The girl who feared

1

For as long as Artemis Dumbledore could remember it had been her and her grandfather, Aberforth Dumbledore, living in a small two story house at a beach, her parents had died during the first wizarding war like many other and even though she hadn't understood why whenever she asked for her parents her grandfather would look away and blink away tears that was until she was old enough to understand, then she felt empty, knowing that she could never have them back, knowing that they weren't seeing her grow up, but still she had her grandfather who adored her to world's end and who she adored to the sun and back.

Then there was her granduncle, Albus Dumbledore, who every other weekend and birthday came visit while during Christmas and New Year she went to visit him, he always had this glint in his eyes that made her think that he knew everything from the past, present and future and that scared her slightly.

Growing up Artemis had no friends but her grandfather and granduncle, she spent her days controlling her magic and either out in the water or inside practising Quidditch, breaking more than half of the things in the house and making her grandfather give her an earful. 

The youngest known Dumbledore had long blonde locks that she had inherited from her father and dark amethyst eyes that she had inherited from her mother, fair skin from both of them, although she was beyond shy and always kept her head casted down whenever she had to go with her grandfather to business, something no one in her family was, still she was beautiful and she was loved and that is all she could have asked for in life.

On Artemis's eleventh birthday she awoke as the sun rose, her amethyst eyes shinning brightly, as she stared outside to the rising sun, euphoria coursing through her at the thought of being able to spend her birthday with her grandfather and granduncle, though the two weren't on very good terms they agreed that on Christmas's, birthdays, New Years and weekends they would behave in a civil manner for the young blonde's sake.

Knowing she was the first to awake in the household, the blonde slipped from her spacious and high bed, her bare feet connecting with the cold floorboards while her nightgown flew down to her ankles, her hair in two braids over her shoulders making her look more innocent than she already was. Slowly the young brunette began to make her way to the front door, grabbing a large wool coat on the way and pulling it on just as the front door opened and in came her granduncle, "Good morning Artemis." he said kindly, "Uncle!" she smiled and wrapped her arms around him, the much older man smiled kindly and looked down at the young blonde who pulled back quickly and looked at him with her big amethyst eyes.

"Off to collect more seashells?" he inquired the youngest Dumbledore who nodded, it was one of Artemis's hobbies, collecting the seashells that had been thrown against the sand during the night, "Want to come with uncle?" she inquired, her sweet voice filling the lower level of the house making the older man smile once more before replying "I would love to." another thing that happened when Artemis Dumbledore was around was the fact that no one could ever say no to her, her innocent features and dark amethyst eyes entranced someone to the point that they could not deny anything the young witch wished.

Another brilliant smile flew to the young blonde's lips as she grabbed the older man's hand and led him outside to the beach, the rising sun hitting the blonde face first making her blonde braids look like gold and her amethyst eyes shine brightly as they surveyed the beach for bright and colourful shells. Albus looked at his grandniece with a sad smile, wanting her to enjoy her innocence before it was too late, before the outside world caught up with her and took her away from her safety net, before everything became too much that she would be lost, awaiting someone to rescue her.

It wasn't until 11 am that the two returned to the cottage, only to find inside Aberforth in the kitchen preparing lunch, "Morning grandpa." Artemis said, her arms fillers with colourful seashells that she placed in a jar on the living room coffee table, "Good morning sweet gem." Aberforth replied hugging his daughter when she walked to him, his eyes squinting slightly at his brother, "Albus." he said flatly, "Aberforth." Albus replied in the same tone, "It's my birthday today." Artemis squealed, he eyes shinning slightly more than usual, "Indeed it is." Aberforth smiled at the young blonde who beamed back.

"And what is this I carry?" Albus teased his grandniece pulling an envelope from his robes and holding it in front of him, "A letter?" Artemis answered frowning slightly, not many letter came to the house, "Indeed it is, but it's addressed to you." Albus said handing the young blonde the letter, who took it gently in her ivory hands and looked at the curvy and neat letter in front of the letter before flipping it and seeing a seal she knew all to well, frowning once more, the youngest Dumbledore ripped the seal open and read the first of two pages out loud.

"Dear Miss Dumbledore, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry..." Her amethyst eyes flew up, confusion swimming in them, "Is Hogwarts not your school uncle?" she inquired, "Indeed it is." Albus agreed, "I do not remember applying to any school." Artemis insisted, looking at her grandfather with pleading eyes, silently begging him to explain what was going on, "You didn't, Hogwarts automatically accepts any witch and wizard that turns 11 before the start of a new school year." Aberforth explained gently taking the letters from the young girl's hands and placing them on the kitchen counter.