CHARMED - The Book of Shadows - Season One

The Truth Spell

Details:       A seemingly harmless spell that would allow the caster to hear the truth from any and all those they encountered within a 24hr period, so long as they posed a question first. 

However, this spell had a clever kickback in that it also forced the caster to answer truthfully should they be asked a question. 

Prue cast this spell on her boyfriend at the time, Inspector Andy Trudeau, in hopes of discovering whether or not he would be able to accept her secret life as a magical witch who fights evil. Andy had begun to heavily suspect that Prue was involved in something nefarious because her name became synonymous with most of his recent weird and unsolved cases. 

Her secret was driving a wedge between them. 

Prompted by the BOS itself, Prue, believing she was alone in the manor, cast the Truth Spell as a way of determining what could happen without having to really suffer any consequences, since anyone affected by the spell would forget everything they had said once the spell wore off (24hrs later). 

But Prue was not alone and thus her spell affected her sisters as well, turning them into living lie-detectors capable of easily acquiring sensitive or privileged information from others with but a single question. 

Of course, Piper panicked, certain she would blurt out how she felt about her awful boss and get fired on the spot. 

Phoebe meanwhile understood the rare opportunity she'd gained and immediately put it to the best use —  grilling Andy for information about the mysterious warlock killing innocents in the area. 

Later Prue met with Andy in her office and revealed her secret to him by displaying her power of telekinesis, explaining that she was a witch. 

Andy was understandably shocked,  and after hearing Prue out he asked if whether her Charmed destiny was something she could get rid of. 

Prue was slightly taken aback and responded by making it clear to Andy that being a witch was part of who she was, and that she'd only recently come to accept that. Prue wondered if Andy could accept it as well, and he said that he honestly did not know...

After she and Piper had vanquished the warlock, Prue hurried to Andy's apartment to catch him in time before the spell ended at 8pm. She found him returning home, having just gone grocery shopping. Andy was pleased to see her but when Prue brought up their previous discussion and her supernatural revelation, he told her that he needed more time, unaware that time was actually quickly running out.

Prue pressed him to confess his true feelings, urging him to tell her then and there if he could accept her secret or not, knowing that their entire relationship and future together depended on his response.

Andy paused for a moment, though his feelings were apparent all over his strained face. 

When he answered, he told her that he could not accept it, not because he thought it was bad, but because it just wasn't a future he had envisioned for himself, what with all the evil he faced on the job daily. 

Before he could elaborate further, the clock struck 8 and chimed definitively, signalling the end of the spell. Andy immediately lost all memory of their conversations over the last 24hrs, including Prue's revelation. He invited Prue in but she tearfully declined and kissed him goodbye before leaving, knowing that it truly was goodbye for Andy and Prue.    

Episode: S1E8 "The Truth Is Out There And It Hurts"