A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to get this up, but I've been very busy this semester. I think I will take a bit of a break before the next chapter because it's just easier to get my thoughts and inspiration together that way. As always, there is abetter looking and moreproofread version of this on my , enjoy.
Review Responses: Mya von Dor: Ch. 1 - Sorry. I'm quite prone to being choppy. It's just in my nature. Sorry if it bothers you, but if you have any tips, please fill free to help me. And no, I didn't mean for this to sound like HP. Hopefully, it will get away from that more in later chapters; Ch. 3 - Thanks, and I'll try to catch myself if I start to put anything in about a sorcerer's stone or anything. :P; Ch. 4 - You don't like "mr hates-her-so-much-and-keeps-giving-her-detention"? He's actually one of my favorite characters. Very fun to write. Oooh, you're going to hate me by the end of this chapter...

&&

He showed Analani up staircase after staircase until they reached a window on the top floor. He knocked on it three times and said, “It’s McGee. I’ve got the girl; she finally caught me.”

“All right. Come in,” said a voice with the kind of static one might hear on a radio with bad reception.

The man called McGee opened the window. Analani expected to merely see the school grounds, but her eyes instead met a large circular room with a thirty-foot dome.

She followed McGee through the window and examined her new surroundings. There were doors all along the walls, and some had staircases leading up to them because there had been no room for them on the ground level. Paintings were placed where they would fit, and occasionally someone would crawl out of one.

Analani glanced behind her not to see the window, but a painting looking suspiciously similar to the hall they had just left. She turned to McGee, “What exactly is this place?”

McGee laughed, “My, my, you are an impatient one. All in good time, my dear. All in good time...”

He led her to a door above a painting of a dirty little kitchen and told her to tie one end of the rope he gave her to her waist. He tied the other end to himself and opened the door.

McGee pulled Analani down the wide and seemingly endless hall. There were so many people there that she couldn’t even see the man at the end of the rope. The pressure of people being packed like sardines became too great, and the line snapped.

Her eyes widened, and she looked around frantically. She let out a sigh of relief when she aw McGee sitting on the banister of a staircase. She clambered through the crowd to him and said breathlessly, “Fancy meeting you here.”

He smiled and pulled her through the wall at his right.

“We’re here.”

“Why’s it so damn hard to get in this place?” Analani let out exasperatedly.

“Considering that this is a secret international headquarters, it shouldn’t be easy to enter, should it?”

Analani turned around to see the smiling headmaster standing in front of a large group of teachers and people she didn’t recognize. A thousand questions flooded into her mind, and she struggled unsuccessfully to remember them long enough to ask them.

“Secret headquarters? To what? Are there so many people here because it’s international?” she questioned.

He gestured to one of the many chairs as everyone sat down, “Care to take a seat?”

She did so and said, “Well? Want to explain all this?”

“Ah, yes. Well,” the headmaster absentmindedly pinched the bridge of his nose as he spoke, “this is the worldwide base of operations of the rebels in the War Within the Witches, and yes, that is why it’s so crowded here.”

“War?”

“Yes, well, we don’t like to involve many average citizens until it is absolutely necessary, if ever. That is why no one has given a press release yet. I suppose you might like to know the cause of the war?”

“For centuries many witches have been capturing people to enslave for their own cruel purposes, and not so recently a group of rebels began to organize a revolt against this immoral wrongdoing. We are they. About eighteen years ago, we discovered our solution, but there was a problem with this weapon. We would have to wait years for this power to be strong enough to defeat the enemy, specifically their leader, Her Ladyship Darci Alarice. Now is the time,” he eyed the look of confusion on her face and continued. “You are our weapon, Analani. You’ve always been a very special witch, and I truly believe you are the key to winning this war. That is, if you will join us?”

“I want to help this cause, headmaster. Of course I’ll join. I grew up in America, for Pete’s sake!’ she smiled with excited pride.

The old man returned her grin, “There’s no need for such formal titles anymore. You may call each of us by our first names now. Well, except for McGee over there, but that is just because he won’t tell anyone his. So, do you have any questions?”

Analani thought for a moment, “Actually, yeah. I don’t mean to pry, but after the welcoming dinner I happened to overhear a few tidbits of a conversation between you and Professor Chavé while I was tying my shoe.”

“You mean while you were eavesdropping? Remember, first names,” he smiled.

“Well, yes. And what is his first name?” she glanced to her former teacher, who was looking thoroughly annoyed.

“Soren. Now then, the conversation involved things I have already revealed, but you can hear the entire discussion if you feel it will clarify anything.”

She nodded, and he began searching his many pockets. After a few moments he pulled out a crystal ball and set it on the table.

Analani stared at it as the colorful smoke swarmed to form a picture of the two men. Soon she could hear words.

Professor Chavé spoke urgently, “They’ve found out who some of the rebels are, our spies. They arrested Mundy Bodle just an hour ago. We need to do something to protect the students. The enemy will try to take over the school at some point if they find out about us. It’s just a matter of time. I’m worried.”

“Gather all the trustworthy rebels working in the school and meet me at headquarters. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir. Don’t forget to keep the weapon as safe as possible. She if very important to them.”

“That is what I was about to do. I’m not sure how long she’ll be safe. We may have to tell her about it sooner than we expected.”

The vision ended, and Analani said, “Who’s Mundy Bodle?”

“He is one of our better spies. Pity he was captured; he’s very good at his job and is a good friend. But don’t worry because we’re working on ensuring his safe return.”

As she pondered the revelations of the evening, Analani studied her surroundings, and suddenly she realized something. She was in the strange room from her dream.

“Headmaster--”

“Quinn.”

“Quinn, I just realized something. A couple of weeks ago I had a dream, and it was set in this room. I looked at my necklace, and the colors began to swirl like a crystal ball.”

He furrowed his brow and said, “Hmm. I will have to do some research to see what this means. I’ll--”

“No. I know exactly what this means,” she said with half-hidden sorrow. “I don’t know why I didn’t realize it before. I... A few years ago... When...”

Professor Lane, newly dubbed Diane, placed her hand on Analani’s and spoke for the first time that night, “It’s all right. You can tell us, even if it’s hard.”

Analani gulped as long-suppressed memories came flooding back to her like a freight train bent on hitting her, and she took a deep breath before beginning the tale, “When I was about ten years old, my twin sister and I were home alone watching TV, and I got up to make some popcorn. I heard Lana scream so I went to the doorway to see what was happening, but that was as far as I got because I was petrified.

“A woman had her hand on Lana’s throat, holding her against the wall. She was saying something about her being a bounty hunter sent to kill one of the sisters, us, because supposedly we’re going to defeat her boss. She said an incantation, and Lana’s skin looked like it was boiling. After a while she stopped writhing and fell limply to the ground. To this day I can still see the vacant look in her eyes and the little drop of blood slipping down her chin. I should have stopped her, damn it!” she slammed her first on the table in anger.

Unsuccessfully trying to subdue her tears, she continued, “She cackled more cruelly than any non-magical’s stereotype of a witch. She mumbled something about wanting a souvenir and took Lana’s emerald necklace right off her neck. I have one just like it. I think... I think there’s some kind of link between them, and if we can somehow tap into that, I think it can be used as a sort of two-way mirror.”

Everyone was silent for a moment, and her former headmaster spoke up, “You’ve had a long day. You need to go get some rest. Meet back here tomorrow at six in the evening. I trust you can find your way all right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be fine. See y’all tomorrow, then,” with that, she stepped out into the busy hall.

Pushing her way through the crowd to the door at the end, she thought about the past few hours of her life. He was right; she did need some rest.

She made her way across the large domed room to the painting of the hall at Chatrabahn. She touched it; it was solid. Analani wasn’t quite sure what to do so she knocked on it three times.

“Who is this?” came a voice from nowhere.

“I’m Analani. I--”

“You need to get back to Chatrabahn, I assume?”

“Ye--”

“Well, don’t just stand there! Go ahead!”

Analani tried not to chuckle aloud at the person’s impudence, and she climbed through the painting. She then made her way up her old dormitory for possibly the last time, and she gathered her things.

“Ana?”

“Go back to sleep, Lorelei. I’m just leaving.”

“Where’ve you been?”

“Just... wandering the halls. Sort of saying goodbye, I guess.”

“No you haven’t. We’ve been friends since we were three. I can tell when you’re not telling the truth.”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“Yes.”

“Go back to sleep, Lor.”

“Fine. Even if you don’t want to tell me, I’ll find out eventually, you know.”

They were silent for a moment as they listened to Sherry’s snoring.

“Good night, Lorelei. Love you.”

“Night, Ana. Love ya too, babe.”

Analani turned to leave but paused. She was looking at the mirror. For a moment she thought she saw her sister, but she figured her eyes were just playing tricks on her.

&&

The next morning while she was working at Madame Devona’s shop, a mutis in the form of a grey cat sneaked in the door and ran up to Analani.

She took the note it gave her and read to herself:

When you come tonight, bring a light backpack with just your necessities (including magical potions and such) and one change of clothing.

Quinn Hysirald

She put the note in her pocket and began to make a mental list.

“Why are you just standing there? I want some service here!” said a woman who had just walked in. “Close your mouth, and give me an amulet to protect property from theft!”

Analani tried not to stare at the woman as she got the item for her. She was wearing the twin to Analani’s emerald necklace.

&&

At five o’ clock Analani told Madame Devona that she wasn’t sure when she would be back, and she grabbed her pack and left.

“Ah, Analani. Right on time,” said Quinn Hysirald when she entered the room an hour after leaving Madame Devona’s.

A few more people came in, and the meeting began, “Welcome back, everyone, and good evening. Now, as many of you know, we will be sending out two groups of spies today. Orva and Reynard, you will help cover the enemy’s external camps, and Soren and Analani will cover the internal camps. Before anyone leaves, I would like to remind you of some things. Be careful. If they catch you, you are not likely to escape. Always use concealing spells. You are all to send reports back at least once a week. Don’t leave unless you have no other choice or I tell you to. Analani, come here.”

She stepped up to the man, and he said, “Look at your necklace and concentrate. Think of nothing else.”

She did so, and the emerald began to glow brightly. It became a pit of swirling color, hypnotizing her, drawing her in until she was one with it.

Analani was in a large cavern-like room dimly lit with torches. She was heading toward a woman sitting at a circular stone table in the center. For a moment she tried to figure out how she was moving, and she suddenly realized it.

I’m in Lana’s necklace!

“Is their weapon ready yet?” said the wearer of the piece of jewelry.

“Yes, I believe so. Gather as many slaves as you can, and send them out. Catch anyone, and bind them. We need a strong defense. Even if one of the sisters is dead, the other is still strong. We need to be wary.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Analani was back in her own body. Quinn said, “Use that to spy if you must, but do try to use caution. They may catch on soon enough if you don’t.”

He turned to the other three spies about to be sent out and said, “Have a safe journey.”

Analani grabbed her pack and silently left the room with Soren Chavé. She followed him into the domed room and through a painting of a river by a trail heading through a forest. Instead of walking the path, he led her through the trees to a small clearing.

She studied the annoyed look on his face, “You really don’t want to do this with me, do you?”

“You’re just another silly little teenager who has never stepped out into the real world.”

“I’m not just some ‘silly little teenager.’ I have some knowledge and experience of the world, even if I am eighteen. Quit treating me like a child, and treat me as a fellow witch. I know what I’m doing.”

“Fine, then.”

The two proceeded to set up camp in silence, put up protection spells, and go to sleep on opposite sides of the clearing.

&&

A/N: Well, that's it for now. I know this kind of sucks, but I've already written so much it seems a pity to quit. Please give me opinions/suggestions. If you would like, you can analyze it and the characters to help me see if I'm portraying everything the way I want to.