Table of Contents

- Dedication

- Acknowledgements

- Chapter One: The Mysterious Envelope

- Chapter Two: The Purple Dish

- Chapter Three: The Secret Message

- Chapter Four: We Believe! We Believe!

- Chapter Five: Getting Acquainted

- Chapter Six: The Magic Spell

- Chapter Seven: Hannah's Spell Book

- Chapter Eight: The Sleepover Curse

- Chapter Nine: The New Witches

- Emma's Scrapbook

- The New Witches Club Website

The New Witches Club

and the Sleepover Charm

Debie Torkellson

Illustrations by Peter McAdam

Copyright © 2009 by Debie Torkellson

© 2002, Ageless Publishers, Sydney, Australia

© 2005, 1st Yowbooks edition, USA

© 2009, Rev. 2nd edition, Jabberwocky Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

® 2005, The New Witches Club trilogy and website

Logo art by Krystal Stoner

Illustrations by Peter McAdam

www.newwitchesclub.com

DEDICATION

The New Witches Club trilogy is dedicated to these six beautiful girls who inspired the stories and to Hannah who brought the Magic to life.

Left to right, starting in the back row: Chloe, Emma, Emmy, Montarna, Isabella, Sarsha, and Hannah across the front.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I want to thank Michael, my husband, for all his love, support, and encouragement.

I also thank Patricia Gladwell, my mother, for a lifetime of inspiration; Peter McAdam, for capturing the girls' personalities with his illustrations; Hannah, for her friendship and for giving the girls so much time and energy; Emma and her girlfriends, Chloe, Emmy, Montarna, Isabella, and Sarsha, for always filling the house with laughter and fun.

Last, but not least, Emma, my lovely stepdaughter, for bringing so much joy and love into my life.

Chapter One

THE MYSTERIOUS ENVELOPE

Emma woke up earlier than usual on Saturday. She threw back her bedcovers and jumped out of bed. Quickly, she changed her clothes, pulling on her purple shorts and red T-shirt. As she tied her shoes, she realized they felt tight, but she didn't care she was ready for the day.

Emma's blue eyes and golden-blonde hair clearly came from her mother, but she got her height from her father's side. Her mother was a petite five foot two and Emma was already taller than her. In fact, in the past month, she had grown so fast that she was a head taller than her friends.

It was Emma's eleventh birthday, and tonight, she was having her first sleepover. She was excited and so were all her friends. The plan was simple and included candy, Coke, pizza, and DVDs all night long—at least, that's what everyone thought.

Emma's day really started when the doorbell rang. “I'll get it!” she yelled, running to the front door. She opened it. “Hmm, no one's here.”

Emma shrugged, thinking it must be kids playing a prank. Then she noticed a large, padded envelope on the front step. It had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere.

It was addressed to “Emma and her girlfriends,” so she picked it up and went inside.

“Mom, what's this?” Emma called out while closing the front door. Emma's mother, Selena, entered the room.

Selena smiled at her daughter. “I don't know, dear. Where did you get it?”

“At the front door.”

Her mother examined the envelope, noticing the black cat sketched on the back. She knew this was not a good sign, but the thin piece of rope tied around it caused her more concern. She took a deep breath and handed the envelope back to Emma.

“Well, it's addressed to you. Why don't you open it and see what's inside,” Emma's mom said.

Emma did, and inside was another sealed envelope. This one had six cats on the front, each looking in a different direction, as if guarding a secret. When Emma opened this envelope, she found half a dozen individual cards. One was for her, and the other five were for each of her friends.

On the front of the card, a picture of a witch riding a broomstick in the moonlight stared back at her. A riddle was scrawled across the top.

Emma read the front of her card. “We heard from the stars and the moon ... Emma's having a girls' sleepover soon!” She giggled. “Yes, and it's tonight.”

Emma's mother listened closely to what Emma had to say.

Emma opened the card. “What's this?” she screeched. “There's another witch riding a broomstick, flying a flag that reads: 'Curse.' That's followed by two numbers - a 'ten and then 1800.' Then it has Salem.”

Selena sank to the floor, dropping her head into her hands as she rested her elbows on her knees. Without looking up, she said, “Go on.”

An ancient curse, over 200 years old, still holds.

To all young girls who have sleepovers:

Don't Break the Rules!

“What ancient curse?” Emma asked.

“What else, dear?” Selena was afraid of what she might hear next.

Emma's eyes were as big as saucers as she continued.

“The 'Party Rules,' Mom. Here's what it says ...”

Party Rules

There will be no Coke, no candy,

Nor pizza tonight!

You will eat healthy vegetarian food.

Brush your teeth, after you eat,

Early to bed and early to sleep,

And absolutely no laughter or fun in sight!

p.s. Can you read the message on the back?

Selena trembled. She was afraid that Emma would find out the family secret, but there was no turning back now. She already knew what was coming next.

She hoped Emma wouldn't see anything on the back. Then, there would be nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if Emma could see it, then Emma's life would never be the same.

Emma turned the card over. “It says ...”

You need Witch Hannah...

Witch of the Young,

To break this ancient curse!

“And in little writing below that, it says—"

“You have the gift!” Selena interrupted as she jumped to her feet.

“No, Mom, it says ...”

This is a secret message

That can only be read,

By those with the gift ...

The gift of magic, that is!

Emma looked up and noticed her mother racing towards the kitchen.

“Come on, dear, we don't have much time,” she called to Emma. “It's already ten o'clock, and your party starts at five.”

“What do you mean? Time for what? I don't understand. Who's Witch Hannah, and how can she help?” she asked.

Selena stopped in the doorway. She squatted down, placing her hands on Emma's hips. Looking her straight in the eyes she asked, “Darling, do you believe in magic?”

“Yes, Mom,” Emma replied.

“And do you believe in witches?” Selena asked next.

Emma didn't mean to make a face, but she couldn't help it. Her forehead and eyes scrunched up as she answered. “I guess so. Why?” she said.

“Then, let's do some magic,” Selena said, jumping up to run to the kitchen. “Let's do a magic spell and see if Witch Hannah will come and help.”

Before Selena did anything else, she stopped to light the candle on the side table.

Emma didn't think too much about it at the time. Her mother was always lighting candles. Yet, she thought it was odd that her mother decided to do it just then.

Chapter Two

THE PURPLE DISH

Standing in the kitchen doorway, Emma watched her mother race to open cupboard after cupboard.

“What are you looking for, Mom?” she asked.

“Anything ... anything that jumps out at me. Something that says 'use me,' like a crystal bowl or something special.”

Emma could see that she needed help, so she started looking through the cupboards, too. “Here's something, Mom, but it looks really old.”

Selena quickly turned around, just as Emma was pulling something out from the back of the cupboard. It was a very old, deep-purple dish with silver trim around the edge.

“Is this special? Will this work?” Emma asked.

Selena paused, remembering when her mother and grandmother had used the bowl, and then she smiled. “Yes, it's perfect. Now, let's get busy and cast a spell.”

Emma wasn't so sure she liked this idea. She had no idea how to cast a spell.

“What sort of a spell, Mom? Will it scare me?” she asked.

Selena was distracted and wasn't paying attention to Emma. She was more concerned about the time and trying to recall where the name Hannah came from. She asked herself over and over again, Where have I heard that name before? She suddenly remembered. Ah, yes, Sweden, 1905, she thought.

Emma just stood there, holding the bowl, watching her mother wander around. Then she yelled again, getting Selena's attention, “I'm scared! Will this spell hurt me?”

Selena turned around and noticed the fear on Emma's face. She knew instantly that it was time to explain about witches and spells.

“Let's sit down,” she said, taking Emma by the hand. “The first golden rule of magic is to never cast a spell when you are scared. Fear and magic don't mix,” she said in her soft voice.

“It's like baking a cake. You wouldn't want to mix gun powder into your batter instead of baking powder, would you?”

“No way,” Emma laughed.

“Yes, way!” Selena joked back. Then she explained, “It's the same with a spell. Your fear is energy, and it doesn't belong in magic. It can make a spell backfire and cause damage to you or others.”

“So, why do I have to cast a spell?”

“To send a message to Witch Hannah, so she'll come and help you.”

“But if we don't know where she is, how will the message find her?”

“That's why we call it magic,” Emma's mother replied. “Once you're in touch with your magic, your life will never be the same.”

“Why?”

“Because the world around you comes alive and speaks to you in a language of its own,” Selena explained.

“But how will I understand?” Emma asked.

“You will, because it speaks to you and only you. Come on! I'll show you what I mean.”

She picked up the bowl and headed towards the back door. Together, they walked out onto the deck, so they could go into the backyard.

Emma didn't want to do anything wrong or mess up the spell, so she watched her mother closely. Selena slowly walked around the garden, looking at everything. Then, she stopped. It seemed that the parsley plant had called out to her, so she gently picked a leaf and put it in the bowl.

“She will purify and bring protection,” Selena said.

From that moment on, Emma seemed to know what to do but at the same time had no idea what she was doing.

Emma noticed a hanging basket in which her mother had planted a happy plant. The plant's leaves looked like tiny hearts as they spilled over the side of the basket. She reached up and picked a hand full and put them in her bowl. “She will know love,” Emma said.

Next, she put a pink Pansy into the bowl, and then she picked one more. “She will feel love too,” Emma added.

Emma's mother went next and she picked a sprig of lavender. “To heal and for good luck,” Selena said.

Emma smiled as she tilted her head. At the same time, her hand was reaching for the needle-shaped leaves of the plant in front of her. She was in tune with her inner magic now. She allowed the aromatic bush with grey-green leaves to speak to her. “Her favorite smell will be Rosemary,” she said, adding the needles to the purple dish.

Emma realized how connected she felt to the spell. She smiled at her mother, knowing they had just shared something special, and they headed back to the house.

Just before they reached the back door, Emma stopped. She bent down and picked a beautiful yellow Daylily. “She'll light up and sparkle, like the sun, when I meet her,” she said, adding the last symbol of magic to her spell.

The spell now complete, Emma took a closer look at what was inside the bowl. She had twelve little hearts, a sprig of lavender, two pink flowers, a handful of rosemary needles, a bright yellow flower, and a parsley leaf. This is really a powerful spell, she thought.

“How do we send it to Hannah?” she asked, looking up at her mother for directions.

“The energy from the spell will fly into the universe and find her. You just have to send it, like a magical phone call,” Selena answered.

Emma walked up the stairs onto the deck. She held the bowl in her hands and reached out over the rail.

“Hannah, I need your help. Please come,” she said quietly, with her eyes closed. She visualized the energy of the spell flying out into the world. Next, she smiled and winked at her mother, conveying that the magic phone call was on its way.

Chapter Three

THE SECRET MESSAGE

The day was going very slowly for Emma. It seemed like the party would never begin. After all, it was only lunchtime.

“Have you heard from Hannah, Mom?” she asked.

“No, as yet, I haven't heard a thing,” she said as she handed Emma a sandwich to eat.

After lunch, Emma went back outside to play. She came in around two o'clock and asked again if Hannah had called. Still, Selena had nothing to report.

Emma watched her mother put a tray of food into the refrigerator, and then she started laughing and skipped away. “This is all party stuff, huh, Mom? Gotta go. Bye.”

I wish it were just party stuff, Selena thought. I wish it were.

There was no more talk about witches or spells for the rest of the day. Emma's mother kept getting ready for the party, as usual. She did her best to remain positive and not let on that she was getting a little scared.

Every time a negative thought crept into her head—what if Witch Hannah doesn't show up? What if the curse isn't broken?—she would stop her thoughts by singing a little tune. This way, her thoughts did not hold any power.

Emma was so excited about her party that she couldn't sit still. She kept humming and skipping all over the house, taking time out every five minutes to ask the time.

Finally, it paid off, after Selena had heard the question about a hundred times.

“What time is it, Mom?” Emma asked again.

“It's 4:45,” Selena said, just as the doorbell rang.

“I'll get it!” Emma yelled, running to the front door.

She couldn't wait to see who was first to arrive. She quickly opened the door to find her best friend, Sarsha, holding a present in her hands.

“Hi, Emma,” Sarsha said.

“Hi, Sarsha,” Emma said, picking up Sarsha's sleeping bag and throwing it into the house.

“This is for you,” Sarsha said, handing Emma her present. “I'm early. Is that OK? This party is going to be so much fun! I can't wait!”

“I'm glad you're early. I have so much to tell you! Come in,” Emma said, taking her present from Sarsha.

Sarsha was the shortest of the Emma's friends. Her father was a famous horse jockey which explained her height. She stood only four foot eight inches in height, and her long, platinum blonde hair swished back and forth like the tail of a horse.

They walked into the front room, and Emma put her present down. The two of them jumped back onto the sofa, laughing and giggling, while they waited for the others.

Emma's home had an open floor plan. She could reach the front door in seconds, from any room.

The front entry led straight into the living room, where a large picture window overlooked the city. To the right of the window was the back door, leading onto the deck. To the left of the window was the dining area, and kitchen. The kitchen flowed into the hall and back around to the front entry.

Emma heard her mother calling her. “I'll be right back, Sarsha. I'd better see what she wants. What is it, Mom?”

When she got to the kitchen, she noticed the serious look on her mom's face. This meant she needed to pay attention.

“Emma, don't forget to pass out the cards to everyone. And listen, dear, don't say anything about the secret message. Just give each girl a card and wait to see if she can read it.

“Remember, you have the gift. You read the secret message. That doesn't mean everyone else will be able to. If they can't, it's OK.”

“But, Mom, this is a party joke, isn't it?”

“No, Emma, I'm sorry, it's not.”

“OK, I promise. What do I tell the other girls? I mean, those who can read the message?”

“Just tell them it's a party game. Ask them to keep the secret until everyone has had a chance to read her card. I'll come up with something to say later. Do you understand?” Selena asked.

Emma nodded her head and then headed back to the front room. She really didn't know what to think. She decided that she had better go along with everything. Just in case it was —or worse yet, just in case it wasn't- a party joke.

One by one, the girls arrived. One by one, each read her card, breaking up with laughter, asking, “Who is Witch Hannah?”

All Emma could do was shrug her shoulders, letting them know that she really didn't know who Witch Hannah was.

The twins, Chloe and Emmy, were identical; in fact, no one could tell them apart. They always dressed alike, only reversing the top and bottom colors of their clothes. When Chloe wore a red T-shirt and blue shorts, Emmy wore a blue T-shirt and red shorts.

Isabella was the quiet one. She had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and she loved math and science. The other girls had problems in math, and they loved art.

Montarna was a year younger than the others. Her large smile went from ear to ear, and agreed with her personality. Her hair was always neatly pulled back into a ponytail, and she had a girly chuckle. However, when they were with each other, their characters merged making one giggling, squealing mass of girls.

All her friends were there now, except one, so she excused herself so she could talk to her mother.

“Mom, everyone but Montarna is here, and everyone read the secret message. What should I do next?”

“Hmmm, why don't you call them into the kitchen for a snack,” Selena said. “After all, this is a party.”

“What a great idea. I'll go get them.”

Their laughter could be heard all the way to the kitchen, but once they arrived, the giggling stopped. Instead of the candy and chips they expected, they saw a strange variety of food.

The girls came to a halt as they noticed the table. One plate had carrots and celery sticks and another had Brussels sprouts. One more had little pieces of baked tofu with toothpicks stuck in them. In addition, there was a strange-looking dip.

Emma's mother picked up a plate of vegetables and politely offered it around. “Would you like a carrot or maybe some tofu?” she asked.

Chloe and her twin sister, Emmy, took one carrot stick each and had a bite. Isabella followed by choosing a celery stick, and Sarsha politely came forward.

“Yes, thank you, I'll have a carrot stick,” Sarsha said, "and I'll try some of that dip, too.” It looked like tuna or some kind of meat dip, but it wasn't. She took a bite and gagged.

“What is this?”

“It's baba ganoush,” Selena said. “Don't you like it?” Picking it up, she offered it to the other girls.

“Oh, no thanks,” Isabella said, stepping back. “I think my mother said I'm allergic to that kind of meat.”

Emma was embarrassed, but she did her best to explain. “It's not meat it's vegetarian, made from eggplant. Remember what the card said? No Coke, no candy ...”

A hush fell over the room. The girls looked at each other for some kind of an answer.

“What's going on?” Chloe asked. “This is a great party joke, Emma.”

The others all agreed and laughed.

Emma wanted to fade away or disappear. Her party was ruined for sure. It was her first sleepover, and she knew she would be the laughing stock of the school. Even worse, these girls would never be her friends now. She felt helpless as she fought back her tears.

Selena knew she had to do something quick to help save her daughter's party. The problem was, she didn't want to make things worse for Emma. Even so, she knew she had to take the risk.

“Girls, there's something I want to tell you,” she said, putting the vegetables down and trying not to sound too serious.

“Let's go into the other room. This isn't a party joke. It's all true,” she told the girls as they followed her.

You could have heard a pin drop as she continued.

“There really is a curse on your party and somewhere out there,” she said, waving her hand in space, "is a witch named Hannah, who can help.

“There's something else you need to know,” she continued, hoping not to frighten anyone. “I've never even told Emma this, but I'm a witch and you must be witches, too.”

Their eyes as big as saucers, the girls glanced at each other in silence. Before anyone could say a word, the doorbell rang, and the clock struck six at the same time.

Everyone jumped up, screaming, and ran to the front door. Emma's mom followed closely behind them as they swung open the door.

“It's Montarna!” they yelled.

“Hi, everyone. I'm sorry I'm late,” she started to explain, but no one was listening. Like teamwork, they grabbed her by the arm, pulling her inside, and Emma's mother greeted Montarna's mother.

One girl threw Montarna's bags down, while another took her present for Emma, and they all started talking to her at once. In fact, they rushed her off before she even had time to say good-bye to her mom. She did turn, however, and wave, yelling out,

“Gotta go, Mom. Bye.”

“Well, it looks like they're certainly excited about something,” Montarna's mother said.

“You know girls. They just love their sleepovers,” Selena laughed to cover up what was really going on.

“Well, not me,” Montarna's mother laughed back, and they said their good-byes.

In the meantime, the girls huddled around Montarna as she read her card. When she reached the end, they all started screaming as they tried to explain everything to her.

“Now, where were we?” Emma's mother said, pausing for a moment. “Does Montarna know what's going on?”

“Yes! Yes!” they shouted. “And she read the secret message, too!”

All six girls started asking questions in unison.

“How do we get Witch Hannah here?”

“Why can't you break the curse if you're a witch?”

“How do you know we are witches?”

“Are any of us bad witches?”

“If we are, what will happen to us?”

“What if we don't break the curse?”

“Girls, girls!” Selena, interrupted. “Please, one at a time. Sit down and I'll do my best to answer you.”

Instantly, they dropped to the floor, right where they were, but Selena walked over to a chair and sat down. Rising to their knees, they quickly crawled over to her, eager to hear what she was about to say.

“To get Witch Hannah here, you must call out to her from your heart,” she continued.

“I'm sorry, but I can't break the curse. It's hard to explain, but I'm a Witch of the Old, and you need Hannah, who is a Witch of the Young.

“That must mean you're Witches of the New. All of you read the secret message, which means you have the gift—the gift of magic.

“None of you are bad. That I know for sure. Bad witches wouldn't be here.

“There's a universal law that says 'like attracts like,' and good witches and bad witches are not alike. They are opposites.

“Those cards you read came from the Witches Committee. They didn't make it easy on you, but they mean what they say. You need Witch Hannah to break this curse.”

“Who are the Witches Committee?” Sarsha asked.

“Who they are is a secret. No one really knows, but they know all, and they are here to help us,” Selena answered.

“How?”

“If chosen by them to complete a task, then you are special. For they know it's your magic and only your magic that will work.”

“What if she doesn't come, Mom?” Emma asked.

“Then the curse won't be broken and ...” She paused briefly before adding, “I believe in you girls, I know you can do this. Won't you please try?”

Before they could decide, they had a few more questions. Asking their questions almost at the same time they started talking very fast.

“How will she get here?”

“Will she drive a car?”

“Will she magically appear?”

“Will she ride a broom?”

“Will she have a big nose and a green face?”

“Will we see her?”

“How will we know when she's here?” The girls couldn't stop asking questions, one after the other.

“How can I answer your questions when everyone is talking at once?” Emma's mom said, smiling at them. “First, I don't know how she'll get here, but I don't think she'll ride a broom. Of course, you'll see her. She's not a ghost, and I'm sure her nose isn't green. She'll look like you or me.

“You know, most Witches aren't bad,” she added.

“In fact, they are very good. Their magic can help you with everyday things, and they don't hurt the environment or cause harm to others.

“Perhaps you don't believe me when I say you're witches, but you are. I can promise you one thing: all of you are good witches, too.”

Chapter Four

WE BELIEVE! WE BELIEVE!

The girls sat there, hanging on every word. They took everything in, mulling it around in their heads for a moment or two. Seconds later, Emmy, Chloe's twin sister, broke the silence.

“My auntie once told me that she knew someone who turned children into frogs,” she said, and her voice quivered.

“Oh, Emmy, she was just trying to scare us,” Chloe said, cutting her off.

“Well, all this talk is scaring me,” Isabella cried.

Sarsha, on the other hand, started joking around, singing, “Hannah, Hannah come to us!” Suddenly, she stopped, pausing for a second before jumping to her feet.

“Listen, listen, everyone!” she yelled, getting their attention. She put her hand over her heart and continued. “It has to come from here ... our hearts.

“Come to us, Witch Hannah,” she sang out, spinning around in circles. “Come to us! We believe!”

Finally, it sank in. This wasn't just a party joke!

Still, they were unsure and needed a little push.

“Girls, believe in your magic,” Selena encouraged them. “Go outside and call out to Hannah from your hearts. Tell her you believe in her, and ask her to please hurry.”

A quick glance between them said that a mutual understanding had been reached. Without another word, they jumped up, pushing Emma first. They held on tightly to each other and headed towards the back door.

Before they opened the door, they stopped to take a deep breath to overcome their fear. About a minute later, they scurried onto the deck.

Looking out to the city with their hands over their hearts, they cried out together. “Hannah, Hannah ... we believe, we believe, come to us, please.”

Turning around, they ran back into the house, screaming all the way. The door slammed behind them as they plopped down onto the floor, so they could talk.

“Will she really come?”

“What if she does ride a broom?”

“What if she rides through the front window and breaks the glass?”

“What if she isn't nice?”

“Sh-h-h,” Emma's mother said, trying to calm them down.

“But what if she really isn't nice?” Montarna asked.

Just then, the phone rang. Emma jumped up to answer it, while Selena kept talking to the girls.

“It's Hannah everyone!” Emma screamed, covering the mouthpiece with her hand. “It's really her! She's not sure where we are!”

Before anyone could say 'Jack Robinson,' the girls were on their feet. Screaming and squealing, they ran over to Emma.

“Tell her where we are,” they yelled together, jumping up and down.

It was obvious that Emma had the floor as she hung up the phone. All eyes were on her, as everyone waited to hear what she had to say.

“She said to go outside,” Emma whispered. “She said to call out to her again. She said she wasn't sure where the house is, but she could follow the sound of our voices. She said to keep calling her until she finds us.”

It was clear to all of them what they had to do. Instructions accepted, they turned around and marched right out the back door.

First, they wanted to make sure that she wasn't hiding down below. They crept up to the railing and peeked over the side. All they could see were the green hedges along the patio's edge and nothing more.

Feeling safe, they started calling out to Hannah once again. “Here we are, Hannah! Here we are!”

“Sh-h-h! Did you hear something?” Sarsha asked, looking at everyone.

“Yeah, I think I did,” Isabella whispered.

“Me, too,” the others said, as they began glancing around. Again, they thought they heard a soft voice. However, no one could see Hannah.

“Listen! I think I hear footsteps,” Chloe said.

“Let's look again,” Emmy said, and they quickly turned around to look over the rail once more.

Again, they heard a soft voice in the night. “Emma? Emma, is that you?”

They spun around to see if Hannah was behind them, but she wasn't. Immediately, they ran to the other side of the deck, and they stopped at the top of the stairs.

They froze with their mouths wide open as they glanced below. They found themselves staring at a beautiful witch with long blonde hair and big blue eyes.

She was standing just beyond the steps, holding a sparkler in her hand. She held it right below her chin, which made her face light up and shine even more.

Slowly, she walked towards them, smiling. She stopped at the bottom of the steps. “Hello, I'm Witch Hannah,” she said in an angelic voice.

“I'm looking for a girl named Emma. Is she one of you?”

“Yes, I'm Emma,” the birthday girl answered.

“I heard you girls need some help,” she said. “What's wrong?”

“I think it's you that we need,” Montarna said, and the others joined in.

“Yeah, all we have to eat are vegetables and tofu.”

“Did you bring us Coke and candy?”

“Are you going to hurt us?” Isabella asked.

“I would never hurt anyone. Would you like me to come up so we can talk?”

By this time, Emma's mom was on the deck. She put her hand over her heart to thank God that Hannah had arrived. Then, she introduced herself.

“Hello, I'm Emma's mother, Selena, Witch of the Old. You must be Hannah, Witch of the Young.” Selena extended her hand. “Won't you please come inside?”

Hannah began walking up the stairs, her blonde hair mystically flowing behind her. She greeted Emma first, smiled at the other girls, and reached for Selena's hand. “It's nice to meet you, Selena, Emma's mother,” Hannah kindly replied.

Then the two of them, side by side, walked into the house, and the girls followed behind them.

Chapter Five

GETTING ACQUAINTED

Hannah noticed the painting of the cherry blossoms as she walked across the timber floor. It was almost life-sized and appeared to be 3D.

“Please make yourself comfortable,” Selena said, and Hannah quickly brought her focus back to the room.

She made her way to the white sofa in the middle of the room and sat down. Just then, a light breeze blew the wind chimes outside, creating a peaceful sound. The girls sat on the floor in front of her, and Selena excused herself, returning to the kitchen.

“How will I remember your names?” Hannah asked. “I know; tell me your names and the one thing that makes you different from the others.”

“OK! I'm Sarsha, and I'm the shortest with the blondest hair.”

“I'm Emma. This is my birthday party, and pink is my favorite color.”

“I'm Montarna,” the next one giggled. “I'm a little taller than Sarsha, and I'm always late to the parties because I dance on Saturdays.”

“I'm Isabella.” She paused to look around to see what made her different from the others. “I have brown shoulder-length hair, and I'm the quiet one.”

“I'm Chloe, and this is my twin sister, Emmy. My hair is a little shorter than hers.”

“I'm Emmy, Chloe's twin, and being a twin makes me different. Can you tell us apart?”

“No,” Hannah smiled looking at both again. “I'm the tallest one here,” she added, making the girls laugh.

Hannah had a magical presence about her. She wore fitted blue jeans and a pink sweater, and her beauty mesmerized the girls. She looked like she'd stepped out of a magazine and immediately, the girls accepted her as one of them.

“Are you the entertainer for tonight?” Chloe asked after they calmed down.

“No. I'm just a witch whose name is Hannah. I received a message today that said I was needed.”

“Where's your broom?” Isabella asked.

“And I thought witches wore hats. Where's yours?” Sarsha added.

“I didn't bring my broom, but I certainly own one. Regarding my hat,” she said, bending forward to whisper, “I'll talk about that later.”

“Hannah, I'm out of tea. Can you watch the girls while I run to the store?” Selena asked.

“I'd love to. Take your time.”

“Don't worry, Mom,” Emma said. “We'll be fine with Witch Hannah.”

“And don't get any more vegetables,” the girls snickered.

As soon as Selena was out of the house, Hannah pulled her hat out of her bag. It was deep purple, almost black, and she held it up for everyone to see.

“Oh, no!” Emmy squealed. “You do have a hat!” “Does that mean you're really a witch?” Chloe asked.

“Yes, it does, but it's not the hat that makes me a witch,” Hannah said.

The girls started mumbling among themselves. What was the big secret? Why hadn't she shown them the hat earlier?

Hannah explained that it wasn't polite to put your hat on in front of another witch who had lost her powers.

“Are you talking about my mother?” Emma asked. “How do you know she lost her powers?”

“It's a tradition to greet a new witch with your hat, especially if you are the elder,” Hannah explained. “I noticed your mother wasn't wearing or carrying her hat. This can only mean that she has temporarily lost her powers.”

“Why do witches wear hats, anyway?” Montarna asked.

“See the shape?” Hannah held up her hat again. “It's structured like a pyramid, isn't it? Well, we believe the shape helps open up our brains, connecting us to our higher power.

“There's another reason, too. Whenever you cast a spell, the energy rises up like a cone. It spins around and around, going out into the universe, where it belongs. So our hats represent our Cone of Power, or our connection to our magic.”

Putting her hat away, she took out a book and she held it close to her chest. From the appearance of the book, it was very old. The red cover had faded, and brown, wrinkled pages stuck out from the torn binding.

The girls couldn't keep their eyes off the book. Scrambling onto their knees, they moved in on Hannah. They almost climbed on top of her, trying to examine every inch of the book.

“What's that book?” Emma asked, and the others joined.

“Can we see what's inside?”

“It looks really old.”

“This is my very special Book of Spells, and it's been handed down to me from my family,” Hannah said pausing briefly. “It dates back to 1899.”

“Wow, that's old.”

“Did your mother write in it?”

“How many spells are in it?”

“How many can it hold?”

“Can you add pages?”

“Can we see one of the spells?”

However, no matter how close the girls got to the book, they really couldn't see much more than the cover. Besides, Witch Hannah wasn't going to volunteer anything more.

Hannah did her best to answer their questions. She began by telling them that the book contained spells from both her mother and her grandmother.

Then, she explained further that it was more like a history book to her. It was a condensed version of a very large book at home, with only the best spells and potions, used over hundreds of years. Even more importantly, it also contained limited curses broken by her family.

After explaining everything, she turned to Emma. “Do you know why I've been called?” she asked.

“Not exactly, but I received this package today, with six cards inside,” Emma said, as she ran to get hers. “One for each of us. Here, you can read mine.”

Hannah read it carefully, looking for hidden messages. Then she looked up at the girls and shook her head.

“Just as I feared ... it's the Sleepover Curse,” she said. “We need to cast a spell, one that will break this curse. I'm going to need everyone's help!”

“Will it scare us?” Isabella quietly asked.

“What will happen if we don't help?” Sarsha quickly added.

“Do we all have to help?”

“Can't it just be Emma?”

Emma spoke up, telling them not to be scared.

She told everyone that she had cast her first spell earlier that day. Emma turned to Hannah and said, “I sent it to you by magic so you could find your way. I even saw you sparkle like the sun, and now I know why. It was the sparkler you had in your hand, wasn't it?”

“Yes, it was,” Hannah said. “Only Emma, it was your magic that put the sparkler in my hand, so in your heart you would know it was really me.”

The girls were speechless. All they could mutter was, “Wow, Emma. Wow!”

Hannah stood up, and the girls stood up, too. It was a sign that everyone had agreed to help.

Actually, they just knew that something had to be done, and if it meant they had to do it well, then they would.

Chapter Six

THE MAGIC SPELL

“OK, girls, we'll need a few things,” Witch Hannah began. “First, we need a special bowl for the spell.”

“I'll get one,” Emma offered, running to the kitchen and returning with the same one she had used earlier. “How about this one?”

“Yes, that's perfect!” Hannah said, smiling.

Emma could not help noticing how the witch's eyes twinkled when she took the bowl.

Hannah explained a few basic rules about spells and magic before they began. “First, it's important to be careful what you wish for, and second, always focus on what you are doing.

“I always light a candle before I start my spells,” she added.

At once, the girls started looking around the room for candles. First, they found matches in a large glass bowl.Then, they noticed three large candles sitting on the round coffee table in front of the big picture window.

They ran over to the table and, to their surprise, they found there were two wicks in each one of the three candles.

“Look, a wick for each of us,” they said in hushed voices. “Let's light them.” One by one, they lit the candles, until all six wicks were burning.

In the meantime, Hannah put the bowl on the table, and then she went looking for a candle for herself. She found the perfect one. It was tall and pink, with a single wick.

“Why do you light a candle first?” Emma asked.

“It surrounds you with protection, and the light represents love,” Hannah said as she lit her candle. “It also keeps away negative influences,” she continued, turning to face them.

“Everyone needs this, especially witches who are casting spells.

“Now, I'd like to make a suggestion before we go any further: try not to talk or to ask any questions until it's your turn.”

“How will we know what to do?” Chloe asked.

“I'll guide you in the beginning, but the rest will come from you,” Hannah said.

“Use your imagination. Say what you want and do whatever feels right for you. Your heart will guide you, as this is where real magic lives. Are you ready to start?” she asked.

They nodded their heads, agreeing that it was time to begin. None of them seemed too sure what they were agreeing to, but they agreed, just the same.

Emma still didn't understand everything about the curse, but it didn't matter. She trusted Hannah, and she knew her friends did too.

Hannah picked up her blue bag that she had brought with her. She opened it and took out a handful of golden stars, putting them on the table. Next, she took out her magic wand and placed it on the table. Then, she unzipped the pouch on the outside of her bag. Everyone watched as she poured many beautiful crystals onto the table.

The spell, or the magic charm, was about to begin. Hannah instructed the girls to choose one magic crystal and one golden star each, which they did. Leading the way, she put her stone in the center of the purple dish.

“A magic crystal to keep away negativity,” Hannah said. The girls followed, one by one, saying the same thing.

Hannah picked up her star, and she held it over her heart. She closed her eyes and chanted, “Light of lights, shining bright ... be with us, here tonight.”

When she opened her eyes, she put her star, filled with light and love, into the purple dish. Each girl did the same thing. When everyone was finished, Hannah touched the bowl with her magic wand.

“So be it,” she said, putting her wand down afterward.

Hannah picked up the purple dish that contained the spell, and holding it in both hands, she headed towards the front door. Emma jumped up to walk beside her and the other girls followed behind.

Emma opened the door, and the two of them led the way into the front courtyard. It was starting to get dark, but not too dark to see.

Two Camilla shrubs that stood on either side of a wooden arch marked the garden's entrance. A white brick wall, hidden behind green hedges, protected the property, and large stepping-stones created a path around the garden's edge. By following the stones, one could visit the whole garden that was scattered with herbs and flowers.

Tonight, however, they would stand in the center of the garden. Hannah and the girls walked through the arch and into the middle of the yard.

Hannah held the spell at the level of her heart. She closed her eyes, slowly inhaled from the bowl, and then exhaled, to center herself. When her eyes opened, she held the spell up high, offering it to the heavenly stars. Then, she brought it back down to her chest.

“We will need lavender for healing and for good luck,” she quietly said. The girls started searching in the garden for lavender. Witch Hannah waited patiently with her eyes closed, humming a little tune.

Each girl came back with something. One by one, they placed it in the spell, saying “For luck" or “For healing.” Then, the last girl walked up with something else.

“I love the smell of rosemary,” Hannah said, inhaling the aroma as it was added to the bowl.

“And a cure for the old,” Sarsha said, feeling a little foolish. She didn't tell anyone that she thought she had lavender, just like everyone else. She had no idea that she was guided to the rosemary because it was meant to be.

Hannah asked everyone to join hands and to cast a sacred circle around her.

“A sacred circle protects you from outside influences. It keeps away little creatures from other dimensions, who might want to meddle with your magic,” she told the girls.

While the girls were casting the circle, she held the bowl at her chest. When the circle was complete, she continued with her instructions.

“Now, walk around the circle three times to the right, and repeat after me the words I say,” she said. Then, she held the spell up high, drawing on the strength of the stars and the energy of the moon. She started her chant.

“A sprig of rosemary, from the New ... and from the New... we all thank you,” she chanted. The girls repeated it word for word, again and again, until they had walked around the circle three times.

Witch Hannah looked around the circle, smiling at the girls, one by one. She could feel the magic of their energy filling the spell. It was great, but there was still more to do.

She knew how important it was for the energy of the circle to stay together, especially if this curse was going to be broken tonight.

“The circle is open but never broken,” Hannah said, walking towards them. Two of the girls dropped their hands to allow her to walk through. She returned to the house, and the girls followed in single file, right behind her.

When they reached the front door, Hannah stopped. She handed the bowl to Emma, who was the first girl in line.

Next, she took a saltshaker out of her pocket. She poured salt into her right hand, and then she threw it over her left shoulder. “Curses only have power when you believe in them, and I don't,” Hannah said as she walked through the open door.

Emma handed the bowl to the next girl in line, and she did the same thing. Each girl followed until the last girl, Emmy, was standing at the front door.

There, she stood, with the spell in her hands. There was no one for her to pass the bowl to, and she didn't know exactly what to do. The girls waited patiently, watching her, to see what would happen next.

Emmy had to think fast. She remembered Hannah telling them that magic came from the heart and the imagination. She closed her eyes, and she took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she knew what to do.

She turned around and put the bowl on the ground behind her. Then, she poured salt into her right hand and threw it over her left shoulder. Quickly, she spun around to see where it had landed.

“Yes!” she said quietly, making a small fist and pulling her elbow back. It landed in the bowl, just like I wanted, she thought. Still focused, she picked up the bowl, turned around, and walked through the front door. “Curses only have power when you believe in them, and we don't,” she laughed aloud, with a huge smile on her face.

Everyone cheered. It was impossible for them to remain quiet. It was perfect and felt so right to all of them.

Hannah smiled, remaining quiet as she took the bowl. Together, they turned around and walked back to the round table where the candles were still burning. She placed the bowl in the middle of the table and asked the girls to close the circle once again. This time, she joined hands with them.

“We'll walk around the table clockwise, three times, repeating one more chant,” she said. “I will start each verse and you repeat it after me. When we finish the chant, the spell will be complete.”

The girls started walking slowly to the right, their eyes focused on the spell in the center of the table. Hannah began the chant, and the girls repeated it, word for word.

“Light is light, light Is love,

Here on earth, as above.

As above so below,

We respect nature and take control.

As above so below,

We are the light, we are the glow.”

The chanting finished as the three circles were completed. Silence fell over the room. Still holding hands, they looked at one another.

“Wow... did you feel that?” Montarna asked softly.

The girls slowly dropped their hands, but they didn't move.

“Look at the hair on my arms!” Emma said in a surprised voice and the others joined in.

“I have goose bumps all over!”

“The hair on my head is standing straight up!”

“I feel like laughing inside!”

“I have chills running up and down my back!”

Hannah didn't need any more confirmation. She knew what had just happened. She picked up her wand and touched it to the spell again. “By the light of the moon, this curse now doomed ... 'til the light of the sun, it's time for fun, and so it is,” she declared.

The room broke out in cheers. Clapping their hands, the girls jumped up and down, screaming at the top of their voices. Someone yelled, “Emma, call your mom!” and the others joined in, too.

“Hurry, Emma! Hurry!”

“Tell her to bring pizza and Coke!”

Emma raced to the phone to call her mom. Then, she returned to report that pizza and Coke were on the way.

As soon as Selena walked into the house, she noticed the golden glow that filled the room, but when she walked past the spell, the hair on her arms stood straight up and chills ran up and down her spine.

“Wow! This must have been some spell,” she whispered to Hannah.

“It was,” Hannah said, nodding. “It really was.”

Selena looked thoughtfully beyond Hannah as she softly said, “Hm-m-m.” Then she called out, “Pizza, anyone?”

The girls' loud “Yeah!” filled the room. Six hungry girls ran to the table, as Hannah and Selena started dishing up the food.

Chapter Seven

HANNAH'S SPELL BOOK

Selena and Hannah went into the next room, leaving the girls to enjoy their pizza. They had no idea the girls were watching them in the reflection on the window.

Suddenly, the girls started to whisper to each other. They saw Witch Hannah give Witch Selena her spell book to read, and this was too much for them to handle. All that mattered to them now was seeing what was inside the book.

“We can sneak up behind them,” Emma said. “Let's go.” Quietly, they pushed their chairs back, leaving the pizza and Coke behind. On tiptoe, they snuck around the corner, down the hall, to the main entrance of the house.

They stopped. No one noticed them. They were in luck. The book was still in sight, so Emma waved everyone on. Slowly, they crept up from behind to peek. However, strangely, as soon as they were close enough to see, Selena closed the book.

“Hello, girls,” Selena said, as she glanced up. “Isn't your pizza getting cold?”

“Oh-h-h!” they moaned. “Why can't we see what's inside?” They stomped their feet all the way back to the kitchen.

“What was that all about?” Hannah chuckled. “I'm not sure. I think they really wanted to see your book.”

“Maybe they should.”

“Maybe you're right. They are witches, and this curse does involve them,” Selena said.

After talking it over, they went into the kitchen to see how everything was going. It couldn't have been better. Six girls were all talking at the same time. Oddly enough, they understood each other.

Emma looked up. “Are we really witches, Mom?”

“Yes,” Selena and Hannah said at the same time. Then, they laughed, knowing this was a sign.

“I have a feeling that this is more than just a birthday party,” Emma's mother said. “I don't exactly know why, but I know it's pretty special when six little witches all end up at the same house together. When you finish eating, come into the other room. We'd like to share something with you that's written in Hannah's 1899 Spell Book.”

The girls were so excited—they almost dropped the food in their hurry to pass it around the table.

“Who wants more pizza? How about Coke?” they yelled at one another.

They rushed to finish eating—the most important thing to them was the book. They washed down their last bites of pizza with Coke and raced into the other room, sliding to the floor in front of Selena and Hannah.

“What does it look like inside?” Emma asked, and the others started talking too.

“Can we see?”

“Just one page?”

“Please, Hannah, show us what's inside!” they pleaded.

Hannah opened the book to the center page. The pushing and shoving began as the girls scrambled to their knees for a closer look.

“Let me see! Move over, Emma!”

“Sarsha, Emma, we can't see.”

“Isabella, you're in my way.”

“You're in front of me, Chloe. Move!”

“I wanna see, too!” Isabella said, pushing her way to the front with the others. Finally, everyone was in position. “Wow, look how old that picture is,” they all mumbled.

“Who are those people?”

“Are they witches?”

“Are they related to you?”

“Did they write spells?”

“Can you read us one?”

Hannah did her best to answer their questions. 'I come from a long line of witches and these photos are of my family,” she said.

“You asked me to read a spell from my book, but most of them won't mean anything to you. There is one, though, that I think will interest you.” She turned the pages of the book until she came to the spell she was looking for.

“Would you like to hear the Sleepover Curse, the one that was put on this party? I have it right here, recorded in my book.”

What a silly question! Of course, they wanted to hear it and every word of it, too!

Hannah asked Selena if she would like the honor of reading it to them. Selena accepted gracefully, rising to search for a needed magnifying glass. While they were waiting, Hannah pointed out who was who in the photos.

“First, we have my great-grandma, Witch Hannah, after whom I was named.

“Down below, we have my great-aunt, Witch Olga,” she said, pointing to the back row on the right. “Next to her are her children, Anna, Erik, and Minna.”

“Is Erik a witch?” Montarna asked.

“It depends on what school of witches you come from. Some say both men and women are witches, but my family called men wizards if they have the gift. But Erik, hm-m-m ... I don't remember any stories about him. I'm not sure if he had the gift or not,” Hannah said, going back to the photo.

“Now, in front of Minna is her cousin Freda. She's married to Henric, sitting on the ground, in front of her.

“I remember my nana telling me that Freda didn't have much of a gift, and Henric was very normal. However, their daughter Elsa, on his lap, was full of magic. You see the older woman sitting on the chair?” she said, pointing to the person behind Henric. “This is Elsa's grandma, Agnes, who was a wonderful witch— loved and respected by everyone. It's believed that Elsa's magic came from her.”

“What sort of things did Agnes do?” Emma asked.

“She did lots of things, like reading tea leaves and palms, although her real gift was reading stones, called runes, with symbols on them. She kept them in a special bag, tied around her waist. In fact, she was never without them,” Hannah said.

“Right up to the day she died, she helped anyone who came to her. Some people even referred to her as a Rune Master.”

“What's a Rune Master?” Sarsha asked.

“It's a person who knows the true, magical meaning of life,” Hannah answered. “You see, each stone had its own meaning. So, when Agnes read stones for someone, she gave them hope and a new understanding about their life.

“Agnes was the first of the witches in my family line, and that covers everyone in the photos,” Hannah concluded as Selena walked into the room. “Hi, Selena, perfect timing.”

Chapter Eight

THE SLEEPOVER CURSE

Hannah opened the book to the curse. The girls didn't take their eyes off the book for one second. They watched as Hannah marked the page with her finger, holding it on her lap until Selena was ready.

The girls wanted to see the curse before Selena began, so Hannah showed them the page. It was so old, it looked like it would crumble. The curse was mounted on pink paper.

“Wow! The writing is so small! How come? No wonder you need a magnifying glass,” Emmy laughed. “What's the pink paper for?” Chloe asked. “It's butcher's paper, and in the 1800s, they used it between pages to absorb the ink,” Hannah said. “The page you're looking at is very condensed; that's why it's so small. It's the only way that the history around the curse would fit onto one page.”

Hannah passed the book to Selena. Patiently, the girls waited, turning their heads to follow the book with their eyes, as it went from one set of hands to the next. “Every witch records rituals, spells, and potions in her own way,” Hannah said. “You'll find a way that works for you, too.

“What you're about to hear is more than just a spell. It's the sequences of events that lead up to the Sleepover Curse. This way, all the knowledge is there, in case anyone needs to refer back to it,” Hannah explained.

“Besides, it can be very dangerous to meddle in the craft, especially if you don't have all the facts around a curse.”

“Speaking about spells,” Selena added, "there's no right or wrong way to record what you do, but it is important to note the details—that way, you learn what works and what doesn't. Now, if everyone is ready, I'll read what's written in Hannah's book.”

She held her magnifying glass over the page and started to read.

The History of the Sleepover Curse

Written by: Witches of the Old

Location: Salem

Year: 1899

Time: 12:02 a.m.

Surroundings: The ground is white, all covered with snow. The trees stand tall in the moonlight glow.

The History: Long ago, there was a young girl who came from a family of witches. She decided to cast a spell. She thought she was funny, but she wasn't. A young girl fell. They tied the young witch, who cast the spell, to a tree, but her gift saved her and set her free. The stones they threw fell to the ground, and the ropes that tied her became unwound. She was banished from Salem that very day. Her mother never came, and she lost her way. Her tears of sadness turned to anger, and her anger grew. And from this anger, it's been told, the Sleepover Curse came true.

The Sleepover Curse

To all girls aged 11, with the gift, who dare to have a sleepover- you will be cursed. There will be no laughter, nor fun in sight. You will lose your magic on this night. And to the Witches of the Old, standing by, they too will lose their power and begin to cry. I send this out times three, this is my curse and so it will be.

— Witch Sabra XO

To: Witches of the Young

Go forth, it is you who must break this curse, for we have tried and failed. We document that Curse.10.1800/Salem, is now over a hundred years old.

— Witches of the Old, 1899

“What happened next?” Isabella asked quietly as soon as Selena paused.

“Yeah, what happened to the girl?” Sarsha asked, and then everyone started talking at once.

“Did she die?”

“What did her parents do?”

“Did she mean to hurt the girl?”

“Was she a bad witch?”

“I bet not seeing her mother again made her really sad.”

Witch Hannah and Selena explained that they did not know any other facts. They could only assume that something bad happened to the girl who fell. “Only the events around the curse are registered in the book,” Hannah said.

“You know, a lot of witches were stoned to death,” Selena added. “In fact, anyone even suspected of witchcraft back then was executed, but that all ended around 1793. Casting spells for fun or for any reason just wasn't allowed.

“The young witch Sabra was banished unfairly, but it was a sign of the times. The town feared her magical powers. Nevertheless, she did stop the stones from reaching her, and she set herself free.”

“This curse must have been cast in the 1700s,” Hannah said. “First documented in 1800 by the Witches Committee, of Salem. Making it the tenth curse still not broken by the year 1800.”

“Here's what happened next,” Selena said, as she picked up the book to read on.

Written by Witch of the Young

Location: Sweden

Year: 1905

Time: 12:05 a.m.

Event: I'm eleven years old, at a sleepover with my friends. There's no laughter and no fun; it must be the curse. They're asleep, so I've gone outside.

Surroundings: The ground is white, all covered with snow. The trees stand tall in the moonlight glow.

History: The Sleepover Curse

In my heart, I feel a glow. It must be time, and this I know. I'm a Witch of the Young—I must go forth and break this one. I know I can ... it's in my hands. I know I can; here's the Plan.

My Spell: In the snow, I cast my circle for protection. From my pocket, I take a magic stone, and I place it in the center. Looking up at the stars, I bring their energy into my arms. A piece of lavender from my hair, I add for healing because I care. Now, I walk three times to the right, my magic spell I cast tonight.

Stars above, shining bright,

I spin around, in your light.

Love is life ... life is love,

Filled with energy from above.

Light above, shining bright,

Erase this curse from our sight.

And so it is, this very night,

This curse now gone from our sight.

— Witch Hannah, 1905

“And that is the history around the Sleepover Curse,” Selena said, closing the book.

Chapter Nine

THE NEW WITCHES

Witch Hannah from Sweden was the first to break the curse. She believed in her magic and that life was all about having fun. It was not about giving your power away to some old curse.

The girls' minds spun with questions. First, they wanted to know why the curse had come back.

“Did we do something wrong or bad?” Sarsha asked.

“Maybe you did, Sarsha, but I didn't,” Chloe joked.

“Besides, I thought we were good witches,” Montarna added.

“What's wrong, Isabella?” Emma asked.

“I don't know,” Isabella said quietly. “I hope I didn't do anything wrong.”

“No one did anything wrong,” Hannah assured them. “Go ahead and ask your questions; maybe we can clear things up.”

“Then, why did the curse come back?” Isabella asked.

“And why do you call us New Witches?” Sarsha asked next.

“Yeah, what are Witches of the Old and Young?” Emmy asked. Selena did her best to explain the difference between Old, Young and New Witches.

“Witches of the Old go back before 1700, and Witches of the Young first started their magic in the 1900s,” Selena explained.

“You must be the New Witches, because you're different from the others. Your light is so bright, and all of you have a special mission here on earth. You're a new breed of children, so you must be a new breed of witches, too.

“But Mom, you weren't born in 1700, or you'd be three hundred years old. So, why do you call yourself a Witch of the Old?” Emma asked, and the girls rolled on the floor with laughter.

“I know I'm not that old, dear,” Selena chuckled. “Nevertheless, I can recall different memories of witches that date back as far as the 1400s. Or maybe they are memories of my past lives. I really don't know. However, this makes me a Witch of the Old. That's why I lost my power tonight, because it was part of the curse.

“Witch Sabra was a very angry girl when she cast the curse, so it held a lot of power,” Selena added.

“That's why it took so many years for someone to finally break it,” Hannah continued.

“How long did it last?” Sarsha asked.

“For the rest of the century, as long as no one gave it any power,” Hannah said. “But I'm not sure why it came back.”

“As far as I know, you're the first ones to experience it again since 1905,” Selena said. “Maybe it's back because it's the year 2000. Perhaps it's back because you're the New Witches on this planet.”

“My great-grandmother wouldn't have had a clue that a new breed of children would be here someday,” Hannah said. “Her spell was powerful enough to keep the curse away from everyone else.” Hannah seemed to be getting a better understanding of why the curse might have come back.

The girls exchanged looks to see if this felt right to them. Then they quietly discussed this among themselves, summing everything up.

Yes, the year 2000 needed a new spell. After all, it was a new millennium. They also realized that it could not have happened without Witch Hannah.

“Girls, the spell you worked tonight will go down in the Witches Book of History,” Hannah said. “It's your charm or magic that made it possible for girls to have sleepovers again.”

Silence fell over the room for a moment. “Does that mean it will only last one hundred years?” Montarna asked.

“Will someone else will have to find another Witch Hannah to save their party?” Isabella asked.

“That would be too much,” Chloe added.

“What if there wasn't a Witch Hannah to help?” Isabella added.

“Does that mean the curse will come back forever?” Sarsha asked next.

“Well, maybe not,” Emma said, thinking aloud. “There was only one Witch Hannah who broke the original curse. But there was one Hannah and six of us this time.”

Sarsha jumped to her feet, waving her hands in the air. “Maybe we broke the curse for six hundred years!” she yelled with excitement. “Better yet, maybe seven hundred years! What do you think, Witch Hannah?”

“Yeah ... what do you think?” the girls all yelled. Before Hannah could answer, they were all on their feet, jumping up and down.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” they screamed.

Hannah and Selena looked at each other with the same thought: could this be true?

“Wow! What do you think, Hannah?” Selena asked.

“It makes my spine tingle, all right,” she replied as they both stood up.

Spontaneously, the girls started joining hands to form a circle. Selena and Hannah joined in, and the clap of everyone's hands locking together resounded throughout the room. It happened so fast that all they could do was laugh.

The energy swept though the circle like magic, going from one hand to the next. It was obvious that the circle was meant to be, and nothing negative was getting in.

Witch Hannah looked at Selena. “I believe this one is for you,” she said respectfully.

Selena closed her eyes, inhaling and exhaling slowly, to center herself. She opened her eyes and looking around the circle, she made eye contact with each girl.

“Tonight is a gathering and celebration of six very special girls,” she said. “This circle was created on impulse. That only happens when it's guided by spirit.

“It's almost impossible to get this many witches together, especially with the same gift,” she said. She paused briefly and then said, “Your magic is very powerful, and it's full of love. I believe the curse has been broken for more than one hundred years this time. What do you girls believe?”

“Yes, yes!” they screamed in unison.

“And so it shall be,” Hannah declared. “The circle is open, but never broken,” she added, letting everyone know that they could drop their hands.

“Let's celebrate,” Selena said. “Who wants cake and ice cream?”

The answer was, everyone did!

The girls walked slowly back to the kitchen table so they could share what had just happened. They decided that being a witch was a pretty good thing after all.

Following behind the girls, Selena and Hannah had their own conversation. “Can you believe what just happened?” Hannah asked.

“Unbelievable,” Selena said.

“It was so powerful ... they're so in tune with everything, and they don't even know it.”

“I agree. Things like this never happened in my day.”

“Mine, either,” Hannah said.

“Where did that beautiful purple spell bowl come from?” Hannah asked, changing the subject. “I noticed an aura of magic around it, like none I've ever seen before.”

“It has a history, all right. It's been in my family since the 1600s,” Selena explained. “Whoever discovers it for their first spell receives it and all the magic that it holds. It touched my heart deeply when Emma found it today for her first spell. I won't have to hide it any longer and now, it will be hers to pass on someday.”

“You know, I need to go through my great-grandmother's things when I get back to Sweden. I bet I'll find something special that she left behind,” Hannah said. “What else do you have planned for the party tonight?”

“Would you like to spend the night?” Selena offered. “This party seems to be in the hands of the universe, not mine. I was thinking that it might be fun to read tea leaves. What do you think?”

“Excellent idea,” Hannah said, tossing back her blonde hair. “It was one of the first things my auntie taught me when I was a young girl. It will be so much fun, and the girls will love it. I can't wait to see what happens next.” She giggled. “And yes, I'd love to spend the night. I wouldn't want to miss a party like this for anything.”

Emma's Scrapbook

Don't miss what happens next in BOOK TWO: Witch Hannah Returns.

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