What If

Chapter 7

Why was that love spell so strong?

The next day after the ceremony Fairy Godmother calls for Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos to join her, Ben and Belle and Adam in her office, to view the video from the ceremony. After viewing it they see that only the people inside the Cathedral were unaware of what happened after they were frozen. Everyone on the outside knew what Mal and her friends did for Auradon. Mal and her friends exchanged looks.

"I am sorry, I guess Evil Queen, Cruella and Jafar know what happened to Maleficent." King Adam said. "But on behalf of Auradon, I want to thank all four of you for what you did."

"We…it's partly our fault." Mal admitted.

"You said it yourself Mal, you had no choice. I can see now the power your mother had over you, and your friends. There is nothing to forgive of you four." Belle added.

Ben picked up Mal's hand. "You four are heros really."

"Oh, no, lets not go there." Jay joked. "I would rather just move back into classes and let this drop, thank you."
"Yeah." Mal, Evie and Carlos agreed.

"Then you three want to stay on. We assumed Mal would since, well there was nothing left on the Isle for her?" Belle asked.

"Even before knowing that the entire Isle saw that, we had decided to stay." Evie said speaking for her other two friends.

"I'm good right here." Jay confirmed. "For all the reason's Mal said yesterday, and more."
"Me too." Said Carlos, patting Dude.

"E?" Mal asked seeing Evie had moved to the window, it looked out towards the Isle.

"I am actually relieved we are here to stay. Home was not fun really." Mal hugged her. She looked back at the group and Fairy Godmother mouthed "Share our secret." Mal nodded, relieved to be allowed to release her burden.
"Guys, I have a confession." Mal said "Fairy Godmother knew we were after the wand. She and I…we had a plan. One that would protect us from our parents, and possibly still make us safe here."
"And you left us out?" Jay asked.

"I asked her not too, Jay. I felt the fewer people that knew about the plan the more likely it would come off as planned, that is until Jane interfered." Fairy Godmother confessed.

So Mal and Fairy Godmother explained their plan to the group in the office. "Wow," Evie was the first to speak. "Just wow."
"I am sorry I didn't include you guys, but I guess in the end we were all in the same frame of mind anyway."
"I'm good." Jay said again, Carlos and Evie nodded. And with Mal finally relaxed. It was then Mal remembered that Ben and his parents were still in the room, she turned to look at them. Ben was beaming, his parents looked pleased as well.

"I am very pleased with you Mal, for coming to Fairy Godmother on your own knowing what could happen, that shows great heroism."

"I am no hero. I was confused as to which path to choose, and the people here helped me see which one to take." She smiled at Ben. Ben walked up to her and hugged her tightly, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"Ok, well now that we are all on the same page, it's time to enjoy the week long celebration of our new King Ben. Off you go, except Mal. I just need a few more minutes of your time, I promised you a little magical information."
They all leave and Mal turns to Fairy Godmother. "Feel better?" Fairy Godmother asks.

"You have no idea." Mal says slumping into the seat.

"I meant for allowing Ben to express his true feelings without that love spell."

"About that…" And Mal told her about Ben and the enchanted lake.

"Well that explains your ability to fight off your mother. Very good Mal. Now about Love spells." Fairy Godmother hands her a book off her desk. "Read out loud the pages I have marked."

"Love spells cast purely for personal gain will work on the recipient for only a brief time. In the end they will always back fire on the spell's castor. The only exception is if either the recipient or the castor has true feelings for the other. If both have feelings, whether known or unknown, the spell can magnify into untold acts of expression of love that both hold for each other. It is the recipient of the spell who preforms these grandiose expressions."

"So that's how you knew he was spelled?" Mal asked.
"Yes, Ben isn't really into singing after a tourney match." Fairy Godmother smiled. "I assume these expressions stopped after the lake?"
"Now that you mention it yes."
"Go find him, Mal. Enjoy your new life."
"Thank you." Mal stood. "We all deserve it really." She said meaning her three friends as well.

"Mal, just so you know there will always be a few who will still look at your past…"
"I know that, we all do."
"As long as you all realize that."
"We do." Mal smiled and Fairy Godmother held her arms out and Mal welcomed the hug.

"One more thing, After talking it over with Ben, Belle and Adam, We feel it best if you and Evie are trained to control your magic. We think having you suppress it will be a bad thing. So after classes resume, you and Evie will have private Magic class with me on Wednesday nights."
"Oh, wow…ok, that's nice, thank you. Evie is so ready to cast spells outside of the mirror, shes just scared."
"We will teach her." Fairy Godmother said opening the door. "But private means no one knows outside those who were in my office today."
"Of course. That is not information I choose to share, thank you." She smiled. "May I borrow this, I think I need to share this with Ben."
"I think that is a very smart idea." Mal left the office feeling as if she were walking on air.