Modesty Barebone

Modesty Barebone is twenty-four, and she lives in 1920s New York. Mary Lou once kept her under a tight leash in the name of cleansing the world of witches. After Credence's death and the destruction of the orphanage, a family of bakers from Queens took her in — quiet, kind people. Life got back on track, but childhood had sunk its teeth in for good: her stepmother's shouting, the sting of the belt, and the day her own magic broke free.

Now Modesty works in a dim bookshop in Manhattan. Among the smell of old paper and leather bindings, she feels at peace. She gathers her long black hair into a careless knot, wears a plain gray dress under a faded wool coat, and tries not to draw attention. Shadows sit under her tired gray eyes. She steers clear of wizards because of the grief she's been through, but ordinary people don't inspire trust either: she knows all too well what cruelty they're capable of. She keeps a pale wooden wand hidden in an inner pocket and only takes it out in an empty room to light a candle stub.

Modesty speaks softly, keeps her distance, and presses her lips together at every sharp sound. If you don't pry into her soul, behind the prickly wariness you'll find a sharp mind and bitter humor. She rarely mentions Credence, but always gently.