The Muggle Who Lived ☆ h.p au

eighteen

Hogwarts Castle. June 28, 1997

Zoë walked along the halls of the castle alongside Snape. It was early in the morning when Snape woke her up. It took a lot of convincing, but Severus finally made sure Zoë went to see her uncle.

Zoë didn't understand why Severus was so desperate on having her forgive her uncle. She could have easily been angry at him for much if she really wanted to. However, Severus seemed persistent in wanting to mend the relationship between Zoë and her uncle, so she felt it was best to do what Severus asked her to do.

Together they walked up to the gargoyles of the office. Zoë's heart pounded in her chest as Severus took her hand, guiding her up the stairs. Finally, they made it to the door. Zoë squeezed Severus's hand anxiously when he knocked on the door.

The man that opened the door looked almost foreign to the pair. The once tall standing headmaster stood slouched. His half-moon glasses were gone, seeming to have been replaced by the hard circles that now occupied the wise man under eyes. Both his long gray hair and beard seemed to have not been taken care of for weeks, and overall Albus stood like a shadow.

When his eyes landed on Zoë, he moved forward, wanting to hug her. Zoë, however, stood back, the anger inside her still not leaving despite the hurt she clearly felt for the state she left her uncle in. Albus turned around and walked inside, with Severus and Zoë following closely behind. The trio sat in silence as Albus placed his hands over his face.

"Severus. If you please." 

With a simple nod, Severus left the two alone. Zoë shifted uncomfortably in the silence.

"Why did you show him that?" Zoë finally spoke up. Albus took his hands off his face, although he didn't face his niece just yet.

"Sit down Zoë. It's time you know everything." 

::::::::::

"So Tom Riddle had made himself immortal through Horcruxes, and in order to stop him you had to educate Harry through memories." Albus nodded, finishing everything that he told Harry in those previous months to Zoë in the span of 5 hours. Zoë was told almost everything.

"The events that happened the day Aberforth was killed linked closely to Tom. The idea was not to show Harry your father's death, but Voldemort's final moments before he linked himself to Quirrel." 

Zoë nodded. Everything made sense now. 

"So...I have one more question. All these things that have been happening to Harry...why have I been experiencing little effects of this?" Dumbledore looked at his niece with genuine cluelessness. 

"I predict it has to do with your muggle status. Perhaps with you not having a magical body, it is more difficult to experience a connection with you than with Harry, who has a magical body like Tom." All that was said during their conversation was purely predictions, but it somehow made things seem more sensible. 

Zoë stood up and properly hugged her uncle for the first time in many months. The surprised headmaster stood still at first, but then also wrapped his arms around his niece.

"I'm sorry uncle. I realize you've been keeping all this secret to protect me. Thank you for telling me." A small laugh escaped Zoë's lips. "I promise I'll make it up to you all throughout this week...more like for the rest of the year." Zoë felt warm tears on her shoulder. Zoë hugged Albus tighter, knowing that her uncle was crying. She too was overwhelmed with emotions of happiness of their reunion. She missed her uncle deeply.

Zoë could have never guessed that Albus's tears were his way of apology for what's to come.

++++++++++++++++++++

Headmaster's Office. June 30, 1997

Zoë felt light and happy for the past two days. The happiness in being with her uncle could not be replaced with anything else. That evening Zoë decided to go to bed early. She hugged her uncle Albus, with him holding her tighter than usual. He placed a sweet kiss on her forehead before letting Zoë go. She smiled and waved at him while she walked to her room.

"Good night uncle Albus. Sleep well tonight." Albus only smiled at her and waved back. 

"Oh, and before I forget," Zoë called out to him before she fully went into her room. "Tomorrow I have something planned for us. Don't you dare miss it."

Dumbledore smiled tightly, his eyes shining under the office lights

"I wouldn't for the world dear."

Albus Dumbledore knew, however, that tomorrow was something he would not be able to experience.