Working through the weekend on the memory lapse issue had meant neglecting his seedling to some extent, so after work that day Ezra had plenty to do in the makeshift greenhouse he'd created from a tent and a series of environmental charms out in the garden. After he finished there he went to wash up in the downstairs lavatory, then headed upstairs to get ready for bed. Before he could reach his room, though, something had caught his eye — hadn't he left the door closed to his room, where now it was ajar? It could have been one of the servants, but they didn't usually go into his room on a daily basis; they cleaned twice a week and the rest of the time left him to his own devices. The servants they employed were mostly here to look after his father, whatever their titles. Still, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that someone might have been in. But on opening the door he found more things out of place — all little things, all inconsequential, but stacked up they built a picture. Someone had been looking for something in his room.

There still could have been an innocent explanation, and Ezra turned on his heel to go ask around until he found it — but then he saw a light under the door opposite his. That room wasn't used for anything except storing Cecilia's old paintings. There was no reason anyone would be in there — no one who knew the house, anyway. So this was an intruder.

Ezra drew his wand and braced himself, then opened the door. "Drop your wand and explain yourself," he called. He couldn't see who it was yet, as his eyes needed a second to adjust to the dim light, but they had their wand illuminated so he had no trouble aiming his wand at them regardless.

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