Brightest ✯ Sirius Black

✯fifty✯

N.E.W.Ts were finished, and the entire 6th year student body couldn't be more relieved. The stress of studying and essay writing was finally over, and the approaching summer was beginning to make everyone antsy.

Cleo walked down the hallway alone, her friends-along with everyone else with half a brain- were outside enjoying the sun. She walked slowly towards the golden eagle statue that she looked at so fondly, remembering when she didn't feel so gloomy when coming this way. The state she was in was difficult for even herself to handle, and she almost feared what Dumbledore would have to teach her today.

She entered the office without knocking, and found herself quite alone. She felt guilty and considered walking out, but a shiny metal object on a shelf caught her eye. She stepped towards it, glancing behind her once more to make sure she was alone before she reached up to grab it. Upon her touch, the object began to hum lightly before it floated down to her. She couldn't help but gaze at it in awe, for it was a very beautiful object. A shiny silver casing with a single red ruby jewel encrusted into the hilt, the dagger glinted in the soft light of the office.

"I see you've already found what I brought you in here to see then," a voice resonated through the quiet office. Cleo gasped and jumped back quickly, pulling her hand into her chest and holding it there.

"I'm sorry professor, I didn't mean to snoop," she said quietly, but Dumbledore chuckled gently.

"My dear, snooping is the very least of my concerns. In fact, it shows a curiosity that I rather admire in students such as yourself," he smiled and passed her. "Just make sure it doesn't get you into any trouble in the future, hmm?" he winked at her, and Cleo cracked a smile.

"This is what you wanted me to see, professor?" she pointed back to the glinting silver dagger.

"Ah yes," he returned from his thoughts and looked at the dagger sitting in front of them, hung to nothing but the air as it levitated before them. "This dagger," he began, as he circled around it slowly, "belonged to a very great wizard by the name of Elphius Meliflua.

"Elphius was a very bright student. Charms and defense against the dark arts were his top classes, but he did excel in a great many other things too. You are probably wondering why I am telling you about this particular student, are you not?" he asked her, and Cleo nodded, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "My dear, I am telling you about Elphius because you remind me a great deal of him. He was a very strong wizard, headstrong in that. He cared for his friends, and his family he loved even more.

"What makes me think the most of you, is that Elphius had an older brother, you see. A brother that ended up betraying him to Grindelwald, I trust you know a bit about him?"

"Only a little bit, sir," she shrugged meekly, thinking back to her boring history lessons second year that she normally would nap in, but she did recognize the name "Grindelwald".

"Elphius was forced to make a decision. He had to choose between saving his friends, or facing his brother, and do you know what he did?" Cleo shook her head. "He faked his own death, and the death of his friends using this dagger, because he couldn't bear the idea of fighting his brother."

Cleo looked out towards the window and breathed deeply, processing the story Dumbledore had told her. He continued to speak as she closed her eyes.

"You remind me of him in many ways, but in many more, you are very different," he continued. "You are stronger and braver than even you can imagine yourself, dear Cleophus. There are a great many things that make you that way. Elphius Meliflua took the easiest way out in order to hide from his problems; problems which, as I'm sure you can see, are very similar to your own." she turned back to look at him, and a glint in Dumbledore's stormy grey eyes made her nearly want to turn away again. "I trust you to create a different fate than the one Elphius chose for himself."