SEVEN
"So how's the education coming along?" Piper asked coming into the attic.
"Cool," said Patricia, looking up from the Book of Shadows. "I never knew there were so many neat things out there."
"Just remember," said Paige, "most of these are bad things. But you shouldn't have to worry about them for a while."
"Well, Patricia," said Piper, "your parents will be here tomorrow. They've been very worried about you. They seemed real relieved to know you're okay."
"Is momma okay?" Patricia asked.
"She's fine," said Piper. "Just a little bump. She was actually more worried about you."
"See, I told you they still loved you," said Paige.
"Yeah, I guess so," said Patricia. "I guess I'm in trouble."
"Probably," said Phoebe. "But you'll be okay. Just remember no matter what you do your parents are still going to love you."
"And we'll explain to your parents about who and what you are," said Phoebe. "That will help them to better understand what you're going through."
"But what if I hurt them?" Patricia asked. "I can't seem to control this telekinesis thing."
"That's because it's brand new to you," said Piper. "You just need to practice with it. We were the same way. We couldn't control our powers very well at first either. But with a little practice you'll be able to do it whenever you want."
"And what about when I don't want to?" Patricia asked.
"That shouldn't happen very much at all," said Phoebe. "But we can help you learn to control it."
"That's good," said Patricia. "It sounds like it could be a lot of fun."
"Okay, rule number one," said Piper. "You can't use your powers for personal gain. That's a very big no-no. Your powers are meant for you to help people. You have to remember that."
"Okay," said Patricia. "Boy, there sure is a lot to remember."
"Yes, there is," said Paige. "But you'll get the hang of it. We did."
"Will I get a White Lighter?" Patricia asked. "Like Leo?"
"We don't know, sweetie," said Phoebe. "That's up to the Elders. But you'll always have us. And you can call us whenever you need anything."
Just then Leo walked into the attic.
"So, what's the news?" Piper asked Leo.
"Apparently Patricia is a witch," said Leo. "But the Elders weren't aware of her. They're going to talk it over and then they'll let us know what they decide."
"Decide about what?" Patricia asked.
"The best way to teach you what you need to know," said Leo. "You'll be going back to Tacoma when your parents get here. They need to decide how best to handle the situation."
"Oh, okay," said Patricia.
"I thought it might be a good idea if I taught Patricia something about White Lighters," Leo said. "More than likely she'll be assigned one. It would probably be a good idea if she knew what to expect from them."
"Oh, there's plenty of time for that," said Piper. "I thought Patricia might want to help me get dinner ready."
"Sure," said Patricia. "I used to help my mom all the time."
"Come on, then," said Piper. "I can teach you something about cooking as well as being a witch."
"Okay, cool," said Patricia.
The four girls left the attic heading for the kitchen as Leo just watched. This was a bonding time for the girls and he knew he would probably just be in the way. He walked over and looked at the Book of Shadows. The ancient tome was over 300 years old. Its' magic was considerable. Anyone who controlled that book would be virtually unstoppable. Leo just smiled and then turned and left the attic.