Gail Altman

Gail Altman was a low-level witch and a close friend of Penny Halliwell from the time they were sorority sisters in college. Along with her friends Helen and Amanda, Gail was part of a coven that hoped to summon the demon Cryto in hopes of having him restore their youth and beauty. Gail wanted to regain her youth because she discovered she was dying of cancer.

History

Gail met and became close friends with Penny Halliwell when they became sorority sisters in college. Twenty years later, Gail joined a coven of witches created by Penny. Gail became an "aunt" to Penny's granddaughters and at some point, Penny told her that she suspected her granddaughters were the Charmed Ones. In 2000, Gail was dying of an inoperable cancer. In hopes of saving her life, she and two surviving members of her coven, Helen and Amanda, summoned the demon of vanity. Gail promised to get him the powers of the Charmed Ones in return for youth and health.

Gail tricked the sisters into coming to her home in Santa Costa to hunt down a demon who was digging up graves and skinning corpses. After the four witches found Cryto in the Book of Shadows, Gail secretly ripped out the "To Separate a Witch from Her Powers" page and slipped it into her pocket.

When the sisters arrived at Gail's house, the three elderly witches gave them some tea spiked with the potion and then used the spell to call their powers to Cryto, which granting him life in a body suit they created. Cryto then restored Gail's youth, but reduced Amanda and Helen to dust by dramatically aging them as he feared they would betray him.

Cryto then forced Gail to to persuade several of her friends in town to trade their souls for youth. Gail soon regretted what she had done and secretly returned the "To Separate a Witch Form Her Power" page back to the Charmed Ones so they could regain their powers and banish Cryto. However, when Gail tried to escape, Cryto caught her and turned her to dust. ("How to Make a Quilt Out of Americans")

Powers and Abilities

Basic Powers
- Spell Casting: The ability to cast spells and perform rituals.
- Potion Making: The ability to brew potions.
- Scrying: The ability to locate lost objects and beings through use of a map and a crystal.