Anna Black, The Girl Who Lived (Book 6)

33: The Cave

Long chapter ahead, get the tissue box ready

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Nothing could have prepared Anna for the day of their first Horcrux hunt...the day that her normalcy would be forever stolen from her.

Anna Black stood in Albus Dumbledore's office. The man had ordered her to come alone so they could discuss the night's events. Her heart was racing and her stomach was uneasy. She felt so foggy mentally, as if no amount of Concentration Capsules could make her feel clear to think rationally.

She knew this was the day Dumbledore would die. She knew it would be by Snape's hand. She knew that the next death would be of her and Harry.

She knew she could never tell a soul.

Her and Snape would be the only two who knew.

"Hello, Miss Black," said Dumbledore softly, a small smile tugging at his solemn expression. "How are you in this fine evening?"

"It isn't a fine evening," muttered Anna.

"Why, sure it is. The weather is quite nice. Not too cold, not too warm. The breeze keeps you on your toes. Sweater weather, indeed. "

The girl just bit her lip as she tried to hold back the tears. "Sir, can we do this another night? I just need a bit longer. I'm not ready."

The man frowned slightly, studying his blackened hand. The shiny silver ring contrasted greatly with the burnt-black tone of his skin. There was no point in hiding the injury anymore. All the man could do was stay away from others in order to avoid questioning about his health.

He knew his time was almost up.

"Anna," Dumbledore started, "Do you know how old I am?"

She thought for a few seconds then shrugged. "About 100 years old?"

"Close...I am almost 116 years old," he said kindly. "A long life...I am almost 100 years older than you. Nothing lasts forever. I have lived my life, full of hardship and love and hard work. My dear, surely you must understand that I am nearing my end. I have accepted it and-"

"No," she cut him off. "You're not done, the war isn't over. Harry and I need help. Y-you can't hold out for another year or so? I'm not ready!"

"My health is declining, I am compromised. Tonight I will die happy, not in vain. I will die confident that this war will end well, and I will be watching, just from a different perspective. You will understand with time, Anna."

Anna's eyes began to brim with tears. She shook her head as deaths flashed before her eyes. Cedric's life stolen in the graveyard. Her father gently floating through the veil. Hers and Harry's parents gone with the flash of green light.

She didn't want to keep going through this.

"Sir," began Anna, her voice cracking. "I feel so alone. I don't want to keep seeing people die. I thought I could get through this but after my father...well, whatever happened with him, I have never been able to recover. I can't lose you too. Harry can't either. This isn't fair."

A pregnant pause settled between them, silence being more impactful than ever. Anna's tears turned into soft cries, then sobs so hard she couldn't stand upright. Albus Dumbledore's calm demeanor fizzled and reality set in.

Guilt came next.

He closed his eyes and saw before him the timeline of the Chosen One's lives. When they were babies, mere first-year students, then devastated, depressed teenagers.