Piper thought for several moments. She still felt that Patrick seemed to be genuinely honest and sincere. And she didn't want him hanging around the manor if he could be doing good elsewhere in the world. But the memory of the genie was still fresh in her mind. And the memory of the trouble he had caused was just as clear.
"You promise," said Piper finally, "that you won't twist our wishes in any way?"
"Well now," said Patrick, "in fifteen hundred and twenty eight years I can honestly say I have never had a wish come out differently from what the recipients wanted. You have me word. Whatever wish you make I will do me best to make sure it comes out the way you want."
"Okay," said Piper. "I suppose we really don't have any choice. But you listen to me. If anything goes wrong, and I mean anything, I'll hunt you down and vanquish your sorry butt."
"Piper, please," said Leo.
"No, lad," said Patrick, "can't say as I rightly blame her for the way she feels. But I'm confident she'll be sufficiently pleased with the results. Now then. There are some rules you'll be needing to know. One you already know. I can't use me power to alter free will. Which means I can't make anyone fall in love with you or make anyone do anything they wouldn't normally be willing to do.
"Second, I can't be making any world altering events. I can't bring world peace or wipe out disease or anything of that nature. Third, I can't alter the past or bring back the dead. What's done is done and you can't change the past."
"Yeah, we already know that," said Paige.
"Fine," said Patrick. "I also cannot do something that would normally be likely to occur or that you can practically do for yourself. If you could do it for yourself, there would be no need for a wish. And, finally, you can't be wishing deliberate harm to another person. The wishes are meant to be helping people not be causing harm to another."
Patrick reached into his coat and pulled out his pipe.
"Would you be too terribly upset?" he asked. "It's Leprechaun tobacco. Not a single harmful ingredient and it won't leave an odor on your clothes or in your house. I promise. It helps me think more clearly."
"You're pushing it, bub," said Piper.
"I'll not be asking you anything else," said Patrick. "You have me word."
"Well," said Piper, "I suppose this one time won't hurt."
"That's an understanding lass," said Patrick
He put the pipe in his mouth and it lit as if of its' own accord. He puffed on it and smiled. Piper had to admit that it did have a pleasant aroma. It was a sweet smell and was more akin to an air freshener instead of tobacco.
"Now then," said Patrick. "Which one of you would be going first?"
"Paige," said Piper, "you found the chest. I say you get the honors."
"Sounds fair to me," said Phoebe.
"Okay," said Paige. "Only I'm curious about one thing. What about that whole not for personal gain thing?"
"That doesn't apply here," said Leo. "That applies only to your own powers."
"He's right," said Patrick. "I'm under the same restriction meself. Can't use me power for me own personal gain. However, you are free to accept the magic of the wish any way you want."
"Okay," repeated Paige. She thought for a moment. "Can I ask a question? About the wish."
"Certainly," said Patrick. "Anything I can do to clarify things for you."
"This wish," said Paige, "does it have to be for me? I mean, can I make a wish for someone else?"
"Well now," said Patrick, puffing on the pipe, "that's an interesting question. And one I rarely hear. Other than what I've already told you, there's no restrictions on the wish you make. If it's within me power, I'll grant it for you."
"What do you have in mind, honey?" asked Piper.
"Amanda," said Paige. "Patrick, there's this case I have. It's turning into a real mess."
"Ah, yes," said Patrick. "The little girl whose mother died. And now the grandmother wants to get custody of her. Only the judge won't grant custody unless they can prove the woman is the little girl's blood relative. And you've been having trouble finding that proof."
"How did you know that?" asked Paige.
"It's me magic," said Patrick. "I know what wishes you're considering before you ask. Me magic gives me the necessary information I need to be granting your wish."
"Then why not just go ahead and grant the wish?" asked Phoebe. "Why go through the hassle of asking us?"
"Because, lass," said Patrick, "until you verbalize your wish, their only thoughts in your head. It's not a wish until you tell me what exactly it is you want. Now, darlin'. What would your wish be?"
"I want indisputable proof," said Paige, "that Mrs. Lawrence is Amanda's biological grandmother. Something incontrovertible. Something that no one can dispute."
"Well now," said Patrick, "that's a right good wish. And as I said, a rare one. Totally altruistic, which is something most people never think of. Done, then. Your wish is granted."
Everyone looked around. Nothing in the kitchen had changed.
"Okay," said Paige, "where is it? Where's the proof I need?"
"Now then," said Patrick, "I could be making the proof just magically appear on the table here. But I like to be a bit more subtle. Make the wish appear to be a bit more natural than supernatural.
"What would you do if I just made the proof appear? Take it to the judge? Show him that the woman is indeed the little girls' grandmother? And what would you be telling the judge when he asks you where you got it? That you found the gold of a Leprechaun and he granted you a wish and that's how you came by the proof?"
"He's got a point," said Cole. "I'm sure Judge Carter is going to want to know where the proof came from."
"But the hearing is the first thing in the morning," said Paige. "I need that proof right away."
"Don't be worrying your pretty little head about it," said Patrick. "You'll be getting the proof in plenty of time. Now, one down, two left to go. Who would be making their wish now?"
"Phoebe," said Piper, "why don't you go next?"
Phoebe looked around the room. Patrick just smiled and continued to puff on his pipe. Phoebe thought for a minute, and then settled on her wish.