The Birdcage was a labyrinth of steel and silence. The corridors stretched endlessly, a stark contrast to the warmth of Hogwarts or the rustic charm of the Burrow. Rose Potter followed Glaistig Uaine through the cold, unyielding structure, her senses on high alert. Every sound—the clink of chains, the distant murmur of prisoners—set her nerves on edge.
Glaistig moved with unsettling poise, her tattered clothing and the clinking of her chains at odds with the regal confidence in her stride. Her pale skin almost glowed in the dim light, and her green eyes, sharp and piercing, seemed to see far beyond the physical world.
"You seem tense, little sorceress," Glaistig said without looking back.
Rose tightened her grip on her wand. "Hard not to be. I don't know where I am, and I don't trust you."
The Fairy Queen glanced over her shoulder, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Good. You shouldn't. Trust is a currency best spent sparingly."
---
As they ventured deeper into the prison, the faint sound of voices grew louder. Soon, the corridor opened into a wide communal space. Dozens of prisoners loitered in small groups, their faces hard and unwelcoming. The air was thick with tension, and Rose felt their eyes linger on her.
A hulking man with a scarred face and arms thick with muscle stepped into their path. He wore a cruel smirk as he looked from Rose to Glaistig.
"Well, well. The Fairy Queen graces us with her presence," he drawled. His voice was deep, mocking. "And she's brought a pet. Didn't think you were the type."
Rose bristled, but Glaistig didn't so much as flinch. Her gaze swept over the man, cold and detached.
"Move," she said simply.
The man chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Or what? You'll sick one of your ghosts on me? Face it, Queenie—you're not as scary as you used to be. Nobody's afraid of you anymore."
Glaistig's smile was slow and chilling, devoid of warmth. "Is that so?"
Before Rose could react, Glaistig raised her hand. A ghostly figure materialized out of thin air—a hulking, spectral warrior clad in ethereal armor. The apparition's eyes burned with green fire as it surged forward, faster than the eye could follow.
The scarred man didn't even have time to scream. The spectral warrior's hand plunged into his chest, and the man's body convulsed as the life drained from him. In seconds, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Rose gasped, taking a step back. "What the hell are you doing? You didn't have to kill him!"
Glaistig turned to Rose, her expression unreadable. "He stood in our way. Now he does not."
The other prisoners froze, their earlier bravado evaporating. Some edged away, while others watched with a mix of fear and awe.
"Anyone else?" Glaistig asked, her voice soft but carrying an undeniable threat.
No one moved.
Satisfied, Glaistig dismissed the ghost with a flick of her hand and continued walking as though nothing had happened. Rose hesitated, torn between anger and the realization that standing still in this place wasn't an option.
---
They arrived at a secluded chamber far from the prying eyes of the other prisoners. Glaistig stopped, her chains rattling softly as she turned to face Rose.
"This will do," she said.
"For what?" Rose demanded, her voice sharp.
"For our escape," Glaistig replied, her tone calm and matter-of-fact.
Rose blinked. "Escape? You mean we're leaving?"
"Did you think I intended to stay in this wretched place?" Glaistig's smile was faint but predatory. "The Birdcage is a monument to human arrogance. It was never meant to contain someone like me—or someone like you."
Rose's eyes narrowed. "How do you even know I can help? My magic isn't working properly here. It feels… off."
Glaistig tilted her head, studying Rose with an almost clinical interest. "This world operates on different principles. Your power is vast, but it is unrefined. Untethered. I can show you how to shape it, how to make it obey."
"And why would you do that?" Rose asked, her voice laced with suspicion.
"Because you intrigue me, little sorceress," Glaistig said. "You are not of this world, yet you carry a power that bends its very fabric. You are a disruption to the cycle, and I find that… fascinating."
Rose tightened her grip on her wand. She didn't trust Glaistig, not for a second. But if the Fairy Queen was right about her magic, she needed her help.
"Fine," Rose said reluctantly. "But we do this my way. No more killing unless it's absolutely necessary."
Glaistig's smile widened, though it didn't reach her eyes. "As you wish, Rose Potter. But know this—mercy is a luxury you cannot afford in this world. If you hesitate, you will die. And I have no intention of letting you die."
There was something unsettling about the way she said it, as though Rose's survival was less about kindness and more about preserving a valuable asset.
"Let's just get this over with," Rose muttered.