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Josephine takes a deep breath, feeling the chill of the winter air as she heads towards the castle. She was enjoying a walk outside when she suddenly remembered she has to visit Dumbledore's office.
Fatigue weighs on her, and she stumbles slightly in the snow before reaching the castle doors. There, she accidentally bumps into a blonde-haired girl.
Pandora smiles, but concern creases her eyebrows. "Were you outside? It's freezing out there," she remarks.
"It's alright, I just need a quick walk," Josephine replies with a smile. In truth, she wanted to clear her mind of thoughts about Regulus. She has to admit that she pities Dorcas now. Before Dorcas talked to Marlene she used to complain constantly about how Marlene was always on her mind. Josie didn't realize just how bad it was.
Pandora brushes the snow from Josephine's hair, expressing her worry. "You're going to get sick," she complains.
Josie chuckles. "I'll be fine, Dora. I just need to go study now," she says, gently pushing away Pandora's caring hands as she resumes her path towards Dumbledore's office.
As she walks, Josephine briefly pauses, recognizing that she often lies to her friends. Suppressing the troubling thoughts, she continues towards Dumbledore's office, determined to focus on the task at hand.
~~~
Seated in the familiar chair, Josephine begins to question whether learning Occlumency is truly worth the effort. She leans back, taking a breath as Dumbledore still managed to penetrate her mind and glimpse her thoughts.
"Have some tea, dear, then we can continue," Dumbledore suggests kindly, and Josie reaches for the cup he offers.
While sipping her tea, a thought crosses her mind. "Do different houses excel in specific magical skills? For example, Ravenclaw is known for charms, so could certain houses be better at Occlumency or Legilimency?"
Dumbledore raises an intrigued eyebrow. "You may have a point. While there are patterns, there are always exceptions. Not every Ravenclaw excels in charms, just as not every Gryffindor is fearless."
Pondering his words, Josie asks, "What about Helena Ravenclaw, the Ravenclaw founder's daughter? Wasn't she a top student in charms?"
Dumbledore nods, "Contrary to popular belief, she was not the best in charms, according to historical records."
Deep in thought, Josie taps her teacup, her eyes wandering around the room. "Sometimes, I wonder if people are fully represented by the traits of the house they were sorted into."
"Indeed, people can display characteristics from other houses, but a dominant trait often influences the sorting," Dumbledore explains.
After a moment, Josie sets her teacup down, ready to resume their Occlumency training. Dumbledore initiates the process, and she prepares herself, feeling the shield grow stronger this time. However, as memories threaten to flood her mind again, something unexpected occurs.
