An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
'Perhaps not on the surface,'Marcus answered Reena, regarding Aubrey.'But she's the strongest person I know. It's not a matter of if she's in there, but how to reach her. There is so much you don't know, but that isn't my story to tell.'
The things Reena mentioned or asked about after that didn't grant an answer, as the projection got so confused by it all that there was a magic rippling -- almost as if it was being tampered with, except there wasn't even a breeze down there and no one had their wands out. There was just nothing about that which he could properly process or respond to.
So he simply ignored it, and moved onto the mention of the potion.
'The vial in my vault at Gringotts? I had many, but based on your description...'Marcus nodded, confirming the memories internally first. 'That potion made no alternation of her mind. I cannot grant you the recipe without first knowing how many times she has drank it. There is a lifetime limit that, if exceeded... it's too awful to think about.'
Marcus paused, processing.
'There are alternatives, though not as potent,'he added. 'The ingredients, however, are tricky to come by... outside of Hogwarts.'
Post by Kody Ashworth on Feb 15, 2023 1:10:29 GMT 10
The first thing Kody noticed was the return of Not-Dad. Despite the knowledge that it wasn't his real dad, he couldn't help but brighten at the sight of him. Like a puppy. He hoped Not-Dad would have something else to say to him again...
But the whole situation with the magic chest and then the journal that Ezra was reading made his head spin.
He knew it couldn't be easy for his little brother to take on the burden of reading out something like this to them so he made a mental note to thank him later somehow. Maybe he could pick some more strawberries, just for Ezra to enjoy?
Reena's remark about their mum made him frown. Kody opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. He knew Reena wasn't being malicious, just factual and there was no sense in him telling her off. She had a right to say what she did.
She wasn't... Exactly wrong.
But it was getting harder for Kody to focus on everything happening.
Between Ezra reading the journal, Not-Dad trying to offer answers and Reena puzzling everything out with her own questions, he felt in way over his head. There wasn't anything he could help with here.
This just made him feel bad. Kody was useless! Reena had least knew things and Ezra had provided the journal. Kody was just... Here doing nothing.
He chewed on his lip, dropping his gaze from his Not-Dad to stare at the ground instead.
What was the point of him even being here? He gave Reena's hand another small squeeze but it did little to help him feel better.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Feb 15, 2023 4:10:37 GMT 10
“Well then, how do we reach her?“, she asked. In Reena’s experience, whether you got a coherent answer or emotionally loaded gibberish while talking to their mother, came at random, depending on the day and overall mood. So she doubted there was a reliable way to do so.
Although, the friends who had stayed here for this year appeared to have had a good influence on her. Perhaps it was possible after all and she just lacked patience for her mum.
“If there’s a way to brew an alternative at Hogwarts, I‘ll gladly do it. I just need the recipe. I‘m quite proficient in potion making.“
She had added the last part with a tiny hint of pride. Was it wrong that she tried to brag to her Not-Dad?
“How much time do you think we have?“
Reena did not really like the prospect of having to wait until Christmas to be able to supply her mother with a lucidity-potion, considering the clock might be ticking on her brother’s and sister’s life, but it was better than nothing.
“While lucid from that potion, mum told Jax and I that knowledge was the point and that we were safer not knowing. Do you think that means we shouldn’t tell Jaxen and [sister] about the curse?“
Reena frowned, worried their knowing might make things worse. Perhaps they should have just listened to their mother and stopped their investigation then and there.
But that did not really make sense to her either. Jax had had no idea he was cursed and he had still gotten sick.
Perhaps she was just looking for an easy way out. An excuse not to tell them.
Although, she was not sure whether she could live burdened with such a dark secret. This would weigh heavier on her than what had happened at Seabrook manor and what would happen to that poor house elf.
How did you tell a person you loved that they were cursed from birth by ancient magic to die? And how could you not tell them?
Could Ezra keep it secret? Could Kody?
Speaking of, her younger brother had given her hand a squeeze and as she turned around instinctively, she did a double take at the way he was staring down and chewing his lip.
He was obviously upset, which was not very surprising given what they had just learned, but contrasted strongly to his upbeat declaration earlier.
“Don‘t worry. We‘ll find a way to break this curse“, she whispered and returned the hand-squeeze.
She wasn’t half as confident as she hoped to sound but she had to believe it.
She gave Kody’s hand another squeeze and then turned back to Not-Dad, casting a brief glance at Ezra and Conrad‘s journal.
There had to be some information in that or in the Dad imprint that would help them.
“Do you think we could ask Grandma for her notes?“, she asked, all of them and no one.
Grandma hadn’t given them to her own son, would she part with them for her grandchildren?
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Feb 15, 2023 21:29:37 GMT 10
Ezra frowned down at the scribbles that covered the third and fourth pages. None of it made much sense to him, but he still attempted to spot any kind of pattern.
Was this how his dad had worked? With confusing and seemingly random scribbles? It did not seem all that helpful. How were they supposed to make sense of it?
“Oh! There’s Mirthwood!” he blinked and looked up at Reena. He was not sure how helpful it was, but it meant that both of their dads had mentioned it. Even if he had no idea what Conrad had meant for it.
“Dom..” he mumbled as he turned his attention back to the page. That sounded familiar at least too, like he had heard it before.. “D-o-M? Does that mean the Department of Mysteries? Didn’t that explode years ago?”
He was pretty sure he could remember reading a reference to that in the paper at least. What had it said?
“Nine or ten years ago?” He narrowed his eyes at the word as he tried his best to remember what the article had said. “I think someone stole research?”
He was not quite sure if he was remembering right, but it was a little impressive that he had managed even that much. It had just been one newspaper article from half a year ago after all.
Not being able to make much sense of the rest of the page, Ezra finally flipped to the next one, only to be greeted by another journal entry. Maybe that would offer more understandable help.
He got through reading the first paragraph out loud before he paused. There was the talk about Grandma not helping him again, but apparently she had shared something with Uncle Marcus?
Ezra did not understand why they had not just worked together. His brother and sister had been ill, in danger of dying, and the adults didn’t seem to think to work together?
It was no wonder that Conrad sounded so grumpy in his journal.
As confused as he was about Grandma apparently not being very helpful though, he could not help but to feel sad for her too. Had Conrad died while still mad at her?
Ezra chewed over that thought for a moment before, with a sad little shake of his head, he carried on reading the entry out loud.
That did not last long. As he hit the paragraph about ancient magics his voice trailed off. Too curious about the talk of ancient scrolls and what they could contain, to remember to read the rest of the page to his siblings.
There was a stronghold of ancient, hidden knowledge at Hogwarts? That was what he had dreamed of that whole first journey to the school! It was real!
“The information about ancient magics in the Ministry,” Ezra piped up, his head tilted to the side as he thought. “Do you think that’s what was stolen?”
If it was, then he wondered how they would ever get their hands on it. It did not cross his mind just how hard it would have been anyway, for a group of children to get into the Ministry’s hidden stores.
Having forgotten that he had not read half of the first page to his siblings, Ezra carried on at the top of page six.
He finished that whole page at least, his voice only trailing off once more as his dad apologised to him.
Ezra stared down at the word, a bundle of feelings that he did not know how to deal with knotted up in his chest.
None of this was what he had expected from summer. He had thought that summer would be fun and games with his siblings. Instead it was murder and secrets, and long dead dad’s saying sorry.
He was not sure if he wanted to read any more, but he knew he had to. He still hadn’t even reached the page that Reena had wanted yet. And what if the answer to the curse was actually somewhere in there? He definitely had to carry on.
His shoulders slumped, Ezra flipped the page again.
When Reena asked how to reach Aubrey, there was a definite echo of either sadness or disappointment being represented in the entire projection. Marcus sighed, and didn't answer.
'Oh, I know.' Marcus gave a little smile at her proficiency in potion-making. The image shuddered for a moment, and the projection stared off to the distance as if somehow faulty for a moment.
He continued as if nothing had happened.
'I couldn't possibly make a guess as to how much time is left, only that Jaxen has less -- being the firstborn of this generation, but also the child of a firstborn who evaded his fate,' Marcus said.
He glanced at Conrad's journal while saying it, as if in subtle agreement that perhaps karma had a part to play in how things ended. At Reena's next question, however, Marcus shook his head rather adamantly.
'That is not entirely what Aubrey meant; she wasn't referring to the curse,'he said, with a hint of uncertainty. 'Would telling them help anything? I don't know, but I do know how it feels to have that kept from me. We also don't know if being aware of the curse affects it in any way. Knowing they're cursed is one thing, but the specifics... I cannot be sure of the impact.'
In other words, he had no idea.
'Your grandmother doesn't have her notes,' Marcus added, though Reena has posed it as an open question.'She gave them to me. My research... I intentionally can't recall, but it was promising. Yet he was angry -- insisting only he could solve this, and the ideas were drastic. Dangerous.'
Page 7
All this time, and we've still not cured this awful curse. Marcus thinks he knows how to undo or heal it somehow, but how can we be sure it'll work? Mama was so sure of her potions too, yet here were are. Wouldn't it be better to eradicate it entirely? He's so focused on potions but there are millions of possible combinations.
A spell would be far more effective, but I'm the only one who can see it. We need real magical power. That's the way to fix this, and it's why I had to do it. The Department of Mysteries had the information I needed, but someone gave them a heads up; my friends and I were almost caught.
Not that a Black would ever admit to such a close-call.
I grabbed what I could, but it's incomplete. I know they suspect me, so it's only a matter of time. I'm not sure what the others wanted, as they went off on their own to steal far more than we'd agreed to. Two Aurors were killed. Am I expected to take the fall for that as well? I don't know who to trust right now.
The scrolls were difficult to understand, and a lot of it in old Latin. I had no choice but to share some of it with Marcus and Aubrey. My brother did marry a genius, after all. It felt like we understood more about how such a curse is possible and can tie itself to multiple generations, yet we have no further plan of action.
Now Aubrey's travelling. She's gone with Lula Sallow, so I know something's going on. Mama's also taken Reena and Kody with her on a trip to Rome. Marcus always did love his Roman codenames and symbolism. None of this is coincidence. I didn't bring it up though, as to not prevent the switch Marcus and I had planned once everyone was back.
It has certainly been a strange few days, having his kids with me while mine are with him.
Jaxen had trouble sleeping during the storm, so we practiced some spells from my sacred books. He's a natural, yet some of it was unusually instinctive. I do enjoy spending time with him, especially after the few scares he'd given us that warranted trips to Saint Mungo's. Then with the claims of him being poisoned. Was Marcus testing his ridiculous potions on his son?
They really are great kids, all five of them. I can't recall who's shown signs of magic yet or not, but Kody breathed duck-shaped bubbles out of his nose during his bath tonight. Their innocence reminds me of what's at sake.
Page 8
Marcus continues to interfere with my work. He discovered how I got my research, on various trips to the Ministry and abroad. He's even threatened to turn me in, but I know he won't. He said he's learned the hard way that he can't let anyone stop him from doing what's right, not even me. Yet still he tries to change my mind, and to throw away everything I've worked for.
Black was right; my brother's weak. The Sacred magic, in its meddled form, would be wasted on him. His potions may have slowed down the curse, as my daughter and nephew no longer collapse from sickness when over-exposed, but it's no cure. Marcus wants to play it safe, and that is not without consequence either.
I've never seen Marcus so serious, though. His patience wears thin; it's only a matter of time before he realises I've not been honest with him, and am using them to get information. He won't even let me near Jaxen anymore.
Regardless, there's certainly a traitor among us. Someone at the Ministry knew more than they should, especially with how careful we've been.
I wanted records, and the Ministry refused to share them with me. I was fired for daring to question things. Maybe I went too far? It doesn't matter now; it's done. My experiments have shown promise. Marcus is concerned, and keeps trying to pressure me to be cautious. To keep wasting time, in other words.
I've had everything translated, but a deeper betrayal came from the one place I never thought it would... my own brother. He stole a part of my research, in fear of its power. I was so close to testing it, and now he's taken the building blocks -- the very structure points of how this magic works.
He thinks I'm going to get people killed.
There was more in the Department of Mysterious. I have to go back there, at any cost. Aubrey's going on about spies and that somehow word's gotten out about the kind of research we've been doing. This is the kind of power people kill for. I'll overcome these problems however necessary, as nothing can stop me from obtaining the key to this magic.
They want to lie low. Waste more time. The answers are so close, I can feel it. My job, my reputation... none of that matters. I will do what needs to be done, even if blood must be spilled in the process. And if my brother tries to stop me this time, well, I suppose that makes him just another problem to be dealt with.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Feb 16, 2023 17:27:18 GMT 10
Reena turned towards her little brother when he spoke and nodded.
“I wonder, was Mirthwood used to curse us? That might make it a great ingredient for an antidote.“
Reena hadn‘t quite wrapped her head around the duality of Mirthwood yet.
‘Department of Mysteries.‘
Of course!
Reena suddenly felt very stupid for not getting that. It all made sense, finally clicking together like pieces of a puzzle and she nodded in agreement with Ezra.
Sometimes she forgot how smart he was.
“Very good,“ she whispered.
When she turned back towards Not-Really-Dad, she noticed that her underlying anger had gone. Or else it might have flared up again when he did not tell her more about alternative potions.
“The recipe?“, she asked again. “I just want to help. I don’t know how else to reach her. Yes, that is sad but… I just don’t know.“
The fact, that her failed relationship with her mother seemed to so deeply disappoint her father that even the fake version of him could express it in a way that cut right into her heart, was simply terrible to her. It was worse than the Hufflepuff mirror. And that one had made her cry.
Reena could feel herself get detached from the whole situation she was in.
She was still listening and thinking, but she wasn’t really present anymore.
Looking left and right at her younger brothers, she knew she should feel sorrow for taking the carefreeness of ignorance from them. She should feel sorry for ruining their summer. For potentially ending their childhood right here, a childhood she and Jaxen had worked so hard to maintain for them.
But instead she felt nothing.
Nothing but the metaphorical ticking of a clock, ticking away Jaxen‘s life.
She wanted to stop the clock.
Staring at the features of the Echo-Dad, she wondered if she’d feel differently if he were real. A real Dad surely could offer real comfort.
“You‘re doing great, Ezzie.“
Her words sounded hollow to her but perhaps they would sound genuine to him.
She reached out to stroke his dark blond hair, thoughts swirling around Sacred Magic, which she had never heard of before, but sounded promising. Something sacred should beat something cursed, it was right there in the name.
“I know it’s a lot, all at once. And it’s all so terrible. I‘m sorry.“
She turned back to Not-Dad and tilted her head. It felt heavy to her, she wanted to lay down.
“When I was four years old, he - you - told me something similar. That I would figure it out. So if there’s anything you can recall - perhaps another location he‘d keep information - that would be very helpful.“
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Feb 16, 2023 23:45:22 GMT 10
"I thought you said Mirthwood was a cure- no, used in curative draughts?" Ezra asked, momentarily distracted from starting to read the latest journal page thanks to his confusion and curiosity.
That did not last long however, he had to read the entry eventually.
Ezra barely got through reading half of page seven out before he paused and blinked down at what he had read.
His dad had been the one that had stolen from the Ministry? He had been involved in something that had got Aurors killed? An Auror like Jaxen wanted to be.
That.. that did not sound good. That sounded pretty bad actually.
Had he been involved in blowing it up too?
Ezra knew that Conrad had written that he would do anything, but still. That was a lot. A big bad lot that he had been happier not knowing.
Ezra leaned into Reena’s hand on his hair, his eyes briefly closed as he took the small distraction from his reading.
He only took a moment before he sighed and, after looking up at his oldest sister with sad eyes, he nodded to himself and carried on reading the journal entry out loud. He wanted to be helpful. If all that meant at the moment was reading then he would do it.
And he did manage that. As much as he wanted to stop and run back to his blissful ignorance several times, he managed to get the whole page out.
If Ezra thought he had been scared of what else he would find before, that was nothing to what he felt after the latest entry. Jaxen might have been poisoned, by his dad of all people, and Conrad had called his brother a problem ‘to be dealt with’.
What did that even mean?
He wanted to ask, but he found that he did not have the energy to do so. And maybe that was better. Maybe he did not want to know what Conrad meant. He really hoped the rest of the journal didn’t expand on that particular thread.
He supposed, if he was to reach whatever the man had written on the page with Reena’s photo, then he would soon find out if he had written more on that thought. Unfortunately.
Ezra just wanted to go back to the upstairs world and hug Jaxen and his sister. Was that too much to ask for? Apparently so. Instead of doing what he wanted, he reluctantly turned to the next page.
'Mirthwood is a wonderful yet overlooked ingredient with many curative benefits,' Marcus said, glancing to give Ezra an affirming nod. 'An antidote requires a poisonous element, but we were not poisoned. It was a spell, combined with blood magic. Unique and of unknown origin.'
The projection was unresponsive for a moment, pondering on Reena's dilemma with Aubrey. It was also as if she'd confused him with it -- that this older version of Reena wasn't as close with her mother, and didn't know how to speak to her of console her. It conflicted greatly with the information and memories he had.
Not being Marcus himself, the projection had no idea how to respond or what advice to give her. It was a real-time problem that couldn't be solved with past memories and knowledge.
'Yes, you will figure it out.' Marcus nodded, with a ghost of a smile. 'My plans and research will become clear to you. I have faith in your ability to put the pieces together. But I did not intend to place the sole pressure of the cure onto your shoulders. Don't make Conrad's mistake in assuming you, as he assumed of himself, are the only answer. We're in this together.'
Page 9
It wasn't easy, but I discovered Aubrey's blueprints. I knew they were working on something bigger in secret, yet even this is more than I'd imagined. I'd seen the rune in the backyard, as it radiates Sacred magic. It's clearly an entrance of some sort. I suspect this is where Marcus has hidden away the missing pieces of my research.
I will find a way in. And I'm close, I can feel it.
Reena spends a lot of time in that area of the yard. The girls' swing is there, so it's a perfect cover. Perhaps I underestimated Marcus and Aubrey. But Reena is the key -- she's been drawing additions to the rune and it's responding to her. It defaults to a Potions Laboratory, but she seems to know how to access the Library.
I'm not sure about the third chamber, as it's unnamed on the blueprints. I took photos, trying to use them to recreate her drawings, but to no effect. A blood lock, I suspect. And no doubt a few spells, as well. Aubrey is nothing if not thorough. She was always three steps ahead, even before all of this. She'd have accounted for every possible outcome.
But Reena is a the key. Marcus shares things with the kids, but he trained her in something else. Probably because she has the same analytical way of solving things, like Aubrey. She is her mother's daughter, through and through.
Or perhaps Marcus is simply getting complacent? He's been taking all five kids on trips -- nothing suspect, just ice cream then feeding ducks at Papa's favourite pond where he'd take us at that age as well. Ezra loves it. He cried when I came to collect him and his sister, so much that I decided to leave them there for the night.
It grants me extra time to focus on more important things.
My work shows real progress. If I act soon, I may not need the part of my research that Marcus stole and hid away. I doubt he could make use of it anyway, as I've enchanted the chest to only allow my son and daughter to open it -- when they're old enough. Let them be children a while longer. We owe them that much, after everything we've done to them in search of answers.
Everything I've done. Mama thinks I've gone too far, and crossed a line I can never come back from. I said she didn't go far enough, and Papa had the audacity to throw me out of the house. I've never seen him angry like that. We may know the truth about the curse, but we certainly still don't know the full story.
Page 10
My plan is risky, even I'll admit that. I'm still missing pieces, but I can't just sit around here reading scrolls and making precautions. Damn Marcus has gotten into my head with that, going on about the damage losing a parent could do to a child, but no more -- I refuse to wait any longer.
This could kill me. Or worse, Azkaban. I won't have Marcus trying to stop me either, as it's hard enough to pull this off without his meddling. He insists he's trying to save me, and our family, but what does he know? He's been against my plan from the beginning. Sacred magic is the answer, and I intend to prove it.
But... I'm not a fool either. I have made a will, just in case. It was something Mama said, about keeping things in the family. She was disapproving of my friends, of course, but it did get both Marcus and I to thinking. What happens to our research, should something happen? Or if fate should swoop down and demand payment for what Mama did all those years ago, in skipping over our generation of the curse?
So I made a will. Nothing complex, but my journal will find its way to where it needs to be. My research will be locked away at the Cottage. It's heavily warded anyway, so I'm not worried; only those of Ashworth blood can even find it. Not that anyone would think to look that deep in the forest anyway.
Marcus made a will too. Eight pages long -- ever the over-achiever. It leaves everything to the kids, all five of them. His vaults, the houses, the secret underground chambers, and even the Ashworth inheritance vault as Merlin knows there wasn't room anywhere else for that.
There was more included that he didn't tell me, but no matter our disagreements and what I'm willing to do if he tries to stop me... there is comfort in knowing the kids will be okay. In some ways, it makes me more determined to act. I need to get into that lab, and Reena is the key. But Aubrey keeps her closer than ever.
There's no doubt in my mind that, while Marcus may hesitate, Aubrey wouldn't think twice about killing me should I ever go too far or the kids become a part of my plan. Marcus has finally started to realise he can't talk me out of this. For all their efforts, they don't realise how close I truly am. How far I've already gone.
When I unlock this power, I'll be unstoppable. It's all waiting for me, in the Department of Mysteries...
It didn't matter if Ezra intended to read further, as page 10 felt a bit strange. Flipping beyond it revealed why: the rest of the written pages were torn out, leaving only a section of blank ones at the end. That it was. Conrad's story remained incomplete.
'It's getting late,' Marcus broke the quiet. 'You've a lot to think about. Ezra, I'm sorry to say, that journal won't be able to leave this room -- but it will be kept safe. Go on, kids, it's been a long day.'
It was more than a suggestion, and they felt rather tired too -- how long had they been down there? Heading back to the house didn't reveal a whole lot, apart from some sandwiches waiting for them. The sky was darkening, so it'd been many hours at least.
Aubrey left the attic, locking it. She hurried away from it, down the stairs, then disappeared back into her studio with a thick book. The door slammed shut. It was unlikely they'd get much out of her today. For now, they could do with some food and a good night's sleep.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Feb 18, 2023 1:28:54 GMT 10
Reena pondered for a moment about the mention of her real dad being fond of Roman codenames. She figured her name came from a Latin word but she wasn’t so sure about Jaxen and Kody.
However, this wasn’t the time to dwell on that. This wasn’t the time to imagine her dad and uncle play pretend and coming up with codenames either, but here she was.
Codenames weren’t going to safe her siblings‘ life.
She wondered if Jaxen remembered the switch. That had to have been before she had gotten her first potions book, because the little Reena in her memory had not been happy about the thought of uncle Conrad visiting.
There was talk of a traitor again. And of Lula Sallow.
But also the Black family.
They had to know something. She wondered if it was worth the risk to get in contact - or if she was better off with them not knowing that she knew something.
She did not like the development of the journal entries. Conrad was getting in deeper and deeper, just like the rift between the two brothers.
Granpa had said they had been inseparable once.
It was a horrifying thought that this ancient curse had torn them apart instead of forging them closer together.
“We are in this together,“ she repeated and gave Kody’s hand another squeeze.
Would they be torn apart as well?
“Mmh,“ she grunted when Ezra came to the part about her.
As she had suspected, her uncle had tried to use her to get into the laboratory. And she was certain he had succeeded. If he had managed to get her away from her mother, it couldn’t have been so hard to pursuade a four year old to show you something.
Just tell her how smart she was and maybe promise her some candy. Or a rainbow cake in her case.
That had to be why little her had asked if uncle Conrad was bad. She must’ve been worried she had done something wrong.
Reena was not sure she could remember a library or a third room instead of this laboratory. She hadn’t even remembered the lab in the first place.
She also had no idea how to access the library. It was annoying, really.
Learning that she had known things as a child, important things, she had forgotten by now.
She wished she remembered everything.
Reena thought about asking Not-Dad about the library, but he hadn’t said anything about it when she had asked for another location, so she figured it was wasted breath.
He also hadn’t said anything to her repeated question about a recipe. She would not ask a third time.
“Let‘s go,“ she said.
She waited for Ezra to store the journal wherever he liked and then offered her hand to him.
“You‘re welcome to sleep over in our room tonight,“ she said with a quick glance at Kody in case he wanted to protest her offer.
“I‘ll figure out how to break the news to them tomorrow,“ she said.
Her feet were dragging as she walked back upstairs, a testament of her exhaustion.
She was glad there seemed to be sandwiches waiting for them. One thing that was figured out, at least.
Post by Kody Ashworth on Feb 19, 2023 8:49:27 GMT 10
Kody was brought out of his daze by the words of his Not-Dad. Where had the time gone? Had they really been down here for as long as that? Kody blinked and looked at his brother and sister.
He had been listening as Ezra had read out the journal pages. He just didn't vocalize any of his thoughts about what he had heard. Kody needed time to think everything over and process it all.
Even if he was eager to support his siblings and assure them that things were fine, he still hadn't fully comprehended what he had been told.
Conrad - his uncle - was angry and had taken a dangerous path to solving the blood curse. Unlike his own dad who had wanted to do it the 'proper' or 'right' way? Kody wondered if he had heard everything correctly. And about their mum too...
It seemed like his life, all their lives, was one big mystery and he hadn't really noticed until this summer - thanks to it being shoved in his face like this.
Still he was thankful to his sister for involving him. It was, at the very least, nice to be in the loop and have an idea about what was going on. Kody was still uncertain he would be of any use in solving this riddle but he would help anyway he could.
"Yeah, plenty of room for a shrimp like you." Kody agreed with Reena, ruffling Ezra's hair.
As exciting as being in the lab had been, a lot had happened since that first moment and Kody was drained. Going up the steps and back into the garden seemed to take a lot more effort than coming down them had been. He hoped it wouldn't be like every time they explored the contents of the lab.
He picked up a sandwich and, in an uncharacteristic show of good behaviour, ate it while standing at the kitchen table instead of taking it upstairs. It didn't take him long to polish it off or a glass of milk before he gestured for the others that he was going ahead.
"Time for bed." Kody wondered how the others would react to the news tomorrow. He shook his head and made his way up to his bedroom and collapsed on his bed.
Kody let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep on top of his blankets and snoring softly.
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Feb 19, 2023 15:45:33 GMT 10
Ezra stared down at where pages had been torn out for a long moment once he had finished reading the final entry aloud. That was it. That was all that had been left in the journal.
He did not know how to feel any longer. Sad, worried, angry? Finally he settled on just plain old tired. Not-Uncle-Marcus must have been right in saying that it had gotten late.
Ezra slowly closed the journal and then, with some reluctance, placed it down on top of the chest. It may not have been a fun read, and it may have left him with confused feelings, but it was still something physical to prove that his dad had thought of him. He did not want to just leave it behind.
Not-Uncle said that it would be safe though, and that it could not leave the room anyway.
Ezra nodded his head at his siblings' words and, after a little wave goodbye at the kind-of-ghost of his uncle, he followed them out of the laboratory.
“‘Kay,” he agreed, as he shuffled after them. As much as he wanted to see their other siblings and give them both a big hug, he thought it was highly likely that if he saw them at right that moment then he would burst into tears.
He didn’t want to have to explain just why to them if that happened.
So no, going back to the normal safety of his own room with Jaxen was maybe not the best idea. Kody and Reena’s it was.
Ezra helped himself to a sandwich when they reached the kitchen, his belly having rumbled at the sight of food. Even with that though, he picked it apart more than he ate it. He was hungry, yes, he just could not find the energy to eat it properly.
He followed Kody up the stairs as soon as he could instead, unwilling to be alone.
Finally he could get some sleep. Hopefully, for his sake, it would actually be restful.
02 | 
19 | 
20
February
