Magic of Memories

Summary: A misguided sorceress in training takes out her frustration with her mentor on Amber and casts a spell that begins erasing the princess's memories. Can Sofia help her sister before all of her memories vanish for good?

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, but I do own the characters "Gabriella" and "Sir Finlay."

A/N: So this one is a bit different. I have an original character in here who will play a rather substantial role! And no, you're probably not going to like her. That's what I'm going for. Lol. But if you do happen to like her, more power to you. ;) Away we go! **PS—thanks to theblindwriter95 for the input. :D**

Chapter 1: Gabriella of Helvetica

"Once more from the top," a man with long silver hair instructed as he maneuvered around a girl with wavy black hair, sections of it tied into messy braids. He stepped aside briefly, adjusting his red vest over his black shirt and slacks. Practicing magic all morning had left his clothing a bit sloppy, much to his displeasure. The fact that they were outside of the castle made the matter even more pressing.

"Okay," she sighed, breathing in and raising her wand. "Mystic powers, hear my cry. Raise the storm clouds 'cross the sky!" She watched the skies darken a bit before a section of earth received a mere drop of rain, ceasing only a few seconds later. She growled. "Why is this not working?!"

"Gabriella, you must be patient." The man placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're working yourself into a stupor, and it's going to get to you eventually."

Gabriella gave her mentor a hard stare. "But Finny…"

"Eh, Finlay while we're out here, my dear…" He chuckled lightly, raising one hand and gently stroking her cheek, making her sigh in resignation. His blue eyes caught her distraught brown ones before he used his free hand to squeeze her hand gently. "Once more."

"No, I can't do it! Something's wrong with this dumb wand." She twisted her hand from his grasp and shook her ebony wand, small flecks of magic falling from the end.

"It takes time. You can't expect to have everything go your way immediately." Sir Finlay smiled gently. "You're going to be a brilliant sorceress, Gabriella, but you have got to learn to control your temper…and become a bit more patient. Otherwise, I'm afraid all of our training has been for naught."

She sighed, brushing out her purple gown and adjusting the sheer sleeves before glaring back at him. "You've been training me for years, and I don't seem to be getting any better."

"But you will."

Gabriella reached out and grasped the red pendant that lay around his neck, a gift from King Cyprus of Helvetica—their homeland. "And when will I get one of these?"

Sir Finlay fixed his student with a meaningful stare. "When you earn it."

"Ugh." She released the gem and turned, folding her arms. "I might as well give up then, because I'm never going to be able to do this whole 'sorceress' thing right. I don't know why I bother."

The man put a hand to his chin in thought before smiling. "I have an idea… I know a sorcerer in Enchancia who's taken on a protégé of sorts—a young princess, no less—and he's taught her quite a few things in the last three years of her training. Perhaps you should take a break from me and learn a few new things from him." He watched as she turned to him. "They say learning something new yet familiar does wonders for the student, eh?"

Gabriella smirked at him. "You just want to cast me off to some other sorcerer, Sir Finlay." She frowned. She only used his title when she was agitated with him…which seemed to be more and more frequent. "But fine. If you think this other sorcerer is so great, then sign me up. Maybe it would do be some good to get away from here—and from you." She huffed and turned, stalking off.

Sir Finlay frowned as he folded his arms. His student, accomplice, or whatever you wanted to call her was a bit of a handful. She had her father's temper and her mother's contempt. Sure, she could be just as delightful as the royal family they both worked for, but that temper—oh, that wretched temper—was going to be her downfall one day. He was sure of it. He sighed and held up his wand, magically producing a parchment and quill. "Dear Cedric, I have a favor to ask of you…"

"Who's that from?" Sofia asked curiously the next day as she leaned over her friend's shoulder to see if she could read his letter.

Cedric frowned and moved the parchment form the princess's gaze, earning an innocent smile from her. "Do you mind?" he asked with a pointed look. "I don't go around reading your private letters, do I?"

"I was just curious, Mr. Cedric. You never get letters except from Mrs. Winifred, and that wasn't her handwriting." She grinned when gaped at her.

"You even know my mother's handwriting by now?" He rolled his eyes as Sofia laughed. "That settles it. Your father's right. We do spend too much time together." He smirked as she smiled and shrugged carelessly.

"But I like spending time with you! Personally, I think it keeps me out of trouble…at least half the time." She grinned at him again, making the sorcerer nod in agreement.

"Well, since you're so curious to know, it appears an old colleague of mine from Hexley Hall has an apprentice of his own—a girl named Gabriella—and he wants to see if I can tutor her in some of the sections she's not doing too well with."

Sofia blinked. "She'd be coming here? And studying with me?"

"Sort of… Finlay is a few years older than I am, and he says his apprentice is in her twenties." He frowned. "She's that far along and still is having issues? Something must be wrong."

The princess blinked and tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Usually, if you're going to be a full-fledged sorceress and have been studying for the amount of years Finlay has indicated, then this girl should be pretty well settled by now. Yet he refers to her as a 'sorceress in training.' He says she's not ready." He shrugged. "I guess we'll see what the issue really is."

"So why is he sending her to you, Mr. Cedric?"

Cedric blinked and glanced at the girl with a shrug. "I honestly have no idea. Greylock doesn't have an apprentice and probably would have been better, but…he did mention you in the letter."

She beamed. "Really? What did he say?"

"Said he'd heard good things about you and your skills." He chuckled and smiled at her proudly. "I guess all the practicing paid off."

Sofia grinned and nudged him. "Not to mention your awesome teaching, Mr. Cedric!" She smiled. "I say bring her here. We can help her!"

"Oh, we can, hmm?" He smiled knowingly as she nodded excitedly.

"Yeah! I'd be glad to help you with…eh, what's her name again?"

Cedric looked at the letter. "Gabriella."

"Oh, she even sounds like a sorceress." She smiled cutely when her friend gave her a curious look.

"And exactly how do you determine what a sorceress's name 'sounds' like?"

"I don't know… Maybe I'm just gifted." She smiled when Cedric used his wand to lightly tap her on the head.

"Whatever you say. Okay, get your training wand while I respond to Finlay to let him know that this Gabriella can train with us for a day." He rubbed his forehead. "I've never trained an older student before…"

Sofia giggled and grabbed her wand from the hollowed out book on his bookshelf. "You'll be fine, Mr. Cedric. That's why you've got me!"

Cedric nodded with an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Sofia."

The next day, since it was such a nice day outside, Cedric decided that instead of having the new trainee cooped up in his workshop (besides the fact that he wasn't entirely sure of her abilities, and the fact that his colleague still referred to her as a 'novice' worried him), it would be better to train outside. Besides that fact, Sofia backed him up on his decision. She liked venturing outside every now and then to get some fresh sunlight.

"I'm kind of nervous," Sofia admitted to her siblings as they stood with Cedric near the steps of the castle.

Amber gave her sister a calming smile. "Don't be, Sofia! She's just another girl training to be a sorceress. I mean, from what you and Cedric tell us, it sounds like you may be more advanced than she is."

Cedric laughed uncertainly. "While that may be, Princess Amber, let's not say such things around this Gabriella girl, all right?"

The blonde shrugged and folded her arms. "Whatever you say, Cedric."

"Why are you two here anyway?" Sofia asked curiously as she turned fully to the twins.

James smiled cutely. "We never get to meet someone who's not royalty anymore, and the fact that she's going to be training with Cedric really got us curious!"

Cedric raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm just a sideshow to you, aren't I, Prince James?"

The boy laughed. "No, Cedric! You'll do great. Just show her the monkey trick."

Amber rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes. Miss Elodie loved that, didn't she?"

The sorcerer waved his wand carelessly. "That woman is just a stick in the mud sometimes. No real sense of magic appreciation."

Sofia smiled and shook her head before casting her eyes forward as the guards approached. She squealed lightly. "I think that's her!"

The three royals and Cedric watched as a few guards approached with a dark-haired girl whose eyes seemed to bore straight through them (making even Sofia shiver a little) and a taller man with long silver hair hanging loosely about his shoulders. The man seemed to have a kinder disposition, so they weren't unnerved by him at all.

"Cedric," Sir Finlay acknowledged as he walked up to the younger sorcerer and extended his hand, shaking it kindly. "A pleasure to see you again."

Amber swooned lightly and giggled. "His voice is so dreamy," she whispered to her siblings with a pleased smile. She blinked when Gabriella shot her a pointed look.

Sofia grinned at her sister, unaware of the sorceress in training's glare. "He does have a nice voice, but maybe we should get to know him, Amber." She laughed.

James just rolled his eyes. "Girls."

Cedric nodded to the older man. "Sir Finlay, I'd like to introduce you to Princess Sofia, my apprentice." He lowered one hand to the girl's shoulder as he drew attention to the girl.

Sofia smiled and curtsied. "Hi, Sir Finlay. You can just call me Sofia. Everyone does."

He chuckled and bowed to her lightly. "A pleasure, Princess Sofia. And I would, but it's my standard of formalities, you understand. I suppose I'm a bit of a stickler for 'by the book' in some cases."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "I'll say."

Sofia blinked before looking up at Cedric worriedly. Seeing his shrug, she sighed. "Um, well, these are my brother and sister: James and Amber."

"Hi," the twins said at the same time.

Sir Finlay nodded, bowed, and smiled at them. "Pleased to meet all of the royal children of Enchancia. I've heard a great deal about each of you. And this is my…my own apprentice, Gabriella of Helvetica. We've been training together for quite a number of years now."

Cedric folded his arms. "Which leads me to my question: What exactly would you like me to do, Finlay? I mean, you're well versed in sorcery, even more so than I am, considering your years of work. How can I assist your apprentice where you can't?"

Gabriella smirked at him. "That's what I'm hoping to find out, uh—what was your name again?"

"Cedric."

"Hmm. Cedric. Okay, then, Cedric, do your worst."

Sir Finlay laid a hand on her shoulder. "You'll do well with him, Gabriella. Keep an open mind and heart." He then lowered his lips to her ear. "And control your temper." She huffed as he turned and walked back down the steps before smiling up at the group. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Cedric, thank you so much. Gabriella, I'll be back for you at the end of the day. Learn well, mon cher." He waved and disappeared in a puff.

Amber giggled. "And he speaks French? Ooh, la, la!" She smiled, enchanted.

Gabriella growled under her breath at the oldest Enchancian princess.

James, noticing this, laughed uneasily and took her hand, leading her away from the woman. "Amber, really, stop saying things like that," he told her quietly. "I think you're making Gabriella mad."

She simply laughed and shrugged. "I'm just playing around, James. She can't be jealous or anything. Right?"

Sofia smiled up at Gabriella, trying to cut through the tension. "So, Miss Gabriella, what would you like to do?"

The dark-haired girl looked down at the younger princess and then glanced toward Cedric. "Well, Finny was going to teach me a memory spell and never did. Maybe we can start there?"

Cedric blinked, surprised by his colleague's nickname from the sorceress in training, and then just chuckled with a shrug. "I don't see why not. We must be careful, though. One wrong slip of words, and memories could start vanishing left and right. And we wouldn't want that to happen." He glanced at Sofia and nodded up to his workshop, a hint she took so she could run and get the spell book.

Gabriella smirked and looked back toward Amber, who was obliviously laughing and talking with her brother. "No…we wouldn't want that."

To be continued

A/N: Ooh, I'm having fun with this. :D But I don't want it to get too long, so I'm going to split this story into chapters. It won't be a very long story like "Timey Wimey" or "Hostage" or anything. Simultaneously, I'm working on a story called "Starry Eyes," and guess what? Hildy is the star of the show. :D And that story is going to be pretty entertaining, along the lines of "Mood Swings" I'd say. Haha. Well, that's the first chapter! The second chapter will be out soon—hopefully this weekend. I'll see what I can do! :)

~AquaTurquoise