When Fire Meets Magic

Prologue

The young goddess stared down Hera, her smouldering gaze filled with disdain. "Why did you summon me?"

"Oh, dear, I'm happy you could make it!" the woman said cheerfully, her kind facade unconvincing. "I have a quest for you, Agalia."

"I-"

"And before you even think about arguing," said Hera carefully before the girl could interrupt her, "-I can assure you, it is worth your while. It is not to fight, it is for the people."

Agalia's broad shoulders relaxed a bit, "Alright...lay it on me."

The Goddess of Heaven hesitated, the marble walls and floors thick with a pregnant pause.

Hera had a tendency of beating around the bush, another one of the many things Agalia hated about her. From being entirely vain and selfish to hurting others to come out on top, she was hard to like.

Hera rose slowly from her golden throne, looking down on the goddess. She snapped her fingers, and a woman appeared in front of her.

Hecate, goddess of magic.

"W...what...?" the new woman stammered, her dark hair falling in her sorrowful face as she quickly took in her surroundings.

"Hecate, it is time."

"Oh...okay," she said, keeping her eyes glued on the floor. Anxiety rolled off the woman in waves; she was one to rule and communicate from afar. A goddess of cults, she did not like being around those of importance, especially when she needed a favour.

"Can one of you please tell me what's going on?" asked Agalia in boredom.

Hera spoke up, "Hecate here created her own realm, centuries ago. We did not know of such for a long time, but her people called 'witches' and 'wizards' had rebelled. The people demanded freedom, so she removed herself. There's a contract that forbids her from going back. The problem is, these people can become powerful. Not on our level, obviously, but great evil can come from such.

"From these people has become a...well, not man or mortal even, but something further from that. His name is Voldemort-"

Agalia burst into fits of laughter. "O-okay, so you're telling me this freak needs to be taken down? A...'wizard'?!"

"This is serious," warned Hecate, her voice low with malice. For the first time, her dark eyes met with Agalia's. "This man, he has become a Dark Lord throughout the realm. Nobody can defeat him...and the worst part is, he and Kronos have been somehow able to communicate. They have made an alliance."

"So..." the fire goddess pondered aloud, "you're telling me this 'thing' has to be killed so Kronos will stay dead as well?"

"Well...it's not that simple. Kronos is on the rise yet again, but we must postpone it for as long as possible."

"And if Voldemort and Kronos are alive at the same time...we will lose for sure," finished Hecate solemnly.

Agalia's eyes flitted between the two. "Where do I fit in within all this?"

"You...well, you must actually 'fit in' with the magical people first. Gain their trust. This will be a multi-year quest. We need to rebuild our alliance with the magical community," explained Hera. "Now, I need to know that you are up to the task."

"I am," said the fire goddess, knowing what was next.

She reached her arm out to Hera's, who took it in hers and locked eyes with her. "Agalia, goddess of fire, truth, morality and bravery, daughter of Aphrodite and Hephaestus, do you promise to fulfil your quest to the best of your ability? To stay committed, and to honour your godly family?"

"I do."

And with that, light formed around their connected arms. The bright light slowly tunneled out of her vision, leaving severe ambition in Agalia. The feeling flooded her veins, and the quest formed in her heart.

"Hecate, I'll allow you to give her the details," stated Hera. "Make sure to be clear, as this one isn't the brightest-"

The good feelings came to a halt, and Agalia grit her teeth, "I'm no idiot, y'know."

Hera merely smirked and walked off, disappearing around a tall white corner and going deeper into Olympus.

The palace was quiet and the stillness of the air put Agalia on edge. She disliked brightness and silence. Olympus never felt like home to her, and her throne frequently stood empty among the others. As she looked at Hecate, she could tell the woman felt the same, her anxious demeanour explaining itself.

"So...where do I begin?"

The goddess of magic snapped out of her daze and turned to face her. "This quest requires commitment and much acting. You must fit in among the magical community wherever you go, as it is crucial for people to love and trust you. You will begin at Durmstrang, a rigorous school that combines physicality with magic."

"Why do I have to go to a school?"

Hecate eyed her for a bit, annoyance evident in her gaze. "To learn the fine art of magic, dimwit. Oh, and you'll need this."

She pulled out what looked like a twig at first, but upon further inspection, Agalia realized it was a wand. Laughter escaped her, as she couldn't take the woman seriously. "A wand? Oh! I know a spell, 'abracadabra;!"

"ENOUGH!" belted Hecate, her jaw clenched. Anger radiated off of her in a purple aura, her eyes aflame. "Magic is a serious thing, Agalia, and if you don't stop acting like an insolent child, I will hex you myself. Don't ever say 'abracadabra' in the magical world, it sounds like the killing curse 'avada kedavera'. And don't underestimate the powers of these people, as it is more than you could ever harness!"

Agalia was taken aback, and she couldn't help but feel a spark of fear. "A-Ah, well that's good to know," she said, chucking awkwardly.

"As I was going to say. You need a wand, as you have no true magical ability. This one has an enchantment on it that gives you the powers you lack. It is made of fir with a phoenix feather core. It is about 12 1/2 inches and has moderate flexibility. I tailored this to fit you as best as possible. Try it out. Give it a wave."

The fire goddess held the handcrafted wand. It was a dark reddish-brown colour, and it gleamed in the light. It had embellishments that, if one looked close enough, resembled flames. She gave it a wave and fire rose around them.

Hecate's grin was lit up by the light. With a wave of her hand, the flames extinguished.

"Excellent. Now, as I was saying earlier about the school, you must go to learn the art of magic. There are many spells, incantations, and other things you must learn in order to fit in and be successful in the community. The school is named Durmstrang, and is located in Scandinavia."

"That name sounds intense."

"As is the school. It has an overwhelmingly male population, as the test to get in is very difficult to pass. The physicality assessment was made sexist by a former headmaster, yet some girls have been able to get in. I believe that this school will fit you best, helping you learn a good balance of combat and magic. It also keeps you away from the Chosen One and Voldemort."

"So I have to be in a school dominated by males? And I'm away from the quest? And who in the Gods names is the 'chosen one'?!"

Hecate sighed, trying not to roll her eyes. "Yes to both those insolent questions. But, when the time comes, you will be transferred to the United Kingdom where the war will eventually be waged. Harry Potter is the name of the 'Chosen One'. He is twelve now, and too young to fight the Dark Lord, who isn't close enough to rising. You will have to befriend him and work together to defeat Voldemort."

They stood in a short silence as Agalia put the pieces together. "Alright, I understand. I have one more question though: why was I chosen for this?"

"Through a unanimous vote among the gods, you were deemed the most likeable, kind, and able to fit in with mortals. Also, It just... felt like the right choice. Don't make me wrong- the witches and wizards...they are my children, Agalia, and I'm putting my trust in you."

Agalia studied the woman a bit, and now understood her sorrowful expression. The world she created, her safe haven, had been snatched from her and was on the brink of destruction. There was not a thing she could do. She was kicked from her own kind, she was unhappy and homeless.

And her voice, it carried so much fear and despondency with a tinge of hope. She wasn't begging, but the underlying tone of her statement was, and Agalia's heart ached. She felt bad for the woman, who was one of the cruel jokes among the gods, who was constantly disrespected, who never felt family in them.

Agalia felt that.

So she stepped forward and gave the woman a hug, saying, "I will do everything in my power to save your world, to give it the love and preservation it deserves."

The response came in a whisper, "Thank you."

A few moments passed, and the two broke apart. Hecate reached in her dark robes and pulled out an orb. Inside light blue smoke swirled with such delicacy, and Agalia immediately felt entranced.

"This is your prophecy. It's a bit far from what you're used to, I know, but I can guarantee it holds as true as anything from the mouth of the Oracle. Only you are allowed to hear it. You must base your choices off this. If you come to a decision, and you merely think of this prophecy, go with your instinct."

"Alright, anything else?"

"Yes," said Hecate, eying the goddess before her, "You must change into a believable mortal, come up with a name and backstory and all that. You've had no trouble in the past so I believe this will be easy for you. And also, don't discuss Greek mythology, I am no longer liked among the majority of the magical realm."

"Why-"

"Good luck on your quest, Agalia," interrupted Hecate, a hopeful smile on her face, "I am trusting you more than I ever have anyone else."

Agalia nodded, returning the smile. She made her way to the exit, shifting into her new mortal being. Her dark red curls bounced as she walked, and her divinity wore off. Emberly Jocasta would be her new persona, and she would be unrecognizable. Holding the prophecy close, she heard the eerie words inside her head.

A goddess will immerse herself in the world of magic,
In order to keep the war's outcome far from tragic.
Her means will seem harmless by perception,
But she must overall win by deception.