“And how long have you had those marks?” Gale asked from behind her desk. All three of them were in her cramped office now. Penny had shoved him through the door only moments after she’d administered first aid on his raw right hand. She made him promise that he wouldn’t scratch again. Gale, meanwhile, stared at him, a look of barely contained fury on her face.

“A couple of days now, I-I didn't think—”

“Didn’t think working at the Eggery had anything to do with why you broke out with Dragonblight!?”

“Gale, he's scared and you’re making it worse!”

“The ad stated,” Gale said ignoring Penny’s outburst. “That we needed someone who never made physical contact with a dragon before. To prevent this from happening!” She said, voice rising. “I thought you were smarter than this Finn. Why didn’t you just tell the truth!?”

He racked his brain for an answer, but none came. This made no sense.

“Does it really matter? We need to take him to the infirmary!”

“Wait, what?” He said. “If I do that then they’ll find out—”

The woman with her tall, pointed hat gave him a pitied look. “It doesn't matter how it happened but if we don’t report this the Administration will remove us all from the program and you’d still be expelled.”

“There has to be another way!” He turned to Penny. “Isn't there?”

“If you don't seek treatment far worse things will happen than an itchy wrist: you could die.” Gale said.

He felt a lump rise to the top of his throat; guarded emotions seeped through. The tightness in his chest was too much. He sobbed into his sleeve. A pair of arms wrapped around him: Penny’s arms, he realized. She was hugging him. Slowly, Gale’s glare softened.

“Please,” Penny said. “He'll lose everything.”

Gale gritted her teeth and as she was about to speak, froze, then smirked. “We could do a shaping.”

“You,” Penny said comprehension dawning. “You want to use the dragons to cure him?”

“They do have the monopoly on magical panaceas.”

“But that’s dangerous! We could hire an alchemist or a witch to—”

“Either would expose us to expulsion and worse. The materials needed to create an antidote take weeks to brew and they aren’t cheap nor easy to obtain. They'd be obligated to report to their council or coven to cover their bases. I'd do the same in their place. I hate to say it, but this is our best way of helping him.”

“H-Help me how?” he sniffed.

Gale let out a sigh. “When the University recovered these eggs many of them were smashed or broken. Even broken eggs have some educational value which is why they’re still in our supply closet. We simply grab one and…” she made stuffing gesture. “Put you inside it.”

He blinked. He wasn't sure what he just heard.

“Inside the egg?”

“She wants to turn you into a dragon.” Penny explained, uncoiling her arms.

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He stared at Gale and finally blurted, “but I'm too big.”

“I can reshape you into whatever size we need. In case you missed the Archmagis Staff collecting dust next to the wastebin.” Gale said. “The magic inside the egg will keep you from changing back into a human and keep the sickness at bay. After eight to ten weeks before you’ll be cured.”

He groaned. “But my studies! I have a plan…” he trailed off.

“Take a semester off. Tell the University you're going abroad while you consider changing your major. It happens all the time. I'll send the necessary forms to your phone so you can make the arrangements. Penny and I can watch your things while you recover. But it needs to happen tonight! Otherwise, no amount of shape-changing is going to help you.”

Finn looked at Penny then back to Gale.

“Whatever you decide Gale and I have your back.” Penny said putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It was warm and stirred emotions he'd given up on feeling. He almost reached out but held himself back.

“I need a few hours to gather the materials and prepare the spells.” Gale explained rising from her chair. “Take some time to think about this. You can’t back out once we get started.” She began pouncing on nearby bookshelves stacking them one after another as she drifted out of the office and into the Eggery. “Be back here by sundown!”

At that, he and Penny were alone. Before she could say anymore, he was already out the door. He showed too many emotions to feel anything but shame. He needed to be alone.

A minute later he was back in the hallway with the yellow bin. The only object there was his automatic pencil which he hammered.

Was he really going to do this? He began this year with his life on track. He wanted to be done with this. He thought of that night when Gale and he spoke. Why did he stay? These last few weeks had wrung him out, yet he kept coming back.

Because I want to, he realized.

He wanted to be near Penny and Gale and the eggs. There was more though. He loved this place. He loved them both. He didn't want to lose them. Overwhelmed, he leaned against the wall and wept.

He found Gale in the supply room. She had drawn three concentric circles onto the floor, each held a series of elaborate shapes and angles. Every corner of the ritual had etchings in a fluid script beyond his acumen.

“Have you come to a decision?” she said not looking up.

He exhaled. “I’ll do it.”

“Good, I was worried I had done all this work for nothing.”

She stood up and pocketed her stencil. “We’ll get started right away.”

“Right now?”

“The longer you wait the worst the blight will get.” She said.

He nodded, took out his phone and fired off a couple of messages. “It's done.” he said setting it down on a shelf.

Penny took this moment to enter the room carrying a pink pillow. “I brought it from my dorm for you to rest on.” she said cheerfully.

“Am I going to feel that if I’m inside an egg?”

She frowned. “I don’t know, but you can tell me if it does!”

“Stand in the center of the circle.” Gale instructed hands on hips. When he was in position she explained: “The spells needed for a successful shaping are ones I've mastered. It's restoring the broken egg and putting you inside that's going to be challenging. I've only ever done something as complex as this once and that was for an arch-masters.”

“Even if this doesn’t work.” he said glancing between Penny and Gale. “Thanks.”

Gale’s face resolved into determination; wand in one hand, spellbook in other and a shattered egg at her feet she began to chant.

Finn watched as a shimmering opaque film covered his body. A warmth spread out from his torso to his arms, legs and head. His pulse raced and took on an alien rhythm. Thunder raced across his skin as an unseen force yanked his skull and shoved his limbs into his torso. He convulsed as his itchy wrist flared then died altogether. His bones twisted and cracked and after a crunch loud enough to deafen him a second heartbeat joined the other.

Gale and Penny both grew taller. He cried out but no voice came. He went blind; face nestled in clothes that no longer fit him. A chill swept through him and by instinct dug into his still-warm jeans.

An invisible hand plucked him from the floor by the neck. After a moment they pushed him into a tight container sealing the entrance with a snap of reassembling puzzle pieces. Finally, mercifully, the pain subsided.

The world outside became still. Fatigue swept through his aching muscles and ringing head. Surrounded by a protective shell of warmth he gave into exhaustion and lost consciousness.

Outside the egg, Gale fell to her knees gasping. Finally, she rasped: “It’s finished.”

“You did it!” Penny exclaimed and ran up to hug her.

Gale stood dumbfounded staring at her wand then at the egg. Finally, she said. “What a rash thing I’ve done.” As if in response, the eggs glowed softly.