Last of The Fae

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As Thane let go of Cedric's hand, the stone counter parted like water, opening a pathway to the back. Thane then stepped back into the room he had emerged from with a welcoming smile, "Please follow me; I'm sure both of you are eager to discuss my proposal to your daughter."

"Eager is not the word I would use, but Indeed, we are," Evaline replied stiffly as she shot her husband a warning glare, silently reminding him they needed to present a united front. Cedric only dipped his head before gesturing for Evaline to go in front of him. 

Evaline tsked but moved ahead nonetheless, following after Thane, who had disappeared into the back of the store, which was suspiciously dark. Evaline was tempted to cast a light charm, but before she could bring her magic to bear, she crossed the threshold and felt space around her warp, the unmistakable effect of an extension charm. 

What should have been little more than a storage closet was expanded into a massive atrium, with a lightly stained glass ceiling filtering what appeared to be sunlight. Looking behind her, Evaline watched as Cedric stepped through a wall of vines instead of the door he had entered. 

Evaline watched as Cedric's eyes widened upon the realization of his surroundings, and his mouth stood slightly agape, "My word, it's magnificent." 

Evaline wanted to chastise her husband but failed to do so as she joined him in appreciating the fairyland they had been transported to. The air was cool and fresh, like an old-growth forest the morning after a spring rain, which made sense, seeing as the atrium was crawling with plant life. 

Vines and roots climbed along the walls and ceiling, but they had been cleverly manipulated in some areas, forming large divots packed with soil and overflowing with even more plant life. But what drew the eye were the stone square planter boxes lining the middle of the atrium, teeming with plant life. 

A series of stone irrigation pipes dripping with condensation lead out of the mystical gardens and Evaline followed them down to where they disappeared into the metal grated floor. Her eyes narrowed, and after a second, she realized that the entire atrium was built on top of a massive reservoir. The water moved so slowly that it appeared solid, but as Evaline peered closer, she could see several prominent figures moving around in the water below. 

"What are they?" Evaline muttered mostly to herself but drew her husband's attention, who joined her in peering through the grated floor. 

"Oh, have the Slipscales already come up?" Thane's voice suddenly came from nearby, and Evaline picked up her gaze to find the boy standing a few feet away next to a metal hatch built into the floor that he had opened, "Amazing, it's only been a few days, but they're already learning when I fed them." 

"Did you say Slipscales?" Cedric asked in disbelief as he stared even more intensely at the water

"Indeed I did," Thane replied with a smile as he waved his hand, causing an intricate silver trunk to appear on the floor next to him. He promptly reached inside and pulled out a massive burlap sack about the same sigh, "Forgive me for doing this during our meeting, but they tend to splash around when they get hungry." 

Thane opened the sack and poured out its contents: whole heads of lettuce and cabbage plopped into the water below and started to drift lazily about. But no more than a second passed before the water erupted with movement as giant fish with the elongated body of an eel and the gaping mouth of a catfish swallowed the heads of produce whole. The smallest was at least five feet long, with the largest being twice that, but all of them were covered in shimmering iridescent scales that shone even in the low light of their tank. 

After dumping the entire bag, Thane closed the hatch and threw the empty sack into his trunk, dismissing it with another flick of his hand. 

"You're farming them?" Cedric asked in disbelief, "In a close system like this? Their waste would contaminate the water, making them prone to infection." 

"Yes, but their waste is also a natural fertilizer. The garden beds and the plants act as natural filters, cleaning the water and speeding up their growth rate," Thane informed with a smile, "I got the idea from a book I was reading on the Ancient Indigenous Civilizations of South America. Who would have imagined that muggles, even from back then, had such valuable wisdom." 

"You designed this space?" Evaline asked with a raised eyebrow as she looked from Thane to the rest of the Atrium.

Thane nodded once, "I did everything, from the extension charm to the irrigation, with hand and wand. The same goes for my Apothecary." 

"That means you were responsible for creating the living wall on your storefront, correct?" Cedric asked, which Thane confirmed with another nod, "Then could you tell me if there was a reason as to why you planted the Embercaps next to the Gossamer Blooms, which grow in more temperate climates." 

"Yes, the heat from the Embercaps will cause the Gossamer Blooms to stall, but after a month, they will adapt and continue without any further ill effects. The heat, however, will stave off any mold spores which the Blooms are infamously susceptible to."

"Of course..." Cedric whispered as his eyes widened, "No one would ever think to plant to the two in such close proximity because of their different range of tolerances. But that makes perfect sense." 

Evaline roughly cleared her throat as she shot her husband a warning glance, "While this talk is fascinating, I'm afraid we've diverted from our original discussion topic...your proposal to our daughter. Give us one good reason why we should even entertain the notion?" 

"Besides unifying two of the most powerful houses in Wizengamot?" Thane asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"I'm sorry, but you must be confused," Evaline snapped frostily, "House Greengrass has been an active member in the Wizarding since the dark ages and has stood the test of time. Do not think that we are equals just because we share the same title." 

Thane didn't wilt under Evaline's withering gaze, keeping his same confident smile, "I never intended to compare us, but my earlier statement still stands. My mere existence and that of my house disturb the balance your family has prospered from." 

Evaline's eyes narrowed, "Is that a threat, young man?" 

"A dull knife is of no use to anybody," Thane replied wittily, "But I digress. I understand your hesitance, especially after my bold proclamation to attack the Ministry." 

"Perhaps foolish is the better word," Evaline corrected, "You do realize that you have declared war against our oldest and most powerful institution?" 

Thane grinned, "Of course, and I've already made the first move." 

"You think that a single Apothecary store is going to win you the upper hand," Evaline scoffed with a light laugh, "You are a boy playing a man's game." 

"It is not the store that poses a threat, but what it represents," Thane replied steadily, his humor dropping away. 

"And what is that?" 

"My legacy of innovation," Thane proclaimed, "You can not possibly conceive the influence I will one day wield. In a few years, The Ministry of Magic won't be able to touch my coattails, without consequence."