Fragments of the Sea

Pretty Pretenses

A large portrait hung on the wall in the Room of Requirement. In it, Albus Dumbledore sat in a comfortable chair with a plush, red velvet cushion buried beneath the fabric of his billowing robes. His usual blank-faced, unflappable front was still firmly in place, but underneath the well-constructed guise Albus' agitation was growing.

They were late.

"Not yet. I believe that It is still 11:59, and our appointment was scheduled at midnight." The dreamy voice originated from the previously unoccupied couch opposite the old headmaster, and he spun in his- quite literal- frame to face the titaness who had appeared in the room.

Albus released a breath. "I would definitely appreciate it if you would refrain from reading my thoughts, old friend. I may be a wizard as skilled as I am old, but even my skills in Occlumency cannot keep you out. After all, you were the one to first give my kind magic," Albus lightly reprimanded his former mentor.

"My apologies." Hecate smiled thinly, not looking sorry in the least, but Albus couldn't help the bemusement curling along his cracked lips. "Unfortunately," her smile faded, "I am not here for catching up with my student; rather I am here because I have taken on another apprentice. Only, with this one, I have not only tutored her, but given her the full extensive knowledge of the wizarding world, and even went as far as to ask Athena to bless her so as to counteract her ADHD and dyslexia. She is highly skilled in every element of magic, but she is also a demigod. I wish for the girl to be sorted, but no matter the outcome, she should reside with the Hufflepuffs."

The ex-headmaster frowned. "Lady Hecate, with all due respect, if she is not sorted into the house, why would she stay there? The point is to remain with those who are most like you, so as to generate healthy, sustainable rapports amongst students." Hecate chuckled.

"Perhaps under normal circumstances that would be acceptable, as distasteful as those silly traditions have always seemed to one as ancient as myself-"

Albus suppressed a smile at the reminder to their years together. She rarely referred to herself as 'old,' only 'ancient,' as it seemed so much more enticing a descriptor. He was glad when he saw that she wasn't reacting, signifying that she had already retreated from his mind.

"But this young heroine's past is stained with far too much red," the deity continued. "In the past year, there have been multiple instances of monster attacks, kidnappings, governmental interference, and most pertinent of all, a devastating war that took the lives of some of her closest companions. While it most certainly took a toll on her, the girl still keeps up a rather amicable aura."

A frustrated sigh escaped her. "Honestly, it is quite concerning how well she has handled the situation, and we've both discussed the possible- indeed, inevitable- repercussions that will come from bottling up her emotions, especially with how volatile hers are, and how tightly they are intertwined with her magic. Nowadays, Hufflepuff is filled to the brim with some of the least prejudiced-"

"We prefer the term 'opinionated.'"

"- and generous- albeit because they are pushovers- young wizards and witches of this generation. Our hope is that this experience will help her to view more of the good in the world, after her eyes have been tainted by so much darkness. Furthermore, I previously mentioned that her emotional state was rather precarious, and being around non-demigod, magical beings her own age without the lingering familiarity of her memories may be able to remedy that.

"She is powerful, and lacking in control. That is dangerous, and this is where we will fix it, as she is the type of person who does not want to hurt anyone around her, but has such an intense urge to do so regardless. Your kind is expendable, relatively, and this is one of the least contested courses of action."