavelli?
- Survive the fall of Carthage?
- Which fall of Carthage?
I'd like to show you my laboratory.
The work we've been doing recently
links into creature origin.
I won't harm you.
You have my word.
All right.
Put this on.
- You're cold.
- How do you know that?
Adrenalin causes a rise
in metabolic heat production.
Your adrenalin has dropped
and so has your heart rate.
You can hear my heart?
Yes.
All the time.
We're among hundreds of laboratories
using genetics
to study species origin,
but in our lab
humans aren't the only species
we're studying.
You're studying vampire genetics?
Witches and demons, too.
We take physical specimens
from burial sites mostly
and extract DNA from the samples.
Hey, Matthew!
He's been helping me
while you've been away.
Diana, this is my colleague and
lab manager, Dr Miriam Shepherd.
Miriam, this is Dr Diana Bishop.
- It's a pleasure to meet you.
- And I'm Dr Marcus Whitmore.
Different type of doctor.
Wow! AB negative.
Don't suppose I could take
some of you blood, could I?
It's tough getting a sample
from a living witch.
No... thank you.
If your friend isn't here to give
blood, what is she here for exactly?
I wanted to show Diana that
the work we're doing here proves
beyond all doubt...
that creatures are dying out.
Vampires are failing to sire.
Demons are increasingly
prone to madness.
And witches?
Are losing their powers.
Come and see.
Please, sit down.
- Allow me.
- Thank you.
Now, this graph shows
the mitochondrial DNA
of a witch named Benvenguda.
She lived in Brittany
in the 7th century
and she was very, very powerful.
A marvel really,
in an age that produced...
many marvels.
Now, compare that to the graph
belonging to Beatrice Good,
Benvenguda's last known
direct descendant.
Now, as you can see, Beatrice's DNA
shows far fewer markers
common amongst witches,
indicating that...
her ancestors,
as the centuries passed,
relied less and less upon
witchcraft to survive. Now...
is this pattern of...
denying power,
is the reason why witches
will eventually become...
extinct?
- Who do you think she might talk to?
- Well, I don't know.
Apart from me, Diana doesn't
have any friends in Oxford.
Forgive me.
I don't believe you've been
introduced. This is Miss Järvinen.
She's our new representative
on the Congregation.
Wow!
Congratulations.
- Well?
- I tried to look inside her.
She interests me.
You think 782's going to help you
with your research, don't you?
It could explain our origins, yes.
But we aren't going to go
extinct tomorrow.
There are still plenty of creatures
in the world.
I have a different
sense of time to you.
When humans talk about climate change
that's exactly the argument they use.
"The polar ice caps will take
so many years to melt. Who cares?"
I remember when the Thames
iced over every winter.
I used to skate on it.
You're right though.
It's not going to happen immediately,
tomorrow, but it's already begun.
One day, there'll be just one species.
Humans.
And at first, they won't
notice the difference
because they've never noticed us,
but, gradually...
eventually,
they'll come to see that...
all the magic has
seeped out of the world.
And they'll look around them
and everyone will be the same.
You think whatever power I have
I should use?
I think at the very least you should
try not to be frightened of it.
Although, as far as I can tell,
there are only two emotions
that keep the world turning.
One is... desire.
And the other is fear.
Magic is desire made real.
That's what my aunt says.
The book's a palimpsest.
Old words hidden under new.
It was heavy.
It smelt. It smelt odd.
Three pages were cut out.
The only page I saw showed a baby
floating in an upside-down vessel.
It was probably the alchemical child,
although I've never seen it
represented like that before.
Thank you.
I thought you knew about vampires.
That's why you invited me to dinner.
I need to get a book, Ashmole 782.
Are you going to give the book
to the vampire?
Where are we going, anyway?
My house.
Did you cast a spell
to call up Ashmole 782?
What are you doing
hanging around with a vampire?
He could feed off you,
take your memories.
Seen everything you saw
when you opened up that book!
Matthew de Claremont's
harassing a witch.
Did your source tell you
who this witch is?
Her name's Diana Bishop.
You shy away from us and yet
you seek out vampire company.
I'm not a bigot like you.
You're craving her.
What would I taste like?
You wouldn't be able
to stop me if I struck
and I wouldn't be able to stop myself.
Subtitles by explosiveskull