Disclaimer: I don't anything from either Harry Potter or Charmed and I am not making a profit from this story.
Chapter Twelve: The Amazing Race
It was a dark and chilly evening, and Dolores Jane Umbridge was travelling out of the Hogwarts grounds. Dressed warmly in an overcoat and pink, fluffy earmuffs she walked into Hogsmeade and apparated to the Ministry of Magic in London.
"Minister," Umbridge called out as she walked into the office of the political head of the British magical community, "I have news from Hogwarts."
"Hmm, about?"
"Cole Turner. You know that I expressed fears of a reprisal when I learnt of his demonic nature. His ex-wife is a Charmed One. And according to our intelligence, they have been working with Dumbledore. And there are these Elders from that world. Too many powerful people that all believe He Who Must Not Be Named has returned."
"Your point is well conceded. But what do you think that we can do about it?"
"Fire Turner. He has a lot of influence on the students. They all seem to trust him. He wields a great power to change the minds of all those students. And when he does, their parents will not be far behind."
"We can't fire Turner, as you said, he has too much influence now. The Elders want him to remain at Hogwarts and these are people that I dare not go up against. Keep your focus on Dumbledore. As soon as you get wind of anything suspicious, we can arrest him. And with his mentor gone, Turner will lose most of his authority in our magical community."
Umbridge smiled at this plan and bid the Minister good night.
oOo
"When were you going to tell me that Harry joined you several weeks ago on your demon-hunting venture to the Underworld, Cole?" asked Dumbledore slyly. He already knew the answer.
"It, uh, slipped my mind, Sir. Look okay it was the reason I decided to give him the extra classes. How long have you known? Oh, never mind I know you're not going to tell me. But he's good."
"I know that he's good, Cole. I know that you've made very good friends with him. But he's fifteen, did anyone see you down there with him?"
"No, we vanquished the four demons we came across. And then we returned to Hogwarts. We weren't gone for more than an hour, Sir. I don't think you seem to understand how good a magical fighter Harry is."
"He survived the tournament last year. There is no denying that he's an excellent wizard. But demon vanquishes, Cole? Are you sure he's ready?"
"Absolutely. Without a doubt he's ready to go on to greater things. He has courage enough to fight Voldemort time and time again, he is rebelling against Umbridge and the oppression of the Ministry and he's loyal to his friends and to you. He's like me, two years ago."
"I know. And I know that's why you've taken him under your wing," the old wizard sighed, "No more demon vanquishes."
Cole smiled knowing that he was probably going to break that rule.
"Anyway, Sir. I've found another way to get to my son. I'm sure he's in Limbo, so I've read up on how to use water as a portal, but I don't think I can do it alone. I'm calling in a favour from a Zen master I helped when I came back from the Wasteland, before I went crazy."
"And how will you find him when you get there?"
"Paige sent me another summoning spell from the Book of Shadows. I only need to swap sister with son and it should work."
"Miss Matthews gave you the spell?" Dumbledore looked at him incredulously.
"Yeah, well I think she wants me to find my son." Cole shrugged.
"Well let's hope it works this time."
oOo
"Open a window, will you Pheebs," Paige asked, "There's no air up here. How can you breathe?"
Phoebe was sitting on the floor of the attic with the Book of Shadows and various spells she'd written strewn around her.
"Okay, honey, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to find my son, what does it look like I'm doing?" Phoebe told her, not even bothering to look up from her work.
"Umm, Cole's doing that and he has access to a lot more resources than we do. Maybe you should leave it with him."
Phoebe laughed. "Ha, yeah okay, Paige."
"You don't trust Cole?"
She laughed again. "No," Phoebe replied simply. "When I find my son, I'm going to keep Cole away from him. After everything he's done to me," she hesitated, "My son does not deserve to be brought up with that baggage."
"So wait, you're looking for him and Cole's looking for him? And whoever finds him first gets to keep him?"
"Mm hmm," she answered, still not looking up.
"Okay, well the mortals have the Amazing Race. Why can't we have it, too?"
Phoebe slammed down the pad of paper she was writing on.
"Do you think this is a joke? Look, go downstairs if you're not going to help me."
"I'm not going to help you. I think you should be working with Cole," Paige replied, leaving her older sister alone in the attic.
oOo
"Okay, guys is everybody in position? Tan-Lo should be here any minute." Cole asked his trio of young helpers.
"Are you really expecting to get to Limbo through that pool of water?" Ron questioned confusedly.
There was a knock at the door and Hermione answered it, letting in Dumbledore who was guiding the old Zen master.
"Are you ready, my young friend?" Tan-Lo asked Cole.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"Cole, have you got the spell?" Dumbledore asked before they left.
Cole showed him the piece of paper in his pocket.
"Be careful and if something doesn't feel right, shimmer back here immediately."
Cole nodded as he stepped into the water with the old master and together they disappeared.
oOo
"You're going to cast the 'To find a lost love spell'?!" Piper yelled drawing Paige up to the attic.
"What's going on up here?"
"Phoebe, is going to cast the 'To find a lost love spell' to find her baby!" Piper replied smugly.
"Look, in theory, it should work the same way it did when I used it to find Cole more than a year ago."
"Yeah, well we're not 'in theory', Phoebe, this is the real world with real flaming death," exclaimed Piper.
"Look I'm going to say it and when you want me back you have say the reversal spell, okay?"
"What happens if you find him, how are you going to bring him back?" Paige asked.
Phoebe scrunched her eyebrows. "I'm saying the damn spell now." And she lit the candles she'd set up in the circle.
'Whither my love,
Wherever you be,
Through time and space,
Take my heart near to thee.'
And she passed out.
"Maybe we should say the reversal spell now," said Paige, with a smile that Piper returned.
oOo
"Phoebe?!"
Cole had, only minutes ago, come through the clouds to land on the ground in a Limbo that he didn't expect to see. The ground was a desert, the sky was red with anger and smoke filled his lungs. He also didn't expect a projection of his ex-wife to appear moments later.
"Phoebe, what are you doing here?" Cole asked grabbing her arms.
"I cast the 'To find a lost love spell' and I ended up here, with ... Never mind. Let go of me," she said as she shook him off.
"Hurry. Say the spell, Cole. We cannot stay for too long," Tan-Lo told him.
'In this night and in this hour,
I call upon the ancient power,
Bring back my son,
Bring him back to me.'
"Where'd you get that?" Phoebe asked.
"Paige," Cole replied simply.
Phoebe sighed. She did not know that her sister was working with her ex-husband.
All of a sudden, there was a bright light, almost like a sunrise, to the east.
Cole started to run in that direction, with Phoebe and Tan-Lo following him.
There were hills and valleys to conquer before he reached the light, but Cole did not care and neither did Phoebe. Tan-Lo, however, no longer wished to be a part of this endeavour.
"You two can get back on your own when you find your son. I was not made for these types of missions," replied the old Zen master.
Cole nodded in acceptance and Tan-Lo levitated himself to the clouds and disappeared.
"We have to move quickly," Cole said and Phoebe agreed.
They made it to the source of the light to see a baby no older than eighteen months walking towards them.
They ran to him as he lifted up his arms, as if waiting to be picked up. But then, unexpectedly, both adults were hit from a blow to the side.
"Not again," Cole muttered as he scrambled to his feet to grab his son. But he couldn't move. He found himself being pulled backwards, turning around to see that he and Phoebe were being sucked down into a vortex in the sand.
"NO!" Cole screamed as he tried to get to the baby, but it was no use. The vortex pulled them down, back into the natural world.
Cole felt himself fly and then land on the soft grass outside the Hogwarts castle, Phoebe landing on top of him.
"Dammit," he thought aloud, "So close."
