In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*Quidditch

After the incident last year in the Chamber of secrets, Briar had become immensely unpopular in her final term at Hogwarts that year, with everyone either suspecting she had been the heir of Slytherin, or that she was now possessed by them

But this year, given the admiration everyone seemed to have for her father's DADA lessons, Briar had a newfound popularity. She could barely get through a corridor without being stopped by someone who wanted to rave about her father's exciting lessons

Briar was excited. This year really looked like it was going to be a good one for her. Popular, safe, and dad here.

Of course having her dad at Hogwarts was a dream come true because she could finally get to know him. But one thing she and Remus both hadn't thought about, let alone prepared for, was the obstacle of getting used to this new routine of having a father-daughter relationship 

Particularly when her father is a werewolf who disappears once a month to transform, and Briar can't tell anyone about it, or help

During his first month at Hogwarts, Briar paid attention to the way his appearance would become more scruffy and unkept as the full moon approached, and then the day after he would be more tired and slow than usual

So now that she found them sipping tea in his office as they did every week, she finally had worked up the courage to talk to him about it

"Is it hard to transform?" she asked him suddenly and he nearly choked on his tea

"Yes and no," he sighed "It's painful. It feels like every bone in my body is breaking and reshaping itself as I turn. But luckily for me, Professor Snape has been kind enough to brew me a wolfsbane potion. It makes it easier for me to control myself and my thoughts when I have turned."

"Professor McGonagall once told me he didn't like you though" Briar said "She said he was often on the receiving end of pranks by you and your friends"

"He was," Remus nodded "James Potter in particular had a knack for stirring up trouble with Severus. But that was a long, long time ago and now Severus is my colleague. We have a new respect for each other I suppose"

"Why didn't you guys like him?" she asked "Besides the fact that he's a heartless, cold, annoying man"

That made Remus chuckle "It startles me how much you remind me of James Potter sometimes. From my office I can see down to the quidditch pitch and I watched you train the other day. You're a natural on a broom, like he was"

"Have you spoken to Harry about him?" asked Briar "I know what it's like to want to know more about your family and I think Harry deserves to"

"He does," Remus said "But for now I want Harry to enjoy his time at Hogwarts-"

"Which is a bit difficult when the school is on the hunt for Sirius Black" Briar sighed

"Yes I suppose it is" Remus nodded

"What do I have to do with him?" she asked and Remus froze "I know I have something to do with him, and that you know what it is. So can you please tell me?"

"Briar," Remus sighed "Right now you don't need to know. In due time you will, but as of right now you are safe and protected here at Hogwarts, and when I see it fit to tell you I will. In the mean time, I ask you not to go looking for any answers elsewhere"

"But dad-"

"Please Briar," He said "I need to keep you safe"

"Fine" she groaned

"Good," He nodded "Well, it is nearly curfew so you should head back to Gryffindor tower before Minerva has both our heads"

Briar agreed and she hurried out of his office, leaving his classroom and rushing through the marble staircases of Hogwarts before someone spotted her and scolded her for being out late alone, with Sirius Black on the loose