We all know that Sarah could never hide the secret of the Labyrinth from Toby for long, right?

- Chapter 2 -

Wish Away

Sarah's face felt like her cheeks couldn't stretch farther to encompass her smile. It almost ached. But pain aside, she felt great at the moment as she shook hands with the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall returned the smile, patting her hand before letting go.

With a final "I look forward to seeing you for the late summer staff meetings" the woman transported to the head floo terminal through the Williams fireplace. Left in the living room was an ecstatic Sarah who hadn't felt such job since being accepted to Salem Academy…since graduating at the top of her class…since defeating the Goblin Kind at his own game…

Shaking her head of the pompous fae from her teenage fantasies, she bound up the stairs to tell Toby the good news—Sarah slowed at this. She realized Toby wouldn't take this as good news at all. With tortoise steps, she headed for the door of Toby's bedroom and knocked tentatively.

"Toby?" she called gently, cracking the door to peek at him reading inside. He was reading beside the window of his room. "Professor McGonagall is gone and she—"

What she saw in his hands made her open the door as though a wild beast was stampeding into her direction. She vaguely noticed the trembling that overcame her body as she took a cautious step into the room. "Toby…Toby, listen to me. Please, put that down. Please." Sarah begged desperately.

That was not the book that she had expected him to be reading. Not now. Not ever.

"Sarah why—"

"How did you find that? Were you looking through my closet?" Sarah asked, a bit more hoarsely and more emotionally. Toby's eyes widened at his sister's deathly gaze at the worn, red leather covered book opened in his lap.

"Sarah, I thought you wouldn't mind…I borrow the books from your old room all the time. You said I could!" Toby defended himself, confused by his sister's reaction to the seemingly harmless book.

"Yes, Toby, but those books were on the shelf in clear eyesight for your disposal. This book was hidden in the top shelf of my closet." Sarah didn't notice how her temper had flared quickly and how Toby could sense it in her voice.

"I thought it was a book from Salem, Sarah! What's wrong with it?" Toby asked, his eyes wide hoping to calm his sister into giving in like always.

"It's none of your concern! Give it to me." hissed Sarah with clenched fists.

"But—"

"Now." Sarah ordered him in a tone Toby had never heard her take on before. It scared him now.

But as she stood there in her fury at what he thought was directed at Toby, he did not focus on the steely stare she was holding on the gold embossed letters of the title clutched in his arms. His courage grew as his own fury escalated.

"You're being unfair."

"What?" Sarah had finally caught herself, woken up at the mention of these all too familiar words that she had constantly spoken in her younger years.

"Unfair. All of this is unfair. I bet you're going to take the job, aren't you?!" Toby accused with a pointed finger. His eyes flashed with a strangely eerie and familiar light that Sarah had seen somewhere before.

"Toby this job is my—" Sarah began but Toby cut her off.

He stood from his place at the window, the sun only beginning to set behind the horizon. It cast a haze of orange hues against the boy's pale skin and clashing with the blue in his eyes. Shadows took some form around him and draped him menacingly. He gripped the book in one hand. "I wish I had powers just like you! I want to have magic too but you're the one who doesn't want me to have it!"

Sarah gaped at his words. "What? No! Never, Toby! Never!" said Sarah as she began to walk towards him, her anger from before completely gone. Fear still laced her bones causing her to take shaky steps.

"You're going to go away and never come back when you have fun with new magical friends. You've always had magical friends. I use to hear you talk to voices in your room. Sometimes I saw things in your mirror when you were in there but would go away when I'd come around! Why?!" the boy asked in a heart breaking cry. "You were never alone, Sarah! Me? I don't have powers or friends like you do. The kids at school think I'm weird. Like I'm a freak for trying to tell them stories about dog knights and furry giants like you used to tell me about."

Sarah was still walking towards him but clearly hurt from the words that he was lashing at her.

Toby brandished the book in his grip in front of him like a shield…like he was trying to keep off a monster Sarah couldn't help thinking with sorrow. But it did its wielder's intent and she halted her steps at the sight of the book. The title flashed in the light of the bedroom lamp. Sarah didn't want to see this, how Toby almost looked like he knew what he was doing…like he knew the horrible act she had done all those years ago. Wishing her baby brother away…it was too similar to the current situation of Sarah leaving Toby behind for her new job.

"Toby, I have so many explanations for you! I have good reasons for them!" Sarah whispered forcefully. Tears threatened to fall as a wet sensation began to prickle her eyes.

Sarah looked over the trembling boy who had breathed in her anger into himself. She felt so tired. She knew Toby wasn't the most social kid in his class but was he truly without friends? Without a single companion? Toby got on well with his parents but they didn't spend true quality time with him that Sarah provided for him as much as possible. She never realized just how much Toby depended on her, how desperately he must have waited for vacations so Sarah could come home from Salem and spend them with her little brother.

Toby had needed her that dark night when he was only a year old. That same boy ten years later still needed her there for him now.

She had disappointed Toby after years of trying to silently make it up to the boy she had wished away to be taken far from his comfortable crib and into the Goblin King's lair.

"I-I wish there was some way you wouldn't have to leave for that school!"

Sarah had failed Toby.

The boy lowered the book slowly, his shoulder easing from their angry tense and Sarah couldn't stop the heavy sigh of relief. Still, her emotions were still building up in her throat and her eyes were watery.

"I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now." he whispered tiredly, barely even audible.

Sarah was sincerely scared now. A small shadow had just scampered past her legs.

A/N: Reviews would be appreciated! I just don't want this to be another Harry Potter cross over fic. Suggestions on ideas would be nice if you're interested as well!