Disclaimer: All previous disclaimers apply.
Chapter 21: A Plan and Out on the Town
Halliwell Manor Attic
1329 Prescott Street
San Francisco, CA, USA
December 11, 2031
6:00 pm
"Argh," Phoebe says frustrated as she waits for the crystal to fall somewhere on the map of the world.
She looks at her wristwatch again.
Has it really only been five hours since Aisling, Piper, Paige, and I returned from vanquishing that witch hunter? It seems like that was a long time ago, Phoebe thinks as she stretches and yawns.
Just as Phoebe finishes stretching, Chris orbs into the attic.
"Where were you, Chris?" Phoebe asks.
"I was rescuing Emily, Aunt Phoebe. She is now safe and sound at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Chris replies.
"Where was she?" Phoebe asks.
"Emily was in the same cell I occupied 10 years ago. Bianca redecorated the place, though. There's a steel door on the cell now and a shelf outside of the cell that houses various potions. I took a photograph of the potions. Hopefully, one of the potions on that shelf is the antidote," Chris replies as he shows Phoebe the photographs on his cellular phone.
"I don't recognize any of those potions. Maybe Paige or Piper will know what they are," Phoebe says.
"Aunt Phoebe, we need to acquire the potions first. We can worry about what they are later," Chris replies with a smirk.
"How do you propose we do that?" Phoebe asks.
"I'll tell you after we gather everybody together. Right now, I am hungry. What's for dinner? " Chris asks.
Phoebe laughs.
"What's so funny?" Chris asks.
"Your appetite," Phoebe replies.
"I'm still growing," Chris says.
"No, you are not growing. I would wager that you stopped growing four years ago," Phoebe says.
"Okay, point taken, but Wyatt is older than me and he eats twice as much as me," Chris says.
"Emily will change that," Phoebe says.
"I wouldn't bet on that, Aunt Phoebe. Emily's cooking is very delicious," Chris says.
"Is it better than Piper's cooking?" Phoebe asks.
"Let's just say that Emily's cooking has the potential to top Mom's and my cooking combined," Chris says.
"You are okay with that?" Phoebe asks.
"Of course! I know that cooking is one of my strengths, but I also know that there is always someone better than me. If it is Emily, then hats off to her," Chris replies.
"You have really grown up, Chris," Phoebe says.
"Uh…thanks, Aunt Phoebe," Chris sheepishly says as Phoebe hugs him.
"What's for dinner?" Chris asks when Phoebe finally pulls away from him.
"You will have to go downstairs and find out," Phoebe says.
Halliwell Manor Attic
1329 Prescott Street
San Francisco, CA, USA
December 11, 2031
8:00 pm
After enjoying Piper's famous lasagna, Phoebe's family, Paige's family, and Aisling and her father gather in the living room with Piper, Leo, Melinda, Chris and a dying Wyatt. Then, Chris stands up in the center of the room and faces them.
"I have called a family meeting today to inform you that Emily is now safe and sound at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The second item is my plan to save Wyatt. Some of you know that Bianca is turning Wyatt into a muggle. What you do not know is that Wyatt is dying," Chris announces.
"How do you know that Wyatt is dying?" Pandora asks.
"Magic is part of our life force, Pan. Magic makes our recovery process faster than that of a mortal when we are injured. It also helps us not get ill. Think about it. How many times have you visited the doctor in your life, Pan?"
"Never, because either Wyatt or you heals me," Pandora says.
"Exactly," Chris replies.
"So, if our magic is drained, then our life force is dramatically reduced," Chris adds.
"What's your plan, then?" Patience asks.
Chris finds the photographs of the potion bottles on his cellular phone and hands the cellular phone to Melinda who is sitting closest to him.
"Look at the photographs of the potion bottles and pass it around the room," Chris says.
While the cellular phone is getting passed around the room, Chris says, "I propose that we buy potion vials like those potion vials in the photograph from Chinatown, fill them up with water, add food coloring to the water to make them look like the original potions and switch the water potions with the real potions. One of those potions has to be the antidote to whatever potion Bianca threw at Wyatt."
"How do we know which potion is the antidote?" Paige asks.
"We play the guessing game," Piper replies.
"Actually, I was going to say that Bianca will show it to us if we confront her in battle," Chris says.
"How do you come to that conclusion?" Piper asks.
"Bianca is smart. She would not have captured Emily and taken away Wyatt's magic unless she meant to trade Emily for the antidote. Now that Emily is safe and sound, Bianca has to think of something else or someone else that she could trade for the antidote," Chris logically says.
"That makes sense. I will buy the vials tomorrow and fill them with water and food coloring. Aisling can make the switch since she is the only person, among us, who Bianca will not easily recognize," Piper says.
Chinatown
San Francisco, CA, USA
December 12, 2031
4:00 pm
The bell on the door to the potion store rings as Piper enters the store. She looks at all of the shelves full of potions and some books. She thumbs through the books, while she waits for the Chinese lady behind the desk to finish ringing up another customer's purchases.
"Hi! My name is Cho Chang. How may I help you?" Cho asks as she approaches Piper after ringing up another customer's purchases.
"I'm looking for some vials like these vials," Piper says as she shows Cho the photograph of the potion bottles on Chris' cellular phone.
"You're in luck. We just received a new shipment of potion vials," Cho says as she goes into the back room and retrieves a box of potion vials.
Piper examines the potion vials and compares them to the photograph.
"How much do these vials cost?" Piper asks.
"$1000, but I will sell them to you for $800 because you are Harry Potter's friend," Cho says.
"I am afraid I don't know what you mean, but I accept the $800 offer," Piper says.
"We fought together 10 years ago, Mrs. Halliwell-Wyatt," Cho says with a smile.
Then, Cho rings up the box of potion vials and Piper pays for the vials.
As Piper exits the store, Cho says, "Tell Harry that I don't blame him for Cedric's death."
Halliwell Manor Kitchen
1329 Prescott Street
San Francisco, CA, USA
December 12, 2031
8:30 pm
After dinner, Piper carefully unpacks the potion vials from the box and places them on the countertop. She fills each vial with water. Then, she looks at the photograph and squeezes a few drops of yellow food coloring into each vial that contains a yellow liquid in the photograph and stirs. She adds more drops to get the right color. She repeats the process for every color until the entire set of water-based potions look like the potions in the photographs on Chris' cellular phone. She also takes out a few more extra vials from the cabinet just in case they need them and fills them with water.
Out of curiosity, she looks at the other photographs in Chris' cellular phone. She laughs at a photograph of a monkey running off with a nine year old Wyatt's icecream, waffle cone and all, during a family trip to the San Francisco Zoo.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Emily's Bedroom
Somewhere in Scotland
December 13, 2031
7:00 am
Meanwhile…
"Good Morning, Miss Blake!" Harry says as he opens the curtains to let the sunlight stream into the room.
"It's too bright in here. Close the windows," Emily says as she rolls over and pulls the bedcover over her eyes to block out the sunlight.
"Not until you wake up, Miss Blake," Harry says.
"I'm awake," Emily says as she pushes the covers back down and gets out of bed.
"Good! Breakfast is waiting for you in the Great Hall and then a day of shopping awaits you with my daughter, Lily, and Hermione's daughter, Rose," Harry says as he exits the bedroom and closes the door behind him.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Somewhere in Scotland
December 13, 2031
7:45 am
While Emily gets ready, her stomach grumbles.
"Okay, stomach. I will feed you. Just wait for me to finish putting on some mascara," Emily says.
When Emily is ready, she exits her room and confidently walks down the corridor, thinking that it will lead down to the Great Hall. Fifteen minutes later, she finds a staircase and goes down it, thinking that it will lead to the Great Hall, only to run into a transparent creature.
"Kind sir, would you tell me how to get down to the Great Hall?" Emily asks the creature.
Peeves, who loves to give first year students the wrong directions to their classes, turns around to face Emily. He is surprised to see a young woman and not a first year student. What surprises him even more is how polite she is towards him. With the exception of Headmaster Potter, nobody has been that polite to him.
While Peeves debates on whether or not to give Emily the wrong directions to the Great Hall, Albus Potter shows up in the corridor.
"Hi, Emily! How are you?" Albus asks as he approaches Emily and Peeves.
"I am happy to see you," Emily says as she hugs Albus.
"Why?" Albus asks.
"I got one of the highest marks in Dr. Sutton's class. Thank you for tutoring me," Emily says.
"No problem," Albus says.
"Is there something else you want to ask?" Albus asks.
"Yes, how do I get to the Great Hall?" Emily asks as her stomach grumbles again.
"Breakfast is over now, but I will take you down to the kitchens," Albus says.
"How will Lily and Rose know to pick me up from the kitchens for our shopping spree?" Emily asks.
"I'll tell one of the house-elves to tell Lily and Rose to meet you in the kitchens," Albus says.
Then, Albus takes Emily's arm and leads her through the maze of corridors until they get to the door of the kitchen. Albus tickles the pear on the kitchen door and opens the kitchen door. He waits for Emily to enter the kitchen and follows her inside.
When Emily enters the kitchen, she sees a large kitchen island with a black marble countertop. Hanging from the ceiling above the kitchen island is a pot and pan rack from which hang various copper pots and pans. Across from the kitchen island is a window. Fuchsia petunias grow in earthen pots along the window sill. In front of the window is a sink. Under the sink are wooden cabinets. To the left of the cabinets is a stainless steel dishwasher, more wooden cabinets and a double-sided refrigerator. To the right of the sink are a double oven and a propane gas stove. The only difference between a regular kitchen and kitchen in front of her seems to be the little creatures scurrying around.
"What may we do for yous, Sir and Mistress?" one of the floppy-eared creatures asks.
"We would like some breakfast, Cassie, and tell Lily and Rose to come to the kitchens," Albus says as he pulls a chair out for Emily at the little table next to the doorway and sits in the chair opposite Emily after Emily sits in her chair.
"Yes, sir," Cassie says as she curtsies and leaves.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Kitchens
Somewhere in Scotland
December 13, 2031
8:30 am
Cassie lays out trays of pancakes, sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, toast with butter and some croissants. She also leaves a pitcher of pumpkin juice for Albus and Emily and two glasses. Then, Cassie pops out to inform Lily and Rose to meet Albus and his lady friend in the kitchens.
While Cassie is gone, Emily eats some scrambled eggs with toast and Albus eats a tall stack of pancakes with butter and maple syrup.
Lily and Rose enter the kitchens just as Emily is finishing her last bite of scrambled eggs.
"Oh! Isn't she pretty, Lily? Maybe we can hook her up with James," Rose says as she gestures toward Emily.
"Don't pay attention to Rose. She's got matchmaking on the brain. By the way, I'm Lily," Lily says as she holds her hand out toward Emily for a handshake.
"I already have a boyfriend, but thanks for your interest," Emily says as she shakes Lily's hand and then Rose's hand.
"Who is he?" Rose asks.
"Wyatt Halliwell," Emily replies.
"The elder Charmed Son?" Rose asks.
"Yes," Emily replies.
"He's handsome, but he is going to be hard to impress," Rose says.
"That's why I need you to take me shopping in muggle London. I need to find a dress that will make him notice me," Emily says.
"I don't belong here, then. See you later, Emily," Albus says as he pushes back his chair, stands up and exits the kitchens.
Muggle London, England
December 13, 2031
10:00 am
Emily, Lily and Rose exit a red double-decker bus and enter a department store in muggle London and head over to the women's department to browse through dresses for Emily. Lily and Rose select a variety of dresses and send Emily to the fitting room to model the dresses. Some of the dresses are too tight. Others have too much glitter and lace. Emily is about to give up when she sees someone return a little red dress that looks just like the dress that was in her dream.
Emily approaches the saleslady and asks, "May I try on that dress?"
"Sure," the saleslady says as she hands the dress over to Emily.
Emily takes the slinky mini red dress with a tie in the back to the fitting room and models it for Lily and Rose.
"Wow! Wyatt is going to fall head over heels in love with you when he sees you wearing that dress," Rose gushes.