The Hollow
Written By: Martin a.k.a. iHollow
I do NOT own any part of Charmed. This is only for the sheer entertainment (…or hatred…depends if you like the fic) of others. All people and places are either fiction or used in fiction. All material belongs to their respective owners. Thank You!
W/N: This is my very first time writing a fan fiction. I'm going to start off with a prologue of the protagonist's life before the first chapter. I don't really want any of you to expect a masterpiece here. I guess you can call me a rookie. So here I go!
Please Read and Comment!
3 years had passed since the Halliwells were the victors of the Ultimate Battle. And Magic School had been restored to it's safe, magical learning environment, with a better spell to keep demons away at that. The Magical Community was forever grateful to the Charmed Ones: Piper, Phoebe, and Paige Halliwell. Along with their sister, Prue, god rest. But more than anything, they thought of magic as a blessing, curse, and privilege. As well as the Bowens. This family was particularly…interesting. And pretty big to boot. With the Man of the house, Hal, and the mother (and glue) of the family, Pamela. With their 7 sons, Xavier, Riley, Jack, Noel, Joel, Adam, and Penn, this was a pretty strong family, both in magic and in family. They all were gathered for their weekly Sunday dinner. And as always, Penn slouched in his chair listening to his older brothers gloat about how wonderful their lives are, with made him feel inferior and left in the shadows.
" And then the priest says, 'No wonder she kept saying bless you'!" Riley finished as everybody but Penn laughed. He faked a smile as he continued to play with his food.
"Ah, true story…" Riley said eating his rice. He pinched his brown duck tail up as looked towards Penn who was sulking in his chair.
"So what's up you, shrimp?" Riley asked. Penn sighed, trying to think about what to say to match up with their perfect lives. Penn was a bit hesitant to bring up this particular subject. But he felt he had a right to it.
"Uh…I'm trying to learn more on our heritage." Penn answered. Pamela looked at him curiously.
"What are you talking about?" She asked cutting into her chicken. She saw her husband slowly shaking his head in annoyance.
"I'm talking about witchcraft…" Penn answered. Hal furiously banged his two fists against the table, spilling his grape soda onto his food.
"Why must you always try to bring up this burden?!" Hal asked, his face as red as Jack's fruit punch.
"Because he could never stand when have a good time." Joel and Noel said at the same time. That was their annoying, twin shtick: saying everything at the same time and finished each other's sentences. It annoyed Penn deeply and they were aware of that.
"SHUT UP!" Penn answered.
"Penn!" Pamela said.
"Why do want to learn about that kind of stuff. Do you want to ride on a broomstick with a black cat next to the full moon?" Adam asked.
"That's the thing! Everybody has all these preconceived ideas about witches. About how they have pointy hats, broomsticks. But it's more than just stirring a cauldron." Penn protested.
"He has a point." Noel said.
"Nobody asked--what?" Penn asked curiously.
"Yeah. You have to steal ruby red slippers as well." Joel smirked. Penn rolled his eyes and looked at his mom.
"Mom, I'm just trying to find something for me, ok?" Penn whispered. Hal had sit down and cleaned up his mess.
"Every Sunday, I have to listen everybody's amazing lives. Whether it's Xavier's fiancé, Riley's comedy career, Jack's scholarship, Joel and Noel's basketball games, or Adam's random girlfriends, it nothing new. I have to live in their shadow everyday!" Penn stated.
"That's because--"
"Your not talented." Joel started and Noel finished. Penn couldn't take their arrogance anymore. He stood up from his chair and waved his right arm, sending them to the living room right next to the dining room.
"That's it!" Hal roared.
"Get out of my house!" he demanded. Hal looked at his family, who were amazed, yet frightened. Hal turned on his heel to the front door, but Pamela paced after him. She stood in front of her son who stood taller than she.
"Listen." Pamela asked. Penn rolled his eyes in annoyance once again.
"Listen! They were just teasing. They didn't mean it." Pamela defended.
"You are very talented and special. Did you see how you sent your brothers into the next room with a wave of an arm?" she joked. He couldn't help but smile.
"But honey, we've been through this. I know you love magic. And I do, too." Pamela stated.
"So why did you bind your powers?" Penn asked. She took in a deep breath. Though she told him about all the good about magic, he had no idea about the evil of magic.
"There's a darker side to the Craft. A side that I never told you about. But that particular side of magic can…it can kill you. Or worse: bring you over to their side of magic. I'd rather have you love me as a mortal mother, than you have to mourn me as a dead witch." Pamela explained.
"Okay." Penn nodded.
"And promise me that no matter what happens, love magic. Mortal or not." Pamela asked.
Penn nodded his head in agreement. He kissed her forehead.
"Good night, mom." Penn smiled. Pamela returned the smile. He turned and exited the house as a demon shimmered in. Penn had already closed the door and started for his car. Pamela turned around as she felt a presence. As she saw the pale, bald demon she began to yell. But the demon backhanded her knocking her to the floor and undoing her tight bun. She brushed her silky brown hair out of her face.
"Hello, witch!" the demon spat. He then heard footsteps approaching the foyer. He turned to see the Bowen men looking at the mother and wife on the white carpet floor. As Hal ran to her aid, the demon threw 2 energy balls. One flew at Hal and the other flew at Pamela. Their shrieks echoed as they disintegrated into dust. Adam had been breathing heavily as he saw his parents die.
"Your turn!" a minion of the Underworld chuckled.
--x--
Penn's eyes went pure black. He saw a man with short, brown hair appear in front of him in a puff of smoke.
"Penn." he whispered. Penn gazed at him, his eyes still as dark as a night with no stars.
"Answer your calling." he said. Penn was stumped.
"What does that mean?" Penn asked curiously, hoping to get an answer.
"Answer your calling." he repeated. Penn then heard a phone ring. And in an instant, he had woken from his dream, but the phone was really ringing. We wiped his eyes with his tank top and answered the phone.
"Hello?" he answered in a groggily voice.
"Yes this is him." Penn said, now wide awake.
--x--
It was a gray, cloudy day. Penn was dressed in a black tuxedo in front of one large tombstone that read: "Bowen. A family of strength. May they rest in peace". His eyes were filled with sadness and depression. But no tears ever shed from them. It had been 4 days since he had gotten the news about the death of his entire intermediate family. 30 minutes had passed and he was still standing in front of them. A woman dressed in a black dress and her short, dark, brown hair tied back approached him. Tears still running down her cheeks, he saw his best friend, Serena Townsend stand next to him. Her eyes were blood red as she stared at her best friend. Penn gritted his teeth in anger.
"What do you want?" Penn asked in a somewhat mean tone.
"I'm so sorry, honey…" she whispered. He didn't respond to her condolences. He just stood there.
"You want some company at home?" she asked.
"No. I need some time for myself." Penn answered. She gave him an understanding nod.
"If you need me… I'm here." she assured. He nodded and walked away. Halfway through the cemetery, he saw a short haired man in black dress pants, with a white button shirt tucked in, and a long black robe. He walked up to the heartbroken man. And in an instant, Penn recognized him.
"Who are you?" Penn asked curiously.
"My name is Leo Wyatt." Leo answered. Penn nodded. He looked at his light blue eyes and somehow felt safe again.
"I'm terribly sorry for your loss. Really I am. It must be really hard on you." Leo empathized. He nodded sadly.
"I'm here to make it easier for you." Leo suggested. Penn looked at him from the floor frowning.
"What do you mean? How can you make this whole experience easier on me?!" Penn asked annoyed.
"You said you wanted to know more about the Craft, right? Magic? Your heritage?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, I--wait! How do you know I said that?" Penn asked, shaking his head. Turning on his heel, he attempted to get away from him.
"Listen." Leo pleaded. Penn had stopped in his tracks. That was one of the last thing his mother ever said to him. Listen. Penn turned around and walked back towards him.
"I'm listening."
--x--
Both Leo and Penn was sitting on his couch in his small apartment in the city. It was messy, gray, and somewhat dumpy.
"So let me see if I have anything. I 'm an actual witch. I have gifts. Gifts I can't return to sender. My parents and older brothers were killed by demons. And it would be best if I moved to a place called Magic School so I can better my so called gifts and be safe again now that my powers are unbound." Penn clarified. Leo nodded in agreement.
"Whatever…" Penn shrugged. Leo frowned.
"Really?" Leo asked.
"Do you really want to--" Leo asked but got cut off by Penn.
"Do you want me to go or not?" Penn asked. Leo nodded his head.
"Pack your stuff. Your going to Magic School." Leo said trying to lighten the mood. He had failed miserably.
"Yipee." Penn said in a monotone type of voice. He got up and head to his room to pack. After he finished, Leo grabbed on to his hand.
"Ready?" Leo asked sympathetically.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Penn shrugged. Leo pulled out a potion from his black robe and threw it on the floor. Penn coughed from the smoke and waved his hand in front of him. He was no longer in his shabby chic apartment. They were at the well acclaimed Magic School. It had been restored to it's glory with students chatting everywhere, the golden walls and floors, and the rooms. Penn looked around in amazement. Leo started to walk down a hallway to all the dorms. He opened a door that showed them teal walls with silver marble floors. The dorm contained a single bed with a desk, computer, closet, TV and 3 windows showing him the full moon and the stars shining as bright as ever.. Penn walked into the dorm dropping his duffel bags on the floor looking around.
"Get comfortable here. See if you want to meet the teachers, students, staff…" Leo suggested.
"I got it." Penn assured. As Leo walked out, he turned back to Penn who was staring out the window.
"Penn?" Leo called. He turned back to him.
"I am sorry. I'm here if you need me." Leo assured. Penn nodded giving Leo a slight smirk. Leo returned the smile and closed the door on his way out. As the door shut, his smirk disappeared and he sat on his bed, looking out the window again. As he stared out of the window, he noticed something peculiar. The stars began to align into two separate shapes. One shape had 3 boxes attached to each other with a line sticking out of the middle one with dots in the middle of the two other boxes. The other shape had a Z with a line attached to the middle of the long line. As they both faced each other Penn had no idea what they meant. He turned off the lamp next to him and laid on his bed. He started at the symbols in the stars until he fell asleep.
--x--
Penn wasn't the only one observing the alignment of the stars. Up in the Heavens, a 13 year old boy dressed in white and gold robes was looking through a gold cauldron. He pushed his shoulder length hair behind his hair (which was somewhat graying) and looked closer. He, too, had seen the symbols in the stars.
"Sandra!" he called. She paced to him as quick as possible.
"What is it, Kevin?" Sandra asked. She gazed at the cauldron and was shocked.
"What does it mean?" Kevin asked curiously. She looked worried as she continued to look into the pot.
"The Hollow. The Keeper…has…returned." Sandra replied. Kevin looked worried at the stars.
"Who's the Keeper?" Kevin asked. Sandra shook her head in disappointment.
"I wish I knew…" Sandra admitted.
The Keeper of the Hollow has returned to the Craft. This destiny was a major one. One that would need some with dedication, skill, and will. But does those characteristics lie in Penn? Does the Magical Community have a new Protector of the Innocent? Can Penn tap into the power of…the Hollow?
Well…there it is! Tell me what you think of the main plot and characters. I don't know when I'm going to release my next chapter but I assure you, it will be soon. Though I probably can't please all of you, tell me what you want to see in the next chapter. BTW, PhoenixLighter's fanfic, Witchlighter did inspire me to do the stars alignment. Thanks for reading!