A/N: This chapter's a bit longer, yes? It's together now, I roughly know what is going to happen, the legacy and so on... yadda, yadda, yadda. Oh, and I realise this sounds a little strange... a happy pot! Haha, don't ask. Oh, and I realise the quote 'it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live' is taken out of Harry Potter, it's not my quote people! Just so you know. There should be another update before Christmas, but if I don't get the chance then, well, Merry Christmas! Now, on with the story!

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'Rosemary?'

'Check.'

'Mandrake Roots?'

'Check.'

'Snake Venom?'

'Check.'

A pot bubbled merrily over the stove, in the kitchen of Halliwell Manor. This pot had not been used for many years, but now it held all manner of potion ingredients, ranging from everyday garden herbs to rare and unusual animal parts. It was a happy pot.

'So, tell me again, what does this potion do?' asked Piper, sitting on a bench observing the 'Potion Mistresses' at work. Bekky sat across bench, the Book of Shadows propped open in front of her, as the child repeated a potion's recipe from the book. Paige stood nearby, tending to the bubbling pot; a smug and somewhat fulfilled expression across her face. As Bekky said each ingredient, Paige would pick them up from their appropriate dishes and jars and add them to the potion, which was starting to smell quite unusual, from what though Piper wasn't sure she needed to know.

'Protection Potion,' stated Paige simply. She seemed quite happy to be back in action, evident by her sudden willingness to converse with the family, and Piper - not wanting to ruin her half-sisters good mood - chose wisely not to comment further.

'We need a plan here,' said Phoebe from where she stood leaning against the doorframe. 'So far we've got the potions, but how are we going to find them, and what are we going to do if he won't cooperate? We don't know enough about him to just vanquish him, what if he is family?'

The question hung in the air, suspended, unanswerable.

Nobody was sure of anything about the boy, Ben. It seemed he was demonic, had inherited the Source's powers even, but then why did he look so much like Cole, and why did he possess witch powers? Minds had been reeling, quick thinking all the way, but the only explanation that was even slightly justified was that he was the child that Phoebe and Cole had conceived while Cole was on his reign as Source. The only problem being with that explanation, was that the woman who had been carrying the child after she had kidnapped him/her from Phoebe, the Seer, had tried to use the Source's powers within the unborn baby to her own advantage and in turn blown them both to smithereens. The child was dead.

'I think we should check with the Elders, see what they know,' said Paige, breaking the silence.

Piper turned back around to look at her youngest sister. Paige proceeded to stir the potion, acting oblivious to her sister's gaze. Carefully, Piper studied her sister's face, her eyes tracing over every line, every crease, taking in the eyes - eyes that had seen horrors that none should have ever witnessed - tracing the cheekbones, and down the jaw, then moving back up to focus on the streaked hair. What was once a lively red was now streaked with grey. Overall, her sister's appearance looked hardened. No longer was Paige the lively woman, thrilled to find her family and inheritance. No more was she hotheaded and carefree. Instead, now, Paige looked older then her years, a woman who had been through too much, a tortured soul clinging onto the threads of sanity.

'Only problem is that we don't have a certain someone around to check with the Elders now, do we?' asked Phoebe, cutting through Piper's thoughts.

'Melinda can orb,' came Paige's direct, no-nonsense reply.

'I'll go,' piped Melinda, whom had been sitting in the corner, silent, until now. 'Though, maybe someone should come with me, Aunt Phoebe?'

'Sure, sweetheart, let's go. Up there. Just focus on the clouds… do they call it heaven? Or just 'up there'?' said Phoebe.

'Just 'up there' I think,' answered Piper.

'Up there, got it,' said Melinda, taking hold of Phoebe's hand. Piper watched as they disappeared in a flurry of orbs, then turned away as a river of memories washed through her thoughts. Leo.

'No use dwelling on the past now, Piper, it's over with,' said Paige. Piper didn't turn around to face her, instead focusing on the wall. How was it that Paige could pick up on her thoughts so quick, and furthermore, what gave Paige the right to tell her what to think?

'You can't save Kaitlyn if you're too caught up in the past. It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live.'

Piper smiled.

'You're right, Paige,' said Piper, 'unfortunately, it's not quite as easy as that.'

Paige's response to this only managed to trigger another set of thoughts and stir more memories in Piper's mind.

'Isn't it?'

If only it were that simple.

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'It's what you were born to do.'

'No.'

'This is who you are, what you are, it is your destiny.'

'No.'

'You can't fight it, it's a part of you.'

'No!'

He turned to face the girl. This girl - she was his fate. His destiny. She was his choice, his one chance - kill her and embrace who he was, or cave in to weakness and die a coward's death. She held herself in a calm and collected manner, but the eyes gave her away. Staring into her eyes, he found himself gazing into pools of fear, ignited like an icy fire and burning with unseen rage. As he gazed into the dark brown, soulful orbs he struggled to battle against the evil stirring within the dark recesses of his mind. She was the light, the good, everything he was supposed to stand against for, she was the dirt beneath his shoes, a beggar on the street -

So then why couldn't he find the courage to kill her?

From behind him he could hear the steady breathing of the woman - the woman who was convinced that he was evil - and she was going out of her way to prove herself to him. He didn't know her - hell, he'd never even seen her before! But somehow she knew him, and she was positive of his dark heritage.

'I'm not evil,' said Ben, his voice shaky. 'Serenity told me I wasn't.'

'Serenity lies,' hissed the woman. 'What is she to you?'

Ben turned to face her.

'Serenity's my mum.'

There was a pregnant pause, before a low cackle started up, slowly but surely increasing in volume until Ben could take it no more -

'What's so funny?'

The laughter stopped.

'I am your mother.'

'Prove it,' Ben challenged, not believing her even for a second.

'Born 13th November.'

'And?'

'Raised with the Shrock's.'

'And?'

'Divinus.'

Ben stopped. The puzzle pieces clicked into place, and for a moment Ben found himself speechless, before -

'Mum?!'

From beneath the hood of the cloak, a nasty, twisted grin appeared on the woman's face.

'I already told you that.'

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'Why didn't you bind their powers, then?'

'Because I never took a potions recipe with me, did I? That, and trying to keep clear of that lot,' a brief gesture at the ceiling, 'oh well, I guess it sort of worked out.'

The room lapsed into silence once more.

Piper studied the paint on the wall - faded, pale and chipping paint - her eyes scanning over every mark, every crack and every dent. Slowly her gaze moved to the worn and cracking tiles on the floor, tracing every groove, every rut -

A mini whirlwind of orbs signaled the return of Phoebe and Melinda. Piper didn't even turn around to welcome them back.

'Do I even want to know?' asked Piper bitterly.

'They're useless,' responded Phoebe, 'bloody useless! We are working our butts off here trying to save our family, and all they can do is try kick us out of 'up there' and then tell us that they know absolutely nothing about all the shit that's been happening!'

Piper turned around.

'Wow, Pheebs, your vocabulary has changed a little in ten years, hasn't it?'

Phoebe smiled wryly.

'If only we had those… what were they… Shrocks' around, I have a strange feeling they're somehow linked to this mess, yet I can't find them in the Book of Shadows anywhere and I have no idea how to summon one.'

Piper sighed dejectedly.

'Um… speaking of which,' Phoebe said, gesturing to behind Piper. Piper took a steadying breath, and turned around.

Standing in the doorway, barely taller than Melinda, yet rather intimidating, dressed from head to toe in black robes, with unmistakable black markings lining her face, was a Shrock.

'You,' hissed Piper, glaring dangerously.

'Is Ben here?' she asked softly.

'Why would he be, he took Kaitlyn! But you'd know all about that, I suppose?'

The Shrock blinked, seemingly taken back.

'Oh no…' she muttered, 'she's found him, oh no this is all wrong! You were meant to keep them safe!'

'What on earth…?'

'You incompetent fools! We let it go ten years ago with the hope that you'd have the brains to protect her! Isn't that what you were asked to do? Protect the child! And now… oh no…'

'Um, sweetie, what's your name?' asked Phoebe, heading for the friendly approach.

The Shrock looked up, startled.

'Serenity,' she replied slowly. 'I'm Ben's guardian.'

'Okay, and why was it so important that we protect Kaitlyn and Ben?'

'Because…' Serenity trailed off.

'Because…?' Phoebe prompted.

'The Star of Ivy.'

And with a puff of smoke, she was gone.

TBC