Strange Magic *Ambrose Spellman*

Cat's Out of the Bag

Freya's POV

"Good Morning my loves." Aunt Hilda cheers as Sabrina helps down the least step and into the kitchen. "What's that smell?" Sabrina asks as she sits me down at the table. I can totally walk fine by the way. People just like babying me I guess.

"Pancakes?" Sabrina asks. "Pancakes? No. Making your favorite, moon pie, for the lunar festivities." Hilda responds. "Wait, we aren't still celebrating the Hare Moon, are we?" Sabrina asks. "Hare Moon?" I ask. 

"I'll explain later." Sabrina mutters. "Well why shouldn't we?" Aunt Zelda asks as she walks in with the paper. "Well, aren't we in crisis with our powers waning? Also, it's not even a real holiday. It's just an excuse to eat pie and drink wine at a picnic." Sabrina says.

"I'm 100% into this holiday." I say. Aunt Hilda giggles. "True, but it will give the coven a moment of reprieve, of levity. Our vernal homage to rebirth will be a morale boost, and at the very least, a distraction from our waning powers." Aunt Zelda explains. 

"Okay. Well, we have a cheer even, which you're both welcome to attend. Well, I'll be cheering." Sabrina explains. "I'll be right here. I don't really feel like jumping around and cheering." I say sadly as I look down. All that's left of the break is a nasty bruise.

"We will be far too busy getting ready. As you should be too. Since you are our coven's youngest living member Sabrina, which means you are our symbolic hare and must walk into the woods and released the pardoned rabbit whilst singing a song of summer." Aunt Zelda explains. I'm confused. But hey, that's normal around here.

"Okay! But it makes no sense." Sabrina says. "Let me get this straight, during feast of feasts we cannibalize a witch. So, during the Hare Moon we release a rabbit?" I ask. "It's not the time to question traditions." Aunt Zelda says waving my question away and I just smirk at her.

Sabrina heads off to school and it's just the Aunties and I. Aunt Hilda lets me help out in the kitchen while Aunt Zelda does paperwork and checks in on me to make sure I don't fall over. I wish I could spend more time like this. With the Aunties.

"Spellmans!" Ambrose yells as he runs into the house. "Emergency family meeting!" He calls out as he walks into the kitchen. "Good. You're all here. Where's Sabrina?" He asks looking around. 

"She's at school. Why? Is something wrong?" I ask. "I need all of us at the Academy. ASAP. I think I've figured out what is draining our powers." He explains. "I'll go get Sabrina." Aunt Hilda explains as she pulls the pie out of the oven. 

"Come on. This better be worth it." Aunt Zelda says as she starts for the door. Ambrose throws me over his shoulder and begins carrying me through the front hall. I just laugh and swing my legs. 

"I can walk you know!"

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Freya's POV

"You're not going to like this, but it is our fault the coven's powers are waxing and waning." Ambrose explains as we all gather around a large book in the Academy's library. "Look here. So, the Pendle Coven suffered a similar power loss in 1612. It seems they offended the Dark Lord in some way, and so he withdrew his gifts from them a little at a time and then all at once." Ambrose says with a sigh.

"They offended him and we've only dethroned him and imprisoned him." I say casually. "How did they get their power back?" Sabrina asks. "They didn't." Ambrose says plainly. "The Pendle coven was wiped out by witch hunters several months later." Ambrose says reading a passage from the book.

"What does that mean for us?" Aunt Hilda asks. "It means that the Dark Lord is a sore loser and he's cut us of like the petulant brat he is." Aunt Zelda huffs. I don't know who this woman is but I feel like a few months ago this woman was the Dark Lord's biggest supporter. I guess people change.

Aunt Zelda leads the rest of us down into the dungeon and towards the witches cell where the Dark Lord is trapped inside of Father Blackwood. We can hear his wicked laughter as we get closer and closer to the cell. Aunt Zelda unlocks it and Blackwood looks up at us with a smirk. I blink and his face has morphed into the Dark Lord's.

"Are you really so petty you'd render our entire coven powerless, vulnerable,  out of spite?" Aunt Zelda asks. His face morphs back into Blackwood's. "I'd wonder how long it would take you all to realize the price you'd pay for imprisoning me." Blackwood says. Or is it the Dark Lord controlling Blackwood?

"I demand that you restore our power at once." Aunt Zelda demands. "If you want your power back, all you have to do is set me free." Blackwood/Lucifer says. "That we shall never do." Aunt Zelda hisses. "Then let's see how long you all last without my protection." 

"Unless, of course, you beseech Lilith. Perhaps she could bless your pathetic coven with her gifts. Oh wait- She's not even Queen of Hell." He says with a smirk. I swear my blood runs cold. Whelp here comes the truth. "That's enough! Dark Lord." Sabrina snaps.

"What do you mean, Lilith's not Queen of Hell? Of course she is." Aunt Zelda says. "Will you tell them daughter? Or shall I?" Father Blackwood/Lucifer says. I feel Ambrose tense up beside me as the Aunties turn to glare at Sabrina. We quickly take a couple steps back to avoid the blow up that's about to happen. 

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Freya's POV

"Queen? Queen of Hell?" Aunt Zelda asks once we are in her office. "I don't precisely have the throne outright just yet." Sabrina tries to explain. "But... you're Queen?" Aunt Hilda asks.

"My claim to the throne has been challenged by a Prince of Hell, this surfer looking dude names Caliban-" "Being Queen isn't a summer job! You're 16 for pity's sake. Your not dedicating the rest of your life to a kingdom that has nothing whatsoever to do with you!" Aunt Zelda explodes. 

"It was my father's kingdom, Aunt Zelda before we trapped him. And it's not like I had a choice! I did it to save the realms. There's a balance." Sabrina explains. Sis no. We all know why you really took the crown. 

"You did it because you wanted to! You did it because you like power! And that's healthy, up to a point, but you have a savior's complex. You always have. Can you believe this Hilda? Your niece chose a throne in Hell over her coven and her family." Aunt Zelda says. "She did not." Aunt Hilda defends. 

"I have always stood with the coven!" Sabrina counters. "Have you lifted one finger to help us, even as we find ourselves coming apart?" Aunt Zelda hisses. "Speaking of that, we have an urgent, urgent problem on our hands. We are witches and the Dark Lord has rendered us powerless. We need a new source of mystical energy now!" Ambrose says as he diverts the energy in the room.

"On the eve of the Hare Moon." Aunt Hilda points out. "This is a problem we five must solve." Aunt Zelda says. "I have an idea. I'm Queen of Hell as we all know. I should have access to the same energies that Lucifer did- does. The Dark Lord's power is infernal. It's gotta come from Hell, right?" Sabrina asks.

"Theoretically that could work, but Hell is a vast realm, Sabrina." Ambrose points out. "I'll ask Lilith. She knows all the tea." Sabrina says. I almost face palm. The Aunties look at her in sheer confusion but give in. 

"All right. But Ambrose goes with you and Freya." Aunt Zelda says. "Aunt Z, I'm Queen of Hell." Sabrina says. "I don't care if you're the Queen of England. You're still my niece and I won't have you two going to one of the nether realms without support." Aunt Zelda explains.

"Fine! Ambrose can come!" 

"Well what am I going to wear?" Ambrose asks. I turn to him to laugh but when I see his face I can tell that he is dead serious. Oh boy. Here we go.