A/N: Right. I'm not going to apologise for the delay in putting this chapter up. I've started my summer job in a rather prestigious accounting firm (if I do say so myself! – it's excellent for my CV!) and time has been in large demand. Don't ever think that I've given up on this story. I intend to finish it. Although, admittedly, like its prequel, it might take me the better part of a year. I have, you'll be pleased to know, been diligently working on the next few chapters, so they shouldn't be this long in coming. Other than that, I'd also like to blame Ernie for the delay.

Ernie: That's. Not. Fair.

Did you, or did you not, deny me internet access for the better part of a week?

Ernie:...

Point proven.

Hagrid didn't help. I hated writing him. Don't get me wrong, he's a wonderful character, but his accent really is dreadful to get on paper. Or computer screen.

I'm assuming that the lack of greatly appreciated reviews was due to the untimely technical problems of our beloved It just makes all those wonderful people that did review, all the more special.

Winter Blaze: I was wondering if someone would ask me that. Yes, Tom Riddle and Voldemort (I'll let you work that one out for yourself!) will be in this story. This is an Action/Adventure and it's not in Talia and Wyatt's style to be left out of any of the action that's going to be happening at Hogwarts. That's precisely why Dumbledore invited them to attend in the first place, isn't it? But good ole Voldie isn't Talia's or Wyatt's problem. He's Harry's. And that's all I'm willing to say on that subject.

Charmedfanatic3000: Oh, dear! I hope you're not too mad at me, Alex, for making you wait so long for this chapter…! Forgive me? It's very flattering to hear how impatient you are to find out what happens next in this story. I promise you, you'll only have a few more days to wait for the next chapter. It's finished and only needs the final touches to it before I upload it.

Mcgirl: I'm glad you like the previous chapter and I hope you like this one just as much. Talia's past is important, because it's made her into the character we all know and love (I hope!). There's a bit more insight into her in this chapter.

Songwithoutwordz: I love your name! And thank you for your flattering words. If you stick with this story, I promise you, I'll do my best to take you on one hell f a ride! Harry and the gang are in their seventh year, same as Talia, while Ginny is, of course, in her sixth, like Wyatt. As for 'romantic entanglements', you didn't really think I'd give that away, did you?

Ori: I honestly didn't think I could blush. And then I read your latest review. Wow! If at any time I feel down, all I have to do is read it all over again to cheer me up! And for that, I can only be really, really, grateful.

I can't believe you read the last chapter four times! I honestly didn't think it was that good. I'm so glad you don't think that Talia's a Mary Sue. I'd stop writing if I ever thought that she was turning into one. Talia is fallible. She is not perfect. She is stubborn, arrogant, can be spiteful, vengeful, and she has definitely done a lot of things she regrets. There's nothing that gets me quite like a Mary Sue! Kindly note that Talia's eyes don't change colours dramatically and that her hair is neither purple nor blue, pink, green, fuchsia, or some other weird colour that is, in anything other than unoriginal fanfic, impossible to achieve without the help of a schizophrenic hair dresser! If that doesn't prove that she's not a Mary Sue then I don't know what will!

Valdis was important in Talia's development as a character. She doesn't know if what she felt for him was love (having had time to think it over after everything that happened, made her realise that she hadn't had a real chance to find out, nor had she had any previous experience to measure her feelings for him against), but he touched her in a way that no man had ever done before. Turning good brought her more in touch with her human side and made her vulnerable to human emotions (like love) in a way that she had never been before. It's terribly difficult to forget something like that.

Ruby Murphy & Svata2004: Thanks for reviewing, you two. I don't know what I would have done without your unwavering support these past few months, both for Talia and for this fic. You really make writing that much more enjoyable.

Barb6: I'm glad I could be of service, darling. Helping to educate people in any way, even if it is in Harry Potter, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And if I can make you crack a smile with a frying-pan-attacking-Piper then I can call my life complete! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Thanks again to Nightcrawler8 for his beta-ing and his personal support of my writing. If it wasn't for his gentle push of are-you-still-alive-out-there?-Please-email me-By-the-way-have-you-written-the-next-chapter-yet, this chapter might have, in all honesty, taken even longer to reach your doorstep.

Ernie: Cause. He's. Simply. The. Best.

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May I be allowed one little tiny bit of self-promotion before I let you get on with reading the chapter?

I've written a D/Hr one shot (Harry Potter fic – Draco / Hermione pairing for those Charmed fans reading this) that only received two reviews. I like to think that that was due to the above mentioned technical difficulties of Would you be so kind as to read and review it? It's called Note on the Pillow and I'm rather proud of it despite the lack of reviews.

Right. I'll let you get on with the story now.

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The Dark Side's Call

"Wow! Just look at this place!" an awestruck Paige said enthusiastically.

"It's like a different world!" exclaimed Wyatt.

"It is a different world," said Talia, eyeing with interest everything around her.

She felt like a kid in a candy store. They were the only people in the entire Alley dressed in normal – Talia was already starting to think of it as, muggle – clothing, and as such, passer-bys cast them strange looks. They were surrounded by all sorts of shops with fascinating, strange, window displays that beckoned shoppers and sought to entice them with their magical merchandise. Overall, there was little doubt that they were in the middle of a busy, magical, marketplace. The Halliwells were in awe.

Even Leo looked utterly delighted at the sight before him. Most wizards and wizarding witches, didn't have whitelighters. They didn't need to, considering that, unlike Wiccans, they rarely got into trouble that required them to. It was, therefore, Leo's first time in Diagon Alley too, and he, like the others, revelled in the novelty of it all.

"Righ'," announced Hagrid, "We 'ave teh get teh Gringotts firs'."

"Gringotts?" asked Phoebe.

"The Wizarding bank," explained Leo. "Unless I'm mistaken, the other Elders have managed to open Wyatt and Talia an account there.

"You mean we actually get money for this?" asked Paige, eyes wide in surprise.

"Something about improving wizarding-wiccan relations," said Leo vaguely, while Talia and Wyatt exchanged a happy look.

"Is it true that Gringotts is run by goblins?" asked Talia. She faked disinterest, but Wyatt knew that she was just as excited to be there as he was.

"Shrewd little blighters," supplied Hagrid, nodding.

"Wow! Do we get to see them?" asked Wyatt.

"You can come along if you want," offered Leo. "Like Professor Hagrid said, we have to go to the bank anyway. How else are we going to pick up some wizarding currency?"

Wyatt seemed delighted at the prospect. He turned to look at his cousin, but for once, she didn't seem to share his excitement and somehow, he knew that she wasn't faking it this time. Something else had drawn her fickle attention. He threw her a quizzical look and followed her eyes to a narrow alley that branched off from the main road. A shadow seemed to hang over what little, the Halliwell boy could see, of the narrow street. He looked back at Talia. Her expression betrayed nothing. She had her poker face on and Wyatt knew that spelled trouble.

"Tal?"

She ignored him still looking at the dark alley in the distance. The grown-ups were happily talking over their heads, completely oblivious to Talia's change of mood. Yet when Talia finally talked, it was Hagrid she addressed.

"Professor Hagrid? What's that?"

She pointed at the alley. Hagrid frowned.

"Yeh don' wanna go there Miss Turner.  Not all wizards are good, yeh know, an' Knockturn Alley ain't a nice place fer a nice young lady such as yerself."

A number of amused looks were exchanged behind Hagrid's back.

She said nothing for a while, letting conversation happen around her, pondering the mysterious way the place that, Hagrid had called Knockturn Alley, seemed to call to her, its siren's song warming her blood.

Poor Wyatt had to settle for looking at her with concern, unable to feel anything more than the stench of dark magic emanating from the place that so fascinated his cousin. Only he and Cole knew of the lure the darkness still held for the reformed Phoenix. She was Princess of All Evil for the largest part of her life and that was something that couldn't be ignored, no matter how much the Charmed Ones and his father tried. What he was seeing worried him. He knew that her getting involved with dark magic would only get her in trouble. In less than a year, Talia had become the sister he never had, but always wanted. He would do anything to protect her.

But even he realised that that thought was slightly ridiculous. Talia was perfectly capable of protecting herself.

"Uncle Leo, would it be ok if I didn't come with you to the bank?" she asked, taking her eyes off the place that beckoned her like a beacon in the darkness.

The grown-ups stopped talking.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Talia?" Leo cautiously asked.

Talia plastered on a fake smile for Hagrid's benefit. She knew the Haliwells and Leo realised something was up.

"There're so many things to see out here!" she said, her voice ringing with youthful excitement. "I can't wait to look around at some of these shops!"

They could hardly deny her that.

"Well if you insist..." started Phoebe.

"I do," said Talia. "I've seen goblins before you know. I'll just meet you outside the bank in twenty minutes. It shouldn't take you much longer than that."

Wyatt locked eyes with her.

"Do you want me to come with you, Tal?"

Talia smiled sweetly.

"Don't be silly, Wyatt," she said light-heartedly. "I'll be fine by myself. Besides, I know you're just dying to see the bank! I've heard a lot about it. Gringotts is meant to be quite the ride!" she said, winking at Hagrid.

The big man smiled, catching her meaning. The smile was caught in his bushy beard and completely missed by the rest of the group. The brown-eyed beauty had definitely heard of Gringotts before! Funny how she seemed to know more about the wizarding world than the rest of her family...

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Talia waited until her family disappeared behind the silver doors of the imposing building, before turning towards the alley that had caught her attention. Her eyes became colder and more calculating with every determined step. She could feel the dark magic that surrounded the place, call to her. She stood at the entrance of the alley, partly deciding whether she should enter, partly absorbing the atmosphere she once used to wear like a second skin. She could feel the dark power wrap around her and was unable to resist the urge of being with her kind once again.

She stepped forward.

Further and further into Knockturn Alley Talia walked. She didn't need to closely examine the rare, dark, merchandise, of questionable origins, that were displayed in the dark shops and filthy stalls, to identify them and their uses. Xander had taught her all about them before she could read and write and she had been to plenty of demon marketplaces before. She smiled at the familiarity of it all.

Hagrid had said something earlier about not all wizards being good. If there had ever been any doubts as to the existence of dark wizards, those doubts would have dissipated here. The people who frequented Knockturn Alley could be described by many words; however, 'good'wasn't one of them. No one knew this better than the Princess of the Underworld. In fact, she could probably teach Hagrid a few things on the subject.

She snuck veiled looks at the passers by. She mentally classified them into two categories. There were your run-of-the-mill dark wizards dressed in little more than sinister-looking rags. They were filthy and they smelled. She delicately wrinkled her nose in distaste. They shuffled around and cast suspicious looks at their fellows. They actually tried to look more evil than they were! Those were the small fry, Talia knew. She didn't worry about them. She could take them all on, any time, any place. With one hand tied behind her back. Blindfolded.

The second group of people one found at Knockturn Alley, was very different. They didn't shuffle when they walked. They practically swaggered. They had eyes filled with ill-concealed malice, pride, ambition, and there was an almost visible aura about them of – the part of her that was Princess of the Underworld shivered in delight – dark power. They wore billowing cloaks of varied elegance, and despite their apparent confidence, they often had their hoods up. Those were the people that had something to lose if their...affinities and loyalties...were recognised by the world outside the alley. Those were the people behind the power plays and dark schemes in the outside world. Those were the people with real power, the ones that were successful at being bad. Those were the people to watch out for, the people only a fool would challenge.

She had been one of them in the past. Part of her still was.

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She caught the eye of a man examining jewelled daggers at one of the stalls across from her. He definitely belonged in the second category of dark wizards. He was an older man. A very good looking, elegantly dressed man, with long, blond, almost white, hair, and a cruel edge to him. There was something about him… His eyes were gunmetal grey and she fought the urge to shiver at his scrutiny. Thrill and excitement made her blood boil as his eyes trailed all the way up her body, taking in her youthful curves. His lips turned slightly upwards. He was obviously pleased with what he saw and she couldn't help but feel slightly flattered.

His eyes indicated the jewelled dagger, laden with emeralds, in his hand, before focusing back on her. A platinum eyebrow rose in question. What did she think of it?

Talia shook her head. The dagger was all show. The blade was shiny, but not quite sharp enough for her high standards.

His smirk widened. He picked up another dagger. This one was simpler and more lethal looking. The blade was a marvel and Talia itched to try its weight in her hand. There was but a single tear-shaped ruby adorning its hilt. She nodded in approval.

His eyes glittered in appreciation of her choice. He was clearly intrigued and Talia could see him beginning to walk towards her. That action shook her out of her reverie. She took advantage of a throng of people that seemed to appear out of no where to walk between them, and she disappeared from his sight.

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Lucius Malfoy blinked in mild surprise. The young girl that had caught his attention was gone.

There was something strange about her... She seemed terribly sure of herself for someone so young; for someone walking in Knockturn Alley alone.

Not to mention that she had been wearing muggle clothes.

He grimaced in distaste. If asked a few minutes ago whether he thought that anyone would ever dare to walk into Knockturn Alley wearing muggle clothes, he'd have laughed 'till his sides hurt. But she had done it. And no one had dared to challenge her. She should have been dead the moment she stepped foot in the place. She definitely shouldn't have managed to get as further down in the alley as she had done.

She knew her daggers too. Her choice had been an excellent one. Light and well-balanced, the dagger had a deadly blade and was just as beautiful in its simplicity as the previous dagger he had examined was in its opulence.

Who was she? Lucius was no fool. There had been an aura of power around her. And Lucius knew power when he saw it. Most people that frequented Knockturn Alley recognised it. One wouldn't survive long in a place such as this, if they didn't. Lucius Malfoy knew that it was that powerful air about her that had kept the young girl safe in the dangerous streets, despite her wearing those horrible muggle clothes.

It really was a pity she had disappeared so quickly. He'd have liked to talk to her.

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Talia's earlier encounter with such an obviously powerful dark wizard had shaken her up. It wasn't his reaction to her that troubled her. It was her own reaction she worried about. She felt attracted to him. Attracted to the seductive darkness he represented. Part of her had wanted to stay and meet him. The Phoenix within her had been intrigued.

She had avoided any such situations in the past few months. She was on the side of Good now! Hadn't she helped the Charmed Ones vanquish scores of demons? It was disconcerting to find herself falling back into the old persona she had donned in the Underworld, with such practised ease. What would her mother say if she saw her? What would Wyatt think?

"Hey, little girl," called a sinister voice from the shadows.

She looked around her. Talia had walked into a quiet, deserted part of the Alley that, if her thoughts hadn't been preoccupied, she would have avoided like the plague.

She squinted to make out the shapes in the shadows.

Talia smirked. That's precisely what she needed right now. A little fight with some low rank, dark wizards would set her mind at ease, and judging from the three, big, filthy-looking men that were slowly closing in on her, she would get it.

"What's a nice girl like you doing in a bad place like this?"

Talia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Honestly, did the man really expect to frighten her with a line like that?

"And wearing muggle clothes, too," he drawled.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the third man, quietly pull out a wand from his tattered robes. Obviously, he was the brains in this operation.

It all happened so fast that the three men would, later on, be hard pressed to remember the exact sequence of events.

Talia turned in a fluid motion to kick the wand out of the man's hand. She grabbed it in mid-air and ducked just in time to avoid a hex one of the other two had managed to hurl at her. With a sharp flick of her wrist, Talia used her power of telekinesis to disarm the rest of her attackers. They watched, wide-eyed and helpless, as she slowly, purposefully, broke their wands before their very eyes.

The hunters had become the hunted. The three men were terrified now. Wandless magic was supposed to be practically impossible! Fear came off them in waves and the Phoenix could practically taste it on her refined palate. She smiled and there was a feline quality to her. One of the men tried to run away, but she was faster.

She lunged at him and grabbed him by the front of his robes. With strength a woman of her size should never have possessed, she threw him against the wall. Without any pause for breath, she rounded on the other two.

Something in her blazing eyes must have warned them of their imminent fate. They were fearfully stumbling backwards in a futile attempt to avoid her sudden rage.

"We-we-we didn't mean-" one of them was saying.

The entire thing took less than five minutes. Talia landed a barrage of lightning-fast punches and kicks that soon had her three attackers howling for mercy.

When she finally walked away from the dark corner of the alley, there were three immobile bodies lying unceremoniously on a heap on the cold, hard, ground.

'I've still got it…!'thought a grinning Talia as she walked out of Knockturn Alley on her way to meet her family just outside Gringotts.