Stage one, denial.
Denial, denial, denial.
Zoia knows denial will just make things worse so she sucks it up.
Both Harry and Zoia prayed and prayed that their suspicion wouldn't come true but it did.
The minute they got out of the healer's room, Zoia burst into tears to Harry as he wrapped his arms as tight as he could around her.
Murmurs of 'It's going to be okay' from him could be heard every second.
After what happened to her mother, she tried her best to prevent it from happening to her but it did. Sometimes you can't avoid the unavoidable.
Days after their discovery, Zoia tried her best to not bother it. Positive behavior helps, people say. Just ignore it, pretend it doesn't exist, they say.
Today's the day Holly will come back home from her second year at Hogwarts. Zoia couldn't be any happier to meet her youngest child.
Speaking of Holly, Zoia doesn't know how the young girl would react that her sister is going to come for dinner today.
Zoia and Harry don't even know how they'd react to meeting their daughter they haven't met for five years.
"Hey love," Harry kissed his wife's cheek, waking her up.
"Hi," Zoia mumbled, opening her eyes.
"Got you some healthy breakfast wraps," Harry showed her a plate filled with the food he just made. "Figured you can eat your breakfast here comfortably - I know you hate eating on the bed but I thought it would be nice to just eat here."
"Thank you," Zoia grinned widely as she was sitting up.
"Got you the potions too, it's on the bedside table," he said.
"Thanks, loads," Zoia hugged her husband and he immediately pulled her closer, kissing her head.
Harry sat next to Zoia and started eating as well. With the tv on, they watch whatever is on their tv.
"Can't wait to pick up Holly," said Zoia excitedly after she took a bite of her food.
"Chew first love," Harry chuckled, lightly pinching her cheek. "But yes, I can't wait too."
Harry kept stealing glances at her the whole time they were eating. She looks like she's enjoying her food as she gave out a tinted smile after every single bite and chewed longer. She also took small bites the whole time meaning she wanted to enjoy the food longer.
She always loves his food.
However, Harry could always see Zoia underneath the surface. A transparency emotion of worries plastered across her face underneath the optimism mask.
"Are you nervous for today?" Harry finally asked her.
Zoia ate the last bite of her breakfast wrap before looking at him.
"Immensely nervous," Zoia confessed. "Acacia will be there too I mean, I haven't seen her in a very long time Harry and I'm going to meet her under this circumstance? This is bollocks."
"I know," Harry squeezed her hand gently.
"What if she doesn't care and doesn't let out a single emotion Harry? Am I a bad person for wanting her to care about me?"
"You are not a bad person for wanting that, Zo," he stated firmly.
"Do you think she's married to that horrid man?" asked Zoia worriedly. "What if she's married and we weren't invited because of what I said about Nicholas, Harry? Oh my Merlin I would never forgive myself," she shook her head vigorously.
"Hey hey, calm down," Harry cupped her face. "I don't think she's married, Zo, or else she would've told Phoenix."
"Oh Phoenix and Holly - Holly," Zoia sighed sadly. "I was devastated when I found out about my mother and I was seventeen. She's thirteen, Har."
"She'll be okay," Harry pulled Zoia closer, "Because you're going to be okay."
"My mother got through it."
"That's right," Harry smiled at her, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I'll be here for you along the way, holding your hands. I'll always be by your side, every step of the way."
Zoia nodded and smiled at him.
"I don't know if I should tell my parents," said Zoia.
"Why?"
"Har, everyone knows my parents don't have enough time left now, and telling them this horrible news will not help them. I don't want their last moments here to worry about me. Please don't mention this to my parents."
"Okay, I promise," Harry nodded.
Hours passed by and Holly was back at home with a huge smile plastered on her face. She wouldn't stop telling her parents all the things she did at school.
The story continues.
"And then Lola and I bumped into this guy, he's a seventh-year student and Lola fell in love with him right away. I told her, 'No Lola, you can't like him, he's in his seventh year!' but she wouldn't listen. Says that it doesn't matter, how horrid is that!" Holly exclaimed as the three were sitting at the sofa of their living room with Holly in the middle of her parents.
"Well do you have any crush in mind?" Zoia teased the young girl.
"Nope," Holly shook her head. "I'm thirteen."
"I didn't meet your dad until I was fifteen so it's okay, Holls," said Zoia.
"See! I told Lola that but she insists she'll date that John," Holly shook her head in disbelief. "Even John said he can't be with her because she's a kid! He apologized and everything. She still wouldn't budge!"
Holly then continued to do her little Holly storytime making the parents laugh.
"Oh and my friend groups are now called The Olls because our nicknames are Holls, Lolls, Polls, and Nolls," Holly explained, talking about her best friends which are Lola, Polly, and Nola.
"That's great," said Zoia as she brushed through her daughter's hair.
"So I'm willing to bet you guys are the most popular girls in your year?" Harry lightly pinched his daughter's cheek making her giggle.
"Yes," Holly nodded happily. "But being known is not as nice as I thought it'd be."
"Why's that?" Zoia frowned at her daughter. "Didn't you like it in your first year? Many people like you."
"Well yes," Holly began, "But then I realized most of them just wanted to be friends with me so they could meet you both. This year, many of the sixth and seventh years even approached me to ask for free stuff from you, mum! As if I'd give them free products. They have to pay. If nobody pays, you get no money which means you will not buy me toys anymore."
"That's right, don't let people take advantage of you Holls," said Zoia. "And you still want toys? You're thirteen."
"I am a collector mum, I have to buy toys," Holly stated firmly. "And I will not let people take advantage of me. It's obvious when they tried to use me. I was so upset because I thought Linda was my best friend, turns out she just has a crush on dad."
"What?" Harry snorted and immediately laughed.
"Isn't she your fifth-year friend?" Zoia chuckled.
"Yes," Holly nodded.
"What an interesting school year you have, Holls," Harry shook his head, chuckling as he did.
Zoia then buried her face in Holly's neck, inhaling the tutti-frutti scent of her daughter, comforting her in the best way possible.
"Oh, I forgot," Holly rummaged through her pockets. "I got you both pumpkin pasties," she showed her parents the mushed pasties.
"Oh thank you, honey," Zoia kissed her daughter's shoulder and wasted no time grabbing it.
"Thank you, Hollycopter," Harry grinned before kissing her head.
"Hey, we have something to talk about," said Zoia calmly.
"What is it?" Holly tilted her head at her mother.
"We're going to have family dinner tonight - Acacia will come."
The minute Acacia's name came out of her mother's mouth, Holly's face shifted, looking at her parents furiously.
"What?" Holly spat disgustingly.
"We have important matters to discuss with everyone, including your sister."
"She's not my sister."
"Don't say that, Holls," said Harry softly. "She's still your sister."
"I don't want her around anymore."
"Look, we just need her for one night, she might not be around again after this," Zoia tried to reason with her daughter as her heart breaks even more saying those words.
"Fine, but I don't want to meet her again after this."
"Can you at least try to be nice to her, for me please," Zoia begged as she stroked Holly's cheek with the back of her fingers.
Holly looked at her mother for a while before saying, "Fine."
"Love you Holls," Zoia hugged her daughter and kissed her cheek.
"Love you, mum," Holly grinned widely as she hugged her mother back.
The next thing they knew it was dinner time already. With Holly sitting in the middle of her parents, Phoenix sat across Holly, engaging in a conversation with his sibling while eating his Korean barbecue chicken fried rice in between.
"So when's the wedding?" asked Harry to his son.
"Probably a couple of months from now. We want a very small wedding, just both of our close family and friends you know?" Phoenix answered.
"That's what we did," Zoia grinned.
"Oh, I can't wait to have Kenji part of the family!" Holly exclaimed excitedly. "Kenji Potter."
"Actually, we want to take each other's surnames, so it'll be Kenji Kaneko-Potter," Phoenix corrected his sister, smiling as he did.
"So you'll be Phoenix Kaneko-Potter?" Holly furrowed her eyebrows.
"Yeah, cool right?"
But before Holly could answer, the long-awaited presence of someone finally arrived, making both Zoia and Harry widened their eyes.
Sure she said she'd come but seeing her actually came made Harry and Zoia completely speechless.
They have invited the young girl to come for their family dinner and she never agreed to come.
However, the other Potter immediately frowned seeing her sister and gripped her spoon tighter.
"Hi Acacia," said Zoia breathlessly.
"You can sit next to Phoenix," Harry smiled at her.
Acacia awkwardly made her way to the seat, sitting next to her twin.
The girl looks almost exactly the same but the tiredness in her eyes was evident that it worries Zoia. Everyone also noticed that Acacia decided to dye her hair blonde.
"Hi," Acacia greeted everyone sheepishly.
"Bye, you can leave now," Holly glared at her sister.
"Holly," Zoia hissed at her daughter. "Remember what you promised me?"
"I didn't promise anything."
"Holls. . ."
"Fine," Holly sighed. "Hi Acacia, I see you dyed your hair blonde and decided to have a change of wardrobe. You look more like Olivia from my muggle school. Remember? The girl I hate."
"Holly," Harry looked at her daughter pleadingly.
"Why is she even here?" Holly exclaimed angrily. "I declare you are disowned!"
"Holly, nobody's disowned," Zoia sighed. "We would never disown anyone and you have no rights to disown your sister."
"Mum, it's evil Acacia," Holly whispered harshly to her mother.
Meanwhile, Acacia shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Phoenix immediately got a hold of her hand and squeezed it comfortingly.
"Acacia is not evil, Holly," Zoia stated firmly. "Please, please, no fighting right now."
Holly immediately grew alarmed when she saw how distraught her mother was.
"What's wrong mum?" Holly put her hand on Zoia's shoulder worriedly.
"There's a reason we want to have the family dinner today and why Acacia must be here," Harry began. "Acacia, feel free to not come again after this, we just really need you right now - your mother really needs you to be here. Whatever our relationship has become, you're still our daughter. All of you, including you Acacia, deserve to know this."
"You're scaring me a bit you know," Phoenix chuckled, masking his true feelings.
"I am sick," Zoia looked at everyone, "I have been for a while but I just found out about it three days ago."
"You look fine mum," Holly furrowed her eyebrows at her mother.
"I look fine on the outside, Holls," Zoia chuckled, lightly pinching her daughter's cheek.
Phoenix looked at his father, Holly then his mother. He doesn't even know how but the worst possible thought came into his mind. It wasn't hard to put the two together knowing his mother's family history but no, this couldn't be.
He refused to-
"I have breast cancer," Zoia finally declared.
Dead silent.
The three kids looked at Zoia, not believing the words that just came from their mother's mouth while Harry looked down, putting his hand in a fist, covering his mouth.
Then sniffles could be heard from the youngest before she finally screamed, "THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" as she pointed at her sister.
Holly immediately got off her chair and started punching Acacia and pulling her hair while sobbing.
"Holly!" Harry immediately got off her seat as well to grab Holly away from Acacia.
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Holly screamed at her sister as her feet kicked the air.
Phoenix on the other hand wraps his arm around Acacia as she starts to cry to her twin.
"Holly, calm down please," Harry begged.
"GO AWAY ACACIA! GO AWAY! WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE! YOU DID THIS TO MUM!"
Zoia quickly wiped her tears and made her way towards her youngest.
"Hey hey," Zoia cupped Holly's face, wiping her tears away. "It wasn't your sister's-"
"SHE'S NOT MY SISTER!"
Harry slowly got Holly out of his grasp as Zoia pulled her daughter closer.
"Shhh, I'm going to be okay, Holls," Zoia whispered to her daughter as she brushed through Holly's hair with her fingers. "Remember grandma? She got cured of the same sickness in two years. If she can, I can too."
Holly looked up to see her mother then she looked at her sister behind her mother who's being hugged by Phoenix.
Sniffles could be heard from both twins. Holly almost felt bad for Acacia, almost.
"She did this to you mum," Holly stated firmly to her mother. "She cursed you."
"She didn't curse me, Holly," Zoia chuckled sadly. "I have always had the chance of getting it. I didn't expect it to be this soon but it does. I'm already being treated and I'm going to be okay, Holls. I am okay right now, see?"
Holly immediately buried her face in her mum's body as she sobbed even harder.
"I love you, Holly," Zoia kissed her daughter's head as she hugged Holly tighter.
"I love you mum," Holly sobbed.
Harry wrapped his arms around Zoia and Holly, kissing both of their heads as he let out a few sniffles.
Acacia then appeared next to Zoia, with her bloodshot eyes as tears kept pouring out of her eyes.
"I'm so sorry, mum," Acacia shook her head, sobbing as she did. She kept gasping for air as her cries held her from breathing.
Zoia loosened her grasp on Holly but the young girl insisted on hugging her mother. Zoia however had to let go of Holly and slowly pulled Acacia for a hug.
"It's okay," said Zoia softly.
"I'm so sorry mum, I'm so s-sorry mum," Acacia hugged her mother tighter as she buried her face to Zoia's neck.
"Hey, I've forgiven you," Zoia rubbed Acacia's back softly.
"Holls, let's go to your room yeah?" said Phoenix softly to his sister.
"No," Holly insisted, shaking her head vigorously.
Phoenix crouched down to his sister's height and whispered, "Mum's not going anywhere. They need to talk with Acacia, Holls. I promise I won't leave your side. Let's play upstairs yeah? Let's build the lego Kenji and I just bought for you."
"Okay," Holly nodded weakly.
Phoenix took hold of Holly's hand and walked away from the three but before he did, he kissed his mother's cheek and whispered, "It's going to be okay, mum."
"Do you want to sit in the living room?" Zoia asked Acacia once Phoenix and Holly were away.
"Yeah," Acacia nodded as she sniffled.
Once the three sat down on the sofa, Harry immediately hugged his daughter tightly. "You scared the shit out of me you know that?" Harry hissed angrily. "Every day I worry about something happening to you. Five years, Acacia - five bloody years!"
"I'm sorry dad," Acacia cried.
"Where have you been living? You're not homeless aren't you?" Harry inquired worriedly as they pulled away. "I know you haven't been using your trust fund, Acacia, you made me worried sick. You can hate us all you want but I won't let you suffer because you refuse to use the golds we gave-"
"I'm not homeless and I live comfortably, dad," Acacia cut his father's rambling. "I live in a flat."
"Still with Nicholas?" Zoia raised her eyebrows at her daughter.
"No," Acacia shook her head, "We broke up a year ago."
Zoia silently let out a sigh of relief that went unnoticed since Harry spoke at the same time, "You're okay right? He doesn't - he doesn't hurt you?"
"He never laid a finger on me, dad," Acacia answered. "But he was - unfaithful in the end and I used that as an excuse to break up with him."
"Oh Acacia. . ." Zoia tucked Acacia's hair behind her ear.
"You were right mum about everything, you've always been right. I knew - I always knew you were right but I just - I want it to not be right. I reasoned with his behavior because - it's Nico, mum," Acacia wiped her tears away. "He was someone I felt safe around and cheered me up every time I was sad. He made me soup every time I was sick, and he wrote a novel about us for our anniversary."
"Even after how he treated me, I still feel like he's my home but all the things you've said to me are always in the back of my mind. I had to leave, mum's right but I can't. I don't know why but I can't. And I feel stupid - I feel like those stupid girls who kept defending their shitty boyfriend. I - I even lost my best friends alongside my family that I only have Phoenix because of him. I don't know - I don't understand, I hated everyone except him when I was with him when he was supposed to be the one I hate."
"I have a shitty job, one friend and that is Phoenix, I don't know what to do with my life, nothing gives me any sort of emotion anymore until today and it's not a good one," Acacia shook her head. "I promise mum, I didn't curse you, I wouldn't - I wouldn't do such a thing. I know what I said to you but I didn't mean it. I don't want you out of my life mum, I don't, I promise I don't."
Zoia immediately pulled her daughter into a hug. Acacia wasted no time burying her face on her mother's chest.
"Everything's going to be okay, honey. We'll figure it out together okay? Your father and I have never been angry with you. You never lost us, Acacia. I wish you would've come to us sooner," said Zoia softly as she ran her fingers through her daughter's blonde hair.
"I can't, I'm so embarrassed - so ashamed of my behavior. I couldn't face everyone," Acacia shook her head. "I'm so sorry. I was an ungrateful bitchy daughter and sister. I am so so sorry, I'll do anything to win everyone back.
"How about you start apologizing to Holly. She's incredibly upset you were gone, Acacia. She needed her sister," said Zoia. "It'll be hard to gain her back but it'll be worth it. Your sister has grown into an amazing young girl."
"She's really big now," Acacia chuckled sadly.
"Yeah," Zoia nodder. "Point is, you're here now and we would love for you to come back to us," Zoia kissed her daughter's head.
"Hey Acacia," Harry called her daughter. Acacia turned her head around to see her father. "I decided to watch all the Star Wars movies, including the TV shows."
Harry wasn't a huge fan of Star Wars but ever since Acacia became obsessed with it, she has told everyone, especially her father to watch all the star wars movies because Zoia and Phoenix already did.
Harry obviously tried but with his busy schedule, he never got to finish it all.
Acacia chuckled sadly and immediately wrapped her arms around Harry.
"How was it?" asked Acacia.
"I understand why you love it now," Harry nodded as he pulled her daughter closer. "I got you even more star wars stuff when you're away. It's in your room."
"You don't have to, dad," Acacia shook her head, feeling even more guilt.
"I want to," Harry insisted. "You love star wars. I know you collect them."
"I love you, dad," Acacia whispered to him.
"I love you so much, Acacia," Harry whispered back. "Please don't pull that shit again. You made us worried sick."
"I promise," Acacia nodded.
Acacia then got out of her father's embrace to look at her mother. She took her mother's hand and said, "It's going to be okay mum, I know it's going to be okay. You have an eighty percent chance and you're you! There's no way a stupid cancer is going to win over you."
"Are you going to the best healer in the world? I will do my research if you haven't. I'm sure Phoenix knows the best treatment and healer for you."
Acacia continued to ramble about her mother for the next five minutes making both parents smile to themselves.
They truly missed her and finally, she came around.
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[ ✎ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ's ɴᴏᴛᴇ ♡! ]
The last chapters let's go.