Stuck on Earth - ONC 2020

10. Revelations

Madam Nova searched through several of her living room bookshelves. She flipped through the pages of various spellbooks while Hannah calmed down and regained her composure. She was now sitting on the couch next to Spencer. Hannah made sure to remove her hand from his once seated, as she didn't want to send him or Madam Nova any mixed signals. She was there for Tina and Eddie and wanted to keep her focus on that.

"What was the name of your spellbook again?" Madam Nova asked, tilting her head and peering at Hannah over her thick, reading glasses.

"It's titled, 'Spells Real Spellcasters Should Know', Madam Nova," Hannah responded calmly, though her leg was starting to bounce, almost like it had a mind of its own. It was a habit that she had whenever she'd get anxious or impatient about things going on in her life.

"Oh, yes!" Madam Nova nodded and mumbled under her breath that she hated how bad her short-term memory was getting in her old age.

It wasn't much longer until Madam Nova found what she was looking for. She held a very thick, forest-green, leather-bound book. The edges of the pages were coated in gold. There were no words on the cover or the spine. The book also lacked any artistic designs or pagan symbols that Hannah would usually see on other spellbooks. This book was very plain. Had she seen it in a store, her eyes would have skipped right over it.

Madam Nova rested the book on the seat cushion of the armchair. With all her might, she heaved the armchair a few feet across the worn oriental rug so that she was seated closer to Hannah.

Spencer stood up and urged, "Let me help you, Nova."

"Oh, nonsense, Spencer. Sit down. I'm very capable of taking care of myself. I know I look old and frail, but I assure you, I am far from it!" Madam Nova responded defensively, yet slightly out of breath as she sat down, placing the spellbook on her lap.

"I can see that," Spencer replied looking impressed. He reclaimed his seat on the couch.

"Now, Hannah," Madam Nova started. "Tell me everything about the love spell you put on your friends. I need all the details, the time, the steps, and so on. All of it is essential for finding the right undoing spell."

Madam Nova removed her reading glasses and played with them between her fingers as Hannah explained all the steps she took. She started by mentioning that it was done at the end of Halloween. Around half-past midnight. She told her about the candle options listed in the spell. How Tina got Eddie's shirt. She even remembered to mention the salt, cup of water, and the extra boost from the match, along with every other detail she could remember.

"Then we went to bed when she was all done," Hannah concluded.

"I see," Madam Nova nodded thoughtfully as she replaced her glasses back onto the end of her nose and opened the cover of the book.

"Wait a minute," Spencer interjected, making Hannah and Madam Nova turn to meet his attention. "Hannah, you didn't go right to bed. You summoned me here shortly after Tina finished the spell."

"Oh, right." Hannah was still confused about the fact that she didn't remember much about that spell. "But that spell was done after Tina's. Plus, all I remember about it was me standing in front of the mirror with the cup and candle. After that, I woke up literally frozen with you in my room the next morning." Hannah gave Spencer a look of frustration as the memory of that morning trickled back into the front of her mind.

"So, to make sure I followed everything you said," Madam Nova started, bringing Hannah's focus immediately back to the matter at hand. "You performed the dimension spell, right after you had cast another spell?" Madam Nova looked worried.