knowledge comes, wisdom lingers

No, I guess most pets would probably be torn apart in the forest. You've never read your... did you just hand it to your parents when the owl dropped your letter? And why didn't they get you a pet? [Her eyes widen even more.] What do you mean why? Pets are great. Alright, not all of them, but owls are useful and cats are so entertaining and toads... well, I guess some people find them funny. Also, taking care of a pet supposedly prepares people to take care of children later.

I got an E in my last essay actually, but that’s not enough for the N.E.W.T.s. Your dad is alright. He’s strict but he knows a lot and he’s a great teacher. Though I don’t know if asking him for help is the right way to go. 

Well, if you're really struggling, then I'd wager that my father is not that great of a teacher. You could ask someone else in your class for help, Arithmancy is not that hard, honestly. Or you could read Wenlock's Late Notes on Everything, the library has a copy. She really breaks Arithmancy down to the most basic principles, so if you know all that the rest is just logic... the recipes are terrible though, don't try them. 

"Interesting" is a bit mild for my taste. [She snorts.] Really? His classes are more irritating than brutal. He thinks if he goes into some supposedly hard material then people will somehow learn all the things he didn't bother teaching. I hate to break it to you, but most of us feel helpless, because there isn't anything we could do. I'm a sixth year. The most I can do to better the situation right now is not getting killed. Unless, of course, if there's a stop-the-war club that I didn't know of doing some productive work.

I'm his daughter, not that it matters too much. Unless you have some bitter memories about him, in which case I don't mind if you share them. [She sighs, frustrated.] You sound like you actually believe what you say. Then again, you're an Auror, so at least you have the illusion of not being completely helpless in this stupid situation. At least I hope the full-out war won't start until after I graduate.

True, I would grant muggle sailors some sympathy given that they’re not as immersed in the reality of such creatures as wizardkind, but even so they should be familiar with the mythos. Any reasonable person knows to at least consider that legends might hold some truth. It’s one thing to assume that a human who looks just like you would also be a muggle if you’re brought up to believe that magic is make-believe, but fooling oneself into believing that merfolk are not merfolk is simply ignoring what one’s eye can clearly see. You make a compelling point. I’m afraid I may have to familiarise myself with siren migration patterns before I can have any luck refuting it. I certainly will bring it up in History and get back to you on that note once I have the means. 

For most muggles the only truth those legends hold is that sailors of the past were prone to have illusions while on long trips. Also they have this fascinating theory that the creatures they believed to be mermaids were actually manatees seen from afar. We've fed them ignorance for so long, no wonder they started to become willfully blind. Well, if you manage to research migration patterns, please tell me. My aunt spends quite some time at the seas these days and she'd love to know about anything like that. 

I don’t think so. I’ve always been the worst at Arithmancy. I don’t even know why I’m taking the N.E.W.T. level of it. 

Aren't you having an O in Arithmancy though? Some could kill for that being their worst. [She shrugs.] I don't know, maybe you like it? It's sure not my father's wonderful personality.Then again, if you're really struggling, you could probably go to him and ask for help.

Septima pressed her hand to her heart theatrically. "Really? Are you trying to tell me that if I go to the common room right now there'll be a party waiting for me? I must go there immediately then! I would hate to see all your efforts go to waste just because I don't show up." She laughed, waiting for Mafalda to get up before heading to the door of the library. "You have to tell me everything though, I feel like I've been away for a century" Septima continued as they walked down the corridors to her father's office. "I know, but only because I love them just as much."

I’m sorry, I don’t know your name, but you are going to have to calm down. The castle is safe, it’s my job to make sure it is. All things revolving around the Quinn case are to be kept private at this time.

Name's Septima Vector, Mr. Shacklebolt and I'm mostly calm, thank you very much. It's just a tad bit worrying that the Aurors seem to be two steps behind the Death Eaters. You move to Hogwarts after someone is murdered, so you get attacked in the Ministry. All things? Even the fact if you have actually solved the case or not?

[She laughs.] I mostly meant your table manners, or the lack of it, to be honest. Again, no offense, but you have food fights happening at your table and it's not some first years being kids or a self-righteous spit of pumpkin juice either. Also, your friends are pretty much the most successful pranksters this school has ever known. Which, of course, is somewhat positive, but they do have a knack against Slytherins.

Muggle Paris, 1978

You honestly think out of all the people I could murder, I would have chosen Arabella Quinn? She was too irrelevant. I’m way more theatrical than that. (She shrugs) I was also considered useless, and off the rails, I suppose I’m still considered that way. However, my grand mère has too much faith in me and Mrs. Wilkes just can’t contradict her. So she has to pretend she gives a fuck. (She raises her eyebrow) I know how my cousin is, believe me, you’re not the first girl I’ve threatened. Though they usually make a bigger fuss about it than you. I appreciate it. 

I don't flatter myself as a particularly good judge of character, so for all I know you might as well have done it. The end result was pretty theatrical. [She quirks an eyebrow.] You are? I thought your family would at least value you for the potentially powerful connection you could make by marriage. Or for the less conventional, but probably even more powerful status you could achieve by not marrying. Or killing your husband early. Maybe your grandmother appreciates the possibilities then. [Septima lets out a quiet chuckle.] He seems to be doing well enough, don't you think? No scandals, no gossips. Maybe you worry a bit too much. Oh please, why would I make a fuss about something with such minute probability? I'm a bit too reasonable to think much about some nice words.

"I said I was offended that you didn't organize a 'welcome back' party for me." Septima grinned, leaning against the table. "On a slightly more serious note, I'm thinking about having a catch-up talk over coffee whenever you're done. We could go down to Hogsmeade from my father's fireplace, how about that?"

I'm pretty sure whatever you're struggling with is not that hard. You're probably just tired.

It sounded like you used to be some dog trainer for some secret reason and then bad things happened. Or maybe I ate too much sugar for breakfast and now my imagination is a bit too overactive. [She laughs.] Oh yes. And, looking at the eating habit and humour of some of my housemates, I'm still surrounded by them. Then again, Gryffindors are even more terrifying in that field, no offense.

I probably did, oui. How do you know I haven’t killed anyone yet? If I had I certainly wouldn’t tell you. Or anyone. I’m not going to kill Edie Chang. First of all, because I’m not sure who she is but also because now you’d know about it. It would be idiotic. I can definitely relate to that. Growing up around that kind of people, I mean. Though I’m sure our families are very different. Très bien. You can choose to take it however you want. That’s not really my problem anymore. (She shrugs) He does it with pretty much everyone, don’t take it personally. You know what counts as touching him. You’re a clever girl. Because he’s my cousin. I don’t like Ravenclaws touching my cousin.

Now that I think about it, they still haven't found Arabella Quinn's murderer. Should I go to the Aurors with a semi-educated guess or are you done with being your oh-so-scary Slytherin self? [She snorts.] It doesn't actually surprise me that you can, you probably had it even worse with expectations. At least for the first fourteen years I was seen as useless and they didn't bother me much. [Septima sighs, rubbing her temple.] Alright then, that actually makes me less worried. Sweet as your protectiveness is, it's misdirected. I'm not in the habit of touching people I have no close relationship with. Nevertheless, your cousin is a smooth talker, so you might want to go around and threaten other girls he talks to. Just in case.

If you go by that definition I suppose they are pets. But in some cases humans don’t even take care of them. Hogwarts’ owls, for example. We can’t establish those as pets, can we? Immortality is one of the trickiest concepts out there though. That opens a whole new dilemma. Because even if you were immortal, you’d miss so many things if you spent all that time sleeping. 

Right. Now that I think about it, 'human' is too exclusive. House-elves care about the owls, so I guess they would still count as pets if instead of 'human' we use 'individual of another species'. Then it also includes merfolk and their pets. [She laughs.] No, if I was immortal I'd know what is important and what isn't, so I'd sleep. Well, I guess the first century or two would be about figuring out what I value above everything, figuring out the logistics of immortality and traveling the world, but after that I could sleep enough and still get everything I want to do done.

What a lovely cat. I didn’t realize we were allowed to have them at Hogwarts.

Of course we are allowed to have them! An owl, a toad, or a cat, it's on the list you get with your acceptance letter in first year. And they get more lenient the older you get, so by now... I guess you could have any kind of reasonable pet, really.