“Catherine?” he exclaimed, his voice a mix of disbelief and confusion.

Her elvish ears peeked out from beneath her hair. It adds an ethereal quality to her already captivating appearance. She wore a mischievous smile. One that transformed the atmosphere from ominous to delightfully playful. “Surprise!” she said, her tone shifting. “Did you really think I was an assassin? Perchance just a very dramatic alchemist?”

Eddie blinked in realisation, laughter bubbling up despite the earlier tension. “I swear, every alchemist I’ve met has to act mysterious, shrouded in allegory and cryptic hints, I’m fucking done.”

Catherine chuckled, her eyes sparkling with humour. “It’s part of the job description, you know. How else shall we sustain the air of mystery that beckons us forth?”

Before he could respond, she stepped forward and enveloped him in a warm hug. “Look at you! You’ve grown so big! The last time I saw you, you were half this size!”

Eddie couldn’t help but laugh, the tension evaporating like mist in the morning sun. “I’m still the same old me, just a bit taller.”

“How unkind of thee to let slip the memory of your beloved aunt!” she teased, giving him a mock pout as she stepped back to assess him with a playful glint in her eyes.

As Catherine stepped back from the embrace, still chuckling at Eddie’s playful jab, the door to the apothecary swung open once more. In bounded Torrie, Eddie’s little sister, her curls bouncing with every step and her face alight with excitement.

“Catherine!” Torrie exclaimed, her voice full of delight as she practically launched herself into a hug.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my favourite niece!” Catherine announced with exaggerated flair, her light blue eyes twinkling with mischief. With a flourish, she spun Torrie around in a grand gesture before gently placing her back on the ground, tousling Torrie’s hair.

“You won’t believe it! I spotted Aunt Catherine’s carriage while I was heading home from Aella Academy!” Torrie jumped in, her excitement practically bubbling over. “So I caught a lift! Catherine totally said I could!”

“Torrie!” Eddie let out an exasperated groan, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You really shouldn’t—”

“And I totally did!” Torrie wrapped things up with a victorious grin. “Catherine even told me what to get for snacks later!” She made a face at Eddie, sticking her tongue out before sprinting towards the back room, her laughter echoing in the air behind her. “I’ll stash them in the kitchen!”

Catherine let out a laugh, her head shaking in disbelief. “She’s got more energy than a fire-breathing dragon on a rampage.”

Just as Eddie was about to respond, the door swung open once more, unveiling Mr. and Mrs. Welton.

Mrs. Welton’s eyes sparkled with delight at the sight of Catherine. “Catherine!” she called out, her voice filled with warmth and affection as she rushed forward to wrap her in a loving embrace.

Mrs. Welton stepped back, “You appear to have hardly aged a day, just as ever.” It’s utterly infuriating.

“That’s exactly why you hold the title of my favourite younger sister,” Catherine replied, her smile full of mischief. “I daresay you carry your seventy years with a grace that surpasses anyone I have ever encountered.”

Mrs. Welton rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Cathy.”

“Oh, it always brought me treats when we were young,” Catherine replied with a playful tone.

As the two women shared their laughter, Mr. Welton drew near to Catherine, a grin spreading across his face. “Ah, Catherine! Still as keen as ever, I see.”

“And yet, here you are, still on your feet.” Catherine smiled, “It seems that alchemy is working its magic on your joints, Robert.” Catherine remarked with a playful lift of her eyebrow.

Mr. Welton chuckled. “Or maybe I’m just that stubborn.”

“Oh, do not be so humble. You were truly one of my most unforgettable apprentices,” Catherine remarked, a playful glint in her eye. “I recall the time you mishandled that levitation potion, almost sending the cauldron soaring through the ceiling.” She crossed her arms and fixed him with a pointed gaze, yet the corners of her mouth betrayed her with the hint of a smile. “And don’t think for a moment that I’m unaware you did it intentionally to catch Alyssa’s attention.”

Mr. Welton feigned innocence, shrugging his shoulders in mock surrender. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, please.” Catherine rolled her eyes. “You orchestrated the explosion with such precision that she would come rushing to our aid. And do you know who had to clean up the mess afterward? Me!”

Mrs. Welton chuckled softly, her hand delicately covering her mouth. “Hold on, is that the reason the cauldron found itself lodged halfway into the ceiling?” I had always believed it to be merely one of his typical, awkward instances.”

“I had to make sure she noticed me somehow,” Mr. Welton admitted with a sheepish grin. “And it worked, didn’t it, Alyssa?” He glanced at Mrs. Welton, his expression softening.

“It did,” she confessed, a gentle smile gracing her lips. “Yet, you felt it necessary to explode the brewing room to capture my notice.”

Catherine let out a huff, though it was more amused than irritated. “You used me as your unwitting accomplice in your courtship shenanigans. The nerve!” She shook her head dramatically. “I should’ve charged you extra for those lessons.”

“And yet,” Mr. Welton said, his grin widening, “you still wrote me a glowing recommendation to the guild after I finished.”

Catherine waved a dismissive hand, though a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Only because I felt sorry for Alyssa. I figured she deserved a husband who could at least brew a half-decent potion without destroying half the brewing room.”

The playful banter between them drew laughter from Mrs. Welton, who nudged Catherine lightly. “Admit it, you’re proud of him. He turned out alright in the end.”

“Proud?” Catherine exclaimed with feigned outrage. “I felt a wave of relief wash over me at the thought of not having to contend with him once he had graduated. You cannot fathom the countless moments I wished to transform him into a fish and set him free in the vast ocean.”

The room filled with lighthearted laughter, the bonds of friendship and family weaving together like the strands of a well-crafted spell. For Eddie, watching them interact felt like a reminder of the strength that came from those connections—something he didn’t often realize he needed.

At that moment, the apothecary felt alive with magic—not just the kind bottled on shelves, but the kind that lingered in shared memories and warm embraces.