Table of Contents

- Dedication

- Acknowledgements

- Chapter One: Cobblestone Spell

- Chapter Two: The Red Windmill

- Chapter Three: Magic Crystals

- Chapter Four: Magic Wands

- Chapter Five: Kitchen Magic

- Chapter Six: Another Sleepover

- Chapter Seven: Party Time

- Chapter Eight: The Twins

- Chapter Nine: He's Back

- Chapter Ten: Montarna Arrives

- Chapter Eleven: The News Release

- Chapter Twelve: Keep the Magic Alive

- Emma's Scrapbook

- Other Events

- The New Witches Club Website

The New Witches Club

and the Power of Love, Magic, and Friends

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

COBBLESTONE SPELL

The early morning sun was peeking through the narrow opening in Emma's curtains. It was the day after Halloween and the morning after Emma's sleepover party.

Sarsha was in bed with Emma, and her other four friends were on Emma's floor. The bright light streaming onto Sarsha's face woke her up. Eager to start the day, she shook Emma's shoulder.

“Hey, Emma, wake up!” Sarsha whispered loudly. Emma rubbed her eyes and her sleepy voice replied, “What time is it?”

“It's five o'clock in the morning. Let's go work a spell with our new wands.”

“OK, let's wake up the others,” Emma said, rolling over.

Montarna, Isabella, and the twins, Emmy and Chloe, were still snug in the warmth of their sleeping bags. The commotion stirred them, and one by one they arose, rubbing their eyes.

They grabbed their magic wands first and then their spell books. They also grabbed their personal bags of magic ingredients, such as oils, herbs, and crystals, and then they headed out the bedroom door.

Tiptoeing down the hall so as not to wake others who were still sleeping, they reached the steps. Down to the main level they crept. Picking up speed, they scurried across the entry hall to the other side. Then, running down the carpeted steps, they finally reached Emma's Magic Room. The lights went on and everyone hurried inside, closing the door behind them.

Slowly, Emma's Magic Room was coming together. It started right after the girls broke the Sleepover Curse. Their need for a magical haven that represented who they were was obvious to Selena, Emma's mother.

Stars and moons painted on the ceiling created the feeling of the night sky. Blown-up fairy cards decorated the room. Golden stars were scattered on yellow, pink, and blue walls, and a rainbow curtain adorned the single window.

Six girls gathered around the table. “We need a spell that we can use our magic wands on,” Emma said, forgetting they did not really know how to use magic wands yet. They had only received them last night from the Witches Committee.

“Why did the Witches Committee give us magic wands?” Sarsha asked, swinging hers around in the air.

“I guess because we sent the spirits back to the other side,” Chloe answered. The others joined in with their comments, too.

“Last night was awesome.”

“We overcame our fear of ghosts, all right!”

“Yeah, and we dined with them until midnight.”

“Here's the spell bowl. Should I put it in the middle of the table?” Isabella quietly asked. The girls now needed a purpose for the spell.

“Remember how Mom found a cobblestone road that led her to her dress?” Emma said. “Well, how about a spell that leads us to a cobblestone road?”

Everyone agreed. Perhaps they would find an authentic witch dress, too.

Emma and her friends decided on the magic ingredients. Then, putting on their thinking caps, they wrote the incantation. One by one, they added their part to the spell.

A handful of white rocks, called cobblestones, went into the bowl first, followed by just enough clear water to cover them up. Then they added golden stars for all that glitters, black pepper for courage, and lavender for good luck.

“Let's join hands and cast our sacred circle,” Emma said to everyone.

The girls knew it was important to cast a sacred circle first. The circle would protect their spell and keep out unwanted influences.

“Let's walk around the circle three times to the right and repeat our magic spell,” Emma said, leading the way.

“Cobblestone road show us the way,

To all that glitters

And our dress of the day.”

The girls walked around the spell, holding hands and repeating the chant three times. Then Emma walked over to the spell bowl. Sarsha was still holding her hand so she went, too. Together, they touched the bowl with their wands.

POOF! Emma and Sarsha disappeared, and their magic wands fell from the ceiling, spinning around the other girls.

“Oh, no! Where did they go?” they all said together. With their mouths wide open, they spun around, quietly looking for Emma and Sarsha.

“We need help!” Chloe screamed, and all the girls started talking at once. “Let's call Hannah.”

“We don't have her telephone number.”

“Maybe she spent the night.”

“We can call out to her, from our hearts.”

“Yeah, all we have to do is believe.”

“OK, let's go.”

They ran out the back door. They joined hands, creating a circle. Then, closing their eyes while focusing on their hearts, they began calling her.

“Hannah, Hannah, come to us,

Hannah, Hannah, we believe,

Hannah, Hannah, come to us,

Hannah, Hannah, it's you we need.”

Hannah rolled over in Selena's guest bed and sat up. She thought she heard something and glanced around the room. She listened closely again. Yes, she thought. It's the girls; they need me. Hearing the faint sound of their voices in her head, she jumped out of bed. Holding her honey-blonde hair in a ponytail, she twisted a hair-band around it and grabbed her robe.

“I'm coming,” Hannah quietly whispered to herself. Throwing on her dressing gown, she moved quickly through the house, finding them outside.

“What's wrong?”

“You're here, Witch Hannah!” they all screamed. “Emma and Sarsha disappeared,” they cried together.

“We'd better call Selena. Let's send her a psychic message, so we don't wake Emma's dad,” Hannah suggested. “Together, mentally think: come to the Magic Room now,” she instructed, and they did. “OK, girls, let's go inside and wait.”

Selena woke to the faint sound of the girls calling her. She tossed back her covers and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Sitting up, she realized at once that this was a telepathic message. Slipping her feet into her pink fuzzy slippers, she grabbed her robe and quickly made her way to the Magic Room. She found four girls sitting on the floor, crying in Hannah's arms.

“What's wrong, girls?” Selena calmly asked.

“It seems that the girls were working a spell that went wrong. Now Emma and Sarsha have gone. Their wands, however, are here,” Hannah explained.

“Oh, no,” Selena said, taking a deep breath. “That means their magic will run out soon. If it does, they won't be able to return. Where did they go?”

“We don't know,” the girls cried.

“Tell me then exactly what you did and what you said,” Selena calmly replied.

Everyone started talking at once, trying to explain.

“We wanted to find a witch dress.”

“Like yours and Hannah's.”

“We cast a spell for an old cobblestone road.”

“But when Emma and Sarsha touched the bowl—"

“I know,” Selena interrupted. “Then it was POOF! But what did you chant?”

“Cobblestone road show us the way,

To all that glitters

And our dress of the day.”

“They've gone into the past! We have to work fast to bring them back,” Selena explained to the girls.

“I brought my great-grandmother's crystals with me from Sweden,” Hannah said, rushing to the door. “I found them in her attic last month when I was there. I was going to show everyone last night, but the night had its own story. I'll run and get them.”

“Quick, get into a circle and hold hands. We need to keep the energy together until Hannah comes back,” Selena explained.

“Hurry, Hannah! Hurry!” they yelled, getting into a circle as fast as they could.

Chapter Two

THE RED WINDMILL

Sarsha and Emma found themselves walking in a tunnel and still holding hands.

“I wonder where we are,” Emma pondered.

“I don't know, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are almost there,” Sarsha answered.

They arrived at the end of the tunnel and stepped out into the daylight. “Hey, Emma, the road has cobblestones,” Sarsha said, looking down.

Looking up, they glanced at one another and much to their surprise, they noticed a change had taken place.

“Wow, how old are you?” Sarsha asked Emma.

At the same time, Emma pointed at Sarsha in amazement. “Where did you get that bright pink dress?” she asked.

Staring at one another in silence, with their mouths wide open, they spun around to see where they were. As they were spinning around, Emma answered Sarsha's question.

“I think I'm nineteen, Sarsha. What about you?”

“I think I'm turning nineteen in a week or two,” Sarsha replied, looking around in wonder. “Hey, how did we get this old?”

“I don't know,” Emma said, still in shock. “Where did I get this dress?”

“I don't know, but I love it,” Sarsha said, pausing briefly. “By the way, who does your hair?” The two of them broke up laughing.

“Well, Sarsha, shall we see where this cobblestone road takes us?” Emma said, eager to know herself.

“Yes, mademoiselle, let's go,” Sarsha answered in a pretend-sophisticated voice.

“Mademoiselle?” Emma laughed. “Where did that come from?”

“I don't know,” Sarsha said, laughing.

The two of them, still giggling, started walking down the road. They turned the corner and stopped. “Hey, Emma, look at that building with the red windmill on top,” Sarsha said, looking around. “In fact, all the buildings seem really old.”

“Look at how everyone is dressed, and the men are wearing hats,” Emma said, gazing everywhere.

“Hey, Emma,” Sarsha said, pointing at someone. “That man over there seems really familiar.”

“Yeah, I remember his white beard and those tiny round glasses from somewhere,” Emma said, puzzled.

“Oops, he's gone,” Sarsha said, as the man disappeared around the next corner. “I hope he comes back so we can talk to him. Maybe he'll tell us where we are.”

Emma turned her eyes toward the building with the windmill on top. “Come on, Sarsha, let's check it out,” she said excitedly.

They stopped in a narrow alleyway next to the building to look for a door. “Sarsha, I think I found one,” Emma said, stepping to one side as a man came down the path, walking his poodle. He greeted the girls and Emma replied with, “Bonjour, monsieur.”

“Hey, Emma, I didn't know you spoke French,” Sarsha whispered in amazement.

“Neither did I, but I guess I do,” Emma replied, as she shrugged her shoulders.

Once the man had passed, they opened the door and peeked inside. The coast was clear, so they tiptoed in and quietly closed the door behind them.

Chapter Three

MAGIC CRYSTALS

“Hannah, you're back. Did you get your crystals?” Selena asked.

“Yes, here they are.”

“Wow! Look at the rainbows they make,” the girls remarked.

“Light a candle for Emma and Sarsha. Then make a circle around the candles. Everyone hold a crystal or two in the palms of your hands,” Hannah calmly but quickly explained. “I'll stand in the middle and see if I can see anything in the rainbows. By the way, what are Sarsha's and Emma's favorite colors?”

“Pink and blue!” the girls shouted.

Selena closed her eyes and started a chant: “Royal pink and indigo blue, where are you?” The girls joined in. “Royal pink and indigo blue, we need you.”

“I see them,” Hannah whispered. “I see them.” POOF! And she was gone.

“It's all right,” Selena assured the girls. “Hannah knows what she is doing. We need to keep our focus on Emma and Sarsha so Hannah finds them in time. Keep chanting their colors.”

“Royal pink and indigo blue, we need you ... royal pink and indigo blue ...” they kept the chanting going.

In another time, inside the famous Moulin Rouge, Emma and Sarsha found a safe place to hide behind a large pillar. From the back of the hall, they watched the dance girls rehearsing on stage.

The great hall had four large pillars along the back and on both sides that held up the balcony. From the main entrance, they could see the large wooden stage under a high, curved structure. Suspended from the arch hung a deep-red velvet curtain, opened and tied back to the sides. The most beautiful girls in the world stood to the side of the stage. Feathers, rhinestones, and sequins decorated the girls. The star of the show swayed back and forth from a seat suspended from the ceiling.

“Wow, Sarsha,” Emma said, gazing at a woman on a swing. “Look how beautiful she is.”

Her sparkly corset was adorned with long feathers that flowed to the floor. As she swung, the feathers trailed gracefully behind her. She was wearing silver high heels, and her long red hair moved freely around her as she swung in the air.

Holding onto the bar with one hand, she arched back. Her ankles were crossed, and she was pretending to offer her hand to the audience below.

“Emma, isn't she singing your favorite song? The song you have been singing since you were eight years old?” Sarsha commented.

“It does sounds like it, but she's singing in French,” Emma uttered, staring at her. Then quietly she started to sing along, “Diamonds are a girl's best friend ...”

The rehearsal finished and the curtains slowly closed.

“Wow! Look at those red curtains,” Emma said as she watched them close across the stage. “I've never seen so much gold-silk trim in my whole life.”

“Everyone has gone,” Sarsha noticed. “Let's see what the stage looks like up close. Come on, Emma,” she said, running down the aisle. “Hey, Emma, swirl around and watch how your dress swings.”

“This is fun. Watch me,” Emma declared, breaking into a dance. She suddenly stopped. “Shhh, Sarsha, I hear someone.”

“Psst, girls. Psst, girls, over here,” Hannah whispered from behind the curtain.

“Hannah, is that you?” Emma and Sarsha said together as they ran over to her. “How did you get here?” they whispered back. “Is there anyone else back there?”

“No, just me. There isn't much time to explain. You are in Paris at Moulin Rouge in the year 1900. You must get out of here before it's too late,” Hannah said urgently. “Tightly hold these crystals in your hands. Don't let go of them for anything. Close your eyes and think about your friends. Try to hear them calling you.”

“Who?” Sarsha asked, a little confused.

“The New Witches; they need you. Without you, the New Witches won't exist.” POOF! And Hannah was gone.

Almost instantly, she reappeared in the circle at Emma's house. “I found them,” Hannah told everyone. “Keep chanting! It's the only chance they have.They must hear you or they can't return.”

“Their candles have almost burned out,” Selena softly explained. “When the flame is gone, it'll be too late for them to come back.”

“Royal pink and indigo blue, we need you. Royal pink and indigo blue, we need you,” the girls chanted repeatedly.

Then Chloe suddenly had an idea. “This chanting isn't working. Let's do something else,” Chloe suggested.

“What about our dance routine?” Montarna added.

“Yes,” they said in unison. Immediately, they lined up, and the dancing and singing started. One song led to another, with no song finishing before another started. It was a medley of songs.

Their friendship filled the room with magic. Over and over, they did their routine. The more they sang, the louder they got. The louder they got, the happier they were. The happier they were, the more fun they had. “Hubba hubba ... the tracks of my tears ... here's looking at you... ooooiiieeee" rang out in the room.

All of a sudden the room lit up with light and POOF! Emma and Sarsha were singing right next to them.

“Oh, my gosh!” the girls screamed, jumping up and down.

“You're back! You're really back!” “We knew you'd come home to sing with us,” they all cried together.

“Where did you go?”

“What happened?”

“We didn't think we'd ever see you again.”

“Did you find a dress?”

“Hey, Emma, did we find a dress?” Sarsha mysteriously replied.

“Yes, but ... it was so cool!” Emma shouted with excitement. “We were in Paris, and we were dressed like Moulin Rouge dance girls.”

“Yeah, and everyone thought we were nineteen,” Sarsha laughed.

“That's because you time-traveled to your past. You were probably nineteen years old in a past life in Paris. And in that lifetime, you were obviously dance girls,” Selena convincingly said.

“What? How did we go back to another time?” Emma asked.

“Remember when I said to be careful what you wish for?” Selena asked.

“And when I said to be careful what you touch with those wands?” Hannah added.

“Well, now you know why,” Selena said. “Welcome back, girls. I'm glad you're home.”

“A magic wand is for directing energy into a spell, not for transporting your energy somewhere else,” Selena joked. “You're lucky that Hannah had her magic crystals with her today. Without the crystals, you would not have been found.” Selena stood up and pointed to the spell bowl. “Gather up your things, and I'll start breakfast.”

“I'll help you in the kitchen,” Hannah offered.

“Don't tell our parents what we did,” the girls begged Selena and Hannah as they started to leave.

“Don't worry; it's our little witches' secret,” Selena and Hannah said, winking over their shoulders. They closed the door behind them and went upstairs to prepare breakfast for everyone.

Chapter Four

MAGIC WANDS

“Breakfast is ready,” Hannah called out to the girls.

“Coming!” they yelled back, and up the stairs they ran. Sitting at the table in their usual places, six conversations going at the same time, they reached for the food.

“How do they do it?” Hannah asked Selena. “I mean, carry on six different conversations all at once. They never lose what they are talking about, and they understand each other.”

“It's truly amazing,” Selena said, watching the girls. She put her arm around Hannah's waist and leaned into her. “Thanks for bringing the girls back from Moulin Rouge.”

“I only found them,” Hannah said, smiling at Selena. “It was the girls having fun that brought them back.” She folded her arms across her chest as she nodded her head.

“I'm full,” Sarsha said, putting her hands around her belly. “Look at my stomach.” She laughed and everyone else laughed, too.

“I'm also finished. Let's go decorate our wands,” Montarna suggested.

“OK,” everyone said in unison. They pushed back their chairs from the table.

“Thanks for breakfast. We're going down to the Magic Room,” Emma said. “So, how do we decorate our wands, Mom?”

“There are lots of ways, but in the end it's whatever you want. You can glue your favorite crystal to the top or have it hanging like a charm. You can also add glitter or rhinestones or wrap them with colored ribbons,” Selena said excitedly. “Trust yourself and your ideas. Let your hidden magic come alive, and you'll truly have a very special wand.”

Down to the Magic Room the girls ran, chattering all the way. They had everything they needed for magic crafts like this.

“Let's use our Forever Friends tablecloth,” Emma said, pulling it out for the table. Smiles lit up the room as each girl went to her own spot.

The girls had made the tablecloth just the weekend before, after they cast their spell called Forever Friends. The spell inspired the making of the tablecloth and the celebration with ice cream afterwards.

The tablecloth had six shooting stars, one for each girl, placed neatly in a circle. In the center was a huge pink heart with a blue banner that read “Forever Friends.”

Each girl had decorated her own star with different rhinestones, glitter, and magical symbols of her choice. They decided then that they would always use it whenever they did magical crafts together.

“I'll get the crystals!” Chloe shouted, running to the drawers.

“I'll get the ribbons,” Montarna giggled.

“And I'll get the glitter and stickers,” Isabella added.

“Hey, do we want feathers or herbs?” Sarsha asked, bringing both to the table, just in case.

“Mine is really going to sparkle,” Emmy told everyone.

“Let's be careful we don't send anyone into the past while we work on these,” Emma laughed, and everyone laughed with her.

“Hey, Emmy,” Sarsha said. “Hey, Em—" She paused briefly. She popped her head up from what she was doing. “Hey, why don't we call Emmy 'Em' for short?” she suggested.

“I like that,” Em said, repeating her name aloud. “From now on, my name is Em,” she told everyone. They all agreed that Em suited her better.

Skillful concentration went into the decorating of each wand. It was fun, and their creativity and magic came alive for each of them. Sitting back when finished, they admired each other's work.

“I can't wait to use my wand with my next spell,” Montarna told everyone.

“I'm going to use mine when I make my next magic potion,” Isabella quietly expressed.

“Emma, we should get together next weekend and work some spells,” Chloe suggested, and everyone quickly agreed.

“I can't come next weekend. My family is going away,” Isabella said, afraid she would miss out.

“Hm-m-m, Isabella, you can give us something to put into the spell, and we'll add it for you,” Emma told her.

“OK, but ... will it be the same without me?” she asked.

“I know what we can do,” Emma said, thinking aloud. “Each of us has six magic bracelets, right?” She jumped up excitedly, grabbed the tablecloth, and threw it on the floor. “Everyone get in a circle, and stand on your star,” she instructed. The girls quickly scurried to their spots.

“Now what, Emma?” Sarsha asked.

“Now take off one bracelet each and pass it around the circle to Isabella. Isabella, stand next to me on my right side,” Emma explained. “Isabella, you take off five bracelets and pass them around the circle so we each have one of yours.”

Everyone carefully passed bracelets around the circle, clockwise. When everyone had six bracelets again, Emma continued.

“Now hold hands. And what comes next?” Emma asked, hoping they would remember the spell from the week before.

Together, everyone sang out:

“Hand in hand,

As we stand,

We seal this circle,

By holding hands.”

Emma squeezed Sarsha's right hand. Sarsha passed it to Chloe, and around the circle it went until it came back to Emma. When Emma smiled, everyone knew what to do next. They sang out the next chant:

“We are forever friends,

Forever friends, you will see,

Forever friends stick together...”

Together, they held their hands up high and then back down to the center of the circle. Then they finished by saying, “So it is, and so it shall be.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” They gave high-fives to one another, confirming forever friends.

“Now our energy is joined together, and you'll be here with us,” Emma said to Isabella.

“And each of you will be with me while I'm away,” Isabella said, smiling back.

A moment later, the doorbell rang. “That's probably Mom,” Em and Chloe said together as they gathered their things.

“I'm getting a ride home with you. Is that OK?” Montarna added.

“Sure, Montarna,” the twins answered, and the doorbell rang again.

“I bet that's my dad,” Isabella said. “I'll come up with something for the spell,” she promised, gathering her things.

They agreed to meet for lunch at school and decide then which spell to do next. Emma and Sarsha walked the girls to the front door and said their goodbyes.

“Hey, Emma, let's go talk to your mom and Hannah,” Sarsha suggested.

“Good idea. Maybe we can find some kind of kitchen magic,” Emma replied.

Chapter Five

KITCHEN MAGIC

“Hi, Hannah. Hi, Selena,” Sarsha said.

“Hi, Mom. Hi, Hannah,” Emma said, as they walked into the kitchen.

“Has everyone left?” Selena asked.

“Yep,” Emma answered as she looked around the room. The girls slowly strolled around, giving the kitchen a good look-over. Hannah and Selena watched the girls open up cupboards and look inside the refrigerator.

“Are you looking for something?” Hannah asked.

“Not really,” Emma said, still giving the impression that she was.

“We thought maybe there was kitchen magic somewhere,” Sarsha joined in.

“Kitchen magic?” Selena asked, giving Hannah a quick look. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Oh, you know,” Emma said, still browsing around the room. “You once told us that everything has a magical meaning to a witch.”

Hannah raised her eyebrows as she looked at Selena. Selena nodded her head, and they both took a sip of tea. They knew that it was wise to take their time before answering. Too much information all at once was not a good thing.

“Where do we start?” Hannah quietly asked.

“Hm-m-m ...” Selena said. “Let's find out more first.” She turned to the girls. “The kitchen is the heart of the house; that's pretty magical.”

“And every kitchen has a broom,” Hannah added. “Without a broom, you couldn't clean the house.”

Emma and Sarsha jumped up to sit on the kitchen counter. They started swinging their legs back and forth so they could listen better.

“Why the sudden interest in kitchen magic?” Selena asked the girls as they were getting settled.

“Oh, we don't know,” Emma admitted.

“Yeah, we were just thinking about it,” Sarsha added.

“Hey, Mom, Isabella might be moving away,” Emma said sadly.

“Yeah, at school the other day, she said something about her dad's job,” Sarsha added.

“Today she said her family is going away next weekend,” Emma continued.

“Probably to look for a new house,” Sarsha added.

“We don't want her to move. We want to be forever friends,” the girls said together.

“So, kitchen magic has to do with Isabella, right?” Emma's mother asked, trying to find out where the conversation was going.

“No, not really. We just wanted to talk about Isabella first,” Emma said.

“Yeah, and kitchen magic just popped into our heads,” Sarsha laughed.

“How about baking chocolate brownies?” Hannah suggested. “Brownies are full of kitchen magic.”

“OK,” Emma said, jumping down. “We can stir lots of love into the batter.”

“I'll get the brownie mix,” Selena said.

“And I'll get the pan,” Emma said.

“I'll get the mixing spoons,” Sarsha said, and the baking party began.

Selena started to explain. “Girls, you will always be friends even if one of you moves away.”

“Friends live in your heart,” Hannah added. “So they are never far away.” She poured the batter into the bowl.

Just then, the kitchen broom fell over. “Someone is coming,” Selena said.

“Who?” the girls asked stirring the mix.

Selena and Hannah didn't answer, but a few minutes later, Hannah picked up her bag and put it around her shoulder.

“Are you going, Hannah?” the girls asked.

Before she could answer, the doorbell rang. “Yes, I believe my taxi has arrived,” Hannah said with a smile. They said good-bye, and Selena walked Hannah to the door.

In the kitchen, Emma whispered to Sarsha, “The broom fell ... someone is coming!”

“It's kitchen magic, yes!” Sarsha squealed and giggled. “It's real!”

Chapter Six

ANOTHER SLEEPOVER

“Mom, I'm home,” Emma called out as she walked through the front door.

“In the kitchen,” Selena answered. “How's my little witch?” She lowered her chin to look over the top of her eyeglasses. “Want a cup of tea, dear?”

“Sure, I'll pick it out,” Emma told her mother, as she went to the special tea cupboard. “Mom, do you remember when we started making our herbal tea blends?”

“I sure do,” Selena said. “I remember everything we've done together this past year. We made our first blend with Hannah and Sarsha, one night when they were both visiting.”

“Yeah, and it was ...” Emma paused, trying to recall the name. “Witches Happy Blend—and here it is.” Emma reached up and took it down from the shelf. Then she turned the kettle on. “By the way, my birthday is coming up soon,” Emma said, getting her teacup down.

“I know; it's been almost a year since the New Witches broke the Sleepover Curse,” Selena said. “So much has happened since that night.”

“I agree,” Emma said, grinning. She spun around on the ball of her left foot, then kicked her right foot up, and crossed it over her left leg. Bouncing back and forth between her feet, she quickly crossed the floor. “Hm-m-m, what should we do?” Emma asked with a giggle, as she gave her mother a crafty look over her left shoulder. “Got any good ideas, Mom?”

“Hm-m-m,” Selena said, pausing to tease Emma. “You wouldn't be thinking about a sleepover party, would you?”

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Emma said, slowly drawing out the words to agree with her mother. “This will be my fourth sleepover in the past year.” She sat down next to Selena. “This year has been so much fun. I can't believe how many spells my friends and I have worked.”

“What about the Witches Committee?” Selena chuckled.

“Yeah, they seem to be watching us all the time. We never know when they are going to pull something,” Emma commented, sipping her tea. “I can't believe how scared I was when I did my first spell,” Emma laughed, remembering. “And remember when the Witches Committee sent us on a treasure hunt for a key?” Emma continued thinking back to that night. “In the dark, in the park, we had to follow all the clues. Oh, oh! Remember how scared we were when that bat flew over us?” Emma laughed loudly. “We couldn't stop screaming.”

“Well, if I recall correctly, I was told it was a very large fruit bat, and it did almost run into one of you. However, you did find the key. Then you had to find the blue door that the key opened.”

“The blue door was our front door, and the key led us back to the house. Do you remember the green yarn tied to our front door?” Emma asked. “Our next command was to stay on the green line and to remain in single file.”

“That's when the conga-line dance began,” Selena chuckled.

“I know.

We danced all through the house, following the green yarn right to the end. That was where we found our treasure from the Witches Committee. Six beautiful moon cushions; a different color for each of us, and mine was blue,” Emma reminisced.

“I believe that started another adventure for you girls,” Selena reminded Emma.

“You mean, discovering the magical meaning of colors?” Emma guessed correctly. “We also discovered that numbers have magic, too.” She seemed to suddenly think of something else. “Hey, Mom, remember Isabella's pillow? It was yellow, the color of friendship. Now Isabella has moved away, and she will miss my next party. But just before she moved, she gave me her pillow to keep in the Magic Room,” Emma added, fondly remembering her friend.

“You see, Forever Friends you will always be,” Selena reminded Emma, quoting the words of a few months earlier.

Emma looked up and smiled back at her. Then she was on to a new topic. “Hey, Mom, I need a theme for my birthday party.”

“How about 'Keeping the Magic Alive'?”

“Yeah ...”

“And tell everyone to bring their spell books,” Selena suggested.

“And something magical, too,” Emma tossed out, as the excitement grew.

“Yes, of course .” Selena nodded, thinking fast, but Emma spoke first.

“A symbol or a flower!” Emma quickly shouted.

“Or any herb would do, too,” Selena added.

“But it's a secret, right?”

“Yes ... until the precise time.”

“That's when we will cast a spell on the night,” Emma said, finishing their thoughts with a giggle. They looked at each other and laughed, realizing the two of them had just spontaneously composed the party invitations.

“I'll go put it together,” Emma said, running to the computer.

It didn't take her long to create a party invitation. Quickly returning, she showed her mother. “How's this?” Emma asked.

On the front of the card, there was a girl flying through the air, trying to catch stars. Across the top it read “Keeping the Magic Alive,” and below, it read “Emma's Birthday Sleepover Party.”

Inside, on the right side, were all the details of the date and time. On the left side, it read what to bring.

Bring your spell books

And a piece of magic, too.

A symbol, a flower, or any herb will do, but keep it a secret, until the time is right.

That's when we cast a spell on that night.

“That's great,” Selena smiled. “Let's send one to Hannah, too.”

“OK. But I thought she moved,” Emma said.

“No, I think she moves back to Sweden next month,” Selena told her.

“Great, everyone will love seeing her again. I'll pass out the invitations tomorrow at school. I can't wait. I'm going to go call Sarsha!” Emma yelled, running across the house to her room.

Once in her room, she called her friend. “Sarsha, I'm having another sleepover party for my birthday,” she squealed with excitement on the phone.

“Really? Oh! Oh! Make it a fancy-dress party, too!” Sarsha screamed back, hoping Emma would agree.

“OK,” Emma quickly said. “We could dress up like dance girls.”

“Maybe we can find dresses like the ones we wore in Paris,” Sarsha laughed.

“That would be so cool. I'll ask Mom. I bet she'll know where we can find dresses like those. I'd better go. See you tomorrow at school.”

“OK. I can't wait for your party, Emma. It's going to be so much fun.”

“I know, and it's only eight more days!” she screamed with joy. “See you tomorrow. Bye.”

Emma hung up the phone and ran back to the kitchen, eager to tell her mother about the dresses. “Hey, Mom!” Emma yelled. “Sarsha and I want to wear dresses at my party like the ones we wore in Paris. Where can we find them?”

“I know the perfect place,” Selena told her. “Let's go after school tomorrow. I'll check with Sarsha's mother first and let her know the plan.”

“I feel pretty, oh, so pretty ...” Emma sang out as she twirled around and around, dancing her way back to her bedroom. “I'm having a fancy-dress party for my birthday!” she yelled out with joy and closed her bedroom door.

The next eight days seemed to drag on. Emma could not wait for her sleepover party. Then, before she knew it, the day had arrived.

Chapter Seven

PARTY TIME

Emma couldn't stop saying, “Today is my sleepover party ... today's my sleepover party.” It was all her mother could hear as Emma danced around the house.

“Emma, how does this look?” Selena asked as Emma twirled through the front entry.

“The table looks cool, Mom. Do you want some help?” Emma asked.

“Sure, why don't you get something from your Magic Room,” Selena suggested. “Something that represents keeping magic alive.”

“How about my fairy cards?” Emma answered. “I'll go get them.”

Emma's Magic Room was completely finished. Added to the night sky were the moon phases, painted along the border of another wall. Six moon-shaped pillows, scattered on the floor, surrounded the pink table and orange chairs.

Each pillow was a different color: violet, blue, green, orange, yellow, and pink. Shelves were built to hold magic books, potion bottles, candles and, of course, witch hats. The room had everything they needed. Spell books, bowls, wands, herbs, and a large crystal ball sat in the center of the table. Magic sticks made by the girls sat in vases on a mantle above the painted fireplace. Each stick had two feathers on the top and multicolored yarn wrapped from top to bottom.

The hearth looked genuine and included a metal pot hanging from an iron rack. The girls especially loved using their magic here to make it look real. The secret code to enter the room was no other than the words "magic happens"!

Emma returned with her cards. She fanned them out across the entry table for the final addition. Everything looked great. The centerpiece on the table was a large crystal ball. It sat up high in the middle of three dolphins, forming the crystal's stand. Golden stars, shiny moons, and tiny rose quartz that sparkled surrounded the table.

“Emma, why don't you call Sarsha and see if she can come over,” Selena said, putting the last crystal in place.

“Yeah, that's a great idea. We can get dressed together before everyone arrives,” Emma said. “I'll call her now.” She ran to the phone.

A few minutes later, she returned to let her mother know that Sarsha was on her way.

Selena told Emma that she would be busy, finishing up for the party.

“Great,” Emma answered. “I'll wait for Sarsha on the veranda.” However, the doorbell rang first. “Sarsha is here!” she screamed, running to the front door.

“Hi, Emma,” Sarsha said, as she started to laugh. “Happy Birthday!” She handed Emma her present.

Emma put her present on the table, and they both quickly scampered off to her room. They went straight to the closet, opened the door, and reached for their dresses to admire them.

“I hope I can get all these hooks closed,” Sarsha laughed, looking at the top of her dress.

“You'll have to help me with mine,” Emma said, pleased with her dress. “Mine go down the back.”

“Hey, Emma, can you believe women once dressed like this all the time?” Sarsha said.

“I know, but I think only the dance girls dressed like this.”

“Yeah, that's what I meant,” Sarsha laughed. “Can we get dressed now, or do we have to wait?”

“I don't see why we have to wait. Sarsha, help me with my hooks,” Emma said, eagerly stepping into her dress and pulling it up.

Emma's dress was deep purple with blue panels down the front. Four rolls of purple-and-white ruffles went along the bottom. Sarsha's top was deep purple and gray. Her skirt was black with blue, green, pink, and yellow ruffles along the bottom. Both girls wore high heels, and Emma wore black gloves.

“We looked just like this in Paris,” Sarsha laughed.

“Except we looked older,” Emma reminded her.

“That was kind of scary, huh, Emma?”

“What was?”

“Going back to a past life or back in time,” Sarsha said, trying to hook her corset up. “What if we couldn't have gotten back?”

“Well, we did, and that's all that matters,” Emma said, slipping on her high-heeled shoes.

“Woooo,” Sarsha said, laughing as she tried to stand up. “How do you walk in these things?” She giggled as she wobbled around the floor.

“It's easy; watch me,” Emma told her, assuming it was natural. “Oops!” Emma slipped and almost fell. The two of them broke up laughing, wondering how they would ever get through the night.

Then Sarsha slipped, and Emma caught her as she started to fall forward.

“Oh, darling,” Sarsha joked, as she grabbed Emma around the waist. Then they both fell to the floor.

“Why don't you try roller skates next time,” Emma laughed. “You'd have a reason for knocking me down then.” They laughed, and then they both got up and tried walking again.

They worked very hard for the next two hours, putting on makeup and doing their hair. When they were finished, they were both pleased with the way they looked.

“Well, I'm ready. How do I look?” Emma said, twirling around.

“Like a Paris dance girl should,” Sarsha told her. “What about me?” she said, putting on the final touch.

“You look great. Let's go show Mom.” Emma and Sarsha headed toward the kitchen. “Hey, Mom,” Emma called out. “Come and see Sarsha and me. This is how we looked in Paris.”

“I know, girls, I helped you pick out your dresses,” Selena said. “Remember, the only difference was that Sarsha wore a bright pink dress in Paris.”

“Yeah, how do you like the red feathers in my hat?” Sarsha added, spinning around in her dress.

“You both look amazing,” Selena told them. “Let's go outside and get a few pictures before the others arrive.” Once outside, Selena pointed toward the garden. “Stand over there and smile,” she said. However, their smiles became one pose after another.

Click, click, click went the camera. “That was great,” Selena grinned. “Let's head back to the house, so I can finish up before the others arrive.”

The suggestion was accepted, and the girls headed back across the grass. The sun was still high in the sky, but it would not be for long.

Emma loved the winter sunrises and sunsets. Her house faced west, and from the large picture window, she had a perfect city view. She loved the way the buildings turned amber-gold in the morning as the sun came up. At night, when the sun was setting, it created a bright-orange backdrop behind the city. By nightfall, the multi-colored lights of the metropolitan area became her lovely view.

“What time will everyone be here?” Sarsha asked, eager for the party to begin.

“Five-thirty,” Emma said, sounding bored. “It's only five o'clock, what should we do next?”

“I don't know,” Sarsha replied, opening the door.

Chapter Eight

THE TWINS

Emma and Sarsha walked through the back door. Curious about the decorations, Sarsha headed toward the kitchen to have a closer look.

The table was set with bright pink plates, chewy snakes, candles, and cups. Golden stars, both big and small, were scattered over the purple tablecloth. A large gold bottle sat in the middle of the table. Tiny sparkles swirled around each plate, connecting all the plates together.

“Where did that gold bottle come from?” Sarsha asked.

“I'm not sure. I think it's a genie bottle,” Emma told her.

“Oh, really? Let's take the top off,” Sarsha said, reaching for the top of the bottle.

“No!” Emma shouted. “I don't know what will happen if we do.”

That was enough to stop Sarsha in her tracks. She quickly pulled her hand back, and the two of them went to the magic room instead.

The doorbell rang, and Selena went to answer the door. It was Hannah. She was beautiful, as always. Her long blonde hair was neatly pulled back into a ponytail. She wore tight blue jeans and a sleeveless pink T-shirt.

“Hello, Hannah,” Selena said, greeting her with a hug.

“Hi, Selena, here's a present for Emma,” Hannah said, coming inside.

“What is it?” Selena asked, looking at the tiny box.

“A very special magic crystal,” Hannah told her. “It's been in my family for a long time. I'll be moving back to Sweden soon, and I want Emma to have something to remember me by. Besides, if she ever time-travels again and gets lost, this will bring her home safely.” Hannah winked. “Where are the girls?”

“Emma and Sarsha are in the Magic Room,” Selena told her.

“I'll go down and say hello,” Hannah said, and Selena went back to the kitchen.

Hannah knocked on the door of the Magic Room.

“What's the magic word?” called the familiar voices from inside.

“Magic happens?” Hannah guessed, and the girls squealed with delight.

“Hannah! Hannah!” the girls yelled, running to open the door. They shared big hugs before Hannah went into the room.

“Wow, let me look at you. You look like ...” Hannah paused briefly.

“Paris, Hannah, remember?” Emma quickly interrupted, laughing.

“Yeah, but I'm not in pink this time,” Sarsha said, at the same time laughing, too.

“You both look great. And how could I ever forget Paris?” Hannah laughed along with them. “The Magic Room is finished,” she noticed, looking around. “It's truly magical, and I love the moon phases on the wall.” She sat down next to the girls. “Tell me what's new since I last saw you.”

“Isabella moved away,” Emma and Sarsha said together. “She won't be coming to the sleepover party.”

“We can fix that,” Hannah told the girls. “Do you still have her magic bracelets?”

“Yes, right here,” Emma said, jumping up to open her magic box. She held them out to show Hannah.

“Each one of you needs to wear one bracelet tonight,” Hannah encouraged them. “Remember 'forever friends'?”

“Of course,” Emma said in her upbeat voice. “Here, Sarsha, put yours on.” Emma gave Sarsha a bracelet and put one on, too.

Just then, the doorbell rang. “It's the twins!” they shouted, kicking off their shoes so they could run faster. “I'll get it!” Emma yelled with excitement, running to the front door, and Hannah returned to the kitchen.

She flung open the door. The twins stood there, grinning, holding their magic boxes and Emma's birthday presents.

“Wow! You're dressed like witches,” Emma said, excited to see them. Everyone rushed inside, screaming and laughing, and Selena closed the door.

“Where did you find your dresses?” the twins asked, jumping up and down and squealing. Emma and Sarsha swirled around to show off their dresses more.

“I hope you didn't have to go back to Paris to get them,” Chloe said, and everyone cracked up laughing.

“Mom took us to a great costume shop.”

“Yeah, it has everything you can imagine,” Sarsha said.

“Bring your magic boxes. Let's go to my bedroom,” Emma said, and they headed to her room.

Blown-up photos of Emma and the girls at different parties adorned the walls. A blue mosquito net hung from the ceiling and surrounded the entire bed. Generally, the girls pulled it around them for privacy but not today.

Today was different. Emma left it tucked neatly behind her headboard, and the girls sat with their backs against the wall. This allowed for a quick exit when Montarna arrived.

Hannah and Selena sat together in the kitchen. “Selena, have you noticed a change in the girls?” Hannah quietly asked.

“Yes, they have grown up so much in one year,” Selena said.

“I know, and instead of always screaming, they now scream and giggle,” Hannah pointed out.

“Hannah,” Selena said, tilting her head slightly to look down over her spectacles, "they laugh, they giggle, and they scream! I can spot the girls' laughter anywhere, even at the shopping mall.” She smiled and offered more details. “The twins start their laugh with a high-pitched scream and then break into a fast giggle. Emma has a sincere belly laugh. Sarsha's laugh is deep, and she talks at the same time, and Montarna, well, she has a genuine girly giggle. But they all still scream.”

“I understand completely,” Hannah said. “I can hear the twins' laughter coming from the bedroom now.”

“Why don't you go visit with them,” Selena said. “We can't do anything more until Montarna arrives. She won't be here until after six due to her dance lessons.”

“Good idea. Call me if you need any help,” Hannah added, heading to Emma's room.

Hannah knocked and quietly opened the door. The girls were so busy talking about past events that they did not notice. She stood there listening while they acted out what they were reliving.

“Emma, Emma,” Sarsha said, laughing. “I did it like this.” She jumped up, holding her arms tight against her body. “I couldn't breathe,” Sarsha murmured through closed lips. “You covered my mouth and nose. Then I threw my arms out to the side like this, and I broke out of the toilet paper.” She demonstrated by tossing her arms, laughing at the same time.

“That's when I started chasing everyone around the room,” Hannah said, remembering the mummy-wrap contest.

The girls screamed, and Hannah jumped onto Emma's bed, joining in on the conversation.

Pepper, Emma's cat, participated in his usual way. Curled up on a purple velvet cushion in the corner of the room, he slept. His handsome fur was black and glossy, except for the tiny patch of white that outlined his mouth and dotted his chin. His long white whiskers gave him a very distinctive look.

All the commotion woke him, and he opened his amber-gold eyes. Pepper yawned, as if he was bored, and then his eyes narrowed. Closing his golden eyes, he calmly went back to sleep.

Chapter Nine

HE'S BACK

“Hannah, did we ever tell you about the ghost we saw?” Emma asked.

“Do you mean the ones in the park?” Hannah asked.

“No, not on Halloween,” Emma said. “It was last February.”

The others started talking as fast as they could. “We were in the Magic Room,” Chloe and Em joined in.

“Were you playing with a 'yes, yes' board?” Hannah asked the girls.

“What's a 'yes, yes' board?” the girls wanted to know.

“A Ouija board,” Hannah answered, and the girls giggled. “Did you know that 'oui' is French for yes? And that 'ja' is German for yes? Well, that is why it's called a 'yes, yes' board sometimes. Besides, don't we always want our questions to be answered with yes?” Hannah smiled, and then insisted. “Well, what happened? Tell me.”

“Sarsha went to get a drink. On the way to the kitchen, she thought she saw something move, out of the corner of her eye,” Emma related. “But nothing was there when she looked again.”

“Yeah, and coming back I glanced at the painting next to the kitchen. My mouth dropped wide open,” Sarsha explained. “Then I raced back to tell everyone.”

“You should have seen her face,” Emma laughed, remembering the day. “It was as white as a ghost.”

“Hannah, no one believed me at first,” Sarsha said, a little disturbed.

“But then we all jumped up to look for ourselves,” they said together.

“Hey, remember what happened, Sarsha?” Emma said, now laughing.

“You mean when Chloe and Em said they couldn't see a ghost?” Sarsha snickered, and then she remembered and doubled up laughing.

“Yeah ...” Emma tried to explain, but she could not stop laughing. By now, the twins were on their backs, kicking their feet in the air, screaming with laughter. Emma had fallen over on her side, laughing, and Sarsha was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face.

Occasionally, Hannah could hear a short burst of words trying to escape from one of them, but they could not stop laughing long enough to get a full breath. While Hannah waited patiently for them to calm down, she laughed along with them.

“What happened?” Hannah laughed, grabbing Sarsha to have fun.

“OK! OK!” Sarsha said trying to be serious. “Emma went to get her mom's picture while I walked up to the painting and pointed out his face,” she said, jumping up to show Hannah exactly what she did. “Here's his beard and his eyes and his big nose,” Sarsha said, pretending to do it all over again.

“Sarsha touched a ghost!” the twins screamed, holding their tummies. Now everyone was now out of control. “She poked him in the eyes and said he had a big, big nose.” The twins shrieked with laughter, and Sarsha laughed, too. When they settled down, Emma tried to explain further.

“OK, get serious, everyone,” Emma instructed. “I'm trying to tell a story. I came back with the picture and showed it to everyone. We went into a huddle to examine the picture closer.”

The others joined in.

“We kept looking over our shoulders at the painting and then back to the picture.”

“Back and forth, whispering to each other.”

“Until it was obvious to all of us,” Emma said with excitement.

“They were the same person!” everyone shouted together.

“It was the same face we saw on Halloween,” Em told Hannah. “You know, when the spirits went to the other side, remember?”

“It was the same man Emma and I saw when we were in Paris!” Sarsha screamed.

“It really was, Hannah,” Emma assured her.

“Who is it?” Hannah asked.

“Mom told us his name is Dr. P.”

“I remember her mentioning his name to me on Halloween,” Hannah told the girls.

“What do you think it means?” Emma asked.

“It could mean that you're clairvoyant,” Hannah said. “However, he made himself visible to you by showing up in the painting. Therefore, I think he just wanted to say hello. He's probably watching over all of you. Like a guardian angel.” Hannah looked thoughtful for a moment and then continued. “Selena told me all about him. Did you know he lived to be a hundred years old? I understand he was a doctor, author, and a world traveler. That probably explains why you saw him in Paris. He died in 1922, and you were there twenty-two years earlier. Anyway, while he was living, he was very busy, helping people. And he's still busy.”

“How can he be busy if he's dead?” Sarsha asked.

“Let's just say that he works with people who channel him.”

“What does channel mean?” Chloe and Em asked.

“It's not easy to do,” Hannah said. “But some people who are really psychic can communicate with the spirit world. Channeling is the practice of receiving these messages.”

“Do you think he's mad at me because I said he had a big nose?” Sarsha asked, and the girls started giggling.

“He does have a big nose,” Hannah said. “And no, he's not mad at you. He has a great sense of humor. I'm sure he enjoyed being poked in the eyes and being told by a pretty girl that his nose was big,” Hannah joked.

“When is Montarna arriving?” Emma asked, and the doorbell rang.

“It's her!” everyone screamed, jumping up to run to the front door.

Chapter Ten

MONTARNA ARRIVES

Emma and the girls arrived at the front door, just after

Selena had invited Montarna in. She stood there, smiling, with her magic box and birthday present. She was dressed like a cute devil. She wore a short black dress and had red horns that held back her blonde hair. She also carried a red devil's pitchfork.

“Hi, everyone,” Montarna giggled. “Sorry I'm late.”

It did not take long for the others to move her swiftly into the next room. She held on to her magic box, while Emma took her present, and Sarsha and the twins grabbed her bag.

“You haven't missed anything,” Emma said. She had waited for the opportunity to hand out Isabella's bracelets. Now that everyone was there, she knew this was the right time.

Emma gave everybody a bracelet to put on, and they all joined hands. They understood, without words, what was happening, and they knew what to do at once.

A relaxed squeeze of the hands went around the circle. Everyone waited for the next sign: Emma's smile. When she smiled, they all repeated, “Forever friends.” They ended in the usual way, with their high-five slaps.

“Mom, can you get a picture of us? We are going outside. We'll meet you in the backyard,” Emma said, as the girls headed out the door.

They found the perfect place. While they waited, they practiced posing in the role of their fancy-dress characters.

Moulin Rouge dance girls sang and danced together. The twins, dressed as witches, pointed and pretended to hex everyone. The little devil, Montarna, danced and laughed along with everyone.

Emma's mother came outside, and the girls posed on the grass for their photo. Em was on the left, then Sarsha, Chloe, Montarna, and Emma on the right.

Their well-known smiles and laughter established that the night was going to be fun.

The sun was just setting over the city, creating a golden glow around the girls. It was a perfect background for the pictures. “Smile,” Selena said. Click, click, click went the camera. Afterward, they headed back to the house for dinner.

“Pizza, anyone?” Hannah said, placing two pizzas on the table. The girls quickly moved to the kitchen table and sat in their usual spots.

“Drinks, anyone?” Selena said, putting Coke and orange soda on the table.

“I'll have the pizza with the BBQ sauce, please,” Chloe requested.

“I'll have the one with pineapple,” Montarna and Em said, and Emma and Sarsha had one of each.

The conversation was all about the past year— the parties they had shared and the magic they had discovered together. Everyone talking at once was an easy task for the girls to handle.

They could easily keep four or five topics going all at the same time. Answering one person's comment a few seconds after making one of their own was normal. They knew someone would respond to what they'd said. It didn't matter when or who. The magic was that no conversation ever went unfinished, and everyone was happy.

“Remember one year ago?” Montarna softly giggled.

“That's when we first met Hannah,” Chloe answered, and everyone continued talking at the same time.

“We had to first trust in our hearts ...” “That she would come ...”

“And what about the time our faces were painted with magical swirls?”

“And when we danced under the full moon.”

The girls all chattered and giggled until everyone was full, and dinner was finished.

They retreated to their Magic Room for privacy. Sitting at their pink table, they opened up their magic boxes. Each took out her own magic wand.

Then, together, they reviewed what they had collected over the year. They pulled out crystals, incense, angel cards, potion bottles for making magic potions, and more.

Every girl had her own personal spell book, but together, they also had one spell book that they kept in the magic room. It was full of the spells they had worked as one.

“Did you hear something?” Emma asked. “Shhh! Listen, I think I heard it again.” All ears popped up and silence fell over the room.

“Was that it, Emma?” Sarsha whispered, hearing something too.

“Yeah .”

“Is it the doorbell?” someone asked.

“No, it's too quiet and soft for the doorbell. Let's go upstairs and see if we can hear better,” Emma suggested, and they all agreed.

Five girls quietly walked around the front room, looking up and looking down.

“Are you looking for something?” Selena asked the girls.

“Shhh!” they quietly answered, as they stopped to listen again.

“Did you hear it that time?” Emma whispered, and the girls whispered back, “Yes.”

“What are you listening to?” Hannah softly asked.

“It sounds like tiny little bells,” Emma murmured.

“Yeah, like the sound of fairies or something,” Sarsha said, as the girls kept looking up and down.

The girls huddled together to see if their hearing would improve if they listened as one. They decided it was coming from the front entry. Then the sound led them to the front door. Determined to find the tinkling sound, they slowly opened the front door. When they peeked out, no one was there.

Hannah and Selena were right behind them, watching every move. They held on to one another and tiptoed outside. There was nothing to see, so they went back inside.

Just then, Hannah, hearing the tiny bells, looked up at the ceiling. The girls looked up, too. Standing with their mouths wide open, they stared at the sparkles that hung in the air.

“Heads up, girls,” Selena calmly said, and the fairy dust began falling to the floor. When it reached the floor, it changed into a scroll with a ribbon tied around it. The girls' glances passed back and forth, as they looked at one another.

Emma bent over to pick up the document. The writing on it indicated that it was for Selena and Hannah, so she handed it to Hannah.

“Me?” Hannah asked, with a curious look. She carefully untied the ribbon and unrolled the parchment paper to read.

“What is it?” Emma asked.

“It's a news release, handwritten with a quill pen,” Hannah said.

“What's a quill pen?” Sarsha and Chloe asked next.

“An old-fashioned pen made from the shaft of a feather,” Hannah explained. “You dip it in fresh ink, so it keeps the news release pure.”

Hannah quickly reviewed the scroll before reading it to the girls.

Chapter Eleven

THE NEWS RELEASE

Hannah began reading the special news release aloud to the girls:

“Special Witches News Release

To: All Witches, Young and Old

From: The Witches Book of History

Three hundred and sixty-six days ago, a magic spell

Was cast to the moon and stars

By six brave girls, and it went very far.

Let it be known, that on that night

The ancient Sleepover Curse

Was broken by the light of ...

Emma, Sarsha, Em, Montarna, Isabella, and Chloe.

One year and one day later, according to our records (that bounce off the stars),

It has not returned anywhere in the world.

Therefore, we declare this curse forever gone.

Witches Committee, WC”

When Hannah finished reading her scroll, she smiled at the girls. Both Selena and Hannah were very proud of the girls, especially since it was unusual to hear of a young witch making history. It was truly amazing that their magic had so much power.

The cheering started, as the girls jumped up and down, screaming. Then they heard the sound of tiny bells once again. They stopped cheering and glanced up at the ceiling.

Once again, magic dust hung in the air briefly before fluttering to the floor. Another scroll magically appeared in front of Emma and the girls.

Emma picked it up. “It's to the New Witches, and it's from the Witches Committee!” Emma shouted, and the girls screamed. Quickly, they gathered around Emma as she opened it.

Tension hung in the air as Emma untied the ribbon. With caution, she unrolled the parchment paper. She recognized the writing of a quill pen, too. She quickly reviewed it first, before she started to read to the others.

“The first line is addressed to us,” she explained, looking at everyone. “To the New Witches,” Emma said, reading aloud. Then she continued:

“To The New Witches:

Yes, it's very true,

We've been watching, each of you,

For one year and one day ...

Now there is something, we must say:

A SPELL is needed in the sky

To keep MAGIC forever alive.

With your powers being true,

It's a new beginning, for each of you,

If you can do this without any fear,

Your magic powers will be so clear.

However cold ... however bold,

However new ... however due.

Make it stay, forever and a day,

Only your magic knows the way.

Cast your spell, into the light

But do this please before midnight.

For only witches can truly see,

It's graduation time, and so it will be.

The Witches Committee, WC”

“Wow!” Emma exclaimed looking at the girls. They nodded their heads and slowly walked into the other room. They knew they had to talk things over. Sure, they agreed that they wanted to help, but they had never cast a spell this powerful. They believed turning a frog into a prince would be easier than this.

Selena and Hannah went over and sat down with them. Sitting on the sofa, looking at the girls' long faces, they asked if they could be of help.

“Mom, how can we cast a spell like this?” Emma asked, feeling insecure. “We've only done spells to help us, not the world.”

“All of you are special,” Selena told the girls. “Each of you has your own magic. Together or alone, you can do anything you put your mind to.”

“You were going to cast a spell tonight anyway, remember?” Hannah reminded them. “How about expanding on that one?”

“But nothing was really planned,” Emma said. “I was waiting for Mom to tell us more.”

“Well, I guess you now have the answer. The Witches Committee Spell,” Selena told them. “Think back over the year and all you have learned. You have overcome so many fears, and this one is no different.”

Selena was right. They'd overcome the fear of witches and spells by believing in Witch Hannah. In addition, they'd made history by breaking the Sleepover Curse. They'd overcome their fear of ghosts by not only dining with them but also setting them free.

They'd overcome their fear of the dark by finding the key to magic in the park one night. Now, they had to face another fear: they had to face the fear of failing.

“Why don't you go to your Magic Room,” Selena suggested. “Start that fire and get your imaginations going. Most of all, believe in who you are. Do your best that's all anyone expects—but you must try.”

Feeling reassured, the girls nodded their heads. Getting up, they knew what they had to do and they headed to their Magic Room.

Emma's cat, Pepper, raced down the hall in front of them. He loved the Magic Room because he had his very own special spot. He sat on the window ledge, where he could watch them as well as look outside. His meow was so sweet that sometimes the girls swore he was talking to them. Emma opened the door; Pepper ran inside, and the girls followed.

“Hey, Emma! Hey, everyone!” Sarsha shouted. “Let's start the fire.” They loved doing this work of magic together.

“Ready?” Emma said to everyone.

“Yes,” everyone answered.

They turned and faced the painted fireplace. Focusing hard, they imagined that it was burning and poof, the flame began to flicker. Giggling together, they confirmed that they were back in touch with their magic.

They sat down at the table and pulled out their spell books to review the spells written up to that time. Then they were ready to take notes for the next one.

Notes always went on the left page and the spell went on the right side. Because it was a team effort, everyone had to agree on the words for the spell.

“What kind of magic do we know?” Emma asked, putting her pen to her lips.

“Let's write them all down,” Sarsha said, and everyone started thinking aloud.

“Color magic.”

“Crystal magic.”

“Candle magic.”

“Herbal magic.”

“Don't forget our potions.”

“And symbols.”

These were the choices they noted. Their notes also consisted of magical ideas that suddenly popped into their heads. This is how they had always worked their spells, and this one was no different.

“How many spells have we done this year for the Witches Committee?” Emma asked, tapping her pen to her lips.

“Let's see ... tonight will be our fourth,” the twins said.

“Can we somehow connect them all together?”

Emma asked, getting the girls to brainstorm.

“Let's do all of them again,” Sarsha suggested.

Her bright idea helped them dream up what they would do. They decided to add one item from each of the previous spells and place them in the purple spell bowl.

The purple bowl was special and up until tonight, it was the only bowl ever used. Tonight, however, they would use something new. Tonight, they needed something larger, and the purple spell bowl would be there, too.

Together, reflecting back over the year, they came up with three important items. They discussed the evening of the Sleepover Curse and the salt they'd thrown over their shoulders. Chloe reminded them of the apple they'd carried to the feast of the dead. Emma reminisced about the key to magic they found in the dark.

Emma ran upstairs for the salt and apple. Sarsha found a key in her magic box, and they continued.

Glitter was another item chosen for the night. It would connect all the spells as they retraced their steps from the past. This was good, they all agreed; the spell was coming together.

“OK, what did everyone bring for the spell tonight?” Emma asked, and each one reached for what she had brought.

“I brought a rosemary twig to protect the spell,” Chloe said.

“I brought my amethyst crystal for hopes and dreams,” Em, Chloe's twin, said next.

“I brought my basil oil for peace and happiness,” Montarna added.

“I made a potion for tonight,” Emma said. “I put it outside last night so it could be energized by the moon.”

“What kind of potion, Emma?” Sarsha asked.

“A powerful love potion,” Emma said, explaining what was in it. In a jar, she had fresh water, rose petals, her rose quartz crystal for love, and clear quartz crystal to make it more powerful. They all agreed it sounded strong.

“I brought a drawing of a star,” Sarsha said, holding it up. In blue ink, she had written across it “Keeping the Magic Alive.”

At first, everyone laughed, wondering how it would fit into the spell, but they worked it out between them. Sarsha would put it on top of the water just before Emma added the magic potion.

The spell was almost complete, but it was still in the working stages. All of a sudden, they realized they needed color magic. Together, they yelled, “Yellow!” Not only was yellow Isabella's color, but it also stood for joy and laughter.

Quickly, Montarna picked a yellow daisy head from the flowers that were on the table. “Here's our yellow,” she said. “I'll also add this to the spell tonight.”

Chapter Twelve

KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE

The spell included all the magic they had learned over the year. The girls were happy with their notes. Now, they needed to review the meaning of each item before writing the final words.

The girls were amazed at what they had chosen for the spell. First was protection, followed by hopes and dreams, peace and happiness, laughter and joy, and most of all, love.

Excitement filled the room as they started tossing out words to create an incantation. Finally, they were happy with what they wrote, so they read it out:

“Magic lives in your heart,

This is where it really starts.

However new ... however due,

The magic starts first with you.”

Finally, the last verse they would chant repeatedly to build the cone of power:

“It's the MAGIC, you keep alive,

In your hearts and in the sky.

Working together, or as one,

Remembering, first, to always have fun.”

Now they were ready for the next phase. Where would they cast the magic spell?

“How about in the front yard?” Chloe said.

“No, we did our first spell there,” Sarsha said. “Let's do this one somewhere new.”

That ruled out the BBQ area, front yard, Magic Room, and the living room upstairs. The only place left was somewhere in the backyard on the grass. It was unanimously decided that they would cast the spell just before midnight on the grass, under the stars.

“Let's go tell Mom and Hannah that we have decided what to do,” Emma suggested as she put her bowl on the table. Everyone jumped up, heading upstairs together. By now, they were starting to get hungry again.

“We're ready,” Emma said. “We're going outside to set up for later.”

“When you finish, come inside and have some cake,” Hannah told them.

“OK, we'll hurry,” they all said. Together, the girls walked out the back door. Then they went down the deck steps, giggling and chattering. When they reached the backyard, they started looking around for the best spot.

They found one. Close to the frangipani tree, they noticed a sandstone pillar with a plant sitting on it. They decided this was perfect. They removed the plant and replaced it with the white limestone dish they were using that night.

It was an unseasonably warm winter's night with no breeze. The bright shining moon made it easy for the girls to work. Together, they put everything in place under the twinkling stars. Candles, water, and all their ingredients for the spell were carefully organized and then covered up. The magic potion, however, stayed in Emma's pocket.

Everyone gathered frangipani flowers. One by one, the girls put the flowers in place. Together they cast a large magic circle around the area for the night. Content with the setup, they raced back to the house.

Quickly, they flung open the back door. The sound of their loud laughter and giggles filled the room. Promptly, they went to the table and sat down. Immediately, the questions started to fly all at the same time.

“What happens if our spell doesn't work?”

“Do we still graduate?”

“Will our magic stop?”

“Can we still use the Magic Room?”

“One at a time,” Selena calmly said. “First of all, it's written that 'all those who practice magic, for one year and one day, and who don't break the rules, graduate.' Which means that tonight, you graduate as a group. Together, the five of you have kept magic alive.”

“And you can't lose the magic you already have,” Hannah added, putting the birthday cake down on the table. “You can choose not to use it, but it's always there.”

Emma's birthday presents were stacked next to her on the table. She could not wait to open them, but first, there was cake.

Twinkling golden stars covered her cake and twelve lit candles surrounded the words “Happy Birthday, Emma.”

“Make a wish, Emma,” her mother and Hannah said.

“OK, but I want everyone to make a wish with me,” Emma said. Emma thought for a few seconds. Then she asked if everyone was ready. They nodded yes, and Emma took a big breath and blew out her candles.

Emma placed her last bite of cake into her mouth, and she reached for her presents. One by one, she opened her presents. From bubble bath to crystals, Emma loved them all and expressed her gratitude to everyone. While she was picking up the wrapping paper, the girls started explaining about the new spell.

They explained how they had combined the whole year of magic into their spell. They also told Hannah and Selena that they had a secret ingredient, but they were not telling what it was because it held the spell together.

The time passed quickly, and soon it was eleven-thirty. It was time for the girls to cast their spell. When they stood up, Hannah and Selena gave each one of them a hug and wished them good luck. This made the girls a little nervous.

“Aren't you going to help us, Mom?” Emma asked.

“No, Emma. I'm not allowed,” she quietly said.

“What about Hannah?” Emma asked, looking at her.

“No, I can't either,” Hannah said. “We'll be close by, watching, but we can't help you in any way.”

“You must do this alone because it's graduation night,” Selena reminded the girls.

The girls said nothing, understanding that rules are rules. Emma and Sarsha changed into something more comfortable and everyone grabbed their hats. They were ready to begin the ritual.

Emma led the way, holding her purple bowl, and the girls followed in single file. In the bowl were the three items from the earlier spells and extra glitter for the girls.

Retracing their steps from throughout the year, they walked through the house and out the front door. The trail of glitter started here, as it fell from between their fingers, and continued to fall as they walked along.

The girls circled the bonsai garden where they'd cast the first spell, then back to the house to circle the round coffee table of another spell. Out the back door and down the steps the girls walked, sprinkling glitter all the way. Still connecting the spells, they walked across the bridge, around the BBQ pit, and back over the bridge again.

They continued across the grass until they reached the sacred spot for the night. Sarsha took away a few flower petals to open up the circle. Everyone entered, and then she put the flowers back to close the circle again.

Selena and Hannah walked out to the yard. Standing back under a tree, they held onto each other's arms. They prayed that nothing would go wrong as they watched from a distance.

Emma placed the purple bowl on the ground next to the pillar. Now it was part of tonight's spell. One by one, the girls added their piece of magic to the new bowl. When they were finished, Emma poured water over everything.

Then Sarsha placed her paper drawing on top of the water. Next, the remaining glitter went into the spell. Now, they only needed to add their lights.

One by one, they placed a floating candle in the water and lit it. The final addition to the spell came next. Emma took her magic potion out of her pocket. She took a sip, and so did each girl. Then she poured the rest of the potion into the spell.

The girls locked hands and, as agreed earlier, no matter what happened, nobody was to let go. They walked around the bowl clockwise, circling three times, repeating their incantation.

“Magic lives in your heart,

This is where it really starts,

However new ... however due,

The magic first starts with you.”

Then they stopped, and they closed their eyes. Now, chanting repeatedly the final part, they created the cone of power.

“It's the MAGIC you keep alive

In your hearts and in the sky,

Working together, or as one,

“Remembering, first, to always have fun.”

They would not allow fear of any kind to interfere with this spell. The cone of power started rising up. They could see a pink vapor slowly spiraling up into the sky. The girls kept chanting as the energy of the spell built. It felt like it was trying to push them apart, but they would not let go of one another.

Everyone watched as it swirled up, flying across the sky and around the moon, until it disappeared. Still holding hands, they looked up and continued to wait for a sign.

They had no idea that Isabella had also received a scroll that night. She, too, had to cast a spell, as a solitary witch, to keep magic alive.

Isabella's bowl was full of pink flower petals and crystals. She watched her spell twirl up to the stars and fly across the sky. Soon after, she saw a bright star twinkle back at her, and she smiled.

The girls, still looking up, finally saw a shooting star. This was the sign they needed, and they quickly made a wish. Instantly, they glanced back into the spell bowl and noticed it had changed.

The only word they saw in the bowl now was Magic. All the other words had disappeared.

“The circle is open but never broken,” Emma said, and they dropped their hands.

Jumping up and down, screaming for joy, they danced around the circle. Then lying down on the grass, encircled by frangipani flowers, they gazed up at the stars.

“What did you wish for, Emma?” Sarsha asked.

“I wished every girl had a Magic Room, just like mine,” Emma said.

“I wished for a row of clubhouses, lined up along the beach,” Sarsha laughed.

“That would be so cool—we could hold New Witches Club conventions,” Chloe said, and everyone giggled.

“Look,” Emma said, pointing up at the sky. In the sky, they watched as five bright stars lit up one at a time, winking back at each of them. A few seconds later, one more joined in, making the perfect number six.

“Look, it's for Isabella,” they all said together as they smiled. Lying there in silence, they gazed up at the stars for some time.

While they fixed their eyes on the heavenly night sky, the front doorbell rang. Selena swiftly made her way to the door. She opened the door, and there stood a barrel filled with five beautiful broomsticks— one for each girl—and attached to each one was a Higher Witches Certificate for graduation.

Still in the backyard, Emma finally broke the silence. “Can anyone hear the sound of girls laughing in those stars?”

“Yeah ...” they all said quietly as they grinned. A ray of light flickered over the girls, and they cheerfully got up and headed back to the house. In their hearts, they knew that magic would live forever.

Emma's Scrapbook

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Other Events

Isabella was the first to move away. However, she continued with her Magic. She was especially gifted with her aromatherapy remedies.

Chloe, Sarsha, Montarna, Emma, and Em, created a Spell to help them do better in Maths. It worked and all of them received high marks on their next exam.

Sarsha wrote a Magic Spell to help her speak in front of her class.

She was great! Her Magic worked and everyone wanted to know her secret! However, Sarsha didn't tell.

The girls received a letter from the Witches Committee.

Their challenge was to find the key to Magic and overcome their fear of the dark. Another success story!

A perfect ending to a Magical dance routine! Left to right; Sarsha, Chloe, Emma, Em and Montarna across their laps.

Montarna left the group at the end of the school year, when her family moved away.

Emma, Sarsha and the twins, Chloe and Em, stayed at the same school until the end of high school. They continued to meet new friends and have fun together as a group.

The New Witches Club Website

Discover the beauty and magic of who you are. You can create anything you want in your life. The power of magic comes from you and starts in your heart.

The New Witches Club has a motto: Ask, believe, and receive, and remember to always have fun first!

Check out the New Witches Club storefront and start wearing and using your magical affirmations today.

Family-friendly website: www.NewWitchesClub.com