Brilliance is Corruptable

Chapter Six

"Blimey, didn't Briar say she'd give back the map after month?" Fred questioned his brother. George gave a shrug, "She wasn't even in class this morning."

Fred gazed over at the Ravenclaw table, "She hasn't even made it down for lunch. You reckon she made off the map or something?"

"Briar wouldn't do that," George stated firmly, "She must've slept in- or was sick or something."

"-Speaking of sick," their friend Lee Jordan cut in, "Didn't Snape say Lupin was sick too?"

George dropped his eyes heavily down at his plate, unable to retort.

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Morning fell onto the Shrieking Shack, sunlight dancing in through the window, playing over Briar's sleeping face. She jerked awake, gasping as she realised she had fallen asleep.

"It's good to see that you're awake," Lupin said, putting on his cloak.

Briar rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palm, "I'm sorry Professor, I promised I'd keep you company-"

"No, what you promised was that you'd stay with me, and you did- however a kept promise does not validate what you've done."

Briar flushed, she was unsure how to respond. She never broke the rules, let alone this severely.

"You've followed me for an entire month, did you not?"

She tilted her head downwards, unable to look him in the eye. She nodded sadly.

"Well done indeed, Miss. York. Very resourceful- although, I'm not quite sure how you obtained that map."

Her eyes fell on the folded piece of parchment in her lap, "It's not mine, I asked a friend to borrow it."

Professor Lupin nodded, "Very good, you know, you're much like your mother."

Her head jerked upwards, eyes alight. "Yes I knew your mother, and your father too- they were my classmates, and in Gryffindor as well, so naturally we knew each other." His eyes developed almost a fond look to them.

"Your father wasn't particularly keen on me, figured I was too much trouble considering who I had befriended. But your mother… Yes she was very bright, one of the first few to discover my little… problem.

"She had done the same thing you did, by following me around until eventually she came upon me here."

Lupin flinched, looking ashamed of his next words, "I wasn't in control then as I was now, so incidentally, I attacked her. She made it out alive with a scratch on her arm.

"But that very morning, she came back demanding an explanation and baring men's clothes. Afterwards we became great friends, and it was a shame when she was killed. Although…" Lupin smiled down at her, "It was good to meet her daughter; and I must say, you look and act exactly at her."

Briar smiled up at him, teary-eyed, but happy. "Thank you, Professor."

But Lupin sighed, "And now I assume you need an explanation of how I managed a teaching position, correct?"

Briar shook her head, smiling softly, "No, I'm well aware of Dumbledore's kindness towards those often discriminated. And besides, you seem tired, Professor; let's get you to your office."

Lupin tossed her a smile, starting down the stairs cautiously with her, "You're a remarkable girl, Briar. Your gallantry has me doubt your position is Ravenclaw."

"Well you see, Professor, I'm absolutely brilliant. It's quite simple really."

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 "Ah, there you two are!" An exhausted Briar strode towards, extending a bit of creased parchment. She gave them a pleasant smile, "Thank you for this, it was very useful."

Fred tucked the parchment away and tossed her a smile, "So what'd you do with the map?"

A mysterious grin crossed her face, "Oh, you know, a bit of research…"

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I do not own Harry Potter/character/etc.

-AL