FicWad

Never had Andrea ever been so happy. Nor had she ever sat through a dinner quite so strange. Which was really saying something, given the many eccentrics found among her family and their close acquaintances. She'd been privy to some really weird dinner conversations. But that even really did take the biscuit.

Her father tried to keep up a stream of pleasantries. But he kept breaking down into joyous tears, or bursting out into gales of disbelieving laughter, part way through his sentences.

Andrea had never in her life seen him so overtaken by emotion. She doubted anyone else ever had either. It was disconcerting, to put it mildly.

When he had taken the acceptance letter from her trembling fingers he had broken down completely. It was more than a bit out of character for Adrien to be so affected. And Andrea didn't know how to react to that.

She was having enough trouble processing the news herself, without having to navigate his reaction as well.

Dumbledore, ever at his ease, seemed not to be affected by Adrien's difficulties in the slightest. In fact, he appeared to be quite delighted at the reception his offer received from the Morans. If the surprised amusement in his expression was any way of indication, it was quite a bit more intense than he had been hoping for.

Aside from that little hint of gratification, he simply replied to her father's inquiries cheerfully, and posited some questions of his own. Mainly in regards to their ranch. He was particularly interested in their Abaths, and the Thestral she and her father had nursed back to health after it suffered a broken wing. The beast, unusually for an omen horse, had taken the other horses as its herd. Thus, refused to leave to return to its own kind.

Andrea could admit, they were a pair of very interesting circumstances.

Particularly considering that the only other domesticated Thestrals were raised by the Hogwarts gamekeeper.

They were something of a jewel in the school's crown. So, it made sense that Dumbledore would be interested in the only other domesticated Thestral on record. That it decided to house train itself, as it were, only made the creature more interesting.

Even so, it was a little unsettling to witness the exchange. Andrea just didn't know what to do with herself.

The fact that she was still in shock wasn't helping matters. She could barely speak at all. When any of the conversation was aimed at her, she couldn't force any words from her mouth. All she could do was nod or shake her head at them.

As the meal drew on, more and more of the conversation was directed at her. She was a subject that Dumbledore also appeared to be very interested in. Aunt Cat had indeed told him a lot about her, in her determination to convince him that Hogwarts should take her in as a student.

He knew so much about her that Andrea was shocked. She hadn't thought Aunt Cat herself knew that much about her talents and interests. The formidable woman wasn't exactly known for her interest in the banality of other people's day to day concerns.

Andrea hadn't thought she'd paid that much attention to her, really.

It was a gratifying surprise.

Aunt Cat didn't waste her time on anyone or anything she didn't think was worth it. And it was a widely known fact that she only thought the best was worth her time. Just ask Andrea's cousin Marcus. He was a waster to the core, and Aunt Cat openly spurned his near constant attempts to get on her good side.

Andrea didn't blame her.

Marcus was a prick.

Dumbledore, on the other hand, was the epitome of pleasant. He appeared to be impressed by her interest in alchemy. It was a subject that finally managed to loosen Andrea's tongue. The opportunity to question on of the most brilliant alchemists of their time about his work wasn't something to be taken for granted.

And he seemed amused by the determination of her desire to become a curse breaker. In his own words,

"One does not meet many young people so fixed on their future."

He even gave her advice regarding the subjects she would require to succeed in her ambitions. And encouraged her to keep her options open to alchemy as a career.

"Though I am somewhat biased toward the profession, it is very fulfilling. I wouldn't rule it out, my dear girl."

It was a rather strange conversation. Andrea wasn't used to speaking with adults on that level. At least, not with someone who took her seriously. Which Dumbledore seemed to, for some reason. Andrea couldn't pinpoint why he was so sincere with her in regards her ambitions and potential careers.

She was much more used to facing amusement and exasperation from her elders. To speaking with adults who were merely humouring her. But who actually thought she hadn't a clue what she was talking about. And who believed the next time they saw her she'd be harping on about becoming a dragonologist, like Aunt Cat. Or some other glamorous, dangerous profession which she would also soon lose interest in.

Talking with them was unbelievably frustrating. Because no matter what she said, they were firm in their belief that she was just fantasising without any real commitment to the idea. Her conversation with Dumbledore over dinner was enlightening. Not to mind uplifting. Confidence inspiring , too.

But you know what they say about gift horses.

Andrea didn't press him for explanations.

She hadn't expected to be so well received by a wizard who wasn't a family member, or a friend so close they may as well have been. Andrea had grown up with the knowledge that most of the wizarding world would consider her an abomination. This man, this strange, flamboyant and brilliant man, didn't seem to think she was.

That threw her for a loop.

More importantly, it gave her hope.

Not every wizard thought she shouldn't exist. And one of them was the headmaster of the school that she had a place in. Surely his view would have some impact on the other students? It wasn't unreasonable to think so.

She might just be able to make a friend at Hogwarts.

Her heart soared at the possibility. And it made her even more grateful to Dumbledore, if that was even possible. She would have sold her soul, traded her first born, and burned the world to as for the chance he'd given her. Andrea didn't know how she would even begin to repay him for that.