Daddy

"He's beautiful. Phoenixes really are magical and beautiful creatures."

She gently carried Fawkes back to his perch, taking the opportunity to stroke the golden Phoenix Feather a few times. It felt very nice.

"So, what did you want to see me about today, Headmaster?"

Sitting back down, Anna looked at the different selection of cloyingly sweet pastries and candies before her and couldn't help worrying about Dumbledore's teeth.

Should I ask Severus to brew him a potion to strengthen his teeth?

She rested her chin in her hand, but her thoughts had wandered elsewhere.

Dumbledore waved the Elder Wand beside him and cast a Silencing Charm around them, preventing the portraits on the walls from eavesdropping on the conversation to come.

"I've spoken to your father, and I know what you're doing now. I don't intend to stop you.

"If you need any advice or help, you can come to me at any time.

"I can still offer young people a few valuable suggestions."

The old headmaster opened with a bolt from the blue. Anna had thought that even if Dumbledore didn't stop her, he would at least keep an eye on her every move in secret. She hadn't expected him to hint at supporting her.

This was an unexpected bonus.

How had Dumbledore come to this decision in just two days?

That heart-to-heart with her old father the other night had been amazingly effective!

"Headmaster Dumbledore, may I ask you for something right now?"

Anna sat up straight, her face utterly serious. Dumbledore's heart tightened, and he nodded slowly.

"Go on, child. What would you like me to help you with?"

Seeing how serious she looked, Dumbledore wondered what Anna was about to ask.

Perhaps she wants information about Voldemort? Or is it something to do with the Acolytes?

Whatever it was, he had just promised to help her, so he certainly wouldn't go back on his word.

Anna took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"May I call you Dad instead?"

Albus Dumbledore had lived nearly a century, weathered the world's storms, and amassed an incomparably rich store of life experience. Kind and calm, wise and calculating, he wielded the Elder Wand, had once defeated the first Dark Lord, and was hailed by the Wizarding World as the greatest white wizard in a century.

At that moment, he stopped thinking.

Huh? Who was he? Where was he?

What had the child in front of him just said?

What had she asked me?

"Oh, if you don't like that, I can call you something else.

"Father, Daddy, Mommy, Papa, Pop...

"Which one do you like? I rather like Daddy."

Anna listed the forms of address she had already thought up, and Dumbledore's heart thumped hard with each one.

Something odd seemed to have slipped into the list, but it didn't matter. They were all much the same anyway.

Since her old father was still being coy and unwilling to speak openly, she, as his daughter, would make sure to tie the red thread of fate for her father again!

Grindelwald, back in his cell in Nurmengard, declared: What a good daughter you are. Thanks so much...

"Wait, hold on."

Seeing the girl grow more and more enthusiastic, the man across from her hurriedly spoke up to stop her.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Daddy? Don't you like it?"

The silver-haired girl blinked her big sky-blue eyes, her face the picture of innocence. Most importantly, that cutesy expression appeared on a face identical to Grindelwald's in his youth!

Merlin's beard, he could barely breathe!

Who taught her that? Who taught her to talk like that?

Seeing that Dumbledore seemed to have some difficulty accepting it, self-taught little fox Anna Grindelwald immediately changed tactics.

Her little face fell, and tears began to glimmer at the corners of her eyes.

"I-I grew up without a mother. I lived with my father in a cold cell in Nurmengard. I never had any contact with the outside world, or even playmates my own age.

"Whenever I felt lonely, Father would often point to your picture in the newspaper and tell me you were the most important person in his life.

"So all this time, I thought of you as another father, Headmaster, another family member etched into my life.

"Of course, you didn't even know I existed for the past eleven years. How could I dare hope for your affection?

"I'm sorry. I was too forward."

Anna spoke haltingly, painting such a pitiful picture of her old life in the cell that it could melt one's heart.

There was a lack of familial affection and no one to keep her company. She also embellished it with plenty of details she had imagined herself, casting her old father in a somewhat more flattering light.

After that combination of blows, she refused to believe Dumbledore wouldn't soften!

Familial affection could be cultivated slowly. First, she had to establish their relationship!

"Oh, child, I'm truly happy that you can think of me as family."

After the magical outburst two days ago, Dumbledore was a little traumatized by Anna's unstable emotions.

I mustn't make the child depressed again. I'll agree for now.

"Really? I really can call you Daddy?"

The gloom vanished from Anna's face, replaced by joy that nearly overflowed from her eyes. Only after Dumbledore nodded in confirmation did she finally set her worried heart at ease.

She had been prepared for rejection, but to her surprise, Dumbledore—no, Daddy-had agreed.

She had taken a solid first step, and could already see success at the end of the road.

Well done! That's me for you!

Anna gave herself a mental thumbs-up, feeling relaxed for once.

"But you mustn't call me that in front of other people. It's a little secret between us."

Dumbledore was genuinely afraid she would call him Daddy in front of the entire school. Everyone would be there to watch the spectacle, and things might get out of hand.

"Got it, Daddy. I won't tell anyone else."

Mm, I'll tell my old father as soon as I get back. Grindelwald doesn't count as anyone else, hee-hee.

Anna's mental abacus clattered away.

"All right, Anna, you should go back now and get to bed early. You have classes tomorrow.

"If there's anything you don't understand in class, you can come and ask me anytime."

Now that she had acknowledged him as her father, he had to fulfill his responsibilities.

This child had been born because of the past between him and Grindelwald. If he could, he wanted to make up for the affection Anna had missed during those years in Nurmengard.

Perhaps that was also one of the reasons she didn't love him.

The girl stood up, went around behind the desk, and wrapped her small arms tightly around Dumbledore.

"All right, Daddy. I hope you have a lovely evening too."

She buried her head against the old headmaster's waist, her voice somewhat muffled.

"Good night, dear Anna."

After the girl left, the Headmaster's Office fell silent once more.

"Anna... is it?"

The elderly headmaster touched the bridge of his nose and gave a wry laugh.

Was this a kind of redemption for him?

Will you blame me?

Ariana...