When Van arrived at his house with Fern still snuggling in his lap, most of his siblings were present. Dallin was playing a video game on the TV, Logan was cutting holes in a new pair of jeans, and Odette was playing a game of go with her new classmate and friend, April Murphy--and losing badly.

"You can't move there," April informed Odette, who was trying to place one of her white stones on a square. "That's a ko position. If that were a legal move, the game could go on forever."

Everyone jumped up when they saw Van and Fern wheel into the living room. They couldn't believe what they saw. Odette was the first to state the obvious: "Omigosh, Van's got a girlfriend!"

"Ewww, they're kissing!" said Dallin, grimacing. While he was distracted, his game character was blown to bits.

"Dude, you never kissed Muffy," Logan pointed out.

"I'm not kissing Fern either," said Van, stopping his chair in the middle of the room with the poodle girl's arms clinging to his neck. "She's kissing me."

Mrs. Cooper, Van's mother, came in from the study to see what the commotion was about. She gasped when she saw a girl sitting in Van's lap and kissing him on the cheek. "She followed me home, Mom," Van told her. "I think she's a stray."

"Break it up, you two," said Mrs. Cooper sternly. "I don't allow puppy love in this house." Her admonition only caused Fern to smile blissfully and tighten her grip on Van's neck.

"I'll break them up," offered April, rising from her chair. When she had reached the spot where Fern and Van were sitting, Fern bolted out of Van's wheelchair and stared at her in disbelief.

"What...? Sue Ellen?"

April waited patiently while Fern's expression predictably changed to one of disappointment. "I get that a lot," she said, grinning.

"I'm sorry." Fern sounded slightly embarrassed. "I thought you were someone else." She then bent her knees as if to sit on Van's lap again, only to fall on her rear end with a surprised cry--for Van had taken advantage of the mistaken identity to spin his chair around and speed into his room, closing the door behind him. Dallin, Logan, and Odette laughed riotously at the sight.

April, who was a full two heads taller than Fern, stuck out a hand to help the girl to her feet. Once she was standing, Fern hurried to the door of Van's bedroom and tried to turn the doorknob, only to find it locked. She yanked repeatedly and forcefully on the knob, crying, "Van, please let me in! I love you!"

"Go home, Fern," ordered Mrs. Cooper, towering over her and pointing toward the front door. Fern was defiant at first, but the duck woman's imposing glare eventually convinced her that she couldn't win. She turned and walked slowly toward the door, a look of utter devastation on her face.

Once Fern had left the house, Mrs. Cooper knocked on Van's door and said loudly, "You can come out now. She's gone."

The door to Van's room swung open, and the boy zipped out in his chair. "Thanks a lot, Mom," he said with relief. "I didn't have it in me to tell her to stop kissing me."

"Kids these days," Mrs. Cooper muttered self-righteously. "Nine years old, and they think they know what love is."

"It's not her fault, Mom," Van responded. "She got hit with the love potion."

"Love potion?" His mother narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"We were all at Binky's house, when Prunella brought some snacks," Van explained. "Everybody who ate one fell in love. Pretty soon they were fighting and chasing each other around. I think she got the potion from Dolly, the new girl who says she's a witch."

A sudden feeling of paranoid protectiveness found its way into Mrs. Cooper's heart. "Inside," she ordered Van, gesturing toward his room.

She closed the door and sat down on the edge of Van's bed, and her son wheeled about to face her. "Tell me more about Dolly," she requested.

"She started coming to my class this week," Van related in an excited voice. "She can do all kinds of cool magic tricks. She says she's a witch from the seventeenth century, and Prunella and Alan brought her here."

"Hmm." Mrs. Cooper's concern grew. "I might have expected Prunella to be mixed up in something like this, but Alan too? That's a surprise. Tell me about this love potion."

"I don't know much about it," said Van. "I didn't eat the snacks because I thought they had sugar. Fern ate one, and then she looked at me and got a weird look on her face and jumped into my lap and started kissing me. I guess if you eat one and you're a girl, you fall in love with the first boy you look at." He noticed that his mother was staring into space, clearly deep in thought. "Mom?"

Mrs. Cooper lowered her eyes to connect with Van's. "It sounds like Dolly is involved in some pretty serious witchcraft. I've heard of witches at school before. Some people have been badly hurt, or even killed, by them."

Van's beak started to fall open.

"There are evil spirits in the world, Van," Mrs. Cooper continued. "I haven't seen them, but I've seen what they can do. Today it's a love potion, but tomorrow it may be a hex, or a curse, or even a demonic possession. I think you'd better stay away from Dolly until she gives up her witchcraft."

His mouth agape, Van couldn't think of anything to say. What if his mother was right?

----

Sunday morning arrived, and the kids were still dealing with the effects of Dolly's potion. In Beat's apartment, the girl was enjoying a rapturously romantic dream in which she and Arthur were eighteen years old and engaged to be married. They walked down the aisle, Arthur in a tuxedo, Beat in a lovely chiffon gown, as the live band played Mendelssohn's Wedding March.

"Do you, Beatrice Margaret Simon..." intoned Reverend Fulsome behind the pulpit. Beat thought it odd that she was in a church wedding despite the fact that she had never gone to church before, but she didn't care as long as she could be with her beloved Arthur. "...for richer or poorer, for better or for worse?"

"I do! I do!" exclaimed Beat, sitting up in her bed. Startled to find that she was in her own bedroom instead of a brightly decorated chapel, she folded her arms and scowled. "Bloody love potion," she muttered angrily.

In his kitchen, Alan was sitting at the breakfast table in his blue pajamas, eating oatmeal with brown sugar. The telephone rang, and his mother, who was reading the newspaper next to him, rose to answer it. "Alan, it's Francine," she notified her son. "She says if you don't kiss her, she'll jump off the highest building in Elwood City."

"Jumping off the Sage Street Bridge would be much more romantic," said Alan wearily. "Tell her that."

Dolly emerged yawning and stretching from the guest bedroom, clad in a light red nightgown. "Good morning, Dolly," Mrs. Powers greeted her as she shuffled into the kitchen.

"The morning will be better than the rest of the day, at least," mourned Dolly, taking a seat across from Alan. "I fear I shall be roasted at the stake by nightfall."

"I still think this is all an early April Fool's joke," said Alan between shovelfuls of oatmeal.

"No breakfast for me today, Mrs. Powers," said Dolly. "I must locate Mr. Winslow as quickly as possible. I have many things to ask him."

"I don't know where he is," said Alan's mother, picking up the newspaper again. "Arthur's parents would probably know."

Angus Winslow happened to be in Maria Harris' living room at that moment, nestling the ecstatically happy squirrel woman in his long arms. They were engrossed in a romantic comedy video from Maria's extensive collection, entitled "How to Get a Guy Back in 10 Days".

"I've never truly appreciated romantic movies until now," said Winslow, kissing his lady love on the cheek. "You've opened my eyes to a whole new world."

Their bliss was brutally interrupted by a knock on the door. "I'll get that," said Maria, picking up the remote to pause the video. She opened the door and greeted Dolly Proctor, who was wearing one of Muffy's blue dresses.

"Pardon me, ma'am, but I wish to speak to Mr. Winslow," said Dolly with a slight curtsey.

"Of course," Maria responded.

"Alone, if I may."

Maria turned toward Winslow as if seeking approval. The rabbit man stood up, the tips of his ears scraping the ceiling, and gestured with his head. Dolly followed him into Maria's bedroom, and he closed the door.

"Thank you, Dolly, for saving me the trouble of finding you," he said, sitting down on Maria's bed to find relief from the low ceiling.

"Why would you want to find me?" asked Dolly.

"Your love potion is remarkably effective," Winslow replied.

"Oh, dear." Dolly lowered her head in shame. "You've heard about the disaster at Binky's house."

Winslow shook his head. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about Maria Harris. I'm going to marry that woman."

Dolly thought for a second, then became alarmed. "Good Lord! She used the potion on you?"

"No, Dolly." Winslow took a deep breath. "I used it on myself."

Confusion spread across Dolly's face.

"But it's not just the potion," Winslow went on. "I'm genuinely in love with her, and I expect to remain so when it wears off."

"But...but why?" Dolly asked earnestly.

"Because a nine-year-old girl who can make such a perfect potion can only be a true Wicasta."

"A true what?" Dolly suddenly felt as if she was no longer talking to the Winslow she knew.

"Wicasta is what my people call your people," Winslow explained.

"My people? Your people? I don't understand."

"Your people are the witches--the women who possess the gift. As for my people, I'll tell you about them later. First, why don't you tell me what it is you wanted to talk to me about?"

Dolly became hesitant, as if fearing to offend the man. Gathering strength, she demanded, "Tell me about your ring, Mr. Winslow."

Winslow glanced down at the jade-colored ring on his right hand.

"When I first saw it," Dolly continued, "I knew it had a kind of magic about it. But I didn't learn until yesterday that you knew how to wield it. You cast a spell on me--a spell that took away my power to lie or do wrong."

Winslow didn't answer, but merely smirked, as if proud of the girl's discernment.

"Where did you get the ring?" Dolly asked anxiously. "Did your people create it? What powers do they have?"

"I'll be happy to answer all your questions," said Winslow with a friendly tone. "But first, I have something to ask of you."

Dolly's curiosity silenced her.

"I would like you to accompany me to Salem." Winslow lowered his voice and bent closer to Dolly. "I've undertaken an important project, and your assistance would be very beneficial."

TBC