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Davina stood nervously outside her father's office, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. She was unsure how to begin the conversation that had been weighing on her all day. Taking a deep breath, she mustered all the courage she could and knocked gently on the heavy wooden door.

"Come in," her father's voice called from inside.

Stepping into the room, her eyes remained fixed on the floor. She focused on the polished shoes just in front of her father's desk, unsure of what to say or how to face him. Her fingers fidgeted nervously as she tried to calm the rapid fluttering in her chest.

Finally, she lifted her gaze—and was caught off guard. Albus Dumbledore was already looking at her, but his expression wasn't one of anger or disappointment. Instead, it was warm, understanding—almost as if he'd been expecting her.

He smiled gently.

"You know why you're here, don't you?" His voice was soft, but it held a depth of knowing.

Davina nodded, swallowing hard, her throat dry from holding back all the words she hadn't said that day. "I—I'm sorry," she rasped, her voice breaking. "I didn't mean for it to go that far."

Albus leaned back in his chair, his eyes steady and patient. "You're sorry for what happened, but do you know why it happened?" He raised an eyebrow, watching her with an almost knowing look, as though he already had an inkling of the truth.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. Shouldn't he be upset? Angry, at least? She had expected harsh words, reprimands, perhaps even a lecture. But instead, her father seemed... calm.

"Shouldn't you be mad at me?" she asked, her voice small.

He chuckled softly, his gaze never leaving hers. "I'm not mad, Davina. But I am curious. I know there's always a reason behind your actions. A good reason, I hope."

Her confusion deepened. "But... what I did—it wasn't right. I could've hurt someone."

Albus gave a slight, almost imperceptible shake of his head. "That boy could have been hurt, yes. And I'm not saying I'm pleased with your choices, but I do understand the emotions behind them."

Davina bit her lip, feeling the weight of his words. "I'm sorry. It just happened so fast. I didn't mean for it to go that far."

Her father's smile softened, and he reached out to touch her shoulder. "I'm not here to scold you, my dear. But perhaps you'd like to tell me what started it all?" His tone was gentle, coaxing.

Davina hesitated, her eyes flicking to the door as if trying to escape the weight of the conversation.

But her father's presence was calming, and his gaze was patient, waiting for her to speak. Slowly, she found herself opening up.

"He... he said something about Newt," she began, her voice faltering. "Something cruel. He told me I only kept Newt around because I pitied him." Davina's face flushed, her fists tightening in her lap. "I didn't know what to do. It just—"

Her father raised a hand to silence her, his eyes kind but firm. "You don't have to explain it all. I know how you feel. But what's important is that you understand the consequences of your actions. Anger can drive us to do things we regret, especially when it's fueled by hurtful words."

"I didn't mean to hurt him," Davina whispered, her shoulders slumping as a wave of guilt washed over her.

Albus looked at her with understanding, then rose from his chair and pulled her into a tight, reassuring hug. His arms enveloped her, and for a moment, everything felt safe again.

"I'm not angry, Davina. I'm just here to help you understand," he murmured. "Maybe we can talk about what's been on your mind lately... tonight, after dinner? We could meet at our usual spot."

Davina nodded, the smallest smile tugging at her lips. "That sounds... nice."

Her father gave her a warm, reassuring smile as she stepped back. "I'll be there. Whenever you're ready."

She gave him one last glance before turning toward the door. As she stepped out, she felt a small weight lift from her chest. Maybe things weren't as bad as she'd feared. Maybe she wasn't alone in this after all.

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The sun was dipping below the horizon when Davina found herself walking toward the small lake where she and her father always met.

From a distance, she could already make out his figure sitting on the little footbridge, his legs dangling just above the water.

As she drew nearer, the soft crunch of leaves underfoot caught his attention. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, meeting Davina's eyes with a knowing look.

Wordlessly, she sat beside him, her focus fixed on the fading light. Her father studied her, waiting patiently for her to speak, but when it became clear she wouldn't, he decided to make the first move.

"I've noticed you've been distant lately," he said, his voice gentle yet steady, careful not to push too hard.

Davina let out a long sigh, her eyes still locked on the horizon. After a moment, her father asked, his tone tentative, "Does it have something to do with a certain brunette boy?"

Davina's eyes flickered toward him, startled. "It's strange," she began, her voice small, "We were so close, and then... he just disappeared. It's like he replaced me."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and raw. She looked down at her hands, as if searching for answers in their trembling fingers.

Her father remained silent, watching her with empathy, his presence offering her the space to share whatever she needed.

"Everything was fine," Davina continued, but then trailed off, as if unsure how to put the tangled mess of her emotions into words.

The silence stretched between them, only broken by the distant call of birds settling for the night. After a moment, her father spoke again, his voice soft and carefully measured. "Did you fall for him?"

Davina froze, her breath catching in her throat. The question echoed in her mind as she pondered it. Had she? She had always thought of Newt as a close friend—her best friend, even—but lately, something had changed.

The way his smile made her stomach flutter. The ache she felt in her chest when she saw him with Leta. Was it love? She couldn't be sure, but now that the thought had entered her mind, it felt undeniable.

"I don't even know what love feels like," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her father turned to her, his gaze steady but kind. "Love, my dear, is not just an emotion. It is the deepest magic of all. It guides us, shapes us, and, even in its most painful moments, it teaches us what truly matters. Remember, love is not something we can control. It is something we must embrace, for it is through love that we become our truest selves."

Davina looked at him, her eyes wide with awe. His words settled into her heart, lingering in a way she hadn't expected.

"Did you ever feel that kind of love?" she asked, a sudden curiosity sparking in her eyes.

The older Dumbledore's gaze softened, a faraway look in his eyes. "Once," he said quietly, "But it has been a long time."

Davina watched her father closely, sensing there was more to the story than he was willing to share. "What happened?" she asked, her voice tender with concern.

He hesitated, his mind drifting back to another time, another version of himself. "We wanted to change the world together," he began slowly. "But as we grew older, we realized we had different ideas of what that world should look like."

Davina sat quietly, processing his words. She could see the sadness in his eyes, the weight of memories long buried. With a small, sad smile, she tried to lighten the moment.

"I guess us Dumbledores don't have much luck with love, do we?" she said, offering a wry smile.

Her father chuckled softly, the corners of his mouth lifting for the first time in a while. He reached over, pulling her close with a gentle arm around her shoulders.

The two of them sat in comfortable silence, watching the last of the sun's light slip away as the stars began to appear.

In that quiet moment, there was a sense of peace between them, an understanding that even in their pain, they were not alone.

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: I love their father daughter relationship so much. Next shaper will almost be the last for their history part together.

Larah :)