Chapter 17

Harry looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "What did Dumbledore say you couldn't tell me?" Gwynny sighed. She knew she shouldn't say anything, and now she was beginning to doubt she should.

"Harry, I-" Suddenly, she felt herself become as light as air, and she left the hospital wing, heading for the bright vortex of red, gold, white, blue, purple and green light that had suddenly appeared in front of her…

~*~

"Uh, hello?" Danni called out, as she and Kati entered the shop. A pretty brunette with dark blue eyes looked around, from where she'd been putting silver athames on a shelf.

"Hi," She said, smiling at them. She had neat, straight white teeth, which made Kati think of the toothpaste commercials she sometimes saw when visiting Aunt Hermione. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah, we're looking for something that can help us bring a sister back."

"Is, she, like, lost?" The girl asked. "I'm Nancy by the way."

"Hi, Nancy, I'm Danniella, and this is my friend Katharine. No, she's not…lost, as such, but her soul is, if you get what I mean."

"Ah," Nancy looked sympathetic. "So you're looking for a Lost Soul's Spell. Right. Well, first you need the spell…" She turned back to the shelf, and shuffled through some rolled up parchment. But it didn't really look like parchment; it was too thin, and as white as snow. Kati was impressed by the fine craft. We could probably learn a thing or two from muggles. She thought contemplatively. "Here we go." She handed the spell to Kati, who looked it over.

'Powers of the witches rise
Course unseen across the skies
Come to us who call you near
Come to us and settle here
Blood to blood I summon thee
Blood to blood return to me'

She read. Danni was reading it over her shoulder.

"Cool." She remarked. "I've never heard of that before. Is it a new incantation?"

"Oh, no," Nancy shook her head. "It's been around for centuries. The ancient witches of Salem used it at one point. Of course, it's been translated into English since then. It used to be in Spanish. For it to work, you need…" She scanned the paper in front of her; it had been a part of it.

"Lemme see…you need a pound of yarrow root, a sprig of cypress, and a pinch of rosemary. Crush them together in a mortar, and then add to simmering Kwicksilver Essence. Then stir twice widdershins, and say the first four lines of the Incantation. After that, add two drops of the sibling's blood, the sibling of the Lost Soul, I mean, and stir again with a unicorn horn. Dunno where you get them. Say the last two lines, and then repeat the whole spell.

Make sure to open the circle, and close it after you, or the magic could go wild. You need five candles all 12 inches, A white one, scented with Ylang Ylang, a red one, scented with Peppermint, a blue one, scented with Thyme, a yellow one, scented with Roman Chamomile, and a pink one, scented with Geranium. The yellow is air; red is fire, blue water, pink earth, and white, spirit. Make sure to place them in the correct places, or you'll have a fiasco." Danni and Kati both nodded as one, dazed by the information. "Now, where are the candles?" She searched the room, and her face fell. "Oh dear, we don't seem to have any." She said miserably. Then her face brightened. "Wait! We got a new order in this morning!" Another customer came in then, a woman of about thirty, who said she was having trouble with Spirits. "Uh, do you think you could get them yourselves?" She asked, walking over to the customer, "Marie really needs my help." Kati nodded,

"Sure!" She said. "You've been a great help anyway. Where are they?"

"The back room. The crates are piled up there. The crate labelled 'candles' is the right one." Nancy called over her shoulder, walking away.

Kati followed Danni through the small door, into the back room, and gulped. It looked like this might be harder than she'd thought. There were boxes everywhere! Piled into every available corner.

"Ok, then, let's get started." Danni said shakily.

"Right." Kati nodded. "We'll start at the top. Hold onto this box, while I climb up, won't you?" She began climbing.

~*~

"What's the matter, Ginny?" Harry asked, poking his head out of the kitchen, all the while hoping that there aren't any cookie crumbs around his mouth.

"Harry, don't eat the cookies, it's almost tea time." No such luck. "But on to more serious matters, come here," Harry walked into the room, and sat down on the couch. Ginny sat down next to him.

"Ok, now what's the problem?" Harry asked.

"Look," Ginny shoved the photo album at him. Harry studied the picture. "Do you remember when this was taken?"

"Yeah, in your fifth year. You'd been acting a bit oddly, and refused to let Colin anywhere near you, so he got Hermione to snap this picture of you for the yearbook. Why?"

"Look at the eyes, Harry."

"I can't, she's not facing us." Just then, the picture-Ginny turned around, and Harry got a good look at her eyes. "Oh. My. God."

~*~

"Are you holding those boxes, Dan, coz this feels a bit rickety." Kati said.

"Yes, I'm holding the bloody boxes." Danni snapped. She was feeling a bit antsy; they'd been here too long.

"Ooh, feisty."

"Shut up."

"Whoa!" Kati exclaimed. Danni watched in horror, as Kati tipped to the side, and all the boxes fell over. She fell to the floor and hit her head.

"Kati?" Danni cried in alarm, as blood seeped from a cut on Kati's head.

~*~

Kati moaned, as she felt herself surface. Her head hurt terribly, and she opened her eyes blearily, then shut them again, as the harsh light assaulted her eyes.

"Kati? Omigod, Kati, please wake up. Omigod, Omigod, Omigod, Omigod." She heard Danni babble.

"Ow, my head." Kati moaned, sitting up, and shielding her eyes.

"Oh, thank Merlin, you're ok! I was so worried! Are you alright? Does your head hurt? Are you dizzy? Just tell me what's wrong!" Danni gibbered.

"Danni, relax, I'm fine." Kati said, although she felt a bit woozy. She brushed her hand over her forehead, and was surprised when it came back covered in blood. "Ugh, I hate blood." She muttered, wiping her hand on her rather dirty jeans. Danni took a band-aid out of her pocket, and, with a small spell, cleaned the wound before affixing the bandage.

"Sorry, but there's no way I could heal it." She said apologetically.

"Danni, I know that," Kati said, "After all, we're in the same year!"

"I know, but everyone thinks I know everything, and I kinda assumed you did too, I guess." Danni mumbled. Kati smiled.

"I realise that you don't know everything, and I don't care. Let's just get these candles, and get out of here, shall we?"

"Uh, guys?" Both girls looked up, and Danni quickly hid her wand, as Nancy poked her head in. "I am so sorry, I'm such a ditz! I put the candles on the wrong shelf. Come on out here, and I'll get them for you." They followed her out, got the candles, paid, and, sighing thankfully, they left.

~Preview of Chapter 18~

Fawkes came back, dragging a slender red-haired girl of about 15.

"What is wrong, Fawkes?" The girl asked angrily, "I mean, not that I'm angry with you for getting me away from wherever I was, but I should be in the Tower! Er…hi, Professor,"

They have their stuff…now what will they do with it? Find out next time on – *is hit over the head by her sister.* Ow! Sorry, please r/r