Introducing the Rising Moon coven is a great way to introduce Matt to the rest of San Francisco's witch community. So far, the only contact he has had, is with Prue and her sisters. As they are the most powerful witches around, he has no idea yet of what the other witches are capable of. This gave me a way to describe how the Charmed Ones interacted with other witches and why they usually tried to avoid it.

Also Matt's parent's secret is now out and how it's going to cause problems. I was rather pleased how well this fitted in as it explains later events in the TV series.

What's coming, Phoebe, Cole and Leo have to save the other four witches. And its not going to go well.

Friday morning

Very early in the morning, Leo returned to meet the sisters as they gathered in the kitchen to plan their day. He had little to offer as he had encountered a wall of silence from those people he had tried to talk to. Even those who knew him as the Charmed Ones Whitelighter had refused to talk. He couldn't tell if it was because the community was protecting the coven or they were afraid of what might happen if they helped. The local gang who the demons had helped was out in force, reestablishing their authority and also looking for the coven.

Waiting quietly to one side, was Susie, dressed in clothes donated by Piper and Paige. She was waiting for her contact to arrive and take her to her new unit.

A loud horn blast from the road signaled that Susie's contact had arrived. Carefully checking the car from the window, Phoebe found herself looking at a plain and undistinguished station-wagon with heavily tinted windows. Since the driver refused to leave the vehicle, preferring to remain out of sight, Susie left the Manor with Piper, Phoebe and Paige. Thanking the sisters yet again for what they had done, she gave each sister a brief hug. Turning around, she walked with a steady manner to the car, opened the front passenger door and got in. With a final wave, she was driven out of sight and out of their lives.

Paige sighed, "I got a good read off the driver, he will make sure she gets safely to what she called home base". "Good" replied Piper who had in the short time they had known Susie, begun to like the slim and focussed woman. As they turned to walk back into the Manor, both Piper and Paige realised that Phoebe was not with them. Turning, they found Phoebe still standing on the sidewalk, looking down the road the car had just driven.

She turned to look up at her sisters with a quiet look of sadness on her face. "I got a premonition from her when she hugged me, it was a memorial service for her as sometime soon she will be killed by another Wolfen pack. Sometimes I hate this power".

Paige demanded "Then call her back, we have to warn her, thats what the premonition was for". "No" replied Phoebe, "this time I know its something we aren't meant to change, Susie wants it this way. Come on, we have other lives to save". With that Phoebe walked up the steps to grab her sisters arms and gently pull them into the Manor.

Prue received the news of Susie's departure and the premonition with sadness as Phoebe's description of what she saw made it plain that this was what Susie wanted. Finally she would be at peace.

After a quick debate, they decided to split into two groups, Leo would take Phoebe and Cole to question some of the witches families. Leo hoped that this might allow Phoebe to gain a premonition of were the coven was hiding.

Paige's sensing ability would be useful so Prue and Piper would target the gang members as their active powers should discourage any further bullying tactics. A quick call to Inspector Cortez and he agreed to use what authority he had to push the local police to expand their presence. Within minutes of the Charmed Ones arrival, both groups had succeeded in making progress.

Homeland security San Francisco Headquarters

Both Kay and Vi Battagliana sat with carefully concealed nervousness in a small meeting room located close to the top floor of the building they worked in. Like most of the conference rooms, it was utilitarian in layout. With chairs designed to keep you awake and a simple, if large table occupying the center of the room. However the electronic's were sophisticated and two large LCD TV screens dominated the walls. Two security camera's provided a full 360 degree coverage.

Neither spoke but both were wondering why they had been summoned to this room. A quick discussion on the elevator had identified their use of Homeland securities facilities to inquire into the Halliwell family as the most likely reason. However such a minor breech of rules did not merit such a response so there must be more to this than they knew.

With stony looks on their faces they watched as three more men entered the room without knocking and sit down on the other side of the table. While neither Kay or Vi recognised two of the men, they both recognised Agent Keyes, one of the most senior agents in the building.

"I presume you know who I am?" Keyes asked. Both Kay and Vi nodded and Keyes continued as he turned to the youngest man on his right, "this is Agent Murphy, who has been assisting me with an investigation". Both the Battagliana's watched as Agent Murphy used a computer to project a slide show of pictures onto one of the TV screens. A series of photo's, taken in different locations, showing the four Halliwell sisters changed continuously until it settled with one photo of each of the four sisters filling the screen. Starting with Prue in the top left corner, then in a clockwise direction, followed by Piper, Phoebe and Paige.

Turning back to his left, Keyes introduced the third man, "This is Agent Jackman from the FBI who has been also been investigating the same family as we have".

On the second screen, an ever changing series of labelled pictures appeared. They recognised Leo, Cole and finally Matt. But many other photo's of men and women who they did not know also appeared. Names such as Andy Trudeau (deceased), Inspector Darryl Morris, Agent Ashley Fallon (deceased), Eric Lohman (deceased), Inspector Anderson (deceased), Inspector Rodriguez (missing), Bane Jessup, Dr Curtis Williamson (deceased), Victor Bennett, Cadet Andrea (deceased), Inspector Reece Davidson (deceased), Inspector Cortez, Glen Balland, a man dressed in chain mail (unknown) and ADA Sykes (missing).

"We are investigating the four Halliwell sisters and their involvement with some serious unexplained incidents involving these people" as he indicated the second screen. "As you can see, many involve deaths and or disappearances".

Agent Keyes then pulled a large and thick file from his brief case and dropped it in front of them. Clearly written on the front was one word, "Halliwell". In a voice that both Kay and Vi recognised as a command, Keyes said "Now, what do you know about the Halliwell sisters and what is the connection between them and your son?".

Prue, Piper and Paige's story.

Taking Prue's SUV, they quickly arrived in the area the Rising Moon coven's members lived in. Choosing a parking spot in the main commercial street, they set out to see what they could find.

They almost immediately found what they were looking for as Paige's sensing ability located some mortals with unpleasant intensions in one of the local stores. Prue and Piper found four gang members who were trying to shake down a bakery store owner. Piper froze the scared owner and his assistant, while Prue used her power to lift all four of the gang members into the air and tip them upside down.

As any customers had hurriedly left the shop when the gang had arrived, all Paige had to do was put the closed sign on the door and shut it. Now they had as Prue commented to the now increasingly scared upside down youths, "Plenty of privacy and no witnesses". Walking up to stare eye to eye with what looked like the leader, Prue smiled gently and said "There are two ways we can do this and I really hope you are the tough sort so we can progress to the second way quickly."

"Second way?" said the youngest youth who looked at most only 14 years old and was finding the blood rush into his head, hard to deal with. "Piper, a little demonstration please" said Prue. Picking up a bun from the floor, Piper threw it into the air as Prue said "Watch carefully". With a flick of her fingers, Piper exploded the bun into a cloud of crumbs. "Just think of what I am doing to you now, thats option one, Piper doing that to your sensitive bits is option two". The gangs increased nervousness was obvious, especially as Paige who was standing quietly behind them, giggled, a sound that clearly unnerved them.

The groups leader, tougher than most, tried a nervous grin and asked "Is there an option three ?". "Actually yes" Prue replied, as she used her telekinesis to pull another bun off the floor. "Paige, call this to your hand please". With a simple "Bun" from Paige, it disappeared in a cloud of orbs and reappeared in Paige's hand. "If Piper exploding your sensitive bits doesn't work, then Paige here can remove anything remaining" finished Prue whose smile had become anything but welcoming.

As she stared into the now worried leaders eyes, Prue asked "What can you tell me about where I might find the missing witches, the ones your soon to be vanquished demon friends are after."

As he grabbed hold of a necklace that fell out of his shirt, he seemed to regain some of his courage. "Who are you?" the leader asked as he remembered his allies and how they had promised to deal with all the witches.

Prue watched his actions with care, especially as he inconspicuously tried to hide the necklace from her. "I must have a closer look at that" she thought to herself.

Seeing Paige's grin and that she was now pointing to the next gang member, Prue just smiled and moved sideways to stare into his eyes. "Piper, I think its time for option two" and this one will do nicely.

Before Piper could even step forward, his nerve broke and he started to talk. "We don't know where they are for certain but a rumor said that some could be hiding near the old clothing factory, two blocks towards the river". Prue paused for several seconds to consider her options and then said "Paige, take Piper and check it out. Be careful as we know their friends are out there."

Piper joined Paige who orbed out in the general direction of where she thought the building may be. In the mean time, Prue turned to look back at the gang members and smiled. As they orbed into an empty alley, Piper carefully looked around and then pulled Paige into a doorway. Paige relaxed as she let her sensing power spiral outwards, "Got them" she said, "Inside that shop, top floor". "OK, orb us in there, we can't waste any more time" replied Piper. Holding onto Piper, Paige orbed both of them into the room, scaring all those present.

"Its alright, we are here to help" Piper called out as the youngest woman present, stepped forward and pointed her right hand at both of them. Both Piper and Paige felt something hit them, almost like a cold wind had suddenly blown through the room. Just as quickly, it faded as one of the older woman stepped forward and grabbed the young woman's arm saying, "Its all right Karey, I recognise them, these are two of the Charmed Ones". "Good" was Piper's reply, "that will save time explaining, we are here to get you to safety". Seeing that only five women were present she then asked "Where are the rest of you?".

"We were separated when two demons attacked us last night and we don't know" was the anguished reply. All five women stepped forward, crossed their arms and bowed to Piper and Paige. After several seconds of silence, Piper took charge. "Bow later, downstairs now, we need to get you to the Manor where you will be safe. Paige, go and get Prue and meet us in the alley".

As Paige orbed back into the bakery, she couldn't help but laugh as she found all four gang members, still upside down and now bound together with rope and dangling from a ceiling beam. Prue turned as she heard Paige's laugh and then closed her cell phone. "I just called Darryl, he will send some officers to collect these four. We have just finished chatting and they have seen the error of their ways. Least they better have or I'll will be back".

A knock on the door and a voice calling out "Open up, its the police", told them that it was time to get going. Prue held onto Paige who orbed them back into the alley. Back at the store, four confused police officers, a newly unfrozen store owner and his assistant were finding it difficult to get four very co-operative gang members down.

"Blast" said Paige,"wrong alley", then after concentrating she waved her hand in one direction, "Piper is that way". Grabbing her hand, Prue said "Don't orb, just in case we are seen, just run". With Paige leading the way, they left the alley and headed in the direction Paige could sense where Piper was.

After a short jog of less than a block, Paige entered another alley, turned a corner and found an irritated Piper and five nervous women waiting for them. Neither saw Matt in his car or that he saw them. "Thank goodness you are here, all I am getting is an unending stream of questions from this one" Piper said as she pointed towards the oldest woman present.

Matt's Turn

As Matt continued his search for the the two witches he had been interviewing when they briefly mentioned the Charmed Ones, he found himself looking out of his car window at both Prue and Paige. Both sisters were clearly going somewhere quickly. Almost running, they both disappeared down an alley, so he hastily pulled over and parked his car. Hoping that he wouldn't get a ticket, he quickly followed his fiancee.

Hearing arguing voices up ahead, he carefully looked around the corner to see five strange women as well as Prue, Piper and Paige in a group. He immediately recognised the oldest woman as one of the two witches he was looking for. Somehow the sisters had beaten him too them.

As he watched, Prue took charge and ordered everyone to follow her back to the street, apparently where they would be safer. As Prue led the way, followed by three of the women. First Piper and then Paige started to push the two youngest and most reluctant ones after the main group.

Matt couldn't help yelling, first in fright, then as a warning as three leather clad demons, one female and two male, appeared in the alley between himself and Prue while another three demons appeared behind Piper and Paige.

Before any of the demons in front of her could do anything, Prue who had been expecting their arrival, used her telekinesis to throw one of the demons into the other two which knocked all of them off their feet. Prue pulled her arms close to her chest and as the first demon began to rise, thrust both arms straight out towards her. The demoness was then lifted off the ground and hurled at speed into a brick wall where she vanished in a ball of fire. The second had just enough time to throw a fireball at one of the unknown women, however it stopped in mid air and as Prue swept her left arm back towards the demon, the fireball followed the motion to hit the third demon who vanished in a ball of fire. The second demon flamed out as Prue turned to face him.

At the same time, Piper turned and froze one of the demons, and then exploded a fire ball thrown by the second, just before it hit her. She was forced to take several steps backwards as the blast hit her. Paige successfully called for the fireball thrown by the third demon and then threw it at the first frozen demon, scoring a direct hit.

As with Prue, the second demon flamed out before Piper could focus her power on him. Turning to deal with the third demon, Piper found that two of the coven's witches had each pulled a potion from their pockets and thrown them at him. Both scored direct hits, and the demon screamed as he burned into ashes.

As they turned to gather up the five coven members, they found a furious Prue looking at Matt who was now standing in front of her with an unreadable expression on his face. "What the hell are you doing, do you think just because you now know about demons, that you can follow us around, you could have been killed" yelled Prue. Stepping back and holding up his hands in surrender, Matt replied "I wasn't following you, I was looking for her" as he pointed to the oldest woman in the group, "she is one of the two witches that mentioned the Charmed Ones when I was interviewing them, I was trying to find out more about you, since you seemed somewhat reluctant to elaborate yesterday morning."

"Dammit" replied Prue, "Wolfen, demons, whitelighters, uncooperative witches and a fiancee who won't stay out of trouble. What did I do to deserve this?" as she threw her hands in the air and turned to look at her sisters.

Neither Piper or Paige were prepared to answer that question and just looked back at Prue. "OK" she said, "since you are here, you might as well help. We need to get these women back to the Manor were they will be safe, so you can take some. First, lets get out of this alley, before any more demons turn up".

Turning to point towards the busy road, only a few meters away around the corner, Prue said "That way, now" in a voice that no one was prepared to argue with.

All nine of them walked quickly out into the bright light of a busy street, a huge contrast to the dark and ex-demon infested alley. Prue joined Matt with two of the unknown women in his car while Phoebe and Paige took the other three over to Prue's SUV. It seemed a long and nervous drive, at least for Matt, who was starting to realise what he was getting himself in for.

Arriving at the Manor, Matt was surprised to see that none of the women, either the sisters or the unknown ones seemed to be that worried now. Seeing him looking around, Prue explained as they shepherded everyone inside, "One thing demons will not do is risk an attack in public and have magic exposed. That was agreed long ago and none will risk breaking that rule".

"What about inside the Manor?" as Matt recalled that sometimes demons had invaded the sister's home. One of the unknown witches turned and said "No demon will risk taking on the Charmed Ones here, they are far too powerful". However Prue's reply made Matt nervous as she said "Phoebe, Leo and Cole are not here, so lets hope they don't try".

As Matt joined the women inside, he found that things had changed. Having moved into the Living room, four of the women had now gathered around the fifth woman to hold her tight. "You are safe now and the other Charmed Ones are looking for Glenda. We will avenge Megan and Sandy, they will never be forgotten".

Moving from the hallway, a quiet Matt walked past them to join Prue in the kitchen. "Who are they and what happened to Megan and Sandy ?" he asked. Prue with a sad look at Matt replied "They are all witches from a coven that demons have attacked, and the two they were talking about, have been murdered. There are still four more unaccounted for and Phoebe, Cole and Leo are looking for them".

Prue, followed by Matt, joined the coven and Paige in the Living room as Piper returned downstairs with the Book of Shadows. As the sisters came to stand together, the five witches also grouped themselves together. Prue introduced herself, followed by Piper and Paige, then introduced Matt as her fiancee. As each Charmed One was named, the witches bowed, something that all three sisters found increasingly irritating and Matt amusing.

The eldest witch then stepped forward and introduced herself as Zola Muir, then turned and introduced Sarah Lightfoot and her daughter Karey, Tracy Sinclair (who Matt recognised as the woman the rest had been comforting) and Sara Short.

"Welcome to the Manor" said Prue, "We are all so sorry for your loss and we want to help you. Please bear with us as my sister, Leo and Cole are still looking for the rest of your coven. Please relax and make yourselves comfortable. There is a bathroom under the stairs for those who need it".

Prue turned to Piper and Paige. "Piper can you get them something to eat. Paige, talk to them about what happened. Get them to look through the Book to identify the demons who attacked them. Also some of them have powers and we know they use potions, see what you can find out".

With a resigned look on her face, Paige ventured into the sitting room and started talking to the witch who had tried to use her power on them. Matt, after looking at Prue who had pulled her cell phone out, decided to join Paige. Piper quickly disappeared into the kitchen, eventually returning with fruit drinks, tea, coffee, cakes, bread and a vegetable platter. Impressed with what Piper could produce in such a small time, she was thanked profusely.

As her cell phone, started to vibrate, Prue pulled it out and seeing that it was Phoebe calling, she promptly answered it. Phoebe started describing what had happened immediately and her pleasure was easy to hear as Prue told her story. Phoebe's premonition had given them some good clues and if Paige could be spared, her sensing ability could speed the process of finding the remaining witches who they now knew were in serious trouble.

Prue called Paige over to pass on Phoebe's request, which she was quite happy to follow as the coven's hero worship was rapidly getting on her nerves. After a pause to locate Phoebe with her sensing power, Paige orbed out. Returning to her cell phone, Prue was just in time to hear Phoebe greet Paige. Closing her cell phone, Prue quietly moved into the Sitting room to listen to what the witches were telling Matt.

Matt found that he had hit the jackpot as he learned a lot more about magic, the coven and in particular the sisters. The five witches had been in serious trouble and now found themselves rescued by the famous Charmed Ones. These were the sisters who had fought and killed demons and other evils that the coven would not dream of going up against.

Now they were in the fabled Manor, the Book of Shadows was in the same room (although Matt noticed that none of them would touch it) and the Charmed Ones had already vanquished many of the demons who had attacked them. Knowing that Matt was Prue's fiancee (Matt also noticed that he was always Prue's fiancee, never the other way round), the coven readily opened up to him and answered all of his questions.

Finally he began to understand just how powerful Prue and her sisters were, as Tracy demonstrated her Telekinesis. While her fine control was good, unlike Prue she could only move one object at a time and nowhere near the weight that Prue could handle. Zola's power of Cloaking allowed her to almost disappear from Matt's eyes as she faded into the background. If he hadn't been watching when she did it, he wouldn't have known she was there.

However Piper's return with another food platter showed that she could easily see her as she handed the platter to Zola without even pausing. Karey's Cryokinsis power impressed Matt the most, even as she admitted that her attack on Piper and Paige had basically failed. The only two witches who could go toe to toe with your basic demon were Karey and Tracey's daughter Glenda, whose Telekinetic ability was proudly described.

Prue who was quietly listening to what Matt was being told, found herself making mental notes to explain or correct some of the stories that the coven were telling him. She did however find Glenda's use of her telekinesis as a bladed weapon an intriguing idea and something she would have to experiment with.

It was the covens story of how they had decided to take on the local demon collective that disturbed Matt the most. The Rising Moon Coven was one of the more powerful ones in the city and up to lately, had existed in a complex balance of power with the local demonic population. Their decision to become more aggressive had been based on the Halliwell sister's recent successes and they had planned their attack carefully. Well aware that only Karey and Glenda's individual powers could be effective against demons, they had prepared potions and tactics that had proved initially highly successful.

They had vanquished four demons and changed the balance of power in their neighborhood. Other demons had been forced to flee and the local human gang who co-operated with evil had also been pushed out. With hind sight, they had failed to anticipate the upper level demons reaction, which because of the turmoil in the underworld, had been seen as a golden opportunity to score brownie points by seeking revenge on the coven.