𝖘𝖆𝖑𝖛𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 | 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖗

xxxiv. sacred blood

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

"Wha –" Deanna's eyes widened when she saw the person who had woken her up. There was her father with a small smile on his face and a glass of chocolate milk and a plate of hotdogs in his hands.

"Breakfast?" Dumbledore asked, still smiling.

Deanna hesitated before nodding and taking the food from him. "Thank you." The two Dumbledores ate in silence in the kitchens. Deanna just noticed that only the two of them were there and she had no excuse of getting out of this conversation.

"I'm sorry, Pops." Deanna finally said after a few moments of silence. Dumbledore stopped eating at that and carefully put down his fork. Deanna took in a deep breath before continuing to speak. "I know you just wanted to protect me, but I just lashed out and ignored you. I'm sorry for not being a good daughter."

Deanna fiddled with her hands and looked down at her lap, hoping that Dumbledore would forgive her, hoping that they would be all right. Suddenly, the sound of Dumbledore's chair screeching echoed around the room.

Deanna closed her eyes and prepared for the worst, for Dumbledore to leave without a word, but to her surprise, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her, and as if a switch was turned on, Deanna's tears started falling and she hugged Dumbledore back just as tight.

"I-I'm sorry, Pops. I'm sorry." Deanna kept apologizing through her sobs. "I'm so sorry. I missed you, Pops."

"Shhh. Don't apologize, love." Dumbledore blinked back his tears, trying to keep himself strong for Deanna. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you, little phoenix. I missed you too, love. I missed you too."

The two of them let out their feelings out, weeks apart made them long for each other. Father and daughter were finally reunited, and they would never let go of each other again.

"So, I heard you and Miss Granger are finally together?" Dumbledore chuckled when Deanna blushed and buried her face in her hands.

"How does news spread so fast here?" Deanna groaned and ran a hand over her face, but when Dumbledore was laughing, she could not help but laugh with him, and it seemed everything was all right. All was well. They were fine.

"I'm happy, Pops." Deanna sighed in contentment, smiling at the pendant around her neck. "She makes me happy."

"And I'm glad, love." Dumbledore kissed the top of her head. He then let out a deep sigh. "But there is something we must discuss."

Deanna's face fell because she immediately knew what he was talking about. "Pops, you don't have to –"

"No, love, you're right. You deserve to know, and it was wrong of me to hide it from you." Dumbledore gave her hand a squeeze and took something from behind the couch. It was a Pensieve. "Actually, it's you who has the answer, love. In your memories."

"Memories?" Deanna was confused. Was she missing something? Dumbledore suddenly took out his wand and paused, asking for Deanna's permission. Deanna nodded and let him touch his wand to Deanna's forehead and take out a memory. Unlike the usual memories that have silver glows, hers had a golden one.

"Pops, why is it gold?" Deanna asked in both curiosity and confusion. It looked mystical, and Deanna had felt an unexplainable pull to it, like she wanted... she needed to know what it was. Dumbledore watched her for a moment before putting the memory into the basin and nodding to her. Deanna did not waste another moment and immediately dived into the memory with Dumbledore.