Title: That Hocus Pocus Nonsense

Author: Jmaria

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Season 7 and the movie

Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Someone else thought 'em up, I'm just jerking the puppet strings about. They be returned as good as new, promise.

Setting: Ten years after the movie, mid season seven.

Summary: Sharing secrets

A/N: Ok, wow. Who knew that this little fic I started writing this summer would be so popular. Not me, obviously, or I would have had the next three parts up in a hurry. As it is, I'm reduced to scribbling out ideas in my very boring Micro and Macro classes. I'm also wondering if anyone would object to a revival of the Sanderson sisters? I know they blew up at the end of the movie . . . but both the Black Flame (is it called that?) candle and Winnie's Book are still around, so . . .suggestions?

2. Lessons I Learned From A Cat

Dani impatiently sat through her next class, just wishing for the bell to ring. She needed to talk to Carlos. It was just - a relief to find someone else who believed, who knew what was out there. Max and Allison, while she loved them, they already had someone who knew. She didn't. Binx and Billy were long gone, and Ernie and Jay were too thick headed to understand.

It was harder than she thought it would be. But then she wasn't thinking about what would happen in the future back then. She didn't know that her new friends wouldn't understand why she visited the old section of the cemetery weekly. She missed Binx terribly, and now that Max and Allison were parents - well, she felt left out.

The end of the day couldn't come quick enough. As the final bell of the day rang, Dani gravitated toward Carlos' locker. He stared at her in disbelief.

"You don't just give up, do you, Dennison?"

"Nope, which is why you are coming with me." Dani grinned.

"Why?"

"Because I know your little secret. C'mon. It's just the museum." Dani didn't mention that they'd be stopping off at the cemetery first.

"Oh, cause that sounds like loads of fun." Carlos slammed the locker shut.

"My brother owns it, and I work there." Dani grinned again, "C'mon, like you've got better things to do? Salem is pretty boring, and it's not like you're dying to go home."

"Fine - ok, I'll go."

Dani pushed open the heavy iron gates to the Old Burial Hill cemetery. She was already through them when she looked back to see Carlos standing outside of them. He refused to budge.

"You said 'museum' not 'cemetery'."

"It's a short-cut. I take it all the time. The cemetery ends two blocks before the museum."

"Cemeteries equal vamps."

"This is the oldest cemetery in the city, Carlos. There hasn't been a new body in here for the last seventy-five years." Dani watched him patiently. Then, when that didn't work, she did what she always did to Max. "Quit being such a baby, Trejo. It's three hours till sunset, and it won't take us that long to cross the cemetery."

Carlos mentally yelled at himself, but found himself following Dani into the cemetery. She detoured on her way toward the large clump of trees, stopping at rose bush and picking off three white miniature roses. Weaving her way through the trees, she stopped in front of a gravestone with a skull and cross bones on it. It read William Butcherson.

"This is Billy. He helped keep me safe a long time ago." Dani smiled at the stone, then at Carlos. "He was killed by the Sanderson sisters, poisoned." She placed the flower in front of the stone. "C'mon."

There was one more grave, with the name Emily Binx, and beside it, a small stone cross with the name Thackery Binx and the date November 1st, 1993 on it. She knelt beside them, tracing the names fondly. Each stone got a flower.

"I never met Emily, I only saw her spirit once. She was the reason Binx fought so hard to protect me. Because he couldn't protect her. I got my first kiss from him." She smiled brightly, remembering the last and first time she ever saw Thackery Binx in human form. "C'mon, I told you I'd get you to the museum."

"You do know you're a very strange person."

"Yup. Max tells me that all the time." She bushed the dirt off her hands as she rose. "The other gate's just over there, and the museum's not much farther."

Well she wasn't lying. The Sanderson House museum wasn't that far away, but it sure looked creepy. Dani made her way through the few wandering tourists, who examined the outdoor sculptures. There was one of a black cat by the doorway, that Dani patted on the head as she passed.

Inside, the museum looked as if it had been renovated recently. On one wall there was a thick glass case with a book, there were more sculptures and sketches, and a small gift shop, manned by a skinny blonde man. He beckoned her over.

"Hey Dani, what're you doing here?"

"Just showing off the place to my new friend. Jay, this is Carlos. Carlos, meet Jay."

"Hey. How's Hollywood holding up?" Jay turned back to Dani.

"He and Allison are getting used to baby Emily. Where's Ernie?"

"Tour group. Didn't think we'd get this big a rush after Halloween and all. And we fired Clay." Jay looked almost thrilled at that.

"Why?"

"Caught him telling the tourists that the museum was going under and needed donations." Jay snorted, "More like Clay needed money for his new car, and Hollywood didn't want to give him a raise. Where you from?" Jay leveled his gaze on Carlos, and for a second he reminded Carlos of a bully he knew in the fourth grade.

"Sunnydale, California." Jay let out an annoying peal of laughter.

"You picked a Hollywood Junior?"

"Please enjoy our gift shop, and visit us again." A tall, brown haired man spoke to his group of five tourists as he made his way over to the counter.

Carlos had to do a double-take. This guy, who he assumed was Ernie, reminded him of the high school guy Larry, who took him and a group of other kids trick or treating about four years ago as part of a community project. As far as he knew, Larry had been killed at the '99 Graduation Ceremony.

"Whose this kid?" He demanded.

"Dani went out and picked herself a Hollywood Junior." Jay cackled again, before turning away to help a customer.

"Hey, quit picking on Carlos. Someone would think you forgot who saved your butts from rotting in those metal cages all those years ago." Dani huffed.

"He meet Hollywood yet?" Ernie asked.

"No." Dani sighed.

"Can somebody tell me who 'Hollywood' is? I mean if you're gonna compare me to this guy, at least tell me who the hell he is!" Carlos cried out, getting the attention of the two of them.

"Well, I'm Hollywood. These two bozos don't like to call me by my real name." A new voice said from behind them. Carlos spun around to face a dark haired man, who grinned at Dani. "I'm Max Dennison, Dani's older brother."

A/N 2: Ok, a little rushed, but other than that - what do you think?