Chapter Three: Just Getting Started
Stepping out of the limo and gazing up at the gigantic ocean liner before her, Carla couldn't help but feel like she had magically stepped through a photograph. Yes, that's what it was like, a living photograph, which the girls were used to seeing at Hogwarts. It seemed that someone had taken the shipwreck, put it back together, remodeled it, and then renamed it. The only difference was that it was 100 years later and the classes were not so defined by the way they dressed, but who the designer they were wearing, how much the price tag was, and the car they drove. Lena met the girls at the dock to leave room for any questions.
" Girls, I just wanted to wish you good luck, and tell that there is a surprise for you in your staterooms."
" One question." said Carla
" Shoot."
" Will we know who?"
" No you and Shauna will need to use your telepathic abilities. Don't break your cover and watch your back." Lena replied.
" Wait a second, is there something you're not telling us?" Shauna asked suspiciously.
" Now that you mention it, yes.Alan Owens and I have reason to believe that a soul-collector is onboard." Lena explained matter- of factly.
Suddenly a big blow from one of the ships funnels came; a last call for everyone to get onboard,for the ship was about to leave the dock.Lena quickly told the girls goodbye and orbed out.
" What's a soul- collector?" Aly asked.
" I don't know but we better get onboard to find out." Carla replied, as the girls power walked their way to the first-class entrance.
When they reached the suite the girls gasped at the sight and luxury around them.Whoever made these rooms were dead on in accuracy, down to the beds and the sofa.Instantly they chose their rooms and when Carla found hers that's when she found the surprise that Lena had told them about. A young, dark-haired, well groomed Italian man was waiting.
" Oh my God,girls you won't believe whose here!"
Shauna and Aly made a run to the room.
" Alfonzo!" squeeled Shauna, while Aly just stood back in wonder of who this man was.
" Girls, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"
" Oh, Aly this is Alfonzo, he's a stylist who we met courtesy of Lena's sons' aunt Sarah. He got us ready for a graduation party once."
" It's so good to see you." Carla said excitedly, hugging Alfonzo once again.
" I hear you girls went shopping and got some amazing stuff for the trip." Alfonzo said.
"Yeah, we did, Lena made us." replied the girls in a scattered chorus.
" Well I can't wait to use what you bought to dress you girls for dinner, just wait until your dates see you."
" Dates? We need dates?" exclaimed Carla surprised.
" Well of course, it's part of the whole experience." Alfonzo replied matter-of-factly.
"Uno problemo, we don't have dates." Carla explained.
" Well you better get a move on, no?"
" Well, I guess I'm going to get me a date." Said Aly, getting up from thebed and almost making it to the door.
" Not looking like that!" Carla said, observing the rather provocative look that was underneath Aly's coat when they first got on.
" Alfonzo, go and help her look more presentable." Carla ordered Alfonzo.
" As you wish," said Alfonzo, " Now come on Miss Slutty." He continued while leading Aly back to her room.
" Yeah but that slut can get a date within ten minutes." Shauna told Carla telepathically.
" Speaking of dates, what are we going to do?" Carla replied rather panicky.
Shauna shrugged in response. Then like an answer to a prayer Josh orbed into the room. Carla went back to her room to get ready to check things out.
" Hi Josh, say don't you have special permission from the school,so you can orb out unnoticed?"
" Well yeah to take care of my charges. Why?"
" I was wondering if you could be my date for dinner tonight?" Shauna asked while gritting her teeth.
" Sure."
" Awesome, I'll see you later." Shauna instantly went to change for the afternoon herself.
Not too long afterward Carla came out.
" Josh, I was wondering if you could do me this favor. Whitelighter to half- whitelighter, even though we have our differences."
" What do you want?"
" I was wondering if you could be my date for dinner this evening?"
" Why?"
" Because I'm desperate and you're the only person I know that can get here quickly enough."
" At least you're honest about it."
" Please." Carla said smiling and putting her hands in prayer posistion.
" Alright, I'll do it."
" Thank you."
It was at this moment that both Shauna and Aly came out into the room. Aly looked much better than what she did before. Josh told them that he would help them any way he could, and laughing he orbed out.
" I don't know how I'm going to pull this off Harry." Josh said to Harry while still laughing.
" What do you mean, Josh?" Harry asked curiously.
" Both Shauna and Carla asked me to escort them to dinner this evening." Josh explained.
" Well just do it, you'll be able to. Just remember that they must not know why you're doing this." Harry replied.
" Oh and by the way, I hope you have a tux." Continued Harry smiling.
" Why?"
" First- class dinners are usually black tie affairs. Good luck mate." Harry replied still smiling.
" You're lucky you're my friend Harry. You've been hanging with Fred and George for too long."
Josh met Shauna at the Grand Staircase, while Carla and Aly were no where in sight. As they went down the famous stairwell they couldn't help but to observe the amazing detail that the builders had done to recreate the elegance that once was on the original. The spectacle was a sight to be seen the first class looked like a whirl of sophistication that could only be seen on a Hollywood red carpet. No wonder Lena had made the girls shop and send Alfonzo to work his own magic on the way each girl looked.
They finally met Carla at the bottom of it and spotted her in a sea of gossiping women. Shauna observed that Carla fit in well with this sophisticated crowd more than she or Aly. Carla looked stunning in a blue multi layered gown that had less frills than Hermione's yule ball gown. Her hair was elegantly tied in braids that were pinned up in a intricate bun. Shauna didn't look bad in either. She was in a modest v- neck lace trimmed red top and straight leg cut navy pants. Her hair was miraculously curled.
" Hey Carla there you are." Said Shauna.
" Excuse me ladies." Said Carla as she joined her friends
" Hey Josh you actually clean up good." Carla said almost shocked.
" Likewise."
" Care to escort two ladies to dinner?" Asked Carla, offering her arm to Josh who linked his other arm to hers.
" Ooh Josh you the man. You got two dates to dinner." Shauna remarked.
They spotted Aly in a private table shamelessly flirting with a young man who didn't look a day over twenty three. The girls telepathically agreed to keep a watch on her, while they sat down among a bunch of ladies who were pointlessly gossiping. Then they began to talk about Aly and her date.
" I say who is that young thing with Jonathan Grant."
The girls looked over and saw that it was Aly that they were talking about.
" I don't know but I know he's been with every debutante in New York and chicago, probably around the world. Jonathan is so used to getting his way." said one lady.
" Really?" Carla inquired interested.
" Of course."
Carla watched as Jonathan and Aly got up from the table and left the room, probably to go to his stateroom. Then a familiar tug went through Carla's body. It was the feeling that someone had dragged you through time and she saw that Aly was being assaulted by the man that she had just left with.Then she opened her eyes from her premonition.
" I say Carla my dear, are you alright?"
" I'm fine." Carla replied.
" Shauna we better go now, Aly's in trouble I just had a premonition." Carla explained telepathically.
" Sorry to be leaving ladies but we must retire for the evening. " Said Shauna while she and Carla headed out of the saloon.
The girls waited until they had just gotten to the saloon entrance so that they could talk while they rushed to their students aid.
" So how do you know where she is?"Shauna asked.
" I'm not only her teacher I'm her whitelighter remember, I can sense her. We'll orb to just outside the door."
" Well what are you waiting for? orb, faster."
The girls orbed with Carla's whitelighter powers she had inherited from her father, just outside the door. They panicked when they couldn't open the door because it was locked.
" Carla blow it up." Shauna ordered.
" No I have a better idea without destroying property." Carla explained while placing her hand over the door's lock. " Alohomora" she muttered and the door opened.
When they got in they saw Aly almost being assaulted by Jonathan who was holding her down tightly onto the sofa. Carla waved her hands and froze the young man in his posisition.
" That was close." Shauna sighed in relief.
" Help Aly." Carla ordered.
Shauna went over and pried his hold off her hands, and helped Aly onto her feet. Aly was crying and looked completely scared.
" Thanks." She said through her tears. She had just seen that Carla had the power to freeze time.
" Let's get you out of here." Carla said softly.
" Wait a second, can I punch him before I leave?" Aly asked.
" If it makes you feel better." Shauna sad simply. Aly then punched her attacker right in the face, his now unfrozen body laid unconcious on the floor.
Back in the stateroom Shauna tried to comfort a still distraught Aly, while Carla told Josh what had happened. Finally Carla joined them, and took Aly into her arms.
" I was going to say Carla this was your territory you have plenty of experience." Shauna explained.
" My dear look at me." Carla said softly to Aly, who looked her with her puffy eyes, clearly tired of crying.
" It's not your fault, you didn't know any better."
" Yes it is. You and Shauna warned me that these guys were different than at Hogwarts, that they would take my flirting seriously."
" You still couldn't have known that this would happen, and sometimes it even paralyzes you so you can't use magic."
" Carla can I ask you something?"
" Anything."
" How can you be this powerful witch and when you're put into that posistion how can you feel so... so-"
" Helpless?" Carla finished.
" Yeah."
" Aly we may be witches but we're women too, just like everyone else. Sometimes even magic can't save us from feeling anything," Carla explained, " Say how about we just spend the night out on our private promenade?
Aly nodded in agreement.
The girls just went out and observed the clear April sky and saw a shooting star fly across the sky.
" Hey Carla make a wish." said Shauna
After a moments silence Shauna asked her what she wished for.
" Something I can't have." Carla replied sadly and with that she got up and went to bed.
" I'm worried about her." Said a now calm Aly.
" You and everyone else who knows her." Shauna replied sarcastically.
" Was she always this moody?" Aly asked.
" No she used to be happy, fun to be around, not brooding,and more balanced. But still like Mama witch, looking out for the people she cared about." Shauna replied.
" What changed?"
" Carla and I have sacrificed a lot as witches, even our passions and dreams. Yet we still get the best of both worlds." Shauna explained.
" I hope you guys get what you want."
" I hope Carla gets what she wants before I do. I'm sure everyone would like to see her happy again."
" So do I."