Waiting

Hans had a couple of small microcomputers, various accessories, and his own 3D printer. It took a couple of days for the parts to come in, but they soon had an animal-friendly speak-and-spell.

It helped improve communications much better than watching the cardboard to see what letters they pointed to.

Hans then looked for other ways to make things more convenient for the cursed crew, as he called them.

On Friday night, they were getting worried. The police had their statements and evidence for a week and they had Gabbie in custody since last Saturday morning. Still, they had heard nothing further from the police about their case.

To assist her friends, Hannah called Officer Davidson to ask for an update, but was informed that she couldn’t speak to Hannah since she was not part of the legal case against the witches. Although she would stop by the house and update the victims.

Just after lunch, Officer Davidson arrived to speak to Jake, Nina and Larry, so Hannah went to visit her dad to see what he was inventing now.

Once Hannah was out of the room, Officer Davidson explained.

“We questioned Gabbie the next morning. She, of course, tried to play the victim card, but after seeing the video evidence Jake provided, she said that wasn’t her. Her mom can cast a spell that makes her look like anyone she wants and that she was just a witch in training.

When asked about her abilities, she said she only had a standard wand, able to do some of the basic boundary spells, nature spells, cloaking spells and some simpler biological spells, such as warming, cooling or healing someone. Oh, the silencing spell is actually a cloaking spell of sorts, as is the repairing of a window. You need an elder wand to do creation, transmogrification, and destruction spells.

When we confronted Cassandra, she denied everything, saying all that witchcraft nonsense was Gabbie’s doing. She just played along to appease Gabbie, and that she’s old enough to take responsibility for whatever mess she’s created. Cassandra is literally sacrificing Gabbie to take the blame for everything!

Upon hearing that she was being thrown under the bus, Gabbie spilled a lot more beans.

She told us that Cassandra is an elder witch and isn’t even her mother—more like her great-great-great-great-grandmother or something like that. Apparently, she’s hundreds of years old. We looked into her, but either Gabbie is lying or Cassandra has a rock solid identity system, because everything about her checks out.

When we asked Gabbie about becoming a witch, apparently you have to be born into it, something to do with their bloodline.

Gabbie told us that once young witches or warlocks enter puberty, that is when the magic in them grows. At the first sign of powers, they’re given to the eldest in their lineage for 9 years of training. Then their teacher can request an admittance evaluation for the witchcraft academy—and no, she doesn’t know where that is.

We asked what happens if you don’t get into the academy, but she said they erase all traces of witchcraft from your memories and then set you free.

Unfortunately, Jake, your video showed Gabbie casting the spells. The video doesn’t show her eyes changing colours, as you claimed. So we have all of your statements, but without proof, we can’t charge Cassandra with anything.

Gabbie has told us that the transmogrification spell requires an elder wand, and she doesn’t have one of those.

She also explained why Cassandra does what she does. There is some euphoria that accompanies casting spells and the more powerful the spell—the more euphoric the experience. Apparently, transmogrification is second in power to creation, but those can be very unpredictable. Creation would be stuff like reanimating the dead.

She has also confirmed that the spell can only be reversed by the same elder wand, or at least one created from the same sacred tree. Apparently these sacred trees are on witch mountain, but the location is only known to the high coven, which is even above an elder witch.

Gabbie has found a lawyer willing to take her case and has filed a lawsuit against Cassandra, which is why it’s taking so long to get anything going.

Since taking Gabbie into custody, the house doesn’t even look the same inside now. It looks normal.

So I’m sorry I don’t have better news, but there’s nothing more that we can do.”

As she finished saying everything she could about the case, she forced a smile and said, “Gabbie says she can undo the silence spell on Jake, so she’s at least being helpful in all this and she also apologizes for everything Cassandra has done to you.”

Seeing Hannah waiting outside, the officer signalled for her to come in. “They have heard the details. Just know that it is currently being bogged down by lawyers, but as soon as something happens, we’ll let you know. Until then, it looks like they will be animals most of the time.

Gabbie has agreed to reverse the silence spell, so I need to take Jake to the station, but I’ll bring him right back. Is that OK with you, Jake?”

Jake nodded, as did Hannah. They then walked around the side of the house to the patrol car parked out front. Officer Davidson opened the door and Jake got to sit in the back.

Arriving at the station and seeing Jake get out of the back seat, the other officers were giving her a bad time about what she was bringing the dog in for. Jake thought the charges they were saying were quite hilarious. They listed jaywalking, vagrancy, urinating on a fire hydrant, driving without a license, mailman assault, and so on.

She just laughed at most of them and then said that he was a werewolf and that he understands everything they were saying and that she was bringing him to see the witch.

That seemed to shut them up as she escorted Jake to a questioning room.

They soon escorted Gabbie into the room. Two officers stood guard as a third gave Gabbie her wand.

She actually looked like she was truly sorry for what had happened to him, as she picked up her wand and said whatever that weird language was and waved her wand at Jake.

When she finished, she set the wand back on the table, and the officer took it away.

Gabbie said, “I really hope that works. I had just learned that spell, but you were a human when it was cast and now you’re a wolf. I guess if it doesn’t work, come see me on the next full moon and I’ll try it again. Again, I’m truly sorry, Jake.”

Jake said, “Yeah right!”

Jake and Gabbie both started laughing as she said, “Oops, so that spell works for whatever form you are in. If you find you can’t talk on the full moon, come see me.”

Jake said, “Thanks, this will make communication easier—but I still want my life back. Any chance you could do this to Larry and Nina as well?

Gabbie nodded, but said nothing as they then escorted her out of the room.

Officer Davidson then escorted Jake back through the station to her car. She still got a few heckles about bringing him in, but Jake kept quiet. No use giving them any more fodder to bother her with.

Back in the car, Officer Davidson got an idea. “Jake, would you be up for visiting Cassandra’s place and seeing if we can’t find that wand?” Jake nodded.

She then radioed her superiors and asked them to bring a search warrant to Cassandra’s place. She was going to take Jake there to see if being confronted by a talking werewolf might prompt her to do something drastic.

As they entered the community, two unmarked police cars followed into the community, but split up and went different directions. They parked around the corner while they waited for the warrant to arrive. With Jake’s new ability to speak, they had a friendly talk about everything while they were waiting, with Officer Davidson insisting that he now call her Mona.

Once the warrant arrived, Officer Davidson and Jake drove up to the witch’s house and exited the vehicle.

She knocked on the door and when Cassandra answered; they presented her with the warrant as Officer Davidson and Jake entered along with a couple of other officers. “We’re here to search for any items related to witchcraft.”

The woman looked like she was in her 40s and was actually quite attractive. Jake could see where Gabbie got her looks, since they were both beautiful and buxom—except for the hair colour. Cassandra’s hair was jet black, and she was 5-foot-7, but she was a bit heavier. She still had a decent hourglass figure, which he guessed to be 34D-21-34. “I’ve told you, all that witchcraft nonsense was Gabbie’s doing. Is that why you brought the dog? Is this one that you say she turned?”

“You’ve said in previous statements that you played along with her. If so, can you please give us the wand you pretended with?”

“Sure, sure, no problem.” She said as she went into the room beside the living room and returned with a straight, smooth wand that looked like Gabbie’s. “Here you go, Officer.”

As Mona accepted the wand, she asked, “Jake, is this the wand that turned you?”

Jake shook his head.

Cassandra balked at the denial. “Seriously, you are asking a dog about a stick? He probably just wants to play fetch.”

“Jake, can you describe the wand that turned you?”

Cassandra laughed. “This is priceless. You’re asking a dog to describe a stick!”

Jake said, “Yes, it’s about 18 inches long and has two bends in it and the end is pointy, not rounded like that wand or Gabbie’s.”

Cassandra was shocked. “He can talk!”

“Yes, he’s the werewolf you turned.”

“Again, with the accusations! That witchcraft gobbledegook was all Gabbie.”

“Well, we have the warrant. We’re just going to have a look around for it. Are you sure you don’t have any other wands you used to appease Gabbie?”

“Oh yes, I used a stick like that one time.” Cassandra went to some decorative vases full of sticks and fake bamboo shoots, but most of the sticks and bamboo had squares ends. She reached in and pulled out a wand, breaking it as she pulled it out.”

Jake said, “That sure looked like the wand that turned me.”

Cassandra laughed. “This is just a stick, and a broken one at that!” As she handed the broken wand to Officer Davidson.

Cassandra then looked at Jake and spoke telepathically. “Stupid dog! You made me break my elder wand—but I can get another once Gabbie takes the fall. I am so sorry that you and the others can never be turned back now! I’m sure Gabbie told you that the spell can only be reversed by the elder wand that cast it?”

That thought made Jake upset as he growled at Cassandra, but because she had spoken telepathically, Officer Davidson led him outside to speak with him. “What’s wrong?”

“That was the wand, and she just broke it. She can speak telepathically, and she told me she can just go get another elder wand after Gabbie takes the fall, but since she broke the wand that cast the spell, it can never turn us back! Which is exactly what Gabbie said!”

“I am so sorry, Jake.”

“Thanks for trying. I guess I’m a dog for life now, but at least I have a good owner and can talk now. See if you can get Gabbie to use that spell to allow Larry and Nina to talk?”

There was no point in staying any longer, so Jake simply hung his head down and walked to the path that led into the park and headed home.

She could see how depressed he was and felt for him, as she went back inside to join the other officers.

With no reason to run, or even hide, he simply walked along and minded his own business. He stayed off the pathways and a few people stopped to either take pictures or just watch him, but he no longer cared. He just wanted to go home.

This was his new life now, a dog, except for roughly half-a-day twelve times a year. At least he could speak now, though, if that was any consolation.

He eventually made it to Hannah’s place and jumped the fence as Nina, Larry and Hannah came out to see him. Hannah was carrying the speak-and-spell.

Hannah asked, “So what happened?”

Jake just sat down and told them the story. “We went and visited Gabbie and she reversed the silence spell, so now I can talk. She might come and cast the spell to allow you guys to talk as well, I’m not sure.” They all seemed surprised when he talked, but it was sure a lot easier than tapping on the speak-and-spell.

Hannah asked, “You seem depressed. What else happened?”

“Since I could talk, Mona, Officer Davidson, got a search warrant and took me to the house to identify the elder wand.

The officer asked her for the wand and she offered a wand that looked like Gabbie’s, but when I said that wasn’t it. Cassandra pretended to remember there was another wand she used now and then, but it was just a stick. She then pulled the wand out of a vase full of sticks, but then broke it and said it was just a stick.

She then spoke to me telepathically and cursed me for making her break the elder wand, but that she could just go get another after Gabbie takes the fall. Then she gloated that now there was now no way to reverse the spell. But she said it all telepathically, so there was nothing for the police to act on.”

Everyone immediately understood the implications as Hannah voiced what everyone was thinking. “So you’re stuck like this forever? I am so sorry!”

She then got down and hugged everyone. Her dad then came down and saw the morose scene. “I take it someone got some bad news?”

Hannah explained, “Jake was just at the witch’s house and watched her break the wand that could transform them back.”