A tall figure stood alone on the edge of a rocky outcrop, a harsh wind blowing his robes back, away from his thin, stoic form. A white beard danced in the gale, strands whipping the wizened face. Blue eyes stared calculatingly out over the ocean, watching waves crash onto the rocks, white foam spitting up almost to the top of the cliff. He looked out over the vast blue world, how had it come to this?
Suddenly he felt slight pressure in his back, the tip of a wand pressing through a thick traveling cloak, he was rather familiar with the sensation.
"Hello Calliope, thank you for joining me."
He felt the pressure recede, a light laugh coming from behind him.
"It has been a while, hasn't it sir? How are things?"
Dumbledore turned to look into the fierce face of one of the most dangerous people he knew. Blackish brown curls whipped her face, dark eyes glinting with humor. A small smile graced her pink lips and her body stood relaxed, the muscles allowed out of their usually alert position.
"Not as good as they could be, I'm afraid. You see, the threat of your students dying puts quite a damper on the school year. But that is why I am here."
Calliope nodded, turning and walking off into the trees. Dumbledore smiled, quickly following the quick graceful form.
They walked in silence, the very forest silenced at their presence. A small russling on the forest floor caught his attention, he turned to see a snake, coiled and ready to spring.
He watched in shock as Callie stepped forward, bending down to look the snake in the eye.
"Hello Demon, tell them we're on our way please, and tell Carter to stop sending you to attack our visitors unless I tell him otherwise."
Dumbledore watched as the snake seemed to shrink back from the girl, wrapping itself protectively around its body, it nodded slightly and slithered off into the woods, disappearing in mere seconds, its black skin fading into the shadows.
"Just try to ignore him, he seems to resemble his owner in a scary fashion, stupid snakes, why anyone would want one as a pet is beyond me."
Dumbledore just smiled, he had never really took a fancy to snakes either. He continued to follow Callie, inspecting the changes in the girl. She had grown taller and more beautiful, as she did everytime he saw her. Her hair was longer, not quite as curly. Her eyes were once again wiser than her years, her walk indicated reflexes that were beyond human, her feet moving gracefully, never stumbling over a root or stick. Yes, Callie was an amazing human being.
He looked up as the trees started to lighten, a slight glow coming from out in front of him. He could see the tense shapes that stationed themselves around the fire, each ready to attack at the slightest indication from Callie.
"It's okay, just Dumbledore." Callie stepped into the fire light, pounding a fist with one of the boys and doing some strange secret handshake with one of the girls.
"Thank you, calliope, for that beautiful introduction."
Callie just rolled her eyes and sat down, a black cat immediately jumping in her lap and curling up, staring at Dumbledore with scarily knowing eyes.
"I assume you had a reason for intruding on our solitude."
Dumbledore never ceased to be amazed by the change in the girl when she was with others. Even with these individuals that made up her family, her cold façade was back in place, a detachment taking over her features as she stared steadily at him, Dumbledore just smiled back at her.
"Of course, I know you usually try to avoid any human contact or connections, but I am here to ask a favor of you."
The group turned to callie, reading her expression, except, there was no expression on her face besides polite interest.
"And what is this favor you are here to ask. I do not remember being in debt to you, so you must realize that by asking this favor, if we choose to accept, you will be in our debt, that is never a good place to be."
A slight snicker ran through the group and Dumbledore was reminded of just how ruthless these children were, but children they were, and they could be swayed.
"I do understand I will be in your debt, a consiquence I will readily accept for the punishment is little in the grand scheme."
He could tell he had caught everyone's attention, well everyone but Callie, it was strange how nothing could get through her façade if she didn't want it to.
He watched her nod and continued,
"I would like you to come to my school—"
He was cut off by the immediate inturruptions from the others,
"You have got to be kidding, us? Attend a school? Yeah right!"
"What part of 'No human contact' are you not getting?"
"Us, attend, and school should never be in the same sentence without a negative."
"You're off your rocker mate."
They fell silent at a look from Callie, all further protests quelled.
"I do not believe he wants us to 'attend' his school, am I right in assuming that sir?"
Dumbledore nodded, she was a very bright girl, he hadn't even felt her intrude on his thoughts, he had never met someone as skilled at leginimacy as her, or occlumency for that matter.
"You are correct Calliope, I wish for you to come to my school, to teach."
Again the group broke into protests, some just looking at him disbelief.
"And why sir, would you want us to teach at your precious school?"
Dumbledore almost winced at the mockery and malice in her voice, he knew this side of her all to well and made it his job to not cross it, this was the side of Calliope that would kill just for the sake of killing, just to make one less human to worry about, just for fun.
"You and your fellows make up one of the most feared, skilled groups of individuals I have ever come across or heard of—"
He was once again cut off as one of the boys in the clearing, Eric if he was correct let out a loud "Damn Straight!" The boy didn't have to look at Callie to know the look she was giving him, he just smiled at her, winking.
"As I was saying, I would like you to teach a group of students at my school, teach them to defend themselves. The war will take place at Hogwarts and I will not have my students left unprepared."
He looked at the people in the group instead of Callie, focusing on a strikingly pretty
Girl and a peaceful looking boy, knowing they would be the persuasion he would need to win Callie over. He saw the calculating looks in their eyes, assessing his offer.
"So in other words, sir, you wish for us to come to your perfect little school, teach some stuck up kids who think they already know everything, and also give up our way of living so that the chances of your students living through the final battle go from 1 out of a million to what, 1.1 out of a million?"
One of the boys in the group laughed, a cold heartless laughter, Dumbledore turned to look at the boy, the black snake he had seen earlier was wrapped around the boys hand, so this must be Carter.
"I know you better then that Calliope, I know you are capable of making a squibs chances in the final battle at least 1.5."
One of the boys gave a good natured laugh, obviously not at all put out by the idea of helping his students, this must be ben, or Dakota, one of the two.
"He's got a point Callie, but I think we should put it up for a vote, just to see what everyone thinks."
Yes, definitely Dakota, thought Dumbledore.
Callie sighed and rolled her eyes, looking at the 8 others, all had there faces wiped of emotion except for Dakota, he looked at Callie pleadingly, willing her to be fair about this.
"Fine, take a vote, but know that once we get there, you are committed to this, we will not leave once we are there, even if he has us teaching blast ended skrewts."
The group smiled and Dakote moved into the center of the circle, turning his back to Dumbledore, but not before giving him a reassuring smile.
"Okay, all in favor of accepting, raise your hands please, Eric! Be serious for this one moment of your life please!"
Eric dropped the stick and raised his hand, glowering at Dakota who just smiled back.
Dumbledore looked around, 4 had raised their hands he looks at their faces, Eric, Alyssa, Ben, and Keilly, he looked at the others, his eyes zoning in on the devastingly beautiful girl, her face was void of emotion but her eyes stared at the others who had their hands raised pleadingly, longingly. Her eyes then darted to Carter, the boys face was set in a sneer as the stared at the ones who had raised their hands. He watched as the girl looked at him, reading his expression then, very slowly, raised her hand up.
5, that was majority, but it still depended on Callie, this was a dictatorship, not a democracy.
"Well no point in being on the losing team is there."
Dumbledore looked over at the boy named Ben who had raised his hand. Dakota raised his hand as well.
"Well, that's seven out of eight Callie, but it all depends on you."
Dakota went back to his seat, watching Callie with calculating eyes, assessing her expression.
"Come on Callie, you're not really going to give up our whole lifestyle just to save some hopeless kids! They are not worth our time, I say let them die, serves them right for standing in the powerful's way!"
Callie turned her cold eyes onto the boy with the snake, Carter stared back defiantly,
"And who do you see as the powerful in this situation Carter, last time I checked you were on our side."
Carter stood up, his wand out, callie was up too, so fast Dumbledore hadn't even seen her stand up.
"Now you are questioning my allegiance! Really Callie, it astounds me these fools would follow you to the ends of the earth with the way you treat them, questioning their loyalties!"
Callie stared back at the boy, even though she was younger in years and 4 inches shorter than him her very being demanded respect and obedience, Dumbledore didn't see how it was hard to realize why these children followed her, she was truly terrifying.
"Trust me Carter, never have I once questioned their loyalties, I reserve that kind of judgement for you."
Her voice was icy cold, Dumbledore was surprised the boy was still standing, Albus wouldn't have been surprised if he didn't bow down when faced by that kind of power.
"Okay, okay, that's enough you two, carter sit down before she kills you, Don't give me that look! You know she would! Callie please, we have a decision to make."
The girl named selena, the beautiful girl had put herself in between carter and Callie, something Dumbledore wouldn't even have dared do. He watched in amazement as Carter sank back to the ground, Demon coiled around his hand once again, his wand back in his pocket. He watched as Callie too sat down, her eyes still ice cold.
"Majority wins, we will be there September 2."
Dumbledore felt some of the tension ease in his chest, they would come.
"Thank you Calliope, I know the decision is a hard one to make and I admire your bravery. Will you be arriving on the train or am I safe to assume you have your own modes of transportation."
Callie just nodded, standing, obviously the meeting was adjorned.
"I'll walk you out sir."
Dumbledore nodded, curious as to what she wanted to talk to him about.
They walked away from the group of teenagers, Callie staring straight head into the black trees, Albus looking around himself, waiting for someone to jump out, Callie was one for practical jokes.
"Why us Albus, why now? You saw back there how the divide is getting bigger, Carter won't sit calmly forever. Your request might be they final blow that will tear us apart, let that be on your conscience."
Albus looked at the extraordinary girl beside him, his eyes for once not seeing cool indifference on her face but a horrible pain, her eyes burned with it and her figure quaked with it, what had he done? He had done the only thing he could to save them, save his students and Harry, most of all Harry.
"You prize that boy above all others Albus, and it will lead you to your death to put such faith in someone, you are a fool to trust anyone with your life like that, with the lives of those who inhabit our world."
Dumbledore stopped walking, waiting patiently for Callie to turn and look at him, when she did he saw the same fire in her eyes, pain, also mingled with scorn.
"I put the fate of the world on that boys shoulders callie, not because I believe the outcome will be in my favor, but because he will carry that burden without complaining even if it means he will die in the end. He would give everything to save another's life, his own if he had to. And am I fool for believeing in second chances and trust, the only difference between us callie, is I will die among my friends and family, you will die alone."
Callie just scoffed and turned around, walking slowly through the dark,
"I am not afraid of being alone Albus, I'm afraid of what would get me there."
Dumbledore choose silence, knowing his voice would give him away. Never in his long years had he heard this girl admit to fearing something, As a 3 year old she had emersed herself in the nightmares of others, snakes and monsters, death and torture, coming out the benefactor each time. She had fought with herself and others, always being the last one standing. And yet, now when she needed to be at her best, she was admitting defeat, and to what, to being alone.
"You will never be alone Calliope, as long as you can trust in those around you."
Callie just nodded, jerking her head towards the edge of the trees.
"I'll see you September 2."
And with that she was gone, her form immediately disappearing into the dark as she strode away. Albus walked that last couple of steps and looked back out over the cliff. It had been a long night, he had achieved what he wanted, but why did he feel like he was missing something?