Fate and Destiny

Prologue

As the young witch walked down the road, she noticed her auburn-haired friend sitting on a bench. She crossed the road and greeted her friend.
"Good morning Albus, how are you?" Albus glanced at her before turning back to the book a blond boy was showing him. She was sure she hadn't seen him around Godric's Hollow before.

"Morning Cassie." It felt a little dismissive but Cassie tried not to let it bother her. Looking at the book the two boys were looking at, she noticed it was written in runes.
"Who's your friend?" she asked timidly. She was sure Albus didn't have any books like that, so it must be the blond boy's.
"Oh, er..." Gellert looked up from the book and gave a friendly smile but it was clear Albus didn't want her around and he continually glanced at the boy. "This is Gellert, he's staying with Bathilda Bagshot."
"Nice to meet you," Cassie said with a smile.
"Likewise," Gellert said, smiling back.

"Would you like a cookie each?" she asked. "I was going to take them to Aberforth but they're still warm and, well, you'd probably have some anyway." She held out the basket of cookies, wrapped in a clean towel. Albus looked unsure.
"I'll take one, if you don't mind," said Gellert. Cassie shook her head.
"Wouldn't have offered otherwise," she said. Gellert took one and then Albus did.

Realising her presence was rather unwanted by Albus, at least, Cassie took a step back and quickly said goodbye to them. She turned and started heading towards the Dumbledore house. While Aberforth was closer in age, they didn't share many interests and he spent a lot of his time looking after his sister. Albus was four years older than her but she was better friends with him. It seemed as though he would be spending most of his summer with Gellert.

Cassie waited patiently for Aberforth to open the door and found herself admiring the neat flower bed. Most of the flowers were in bloom, wilting slightly in the heat. After knocking again and waiting, she realised Aberforth wasn't going to answer. Sighing, she turned back. Maybe she could give them to Albus or Gellert if they were still sitting on the bench.

The bench they had been sitting on was empty. Frowning, Cassie sat where Gellert had sat on the bench, placing the basket next to her.

"You know, my mother thinks that you're a whore."

Cassie looked up to see two local girls. They were Muggles. One was taller than she was and that girl towered over her.
"I think you're a whore, but not for the same reason as my mother. I think it's because you never get seen here and you don't go to school here. So you must be sent somewhere special."

Grabbing her basket of cookies, Cassie stood and the other girl pushed her to the ground. She winced as her palms scraped against the floor. Thankfully, none of the cookies had fallen out of the basket. And by some miracle the two girls left her alone.

Cassie inspected the grazes on her hand once she stood up.
"Why did you let her do it?" She looked up from her hands to see Albus' friend, Gellert. Maybe he had been the reason they had stopped tormenting her.
"My parents would be upset with me if I told them," she said quietly as she started to head home.
"But that's not your fault," he said, frowning. "They're Muggles, aren't they?"
Hesitantly, Cassie nodded. "Yes, she called me a whore because I don't go to the local school."
"I'm not quite sure how that works," said Gellert as he walked alongside her.
"Neither am I."

"Such harsh words for a beautiful girl though," he said. Cassie furrowed her brow.
"You think she's pretty?"
"The Muggle? No," he said, shaking his head with a disgusting look. "She's uglier than the dirt we walk on. You? Heaven couldn't have crafted anyone more beautiful." Cassie's cheeks heated up as she smiled.
"You're just saying that," she said.
"You don't think I'm being honest?" he asked. She wasn't sure how to respond, mostly because she didn't know if he was lying or not.
"I don't know."

"Well, I don't know why I would lie to you, I only met you today and it would be quite rude to lie to you."
"I suppose so," said Cassie, smiling as she realised he thought she was pretty.
"You were upset earlier, weren't you?" he asked. Hesitantly, Cassie nodded.
"I was."
"Was it because of me?"
"No," Cassie said, shaking her head. "It's just... well, usually I spend the summer with Albus and Aberforth. They're the only wizards that live around here that are somewhat close to my age but I don't really get on too well with Aberforth even though he's closer to my age."

It was silent for a moment as they walked.
"I understand," he said and Cassie looked over at him. "I didn't get on with too many people at school, I just did experiments instead." Cassie hummed and nodded. She spent a lot of her time in the Hogwarts library when she was at Hogwarts.

"What were you showing Albus earlier? It was in runes, right? I could read some of it."
"I was telling him about the Deathly Hallows," he said as he plucked a flower from one of the gardens.
"It's a kid's story," said Cassie. Why had they been talking about a children's story?
"They're real," he said as he pulled the leaves from the stem and then broke it so it was shorter. "The wand can be traced through history sometimes because, well, the previous owner dies."
"So who has it?" she asked. Gellert didn't answer.

"Well, there's gaps.. I'm trying to find where it is now, but it always resurfaces. You just have to know what to look for," he said. Cassie hummed, not sure whether to believe him or not.
"You haven't even mentioned the other two," she said. "Sounds like you're going to need a lot of help."
"You can help if you want," he said and Cassie stopped. She could see the gate to her house a few metres away but she had to look at him. "Albus is helping too, I'm sure he won't mind too much, I wouldn't mind at all."
"Alright then," she said, smiling. It meant not spending the summer with Aberforth and she quite liked Gellert so far. Even if the search proved futile, it would probably be fun.

She headed to the gate and Gellert followed, watching as she shut it with her standing on the opposite side.
"Here," he said, holding out the flower to her. She smiled and thanked him as she took it. It was beautiful.

"Do you want these cookies? I was going to give them to Aberforth to share but you'll share them with them, won't you?" Cassie asked. She had made them with her mother specifically to give to the Dumbledore's, like they had done for the last few summers, but Aberforth hadn't opened the door to her.
"I will," he said. Cassie handed him the basket. "And I'll give you the basket back when I next see you. Maybe tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she slowly stepped away from the gate, flower in hand. Gellert looked at the cookies before heading off in the direction they had just come from.