Chapter Text
“Sister… are you sure you are willing to do this?”
Sarah did not look up immediately. Her attention remained fixed on the worktable in front of her, where open science journals sat beside potion manuals, handwritten notes, and a simmering experimental batch of improved Cure for Boils potion. Glass vials, bits of parchment, and a Muggle calculator were scattered among the clutter in a way that would have looked chaotic to most people, but to her seemed perfectly arranged.
“Yes, Midget,” she said at last, still making one final notation in the margin of a journal article. “With all of this—going through science books, journals, magical texts, and improving potion methods—I am willing. More than willing. I’m going to do this and push it as far as I can.”
Her brother stood with his arms folded, watching her with worry he was trying not to show.
“You know Father will try to stop this from working. And he’ll try to stop you from working on it.”
That finally made Sarah lift her head. She was tired, but there was a steadiness in her expression that did not leave much room for argument.
“Dad will come around,” she said. “Eventually. Once I get it to work.”
He let out a breath through his nose, unconvinced.
“Then gather everything. All the science journals, all the books, all the equipment you need. Triple your safety protections. And if you can find someone trustworthy, have them make a vow.”
She held his gaze.
“And when I cannot have my wand taken,” he continued, “I’ll tell you everything I know.”
A small smile touched Sarah’s face, though it did not soften the determination in her eyes.
“Good.”
He stepped closer to the table and lowered his voice.
“Show them what can be done by mixing the best of each world.”
Sarah glanced at the stack of journals again, then at the potion.
“I intend to.”
“Then I’ll distract them for as long as I can,” Sarah said.