When Piper and Phoebe reached the attic they found Prue waiting outside. Leo and George were close behind. Prue looked at them and put a single finger to her lips indicating they should remain quiet. They could all hear someone in the attic but what they were doing wasn't exactly clear.
Prue held up three fingers, then two, and finally one. She nodded at them and turned to the door. Using her telekinetic power she swung the door open and stepped inside, Piper and Phoebe close behind. Leo and George stood outside the door looking in knowing that as Whitelighters they weren't equipped for a fight. The girls were. As the girls stepped inside they all saw Stuart kneeling on the floor with his hand inside the hole where the loose floorboard was. He looked up at them startled.
"I told you what would happen if I ever saw you again," said Prue.
She tapped into her telekinetic power but Stuart just held up his hand. Instead of throwing the warlock across the room as Prue had intended, her power passed around him harmlessly.
"Not this time, witch," snarled Stuart.
Suddenly Stuart blinked and was gone. Prue rushed to the spot where had been kneeling, furious that he had escaped her.
"Damn him," she swore. "I'm going to vanquish that warlock if it's the last thing I do. And don't give me any crap about vengeance or anything like that, Leo. This guy is really getting on my nerves. He's been to the manor three times and managed to leave all three times unharmed. That's not going to happen again."
"No lecture this time," said Leo. "That's normal anger, not the rage you were feeling. Before I was concerned because the rage could consume you and turn you evil. I've seen you vanquish plenty of demons when you were mad without it corrupting you."
"Okay, so what was Stuart doing here?" Piper asked.
"Obviously come to get the athame," said Phoebe.
'I'm not so sure," said Piper. "He was frightened of us before. He even made that deal just to get out of here alive. Then he comes back with all of us downstairs? That doesn't make any sense."
"No, it doesn't," said Prue. "Especially after I told him what I would do if I ever saw him again. And another thing. He knew exactly where to look. How did he know about the loose floorboard? I put it back after Phoebe took that box out of the hole. But he went straight to it as if he knew exactly where it was. If he didn't know where it was the first two times, how did he know where it was this time?"
"That's a good question," said George. "What I'm curious about is that power of his that seemed to nullify your telekinetic ability. You never mentioned him having that before."
"He never used it before," said Piper. "So if he had that power, why wait until now to use it? He could have used it against Phoebe and me the first time he was here. And he didn't seem frightened of us this time. I find it hard to believe that anyone could become that much more powerful in so short a time."
"They can't," said Leo. "It takes years or decades for power to increase that much. No one can increase that quickly. The human body wouldn't be able to withstand that much power being introduced all at one time. That's why it took generations to prepare you guys for your powers."
"Something's not right," said Prue. "I'm beginning to think that Phoebe was right. That warlock wasn't interested in the athame. There was something else he wanted. Maybe that Dark Grimoire and the other items we found in the chest. I know what you said. That a Dark Priest would die before giving them up. So I'll ask you the same thing you asked me just a moment ago, George. What other explanation is there?"
"I don't have an answer for that," said George. "But I'll give you the same answer you gave me. Just because I can't think of an alternative doesn't mean there isn't one."
"Fair enough," said Prue. "Now, assuming that Grams had converted to evil, what is this warlock after? Why would he risk coming here with the three of us in the manor? He has to know this is where we're the strongest. Leo, George, could this warlock be another Dark Priest?"
"I doubt it," said Leo. "You have no idea how powerful a Dark Priest really is. You know how powerful Penny was. Just imagine that power but for evil. And while you have the Power of Three, you don't have a spell prepared for it. That would make you vulnerable to him. He would know that."
"And Dark Priests aren't known for working together," said George. "Both would insist on being in charge and you can't have two bosses."
"Phoebe," said Prue, "I want a spell for this guy. One that will take care of him permanently. He left empty handed again. Which means he'll be back for whatever it is he's after. When he returns we won't bother with anything else. We'll just use the spell on him and vanquish him forever."
"Right," said Phoebe. "You want anything special?"
"No," said Prue. "I just want it powerful enough to vanquish a Dark Priest. I've got the sneaky feeling that he's watching us and laughing at us. When he returns I want to have that little surprise ready for him. You said the first time he thought our powers were still bound and that he was surprised you used magic against him. Well he's really in for a shock when we hit him with the Power of Three when he comes back."
"He'll probably be ready for that," said George. "He knows who the three of you are. And he doesn't strike me as being particularly stupid. He has to be aware you'll eventually use your full power against him."
"We'll worry about that when and if it happens," said Prue. "But I'm tired of messing with him. It's about time we took care of this guy permanently."
Prue didn't wait for anyone to say any more. She turned and headed downstairs. Leo looked at George and smiled.
"That's the Prue I know," he whispered to the senior Whitelighter.
"Forceful, isn't she?" questioned George smiling back.
"That's how she's kept this family together through all the bad times," said Leo.
Together, everyone else followed Prue downstairs.
