BROKEN PIECES & GOLDEN SEAMS

XIV

27. the way you get someone to fall in love with you

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It's a lovely day outside. Fluffy clouds look down upon the castle, pushing each other to shield it from the strangely warm sun. The spring shows no sign of it's near departure. Flowers blosssom and wilt to carpet the green grass, a painting that mortals could never hope to discern but only draw pleasure from the scene.

Headmaster Dumbledore didn't linger against the window to enjoy the scenery though. No, the old wizard had much more interesting things to observe.

He peers through his half moon glasses, eyes narrowed at the figure by the Black Lake. The twinkle he is known for is put to rest at the moment. He cannot afford distractions for his matter of interest had the habit of disappearing right beneath his nose.

To her enigmatic camp on the weekends, within the Slytherin common room on the weekdays and into the Lake during detentions.

"Minerva," he exhales through his nose as he loses his target again.

The witch that has just entered the Headmaster's office nods, unknowing or perhaps uncaring that he cannot see her. The proud tilt to her chin falls with her tired sigh. "Albus,"

He doesn't turn. "Would you care for a lemon drop?"

She sniffs, an annoyed gesture that makes her nose twitch. "No thank you." She despises lemon drops. She glares at the bowl of sour delicacies from which Albus accios it from.

"It's all going quite well," he pops one into his mouth with a slight tilt to his head towards the scene he has been observing.

Minerva doesn't join him by the window. Her feet refuses to move from her place beside the window. "Yes," She doesn't look through the glass, she looks at the Headmaster.

"She has quite the affinity with water," he says it like they're discussing the weather, not at all about the individual that could shift the course of the looming war.

"From her biological father's side I suppose," Minerva doesn't wish to beat around the bush anymore, "Merman? Elemental Wizard? A sea creature we had never heard of? What is it Albus?"

Albus turns to smile at her, his eyes crease but there's no sight of the twinkle. "I was hoping I could find it from you Minerva,"

The woman clasps her hands behind her back, her shoulders rolling behind to assume her usual posture. Proud and tall, she mutters, "Sally Jackson tells me she doesn't remember the man at all." The young woman's embarrassment at the admission hadn't allowed room for doubt.

"But Perseus did ask her biological father's permission before accepting the offer,"

Confusion is an uncharacteristic look on Minerva. "I—," there is a blank in her memory at the mention of this particular fact, "I don't think so Albus. She did contact her camp but that was it,"

Albus hums, stroking his beard. He remembers the particular piece of information being mentioned that— "The camps would not let her go,"

"There don't seem to be any more to it than simple love," this doesn't make the Deputy Headmistress smile. She is quite popular and loved enough for a barrage of letters pleading against taking her away. The woman can think of another wizard that was swarmed with letters every Valentine, without fail.

Albus looks back through the window in time to see Percy resurface. She's smiling, diving into the dangerous waters of Hogwarts doesn't seem to concern her at all. She seems to enjoy it. That strikes something in his mind, "Her father remains a mystery,"