“Use this chance to make some friends, okay?”

Though his sister had sent a smile with that text message, Thanatos Briar couldn’t help but sigh, tuck his phone into his coat pocket, and stare at the approaching front gate out the car window.

“No falling asleep now, Ato,” says Detective William Grant from the driver’s seat beside him. “All your bags are there, yeah? Besides the ones in the back seat?”

“Mm,” he hums in confirmation. “Do take care of the apartment.”

“Your mother would kill me if I didn’t, and so would you.” Thanatos rolls his eyes, but William only laughs. “You know it’s true.”

The car comes to a gentle, rolling halt in front of the massive metal gate, and Thanatos quickly exits. William follows suit, and the two find themselves standing face to face. William rubs at his dark stubble.

“Don’t do anything dumb.”

“Have I ever?”

“In your eyes, probably not, but you get what I mean.“ It does nothing to relieve William of his droopy eyes, and Thanatos offers a glimmer of a smile. William pats his head softly, and Thanatos squints his eyes shut at the feeling.

“Atta boy. Go get ‘em.”

Thanatos lightly brushes William’s hand away with his arm. ‘I’m not a child,’ says the look on his face. It can’t be helped that William feels that way, though. He knows this all too well. They’ve been his children for years.

“I’ll call you should something occur.”

“Yeah.”

And so, Thanatos turns away and steps into the gateway, long dark grey trench coat fluttering behind him and letting its silvery white lining glisten in the sun. His hair, much the same colour, doesn’t hesitate to do the same. He doesn’t look back as William says goodbye, gets into his car, and drives away. Hazel eyes stay forward.

Waurelt’s Academy of Magic and Technology, a school topping the charts not just in its home country of Britain but across the world as one of the premiere high school level education facilities for magic and related sciences. He had seen schools like these; he’d attended a school like this years ago for his bachelor’s degree. It was joint with a university run by the same administration.

The land is neatly kept with its green grass even in this finely cold October, and the pavement is immaculately clean. Bushes lining this short straight pavement were trimmed into statuesque figures. Brief glances at each one’s plaque revealed them to be former headmasters of this old school.

Speaking of old, Thanatos takes in the sight of the buildings themselves. It’s held inside a white castle with newer looking buildings and additions branching off of them. His clothing, dark and modern, feels rather out of place here— not that it bothers him —compared to the traditional aesthetic of Waurelt’s uniform he’d seen his sister wearing.

The path is a short one to a round courtyard in front of the school’s main entrance. Circular, the path splits and surrounds a set of five large fountains and many white wooden benches. Even more of these benches are methodically peppered along the outside the white stone path. Students bustle and mingle here and there, and Thanatos waves with a forced, charming smile to several young women who begin chatting about and staring at him. Truly, he did not belong here.

“Excuse me, misses?” he beckons one of them, approaching the giggling gaggle of girls. They all smile excitedly and run to meet him, save for one that’s being pulled along. The rest look at her expectantly.

“Y-yes?” asks the dragged, shy girl with short black hair and fogging glasses. Their breaths all steam in the cold, as does his when he continues.

“Would one of you accompany me to the headmaster’s office? I have an important meeting with Mrs. Waurelt, but this is my first time here, and…” He trails off, worriedly pulling out his phone to check the time. “I’m afraid I’m running late.”

The girls chat among themselves, but the brunette speaks up again first. “I don’t mind!”

“Yeah, if anyone knows where it is, it’s our dear Student Council Secretary here.” One of the others grins and pats her on the back roughly.

“Fantastic. If you would please, then, Miss…?” Thanatos trails off in wait.

“Winnie! W-Winnie Matthews, sir.” Winnie extends her shaking hand so quickly that it must be habit. Her pale face grows redder, but Thanatos pays it no mind and obliges a handshake “It- It’s a pleasure.”

“Of course, Miss Matthews, but the pleasure—in truth—is all mine.” All the other girls giggle and whisper, but Winnie clutches at her white uniform skirt. “Shall we?”

“Yes!” Winnie exclaims a little too loudly, and she briskly walks towards the school’s massive front door. A girl scoffs, but Thanatos pretends he didn’t hear it or their words as he follows suit.

Catching up, he glances down from the corner of his eye to observe her. She seems a little more relaxed, he thinks, and figures it best to relax a little himself. Thanatos releases an audible, tired sigh and partially covers his mouth to yawn. Winnie peeks up.

“A long trip, sir?”

He laughs a little. “Yes, slightly.” Her eyes sparkle, and she returns the smile. “I’m from London, so the ride out here wasn’t too long, but there isn’t much to see until the school comes to view.”

“You live in London? That’s much larger than where I’m from.” Winnie pulls her phone from her small over-the-shoulder purse and brings up a photo. Thanatos leans down a little to get a better look. “It’s just a tiny village towards the north.”

“Ah, I’ve been there. Very quaint indeed.”

Winnie stares at him in awe before her smile turns sad, and she begins flipping through photos. “You don’t have to lie, Mr. Briar.”

Thanatos frowns briefly. He’ll attribute it to his reputation. “I’m not,” he replies smoothly. “Hold pride in it.”

“Ah-“

“The headmaster’s office, Miss Matthews?”

Winnie stares for a moment before blushing and tucking away her phone. “Right, sorry. This way!”

Thanatos dismisses Winnie with the kindest yet smallest smile he can muster, and she shuffles off with red cheeks and happy grin, looking at Thanatos’ contact information in her phone. Pushing in on the pale wooden doors, he enters Headmaster Waurelt’s office chambers feeling a buzz in his coat pocket.

The room is large, with a set of stairs towards the back that frame the large window and lead to an open balcony lined with bookshelves and other doors. If he recalls from the blueprints, they’re mostly just storage space and a bathroom. In front of the window is a decorated and neatly organized desk, and in front of that , in a pristine white velvet chair, is Barbara Waurelt herself.

Mid-forties, olive-skinned, and of thicker physique, she looks up at Thanatos with accusatory eyes. She tucks a strand of greying blonde hair behind her ear. “You’re early , Mr. Briar.”

“Only by an hour.”

“And where is Ms. Hawthorne? The student who was to guide you prior to our meeting today?” Sitting up properly, she stacks her papers and sets them aside to rest and fold her hands in their former place.

Thanatos strides forward, leaving his suitcase by the door, and inspects the room casually with his hands behind his back. “I had another student bring me here. It was more convenient.”

“You wasted the time of a student not involved,” she scolds harshly, voice something sour.

“But isn’t it the student council’s job to act as ambassadors? Miss Matthews was awfully kind in assisting me; it’d be unfortunate to speak of it in vain,” he retorts.

Mrs. Waurelt sighs and taps the desk with her finger. “So she doesn’t know you’re here, correct?”

“Most likely.”

Pressing the pager on her desk, she speaks softly into it, and not but a few moments later, an announcement in a soft yet androgynous voice resounds throughout the school. “Ms. Rebecca Hawthorne, please come to the headmaster’s office.”

“Yes, much more convenient,” Thanatos adds after a pause.

“ Behave yourself, Mr. Briar,” she threatens not just with words but a flick of her finger that sends the book he’s observing right into his forehead. “Even if it’s only for a short time, you are a student here, so you need to act like one.”

Thanatos promptly puts the book away and fixes his hair. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And where is your uniform? You must dress like a student of ours as well. Be grateful we spared the expense for you.”

“I assure you, my gratitude is high, Headmaster.” Higher than he can express, he thinks. “So-“

Thanatos is interrupted by the doorknob clicking and the hinges creaking as a young woman, hair red as autumn pulled into a high ponytail, skin tan and clear, and uniform in perfect condition enters the room. She offers a curtsey to the headmaster without giving Thanatos a second thought.

“Headmaster Waurelt, you called for me? If this is about the tour for the new student, then I’m afraid he hasn’t arrived yet.” She stands up straight again and approaches the desk. She takes a seat at Mrs. Waurelt’s motion.

“No need, Ms. Hawthorne. It seems our esteemed guest made a change of plans all on his own.” The headmaster gestures to Thanatos leaning against the wall and watching the two of them disinterestedly. “Ms. Hawthorne, please meet Mr. Thanatos Briar.”

Briefly rising to curtsey again, she says, “Rebecca Hawthorne. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Thanatos nods. “No need for formalities.” He waves in dismissal. “If you would get to the point, the more time we waste with this, the less time I’ll have to investigate.” Besides, seeing her insincere smile hurts his eyes.

Mrs. Waurelt sighs. “Of course.”

“Wait, investigation?” Rebecca turns towards the headmaster in confusion. “I was aware of him being a detective, but is something happening?”

Thanatos takes his seat in the chair behind hers and cross his legs. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” he says half-mockingly. Rebecca squints at him.

“Unfortunately, that is the case.” Mrs. Waurelt removes several manila files from her desk drawer and slides them forward. She snaps her fingers, and every door in the room locks . Rebecca glances back briefly to the entrance, but Thanatos instead focuses on the folders. “While Mr. Briar will be a student here, as you were told, it’s only to work.”

“Right…” she turns back towards the headmaster. “I swear, not a single thing will leave this room. My lips are sealed.”

Mrs. Waurelt smiles. “Of course. You have yet to fail me, Ms. Hawthorne.”

Rebecca Hawthorne, from what Thanatos can recall, is the current student council president and heiress to the largest potion making company in all of Europe. A personal tour with her might seem like an excellent opportunity for any new student considering her reputation and standing, but Thanatos decided with little hesitation not to bother.

“Which is why,” the headmaster continues, “you will be working with Mr. Briar on this case during his stay.”

Thanatos stops all movement. Well, perhaps he should have bothered.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Waurelt, but that’s not necessary,” he protests coldly. “As fantastic as that sounds, it’d be too conspicuous to suddenly be buddy-buddy with someone such as Ms. Hawthorne.”

Rebecca grits her teeth and smiles politely. “Our headmaster knows best, Mr. Briar, and I’m more than willing to cooperate for the sake of the students.” She reaches for one of the files. “Is this going to be dangerous?”

“Mr. Briar, if you would.” One glance at the headmaster told Thanatos that if he didn’t take it down a notch, she’d probably kill him, so he obliges.

“Mrs. Waurelt believes that a necromancer has infiltrated the academy and its students or faculty. As necromancy is primarily for reviving, manipulating, and communicating with the dead, when it’s used to kill someone, it becomes more difficult to trace.” Thanatos points to the photos in the file Rebecca holds. “Two victims thus far have been claimed by such methods, and since this case is far too difficult for standard police, I’ve been hired instead.”

He can practically see the way Rebecca’s brain halts, short-circuits, and reboots in a manner of seconds. She gapes almost angrily at him. “Victims?!” Her hand balls into a fist on top of the desk, and Mrs. Waurelt gently places her own over it. Rebecca settles a little and gazes with worried eyes. “Mrs. Waurelt, when he says victims, does he mean-“

“The deceased, yes. I’m afraid it’s so.”

Rebecca’s shoulders slump. “But what does this have to do with me?”

“Yes, Mrs. Waurelt, I too would like to know the answer.”

The headmaster laces her fingers in front of her face and closes her eyes. “Ms. Hawthorne would be a valuable asset. She’s at the top of her class, excellent with the students-“ Rebecca’s mood perks with every word of praise. “-and knowledgeable of this school’s affairs.”

“I see. Then she’s welcome to assist me,” Thanatos says with a pinch of disdain.

Rebecca leans forward and places her hand over her heart. “I swear to you, Mrs. Waurelt, I’ll do everything in my power to protect this school and its people. If someone that dangerous is truly here, then leave it to me.”

The headmaster’s smile returns. “I expect nothing less from you, Ms. Hawthorn. You have yet to disappoint, and surely this will be no different.” Directed at Thanatos, her expression flips. “This will be kept as discreet as possible. No publicity, no innocent students involved, nothing.”

Thanatos nods and rises, gathering the files. “Of course.”

“Then you’re both dismissed.”

Rebecca follows suit, and just as they’re approaching the door, Mrs. Waurelt snaps again to unlock it.

“Oh, and Mr. Briar?” she asks after him, and he turns in acknowledgment.

“Yes?”

“Don’t forget our contract.”