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'll be returned as good as new, promise.

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

Summary: Lectures on candles and books

A/N: RL has been very stressful as of late - which is why there weren't any updates until recently. sigh anywho, here's part three (I'm not expecting this to be any longer than ten parts btw) As a side note, I'm sure everyone remembers Larry from season 2 & 3 of Buffy? Well, the actor that played Larry also played Ernie (Ice) in Hocus Pocus.

3. The Sanderson Sisters

Max Dennison stared at the teen beside his kid sister. He was about seventeen and looked as if he was as happy as Max had felt his first week in Salem. Which never resulted in good things.

Ten years ago, when Max had first come to Salem he'd believed that Halloween, witches, zombies and talking cats were all a big joke. Ok, so the whole talking cats thing had never occurred to him before they'd met Binx. He glanced over at the bullet-proof glass case that held Winifred Sanderson's spell book and the remains of the Black Flame candle. It had been one of the most frightening nights of his life, mainly because he had put his younger sister in danger.

"Who are you?" Max asked, keeping his voice as non-threatening as he could while trying come across as being very threatening.

"This is Carlos, Max. He's new to Salem." Dani smiled up at her big brother - just a tad bit too brightly.

Max had been overprotective of her since the incident with the Sanderson sisters. He was her older brother, and it was basically his duty to make sure no one hurt his little sister. But this was the first time she'd brought a guy to the Museum. Which meant that this kid was either special or the 'one'. He was hoping for special.

"And?" Max stared at his younger sister.

"Carlos really wanted to see the local color. His hometown was rife with local color." Dani smiled even brighter.

"Which means a job in Dani-speak." Max grinned at her.

"Yup."

"Wha - no, man that's -" Carlos started to protest.

"Do we look like we're running an outreach program?" Ernie demanded, cutting Carlos off.

"Yeah, we ain't the baby-sitters club." Jay joined in.

"Do I need to say 'Ice' or bring up a certain rendition of 'Row Your Boat'?" Dani turned her gaze over both of the older men, holding her ground.

"Hollywood, you promised you'd keep the half-pint in check." Jay complained.

"When has anybody been able to keep Dani in check?" Max snorted.

"Carlos, why don't you take a quick tour around the museum?" Dani said quickly, shoving Carlos in Ernie's direction. "Ernie can give you the fifty cent tour."

Ernie grumbled, but led Carlos out into the museum. Jay just groaned, but went to ring up the last of the sales. Max simply tried to stare his sister down.

"Dani, what's with this guy?"

"I told you, he's new to town." Dani replied. She looked over her shoulder at Carlos. "He reminds me of you."

"That's not gonna work on me, Dani."

"Do you want me to tell Allison that you used to make out with your pillows and called them 'Allison'?" Dani raised her eyebrow.

"That's not gonna work on me, Dani. Besides, you already told her. It was right before she agreed to marry me."

"Oh, right." Dani frowned. "He's from L.A., Max. And he's seen some wild stuff."

"Wild stuff? Why am I hoping that this 'wild stuff' is like a really wild kegger?" Max groaned. "I thought you'd gotten over that whole mystical horror stuff, Dani."

"You re-opened the museum, Max. It's pretty hard to get over it when my older brother owns the mystical epicenter of Salem." Dani snapped.

Max sighed. Dani had thrown herself completely into the idea of his owning the Sanderson house. The town had been considering tearing it down a few years back, but Max, Allison, and Dani couldn't bear to see the old place go. It held bad memories, but there were a few good ones still there. Allison sold her sculptures, and had even made a few renditions of the witches, Billy, Emily, and Binx. Binx was the three hundred year old spirit of a boy trapped in the body of a black cat. He had helped destroy the witches who had killed his sister and had made him a cat, and had helped save Dani's life. Allison had made the sculpture of Binx that now guarded the entrance of the museum.

Max, realizing he and Allison couldn't run the shop alone, had hired the two bullies who had made his life hell to help them. Jay and Ernie 'Ice' had been captured by the witches and had hung in cages from the ceiling. Max had found them when he went to remove the Book and Black Flame Candle from the old museum. Dani had only been allowed to work weekend shifts, and only if she kept her grades up. Max hadn't wanted her to work there until she was older, but his little sister rarely listened to him.

"Dani -"

"I took him to the graves, Max." She looked back at Carlos again. "There's something about him, something I can't describe. I have this feeling-"

"Dani -"

"Something's coming, Max, something big." Dani sighed. "I can't explain it, but it's as big as the sisters."

"Yeah, well you better keep him away from the candle then." Max sighed. "He can't even touch it, Dani. We don't was some stupid virgin making the same mistake twice." He looked down at her. "Don't you even go near it, for that matter."

"Who said either one of us were still virgins?" Dani smirked.

"Danielle Dennison, don't you even -" Max started.

"So how's little baby Emily doing today?" Dani quickly evaded the question. "And is Carlos hired?"

"Fine and yes."

"You were up all night, weren't you?"

"Yes. Allison wants the miniature sculpture of Binx for Emily's room. She thinks it might be calming, and you're not changing the subject."

"She's right and yes, I did. Now, let me go tell Carlos and then he'll walk me home." Dani kissed her brother's cheek.

Max watched as she skipped over to Carlos and Ernie. Dani tugged him towards the door and waved back at Max. He quietly wrapped the statue of Binx and bagged it.

"So, we hiring Hollywood Jr.?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, we're hiring him." Max sighed.

"That mean we gotta take a pay cut?" Ernie demanded.

"No, he's getting the same shift as Dani." Max looked up at his friends. "Don't let him anywhere near that case."

"Like we want those scary ugly chicks back in our lives."

Dani walked quietly beside Carlos.

"I don't need your charity." Carlos seethed. "I'm not a charity case."

"Of course you're not." Dani snorted. "You live in Allison's old neighborhood, and besides, it's to make sure you stick around."

"Stick around?"

"Yeah, I get bored talking with jus Jay and Ernie all the time. And you need a hobby."

"What?"

"Look, I'll see you at school tomorrow and we'll talk some more, ok?"

"Huh?"

"See ya."

Dani turned off on the next street, her backpack slapping against her back. Carlos just stared at her for a minute. Why did he always end up meeting the weird girls?