Mirage

A Peculiar Green

Athena Fata was woken up abruptly the next morning by a knock on the door. Sterling still lay asleep next to her, unaffected by the knocking. Morgana had kept him up late with her crying so it wasn't a surprise that he was exhausted. The alarm clock on the nightstand read 6:24 A.M. and Athena groaned, rubbing her eyes. A trickle of light was slowly materializing through the window opposite the bed. The knocking continued.

"Hello?" Athena asked groggily when she finally got to the door. A very official-looking woman with a travelling cloak draped over her shoulders and a clipboard in her arms was standing at the door.

"Good morning ma'am, I'm here on the behalf of Magical Congress Of the United States of America. We have been informed that you've had a new addition to your family within the last few days, correct?"

Athena squinted her eyes. "Sorry, who are you?"

The woman smiled and held out her hand for Athena to take. "Riley Matlock, nice to meet you. Athena Fata, if I'm correct?" Athena shook her hand and nodded. "Anyway, I've been sent to examine your new daughter. I expect you understand the complication with the elementals and the caution we must take for them?"

Athena nodded. "And... you think Morgana may be the elemental?" she asked timidly.

"Every wizarding town is required to inspect the families of newborn children. Do you mind if I step inside?" Riley gestured to the house behind Athena.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry, just woke up," Athena said as she stepped aside, giving Riley room to walk in. "Would you- would you like anything to drink?" Athena offered after second of awkward silence. Riley simply smiled and shook her head.

"I appreciate it, but no thank you, ma'am. I'm here strictly for business. Respectively, you can lead the way to your daughter whenever you're ready."

Athena smiled and signaled for her to follow up the stairs. When they reached the bedroom where Sterling and Morgana lay, Athena advised Riley to be quiet, as Athena's husband had been up late. They reached Morgana's crib, and Athena's new daughter lay sleeping soundly, her body slowly rising with every breath. Riley reached into the crib, which Athena resented but did not verbalize her dislike for, and turned Morgana so she'd be facing upwards.

"How exactly are you inspecting her, miss?" Athena asked as her anxiety rose. She did not like the idea of strangers touching her baby, even if they were government officials. "What are you going to do to her?"

"Just a simple inspection," Riley said without any more clarification; she lifted up both of Morgana's arms and looked closely, apparently inspecting for a tattoo. Athena bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from saying anything else.

"How peculiar," Riley stated just above whisper, seemingly to herself. Athena tilted her head from behind Riley to see what she was talking about.

"What's that, Miss Matlock?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just-- she has green eyes. I don't think I've seen a child like her born with such vibrant eyes before." Her eyes shifted back to Morgana, who, Athena could now see, was gradually waking up. Her eyes were only open a small fraction, yet it was easy to tell they were a vivid green.

"Oh, yeah, my son actually mentioned that yesterday; something about how babies are normally born with blue eyes, right?" Athena asked, curious as to what Riley was getting at.

"Right... Which is why I find green eyes already developed at her age to be very odd..." Riley said curiously. This concerned Athena. Was there something wrong with her baby? Athena became impatient in the next three minutes in which Riley Matlock studied Morgana silently, but again, she stayed noiseless; the least interruptions she gave the MACUSA worker, the quicker Matlock would leave. Riley looked up from Morgana. She gave a blissful expression that made Athena feel quite relieved.

"I don't see any problems with your daughter. She doesn't seem to show any signs of elementalism. I have no explanation for her mysteriously green eyes, but I'm sure it's nothing too serious. Has she acted out of sorts at all?"

In all of the relief Athena was receiving, she almost didn't realize Matlock had asked a question. "Oh, no! I would have told you if I had noticed anything different," she responded as all the built-up anxiety left her. Riley smiled.

"Do send a letter to the MACUSA if you notice anything odd. It's only for the protection of other witches and wizards." She sighed and looked back at Morgana. "I think I'll be on my way then. I have a lot of families to inspect today."

"Oh, of course. Right this way," Athena led her back into the hall. As they passed Kingston's bedroom, he had opened the door a crack and looked through with one eye.

"Mom," Kingston whispered lightly so only his mother could hear.

Athena made a shushing noise and pulled his door closed. She opened the door for Riley and wished her luck with her work. As she closed the door, she could hear Morgana starting to cry and Kingston's loud footsteps down the stairs. Athena heaved an alleviated sigh before retreating to her bedroom to quiet a hungry Morgana.