Amy Riddle - Volume 2: The Half Blood Prince (A Voldemort's Daughter Story)

Part 27

Chapter 27

Amy's POV

If I had the means to I would have killed myself on the spot. I wasn't exaggerating when I said this. I honestly, legitimately thought that death was probably the easiest way out.

I was frozen. All color had drained from my face and my hands would have been shaking if I hadn't been digging my fingernails into my palms so deeply. Everything - absolutely everything I had been working to protect since the moment I entered King's Cross Station last year came crashing down with one sentence.

I tried to deny it with Slughorn but I knew that trying to deny it with Dumbledore was actually impossible. My lower lip started to tremble and I really, really wanted to cry but I fought myself tooth and nail not to. I needed to stay calm - or at least that's what I told myself again and again.

What do I do?

What do I do?

I asked myself that over and over again. My thoughts were going ninety miles an hour in my brain as I tried to stay calm and form words or do anything but I simply froze.

A few moments went by. I stared down at the desk in front of Dumbledore. I was determined not to catch his eyes but I did see his face briefly. He was calm. Smiling. As usual. Acting like the friendliest person in the entire world. I think I expected he would get mad because that's what I was used to. Hahaha. But he didn't. He just waited. Patiently, quietly, kindly. He understood. That's what really threw me off.

It was Dumbledore who eventually broke the silence. "You must be very confused right now, Amelia."

I shook my head, licked my lips briefly, and made an expression that essentially said, you have no idea.

"I assume you must be angry as well," Dumbledore continued.

"How... how did you find out?" I asked softly. My voice had a slight tremor to it and I just hoped he didn't hear.

"I've known about you since you were born, Amelia. Who you are." He paused. "The day you were taken by your father - only a month before Harry Potter's parents were killed - I was there. I spoke with your mother. She was under my protection. She was fully aware of who your father was and she assumed he would come after you. I waited until the two of you were healthy enough to leave the hospital, but I was too late. When I came to retrieve you, the Death Eaters had taken you."

Dumbledore paused. He looked sad as well, as if for some strange reason this personally affected him when really it didn't. "I'm sorry, Amelia. I'm so, very sorry. I feel as though this is my fault."

"What is?" I asked. I tried not to sound extra rude. If Dumbledore was already at odds with me regarding my lineage, I didn't want to give him any extra reasons to hate me.

"Your present situation," Dumbledore continued. "If I had acted sooner, we could have taken you in and raised you. You could have grown up without all of this, without knowing who you are."

"Who says I want that?" I demanded, forgetting to be polite.

Dumbledore smiled but it came out as more of a grimace. The look said it all. He clearly saw my inner turmoil.

I looked down instantly, embarassed that he had seen through my facade and embarassed suddenly that I had even thought of hiding my identity. I waited a few moments (he seemed to know that I would have a lot of questions) and then I spoke up again. I hated to get all of my answers from him. It felt like I was betraying myself. But I thought to myself that there wouldn't be any other chance like this. And he clearly had all of the answers.