ATARGATIS, THE FIRST MERMAID. There once was a goddess who was believed to be the muse to all of the mermaid tales that have been told around the world for thousands and thousands of years. This goddess was, none other than the goddess Atargatis. Atargatis was goddess of the moon, feminine powers and water. The stories told about how Atargatis became a mermaid were quite sad. According to the myths, Atargatis fell infatuated with a mortal man, a shepherd called Hadad. Atargatis had unintentionally caused the death of Hadad, her lover. Consumed with guilt and sorrow, the girl with beauty like no other had attempted to drown herself into a lake near Ascalon. Waters however, could not hide her beauty and the gods had therefore, transformed her into a mermaid. A girl with a tail of a fish, and a body of a human.
What we had failed to mention was that, before Atargatis had attempted to drown herself because of the killing of the mortal man she had fell in love with. She was bearing a child; his child. A gorgeous female descendant named Cleodora. Cleodora, a half breed, half siren, half mortal that had eventually, come to be a witch. A witch that attended Hogwarts, a school for witches and wizards. A school located within the Scottish Highlands. A school, not visible to muggles.
Cleodora, but a remarkable witch, had been bound to grasp the attention of all Hogwarts' wizards. It was, in the prophecy afterall. Though she had captured the wizards' attention, she had drawn one from all. One, whom she would be acquainted with. One of whom she'd have a baby with. One, we ought to be fearful of; Tom Marvolo Riddle.
Bearing a child, with a siren for a mother, with the blood of the gods of Olympus, coursing through her veins, connected to Poseidon and Amphirite; the god and goddess of the sea. A child with parselmouth for a father, the heir of Slytherin, the one conceived out of a love potion, the one who was rumored to have no capability of feeling love. One, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself. One, who fashioned himself a new name, a name he knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when he had become the greatest sorcerer in the world. The darkest wizard of all.
This child, a child of the gods, a child of the heir of Slytherin. Would indeed grow up to do great things. The child, with the power to end the Dark Lord. The child, a weapon. The child, with visions and dreams. The child, that will end us all.
Waters can indeed feel daunting and deadly, destructive. We don't understand how cavernous the mysteries that lie within the deep are. Healing forces of water, unhidden beauty, the enchantment of the gods of Olympus. Connections to the moon, waves, and passions.
