AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welcome to Hocus Pocus: The Nightmare Before Halloweentown.This is a crossover fic set in the worlds of Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas,and Halloweentown. I decided to write this fic because I love Halloween and these films all make me happy. This is mainly a way to entertain myself, but if you love Halloween, too, please read it.
Reviews, favorites, and follows are always appreciated. Thanks for your support!
THE REALMS
SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS
The scenes set in Salem take place in 1994, one year after the events of Hocus Pocus.This is the realm where Dani, Max, and Allison live, and where Thackery and Emily Binx exist as spirits. It is the original home of the Sanderson Sisters.
HALLOWEEN TOWN
Halloween Town, when written as two words, is the realm from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The scenes in this realm take place one year after the events of that film. It is the realm where Jack, Sally, Zero, Lock, Shock, Barrel, and Oogie Boogie live. This realm exists "a long time ago."
HALLOWEENTOWN
Halloweentown, written as one word, is the realm of the Halloweentownfilms. In this realm, it is 2001, and the scenes take place right after the events of Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge.This is where Gwen and Aggie are from, while Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie were born in the mortal realm that is connected to it by a portal.
CHAPTER ONE
SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, 1994...
BINX
Something was wrong. Thackery Binx could feel it with every ounce of his being. He turned to his little sister nervously.
"Do not say it, Thackery Binx," Emily said firmly. "There is no need. I sense it as well."
Thackery sighed. "I must investigate, Emily."
"Not alone. I shall come with thee."
He couldn't argue. He'd promised Emily he would never leave her again. Together, they headed to the place he despised the most.
It was odd being there in his human form again. Thackery had spent more time as a cat than a human thanks to the hex the Sanderson Sisters placed on him in 1693.
What he saw made his eyes widen in concern. Winifred's spell book was awake, and glowing, which meant that someone had opened it.
"Book!" A voice Thackery knew all too well bellowed. It was Winifred Sanderson, but she sounded very far away. He almost didn't hear her.
"What is happening, brother?" Emily asked nervously.
"They are awakening somehow, yet the black flame candle had not been lit... I do not understand it," Thackery replied. A horrible thought occurred to him then. "Dani..." He mumbled. "We must warn them, Emily! Dani, Max, and Allison are in terrible danger."
DANI
The night was perfect. Dani Dennison was dressed as Wendy Darling, and true to form, she had held her big brother to a deal he'd made exactly one year before. As they approached Allison's house so they could rescue her from the boring party her parents threw every year, Dani giggled again at the sight of Max's Peter Pan costume, complete with tights.
To his credit, Max wasn't complaining yet. Their adventure the previous Halloween had reminded Max how much he loved Dani and how much he liked spending time with her even when she was tormenting him, so he was trying not to whine.
Dani excitedly ran up to the door of the big white mansion and rang the doorbell. Allison Watts opened the door and immediately pulled Dani into a tight hug. Despite the trauma of the previous Halloween, Allison still loved the legends of Salem and had dressed up as a witch. She looked beautiful in a long, dark purple dress and black witch's hat with dark purple trim, and she wore a necklace that looked like some sort of amethyst talisman.
"Nice tights," Allison teased Max. "You guys look great!"
Max rolled his eyes. "I made a promise," he reminded her before giving his girlfriend a kiss.
"Let's go before my parents notice," Allison said, closing the door.
They started trick-or-treating, scoring pretty big at the houses in the wealthy neighborhood. Dani was grinning from ear to ear as she thought about the sugar rush she'd have for the next month or so.
Suddenly, as Max and Allison were busy making goofy eyes at each other, Dani saw the shadow of a cat watching her.
"Binx?" She asked. Then, she shook her head. Binx was gone. He'd died, and his soul had been reunited with his sister. It couldn't be him.
"Dani," Binx's familiar voice called.
Dani's eyes widened in shock as she spotted his transparent human form. "Binx! It is you!" She flung her arms around him, but they went right through him. Dani didn't care; she was just excited to see him.
"I missed you so much, Binx," she said.
"I missed you, too, Dani," he replied.
Emily showed herself then, smiling sadly. "Hi, Emily," Dani greeted her. "What are you guys doing here? Is it because it's Halloween?"
"They're coming back, Dani," Binx explained. "I don't understand it, but the book is awake, and I heard Winifred. We came to warn you. Where are Max and Allison?"
Suddenly very nervous, Dani shouted, "Max! Allison! Hurry!"
They came running toward her. "Dani, what's wro-?" Max began, but he stopped speaking when he spotted Binx and Emily.
"Binx? You're here..." Allison said in surprise.
"The sisters are awakening," Binx explained again.
"What? I swear I didn't light any candles this time," Max replied.
"The black flame candle wasn't lit. I don't quite understand what's happening, but you are all in danger. We need to stop them from rising before it's too late."
"Let's go," Dani said bravely. They'd beaten them before. They could do it again. As long as they were together, they could do anything.
"Dani, wait," Max said. "Binx, do you have a plan?"
"Not yet," Binx admitted.
"We have to be careful. They almost killed us last time."
"We should at least check out the house," Allison said. "We owe it to Binx and Emily to see this through to the end."
Max sighed. "Alright. I guess we're doing this," he agreed.
Together, they headed to the museum Dani had hoped never to visit again. They were still outside when they heard cackling coming from inside the building.
"Sisters!" Winifred cried. "We cannot fully rise here, but I sense another realm where it is possible. Imagine, a world that knows us not! We shall conquer the realm and make it our own!"
"Oh no..." Emily whispered in horror.
"They're going to escape into another realm," Binx added. "We have to stop them!"
Max opened the door and burst inside. The shadows of the Sanderson Sisters stood around the book, but their bodies weren't anywhere to be found.
"Souls of darkness, take thy leave," Winifred chanted.
"Itchita Copita, Melaka Mystika," Mary and Sarah replied.
"From physical matter to make-believe!"
"Itchita Copita, Melaka Mystika!"
"Trapped no more, again we ride!"
"Itchita Copita, Melaka Mystika!"
"The children shall find no place to hide!"
"Itchita Copita, Melaka Mystika!"
With a flash of blinding light, a portal opened up in the floor. "No!" Dani cried in alarm as the shadows jumped into the portal, taking the book with them.
"They're getting away!" Binx cried.
"We have to go after them," Allison said.
"Are you serious?" Max replied. He sighed at the stern look she gave him. "Fine. Dani, hold my hand."
Dani clung to Max's hand. Allison took a deep breath before jumping into the portal. "Don't let go of Max, Dani," Binx said firmly. He grabbed onto Emily and went after Allison.
Dani looked at Max expectantly. "Here we go again," he said with another sigh. They jumped into the portal together.
They found themselves falling through spirals of light and shadow. When they landed hard on the ground, they were in the woods. A row of doors carved to look like different holidays sat before them.
"What's this?" Dani asked curiously.
"They must have gone through one of the doors," Allison replied.
"Yeah, but which one?" Max asked.
A bunch of autumn leaves suddenly floated toward them and danced around them in a circle.
"The Halloween one," Dani said. "Duh, Max. They're witches. Where else would they go, Christmas?" She laughed.
"She's got a point," Binx added.
"Come on, guys," Allison said as she reached toward the pumpkin-shaped door. "Let's go."
HALLOWEEN TOWN, LONG AGO...
SHOCK
Something strange was occurring, even stranger than usual. Shock looked around, trying to figure it out as Lock and Barrell argued.
"Would you two shut up already?" She finally demanded, making them stop for a moment to look at her. "Something's coming."
"Like what?" Lock demanded.
"I'm not sure yet... Give me a minute to think."
"Maybe Mr. Oogie Boogie Man's back!" Barrel cried excitedly.
"Don't be stupid. Jack destroyed him," Lock reminded him.
"You're underestimating him," Shock said. "He was very powerful. He might be able to find a way back with help."
"Help, you say?" A voice asked. "Then say no more, young one."
"Winnie! Winnie, I smell children!" Another cried in excitement.
"Really? I never would have guessed," the first voice replied sarcastically, "despite the fact that I see children standing before us!" A shadow appeared and let out a frustrated cry. "I am surrounded by fools!" She declared as two more shadows appeared.
Shock could relate. "I know how you feel," she said, motioning toward the boys, who were busy whacking each other in annoyance.
"Yes, I believe thou doth," the first shadow replied. "I am Winifred Sanderson. These are my sisters, Mary..."
The plumper shadow waved and laughed awkwardly. She'd been the one who claimed to smell them.
"And Sarah," Winifred finished.
The third shadow giggled and said, "It's a pleasure," before she curtsied.
"I'm Shock," she replied. "That's Lock and Barrel." She pointed at each of them.
"Ah! Lock wears the face of our master," Winifred declared in delight. "Art thou perhaps his son?"
Lock frowned at her. "I don't know what you're-" he began. Sensing an opportunity, Shock kicked him to shut him up. "Hey! What was that for?" He demanded.
"Yes," Shock said, ignoring him. "Lock is the son of the Devil himself."
"Excellent!" Winifred declared.
"And so handsome!" Sarah added. "Perhaps in a couple of years thou whilst consider granting me the honor of a date."
"What are you doing here, Sanderson Sisters?" Shock asked.
"We must regain our lives, but in order to do it, a young witch must cast a spell," Winifred explained.
Shock nodded thoughtfully. "I could help you," she said, "but you need to do something for me in return."
"Out with it, then. What do you desire?"
"After I bring you back to life, you have to help me bring someone else back."
"Certainly. 'Tis a fair price to pay for our return!"
"Seal it with an unbreakable oath or I'm not helping you."
"What a clever little witch thou art! Very well." A book floated between Winifred and Shock. Winifred placed her hand on the spell book. Its eye looked at Shock expectantly, so she did the same. "Under penalty of my own destruction, I solemnly vow to return thy friend to life once thou hath done the same for me and for my sisters."
As magic flowed between them, Shock was satisfied. "Give me the spell," she said.
The book opened up on its own. Shock read it over and nodded. "Lock, Barrel, get me these ingredients! Eye of Newt, tongue of toad, an ounce of bone dust, a liter of blood, and the wings of a bat," she said.
"Wings of a bat!" Barrel repeated cheerfully.
"We'll get it all now," Lock promised. They hurried off to get the ingredients.
"Alright," Shock said to the Sanderson Sisters. "Let's get to know each other."
JACK
He was snuggling with Sally on the couch when she tensed. Jack Skellington was concerned by the vacant look in her eyes.
When Sally finally focused, she turned toward Jack and said, "I've had a terrible vision!"
"Good for you!" He replied with a smile. "How terrible was it?"
"No, Jack, you don't understand. This was the bad kind of terrible," Sally explained ominously.
He had once believed terrible things were always a delight, but he'd learned the hard way that some were bad. He knew better than to ignore Sally's visions now. "What did you see?" He asked.
"Oogie Boogie returned... Three strangers brought him back, and they destroyed everything... Not just our world, but two others as well," Sally replied.
"That does sound bad... I think we'd better investigate. Zero!" Jack called.
His beloved ghost dog came toward him, barking eagerly. "Something's happening. Come with me!" Jack said. He headed out of his house with Zero right in front of him, but the dog stopped at the bottom of the stairs and watched someone Jack couldn't see through the fog.
Zero barked. "Is that a dog?" A young girl asked. Zero eagerly ran up to her, so Jack hurried after him. He was quite startled to see five people, two of which were transparent, and none of which looked like they were from Halloween Town.
Never one to discriminate, Jack smiled at them. "Why, hello there!" He said. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Jack Skellington."
"Holy cow!" The girl who'd spoken earlier cried in surprise. "That's one heck of a costume."
"Costume?" Jack repeated in confusion.
"Dani, I don't think that's a costume," the transparent boy, who must be a ghost, said.
Zero showed himself, jumping at Dani for attention. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she knelt down to pet him anyway.
The ghost girl smiled as well and joined Dani in petting Zero, who was visibly enjoying the attention the girls were giving him.
"Binx, come pet the dog," Dani said.
Binx turned up his nose. "I prefer cats, thank you very much," he replied indignantly.
"Excuse me," the eldest girl began, "but where are we, Sir?"
"This is Halloween Town," Jack replied. "Where did you come from?"
"Salem... I'm Allison. This is Max, that's Binx, and Emily and Dani are playing with your dog."
He smiled. "I've never heard of Salem, but welcome!"
Sally came down the stairs and a troubling thought occurred to him. "Sally... Are they the ones?" He asked.
"No, Jack," Sally replied quickly. "They're here to help us stop this."
"Then I'm very glad you're here, my new friends! Why don't we talk about what brought you here."
WINIFRED
She was growing tired of being a mere shadow. Luckily, the young witch child was ready. She turned to Winifred and said, "The potion is ready. I just need to activate it. Stand together."
Winifred, Mary, and Sarah stood in a circle around Shock. The girl began to chant, "Eye of Newt and tongue of toad, give me strength to lift this load! With this blood and dust of bone, wings of a bat, fly these witches home!"
Magic flowed through Winifred. "Winnie, 'tis working!" Mary cried.
"Of course 'tis working. The book never fails!" Winifred declared.
The shadows soon began to turn into flesh and blood. As the spell finished working, Winifred cried out with glee, "Sisters! We live once more!"
"We live!" Sarah echoed. "We are free to run amuck! Amuck, amuck, amuck, amuck!" She danced around until Winifred smacked her in the chest to stop her.
"Oh, glorious return!" Mary shouted. "I knew thou would save us, Winnie!"
"Now it's your turn," Shock reminded Winifred.
Winifred nodded. "Yes... Give me the remains," she said.
Shock gave Winifred the thread which had once belonged to Oogie Boogie. Winifred held it in her hands, sniffing it before focusing and beginning to chant, "Come forth, foul vermin which fuel this soul! Return him to power and maketh him whole! Worm and spider, centipede and ant, empower this monster with my furious chant!"
The thread began to move as the insects answered Winifred's call. As a giant sack appeared, they crawled inside. The thread sewed the sack shut. A face appeared, and a single snake slid into its mouth. The glorious sack creature open his eyes and stood up.
He smirked at everyone. "Well, well, well," he began, "what have we here?"
"We are the Sanderson Sisters," Winifred replied.
"Sandersons, huh? Oooh, I'm really scared," he taunted them.
"They brought you back, Sir," Shock explained quickly.
"Oh! Then it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," he said. "Hmmm... Especially you," he added flirtatiously to Sarah, who was giggling and waving at him with a seductive smile.
"Sarah!" Winifred snapped. "Hath thou no dignity?"
"Sorry, Winnie," Sarah replied quickly.
"Winnie... I smell children," Mary said suddenly.
"These children?" Winifred asked.
"No... Others." Mary sniffed the air again before gasping. "Tis the ones who defeated us before!" She cried in alarm.
"Oooh! Is the boy with them?" Sarah asked excitedly.
"Yes... It is the boy, and both girls... Oh, the younger one still smells so delicious!"
"They must have followed us," Winifred said in annoyance. "There is one other realm to which we may flee. I shall open the portal so we may make our escape, for that is the land I plan to conquer."
"Conquering a new land sounds like a plan," Oogie Boogie said. "I will go with you."
"Oooh, take me!" Lock cried.
"Then I'm going, too," Shock chimed in.
"Me too, me too!" Barrel added.
"What do you say, ladies?" Oogie Boogie asked. "Good minions are hard to find. I'll share them with you in exchange for accompanying you to this new world."
Winifred considered this. Billy hadn't made the journey with them, so she had no minions to call upon unless she counted her sisters. Oogie Boogie was quite powerful. Perhaps he would prove useful. "Very well," she agreed. "Hasten, Sisters! We have precious little time to escape."
She jumped into the portal. Her sisters immediately followed. Mary let out a nervous cry while Sarah cheered in glee. Oogie Boogie followed with Lock, Shock, and Barrel wrapped in his arms. He landed on his back and tossed them off of him so he could stand up.
"Where are we now, Winnie?" Sarah asked.
Winifred read the sign that stood a few feet away. "Halloweentown," she read. "How curious..."
"But we live in Halloween Town," Barrel protested.
"It's not the same, dummy!" Shock said. "Our Halloween Town is two words. It's one word here."
"It's not like he can read, Shock!" Lock scolded her.
"He doesn't even try!" Shock shook her head. "You're both idiots."
"Winnie, where must we go now?" Mary asked.
Winifred focused. "This way," she said. "I sense a place where we may rest and gather our strength. Soon, we shall make this place our own!"
HALLOWEENTOWN, 2001...
MARNIE
She knew she shouldn't be there. Sure, she and her family had managed to change the magical laws of the realms so that the portal would open whenever someone needed it to, but no one was really going back and forth yet.
"If the portal's open, we might as well use it, right?" Marnie Piper asked aloud. Since no one materialized out of thin air to contradict her, she decided that counted as a Right you are, Marnie!
At first, everything seemed normal. It felt great to be in Halloweentown when it wasn't Halloween in the mortal realm. Marnie was thrilled to be surrounded by witches and warlocks, goblins and ghosts, vampires and werewolves and everything else that the mortal world had stopped believing in.
Her bliss was interrupted by a sense of trouble in the air. Frowning, Marnie hurried toward the source. She watched in surprise as several people fell through a portal and landed in a heap on the ground. It looked different from the portal Marnie was familiar with, and it lingered in the sky for a moment before it sealed shut and vanished.
"Owww..." A boy mumbled. "We really need to work on our landings."
"I second that, Max," a teenage girl replied as she sat up.
"Sally, are you alright?" A skeleton asked. "Pull yourself together."
A woman with red hair lay in pieces, her arms and legs no longer attached to her body. Marnie watched in fascination as she slowly reattached them, using her teeth to sew one arm back on before using that arm and hand to sew the rest of herself back together.
"I'm alright, Jack," she reassured him.
"My friends," a male ghost said, "we are not alone." He motioned toward Marnie.
Knowing her cover was blown, Marnie shrugged and revealed herself. "Hi," she said. "I'm Marnie Piper, one of the Cromwell Witches. Who are you guys?"
"Greetings, Marnie Piper," the ghost replied. "I am Thackery Binx. This is my sister, Emily."
Marnie felt sad for them. He didn't look older than a teenager, and Emily looked like she was about her little sister Sophie's age. That was really young to die, even if she got to live on as a ghost.
"It's nice to meet you," Marnie replied. "Who's everyone else?"
"I'm Dani," the other little girl replied. She also looked about Sophie's age. "This is my big brother, Max, and his girlfriend, Allison." She smirked at Max. "And that's Jack, Sally, and Zero." The ghost dog barked, happy to be acknowledged.
Marnie smiled as she pet Zero. It was Allison who asked, "Where are we, exactly?"
"Halloweentown," Marnie replied.
"Yet it is not our Halloween Town," Jack said with a curious expression on his face. "How unusual..."
"Miss Marnie..." Emily began shyly.
"Yes, Emily?" Marnie asked.
"A terrible threat has come to your world. We are here to help you stop it."
"A threat?" Marnie repeated.
"The Sanderson Sisters," Max explained. "They're evil witches from Salem."
"Salem? Like where they had the Witch Trials? Oh my gosh, I've always wanted to go there!"
"Maybe we can take you," Max said dryly, "after we stop them."
"They're not alone," Sally added. "They brought Oogie Boogie and his followers here."
"I'm sorry... Oogie Boogie? What kind of a name is thar?" Marnie asked with a laugh.
"He's our world's boogie man," Jack explained. "He's very dangerous and doesn't care who he hurts in his quest for power."
"Working together, they'll be unstoppable," Binx added. "This world is in terrible danger."
Marnie sensed something ominous in the air and knew he was right. "Then we'll stop them," she said firmly. "My grandma will know what to do. She's back in the mortal realm. Follow me." She led them to a dark alley before opening the portal. The gates appeared in front of her and opened slowly.
"Here we go again," Max said with a groan.
"Don't worry," Marnie replied. "This works like a door, so you won't fall out of it. Just step through the gate."
Dani put on a brave face before stepping through the portal. "Come on, you guys!" She shouted, waving at them to follow her.
Binx, Emily, Max, and Allison stepped through. Jack took Sally's hand and gently guided her through. Finally, Marnie followed them into her kitchen before sealing the portal.
"Marnie!" Her mother snapped. Marnie cringed as she realized she was busted. "What do you think you're doing? And who are all of these people?"
She spun around to face her mother. "Hi, Mom," she said innocently. "No time to talk! There's a crisis. I'll go find Grandma." She tried to walk away.
"Not so fast, young lady!" Her mother said, stepping into her path before she could escape. "Sit."
Marnie was about to sit at the kitchen table when Zero enthusiastically sat down at her mother's feet, barking eagerly as he looked up at her.
Her mother sighed. "You can explain over dinner. I guess I'm making extra," she said. "Hello, everyone. I'm Gwen Piper. Make yourselves at home in the living room." She paused, looking at Binx and Emily. "I hope you're not offended; that's just what it's called."
"We are not so sensitive, Mistress Piper," Binx reassured her politely.
"Gwen is fine," she replied.
"We appreciate your hospitality, Gwen," Jack said.
"If you need anything, I'm happy to help," Sally added. "I'm quite handy in the kitchen."
Marnie noticed her mother smile slightly at that. "I could use a hand mixing some ingredients together," she replied. "Thank you."
"Of course."
"Come on, everyone," Marnie said. "I'll introduce you to the rest of my family." The threat they'd spoken of was obviously very real, but Marnie figured waiting to discuss it over dinner was better than explaining everything twice.
Whatever came next, Marnie was determined to be ready to face it head on.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for reading the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. There's plenty more to come!