"What are you doing?" Lily asked.
"Finding the spell. Ah, here it is." I closed my eyes, calling to my sisters.
They walked in. "What is it, Prue?"
"The Blood Bond."
"Sounds mysterious. What is it?"
"It's a spell that allows two or more people to have a connection closer to blood. It will give Lily the protection of the Charmed Ones. Also, if you have kids, they will have greater powers. Don't ask me why, but I know that something is going to happen to you, Lily, one day. This is just a precaution."
"How does it work?"
"You form a circle and call upon the protection of our blood. Then you chant these words three times: olo memente, hasti ifre. Ready?"
"We call upon the bloodline of the Halliwells!"
"Olo memente, hasti ifre. Olo memente, hasti ifre. Olo memente, hasti ifre!"
I awoke with a jerk. The dream… The memory. Ever since we had returned to the wizarding world, I had been dreaming of Lily and James. My memories of them haunted me.
I slipped out of bed, knowing that it was useless to try to fall asleep again. Instead I decided to wander the new house. We had been there for a few days, but it was going take some getting used to. Everything will.
Someone was in the kitchen. It was Piper.
"What are you doing up so late?"
"I was hungry," she said as she sprayed some whipped cream on chocolate ice cream.
"Hungry at midnight?"
"Yup. I just had a craving for some ice cream."
I eyed her. "Have you gone to the doctor yet?"
"I don't need a doctor. Cravings are a normal part of life."
"Not your life. You're always so in control."
"So are you, but that doesn't stop you from doing some unusual stuff," she replied.
"Touché. I just think that you could be pregnant."
"No. I haven't been nauseous except for that one day. With Wyatt, nausea was a constant battle."
"Better safe than sorry."
"Why are you up?" Piper asked.
I looked out the window. "I had a dream about them. Every night, I see them. I always see them." Their faces flashed before my eyes. "If we had stayed, do you think… Do you think they would be alive?"
"I don't know. Leo said that we were supposed to be there, so I guess something happened. Maybe they were meant to be alive."
"That something sounds a lot like Voldemort's work. If we figure that out, I think everything will fall into place." We were silent for a while. "My dream was about the Blood Bond. Closer than blood… I thought that only applied to the blood protection. Now I think that it turned us into something closer than family."
"Meaning?"
"Lily's blood flows in our veins, our blood flows in Harry's veins," I explained. "The blood protection is kept alive because of our bond. I think the spell also gave Harry his power."
"Should we tell him?"
"No. He's got enough on his plate. He's very talented."
She nodded. "He's doing really well on his training. He has James's talent and Lily's determination. He doesn't realize it, though."
"He will eventually. Oh, this came for you today." I handed her a letter.
She opened it. "Daffodils? I wanted roses! One red rose, eleven white roses. Is that so hard?" She scribbled a reply. "I knew I should have gone with the old florist. Er, I'll have to change to deliver the letter."
"Your animal form is an owl?"
"Yeah. Want to see?"
"Yes," I replied. "When did you become an animagus, anyway?"
"In my sixth year. Remember how Phoebe said that I had a secret?"
"That was what it was?"
She smiled. "Phoebe's quite the empath." She shrank down and changed into an owl. She stuck out her leg.
I studied her new form. She made a few noises that seemed to imply that she wanted me to attach the letter to her leg. "Sorry. I was just a little surprised," I said as I tied the letter to her leg. She skillfully flew out the window. "Hmm."
I continued to wander the house. When Piper comes back, I'll have to tell her that she has an appointment with the doctor. She won't be too happy, but it's for her own good. I really should get to bed; tomorrow's my first day back at the Ministry. I don't know what I'll dream, though. Part of me looked forward to them—this I knew. I also knew that I couldn't keep remembering all these things. They were so sweet, but they were bitter too.
How many times did I have James in detention? Too many to count. He drove me crazy with his pranks, but they were always harmless. He was such a good man. And Lily… You couldn't find a kinder person. She was an angel on Earth. They should be alive now. They should, but they're not. Life isn't fair.
I paused before Harry's door. He has been handed such a heavy destiny. If his parents were alive, would he have this destiny? Of course, it could have to do with my spell. Nothing's for sure anymore.
I sighed and went back to bed.
"This isn't right, Prue," James said.
"I know, I know," I sighed.
"You have to bring them back."
"I can't. You know how Phoebe is. She won't come back."
"What about Piper?"
"She's as stubborn as Phoebe."
"What about Remus and Sirius? Phoebe loves Sirius; Piper loves Remus."
"Not anymore, I guess."
"Are you leaving?"
"I have no choice. The Power of Four will die if we're separated. I'd rather stay, but I can't."
"What about Voldemort?"
"Dumbledore will keep us posted. We'll do all that we can to defeat him."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"We'll be able to apparate to England any time. Be sure to tell us when the baby's born."
"How did you know about that?"
"I just know these things. Goodbye, James."
"Welcome back, Prudence. It's your lucky day. We've got a live one," Rachel said.
"What is it?"
"A kid turned her father into a pigeon."
"Oh. Any witnesses?"
"One muggle. John will take care of him. You get to reverse the spell."
"As for you?"
"I'll handle the girl."
I was back with the old team: John, Rachel, Lena, and Catty. The only one who had left was Demi. She had decided to work in a different part of the Ministry. John was still outnumbered by girls.
"Is it safe to apparate?" I asked.
"Yes. John, Catty, Lena, get over here."
The three put down their paperwork and came over. "Let's go."
CRACK. "Oh, thank God! You're the Reversal Squad, right?" a nervous woman asked.
"Yes," I confirmed. "Where is he?"
She went into the other room and came back with a pigeon. "My daughter was fighting with him, then…"
"Don't worry. We'll have him right in a jiffy."
"I'd like to talk to your daughter," Rachel said.
The woman quickly said, "It was an accident."
"We're not going to punish her," said Rachel. "I'd just like to talk with her."
The woman walked over to the stairs. "Amanda!"
A young girl, probably about thirteen, timidly came down the stairs. "Mom, I'm really sorry." She spotted us. "Who are these people?" She looked like she wanted to run back up the stairs.
"The Accidental Magic Reversal Squad," Rachel said. "I'd like to talk to you, Amanda."
She went off to do her part while I did my part.
"Informata decant." The pigeon began to grow and became a man. The woman flew over to him.
"Miss, we'll have to check him over," Lena said.
"Of course."
Catty and I were the ones who undid the spells. Lena was the one who made sure there was no damage. John specialized in modifying memories. We worked well together.
It was a rather short call. We moved onto two other calls involving an engorgement charm and a freezing spell. I loved my job.
After all the calls, there were always piles of paperwork. It's going to be a late night, I thought as I sat down at my desk.
A few hours in the work, my cell phone rang. Lena was the only one who understood the muggle items that I carried around. Everyone else thought I was crazy for living so much like a muggle. "Hello?"
"We have a problem. Phoebe is missing," Piper's voice said.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean she's gone. We're trying to scry for her, but we're not doing too well so far. Can you come home?"
"Yeah. I'm almost done with my paperwork."
"Good. Oh, two more things: Chris might be missing too and I'm pregnant."
"What?"
A loud click announced that she had hung up. Okay, don't worry too much. Knowing Phoebe, there's probably little need to worry… Still, after the incident with Cearbhall… And what about Chris? I haven't seen him in a while, but he's always disappearing.
I finished the paperwork and hurriedly got home. "I'm home! Where are you?"
"Phoebe's room!" came Paige's responding call.
I bounded up the stairs and burst into Phoebe's room. Harry, Paige, and Piper were sitting around a map.
"Teaching Harry how to scry?" I asked.
"Yup," Piper said. "It's a very useful skill."
"And no luck so far?"
She shook her head. "It's like she just disappeared."
"She hasn't gone to Valhalla, has she?"
"Not likely."
"Do you think she's in the Underworld?"
Piper sighed. "That seems likely. But we can't just pop into the Underworld."
I thought. "I might be able to find her. But you have to do something for me."
"What?"
"Frustrate me. Don't ask why. Just do it."
"How are we supposed to do that?"
"You know what drives me crazy."
Paige seemed to know what to say. "Phoebe's going back to the old ways. She disappeared just to run off with her old crowd."
Piper caught on. "She's abandoning her Charmed duties. She doesn't care about them anymore."
"More," I said.
"She took the Book with her."
"She might be trying to revive Cole."
"She's made it so that we can't contact Grams or anyone else."
The frustration grew. I concentrated on my telepathy.
I was chained to the wall in the dank darkness of the Underworld. "Cearbhall," Phoebe said hoarsely. "How could you do this?"
"Simple. While you were debating, I cast a spell on you. It allowed me to bring you back here. My master will be most pleased."
She spoke some colorful words.
"You'll come around soon."
"Prue?"
My eyes snapped open. I was back, but I still felt like part of me was somewhere else.
"I know where she is."
"Where?"
"Cearbhall's domain. That's where Phoebe is."
Piper
"No," I told Harry firmly. "You are not coming. Cearbhall is one of the many demons that follow Voldemort. He won't hesitate to take you too. Why would you want to go?"
"Experience isn't a good excuse for getting yourself kidnapped," Prue said. "Just stay here. Watch Wyatt. And yes, I know that you don't know how to handle babies. We won't be gone long."
Harry was slowly getting used to us—and Prue's habit of reading minds. He was a lot like his mother. That was a relief. Another young James would be a little too much for us.
"Call Leo if any demons drop by," I said.
"Yes, we are taking over the mother slot rather well, aren't we?" Prue said.
"Definitely."
"Well, someone has to. We'll be back soon. If we aren't—"
"Call Leo," he finished.
"You're good."
"Bring us to the one, bring us to where she might dwell, lead us to her prison, whether it's heaven or hell."
A crackling energy engulfed us and led us to the domain of Cearbhall. I couldn't see anything. "Epinige," I whispered. The cave lit up, revealing the two figures of Phoebe and Chris. They were unconscious and in bad shape.
Paige healed them while Prue and I tried to free them.
"You can't free them."
I whirled around and saw Cearbhall.
"This is a nice situation. I have all the Charmed Ones and the third child."
"Why did you take Chris?"
"He tried to protect her. I couldn't have him orbing her out of here, now could I?"
Prue and I held up the vanquishing potions. "I give you two choices. You can either free them or you can bite the dust. Which would you prefer?"
He laughed. "You cannot kill me."
"I think we can."
"If you kill me, you will doom them to death." He held up a dagger. We got ready to attack, but he didn't try anything. Instead, he just cut his hand. "Look."
Two long cuts formed on Phoebe's and Chris's hands.
"You sick—" Prue started to snarl.
"You kill me, you kill them. You have no choice but to give yourself to the Dark Lord. And don't bother trying to call for the Elder. He can't hear you. You're trapped."
"They're not trapped," Phoebe said. Her eyes burned with contempt.
"Phoebe, what—"
"You have to kill me. It's the only way," she said.
I stared her dumbly for a moment. "No. We won't."
"You have to. You knew that this was the only way, Cearbhall. A nice suicide mission."
"If I have to die, that's just fine."
"Do it, Prue," Phoebe said.
"No."
"You have to!"
"This scene is very touching, but if I can avoid death, I will." He made a sign in the air. Paige and Prue fell to the ground, screaming. "Demons don't need a wand to perform the Cruciatus curse." He waved his hand and my sisters went limp. He turned to me. "Or the Imperius curse." He made another sign in the air.
I felt the spell hit me. But I was completely conscious. I could feel everything. Kill your sister. Kill her.
"Nice try, Cearbhall. But you should know that I can't be controlled."
"Fine. A little more pain for your sisters… And the boy."
Their screams of agony filled my ears. I couldn't stand it…
The vanquishing potion flew out of my hands and connected with Phoebe. "NO!" my voice screamed.
"Piper! Piper, it's okay," Prue said.
I shook my head wildly. "No, no, no. I killed Phoebe. She's dead! Oh, God." I had blanked out after I had thrown the potion. I felt nauseous and lightheaded. I couldn't even see Prue's face.
"If this is death, it's pretty okay."
"Phoebe?" I whispered, barely daring to hope.
"You know it is."
I jumped up and wrapped my arms around her. "But that vanquishing potion should have done it."
"Cearbhall pulled out when you threw the potion. Since the potion was created especially for him, it couldn't harm me."
"But he is dead, right?"
"Yeah. Prue threw the potion at him. He's gone."
"What spell did he use, anyway?"
"A spell that would increase my empathy…." Her eyes flicked to Chris. "And, apparently, Chris's empathy."
"Chris?" I turned to him. "You're empathic?"
He avoided my gaze. "Yes."
"Where'd that come from?" I asked carefully.
"You know that I can't tell you that."
Prue and Phoebe looked at him significantly.
"How are we going to get out of here? We can't orb or apparate," Paige said, breaking the silence.
"That is a problem. We could isolate the spell around this place, then figure out how to take it off," Phoebe said as she eyed the cave.
"That's an awfully tedious task," Paige said, wrinkling her nose.
"Well, we have to," Prue said. "What's that?"
A white light was coming towards us. We backed away, but there was nowhere to go. The light touched us and we were temporarily blinded by its brilliance.
When it ended, we were in the attic.
"We're home," Paige said.
"Return to me spell, Harry?" Phoebe asked, smiling.
That's when I noticed that Harry was in front of us. The Book was open in front of him. "Yeah. It's weird. It felt like someone was leading me up here."
"Hmm. Someone like Grams," Prue murmured.
"Prue, don't get into that," I said.
"If he's able to use spells in the Book, then I'm right," she said. "Everyone else has been holding out on him."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"You know how muggles sometimes mark their closeness by sharing their blood?" Prue began.
"Yes."
"Well, there's a magical way to do that. My sisters and I did that with your mother. We literally connected our blood."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"You have Halliwell blood in your veins. You share our family's purpose and powers. That's why you have such great powers."
"I know this is a lot to handle, but we had to give you an explanation. We'll be downstairs if you need us," Phoebe said and led us out of the room.
"Phoebe, shouldn't we talk more with him?" I said.
"No. He needs to be alone so that he can sort things out. That's how he is."
I glanced back. "You're sure?"
"That's what I felt. Besides, we have to ask you a few questions."
I had a feeling that I knew what she was talking about. "Do you mean…"
"The fact that you're pregnant?" Phoebe said. "Yes."
"I'm pregnant. What more is there to say?"
"Oh, congratulations, Piper! Have you told Remus yet?"
"Not yet. I will soon, though."
"Tomorrow," said Phoebe. "You'll tell him tomorrow."
"You certainly know how to take control of a situation."
"It's a talent. How's the wedding doing?"
"Very well. Magical weddings are much easier to plan."
"You gave up on the normal wedding?" Prue said.
"Yes. It got too complicated. So many people there are going to be witches and wizards, and they're not so good at pretending to be muggles."
"Wait," said Paige, looking around. "Where did Chris go?"
"He was with us when we got here," I said.
"Dang it," Prue muttered. "We'd better do a return to me spell."
Phoebe was smiling for some reason. "We don't have to. He's in the attic."
"The attic?"
"Having a heart-to-heart with Harry. I can sense him."
"Chris just got more complicated," I commented.
"Not really," Phoebe disagreed. "Chris is a good person, even if he is secretive."
"We all have our secrets," said Paige.
"And I'm the one who keeps all our secrets. Aren't you so glad that you all have me as an older sister?" Prue said.
"Sure, Prue."
"Oh yeah. We need to cast a protection spell over the house. There's a perfect one in the Book."
Piece by piece, things were beginning to fall into place. If we could just find the key, we could discover what it all meant… Eventually.