Lupercalia

This article is about the holiday. You may be looking for the episode of the same name.

Lupercalia is an annual holiday that coincides with mortal Valentine's Day. Lupercalia is a lusty, pastoral festival that is comprised of three events; the Matching, where a witch is paired with a random warlock; The Courting, where the witch and warlock spend the night together in unholy abstinence and the Hunt, a run through the woods that climaxes in a frenzy of orgiastic carnality. A basket is given to the pair for their night together in the woods containing milk, blood, oysters; the milk and blood are for purification, the oysters and figs are for fertility and virility, and the cherries are for popping. The pair are warned to not stray from the path to keep safe from the lust-filled creatures that stalk the woods during the Lupercalia.^[1]

Summary[]

First Event: The Matching - The young witches at the academy dance in a circle holding a ribbon attached to a pole in the center of the grand room – a makeshift, macabre Maypole of sorts. The young men sit in chairs along the outskirts of the Maypole until their partner, quite literally, lands in their lap. The violin music is played by Ambrose to have the girls begin dancing around the pole. During the actual events at the Academy of Unseen Arts Nicholas and Sabrina use a glamour spell to ensure Dorcas does not land in his lap, instead she is schemed into choosing Melvin.

Second Event: The Courting - The young couples wander into the woods at night with their basket containing milk, blood, oysters; the milk and blood are for purification, the oysters and figs are for fertility and virility, and the cherries are for popping. The pair are warned to not stray from the path to keep safe from the lust-filled creatures that stalk the woods. The couple first smears the blood upon each others forehead, before it is wiped off. After each step is complete, the couple lays side by side beneath the moon for the entire the night. Nick and Sabrina's night is called off however, when the sound of a wolf is heard howling in the near distance.

Final Event: The Hunt - The young witches wear red cloaks and chase after their wolf-costume-clad male partners through the woods. Nick and Sabrina were set to meet, but Dorcas captures him first. While Sabrina is awaiting his arrival, Nick's jealous familiar Amalia appears and approaches with intent to attack. While Sabrina is trying to talk her out of attacking, Nicholas arrives and warns his familiar to stay away. Instead, the familiar turns on him, which prompts Sabrina to stab and kill her.