Opening the Circle
*** *** ***
Drew went down the steps of the Halliwell manor. He yawned, rubbing his eyes, having lost sleep with being in a new house, a new bed, and hearing new sounds in the night. He walked to the kitchen, where all his family but one were caught up in their Daily Morning Ritual.
Basking in the morning sunlight was Pru, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper at the same time. Xan seemed to be hunting for milk to go with his cereal (I'll get some of that later, Drew decided). Julia was eating yogurt (yuck) and watching Mr. Inne clip branches from a scrawny tree, Aunt Paige's voice muted by thick glass windows as she seemed to be talking to the preoccupied gardener.
"Hey, Aunt Paige is taking us around 'Frisco. You better get ready," said Julia, throwing the yogurt cup in the trash can, and going out of the kitchen.
"Julia's right," said Aunt Paige, coming from the back door. "Eat up and get ready. We should be going in a while."
"I don't think I'm going," said Xan. "I don't feel well."
Pru looked at him with a piercing glare from her steely blue eyes, as if Xan was doing something wrong. Was he?
Aunt Paige looked curiously his way. "I'm sorry about your sleep, dear. Oh! The beds are coming today! I forgot! I guess everything does happen for a reason!"
Drew cleared his throat. "Um, Aunt Paige, I don't think we should leave Xan here alone. I think I'll stay, too."
Aunt Paige laughed. "Well I guess it's a girl's day out! You guys will just have to see San Francisco another time!"
All that time, Pru was sitting down on her chair, her lips pressed together. I'll get to the bottom of this, thought Drew.
*** *** ***
Xan and Drew waved goodbye to their sisters and aunt, as they drove away from the house. Closing the door, Drew said "Okay, they're gone. Spill it."
Xan's brow furrowed. "Spill what?"
"Do you honestly want me to believe that you're sick?"
"Yes."
"And Pru throws her trademark Stare Maneuver? Yeah right."
Xan sighed, elbowing Drew out of his way. You think you'll get away from this? Drew thought. Just wait.
*** *** ***
Drew was in the kitchen, fixing himself a grilled cheese sandwich. Helping the beds people took the breath out of him. Drew suddenly remembered Xan. He hadn't seen him since the others left. Where was he?
Drew had just come from Pru's/Julia's bedroom and theirs, so that ruled those out. He wouldn't be in Aunt Paige's room. And he wasn't in the kitchen obviously. Drew walked down the hall, eating his sandwich and peeping inside the different parts of the house. Stepping out the front door, Drew surveyed the street, and went around the manor. Mr. Inne was still tending to the various sprawling plants of the backyard, when Drew came up to him to pop his question.
"Hey, um, Mr. Inne. Seen Xan, my twin? Looks exactly like me, only he's a scrawny version of me?"
Mr. Inne looked at him, eyes blank and cold. A few seconds passed before he shook his head slowly, so much that Drew had almost thought he only imagined the gardener's head movement.
"...Thanks."
Ooooh-kay, Drew thought as he entered through the kitchen door. That was weird. Maybe he was deaf?
Shaking the incident out of his mind, he got back to his main quest. Where else could Xan be? He made his way up the steps to their rooms, when he remembered. The attic! Maybe for some miracle, Xan got the attic door open!
Drew chuckled to himself. Oh hell, might as well check it out. He made it to the sitting room, and went up the steps to the attic. Drew could see that the door was ajar, the light of midday streaming through.
"Ha! I knew you were here!" yelled Drew, slamming open the old attic door.
Xan made a face. "What are YOU doing here?"
"Just looking out for my one and only twin brother. Ey, What you got there?" Drew said, pointing at the thick book Xan was holding.
"It's a... book of shadows-" replied Xan, as Drew crossed the room and snatched the book from his hands. "Hey!"
"Kewl." Drew flipped the pages looking at the sketches of the faces of some ugly people. He closed it and looked at the heavy book binding and cover. "A booka-what?"
"Book. Of. Shadows. Give me that," Xan said, taking the book back and placing it on the bookstand. "You're staining it."
Drew smirked. "Anyway, want to join me for lunch? I'm making sandwiches. You can cook too if you want. But if you want to chip in some cash, we could get a pi-"
All of a sudden, the book opened, and its pages began to flip.
Drew froze. No wind. No windows, actually. Door closed. Xan wasn't touching it. How could- "Okay, is this a trick? Are you doing it?"
"I'm not doing it," answered Xan, looking at the page the book had flipped to.
"Okay, this is creepy. Are you sure you're not doing it? Maybe Aunt Paige does these things, too."
"It's the same page," said Xan. He began to read silently.
Wha?" Drew came closer, peering at the same page his brother was reading. "This is a book of what?"
"Shadows. It's a book that witch- Wiccans keep, like a journal. But this, I don't know. It's got some weird things in it.
"When I was here awhile ago, the pages flipped too, and it stopped at this. I think it's a spell, or an incantation, at the least."
"Okay, it was fine when you went into that witch idea," said Drew, "but don't think I'll be pulled into that stuff."
"Read," forced Xan. Drew rolled his eyes and began to read.
"*Hear now the words of the witches
The secrets we hid in the night*"
"What is this? Maybe we should just go downstairs get some lunch and-" Drew stared at his brother. Xan looked transfixed on reading the strange spell. "Okay, hello? Earth to Xan?" But Xan was hypnotized. He continued the incantation.
"*The oldest of gods are invoked here.
The great work of magic is sought.*"
The boom of thunder reverberated through the whole house. Drew hadn't noticed the rain. Lightning struck at a distance. Xan was still reading. This time, the words seemed to shift, like the game they used to play at camp. A guy would tell a story, and leave it hanging. And the next person would continue it, sometimes changing the situation so drastically, the essence of the former story was lost.
Xan's voice began to sound different, alien.
"*Sisters, brothers, four towers unite
In the midst of darkness, there shines the light
We here summon the power of four
We witches triumph, let evil be no more.*"
With these last words, Drew felt overwhelming energy around the room. He looked at Xan, who shook his head and squinted, trying to understand just what had happened. And Drew thought he saw a gold light enveloping his brother.
"What did you do?" asked Drew.
For a few minutes, nothing but silence filled the room.
Xan looked at Drew with a stupid look on his face. Drew would have laughed, if not for the writing which was slowly popping up on the page.
"Xan, look," Drew said. He began to read when he realized that what he was reading – was his mother's handwriting.
"*To my children,
First off, I'm sorry for what I have done. I have left you at a wrong
time, and was not there to help you in troubled times. I understand
what you have gone through, and ask that you forgive me.
I understand that you are at our manor, and have read the incantation.
Now know the truth. You are witches. Not the Wiccan tradition
which you, Xan, follow, but powerful, magical, butt-kicking witches.
Yes, even I didn't believe it at first, but when I froze time, your
Aunt Prue began to move things with her mind, and your Aunt Phoebe got
premonitions, I knew it was true.
Know also that you are GOOD witches, and that evil also lives. You
will gain powers, special abilities to aid you in defeating the evil,
and to save innocents. This book will also help you, it is a part of
you and our Halliwell lineage- the spirits of our ancestors live
through in the Book of Shadows.
Be careful, as others may not understand what you do. You must always
hide your true selves. Carelessness can lead to your doom.
Lastly, know that the power resides not in your individual abilities.
Not in the book. But in the bond of family. Between sisters and
brothers. As long as your love for each other lives, so does the
threefold power.
Remember that we will always be with you.
Love, Hugs and Kisses,
Mom*"
"Drew? Xan? Where are you?" called Aunt Paige.
Xan hurriedly closed the book, as he and Drew dashed to the attic door, when Aunt Paige, a little wet from the rain, surprise on her face, stood in their way.
"Guys! So you've been here all this time! How'd you get the attic door open?"
Aunt Paige entered the attic, as Drew looked over to Xan, relying on him for an explanation.
"Actually, the door opened itself," explained Pru following their aunt. "Xan and I were here last night. I was trying to open the door, and it swung open."
Julia followed her older sister, looking around the attic room. "Wow, you've never been able to open this?"
"Ever since Piper left. I guess she left the door locked." Aunt Paige went over to the book stand. "Have you touched this?" she said, pointing to the book. "Have you read this?"
Xan nodded. Drew did the same. "Xan- he said it's a Book of... Shadows. It's got some weird things in it."
"It's got things I've never heard of, or seen. Strange spells and... demons..." Xan continued.
Aunt Paige regarded them silently. Pru and Julia's eyes traveled to the book, and then to their brother.
"Are you a witch?" asked Xan.
*** *** ***
Drew went down the steps of the Halliwell manor. He yawned, rubbing his eyes, having lost sleep with being in a new house, a new bed, and hearing new sounds in the night. He walked to the kitchen, where all his family but one were caught up in their Daily Morning Ritual.
Basking in the morning sunlight was Pru, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper at the same time. Xan seemed to be hunting for milk to go with his cereal (I'll get some of that later, Drew decided). Julia was eating yogurt (yuck) and watching Mr. Inne clip branches from a scrawny tree, Aunt Paige's voice muted by thick glass windows as she seemed to be talking to the preoccupied gardener.
"Hey, Aunt Paige is taking us around 'Frisco. You better get ready," said Julia, throwing the yogurt cup in the trash can, and going out of the kitchen.
"Julia's right," said Aunt Paige, coming from the back door. "Eat up and get ready. We should be going in a while."
"I don't think I'm going," said Xan. "I don't feel well."
Pru looked at him with a piercing glare from her steely blue eyes, as if Xan was doing something wrong. Was he?
Aunt Paige looked curiously his way. "I'm sorry about your sleep, dear. Oh! The beds are coming today! I forgot! I guess everything does happen for a reason!"
Drew cleared his throat. "Um, Aunt Paige, I don't think we should leave Xan here alone. I think I'll stay, too."
Aunt Paige laughed. "Well I guess it's a girl's day out! You guys will just have to see San Francisco another time!"
All that time, Pru was sitting down on her chair, her lips pressed together. I'll get to the bottom of this, thought Drew.
*** *** ***
Xan and Drew waved goodbye to their sisters and aunt, as they drove away from the house. Closing the door, Drew said "Okay, they're gone. Spill it."
Xan's brow furrowed. "Spill what?"
"Do you honestly want me to believe that you're sick?"
"Yes."
"And Pru throws her trademark Stare Maneuver? Yeah right."
Xan sighed, elbowing Drew out of his way. You think you'll get away from this? Drew thought. Just wait.
*** *** ***
Drew was in the kitchen, fixing himself a grilled cheese sandwich. Helping the beds people took the breath out of him. Drew suddenly remembered Xan. He hadn't seen him since the others left. Where was he?
Drew had just come from Pru's/Julia's bedroom and theirs, so that ruled those out. He wouldn't be in Aunt Paige's room. And he wasn't in the kitchen obviously. Drew walked down the hall, eating his sandwich and peeping inside the different parts of the house. Stepping out the front door, Drew surveyed the street, and went around the manor. Mr. Inne was still tending to the various sprawling plants of the backyard, when Drew came up to him to pop his question.
"Hey, um, Mr. Inne. Seen Xan, my twin? Looks exactly like me, only he's a scrawny version of me?"
Mr. Inne looked at him, eyes blank and cold. A few seconds passed before he shook his head slowly, so much that Drew had almost thought he only imagined the gardener's head movement.
"...Thanks."
Ooooh-kay, Drew thought as he entered through the kitchen door. That was weird. Maybe he was deaf?
Shaking the incident out of his mind, he got back to his main quest. Where else could Xan be? He made his way up the steps to their rooms, when he remembered. The attic! Maybe for some miracle, Xan got the attic door open!
Drew chuckled to himself. Oh hell, might as well check it out. He made it to the sitting room, and went up the steps to the attic. Drew could see that the door was ajar, the light of midday streaming through.
"Ha! I knew you were here!" yelled Drew, slamming open the old attic door.
Xan made a face. "What are YOU doing here?"
"Just looking out for my one and only twin brother. Ey, What you got there?" Drew said, pointing at the thick book Xan was holding.
"It's a... book of shadows-" replied Xan, as Drew crossed the room and snatched the book from his hands. "Hey!"
"Kewl." Drew flipped the pages looking at the sketches of the faces of some ugly people. He closed it and looked at the heavy book binding and cover. "A booka-what?"
"Book. Of. Shadows. Give me that," Xan said, taking the book back and placing it on the bookstand. "You're staining it."
Drew smirked. "Anyway, want to join me for lunch? I'm making sandwiches. You can cook too if you want. But if you want to chip in some cash, we could get a pi-"
All of a sudden, the book opened, and its pages began to flip.
Drew froze. No wind. No windows, actually. Door closed. Xan wasn't touching it. How could- "Okay, is this a trick? Are you doing it?"
"I'm not doing it," answered Xan, looking at the page the book had flipped to.
"Okay, this is creepy. Are you sure you're not doing it? Maybe Aunt Paige does these things, too."
"It's the same page," said Xan. He began to read silently.
Wha?" Drew came closer, peering at the same page his brother was reading. "This is a book of what?"
"Shadows. It's a book that witch- Wiccans keep, like a journal. But this, I don't know. It's got some weird things in it.
"When I was here awhile ago, the pages flipped too, and it stopped at this. I think it's a spell, or an incantation, at the least."
"Okay, it was fine when you went into that witch idea," said Drew, "but don't think I'll be pulled into that stuff."
"Read," forced Xan. Drew rolled his eyes and began to read.
"*Hear now the words of the witches
The secrets we hid in the night*"
"What is this? Maybe we should just go downstairs get some lunch and-" Drew stared at his brother. Xan looked transfixed on reading the strange spell. "Okay, hello? Earth to Xan?" But Xan was hypnotized. He continued the incantation.
"*The oldest of gods are invoked here.
The great work of magic is sought.*"
The boom of thunder reverberated through the whole house. Drew hadn't noticed the rain. Lightning struck at a distance. Xan was still reading. This time, the words seemed to shift, like the game they used to play at camp. A guy would tell a story, and leave it hanging. And the next person would continue it, sometimes changing the situation so drastically, the essence of the former story was lost.
Xan's voice began to sound different, alien.
"*Sisters, brothers, four towers unite
In the midst of darkness, there shines the light
We here summon the power of four
We witches triumph, let evil be no more.*"
With these last words, Drew felt overwhelming energy around the room. He looked at Xan, who shook his head and squinted, trying to understand just what had happened. And Drew thought he saw a gold light enveloping his brother.
"What did you do?" asked Drew.
For a few minutes, nothing but silence filled the room.
Xan looked at Drew with a stupid look on his face. Drew would have laughed, if not for the writing which was slowly popping up on the page.
"Xan, look," Drew said. He began to read when he realized that what he was reading – was his mother's handwriting.
"*To my children,
First off, I'm sorry for what I have done. I have left you at a wrong
time, and was not there to help you in troubled times. I understand
what you have gone through, and ask that you forgive me.
I understand that you are at our manor, and have read the incantation.
Now know the truth. You are witches. Not the Wiccan tradition
which you, Xan, follow, but powerful, magical, butt-kicking witches.
Yes, even I didn't believe it at first, but when I froze time, your
Aunt Prue began to move things with her mind, and your Aunt Phoebe got
premonitions, I knew it was true.
Know also that you are GOOD witches, and that evil also lives. You
will gain powers, special abilities to aid you in defeating the evil,
and to save innocents. This book will also help you, it is a part of
you and our Halliwell lineage- the spirits of our ancestors live
through in the Book of Shadows.
Be careful, as others may not understand what you do. You must always
hide your true selves. Carelessness can lead to your doom.
Lastly, know that the power resides not in your individual abilities.
Not in the book. But in the bond of family. Between sisters and
brothers. As long as your love for each other lives, so does the
threefold power.
Remember that we will always be with you.
Love, Hugs and Kisses,
Mom*"
"Drew? Xan? Where are you?" called Aunt Paige.
Xan hurriedly closed the book, as he and Drew dashed to the attic door, when Aunt Paige, a little wet from the rain, surprise on her face, stood in their way.
"Guys! So you've been here all this time! How'd you get the attic door open?"
Aunt Paige entered the attic, as Drew looked over to Xan, relying on him for an explanation.
"Actually, the door opened itself," explained Pru following their aunt. "Xan and I were here last night. I was trying to open the door, and it swung open."
Julia followed her older sister, looking around the attic room. "Wow, you've never been able to open this?"
"Ever since Piper left. I guess she left the door locked." Aunt Paige went over to the book stand. "Have you touched this?" she said, pointing to the book. "Have you read this?"
Xan nodded. Drew did the same. "Xan- he said it's a Book of... Shadows. It's got some weird things in it."
"It's got things I've never heard of, or seen. Strange spells and... demons..." Xan continued.
Aunt Paige regarded them silently. Pru and Julia's eyes traveled to the book, and then to their brother.
"Are you a witch?" asked Xan.