When I say I don't know what happened, I really don't know what happened. One moment I was sat comfortably chatting away with my Aunt and the next I felt like I was floating. I felt like I was completely weightless. But the feeling soon left me as slowly drifted to the ground and I started to feel a bit more... solid I guess. It was strange whatever it was, it felt a little like you were going through a portal now that I think about it.

I had instinctively closed my eyes during this experience, not knowing what to expect. I then felt someone gently shaking my shoulder and that was weird too; like I was being touched through a heavy curtain. I opened my eyes to see my Auntie Morrigan smiling at me.

'Hey kiddo, you okay?' She calmly asked me.

'Um, I think so. Where are we?' I blinked hard a few times trying to get my eyes to focus. I slowly looked around the room we were in. I was stood on a hard stone floor that had some strange old looking rugs dotted about on it. The ceilings were at an odd height but were supported with strong looking oak beams. There were dozens of lit candles lining the room on almost every surface and there was also a enormous fireplace situated on the back stone wall. It was lit, roaring away and giving off some fierce heat that made the probably actually freezing cold room feel comfortable and cosy. I did however notice a large metal contraption in the fireplace that held a large, black cauldron over the open flames.

Then I noticed three women lined up in front of a huge, rustic, dark wooden table. They looked excited.

'Maddie, let me introduce you to some of our ancestors.'

I swear, hands down that right now I could have been transported in to Hocus Pocus as I had what appeared to be the Sanderson sisters right in front of me.

'Maddie this is Betty, Bronwyn and Minerva.'

I studied the three women who were advancing toward me. Betty and Bronwyn must have been anywhere between the ages of forty and sixty, I couldn't quite place their ages but they had the standard Taylor family dark hair but Betty was a touch on the plump side. Bronwyn looked like a stocky woman but she was the tallest one out of all of us; the Taylor family shortness missing her completely by the look of it. Minerva was the youngest by far only appearing to be in her twenties, very early twenties at the most with a fair face, mousy brown hair that possibly could've looked blonde in brighter light and a leaner frame. She was also dressed a bit more modern than Betty and Bronwyn. I say modern because Betty and Bronwyn looked like they were from the sixteen-hundreds, Minerva; from what I could recall from my History classes was dressed in late Victorian attire.

'Madelyn Taylor, it is such a pleasure to finally meet you my girl.' Betty said to me as she took my face in her hands as if to get a better look at me. Then I started wondering how she knew my full name, my full government name actually. That's when Bronwyn butted in and literally shoved Betty out of the way.

'We watch over the family, all of our family. Of course we know who you are and what your name is.' She grinned and made a strange "pfffttt" sound with her lips. As she had said her piece, Minerva casually took my hands in hers and squeezed gently.

'Hello Maddie, how are you feeling now? Your visitor have been coming back haven't they?' She spoke softly but with purpose.

'Yes, I err. They've come back again.' I replied.

'And that's why you've brought her to see us!' Betty exclaimed. 'And is Miriam still being utterly difficult?' She asked me directly.

'When isn't she?' I said. Betty pondered for a moment and just nodded at me. I had her there I guess. My mum was notoriously difficult just generally, as a rule.

'Well that is by the by. We for one,' Betty gestured to herself, Bronwyn and Minerva, 'are glad to see you. Come, come sit with us for a while.'

We all ended up sat down on the large bench seats around the big oak table.

'We're happy too see you're embracing the family gift Madelyn.' Bronwyn said to me. 'And your Aunt Morrigan is doing a great job teaching you our ways.'

Betty and Minerva nodded at her statement.

'And the others are happy with your progress too, they're not here at the moment but they send their best wishes and love.'

I smiled but I wasn't entirely sure what they meant by "others" and how they weren't there. The slight look of confusion I had must have caught the attention of my Aunt.

'What Bronwyn means is that here in this realm, live loads of our ancestors. Nearly all of them.'

'But they, I mean all of us spend our time watching over our living relatives. We are also what you call "spirit guides" to many mediums in the mortal realm, your world.' Minerva added in her soft voice.

I guess it made a bit more sense now. I did I have one question though that I directed at my Auntie M.

'Auntie M, why have you brought me here though?'

Auntie M shifted in her seat and looked at me directly.

'This is another rite of passage for us. When the visions of ghosts, spirits and other paranormal stuff returns to you after you start getting a grip of your powers, the stuff you haven't got control of begins to creep back in. You with me so far?'

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I nodded, I think I was getting the jist.

'Our magical energy and paranormal energy don't quite line up, but magical energy is more often than not stronger than paranormal and sometimes more erratic until you can control it. And when that happens, background paranormal energy starts making itself more known. It's a little complicated to explain properly, but fledgling witches are brought in to this realm via a sort of astral projection to connect with its energy properly.'

'So, we come here to experience the paranormal energy like, first-hand?'

'Correct.'

'And I assume it helps us control and I guess interact with it better.'

'I couldn't have put it any better myself kiddo.'

'Even experienced witches like your Aunt do however have to come back here periodically, in order to refresh their bond with this realm. So as not to loose control. Plus it gives us a great opportunity to have a nice catch up with each other.' Betty added.

I smiled. I felt a bit better now knowing why I was brought here and what it meant for me.

'So we don't have to do any spells or rituals for this bond thing?' I asked.

'Nope. Just being here for a short while so we can absorb and recognise the energy pretty much sorts us out. While it does make it easier for our relatives and other spirits to contact us, it also makes it easier for us to tune them out and even banish malevolent spirits.' Auntie M said.

I "ahh'd" at that revelation. I had noticed that there was a strange sort of humming or a vibration in this place. And when you touched something it did have what I could only call a patina, everything felt like it had a fuzzy coating on it. In fact it felt like being brushed with a velvet fabric, a kind of plushness.

'But we can't stay for much longer I'm afraid. The potion will be wearing off soon plus we shouldn't stay here for lengthy amounts of time anyway. Can you feel yourself fading slightly Maddie?' My Aunt asked me. I nodded as I was getting a little lethargic.

Everyone got up from the table. I came and stood next to my Aunt as my ancestors gathered round us in a group hug.

'It is such a shame we don't have as much time to spend together here, but please know Madelyn that we will always be watching over you and so are the others.' Bronwyn said to me as she gently stroked my cheek.

'I'm sure next time you are due to visit us that you will have the chance to meet the others. They may even come to you, when you need them of course.' Betty added.

'Now both of you, go back to your vampires they're both looking slightly worried.' Minerva said as she was staring in to space, looking somewhat glassy eyed. That must have been her watching what was going on back home I assume.

The fatigue was coming in thick and heavy now and it had even started to effect my Aunt. Looking at her you'd think she had a bottle of vodka in her at this point as she was all droopy eyed and smirking.

'Blessed be ladies.' She slurred.

'Blessed be to yo...'

I gradually started to wake up. It took what felt like forever to open my eyes and keep them open. My vision was quite blurry and I had a properly thick head, similar to when you've overslept way too much. I rolled my head to the side to see my Aunt propping herself on one elbow and holding her forehead and rubbing her eyes with her other hand. She looked as bad as I felt, though in saying that I didn't know what I was looking like right now.

'Oh geeze Auntie M why do I...' I paused as I took a deep breath feeling the need to get some more air in to my lungs. 'Why do I feel so rough?' I managed to gasp out. I'd never been hungover before, but this is how I was imagining it right now.

'Side effect of the potion.' Auntie M groaned. She then let out a small burp and instantly began rubbing her chest. 'And the trip to the astral realm, it takes it outta you. And gives me fucking indigestion.'

I slowly managed to prop myself with a few cushions behind me. As if on cue, Arne and Duncan came in to the room and knelt down beside us. Arne had already pulled up my Aunt and was giving her a piggy back ride out.

'We'll stay here to night Maddie, get straight to bed best to sleep it off.' Auntie M slurred at me as she was being carried out. 'See you in the morning.'

'Night Auntie M.'

I sighed heavily and tried to get myself a bit more upright but it was just not happening. I felt stupidly weak and neither my arms or legs wanted to work that hard. Duncan however had stayed beside me and helped me steady myself.

'Not up to standing?'

'I don't think so.' I sighed again. 'Wow I've never felt this bad in a long time, not since I last had the flu I think.'

'Come on then, let's get you a cup of tea and get you in bed.'

With a swift movement, Duncan swooped me up in his arms and carried me outside the lab and up the stairs to what was now known as my room. On the way through the main hall and up the grand staircase, I caught the time on a large ornate grandfather clock. It was half past two in the morning.

'Christ, how long were we out for? I asked Duncan as I tried to keep my head upright.

'Nearly eight hours.'

My eyes bulged at his answer.

'I swear it only felt like we were there like, less than an hour.' I stated, not quite comprehending how that had happened.

'Time moves differently in the astral realm. You've probably seen it portrayed in films that time works differently in different dimensions, they actually got it right.' Duncan explained.

I "ahh'd" at that answer. I didn't know what else to say so I just kept my mouth shut.

Eventually Duncan got to my room and carefully deposited me on the edge of the comically gargantuan bed. The few minutes I had to wake up a bit more helped me get my strength back and the wobbliness in my arms and legs was starting to fade.

'Will you be okay while I go and make you a cup of tea?' Duncan asked me as he turned on my bedside light.

'I'll be fine, I'm not as woozy now.' I replied.

'Okay, I'll be back in two minutes.' He squeezed my hand gently before he left.

I took the opportunity to slowly edge off the bed and get something to sleep in. My Aunt suggested I brought a few clothes to keep here in the mansion just in case we ended up staying and I'm glad she did. I found a set of pj's, a black cotton long sleeved top with little pink hearts on and matching three-quarter length bottoms. I put them on as quickly as I could before Duncan came back with my tea. I left my clothes on a chair, then pushed back the quilt and duvet on my bed. I struggled to climb in and ended up dragging myself on to the bed and trying to roll under the covers. Just as I started to sort out the pillows behind me and pull the duvet up, Duncan appeared through the door with a big mug of tea in his hand. He carefully handed me the mug and I accepted it graciously.

'Thank you Duncan.' I said taking a huge gulp of the hot tea. I laid the mug down in my lap and patted the space on the bed beside me. Duncan came round the other side of the bed and climbed on beside me. He casually snaked his hand in to mine as I sipped my tea with the other.

'Are you feeling better now? I can leave if you want to get some rest?'

No Duncan I don't want you to leave I want you to stay.

'Please stay Duncan, I don't want you to leave.' That came out as soon as he asked, with what I now realise was a sense of urgency. I clamped my lips together tight after replying abruptly like that, I didn't know I had it in me. I felt the embarrassment start to make my cheeks flush and trying to figure out what to do; I drained my mug and put it down on the bedside table so I could get back to being embarrassed.

'I'll stay.' Duncan squeezed my hand. We both sank further down in to the pillows and turned to face each other. We just smiled, comfortable in each others company.