#tawny and lauren did not come to play that day on set

[peachykneesjellybees]

the way you can see the hope in taissa’s eyes the small movements and the wanting and the minute she crumples the second she folds into van is when van puts her hand and her cheek omfggg

[roses-of-rutherglen]

Uniquely Normal- Chapter 1

-Dean-

Uniquely normal was how Dean's family described him. To his mother, three sisters, stepfather and possible little brother or sister on the way. He was always there, reliable cheery and seemingly completely normal. But as his mum and the only dad he'd known relied on him as the oldest there was something in the way he carried himself that was just so Dean, that no one could describe but everyone was incredibly grateful for. When he was five, just after his little sister Scout was born, his mum was amazed at how little things just seemed to be getting done around the house, the baby being hushed calmed and rocked to sleep among many other things when no one had been in all day. Dean would fess up but his parents could never quite figure out how he did it.

Like most other boys his age, he and his Dad shared a love of soccer and were loud and proud supporters of the West Ham Football Team. Every spare minute was spent in their back yard playing kick to kick to get out of the girl's hair. Somehow they always managed to get the best seats at any game they went to and even meet some of the players, who turns out were friends of Dean's friends. While confused at how all these wonderful things happened to them, Hernando, Dean's dad took it all in his stride and joked about his "uniqueness" that his wife kept harping on about. It became a family joke from that point on.

It came to his eleventh birthday and the family was gathered on a picnic blanket in their back garden, surrounded by the new life of spring. He had gotten several pieces of West Ham merch as well as some Doctor Who merchandise as the family had taken up the British tradition of watching through the series from the beginning on Saturday evenings. All of the gifts had been opened and Dean and his little sisters were just about to start a game of hide and seek with Scout, Teagan and Emily running around in the soft grass looking for a place to hide before Dean went to find them. Just as his count down finished a beautiful tawny owl flew out of the air towards the family and landed on Lauren's head "Dear, I do believe there is an owl on your head." Hernando managed to choke out after getting over his initial surprise "You think I wouldn't notice? Can you get it off me please!" The owl sat there contently hooting as the girls came running and started laughing and pointing at the "funny bird on mummy's head" after shaking her head and trying to find some way to unseat the bird Lauren gave up. "Dean can you help me here as your father appears to be struck dumb" Brough out of his staring at the gorgeous bird he slowly lifted his arm in front of him and the owl hopped straight onto it attempting to rub its head in his hand and nearly falling upside down in the process, this set the girls off giggling again. "I like the funny birdy can we keep it?" Tea asked as innocently as only a three-year-old could. Hernando and Lauren laughed but Dean was staring at the envelope he had removed from the owl's leg it was made of heavy parchment and addressed in emerald green ink

'Mr. Dean Thomas Only upstairs bedroom with a window 5 The Cherry Orchard Staverton Gloucestershire England' It was his address right down to his bedroom! He quickly opened the top as the owl hopped over to investigate Em and Tea’s fingers while Scout was looking through Dean's presents. His parents moved closer as he slid the letters out of the envelope 'Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) Dear Mr. Thomas, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September first, we await your owl no later than thirty-first of July. A member of the Hogwarts staff will arrive sometime within the next week to help introduce you and your family to the magical world. Also, the owl's name is Amanita we have been trying to rehome her for a while so if you want to keep her you may. I am sure your little sisters will love her. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy headmistress'

The next page was a list of school supplies such as books, a cauldron, potion ingredients, robes and the thing that made Dean's heart jump a wand. "Mummy?" He questioned looking towards his two clearly befuddles parents "is this a birthday joke?" Both of his parents looked at each other slowly shaking their heads. It seemed that their little boy had magic.

A week later the family was spread out around the house Dean, Tea and Emily were playing Princess' and dragon in the back yard while Scout was working on her crayon masterpiece which was actually quite impressive considering her age and her choice of utensil but it looked like art ran through the family as her older brother was an amazing artist as well. Hernando and Lauren were sitting on opposite ends of the couch legs tangled together with books in their hands and everyone was content and relaxed on a Sunday afternoon. Then there was a complicated knock on the door, Scout leaped up from her spot on the floor scattering crayons everywhere in her rush to let the visitor in.

Professor Aurora Sinistra arrived at number five The Cherry Orchard at around midday on the Sunday after the letter had been sent. The house was set at the end of a culdesac and was half-hidden by a rather large hydrangea bush she walked up the concrete drive to the wooden front door and knocked several times. A high pitched cry of "I'll get it!" Came from within and the door was flung open by a smiling curly-haired six years old who looked her up and down before shouting over her shoulder "Mum some woman who kinda looks like Auntie Joan is here!" Then pausing before turning back towards the professor on the doorstep and in the most polite voice she'd heard out of anyone that age graciously invited her inside the house. It was cozy and homely, it felt well lived in. The little girl who had now introduced herself as Scout had taken her by the hand and led her into the living room where the curtains and windows were open letting in the rare spring sunshine and filling the house with light.

The two adults were sitting on the couch books hastily placed on the side table suggested that they had been reading just before she came in and seeing the crayons scattered over the floor she guessed Scout was the one responsible for the colourful night sky crayon drawing on the chair opposite. "Good afternoon ma'am, how may we help you this fine day." Started the man pushing his glasses up his nose "my name is Hernando and this is my wife Lauren, I see you've already met Scout who has just gone to get her other siblings." Aurora smiled at the couple who still seemed slightly uneasy. "No need to worry too much and thank you for allowing me to visit you on this fine day. I am professor Aurora Sinistra, I teach Astronomy at Hogwarts and I'm here to talk to you about your eldest son Dean's recent acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I know this may come as a bit of a shock, knowing that our world co-exists with yours but let me tell you we are not very different to one another and nothing about your son is going to change because of this."

At this point in time, Scout came trotting back into the room leading Tea, Emily, and dean at the back. Lauren seemed to snap out of her silence "Aurora, I hope it's okay to call you that" she paused trying to gauge the witches' reaction before noticing her nod visibly relaxing and continuing on. "This is Scout whom you've already met she's six then this" pointing to a little girl who looked around four years old "is Emily and this little ragamuffin here is Teagan or Tea as we all call her." They all smiled at the professor and she smiled back. There was a moment of silence just as Hernando was about to offer to make tea there was a slight thud and an indignant hoot. Dean chuckled "she never sees the glass door even though there is an open window right next to it she always tries the door" he shook his head in a joking fashion before turning to open the door the tawny owl fluffed her feathers indignantly before seeming to glare at the glass door and settling on Dean's shoulder. Aurora smiled "I'm glad Amanita has found a good home, she never really fitted in with the other postage owls at Hogwarts." Dean looked at her, 'its real?' He thought 'this isn't some kind of elaborate joke?' He shook himself out of his thoughts just as his mum asked the girls to go and play in Em and Tea's shared bedroom. They trooped out of the room and Dean turned back in as his dad came in with a tray of tea. "So this isn't a joke planned by one of my friends?" He questioned and the professor chuckled shaking her head and taking a sip of her tea before starting to explain.

All in all the visit took over three hours and Aurora ended up staying for dinner much to the delight of the three younger girls who seemed to have fallen in love with her and her stick that was holstered to her belt. They were given the address for the shops in London and told to ask the bartender how to get in, as well as being given a ticket for the Hogwarts Express on platform 9 and 3/4 which made Dean's parents laugh saying they had been there many times and never seen such a platform. But a weekend was planned so the shopping could be done as slowly as needed and Dean went to be that night more excited than he had ever been in his life.

Chapter 2 here!!

[liketolaugh-writes]

Divine Intervention

Author: liketolaugh Summary: Miri Sánchez is looking for her brother, and the Phoenix Formula is not eternal life in the way the public thinks it is.

“We should stop at the park on the way back,” Miri insisted, bumping up against her brother’s shoulder with a smile. Isaiah huffed and bumped her back, glancing at the road ahead.

“For what?” he asked dubiously. “The park is boring. Unless you’re meeting someone there?” He gave her a pointed look, one eyebrow ticking up. “You knew I was coming to get you, so that’d be pretty rude.”

She gave him a cross look and hefted her backpack up her shoulder. “No, I’m not. But it’s not boring! That’s the whole point.”

“Wouldn’t you rather be home?” Isaiah countered. “Because I’d rather be home. It’s too cold out here and it’s going to rain at any damn moment.”

“You have a coat,” Miri protested. “I’d rather do my homework outside.”

Isaiah rolled his eyes, but finally waved a hand dismissively. “Today only,” he warned, and Miri hid a smile because this wasn’t the first time he’d said that. They took the next path left, which led down the hill to the park, and Miri asked,

“Don’t you get bored walking me home from school every day? I’m as old as you were when you started, now. I can walk home by myself.”

“Absolutely not,” Isaiah said immediately, and Miri frowned at him.

“I’m not a kid. I’m thirteen.”

“You’re a kid,” Isaiah disagreed, a slight smirk appearing on his face. Miri stuffed her hands in her pockets and stuck her tongue out at him, and then yelped when her backpack slid down her arm. She and Isaiah moved to catch it at the same time, and he smirked at her as she hefted it back up again.

“That doesn’t prove anything,” Miri protested. “You’re not that much older than me. Four years.”

“Four years is a lot, Miri,” Isaiah deadpanned.

“Not really, you know, not in the grand scheme of things, it’s only about a twentieth of a person’s lifetime, so really-”

“A twentieth is a lot too,” Isaiah said.

“You wouldn’t say that if you were cutting a pie into twenty pieces,” Miri said, and Isaiah laughed.

By the time they’d arrived at the park, Isaiah had actually stopped periodically complaining about the cold, but he didn’t go into the forest with Miri; he said that unlike Miri, he had a lot of homework and not just a little, so he’d rather get it done now.

The park, at this time of day, didn’t have any young kids yet, but there was a group of boys about Isaiah’s age playing basketball on the court. Miri glanced over, and caught sight of two men on the fringe of the trees – one brown-haired, green-eyed, and looking faintly pinched. Beside him was another man about the same age, with black hair and blue eyes and an intense, searching look, cast over the park.

The green-eyed man turned his head and caught her gaze, and his expression changed in a way Miri didn’t quite recognize.

Their gazes stuck for just a moment too long, and suddenly, Miri felt intensely uncomfortable. She looked away and took a few steps down the path, hesitated, and looked back. The two men had started walking, and the black-haired man called out once, and then again.

The second time, Isaiah looked up, and Miri shook herself. They were probably lost.

She turned away and walked on into the forest.

When she arrived back, Isaiah was gone, but his backpack – open and half empty, phone included – was still there.

“You aren’t normally this nervous about meeting people,” Atka remarked, tilting her head slightly to settle glazed eyes, not quite concealed by black bangs, on Miri, elbows settled on the table between them with an array of cards clasped lightly between her hands.

Miri swallowed and shrugged, shifting back subconsciously and head dipping downward.

“Mr. Castello is an important man,” she replied, avoiding Atka’s gaze by looking at the cards in her hand. “It’s getting to me, I guess. Not everyone can be the unofficial niece of the world’s leading life alchemist, Atka.” She flashed the other girl a quick smile and tapped her hand, red nail polish glinting in the light. “Got any twos?”

“Go fish,” Atka dismissed, not shifting her attention away. She didn’t even glance at her cards. Miri rolled her eyes. “You know you’re smart enough for this, right? You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“That doesn’t actually stop me,” Miri said, mouth pinching in a half-grimace as her stomach turned just at the thought. “Call your card.”

Atka glanced down, just for a moment. “Kings?” she asked, and Miri shook her head. Atka drew. “Groundbreaking research doesn’t make him any less ridiculous a man. He likes to explain to people why hot dogs should be classified as a sandwich.”

“I’ll bite. Why?” Miri asked, not taking her eyes off her cards.

“Something about the language assignment being arbitrary,” Atka answered, a hint of a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth. “I stopped paying attention at some point.”

“Lucky you,” Miri murmured dryly. “Aces?”

“Hm,” Atka sighed, pulling out two and passing them over. Miri flashed her a smile and set the stack of four down. A moment passed, and Atka frowned, pushed her cards together into a stack, and asked, “Am I missing something?”

Miri blinked, actually looking up to her face again. “What?”

“You’re never insecure about your intelligence,” Atka said flatly. “And you don’t have excessive regard for authority or important figures. Is something wrong?”

Miri winced, pulling her cards to her chest, and took a beat to consider before she said, a little quieter, “I’m thinking about my brother.”

It was a half-truth. She was thinking about Isaiah. That just… wasn’t all of it.

She was thinking about Atka, too, with glazed green eyes and skin so pale it was tinged blue.

She glanced down at her own hand, with its darker tawny tone.

Atka bobbed her head once, gaze shifting away as she mulled that over. “Is it an anniversary?” she asked. “It isn’t the day he went missing, that was the month before last, and his birthday is next month.”

Miri grimaced at Atka’s blunt words and then shook her head. “Just a day,” she replied, and that was more like a lie. “Three years isn’t that long, you know? It’s hard to forget.”

Atka nodded, accepting that. “Do you want to meet with ‘Riah another day?”

A wry smile twisted Miri’s mouth. “If I don’t do it today, I’ll never do it,” she said. “But thanks.”

Atka granted her a brief smile, and then tipped her head up as someone knocked on the door. “That’d be him here now,” she noted, setting her cards down. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Miri sighed, setting hers down as well. “You win, I think.”

Atka glanced back for a moment and grinned, there and gone. “Mm-hm,” she hummed, and then she was up and heading for the door. Miri rose as well, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Showtime.

When she opened them again, Atka had let Zachariah Castello into the house.

He looked- amiable. Black hair and blue eyes, bright-eyed and grinning, almost an antithesis to neutral-faced Atka even as he reached out and gave her a quick, one-armed hug, making her scrunch up her nose and pull away with a roll of her eyes. Zachariah laughed and let her go.

Instantly, Miri wanted to either hit him hard, or push past him and out the door.

“It’s good to see you as always, Atka,” Zachariah said warmly, crossing his arms in front of his stomach. “Where’s your father?”

“At a conference,” Atka shrugged, stepping back to let him through and close the door behind him. “He’ll be back at about nine, he said. It’s kind of far away.”

“Busy man,” Zachariah chuckled. “I heard you had a friend who wanted to meet me?”

Atka nodded, turning and keeping pace with him back toward the living room. “This is Miri Sánchez,” she told him, gesturing at Miri. “She’s a classmate of mine, but we’ve been friends for about two years now. Sometimes we work on projects together.”

Zachariah met Miri’s eyes, and though she was looking for it, there was no recognition there, just an easy smile. “Is that so?” he asked, sounding pleased. He held out a hand for her to shake. “You must be good, then. Atka’s a little wonder when it comes to alchemy.”

It was through force of will that Miri didn’t drop her gaze, just reached out and took his hand in a firm grasp. “I like the field,” she said neutrally, and then made an effort to smile a little. “That’s why I’m seeking an apprenticeship with you, Mr. Castello. I’m more interested in healing magic than eternal life, but you know how much these things intertwine.”

It was something of an understatement. Zachariah Castello’s life work, the Phoenix Formula, was rumored to encompass elements of every field from healing to necromancy in its quest for immortality – though Zachariah’s former partner, Atka’s mother Lauren, had not lived to complete it. Some people wondered if that was why Zachariah sought its completion so persistently.

“That I do,” Zachariah said with a touch of humor, tilting his head with a wry smile. “And you’re in luck; Lauren specialized in healing magic before we started work on the Phoenix Formula, and I picked up more than a little.” He gave Atka a nod. “No wonder you’re working with Atka. It must run in the family.”

He moved toward the couch before either of them could reply, and the two of them tagged along after. Miri ended up between them, hands clasped between her knees as she tried to push down her anxiety, shoulders turned to face Zachariah.

“Why me, though?” Zachariah asked, tapping one of his knees, his smile faded into a thoughtful, intent look. “Why not someone who specializes in healing?”

“You’re a genius, Mr. Castello,” Miri answered, gaze unwavering, though her heart jumped in her chest. “And I think I could get a fresh outlook on the field from you.”

Another flash of a smile. “Flatterer,” he accused. “Did Atka coach you before I arrived?”

“I was going to, but she was too nervous,” Atka informed him.

“Nervous, eh?” Zachariah looked her up and down and then shot her a grin. “You’re good at hiding it.” Then, abruptly, “What are your grades like?”

“Not quite top of my class,” Miri answered, twisting her hands so one gripped the opposite wrist. He was so nice, and lively. It was hard to connect him with his work, like this. “But I haven’t gotten a B in years.”

Zachariah grinned a little, quirking up one eyebrow. “Through intelligence or work ethic?” he asked. “You’re sixteen, after all. College will be different, an apprenticeship more so.”

It was such a grown-up remark that it set her teeth on edge, and she had to drop her gaze and deliberately relax before she replied, “I like to think it’s a little bit of both.”

“Her work ethic better than mine,” Atka provided shamelessly. “When it comes to school work, anyway.”

“All your work ethic goes to your extracurriculars,” Zachariah shot back.

Atka shrugged. “Doesn’t keep me from getting good grades. School is boring anyway.”

“That’s going to bite you someday,” Zachariah said firmly, and then returned his attention to Miri. “I understand you and Atka work together sometimes, but do you have projects of your own?”

Miri played with her fingers for a moment, hesitating.

“I want to specialize in unusual afflictions,” she said eventually. “Right now I’m trying to reverse necrosis.” The admission tightened her chest a little, but she reminded herself that live flesh could rot for more than one reason. It didn’t have to mean anything.

Zachariah made an ‘a-ha’ sound of approval, sitting up quickly. “You know, that rings a bell,” he said thoughtfully, and Miri’s mouth went dry. “I thought you looked sort of familiar. Did you do a presentation on it? At a school fair, perhaps?”

“Once,” Miri said, quietly. She swallowed once, and then again, and when she continued her voice came out clearer. “It was about something else, though. Infection.”

Zachariah hummed again. “I’ll figure it out later,” he decided, smiling lightly. He didn’t speak for a heartbeat, and then he set a hand on his knee and leaned back with a firm nod. “Okay – Miri, wasn’t it? I’ll take you on.”

It took a second to process, and then Miri felt, at once, as if she were flying and falling. Atka jumped, and when Miri spared a glance back, she was beaming, a rare full-faced smile that crinkled her eyes.

“It’s on a trial basis, of course,” Zachariah continued, and Miri looked back at him to find the man smiling, warm and welcoming. “But I have high hopes for you, Ms. Sánchez. We’ll work out the details of your living situation and anything else another time. Here, let me-”

He reached for a notebook on the table and started scribbling, and Atka leaned over and gave Miri the same one-armed hug Zachariah had given her earlier, still smiling.

“Good job,” she whispered, too loud to keep Zachariah from hearing.

Miri managed a smile in return, twisting to make it a full hug and hide her face in her friend’s shoulder so she couldn’t see how sick it looked.

“Thanks,” she murmured. “For everything.”

She was going to apprentice under Zachariah Castello.

Zachariah’s house, it panned out, was even bigger than Atka’s; alchemy research paid well, since it wasn’t a field easily taught on a large scale. Magic varied too much from person to person.

“There are two lab levels,” Zachariah was explaining to her, letting her in with his characteristic habitual smile. “You’ll be allowed on the first, but the very bottom level is off-limits; most of my work on the Phoenix Formula is down there, as is some of Lauren’s, so only Rowan and I are allowed down there. No offense, of course.”

“What, you don’t trust me with your top secret research?” Miri deadpanned, keeping her breathing even despite the pounding in her chest. Zachariah laughed.

“Maybe someday,” he said cheerfully. “Rowan should be around here somewhere, I’ll introduce you. He’ll be around a lot, you see.”

Zachariah’s current partner. Miri nodded quickly.

“What does he specialize in?” Miri asked. “I’ve never heard.”

Zachariah hummed. “Mostly in making ideas workable,” he said with a grin. “He’s a lot more practical-minded than I am. But, specifically, he works a lot with the arcane. It’s not good for a lot of everyday stuff, but, well…” His grin widened a little, and Miri’s stomach turned, a lump forming in her throat. “The Phoenix Formula is nothing ordinary.”

“‘The modern day philosopher’s stone’,” Miri quoted, and Zachariah nodded.

“Exactly,” he said with satisfaction, and then, delighted, “Rowan! Come here, I need to introduce you to Miri.”

“I think you just did so quite effectively,” the man at the end of the hall said, but he swept toward them without further complaint, light brown hair and dark brown eyes that went straight to Miri, examining her.

His mouth tightened instantly, and Miri’s nerves shot through the roof.

“’Riah,” Rowan said, quiet. “What’s this?”

“My new apprentice,” Zachariah said, amused. “I told you last night. She’s working on reversing necrosis, you know? It’s right up our alley.”

Rowan’s gaze lingered on Miri, and Miri couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Even if Zachariah hadn’t figured it out, there wasn’t a doubt in Miri’s mind that Rowan recognized her.

After a long and lingering moment, though, Rowan’s gaze shifted back to Zachariah and he gave him a nod, shoulders still tense. “You sure know how to pick ‘em, ‘Riah,” he said.

“Oh, this was all Atka,” Zachariah laughed. “She’s a gem.”

“She’s something,” Rowan said dryly, and nodded at Miri. “It’ll be interesting to have you around, Miss Sánchez.”

“It’ll be interesting to be around,” Miri answered before she could stop herself, and winced at the downward quirk of Rowan’s mouth before he swept away.

Zachariah chuckled quietly. “Sorry, Miri,” he said, glancing at her. “Rowan was kind of against me taking an apprentice during this project. I’m sure he’ll lighten up once he gets to know you.”

Miri nodded, keeping her eyes on the door Rowan had disappeared into. “I’m sure,” she echoed.

“Your necrosis research isn’t half bad,” Zachariah said conversationally, not moving his gaze from the powdered chimera bone he was grinding. Miri paused, and then glanced up, wary. Zachariah smiled a little and continued, “I think you’re most of the way there. Just a few things to touch up, am I right?”

Miri hesitated, and then said, “I don’t have much cause to test it. But I think so, yes.”

“That’s impressive, for a girl your age,” Zachariah said easily, dropping the pestle and going to wash his hands. Zachariah wasn’t a fan of cross-contamination, he liked to joke. “What drew your attention to it?”

“Uncommon afflictions are interesting,” Miri said, the lie falling easily from her tongue. If she avoided Zachariah’s gaze while she said it- she was just busy. Anxiety tightened her chest. “Leprosy was one of the first that caught my attention, and the same problem crops up with crushing injuries and infections, right? I thought it would be useful.”

“You’re right, you’re right,” Zachariah agreed, grabbing a vial off the shelf. “Have you ever worked with this before?”

Miri eyed the vial and shook her head.

“Cerberus urine,” Zachariah said proudly. “Very rare, not very useful except in very specific situations. But you might find it interesting.”

Miri swallowed and asked, “What sort of situations?”

Zachariah grinned. “Already guessed it, haven’t you? It’s one of the elements I use in the Phoenix Formula.”

“That seems counter to your objective,” Miri said carefully.

“It’s like an antivenin,” Zachariah explained, tipping the vial into a bowl and then mixing in the powdered bone. “Gotta get a little death in before you can get it out.”

Miri stayed quiet for a long moment.

“I suppose that makes sense,” she said at last, her voice so soft it could hardly be made out.

Zachariah gave her a sympathetic look. “It should be relevant to your research too,” he said. “But in a different ratio. Give it a try.” He tapped the bowl of solution with one finger. “This here will end up as a treatment for severe infection. You see the similarities, don’t you?”

Miri nodded.

“Rowan had a hard time with it too,” Zachariah added, and smiled wryly. “He’s a little squeamish. But he’s an amazing friend.”

It was two months into her apprenticeship – two months of learning techniques from Zachariah and occasionally from Rowan, guiding her through rituals and potions and combinations thereof, things she could do without the inherent magic Zachariah possessed in his fingertips – before she got her chance.

But then she did, left to study in Zachariah’s library while he and Rowan went to find ingredients out in the forest. Zachariah had estimated they’d be gone for two hours, three at most – more than enough time.

Rowan had given her a long, lingering look before they left, but he hadn’t said anything.

As soon as she was sure they were gone, and hadn’t forgotten anything important, she left the library and headed straight for the stairs, descending first to the main lab – locked with a ritual Zachariah had demonstrated to her a week in – and then to the secret one.

The stairs, she was sure, didn’t lead to anything; Zachariah was gullible and trusting, but not careless. No one with a secret like this was careless… no matter how right they believed they were.

And her first guess was that the true entrance was somewhere in the main lab.

She edged her way around stocks of dragon eggshells and stores of Greek fire, beakers of kirin blood and vials of chimera venom. The main lab was a dangerous place, if you didn’t know your way around; Miri was fortunate that she had experience on her side.

Miri was a very cautious person.

So carefully, she picked her way through the stacks and stores, and forty-five minutes later she found her prize. A hatch, set under a basket of belladonna, padlocked shut and likely warded.

With a touch, she brought the wards to life – she’d never been more grateful for her natural gift, something she hadn’t demonstrated to another person since her brother disappeared.

It was almost symbolic.

The wards were good, textbook perfect. But not creative. Neither Zachariah nor Rowan specialized in warding, and neither had Lauren, as far as Miri knew. And none of them had trusted an outsider enough to handle this.

Carefully, so carefully, Miri learned the wards inside and out, memorized them, and then unmade them in meticulous strokes and murmured words, once crossing the lab to take some of the unicorn horn dust from the opposite end. She didn’t realize how shallow, how quick her breathing had become until her fingertips began to tingle.

Almost there. Almost there.

She opened the trapdoor, and found a ladder.

Miri didn’t dare turn on the lights, but she had her phone, and more importantly, her phone’s flashlight. She left the door open above her and descended the ladder.

The secret lab looked almost like the main lab – with rarer ingredients, fewer experiments in progress, but the same meticulous organization around the edges descending to chaos in the middle.

And then another door on the other side.

Miri went forward, and she reached the door.

She knocked.

“What do you want?” a voice snapped harshly from inside, and her breath caught. Tears rose to her eyes, and a lump to her throat.

She leaned her forehead against the door, swallowed, and took a breath.

“Isaiah?” she called, voice shaking just slightly. “It’s me, Miri.”

“…How do you know my name?”

Her eyes snapped open, and a moment later, she opened the door and shot through.

Isaiah – her older brother, missing for three years, Isaiah Sánchez – was there, all right, and it was a relief, heady and dizzying. And then she took him in.

He was on the other side of glass, frowning at her from a room surprisingly well-furnished. Miri wondered, distantly, if Zachariah thought that made it more humane, but she was swiftly distracted.

Isaiah looked just like she remembered – too much. He was too young. Not the same age, but not much older than he had been. His skin, once the same color as hers, was grey-tinged, and – she felt like throwing up – in some places, like his cheek and one hand along the wrist and the edge of his palm, it was blackened with rot. His eyes, like Atka’s, were glazed, but still dark brown like hers.

“Who are you?” Isaiah demanded, and she flinched. “I haven’t seen you before.”

Brain damage. It was- it had been a possibility.

She ducked her head, holding back tears, and trembled, just a little.

“My name is Miri,” she said, quietly. “I’m your sister. F-four years younger.”

When she glanced back up, Isaiah’s scowl had deepened.

“I don’t know you,” he said bluntly. “I don’t remember anything for ages.”

“That’s okay,” she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. “I’m going to get you out.”