The Adopted Child
It was a perfect, sunny day... Until the owl arrived.
They were sitting by the lake in the school grounds, laughing, chatting, just like any other day. They were talking about their exams, she recalled. Every single detail of that day, she will remember forever. Then, the owl that carried such terrible news landed in front of her. Giggling at Lily's joke, she opened the letter. As she read the first sentence, her face paled. The sentence kept repeating itself in her mind, and she was only dimly aware of Lily asking, "Zoe? Zoe, what's wrong?"
She got up, stumbling, and ran for the castle. She didn't stop until she reached her dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. Curling up on her bed, she allowed a tear to escape her eye. "Zoe! What happened?" Lily cried as she rushed into the room. Wordlessly, Zoe handed the letter to Lily. Lily gasped as she scanned the letter quickly. "Your parents - dead!" She couldn't imagine Uncle Neville and Aunt Hannah dead.
Lily sat down and hugged her friend, whose body was shaking with sobs. "Well, at least my parents could look after you," Lily said, trying to comfort her, even though she was feeling very depressed herself.
"What? I'm going to be adopted by your parents?" Zoe asked, stunned. Lily frowned, confused. "Haven't you read the letter? Look, I'll read it. It says, ' Your Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny have agreed to adopt you, due to the misfortune of your parents.'"
Zoe wiped her eyes. The Potters were the nicest people she knew, and it might be fun if she's living with them… She knew she will always miss her parents, but no amount of wishing would bring that back. Anyway, she knows her parents will never forgive her if she spent her whole life feeling unhappy because of her parents' death. "Feeling better?" Lily's gentle voice broke into her thoughts. "Let's tell Professor McGonagall," her friend suggested as she turned the doorknob. That was the kind of friend she was, loyal and caring, but she could also be fun and energetic. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She knew she was lucky, having such a wonderful friend.
The two friends walked through the empty common room, and headed in the direction of Professor McGonagall's office.