Forever Charmed

Oh Crap

Carmilla does an overdramatic salute and walks to where J.P. is holding a clipboard.

"You remember where the school's protection spell is based, right?" Danny asks, already knowing the answer.

"In the library," Laura says, already walking away.

The library is a bit of its own character, often pranking students by hiding books, or dropping them on those asleep at their tables while studying. One time its screens flashed, "Get out!" to a group of students who were sneaking in on a dare late at night.

It must know that Laura is there to help protect the school, however, since it doesn't do anything to her as she wanders the stacks. If anything, she reaches Perry and the others sooner than expected.

"Oh, hello, Laura," Perry says, pausing the chanting. "Right on time!"

"We need you in the stacks for the next part of the protection spell," Mel says, rotating a 3D blueprint hologram.

Clearly she's diving into helping others to forget about the loss of her coven, but Laura doesn't want to draw attention to it.

Mel points at a spot. "You'll be by the children's books."

LaF lets out a snort. "Fitting, Hollis."

"Ha. Ha," Laura laughs sarcastically. She grabs a few white candles a few black candles, a couple red candles, and a green candle from the baskets on the table–– all labeled, so it was definitely arranged by Perry. She also takes an athame, a wand, a chalice, a small bottle of wine, and a small sack of herbs. Laura puts it all in a small backpack that Mel hands her and heads towards the children's section.

She passes by a few other witches, including Natalie from the elder care facility, and exchanges quick pleasantries before she finally reaches her destination.

By then, the witches have all resumed chanting, and Laura begins to set up the spell. The chant is drilled into all Magic School students as soon as they begin attending. In fact, that's how Laura learned that her spell-casting was stronger than the average witch–– most first-timers are only capable of casting it on a small section of Magic School. But little seven-year-old Laura Hollis managed to get her spell across half the school, when others could only get up to a few small rooms.

She starts to cite the chant when a book falls off the shelf behind her. She's not sure what it is that compels her to do so, but Laura turns around to look down at it.

That's the last thing she remembers before everything goes black.

~*~

Carmilla orbs back into Magic School, soaked from head to toe.

"One humanoid lively piece of sushi, delivered," she says to J.P. flatly.

"And you dropped the merman off at the pool?" he asks, checking off the list.

She nods. "Well, it's been real swell helping you all out, so if you don't mind, I'm just gonna––"

"Nice try, Miss Karnstein. There's a nymph wandering around Central Park you need to obtain."

Perry's rapid footsteps approach them and she looks absolutely frantic and harried. "There's, uhm... Well, something's..."

"Miss Perry, what is the matter?" J.P. asks calmly.

"Laura's gone missing," Perry blurts out.

Carmilla's eyes widen. "What?"

Perry wrings her hands together nervously. "We realized her section of the spell hadn't gone up for quite some time, and when I went to where she should've been, she wasn't there. The candles were all lit and ready to go, but she had vanished."