A Meeting With Dumbledore

Dumbledore's office was one of the most fascinating rooms in the castle, Hope had to admit. She was immediately drawn a few levitating silver pieces that turned over themselves like globs of mercury. Still, she had a feeling it wasn't mercury. Whatever it was.

"Ah, good," Albus said from the back of the office, where he returned a book to its home and emerged, wearing his usual slacks and waistcoat. He tucked away his hanging pocket watch and moved around his desk, sitting on the edge. 

When he noticed their expressions, he smiled kindly and shook his head. "No one is in trouble. I've been meaning to speak to you about your permanent stay at Hogwarts, and since it will involve Newt, I thought it best to speak to you both together."

"Me, sir?" Newt asked in confusion.

Albus nodded. "The Ministry has asked that Hope have something productive to do while she is here." He turned his eyes on Hope now. "I've noticed you've been spending a lot of time with Newt and the magical creatures. Have you been enjoying it?"

Sitting down in one of the chairs, more of an excuse to look at one of the glittering mechanisms he had sitting on another side table, Hope nodded. "Yes, very much."

Newt shuffled a little, his smile a bit awkward but pleased. It must not be every day that someone shared a liking for the creatures he was so fond of.

"Well, I thought that perhaps you might enjoy being his assistant?" he looked at Newt. "If that's alright with you, of course, Professor."

Blinking away his astonishment, he nodded quickly. "Yes, absolutely." He smiled over at her, and she couldn't help but return the smile. Would she really get to spend her days working with Newt and his creatures? It seemed too good to be true.

"Really?" she asked with a grin.

Albus nodded with a smile. "Naturally, you're not yet qualified to teach any lessons, but the creatures themselves, I imagine, can always use an extra hand with feedings and cleaning pens."

A realization hit Hope, making her frown and look over at Newt. "Then we need to relocate Wingedback before the term starts. I hate to say that, but he wouldn't be safe around students if he had no problem hurting me."

"Wingedback hurt you?" Albus asked, brows furrowed in concern.

Hope nodded. "But I'm alright." She held up her leg where the clothing was still in tatters. "I healed within a minute."

Though, with still a worried expression, he looked her leg over. "Why would he attack you? He seems terribly fond of you."

Hope waved her hand dismissively. "Newt said he probably just needs to get laid."

Newt nearly choked on his own spit, sputtering a cough. "I-I did not…use that phrase."

"Either way," Hope grinned, "Where do we take him?"

After regaining himself, he answered, blush still creeping up his neck. "I'll send out a few Owls. See where a herd might be located. Finding a suitable place won't be the difficult part. It'll be getting him there, and that'll be dangerous. He might not go willingly if he's already in a mood."

Hope cringed at the thought of forcing him to go where he didn't want to.

"There is also the matter of a visit to Diagon Alley, and you may want to go within the next few days," Albus said, changing the subject, "Students will likely begin gathering their equipment in a week or two, and it can get a bit busy in the shops."

Diagon Alley. Finding a wand.

Right.

Albus seemed to read her expression. "You have doubts?" He asked, a small smile forming on his lips.

With a shrug and a sigh, she leaned back in the chair. "A little bit, yeah. I'm like, what? A Hybrid? I don't want to make a fool of myself waving around a wand when I don't have magic."

With a light chuckle, he nodded. "I understand, and while you do not have to, if you did try, it would be a good indicator for us while we unravel your origin. Whether you have a power within you or not, the Ollivanders have an interesting insight into the realm of magic."

Wrinkling her nose in distaste at the possible embarrassment, she finally nodded. "Fine, but I'm not happy about it."

Albus smiled fondly as if not surprised at all by her answer.

"We can go tomorrow if you'd like," Newt offered, "It'll give me a chance to pick up a few things as well for the start of term."

Hope stood from the chair, her pant sleeve still flapping in tatters, but that was the least of her worries. Tomorrow, she'd be stepping into a wand shop with a fifty-fifty chance of being singled out as non-magic. Maybe it wasn't the end of the world, but something inside wanted it to be part of her.

Because maybe if some magic belonged to her, she'd feel she belonged to this world too.