Chapter 4
Janet Frasier puzzled about the chocolate frog trick all night long. It didn't look like an illusion and she could not figure out just how Robin got the candy to hop like a frog across the table. She couldn't go to Sam for Robin was Sam's childhood friend and Sam was more apt to dismiss any concerns. She decided to talk to Daniel early the next morning. She arrived at his office and found Jack and Teal'c were already there and engaged in conversation.
"Daniel," Janet called as she walked into the room. She then greeted, "Sir, Teal'c." She walked up to the table.
"Frasier," Jack acknowledged.
Teal'c gave a nod, "DoctorFrasier."
Daniel figured, "I bet you are here about Robin Hood and the chocolate frog too."
"That was no illusion." she agreed. "I can't figure it out. Sam can't figure out how she did it either but insist it's an illusion. What did we witness yesterday? I've been raking my brain all night trying to figure it out."
"I do have a theory." Daniel stated.
Jack smirked, "She's a witch."
"What?" Janet asked not amused.
Daniel asked, "What if magic was real? I know how it sounds but what if there actual people who could manipulate the world around them with their minds?"
"Like the Ascended?" she wondered.
"Maybe," he agreed. "When I was studying overseas I met an old man. His name was Harold Snyder. He wrote a diary about this school that he found that specialized in magic…real magic. He said it was hidden from the world, you had to go through a portal to find it and then ride a train. He said the name of the school was Hogwarts."
Janet shifted her weight, "Major Hood said she went to a school for gifted kids…Hogwarts."
Daniel stated, "I never told her about the diary. I asked about the school and what it was like. She described what Doctor Snyder wrote in the diary." He then added, "She went to a school that specializes in magic. Sam says she knows astrology and astronomy. She can overlap the two to predict earthquakes. She studied herbs and minerals. She was pretty vague on the rest but did says she spent six years there."
Janet gathered, "You think that Major Hood can do real magic, Daniel?"
"Look at the frog," he motioned towards the table.
She looked down and there was the chocolate frog hopping across the table like a real frog. She touched it and it suddenly stopped moving. She lifted her hand and it started hoping again. "I can't explain that." she admitted.
"Robin probably can." Daniel insisted. "She cast a spell on it. Reparo. She covered the frog so we would think it's a trick. I think she can do actual magic and is using being a magician as a cover. She did more than just fix the frog."
Janet asked, "What else did she do?"
"Fire from her finger tips!" Jack sounded. "She made it look real cool and all but she snapped her fingers and fire came out."
Daniel added, "She used incantations that Professor Snyder recorded in his diary. Incindo is a fire spell. Reparo fixes things." He opened the page, "There is a whole list of spells that the professor wrote down. "Expelliarmus will disarm someone, Alohomora will unlock and lock doors, Evanesco will make an object disappear…"
Jack asked, "What spell make will make you forget?"
Daniel replied, "Obliviate. Why?"
Jack stated, "Good to know if I really screw up. I can have Hood just block it from Hammond's memory…" he then puckered in thought as Janet was giving him a displeased look.
Janet asked, "Do you three really think that Major Hood is a practicing witch?"
Jack nodded firmly, "Yes!"
"Obviously, she is not going to come out and tell everyone she's a witch." Daniel figured. He then had an idea, "Maybe you could become friends with her and kind of look around her house. If she is a practicing witch you should see some signs of it."
"Like what? I have no idea what to even look for." Janet retorted.
"She would have crystals, possibly some symbols, odd plants…" he took a guess.
"Alright," she reluctantly agreed. "I will get a look around her house."
Meanwhile
Robin Hood was fascinated by Walter's ability to practically read General Hammond's mind. She wondered if he was a wizard or perhaps he had the gift and simply wasn't aware. She came to the control room to visit him. "Sergeant," she greeted walking into the room.
"Major Hood," he replied attending his station.
She took the nearby seat and pulled the magic wand from her sleeve. "I brought the wand in like the Colonel asked."
He glanced over, "Nice looking wand. Looks like an antique. Do you use it in your magic shows?"
"Sometimes." she admitted. She handed it to him to do a test. "Here, take it."
Amused Walter took the wand. "Okay," he looked at her waiting for the next trick.
"Say 'lumos'." she instructed.
"Lumos." he stated. The end of the want lit up. "Neat," he grinned thinking the wand was rigged.
"Now say 'nox'." she requested.
"Nox," he stated and light went out.
She looked at him and asked, "Did you know that you are a wizard, Walter?"
He laughed and handed the wand back, "Neat trick. You got it rigged with a light and voice command."
She insisted, "You did that. It's not rigged." She placed the wand back up her sleeve.
"Ah-ha," he shook his head unbelieving.
She insisted, "The reason you know what Hammond will asks for it because you have ability to see a split second into the future. That's rare! Not everyone can do that."
Amused Walter asked, "If I'm a wizard does that make you a witch?"
She became stern, "I am not a witch! I come from a long like of sorcerers. We're sorcerers. Whoever came with that awful name? Witch! Really!"
Walter assumed it was some kind of game. "So you are the sorceress and I'm the wizard."
"Yes," she nodded hoping he understood it was the truth and not a joke.
"If you say so." he chuckled.
Robin suggested, "You can use the wand and practice of you want."
"I'm good," he shook his head. He was certain is was a game.
"You can do magic!" she insisted.
"America!" he replied. "I like that band. Nice song."
She rolled her head back, "You don't believe me."
"Sorry," he shrugged amused.
She gathered herself, "If you change your mind let me know. I can train you. You're too old for school."
He nearly laughed, "I'll keep that in mind."
She walked out of the control room feeling frustrated. She knew Walter had the gift but he didn't seem to believe her. She started down the hallway towards the commissary.
Sam called from behind, "Wait up Rob."
Robin paused and looked back as Sam jogged to catch up with her. She smiled, "I thought we could have breakfast together."
"Sounds good." she agreed still feeling down.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," she miffed. "It's just sometimes I'm serious and people think I'm joking."
"I don't think you are joking." Sam assured her. "You want to talk about it?"
"No," she shook her head. "Let's go have something to eat."
A Day Later
Janet found herself drafted to help Sam and Robin decorate at Robin's new bases provided home. She wasn't sure what to expect and in a way feared Jack's suspicions of Robin being a practicing witch would be proven true. She arrived with Cassie to help with the chore. Cassie's twelve year old mind churned with other task such as homework and the new boy at school that she liked. She reluctantly came to please Sam and her mom. Janet stated as they walked up the path to the small home, "Don't touch anything unless we tell you too, Cassie."
"Whatever," the teen smacked her gum.
Janet got to the door and rapped. She waited only a second and Sam opened the door dressed in a gray sweat suit for the job. She smiled, "Hey! You made it. Good to see you again, Cassie." She gave the girl a hug.
Cassie assured, "Good to see you too, Sam."
Soon they entered the home and spied empty moving boxes nearby. As they came into the front room the living area began to shape up with a stand of potted plants.
Cassie noticed the plants seemed very exotic. She was about to touch one when Sam stopped her. "Better ask Robin which are safe to touch. Some can be poisonous."
Janet gasped, "She has poisonous plants in her living room?"
"She's into natural remedies." Sam excused.
Robin came in from the kitchen. She announced, "I got a fresh pot of coffee on, Sam." She then spied her guest, "You must be Cassie." She held out a hand to the girl, "Sam and your mom were telling me about you."
Cassie shook her hand. She seemed pleasant and kind. She then asked without much thought, "Are you really a witch?"
Janet closed her eyes and held her breath for Cassie overheard her conversations on the phone with Jack and Daniel.
Robin figured it must be a rumor due to the magic tricks. She laughed, "I'm not a witch. I'm a magician. I do magic tricks."
Cassie replied, "I heard you were a witch and you can do real magic."
Robin decided to embellish the teen, "I'm a sorceress. Witches ride brooms. I have a car."
Cassie wondered, "Is that the only difference?"
Robin used her tactic of telling the truth to deflect from the truth. She continued, "Oh no! You see a sorceress can do magic without a magic wand and witches need a wand. Witches have pointy hats and black dresses. I wear camo and combat boots. Witches can transfigure into a cat. I don't transfigure. Witches brew potions. I make herbal remedies. Witches…"
Sam interrupted, "I think she gets it, Rob." She then assured Cassie, "Robin is not a witch and she's pulling your leg." She looked to Robin, "You have the sense of humor of a witch."
She smirked, "I get it from my dad."
Cassie stated, "You have some really weird looking plants."
She agreed, "I do! Don't touch any. Some are mean and will bite." She gave fair warning of the magical plants.
Cassie looked about the room. Near the plants and on the wall was a portrait of a young woman with long hair near a table with a vase of flowers that seemed to move. "Did that picture move?"
Sam assured, "It's an illusion."
Robin stated, "It moved! The flowers bloom in the vase bloom every 12 hours and the woman is a portrait of my mom. My dad painted it." She failed to mention the portrait of her mother was enchanted and would move about inside the frame.
Sam cocked her head, "Huh. I thought your mom was on the other side of the table."
Robin replied, "Magic."
Sam shook the idea from her mind, "So, what do you need us to do?"
"Help me hang some pictures and I got some new window curtains." she explained.
"Let's get to it." Sam stated.