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Quinn's Saga Chapter 1 It was a pleasant early summer day in the suburbs of Madison, Wisconsin, when eighteen-year-old Quinn Lindburg came down the stairs into the living room. He saw that his two cousins, Jill, and Meg had just arrived for the summer at his home. He smiled as he watched them excitingly chatting away with his younger sister Avery. All the girls were sixteen, and they were as close as sisters. Jill had come down from Minnesota, while Meg was from the suburbs just outside Chicago. They all looked so similar that they could have easily passed for sisters. All three were very attractive-looking young women with shoulder-length blonde hair that reflected their Scandinavian heritage. One of the differences was that while Jill and Meg had light blue eyes, Avery had green eyes flecked with gold, which came from her grandmother. The girls would gather every year and spend the summer together starting after the Fourth of July. This summer was their turn to stay with Quinn's family in Madison. When Jill's mother saw Quinn, she rushed over and hugged him. "So good to see you, Quinn," greeted the tall blonde woman. "Good to see you too, Aunt Annika," he replied as he hugged her back. "Hi Quinn, thanks for letting us use your bedroom this summer!" thanked Jill. "Yeah, we really appreciate the extra room and being close to Avery's room," added Meg. A shared bathroom separated Quinn and Avery's bedrooms. He gave up his room to his cousins for the summer, and he moved into the new guestroom above the garage. The guest room was about the same size as his bedroom and was far enough away from the girls so he could get some sleep. He remembered the last time his cousins had visited and the racket they made every night. Another plus would be that he would have a bathroom and shower all to himself. The house originally had four bedrooms, but with family always visiting, they decided to convert the office above the garage into an additional guestroom. Quinn's father had just finished it with the help of a local handyman. Annika and Ericka would be sharing the remaining guest room. "No problem," he replied cheerfully. "Quinn!" greeted Meg's mom Ericka. Ericka then wrapped her arms around Quinn in a bear hug. "So good to see you, Quinn," she exclaimed. Quinn let out a gasp "Good to see you too, Aunt Ericka...now let me breathe!" he replied. "As if I could hurt you!" she countered with a smile as she released him. "Your mom said you're going up to join your dad for a few weeks for some outdoor adventures." "Yeah, he's finishing up a water study up in Sturgeon Bay. I'm heading up there in a day; we're going to go camping and fishing. I've been looking forward to this all year," replied Quinn. "Quinn will also be glad to be away from the girls," added Hanna with a wink. "That too," he admitted with a grin. Avery replied by sticking out her tongue out at him. "Very mature," joked Quinn. Avery smiled and turned back to talking with the other girls. "Hanna, I'm sure they won't be too much trouble," replied Aunt Ericka. "Not like the last time they were here for the summer," interjected Annika, Ericka, and Hanna's older sister. "I certainly hope not," muttered Quinn under his breath. Hearing his comment Hanna and the others laughed. "I'm sorry, Quinn. I'm not making fun of what happened. I'm just glad you fully recovered with no side effects. You've also grown so much just since Christmas; we were the same height then; how tall are you now?" asked Ericka. "Six-two," he replied proudly. "All I have to do is put on some weight to catch up with my height. Coach says that I'll be team captain this winter and play center on the top line." Quinn was a very gifted ice hockey player. He had been playing as far back as he could remember and loved the game. His parents often joked that he could skate before he could walk. "Quinn should have been the captain last year last year...he's the best player on the team, and he led the team in scoring last season," added Avery with pride. "Stupid rule that juniors can't be team captain." Like most siblings, Avery and Quinn had their share of disagreements, but for the most part, they got along quite well. Quinn was very protective of Avery, and it was known that if any guy treated Avery poorly, they would have to answer to him. "Takes more than scoring to be the captain," stated Quinn modestly. "I'd rather win than score." While he took great pride in his scoring ability, he was even more pleased that he also led the team in assists. His strong team attitude also made him the most popular player on the team. "And the team can't win if you don't score," countered Avery. "Well, our family has had some great hockey players. Your Dad was a walk-on goalie at Ohio State, and his father just missed making the US Olympic team when he was nineteen," stated Hanna proudly. "We have a great chance to go to the state tournament this year. I'd be happy with that," replied Quinn. They all moved outside to the deck and sat down. "So, are you three ready to take the next step in your studies?" asked Hanna as she addressed the girls. They all nodded vigorously. "Well, I know there won't be a repeat of the problems that happened when you were here last time...right girls?" Hanna asked in a tone that was more of an order. The three girls all nodded together again. "That was three years ago, and we've gotten better," stated Meg. "And we're older," added Jill. "And you still have a lot to learn," countered Ericka. "Agreed. You all have some important studying to do this summer if you want to master your skills," continued Annika. The girls nodded again. "Well, why don't we go to lunch," suggested Hanna. "First, we need to find a place that will please everyone." Chapter 2 After a twenty-minute discussion along the way, they agreed on a pizza place near The University of Wisconsin's main campus. "I can't believe that you and Peter are both now both working at the university now," stated Ericka as they waited for their food to arrive, referring to Hanna's husband. "It's so exciting." Quinn's father was an environmental sciences professor at The University of Wisconsin for three years. He was currently working on ways to maintain the health of the Great Lakes. Even though Hanna was getting ready to start her second year at Wisconsin, she was already a well-respected mathematics professor. "It's great, except we saw more of each other when we were both teaching high school," replied Hanna. "Still, it was worth the struggle to get to this level. We both love teaching." The sisters jumped into a lively discussion as they always did when they got together. Quinn sat back and watched the interaction between his mom and aunts. He smiled to himself as he realized that they weren't that different than his sister and cousins, who were having an equally entertaining conversation at the other end of the table. He also noted that, like his sister and cousins, his aunts and his mom looked so much alike. Even though they were several years different in age, they could have passed for triplets. All three were tall, shapely, with blonde hair and blue eyes that reflected their mainly Swedish heritage. The main difference was in the way they wore their hair. His mom usually kept her hair shoulder length, but lately, she was growing it longer. Only the oldest sister, Annika, had long hair, which she was wearing in a long-braided ponytail. When she was at work, she wore it in an updo. Dr. Annika O. Swanson was currently working in private practice in Minneapolis. Her husband, David, was a surgeon at a local hospital. They had met while working in the ER at the same hospital. In addition to Jill, they also had two teenage boys, David Jr, aged twelve, and Jeff, ten. The boys stayed up north during these visits. They didn't mind, as they were heavily involved in playing in a baseball league. Ericka O. Sanders was the youngest of the three, and she kept her hair short and sporty looking, which wasn't a surprise as she was the head physical therapist for Northwestern University. Ericka had once been a star on the women's cross country team and was still an excellent athlete who ran several marathons every year. The previous year, Quinn had run the Chicago Marathon with her and could barely keep up. Ericka's wife was Kari Sanders, an English professor at Northwestern. Meg was their only child. Kari usually tried to come along on these trips, but this summer, she was filling in for a friend who was on maternity leave. So she was spending her summer teaching American Literature and looking after Meg's "little brother"... Max the Maine coon cat. It wasn't surprising that all three sisters were successful in their chosen fields, considering their family heritage. After all, they came from a long lineage of sorceresses going back to the middle ages. All the women treated their powers as a normal and natural part of their lives. While it wasn't a secret in the family, everyone was taught not to discuss it with outsiders from a young age. Unfortunately for Quinn, only the women of the family developed the skills. Although he knew that if he fathered any daughters, they would have powers. And yes, the skills had to be learned. Girls began to develop their powers after they reached puberty. However, the powers would fade away if not developed. That was the reason why his sister and cousins were spending time together. They would devote the summer to learning how to create spells and learn how to use their power responsibly and for good. The majority of their spells were created using a variety of natural ingredients. However, some spells could be cast orally, usually in ancient Norse or Swedish. For this reason, the girls had to learn enough of each language to be proficient in casting spells. Quinn also knew that while all the women would learn the basics of magic, each women's skills were different from the others, and they sought careers that matched their specific skills. Quinn could understand how magic could work with medicine and physical therapy. But initially, he didn't understand how mathematics was a skill that could be manipulated with magic until Mom showed how the spelled calculation could solve problems with ease beyond the fastest computers. She said that many math formulas were spells. Hanna also told him that many computer programs had magic infused into their code, which didn't surprise him one bit. Jokingly Hanna pointed out that many people had no idea how their computers worked in the first place, so it was unlikely that anyone would discover this secret. It was a common joke that many computer programs were PFM, which stood for "Pure Fucking Magic," and Hanna said most people didn't know how true that was. Annika focused on using her powers to heal and develop new procedures catering to the individual patient's needs, while Ericka used her skills to assist people recovering from injuries. The trick all three used was to make their skills look natural; this way, they could hide their powers from the rest of society. This idea of using their powers secretly to help society grew out of the hysteria of the "Great Noise" in Sweden. This was a period of madness when over three hundred people were accused of witchcraft and brutally executed between 1668-1676. The victims of this madness were men and women, young and old... and all were innocent of practicing witchcraft. To make matters worse, many of the accusers were young children. Just the arrival of one of these children in a town caused panic. Trials, if you could them that, were held, but in most cases, the trials were mere formalities, and people lived in fear of being accused. Once convicted, the sentences were swiftly carried out. The convicted were brutally executed by methods ranging from beheadings to being burned alive. Nearly two dozen sorceresses from all parts of Sweden, including one who was Quinn's ancestor, secretly met and discussed what they could do to stop the hysteria. Of course, none of these women practiced what could be described by the authorities as witchcraft, using black magic, committing human sacrifices, or worshiping Satan; then again, neither did the trials' victims. Knowing that they had to do something to stop the insanity gripping their lands, they also knew to be careful in using their powers and only acting from the shadows. It was reluctantly agreed upon not to use their powers to stop the trials directly. It was decided that if they outwardly used their powers to try and stop the witch trials, this would only convince the public that there were witches, and the madness would only grow. All swore an oath to try more secretive methods. One of the first things they did was to help those accused. When possible, they helped some innocents escape by using spells to disguise the accused. After they were safe other spells were cast to sweep their memories clean of what had happened. Some advocated targeting the main accusers. It was agreed upon that this was only done in specific cases. Great care was taken to ensure that their actions looked as natural as possible. Anything else could increase the paranoia and make more people believe in witchcraft. In one situation, some of the women were forced to act when word reached them that one of the worst of the accusers was heading towards several villages. Lars Johansson was a cruel man who craved power more than justice. He found power as a witch prosecutor and quickly used his position for his benefit, gaining wealth and prestige. No one dared criticize him, as those who did were immediately accused of witchcraft. After much thought and discussion, the women agreed on a plan of action. A spell would be cast to spook the horse Johansson was riding into town. The spell's timing coincided with the village church bells ringing to call people to services. Several well-respected townsfolk were unknowing arranged nearby to be unknowing witnesses. Everything was in place as Johansson entered the village. As soon as the bells began to ring, the chosen sorceress cast her spell. Lars lost control of his bucking steed and dragged some distance before the villagers could stop the horse. All those who observed the incident concurred that it was an accident that caused Lars to be injured. He was bedridden for months after the "accident" and died within the year. Few mourned his passing. The women also looked at ways to stop the trials. Luckily one of them was married to a powerful man who was a member of the Royal Witchcraft Commission. She could influence her husband by secretly casting a spell to open his mind to more enlightened thinking. He began to address the rights of the accused publicly. As he was a highly respected man, people began to listen. Another sorceress was able to get some of the child accusers to recant their stories, which gave the Commission the evidence they needed to stop the witch trials. Their actions worked. The Witchcraft Commission ordered the trials to stop and ordered the clergy to issue a prayer of gratitude to their congregations, thanking God that all witches had cast of Sweden, thus ending the crisis. These actions put an end to the worst of the witch trials, even though there were some sporadic outbreaks of witch trials until the mid-1700s. The sorcerers secretly met and determined to prevent this sort of insanity from ever happening again. It was agreed that all women with powers would be educated and trained to use their skills responsibly, and they would use their powers to instruct and enlighten. The biggest obstacle was that women had to find opportunities to do this outside of their families in an age where women were expected to stay at home and raise families. Some married into wealthy and influential families and used their husbands and sons to make changes. Many of them discovered that their husbands willingly assisted in these plans. As time passed, each generation was taught by the previous and helped others reach influential positions. Additionally, family clans were formed to ensure protection. The women treated the creating of spells as a science. Most of the spells helped solve common medical conditions. By using natural ingredients could be passed off as folk medicine. But other spells were more potent and could range from physical and mental transformations to spells that could kill. These spells were regulated, and there were strict rules regarding their use. However, some spells could be learned and cast on the fly without creating a physical spell. One of the first of these that most women first learned was heat fluids' ability. It was beneficial when taking a bath, cooking or when the coffee got cold. Another spell that could assist someone or the person casting it to fall asleep quickly is affectionally known as a sleepy time spell. And so, the three young women would spend their summer learning skills that would guide their lives and careers. Chapter 3 "So, what are your plans after high school?" asked Ericka. "Hockey scholarship?" She then winked at him. She and Quinn had always got along so well that Ericka looked at Quinn as if he was her younger brother. Quinn laughed as he picked up another slice of pizza. He had already eaten four slices, but he wasn't worried about it as he needed to gain some weight. He also worked out often to get his body into peak playing shape. "I'm not good...but not good enough for that, even though I love playing. No, I'm going to college next fall, and I have picked up a few academic scholarships," he replied as he took a bit of the pepperoni and sausage pizza slice. "Aunt Ericka, Quinn's been scouted by a few colleges, and some want to offer him a scholarship," interjected Avery proudly. "I think he should go for it." "Quinn, is that true?" asked Ericka. Quinn nodded. "I'm honored, but I'd rather focus on academics," he replied honestly. "Really? That's refreshing to hear. Have you picked a major?" asked Ericka? Quinn shook his head as he ate. "That's okay. I didn't know what I initially wanted either," replied Ericka as she winked at Quinn. "I also changed my major twice, which worried both Mom and Dad a lot." Quinn smiled back at his favorite Aunt. Quinn and Ericka had a powerful bond going back to when Quinn was a child. A joke in the family that Ericka was more of an older sister to Quinn than an aunt. "And we still worry about you, little sister," interjected Annika with a grin on her face. Ericka smiled back at her older sister. "You're just jealous of my talents. Now Quinn, before we interrupted, are you going to school here, or do you want to get out on your own?" asked Ericka. "The University of Wisconsin is great, but I've been accepted at a few other schools too, and yes, I do want to try something different," he replied. "After all, it is a family tradition for the males to head out and explore the world before settling down." "And we fully support his decision...we also don't mess with tradition in this family," interjected Hanna. "Even though we'd love to have him go to college here and be a badger." His aunts and mom laughed. "So what other schools?" asked Annika. Quinn listed off a dozen well-known and academically sound universities and colleges worldwide. "Impressive list, I'm glad you have several Big Ten schools on the list, but we would expect nothing less from our nephew," replied Annika proudly. "And the list excludes Michigan & Iowa. Peter would never forgive him if he went to Ann Arbor, and we would lose our jobs if he went to Iowa," joked Hanna referring to respective football rivals. Quinn smiled back. His whole family was into sports, especially college football. He was also happy that his parents were facility because they had access to great seats for football games and other sports. Quinn also appreciated that neither parent pushed him or Avery to play. But they insisted that any sport that Quinn and Avery went out for must be fully dedicated to being part of a team. Quinn played many sports growing up, but his passion was ice hockey. Avery was also a gifted athlete and an excellent volleyball player. She made varsity her first year in high school. "Now the important question Quinn, do you have a girlfriend?" asked Ericka as she winked at Quinn. Before he could speak, Avery blurted out the answer. "Yes, he does, and her name is Allison Olsen!" Quinn glared back at his sister in mock anger, and she stuck her tongue out. "She's a lovely girl. Hopefully, you'll get a chance to meet her," interjected Hanna. Quinn felt his face turning red with embarrassment. "So Quinn, why don't you tell us about Allison?" asked Annika as she smiled back at her sister. "Do you want me to do it, or would you rather listen to Avery," replied Quinn with pretend anger. "Let's hear it from you. We can get the juicy details from Avery later," stated Ericka with a wink. Quinn sighed and then told them about her. Allison was born and raised in Madison, and her parents were both pharmacists. Like Quinn, she was into sports and played on the girls' volleyball team with Avery. Avery was five-ten athletic and had long reddish-blonde hair. She also had a high GPA and planned to go to college after graduating high school. She loved the sciences but wasn't sure what she wanted to major in. "We've been friends since grade school, but we've only been dating a few months," he admitted. "He took her to the junior prom," interjected Avery. "She looked so beautiful...more than Quinn deserves." Quinn leaned in close to Ericka. "Can you cast a spell to shut her up?" he whispered before laughing. Overhearing his comment, Avery laughed too. Even though she loved bugging Quinn, she loved her older brother and looked up to him. She also still felt guilty about what had happened a few years ago. Chapter 4 Later that evening, Quinn was up in his temporary bedroom back at the house packing up his bags for the camping and fishing trip with his father. He had been looking forward to this trip for months. Dad had an old friend who owned a lakeside cabin in an isolated area in the northern part of Wisconsin near several secluded fishing areas. They had gone up there every year since he was old enough to know how to cast a rod. His goal for the trip was to bring back a cooler filled with walleyes. While he packed, he talked to Allison over the phone. He was happy that she didn't mind that he would be away for a few weeks. As soon as that call ended, he got a call from one of his best friends Kevin Martin. They had been friends since grade school. Like Quinn, Kevin played hockey and had been on Quinn's line the previous season. Keven was also one of the team's enforcers, ensuring no opposing player took cheap shots at the others. While Quinn appreciated Kevin's actions, he didn't need Kevin's help. It was well known in the league that if you crossed the line with Quinn, he would get back at you with a rough but legal check. Kevin was also packing. His uncle got him a job in Lake Geneva for the summer as a lifeguard. Quinn joked that this might mean that Kevin would finally get a girlfriend. After the call, Quinn sat down and checked his new fishing rod and reel. It was a birthday gift from his parents, and this would be the first time he would get to use it. His mom and aunts were out of the house, spending some time together at a favorite Mexican restaurant. He knew how much they cherished their time together. They had grown up together in Oak Park, Illinois, and all three had attended college together at Northwestern University on academic scholarships. That was the one thing he was worried about concerning his college selection. Yes, it was true he wanted to get out on his own. He was going to miss his family. Still, as he had said, it was a family tradition. He guessed it was due to his family history. His Mom was into family ancestry and could trace back both sides of his family before immigrating to the states. Almost all his family came from Sweden, but some Danish, Finnish, and some Norwegian blood. She discovered that many of their male ancestors had taken careers that took them to sea ranging from merchant shipping to fishing. This tradition continued after they emigrated to the states, and many served in the Navy and Coast Guard. Quinn figured that the male wanderlust was due to some ancestors who were Norsemen. At least it was fun to imagine it. Even though he lived in the Midwest, he loved the ocean. The largest body of water he had ever seen was Lake Michigan. He often thought about what it must have been like to have sailed in a longboat. When he read some of the Norse sagas' translated versions, he marveled at how many combined actual events with supernatural creatures and events. The more he to learned about his family's heritage, he suspected that there might be more truth in them than modern historians gave them credit. His father had been in the Navy to go to college and a way to see the world. While he had only been in for six years, he made several deployments on a destroyer and had visited over twelve countries. He then left the service to get his graduate degree and devote time to his family. Both Quinn and Avery had been born in the Naval Hospital in San Diego while their dad served there, although he only had vague memories of living there. On his mother's side, Quinn's grandfather had done him better and had been in the merchant marine when he graduated high school until he retired as a shipmaster. He served on many merchant ships that worked the Great Lakes. He still took sportsmen and tourists out charter fishing on his boat down in the Florida Keys. He had moved there over a decade ago after his wife was killed in a car accident. Quinn hadn't told his parents yet, but he was debating taking a Naval ROTC scholarship so he could see some of the world before settling down. The idea of being on a ship at sea excited him, having grown up on his relatives' stories. He looked forward to talking to his Dad about this during the trip. He was about to go downstairs and grab a snack when he stopped in his tracks as he smelled smoke. It wasn't the type of smoke from a regular fire judging by the aroma his sister and cousins were casting a spell, and he wondered what they were trying to do. It smelled powerfully medicinal, like a combination of herbs and spices. Judging by the odor, they must have beneath him and doing it in the garage. He was about to go down and see what the girls were up to when he started to cough uncontrollably. He quickly found it hard to breathe, and he had to steady himself on the dresser with both hands. The coughing increased to the point where he could barely breathe. A sense of panic was seeping in, and he began to feel weak. He could see his phone on the bed but wasn't sure he could reach it. Just as he was on the verge of passing out, he felt a sharp ache deep in his chest. The pain began to sweep outward through his body, and as it did, he found he was able to breathe normally. As he steadied himself on the dresser, he felt his strength recover. Quinn felt weak and lightheaded from whatever had just hit him, and it took him several moments to clear his head. The sensation reminded him of when he was hit in the head with a puck a season ago and suffered a mild concussion. As his mind cleared, he became aware of the rest of his body, and he began to realize that something was wrong. He gradually straightened up, and seeing his reflection, he looked down in a panic and let out a terrified scream. Chapter 5 Hanna was about to order another round of margaritas when her phone began to vibrate. She looked down and saw it was from Avery. As she answered it, she noticed that her sisters were also getting calls from their daughters, and a chill ran up her spine. What did the girls do now? Before she could even say hello, Avery frantically interrupted her. "Mom, please come home.... there's a problem! We screwed up a spell," exclaimed Avery frantically. "Something went wrong." Hanna was immediately concerned by the sound of panic in her daughter's voice. "Avery, calm down, dear, and tell me what happened? Is everyone okay?" asked Hanna as she tried to remain calm. She could also overhead and see that her sisters were dealing with the same issue. "We're okay...it's Quinn...we screwed up...again!" replied Avery anxiously. "Not like last time...right?" asked Hanna cautiously. "No, Mom...not like last time...actually, we don't know what we did...but please come home, Mom. I'm so sorry," continued Avery as she began to cry. "Honey, calm down; we'll be home soon. Now, where's Quinn, and what happened to him?" she asked, trying to stay calm herself. "He's locked up in his room... he won't let us know what happened...and he won't let us in...he sounds pissed off." "Okay. Now, don't touch anything regarding the spell. We'll need to see what you did and what could have happened. We'll be home in ten minutes," explained Hanna. "Mom, it was an accident...it shouldn't have done anything to him...we didn't mean to hurt him," cried Avery. "Quinn is furious...he cursed us out pretty good...not that I blame him. I just wish I knew what happened to him...he sounds scared...I've never heard him like this before." "I know it wasn't intentional, dear, and I'm sure he knows that too. We'll be home shortly," replied Hanna. "What did our girls do now?" asked Ericka as she motioned to the server. "It can't be as bad as last time," replied Annika. "At least, I hope not. That was a mess to clean up." Chapter 6 Hanna let Annika drive as she was afraid of getting a speeding ticket. "When we get home, I'll check on Quinn. Can you two see what spell the girls were trying to make?" asked Hanna. "I bet they got into the spellbook that Jill was translating. I told them not to try anything until we checked it first. These kids think they can just Google anything and get the right answer," stated Annika. "What language is used in the book?" asked Ericka. "It's the 'Oland Island Spellbook,' and it's in 18th century Swedish. I gave it to her to work on her translation skills," replied Annika. "I wanted her to be careful when it came to ingredients and amounts. I have an authenticated translated copy on my tablet. We can use it to check what they did and used." "Oh, I'm familiar with that text too; there's nothing fatal or permanent about any of the spells...of course, that assumes the girls cast it correctly," added Ericka. "We'll find out shortly; we're almost home, turn right at the next light and then take the first left," ordered Hanna. "I remember," replied Annika. "I know we're all angry, but please let's put that aside for now. The important thing is to figure out what happened and to try and reverse whatever they did to Quinn," stated Hanna. "Agreed?" "Of course," replied Ericka. There was a pause before Annika replied. "Okay," answered Annika. Once inside, Hanna immediately dashed up to Quinn's room. Annika and Ericka went directly to the garage to see what the girls had done and if they were okay. Hanna stood outside the door and paused before knocking on the door. She prayed that whatever happened was reversible...like last time. Chapter 7 Hanna knocked gently on Quinn's bedroom door. "Go away! I told you before I don't want to talk to any of you!" shouted Quinn angrily. At least he could talk this time, she thought. Still, even in his anger, she could hear his fear. "Quinn, it's Mom; please let me in." There was a pause that seemed like hours before Hanna heard the sound of the door being unlocked. "Come in, Mom," replied Quinn softly. "Um...sorry for yelling." Hanna walked in and saw her son standing in front of her. He had his back turned to her. From what she could see, he looked normal. "It's okay, Honey. Please tell me what happened?" she asked softly. He slowly turned around and stood there with his arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Please tell me what happened, dear," she asked. He seemed to look okay, she thought. Tears began to run down his cheeks as he dropped his arms down, exposing that he now had a pair of very shapely large breasts. His nipples were erect and pressing out of his t-shirt. Hanna was shocked but tried to remain calm...on the outside anyway. Looking at his chest, she estimated that Quinn's breast size was 36-DD or larger. She closed and locked the door behind her. "Quinn, please sit down, and tell me what happened," she instructed. Quinn sat down on the bed, and Hanna sat down next to him and put her arm around his shoulders. As he then described what happened from the time he smelled the aroma of the smoke, he rested his head on her shoulder and began to wipe away tears. "I can't believe I'm crying over this," he admitted. "It's okay, dear. Has anything else changed?" asked Hanna. She wondered if his hormones were affected by the spell as she couldn't remember the last time she had seen him cry. Even when he dislocated his shoulder two years ago, he didn't cry. Quinn shook his head. "No, I checked... and my ...um... it's still there...it just the boobs," Quinn replied sheepishly. Hanna smiled back to comfort him. Quinn looked over at her and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Mom, please tell me you can fix this. I can't leave the house with...with these! Can this be reversed, or can you cast something to make them go away?" he asked as he pointed to his chest. "I look ridiculous!" "We'll do our best. Your aunts are down in the garage seeing what happened. And you know that we don't just use a spell onto of another...as it can make things worse." Quinn looked down at his chest. "What could be worse?" he asked. "Remember last time?" she replied. Quinn nodded as he continued to look down at his chest. "Mom, please fix this...you fixed it last time...I can't go around with these...they're bigger than Allison's!" he cried as he crossed his arms over his breasts. "I promise you that I will do everything I can," replied Hanna as she pulled out her phone. "What are you doing?" asked Quinn nervously. "I'm calling your aunts and letting them know what happened. It will help them look for the cause," she replied. "I'll also need to send them some photos." Chapter 8 Meanwhile, in the garage, Annika was comparing the girls' spell to her copy of the spellbook. She noticed several minor errors right away, but nothing would cause Quinn's changes that Hanna described. The photos were even more shocking, and she was stunned to see Quinn with large breasts. Simultaneously, Ericka talked to the girls and had them walk through step by step what they did. "Mom, it's just a simple spell to increase our breast sizes temporarily...nothing permanent. We hadn't even finished the spell when everything went crazy," explained Meg. "Honey, first, nature takes its time with your bodies. Using spells to change your appearance is dangerous. Now, why is there a burn mark here around your cauldron?" asked Ericka as she held up the cauldron. "That's what I mean; all sorts of weird stuff happened. I had just added the last ingredients when it burst into flames, and the contents shot out of the cauldron. The flame level was low...just as the spell called for," answered Jill as she pointed to the stain on the ceiling of the garage. "I've never seen a spell do that before." "That is strange. What color were the flames?" asked Annika as she looked up at the reddish-brown stain. "Blue...no purple," replied Jill. "Yes...that's right... the flames were purple... dark purple," concurred Meg. "I've never seen flames that color before." Ericka glanced over at her sister, who looked just as confused. "And what were the ingredients you added last?" asked Ericka. "Crushed cranberries," replied Meg. "The spell called for lingonberries," noted Ericka as she looked at the text on her laptop. "We couldn't find any in my Mom's larder... and we've substituted it before," replied Avery. Annika sighed. "Honey, just because it worked in one spell doesn't mean it will work in others," stated Annika. "Did you use any other substitutions?" Avery nodded, and she sheepishly handed her aunts the list of the ingredients. The two women looked over the list. Nothing on it would have transformed Quinn. In fact, most of the ingredients could come from the average supermarket or florist. Most of the ingredients were either from Hanna's garden or a company specializing in products for spells. The company had a strong reputation for pureness. "Where did you get these?" asked Ericka as she pointed to the list. "From my mom's cabinet with the rest of the ingredients," admitted Avery. "We just got a new shipment in last week. The rest came from the garden, so everything is fresh." "I'll add that to my list. I doubt anything could do what Hanna described, but it doesn't hurt to be safe. I'll call the supplier tomorrow," continued Ericka. "Whose caldron is this, and what was the last spell you created in it?" asked Annika as she inspected the copper pot that was the size of a stew pot. The inside of the caldron was coated in dark ash. Annika leaned in, snifted it, and noticed no aroma, which was odd as most spells left a noticeable residual odor. She didn't touch it, and she set it aside. She would wait until morning to run tests on it. "It's mine. I last used it last week to create that healing spell you taught me last year," admitted Meg. "And that spell worked perfectly, and I cleaned it out afterward like I was taught to." Annika wrapped her arm around Meg's shoulders to comfort her niece. "I'm accusing anyone, Meg; we just need to look at every angle. Something contaminated the spell," noted Annika. "I'll start doing some research to see what can be done to reverse the spell." "On the plus side, it's only supposed to be a temporary spell," added Meg. "Yeah, it's only supposed to last for two days," stated Avery. "Hopefully, that part works...for Quinn's sake. Girls, this is why we want you to study and not cut corners. As the wise man once said, 'with great powers comes great responsibility," stated Ericka. Annika turned and stared at her younger sister in disbelief. "Seriously? You're quoting Spiderman at a time like this?" grimaced Annika as she rolled her eyes. Ericka shrugged her shoulders. "Why not...the writer's mother was one of us...different clan though," she replied. Before Annika could reply, Hanna joined them. "Well, what did you find out?" asked Hanna. "Mom, can I see Quinn? Is he okay?" interrupted Avery anxiously. Hanna shook her head as she hugged her daughter. "Dear, I used the 'sleepy time' spell on him, and he should sleep until morning. He was agitated. Granted, it was not as bad as the last time he was the victim of a miscast spell... but that doesn't make it any easier for him," she explained. Hanna's spell was one of the many oral spells cast in ancient Norse. Hanna then described what had happened to Quinn and made the girls swear they would be supportive. She planned to use this as a teaching opportunity and include the girls as much as possible. "I can't think of any spell that would cause what Quinn told me...let alone the side effects," stated Hanna. "It's just as odd down here," replied Annika before explaining what they had learned. "None of this makes sense. There had to have been some contaminated ingredients," added Ericka. Hanna looked at her watch. "Well, I think we've done all we can tonight. I think we should get some sleep and attack it again in the morning with clear minds," stated Hanna. "Oh, one more thing, girls, no more spells until we figure this out. Is that understood? It's not that we don't trust you, but as something went wrong...and we need to find out what. We also have to check all my ingredients." The three girls all nodded. "Mom, we didn't mean to hurt Quinn," admitted Avery. "We know that, and Quinn knows that... now off to bed. There's nothing else we can do," Hanna replied. "I just don't want him to hate me," cried Avery as she wiped her tears away. Hanna then hugged her daughter, and as she comforted her, as did her sisters with their daughters. After the girls left, Hanna looked around the area where the spell was cast as her sisters explained what they had learned. "Even with our experience, it's pretty obvious that we're out of our league when it comes to solving this problem," stated Annika. "Do you all agree?" Hanna and Ericka both nodded. "After the last time...I don't trust the local board either," added Hanna. Regional boards handled mishaps and miscast spells to prevent abuses and investigate. They focused more on covering up the results rather than discovering the causes. "I agree, so I'll send a preliminary report to the university in Malmo, Sweden before I go to bed and see if they have any idea what happened. They have a great library on miscast spells," added Annika. "I would also like to do a physical of Quinn in the morning." "That would be a good idea. I didn't see any other changes...than the breasts," answered Hanna. "I'll check in on the girls and see if they need any help falling asleep," offered Ericka. "Well, let's get some sleep...we have a lot of work to do in the morning," said Hanna. "I'm counting on your help." The sisters group-hugged and headed up to bed. Before she went to bed, Hanna quietly slipped into Quinn's room and was pleased to see that he was sound asleep. She quietly approached him and kissed him gently on his forehead. Chapter 9 As Quinn slowly woke up early the following morning, he reached up with hands and was momentarily relieved to feel that his huge breasts were gone. Even with the help from his Mom's spell, it had been hard to get comfortable to sleep. He also had a series of strange dreams...not nightmares, but unusual dreams that he couldn't quite remember at the moment. There was a figure...no, it was a woman...comforting him. He sloughed it off as a by-product of the spell Mom had cast to help him sleep, as he always had strange dreams when she used that spell. He now sympathized with Allison, who often complained about finding a comfortable sleeping position with her large breasts. He would be more understanding in the future. But as he began to wake up, he realized that something was very wrong. He sat up, and as he looked around, everything looked strange, as if everything in his room was bigger. Instinctively he bushed his hair out of his eyes, and then he froze in fear. Why was his hair suddenly so long? It had barely covered his ears last night...now; it was well past his shoulders. He threw back his bedding in a near panic and jumped out of bed. It then hit him that the room was the same size; he was the one who was smaller, much smaller. He looked over at the mirror, and when he saw his reflection, he let out a bloodcurdling cry. By the time Hanna, Annika and Ericka arrived, they found Quinn curled up on the floor in a fetal position, hugging his knees sobbing hysterically. "Quinn?" asked Hanna. Quinn nodded as he wiped away tears from his eyes. The women were shocked by Quinn's new appearance, as he now looked like a young girl, but they did their best to stay calm. Hanna immediately dropped to the floor to comfort Quinn. "Mom, what happened to me?" he sobbed as he hugged her back. Hanna was unable to answer as she looked at the young girl who had been her son. Quinn even sounded like a little girl. Annika and Ericka helped them get up and had Quinn sit on the bed. Hanna realized that Quinn looked like Avery when she was around ten or eleven. Annika handed Quinn a box of tissues. "Thanks, Aunt Annika," replied Quinn, who then froze when he heard his voice. "I...I sound like a little girl too!" He then reached down under his t-shirt, which was more like a nightgown, and let out a curse. "Fuck! My dick is gone!" he cried out. "Sorry." "It's alright, Quinn," comforted Hanna. "Quinn, may I please see your whole body?" asked Annika. "It's okay, dear; you know that I'm a doctor." Quinn nodded as he wiped tears from his eyes. He then took off his t- shirt, exposing his transformed body. There was no physical sign that Quinn had ever been male. "Ericka, please go make sure the girls don't come in here right now," asked Hanna as she ran her eyes over her son. She wondered how this could have happened and was worried she missed the signs of his change last night. "Will do," replied Erika before hugging Quinn. "We'll figure this out," she whispered into Quinn's ear. "And on your way back up here, will you please go to my room and get my examination bag? I want to give Quinn a physical," asked Annika. Ericka gave her sister a thumbs up. "Ericka's right; we'll figure this out, dear," comforted Hanna as she hugged Quinn. "Thanks, Mom," replied Quinn. "I hope so." Chapter 10 Quinn sat on the bed, his legs dangling over the edge. He had just put his t-shirt back on. "Well?" asked Quinn after his aunt after examining his transformed body. "To the best of my medical abilities, I would say that physically you're now a perfectly normal young girl, aged ten or eleven. You are fifty-four inches in height or four and a half feet tall and weigh sixty-five pounds," stated Annika. "Of course, I would like to do a more detailed examination in an office." "I don't feel normal," replied Quinn dejectedly. "And I don't feel like I'm a girl either." "I was speaking from a medical side, dear. I know this will take a while to accept," added Annika. "Please tell me this isn't permanent!" he exclaimed. "We don't know Quinn, but we will all do our best to find out," comforted Ericka. "The spell the girls were working on couldn't have done this." "So, how did this happen?" asked Hanna, who was seated next to Quinn. "I'm a loss to explain it," replied Annika. "There are spells that can change gender, but they're far more complicated than what the girls did last night, and they involve swallowing the potion." "And they don't make the person younger...significantly younger," added Hanna. "It doesn't make any sense. Nothing in the ingredients or a combination of them should have done anything like this. The girls were trying to create the spell would have increased breast size for a few days, and only if it were taken internally," explained Ericka. "Even if we account for residue from the previous spell, this shouldn't have happened." "I agree. We need to talk to some experts," stated Annika. "In the meantime, what do I do?" asked Quinn nervously. "I'm sorry to say this, Quinn, but it looks like you're stuck like this for the time being," explained Annika. Quinn looked over at Hanna. "She can't be serious, Mom. Isn't there some way to change me back?" asked Quinn desperately as tears began to roll down her cheeks again? "Honey, until we know what happened, we don't dare try any spells; it might make it worse," replied Hanna. "Shit," replied Quinn. "So what do I do in the meantime?" "You're going to have to pretend you're a girl. We can say that you're another visiting cousin," suggested Ericka. "We will have to get you a new wardrobe. I have your measurements. I can take the girls out to do that. It'll also keep them occupied, and I'm sure they'll be happy do it; they want to help." "So they know?" asked Quinn. "Yes, and they're worried sick about you," replied Ericka. Quinn just nodded. "Okay, I guess I'm a girl...for the time being," replied Quinn softly. "Aunt Ericka, please tell them I don't hate them or anything like that. I know they would never hurt me on purpose." Ericka got up and hugged Quinn before heading out of the room. "Oh, and the clothes...nothing too girly please...I'm not ready for that...no dresses either...and definitely no pink!" begged Quinn. "I'll tell them that, Quinn," replied Ericka with a smile. She then hugged Quinn again before leaving. "Mom, what happens if you can't change me back?" asked Quinn after Ericka left. Hanna looked back, smiled, and gently brushed Quinn's hair out of his face. "Then you'll be my daughter. If we can't change you back...and we will do everything we can, but if we can't, there is a spell that will change your identity. It should be safe to use on you. It will be like you were born a girl," explained Hanna. "It's one of the oldest spells and is very reliable. It was first used to hide fugitives during the Great Noise." "And would I remember who I am? I mean would I remember being a guy?" asked Quinn. "If that is what you want. You and everyone will only know you as if you were born a girl; there will be no memories of your life so far. However, most people find this too extreme...as if they were killing their old identity...However, the spell can be modified so you could remember and also allow others to remember if you wanted," added Annika. "The first option would a fresh start and might help you adjust to being a girl...but it comes at a cost...giving up your past," added Annika. "Neither you nor anyone else would ever know you were once male and eighteen." Quinn nodded. "I know it would easier just to forget, but if there's no way to reverse this, then I want to remember, and I want you all to remember...you're right; the other option is like I'm killing myself," replied Quinn. "I'm so proud of you," agreed Hanna as she hugged Quinn. "I'd do the same thing, Quinn, too," added Annika. Quinn's eyes opened wide. "Oh shit, what about Dad? I was supposed to drive up and meet him tomorrow!" exclaimed Quinn. "I'll call him and explain everything," replied Hanna. "I'm sure he'll want to talk to you too." "Will he understand?" asked Quinn. "Of course, Dear. He will fully understand, and he will love you no matter how this turns out," replied Hanna confidently. "As you know, Dad comes from another Swedish clan with powers too." "Thanks, Mom. That makes me feel a bit better," replied Quinn. "Retaining your current memories will have an added advantage in school and allow you to adjust to being a girl," noted Annika. Quinn turned and looked at his aunt. "School? Oh shit, I forgot about that.. what grade would I have to be in...if I'm still like this?" replied Quinn as he tried to calculate the age to grade in his head. "If we say you're ten, then it's fifth grade, and if eleven, then it's the sixth grade," replied Hanna. "And why do you say I look like I'm ten or eleven?" asked Quinn as he looked in the mirror. Was he that young now? "I'll answer that. It's because of your size... and the fact that you haven't started puberty yet," explained Annika. Quinn's eyes opened wide. "Fuck! I hadn't thought about that," stated Quinn, who paused and looked at his Mom and Aunt sheepishly. "Um, sorry about cursing...I'm usually not this bad...not even when I'm playing hockey." "Considering what has happened, it's understandable...but we're going to have to do something about your language, young lady," scolded Hanna with a smile on her face. Quinn looked at her and then began to laugh. "Please, Mom, don't make me laugh! I want to be miserable right now," replied Quinn. "We'll get you through this, Quinn," comforted Hanna. "It might be a good thing that you're as young as you are, Quinn. It will give you fewer things to adjust to," stated Annika. "If we can't change, then you back you can grow into being an adult woman naturally. Right now, you get to adjust to your new life, and when the changes come, it will be like nature intended." Quinn stared back and began to think about what he saw his sister go through as she grew up. He also thought about what he had lost. He was a year from college now he would be back in elementary school. "What about my name?" Quinn asked. "If I'm going to be a girl...until you find a cure for this...I need a name." Annika and Hanna looked at each other. "What about keeping Quinn. It is a unisex name, so I don't see any reason to change it unless you want to change it," replied Hanna. "It's also not unusual for families to reuse names." "Okay, at least that's one less thing to remember. Okay, um ...I have an important question...I have to go to pee...what do I afterward?" asked Quinn as she blushed. "Come with me, Dear," said Hanna as she led Quinn to the bathroom. Chapter 11 On the way back from shopping, the girls examined what they had bought for Quinn. "I think you all did a great job...all things considered," stated Ericka, who was driving. "I never thought I'd be buying stuff like this for Quinn," stated Avery as she examined a t-shirt. It was cute, even though it wasn't too feminine. It had a pattern that from a distance looked like stripes, but when close, you could see the stripes were kittens. She was also taken back by the size. Her big brother was now her little sister. She also wanted to see Quinn badly...and feared that Quinn would reject her. "Yeah, it's pretty weird. Do you think you can change him back?" asked Meg as she looked at her Mom. "We're going to do our best," replied Ericka. "I notice you didn't say yes," noted Meg "We don't know yet, Meg. This is beyond what we're used to, and we're going to need help. Now I need you all to very supportive of Quinn as this is going to be very rough on her," stated Ericka. "Aunt Ericka, you called Quinn 'her,'" noted Avery. "I guess it just makes sense, and that's what she is now," answered Ericka. "Quinn is going to need help adjusting to her new life.. whether it's for a few days, a few weeks, or the rest of her life. She's going to need all our help, but especially yours, Avery." "You know that I'll do whatever I have to," answered Avery as she realized that she was now the older sister. "So will we," affirmed Jill and Meg together. "I'm pleased to hear that," stated Ericka. "It must be so bizarre for Quinn," noted Avery as she put a pair of shorts back into the shopping bag. "Changing gender would be hard enough to adapt to...let alone being so much younger at the same time. I don't know which would be worse. I feel sick...thinking that this is our fault." "Avery, don't beat yourself up. As for Quinn, if she's stuck this way, it will get even stranger in the coming months," added Ericka. The girls all turned and looked at her. Ericka nodded. "That's right, she's about the age when puberty starts, and you all know how difficult that was for you," stated Ericka. The girls looked at each other and nodded in agreement. "Um...Mom does that mean she'll be like us...and have powers?" asked Meg. Ericka paused and shrugged her shoulders. "I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. "It's a possibility. But please don't bring it up with her right now. She has enough to adjust to." "What if she brings it up?" asked Avery. Ericka thought of what to say. "Tell her the truth that we won't know until she starts puberty," replied Ericka. Chapter 12 There was a knock on Quinn's bedroom door. "Yes," asked Quinn, who shook her head in disgust. She still wasn't used to her new voice...or her new body. It was bad enough to be changed into a girl, but she was a little girl on top of that. She had hoped it was all an awful nightmare, but with each passing minute, the reality of the situation was sinking in. "Quinn...it's me, Avery... I have some clothes for you. Do you want me to just leave them out here...or do you want me to bring them in?" asked Avery hopefully. Quinn thought about it for a moment. Her rage at his sisters had long passed, and she knew Avery must be worried sick about what happened. Quinn also realized that if she were stuck like this, she would need Avery's help, so she might as well forgive her sister now. "Sure. Please come in...the door is unlocked," replied Quinn. Avery opened the door and walked in, carrying several shopping bags. "OMG!" she gasped when she saw Quinn sitting on the bed. "Oh, Quinn, I'm so sorry, but it's a shock seeing you like this. "I know...it's okay...I screamed louder the first time I saw myself," admitted Quinn. "I still can't believe this is me." "You're really a girl now...oh Quinn, I'm so sorry for what we did!" cried Avery, who rushed over and began to hug Quinn. "Please forgive me!" Quinn tried to say something but all she could but cry along with her sister. After a minute or so, they regained their composure. "I haven't cried this much since I was five," admitted Quinn as she reached for the box of tissues. "I wish I knew what happened to you," stated Avery as she reached for some tissues. "That makes two of us," replied Quinn. "At least the last time, the spell did what it was supposed to do." Avery sighed as she looked over at her sister. "Well, you look like you can be my younger sister. I mean, you look like I did when I was younger...only you're much prettier than I was," commented Avery. "Thanks, but you don't mean that," replied Quinn. "I do...um, what age are you now?" asked Avery. "Aunt Annika says ten or eleven based on my body size... and that I haven't started puberty...again," replied Quinn. "Oh...I guess that makes sense," noted Avery as she looked her sister over. "I didn't think you'd be so small." "And please don't start on you being my big sister now...this is only temporary...I hope," added Quinn with a smile on her face. Avery smiled back. "To be accurate... I'm now your older and bigger sister!" countered Avery. Quinn flipped the bird at her while smiling back. They both broke out in laughter. "You still have a sense of humor; I've always liked that about you. I've always admired how you could laugh off bad things...like the last time." "Let's not bring that up right now," stated Quinn holding up her hands. Avery looked around the room and saw a neat stack of dirty dishes on the nightstand. "Have you left this room yet?" asked Avery? Quinn shook her head. "I have nothing to wear. My t-shirt is like a nightgown on me now...nothing else fits," replied Quinn. "Mom brought me up some breakfast." "Well, let's get you dressed," stated Avery. "So, what type of clothes did you get me?" "Very frilly and lacy dresses, mostly in pink," replied Avery with a straight face. Quinn cocked her head, crossed her arms, and glared at her sister. Avery began to laugh. "Sorry, but you look so cute when you pout!" Avery exclaimed. "No, we didn't get you anything like that. We got you some nice summer clothes, tops, shorts, pants, panties, PJs, and a couple of pairs of shoes. It's the stuff I liked to wear when I was your age. It's enough until they change you back." She then got up and retrieved the bags. "And if they can't?" asked Quinn. "Then we'll have to get some more clothes for you...and I will help you. I love Mom, but her tastes in clothing leave something to be desired," replied Avery. "Oh, I only brought up one outfit as Mom is washing the rest." Quinn looked at the blight blue cotton top, white shorts, and panties lying in front of her. Except for the panties, it wasn't that different than what she had been wearing yesterday when she was a boy. "No bra?" asked Quinn. "You don't need one...yet," replied Avery. "Trust me; you'll know when you need one." "Oh yeah," said Quinn looking down at her chest as she thought about the changes she would soon be going through if they couldn't change her back. "Um, I know this sounds weird..., and you can tell me no... but can I see your body?" asked Avery. "Well, considering I'm a girl now...for the time being... I guess it doesn't matter," replied Quinn. "But why?" "I guess because I want to see what I did," she admitted. "Oh," replied Quinn. She hopped off the bed and took off her t-shirt, exposing her feminized body. "Wow, you are a girl now...and I agree on the age... I might even say you might be younger," stated Avery. Quinn looked back at her sister. "Don't!... Don't say that to anyone. Repeating sixth grade will be bad enough," replied Quinn as she picked up the pair of yellow panties with blue polka dots on them. "This is weird," stated Quinn. "That's an understatement," stated Avery. "Yeah, the change is weird, but what I meant was that here I am naked in front of you...and it seems normal," replied Quinn. Avery stared back and nodded. "I mean, it's even weird for our family...if you know what I mean," continued Quinn. "You're right. We accept a lot of things others would consider strange. I guess we should tell the other about this," replied Avery. Quinn nodded as she slipped the panties on and found they fit perfectly. She then put on the shorts and then her top. "I picked these out for you," said Avery as she held out a pair of athletic shoes and socks. "Thanks," replied Quinn, who put on the socks and shoes. "Everything fits perfectly, thanks." She stood in front of the mirror and tried to accept that the reflection was hers. Avery stood behind her. Quinn again noticed how much taller her once younger sister was. She had always been taller than Avery, and now she was significantly shorter. "How tall are you again?" asked Quinn. "Five-ten. Don't worry, you'll catch back up; all the women in our family are tall," replied Avery as she began to brush Quinn's hair. "Well...I'm only four foot nothing. Everything looks so huge now," complained Quinn. "Hey, what are you doing to my hair?" "Your hair is down to the middle of your back. I'm going to brush it and then put it into a braided ponytail. Trust me; you'll be more comfortable, and it will keep your hair out of your face. If you're like this for a while, I recommend that you get it trimmed a bit. The great thing is that you have lovely hair. It's so silky smooth...I wish my hair were this soft," explained Avery. "And Quinn, since I've become your older sister...for the time being... I'm going to do everything I can to help you...especially if they can't change you back...especially when you go through puberty. It's the least I can do." "Thanks, Avery," replied Quinn. "I feel better knowing that." "Now, sit down on the bed, and I'll braid your hair. You know I have some earrings that you could wear after all your ears are already pierced," she explained. "That was Allison's idea. Oh shit! What am I going to do about her?" exclaimed Quinn. "Sit still. You were supposed to go fishing and camping with Dad, right?" asked Avery as she braided Quinn's hair. "For two weeks," Quinn replied. "So we have two weeks to figure it out." Quinn nodded. "You're smarter than I thought," replied Quinn with a laugh. "And so you need to listen to your older, wiser sister," said Avery as she continued to work on Quinn's hair. "Older, yes," replied Quinn. Avery gave her sister a playful pat on the head. "I guess Mom already called Dad," said Quinn. "Yes. Even though Dad wants to come here and see you, he's going to stay up there for the cover story that you're fishing with him. That was Mom's idea. He does want to talk to you later," explained Avery. "Like the rest of us, he's very concerned." "Oh...that makes sense. Still, I wish he was here right now," Quinn replied. "So... the story is that I'm your younger cousin?" "Yep. Hopefully, for only a short time. We will have to explain who you are. Mom and the others are working out the details as we speak," replied Avery, and she put a rubber band at the end of the braid. "There, all done, take a look." Quinn got off the bed and looked at her new hairstyle. "I like it," replied Quinn. "I also like that it's not in my face...thanks." "Cool, I'll help you with it as needed. Now, are you ready to come downstairs?" asked Avery. "Oh wait, I also have a necklace and few bracelets that will look great on you. The jewelry will also help you blend. Oh, I almost forgot; I also got you a watch." Avery reached into the bag and handed it to Quinn, who immediately put it on. She was shocked by how thin her wrists were now. "Sure...that makes sense," replied Quinn as she took another look at herself in the mirror before turning around and looking up at her sister. "Avery, I so wanted to be angry with you and the others, but I can't. I'm terrified that I'm going to stay a girl. I know it's not the end of the world...but it's freaking me out. I liked who I was. If I am stuck this way, I want...and need your help." Avery wrapped her arms around Quinn and hugged her sister. "I'm here for you, little sister," comforted Avery. Chapter 13 Everyone agreed that Quinn looked nice, and the addition of the silver stud earrings, silver chain with charm, and bracelets completed the outfit. Anyone seeing her wouldn't suspect the truth about her. "You look great, Quinn," complimented Jill "I agree with her Quinn, you look nice," added Meg. "Maybe later, I can polish your nails." Quinn looked at Avery, who nodded. "It doesn't hurt...and it will help you blend in," noted Avery. "Don't worry, Quinn, I'll pick the color," interjected Jill. "Besides girls you're age, don't wear black nail polish." "It's not black; it's dark purple," countered Meg as she held out her nails. Hanna then took a few photos of Quinn to send to Peter. She was taken aback by how quickly Quinn was adjusting to all this...and how everyone else was accepting her as a girl...herself included. Was it part of the spell, she wondered? They all sat down in the living room to discuss what would happen next and the plan to explain Quinn's appearance. Ericka and Annika both agreed to stick around to help solve what had happened to Quinn. "Okay, good news, I got ahold of a professor friend of mine that I met in Malmo years ago. She is a recognized expert in these sorts of things. Her name is Dr. Oliva Nyberg, and I told her what happened. I also emailed her all our data about the spell," explained Annika. "She is going to come out here and assist us in finding out what happened and how to reverse it. She'll be flying in tomorrow." "Wow! She's coming here from Sweden?" asked Quinn with an astonished look on her face. "No, Boston, but she is originally from Sweden. She now teaches at a college there. She's very interested in helping you, Quinn," replied Annika. "And yes, she's like us, just from a different family. Her family line and the clan come from southern Sweden on the island of Oland. Her clan is one of the oldest and most respected on record." "She's an expert on effects from corrupted spells...probably of the best," added Hanna. "I've read several of her books. You couldn't ask for a better person to help us." "Is that what happened? The spell was corrupted?" asked Quinn. "It's the only explanation. I've used the spell calculator, and no combination of the ingredients shows anything even close to what happened to you. I even entered the automotive and household goods I found in the garage. I've also contacted the supplier, Global Sorcery Supply," explained Ericka. Global Sorcery Supply, or GSS, was a well-established company going to the 1700s. Today it used a major pharmaceutical company as a cover, and most of the employees had no idea that GSS existed. They had offices in over twenty countries supplying sorceresses' needs worldwide. They were also one of the first companies to use the internet for filling orders. The current CEO was a woman who came from a respected Scottish clan that could trace its lineage back to the 1200s. "I've also never had a problem with GSS products," added Annika. "What is strange is the spell is designed to be taken internally and is temporary. It also did not affect the girls." "Since I smelled it, would passing through the ceiling have any effect?" asked Quinn. "I hadn't thought about that. I'll check it out. Um... Hanna do you think Peter will mind if I borrow a drill and get a core sample and see what's there?" asked Ericka. "No, that makes sense but check for wires first. We don't need to hire an electrician to rewire the house, and I don't think this sort of thing is covered in our homeowner insurance," replied Hanna with a wink. "Hey, I'm pretty good with power tools," bragged Ericka. "Is there anything else we might have missed about what happened?" asked Jill. "I can't think of anything else. Oliva will be here tomorrow, and we can start when she gets here.," said Annika. "But if anything thinks of something we might have missed, no matter how farfetched, bring it up." Everyone agreed. "Okay, now we need to be on the same page as far as Quinn is concerned," stated Hanna. Ericka looked around the room. "I've been thinking, Maybe Quinn should consider another first name for the time being. If the spell cannot be reversed, she can use it again as part of the identity spell," she explained. "You mean that spell you told us about years ago?" asked Jill. "Yes, it will give Quinn a new identity in the family," replied Ericka. "But that means we won't remember any of this?" questioned Jill. "Or Quinn as she was," added Meg. "There's a second version that will allow Quinn to remember and anyone else she desires," stated Annika. "By the way, that's the one I want," stated Quinn firmly. "Well, I want to remember too," exclaimed Avery. "Me too!" stated Jill. "Same here!" added Meg. "Thank you," replied Quinn. "I want all of you to remember...Dad too." "We'd be honored, Quinn, but hopefully, we won't need it," said Annika. "So, let's discuss the plan." It was agreed that Quinn would be Annika's niece on her husband's side of the family. She would go by Quinn Swanson, and that she was also from Minneapolis. "Well, having the same name is one less thing to worry about," replied Quinn. "Don't end sentences in a preposition," joked Avery. "Okay...having the same name is one less thing to worry about...jerk," replied Quinn with a smile on her face. The rest of the cover story would be that Quinn was off to go fishing for two to three weeks up in the northern part of the state with his father. The cabin's location was in an area with abysmal cell phone reception. That would explain Quinn's delays in replying. "What happens if we don't have a solution in three weeks?" asked Quinn. "And please don't sugarcoat it. Tell me the truth." The three women all glanced at each other. "Honey, if we don't know anything in two-to-three weeks, then maybe nothing we can do," explained Annika. "The longer the spell is in place, the more difficult it is to change, especially a twisted spell. But let's wait until Olivia gets here; she has more experience in these sorts of things. Quinn stared back, absorbing what she was saying. "Thanks for being honest," replied Quinn. "While it won't be the end of the world, it will be a huge change. But you can do it," comforted Hanna. "You will have a family that loves you and will fully support you." "I know that, but I'm thinking of everything that is already different. I'm a kid again. I have to learn how to be a girl. But in my head, I'm still a guy. I have a girlfriend. I know how to drive, and I haven't lost my love of playing ice hockey," admitted Quinn. "You will grow older, and you will adapt to your new gender," explained Hanna. "We all know you will adjust." "And girls play ice hockey," added Avery. "They even have leagues, and you could play in those." "True...what about girls? I mean...I have... or I had a girlfriend," replied Quinn dejectedly. "I can't offer anything to make you feel better about Allison," comforted Hanna. "But who knows what your sexuality will be as you grow up." "You know that the family fully accepts me," interjected Ericka. "And I'm happily married too. No matter what happens, you need to be happy and be yourself." "Point taken," replied Quinn. "Um, do you think that I'm done changing? I mean, I know what I am physically, but mentally I'm still a guy...do you think that will change too?" No one spoke for a moment. "Quinn, it's safe to say that we're in uncharted waters right now, so that is possible. I think you should keep a list of questions for Olivia," suggested Annika. "I like that idea," replied Quinn. "Quinn, we were going to have a big dinner tonight, but I think we'll put it off until tomorrow as a way to welcome Olivia. I still need to go to the store. Why don't you call Dad?" recommended Hanna. "I know he wants to hear from you." "Yeah, I want to talk to him too," she replied. "Mom can I come with you?" asked Avery. "Sure, I can use the help," answered Hanna. "Can we come too?" asked Jill. "Okay, you can help as I have to pick up a lot of different things," replied Hanna. "Also, I several stops to make. I figure for tonight's dinner, we'll just cook some burgers on the grill." "We'll stay here with Quinn," added Annika. "Besides, I have some studying to do on what happened." "Same here," added Ericka. "Do you want us to wait until you're done with Dad?" asked Hanna. Quinn shook her head. "I'll be okay," she replied. Chapter 14 As the phone rang, Quinn fidgeted nervously. She was sitting on her Mom's office chair. It was weird how her legs now didn't touch the ground. She knew that her dad would accept her. But deep down in her thought, she felt she was letting him down and their family down as if she had done something wrong. As the sole son, it was his role to carry on the family name. When her Dad answered, Quinn immediately choked up. "Um...hi Dad," she greeted meekly. "Hello Quinn, so glad to hear from you," greeted Peter. "I've been so worried about you, and I wish I could be there to support you." He did his best to hide his shock hearing Quinn's new voice. He was used to strange things happening in his life, but this was new. He was deeply concerned for Quinn's well-being and couldn't imagine what Quinn must be going through. Quinn was hesitant before she called, but she immediately felt secure when she heard her dad's voice. "Dad...I'm so...I'm so sorry...I've let the family down," she stammered as she began to cry. "Quinn, you have nothing to apologize for. This wasn't your fault, and you're still my child, and always will be," he reassured. "If this cannot be reversed, then instead of my son, you will be my daughter, and I will love you just as much." "I know...I just feel I let you down," Quinn replied as she reached for some tissues. "Not in the least. From what I've heard, you're taking this very well. I'm very proud of you," he stated. "I don't know about that...I'm crying a lot," confessed Quinn as she wiped away tears from her eyes. "So would I if I were going through what you are. Don't forget your body chemistry is very different now, and you're also much younger," he replied. "Yeah, that's true. I'm also sorry that we're not going to be fishing...I have been looking forward to this trip for months," added Quinn. "We can go another time," replied Dad. Quinn paused. "You mean that? Even if I am still a girl?" The idea of going fishing, her dad immediately cheered up Quinn. "Absolutely. I tried to get your sister interested in fishing, but she's like your Mom and only likes cooking the results...which works out great as I prefer catching them. There's nothing wrong with a father-daughter fishing trip." "I'd love that...maybe if...if...I don't change back, we can go out later this summer," suggested Quinn hopefully. "That would be fun," he replied. "Um, Dad...did you see the photos that Mom took?" asked Quinn. "Yes, and you look lovely," he replied honestly. "Thanks," Quinn replied. She found that's he was pleased by her Dad's words. Quinn then updated him on what was happening. "If I can't be changed back, I want to remember who I was...and I would like you to remember too," said Quinn. "Of course," he replied. "I would do the same thing if I was in your shoes." "Thanks. Um, Dad...I wish you were here...I'm terrified...I don't think I can do this. I'm trying to be stoic...but every minute, I think of something new to be worried about. I mean, I everything was going my way ...and now I'm a little girl, and if things don't change, I'll be in 6th grade this fall...and then deal with puberty." "Quinn, I know saying don't worry may not mean much, but you will get through this. You're strong, and that hasn't changed. We'll take it one step at a time." "Thanks, Dad," Quinn replied. "I love you." "I love you too, Quinn. Let's talk every day, okay?" he said. "I'd love that, Dad," replied Quinn. Chapter 15 When Quinn finished talking to her Dad, she found her aunts sitting at the dining room table sharing a laptop. She suspected that they were working on figuring out what happened to her, so she didn't interrupt them. As she was about to head into the kitchen for a snack, she heard the doorbell ring. Without thinking, she walked over, opened the front door, and was shocked to Allison standing there. Quinn froze and wasn't sure what to say or do next. "Hello, I don't think I've met you; I'm Allison; is Quinn here?" Allison asked cheerfully. "Hi," greeted Quinn shyly, who was struggling to maintain control. Please don't lose it, don't lose it, Quinn kept telling herself. "Um, he's not here," Quinn replied softly. "Um...I'm also named Quinn; he's my cousin." Hearing the conversation, Annika rushed over to the door to rescue Quinn. "Allison, I'm Quinn's Aunt Annika; we've heard so much about you from Quinn," she greeted. "Please come in." Quinn knew it was the polite thing to do, but still, he wished that Annika has shooed Allison away. "I remember him saying that his cousins were visiting for the summer, but I thought they were all the same age as Avery," replied Allison as she sat down on the couch. When Quinn sat down next to her, Annika slipped her arm around Quinn's shoulders and pulled her close. Allison sat down across from them. "My sister-in-law asked me to bring Quinn along...there was a family emergency," replied Annika. "Well, I'm glad you did. I love meeting Quinn's family. I mean my Quinn. That's why I stopped by because I tried calling Quinn...my Quinn. But he hasn't answered. I left him a few texts too. I was hoping to see him before he headed up to go fishing," explained Allison. "I saw his truck in the driveway and thought he might still be here as he told me last night he was driving up to meet his dad." Crap, what are we going to do thought, Quinn? She hadn't looked at her phone since this happened. She also forgot about her truck. A sense of panic was running through her body. "Oh, I'm sorry, we meant to call you, but it's been hectic here. Quinn broke his phone this morning, and then Quinn's father came down here to surprise him, so he left his truck here. They left a couple of hours ago for their fishing trip," lied Annika with conviction. To her amazement, she saw Allison nodding as she listened to Aunt Annika's story. "I figured it was something like that. Quinn's been so excited about this trip. I guess guys can be airheads too. Well, no need to ask for his Dad's number. Quinn told me where they were going the cell reception was bad," replied Allison, who then turned at smiled at Quinn. "And you're named Quinn too? That's pretty cool. I think it's a great name for a pretty little girl like you. Strange Quinn...my Quinn never mentioned you." Quinn froze for a second before nodding. "My mom liked the name," replied Quinn. Technically it was the truth, she thought. Just then, Hanna and the others came with the groceries. "Hanna, Allison stopped by, and I told her she just missed Quinn," explained Annika immediately without skipping a beat. "I also mentioned Quinn breaking his phone this morning." "Good to see you again, Allison," said Hanna, who turned to the girls and asked them to bring in the rest of the groceries. Avery nodded and knew that she had to brief Meg and Jill on what was happening. "Did you have any luck at the phone shop with Quinn's broken phone?" asked Annika as she continued with the tale she had just created. "It'll be fixed before he gets back here with a cooler of fish...hopefully a cooler of cleaned fish...unlike last time," replied Hanna with a laugh. Quinn was amazed at how seamlessly her mom and aunt lied. It was a side of them that she had never seen, and she liked it. "Well, if he calls, let him know I stopped by," asked Allison. "Also, remind him I understand and look forward to eating some fresh walleye." Meg, Jill, and Avery came in with the groceries. "Hi, Allison," greeted Avery. Allison waved back. "I will," replied Hanna. "Oh, let me introduce you to Quinn's cousins Jill and Meg. I see you already met Quinn." Allison smiled back. "He mentioned Jill and Meg, but not Quinn. She's so pretty and has such beautiful hair. Will she be here all summer, too?" asked Allison. Hopefully not, thought Quinn. "That hasn't been decided yet," replied Annika. Ericka then came in and was introduced. Quinn was glad that everyone else was there as she couldn't imagine being alone with Allison. "Well, I better get going. It was great meeting all of you," Allison said as she got up to leave. "Nice meeting you too, Quinn." Quinn sat back on the couch after Allison left and let out a sizeable audible sigh. "You handled that great, Quinn," complemented Annika, who then told the others what happened. "You were pretty good yourself. I can't believe how you and Mom lied so easily," stated Quinn. "Having powers makes you stay on your toes as to explain strange things that happen around you," replied Hanna. "We also had a lot of practice with our parents when we got in late when we were in high school," answered Annika. "Good thing that, unlike our parents, Allison believed us. How are you doing, Quinn?" "Okay...just for the record, it's bizarre hearing your girlfriend complement your hair...and call you pretty," replied Quinn. Chapter 16 "Are they all asleep?" asked Annika. It was almost midnight, and a temporary calm had settled on the home after the end of a long and monumental day. "Yes. I'm so proud of Avery insisting that Quinn sleep in her room tonight. I know Quinn is trying to strong, but I can tell she's terrified inside. It's a good thing that she won't be alone tonight...especially in the room she transformed," replied Hanna as she took her seat next to her sister. "I also appreciate how your girls have been in this...mess. They've been wonderful with Quinn." Hanna took her seat between her sisters. It was a pleasant June evening as they sat out on the deck. "Mess is a good word, and terrified would describe how I would feel if this happened to me," added Ericka. "I can't imagine dealing with gender change and getting significantly younger at the same time." Hanna took a long drink of her wine. "It's going to be difficult for her," replied Hanna. "The silver lining about all this is the girls have seemed to finally realize the care that must be taken with their powers...even though I don't think this is their fault. Even combining all their powers, they couldn't create a new spell. I hope Olivia can figure this out." "I'm concerned that if Quinn cannot be changed back and decides to keep his memories, he'll have a tough time adjusting. He's an eighteen-year-old male in the body of a pre-pubescent girl. We'll need the girls to help her get used to her new life," explained Annika. "I agree...but I do find it a bit humorous to see a young girl with a swear vocabulary that Quinn has," added Ericka with a laugh. "I agree. We'll have to work with Quinn on that; otherwise, I will be having many meetings with Quinn's principal," joked Hanna. "But it was her first day, so I'll cut her some slack." Ericka got up and retrieved a new bottle of wine. "Do you want me to spell this bottle?" asked Ericka referring to a spell that changed the effect of alcohol. It didn't remove the alcoholic effects of the wine; instead, it made the body metabolize the alcohol faster so the drinker would not get drunk or suffer hangovers. The spell could also be modified to remove the alcohol from the wine used when giving wine to teens. "Sure, go ahead; the last thing we need right now is hangovers," replied Hanna. Ericka uttered an incantation in an ancient Norse dialect as she ran her hands over the bottle. "Um, I have an idea. If Quinn can't be changed back, she could come out and claim she's transgendered...if she still wants to be male," suggested Ericka as she opened the wine and began to refill their glasses. "I thought about that too, but it would put a huge spotlight on her, and that's the last thing she needs. She would be the first transgendered student at her school and only the second in the district," explained Hanna. "But it is an option we can discuss with her." "Really? What grade is the other one?" asked Annika. Hanna paused before answering. "She was in tenth grade. Avery was in a few of her classes and said she was a sweet shy girl. She's not in school here anymore. There was a lot of pushback started by some of the other parents, and it quickly got out of control...as things do...especially when it came to which bathroom she would use. Some students then harassed her... and many of the teaching staff was uncaring or scared to help." Hanna took a long drink of her wine. "She then began to get numerous death threats, and ... then she reached her breaking point and tried to take her life just before spring break by overdosing. Thankfully, her parents found her before she passed. Anyway, they moved out of state, and I can't blame them. They also filed a sizable lawsuit, and by all accounts, they will win," explained Hanna as she emptied her glass. She held it out, and Ericka refilled it. "Oh my god, that's horrible," exclaimed Ericka. "The district has started to make some immediate changes to prevent it from happening again...and not being sued again...but as we well know, you can never underestimate the collective damage a group of scared, uninformed people can do. However, if Quinn does want that option, I will support her decision...and protect her in any way I can. I almost pity anyone who hurts her. And you all know how fierce a mother can be when it comes to protecting their children," affirmed Hanna. "You can count us in to help," stated Annika. Ericka nodded in agreement. "Oh, I would love throwing some disorder into some transphobic people's lives," added Ericka with a sly smile on her face. "I can think of a few spells that would be quite fun to use." Ericka then pretended to cackle like a cartoon villainess as she rubbed her hands together. "Thanks. I do worry about you sometimes, little sister. But it's nice knowing I can count on both of you," replied Hanna as she held up her glass in a toast. The others did the same. There was a long silence before Hanna spoke. "Between us, I am preparing for the fact that whatever happened to Quinn cannot be reversed. Even if Olivia finds the cause, I would be very hesitant to use a spell to change Quinn back to a male as there are too many unknowns with a corrupted spell. I am preparing mentally that I will have another daughter to raise. I will need your help to get through this," explained Hanna, with her voice starting to crack from emotion. "I don't even want to think what we will do if the identity spell doesn't work. I hate seeing my child in pain." Without a word, her sisters got up and embraced her. Chapter 17 Early the next morning, Quinn woke up to see his sister getting dressed. Avery was wearing just running shorts and was putting on a sports bar. Avery smiled when she saw Quinn was awake. "How did you sleep, little sister?" she asked playfully. "Better than I thought I would," Quinn replied. "Um, do you want me to leave while you get dressed?" "Why you're my sister?" replied Avery, who then paused. "Wow, it's weird how I accept you as a girl now, and it's only been a day. I didn't give it any thought to change in front of you. I guess we better tell Mom and the others." Quinn nodded in agreement. "Um, does it seem odd that we're both accepting this so easily?" asked Quinn. Avery paused and then nodded. "You're right. We should tell Mom and the others," added Quinn. "Well, I am your wise older sister. On the other hand, it's good to hear you slept well. So would you like to go for a run with me and Aunt Ericka?" asked Avery. "I picked out some running stuff for you when we went shopping yesterday." "I'd like that...but I don't think I can keep up with you and Aunt Ericka now... not with these little legs. I could barely keep up with her when...when I was a guy, and now I'm a shrimp," lamented Quinn as she got out of bed. "I put your running clothes over there on the chair," replied Avery. "And Quinn, I'm not downplaying what happened to you, and I'd love to have you as my big brother again...but I can also see the fun of having a kid sister. Jill and Meg are great, but if you're stuck like this, I hope we can be close like Mom and her sisters are." Quinn looked back at her sister as her eyes began to tear up. "Please stop! I cried enough yesterday," replied Quinn as she wiped her eyes. "My emotions are a lot looser now." She got up and looked at the running shorts and top. She hesitated a moment before taking off her PJs and then got dressed. "Everything fits perfectly, thanks," said Quinn as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Okay, R?kor, you ready?" asked Avery. Cocking her head, Quinn looked at her sister with a confused look on her face. "What did you call me?" "R?kor, it's Swedish for shrimp," replied Avery with a wink. "You called yourself one after all." Quinn rolled her eyes. "First, please don't call me that in front of everyone else; it will stick, and you know it. Next, how do you know that?" asked Quinn as she followed Avery out of the room. "Many of the spells we learn were originally in Swedish, so I've been learning the language. I'm much better at reading than speaking it," explained Avery as she headed down the stairs. "So what spell do you use shrimp in?" asked Quinn with a laugh. "Not spells, recipes. I have our great-great grandmother's cookbook, but it's in Swedish. Cooking isn't that different from casting spells; you take a bunch of different ingredients and make something wonderful...and for many people, it's more difficult than casting spells," continued Avery. "I love cooking so much. I'm thinking of applying to culinary colleges. Mom and Dad don't know yet, but Mom said we should follow our passions. Oh, and R?kor... I'll keep this just between us." Quinn turned and smiled back at her. Ericka in the kitchen met them. "Well, I'm pleased to see both of you this morning," replied Ericka pleasantly. "I have the hardest time getting Meg out on the run. She prefers riding her bike, as does Jill." "They can use mine...it's too big for me now...no sense. It just sitting there unused," said Quinn. "That's very nice of you, Quinn," she replied. "Okay, girls, you know the neighborhood; pick a route." "Keep it easy for me...I'm not sure what my body is capable of right now," added Quinn. "I know just the way to go," stated Avery. Chapter 18 "That was a nice run," stated Aunt Ericka as they cooled off after the run in the backyard. "I'm impressed with both of you...especially you, Quinn; you have a nice running style." Quinn nodded. "I'm more impressed... I kept up with both of you...with these legs. If you... want to go on a more serious run... without me, I understand," replied Quinn as she caught her breath. The run they had done was a third of what Quinn usually ran, which had exhausted her. Another sign of how her life had changed. "Thanks," replied Ericka. "I think I might take you up on that tomorrow morning. Avery, are you up for a ten-mile run?" Avery shook her head. "Quinn's right; you're too good for us to hold you back. I'll stick to runs with my sister," she replied. "However, I will show you a great route." "Great, but maybe we can do a few together too," replied Ericka as she looked at her watch. "Well, I better go shower and change. I have to pick up Olivia in a couple of hours." "May I come along for the ride?" asked Quinn. Ericka smiled back at her. "I would love to have the company. Can you be ready to go leave at nine?" Quinn glanced over at Avery. "I can have you ready. I like braiding your hair," replied Avery as she began to undo Quinn's braided ponytail. Chapter 19 "You look nice, Quinn," complimented Ericka as they got into Ericka's Crosstrek. "Um...thanks...Avery and the other helped," replied Quinn. Quinn dressed in denim shorts and a University of Wisconsin t-shirt. "I like your hair," complemented Ericka. Quinn ran her hand down her braided ponytail. "Thanks. Avery did it," replied Quinn. "Whose idea was the lip-gloss?" asked Ericka referring to the light pink gloss on Quinn's lips. "Meg's. Is it that noticeable?" "No, it's subtle; it's very fitting for a girl your age. It will help you blend in better. The same goes for the light pink nail polish," explained Ericka as she typed in the address of the airport. "Sorry, we have to drive to Milwaukee, but it was hard for her to get a flight on short notice, and there were no connecting flights until later today. Dr. Nyberg wanted to get started as soon as possible." "I don't mind; it gives us time to talk, Aunt Ericka. Oh, the polish was Meg's idea, but Jill picked the color." Ericka pulled out of the driveway and then headed toward I-94. "Traffic shouldn't be too bad this morning," noted Ericka as she glanced at her navigation system. Quinn nodded as she looked around. "Everything looks so big now," she commented as she looked out the window. "I agree that must be strange, but you'll adjust. What about everything else?" asked Ericka. "I took my first bath in years this morning. Avery said it would be easier...and she was right...showers aren't made for...people my size," lamented Quinn. "It's also weird getting used to my new...scent. Avery shared her soap, shampoo, and body wash with me. They worked great, but I smell like a bouquet of wildflowers now." "It's not that bad...but you do smell nice," commented Ericka. "What else?" Quinn then told her about her interaction with Avery that morning. "Aunt Ericka, I should be freaking out...I'm now an eleven-year-old girl...yet I'm acting calm, like this sort of thing happens all the time. And you and everyone else is also acting like it's no big deal," explained Quinn. "I know. Your Mom, Aunt Annika, and I talked about it this morning. It looks like the spell is helping you and others around you adjust. We'll have to mention that to Olivia. Anything else?" asked Ericka. "It's weird going to the bathroom too...I never thought about wiping after peeing," admitted Quinn, who blushed. "I'm also dreading wearing more girly stuff like skirts and dresses. Avery says that if I'm staying this way, I will have to try it. She and the others offered to help me shop." "The bathroom stuff is something you'll get used to. As to wardrobe, no need to rush it. After all, it's summer, and I spend most of my free time dressed, not that different from you...although I'd never wear a shirt with a badger on it." Quinn smiled back at her as she looked down at her shirt, which had Bucky Badger, Wisconsin's mascot, printed on it. "A badger can kick a wildcat's butt," Quinn argued, referring to Northwestern's mascot. "And then the badger will then work for the wildcat when they graduate college.," stated Ericka with a laugh. "I'll get you a few Northwestern shirts, and you can decide for yourself. Besides, your mom and Aunt Annika are wildcats too." "True," replied Quinn with a smile. "I also like purple. I guess Dad will get stuff some Ohio State stuff on it. I like their colors too." "I begrudgingly approve of that," agreed Ericka. "Is it true that my parents met at an Ohio State football game?" asked Quinn. "Yes, and I was there too. Your mom and I had traveled to Columbus to meet some friends and watch Northwestern play Ohio State. Northwestern was not very good that year, and we knew we'd probably lose badly. We just went to have fun. Well, a drunken idiotic frat boy was sitting behind us was giving us grief. He kept harassing us, and his language was getting worse. Anyway, your father overheard it and stepped in ...and stopped it. There was no fight; your dad just stared the other guy down, almost daring him to try something. The guy slinked away, and we all cheered. We were grateful, and he invited us to join him for dinner. Your mom fell for him immediately, and he did the same. It was natural by the way...no spells involved," described Ericka; she winked at Quinn. "She didn't find out until much later that his family had powers too." "Would you have used a spell against the drunk guy if Dad hadn't shown up?" asked Quinn. "Maybe," replied Ericka with a wink. "I was thinking of using a spell that would have made him wet his pants. But then again, he was so drunk he would have probably done that himself." Quinn smiled back at her. After a few miles on the road, Ericka glanced over at Quinn. "While I love having you around, you must have a real reason for coming along with me and not to ask me to tell you a story you have heard many times," asked Ericka. "Okay, you got me. I'm very anxious about meeting Doctor Nyberg. I hope she can figure this all out. I also wanted to talk to her before the others," confessed Quinn. "That makes sense. Do you have specific questions to ask her?" asked Ericka. Quinn nodded and pulled a small notebook out of her backpack, which was pink with wildflowers embodied on it. "Avery gave me the bag; it was hers when she was in elementary school...it will do until I pick a new one out at the store," explained Quinn as she looked at the notepad. "Anyway, do you think what happened to me a couple of years ago has anything to do with this?" Ericka glanced over at Quinn and then back at the road. "Damn, I should have thought of that," replied Ericka. "It just might... considering everything that happened to you." "I wanted to bring it up with Doctor Nyberg without Avery, Meg, and Jill around. They feel bad enough about this with bringing up what happened in the past." "Well, if anyone can unravel what has happened, it's her. Anything else?" "Yeah, if I stay a girl, will I have powers like the rest of you?" asked Quinn. "To be honest, we have no idea. Annika, your mom, and I talked about this last night, and we don't know. We'll find out when you start puberty," replied Ericka. "I hope so. I mean, if I have to live out my life as a woman, I won't be different from the rest of the women in our family," she explained. "No matter what happens, you will have family that loves and supports you," stated Ericka. Chapter 20 "So what does she look like?" asked Quinn as they reached the passenger pick-up area. "I met her in person once at a conference. She short, maybe five- seven, thin, with short dark reddish-brown hair, emerald green eyes...she also wears steel-framed glasses. She's in her fifties but looks much younger. She should be just ahead," replied Ericka. "On the phone, she said she is wearing a blue dress." "Five-seven is tall to me now. Slow down... I think I see her up ahead," stated Quinn as she pointed to her right. "You have sharp eyes, my dear," replied Ericka as she pulled over and stopped next to the curb. Quinn hopped out of the SUV and walked over to the woman in the blue dress. "Excuse me, are you Doctor Nyberg?" asked Quinn politely. "Yes, I am, may I ask who you are?" she replied pleasantly in a slight Swedish accent. "I'm Quinn Lindburg, and we're here to pick you up. Aunt Ericka is in the Crosstrek," greeted Quinn as she pointed to the SUV. "Thank you for coming out here so quickly." She didn't see any reason to use her fake last name with someone who already knew the truth. Olivia smiled back and inspected the pretty young girl standing in front of her. She would never have guessed the girl had been an eighteen-year-old boy just two days ago. "So you're the one," she replied before hugging Quinn. Quinn immediately felt he could trust her. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Quinn," she greeted. Ericka joined them. "Doctor Nyberg, thank you for coming out so quickly. Let me help you with your bags," offered Ericka. Quinn picked one of the bags and struggled with it due to the weight. Still, she was able to get it over to the SUV. Ericka took it and placed it in the back. She felt a bit embarrassed that she was so weak now. A few days ago, she could have carried both bags easily. "Why don't you two sit in the back, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about, and it will be easier for both of you," offered Ericka. "That would be wonderful," replied Olivia as she got inside the SUV. "Ericka, thank you for the detailed report you sent me. I read and reread it on the flight." "Thanks. My sisters and I wrote it together," stated Ericka. Quinn and Ericka got inside, and they headed back to Madison. Olivia turned and ran her eyes up and down over Quinn. "Well, I must say that your transformation looks complete, Quinn. How do you feel physically? We'll get to the mental side in a bit," explained Olivia. "I'm adjusting, Dr. Nyberg. Everything seems to work okay...but I'm not used to who I am now," replied Quinn. "That's good to hear about the physical changes... and the confusing part is expected. Oh, please call me Olivia no need to be formal. I also hope we can become friends." "Okay, Dr. Nyberg, I'd like that," replied Quinn with a grin. "Um...I mean Olivia." Olivia smiled back. "Ericka said that you have some questions. I will gladly listen to them, but until I get a chance to examine you and the other evidence, I may not be able to answer your questions. The last thing I want to do is get your hopes up," explained Olivia. "I will also be frank with you, no matter what we find out." "Thank you. So what are the chances of changing me back?" asked Olivia. "Of course, the most obvious question. In general, the chances of reversing a corrupted spell are less than twenty-five percent. What we usually focus on is helping the person adjust. However, don't get down; I haven't looked at everything yet," replied Olivia. Quinn nodded as she listened. "And we've also noticed that I'm and the others are accepting me as I am and that I'm not freaking out because I'm eleven and a girl...is that all due to the spell?" asked Quinn. "It may be," replied Olivia. "Will I start to feel more like a girl?" asked Quinn. "That's also a strong possibility. In most transformation spells, the longer the person is in their new form, the more they accept it." "Yeah, I know," replied Quinn softly. Olivia looked slightly confused by Quinn's response. "There's something else that Quinn thought of that wasn't included in my report," interjected Ericka. "I'm sorry we didn't think of it ourselves. I guess we were too focused on Quinn's current situation." "What happened, Quinn?" asked Olivia. "A couple of summers ago, my sisters were working on a spell as part of their studies...just to see if they could make it... and well, they accidentally transformed me," admitted Quinn. "Ericka, Annika, and my Mom were able to change me back after a few days...they had to wait until they had the right ingredients. But afterward, they tested me, and there were no residual effects." "What was the spell?" asked Olivia. "It was a transformation spell. My sister and cousins....um...they accidentally turned me into a goat," admitted Quinn. Chapter 21 "How long were you a billy?" asked Olivia calmly as she typed into her laptop. "Um...that's the thing... I wasn't a billy...I was a nanny... for almost a week," admitted Quinn. Olivia looked over at her in surprise. "Ericka was gender change part of the spell?" asked Olivia. "No, but after some additional research on the spell, we discovered that a third of all changed also altered gender," interjected Ericka. "I have a file on my computer. We fully tested Quinn after she was restored. There were no noticeable side effects, and all medical tests cleared her. Annika took her up to Minnesota, and she ran her through a battery of tests." "Almost as bad as being a goat," quipped Quinn. "What memories do you have of your time... as a goat?" asked Olivia, who smiled back. Olivia was pleased with the positive attitude and sense of humor that Quinn had. Often in cases like this, the person transformed would become depressed and sometimes attempt to take their life. "Complete memories for the whole week. My parents had me moved to a friend's farm to avoid questions being asked on why they had a white nanny goat in the backyard," replied Quinn. "Needless to say...It was a strange week. I can still remember the different tastes that I experienced. Thankfully there have been no residual effects...I have no desire to graze or anything like that." "Did you interact with any other goats?" asked Olivia, who continued to take notes. "Not directly," replied Quinn softly. "Quinn, please tell me more," asked Olivia as she reached over and Quinn's hand into her own. "It's okay; you can trust me." Quinn smiled back. "Thanks. Anyway, the farmer had several other goats, including a large male. He put me in a fenced-in area to keep the male away," answered Quinn. "The other female goats would come up to the fence, and we hung out together. I can't say we talked to each other...but there was communication...which became clearer as the days passed. It's hard to describe as it's not like they have a language...but I understood them...all of them." Looking at Quinn, Olivia reached over and took her hands into her own. "Honey, did something happen that you're afraid to mention?" Quinn nodded nervously. "Please tell me," she asked. "The male was spending all his time next to the fence. He tried to find a way in and was communicating to me...he wanted to mate with me. I guess I was fertile...and he could sense it," replied Quinn. "What I haven't mentioned before was that after the first couple of days...if I could have gotten to him...I would have mated with him...the urge was... overpowering, and soon it was all I was thinking of." Quinn began to cry softly. "I wasn't able to fight it...I felt so weak," Quinn continued as she wiped away tears. "I didn't tell anyone because I was so embarrassed by what was happening. I also didn't want my sister and cousins to feel worse over what happened." Olivia reached into her purse and handed Quinn a packet of tissues. "Thank you," replied Quinn as she wiped her eyes. "Honey, you didn't do anything wrong, and you wouldn't have even if you had mated. Human to animal spells is very powerful. The physical transformation occurs rapidly, but over time the mind changes to match the body," she explained. "Also, animal mating urges are one of the strongest in the world. I am impressed you held off as long as you did." "Will that happen again to me now? I mean, will I start thinking I'm a girl over time?" asked Quinn. "That is what we will find out," comforted Olivia. "Thank you for sharing this information with me. You're very brave, Quinn." "Do you think the previous change contributed to what happened recently?" asked Ericka. "I don't know, but it's worth investigating," replied Olivia. "Tell me more about what happened?" Quinn rubbed her chin as she thought about that fateful afternoon several years earlier. Chapter 22 "I was going for a run and went to the backyard to stretch out. I then went thru the back door for the garage and bumped into the makeshift table the girls had set up to practice their spells," stated Quinn. "I wasn't expecting it." "I fully understand. What do you mean by the makeshift table?" asked Olivia. "They used two sawhorses and placed an old door on top of it," replied Quinn. "It is a good worktable; my Dad has used it many times." "So you still have the door?" asked Olivia. "I'm sure of it," replied Quinn. "Dad doesn't like to throw out anything that he can reuse." "Good, I will examine them too. Okay, Quinn, what happened next?" "There was a bowl...I mean a cauldron... on the table, and its contents spilled on me. I remember cursing myself and the girls, and I looked for something to wipe the stuff off me. It was like...like olive oil, and all I did was spread it around," explained Quinn. "Ericka, what type of spell was it?" asked Olivia. "According to the text, it was to be consumed with cooked food. It was a test to see if they could create that type of spell, and we had no intention of using it. We supervised them, and they did everything by the book. It also tested perfectly. Unfortunately, the girls didn't dispose of it when they were told to...they got distracted. But even with leaving it out, it shouldn't have worked with just contact to the skin. We were as shocked at anyone that it acted as it did. That's what we never figured out, and we did file a report and a sample. The spell was constructed correctly," explained Ericka. "I have a copy of our report and the findings of the local board if you want to see them." "I would love to," replied Oliva. "Have you contacted them regarding what happened to Quinn?" Ericka shook her head. "Quinn's mother felt they would be out of their league on this one...and Annika and I agreed," replied Ericka. Olivia nodded, and she typed into her laptop. "Good. So Quinn, when did you notice changes?" asked Oliva. "Almost immediately. I had an uncontrollable urge to strip off my clothes. As soon as I was naked, I saw white hair growing all over my body, and I cried out for help. Mom immediately arrived, but by then...my limbs had changed, and I was all fours. My hands were hooves, and my back legs had changed completely. My vision changed too. I could see with a greater range...and the colors were different. I tried to tell her what happened, but all I could do was bleat. I was completely changed within a minute or so after that. Thankfully, Mom was there to confirm that the white nanny goat in the garage was me." "And you never swallowed any of the spells?" asked Olivia. "Nope. I remember that the others thought I somehow tasted it. I couldn't tell them that I didn't, as all I could do was bleat by then," replied Quinn. "Hey, I have a question; why would anyone want to turn anyone into a goat in the first place?" "Sometimes it's done for revenge, but mainly it was done to disguise someone. During the witch-hunts that happened during the Great Noise, many innocents were changed into animals to hide them from the mobs. No one would suspect a goatherder's herd were fugitives from the witch-hunts. They were smuggled away and then changed back. Of course, their memories were changed so that they had no memories of what happened. They were just happy to be alive," replied Olivia. "That's pretty cool. Anyway, it was decided that I would be put on our friends' farm as there was no way I could be hidden for a week. They needed time to get all the ingredients. I didn't mind as it was a bit relaxing...until the urges to mate started," replied Quinn. "Two of the ingredients were wildflowers, and they were not in full bloom yet. Luckily we had them within the week," interjected Ericka. "That's a common problem with reversal spells. So, Quinn, you could still understand what was being said around you?" asked Olivia. "Yes, but it became more difficult as the days passed," admitted Quinn. "I had to concentrate...it also seemed less important." "Ericka were you all aware Quinn was female after the transformation?" asked Olivia. "Not at first. We all in a bit of shock. It was Quinn's father who first noticed it," replied Ericka. "The farmer confirmed it, and it was his idea to put Quinn in the fenced-in area." "What would have happened if I had mated?" asked Quinn. "If you had been impregnated, you would have stayed a goat until after you gave birth and weened your kids. No spell would have changed you back until that was over," replied Olivia. "You also may not have wanted to change back. Animal transformation spells are dangerous that way. The longer someone is an animal, the less they want to change back." "Yikes!" exclaimed Quinn. "Does that apply to gender change spells?" "Yes, that is true, although there aren't a lot of studies on it. Today most gender change spells are done for those who are transgendered," explained Olivia. "What's so puzzling about your case is that gender change spells are very complicated. Your case is the first one I've heard of a gender change from a corrupted spell." "Well, we're standing by to do whatever we can to change Quinn back," stated Ericka. "Good to hear. I can't wait to get to your house and start my investigation. Ericka, I will need you and your sisters to assist me," said Olivia. "Can I help?" asked Quinn. Olivia shook her head. "I will need you and the other girls to stay away. I'm sorry, but I need to do a detailed examination, and I only want trained people around me," she replied. "I promise to tell you everything I find, good or bad." "Thanks," replied Quinn, who was doing her best not to show her disappointment. "Ericka, what did the board say about what happened and how Quinn changed without ingesting the spell?" asked Olivia. "They concluded that an unknown contaminant got into the spell and closed their report," replied Ericka. "We questioned their conclusion, but they refused to listen." Olivia rolled her eyes. "These local boards can be irresponsible and quick to close a case. They also hate to ask for help... so arrogant. Well, I'm pleased you bypassed them and came right to me concerning this case," stated Olivia. "I promise that I will use all my resources to solve what happened. While I teach, my college position is a cover for my main job. I'm the chief investigator for the North American office of The World Sorcery Investigation Association... and yes, I admit the name is too long... and rather pretentious. I promise you, Quinn, that I put the full use of my office into this investigation." Chapter 23 While Olivia and the other investigated the garage, Avery took charge of the kitchen. "Okay, we're going to make dinner tonight, and I will need all your help," announced Avery to Quinn, Meg, and Jill. "Including me?" asked Quinn, who was stunned by this news. "Yes, little sister, I want and need you to help too," replied Avery. Quinn nodded and was glad Avery hadn't called her R?kor in front of their cousins as it would be her nickname forever. "Now, I know Jill likes to cook too so that you will be my main assistant. Meg and Quinn will assist on food prep," explained Avery. "Hey, I can cook," stated Quinn. "Microwaving leftover pizza isn't cooking, and neither is making a grilled cheese sandwich," countered Avery. "I have no idea how you and Dad planned on surviving for two weeks in that cabin...and I don't want to know." Quinn stuck her tongue out at Avery. "Oh, very mature," noted Avery. "I'm a kid now, so I don't have to be mature. Besides, I'm not allowed to curse anymore," countered Quinn. "True," replied Avery. "Okay, here's the plan." The dinner would be roasted chicken with the flavors of Aquavit, lingonberry sauce, roasted little new potatoes with dill, parsley, butter, steamed peas with butter, and a salad of baby lettuce quick- picked cucumbers. Dessert would Kladdkaka Swedish sticky chocolate cake with whipped cream. "Now, this may sound complicated, but it's actually pretty simple. Mom taught me this recipe a few years ago," explained Avery. Jill and I will do the chicken and dessert. Meg and Quinn, you get the potatoes, peas, and salad." "We can't screw those up...too much," joked Meg. "Especially a salad," added Quinn as they fist-bumped each other. "Actually, the salad is the most complicated part of what I've assigned you," retorted Avery as she handed Meg and Quinn printed out instructions for their part of the meal. "Wash and dry potatoes added to a shallow pan with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper, place pan in oven about 10 minutes before the chicken is ready to be removed. Add butter and freshly chopped parsley and dill before serving," read Meg. "Wait! You have to wash the potatoes?" Quinn and Meg began to laugh. "Very funny," replied Avery. Meg and Quinn looked over the instructions for the peas. "Cook, add salt, pepper, and butter. We got this one, too," commented Meg. Avery glanced at Jill, who was snickering. "I'll bet you that they screw up the peas," commented Jill. "I hope you're wrong, but I'll take the bet," replied Avery. "Don't listen to them Quinn, I'm a better cook than I let on," stated Meg with a wink. "Now, let's look at the salad." "I already got the lettuce and cucumbers from our garden, and they're in the fridge," noted Avery Quinn began to read the instructions. "Wash and peel cucumbers and place in a colander with a sprinkling of salt. Leave cucumbers to drain over a bowl for 30-60 minutes. Next, we have to mix water, vinegar, sugar together in a saucepan; bring to a boil and simmer until sugar dissolves. Add a bay leaf and a few peppercorns to the pickling mix and let cool. We then rinse the cucumbers and drain them well. Next, we add the cucumbers to the pickling mix and toss gently, and then refrigerate until ready to serve." "Cool, it's sort of like a spell," commented Meg. "This will be fun." "Are you sure? Look what happened to me the last time you made a spell," joked Quinn. Meg placed her index finger to her tongue and then made a slash with it. "One for you, Quinn," replied Meg as she laughed. "Okay, back to the instructions, wash and dry lettuce, place on plates, and sprinkle with salt and a drizzle of olive oil and then top with the pickled cucumbers," stated Quinn. "I had no idea so much work went into this salad, and I've always loved it." "If you have any questions, please ask," stated Avery. Jill began to read the recipes for the chicken and the cake. "This is sort of like a spell, too," commented Jill. Avery nodded. "I've got everything set up over here for the chicken. As soon as we're done, we can make the cake," replied Avery. Jill pointed to the recipe, and Avery nodded. "I always check to make sure I'm using the culinary mortar and pestle and not the set we use in preparing spells. Mom has them marked to prevent mistakes," stated Avery. Next, Avery took the seeds of coriander, cumin, dill, and fennel and lightly toasted them to bring out their flavors, which took a couple of minutes using a variation of the water heating spell. When finished, she used the mortar and pestle to crush the seeds, salt, and black pepper. While she did this, Jill rinsed and dried the chickens. Next, she sprinkled salt and pepper inside each chicken. The next step was to quarter a rib of celery, an apple, and an onion and then placed them equally inside each chicken. The next step was to brush the chickens with a bit of oil and then rubbed all over with the spice mix. "Now, all we have to do is roast them in the pan and bast occasionally until cooked," explained Avery. "Once cooked, we take them out 10-15 minutes before carving. We then add water or stock to the pan along with a splash of vinegar and heat on the stove to make a light sauce." "Thankfully, we already have lingonberry sauce ready to go," added Jill. "Yeah, it's pretty good too, but I still want to make my own someday," replied Avery. After checking in on Meg and Quinn, Avery and Jill turned their attention to dessert. Jill smiled as she re-read the recipe for the dessert. "Hey, I remember making this as a girl scout," she commented. "Me too, it tastes like a brownie, and it's easy to do...as long as you follow the directions," replied Avery as she winked at Meg, who stuck her tongue out in response. "I've made that cake many times," stated Meg. "Any time successfully?" asked Avery. "A few times," replied Meg with a grin. "Okay, Jill, let's go over this before starting. First, we preheat the oven and then prepare a springform pan by buttering very well and dusting with cocoa powder; line springform pan bottom with parchment paper," stated Avery. "I'll melt the butter in the saucepan. This step is so easy with the heating spell," noted Jill. "I know, I can't imagine cooking without the use of the spells," noted Avery. "Once the butter is melted, add the sugar and whisk to combine. Add two eggs, one at a time, and stir well after each addition. Then you add cocoa, flour, vanilla, and salt. Stir just until all dry ingredients are just incorporated - do not over mix," continued Avery. "Got it," replied Jill. "Then we bake for 20-22 minutes. We need to watch it so that we don't overbake it. The cake should be slightly firm on the top. We let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving with whipped cream. Pretty simple and very delicious," replied Avery. "Cooking isn't that hard, getting the timing down, so everything is ready at the same time...that's the real magic." Chapter 24 "Thank you, girls, for making such a lovely dinner," exclaimed Hanna as she looked at the meal laid out on the table on the deck. "It looks wonderful," stated Ericka. "I agree; this all looks delicious," added Olivia. "You girls should be very proud of yourselves. The chicken's aroma reminds me of a recipe my mother used to prepare. And I haven't had Kladdkaka in ages!" "Well, we saw how hard you all were working to figure out what happened to Quinn, and we decided to cook dinner," explained Avery. "Everyone helped, including Quinn." "She's modest, this was her idea, and we went along with it," added Quinn. "But I have to admit that I had fun." Avery smile at her younger sister. "This is just the start, Quinn. You'll be a good cook by the time I'm done with you." "We were all happy to help...even Meg," stated Jill. "I'll remember that when we get back home," replied Ericka as she wrapped her arm around her daughter. "Enough talk, dinner is ready, so everyone, please help yourself," announced Avery. Soon after everyone was served and had begun eating, Quinn asked if they had found anything. "I know that you don't have a way to change me back...yet. But he did you find anything helpful?" asked Quinn hopefully. "We confirmed that the spell the girls cast could not have transformed you. Quinn, I strongly suspect that the ingredients used were...contaminated...either accidentally or on purpose. I have taken samples, and I will ship them tomorrow to be tested," announced Olivia. "As for your earlier transformation...I don't have enough information. The spell was cast correctly, and there was no sign of contaminants. I promise you that we will do everything possible to figure it out, Quinn." "Why would the ingredients be tampered with?" asked Jill. "Maybe to discredit the supplier or expose us," answered Olivia. "Why would they do either of those?" questioned Meg. "For the first theory, the suppliers are competitive and industrial sabotage isn't uncommon in any business. GSS owns a huge amount of the business and has a well-earned reputation. The second one is more frightening. There are those in our community who want to come out of the shadows and let people know about us," explained Olivia. "I hope you're wrong about that. If the word got out about what happened to Quinn, it would only frighten people. Even today, people are still being accused of witchcraft and killed...imagine what would happen if they found out that there are real people with powers...it would be a nightmare," stated Hanna. "I agree, but it needs to be looked at. I'm leaning towards somewhere along the line, the supplier being sloppy and not following the rules. I'm also hoping this is the reason; it will be easier to correct. The good thing is that we know who you buy from. Now we don't have any samples from the first spell, but I was able to get samples in the wood from the door that was used as part of the table. The lab techs should be able to find out if my theory is right," explained Olivia. "In the meantime, I recommend you don't use any product that you didn't grow yourself." Hanna nodded. In addition to her vegetable garden, she had an extensive herb and flower garden where she could harvest most ingredients she needed. The main issue was when something needed wasn't in season or was a plant that she couldn't grow locally. "Where is the lab?" asked Meg. "It's also in Boston. Outwardly it looks just like another medical lab," replied Olivia. "It's also the headquarters for our investigators. I am usually the one who sends them out to study cases like this, but this one sounded so interesting that I took it myself." Quinn felt both honored and frightened upon hearing this. "What would I have to do to work there?" asked Meg seriously. Olivia smiled at her. "The first thing is to get a degree, preferably in the sciences, and of course master your powers," replied Olivia. "Does this interest you?" "Very much," replied Meg excitedly. "The only classes I find interesting in school are science." "That's good to hear. I'll be happy to talk more later, Meg," stated Olivia. "So what happens next?" implored Quinn. "If the labs determine there is a contamination in the products, we will have to analyze it and see how it works. I don't think that it's a coincidence that gender change was in both spells, but as a scientist, I want proof. The same goes for the spells, they were both supposed to be oral spells, yet one changed you by skin contact, the other by being breathed in," Olivia explained. "Doesn't sound too promising for turning me back," stated Quinn dejectedly. "Don't lose hope yet...I've cracked other cases worse than yours," replied Olivia with a wink. "But as you told me in the car, aren't we fighting the clock?" asked Quinn. "That is true. I want you and all of you to record any changes you see in Quinn. I promise we'll do everything we can to reverse the spell," replied Olivia. "Olivia, I have to go home in a week, but I will be available to use the medical facility as needed," added Annika. "I have a good relationship with the techs there, and the woman who works the night shift is like us. I suspect she will willingly assist." "Thank you, that will be very helpful," replied Olivia. "I can stay a while longer to help. I called Kari, and she fully understands, and she also sends her love to you, Quinn," said Ericka. "I appreciate hearing that, Aunt Erika," thanked Quinn. "And, of course, I am free until classes restart," added Hanna. "Annika, I reviewed your initial exam of Quinn; very detailed, I might add. Would you be willing to assist me tomorrow with another exam? I brought some crystals with me that might determine the contaminants," asked Olivia. "I'd love to," replied Annika. "Quinn, you'll find this very interesting." "What will you do?" asked Quinn cautiously. "I will test your body for any outside contaminant, magical or non- magical, that may have contributed to your transformation. I will be using crystals and other means to give you a complete exam. Don't worry, it will not hurt, but you may feel some tingling," explained Olivia, who then detailed the tests she would be conducting. "I didn't quite understand everything you have just said, but I appreciate you and...well everyone for treating me like an adult...and not a grade-schooler when you talk to me," replied Quinn. "You're welcome, Quinn," said Olivia. Avery stood up and motioned for the other girls to come with her. "We're going to bring out the dessert. I'll also bring out a carafe of coffee," announced Avery. "Jill and Meg, will you help me?" Chapter 25 After the dessert was served, Quinn filled a cup with coffee. She had started drinking it a year ago when she had been fishing with Dad, and like him, she drank it black. It took a few cups before she developed a taste for it, but now it was one of her favorite drinks. She filled up her cup, took a sip, and immediately spit it out. "Are you okay?" asked Hanna. "Does the coffee taste okay?" Quinn asked; she sniffed it. It smelled more robust than she had remembered. "Tastes fine to me," replied Ericka. All the others who were drinking coffee agreed that it tasted fine. Quinn took another sip and almost gagged. It tasted so bitter. She tried putting in sugar, and it eased the flavor a bit...but it still tasted horrible, and she immediately spat it out. "Okay, this is weird. I had coffee yesterday, and it tasted great," explained Quinn. Olivia had her describe what she was tasting. As she did, Hanna excused herself. "Judging by the look of your face, this is significant," noted Quinn warily. "It could be. As you know, our tastes change as we get older...yours may be regressing," explained Olivia. "I also noticed you had a large helping of whipped cream on your cake," added Avery. Quinn glanced at her dessert and nodded. It was twice as much as she usually would have used. Hanna came out and handed Quinn a mug of hot tea with cream and honey. She used her fluid heating spell to quickly bring the water to a boil. Quinn took it and sniffed it. "Mom, I haven't drunk hot tea since I was a ...little kid...the first time," she replied. "Honey, try it," replied Hanna. Quinn took a sip and smiled. "So you like it?" asked Hanna. Quinn nodded. "It isn't too sweet?" Quinn shook her head. "Tastes fine, not too sugary... it could use a bit more honey," replied Quinn. "I put two teaspoons of honey in it," said Hanna. "Your tastes are changing, Quinn." Quinn sighed and sat down. "I bet beer tastes awful now, too," she muttered. "And when have you had beer Quinn?" asked Ericka with a grin. "Dad lets me have some when we're fishing," confessed Quinn. "Mom, please don't be angry with him. He first started letting me have one when I was fourteen...well, maybe it was thirteen." Hanna laughed. "Don't worry about it, and no, we're not going to test to see if you can tolerate beer. If the neighbors saw it, they would freak out," replied Hanna as she pictured Quinn drinking a beer. "Besides, I had my first beer when I was sixteen." "I was fifteen," confessed Ericka. "I beat you all; I was fourteen," added Annika proudly. "I'm sixteen," said Meg hopefully. "Nice try, but nope...not tonight," replied Ericka with a wink. Quinn looked over at Olivia. "So these are the type of things you want me and everything else to be on the lookout for?" asked Quinn. "Yes, and not the changes may be quite subtle," replied Olivia. Quinn sipped her tea and thought she would have to be extra perceptive to note any changes. She began to wonder what other changes would happen and how they could alter her life. Chapter 26 "Honey, wake up," said Hanna softly. Quinn opened her eyes and saw Mom standing above her. She then realized she had fallen asleep while the others were talking. She sat up and saw the everything was cleaned up, and everyone was heading back into the house. "How long have I been asleep?" asked Quinn as she rubbed her eyes. "About an hour. Everyone felt it was best to let you sleep; it's been an eventful and busy day," comforted Mom. Quinn looked at her watch and saw that it was just after ten. "We're going to get an early start in the morning, so you can go right to bed if you like," suggested Hanna. "Thanks, Mom...I guess the new me isn't a night owl," replied Quinn as she yawned. A few minutes later, the only people still up were Hanna, Ericka, Annika, and Olivia. They sat at the kitchen table and shared a bottle of wine. "Hanna, I must say that Quinn is handling this better than I would have expected," noted Olivia. "She's quite brave and always has been so, but I'm concerned with how she'll take the additional changes. She's smaller and weaker. Ericka told me how she struggled with the suitcase. She drank coffee yesterday and today with her breakfast...she insisted, and I didn't see anything like the reaction this evening. I know it's a small thing...but the other changes will be more difficult to adjust to," explained Hanna. "She can't drive now and has lost a lot of her independence." "I've also noticed that we're all accepting of Quinn as a girl," added Annika. "You're right; I've noticed that too. Do you think her...and our acceptance is part of the spell?" asked Ericka. "Probably, but I'll know more tomorrow after the exam...I will also be able to estimate how soon she'll be experiencing the start of puberty," said Olivia as she took another sip of wine. "By the way, this is a delightful wine." "It is good, and believe it or not, and it's produced locally. So Olivia, does this mean that you don't think we can change her back?" asked Hanna. "There's still a chance...but I think you should focus on helping Quinn adjust. I love how the other girls have taken her under their wing," stated Olivia. "We're proud of them, too," replied Hanna. "What about the identity spell? Will that work if Quinn was changed due to a contaminated spell?" asked Ericka. "It should. From what I've seen in your garden Hanna, you have everything you need," replied Olivia. "I know you probably test what you grow, but I can test all the ingredients just to be safe. I will also give you all a strong spell to check ingredients in the future." "Thank you," replied Hanna. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" asked Ericka. "First thing, I need someone to take some samples to the airport. I've arranged for a jet to run my samples back to Boston," stated Olivia. "Just give me the info on when and where to meet them," replied Ericka. "Thank you. I will conduct the exam of Quinn with Annika's help. I want you and Hanna to run additional tests on the remaining ingredients ...as a check of the lab. I also want to run some more detailed lab tests on the residue that was in the cauldron. Annika and I will assist when we're done with the exam. How does that sound?" proposed Olivia. "Sounds good to me. And the girls?" questioned Annika. "They want to learn, and I think it would be good for them." "They can watch, but this is now an official investigation," replied Olivia. "I know they want to help, but their youth and skills are lacking for what we're doing; we're racing against the clock to find out what is happening. I have to fight my urges to start testing right now, but I know you need a clear head to avoid mistakes." "I'll try to explain to them in the morning," stated Hanna. "We will find plenty for them to do," replied Olivia. "Looking after Quinn has been an enormous help. Chapter 27 After breakfast, Quinn, Annika, and Olivia were in the bedroom above the garage. "So what do I have to do?" asked Quinn, who had changed and was just wearing a bathrobe. It was one of Avery's, so it was way too big. Quinn took a seat on the bed. "All you have to do initially is take off the robe and lie on your back on the bed. We will be using a variety of crystal lenses to examine you. The crystals can determine any contaminants that are still in your body," explained Olivia. "You will, of course, have to be naked." "I am under the robe," admitted Quinn. "Good. Now, Quinn, all spells leave some residue detectable by these crystals. It fades over time," added Annika. "It shouldn't hurt." "Okay, I remember this from after I was changed back," replied Quinn as she began to get undressed. "Please tell me if you find something." "We will, Quinn," stated Annika as she began to set the crystals on the nightstand. Quinn stared at the crystals and noted their different colors and size. "Why are some carved and others are natural shapes?" she asked. "Very observant. The carved ones are used to be more precise in locating problems," explained Olivia. "How can you tell when they determine you've discovered something...do they vibrate or light up...or both?" asked Quinn as she began to get undressed. "Another great question. They can do both depending on what they detected. Annika is closing the curtains and dimming the lights. We will also be wearing special glasses to see the light. It's very subtle when it is vibrating," described Olivia. "Because of this, we will need you to be quiet unless we ask you any questions." "What if I feel something?" asked Quinn. "Let us know immediately," interjected Annika. "Um, okay. So do you need me on my back or stomach?" asked Quinn. "Back, please," requested Olivia. Quinn removed her robe, laid on her back, and then looked up at Olivia and Annika. "One more thing, you will tell me everything you find...good, bad or nothing... afterward, right?" asked Quinn. "You have my word," replied Olivia. "Now, lay back down and try to relax." Quinn nodded and laid back down. "I will start at your head and then move down your body. I will then ask you to flip over. Any questions, Quinn?" asked Olivia. "Just find what happened to me," she replied. "We'll do our best," replied Annika. "Okay, Annika, please hand me the large pink crystal and then have the lavender one ready," ordered Olivia. The exam initially didn't detect anything, but as Olivia reached Quinn's chest, she cocked her head and had a quizzical look on her face. "Annika, please hand me the lavender one," she asked. As she ran it just over Quinn's chest, Quinn giggled. Olivia immediately pulled the crystal back. "Sorry, but that tickles," apologized Quinn. "Interesting," noted Olivia. "I'm going to do another test. Tell me if you feel anything." She ran it down to the pelvic area this time, staying three to four inches above Quinn's body. As she did, she could see Quinn flinching slightly. "Does that hurt?" asked Annika. "No, it just feels warm, not hot," replied Quinn. Olivia nodded. "Okay, I need you to please flip over," ordered Olivia. This time she ran a circular red crystal directly over Quinn's body, starting with her legs. Both women noticed the crystal's glow as it passed over Quinn's body. It began to glow brightly when it reached the small of Quinn's back. "Okay, Quinn, you can get dressed," said Olivia. "That didn't take long...which means either you found nothing... or you found something important," said Quinn as she began to get dressed. "We discovered two important things, Quinn. First, there is residual contamination from what twisted the spell," she replied. Quinn turned and looked at her. "What is it?" asked Quinn. "The crystals don't do that. I believe we'll find that in the tests your mother and Ericka are conducting," replied Olivia. "But this will help us narrow our search. We know that one or more of the ingredients were contaminated. This then caused the spell to be twisted." "Why weren't the girls affected by the spell?" asked Quinn. "I'm assuming it was because they have powers, and at the time you came in contact with it...you were male," she replied. "If you had been a woman without powers, it may have had caused permanent breast enlargement." "So the spell mutated and change Quinn female to meet its original purpose?" asked Annika. "Could it have been done on purpose?" "Maybe...we'll need more tests on the contaminant when we find it," she replied. "There's another thing I discovered." "What?" asked Quinn warily. Annika sat down next to Quinn and slipped her arm around her. "The first spell you were exposed to may have something to do with what happened to you," she replied. "Like what? I'm not going to change into a goat again, am I?" asked Quinn with terror in her eyes. "No, nothing like that. You are showing a strange reaction to one of the crystals. I will have to do some research on why when I get back to the lab," explained Olivia. "But it looks like you haven't finished changing." Quinn stared back and thought about what Olivia had just told her. "So it's not done changing me?" asked Quinn. Olivia shook her head. "No, it changed, so you're at the point where you begin to sexually mature. Physical changes are easy...the mental changes are slower," explained Olivia. "So, I'm changing mentally into a girl, too?" asked Quinn. "That's correct," replied Olivia. "But from what I've seen, you should keep your adult intellect. These changes are interesting as they seem to be both trying to ease you into your new body mentally while letting you keep your intellect." "Can it be reversed?" asked Quinn. "It depends on what was contaminated, Quinn," replied Olivia. "What does she mean by that?" asked Quinn as she looked up at Annika. "Reversal spells are complex enough when you know everything that went into the original spell. We're dealing with a contaminated spell that didn't act like it was supposed to. There are many unknowns to consider. And before you ask, yes, it could make things worse." "We're not giving up, Quinn. It just makes this a more difficult puzzle than before. But I don't like to lose, and I will do everything possible to help you," added Olivia. Quinn wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes. "I notice that you didn't say everything to change me back," stated Quinn. "I will do everything I can," reiterated Olivia. "Thanks for being honest...I appreciate that," replied Quinn. "I know you may not want to hear this, Quinn, but if you stay as you are, it's not the end of the world...just a new beginning," continued Olivia. "You're also very fortunate to have a very supportive family." "I know, but I still want to be who I was before this happened," replied Quinn. "Of course, Quinn. Now, I have one last test that I would like to conduct. Just hold this crystal with both hands," explained Olivia as she handed Quinn a clear white crystal. "What's it test?" asked Quinn as she examined it. "It will tell you when you are about to start puberty in the next lunar cycle...usually around thirty days," replied Olivia. "Oh! So how does it work?" asked Quinn. "Hold in both hands for thirty seconds. If it changes color, then you should start to see changes within the next thirty days," replied Olivia. "And besides the whole-body changing stuff...what does this mean about the spell?" asked Quinn as she held the crystal tightly in both hands. Olivia paused and looked at Annika, who was nodding. "I suspect that once you start to mature, our window to change you back to who you were before ends," replied Olivia. "You told me to be honest with you." Quinn smiled back. "Thanks," she replied. "Let me know when it's time." After the allotted time passed, Quinn opened her hands to see that the crystal had not changed. "I guess this is a good sign. When should I recheck it?" asked Quinn. "A week from today," replied Olivia. "But I suspect that you'll be checking it daily." Quinn smiled back. "Why is that?" asked Quinn. "Because it is what I would do if I were you," replied Olivia. Quinn smiled back. "Olivia, do you think we should also do a full medical exam? I know a doctor down in this area who is like us," asked Annika. "That would be prudent," replied Olivia. "I'll arrange it as soon as I can," stated Annika. Chapter 28 In the garage, Ericka and Hanna discovered two contaminated ingredients used in the spell. Both were powders made from dried wildflowers native to Sweden. The first was Harebell (Campanula Rotundifolia), a bellflower locally named Bl?klocka. The second was the Spring Pasqueflower, Arctic Violet (Pulsatilla Vernalis), known in Sweden as Mosippa. Both were used in various spells, and neither woman could ever remember any issues when using them. Hanna was relieved that nothing from her garden was contaminated. She prided herself on maintaining a clean garden and checking what she grew for purity. "Both of these came from the same order," said Hanna as she reviewed her order history on her laptop. "GSS just sent me an email telling me they were out of stock, and so they used a new subcontractor." Ericka looked at the order and shook her head. "I don't recognize the name of the company, do you?" asked Ericka. "Torsaker Supply...no...but something about the name sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it," answered Hanna as she rubbed her chin. "What did you say?" asked Olivia as she stepped into the garage with Annika. Hanna explained what they found and the contaminated items' company's name. A shocked look appeared on Olivia's face. "Did you say Torsaker?" she asked. Hanna nodded. "Is that significant?" asked Ericka. "Torsaker is the Swedish town where the largest witch trial took place in 1675. Seventy-one innocent people were beheaded there, mostly women... and then their bodies were burned. A dark day in Sweden's history," replied Olivia with sadness in her voice. "But I've never heard of a company of that name...especially for supplying our community. I'll contact my office and let them know. They should get the samples late tonight, and they should have results by tomorrow." "So we know that both items were contaminated, but we don't know what it was," said Annika. "What did you find out with Quinn?" asked Hanna. "Oh, and where is she?" "She's outback with the other girls," replied Annika. Ericka turned and looked at her sister. "Did you catch what you just said?" asked Ericka. Annika nodded. "Apparently, the changes haven't stopped, and they're affecting everyone around Quinn," noted Annika. "This case keeps getting more unusual," added Oliva, who then gave them an update from the examination. "I'll write up my report and then contact the office. They will run these results through the computer and crosscheck them against all known spells. We have an extensive database of spells and corrupted spells on our computers. If they can't find an exact match, they will get a list of similar spells. I am so happy we have this all computerized; it would be horrible to do this by searching through manuscripts and old spell books...of course, that will take time to do it right," explained Olivia. "So we have to wait," stated Hanna. "Exactly. I know you're worried, and I fully understand. Quinn's a very sweet child, very intelligent too," replied Olivia. "I promise I will do everything I can to help." "You're already done so much already, Olivia, thank you," said Hanna as she looked at her watch. "Well, I'm going to run to the store to get tonight's dinner. I'll see if Quinn wants to join me." Chapter 29 As Hanna and Quinn walked towards the car, they noticed a woman and little girl, about the same size as Quinn, walking up their driveway. It was their neighbors from across the street, the Schmidts. They were friendly people, but Quinn wasn't in the mood to socialize with nonfamily members right now. Hanna gave Quinn a quick look as to "play nice." "Hello Linda and you too, Kristen," greeted Hanna. "How's it going with all the family here, Hanna?" asked Linda with a smile. Linda was in her mid-forties and sold real estate. Her husband, Jack, was a manager for the city of Madison. They had been neighbors for as long as Quinn could remember. "Busy, we're just headed out to the store. Oh, this is my niece Quinn Swanson; she's visiting with the older girls," replied Hanna using Quinn's alias. "Quinn? Just like your son?" asked Linda. "Her mom loved the name," replied Hanna, which was the truth as she was the one who picked out Quinn's name. While the women talked, Kristen walked up to Quinn. "Hi Quinn, I'm Kristen," she greeted cheerfully. Kristen was the same height as Quinn. She had short auburn-colored curly hair like her mother, and she also had more than her share of freckles on her face. Like Quinn, she was dressed in shorts and a t- shirt. Quinn had never given Kristen much thought before all this. But he did remember that she was very athletic. "Where are you from, Quinn?" Kristen asked. "Minnesota, just outside of Minneapolis," replied Quinn as she remembered her new background. Thankfully, she had spent a few weeks up there the previous summer. Still, she didn't want to get into too much detail about her fake life. "I was there once...my grandparents live there. My Mom was born there," replied Kristen. "What grade are you in?" "Starting sixth grade at the end of summer," replied Quinn hoping that she would be back in high school instead. "Me too!" replied Kristen. "One more year, and we're out of elementary school!" "I know. I can't wait," stated Quinn with a smile. Despite herself, Quinn found herself liking Kristen as they talked. They seemed to have a lot in common. "How long you going to be here?" asked Kristen. "A few weeks...maybe longer," replied Quinn. "Cool. I hope we can play together," replied Kristen cheerfully. "Do you like sports?" "I love sports, and that would be fun," replied Quinn honestly. Quinn was also pleased that Kristen didn't mention dolls or anything like that. Also, the idea of just doing some mindless playing suddenly seemed very appealing to Quinn. "Hey, I have a great idea! Mom, can Quinn come with us when we're going to the Dells on Saturday? Please!" begged Kristen. "That's up to her, Aunt. She would be no bother at all, Hanna. It would give Kristen someone to play with at the waterpark. Her brothers usually can't wait to be away from her. They're twelve and fourteen, and they think they're too mature to hang out with their younger sister," explained Linda with an eye roll. "Maybe I'm too cool to hang out with them...they can be so dumb at times," stated Kristen with a big grin on her face. Quinn knew the boys and smiled to herself. They were both typical boys in their early teens who did the usual stupid guy stuff. "It will be so much fun with you, Quinn!" squealed Kristen. Quinn turned towards his Mom. "Umm...Aunt Hanna, can I go...please?" asked Quinn joyfully without thinking. Hanna hid her shock at Quinn asking to go. "Um, okay," replied Hanna. Kristen immediately hugged Quinn. "Thank you. I'll email you the details, Hanna," replied Janet. "Come on over sometime, and I'll show you around the neighborhood," said Kristen. "Okay, thanks," replied Quinn as she smiled back. Chapter 30 "I'm sorry, Mom, I don't know what overcame me," explained Quinn as she looked over at her mom. "I couldn't help it; I want to go." Hanna backed the SUV out of the driveway. "It's okay, Quinn. I was more than shocked myself. Do you want to go and hang out with Kristen?" asked Hanna. Quinn hesitated for a moment before answering. "Um, I do...it's weird, but I want to be her friend," replied Quinn. Quinn then let out a loud sigh. "It's the spell, isn't it? I guess I am changing," stated Quinn. "It appears so," replied Hanna. "But for the meantime, I think it's good for you to be friends with another girl your age. Think of it as taking a break from reality. You get to be a kid again...and if you can't be changed back...you'll have a good friend." Quinn nodded in agreement. Hanna glanced over at Quinn while they were at a stoplight. "Quinn, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I would like to know when you leave the house, where you're going and what time you will be back. I also want you to keep your phone with you. I know inside you are an eighteen-year-old hockey player...but you're currently in the body of a young girl... a beautiful, petite, and very young girl. Bad things happen, even in good neighborhoods like ours. You are vulnerable now, and you need to be aware of this fact. I hate to be so blunt, but I don't want to see something bad happen to you." Quinn absorbed her words. "I hadn't thought about that," Quinn replied as she slumped in her seat. She hadn't thought about her new identity, which made her at risk, and she let out another sigh. "The gifts keep coming with this thing," added Quinn dejectedly. "I just want you to be safe, my dear," added Hanna. "Thanks, Mom, I know that," replied Quinn. "I just never thought of how vulnerable I am now...it's a bit scary. It's also another thing I've lost." Her Mom was right, thought Quinn. She hadn't thought about being seen as prey by sexual predators. "Switching to a different topic. Since you're now going to a water park, you're also going to need a bathing suit," added Hanna. "I will leave that to your sister to help you." "She'll enjoy that," replied Quinn with a laugh as she began to text Avery. A few seconds later, a text came back from Avery stating that she would love to help, as would their cousins. Chapter 31 "I think it's great you're going to the Dells with Kristen. She's pretty cool. I babysat her a few times," explained Avery as she looked over at her sister. "I think you two will get along great." "How do you feel about this latest development?" asked Ericka as she entered the location of the mall into the navigation system. "It's weird, but I okay with it now. It feels natural, too...I suppose that's part of the spell," replied Quinn. "That makes sense...I can't see saying yes yesterday or going shopping today," noted Ericka. "Oh, Olivia said that if they can figure out a cure, it won't be for at least a week, so you might pick out a few more clothing items to get by." "My first shopping trip as a girl," Quinn commented with little emotion. "I mean, I should be out fishing with Dad right now." "Don't worry, Quinn; we're here to help you," encouraged Meg. "Well, I know where to start," interjected Avery excitedly. "First, we're getting you a bathing suit." "You're going to a water park, right?" asked Jill. Quinn nodded. "Then get a one-piece...trust me on this one," continued Jill. "I wore a bikini to one when I wasn't much older than you, and my top came off in one of the tubes. Thankfully, Dad was right behind me, and he grabbed it." "Thanks, although I don't have anything to expose yet," replied Quinn with a grin as she glanced down at her chest. "Okay...what else?" "Sunglasses and flip-flops," added Jill. "Do you have a beach bag to carry your stuff? Quinn shook her head. "Add that to the list," said Jill. "Okay, what else?" asked Quinn. "Do you a sweatshirt that fits you?" asked Meg. Quinn shook her head. "Add it to the list," said Jill with a smile. "Also a sun hat and sunscreen." "Forget the sunscreen; Mom has a great spell that is much better. Now we can take you through the clothes aisles, and if you see something you like, you can try it," suggested Avery. "Don't worry, Quinn, we won't force anything on you, and we will give you our opinions if something looks good or bad on you." "Thanks, Avery," replied Quinn nervously. "You okay?" asked Avery. "Nervous about all this...it's hitting me that this may be my life from now on," replied Quinn. "Well, if it is, then my sister is always going to look great," stated Avery with confidence. Chapter 32 Back at the house, Hanna, Annika, and Olivia sat on the deck discussing the latest with Quinn over a bottle of pinot grigio. "So do you think this was an accident or deliberate?" asked Hanna. "I was leaning towards accident... until I saw the name of the company that was the subcontractor. I have never heard of them before, and the name is...unusual for someone working in our community. My office is investigating it as we speak," replied Olivia, who took a sip of wine. "And if it was on purpose?" asked Hanna. "If it was on purpose, it was done to disrupt existing spells. For what reason, I'm not sure. As soon as they confirm the tests you conducted, we'll contact the main company and issue an immediate recall. We also need to know how long they have dealt with Torsaker and what products they have used. GSS said that Torsaker provided the certificates of purity for each product," replied Olivia. "Did GSS also test them?" asked Annika. "We'll find out," replied Olivia. "So again, we wait," stated Hanna as she refilled her glass. "Yes, but the good thing is that we should know today; I've authorized extra lab techs for this case. This needs to be solved immediately. I'm not downplaying what Quinn has gone through, but it's livable. Far worse side effects could have happened and may happen," answered Olivia. "Like what?" asked Hanna with a concerned look on her face. "Death," replied Olivia as she took a sip of her wine. Hanna shook her head at the thought of her child dying from a spell. "Others may be affected. We need to figure out how many others have used these contaminated products," continued Olivia. "What else?" asked Hanna. "I wanted to go over this with you before I tell Quinn. If we can develop a reversal spell, there are a lot of risks that go with it...things that may not be able to reverse," explained Olivia. "What do you mean?" asked Annika. "We won't know until after it is analyzed, but in the past, spells to reverse this sort of spell are less than a quarter is successful. Half do nothing...but it's the quarter that worries me. It usually results in an exaggerated effect on the person. With age-type spells like this one, it can result in massive jumps in the person's age. Quinn could become an infant or elderly. And that's what a spell that was just miscast. If this contamination was added on purpose, there might be hidden aspects that we're unaware of," explained Olivia. "But we're not that close to it yet, and we don't even know why Quinn changed." "If was done on purpose...whoever did this better hope the authorities catch them first. They hurt my child, and that is something I will not allow to go unpunished," vowed Hanna angrily. "Count me in," added Annika. "I know Ericka would help too; I doubt we could stop her. I would say our whole clan...old world and new...would willingly join together to dish out some punishment. And, of course, Ericka has always come up with creative punishment spells. She had a whole file of them." Hanna nodded. "I worry about her sometimes," quipped Hanna. "Me too," replied Annika with a wink. "Let's not jump into casting revenge spells quite yet. Give the authorities a chance first," insisted Olivia. Hanna nodded. "Fine, but if it proved this was done on purpose, and the authorities fail to take action...I will use my given clan rights to claim vengeance," stated Hanna determinedly. "And if it comes to that, you can count me in," added Olivia. "There is one thing I'm not worried about." "What's that?" asked Annika. "With involuntary transformation spells, the person changed often doesn't accept their new form, leading to problems ranging from substance abuse to suicide. However, Quinn is adapting to her new form. From what you have told me about Quinn...and my observations, she's a courageous and adaptable person. But it's also obvious that the spell is changing her and those around her...all in positive ways. This effect of the spell is very peculiar." "What do you mean?" asked Hanna as she set her glass down. "It's as if the spell is protecting Quinn and helping her overcome each new change," continued Olivia. "You don't usually see things this complex in a designed spell... let alone one that happened due to contaminated ingredients. It's very curious." "There's no way someone could have known how the products were going to be used. The two we identified are used in a multitude of spells. If this were meant to cause changes as we've seen in Quinn, then there would be many more cases," stated Hanna. Olivia nodded. "I agree. There's a missing piece to this puzzle, but what it is, I don't know...yet," grinned Olivia. Chapter 33 "Oh, it's perfect!" exclaimed Avery. "Forgive me, Quinn...but you really look cute in it!" Quinn looked at the others and could see they were nodding in agreement. She looked at her reflection and decided that they were right. The one-piece swimsuit she was wearing started deep blue and gradually changed to aqua blue at the top. In the design was a pattern that looked like fish scales. "We're rumored to have been some mermaids in our family, so it's perfect," added Ericka. Quinn smiled back at her. She had always thought the stories were just fairytales, but now she wasn't sure. "I have to admit that I like it too," agreed Quinn. "Great, go change, and we'll check some other things. I saw a few outfits that will look great on you," stated Avery, who was smiling. A few minutes later, they worked their way through the girls' clothing department. In addition to the swimsuit, they had picked out a pair of flip-flops, sandals, swim goggles, and a faded green-colored sweatshirt. Avery found an item and immediately waved Quinn and the others over. "Oh my god! This dress is made for you, Quinn," squealed Avery as she held out a light blue floral sundress. "The color is a perfect match for your eyes." To her surprise and that of the others, Quinn accepted the idea immediately. Avery held it in front of her. "It's perfect!" repeated Avery with glee. "You want to try it on? You don't have to if you don't want to." "Um, okay," replied Quinn, who took the dress and headed to the changing room. "Do you want help?" asked Avery. Quinn didn't turn around as she shook her head. Once inside the changing room, she undressed and carefully slipped on the dress. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and begrudgingly agreed with Avery. The dress looked great on her. Quinn paused for a moment as it hit her that she was not only wearing a dress, but she liked it. She twirled around as she glanced in the mirrors of the changing room. She came out a few minutes later, unsure what the others' reaction would be. What was strange to her was that wearing the dress now felt very natural. "Well?" she asked as she posed in front of the girls. "You look great!" complemented Avery. "I knew it was perfect for you!" "You really do," added Jill. "It brings out the blue in your eyes," noted Meg. Quinn looked at herself in the mirror and found herself turning around. "I can't believe I'm not only wearing a dress...but I like it... and I do look good in it," she commented out loud. They all realized what this meant, but no one wanted to speak. Quinn decided to break the silence. 'Well, if I'm going to be this way, at least I have you all to make sure I have good fashion sense," commented Quinn. Avery smiled and hugged her sister. Quinn picked out another dress and a few skirts, tops, sunhat, sunglasses, and a pair of dressier sandals before they left. "What do you think Mom will say when she sees me in a dress?" asked Quinn on the ride home. "Right now, she will say how pretty you look," replied Ericka. "Last week, she might have said something different...but she still would have loved you," joked Avery. Quinn gave her a dirty look and then laughed and joined the others. "Wow, that is the first time I've been able to joke about what has happened," she admitted. "It felt good. Do you think it's part of the spell?" "It's just you being you. However, I do think you're new fashion acceptance is due to the spell," Ericka explained. "The plus side it will make you blend in until we figure this out." "That makes sense...another change," replied Quinn. "Yeah, I also notice you haven't cursed in a while," added Avery. "I have expected you to flip me off for what I said a moment ago." "Yeah, I noticed that too. I guess it's a good thing as I'm sure Mom would love a call from Mrs. Schmidt if I said a bad word in front of Kristen," stated Quinn. Avery turned and looked at Quinn. "Um, Quinn...did you just say a 'bad word'?" asked Avery. Quinn cocked her head as she looked at her sister. "Yeah, that was odd," replied Quinn. "Just as a test, say a curse word," asked Avery. Quinn smiled back. "Really?" asked Quinn. "I've been trying not to." "Yeah, give me a good one," asked Avery. "Something nasty," added Meg with a grin. Quinn rubbed her chin as she thought of a good obscenity. "Poop!" Quinn replied and appeared surprised at what she had just said. "Poop? That's the best you can do. I'm serious. Quit joking around," insisted Avery. "I wasn't joking. Um, okay...how about...Hell," replied Quinn with a confused look on her face. "Quinn, you're not joking around or anything, are you?" asked Ericka. Quinn shook her head. "Those are the best I can think of...or can say... I still know worse stuff, but I can't bring myself to say them," she admitted. "Okay, this is weird." "I agree. It's fascinating," replied Ericka. "Well, it is one less thing to worry about far as you passing as a young girl, but it's another sign that you're changing. I'll let Olivia know when we get home." Quinn then told them what Mom had said about knowing her whereabouts. "Oh wow, I forgot about that. I'm sorry, Quinn. That must be a huge change for you," comforted Avery. "It is. Thanks," Quinn replied. "Mom is just looking out for you. She did the same for me... she still wants to know where I'm going," explained Avery. 'I know that...but it's just another big reminder of how much things have changed," sighed Quinn. "There are so many changes to deal with. I was just under a year away from being an adult...more or less. I haven't worried about protecting myself for a long time. I also know that people will treat me as they see me, a little girl. It's a lot to adjust to." "You're doing a great job at it," replied Avery. "I doubt if I'd be strong enough to do as well as you have if I suddenly woke up a little boy." "I hope you never find out," stated Quinn. A few minutes later, Avery looked over at her sister. "So, Quinn, I was wondering, since you're eleven...for the time being...and that means you can't drive..." "No, you can't drive my truck," interrupted Quinn with a grin. "Besides, you just got your license." "It was worth a shot," countered Avery. Chapter 34 Once back at the house, the girls went upstairs, and Ericka joined the other women in the kitchen preparing dinner. Ericka gave them an update on what had happened. "The changes are coming faster. I have to admit...begrudgingly...this is a fascinating spell. It seems to be ensuring that Quinn adjusts to her new life. It would leave her mentally a male if it were designed for punishment. Quinn seems to be changing in a very peaceful manner," explained Ericka. "I have never seen one quite like it." "We were having a similar discussion while you were out," replied Hanna. Jill and Meg rushed into the kitchen, smiles on their faces. "Quinn will be out here in a moment in the dress she got," explained Jill. "Avery is upstairs helping her get ready. She looks fantastic." "She does look great," agreed Meg. A few minutes later, Avery came into the room, followed by Quinn. Quinn was wearing the blue sundress and the white leather sandals. Additionally, Avery had restyled Quinn's hair, so it was out of the braid. A floral headband kept it in place. Around her neck was a silver chain with a charm in the form of a whale's tail. Hanna's hands popped up to her mouth. She couldn't believe how pretty Quinn looked. "Oh Quinn, you look lovely!" she exclaimed. She then rushed over and hugged her daughter. "I'm sorry, Dear, I couldn't help myself," apologized Hanna. "It's okay, Mom," replied Quinn with a smile. "I'm sort of glad you did." The other agree that Quinn looked great. "Any qualms about wearing a dress?" asked Annika. Quinn shook her head. "What's weird is that it doesn't feel weird. My main concern is that I don't want to get it dirty...otherwise, it feels normal," replied Quinn. "I also have to admit that I like the way I look in it." "Well, you can go up and change before dinner," said Hanna. "But first, I want to get a few photos if that's okay with you and Avery." "Will you send them to Dad?" asked Quinn. "If you like?" replied Hanna. "Please do," beamed Quinn as she was pleased that her Dad would see her as she dressed. Hanna reached down and examined the charm. "Avery, isn't this the charm that Granddad sent you a few years ago?" "I'm just loaning it to Quinn until she gets some of her own. I don't think he'll mind," replied Avery. "Besides, it looks good on her. You should see her in her swimsuit." "I can't wait," replied Hanna. Chapter 35 Hanna was surprised when she came downstairs early the following day to see Olivia was already up. She was camped out at the dining room table with her laptop and some books. She was on the phone and motioned that she would be done in a moment. Hanna nodded and went into the kitchen. She was pleased to see that the coffee pot was on. After filling her mug, she offered Olivia a refill. "Yes, please," Olivia replied, holding out her mug. "I have some big news." Hanna refilled Olivia's mug and then sat down. "The lab and GSS have confirmed that the two items from Torsaker were contaminated. They have found a half dozen contaminated items from them so far. There is a massive recall, and the authorities have raided the office and warehouse of Torsaker in Sweden. It's a small company run by a man named Fredik Persson, and he has owned it for less than a year. He also renamed it Torsaker a couple of months ago, which is strange as he has no connections to Torsaker." "Is he married? Maybe she's from there," asked Hanna. Oliva shook here her head. "His ex-wife is from a northern clan. They have him in custody and are questioning him. His ex-wife is also being questioned, but she is not being charged. They're also doing a complete inspection of his facilities," explained Olivia excitedly. "GSS is also offering its full cooperation and resources to finding a reversal spell for Quinn. I suspect their assistance is to lower the financial losses they're going to have when they payout for damages. They didn't test any products from the company. Now there have been other affected spells. The good news is that there are no other cases like Quinn's." Hanna listened and wondered what the average person would think if they found out an entire bureaucracy to monitor and police people with powers. "I'm expecting a call from an... Inspector Ella Dahlberg anytime now," continued Olivia as she looked at her notebook. "From what I have seen... she is the best, and she will find out what is going on. The nice thing about our type of investigations we can use spells to make the suspects tell the truth. I imagine some people would find this a violation of civil rights, but as you know, we cannot afford to allow people to abuse powers." "I suppose that means we're making progress. So what can we do next?" asked Hanna. "Wait," replied Olivia with a shrug of her shoulders. "Hanna, I don't like it either." Hanna sipped her coffee. "Then can I ask a favor? Would you sit down and teach the girls a lesson on determining when and how you can substitute an item in a spell? I figure they will listen to you with all your experience. I already cleared this idea with Annika and Ericka," explained Hanna. "I would love to. They're at a difficult age, and when you throw in having powers, it only makes it more difficult. All three have strong powers; you should be proud of them," replied Olivia. "Thanks, but I'm still a bit angry that they tried that breast enlargement spell in the first place," replied Hanna. "I have told them time and again, don't mess with body modification spells." "Didn't you try something like that when you were their age?" asked Olivia with a smile on her face. Hanna laughed. "You got me on that one. My sisters and I made our share of mistakes. I guess even you tried a spell or two that I shouldn't have," replied Hanna. Olivia nodded. "I imagine that Quinn will be more careful with spells if she can cast them," stated Olivia. "I certainly hope so," replied Hanna. "Do you think she'll develop powers if she stays female?" Olivia nodded. "And how are you doing with all this?" asked Olivia as she picked up her mug. "Peter and I have talked every night. We agree that we'll do what's best for Quinn," she explained. Hanna then looked away as if something else was bothering her. She caught herself and took a sip of her coffee. "What else? I see something else is bothering you," replied Olivia softly. Hanna nodded. "We've been talking about having another child before all this went down. I'm only thirty-nine and in excellent health. My doctor says that the risks are low. I also have research spells that will assist me. What I'm worried about is Quinn's reaction. Will she think that we're having another child, so we will have a son to make up for what happened to her," explained Hanna. "I think if you approach Quinn together and talk to her, I think she'll fully understand," stated Olivia. "Both of your children are very understanding." "Thanks," replied Hanna. "I'll wait until Peter is back, and we can talk to both Quinn and Avery at the same time." "There are two advantages Quinn will have if she stays a girl. First, she will have a loving and supportive family," noted Olivia as she sipped her coffee. "I'm so pleased that your whole family is supportive of her." "Thank you," replied Hanna. "What is the second?" "Changing genders from male to female obviously will be difficult, even with the way she's adjusting. She is fortunate to have plenty of strong female role models in her family. Whatever path she picks, she will have someone she can look up to. While things have changed, you are well aware of the difficulties women face in careers," explained Olivia. Hanna nodded. "I agree, but I also pity anyone who underestimates either of my daughters," replied Hanna. Suddenly Olivia's phone began to go off. Hanna smiled as he recognized it as one of the songs from the musical "Hamilton." "What can I say? I love the show, and I even saw it three times live," stated Oliva while she picked up her phone. "Inspector Dahlberg, I've been waiting for your call!" responded Olivia excitedly. Chapter 36 As soon as everyone was up, Hanna gathered them all in the living room. "Please sit down. Olivia has some important information for us," announced Hanna. Quinn sat down on the couch with Hanna on one side and Avery on the other. After they were all seated, Oliva began to tell them the information that she had talked about with Hanna that morning. "I also talked to the lead investigator of the case Ella Dahlberg, and they determined that the contaminated products were done on purpose, but the man who did it thought it would only cause spells to fail...he had no idea of the damage his action caused," she announced. "What does that mean?" asked a furious Quinn. "Am I just collateral damage?" "No, not at all. You are a victim of his stupidity," comforted Olivia. "Thanks...not that makes it any better," replied Quinn. "So what happened?" asked Hanna as she slipped her arm around Quinn. "He put out bad products on purpose... without any knowledge of the damage, he could cause. He confessed that he did it to get back at his ex-wife," replied Olivia. "You have got to be joking!" seethed Hanna. "Unfortunately, no. Inspector Dahlberg said that he secretly bought the supply company just before he and his wife divorced. He planned to use the knowledge of spells that he stole from his wife and sell ingredients to the larger companies. Now we know he can't cast spells, but he could use this stolen knowledge to get rich. His focus on rare and seasonal botanicals. Apparently, she was very sloppy about security with her spell library, and he learned what products were most rare and therefore most profitable," explained Olivia as she paused to drink some water. "Okay, but why did he contaminate his products?" asked Ericka. "That doesn't make any sense." "His wife's lawyer found out about the company, and the courts ordered him to give his ex-wife half ownership in their divorce settlement. According to the court records, he was outraged with the decision, so he decided to make the company go out of business despite his ex-wife and maybe make people blame her when spells failed. It's also why he renamed it Torsaker," continued Olivia as she adjusted her glasses. "We also know what was used to contaminate the products." "Seriously? Because he wants to get back at his "ex," he hurts strangers? What the hell is wrong with people!" raged Hanna. "And how was his ex-wife so clueless and irresponsible to let him into her spells? What clan does she come from?" Quinn could never remember seeing her mom so angry in her entire life. Olivia looked at her notes. "Jarfi, they're located up north on the border of Norway," replied Olivia. Many Scandinavian sorcery clans went by the Norse names of animals instead of last names. It is also built into a layer of secrecy. "Figures. Unlike their animal namesake, their clan has never been known for their skills or intelligence," noted Annika with disgust. "What is their animal?" asked Quinn. "Wolverine," replied Annika. Quinn nodded. With her father being a Buckeye, usually, she would have found Aunt Annika's comment humorous. But instead, she was disgusted by the fact that her life had been turned upside down just because a man just wanted to embarrass his ex-wife. "What's your animal Olivia?" asked Quinn. "It's Alg, which is means moose," replied Olivia. "And since your clan is Refr, your animal would be the fox, a very clever animal." Quinn nodded. "He better hope they lock him for a long time," fumed Hanna. "They will, Hanna," explained Olivia. "The good thing about our legal system is that it moves quickly. He's in custody and is facing a variety of charges." "How much time is he looking at?" asked Ericka. "A minimum of twenty years, but that could go up if they discover any others changed like Quinn," replied Olivia. "Please make it clear to that I want to...no I demand... be kept informed of the case. Oh, and tell the prosecutor no deals without my permission...if they fail to throw the book at him, I will... he hurt my child, and it is my right... and I will invoke my rights to claim revenge," threatened Hanna. There was an entire court system that dealt with sorcery. In many ways, it mirrored the legal system in modern cultures. There were some significant differences, and one was that the judicial system allowed for clans' revenge when it came to family members' injury. These were ancient rights, and the many clans insisted that they be allowed. "I will, Hanna. In all cases like this, they are required to discuss sentencing with the family of anyone affected," replied Olivia. "What does that mean?" asked Quinn. "The defendant will be told that a clan has claimed the right of revenge. It does make court cases faster and lowers the number of judicial hijinks," replied Olivia. "So he will know that while a legal loophole may reduce his sentence, he would expect a spell to be coming his way. Most prefer the jail time." "I had no idea," replied Quinn. "I will teach you more about it later," interjected Hanna. "Olivia, the obvious question is, can this spell be reversed?" asked Quinn hopefully. "We're not sure yet, but it does give us more knowledge. GSS and my lab are working together and running tests as we speak. He used dried fly agaric mushrooms, which are well known for damaging spells. It is a banned product for use in spells...too unstable... causes strange reactions that can be difficult to reproduce. He knew this, but he had no idea of what sorts of problems it would cause and didn't seem to care," explained Olivia. "I will be upfront with you, Quinn; this means that it will be difficult to reverse...difficult but not impossible. I will be flying back to Boston, as soon as I can get a flight, to direct the search for a reversal spell." "Thank you," replied Quinn. "Anything else...maybe some good news?" "Not that money will make things better, but GSS will be making a sizable monetary compensation to you. It will be set up to look legitimate in the non-magical world," she added. "Whoopie," replied Quinn without emotion. "Don't be so quick to dismiss this. The compensation is based on your age and what was done to you and the effects on your life," explained Olivia. "It will ensure that you will get your education and then some. It won't fix what happened to you, but it will help you with your new life." "Okay, I can accept that. So how much money are we talking about?" asked Quinn. Olivia told her. Quinn's eyes opened up wide. The amount was five million dollars. "That's...wow...that's amazing! There's enough for me to attend college for the rest of my life...and then some," replied Quinn as she looked at the others. "I'm impressed. GSS obviously knows how bad they have screwed up; they usually don't like to pay up," stated Annika. "Does this mean they think that I can't be changed back?" asked Quinn. "My office insisted that you get to keep the money whether we change you back or not. GSS immediately agreed. This decision was made at the highest level of their company to protect their reputation," replied Olivia. "I do want you to know that their lab is almost as good as mine, and neither of us has given up." "Thanks," replied Quinn, who then looked at her sister and cousins. "Um, since you have helped me so much with my situation...I want to use it for your educations, too...all expenses...no arguments, please," declared Quinn. "That's sweet of you, but you don't have to do that," replied Avery. "I know I don't; I'm doing it. I'm serious; I want to share this and pay for your college," stated Quinn firmly. The three girls' gang hugged Quinn. "That is very generous of you, Quinn," noted Olivia. "Might as well spread the wealth around and use it for good," Quinn explained. "Oh, Aunt Annika, the offer applies to Jeff and David too." "That's very thoughtful of you, Quinn. Thank you," stated Annika. Hanna was beaming. "I'm so proud of you, Quinn," declared Hanna as she pulled her daughter close. "So what do we do next?" asked Quinn. Olivia was about to answer. Instead, she stared at Quinn intently. "What did I?" asked Quinn. "Your eyes...they have just changed color...they're now much bluer...very striking," noticed Olivia. Suddenly, everyone looked at Quinn and nodded in agreement; Quinn's eye color became a brighter blue shade. "Wow, they are different. I love it, but what does this mean?" asked Quinn as she looked at the reflection in the hallway mirror. Olivia shrugged her shoulders as she entered some notes into her tablet. "I have no idea, but we all witnessed it. I will have to do some research on it," Olivia replied. "I know what it means...it means my little sister is even more beautiful than yesterday," stated Avery proudly. Chapter 37 After breakfast, Olivia met with Avery, Meg, and Jill to provide the requested training. She took them outside and had them sit down in a circle on the grass under one of the giant oaks. While this was going on, Ericka took Quinn for a walk at a local park. It was a pleasant sunny day, and Quinn was dressed in a blue t-shirt with a kitten on it and a pair of white shorts. Her hair was held back with another headband that Avery gave her. "So what did Mom and Aunt Annika want to talk about?" asked Quinn as they walked along the trail. Ericka looked over at Quinn and laughed. "You're still sharp. They just thought you could use some time out of the house.. and be free to ask or talk about anything on your mind with your favorite aunt," replied Ericka as she playfully nudged Quinn. "Okay," replied Quinn with a smile. "It is weird all the little changes that are happening to me. And stranger that they don't freak me out as they should. And while I'm angry at the guy who did this to me...I'm not angry about being a girl that much anymore." "I fully agree. We're all accepting this so calmly. I suppose it's part of the spell. Be thankful it's this way as it's less stressful for you," stated Ericka. "That makes sense," replied Quinn. "I remember the first few hours after I changed...it was horrible. The changes that are happening now are sort of comforting." They walked further down the path. "What else has happened recently?" asked Ericka. "Last night, I sat up with the girls for a while. I felt...grown- up...that they let me in on their conversations," admitted Quinn. "On the other hand, Avery gave me a stuffed animal, and I slept with it last night...and it felt nice..very reassuring." "What's the animal?" asked Ericka. "He's a stuffed raccoon," replied Quinn. "What's his name?" asked Ericka. "And it's okay to name them...I named mine when I was a kid." Quinn laughed. "He's called Rocket...not very creative, but I like it," she admitted as she blushed. "I love it!" replied Ericka. "I'm a big fan of the movies too. It's also okay to talk to them...just let us know if he talks back." "In this family, that could happen!" laughed Quinn. Ericka began to laugh too, and they were soon crying from joy. After they regained their composure, they walked for a while in silence. "Anything else?" asked Ericka. "My taste in music changed. I listened to some of my recorded music, and I couldn't stand any of it. Avery gave me some of hers's, and I actually liked it...even though I couldn't tolerate it before. I still like sports, so I still have that. I keep updating my notebook with the changes." "I suppose there will other changes like those. Have you noticed any others?" asked Ericka? "Well, I've noticed something that hasn't changed... my intelligence. I've been reading science, math books, literature, and other textbooks to see if I can still understand them...which I can so far. I don't want to have to relearn all that stuff again. If I stay a girl, just learning how to blend in will be hard enough. If I can breeze through school, I can focus on my education of being a girl," explained Quinn. Ericka nodded. "I was...or I still am a good student. I've made honor roll year since I started middle school. I have a question, should I hold back on my grades if ...I start sixth grade this year, so I don't draw attention to myself?" continued Quinn. Ericka stopped and shook her head. "No way! Always do your best and strive to get the best grades you can. Don't hold back even an inch!" stated Ericka firmly. "The same goes for everything in your life. Always be the best you...you can." Quinn wrapped her arms around her aunt and hugged her tightly. "Honey, things have changed, but you're going to deal with obstacles in your life just because you are now female. All of us have had to deal with it, and it is not pleasant. There will be times you will feel frustrated because you're not getting the respect you desire just because of your gender. But you will feel worse if you back down," explained Ericka as she held Quinn in her arms. "I had had to be better than the men I initially worked with...just to prove I'm equal to them." "Thanks...I appreciate hearing that from you," replied Quinn as she looked up at her aunt. "Anything else on your mind?" asked Ericka as they continued their walk. "Um, yeah...but it's rather personal," said Quinn as she glanced around to see if anyone else was close enough to overhear them. "Shoot," replied Ericka. "I was initially upset about the change and what it meant with Allison. But now, it doesn't bother me as much. In fact...I don't feel anything for her in terms of love...I'm just missing her as a friend now," explained Quinn. "I feel awful about it as I liked her." "Do you feel anything sexual anymore?" asked Ericka. "No...not towards girls... or boys. I know that I haven't gone through puberty yet...but I had a feeling for Allison right after I changed," Quinn admitted. "Now, there's nothing. I've also seen Avery naked and the others partly dressed, and I know that I'm related to them... but the only thing I feel is curiosity and will my body look like theirs. It's obvious that it's the spell...but it's strange not having...sexual feelings." "If you don't mind me asking, how far have you gone...when you were a guy?" asked Ericka. "With Allison, just a lot of kissing and touching...nothing more. However, I did date a girl last year, and we went further. Um, she gave me oral," admitted Quinn as she blushed. Ericka nodded. "And as a guy...you only liked girls?" "Yep. I wasn't even curious about boys. I'm wasn't homophobic or anything like that. One of my friends on the team is out as gay. It just isn't my thing...or wasn't my thing...but what my thing will be now...I have no idea...if any of that makes sense!" replied Quinn as she threw her hands up in the air. "It does, Quinn... considering your current situation," replied Ericka as she smiled back at Quinn. They walked a bit further when Quinn turned to her Aunt. "If you don't mind, when did you know you like girls?" "It's okay. I was in middle school and realized I had a crush on my best friend...I never told her," replied Ericka. "It was very confusing." "And what about boys?" asked Quinn. "I felt nothing. Oh, I went on a few dates...as I thought it was expected... and I quickly realized that it wasn't for me. I came out to my family when I was sixteen, and they were all fully supportive. I was sort of was out at school, and the last couple of years of high school were horrible. I didn't date anyone and was a bit of an outcast. I knew there were other lesbians, but they were afraid to come out after seeing how I was treated. I few very isolated, but it didn't change who I was inside. But, once I was at Northwestern, I was fully out and was dating other women, and it felt wonderful," she explained. "Quinn, when you mature sexually, don't fight your feelings as to who you're attracted to. Life is too short to be unhappy." "Thanks," replied Quinn. "I'm curious what it will feel like...I mean sex as a girl." "Well, I don't have any comparison, but I have always enjoyed sex...and when you are older...so should you with whatever gender you're attached to." They walked a bit longer before turning around to head back. "If the spell cannot be reversed, how do you feel about being female?" asked Ericka. Quinn shrugged her shoulders. "I'm okay with it, I guess...I mean, every day it feels less and less weird," she replied. "So do you see yourself as a girl or a boy?" asked Ericka. "More girl than boy now, most of the time anyway. There are times I feel female and times I want to be a guy again...it depends on what is going on around me," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Who knows what I'll feel tomorrow." "So if you stay physically a girl and mentally male...there are options," noted Ericka. "I also think I know what you're thinking... and no, I don't see myself as transgendered...a few days ago, I would have answered differently. Besides, I will be dealing with enough stuff if I stay this way. I don't want to be deal with the stuff that went down at school last year. It was pretty ugly." Ericka slipped her arm around Quinn's shoulders. "Just checking," replied Ericka with a smile. "Thank you for asking. I suppose this has come up with Mom and Aunt Annika," said Quinn. "We just want you to be happy," replied Ericka. "And if you did see yourself as transgendered, we would protect you...by all means we have." Quinn smiled back at her. "I appreciate knowing that," replied Quinn. "That same applies if you do like girls. I used a few spells on some of the worst harassers. Nothing too harmful...more embarrassing or annoying," explained Ericka with a sly smile on her face. Quinn smiled back at her. "Like what?" asked Quinn. "Okay, but don't tell your mom. There was a girl on the track team with me, and before I came out, she was a friend, but she quickly became a real pain after I was out. She spoke out against me, harassed me, and sabotaged my running gear. She then ruined my favorite shoes by filling them with manure...which was the last straw. So, I cast a tiny little revenge spell against her. Nothing permanent, just something that took her down a notch," explained Ericka. "And?" asked Quinn. "Don't leave me hanging; what did you do?" "The spell gave her a bad case of gas, but not all the time. She was soon farting quite loudly whenever she said or did anything that was anti-LGBTQ," replied Ericka with a big smile on her face. Quinn began to laugh loudly. "I'm quite proud of that spell," admitted Ericka. "There was no lasting damage...other than to her pride, and when she changed her attitude, the problem went away." They both stopped and began to laugh. After walking a bit further, and Quinn looked up at Ericka. "I know this messed up the summer for everyone," replied Quinn. "No, Quinn, that's not true. It has made it more interesting. Part of the reason we get the girls together each summer to teach them how to develop their powers and the responsibilities that go with these gifts. I doubt that they could have got a better lesson than what happened to you. It wasn't their fault, but they now know that what can happen when things go bad. We're all sorry what happened to you, Quinn, but some good can come out of this, and the impact will be far- reaching for the girls and for you too." "So when life gives you lemons...wear a dress?" asked Quinn with a smile on her face. "Better than grazing!" joked Ericka. Quinn began to laugh loudly and was joined by Ericka. "It took me a long time to laugh about that," admitted Quinn. "As you know, it messed with my head for a while. I also knew it was an accident...and I couldn't blame the girls. Besides, grazing wasn't the worse part of that change." "Human to animal transformations aren't something you forget," replied Ericka with a wink. "Does that mean you have done it?" asked Quinn. "You promise not to tell Meg...or the other girls?" asked Ericka. "I swear!" promised Quinn with a smile on her face. "When I was seventeen, I once cast a spell on myself to transform into a dog...a German shepherd to be exact...and I stayed female," admitted Ericka. "I did a great job with the spell if I do say so myself. I was in the form for 24 hours, and it was enough." "Why did you do it?" asked Quinn. "I just wanted to see if I could do it, as it's a complicated spell. I found the spell in an old text. A woman created it to escape the witch hunters," confessed Ericka with a grin. "Mom was so pissed at me for that one. She grounded me for a week. But deep down, I think she was proud I could pull off a difficult spell like that." "When I'm older, I want to get a small goat tattooed somewhere on my body," stated Quinn. "I was going to do it next summer." "Oh, your mom will love that!" laughed Ericka. "Please don't tell her!" begged Quinn. "Don't worry about that, Quinn," replied Ericka. They walked a bit further, and Quinn stopped and looked around. "One more question...do you think I'll be like you and the others and get powers?" asked Quinn. "I have no idea, but you are of the blood, so it would make sense that you would," replied Ericka. "I have a question for you. If you knew that if you stayed a girl and would develop powers would you reject the reversal spell?" Quinn smiled back at her. "As tempting as it would be...I would want to be the original Quinn," she replied. "I am... or was so ready to see the world." She then told Ericka about her plans to apply for an NROTC scholarship and how she wanted to be a ship like her father. "I haven't told anyone of this...you're the first...I've always been able to speak freely with you, Aunt Ericka. I was going to talk to Dad about it on the fishing trip...not ask his permission, but let him know before I told Mom," confessed Quinn. "Oh, Quinn, thank you for trusting me. I suspected you were holding something back," replied Ericka. "It...it was just another thing I lost," admitted Quinn as tears rolled down her cheeks. Ericka wrapped her arms around Quinn and held her tight. Quinn wiped away tears from her eyes. "Well, I think this calls for something that has always helped me after laying out my soul," stated Ericka as she released Quinn. "What is it, a spell?" asked Quinn as she took out a tissue. "No silly...ice cream!" Chapter 38 Later in the day, Quin and Avery were up in their bedroom. "Did you have a good time with Aunt Ericka this morning?" asked Avery as she changed for going out to eat. They were going to dinner at a favorite restaurant to thank Olivia, who was leaving for Boston the following morning. "I did... I got to get a lot of things out that I've been holding in. It's not like I didn't trust you...it's...well, I've always been able to talk to Aunt Ericka...even when I was a guy," admitted Quinn as she sat on the bed. "No offense taken. But, I have the feeling that we're going to closer...no matter what happens," replied Avery. "Oh, you have to wear that blue dress tonight. I'll braid your hair too." Quinn nodded and began to change. "No argument?" asked Avery as she slipped on a top to go with the floral skirt she was wearing. "Nope, you're right. I can't be the only one in shorts and a t-shirt," replied Quinn. "Oh...and I hope you're right about us." "I know it will be true," replied Avery. "Good, because I will need your help if I'm going to be a girl," said Quinn as she got up to change. Once Quinn dressed, Avery gave her a full inspection. "You are so pretty, Quinn," she gushed. Quinn blushed, hearing her sister's words. Avery noticed and smiled back. "It's okay; girls are allowed to do that," Avery pointed out. "I hope they come up with a reversal spell soon...if I keep changing, I won't want to become a guy again," said Quinn as she sat down on the bed. Avery sat down next to her. "Don't take the wrong way...but would that be the end of the world?" asked Avery as she slipped her arm around Quinn's shoulders. Quinn looked up at her and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know anymore. However, I want the chance to make a choice. If they can create a reversal spell, I decide who I want to be. The worse thing about this change is that I had no say in it. I don't see being a girl as something bad. The same applies to be a kid again suddenly," replied Quinn. "When you're growing up, you get more freedom to make decisions. I suddenly lost that. I lost a girlfriend, and I had a driver's license and a truck. I was about to register to vote. I was a year away from going to college...now I have to let Mom know when I leave the house and where I'm going." "I'm so sorry for what we did," replied Avery. "Avery, I don't blame you or the others. You didn't do this to me. Yeah, I know you and the others were working on a spell, but you weren't trying to change me. I know Mom talks a lot about being responsible with your powers, and there are good reasons for it...but I know if I had powers like you, I would probably do something dumb too. I blame...whatever his name is in Sweden. He didn't just hurt me...he hurt our whole family. Who knows how many others he hurt? I think he's the first person I truly hate...but I'm not going to let him ruin my life." "Olivia said he's going to face a severe penalty and long imprisonment. I don't know how it all works, but apparently, Olivia's organization has a way of transferring his punishment to the regular legal system. She can explain it better than I can," stated Avery as she looked at her watch. "Well, we better get downstairs; you know how Mom hates it when we're late." Chapter 39 "Well, it's going to be a bit less crowded around here for a while," said Hanna as she made scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast the following day. "I think it's cool that Aunt Avery and Meg are going to Boston with Olivia," said Avery as she assisted by toasting the muffins. "It's even cooler that GSS is flying them in a corporate jet," added Quinn. The dinner the previous night had been outstanding. Towards the end of the evening, Olivia asked Annika if she would be interested in joining her in Boston. She explained that Annika's medical experience would be beneficial. Meg then begged to go too, and to everyone's surprise, Ericka agreed. Ericka made Meg promise to follow Olivia and Annika's instructions to the letter, and Med immediately agreed. "How come you didn't want to go, Jill?" asked Quinn. "I would just be in the way. I would love to see Boston...but they're going to work, and Meg wanted to go. I've never seen her so serious about something...it was good to see," replied Jill. "I also wanted to hang out here with you." "Thanks. So what are you interested in?" asked Quinn as she set the table. "I'm not sure yet. I love nature; I was hoping to talk to your Dad about what he does," replied Jill as she walked over to the fridge. "Anyone else wants orange juice?" She looked around and saw everyone was nodding. "That makes it easy," she replied as she filled the glasses on the table. "Well, I'm sure he'll be happy to talk to you, Jill," replied Hanna. "Can someone please text Ericka and see when she'll be back from the airport?" "I'll do it," replied Quinn as she dashed off to get her phone. "This whole...mess has given me another idea. I'm thinking about law enforcement," said Jill. "What area?" asked Hanna. "CSI-type stuff. I like the puzzle-solving aspects of that...along with the science and medical parts," replied Jill. "I think it would be a good match for my powers." "What about the 'dead people' part of that?" asked Avery with a grimace. Jill shrugged her shoulders as she poured the orange juice. "Avery, I'm from a medical family, so I'm used to it. Dad once let me sit in a class where they used a real corpse," replied Jill. "Besides, the dead don't complain. I've heard so many stories from my parents about patients complaining. I don't think I would have the patience for that." "You saw a real dead body?" asked Avery. "Yep. It was being used for an internal anatomy class, and the doctors had it opened up," replied Avery. "Gross!" cringed Avery as she made a face. "It was pretty cool, actually," replied Jill with a shrug. Quinn came back into the kitchen. "What was pretty cool?" asked Quinn. "Jill saw a dead body in medical class...and it was all cut open," stated Avery with disgust. "Really? That is kinda cool," replied Quinn. "See, even R?kor thinks it's cool," proclaimed Jill. "Avery, you promised!" exclaimed Quinn as she turned and glared at her sister. Avery turned around and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry, it slipped out," she replied with a sly grin on her face. "R?kor?" asked Hanna with an amused look on her face. "You nicknamed your sister shrimp?" "Actually, it's Swedish for shrimp," replied Avery proudly. "I might as well enjoy my height advantage while I have it. Besides, she'll probably be taller than me...again... in a few days...or a few years. "I suppose it could be worse," grumbled Quinn. "Who else knows it?" "Just Meg," replied Jill. "So Aunt Ericka & Aunt Annika know now...Meg can't keep a secret," noted Quinn. "Even Olivia knows now." "Oh, I'm sure of it. Anyway, I like it...I think it's cute," replied Avery, who was smiling. "I will have my revenge for this," stated Quinn with a sly smile on her face. "Oh...please don't tell Dad. He'll call me that the rest of my life...in either gender. I doubt I will be six-four." "I'll promise," said Avery as she held her hand up like she was taking a pledge. "Like I trust you," said Quinn as she stuck her tongue out. "So what about Ericka? Where is she?" asked Hanna. "She'll be here in less than ten minutes," replied Quinn. "Thank you... R?kor," replied Hanna with a wink. Chapter 40 After breakfast, Quinn helped clean up the kitchen when there was a knock on the front door. Avery left to see who it was. "Hey Quinn, Kristen is here to see you," she yelled. Quinn came out of the kitchen and saw Kristen talking to Avery. "Hi Quinn, I was hoping you could hang out with me today. I want to show you around the neighborhood," greeted Kristen cheerfully. "That would be fun," replied Quinn with a smile on her face. "Um...Aunt Hanna, can I go with Kristen?" "Okay, but take your phone and stay in the neighborhood," reminded Hanna. "Thank you!" replied Quinn as she hugged her mom. Avery and Hanna watched as Quinn gleefully race across the front yard with Kristen. "Okay...that was amazing," stated Avery. "Quinn instantly switched into little girl mode...and I don't think she was pretending." Hanna and Jill both nodded. "I'm glad you saw that too. I saw her do the same thing last night at the restaurant. She's going to be around people all day who don't know who she is...it might speed up her transformation and acceptance," noted Hanna. "Should we stop her... lie and make up someplace we have to go?" asked Avery with concern. "It should be reversible if we get the spell to change her back," replied Hanna. "We just have to note any changes to her when she comes home. Besides, if she does stay as a girl, it will be nice for her to have some friends her own age already. I also think it's good for her to relax and have fun." Chapter 41 Kristen took Quinn all over the neighborhood and introduced her to many other kids in her age group. Quinn had never noticed how many young kids were in the neighborhood. If she did stay as was, she would have plenty of friends. Everyone was friendly to her...including the boys, which felt very weird. It also felt weird when they walked past Allison's house, which was at the end of the street. "Our elementary school is just around the block. We usually walk to school, but when it gets really cold, there is a carpool to get us there, but you're from Minnesota, so you know cold too," explained Kristen as they walked back to her house. Quinn nodded as she remembered the walk to the school. She also wondered if she would be making the walk again once school restarted. "So, what's your school like here?" asked Quinn. True, she had already gone to the school, but that was years ago, and she was curious what it was like now, just in case she would be enrolled there in the fall. "I like it...other than the fact we have to wear uniforms to school," replied Kristen. "What? What kind of uniforms?" asked Quinn, who was shocked to hear that. She then vaguely remembered that the school made the rule change a few years ago. Something about making back to school cheaper for parents and making the kids all equal. "A blue skirt in the nice weather with a red polo shirt. In the winter we can wear pants, but not jeans. It's stupid. I can't wait to get to middle school; they let the students wear regular clothes," replied Kristen. "What about your school?" "No uniforms... and they let us wear jeans," replied Quinn as she thought about the kids she had seen at the school near Aunt Annika's house. "Maybe I can be an exchange student," laughed Kristen. "I don't mind wearing skirts and dresses, but it can be a pain around boys...they can be such jerks. I wanted to punch one of them when he lifted my skirt in class." "You should have," replied Quinn. "I would have." Quinn thought to herself that she would have to control herself should that happen. "I knew we'd be friends!" exclaimed Kristen. "I wish you lived around here." Quinn thought, I just may. She also thought it would be nice to have a friend like Kristen. As they walked back, they talked about various things, including clothes and growing up. "Um...have you seen any changes in your body yet?" asked Kristen. Quinn shook her head. "Same here. I can't wait even though I know it's going to be scary," said Kristen. "I feel the same way," replied Quinn. Either way would be great, she thought, either to being a guy again or if she had to be a girl...she wanted to see signs that she was growing up. Deep down, she feared that she would stay as she was and not get older. She hadn't shared it with anyone as there were enough things to worry about in her life. When they arrived at Kristen's house, Quinn saw Kristen's brothers playing street hockey in the driveway. One was playing goalie, and the other took practice shots on goal. They watched from a distance. Quinn noted the boy playing goal was excellent. The one shooting still had a lot to learn about the game as he was trying to slam the ball past his brother instead of using finesse. He had a strong shot, but the goalie easily stopped every shot on goal. Several shots when wide or high. As they watched, they talked, and Quinn told Kristen that she loved playing hockey and had been a league. Technically this was true, thought Quinn. Kristen admitted she wanted to play too, but her parents wouldn't let her, although her dad had bought her a stick, mask, and gloves. When they stopped to get a drink, Kristen and Quinn approached. "Quinn, these are my brothers Chad and Mark," announced Kristen. "She's staying with the Lindburgs for the summer." The boys stopped playing and looked over at Quinn. The goalie lifted his mask. "I'm Chad, and the guy who can't score on me is my brother Mark," greeted Chad before taking a drink from his water bottle. Mark nodded back as he took off his helmet. Quinn smiled back at them. Chad was the older of the two and had just turned 16. He was around five-ten and stocky with short reddish-brown hair. Mark was two years younger and had shaggy brown hair. He was a bit taller than Mark but thin. Quinn thought if Mark were going to play in a league, he would have to put on some weight. She also vaguely remembered Chad from a middle school game when she was a boy. She felt he would easily be on the varsity team in high school. "I'll get you on the next shot," countered Mark. "Quinn? Like Quinn Lindburg?" asked Chad. "Yeah, my Mom liked the name," replied Quinn, which wasn't a lie. "He's a great player...best shooter on the team. I went to many of his games last season," stated Chad. Quinn had to hide her sense of pride in hearing Chad's comments. "Where are you from?" asked Mark. "Quinn is from Minnesota," answered Kristen. "So, do you like watching hockey?" asked Mark. Quinn smiled back. "I love playing more. I'm in a league back in Minnesota," replied Quinn. "Field hockey?" asked Mark with a smirk. Quinn shook her head. "Ice hockey," she replied proudly. After what Avery had said, Quinn had investigated girl hockey leagues. There were several in the Madison area, and she planned to ask to play in one...if she didn't change back. Both boys began to laugh. "No way," joked Chad. "Girls can't play ice hockey." "They do, and there leagues here...and I want to play...but Mom won't let me," countered Kristen. "I want to play. " "Those leagues are a joke. It would be a waste of time and money to let you play," joked Chad. "Girls can't play hockey. They should stick to figure skating. It's so stupid that Dad bought you equipment. You should stick to figure skating." "I want to play hockey...I hate figure skating," stated Kristen with her arms crossed. "No girl could even score on a good goalie like Chad," added Mark. "I watched a girls' game last season while waiting for my ride after my game, sure girls can skate okay, but they suck at hockey." Chad nodded as he high-fived his brother. "Wanna bet?" asked Quinn with a smile on her face. "I watched you play goal, and I know I can score on you." Chad turned and laughed. "Bull," he replied with a smirk on his face. "Get me a stick, and I'll prove it," countered Quinn. "You must be joking. No way you can score on me," stated Chad. "It's a waste of time." "So, you're afraid to be beaten by a girl?" asked Quinn with a sly smile on her face. "I'm not afraid. What's the wager?" asked Chad confidently. "I'll shoot on you, and if I score, you coach Kristen and help her convince your parents to let her play," replied Quinn looking over at Kristen, who was beaming with joy. "One shot?" asked Chad. "Not much of a bet. I could stop your shot with my eyes closed." Quinn shook her head. "Best of five would be fair...for you," she replied. "And you can keep both eyes open...you'll need them both." Mark began to laugh, and Chad glared back at him. "So, do we have a bet...or are you afraid?" asked Quinn. "And what do I get when I win?" asked Chad confidently. "I'll do your chores for a month!" interjected Kristen without hesitation. Quinn thought about how her chores had changed around the house. She used to mow the lawn, but because of the change, her Mom hired a yard service. She now had a daily list of minor chores. She also hoped that she had her hockey skills for Kristen's sake. "Oh, this is too easy. Bring it on!" replied Chad as he flipped his mask down. "Kristen, I hope you like getting up early and taking the trash and recycling to the curb for a month. I'm going to enjoy sleeping in." Kristen dashed into the garage and came out with her equipment. Quinn slipped on the helmet and then her gloves. She examined the stick, it wasn't as curved as she was used to, but it would do. Mark set up five street hockey balls at the driveway's far end. "Here's your starting point. It's almost as far as penalty shot," he explained. "You do know what that is, right?" Quinn just stared back at him intently. Mark was slightly taken back by the intensity in Quinn's eyes. "Okay, ready when you are," announced Chad as he took a relaxed position a few feet in front of the goal. Quinn could see by his stance that he wasn't taking her seriously, and she decided to use that against him. She tapped the ball forward slowly and then sped up and headed straight at Chad. He was expecting to stop her shot easily and was totally caught off guard when she quickly deked around him to the left and easily scored on a backhand shot into the open net. "Yeah, Quinn!" screamed Kristen as she began to clap. "That was awesome!" "That was luck," snapped Chad as he angrily swept the ball out of the net. "Bring it on...little girl." Even though he was acting confident, Chad was shocked by the move that Quinn had used. Quinn didn't reply. She wasn't big on trash-talking, and she always preferred to let her play do her talking. While Quinn was much smaller and weaker than before, she realized that she still had her skills and knowledge. She also had a new sense of quickness which she would use in her next shot. As Chad continued to talk, Quinn was already planning her next shot. She would come at him the same way but fake going to the right to get Chad to commit. Sure enough, Chad bought her move, and she easily scored again. Kristen was jumping up and down, cheering. "Damn, she's good, Chad," yelled Mark. "She beat you two times in a row!" "Better than you have ever done. Okay, let's see you do that again," shouted Chad. He was serious now as he could see that Quinn had real skill. He also wondered who taught her as she had excellent stickwork. Begrudgingly he had to admit she was pretty good. This time she swung to the left before taking an angle on the goal. Chad took a good position and tried to bait her into shooting to his right. It was a trick she had seen before, and she saw there was a small pocket of opportunity over his left shoulder. Quinn took a quick wrist shot, and even though Chad saw the shot, Quinn was able to put it just over his shoulder and into the upper corner of the net. While her shot wasn't anyway as fast as it had been, she still had accuracy. Chad lifted his mask in disbelief. "My cousin Quinn taught me that move," she replied as she took off the helmet. She then smiled at Chad. "And I believe I won the bet." Technically, she told the truth as she had taught herself to have a wicked wrist shot. Kristen was clapping in celebration. "Hey Quinn, can you show me how you did that?" asked Mark as he walked over to her. "Sure, oh, I forget to tell you guys that I play center and was also the top scorer on my team last season and number two in my league...but you wouldn't have listened... as girls can't play hockey," she replied as she winked at them. "I also play hockey with the boys in my neighborhood." Quinn felt great. It wasn't just scoring on Chad or even helping Kristen; it was then she realized she could still do something that she loved from when she was a guy. It made her feel whole. Chad shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you beat me three straight shots in a row," he replied dejectedly as he leaned on his goalie stick. "I was wrong...girls can play hockey...I'm also glad my coach didn't see that." Quinn walked up and patted his goalie pads with her stick. "Hey, cheer up. You underestimated me, and I used that against you. If you had taken me seriously as you did with Mark, you probably would have stopped some of my shots. My coach always says never underestimate your opponent. You also need to be always aware of where you are around the goal. If you had been a bit further out on my last shot, you would have blocked it," she explained. "Hockey is a game of angles." Chad listened intensely. He was amazed by how knowledgeable she was of the game. He also realized that she was pretty cool. Instead of boasting over beating him, she was offering advice. "You're right," he replied with a smile. "You know, your mom was smart to name you Quinn; you play a lot like him." Quinn smiled back. "He's taught me a lot over the years," replied Quinn. "Quinn, what about me...any advice?" asked Mark. Quinn could see he was serious. "Yea...quit trying to slam every shot at the goal. You make it too easy for Chad. You either are missing the net or hitting Chad in the pads. Use your body and stick motion to get the goalie to commit to an angle...like I did...and then take advantage of what he left you...again as I did. Do you know how to do a wrist shot?" Mark nodded as she spoke. "Use it then, especially on a one-on-one," she replied. "When you're facing a good goalie like Chad, you can't rely on slamming it past them." "So...guys... are you going to help me?" asked Kristen. They both nodded. "A deal is a deal," replied Chad as he tapped sticks with Quinn. Mark did the same. "If you want, you can come here and play with us sometime." "Cool... as long as you include Kristen. Thanks, that was fun," replied Quinn. "Girls can play hockey," stated Chad as he smiled back at her. "Maybe Kristen... with some practice can give me some competition for a change." Mark turned and glared at his brother and tried to give him the finger even though he still had on his hockey gloves. "Girls can play hockey," replied Quinn proudly. "Hey, I just remembered that you're the one coming with us to the Dells on Saturday, right?" asked Chad. Quinn nodded. "Cool," he replied. "Yea...you're alright, Quinn," replied Mark. "Come on, Quinn let me show you my room," said Kristen. Once inside the house, Kristen gave Quinn a big hug. "Thank you so much!" she squealed. "You're welcome," replied Quinn happily. She wasn't just happy because she had helped Kristen, but Quinn also realized that if she stayed as she was...it wouldn't be so bad and that she could play a sport she loved. Chapter 42 Back home, Quinn excitedly told the others about her morning while they had lunch on the deck. "So Mom, if I stay a girl...can I join a girl's league? Please!" begged Quinn. "I don't see why not. You know Wisconsin had a female hockey team," replied Hanna. "We can go to some of their games this year too." "Thanks, Mom!" squealed Quinn as she hugged Hanna. "So, what have you been doing this morning?" asked Quinn. "We made the spell that the girls were trying the other night, and with the right ingredients and no contamination, it came out perfectly," replied Ericka. Quinn looked at Jill and Avery. "I don't see any changes," grinned Quinn as she looked at their chests. "We weren't allowed to try it," replied Jill dejectedly. "I don't see why not...it's only temporary." "Your Mom would kill me," stated Hanna with a wink. "And before you ask...the answer is no for you to Avery." "Then how can you tell if it would work?" asked Quinn. "There's a crystal that you can stick in the spell when you're done, and it will let you know if it will work," explained Avery. "Not as much fun as actually trying it out." Quinn nodded. "So, how do you feel, Quinn?" asked Hanna. She then explained her concerns after seeing her act as she left the house with Kristen. "Do you notice when it happens...I mean when you go full girl?" asked Jill. Quinn nodded. "I like it in that I don't have to pretend I'm eleven," replied Quinn. "What about hanging with Kristen?" asked Jill. "I feel okay. I do feel better about if I can't change back. This is a great neighborhood to grow up in, and I will have many friends my age," Quinn replied. "One negative thing, I did learn that the school now requires uniforms." "I forgot about that...but it will only be for a year...if you don't change back," said Avery. "They're not that bad." "I'm sure you wouldn't say that if you were the one wearing them," countered Quinn. Avery touched her right index finger to her tongue and then made a slash in the air. "You're right about that!" replied Avery with a smile. "So, any word from Olivia or Aunt Annika?" asked Quinn. "They arrived safely and went straight to the lab. Annika said they would call us this evening," replied Ericka. Quinn looked at her watch and sighed. "Our time or their time?" asked Quinn. "She didn't say. I know waiting is horrible, but they're doing their best, and they can't rush things," replied Ericka. "I know...I'm just tired of being in limbo...I want to have a whole life again...whether that is as I am right now or the old me...I can accept either of them...but I want to have a choice," admitted Quinn. Chapter 43 It wasn't until after dinner that they got a call from Olivia and the others. Hanna put it on speaker so everyone could hear. "Quinn, do you want the good news or the bad news?" asked Olivia. "Bad...get it out of the way," she replied tentatively. "While our lab's computer hasn't been able to recreate the spell to cause the changes you have experienced. We have been able to analyze it. We feel that once you start puberty, it cannot be reversed," she explained. "Go get the crystal I gave you." Quinn dashed off and came back, holding it in both hands. When enough time passed, she looked at it. "It's still clear," replied Quinn as she held it out for others to see. "Good to hear, but I want you to check it regularly...if you aren't doing that already," replied Olivia. "So we have at least thirty days to get a reversal spell," said Ericka. "Or less," added Quinn as she stared at the crystal. "I promised to be honest with you, Quinn; the reversal spell is going to be difficult, and...we may not come up with it in time," replied Olivia. "There is something... odd about it; we can't figure it out." "What do you mean by odd?" asked Hanna. "We can't reproduce the spell that changed Quinn, even with the contaminated products. We know all the ingredients and all the contaminated items, but we can't create a spell that would change your gender and age. I've sent out a request from our other branches to see if they can see something we missed. But we haven't given up," explained Olivia. "Thank you. So what's the good news," asked Quinn. "We have a spell that will flush out the residue of the contaminants that are still in your body. It won't change you back, but we won't have to worry about any other changes. I will send it to Ericka and Hanna. You have everything in your garden to make it...and Hanna, we double-checked, and your garden tested contaminant-free," explained Olivia. "What will I have to do?" asked Quinn. "You will drink it before you go to bed. It will taste like herbal tea. I have been told the taste is very soothing. One side effect is that you will sleep very deeply tonight." "Doesn't sound too bad," stated Quinn. "Thank you, Olivia," replied Hanna. "We'll get right on it tonight." "My pleasure Hanna. And the best news, the computers came back with a ninety-nine positive for using the identity spell," replied Olivia. "So if we can't come up with a reversal spell, we know that we can give Quinn a new life without questions." Quinn absorbed what Olivia just said. "Thank you, Olivia," replied Hanna. "That is good news." "Yeah, now we don't create a new family up in Minnesota for me to live with," joked Quinn. They talked for a while longer before ending the call. Ericka looked at her computer. "This is a pretty simple spell, Quinn. We could have it ready in the next hour," explained Ericka as she looked at the spell on her tablet. "It does say that it will induce compelling dreams...not nightmares." "I get that when I drink spiced chai tea," noted Jill. "Okay, let's do it," replied Quinn. "Great, why don't you help me get the ingredients from my garden Quinn. It's time for you to learn more about my garden," stated Hanna. "Jill and Avery, why don't you two assist Ericka with the other ingredients from my larder." Quinn nodded and followed his Mom out to her extensive garden. It took up a sizeable section of the left side of their back corner of the backyard. "If you do get powers, having an herb and flower garden saves you a lot of time and money," explained Hanna. "The plus side is that herbs can also be used in cooking." Quinn looked at the wide variety of plants. She knew only a few of them. Seeing the look on Quinn's face, Hanna smiled. "Don't worry, Avery, and I will teach you what is what," explained Hanna. "Thanks," replied Quinn. "What about the raspberries? Do you use them in spells?" There were several berry bushes on the other side of the yard. Hanna shook her head. "Nope, those are just for eating. I'm so glad I learned a spell that keeps the neighborhood animals away from them. I was losing most of the berries but didn't want to hurt the animals either. I use the same spell on the rest of the garden," explained Hanna. "What does it do?" asked Quinn as he watched his mom gently cut some leaves from a plant. "It creates an aura around the plants that wards off the animals and destructive insects. It doesn't kill them. It allows beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs to do their thing. The same applies to the hummingbirds and the occasional bat. This way, the garden gets pollinated and not eaten. I do remove the spell at the end of the growing season, and the beasties can eat what's leftover," stated Hanna. "Now, do you know what plant this is?" Quinn shook her head. Hanna held it up. "Take a sniff," she asked. Quin did as she was told, and as she smelled it, she smiled. "It's mint," Quinn replied. "Very good, now do you know what this is?" asked Hanna as she held up another sprig. Quinn took it and examined it. "Not a clue," replied Quinn. "It's catnip," replied Hanna. "Catnip?" asked Quinn as she examined the plant. "Catnip is used in many teas. Don't worry, R?kor, it won't change you into a cat...but you may feel an urge to chase feathers," replied Hanna with a wink. "You never know," countered Quinn. "So, does the spell you use to protect your garden also ward off cats?" Hanna nodded. "Okay, what's next?" asked Hanna as she looked at the spell's ingredients on her phone. "Okay, we need to get one more item." Hanna led Quinn down a few feet and pointed to a plant. Quinn looked at the plant and shrugged her shoulders. "It's chamomile," replied Hanna as she gently harvested some of the plant leaves. "So do they have any idea why you and the others can take plants and other things to produce spells and others can't?" asked Quinn. Hanna shook her head. "There have been many studies on the topic. One theory is that all people can do it but have never developed their skills. If you do have powers, they will have to be developed. It takes a lot of dedication, and it takes time. I do not doubt that you will be an excellent student." "Thanks, Mom," replied Quinn. "This was fun." "Good to hear; I can always use an extra hand out here, especially when I have to harvest before the first frost. I hate buying things that I can grow myself. I also like to send things to Ericka as she doesn't have a big yard." Chapter 44 When Quinn woke up the next morning, she rubbed her eyes and was shocked to see that it was after nine in the morning. "She wasn't kidding about the sleep thing," said Quinn when she was downstairs with mom. "And the dreams?" asked Hanna. "They were detailed...strange...but not scary...kinda like being a movie," Quinn replied. "That's good to hear," replied Hanna. "Did you remember anything?" "Just bits and pieces...there was a talking fox...that was weird...and no, I don't remember what it said," grinned Quinn as she looked around. "Where are the others?" "Ericka took them on a run," she replied. "Even Jill?" asked Quinn with a shocked look on her face. Hanna nodded. "Quinn, I have to run some errands; would you like to come along?" asked Hanna. "I'd love to, Mom," replied Quinn. "Am I dressed okay?" Quinn was wearing a pair of denim shorts, sneakers, and a red tank top. Her hair ran down her back in a ponytail held by a red-colored scrunchie. "You look great. We'll be leaving in ten minutes. I also want to check to see if Avery remembered her key," explained Hanna as she reached for her phone. A short time later, they were on the road. "So, where are we going?" asked Quinn. "I'm getting my hair trimmed. I thought you could get a trim too...fix up your bangs," suggested Hanna. "If you don't want to have it done... it's not a problem." Quinn thought about it and reached up and touched her hair. "Okay, Mom, you're right," replied Quinn. "It makes sense if I'm going to be this way for a while. If I change back, then I can always get a haircut if my hair is still long." The hair salon was a new experience for Quinn. Everything was different from the barber she had gone to...sights, sounds, and smells. Quinn was introduced using her alias. The woman who worked on her was named Sandy, and she gushed over Quinn's hair. "Please tell me that you don't want a short style; your hair is too lovely," complimented Sandy. Sandy was a short, thin woman with blonde spiked hair with red highlights. "No, I just want the front trimmed; it keeps getting into my eyes," replied Quinn. "I like my long hair. My cousins braid it for me." "That's good to hear. If you ever do decide to have a shortcut, please donate your hair for chemo patients," said Sandy as she combed Quinn's hair. "Cool, I didn't know about that," replied Quinn. "Well, that's for another day," said Sandy. "Time to get to work." Chapter 45 "I love the way my hair looks," squealed Quinn. She now had bangs that ended above her eyes. Her hair was now styled, so it ran down each side of her face. It was still long enough to be put into a ponytail. "You look great," replied Hanna. "So, any thoughts on being in a woman's salon?" "I was a little apprehensive going in...but it wasn't so bad. I liked how Sandy, the stylist treated me like I was older," replied Quinn honestly. "And any gender issues?" asked Hanna. "No, it felt normal," replied Quinn. "Wow. It's only been a few days, and I've changed so much...it's almost peaceful in what is happening...will I even want to change if I'm this way for a month?" "We don't know, Dear," said Hanna. "I wish I could tell you something more comforting. But I will tell you that either way, your family will love and support you." "Thanks, Mom. So where are we going next?" "I have to stop at Target and get some things for the home and garden. If you want to go clothes shopping go ahead," replied Hanna. "I think it would be good for you to pick out things you like." "Thanks," she replied nervously. "If you have any questions, I'll be happy to help...I'm not as fashion dead as your sister thinks." Quinn laughed. They arrived at the Target and parked. "Okay, good luck and stay in touch," stated Hanna as they walked inside. Quinn looked around and found the girls' clothing area. It was a little overwhelming at first. She stood in place for a few moments before heading in. It felt different when she was with her sister and the others. Still, there was a growing sense of belonging as she looked around. Before she knew it, she had picked out several tops, a pair of jeans, and some PJs. She then picked out some leggings and a package of panties. She stared at the training bras and wondered how soon she would be wearing one. Instead of being frightened by this, she was excited. Having to wear a bra meant she was growing up, and she recovers some of what she had lost. "There you are," greeted Hanna as she came up with a cart. "What did you get?" Quinn showed her each item. "Very nice; I'm pleased with your choices," commented Hanna. "I like the shirt with the mermaid." "I couldn't find one with a r?kor on it," replied Quinn with a smile. After Target, Hanna parked the SUV at a large sporting goods store at the far end of the mall. "What are we doing here?" asked Quinn. "You're going to need some hockey equipment so you can play with Kristen. I called ahead, and they have equipment that will fit you here. If you're still a girl in the fall, we can come back here and get you skates and the rest," replied Hanna. Quinn hugged her Mom. "I can't wait to start playing again," exclaimed Quinn excitedly. Quinn picked out a helmet, gloves, and a stick. "Just promise to wear your helmet with the screened mask. I don't want you to get hurt," stated Mom. "I also don't want to take you to the dentist because you lost some teeth." "No problem there, I always wore one when I was a guy, and I don't want any scars or to lose any teeth. Hey, do you think all my teeth are permanent?" "You're probably old enough to be done with that. But to play it safe, we'll have to take you to a dentist to confirm. I know a dentist on the other side of town who is like me. She would be able to determine that," replied Hanna. Hanna insisted that Quinn also get a pelvic protector fitted into a pair of shorts. "You can get hurt there just as bad as when you were a guy," explained Hanna. "I never thought about that," replied Quinn as she examined the shorts. Hana looked at her watch. "Well, we have one more stop, and then we'll get lunch," said Hanna. Chapter 46 Quinn held out her hands and examined her newly manicured nails. She now had a light shade of aqua blue on them. She looked down and admired the same color on her toenails. Quinn had picked out the color to go with her mermaid bathing suit for the trip to the waterpark. "I think that color is cute," noted Hanna as she drove to a local restaurant to meet up with Ericka, Avery, and Jill. "Mom, thanks for a great time...I was worried about how we'd be because of this...but not anymore," replied Quinn. "Honey, you never have to worry about that. I will always love you, R?kor," replied Hanna. Quinn smiled and shook her head. "I guess I'm stuck with it," stated Quinn begrudgingly. "It's a unique nickname," replied Hanna. "Unique should be my middle name. Hey, what is my middle name now?" asked Quinn as she looked over at her mom. "Good question! Let's talk about it over lunch with the others. Would you like that?" suggested Hanna. Quinn nodded. They arrived at the restaurant just as Ericka and the others walked across the parking lot. "Quinn, I love your hair!" exclaimed Avery, and she hugged her. "The bangs look great." "Thanks, and look at my nails!" exclaimed Quinn excitedly as she held out her hands. "Perfect!" stated Jill. "I love the color...it will go great with your swimsuit." Hanna and Ericka stood back as the girls talked. "It's like she's always been a girl," noted Hanna. "So no issues at the salon?" asked Ericka. "None at all. She was great at both the hair and the nail salon. She was enjoying it. I had flashbacks to when I first took Avery to a salon. She slips into being a girl so quickly and seamlessly; it's like there's two of them," replied Hanna. "She also did a great job picking out some clothes. On the plus side, she now has some hockey equipment, which she was equally excited about. I hope she has the strength when she had to decide about the reversal." "Assuming they can make it and make it safe," added Ericka. "Well, let's talk about that later. We have an important decision to make," said Hanna as she took her sister by the arm. Chapter 47 They had a list of nearly twenty names for Quinn's new middle name by dessert. Some of the names were after relatives, and others came from searches online. "How do we narrow these down?" asked Quinn. "We can cut them up and put them into a hat," suggested Ericka. "That's what our parents did with me." "No, they didn't," replied Hanna with a laugh. "We did do with the kittens when we were growing up." "I have an addition to the list...Olivia," suggested Avery as she wrote a name down on the list. Quinn broke out in a big smile as she saw it. "I love it!" exclaimed Quinn. Hanna nodded. "I'll run it past Peter, but I love it too," said Hanna as she pulled out her phone and called him. She put the phone on speaker. "Olivia... that's a lovely name, and I think it's very nice to honor Dr. Nyberg," agreed Peter. "Thanks, Dad!" exclaimed Quinn. "Honey, I'll call you later today and give you an update on what's happening," said Hanna. "Okay, I love all of you," he said before hanging up. "So I'm now Quinn Olivia Lindberg for now," stated Quinn proudly. "It has a nice ring to it," said Avery. "I like it too," added Jill. "What do you think, Aunt Ericka?" asked Quinn. "It's perfect... R?kor," she replied with a wink. Chapter 48 Early Saturday morning Quinn crossed the street to Kristen's house. Thankfully the Schmidts had a large SUV, so there was room for everyone. Quinn and Kristen sat next to each other in the second row, and the boys sat all the way in the back. The SUV pulled out of the driveway and down the road to one of the Dells' water parks. Quinn's hair was braided into an updo. "Your hair looks great. I wish I could grow it long like you, but it just gets all tangled," replied Kristen. "I think you great hair and curls; I love the color too," replied Quinn. "So Quinn, I hear you're quite the hockey player," stated Kristen's father, whose name was Jack. Jack had played youth hockey and had even made it to the lower minor leagues before a knee injury ended his career. Still, he loved the sport and loved that his sons played with the same enthusiasm when he was their age. "I'm pretty good and love playing," Quinn replied. "She's not kidding, Dad; she's really good," added Chad. "I'd love to see her on skates." "Well, you convinced Chad and Mark, and that in itself is impressive," he replied with a laugh. "And your parents don't mind you playing?" asked Linda with a concerned tone. "No, they encouraged us to do things we love. However, they also insist that we do it right and always wear protective equipment," replied Quinn. "What positions do you play?" asked Jack. "Center and wing," replied Quinn. "She's got a great shot Dad," added Mark. "Actually, several good shots." "Smart too," added Chad. "She doesn't just slam it straight at me... as my brother does." "Did...I put quite a few past you yesterday," countered Mark. "Kristen, you want to play?" asked Jack. "Yes, Dad, I do," she replied as she nodded her head vigorously. "What position?" asked Jack. "Defense," she replied. "Like you." Jack began to laugh heartedly. "Well, if your mother agrees, you can play," said Jack. "Please, Mom, I really want to play," begged Kristen. "Let her play, Mom," added Chad. "Yeah, Mom, let her play," added Mark. "We'll teach her too." "Okay, okay. It looks like I'm outnumbered... I agree," surrendered Linda. "But you must always wear your gear. I don't want to see you get hurt." "Thanks, Mom and Dad," replied Kristen gleefully. "And thank you, Quinn." Their trip was to the country's self-proclaimed water park center, and it was hard to argue with it. The Schmidts picked a different park every visit, but their favorite was today's destination Noah's Ark, which had numerous rides. Quinn had been there a couple of times, but today felt different. She was so excited as they walked inside. The Schmidts had rented one of the cabanas, which allowed them to relax between rides. After they changed, Linda gathered them all together. "Okay, kids, have fun but be careful. Be back here at noon for lunch," stated Linda. "Hey Kristen, do you and Quinn want to come with us?" asked Chad. "Sure," she replied with a surprised look on her face. "Now that you play hockey, you're tough enough to hang with us," he replied. Chapter 49 The day went by too fast. Quinn's only issue was that she was too small to go on the more exciting rides as they had height and weight restrictions. Still, she had a lot of fun. It was strange as she sensed that Chad and Mark had adopted her and were very protective of her as they were with Kristen. Even though there was a sibling rivalry, it was apparent to Quinn that both boys were very protective of their sister, just like she had been..when she was a guy. Quinn thought that If they couldn't reverse what happened to her, it would be nice to have more good friends. On the ride home, both she and Kristen fell asleep. The next thing she remembered was waking up as they pulled into The Schmidt's driveway. It was now twilight, and the lightning bugs were out in full force. Quinn had forgotten how pretty they were. They all got out, and Quinn thanked them all and was hugged by Kristen. "I'm so glad we became friends!" she exclaimed. "Me too," replied Quinn. "You're always welcome in our home Quinn," exclaimed Linda. "Thank you, Mrs. Schmidt," replied Quinn. "Can you come over and play some hockey with me tomorrow?" asked Kristen. "I'd love to, but I have to check with my Aunts first," replied Quinn. "Thank you again." "Quinn, we'll walk you home," stated Chad. "Um, thanks," she replied. So Quinn was walked back home by Chad and Mark. Kristen came along to talk to Quinn. "Thanks again," said Quinn before entering her home. She found everyone out on the deck. "Well, looks who's home! How was it?" asked Ericka. "I had a great time," she exclaimed as she sat down. She was wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and her sweatshirt. She then gave them a summary of what happened. "I forgot about the height and weight requirements there," apologized Hanna. "No problem. Kristen had the same problem...size or lack of it... and we both had a great time," replied Quinn. She then said that Chad and Mark looked out for her, both at the park and then walking her home. "Chad is so nice," signed Avery with a smile. Quinn shook her head. "Avery, you don't want to date a goalie...anyone who purposely allows pucks shot at them isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. You can do better," explained Quinn. "Doesn't matter...I still like him," replied Avery. "And Dad was a goalie." "Okay, you got me on that one," stated Quinn with a grin. "We'll have to invite them over for a barbeque this summer...after everything settles down," said Hanna. "So, any news from Boston?" asked Quinn. "They're still working on a counterspell. The issue is the ingredients that work best are problematic...they can be toxic and sometimes twist the spell into something...bad," explained Ericka. "What do you mean by 'bad'?" asked Quinn. "Depends on the spell. They should know what the side effects will be before you decide to try it," replied Ericka. "But they won't approve the spell if the risks are too high." Quinn nodded. "I have a question for you, Quinn. We've all seen you shift into full 'little girl mode,' and then you're back like this where you seem to be more the old you...are you aware of this when it happens?" asked Hanna. Quinn nodded again. "I have to concentrate on breaking out of it...and it's become very easy to slip into being a girl mentally," replied Quinn. "I was an 11- year-old girl today from the time I left this house. The good thing is even when I am a girl, I can still use my knowledge...it just comes out differently...I don't always have the right words." "Like when it comes to cursing?" asked Avery. "Exactly," replied Quinn. "I guess the good thing is if I can be changed back, I won't be an eighteen-year-old guy with the brain of an eleven-year-old girl." "That would be interesting, to say the least," quipped Ericka. "Well, I'm going to bed," announced Quinn as she yawned. "I know it's still early, but I'm beat." "Aren't you hungry?" asked Hanna. Quinn shook her head. "I'm still full from everything I ate at the park," she replied. "Good night, everyone." Chapter 50 The next few days passed without any good news from Boston. Hanna was happy that Quinn had a friend like Kristen to hang around with, as it was the perfect distraction. Hanna was also glad that she bought Quinn the hockey gear. It was a good distraction for Quinn. Hanna also took Quinn to see the doctor that Annika recommended. It was nearly an hour's drive, but it was worth it as Quinn was given a clean bill of health. As Hanna told Quinn on the ride home, it was one less thing to worry about in her life. Although she didn't say it, everyone could tell that Quinn was close to giving up hope for a reversal. According to Annika, they weren't close to creating the spell, as there were many problems and side effects. But she also told them that they weren't giving up. She also said that Olivia's lab was incredible, and if a counterspell could be created, this was the place to do it. On Thursday morning, Hanna came down early like she always did. Something was relaxing about having that first mug of coffee while watching the birds flitter on and off the bird feeders. To her surprise, she saw Quinn sitting out on one of the deck chairs by herself. She also noticed that Quinn was still in her PJs. "Honey, are you okay?" asked Hanna as she walked towards her daughter. Quinn turned around, held out her hands to show the crystal that Olivia had given her was now bright yellow as if it were glowing. Hanna pulled over and chair and sat down next to her daughter. "I have been excepting this every time I've held it," confessed Quinn softly. "We still have a month R?kor," replied Hanna as she slipped her arm around Quinn's shoulder. Quinn leaned against her mom. "Or less...Olivia said it means I would start puberty in the next 30 days...that could mean tomorrow," stated Quinn. "I mean, I've been expecting this...but to see confirmation is a lot to accept." Hanna nodded. "Mom...there's something else...I'm sort of having mixed feelings as I'm also somewhat excited to know that my body is about to change," admitted Quinn. "Does that make any sense?" Hanna hugged her daughter. "Yes, it does. I'll call Olivia and let them know," said Hanna. "Thanks, Mom," replied Quinn. "We still have time," noted Hanna as she retrieved her phone. Quinn nodded as she looked at the crystal again. Chapter 51 Olivia looked at the computer printouts and shook her head. "No good?" asked Annika. "If we only had more time to test substitutes for these three ingredients. The ones we are using right now are not acceptable. The risk will be too great for Quinn. If we only had more time," she replied. "I'm beginning to think something else was involved in her transformation...but it's a hunch...I don't have proof other than nothing working as it should. I'm going to post this case on our internal website and see what others in our organization think of." "Sure...what's the harm? What are the calculated odds of a reversal spell right now?" asked Annika. "The computer gives us only a fifteen chance of success. Not acceptable. I won't allow the spell to be cast as it is," stated Olivia. Annika just stared back. "All this technology and resources, and we can't counter a spell!" Annika exclaimed. "There has to be an answer to this." Olivia began to scroll through her notes on her laptop. "And we're not accounting for the x-factor. I believe that there is something in Quinn's makeup that contributed to both spells acting strangely," explained Olivia. "I keep going over her health records, but I can't find it." Annika began to reread Quinn's health record to look again for anything that might be important. Meg had been sitting quietly and listening when suddenly she thought of something. "What is Quinn's birthday?" asked Meg. Annika doublechecked the folder and replied. "Could this be important?" asked Meg as she held out her phone. Both women looked at the data on the phone. "Of course, how could I have missed that!" stated Oliva as she began to enter the new information into the computer and then restarted the program. "Thank you, Meg. That was a brilliant deduction!" Annika looked hugged Meg. "Well done!" exclaimed Annika. Quinn had been born eighteen years ago on the summer solstice. Chapter 52 "So because I was born on the solstice, I am more susceptible to spells?" asked Quinn. "It's a combination of things including your genealogy...it's a rare condition. It may be why some spells reacted differently on you," explained Olivia over the phone. "It's so rare that I didn't think of it. It doesn't give us a reversal spell, but it helps explain other things." "But I've been living around women with powers my whole life...why these two times?" asked Quinn. "Why didn't something happen earlier?" "You never were close to a major spell until then. Besides, it's not just around spells; it's coming into a physical contract with a spell. The first one spilled on you, and the corrupted second spell was breathed in," replied Olivia. "So what does this mean? Am I cursed to go through life worrying about changing into something else?" asked Quinn, fighting back panic. "Mom, I can't deal with that...no one could." Hanna pulled her close and hugged her. "Quinn, you can relax. We have a way of preventing this in the future. You will have to be tattooed with an ancient Nordic pagan symbol. The symbol will protect you from any future accidents," explained Olivia. Quinn looked at the other with a bemused look on her face. "Great...I'll be the only girl in sixth grade with a tattoo. That will help me blend in!" stated Quinn sarcastically. "I can get my hair cut and spike it out. Maybe I'll my nose pierced too." Avery had to fight from breaking out in laughter. "You are not cutting your hair...it's too lovely," replied Avery. "While that is true...but they won't see it. First, it will be on your back between your shoulder blades, and second, the ink can only be seen under ultraviolet light," explained Olivia. "And, therefore, no nose piercing," added Hanna with a wink. "Okay," replied Quinn with a smile. "Olivia will this prevent the use of the identity spell?" asked Hanna. "No, according to the texts, it only stops accidental spells...don't ask me how it works, it was created centuries ago, and you know how mysterious the ancient spells are," replied Olivia. "We just know that it works. I can have someone there this week to apply it." Hanna looked at Quinn, who was nodding. "That would be great. Now, what about the reversal spell?" asked Hanna. "We're still working on it. We've added Quinn's birth status to the calculation... and are having to try new ingredients," explained Olivia. "We're working as fast as we can... but we're not close. I promised to be honest with you, Quinn." "Okay," replied Quinn dejectedly. "Quinn, don't give up hope. I am also sending you a book on the benefits of being born on the summer solstice. I think you will find it very interesting," explained Olivia. "Should you develop powers, you will have added skills." "Thank you and thanks to Aunt Annika... and you too, Meg. I know you all are doing everything you can. The clock ticking isn't helping either," replied Quinn. They talked for a while before ending the call. Avery sat down next to Quinn, and Quinn rested her head on Avery's shoulder. "Not make things more complicated, but wouldn't I be returning from the fishing trip any day now? Allison will come over again...she is already starting to text Dad and me," explained Quinn as she held out her old phone, which had dozens of texts from Allison. "Thankfully, he is just ignoring them as if we're still supposed to be out of range...what are we going to tell her? She's not stupid...and I...and I can't deal with all this right now." Quinn then let out a loud sigh. "We'll think of something," comforted Hanna. "Mom, I need a break from all this...can I go over to see Kristen?" begged Quinn. "I think that would be a great idea," replied Hanna. "Thanks, Mom!" exclaimed Quinn. Quinn smiled as she got up and rushed over to see her friend. "I wish I could do that," said Ericka as she watched Quinn run across the front yard. "Imagine how popular a spell would be that would be to temporarily cast off your problems and be a kid again." "The only problem is that when you come back, the issues are still there," added Hanna. "But I agree with you; it would be nice. Now, what are we going to do about Allison? Girls, we can use your ideas too." Chapter 53 A few hours later, Quinn came back home. She was sweaty, dirty, had a scrape on her right knee, and a huge smile. "You look like you had fun," noted Avery. "Kristen organized a game of kickball...it was a lot of fun," replied Quinn gleefully. "I forgot how much fun that game is. I haven't played since I was twelve." "Very funny. Well, go upstairs and take a bath and then come one down and you can help us prepare dinner," stated Hanna. "What are we having?" asked Quinn. "Lasagna...an old family recipe," replied Ericka. Quinn made a funny face. "Our family is Scandinavian..., and lasagna is Italian," stated Quinn. "I said it was an old family recipe...I didn't say it was our family," replied Ericka with a wink. "Grandma got from a neighbor who was Italian. She gave her some Swedish recipes in return; I've always felt we got the better end of that deal." As proud as Ericka was of heritage, she admitted that she found many Swedish meals disgusting. She dreaded some of the big family reunions and some of her relatives' food. Ericka cringed as she thought about some of the jello salads that she was forced to eat as a child at family events. Who puts vegetables in lime jello, she thought. "Great...I'll be back down shortly," said Quinn. "Like you can do it any other way R?kor," joked Avery. Quinn glared at her sister with mock anger. "Mom...Avery is making fun of me being short!" exclaimed Quinn before she ran up the stairs. Ericka turned to Hanna. "Sounds like old times, doesn't it?" Hanna smiled back. "I hope she stays so upbeat," said Hanna. Chapter 54 An early afternoon thunderstorm forced dinner to be inside that evening. Besides the lasagna, there was a fresh tossed salad with greens from a local farmer's market and bread from an Italian bakery. "So the plan is to tell Allison that the fishing was so good you stayed up there a few days longer," explained Hanna as she served the lasagna. "And if we can change me back...where will we get the fish?" asked Quinn. "Even the worse fishermen and women would come back emptyhanded." "We thought of that too. Dad said he would cash in some favors and ensure that he has a cooler full of fish," replied Hanna. "I also imagine he has been doing some fishing up there." "And if can't be changed back...the identity spell would take care of all details, right?" asked Quinn. "Exactly," replied Ericka. "This should buy us a few extra days." "And after that?" asked Jill. "We try something else," said Hanna. "This will take a lot of teamwork...and that's what makes our family so strong." Quinn tasted the lasagna and smiled. "This is great," she noted. "It's one of my favorites," agreed Jill. "Mom makes it the same way." "Well, our mother taught us, and she insisted that we do not change anything," explained Ericka. "She was stricter about her recipes than her spells." Quinn buttered a piece of the bread. "I miss her," Quinn said softly. "We all do," comforted Hanna. "You were five when she passed, weren't you?" Their mother had been killed in a car crash thirteen years ago. Quinn nodded. Avery gasped. "Quinn...so that's what you meant when you first changed about how you hadn't cried since you were five!" she stated. Quinn nodded. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry," said Avery. "I don't remember her at all... I wish I had known her." "Well, I know she would be proud of all of you," stated Hanna. "One of the ways we honor her is with her recipes...and spells.. which we'll pass down to all of you." Jill smiled. "I love that," Jill replied. "Same here," added Avery. After another bite of lasagna, Quinn paused and looked around the room. "Do you think I'll get powers too...if I stay female?" asked Quinn. "I know I keep asking, but I am curious." "Only time will tell...but intuition counts; I would say yes," replied Hanna. Quinn smiled back at her. "If I do stay female...I hope you're right." Chapter 55 Later that evening, when Avery and Jill went up to bed, they were surprised to see the light on Avery's room. When they looked in, they saw Quinn was still up and looking at her tablet. "What are you looking at?" asked Jill. Quinn turned the table around and showed a website on puberty. "It took me a few tries to get into some of these sites as they were blocked. Mom adjusted the age restrictions on the internet, but she didn't change the password, so I changed it back," explained Quinn. "I have no idea why sites like these would be blocked anyway...it's just biology. Why would a site on puberty be considered sexual... and who would be turned on by it?" The two girls sat down next to her. "I figured I should know what I'm looking for...in case they can't get the spell to work," said Quinn. "It sounds far worse than what I went through as a guy." "It has its ups and downs," replied Jill. "When did it start for you?" asked Quinn. "I had just turned eleven," replied Jill. "I was almost eleven," replied Avery. "From what I've read, that's normal," replied Quinn. "Nothing about it was normal," joked Avery. "Seriously, if you do have to go through it, don't worry too much...nature will take its course...it's also pretty cool too to see your body mature." "Plus, all the girls in your class will be going through it too," added Avery. "Since you and Kristen are the same age, you will be able to bounce things off each other...plus you'll have us. You don't want to first in your class or last to go through it." "Why?" asked Quinn. "If you're first, you get all the attention from the boys. If you're last, you get unwanted attention from everyone," replied Jill. "As you know how boys are so fascinated with breasts." "Oh," replied Quinn. "I hadn't thought of that." "One advantage we have is that Ericka has a great spell to deal with acne...and another for cramps," said Jill. "Is it that bad?" asked Quinn. "Don't you remember calling me pizza face?" asked Avery. "Also, when I was in a bad mood? You'll soon understand... trust me." "Oh...yeah," replied Quinn sheepishly. "Sorry about the pizza face." "Don't worry. I just worry more about Dad...he'll be outnumbered now three-to-one," joked Avery. Quinn lowered her head. "I feel pretty guilty about that...I was supposed to be the one to carry on the family name," admitted Quinn softly. "Hey... don't get down on yourself for that," noted Avery. "This isn't the 1600's." Quinn smiled back. "Good thing too," she replied. "How soon after you started puberty did you know that you had powers?" Jill looked at Avery. "I start to change just as school started and was able to cast my first spell on the Winter Solstice," "Same here," replied Avery. "Well, I hope that if I stay this way, I'm like you," said Quinn. "What was the first spell you cast?" "How to heat up water," replied Avery. "Same," agreed Jill. "It's an awesome skill, and I love it when I'm taking a bath." "Did you break anything?" asked Avery. "I broke two mugs by heating the water too fast," admitted Jill. Avery held up three fingers. "Once you get that one down, there are plenty of cool ones Mom will teach you," stated Avery. "I can't wait," replied Quinn. "Quinn, how did it feel when you were growing up and seeing the women with powers...and you didn't?" asked Jill. "I'm asking so I can better understand my brothers." "I guess I was a little disappointed when Mom and Dad told me that I wouldn't have powers, but then Grandma explained as a male in the family, I had an important power... always to protect my sister and the other women in the family. She told me that just a few months before she died," explained Quinn. "Crap, now I'm crying," said Avery as she wiped away tears. Quinn wrapped her arms around her sister, and they were joined in a group hug by Jill. Chapter 56 The following day Quinn was up early and examined her body and didn't see any changes. She read at least five or six websites the previous night, so she knew what to expect. What was worrying her was the unknown. She was dealing with so many questions. Would they be able to create a reversal spell, and how safe would it be? Will they be able to make it before she started puberty? If not, would the identity spell work? She didn't even want to think about everything Jill and Avery talked to her about last night. They had spent another hour talking, and Quinn's eyes were opened to a world she had no idea existed. She never suspected that girls checked out each other in the shower to see whose bodies are changing and how. She was also aware of how much of a jerk she had been at times when growing up...the first time. There was a soft knock on the door. It was Aunt Ericka, and she wanted to know if they were up for a run. Avery shook her head and rolled back over. Quinn nodded and began to get dressed. It was just what she needed. Ericka was waiting for her when she got downstairs. "I figured you be up early to inspect yourself," said Ericka. "Really?" asked Quinn as she followed her to the backyard to stretch. "Yea, because I would have done the same thing," replied Ericka with a wink. As they stepped outside, Quinn realized that it was still early. The grass was still wet from the previous day's storm. Quinn loved the aroma as it smelled so fresh. "I'll be nice to you and keep the pace slow," stated Ericka. "Thanks," replied Quinn. As they ran, Quinn saw a rabbit effortless bound across the street and down between two houses. It made her smile. "We sometimes still get deer through here," stated Quinn. "There's not much wildlife around my home...although at night I've seen trash pandas and the occasional possum," she replied. "Oh, I have seen a fox or two on campus, usually early in the morning." "We get all of those too, along with other animals. It's amazing how they've adapted to living in our neighborhood," stated Quinn. Quinn smiled to herself that she was dealing with a similar situation and adapting to a new life. They ran a bit further. Ericka kept her promise and the pace manageable for Quinn. "So if you stay female, what do you think you want to do when you're older?" asked Ericka. "No idea...I'm more worried about the next few days," replied Quinn. "Why? It doesn't hurt to think about it?" asked Ericka. "Besides, it might take your mind off the things you can't control." Quinn thought about it as she ran. "I guess that makes sense," replied Quinn. "What will happen will happen," said Ericka. "If you return to being a male, you have new knowledge to shape your life." Quinn nodded. "And if you stay female, you know about being a male to help you," continued Ericka. "It's a win-win situation if you let it be...it can also be a lose-lose...if you take it that way." Quinn thought about it as she tried to keep up with her aunt. "One good thing...I'm already closer to Avery...than I had been," gasped Quinn. "Um, can we slow down...please?" Ericka smiled back. "Sure. That is good that you've become closer with your sister," replied Ericka. "When we get...get home can you call Boston?" asked Quinn. "Knowing Olivia and Annika, they will probably be an update waiting for us when we get home," replied Ericka. "I hope so...not knowing what is happening...is horrible," replied Quinn. They ran a few more blocks before turning around. Quinn was quiet most of the way back as she thought about what could happen. When they got home, they found Hanna in the kitchen talking on the phone. Hanna held up her finger and then hung up. "Well?" implored Quinn. "They're on their way back and should be here this afternoon," replied Hanna. Quinn's eyes opened wide. "Does that mean they have the reversal spell?" she asked excitedly. Hanna paused. "Olivia said that...it's complicated and that it would be best to talk in person," replied Hanna. Quinn stared back as if she was trying to understand what her mom had just told her. "What does that mean?" asked Quinn. "We'll find out when they get here. GSS has provided them with another cooperate jet to fly them back here, so it must be important," added Hanna. Quinn slumped down on a kitchen chair. "When will they get here?" asked Quinn. "This afternoon," replied Hanna. "I wish I could tell you more...I wish I knew more." Quinn nodded. "So what do we do until then?" asked Quinn. "We'll start with breakfast...but go up and take a bath," replied Hanna. Chapter 57 The day dragged for Quinn. She appreciated that everyone was trying to help her get through the day, but she kept wondering why Olivia was now so secretive. She tried to think of other things, but it was impossible. Was there something awful going to happen to her? Quinn ended up sitting out on the deck, watching the birds flitter on and off the bird feeders for a couple of hours. She then went out and sat under the giant oak tree in the backyard. Most of the day was a blur. She knew she ate lunch, but she had no idea what it was. Time seemed to slow down to the point where a second lasted a minute. As she was about to head upstairs, she saw a large black sedan pull into the driveway. She didn't recognize it and was surprised to see a man in a dark suit get out and then open the backdoor. Out stepped Annika and then Meg. A moment later, the man opened the door on the other side, and Olivia got out. "Mom...they're here!" shouted Quinn excitedly. Chapter 58 After the usual greetings, everyone gathered in the living room. Hanna had tried to call Peter, but he was not in an area with cell phone coverage. Olivia sat down across from Olivia. Hanna sat next to her right and Avery to her left. They each took one of Quinn's hands into theirs. Quinn noticed how tired Annika, Olivia, and Meg looked. "I just want to thank you all for trying to figure out what happened to me. I will always remember this," thanked Quinn. "It was our pleasure Quinn," replied Annika. "I feel the same way," added Meg. "Thank you, Quinn. Now, I have a lot to talk to you about. I know you must be anxious to hear what I have to say," explained Olivia. "While I know waiting has caused you grief, there are things I needed to explain in person. I owe you that to you, Quinn. The reason figuring this spell out has been so difficult is that there was another influence on what happened to." "Um, okay," replied Quinn nervously. "What is it?" Quinn wanted to ask if they would change her back, but she kept her mouth shut and would-be patient. She was anxious to know the answer and afraid to hear it simultaneously. "You are an exceptional person Quinn, and I am honored to have worked on your case. Now please bear with me. Do you know what a fylgja is?" asked Olivia. Quinn shook her head. She looked around the room, and the others also seemed clueless about what it was. "Okay, let me try to explain this to you. The ancient Norse believed that their physical body was their 'hamr' or shell. It was just one of four parts that made up their whole being. The 'hugr' could be best described as their essence...who they really were. Next came their 'hamingja,' which embodied their luck, and it could come or go from the person," explained Oliva. "So the thing you mentioned is the fourth part?" asked Quinn. "Very good. The fylgja is what can best be described as a supernatural guardian spirit. It was a separate being that dwelled in the body. A fygjur is supposed to attach herself to a person at birth and is often believed to follow a family line through generations. They can appear in two forms. The first is an animal form, which can be described as an extension of an aspect or characteristic of a particular family. The other form is that of a woman and represents an ancestral woman. The Norse believed very strongly in them and were comfortable in that the flygja were always female," explained Olivia. "This concept was later transformed by other cultures into what could be described as familiar. But to the Norse, it was an essential part of their being." "I've heard of familiars...but not like you just described," replied Quinn. "Sounds more like a guardian angel." "That's sort of way to think of them. Now, I'm not here to say that they exist or don't exist as the Norse described them or any other form. I am a scientist...an investigator; this concept is beyond what I can study and detect...I don't think anyone can. I think people throughout the ages have tried to explain things beyond their capacity of thought... the best they can...including myself. I truly believe in a higher power...but I will leave it up to clergy and philosophers to decide what is what. I am also open-minded and have talked to the experts in these kinds of things and have concluded that it may explain part of why you have reacted so strangely to the two spells. Your birthday is just part of this," explained Olivia. "So, do I still have to get a tattoo?" asked Quinn. Olivia nodded. "Yes, that would be wise. Your reaction to spells is an exceptionally rare but well-known condition for a small percentage of people born on either solstice. The tattoo would protect you for the rest of your life. You are fortunate not to have been affected before this happened," she replied. "I have provided your mother with the name of an excellent tattoo artist here in Madison." "Thanks," replied Quinn. "While we're sure that the reaction to the goat transformation spell was due to your condition," continued Olivia. "If the local board had done their job correctly, they would have identified this. That is a different problem...one that will be resolved." "Hanna, don't blame yourself for not realizing that this was the cause for Quinn's first transformation. I'm a doctor, and I hadn't heard of it either," added Annika. Hanna looked at Quinn and then her sister. "Thank you," replied Hanna. "Now, we believe that the reason Quinn became female from the last spell... was to save your life," replied Olivia. Chapter 59 "What do you mean by that?" demanded Quinn with a look of concern on her face. "The spell that you inhaled did not...and could not have changed you into a young girl. It couldn't even give you enlarged breasts. The corrupted ingredients turned the spell the girls were making into a death spell. If you had stayed male after contact with the spell, you would have died probably within forty-eight hours, if not sooner," explained Annika. There was a deafening silence in the room as Olivia's news sunk in. "What! How is that possible?" challenged Hanna. Hanna slipped her arm around Quinn and drew her close. "The contaminated ingredients twisted the spell and turned it into a death spell. We discovered this late last night, or was it early this morning...I forget which. Anyway, one of my old research students discovered a similar spell used in ancient times. It's a brutal spell that only kills men... so that is why the girls were unaffected," declared Olivia. She stopped and took a sip of water. "Quinn, the spell that changed you is a ninety-five percent match to a known death spell. So that makes it a new spell, but just as lethal...maybe more. It actively sought out a victim, and you were the closest male," stated Olivia. "What?" exclaimed Quinn. "Quinn, the spell only affects men, and it immediately sought out a victim. There was no way you could have come in contact with it on your own. Our lab ran numerous tests, and with the way your house is built, there's no other answer," added Annika. "Let me be very clear; the girls were not at fault and should not feel guilty. The issue was the contaminated ingredients. When you came in contact with the spell by inhaling it, your body chemistry was immediately altered in an attempt to counter the poison. It is believed your fylgja did this to you to save you using the original purpose of the spell to change your genetic makeup to stop the death spell." "You can't be serious!" stated Hanna. "There has to be a more logical reason." "Hanna, we were contacted by an expert from Malmo who fully believes that Quinn's fylgja transformed her. I looked at the data she provided and found it very compelling. You know me, I look for scientific reasons for things...even in our powers," explained Annika. "There is no other explanation. Nothing in the spell could have changed Quinn's gender. We ran numerous tests. Also, none of the ingredients are used in any of the dozen or so known gender change spells," added Olivia. "Quinn, think about what happened the night this happened and how you felt," stated Annika. Quinn cocked her head. "The coughing?" asked Quinn. Olivia nodded. "Death spells are supposed to be stealthy. Your fylgja triggered this to try and counter the spell," replied Olivia. "What happened next?" "You mean the pain I felt just before I almost passed out...and how I felt it swept out through my body?" asked Quinn. "Exactly! Had your fylgja not intervened, you would have died in a day or two. The pain you felt was due to the death spell fighting back against the steps your flygja had taken. We suspect that's when she attempted to change your hormonal levels to ward off the spell," explained Olivia. "But the spell was too strong, and so your flygja made you more feminine," added Annika. "So is that why I grow breasts and didn't die?" asked Quinn with a slightly bemused look on her back Quinn had to smile about how absurd what she had just said must have sounded. "Initially, that is true, but it wasn't enough...the death spell was too strong, and it began to try and overcome the actions taken by your flygja. So to keep you from dying... you were transformed completely into a female," replied Annika. "This is crazy," declared Quinn in disbelief. "What you're saying is that I was changed into a little girl to save my life?" "As strange as it sounds, that is correct. I also want to point out that no one that night would have detected that you were going to die," explained Olivia. "If your fylgja had not intervened, you would have died when from what would seem to be natural causes. It's unlikely that anyone would have connected the failed spell to your death. No one here is to blame or could have known what was going to happen." Quinn was stunned in learning how close she had come to dying, and she clung tightly to her mother. "Thank you," said Hanna as she held Quinn close. "Olivia, you make it sound like the spell was intelligent...as if it was alive," stated Quinn. "Did it seek out someone else after I was changed?" "Some spells have what you could call a sense of intelligence to them. But it was not alive, and after your transformation, it faded away," explained Olivia. "Death spells have a limited range as they're an assassination weapon... and are used against a specific target." Quinn took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she absorbed this shocking knowledge, "There is no logical scientific reason...or magical reason for that matter to explain why you were transformed into a young girl Quinn. We analyzed what happened to you; we looked at the evidence and naturally assumed it was due to the spell. Instead, the initial change was to slow the poison that was building in your body. Death spells are designed to be slow and take hours until it kills. They are also designed to slip around protection spells. This allows the person who cast it to escape and makes people think that the death was natural. When the initial changes failed to stop the death spell...you were...changed into a female to save your life...I know this sounds wild...but it's the only explanation we can think of. A fylgja is supposed to support and protect those they feel are worthy and abandon those they feel are unworthy or bring disrespect to the family. Apparently, you were deemed worthy of saving. Your flygja did what she could to save you," explained Olivia. Quinn looked at Annika. "So why didn't she stop me from turning into a goat?" asked Quinn. "That spell wasn't deadly, and since a fylgja protects family lines...she must have known your family had powers and would change you back. It also may have allowed you to be transformed to give you something to overcome in your life," explained Annika. "So I was allowed to be turned into a goat...a female goat...to...build character?" Quinn asked with a stunned look on her face. "According to the experts we talked to... the answer is yes," replied Olivia. "Remember the ancient Norse held personal honor and bravery above all...in both men and women. There are no battles to fight in modern-day Wisconsin to test you... so your fylgja had to use what contemporary times give her. I imagine you also have had moments playing hockey that could fit into this." "Like when I won the wager so Kristen can play hockey?" asked Quinn. "Exactly," replied Olivia. "And by becoming a female goat was just part of the spell?" asked Quinn. "Again, it looks that way. A fylgja is supposed to be an ancient being who follow family lines for generations. Maybe she allowed you to be changed to see how you reacted. Think about it. You did not seek revenge or hold a grudge against your sister and cousins. You forgave and moved on with your life and even found humor in it. From things you and others have told me, you have always been honorable...and thus worthy of protection," replied Olivia. "Aunt Annika, do you think is what has happened?" asked Quinn. "I do now, Quinn, and so do many others who have looked at your case," she admitted. "And my age...or lack of it?" asked Quinn. "It appears that you were made younger to allow you to become an adult woman naturally as a way of lessening the trauma of having your gender changed," replied Olivia. "Imagine suddenly being an eighteen-year-old high school girl. No, this was done on purpose to help you adjust...physically and mentally...there is no other explanation. You were changed to allow you time to adjust to your new gender." "And this was caused by a...what was that word again?" asked Quinn. "Fylgja," replied Annika. "Why didn't my ... fylgja turn me back?" asked Quinn. "We have no idea," replied Olivia. "Maybe she thought you would accomplish great things as a woman. Or maybe she lacks the power to do it herself...she used the spell to initially change you and save your life. Maybe that was enough for her. We're talking about the supernatural, and we cannot be sure that they think the same way we do. In the sagas, the heroes were the ones who could overcome great challenges. Maybe she saw this as a test for you. I also suspect that she is still looking after you and rewarding you. The investigation to find the man who contaminated the spell happened very quickly. You were awarded a huge settlement from GSS...without negotiation, which is extremely rare. You then immediately offered to share it with your sister and cousins... your eyes turned a deep beautiful blue. This could be a sign that your fylgja was pleased with you. I have to admit that I'm excited to know that something I always thought was a myth is real. I also must admit that I have to look at the world differently now...knowing I may have a fylgja myself." Quinn stared back, trying to absorb everything she had just been told. She looked around at the others, and they seemed as shocked and amazed by what they had just heard. Quinn wondered if they thought if they had a fylgja too. "You know... I seem to remember that our Grandma believed in them and when we were little, and she used to tell us stories how during times of trouble she would in dreams see a woman dressed all in white ...or our as our clan animal...who would make things better," remembered Hanna. "We always thought she was just telling us a good story." "You're right, and I remember those stories too. Do you think they were true?" asked Ericka. Before anyone could answer, Quinn looked at her Aunt with a look of shock. "Wait...Aunt Annika, did you say a woman in white?" asked Quinn excitedly. "Yes, it was said that the flygja would sometimes appear in dreams or visions as a woman dressed in white or as an animal...a fox if I remember right," replied Annika. Quinn froze and had a look of wonder on her face. "Quinn, what's wrong?" asked Avery. "No way! I...I dreamed about... a woman dressed all in white the night that night I was first changed," explained Quinn excitedly. "I had many strange dreams that night...and also in some dreams since then...but I remember the woman. I also dreamt about her after I took the other spell. I also dreamed of a fox." An eerie silence filled the room. "Are you sure?" asked Olivia seriously. Quinn nodded. "I had some very detailed dreams that night...I guess with waking up as a young girl, I forget to mention it," replied Quinn. Avery looked around the room and smiled. "This is incredible," Avery stated. Quinn looked at her and nodded. "Olivia, are you positive about the death spell?" asked Hanna. "Very. It is doubtful that anyone would have suspected it either. Death spells are designed to be hard to detect. If we hadn't spent all that time looking for a reversal spell, I doubt we would have found it either. Quinn's death would be found to be caused by a previously undetected heart problem. The reason we didn't find it earlier was that the computer simulations for the spell were based on her current gender. The lab tech who entered the data made a mistake. It was by pure luck Meg caught the mistake," replied Olivia. "We then looked at the initial spell from a different view; with Quinn being male, the puzzle came together. All in all, I forget how many tests we had the computer run." "Hundreds," answered Meg. "And you did these on the last day?" asked Ericka. "Thanks, amazing. I would love to see your lab someday." "Not just us. GSS and our main facility in Malmo came up with the identical results," replied Olivia. "Meg was extremely helpful...I think she would be an excellent investigator in the future. Ericka hugged her daughter. "I also appreciated Annika's medical expertise. We will have to add a medical doctor to our team full-time," continued Olivia. "Not me, but please feel free to contact me on any interesting cases," replied Annika with a smile. "I did learn a lot working with you, Olivia. "Oh Quinn, because the death spell is new...it has been named after you," stated Meg with a grin. "Sure...why not," replied Quinn with a grin. "Thanks, Meg, for all you did." Meg got up and hugged Quinn. "Hopefully, no one will ever cast it again," stated Hanna. Quinn looked at her mom and nodded. She then turned towards Olivia. "This is all so amazing...thank you all for what you have learned...and taught me, but what does this all mean in terms of me? Can I be changed back to who I was?" "Brace yourself, Quinn. Because the spell didn't cause your transformation, there is no reversal spell. I'm so sorry," stated Olivia. "So what you're telling me is that there's no way I can't be changed back into who I was before all this started?" asked Quinn. "That's correct. I'm sorry, Quinn... but even magic has its limits," clarified Olivia. Quinn stared back, absorbing what she had just told him. Her old life was over. She immediately hugged her mom again and began to cry. She cried for the loss of her old existence. Olivia let this information sink in before continuing. After a while, Quinn sat up and used a tissue to wipe away her tears. "Okay, I'm ready...tell me the rest," stated Quinn. "Now there are some options, and we can turn you into a male...but not who you were before. You would be the boy version of who you are right now. To make you a teenager again is extremely difficult as aging spells have to precise. You could end up fifteen or fifty. That is why they are prohibited unless special permission is granted," stated Olivia. We do have a special authorization if you wish to risk it." Quinn let out a sigh. "While I have been preparing myself for this news.. it still hits hard as it means that the old me is...dead," stated Quinn softly. "So if I chose to be turned into a male...would I be...the way I was before all this started...I mean the way I was when I was originally eleven? I'm sorry...this is difficult to grasp." Olivia looked at the others before turning to Quinn. "You're doing great, Quinn. Now to answer your question, the answer is not exactly. I hate to be vague, but you would still be Quinn Lindburg...but as so much goes into a person and who they become...and how they became that person...you would not be the Quinn you once were. Instead of being born eighteen years ago, you will be Quinn Lindburg born eleven years ago. Same parents and lineage...but different influences. Of course, we would use the identity spell to help you adjust," explained Olivia. "Does that make sense, Quinn?" Quinn stared down at the ground as she absorbed what she had just been told. "I think so," replied Quinn softly. "Don't blame your fylgja either, Quinn. She did what she could to save your life. I had had to deal with similar decisions when I worked in the ER. In a life-or-death situation, you do what to can to save the patient, and then hopefully, they can adjust to the changes and challenges," counseled Annika. Quinn looked up and began to wipe away tears from her eyes. Avery quickly handed her some tissues. When Quinn looked at her to thank her, she could see she was crying too. She then looked around the room to see that everyone was dealing with their emotions. It struck Quinn that the others were dealing with the same sense of loss as she was. "So my choices are to be the girl I am now or become a boy...who will be me...but not quite me?" she asked as she blew her nose. "And I can either remember or forget everything?" Olivia nodded. "And do you really feel the aging spell is too risky?" asked Quinn. "If it were me...I wouldn't risk it," replied Olivia. "Even under the best conditions, it is a difficult spell to cast, and rarely does it work as accurately as hoped." He looked at his Mom and his aunts, and they all nodded in agreement. "Please don't risk it, Quinn," begged Avery, crying again. "I don't want to lose you." "Thanks, Avery," replied Quinn as they hugged. Quinn looked around at the others and then stood up. "I need to be alone right now...I have a lot to think about. Is that okay?" asked Quinn. Hanna stood up and hugged her. "Of course, Quinn, take your time," replied Hanna. Chapter 60 Quinn went outside and sat under the large white oak tree in the back corner of their backyard. It was one of her favorite spots in their yard, and she was so grateful that those who build the homes had left many of the big trees standing. Her father estimated it was well over a hundred and fifty years old. After seeing the Lord of the Rings movies as a kid...the first time, Quinn pretended the tree was an Ent, one of the shepherds of the forests, and had called it Treebeard. It was a name that caught on with the rest of her family. Growing up, Quinn still felt the tree was unique and always felt safe when near it. Quin looked up at the branches and remembered how she loved to climb the tree...when she was a boy. The view was terrific, she remembered, she debated trying to climb it, but she also realized she wasn't quite tall enough to try it now. So she sat down and leaned her back up against the trunk. She wondered if this was another challenge by her fylgja to see how she handled this huge decision. As she looked up at the tree branches, she knew that there was no point in prolonging her decision. It was time to look at the facts, decide and get on with her life. And it wasn't just one decision; she had to make several decisions: her age, memories, and gender. I'm really eleven again, she thought, and I'm going to be in sixth grade at the end of summer vacation; college would be years away now. Going to sea was gone for the foreseeable future. She wasn't pleased about this, but the risk of being ten or twenty years older was even more frightening. She also didn't want to be any younger. She realized that her high school education would be an asset as a kid...and a significant disadvantage as a thirty-year-old or even older. There was also the chance she would be older, even older than her parents, and that was too weird even to contemplate. No, she would stay her current age. The next decision was her memories. Of course, she could always do the complete identity spell and not remember her past...but she wanted to remember...she owed that to the teenage boy she had once been. Thinking this, she starts crying again. The male she had been was dead, and she cried for his loss. It was very freeing for her, helping her make peace with what had happened. She then began to think about all the great things she had experienced as a male and use them in her new life. There was no way she wanted to lose these memories. She would ask the others, but even if she were the only one who remembered her old being, she would do it. She owed that too to the original Quinn. Okay, two decisions down, and now there was the last one. Quinn then thought about her gender. She had to admit that being a girl wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. While it was true that she was uneasy about all the changes her body was about to undergo, there also something exciting about it. Maybe voyages of discovery don't have to be about physical journeys from one place to another, she thought. The easy route to take would become a boy again. She already had done it once. But she also knew what type of person she was now...and that she liked who she was... and who knows what she would be like if she became a boy again. Olivia said she wouldn't be quite the same. Also, if she had to go through all those grades again...it would be somewhat boring to do it as a boy again. Her past knowledge would allow her to socialize and adjust to her life as a female. As she thought about her future, she dozed off under the broad branches that provided comforting shade. When she woke up, she felt refreshed and assured in her choice. Maybe it was just because they talked about it, but when she was asleep, she had a dream and saw the woman in white smiling back at her. Was it a suggestion from the earlier conversation? She decided to embrace the idea that it was her fylgja. Okay, she thought, this would be another challenge for her to overcome. She was confident with her decision. She had always wanted to take an epic voyage like her Norse ancestors...well, here it was right in front of her... the journey of life. Quinn then got up and headed into the house. As expected, she found everyone hanging out in the kitchen, awaiting her decisions. Chapter 61 Once everyone was seated, Quinn looked around the table. Hanna set her cell phone on the table so Peter could be in the conversation. "Mom has updated me on everything. I wish I could be there in person, Quinn," explained Peter "I understand. I'm just happy you're here on the phone, Dad," stated Quinn. "I only wish I could be there in person. I've pulled over so I can give you full attention," he replied. "I just want to add that I will also support your decisions." "Thanks, Dad," replied Quinn. "Anytime you're ready, Dear," stated Hanna. "Okay...here it goes...I've been thinking about this ever since I was changed. Now that I know my options...I know what I want to do. I made up my mind. I'm staying as I am...I am now Quinn Olivia Lindburg, eleven years old, and I want to remember who I was," announced Quinn, her voice cracking slightly from emotions. Hanna took her hand into hers, and Avery leaned over and hugged her sister. "That's my daughter!" stated Peter "Go on, Quinn," comforted Hanna. "Thanks, Mom, Dad, and Avery, I know what this life will be like..., and it's not bad. I have no idea what I will be like if I am changed back into a male, and I may be the same or different. I sort of like the person I am right now, so that's why I'm staying female. I also want to remember...I owe that to the old me; hopefully, you'll also want to remember who I was too." Quinn tried to be stoic as she announced her decision, but she was soon sobbing out of relief as she hugged her family. When Quinn regained her composure, she excused herself from the others. "So now what?" asked Quinn as she came in from out of the bathroom after washing her face. "The identity spell is ready except for the last steps, which you'll do when you are ready," replied Olivia as she pointed to the kitchen island. "I don't want to do it until Dad is here," she announced. "I should be there by dinner Quinn," stated Peter from the phone. "Thanks, Dad," smiled Quinn. "Goodbye, Quinn, see you soon," said Peter. "Bye Dad," replied Quinn. "Thanks for everything." Chapter 62 With the phone call over, Quinn turned her attention to the kitchen island's marble counter and saw a collection of items gathered to cast the identity spell. She walked over and immediately looked at the glass vial that was holding a reddish-brown-colored liquid. There was a cool-looking pair of antique silver thongs next to the vial. The ends of the tongs looked like talons. Next to both was a bronze bowl with a handcrafted beeswax candle in it. The candle was familiar as Mom bought them from a local craftswoman and used them in her spells. Quinn had also seen his mom use the bowl to burn items used in spells. It had been passed down from her grandmother. There was also a yellow piece of parchment, a feather quill, a glass inkwell, and a beautiful antique china teacup. "All this is the identity spell?" asked Quinn. "Exactly," said Ericka. "Please tell me how it works?" she asked curiously. "The fluid is brought to a boil over the open flame of the candle. It is then added to a mug of warm milk. You drink it and then go to bed. When you awaken, you will Quinn Olivia Lindburg, born on the night of the summer solstice eleven years ago," explained Ericka. "What will change is the past. All existence of the old you will be gone...except in your memories. Only you and who you pick will remember who you were. You will undergo a few days of confusion as you adjust to your new memories. The good thing is that it takes less time to do so at your age. To the rest of the world, it will be as if you were born Quinn eleven years ago." "That brings us to an important step since you want to remember who you were and that you want others to remember who you were too, you have to write their names on this piece of charmed parchment. You can also have them write their full name. You then light the parchment with the candle as you are heating the vial. Just drop the parchment into the bowl. Everyone on that list will know who you were...but also know you as the remarkable young girl you are," added Olivia. "To the rest of the world, you will have always been a girl. Well, that's not exactly true. GSS's accountants will know... as they owe you compensation... a lot of compensation. And this won't clear the man who is responsible for your change." "So I'm the only one who had to drink the spell?" asked Quinn. "Exactly," replied Olivia. "What does it taste like?" asked Quinn as she examined the vial of liquid. "I hope better than it looks." "I've been told it is quite pleasant, sort of like spiced chai tea," replied Olivia. "That's good to hear. Oh, the cup is so beautiful," noted Quinn. The china teacup was white and had blue flowers on it. "It belonged to my mother," stated Hanna. "I figured there should be a part of her here tonight." Quinn smile back at her. "I like that. Thanks, Mom," she replied. There was a large jet-black feather next to the vial. "So we write our names with a real feather quill?" asked Quinn. "That's so cool." "Correct, the feather comes from a raven ...been in my family for over three hundred years...it's probably twice as old as that as it is charmed," stated Olivia proudly. "The raven feather is used due to its association to Odin, who used ravens as messengers. This is an ancient spell, Quinn, and have you stick to the exact directions. It also makes it more exciting and fun to use family heirlooms." Quinn began to laugh. "And what about the ink?" asked Quinn as she looked at the small antique inkwell. It was made of cut glass and had a silver lid. "What's the ink made of?" "A combination of many different items, including squid ink," replied Olivia. "Kraken?" asked Quinn hopefully. Olivia shook her head. "No, just your normal squid...at least that I what I have been told," she replied with a wink. Quinn picked up the parchment and examined it. It was eight inches long and only four inches wide. "Why is it yellow?" she asked. "It is dyed with saffron to signify the value of the names written on it," explained Olivia, who was pleased that Quinn was so curious about the spell. "So, do I have to sign it too?" asked Quinn. "Put your full female name at the top," replied Olivia. "By the way, I never thanked you for the honor of taking my name as your middle name." "I am the one who is honored," replied Quinn. "When do we sign?" "Anytime you want," replied Olivia. "I've never used a quill before," she said as she dipped it carefully in ink. She took her time and was surprised at how graceful and pretty her name looked in cursive. It was as if the quill was guiding her hand as she wrote. She then handed the quill to Avery. After all, had signed, they thought of a few more to add to the list, including Kari and Annika's husband. They also added Quinn's grandfather and the names of Peter's parents. It was decided it would be too complicated to explain it to Annika's sons. "I also don't want them worried that they might be changed into girls by their sister," explained Annika with a wink. "I kinda like the idea of them knowing...it would be nice to put a scare into them. They can such pests at a time," joked Jill. "I like the way you think, Jill," added Ericka. Annika gave them both a stern look of disapproval. "I worry about you sometimes, little sister," smiled Annika. "Someone has to the weird one in the family," quipped Ericka. "I'll let my Dad know what is going on," interjected Hanna. "And Dad already told his parents." Hanna and Peter held off telling about Quinn's condition until a decision could be made. Peter's parents were semi-retired and moved from Columbus, Ohio, to a small coastal town in Maine. Peter had been their only child, and they were delighted when he had married into a family with powers too. They were all honored to be included in the spell and very excited about meeting their new granddaughter. "Now, all we need is Dad's signature," said Quinn as she studied the signatures on the parchment. "Are you going to do it tonight?" asked Avery. "Might as well," answered Quinn. "My main regret is that Allison will never know the old me, and I can't say goodbye to her." "I wish I knew something to say that will make you feel better about this," said Hanna. "I suppose it would be too confusing to tell her...I mean, she wouldn't remember anyway," asked Quinn. "I wouldn't recommend that, Quinn. You never know how people react when they've been told about people like us. It is best just to let things be," replied Hanna. "Yeah, you're right, Mom," agreed Quinn. "So when will Dad be home?" "He said he'd be home just in time for dinner...and he always keeps his promises," replied Hanna. "I can't wait to see him," stated Quinn. "So what is for dinner?" asked Annika. "We're going to grill some chicken on the grill. Quinn, would you like to help Jill with the veggies and the ears of corn?" asked Ericka. "Sure," replied Quinn as she sat down at the kitchen table next to Jill. Chapter 63 Quinn froze in place when she looked out the living room window and saw her Dad's green Forester pull into the driveway. Up to this point, she was confident in her decision, but she saw her Dad walked towards the front door, she began to doubt. Would he accept her as his daughter, she wondered? The door opened, and Peter walked inside. It seemed like ages since she had seen him. Peter was a tall, handsome man, standing six feet three inches. He had short light brown hair and green eyes. His skin was deeply tanned from working outside and on the water. "Hello, everyone," greeted Peter as he scanned the room. His eyes locked onto Quinn, and he broke out into a big smile. Without a word, she ran towards him. As she did, he went down to one knee and held open his arms. When Quinn reached him, he wrapped his arms around her. "I've waited a long time to hug my youngest daughter," stated Peter. Quinn tried to speak but couldn't get a word out as she was overwhelmed with emotion and began to cry. "Thank you, Dad," she cried. Peter gently caressed the back of her head as she cried. "It's okay, Quinn," he comforted. She then gained her composure, and he released her. When she turned around, she saw that everyone else was wiping tears from their eyes too. Hanna came over, and she and Peter embraced and kissed. Chapter 64 Over dinner, Quinn explained her reasoning for her choice to stay a girl to her Dad. He listened intently as she laid out her decision. He felt a sense of pride in how Quinn had handled all of this. "So?" asked Quinn. "I think you're making a very logical decision, Quinn...all things considered," responded Peter as they ate. "Like your Mom...and everyone else here, I fully support your choice. All we want is for you to be happy." "Thanks, Dad," she replied. "Besides, I didn't want to risk not liking hockey. I'm joining a league this winter, or maybe I have already joined...this is weird." Peter looked at Hanna. "And you approve?" he asked. "No choice...besides, our daughter is a great player," replied Hanna as she leaned over and kissed him. "I would have supported any decision you made...but I'm glad you're going to stay, my sister," said Avery. "I've grown used to having you around R?kor." "R?kor? You're calling her shrimp?" asked Dad, holding back a laugh. "Hey, I'm enjoying being the taller sister," replied Avery with a smile. "Enjoy it while you can," Quinn replied before turning to Dad. "So you really do know Swedish." Dad winked knowingly back at Quinn, who smiled back. "Impressed?" he asked. "Very," replied Quinn. "My parents insisted I learn it," he replied. "It's not something that I use regularly, but I've been helping your sister when she needs it, and I can help you too." "Thanks, Dad," replied Quinn. "Well, I agree with you Avery, younger brothers are a pain...especially as they get older," joked Jill. "I wouldn't know...my younger sibling is a Maine coon," noted Meg. "Yes, and Max is a wonderful kitty and is a great younger brother," replied Ericka. "We're going to have so much fun, Quinn," continued Avery. "And I will look after you the way you have done for me." "I didn't do that anything special," replied Quinn with a casual shrug of her shoulders. "Not true! I know how you've looked out for me. I also know that you stopped that jerk, Marty, from bothering me last year at school...I know you didn't want me to know what you did... but I found out, and I was very grateful," stated Avery as she smiled at Quinn. "What happened? I don't remember you telling us this," interjected Hanna with a concerned tone to her voice. "A guy at school was harassing me...he asked me out, and I said no... and he didn't take it very well. I didn't want to make a big deal about it, but it was getting worse...he was starting to say things about me to other people," explained Avery as she began to get choked up. "Quinn, I don't know what you did, but he stopped bothering me." "So, what did you do?" asked Jill. "You didn't fight him, did you?" asked Meg. "Nope. Fighting gets you suspended, and then you can't play. No, I took a different approach. He was on the JV hockey team. Coach encourages us to teach the younger players, so I volunteered," explained Quinn. "And what exactly did you teach him?" asked Peter hiding a smile. "To keep your head up when going for the puck," she replied with a wink. "I put him on his...butt...three times...all hard ...but legal hits...well mostly legal. As I helped him up after the last time, I whispered the same rules apply outside the rink...especially when it comes to family and especially my sister. He got the point." Avery immediately hugged her sister. "Well played," exclaimed Ericka as she clapped her hands. Peter was beaming and nodded his approval at Quinn. "I wish I had known about this...but I do love the way you handled it," agreed Hanna. "I made a promise to always look after my sister...and I will always do my best to keep my promise," stated Quinn. "I'm making the same pledge to look after my sister," vowed Avery as she leaned over and hugged Quinn. "Thanks. Hey, I just thought that you can have my truck if you want it. I won't have any use for it," stated Quinn. "Thanks, but if the spell works like it's supposed to, it won't be there tomorrow. Maybe it will become my car," Avery replied hopefully. Chapter 65 After dinner, they sat together out on the deck. It was a warm, pleasant evening, and once again, the lightning bugs were out in full force. Olivia explained the next few days would be a bit disorienting, but once the new memories merged with the old, she would feel normal. "It's going be weird to have suddenly have a whole bunch of new memories," stated Quinn. "It will be easier for you since you're young. It can take weeks for anyone over twenty...that's why most don't want to remember their old lives," explained Olivia. Quinn turned and looked at her. "I'm sorry to all of you for having to deal with that," she apologized. Annika smiled. "You misunderstood. It will affect you the most...we will adjust quickly," Olivia explained. "The good thing is that you've been pretending to be a young girl, and therefore it will make it easier to adjust. Just relax and let it happen." "So I'll have the same birthday?" asked Quinn. "Exactly," replied Olivia. "How will I...um how do I put this...separate the memories. I mean... I don't want to blurt out something that I couldn't have experienced. Does that make sense?" asked Quinn. "It happens naturally. Don't try and overthink it," explained Olivia. "Okay," replied Quinn apprehensively. She smiled back at him. "You've already done well in convincing Kristen and her family that you are a girl. Your mind will take steps to protect you," added Ericka. "I hope so," replied Quinn. "It's never dull in our family," noted Peter as he leaned over and kissed Hanna. "And I wouldn't have it any other way," replied Hanna. Peter then got up and opened up another bottle of wine. "Who needs a refill?" he asked as he held up the bottle. Olivia held up her glass. "Olivia, I appreciate all you have done for our family," thanked Peter, and he filled her glass. "It was my pleasure. I will stick around a day or make sure the ID spell takes and then head back to Boston. The good thing is that GSS will fly me back in one of their corporate jets." "What was it like to fly in a private jet?" asked Quinn. "It was cool. It was something I could get used to," replied Meg, who then described the flight. As she talked, Peter motioned to Annika, and she nodded. He picked up her glass and refilled it. "I'll be heading home in a day, too," replied Annika. "I have to get back to work." "Speaking of work, starting tomorrow, you three start your lessons," stated Ericka as she nodded and pointed to her glass. "I am sticking around for another week to help my sister." Peter picked up Ericka's glass and refilled it. "I can't wait," beamed Avery. "What are we going to study first?" asked Jill. "Correct ingredient substitution," replied Ericka with a smile. "And testing ingredients for contaminations," added Hanna. "I will help you all to create a charm that you can use to test ingredients for spells." Peter refilled Hanna and his glass and sat down. Quinn was soon having trouble keeping her eyes open. Noticing this, Hanna smiled at her daughter. "You ready, Dear?" she asked pleasantly. Quinn looked around at everyone else and nodded. "Ericka, would you help me bring everything out?" asked Hanna. "Sure," replied Ericka. "Meg, please give me a hand." A short time later, they brought out the items to cast the spell. "It just hit me that this is the end of my life as a guy. Tomorrow no one other than us will know who I once was," stated Quinn. "Except that the memories of you will live on in your and our memories," added Hanna as she slipped her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "And you are still the amazing person you were when you were a young man...and we all know you will be a wonderful young woman," noted Peter as he leaned over and gave Quinn a gentle kiss. "We all miss who you were, but now we have you in our family...and we all love you," stated Avery. "And I'm going to love having you as my sister. We're going to have so much fun together." Quinn smiled back as she wiped tears away from her eyes. She looked around at the others and saw they were fully supportive of what was about to happen. It was a moment in her life that she would never forget. "Thank you. Okay, I'm ready now," declared Quinn. "What do I have to do?" Olivia motioned for Quinn to come up to the table. "Okay, Quinn, light the candle and then heat up the liquid in the vial. Then light the parchment and let it burn in the bowl," explained Olivia. "I'll tell you when to empty the vial into the mug of warm milk." Hanna was holding the cup and chanting the spell to heat the contents. Quinn lit the candle and began to heat the spell. "Okay, you can burn the parchment," instructed Olivia. Quinn again read down the names on the list and smiled, seeing her parents, sister, aunts, cousins, and Olivia's names on it...along with the others. "Thank you all again for signing this...it means the world to me," proclaimed Quinn as she held the vial over the fire. Quinn was surprised at how slow the parchment burned. It also produced a delightful aroma. The smoke began to curl around the vial and then up and around Quinn's hand. Her eyes opened wide in amazement as this happened. "Don't worry, Quinn, that's a great sign; it means the spell is working," explained Olivia. "I wonder what someone would think if they saw us right now," asked Peter. "Doesn't matter; they won't remember it come morning. Just like no one will remember Quinn pretending to be our niece," replied Hanna. Quinn noticed the parchment was now entirely on fire. "Is the fluid boiling?" asked Olivia. "Yes," replied Quinn as she examined it. "Okay, pour it into the cup," she ordered. Quinn carefully poured the boiling fluid into the milk. The added fluid began to swirl around in the milk on its own. In a few moments, the potion was infused in the milk. Holding the cup up to her nose, Quinn noticed how the milk now smelled like the kitchen when Mom was baking Christmas cookies. Quinn glanced over at Olivia, who nodded. "Skol," she said before drinking it. Quinn noticed that the flavor of the milk was pleasant and tasted like vanilla and cinnamon. "Well, I guess that's it," stated Quinn as she set the mug down. Chapter 66 When Quinn woke up the following day, she searched her memories and smiled as she realized the spell had worked. She quietly got out of bed, dressed, and quietly left the room, not wanting to wake up Avery. She was wearing a pair of blue shorts and a tank top from Key West with a leaping marlin print. Quinn suddenly remembered that her grandad had given it to her for her birthday. She bushed her hair back and used a scrunchie to keep it in place as a ponytail. It was a bit confusing at first, having new memories of things she had done growing up as a girl and her old memories of being a guy. She decided to focus on the now and let things happen. She went downstairs and was pleased to see her parents were up and that they were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and going through some old photos on the laptop. Her parents looked the same as they did when she went to bed the night before, as did the house. "Good morning," she greeted them nervously. "It looks like it worked." Hanna got up and hugged her, followed by Peter. "I slept well...I also don't feel that different," admitted Quinn. "Well, look at these," said Peter as he pointed at the laptop screen. Quinn recognized photos, they were of a summer trip to Chicago three years earlier, but when she looked more carefully, she saw herself as an eight-year-old girl. "Oh my god, this is amazing," she exclaimed as she looked at the photos. "I can even remember this one...when you took us to Wrigley Field." Quinn looked at herself in the photo and smiled. "Are these memories real?" asked Quinn. "As real as any memory is," replied Peter. "We have memories of when you were born...eleven years ago...and they seem real to me." "One of the ways that will help you adjust to your new life and identity is to look at things that will spark the new memories," explained Hanna. "This is amazing," stated Quinn as she looked at one photo after another that showed her as a young girl. "It's weird, and I can remember when these photos were taken." "That's a good sign, Quinn," stated Hanna. Quinn smiled as she looked at the photos. "This is so amazing," Quinn said. "Are you hungry?" asked Hanna. "Starving," replied Quinn as she continued to look at the photos. Well, as soon as the rest get up, we're going out for breakfast," said Hanna. "Okay, Mom, I'll see if the girls are up...and if they aren't, I'll wake them!" replied Quinn as she got up. "Thanks again, Mom and Dad. I couldn't do this without your support." Shen then hugged each of them and headed out of the kitchen. Chapter 67 As Quinn walked up the stairs, she noticed the framed family photos on the wall. The one that caught her attention was her parents and Avery who was around five. Quinn noticed how pregnant Mom was, and it hit her that Mom was pregnant with her. She stared at it for a minute before heading up to her room. Avery was up and dressed when Quinn arrived. They hugged each other, and Avery congratulated her on her newly established life. Quinn sat down on her bed and automatically picked up and hugged Rocket as she told Avery about the photos. "It so cool having memories now of you when Mom and Dad brought you home from the hospital," stated Avery. "I can remember when I first held you on my lap." "I was too young...only two...when it was reversed when they brought you home," replied Quinn. "Do you remember anything about San Diego?" asked Avery. Peter's last tour in the Navy was in San Diego. Both Quinn and Avery had been born there at Balboa Naval Hospital. "I have some very vague memories of San Diego. I remember we had a house that was near the beach. I would like to go back someday...when I'm older and see it...even though now I've never been there," replied Quinn shaking her head in disbelief. "I hope that made sense." "It did. And I want to go there too, I mean, I was born there in the Naval Hospital, and I only know what San Diego looks like from the photos Mom took," said Avery. I remember something about the hospital was near the zoo. Dad said that was where they adopted me," explained Quinn with a smile. "But now...I was born here in Madison." "Well, let's go see if Jill and Meg are up," suggested Avery. "Oh, and I'll braid your hair if you like." "Thanks, Avery." "You're welcome, R?kor," replied Avery. "You know, the name is sort of growing on me," replied Quinn as they headed to Quinn's bedroom. "At least you didn't name me anything related to me being a goat. I had sort of hoped that hadn't happened to me as a girl too." Quinn then looked around and took in all the furniture changes to the color of the walls. Jill and Meg were still dressing when Avery and Quinn came in. They both were excited about their new memories of Quinn. "We'll be ready in a bit," said Jill as she slipped off her nightie. Quinn glanced at Jill's naked body out of curiosity. Avery gave her a nudge in the ribs. "You won't have long to wait until you start changing," noted Avery. "Sorry for staring, Jill," apologized Quinn. "No worries, R?kor, I was curious when I was your age, too," replied Jill. "I'm looking forward to seeing the changes now," replied Quinn. "First, I want to get it started...and I'm also curious if I'm going to have powers." "I think you will," said Meg. "I hope you're right," replied Quinn as she looked around at her room. Yes, it was a girls' room, but it wasn't all pink and lace. The furniture was white and once been Avery's. Yes, a few stuffed animals were on the dresser, a few bears, a stuffed Bucky Badger, and a Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers' strange mascot. Quinn also noticed her hockey equipment in the corner and smiled. "Let me braid your hair, Quinn. We have time; I'll be finished before Jill picks out an outfit," explained Avery as she started to braid her sister's hair. "You can't rush style," replied Jill with a smile as she held up a top. "It's just breakfast," joked Avery. "So?" countered Jill. "Well, I think it's pretty cool having new memories of you, Quinn. Just before you came in, we were talking about when we were told you were born," smiled Meg. "We did the same thing," replied Avery. "That's so weird." "I wonder if that's part of the spell. I mean, I was mesmerized by the photo of Mom pregnant with me," added Quinn. "It is part of the spell. I was reading the chapter in my book about this spell, and it stated that the person would initially fixate on their beginning, and so will anyone else included in the spell. It's a great sign that the spell is working," explained Meg. "That's cool," replied Quinn. "There, all done," stated Avery. "Your hair is so smooth and easy to style. You are so lucky." "I'm also lucky to have a sister who likes to braid it," replied Quinn. "That would have been so weird to say a few weeks ago." "Yeah, and your hair back then wasn't long enough to do anything with," countered Avery. Quinn stood up and thanked Avery; she then walked over and looked in her closet. She was slightly shocked to see a line of skirts and school shirts on hangers on one side of the closet. On the other side was a variety of dresses, skirts, pants, and tops. "It's going to be so weird to go through sixth grade again," she exclaimed as she examined the uniforms. "Especially in a skirt." "I hope you get Mrs. Greene; she's a great teacher," said Avery. "Thanks, I do too...I had her the first time... and I just hope I'm in the same class as Kristen," replied Quinn. Much to her delight, she realized that Kristen was her best friend, and they were as close as sisters. They also played together on the same ice hockey team. There was a photo of them together in their uniforms on the dresser. Quinn began to press her memories and suddenly felt dizzy for a moment and had to steady herself. "You okay?" asked Avery with concern. "Yeah, I'm fine. Ohh, that's weird...I pushed my thoughts to think about my school and friends...I can start to picture the face and names of other students in my mind. But I think I pressed too quickly...it felt like brain freeze...I'm okay now," replied Quinn. "I guess this is what Olivia warned me about." "Sit down and take it easy; the spell will work better if you just let it happen...don't force the memories...let them come naturally," instructed Meg. "The first two or three days are the worse, but you may experience it when you meet someone you knew in your past." "How do you know that?" asked Quinn as she sat down. "As I said earlier...I've been studying," replied Meg proudly. Jill and Avery stared at her in disbelief. "Hey, I know I used to skim the texts...and cut corners... but I've learned my lesson," explained Meg with a smile. "Seeing the organization that Olivia runs has opened my eyes...I want to be a full-time sorceress and work at an office as Olivia runs. You wouldn't believe the cool stuff they do there." "Have you told your Moms yet?" asked Avery? "Yes, and they think it's cool," replied Meg. "Even Aunt Kari?" asked Jill. "Okay, she's a little apprehensive, but I think once she meets Olivia, she'll change her mind. Also, I think I can count on my other mom, aunts, and all of you to help," replied Meg. Kari also was from a family line with powers, but she was warier about using them... especially full-time. Her genealogy was mainly from Britain, and her ancestors had first emigrated to America in the 1600s. Her clan had fought the insanity of the witch trials in New England and had several had lost several family members along the way. Some in the clan believed that they shouldn't have tried to interfere. Because of this, women were taught to be extremely careful when casting spells. "Another thing that will work in my favor is that it also means I have to take AP sciences classes starting this fall. She'll like that and that I have a passion for something," replied Meg. "Which is fine with me as I like science classes...especially chemistry... as it's so similar to casting spells." "Meg...didn't you blow up your chemistry lab last year?" asked Quinn with a grin on her face. "That was an honest mistake...and I didn't exactly blow up the whole lab," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "From what I found on the internet, you blew out three windows and set off the sprinkler system, and the school had to be evacuated as they thought it was a bomb," interjected Jill. "At least they didn't name you in the article." "I wasn't blamed either...thankfully. They ruled it was an equipment failure...which it was...sort of. I don't want to get into details," replied Med sheepishly. "But that was the old me...when I saw what they do at Olivia's lab...I knew immediately what I want to do, and I saw that precision was important," "I bet your school will be glad to hear that," joked Avery. Meg rolled her eyes. "Be happy it wasn't biology...that would be more difficult to explain," added Jill. "Anyway... the main reason I want to do this is that I never want to see anyone else go through what Quinn did," stated Meg. "Thanks, I appreciate hearing that," replied Quinn. "Well... let's head down before Dad starts yelling for us," stated Avery. "I'm hungry." "So am I," replied Quinn. Chapter 68 Avery told Olivia and Hanna about Quinn's reaction to her new memories and what Meg had said on the ride to the restaurant. "She's right, Quinn, this is a potent spell, and you have to let things come on their own. The sensation you felt is very common, and as long as you are careful, there is nothing to fear," explained Olivia. "I'll be more careful," replied Quinn. She thought about all the differences she had noticed so far. Her beloved pickup truck was gone and in its regular parking spot was Avery's hand-me-down Crosstrek. Avery was ecstatic about having a car of her own. On the plus side, all Quinn's sports equipment had changed to fit her new size. Everything from her hockey equipment to her bike now fit her new body. Even her phone had changed. All her photos were changed, and so were her apps. The one thing that hadn't changed was that her phone's ringtone was still Warren Zevon's song "Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song)." The restaurant they went to for breakfast was one of Quinn's family's favorite restaurants. It served breakfast all day as it was the only meal they served, and as the owners stated, if you only served breakfast, it had to be good. Before the change, Quinn usually ordered a stack of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and breakfast potatoes, but today she ordered the short stack of blueberry pancakes and split a side of bacon with Avery. Peter looked over at Quinn after she placed her order. "Well, I guess I'm back to being the biggest eater in the family," noted Peter after they ordered. He had ordered his usual house-made corned beef hash and scrambled eggs, potatoes, and sausage. He also had a short stack of pancakes. Quinn smiled as she remembered when they had a contest on how many pancakes they could eat. "Dad, r?kors don't eat much," quipped Avery. Quinn blew the wrapper from her straw across the table at her. Peter looked at Hanna and grinned. "I see some things haven't changed," he noted with a laugh. "Speaking of that, Dad, can we still go fishing this summer?" asked Quinn hopefully. "I mean, what's a summer without walleyes?" Peter looked at his daughter and smiled back. "I think I can get the cabin before I have to go back to work," he replied with a grin. "What about it? Anyone else wants to join us?" Avery shook her head. "I'll pass, but I'll be happy to cook them when you get back...I found a new recipe for walleyes that I want to try," stated Avery. "I'm with our eldest daughter. Bring back as many as you catch...as long as you clean them. The only whole fish I want to see is in your photos," explained Hanna. "I don't want to deal with that here...again. I had to cast my anti-vermin spell to keep the raccoons out of the trashcans. And use another one for the smell." Peter shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it looks like it's just and you and I R?kor," stated Peter. "Olivia, when do you think she'll be okay to travel?" "She should be good to go after a week," replied Olivia. "I can't wait!" squealed Quinn joyfully. "I'll start planning the dinner...assuming you catch something," stated Avery. "We'll have more walleyes than you'll know what to do with," replied Quinn confidently. "Just as long as they are cleaned up there," added Hanna. "I'll even try to come back for a walleye feast," added Annika. "What about you, Olivia?" asked Quinn hopefully. "I mean, you're family now." "Thank you, but I'm going back to Sweden for the next couple of months. I will be here with you in spirit," replied Olivia. "So, are we still taking a family vacation this year?" asked Avery hopefully. Hanna looked at Peter and winked. "Well, that depends. How do you feel about spending Christmas down with Grandpa in the Keys?" she asked. Quinn and Avery looked at each other and began to beam with excitement. "That would be cool!" exclaimed Avery. "When will we go?" Quinn was too shocked and excited to speak. "Right after the winter solstice," replied Hanna. "Isn't that right, sisters?" Winter and summer solstices were important family celebrations for everyone in her family. "That's what I've planned," replied Annika. "I also ready have the deposit on the condos we're renting for the week," added Ericka with a grin. "You mean all of us? That's great!" exclaimed Meg. Meg and Jill hugged each other. "Have you told my brothers yet?" asked Jill? "I'm texting Dad that he can tell them now," replied Annika. "We were going to tell you all sooner, but things got complicated," added Hanna. "I'm just glad we're still going. I bet Grandpa will take us out in his boat and go fishing," exclaimed Quinn. "I can do that sort of trip. You can fish... and I can lay out and get a tan," replied Avery. "You can do that up at the cabin, too," countered Quinn. "Nope! Too many mosquitos up there, and I don't want to smell like bug repellent all the time," she replied. Avery referred to a cream that Hanna made that did a great job repealing all insects, but it had a strong aroma that initially smelled like burnt pine resin. The good thing was the scent went away quickly. "I don't mind the smell; besides, it's better than bug bites," stated Quinn. "You will someday...when you're older," joked Avery with a smile. "I hope not. Besides, if girls can play hockey, they can fish too," stated Quinn with pride. Chapter 69 Over the next few days, Quinn adjusted to her new memories and only had a few moments of being overwhelmed. It was also determined that she still suffered from the same reaction to spells that the tattoo was still needed. Quinn and the others also recalled that she had been accidentally turned into a goat in this life too. The tattoo was a circular Nordic symbol with runes intermixed with the design. The tattoo was placed on her back between her shoulder blades. The artist gave Quinn a copy of the design to see what it looked like. The artist was a woman named Sasha, who came from a Baltic clan. She also ran one of the best tattoo shops in the area. She was a short petite woman with dark reddish-brown hair with intricate tattoos covering her arms. The process she used was very different than a regular tattoo. Sasha carefully drew the design on Quinn's back with charmed ink and then used a spell to set it in place. After a few moments, it disappeared. She then used a crystal to test to see if the spell had been set correctly. "Very good," she stated. "It could be my best work, and the spell is fully activated. You are good to go." "I'd love to see it," replied Quinn as she looked over at Sasha. "I can do that," answered Sasha, who positioned a UV light over the tattoo and then took a photo with Quinn's phone. Quinn looked at the pic on her phone and beamed, "This is so beautiful. Thank you," stated Quinn. "I almost wish it was visible all the time." "You know, when you're older, I can do that, and doing this will not lower the power of the spell. "Really? I'd like that," replied Quinn. "I better wait until I'm at least in high school." "Works for me; teenage girls are my best customers," replied Sasha with a wink. Having the protective tattoo gave Quinn one less thing to worry about in her new life. If she developed powers, the last thing she wanted was to worry about being unexpectedly transformed by her spells. Seeing that Quinn had adjusted to the changes, Olivia left for Boston. It was a bittersweet moment as Olivia had become one of the family. "I'll never forget you, Olivia. Thank you for all you did for me," thanked Quinn as she hugged her goodbye. "I won't forget you either, Quinn. It was my honor to serve, and I must commend you in the way you have accepted your new life. I see a young woman with a great future ahead of her," replied Olivia. "Please stay in touch." "I will," replied Quinn. "Oh, I almost forgot. What about my eyes being so blue?" "Just a nice gift to remind you of your journey this summer by your fylgja," replied Olivia. Meg also had a long talk with Olivia, who promised to mentor her if she desired but promised to be very demanding when it came to her studies, both conventional and magical. Meg readily agreed. Ericka was pleased to see this as she was worried about Meg's lack of focus in her life. Now Ericka saw a young woman with a plan. She knew that Kari would come around to the idea once she saw the daughter's changes. Annika left the same day as Olivia, who had arranged for the GSS corporate jet to head to Minneapolis first. Jill would stay another month to work on her spells. Ericka and Hanna put together an intensive schedule for the girls to work on their skills. In addition to casting spells, the girls would be taught how to manage a garden. Quinn insisted that they use some of the GSS settlement to have a small greenhouse built so that Hanna and Avery could grow ingredients year-round. "Besides, if I get powers, I will benefit from it, too," added Quinn. Chapter 70 A few days later, Kristen and Quinn were riding their bikes around the neighborhood. Quinn was glad that one of the things involved in the spell was that she now had a bike that she could use. She missed not being able to ride. Even though, as a male, she could drive, she liked biking as it built up her legs for skating. They arrived back at Kristen's house and went inside to get a cold drink. They sat out on the deck and talked. "So you're really going fishing with your Dad?" asked Kristen. "Yep," replied Quinn as she took a sip of her drink. "And you really like fishing?" Quinn nodded. "It's a lot of fun," replied Quinn. "When are you going again?" asked Kristen. "Leaving Sunday and be back Friday," replied Quinn. "And where are you staying...in a tent?" asked Avery. "Nope. We have a family friend who has a cabin. It's small and a bit primitive. The bunks are built into the wall. There's a small kitchen too. My Dad isn't a bad cook, and I help." "Does the cabin have a bathroom?" "It has a small shower, and there's an outhouse." "Outhouse? Gross!" cringed Kristen. "I don't even like using the porta-potties at the fair." "It's not too bad. But you just have to use a flashlight at night," replied Quinn. "Nope! Are Avery and your Mom coming along?" Quinn shook her head. "They don't care for fishing or camping...but I don't mind as they are such great cooks, and they love cooking what we catch. If we catch enough, we're having a cookout when we get back," replied Quinn. "I know; my parents are looking forward to it," said Kristen. "I love walleye." "If we don't catch anything, we'll still have the cookout," replied Quinn. "But it will be burgers and dogs." "And you're not scared about being out in the woods?" asked Kristen. Quinn shook her head. "I've been up there before," replied Quinn. "Besides, I'll be with my Dad." "What about bears?" "I guess there are some around there. I'd love to see one...from a distance," replied Quinn. "It would be cool. The bigger problem is the raccoons, and we have to keep the cabin and area around it clean." "Well, I want pics if you do see a bear," said Kristen with a grin. Kristen then looked around as if to see if anyone was around. She then leaned in close to Quinn. "Have you started to change?" she whispered. Quinn shook her head. "Same here. But I check every morning," replied Kristen. Quinn laughed. "I do the same thing," admitted Quinn. "Avery laughs about it, but she said she did the same thing. My cousins agreed that they did it too." "It must be nice to have a sister. I mean, I like my brothers..., but it would be nice to have a sister too," said Kristen. "We're almost sisters," noted Quinn. Kristen smiled back. "Yeah, we are... aren't we!" replied Kristen. "I hope we get in the same class this fall." Quinn nodded. "It's exciting to know that we're starting to grow up...scary too," continued Kristen. "I feel the same way," said Quinn. "But my Mom says not to worry about things you can't control." "My Mom says the same thing. Still, I hope I break the family history and be tall like you are going to be," said Kristen. "I mean, your family could be a basketball team!" "Vikings were tall," replied Quinn proudly. "I can't wait to start growing tall so Avery can stop kidding me about being short. The good thing is Mom said I'm already taller than Avery was when she was my age." Kristen reached over and touched Quinn's braided ponytail. "You have the greatest hair.... it's so blonde that it's almost white...you look like one of the elves in Lord of the Rings...so beautiful," complimented Kristen. Quinn was becoming aware that she was attractive, and she wondered how she would feel once she had a sexual orientation again. She did have a hunch that she might be bisexual. "You're pretty too. I love the color of your hair," said Quinn. "Yeah, but it's a pain to style," replied Avery. "So, are you keeping your hair long?" "For now," replied Quinn. She then told her about what Sandy at the salon said. "Oh, I know Sandy; she's cut my hair before. She's cool," said Kristen. "Hey. I almost forgot. My parents are taking Chad and Mark to a Brewers game on Wednesday. I'm staying here, and Mom said I could invite you over for a sleepover." Quinn cocked her head. "Your parents will let you be alone?" Kristen shook her head. "No, they have a sitter for me... but she's cool." "I'll go ask my Mom now; come with me," replied Quinn. She wasn't worried about the lessons the girls were getting today as she heard they would be out in the garden. Chapter 71 Quinn arrived at Kristen's midafternoon. She still found it interesting that Chad and Mark were so friendly and protective towards her. The hockey event still happened in her new memories, but it was the previous summer. Also, Avery still had a mild crush on Chad, and Quinn suspected that Chad felt the same way about Avery. "We're so glad that you'll be staying the night with Kristen," said Mrs. Schmidt as she was busy trying to ensure that they had everything for their trip. "It will be fun," replied Quinn as she smiled at Kristen. Quinn had memories of other sleepovers, but she considered this to be her first real one. "As soon as the sitter is here, we'll be hitting the road," explained Mrs. Schmidt as she looked at her watch. "She should be here in the next twenty minutes." "Mom... relax; she's never late," declared Kristen. "'I know, but I want to make sure the boys are ready to go on time. Now, we won't be back home until late. Hopefully, the game doesn't go extra innings like last time. We'll text when we leave the stadium." "Okay, Mom," replied Kristen. "Come upstairs to my room Quinn." The two girls ran up the stairs and headed into Kristen's bedroom. "I'm so glad my parents bought me this bed," explained Kristen. "It's normally a twin, but it can be split into two singles. Usually, that means relatives are here." "I know, I'm rooming with Avery, and my cousins have my bedroom, but I don't mind. Maybe we can do a sleepover at my house after they leave," replied Quinn. "I'd like that," replied Kristen. "Girls...come on down!" yelled Mrs. Schmidt. "The sitter must be here," noted Avery. "Be right down, Mom!" Kristen and Quinn hurried downstairs, and as they walked into the kitchen, Quinn was shocked to see Allison talking to Mrs. Schmidt. It took all her strength to keep her self-composed. It was the first time she had seen Allison since the identity spell. Allison turned and smiled at them. She was still as beautiful as Quinn remembered. "Hi, Kristen. Hello Quinn, I haven't seen you in a while. Do you remember me?" asked Allison sweetly. Quinn felt a chill run up her spine as she tried to come up with an answer. For one terrifying moment, she thought Allison knew who she was and who she had been. "I play volleyball with your sister. You look so much like her," continued Allison before Quinn could reply. Quinn nodded and smiled back. "Oh yes, I remember you now. You're a great player," replied Quinn trying hard to act normal. "Thank you. Well, we're going to have fun tonight," stated Allison. "Thank you again, Allison, for doing this on short notice," thanked Mrs. Schmidt. "I don't mind; besides, I need the money now that I have a car," she replied. Quinn remembered that Allison didn't want a car until she went to college. So things have changed in her life too. "Okay, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call. I left all the instructions in the usual place on the fridge," explained Mrs. Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt and the boys came into the kitchen and greeted Quinn. "Well, looks like we're ready," announced Mrs. Schmidt. "Boys, head out to the car; you know Dad is anxious to hit the road." After the usual round of goodbyes, Allison and the girls sat down in the kitchen. "So now that we're alone, let me know what time you want me to order the pizzas," said Allison. "Okay," replied Kristen. "Allison, Quinn plays on the same hockey team as I do...but she's the star." Quinn knew from her new memories that she was the league's leading scorer the previous season. She also led her team in assists. She was pleased to know that she was still a good player and teammate. "Really?" replied Allison. "I'm not surprised. Avery said that your dad played in college too." "Yes, it's why I love playing hockey," replied Quinn. Allison paused and had a funny look on her face. "That's weird. There's something so familiar about the way you said that...I just can't place it," replied Allison as she stared at Quinn. "Probably something Avery said," suggested Quinn. There was still a connection between her and Allison, thought Quinn. She knew she would have to talk to someone about it. "That's true," replied Allison, who still looked slightly confused. Thankfully Kristen changed the subject. "So you're a senior this year; you must be so excited," said Avery. Allison smiled. "Very much so," she replied. "What are you doing after you graduate?" asked Kristen. "I've been accepted at Wisconsin," she replied. "But I'm waiting to hear from some other schools." "Which ones?' asked Quinn. This was surprising to Quinn as Allison was always dead set on going to Wisconsin for as long as she could remember. "There are two schools on the west coast in California. UC San Diego and UC Monterey, I want to be near the ocean," she replied. "It's weird, I've never been more than 300 miles from Madison, but I've developed a strong urge to be near the ocean." Quinn smiled to herself and wondered if all those talks she had with Allison when she was a guy about going to sea left an imprint on her. "That's cool," replied Avery. "What about you two?" asked Allison. "We'll both be in sixth grade, last year of uniforms!" stated Kristen happily. "Ugh, I can't believe they make you do that," stated Allison. "We have to wait until the principal thinks it's cold enough to allow the switch. I wish he'd wear a skirt just once in November," stated Kristen. "Or even the middle of October," added Quinn as she suddenly had memories of wearing a skirt on a cold, windy morning fall morning. "Not a bad idea," laughed Allison. "The only uniform I like right now is the one I wear when we play hockey," added Quinn. "Same here!" said Kristen. They then spent the next twenty minutes talking about their sports. "So...Allison...do you still have a boyfriend?" asked Kristen with a smile on her face. "Nosey aren't we!" replied Allison with a wink. "Yes, I do. His name is Kevin Martin, and he's the captain of the hockey team." The news hit Quinn hard as she heard that Kevin and Allison were dating. She stayed calm as she could and tried to rationalize this to herself. The Quinn she dated doesn't exist anymore. Besides, there is nothing wrong with Allison dating Kevin. Besides, Kevin is a great guy and was also a great friend. She thought about all these points, but still, it hurt. Thankfully, she was able to keep her composure. Chapter 72 The rest of the night passed without incident, and overall, Quinn had a great time. She also felt that there was still an emotional connection with Allison as the night progressed. Quinn was glad when she was home and could talk to someone about Allison. She immediately asked Aunt Ericka if she was free to talk. They went for a drive to the park to talk as they walked. Quinn told her about what had happened and her feelings. "I doubt you could have handled it any better, Quinn," stated Ericka. "For a split second, I thought she knew who I was," replied Quinn. "And then I learned she's dating one of my best friends. Of course, neither remembers me... or even knows that I used to be a guy, so it is silly for me to be upset." "It's not silly. So were you two close?" asked Ericka. "Allison and I were friends since first grade, and even though we only dated a few months before I changed...it was deep," she admitted. "She obviously felt the same way about you...maybe more. Strong emotional ties can last even after a spell, even one as powerful as the identity spell. She will never know what happened, but she will feel close to you," explained Ericka. "Well, the good thing is that I don't run in the same circles are she does now," stated Quinn. "Unless Mom needs a babysitter for me." Ericka smiled back. "I doubt your Mom would do that to you. But you should talk to her about this too. But you have to be prepared when you do run into her. Don't look at it as something bad either. Consider it something wonderful that you touched her so deeply...first with your friendship...that she feels a bond with you. Don't try to avoid it. You two can still be friends...granted on a different level," counseled Ericka. "Thanks...I'd like that," replied Quinn. "And what about your other friend?" asked Ericka. "Kevin and I were best friends from the first time we met, and that was in kindergarten. I guess if anyone is dating Allison, I'm glad it's him," replied Quinn. "But it still bugs you, right?" asked Ericka. Quinn nodded. "Good. If you weren't upset, then I would doubt you were still human," replied Ericka as she playfully nudged Quinn. "Look, you're going to have strange reactions when you come in contact with people you knew in your previous life. It will all depend on how strong the connection you had with them. Obviously someone you were romantic with would have a strong connection with you no matter what form you are in. She may never know why she feels close to you..but don't brush off." "Thanks, Aunt Ericka. I wasn't ready for what happened. It's been the only real glitch I've experienced since the spell was cast...other than memory downloads, and I haven't had one of those in days. Overall it hasn't been a bad change," explained Quinn. "That's good to hear. Anything else on your mind?" asked Ericka. "Nothing else," replied Quinn. Ericka cocked her head and stared at Quinn. "Bull!" she exclaimed. "What else?" Quinn smiled back. "Okay, you're right. I'm tired of waiting for my body to show some signs of change," Quinn confessed. "I'm beginning to think I won't change." "Quinn, you can't rush it. And trust me on this one...there will be times you'll wish it would slow down or even stop," explained Ericka. "My breasts jumped up a whole bra size in what seemed overnight. I was suddenly the girl in school getting the most attention...thankfully, that ended after a few weeks when some of the other girls caught up with me. But that is something you don't need to worry about right now." "I just remember that one night with large breasts how hard it was to find a comfortable position to sleep," replied Quinn. "That's because it happened in a blink. From the photos your mom took, I can understand your discomfort. I suspect you were at least a DD cup...maybe larger," explained Ericka. "Now, I have a question for you. Have you had any more dream visits from your fylgja?" Quinn shook her head. "I guess she's only going to make her presence when needed. I guess I should be happy then, as I've had enough excitement in my life this summer," replied Quinn. "So do you believe she's real?" asked Ericka. Quinn nodded. "Do you believe?" asked Quinn. "So do I," admitted Ericka. "There's so much out there that we don't yet understand or acknowledge. Look at our clan; why do we have powers when others don't? There is something different about us. I've seen people without powers follow a spell perfectly and produce nothing. So there is something about us. It's not anything to be afraid of or to be ashamed of either. Hopefully, we'll reach a time when we don't have to hide our gifts from society. Our existence doesn't dismiss other beliefs. I also like the idea of a being who had followed our family for generations looking out for my family and me." "So you think we all have one?" asked Quinn. Ericka nodded. "Thankfully, few of us will ever be put in peril like you...so we won't need such extreme assistance. From what I've been able to research, it's extremely rare for a fylgja to react as yours did," explained Ericka. "I believe your fylgja stepped in to protect you because the death spell wasn't supposed to have happened. And maybe because you have great things to accomplish." "Wow, that's pretty intense," replied Quinn. "I agree with your fylgja; I think you're going to accomplish great things too," continued Ericka. "Thanks. That's another reason I want to start puberty...I want to know if I have powers," stated Quinn. "I think you will," said Ericka confidently. "Both sides of your family have them...and both sides come from ancient and established clans. Plus, you're a solstice baby! That's always a good sign. Your grandmother was born on the winter solstice, and she had very strong powers." "Then why did she have to die in a car crash? Why didn't her fylgja save her?" asked Quinn. "Death is part of life. Maybe it was just her time. I've been thinking about her a lot lately. She did a wonderful job raising and training three daughters who are now passing on her knowledge to our own daughters," replied Ericka. "I guess you're right," replied Quinn. "I know that she would be very proud of you," added Ericka. "Thanks," replied Quinn. "Look, as for your changes, I don't blame you for being curious. I know you tested the crystal after the identity spell, and it still glowed...so you are growing up. As soon as you see physical changes, we can test to see if you have powers. I'm willing to bet you'll be casting your first spell before the winter solstice," stated Ericka confidently. "Thanks, Aunt Ericka," replied Quinn as she hugged her aunt. "I'm glad I can still talk to you when I need to." "You're welcome. I'm glad that I can still be the cool Aunt," added Ericka. "I also have some great spells to teach you...when you're ready." Chapter 73 Ericka decided to stick around a few extra days until after Quinn and Peter returned from the fishing trip. Kari was done with her classes and was coming up to join them. With the end of the summer's training, Ericka, Kari, and Meg would drive home together. Annika would also be coming down to pick up Jill and attend the walleye dinner. Quinn and her dad left early on Sunday morning. The SUV was fully packed for the week's adventure. The cabin they were using was located close to several great fishing areas and not that far from Lake Michigan. They would have plenty of options for fishing. The drive up to the cabin was several hours, and Peter wasn't rushing. Quinn didn't mind as it gave them time to talk. They also made a few stops to pick up a few supplies. "I have a friend who is going to take us out on his boat on Wednesday out on Lake Michigan. He said the fishing has been great this summer...we might even catch some salmon," explained Peter. "Cool," replied Quinn. "I've been looking forward to this trip since I was eighteen years older." Peter and Quinn began to laugh. "I know I've told you this before, but we're so proud of the way you've handled this. It would have been very easy to lash out at Avery and the others," stated Peter. "Yeah, I was pretty angry the first night...but it was more out of shock than anything else," she admitted. "It's weird, but Avery and I are now closer than we've ever been; the same goes for Meg and Jill." "I've noticed, and that is also a good thing," he replied. "I expect you'll be as close as your mom is with her sisters." "I hope so," replied Quinn. They made a stop for breakfast, and after a hearty meal, they were back on the road again. "Dad, I have something I need to tell you; I was going to apply for an NROTC scholarship before all this," admitted Quinn. "I wanted to go to sea and see the world as you did." "I'm not surprised, and I have no doubt you would have been accepted," he replied. "And your Mom and I would have fully supported your decision." "Thanks...the trouble is that I have no idea what I want to do now," admitted Quinn. Peter smiled. "That's so unusual for someone in the sixth grade. R?kor, one of the reasons I went into the Navy was that I had no idea what I wanted to do either. I also changed my undergrad major twice in the first six months at college before setting on a major that I loved...biology. Thankfully, the Navy just wanted me to graduate. It wasn't until I became friends with an oceanographer who was on deployment with us that I decided what I wanted to do when I left the Navy. I entered grad school as soon as I got out," he explained. "All we want is for you to find a path that inspires you. That is also a family tradition. I, for one, am looking forward to eating in your sister's restaurant someday in the future." "You know?" asked Quinn, shocked by what her dad just said. "How did you find out?" "She forgets to clear her browsing history, and we found the culinary colleges links...many of them. We both think it will be a great fit for her," explained Peter. "And no, we didn't search for it; we kept getting pop-up ads for various culinary schools. My recommendation for you is to enjoy growing up and have fun. You will have to make a career choice soon enough." "Thanks, Dad," she replied. "Anything else you want to talk about," he asked. Quinn looked out the window at the scenery; as she did, she thought about how to phrase her next question. A moment later, she decided just to ask. "Dad...are you upset that you no longer have a son?" she asked softly. "No. Honey, I'm just glad you are healthy. I now have two wonderful daughters," he replied. "Do I miss who you were...yes...but I also love you as you are now." "Thanks," she replied as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I will admit that I'm glad you didn't try the aging spell. The risks are too great," he stated. "I wonder why it's so unstable," she replied. "I remember my mother telling me that it was first used to advance the age of a royal heir who was only five. To protect their positions, a group of noblemen imprisoned a sorceress and forced her to create an aging spell or be executed. They wanted the heir to be eighteen. She knew they wanted this to have a weak figurehead that they could control. She also figured they would execute her anyway as they had no honor and cover up what she had done. So she made the spell random. They also didn't notice that she created a second spell. When she gave them the spell, they left a guard behind to kill her, but she could use the second spell to blind him, and she was able to escape. Anyway, the royal heir was given the spell and rapidly aged into his fifties...but with the mind of a child. Seeing what had happened, the rivals to the throne killed the noblemen and placed the heir in a monastery where he lived out the rest of his life," explained Dad. Quinn cocked her head in disbelief. "And you believe her?" she asked with a smirk on her face. "No, but it's a good story," he chuckled. "Your mom also said it's just an exact spell in terms of ingredients, and any deviation will throw it off. Not just in amounts or weights but freshness and potency. Even room temperature and humidity can change it. Even with our technology, it is a difficult spell to get right. In most cases getting within the same decade is considered a success." "Now, that sounds more logical, especially after everything Olivia told us. Dad, do you know what happens to people who do things like the man who caused this?" He nodded. "They will change what he did into crimes that fit society's laws," he replied. "There are several rituals involved with it, but I'll leave that to your Mom to explain." "Considering he almost got me killed...he got off lightly," stated Quinn. "On the plus side, the new death spell is named after me. How many kids in my class can claim that?" "I just hope you don't get the standard "what I did on my summer vacation" assignment," added Peter. "Your Mom and I would get a teacher's meeting for sure." They were soon laughing hysterically. "Well, I have been keeping a diary so I can be detailed. It started just a notebook to record questions and anything strange that happened, but I shifted into a journal," she admitted. "Good for you. I think that's a great idea," he replied. "And they diagnosed why I changed into goat...and I have a beautiful tattoo... that no one can see. It has been an epic summer," added Quinn. "Oh, and I learned that I have a fylgja...which is very cool." "Well, I'm glad my daughter still likes fishing with her Dad," he stated. "Plus, now you don't have to buy me a license for four more years," she added with a wink. "That too," he replied with a wink. Chapter 74 Quinn was shocked when she saw the cabin. The small wooden structure she had remembered was now more extensive and modern. Walking inside, she was pleased to see two bedrooms and a modern kitchen with a refrigerator. The main bedroom had a queen-sized bed, and the other had two single beds. Quinn had fond memories of the old cabin. However, any thoughts of missing it flew out of her mind when she saw that she would have a real bed to sleep in and that the cabin had a working shower and indoor toilet. It was so lovely that Avery might even come with them next time. Quinn would never admit it, but she hated going out into the dark to use the outhouse just as much as Avery did. There were solar panels to supplement the electricity. It also had a propane generator that could provide power for weeks for emergencies. Quinn also noticed that the cabin also had a covered wrap-around porch. The front of the cabin now faced the lake. There was also a dock. The only thing leftover from the original cabin had a stone fireplace and chimney. And even better, the old outhouse was gone. "This is awesome! When did this all happen?" she asked. "The last time we were up here, this was a small log cabin." "The owner tore down the old one last year and did a full renovation. He rents it out now for much of the year and makes a ton of money doing so. As we're old friends, he lets me have it for free," replied Peter. "There's also a shed out back that has a small boat that we can use." "It's so nice," replied Quinn. "I'm glad to see the outhouse is gone." "Yeah, I hated that thing too... I always had to check for spiders," he admitted. "You did that too?" asked Quinn. Peter nodded. "He's also going to bring out an ice fishing cabin," added Peter. "However that is a sport I've never found all the exciting." They spent the first day at the cabin getting settled. By the time they finished, it was too late to go out fishing. So they relaxed and grilled some burgers and enjoyed the tranquility. They went out the next day and were quite successful, and they were able to keep seven walleyes between them. They had to release several due to size limits. Peter joked that it wouldn't look good for him to be caught violating state fishing rules. Quinn did get a little frustrated as it was now much more challenging for her to reel in a big fish. Peter had to help her whenever she hooked a huge walleye. Still, she had a lot of fun. She didn't even mind helping Dad clean the fish. As they fished, they about a variety of topics. Quinn asked if they could get a dog. Quinn pointed out that since she was eleven...again, she was old enough to take care of it. Peter said they could discuss it with the whole family when they got home. The next day Quinn woke up to the smell of her Dad brewing some coffee. Even though she now hated the taste of coffee, she still loved the aroma. As she got up, she felt something different, and when she ran her hands over her chest, she felt that her nipples felt different. She immediately lifted her t-shirt and saw that her nipples were slightly larger. She touched them to be sure and began to smile. They felt different. It had finally started! If there had been better cell phone reception, she would have texted Avery. She quickly changed and walked out of her room with a big smile on her face. "Good morning Dad," she greeted as she stood next to him. "Good morning to you. What are you so happy about?" asked Dad as he started to scramble some eggs. "Look!" she exclaimed as she stuck out her chest. He glanced at her and then shrugged his shoulders. "What?" he asked. Quinn sighed. "Take a closer look at me. Do you see anything different," she asked as she pointed down at her chest. He shook his head. "It has started!" she squealed as she hugged him. "I'm on my way to growing up...again!" "Congrats...now sit-down breakfast will be ready in a few minutes," he replied with a wink. "Yes, Dad," she sighed. "Today is going to be a great day." She was partially correct. The fishing was great, and they caught six fish by midday. Unfortunately, by early afternoon, the skies began to turn dark, and they just made it back to the cabin before it began to pour rain. "This storm is supposed to end late tonight, but after that, the weather looks good," reported Dad as he looked at his laptop. "Until then, we're stuck here." Another of the cabin's upgrades was improved internet. As it rained, Peter worked on a report he was doing for the university on climate change effects on recreational fishing. Quinn found a small stash of books and found one that interested her. It was about the wildlife of Wisconsin. It was first published in 1901, but it was still enjoyable. Chapter 75 The rest of the fishing expedition was a success, and they headed home with two coolers filled with cleaned fish for the upcoming cookout and then some. Most of the catch was walleyes, along with a few salmon. Quinn was exhausted but in a good way. She ended up sleeping part of the ride back. The trip had taught her an important lesson that she would have to adapt to her new body and size. She was also aware of her limitations too. On the boat trip on Lake Michigan, she hooked a huge salmon, and it almost pulled her out of the boat. Dad had to reel it in, but she felt she got an assist on it. In all, she hooked more fish than Dad, but he reeled in more. She joked that only the big fish wanted to get caught by her. Dad countered as they were in the mood for shrimp. She also couldn't wait to talk to her everyone about the changes. It was nice talking to Dad about it, but she couldn't wait to talk to some other females about it. She also wanted to let them know about all the fish they had caught. Quinn turned her phone back on and sent texts about her changes. Even with the cabin's improvements, she couldn't get a connection, so her phone had been off until the ride home. The reply came back quickly with congratulations. She also sent photos of some of the fish she caught to her friends and family. What was also on her mind was when it could be determined she would develop powers. They stopped at one of the many cheese shops that Wisconsin was famous for and picked up some supplies on the trip back home. "So now that you're becoming a young woman... I guess this was our last fishing trip," remarked Dad as they drove down the road. "No way! I can't wait until next year's trip. The cabin was so nice I bet Avery will even want to come with us," she replied. "I also can't wait until I'm bigger and don't need help reeling in my catches. I have several photos of my fish, and I'm sending them out to my friends. Before we left, I found many web pages of girls... and women who fish." Quinn wasn't just being polite to her Dad. She truly enjoyed fishing and was happy that it had merged into her new life, like hockey. Dad smiled back. "I'm pleased to hear that," he replied. "I also enjoyed spending time with my youngest daughter." "Thanks, Dad," she replied. "You have no idea how much I love hearing you say that." Hanna was waiting for them when they got home. She was standing in the driveway and pointing to the garage as they got out of the Forrester. "The fridge and freezer in the garage are ready for your catch," she explained as she greeted them from a distance. "Then it's right upstairs, and take a bath. Just put your things in the bag by the door, and I'll throw them immediately in the wash with the rest of your foul-smelling clothes." "We don't smell that bad, do we, Quinn?' asked Peter as he winked at Quinn. She smiled back. "I don't smell anything unusual," she replied. "Well, I do, and you two are nose-blind," countered Hanna with a grin. "I'll also cast a spell for the inside of your Subaru...it probably smells like fish too and will be attracting the neighbor's cats soon." "Some greeting. We bring home two coolers of fish...already filleted... and this is how we're treated," complained Peter with a smile. "And we're all grateful... and we'll be even more grateful after you shower and put on clean clothing," replied Hanna as she blew a kiss at him. "Well, I guess we have our orders," he said to Quinn. Chapter 76 Quinn had to admit that she did appreciate the long hot bath she took. She examined her body as she soaked. She felt her nipples and confirmed that they were enlarging. Soon she would have breasts, she thought. The idea intrigued her. She tried to remember what it felt like when she had those large breasts for one night. She had been too terrified to touch them; now, she wished she had. For the most part, she was used to her body. The one part of her body that still was mysterious was her vagina. Even though she knew it was silly, she felt nervous every time she touched it. She knew it was something that would pass with time, or at least she hoped it would. Maybe the feelings were residual from being male. She decided it was something to talk to Avery about. After drying off, she found that Mom had slipped a stack of clean clothes inside the bathroom door. She slipped on her panties, shorts, top, and sandals. She then brushed her hair back and pulled it into a ponytail with a scrunchie. She had to admit that it was cool having long hair. As a guy, the longest her hair had been was down to the shoulders, and that was in middle school. She kept her hair short after getting into league hockey. It was easier to take care of, especially in winter. Quinn looked at herself in the mirror and noticed her nipples did press out slightly from her top, and it truly pleased her. She came downstairs and greeted everyone. Aunt Kari gave her a big hug. "Ericka was right, and the photos don't do you justice Quinn. You're so pretty...I love your blue eyes," she commented. "Thanks, Aunt Kari," replied Quinn. "It's good to see you again." While Kari was several inches shorter than Ericka, she was just as athletic. She had shoulder-length dark auburn hair and green eyes. "While I know you wish you could have been who you were before... but being you couldn't change back...I think you made the right decision," continued Kari. "I do, too," agreed Quinn. Hanna stood up and whistled to get everyone's attention. "I've ordered pizzas for dinner as there will be plenty of cooking tomorrow with all the delicious fish that was brought home. There is also a large salad for you to enjoy. I do thank you for cleaning them before you brought them home. Avery and I have some wonderful recipes planned, and we will need all the help we can get. But tonight, let's welcome home the mighty fisherman and fisherwoman who brought home tomorrow's feast," announced Hanna. "Also, thanks for bathing!" added Avery. "I put your stuff in the washer....it was awful!" Quinn stuck her tongue out at her older sister. Quinn told them about the fishing trip and the new and improved cabin over dinner. As she showed them photos, even Avery admitted that she would go on the next trip. "I love the fact that I won't have to go out at night with a flashlight to that awful outhouse," stated Avery. "I was worried that something would come out of the woods at me...not to mention what was in the outhouse." "The beds are nice too," added Quinn. Chapter 77 As Jill and Meg would be going home on Sunday, the girls gathered in Quinn's room and talked late into the night. "Quinn, may I touch your chest," asked Jill. Quinn nodded. Jill gently placed her hand on Quinn's chest. "Yep, that's what it felt like," Jill stated. "I'm so happy for you." "Thanks. I have to confess that I was seriously worried a bit ...about being stuck as an eleven-year-old for the rest of my life," admitted Quinn. "Soon, you'll be dealing with body hair," added Meg as she applied a fresh coat of polish on Quinn's toenails. "I had lots before," replied Quinn as she watched Meg. "And with that comes shaving," continued Meg with a smile. "I shaved...before," replied Quinn. "Just your face. Now you'll have your legs and pits to look forward to shaving," stated Avery. "Also trimming the hair between your legs...you just can't let it grow wild as guys do," added Meg as she winked at Avery. Jill looked at her cousin with a shocked look on her face. "You do that?" asked Jill. Meg nodded. "It's nice," Meg replied. "I only keep a small amount of neatly trimmed hair." Jill shook her head. "Thankfully, I don't have to do that. Besides, I'd be afraid of cutting myself, and I'm not sure about waxing," admitted Jill. "Shave? Wax? I use a spell. It also works on the pits and legs," confessed Meg. "My Moms shared it with me. The spell keeps you hairless for months." "Ooh, I want that one," exclaimed Avery. "And why didn't you share this with us earlier?" "What Avery said!" agreed Jill. "Hey, I forgot with everything else that went down this summer; I just started using it this past year. Okay, I'll give it to you," replied Meg with a grin. "Oh, Quinn, when you do start your period, there's a great spell to ease the discomfort of it. Avery can teach you." "I don't know if I have powers yet," replied Quinn. "How will I know?" "Mom will test you, R?kor, this week," explained Avery. "We don't see any reason why you won't." "Thanks," replied Quinn. "So what else do I have to look forward to?" "Wow...where to start? First off, You're lucky to have an older sister to help you; we all to learn on our own," said Meg as she was putting polish on Quinn's nails. "Oh, do you like the color?" Quinn looked at her toes and saw that the nails were light green. "Cool," replied Quinn. "I love it!" "I thought you would...the color suits you," stated Meg. "See, my color choices aren't that bad." "So what else can I ?" asked Quinn. "Growth spurts...I bet you won't be a R?kor for long," stated Jill. "I sometimes felt I grew an inch overnight." "Yep, don't get too attached to clothes right now as you'll outgrow them quickly," added Avery. Meg and Jill nodded. "Okay, what's next?" asked Quinn. While she had read about all this, it was still cool to be taught by her sister and cousins. It then hit her that it made her feel grown- up...even though she was only eleven. "Acne, but we have a good spell for that," interjected Meg. "I can't wait to teach you how to do your makeup," said Avery. "Especially when you go out on your first date! I had to teach myself, and at times I looked awful." Quinn looked at her and smiled. "Thankfully, that won't be for a while," she replied. Avery looked around at the other girls, who all giggled. "I hate to burst your bubble, little sister, but I had my first real boyfriend when I was in sixth grade...three whole weeks! Granted, we had no idea what we were doing. But I did get my first kiss from him." "Oh," replied Quinn. "I thought I'd have more time to adjust." "There's no set timeline Quinn, just let nature guide you. You'll know when it's time and what is right for you," continued Avery. "She's right... don't overthink it," added Jill. "What if I still like girls?" asked Quinn. "So what?" asked Jill. "Just be yourself. I've had feelings for both girls and boys in my class." "Really?" asked Quinn. Jill winked back. "If that is what your preference is, we can talk," offered Jill. Quinn smiled back at her. "And if you are a lesbian, you know you can always talk to my Moms," added Meg. "Quinn, within our lineage, sexual preference hasn't been an issue for eons. None of us will care if you are straight, lesbian, or bi, just as long as you are happy," explained Avery. "Even you had decided to be trans; we would have supported you." Quinn nodded. "But what if I do like girls...how will others in school react?" asked Quinn. 'I remember that high school was rough on them." "There are several people in my class who are out in my class," said Avery. "I won't lie to you; it's not easy for them. Some accept them, and many don't. Jan, that poor girl who was transgendered, was mistreated. I only wish that my powers had been stronger then." "I remember the nasty things that people said about her," added Quinn. "Your real friends will accept you and support you. There will always be people who won't...and most of them will leave you alone. Some people will be jerks and will be hostile...but there are ways to take care of them," explained Jill. "If you are LGBTQ and come out, I will teach a spell or two that will help you put the haters back in their place." She then winked at Quinn. "Nothing too horrible...but enough to embarrass the real jerks. I used one when a gay friend of mine was getting abused by some of the idiots on the football team," Jill confessed. "What did you do?" asked Avery. Jill grinned back. "I found a spell that makes people clumsy...temporarily... and I slipped it into their water bottles on a day they were playing. It was hilarious to see them stumble about. They kept dropping the ball and missing tackles. Needless to say, they got their asses kicked. One of the worse abusers was the star quarterback, and he had an awful game. No one got hurt...other than their feelings. Oh, and the coach was furious and thought they had been drinking and punished them hard in practice the whole next week. They were more worried about staying on the team that they didn't have time to harass my friend," explained Jill. "There are others I can teach you." "I like it...and I have a few spells you can use too," stated Meg. "Me too," agreed Avery. As Quinn listened, she had a new respect for Jill, and the same applied to Meg and, of course, Avery. Quinn appreciated the creative ways they used their powers. "Pretty cool. So what else do I have to look forward to in...short term?" asked Quinn. "Good choice of words...R?kor. You get to have your big sister help you buy your first training bras and the real thing," replied Avery with a smile. Quinn stuck her tongue out at her sister. "Just so you know, girls in our clan tend to develop breasts quickly once puberty starts. If you're like us, you'll blow past the training bra quickly," commented Meg. Quinn looked at the other girls, who were all nodding in agreement. "Okay, I have a question. When I was a guy, I always thought all three of you looked great and have...if you don't mind me saying so...large breasts...why did you want to use a spell to make them bigger?" asked Quinn. The three girls looked at each other. "We were just curious what we'd we look like," replied Meg with a shrug. "I mean, it is tempting when you have the abilities that we do...to try new things out. Obviously, we had no idea what would happen. Does that make sense?" "It does," replied Quinn. "On the plus side, it did lead to your diagnosis regarding expose to spells," added Jill. Quinn nodded. "Speaking of that...can we see your tattoo?" asked Meg. "I have a U/V light so that we can see it." "Please," asked Avery. "Okay," she replied. "But one question Meg, why do you have a U/V light?" Meg cocked her head. "Doesn't everyone have one?" she replied with a grin. Quinn slipped off her top and turned her back towards the girls. "It's in between my shoulder blades," she stated. Meg turned on the light and moved it close to light up the area. "Oooh, that is so cool. I love the details in it," commented Meg. "It is beautiful," added Jill. "The runes are incredible." "Sasha, the woman who did it, said that she could re-ink it when I'm older so that it looks like a regular tattoo," explained Quinn. "Are you doing it?" asked Avery. Quinn nodded. "When I'm older...say eighteen," she replied with a smile. "I also want to get another tattoo, but I haven't decided where." "Any idea what you want?" asked Avery as she ran her fingers over the tattoo. "A small white goat," answered Quinn. "No way!" exclaimed Meg. "That's awesome." "I figure it will be a nice souvenir of a strange week," stated Quinn. The others nodded. Quinn put her top back on. "How will Mom determine if I have powers?" asked Quinn. "She's preparing a crystal charm that you'll wear. It starts clear, and when it turns pink, you'll know. And that is when Mom will start teaching you how to use your powers," replied Avery. "And as with puberty, you will learn to use and control your powers at your own pace. The same goes for your strength in using them," added Jill. "What do you mean by that?" asked Quinn. "Not everyone is the same. The good thing is that strong powers seem to run in our family. Meg is showing that she can cast some complicated spells. Maybe because both her Moms have powers," explained Jill. "Olivia is amazing, but she does it full time. Everyone she works with at her organization has powers, or if a male comes from a clan. So she doesn't have to hide her powers. I've seen her use a levitation spell to pass a laptop across the lab to Aunt Annika," stated Meg. "The people in her lab use their powers all the time as there is no reason to hide them." "That's cool. What about you and Mom?" asked Quinn as she looked at her sister. "Mom is really good even though she didn't like to show off. And because both Mom and Dad come from families with powers, I'm doing pretty good too, especially when it involves something I enjoy doing." "You mean in cooking?" asked Quinn. Avery nodded. "I have the fluid heating spell down to the point I know the exact temperature it is, which is very helpful in the kitchen. I also have a few others that I've learned," replied Avery. "Like what?' asked Quinn. "I found an ancient sword sharpening spell that works really well with kitchen knives. Mom liked it so much she had me teach it to her," replied Avery with pride. "Quinn, the key is to use your powers to be helpful and not for personal gain...so no using a spell to score a goal," joked Meg as she playfully nudged her in the ribs. "I don't need a spell to do that," replied Quinn proudly. "Besides, hockey is something I play for fun. The same applies to fishing. It would take the fun out of both to use spells. It would be cheating." "Good for you," said Jill. "We may joke around, but there's a lot of studies involved in developing your powers. It can be difficult and frustrating at first, but it's worth the effort," added Avery. "Mom will be tough on you... and so will I if you slack off. But I doubt you will." "Thanks, Avery," replied Quinn as she hugged her sister. "We'll also be on your case, too," added Jill. "Thanks, I won't let you all down," replied Quinn. "I have a question for you, Quinn. What were you going to do after high school?" asked Meg. "I mean when you a guy." Quinn told them. "You know, you can still do that if you want," stated Jill. "Women serve on ships these days." Quinn shrugged her shoulders. "I know, and I'm glad it's an option. But that idea seems like ages ago. I have no idea what I want to do. I'm just glad that I live in a time when there aren't as many career restrictions for women. I know it is still hard. I also shudder to think what I would have done if this had happened a hundred years ago," Quinn replied as she yawned. "Sorry." "Nothing to be sorry for," said Meg, who then yawned. "I think it's time for bed," announced Jill as she began to yawn. "Thanks, Quinn, now you have me doing it!" The girls did a group hug before saying good night. Chapter 78 Hanna gathered and addressed the family into the kitchen to discuss the dinner plans. "Okay, we have a lot to do and not a lot of time," announced Hanna. Quinn playfully nudged Avery. "She says this every time," whispered Quinn. Hanna cocked her head and stared at Quinn. "Don't think you're getting out of helping this time, R?kor," stated Hanna. "Now, Avery has printed out the menu and has everyone's tasks on it." Avery passed out the sheets. "You'll see your names next to your assignments," explained Avery. "Dad, you'll be making your famous beer cheese dip, and Quinn will be assisting you. She needs to learn how to make it." Peter and Quinn high-fived each other. "Peter, I've set your ingredients over on the far counter," continued Hanna. "Oh, I'm so happy you picked up some cheddar on the way back from your fishing trip." "Along with the pretzels," he added. Quinn looked over the ingredients for the dip, which included cheddar cheese, beer, salt, pepper, onion powder, and a dash of hot sauce. "Don't worry, R?kor, it's pretty easy to make," stated Peter. "Please, don't go overboard with the hot sauce," interjected Hanna. "You can leave a bottle of hot sauce out for people to spice up their own." Peter bowed towards her. "As you wish," he replied. Quinn found this odd as Mom usually liked it extra spicey. "Okay, next on the list is prepping the walleyes for the grill. That will be Mom and my job," stated Avery. "We'll be using garlic herb butter and wrapping them in foil. Easy for Dad to grill and clean up." "We'll also be making Grandma's tartar sauce," added Hanna. "What's a walleye grill without it," interjected Annika. "Exactly," replied Hanna. "Aunt Annika, you and Jill will be making the white and wild rice pilaf with dried cherries. I would have used lingonberries if it was just family, but I'm not sure the Schmidts would like it," continued Avery. "Speaking of the Schmidts, Jack is bringing the pilsners," stated Peter. "He can always be counted on to bring the best. He also said that he'd be bringing it over in coolers, so we don't have to worry about keeping them cold." "Good to hear as both fridges will be full," commented Hanna. "Next on the list is Aunt Kari, Aunt Ericka, and Meg; you get the salad and veggies. Mom picked up some fresh green beans from the farmer's market, and they'll have to be steamed. There are also Mom's fresh tomatoes to be sliced and flavored with basil...also from Mom's garden," continued Avery. "I was worried if I would have enough, so there are also some from the farmer's market," added Hanna. "The salad is a simple green salad with Aunt Kari's maple-mustard vinaigrette dressing," stated Avery. "We love your family's recipe, Aunt Kari." "Thank you, Avery," replied Kari. "And I will also be making some buttermilk biscuits which will be served with butter and honey," continued Avery. "Who put this wonderful menu together?" asked Kari. Hanna slipped her arm around Avery as she pointed at her daughter. "Well, it looks wonderful...my compliments to the chef," replied Kari. "Thank you," beamed Avery. "I just hope everything comes out okay." "Don't worry, Avery, everything will turn out great," stated Annika. "Thanks," replied Avery, who was blushing. "So, what do we have to drink?" asked Ericka. "Besides the pilsner, we'll have some unoaked chardonnay, lingonberry Saft with sparkling water, and of course some pop," added Hanna. Lingonberry Saft was a popular Swedish soft drink made from concentrated fruit syrup, diluted with plain or sparkling water. "I imagine the Schmidt boys will prefer pop," added Peter. "They don't know what they're missing. I can't wait to see how Kristen likes it," said Quinn. "Dessert will be oatmeal-molasses cookie ice cream sandwiches, which I made while you were up catching the main course," stated Avery with pride. "I didn't see any. Where did you hide them?" asked Quinn. "In the big freezer in a box labeled ground version...otherwise, you would have eaten them," winked Avery. "True," replied Quinn. "One last question, who is assisting me on the grill?" asked Peter. "Normally, it would be me, but I think it's R?kor's time to learn," replied Avery. "Okay, but please don't call me R?kor when the Schmidts are here," begged Quinn. "I don't want to be called that at school." "I'll do my best," grinned Avery. "I promise as R?kor is a family name. "Thanks," replied Quinn. "I will also require your assistance in setting up everyone out on the deck. We got lucky with the weather, and walleye is a meal best eaten outside," stated Hanna. "So, can anyone think of anything I missed?" asked Avery as she looked around the kitchen. No one said a thing until Quinn raised her hand. "What is it, Quinn?" asked Avery. "I just wish Olivia was here with us," replied Quinn. "So do I, Quinn," replied Avery. "Well, let's get started," announced Hanna. "Come with Quinn, and I'll teach you how to make my famous beer cheese dip," stated Peter. Chapter 79 Hanna was delighted with the way Avery had taken charge of the meal. It was apparent how much her daughter didn't just love cooking as Avery seemed to enjoy designing the menu and assigning the various tasks just as much. Hanna especially loved how Avery assigned parts of the menu so that the families worked together. Avery would be a great chef, thought Hanna. The activity in the kitchen reminded Hanna of growing up, and she smiled, knowing how her mother would be pleased seeing how everyone was pitching in. Hanna was particularly pleased to see Peter and Quinn making the beer cheese dip together. As with most family events, everything came together at the last minute. There was a mad panic to get everything ready on time. But as always, everything was ready just before the Schmidts arrived. Avery noted it was a family tradition. The meal such a total success. Avery was thrilled that everyone loved her menu. It was also the biggest meals she had ever organized. Up to this point, Avery had only organized family dinners. Hanna was pleased that there were no leftovers. She was amazed how much the Schmidt boys ate as they rivaled Quinn's appetite when she had been a teenaged boy. "Looks like we may have to make another trip up north and get some more walleye before the end of summer," noted Peter. "Let me know when you do. I would love to join you," stated Jack. "I know a great spot we can get to and back over a weekend." "Just as long as you clean them before bringing them home," interject Hanna. "Same applies to you too, Jack," added Linda. "The last time you went fishing, the raccoons had a field day with the garbage. I never knew we had so many of them in the neighborhood. Oh, and the container stunk for weeks." "Yes, Dear," replied Jack with a grin. "Oh, Hanna, I loved the salad dressing," stated Linda. "You should thank Kari, that's a recipe she gave us," replied Hanna. "I would be happy to send the recipe to you," replied Kari. "Thank you very much," replied Linda. During the meal, Jack allowed his boys to have a small taste of the beer. The girls were also allowed but didn't seem to be impressed with the flavor. "How can you drink this stuff?" asked Meg as she grabbed a can of Coke. Jill nodded in agreement. "Wine is better," added Jill. "It tastes great," said Mark. "I like it too," stated Chad. Avery looked over at him. "Well, I like it too," Avery said as she struggled to pretend she enjoyed it. Chad smile back at her. Quinn rolled her eyes and fought back from saying something. It was funny seeing her older sister having a crush on Chad. Avery had even sat with him during the meal. Quinn glanced over at Kristen, and they both began to giggle at the way their older siblings were acting. She was so happy to have a close friend like Kristen as it eased her apprehension about school. Overall, Quinn was settling in nicely with her new identity. For the most part, she was comfortable with her new memories and how nicely they merged with her old ones. The cookout was fun, and Quinn even enjoyed working in the kitchen. That was new as when she was a guy; cooking was just a means to an end. She suspected that her change in attitude towards cooking was mainly due to her sister. Her relationship with Avery was definitely one of the best things about the change, thought Quinn. Quinn also noticed that the boys lied about liking beer...just like she did when she first had it as a boy. "Meg, no one likes beer the first time the first few times they drink it...it's an acquired taste," noted Jack. "It's a miracle that brewers learned to like it; otherwise, we wouldn't have any today." "Why would they try it a second time?" replied Meg. Quinn looked at her Dad. He smiled back, poured a small amount of beer into a glass, and then handed it to her. After Quinn took a sip, she grimaced. Just as she suspected, she found the taste too bitter. Like coffee, it was a taste she'd have to grow up ...again...to appreciate. The ice cream sandwiches were a huge hit. Thankfully Avery made plenty of them and also stashed a few for later. Jill and Meg brought out coffee for the adults. Quinn also noticed earlier that her Mom was only drinking the Lingonberry Saft with sparkling water instead of beer or wine, and now that she also skipped coffee. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen her Mom drink wine or coffee since she returned from the fishing trip. Quinn wondered if her Mom was okay. Quinn got her answer as soon as the Schmidts left. Hanna and Peter stood up in front of the others. "We have a family announcement to make and would like our daughters to come to stand here with us," stated Peter. Avery and Quinn looked at each other with curiosity before standing up and joining their parents. Peter and Hanna slipped their arms around their daughters. "We meant to talk to you two about this first, but nature took over before we could," explained Hanna. "We're going to have an addition to the family. I'm pregnant!" Avery and Quinn immediately hugged Hanna as the others applauded. They then hugged their Dad. "When did you find out?" asked Avery excitedly. "The official tests came back this morning, but I suspected I was pregnant last week," replied Hanna. "Dad and I have been talking about this for a while... then summer became...rather interesting...and we ran out of time to talk to you two. We hope you're both okay with this." "Why wouldn't we be?" replied Quinn, who was beaming with joy. "I agreed with Quinn," squealed Avery excitedly. "As Mom said, we've been thinking about this for a while. It had nothing to do with you changing Quinn. Are you okay if we have a boy?" asked Peter. Quinn smiled back. "That would be great. I'm happy about having a little brother, I can teach him to play hockey, and the family name will be carried on," replied Quinn joyfully. "In fact, I'll do I'll do the same if it's a little sister." "And I can teach him to cook...like we should have done with Quinn," added Avery as she nudged her sister Quinn gave her sister a playful push. "Anyway, I bet it's going to be a boy," stated Quinn. Avery nodded in agreement. "Well, I think this calls for a toast," stated Ericka as she retrieved a tray with a bottle of champagne and flutes. "I'll spell your glass, Hanna." "Can I have some too?" asked Quinn hopefully. "Sure, I'll spell your glass too, R?kor," replied Ericka. "I also won't be the shortest in the family for much longer," countered Quinn. "You'll always be R?kor to us," joked Avery. Chapter 80 It was a beautiful early September day, still lovely and warm. Too nice a day for summer vacation to end and for school to start, thought Quinn as she reached for her backpack. "Wait, I need to get a photo," stated Hanna cheerfully. "Do you have to, Mom?" asked Quinn. "Yes, I do because you look so cute in your school uniform," replied Mom with a smile. "And it is your first day of school in the 6th grade." "I don't remember you taking my picture when I started sixth grade the first time," countered Quinn. "You didn't look this cute...humor me," replied Mom with a smile on her face. Quinn begrudgingly was wearing the mandatory navy blue skirt and red top for all girls at her school. The boys wore blue pants and a red polo shirt. For both, the red-colored shirt had the school's name on it and their school mascot, a hawk. She had worn shorts all summer and thought wearing the skirt was outdated. Quinn understood the uniform's reason; she just thought it unfair that girls had to wear skirts, especially when the weather turned cold. Her hair was styled in a new braid that Avery had discovered online. Additionally, her nails were colored a light blue. Around her neck was a Nordic charm of a fox, which was her clan and flygja animal. Quinn posed for the photos and then hugged her Mom. "Nervous?" Hanna asked her. "Nervous? No. Terrified is a better description," replied Quinn with a smile. "My first day of school as a sixth-grader as a girl...what's there to be worried about? There are so many kids that I only know through my spelled memories." Instead of starting my senior year, Captain of the hockey team, a great girlfriend, and then college, I'm heading to sixth grade wearing a skirt, she thought. Today was the first day in a long time. She felt a profound loss over who she had been. But there was no use in thinking about what might have been time to focus on the future. The journey was in front of her. And today would be uncharted waters. "You'll be fine," replied Hanna. "And you know that we can talk about it this evening." "I know, Mom. I'm so happy that I'm in the same class with Kristen and a few other kids from the neighborhood," she replied. "Speaking of Kristen, there she is." Hanna gave her a quick hug and then watched her grab her backpack and then leave out the front door. "So we're officially sixth graders now," exclaimed Kristen as they began the several-block walk to school. "And last year of these uniforms," added Quinn. "I know, and I can't wait," replied Kristen. "I just hope they don't wait long to make the switch like they did last year. They waited until after the first snow." Quinn nodded, and she found she could remember what Kristen was talking about. They had an early October snowstorm the previous year. It was only a couple of inches, but it got them out of skirts until spring. As they walked to school, Kristen turned to Quinn. "Can you believe Avery and Chad are dating?" asked Kristen. "Yeah, it's weird," replied Quinn. While she wasn't initially impressed with Chad, she now found that he was pretty nice, and she was happy for Avery. "They do seem to like each other," continued Kristen. "I know...well; he is pretty cool...for a goalie," replied Quinn. They both began to laugh. Avery then glanced over at Quinn and shook her head in disbelief. Quinn looked back in confusion. "What?" asked Quinn. "I can't believe how fast your breasts have grown..they so big," she stated as she looked at Quinn's chest. Quinn looked down at her chest. Just as Avery had predicted, Quinn had quickly graduated to a real bra. They weren't that big, Quinn thought. She was also glad that she was growing into them naturally, remembering what had started her on this journey in the first place. "Avery said it was a family trait," replied Quinn. "Well, I'm jealous. I'm still flat as a pancake, and you're wearing a real bra now...not this stupid training bra," groaned Kristen. "No, you're not, and you'll be fine...you did start changing a few weeks after me," replied Quinn. "I guess," replied Kristen. "I just want them bigger now. I wish there was a way to make them grow faster." No, you don't, thought Quinn as she smiled to herself. "Just think, next fall, we'll be at middle school," continued Kristen. "First, we have to get through this year," noted Quinn. "What are you worried about? You're the smartest kid in the class," replied Kristen with a smile. "Kristen, I have two parents who are professors at Wisconsin...I have to get good grades," countered Quinn. "Besides, you're smart too...and we can always study together." "Sounds great. I just hope we stay friends as we grow up," said Kristen. "Or at least I can be your sidekick!" "Not a sidekick... best friend and teammate!" replied Quinn with a laugh. Several other kids from the neighborhood soon joined them. Quinn thought about all the things she would be experiencing as they walked. She wasn't worried about the academics; it was everything else she was worried about...the socialization, and how to be a young girl. Except for Kristen and a few others, all the women in her life knew who she had once been. Now she was jumping fully into a new environment. The staff and students would just know her as Quinn Lindburg and have no idea who she once was. Quinn had already reviewed the sixth-grade curriculum, so she knew what to expect. None of the subjects looked difficult. Still, she had no plans to slack as she wanted to do her best. However, her studies at home were far more interesting now that her powers were emerging. Mom had told her that just like her body was changing and maturing, her powers were doing the same thing. Quinn loved every second of her training. She was so pleased with how quickly she learned the liquid heating spell. She only vaporized a mug of water once, and that was the second time she tried the spell. And the girls were right, and it was a great spell to know when taking a long bath. Hanna was amazed at how quickly Quinn took to casting spells. Many things contributed to this. First was Quinn's heritage of having two sorcery clans. Next was her birthday, being the solstice. The last thing was from her transformation. Quinn suspected that having once been older than she currently was part of the reason why her skills were advancing so quickly. Hanna talked to her sisters and Olivia often about Quinn's skills. Olivia told her not to worry as Quinn was also more mature than the average young girl too, and with her life experiences, she was also more careful with casting spells as she knew what could go wrong. Quinn was also excited that she would soon have a baby brother. The only negative side was that she would have to wait to get a dog. The family agreed to wait until after the baby was born before they got a puppy. Dad told her that they could use the time to decide on what breed they wanted. Quinn had narrowed her choices down to five or six breeds. All of her choices were dogs that were good with children. She also donated some of her settlement money to pay to have the backyard fenced in so the future dog would have a safe place to run around. As Quinn scanned her new memories, she remembered the students' different groups hung out. While her memories told her she was pretty popular... she wanted to see what it would be like in real-time. Some girls in her school were bratty about Kristen and the other girls who played hockey. Quinn didn't care about that as they were in the minority. Several of her classmates played in the boys' league and used the same rink for practice. The boys had seen how good she and Kristen were and begrudgingly respected them. They also looked out for them too. They arrived at school and headed to their classrooms. Mrs. Greene was waiting outside the room, greeting them and marking each student on a clipboard. Quinn had had her for his first time six years ago, and she had thought Mrs. Greene was a great teacher. Of course, Mrs. Green wouldn't remember the old Quinn. "Quinn Lindburg. Are you Avery's younger sister?" asked Mrs. Greene, who a pleasant woman in her fifties. "Yes, I am," replied Quinn. Avery would have gotten a thrill out of hearing that thought, Quinn. At least she didn't say, little sister. "So glad to have you in my class. How is Avery?" she asked. "She's great," replied Quinn. "She was happy to hear I was in your class." "That's wonderful; please find yourself a seat," she replied. Quinn hung back and waited for Kristen. They picked out desks next to each other near the window. "She had both my brothers...I hope she doesn't hold it against me," noted Kristen with a smirk on her face, "She had Avery too and liked her a lot, so I don't know what's worse; they always compare me to her," replied Quinn. I now know what Avery has gone through all these years, thought Quinn. So here I am...about to start sixth grade again, Quinn thought as she scanned the classroom. She saw a boy...his name was Scott...who also played hockey at the same rink. They made eye contact and waved at each other. As they waited for class to start, Quinn looked around and slowly placed faces-to-names. She figured she "knew" over two-thirds of the kids in the class. The rest would be a fresh start for both sides. Looking around, she saw that her classmates were more ethnically diverse than the last time, which was also exciting. Quinn was pleased to see how things had changed for the positive. School won't be so bad after all, she thought. The journey starts today. Chapter 81 The first thing Quinn did when she got home was get changed. She shifted to jeans and a t-shirt. It only took Quinn half an hour to complete her homework. Nothing they did the first day was challenging academically anyway, at least to her. They did have to be ready for a short oral presentation the next day. The topic was what was your best memory of the past summer. Quinn almost laughed when it was assigned. She decided to go on the fishing trip with Dad instead of the gender change or having a death spell named after her. As she expected, her classmates' interaction would be the most challenging thing she would have to deal with this semester. She was surprised at how much more mature the girls were than the boys. She wondered if she was that bad when she was in sixth grade the first time. She also reviewed her schedule. The main thing that stood out was gym class. Even with her new memories of having been in the girls' locker room before, she was still a bit nervous about it. There was something about it being an off-limits space when she was a guy. While no one said anything, she knew that her classmates noticed her height and breast size. Looking around, Quinn realized she was the tallest girl in her class, and she definitely had the largest breasts, not that she considered her breasts large. She also tried to remember if she had been as obvious as the boys when it came to staring at her breasts and begrudgingly admitted that she probably had been. Dinner that night was just with Avery and her mom. Dad had a late class to teach that night and would be that way all semester. Avery was making dinner when Quinn came into the kitchen. "Hmm, smells great," commented Quinn. "Baked ziti," replied Avery. "It will be easy for Dad to reheat when he gets home. There's also garlic bread heating up in the oven." "I'm glad we're sorceresses and not vampires...I would hate to give up garlic," replied Quinn as she automatically began to set the table. "Where's Mom?" "She's in her office. I think she's working on something for her lecture tomorrow," replied Avery. "She said to call her when dinner is ready." "When I'm done setting the table, what can I do to help?" asked Quinn. "Nothing, I already have the salad ready. So how was school?" Quinn smiled back and then told her. "You're going to do great there," replied Avery. "Just as long as you're not bored to death." Quinn laughed. "That is a problem. The classes are far from challenging; still, I'm going to do my best," Quinn replied. "Best to stay awake?" joked Avery. Quinn nodded. "That too," replied Quinn. "What about the other stuff?" asked Avery. "You mean everyone looking at these?" she asked as she cupped her breasts. "I even caught some of the other girls staring. I don't get it; they're not that big." "Are you the biggest in your class?" Quinn nodded. "It will be worse when you change for gym class," replied Avery. "I had to deal with that. It was stranger having other girls look at my breasts than guys." "Thanks for the warning," replied Quinn. "Maybe I could tell them I used to be a guy." Avery was taking a drink and almost spit it out. She and Quinn both began to laugh hysterically. "So, how was your day?" asked Quinn as she wiped tears from her eyes. "For the most part, it was great. It was good to see so many friends that I haven't seen since June," replied Avery. "How are your classes?" asked Quinn. "Not bad; I have two classes with Chad...history, and calculus. But I did get Ms. Martin for AP English," groaned Avery. "My condolences," replied Quinn. "I had her last year, and it was the most challenging class I've ever had. You'll learn a lot and she a great teacher. But I warn you, she's very strict in her grading, and you don't want to get on her bad side...and she also has no sense of humor whatsoever...don't test her." "I say that today. Two guys were joking around, and she came down on them hard. Hey, that reminds me, I need a favor from you." "Um, what is it?" asked Quinn. "I'd give you all my English papers from last year, but they disappeared when I changed." "Very funny. No, I want to take Chad to the Badgers football game this weekend. Can he use your ticket?" As university facility, Peter and Hanna got four season tickets to each of the Badgers' home games. "Sure, they're only playing some scrub non-Big Ten team this weekend. It should be a blowout," replied Quinn. "But check with Mom...you know that I'm 'not old enough to be left alone." Quin made air quotes with her fingers. "I already did, and you can hang around with Kristen over at the Schmidts. Thanks, R?kor!" she replied as she hugged her sister. "Have fun!" "We will," stated Avery with a wink. "So did you see Allison today?" asked Quinn. Avery nodded. "We're in one class together, AP chemistry," answered Avery. "We're lab partners too." "Oh. Please don't pull a Meg," joked Quinn. They began to laugh hysterically again. Hanna came in and was curious what her daughters were laughing hysterically. When they told her, she began to laugh too. As they ate dinner, they talked about their days. "Your cooking gets better with each meal Avery," stated Hanna. "I'm so happy you're going to try it as a career." At Quinn's urging, Avery had told her parents about her plans to attend a culinary school, and to her surprise, they were totally behind her. "Thanks, Mom. I know it will be hard, but somehow that pleases me too," replied Avery. "That's what important. Oh, I just got off the phone with Olivia. She said hi to you two, and she wanted to let us know that Fredik Persson pled guilty on all charges to avoid a trial. He was immediately sentenced to a minimum of twenty-five years before being eligible for parole," announced Hanna. "He'll serve it in a regular prison. His ex- wife was fined and put on probation for being sloppy with her spell books." In addition to Quinn, many people came forward to file complaints. They all had minor injuries from spells affected by the contaminated products. However, none had anything as close to what had happened to Quinn. All received compensation from GSS. GSS arranged to make it look like the Lindburgs had won the lottery and that their post-tax winnings were the whole five million to account for Quinn's sudden wealth. Quinn found it amusing that there were women with powers in so many government organizations. Hanna explained that bureaucracy was the perfect place not to be noticed with magical powers. Hanna had sent a letter to the prosecutor stating that she would claim her rights to punish Mr. Persson if he managed to escape justice anytime in the future. She included the treat of using a targeted roaming spell. One of the nastier spells was the targeted roaming spell. Once cast, it would begin to seek the person it was explicitly intended for. There was no escape from it. It could even be put on a delay mode where the fear of the spell would build. Hanna told them that the court decided to charge him for what had happened to Quinn separately. The other charges were being grouped and could add additional years to his sentence. "Do you think that your letter had anything to do with him not going to trial?" asked Quinn as she reached for another piece of garlic bread. Hanna nodded. "Very much. It's one of the clan's ancient rights that we can still use when a family member is injured or dishonored. It states my right to claim revenge if the legal system fails to provide a suitable punishment. In the old days, it was used often as the courts weren't effective. Today there is a whole legal process on when it can be used. It does involve many ancient traditions. Writing a letter stating the grievances is part of it," explained Hanna. "I had to do a lot of research as it the first time I have ever done it. But I wanted to clarify that no one hurts one of my children. A copy of the letter is provided to the defendant as part of the pre-trial proceedings to make them aware that if they fight the charges, they're worse things than jail." "What would you have done?" asked Quinn. "I hadn't really given it much thought as I knew that just the threat would do the trick. He was married to one of us and therefore knows what we can do. He also knew that he would be dealing with a vengeful mother. I'm sure his lawyer told him what could happen. Sometimes just the fear of punishment is all that is needed," replied Hanna. "I guess I'm too modern. Now, your Aunt Ericka had some fascinating and rather twisted ideas...I worry about her sometimes." Hanna then began to laugh and was joined by the others. Quinn smiled and made a mental note to ask Aunt Ericka about the spells. Overall she was satisfied with the punishment. However, she wanted him to serve his complete sentence, as his actions would affect her for the rest of her life. "Would you have followed through if he weaseled out of the case?" asked Avery. Hanna nodded. "Absolutely," she replied. "And that applies if he doesn't serve the minimum." Quinn smiled to herself as she realized how lucky she was to have such a great family to support her. Chapter 82 It was December 12th, and it was snowing steadily in Madison. Hanna, Avery, and Quinn were in the kitchen getting ready to make the Lussekatter or St. Lucia buns. "Are you sure you want me involved? I mean, you two are so good at making the buns," explained Quinn. "I'm better at eating them." "And that's why you are here so you can learn how, just like Avery learned from me, and I learned from my mother. One day, you may be teaching your daughters how to make them," explained Hanna. "It's a simple recipe, but baking involves getting to know how the dough feels. No book can teach you that." Quinn paused as she absorbed Mom's words. The idea that she would be teaching her daughters cooking one day in the future was a pleasant thought. "And you get to serve them tomorrow morning...costume and all," added Avery with glee. "I thought that was the older sister's job," replied Quinn. "Mom and I agree you deserve the honor this year," stated Avery with a big smile. "I have your outfit ready, and yes, there will be photos...lots of photos!" St. Lucia Day was a Swedish celebration that combined Christen and Pagan beliefs. The day is supposed to honor a Christen martyr, but it also included traditions from old Norse winter celebrations. In Sweden, the eldest daughter wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles served the buns and coffee. It was brought to the states by immigrants and modernized by exchanging lit candles for battery-powered candles. It was a lot safer, too, thought Quinn. The lussekatter were delicious saffron 'S' shaped buns that resembled sleeping cats. The buns were usually served warm with butter or lingonberry preserves, along with coffee or tea. "I just think you want to get back at me for all the years I made fun of you for wearing the Lucia outfit," replied Quinn. "How true, R?kor," concurred Avery with a wink. "Hey, I've grown over three inches since school started," noted Quinn proudly. "You're still short to me, R?kor," countered Avery with a laugh. Quinn flicked some flour at Avery. "Please, girls, we have a lot to get done. We also have dinner to prepare," interrupted Hanna as she pulled out a well-used but loved Swedish cookbook. "Get your aprons on." "How long have you had that cookbook, Mom?" asked Avery as she slipped on her favorite apron. "My Mom bought it for me when I was about your age...the recipe for the buns is excellent, but I made some small changes based on Mom's recipe," explained Hanna. Quinn looked at the book and saw penciled-in notes. It also had stains on various pages to denote the many recipes used. She also saw the note in the front from his Grandmother to his Mom. "I do love baking; it's so relaxing," sighed Avery as she reviewed the recipe. "I love the way the dough feels as you knead it. Oh, Mom, when the buns are done, can I runs some over to the Schmidts?" "Of course Avery," replied Hanna. "I haven't seen Chad over here in a while. What's up?" asked Quinn. Avery shrugged her shoulders. "We're going just to be friends right now. Kinda like the way you were with Allison until you were a junior," she replied. "Oops, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up." "It's okay. I'm over it now, and Kevin is a good guy. And with you... Chad isn't so bad...for a goalie," she stated with a laugh. "I also think you'll get back together." Avery smiled back. "So do I, R?kor," agreed Avery. As the girls worked on the buns, Mom was getting her spices together for dinner. "So what is for dinner?" asked Quinn. "The Swedish chicken with saffron and cinnamon," replied Hanna. "It's delicious, and it makes the house smell wonderful. And Quinn, you will be helping with dinner too. I know it is one of your favorites, and it's pretty easy to make. We also have rice and green beans on the menu." Quinn nodded. Her mom and Avery included her in cooking many meals now, especially on the weekends. She didn't mind as she was starting to like cooking, and she wished she had been more of a part of when she was a guy. She had to agree with Avery that there was a lot in common between cooking and making spells. There was attention to detail, the ability to follow directions, not rush things, and know when to step when things didn't go as planned. Hanna was pleased to see her daughters work together in the kitchen, and in many ways, it reminded her of her childhood. She was also proud of her daughters' handling the last six months' changes. They also were both very supportive of the fact that they would have a baby brother in the spring. Hanna was especially pleased with Quinn's reaction when she was told. Hanna had been a bit worried that Quinn might take it the wrong way, but instead, she was ecstatic that the next generation would carry on their last name. She was also excited to teach her little brother to skate and play hockey. Quinn listened and watched Avery as she made the dough for the buns. In addition to being a bit taller, she dealt with other body changes. She now had pubic hair and underarm hair. After her first couple of experiences sharing, she switched to the spell that Meg had given Avery. It was a vast improvement. She also had one of the more developed bodies in her class. Besides having breasts, she was getting some growth on her hips and rear. Annika came down in the fall and did another complete physical on Quinn and found no problems. They suspected her faster than expected body growth due to the spell and possibly her flygjr. While Quinn's looks did get a lot of attention from her classmates and Quinn didn't mind. She had always had a quick wit and quickly deflected any insults tossed her way and usually came back with a better jab. This quickly put an end to it. Her comebacks were more humorous and not hurtful and only made her more popular. A few mean girls were snotty to her for being a hockey player and not deemed feminine enough, and Quinn saved her more cutting comebacks for them, which usually shut them up immediately. Quinn didn't mind good- natured kidding, but she hit back when it crossed the line concerning her or any of her classmates. The boys also learned not to mess with her. In the first week of school, one of the boys, who was standing behind her, pulled her skirt all the way up while they were standing in line for lunch. Instead of crying, he was stunned that she used a hockey move and hip-checked him to the ground. All the girls and quite a few of the boys clapped and cheered. Quinn did help him up, but that was the last time any boy tried to lift a girl's skirt. Without planning it, Quinn was now the class leader. Her actions were appreciated by most of the other girls who were dealing with physical changes themselves. At first, she had tried to stay in the shadows, but Hanna, Peter, and Avery encouraged her to be herself and not hold back. This also applied outside the classroom as she also was voted the captain of her hockey team. Quinn accepted her new status as a leader and knew that she had to stay the same and not let it go to her head. Her Dad had given her that advice as she said the best leaders were the ones who stayed true to themselves. Quinn considered herself blessed that she had the maturity from her previous life and could still enjoy her current life as an eleven- year-old girl. Another thing that Quinn was dealing with her budding sexual feelings. She found that she was starting to like the attention she got from the boys in her class. She also found that she found some of the girls in her class attractive. It was confusing to her, but Avery said it was very normal and let nature take its course. She also told Quinn that she had several classmates who were out in high school. Avery told her that people were either supportive or neutral for the most part also that the teachers were now standing up against any harassment. Avery said that the facility's change to LGBTQ students was primarily due to the school district's lawsuit. The family of Jan, the transgendered girl, had recently been awarded a sizable financial settlement. Quinn listened and wondered if this were a trend that would continue by the time she was back in high school. She also appreciated the support she got from her cousins and Aunts. They were very patient with her and her many questions. Quinn also texted and wrote to Olivia regularly. It was nice to have someone outside of the family that she could talk to when needed. Academic-wise, Quinn excelled, just as expected, and had the best grades in her class. She followed Aunt Ericka's advice and did not hold back academically. Instead of sitting back on her previously gained knowledge, she still tried hard in her classes. She also tutored others in her class. In her last report card, the comment from Mrs. Greene that made her smile the most was that "Quinn was mature beyond her years." Even with her new status as class leader, Quinn stayed close friends with Kristen. It was comforting to have a great friend her own age. Just as Quinn told her, Kristen also saw very noticeable body changes, and her breasts were almost as large as Quinn's. Whenever asked about it, they just joked that it was playing hockey. "I can't wait until after the solstice, and we get to go to Florida," exclaimed Avery as she looked outside at the falling snow. "I love winter too, but it will great to be in the sun and on a warm beach for a few days." "I'll have to buy a new swimsuit. My one from summer is way too small now," stated Quinn. "I guess we'll have to do that down there. The only ones they have at the sporting goods store are for the swim team, and they're boring. I also am not sure of the ones online and their sizes." "You're learning!" added Hanna. Quinn nodded. "I have some good teachers," she replied. "My sister is going to be stylish...even when she plays hockey. Quinn, you have to get a bikini this time...imagine what your classmates will say will they see tan lines when you're changing for gym," joked Avery. "I know. I'm looking forward to it!" "That will be cool," replied Quinn, who agreed with her sister. "Okay, girls, let's focus on the food," stated Mom. "Is Dad making glogg?" asked Avery, referring to the traditional Swedish mulled spiced red wine served during the winter holidays. It often contained other spirits such as vodka or aquavit. "Yes, he is; it's a family tradition," replied Hanna. "We'll have some later this evening. He's going to light a fire in the firepit. I know it's not solstice yet, but there's something about being around a roaring outdoor fire when it's snowing with a warm cup of glogg." "Can I have some?" asked Quinn hopefully. "I had it the last couple of years." "I'll spell some for you and take out the alcohol...you're too young again for the real thing," explained Hanna with a wink. Quinn made an exaggerated sad face. "You were seventeen last year... and now you're only eleven...I can stretch things for your sister. If it makes you feel any better, I'll be drinking the spelled version, too," replied Hanna as she patted her extended belly. "Too bad there isn't a spell to give it the alcohol back," joked Quinn. "It has been tried. You can ask your Aunt Ericka about the time she tried it and what happened when we're in Florida," replied Hanna with a wink. "By the way, I love your new hairstyle Quinn." Quinn's long hair braided into an updo. She had braids on the side that became a bun at the back of her head. "Thanks, I love it too. It was Avery's idea. She saw it in a magazine and went crazy last night," replied Quinn. "It suits her...especially when she's playing hockey," replied Avery. "It will also look great tomorrow morning when she's in her Lucia costume." Quinn stuck her tongue out at her sister. "But I agree that I can't wear a ponytail when I play anymore," stated Quinn. Quinn was penalized for a hard retaliation hit on an opponent that almost ended in a fight in the previous game. The reason for the hit was that the other girl grabbed Quinn by her ponytail and pulled her down to the ice. What really angered Quinn was pissed that the ref saw what had happened and ignored it. Quinn got up and skated right at the girl and checked her hard into the boards. The girl ended up on the ice, with Quinn glaring down at her. Quinn ended up with two penalties but was satisfied with her actions. Quinn did get her revenge as she scored twice and assisted on the winning goal. Even her coach wasn't angry as she had seen what caused the incident. Quinn wasn't subject to doing extra laps at the next practice, which was standard after getting penalized. But she did proudly did them anyway and was cheered on by her team. Dad told her with pride that it was almost her first Gordie Howe hattrick, which the hockey Hall-of-Famer had called getting a goal, an assist, and a fighting penalty in the same game. Still, Quinn agreed with her coach that she had to ditch the ponytail when she played. She had to admit she liked the new look. As for appearance, it wasn't just hair that her older sister helped her with, as Avery also was teaching Quinn makeup skills. Avery was determined that her younger sister wouldn't look the way she had when she was younger. Quinn hated makeup at first, but she slowly came around to it. She also liked how much better she looked than most of the other girls in her class, thanks to Avery's help. One thing she didn't need Avery's coaching concerned her nails. She loved having her nails colored, and she often changed the color. For their first game, she started wore her team's colors which were gold and red, on her nails. Some of the other players kidded her, but after Quinn scored three goals and assisted on two more goals in a six-two victory, all the other girls on the team did the same thing. Their coach was pleased as it helped to bond the team closer and adopted the colors on her nails too. "Okay, now as we wait for the Lussekatter dough to rise, we can work on the pepparkakor dough," explained Avery. Pepparkakor was the name for Swedish gingersnaps. "I love these," replied Quinn. "You can pick out the cookie cutters and wash them as I start on the dough," instructed Avery. Overall she loved the relationship she had with Avery. She knew her transition to being a girl would have been much harder. Yes, the transformation by her flygja made her new life easier, but having support around her from Avery, her Mom, Aunts, and cousins were priceless. Avery was also helping her in studying Swedish. While she was a long way from holding a conversation, she learned to read it petty fast. Dad was also assisting her. Quinn brought the cleaned cookie cutters and set them next on the island. Avery nodded approvingly at Quinn's choices. Some of the metal cookie cutters were very old and had been their grandma's. When she passed, they were split up between the sisters. Quinn selected were a cat, star, moose, pine tree, and songbird-shaped cookie cutters. "Great choices. Oh, I also have a great new hairstyle for you at school. It will be braided along the side, but the rest of your hair will be hanging free. It's called a front-row braid. You'll look like a real Norse maiden, R?kor," explained Avery. "Sound great. It will match my new hockey nickname," beamed Quinn. "Exactly!" agreed Avery. "What? Well, what is it?" asked Hanna. "Valkyrie!" replied Quinn proudly. "R?kor doesn't exactly intimidate anyone." The nickname was initially Kristen's idea after reading a book on Norse mythology. She said that Quinn seemed to fly down the ice to deliver destruction and defeat on the other team and therefore needed an appropriate nickname considering her Swedish heritage. Her teammates and the coach quickly accepted it and said it was appropriate. Her team and most of the league were amazed by Quinn's skating skills and how fast she was. Quinn was also pleased that she kept all her playing abilities from when she had been a guy. Her coach was so impressed that she often asked Quinn to teach plays to the rest of the team. "I love it!" replied Hanna. "Love what?" asked Peter as he walked into the kitchen. "Our daughter's new ice hockey nickname," beamed Hanna. Peter looked at Quinn and motioned with his hands. "Well, what is it?" he asked. "They call me Valkyrie or Val for short," replied Quinn with a smile. "Perfect! My father would approve too. His was 'Thor' due to the hard way he checked the opponents," replied Peter with a smile. He wondered if he could get Quinn a Wisconsin hockey jersey with Valkyrie on it in time for Christmas. "Did you have a nickname Dad when you played?" asked Quinn. "Yes... and unfortunately, it had nothing to do with Norse mythology. Because I was in the Navy ROTC, they called me Squid," he replied sheepishly. "I also accepted it as a compliment to my goaltending abilities." "Squid? And I thought R?kor was bad," laughed Quinn. "Yeah, I would have preferred Kraken, but you can't pick your own nickname," replied Peter. "Valkyrie is a cool nickname for the top scorer in the league," added Avery with pride. Just as she had done when Quinn was a male, Avery was very proud of Quinn's playing, and she was at every game, along with Chad, as they cheered Quinn and Kristen on. Quinn's skills were now well known in the girls' league. Most of the boys who shared the rink with them respected her skills. After a game one day, the goalie on one of the boy's teams stated loudly that she was "okay" for a "girl" but could never score on a guy. Quinn looked up in the stands saw Chad, who nodded back at her. Kristen broke out it in a big grin and told Quinn to get him. Quinn accepted the challenge, and both teams hung back to watch. It was agreed to be the best of five. She scored on the first two shots, and he just barely saved the next shot. She easily scored on the fourth shot. Her team and most of the boys congratulated her. The goalie refused to shake her hand, so she didn't offer him any advice. As she skated off the ice Avery and Chad clapped and cheered her. "And I bet you're the first girl in your school to be a hockey team captain and winter dance queen," continued Avery. Quinn had been voted the winter dance queen for the previous week's dance. Quinn was surprised by her reaction to this honor as she was genuinely happy. She wore a light blue gown, and Avery had done her hair and makeup. The most exciting part of the evening was dancing with the boys. She had to admit that she enjoyed it. "Technically, it's not yet winter," joked Peter. "Tell that to the snow," answered Avery as she looked outside. "How much are we supposed to get?" "Not much...only six inches tonight," replied Peter with a shrug. "I don't mind. Since the first snow back in October, we don't have to wear skirts until spring," added Quinn with glee. "Just as long as it clears up before the weekend," replied Avery. "I don't want to anything to mess with the volleyball tournament." Quinn was at Avery's volleyball games when she didn't have a game. Avery and Allison were not just teammates now, and they were becoming great friends. Even though Quinn still had some residual feelings for Allison, she told Avery that there were no problems with their friendship. Besides, just as Avery was a mentor for Quinn, Allison was doing the same for Avery. Avery then showed Quinn how to make the Lussekatter. Her first few attempts left much to be desired, but gradually she got better, but they were nowhere close to the ones Avery made. "You make it look so easy," bemoaned Quinn. "My cats look like mutants." "Don't worry about it; you should have seen how bad my first few looked like...besides, they'll still taste great," noted Avery with a laugh. "We'll start on the cookies after these are done." "Now those I am good at," stated Quinn. "Then you can help me with the chicken Quinn. Don't worry, it's pretty easy," stated Hanna. Chapter 83 "I love the way the house smells this time of year," exclaimed Hanna. "Even though it's cold, I love this time of year." The house was already decorated for Christmas except for the tree, which would go up in a few days. Quinn's favorite decorations were the tiny wooden figures called tomtes. One of the family traditions was to add a new one to the collection every year and now included women and children. Tomtes were small Scandanavain gnome-like creatures with a long white beard and a red conical cap. They were supposed to be guardians of the home and farm. Hanna had them arraigned throughout the house. Quinn had always thought tomtes were just based on myths. But based on what had happened to her over the summer, she wasn't so sure now. Quinn nodded as she took in the aroma of the fresh-baked rolls and cookies. "I'm so glad we had two ovens installed when we had the kitchen renovated. It speeds up the baking process...especially this time of the year," continued Hanna. "Now, Quinn, are you ready to assist me with the chicken?" Quinn nodded tentatively. While she appreciated that her Mom and Avery wanted her to know how to cook, she was very nervous about messing things up. All the women in her family were great cooks, and Quinn worried she wouldn't be up to their standards. And all joking aside, her Dad was also a pretty good cook. "Okay, this is a pretty simple recipe. I've already split the chicken breasts into a large Ziplock bag. Now we're going to mix up the ingredients," explained Hanna. She then talked Quinn through how to mince up some garlic cloves and then add it to a small bowl followed by a pinch of saffron, ground cinnamon, salt, black pepper, flour, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. "Okay, now you gently stir the contents of the bowl," instructed Hanna. "You'll note that this is very much like mixing a spell." Quinn did as she was told. "How does this look?" asked Quinn. "Perfect. Now we pour it into the bag with the chicken," instructed Hanna. "Doesn't it smell wonderful?" Quinn nodded as she carefully poured the fragrant mixture into the bag that her mom was holding. Once the bowl was empty, Hanna sealed the bag and handed it to Quinn. "Um, what do I do now?" asked Quinn. "Make sure the breasts are covered with the seasoning. Using the bag keeps your hands clean and gets maximum coverage on the chicken," explained Hanna. Quinn carefully followed her Mom's directions. "Did Grandmother teach you this recipe?" asked Quinn as she moved the chicken breast around in the bag. Hanna shook her head. "No, I learned this from a cookbook I picked up when I was in New Jersey last year. It's called 'Jenny's Swedish Saffron Cinnamon Chicken without liver,'" replied Hanna. Hanna always tried to find a local cookbook whenever she traveled. "Okay, I'll bite; why is called that?" asked Quinn. "The recipe originally contained chicken liver, but she took it out to make it easier for her younger brother to make it. She was also trying to teach him to cook," explained Hanna. "Sound familiar. That's funny and pretty cool of her," replied Quinn. "Families should always support each other," stated Hanna. Quinn nodded. "So what do we do now?" asked Quinn. "We let it marinate for 45 minutes at room temperature. By then, Avery will be done with one of the ovens. We just need to set the temperature to 400 degrees," explained Hanna. "Okay, and then what?" asked Quinn. "We put the chicken in the pan, skin side up, and roast for half an hour. Then we add some white wine to the pan and roast for another thirty minutes. While that is happening, we'll prepare rice and green beans' side dishes. We'll also have a salad," stated Hanna. "Wow, that wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," noted Quinn. "But I'm still not sure how you coordinate everything, so it's all ready at the same time. I have a hard enough time making sure the tomato soup is ready at the same time as the grilled cheese." Hanna smiled back. "Learning to cook will help you're your other skills," replied Hanna. "You'll learn that with time and experience, R?kor," piped in Avery as she handed them a couple of the cookies. "I also savor the first cookie of the year," noted Hanna. "It takes me back to my childhood." Quinn took a bit and nodded. "You're right; I can picture eating one of these the first time I was eleven," laughed Quinn. Chapter 84 "Can I try to light the fire? Please!" begged Quinn as she walked up to her Dad. It was still snowing, and he was just standing up from setting up the wood in the firepit. The dinner had been a total success, and now they gathered outside for another family tradition. "Let her try; she's being studying the firestarter spell and hasn't had a chance to try it on anything else other than a candle," interjected Hanna. "You can do it, Honey." "Okay, give it your best shot Quinn," stated Peter as he stepped away from the firepit. "Go for it, R?kor. You can do it," encouraged Avery. Quinn smiled back at them as she knelt next to the pit. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate on the spell. When she was ready, she began to chant the words in ancient Norse. For Quinn, the most challenging thing about casting spells was the pronunciation of the words. The kindling burst into flames on the third chant, and the logs quickly began to burn. Quinn stood up and walked over to her family. Hanna slipped her arm around Quinn's waist and pulled her close. In a short time, they had a roaring bonfire. "Very impressive! I'm so proud of you," complimented Hanna. "Great job, it took me several tries to learn that one," added Avery with pride. "Both of you have been great teachers and patient, too," stated Quinn. Quinn was also pleased with herself, and she felt a great sense of pride when she mastered a new spell. She had even adapted Avery's knife sharpening spell to sharpen her skates. It was the closest she ever came to using her powers when she played. "Beats the traditional methods to light a fire out here," replied Peter. "I'll go get the glogg." Hanna motioned to Avery to come close, and she slipped her other arm around her. Peter and Quinn then joined them. "I'm so lucky to have two lovely daughters and a son on the way," she beamed as they watched the fire grow in the pit. "What better way to celebrate a wonderful dinner and dessert," added Peter. "I wonder what our neighbors think about it when they see us lighting a fire on a snowy night like this," stated Quinn. "They probably think we're pagans," replied Avery as she rolled her eyes. "Good," replied Quinn as she giggled. "Just as long as they don't call the fire department on us like they did last winter solstice," added Hanna. "Thankfully, the fire chief understood as he's part Swedish. I can't imagine who would have called them in the first place." "The firefighters also appreciated the coffee and cookies we gave them that night," added Peter. He then left and returned with the tray with mugs filled with glogg. Hanna cast a spell on her and Quinn's mugs. "Maybe in a few more years, you have the loaded version...besides, if I remember right, you didn't like it when you first had it," Hanna commented. "It's okay," replied Quinn as she held her mug. "Here's to an exciting year," toasted Peter. "That's an understatement," quipped Quinn as she tapped mugs with her family. "To our family, we will never be boring," added Hanna. Peter brought out some lawn chairs to sit around the fire, and Hanna was glad to get off her feet. They sipped their drinks as they watched the fire as the snow came down. Mom was right, thought Quinn; there was something special about standing together around a fire in the snow drinking the warm glogg. She held out her mug. "Thanks for helping me through the past year...I would never have survived without all of you," she toasted. "I'll drink to that! Skol!" exclaimed Peter. Hanna and Avery joined the toast. Avery and Quinn got up and began to dance around the fire and join their parents. As they did, they were unaware they were being watched. Their neighbors in the house behind them were watching from their kitchen window. "Bob, come here and look at this! The Lindburgs are at it again. Who do they think they are now...Vikings?" asked Karen Henderson with disgust as she offered her husband the binoculars. "They're out in that blizzard prancing around a fire!" "Last summer, you called them witches and pagans," Bob replied, waving her off as he got a beer out of the fridge. "And I wouldn't call it a blizzard; it's barely coming down now." "Can we call the fire department again?" she asked hopefully. Her husband shook his head as he opened the bottle. "They're not hurting anyone. What are they going to do...burn the snow?" he replied as he took a quick look and then walked away. "Besides, it looks fun." "There is something weird about them," she continued. "Weird? Like spying on their neighbors with binoculars weird?" he asked as he headed in to watch the TV. Karen pulled the curtains closed and shook her head in disgust. "You still don't believe that I saw a goat in their backyard a few years ago," she muttered. Chapter 85 "I'm in favor of maintaining family and cultural history... but I still think I look stupid," admitted Quinn as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. "No, you don't! You look amazing. This is a big honor!" replied Avery as she looked at Quinn. Quinn was wearing a long white gown and a red sash around her waist. On her head was a crown of winter greens with candles mounted in it. The candles were battery-operated to prevent accidents. "I don't remember you feeling you looked amazing by this honor," continued Quinn as she followed her sister upstairs to their parents' room. She was also trying hard not to trip. "Hey, it makes Mom and Dad happy," replied Avery, carrying the tray of lussekatter, coffee, butter, and lingonberry preserve. "Okay, I'll buy that," said Quinn. "But shouldn't you be dressed up too?" "I'm the photographer this year," replied Avery. "And you refused to dress up when you were a boy." They paused just outside their parents' bedroom door. "Okay, here's the tray; take your time and smile," instructed Avery. "I'll get the door. Be happy I'm not making you sing to them too." Quinn rolled her eyes in disgust. "Okay, you're on!" exclaimed Avery as she opened the door. Hanna had a big smile on her face as she watched Quinn enter their bedroom. "Oh Quinn, you look so adorable!" she beamed. Peter winked at Quinn as he smiled at her. Seeing the happiness in her parents' eyes made Quinn smile more. Avery took many photos before helping Quinn serve the coffee and lussekatter. "Thank you, girls! You have no idea how happy this makes me," beamed Hanna as she put some lingonberry preserve on a piece of the bun. "The buns are excellent, too," commented Peter. "Thank you," replied Avery. "I had a great teacher. Oh, there's more downstairs. I didn't want to risk a repeat of when I tripped and spilled them on your bed last year." "Well, I know this is a pain for you two, but you made me very happy," commented Hanna. "I'm sure your Aunts will love to see your photos." "Already sent them. I also got photos of Meg and Jill," noted Avery. "I don't feel so silly now," stated Quinn as she looked at the photos on Avery's phone. "Are there any other girls in your class that do this?" asked Hanna. "A few. They were more excited about it than I was, but now I'm glad I did it," admitted Quinn. Avery began to laugh as she looked at her phone. "I'm not laughing at you...it's something Jill texted me. She wondered if she could change her brothers into girls, so they see what it's like to be the family's Lucia," giggled Avery. Chapter 86 "My family is excited about the solstice celebration tonight, and so am I," stated Kristen as they walked to school. "I'm also thrilled that this is the last day of school." It was a bright sunny morning with temperatures in the high twenties. Overnight there had been some fresh snow. Quinn loved the sound of her boots as they scrunched in them. She didn't mind the cold as long as there was snow. One of the advantages of being a girl was that she no longer had to shovel the driveway. Dad had a snowblower for small amounts of snow and used a snow removal service for the more significant snowfalls. Quinn was also looking forward to that evening. It was going to be their biggest solstice party ever. In addition to the Schmidts, Peter and Hanna invited many other people, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Each guest was requested to bring some holiday treats that were traditional for their families. To account for the larger crowd, Peter and some friends had built a larger temporary fire ring in the middle of the backyard. There was a large stack of wood ready to be lit. It was currently under a tarp. He had even taken the precaution to notify the fire department and invite some of the firefighters to prevent a repeat of the previous year's party. "Me too. Just remember to dress warm...there may be snow tonight," replied Quinn. "The fire is nice, but when you move away, it gets cold fast." "So what do you do at a solstice celebration?" asked Kristen. "I've never been to one." "It goes back to the ancient times, and it's a celebration to mark the return of the sun and longer days. Now we just light a big fire and have an outdoor party with lots of great food and drinks...which is sort of what they did in the old days too. Avery and I made a bunch of pepparkakor, which are the Swedish gingersnaps and also some more lussekatter," explained Quinn. "It is a great family tradition along with Lucia Day and Christmas. It makes winter more fun." "I can't wait; those are both so good. We loved the ones that you and Avery brought over earlier this month. My mom and I have made cookies from my Grandmother's recipes," replied Kristen. "Dad and my brothers are excited too." "We always look forward to your family's cookies," stated Quinn. "So excited about your trip?" asked Kristen. Quinn nodded. "It's going to be so much fun. We leave tomorrow afternoon." "I'm so jealous. The only place we're going to over the holidays is Manitowoc to see our Aunt and Uncle and then to Milwaukee to see our grandparents on my dad's side. I love seeing them, but why couldn't some of them live in Florida?" asked Kristen with a laugh. "Manitowoc is even colder than here in winter." "Well... I'll send you photos," replied Quinn. "Oh, thanks! That makes it worse!" replied Avery. "Don't get too used to the warm weather, and we have a big tournament coming up right the first weekend in January." Quinn smiled back as she nodded. "I'm looking forward to it. Our first game is again the team that has that girl who yanked my hair," replied Quinn. "Well, she won't do that to you again, Valkyrie, after the way you put her on her butt," laughed Avery. "How many goals do you plan on scoring against them?" "At least two," replied Quinn with a laugh. "I normally don't care as long as we win, but this one is personal." "Why not three then? A hattrick would be awesome," replied Kristen. "Okay, a hattrick it is. Hey, why don't you shift to wing? I've taught you to be a pretty good shooter, and I would love to have you on my line," stated Quinn. Kristen was the second-best player on the team after Quinn. The goalies loved her as she rarely allowed a shot on goal. All her practice with her brothers had taught her well. "Thanks, but I prefer defense, and with Lisa can use all the help we can give her," she replied, referring to their starting goalie. "You know, all in all, this hasn't been a bad year." "I agree," replied Quinn as she thought about all she had gone through. Overall she accepted her new life. In some ways, it was better. She had grown closer with her family, especially Avery. She also had more time to consider her future. Then there were the other things. Quinn's body continued to change, and she was preparing herself for her first period. She had several conversations with both her Mom and Avery. She was both dreading it and excited about it. She also realized that she was probably more excited about her new brother's birth than she would have been in her old life. As a guy, she would have barely gotten to know him. Now she would have several years to get to know her brother. Then there were her powers. She knew from talking with her Mom and aunts that her powers were strong. She also knew that they had mixed emotions about this. While they were excited to see how well Quinn was doing, they were slightly concerned that she might be progressing too quickly. The good thing was that Quinn was well aware of what could happen when the powers were misused or twisted. She vowed that she would never cause the upheaval that had happened to her. There were times when Quinn was tempted to use her powers but held back and solved the issues with her mind and experience. Aunt Ericka said that was a trait that took her a lot longer to learn. No, she would be careful with this gift she had received. After all, if she brought dishonor on her family, she knew that her flygja would not be pleased, which was the last thing she wanted to do. Quinn also wondered if a fylgja had a name. She looked online and couldn't find anything, so she decided to call her flygja "Halldis," which was supposed to mean "firm helper" in ancient Norse, at least that's what the website said. "I can't wait to grow up," sighed Kristen. "Me too, but I'm also enjoying what life gives me," replied Quinn. Kristen laughed. "You sometimes sound so mysterious, Quinn!" Quinn smiled back. "It's good to have some mystery!" replied Quinn. Like her parents said, life is never dull. She also thought about how the voyage continued. And like her Norse ancestors, her saga would continue and have many more chapters. The End Information about Fylgjur - http://exemplore.com/magic/Understanding-the-Fylgjur Swedish Witch Trials - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_trials_in_Sweden St. Lucia Day - https://www.tripsavvy.com/st-lucia-day-celebration-in-scandinavia-1626027